Trae
Morning came, the cold breath of wind that chilled my back made me conscious of what was happening. The dream of my younger self something unexpected of me to do in such a situation, it made me realize just how far I've come and the depth of my own feelings coming forward so strongly. I quickly looked at Riku, hoping throughout the night he was warm enough and moved my scarf out of the way to see he still breathed. Such relief filled me, yet there was still a chance the boy could catch his death out here.
"Riku," I say softly, gently nudging him and checking his temperature for good measure as well as his pulse. It's slow, but regular. He weakly blinked his eyes open, his gaze unfocused but relieved. "The storm sounds like it passed we'll make our way to town." Quickly preparing to move out, I stopped and felt my instincts prickle. Something felt wrong, and the cave walls felt as though closing in on us. "Riku, stay here and don't come out until I say so."
"Trae?" He murmured, wrapping himself tightly in my coat and scarf. I peeked outside to see the snow blocking the cave entrance. Careful not to make sudden movements, I punched the snow mound, revealing the winter plane before me—desolate and still. But the feeling of unease never left; it only grew stronger, turning my body rigid with tension. Taking another chance, I poked my head out again, and out of the corner of my eye, I caught something moving. I turned just in time to see a blur rushing towards me. I ducked back inside the cave, startled, but it was too late—something reached in and yanked me out.
My clothes tore against the jagged rock, skin scraping painfully as I was dragged into the open. My body went into shock, the icy snow biting into my open wounds as I landed harshly onto the icy field.
"A perfidious child," a voice hissed, filled with venomous resentment, "disregarding the family that has done so much for you."
I looked up, wiping my face of snow and ice to see the woman from the train—Elizabeta if I recall. But that voice was unmistakable and belonged to Amshel.
"Took me long enough to find a trace of you out here." That cold voice speaking down at me as he walked through the snow, the physical body unmatched to the terrifying presence I knew. I was never aware of his ability to transform, and with this knowledge I knew I needed to return to my parents alive. "Where are you hiding that accursed woman!" Reaching for me as I felt my wounds slowly close up, I managed to get on my feet and take my defensive stance.
"Why would I ever tell you that? All these years you've lied to us!" Standing ground, feeling the anger I've had since figuring it out had me furious. "You've chosen to deceive us!" The pain in my voice more than I thought would occur slipped out. "All of you… cared for me, raised me, taught me everything I know. Yet it was Diva and you that took my mother away from me." Pain was an emotion I knew well enough and tried hiding it. But I knew. Knew all too well how emotional I am and that this betrayal hurt me more than anything.
Amshel said nothing, but his eyes softened ever so slightly as he fixed his clothes and kept the guise up of Elizabetta. "Trae, my nephew of the same blood as I, you can hate and think what you want, but we are your family. Following Solomon's foolishness will get you killed."
"Why would I return to you? To be treated as a foolish child who thinks nothing of what you've done? Being treated as Diva's little toy and chaperon whenever she pleases? No, no I refuse to return knowing what I do now and what Diva has done."
Amshel looked disappointed in my choice as he sighed. His grimace apparent as his eyes glowed revealing his power coming through. I took my stance and readied for whatever he had planned—in a second his face was in mine and his cold grasp ready to grasp my throat. One strong flap of my wings propelled me backwards to avoid having my neck snapped and I managed to punch him in tandem.
"…rather quick, nephew." He brushed off his coat and I felt his intense animosity towards me come through. "I will make your death quick. A shame to spill my own blood over such a squabble."
"Trae?!" Hearing Riku and the world felt like it slowed. Amshel turned to the cave, a sinister smile crossing his features as I knew he would take the boy and kill him. I transformed further, my feet turning to claws as I propelled myself forward and sped past Amshel and reached Riku before he did.
"Take hold of me and don't let go!" I panicked as I pulled him to me and felt his small hands clutch tightly onto me. "Bite onto the scarf or my shoulder, but we'll be running." He chose to bite the scarf not knowing why and I felt Amshel's intent to kill coming behind me as I leapt up and hovered for a second in the air.
"You can control your transformation? How curious," not understanding why he doesn't do the same, I clutched onto Riku and looked quickly around to find the town a few miles away.
"Goodbye, uncle… next time we meet, it will not be on familial terms." Letting the years go and holding Riku tight, I flew away from the area and landed on the ground several miles away and continued on foot. The snow was rough to run through, but I couldn't chance Amshel following me from the sky and leading him to my parents.
Tyumen was a quaint town filled with simplicities as I carried Riku through to find the hotel lodging my parents have set up before leaving on the train. I followed the signs and asked around to the place only to find it was shut down due to destruction of property. Fearing the worst had come to pass and not knowing if this was due to Amshel beforehand, I looked around and caught a glimpse of a symbol only I would know.
"Père," a simplistic design of a flower pattern I've drawn up since I was little, I couldn't help but laugh as this was the choice made to get my attention. "Riku, we'll be asking around town for a while in search of my parents. Are you still alright?" He never released his hold on me and looked around nervously wondering if Amshel would follow them here. Though he's a bright kid, he's still young and vulnerable. "Let's first get you something to eat and some warmer clothes." Only realizing now how off-putting we both look to others around us, I managed to find a store filled with warm winter clothing that will fit him and managed to grab a set of clothes for myself as well considering I've torn mine from the fight.
