The Home I Will Miss

"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.