Heed My Warnings and Survive (Second Draft)
Chapter Thirty Four

Chapter Thirty-Four

It didn’t take us long before we reached they’re camp, it was big, and extravagant, better even than the inn’s I’d stayed at.

“Welcome to our humble camp,” Arron said. This is humble? I thought to myself. We entered the camp, and were immediately greeted by a beautiful woman, she wasn’t tall, but she was slender, her dark brown hair fell to her shoulders in rings of beautiful curls, and her smile looked as though it could light up the sun on a gray day.

“Arron your back,” She said, rushing over, and wrapping her arms around him, in a tight, but tender embrace.

“Yes Regina, I’ve returned,” He said, putting his arms around her in an equally tight, and tender embrace. They broke apart, and Regina seemed to notice us.

“Who are they?” She asked. Arron smiled.

“Regina, this is my sister Kiara.” Regina’s face lit up.

“Well it’s a pleasure to meet you, your brother has told me so much about you, but I suppose he hasn’t seen you in a couple years, so some of those things are probably out of date,” She said. Kiara chuckled.

“I suppose that is true,”

“Well come come, Let us go have some food, and you can tell me everything,” she said, taking Kiara’s hand, and leading her away. I let out a light laugh. Royalty is quite strange I dare say. I thought.

“Well I suppose you, and your boy must be hungry,” Arron said. I looked over.

“Indeed.” Just at that moment Thomas stirred, and his stomach growled loudly. I chuckled. “Are you hungry Thomas?” I asked. He perked his head up, and nodded tiredly. “Alright. Think you can walk?” he nodded again. I smiled, and set him down, keeping one of his hands clasped in my own.

“Just this way. Our tent is the big one,” Arron informed us.

We entered the tent, and saw Kiara, and Regina sitting at a small table. Regina dramatically reacting to the story Kiara was telling her. I smiled as I caught Kiara’s eye, and she smiled back without halting her story.

“I suppose we’ll be sitting on the ground then,” Arron said. I shrugged.

“Been sitting there for weeks, what’s another night?” I said.

As we ate I recounted everything that had happened since I had left my home near a year ago, and after that we were shown to a small tent we could stay in for the night. I was surprised to see actual beds in it, but I was glad. Kiara climbed into one, and Thomas, and I took the other.

A few hours had passed, and I was beginning to get drowsy when Kiara said my name. I propped myself up on my elbow.

“What’s the matter?” I asked her. She was sitting up in bed, with her knees curled up to her chin.

“I can’t sleep,” She said.

“How come?”

“I’m worried. I’m afraid they’ll ambush us somehow.” I sat up, held my arms out to her. She came over and sat on the bed next to me, placing her head on my shoulder. I wrapped my arms around her gently.

“We’ll be ok. I promise. We’re in a heavily guarded camp, nothing can get through to us, what’s more, they don’t even know we’re here,” I reassured her. She sighed.

“But they have a witch, someone who can cast spells, as well as curses,” She said. I brushed my hand over her hair, which had reached her shoulder blades since last she cut it.

“We’ll be ok Kiara, we’ve made it this far.” I could feel her beginning to shake.

“But Zander, and Fin were both killed by them,”

“I don’t think it was Devin’s man that killed Fin,”

“Even so, there dead, and we can’t travel fast, or fight because we have a child with us,”

“Would your brother let Thomas travel with them?” I asked. Kiara looked up at me teary eyed.

“Perhapes, but I don’t know what type of man he’s become in the past twelve years, but we could ask him,” She said.

“Well what do you say we get a good night’s sleep, and ask him in the morning?” Kiara nodded, and went back over to her bed.

“Goodnight Draven,” She said.

“Goodnight Kiara. I love you,”

“And I you.”

The next day was a bit of a blur, but Regina, and Arron had agreed to take Thomas.

“Why can’t I come with you?” He asked. I smiled sadly, and knelt in front of him.

“Because we have a big scary man chasing us, and a witch, and we don’t want you to get hurt,”

“Is it the same one my dad was with?” he asked. I nodded. “Momma didn’t like her she said she was a bad lady, and that she should stay away from dad,”

“Well your momma was right. She is a very bad lady, and she should’ve stayed away from your dad,”

“Draven we should probably get going, I’d like to get a gauge on how far away Devin is,” Kiara said. I nodded.

“I’ll see you soon Thomas, I promise.” He hugged me tightly. Then moved to Kiara.

“Will you come too?” He asked her. She smiled.

“Of course. I’ll go wherever Draven goes,” She told him, that was enough to make my face flush.

“Do you love him?” Thomas asked. Kiara chuckled, and nodded.

“I do. Very much.” I smiled, and stood.

“Goodbye Thomas.” I said.

“You be good for Arron, and Regina,” Kiara said. Thomas nodded.

Once again we were traveling, and once again there was nothing to fill the dull silences of the day, no Finley, and now no Thomas. I dearly missed my friend, and I wished I had never told him to leave. The ache in my chest that I had been keeping at bay returned, as did the tears, but they weren’t intense, I could cry silently, and I didn’t have to worry Kiara.