NaNoWriMo 8

This is Number 8, and where I proudly announce that I have hit the halfway mark! 25,000 words, Baby! GO ME! ^.^

Though the feeling still lingered in her mind, feeding off the hate that she had towards said policies. Those who were singled out as unfit were sent aside, while those that were remained standing at attention. The soldiers deemed unfit strayed back into the camp, taking down what needed to be and packing supplies. Those that were fit were dismissed to help with what they could as long as they were ready to leave afterwards. Taking down the camp would be more lengthy than packing to leave, so they knew that there would be time enough to move out before noon. The Prince dismissed her at the same time, without a backwards glance. That was alright, in her opinion. The feeling of being near someone so important, someone so connected to her own status in this country made her unbelievably uncomfortable.

She slipped into the camp to help the Sisters with taking care of the wounded that were too wounded to even get to the meeting this morning. She started for the bed nearest her that was unattended, but a glare from the occupant stopped her in her tracks. She bowed her head in mock humility, waiting for him to give his permission for her to approach. Like she did anyone at this point. This was going to be highly disappointing- she was going to miss Kirn. He was somebody that had made life her ever so slightly more tolerable.

Kirn himself was motioned away from the camp by one of the commanders that had been with the Prince. To his surprise he was directed to the Prince's side, to discuss something with him. He stood stiffly at attention, the bowed, unsure of the meaning being this. The green grass swayed beneath his feet, brushing against his boots. The weight of this fell heavily. "You brought me here to be treated, soldier, and I owe you my thanks for bringing me so timely. Between you and the Sylph, I am in much debt. Please, lift your eyes."

He stood up straight, not abruptly but respectfully. His arms were like sticks at his sides. Kirn was silent, waiting for what the Prince wished to speak with him about. "As you are aware, the camp is moving into the country. There is a possibility that rogues and other assassins will follow, thinking that you know where my whereabouts are. Since Nia is both a valuable asset and knows my identity and the nature of my wounds, I feel that she needs a guard, someone to keep her from getting into too much trouble. Do you feel you are up to the task?"

Kirn's mouth was dry, as dry as if he had licked the ashes from the ground the night before. He could hardly believe what was being asked of him, though it was a tearing feeling between honor and disgrace. "I am certainly most capable, Your Honor. I would be honored to accompany her." It was treue, as there was honor in such a task. However... However, he was not returning to the Battlefield. He was not being allowed to fight by the Prince's side on the field of war. Was he being shifted aside? Even if she was a Sylph, she was a halfie, and how could he not dislike her, considering who his father was?

"I know a person of importance, and she is one." The statement echoed the thought in his head. "And even with her heritage, we would be sore pressed if she were lost. Take care of her, and see that she is safe."

Kirn bowed his head. "I shall do so to the best of my ability, Your Honor. Thank you for allowing me this." This what? Duty? It was most certainly that, though an unwelcome one if he was being told that he was not good enough to die for his nation. Even so, he could see the sense in it. Sylph. Why did she have to be a Sylph?

With that, the Prince gave a slight smile. "Then my thanks. You may return to your duties." A clear dismissal. There was nowhere else to go at this point. He want back and began to pack up his own belongings- something that didn't take too long, as they weren't his, they belonged to the army supplies. His own had been left behind in his other camp.

That made him frown. He would have to send for them soon, or risk losing them to other soldiers that needed them. He stood up and strode for the camp's commander, who was giving out orders and overseeing the work of his soldiers. "Sir." he said smartly, raising a hand to salute him. "My supplies are farther West, where I came from with the Prince. Please allow me to go and retrieve them." The commander's hard stare gave the idea that perhaps it would not be allowed. That wouldn't be too surprising- often, supplies were lost on the trails that they took, or were given out among those that needed them. Even so, personal items were precious, and could hold a soldier through many a hard days.

"And what of the Prince's orders to you?"

"To guard the Sylph, sir. I can do such on the roads we are on, away from the ones from this camp. If they believe we are with you, then we will not be bothered by any enemy soldiers, should they come across us. I will be a mere escort to a simple healer, if she changes the knot on her robes." It wasn't meant to sound desperate, but he feared it coming out that way. Kirn's own personal items were so precious... So very important to him. He feared having them lost to scavengers or sold for cash to bear the drinking and whoring of his fighting companions.

