Aella (manxman) - ON HOLD - Chapter 39: Chapter 39

Weak... cold....
I tried to move and my body followed very slowly. Every bone in my body hurt and I felt completely drained. I looked around me. Wherever I was, it was completely dark. I pulled myself to a sitting position and squinted my eyes to try and see anything.
Nothing. I reached a hand around me and it collided with a muddy wall. It gave me an eerie sensation. I helped myself to stand slowly, still trying to figure out where I was.
"I-is someone here?"
My voice was very hoarse and my throat yearned for a drop of water. I breathed with difficulty, already feeling exhausted. The obscurity didn't diminish in the least. It felt like a hopeless pit of nowhere and I was starting to freak out.
"Where am I? I-Ithel? ITHEEEL!"
I called with all my might, but no one answered. I started moving and feeling around with my hands, trying to find an exit. Was I still trapped in Drita's cave?
I suddenly recalled the moment the fire slammed on my right foot and I immediately remembered the excruciating pain, which made me cry and drop to my knees. I touched the sole of my right foot and it was covered with a large burning blister. I groaned to keep from crying. It hurt so much, I was just walking on it, but now I feel the burn like it was on fire!
It can't be... I can't be with Drita, I-I thought I got out!! Was that a dream???
"Heeeeelp! Please..."
Aside from the small echo, everything was eerily silent. I crawled and reached the wall again. No, I definitely wasn't dreaming. I saw him, I felt him... Ithel did come get me and we both escaped! Please, that has to be real...
The wall curved continuously and I realized that I've been here before. I remembered the exact sensation of coldness, humidity, and darkness.
This was a weird dream... a nightmare that I've had before about being stuck in a well. And even when I suspected the reality around me, it was still creeping the hell out of me. So I called for my only savior over and over until I had no voice, only his name repeating in my head like an endless prayer.
Ithel,
Ithel,
Ithel...
"Ceri!", his angelic voice called me from above and I raised my head eagerly
"Ithel? I'm here! H-help me!"
One second it was totally dark, and the next, the well was drowned in sunlight. The brightness burned my eyes and made me cover them and cower away from the light.
"Ceri, give me your hand!"
"It hurts!!! My eyes!!!!!"
"CERI!!"
-
I jolted from my sleep to find my legs dangling dangerously from a tree.
"You're alright, you're safe!"
I looked over my shoulder to see Ithel staring at me.
"You hear me? I've got you"
His arms were holding me and keeping me from falling over. I shrank when I realized that I was putting both of us in danger by leaning away from the branch. I was shivering, my mind slowly grasping reality and my body was once again aware of how much it hurt. I winced, but Ithel's hold remained tight around me. He pulled me to him while whispering words that I could barely gather enough focus to understand.
What was happening... we climbed here last night... so we DID escape! I wasn't imagining things. I am saved from her. Thank heavens!!! But then, the dark well, the painful light......
"Just a nightmare. You were having a bad dream, that's all. You're safe, I promise"
I groaned when he pressured my chest again to secure me on the branch
"I'm sorry, Ceri. Just bear with me a little and I'll get us safely down. Hold onto me"
He was very careful with the way he held me and helped me climb down the tree. For a moment, I wondered if it was too much for him because it was too much for me. The pain, the anxiety, what happened and could happen... It was all weighing on me. And while I had no choice in the matter, Ithel could definitely choose to avoid all of this.
He could...
My warrior, please don't... Please don't leave me alone...
He carried me to the roots of another tree that wasn't far. Beside it was the small spring that we used yesterday.
"Here, drink"
I drank like a starving man. Ithel did so quickly, and then he used the water to wipe my face and some of the uncovered parts of my body
"You're still having a fever. This should help keep it down until we get home"
He cautiously checked my foot, and then he spilled some cool water on it and gently wrapped it with the same herbs again. "I'll treat this properly soon. Just endure this for a couple of hours"
"......... Th-..... the territory?"
He sighed, but then smiled apologetically, "We're still in their land, but I'll get us out of here. I'll take you home, Ceri, and you'll heal. I promise you that"
He carried me on his back and started for the long walk. We had to hide and change direction when three Aella hunters crossed our path.
Were they looking for me?
