Just a Spark

“Missus?” Jack called to her, interrupting her thoughts.

“If you insist, miss” Jerry added “we'd drop you here”

Immediately, the wagon stopped, Nova jumped down as fast as possible, her mind still racing from the close call.

“I can help you down if….” Jack offered a helping hand but was cut short by her quick move.

She looked around and said, "Thanks for the ride," trying to sound casual because the way she had jumped from the wagon was very un-maiden-like.

Jack and Jerry nodded, their faces still puzzled with questions. "You sure you're okay, missus?" Jack asked. "Because, for a moment there you seemed a little... shaken."

Nova forced a smile, trying to reassure them "I'm fine, thanks. Just a little... tired." She said as she smoothened her dress.

The two men exchanged glances "Well, if you're sure you're okay..." Jerry said, his voice trailing off.

“Yes,” she interrupted, as she moved.

Jack and Jerry watched her go, looking at each other in confusion. "Well, that was a strange lady," Jack said.

Jerry agreed. "Yeah, I've never seen anyone run off like that before, especially a proper maiden."

"Oh well, at least we got to help her out."

Jack shrugged, looking around.

Immediately, Jack exclaimed “Missus!”

She didn't want to stop, not now! She had finally made it!

But as she heard “you forgot your bag” she quickly turned back.

“ Oh, so careless of me,” she said, putting her hand on her forehead as if to clean sweat. “Thank you, my sister could have killed me”. She added, forcing a smile. “And thanks for the ride once again”

She frowned internally. How could she have forgotten the bag?

Jack and Jerry smiled and nodded, while Jerry outstretched his arm to give her the bag. Then he said "It was our pleasure, Ophelia. Be careful, and good luck finding your sister."

Nova nodded. “Good luck with what you are looking for,” she said sarcastically, waving them goodbye as the wagon rattled up and down then into the road.

As soon as they were out of sight, Nova let out a sigh of relief. She had made it, at the moment.

Now, she just had to figure out what to do next.

Follow the map! Her mind echoed

She brought out the map from the bag. It showed that her next step was to find the maidens' camp.

Moments later, She searched the bag for anything that could help her. There was a bluish powdered substance. Explosive powder! she had recognized it.

She revised her plan and it was simple: Create a mild explosion and blend in when they get distracted. That was it! She thought as she looked for the perfect place to create the explosion.

When she could faintly hear the maidens building a temporary camp for the night. She knew she had seen the perfect place. They weren't too far from her. Now, All she had to do was drop the pouch that contained the powder and set fire to it.

Nova carefully poured a small amount of the explosive powder onto a nearby rock. She found two rocks to light a fire.

While closing her eyes she struck them together and quickly made a run for it. But it didn't light.

She came back to try again and again. There wasn't any hope of a spark. The rocks weren't damp. She sighed in frustration, setting her bag down on the rock.

Work!! She grunted still trying to make a spark.

And then sparks began flying on the powder. It was lit!

Immediately, she dropped everything and made a run for it. She hadn't gone too far from it when her dress was caught on a nearby branch.

And boom!!! A loud explosion rocked the ground, sending up a cloud of dust, and soon smoke followed the next blast from the explosion spread, sending waves through the air.

Then, Nova felt herself lifted off the ground by the wave. As she flew through mid-air, She felt a sense of weightlessness, as if she was floating.

It was bliss!

But the sensation was cut short when her body crashed to the ground. She cried out when she was thrown a yard away from the explosion.

Soon after, The impact sent jolts of pain through her body like a current. She lay there feeling disoriented as the world around her began to spin.

And then momentarily, everything went black.

The explosion was loud enough to be heard miles away which would draw a lot of unwanted attention.

This wasn't the plan. She thought.

As Nova's mind drifted in and out of consciousness. she could see a group of maidens rushing towards her. They were all talking at once. She could only pick out“What's your name?” the voices were filled with concern.

Then, she caught a glimpse of her map. It was still intact with her last strength, she struggled to shove it into her dress, just in time before anyone noticed it. “No..va..” she whispered “aria..” she thought aloud as she drifted away again.

They must have heard her name because one of the maidens, a slender girl, knelt down beside Nova. "Oh no, va-aira!" she exclaimed. "We thought it was just a rockslide, but we had no idea you were hurt!"

Nova tried to correct her, but her voice was sore from the explosion. She tried again, but the slender maiden smiled, patting her hand. "Don't try to talk, va- aria!" she said. "We'll get you back to camp and tend to your wounds. You'll be okay.”

She was mistaken for one of them. Her job was well executed, she thought as she lay there.

She vaguely saw the maidens clear a path for a figure to pass through. A huge figure bent towards her, then she felt her body lifting off the ground. "Easy, maiden," she heard a deep voice whisper into her ear. "You're safe now." As she felt strong arms wrap around her, holding her close. She tried to focus, but her vision was blurry.

Moments later, she could feel the warmth of his body, the feel of his abs on her body. She felt a flutter in her chest."Who..." she whispered, trying to speak.

The man didn't respond

Nova's eyelids kept growing heavier, as she felt herself being pulled closer to the man's chest. There were sounds of the maidens' voices around her.

And despite her dizziness, she couldn't help but notice the way his muscles flexed as he carried her. It made her feel safe and secure like a proper woman. She drifted into bliss.

“ee…Aria!” She called out.

“Elaria?" the man's voice whispered in her ear.

She was confused, her eyelid began to blink hard.

"Stay with me, maiden." He said to her, His arms felt like steel bands around her.

And finally, everything went black.