The next day at 5:00 in the morning.
Margie already awaken, she exited her room and went to the kitchen, she saw the girls busy preparing their breakfast. They cooked a vegetable dish mixed with a few slices of dried meat.
A few minutes later.
The breakfast is ready and the women start eating their meals.
After consuming the food, Ella and Kate washed the dirty dishes and cleaned the mess in the kitchen.
Meanwhile, Margie already entered her room, doing last-minute preparation for her journey.
The sisters were now a bunch of nervous wrecks.
One hour later.
A small wagon drawn by two horses arrived in front of the house.
Margie exited the house with her bundle of clothing, the sisters followed her from behind.
Kate and Ella can't look at their aunt straight in the eyes because they were now on the verge of crying.
Margie hugged her nieces tightly and told them to take care of each other.
Time to go!
The wagoner who drives the wagon assisted Margie in settling comfortably inside the wagon.
"Bye girls, take care of yourselves!" Margie waved from the inside of the wagon.
"Bye Aunt! Please come back soon and enjoy your trip!" Kate manages a few words.
"Bye Aunt!" Ella murmured as the tears start falling from her eyes.
The wagon was now slowly fading away from their sight.
Ella was sobbing hard looking at the rear of the wagon.
"Silly girl! Stop crying!" Kate reprimanded her sister.
Ella ignored her sister and sprinted towards the house to continue crying in her bed.
Kate released a deep sigh.
The waiting is over!
Aunt Margie was now on the road going to the castle on the hill.
She ambled towards the shade of the red cedar tree and sat on the wooden bench.
She roamed her eyes around her, she suddenly feels sad and lonely. The atmosphere inside and outside the house feels gloomy, now that Ivy and Aunt Margie were gone away, there's only two of them left. She and Ella.
Aargh! She wants them back!
Even now, when her heart was gripped with sadness and loneliness, she still refuses to cry.
She won't cry! She has to be strong for Ella.
She saw her sobbing sister exiting the door approaching her direction. "Go back to the room!" she yelled at her. She doesn't want to hear and see her sister crying because she might not be able to prevent herself from crying as well.
Ella went back inside the house, and went to the bedroom and continue crying alone in there.
One hour later.
Kate glanced at the area where she had last seen the wagon.
Her eyes widened after seeing a wagon in the distance...
Was that the wagon that her aunt had boarded awhile ago? Or it's someone else wagon?
Now that the wagon was fast approaching their house, she can now see it.
OMG! It's indeed the wagon that her aunt had rented for the journey.
But why it's coming back to the house!?
The wagon stopped in front of their house and the driver comes down. He assisted in getting Margie out of the wagon.
Margie looked at Kate with tears in her eyes. "Child, I can't continue the journey, my legs were aching while the wagon is rolling into the rocky road. The rough road is killing me," she explained.
Kate looked at the wagoner for an explanation.
"Your aunt's legs can not endure the constant motion inside the wagon. It's not comfortable to travel for someone like your aunt who is suffering join inflammation in her legs," he explained.
"I feel dizzy too, I can't bear it!" Margie sighed regretfully as heavy disappointment clouded her face.
"It's okay, Aunt," Kate rubbed her aunts back trying to comfort her.
Ella came out of the door and ran towards her aunt's side and hugged her tightly, she smiled with elation. "Welcome back, Aunt! We miss you!" she said.
Margie smiled. "I'm only gone for more than an hour and you already miss me? Silly child!"
The wagoner stared at the women.
"What's gonna happen now?" he asked, scratching his head.
Margie looked at Kate. "Continue the journey for me, Kate," she finally said in defeat.
A megawatt smile illuminated Kate's face. Yes! Her adventure will begin today!
Margie addressed the wagoner. "My niece will continue the journey for me. Please take good care of her."
The wagoner nods his head. "Yes I will, Madam!" he replied politely.
Margie looked at her niece. "What are you waiting for, Kate? You want to go or not?"
"Yes, I'm willing, Aunt!" Kate replied immediately and sprinted towards the house to gather her belongings enough for a one week journey.
The wagoner picked up Margie's bundle from the inside of the wagon and handed it to Ella. "Here are your Aunt's belongings," he said.
"Thank you," said Ella.
Fifteen minutes later.
Kate exited the door of the house with her little bundle of clothes. She handed back the pouch to her aunt. "I only took twenty coins, Aunt. I think it's more than enough for my travel," she said excitedly.
Margie sighed.
"Bye Aunt!" Kate hugged her aunt for the last time. She turned to her sister and hugged her as well. "Bye sis, take good care of Aunt!" she said.
Margie was feeling restless inside while looking at her excited niece's face, she was having doubts about her decision. Is it safe to send Kate away? But she can no longer take back her words.
Kate saw the hesitation on her aunt's face. 'Oh no! Was her aunt about to change her mind?'
"Take care of yourself, Kate!" finally the words came out from Margie's mouth, she already has given her consent to her earlier, it will be too late to take it back.
The smile and excitement returned in full force on Kate's face.
"Bye, sister! Take care! Bring us the good news when you come back!" Ella said wiping the tears from her eyes.
"Let's go now!" the wagoner said and assisted Kate to board the wagon. After making sure that his passenger already settled comfortably inside the wagon, he went to the front and whipped the horses heading back to the path where they went earlier.
The wagon is now moving away from the house...Kate continues waving at her aunt and sister.
Ella waved back at her sister until the wagon's rear can no longer be seen from where they stood.
Margie and Ella entered the house in an anxious state.