"Trae?" Riku peeked out from behind the curtain and showed off his parka and some small accessories suitable for a child. And he looked warmer and started regaining some color in his cheeks.
"Looks great. Are you comfortable?" Watching him move around and seeing no noticeable injuries, he nodded and looked at my own outfit it seems and tilted his head.
"Is that all your wearing?" He asked.
Though I do not feel the cold, my sense of fashion would not be diminished. The parka's were far too large for my taste and I had asked the clerk to find me simplistic men's clothing suitable for casual wear. I wore their summer set apparently, but it was lighter than the winter choices and I was able to move more freely in the set.
"It's quite comfortable. Now let's pay for these clothes and grab something to eat."
He stopped me and seemed worried about something. "Um…what do they have here?"
"Ah," I had to think of some dishes he would be willing to try and started listing a few from memory. "There's Julienne, Okroshka, Borscht, Solyanka, Ukha, Beef Stroganov, Pelmeni—quite a few that I believe you'd like."
"You sure know a lot." He waited for me to pay the clerk before I led the way out and followed some signs to find a restaurant. After a few minutes of searching we came across an old mom and pops kind of place and strode inside and were greeted warmly. The couple were lively, keen on cooking up several dishes for Riku as I mentioned he was new to the local cuisine.
Seeing his face light up with surprise when the dishes started coming to the table was a delight. We were both able to forget what happened for a brief time, enjoying the now and letting ourselves relax. Course I never dropped my guard and remained vigilant, but seeing Riku enjoying the dishes and wondering if Mère would have wanted the same experience. Thinking back to Okinawa at the food eating contest, perhaps this is what she felt.
"This is really good! Try some!" Riku offered some of the soup he was having and I took a small portion and applauded the work of the couple for their dishes. It was peaceful, and I felt nothing of the sort of Amshel having followed us here to town and hoped to find my parents quickly.
"Order to go," hearing a familiar voice and turning my head to peek over my shoulder, I saw Luis and David here at the restaurant and was surprised. Looking out the window and finding Saya and Haji as well waiting, Kai coming out of the car, it was like luck was on our side and I was relieved.
"Riku," grabbing his attention and pointing to who it was, his face lit up and he bolted from the seat and ran outside calling out to Saya and Kai. I watched from inside, seeing their relieved faces and hugging him desperately. Haji looked my way, my only response to him was a simple nod. David and Luis seemed to finally catch on that Riku was here and safe and looked around till finding me and approached quickly.
"You—how did you get here?" David began the interrogation, but his surprise reaction made me curious how to speak and what to really say here. "You fell off the train, you and Riku, yet here you are?" Conducting the young persona from before on the train, I decided to have a little fun antagonizing the man and make him more bewildered by me.
"I tell you what, it wasn't easy to do," being the laid back sort I've introduced myself as, his eyes narrowed. "Found ourself a cave for the night as the storm kept up, early this morning I climbed a tree and saw the town not far and started hiking. Just got here bout an hour or so ago. I bought the lad a new set of clothes and came here to eat, hope that's alright. Didn't know where you guys were at or who to call." A plausible story put together. Luis seemed relieved nonetheless that Riku was back unscathed, but David was a hard one to crack. He glared at me for a while, probably going through several scenarios in his head to my story until hearing Saya and the others coming inside as Riku ran back to me.
"Trae!" He quickly took hold of me and tried pulling my hand to take me away from David. "My brother wants to thank you! Come on!" His child-like antic something David cannot forgo; he allowed me to pass and I was brought to Kai and Saya both as they continued the act.
"Thank you for bringing my brother here safely," Kai mentioned, his acting as a nonchalant teen believable as David and Luis walked away to speak privately, I leaned towards him to update the dangers here.
"You need to leave this town quickly. Amshel is disguised as Elizabetta, and whatever he has planned cannot be good." Their eyes widened and I looked to Saya and her expression was quite different. She didn't seem all that shocked about Elizabetta, and her eyes wouldn't meet with mine at all. "Saya, were you already aware of this fact?" I asked her coldly. She flinched, which was enough for me and I felt my skin prickle. "I see… knowing the enemy was with you yet you did nothing, I'm disappointed in you."
"Th-that's not what happened!" She nearly shouted before quieting down. "H-he mentioned something that made me question myself." Even Kai seemed confused and wasn't clued in on this matter when I stroked Riku's head tenderly and sighed.
"Since you are reunited, and whatever is going through your head, Saya, better be more important than everyone's safety. I'm going to find my parents and let them know what happened."
"Trae," Kai nudged at me and held Riku tight. "Thank you… seriously, thank you for saving Riku and bringing him back."
I looked at Kai and Riku both and gave a lighthearted sigh. "I promised to protect him, didn't I? He's a good kid, very smart and quite brave." Praising Riku as he grinned, I gave the couple my farewell and thanks, paid the tab and left before David and Luis could stop me and interrogate me further.
Without wasting time and finding more markings of my flower symbol on roundabout areas, it led me towards the outside of town, and I could finally sense my mother nearby.