Chapter 10 – The Rejoining of the Fragments
Once Kaito and Luka located a trader that had been inside the borders of Alm-Ardjalus, everything fell quickly into place. The names of the mages controlling the nation were for the most part quite familiar to them, if only as marks on the maps. It was quite reasonable to suspect that their leader, Verdigris, was the man they knew as Verdirrama.
So as the cold season drew to a close, they travelled to Alm-Ardjalus' borders. Unlike other parts of the continent, the roads leading to the city were kept under a tight watch. Not just anyone was allowed access, and missionaries of the Lady were especially unwelcomed.
"How exactly are we going to spin this one?" Luka muttered under her breath, as their horses neared the border patrol.
"Maybe the direct approach: 'We have magical powers; we're looking for a teacher?' This is a magocracy, after all," Kaito suggested.
"And then Verdigris will know we're coming."
"If you have a better idea, I'm all ears. We don't have a guild membership or trader's permit. Heck, we left Oto before we were inscribed as adult citizens. We could try to sneak by, of course, but if we get caught, that will certainly attract the wrong type of attention."
Luka sighed. It was true; Kaito and she had no identification to speak of, no other plausible reason to be inside the territory of the mages. "Fine, let's see how they react."
When they reached the border gate, the guards were busy examining a merchant convoy. Merchants and soldiers were around the carts, engaged in what appeared to be friendly discussions. Under an open pavilion, the officer in charge sat at a desk reviewing the convoy's papers. One of the guards happened to glance in the pair's direction, and his eyes widened. He immediately trotted to his superior's side, to call his attention to the new arrivals.
Kaito and Luka often were the target of stares wherever they went. It sometimes escalated to the point of hostility, in places where xenophobia and religious intolerance were quickly turning any strangers into enemies.
However, they had never quite experienced the reaction they were getting from these guards. It was like a ray of sunlight coming down from the skies to land on their faces, the way most of the men gazed at them with excitement and friendliness. The officer quickly rose and walked towards them, rubbing his hands.
"Good day, young sir, young lady. If you pardon my impudence, are you perhaps practitioners of the subtle arts?" He asked with surprising humility. Whether it was genuine or not, Luka couldn't tell.
"Indeed, we have magical talents," Kaito replied, adopting an air of confidence. "We come to Alm-Ardjalus to become apprentices to the noble mages of your fair capital." He casually made a blue flame dance around his fingers, small enough to not frighten the horses.
The reaction to this simple act was similar to revealing themselves to be king and queen, or heads of the church. Every single guard immediately stood to attention. Some of the merchants were visibly amused at this, but they refrained from comment.
"And you come without an escort? I can send a message to the capital, so a carriage and guards are sent. The accommodations here are a bit sparse, but-"
"There's no need for that. I'm sure we can find our way just fine on our own," Kaito cut him off smoothly.
The officer's face demonstrated an interesting mixture of emotions at this. Possibly he was torn between the need to obey any commands a mage issued, and the possibility of being punished for allowing apprentices to roam freely.
"My dear man, we are more than capable of looking after ourselves," Kaito continued with a smile. "All we need from you is a map and passage."
The officer considered this for a moment, before nodding. "Please, join me in my office. The men will take care of your horses."
Luka and Kaito dismounted, and the officer lead them inside the building beside the gate. The office in question was a sparse little room with two chairs and a desk, but the officer dutifully invited Kaito and Luka to sit, while he pulled several maps of the region and the capital from the nearest shelf. "I'm afraid these are all we have."
"Those are more than sufficient, thank you." Kaito was lounging in the officer's chair, with his feet on the desk. Luka couldn't help but think he played the 'arrogant mage' rather well.
"You might experience a bit of congestion in the roads. Many people are coming into the capital for the parade."
"Parade?" Kaito tilted his head.
"All seven mages are going to be present, and Master Verdigris is going to address the elite troops of our nation," the officer said proudly.
"Seven mages? I thought only six mages ruled here," Luka interjected.
"His lordship Gakupo hasn't taken an official governmental role yet," the officer explained.
And there it was. The name she had been hoping to hear, and yet it still was a strong jolt to her senses. He's here. Luka stole a glance at Kaito and saw his eyes light up with emotion. Her own heart seemed about to burst, overflowing with bittersweet sensations.
