𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐇𝐑𝐄𝐄 ; 𝐅𝐈𝐑𝐒𝐓 𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐑
Alida's recent encounter plagued her mind as she walks on, the reins of her horse in her grip. She was bewildered. She'd just been told she was going to die, and the way it'd occur was so vague that even Alida's intelligence couldn't piece it together. She was desperate to tell Nimue and Pym of her experience, hurrying to find them. The brunette wasn't confident in confiding in the two of them with her situation, considering she hardly knew enough about it to tell them. For all she knew, they'd brush it off and remind her that it could have been a random traveler trying to scare Alida. But there was something in her gut screaming at her that it was more than a silly prank.
She was caught off guard at the sight of both Pym and Nimue riding in a frenzy towards Alida. With her brows drawn together, Alida quickly realizes that their danger is more important than whatever Alida was becoming involved in. She pushes herself onto Anvil, urging him to turn around and gallop after Nimue just in front of the men and Paladins. They'd nearly caught up to her, but Anvil was faster than the Paladin's horses, and she was able to catch up to Old Boy. "What happened?" Alida shouts as they leave the town.
"There's no time to explain! We can't let the Paladins catch us!" one of them yell. Alida found it difficult to notice which one of them had been speaking, but it didn't matter. She urged Anvil forward, knuckles turning white due to how harshly she was gripped onto the reins of her horse. Soon enough, greenery begins to surround them. The hooves of the horses crush dead leaves and twigs beneath them, but everyone eventually slows down. "There!" Nimue points to a more secluded area that appeared to be behind a large boulder. The girls are quick to dismount their horses, pulling them along towards the rocks.
With ease, the horses lie beside Alida and Nimue, the trio crouched and peeking through slight cracks within the rough stone. Alida subconsciously holds her breath at the sight of red, hooves steadily approaching their location, but becoming quiet when the men come to a full stop. None of them could understand what distraction it had been, but the Paladins' heads snapped the opposite way, and their horses trudged onward. Alida released her breath, placing a hand on her frantically rising and falling chest. They were lucky the men had stupidly not thought to track them through the dirt. They seemed too arrogant to believe any of the girls would get away from their dirty grasp.
From her peripheral vision, Alida watched Nimue turn her head, the brunette following her sister's actions. Her eyes widened and brows furrowed at the sight before her. An unfamiliar face, though neither Pym or Nimue were alarmed. "Arthur," Nimue breathed out, and Alida could see the ghost of a smile grace her sister's lips. "Who is this?" Alida quickly, but quietly asked the two girls in hope of answers. Arthur noticed her shortly after, and it was clear he hadn't noticed a third head peaking through the boulder. "Alida, this Arthur. Arthur, this is my sister. Alida," Nimue rushed to the introductions. Arthur hardly spared Alida a smile, finding their other situation at hand more urgent. Alida's questions about the random boy would have to cease until later.
"No time for proper introductions. Come with me," he said. Alida was far more wary and cautious than Pym or Nimue. They stood with ease and followed him with no hesitation. Alida realized that for whatever reason, both of the people closest to her trusted this man. He was willing to help them, and there was certainly no way Alida would successfully make it home on her own. So she eventually followed as well, missing the majority of chatter between her sister and Arthur.
"The Red Paladins are burning Fey villages along Beggar's Coast," he warns. "Be careful." It alerted the girl quickly, pace quickening to catch up with them. Though she hadn't noticed Arthur immediately fall behind them. "Where are you going?" asks Nimue, turning around. Alida and her horse's steps cease, head whipping around to notice Arthur standing in an opening within the tall trees. "Making camp. What else?" he chuckles. Alida purses her dry lips, looking between the man and her friends. If Paladins were burning Fey villages, wasn't it crucial to return home immediately? What if their home was next? It seemed like Nimue had forgotten about the news altogether when she quickly agreed to spending a night in the forest.
Alida's lips parted in shock, bewildered at the fact that their mother was not top priority. But there was no way Alida would abandon her sister and her friend with a man whom she had no trust in at all whatsoever. She wouldn't let this be the last moments she spent with her sister in case Arthur was truly a fraud and wanted to take their lives.
Within time, they four made camp. Alida remained somewhat distant from the group, still unsure about her feelings for Arthur. He could be anyone. And trust was the biggest weakness of all. She remained close to Anvil, using her cloak to keep her warm as she slept through the night. It was a rather light sleep, but enough to get her going in the morning when Nimue decided to abruptly wake her up at the break of dawn. A yawn escaped her lips, and she was quick to recover consciousness and ride Anvil beside the two girls back to their village.
"Come on, Nimue. I'd only looked at Arthur for about a minute all in all and even then, I could see something in the way he looks at you," Alida spoke, a soft smile written upon her lips. She'd decided to not mention the fact that she wasn't very trusting of him. It went without saying. Alida never got close to anyone, and when she did, it was for good reason. The only ones who Alida held close to her heart were Nimue, Pym, her mother, and Squirrel. Aside from that, everyone was a mere acquaintance. Alida could know their name, but she wouldn't spare them her acknowledgment. They meant little to nothing to her. She probably was deemed selfish by anyone except her family. For them, she'd die a hundred times before letting them sit alone.
"I had a vision!" Nimue snapped, causing the red headed girl and Alida to look at each other in worry. Within less than a few seconds, their attention was back on Nimue. "Nimue, did you black out afterwards?" There was a brief pause. "I don't know," was all she said quietly with a shrug of her shoulders. Alida hadn't noticed until then that they came to a full stop. Her hazel eyes shift upwards as she extended a palm, snow gently falling upon the delicate skin. But there was a smell in the air and a burning in her eyes that told her it was not snow. No. This was ash. Ash was falling from the sky, and it took one glance between the three girls to know exactly why there was ash in the first place. Their village. It was burning to the ground while they were bantering over the connection between Nimue and a boy she met only yesterday.
