The Firelands

55 - Snowed-In Forgiveness

11thday of the forth Month, Joker's Moon

6:00

The Ice Lily Inn

Kalen and Theth stood opposite each other, both with arms folded and a glare on their face. They stood outside The Ice Lily Inn two hours before sunrise, dressed for departure, their horses watching them like they were waiting for a brawl to break out and neither Zedkiel, Incendio or Mrs Julia around to stop them if one did.

"So? What is it? I'm freezing just standing here," Theth said.

"I'm not mad at you," Kalen said.

"Huh?" Theth said, frowning at him.

"I'm not mad at you for interfering with me and Cascadeia. I'm angry because things have been ruined but I'm not mad at you for your reasons. I forgive you for getting in the way."

Theth stared at him, then stuck his nose in the air, looking away. "Fine, I forgive you as well."

"For what?!" Kalen snapped, gaping at him.

"For being a violent brute," Theth said in a dismissive tone.

"Oh I take back what I said! I am mad at you! Your attitude is infuriating. I don't know why Incendio likes you."

"And I wonder about Cascadeia, but I suppose she hasn't seen the brutish side yet."

"Do you want me to smack you, angel?" Kalen hissed and Theth instantly ducked behind his horse.

As Kalen chased Theth around the horses, Zedkiel watched them through one of the windows by the front door, sighing at the sight of them.

"They're good friend then?" Mrs Julia said with a smile, a hint of mocking to her tone as she handed Incendio a bag filled with food.

"Um," Incendio said, looking out of the window, watching as Kalen launched himself over his horse and collided with Theth, knocking them both out of view. "Well, I think they will be... they're both very nice individually," he added quickly.

"I have no doubt," Mrs Julia said with a slight laugh. "Oh actually, that reminds me, I have some things for you four, Incendio would you run into my office and get the bag on the chair?"

As Incendio left, Mrs Julia looked at Zedkiel who was throwing his cape over his shoulders.

"You'll continue to take care of them, I'm sure," she said.

Zedkiel looked at her. "Of course," he said, confused.

"And you'll continue to take care of yourself?"

Zedkiel raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean? Of course I will."

Mrs Julia smiled. "I am a psychic remember, I can see what you're hiding from the others." Zedkiel's shoulders tensed and she tapped him on the chest. "That will play up if you don't watch yourself," she said, folding her arms just as Incendio came back with a bag. "Thank you dear," she said accepting the bag then holding it up, "in here you will find some things to help hide those markings you have or will receive," she said, "there is also a map in here on which I have marked out a route that will lead you safely out of The Winter Realm, I would strongly recommend following it but of course, you can choose your own path once you are away from here."

"Thank you," Zedkiel said, taking the bag and pulling out the map. "We'll follow it."

"You should be out of the realm soon enough with that route, I've tried to keep it as short as possible to make it easier on Theth," Mrs Julia said, looking out of the window, watching Theth wrench at Kalen's hair as Kalen tried to bite him. "Perhaps we should part now anyway, let you get on your way... and stop those two."

Glancing out of the window, Zedkiel nodded. "Might be for the best," he said, before striding out the door and separating the two.

"Incendio," Mrs Julia said, stopping him just before he followed, "Even if you don't follow the map, could you make sure you travel towards the first point marked on the map?"

Incendio looked at her, confused, then looked at the bag.

"I feel it will be of some interest to you four," she explained.

"Oh, alright then," he said, opening the bag to pull the map out.

"You were the only one who didn't seem to have a large opinion on this whole issue involving Cascadeia, were you for Kalen's thinking on this, or Theth?"

"Theth's," Incendio said without pause as he opened the map, "I'll always trust Theth's view until he gives me reason not to."

"You're very loyal to him."

Incendio glanced at her, then smiled. "Of course," he said then flattened the map for Mrs Julia, who pointed at a cross marked along a road.

"Go this way, then head in this direction, there's an inn there that will be expecting you sometime today or tomorrow," she said, drawing her finger along the route they were to take, then looked out of the window as Incendio put the map away. "Look after each other," she said, as he threw his cloak on and opened the door. He looked at her and she watched the others as they lifted onto their horses and gathered the reins, ready to depart.

"A realm depends on it," she muttered before Incendio stepped out.