Once Upon A Very Strange Time

18

Was it my fault that some Furs got loose?
Was it my business?
No.
But upon hearing one was named Viktor...
Well, let's just say it entirely became my buisness.

I half expected to wake up in that shack again, expecting a guard to pound on the door with a whip ready.
But I didn't.
Waking up to trees and feeling grass below me made me happier then it should have.
I sat up and stretched, Yvette was pacing around, she didn't look okay.
"Yvette? You okay?"
My voice made her jump and she glared at me, marching over.
"You said she was staying with us," She growled, grabbing my shirt and lifting me in the air.
I gasped,
"What? What are you talking about? Put me down!"
Yvette set me down but her fiery gaze didn't go away.
"Vadia is gone." She spoke softly, despite the anger rising to her cheeks.
"What?" My heart dropped, I really thought Vadia would stay with us.
Yvette shook her head, "That demon is out there, looking for another neck to bite." She snarled.
"Are you seriously still caught up on that? She isn't a vampire!"
As I spoke a rustling in the bushes caused Yvette and I to look over.
It was Vadia, with a dead dear in her hands.
"Thank you Viktor," She said, calmly dragging the deer to the firepit we had started last night.
"I was just getting food, Yvette"
Yvette didn't respond.

"I'm glad you're still here,"
I spoke up, breaking the silence.
Vadia looked at me, I noticed that her eyes were a brighter yellow than yesterday.
"Why would I leave? I have no where else to go,"
I didn't respond.
"Why do you not have anywhere to go? What happened?" Yvette asked.
Vadia shook her head, "My family was.." She looked away and fiddled with her nails.
"I'd rather not speak of it."
Yvette didn't stop though.
"Okay. Where are you from?"
Vadia looked up to meet Yvette's gaze.
"Ashdale,"
Yvette cocked her head.
"Funny," She said with a snort. "I remembered hearing of a small war in Ashdale between the vampires living there and the humans."
Vadia's pupils turned into angry slits.
"Are you kidding me? Look, I told you..," Her voice faltered and she glanced at her feet.
"I am no vampire."
The conversation ended there, and once I finished my deer leg Yvette stood up.
"We should get a move on," She announced.

"Where are we going? Are you guys looking for something?" Vadia asked after a moment of walking.
"We are looking for a man who blew up my home and murdered my sister," Yvette responded coldly.
Vadia flinched, "That's terrible, are you okay?"
Yvette lowered her head, "No,"
Vadia leaned near my ear, "Who is this man?"
"His name is Filver and-"
This made Vadia gasp, and Yvette turned around to look at her.
"What's wrong?"
Vadia abruptly grabbed my shoulders, "What does he look like?"
I glanced at Yvette as I described him, I noticed her eyes glittered as I described his face.
Vadia gasped and then laughed and then gasped again.
"Radnar! It's Radnar!" She screamed joyfully.
Yvette and I shared a confused glance.
"I know him! He help-" Vadia cut herself off. "We were friends," She added quietly.
"Really?" I was surprised, I guess Filver got around.
"Yes! I could've sworn I saw him at Crokir but, I didn't believe it."
This was Yvette's turn to gasp.
"Do you think you know where he is?" Vadia went quiet, squinting her eyes to try to figure just where he may be.
"No, I don't. But, I do know that all he could have done from Crokir is go forward,"
Yvette nodded a thank you, and off we went.

I asked Vadia just how she met Fil- ..Radnar. "Prince's Peak," She had responded.
"How'd you get there?" An eavesdropping Yvette asked.
"Long story..," Was all Vadia responded with.
"You called him Radnar," I asked. "Why?"
Vadia giggled, "Radnar is his real name, Filver is just a code name the Furs gave him."
I was flabbergasted.
"What?"
"Long story."
I was in awe, what a coincidence that Vadia knows him. It had to be some sort of strange luck.

Night approached and our feet began to hurt, not to mention the cold night air made us shiver.
"How about we set up a camp?" Yvette suggested, but it was obviously a rhetorical question, only an idiot would deny a rest right now.

A fire was started by Vadia and she even offered to go get some food.
"There's no need," Yvette responded. "You need to rest up, we'll worry about that tomorrow."
Vadia seemed reluctant to go to sleep, but she didn't complain.

It had to be midnight when we heard a rustling in the bushes, I instantly tensed up and I heard Yvette sharpen her blade.
"Who's there!" Yvette declared.
We were all standing up now, ready to fight whatever was behind those bushes.
A body emerged from the darkness in the trees, who it was made my stomach flip.
Esbern.
"Think you could get away that easily?" He hissed, his gaze fixed on me.
Yvette rushed forward.
"Stay back!" She growled, her blade in her hand.
"What? Why,.. if it isn't Yvette!" Esbern now looked at Yvette, as if she was on old friend.
"I..what? Wait..," Yvette took a good long look at Esbern.
"Esbern?"
Esbern smiled, "My you have grown! Pray tell, where is your sister?"
Even though my head was spinning with confusion, that question made the whole forest go silent.
"She's...," Yvette's voice shook and she grabbed her stomach, as if painful to utter that word.
"dead."
Esbern's smiled faded and his eyes widened.
"Is this some sort of sick joke?" He asked with a weary chuckle.
Yvette shook her head with a glazed look.
Esbern sputtered, he looked torn.
"It..was good to see you Yvette," Esbern shook Yvette's hand.
"I'm sorry what happened last time...safe journeys."
His voice was dull and his expression sullen.
Yvette murmured a goodbye and watched Esbern sulk back into the darkness of the trees.

"What just happened." Vadia spoke after a long moment of silence.
"Esbern he.. was Kora's lover for a time. But," Her voice shook.
"He did something horrible, and I had to tell Kora. She left him."
Yvette's eyes were cloudy with happier times and tears.
Vadia nodded her head in quiet understanding.
"Let's get some sleep," I murmured.
Yvette nodded her head and wiped a tear from her eye, "Sounds good."