34
Únik's eyes flickered in every direction she could see and found no-one within sight that could reach her in time, here at the outskirts of the town. Clenching her hands into fists, she considered her few options. Fighting wasn't part of those options, the knife pressed against her throat would kill her if she made the slightest move. The only thing she could do was talk.
"I don't want any trouble." Opening her fists, she tried to remain calm, glaring at Barsa for not warning her. "If it's money you want, you can have it."
"Ha! Money!" The knife moved away from her throat and she felt a hand push her forwards. "Who needs money? And trouble? You do nothing but get into it."
Stumbling, Únik stepped away and tried to turn in the same motion, only to find her mysterious attacker throwing their arms around her neck. With a hooded cloak over their head, Únik couldn't see their face and she gripped her attacker's shoulders to push them away. As she did so, she saw the flash of bark-like skin, white with specks and trails of black.
"Shihiri!" She changed the movement. Instead of pushing the Fae away, she dragged her back into her arms and clung to the girl for dear life. "Patrons! You could have killed me!"
"Not likely. I had the knife the other way around." They broke their embrace and Shihiri showed Únik the knife, running a finger down the flat, blunt edge. "Scared you for a minute there, though, didn't I?"
"You bloody idiot!" Once again, Únik dragged Shihiri back into her arms, burying her face into the Fae's shoulder. "You strange, wonderful, beautiful idiot!"
After a few seconds, Únik sniffed, pulling away from the Fae, then grabbed Shihiri by the shoulder, dragging her out of sight behind the stables. Once hidden, she spun the Fae around and stared at the grin on Shihiri's face. It felt as though they hadn't seen each other in so long, Únik didn't know what to say.
"I thought the dog was going to give me away." Tugging the hood of the cloak down, Shihiri dropped against the wall of the stable, sitting as she returned her knife to its sheath. "Apparently, the dog understands a finger to the lips."
"He's a clever dog. What are you doing here?" Scowling down at the Fae, Únik peeked around the corner of the stables, checking the small morning crowds. "Where's Hatyara?"
"She's safe. We found a cave in some hills in a forest, to the south. I've left her cooking a boar." Resting her hands upon raised knees, Shihiri nodded in a general direction. "I came to rescue you. Seems I didn't need to. How did you escape? I thought, for certain, you'd be dead, but Hatyara was convinced you were alive."
"I didn't escape." After another glance around the corner, Únik came to sit beside the Fae, dipping her head. "I'm riding with our pursuers."
She didn't want to tell Shihiri, but she didn't want to lie, either. If she was going to stop Hatyara and Ylthara killing each other, she would need all the help she could get. She felt Shihiri's arm reach across her shoulders, hugging her tight. Únik had expected a string of questions and accusations of treachery, but Shihiri only sighed.
Lifting her eyes, she saw a look of pity, or sympathy upon the Fae's face. A little, sad shake of the head. On the other side of the wall, Únik heard Barsa growl and a number of curses from the stable master. At least she could still depend on him to protect the horses.
"Hatyara said her sister was persuasive and sneaky. She's trying to get you onto her side." Slapping her knee with the other hand, Shihiri made Únik jump. "But, that's done! Come on. Let's get out of here. We're not far from Star Harbour. A few days and this will be all over."
Standing, Shihiri brushed the dirt from the back of her cloak and held out a hand to Únik, offering support. Únik didn't reach for the hand straight away and that caused Shihiri to wrinkle her forehead in confusion. If Únik left with her, now, she would have no way of stopping the inevitable fight between the Ice-Kin sisters.
"I can't. I have to stay with them." Pushing herself up, Únik tried to avoid the dark eyes of Shihiri. She felt as though she betrayed her and Hatyara, but it wasn't a betrayal. It was a compromise. "If I stay with them, I can stop both Ylthara and Hatyara before they kill each other."
"Don't be ridiculous! This Ylthara, she's playing games with your mind." Shihiri tried to grasp Únik's hand, but Únik pulled away. "Listen, you know the truth. Ylthara wants to stop Hatyara so that there won't be peace. You know this! They've done nothing but try to kill us all along the way."
"Have they, though? I mean, think about it. All those arrows and not one has hit us? Those people in Shalbruk, they asked Hatyara to go with them. Asked. They only attacked me because I stood in their way." Even as Únik spoke, she could see Shihiri shaking her head, lips tightening. "I, we, owe it to everybody to stop them both until we can be certain which one of them is lying, don't you see?"
"No. No!" The Fae began to step backwards. She had never looked at Únik this way before, a mixture of confusion and heartbreak. "Hatyara is your friend. How can you even think she's lying?"
"I don't know if she is! I don't know which of them is lying, but I know that one of them is!" Now Únik reached out to Shihiri. If she could persuade the Fae, they could stop any more bloodshed. "Help me, Shihiri. Help me to get them both to the same place. Together, we can end this peacefully."
