Northward

By the time Ui and Cro arrived home, a carriage was already waiting outside. Cro deposited Ui on the seat and then sat next to her.

Ui was still with her eyes half closed, processing, and yawning. “And our parents?”

“They’ll be informed,” Cro answered dryly. There was a constant sense of urgency since she woke up, so Ui didn’t question further. She figured there’d be time for explanations later during their trip.

She yawned and repositioned herself on the long carriage seat, wide enough to fit her lying down flat. “It doesn’t look bad on the outside but… these seats are awful to sleep in though…” She leaned onto Cro’s lap, finding it a much more suitable pillow. “Next time, can you give me a warning before whisking me away in my sleeping gown?”

“I’ll try.”

“I didn’t know you were friends with the Duke.”

“I’m not.”

Despite everything, by stealing the warmth of her brother’s lap, and covering herself with the Duke’s coat, sleepiness eventually overcame her. Her heavy eyes and heart sunk into a peaceful, if temporary, sleep.

She woke up some minutes later, when the carriage came to a stop near the edge of town.

“Am I interrupting something?”

Ui’s sleep was very suddenly disturbed. She peeked and saw that Miront’s smug face had stepped into the carriage, occupying the seat opposite to the siblings. She sat up to face him. Despite her yawning and her eyes trying to force themselves shut, she could still catch glimpses of Miront. It wasn’t pleasant. “What is he doing here?” She pointed at him while looking at Cro.

Cro shrugged at her, resigned.

“I’m here because our plans have changed due to the King’s arrival.” Miront followed his plain explanation with an even more smug grin. “And you did a fantastic job getting his attention.”

But she needed more than that. “Why didn’t you warn me the King was there?”

“If I had, I don’t think you would’ve reacted as well as you did.” Miront, as usual, seemed proud of his actions. “You did great.”

“Did you know too?” Ui looked at Cro, sensing betrayal once again. His closed eyes told her all she needed to know.

“Both of you knew?!”

“Listen Ui, I don’t have much time. I already let your brother know…” Miront and Cro exchanged glances. “You’re going north.”

“North… huh?” She’d heard of the north before, there were still Udari and Umans living close by.

“You’ll be provided lodging at one of the local noble’s houses, and should be comfortable for the winter. The path north will make it hard for you to be found or followed, too.”

Ui looked outside the carriage window, with the outer streets of Novestr, still quiet, surrounding them. In that situation, she didn’t really want to stay, but being forced to leave still didn’t feel good, especially when forced by someone else’s plan. “Doesn’t seem like I have a choice.”

“The hope is that the King gets bored with our island and leaves us alone. By the time he tries to find you, you’ll be far away.” Miront explained the Duke’s plans in a casual manner, irritating Ui. ”Don’t worry. You’ll have good company.” Miront glanced at Cro. “Ui… The Duke trusts you. But the north is still very divided. Will you be fine?”

At that point Ui had resigned herself to the trip assigned to her. “What’s the point of you asking? I don’t have a choice, do I?”

“Because your eyes tell me more than your words.” Miront looked directly at Ui, who wasn’t too happy.

“You realize I’m supposed to be asleep for a few more hours, right?” She let out a deep sigh. “It’s still too early to deal with you…” Miront simply looked at her and smiled, waiting for a response. Ui eventually gave him what he wanted. “I’ll be careful.”

“Good, that’s all I need.” Miront, with a subtle tap on the window, made the carriage stop, and let himself out. He waved at the siblings and camouflaged himself into the streets of Novestr once more. Ui admired his ability to blend into the crowds and maneuver through hard situations, even if she’d never admit it.

Ui looked at the grey buildings of Novestr, slowly growing less vertical and more sparse as they left the city. Morning had fully kicked in, making her look away from the blinding sun invading their carriage windows.

Because of Miront, Ui was no longer in the mood to sleep, and instead she recalled the events of the previous night. “I can’t believe I just knelt there, and did nothing while he insulted me, the Udari, my family…” Her tone grew increasingly frustrated. The enclosed carriage, now far from home, provided little comfort. “I could’ve just… just…” Her thoughts were too overwhelming to restrain with words.

“That isn’t how Lullaby does things...” Cro remained composed. “What would that have accomplished, Ui?”

“To stop all this? What was the point of me fighting in the first place if I can’t do it? Why did I do everything I’ve done so far?”

“You could’ve tried, but you would’ve been stopped by every Royal Mage in that room.” Cro looked back towards Ui, who was gripping her seat with her hands. “We’re not a joke, Ui. Some of them would be too fast for you to handle, if they don’t resist your magic altogether.”

Ui sat stiff, her fists clenched, overcome by powerlessness.

“More importantly Ui… You don’t have to—you can’t solve everything by yourself.”

“So he can ruin this island by himself, but he can’t be stopped alone?” Ui’s voice broke up, agitated, despite Cro placing his arm over her shoulder. “How is that supposed to be—”

“Even if you take him down, someone else just as vile, or even more, could take his place. What then?”

Ui was displeased by what she heard. She wanted to disagree with Cro, but she knew he was right. There was no shortage of people eager to take the King’s place.

“It’s a lot bigger than just one person. You’ll have a better chance, Ui. We will. And it seems we have allies, too.”

Ui focused on the Duke’s coat crumpled next to her, still warm from being used as a blanket. She pulled the Duke’s letter and fixed her eyes on it for a few moments. “I guess we’ll find out.” She leaned her head on Cro’s shoulder, and pulled the Duke’s coat on top of her to warm her up again. With those simple comforts, her eyes were slowly getting heavier once more. “So we’re on the road again, aren’t we?”

“A bit nostalgic, don’t you think?”

“Still, being forced to travel feels…” Ui took a quick look outside, they had already left the city. The buildings of Novestr had turned into the usual trees that covered the western part of the island. Among them, there were still some colorful foliage and fruits. The views of the forest felt more hopeful, and brought Ui’s smile back. “Well, I’ve never heard rumors of Lullaby making an appearance in the north. Maybe it could be less divided with her presence. Maybe we’ll run into her.”

“Maybe we will.”

Cro and Ui grinned at each other, as their carriage made their way to the northern roads.