124 Ash City

"Okay....I'll try tomorrow."

"En...this is good. Perhaps if you start from the beginning, you can have a better understanding of the problem we face."

"En," Mika said no more and left her mind's space.

Opening her eyes, Mika was met with a dark room and even darker skies.

Looking over at the desk, she found a new tray of food waiting for her.

"I have never hated eating as much as I do right now..." Sighing, Mika left the bed and looked at her dinner.

Raising her hand, Mika released her powers to sense if any poison was added in. This trick was quite handy; She has to remember to thank Darko for teaching her this after he found out she was poison by her step-sisters.

All done, Mika sat down to her meal of leftover soup, grey meat, and vegetables that weren't honeyed.

Damn! No stale bread tonight, I was really looking forward to it.

With the supper in her stomach, Mika went to bed early, to rest up for the exploring she was going to have to do tomorrow.

___

Saavi and Joanos made a fire while Kaze went off to hunt for their dinner.

"Young master Joanos, why did you really come with us...you have to know by now that you are a distraction to Kaze."

*cough**cough*

"You are very outspoken, aren't you Saavi?" Joanos face was red from Saavi's question.

"Actually, I'm not. Young miss is always the one who makes people uncomfortable...but lately I've realized that sometimes things need to be said without courtesy. Like now." Saavi stared into Joanos' eyes, wanting a reply to her question.

"Sigh...Saavi, I don't know what you want me to say..."

"The truth." Saavi wasn't going to let Joanos go that easily.

A few minutes of passed before he spoke again.

"....I need to put an end to my demons myself." Joanos looked down at his hands. For the longest time, he thought he was alone, even when he was living inside the Udava clan.

With enemies sleeping beside him, how could he call them family? Finally, when he was about to get his revenge, his enemies showed him how weak he actually is.

"...I couldn't do anything...while a fledgling who's younger than me saved my life. I'm not here for Kaze, nor...Mikaela. I'm here to put an end to my pain. I'm sorry for lying to you..."

Joanos picked up his head, expecting to see anger.Instead, all his saw was Saavi's neutral eyes looking back at him.

"You're not angry?" Joanos for sure thought Saavi would send him packing.

"Sigh...I don't know, I guess I probably wanted you to do this from the start rather than drag my young miss into this mess...So, now that you are actually doing it, I don't feel so much anger towards you...Besides it isn't your job to protect Young miss..." Saavi's eyes darted to the left, where Kaze was walking back to them with two partridges in his hands.

"Won't you forgive him?"

" When he has redeemed himself by rescuing young miss...then I'll think about forgive him..."

Entering the campsite, Kaze passed the birds to Saavi.

"Can you prepare them, and I'll cook..."

"En."

Grabbing the two birds from Kaze's hands, Saavi went off to the side to de-feather and clean.

"Are you two going to keep up this atmosphere?...I'm sure Miss Mikaela wouldn't want to see you two like this," Joanos spoke to Kaze while Saavi was out of earshot.

"This is not something you should be worried abou-"

"How can I not!? It's because of m-"

"No." Kaze looked into Joanos' eyes to make sure he understood what he was about to say, "It was my choice to neglect my responsibilities and take advantage of Mikaela's kindness...I looked down on this job at first when Lord Mano appointed me to protect his daughter... Did you know I was the captain of the guards at the Amara clan...though I never really wanted that position either, it was still my source of pride...my father had always trained me to be the captain of the guards like him. Though I detest it, it was my life...For as long as I could remember, my decisions and path in life had already been decided...but Mikaela let me decide where I wanted to be, and I took advantage of it...so my mistakes and responsibilities have nothing to do with you, Joanos." This was the first time Kaze has shared his feelings with anyone. It left him feeling free and open.

"Ah, I thought.." Joanos felt embarrassed.

"You thought I am so crazy in love with you, that I lost all reasonings?" Kaze chuckled at Joanos bashful expression.

"No...well...I thought..."

"...you're partly right. The feelings I have developed for you have clouded my judgment, but that because...I don't have any experiencein this.."

"What!?...that's impossible you kiss so well!"

*cough*"...Thank you."

Both Kaze and Joanos fell into an awkward silence until Saavi came back with the partridges.

"Here." Holding out the birds in her hands for Kaze to take.

"En...thank you."

Sitting down, Saavi turned to Joanos.

"How much farther is it to the Vlacca clan's estate?"

"The Vlacca clan built their estate right next to Ash city...we should be able to reach there in the next two days.."

Kaze stopped cooking, and Saavi stood up from her seat.

"Why would the Vlacca clan build their estate right next to Ash City!?"

"From what I understand, that was the only place where they could settle down at."

Saavi and Kaze looked at one another, thinking the same thing.

Will their young miss be alright?