New Year, Old Problems (Start of Volume 3)
After staying on the hill for a while watching the sunrise, we move back towards our wagon.
Rayla stretches herself, “It feels like we’ve been on top of that hill for way too long.”
John yawns, “You should have just sat next to the heaters…”
“I tried to, but you were hogging Thoma and Scarlet like your life depended on it!”
“It did! It’s way too cold during the night to just sit around!”
Sher Aka sighs, “It’s the same every year. He complains like he’s about to freeze to death in winter and in summer he complains that his hair is getting frizzy.”
I chuckle, “At least he enjoys the other half of the year. Also, have you decided where to go next yet, ane?”
“We’re probably going to Old Kroy. It’s basically the NU’s capital.”
“Basically?”
“Well, their capital is somewhere else but Old Kroy is their biggest and richest city. It’s pretty close to the east but still has west side laws.”
“The west and east have different laws?”
“Yeah, slavery is outlawed in the west but the east still allows it. Just not the buying and selling of new slaves. The problem is that it’s hard to prove that you weren’t born as their property once they put a slave mark on you. So, while it’s technically illegal to buy and sell new slaves, in reality they just kidnap people and put them to work anyways. Which is why we should try to get as strong as possible in the west before going through the east.”
“How long will it take for us to get to Old Kroy?”
“About a week.”
John scoffs, “A week of vacation followed by a week of wagon life. Great.”
I chuckle, “At least it will give us time to train again. Oh! You’ll also get to see my dancing, Scarlet! You were asleep the last time I practiced.”
“Pfft, I’ll gladly watch you dance, haha.”
“I’ll show you during lunch then!”
After a bit more walking, we arrive back at our wagon and find a note pinned to it. It says, “Good luck. You’ll need it. - Ser Adin”.
John scoffs, “That hag can’t seem to make up her mind if she wants to be nice or not,” and rips off the note while we go inside the wagon.
Rayla and I sit down at the coach seat and Rayla asks one last time, “Everyone ready?”
Sher Aka answers, “Yep”
John adds, “Just go already…”
And Scarlet just seems offended she can’t sit next to me because the coach seat is too small for three people.
“Alright, let’s go then! To new adventures, haha.”
Leaving the little piece of Elven land behind, we move south east, definitely missing the comfort of our hotel room but also excited about what we’ll find in these foreign lands. We then make camp at lunch near a beautiful waterfall behind snow covered pines.
After I’m done cooking, I ask Scarlet, “So? Which one do you want to see first? The fire ritual or the darkness ritual?”
“Ritual? I thought you were dancing?”
“Yeah, the dance is part of the ritual.”
She thinks for a bit, “I’d like to see the fire ritual then!”
“Alright!”
While the rest are eating, I begin the ritual to an audience of small water and earth spirits and Scarlet, slowly melting the snow around me.
“Ifrit Spirit King of Fire, hear my plea. Clothe me in your fire so that I may not stand cold and naked in front of the Kings. Fire Dress.”
I then open my eyes again, “So what do you-Scarlet?” Looking at Scarlet, she has an almost disgusted look on her face.
“Where did you learn that Rose?”
“Uhm, from Uli. Is something wrong?”
Looking shocked, she forces a smile, “No…It’s…impressive…Good job.”
“Can you please be honest? You seem…Disgusted.”
She shakes her hands in front of her, “Oh, it’s not because of you! It’s…" she gets a sorrowful look on her face, "It’s because that technique was used to kill our grandpa. So, it’s a bit jarring to see you use it.”
“Oh…Sorry about that.”
“It’s okay. It’s a powerful technique, it's just…I was a bit surprised.”
A bit dejected, I make the fire dress disappear and sit down on the rock next to Scarlet, “What was he like?”
Putting her tail around me, she answers, “I don’t know, he died before I hatched. But I heard he was a very kind person…”
“Sorry about reminding you of your grandpa’s death like that, Scarlet.”
Giving me a somber smile, Scarlet puts her arm around me and pulls me close to her, rubbing her cheek on mine, “He’s your grandpa too you know. Don’t worry about it, I was just surprised.”
I avoid her eyes, “He…Isn’t really my grandpa though, so it was insensitive of me.”
Looking almost offended, Scarlet objects, “Of course he is! You’re my sister after all!”
“Maybe you see it that way but I doubt he would have. He is your family, not my family.”
“What are you talking about? You’re my sister so he is your grandpa. There is no mine and your family, it’s our family!”
“You don’t get it…It’s not the same. Your family will probably hate me when I meet them.”
A bit confused, she says, “What? Of course not! Our parents will be really glad to see their lost daughter!”
“I don’t want to talk about this anymore…I’m going to go eat now.”
As I try to get up, she holds me back, “Why not? You can talk to me about anything, Rose.”
“I said, I don’t want to talk about it! Okay!?”
“Okay…”
Leaving her grip, I put my mask on and go eat some food.
Giving me a concerned look, ane asks, “Why are you wearing your mask, oki?”
“I just felt like it.”
“Are you…Okay? You sound upset.”
“I don’t want to talk about it.”
“Okay…”
Hastily, I finish my food and say, “I’m gonna take a nap in the wagon. Wake me if you need anything.”
“Sure, good night oki.”
Going back to the wagon I pull out Hoppy from our chest of valuables and hug him as I go to sleep. I’m not sure why, but he helps me calmd down.
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“Looks like someone’s got a bad case of the mondays.” John jokes.
Rayla asks, “What were you guys talking about that made him so upset, Scarlet?”
“I have no idea. We were talking about our family but then she got upset and said that our parents will hate her and that she is not my family ‘in that way’. When I asked what she meant, she said she didn’t wanna talk about it.”
John sighs, “That explains it then…He probably just didn’t want you to give him false hope.”
“False hope? What are you talking about?”
“That scar on his face. It’s not from his curse. He got it from Rayla’s brothers when she introduced him to her family.”
“What!? Why? What happened!?”
Rayla answers with a somber look on her face, “I introduced him to my family as my new brother. My family is usually very loving and kind so I thought they’d get along great. But the second we got there, they were super cold to him and overprotective of me. They thought he was taking advantage of me and my older brothers got really jealous. So, after my family made it clear they don’t want him anywhere near me, my brothers decided it wasn't enough…So, they…They beat him up and gave him this scar.” Rayla then starts to cry.
Visibly angry, Scarlet pulls her by her collar, “You have no right to shed tears for something that is your fault!”
“You’re right…Still, the only advice I can give you is that no matter how well you think you know your family, you might still be surprised to see a dark side that they’d never show you but will show someone they see as a threat. Don’t make the same mistake I made. He doesn’t need false hope.”
“Our family isn’t like that. They would never harm her!”
Looking straight into her eyes, Rayla answers, “That’s what I thought too…”
A bit reluctantly, Scarlet lets go of Rayla, “Tsk I’m taking a stroll.”
Transforming into her draconic form she flies away.
John scoffs, “Boy, I sure could use a vacation right about now.”
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