Aida sighed at her melancholy thoughts and tipped her head back to look at the sky stained with brilliant purples and blues tinged with vicious red. Cheery gold limned the low-hanging clouds with stars beginning to peek out from their hiding. Night would fall fast here in the mountain’s shadow, though less so than when they traveled at its feet. Squinting up at the vast expanse, she tried to pick out the stars she might recognize. Uncertain if they had names as so many things seemed to in this frightening world, she looked only for the brightest among them. Three in a crooked line, a red one, and one that was blue.
The wind picked up, riffling through her hair and sending it into a tangled banner behind her as she continued to look up at the sky. Smiling as a break in the trees gave her an unimpeded view of the deep indigo scattered with diamonds. A few hours yet, and it would look just like her eyes. Midnight black with twinkling blue. The only of their kind that she knew of. Something that forever set her apart, made her feel more alone than anything else.
Finding a tuneless song on her lips, she hummed it at the night sky that swelled before her. Not recognizing it, Aida wondered if she’d heard it somewhere among the caravan, the lilting tune unlike anything she’d learned under Otaso’s roof. Free and wild, it hinted at something wicked and perhaps a little dangerous. Sure that it was not something anyone would approve of, she chanced a look at Maruk and found him staring. Slack jawed with wide eyes full of misty tears, his hand trembled where it hung outstretched towards her.
“Maruk, are you well,” Aida asked with a furrowed brow.
Maruk sighed, a salty droplet overflowing sparse lashes to trickle down his cheek. Saying nothing, he continued to watch Aida. Tracking her every movement as the cart caused her to sway back and forth. Forehead puckered with her concern, she took the hand he held out to her. Wrapping it in her far smaller palms with what she hoped was a comforting smile though his actions were worrying her. Their guards showed little interest in them, leading Aida to believe it at least wasn’t whatever had happened before.
“Beautiful,” Maruk said. Sigh so sad it brought tears to Aida’s eyes, her clutched at her hands. “More, please.”
“I… I don’t know the tune.”
“Please,” Maruk demanded in a low moan, gripping Aida’s hand tight enough to turn his knuckles pale ochre.
Though he hurt her, Aida tilted her head and found the song just there. Waiting with patience at the tip of her tongue for her to begin humming again. Once she breathed the tune into the night air, others took notice. Their guards glanced at her once, twice, shifting in their saddles so they might stare at her in the same rapt wonder as Maruk. Zaec crouched on the footboard of his narrow seat, arms slung over the bench to give Aida a wistful smile full of youth and simple happiness.
Finding words inside of the harmony, Aida whispered them into the shadows. Finding a smile upon her lips as they all edged closer still. No longer frightened of their nearness, she was unsure of when that had happened. Their swords and rattling armor a soft symphony all their own that harmonized with the words she spoke. Words she didn’t know, didn’t understand, but found her lips and tongue forming all the same.
Moon full and hanging low, the subtle blue-white light bathed them all in its comforting glow. Not the glaring heat of the sun, the painful rays that turned her skin red and made it peel and itch. This calming illumination held one close against its breast, crooning sweet lullabies.
As if by that thought alone, Maruk’s eyes drifted shut. Lids heavy, lashes weighted as they slipped closed to shutter the rapt attention still burning in the blue gleam reflected in his dark gaze. Looking to Zaec, he was fast asleep, leaving Lir to snort and huff on her own through the darkling path. She would stay her course, Aida was sure of that if nothing else. To prove it, Lir stalled only a moment before ignoring the ripe green grass swaying into her path to trundle forward after the horses disappearing into the shadows ahead of them.
No need to rush. Not in the uncertain light where anything could hide to harm the poor creature. Unfair for her to carry such a burden besides. Unspoken words leaving her in a sigh that twisted back into the melody, she found the guards slumped over their horses’ necks. Listing from side to side as their beasts plodded on at an easy walk so as not to dislodge their riders.
Stifling a yawn with the back of a hand, Aida wondered if Er’it intended to march through the night. It would explain her nest of furs, the crate full of simple foods that would survive the trail well enough. It would never be the same as the hot foods she’d experienced with the caravan, with their thick spices and saucy dripping, but he was intent on murdering her. What did he care of her comforts?
“Where is it coming from, Er’it,” Ath’asho asked in a low murmur.
Aida startled, looking to the back of the cart where Er’it and Ath’asho now rode with the remaining warriors. Their wary gazes swept the trees, searching for an adversary. Perhaps they felt the watchful eyes the same as she had and came to investigate. Odd that she remained so calm, almost languid as she stretched her legs out and wrapped a heavy black fur around her shoulders though she still felt too warm.
“I can’t tell,” Er’it said, the gleaming topaz of his eyes coming back to Aida each time he tried to look away.
“Could they be
