Next chapter is up! Thanks so much for all these reviews, they make my day whenever I see them! Also, sorry for not getting this up sooner! I've had it written and edited for a couple days, but the website kept giving me an error message every time I tried to update.
Chapter Five: A Home
They had been traveling for nearly a week, Yurick and Lilli. The mountain paths, while difficult to climb even in the summer, were made near impassable in the dead of winter. Thus it was a slow march, constantly forcing their way through chest deep snow. They had made much slower progress than Yurick had anticipated, and it made him tense. They were well supplied, having raided Lilli's damaged village for food and clothing, but Yurick worried that, if they did not reach the city soon, they would die from the cold, of exhaustion, or some other undesirable cause.
Yurick pushed these thoughts out of his mind as he concentrated on the particularly large snowdrift in front of him. Groaning, he pushed his protesting body upwards and began to clamber over the snow. The further he went over the hill of snow, the shallower it got, until it only came up to his ankles. He rested there a moment while he turned to check on Lilli. She was pushing her way through the snow, with only the tip of her pink nose and the ends of her bright red hair visible. He thought of her fondly. She was only nine, yet she had followed Yurick unquestioningly, and without complaint. Her steadfast trust surprised Yurick, who thought she would prove to be a difficult traveling companion. Yet she had not questioned his decisions once. Without a word of dissent Lilli continued to push on through the snow without complaint until he called rest at the end of every day. Maybe there is more to this girl than meets the eye, Yurick thought.
She looked up and Yurick quickly diverted his attention. "C'mon," he called, "Just a little further, then we'll stop for the day." She nodded in agreement, too exhausted to reply.
Yurick turned, and continued over the hill. He stopped suddenly when he felt the snow shifting beneath his feet. He turned and opened his mouth to shout a warning to Lilli just as the ground gave way beneath him. With a muffled yell, he fell several feet below the white frosty world.
Just what I needed, Yurick thought sarcastically. He looked above him, only to see a hole about a foot taller than his head. Lilli's small face appeared in the opening.
"You want me to help you?" she asked innocently. "Or can your damaged pride not take another little blow?" she smiled down at him playfully.
Yurick stared at her, shocked at her jest. Lilli immediately looked to the side and started to mumble an apology. Yurick cut her off.
"No, I'm sure I can get out by myself" he said, with a deadly serious look on his face. "Besides, don't you know about the fierce snow dragons that hide in snowbanks like these?" Her eyes widened.
"Yes, they slither through the snow silently, searching for little girls with flaming red hair," Yurick said seriously. "There are a good number of them now as I understand, and they're always hungry."
"Really?" Lilli asked, fearful. Yurick laughed quietly, causing her eyes to narrow in suspicion.
"Do you know the word gullible, Lilli?" he said, not even bothering to conceal his smile.
"Shut it, you." she said with a grin.
The two continued to force their way along the winding mountain path, persevering through the afternoon until nightfall, when it became too dark to see anymore. Yurick had set a fire of some leaves and a log they had found under the snow. The log had been wet, but he had scraped the outer layers off with his dagger and lit it with his magic. It was smoking slightly, but provided them with much-needed warmth.
Lilli pulled her cloak tighter around her as the cold night air closed in around them.
"I never thought I'd leave Darshka" she stared into the fire, unblinkingly. Yurick looked up in mild surprise. He had not expected her to willingly volunteer information about her home.
"I was happy there, Yurick. I had good friends, and a loving family. I was the youngest, you know. I had two older brothers." She pulled her hands around to her knees, hugging them to her chest. "When the bandits attacked, all the men went fearlessly to protect out village. My father and brothers went, promising to return in time for supper that night. They never returned."
Yurick stared at his feet, saying nothing. Her story sounded horribly familiar to him, forcing him to have to fight back the tide of memories in his head.
"It is a terrible thing," he said in a low voice, "to have memories of those you loved then lost at such a young age." His eyes filled with tears as his throat constricted. The surge of memories was becoming nearly unbearable now.
"What of your own family, Yurick?" she asked. "When I decided to come with you, you told me of the deaths of your parents. What happened?" Yurick stared at his feet, not answering.
"Was it your home?" she asked softly. He jerked his head up in surprise.
"How did you know?" he asked apprehensively.
"I guessed," she replied sadly. "Everybody has a topic that they'll not willingly broach, and it seems I've found yours. Forgive me; it was not my intention to pry."
"It's getting late, we should sleep now" he said with finality in his tone. Lilli nodded and asked no more questions.
They awoke early the next morning, eager to be off and finally reach the city despite their aching limbs. After a hurried morning repast, they were off. By mid-morning, Yurick and Lilli could see a faint, foggy outline of the city. And by early afternoon, they had reached the city.
"Aristes, they call it." Yurick told Lilli. "Named after the ruler of this town."
"Seems a tad bigheaded to me," commented Lilli.
"Quiet you, "said Yurick, hiding his smile
They would eventually have to find lodging for the night eventually, but there was no hurry. The pair spent away much of the afternoon wandering the new city, taking in the sights and sounds. They spoke as they walked, and Yurick learned of Lilli's wit, and of her love of flippant nature. When in safety it seemed, she did not care for somber silence. Rather, she enjoyed laughter and games, and spending time outdoors under the sun. Yurick found himself enjoying the time he spent in Lilli's company.
Nearing nightfall, the sun had begun its downward descent, and Yurick was beginning to worry somewhat. They needed a place to stay until morning, when they would be able to figure out what to do next. Lilli apparently shared his concern, for she asked
"It's getting late. What're we supposed to do now?"
"I don't know," replied Yurick honestly. "We'd better find a place to stay for the night; I don't fancy sleeping in the streets."
