Zyheed POV
I tightened my hold on the large bags in my hands as I walked into the stables. I made my way to the back and found my horse in the gate. She popped her head up as she heard my voice.
"Are you ready to go?"
I pulled an apple from one of my bags and put it in front of her mouth. She quickly took it from my hand and I unlocked the gate. She was a solid chestnut color with a blonde mane. I hooked my bags on the saddle and began placing the bridle in her mouth. I petted her head and pulled her outside the stables. I pulled myself onto her back and we began to head toward the boats.
Still nothing. At this point, I'm not sure if I'll ever find that woman. No one knew anything about her. It's as if she doesn't even exist. She has to be on one of these islands, she can't hide forever.
I moved large leaves to the side as my horse walked the dirt trail. What am I missing? Maybe, I should try talking to the leaders next time. But if they are anything like the leaders back home, they wouldn't even spare me a glance let alone give me information about their history. Well, no matter what I must keep moving forward.
The trees began to rise from the trail, clearing my view. I quickly caught two people further in the distance, they seemed to be leaning against a tree. Lovers, perhaps? I quickly averted my gaze as my horse was beginning to pass by them.
"I can't believe they think that you're the Savior. You can't even fight. I'm doing the world a favor."
My spin straightened, and I glanced at them in the corner of my eyes. My mahogany eyes met bronze ones. The woman held eye contact with me only for a second before paying back attention to the man in front of her. I blinked and looked back in front of me.
That has nothing to do with me. Just keep moving. But she is being threatened? She's probably a criminal. Why would a criminal be a savior? It's none of my business. But what if she is the savior? Wouldn't she be of help?
I stopped my horse and slid off of her. The man seemed to not have noticed me walking toward them as he kept talking to the woman. I quickly grabbed the back of the man's collar and pulled him away from the woman. He stumbled a little before attacking me with a dagger in his hand. I simply dodged his attack, grabbed his hand, and snapped it out of place. The man let out a scream while the dagger fell to the ground.
"Leave before I break the next one," I threatened.
The man hurried from me. I pulled the large spear from my back and pointed the sharp end of it toward the woman's face. Her eyes grew wide.
"Don't even think about running."
The woman stayed still against the tree as I examined her. She wore a dark green dress with black sandals. Dark brown straps wrapped tightly against her narrow shoulders in order to hold the large bag on her back. Her dark hair was a medium-sized afro which matched the roundness of her face. Her skin was a lot lighter than mine, almost the color of hazelnut. She had a thin build and her height only came up to my chest.
She's small. I would have to agree with the man from earlier. It's hard to believe that she's supposed to be the savior.
"Are you the chosen one from the legend?"
The woman stayed silent as she stared up at me.
I narrowed my eyes, "Answer me."
The woman opened her mouth, "No . . . I don't know what he was talking about," her voice cracked as her eyes darted toward the side.
She was obviously lying. I opened my mouth but something cold pressed against the side of my neck.
"Remove your weapon from her or I will not hesitate to remove your head from your shoulders," a male's voice threatened.
I stared at the woman in front of me and slowly lowered my spear. The woman seemed to relax a bit as she let out a breath.
"Come over here, Rayah," the male voice said.
I followed the woman named Rayah with my eyes as she quickly walked around me and out of my view.
"Now slowly turn around."
I followed what the man said and took every turn slowly. Dark brown eyes connected with my own.
Well, that answers my question.
The man wore silver armor around his chest, arms, and legs. He was only a few inches shorter than me and his blonde hair touched his eyebrows.
The man held strong onto his sword as he continued to press it against my neck, "Who are you and what do you want?"
I organized my thoughts, "I am a traveler and what I want, well that's already been answered."
"Why did you attack her?"
"I didn't attack her, I simply threatened her so she could answer my question."
"Why? Why did you want to know?" The woman spoke and stepped beside her knight.
A face of a woman appeared before me and my jaw tightened, "That's private information, sweetheart."
The knight narrowed his eyes at me as Rayah walked up to me.
"In less than 24 hours I have been attacked twice and I'm assuming that you're not with the previous attackers, so you will answer my question or so help me."
Rayah glared at me but her eyes were filled with more. Something I couldn't put my finger on. This woman obviously didn't have any fight training but her knight has only had fight training. I glanced toward the knight, and his eyes held confidence, no doubt wavered within him. I could take both of them easily.
"I wanted to help you."
The knight glared at me and pushed his sword more against me, "Stop lying."
"I'm not. That's why I'm traveling to find where the dragons lay and destroy them."
"And how do you expect to do that?"
"I'll tell you if you let me join you."
Rayah and her knight both stayed silent, and they looked at each other. Her knight eyes held distrust and irritation but Rayah's eyes held hope.
"I know things about the dragons that I'm sure your leaders haven't even mentioned to you."
Rayah looked at the ground and back up to me, "Okay. You can travel with us. Let him go, Elizan."
The knight named Elizan stared at Rayah in disbelief but quickly removed his sword and placed it inside of his hilt.
"Don't even think about betraying us."
I ignored his comment and looked toward my horse. I whistled and my horse's head perked up and started to walk to us.
"Where are you traveling to?" My horse stopped in front of me and I rubbed her head.
"First you tell us your plan." Elizan said.
I sighed, "I've searched through your village's archives and yet it says nothing about how the dragons are not just attacking at random."
"What do you mean?"
"The dragons are being controlled and I just so happen to have met her face to face."
"Her?"
I nodded my head, "I was a lot younger, but she seemed to present herself as a woman."
"When you were younger? How do you still remember now? How do you know that your mind didn't just conjure something up?"
"I remembered because that woman summoned a dragon and killed my mother." And now her face is ingrained into my brain like how the ink of a tattoo is punctured into skin.
The knight kept his mouth closed while Rayah's eyes seemed to soften.
Save your pity.
"She was looking for something. I was too young to remember the details. But I'm finding things out little by little through every land I come to. Every land has a different interpretation about what happened during the first Dragon Reign and their history is filling in part of the gaps."
"What have you learned?" Rayah asked.
I stayed quiet for a second, "I have already answered your question, now answer mine. Where are you both planning to travel to?"
"We are going to the Land of Rivora ."
I smiled, "Well, would you look at that; that place was also my next destination. Perhaps it's fate."
I grabbed my horse's reins, "We should get going. You tell me all about your plan and I can tell more of what I know."
Rayah looked at her knight, and he nodded his head toward her.