Obliviously, the officer began to offer them food and drink. Kaito refused politely but making clear they were in a hurry to arrive in time for the parade, now that they knew it was such an important occasion.
That was all it took. The merchants were still standing around waiting to be allowed in, while Kaito and Luka rode away with maps, a few treats for the road and special permits.
After the gate was sufficiently far behind them, Luka turned excitedly to Kaito, "We made it! We found them!"
Kaito smiled, but there was an element of worry to his expression. "What am I going to say to him, Luka? I've imagined it so many times in my head, but I don't know…will he even give me the chance to explain?"
"Of course he will," Luka answered. "He's never been the type to hold a grudge."
"To tell you the truth…I hope he does hate me a little for what I did."
"Why?"
"Because I don't want him to think he somehow deserved what happened. It's better if he blames me," he smiled sadly.
"I think I'd rather place the blame where it actually belongs," Luka said narrowing her eyes. "What are we going to do with Verdigris? Do you think we can take him on?"
"Not with his buddies nearby to back him up, no. I think we better grab Gakupo and run. I'd like to avenge Dad, but I don't want to risk you or Gakupo. Friends over revenge, always."
"I'm sure Captain Fuuga would say something along those lines," Luka answered.
Kaito's smile brightened, just a bit. It was a very welcome sight.
As the officer at the border had warned, the gates of the old section of the capital were packed with people. However, once again their looks helped them skip the queue, along with the special permits. The senior officer at the gate helpfully pointed in a map of the city the palace, the esplanade where the parade was to take place, and the roads that were cordoned off for the use of the mages and the troops. That gave them a good idea of the route Gakupo was expected to take.
After refusing an escort for the second time, they were allowed inside. The streets were packed, slowing the advance of the horses. On the upside, Kaito and Luka could take a good look at the magic capital: its modern and clean buildings, the strange devices in the stores and the flying machines in the skies.
"And to think we waited so long to come here," Luka whispered. "I wish we had the time to explore this place."
"At least we're taking a good look," Kaito replied. Inwardly, he envied her light tone. All she had to do was to cry a few tears and Gakupo would rush to comfort her. She had nothing to fear. As for him…the sole idea of standing before Gakupo and seeing the face he had disfigured made his chest hurt.
What if he refuses to travel with you? Oh, he'll take Luka back, for sure. Whether it is to stay here and be one of Verdigris' minions, or to escape with her. But don't just assume you're invited.
"Kaito?" Luka's voice made him realize he had been spacing out. They were pretty close to the road where the seventh mage was supposed to pass.
"Hm?"
"I just had a thought. Look, if there's trouble…I don't want to use my powers with this many people around. Not unless it's really a matter of life and death. Besides, perhaps it's better to let Gakupo 'capture us', if Verdigris brainwashed him into becoming part of his court. We'll have a better chance to talk to him in private."
"It could be dangerous," Kaito replied. "Verdigris knows I can do magic, he might've instructed his troops to kill anyone that resembles me."
"But…"
"Look, I'll try to refrain from doing anything rash. I don't want to hurt these people any more than you do. But I can't promise I won't be forced to act."
Luka didn't seem entirely pleased by his words, but nodded after a few seconds. Then the conversation languished again, as the street became more and more difficult to navigate. Ahead, they could see the intersection with the road they were seeking. It wasn't easy to go near it; families carrying colorful banners, street vendors, guards…such a compact mass of humanity lined the street that it was a struggle to advance even a few steps. Sure, once the people took a good look at them, they often squished themselves trying to grant them access. But they were often facing the other way, or there simply wasn't any room.
Little by time, they reached a spot with a decent view of the street, and just in time. An open carriage was coming.
Kaito's heart almost faltered. Inside, there was a man clad in a purple uniform, alongside a woman with ivory hair. It was Gakupo, and the sight of him robbed Kaito of breath.
The carriage moved slowly, to allow the people to see their mage. He stood, slim and handsome, his long ponytail fluttering slightly in the breeze. Instead of the eyepatch Kaito was expecting, Gakupo had mismatched eyes, one blue as always, the other a rabid mixture of orange and gold. He scanned the crowd with a distant smile, faker than any expression Kaito had ever seen in his face. Gakupo hated every moment of this. Only someone that knew him as well as Kaito would be able to tell, though.
