"We're stopping."

From the churning of the carriage wheels turning increasingly difficult from almost two days of rain it didn't come as a big a surprise to Cter. When she traveled to Monster Country from Hjearta she had to stop too as the road condition became too waterlogged to continue. With Kurant's stasis magic it should have been fine though had it just been the one carriage, but since they were escorting the ice transports too it would be in rather bad faith to leave them in the dirt.

Or mud, to be more exact.

From what Cter understood the ice transports are to help with irrigation and drinking water to some remote village in Xoff, so should the Monster Mages just up and leave them stuck in the mud that would have been a rather bad look even if disregarding the big stains of mud.

"We shouldn't be stopping."

With a careful turn, Kurant knocked on the front window to get the driver's attention. Her knocks were drowned out by heavier and more rigid ones on the carriage doors. While Kurant's knocks were of confusion, those on the door were of a single, direct purpose.

"Monster Mages of the court of Jarasevo!" an accented voice called with a rigidity to it that made the words crystal clear through the accent. "Please disembark! You are to speak with the County General!"

County General?

Cter did not know what that title meant. Another lesson she must have accidentally slept through during her time at Soul's School. Humanities were for the monsters to be quizzed about, after all, and not the humans. Magical lessons were nap times for monsters while humanities were nap times for humans.

Kurant seemed to know what the title implied though. Knew it so well that she immediately stood up with little regard to her injured knee and reached from across the width of the carriage for the door. It swung open between her and Cter, obscuring the man outside who had knocked and voiced his demand. "May we have a moment to prepare, please?"

An answer wasn't spoken, but Kurant's acknowledging nod clued Cter in that her request was accepted. Kurant closed the carriage door with a turn towards the Monster Mage in the unknown. "Looks like we will have a change in our route." She motioned towards some heavier clothing for Cter to put on, including an umbrella made from what seemed to be an old flag. "Do not be alarmed by the boisterous that they will surely make thicker in the air than the rain is." Kurant herself switched out her boots to a pair of sturdier ones reaching up over her knee brace. It tightened her range of motion with her brace, but it looked to give good protection against any wayward mud. "They have to keep up appearances lest their borders get redrawn by one of their rivals."

"Mhm," nodded Cter despite only having vague guesses as what that meant. She too opted for some sturdier boots.

"I'll do the talking, so don't worry."

That was perfectly fine by Cter.

However as Kurant opened the door a second time to egress into the heavy rain with her umbrella unfolding over her head, Cter came to wonder if talking would even be a possibility in the cacophony of rain droplet percussion against mud, hard wood, soft fabric, but no metal.

Which meant no armor to the soldier who had come knocking, confirmed by sight too as Cter stepped out after Kurant into the heavy rain. The yellow and brown of the Xoff landscape had become drab and bitter, but unlike in Hjearta there was a different feel to the rain. Like it was more welcomed in Xoff rather in Hjearta. A rarer occurrence, so more celebrated?

"Please," the man with the accent and sturdy hand to knock motioned to the front of the carriage, "if you would."

Kurant followed, and so did Cter. She caught a brief glimpse of worn and healed scars on the man's face, but with the rain having flattened his dark hair over his face there was not much more she could notice. Nor could she the form of his body underneath a sleeveless cloak also heavy with water. Was he hiding his intent from them because they were monsters?

Or was it just the rain he was hiding from?

"Greetings, Monster Mages," greeted an important human at the front of a small gathering of horses atop his own dressed in ornate stitching. Beside him joined the man that had fetched the two Monster Mages. "Have you seen anything suspicious during your travels through my county? With the epidemic receding things are beginning to return to normal here."

"No sightings worth mentioning, County General," replied Kurant with a bow of her head that Cter caught after a few seconds of looking around. She threw her head down as well, whipping her hair against the underside of her umbrella. "May I ask why you have decided to halt our journey? We are here on request of the Xoff king, and it is with his authority that I ask of you." She extended an arm behind her towards the ice transports veiled by the heavy rain. "These ice transports are with us, and each moment wasted is less water delivered."

