Before long Garret and Ashton emerged from the rows of shops, carrying with them two parchment wrapped bundles. Spotting Seth and Sara the two sped up to meet them. They stood together once again in a small circle, and each Garret and Ashton passed the bundles, one each, to Seth and Sara, telling them it was their food for the next three days. Both Seth and Sara untied the small leather straps holding their bundles together and carefully packed the food into their packs. Sara then used the small strap she had untied from her bundle, gathered her beautiful black hair behind her head and tied it there, leaving her delicate neck exposed. Seth stared in awe. Garret then leaned over to his twin and whispered in his ear.
“Guess you’re broke huh?” he asked jerking his head towards Sara.
Seth shook his head and silently mouthed the word “only” and held up two fingers where only his brother could see. Garret’s eyes widened in amazement, but he nodded his approval to his twin.
The four of them decided then it was time to leave Stone Haven, and so they each shouldered their packs, and began walking south Garret and Ashton in the lead, Seth and Sara following behind.
Chapter 4
Freedom and Feelings
They walked through the day, stopping occasionally to let Sara rest. She was unused to the unpaved roads beyond the town’s borders. Neither was she accustomed to carrying three days worth of food or a weapon. The boys had all offered to carry her equipment but she refused, stating they had already done too much for her. She tried her hardest to keep pace with the longer legged boys, but the boys slowed their pace, seeing her struggling to keep up. All of them knew it wasn’t her fault and none of them minded. In fact they had fabricated several reasons to stop along the way so she could rest without guilt. It wouldn’t be long until she was used to the exertion, and could keep pace with the rest of them. However, they hadn’t anticipated this, and now realized that three days worth of food would not be enough by at least a day if not two at their current pace.
They made camp earlier than they had hoped that first evening, under a tree away from the path. They had stopped as soon after Sara started limping as they could find a suitable place to make camp. The new boots it seemed were not agreeing with her delicate feet.
Sara sat down on a root that protruded from the ground beneath the canopy of the tree’s leaves. Unlacing her boots she pulled them off revealing her mangled little feet. Seth gasped at the sight and couldn’t believe she had done this to herself. At some time in the day, probably early, Sara must have developed blisters. Refusing to mention them she continued to walk until nearly her entire feet were covered with them, then she still continued until they had popped and new ones formed beneath the first. Those too had now popped and blood flowed from both of her feet freely. Knowing that Sara must be in terrible pain made Seth’s stomach tighten into knots. Ashton was setting down his pack when he heard Seth gasp and came to see the damage for himself. Garret seeing his twin and Ashton hovering around Sara’s legs too came to see what was going on. He had known she was sore, all of them had known, but maybe it was worse than he imagined.
Ashton regarded Sara’s feet just as he did the man’s mangled face the night before. He looked them over calmly, carefully, examining every injury. He looked Sara right in the eyes and smiled.
“This won’t hurt a bit.” Ashton assured her. “Much easier than the last person I helped.”
Ashton knelt down at Sara’s feet, closing his eyes, tilting his head back to look skyward. He prayed briefly, at least he appeared to, as his lips moved but no sound came forth, then returning his gaze to Sara’s feet began his low chant. To Seth it seemed this time Ashton used different sounds than he had the night before, but he couldn’t be sure. Almost immediately this time, Ashton’s fingers were consumed by the pale yellow light as they had been before. The light spread again, only this time it did not encompass his entire hands, nor his entire body, but stayed focused in his palms. The chanting only lasted a moment, and Ashton stood and admired his work, his childish face stretched into a toothy grin. Once again Sara’s feet were perfect. Ashton stopped however and leaned back down to where Sara was seated and, still feeling the magic in his blood, summoned it forth once again, and placed his hand over Sara’s forehead. He removed his hand a second later revealing where once had been a terrible jagged cut where her flesh had tore open, now lay a perfectly smooth patch of skin, unscarred by the heinous attack she had suffered. Sara thanked Ashton several times for his healing, each time Ashton’s cheeks flushed and he assured her that it was nothing. So it was that the four companions continued to make camp before all light was lost.
It was then Seth realized his mistake. He had made sure Sara was clothed appropriately, wore proper boots, was able to defend herself if the need arose, and had a pack to carry her food. What he had forgotten however was just as important. Sara had nothing to sleep on, neither did she have anything to cover up with. It was a simple mistake, but a stupid one. Each night grew colder as winter approached, and he had forgotten to at least buy her a blanket. It seemed to Seth, the only thing to do now was simply give up his own blanket to her. He couldn’t imagine her small fragile, beautiful body shivering on the bare ground.
They had each placed their packs around the base of the tree, marking their spots as it were. Ashton laid out his bear hide bed, and Garret his blanket next to that. Seth dug through his pack and pulled out his blanket, skipping the spot where his pack sat, the laid out his blanket, beneath Sara’s small pack. Sara seen him lay out the blanket, and approached him, realizing that it was his blanket. She walked right up to Seth stopping with just inches between them. Then looking up to face him, tears in her eyes, she spoke.
“No.” She told him quietly enough the others wouldn’t hear, but loud enough that he wouldn’t miss it. “I told you no sacrifices for me.” She said this as a tear slid down her cheek. Her golden amber eyes never leaving his.
