Sequel: The Game ›
Status: complete, but revisions are being made
The Pauper Princess
Chapter Twenty-Seven
It took a good thirty minutes to find a place we thought would be shallow enough and with a slow enough current to cross. Jegan was the first to enter the river. His horse had a bit of difficulty in the middle where the swiftest current was, but he managed to make it across. Ekohl and Mehta went next. Mehta awoke when the water reached her feet, as it was freezing cold. I saw her nod sleepily as Ekohl explained what was going on. They made it through easily with the extra weight of an additional person to hold the horse’s feet on the river bottom.
I was hesitant to cross, but I steeled myself and urged my horse slowly forward. The water slowly reached the height of my feet, and I flinched at the shocking cold. I could feel the blood chilling in my veins as a shiver ran up my spine.
The water inched higher and higher until it reached my calves, but I was only a quarter of the way across the river. Before I even reached the middle, my horse slipped, causing my muscles to tense. In a moment, he was able to get his footing again, but he was reluctant to proceed. I waited a moment, and then urged him to continue. He still seemed anxious, but he obeyed.
My horse took a few steps more, and once again lost his footing. I looked to the opposite shore for some kind of encouragement. Three pairs of eyes were watching me intently. I dug my heel into the horse’s side to make him move again. I could feel his muscles quaking- from fear or the icy water I don’t know- but he tentatively took another step.
I looked up again. We were still a few feet from the middle of the river. All too late I realized we wouldn’t make it across. The current was too strong, and I wasn’t heavy enough to help weigh my horse down. I panicked and pulled back on the reins. I only wanted my horse to stop, but he must have lifted his front hooves. In an instant he was swept from under me by the current.
There was a second’s delay before my foot, which was still looped in the stirrups, dragged me under with my horse. The water did little to lessen the weight of the horse as he ground my leg into the stony bottom of the river, and the icy temperature sucked the breath right out of me. The horse struggled to stand, but my body felt like lead. My chest ached, and I knew I had to get to the surface.
I tried to force myself through the five feet of water, but the current pushed me down and kept my body on the bottom of the river. I wildly clawed at the water, fighting to reach the surface.
Suddenly a strong arm grasped my waist and dragged me to the surface, forcing any remaining air from my lungs in the process.
The instant my head broke through to the surface I tried to inhale, taking in nearly as much water as air. But the current pulled us under again. I could feel the speed of the water increasing. My would-be savior swam with the current and tried to use it to propel us to the shore, but the drag created by my dress and cloak forced us under water again. We were barely able to surface and gulp in a quick breath of air before being sucked under again.
I felt a hand reach for my cloak and rip off the badge that was keeping it fastened. The cloak was swiftly swept away by the rushing current. With a little less cloth to drag, we were finally able to swim to shallower water. I finally confirmed, as we stumbled out of the river, that it was Ekohl who had jumped in after me. He half dragged me as I forced my numb limbs to carry me to the edge of the river. I collapsed nearly on top of him on the soft grass as we tried to cough up water from our lungs. I had never before thought that such a simple act could cause such joy.
I was hesitant to cross, but I steeled myself and urged my horse slowly forward. The water slowly reached the height of my feet, and I flinched at the shocking cold. I could feel the blood chilling in my veins as a shiver ran up my spine.
The water inched higher and higher until it reached my calves, but I was only a quarter of the way across the river. Before I even reached the middle, my horse slipped, causing my muscles to tense. In a moment, he was able to get his footing again, but he was reluctant to proceed. I waited a moment, and then urged him to continue. He still seemed anxious, but he obeyed.
My horse took a few steps more, and once again lost his footing. I looked to the opposite shore for some kind of encouragement. Three pairs of eyes were watching me intently. I dug my heel into the horse’s side to make him move again. I could feel his muscles quaking- from fear or the icy water I don’t know- but he tentatively took another step.
I looked up again. We were still a few feet from the middle of the river. All too late I realized we wouldn’t make it across. The current was too strong, and I wasn’t heavy enough to help weigh my horse down. I panicked and pulled back on the reins. I only wanted my horse to stop, but he must have lifted his front hooves. In an instant he was swept from under me by the current.
There was a second’s delay before my foot, which was still looped in the stirrups, dragged me under with my horse. The water did little to lessen the weight of the horse as he ground my leg into the stony bottom of the river, and the icy temperature sucked the breath right out of me. The horse struggled to stand, but my body felt like lead. My chest ached, and I knew I had to get to the surface.
I tried to force myself through the five feet of water, but the current pushed me down and kept my body on the bottom of the river. I wildly clawed at the water, fighting to reach the surface.
Suddenly a strong arm grasped my waist and dragged me to the surface, forcing any remaining air from my lungs in the process.
The instant my head broke through to the surface I tried to inhale, taking in nearly as much water as air. But the current pulled us under again. I could feel the speed of the water increasing. My would-be savior swam with the current and tried to use it to propel us to the shore, but the drag created by my dress and cloak forced us under water again. We were barely able to surface and gulp in a quick breath of air before being sucked under again.
I felt a hand reach for my cloak and rip off the badge that was keeping it fastened. The cloak was swiftly swept away by the rushing current. With a little less cloth to drag, we were finally able to swim to shallower water. I finally confirmed, as we stumbled out of the river, that it was Ekohl who had jumped in after me. He half dragged me as I forced my numb limbs to carry me to the edge of the river. I collapsed nearly on top of him on the soft grass as we tried to cough up water from our lungs. I had never before thought that such a simple act could cause such joy.