The fire maiden gave a slow nod, her flames curling higher along her arms as she stepped away from the statues, deep in thought.
Her eyes flickered with memory, a flash of the dark wizard’s parting words, still echoing in the back of her mind, “Find a man named Ghillies.” The name lingered like smoke in her thoughts. Ghillies. She didn’t know the man, didn’t know what he looked like, where he lived, or whether he was even alive. But the way the wizard had said it, like it should be obvious, like it should be easy…
Someone had to know him. Someone had to. She turned toward Jude, her expression shifting from distant to determined. “I might have an idea,” she said gently. Her flames pulsed as a new thought lit behind her eyes. She lifted her chin slightly. “I want to visit someone,” she continued. “An old friend of mine. Someone who might know more. About the name the wizard said and about the curse, maybe even were the Stag is.
...
They’re a human,” she explained, holding Jude’s gaze carefully. “So you don’t have to worry. No strange magic. No tricks. Just a man with knowledge and, hopefully, some answers.” The firelight in her hair shimmered as she glanced over her shoulder toward the edge of the forest. “Before we go…” she turned back to Jude, her voice softer now, “is there anything you need to take from here? Supplies? A keepsake? Anything you want to bring before we leave this place behind?” She didn’t rush him. There was understanding in her tone.
She would only go when he was too.
Her eyes flickered with memory, a flash of the dark wizard’s parting words, still echoing in the back of her mind, “Find a man named Ghillies.” The name lingered like smoke in her thoughts. Ghillies. She didn’t know the man, didn’t know what he looked like, where he lived, or whether he was even alive. But the way the wizard had said it, like it should be obvious, like it should be easy…
Someone had to know him. Someone had to. She turned toward Jude, her expression shifting from distant to determined. “I might have an idea,” she said gently. Her flames pulsed as a new thought lit behind her eyes. She lifted her chin slightly. “I want to visit someone,” she continued. “An old friend of mine. Someone who might know more. About the name the wizard said and about the curse, maybe even were the Stag is.
...
They’re a human,” she explained, holding Jude’s gaze carefully. “So you don’t have to worry. No strange magic. No tricks. Just a man with knowledge and, hopefully, some answers.” The firelight in her hair shimmered as she glanced over her shoulder toward the edge of the forest. “Before we go…” she turned back to Jude, her voice softer now, “is there anything you need to take from here? Supplies? A keepsake? Anything you want to bring before we leave this place behind?” She didn’t rush him. There was understanding in her tone.
She would only go when he was too.
"Alright," Jude agreed. "I'll follow you wherever you choose. My idea clearly did not work, and it really cannot get much worse than this, so what have I got to lose?"
He stood up and limped slowly through the frozen people. He considered picking up an ax or similar, but that did not suit him, and the weight would likely slow him down. His wooden leg, now magic, made travel much easier now, but not that much easier. Instead, he stopped by his father's statue and carefully looked through his father's bag. Finally, he found what he was looking for. The picture of his family that his father carried with them. It was a few years old, and everyone sat stiffly for the posed photo, but it was the entire family in one spot. His father was proud of the ridiculous picture. Jude took out a book from his messenger bag and carefully tucked the picture between the pages before tucking it into the bag once more.
"Okay," he said, returning to the fire maiden. "I am ready. Let's go."
He stood up and limped slowly through the frozen people. He considered picking up an ax or similar, but that did not suit him, and the weight would likely slow him down. His wooden leg, now magic, made travel much easier now, but not that much easier. Instead, he stopped by his father's statue and carefully looked through his father's bag. Finally, he found what he was looking for. The picture of his family that his father carried with them. It was a few years old, and everyone sat stiffly for the posed photo, but it was the entire family in one spot. His father was proud of the ridiculous picture. Jude took out a book from his messenger bag and carefully tucked the picture between the pages before tucking it into the bag once more.
"Okay," he said, returning to the fire maiden. "I am ready. Let's go."
