Sorry this chapter is a bit short, but otherwise I couldn't leave it in a cliffhanger like I wanted to.
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Chapter 20
I searched through the ashes for things that could be useful. The fire took almost everything, but sometimes I found tools that the heat didn't get. My hands found something heavy and hard. It was the head of an axe. The shaft was burned to ashes, but a new one can easily be made. I put it in my leather bag before I continued searching.
Amos hadn't been happy when he noticed Yoesphin's disappearance. He wouldn't listen to our arguments that she's in fact old enough to be in battle. Instead we changed the subject and told him what happened.
“It's going to be a war” Nicholas explained. “When or where we don't know”
“I'll gather my best men and women” Amos had answered. The survival camp turned to a training camp. Everywhere I looked I saw elves either practising their swords or bow. When the humans arrived we were going to be prepared.
I lifted the lumber on the ground. With a thump I let it fall.
“Found anything?” I heard Nicholas shout from where he stood ten feet from me.
“A head of an axe” I patted on my bag. “What about you?”
“My finding is quite fascinating” Nicholas approached me. “A creature with curly hair, gorgeous eyes and standing on the most perfectly shaped legs” His eyes wandered over my body and I threw a rock at him.
“Stop looking at me”
“I thought I was allowed to do that now”
I knew he referred to our kiss, or rather kisses. One simple touch on my arm would be enough to make my knees go weak. It was a strange feeling, not that I'm complaining.
“You're allowed to look at me anytime you want, but not when we have other things to do” I gave him a quick peck on the cheek. It was enough to keep him satisfied for now.
I saw the cottage I had lived in for so long. The ladder was burnt down, but with some climbing, with the help of the few branches left, I reached the platform. I took a peek inside and saw everything covered in ashes. The wood was black and the bed gone. I bent to my knees and started to dig. Most of my belongings had burned down, but one thing was still almost complete. I let my hand wrap around my ipod. What was left of it. The plastic had melted, but the screen was still intact. The batteries were completely destroyed. I didn't let go of it. My last connection to home and now it was gone. I didn't know if I wanted to cry or cheer.
“Look” I said to Nicholas when I got down. He took the ipod from my hand and investigated it.
“And this was called...?”
“Ipod. It followed me over here”
I fell silent, pressing some buttons, waiting for the sound to burst out. Suddenly Nicholas pulled me into his arms. I took my time to enjoy his smell, earth and sweat.
“You smell nice” I mumbled into his shirt. His chuckle vibrated from his throat to his chest.
“Come on! It's time to go back” Roran called at us and we separated.
It was late in the afternoon and we needed to be back before it got dark. I kept looking at my wrecked ipod. For a moment I thought it was speaking to me; you're never going back.
It felt like it symbolized how far away my own world got and how real Tahol became. I'm not so sad anymore if I ended up living the rest of my life here. I've made friends. I'll survive.
* * *
I continued making my arrows by pieces of wood. It was the only thing that kept me sane in this place. Not having anything to investigate, only to wait. That's the worst part, waiting. I'm pretty sure the king got our message. All we could do was wait for their first strike. It was slowly eating me up from inside and out.
Sometimes Skye came and asked me questions about Phee.
“Is she safe?” Is his favourite. Not that I would know anything about it, but I would like an answer myself. She wasn't pleased with me when they left, she and Tom. I would assure Skye they were both safe, home at the farm. I wouldn't know. They could lie dead somewhere or even get lost in these woods.
I studied my finished arrow and tried it out together with my bow.
“That's a nice arrow”
I dropped my bow to the ground in a surprise.
“Bloody hell, Michael. Stop popping out like that!” I screeched and glared at him where he sat on the rock.
“I'm just saying it was nice built. You've improved”
“Well, thanks” I went back to try my arrows out.
“My friend, Glenn, he made this terrific arrows he used to sell. Great bows too!” A fly flew by and Michael was quick to catch it.
“Let me guess, he was as well a talking frog?” I said ironically.
“That's absurd! He was a deer” Michael said and sounded offended. “Another talking frog, now that would be silly”
“A deer?” I looked at him suspiciously. “How would a deer even manage to make bows?”
“There are other parts to use besides hooves”
I was about to ask him what parts before I stopped myself. “You know what? I don't want to know”
I got back to my arrows and started aiming them at different targets.
“You missed one” Michael was by my ear and I jumped up high in the air.
“Michael!” I cried out. “Cut it!
“I'm only saying you missed one”
“I did not!” To be sure I looked at my targets again, not one missed. “See? I didn't miss”
I think I would be horrified if I started to miss my aims. Apart from when I fought the trolls I haven't missed a single one. It would be typical for Michael to be the reason I stopped concentrating.
“Really? I could swear I saw an arrow fly two-hundred yards from here”
It took me some time to process before I finally understood what he said. “W-what?”
I stuttered and stared at the little green frog.
“Of course I could be wrong. I mean, my eye-sight isn't what it used to be” Michael returned to hunt flies while I let my gaze rest across the lake. The camp laid at the northern part of Berdea. The elves didn't dare move any further since they needed the water. I'm only sorry I didn't have binoculars with me.
“I think it's your sight” I agreed with the frog, but didn't let my eyes move from where I was aiming. Time to keep your eyes open.
* * *
“Alice, you need to see this” Nicholas said and dragged me away from the bonfire. I held his hand as we walked between the trees. A branch hit my face and I moaned in pain.
“You okay?”
“Yeah”
I couldn't see where we walked and asked him to where he was taking me.
“Where're you taking me?” I whispered. I didn't wait for him to answer, we were already there. Surrounding us was bubbles of light, thousands of them. A big part of it came from a hole in the tree. Not like the one I entered, but a small one. I went closer and put my head over the hole. The bubbles were small people, with wings.
“Is that...?” I looked at Nicholas in surprise, but he only smiled back at me. Fairies.
This was really something out of the ordinary. After all this time I've encountered many strange animals, but this was adorable. I stayed quiet and could hear music.
“Guess they're having a feast” Nicholas said as he looked closer at them. A few of them came to me and started touching my hair. I couldn't help but laugh. In the distant I heard giggles. We stood silent, both of us staring at the direction of the sound. Two shapes moved quietly, holding hands. I moved closer, hiding behind a tree. The pair stopped to look at each other. They stood in darkness, but I would recognise those voices anywhere.
“Is that Thyon and Yoe?” A smile came to my lips.
“What?” Nicholas came to my side and let his hand rest on my back. “Really?”
I could tell he was smirking.
“Be quiet” I hushed.
“Why would I be- Oh”
They were standing very close and if Nicholas hadn't walked on that branch they would finally be together.
“Sorry!” He shouted out and I could tell they were embarrassed.
“We'll leave. Promise!” I excused us and dragged Nicholas away. Once we were at a safe distant I punched him.
“I've been waiting all this time for those two to get together!” I tried to sound irritated, but he knew I wasn't. “You bum-face”
Nicholas captured my hands and I looked up at him.
“I'm not sorry. I couldn't have kissed you in front of those, could I?”
His lips were warm against mine and I felt tingles down my feet. “Of course not” I whispered between my breaths.
That's when I heard the footsteps. Or rather, many footsteps. I turned around, not letting go of Nicholas. I knew who they were before we caught a glimpse of them. An army of soldiers.