I was aware I was asleep. I already got used to the vivid, lifelike dreams I had in Ossian Forest and I found myself wishing I could spend every night sleeping under these giant pines and oaks. No matter if I forgot these dreams later, or they stayed in the back of my mind, indistinguishable from my real memories, I still wanted to see them, if it was what it took to be in the forest.
This time, I opened my eyes to the bright light of the day. The bonfire had already died out, and I had a feeling that everyone was already gone and left me behind. I wasn't scared; I knew they had a good reason for leaving, but I had to hurry up if I wanted to go with them.
My feet showed me the direction and I just went through the morning forest. I found myself back in the Hollow of Mull and spent a while examining the empty huts. I knew it had been only several hours since they were abandoned, and I felt sad that the people who lived there had to leave this place. Although I remembered that I was with Aidan, Mina, and the twins, in my dream their images mixed with the inhabitants of Hollow of Mull. I no longer knew who I should be following – them or the mysterious Caereni tribe, who had just abandoned this place.
Suddenly, a man walked past me. He was obviously in a hurry, a pressed something that resembled a book to his chest. I couldn't remember how old he was or what he was wearing, but I was sure he looked like someone from the different times. His appearance slipped from my mind whenever I tried to concentrate on it, so I even stopped trying.
I called him out, and he jumped up, taken unawares. He stopped and looked at me, obviously wishing to continue his journey.
"Aren't you coming?" he asked. His voice was beautifully low and was even a little familiar.
"What's going on?" I asked him, surprised at how different it sounded.
"Don't you know?" the man sounded desperate. "We're leaving. We all must leave."
"But why?" I caught on his mood and felt desperate that they had to leave, and terribly wished they could stay and I could stay here with them.
The man shook his head.
"There's no time. Are you coming or not? Arian, wake up!"
"Wait, I'm coming with you!"
"Arian, wake up!" I bolted awake, my mind still telling me I had to follow the Caereni man and not to lag behind. I was still dark around me, but I felt energetic like I had had enough sleep or didn't go to sleep at all. What was wrong? Did I miss something important?
Shaking off the last trace of the dream, I looked around to see the sun hadn't risen yet – it was still a deep night. Aidan kneeled in front of me.
"I'm sorry I woke you up," he said gently, although he obviously had no sleep at all. I ran a hand through my hair to brush them a little bit. "Ain and I are going to explore the forest around to make sure we are not chased. Could you stay with Fin and Mina? We'll be right back," he said, noticing the concern on my face.
"Of course." Although I didn't like the idea of the guys leaving us, I didn't want them to think I was afraid. I picked up a long stick and automatically started to stir coals in the bonfire, contemplating the dream I had just seen. Its details were already fading, and I tried to hold on to the details of the conversation only to find out I could already remember nothing but the feeling that I wanted to go with the Caereni tribe, wherever they were going.
Watching Aidan and Ain walk away in opposite directions, I caught myself thinking that I liked to be the responsible one, watching two people who needed my help. I thought, in the last couple days I had proved that I was capable of taking care of myself, and this gave me confidence that I could also take care of other people. After all, this was in my bones – wasn't it what my father and mother were doing for all their lives? My heart squeezed when I thought I was going to see them soon. If Kristen had already reached the Ossian Village, they must have already known I was alive and safe... They also knew about the threat that was coming and started to prepare for it. As I listened to an owl hooting in the distance and cicadas' songs somewhere very close, this thought warmed me up better than the dying bonfire.
There was nothing scary about this, right?
Trying to imagine what a hunter on watch would do apart from trying to stay awake, I dropped the stick and stood up, my legs still numb from sleeping on the ground. I almost forgot how it felt to sleep in the normal bed. Making a circle around the bonfire I approached Mina and Fin. While Mina was sound asleep on her right side, Fin's sleep was obviously restless: his eyes moved under closed lids and muted sounds escaped his lips once or twice. I leaned forward and put my hand on his forehead. It was hot, and it made me scared. It could be a sign of a starting fever.
I hastily looked around as if I expected to find a cure for him right there, somewhere on the ground. What could I do for him while the Ossian Village was still far away? I couldn't stand a thought that he might have been dying. Alright, perhaps I was exaggerating, but good sense couldn't overcome the fear. I took a flask and put a wet compress on his forehead. Hold on, Fin, you are going to make it through this.
