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Bright sunlight roused Dusk from his slumber. He blinked open his eyes, squinting at the warm sunshine that poured over him. After such a cold night it was a welcome feeling. The air was still cold, but the bright sun was beginning to melt the topmost layer of snow. Looking to either side he saw Lex and Tara were still asleep. Quietly he brought himself to his feet, using the wall for support as his legs sore from the long escape the night before. Maribel had wandered into a spot nearby where she could enjoy the sunlight as well and Dusk joined her. He ran his hands across her coat, patting the side of her neck. He felt bad with nothing to give her, but knew they’d be able to get supplies for her at the bottom of the mountain from the inn. Using his boot he kicked aside some of the slushy snow to expose a few pathetic blades of grass that were still green. Maribel fell on them quickly, munching away and nudging his leg with her face to make him work faster. She nearly tripped him once before he managed to move enough snow away for her.
“I still don’t understand why you care for that damn animal so much,” Dusk heard Tara say from behind him. “It’s just a horse.”
He turned around and continued to move the snow to the side. “She may be just a horse, but she’s still alive. She deserves to eat and be cared for.”
“She’s a tool to be used, and sold if she becomes a burden.”
Dusk stopped and was silent for a moment, but then continued to kick the snow aside. If he hadn’t known any better, Tara could have been talking about him when he was still at the mines. “Have you ever been owned by anyone?”
“What?” Tara replied, pushing herself to her feet and stretching. “What do you mean?”
“It’s not important.” He gave Maribel one last pat and walked towards the broken door. “I’ll be right back.”
Dusk wandered off a little ways to relieve himself and to think. As he walked he saw their crisscrossing footprints and the trail of the soldiers that had almost discovered them the night before. He knew they needed to get off the mountain and back down to the village. With any luck they’d be able to gather more basic supplies there and head out to wherever this new crossing point was that Tara had mentioned. He needed her help, but she was ignorant of his plight. To her he was just a tool, a needle in the eye of the empire. But to him this journey was everything. He wasn’t sure how, but he wanted to make her understand that. Tara had lived a different sort of life than him and so had Lex. Neither of them really understood how valuable his goal was. It made him feel alone, even though he enjoyed their company.
Leaning back against a wall Dusk looked out over Ditania, the bright sun making him squint as he stared into the eastern sky. He could see the forests to the north running along the mountains and the great plains to the south, both still fairly snow free or melting quickly in the warm sun. Lifting his hand to shield his eyes he looked towards the village at the bottom of the mountain as something caught his eye. There was a large plume of smoke rising into the air, blown away by the breeze before it rose too high. He could just make out the village itself. What had once been a decent collection of buildings was no more than a charred black mark on the land. He wondered what became of the innkeeper and his boy.
The soldiers had marched onward in the night, that much was obvious. He turned around and looked up the mountain as well, just making out the peak of the tower between the two massive cliffs. It was still standing, but he knew it must be heavily guarded by its new captors. It seemed they were trapped, caught in a vice between two newly overtaken posts. He wondered if the soldiers would continue marching, possibly all the way to Kinallin, which had already seen its fair share of trouble. He thought about the little girl on the farm and her family that they had bought Maribel from. He hoped her father wouldn't fight, but he knew better. Maribel would never have a home to return to. Dusk understood too well what that felt like.
Turning away from the smoke, Dusk pushed his way through the wet snow until he came back to the building they’d spent the night in. Tara was already standing outside at the wall, staring down into the valley at the smoke curling up from the ashes of the village.
“So,” Dusk stood next to her and tucked his hands into his cloak. “Where do we go now?”
“Greencoast Port is southwest,” she said, pointing out across the mountains. “We’ll go south for now, following the edge of the Dorsum Mountains across the plains until we come to the Emerald Deep. It’s a vast lake fed by springs and melt-water from the mountains. From there we can find a way over on the southern side of the lake. There is a path through, although it’s not the one I wanted to take. Once we cross the mountains, Greencoast won’t be far.”
“How far is it to the lake?”
“It’ll be quite a ways on foot and with winter coming on, it could take some time. Maybe four weeks if we keep a good pace, but the distance isn’t the issue.” She sighed, leaning back against the wall. “The lands become more and more uncivilized the further from the main road we travel. The empire has very little power beyond the major cities and we’ll be a long way from any of those. Emerald Deep has a city, but there’s no guard there. We’ll still be in Ditanian lands, but far from the reach of the law.”
“Good,” Dusk said flatly. “The laws here only want to put me back in the mine. I have no use for them. Lead the way and I’ll follow.”
With that he walked around Tara and back into through the crumbling door. Maribel was still munching on what little grass she could find. To Dusk’s surprise, Lex was awake, although he still sat on the ground with his back against the wall. He looked up only briefly before he turned his gaze back to his feet. Dusk walked over and sat down beside him.
“So Lex is short for Alexander, huh?”
“Please don’t call me that,” Lex sighed. “That’s my father’s name.”
“Don’t worry, I didn’t plan on it.” Dusk smiled, turning to Lex, but he didn’t look up from his feet. He seemed far away and lost in his own thoughts. “Do you want to talk about it?”
“About what?”
