Bound At Heart

Purpose

Ilyana and Elmora hike through the enchanted wonders of a snow-covered forest. Instead of looking at the sights to see, her eyes were glued to what was in front of her yet they were glazed over in deep thought.

"Can't stop thinking about him, right?" Elmora asked, "You worried?"

"Yes, very much so..." Ilyana sighed.

"We'll see them again."

Ilyana nodded then no word was exchanged between them again. She wondered about how peculiar Ronan's face was before they left. She soon played the song within her mind as a mental distraction and hearing Ronan's voice singing to her. Giving it enough thought and coming to the realization as to what she had done earlier, she abruptly stopped in her tracks, startling Elmora.

"Ilyana? What is it?"

Ilyana didn't speak, for she knew that the blush that grew intensely within her cheeks would give away some kind of answer.

"N-Nothing, l-let's keep going," she stammered and continued with little bit more rush in her step.

•~○~●~○~•

The village soon came into view and Ilyana lets out a sigh of relief. Her tired legs soon were running into a desperate sprint as her spirits lifted. Once she and Elmora entered the village, some of the villagers noticed their return and they let out a cheer. The two sisters noticed the marketplace was practically torn down and burnt, causing Ilyana to worry immensely. They encountered a saleslady who was an elderly Elven woman but was a friend of the family. Ilyana practically considered her another grandmother.

"Oh, Ilyana," her eyes met Ilyana's and they ran into one another in a loving embrace. "Oh dear, sweet child, you're O.K."

"I'm fine Rosetta," Ilyana laughed. "I was terribly injured but I healed in time. What has happened here?"

"Your parents were so worried, I'm glad you're O.K," Rosetta pulled away. She looks to the destroyed marketplace. "Those dastardly creatures of darkness came in and destroyed this place. Over the past month, more soldiers came in and patrolled the place so the attacked was kept at bay here, thank the lord but... Oh, Ilyana, I'm getting worried as to what is going on out there. It's getting worse. Crops are growing scarce and rotting even though harvesting season is still going on where the crops are supposed to be ripe."

"That sounds very serious..." Ilyana knew she had to get to the bottom of things.

"Child, go see your parents, they just arrived back yesterday from a trip to the kingdom, I'm sure they're worried sick about you," Rosetta said and began pushing Ilyana away.

"I will do just that, thank you!" And with that, Ilyana ran off with Elmora hot on her heels. The two ran through town, quickly greeting their neighbors and the children. Ilyana scaled up stairs of wood. Elmora was gaining the lead and it soon turned into a race within her mind. She smirked and jumped onto a thick branch. She parkoured to new branches, bridges, swinging on them then landed on another thick branch that was high enough. Using that one, she bursts into a sprint and with a leap, jumped from her former branch and onto a bridge that connects to a corresponding tree that is en route to where her house was.

Elmora landed beside her at the same time she did. It was a tie.

"Damn, I was sure I was going to beat you this time," Ilyana huffed.

"You wish," Elmora chuckled. "Still, you still haven't lost your athletic ability after about a month being disabled."

"Well, when I found out that I was able to walk again, I didn't waste any time. When the injury healed, I went farther and farther to where I originally was. I still need some time to train myself again."