Chapter 20 - Messanger

I woke up to some movement near me. I slowly opened my eyes to check on who it may be without alerting them. It seems that Miya’s senses are sharper than I thought because that was still enough for her to notice, turn around and give me a warm smile.
-Good morning, master. I was just about to wake you up.
Seeing it was only her movement that I felt, I pulled myself up from the table and let out a big yawn. I didn’t sleep well, not sure if anyone could if they were in the same position I was. My back was aching, I seem to be having a light migraine, likely due to the cold draft, and I definitely didn’t recharge at all from just a few hours of uncomfortable sleep.
-Good morning. Give me a minute to get dressed and we can move out.
-Actually, sir. I suggest you have some breakfast first, you haven’t eaten almost anything yesterday. A few minutes of delay won’t change much but if you were to collapse from exhaustion, we could lose hours if not more.
I was about to protest but not only was her argument surprisingly sound, I was really hungry and she seemed to already have a bowl of some basic foodstuffs ready for me.
-Yeah, you’re right. Thank you for taking care of me.
-Someone has to do it.
The beastgirl laughed and sat down next to me, looking out the window but not even pretending that she wasn't keeping me in the corner of her vision.
-Have you eaten already?
-Yes, I woke up some time ago, so I’m good.
-Did I overslept by much?
-No, the sun has just started to rise.
I nodded, trying to finish the food fairly fast but also to not rush it too much. It still took me a minute or two before I stood up from the table. Instinctively, I started to put on my armour but Miya stopped me, reminding me that we need to prioritise mobility. Armour will generally slow us down, since I would be getting tired in it a lot faster, plus it did make it a little more difficult to run in. As such, I decided to leave behind my plate and chainmail, putting on only my gambeson. I did feel a little weird in just it, even around the castle I generally wore mail under it, so being free of about fifteen kilos was noticeable. I decided to still take my shield with me, having that thing put away would just make me way too out of my element and it wasn’t all that heavy. I did strap it to my back, though, instead of having it hanging at my off-hand. My crossbow had to stay behind, however, as it would just be too heavy and cumbersome to take. With the addition of my sword at my hip, I gave Miya a nod that I was ready to go. For some reason she seemed strangely happy this whole morning and even now. We left the gatehouse and were greeted by two guards, who immediately stood at attention. I noticed one of them being the same guy I saw Liyanne talk to yesterday. They opened the gate for us without any delay and let us out.
As we started heading towards Katerial, Miya seemed to stay oddly positive, if not more happy than she was earlier. I didn’t mind it at all but it was a stark contrast to her usual rather shy, vigilant and reserved self. When I asked about it, however, she simply gave me a smile and refused to elaborate, speeding ahead just a few steps, basically forcing me to chase after her tail. I guess there was something I was missing and this was my torture for not realising what that something was. At this point I started to fret I will never truly understand her.
We ran for about an hour before I started to really feel the discomfort of my equipment. At that point we slowed down to a quick march for a couple of minutes so that I could catch my breath and rest my body a little but not relax my muscles too much before the next jogging stretch. It was shorter than the previous one, with a third one cutting close to half the length of the first one. Having serious difficulty catching my breath at this point I ordered a proper rest. Miya didn’t seem much winded but she also wasn’t wearing her usual armour either. She switched the armour I bought her for a regular tunic from the outpost storehouse that, now that I actually looked at it, she seems to have cut to size herself. Additionally, I knew she had a much better constitution than I did plus she had her strengthening Skill to help her as well.
-Eh, there’s no way you can share some of that Skill’s power with me, can you?
-I’m sorry, but that is not possible. I’ve tested it years ago already and I couldn’t do it.
-No chance it evolved or something and you can do it now?
Miya rolled her eyes but moved closer to me and placed her hand on top of mine. Surprisingly, her hand was fairly delicate, not something you would expect from a person wielding a weapon everyday, although I could feel some patches of tougher skin on her palm, close to the fingers. Still, the sensation was surprisingly pleasant, however I didn’t feel anything change with myself. My body didn’t suddenly become lighter, my fatigue didn’t disappear nor did I feel any change in the atmosphere or some weird energy running through me. After several seconds, Miya retreated her hand, turning away from me, towards the road. Looking up at her, I could see a faint blush on her cheeks but it was hard to say if she got embarrassed or if that was a natural reaction of her body to the marathon we were currently in the middle of and I just didn’t notice earlier. Either way, it seemed that the experiment turned out to be a failure.
