"Are we there yet?"
Holo was laying down in the wagon as they were traveling to a small mountain town named Frost. The town sat right outside of a collection of mountains where it seemed to always snow and hale. Lawrence shook his head as the restless Holo sighed loudly and turned over on her side. "Why aren't we there yet? It has been about two days now!"
He chuckled; "The town of Frost is the only town nearest the mountains, let alone it being known for its cloths and other wool and pelt products. I'm going to try and sell whatever I can, but I am going to buy some of their cloths and to sell at a higher price." He turned back to check on Holo, whose red eyes locked with his. She smiled then began to dig in a box next to her, pulling out an apple and taking a bite out of it. She chewed loudly as his stomach began to growl quietly. "Hungry, we are?" Holo asked as she listened to his stomach. He nodded his head, reaching back and biting into his apple.
"I still can't believe," Lawrence began with his mouth full, "we got all those apples for less than one silver coin."
Holo nodded, gulping down the rest of hers and throwing the core into the back of the wagon. She studied the road ahead: trees began to form over the horizon as once blue sky was blocked by a huge collection of mountains, ranging almost as far as the eye could see. She then pulled out her comb and began to brush her tail. Lawrence noticed a few white hairs on his arm sleeve. He began to brush them towards Holo when she noticed him doing so. "I think you are having a little hair problem, Holo." She shrugged her shoulders; "Do not all animals drop a little hair her and there?" With a smile crossing her face, she flung loose hair off of her tail like a catapult at Lawrence; hair covered him as he laughed along with Holo, brushing the hair off once more. Returning his gaze to the dirt path ahead of him, he didn't seem to care as Holo laid her head down on his leg. He scratched behind her ear, causing her to smile and squirm. He smiled widely as they carried on down the road.
After a while, she rose her head off his leg and sat up, and sighed softly. Lawrence took notice of this and turned to face her; "Is something wrong?"
She shook her head; "No, but can I ask you something?"
"What is it?"
She hummed softly, lowering her ears, trying to think of how to ask the merchant. "Lawrence, this has been on my mind lately, and I want to ask you something... Do yo-"
The wagon fell over at an angled manner on its side. The horse reared back as Lawrence walked around the wagon to see what was wrong;
"Well, a wheel popped off again."
He managed to pick the wagon up slightly and slid the wheel back into place. Holo sighed as Lawrence came back around and sat down. As they started back on the road, Lawrence turned back to face Holo with a smile on his face. "So what did you want to ask?"
"Well, I'm a goddess and all, but...but you are not immortal as I am." her ears now slumped down and her tail still.
"That's not really a question, more of a reminder, but what do you mean?" He looked at her oddly as a tear began to fill her eye. Instead of her asking, she wrapped her arms around Lawrence, pressing her head against his side. He simply accepted the hug and squeezed her softly, wiping a tear from her cheek. She couldn't help but smile as she sat back up and watched the trees coming closer. It had been a while since they first met, roughly half a year later. It was an enjoyable time to them both, though they weren't any further than holding hands or dancing alone in their rooms at night before bed. Lawrence couldn't help but want to move closer to Holo, yet business seemed to restrict him. He wanted to marry Holo and he wanted to live with her forever, but he knew that one day he would die and she would be left alone unless... He sighed, pulling another apple from the box and biting into it.
After a few hours, they had arrived at the town of Frost; snow covering the vast forest and ground around them. The wind howled loudly at the rising moon. Lawrence and Holo had dressed themselves for the cold air and wind shortly before snow began to fall around them. Knocking on an inn door, a large bearded man opened the door to see Lawrence. "Do you have any open rooms?"
"Yes," the man nodded, "it is the room with a three on the door. You may leave your wagon and stead in the barn next to it." Lawrence payed the man and thanked him for the room. Running past the wind back over to Holo and the wagon, he lead the horse and wagon into the barn next to the small building. Smoke emerged from the chimney, meaning it was probably worm inside. Lawrence opened the door and let it slowly open; it was a small wooden cabin with a bearskin on the floor and a small stove next to the fireplace. And opposite the fire place, next to a window, was a single bed. Holo pushed past him and sat her box of apples down on the floor. Lawrence chuckled as they both took off their heavy clothing and placed them on a rack next to the fire to dry. Holo yawned loudly, snuggling up into the covers on the bed. Lawrence sighed as he looked around the room for either another bed or extra sheets only to come up empty-handed. He placed a hand on Holo's shoulder, getting her attention; "I'll be right back with blankets for me."
Before he got away, Holo grabbed his arm softly, her cheeks beginning to blush. "Actually, could you maybe, sleep with me tonight?"
He began to blush too, but after a moment of exploring Holo's eyes, he nodded. "Thank you." Holo mumbled as Lawrence slipped under the covers next to her. She smiled widely, Lawrence smiled back at her. He watched as she slowly drifted to sleep. He smiled as she slowly balled up and began to snore. 'Just the way it should be.' He turned on his back and slowly drifted to sleep as well, dreaming of Holo.