A sudden idea rushed through my mind, but I reproached myself for even thinking about it. Ever since Kalista had told me her story, I couldn't get rid of the thought that nymphs did exist, and possessed healing magic. Although she had obviously come up with the ritual in the forest temple, it didn't mean that she lied about the nymph. For some reason, I chose to believe it.
I had no illusions about being one, but what if my blood could also help?
While my good sense cried that it was pure madness and I was becoming a follower of some sect, my hand reached out for my dagger and pressed it to my wrist. I only had to make a little cut...
"Oh my god, Arian, what are you doing?" I jumped up when I heard Mina's voice. She had woken up and now was looking at me with her big eyes.
I quickly thought of all possible explanations, but they all were unsustainable, as the dagger was already pressed to my wrist. I realized how it must have looked. I sighed and put the dagger down.
"I wanted to see if I could heal him," I said honestly, ashamed of my own idea more and more with every word I said. "You know like the nymphs do..."
To my ultimate surprise, her eyes lit up.
"Arian, this is wonderful! You believe in them, too!" I thought she was even going to hug me, but then Fin uttered a moan in his sleep.
I shook my head. "This is not so simple, Mina." I quickly told her about Kalista's confession. "They made it up to win time and distract Valentinus's attention from the preparing campaign."
"So what?" Mina looked at me like I just said a stupid thing. "It doesn't mean the nymphs don't exist!"
I couldn't share her cheerful mood.
"You see," I said, nodding at Fin. "He is getting worse. I thought that if I at least tried..." I dropped my head, feeling the comprehensive sense of guilt that haunted me, returning once again.
"Let's try it together!" Mina exclaimed and moved closer. Now we were both leaning above him, staring into his face. I couldn't help imagining how creepy it would look if he suddenly opened his eyes.
"Alright." I sighed out. "I'll cut my hand on the count of three and... press it to his lips. Okay?"
Mina's eyes examined my dagger. "To be honest, Arian, I'm not sure this is how it works. Violence can't be the right way to do it."
I had thought about this, too, but still, I was irritated by Mina's comment.
"I know, but we don't know how else this might work. We only know what Kalista told us."
Concern rushed across Mina's eyes, and then she nodded. "I'll do the same after you. Well, you know, just in case."
By the look she gave me, I could tell she understood the absurdity of the situation, but the desire to help and belief in the eternal what if? prevailed. We decided to give it a shot. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes.
"One. Two..."
"Arian!" I was interrupted by Ain's distressed voice. He was back and ran up to his brother, anxious. "Is anything wrong? Did he say something?"
"Nothing!" I hid my dagger under my coat so quickly I accidentally cut my finger and had to bite my lip not to utter a sigh of pain. "We just checked upon him. I think he might have a little fever." I pointed at the compress on his forehead.
Ain gulped nervously. Pain in his eyes made my chest squeeze.
"It's a normal side effect of comfrey," Aidan said, approaching us. "It will pass by morning and he will feel better."
I fidgeted, hiding the dagger even better. Stupid, stupid me!
"How did it go?" I asked him, without turning around.
"Everything's clear." Luckily, Aidan didn't notice anything strange about my behavior. I didn't think he would understand. "If you all are already awake, I suggest that we set out now. But first, we'll make a stretcher for Fin."
While both guys were busy with simple construction and Mina pretended to help them, I pressed the cut finger to my lips to stop the blood. I swore at myself for two things: for thinking he was dying and believing that I could help.
Throwing another glance on Fin, I quickly stood up, hid my dagger and prepared to continue our way home.
***
"The way here seemed a lot faster." I was startled by Ain's voice. During the many hours that passed, we barely exchanged any words, unless it was Aidan who instructed us and asked us if we were okay every hour or so. Crossing the Aire River down the tree trunk with a stretcher in their hands took especially long, and I had no idea how they managed not to drop Fin in the water. Aidan's prediction had fulfilled: he wasn't as pale as the previous night, and even tried to stand up and suggested he walked himself. It was a huge relief he felt better, but I still couldn't get rid of the bitter feeling of the previous night. For a moment nymphs were almost tangible in my imagination, but when the sun came out the idea seemed more and more weird to me. Believing in tales was one stage of insanity, but thinking I could put them into effect made me no better than Kalista and her gang. It was irresponsible and even dangerous.
"That's because you don't stop when you chase someone." Aidan's belated answer reached my ears. "And my father always said the road back home was the longest."