The vehicle took the curve, and its change in angle made Gakupo's eyes meet Kaito's. There was a spark of recognition, as he took in his face. Then he noticed Luka a bit to the right and back, the horse and her almost hidden by some decorations. Gakupo paled, his smile forgotten. Next to him, the woman with ivory hair noticed his change, and looked for the source of it. As soon as she noticed the two people with colorful hair on the sidelines, she ordered the carriage to stop and the guards around it to seize them in a loud voice.
Kaito barely noticed the menace coming his way, or Luka shouting something. All his attention was focused on Gakupo's face. Why did he look so upset at seeing them? Even accounting for his horrible last interaction with Kaito, he looked absolutely terrified of them both. Why?
Luka tried to make her horse advance towards the carriage, an incredibly hard task given the density of the crowd. The guards were making similarly small progress trying to catch them.
The woman next to Gakupo grabbed his arm, trying to get his attention. Gakupo whispered something to her, and then sat down, as if robbed of strength. He covered the eye that wasn't supposed to be there with his fingers, squeezing it as if in pain.
"Those are enemy agents, plotting against our lord mage! Don't let them escape!" The woman in the carriage shouted to the crowd, pointing at the pair.
A growl made of multiple voices surged around Kaito and Luka. The same fanatical devotion that had caused the people to stare at Gakupo in wonder was now directed at Kaito and Luka, turned into limitless anger. Hands pulled their clothes and Luka's hair, dragging them down from the horses. Nail scratched them and fists punched them. Luka screamed in pain and terror, deafeningly loud.
"Stop!" Suddenly, a strangely resonant voice reverberated in the air. Gakupo was on his feet again, with one hand extended towards them. The citizens of Alm-Ardjalus became completely immobile, docile automatons waiting for his next command.
"Bring them here," he continued in the same penetrating tone. The crowd lifted Kaito's and Luka's bodies over their heads; in no time, they were handed over to the guards waiting next to the carriage. The woman took from there, commanding the soldiers to tie their hands and feet together and gag their mouths. A couple of the soldiers managed to extricate the horses from the crowd.
"Get these two back to the palace to be questioned," the woman told the soldier in charge, gesturing with disgust towards Kaito and Luka.
"We're all going back to the palace," Gakupo interrupted her.
"What? We can't miss the parade," the woman argued.
"I can't go, Maika. I just can't." Gakupo turned to the nearest guard. "Go to Master Verdigris and tell him I feel unwell and I can't attend the parade. Don't mention the prisoners." He truly seemed about to pass out, sweating and rubbing his eye frantically.
Maika gave Kaito and Luka a look of pure hatred, but all she said to Gakupo was a simple "Yes, Gakupo." To the soldier guiding the carriage, she yelled an order to return to the palace.
The carriage turned around and returned to the palace at normal speed. All throughout the journey, Gakupo evaded their eyes, stubbornly quiet. No matter how many times Maika tried to engage him in conversation, the biggest reaction she got out of him was to shake his head. The woman seemed more and more upset, barely restraining his voice out of some sense of decorum.
Is she his girlfriend? Kaito wondered. She seemed awfully familiar with him, with the way she grabbed his arm. But Gakupo barely paid her any attention. It could be due to his and Luka's presence, but Gakupo was making absolutely no attempt to reassure the woman.
Gakupo only spoke after the carriage stopped on front of the palace main doors, and Maika began instructing the guards to carry the pair into the dungeons. "No. Bring them to my chambers. I will speak in private with them."
"But Gakupo-!"
"These used to be my friends, Maika."
…Used to be?
"I can't allow you to treat them like criminals." Gakupo continued quietly. There was no warmth in his tone.
If anything, this only made the woman more incensed. She examined Kaito's and Luka's faces, gnashing her teeth. "So these are the traitors! They must be punished!"
"Enough, Maika!" Gakupo growled with a strange expression on his face.
Maika recoiled, and then lowered her head. "Yes, my lord mage." Her expression was hidden by her bangs, but her voice shook with fury.
It was sufficient for Gakupo. He walked through the doors, without any further words. Maika raised her head, and gave the pair another look full of venom before ordering the guards to carry them inside.
The odd procession quickly crossed many sumptuous rooms, then a long corridor, then a sitting room, before reaching a wide bedroom. The guards placed Kaito and Luka on the chairs by a small table and bowed respectfully before leaving. Maika hovered sourly by the door, until Gakupo told her in no uncertain terms that she was to wait outside in the corridor.