“I’m not sacrificing.” Seth started his reply. “I will be fine, you need to stay warm.” He told her. “I won’t let you get sick if I can help it. I want you to use it, it would make me happy.” Seth finished.
“Why must you do this to me?” Sara asked, another tear sliding down her face. “Why must you make me feel guilty? If I use it I will feel guilty you are without your own blanket, If I don’t use it I will feel guilty that I have upset you it’s not fair.” She said this, now the tears came more rapidly.
Seth, reaching up wiped away her tears, and pulled her head to his chest. He hated seeing her cry. Angels shouldn’t cry.
“Please don’t cry Sara, and don’t feel guilty, not over this. Like I said I’m actually being selfish by giving it to you.” Seth stated, liking this new twist.
“How in the name of the gods is giving me your blanket, so you can freeze to death, selfish? Sara asked him with a tone akin to that of anger.
“It lets me feel like I’m protecting you, taking care of you. It makes me feel good.” It was the truth, it did feel good to take care of her, give her what she needed, and make her smile.
“Then we will share.” She stated, and Seth shook his head.
“No, it’s not appropriate, and it might make Garret and Ashton uncomfortable, No, I can’t share. Sorry.” Seth meant every word, and Sara could feel it.
“Why is it not appropriate, you don’t like me enough to share a blanket with me on a cold night? Sara was upset, but she really just wanted to understand his reason for refusal.
“It’s not that Sara, I swear, I care for you, I do, it just isn’t time yet ok?” Seth pleaded with her.
“If it isn’t time yet when will it be? Sara asked.
Seth shrugged.
“Will it be soon?” She demanded
“I hope so.” Seth replied.
Hearing the honesty in his voice, she gave in. Seth did care for her, and wanted to take care of her. It seemed he was waiting for something, maybe even something from her, before he would let himself get too close, too comfortable.
Seth let her go then, and she walked to the tree where the other two boys had already settled in their makeshift beds. She lay down then, on one half of the blanket, leaving the other half sprawled out beside her, leaving the invitation open if Seth were to change his mind.
Seth stood, where he and Sara had had their argument. It wasn’t fair to Sara, to make her feel bad for him. It wasn’t really even anything to do with her in the first place. The only real reason Seth turned down her invitation to share a blanket, to share a bed, was that he didn’t feel he deserved her. He hoped that at some point in the days to come he would do something so great that would make him deserving of any feelings she might have towards him. He knew without asking that she cared for him, just as he cared for her. It was a mystery how such feelings could overcome him about a girl, no a woman, he had barely known a day. But he couldn’t imagine a life without her. He dwelled for a while, about how best to deal with his feelings for her and decided upon some rules for himself. He could only be with her on two conditions. The first of course, if he did something unimaginable for her, earning her companionship, or second, if she told him she loved him, clarifying her feelings towards him, then he would allow himself a place at her side. Neither of these situations likely to occur, he felt secure enough in this fact that he would keep his distance, watching over her, protecting her, caring for her, but nothing more.
Seth walked to the empty space between his sleeping brother, and the woman who unknowingly was the master of his heart. He lay down on the naked ground, and rolling to face Sara, covered her with the unused portion of her blanket. Settling his mind, by watching her sleep, he too closed his eyes and drifted quickly into unconsciousness.
Sara waged a silent war within her mind that first night. Lying still, eyes closed she pretended to sleep. Wishing and praying that Seth would join her on the blanket, yet unsure if it was what she really wanted. She was torn. Once, several years ago, when she was barely a teenager, her mother died. Not knowing where else to go, Sara had stayed where her mom had lived, in the brothel. It was not the nicest place to live, and Sara had many times witnessed John, the owner’s, anger. But for a while John was different. After Sara’s mother was gone he had been very nice to Sara. Making sure she was fed and had clean clothes. That had lasted for some time until Sara had told him of her intentions to find the only relative that her mother had told her about. Sara had an aunt, in a town somewhere to the south, between Stone Haven and the capitol. This brought John once again to anger. He told her then of her mother’s debt to him, for living under his roof, eating his food. Her work, he explained to her, had not been enough to pay off her debt and so it fell to Sara to pay. Sara refused to work for John, if you could really even call it work. It just seemed wrong, seemed dirty. John assured her that she could not leave him, not while in his debt, and he also assured her that someday soon he would be putting her to “work”. This is what made Sara unsure of Seth. She did not know if he was being nice to her because he wanted something from her in return. Or perhaps he was giving her nice things to put her in his debt, though he had assured her she owed him nothing. She cared for Seth already. She knew she did, but was afraid to openly admit it, even to herself, for fear it was a trap. She couldn’t allow herself to be overwhelmed with him, she must make herself wait. Make herself watch him to be sure his intentions were good and that he truly cared for her like he had said. She hoped he shared the same feelings she had for him, though thought it unlikely. He was charming, strong, and even brave. She was a scared, worthless orphan. She didn’t deserve him, but she could hope that by some strange chance of fate that he would turn out to be exactly what she hoped, and would choose her over any other girl. Sara decided then that she couldn’t just wait and watch Seth, looking for some sort of sign. He had already proved he was willing to protect her, he had also proven that he was willing to take care of her, even sacrificing his own comfort to do so. Now she just needed to see how much he cared for her, or if he just wanted something else, something almost all men wanted, something she had yet to give to anyone. Coming to this conclusion, to test Seth, she smiled into the dark, still pretending to sleep. She heard Seth approach, heard him lay down, though not as close as she had secretly hoped. She then felt the blanket she laid upon being lifted and pulled over her to keep her warm. Keeping very still, keeping her eyes closed, she listened to Seth slowly drift off to sleep, all the while wondering what he would dream about. He had not taken her invitation to share the blanket, though now she wasn’t sure if this was a point for him or against him. She contemplated how she might test his feelings for her, and realized it would be very difficult. She too, slowly drifted off to sleep where her dreams would uncontrollably focus on Seth.
