Chapter 18:

The carriage bumped against the roughness of the road, jostling everyone inside. The atmosphere inside was quiet, with only the squeaking of the wheels bleeding into the cabin. I looked at the older man curiously. He had received such a spirited welcome back in town, and hadn’t even introduced himself. Who was this guy? I had hoped he would speak first, but he simply enjoyed the quiet and stared blankly at his own legs. Is this guy lucid?

I couldn’t take it anymore, finally breaking under the social pressure. “Excuse me,” I said, “I don’t believe we introduced ourselves. I’m Aria.”

“Gale.”

The man turned his gaze from his lap, looking at us fondly. “Your names have noble bearing, well suited to your station.”

I smiled. “May I ask your name?”

He laughed. “I suppose I’ve become an old fool, too lost in distant memories to remember my manners. You may call me Askret.”

Gale looked at him, eyebrow raised. “How did you hear about us?” 

“The Saintess’s deeds have spread far and wide, indeed. I would not imagine a soul in the capital has not heard of her and the Hero’s exploits.”

“How can you be so sure we’re the Hero and Saintess?” I asked.

Askret looked at me, a surprising clarity in his eyes. “That is what I intend to discover.”

“If we are?”

“Then the light of Navira shines upon us this night. I should be so grateful.”

“Navira?” 

He looked at me, his eyes turning dangerously sharp. “I would ask how you are ignorant of the Lady of the Night, but I suspect you would be uninterested in sharing such details.”

Sweat dripped down my brow. This guy… he’s pretty sharp. Could he suspect…? 

Gale leaned forward. “We’re not from around this area.”

“I gathered. I suppose you have not visited the capital, either?”

“Uh,” I said, “No. We haven’t made it there yet.”

“Curious, most would be quite interested in Elanis, given its proximity and reputation. Does city life not suit you?”

“We just haven’t gotten the chance!”

He smiled at me. “Well, hopefully the city suits your needs. It’s quite a sight at first glance.”

Quite a sight? I tried to imagine what it could be. Leyland, but bigger? The tales I’d heard in Shortleaf painted it as a majestic place, full of magic and whimsy. I pictured a city perched in clouds, surrounded by flying creatures and hovering people on brooms. A thrill shot through my stomach.

I can’t wait to see the magic there. I’d spent half this adventure saddled with support magic and nothing else. If we fought the Demon Lord, what could I possibly do? Poke him with a stick? Kick him? I pictured myself casting strengthening magic, ripping my top off to reveal a pair of meaty arms, and picking up a man to break him in half. 

I looked at Gale. I frowned as he shivered under my intense gaze. Had he picked up mind-reading when I wasn’t paying attention? I suddenly flashed an image in my brain - my body in the bathtub, a rosy filter over it as I covered my body in suds. Hmm, no response. 

It wasn’t like mind reading was a thing anyways… right? I snuck a glance across from us at the old man and his butler. They seemed well put together. Besides, it wasn’t like the image of a girl with my appearance would elicit any kind of reaction from a church worker anyways. I wasn’t half as pretty as Mirabelle. 

Why had Gale chosen me when Mirabelle was right there? Her smile flashed in my memory, pulling the corner of my lips down. Gale really picked a phony like me over the genuine article. Something had to be seriously wrong with his brain — I was a manly man, trapped in the body of a boyish girl. Had Gale’s tastes always swung that way? I peeked at him again.

Memories of our nightly activities rushed through my head, causing my cheeks to flush. I remembered him picking me up, pinning me against the wall and tearing into my neck like a wild beast. I could still feel his lips crossing over mine, the jittery sensation I’d felt, the warmth in unexpected places… In my past life, arousal was like a nine to five — repetitive and annoying, like a chore. Most of my relationships had failed because I’d never felt much attraction to them in the first place. Now that I thought about it, why had I dated them? Because I was supposed to? I shook my head. 

I bit my lip, trying to suppress the sudden rush of heat through my body. Ugh, what a bad time for this…! Gale looked over at me, confused. “Are you sick?”

