Vlad's mind was cloudy.
He wanted to continue, to finish what he had started, but it was just too much for one night. Sigurd's shouts became a silent breeze, and his eyes closed shut. The welcoming warm ground made for a bed he never thought would be comfortable to pass out on.
Then, Vlad felt an updraft. It was quick and ended prematurely before his body momentarily shook. Another set of those breezes washed over his ears, and then green light lit up in his enclosed void, but he didn't bother to open his eyes.
He was too tired, and too spent to do anything else.
Yet, they eventually opened nonetheless, but to a completely different space.
A familiar space.
Suddenly, his mouth opened on its own, expressing an angry tone. "I told you already, we have no other choice! You will take up that mantel if it's the last thing you'll do!"
Did I always sound this fierce?
"And I don't care! So what if your company is falling apart?! It did its job! Now it's just a leech at this point!"
He tried to focus on that voice and lifted his head, but all he could see in front of him was just a brown blur.
"Look at yourself! You're on meds, can barely walk, and you think I want to suffer just like you right now!?"
His face snarled at the voice. "I'm securing you a future, and you'd throw everything away instead!"
"I've never asked for your help with my future! Why are you forcing me to do something I don't want to!?"
Vlad's hand slammed against the table with a loud thud, and it made him jolt in place, yet he continued to speak, "Because you have a duty!"
"Fuck your duty!" The blur started to walk away, becoming smaller and smaller with each passing moment. It stopped for a moment and shifted in place as if it was turning around. "I hate you."
When Vlad heard those words, that blur suddenly became somewhat clearer, but once their face was almost recognizable, they fizzled away into nothingness. The room was now empty, because the only thing that meant anything to Vlad was gone.
His mouth quivered, his face scrunched up and tears started to well up in his eyes. He sat down, leaning his head against his interlocked hands before a sob escaped his lips.
Then, the room was filled with white fog, and the solid walls began fading away, replacing it with a different scenery. Snow started to coat his clothes, his hands grew cold, and his eyes stared at a bridge. Christmas lights flickered everywhere with different colors, and statues adorning the railings wore passive faces, none of which had the answers Vlad was looking for.
When he blinked, he saw the bridge shaking. Stone creaked under the seams, tearing into the foundation before the whole construction collapsed and eventually swallowed by the river below. Vlad rubbed his eyes, but once he was able to see again, the bridge magically came back, as if what Vlad had witnessed was nothing more than a mirage.
It didn't stop his tears from flowing, but he suddenly felt a hand caress his cheek. He snapped his head to the side and saw a red glove with a napkin in hand, cleaning up his face. He tried to grab it, but it fazed through his hand while the bridge behind him disappeared altogether.
All that was left in this barren snowfield was a single light piercing through the white veil, glowing a faint red color. He looked back, thinking he'd see that brown blur somewhere, but to no avail.
He took a deep pained breath, and his legs began walking towards the light on their own.
{*}{*}{*}{*}{*}{*}
"Alright, people! We've marched long enough!" Ethelwulf's voice echoed throughout the whole crowd, and everyone stopped. "Make camp! I want cooks next to the fire post haste!"
People scattered around, shouts began filling the air instead of the constant thuds and stomps and Alear just stood there like a statue. She had her head lowered, staring down at the ground and trying her best to ignore what was happening around her.
She eventually clicked her tongue and left the soon-to-be camp for a far more open plain. The constant glares and judging eyes she received in the process just made her want to throw up, and once she was able to find a secluded place far away from all those people, she finally took a deep breath.
She sat down on the ground, hugging her legs. The evening sun cast an orange light onto the green fields, and it was baffling to see such a calm place. She thought those no longer existed in this world where a safe place was nothing but an illusion.
The piles of ash that used to be these people's settlement were proof of that.
"I was thinking I'd find you somewhere around here." The soft and gentle tone made Alear tilt her head, and she saw Lumera standing behind her with a serene smile on her face. "Too many people for you, I take it?"
Alear fixed her gaze back at the field in front of her. "Yeah."
A chuckle escaped Lumera's lips. "I would be wrong if I'd say I didn't expect it."
