Yukiro (Auburn) backstory

Chapter 2: 22-26

First journeys

There is a knock at the door. No one has visited us in weeks, so we were naturally worried. My mom opens the door, and Kara is there. "Kara? I thought you told Yukiro you were done teaching him."

"I did... but I hear he's having a tough time right now, and I want to help him through it. Staying in one spot doesn't help much, so how about I take him across the feywilds?"

"But what if word has-"

"Even if it has spread, it was self-defense. If anything, he will be applauded for avenging his father." It seems like they aren't going to let me have a choice here. I just have to wait it out...

The next day, my mom told me I'll be joining Kara. A smile slid across my face, and it seemingly got rid of all worries from my mother.

I got ready to leave and grabbed the shortsword my father got for me. It's a shame he never got to take me out of the feywilds and taught me the sword...

As soon as I stepped out, I heard Kara's voice. "Took you long enough. You ready?"

"Yes... I think I am..."

"We are going to head to the village south of here and see if they need any help with anything."

"Alright..." I seem to have lost my way with words that I used to have. That's probably what happens when you don't talk to anyone for 3 years...

On our way to the southern village, I saw an adventurer who seemed to be on the brink of death. No healing magic would be able to save him, so Kara took my sword and ended his suffering.

"Yukiro... let's bury him."

"But... we have to keep moving or we won't get to the village before nightfall."

"Would you rather burn the corpse to ashes or bury him?"

I hesitantly walk up to the body and cast wildfire. His body turns to ash near instantly. I then mutter quietly, "I'm sorry..."

"Don't think about it too much. Think of it as sending them to where your father is. He has someone to talk to now."

Thinking about that made me smile.

We continue on to the village. Some fey try and play tricks on us, but it seems Kara is used to this and dispells the magic.

When we get to the village, it feels like eyes are piercing through me. It's also met with multiple people congratulating me. I guess some rumors got around to some.

It makes me feel slightly better...

The same thing happens at multiple other villages. Each time made me feel better than I did. On the roads to each village, there were multiple people like the other one I cremated. At some point, I started to numb the feelings I had for them and gave them mercy myself.

Almost four years after we left, we returned home.

Another hit to the gut.

Kara and I head to my house when we get to the village. My mom gives me the usual, "I was worried" speech. Kara engages in small talk with her for awhile. I decide to go upstairs and set my stuff down in my room.

After I finished setting all my travel gear down I headed back downstairs. My mom sees me and speaks up. "Oh... Yukiro, you should probably hear this."

"What's up?" I ask confused.

Kara hesitantly speaks up. "I'm going to be leaving the feywilds soon... I'm planning on going to the common relm."

"Isn't that where my father was supposed to take me..." I snap our of my sadness in that moment. "Let me join you. I want to see the common relm for myself."

"I- alright..." Kara sounds hesitant, almost like she's hiding something, but I brush it off. She wouldn't hide something from me unless she had a reason.

Over the next dew days it seems she's making an effort to hang out with me more. It feels off, but I welcome it. I haven't had a real friend since Lily...

One day, she stopped meeting with me. I thought the worst had happened and searched for her. I didn't find her.

I returned home feeling like I had failed, but when I got home my mother told me she had left the feywilds. I went up to my room and called for Yukiko. She comforted me, but it didn't help the feeling that I was betrayed...