All-righty. A bit of a challenge for me, try to post a chapter every week or sooner. But to make them good. Anyone else want to try a possible write a story in two mouths like Whisper of the Heart?
Don't own The cat Returns, if I did I'd stare at Baron all day, (and go on adventures). Listening to that gorgeous accent of his. Ah, please forgive me while I swoon.
Baron stares at body on sofa. Turns to audience, "Please do tell if there is anything that you partially like or could be improved upon. The Bureau will always be open to you be it day or night. Enjoy the chapter."
The path back was easier, and all three of the traveling companions were trying to keep the convesation easy, yet there were some awkward pauses since they were essentially strangers. At least Calliope was to the other two. Calliope had discreetly inquired about to the state of her sisters, (the lack of rescues being the most prominent). Yuki and Haru shared what accurate information they could, the fact said sisters were still alive being about it. Freely admitting neither knew what King Wendel was doing about the other princesses, or the state of the kingdom.
After being alone for so long it was, rather nice Calliope thought that Haru and Yuki were honest enough to say they didn't know. If she had been rescued from some other member of the House of White they would no doubt be trying very hard to portray themselves in the best light. If on the off chance that she might marry them on the return. It was at those times Calliope regretted being crown princess. Honestly, complete blessed blunt honesty was a relief not to have to wonder about motives.
Yuki had relayed what both had heard, but reminded that it might not be accurate. After the line of conversation was exhausted, it was Calliope who found herself on the other end of the Yuki's choice of topic.
"It it has a queen, wouldn't it be Queendom?"
Thank goodness for mundane curiosity about dynastic squabbles, Calliope thanked mentally. Being grilled since before she could remember about inheritance laws and, Calliope couldn't really recall off hand everything she had learned. Yet explaining something so simple was as easy as breathing, "Usually it is, but depending on the heir it's king or queendom. If the ruler is new, it reverts to queendom. It was founded by a women after all, my ancestress had ideas about what a queendom should be called." Calliope felt her court mask slipping away even father, "The House of White tends to have more daughters then sons. My father was an exception, so to mark the occasion, it reverted to kingdom." Calliope smiled ruefully, "My father was very young when he took the throne, and the advisors thought it best to humor him. The odd thing is, if your at court it's kingdom. Out in the woods it's still a queendom." Calliope fanned herself, "It's a large enough country, and borders quite a few of the others. When I inherit it will go back to being queendom in fact as well as name. Though," Calliope grinned at Yuki's rapt attention, "I might just keep kingdom for the sake of variation."
"Can you rule, or what's it called?" Yuki frowned thinking, "Succeed your father? Take the throne before your father dies?" Yuki realized at Calliope odd expression how that must have sounded, "I don't mean to offend you, or your father but you seem to have a better head on your shoulders then Wendel does."
Calliope looked away, "My father has had much more experience. He's what the country needed after the candy witch war." Calliope looked on ahead not really seeing anything, "My education was deliberately aimed at ruling during peace time." Reaching up to wipe sweat her forehead, "My father tries his best but after the untimly death of my mother," She shrugged, looking over a little sadly, catching her breath, "It wasn't easy being a father, and a ruler, while trying to teach us how to survive our ordeals, and then after if we survived."
Yuki and Haru didn't comment. "Oh." Calliope started, grasping to steer the conversation back to friendlier waters, "Yes, I can take the throne, while my father is still alive."
Calliope looked over hopefully, wondering if Yuki was going to ask another question. It kept her mind off the discomfort of walking. Not only did travel go faster, Calliope realized that silence, that was so prevalent in the winter woods, especially after a new snowfall, since those happened so frequently. Dampened all sound. Calliope remembered several time where she had screamed just to hear something. Outside of the endless winter, it still seemed like a dream, all the vivid colors of not-white. With two people that she didn't have to guard against. Honest motives. Plus the sounds, Calliope felt the hair on the back of her neck prickle whenever it started to get too quiet. Knowing that Yuki might be chattering because she was talkative or because she herself was didn't matter. As long as there was some absence of that dreary oppressive soundlessness. Calliope scrambled mentally for some safe conversation thread. After the silence grew uncomfortable, but more so actually seeing Calliope starting to panic as the quite wore on, Yuki asked, "Why did your parents name the 5 of you after the muses? It doesn't seem like that the usual thing to do."
