The Unseen Road

Chapter Thirty-Four

"What's that?" Celeste asked- though all three girls were afraid they already knew. Around them, the battlefield began to clear little by little as the gurneys, carrying as many as four soldiers at a time, were lifted and carried away towards the gates of the fortress, where they were received by Solairian medics.

Queen Margareth stepped towards them, her robes trailing gracefully along the snow as she moved.

"Are you ready to go home?" she asked them.

Kylie nodded, grinning ruefully to herself as she looked from Celeste to Mina, and then- discreetly- to Beatrice. "That's right. We still need to go home, don't we...?"

"What about the others?" Celeste started. "Don't you... still need our help?"

The Queen smiled; she swept her hand between Prince Nicolas and Charles. "Don't worry, Celeste. You can leave everything here to us," she assured her. "All shall be made right again and taken care of."

"... Wait," Celeste pursed her lips in obvious reluctance. "But is the time really right...?"

"It's all right. Any time's the right time; for a moment is what you make of it." She looked over the gates of Solaire and at the Tall Temple's steeple. "Come; The rest of your lives await you."

Kylie's gaze dropped to her feet; Prince Nicolas gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "Don't be afraid, Kylie."

"... Yeah." She leaned against his chest and closed her eyes.

Mina's fingers tightened around Lightquill's reigns, her gaze also cast downward, resting upon the gryphon's mane. "I... I guess that's it, then," she mumbled dolefully.

Charles Drake bumped his elbow against her shoulder. "C'mon, cheer up. It's what you wanted, isn't it?"

She averted her eyes to the side, away from her cousin. "... I guess."

Then, at once, the three girls' gazes locked; Mina looked up towards Kylie; Kylie opened her eyes and looked towards Celeste, and Celeste towards Mina.

"Everyone's right. It's time to go," Celeste agreed at length.

"But..." Kylie paused, hesitating.

Celeste turned to face her. "What's wrong?"

"... What about Beatrice?" she asked at length. "We can't just leave her."

Queen Margareth nodded. "I will take her to the Tall Temple, too, if she wishes."

".... I'll go." Beatrice's muted voice reached them, hoarse but firm. Reeling, she stood once more to her feet. "I want to leave."

"We'll come, too," Kylie added quickly.

"Very well." The Queen turned around, facing the kingdom. "Please follow me."

She started in the direction of Solaire's gates. As she began to grow smaller with distance, Kylie, Celeste, and Mina's eyes met once more with common understanding. From here, there would be no turning back.

Together, they took their first step, followed by Prince Nicolas and then, after he bade his Clan a brief farewell, Charles Drake. At first, insecurity and reluctance hung heavy in the air; however, as they continued, each step towards the great fortress was more confident and resolute than the last. Overhead, the clouds parted as the cool, southward wind carried them away from Solaire, unveiling the clear winter sky above- but nobody in the company turned to look after them.

Beatrice, however, trailed distantly behind; her eyes were vacant and filled with anxiety. Halfway to the gate Kylie came to a slow halt.

"...You go on ahead," she said. As if detecting her intentions, the others looked dubiously at one another.