The Carrier - Episode Seven

by Willan Ellis

Teanne and Lin phased mere metres away from the girl who was still crouched under the overhanging branch looking down at the ground. Moving slowly around to allow the sun to conceal their approach, Teanne froze when she saw the long thin whip like line of water coming from the young girls wrist. Angrily she began to move on, but Lin stopped her shaking her head,

  'Wait!' Lin said in a hushed voice and Teanne begrudgingly stopped. She could not believe what she was seeing. This young girl was definitely from Mesi. Lin moved her finger to her lips and then motioned them both toward another tree.

  'Water Bearers.' Lin spat out angrily not taking her eyes from the young girl.

  'I know.' Teanne responded also transfixed with what was going on before her. Lin looked at Teanne prompting an answer to her unanswered question, 'you mentioned them when you gave me the task of finding the Estrus. I presumed that was what you meant.' Lin nodded and looked back at the young girl who was now standing and looking up to the sky.

  'Are you going to introduce yourselves?' The young girl asked and Teanne and Lin in unison gulped. They moved out from behind the tree and cautiously approached the young girl who still did not take her eyes from the sky. When the two were close enough, Teanne angrily asked,

  'Who are you and why are you following us?'

  Taking a long deep breath the young girl lowered her head and turned to face the two women. She made eye contact with Lin first and then looked at Teanne who felt her breath catch. Her eyes. They were the deepest green she had ever seen.

  'My name is Hazel, and I am not following you. It seems that perhaps we are heading in the same direction.'

  'You are Mesi?' Lin asked and Hazel nodded 'are you alone?' Hazel nodded again 'why do you think you are heading in the same direction as us?'

  Teanne was glad Lin was leading the questions, she was finding it difficult to catch her thoughts. This young girl seemed so familiar but she was struggling to move past the fact she was Mesi and that she was an enemy.

  'I can only assume you are going to Aelia. This is the most direct route.'

  'Did you come from Luia?' Hazel nodded again and Teanne noticed a look of sadness flash across her eyes. Why would this girl from Mesi be saddened about Luia?

  'What is left of it. You are both Luiain?' Lin nodded, Teanne remained still. 'I am sorry.'

  At that Teanne responded viciously. 'What do you have to be sorry for? It was your army that destroyed Luia and killed all those people.' Even Lin was taken aback from the tone in Teanne's voice. The young girl lowered her eyes to the ground.

  'You are very young to be travelling alone?' Lin asked trying to calm the tension that was now present. Hazel lifted her gaze to Lin, purposefully avoiding Teannes’.

  'I can look after myself' Hazel replied calmly. Lin chuckled and looked the young girl up and down. She was definitely Mesi, but the torn dirty clothing did not fit with the young girls demeanour or the way she spoke, and the fact that she was a water bearer only made Lin more curious.

  'Why were you in Luia?' Teanne finally asked. Hazel looked at her and noticed her forehead crease and then she looked away,

  'I am looking for someone' was all she offered.

  'Who?' Teanne asked getting frustrated,

  'An acquaintance of my mothers.'

  'That can't be possible. It would be against the Treaty.' Lin interrupted before Teanne could respond.

  Calmly Hazel lifted her gaze and met Lin's curious stare.

  'The treaty is obviously broken is it not?' Teanne burst out laughing and Lin couldn't help but grin at the young girl,

  'Yes, it would seem so.' Lin moved closer to Hazel who surprisingly stood her ground and offered her hand, 'my name is Lin, and that is Teanne.' Hazel looked at Teanne carefully as if she were acknowledging something in her thoughts and then looked back at Lin and took her hand shaking it.

  'You know we should kill you?'

  'Teanne!' Lin looked at her friend aggravated at her uncompromising attitude. This young girl was a child, she would not have been involved in the attacks by the Order Lords.

  'If that would please you?' Teanne shook her head and moved away bewildered by the girl's response. Lin looked at Hazel intently, there was definitely more to this girl.

  'Well you might as well stay with us, it will be a lot safer' Lin offered looking at Teanne who was busying herself with collecting wood,

  'Are you sure that's a good idea?' Hazel asked looking over at Teanne.

  'Yes.' Lin simply replied.

  'I will be glad of the company. Thank you.' Hazel said as she started to help collect some wood.