Alorne ✔️

Chapter 13

"There you are," Belethrorn sighs, "don't wander off again. It's dangerous out there. Haven't you figured that out by now?"

I smile sheepishly and shrug. "Sorry?"

Belethrorn shakes his head and mutters some incoherent words. He turns around and walks back towards the square with the big tree. I sigh in relief. What happened earlier will remain my little secret. For now at least.

I straighten my tunic and adjust my bow. Right now we will deliver that compass first. I just want a quiet life. Grow old, find love, maybe have kids. I want to die peacefully after a long and fulfilling life. I want to build a small legacy, a tavern maybe. Never do I want to go back to being royal, having duties or any sort of that.

Normal, quiet and peaceful.

I kick a pebble ahead of me and watch it bounce off the uneven paving. Just like life really. You get a kick at your birth and after that, I did some serious bouncing off.

Maybe I would have been better off right now if I stayed at the castle.

I look up and notice I am far behind the other two. I swear a bit before breaking into a sprint. When I catch up to them I receive two questioning glances. The ones where they raise an eyebrow and scrunch their noses a bit. Now that they do it simultaneously. They do make a great pair, I wonder what they would be like when they become dads. Two judging dads. The thought alone makes me shudder.

I only had a mother.

Mother. Wonder how she is doing right now. Is she still looking for me? Is she the one treating me as a fugitive? If so, why would she?

We continue walking through the forest. I make sure to keep my distance and give them some space. Well, give Beorn some space so that dysig can kiss up to his crush.

We have reached the outer parts of the village by now. I can only spot a handful of houses. Farms most likely. We enter a small overgrown path. I suppose it was the main route back in the days. The remains of the paved path are still slightly visible. Mosses and ferns have taken most of the flattened tiles back.

These tiles, however, seem to be easier to ride a cart on than on the paving inside the town. The further we get away from the town the more mosses and ferns I see. Soon all paving is nowhere to be found. Strange birds fly around in the trees. Species I have never seen before.

Scattered around the forest weird trees stand tall and proud. Their leaves are pointy — like a needle.

"What are those?" I ask out loud, loud enough for the men to hear.

"What are what?" Beorn answers back with a hint curiosity in his voice. In return, I point at one of the needle trees. Needle trees, I like that name.

"Those?" Belethrorn laughs, "those are trees love."

I roll my eyes. "I can see that, but what kind? I've never seen them before." I walk closer to the two of them and sneak a glance at Beorn. He seems content. Happy.

"Pine trees, up north they dominate the surface, I guess you'll see them someday." He stretches his arms when he explains. I picture every word he says. A vast valley filled with these trees.

"Now, come on. We're nearly there," Belethrorn announces and he continues his strides. I have to take the double amount to keep up. Perks of being small they say, I prefer burden.

After a kilometre or two Belethrorn halts abruptly causing Beorn and I to crash into each other. Muttering profanities under his breath Beorn gets up without any injuries.

"Couldn't you give us a heads up?" I groan while holding my nose. If I ever had to bet on my nose versus Beorn's elbow I know what to bet on.

"We're here," he grins and earns a glare from Beorn and I.