Packing up and getting some food for the road from the servants, Cashimir and Helene were ready to leave the palace. It was a shame that they were only able to sleep on a bed for one night but duty calls. Cashimir sighed, feeling uneasy as he held his father's journal in his hand. He felt how it almost reeked of secrets. He packed it deep into his bag and held his own journal next, filled with sketches of Eris. He felt a knot in his stomach. Not only did he have to part with her, now he might have to cross paths with her as an enemy rather than a friend… He really hoped it wasn't her. But at the same time he did because it would mean she truly is alive. But then he won't be able to go through his quest.
With a deep sigh he carefully placed his own journal in his bag as well. He waited for Helene near the exit who took a bit longer to get ready. Then he heard footsteps coming closer, rushing forward. He soon saw Helene, hiding her face with the hat and the princess following close by.
"Please! Take me with you! I promise I won't be in the way, I just don't want to be here anymore. Please, please!" The princess begged but Helene ignored her as much as she could.
"I'm sure Cashimir won't mind right?" Her eyes met Cashimir's and he just gave an awkward smile, not knowing how to react. Helene stopped in her tracks and the princess bumped into her.
"You. Are. A princess. You aren't supposed to leave and I can't protect you in case there is a fight going on. The future I see only ends with your death if you follow. So stay here, while we fulfill our quest." Her voice was cold and strict. The princess' eyes slowly filled with tears and then ran away, her heels echoing in the calls as well as her sobs. Helene sighed and shook her head as she walked past Cashimir and didn't seem to want to talk about it so Cashimir didn't bring it up.
Leaving the castle they went to the city to get a sled and rent some wolves to pull on it. The people were still angry about the incident, hoping that those creatures would get what they deserve. When Cashimir asked who those people were all of them replied the same. Nobodies. Creatures that were on the streets and did nothing more than taint the city. It only made Cashimir more unsure. They were poor and lived on the streets, of course they would steal to survive… Eris probably wanted to help them. He knew Eris wouldn't do anything evil like that, she always has her reasons. He thought about how she kept her ears, and stayed away from the village as much as possible. He bit her lip and shook his head. He didn't want to see it at first but… His friends and family probably insulted her as well as soon as he wasn't looking. His heart ached but he kept it together.
While Helene was gathering the last things, Cashimir went to the marketplace where only one stand was up. He walked closer and noticed they were selling some sort of flowers. He moved closer and noticed that all of them were out of gems. His eyes caught two flowers beside each other. One of them was dark blue with hints of purple which reminded him of Eris. The second one looked awfully similar to the color of his eyes. Blue and green mixed together. He could hear Eris' voice just by looking at them.
"I'm jealous…"
"Of what?"
"Your eyes. They are nothing I've ever seen before. So gentle and warm like the forest but at the same time playful and cool like the lake." He didn't even notice how he spaced out until the shopkeeper spoke up.
"How peculiar…"
"Excuse me?"
"No just… There was a girl here before who took a large interest in that specific flower. It's funny, how your eyes do have a similar color." The shopkeeper chuckled then shook his head.
"Business is hard these days. The people are being more grumpy than usual. I always thought it was the cold. But… I have to keep my family fed somehow." Cashimir nodded and couldn't take his eyes off the two crystal flowers.
"I'll buy them. Both of these." The shopkeeper picked them up and carefully wrapped them up in thick paper and Cashimir then paid for them, a few coins extra.
"I think your mis-"
"Keep it, your family needs it no?" Cashimir smiled and the shopkeeper thanked him several times. He then left, moving towards the ice ocean, hoping Helene was ready as well.
They arrived at the ice and used the tools the king gave to them to be able to pass the ice. They sat in some sort of sled, pulled by wolves. The king was certain the ice wouldn't break, he was the one who froze it after all which he took high pride in.
Helene was silent through the whole ride and worry was eating up Cashimir, inside and out. They stopped for a bit however, letting the wolves rest and they covered themselves in lots of thick clothes so they wouldn't freeze.
"Helene…"
"Mm?"
"Can you sleep?"
"Not at all. I've been staring at the pitch black sky for a few hours now. Not a single star… The clouds must be covering them all. I assume you can't sleep either." Cashimir nodded and turned towards where he thought Helene laid. There wasn't much space in the sled anyway.
"I… Don't think I can go through the king's orders…"
"What?" Helene turned around as well but it was too dark to see each other. That's when she cursed and snapped her fingers, her hat slowly began to glow in purple and gold. It wasn't much but they could more or less see each other.
"Why not? It's not that hard! They caused chaos in the city, broke laws! They are criminals, of course they should be punished."
"It's just… I don't think it's the full truth. The people who had left and said, stole the ships were poor, living in the streets out in the cold! The only ones complaining are the rich… The… Humans."
"The king knows what's best. That's why he's king. We are supposed to follow his orders and the laws."
"But we're chosen by gods, Helene! Are the gods even bound to what the king wishes? Or our laws? They created our world! Doesn't that mean anything?" Helene was silent. All her life, she thought the laws were abuslute and the gods agreed. But thinking about Onyx… His teachings were never about laws or order. But guidance and destinies… Someone's fate could well be a dark one… For Onyx it didn't matter if you were a criminal or not. But Helene didn't agree with it.
"Let's just leave this conversation."