A White Rose (Spellbound Novelette)

Chapter 2: The Journey

Ereptus arrived at Gaylen's house early the next morning, the first hesitant rays from the sun only just starting to emerge. As promised, his old friend was waiting with the girl packed and ready, if not happy. In fact, she looked downright miserable.

"Gaylen," she pleaded. "Please. I don't want to leave. Let me stay here with you."

The older man shook his head. "No, poppet. You'll be better off in Messina. It's a peaceful city, and the Sorcerers can help you control your magic. This city is no place for someone like you. It's barely fit for bastards like me anymore."

"I can fend for myself! You know I can!"

Gaylen gave Ereptus a pained look over her head, and Ereptus sighed before stepping forward. "Come on, girl. We had better get going."

She whipped around and glared at him as if he was the reason for her having to leave. He scoffed inwardly. If it was his choice, he'd happily have left her where she was. But Gaylen was collecting on his debt, and Ereptus felt obligated to honour it. And there was something about the young girl that spoke to him. As much as he played with the idea of leaving her behind, because he really had no interest in a trip to Messina, especially while being in charge of someone else, it didn't sit well with him. Gaylen was correct that she didn't fit in Gor. If she truly knew magic, she was even less safe in a rough city like this. There were seedy people out there who would take advantage of magic users.

"Let's go," he repeated, impatient to get going before the city woke up.

Rain turned back to Gaylen. "I don't trust him," she said, obviously not caring who heard her.

"You probably shouldn't," Ereptus said, making the older man chuckle.

"He's a good man." Gaylen patted her shoulder reassuringly. "He will bring you safely to Messina and make sure you get settled."

She threw her arms around the older man and gave him a crushing hug before squaring her shoulders and taking the few steps over to Ereptus.

"I'm ready." It was barely more than a whisper, misery lacing her voice.

A moment later she yelped as Ereptus put his arms on her waist and hoisted her up on the horse he had 'borrowed' at the inn that morning. He'd decided that they should travel on horseback to make the trip go faster. The sooner they reached Messina, the sooner he could rid himself of this unwanted responsibility.

After a quick farewell to Gaylen, he mounted the horse to sit in front of Rain and they set off. As they were passing the city gates the city was slowly coming to life behind them as more people were waking up to start their daily routine. They rode in silence for most of the day. Ereptus didn't know how to talk to a young girl, and she seemed to have no interest in talking to him at all. She was only just barely holding onto his tunic to not fall off on the horse, unwilling to touch him. He was amazed that she was still upright, but also weirdly pleased that she didn't automatically trust him just because she had been told to. Maybe she wasn't too foolish after all.

They'd been riding for hours when she finally spoke. "How long will it take us to reach this place?"

"Maybe a week, maybe longer."

Silence again. Ereptus didn't mind. He was used to travelling alone, so he barely registered the quiet. As the sun set, they stopped just inside the edge of a small forest to make camp for the night. Ereptus rubbed the horse down and set a small fire to keep them warm, all while Rain stood off to the side, staring glumly.

"This should be one of the few nights we need to sleep outside," he told her a little while later as he handed her some bread and meat. "We should pass enough towns and villages to find an inn to stay at most of the time."