Jacek looked from the car at his sister's strange behavior. He knew her to be detached in normal circumstances towards strangers. However, ever since their arrival in Gouna, Yuki attached more thoughts and attention to Amir that Jacek could not understand. It appeared to him that his sister and the town leader had an uncanny connection; one that went beyond what he saw.
Jacek took his eyes off of the scene which was evoking several emotions in him that he could not comprehend.
Zora stood aside with Treyton as they both watched Yuki and Amir with differing thoughts.
Zora was very appreciative to Yuki for her ability to successfully soothe Amir in her stead, however, there was an ounce of jealousy in her heart towards the mutual affection between the two.
The scene brought to her mind the time Amir had returned to the mansion with Yuki in his laps. He had held on to her like she was the most important person in his life. Amir had appeared revitalized, and he looked at Yuki with a strange affectionate look.
And now, Yuki had a similar look as she embraced Amir. It was neither fondness nor sensuality nor empathy nor sympathy, in Zora's eyes only those two could put to words how they felt about each other. And just by knowing that what they had was special, Zora was jealous.
Yuki beckoned for Treyton to bring over the steaming tea. Unsure as to whether Amir was still crying or not, Yuki kept his face buried in her stomach while she took the hot tea Treyton had brought with a free hand and then blew air on it.
Amir, sensing that Yuki was being considerate of his reputation, smiled, before he gently removed her hand from the back of his head and slowly drew back. "Should I drink that?" he pointed to the tea in Yuki's hand with a warm smile.
Yuki observed Amir's greatly improved appearance in amazement.
"Yuki…" Amir called for her attention.
"Ah! Yes! This is yours." Yuki set the tea gently in Amir's open palm.
He gobbled down the tea at a go and handed over the cup to Yuki.
"How is it? Do you feel relieved in any way?" Zora inquired.
Amir looked at her tearful expression and stretched his hand out to her. When Zora squatted, took his hand and placed it against her cheek, Amir wiped her tearful face with his palm. Then, he leaned in and placed a small kiss atop Zora's head. "I feel better," Amir made sure he was heard not by Zora alone, but also by Treyton and Yuki who stood close by.
Yuki gazed at Amir with a relieved expression, then she looked at Treyton who had been quiet the entire time. "Are you okay, sir Athaulfe?" Yuki whispered.
Treyton glanced at Yuki, and then back at his brother, who returned his gaze. Treyton knew he heard Yuki's question. Amir eyed him without any visible change in his expression.
"I am fine. We should be heading out now," Treyton turned to Yuki and told her.
Yuki was a little surprised by Treyton's attitude, considering his brother's condition a moment ago.
"We are leaving," Treyton announced without looking at neither his brother nor wife then walked away to his vehicle.
Yuki looked between Treyton's departing figure and Amir in confusion. She then handed the teacup in her hand to Zora and bowed, "Then, we will be leaving. Thank you again for having my brother and I." Yuki was courteous, both in tone and manners. She proceeded to leave.
"Yuki…" Amir called to her calmly. Yuki stopped in her tracked and turned to look at him. "Thank you, truly." Amir bowed as lowly as he could. He noticed Zora stare at him with surprise from the corner of his eyes but ignored her.
Only he knew that a 'thank you' was far from enough to express how grateful he was towards the girl and yet, he had nothing to give back to her.
Yuki witnessed the sincerity in Amir's voice and face. She assumed he was thankful for the tea; she wanted to believe only so far. He was not willing to speak any further than he wanted to. In her heart, Yuki knew that Amir was thankful for something grander than a mere cup of tea; something so grand, she had no desire to find out what it was. "You are welcome." She turned away, then finally joined Treyton and Jacek in the vehicle.
'And sorry, Yuki, I am truly, very sorry!'
Yuki was startled by a sudden voice in her head as soon as she made herself comfortable the automobile. The voice was not hers, but strangely, Amir's.
"Are you okay?" Jacek asked when he noticed Yuki's alarmed expression.
Yuki ignored Jacek's question as well as Treyton's curious gaze. She snuck her head out of the door of the automobile and looked over at Amir who looked back at her with a smile. It was not his warm signature smile. Nor was it his confident and kind smile. This time, Amir's smile was pained, it was sad and it was remorseful.
"Ms. Adlerian?" Treyton called.
Yuki withdrew her head back into the car. Her expression had normalized when she did. She looked as if nothing had happened. "Sorry," she apologized.
"Can we go now?"
"Please." Yuki permitted Treyton. She then looked at her brother with an assuring look. "I am fine," she told Jacek.
⸙⸙⸙
After leaving his automobile in the barn he picked it from, Treyton spoke briefly with the elderly man whose care the vehicle was left in. Afterwards, Treyton and the siblings went to wait for their train.
Upon the train's arrival, Treyton helped Jacek get on after Yuki handed over their tickets.
