Fire Girl {UNEDITED}

Into the Woods

The forest gets darker as we proceed in further beneath the large evergreen trees. I know the way through them well because I often visit my archery range in here. We pass by it only to allow me to fetch my bow and arrows stored there.

Neither Thom or I say much of anything. Every now and then there was the short contemplation of which path to take, but apart from that the only sound is that of crunch of twigs beneath our feet.

The woods is the same. The trees are as tall and green as they are always at the end of summer. Birds sing cheerily as they fly South, and the bugs crawl along the ground and some fly up into our faces. But it is different.

The silence between Thom and I as we walk along influenced completely by the recent events. The forest just doesn’t have its usual calming affect on me. For in my mind, behind each tree held a possible horror to keep me from my family. What I feel is fear, one that burns me to my core and keeps an impending pressure on my stomach. I don’t think I will ever be able to sleep or eat until it’s lifted. 

The forest begins to grow darker, proving that night has moved  

“You go and rest,” He says tossing down his baggage in a clearing where we’ve stopped. “I’ll go get some woods for the fire.”

 "No.” I say, “I can help you just fine.”

“But you’ll need your rest for tomorrow. Princess,” He says, whispering the last word slyly.

“Shut up!” I snap, “Being a princess shan’t get me any special treatment out here or save my life next to yours. So I suggest you quit with titles so we can start the bloody fire!” I whip the other way and storm off to find wood.

"Aisling," he calls, but I have already started off and do not intend to walk back without some twigs. Why on earth does he have to purposely tick me off? Can he not see the pressure I feel? Thom has practiced with weaponry his whole life. There is no way he can understand the fear and stress I am under.

I find some small twigs that will begin and sustain a fire, but keep it small enough that we would be unseen by any unknowns that might be near. I collect them up in my arms and return to where Thom has dropped his bags. He has gone off as well. “Good”, I think, “I'll start it myself.”

I set the twigs up in a pyramid form, like I have seen done in the paintings on the ceiling at the castle. My pyramid falls a few times before I get it steady enough to stay.

Thom returns with more wood as I hunched over the wood, trying to light it with the flint and steel from his sack.

"Would you like me to do that for you?" He asks carefully.

"I am capable, thank you," I reply curtly.

He nods to the ground and lays the wood beside me. I continue to strike the flint and the steel together. Each attempt gives a spark that dissolves to nothing after less than a moment.

Frustrated, I strike again.  The spark flashes and burns my hand. I yelp and drop it to the ground. 

Thom rushes from where he had been standing watch and comes to my side. I hold my hand protectively over my chest and look away.

"Let me see it," he commands.

"It is fine," I say.

He reaches in and pulls my hand out so he could see it. I pride myself in not wincing but once as he examined it. He looks between my thumb and index finger where the skin is red.

 His rough hand runs over the burn and I feel my face grow hot. I pull away my hand and sit back.

"I am fine," I say with more confidence.