The County General, who's features were hidden by both the rain and the high collar of his cloak, opened the flat of his hand to pool some of the rain water in it. "This downpour will bring more water than a month's worth of ice transports." He poured off the pooled water. "Besides, the ice transports are not to be delivered anywhere within my own county, so why should we worry about them melting?"

Laughter emerged from the small gathering of horses, including one voice that was distinctly monster. Cter could not see exactly what kind it was, but its aura was easy to pick out. It was on one of the horses closest to the County General, also veiled by the rain and the cloak it wore.

"These ice transports have been requested by the Xoff king, need I remind?" replied Kurant with a tip of her umbrella for effect. Before she could continue though, the County General spoke up.

"You do not have to remind, Monster Mage." He gestured towards the ice transports with mercy in his arm's motion. "I will not hold them up for much long, and they will arrive to their destination safe and sound, but not with you escorting them."

Was that a threat?

Sure sounded like one to Cter. What was the County General trying to do? He had a monster in his midst, but would that mean that the monsters of the ice transports would be safe? Was Kurant going to–

"Our destination is that of Clinic Hill so that is indeed a given, County General."

Oh…

Right…

"But even if we are not to be escorting the ice transports personally they are still under the protection of the three crowns that they travel through." Kurant displayed her palm. "It is not a reminder, County General, only a statement to refresh your memory. It is in your best interest to make sure that these ice transports make it through your county as fast as possible and with as lees a hindrance as possible."

The County General flashed a brief smile. "It is in the best interest of Hjearta to send its best ice to Xoff too, but seldom is that the case. It has been quite a while since last I saw glacier ice that wasn't from the top layer." He leaned forward with a palm over his eyes. "And nor do I see any here. Ihloe, what about you?"

The aura of the monster near the County General blossomed for a few seconds before a distinct and simple "None I can feel, General," was answered.

"One would think that Hjearta would send their best ice while they parade their new Royal Mage in the capital, but seems like their nobles don't think ahead beyond their own wigs once more." The weight of the County Generals chin down his high collar squeezed out some of the absorbed rain. "Their mages have Ebott's shimmer within them though, it seems."

Cter bowed her head in thanks even if she wasn't fully sure what that meant. The County General's
tone of voice was confident enough that he did not have to hide anything, neither his contempt nor his intrigue. "You have the beat of Hjearta within you too, County General."

Kurant enveloped Cter with praise through her aura, but the thumbs up and pat on the back would have to wait until they were back in the carriage.

"Had the roads allowed for it I might have just granted you permission to pass by Mt. Ebott for that, Fourth Monster Mage." The County General chuckled to himself, but it did not fade gracefully from his lips. Instead it was cut off abruptly as he shook his head slowly. "And it is not due to the rain that I say that, unfortunately. Nor can I allow you the shortest way towards Clinic Hill for the same reason. You might be high-ranking monsters from Jarasevo Castle, but you are still susceptible to human disease. You will need to take a detour of five days to be safe from the miasma that is still present in my county. While the miasma has begun to fade, it is still around enough to still be of concern. The five days are with this weather in consideration, so you shouldn't worry it taking any longer."

"We have heard reports of the miasma reaching Mt. Ebott too," worded Kurant in a rather-curious manner. "The Royal Guard of Monster Country stand at the ready should Xoff need help with containing the spread. If it has reached to Mt. Ebott then–"

"We appreciate your concern but require none of your offered help, Monster Mage," came a quick statement spoken factually without any emotion. "My county has weathered more than miasma to keep Mt. Ebott safe. We do so for the entire country of Xoff, both from those that would see it misused, and those that would see it taken into their own county." The County General's hand folded down back to his horse's rein. "It will take more than just sniffles for the sanctity of Mt. Ebott to fall apart under my reign! That is a promise for those that stand with me, and a threat for those that do not!" His raised fist was joined in with his small entourage in a collective cheer that pushed away the rain from them for a moment.

