THE PYRE | ONC2021

Ⅵ

She said it like aar-zu. Ingrid felt slightly embarrassed that she had been calling her ur-zu the entire time. But... hers... hers sounded better.

Frederick introduced himself, in a manner that was almost cold and clinical and then gestured towards Ingrid, who hurried to bow. "This is Captain Ingrid. She will be head of security here and will be taking care of all your needs."

The princess gave a surprised but polite smile, "A woman! How delightful. Quite unexpected though, I didn't think women could be knights here."

"They can't," Frederick gave a condescending smirk. "Lady Ingrid here is just an anomaly born out of her peculiar circumstances."

Ingrid stiffened. Just how much did he know about her? Did he know... about... Adelaide? Sweat rolled down her back in almost pure, slow agony. She anticipated it. The shame of him telling her less-than-stellar past. All the deeds she had done.

"Oh?" The princess raised a brow, her voice inquisitive. "Do tell—"

Then she stopped. She'd been looking at Ingrid, and their eyes met, even though Ingrid's were partially obscured by her helmet. 

"Never mind, Lord Althaus," The Princess said and Frederick's mouth stopped, looking quite irritated. He didn't like to be interrupted.

"We are getting late. I think it would be best to save the stories for later." Arzu finished. "Could you please guide me to my carriage?" 

Frederick did, and her entourage bustled and clamored to organize the boxes, stuff them into a cart the best they could.

As she turned to leave to the carriages, Ingrid saw Arzu give her an understanding smile.

And for some reason, Ingrid felt a wave of pure irritation wash over her.

***

Ingrid looked down from the treetop, her bow stretched taut. Her arm hurt as she waited with baited breath to see the boar emerge from the bushes. The birds chirped.

Her eyes focused. And she saw life, and when she let the arrow fly, she saw death.

A splash of blood. The boar keeled over to its side. Ingrid jumped down from the tree. Her knees shook under the pure pressure, but she walked over to the boar. 

It was an ugly creature, sprawled on its side. She saw its eyes, rolling in their sockets as its chest heaved up and down. The arrow stuck out of it like a plant growing out of soil. There was blood, tainting the ground crimson.

But more important was the smudge of crusted blood around its mouth. The arrows, not just hers that surrounded its body. And the battlescars. It had been plaguing these lands for long.

Did it deserve death? Even if it was a plague, did it deserve death? Who decided if it was a plague or if it wasn't?

Ingrid didn't say anything.

It looked at her, its chest heaving erratically, too proud to even beg for its life.

This time, Ingrid did not pray for God to save her soul for hurting another. She pulled out her sword, and with swift cool precision, cut its throat. 

Then, with great struggle, Ingrid hauled the boar to her horse, shoving it onto the cart. Her horse whinnied, and Ingrid grinned. 

"There, there. I knew you were frightened." She murmured, but it felt more like she was talking to herself. She pulled out a cube of sugar from her pocket, and offered it to the mare. 

But the mare only sniffed, and turned away.

That was when Ingrid realized she had blood on her hands. It dripped from between her fingers, soaking her leather gloves in slippery crimson. It smelled sweet, almost sugary.

Yes, she had the blood of a plague on her hands, but even if it was a plague, did it sully her hands any less?

***

It was nightfall when she reached camp. She'd flung her gloves in the back, after failing to get the blood out of them in a nearby stream. Camp was near a small village. It had an inn, but Frederick said it was too unsafe to be in an inn and it would be better for them to set up their own camps.

He had looked at her and smirked when he had said that, and Ingrid only wrapped her scarf closer to her neck. The camp twinkled in the night, the torches around dotting around the camp glowing like large fireflies.

Stepping down from her horse, she hauled the boar off from the cart. Her muscles ached sweetly as she lifted it onto her shoulders and carried it to the cook's tent. With great pleasure, she handed it to him, watching him struggle under the weight.

"Would that be enough for tonight's dinner?" She asked sweetly, remembering how he had commented she would be best off catching rabbits. "Or would you like some stag on the side?"

The cook only grunted under the weight of the boar.

"I think that'll be all. Please do my prey justice. It deserves that, at the very least, " Ingrid grinned.

And then she walked off, her bones aching but her heart tasting like triumph.

That is, until, Princess Arzu popped out of nowhere.

 What was it with nobles and popping out of nowhere? These nobles could be excellent at espionage, they were so light-footed. Ingrid somehow felt like her patience was running out.

"That was impressive." She remarked, flushing, watching as Ingrid undid the ties to her horse-cart, massaging her horse's neck. Poor thing. "How'd you manage to carry it so far?"

Using my arms, your highness, Ingrid wished to answer. But she held her tongue, telling herself she shouldn't even think that. She didn't wish for a repeat of last night's incidents.

"Barely, Your Highness." Ingrid said coolly. "Just barely."

It felt like that could be the answer for a lot of things.

Then it struck her. Princess Arzu. The power she had, and the power she chose not to use. It was disgusting. She acted so benevolent, but at the base, she was Frederick, someone Ingrid and people like Ingrid had to appease all the time.

"That's still admirable," continued the princess. "I could never imagine to slay a beast as big as th—"

But Ingrid was distracted. In the distance, through the clearing, the village could be seen. And from there, there arose a thick cloud of dark grey smoke.

But not like the entire village was on fire. Far more concentrated. One thick plume of dark cotton in the fabric of the night sky.

Like...

Ingrid's heart froze.

The princess had also seen Ingrid's attention was elsewhere. Her eyes landed where Ingrid was looking. "Wait... What is that? What is that?"

The pyre, your highness.

"The pyre followed me," Ingrid said, breathlessly, and ran.

:::

total words: 8,249

day: 05/04/2021 {time zones lmao]