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with Mayla in the house.
The time for goodbyes had come to an end.
    Mayla
walked with Aryaunna in silence to the edge of the village, which had been more
formidable in size than Aryaunna had ever expected. She saw many faces, met
many gazes, though no one spoke a word. Though she did not know what awaited
her, she knew this journey was just as vital to these people as it was to
herself.
    To
find Him would be a trial, hopefully giving evidence of who she was. She could
only hope that it would bring her answers, whatever they amounted to be. A
parting meaningful look passed between the two before Aryaunna lifted the hood
of her heavy winter cloak. With baited breath she left the protection of the
village, and the magic which hid it from the rest of the world as she set foot
into the Dark Wood.
    Bitter
cold winds whipped the cloak around her body before jerking it away. Strange
for so much wind in such a thickly wooded valley, she thought. Her destination
lied at the mountain’s peak. Mayla would tell her nothing more than that. She
had explained to Aryaunna that only the Emissary could find their way. Without
saying it, she told Aryaunna that if she did not reach her destination and find Him then that in its own way was the answer.
    In
fair weather the woods were a dangerous place, and the mountain of Dia
treacherous at best with its jagged loose rocks and no more of a foot hold than
a goat would find. Though she wasn’t a pessimist, Aryaunna was hardly an
optimist either. What would be would be. She knew there was no changing it
either way.
    She
was strong enough or she wasn’t. She was the true Emissary… or she wasn’t. It
was best not to think about the possible outcomes. There were too many
possibilities and each of them just as or more so daunting than the last. So
Aryaunna did the only thing she knew to do in order to keep the fear away. It
was the way she’d survived every day of her life as a ward in the Magistrate’s
Church… All thoughts of her future were stricken from her mind. She would not
ponder more than one step at a time into what lie ahead.
    One
way or another, the Guardians would see to her fate. Nothing else mattered.
These thoughts did not cross Aryaunna’s mind, for thoughts like that lead to
worry of what may come or what may not. She thought not of Elizabeth, as Mayla
had warned her of the repercussions of such.
    Watching
her footfalls and the surrounding trees closely, Aryaunna thought of nothing
else but what surrounded her. As the cold tore at her cloak, pulling it this
way and that, around her and away from her, she concentrated on moving faster
to keep herself warm. Listening to the dense forest she listened for the song of
birds. Yet there was none. Even in winter, during mid-day there should still be
creatures of the wood out foraging.
    As
she walked, she considered their journey to the Hollow. Had it really just been
the eve before? It felt like days, though perhaps that was because she’d yet to
sleep since. Funny thing how not sleeping could make hours feel like days.
Though it had been evening, she could recall but one creature alone in the wood
aside from her companions. The great white owl. The owl had followed them from
the moment they’d entered the woods bordering Kenan to the Hollow itself.
    Midday,
even a winter’s midday, should show signs of life everywhere. Birds, deer,
rabbit, foxes, squirrel, something had to be out there aside from her. The
feeling of being utterly alone was nearly overwhelming. The harder she sought
out the company of any other living creature, the more alone she felt.
    Light
of foot she continued on, moving faster for her want to outrun this foreboding
feeling. If she was truly so alone, why was it she felt so fraught? Heart
beating franticly she had to grab hold to the trunks and barren limbs of
dormant trees for support. As her mind spun in, dwelling on the fear, it
consumed her. Why though? It made no sense at all. She was alone. There were