Cter looked a glance over to Kurant to gauge what they should do what with the humans cheering in a borderline war cry. Kurant nodded an assurance that things were under control. They would be inside the carriage again soon.

She just had one more thing to say to the County General.

"About a week's travel south from Mt. Ebott lies a village that you incorporated into your territory some year or so ago, County General. I trust you did so by peaceful means as to your promise about the sanctity surrounding Mt. Ebott?"

Through the dense veil of water drops charging down from above, a flash of the whites of the County General's eyes came about, briefly. "Of course," he answered with a slow nod. "I knew of it to be that of the Second Monster Mage's birthplace, so I made concessions personally to make sure that their addition to my county went about as smoothly and peacefully as possible. I visited it myself to propose that my border should encompass them. They accepted with opened arms, and that you can ask them yourself if you so need, Monster Mage."

If there wasn't any lightning from above it would come from between the Second Monster Mage and the County General. Before it could thunder out deafeningly though, the County General motioned with his entire hand towards the carriage the Monster Mages had been asked to leave by his order. "Go back inside your carriage and continue your duties to the Monster Royals and let Xoff matters be Xoff matters." With that said with a calm that indicated that the it was the end of the conversation, he turned to his men. "I want one on each side of the ice transports until the border! Ihloe at the front! Shajuu with Ihloe!"

The soldier who had come knocking followed the horse the monster was sat upon, walking on the opposite side of the carriage that Cter and Kurant returned to. The Second Monster Mage opened the door with her stasis magic, and gestured for the fourth one to enter first. Inside was warm and dry, but with how much of the wet and cold was brought in by the two Monster Mages, they soon could do not more than wrap themselves in dry blankets and wait with slight shudders for the tea to come to a pleasant boil.

"Good going with the pleasantry from Hjearta, Cter," said Kurant after wiping her nose. She had removed all of her wet clothes except for her sleeve which she still kept on. She did not cover it with fire magic as Cter would have expected to help it dry. "Game me an opportunity I would not have had otherwise."

Cter...had a few questions about that. "Was it really a good idea to confront him like that? I wouldn't–"

"Because you are from Hjearta," informed Kurant patiently and without any animosity in her voice. She put her foot down, but only so that she could speak without being interrupted. It was something of importance to her. "How things work there is different from how things work in Xoff. Not many of my human family are alive, and for them to be involved in the politics between the County Generals is...not what I want them to be involved in in their life's winter while Queen Toriel's presence keeps mine still warm and sunny."

The wet sleeve where the Boss Monster queen's magic resided was shown from within the wrapped, dry blanket. "I owe them that much for taking care of me when I was at my weakest in life. Now that I am strong I want to protect them, and I am glad to see that my reputation was enough in my absence for my home village to be treated with the respect of an important trade town." Kurant's narrowed eyes tightened further as the horses of the County General's entourage passed by the carriage windows. "Magic can do a lot, but human politics it can not change."

Even with how much Cter treated humanities as opportunities for naps she could gather that, at the very least. She could tell from the interaction that the County General was quite important in Xoff matter, and from the title alone she could guess as to why. Asking further though she figured was not a good idea with Kurant, so that she had to put on ice for the moment.

The ice that the County General was in the process of confiscating, that is.

"Would have been nice had we been able to pass by Mt. Ebott though," came a low murmur as the carriage began moving once more. The wheels had difficulty finding grip, but with Kurant pushing down stasis magic into the cushion of her wide seat they found enough to get the carriage going. "Not sure when exactly you will have a chance to. Kry and I have visited, but Sund has not. It's still in the air if it is because he's originally from Hjearta or not, but with the County General's reaction to your Hjearta courtesy perhaps we can make a proposal again soon?"

Kurant scratched at her temple with her sleeveless hand.

