(no subject)
Rocky Road #27. Bridge
Rating : G
Timeframe : fall 1254 - right after puddles and before bath
Word Count : 652
Ilya and Ski held to the edge of the path. Right before them, the last rickety boards, anchored to a pair of sturdy posts lodged in the mud, arced out over the swollen creek only to disappear after a few short paces. Splintered shafts of what had been the rest of the bridge lay among the rocks below. Rune picked his way across the water with ease, long legs stretching from one stone to the next, while Tess and Farran settled on the far shore.
He planted one foot in the muck and braced himself on a post from the fallen bridge. A slender hand reached up their way. “Give me your reins,” he said to Ski.
The blue knight met his offer with a scowl. “I can manage.” Rune’s eyes narrowed for a moment, but he simply shrugged and said nothing.
“You are more than welcome to take mine,” said Ilya, urging the animal towards the slick bank. Rune took the lead from her hand and headed back across the water.
“I was wrong,” Ilya whispered as soon as she was sure he couldn’t hear. Ski looked up from her efforts to coax her horse into the creek. “It has nothing to do with the mission.”
Ski paused, carefully balanced on the rocks. “What does?”
“Your mood,” said Ilya, hands on the horse’s flank as she followed down the bank. Ski’s eyes narrowed dangerously. “The one you don’t have,” she added with a roll of her eyes. “This is about Rune.”
Ski shook her head and pulled the horse forward. Ilya hurried after, water lapping her boots as she hopped from stone to stone. “Look, it was only talk. None of us meant to get you so worked up about it, we only thought-”
Ski whirled around, the menacing glare returning. “Leave Rune out of this,” she said. “Neither one of you need concern yourself.”
“But, Ski.” Her foot landed with a particularly heavy splash and she reminded herself to pay more attention. She lowered her gaze to her feet and thought carefully before placing the next step. “You were talking to your mother after the meeting. Terrel?”
“I said it was not your concern.”
“Ski…” She looked back up just in time to see Ski’s horse duck beneath a low branch. “Ski, look out!”
The branch snagged one of the packs. Ski lunged at it. The horse lurched forward, pulling free of the branch. The pack tumbled from its back, carrying another with it, to land in the creek with a splat. Ski cursed and dove for the bags as her horse clambered towards the far bank. Ilya cringed as Ski landed in the muck.
As if on cue, Rune reappeared on the shore. “Need a hand?”
“I can manage,” said Ski, through gritted teeth.
Rune frowned and tucked his hands back into his cloak. “Not saying you can’t. Just offering.”
Ski’s tone returned to normal as she hauled one sodden bag out of the muddy water. “I see no point in all of us getting soaked.” She hoisted the dripping bundle in the air. “Here, I can hand them up to you if you must.”
There was the soft tread of boots through mud and Tess and Farran came to flank the man. “What happened?” said Tess.
Farran grinned. “Ski, dear, this no time for a swim.”
Her arms set around the second pack, Ski surveyed the muddy creek. “On the contrary,” she said. “The water is lovely, care to join me?”
“I think I’ll pass.”
Rune relieved her of the second filthy bag and tossed it on the ground with the first. Ignoring the hand he extended again, Ski pulled herself up on another post of the ruined bridge.
“Well, I have had more than enough adventure for one day,” she said, retrieving both packs from the grass and continuing down the road. “Let’s find someplace to camp.”
Rating : G
Timeframe : fall 1254 - right after puddles and before bath
Word Count : 652
Ilya and Ski held to the edge of the path. Right before them, the last rickety boards, anchored to a pair of sturdy posts lodged in the mud, arced out over the swollen creek only to disappear after a few short paces. Splintered shafts of what had been the rest of the bridge lay among the rocks below. Rune picked his way across the water with ease, long legs stretching from one stone to the next, while Tess and Farran settled on the far shore.
He planted one foot in the muck and braced himself on a post from the fallen bridge. A slender hand reached up their way. “Give me your reins,” he said to Ski.
The blue knight met his offer with a scowl. “I can manage.” Rune’s eyes narrowed for a moment, but he simply shrugged and said nothing.
“You are more than welcome to take mine,” said Ilya, urging the animal towards the slick bank. Rune took the lead from her hand and headed back across the water.
“I was wrong,” Ilya whispered as soon as she was sure he couldn’t hear. Ski looked up from her efforts to coax her horse into the creek. “It has nothing to do with the mission.”
Ski paused, carefully balanced on the rocks. “What does?”
“Your mood,” said Ilya, hands on the horse’s flank as she followed down the bank. Ski’s eyes narrowed dangerously. “The one you don’t have,” she added with a roll of her eyes. “This is about Rune.”
Ski shook her head and pulled the horse forward. Ilya hurried after, water lapping her boots as she hopped from stone to stone. “Look, it was only talk. None of us meant to get you so worked up about it, we only thought-”
Ski whirled around, the menacing glare returning. “Leave Rune out of this,” she said. “Neither one of you need concern yourself.”
“But, Ski.” Her foot landed with a particularly heavy splash and she reminded herself to pay more attention. She lowered her gaze to her feet and thought carefully before placing the next step. “You were talking to your mother after the meeting. Terrel?”
“I said it was not your concern.”
“Ski…” She looked back up just in time to see Ski’s horse duck beneath a low branch. “Ski, look out!”
The branch snagged one of the packs. Ski lunged at it. The horse lurched forward, pulling free of the branch. The pack tumbled from its back, carrying another with it, to land in the creek with a splat. Ski cursed and dove for the bags as her horse clambered towards the far bank. Ilya cringed as Ski landed in the muck.
As if on cue, Rune reappeared on the shore. “Need a hand?”
“I can manage,” said Ski, through gritted teeth.
Rune frowned and tucked his hands back into his cloak. “Not saying you can’t. Just offering.”
Ski’s tone returned to normal as she hauled one sodden bag out of the muddy water. “I see no point in all of us getting soaked.” She hoisted the dripping bundle in the air. “Here, I can hand them up to you if you must.”
There was the soft tread of boots through mud and Tess and Farran came to flank the man. “What happened?” said Tess.
Farran grinned. “Ski, dear, this no time for a swim.”
Her arms set around the second pack, Ski surveyed the muddy creek. “On the contrary,” she said. “The water is lovely, care to join me?”
“I think I’ll pass.”
Rune relieved her of the second filthy bag and tossed it on the ground with the first. Ignoring the hand he extended again, Ski pulled herself up on another post of the ruined bridge.
“Well, I have had more than enough adventure for one day,” she said, retrieving both packs from the grass and continuing down the road. “Let’s find someplace to camp.”