Silvana's Trial

Chapter 4 - Memories

Ned sighed, watching her retreating figure. He was relieved. At least she took the book, he thought. He followed, lagging behind while his mind took a downward spiral into the well of his thoughts.

The following morning he was startled awake when something brushed his shoulder. His eyes flew open to the sight of Silvana straightening to an upright position. She dropped something onto his pack. It landed with a soft thud, drawing his attention. He made out the leather cover of the book he'd given her the evening before.

"Follow me," she said, keeping her voice low.

Ned rolled out of his blankets and pulled on his boots. She didn't wait but he was fast enough to see her take the same path up to the cliff where he'd been the day before. It was before dawn. Cold. Hints of mist swirled along the edges of the ridge. Birds chirped in anticipation of the sun. Grabbing his cloak, Ned hurried to catch up with her.

When he reached the top of the path, he came to an abrupt halt. She stood right on the cliff's vertical drop, the wind billowing her long cloak about her. Head held high she peered into the distance. Then she sat down and pulled out the large knife she kept at her hip.

Ned gulped at the sound of steel slipping from the sheath. Then he saw a thin willowy stick she'd held unseen in her other hand. Silvana flipped it onto her knee and began chipping at the ends.

Not knowing what to do, Ned took a hesitant step forward. She didn't move, nor did she look up. He took another two steps and sat down a few paces away from her. There was a moment's silence punctuated by the scraping of metal against wood.

"I can tell you about Flynn. Of course, it would only be what I can remember of him. You might not know, but I was seven when—"

She broke off. He saw her teeth mar her lower lip. Her arms jerked in an intensifying motion and she chipped at the wood with faster strokes. He looked at her, studied her openly as he hadn't dared before. Her dark hair hung loose, floating about her. The form-hugging trousers and blouse she wore emphasised her slender waist. Her right hand moved in smooth, deft strokes. He admired how she wielded the blade.

At length, her lips parted and she sucked air into her lungs. She held up the stick to look at her handiwork.

"This is the first time I make my own bow." She pulled some string out of her pocket. "Flynn made my first one for me. Then, when I grew older I used the ones from the armoury. Well, I hope I can make Daddy proud by making a decent enough bow..."

Ned listened while she told him about Flynn. All the while, she worked with her hands, making a set of arrows once the crude bow was finished. The sun kissed the horizon, bathing the landscape beneath them in crimson. He watched it rise, skimming into the lilac sky and brightening the hills around them and the plains stretching out from the cliff face.

Silvana fulfilled his request and spoke of Flynn the entire time, paying no attention to Nature's spectacular display. She finished the last arrow and then fell silent. Then, gathering her things she rose.

"Thank you," Ned murmured

She offered him a nod before he heard the crunch of her boots on sand and gravel behind him. He gazed over the panoramic view, basking in the beauty of the morning and giving thanks for this moment of change.

Every morning she woke him in this way and they spent the dawn with her telling him about her father. She often spent the time practising her archery and perfecting the bow and arrows when she discovered flaws in her craftsmanship.

She told him of Flynn's exploits when he first arrived. How he saved the kingdom from the evil high priest who usurped his power after massacring the royal family and only leaving her mother and the queen as puppets. She told him how Flynn became the trainer of the queen's personal guard and how Flynn had learned the emperor still searched for him. That was when he came to live in the forests of Dell. She recounted of her mother's wish to increase the knowledge on crystal healing arts in Oruna and how they had gone to live in Haftown. She shared all the little anecdotes from when her mother and Flynn lived together and her memories of him as a father.