Chapter 7: on the road again

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It wasn't long before the sound of Garet and Ivan talking in the next room waked Isaac. Mia was still asleep, looking exactly how she had the other day, untouched by the nights sleep shed had. Isaac looked away from her, trying to occupy his mind with something else. He left the room, closing the door gently behind him, for Mia's sake if not his.

"So, your finally up." Garet pointed out, looking back at Ivan. "We were wondering when you'd finally decide to drag yourself out of bed."

"Garet, what are you on about?" Isaac asked sleepily, causing Ivan to blush deep crimson.

"I know." Garet continued. "Isn't it such a shame? You must have been having such fun in there with Mia." He sniggered.

"I honestly have no idea what your on about." Isaac was really confused by Garet's comments.

"Of course not." He replied, with heavy sarcasm. "I don't expect you do know. I mean nothing happened. It was all so innocent. It was completely coincidental that you paired off with Mia."

"Garet!" Isaac answered, realising what he was getting at. "Nothing happened, nothing at all. It was innocent. I only paired off with Mia because you said you didn't want to be paired off with her."

"Well she could of gone with Ivan." He argued, glancing around at him. "He wouldn't of minded."

"Well maybe I will next time."

"What's going on?" Mia asked, coming out of her room, ready to get going. "I hope I haven't missed anything."

"It's nothing, honestly." Isaac rushed, dismissing the subject. "We were just talking, that's all."

Garet could no longer contain his laughter. Mia looked puzzled, but didn't say anything, fearing that if she did she wouldn't like what she heard. Eventually, to Isaac's delight, Garet's laughing wore off, allowing them to discuss leaving Imil.

"We should go straight to Bilbin." Isaac suggested. "Seeing as that is next on our route."

"True." Garet agreed. "It would be easier to go to Bilbin first, and take it from there. We don't need to plan further just yet."

"So. Bilbin it is." Isaac said, looking around at each of his companions. "Is everyone agreed?"

"Sure." Mia agreed, smiling.

"I don't mind." Ivan replied. "Where ever you say."

It wasn't long before the four of them were leaving the snowy village of Imil. Mia felt strange, leaving her hometown like this. She had never planned to stay there forever, but it seemed so strange to be leaving. It may have seemed strange but it also felt right. She couldn't get used to the feeling of freedom.

Isaac could see Mia out of the corner of his eye. She seemed slightly overwhelmed to be leaving. Her aqua coloured eyes were fixed firmly on the icy road, glistening from the reflections off the ice. Her skin looked so soft, so pale and delicate. He felt a longing to stoke her silky, long hair as it was whipped behind her by the chilly wind.

The snow thawed as they moved further and further away from Imil. Clouds filled the sky as spots of rain spattered them. As they continued the clouds became thicker, causing the rain to pour onto them as they travelled. They kept going, becoming more and more miserable until they were forced to take shelter for a while. The tree's kept most of the rain out, allowing them to dry off, but they could not stay there for long, and the clouds seemed to just get thicker.

"Of all the bad luck we've had." Garet moaned, as a few drops of rain dropped onto his head. "This is just bad luck we don't need."

"Your always so negative Garet." Mia smiled at him assuring him that it wasn't so bad. "It has too rain some times you know, and anyway, rain is wonderful."

"Maybe. But why now?" He complained. "Why not when we're well out of the way?"

Mia shrugged, giving up on cheering Garet up. Instead, she returned her attention to talking with Ivan.

"It's all right for you." He grumbled under his breath. "You're a mercury adept. Water doesn't bother you."

Isaac sat alone, watching the rain from where he was. It wasn't so bad; the clouds were still thickening. They looked like they'd be there for a while. He turned back to the others. Garet was sitting on a rock, moaning. Ivan and Mia had stopped talking. There wasn't really much to talk about, or nothing interesting anyway.

"Isaac. Why don't you come over here?" Mia asked, looking up at him from where she had previously been staring.

He pushed himself to his feet and wandered over to where she sat with Ivan. She moved aside a little so he had room to sit.

"When do you think the rain will stop?" She asked, looking down at the floor hopefully.

"It'll be a while yet. But as soon as it does, we'll go. I promise."