"Mikhail... get up... time... leave..." a woman's voice rang through Mikhail's ears as he groaned and shifted sleepily in his wooden bed. The words broken as he was more focused on staying asleep.
"Just a... few... minutes..." Mikhail mumbled as he wrapped his blanket tightly around his body. He had slept late the day before and wanted some much needed rest.
Silence filled the room for a short moment before the cold air surrounded Mikhail. He curled in a ball before groggily getting up, as his hazy eyes blinked stupidly, trying to clarify his vision.
"Wha... where's the blanket... Mom?!" Mikhail gasped as his vision cleared and he saw Diane wrapped in a black cloak which came with a hood, holding onto his blanket as she stared at him with a fierce look.
"I told you to get up before dawn. Now the sun is nearly in the sky. We can't stay here any longer."
"... It... huh... It's just dawn...?" Mikhail said as he got out of bed and peered through his window.
"... ... Just... get ready. I'll be waiting for you outside." Diane sighed as she placed the blanket back onto his bed, heading for the door.
"Okay." Mikhail mumbled as the room of his door was left slightly ajar. He stared at it, expecting his mother to close it but sighed as it remained open. He then shut it before smoothening the creases on his bedsheets, placing the blanket he folded atop his pillow.
He then tousled his hair in an attempt to get it smoothed out but gave up as it sprang back upwards as if alive in an even more unruly state. He murmured a low curse as he splashed cold water on his face, flinching from the freezing water.
Mikhail stared at his reflection in the mirror, taking in his chiseled jawline and tousled silver hair. His violet eyes seemed red from the lack of sleep along with eye bags forming beneath his eyes.
He then threw on his neatly folded outfit that he had laid out the night before, grabbing the packed suitcases he had placed in a corner of his room.
Leaving this village, huh... To think I'd be sad to leave this place... Mikhail thought to himself as he shook his head, clearing his thoughts. He then turned the knob of his door before heading out to the living room which was attached with the kitchen. It was a small house to begin with.
His eyes swept the room, taking in the familiar sight of the round dining table and the rickety bookshelf his mother had placed nearby the windowsill.
Breathing in the familiar scent of home, Mikhail was about to exit the house when his eyes caught sight of a letter that was placed on the dining table, in front of the usual vase that held the blue flowers. He reached out to touch it but was interrupted when his mother called out to him.
"Mikhail. Please. We need to hurry."
"... ... Okay. I'm heading over!"
Averting his gaze from the letter, he exited the house. He then pulled on the hood of his favourite dark green cloak, heading towards his mother.
"... You sure took your time."
"Sorry."
"That's fine. Help me load up the cart. Brownie has already been waiting."
"Oh. Okay."
Brownie was Diane's horse. From what Mikhail knew about his mother, the horse was a gift to her by one of the local farmer who insisted on gifting her one as a token of gratitude for helping out when his wife was in labour. She had declined the offer several times before but gave in since the man kept insisting.
***
"Done."
"Are you sure? You didn't leave anything you might regret behind?"
"... I... No."
"... Okay. Then we should head out. It's nearly daybreak."
Mikhail said nothing and nodded, he then sat with his mother on the front part of the cart. Holding the reins as he turned to face her.
"... Okay?"
Diane nodded as she then averted her gaze, facing forward as her son urged the horse to move. Brownie whinnied before trotting along the wooden path.
The sleepy village remained calm and peaceful as the sound of hooves clacking against the dirt path filled the silence. The cool air of the village caressed Mikhail's cheeks as he brought the speed up, garnering a gasp from his mother as she held onto her hood that threatened to fall and turned to him in surprise.
"Hmm? I'm making up for lost time." Mikhail replied smoothly. In all honesty, the heavy feeling in his heart from being forced to leave the village was suffocating. Mikhail was trying his best to keep the feeling repressed as he didn't want to feel that way, so, leaving as soon as possible was one of the clear way that burdened feeling from his chest could be removed.
"I... I see." Diane replied as her clear violet eyes swept Mikhail's face. She then furrowed her brows before turning back to face the scene ahead of her.
As the cool air filled Diane's nose, she took a deep breath and shut her eyes, feeling the refreshing air as the morning dew pelted her cheeks. The cart rattled as she felt the rocking, gently drifting her into her own deep thought.
I'm sorry, Xander. I don't trust that you will not hurt Mikhail... It was... however... pleasant to see you again... And to hear that lovely laughter... Diane thought as she drifted off into a void of darkness, gently rocked by the rattling of the cart against the dirt path and the sound of clacking from Brownie's hooves.
***
Mikhail felt his throat contract as he found himself at a distance farther than he had ever been from his village. It was even farther than the capital city, Archen Menoch.
He had been on the road for around 4 hours, it had long pass daybreak. Diane had told him to head North-East towards the nearest town. He had complied as they were halfway there, his heart in turmoil as he thought of Cathy and Lucas.
They were his best friends and childhood friends. His whole life was back in Vogrant Village. Now, as they had packed their bags and left, it felt as if he had lost his home.
Mikhail drew in a shaky breath as he shook his head, trying to clear his mind. He noticed Brownie's pace had slowed and decided to take a breather.
He then gazed at his surroundings as he took in the vast mountain area in the distance as well as a lake located not too far from where they were. Mikhail then led Brownie towards the lake as he noticed his mother stirring.
"Nnn... Where... are we now...?" Diane asked groggily as she rubbed her eyes sleepily, her hood falling off her head as it exposed her light brown hair which was tied in a simple braid.
