Mystenia's Highway

Genevieve leaned her head against the tree, wondering if she should, if she dared answer Cara. "It..." she trailed off, remembering the horrid box, the beatings, the cold nights outside, the hatred directed at her, the spitting, the words... and worse of all, learning to take it all in silent calmness.

"Alrania is better." she murmured, deciding to keep her torments to herself. Wodon had many times begged to hear of her past... and she had refused him. It was easier, for Cara's own good, to keep it silent.

Cara nodded deciding not push the matter. Taking out her Raven drawing from the night before she absently asked "Is mystenia the reason you don't like Ravens? Cause of its banner?" she asked, forever a curious child.

Genevieve silently cursed whatever deity now laughing at her. "Yes... and now I beg of you to no longer speak of it. Tell me of you and your brother."

Cara looked down, "Oh... okay" she said with a sigh as she looked at the drawing, she found something attractive in Ravens she didn't know what.

She crumpled the paper up and put it down, she deciding it best to keep quiet for now and decided to draw something else, the Raven of fire she had seen her dream the night before.

Genevieve noticed the crumpled paper and reached out to pick it up. "W-we need to move on." she murmured, standing up. Whatever reason the Mystenian rogues had attacked them was no doubt linked to Jahan... which could connect to a larger plot and she had no doubt that their disappearance was already known to Oberon.

Cara nodded and stood up also, putting her started drawing into her bag. "Okay" she said moving to take her grandmothers hand.

"How long do you think it will take for us to get back Grandmother?" she asked.

It had taken nearly two days for them to arrive where they were now... but that had been as a large company and on horses. Therefore, the return could take as long as... Genevieve sighed. It could take months, with the progress they were making.
"It depends..." she murmured, gently patting Cara's hand in assurance. Were she stronger she could teleport them, but to do so now would be the death of her.

Cara nodded again, it depeneds... what meant she wasn't sure. She blinked rapidly to keep tears at bay, she missed home, she wanted to hugged by her father, play around with her brother, and here her Mother read Poetry.

No she had to be strong, there was no time for tears.

"Okay grandmother" she said as strongly as she could, and started walking, forward, thinking of home and what her family would do once the figured out what happened.

Genevieve sighed, walking along now with her staff holding her up. "Cara, come hold my sword." she murmured, holding out the light weapon. It was enchanted and would not cut flesh unless the possessor desired it it. Already carrying the staff, the sword added an extra amount she did not have the strength to carry. Which vexed her to no end. Despite her small stature, she had always been strong. The lack of strength was like defanging a lion...

Cara nodded and held the blade, she stil felt incredibly guilty her grandmother was do tired due to her fight with the dragon,.. A fight she had been no help in, the dragons fire had over powered her.

A single tear went down Cara's face a she carried the sword. She wipped her tear away quickly hopeing her grandmother had not seen. It was the last thing her grandmother needed was her cring.

Despite Cara's swift wiping of the tear, Genevieve saw it glimmer briefly in the sunlight. A reserved person, she could easily understand the girl's desire to keep strong. Therefore she said nothing, continuing on.

They walked for about an hour, until they came to a bubbling brook. At its side, Genevieve sunk down, relieved to be able to wash the dragon's blood from her hands, face and neck. The blood was thick and crusted, having dried. Once it was added to the brook's water, the water began to darken as it carried the foul blood away.

Cara sighed and washed the cut on her forehead from the peice of wood.that fell on her head the night before.

She sighed, she was tired, hungery, sore, more then a little scared and home sick. She waited for her grandmother under a tree, She covered the cut on her head, with a ripped piece of dress. If only her nursemaids could see her now, she hardly looked like a princess, she was dirty, sweaty, looked horrible and was dressed hin tattered cloths.

"Do you suppose the water is safe to drink Grandmother?" she asked.

Genevieve tore a strip of cloth from her underdress and beckoned for Cara to come over to her, so that she could bandage the wound.
"No, I would not think so..." she murmured, not wanting to explain how deadly drinking dragon's blood, however diluted.

Cara nodded and apporched her grandmother... "Oh.... I had thought as much" she said quietly with a sigh.

She was thirsty to forgot to mention that.

She forced her self to not look at the water it teased her so....

