Well - Maybe not as okay as I thought. Because when I exited the tent, both Lumo’s and Gaelenod’s expressions dropped. They were both by the fire, Lumo sitting and stirring a pot as he sat on the fell log. Gaelenod was standing near him, mouth full of leaves - stopping mid-chew. The morning mist was still thick in the air, and I held my cloak tight to my face, warming my cheeks.
“Good… morning,” I said, concerned.
“Good morning, Mira… Did you… Did you sleep well?” Lumo said, holding back a smile.
“Is there something wrong?”
“Sorry - It’s just… Did you have a rough night?” He said, with a grin.
“I… did, actually. Though I’m not sure what’s so funny.”
“Sorry, Lady Mira - but your hair is a sight to behold,” Gaelenod said.
Great. Of course.
With a sigh, I frantically brushed through my hair with my fingers.
“Really though, what made it a rough night?” said Lumo.
“I had a nightmare. I…”
My mind flashed to what I remembered. The beach, the mirror, the crow.
“Were you… You were there, Lumo.”
He gave a wide smile. “You dreamt about me, Mira?”
“No- No I… Nevermind,” I shook my head, eager to change the subject. It was far too early in the morning to be teased. “Where are we going? To see your friend, as you said?”
“Yes,” Lumo said, smile still wide on his face, “We will be seeing my old friend Ciro this morning. I do believe you’ll like him, although he can be a bit eccentric at times.”
Lumo handed me a bowl of some sort of potato stew - a bizarre concoction for breakfast, but I was still grateful. They both watched me, much to my discomfort, as I ate perhaps too large a spoonful as it immediately burned my tongue. The bowl however was a warm comfort in the morning chill.
“Are you not having anything, Lumo?”
“I… I don’t eat.”
“At all?”
“No… Just a side effect of my creation I suppose. I’m sure it’s very lovely though - with all its… intricacies.”
I grimaced before taking another bite.
“Why - Why was there food at your cabin then?”
“For guests,” he replied shortly.
“...guests?”
“Yes,” Lumo said, continuing to stir the stew with increased intensity.
I took it as a sign to not pry any further, as much as I wanted to know more.
“Right,” huffed Gaelenod, filling the uncomfortable silence, “You know when you say things like that, Prince Lumo, Lady Mira will surely assume you mean other-”
Lumo turned to Gaelenod abruptly, jaw tight.
“Nevermind…”
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We had only been on the trail for what felt like a few short moments before Gaelenod suddenly stopped. We had reached the treeline and before us were the beautiful sprawling Valencte Mountains. High, snow capped peaks filled the horizon before us, and Lumo flew down, transforming in a fabric swirl into his natural form just before landing in front of Gaelenod on the rocky gray ground.
“This, this is where I must stop my friends,” the great moose huffed. “I cannot travel beyond this point, beyond my home… Beyond Yormen.”
Lumo held out his hand for me to get off his back, and I reluctantly got off. Although uncomfortable at times, I had grown quite fond of my travels with Gaelenod, and certainly did not wish to say goodbye.
The three of us stood there, staring at the great mountains to our east, and rocky cliff sides to our north. I did not wish to leave the comfort of the forest. I felt so… exposed. There was only a sprinkling of trees in the rocky plains, the soil far too dry and chilled for any of the lush of the forest to exist. The wide open blue sky made me feel uneasy, with nowhere to hide from any sort of sky-beasts lurking above.
I turned to Gaelenod. Thick billows of hot breath filled the cool air as he caught his breath from the morning ride. Never in my life did I ever expect to meet a forest champion, let alone ride upon its back. He really was an amazing creature, standing heads above me, enormous antlers larger than I could even reach. Ever since I brought him back, I felt a sort of unspoken connection, an invisible string connecting us whether he felt it or not. Although only for a moment, I had seen the world through his eyes, though his body - and It was something I knew would never leave me. I cleared my throat.
