"Sorry. I'm just a little nervous." Iris laughed again, but she sounded really nervous as she looked away. "I don't know what to expect after this. I've never left Calaren town before, except whenever I hunt in the woods. Asnar is something I know nothing of. I'm not sure what to expect once we arrive there." She admitted nervously.
Iris thought that she must've lost her mind to say these things to a darkling. Was she trying to get herself killed? She sighed and shook her head. It didn't matter. There's no reason for her to worry about a problem that wasn't there in the first place.
Iris fell silent, not knowing what to say anymore. She had already confided her worries to a darkling anyway. She should be worried, but Iris didn't think that this darkling would use it against her. The darkling didn't seem like he was concerned about her at all.
She sat there in silence with the darkling and sighed, She should be cherishing the remaining time she had with their family, but Iris didn't want to break down and show any sign of weakness in front of them. There was nothing else she could have done to avoid their separation this time. As much as she wanted to stay with them, breaking a royal decree was a ticket to their quick deaths.
'Just as I thought we'll be together, forever. I'm sorry, Father.' She covered both of her hands and wept for the first time in years.
The wolf darkling was startled by her sudden outburst, but didn't budge from where it was seated. Instead, it turned its head away from her direction, as if it was pretending that it couldn't hear her. Iris was grateful for it, because she would rather not let anyone see how low and broken she was right now. Even for just a moment, Iris wanted to lower guard and be true to herself.
"I'm sorry that you have to see this unpleasant sight." Iris apologized, but as she dug her fingernails into her palms, she knew that there's no other way around this problem.
The darkling only looked at her blankly and Iris felt like she was being silly. There was no way a darkling would care about her feelings, much less about her woes in life.
Iris admitted that she was afraid. She didn't know what awaited her and her friends once they reached Asnar, and she could only hope that the world of the magical beings and monsters would allow them to at least fend for themselves and not give them away as some sort of gift that the Kingdom of Dravial had sent to appease them.
She said no more and the darkling didn't make any indication that it was bothered by the scent of her tears either. It was said that darklings had heightened senses, far superior to a mortal human.
"I guess I should get going now. I should return home before they realize that I'm missing."
She sighed, rose to her feet, brushing off the dirt from her pants and smiled at the darkling. Iris doubted that she and this wolf would cross paths again in the future, but at least the debt between them was already settled. The darkling remained unmoving in its place and Iris gave it one last bow before leaving.
Once she was out of sight, it transformed into its other otherworldly form. The Undead Lord's eyes remain glued to the direction where Iris disappeared, thinking that their fates were no doubt intertwined together, no matter how he tried to convince himself that he wasn't concerned about this human.
When Iris slipped back into Calaren town, the guards were still oblivious about her little escapade in the woods. She scoffed inwardly and threaded back home. Shoving the front door of their cabin open, she silently slipped inside and shut it behind her, making sure to put the latch back in place. She then took off her coat and hung it on the hook by the door.
'I hope Jun won't blame herself for this.' Iris thought as she entered their shared bedroom and saw that her younger sister was still asleep.
'This is for the better.' She added, knowing that Junifer would surely be heartbroken if she was forced to send away to Asnar as a tribute to the thirteen demon lords.
As soon as her head hit her pillow, Iris fell into a dreamless sleep. It wasn't until she felt someone shaking her did Iris wake up. Cracking her eyes open, she saw that it was Ren.
"Sis, you only have an hour to prepare before the emissaries arrive." He reminded her with a pained expression on his face.
Iris sat up on her bed, drew her brother into an embrace and held him tightly, allowing Ren to shed the tears he had been holding back.
"You'll return to us, right? You will find a way?" He asked between his sobs.
"I will!" Iris promised. If she had to tap into and rely on her magic to make it possible, then she would. "It might take some time though."
"I don't care." Ren insisted. "I will wait no matter how long it takes."
Junifer arrived and stood at the doorway, looking at them with tears in her eyes. Iris could see the guilt and rage in her sister's eyes and knew that Junifer was blaming the royal court in her mind.
Her sister had held deep resentment towards them ever since a young maiden Junifer was close to when they were children was sent away as a tribute. Seeing that Iris was now one of the tributes this time had surely fueled that hatred Junifer was nursing in her heart.
"I'm sorry, Iris." She heard Junifer say.
Iris shook her head.
"There's nothing to apologize for, Jun. I have no doubt that you will be a beautiful bride on your wedding day. It's just a pity I wouldn't be able to witness it."
Hearing those words, Junifer broke down in tears again.