Chapter 4 Azahara
Azahara
Riding was more challenging this time around.
Sitting upright on the horse, she immediately realized the challenge ahead.
Her body protested in discomfort, craving nothing more than to lie down for several days.
However, that was impossible given their current situation, and to make matters worse, it would likely take longer to navigate through the forest since they had to ride at a slower pace.
She could have just beat herself up over this. Maybe it would have been best for her to have just died at the monastery.
Once their campsite was packed away, Kaed positioned himself behind her, assuming the same position as the day before. One hand held the reins while the other held onto her.
“If you feel like you’re going to pass out, could you please give me a heads up?” His voice brushed against her hair, his concern evident.
“I’ll do my best,” she replied, her tone laced with a hint of amusement. If she were to fall off the horse, he would do everything in his power to catch her or take the fall himself.
It reminded her of those cliché, yet romantic scenes in novels Mel would always talk about, where the hero would swiftly pull the heroine on top of him as their bodies collided with the hard ground.
She would tease her sister about how cliché those moments were, yet secretly swoon over the romance.
If only they could witness this now, they would indeed be enchanted.
Not much time was wasted, and then they were off, but at a much slower pace, trotting through the dark forest as the colors around them shifted from a deep luminescent blue to hues of orange and yellow as the sun began to kiss the peaks of the mountains.
The trees were still thick in this part, which made it seem more evening than morning.
The fog at Moondancer’s legs continued to settle, making the calm of the forest that much more eerie.
In the silence, Azahara had drifted back to sleep.
She hadn’t even realized it until her eyes slowly opened, and she found herself surrounded by a different kind of forest, which had given way to a livelier atmosphere.
The sounds of birds chirping, deer skirring in the distance, and a creek rushing all played a tune.
Her head was resting back against Kaed’s shoulder, his arm was tight around her, much more so than it had been. “Oh.” She cleared her throat and went to sit forward, but his arm stayed tight around her. “Sorry—did I—” She stumbled over her words. “Dumb question. Of course, I fell asleep.”
His emerald gaze met hers and he smiled.
“Just for a bit,” he said, not immediately moving her.
He stared at her while she did the same up at him as though savoring the moment.
“More like a few hours, actually, but that’s okay,” he continued.
“I’m used to riding alone, so this was normal—yet not so normal. ” His chuckle was jovial.
She finally leaned her head forward, rolling her shoulders and arching her back to stretch. Her good arm lifted high while a groan escaped her throat.
“Want to swap spots to take a nap yourself?” she asked, half joking, half not.
“Thanks, but” Kaed slightly loosened his grip on her. “I’m good here. We will stop again for another couple of hours, and I’ll get some rest then.”
Azahara held back a smile, her lips pressing together to reign it in. “You’re the captain of this ship, whatever you say.”
He laughed in response. She was beginning to enjoy his laughter.
“Can I ask another question?”
“You just did,” she joked, which elicited another laugh. “Of course, go ahead.” Her hands rested in her lap, and she began to fiddle with her fingers.
“I guess I did.” She swore he straightened his shoulders and sat more upright. It made her a bit nervous about the question he was hesitating to ask. “Who are Skyy and Mel?”
An involuntary gasp escaped her lips.
“You don’t have to tell me,” he said quickly. “You were just… talking in your sleep.”
It wasn’t that she didn’t want to tell him, but there was a hint of worry about what else he might have heard. She could never recall her dreams, and she hoped that it was just an innocent moment between the two of them, not something from that day.
“Skyy and Mel were two of my younger sisters.” She interlocked her fingers together and bit at the inside of her lip.
“Were?” He caught the past tense.
“They both passed years ago, along with my other siblings.” His arm tightened slightly, pulling her closer by a mere inch. It felt as though he feared she would somehow vanish.
He didn’t say anything, and she wondered if she should continue. Quickly concluding that it would be better not to make it awkward, she decided to speak up.
“This realm is evil. Too dark. It takes too much and gives too little. They, like the rest of my siblings, were too good for it. While I miss them every day, I genuinely believe they are in a better place.” She smiled, although he couldn’t see it.
