Smooth ride

The carriage finally exited the storm, bringing the gradual return of sunlight into the cabin and a much steadier ride. The wheels no longer dragged through mud, now able to roll over the still-damp soil as the driver removed the waterproof blanket. Annie smiled as she felt the relief that comes with outlasting a storm, looking at the sky and eagerly awaiting the sunbeams that would pass through the cloud coverage as they got further from the Deathlands. Lilin's reaction was fairly muted, considering she was unconscious and snoring loudly in her seat. Still wanting some sort of company, Annie tried talking with the driver.

"So, do you know the town you're taking us to?" she asked.

"Yeah," the driver responded. His voice was much easier to hear without the pouring rain and howling wind, and Annie could hear that there was a rasp to it.
"We're heading to Toteca, a town in the Lifebelt. It ain't much, just a farming town. People there are about what you'd expect from just about any other town. You ain't from the castle initially either, right? Maybe you'll feel right at home!"

Annie laughed. "Maybe. We'll have to see, I dunno if my old home is anything like a normal town."

The driver chuckled as well. "Well, just keep yourself safe, alright?"

Annie nodded. "Hey, by the way, how long until we get to Toteca?"

The driver looked at the surrounding area, then up to the sky. "Always hard to gauge, never quite sure how far we are in the Deathlands. But, given we just got outta the storm... We'll be there 'round sundown. Your buddy's got the right idea, sleeping while she can. Depending on how the town's feeling, you might have to rough it in the forest on your first night."

"Ah, because we're servants from the person they were refusing to pay taxes to, right?"

"Yeah," he replied. "Outsiders, 'n all that."

Annie nodded to herself, falling quiet as she contemplated. She was still holding out hope, but it was starting to seem less and less likely that the townsfolk would be any better than the castle's people. Still, she shouldn't judge until she had a chance to meet them herself. Besides, given how luxurious the castle was, maybe these people were living in terrible poverty and had a reason to be wary and hateful. If that was the case, she had to prove she wasn't somebody to be feared. Or, well... That hardly ever worked out. She didn't know the culture, and Lilin wasn't exactly the most agreeable. Well, nothing for it right now. Annie thanked the driver and leaned back in her seat, letting the white noise of the carriage slowly rock her to sleep next to Lilin.

When Annie opened her eyes again, Lilin was awake with a smirk. "Looks like somebody's finally awake," she said.

"Weren't you asleep before I was?" Annie replied, yawning.

"Nah, that was meditation," Lilin claimed, tossing her hair back.

"Right," Annie chuckled, "and I suppose the loud snoring was a critical part of it?"

"Hey, I don't snore when I sleep!" Lilin barked. "U-Uh, not that it would matter, cuz I wasn't sleeping!"

Annie rolled her eyes, giggling at Lilin's reactions. She looked outside of the carriage, gasping a bit as she saw massive fields of green. Butterflies- or creatures that looked like them- fluttered around from flower to flower like little fairies spreading color through the air. Annie was curious if there WERE fairies in this world. She looked at the ground, hoping to see little mud huts or other constructs they might use as houses. Unfortunately, they were moving too fast to spot any such things if they were there.

"It's so colorful," Annie said as she gazed at the scenery. She hadn't even considered how alien this would look after so long at the castle.

"Yeah," Lilin groaned, "I know. It's exhausting, isn't it?"

Annie laughed. "Maybe a little, but I prefer it like this!"

"Right, you're from these parts, aren't you?" Lilin remarked. "Think you'll see anybody you'll recognize? Meet up an old enemy? Maybe I can beat them up for you!"

"I doubt it," Annie said. "-The recognition part, dear. You could definitely beat up anybody who had a problem with me."

Lilin grinned. "Damned right, I could!" She flexed an arm, and Annie noticed that Lilin was actually fairly muscular. "If your hometown is nearby, we should stop by! Show off what you're doing nowadays."

Annie smiled longingly. "Well, dear... If we're ever near it, I'll be sure to bring us there."

Lilin paused. That was weirdly sad-sounding. Was Annie sad? That was strange. Lilin thought about how to approach the subject for just a moment before blurting something out.

"What, do you miss your home or something?"

Annie nodded slowly, trying not to let any tears show. She took a quick breath to steady her nerves, pushing thoughts of Madeline to the side.
"More than you'd think...."

Lilin drew a total blank. What was she supposed to do here? She didn't know how to mock that, and it looked like Annie was really going through something. Wait, was it okay to feel bad for her? Annie had proved her usefulness, so it was probably okay.

"Uh, well... I mean, it can't be that much better than it is at the castle, right? I mean, the castle's pretty cool. Hard to want to go back after that, isn't it?"

Annie looked up, masking herself by smiling and laughing. "You're right, it IS pretty nice at the castle. You've made it worth my time, dear."

Lilin was completely out of her depth now. Nothing made sense, she didn't know what she was feeling, she didn't know what Annie was feeling, and now she just really wanted to punch something. As she leaned back, she suddenly hit the back of her head against the wall.

"OW! What the hell?!" She bolted up to glare at the driver, only to realize he was getting up, and the carriage had stopped.

"We're here," he announced, "welcome to Toteca!"