-Nothing?
-I told you.
-Well, it was worth the try. Okay, we’re already sitting here for a couple of minutes, let’s continue with the march, we can try running again after a few more minutes.
Miya stood up quickly and started walking almost immediately after. I paced up to catch up with her. At this point I couldn’t tell if she was angry at me, tired of me, embarrassed or simply wanted to be done with this journey already. When I arrived at her side, she didn’t even look my way, and simply shot me a question:
-Do you think we have a chance to make it to the city today?
-Doubt it. It takes almost two full days to travel between the outpost and the city by foot. If we keep up like this, we will maybe save half a day or something like that.
The wolfgirl sighed, but didn’t seem particularly disappointed by that answer. I guess she already expected it and was prepared for it. Seems like she really wasn’t fancy of running around like that.
-We will have to get back there after delivering the message too, right?
-Yeah, but at that point we can probably just go with the caravan and get a free ride.
-I see.
-Everything alright?
-Yep. I’m just preparing myself for this.
-You’re not a fan of trips like that one?
-It’s not that. I used to be a hunter, I’m used to running around in forests.
-What’s wrong, then?
-Your tempo, it’s actually more tiring to slow down to your pace like that.
Her reply left me flabbergasted. I felt like she didn’t mean it as an insult but it still hurt quite a lot. I was actually holding myself up pretty well here, I was never a fan of running and today’s feats were already way above what I could expect myself to be able to do.
-Fair enough. Speaking of which, ready?
Without a reply, Miya sped up to a full-on run. I could clearly see she was holding herself back but even now I had a tough time keeping up with her. Not to mention, I knew my stamina would fail me pretty quickly at this speed but I decided to give it my all for her. I’ll definitely have to add more running and stamina-oriented exercises to my regular workout routine, though. I should probably also investigate if equipment could be enchanted in a way to help with that, like magically boosting my stamina, recovery or making the gear lighter and less cumbersome. I guess I will have to pay a visit to Markus about it. Although he is a blacksmith, not an armourer, he may not be versed or even know if things like that are possible, especially since he’s already dealing with enchantments on his weapons. I should perhaps ask Krewly to inquire for me, though…
Lost in my thoughts, once again finding myself essentially chasing Miya’s tail as I followed her lead, I didn’t notice just how long we’ve been running for until a colicky pain reminded me that I should take a break. I hailed my companion to slow down as I forced myself to not give in to the pain and keep on marching. When Miya turned around and noticed I was hugging my side with a painful grimace on my face, she hadn't said anything to me but the next running segments were all a little slower since then. Again, I couldn’t tell if she was disappointed in me that I’m this much weaker than her or if there was something else on her mind at all.
By the time the sun started to set, we made some decent progress. If we get back on track around sunrise, we should get to Katerial around noon. I was thinking if we couldn’t just keep on marching through the night and arrive in the morning instead, which might help speed the whole preparations up a day, but my body reminded me pretty quickly that I haven’t eaten anything since morning and was reaching my human limits. When we finally sat down and relaxed a little, my legs became painfully numb to the point I couldn’t even move them. Luckily I already grabbed some jerky from the supply bag that Miya prepared in the morning, so I could enjoy my supper even in such a sorry state.
-Who would have thought I’d ever regret skipping on running exercises back home…
-You don’t like running?
-Never did, and I’m unlikely to start liking it now. But I guess I’ll have to put in a little more effort from now on for any future cases like this one.
Miya listened to me and then laughed softly.
-It’s kind of funny, that you love punishing soldiers so much with laps around the castle yet hate running yourself.
-If I loved it, I wouldn’t be using it to punish the soldiers during training.
-I guess that’s fair enough.
The wolfgirl giggled again. She pulled one of her legs up, wrapping her arms around it, and looked up at the sky. I observed her, leaning back against a tree stump. Her posture, the faint smile and the slow wagging of her tail brought in a very peaceful feeling. For a moment I almost forgot we’re in the middle of a highly dangerous forest full of potential bandits and bloodthirsty monsters and allowed myself to relax a little as well. I shifted my gaze up slightly, to see more of the night’s sky, still keeping the forest and Miya in sight in case something was to happen. I often looked up at the sky trying to find various constellations or other points of interest but this night sky was completely alien to me. Just the fact that there were other colours of stars than the usual yellow, white, red and blue ones, like green, pink or purple, was making the view a very mysterious one and oddly appealing as well. Not to mention that the position of many of those stars seemed fairly random, changing sometimes on a night-to-night basis. I wondered just how the space in this world looks like, what strange systems can be found out there, if magic also exists on them or if maybe they are even fully made from it, because I don’t know how to explain green stars otherwise. On one hand I was constantly aware that I was in a different world than my own. On another, moments like these felt like I only now properly realised it.
