Neoma (12)

Clouds circled darkly above the road where the four were moving down. Their paced had quickened considerably since Dmitri had acquired Godspeed from his cousin just that morning. There had been a quick conversation between the two relatives that was held in an odd language that Natty later said was not one that was known to the present man.1

Charles wasn't bothered at all by the horses' appearance in the group. He just felt a little dead inside recently. The end to the long journey Dmitri was leading them on was unclear and Charles just couldn't seem to grasp the goal as well as he used to. Rachel, trying to cheer him up, had mentioned that the capital's new name was Raevenna, or "The Lady Raven" in her language.2

Rachel told Charles lots of things, like how she left her home country to live in Terid when she was seven and how the her native language was used for many famous city and building names. She also mentioned that she met Dmitri when she was thirteen. However, she didn't include what happened between leaving her home and finding Dmitri. Charles didn't ask.3

The sound of far-off thunder rolled through the black clouds. A light tap tap of rain began to fall, and Charles pulled out a makeshift rain jacket, slinging it over his head with ease. The time nowadays had passed slowly for him; each hour was as long as a day and each day was as long as a year.4

As the rain began to fall in sheets, Charles put his hands in his pockets and turned to look at Natty, who was walking on the opposite side of Godspeed. "So what do you think of Falon?"5

Natty glanced over at him with thoughtful eyes. "He was okay. Certainly prettier than Dmitri."6

He nodded absently in agreement. "What do you think they were talking about? Neoma, I mean."7

"I don't know. A government secret, probably. It is interesting, though. I'd like to know if there is a legend behind it, like the Prince."8

Charles winced when the Prince was mentioned, but he wasn't sure why. "So you like legends and folk stories? And, doesn't the Prince have a name?"9

"Obviously he does. And I like only the absurd ones. They have an extreme possibility of coming true, if you know what I mean."10

"No. No I don't." Charles replied after thinking.11

Natty sighed. "Of course you don't."12

There was nothing Charles could think of in reply that wouldn't, in some way, offend Natty. He didn't understand what would be the reasons for her sour attitude and if he did ask her, there wasn’t a doubt on how she would react. It was plainly obvious that Natty was impossible to befriend.13

The rain continued to pour and Dmitri continued to talk with Rachel. Every now and then Dmitri would look back, worry etched on his face from the silence. That day moved by slowly, and the woods were endless. Because there was no northeast road from Eru to Ce, they have to move through miles of forest before reaching Salova, the town before Carnathan.14

"Charles?" Natty was staring at him, her expression relatively calm and relaxed, which surprised him.15

"Yeah?"16

"Do lilies have any magical properties?"17

The question was surprising. "N-no, I don't think... flowers aren't magical, Natty. They're only plants."18

Blushing was a possibility when Natty turned her face away from Charles's. "Okay, I just wanted to know."19

"What for?"20

"Well, you said that the lily you gave me lasted for nine days without water."21

Charles nodded. He somewhat understood what she was aiming for.22

"It has something to do with... I'm certain that... the answers are in Dmitri's book."23

When you speak of the devil, the devil comes. And when Dmitri's precious baby was mentioned, he allowed himself into the conversation. "Your stupid questions are not answered in that book."24

"Yes it does! Don't lie to me you brooding donkey!" Natty replied, her voice now full of venom.25

Dmitri glared at Natty while the color from his face slowly slipped from his face. He returned to his conversation with Rachel, only his whispers were on the verge of being louder and he sounded a bit panicky.26

"Nice one. That left him speechless."27

"So you agree with me?"28

"No."29

Natty glared at him. "What do you think of everyone here? You never say a single thing about anyone as far as I can remember."30

"Dmitri is as fine as he is, even though he has a short temper. Rachel is really kind and happy so there isn't a way someone can't not like her."31

"And what about me?"32

Charles hesitated, and out of the corner of his eyes he noticed had Rachel stop talking. He didn't want to stall any longer, so he didn't have time to think why. "From what I've come to know about you, you swear more than the normal woman and you do seem to have a dark... bubble around you. That's only my opinion, as is when I said that and. you're very pretty."33

Natty was silent for a long while, and Charles could hear Dmitri commenting on how pale Rachel suddenly looked. The clouds parted, allowing a barely visible rainbow to slip through the lighter shower of rain.34

"Oh. I see." Natty replied after a long thought.35

"You shouldn't take me seriously, it was only an opinion. And since when did you care about what I thought?"36

"I don't."37

Her words struck the group into another tense silence, no one daring to speak until Rachel whispered as quietly as she could to Dmitri, "Did you hear that?"38

"How couldn't I? Everything lies in Natty's hands now. If she..." Dmitri drifted off into thought, his features once again looked worried. "But Charles is another matter. He has presented me with a very, very large problem."39

The last bit of Dmitri's words were not as quiet as they should have been, and Charles overheard. He knew by the tone of Dmitri's voice that something in his plan had gone horribly wrong. The feeling that it was about him and Natty could not be dismissed from his mind.