Miladi

“Agh!” Sinnos’s complaint came from the driver’s seat, above the drumming of the rain on the roof. “Curse the day I took this job!”

He had been cursing since noon, when the morning drizzle turned into a downpour. The Old Svalich Road, rough enough to begin with, had become a quagmire where the horses slipped and the cart lurched from side to side.

The clouds rolled down from the mountains like a dirty blanket, so low they seemed to brush the treetops. Inside, nobody spoke. In the cramped space, every jolt threw them against one another. Ireena watched through the small side window as the landscape vanished behind the curtain of water.

The front right wheel sank into a hole with a crunch. The cart tipped sharply and stopped. Everyone pressed against the opposite side to keep it from overturning.

“It’s stuck,” Sinnos announced, jumping down with a splash. “Everybody out.”

Alexis was the first out. She sank to her ankles in cold, sticky mud that sucked at her boots with every step.

Kaleb followed with a grimace, Laghai slipped out in silence, and Pancracio climbed down trying to keep some dignity in the pouring rain.

Ireena hesitated on the step. Pancracio offered her his hand and she climbed down; her shoes disappeared into the muck.

“Sinnos, stay with the horses,” said Laghai, examining the wheel. “We’ll push.”

They lined up behind the cart. Ireena stayed off to one side, watching the others take their places.

“On three!” Sinnos shouted from the front. “One, two, three!”

They pushed with all their strength. Feet slipped, arms trembled, until the wheel came free with a wet sound and the cart rolled a few yards before Sinnos reined in the horses.

They stood panting in the rain, mud up to their knees, their breath turning to steam.

Sinnos crouched by the wheel, wiping his hands on his trousers.

“Kaleb, where did you get this piece of junk?”

“This ‘piece of junk’ is taking us where we need to go!” Kaleb protested, pressing a hand to his chest. “What did you expect, a royal carriage?”

“At least the princess didn’t ruin her dress,” Sinnos muttered, glancing at Ireena.

Kaleb burst out laughing.

Ireena lowered her head and pulled up her hood.

Alexis opened her mouth, but Pancracio got there first.

“I think that’s enough.”

Alexis looked at him, surprised.

Sinnos ignored him and rapped on the axle with his knuckles.

“We can keep going, but we need to find shelter for the night. We won’t get far in this weather, and the horses are exhausted.”

---

They found shelter under a stand of ancient oaks whose interlaced branches made a roof that kept off most of the rain. The ground was almost dry, covered in dead leaves and moss that muffled their steps.

It took Kaleb several tries to light a fire, arguing under his breath with the flint. When the flames finally caught, everyone gathered close to hold their hands out to the warmth.

The woodsmoke mingled with the smell of wet earth. Sinnos unloaded supplies while Laghai tended to the horses: he dried them with rags and made sure they had clean water and some oats.

Pancracio hung his cloak on a low branch to dry and sat down near the fire with a sigh. Kaleb handed out hard bread and sausage without much ceremony.

Ireena looked around: the ground of damp leaves, the cloaks hanging from the branches, the gray sky peeking through the treetops.

“We’re going to sleep here?” she asked. “Outdoors?”

There was no complaint in her voice, only surprise.

Sinnos and Kaleb exchanged a look. Laghai kept eating without looking up.

“Would you rather we found you an inn?” said Sinnos. “Maybe there’s one behind that tree.”

“But it’s the best part of traveling!” Kaleb chimed in. “Sleeping under the stars…”

He looked up. Between the branches there was nothing but clouds.

“Well, under the clouds.”

Ireena set the bread down on her knees and didn’t say another word.

The others went back to their conversations. After a while, she got up without a word and walked off toward where Laghai had tied the horses.

Alexis was making coffee as she watched her. For a moment she hesitated. Then she poured two cups.

---

Two horses were tied to a tree. One was dark brown and skittish; it snorted and flicked its ears at every sound. The other, smaller, had a light chestnut coat, white spots on its muzzle and calm eyes that settled on Ireena.

She stroked its neck slowly.

“You didn’t choose to be here either, did you?” she whispered.

The animal snorted and pushed its muzzle against her hand.

“That’s Miladi.”

Ireena started and stepped back, quickly wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. Alexis stood a few steps away, holding two steaming cups.

“I…” she began.

Alexis came closer and held out one of the cups.

“Something hot will do you good.”

Ireena took it with clumsy fingers, not daring to meet her eyes. Neither of them said anything; the steam from the coffee mingled with their breath in the cold air.

Alexis stroked Miladi’s neck with her free hand.

“She’s my favorite.”

Ireena glanced at her sideways.

“Sorry about earlier,” said Alexis, still looking at the mare. “They went too far.”

Ireena nodded. She didn’t know what to say.

“I feel like we got off on the wrong foot,” she said at last, almost in a whisper. “And it’s a long trip… I’d like us to be okay.”

Alexis gave a small smile.

“We’re okay.”

Ireena returned a brief smile. Her eyes dropped to the two swords at Alexis’s waist.

“So… have you been doing this for long?”

“A while.” Alexis took a sip of coffee. “What about you? Have you ever been outside the village?”

Ireena took her time answering. She turned the cup in her hands.

“Let’s say I have.” She paused. “But I don’t remember it.”

Alexis looked at her, puzzled.

Branches cracked behind them. Miladi’s head jerked up and the brown horse pulled at its rope, snorting. Alexis spun around, her hand already on the pommel of one of her swords.

Ireena followed her gaze. In the shadows, two ravens were settling onto the lowest branch of an oak. One ruffled its feathers and went still, watching them.

“That gave me a fright,” said Ireena, with a nervous laugh.

“Yeah…”

Alexis was still looking toward the woods. Her cup lay overturned in the leaves, the coffee darkening the earth.

The ravens weren’t moving anymore, but she didn’t loosen her fingers on the sword. They were trembling, just slightly.

Ireena wondered whether Alexis hadn’t chosen to be here either.