It was the fourth week of our travel and I am no longer capable of riding meera in this weather, my inner thighs are chafed and my back is sore i can no longer feel it. I can tell that my horse is also exhausted by the lazy drag of her hooves and the endless stone-kicking, we've seen nothing but rough mountains for the past week and i do not know if i can be of any mental support to my subordinates at this point, especially that most of them were meant to spend their times immersed in ink and old book rather than a foreign unwelcoming- and very cold- land.
Nasir spoke from ahead of the group: " we're about to reach the southern entrance to the city, let's take five to rearrange and look presentable, first impressions folks! First impressions last!". I sighed at my brother's obsession with details, he was never the kind to let me off the hook growing up, always making sure everyone followed protocole. One would think I am walking into my wedding rather than meeting our future allies, alas I was never the one to understand diplomatic so i did as he asked and my crew followed, not because they don't answer to him, everyone on our troops does including me, but because they are inside a carriage they requested to be of the isolating kind.
I pulled Meera's feedbag and adjusted it so she can eat while I fix my appearance. I used water to detangle my hair, dark hair sticking to my wet palm due to my lack of care, then I used some " aker fassi", a red tint to bring back some moisture and rosiness to my lips and cheeks. I wore my silver jewellery and replaced my worn coat with another of a light blue color that I kept to wear upon arrival.
Once set we began moving again, this time the scenery is less-rocky and we can make the shape of the city, lodged between mountains from south with hardships covering every path leading to it, however its beauty was truly an amicable one.
Reina pulled me from my spacing-out: " Huaria, ya Huaria! "
I looked at my friend and assistant, poking her head from the carriage and swinging her arms aimlessly, " yes rei, I am listening don't yell", she smiled mischievously and said:" I was just wondering if you think of you-know-who whenever you space out".
That had me rushing to her side to shush her quickly: " shush before they hear you and misunderstand!", she poked my arm with her finger and whispered : " so you were thinking of him!". I feigned ignorance, this isn't the time to daydream or duell on what-ifs, especially since it's Hebaron she's hinting at, the man who never revealed himself and rivalled me for so long.