Alomina or The Book of Many Journeys Ch. 10

Chapter Ten: Troubles Anew

Five days later, Percy got another mysterious letter, apparently of the same origin, for he treated it as like to the first one without a second glance. Mina watched him tear it and glare silently into the distance, then continuing with his doings as if little or nothing had happened. He seemed ever-growingly distant and unfathomable. He still said nothing of his reason for such actions, nor concerning the letter at all. He kept completely to himself whatever was troubling or irking him, which was quite unusual for Percy. What was wrong? Not the first time for that question, and not the last. Mina constantly wondered about it.

She asked Percy to go riding with her again after the silent breakfast, but he had to go to an assembly of the court or something important of the like. So, instead, she went riding on her own, still ever-thinking of what was about. She only wished she knew what those letters were.

Why would he tear them so? Were they important? No he would not have torn them if they were. Were they then quite unimportant? No, he would not have wasted his time destroying them with such vigor and disapproval were they simply nothing of consequence. What were they then? She knew not. But, for the moment at least, she tried to instead focus on her joy ride as she walked to the stable.

As she was saddling Alexandria, she heard a soft rustling. She turned abruptly, but saw nothing. What was that? Probably nothing of any consequence (or so she tried to assure herself). Perhaps it had been only a small animal from the edge of the forests.

She mounted Alexandria and guided her forward. She neared the pathway so often trod by her and Percy, though now alone. A much-trodden path, trodden in the days when they had no secrets or troubles they could not share. Were there now any troubles they could not share? Was Percy hiding something from her? No, no! Why would he? But, then, why else would he keep those letters to himself if it wasn't trouble? She had so many questions. And what had that rustling noise been? Surely it was nothing.... but then, somehow it unnerved her, and she felt quite unsteady about it, though it seemed so obviously trivial.

She rode on. Suddenly, there it was again. The rustling noise sounded even louder and nearer than before making Mina start. She was just on the edge of the estates, and she considered going back. She then checked herself. What foolishness! Why should she go back? Because she heard some small nothing that she imagined to be something? No, what a silly notion indeed. So she simply looked back to see whether there was really anything there. But when she turned to look at whatever it was, just as before, she saw nothing. Perhaps it had been hidden... or hidden itself. It seemed as though whatever it had been was steadily following her.

No, what a ludicrousness of course! She held herself higher, pushing herself on to simply scorn her childish nature as its silly fancies attempted juvenilely to lead her astray. So she turned her focus away, telling herself it was nothing and trying to stay calm. Her silky green veil blew around her face as she rode on slowly and cautiously. Though it covered her face completely already, she pulled it closer and fastened it tighter warily in a securing gesture.

Whatever it was that was making the breaking rustling noise, be it even just a noise from a small animal, she didn't like it. She hoped it was gone, despite the fact that it was most likely nothing of any purpose or consequence. It was only her child-like character that persuaded her in the least to be afraid... or was it perhaps intuition?

She rode softly and looked around for whatever it was a moment more. She took out her horsewhip carefully. She looked around again. Nothing. Nothing at all. She put her whip back and told herself off for what seemed the millionth time.

She heard another louder rustling, and then, before she could turn to see, everything went absolutely black.

***

Alomina woke up on the ground, and everything was blurry. She could not get up, nor move more than mild semi-rolling. Her head ached terribly, and part of her green veil blew about her face, confusing her vision and creating a dizzying effect. She tried to put her hand to her head woozily, but to no avail. She attempted to observe her surroundings as she lay there helpless.

She could see the very dim light of what looked like a campfire. Two horses stood close, or at least, they looked like horses, she couldn't really tell precisely. She saw what looked like a person near the fire and her heart lifted momentarily in the hopes that the someone would help her. It was a childish hope, but it was perhaps worth trusting.

She tried to call out to the shadowy figure, but she only let out a small and indistinct moan. The person abruptly turned, and moved towards her. The vague form was now so close that if her eyesight had been perhaps better, she would have been able to see his every feature. Right before he was within touching distance, she fainted, and once again, all was veiled in darkness.

***

The Count rekindled the fire. He inwardly questioned why he wasn't just cutting to the chase, and taking out this Lord de Blyrwen. Sure, his 'employer' had told him not to, but this was ridiculous. Just because apparently de Blyrwen did not fear personal harm, kidnap a girl instead? But, regardless of his sentiments on the matter, Count Montefore had kidnapped some noblewoman as he had been ordered. He had given her a sleeping herb mixture, making her quite unconscious, as she yet still was.

It was not that the Count wanted to take any serious action with the girl (for, he did prefer to deal more gently with women when he had to come into contact with them), it was only that he wondered why his employer didn't just have him do something now. He supposed that she would be used as an 'either or ' kind of thing.

He thought about her, trying to find some detail that could prove anything. Maybe that she was some valuable aristocrat, somehow worth something. There must be something about her aside from her relation to de Blyrwen. Surely just being family to him as she was wasn't the value about her. No high courtier or nobleman ever cared so much about one girl sister, cousin, or whoever she was to him. So he looked, observing every detail, expecting perhaps something more to her.

She lay on a cloak over the ground, her face covered by a green, silky veil, and her green riding dress being blown about her untidily by the wind. Part of her waist-length, tousled, semi-curly hair stuck out from under her veil. It was a soft, chocolate-brown color, somehow familiar to him. Though the Count did not see her face, she reminded him quite vaguely of someone.

She certainly wasn't that strong-looking, so that was not where her value lied. She was well-dressed, but certainly not too flamboyantly or all too richly, so that must not be it either. She must be valuable as a family member then to de Blyrwen after all if she was being kidnapped. Somehow she just seemed vaguely familiar to him. But he knew not who she was beyond a family member of some kind to the Lord Percy de Blyrwen. He did not anticipate any sudden recalling of who she was, memorable as she seemed to him. It didn't really matter though, so he tried to put it aside for the moment, thinking it was nothing.

He mentally put aside all but his present doings, as he knew he had to. He looked around, trying to occupy himself. He have to occupy himself a good bit on the journey he was anticipating. He certainly did not anticipate anything of what was to come any past bringing her to the Vellethian man who sent him, though (as was his journey's goal). She would be taken to the royal unconscious hopefully, so no catastrophe would occur and no escape attempt was made.

Whether or not his sleeping mixture would keep things calm was yet to be seen. But at least for now, all was calm. For how much longer it would be so, he knew not.