There was a hard look in the commander's eye as he gazed over the guard. Kirn wasn't sure whether his current duty was a demotion or a promotion, but to disregard the order from the Prince was a hanging offence- he was a superior officer, and that alone demanded respect.
"Then do so, but you will meet us there on the day we arrive or before that. You will be given no grace if you are late, and will be considered a traitor if you have not arrived by then. Understood?" Kirn bowed his head, inclining it and folding his hands in the way that signaled he understood and respected his commander's orders. This was going to be an interesting time, indeed, he thought as he began to mentally calculate how fast they would have to go to get to the camp and meet the group before the arranged time. It was going to be quite a ride, but he could handle it. Hopefully he would be able to press the Sylph into it, as well.

"Then go and get a horse from the stabled ones. The one you came in on should be well enough to take you back to the camp again." He was dismissed, and Kirn started for the Sister's tent. Nia was not there, so the next place he looked was in the recovery tent. She was taking care of a man with a severe head wound, from the look of the bandages on his head. The bluish blood was seeping through it, though it didn't stop him from glaring at Nia was a baleful look. He started forward, placing a hand on her shoulder. Nia flinched beneath his touch, jerking the patient's head. A shout escaped him, and he began a string of swearing and Nia. The rest of the soldiers and healers either glared at her outwardly or looked at her from the corners of their eyes. She blushed brightly, crimson staining her cheeks, as she excused herself to follow Kirn. The language followed them, getting muffled from the cloth as it fell between them and the patient. Nia's shoulders hunched slightly, ashamed of her nervously she had behaved when touched.

:Do not do that again, Kirn, sir. It is not helping things around here, and making things very difficult for me to work peacefully. Understood?" There was some humility to her words, but the tone was angry, however quiet that anger was. He grimaced. "Yes, I understand. Sorry. However, we're moving out, you and me, since I need to head to my former camp to get a few things. My orders are to guard you, so I need you to come with me." His last words had been to cute her off before she could say anything about it, asking why she also needed to come. "How far away is your camp? How long will it take us to get here?" "Just a day, if we ride hard, but I feel that in order to keep the horse from tiring out, it should take us more like two. This will give us enough time to make it back to the rest of the camp before they reach their destination. We need to leave soon, though. Should I help you pack?"

"You aren't allowed in the Sister's tent, remember?" Her words were wry with a slight bit of laughter. "Thank you, but I can be ready in ten minutes if you can get the horse saddled and prepared by then. I'll see you on the path to the town." She turned without saying anything more, leaving him to prepare for the ride. It was going to be an interesting two days, indeed.

She rushed back to the tent, not even bothering to alert the healers in the tent that she was leaving, leaving the patient to be treated by someone else. He would be grateful for that, she thought with some ruefulness. That had been embarrassing- she should be able to handle patients better than that, but when someone snuck up on her... Thoughts of practical jokes and terrible pranks flitted through her mind, things that had been done to her when she was in the cloisters. Those were why she had been so happy to leave and wander, what had drawn her to the Man from Somewhere Else. She wondered if she would be so lucky as to see him on the road- he found her on occasion, but it was always randomly, never at a predictable rate, never somewhere that she would think that she would see him. Nia strode to the tent where Superior was directing those Sisters left over and not preparing the wounded from travel to pack up everyone's things. Everyone's but hers' of course. She was always left to take care of her own things in addition to the duties to the patients. It was not something that bothered her, since it allowed her things to not be ruined or spiders placed in her pack, or snakes. The few times others had taken care of her own things, she had been disgusted with the things that had been found- the last time, her medical pack had been filled with shit. That was the last time, and while the perpetrators had never been caught, no one had ever been allowed near her things again, not because it had been wrong to do such a thing to her, but her medicines were too valuable and precious to be allowed to be messed with, especially when she could need them at a moment's notice. That bag had been replaced immediately, but Nia never forgot the feel of reaching into it without knowing what had been inside.

