The Silent Quest, IziCain [red seas under red skies txt] 📗

was the most likely scenario? He’d yell at her again, nothing to be afraid of.
Anahita had seen something damned and dark in him in the kitchen, what had that been all about? Was he up to something he didn’t want to do or was he being... controlled?
“Hurry up!” he snapped, finally turning back to her and frowning. “There are Black Spectre’s in the forest ahead.”
Right now, she wasn’t worried about the Black monsters, it was him-
“I twisted my ankle,” she tried to fake cry and was surprised when a tear rapidly sprung and fell down her cheek. “It hurts.”
Sighing he came over and handed her the back bag, she put it on and climbed onto his back, he grunted something in fury and then- ran. She clung tight, just in case he himself lost the grip on ground and brought an end to both of their useless lives. He didn’t lose any grip and certainly wasn’t planning to drop her in the fall- just what she was about to think- and they reached the forest within easy timing.
He set her down, more although shrugged her off and began walking.
“Damn you!” she screamed as her ankle twisted for real. “Why are you acting so grumpy, what has got into you?”
He didn’t answer, so she carried on. “Tell me, or I'm not going any further with you, you have been hard and ill mannered since the drink at the cactus.” Her voice hardened with anger. “If you think you can overrule me, Ren Talon, you should try harder.”
He swung to her and she stopped acting like a complete fool, his face was more tense and angrier than ever. He looked nothing like his kind and lovely sister; he looked like a raged and disturbed monster. He stalked to her and she crawled backwards, leaves crunching under her hands, eyes on his. He stopped just by her feet and blinked.
In that blink his face fell polite, kind and almost the same as how it had been hours ago. Anahita began to worry about his mood changes; this could be a rather compelling journey. He squatted and sighed, eyes too light of a blue to even stare at, but still she looked into them with terror in her own.
“Look,” he said although it took his life’s energy. “The cactus doesn’t like males, the one we drank from. It only feeds to women who are noble and strong, even a giant of a man would not be granted enough of it, which is why I was only granted with warm water. Not cold.”
Anahita gasped, “What?”
He nodded regretfully, “the warm water stirred a string inside me, as it would have done with every other male. It raises the temper either good or bad, goodness.”
She frowned, “does that mean you were angry and it raised your anger?”
He nodded, eyes hardening but cooling when she backed away further. “Sorry, Anna, I should have told you. I asked for cool water, but like I said it only gives us hot water.”
She dipped her head, “that bloody cactus...”
“Hey,” he laughed, sounding like himself. “Come on, we must move on, a Black Spectre could be hanging about anywhere.”
He offered a hand and she took it painfully, he offered a back ride and she had beamed to it.
“Its fun,” she explained as soon as he ran. “By the way I was joking about the twisted ankle before, sorry.”
He nodded, “I knew.”
“How?”
“I know allot about you, things you don’t wish me to know. Things you don’t want to tell me, its part of who I am, Anna.”
Gulping down new thoughts about him knowing everything about her, she thought about their surroundings. It was a nice place, not as charming as the Charm Forest.
They took a short break because Anahita was hungry, Ren grabbed some cheese sandwiches from the bag and they both ate as quickly as they could. Their surroundings were rather dull looking since the moon was struggling to sharpen its light; everything was a rude yellowish grey, making Anahita want to sulk till death arrived. Ren pushed on allot, over fallen trees and under calved in branches, it was hard with Anahita on his back, so she had to crawl through some places by herself. Her clothes were nor ripped nor dirty from the half night journey, but she knew that beneath she was torn and bruised to high heavens.
Continuing on with one foot, they caught sight of a tall Black Spectre, its scent was nose blowing, and its sight was mind melting. Ren kept Anahita close, in case she shrieked and they had to make a run for it, but thankfully she didn’t say or move wrongly an inch. The Black Spectre sat on a fallen log and was still as tall as the high branches, the hood was over its head and the staff was resting along its knees. It looked to be snoozing, but neither traveller exchanged any thoughts about attacking it. They slipped by it easily, breathing only when it was far behind; Anahita glanced around and kept an eye out for more Blacks.
Thankfully, to her first wish for safety, there were none seen.

Ren stopped just outside the Charger Forest; he hiked Anahita higher and stepped into the blank whiteness. To Anahita it was just a white sheet when they had stopped, now it was a huge gate in which they were now entering. The gate was a brass gold, calved with weaving shapes of flowers and petals and in between the two middles of both sides was the word:
ARABIA.
Anahita swallowed and allowed Ren to carry her through; her instinct was to run away and never come back, memories surged and collided with her actions. She almost choked Ren, but he laughed and shrugged although he wanted her to kill him. She would have, back when he was having his drinks angry moments.
The streets of Arabia were beautiful, deserted with tall and small people even at this time of night, shops were open and houses were alive. The candle lights were blinding and Anahita giggled, shaking her head hard just to make sure she was looking at the right scenery and not a dream.
“Excited?” he asked, sounding almost relieved to make it to Arabia.