"Oh, mom. We're on the halfway mark to the nearest town. We... were heading North-East, right?" Mikhail asked as he nervously scratched his cheek.
"... Yes. We're taking a break? How long has it been?"
"Around 4 hours... give and take."
"Four... Oh my... Poor Brownie is due for a break. I've packed some breakfast. We can have our meal as we let Brownie relax."
"Sure."
Diane then sat upright as she glanced at her surroundings. Nothing in sight was familiar as she had barely left Vogrant ever since moving there. She then sighed as she thought about how long she was asleep for and the dream that had been seemingly stuck in her memory. Even the thoughts about the letter swirled in her head as she shut her eyes and imagined Xander's reaction upon reading it.
"Are you up?" Mikhail pries his eyes open groggily before he groans and rubs at them before turning towards the source of the voice."Whu--?" Mikhail blurts out a confused reply as he blinks his bleary eyes at William, waiting for them to focus but grew drowsy in the meantime."It's high time you get up. It's the second time in my life where I had to personally wake you up." William sighs as Mikhail's eyes slowly shut."Don't you dare fall asleep! We need to move out while it's still lights out. The terrain is more dangerous at night and we need to be able to pinpoint where to go from here." William frowns as he shakes Mikhail awake."F-five minutes more..." Mikhail tried to keep his eyes open but couldn't help it as the grogginess overwhelmed him.William released Mikhail's shoulders as he frowns, knitting his eyebrows in annoyance. Without thinking twice, he grabs the hides out of Mikhail's reach and tossed them to the other end of the tent, fold
"Hup! Easy!" William steadies his horse as he approached the deserted camp. The men behind him murmur in silence as he spares a glance at the messenger. He purses his lips and led them towards the stable before hopping off his horse. It's unlikely that the messenger is lying to me. But even if he is, I'd better keep a safe distance for myself from the group. "I'll look around. Remain vigilant!" William instructed as I kept a calm expression to ensure they don't think something was amiss. The messenger stated that there would be someone to greet me once I arrive. Yet, there is nary a soul nearby. Did something occur? William keeps a wary hand on the hilt of his blade as he surveyed the empty tents that were billowing with the frosty wind. Whatever footsteps that could have been used to track down where they could possibly have gone were covered in the cloak of white.
Venturing further up to the north was where the enemy camp was located. Arthur holds onto the contract, glancing at its content as he purses his lips and knits his brows.He looked over his shoulder, thinking about his sister and everyone back at the camp before frowning. However, as he turned to look forward, he shakes his head and sighs.Men clad in jet black armor with red lining greeted him with a few warning arrows before he climbed off his horse. Arthur slips a note he had written prior to leaving the camp between the stallion's caparison before sending it off by startling it into running away.He watched the men try to shoot it down or run after it but failed as the horse ran past them. A sigh of relief escapes his lips that he had brought along his beloved horse before a burly man approached him and covered his head with a bag."You do know who I am, right?" Arthur frowns as the man shoved hi
"I can't." Arthur pushes Soleil off his arm as he grabs the contract and leaves the tent.Soleil glances at the flap swaying back and forth from where Arthur had left as she flicks her tongue in silence. She then slithers over to Mikhail, her faintly golden scales reflecting the light of the oil lamp on the desk.Mikhail holds his head and grimaces before blinking his eyes, slowly making out Soleil's presence as he sits up straight. He stares at her for a moment before glancing at his hands that were tightly restrained by some thick ropes."Shall I get you out?" Soleil slithers up his arm as Mikhail shakes his head, unlike what she expected him to do."No. I need to show my sincerity and that I truly wish to help him.""Is that so? But would that require you to be restrained like so?" Soleil wraps herself around his neck, dangling loosely like a jewellery as Mikhail sighed to himself."Tigris showed me a memory of young Arthur. He woul
Back at Trevault or somewhere fairly close to Trevault, Mikhail kneels stiffly as Arthur paces around him. Even if he wanted to make an excuse, the way he was caught clearly puts him at a disadvantageous spot regardless.Mikhail shifts uncomfortably before straightening his back upon noticing Arthur's narrowed gaze. His legs had been growing number by the second and he could only feel pins and needles in his lower half."How did you escape?""I escaped? No... I..." Mikhail peeked at Arthur's face before the flap of the tent was raised and Juniper walked in eyeing Mikhail as she gave him a belittling gaze."Brother... so this is where he was..." Juniper sighed as she walked over towards Mikhail and kicks him onto his side.Mikhail gave her an astonished gasp before knitting his brows. It was totally uncalled for, for her to act in such a manner when she was the one who requested such an act to be carried out. He was simply carrying out her ord
After their discussion, Xander walks down the corridor with Lilith by his side. Not too far down from the room they just exited, he halts in his steps.Lilith paused as she turned to face him, curious eyes met muddled ones as she opens her mouth to say something but decides against it. She purses her lips, deducing the words she knew he was going to say before swallowing the lump in her throat."The nobles must be feeling rather impatient after this long. They must not be used to waiting, being the top of the social hierarchy... we should head over." Lilith eloquently puts her words into a chain to shackle Xander down, hoping that his Kingly duties would keep him from going back to Diane."... .... You're right. We should make haste..." Xander meets Lilith's gaze as he takes a step forward.Lilith releases the breath she had been holding as she heads over to his side. It wasn't like her to act in such a behaviour. However, upon seeing Diane up close, it w