The fire maiden’s glow dimmed slightly as she watched Jude quietly rummage through what remained of his father’s bag. When his fingers finally closed around a small photograph, her flames stilled entirely. She saw it all in the way his body moved. The fire maiden’s heart ached. The boy had lost so much. And even though she had once burned as a caged thing—once dreamed of freedom and vengeance and light—she now wished more than anything that she could undo his pain. She wished she could show him that his actions had mattered, that his choice to free the Stag had meaning.
But the cost… It was hard to see the goodness in a choice when the aftermath still stood frozen in stone. So she said nothing. She simply let him walk beside her. Their journey into the forest began beneath a blanket of gently falling leaves, rocky grounds, grass slick with dew. Occasionally, a deer would startle nearby and dash off into the brush, its white tail vanishing between trunks. And always, her flame lit the way. Not blinding. Not hot. Just enough to keep them warm and give them a clear path forward.
After a long while, the maiden paused.
Before them stood an ancient tree, its trunk wide and gnarled, roots curling into the earth like sleeping serpents. She knelt at its base and reached beneath one of the thicker roots. With practiced ease, she pulled free a weather-worn satchel. Dry leaves clung to it. She offered Jude a small smile, soft and almost shy. “Sorry, we had to stop here first. It’s just my stash,” she said gently. “Food. A few things I picked up since getting free. I never knew how long I’d be out here, so I figured it was good to be prepared.” She stood, slinging the bag over her shoulder. The flames around her ankles flared briefly, casting dancing light up the bark of the old tree.
“I can cook,” she added with a wry little smile. “So at the very least, we won’t starve.” The forest stretched onward in silence, and they resumed their path. Somewhere between one step and the next, the maiden turned her head slightly, her golden eyes flickering over Jude. “Have you ever traveled before?” she asked softly. “I mean… outside the kingdom?” There was no judgment in her voice, just curiosity. She truly wondered how much of the world he had seen, how much experience he carried beyond the stone walls of human settlements.
She glanced back fully now, her stride slowing. She wouldn’t be surprised if he didn’t answer at all. Not today. Not with grief still trailing behind him like a second shadow with the way things went back there. But she asked anyway, because even if silence followed, she wanted him to know that he was not truly alone.
But the cost… It was hard to see the goodness in a choice when the aftermath still stood frozen in stone. So she said nothing. She simply let him walk beside her. Their journey into the forest began beneath a blanket of gently falling leaves, rocky grounds, grass slick with dew. Occasionally, a deer would startle nearby and dash off into the brush, its white tail vanishing between trunks. And always, her flame lit the way. Not blinding. Not hot. Just enough to keep them warm and give them a clear path forward.
After a long while, the maiden paused.
Before them stood an ancient tree, its trunk wide and gnarled, roots curling into the earth like sleeping serpents. She knelt at its base and reached beneath one of the thicker roots. With practiced ease, she pulled free a weather-worn satchel. Dry leaves clung to it. She offered Jude a small smile, soft and almost shy. “Sorry, we had to stop here first. It’s just my stash,” she said gently. “Food. A few things I picked up since getting free. I never knew how long I’d be out here, so I figured it was good to be prepared.” She stood, slinging the bag over her shoulder. The flames around her ankles flared briefly, casting dancing light up the bark of the old tree.
“I can cook,” she added with a wry little smile. “So at the very least, we won’t starve.” The forest stretched onward in silence, and they resumed their path. Somewhere between one step and the next, the maiden turned her head slightly, her golden eyes flickering over Jude. “Have you ever traveled before?” she asked softly. “I mean… outside the kingdom?” There was no judgment in her voice, just curiosity. She truly wondered how much of the world he had seen, how much experience he carried beyond the stone walls of human settlements.
She glanced back fully now, her stride slowing. She wouldn’t be surprised if he didn’t answer at all. Not today. Not with grief still trailing behind him like a second shadow with the way things went back there. But she asked anyway, because even if silence followed, she wanted him to know that he was not truly alone.