He reached over and put his hand to my forehead. The sudden touch sent my mind reeling back to him pinning me to the bed, licking and biting at my collarbone. I pushed his hands away and looked at the floor of the carriage. I hissed in a breath. Should I use healing magic on myself? I would be mortified if they ever realized what I’d used it for…

Askret leaned forward into my vision. “Should I open the window?” 

My face burst into flame as I nodded. 

I leaned my head out like a dog, desperately trying to cool off. The daze gradually wore away from my eyes as I looked over the countryside. Numerous green hills rolled through the area, with multiple houses sitting in neat rows of differing elevation. I furrowed my brows. How did they handle floods? This world really made no sense to me. 

The smells of grass and fresh air blew past my face, tousling my hair. Gale leaned out besides me, taking in the view. I could feel his body pressed against mine. Damn it, Gale! I had just recovered! I wiggled away, pulling out of the window and returned to my seat, pouting.

Askret looked at me with a strange look on his face. I tilted my head in confusion. “Yes?”

His face twitched, before settling into a smile. He reached a hand into his robe pocket and pulled something out. He extended his hand over, gesturing for me to bring mine forwards. I put both hands in front, cupped, and something dropped into them. It was three separately wrapped items. I smiled at him. Magic items?! Weapons? Maybe a really tiny scroll?

I unwrapped one carefully, inspecting it as I did so. It was a cloth wrapping, which I found unusual. I held a piece of something in my hand. It was colored pink, and looked much like a clouded crystal. “What is this?” I asked.

Askret’s eyes widened in surprise, before they fell into a look like pity. He leaned forward, his lips raising into a kindly smile. “Have you never had it before? It is a treat — sweet, surely enough to please your palate. Go on, don’t hold back.”

My lips twitched. Gale sat back next to me, looking from my hand to Askret’s face. He put a hand to his mouth, barely covering a snort, which he transformed into a cough. Bastard, I can see you laughing…!

Whatever, I popped the candy into my mouth. Immediately, the rough surface of the treat was wetted by my tongue, and shrank in size. A light fizzle tingled my mouth, spreading the taste of strawberry, or something similar. My eyes widened. A pop-rock?! I had loved these as a kid — my parent’s always included a packet in my Christmas stocking. 

The familiar flavor brought a smile to my face. Memories long forgotten flashed through my head. I thought of my mother chiding me as I knocked a jar from the fridge, before kissing my forehead. I thought of my father driving me to school, quietly buying us breakfast, telling me not to tell Mom. I thought of us sitting on the couch watching a movie, sharing a bucket of popcorn I held in my lap; I thought of us laying in bed when I’d had a nightmare. I remembered when I’d heard they’d died. 

I recalled the fluorescent lights beaming into my eyes at school, the dazed expression when I’d been called to the office. The uncaring attitude of the staff, who’d been saddled with the duty of telling a student their parents had died. All of a sudden, the rush of memories brought a flood of tears to my eyes. My breath caught as a clench rolled across my chest. I found it hard to breathe. 

“Huh?” I said, a sob unexpectedly pitching through my throat. I looked down in disbelief, vision blurred by a sudden stream of something pouring from my eyes. Was I sad? Why was I crying? It had already been so long, why now?

Everyone in the carriage stiffened when they realized I was crying. Gale quickly wrapped his arms around me, asking if I was ok. I heard Askret apologize for giving me the candy, asking if the fizz hurt my mouth. The butler sat quietly, eyeing me with concern. I waved them off, trying to say something, but my voice caught in my throat. 

I tried to speak, but my voice refused to obey. I could barely get a syllable out before the same wave of grief rose from within me, halting my speech. They looked at me as I tried to calm my feelings. After a few minutes of awkward sniffling, I managed to squeak out a few words.

“I’m fine.”

They looked on with concern. Askret reached over, cupping my hands in his. “I apologize, Lady Aria. It was not my intention to stir your feelings.”

I shook my head. “It wasn’t you,” I sniffled, “My p-parents... gave me a similar candy."

His eyes glistened as he understood. He squeezed my hands in his, smiling gently. “I am sorry for your loss.” 

I just nodded. I had heard those words before, but for some reason, today was the only time it felt like they meant something.