I WILL FIND YOU.

Chapter 38: Tea Cup

After the doctor left Kai and Minda went to eat breakfast. Feeling better Minda nearly devoured the entire plate of food which brought a smile to everyone's faces.

"It is wonderful to see that your appetite has returned." Auntie Feifei remarked as she filled Minda's bowl with more bone broth soup.

"It is great. Tonight I want to eat the ibex Kai hunted. You remembered to keep some of the meat, right?" Minda said with rosy cheeks.

"I did."

"Great! Auntie Feifei do you know how to cook ibex?"

"It has been quite some time but I do have a few recipes that suit ibex meat quite well." She said.

"Then I look forward to what you will make. Your cooking is always delicious."

...

After breakfast Kai took Minda out for a walk. Since Minda was feeling much better they headed to the farm area at the base of the mountain. As they walked down the winding road Kai was unusually talkative.

"Is there anything in this world you wish to see?" Kai asked.

"What do you mean?"

"You must have heard of a few places from your family. Did any of them sound like somewhere you would like to visit?" Kai asked again.

"That's difficult. There are so many." Minda said.

"It doesn't matter how many there are. I'll make certain you get to see them all." Kai said.

"What do you mean."

"Staying at the estate is comfortable but life is too long to stay in one place. After the wedding let's travel. Wherever you want to go. I'll take you."

"Are you sure. My father and brothers used to always tell me it was too dangerous. There are bandits and enemy soldiers that could attack us. Even if we manage to avoid them there is always the weather to consider. It can suddenly change and unlike at home we will have nowhere to hide." Minda said.

"I won't lie. The world can be dangerous but it can also be extraordinary and I want you to see it."

Minda went quiet. Kai was different from his family. He wanted Minda to see and do things new things. When he thought of all the wonderful experiences that awaited in the future Minda felt like excited and nervous.

"Thank you." He whispered. He had so many other words he wanted to say but only a simple thank you could escape his lips.

"Tell me. Where do you want to go?" Kai asked after a long period of time passed in silence.

"I don't know."

"Anywhere is fine."

"Anywhere is the problem. There are too many places to choose from. You've been to most of them. You choose."

"This trip will be your first. You should choose." Kai said but Minda really couldn't narrow it down to a single location.

"In that case I think I'll need more time. Can you tell me more about the places you've been?"

"I can. Is there anywhere that interests you the most?" Kai asked him.

"Tell me about the last place you were." Minda asked thinking it was the easiest option.

"I didn't do much traveling the last few years. The army I was a part of was stationed by the border in a valley located between two impassable mountains. We were kept there to maintain the border between us and the savages that rule the plains on the other side of the mountains."