The Sins of the Father

Chapter Twenty Two

it's my birthday today so bonus chapter :D (monday chapter will be pushed back to tuesday)

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Alexis adjusted the scarf over her mouth and nose. "How do I look?" Stephen regarded her for a moment, then reached out to adjust her hood until her red hair was obscured.

"There." He stepped back, satisfied. Alexis shifted, looking down at where Evie was pinning up the hem of the blue robe.

"You're just a mite smaller than me," Evie sat back on her knees. "But I can hem it up simple enough. Here, take a seat, I'll get a needle n' thread." Relieved, Alexis sank down onto a stump, resting her uninjured leg which had been taking all of her weight.

"I'm not so sure this is a good idea." Cafos stated. He looked uneasy, his arms crossed over his chest and his gaze darting constantly around at their surroundings. "We don't know these people well enough to put ourselves at their mercy."

"I didn't have a choice but to be at their mercy, and I'm fine." Alexis pointed out. She pulled down the scarf, plucking out a loose strand of her hair. "Anyway, this is a way for us to hide in plain sight."

"You two, maybe." Cafos said irritably. "My wings aren't going to fit underneath a set of those robes."

Alexis shrugged. "You can disguise yourself as a llama, then." Stephen was forced to disguise his laugh as a coughing fit.

It was evening now, the sky painted with streaks of pink, purple and gold as the sun slipped beneath the horizon. The fire in the center of the camp was built up high for light, warmth, and cooking, the air filled with the scents of meat and spices. The merchants- for that is what they were - were mostly gathered around the fire, speaking and laughing, some playing music.

Stephen had thought that, given his upbringing, he would assimilate easily to being a member of this camp. It was, after all, a remote camp in the middle of the woods. In reality, it was far more peaceful here than the camp he had grown up in. There were no drills, no sparring, the tense atmosphere he had grown used to during his childhood was nowhere to be found. The merchants ate and drank and danced and sang, enjoying the pleasant weather and each other's company. It was... nice. It was a shame that Cafos couldn't say the same, the valkyrie had been frowning and glaring since they arrived.

"This does seem to be our best option," Stephen said once he'd caught his breath. "The traders have offered to let Alexis ride, which will give her leg a chance to heal while we travel. Hopefully she'll be able to walk by the time we arrive. Lucius won't expect us to be with a merchant caravan, and, since we'll be in disguise, we won't be obvious to any valkyries flying overhead."

"Except me," Cafos protested. "Again, what am I supposed to do?"

"I have a thought!" Evie called as she jogged over to join them. "I'll need a minute, though." She sank down at Alexis's feet, beginning to wind a needle and thread through the hemmed-up bottom of the garment. Alexis hummed softly.

"Yeah, you'd stick out like a sore thumb if we don't do anything."

"Well, we've got a wealth of extra cloth, see." Evie told them. "How much can you squish in your wings?" Cafos frowned, his feathers shifting.

"...not much more than this."

"Well," Evie plucked out a pin. "Iffen we wrap 'em up good with cloth an' attach a bedroll and some trinkets, they'll just look like a big 'ol backpack." She looked up at Cafos with a smile. "Right?"

Cafos frowned. "Maybe..."

"Either way, you'll look far less suspicious from the air." Stephen pointed out. "It's worth a shot."