Natasha Luepke - Blood Innocence

Surveying the trees, Leonida remarked, "Now, that seemed a little too easy."
"Did you want to spend another month at sea?"
"No. Just...I've done a lot of traveling, and this is the first time I've stumbled across a cave set on an island the color of sunrise that first gave me a magic sword, then transported me inland. Good thing you brought our luggage with you."
Fenris shrugged. "Magic is -- "
Leonida looked up to the sky, gray and clouded over. "I wonder where we are..." She shook her head. Best keep moving.
Leonida began the careful descent on the hilly forest path. She could make out curls of smoke and the occasional glimpse of water below. Fenris was not quite ready for walking on land yet, and kept slipping, usually hitting Leonida in the back, the same place she had been cracked with the oar.
It was twilight when they reached the edge of the forest. They stood at the edge of a cart track, watching a slow procession of peasants. Leonida took a step back.
"Move quietly," she said out of the side of her mouth. "I don't want them to think we're thieves." Fenris nodded.
A cart slowly rolled up the path; Leonida could recognize the driver by its swinging lantern. It was the baker and his wife who had lived in her town. Setting Brisingamen on the grass, Leonida approached.
"Mab, is that you?" she asked the baker's wife. The old woman reached out a hand to stop her husband.
"Lady Leo? Child, it's been how many years now!"
Leonida smiled. "Mab, what's going on?"
The old woman shook her head, head covering rustling. "Oh, Lady, the town is being evacuated, bit by bit. Go back a ways, and you might catch your father."
Leonida nodded. "Thank you, Mab!" Ducking back into the underbrush, she grabbed her sword and Fenris and ran down the path, passing her villagers on the way.
"Fenris," she said as they ran, "this is important, how to tell peasants and nobles apart."
"Okay..."
"The peasant woman are in the flowing skirts and aprons and married women wear wimples, good sensible clothes. The men are in tunics and breeches. Noble women, though...Their dresses are tight, and girdled at the hips, and their men wear doublets like I had."
"Okay..."
"Trust me, it'll be important later."

The pair reached the edge of town where a peasant woman was directing traffic. The fading light played off her delicate features, highlighting her milky skin and glinting off the bit of dark hair that escaped her white head clothes. Her tapered fingers pointed the way to the weary travelers. Fenris stood transfixed. "Who is this lovely morsel?" he whispered. Leonida didn't hear, having run on ahead.
Fenris watched Leonida run to the other girl, dropping sword and pack on the way. The two women hugged. After they'd parted, the peasant woman pulled back her fist and slugged Leonida in the left eye. Fenris shook his head, surprised, and went to see what was going on.
The two girls were laughing when Fenris approached. Closer, he could see the other girl's true perfection: pale skin, large dark eyes, perfect nose, beautiful lips... Fenris didn't care about the peasant garb, despite the slight disdain in Leonida's voice, but her head was covered, which could only mean that she was married.
Leonida placed an arm around the other girl's shoulders. "Fenris, this is the lady Niamh Donner."
Fenris coughed, unsure what to do. Lady? Niamh? Wasn't that...wasn't she from Leonida's past?
"And who is your friend?" Niamh asked, and her voice was light and musical and cultured.
"Fenris Carpenter, of the Second Kingdom."
Niamh extended a hand. Fenris finally remembered some of the manners Aunt Star had taught him and lifted Niamh's hand to kiss it. He wasn't as suave as he'd hoped and dropped the lady's hand too quickly.
"Pleased to meet you, Miss--"
Niamh laughed again. "If you want to be technical, it's High Councilwoman Lady Niamh Saba Donner. But as you're a friend of Leo, you can call me Niamh."
Fenris nodded. "May I ask, then, Niamh: why did you punch Leonida?"
Niamh smiled. "Now we're even. Leo left me quite a mess."
Leonida nodded. "In all seriousness, now: Why are you here? Why are you in that get-up? How long have you been High Councilwoman? What's going on?"
Niamh cast a look down the cart track. "Civil war, Leo. Old Queen Skadi is dying." Niamh paused. "Your mother, Leo! I--"
Leonida sighed. "I know, Niamh."
"I don't think your father or people are safe here, so I've been slowly evacuating the town. Your father refuses to go. No one else will be leaving tonight and I have loyal soldiers guarding them; they're heading to Lightening Falls. Let's go back to your house."
Fenris could only follow in their wake.