I shuffled a little to get into a more comfortable position. I noticed Miya’s ear twitch and point towards me, followed by her shifting her gaze at me. She hasn’t said anything and simply smiled before returning to watching the surroundings.
I slowly opened my eyes, not realising I even fell asleep in the first place. It was still quite dark, although I couldn’t tell if it was dawn or my eyes just got used to low light levels. I tried to push myself up but noticed I felt something heavy on my chest. Looking down, I saw Miya, lying next to me and partially on top of me. The moment I looked down, her ear twitched. So even when sleeping she was still listening for movement in the area, huh?
She pulled herself away from me, slowly looking around to locate the source of the sound, until she turned to face me. At that point she seems to have realised what just transpired and quickly pushed herself away, blushing.
-I… This…
Seeing her so confused and embarrassed, I just couldn’t help but let out a chuckle. I leaned forward and placed my hand on her head, stroking it slightly.
-Chill. Thanks for keeping me warm and safe during the night. Sorry for just falling asleep on you like that.
I offered her an apologetic smile, stood up and extended my hand to help her get on her feet. She looked down at the ground but accepted my offer. Taking a deep breath, she eventually looked up at me.
-A-anyway, Sir, it seems the sun will rise soon. We should probably eat and hit the road.
-Aye. Let me guess, more jerky?
-That’s the only supplies we have.
-Well, I’m not complaining, I quite like them. They’re messing up my diet, though.
-You seem pretty concerned with what you eat. Or, more like, what you don’t get to eat.
-I’m not. I try to eat a balanced diet, simply not skipping on any type of produce and not overeating any one either. I know some people who are very particular about what and how much of what they eat to the point they will make themselves throw up if they mess something up in their regime.
-This cannot be healthy.
-They claim it to be. There was a lot of debate about it. Personally, I don’t think it is.
-You must have come from a really weird place.
-I can tell you all about it, albeit some other time. We have to get going.
Miya nodded and put the supplies back. We both grabbed some pieces of jerky to chew on on the initial part of the road, as neither of us really felt like running yet. We got to it pretty quickly, though, both of us wanting to finally arrive at Katerial and, frankly, just be done with this. Having experienced this, I honestly started respecting ancient and early medieval messengers just so much more. Those guys were true heroes… or absolute masochists to keep doing it. Well, someone had to, like in our case.
After a few hours, shortly after the sun hit the zenith, we finally saw the walls of the city through the trees. Soon after, we ran out of the forest and into the surrounding fields. The feeling of satisfaction that we made it washed over me and I almost tripped over my own legs because of it. I clenched my fists, letting the nails dig into my skin to help me keep focused. I was seriously winded but being this close to our destination allowed me to continue on running until the gate itself. The guards standing in front of it noticed us and ran up to us, figuring out something was wrong. I was too winded to be able to speak, so Miya quickly relayed that we have an urgent message for the king. One of the guards nodded and jumped on a horse immediately, riding it to the castle to notify the king of our arrival. Meanwhile, I finally caught my breath and started walking up the main tract, with Miya keeping by my side.
-Thanks for handling this.
-No problem. I’m impressed, though. That last sprint was twice the length of the second longest one we did.
-Don’t mock me, please. You know I hate running, it’s not my forte. If you’re this good at it, next time you’re free to go alone.
-I’m sorry, master, but if I may be so selfish and request that, if time allows, we go on such a hike again?
-Why?
-It felt nice.
She looked up at the sky, not saying anything else. I could pretty easily tell that there was more to her request than just that. She never asked for anything just because “it felt nice”, there was always some reason behind it, and I wasn’t sure why she would suddenly change like that. So I decided to be blunt:
-That’s not the reason why, is it? You seemed plenty disappointed in my performance as a runner and in how slow I was going. So, once again, why would you want me to accompany you again despite that?
She glanced over at me, then around us. We were moving through the main tract, with plenty of people around us. At this point the local populace was used to seeing a member of the Red Wolf Pact accompany either me or some of the castle maids around the market, so they mostly stopped responding to her. In this case, however, the proximity of other people made her feel slightly uneasy. She looked at me again, lowering her voice.