Inside the train, Yuki and her brother sat together while Treyton sat across from them with his arms crossed over each other.
As the drugs he took made him drowsy, Jacek dozed off almost immediately after sitting.
Yuki placed Jacek's swaying head on her shoulder to allow him sleep better. Subsequently, she looked out of the window as she was seated beside one. She stared blankly at the trail of tress that disappeared as quickly as they came into view.
In her mind, Yuki kept thinking of the strange incident of Amir's voice inside her head. Above that, Yuki kept visualizing Amir's expression when she looked at him earlier. Why did he look at her that way? What had he in mind at that time? Yuki frowned at all the questions that were beginning to cloud her thoughts.
"Ms. Adlerian." Yuki's thoughts were interrupted by Treyton's voice, she glanced at him curiously.
Treyton's eyes were shut with his head laid back. His countenance seemed normal, except, it took a discerning eye like Yuki's to tell that Treyton was not himself in the slightest.
"The train will make a stop at the borders of Stolz. You two will get off there."
"Stolz? I thought it was heavily guarded?" Yuki voiced her confusion.
"Mmh, but returning to the duchy is much easier than leaving, the guards will allow your entry if you give a little money. Do you have money on you?" Treyton raised his head and peeked at Yuki who nodded in response.
"What about you? Are you not coming with us?" Yuki queried.
"People from Gouna are not allowed to enter Echt. I can only enter and leave illegally." Treyton spoke nonchalantly.
"I did not know that."
"Most people don't. Gouna and Echt do not have the best relationship." Treyton shrug.
"Then is it not dangerous for you to be living there?" Yuki was surprised he could be so calm about something so serious.
"I will be fine as long as I keep a low profile. And since I do not move around a lot, I suppose I am in the clear for the time being."
Yuki was not sure if Treyton was not aware or was just ignoring the fact that his stature alone was enough to attract attention to himself. But considering how he had not gotten into trouble yet; Yuki was willing to take his word for it in the meantime.
…
When the train made a stop not too far from the border of Stolz, Yuki and Jacek bid Treyton goodbye and alighted.
Jacek leaped tirelessly with one arm around his sister. It took the pair a while to reach the ginormous border.
Just like Treyton said, there were several soldiers stationed there. Jacek was a little panicked initially, until he realized his younger sister had no fear as she approached the entrance.
Yuki had Jacek wait for her against his will while she neared a group of soldiers.
Before long, she returned to Jacek with one soldier who rendered his support to Jacek in walking. When the three reached the gate, the soldier who had Jacek's arm around his neck shouted, "I will be back."
"Be quick!" the other soldiers shouted in unison. "See you some other time little miss!" they waved at Yuki enthusiastically. They looked excited and greatly appeased.
Jacek kept all his thoughts bottled up because he did not find the soldier's presence a good place to question his sneaky sister. When they entered the duchy, the soldier hauled a carriage for them. "Goodbye, little miss," the soldier smiled, waved at Yuki and left them to the coachman.
"Where do I take you, please?" the coachman questioned, looking between the two sheepishly. He assumed the two had connections with the military and hoped to not offend them in any way.
"Lutios, street one," Yuki replied and helped Jacek into the carriage before following him inside.
Inside the carriage, Jacek google at Yuki without as much as a word.
"I gave them money," Yuki said before Jacek's eyes could bore a hole in her.
"How much?"
"Two hundred aiqes," Yuki responded nonchalantly.
"Two hundred aiqes! Are you out of your mind?" Jacek yelled. That money could feed a family of ten for more than a month! Jacek noticed Yuki press her lips together and avert her eyes; he frowned.
"That was not all you gave, right?" he huffed.
"That was all." Yuki's tone could not convince a two-year-old. It was an obvious lie which she was not trying very hard to hide.
When she could not bear Jacek's glare and silence any longer, she finally confessed, "I gave them some opium and told them I found it on our voyage and was hoping to hand it over to authorities. There was no way they were going to stress us out after obtaining such fine gifts." Yuki sounded and looked conceited.
"And can you tell me why you had opium with you?"
Yuki looked everywhere but Jacek's face. "I did not use any. I was going to get rid of it on our travel but forgot. Believe me," Yuki looked remorsefully at Jacek.
"You are lying," Jacek deadpanned.
Yuki sighed in frustration and dropped her innocent guise. "Let's just say that is the truth since I really did get rid of it. And I swear that I really did not use any."
Jacek shook his head and sighed loudly. "Was that all the opium in your possession?"
"Most of it, yes."
"And the rest?"
"I will get rid of that and all the other concoctions after I receive news from the duke. Until then, I am going to hold on to the narcotics, just in case," Yuki said firmly.
Her tone and expression made Jacek aware that her decision was final and that, nothing he said would change her mind. He was somewhat pleased though, that, the larger portion of the opium was not in his sister's possession any longer. That is a good start! He thought.