Finally, the three of them were alone. Gakupo fidgeted a few steps away from the chairs, staring at the walls, at the floor, at the window, at anything that wasn't them. A couple times he started to speak, then stopped immediately, as if his throat didn't respond to him. He ran his hands through his hair, messing up his hairdo. He muttered under his breath, a few repeated words of reassurance to himself, before resting his eyes on them, but again his nervousness flared.
"Why?! Why did you have to appear?! I was almost used to this." Suddenly he lurched forward and pulled down their gags with one swift motion. Then he jumped back, skittish as a scared animal. "Did the elders send you to kill me?"
"What?!" The ridiculousness of the question was such that Kaito almost chortled, despite how inappropriate that reaction was. But Gakupo's anguished expression quickly dispelled the impulse.
"No, we've been looking for you ever since you left Oto! We want to help you!" Thankfully, Luka had a more sensible response on hand.
Gakupo turned his eyes towards her, with a hint of longing. For Kaito, it was both a relief and a bitter reminder of what he had lost. He had to leave the talking to Luka; he was no longer someone that could ease Gakupo's fears.
"Please, I don't know what the mage has been telling you, but we don't want to hurt you. He tricked us, he tricked all of us. But we know now that you aren't a threat to anyone," Luka continued, her eyes glittering with tears. "I'm sorry I ran away from you. I'm sorry I couldn't be there!"
Gakupo watched her cry with utter bafflement; for a while, the room was completely silent aside from Luka's sobs. Finally, he inched forward and touched her cheek. "Are you here?"
Luka nodded, still blubbering. "I'm real…and I could really use a handkerchief right about now."
Gakupo blinked, and then clumsily went through the pockets of his uniform, until he found one and presented it to Luka…who was still tied up. A second later, she let out something between a laugh and a sniff. "Either you untie me, or you wipe my face yourself."
For a moment, Gakupo stared at her as if she had suggested the most puzzling thing he ever heard. Then, he returned the handkerchief to his pocket for the time being and crouched before Luka to untie her. He had barely loosened the rope around her hands when she leaned forward to hug him. Gakupo yelped and fell backwards, with Luka on top of him.
"Um, are you guys ok?" Kaito ventured to ask.
Their usual roles had been reversed somewhat: Gakupo was lying stiffly on the ground, the gears in his mind turning with an almost audibly whirring sound, trying to process what was happening to him. Luka was again doing that choked little laugh, apologizing and wiping her face with a sleeve. Her other arm gripped the front of Gakupo's clothes strongly. She only let go when Gakupo pulled them into a sitting position, with her in his lap, and silently took out the handkerchief again.
"I think we're going to be ok," Luka said, before momentarily hiding her smile behind the white cloth.
Gakupo's eyes focused on Kaito's figure, and again he seemed to struggle for words. "I didn't kill Captain Fuuga," he said after several attempts.
"I know," Kaito replied. "I've known since that night." It was shocking to him that Gakupo could think there was still a doubt about that. "It was the mage."
Gakupo nodded. "But he did it because of me. I'm sorry. I'm sorry for everything I've done to you."
"What are you talking about?" Luka tossed the handkerchief aside and cupped Gakupo's face. "I told you, the mage's been lying to you! He manipulated everything to separate us. Whatever you think you've done, it's not your fault."
"What if it's just the beast fragment that telling you to say that?"
"The what? Aah…" Luka obviously had remembered the list they've found in Verdirrama's tower.
"Master Verdigris told me we were born with fragments of the beast of Arjavanda inside of us, and that's why…that why you both were drawn towards me. It had nothing to do with me as a person."
"Oh, really?" Luka replied drily, and blushing just a bit, pulled Gakupo closer and kissed him.
Well, that either convinces him or he's going to completely lose it, Kaito thought.
"I chose to do that. Me. We chose to be together once, and we can choose it again," Luka said, a little out of breath and red-faced, when she let go.
"Luka…" the corners of Gakupo's mouth curved slightly and fleetingly; a genuine smile, for the first time in who knows how long. Kaito had a moment to feel a pang of jealousy, before suddenly Gakupo turned towards him. "You took out my eye."
