Secrets and Scars

ANDRA

~In her dream, Andra was a child again. She felt warm and safe, as she always did when she was with her father.~

~His easy laughter surrounded her as he cradled her small body in his arms.~

~Andra watched his face wrinkle with delight. When he looked down at her, his eyes were full of love.~

~It was easy for her to forget how carefree their life had been…before her father had been taken from her—and then her mother.~

~But, suspended in the dream, in her father’s arms, Andra felt it clearly as if no time had passed at all.~

~Her clumsy, baby hands fumbled above her, swatting at the silver lock on her father’s collar.~

~The lock swayed, glittering as it caught the firelight.~

~The collar, which symbolized a lifetime of work and sacrifice, was now nothing more than a toy.~

~At this young age, Andra could not know how the leather band and enchanted lock around her own neck would direct the course of her life…~

~Her father’s leather band was deep brown and worn smooth by sweat.~

~The metal lock rattled.~

~Andra reached out her uncoordinated hand and tried to hold the mysterious piece of metal in her fist…~

~The moment she grabbed it, the scene unfolded. The flame of the candle continued to flicker, but Andra’s father was gone.~

~He was no longer there to hold her, and she was no longer a child.~

~The lock in her hand had turned into a length of woven rope.~

~She squinted into the darkness and made out the form of her mother.~

~Elysea began to cry, wailing to her daughter in the darkness.~

~Andra realized the rope she was holding was a noose around her mother’s neck.~

~And it was slipping through her fingers.~

~If she grabbed it, her mother would hang. But if Andra did nothing, she would drop away, tumbling into some great abyss…~

~Andra was paralyzed by indecision. She watched the rope slip through her useless fingers.~

***

Andra woke, gasping.

She was tangled in a blanket, covered in a cold sweat—trapped between the nightmare and reality.

Someone touched her shoulder gently, but Andra flinched.

~Ledo.~

She scrambled away, desperate to push his hands off her and escape his greedy demands…

“What did they do to you?”

The gentle voice cut through Andra’s delirium. She froze, wrenching open her eyes. She saw the canopy of leaves over her head.

The light was purple. It was almost morning.

And Kael was touching her shoulder lightly, waiting for a response.

Andra was paralyzed, caught in the rebel’s gaze. She was waiting for his touch to turn greedy and violent, for him to take what he wanted.

But the invasive touch she knew so well never came.

Andra’s skin tingled as Kael traced a scar from her shoulder toward her spine.

For a moment, Andra was reminded of when he Healed her hand.

But still she was scared.

~What does he want from me? What does he see in my scarred skin?~

Andra untangled her limbs from her blanket and fixed her old burlap dress so it covered her back once more.

Only then did Andra meet Kael’s gaze.

When their eyes met, Andra felt as if he could see right through her…

“I’m so sorry,” he whispered.

He closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, they were burning with gray fire. Andra sensed the anger was not directed at her, but it still made her ashamed.

She turned away. His fingers broke contact with her skin.

“I’m sorry,” he muttered once more. And then Andra heard his footsteps fade away.

KAEL

Kael stared at the horizon over the tree line as it turned red in the sunset.

Soon, they would reach Eithne. They could be together once more, and the hardest part of their journey would be over.

The events of the early morning had troubled him.

Though he tried not to think of what he had learned about the slave girl, it was difficult to keep it from his mind. The journey was long, and the girl rode in front of him on the horse.

Now, her silence was all the more unsettling. Kael understood what might have been its source.

~Violence.~

He assumed the scars symbolized all the times she was lashed for disobedience. The way she had jumped at his touch made him think that she’d had to endure many unwanted touches.

~Was it Ledo?~ he wondered. ~It wouldn’t be the first time the Judge’s family had crossed the line…~

It made him sick to think about it.

He wished Eithne were here with him already.

She would know what to say. She would make him feel better. And she might even be able to help the mute slave girl.

Kael tried to extinguish the anger that burned inside him.

He knew the poor girl could sense it, and maybe she even thought he was angry with her.

He detested the evil system that had enslaved her.

Kael hated the Judges, who relied on oppressing their subjects for their power.

He wanted to burn it all down.

Kael took a deep breath. He needed to channel this anger into the rebellion.

They would be returning to the Freemen in a few days' time, and his people would need him.

“Can’t we take a break?” Colmen whined. “I’m hungry, and we haven’t stopped since lunch.”

“We’ve almost reached Eithne. We’ll rest when we’re all together,” Kael replied.

Alik groaned in response.

The group of travelers was quiet for a few minutes as their horses traversed the forest floor.

Then Colmen began to sing. Kael watched the elf. He envied his friend’s calm spirit.

~And so beneath the sycamore tree,~

~I’ll wait for you if you’ll come to me,~

~And to the mountains we will flee,~

~Where you and I can both be free…~

Kael didn’t mind the music. In fact, he almost enjoyed it. But Alik groaned once more.

“Shut it, Colmen!” he warned. “You know I hate that song.”

“I pity your taste, friend,” the elf replied serenely. “The girl can play this song on the flute. She likes it too.”

“Did she tell you that?” Alik teased.

Colmen ignored him. When he started singing once more, Alik left him alone.

Kael wondered what the girl was thinking.

~How did she learn the classic elvish ballad?~

~Has she always been mute? What would her voice sound like?~

There were so many things he wanted to know about her.

He could only hope that she might be able to find her voice and answer his many questions.

ANDRA

Andra never thought she would grow used to the movements of a horse beneath her.

She never thought she would sleep beneath the stars, or be an asset in battle.

But many things had changed in the past few days. Andra was still reeling, caught between what she thought she knew about herself and all that she was learning with her captors.

Colmen’s soft voice played in her ears.

The song made her think of her father. She had a feeling he would have liked Colmen, the friendly elf, and maybe the other Freemen too.

Suddenly, Kael kicked the horse’s sides, and it broke into a canter.

“Quickly!” he called excitedly to the others.

Suddenly, a large shape obscured the descending sun.

Andra’s heart beat quickly in her chest.

“Yah!” Kael shouted, urging the horse even faster.

The dark shape flew through the air toward them. It beat its magnificent wings, moving as swiftly as a bird of prey.

Andra felt the familiar sensation of the warm presence pushing against her mind. It was hot as fire.

~A dragon.~

~Is it coming for us? Will this be the end of me?~

The fearsome beast touched down, sand flying around its taloned feet.

It was red and beautiful. It opened its huge maw and let out a triumphant roar.

The horse halted, but for some reason, it didn’t seem afraid.

Kael leapt from his saddle, and Andra watched in wonder as he sprinted toward the dragon.

She had hardly seen the man so much as smile. Now, he was ecstatic with joy.

“Eithne,” he cried.

The dragon bowed her head, and Kael wrapped his arms around it in a loving embrace.

~THIS is Eithne.~

The dragon purred—a low, satisfied sound. Andra could tell the two were deep in conversation.

Andra turned to Colmen as he came up beside her on his horse. He chuckled when he saw her confused expression.

~Oh my Gods…~ Andra thought to herself. ~Kael is a Rider!~