“I know - I know you have been taught to distrust me, to think of me as some cruel villain by the magic I have been given. But I hope… I hope that when I return, and I will someday, that we can talk as friends. I will miss you, and your song.” I said, but my heart was far too sore to look him in the eyes. I knew if I did, surely the tears would fall, and I could not bear it. I took a deep breath, and gave him a final bow.
After what seemed like an eternity, the forest champion gave a great huff through his wide nostrils. “Lady Mira, although we have only known each other for a few days now, I very much enjoyed our journey together. You have left me with… much to think about. I am but an old man who knows only of the old ways. But I certainly wish that you visit again… you will be welcome in Yormen as long as I am guardian of these ancient woods.”
Then, much to my relief, the great white moose gave a low bow in return.
“Goodbye old friend,” spoke Lumo, stepping forward and padding both sides of his wide furred neck. “I will visit again soon.”
“I hope you do - but next time please give me at least three week’s notice. I do not like surprises,” Gaelenod grumbled.
And before I could say anything further, Gaelenod turned away, back into his forest, a white mist between the pines. Just like that, he was gone.
I looked at Lumo, who let out a little laugh then crossed his arms.
“He’s not the most sentimental creature - or at least he pretends not to be. I’m surprised that he said as much as he did, honestly. He’s not the best with goodbyes,” he chuckled.
I turned again to face the mountains and rocky ground. As beautiful as it was, I was not looking forward to traversing the uneven and cold terrain.
“Is it… is it very far? To your friend?”
“No - not too far. Although, to be fair, I’ve never come by foot.”
“Oh… right,” I sighed. “Are you sure you can’t simply turn me into a crow again?”
“Yes,” he said curtly before taking a dramatic step forward.
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Lumo had lied. It was indeed far.
As we made our way over the rocky open plains, I felt as though I was tripping every other step. My fingers were so cold, they tingled, painful to move when I tried to use my cloak to cover my face. The wind was bitter, whipping the hair about my face - I didn’t want to imagine what it looked like if only waking up in the morning was enough to draw stares. I watched Lumo jump with ease between the uneven terrain, much to my frustration. He would look back at me every so often to slow his steps, but I knew If I wasn’t slowing him, he would already be there even if traveling by foot.
As we made our way across the vast landscape, the jagged rocks we walked on only grew taller. Although we were heading north of the mountains, it made seldom difference to me. And just as I was about to forgo my ego and ask for a break, Lumo suddenly beckoned me forward.
He offered me a hand to join him on the rocky ledge where he stood. I took it gratefully, but was shocked at its sudden warmness on my near frostbit fingers. I threw my hand back in shock, and began to fall back, but he caught me with ease. With both his hands on my arms, face close to mine - I froze.
“Gods, you are freezing. I- I should have remembered. Especially with your magic already so drained,” he sighed, and much to my horror, he pulled me close to his chest. “You poor thing. You should have said something. How could I be so stupid.”
My cold cheek hit the warmth of his linen collar, brushing ever so slightly to his collarbone, and I felt every one of my muscles seize. I was not prepared for this.
“Here, here - take my cloak,” he said, quickly removing it and placing it over my shoulders. “...Mira?”
I nodded stiffly.
“Sorry… I -... Here,” he went behind me, pointing towards a deep gouge in the rocks below, his cheek close to mine. “Ciro is there.”
“H-he li-lives in a c-c-cave?” I shivered.
“Yes,” he nodded. “He… he is a bit of a recluse. Do… do you need me to carry you?”
Yes, please.
“N- No. No, thank you.”
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As we made our way down the cliff, I noticed that the little path was filled with tiny wooden sigils, weaved willow branches curved together in deliberate knots, posted between cracks in the ground - a stark contrast against the gray boulders. First only one - but the closer we got, there were dozens. Lumo seemed to sense my confusion.
“They’re a type of ward… he’s a bit paranoid,” he answered.