She joined Alear and sat down next to her, fixing her dress in the meantime before placing a hand on Alear's shoulder to bring her closer. Her child let herself be pulled while leaning her head.
"Beautiful, isn't it?" Lumera said. "It's somewhat surreal seeing such a place at times like these. It makes me remember what I'm fighting for."
Alear only hummed, not mirroring the sentiment. All she wanted was for her own nightmares to end. It was a selfish goal, but she was going to reach it or die trying. She didn't care what the outcome was.
It only irked her that Vlad went out of his way to save her. He had no reason to. Alear thought of herself as nothing more than a burden. A burden wielding an Emblem Ring that Lumera would make much better use of.
"Mother?" Alear suddenly asked, and Lumera perked up.
"Yes, my dear?"
"Why did you save me?"
The sudden question caught Lumera off-guard, and her lips pursed for a moment, trying to think of a good answer.
Her smile eventually returned. "Because how could I leave someone like you alone in that dark place? I could tell you wished for something more than just being… you know what I mean."
"But how could you tell?" Alear shot back, incidentally bringing her legs closer to herself. "I'm just one among many. Why me?"
Lumera's smile fell and she averted her gaze away, staring at the field. She didn't expect Alear to ask such a question. In fact, Lumera didn't have a clear reason why.
"It just felt right," she eventually said. "When I found you on those cold mountains, you were filled with emotions you didn't understand. You were lost, and even though bringing you with me went against everything I was taught, I just couldn't help myself."
She tilted her head back to Alear and caressed her cheek. "Besides, all of us are imperfect, and we make mistakes, but never think you were one. You are something extremely special to me, my dear."
Alear closed her eyes and a sob escaped her lips. "So you're telling me our meeting was just a happenstance?"
"It was," Lumera admitted. "But don't let that fool you. Helping you back then is something I will never regret, and look at you now. You're bravely treading a difficult path, and I couldn't be prouder."
"But then why do I feel like I'm the only one that constantly needs help?" Alear retorted. "Because I couldn't pull through, Vlad is—"
Lumera placed a finger against Alear's lips, sealing them shut. "No, don't say that. Blaming yourself won't help anyone, dear. Vladimir helped you because he wanted to, just like I did, and there's nothing wrong about that."
She pulled her finger away. "While Vladimir is enigmatic, he would not have agreed to become your caretaker if he didn't have a good reason. In a way, you're special to him too."
Lumera looked back to the camp behind them. "And the fact he's still alive only proves it. He would have given up already if that wasn't the case."
Alear let go of her legs, letting them stretch out across the grass before she hugged herself. "How can you be so sure?"
"If you don't want to take my word for it, then you have to ask him yourself," Lumera pointed out. "While he may not give you a straight answer, he may at least give you a hint."
Alear's expression suddenly switched to an unamused frown. "I'd just get another lecture instead."
That made Lumera chuckle. "I've heard those from time to time. But everything he says comes from experience. Don't take his words lightly."
"From him?" Alear exclaimed with a raised eyebrow. "He's just a teenager."
"I'd recommend—" Lumera paused and blinked twice. "Wait, he hasn't told you yet?"
"Told me what?"
"Well, I usually leave the explanation to him, but…" Lumera hesitated. She brought a hand to her chin while humming. When a sigh escaped her lips, she folded her arms. "I guess you shouldn't be left in the dark."
The moment the word 'old' came out of Lumera's mouth, Alear was shocked. She had always taken everything Vlad said with a grain of salt, but now it was all starting to make sense.
Somewhat at least.
"It's the same with us," Lumera remarked. "His appearance is deceiving and doesn't match his manners. Add just the right amount of realm travel, and you have Vladimir."
"But… how?"
"That, I don't know." Lumera shuffled in place, her face settling into a neutral frown. "But I don't intend to find out. If Vladimir does want to know what happened, it's entirely in his hands. Of course, that is if he even wants to."
She stood up, brushing off any loose grass trapped on her dress and looked behind. Smoke was rising from the camp, several tents were already set up, and the crowd of people seemed to have almost disappeared.
"Come, dear," Lumera said, offering Alear a hand. "I think we should head back."
