Cleo
He shouldn't have followed her. But with Cleo failing to return to the capital, it was too risky to leave her unwatched. Even with the little she knew, there was no telling what secrets a person might trade for silver. or even worse, to her brothers. he had enough to deal with at the moment.
Zadarrah glanced over his shoulder, hidden behind the broad oak tree far from Cleo's secluded cottage.
The cottage sat in the middle of nowhere, but a determined rider could cover a vast distance on a steed.
His gaze shifted to the windows, where shadows moved behind veils and vines that obscured his view. even at this distance he could hear her, He couldn't fully grasp her foreign tongue, yet she seemed to be speaking to herself—or perhaps communicating with someone already inside.
ohh
Inside, Cleo had laid out several garments, each more exquisite than the last. One was adorned with white and gold thread, another made of scarlet silk, two in varying shades of green laced with beads, and a bright peach gown trimmed with feathers. She had tried each one, marveling at their beauty. Was she truly this out of touch with the season's fashions? Had she grown so accustomed to the stained, oversized white gowns?
Cleo stopped pacing, her decision finally made. What better way to project authority than with the purest of fabrics?
She stepped out, her curly hair still warm from the hot comb, the soft breeze playing through her long waves. Each movement set off the gentle rattle of gold, silver, and crystal beads adorning her arms, neck, and feet. Her long white skirt concealed white leather sandals strapped right below her knees. The low-cropped blouse exposed a portion of her abdomen, shimmered from the jewel piercing her navel, which was wrapped in golden threads. Her ears sparkled with gems, from the lobes to the rims, and her thick soft and glossy lips bore a blend of brown and bright pink, perfectly matching the jewel piercing the side of her nose. The outer corners of her brown eyes were lined with black kohl, enhancing their shape and shade.
At first glance, Zadarrah barely registered Cleo's form. His eyes darted away, then snapped back as he took in the full extent of her appearance. The sight was striking. The vibrant fabrics and the elegant adornments accentuated her every move, commanding an undeniable presence. Each element of her attire seemed to amplify her aura, and Zadarrah's gaze lingered, mesmerized by the transformation before him.
quickly she notices him and waves, making her way over to him.
"i was wondering how i was ever to find you…" she takes in his full form as well as the sunken soil where he rises from.
"did you sleep here?" she asks her voice captivatingly whimsical as she perches her hand on her hip.
he clicks his tongue in annoyance as he walks away.
she rolls her eyes and follows behind him- where? she was determined to find out.
they cut through the woods as it was quicker than swimming the heavy currents of the river ahead.
"have you no horse? i do not think this journey was made for such an attire."
he silently marches ahead of her.
she struggles to maintain her speed with all the shrugs and fallen logs she has to step over.
"i would hate to…" she tugs her hair from a branch. "…persist with the notion that we find a horse." she groans as she nearly slips on some mud.
zadarrah stops abruptly and she nearly crashes into him. "shut your mouth or i will kill you." he says without hesitation.
she taps him by the shoulder, he turns to face her, "the latter you have tried and filed woefully, the former will only occur when you find us a horse or tell me where we are going."
She barely sees the smirk on his face as he scoffs and continues walking.
This time she hurries on and matches his pace by his side.
"So… what is it exactly we are looking for?"
"There is no 'we'" he grunts.
"Then why am i here?"
"Go back to lifting corpses then." He retorts.
cleo stops in her tracks and quints, frankly not paying his comment any mind. "Aren't we supposed to be headed to the capital? This is the wrong direction."
The forest grows denser and thicker with every step. Leading her mind down curious paths.
He tramples forth.
Shes still as she watches his back move further away.
She looks around her, the bark of each tree different from the next. Each branch twisting up into the air and back into the ground.
She sighs and rubs her chilly hands together. By the time she looks forward, he is no longer within view.
"Zadarrah…" she calls out as she walks forward. "Zadarrah!" She yells again and only silence meets her ears.
Groaning she decided to head back to her cottage.
There was no use imposing her presence on him. He clearly did not need it.
She set back on the trail passing by several similar trees and footprints left behind.
However she noticed another set of prints following behind hers and zadarrah.
She sensed something strange behind her. She tilted her head and smiled. She would get to be by his side after all. "you heathens and your brought your friends."