The next morning came as Earl went out to search for a carriage for it was an efficient way to get around. He didn't want her walking alone by herself to a kingdom she knew little about. Nicole woke up early as well getting herself ready for the long destination that was ahead. From what she heard it would take a two-day trip based on the distance.
She wanted to make sure her clothes were layered as the kingdom was below temperature due to the snow. Nicole couldn't help but feel nervous seeing Jasper again after four years, she felt bad for not staying in the inn longer. Earl was considered family despite not being related in blood so she finally had a home to go back home to after being on her own since she was a young girl. To think she didn't claim him as her father was selfish of her to say she thought to herself.
The door opened and she turned her head to see Earl yawning as he entered the home walking to her as she smiled at him. She looked at the door that was open to find that there wasn't a carriage but a small cart with a single horse that was connected to the cart with a rope.
Nicole placed her hands together in worry "Father, what happened to the carriage?"
Earl broke into a cold sweat at her question"Well sweetie there has been some sort of change. The man who is normally in charge of carriages found out about my schemes long ago as I am a trickster. You know that all too well don't you" Nicole nodded as Earl spoke again " A cart will do you just fine but the man told me I couldn't have a carriage but a cart instead. So I will travel with you to the Snow Kingdom."
" I don't want you falling ill on our journey Father, you need to rest I will walk-"
Earl raised his hand stopping her from speaking as he shook his head in disapproval " As your father I will take to snow and that's final child. Put your things in the cart and I will ride us there. I might be able to sightsee finally."He placed his hand on his chin as he wondered if the Snow was still the same.
Nicole got the bag and basket into the carriage as Earl closed the door from behind locking it to make sure no one was there to steal their artwork. He helped her up the cart as he got on the Horse making their way to the Kindom.
As their journey started Earl couldn't help but stop by a shop on the way to the kingdom. Getting some hay for the horse and bread to eat as they had already passed by the North-kingdom. Nicole took a sketchbook that was in her bag as she drew out the kingdom and its beautiful structure. All kingdoms were different but nothing ever stood out to her besides the Edessia. The land that was graced with the ability to make glass and iron was nothing more than ruins.
Earl told her stories of how there was a Great War that fell onto Edessia which it couldn't recover from. There was a time where you could travel to Edessia by sea but it was all dried up. The lord and lady were never seen after that leaving behind their son the sole heir to the throne lord Alonso. It could be nothing more than a myth she thought to herself as Earl slapped the horses behind making the horse go faster as the sun slowly began to set. Nicole began to shiver as she felt the cold air take over the wind Earl had given his cloak to her so she could bundle up. Snow began to fall; trees being heavily pushed down by the weight of snow that stacked on their low shallow branches
She tried to refuse as she was warm enough as the temperature was changing rapidly. Earl didn't mind being out in the cold as it best suited him. When he was young he used to reside in the Icepeak village close to Snow Kingdom but he thought it was best to move away from the cold temperatures and go someplace warmer.
They had stayed at an inn for the night as their journey was slowly coming to an end. Earl knew the inn manager Sofia, he would often stay there when he traveled to far places such as Snow. The woman was short and middle-aged with slight wrinkles on her face and brown hair she was slightly petite but held quite a punch for those who disturbed her inn. Though Earl could tell his time was slowly running out he didn't want to frighten her.
Nicole gave Earl hot tea as he sat in the chair with a runny nose and high fever. The inn manager gave her a a bucket of warm water and a cloth to put on his head which he desperately needed. But Earl kept refusing any remedies to help his cold and she started to get upset wondering why the man wanted to fight off the cold when he was ill. He was too stubborn for his good she thought to herself, making sure he laid in comfortably she decided to stay up sketching as it brought her some sorta relief from her father Earl.
The next morning came as the sun began to rise as the rays of light hit Nicole's face as she woke up from the chair that she slept in. Opening her eyes slowly not wanting to get up but sleeping a little longer she had to get ready for the ball was to be very soon. Nicole gets up from the chair to wake up her father but he doesn't move at all not even a slight twitch of his finger. Tears began to fall down her face as she began to skate the man frantically telling him to wake up. The Inn manager Sofia came in she ran to Nicole calling her down to see Earl's dead body lying on the bed.
With a snap of her finger, Two men came as they removed Earl from the bed carefully laying him on the floor as they wrapped in him in a sheet. Nicole screamed "What are you going to do with him? Leave him there! I shall bury him if I must! "
Sofia calmly said "It is alright Nicole, you can come and watch us bury him together. He was loved here, he left this note for you. Meet us outside when you are ready dear"
She placed the note in Nicole's hands as she walked away from her as the men did the same carrying the sheet that her father was wrapped in. Once she calmed down completely she opened the note her eyes widened as tears began to run down her face as she continued to it.
"Dear Nicole, if you are reading this then I am dead. I wrote this just in case something happened to me. Back in the mainlands where we stay, I give you everything I own as are the sole heir to it. All my treasure and rewards are yours, As for you are my daughter and deserve the world and more. For I am here with you always forever an eternity. Have fun at the Snow Kingdom I'm sure Lord Jasper will be pleased to see you there.
Love sincerely, Earl"
Nicole fell to her knees clenching the note to her chest as she cried, for the first time in forever since her parents died. He was as close to her as she was to him wiping her tears she got up from the floor grabbing her things including a map and lantern that Earl had brought. She walked to the entrance of the inn to see the two men digging a hole for his body to go in. She watches the two men closely as they put his body in the hole slowly and gently.
As the two men began to fill in the hole with dirt she began to walk away from them. Sofia screamed out to Nicole as she continued to walk not listening to the woman who screamed out her name everything, traveling in don't maybe a bit risky but worth it in the end. Leaving behind the horse and cart at the inn it was better for her to leave it there than Bringing it with her as she wouldn't know what to do with them.
As she started to walk snow began to fall, and her lip trembled at the thought of Earl telling her tales along the journey. Nicole knew the man was sick and didn't want him to come along over the fear of his health getting worse over time. That prediction was true, Earl was wise for his age but his stubbornness was his downfall. He knew the risk but still decided to go with her for her safety but the man had died so you had to leave him at the Inn as that was what he wanted. For his butterfly to be free and to be free she had to get out of the web as it was her only escape in really exploring the world.
Wanting to take a break she thought it was best to sit in the snow and rest her back on the tree. It wasn't the best idea but she needed to rest her legs if she wanted to keep walking, Nicole was only five miles into the walk. The nearest village was at least thirty miles from where she was. Nicole looked up at the sky as the snow fell seeing the weight of the snow on the tree limbs, after taking her short break she decided to walk some more only taking a couple of steps before being stopped by a carriage that had passed by. The coachmen bowed to her as he opened the carriage down.
Nicole shook her head wondering why a carriage was stopped for her" I'm sorry sir you must have the wrong person."
The coachmen grumbled "No miss, it's for you to ride in. I was just sent here based on your location. I was told that you were heading to the Snow Kingdom, but you'll never reach that place if you walk. So please do come inside the carriage it is not safe for you to be walking in these conditions."
Nicole swallowed her pride as she entered the carriage making sure she grabbed her items tightly as it was valuable to her. She took a seat on the comfortable chair as the coachmen closed the door and sat on the little chair. As the carriage started moving Nicole took a quick peek out the window to find an owl perched on a tree limb looking at the carriage closely. She wondered if it was Lord Jaspers's bird as it carried the same features, did he give her a carriage to ride in she thought to herself. Feeling exhausted from the day she decided to close her eyes.