Dull grey light penetrated the sky, and a light rain fell as morning came. The air was cool, and a thin fog drifted above the ground. The early morning birdsong was traded for the pattering of raindrops through the trees, and the scent of moist earth rose as Victoria felt herself being shaken awake.

"Time to get up, Victoria." Astrid said quietly.

She raised her head groggily, blinking hard to clear her sleep-glazed vision. Astrid's side of the tent was bare, and Soren's hand no longer stuck through from his tent beside her. She sat up slowly, stretching her aching back, spine crackling from the bottom up. Sleeping on the ground was something she would gladly take a pass on if the opportunity ever presented itself again.

She crawled slowly from beneath her canvas shelter into the morning rain, lightened now to barely a sprinkle. She reached up to fully stretch herself out, her stiffened joined crackled loudly, leaving her feeling limp with relief. She stood rubbing her sore neck muscles as Soren crawled from his tent.

"Good morning, beautiful." He said with a sleepy smile, yawning as he stretched his own limbs.

Victoria smiled sleepily, shaking her head, "Good morning, Soren."

Astrid had a pot of oats on the fire to boil, and she sat now cutting one of the remaining apples into pieces and dropping them into the pot. She produced a small jar, removing the stopper and pouring a small amount of thick, dark honey into the bubbling pottage; the aroma was lovely.

"Food's nearly done, and there's coffee if you'd like any." Astrid said as she stirred the contents of the pot, and pointing to the steaming kettle at the edge of the small, dampened fire.

Victoria's eyebrows went up in surprise; she didn't think coffee would be something she'd find here. "Definitely."

She wrapped herself in her cloak before stepping over to the fire, grabbing one of the two remaining tin cups and filling it. Folding the end of the cloak beneath her, she sat cross-legged in front of the small fire, blowing the contents of her cup before taking a tentative sip.

"Oh wow that's strong!" Victoria exclaimed, her lips puckering. It wasn't terribly bitter, but far stronger than any of the creamer-heavy, whipped, iced, or caramel laced concoctions available on every street corner back home.

"Our coffee a bit more vibrant than yours as well?" Jasper joked, chuckling as he appeared through the trees.

"Just a little." Victoria replied sarcastically, and took another small sip. It wasn't unpleasantly strong, and the aftertaste had a hint of cherry and dark chocolate.

Soren filled his cup as well, turning to plop down next to Victoria. He stared her down as he took a long sip of the hot brew, swallowing with a mischievous squint in his eyes.

"Sissy." He whispered as he lowered his cup from his lips with a lopsided grin.

Astrid nearly choked on her own drink as she, and everyone else, Victoria included, laughed heartily. Wiping a tear from her eye, she poured the porridge into four wooden bowls, passing them down to the others. The rain ceased as they ate quietly, and the overcast sky remained a milky lavender-grey as the sun crept higher behind the clouds.

Once they finished their simple, but filling breakfast, they broke off individually to begin tearing down the campsite and readying the horses. Supplies were cleaned and repacked, and tents folded and rolled tightly. Soren hoisted Victoria's saddle onto her horse for her and moved to begin saddling the others while his father and sister cleared the campsite.

Jasper checked her girth, then boosted Victoria into the saddle to wait while he, Astrid, and Soren finished tying packs to saddles. She caught herself watching Soren again as he deftly tied the leather straps and swung himself into the saddle. Remembering falling asleep while his thumb stroked the back of her hand made the butterflies dance in her stomach again. She shook herself from her daydream to realize that he was looking at her too, and wagging an eyebrow at her. She blushed at being caught staring, which only made Soren smile wider as she followed Jasper back to the road.

Jasper moved over to walk next to Victoria. "We should reach Coeur d'Homme before suppertime. Now, the closer we get, we're going to cross other travelers. Don't do anything to draw attention to yourself, just keep your eyes down or straight ahead. We shouldn't be in any danger of being robbed, but no need to be giving anyone any reason to think you've got something worth taking."

"Shouldn't?" Victoria said nervously. "Meaning...we could be?"

"Well, any highwayman in desperate enough straights may well hold up anyone if they think their need or desire is greater." Jasper explained calmly, "But everyone knows what a Seeker is, and more than most know better than to piss with one for no reason. You are in good hands, miss Victoria. We're not just simple, ignorant country folk who only carry weapons for show." He smiled kindly, reaching over to give her a reassuring thump on the back before leading the group onward.

