Legacy of the Remembered

19. Nearly There

For most of the week they spent travelling, Ollyah and Eske kept to themselves. On her part, she did not stay alone on purpose, but she made no attempt to change that. While the same could be said for Eske, she doubted he would be receptive to anyone breaking the silence. The lack of interaction surprised her when she considered how friendly the Fumarians had been back in Janheim. Despite the sheer boredom radiating from Lord Yras—something even the traveling party commented on when they thought themselves out of earshot—he made no effort to do anything.

Ollyah thought herself fine with that, but in truth she was just as dreary as he was. Back at the castle, it was not unlike her to spend days inside talking to no one, but there were activities to amuse herself with. If she had a pad of paper to draw on, this venture would be much more pleasant.

It would also distract her from the nightmares.

Though Eske preferred staying outside now, he joined her in the carriage at night when she slept. It remained an unspoken understanding between them to not comment on each other's lack of sleep. They tried, but fear lingered, attacking at night in dreams and tortured memories.

So on the fourth night, Ollyah swapped out sleep for company.

Eske had already joined her inside, though he had not laid down or done much else but share short words with her. Ollyah opened her mouth, closed it, then opened it again. In the darkness, she could not read him, only tell that he was not looking in her direction.

"Eske?"

His head turned to face her. "Yes?"

"I'm not tired yet. I'll be outside for a little while if you're okay by yourself."

She knew he knew her seeming lack of exhaustion a lie, but he had the grace not to mention it. "Why?"

Her hands curled in her tunic. "I'm...I think I just want to join them."

She referred to the Fumarians and their nightly routine of sharing a couple fires to relax beside. They were in rural land, no inns or taverns in sight. This was how they preferred, however, as it lessened the chance of attention finding them. There were enough resources to keep them content until arrival, and the troop had thrown no fuss over the lack of shelter.

Where Ollyah could not read her brother, she could hear the silence. Just as she made to convince him, he spoke.

"Okay." He sounded sad, but not in a way she was used to. Part of her wanted to stay inside and question him on it, but doing so may lead to argument that made it harder to want to leave. For now, she would put it away for future discussion.

With a smile he could not see, she left the carriage. She paused when her feet touched the grass. She had ridden herself of proper footwear the other day; it was uncomfortable for traveling in when she spent most of the time inside. Now, she found herself standing still, feet tickled by the blades of grass.

Frozen, she expected to find herself overwhelmed with fear. Questions such as "would she be attacked?" should have crossed her mind. Yet, she remained calm.

Lord Yzuan had already been on his feet when she noticed him heading towards her. The temporary camp was not too large. Torches lined the perimeter, allowing adequate light to guide the travelers. Two fire pits burned, the aftermath of dinner leading to cheerful conversation for those sitting around them.

When she turned to face Lord Yzuan, he paused his walk. He raised an eyebrow, still several feet away from her. Understanding, she smiled and nodded. His wariness made way for relaxation.

"It is good to see you outside, Your Highness." Yzuan stepped closer, keeping a respectful distance between them.

"Likewise."