The Tales of Scora

Chapter Two

 Raelyn and Ren were woken up by Ailia's loud singing, the sun barely above the horizon. "Wakey wakey sunshines!" She shouted through a grin, "Breakfast is ready!" Ren groaned in annoyance, covering her ears with her hands. "Nah, I don't wanna hear ya' complain! We've got quite a day ahead of us, so c'mon!" She sang, grabbing Ren's leg and giving it a tug.

"Ailia, we appreciate you making us breakfast, but could you please give Ren and I a moment?" Raelyn asked, her tone slightly more disgruntled than her usual polite demeanor.

"Sure, sure, whatever," she scoffed playfully as Ren peeked her head into Raelyn's shelter.

"I'm gonna kill her," she mouthed, making Raelyn laugh as she stood and unbraided her brunette locks.

"She means well, Ren. She's just... intense."

"I know..." Ren sighed, fastening her sheath around her waist.

"How'd you sleep?"

"Well enough."

"Good."

"How about you, m'lady?"

"Fine, I suppose. I didn't have a nightmare, which is good." She smiled sadly, placing her hands on her hips.

"Hey! Food's getting cold!" Ailia announced, waving her hands above her head.

The three ate their breakfast and then continued on their journey to Lavondila, chatting and arguing about topics that they took very seriously.

"I mean, I'm just saying! I think goblins and giants are way scarier than anything else!" Ailia argued, hands up in surrender as she rode on her steed.

"Yeah, and you're wrong, sea serpents are far more terrifying." Ren replied.

"What do you think, Rae?"

"Ah, I'd rather not participate." She sighed, smiling politely. "Can't we talk about something more uplifting?"

"Like what?" Ren asked.

"Perhaps the fact that we're, literally, out of the woods?" Ailia grinned, letting out a cluck and gently pressing her heels into her horse's sides, signaling it to go faster. Ren and Raelyn watched as she rode off toward Lavondila, which was visible from the top of the hill. The queen chuckled softly, gazing across the terrain.

The warm breeze that was previously present now sent chills down the pair's spines, and Raelyn noticed how the cheerful and melodious birdsong that had accompanied them throughout their trek was gone, and now, the sinister howling of the wind was the only thing making noise throughout the entire plain. However, Raelyn's breathing hitched, as she caught sight of the very place she had tried her hardest to avoid. It was there... Right. There. "Ren," Raelyn breathed, tugging on her knight's arm.

"Yeah?" She turned towards her, eyes widening at the tears in Raelyn's eyes. "Hey, what—?"

"Don't you know where we are? What happened here?" Ren looked up, gazing across the landscape before the realization hit her; Oh goodness. The flashbacks hit quicker than Ren could snap her fingers, and she grasped Raelyn's arm in response.

"Let's just get to Lavondila, ok?" Ren tried to smile reassuringly, shaking away the memories of sharp metal piercing precious skin.

"I can hardly b-breathe, Ren," Raelyn whimpered, "I thought I'd be able to handle it, I mean, it's been almost six months for goodness sake, I—"

"Hey, Raelyn, listen to me;" Ren tore Raelyn's eyes away from one spot in particular, meeting her gaze, "what you've gone through was deeply traumatizing— you needn't push yourself past things you're still processing. You hear me?"