Iron and Wood #Wattys2017

Chapter Nineteen

Felix halted his horse at the edge of the cliff.

The port was below, with white sails on the harbour as small as mushrooms on a patch of forest ground.  The slope down to the shops was covered in old stone buildings with wooden roofs and a multitude of flags with the red and black he knew was the Imperial sigil.  The harbour glittered behind the ships, opening out into the Channel.

Haugr was a dark shadow on the horizon, too far away to discern anything but a vague shape.  He turned the horse away from it.

The woods ended sharply on the side of the road to his left, to his right the ground sloped steeply down to the port, the road turning in zig-zags.  The dirt turned to cobblestones halfway down.  

He did not sleep that night, or the night before, traveling non-stop.  The hunting dogs had been traded off for fresh horses.  

He thought he saw Shal whenever an armoured warrior passed.  Her voice and rare laugh taunted him from every crowd and alley, and he could not stop looking over his shoulder.  

There were heavy hoof falls from the woods.  Felix's head snapped around, and his breath caught in his throat as his hand caught the handle of his sword.  

"Shal," he whispered.  And then, cantering to catch up- "SHAL SUNG!"

She was riding double with the girl- what was her name?- covered in dirt from the road and glistening with sweat.  Shal looked back at him, and her slanted eyes widened.

For a brief second, Felix thought she was going to try to flee.  But she turned the horse around and slowed to a halt.

He could hear the girl protest.  Shal dismounted and faced him, not drawing her sword.  Their eyes met, black to green.  Felix's knuckles whitened on the hilt of his weapon, a lump rising in his throat.

"You have to leave, Felix." Shal approached him and whispered, as if they weren't hunter and quarry standing hundreds of miles away from the Fortress, as if they were still friends in the dark hall of the Templars' quarters or the glittering rainbow Cathedral.  

He struggled for words, and then drew his sword, raising it beside his shield.  Shal blinked and stepped back, but did not draw hers as well.

"How could you do this?" his eyes blurred with tears, and he furiously blinked them away.  "I thought everything was fine."

"Fine?!" Shal looked back at the girl on the horse, who looked on nervously.  She turned back to Felix, her eyes incredulous.  "I told you about my father, did you really think I could just stay and- and be fine?"

"At least you know there's no-one missing you and praying for you to come back," Felix felt his grip on his weapon tightening.  "Most of us don't get that knowledge.  You don't remember him, Shal!   The Templars-- they had a life for us.  You could have moved on."

"Well, it's too late now." Shal snapped.

"I know."

"Shal..." the girl whispered.  Felix felt a rush of hatred for her, but did not look up.

"Come with us." Shal said suddenly.  "To Haugr.  Ella says there are witches that could combat the magic of the collar.  We can start over."

"I don't need to start over!" Felix hissed.  "I had a perfectly good life until you decided to run.  Did you know I chased you when you were escaping?  They say I let you go on purpose."

"Did you?"

"It doesn't matter!" Felix heard his voice rise and crack.  "Sara and the others are dead because of you! I can't go back without her!  They'll kill me!  I have to kill you!"