The Tail of the Sword and Shield #Wattys2020

Chapter 11: What Purpose Does A Sidequest Serve?

Volsair was able to break Cordelia's concentration, "Let's get moving. I keep feeling like we're being watched." He said touching her arm.

When Cordelia felt his touch, it felt like when she drank a potion that kept her wide awake and alert for three days and nights. She felt jittery, but at the same time, she liked his touch, even though it had just been her arm. "Yeah!" she blurted out, "Let's get going, I probably won't sleep decently until we get out of this swamp."

Moving down the path, Volsair and Cordelia stayed close to each other, Volsair leading the way. It wasn't that Cordelia couldn't lead, or that Volsair designated himself as the leader, Cordelia just thought that since Volsair was a Fae Champion, that he should walk ahead of her, in the event of danger.

On the dawn of the second day, Volsair and Cordelia decided to stop and have a bite to eat, a moderate amount of sunlight filtered down into the swamp, showing the yellow-green pollen practically suspended in midair.

Cordelia and Volsair sat down on another, but  different island. Volsair pulled, the loaf of bread out of his pack, tore off a hunk and passed the loaf to Cordelia.

Cordelia took a hunk of bread and passed the loaf back to Volsair, he took another chunk of bread. The bread was nutrient-dense and tasted like toasted legumes. The bread was tan and brown in color, with various nuts and seeds baked throughout the loaf. They ate in near silence, comparing the swamp to how it had been the night before, it was quiet, you could barely even hear the frogs croaking.

"I wonder why the swamp is so quiet." Cordelia pondered, "I think it's unlikely the swamp to be this quiet, just because we're here." She took another bite of the piece of bread, savoring the taste.

Volsair thoughtfully knitted his eyebrows and took another bite of his piece of bread. He could taste the faint sweetness of honey in the bread, along with the rich taste of toasted nuts and seeds. Probably used as a preservative. he thought, commenting on the taste.

Volsair was silent, even his mind was, he took in everything of the swamp. From the frogs to the chattering of the insects, the slight bubbling of the swamp water to the varied bird calls. He even took in the sound of the wind moving through the treetops.

Or at least that was what he was expecting to hear. Except for the sounds of the swamp water barely bubbling, and him and his companion chewing, all was still. It was unearthly quiet, and there wasn't even any wind. Volsair finished his bread, re-wrapped the loaf and put it back into his pack. "We should probably get a move on." He said looking around as he got to his feet, and re-sheathed his sword.

Cordelia stood up and finished off her piece of bread. "Did you notice something that I missed?" Cordelia asked, looking across the swamp to the other pathway. This time she didn't see any of those bobbing lights. Perhaps those lights only come out after dark? she thought, still unable to recall the creature. It was the same feeling she got when something was on the tip of her tongue. Instead, it was on the tip of her brain, just out of her memory's reach, she could feel the creature's name and description taunting her.

Then Cordelia got a feeling. The feeling said Why don't you just ditch the knight in the clanking armor and swim out and see the creature. It'll rejog your memory. Also, you'll leave him behind, he was dumb enough to follow you anyway. The feeling spoke in a voice that Cordelia found both tempting and at the same time like something was pushing her back from it. She also had this sneaking feeling that if she went ankle-deep in the water that something would drag her into its depths.

If I do the Song of Shifting I should be fine. Cordelia thought looking down at her boot covered feet at the murky water's edge. I dunno though, that water looks rather thick. Even with my ability to breathe underwater, I still might suffocate. Cordelia shook her head, her golden tresses shimmered in the filtered sunlight.

Volsair right then had to look at her, it wasn't her magic pull on him, his talisman had sorted that out, he didn't know why exactly, but he just felt the need to look at her. This time though, he could talk without any need to fill in the blanks.

"Are you alright?" Volsair asked, breathing in the smell of the swamp, it smelled like decay, but at the same time abundant life, coexisting in perfect harmony, there was also a faint smell of rotten eggs.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Cordelia said, snapping out of whatever kind of trance she had been in.

"I think we should get going, best get out of this swamp while we still can." Volsair said, taking Cordelia by the hand.

"Good idea. Something's not right about this place." Cordelia replied.

Cordelia and Volsair headed deeper and deeper in to the swamp. This time, they stayed to the path, if they stopped for food, they stayed together, and they stayed away from the water's edge.

________________________________________________________________________________Well if that's! If you liked it ,or if you don't please comment and fav the story!

'TIl next time!

~Laura-the-bard