-I was a Hunter, so I used to run around woods like that a lot. Fiyanndrea used to often sneak out to accompany me. I knew she shouldn’t be doing that and it was hindering my work but it was hard to say no to her sometimes. She was never particularly fit and being much younger than me, she had difficulties running, especially between the trees. I don’t mean to be rude, but having someone slowing me down, someone I had to constantly make sure hasn’t lost themselves, collapsed behind me or been attacked by monsters… it just felt nostalgic to me.
-Wow. I was never so happy to be told I suck at something.
I laughed but quickly stopped noticing Miya took my joke a bit too seriously and was now feeling embarrassed about what she just said. I decided to quickly continue:
-Well, I did say I need to treat the running exercises more seriously, so if time allows, I don’t see why we couldn’t do that.
Miya glanced over at me, not sure if I’m talking seriously or not anymore. It took her a moment to realise I did mean what I said but when she did, she gave me a warm smile and a happy nod in reply.
We continued on to the castle, taking just a couple more minutes to arrive. Gurthan was already waiting for us at the courtyard, looking clearly anxious to find out more about this urgent message. The moment he saw us, he dropped all dignity and almost ran over to us, leaving his confused guard behind him.
-Edward! What in the heavens happened? What about Liyanne!?
-Everyone from our group is fine and alive, my king, you need not worry. However, we bring an update regarding the situation in the mining outpost. It appears that the local commander has betrayed us and joined forces with the bandits, substituting our guards with thugs and throwing our soldiers into the mines instead. They were also found to supply food, clothing, weapons and ore to the bandits in exchange for slaves and stolen goods. The dealings were going on for at least a couple of months.
-Gods forsaken… We have to mobilize and seize this outpost at once!
-There is no need, my liege. In a… rather unplanned turn of events, we happened to liberate the camp from the bandits. Princess Liyanne located a number of our soldiers among the miners and brought them in to serve as a temporary peacekeeping force under her until new guards are sent and established in the outpost. They also urgently need supplies, namely food and clothing, as well as new armours. They will also need carpenters to fix the buildings around the camp, as well as prepare furniture for them. Most structures are in a really bad shape and some… well, burned down, by accident.
-I understand, I will start arranging everything in just a moment. I ask that you meet with the quartermaster to ensure the camp receives everything they need.
-Of course, my king.
-Two more things before that, though. What of the captain, Garrock?
-Dead. He attacked us after… we didn’t come to a mutual understanding on a certain matter. Liyanne seemed to try to talk some sense into him but, after a prolonged engagement, he remained unrelenting and the princess had to execute him. Most of the bandits also lost their lives. The few who were found still alive were given basic first aid and thrown into the mines, according to my knowledge.
I didn’t actually know the details, it’s all I’ve learned from the gate guards that we met yesterday morning and the short chat we had with them as they were opening the gate. I hope the situation at the mining outpost didn’t get much worse over the past two days.
-I see. And lastly, what of your mission?
-We confirmed a location that seems suitable for an outpost, however the place is in very close proximity to a Hyndrall den. According to the intelligence we gathered, it appears that another Hyndrall den might be located near the mining outpost as well, however we have not yet verified that. If I may, I suggest that we switch focus to surveying and securing the area around the mining outpost first, with a subjugation force at hand in case any monster dens or bandit camps are found, so that they can be dealt with swiftly, before causing much more damage.
-Of course. We can discuss the details of that later. Bringing back the mining site under our full control is currently our top priority. Without it, our nation is doomed. Take a bit of rest, both of you. Have the maids prepare something for you as well. I will send out orders in the meantime to get the preparations ready. I will send for you, Edward, later, when the quartermaster is ready to receive your full list of supplies needed.
-Of course, my king.
Gurthar nodded, turned and walked away. The soldiers all scattered around, either returning to their posts or attending other duties. I let out a heavy sigh, almost collapsing on the ground. I could barely feel my legs, I had a pounding headache, I was hungry, I felt disgusted at myself due to all the sweat I have accumulated and all the adrenaline just left my body allowing me to realise all of that at once.
-I need to hit the hot baths. I feel like I’ll die if I don’t relax for a little right now.
-I can see that. Mind if I join you?
-Suit yourself.
I said somewhat dismissively, too tired to really care to think about the consequences, and started walking towards the city centre. Then, I suddenly stopped, only now realising what just transpired and turned towards Miya again.
