Nano Update, (unflocked)
Word Count 8,530
The rest of the time was spent in silence; Bliss was simply thankful that they hadn’t been further accosted by bandits. When Pearl stirred to her feet, Bliss did the same, holding her bow and gently stretching her legs, trying to get ready to run again. To her surprise, the pace that Pearl started on was merely a brisk walk, manageable even by sore legs.
“We’ll reach the House of Valley Bend by this evening at this pace.” Pearl’s voice, disembodied, floated from Kattaval’s head. Bliss glanced quickly at the horse’s flank, then away again. “We might arrive before the caravan,” she offered. “Wouldn’t that be something!”
There was a low sigh from the front of the horse again, although Bliss could not see Lady Pearl, she knew the look that would accompany such a sigh, and predicted the ‘don’t be so daft’, before it was even spoken. “Don’t be stupid. If we beat them to the House of Valley Bend, they will know we were not among their ranks. The point is not to call attention to ourselves, but to make them believe we have been there the whole time.”
Bliss was more than a little baffled by such logic. “But my Lady, you don’t think anybody will notice we were not with them before?”
“Of course not.” Lady Pearl’s voice now held the Noble sneer that Bliss so admired. “They will merely think that we rode-and walked, in your case-with a different companion or group of people. They will think that in the massive confusion that they must have missed seeing us. The alternative, that two young women crossed through the Black Mountains on their own, is fairly unthinkable, is it not?”
Bliss thought of the wolves, of the bandits, of the dark wind. “I suppose it is, m’lady.”
The rest of the time was spent in silence; Bliss was simply thankful that they hadn’t been further accosted by bandits. When Pearl stirred to her feet, Bliss did the same, holding her bow and gently stretching her legs, trying to get ready to run again. To her surprise, the pace that Pearl started on was merely a brisk walk, manageable even by sore legs.
“We’ll reach the House of Valley Bend by this evening at this pace.” Pearl’s voice, disembodied, floated from Kattaval’s head. Bliss glanced quickly at the horse’s flank, then away again. “We might arrive before the caravan,” she offered. “Wouldn’t that be something!”
There was a low sigh from the front of the horse again, although Bliss could not see Lady Pearl, she knew the look that would accompany such a sigh, and predicted the ‘don’t be so daft’, before it was even spoken. “Don’t be stupid. If we beat them to the House of Valley Bend, they will know we were not among their ranks. The point is not to call attention to ourselves, but to make them believe we have been there the whole time.”
Bliss was more than a little baffled by such logic. “But my Lady, you don’t think anybody will notice we were not with them before?”
“Of course not.” Lady Pearl’s voice now held the Noble sneer that Bliss so admired. “They will merely think that we rode-and walked, in your case-with a different companion or group of people. They will think that in the massive confusion that they must have missed seeing us. The alternative, that two young women crossed through the Black Mountains on their own, is fairly unthinkable, is it not?”
Bliss thought of the wolves, of the bandits, of the dark wind. “I suppose it is, m’lady.”