"Not too soon, I'd imagine." As the Second Monster Mage leaned more of her weight on her sleeved arm there was a clear change in the traction of the wooden wheels churning through the waterlogged road. "It took the coronation of two new Monster Royals for King Asgore and Queen Toriel to be allowed to visit Mt. Ebott, and similarly it took the last Xoff king's coronation for Kry to follow as the First Monster Mage escorting the Monster Royals for him to visit the mountain. My turn came with the current Xoff king's coronation, so it seems to be the induction of new royals that is the common denominator for monsters to be allowed near Mt. Ebott."

"Would that work with Sund and I though?" retorted Cter with curiosity in the motion of her naked hand. It was cold outside her warm and dry blanket, so she did not let it hang long before retreating it back into the warmth. "Since we're from Hjearta that would have us be present at the Hjearta coronations, no?"

Kurant shrugged. "You're a monster primarily as a Monster Mage, so if the next Xoff royal would argue against either you or Sund not to be present due to the circumstances of your births then that would retract their claims to have Royal Mages, as if they don't believe in the Monster Mages being monsters then the assertion of the Royal Mages' abilities by the Monster Priestess, the same Monster Priestess that is a pivotal part of the identity of the Monster Mages, would be null and voided." She then wiped away a rainy tear hanging from her eyelashes. "So I wouldn't worry about that much myself. Although I say that having already visited Mt. Ebott, I guess."

Cter didn't hear it like that, so it's fine. "How..." she breathed out of her dry blanket. "How...is it?"

A beautiful shine gave a nostalgic shimmer over the Second Monster Mage, eroding the shadows within her blanket she covered herself with. "Oh it is quite the thing." She heard how underwhelming her answer was, but really it was the only way she could describe it. "It's unlike anything else I've bared witness to. The height of it. Its presence. Stands above us all not to boast, but to inspire. To show us how tall and vast something can be, and inviting us all to ascend and take in the view that it laments having only itself to watch with. You can feel that it enjoys your company and appreciation of the view it brings. In your heart, and your soul, it hums pleasantly. A bit like how one does after eating a completely new dish and being awestruck by the new flavors one never knew existed."

Wow…

"And Mt. Ymmet?" Cter asked from the edge of her seat.

"Magnificent as well," Kurant said gladly, but it was obvious that it was a preface. "However, while it is not in Mt. Ebott's shadow, it does...feel like it? Depends on where you look from both Mt. Ebott and Mt. Ymmet. From Mt. Ebott, Mt. Ymmet helps to make the view grander. Helps raise the beauty of the landscape. If you then look at Mt. Ebott from Mt. Ymmet it feels...a bit like it is shadow, but that's only if you have Mt. Ebott in mind." She made a slow, sweeping gesture with her naked hand, ignoring the cold outside her blanket as the wonder from her shine warmed plenty. "If you look at the view on its own, then it is just as fantastic as Mt. Ebott. It has its own beauty to it and its own painted landscape. Might not be as magical as Mt. Ebott's reputation, but to say that it is lesser because of that is just...dumb."

But yet…

"You spoke of Mt. Ebott with a bit more wonder?" quirked Cter along with a raised eyebrow. "Even though they're supposedly the same when it comes to how great their views are?"

"Well..." Kurant's hand returned inside her blanket as the shine she had dulled like the weather outside. "The reputation of Mt. Ebott is captivating, and it has caught me fully, for quite a while I've been caught by it. It is one of the few times in my long life that the place have lived up to the stories that's been told of it. Even Jarasevo Castle I found not as..." The returned hand was coughed into. "Not as glistening as the stories made it out to be. Could also be that I've lived in it for quite some time, and have only visited Mt. Ebott once. I would like to visit it again, but even so I still think and feel that it will be just as great an experience as the last time."

Cter would have loved for there to be a first time for her.

"Later," nodded Kurant to Cter's thoughtful furrow. "I promise you'll be there one day, Cter." She then looked out the window into the drab weather with no end in sight. "For now though we should keep focus on our task." More of her weight she put down into her magic and into the carriage, pushing the wheels deeper into the mud for grip. "A bit of a detour, but the journey home should be shorter."

Yeah…

Yeah, it would.