Lily of the valley

24

The moorland grew hotter and drier, the sun beat down with increasing strength. The ladies of the mountain were parched, luckily the knights had left some water and meat pies  in their saddlebags. They were thankful for the horses, the journey across the open heath would have been too great on foot, it appeared the Gods were watching over them after all. 

"She was more than just a witch wasn't she?" Katherine asked Lily, taking a drink from the water bladder. Lily was a devout follower of the gods, her chambers back in the mountain palace had been filled with holy books and statuettes. Katherine had often heard her muttering prayers through the marble walls. 

"I believe she was Saturn, goddess of time." Lily was overwhelmed with divine joy, she had been touched by the heavens, she felt the blessing of the gods fill her with golden light. Katherine felt nothing of the sort, she respected the Gods but would not call herself a worshipper. 

The covering of heather became gradually sparser, giving way to red rock that glowed under the unbearable midday sun. They needed to find some shade but there was naught but flat rock for miles, the mares were panting and suffering in the violent heat. Neither woman had ever experienced weather like it, the air was stifling and dry, each was covered in a film of sweat. The vast landscape held so much beauty, there were dried flowers in the cracks that emitted a divine scent. A eagle soared above, watching for prey on the desert floor; its shadow passed over Lily's creating the illusion that she had wings if only for a moment. 

After some time they reached the edge of the earth, the ground dropped away into a sharp cliff, they had reached the canyons at last. They could see no way down and no way across. Lily dismounted and approached the edge of the chasm, looking down made her dizzy and weak but she fought the vertigo in order to find a path or some other way down. The edges of the ravine were not smooth but instead covered in ledges of jutting red rock, they created an almost staircase. Lily knew there must be some easier way down but that could be miles away, neither them nor the horses had the energy for that. They would have to climb. 

"There's a way down here, we'd have to climb but it doesn't look too bad." Lily reported back to Katherine who sat high on her horse looking out across the breathtaking view. 

"What will we do with the horses?" Katherine asked, not quite prepared for a climb but willing to do anything she needed to. Lily approached her inky mare and began to loosen the billet strap on the saddle. 

"We'll free them." Lily lifted the saddle from her horse's back and then began to loosen its bridal, Katherine dismounted and copied Lily though she was slow and cumbersome at it, having never needed to care for a horse before. Though she had owned many, all had been shining white with long pure manes. Lily moved over to help Katherine once she had finished with her own horse. When they had released the mares of their bonds Lily slapped them on the rump, Katherine and Lily stopped for a moment and watched the horses gallop north. Away from that great burning sun, and towards home. 

They approached the edge, the drop was vast and terrifying. Lily went first, she sat on the cliff edge and dropped down onto the ledge below, it was not so bad. Katherine followed her, she was not as nimble as Lily and struggled but managed in the end. It got easier as she gained confidence. The ravine edge provided some shadow as they climbed, the cool darkness was refreshing but not enough; even the rock was searing. 

The travellers stopped for a rest in the shade, they were about half way down and the heat was only getting worse. At the base of the gorge was a wild and twisting river, it covered most of the canyon floor. At least they need not worry about water, but they were starting to grow hungry. They saw strange deer on the ground that they did not recognise, everything about that kingdom was new. Lily wished that she had a bow or hunting knife so that she could catch them some food, but they would have to wait for some sheer luck. 

The descent continued, it did not take long for them to reach the bottom; it felt good to be standing on solid ground once more. They paused a moment in the shade while they found their legs again, Lily's vertigo had left her dizzy and nauseous, she sipped at water and took a moment to calm herself. Lily lent against the rocky wall of the canyon, she misplaced her hand. 

There was a hissing sound coming from an uncoiling, shining, scaled body. The creature bared its pale pink, fanged mouth at Lily who recoiled but not quickly enough. The snake struck, once, twice. Lily staggered about screeching, it was if fire had been injected into her veins, slowly spreading up her arm. Katherine was at a loss, she panicked alongside Lily, she rushed about the valley calling out for help but there was no-one to hear her. Lily had reduced herself to whimpering and deep breathing, she gripped her wounds and trembled. 

"We have to keep moving." Katherine pleaded of Lily, who began to walk forwards as if in a daze. Katherine felt increasingly vulnerable, she was lost without Lily and she was helpless to save her.              "Have some water." Katherine pressed her canteen to Lily's lips and made her drink as they stumbled southward. After what felt like an eternity they reached the river, its waters raged and spat. Lily could barely maintain consciousness. There was a large panel of scrap woods, all nailed together and half buried in the sand. Katherine dug the raft up with her hands, she possessed a furious determination for the survival of herself and her suffering companion. 

Had the situation been different they never would have gone by water, the rapids were too fast and the found raft too unstable. Katherine had to lift Lily onto the wooden boards, she was pale and incoherent, the wound on her arm had already begun to blacken. The torrent was their only hope.

"Hold on, hold on." Katherine muttered to Lily, tears stinging her eyes. The flower of the mountain arranged herself on the raft and pushed off, giving herself up to the mercy of the river.