Chimera Chapter Three

Chapter Three

Elias watched Petra out of the corner of his eye. Curious, he mused while she spoke to the king, how she kept up the royal facade while in the midst of such danger.  It could keep her alive or kill her. She was different, aye, from the many other poor souls he had assisted in various journeys. The girl had that survival instinct and cunning that not many in his time had been. It intrigued him.

He shook those thoughts violently from his head. She was merely a passing moment in his immortality. It simply didn’t do to expect anything more.

When they were dismissed, he bowed deeply to the king and exited.  He and Petra headed for the stables. She stopped abruptly, causing him to trip over her heels. When she did not continue walking he bumped her. “What is it?” He asked.

She turned to face him. “I don’t wish to delay this conquest, but I don’t believe it’s wise for me to leave like this.” She motioned to her dress and shoes. “It may slow us down.”

Petra looked up at him innocently, and he sighed. “Alright, but make it quick, aye?”

She nodded, already on her way back. “Aye!”

He rubbed his temple and leaned against the wall. Just as he was thinking of going to fetch Petra, a smooth, silky voice interrupted. “Feisty one, isn’t she?”

Elias’ eyes shot open wide. He glanced to the right and saw the crown prince, Antan, standing there.

“I was not aware that you were here, my Prince.”

“Indeed, good Seer, I have come for business reasons.” He glanced towards where Petra had disappeared. Now, his brother Philon and sister Raegelle stood talking in hushed tones. “But I am correct, aren’t I? About the princess, I mean.”

“Indeed, your majesty. I shall do my best to contain her.” His voice came out bored and tired. If the prince noticed, he didn’t say.

“On the contrary, I enjoy a little fire in them, aye?” His words made Elias feel oddly sick.

“As you say, your highness.” Elias said politely. He strode away from the wall. “Now I must take my leave.”

Antan nodded. Elias bowed.

When Elias arrived at Petra’s quarters, he found her quickly tying bedsheets together, and hanging them over the window. He suppressed a chuckle. Clever girl.

“Getting ready, I see.” He almost laughed when she jumped.

“Aye.” She said after a moment, rolling her eyes. “You wouldn’t have done the same thing?”

“Probably.” He admitted. “But that isn’t the point.” He pointed out the window. “It’d be suicide, even if you weren’t caught immediately. There are over one thousand guards in the royal lands alone.” He gazed out at them. “No one leaves this place without permission from the king.”

Petra considered for a moment before nodding begrudgingly and shoving the sheets under the bed. “Fine. Let's go.”

She stood and smoothed her bronze tunic. The color suited her, Elias thought, brought out her eyes. When Petra caught him staring she raised an eyebrow. “What? Is this not up to your royal standards?”

He choked out a laugh. “Nay, you look fine. And I am no royal.”

She squinted at him for a moment then turned to the door. “Well, come on then Mister Not-royal.”

Elias resisted the urge to roll his eyes. “You lead, Princess.”

Petra’s nose crinkled. “Please don’t call me that. I go by Petra if you haven’t noticed.”

“But you are a princess, are you not?”

“Aye. So because you are a Seer I can simply call you that?”

Elias sighed. “My apologies, it is what I am accustomed to.”

Her eyes softened a bit. “I am as well. I just don’t like it.”

He shook his head and chuckled.

“What?” She asked, continuing towards the stables.

“You’re quite amusing, Princess.”

“I told you not to call me that!”

Elias chuckled again. “I know Princess.”

Petra scowled at him and he laughed.

Strange, he had not laughed in a long time.

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Elias had originally worried about Petra keeping pace, but found them moving at an equal speed. She had incredible stamina, so they made good time. By the end of the first day, however, they were both thoroughly tired out.

They set up camp as the sun began to set. They had thinly rationed the food they had brought with them, but it was already running low.

“We’ll need to stop in the nearest village,” Petra observed, and Elias nodded.

“Aye, there’s one just north of here. It will be a bit of a detour, but I don’t think we can last without food, and we’ll need some sort of weapon.”

Petra swallowed hard, and Elias once again felt a wave of pity wash over him. She didn’t deserve this cruel fate, and he wished he could do something.  He gave her an encouraging smile that she returned. She leaned back on her haunches and sighed.

“Quite some adventure I’ve gotten myself into this time.”

“Indeed you have.”