Haru looked back grinning impishly, "Not unless it a-mused your mother."
That got another very real laugh out of Calliope, and a groan from Yuki. After Calliope stopped giggling, the light easy air returning at Haru attempt of a joke. "It was for insperation to each of us. To help us that even though the muses are immortal they help each other and when they come together are strong. It also helped because, well," Calliope looked sheepish, "Each of the muses has a strength."
"So," Haru tried to put words to her feelings, "Whenever you gals get really depressed or life seems unfair your reminded of you name?"
Calliope nodded, her expression was one of remembered fondness, awareness as she slowly come back to the present as if sharing a precious secret that she wasn't quite sure how it would be received, "I can sing. Not as well as court musicians, or minstrels, but it's passable and I do enjoy it." Calliope admitted in a rush. Face flushing with quiet pride, and elation of revealing such a precious thing.
"We will have to hear it sometime." Haru grinned, "Though I think you might not feel like it. Your breathing is turning a bit ragged. Are you sure your all right?" Haru pressed. "We can rest for a bit."
Calliope shook her head, then thought better of it. Meeting Haru's gaze Calliope nodded truly apoligtic, "I'm sorry for dragging behind you two."
"No worries!" Yuki answered brightly, "Haru walks fast anyway. And your still adjusting to outside winter woods. Anyone's reserves would be low." Yuki thought for a second, while they all slowed, and Haru spotted a big dry rock to sit on, led the other to over. Yuki carried on, "Not only are you in winter gear, but you have this monstrous thick coat," Yuki reached over and tugged on the item in question, "Uh, cloak. It's bound to make you warmer then us, and we're used to traveling." Calliope gave Yuki a smirk, "Because I've been knee deep in snow for the last year?" Calliope wondered if Yuki was thinking out loud, or was trying to make her feel better.
"It does hamper moblilty." Haru teased.
"At least I stayed mostly warm!" Callipe volleyed back. Deciding that Yuki was trying to make her feel better.
"Are you sure you don't want to take off the cloak? Even looking at it is starting to make me hot." Yuki tried. "I can carry it for you."
Ah. Calliope thought amused, here comes the mother henning. Calliope shook her head, some of her hair falling into her face, Absently she brushed them back. "It's not that. Here, lean over, I'll show you." Reaching up Calliope tugged the bow at her throat away from her neck toward Yuki. It securely held the cape neck in place. "The knots are frozen, and only my father can remove them."
"Well that was fine when you were in the wood so it wouldn't get lost but," Yuki voiced.
"But now that I'm out it's causing problems." Haru added, then asked, "I don't suppose there is an off chance you could pull it over your head?"
Calliope took the fastening and tried to pull up. She got as far as her mouth, before her hair, nose, and her head it wouldn't go any father up. Calliope let her hands drop, the fastening also fell to her neck and shoulders.
Yuki reached over taking the fastening in a hand and rubbing a thumb and pointer finger against the sturdy fastenings. Moving it from one side of Calliope's neck to the other. Calliope was about to ask something when Haru caught her eye, and gave a little shake of her head. Yuki abruptly dropped the fastenings and pivoted towards Haru. Holding out her hand, while Haru slipped off the backpack and held it so Yuki could pull it over and setting it at her lap. Yuki unzipped it and Yuki asked, "Haru do we have any scissors?"
"I don't think so. But I might have a pocket knife and glue," Haru thought for a second eyes looking away as she thought, while Yuki rummaged in the pack, grumbling, "You always bring glue." Haru shook her head, "I don't think we packed any cutting scissors."
"Darn." At Calliope leaned over to get a better look at the satchel. It was a curious thing, looking like it was made from canvas with something shiny for closely stitched interlocking lines, Yuki sat back up, shaking her head, Haru sighted in sympathy, before pointedly looking at Calliope who was studying the backpack with undisguised curiosity. Yuki caught and correctly interpreted the look, Yuki cleared her throat, Calliope jumped a little, Yuki leaned over, "I was going to see if you'd be okay with me shortening the cloak." Calliope shook her head, "That's what Haru thought." Yuki amended, then brightened, "But I could just carry it like a your train, almost bridal," Yuki's expression changed to one of disapproval, "but if we run into any guys they might get the wrong idea."
