Thirty-Eight - Tarka

All I knew what to do at that moment was run.

I could hear leaves rustling behind me with heavy footsteps accompanying it, so I knew someone was following me in hot pursuit. I scrambled up a tree as fast as I could, thinking in that moment that it would be my only option of throwing off whoever was chasing me. I had forgotten, though, that this was a Viridian soldier behind me, who also had the ability to climb trees in a hurry. I heard him two levels below me, but I kept climbing.

I finally got to the point where it was no longer safe to climb any higher. I looked down for a split second and clung to the trunk beside me, for I was up over 100 feet into the air. The Viridian soldier was out of breath and climbing slower than I had, but it gave me enough time to act.

I coiled my tail around the branch to steady myself, took an arrow out of my quiver and shot him in the shoulder. He cried out, but it didn't phase him other than that. I looked around, felt around me, heart thumping from the adrenaline. In seconds, I felt my potential salvation in my pocket, and I took the chance. I threw down the knife, and it lodged into the soldier's chest. He let go of the branch and fell to the ground, dead.

Nausea overwhelmed me. As I climbed down slowly, it won over me, and I ended up vomiting over on the other side of the tree. Feeling weak, I wrapped my tail around the branch I was currently on and laid my head back against the trunk. I closed my eyes and took in a few deep breaths. I needed water, but where would the nearest lake or river be?

After a few minutes of rest to get my beating heart to slow down and for the nausea to go away, I continued my way back down and jumped down to the solid ground. I took care not to step on the body of the poor soldier. I stared at him for a minute. He died fighting for a cause he thought was right . . . Little did he know he was fighting for the wrong side. Poor man.

I started walking, not knowing where in Terraro I was going. Where was Rhythmus? What was happening to Alden now? Should I go back for him? Realizing I was still too weak to fight anyone else then, I knew the only thing to do was to find Rhythmus. I knew he had been with Tristram, but who knows if he was still there? Better to find at least one of them than nobody.

For hours I trudged on toward the Brackin territory. I at least found a stream to drink from; it was better than nothing. Not only was I thirsty, but I also needed to get the awful taste out of my mouth from earlier. At dusk, I reached my destination. I walked in through the gates, anxiously waiting to catch sight of my friends.

"A Viridian!" a Brackin woman exclaimed. "She must be a spy. Help! Police!"

I turned my head violently around me, looking for a place to escape to, but I took too long. Before I could even cry out, a huge Brackin man put his hand on my mouth and a sword pointed towards my side. I stood perfectly still, not wanting to make enemies with the brute.

"You're coming with me!" he bellowed. He guided me to a tent that was highly guarded and opened the flaps. The air was knocked out of me as he threw me to the ground.

"Who are you? And what are you doing trespassing in our land?"

"I, I'm looking for my friend Tristram."

His eyes widened. "How do you know Tristram? And how do I know that you're a friend and not a spy of Lesion's?"

"I killed one of Lesion's soldiers myself. I am also looking for Rhythmus, where are they? I must find them immediately!"

The Brackin man was silent for a few moments. He walked up to me, lifted me gently off the ground. Then he put his hands on my arms. "If I tell you where they are, you will not leave our land without our consent, is that clear?" he spoke softly but sternly.

"Yes sir," I answered equally softly. We stood in that position for a few moments just looking into each others' eyes, trying to read each other, with me breathing heavier than I wanted to show. I didn't want him to see my fear.

"Tristram is in a cell in the prison for safekeeping. We are looking to have him married to the REAL king's daughter, Elane, but until then, he needs to be in a safe place where we know where he is at all times. Who knows where Rhythmus is? Probably roaming around the town. He comes and he goes. It's a bad habit of his."

"I know all too well," I affirmed. "I don't know where the prison is, could you escort me so this doesn't happen again with someone else?" He nodded and took a hold of my arm. A strong hold, but not uncomfortable.

We took a few steps toward the tent flap when I remembered something and turned to him. "I almost forgot, what's your name?"

He almost smirked at me as we started walking out of the tent. "Galea. And yours?"

"Tarka."

"Tarka . . . I like it. It slips right off the tongue."