His Sanctuary, Her Love
folder
Fantasy & Science Fiction › General
Rating:
Adult +
Chapters:
6
Views:
3,030
Reviews:
21
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Category:
Fantasy & Science Fiction › General
Rating:
Adult +
Chapters:
6
Views:
3,030
Reviews:
21
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Disclaimer:
This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance of characters to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. The Author holds exclusive rights to this work. Unauthorized duplication is prohibited.
Chapter 6
Here it is, finally another installment! Sorry this one took so long. And just to warm you this chapter is a bit short. The next shall have much much more to it. ^_^ Thank you for those who reviewed! Hope you enjoy!
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Chapter 6
Taryn startled awake, a nightmare that left ghosts of images in her mind and an intense feeling of fear in her chest faded as she looked around herself, trying to make sense of where she was and how she got there. It took a minute but very quickly she realized that last night had indeed been very real and that nearby was a gargoyle named Sorin who she’d rescued. Was he still there? What if he left her? That thought frightened her and she sat up suddenly looking around the camp for him. “Sorin?” She began to grow more afraid when she did not hear his deep voice reply. The sun had just broken over the horizon, warming her face but not the chilly morning breeze. It was bright and she had to squint as she looked around, hoping to find some sign that he’d not really left her alone. That he’d be back soon. As she turned she let out a partial scream and gasped, falling to the ground.There, directly behind her, was a stone figure that looked exactly like her gargoyle. How was that possible? Where was he? Did he magically carve this as a sign to her that he’d return perhaps? Like the stone angels that stand over a loved ones grave, helping the living believe that the deceased are resting in peace, was it there to ‘watch over her’ in his stead? She slowly moved back to her feet and cautiously walked over to it, reaching her hand out to touch it only to recoil as the fact that it felt warm, and not cold. Curious if the sun had anything to do with it she moved behind it to touch the sun-kissed rock face and her eyes grew wide as she again pulled her hand back. The rocks were ice cold. The sun had not been up nearly long enough to warm them. So, how on earth was a statue so warm then? How was it possible?
“Sorin?” She called out again, thinking maybe this was a result of some wizardry made to fool her. What if the carnival had stumbled upon them in the night while she slept and captured him again and left this piece here to cruelly remind her that they would not let him go? She gave a laugh at herself and shook her head. No, there was no possible way those men could have found them so quickly. And even if by some miracle they had, they surely would have taken her to exact some act of vengeance. She looked at the statue again, reached out her hand and traced the rough contours of it’s face, and furled wings. She decided not to leave it. Perhaps all it was, was a sign that he would return to her. If so, then she would wait until he returned.
Turning back to the near dead fire Taryn went to work at rekindling it to a fuller flame. She felt her stomach cramp and growl in hunger and knew that she needed to go and search for something edible. Sad thing was, she had no idea what was safe to eat in the forest and what was not, except the obvious wild berries, and small animals. Was there even a river nearby? She would need water just as much as the food, if not more so. With her mind made up Taryn grabbed an unburned stick, jagged and sharp at the tip, and walked outside of their camp into the forest. Again she dared not wander too far, knowing too well how easy it is to become lost in a dense forest such as this. The stories that she’d often heard as a child were more than enough to give her pause to that kind of adventure. At least, for now.
It wasn’t long before Taryn decided that hunting was not a skill she possessed in any measure and went in search of familiar berries and things to eat. It was meager and slightly bitter in taste but at least she wouldn’t completely starve yet. Alone in the forest, Taryn found the air almost too cool and kept thinking she heard a noise on the wind every now and then. It made her more nervous than those tiny, spoiled lap dogs that Lady Monroe kept.
She folded her dress skirt in the front to carry what little she’d found. Hoping that it would be enough for now and that Sorin would return to her soon. Taryn returned to find the fire nearly gone, the sun midway in the sky and the mysterious statue still remained. She dumped her meager collection at a cleared spot by the fire and began to add more fuel, trying her best to get it relit to a stronger flame. It took her a few tried but soon she could feel warmth from it again. She shivered, glad that it wasn’t yet cold enough to snow, though rain was something the sky could easily give any day.
She hated to admit it, but she was bored. At least with Lady Monroe she was kept busy and the day passed relatively quick. Now, with no laundry to press, no tea to fetch and no errands to run, she found the day to be much longer than ever imagined. Though it wasn’t long before she realized the sun was finally beginning to set and the air now carried a chill to it that made her slender figure shiver. She glanced around the small camp, finding the large gargoyle statue frightening with the way the sun cast shadows across it and the high rock just behind it. Where it had come from she still didn’t know but she was afraid to leave the camp to find out. What if the gargoyle knew a magic of some kind that she was witnessing right then? If she left what would happen? If she stayed, would it be safer?
Her heart sped up as she suddenly heard something that sounded like cracking. As if something were behind her on the rocks, moving. She jumped up, looking around frightened and desperate to see what or who had made the noise. “Please don’t be a bear….” She quietly begged as she jumped again when a louder crack joined the echoes of the first. That was when she saw it. The statue! It was falling apart! But, how? She was the only one there and she hadn’t touched it. Backing up quickly, and trying not to trip, she was shaking from fear now instead of the chill evening air. Suddenly pieces and shards of rock went flying in all directions, followed by a thunderous roar that filled the empty evening air.
Taryn screamed and without looking back turned and fled into the woods as fast as her small feet could take her.