Then, after getting my weapon, I walk through Silvailia alongside Merle, who seems calmer now. Ellirith was busy with something, so she only sent her regards to me and one guard.
Aiden, the said guard, appears out of nowhere and hands me some sort of box. Opening the smoothed wooden packet, I find a cloak inside. Then, he disappeared as fast as he had appeared.
I put the cloak on and try it out, noting how it fits me well. It also hides my identity. Merle follows behind me, although he doesn't try to hide his own identity or anything. His hair is the only thing that hides something, which is his eleven ears.
'Does he not care about hiding his face? Well, I guess he doesn't have to, considering that he originates from Elarion. I'm an otherworlder, after all. I'm pretty sure that I don't look like your ordinary Elarion resident.'
I open my map and try to gauge the distance between Silvailia and the nearest marked out village. "That'll take some time," I mutter and sigh.
I can't take too long to repair the mirror since grandma Pallor is alone and probably struggling. Why did I even come back here instead of staying with my grandma?
She's getting older, after all. Nobody can stop ageing even if they try everything. Everyone eventually dies...
'No! Don't think like that!' I scold myself and grunt as I slap myself to snap out of this. It's my fault that I left grandma alone, but I need to correct my mistake and come back as soon as possible. It's no use crying over spilt milk anyway.
With a shake of my head to let the stinging sensation of the slap on my cheeks fade away and the thoughts to drift out of my mind, I calm myself and roll up the map before glancing at Merle.
'Why.... Why do his eyes have this... knowing look? It's not fair... He doesn't know what's going on. So how come he looks as though he knows everything?'
He simply smirks and pats my shoulder in a comforting manner before taking the lead. Following right after him, we head to the end of the village, where two horses are already standing ready and prepared for departure.
My eyes immediately go to the beautiful and rather muscular black horse, and I step closer, extending my hand. It sniffs my hand and stands still, so I take the chance to get closer and pat it gently.
With a snort, it leans into my touch and blows a bit. A small smile forms on my lips, and I hop on its back, taking the reins.
'I've actually ridden on a horse before a few times, but it was only because I worked part-time at an old castle. The warden was kind enough to allow the employees and part-timers to ride the horses that were there.'
Once both Merle and I are ready to start our journey, we lift the reins a bit, looking where we want to know and pulling the reins in the same direction. I squeeze the horse's sides, and it starts trotting.
Merle shows me how it's done since he's more proficient in horse riding, and I follow suit, urging the horse to run with its partner, and it speeds up, now galloping alongside the other stallion as we catch up to Merle.
'The air here is very different from my hometown. It's fresher and somehow feels better to breathe in,' I think and let the fresh air fill my lungs as I close my eyes for a moment and simply enjoy the moment.
The wind blows through my hair, making it fly back a bit, and it also hits my face, gently caressing it. The horse's mane flies in the air as well, creating an elegent veil around its head.
During the way, I start to feel even better as we leave the village's protective barrier. A sigh of relief leaves my mouth as I enjoy the fresh air and the sensation of the wind blowing against my skin.
Merle, also enjoying the ride, steals a glimpse at me to see how I'm faring so far, but what he says next catches me by surprise.