Book 6, Chapter 14: Reeds and Wet Grass
We moved through thick brush and it pulled and tore at our dresses and hair. Pushing aside yet another branch, spiderwebs got into my face and somehow that was worse. “Damnit!”
“We should have stayed on the path.”
“No path leads in this direction. Besides, they’re searching the forest for . . . people.” I was about to say ‘us’ but caught myself. Evil nuns. Me, they were searching for me. But why? They couldn’t possibly know I was no longer a deity and no one in their right mind would tempt the incredible destruction I could have loosed on anyone. Hell, I destroyed mountains, turned people into trees. Why would mortals seek out such an incredible, unimaginable, danger?
I held a branch from a large conifer for her, “Duck under this one. Do you hear that? Is there a river nearby?”
“I don’t know. He never let me see a map.”
“What a jerk.”
“I hope he’s alive.”
“Uh, yeah, sorry. I’m sure he’s alive. Let’s see how wide the river is.”
“Surely you don’t mean for us to cross it?”
“Cresida, we’re not out here on a pleasant stroll.” Facing her, I took hold of her arm, “We’re running for our lives.” Pointing back the way we came, about to lose my calm demeanor, “Those men aren’t going to give us comfortable accommodations.”
She closed her eyes, took a deep breath. “I know. I know and I’m sorry. I just, I’ll shut up. I’m a little overwhelmed.” A single teardrop appeared on her left eye and she brushed it off immediately.
I gave her a little squeeze. “It’s ok.” Then berated myself inwardly. Of course, she’s stressing out. The worse thing is, I was probably a year old, if you ignored the thousands of years of memories dead and gone, maybe nearing a year and a half now, and this had only ever been my life. Running from danger into danger, always, always, always struggling to survive. Either from direct assaults or nasty politics.
It might be nice to have a weekend holiday. With friends. Morry, where were you? Why’d this damned army have to find me? My arms rolled inward, shoulders too, I began to collapse, why, why, why?!?
“Sarah?” Cresida stepped forward, reaching out, but not quite touching me.
Somehow her hesitation brought me back to our predicament. “Sorry,” I looked up at her, “sorry, damn, I, I was,” standing, I continued my untruths, “lost in thought there. Let’s head to the river, see what it looks like. It’s time we started south. Maybe we can reconnect with your army.” But I paused again. There was blood on my sleeve.
Stepping forward, she took my hand and gave a little squeeze, “How did you, how did you learn to fight like that?”
I narrowed my eyes at her. “What you mean to say is, ‘thank you for rescuing me’ and ‘sorry about the training circle, that was wrong of me.’” Then, I brushed off her hand, turned around, and headed off toward the river, annoyed all over again. Sure! Sure, I’ll just explain my forgotten history to this woman!
‘You know, living among the gods is tough and we fight and die every day for fun. That’s just what we do. And drink and screw and fight some more. Those losers who didn’t die in battle, they serve us. Good times.’ And, wow, I didn’t even remember it! Except, bizarrely, for the killing stuff. That is, knowing how to. Looked like those soldiers answered my previous questions. No matter how young and weak this body was, it could fight. And kill.
I found myself face to face with thick grass, reeds and damp stones, on my knees.
“Sarah, Sarah!” She rushed to me, behind me, hugged around my torso, “I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to . . . ok, I did, I didn’t just know!”
I patted her hands, getting myself together, “Let’s drop it.” Then I stood and, I don’t know how, but we were suddenly hugging, my face buried into her shoulder.
“Are you crying? I really am sorry. I’ve treated you so badly.” Arms around me, she squeezed harder.
“No, I don’t cry. That’s not me.”
“It’s ok, you were amazing. You got us out safely. You don’t need to cry.”
“Yeah, no.” I backed away a bit and she pulled me tighter, into her arms. Trying not to think of anything, I fell against her, and we had a moment.
She stroked my hair. “It must be hard for you, being away from your family. And now this war. And you’re so young.”
Scrunched up my face, pushed her back. “Ok, that’s enough. We’re good. Shall we continue?” I quickly turned around and wiped my dirty face on my sleeve for no particular reason. Probably just wiped blood onto my face. Damn. I missed Brin, my mistress of the bedroom. Though I wouldn’t want her here, not being chased by an enemy army. But she was made of tough stuff and would cheer me up.
“Sarah?”
“I don’t know, come on.”
***
It wasn’t a large river, but it was a fast one and crossing it would be a challenge. Doable, but not here. If it was running as fast downstream, Cresida’s army was in trouble. Maybe lost. “We’re going to,” I looked up at her face, full of dismay, “follow it south. If we find a slow part, we’ll cross. If not-”
“Then the army is lost. If they can’t cross this river, that’s what you’re not saying.”
“Then we head north, to the Laemacian army. But on the other side of the river.” Or, I thought to myself, west, then south, to my much more capable army, my friends, my big man and Brin. Hot baths, a lot of hugging, fresh ale, and then I’ll ride on this place and crush every goddamn army here into the dirt. Especially the nuns.
“They, the ones who attacked us, they have another army between here and the Laemacian one.”
“Even if your army has fallen, we’ll find stragglers downriver.”
“And then?”
“Come on, let’s move. We can make plans till nightfall, but none of it’ll help.”
***
It only took an hour or so to find the remnants of the Mages’ army crossing the river. Phalanx and ranged had set up a line some distance in front of the crossing, what was left of the cavalry on the flanks. The river slowed here, at a bend, they were wading across its shallow end. And they were a sorry bunch, less than half with packs, some helping the wounded get across. On the other side, women comforting children, soldiers building fortifications.
Oddly, the eastern army was nowhere to be seen.
“It’s them! Come on!” said Cresida, rushing ahead.
My turn to follow, and I did not try to keep up. Maybe this was a good time for me to break from these guys. I was in more danger now than ever, with the nuns here. Yet, the mage. I needed to deal with him. But why didn’t he stop the other army? He could have dropped fire on them, bury them under the earth, but he did nothing. Perhaps he wasn’t here, perhaps they were lying to the troops to keep morale high. I needed to know, then I could decide whether to stay or go.
All in all, it was, I had to admit, nice knowing that I could defend myself.
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