Jude didn't really think as they walked. A sort of numbness had fallen over him, sapping out every bit of mental energy. His mind still churned, wanting to think, to plan, to fuss and chatter, but it was nothing more than a mute mumbling. A steady hum of dispair. A background noise that filled the silence. He no longer cared what happened. He couldn't care. He wasn't even paying attention to where the flame maiden was taking them. He put one foot in front of the other over and over again, walking forward and following her guidance.
“Sorry, we had to stop here first. It’s just my stash.”
He stopped short and blinked, finally looking up to see his surroundings. A massive old tree rose up before him, towering in its grim, silent beauty. It took him a moment to register what she was saying, and he only nodded vaguely, still admitting the tree. They moved on again, but he still looked back once more. Those were the trees that nearly brought his father to tears when he saw them agin, dying, falling, or, worst of all, in the path they needed to cut. His father was a tough, stern man who had never cried in front of his children for any reason... except for the old trees. This was the oldest tree Jude had ever seen. What would his father have said about this one.
“Have you ever traveled before? I mean… outside the kingdom?"
"Um." Jude blinked rapidly, pulling his mind to the present and trying to force it to react to the woman. "No. Not really. Well, once, yes, but I don't know if I would call it traveling. When I lost my leg... They didn't have the resources near here, so the train took me to the town just across the border. I don't remember the trip there at all." A partial lie, but not one he wanted to delve into. "I remember some of the trip back, but I was on medication that made reality... questionable. So, no, I do not count that as having really traveled. Other than that, I've rarely left the outpost."
“Sorry, we had to stop here first. It’s just my stash.”
He stopped short and blinked, finally looking up to see his surroundings. A massive old tree rose up before him, towering in its grim, silent beauty. It took him a moment to register what she was saying, and he only nodded vaguely, still admitting the tree. They moved on again, but he still looked back once more. Those were the trees that nearly brought his father to tears when he saw them agin, dying, falling, or, worst of all, in the path they needed to cut. His father was a tough, stern man who had never cried in front of his children for any reason... except for the old trees. This was the oldest tree Jude had ever seen. What would his father have said about this one.
“Have you ever traveled before? I mean… outside the kingdom?"
"Um." Jude blinked rapidly, pulling his mind to the present and trying to force it to react to the woman. "No. Not really. Well, once, yes, but I don't know if I would call it traveling. When I lost my leg... They didn't have the resources near here, so the train took me to the town just across the border. I don't remember the trip there at all." A partial lie, but not one he wanted to delve into. "I remember some of the trip back, but I was on medication that made reality... questionable. So, no, I do not count that as having really traveled. Other than that, I've rarely left the outpost."
The fire maiden offered a soft nod, her gaze lingering on Jude with a quiet understanding as he admitted his troubles remembering anything beyond the kingdom walls. So much lost. And, he was still so young. She wondered, just what had happened to him. What event had taken his leg… what pain had been endured so early in life to leave a scar that deep. But she didn’t ask, she wouldn’t. The questions sat heavy on her tongue, but her instincts told her they would only reopen wounds possibly still raw.
Behind them, the great, ancient tree loomed. Its twisted branches curled and tangled into the canopy above, creating dark patterns against the sky. But as they walked further, its looming shape gave way to younger trees, slender and full of light. The forest shifted in texture, less heavy, more open. The kind of woods where the wind could wander freely and sunlight might reach the ground.
The maiden took in a long breath. “Traveling’s not so bad,” she murmured, casting Jude a glance over her shoulder. “But this walk, it’s going to be long.” Her fingers adjusted the strap of her satchel, and her voice took on a more purposeful tone. “I’m hoping we can find a ride. It’ll save us time.” She flashed him a brief, warm smile, then added, “The man we need to see… he doesn’t exactly live close by.” She looked out across the forest. “He lives in a bog,” she said flatly. “Well beyond the kingdom’s reach. Which means a lot of walking, unless we get lucky.” As she spoke, they finally stepped out onto a dirt road, wide and clearly shaped by wheels and travel. The packed earth showed signs of long passed carts, horseshoes, and footprints, but the path was empty now.
