The Reformation Wars: The Trump of Ibis

Chapter 6

Kyle had accompanied Dustin on enough foreign excursions to have become accustomed to the typical features of a trip west of Monterayne. They set out early under a slight fog, left the capital behind, and traversed the countryside. By nightfall, they had reached the foothills of the mountain ring, so they set up camp to bide their time until morning.

Then came the process of picking one of the narrow routes through the mountain pass. Especially during winter, travel could prove treacherous, and the threat of avalanche hovered over their heads as the snow accumulated, but Dustin had led enough men through the pass to earn Kyle's trust. The worst he'd ever done was lead them in circles once and take them down a dead end twice, which was more than forgivable given the challenge.

Presently, Dustin called the procession to a halt so he could climb to a high place and assess their next steps. Those who had been riding on horses eagerly dismounted to stretch their legs, and those who had been walking alongside their mount dispersed to find places to sit and rest their feet.

Shuffling through the thin layer of snow powdered on the ground, Kyle found Cassie perched atop a flat rock. It couldn't be more obvious she was struggling with the cold, with her arms crossed over her body, the redness in her cheeks having retreated, and the overall shudder that brought an amused smile to Kyle's lips. He stepped up to her and cleared his throat.

"You look cold." he said.

"And you look pretty smug about it." she retorted, "What happened to the Kyle Korynn who couldn't bear a slight summer breeze?"

"Not really sure. Maybe he spent three years fighting battles across the cold, cold west."

"He also managed to misspell my name in his last letter."

Kyle laughed while prying his outer coat off his body. He patted it over Cassie's shoulders and earned an appreciative smile in return. "Why would I misspell your name?"

"You tell me! Last time I checked, my name wasn't Cassle."

"Must've been in a hurry. Your brother's a cruel taskmaster."

Cassie snickered. "Oh, is he?"

"Oh, he is. He made me let my horse hitch a ride on my back once because I missed a shot."

"Poor thing...that's why you were so tense the other day."

"It wasn't fun." Kyle glanced down to see there was a little room beside her, so he sat down and held her close. "But seriously, your brother deserves a medal or something. Never seen someone so dedicated to a cause."

"Well, he's already getting a crown someday, so there's that."

"Then we'll all really be in trouble."

Cassie smirked. "You might have to take refuge in the wildlands."

"He's so crazy he'd just follow me there."

"I suppose he did already do that once."

"Sometimes I do think about that. How different things would be if he and Jude never came to our little settlement out in the desert." Kyle said, gazing off into the distance thoughtfully, "If he just studied at the academy in Aroria instead, he would've never come our way, and so much would have changed."

Cassie snuggled a little closer. "I'd be so sad if that were the case. Most likely get married off to some boring nobleman's son or some fat king wanting to start a new dynasty."

"Yuck. Or a maniacal count, for that matter."

"The very thought of it makes me shudder. But I do have to wonder, what would you have done with your life, had Dustin never come your way?"

"I mean...I always had a knack for making new things nobody thought of before. So I'd probably be doing some of that. Just anything I did make would be for the good of the tribe."

"That sounds somewhat boring."

"Compared to this?" Kyle said, giving her a squeeze, "Definitely. If I did start yearnin' for adventure, I could've joined the gatherers. Still nothin' as exciting as what we're doing now, but venturing out of the desert to bring goods and news from the outside world would've been nice."

"Still, I'm happy to have you here."

"And I'm happy to be here. Looking back on my life then, I barely recognize myself."

"I consider that very much for the better." Cassie said, "Because I deeply love the man you've become."

Awkward as it was, Kyle craned his neck to kiss her forehead. "Love you too. Guess that's enough about the past, and the present's a bit too cold; what're you looking forward to in the future? This war seems like it'll be over soon, so that'll change a lot of things."

"Not to bore you, but a large part of it is simply being able to spend every day with you. I won't have to read a single awful letter again."

"That bad? See, I was about to say I prefer your letters, because you're much more bearable there."

Cassie rolled her eyes, but her beaming grin betrayed her amusement. "You're one to talk. For you, it's your letters that are unbearable. Misspelling my name, horrid grammar...I can't count the number of times you've used the wrong 'your'."

Kyle frowned. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"You're as in 'you are', as opposed to your, like yours? You mix them up all the time."

"Eh, it's fine. Only one apostrophe away from correct, shouldn't matter that much."

"You're helpless." Cassie said, "Anyway, I much prefer being tangibly near you. You can't omit apostrophes in person."

"Of course, of course. Holding you's nice. You plan to stay in Monterayne forever?"

"Well, I won't live forever."

"You're stupid." Kyle jested, shaking his head and laughing, "You know what I mean."

"Alright, alright. Well, I suppose I just never questioned it. I've never considered making a home anywhere else. What about you? You've come to love Monterayne like the rest of us, but does your birthplace still beckon you home?"

"Not really. I wouldn't mind settling in Monterayne one bit, but another idea's been in my mind lately."

"What might that be?"

"Fighting as long as I have out west, I've met a lot of people. Just common folks who aren't driven by the same agendas as emperors and overseers are. East or west, all most people want is a peaceful life, some people to love and care for, and a way to pass on their legacy. Not sure what exactly I could to help, but..."

Cassie squinted. "Are you saying you'd like to settle somewhere west? I'm unsure what exactly you're getting at."

"Maybe. It's just an idea, but if I can help people rebuild, maybe help bring some stability to the shaky order being formed over there...maybe that can be my legacy."

"If that's the legacy you wish to build, I'll gladly assist you. As long as we visit Monterayne regularly, I would be content."

"Of course." Kyle glanced up to see men mounting horses and hoisting gear over their shoulders, so he moved to rise. "Looks like we're on the move again."

After helping Cassie mount her horse and arguing with her momentarily about returning his jacket—an argument he won, forcing her to keep it—Kyle shuffled off to retake his spot near the head of the procession. Much as the cold bit at him with less layers, he still retained some warmth in his heart from the quiet moment with his darling.