Another sigh. “Why can’t I just stay put? Why must I always insist on getting in trouble?”

Elias smiled again. “From what I’ve seen, you aren’t the kind of girl to stay put.”

“Aye, that is true.” She grinned. “Is it that obvious?”

“Well, I do make a fortune in reading people.” He chuckled at his own joke.

Petra snorted. She sat against a tree, sharpening her knife. They stayed there in comfortable silence. Eventually, Elias drifted off, falling asleep to the sounds of the forest.

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A fresh mist had settled over the forest when Elias and Petra awoke. They both felt groggy after a night sleeping on the rough floor, and ate a quick breakfast in silence. Petra seemed to be deep in thought, so Elias didn’t pursue conversation. He had a lot on his mind as well.

He wondered if the Chimera would be as he had seen in the visions. He hoped it wasn’t for their sake, but he wanted to be prepared all the same. He had a mental picture, but as highly developed as his Sight was, his memory was not so exceptional.

Elias reached into his pack, bringing out a worn leather book labeled “Όραμα.” He had made a habit of sketching his various visions in the book, and therefore had means of access to them at all times. It made up for his lack of good memory.

He thought for a moment then began his drawing. After a couple minutes of riding, he had completed it. As he put it away, he saw Petra glance at him then quickly look away. She did it a few more times before Elias finally sighed and asked, “What is it?”

She blinked and looked away. “Nothing, sorry.”

“Just say it.”

“What’s it like?” She blurted out.

“What do you mean?”

“The um, vision thing?”

“The Sight? Well….” He thought for a moment of how to describe it. “It’s like taking a fresh drink of water in the desert, or bathing after a long journey. It clears your mind, and motivates you…”

“That sounds lovely.”

“Aye, it can be.”

Petra studied Elias for a moment then they lapsed back into silence. They rode on like this for some time, their unspoken thoughts weighing the air.

Suddenly, a whoosh sounded through the quiet, and blinding pain shot through Elias’ shoulder. He yelled a curse and looked down. An knife had lodged itself there, and flesh was clearly very torn. He groaned as his vision blurred with pain.

As arrows flew, some Petra’s and some their hidden attackers, he knew he had to get the knife out. So he placed his hand at the base of the wound, grasped it firmly, and yanked it out.

The pain that ripped through him was like nothing he had experienced. It tore into his body and surrounded him fully. It was all he could do not to fall off the horse. He held the reigns tighter and clung for dear life.

Focusing on the task before him, he managed to pull out his bow and notch an arrow in it. The problem was, he didn’t know where to aim. He saw shadows, and weapons, but never the actual people behind them.

So he shot here and there, in any direction. At one point her heard someone cry out, and a silence was held for a breath or two. Then, as quickly and quietly as they had come, they were gone. Petra and he both sat for a moment, taking it all in. Then the pain returned and he resisted the urge to throw up.

He laughed tightly. “It just keeps getting better doesn’t it?”

Petra nodded as they dismounted. “Aye. I’ll be grateful if we make it through this alive.”

His head spinning, Elias managed to get onto the ground before the world went dark.

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Petra watched Elias tentatively while he ate his soup. They had moved forward at a brisk pace once he had woken up, and had made it to their destination by nightfall. After collecting supplies and resting they had set off again.

Now, they were sitting around the smoldering fire. Both wanting to sleep, Petra supposed, but unable to settle after the days’ events. She had tried to bind his shoulder, but he insisted on doing it himself. So stubborn, Petra had told him, but he’d just smiled. He wasn’t bad company, she supposed, but just more quiet than she was accustomed to. They had developed a companionable friendship over the past days.

“Something wrong?” He asked, pulling her out of her thoughts.

“No, sorry, just worried, I guess.”

“About what?” He asked, looking up at her while she paced.

Everything. You, me, this crazy crusade we’ve embarked upon…

“It’s just… Do you think those men, or whatever they are, will come back?”

Elias shook his head, those queer blue eyes catching the firelight with an unearthly glint. “I don’t know Petra. I hope not.”

“Who do you think they are?”

A pause.

“Once again, I cannot be sure. Probably some rebels looking to hold us for ransom.”

Petra sighed and sank down beside him. Running her hands through her hair she sat, lost in thought, until she slumped over on Elias’ good shoulder and fell into a fitful sleep.

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