"Moulin!"
Emlen had finally spotted his brother after minutes of searching. His hearted thundered in his chest as he thought about the possible dangers his little brother may have encountered. One of the guards who he had ordered to watch over Moulin had reported to him through their communicator and he immediately rushed into the woods accompanied by a few guards. Why didn't Moulin listen? What was he thinking? Perhaps there was something that caught his attention. But was it so important that he had to chase it deep into the woods with the risk of getting himself lost?
With quick steps, the second young master neared his disobedient little brother. His eyes grew sharp as he realized that his brother wasn't alone. He was with a stranger.
"Brother-"
"Are you alright?" He interrupted Moulin's words as he gripped his shoulders, carefully examining his little brother.
After concluding that Moulin was thankfully unharmed, he sighed in relief. However, it wasn't long before his eyes once again stared coldly at Moulin. It looks surprisingly similar to Maxille's stern icy gaze "Whatever your reasons are, it does not excuse you for disobeying me. I told you not to go off on your own, stay with the guards, and never leave the path yet you didn't listen. You know very well I told you that all for your own good."
Moulin lowered his head, feeling a bit guilty. "I'm sorry..."
For some reason, Moulin completely forgot his plan to shove all the blame on Snow. He just felt too foolish and blameworthy under Emlen's reprimanding gaze. He could have just told him that he was no longer a child and that he could take care of himself but somehow he turned speechless as Emlen stared down at him, scolding him. It was rare for Emlen to scold someone. Usually, he would just coldly ignore the person or mercilessly dismiss them.
Moulin finally experienced Emlen's sour side and he really doesn't know how to react to it. In the end, he could only bow his head as Emlen kept reprimanding him.
Ghana watched like an audience of a show she finds interesting. Astonished, she watched her savior bowing his head like a child who had broken the rules of their family's ancestral home, waiting to be punished. Somehow, it felt funny and complicated at the same time. But she could understand the youth's silence. His older brother seemed like a butcher ready to chop down their heads, his eyes showed how worried he was yet his words were cruelly deep, cutting straight into your conscience.
"... I do not want to derive you of your excitements or take away your inquisitiveness of the world so I placed rules on you, ones that could make you do what you want and keep you safe at the same time. However, if you break them and something happens to you, I will never forgive myself. Moulin, I know you are strong but there are times when your strength isn't enough to save you. So please, tell me next time anything goes wrong, Alright? Don't go running on your own." He patted Moulin's head tenderly.
"Okay, I'm sorry..." Moulin nodded with a lowered head. He glanced up at his brother before fiddling with the strap of his satchel.
"Good..." Emlen nodded. He then turned to the young woman behind his brother. A Maeruthan, he thought. "Who's this?"
"This..." Moulin stopped.
He realized he had never asked for her name after all the time they were together. Ugh, stupid...
The blonde woman smiled and bowed, "My name is Ghana Vreslof. Your brother had saved me from bandits I have encountered in the woods."
She began to narrate the situation in detail. The more Emlen listen, the more his eyes softened as he glanced at Moulin who was distractingly scolding Snow in whispers. He knew his brother wouldn't rush off to somewhere without noticing anything strange.
"Where is the thief leader?" Emlen asked.
"He is..." Ghana turned around and stopped.
The bandit leader was gone. There was only a trail of blood left on the leaf-covered ground. Her blue eyes looked through the woods but she could not find his figure. She frowned and faced Emlen once again, "It seems he had also escaped..."
Emlen shook his head, "Its not your fault. I'm glad my brother had saved you in time..."
"May I ask for this young master's name? If you are in peril in any way I will gladly come to your aid" Ghana sincerely bowed to Moulin. Her platinum hair falling behind her back.
"Moulin Sill Fraunces..." Moulin smiled, his eyes twinkling under the orange rays of light from above them.
Ghana was entranced before Moulin once again spoke to her, "If you're traveling to Thaeria on foot, It would be much more dangerous and difficult for you."
Ghana froze, her eyes stared deeply at Moulin, "How did you know I was heading to Thaeria?"
"I reckon that perhaps it is why the bandits marked you as an easy target. You are wearing lightly yet the bags you are carrying looked to be much heavier. And that..." Moulin pointed at the tear located at the side of her bag revealing a book cover got torn but the symbol remained undamaged, it was the imperial Azuran seal that Moulin had recognized. The same seal on his letter invitation. "Your bag seems to be torn open. It would trouble you if it would be damaged even further..."
He smiled, "It's nice to meet a fellow candidate..."
Ghana widened her eyes and she quickly took her bag from her back and carried it in her arms, afraid of tearing the hole even further. She lowered her head, "If the young masters would let me. I apologize for troubling you"
Emlen sighed helplessly. of course, one more person could not deter their journey. Furthermore, Ghana looked to be capably strong, she could probably help keep Moulin company on the way.
Moments later, the group along with their new member, Ghana Vreslof from the quiet province of Jago of Faerim City, returned to the carriages. There was a spare bedroom at the back in the Vinch carriage which was meant to be for personal servants, specifically Pola, but since it was unoccupied, Moulin agreed to let Ghana use it.
The journey through the Sunset woods took days and there weren't small towns or villages on their way. They had to settle and camp for the nights ahead. The nights were completely different from the beatific days within the sunset woods. In the day, especially in midmorning, the scene was especially heavenly as the countless rays of light beamed down like rain under the crown of the firm towering trees. Sometimes Moulin would sit all-day beside the window just to watch the scene.