Shihiri turned away, hand rising to her face, pulling at her bottom lip, deep in thought. The Fae's eyes never stopped moving, watching the growing numbers of people passing by the stables. No-one could see them, here, but still Shihiri acted like a cornered animal. Únik wanted to continue to entreat Shihiri, find some way to make her understand, but she knew Shihiri held a stubborn streak.
Should Únik push too hard, Shihiri would dig in her heels and refuse on the principal of it. Doubt gnawed at Únik's stomach. She didn't have the way with words that others seemed able to use so well. Up until meeting Hatyara, she had spoken so little, she had almost forgotten how to string a sentence together.
If she could get Shihiri to listen to Ylthara, she would understand. She would see what Únik had seen. That Hatyara and Ylthara both believed they were doing the right thing and, for one of them, that belief had made a lie so convincing, that Únik could not tell who was telling the truth. With Shihiri's help, they could force the sisters to confront each other in a safe setting and find out who spoke truly and who did not.
"No. The only liar around here is this Ylthara. You know Hatyara. Patrons damn it! I know Hatyara and I couldn't stand her, or trust her at first, but she's earned my trust. And yours." Shihiri began backing away, lifting the hood of her cloak back over her head. "Come with me, Únik. Let's finish this together. The three of us. Trust Hatyara."
"She's earned our trust, has she?" Únik felt a cold shiver run down her back. She had the strangest feeling that she was about to lose a friend. "When did she tell us about her magic? When was she going to? We could have used that magic, more than once, but she never revealed it. Why?"
"Perhaps she didn't trust us? Patrons know I wasn't friendly to her, at first." Once again, Shihiri shook her head, not wanting to hear Únik's argument. "There's no law saying she has to tell us about her magic. It's her choice."
"We could have died against the dire wolf. We could have escaped in Shalbruk." Stepping forward, Únik tried to catch Shihiri's eyes as they spun one way and then the other as the Fae continued stepping back. "And in Pithnar? Water? With her Ice Magic? Yet, she didn't do a damned thing. Ask her why."
Shihiri looked confused. She had come to this town to rescue her friend and now found herself questioning the trustworthiness of another. Únik had sympathy for that. It had taken days of thought before she had come to terms with even the possibility that Hatyara had lied to her. She could understand that confusion.
"No. Hatyara isn't lying about anything. You've turned your back on her for a pretty face, but I won't. She needs me. Needs us, but I'll have to do." Squaring her shoulders, Shihiri raised her chin. She gave one last look towards Únik. A sad look. "If Ylthara gets close, I'll kill her. Don't get in the way. Please."
"Shihiri. I ..." The words stuck in Únik's throat as the Fae's dark, determined eyes caught hers and held them. "Tell Hatyara that I know what she's going to do. That's it. That I know."
For a few seconds, Únik thought Shihiri might change her mind. Instead, the Fae stood on her tip-toes and kissed Únik on the cheek. It felt like the last time Únik would ever see the Fae and soon all that remained was that lingering feeling of the parting kiss as Shihiri disappeared from sight.
-+-
She found herself alone behind the stables for the longest time. In hope that Shihiri would return, or uncertain how to proceed, or both. The doubts she held about the Ice-Kin sisters turned her stomach. Right now, she wished she'd never met any of them. That she had remained, untouched by the outside world, back at Tracis' Midden.
After long minutes, she turned the corner to see Barsa sat, wagging his tail as she reappeared. It felt like that dog was her only true friend in the world. Humans and Other-Kin were too much trouble. Too complicated. Barsa only needed feeding and a little attention once in a while. He didn't question her. Didn't look at her as though she betrayed him.
The crowds had grown in the time she had spoken to Shihiri and she had to wend a path back towards the inn where she found the remaining warriors tucking into large breakfasts. Most gave nods as she passed, acknowledging her. Bohyiris gave her a questioning look, his eye taking in her new clothing and her mournful expression. Of Ylthara, she saw nothing.
Reaching the room she had shared with the Ice-Kin, Únik hesitated. Not for the first time, she questioned whether she should simply return home and allow events to unfold as the Patrons wished. But she couldn't. Not now.
"New clothes? I wondered where you had disappeared to." Ylthara pottered around the room, getting ready for the day, still naked. Únik turned her eyes aside, heat rising in her cheeks. "I thought maybe you had decided to run away after last night."
"Last night?" Turning her back, Únik began stuffing the Uriok clothing, wrapped with string, into her bag. "I don't remember much of it."
"I know what you're thinking. That's why you're acting so furtive and your cheeks have darkened." Ylthara's hand rested upon Únik's shoulder, causing her to stiffen. "You humans are open books to us Ūtharans. It's alright. Nothing happened between us except a lot of snoring."
"Oh. Right. Yes. Good." For a fleeting second, Únik thought that Ylthara had somehow found out about her meeting with Shihiri. Únik didn't think she could have lied about it if she tried. "I don't drink often. I needed to clear my head this morning and my other clothing wasn't suitable for going further west."