“About what’s bothering you.” Dusk pulled his knees up to his chest and tipped his head back to gaze into the blue sky. “I don’t have any practice talking to people, but I can try. I know we haven’t known each other that long. A lot has happened since I found you on the road.”
Lex continued to stare at his boots, unmoving and silent.
“The sun feels nice doesn’t it?” Dusk continued, searching for anything to say to fill the silence. “After all those years in the mines, I’d forgotten what it looked like. What it felt like. I was always in the cave before it came up and it was down before I got out.” He closed his eyes, concentrating on the rays that heated his exposed skin. “The morning they tied me to the back of the cart to sell me off, I saw the sun rise for the first time in ten years. It was such a beautiful sight with brilliant colors I didn’t think were even possible.” He laughed nervously, “Of course, we were attacked moments later and most everyone was killed, but I try to focus on the good stuff.” He placed a hand on Lex’s shoulder. “I spent too many years living the bad to think about it anymore. I’m ready to just see the good now.”
Lex scoffed. “What good have we seen?” He tipped his head up and looked to Dusk. “I left my family to get away from their stupid expectations and responsibilities. I thought the world was going to be some great adventure. I knew anything would be better than what I had at home. I wanted to live for once in my life and make my own decisions!” He buried his head in his hands, pulling on his hair. “And look what happened! I got mugged, imprisoned, enslaved, beaten again and again. And now,” he threw his hands forward, gesturing at nothing in particular, “I’m on the run from some crazy cult who knows who I am and the Inahandrian Army is on our tails!”
“Well,” Dusk paused for a moment, “I suppose you did manage to find adventure.”
Lex sighed, letting his gaze drop back to his boots once more. “I think this adventure might be a little too big for me. Maybe–maybe I should just go home.” His words were choked and full of emotion.
“Lex.” Dusk grabbed him by the chin and turned his face upwards, meeting his tear-filled eyes. “I won’t stop you from doing what you feel is right. If it’s too much for you, that’s okay. I’ve enjoyed having you with me on the road. I know it hasn’t been long but, I consider you a friend. Maybe one of the only ones I’ve ever had.” Dusk let him go, but Lex stayed there. “I won’t judge you for your choices, but I have to keep going. I’m leaving with Tara in ten minutes and you’re welcome to come with us as far as you wish.”
With that Dusk stood up and brushed the snow off his cloak. Picking up his pack and bow, he tossed them over his shoulder and walked over to Maribel. He gave her a few pats and took her by the halter, leading her out of the four walls, leaving Lex to himself.
Dusk brought Maribel around to Tara and left her to rummage through the snow. She nudged Dusk more than once, but he just patted her and stayed still. With a frustrated snort she buried her head in the snow, trying to find more grass.
Tara gave him a silent nod, signaling she had heard the conversation with Lex. Together they stood against the wall, looking out over the landscape. Dusk turned his attention to the south and began to study what he thought would be their course towards Emerald Deep. He’d never seen a lake before, except for the one at the bottom of Alamond, and he found the idea exciting. That and the thought that they would soon be out of reach of Ditanian soldiers made him hope that the Circle would stop following them once they crossed into Inahan, if not before. He knew all the members at the tower had most likely been killed and he hoped new ones wouldn’t fill their place anytime soon. The Circle seemed to be intimately tied with the Ditanian royals and if what Tara said was true, they should have nothing to worry about. Besides, there was nobody left to follow them as they made their way south. Alamond was almost a week away and they would be long gone before reinforcements could show up. He hoped, along the way, they’d find some way to remove Falgorin’s collar.
It hadn’t quite been ten minutes when Lex emerged from the crumbling doorway and made his way over to the pair of them. His shoulders were slumped and his gait was strained as he still held a hand over his stomach where he’d taken too many blows. He came to stand in front of Dusk, staring him in the eyes. The defeated look in them had been replaced by something else unwavering and hard. It was a look of resolution and determination that filled them now. He held out his good arm and Dusk returned the gesture, locking forearms with him.
“I still owe you a debt for saving my life and,” he added when Dusk furrowed his brow, “I want to go. I’ve seen too much on this road to turn a blind eye to someone in need. A friend in need. I’ll go with you on whatever path you take.”
Dusk smiled back at him and nodded. “We’ll make the path together.”
There was a moment of understanding and camaraderie between them that stretched on for a few moments. Dusk felt his heart soar knowing that he had someone in all the world who cared about him and his well being. Somehow, completely by accident, he happened upon a person in need and found a companion that wanted to help him find the life he’d always wanted. If they ever succeeded, he had no idea how he’d ever repay Lex for his kindness.
“Gods above us,” Tara sighed and rolled her eyes. “If you two are done with your dramatic courtship of brotherhood,” she looked at the pair of them, “let’s get off this fucking mountain.”
Dusk and Lex smiled at one another and released their grasp. Dusk tied their packs together and threw them over Maribel’s back, making the load a little lighter, especially for Lex. Grabbing the horse by the halter, he looked to Tara.
“Lead the way.”
With a nod Tara turned to the south, her boots crunching in the wet snow. Dusk followed with Lex at his side into whatever awaited them at the bottom of the mountain and beyond.