Yearning for the Moon

Chapter Three

I had intended to remain in Inara a little longer, but Andreas seemed to be even more eager to leave the city where the Queen who had insulted me ruled from, he had prepared carriages, yes more than one, he always did go rather overboard, to take me to the tainted lands. Of course, I only figured out later that he intended to go with me, abandoning his studies to protect me in the tainted lands, the fool, only he would see me as weak after witnessing my skills with potions. A nineteen year old Peak Spirit General wasn't common but it was nothing too extraordinary, however if someone were to find out I had only been at the Second Common Qi level just over a year ago, it seemed downright unbelievable.

"You and I both know that I am an abysmal herbalist, that school won't be able to help me improve on that, just like you're so good that they can't teach you anything you don't know anymore, I'm going." I stare at him blankly, not at all impressed with his excuses.

But also knowing from his tone of voice and words, as well as knowing his personality, that he was too stubborn to change his mind, meaning I would have no choice but to allow him to come along. "Fine, but you need to go into the other carriage, I'll need the space to continue treating Maeve." He gives me a confused look in return.

"Who the hell is Maeve?" I frown at him, looking down at the sleeping Dream Cat in my arms, he stares at her with shock as if having just noticed her. "What? I thought that was some sort of balled up blanket or something, you bought a Dream Cat? Why?" I don't want to get into the fact that he must have seen some sort of blanket made out of the coats of Dream Cat's before to even come up with that thought.

The fur coat of a Dream Cat was unique, no other animal had a coat like it, with a light beige color with patches of pale greens, yellows, and browns, it was completely unlike anything else, the idea of Dream Cat's being killed to make a blanket disgusted me. "No, she is not a blanket, this is Maeve, my spirit beast." Upon hearing that he automatically glances down at Orpheus with confusion, likely having assumed like everyone else that the fox who followed me around is my spirit beast.

But I don't want to argue about this with him anymore, it is almost time for Maeve's next treatment, so I quickly go into the larger of the two carriages, and leave Andreas staring at me in shock, as I shut the door behind me. He must have realized I don't want to talk any further, because the people he hired to drive the carriages are soon off, though with the way they treated him with such respect, it made me believe they were more likely borrowed from his family estate rather than newly hired, which I am fine with, it made them more trustworthy to take us to our desired location.

I still find it weird how a Queen so smart and cautious would so easily snub and insult the winner of the herbalist competition, it confused me, but if she wanted to insult me then nothing I can do will change her mind, meaning that dwelling over it is simply a waste of time, and I refuse to waste anymore time thinking about her, not when I can focus on my future and plan how I will raise the destroyed city I have received as a prize into proper grandeur.

The trip to get to the tainted lands isn't a short one, it will take us two weeks to reach the border of the Valena Empire, and another week to traverse the tainted lands to reach the Valenian Outpost. I am not worried about the first two weeks, in the rather safe Valena Empire I doubt we will face any dangers, but once we reach the tainted lands, it is a whole different story. There are countless dangers there, the main one being the cursed monsters that used to be humans roaming the lands, but that isn't the only one, I had heard of how there could be horribly deadly storms that popped up at random, how numerous spiritual beasts roamed the tainted lands, many of them quite strong if they had managed to survive against the cursed humans, let alone if those same beasts were also affected by the curse.

Maeve wakes up from her deep slumber upon some gentle prodding from me, she blinks at me weakly, weary with pain. "Mistress, it hurts." I feel bad for having to cause her even more pain, but I also know this is the only way.