Ellie gazed out at the vast expanse of the plain, mesmerised by the undulating waves of bronze grass that stretched as far as her eyes could see. The soft breeze carried the scent of earth and wildflowers that brought a nostalgic smile to her lips. The wagon moved steadily along the dirt road, in the middle of a long column of fellow travellers and pack animals.
As Charles confidently manoeuvred the wagon, Ellie couldn't help but admire how calm he was. The Duchess, the loyal mare, pulled the wagon effortlessly, displaying her astonishing strength. Causing Ellie to wonder if Maze had performed any sort of magic trick on the unsuspecting creature.
In the wagon, Maze stirred in his sleep, his heavy breath blending with the rhythmic shifting of the wheels. Rose, sitting beside Ellie, kept a watchful eye on the elderly storyteller, her concern etched on her face, while padding his forehead with a damp cloth. Every few minutes she would plunge the cloth into the shallow pale beside her and wring it out.
Ellie observed their interactions with curiosity. There was a certain spark in Rose's eyes whenever she watched over Maze, hinting at a deeper connection between the two.
Ellie shifted uncomfortably on the hard wooden seat, feeling every jolt and bump of the rough road beneath her. The wagon's wheels provided no relief, amplifying the impact of even the smallest stones. She tried to find a more comfortable position, sliding one of Maze's travel bags under her back for support. Ellie had the foresight in changing back into her earth clothes for the trip and placed the dress Rose had given her into the bag, safely tucking away the little clear stone in the folds of dresses.
“Ah,” she said as something sharp jabbed her back.
Rose lifted her head to meet her eyes and gave her a quizzical look.
Ellie returned an apologetic expression, then rummaged through the bag.
Feeling a pang of annoyance, she searched for the source of her discomfort. Her hand emerged clutching a thick green tome, the culprit responsible for the unwelcome prodding. She shot an exasperated expression at Rose, who understood without a word.
Just as Ellie was about to stow the tome somewhere else, something caught her attention. A slight movement within the bag made her pause. She wondered if it was merely the result of the wagon's vibrations, but then it happened again.
Something had shifted.
Instinctively, she pushed away the bag, thinking that some sort of vermin had snuck into the bag.
But as she considered the situation, a sudden realisation dawned upon her.
Could it be the stone?
Rose's head tilted at an odd angle as she watched Ellie carefully unclasped the bag once more to rummage through its contents. With a cautious motion, Ellie retrieved the spare dress and gently unfolded it, revealing the hidden treasure within.
A gasp escaped Rose's lips as her eyes locked onto the crystalline stone nestled within the folds. Its translucent surface caught the sunlight, casting a mesmerizing display of shimmering prisms that danced across its smooth exterior.
The stone didn’t move or show any signs that it was alive. In fact, the stone had not budged ever since they had left the forest. It was almost as if the stone had run out of charge.
Ellie held the stone delicately, allowing the sunlight to filter through its translucent depths. Yet, despite its enchanting appearance, the stone remained mysteriously still, almost as if it were hibernating.
The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.
What had made it move this time?
She wracked her brain and her mind fell on Karn’s particular stone. It seemed to have a certain amount of charge.
Maybe it was Karn himself who was the power source? She wondered.
Then a certain memory came to mind. She shivered as she didn’t want to relive the events of the broken house, but they came into her as surely as a nightmare.
Her eyes shifted to the adjacent green tome, its covers adorned with intricate patterns and symbols. The stone's movement hadn’t gone unnoticed. In the presence of the green tome, it had stirred, as if responding to some unseen force. It was a subtle yet undeniable sign of a connection between them.
Curiosity ignited within Ellie as she reached out to touch the covers of the green tome, her fingertips brushing against the smooth surface. She felt a faint tingle, a subtle energy that seemed to emanate from the book itself. Ellie shifted her weight and moved closer to the tome as the wagon rumbled down the path.
Rose watched in silent fascination as Ellie placed the gem on top of the green book.
They waited a while, yet nothing happened. The stone lay motionless and lifeless.
Ellie turned to watch Rose sigh, releasing the pent-up breath she had been holding, disappointed at the lack of movement from the clear treasure.
Rose sighed and turned back to her patient. She dipped the cloth back into the shallow pail of water, then brought it up to wring it out when suddenly the wagon struck something hard.
Water splashed up and Ellie tried to pull herself and the book away intime only to gasp.
She was soaked. Water had dashed across the surface of the green tome, soaking the pages, and covering the pure stone in a thin layer of clear liquid.
Rose furiously apologised but Ellie held up a dripping hand to signal that it was unnecessary.
Suddenly, Rose’s eyes widened in alarm. She stared at the book with apprehension and was visibly backing away.
Ellie’s brows furrows at Rose’s reaction, then looked down at the stone. It was absorbing the water as quickly and effectively as a sponge. Even the water soaking the book was rapidly disappearing. She placed her hand over the clear stone and even the water covering her dried up in an instant.
Ellie’s jaw dropped.
“What?” Ellie stammered.
Then it dawned on her. The stone was connected to water.
She looked up once more to Rose and said, “this stone. She has a name.”
Rose stared back, dumbfounded.
“We first met her in the forest outside of Sorina, and she said her name was Scarf.”
Ellie's words hung in the air. She was uncertain if Rose would truly comprehend them. However, a flicker of recognition danced across her features, giving way to a profound realisation. It was as if a veil had been lifted.
Ellie watched Rose mouth the words, “just like Maze’s stories.”
The wagon rolled to a halt, jostling Ellie and Rose as it came to a stop. She felt the comforting weight of a hand resting on her shoulder.
Charles smiled at her and squeezed her shoulder three times. Mouthing three words back she then turned her gaze to peer out of the wagon, her eyes scanning the surroundings. The front of the long column of wagons had come to a complete stop, a few farmers disembarking from their wagons to investigate the obstacle ahead.
This stream, unlike the others, was far wider and deeper, causing the farmers to argue among themselves.
Ellie's attention shifted to the stone in her hand, contemplating a possibility. She quickly decided. With a mixture of anticipation and uncertainty, she descended from the back of the wagon and marched her way up towards the head of the column of wagons. Rose followed closely behind, their shared curiosity driving them forward.
As Ellie approached the front, she scanned the wide expanse of the stream. She instantly knew It was too deep for their wagon to cross. The water, crystal clear and touched with traces of melting ice, seemed out of place amidst the warm plain. Smooth pebbles glimmered beneath the gentle current, visible through the depths of the deep water.
Undeterred, Ellie set aside logic and let her intuition guide her actions. Ignoring the antics of the arguing farmers, she knelt by the stream, her palm held up with the crystal in hand. As she slowly immersed the stone into the water, a shiver coursed through her body, the chill of the stream washing over her skin. Yet she remained committed, determined to try it at least once.
Her hand quickly turned numb with the biting cold, but Ellie pressed on, driven by an unexplainable need.
Concern etched Rose's face as she knelt beside her, observing with a mix of worry and awe. Just as Ellie was about to retreat from the freezing water, a sudden movement startled them both. The stone slipped from her grasp and darted into the centre of the clear stream, creating a small splash as it bounced above the water then submerged itself.
The farmers, momentarily forgetting themselves, took a collective step back, their eyes wide with astonishment. A pure, radiant light emanated from the stone, casting an ethereal glow on the water.
They all watched stunned, as the stream receded in both directions. Their amazement rendering them silent as they witnessed the miracle unfold.
The once unpassable water vanished, revealing a clear path forward.