Anahita smiled, “yes. Although I can’t really remember gates being there, it’s so lovely!”
Ren nodded, “the gates were installed after the flood, and to keep creatures away, including the Persians. They’re protected, did you see the white light?” she nodded. “That blinds the evil who tries to cross the border, but to those who travel to Arabia to serve or live they are most welcome. Here, Anna, nature calls us and allows us almost everything.”
Nodding dumbly she asked to be let down, she limped against him and they made their way slowly between decorated houses and scent filled gardens. Ren talked and joked, informing her of where they were going. He said that he needed to report back to the King as soon as he got her, and now Anahita’s stomach was in nervous knots.
“Are you important to the King?” she asked as they walked up a steady hill.
He shrugged, “of course. I’m the Kings Head guard; I give orders to other guards and so forth. Why do you ask?”
A lump grew in her throat, “do you order beatings?”
He frowned at himself, and then remembered her state when he found her in the kitchen. He laughed.
“No, we do not beat. It is in Arabian culture not to harm someone else; the Persians worked you hard, didn’t they?”
Anahita looked away to hide her tears, “yes. Every day.”
They said nothing more until they reached the top of the hill and came face to face with the Castle doors, just like the ones of Queen Concetta. Anahita had to crane her neck just to take a dimmed look at the highest tower; the pointed tip looked dangerous, if it was to fall and that dangerous pencil tip was to slice through a-
“Ren!” the voice was so loud Anahita cried out in shock.
One male guarded the Castle door, his armour was thick as a tree trunk, made him look like a giant cheese roll. Ren hurried over while Anahita stuck to him like a painful ache.
“Jacob!” Ren barked in equal delight and half embraced the other guard.
Jacob had a small face, probably the same age as Ren himself with dark hair and black eyes. He eyed Anahita thoughtfully.
“By the name of Darda’il, Ren, you shift from ugliest to pretties. What is your name, girl?”
Anahita raised a brow and coughed, “that is restricted from your knowledge.”
Ren grinned, “She is clever and mean all at the same time, she speaks the truth Jacob. That is restricted for your ears.”
Jacob shrugged and pushed a large lever down, the heavy doors awkwardly opened inwards and a huge hall was revealed.
Anahita’s jaw flung open, the Castle was beautiful. No guards standing around the walls wasting their time, no useless people hanging about and chatting and certainly no cold blooded individuals who laughed when they saw an Arabian. Anahita smiled at a nearby lady who waved right at her, like they’d known each other for a very long time. Ren was fixed to nodding around, pointing at important sculptures and showing her paintings of Kings and Queens. Amongst them, Anahita saw Ren, maybe just a few years younger than he was now.
“Ren,” she frowned. “If these are Kings and Queens, then why are you here?”
He shrugged, “all royals are displayed on this gallery wall. Princes and princesses...”
Anahita jerked back and almost tripped, Ren grabbed her sleeve and kept her up on both feet. She blinked at him, like she was awakening from a trance.
“You’re a prince?”
He nodded.
“Prince, Ren?”
He nodded again and added, “Yes of course. Ulrika is a princess, there she is.” He pointed to a picture of a young girl seated on a throne, a huge smile printed on her pretty face. Anahita smiled, wonder and confusion mixing up inside her.
“Then the King would be your uncle, am I right?”
“Indeed, King Patrick has ruled since our parents were taken by Mu’aqquibat. He knows where they are, a very kind individual, offers us his help.”
Anahita turned to the sounds of loud clapping, a few people stood nearby cheering at a guard who looked rather tire but impressed. Ren helped her forward and they joined the little crowd, what they were happy about was rather scary. The guard had just been outside the back walls of Arabia and had taken down seventeen wolves and two Black Spectres, Anahita was astonished. Ren was talking loudly; other people stared at Anahita who clung to him like refuge. She waved and trotted on after him, the guard was with them all the way up the red carpeted stairs. His name was Boron, a warrior who defended the Arabian walls along with his army.
“I don’t like the job anymore,” Boron nudged Ren. “Maybe you can take over for me sometime soon, you’re young and talented and who is this gorgeous beauty you bring with you?”
Ren winked at Anahita, “this is my wife.”
Boron clapped, huge hands almost like slaps, “Ren this is excellent news! When did this happen?”
Ren laughed, Anahita played up with the act. “It was in the middle of a fight with a Black Spectre and a pack of wolves.”
Boron looked at her, “amazing. Tell me, if you do not mind, what is your name?”
Anahita grinned, “That is restricted from your knowledge, and we are not married. Ren and I were just teasing.”
Boron wiped his brow, “got me there, whoa. I was going to say that Ren has good taste, why are you here then, girl?”
“She’s going to work alongside Uncle Patrick,” Ren informed as they took a right turn into a cold hallway, the pillars giving way into a large garden full of tulips and roses.
Boron frowned, “Ren, you can’t do that. Look at her, what you going to make her do? Clean pots, slay dragons?”
“Work alongside King Patrick,” Ren said sternly.
They walked on in silence, which