Only a quiet hum escaped her lips and she took the hand to hoist herself up. With a gentle nod, Lumera led the way back before they eventually met up with Ethelwulf, already waiting for them at the edge of camp.
He heard them approach and turned around to face them. "Lumera. Alear."
"I presume you have something to say, Ethelwulf?" Lumera said, folding her hands together.
"Yes," he exclaimed. "I was thinking it would be a good idea to contact Selenit about our arrival. I suspect she's going to need time to prepare for our arrival."
Lumera hummed. "That would be ideal. And if I had to guess, you want me to do it."
Ethelwulf's lips hung, ready to speak, but not a word came out. His shoulders sagged and a sigh escaped his mouth. "I didn't want to sound forceful."
"This is not about being forceful." Lumera shook her head. "I just shouldn't be surprised duty calls so early."
She turned to Alear. "We'll talk later, dear. I'll wait in the mountains for you."
Lumera took a step forward, walking through the field with a serene grace before transforming into her dragon form, sending ripples across the grass. "Be sure to keep Vladimir company. He deserves it."
Alear jolted her head away. "I know."
She received a curt nod from Lumera before the dragon launched herself into the air, aiming for the mountains on the horizon. It took a moment before Lumera was out of sight, but both Ethelwulf and Alear stood still, watching the sky.
Ethelwulf was the one who broke the silence. "First and foremost, I'm extremely sorry for what happened."
Alear answered with a huff and turned her back to him. "Save it. I don't need your pity."
"There's no pity in my words, Alear," he rebuked. "Well, partially anyway, but I'm asking you to forgive me."
"There's nothing to forgive either," she shot back.
Ethelwulf let out a groan. "Then can you at least hear me out? A thankful person?"
"Just get to the point."
His face formed a flat look. "Vladimir wasn't kidding, you do have problems with patience."
The glare he earned from Alear made him raise his hands up into the air. "Yes, yes, just give me a moment to think. Form it curtly enough so you won't just leave."
He cleared his throat, wiped his lips and took a few breaths through his nose before putting his hands behind his back. "I want to thank you for what you did. Both you, and Vladimir. Not only did you guarantee a clean escape for my people, but you've defeated a Fell Dragon too."
He bowed. "Words cannot express my gratitude."
Alear crossed her arms and clicked her tongue. "You already know what happened back there. I didn't do anything."
"No, you certainly did," Ethelwulf shot back. "It may not be enough in your eyes, but mine? You did more than you think."
The questioning look wasn't lost on him, but he continued nonetheless. "As much as it pains me to say most of my people won't take what you did at face value, I want you to know that you've earned my complete trust, Alear."
That made her flinch. Her arms fell limp, her mouth hung open for a moment before it closed shut. "But what does that trust cost?"
While Ethelwulf's eyebrows shot up from the answer, he eventually let out a chuckle while shaking his head. "You cannot put a price on trust, quite the opposite actually."
He turned his head to the road they'd travelled, too far away to see the settlement anymore. "Maintaining it is the difficult part, but since I've already done enough to make you hate me, I think I'd make a poor choice if I said that… excursion wasn't enough."
Taking a step towards Alear, Ethelwulf extended his hand, offering a shake. "Would it be bold of me to ask if we could put this stuff behind us? The prejudice, the loathing?"
Alear looked down at the opened palm hesitantly. "And you're telling me it can be done just like that?" she scowled, "Until my father is dead, there's no place I can belong to, even if you could force everyone to understand."
Turning away from the offered hand, Alear began walking back towards the camp. "Just tell me where I can find Vlad's tent."
A disappointed sigh escaped Ethelwulf's lips and he reluctantly followed Alear. "His clothes are hung over the tent's fabric. It's hard to miss."
The moment Alear heard those words, her walk turned into a brisk jog. She didn't want to earn any more stares from the public than she needed to. Skimming through each tent she could find, she eventually saw those burned white clothes hanging over the brown fabric.
Alear immediately grabbed the tent flap and peered inside, only to see Vlad lying on an impromptu mat with a single candle burning on the ground. She entered, making sure nobody could see them before sitting down.
Vlad was fragile, just like any human around her, but each moment she kept her gaze on him, it made her feel increasingly mad and guilty. Those bandages strapped around his burned skin should have been hers. She would have been fine after a long sleep. He was not going to.