A light shudder ran through her body, and she nearly felt sick from it. Her Superior turned to her after she had made a respectful stance for a minute or so, digging into her time to prepare but not angering the Superior. "And what do you need? Why are you not taking care of the patients?" Well, there had gone the hope of not bothering the Superior. "Sister Superior, I am being taken to the camp of my guard so that he can retrieve a few things, and so that I can heal a few of the soldiers there at the same time." "Guard? You have no guard. You aren't worth a guard, even if your skills are that good. I am sure that I would know such a thing if I-"

:She has a guard, assigned her by the Prince himself. And he gave them permission to go to the camp as well, so let her prepare." A voice cut in, the camp commander's. Nia quickly turned to look, face-on, but after a moment of his glare, her eyes went to the ground. The Superior sputtered with disbelief. "You cannot be serious. He ordered it himself? But we need her to tend the wounded in this camp! And why the guard? Does he truly feel..." Her words ended there. There was no complaining against the order itself, but questioning the why's were. "He feels that since she is an asset to the nation and that she is in danger of being attacked again, due to her knowledge, that she should have a guard. Kirn, the one who brought her. They will meet with us at the new camp." There was no arguing with his words.
Superior was not happy with the state of things. She studied Nia with hard eyes, and moved her head to allow her to pass into the tent to get her things. Nia scurried in there. There were few people she was honestly afraid of, but Superior was one of them. She had been Nia's teacher and supervisor at the main cloister, and had always had it in for her. Things that the other girls would never have been allowed to get away with, if they had been done to other students, were allowed to happen to her with no consequence or eyebrows raised. Her punishments for breaking the rules had been dealt out harshly. Nia still had the scars from some of them, embedded in her knees where she had been forced to kneel on hard planks carved with the symbols of obedience and humility, and others on her back where outright disobedience and talking back had been punished with the whip or switch. It had hurt more with her pride, even when her blood had stained the floor blue. Once, it had been spoken out against- when Superior had attempted to punish her with the meting out of strokes that would be given to an adult man. Mother had stepped in at that point, saying that even that was too much for the then ten-year-old to handle. Superior had not been pleased, but had acquiesced to the order. Nia loved Mother for that. She had fainted from the pain of the strokes that had been given her after, but she would have died if Superior had been allowed to commit the punishment she wanted.

Her fingers strayed over the small items that she carried with her. Her pack was separate from her medicines, her medicinal pack holding the most precious of things that could not be messed with. The herbs and ointments that took hours to prepare, days to create. They were her most precious items, but there were a few other things that she treasured as much, such as a small gemstone that had been given when she had traveled to the South Inner Sea. The deep blue of it was marked, it was a cheap stone, but the boy she had treated for rotting of the flesh had been thankful to her for saving his leg. His tears of happiness when he learned that it would not have to come off had given her the ability to go on- that had been at a dark time in her life, where she had stood at the edge of the Sea and contemplated simply walking in and never looking back. She liked healing, though, and that had confirmed that even if she received no thanks, that she would continue to do it.

There was a tiny ring of silver, also cheap, but still more precious than gold. It had been the wedding ring of a woman whose husband died before she could reach him, and who was dying of the same disease. The woman had thanked her for saving her own life, and that of her grandchild, but the ring that had graced her husband's finger had come off. He was free to travel to the next world with no attachments at that point. The ring had been payment, though she could see the sorrow that the woman herself had survived. Nia didn't know what became of the woman, but the granddaughter had promised she would care for her. The ring was something that Nia knew she could pawn off for funds if she ever decided to leave this country, when she could do so without risk to her own life. That was the plan, at least. Her hands clenched over the silver circle and she tucked it into her robes. It might come in handy on this journey, and she was determined to not lose it.

Then there was the light blue belt that marked her as a beginning healer. Her fingers graced the cloth with some trepidation. She had worked so hard to get this, to be allowed to interact with others and have some respect. If the Order had its way, she would have been tucked away in a cloister, where no one could see her, doing the cooking and cleaning for the children that were there. It was not a life that she could have handled. This was her saving grace. The blood that stained it was red and blue. It didn't wash out, no matter how hard she tried. They were made that way, to soak it up, so that the ones who wore them would not forget that lives depended on them, that they could be the difference between life and death for those whose veins the liquid ran through. Her fingers rubbed the stains, knowing that the her own veins had mixed blood, though in color it was no different from a human's. THis was tucked into the small back that held a blanket as well as a change of robes.

