"Mika, what is this about the Steppes, and why can't Braeden talk?" Ailwin remembers numerous time his friend couldn't say anything about something Mikaela did. He just thought Braeden was being difficult. However, with the way he and Mika was acting, Ailwin didn't believe that was so.

"Sigh…" Mika closed her eyes before looking at Ailwin's questioning eyes. "I'll tell you about what happened in the Steppes….but as for why your General won't speak... I think it's because he has a problem." Mika turned her head to look at Braeden as she tapped the side of her head.

"General Gilwenys. Stupidity is not a disease, it's a choice… We can't help you unless you let us. Why won't you let us help you?"

"This girl...Ailwin! I can't!" Braeden huffed.

"That's right, General Gilwenys, you shouldn't do this anymore to yourself. Realizing you have a problem is the first step to recovery. Good job." Mika gave Braeden one last dig at his expense before lifting the spell.

"Hahaha….all right, all right, stop teasing my friend and explain." Ailwin couldn't contain his laughter but also didn't want to see his best friend and fiancee fighting, so he quickly put a stop to Mika's teasing.

"Sigh...All right. You know why I was sent to the Steppes, correct?"

"You were poisoned."

"Yes, by my two sisters."

"Kamryn and Lula."

"Bingo. The only cure happens to be in the Steppes, unfortunately I got kidnapped…"

"Hmm...your family doesn't seem to like you very much, I can see why." Braeden threw out as she recanted her story.

"Go on..." Ailwin urged when Mika stopped to look at Braeden's smug face.

"When I was trying to escape from my captures I stumbled across Ash City." Thinking to stick to the truth as much as possible, Mika changed small details here and there in her story.

"Um-hm…" Ailwin agree understanding the story so far.

"In Ash City, I came across one particular ruin while trying find my way out. In ruin, the one you found General Gilwenys and I in, there was a cavern and in that cavern is a tree…a honey tree to be precise."

Hearing the part of the story he wasn't involve in with a honey tree being mention made Ailwin glance at his friend when back at Mika.

"Why wasn't I told about this earlier…?" Ailwin questioned Braeden, but all he could do was point to his mouth then point to Mikaela.

"Did you do something to him so he couldn't speak about this?"

"….maybe."

"Mikaela."

"Sigh...yes."

"Why?"

"...because he was being nosy..."

Ailwin grabbed his head in dismay, he could understand why she would silence someone for seeing something they weren't supposed to see. However, this was his best friend, and it's been how many months now since he had the spell on him?

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"…..maybe."

"What!? Why not?" Braeden shout out in anger at Mikaela's refusal to take the spell off of him now.

"Because I like you better when you can't say much...."

"….!"

"Okay, okay, stop… Let's leave the whole silencing spell for later. Right now please continue with what happened at the cave in Ash City."

"Sigh...after I found the tree, I saw that it was very...sick." That was the only word she could think of to describe the state of the tree back then. "….it was letting off this foul stench. The sight of it just left one feeling sad, like it was begging for help…" Ailwin smoothed her hair at her disgruntled face. Sometimes he forgets that she is just thirteen.

"So….I healed it." At Mikaela's last words, Ailwin's hands stopped on her head.

"What do you mean you healed it?" He has never heard of someone being able to cure the trees.

"Just what it means, I fixed what was wrong with it." She look straight into his eyes.

Seeing the seriousness there, he turned to look at Braeden who also nodded his head.

"How is that possible!? Do you know what is wrong with the honey trees? Why haven't you said anything? This could help everyone in Kaia…."

"Ailwin..." Mikaela quickly interrupted him as he got up and began questioning her actions.

"Mikaela...you didn't see the starvation and the sickness that was spreading at the border like Braeden, my men and I did. Those people were willing to kill their neighbors just to get their honey farms. Elite clans aren't even able to meet the quota nowadays and you have been sitting on the solution from months to this problem!"

"Ailwin!" Mikaela stood from her seat angry. She didn't like his accusations towards her one bit. She wasn't responsible for the problem.

Coming back to himself, he realized he just accused her of other people's actions like it was her hands that committed the crimes.

"Sorry….I-"

"Keep your apology." She was pissed, she decide to trust him with information she has only told her mother and he throws it back in her face.

"No, no, no... Mikaela, I'm truly sorry. I never should have said those things to you and I don't believe you're at fault. Should you blame yourself."

"I'm not, you are." Mika glare at him before rolling her eyes. Crossing her arms over her chest, she sat back down on the couch.