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Hatyara's sister, Ylthara, stepped forward, eyes narrowed as though uncertain of what Únik could do. Únik understood that caution. Mages came in all shapes and sizes. Nothing could identify one until they tapped into the Essence, drawing upon the decomposing energies of the dead gods to create their magic. With a jerk of her chin, Ylthara sent her compatriots towards Barsa, who growled, teeth bared, at the people now surrounding him and Únik.
"Don't kill him! If you're not going to kill me, don't kill him, either!" Turning her head, she whistled to Barsa. "Barsa! Settle! Sit! Stay!"
The warriors moving towards Barsa stopped as the dog sat the instant Únik told him to. They turned eyes towards Ylthara, awaiting her orders, and Únik prayed that they wouldn't take the life of the only thing she had left. If they did, she would die with him. Her eyes fell to the spear she had tossed aside.
"Tie her up. Use nets on the dog." Ylthara sheathed her sword as a pair of warriors moved towards Únik. Turning, she looked out towards the forest. "Get the healer on those horses and anyone injured."
With her back to Únik, now, the leader of the pursuers stood with her hands upon her hips. A cloak, made of the same silk gauze as Hatyara's clothes, rippled in the wind, whipping about the woman's legs. She didn't look around as the two warriors took Únik by both arms, dragging her towards the larger group, where one rider stood, holding a length of rope.
Únik watched the entire group as her hands became bound before her and she saw them all move with practiced ease. Both Ice-Kin and Hagragng humans made up the party, six of one, six of the other, but it seemed clear Ylthara led them. One Ice-Kin moved between the horses, laying a hand upon those injured, healing the wounds inflicted upon them by whatever it was Hatyara had done.
Shards of ice still thrust up from the snow, sharp and brittle. Hatyara had never shown that power before and Únik could not understand why. Several times, along the journey, such a power could have aided them. Changed the course of their flight. Stopped so much suffering. Yet the Ice-Kin had kept it hidden from Únik and Shihiri. Únik couldn't help but feel a little betrayed by that.
Had Hatyara shown that power before, perhaps Únik's sled dogs would not have perished beneath the ice of the lake. The fight with the dire wolf would have ended far sooner and Barsa would not have suffered the injuries that still scarred his side. With that power, Hatyara and she could have evaded the men in Shalbruk without killing them. And, perhaps, Únik may not have had the death of a Patron on her hands.
"You can try to stop your sister reaching Star Harbour, but she will become the King's consort." Not even struggling against her bonds, Únik allowed the warriors to force her to her knees, snow compacting beneath her. "She will end the hostilities between Hagragng and Alharai."
"End the hostilities?" Ylthara turned towards Únik, then, stalking back to her, crouching and looking into Únik's eyes. "You don't know a Patrons damned thing."
With a shake of the head, Ylthara rose and moved away. She passed by every member of her party and every horse. She gave the people pats on the shoulder, checked the legs of the horses after the healer had ministered to them. Few words passed between any of them and Únik wondered what the Ice-Kin meant when she said Únik knew nothing.
Únik took a good look at the sister of Hatyara, as the Ice-Kin made her rounds. She seemed a lot taller than Hatyara, by at least a foot. Her face appeared tired and worn, her stature bigger and more muscular than the girl Únik had accompanied for so long. She didn't share that same air of entitlement, or arrogance that Hatyara showed and, by the way the others looked at her and spoke to her, Ylthara appeared to have the respect of her compatriots.
The hair and the eyes, however, were the same as her sister's. Brilliant, shining white hair that this Ice-Kin had tied into a tight, long pony-tail that bobbed and trembled against her back, far longer than Hatyara's hair. The eyes held that same, almost white intensity to them. Únik had looked into those eyes, the slight blue tint the only thing that stopped them looking completely white, and had seen determination. Purpose.
"The horses are healed, ma'am, but the healer needs rest. Apart from that, no other injuries." A young Hagragng woman had raced to Ylthara's side, eager to impress. "We can ride now, if that is your wish?"