Rising, Únik slipped the strap of the bag over her head, adjusting it to lay flat upon her shoulder. Leaning across, she picked up her spear. Holding that only reminded her that she had received it at the same time as Shihiri and Hatyara had received their weapons. It made her feel as though she had lost her friends completely.
She started to open the door and stopped, leaning her head against the rough wood. Now she couldn't stop thinking that if she didn't tell Ylthara about meeting with Shihiri, it could mean losing someone else she now considered a friend. A friend that may have lied to her, but a friend, nonetheless. Something Únik had never cared for before.
"Is everything alright? I know it sounds like I'm making light of it, but nothing happened. I am, honestly, like you. I'm not attracted to women." Again, the Ice-Kin's hand rested upon Únik's shoulder. "Could you help with these straps?"
Únik almost sighed. Relieved that Ylthara thought her mood caused by embarrassment and not due to the early-morning clandestine meeting. Replacing the spear against the wall, she turned to find the Ice-Kin holding her leather armour to her body. With the straps undone, Únik could see the padding that protected Ylthara's breasts against rubbing and jarring. That armour would do little against Shihiri's prowess with the bow.
Struggling to fasten the straps tight enough, Únik cursed her large, sausage-like fingers until she saw Ylthara looking towards her. She nodded, as though giving her permission to put her strength into it and Únik jerked the straps tight, allowing the prongs to catch in the holes. Hands gripping the neck of the armour, Ylthara gave it a tug and then nodded, satisfied Únik had tied them tight enough.
"Ylthara! Tell these lazy sods that we can't stay another night!" Bohyiris greeted them as the entered the common room, pointing at the others with his stump. Únik had learnt he enjoyed making the others feel awkward looking at his injury. "Not least of which because the bastards drank the place dry last night."
"We can't stay another night." Dropping her bags upon the table, Ylthara fastened her sword belt around her waist, her eyes moving across the entire group. "She's close. Less than half-a-day ahead. If we pick up the pace, we should catch her just after mid-day. Then we can all go home to our wives, our husbands or our good right hands."
A rumble of laughter rippled around the table. As naive as Únik knew she was, even she understood the bawdy nature of the words. Several of the warriors looked towards a female Ice-Kin, whose blue skin had darkened, making gestures towards their crotches. Middle fingers flicking. That girl had become caught pleasuring herself more than once along the journey.
It was all good fun and the girl, embarrassed though she was, took it in as sporting a manner as her burning cheeks allowed, pointing to one of the men with her little finger, drooping it. Únik understood that, too. The group continued to cat-call each other, laughing and joking, even Ylthara joining in. They looked happy, despite their mission.
Watching them all, enjoying themselves and each other's company, she could tell that this mixed group of Hagragng and Ice-Kin believed Ylthara's story. They believed that they rode in pursuit of Hatyara to save both kingdoms. Únik saw no hate, or distrust among them. They showed how the two kingdoms could become allies if they put aside old conflicts.
They trusted Ylthara as Shihiri trusted Hatyara. Yet Únik held a unique position. She had the benefit, or the burden, of having spoken to both sisters and heard both versions of the story. She could not put her trust in one over the other. Not the arrogant, haughty, yet endearing Hatyara. Nor the open, easygoing, yet reserved Ylthara.
She could only follow the path that the Patrons put before her and pray that she could bring the sisters together. To talk, or to fight, Únik could not know. But, at least, if they met before reaching Star Harbour, it may stop innocents becoming hurt if the siblings did fight.
The feeling of watching eyes prickled the back of her neck and she saw Ylthara observing her. A calculating gaze, as though trying to work out the thoughts passing through Únik's mind. Únik realised she had stood there with a faraway look upon her face. Thinking was not one of her strengths. Sometimes, she struggled to find what her strengths were.
Once everyone had finished their breakfasts, concluded their teasing of each other and gathered their belongings, the group began to trickle out of the doors of the inn. Únik looked over at the innkeeper, who breathed a sigh of relief as they left, and Únik wished she could remember what had happened the night before.
Reaching the stables, the warriors began checking their horses over, making admiring noises for the grooming their mounts had received, and launching saddles onto the backs of the horses. Ylthara helped Únik with hers, knowing Únik had still not become used to that daily ritual, even if she had learned to ride without bruising her backside.
"Alright. Listen up!" With everyone mounted, Ylthara turned her horse to speak to everyone. "We ride hard, today. We ride hard and we catch my sister. If we don't stop her before Star Harbour, it could cause a war in which thousands could die. Our families. Our friends. Our loved ones. Both Hagragng and Ūtharan. We cannot allow my sister to win. Today, we catch her!"
The group of warriors all cheered at Ylthara's little speech and Únik had to admit, the woman could stir even Únik to action with that passion. If Únik didn't know that Ylthara could be the one lying. It all sounded quite heroic, like something from an epic poem, or a tale told by storytellers. But Únik had heard many tales and not all of them turned out well in the end.
Some turned out as nothing more than tragedies where no-one wins in the end and Únik wondered if this particular story she found herself in was the epic, or the tragedy. Because, for the life of her, she couldn't tell.