Adeline and the Ovunque's Key || Ongoing

049

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟒𝟗 — 𝐈'𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐭 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠

The snow was wet and cold. Frosty sensation to my feet. With each step I took, my feet kept diving in between the snowy path.

The sound of snow crunches below our feet is all that we can hear as we walk.

Bernard was the first one to break the silence. "Do we even know where we're going?"

"Yeah, of course. We're heading to the east side, remember?" I replied, without taking my eyes off the trail.

"Oh, I remembered. We met her on the east side last time. Pierre once told me that the deer-girl was a princess," he paused, his expression turning to pure interest as he turned his head fully my way, "Was she really one?"

"Well, yes. She's a princess." I nodded as I turned my head slightly to him, "But there's no kingdom built around a massive castle for her to rule, just a tribe we found hidden in the wood by an invisible barrier."

Before Bernard could reply once more, to question me, Nicholas cut him off, "Excuse me, would you two mind sharing your little adventure with both me and Hilda? We have never even set foot in here with you, Petal. I think we deserve to know at least some of the things we might encounter in here."

"Nicky," I sighed, trying to decide whether I had the time to tell him everything or not, and choosing not to. It wasn't the right moment. My eyes darted around the ominous forest which proven to be a dangerous place to be most time.

"What I can tell you is that it's not all sunshine and rainbows in here. I can tell you my experience is far from it. Bernard has only ever gone in here with me once. He met Odell only once. In fact, you met her once too. With your back turned while she interrogated you."

I paused for a moment, breathing in a sigh, "It was Pierre who was always tagging along in my journey, not Bernard."

The trio was quiet for a while as we walked, with Nicholas slowly nodding his head.

"I've met her?" he asked, his tone a bit lower as if he was trying to whisper it to me.

I merely nodded. "Back when I was kidnapped by Martha."

"Oh, no wonder he's always away when you're gone," Hilda suddenly spoke in a blurt, gaining everyone's attention. "I only now realised how stuck together you two are."

"Pierre?" I asked her, to which she only responded with a soft nod.

I looked down somberly, I'm so used to having him around, it feels weird having to go on without him this time.

Pierre is special. I have him always because he knows that I need him during my journeys. Not just emotionally but also in terms of what he can do.

"Why wasn't he with you this time," Hilda asked again, breaking me out of my reverie. Her gaze was the same dazed look she usually gave when she was talking in a spur of thought.

"I didn't ask him. How could I, when he has to shoulder the burden of healing a whole army in his small room right now?" I replied. "I know I needed him. But there are more people out there that needed him too and I'm not heartless enough to take him away from them."

Truthfully, that was part of the reason. I didn't want to disappoint him either, when he specifically asked me to rest, I couldn't tell him I was going to the woods instead. I feel he would try to convince me to listen and not go to her. I know he cares too much for my well-being to actually put me first over anyone else. It's why I can't ask him this time.