The smell of morning dew permeates the air. As we near the middle border, the climate gets a little bit hotter and a tad bit more humid, but it's still cold. Even more so in the mornings and evenings. Winter's just a few months away, but by then, we should have already gone back to Barred Forest to regroup. It's almost been a year since I got evicted out of Inferis. I almost forgot about it because the climate on the surface and in Inferis are too opposing. Inferis only has one season.
I breathe out, watching the hot air rising until it disappears. It would have been a nice morning to go and meet the Faerie-kind, but—I'm not in the mood. Why? I stare at the heavy arm pinning me down.
"...Can you not suffocate me to death?" I groan in a hushed tone, but the person hugging me in his sleep isn't listening.
Last night, like every other night, I put at least three meters of distance between our bedrolls. However, every time I open my eyes, the distance I painstakingly put, negates to less than zero with Obrecht's octopus limbs!
Over the course of our travel, Laris and Raguk have already gotten used it, if not begrudgingly. Even I have gotten used to it (again), ignoring his advances and child-like flirting as long as it's not too much. But whenever Tukare wakes up to see it, she instantly jabs Obrecht's ribs with the sole of her foot to get him to release me. This happens on most mornings, and then we start our day with Obrecht acting hurt and pitiful even though I know he's just faking it.
I'm no longer the me that used to hover over him with worry the first time he acted in pain. I've changed. I've upgraded—or so I say to myself.
I twist my head to see the others still sleeping nearby. The fire's been burnt out, the sun barely risen, and the sky a darker hue of blue. Maybe it's because we talked a lot longer last night about the things we need to do that the others are still asleep, or maybe I've just woken up earlier because of this big fat bicep pressing me down.
Give me your muscles.
I pinch this sleep-thief, then sigh, as I watch a shadow vine slowly imitating my pinching action.
For once you're doing good. Keep pinching. Let's pinch away our grievances.
We arrived at the outskirts of Faerie Valley yesterday, but Laris told us that it's only proper to come in the morning, and with gifts. We wouldn't want the Faerie-kind to perceive our visit as a night attack. Therefore, we had to camp outside for one more night for propriety.
Turning my head to the left, I take the sight of Obrecht's sleeping form in the dim early morning light. His left arm was draped over me, a leg even intertwined between mine under the sheets. If I try to move away, his hold tightens.
Briefly, I contemplate his act of insecurity whenever he sleeps. Though he regularly sneaks into my bed before in Lumea, the most he did was lightly placing his hand on waist or simply sleeping while facing me.
Is he so afraid to wake up and not find me there?
"...Me too", I say under my breath. "I'm scared." I'm scared of getting used to you again and taking you for granted, Ob. I'm a complicated person with a complicated life. You don't need these complications in your life.
I peek at him, and startle to find his eyes open. Quiet, deep hazel voids reflect my own face. How long has he been awake?
"...If you're awake, then get off me. You're heavy." I say and act unperturbed.
He pulls me closer until I am in his arms, half-laying on top of his chest.
"Better?"
"..." Well, at least I can breathe easier like this.
Obrecht raises a hand to play with my hair, the locks eventually twisting over his fingers. Comfortably, we let the silence talk for us for a while.
"I love your white hair." He says all of a sudden. I don't answer. "What are you thinking about?"
I hide my face from his view, looking down.
"When you left Inferis", he trails off, feeling me go tense in his arms. Obrecht kisses the top of my head. "I'm sorry I hurt you."
Hearing him apologize instead of blaming me or interrogating me, I ease up. Apologizing even when it's not really your fault... This feels familiar... How many times have I heard Father apologizing first to Mother even though he wasn't always on the wrong?
I see. So this is normal if you don't want to lose the person.
My eyes soften. "I was wrong."
"Hm?" Obrecht leans back to have a good look at me.
"I was wrong", I say a little louder this time. "I didn't mean to leave… I never wanted to leave." I bury myself in his chest, as if finally opening my heart was unbearably hard and made me feel so vulnerable. It really wasn't easy to admit this.
Obrecht releases a breath in relief at finally getting through the walls I kept around myself. "You're alright."
In this quiet morning, I confess it. The twenty-four-hour limit Aovialutre gave me, the way Odeti acted, and even my power of sensuality duplication. In return, I also gain the truth behind Odeti's body, and that she's most probably still in a comatosed state at the moment.
"Don't be sad", Obrecht says as he wipes his thumb upwards on the middle of my furrowed eyebrows. "I have faith in Ama. If she says she'll be fine, then she'll be fine. She hasn't failed me yet."
"...How can you be so sure."
"Because, she said I'll get you back, and she was right."
"..." Was I really that predictable?
Someone clears their throat. We both turn to see Laris sitting up, a clenched hand pressed to his mouth. Raguk was also awake judging by his breathing, though he pretends to be dead on his bedroll. The only one still sleeping was Tukare, but she stirs. A little more and she'll wake up too.
A blush creeps up to my cheek. For some reason, I'm much more embarrassed this morning, despite always waking up in Obrecht's embrace like this. Quickly, numerous black vines wrap around Obrecht as I dash away to the river bank to wash my face.
By the time all of us have eaten a breakfast feast of dried rations, we were ready to head out, with Laris leading the way.
"Remember, don't eat anything. If they insist, act like you ate it, but don't swallow. You can hide it under your tongue", Laris instructs whilst he fends of a branch to clear the way.
The five of us stop in front of a mountain wall. Surrounded by trees, even the mountain wall is coated by the vital color of life—green. The rocks are covered with thick moss and vines are scattered everywhere, hanging from the trees a short height above the steep wall; or those from trees that had grown their roots into the mountain rock itself.
Laris, "Ready? Let's go."
He stops walking a few feet from the tall wall. He hollers with a polite greeting, only to be met with silence.
"Are we really at the right place?" Tukare asks Laris.
"We are", Laris confidently answers.
A little while later, from the green moss, the eyes of a person suddenly appear. It became a stark contrast to everything around. He moved his eyes to scan the small crowd, until it landed at Laris.
"I thought I heard someone familiar", my keen ears hear the person whisper to himself. I barely stop my eyebrows frowning at his coquettish tone.
From the front, it really looked as if there weren't any openings on the mountain wall. The person drops a rope ladder from the height and gestures them to come in while looking around. After climbing up, there are stairs that lead to a small cave hallway. It resembled a bit like climbing up a fortress wall.
"Laris, welcome back", the man says when all five of us had climbed up.
Up-close, I can see a throat knot on the person's neck. If it wasn't for that, I would still remain unsure whether they're a male or female.
"Afzal", Laris greets back with a smile. "It's good to see you."
"Your servants?" He asks. He doesn't give Laris a chance to clarify when Afzal sees Tukare. "Tukare!" He takes her hands in a very intimate manner and motions it up and down like a slow and playful handshake. "You're back, you're back! The priestess would be ecstatic when she hears this news!"
The priestess?