With that she was ready to leave. It had not taken long to organize and arrange everything. Her medicinal pack fit into the one with her personal items, so that there would not be an overturned or awkwardness to it. And it would go well over the horse's saddle, she mused, knowing that it had been made for such a purpose but never having done such a travel. Before this it had only been on foot, and the pack had been made to accommodate that as well. She stepped out, where the commander was still waiting. She was surprised when he motioned for her to halt. "Because of your status, you need to change that belt. You have your minor healer's belt? Most do, so exchange it. You will only draw unnecessary attention and danger if you do not." Nia nodded, then stepped back into the tent to change. The Sisters were busy taking down the sheets that acted as walls between the sleeping areas, and as she untied her own, her robes falling open briefly to reveal even more of her pale skin, they glanced over at her as discreetly as possible, both with disgust and envy at her blue belt. Temptation to take it had happened to other Sisters, and a few times it had gone missing in her sleep, but it was often returned, or replaced when it could be (though that gave her far more trouble than it was probably worth). After all, her rank was not dependent on the belt she wore, and that was made clear. It did make things easier when she could prove what she was saying about being a healer, though.
THe old belt came out and wrapped around her waist, much to the shock of the other healers. They wanted to know if she was being demoted to a lower rank- not possible, due to her skills. Nia didn't answer the questioning looks. It was none of their business. They could reveal that she had changed her belt to others, but it wasn't going to affect what she was doing. And it was unlikely that the enemy would hear of this, right? Ah, well. Didn't matter in the long run. She tightened the belt around her waist- the baby fat she had when she first recieved it had eventually melted away, leaving her a little thinner and more shapely. Not that anyone would notice beneath the cloth layers that covered her body. when it was adjusted and the one that marked her true status was tucked away, she left, passing the commander with a small bow (Superior was nowhere to be seen), and walked up the path to the town.

He was waiting halfway for her, the horse looking lively and ready to start moving. The earth was clumping underneath the pawing of his hooves. Kirn smiled slightly, holding his hand out for her pack. She gave it over, and he roughly attatched ut, like an overly large saddlebad, bt it was balanced out on the other side by a pack of supplies that he had rustled up from the commotion in the camp. He motioned her to get on. Nia hesitated a moment, unsure of whether she would be able to make it on. Her hand grasped the saddle horn, and her foot went into the holster. She lifted herself over with a little difficulty, since the horse insisted on shifting beneath her as she did so. Kirn lifted himself up in front of her so that he would protect her from wind and the immediate sight of any possible asailants. Even a beginning healer could be subject to kidnapping within the realm, if the people were hurt and needed one enough. She rested her hands around his waist and held on as he started the horst into a jog, then a canter, and finally into a gosting gallop as the headed around the camp and into the countryside. The forest closed behind them, cutting them off from the camp and the noise of the packing. A last glimpse before it did gave her the sight of the army on their horses in the field, preparing to move out.

THey would be following behind them for a few leagues, but after that, she and Kirn would be on their own. Her face burried into Kirn's back, wondering what would be ahead for them. Would the camp even be there still? It was possible that by now they had moved- one of the time-honored strategies in the kingdom was to keep moving. If they were still there, she hoped that he would be able to have his things.

The ride was quiet, the whistle of the wind past them the only sound to accompany he pounding of the hooves of the horse. She adjusted to the rhythm of the movement in a few minutes, after awkwardly banging into Kirn a few times. She could tell that it irritated him, but he didn't make a sound. He was either far nicer than he let on, or he just wished to keep moving. Yelling at her would do no good, so Nia suspected the latter. The path they were taking was an older logging path. She could tell where the trees were regrowing. There was grass growing in thin patches and lines excpet in the most worn of the tracks. Her eyes scanned the trees, looking for the michevious sprites that were likely to cross their paths in this type of place. Greencaps were not uncommon in woods like these, the protectors of the forsest, the ones that would take revenge for the trees that had been cut down. They had to watch for those at the camp because of the forestry that occured there. Here, though, they were sure to be far more plentiful and angrier, since people had long left and the sprites were left to their own devices.

