The Paladins of Naretia

Chapter 22

Olórin stretched his arms over his head and found his hands entangled in a wiry beard. He was sure it wasn't his beard as it was far too coarse. But just to make sure he ran one of his hands along the length of it until he reached a large fleshy nubbin.

"Oie!" came a gruff voice. "Get yer fingers outta me nose."

Olórin immediately retracted his hands and sat bolt-upright. Looking where his fingers had been, he found the furious features of Bernard staring back at him. The disgruntled dwarf gave a loud huff and turned onto his side, away from his travelling companions.

Olórin wiped his fingers on his cloak with a shudder, before glancing at Aramus. He found him sitting up and propped against a large bolder. Like a black-feathered cloak, Aramus's wings were wrapped around both himself and the queen. Her head was resting on his shoulder and her eyes were firmly shut. Aramus, on the other hand, was wide awake, and the small shadows under his eyes hinted that he had not slept all night. But Olórin thought it must be just a trick of the light because the young man always slept well.

He didn't quite know what to make of the sight of the two enemies cozying up together in the harsh light of a frosty morning. It was a sight he thought he would never see; Aramus and any woman in close proximity, never mind his mortal enemy the queen. Aria groaned and her bound hands became visible once more as they poked up beyond her feathered cape when she rubbed her eyes.

"What the?" she said, lifting her head and staring wide-eyed at Aramus. "Get off."

Aria gave the young man a hard shove with her shoulders and immediately Aramus unfurled his wings from around her. 'Ah, that's more like it,' thought Olórin with a little disappointment.

"Och, can't a dwarf get a bit of sleep?" Bernard grumbled, only half-turning his head toward Aria. "Would ye stop yer yapping. The sun's no' up over the horizon yet, and all I can hear is you."

Bernard huffed angrily and turned away again. Olórin suspected that his brusqueness had more to do with the fact that it was Aria who had spoken and less to do with him wanting sleep.

"Good morning, Aramus, Your Majesty," Olórin said, inclining his head toward the two before fishing some browned apples and old bread from his hat. "Breakfast is served."

Bernard righted himself with enthusiasm, but his interest was lost when he saw the meagre offerings.

"That's no' breakfast! Ye wouldnae feed a baby bird wih' that garbage," he said. "Give me two minutes and I'll find the three of us a nice bit of boar, or a chicken at the very least."

"I think you mean the four of us," Olórin said, knowing full well that he had left out Aria on purpose.

"I'll no' stop ya if ye want tae share yer portions, but I willnae be sustaining the likes of her," he seethed.

Olórin could see the queen open her mouth to say something back to the irate dwarf and raised his hand to stop her. Much to his surprise, she closed her mouth again and instead satisfied herself by returning Bernard's vicious looks.

"In any event, we cannot light a fire to cook the meat, Bernard," he said. "Not yet, not until we are out of the mire and have some concealment from within the trees of Elwood."

"How much farther?" Aria asked, much to Bernard's obvious annoyance.

"Perhaps a day, but I am surprised you asked," Olórin replied. "I wouldn't have thought you would be so eager to join us on our travels."