Genevieve gently tied the bandaged over the cut and behind Cara's head. "We'll have to find water else where..." she murmured, smiling.

Despite her weakness, she reached out with her mind and sought amid the shadows under the trees for water. It had rained but a few days before and water was trapped in the large leaves under the trees. Rising to her feet, she found the cupped leaf and cut it free with a tiny dagger hidden with her hem.

Shaking hands made it difficult to not spill the water, but she finally was able to take it to Cara and hand it to her.

Cara took the leaf and whispered a thanks to her grandmother. It tasted odd, but it was better then nothing.

After drinking a few sips she looked up to her grandmother.

"You are having some to? grandmother?" she asked and rather hoped she was going to,

Slowly settling down on the ground, Genevieve pushed her hair from her face. "After you have had your fill, dearest." she murmured, closing her eyes.

Cara nodded took another small sip, before carefully handing it back to her grandmother, she couldn't let her grandmother go without now could she? last thing she wanted was her grandmother getting sick.

"Here grandmother, I have had enough for now" she said as she handed the leaf with the water.

Genevieve took the leaf, carefully sipping only a small amount from it. Her throat felt dry, parched actually, but the thought of the water or really anything entering her stomach was a dismal one and she could not force another drop between her lips.

"My heart is hid in shadow; where in darkness it forms its wings... And only in times of shadow; can I fly beyond mortal things..." she murmured, reciting a poem her master had taught to her in her youth. It had a deeper meaning, more so than anything else, but she did not have the strength to form the shadow wings. Only once before had she made them, and it had been in her youth.

Cara listened to her grandmothers words though she had no idea what they ment, they must have meant something important.

Kneeing infront of her Grandmother Cara asked "What did that mean Grandmother"

"Vanity..." Genevieve muttered, rising to her feet again. "Pure and untainted no doubt." she was aware that she was not making much sense, but could not help it. Sighing, she gripped the staff with both hands and drew a deep circle in the dirt around her feet.
"Shadow made... and shadow bade, lift this mistress high... shadow made...and shadow laid, form upon my back what I lack." The staff cracked down with a loud thump upon the circle.

It glowed momentarily as she drew the shadows again as she had with the dragon's sword. Unlike the sword though, the shadows twisted inside of her. Exhausted she leaned forward, trying to catch her breath. Thinking she had failed, she did not notice the large thick grey wings now extending from her back.

Cara stared wided eyed for a second, "Grandmother? Wow! can.. Can you fly with those? I wish I know how to do that. Are alright grandmother?" she asked.

Her mother had taught her about magical depletion, when one used to much they weakened.

Years of magical experience allowed Genevieve to hide her weakness and restore her reserve to some small extent as she straightened. The wings finally made contact with her spinal cord and final shadow hooks embedded into her flesh which such speed that she only felt a slight tingle rather than the agonizing pain that may have accompanied such a procedure.

"Yes, I can use them..." she murmured. Her eyes were black now, showing how tied she currently was to the magic power. It was a nice secure feeling though. Similar to a soft blanket surrounding a weary cold child. "Come here." The wings opened to spread to their full length, shadowy feathers moving slightly in the soft breeze. Genevieve's arms outstretched for Cara, prepared to lift them both high into the noon's face and away toward their home.

Cara blinked at the sight of her grandmother, she wasn't afraid no, infact she found her grandmother quite mysterious looking. She was quite attracted to elligant and mystrious things perhaps that was what she like about the Raven.

Going to her grandmother's arm she held on to her, "Okay" she said.

"Good thing I am not affraid of higts hmm?" she said with a snicker.

Genevieve smiled softly, wrapping her arms around Cara even as the girl held onto her waist. "Yes, that has come in well." she replied, amused about the heights thought. Climbing trees did have it advantages perhaps.

The grey wings rose and fell in slow heavy whooshes of air, the dusty earth creating a cloud around them as Genevieve lifted off from the clearing. Soon they were high above the trees, the only sound the gentle thwap of the flapping wings and the soft click of Genevieve's staff, which was inexplicably held by the wings.

"We were venturing to far west it would appear." Genevieve explained as they turned south and due east. The brilliant blue sky mixed well with the contrasting green of the wood below and the gurgling brook which led into a larger tributary.