“You’re going after him?” Nilawen asked. Her voice was so toneless, her face so expressionless, that Amantius could not guess what she was thinking.
Amantius said nothing; he kept his back turned to her as he counted the coins in a pouch.
“Will you come back?”
Amantius let out a long sigh. “I doubt it. This has been fun, Wen, but Ulam is all I’ve had for years. I can’t choose this life over being his brother. I wish you the best…”
Nilawen exhaled loudly. “You’re acting like this is goodbye.”
“Well, I doubt…”
“Shut up, Amantius,” she interrupted with a shake of her head. “You know I’m coming with you. This place is driving me insane! If I have to be the ‘guest of honor’ at another noble’s home I’m going to murder someone.”
Amantius was taken aback. “But I thought you loved the attention?”
“No, I love the adoration, not the attention. There’s a difference. I want the masses to love me, not to want me.” She stared at him for a second before shaking her head. “Nevermind, you wouldn’t understand.”
She’s right. I have no idea what she’s talking about.
Though he would not say it, Amantius was elated that Nilawen had volunteered to come along. During their travels together he had grown fond of her company, and had spent hours earlier that day dreading saying goodbye to her. He had hated the idea of facing Nilawen so much that he had originally planned to sneak out of the camp in the middle of the storm and leave no note behind. It would have been a coward’s way, of course, but just as effective.
“So when do we leave?” Nilawen asked, her countenance changing from rain to sunshine in the blink of an eye.
“How fast can you pack?
“I’ll be back before sundown.”
“Remember, only take essentials,” Amantius warned as he rummaged through his belongings, removing a shirt from his bag, “the more you pack the heavier your bag will be.”
Nilawen frowned at him. “Well, that’s only common sense.”
“Right, but you’re used to having a pack mule or someone else carry all your belongings around. Hiking over hills and through forests is much different than following smooth roads through flat meadows and towns. Come see me when you’re ready, I’ll be waiting.”
They left before the storm had passed, using the pouring rain as a cloak to hide their departure. Amantius thought Nilawen packed more than she should have and within a few hours he would be forced to carry her possessions as well, but to her credit, she did not complain as she trudged through the mud. When they reached the stone highway leading to the Crescent Mountains, Amantius looked over his shoulder to see if anyone was following, wondering if anyone had noticed they had left yet.
“How long do you think until they realize we’re gone?”
Nilawen turned and looked to the bottom of the hill, where the torches and fires all across Thornsgrave outlined the silhouette of the Crimson Owl stage. “If not for the rain we would be onstage now, or at least explaining where Ulam is. I’d say by this time tomorrow people will know we’re not there anymore.”
So about a day. That’s fine, as long as she doesn’t collapse under all the weight in her pack we should be far enough away by then.
They walked a little further up the road before making camp for the night, spreading out underneath the branches of an apple tree. Nilawen nimbly climbed the tree and snatched a few of the fruits, just enough to fill their stomachs. Since the heavy rains soaked all the kindling in the area they did not build a fire, but luckily the summer evenings were more than warm enough that they did not risk freezing to death.
The next morning was damp and humid, the stickiness of the land and the strength of the sun waking them both early. They ate a quick breakfast from the food Amantius had packed and then continued on their way west, wanting to be at their destination by evening. Amantius figured by himself he could make the trip before the sun began to set, but with Nilawen slowing him down he was not sure if they could keep the same pace. The hills looming nearby were steeper than the previous day’s, plus he could tell his traveling companion’s body was stiff from a night sleeping on the hard ground. I hope she gets used to it because there probably aren’t any beds where we’re going.
Morning passed into afternoon, and then afternoon became evening, yet the mountains still appeared far away. The trekking had been slow, painfully slow, as the humidity of the day sapped any energy either traveler may have had. Both took many breaks, using thick foliage from nearby elms and poplars to hide from the sun’s searing heat. Nilawen had almost collapsed a couple times from a lack of hydration, having recklessly consumed every last drop of water from her canteen early in their hike. Amantius routinely saved her, though, by sharing one of the flasks he had filled with rainwater prior to leaving Thornsgrave. But now that he was rationing his supply, he began suffering the effects of dehydration, specifically muscle cramps and dizziness. I can’t believe I’m cramping up! It’s not even as hot as Accaria; has my body forgotten what real heat feels like?
The sun slowly dropped behind the mountain range, casting long shadows across the land, a gift for the two heat-weary travelers. They took advantage of the cooling temperatures to push on, hoping to reach the fort Nilawen spied on the map Ulam had drawn. With every passing moment their visibility diminished, until they were left in near-complete darkness. Only a few stars provided any kind of aid, but even their light was too weak to penetrate the canopy above.
“We need to stop,” Nilawen said suddenly. They had hardly spoken the entire day, their mouths too dry to waste precious moisture on needless