Luka made a face that in any other circumstances would've caused Kaito to laugh out loud, as she looked from one to the other repeatedly. However, Kaito was busy feeling like his innards had been replaced with ice.
"I understand why you did it," Gakupo said softly. "You didn't feel like you could fully trust me. I was nothing but a worthless lunatic, abusing your good heart." He lowered his eyes. "I'm so sorry."
Luka gasped, and Kaito found himself shouting, "No! Don't ever say that again, you hear me! I should be the one apologizing!"
From outside the room, the trio heard a door banging and Maika's voice. "Master, are you ok?! Master?!"
"I'm…I'm ok," Gakupo said, frowning. "Go back to the corridor, Maika."
"Master?" Luka asked, raising one eyebrow, after the woman's steps retreated. "Is she your…no, never mind. We should get out of here, while everyone is busy with the parade. We can sort out everything else later." She rose and calmly untied Kaito, then stood between the two young men with her hands on her hips, with a hint of impatience.
Gakupo got up slowly, watching them with uncertainty.
"At the very least, we should go somewhere else in the city to talk," Luka suggested, her expression softening. "Kaito and I will be in trouble if Verdigris comes back."
"Ok." Gakupo toyed with his hair nervously. "I'll need to-Maika, come here!" He abruptly raised his voice while he retrieved a small potion vial from a pocket. As her footsteps became louder, he moved to stand near the door. Luka and Kaito looked at each in confusion.
"Gakupo?" Maika opened the door, at first only noticing the foreigners standing in the middle of the room. But then Gakupo grabbed her and forced the contents of the vial into her mouth, with surprising celerity. Maika feebly tried to fight him off, but her movements quickly became sluggish. She gradually slumped to the ground.
"…Did you just poison that woman?" Luka asked, shocked.
"It's sleeping potion. It will pass soon enough," Gakupo carried Maika to the bed, and left her there after whispering something into her ear. She muttered something incomprehensible, then closed her eyes.
"Your horses should be in the stables. Let's go."
The stretch of forest commonly known as the Witching Woods began at the northeast of the palace and covered practically all the valley between the palace walls and the mountains. When the king ruled, large parties of noblemen spent days hunting under the trees. Now the animals lived mostly undisturbed. None of the mages were the type to enjoy hunting, and it was forbidden for anyone else to enter the forest.
Kaito, Luka and Gakupo were traversing a path amidst the foliage; it was so narrow that the horses had to follow it in single file, with Gakupo's horse in the lead. At the end of it, there was a small hut, almost covered by the vegetation surrounding it.
"I came here a couple of times when I had a break from studying," Gakupo explained. "It's really peaceful."
"Does that woman know of this hut?" Luka asked from behind.
"Maika? She has no reason to think of this place." Gakupo said. "I didn't bring her with me. You wouldn't believe how hard it was to get her to stay back at the gamekeeper's lodge."
The hut had a small roof propped up by four posts next to it, with an empty manger underneath it. The grass encroaching the clearing looked to be a more likely source of food for the horses. After the trio dismounted and tied the animals to one of the posts, Luka said, "Look, I got to ask: what's exactly your relationship with that woman?"
"Verdigris gave her to me." Gakupo paused, one hand on the door of the hut. He examined Luka's expression with a tilted head. "Every mage has at least one servant for their personal use."
"Personal…!" Luka glanced at Kaito, who gave her a helpless shrug. She turned back to Gakupo. "Do you realize what you're saying?!"
"I never took anything from her that she didn't willingly offer."
"Right, because women always make that sort of choice without any external pressures," Luka snapped.
"Are you trying to lecture me about being forced to do things against your will?" Gakupo asked stiffly. When Luka didn't reply, he opened the door and went inside the hut, shaking his head. From inside, his muted voice commented, "I left some things here the last time I came. I wonder if they are still here…"
"I didn't mean it like that," Luka muttered. "I didn't."
"I know." Kaito squeezed her shoulder, before entering the small dwelling. Luka followed him unhappily.
The hut was meant as a temporary resting stop for hunters, so it didn't have much in the way of amenities. It had just two rooms: a dining area with a dusty rectangular table and two benches, and a bedroom with cots in the back.
Gakupo sat at the table, without even attempting to dust the bench off. Some of the nervousness of before seemed to have returned, as he watched Kaito and Luka take in the interior of the hut. "What happens now?" He asked.