"Mother," Alida and Nimue breathed out simultaneously, sharing the same look. Before they could gallop forward, Nimue and Pym were knocked off the back of Old Boy, who'd been spooked by a sudden sound that Alida hadn't heard. She was startled to say the least, and slid off the saddle of Anvil. She took whatever small belongings she might need, as well as a small dagger from her saddlebag's before setting Anvil off to wherever. Anywhere but here. He was great for transportation, but she didn't want him caught in whatever mess they were about to walk into.
After helping Nimue and Pym back onto their feet, they rushed to their village, chaos ensuing all around them. Alida couldn't find one singular thing to focus on, her mind rampaging while. Embers rushed through the breeze, black smoke filling Alida's lungs and eyes. It was horrific, and her throat felt stuck. She wanted to cough, but couldn't find the will to even do that. In the midst of her thoughts, hands gripped her forearms, pulling them behind her back and taking her with them. Nimue and Pym were grabbed as well, the three screaming after each other and struggling in the men's grasp.
With enough force and rage, Alida threw her captor to the side, escaping him and running off. Her dagger had flung to the ground during the events, and she was quick to crouch and grab it before anyone else did. The hilt was gripped tight, her feet moving faster than they ever had before. There was a man in a red robe holding a Fey woman by the throat, and without hesitation or thought, Alida drove the blade of her dagger into his shoulder, twisting it before pulling it out. The man shouted out, releasing the woman to grip his shoulder. He'd bleed out before anyone could get to him. There was a terrified expression written on Alida's face when she realized she had just taken another being's life, but when she was thanked by the woman she rescued, Alida felt a sense of pride. She'd killed a horrible man to save a woman of her kind who Alida knew was innocence.
The two separated, Alida doing the best to ignore the crimson liquid that coated her palm. Her eyes scanned the area in fear, eventually finding the familiar figures of Nimue and Squirrel taking cover within a distant hut. Alida was too stuck on the possibility of seeing her sister alive to consider the fact that she could've been simply imagining it and walking straight into her death.
When she pushed the cloth inside and entered the hut, she was relieved to find that it was no hallucination. "Alida!" Both Squirrel and Nimue looked at her and greeted her simultaneously. "Come closer," Nimue rushed, giving her sister no time to speak. "You two must run to the Iron Wood. Hide within Old Man's Rock." This caught Alida off guard, her brows creasing. "What? Nimue, no. What about mother? What about you? I cannot simply leave you behind with these awful Paladins." Alida rambled on until Nimue cut her off. "I will find mother. I promise. And I will find you both as well. But for now, you must go. Keep each other safe." There was no room for arguments. Alida and Squirrel had always been quicker than Nimue. They would make it to the Iron Wood much quicker without Nimue, but that didn't mean Alida had to like it.
With a curt nod, and an exchange of goodbyes, Alida and Squirrel took off into the woods once more, Alida leaving her dagger behind unknowingly. Her head whipped back to look behind her in search of anyone who may have followed them, but she never even saw a shadow. Branches had scratched through the fabric of Alida's pants, and dug into her pale skin, but the adrenaline made it impossible for her to even notice. The skin on her face was converted with soot and sweat, but the did not conceal those ashy tears beneath her hooded eyes.
It didn't take long for the duo to reach the Iron Wood. "Did anyone follow us?" Squirrel asked in a hushed voice as they approached Old Man Rock. Alida shook her head, using her arm to wipe her forehead. "No. I saw no one," Alida informed him, the two cramming themselves between the rock. Their chests were heaving up and down, breaths heavy from the running they did. Their cheeks were flushed with heat and hair more wild and knotted than ever. "We'll just stay here until Nimue finds us." There was a pause. "Nimue will find us. Right?" Squirrel asked. Alida assured him that Nimue would return to them, but truthfully, she didn't know what would happen. She could only have hope.
It'd been a while. Alida stopped counting the seconds after she reached 312. There was only silence between her and Squirrel, for the two did not want to be caught.
"Alida? Squirrel?" It was Nimue. Just as Alida was about to jump from the shadows, Squirrel gripped her arm, pointing to the Red Paladin just above them. He'd heard Nimue, and now he was searching for her. She called their names again. No response, no movement. She had grown worried, but had no time to call for them again as the robed man found her and began chasing after her. Alida and Squirrel had concerned expressions written over their features, but neither said a word in fear that there would be another Paladin right behind that one.
More time had passed. The sunlight wouldn't be around much longer. Squirrel and Alida didn't know where they could go. Nimue could always return after losing the Paladin, and they didn't want to simply leave without knowing she was okay. "Born in the dawn," a voice sounds. A male one that neither Squirrel nor Alida could recognize. But the phrase was known amongst Fey, so both Alida and Squirrel jumped out of their hiding spots and spoke simultaneously. "To pass in the twilight!"
He wore a robe, but it was not red like the others. It was black. Hazel eyes met with emotionless blue ones, and his cheeks were stained with tainted tears. Identical to the ones Alida wore. He was worse than a simple Paladin. His thirst for Fey blood greater than the rest, and his skill in combat much further developed than anyone had ever seen. The one who stand before Alida and Squirrel was The Weeping Monk.
𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗗𝗦 : 𝟮 , 𝟯𝟯𝟯
𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗔𝗖𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗦 : 𝟭𝟯 , 𝟭𝟱𝟳