Underestimate Me

The voyage navigating through the dense overgrown forest was a slow one and Josselyn and her sisters were trudging through it with a tedious pace. As they reached the river crossing, she could finally breathe again. Dark was not yet creeping up between the leaves and they needed only to travel a little ways further before setting up camp. She could breathe again, the crisp air surrounding the little forest river seemed to clear her head. The water was splashing over rocks as the stream took with it all that was loose. Branches and rubble was dragged along, and all they needed to do was cross this tumultuous water force. They would reach a clearing Josselyn knew was hidden and safe.

With Meredith by her side her feet trudged the water. Its ice cold wetness surrounded her ankles at first, cooling her down and sending shivers throughout her body. Little goosebumps appeared on her skin, as if the cold was trying to escape her body. She looked behind her, her sisters following suit, entering the stream as well. Its force was obvious, tugging at their feet, trying to let them join its journey. Josselyn was now calf deep into the river and she felt a fish passing between her legs.

“Tread lightly and full of caution. Maa is on our side, but she still wants my sisters to join her as spirits. Don’t give in to her wishes,” Josselyn told the sisters around her. She moved first, planting her feet on the slippery rocks that made the crossing. Her sisters followed. They stepped in her footsteps, for the rocks were solid and would bear their weight as well.

Meredith was passing over to the other side as well and Josselyn's eye kept getting drawn to her blond sister. She had tied the shoulder length blond locks together, yet some little strands had escaped and hung down her neck, tickling the skin that appeared above the tight leather bodice. Meredith set her foot on a large boulder, in the midst of the stream. It was mossy and looked slippery. Josselyn’s muscles tensed up, seeing her sister taking that treacherous step. As Meredith put weight on her legs, her foot lost its grip and she slipped. Josselyn did not think, she moved, she moved as she had not done before. Before Meredith hit the rocks she dove toward her beloved sister and grabbed her by the arm, yanking her back up and making their bodies crash together. Barely keeping balance she grabbed onto Meredith and encircled her waist with her hands, pulling her sister close and keeping them both from falling. She felt how Meredith heart was sprinting beneath her chest and her shallow speeding breath hit her own skin.

“Watch you step, sister,” Josselyn said as she let go off Meredith, her lips still near to her ear. Their bodies disengaged and they just stood there panting. Meredith spoke to her with a glance of gratitude; she was still a bit shaky on her feet and for that purpose, Josselyn kept a steady grip of her sister’s soft and lean hands. As they noticed their surroundings again, several sisters were looking at them, their faces painted with stupor.

“As said earlier, please sisters, I cannot lose you to this tricky river and its slippery rocks,” Josselyn said as her voice changed from a soft intimate one to one befitting of a leader. They moved on and the grip on her heart loosened up when she saw her last sisters safely reaching their destination. The horses were given their peace and greens as they rested beneath the dark and thick growth of aged trees.

Josselyn had looked upon the arrangements that were being made for their captured enemy. The tents were being set up all around her and in the middle of the clearing, in full sight for all the sisters; a pole was put to the ground. Some of the sisters were pounding it in the dry ground. The forest was dense and there would be no rain tonight. He would be as comfortable as the pole would let him be, but he would be watched. Watched by more than just one guard. He would be watched by the complete sisterhood, on display for his misdoings.

“You cannot be here Rowen!” Her voice was hushed and tinged with a bit of angst. She had crawled into bed early. This day had been as tiresome as it had been memorable. It was the day she had gotten her first moon’s blood. She felt as the red blood was leaving her body, her energy was drained as well. The women of the village had come by to congratulate her on her womanhood. She was not a girl anymore; she was a young woman, finally ready to be married. Soon a just match was too be found for her, but any other male encounters were forbidden.

“Forget what my father thinks, forget his futile rules,” A boyish grin appeared on his face. He had reached her by passing the roofs and had ducked into her window by climbing all the way up. “All I want to do is see you.” His words were as sweet as they were foolish. Josselyn knew it was honey he had sold to many maidens.

“You want to see every girl Rowen, now get out; you will get me in trouble!” Josselyn hissed. A little mischievous smile appeared on his face now. He was not to be sent away so easily; he was after all Elrik's eldest son. There was only one way to get him to leave. He might be a proud young man, but he excelled at saving his own skin. Josselyn took in a gulp of air before she started screaming: “Father?!”

Shadows were creeping up and the camp was finally set. Her tenth was up and her bed was made. It would be time to rest her weary head. It was time to get some peace and rest, but Josselyn knew it was not to be. She had business to attend. She was standing in the opening of her resting place, the canvas held to the side, bound to one of the tent’s poles. Josselyn followed the shadows with a cautious glare. The sun was not completely down yet, the sky turning blood red from her sacrifice. She would rise anew the next morning, knowing she would die soon after again. The moon had already appeared in the sky, he was anxious to live his part of the nychthemeron. Soon darkness would win and cover the complete camp. The fires would be put out and the glowing embers would give up eventually.

Rowen was sitting at his pole again. His arms bound behind his lean muscular back, his head hung slightly down and he was being fed by Laila. Josselyn had entrusted his care to her. She was to keep him fed and keep his wounds from festering. Aldith would be keeping guard tonight and another sister would take over that duty in a couple of hours.

Meredith stood next to her. Both silent and not touching, though her presence was enough. Both were watching their war prize. A prize that like many things of war was as much of a blessing as it was a curse. Josselyn had had some time to clear her head and find the coolness again to continue her quest. She knew what she had to do; she knew the burden she had to carry.

“I need some answers,” She said in a mumble to her second in command, who only nodded after hearing the words. “I need to get them and I know only one way how.” A little smile appeared on the face of Meredith. Her sister knew the next words that would be spoken. Dusk was encasing her face and her pale hair stood out in the winning twilight. Josselyn studied the profile of her confidant and remembered the fearful face of her sister when she almost slipped into the ice of the river. The true face of Meredith had revealed itself in those alarming moments. She emoted more, in high contrast to the coldness she wore so proudly. The face that only knew coldness, justice and revenge. Josselyn knew so many other faces that Meredith kept hidden so carefully. Josselyn had seen them all, as Meredith had explored all her scars.

“I do not trust myself with this man. I am scared Maa’s wrath will engulf me and he will not live,” Josselyn replayed the earlier incident before her eyes again. She saw how the knife had left her hand and had continued its flight to just miss his shoulder. She had missed on purpose, yet her anger had taken over and clouded her mind.

“I would not shed a tear if you would to kill this creature,” Meredith spoke, almost spitting out the words, talking about the man made her sister almost physically sick to the stomach.

“I know my delightful sister, I know. But I need you keep the calm I do not possess. I need him hurt, not killed. I know you can do it. You stopped in the middle of battle, for me. The animal lust for the kill did not overwhelm your love.” Meredith found a sad smile upon her face remembering the failed attempt of murder.

“I promise you will get to take out your wrath on him, my sister. But first fetch Emma would you?” The somewhat satanic smile on Meredith lips gave Josselyn chills. She could not decide if it was from dismay or from pleasure, but the chills ran from her toes to the top of her head. Meredith left her side in search of the little innocent girl that reminded her of her Rebecca so much. She had joined them not long ago and she had been different than the others. She did not possess the depth in her eyes, the emptiness she herself had seen when looking at her reflection in the water. She had been filled by the air of innocence, but not for long now. Josselyn would put an end to it, rather sooner than later.

She watched as fireflies illuminated the sky. They danced as if there was no tomorrow. The night was mesmerizingly beautiful, darkness now soon setting. It was enchanted by dark forces, but no beauty in the world could make her next action any more appealing.