The Heroine of Irlesoph (FIRST DRAFT)

Chapter Seven

Ignoring all previous tribulations, I leapt to my feet and I sprinted over to embrace him, tears falling from my face.

"I'M SO SORRY!" I said through my sobs. I gripped his shirt tightly and buried my face into his chest.

"Woah, Laylis, what are you sorry about?"

"I LEFT YOU THERE, AND I THOUGHT YOU DIED CAUSE THE STORM MOVED AND—" I broke down, no longer capable of forming a sentence through my tears.

Delzri closed the book he held and he slung it over his back, then pulling my face from his shirt. "Laylis, what are you talking about?"

I sniffled and struggled to keep my mouth from frowning or my lips from quivering. "I thought you died, Delzri!" I said with a shaky voice.

"Well, Laylis, I didn't." He chuckled nervously, "So, stop crying, will you?" I looked into his eyes with confusion and worry. "How can you stand here before me and say that?"

"Say what?"

"How can you even look at me knowing I left you at the castle? To die?"

"If you left me at the castle so I would die then you wouldn't be this shaken up about it, Laylis. I already forgive you because I wasn't even mad in the first place."

I sniffled and surveyed the scene. Dust was abundant in the winds and some was catching my eye. "Delzri... I'm so confused..."

Delzri sucked in, "Yeah, well, there's plenty of confusion to go around. In the meantime, though," He knelt down to be eye-level with me, "let me take you back to Caipass, okay?"

I nodded silently and Delzri took me by the hand out of the clearing and towards the waters. He helped me step into a small row boat and I sat down. The sun began to shine through the trees behind Delzri as he sat facing me, rowing the boat through the marsh.

"Are you okay?"

Delzri scoffed, "Am I okay? I should be worried about you. And I am."

"You don't have to worry about me, Delzri. I'm just fine."

"You sure took a beating back there, though. It looks like I came just in time, huh?"

Animals chirped in the trees again and goosebumps lined Delzri's arms in the chilly morning air.

"You're underdressed for this thing, huh?"

"You're wearing a t-shirt and shorts, Laylis."

"Yeah, but that's different."

I looked over the murky waters and felt my stomach bubble into my throat. The scenery around my began to spin until I tightly closed my eyes and shook my head.

"Are you okay?"

"Being on a boat was a terrible idea after what I just ate, I feel like I'm gonna be sick."

"What'd you eat?"

My stomach jumped into my throat and I gagged, covering my mouth.

"Nope, nope, false alarm." I choked it back down. "Tadderon."

"Wait, you ate tadderon? When was that?"

"Like, an hour ago." I held my head between my knees.

The boat began to move even more quickly, "How much did you eat? You look seriously sick already."

"Enough," My stomach groaned. "I'm so hungry, but if I eat anything I will probably die."

"But not before emptying your stomach onto anyone in front of you," Delzri chuckled. I attempted to return the laugh but it hurt too much.