"I was meaning to ask about that." Calliope sized on the topic, waving a hand, "I thought I was imagining it, but we are covering more distance then by rights we should, even at the clip we are going. I thought I was seeing things. But," Calliope looked over at the very green trees, "It's early spring. Not even summer where the trees would start to change color." She pointed to another branch, "And these ones are just beginning to bud."
"Oh, that's the 7 league boots." Haru answered casually.
Calliope frowned, looking over at Haru, then to Yuki who would be more likely to explain, Calliope parroting, "7 league boots?"
"To be fair it's closer to 3ish league boots, Haru's wearing one and I'm wearing the other." Yuki explained, "It makes traveling around much easier."
"And less time consuming." Haru added. "You can cover a-lot more ground, much more comfortable."
"How does that even work?" Calliope protested, "Could you tell me? I'm familiar with most footwear, but," Calliope tapped her chin, "I thought." She said slowly, puzzling it out, "There might have been elves who were cobblers who made some sort of fast travel league boots." Calliope looked at Yuki's shoes, they weren't the same pair, one was more of a leather boot. The other like thick leather slipper, "Are they the shoes that when a person wearing them can cross 7 leagues in a step? But I haven't ever heard of 3 league boots."
"It's the same idea, it compresses a day's travel into one step. More or less." Haru grinned delighted at Calliope's avid interest bordering on fascination.
"But it slows when there are people or places around." Yuki added. "At least ours do."
"In essence as long as you have a specific location in mind these boots will in theory take you there."
"But 7 league boots don't, so you wind up missing your destination. So we just have 3 league boots." Yuki's amused grin was dancing back, "It's easier to stop when you get close, and walk the rest of the way normal, rather then missing it all together and backtracking." Suddenly Yuki looked chagrined, at a memory, "It took forever to get back to that hat shop in Wales."
"Then how am I keeping up with you two if your traveling so quickly?" Calliope pointed out the flaw, regretting to take away the magic, no the wonder of traveling and traversing such distance at speed.
"Because Haru and I arn't walking side by side, and we each have a half boot." Yuki answered matter of fact.
Haru looked back to Calliope, then sat on the ground, holding up her right shoe, "It might be easier if I explain it." Haru paused until she had Calliope's attention, "Yuki and I are both wearing 3 league boots. But they arn't the same pair of boots." Haru altered Yuki's explanation from before.
"Does that still work with the image in your mind?" Calliope asked still studying Haru's right shoe. It looked like Yuki's, a slipper with a thick bottom and supple leather.
"Sort of." Haru hedged, "What we did was put the other boot, ah." Haru tried to think of a better way to explain, "Let's try this. My other boot and Yuki's are at your dad's castle. So it doesn't really matter where or what direction we go in, because the boots want to be together. Rather like a homing bird."
"That's one way of making sure you don't get lost." Calliope joked dryly.
"Oh it's still easy to get lost if you want to." Haru assured, "Sometime when your don't. But since the court mage and multiple others want you to come back, their are," Haru paused searching for the right word. "Additional highly fueled a second spells that sort of, cradle you between Yuki and me. While we're using the boots." Haru looked over at Calliope with a small sheepish smile, "I hope that made sense."
"So that's why only one of you talks at a time." Calliope realized as awareness dawned.
"And we were being poilte." Haru added, giving Calliope a much happier but no less mischievous a wry grin, "Yuki and I can talk for days, about things that would make very little sense to you, and neither of us want you to feel left out." Yuki snorted, "She would too understand."
"Not in context she wouldn't, and your more loveable then I am." Haru shot back.
Yuki opened her mouth to protest but Calliope interrupted, still curious, "So if I'm being cradled between the two of you, how am I still keeping up?"
Haru peered at Calliope, "You didn't realize?" At Calliope's complete look of incomprehension, Haru gentled her tone, very patently "When somebody get's cursed, it leaves scars." Haru waited for a moment, opting for direct honestly, "Some heal quickly and some don't heal at all. And with the rules different for each and every enchanted magical forest," Haru trailed off.
"What rules?" Calliope pressed, determined, then realized what Haru was hinting at, "Wait, the one where only enchanted creatures can leave?"
"That's one of them." Haru agreed, carefully neutral in her response. "To be fair it was meant as protection from humans, but things have a way of being turned against it's original purpose of the caster is determined enough."
Things started to click, as Calliope turned towards Haru, then back to Yuki as she was puzzling out what had happened at the border with their expressions, or rather what they though might have happened at the border. "That's why you and Yuki were so surprised when I was able to leave so easily." Calliope realized.
