Page 26 of An Arrow to the Heart

Sylvie watched in weighed silence as the searchers gathered their gear, each quiet movement accentuating the heaviness of the mood in the air.

For another day of searching.

Sylvie handed Ardál one of the cloth wrapped breads filled with cheese and cold meats. Their fingered touching ever so slightly longer than they needed to like their bodies were longing to be joined. She and Ardál had spent the night on the settee there, in the home of Ortolf, Lonan and Valeska, opting to just stay there as it would be easier given that searching was to resume at the break of dawn, not to mention the treacherous weather. They had slept arm in arm and sleep found them easily after a long day of worry. He had offered to sleep elsewhere, but Sylvie wanted to be close to him.

He brought her a type of calmness she’d never experienced before. Somehow, she just felt safe in his arms so she buried herself against him, the scent of oakmoss and lilacs filling her senses.

The rest of searchers began to accumulate in the Alehouse again, for it became a type of headquarters to plan the search from. Unlike the day before, the heavens were clearly smiling down at them as despite the chill in the air, the sky remained clear. The mood amongst the searchers however was mute, after a day of searching with no leads everyone began to fear the worst. No one dared to voice those thoughts yet though, as though saying them aloud could make them true.

Barbette had managed to get Liselotte home late last night, and with the aid of Sylvie’s sleeping remedy she had managed some sleep. It had been decided that it was the best place for Liselotte, the villagers didn’t want her to pick up on their growing worry.

Not yet at least.

Lonan opted to stay with them, providing Barbette with support and acting as a liaison of sorts. It had been agreed that he would keep them updated of any and all developments. Sera, Valeska and Sylvie again opted to stay behind in the Alehouse, keeping everyone fed and watered. Sylvie on standby should she be needed in a medical capacity. The vast majority of the rest of the folk would search.

“Be careful,” was all she said before she kissed Ardál on the cheek as he headed out with Ortolf and the rest of the searchers.

The sun had barely reached the point above the treeline when Sylvie heard shouting coming from the south end of the village. Her heart began to pound fast as she grabbed her medical bag and ran toward the sound. It felt as though time had slowed and she cursed her humanoid body for its slowness but she ran as fast as her legs would carry her.

As she approached the crowd that was now gathering, she finally made it out to the person at the centre.

August.

Her heart skipped a beat as she sighed with relief at the sight of the boy and she threw her arms around him, practically crushing him. She only let go of him to give him a once over.

“You're okay?” she asked, studying him carefully.

“Yes, yes I'm fine,” he said, scratching his brow, with embarrassment. Just then Liselotte called out to him and August ran toward his mother, holding her in embrace. Liselotte hugged the boy tightly, before patting him down as reassurance that he was truly okay, and only once she’d been satisfied that he was indeed fine, she slapped him hard on the cheek.

“Do you have any idea how worried I've been?” she cried at him.

Rubbing his red cheek, August began to tell the tale of how he’d met a young girl of a similar age to himself at the festival. The two of them had apparently consumed too much wine and lost track of time.

“I’m sorry,” August said as he finished, looking to the ground.

“We’re just glad you're okay, August,” Lonan said in an attempt to lower the boy's suffering, before his mother could chastise him further.

“I’m sure you must be starving,” Valeska said to August, before addressing the wider group and adding, “How about we go back to the Alehouse and get some breakfast.”

“I sure could use a drink,” Barbette said, “not you though,” she cackled teasing August, “cold water will be just fine for this one,” and everyone let out a laugh as Liselotte brought her arms around her son and they all walked back to the Alehouse.

“The other searchers,” Sylvie said, looking to Lonan.

“We’ll need to let them know,” he finished for her, “a rider can take a horse in each direction, I’ll head east, Jutte and Petrus can head the other directions. We’ll get everyone back.”

“I’ll go west,” Sylvie said, cutting him off, already heading to the stables.

West, the direction Ardál had headed. She needed to get the news to Ardál and Ortolf for she knew how worried they’d been about the boy. And selfishly she wanted little more than to share in their joy and relief.

“Uh, yeah, sure, of course,” Lonan said, following her, sensing her urgency.

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

-Ardál-

Birds welcomed them with their morning melodies as they walked down the western dirt path, headed in the direction of Pebblebrook. The mountains above them, keeping watch, wrapped in a slowly lifting morning mist, revealing their snow capped peaks. Rolling fields of golden wheat stalks swaying in gentle winds, ready for harvest, lining either side of their path.

Ardál had grown fond of Ortolf in the hours they’d spent searching for August, the only upside he’d found in the situation. He’d come to find that they shared many interests. At first they discussed little, focusing all of their attention to finding August. But as time wound on they began small talk, more as a distraction from their worst fears and found that they’d make good friends.