A Hero With/Out Time

Chapter 24: My Last Chance. (Part 2)

Author's Note:
Larger chapter today because I left quite a bit of confusion yesterday. Also because its Friday :)
Happy reading. See you Monday.

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"Umm Taylor aren't you a little too happy?" I looked at the girl cuddling into my side. We were riding the front of the carriage and had just left Axel, Earnest sleeping inside. It was the early evening of the same day we received the Empire's invitation.

"Haha am I?" she smiled, or really had been since this morning.

"Yeah you are...." So much so that my family in Axel could easily guess what had transpired.

She kissed my cheek and whispered in my ear, "You really do always go above my expectations." Well that was because, while my lives as Rain and Jane didn't have much experience, my previous one had been less pious.

I gently pushed her away, "It's going to get busy from now on, so don't expect too much."

"Hmmm," she looked at me displeased. "By the way, where are we going? Shouldn't we be heading south to Waltersea Port?"

"Not yet," I replied and sighed. "There's someone else we need to pick up first."

"Who?" she asked curiously. "A friend?"

"You could say that...."

"One of these days you're really going to have to tell me all your secrets." She poked my arm, "As much as I like a mystery, I'd prefer to know you better."

"Soon I promise," I rubbed her head and faced forwards. We were heading North, not to Greytree but a place in between, a place that had been long forgotten by the world or at least most of it.

We travelled until late into the night and slept in the carriage. Usually it would have been dangerous due to the denizens and both Earnest and Taylor said their concerns, however the denizens were no longer a problem. It didn't even matter where we camped anymore. As I was now they'd leave us alone. In the morning we departed early and not long after drifted away from the road and towards the border forest.

Earnest and Taylor were on their guard as we passed through the thick trees that blocked out the sun. The path was barely more than a space between the trees as the carriage bumped over roots and foliage. Pina herself however was quite content to move through the rough surface. When we last came through here despite the eerie atmosphere I had felt at ease, now I knew why, and it was exactly for that reason I guided Pina through the forest.

After several more hours of travelling, barely fitting through the gaps in the trees we arrived. The forest opened revealing a more open space where the trees were taller and further apart. In between the flora, old housing broken and covered in moss spread across the clearing. The remains of a well, a paddock long since destroyed, a burnt out barn, a field now overgrown and rampant. What was once a thriving village now no more than a shelter for animals.

"Where are we?" Taylor asked as I stopped the carriage.

"My birth place," I spoke wistfully and disembarked.

"Someone is here," Earnest jumped from the roof of the carriage his hand ready on his sword.

"It's okay, he won't attack us... or at least not right now." I looked out into the village. "He's too curious as to why we're here."

"Who is?" Earnest let go of his sword but was still weary. Taylor stuck close to my side protectively.

"You'll see," I led them further into the dilapidated village. A small fire was lit outside of a surprisingly maintained home. It was clear someone had fixed it and recently. I raised my voice, "It's not nice to hide from guests."