I wanted to disagree – what could be more pleasant than coming home? – but then I realized what he meant. Going to the forest was a lot more pleasant, a lot more exciting. After a long day in the wild you were tired, so the road back could seem long and exhausting even if you loved your family and wanted to return to them as soon as possible. Then, indeed, the road home was the hardest.
Mina stumbled in front of me and I caught her elbow not to let her fall. I could see she was as exhausted as I was, and just like me knew we couldn't afford an extra halt.
"Are you okay?" I asked her, although I knew perfectly well how she was feeling. She forced out a smile.
"I was going to ask you the same."
"I'm fine. Why?"
"Well... You tried so hard to escape your father's will and succeeded. Not in the way you were going to, of course," she said it in a funny way, and we both smiled. Not the way I was supposed to do it, indeed.
"But you made it. And now you're coming back... Aren't you afraid that everything is going to be the same?"
I shrugged. I knew that nothing was going to be the same, and I knew several reasons why. All my friends were already married on the Sowing day, and I was the only one who wasn't. Just a couple of days ago this was what I wanted, but now as I thought of it, this idea made me even a little sad. Then, Kyle would no longer accompany me on my forest walks... But of course, there was a much better reason why.
"The Creones are coming to destroy Ossian Village, Mina. I don't think everything is going to be the same. Even if we win this battle, it can't be the same."
Mina pulled on a face. "I have no doubt we are going to win. We all are going to be back to our normal lives, after all."
I wished I could share her optimism, but again, I couldn't. All that I knew now what that I wanted to come back home, no matter what it meant for me. I thought I was going to figure the rest out.
But first, I had to make it there.
A forest full of wonders turned into a monotonous stripe of brown and green in front of my eyes. There was no change in the scenery for many hours. I hardly realized where we were going, following Aidan blindly. If only I could sit under that tree, close my eyes and...
I squinted because of the bright light that suddenly covered everything around me. Am I dying? was the thought that had crossed my mind many times during the past several days, but now that I felt extremely bad, I was ready to believe it was true.
For several long moments, my eyes refused to believe I was looking at the Ossian lake.
"We're home."
Familiar blue surface greeted us with a light ripple on still water. Aidan and Ain put the stretchers on the ground. Fin tried to sit up and said something. I couldn't help tears coming up my eyes with a sharp, burning feeling in my chest. We made it.
Blinking the tears off, I noticed movement on the opposite shore of the lake. There were several men, Ossians. Aidan raised his hand to greet them and shouted something extremely loud. Soon we were noticed: one of the men waved back and soon four of them were already running around the lake towards us.
I sat on the ground heavily and ran my fingers through the thick grass. The touch of it was so familiar it almost hurt. Last time I sat on this grass Kyle was next to me... Now he was completely gone from my life, and I wasn't sure I was going to see him again. Not that I wanted to, after what he had done, but still I couldn't help feeling nostalgic and sad about him. It was a part of my life that was completely gone. Indeed, nothing was going to be the same.
We were soon reached: I saw familiar faces, Kristen among them. They all hugged Aidan and the twins one by one. They were going to take the stretcher with Fin, but he refused to be carried any further and asked them to help him to his feet. Supporting him on both sides, men helped him up and carefully lead him along the water. Kristen was the one to help me to my feet.
"Did you tell him about the Creones?" I whispered. My voice resonated in my head, I felt dizzy.
"Don't worry, Arian." Kristen replied. "We are ready."
I sighed out with relief. If my father knew about the threat, then he already had a plan. At least for now, I could relax. When I did, my body got totally out of hand and refused to make another step without great effort.
I remembered the way to the village gates as in fog. Walking under the clear sky seemed the strangest thing ever, and my head spun because of the endless open space around. When we passed the meadow hills, Aidan touched my shoulder and whispered that I was in safe hands, and he was staying with patrol by the lake for a while. I wanted to thank him for everything he had done for me, but I couldn't say a single word. When I turned around to see him, he was already halfway back to the Ossian Forest, majestically rising behind me, beautiful and mysterious as always. Now that I knew what secrets it was hiding, it was never going to be the same.
It was even closer to me now.
The Gates opened with a familiar squeak of ancient wood and I looked at the Main square of my home village.
That was when my legs failed me. I saw the sky above me and floated slowly, carried by one of the men. Through half open lids, I saw shutters of the houses opening and those who were already awake walked out, called out my name. The Ossian who carried me didn't stop. Familiar porch, door, squeaky ladder and then, my bed, soft, comfortable and safe.
I was asleep before I could think how happy I was to be back home.