Was my sentence already set??
I was getting drowsy, certainly from the lack of food and the fever. Ithel wasn't in his best shape either.
A fox suddenly jumped out from behind a bush. It stared at us for a moment and then continued running. I smiled faintly, what a beautiful fur it had. I looked at Ithel, wanting to tell how beautiful the fox was. But I had no strength to talk. I just forced my eyes to remain open as I watched his serious face. Such a handsome warrior. His beautiful features were bothered by an angry and anxious look. He also seemed more tired than I've ever seen him before.
All of this was for me.
All of it was because of me...
What if he knew about that cave? What if he knew.....
I didn't even know what to call the things that happened to me. Mating? It didn't seem right. The Aellas always sighed dreamily whenever they spoke about mating. And after I experienced it with Ithel, I was more certain that mating was an act of love, a blessing. It was the best feeling of the whole world.
What happened to me was not a blessing from the spirits. It was a misfortune, a punishment.
Maybe the Aellas were right... maybe it was a mistake that I was born......
~~~~
"GIVE. HIM. BACK."
That felt like thunder to my ears. I must have fallen asleep or unconscious at some point, until an angry grave voice woke me up to a scene that sent chills down my spine.
This can't be.... this cannot be real!
There she was. Blocking our way with her menacing stance, a spear in her hand and the promise of death in her eyes.
"I SAID GIVE HIM BACK TO ME!!!"
Her voice made my whole body ache. My shoulder, my side and my lower back from all the grating against the rough wall. It was as if she was still straddling me and hurting me...
No, no, no, no, no.... please, heavens, don't let her get any closer! Please, I don't want to see her, don't want to hear her!
"So you're the useless puppy who sent the whole clan in havoc? Do you have any idea how much trouble you've caused to the whole tribe! The clan is still dealing with its troubles and you made it worse!!!"
What was she talking about? Which clan and what troubles??? I didn't understand her, but that was the least of my problems. When she received no answer, she raised her spear and pointed it towards us.
"Drop him and leave, boy. Before I make an example of you to all idiots who think of trespassing"
It can't be happening... If the Aellas capture Ithel on their territory, they're going to punish him... If they really get their hands on him, they could hurt him or even send him to Saeva!!!
My heart started beating like war drums and I couldn't look her in the eye. Ithel took one step back. He was heaving heavily. I couldn't tell if it was from exhaustion or anger because his eyes held an amount of hate and fury that I've never seen before.
"I know you can hear me, Ceri. Get away from that filthy boy NOW and I won't punish you for this"
I cowered and hid behind Ithel, whose arms held my legs tighter. Then, he took another careful step back. Her voice became more threatening as she continued, making me wince
"Ceri! You distance yourself from him this instant, or else!"
I almost whimpered when my foot suddenly burned as I remembered how far she could go with her punishments. I wanted to hide, to disappear. Ithel didn't say anything, only glared at her and remained silent.
W-was he weighing his options???
He took another step away from her and mumbled, "We won't be able to get past her and I cannot fight her like this"
"Ithel?", I whispered desperately
"I need you to do as I say. I'm going to set you down. I know your foot is hurt, but I need you to walk as fast as you can towards the-"
"No!", I immediately started begging him with a weak, frightened whisper, "Don't... p-please, don't let go of me! Ithel, please!"
"I'm not abandoning you! Ceri, I'd never...", he sighed and then continued, keeping his eyes on Drita and his voice low, "I need you to walk back to the other Aellas"
The Aellas??
"I'm sorry I couldn't get you home already, but I'd rather take my chance with the other hunters than risk this one putting a hand on you or-....."
He looked so angry, he couldn't even finish his sentence. He crouched carefully, set me on the ground. First, he let go of my better leg before releasing the other. Then, he detached my reluctant arms from around him.
I heard a scoff and glanced to see Drita smirking smugly at us.
She thought I was going back to her? To that nightmare?? I'd sooner welcome death than her crazy weird fantasies!
She seemed to relax as she walked a bit closer to us. "Now get out of here, Aello. If you leave now and never come back, I won't tell the others who's the blind idiot running around our territory and freaking everyone out"
Ithel didn't answer her. Instead, he spoke to me without breaking eye contact with her. "Ceri, please"
"I-I won't leave you behind!"