-Not in the same bath as me, I hope?
-Would you like me to, master?
There was a slight hesitation in her voice and her cheeks were also visibly blushed but given she wasn’t one bit surprised or openly ashamed, I speculate it was good that I specified that. Things might have turned uncomfortable otherwise. What I need right now is some peace and quiet, not further stimulation.
-Don’t tease me like that, please.
-I understand.
Her voice sounded heavy, almost as if she was disappointed. Her ears and tail also dropped slightly. Just what the hell was wrong with this girl lately? I tried to come up with something that would make sense as we walked towards the public bathhouse but nothing I came up with held together. Finally, I just decided to ask:
-You’ve been acting a little weird the past two days. Is everything okay?
Miya, startled by my sudden question, stopped mid-step. Seems like she was deep in thought herself when I asked her and needed a moment to comprehend the situation.
-Huh? Yeah, everything’s fine, why?
-You drastically changed the way you behave around me. I can tell something is off.
-No, really, it’s…
-Was it the incident with Garrock?
The wolfgirl went quiet for a moment, hanging her head low. I noticed her clench her fists, grabbing the edges of her tunic. I hit the nail on the head, it seems.
-Y-yes, actually. When you were talking with him, I could tell when you weren’t fully truthful with what you said. Little things in your expressions, like your brows narrowing or this grimace on your face, short enough a normal person might not notice. It helped me read between the lines of what you said and I realised how much you truly care about us, my sister and me. I… I always knew that was the case but that was when I finally understood that. And then… shortly after that, you…
Miya stopped, grasping at her tunic even more, tears starting to flow down her cheeks. I knew what she wanted to say but couldn’t bring herself to.
-And shortly after that I lost a fight and was nearly killed.
She cowered, hearing me say that. It seems I severely underestimated just how much having the little freedom she has now matters to her. Miya needed a few seconds to regain composure before she could continue speaking.
-...yes. At that point, I was so scared. I was scared of losing you. I was scared of going back into slavery. I was scared of what would happen to Fiyanndrea. I was scared of never being able to properly thank you. After that, I just felt I needed to be close to you to protect you and… thank you somehow for doing all of that for us. Back then, I hadn't yet realised just how much it really is that you’ve already done for us. That it is only thanks to you that the two of us can have a relatively normal life. That if anyone in this world can change the way slaves are treated, it’s you. I hadn’t yet realised how thankful I am to have you as my master. I-I didn’t want to see you go. I was supposed to protect you and yet, because of me, you almost…
I placed my hand on top of her head, prompting her to stop speaking. At first, she cowered even more, startled by my action, but then she looked up at me in confusion, with a faint ray of something akin to hope in her eyes.
-It’s not your fault. There’s a reason I said what I did and acted the way I did. I’m solely responsible for my actions and the results of them. Still… I’m surprised. I knew you were always trying to bring yourself to trust me but always had trouble to. You might have acknowledged me in less than optimal circumstances, but I’m glad to finally have your approval. But don’t force yourself to do anything irrational, okay? If you want to repay me for taking you in and having you by my side, simply continue to stand by my side. I’m sure you’ll still have plenty of chances to save my stupid ass and get even with me. Continue training, become stronger, and help me achieve our ambition.
Miya looked up at me, a mix of satisfaction, embarrassment and disbelief on her face. She took a step back, straightened herself and wiped the tears off her face. Then she looked at me with a brighter smile and renewed determination.
-Wherever you go, I’ll follow as your sword. Whatever the order, I will fulfill it. Even if everyone else turns away, I promise to always remain by your side.
-Thank you. I’ll gladly have you. As long as the concept of personal space in appropriate situations still applies.
The girl stared at me for a second, confused, before becoming visibly angry at me.
-Ugh, why did you have to ruin that moment?
I let out a short laugh, seeing her reaction, offering her an honest smile as an apology.
-Sorry, it was just becoming too serious for my liking. Once again, I’ll be happy to have you fight by my side, Miyaennesqa.
The girl blinked, not expecting me to use her full name here, but the surprise on her face quickly vanished, replaced with a smile of pure happiness. She nodded, satisfied with my apology. We continued walking towards the bath while I mentally let out a very heavy sigh of relief. I was really getting concerned about her but I was glad we could clear this whole thing up. The last thing I wanted was for misunderstandings to ruin our relationship. But thanks to this, not so, little talk, I felt like we truly started to bridge the gap between us and took a huge step towards real friendly relationship.