Clapping a hand upon the Hagragng girl's neck, Ylthara gave her a friendly, soldierly squeeze, smiling at the girl before turning away again. Once more, Ylthara stared away towards the forest, where Shihiri had appeared from nowhere, spiriting Hatyara away, into the safety of the thin trunked, crowded trees. A hand lifted to Ylthara's own neck, rubbing with absent-minded fingers beneath the tresses of her pony-tail.
"No. Not now. We need time to reorganise." Sweeping her cloak aside, Ylthara moved towards her horse. "We'll find somewhere to camp. Pick up the trail in the morning. Forest or no forest, they're on foot and we can catch them."
Lifting herself onto her saddle, Ylthara turned the horse in a circle, surveying the area, then she pulled the horse beside Únik, leaning down and offering her hand. Únik wasn't certain what the Ice-Kin wanted. The warriors had taken her bag and spear, attaching them to a horse's packs. She had nothing to give the woman.
After a second, Ylthara rolled her hand, urging the confused Únik on. Únik lifted her bound hands to the Ice-Kin's hand and she felt strong fingers grip her wrist, tugging her towards the horse. Únik finally realised what the Ice-Kin intended and, with an awkward jump, she allowed Ylthara to drag her onto the horse behind her. Únik had never ridden a horse before.
With a noose tied around Barsa's neck, they released the hound from the nets and dragged him along behind them. He would comply, so long as Únik didn't order him otherwise, but she hated seeing him tied up. Every so often, his eyes would raise towards her, as though questioning, but Únik had no answers she could give.
She didn't know why these people, their pursuers hadn't killed them both, they had tried often enough, killed old Gislarik for no reason at all. Set her home afire. Fired arrows after them and had people almost kill them in Shalbruk, saved only by the appearance of Shihiri. Killing them would be easier. Unless they expected to torture her for Hatyara's location. Something she did not, and could not, know now that only Shihiri protected her. The Fae, if nothing else was not easy to predict.
"I can't help you find your sister." With her hands bound, Únik could do nothing but grip Ylthara's cloak with both hands as she rocked from side to side with the horse's gait. "She's with the Fae, now. They could go in any direction."
"I don't need your help finding my sister." Ylthara's body moved in tandem with the horse, showing Únik yet another reason she felt large and clumsy amongst others. "Finding her isn't the problem. Stopping her is."
"Then why keep me alive? It's not that I won't tell you anything, I won't, but I can't tell you anything, anyway." She could already feel her legs cramping as she gripped the horse with her thighs, yet Ylthara seemed as relaxed as though sat beside a camp fire. "We didn't have a plan. We were just heading that way. The Fae is not me, she has her own ideas. She's unpredictable."
"I'm not in the habit of killing people for no reason." She seemed insulted by the very idea, turning her head to scowl at Únik. "I'm not a monster!"
"No?" Now that she had the Ice-Kin's attention, Únik had some words to say. "Then what about Gislarik? What about my sled dogs? All those arrows you've been firing at us. You were just being friendly, I suppose?"
"Gislarik?" The insulted scowl changed to a thoughtful one and Ylthara turned her head to watch the way forward.
"The old man? The hunter? Back in Tracis' Midden?" The words felt bitter upon Únik's tongue, worse that the Ice-Kin didn't seem to react to those words. Not even a shrug. "Not in the habit of killing people, but you still killed him. An old man that never hurt anybody. He didn't even know anything about Hatyara. I found her, not him!"
"You think we killed him?" Once again, Ylthara turned her head towards Únik, this time she looked furious with the accusation. Ylthara jerked her chin across to one of the other riders. "Ask him what happened at the old hunter's place."
Únik turned, fighting to stay astride the horse, and saw the male Ice-Kin that Ylthara had motioned towards. The man had deep scars across his ice-blue face, an eye covered by a makeshift patch. Only one hand held the reins of his horse. The other arm held close to his chest, a bandaged stump where his hand should be. Without the scars, Únik could see a handsome man, around her own age. The man turned at the attention and exchanged an emotionless glance with Únik.