The next morning all four companions woke early. Seth had been the first to wake, and he waited patiently, watching Sara sleep, for the rest to wake as well. Garret was up next, and seeing that his brother was also awake, motioned for Seth to join him a slight distance away from the others. Seth rose and walked the short distance to where Garret waited, looking at him questioningly.
“So what’s the deal?” Garret asked.
“The deal with what?” Responded Seth unsure of what his twin wanted.
“Sara.” Garret stated. “Are you two a couple or what? Can I refer to her as my sister yet?” He added jokingly.
“I don’t really know bro.” Seth replied. “I mean, sure I like her, and I think she likes me, but until I’m absolutely sure, I really don’t know what to do or say.”
Garret nodded solemnly, his face bunching up in thought, and then he smiled.
“What is it?” Seth asked already expecting the worst from his brother.
“If you’re not sure how she feels, why don’t you go crawl into that blanket with her and make a man out of yourself.” Garret stated trying to contain a laugh.
“I don’t think that’s what she wants from me.” Seth replied, giving his brother a slug to the shoulder. “At least not yet in any case.” He quickly added winking to his twin.
They walked back to where Ashton and Sara slept, Garret was rubbing his shoulder, and Seth approached the sleeping girl. He knelt down beside her peaceful angelic face, and carefully pushed her hair back from her face with his fingertips. Kneeling closer, he whispered in her ear.
“Wake up beautiful.” Seth said the word as softly as he could manage, half hoping she wouldn’t hear him.
Sara did hear him however and her eyes opened slightly, peering up at him, she smiled. Seth stroked her cheek with the back of his hand, returning her smile.
“Am I still dreaming?” Sara asked him
Seth shook his head smiling still, realizing that if she thought she was still dreaming, then she had dreamed of him. He bent down, slowly, carefully, and pressed his lips against her forehead. Pulling back from the kiss he again whispered to her.
“I’m sorry, but you need to get up, we have a long day ahead of us.” Seth found himself lost in her deep amber eyes, and smiled again.
Sara nodded her understanding to him, and rolled to her back and sat up. She ran her fingers through her hair in an attempt to untangle it, and losing the battle, decided again to tie it behind her head with the strap. Seth simply watched her. She moved like liquid, always graceful, always precise. Sara moved as if to stand, and Seth held his hand out to her to assist her. She gladly took it, smiling at him in thanks. He lifted her gingerly from the ground, and watched her as she smoothed out her clothing. As Sara stretched her muscles, and sat again on the nearby root to put her boots on, Seth rolled up the blanket he had given her and returned it to his pack. Ashton was awake now as well, following a playful kick to his ribs from Garret. The four of them broke down their little camp, and sat to eat a quick breakfast before heading out. They decided to ration their food a bit, knowing the trip would take a little longer than originally anticipated. This came as a surprise to Sara, though she knew too well the reason behind the miscalculation. She vowed to hersel
f that today she would keep up.
Gone now were the rocky hills surrounding Stone haven, replaced by gently rolling fields of tall weeds and wild flowers still struggling to bloom in the oncoming chill of fall. bees and other flying insects buzzed around the fields and from time to time a flock of birds would rise up from some undisclosed location in the distance just to float lazily on the wind a while before settling back down in the fields.
Sara did in fact do much better their second day of travel. She tried her best to keep pace with the boys, who only had to slow a little for her today. Also they only stopped a hand full of times to let her rest, each time she assured them she was ready to continue. About mid day, during one of their rest stops, Sara removed her boots and asked Ashton to heal the blisters that formed again on her feet. They were not nearly as bad this day as they had been the previous day. Her boots were finally starting to break in. The end of the day came quickly with all four of them talking and telling stories. Sara spoke the least, not having much to tell, and wanting to learn all she could about Seth. As the sun began to set, they foraged around for a good place to make camp. Sara was the first to notice a small stand of young trees a short way off the trail, and pointing it out, the group changed direction angling towards the trees. It was a small stand of birches, in a rough circle with a decent opening at their heart. In the opening, at the very center there lay a ring of stones encompassing a pile of charred wood and ash, marking this as a place someone else had made camp recently. The rest of the night went much the same as the last, with Seth declining Sara’s silent invitation and instead covering her with the remainder of the blanket.
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