As they left the Autumn Palace, suddenly all of it disappeared and they were back on the road as if it had been just a dream or an illusion.
Elyre needed some time to accommodate to the different environment. What had just happened?! They had definitely seen the Autumn Fae, one of the governors of Vahara Arta. Elyre was already convinced that something too strange was going on.
"Maybe we could have a long break now?" he suggested, seeing her confused and suspicious expression. "This was a... misunderstanding I had with the Autumn Fae. Now... we... cleared things up."
She sighed. She missed Wild Wood, she missed her sister. It seemed she did not believe his explanation.
He was really mad at the Autumn Fae... She had created such a situation. They could've just arrived safely at Vahara Arta, and he would investigate the amulet and Elyre could look for that hypothetical cure... But now Elyre was too suspicious of him.
"What if it's all because of you?" he suddenly said.
"Me?!" Elyre exclaimed.
"Don't overwhelm your mind with questions. Everything will become clearer with time," he said.
She shook her head, "I am really thinking whether I should allow you to investigate my amulet. After all, I did not arrive safely in Vahara Arta. Isn't this a breach to our agreement? You never mentioned any dragons or gorgons or sudden attacks."
"You will arrive safely there, don't worry," he smiled and thought, *...if you keep silent.*
And as he was thinking this...
"We have a long way to go," she said. "Maybe you could tell me more about yourself?"
"There isn't much to say. Why don't you tell me about yourself?"
She smiled, "Alright. I will..."
"You don't have to tell me," he interrupted her rudely before she started babbling.
"Ah! I was just being polite," she said angrily. "Don't think that I am dying to tell you about myself! If you don't want to listen, then nobody cares!"
Suddenly, he halted. He turned to her and stared at her. Thankfully, she did not get intimidated easily!
"I am also being polite," he said and thought, *...by not killing you.*
"Look," he continued, "you should be happy I'm not telling you anything. Would you prefer it if I invented an excuse and lied to you?"
That was a valid point. She owed him some respect for trying to stay honest, but still she wished she knew what was going on.
"I need to relax and drink some hot chocolate," she said.
They continued quietly down the road.
Suddenly, she felt pain in her ankle. The only thing that now reminded her that the meeting with the Autumn Fae had been real. She stopped,
"I am sorry," she said. "While I was running away in the garden of autumn, I sprained my ankle. It was alright until now, but it started to hurt badly."
He shook his head.
"Okay then." He turned around, "Jump on my back."
"On your back? I don't know... I am heavy and it's inappropriate."
"Well, we're not going to stay in this mountain, are we? It's not far. ...If you don't want to jump, then I'll have to carry you by hand."
And he'd already picked her up as he said this. She wrapped her arms around his neck before realizing. Then she thought... on the one hand, it was pleasant that someone would carry you. On the other hand... it would be so shameful for the wood-nymphs, who were very independent and wild.
"... ...How long would it take us to Vahara Arta on foot?" she said.
"About two days I guess."
"Two days?! You can't carry me for two days!" she exclaimed. "Hurry and let me go."
"Yes, that's right. And what is worse," he continued in a mock-serious tone, "the mountains are full of gorgons and other dangerous creatures. We will probably have to climb on a tree at night to stay safe."
Gorgons? Climb on a tree? She was so taken aback by the information.
"In a word, you could very easily die here," he smirked.
"Don't try to scare me!" she exclaimed. "And I like climbing trees. I am not afraid! Then what are we going to do? ...Truly, you can't carry me if we are so far away..."
He smiled, "We will reach some inns before the city. I think it's a few hours at most." The he asked, "What are you thinking about?"
"That this is so shameful," she smiled.
"Shameful? You call my great efforts 'shameful'?!" He sounded shocked.
"I am sorry."
***
They headed for an inn conveniently situated on the road to the city. To Elyre's surprise, it was crowded inside. Aristhaeus let her go. It was nice to feel firm ground under your feet again. She had expected fewer people because they were still some distance away from the city. But as soon as Elyre stepped across the threshold, Phabian pulled her back.
"What is it?" she wondered, turning her head to him. "Don't tell me we have to run away from the inn, too?"
He noticed there were a few mages inside. He was afraid that somebody might recognize him, though he was usually hiding his identity well. The mages were busy drinking and talking to each other, so they didn't pay attention.
He caught her arm and dragged her further away from the inn.
She wondered, "...Have you done anything to these people?"
"Me?" he raised an eyebrow. "Can't you suppose that they have done something to me?"
She stared at the drunken silhouettes of men staggering near the entrance. Unpleasant as this inn was, they needed to have a rest.
"I also don't like it. So... are we going to sleep on a tree really?" Elyre exclaimed.
Phabian thought for a while, had a better look at the mages inside but did not recognize any of them. As he usually used magic to hide his identity, he guessed chances were there were no acquaintances of his inside.
"Ah, alright. Let's go inside," he said.
So, they entered the inn. Mage Phabian went to ask for rooms. Elyre was standing just a few steps behind him when suddenly... a man sitting nearby shouted at her,
"My lady! How can you step on my foot so unapologetically?!"
She turned to look at him.
Elyre couldn't understand. She had never stepped on anyone's foot. …That's why she usually avoided such places as this inn because she didn't like to get involved in such situations.
"Why did you step on my foot?!" the man continued to insist. Elyre was hesitating whether to reply or to pretend that she didn't hear him; the man was obviously looking for trouble…
"This must be a misunderstanding," she said. "I haven't stepped on your foot."
But the man jumped toward her to grab her,
"What a liar!" he exclaimed. Fortunately, another man intervened and caught him while Aristhaeus turned around (he'd been paying for the rooms) to see what was going on.
"Hey, my friend, why don't you calm down? I saw everything," the man holding the other one said, "The lady did not step on your foot, no matter how much you'd like her to."
Aristhaeus quickly came to interrupt them, even before Elyre had been able to say 'thank you.'
"I am sure it must have been a misunderstanding," Aristhaeus said.
Elyre turned to the third person who had intervened,
"Thank you..."
"Mage Mortagon," he said.
"Thank you, Mage Mortagon."
The man who'd initially blamed her for stepping on his foot now felt offended that so many people turned against him, so he kept claiming he was right,
"Misunderstanding, huh!" he said and turned to the other one, trying to get away from his grip. "Don't you try to protect guilty people like her!" He reached for her but she was too far away.
"You must have drunk too much, mister," Aristhaeus told him. "She is a very honest person. If it was not a misunderstanding, then it was clearly a misfortune..."
Elyre rolled her eyes. *I must remind myself to never travel again.* Misfortune...
***
Elyre thought about the Autumn Fae from time to time too. Phabian claimed he had a bad relationship with the Fae and that had provoked the conflict. But the Autumn Fae was one of the governors of Allyria. It was strange she had condemned Elyre to the dragon encounter in her garden without ever informing her why she was being punished. And what did Elyre have to do with the conflict between the Fae and Phabian?
...Moreover, why did he have a conflict with someone as important as the Autumn Fae? …Could he be a criminal they were trying to catch?