He shouldn't face her! Drita is one of the strongest hunters! Aello is very brave and strong, but he's too tired! This is too risky, I don't her to kill him!
"Do as I say!"
It was the first time he ever yelled at me. I bit my lower lip and stepped back, immediately falling as soon as I put some weight on my right foot. Ithel looked over his shoulder anxiously, but quickly took a stand before me and directed his attention back on Drita.
"Get up!", he said, "You can do this, Ceri. Just get up and leave!!"
I did as told with difficulty, still leaning on the tree for support. When my eyes met Drita's furious glare, I turned and started to slowly limp away.
"So be it." She declared, "Remember this moment, Ceri. The moment you made your choice-"
"DO NOT TALK TO HIM!!" Ithel yelled. I quickly looked back to see him lunging at her. She swung her spear to cut his stomach and I instinctively held my breath and covered my eyes. When I opened them again, Ithel was still standing. He even had the spear in his possession now. But not for long as he crashed the weapon on his knee, breaking it in two pieces, and then throwing the sharp part at her heart. Drita managed to avoid the lethal attack, but not before the spear sliced through her arm. She grunted painfully, then faced Ithel. She gave him a disbelieving look. Then she roared and attacked him.
I walked a bit further, still trying to make sure that Ithel was fine. He was fighting valiantly, but he was too tired to defeat her.
My heart sank when she grabbed his arm and shoulder and threw him against a tree. Ithel's back collided with it and he dropped on one knee while heaving.
Instead of attacking him again, she turned and stomped my way. I panicked and tried to run, but I ended up falling on my back again. I whimpered because of the agony that assaulted my foot and side. But I ignored my suffering and rushed to crawl and put more distance between us.
I was frantically moving backward to escape her when our eyes met. She looked so confident and expectant, almost smiling. I wanted to scream despite my sore throat. I wanted to tell her to stop, to leave me alone! But my anxiety revived a familiar heaviness over my tongue, and I was left there, speechless, breathlessly gaping as her silhouette grew ominously closer.
"I'll make you understand the absurdity of your actions once and for all. Your fate is mine. You are mine and until you get that, expect no mercy-"
She started reaching a hand to grab me but was suddenly interrupted when Ithel slammed into her and they both fell to the ground. Ithel groaned and punched her.
"Ithel!"
"Go Ceri! Hurry and don't look back!!"
"STOP INTERFERING!!", Drita yelled furiously before she knocked Ithel off her.
I pulled myself up frantically and scurried away. One step at a time. A bit further away from her with every effort. The fever that seemed to have spared me for a while was now making me sweat and breathe heavily again. I tried to call for Halina, but my voice disappeared. Who could help us? Who could save Ithel??
Ithel... Ithel...
"Ceri, stop! Not that way! Don't be an idiot, come back here! Ugh... WHY THE HELL ARE YOU NOT DEAD ALREADY!!!"
I didn't know if she was talking to me or Ithel anymore. I could hear their grunting behind me, fading one second and then getting stronger and closer the next. I was too scared to look back for I might see her reaching for me again. My vision was starting to sway, which didn't help.
I whimpered when I stepped on the root of a tree with my right foot. The pain was so unbearable, it made me dizzier. I couldn't take any of this anymore. I couldn't endure this nightmare any longer! And it didn't help that Drita's wrathful roars chased me, threatening to burn my other leg if I didn't stop.
However, Ithel's voice kept me going. He was yelling while still fighting, encouraging me to go forward, to find help. So I didn't disappoint him. I didn't stop.
Soon, their voices were only echoes traveling through the forest. And that may have helped to turn the luck slightly our way because I wasn't the only one who could hear them.
A hunter emerged from the trees, two following closely behind her. They were racing my way with weapons in their hands. As soon as I saw them, I dropped to the ground. They quickly reached me, animosity and confusion filling their eyes.
"You?", "Ceri!??", "You're the one behind this?", "Heavens, what happened to you?"
One of them knelt and put an arm around my shoulders. I had no energy left to explain anything to them. So I raised my hand and pointed to where I came from
"Help him... She's going to kill him... D-Drita... w-will kill him..."