Roses on Fire ~ The Tale of Roses and Thorns 2.
Chapter 6~ That's how war works

The night was chilly and silent. Ivelle stood beside Adrastos and looked at the sky: it was clear with infinite number of stars shining. She turned to look at the man beside her. His ever so strict expression now changed into worry. She heard the string of a bow pang and then Adrastos fell to the ground. She panicked and looked around but everyone else was dead too. She started running as fast as she could, with her heart bumping in her throat.

Ivelle sat up suddenly, covered in sweat. Her heart beat fast, and it was hard to breath. She tried to take a few deep breath to calm herself.

After a moment or two that felt like forever, she managed to stand up and walk to her garderobe. Her dream just made it clear for her: she means harm and danger to everyone around her. She couldn’t let them get hurt or worse.

She silently opened her door and peered out. The guards were nowhere to be seen. She left the room and quickly started her way towards the stable.

Her heart was beating fast from the adrenalin and nervousness. She managed to get to the courtyard, where she could stay hidden easier between the tall bushes and trees.

She was nearly at the stables when someone grabbed her tightly, covered her mouth and dragged her behind a building. She tried to fight them off but failed miserably.

“Shhh. It’s me.” at the hearing of the familiar voice she stayed still and silent. The man released her.

“Adrastos?”

“What the hell are you doing here?” he whispered.

“I...”

“Yes?” the man looked at her expectantly, but she couldn’t answer. What was she doing there?

“I... I don’t know...” she confessed slowly “I thought-”

“Thought what?” asked Adrastos with rising anger “That you’d run off, leaving everything behind? Resuming the journey alone?! What were you thinking Ivelle, what?!” Adrastos turned away and took a few deep breaths.

“Yes.” she admitted. Now that he took it that way, it sounded ridiculous.

“You can’t be serious!”

“Yes I am.”

“You’re crazy.” Adrastos started pacing up and down like a lion in a cage “What was the plan? You barely know anything about what we are looking for, not to mention the cultures we’re looking for and the people. For Keres’s sake, you barely speak our language!”

“I know...”

“You know? Then tell me what were you thinking?”

“I wanted to protect everyone.”

“What?” the anger in his tone now changed into disbelief and concern “Protect everyone?”

“Yes.” now it was Ivelle’s turn to start pacing “Yes. Because wherever I go, whatever I do, people die or get hurt. My mother died, and my grandmother, and Poloma died, and Áedh got hurt and even Amardad died, although I didn’t knew her. All that because of me.” tears sprang into her eyes and although she tried to fight them back, she failed “And I can’t let that happen again.” for a few moments Adrastos just stood there shocked, while Ivelle stood there crying silently. Then all of a sudden Adrastos closed her into a hug.

“You don’t have to protect everyone.” he whispered into her ear. “Everyone here knows that there’s a possibility that they won’t survive this war. Áedh knew it, and Poloma too. We offered Poloma to leave, we offered to help her hide, but she refused. Áedh knew that by protecting you, he’ll possibly die. Your grandmother and mother possibly knew it too. And Amardad knew it for centuries. Delroy and I, we both know that possibly, we won’t survive and it’s okay, because that’s how war works. Everything has a cost, and sometimes it’s more than you want, but you have to be willing to pay it.”

“And what if I don’t want to pay it?”

“I’m afraid, that if you won’t others will.” Adrastos released her and looked into her eyes “Come on, let’s get back inside, before they notice us, and kick our asses for being outside without our company.” he grinned and led Ivelle away, throwing anxious looks at her from time to time.