-+-
Únik watched as Ylthara prepared the spot where they were to set up camp, a small bluff of rocks that would serve as shelter, within sight of the forest, but separated by a good thirty feet of empty space. The woman stood, concentrated for the merest second and a small whirlwind appeared. No more than ten feet high and five feet across, the whirlwind sped about the area, sending snow flurrying to the sides, leaving only a clear patch of frozen ground in its place.
Seeing a mage at work left Únik gaping in awe. The most magic she had seen had only come from weak mages and magic sensitives, those people that had a tiny connection to the Essence, able to perform little more than tricks. Seeing something so wild, so primal, created by a person left Únik speechless.
The woman held herself so different from her sister. No stiff back, or upturned nose from Ylthara, only a determination, a strength that seemed evident in every movement of the Ice-Kin. Once Ylthara allowed the whirlwind to dissipate, her legs began to shake, a hand raising to her forehead and Únik saw perspiration beading there.
"That was impressive. Is that what you did to Hatyara's ship? Bring down a storm upon it?" The hands of two of Ylthara's warriors dragged Únik to the rocks, pushing upon her shoulders to make her sit. "Attacking your own sister. You can't get much lower than that."
"I'm not debating you." The tiredness in Ylthara's voice became evident. The magic had taken its toll upon the Ice-Kin and she headed towards her horse with slow, deliberate movements. "You don't know me and you don't know my sister."
The entire group began preparing the camp. Some set off to patrol near the trees, picking up sticks and branches as they moved. Others began unpacking their horses, removing saddles. Ylthara searched the area for rocks to set up in the middle of the camp, ready for others to start a fire. On the outskirts of the camp, one Hagragng warrior hammered a stake into the hard ground and tied Barsa to it, far away from horses and people.
"You don't have to tie my dog up." Adjusting her position, Únik shuffled closer to Ylthara. "He won't attack anyone unless I order him to."
"And what's stopping you ordering it once he's untied?" The Ice-Kin turned as she crouched, arranging the stones in a circle, turning her back to Únik.
"Well, you haven't tried to kill me. Yet." She watched the party performing their tasks. A dozen of them, all armed and at ease with their weapons and each other. "Besides, I doubt he'd live long enough to do much harm to a war party like yours. I'd rather my dog live, thank you very much."
Ylthara stopped arranging the stones, dipping her head, elbows resting upon her knees. With a sigh, she stood and turned towards Únik and reached for a knife, in a sheath on the opposite hip from her sword. Bouncing the tip up and down a few times, the Ice-Kin Storm Mage appraised Únik before crouching. Grabbing Únik's wrist, Ylthara lifted Únik's hands, cutting the rope and tossing it to the side.
"If you run, we'll kill you. If you attack anyone, we'll kill you. Don't make me regret this." Standing once more, Ylthara continued to look down as Únik rubbed life back into her wrists. "Release the dog. Kill it if it attacks anyone."
The warrior nearest Barsa nodded, rushing to Barsa's side and stopping as the dog made a low, rumbling growl. Únik hissed at Barsa, shaking her head and the hound settled down, eyes boring into the warrior as he untied the rope from about Barsa's neck. Once untied, Únik tapped her thigh and Barsa ran to her side, turning in a circle and settling down, body pressing against hers. Every so often, he made another growl as the warriors moved about the camp, ears swivelling at every noise.
Before long a fire burned within the circle of rocks and bedrolls became unwrapped and placed upon the ground. Ylthara made certain Únik got one, too, before resting upon her own. Water skins became handed out and knobs of bread were then broken from loaves and distributed between everyone, including Únik. She began to feel less of a prisoner and more like an unwanted guest, hidden eyes making furtive glances her way and turning aside when she turned to look.
Night began to draw in, after a few hours, and still no-one had said more than a few words to each other. They all sat, or laid, upon their bedrolls, lost in their own thoughts. Staring into the sky, watching stars emerge as the heavens became a blanket of darkness, or into the crackling flames of the fire.