"Eh?" Kaito plopped in front of him on the opposite side of the table.
"I asked what happens now."
"Oh, I heard you the first time. Um, ideally, we should be getting away from this nation, but we thought you had more questions before deciding whether you wanted to come with us or not," Kaito continued. He glanced at Luka, who was still standing in the middle of the room awkwardly, but she said nothing.
Gakupo leaned on the table, covering his uniform's jacket with dust. "More questions, you say." He doodled absently on the surface with a finger, uncovering the dark wood beneath. "Are Verdigris and Verdirrama the same person?"
"We believe so."
Gakupo sighed. "I thought as much. He changed his looks with a spell, but forgot to change his eyes. He even forgot to change his height. Very sloppy." He chuckled humorlessly. "All this time, I was hoping I was wrong, that it was just part of the madness. Well…it could still be, actually." He raised his eyes, looking at Kaito with desperation. "My head is never going to mend, is it? I'll always be dragged around by other people, wondering if what I'm seeing is actually there…" A tear rolled down from the blue eye, but the sunset eye remained dry. Kaito remained still, squeezing his hands, telling himself not to touch Gakupo.
"Shut up!" Luka yelled and hugged him from behind, her long hair hiding both their faces. "Stop saying things like that. It's going to get better, I promise! Please, please, don't give up!"
"I don't know if things will ever return to the way they were between us. But I will do everything I can to get you through this, I swear," Kaito said. "Please come with us."
"Even though all I do is depend on you?" Came the voice from behind the curtain of pink hair.
"Don't you realize how happy it makes me to protect my friends?" Kaito replied. "I could say the same thing."
"And I…" Luka muttered shakily. "You were always there for me, when I couldn't convey my feelings to the world. You were my bridge to the world. Other people can be so scary and incomprehensible. I never know what to say or how to act. It was so much easier when you held my hand and smiled in my place."
"Verdigris might be right to some degree: we are three fragments of one being. Perhaps it does makes us wish to be together," Kaito reflected. "That doesn't mean it's unnatural, or separate from what we are. I don't see why we shouldn't embrace it." After a pause, he added sheepishly, "um, could you sit down next to him, Luka? It feels a bit odd to be conversing with someone I can't see."
Luka untangled herself from Gakupo clumsily, rubbing her face. Gakupo wordlessly moved to the left, to make room for her, and she sat down.
"So…" Kaito began.
"So?" Gakupo repeated innocently.
"Well, are you coming with us?" Kaito asked after a beat.
Gakupo nodded.
"…Good. That's good. I'm glad," Kaito replied, again fighting off the impulse to grab Gakupo's hands.
"I don't know where you're planning on going, but perhaps we should wait until the invasion begins to cross the border. There's probably going to be less security up north," Gakupo pointed out helpfully.
"Wait…an invasion?" Luka asked.
"Alm-Ardjalus is going to conquer the eastern countries," Gakupo explained, as if it was a minor detail. "Verdigris was going to denounce the corrupt institutions of the continent today at the parade, particularly the church. The war will start soon."
"What?! But Deren-"
"Deren signed a treaty with us," Gakupo seemed to have forgotten he was no longer part of the 'us', "they want to be rid of the influence of the church as much as Alm-Ardjalus. They'll allow the troops to use their ports in return for a part of the spoils."
"Is Oto going to be attacked?" Kaito interjected.
"Of course." Gakupo replied. For the first time, he seemed to realize he was saying something unpleasant. "I'm sorry."
"But my parents, and Meiko and her parents and everyone else…They have no idea about this, do they?!" Luka exclaimed horrified.
"I doubt it."
"We have to go save them!"
"Save Oto? Me?" Gakupo smiled in disbelief. "I'm afraid to go near it, Luka. And you really think they'll want my help?" His smile faded, and he evaded her eyes.
"We don't expect you to just forgive them so easily, you know?" Kaito said. "I don't think I forgive them just yet. It's not like the mage forced them to be so vicious. But I think it would be better for your own peace of mind to help them."
"…Could you give me some time to think about it?"
"We could stay here tonight. And tomorrow, you decide where we're going. How about that?" Kaito raised a hand to stop Luka's objections. "We aren't going to force you to go anywhere near Oto, if you don't want to."
Gakupo kept staring at the wall, but nodded after a few moments. With that decided, the trio began to prepare the hut for the night.