By the time that we reached the cave opening, the path was riddled with them. There were probably hundreds just before the thick wooden door, beneath the natural awning of the rocky outcrop.
Lumo approached the door, then looked back to me with a somewhat nervous smile before he began to knock on the ebony wood. We both had to duck slightly with the low natural ceiling, and my head brushed against the stone above. Thick metal brackets held the door in place - uneven in shape and distance due to the natural setting. When nothing happened, Lumo knocked yet again.
“Who goes there,” came a raspy voice, muffled by the thick door.
“Dear Ciro! Old friend!” Lumo yelled, hands cupped to get through to the other side.
“Go away!” the gruff voice yelled in response.
Lumo turned back to me, smiling the same nervous smile.
“Don’t you recognise my voice? I have come all this way to see you!” Lumo shouted back, a bit more impatient this time.
There was a brief commotion behind the door, banging and sliding of large items. Had he barricaded the door?
The door then opened a crack.
“Gods, Lumo. What are you doing here? You know it’s not -”
But before he could finish, Lumo pushed the door forward and open with both hands, exclaiming. “Dear Ciro! It has been too long!”
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Ciro was quite tall despite the small cave ceilings. He was an older man with distinctly bold features, face chiseled in dramatic plains like that of the rock he surrounded himself with. Although his hair was white, I could tell that he used to have the rugged handsome look of a knight behind his now worry-lined face. He stood, arms raised in the shock of such an abrupt entrance to his small dwelling. There was a small fireplace, even smaller bed, and a floor adorned with empty bottles.
“Looks like you’ve been busy,” teased Lumo, kicking one of the glass bottles to roll it over the dusty, ash-ridden rock floor. “Mira, this is my old friend Ciro. Ciro - meet Mira. I do believe you have a lot to talk about.”
“What are you doing here?” Ciro eyes wide, glancing back and forth between the two of us in panic, “And who is she - No one is supposed to know where I am - I -”
“Gods, it really is warm in here,” Lumo said with a stretch, completely ignoring his friend’s distress.
He was right though - the warmth was almost enough for me to take off Lumo’s coat. Though I really did not want to. But when I looked to Ciro - he was equally as bundled up - if not more so. He was wearing what looked to be a huge bear-skin coat, big fur-topped boots, and even a wool scarf around his neck.
“You know - you know why,” Ciro stammered. I watched as he nervously began to pick up the empty bottles off the ground, only to place them in another corner of the small room. “You should have told me you were coming,” he said, “I would have - I would have -”
“You would have found another place to hide?” Lumo said as he sat on the little bed.
“Yeah. Probably,” Ciro said defeatedly, throwing the bottle in his hand to the pile in the corner before joining Lumo on the edge of the bed.
I walked to the fire, putting my hands out to warm them, unsure of what to do with myself. There was a history here, and I wasn’t too fond of being thrust amidst it.
“Mira’s a disciple of Solia, just like you. Both Blood magic brethren,” Lumo said with a bright grin.
Both Ciro and I locked eyes with each other, equally in shock from across the room. We both then turned to Lumo at the same time - horror in Ciro’s expression, anger in mine. How could he spout that off so casually?
“Now Mira, I have to take care of a couple of things - I will not bore you with the details but I will be back in a few days time to hear your decision,” Lumo then said, standing and brushing off his lap.
My mouth went slack. “My… decision?” I stammered.
“Yes - you said you wanted choices. Here he is - a third choice. As you said - you can give yourself up, fight it, or option three - run and hide from your fate. Like my dear friend Ciro here.”
My eyes turned to Ciro, who had a look of daggers at his “dear friend”.
“A couple of days? You -” Ciro stammered.
“Mira - I will be back before you know it. I trust you will make the right decision,” said Lumo. He then bent down and promptly kissed me on the forehead, before turning to the door. “Goodbye, Ciro!”
Then with a quick slam of the door - the masked stranger was gone, leaving me and my new acquaintance slack jawed and frozen in his wake.
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