Crono, Schala and the others made quite good time, considering they were wading through snow that became at times knee-deep or higher. Magus was thoroughly miserable, even though they had paused to purchase appropriate clothing for a walk through the snow, including snow-glasses so they didn't get blinded by the glare of the sun reflecting off of the snow. Well, by 'purchased', Crono supposed they meant that Tarreiz had promised to pay the shopkeeper back eventually. The others did not have any kind of currency that was usable in this universe.
In the afternoon of the first day, Frog had had a sudden thought. "Lady Lucca," he had said, dropping back to walk with the scientist and ignoring the presence of Magus, who walked on her other side, "do you not have the Kelke-finder? Surely we could use that to seek out the elusive sorcerer of darkness?"
"We could," Lucca had responded uncomfortably, "if I hadn't dropped it when we crash-landed the Epoch. I forgot about it and never picked it up. I guess it's sitting out there somewhere in the snow. Probably covered, by now."
"It's no problem," Magus had chipped in. "Tarreiz says she can lead us there."
"Oh, well if Tarreiz says that she can lead us there, it must be all right," Lucca shot back darkly. "As long as Tarreiz says she can do it, then everything's just fine and dandy for you, isn't it?"
"What's your problem?" Magus had demanded angrily. "What has she done to you? You should be grateful to her! She doesn't have to lead us to Marle, who incidentally is your friend... if you recall!" With that, he had gone to walk with Schala instead.
Lucca glared at the fair-haired magician as she trudged, half-blind, through the snow. It was sometime in the afternoon or maybe evening of the third day, and to make matters worse, it was snowing on them. Tarreiz had said during their break some two hours ago that they were getting close. Lucca wished they could be there right now. Not only was she sure that they would have cleared the streets of snow in the city and they could get Marle back before something horrible happened to her, but it would mean that half of Tarreiz's task would be done and she would leave them sooner.
And this miserable trip would be other. None of the group, except maybe Schala and of course with the exception of Tarreiz, was used to walking through snow like this. They weren't used to the cold, either, which touched them even through their thick coats at times when the temperature was especially low and bitter. They rarely spoke, except of course for Magus who usually held a conversation with Tarreiz when he walked with her (which happened far too often for Lucca's liking), their voice so quiet that Lucca couldn't hear what passed between them.
The nights were the best. It was hard to find a dry place in which they could sleep - the forest up ahead looked promising - but when they did find one, they all snuggled down cosily. Magus always slept beside Lucca, sharing her body heat. Alfador slept with them, but Lucca didn't mind sharing the wizard with his ever-faithful cat. Their place was usually the most comfortable because Magus didn't mind getting his cloak dirty by laying it on the ground so they could sleep on it (now dressed warmly in the clothes that Tarreiz had acquired for them, Ayla no longer had need of it and Magus was ecstatic to have it back). Lucca always found that sleep came more easily to her than she would have thought that it might, considering the bitter cold. She was always warm, snuggled up to Magus. Being so close to him felt so safe, so right, that it seemed as though all her worries over Marle, how the Epoch was going, if it would be there when they returned, if her parents were concerned about her, all of her worries and troubles no longer mattered. Yesterday morning she had woken to find his arms around her, and that felt right too.
Lucca shivered and pulled her coat tighter around her, and up ahead Tarreiz lifted her head. "It will not be long before we reach the forest, Lucca," she called back. "It will be warmer there."
'Mindreading slut,' thought Lucca bitterly, and hoped with all her might that Tarreiz had caught that thought. Deep within her, buried under her jealousy and resentment, Lucca knew that her hatred of Tarreiz was misguided. She shouldn't be worried about losing Magus; she didn't have him anyway, and didn't know how to go about securing him. Besides, she ought to be worrying over Marle. As for what the magicians spoke about at such lengths but so quietly? Why, it was probably matters of magic, so sophisticated that it would only confuse the others (with the exception, as always, of Schala).
After all, it wasn't Tarreiz with whom Magus came to sleep at night. It wasn't Tarreiz who woke up to find herself in his arms. It wasn't Tarreiz for whom Magus was willing to dirty his cloak. It was Lucca; plain, nerdy, half-blind, barely magical Lucca for whom Magus did all of that.
He'd never made a move on her, though; not that Lucca knew about. Maybe that meant he wasn't interested in her after all? Lucca remembered taking him to the Millennial Fair, washing and trimming his hair afterwards (it was growing - she wondered how long it would take to reach his shoulders). It had seemed, then, that there was something between them. At least, she hoped there was. Then again, Lucca wouldn't know a 'move' if it started taking her clothes off. She stiffened. What if he had tried something but she had discouraged him by her lack of reaction? That would be just her luck! Damn it, where was Marle when you needed her?
Possibly being sold at a slave market in the town they were desperately trying to reach. That's where Marle was.
There was a mutual sigh of relief from everyone when they finally reached the forest. It was surprisingly warm and dry. Tarreiz stopped at what was obviously an old campsite - there were coals in the fireplace - and knelt briefly. She traced her fingers through the dirt thoughtfully.
Lucca felt a presence at her shoulder and was hopeful, but it was only Crono. "What is she doing?" he asked her in a whisper, shifting the crossbow on his back. He had insisted on taking it with them and would allow no one else to carry it.
"Ayla hungry," declared Ayla.
"Ayla is always hungry," responded Tarreiz absently. "Ayla go run find some kind of animal bring back dead we eat, yes no?"
"Ayla go!" said Ayla happily and darted off into the forest.
Tarreiz started to say something, stopped, changed her mind. "Marle has been here."
"She has?" Crono demanded, pushing past Lucca to stand next to Tarreiz, who rose to her feet almost defensively. "So we're on the trail? Where is she? How long since she passed here?"
"Two or three days," Tarreiz responded and turned to Frog to answer the question he was just about to ask. "We have taken so long because it began to snow as we walked whereas Marle and her... captors have had a clearer route. Also, they have undoubtedly travelled this road before, whereas I have long waited in Jeraska."
"Waited for what?" Lucca asked brightly.
"Nothing that concerns you," Tarreiz answered sharply. It was the first time her tone had been anything but coldly polite.
Lucca raised her eyebrows. "Oh, so the goddess does get angry."
"Why do you distrust me so?" demanded the magician, turning on her. "Can you not see that I have no desire to take from you what you do not yet have? You cannot love unless you learn to trust enough to lose."
"Who are you to say that? What would you know of loss?"
"Speak not to me of loss! I have already lost, and continue to lose with every passing moment." Tarreiz abruptly turned from her to face Crono. "There is something that must be done," she said tightly. "The girl has a talent for fire, strangely enough, and should be able to light a fire for you. I will return," and with that Tarreiz turned from them and abandoned them in the unfamiliar darkness of the forest.
