A breeze flowed through Helenia's hair as both horses trotted through the woods. Since she found out what happened, they hadn't spoken a word to each other. Before they left, Helenia promised herself that she would get the job done, without any complications. Aidan was a complication and she had broken her promise. She easily forgot the main aim of the mission and cursed at herself for being so distracted. This mission could cost her life; she needed to focus.

Her mind wandered off in the direction of the sword. She had read about it, powerful and mystic. Engraved with strange runes of a language known to people who lived hundreds of years ago. She tried to research it once, but there was no information that even mentioned it, like it was eradicated from history, with the swords being their only place of existence. Corneliorra was one the most powerful swords of the five crystals: clear quartz, ruby, amethyst, aventurine and citrine. It belonged to the aventurine family, the warrior stone. The sword itself could kill the mightiest and heal the deadliest wounds. A part of Helenia wanted to abandon the mission, giving the king the sword would be like giving him the world. She had lived her whole life in fear of the king, even though she didn't show it, and with an increase of power, she would feel constant dread. The king could overthrow Cordinia with the sword, but was that the only thing the king had in mind? The forgotten queen?

"Out of the people that know about the mission, none know the king's precise intention with it." Aidan broke the everlasting silence. "You were thinking out loud." The comment made her face turn bright red, she hadn't realised ,and she wondered what else he heard.

"How much of that could you hear?"

"Most of it." Helenia prayed that he didn't hear when she talked about him. Their journey was awkward enough.

It was around mid-afternoon and the strange throbbing in her head returned. The trees in front of her swayed and Aidan danced on his horse. Her stomach felt weak and her nose got sick of the sweet smell once again.

"It's happening, again. Wa-" Helenia blacked out mid-sentence, falling straight of Alfara, onto stones below. The sudden impact to the ground, scared the horses and they both reared. Aidan jumped off and tried to calm the horses as quickly as possible before turning his attention to Helenia. He stroked both until they returned to their normal states. He rushed to Helenia and lifted her head, checking for blood, none. Her leg was cut, but that was the least of his problems. Alfara was a tall horse, and she fell head first. It could have caused major damage to her head, but there was no way of finding out until she woke up.In a swift movement, he gathered her into his arms and walked to the nearest patch of soft grass underneath a tree. He gently set her down as worry clouded his eyes. He wasn't going to lose someone else to these woods, that was the one thing he was certain about.

The faint memory of arms wrapped around her body clouded Helenia's mind. Opening her eyes, required energy, energy that was leached out of her. She didn't even remember how. Her eyes were just slits; her vision a blur. A ringing noise buzzed in her ears and her head pounded. Her head was a mess and her body could only mirror it. Stifling a groan, Helenia tried to move her arms, too painful. She called for Aidan, but only certain sounds were projected. But it was enough for him to jolt awake and rush to her side. He checked her pulse, Helenia shivered in response to his touch. "Slow, but enough." He took out a flask and handed it to her. She accepted the water, not realising how dehydrated she was. Her body responded to the liquid and ached for more.

"What happened?" She had no recollection of how she ended up like a ragged doll.

"You fell of Alfara, just blacked out. I heard you try to tell me something." Aidan said as he checked her leg. The cut was slowly healing, the healing herbs, that he swiped from the medic, were working.

"I remember I felt that weird sensation in my head, like yesterday."

"I wish I knew what that was. No reports have been filed for your symptoms in these woods, none that I can remember."

"Weird, but understandable. What time is it, my full vision still hasn't returned." Helenia looked at the blurry sky, huffing, her breathing was shallow and it still hurt to speak.

"Around five o'clock, you've been out for a while."

"Then we better find food before it gets dark."

"I am going to hunt. You better regain your energy, I'll be back soon." Aidan made his way to the bow and arrows attached to his bag.

"Bring back something good. Thank you."

"I will. I promise." With that, he disappeared out of Helenia's sight. Exhausted, she closed her eyes and drifted back to sleep.

*

Hunting was part of Aidan's nature. Ever since he was old enough to walk, his father took him hunting. It was one of the things that still brought him pleasure, reminding him of his childhood. Every so often, flashbacks of him and his sister running through the woods, climbing trees and gathering wood, would come back to him. A grin spread across his face. Leaves crunched under his feet, it was mid-autumn, in this area trees were patched with orange and green. A rustle of leaves prickled his senses. The sound came from the bush to his left. It was most likely a squirrel, enough to leave them satisfied until tomorrow. Silently, he drew an arrow and picked up a stone next to his foot. In a split second, he threw the stone and readied himself. As squirrel shot out of the bush, scuttling to the nearest tree, he shot the arrow. The arrow pierced the squirrel's eye, just as he was taught. Pleased, Aidan took the arrow out and carried the squirrel back to Helenia.

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Out of curiosity, how old do you think I am based on my writing?

- S ;)

SORRY FOR NOT UPDATING AS I WAS IN THE US I PROMISE I WILL UPDATE SOON AND TRY TO WRITE LONGER CHAPTERS!!! :)