𝐍𝐎𝐓 𝐀𝐋𝐋 𝐖𝐇𝐎 𝐖𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐑 𝐀𝐑𝐄 𝐋𝐎𝐒𝐓 • 𝐋𝐎𝐓𝐑

09. Serenity of Storms

"Keep running, Sazrat!"

 The hand was dragging her along at a ragged, stumbling sprint, keeping her from turning around to save their sister.

"Do not look back," her sister order, even as they listened to the eldest of the sibling scream at bloodcurdling pitches and suddenly fall silent. 

There was only three of them now, the second oldest and the two youngest. The older one dragged both younger ones behind her by the wrists, never letting them stop. Sazrat was desperate to have something she could for her sisters as she heard the youngest one, Mazara, take a quivering breath. But Vikar would not let them stop. Not for anything. Not even for their sisters.

     Then Vikar was gone, left far behind days ago when she fell to elvish weapons. Sazrat and Mazara had  never stopped running, their breathing heavy and their muscles aching. The hunting horn echoed yet again behind them, closer now. They could see the outline of the forest just ahead, like a beacon in the dark of the night. 

"Hurry, Mazara! We're almost there!" Sazrat encouraged her little sister, trying to push her to move faster. There was far too much blood running down Mazara's leg from the golden arrow jutting out of it, but they had no time to stop and try to stauch the bleeding. It was a nightmare they couldn't escape, no matter how many times they begged themselves to wake up to the life they had only a week before.

"Sazrat, I can't....I can't keep going," Mazara panted, wincing as they stumbled and the youngest sister sunk to the ground, gingerly holding her wounded leg.

"Sister, we can't stop here!" Sazrat insisted.

"Just a little farther and we can hide in the forest."

Grabbing her by the arm Sazrat pulled her up off the ground and forward into a labored run. They didn't make ten paces before Mazara fell again.

"Zara!" Sazrat cried, kneeling on the cold ground beside her.

"My leg... it hurts too much. I can't run anymore."

"Then I'll carry you if I must, but we have to keep going!"

As if to punctuate her plea the hunting horn sounded behind them, closer than before and followed by the baying of hounds. Mazara grabbed Sazrat by the arm with a iron grip Sazrat knew to be the last of her strength.

"Leave me. Hide in the forest. They'll slow when they find me."

"No! No, I won't leave you!"

"Please, Sister! As long as one of us survives to find the Ring we may yet resurrect our Master. I'll only slow you down."

"I will not just leave you here! I can't lose you too! Please..." she begged, letting her head fall so she could hide her tears.

Mazara cupped Sazrat's face with one hand and tipped it back up.

"It's alright," she whispered, forcing a smile for her big sister who had been trying so hard. 

With a broken sob Sazrat embraced her sister, faintly inhaling the familiar scent of sulfur and smoke with closed eyes. If she tried hard enough, she could pretend they had all the time in the world. 

"Let me go, Saz," Mazara finally said quietly, loosening her hold in an attempt to make Sazrat let go. 

"Please."

With a rattling sigh Sazrat relented, pushing away and standing reluctantly. They could hear the baying of hounds through the deluge that surrounded them. The hunters would find them any moment. Hot tears and cold raindrops trickled down both their faces.