For the next three days they walked, at night as the sun was setting Damian would stay with Lindsay, while the other three would set out to look for food. Ian and Alex would hunt for the other two and Mathew would look for something Lindsay could consume, while she and Damian also walked on in the direction of Ionna, looking as well for things she could eat. They had found a cluster of fruit trees the second night, the branches were filled with small fruits, the size of a golf ball and bright yellow. They had had a good laugh at her expense as she had bit into one and it popped like a water balloon, making her squeal with surprise. They had spent the night under the fruit trees, so in the morning they wouldn’t need to forage for more food. That morning she had learned to stick the entire fruit in her mouth before biting down, when it popped her mouth was filled with fruit juice that tasted like nothing she had ever had before. It was very sweet, like maple syrup and even though there wasn’t any actual fruit to chew and swallow after only one or two she was full and stayed full for the entire day.
They had managed to find more midnight berries the next day and once again she was surprised. The first time she had tried them, they reminded her of mangoes but this second time they were like pears. When asking Damian if they were the same plant he had smiled and nodded, explaining that they were called midnight berries, not because of the colour but because after dark their flavour changed. Lindsay mused for a while that night that if he had told her this only a few days ago she would have thought he was crazy. With everything she had been through and seem it was like some wild dream from which she couldn’t wake. It was the third day that she had gotten fed up with constantly walking in silence and had picked up playing I spy with Damian, after an hour the others had joined in the game.
By the middle of the day on the third day they broke from the trees and were now walking through fields of tall grass. Nothing as far as the eye could see but ripping green grass, swaying slowly in the slight breeze. In the distance she could see hillsides freckled with flowers, even now and again there was a small grouping of trees. As the sun started to set a small building came into view, the atmosphere changed, the vibes of her companions turned from tense and determined to a more relaxed and joyous one. Ian actually smiled and joked with Alex, the building was an abandoned farmhouse it turned out. It marked a place that was only a few more hours from the capital of Ionna, they would stay here for the night and continue in the morning.
This was supposed to make her happy and relaxed as it had made her companions but instead, she was anxious, tomorrow she would see the ivory city. Damian and Lindsay constantly at each other's sides went for a small walk to a place where there was a creek and she could wash up. Damian stayed with her, sitting on the bank of the creek with his back to her. The water reached her ribcage as she waded down into the middle of the creek, it was cold and yet pleasant. The day had been sweltering and even though the sun had mostly set, the temperature hadn’t dropped very much. Dipping her body down and submerging herself under the water. The shock of going from warm to cold was most welcome.
Gasping sharply as she came back up and broke the water’s surface, pushing her hair back with both hands, staying crouched down beneath the water. She hadn’t noticed how dirty she had become from sleeping on the ground and travelling by foot for days on end. Laughing softly as she heard Cassidy’s voice in her head scolding her for wearing the same clothing and shoes four days in a row.
“No soap I presume,” she called over to Damian, he turned his head a little, though careful not to look before he called back.
“There may be something at the farmhouse, I can’t leave you here,” Damian looked around after replying only to shout back at her once more “I could call out, but I think we would then be joined by three prickly Lycanthropes.” he laughed a little as though thinking this would be worth it.
“I can’t meet my-” she stopped before she called out she was meeting her father, remembering that they had been followed by someone Mathew suspected was looking for information. “The King, if I’m filthy. Damian please!?” she pleaded with the wolf.
“I can’t leave you unattended,” he did sound remorseful as he called back to her, and she was sure if she could see his face he would look it as well, Damian was always kind to her.
“I won't run away, I don’t know where I am, who is friendly and who is a potential enemy.” she reasoned with him. “We’re not so far from the house that if someone comes you wouldn’t hear me scream,” she smiled at herself, she had learned recently that not only could they pick out individual scents from their surroundings but they also had amazing hearing.
“Princess..” he started and this time he turned to look at her, seeing the determination on her face he sighed defeated. “Swear to me you’ll be here when I return?” at the slight nod of her head and her agreement that she would stay put, he turned to leave. Stopped for a moment and picked up her gown in his teeth, smirking at the look on her face as he turned and ran off. It amazed her how fast his large form could move, she didn’t even have the time to yell out after him for stealing her clothes before he was out of sight.
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