However, as wondrous were the days in the woods the nights were unusually ominous and deadly silent. It was pitch black. Nothing could be seen except for the smalls beams of moonlight through the gaps of the leaves of the trees but it was only momentary for clouds would block out the light and the woods once again descended into the darkness. Although there wasn't even a glimpse of any animals in the woods, sounds could be heard. Like the nightly whispers of the cold wind passing through the trees.
It was particularly frightening for some of Emlen's men. Notwithstanding their multiple experiences in the Sunset woods whenever the second young master would travel back and forth from the Azuran academy to the Frauncss manor, they still could not cope with the darkness of these woods. Their only comfort was the light of the campfire, illuminating away the fear in their hearts. For Moulin, he didn't mind the darkness. Although it was uncomfortable, he could manage it. It wasn't what he feared the most.
This situation wasn't the only thing that had startled the knights greatly. There was also the third young master.
"Do you need help with that?" Asked Moulin one night when he finally offered help to a knight who was struggling to light a fire.
The knight was startled, "I-I...Young master doesn't need to trouble himself-"
"Nonsense, I can do it. You go help fetch the firewood from the back of the carriage with the others." He gently nudged him away, forcing him to stand up in a daze. Moulin knew the knight was knowledgeable about lighting a mere fire in the woods but he was just too slow that the sky had already darkened even more. Moulin had to step up, anyway he had nothing to do.
Ghana who was helping gathering wood behind the carriage stopped in her tracks. She witnessed the scene of the youth, kneeling on the dirt, rocks in both hands striking continuously as a piece of tinder was placed on top of the rocks as he hit. She already knew Moulin was a noble child of an esteemed Aristocratic family and when she saw this scene, her eyes could not help but widen. His acts doesn't make him seem like a noble child at all. As if he was already used to the life in the woods. It wasn't just her who thought of this, so was the rest of the knights with her.
Not longer than a few minutes, Moulin had already ignited the tinder and kindling created a hand-sized fire, he quickly gestured his hand to bring more firewood.
The fire crackled loud and heat has surrounded the fire comfortably as night came. Astonished, the knights praised Moulin with delight. Their young master was very reliable and talented! They gathered around Moulin, praising him.
The youth was confused, it was just a fire.
Their voices were abruptly silenced when Emlen came. His face fell when he saw Moulin's soiled knees. With a frown, he glared at his knights who quickly rushed to do their tasks.
Ghana shook her head with a chuckle. Her eyes amusingly stared at the young man with silver eyes, bowing his head as his older brother patted away the dirt on his knees. What a strange boy...
A whole week passed when they finally exited the deep woods. The pathway was wider than before as they left the endless sea of trees behind them.
Moulin frowned as he placed his favorite satchel down on the floor beside the bed he was currently sitting on. He could only imprint the breath-taking view of the trees in his mind.
"Young master..."
Moulin lifted his head and saw Ghana walking towards him. He sat up and questionable looked at her, "You can call me Moulin, Ghana."
She blinked and smiled, "Moulin..."
He gestured her to sit on the bed with him. Ghana was her only company since Emlen wouldn't even let him out to have fun anymore. It was punishment, he told Moulin. Reluctantly, Moulin could only agree. When he becomes a guild member of a guild, Emlen would no longer be able to control him. So Moulin might as well let Emlen indulge in him for now.
"I heard you were invited by the imperial Azuran academy themselves. It must be an honor." Ghana sat beside him as she spoke.
"Yes, An honor..." Moulin only nodded in agreement. He wasn't particularly ecstatic about it. "What about you? I know the Academy also recommended you. I believe the most eager among the two of us would be you, Ghana."
"It is my dream. My father would never let me join the guilds. When I told him I was going to be a candidate for the Azuran guild recruitment Trials he sent me a marriage proposal the next day, intent to never let me leave. Being a sentinel guild member was something I could never give up on. I train every day of my life to become strong. So I left the house."
She was sounded so relaxed as spoke. But Moulin could surely feel the despair and longing in her eyes. She clearly loved her father dearly. But to pursue her dream, she left her father's home.
"My father was the chief trader in our province. He and I sometimes travel all over the country because of his job. Good times it was."
"Perhaps, he will understand..." Moulin smiled at her, comfort laced his voice soothingly making Ghana feel warm inside.
"Perhaps, he will." She responded, nodding. "...Someday"
Moulin was about to change the topic when a voice called out his name from inside the dressing room on the other side of the room. Emlen came out freshly dressed with Snow on his arms.
"Ao!"
Snow jumped off from Emlen's arms and scurried towards his master. Spotting the satchel on the floor beside the bed, the fox enthusiastically attacked the bag. He dug inside the bag startling Moulin and Ghana above him.
The contents of the bag fell, exposed under the gazes of the three occupants in the carriage.
Snow's head popped out from a pile of large orange leaves, yipping in high spirits as he looked at his master's red face.
Emlen blinked. Ghana eye's widened.
The second young master narrowed his eyes on the leaves spilled out from Moulin's favorite satchel, cluttering on the floor. His expression fell into a frown, "Moulin. Did you collect these leaves?"
"I... was curious..." Moulin lowered his head in embarrassment. "...it's really big and unusual. The shapes are different than the other and the veins... looked so strange. I... could not help..."
His voice trailed off.
Snow, you brat!
Emlen sighed helplessly. Leaves. His brother was interested in a pile of leaves. He even collected every shade of them. Even the smallest ones, he had them bundled up with a string. He palmed his face. What stage is this in his brother's life?
Ghana could not help but give out a laugh. How amusing!