Quest of the Bounty Hunter: Kidnapped

Disantia

Disantia woke up with a groan and immediately vomited over the side of the bed. All her bones felt weak. Her head was pounding incessantly with a throbbing pain. Her shoulder and stomach felt numb, the pain from earlier had subsided but the bandages felt stiff with dried blood and herb salve.

She lay back down on the soft, fur blankets, closed her eyes and resigned herself to feeling miserable.

"Try a loquat?" A soft voice asked.

Disantia slowly forced her eyes open to see the woman who had saved her holding out a small fruit. She reached up her arm to grab it with all the energy she had left and took a small bite.

"Good." Disantia managed to murmur, before her arm fell to her side.

The door to the cottage swung open as Elizabeth tumbled inside and set a basket down on the table.

"You're awake!" She exclaimed, seemingly happy to see her again. "We can get moving soon."

Of course, Disantia thought dryly, Elizabeth didn't care if she was okay. She only cared about her mission.

"How are you feeling?" Elizabeth asked as she came over to see Disanita. "You look very ill. And green in the face."

Disantia nodded. "Not feeling very good. I don't think I'll be able to walk for a while. What with my ankle and everything that happened earlier."

Elizabeth shook her head firmly. "No, we're leaving now."

"Now?" Disantia exclaimed with shock.

"We've lost so much precious time. We have to get to Meldest by tonight." Elizabeth said desperately.

"But, Elizabeth, nightfall is only an hour away. You're not thinking straight." Disantia said with exasperation. "And as you mentioned before: We wouldn't want to be out on the mountain when the lions come out to hunt."

"Well, somehow you managed to almost get killed by a mountain lion and it wasn't even dark out." Elizabeth said sarcastically.

Disantia managed a weak laugh. "You're not wrong."

"Anyways, once we get down the mountain we should come across a road that leads into Meldest. Maybe we can hitch a ride and sleep somewhere in town. Once we get there, you can rest a bit more then we have to rescue your friend and kidnap the princess." Elizabeth explained, detailing out the plan. She seemed much more relieved when she laid it all out in front of them like that.

"Kidnap princess?" Aella asked turning around from her fire, holding a pan with some meat cooked nicely.

Everything went silent for a few heartbeats. The only sound to be heard was the crackling and spitting of the fire.

Damn it...Elizabeth must've forgotten about the women in the room with them.

"I'm just joking!" Elizabeth said after it had begun to grow awkward. She began to laugh like nothing was wrong.

Disantia joined in with her own weak laughter, trying to help Elizabeth smooth over the lie.

Finally, Aella started to laugh too. "Of course! Joke! Should've guessed."

Disantia breathed a sigh of relief and noticed that Elizabeth's face was slightly more tensed than it had been before her little slip. Aella may not suspect now, but if she ever saw their masks, they would be done for.

They ate the meat as a late supper and Disantia glanced out the window to watch the sun slowly sink down below the pine trees.

"We can sleep on the floor." Elizabeth offered to Aella gesturing to herself and Disantia.
"No, no. Sick friend on bed. Us on floor." Aella said pointing to Elizabeth.

Elizabeth nodded, agreeing that this probably was a wiser choice, and helped Aella set up some blankets and pillows on the floor.

Elizabeth packed her bag with the loquats and some herb ointments that Aella had given her for Disantia, careful to keep the bounty hunting mask out of sight.

The smell of roasted meat still lingered in the house thankfully masking the scent of Disantia's sick all over the floor. Still, Elizabeth gave Disantia a glare as she helped Aella clean up the mess. Disantia smiled back innocently, then laughed as Elizabeth rolled her eyes.

Suddenly Elizabeth's whole face froze and it transformed to a stiff stone - no emotion. As if she had caught herself enjoying Disantia's company for once.

Why does she keep shutting me out? Disantia wondered, her feelings hurt and the memories of the tough friendship the first few days rubbed raw again. What did I ever do to her?

Turning over slowly on the bed and pulling the blanket up to her chin, she blocked out the quiet discussion between Aella and Elizabeth.

Disantia peered out the window that sat beside the bed and tried to count the stars.

They formed beautiful constellations that spelled out numerous untold stories. Would this mission she had joined turn out to be a wonderful and adventurous story? Or would it end terribly, with broken bones, wounds and death?

A story that would never be told because of the heartbreak, failure and sadness. Had she agreed to come on a journey that she could never finish?