The thought crossed her mind of those she had lost, wondering if they were still watching over her or if they had been reincarnated, completely forgetting who she was. Either outcome brought her solace.
“I shouldn’t have asked.” There was sadness in his voice. “I’m sorry.”
She leaned to the side and turned to look at him. “Don’t be, I’m fine. It was some time ago, and I’ve been able to grieve.” She could tell he wanted to say something else, but he was holding back. “Ask, it’s okay.”
“Is it obvious?” He gave her a weak smile.
“Very.” Her eyebrows pulled together. “It’s okay, really.”
Letting out a deep breath of air, he asked, “What are you?”
That had not been the question she was expecting, so the surprise that riddled her tone was warranted. “What do you mean?”
“There is no way you are just human. Most humans I’ve met are, for lack of better words, weak and vain. But you…” He leaned his head closer to hers, and she could feel his chest against her back. “I can’t place it. You are different.”
Her lips were pressed tightly in a line, unsure for a moment how to respond. She couldn’t wait for long, his gaze was expectant.
“I—I am merely Azahara. Human. I promise there isn’t anything special about me.
” That wasn’t entirely false. Technically, the only thing that made her different from any other human was that she didn’t age.
Other than that, she was just an ordinary, unfortunate human.
“Would it surprise you to know that you aren’t the only one who has accused me of that?
” She chuckled, her words carrying a hint of amusement.
“Most likely, it’s because of how I look. ”
“While I cannot deny that” he said, his arm around her releasing.
The warmth that had been there almost instantly disappeared, and she longed for it to return, missing the touch more than she wanted to admit.
“I’m talking about your strength. I know Elves and many other races who would kill to be as strong as you are. ”
Her head dropped, digesting what he was saying.
She wanted to agree that she was strong and formidable.
Yet, there were years when she would lock herself inside her home, ready to die of starvation.
Years where she’d run off cliffs and charge into a stampede to end the pain and suffering of forgetting.
“Thanks, Kaed. It’s not without its challenges.” She spoke honestly. The hardest of her lives had been a few hundred years ago. Those dark times are sectioned off from her journals only to be read when needed. Carefully marked by her past lives to keep her future self safe.
There was a moment of silence, but only for a few heartbeats. Then he continued, “Can you hold the reins while I check on your wound? I should have done it before we left.”
She took the leather reins into her hand without hesitation. “Sure.”
Leaning forward slightly, he lifted the shirt.
She took a deep breath, bracing herself.
He only lifted the left side as high as necessary and brushed a finger along her tender skin.
His touch was gentle, and the warmth of his skin against hers was comforting, but she still winced, sucking in a deep breath of air.
“Definitely need to get it cleaned up.” He pulled her attention to his words. “I—we don’t want you getting sick.”
“Yeah, agreed.” She’d thought he was done, but without warning, his fingers traced along the small of her back, and she gasped.
Kaed immediately dropped the shirt and adjusted it. “I am so sorry, my hand slipped.” Had she overreacted? Was he dropping his hand? Her face was burning, and she wouldn’t dare look at him.
“Don’t apologize. It just surprised me.” The startle had caused her back to straighten so taut that now it ached again.
He moved his hand back around her to take control of the reins. She wondered if he would refrain from putting his arm around her waist again. After a brief moment, he moved his hand and placed it on her leg, ready to catch her if she were to tumble.
Neither of them spoke again for a while, they just enjoyed nature’s sounds and the company of one another through shared visuals.
The forest brightened and dimmed as they passed acres upon acres of nothing but trees and the surrounding shrubbery.
They’d climb hills and sway through tight places, cross creeks, and muddy trenches.
Before they both knew it, the sun was beginning to crescendo over the horizon, kissing the edge of the realm good night.
“Let’s rest again for a while,” Kaed said after several hours of silence between them. It hadn’t been awkward; honestly, it was nice just feeling a presence there without words needing to be spoken.