"Yep." Haru agreed. Then continued calmly, "If you think about it, a normal human wouldn't have been able to survive a whole year in the winter woods." Haru met her eyes, "Not even a seasoned outdoorsmen would have been able to survive mouths without fresh supplies.
Calliope felt her eye's start to sting with tears, "And you two still came?"
Haru nodded gravely, but Yuki put a hand on Calliope's shoulder, and said with quiet steel in her voice, "We weren't going to leave you there."
Calliope swallowed, squashing her tears, they weren't going to leave her. "So, I'm enchanted?" Calliope looked at her hands, turning them over, they looked the same as they always had, "I don't feel any different." Calliope looked over to Yuki, asking, "Do I look different?" Yuki shook her head. "Not to me." Both looked over at Haru, she seemed to be trying not to laugh, "And when would we have seen you before you were cursed Calliope dear?" Calliope flushed, Yuki wrapped an arm around Calliope, "It's okay, we're all friends."
Haru gave an elegant shrug shifting and then stood. Yuki got to her feet as well, and extended a hand to Calliope who took it and got to her feet. Walking along side Haru this time. Yuki smiled encouragingly, and waved a go on gesture.
"So, is there and other reason why I'm keeping up with you two?" Calliope asked Haru. Now on a little surer footing.
Haru shrugged, "Honestly? I'm not 100 percent sure. You see, there is more then one person casting the exact same spell. But one of them is trained and one isn't."
Calliope frowned, "How can you tell?"
"Because a trained court wizard or whatever you call him wouldn't be using magic when his emotions are running so high." Haru growled.
Calliope looked back to Yuki who gave her another, go on, gesture. "That's bad right? How bad is it?"
Haru let out a loud sigh, "In order to use magic have to have some emotion, calm steady sedate, but when magic is used and it's highly charged, magic picked on the first thing it likes and amplified it to a degree that it wasn't expecting." Haru looked over at Calliope.
"I'm try simpler, your familiar with dams?"
"Yes."
"If you need only a little bit of water, and open the dam a teeny bit, you'd expect to get a little bit of water and not the entire river."
"So your getting the entire river of water." Calliope reiterated.
"Yep. What makes it worse is that all of the caster's emotions are partially strong to such and extent that it is increasing the regular spells." Haru lamented, "You know what they say, love is a very powerful amplifier. But it doesn't predict what emotion strengthens." Haru looked over at Calliope little proud, "You at least will be happy to know that there are several people that love you dearly, and while they are trying to be helpful, it's not it's so mudded that I can't tell who's doing what." Haru gave Calliope an amused look, "Don't look at me like that. I have limits, just like everyone else. In my case a lot of limits. Most self-inflcated, plus of ton of rules that I have to follow."
"More like guidelines." Yuki sniped.
Haru looked over her shoulder irritated, loudly declaring, "I havn't gotten into any trouble yet, unlike a certain other arrow shooting co-worker I know."
Yuki smirked crossing her arms, "On of these days your going to use your 'rules' like a bungee cord, and I can't wait to see the look on everyone's' face when you do. Especially Ross's."
"Are there any side effects?" Calliope asked, "I don't remember that part of my lessons. I was," She blushed, "A little distracted by my tutor."
Instead of asking about what she did remember about the lesson, like one of the court members or tutors would, Haru showed just how much she was wasn't from the kingdom with, and very interested, "Was he cute?"
"Cute?" Calliope repeated.
"Handsome, dreamy." Yuki clarified, also looking eager for Calliope's answer.
"Oh, yes, very." Calliope sighed happily as the mental image of Benno came. Dark hair, dreamy blue eyes. Calliope pulled herself away from his mental image, back to reality but it wasn't enough as Haru was grinning a bit devilishly, before lightly teasing, "You like him."
Calliope looked away, then admitted with a wrench of her heart, "He went away to study under a prince. I haven't seen him in years."
"Mabey he'll come back." Haru suggested giving a very conspiratorial look at Yuki who was wearing the same expression, devilish smirk.
"How would you know that?" Calliope asked looked up started at a impish Haru. Why was Calliope get the feeling like she was standing in the way of an avalanche and there was nothing she could do to get out of the way? Not that she wanted to, but the option to flee would have been considerate.
