Below the Peak (Sola)(26)
Tongue tracing straight teeth behind closed lips, Nara feared if it would be another bloody night.
The laughter drew closer to where they camped and suddenly stopped. The air became strained and every noise around them including of the woodland insects and night creatures muted as if the creatures were also afraid. The nykr were close enough to be felt like a shadow but not too close to be seen in the crackling flame and where the moonlight could not reach the full dark row of trees. The tension was palpable Nara could almost touch it with her fingers if she weren't gripping the tilt of her sword so hard that the skin of her knuckles turned pale. Soon the face of sorrow was replaced with the readiness of battle on each warrior.
Nara took a glance at Barra to see if he’d offer any sort of direction of the situation. But Barra remained still like the rest of them, head jerked toward the dark rows of trees, his broad shoulders rigid and coiled with apprehension with a hand on his long sword. The silence was dreadful as they waited for the nykr who seemed to be taking their sweet time coming to terms whether they should continue to wherever they were heading or douse humans in a nearby water body.
A sudden, a lone breathtaking beautiful maiden crawled behind the shadows soundlessly and stood beside a tall tree not too of a distance from the two circles of warriors. A sharp hiss of swords drawn from sheaths rang in the air as the warriors took hold of their weapons and directed them toward the maiden, but took no farther measures. Some of the men had their heads averted in fear the maiden’s gaze alone would lead them to their fall while others held the maiden’s gaze in both fear and courage. Sweat trickled down their temples.
Sword out of the scabbard and ready in hand, Nara bravely looked at the nykr.
The nykr stood bare feet, clad in a wet blue cloth that whets her slender figure, her unnatural turquoise hair slick from wetness and her pale face, a face so bewitchingly beautiful it made Nara’s chest ache with deep envy she had never felt before. The darkness heavy in her chest, her face twisted harshly, and malice consumed her eyes displaying what she felt toward the nykr. Dark Magic
She jerked her gaze from the nykr and shut her eyes tightly for a moment, fighting against the nykr’s darkly pull. She wasn’t the only one affected, she heard Astrid hiss and bare her teeth and the men who had glanced at the nykr, were now transfixed, their eyes glazing with lust.
When she opened them and glanced back at the nykr, she was met with a glint of mischief simmering in the unusual violet eyes. The seductive creature took pleasure from the distress they suffered, a seedy smile adorned her lips. She parted her lush lips as if to speak.
Gasp! The warriors took a sharp intake of breath. Chills spread over her skin and fingers flexed nervously. They waited for the creature to make a move.
The nykr darted her tongue and licked her lips instead and grinned ever slowly, regarding each man calculatingly, appreciating her next meal.
The wretched being was teasing them.
She’d make sure to chop of that tongue of hers before she could utter a single note and feed it to pigs! Nara vowed. She only needed a word or sign of approval to engage. Nara kept her eyes on the nykr as the nykr continued to peruse each man with her taunting gaze…Until they met Barra. A look that resembled shock and disdain marred her lovely complexion. Her sardonic smile disappeared while her eyes lingered on Barra for several seconds before her gaze moved past him and continued to the others.
Suddenly like the quick winds of winter, the nykr whisked into the dark woods.
Relief flooded the restless warriors.
Men stood with their weapons and took a step forward wanting to chase after her, but Barra stopped them with his outstretched hand-a clear sign for them to standby and not engage. Few grunts arose in the crowd for the missed opportunity.
Nara balled her fingers and wanted to punch whoever grunted. Has grief dulled their senses to incite negligent act? For them to charge forward at the nykr would be like a headless chicken running for its life. Swords could not fight against magic, and if they did, it was nearly impossible to win against dark magic. The second the nykr (if too powerful) opened its mouth and whispered a single note-a note that was uniquely comprehensible to everyone’s desire they would forfeit their lives except for Nara and Astrid, the only women in the troop. And if the nykr took an interest in them they would not be able to do anything as they would be inert. She and Astrid might as well be given the privilege to watch their guts been cut out with their own swords.
Her stomach churned from the cruel imaginations.
The nykr resumed laughing to whatever subject they found amusing. Nara and the rest quietly waited on standby till the voices seemed to fade, an indication the nykr were far away from the camp.
“Ahhh…Those wenches if I wasn’t haggard. I would have speared them with my cock” the crude proclamation came from Hagen as he leaned against a tree long after the dire situation had passed. For the first time in two days they’d rode, genuine laughter exploded in the midst. The bulky soldier next to him bumped him with his elbow, his eyes are fearful darting back to Nara.
Nara’s face might have been scowling because Hagen had paled and apologized quickly “Forgive me my lady for my foul tongue” drawing, even more, chuckles from the crowd. Nara just shook her head. She couldn’t laugh or smile because it was though her cheeks would tear when she did that. Her jaw was still throbbing with pain from being hit. Also, Nara couldn’t change how some acted around her, with care and caution since she was of royal blood, the king’s niece.