Attention

After another day’s rest, and more healing from Esus, Charyic was well enough to travel. The places where the bear had ripped into her still ached and she felt weak, but according to Esus that meant only that she shouldn’t run or ride hard. A slow, gentle pace wouldn’t harm her.

Ivhir tied her onto the horse again, much as Miryil had, this time, however, there was a makeshift wooden perch rigged to her and the saddle. Esus rode with her, occasionally taking flight to scout the road or keep a lookout. Thieves wouldn’t bother the Light Bringer riding ahead of her in his armor, but he seemed wary that there might be other dangers.

As they began to pass the burned out house, Charyic tried to turn her horse with her heels. Ivhir gave her a look of distrust as she began to nod toward the house. Unable to dismount, and unable to speak, Charyic sighed around her gag and continued nodding emphatically and trying to turn her horse.

“We go to Gaelel. We’re not going to stop here.” Ivhir spoke sharply.

Charyic looked at him as if he were an idiot. Nodding again at the house.

“I don’t think there is anything left in that house to steal, and I wouldn’t help you rob it if there were.”

Charyic gave him a look that would have drawn blood. And then she shrugged, her lips moved and her head and shoulders wiggled as if she were mocking him or arguing with him. She nodded straight ahead and prodded her horse forward.

Ivhir suddenly found his curiosity. “What’s in the house?”

Charyic snorted and looked at him, her head and shoulders wiggling as her lips moved, this time most definitely mocking him.

Ivhir glared at her as he dismounted. She was the only person he had met who wasn’t a Light Bringer who seemed to be unafraid of them. He almost wished that she was. “If you try to flee…”

The look she gave him suggested strongly that calling him an idiot would be a disservice to idiots everywhere. Ivhir had difficulty keeping a straight face.

The tall Light Bringer peered into the charred mess and noticed the edge of one of Miryil’s bags peeking out from beneath some charred and broken boards. It looked as if they had been thrown in and the boards had fallen over top.

He turned and gave the girl a sharp, sceptical look. “You’re trying to be helpful. Why?”

She gestured with her chin upward and Esus came as if called to take his place on the perch.

Ivhir looked at the bird and grinned. “He does have a way with birds. I knew he could train the ones that’ll take your fingers off but I hadn’t expected him to be quite so successful with you.”

The flat look Charyic gave him made him grin wider. The sharp look from Esus’ eyes, however, made him clear his throat and set to work extracting the bags. When he had finished, the girl had her face pressed into Esus’ feathered back. A surprisingly soft sound from his beak made her lift her head and he began to preen as she sat up in her saddle and watched Ivhir look through the bags and then tie them onto the horses.

Nothing was said until they stopped for the night and Esus returned to his natural form and began to fuss over her. Helping her down and getting her settled after pulling on his tunic. He was still doting on her when Miryil and Erech arrived.

Miryil’s disapproval was palpable but before she could open her mouth to snarl something at Esus for his behavior, Ivhir pulled her away and whispered to her. Charyic looked at them with foreboding.

Esus stroked her hair, “You didn’t think Miryil was going to be happy to see you, did you?”

Charyic shook her head and looked at him unhappily, she touched his chest and then pointed at the other side of the fire.

His crooked smile lit his mirrored eyes. “You’re worried I’ll start sitting on the other side of the fire now?”

Charyic hesitated, he hadn’t quite caught her meaning but it was close enough, and nodded.

“I don’t think the three of them would feel safe transporting you without me.” He teased softly, “They’ll leave your handling to me, and I’m going to stay close, my beauty.”

Charyic laughed through her gag and looked at him affectionately.

Erech watched the exchange with some amusement. Esus handled her and spoke to her like one of his birds. He made keeping her calm and under control look easy. Separating them would be a bad idea, even he could see that; Miryil, on the other hand, couldn’t see much past her own fury.

The slow ride toward Gaelel was tense. As they reached the city, Miryil commanded Esus to stay aloft and keep an eye out from there. People kept away from Light Bringers when they could, but in a city like Gaelel there wasn’t much space to give on the main streets, and Miryil didn’t want someone to set the girl free or for her to be able to slip away into a crowd.

The horses were given over at the stables nearest the gates, where the Light Bringers preferred to keep their mounts. Charyic was led, bound, through the crowds, flanked by three Light Bringers who demanded space and forcefully kept anyone from getting close to their captive. They attracted a great deal of attention.

Reviews

[arandommaria]

I understand now what you meant all the way in the start with people giving light bringers berth, but it seems like strange word choice to me still. The characters become more interesting as the story moves on, from Malav to Esus. Esus might be my favorite character at the moment, but they all seem very interesting. I like how all of them have some space for themselves instead of being left marginalized and underdeveloped.

[Isemay]

Thank you! I will pull the idiom here as well.