The Night before Roter Reiben, Ishyldr and Geese
The Night before Roter Reiben, Ishyldr and Geese
The pale moonlight chilled the evening air. Geese popped her head out of the urn, surveyed her surroundings and let out a white steam from her lips. The forest was fast asleep in her eyes but she knows it’s wide awake, ever watching, like her mentor, Ishyldr. Always be at an advantage he taught her and she looked up. A dark silhouette on a large tree branch. She attempted to snuck beneath him but the cold moonlight and chilly wind offered no leeway.
Geese noticed his bow was strung and an arrow resting on it, ready to be drawn. She also noticed, faint, a dark sag under his eyes.
“Get back inside sapling.”
Her face soured and glared up at the elf. She hated that word. It made her feel small and powerless. She’s not the same little girl when he found her all those years ago. Yet, he still calls her sapling.
“Seventh day in a row, I can cover tonight." She spat her words to wash off the sourness in her mouth.
“I am fine, despite the sayings and numbers, the orcs are formidable.”
Expected. she kept her gaze fixated on his eyes, he was looking over the forest and the sags under his eyes seemed to darken further.
“You heard from Edith, they’re deserters. They’re trying to leave and we even offered them food.” Geese rebutted and climbed the tree. He left no trace for her to follow but she managed.
“Sapling, deserters have no honor. that’s why they desert.”
Geese gritted her teeth as she was climbing up to his branch. It wasn’t the climbing, it was his words that bit her.
“I haven’t seen you sleep in days. We’re no longer in the warzone and you can relax, for once.” She forced her tone to be as calm as possible, she wished he could be more warm to her when she cared for him. but he’s always like this.
“It’s still not safe with orcs and goblins abound. I can have my rest when we reach the town tomorrow.” She caught his eyes glancing at her. Geese flustered, quickly dusted the bark chips off of her hand and composed herself before leaning casually against the tree trunk.
“Get some rest. I can handle this, it also means you don’t stand in front of Dee… guild master’s room.” her lips twitched mentioning Deet, casting her gaze down at the urn. This isn’t the first time Ishyldr protected someone but this time it’s different. He’s been forced to protect someone because of the curse. Something about that idea twisted her insides.
The guild master was not at fault but Geese couldn’t help herself. She was so happy when they showed up to rescue her at the goblin’s camp at the Western Gates of Kupferkrone but it soured once she learned her mentor was cursed while she was taking care of Edith.
“Until we get to Vith, I should be … vigilant in protecting our guild master.”
“Nobody’s telling you to guard her, nor she wants you to, I’m sure.” her words trailed towards the end, keeping her gaze fixated at the urn.
“Correct, it is my own volition. You weren’t there when our guild master almost got killed.” Ishyldr kept his composure and Geese lost it; She scrambled her hair furiously. She knew his words were forced. She wished the golden hummingbird would whisper in her ears on how to break the curse or the god of woods to grant her the divine touch to cleanse him.
But no. She knew no such rites to commune with neither of the twin gods. The one thing her mentor never taught her because he wanted Geese to walk her own path when it came to faith. She always felt like she was being denied learning part of him. Tonight that resentment was at its peak. Geese lifted her chin to stare at her mentor and protector.
“Kenari1, your hunter’s senses are sharp as a crescent moon but in some other areas.” She didn’t finish her sentence. This caught him off guard.
“It’s been a while since you called me that, sapling.”
He could read creatures of the woods like a book while he could never figure out what was on her mind. This night was no different. She lided her eyes to quell her bubbling frustration and continued once those bubbles subsided.
“I thought calling you by the formal name would be better to talk about this. I would like you to address me as such.” She cleared her throat.
“Very well, my Nemandi2. Shall we discuss on the ground?” Ishyldr puts the arrow away and gestured to the ground below. Geese nodded and jumped down with a roll to soften her landing. Her mentor took a side step on the tree trunk and rolled on the grass without a sound.
Both were now under the moonlight and she could clearly see him; slender body covered with brown padded clothing with patches of leather pieces on the joints dyed in dark green. a slender quiver and longsword on his sides now holstering his unstrung bow. His flawless long black hair that skirts around his weapons suddenly reminded of her hair and herself and she felt blood rushing through her ears. she lightly bit her lip with a sharp sigh and fixed her hair.
He just stood there silently, waiting for her to start. He gave her the space to fix her hair. It made her happy but also sad because she knew he’s smiling at his student, a child.
“I think you’re unwell, Kenari. You are obsessed with our guild master as if she’s your prey. You don’t leave her out of your sight. There’s a curse on you and we are all worried for your body and soul.”
“How would you like me to behave otherwise?” Ishydr’s gray gaze barreled down at her. Geese returned with the same intensity with her olive eyes.
“Rest.”
“And leave you to the sentinel post?”
“Yes.”
“You think you can stand against five raiders?”
“There will be no raid.”
“And where does such faith swell from?”
Her lips pursed to say ‘Trust me.’ but only steam came out.
“Why are you making it so difficult? Am I such a burden to you? Am I that useless? to be taken care of, stand on the side away from the line of fire while you put your life in the death’s clutch?”
“Nemandi, do you recall when we first met? under the moonlit night such as tonight among the pile of corpses of your family? Do you recall the words I spoke back then?”
“Am I still a child to you?!”
“I held your frail body and wept and told you in elven; I will protect you till I draw my last breath. I thought I lost you when the orcs took you.”
“So after all these years, I’m still not good enough for you?” Geese’s eyes glistened and tears rolled down her cheeks.
“Am I not good enough because I’m not like you? I didn’t get the blessing of the elven god? That I will perish centuries before you?”
Ishyldr took a good look at Geese and she suddenly remembered when she saw his face for the first time under the moonlight, the night he spoke of. He was just as fair as back then, not a single thing has changed about him, unlike her. But that night, his face was wrecked in pain and was crying as he held her tightly in his arms. Tonight she saw something similar in his face. Her mentor quietly approached and embraced her.
“No, you are a free child of the realm, unblessed by the elven god,” He answered defeatedly after giving her the time to weep in his arms. She wasn’t sure what to make of his words but crying on his shoulder quelled her bubbling anger.
“I will heed your suggestion and retire for the night. There will be no raid from orcs, hence you should sleep sound as well.” He stated meekly, She wasn’t sure why the sudden change of his attitude and such tone but she did not want to lose this opportunity.
She squeezed him tightly and pulled herself away from him. Ishyldr’s face looked pale under the moonlight and his lips looked blue and thin. Geese clutched his arm where the bow’s string was tightly wound.
“Then let’s rest Izzy.” She pulled his arm away from the moonlit area to the mouth of the urn and Ishyldr silently followed.
They descended inside the urn and were greeted by Tor’s thunderous snoring. Ishyldr gave Geese a gentle hug and entered his room. Geese slid into her bedroll wondering what he meant.
Meanwhile, Ishyldr leaned against the wall and buried his face in his hands.