Ylthara sat alone, away from everyone. Her own warriors and Únik. Her legs crossed, hands upon her knees, eyes closed. Únik watched the Ice-Kin take deep breaths in through her nose, allowing the air to escape through her lips. Over and over, Ylthara performed the act. After a few minutes, she reached up one hand, pulling a necklace from under her leather armour and grasped the pendant into the palm of her hand. The Ice-Kin's brow furrowed in concentration, her eyes held closed, tight and straining.
Únik could see some of the others watching this performance, laid on their sides, propped up upon elbows, taking bites from their pieces of bread. The Ice-Kin members of the party. The Hagragng members looked every so often but paid less attention until Ylthara's eyes shot open and she almost toppled to the side. Then several warriors jumped from their bedrolls, Ice-Kin and humans, launching themselves to catch their leader.
"I'm alright!" Arresting her fall with one hand, she shooed them all away with the other, shaking her head and taking in deep breaths. "She's to the south. They seem to have stopped for the night, but she's to the south."
Taking the chain and pendant, Ylthara began to return them into the confines of her armour. As she did so, Únik caught a look at the pendant and saw a metal seven-pointed star, blackened, with a spur rising from the centre, the chain looping through a hole bored into the spur. The star looked like the one burned into the back of Hatyara's neck. The one that signified her ice-bound promise.
"What was that? Magic? Are you dual-disciplined?" With the way Ylthara seemed to tire, Únik surmised magic as the cause. If the Ice-Kin tired enough, it seemed possible Únik may have a chance of escape. To where, she did not know.
"No, I'm not. This is different magic. Ancient. It's ..." Catching herself, Ylthara closed her mouth tight, glaring at Únik. "It's none of your business. Get some sleep. We'll be riding long and hard tomorrow and you don't seem to have experience at it. It'll tire you out fast."
With a shrug of her shoulders, Únik shuffled down the bedroll, patting the side to bring Barsa closer. Laying a hand on the dog's chest as he laid down, Únik rested her head on her hand, elbow propped against the bedroll. She saw the Ice-Kin that Ylthara had pointed out earlier. Poking the flames of the fire with a stick in his good hand, the light flickered upon his face, casting frightful shadows due to his scars.
"Tell me, why didn't your healer do a better job? Those scars look painful and that bandage looks like his stump is weeping." As she spoke, the man looked up with his one good eye. He seemed unconcerned that Únik spoke about him.
"He is our healer." Laid on her back, now, Ylthara rested her hands upon her the chest plate of her leather armour as though clutching at the pendant inside. "He refuses to waste his talents on himself, so he says. Damned fool, rushing in to save a man already dead."
"Which man? One from the lake? The Kannai the Fae killed?" Únik didn't know why, but she continued to talk to this sister of Hatyara, in the hopes of gaining her trust, or, at least, getting her to relax enough for Únik to attempt to run.
"I told you, that's his tale to tell." The Ice-Kin snapped her head around. "Are you going to talk all night, or must I kill you for some peace?"
"Why haven't you killed me, anyway? I'm an enemy. An ally of your sister." She knew these questions could undo the attempt at building trust, but Únik couldn't help her curiosity.
"You're not my enemy." In the light of the fire, it seemed Ylthara appraised Únik once again, as though she could not make her mind up about her. She turned her head away again. "Besides, I think you might prove useful. Now, shut up, sleep, or I'll strangle you with my bare hands."
Those last words caught Únik by surprise. There was no way that Ylthara could know of Únik's past indiscretion, if anyone could describe murder as an 'indiscretion', but the words still cut deep. In recent days, she had found herself revisiting that night more than she had in years and Ylthara's words served to remind Únik once again.
Rubbing Barsa's chest, she began to settle back, noticing the watchful eye of the injured healer. That eye burned into her and she resolved to ask him about those injuries. If only to stop him staring at her and her at him. She felt a wave of pity for the man and that wouldn't do. They were enemies, no matter what Ylthara said.