Alanis thought letting go of her first love would be the most painful thing she would ever endure, but little did she know, the path the light goddess set before her, would be paved in heartaches beyond compare.
With her past and Berthold behind h...
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Alanis' head hung low. She counted bitterly to herself as the wind stung at her watering eyes. She found that the simple act of counting, to any number, be it a hundred or a thousand, helped keep her mind off the gripping cold. She had counted to four hundred, and sixty six before she was interrupted by the familiar groan of their leader, Prince Faris.
He reined his steed and it slowed its pace until they both rode alongside each other.
"How are you holding up?" he asked. There wasn't a shred of concern in his voice, that much was clear to her.
Alanis lifted her hands to the thick fabric that bundled around her face. She tugged at the scarf with her numbed fingers, and dropped the fabric to free her covered mouth.
"I'm fine," she replied while wetting her chapped lips with her tongue.
The prince smiled then brought his magnificent midnight steed close. Alanis sat forward and the prince joined her motion. He looked up at her from beneath his lowered hood, his deep-green eyes cut through the whirlwind of flurries that danced between them.
"Good." His warm reply wafted in the winds ahead from his lips. "Then I suggest you pick up your pace, or we'll be at it for days. Unless that's what you wish, my lady?" He looked her over for a reply, and perhaps an opportunity to attack with harsher words.
Her brow stiffened, along with her back as she recoiled from him. She learned from the first day of travel to back down from any of Faris' challenges. He was ruder and more obnoxious on the road. She also noticed that those terrible qualities were primarily directed towards her when he was in one of his ornery moods. The best thing to do was ignore him while giving him what he wanted, he was more inclined to leave her alone when she did that.
She lifted the warm fabric above her lip then adjusted it to hug the bridge of her nose. When settled, she adverted her eyes and lifted Trista's reins, snapping them so fiercely that the crack echoed in the swirling winds surrounding them. She could hear Faris' cackle as Trista dove ahead with renewed pace.
Alanis' head ducked into the pummeling winds as she spoke muffled swear words to herself.
The Gods were mad, having me follow this jerk to the god forsaken north. That prick had better watch his back, her curses were lost to the prince's ears, hers included. She could barely hear herself think in the incessant, whooshing winds, but felt a little better releasing her pent-up anger.
Her hands clenched at the reins, each of her fingers ached from the cold, but she was too tired to pay them any mind. All she wanted to do was make camp and stretch her legs, and she knew the quicker she traveled the quicker she'd see that wish come true.
The journey went on like that for two more days. They'd rise at first light and ride until the cusp of night, traveling through the grueling weather as speedily as possible, having only two small breaks in-between wake and sleep. Faris was certain that their persistent pace would shave several days from their journey.