The maiden paused, scanning the horizon. She listened. No clatter of wheels. No hoofbeats. No low hum of steam carts or caravans. Only the quiet breath of the woods and the occasional rustle of leaves. She sighed and turned to Jude, her firelight flickering gently in the breeze. “If you hear anything,” she said, her tone steady but hopeful, “carts, wagons, anything moving along this road, tell me right away. We’ll try and catch a ride.”
She glanced toward the sky where sunlight streaked through the canopy. With that, she stepped ahead, her feet light against the road as her glow resumed its gentle guidance. Yet something in her posture had shifted slightly, she pulled from her bag a rolled up piece of cloth. Preparing it for something, but keeping it under her arm as of right now.
Behind them, the great, ancient tree loomed. Its twisted branches curled and tangled into the canopy above, creating dark patterns against the sky. But as they walked further, its looming shape gave way to younger trees, slender and full of light. The forest shifted in texture, less heavy, more open. The kind of woods where the wind could wander freely and sunlight might reach the ground.
The maiden took in a long breath. “Traveling’s not so bad,” she murmured, casting Jude a glance over her shoulder. “But this walk, it’s going to be long.” Her fingers adjusted the strap of her satchel, and her voice took on a more purposeful tone. “I’m hoping we can find a ride. It’ll save us time.” She flashed him a brief, warm smile, then added, “The man we need to see… he doesn’t exactly live close by.” She looked out across the forest. “He lives in a bog,” she said flatly. “Well beyond the kingdom’s reach. Which means a lot of walking, unless we get lucky.” As she spoke, they finally stepped out onto a dirt road, wide and clearly shaped by wheels and travel. The packed earth showed signs of long passed carts, horseshoes, and footprints, but the path was empty now.
The maiden paused, scanning the horizon. She listened. No clatter of wheels. No hoofbeats. No low hum of steam carts or caravans. Only the quiet breath of the woods and the occasional rustle of leaves. She sighed and turned to Jude, her firelight flickering gently in the breeze. “If you hear anything,” she said, her tone steady but hopeful, “carts, wagons, anything moving along this road, tell me right away. We’ll try and catch a ride.”
She glanced toward the sky where sunlight streaked through the canopy. With that, she stepped ahead, her feet light against the road as her glow resumed its gentle guidance. Yet something in her posture had shifted slightly, she pulled from her bag a rolled up piece of cloth. Preparing it for something, but keeping it under her arm as of right now.
Jude looked up at the beautiful night sky for a moment. His foot catching on a branch reminded him that was not a good idea. He turned to watch where he was going, the fire maiden's light giving him secure footing. He was moving much more confidently on his wooden leg now, better than ever before, but he still did not fully trust it and carried his crutch. He wished he could have a shorter cane instead of a full crutch, but that was currently low on his priorities.
"I never thought about traveling," he remarked idly, not paying much attention to his words. They were just sounds to fill the painful silence. "I had daydreams, of course, like any boy, but it never seemed viable. Besides, the fuss and bother of travel never appealed. I traveled through books." He paused as they stepped onto the road and she warned him to listen and watch for fellow travelers. "Forgive me, ma'am, but you are made of fire. Can you disguise yourself somehow? I do not imagine many people will want to offer a ride to a firey being."
"I never thought about traveling," he remarked idly, not paying much attention to his words. They were just sounds to fill the painful silence. "I had daydreams, of course, like any boy, but it never seemed viable. Besides, the fuss and bother of travel never appealed. I traveled through books." He paused as they stepped onto the road and she warned him to listen and watch for fellow travelers. "Forgive me, ma'am, but you are made of fire. Can you disguise yourself somehow? I do not imagine many people will want to offer a ride to a firey being."
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