After detailing what happened the last couple months, and introductions, Leo moved on to the more serious topic.
"We need to decided our travel arrangements, I don't think taking the labyrinth is the wisest choice right now." Those present were confused, and Jack asked,
"Isn't it the shortest way to get there? And we need to worry about soldiers if we take another route." Leo nodded, what Jack said was the exact reason he started using the tunnels to begin with, but Leo then stated his reasoning,
"Yea, but unlike the situation where we started using them with the dwarves, these people have been chained up, imprisoned, and have experienced a living hell for who knows how long. It wouldn't be good if they were then trapped underground for several weeks right after escaping that situation, the dwarves would be ok with it, but I bet the rest won't. Plus above ground we have better chances for hunting game, and replenishing our necessities. As for the soldiers, at the moment the human kingdoms would be more confused, and scared. I doubt they'll quickly send people after someone who wiped out the heart of a kingdom singlehandedly in a single night. Any soldiers we find on the road shouldn't be too hard to take care of."
They digested his words for a while, before deciding he might be right. Even if it was with the help of a goddess, Leo destroying a kingdom overnight is a feat living people could only attribute to Arthur, until they get more information, they shouldn't be rushing to antagonize Leo. What Leo didn't say was also the fact that being underground wouldn't be healthy for Iris in her condition. Given what's happened so far, he wanted to ensure she was not at all stressed out when he could help it. He then turned to elder grandma and Hilda, and said,
"With this situation though, I expect that the kingdoms would now be aware of our existence. Elder grandma, I'm guessing you know the areas around Asdarge best, can you lead Agmundr and some other dwarves to build watch towers on the mountain tops to the south of Asdarge? It's time we start worrying about real defenses." Elder grandma was surprised Leo brought it up, and was more than happy to comply. They discussed a few more details, before deciding to retire for the night, beginning the long walk in the morning.
***
They had been on the road for nearly two weeks now, and Alice was pretty miserable. She had practically lived in the library her whole life, so she was completely unbuilt for this kind of lifestyle. She tried not to complain about it though, to avoid troubling Leo as much as possible. As she walked along she heard some whispers,
"That's the former princess."
"She was part of the royal family."
"Her father ordered my peoples deaths."
"Why didn't she burn with them?"
She had been trying to ignore the growing number of insults and occasional threats directed at her, due to her background. She made sure Leo didn't hear about it though, as she already felt as if she caused him enough problems. As she thought about Leo she looked towards him and Iris, who was sitting on a carriage. Whenever Leo wasn't focused on making sure things were as smooth as possible, he was catering to Iris, making sure she was as comfortable as possible. Alice didn't feel any resentment towards her, but she did feel bitter he wouldn't look her way. As she watched them, she saw Iris briefly meet her eyes, before saying to Leo,
"You don't suppose there's any jackalopes in these woods, do you? They would go good in some stew about now." At her words Leo suddenly looked serious, and dragged Jack to help him hunt for some jackalopes, as he learned they actually existed in Aletera. Once Leo was away, Iris looked at Alice again, and gestured for her to join her and Natalie. Alice walked up to her nervously, and climbed up onto the carriage seat. They were both silent for a moment, before Iris said,
"I don't mind you know." Alice was confused before realized what Iris was talking about. She then said,
"Even if you don't mind, I don't think Leo cares for me, at least in that way." She couldn't say he flat out didn't care about her, as he even made sure she alone was safe during what the slaves had started referring to as the blood riot, due to the blood moon. Iris smiled bitterly, and said,
"I know how politics works in this world, and it was normal for me. When we got married I even came to terms with it. But while we were in Heliantis, Leo saw that people of influence would be attended to by several women, sometimes against their will. I think he just doesn't want to be considered the same as them, and Arthur, especially after the blood riot." Alice was silent in contemplation, as she had noticed people comparing him and Arthur recently, since Leo had managed to destroy a kingdom by himself. It may not have been as casually as Arthur does, but the fact he did so didn't change. Iris then continued,
"If he knows we both accept it, then he might be able to as well. Besides, if i think about it, you're my first real friend in my life. As my husband Leo obviously doesn't count, but as my friend, I want you to be happy." Alice was struck stupid by iris's words, and saw that even Natalie was thinking about them, before eventually nodding her head. She then thought about it, and realized she herself had no friends in her entire life. As she noticed this herself, she suddenly felt a lot better than a moment before.
"Thank you, friend." She said to Iris with a genuine smile on her face. Iris smiled as well, pleased to have cheered Alice up. Now, they both realized that they just needed to get Leo to accept Alice. Natalie smiled as she listened to them, while also thinking that Leo better not either of them down.
That night Alice was laying down for bed, her mind racing to figure out the best way to get Leo's attention. As she closed her eyes, she soon drifted off to dreamland, or so she thought. Instead of her dreams being filled of Leo like normal, she instead open her eyes as if she never went to sleep, and was in an unfamiliar place. She looked around and saw rows of different gowns and dresses, mirrors, and a woman she had never met before. The woman looked like beauty incarnate, before her appearance suddenly seemed to shift, but she still seemed beautiful, perhaps even more so than before. She turned to Alice, and said,
"Welcome Alice. I, am the goddess Venus."