She had no desire to neet them. Kirn had managed to get here without coming across any, though, so that eased her nerves. It was possible that they had just decided that it wasn't worth it to take revenge against simple travelers. It wasn't unheard of, at the very least.

And there were other, more dangerious sprites to worry about. If the encroaching soldiers got to the woods, then they would have far more to worry about than greencaps. The ones that lived in the mountains seemed to be taking care of them fairly well, but there were always things that were more dangerous. Even the people that lived in the country knew that there were places that were still untamed. Wasn't that the case in those other coutries? It was said that they didn't take the proper precautions against the mountain spirits and creatures, which made her think that they were just strange to them, or that they had killed them off. While Nia was frightened of the deadly ones that haunted in the wilds, she would be saddened if their mystery was forever ended and left to the dust of time.

Her hands tightened around Kirn's waist even more. The ride and shade of the forest was getting to be too much for her after the complete lack of rest from the night before. It was not going to harm anyone if she rested, right? Her eyes slipped closed once she was sure she had a firm grip, and her body slumped against his back. The sunlight made patterns against her eyelids, ones that hypnotized her and drew her into her own dreamland, where the world was mysterious and dangerous, exciting, and loving to her, where she could escape to the safety of the mysterious man's arms.

Kirn felt her go limp, and one of his hands moved to make sure hers were secure. Soldiers could do this without a problem, but she was not a soldier, and there was a real danger of her falling off. His grip on the reins slackened, and the gallop slowed to a canter, a different three-beat that was more leisurely and kinder to the sleeping woman. Some roped from the side of the saddle- necessary for a soldier who laid traps- was unwrapped, and he wrapped the reins around the saddle horn so that he could tie her wrists so that she was secured around him. It was safer for them both that way. As his other hand went to get the reins, one of his hands lingered over hers. Quite a healer, indeed. He decided against pushing the trip too much, because they would need the horse to get to the town in time. In the meanwhile, though would follow the... the path?

He pulled the horse to a stop as he contemplated what was in front of him. It split off into two branches, both going in the same general direction and both appearing to be quite safe in th sunlight. However, if they took the wrong one it would be real trouble. A trick of the greencaps? Or some other menace? He was sure this hadn't been here before, though he had been coming the opposite way before. His eyes lingered over the trees and ground, but was unable to discern anything that would tell him which way to go. He could not even see the evidence of his previous passing. Greencaps were surely at work with that. Kirn took a breath, and took the path to the right. It seemed to be in more the general direction of where they should be heading, and that was definitely the signal of something otherworldly at work. He felt his shoulders tighten with the stress of not knowing if he was taking Nia into danger. The soldiers following them would have their own test to pass through. The one thing he knew was that he could not turn back- that was the one thing that would ensure their death if he did. Greencaps were known for illusions and traps, and if he did at this point, he would only see a mirror image of the crossroads. Beign entirely turned around was as bad as just facing the two paths and choices.

His chin lifted. He was Kirn! He was more than a footsoldier- he was guard to a Sylph, and a second Tithen to the commander! He had some authority and could take on these things. Nia probably had some herbs that would come in handy in protecting them from these spirits. She had to- no healer was unprepared for an emergency, right? He glanced at the posistion of the sun. It was hard to believe that this kind of emergency had occured three hours after leaving the camp. Somehow, he had thought that it would be longer before they came across any trouble. He and Nia would have to escape on their own from this, though- the army would be no help, what with the greencaps and their ways. He slowed the horse down to a walk, his hand slipping to touch Nia's, reassuring himself that she was still there, not wanting to wake her quite yet. THere was still the possibility that he had chosen the right path and that they were well on their way to the camp.

Liam and the rest were on the path in the woods. He could see where the tracks from the Sylph and her guard had rushed along. A gallop, to try and get to the camp on time. He smiled slightly, wishing them luck on their journey.n They would need it with the timeline they were given. It was a comfort to see that they were well on their way. At the head of the army, he would know when their paths split. If he were father back the tracks of his own men, both horsed and not, would have destroyed the marks made by the other travelers.