By the time the sun stood high overhead, the rain had long moved on, and the high walls that surrounded the city could be seen in the distance. Still a few hours of riding, but close enough that Victoria felt an immediate swell of relief radiate in her chest. They stopped to rest the horses on a low, grassy plateau dotted with clumps of trees that overlooked the wide expanse they had left to cross before they parted ways.

After a quick meal, Astrid moved away to a shaded spot beneath a tree, leaning against the trunk to doze. Victoria strolled several yards out into the open grass, laying her cloak out on the ground to stretch out lazily, basking in the warm afternoon sun. Soren watched where she went and moved to follow, but Jasper reached out to stop him before he could stand.

"What are you doing, son?" Jasper asked quietly.

"Just going to see if she needed anything. Maybe just someone to talk to. You know how women are." Soren replied innocently.

Jasper sighed. "Soren, what she needs is to go home. Wherever that is, it's not here. I'd imagine she has her own family that's probably worried sick about her right now."

Soren opened his mouth to protest, but his father held up his hand, bidding him to silence.

"Soren," he laid a hand on his son's shoulder, "she's a nice lass. If she were from here, I'd give you my blessing and stay out of it. But I don't want to see you hurting yourself, or her for that matter, for some fleeting thing that's not meant to be. Be a gentleman while she's still here, I know I've at least taught you that much, but don't pursue it past that. That's not why I brought you along." He squeezed his shoulder once before he stood to meander off into the trees.

Soren pondered his father's words for a few moments. He wasn't wrong; not really. By tomorrow she's most likely be gone from his life forever. A fact that shouldn't have bothered him. By all accounts, he was a good-looking and capable young man just coming into his prime, and could easily have his choice of any of the unwed maidens back home. But something about this strange girl, mysteriously appeared from some other world, tugged at something inside him. It wasn't anything he'd ever felt with anyone else, and it felt almost like something physically pulled him to her and it intrigued him

More for the need to satisfy his curiosity than to defy his father, he stood and proceeded through the tall grass to where Victoria lay snoozing in the sun. For a moment he was content to just look at her. Her long, dark auburn locks, loosed from the green ribbon, splayed around her head like a coppery halo; wispy golden highlights glittered in the light. Her soft pink lips parted slightly as her chest slowly rose and fell, and he felt a strong desire to run his thumb along her pouting lower lip.

Sensing another's presence, Victoria's eyes fluttered open, squinting against the bright sun. She flinched reflexively before her brain registered Soren standing just a few feet away.

"You get a kick out of seeing me jump, don't you?" She huffed with a half smile, scooting to sit up.

"I wasn't trying this time. Promise." Soren smiled and held his hands up in front of him, coming to sit next to her. "I was thinking, if you insist on leaving my heart hanging, you'd at least allow me to count you as a friend. And I was hoping to get to know my new friend a little better before she leaves forever. No harm in that, right?" He gave her another one of his cheesy smiles.

Victoria sighed in defeat, smiling back. "No, I guess not. So, what do you want to know, new friend?"

Soren's smile grew wide, "Alright, what is...your favorite color?"

They continued on this way until it was time to head out. Back and fourth, learning little tidbits about one another, and giving themselves more to remember about each other before their final parting.

* * *

The icy wind howled through the jagged, snow-capped mountain peaks, driving snow like tiny frozen blades through the air. No life stirred in the frozen darkness of the barren tundra, and even the sparse evergreens struggled for life in the snowy wasteland. A lone raven soared above the frozen land, its single, glowing eye all that was visible in the pitch darkness.

A fortress of black stone, carved into the mountain itself, took shape in the snow-covered darkness. The bird ascended to its highest tower, coming to roost in the open window of a darkened room, flapping its massive wings and shrieking to announce itself.

A figure, cloaked in black, stood before a menacing-looking fireplace, the screen fashioned into jagged black claws. Without turning around, a woman's voice, smooth as honey, answered the bird's cry.

"What news do you bring me."

The bird shrieked loudly and its eye shone brightly with a sinister red glow.

"You've found it!" She said in almost a whisper. "And its bound for the city. Let us see what my dear brother chooses to do with it, before I claim what is rightfully mine."

* * *