They had wandered for a half hour more when they heard a tentative voice.
"Excuse me?" Yurick and Lilli whirled about, searching for the source. "I couldn't help but notice that you two children looked a little lost." A smiling man was walking towards them. He was dressed in a blood-red tunic embroirded with silver thread. Yurick guessed that the man was in his mid-forties, judging by the lines on his good-natured face.
"If you need a place for the night, my wife and I would be more than willing to open our home." Seeing their hesitant faces, the man bent down to eye level. "Come with me," he said coaxingly. "You two look as though you could do with a bath and a hot meal." He stood and walked forward a few paces then looked back expectantly. Lilli looked at Yurick who nodded, somewhat hesitantly. She smiled, then took Yurick's hand and began to follow the man.
Late that night, Yurick found himself clean and sitting in the man's living room alongside Lilli. The hours before him seemed no more than a blur. After the man had come across them in the city, they had been taken to his large and rather grand home. They had been ushered up a gleaming marble staircase by two of the man's seemingly endless servants. At the top, the servants had separated him and Lilli and taken them to have a bath. After, he remembered the manservant trying to force him into a royal blue tunic with gold stitches.
"It's only proper," the man had insisted. "You'll be dining with Lord Orrin. It's a great honor!" The servant had flashed a quick smile while Yurick tried to digest the information.
"Lord Orrin?" he asked finally.
"Champion of the people," the man said, with a cheerful laugh. "The Empire's war has done nothing but cause death and poverty for us already poor folk. But Lord Orrin, when his father died and he ascended to power here in Aristes, he took care of us. He set up homes and buildings for us, and gave us jobs when no one else would."
"He really is a champion of the people then" Yurick had commented.
"It's not for naught he was given the title. 'Course, he has his fair share of enemies too. People who think only the rich should have any power." The man's eyes narrowed for a second, and then he clapped a hand to his forehead. "Look at the time! You're supposed to be downstairs already, and here I was, boring you with talk of politics. Let's go, lad."
Dinner had been a spectacular affair that night. Yurick sat on one side of the table, next to Lilli, and the man, Lord Orrin he supposed, had sat at the head with his wife to the right. The large table had been laden with every dish Yurick could have imagined, and servants constantly paraded by with more. The meal had consisted of much laughter, food, and overall gaiety. When the two hour affair had finally finished, they had been led to a smaller sitting room off the dining room.
It was there that Lilli and he now sat. Lord Orrin was telling a story, something about a man he had met a few days back. Yurick sat quietly, observing the room. His eyes shifted to Orrin's wife. She was a tall woman, with long, flowing blonde hair and a wide mouth, corners turned upward in a smile that enhanced her delicate face. She looked to pure and untainted by hardship. It was clear that she was used to living in comfort.
Yurick instead turned his gaze to Lilli, who was sitting attentively and laughing at Lord Orrin's story. Her wavy red locks had been pulled back with a simple silver comb. Even as he watched, a rebellious piece had escaped from the comb. Despite this, she appeared so natural, so happy here. He looked at her caringly. This was what she deserved. Lost in his thoughts, Yurick almost missed Orrin's question.
"-have decided that, if you should wish, you shall live with us." Orrin beamed.
"What!?" exclaimed Lilli, not quite believing her ears.
Orrin's smile deepened. "We have no children of our own, Elyse and me." Orrin gestured to his wife.
"You two have neither home nor family to speak of, correct?" Yurick stiffened under the man's gaze.
"No, we don't." Yurick replied stiffly.
"Then it is settled! You two shall be as our children." Orrin and Elyse beamed. "It's getting to be late, you two ought to get some rest. We shall talk more about this tomorrow" said Elyse in a kind tone.
It was very early the next morning. Yurick awoke and looked up out at the sky. The sun probably won't rise for another few hours, he guessed. Yurick looked over at Lilli's sleeping form, smiling gently. This was the life she deserved. With silent footsteps, he crossed to the window and opened it. He took a breath of the cool night air, steadying himself. With a last glance at Lilli's peaceful face, he climbed out onto the roof.
She would've liked to know he was leaving, he knew that. She would have wanted to stop him, to keep him with her. But he had to go. Yurick was broken, unclean. He didn't deserve the care shown towards him. It was better to leave now, and save them all from pain later. As much as he hated to leave, he also felt at peace with it. Lilli's life had been saved, and given a few years, she would hardly remember him.
With a last reluctant glance back at the mansion, Yurick jumped lightly from a low point on the roof onto the darkened streets below. He began to search for the nearest exit in the city. Soon, his feet found a familiar path that he walked along for the next half hour, checking for watchmen on every cross street.
As much as Yurick tried to hide it from himself, felt cold, alone without Lilli. Looking after her had brought purpose to his life again. He realized now just how much comfort she had provided him with. He hadn't felt this way since his mother had been alive. His mother too had brought much joy into his life.
Yurick halted abruptly. "They're gone now," he told himself coldly. "They're gone, and you'll never see them again. Now get a move on, and get out of this city."
Yurick started walking again, more briskly this time. He knew the drawbridge was around here somewhere. As long as he hid from the sentries, he was confident in his abilities to scale the bridge and be gone before dawn.
He paused behind a rain barrel, searching for the watchman on the next street. He was about to dash across the road when the hairs on his neck abruptly stood on end. Yurick was preparing to sense for the intruder, a pit of dread in his stomach, when he heard a rough voice behind him.
"Well, well, look who's finally turned up." Yurick grimaced in recognition. Steeling himself, he turned around and looked up into Smith's livid face.
Bit of a longer chapter this time, thanks to my computer not shutting off every half hour. If you liked this, please review/follow/favorite! Also, a huge thanks to Jess, for reading (and fixing) this!