Haru leaned in, looking like a cat who had just gotten a jarful of cream, "Beascse, we're" Haru waved at Yuki and herself, "Going to be keeping an eye out for your dear Benno, and if we see him, we'll send him your way."
Calliope protested, "You can't do that! He's always very busy with important matters to the prince."
Haru scoffed, "Oh, I think not. That prince is very self contained." Her dancing grin was back, "I think he's feeling rather lonsesome beside that pond holding that spring of white lilacs thinking of you." Haru smirk grew wider as she shared another wordless conversation with Yuki, "Do you think a hunting accident where he's have to be nursed back to health? Or the older more mythic of white deer one?"
Yuki shook her head exasperated, "Your over thinking it again. Let's just ask them directly before we stage any deliberately engineered 'accidental' hunting injures."
"Your no fun." Haru complained theatrically. "That's the best part."
"Just because they are your favorite and you excel in doing so is no reason to take it out on people's ankles." Yuki informed Haru staunchly. Then pointed accusingly at Haru, "And your always thinking up love matches that can be solved in a much less dramatic fashion."
"I like convoluted plots. I'm a sucker for the big chase scene before the end where the two rush and embrace, can I help if I'm a romantic traditionalist?" Haru looked over at Calliope who was trying to smother her laughter with her hands.
"You, my best friend," Yuki said gravely, " Are heartless."
"Can't miss what I never had." Haru zinged back.
Calliope blinked startled, realizing something that Haru mentioned in passing. "Hey wait, How did you know what white lilac was the flower I gave him when he left?" Calliope demanded, had they been seen at the time?
"I didn't. You just told me." Haru answered so quickly it had to be the truth.
"Regardless." Yuki pulled back to the precious topic, skipping up next to Calliope, "The Prince would find some sort of reason to come vist sooner or later. If only to stop Benno from plucking all the flowers off the bushes. The prince might even suggest that he even bring the prince along."
"The gardens are looking pretty bare." Haru agreed. With a chuckle, "The king might just want the two away so the gardens ca repair the damage."
Calliope shook her head at their antics. "While it would be nice to see him again." Calliope thought wistfully, before reality came crashing down, "I don't think it's very likely."
"Never say never." Haru warned lightly, "It has a way of showing up in the most usual of places. At the most inconvent of times."
Calliope felt herself stumble. Then when she came to, she was laying on the ground with Haru and Yuki hovering over her. "Are you sure there isn't a barrio-"
Haru lightly tapped with Calliope's cheek, with two light fingers, "She's coming too. Calliope? How do you feel? Anything odd?"
Calliope looked up, them frowneing, "How'd I get down here?"
Haru let out a breath of relief, then shifted as Yuki maneuvered around Haru to get to Calliope's other side. Reaching down Yuki gently touched her fingers to Calliope's neck right where the pluse was.
Haru stayed quiet and Calliope looked between the two, curious.
"Yuki's doing a passive scan to see what caused your blackout." Haru answered keeping her voice in the tones Calliope realized were to keep a sick person calm.
Yuki pulled her fingers away, thoughtful, "Well whatever caused it is it's under a time limit. I think it was to pull you back if you got outside of the wall barrio. But with how much distance we've covered caused the abrupt break away from what ever it was that sustained her in the woods."
"So, the woods sustained Calliope in exchange for her being what? It's guardian?"
Yuki shook her head, "I think it was more using dormant magic. That Calliope didn't need to surive." Yuki looked back at Calliope, "There is no way to tell if the spell was meant to fade away with distance or bring you back if you got too far."
"Well it's broken now right?" Calliope asked, not wanting to deal with another spell.
"As far as I can tell. You might not be able to work any magic, since it's pulled that part out."
"So what am I?"
"Well it seems like you were a winter fairy."
"Wouldn't Calliope melt then?" Haru asked. "Winter fairy's are meant to be by well winter. Snowy cold winter."
"Only a creature of the winter wood can leave." Yuki pointed out, then turned to the princess, "That's what you said right?"
Calliope nodded, "If I were a fariy, I could leave by I'm just a human." She blinked, "If I was a human I wouldn't melt right? How do we make sure curse doesn't come back?"
"We'd better make sure." Haru informed Calliope, "As far as we can tell right now your un-cursed. With a 'curse begone' potion that state would be unchangeable, but it's going to take a few days to work." Haru glanced at Yuki, "We do have that bottle right?" Yuki nodded, then looked up at the sky, "Even if she's part winter fairy she won't deal well with summer heat."
