Chapter 18: Returning back [1]
Aries lay back on the flat stone with both arms behind his head, staring up at the patches of sky while his breathing slowly evened out.
He heard the girl’s shift behind him.
"U-umm..."
He turned his head.
She was standing a few feet away with her hands clasped tight in front of her, crimson eyes jumping between him and the ground and the trees and every available point but not his face.
Her lips kept starting sentences that didn’t come out.
"Th-thank you," she managed at last. "If it weren’t for you, I would have—"
"Probably made the Dranox die from your crying?" He cut in with a crooked grin.
She blinked. "Pfft—!" — she clapped her hand over her mouth but it was already too late, the laugh came through anyway, shoulders shaking with it.
He chuckled. "That wasn’t the most flattering laugh I’ve ever heard. But hey, it beats screaming."
She doubled over.
When it finally died down, he leaned back on both hands and watched her recover. "Seems like you’ve loosened up a little. Nervous wreck."
"Hey!" Her head came straight up. "How rude! I’m not a nervous wreck!"
"Sure."
She puffed her cheeks. "I’m not!"
"Like I’d believe that."
"Hmph." She crossed both arms and turned her head away.
He let that sit for a beat. "Guess that means you’re feeling better." Then more easily: "So what’s your name?"
She looked at the ground between them. A second passed, he was still waiting.
"I... I’m sorry. For some reason I can’t possibly say my name. I don’t know how to explain it. I just... can’t."
Aries studied her for a moment.
It wasn’t shyness. She looked uncomfortable in the way of someone pushing her against her will.
’Okay, what? You can’t say your own name? What does that even mean? Did she hit her head on a branch somewhere back there?’
He tapped his chin. Gave this matter very serious consideration. "Fine. If you can’t say your name, I’ll just come up with one myself."
She straightened. "Come up with what?"
He looked at her, like Absolutely glaring at her for which she shifted under his gaze and leaned back slightly. "What? Why are you staring at me like that?"
He snapped his fingers.
"Crybaby."
"...C-Crybaby?" Her jaw came all the way down.
"Yep." He nodded with complete certainty. "From the moment we met, it’s been tears here, tears there, tears absolutely everywhere. At this rate you’ll flood the whole forest."
She stared at him.
"Wha—?! I was not crying that much!" She stomped her foot hard into the ground.
"Really? I’m pretty sure the ground is still damp." He was still teasing her.
Her face went scarlet. "Y-you—!" Her fists came up and she started hitting his arm, rapid and relentless and completely harmless. "Take it back! Take it back right now!"
"Hey, easy!" He laughed, raising one arm to block. "I take nothing back. Crybaby is a great name."
She made a noise that had no actual words in it and hit his arm one last time before spinning away, arms folded, back fully turned, cheeks still burning.
He waited until she’d worked through the worst of it.
"Hey." He glanced at her sideways. "Where are your parents? You weren’t wandering through a forest this dense completely alone, right? Unless making friends with monsters is a hobby of yours."
She looked down at her hands. "I was traveling with them. We got separated."
"Alright." He planted both palms flat on the stone and pushed himself up to his feet.
A sharp jolt fired straight through his leg and his knees buckled, dropping him right back down onto the rock.
"Oww — damn it—!" He grabbed his thigh.
She tilted her head slowly, watching him.
"Ah." He muttered. "My leg’s completely dead. Just... a few minutes."
She folded her arms. "Well, well. Look who was just making big speeches about finding my parents, and now can’t even stand."
"That’s uncalled for."
"Someone’s heroic talk brought down by a leg cramp."
"Just give me a few minutes!"
She smiled wider and said nothing else.
They ended up sitting there longer than a few minutes. She talked about the towns she’d passed through with her family, small things from the road. He listened without pushing for more than she gave. Whatever tension had been there earlier was gone now.
Then she sat up straighter suddenly. "Ah, I forgot something."
"Forgot what?"
She turned toward him "Close your eyes."
"Why? Planning to rob me while I’m down?"
"Just do it."
"But—"
"UGH — JUST SHUT YOUR EYES ALREADY!"
"Fine, fine." He sighed and let his eyelids drop.
A small metallic sound. Something delicate shifting near his neck.
’Wait. Is she pulling out chains? Neck snapped by a girl I’ve known for about an hour?’ Am I going to die?’
"Okay. Open them."
He peeks through one eye before opening the other.
A small golden pendant rested against his chest.
"Wait I can’t possibly accept something expensive like th—"
She pressed one finger lightly to his lips.
"Don’t argue." Her eyes were steady. "I never properly thanked you. So, accept it." with a small certain smile. "It’s also a promise. That we’ll meet again someday."
’She’s definitely a noble.’
Before he could say anything, voices cut through the trees behind her.
"Did you find her?"
"Where did she even go?"
Three figures came out of the treeline in the distance, moving fast. Her whole face changed the second she heard them. She spun around and cupped both hands to her mouth. "I’m here!"
They broke into a sprint. One of them was already talking before they reached her. "Oh thank goodness — you’re safe, Young Lady! We were searching for you almost everywhere, don’t go like that by yourself again, what if something had happened to you—"
She laughed and turned to point back at Aries. "It’s fine, I was with this guy who saved me earlier—"
The maids exchanged confused looks. "Who do you mean by ’this guy’ Young lady?"
Her finger found empty air.
She blinked. Looking around "H-huh? He was right here. Where did he go?"
Deep in the treeline, Aries moved quietly over fallen leaves.
’She’s safe. No reason to stay.’
He didn’t look back.
’Been gone too long already. Valea, the others. I need to reach them before it gets dark.’
The clearing disappeared between the trees. His footsteps were the only sound left.
He walked until everything else was gone.