The possibility he would never wake up scared her more than she was willing to admit.
"I was thinking you'd show up eventually," Sigurd's voice suddenly filled the tent, making Alear jump in place before the knight appeared next to Vlad.
Her shoulders slumped soon after. "How is he doing?"
"He will recover if that's what you're asking," Sigurd answered. "But when is a different question."
"And you can't tell? He has your ring," Alear claimed but the knight shook his head.
"Both yes, and no. While I can tell when he is out of breath or getting tired, something akin to reading consciousness is out of my repertoire." He crossed his arms. "And I'm glad I don't have that kind of ability."
Alear couldn't help but sneer. "You're saying that like you're fine with him being out cold."
Sigurd, instead of lowering his head, glared in her direction. "You should start choosing your words carefully, Alear. Being thankful is not the same as being negligent. Of course I would help him if I could, but this is Vladimir's fight now. I would only interfere."
He closed his eyes. "He either wants to wake up or he doesn't. I'm just here to give him the means to choose."
Alear wanted to retort, to persuade Sigurd to do something, but couldn't think of anything on the spot. She clicked her tongue and whipped her head away to look anywhere but at Sigurd, her gaze eventually landing back on Vlad.
Her breath hitched when she saw a tear running down his face.
She stood up to take a closer look and found his face scrunched and his breaths growing shorter. He was still sleeping, but that was the first time Alear had seen Vlad cry. She had no idea what had caused it either.
Alear shook her head and found a cloth near a bucket filled with water. It was soggy and cold, but she took it anyway and carefully wiped away Vlad's tears. Suddenly, Vlad raised his hand to grab Alear's arm, and it caught her off-guard, but she quickly jerked away.
"Vlad?" she exclaimed, but Vlad didn't stir. His hand eventually fell limp and he didn't move a muscle afterwards. Only his chest rose and fell at regular intervals, and his eyes remained closed.
The sight made Sigurd smile. "I shouldn't be surprised he would come back. Just not yet."
"What do you mean?"
To her surprise, Sigurd paused, but not because he didn't have an answer. He hummed hesitantly. "That is… well, it's complicated, and I'm not the right person to tell you why or how."
"Let me guess," the way Alear exasperatedly nudged her head in Vlad's direction made Sigurd sheepishly chuckle and she groaned in response.
"Of course. You sound just like Mother when I asked about him as well," Alear huffed. "I bet he will walk around the issue several times before I can get anything out of him."
"While not impossible, that is true. It took me a while before he started giving any meaningful responses, and even those are vague." His shoulders sagged. "He keeps laying bits and pieces of himself at random times, but never reveals the full picture. Lumera is the one with the most pieces so far."
Alear could only raise an eyebrow. "So you think he's just playing a game with us?"
"I don't know," Sigurd replied with a shake of his head. "He may be doing it on purpose or he may not even realize it. Only time will tell, and all we need to do is emphasize our trust in him."
Trust, Alear thought before she clicked her tongue. Why does everything revolve around this one thing?
Suddenly, a few traces of light pierced the tent and Alear snapped her head towards the tent flap, only to see Ethelwulf with a bottle in hand. He opened his mouth to speak, but he soon clapped it shut. Slowly inching his way towards Vlad under Alear's constant watchful eye, he left the bottle on the ground next to him.
"I'll be on my way," was all he said before quickly leaving the tent.
Alear's upper lip twitched. "What?"
"I'm as bewildered as you are," Sigurd remarked before looking down at the bottle. "What is it?"
She picked it up before looking at the label. Her face instantly formed a flat look. "It's wine."
Sigurd tried to suppress his laugh, only to let out a snort. "I guess we all express our gratitudes differently."
"By giving alcohol?"
"You'd be surprised how effective that is."
AN: Well, at least this time it's on time.
To be honest, I don't have much to say about this chapter. I'd rather hear your thoughts instead. As much as it is fun to write this fic, it can get a little stale, so a comment or two won't hurt.
As always, I'd like to thank Cavik for proofreading today's chapter, and I hope you enjoyed reading it.
God's speed.