"And it's going to get hotter." Haru thought out loud, thinking. She nodded after coming up with a plan, "Here's what I suggest. Why don't we travel at night when it's cooler and you can adjust a little bit more?" Haru suggested.
Calliope nodded in agreement, "I never thought I get warm again but now it feels like I'm really hot."
"Curses or enchantments leave scars. So there was bound to be a side effect." Haru gave a small smile, "Yuki and I will help out where we can, but on the bright side. If you look at it a different way, all you have to do is find a stone castle, and stay there for a bit. It'll cool you down in summer and warm you a bit in winter."
"Speaking of." Yuki looked over pointly at Haru who shrugged, "Go ahead Yuki, it's not like I've got any other better ideas."
"You," Yuki asked Classira, a little nervously, "Don't have any problems with staying in a crumbly castle do you?"
"No. Not as long as it's cool and I have a roof over my head why?"
Haru grinned, "I see where your going with this Yuki."
"The place where we started from is likely to be one of the step mother's castles." Yuki downplayed the importance.
Calliope blinked, "From my great great grandmother's time? You mean the original evil queen's castle?"
"Yep. The roofs half done but the underground areas are warm and dry. Quite comfortable."
"Not even damp until go down another floor." Haru added better points, "There's a fresh water spring, and it might be easier for you to recover a bit more until move on."
Yuki complented, "The water's fresh, and while we know your dad is likely worried he'd rather you be safe. Instead of pushing yourself and getting sick. There isn't really a rush to get you to the palace, and your sisters, at last message were doing fine."
Calliope nodded, slowly. It was the best plan she had to work with, "I won't lie, I'd appreacte getting to rest, and sleeping in an actual bed, but I'm worried about my sisters."
"The good news is that we should be able to use that castle as a jumping point to rescuse another of you sisters, depending on who it is."
"Ross only let's us have one mission at a time." Haru explained, "Last time we spent days looking for the wrong kind of butterfly."
Yuki mock glared, "They were pretty!"
"And all the ones we needed were night butterflys." Haru refuted.
Calliope let out a giggle. "Moths?"
"It's a long story, there was potions involeved and-" Yuki waved a hand, "It's a long story."
"How far away is the caslte?" Calliope changed the subject. Getting to her feet gingerly.
"A day and a half walking disatnce from here ish." Yuki looked over at Haru, "If you wanted you could go on ahead, and buy stuff to cool down Calliope before we get there."
Haru brightened, "A chance to go shopping with the academy's credit card? I'm game." Haru looked up at the sky, "What do you think we'd need? Ice is likely."
"Get some of thoses yeti, keep the drinks cold things." Yuki asked, "It wouldn't hurt to get a few fans, ones that are battery operated since there isn't any electricity here. Let's see," Yuki thought about it, "Coolers, ice box, cold drinks."
"I'm getting the bikes from the shed." Haru added.
Yuki looked over frowning, "You think the path is open enough for that?"
Haru smilied, "If there's a bit of wind, it will cool of Classia. It'll be faster too, we'd be walking normally anyway." Haru looked at Calliope, "We'd just need to teach you how to ride."
"I can ride a horse." Calliope offered.
"A bike is not a horse." Yuki stated, "Do you think there might be a bike for two? Calliope might be able to double up with one of us."
"Dunno. I can look, but riding a bike is pretty fun. Let's see , ice, drinks, coolers, fans, bikes." Haru listend off, "Am I forgetting anything?"
"Snacks." Yuki answered instantly.
Haru rolled her eyes, "I thought that was a given."
"Never hurts to make sure. Plus it's monday tommarow. You can meet with Hiromi and get more of that candy."
Haru chuckled, "I'll bring ice cream too."
Yuki ginned at Calliope, stating with pride, "Your going to have so many cold treats your not gonna know witch is your favorite."
Haru stood, "I'm super excited abought this so, since I'm not going to sleep at all. I'm gonna head over to the place now." Haru winked, "I'll get a head start, and I should be back sooner with the supplies."
"We'll meet you there. Calliope and I are going to take it a bit slow, since there isn't a need to hurry."
Haru nodded, "Keep cool!" Then laughing at her joke headed down the path at a jog.
Ta da! Leave a review to let me know what you think.
