[Lanie's POV]
It's been a week since Aiden was abducted, and since we departed the team and I have crossed the entire bridge nation to reach the border into the Paganish Realm. But we've ran into a problem because since the last two days when we reach the border we've been denied permission to enter.
"I can't believe we've come all this way just to be stopped at the border." Rana poked her food.
The border patrol men explained that sudden spikes in magical energy output made the border between realms unstable, making it dangerous for anyone not returning as the border would have no destination to send you in the Paganish Realm. With nothing to do but wait, we all spit up to do some sight seeing.
Me and Rana were currently in a bistro having lunch as we gloomed over the situation.
"I don't understand why Eder can't take us to where he came in from." Rana sulked.
"Because he went in with Aiden, but left. Think of it like fishing; someone is cast into the ocean, the Paganish Realm, while still connected here. Eder was sent back with all connections to the Paganish Realm severed. Unless someone whose returning to the Paganish Realm will travel with us, we have to wait until the spike settles." I explained to my sister-wife.
"How long could that be?"
"3, sometimes 4 weeks." Equally sullen, I looked into my food. "You remember that time Aiden tried to make bread for breakfast, but forgot the oil, making the bread brick-like." I turn to fawn memories of our time together. "When he bit into it he nearly broke his teeth."
Rana giggled with me. "He tried to play it off as a joke." Aiden was a smart, humorous man, but he could always be absentminded when focusing on something else. "Lanie, I've been wondering, what is it about Aiden you made you fall in love with him?"
It was strange explaining it. "I always thought he was handsome since I met him, but I wouldn't call it love at first sight. Being with him during our time separated in the dungeon... I got to see how sharp and kind he was. Quickly, came to see him as a friend, but then falling in love just became unavoidable." I sipped some of my water.
"Lanie..." Rana looked away. "Time can pass strangely in that realm, if we found Aiden..."
"You remember what he said." I brought her in closure to whisper. "He can't age until he returns home, even if a a year or more goes by-"
"It's not that." Rana was uncomfortable. "If we find him... what he's forgotten us and moved on... and found someone else?"
"... I fear that too." I didn't what to believe it was a possibility, but I needed to accept it. "He could find someone new... maybe someone more 'Junoesque', and fell out of love with us, but then I look at this." I showed Rana the ring Aiden gave me at out wedding. "When he gave us our rings, he said they were a symbol of unending love, and believe that he will always love us, no matter how much time passes."
My friend looked at her ring. "You're right, I'm just feeling moody lately."
We continued eating as another group sat at the table next to ours. From the corner of my eye, it looked like a group of five, three short, greying men with beards and two short men like Eder; my guess is they're a group of craftsmen by the tool belts they had, and they are three dwarves and two halflings. Placing there order, I overheard one of them say something that sparked my interest.
"It's true, I heard about it from my cousin before we left, the Colosseum monster was beat by a fresh arrival slave." A halfling spoke. "Said he used a sword cut the beast's head clean off like a knife through bread. Once we get back home, we should go see if he's still there."
Slave? sword? Colosseum? It was too similar to be anything else. "Excuse me, you're all from the Paganish Realm, correct?" I poked into their conversation.
"Aye." The dwarf with the longest beard spoke. "You know it?
"Not through experience. Me, my friend, and our group are making our way there." I gave a vague explanation.
"That's a good plan." The dwarf next to him with the red beard complimented. "I was there a while back, the destination is worth the journey. We're leaving right after lunch and was just talking about heading there."
Rana smiled with me. "Thank you, we were planning to cross a few days ago but the spike prevents us from entering."
"Sounds like a real problem." A halfling with blue hair pointed out. "Those spikes can last weeks here, and don't get me started about across the border. Sorry for your situation."
"It is a problem, if we had someone returning we could ask them, but we're traveling with our group in three carriages. That means we would need at least three people returning to the same place at the same time to keep everyone together." I kept dropping hints. "If we could find three, maybe even four or five, people crossing, we could all cross together."
"That's true, if you could find those people." The red bearded dwarf commented, ignorant of what we were saying.
Rana exhaled. "Gentlemen, would help us cross the border?" She asked, assertively.
The fey men looked at one another for a moment. "'Sure!'" They all agreed in unison.
This is wonderful! We might be able to reach Aiden faster than expected!
"Oh, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!" Rana pulled them into a massive bear hug. "We have to go tell the others!" Impulsively, she ran out with the confused men still being constricted.
"Rana, wait!" I left some money for the food as I tried to catch up to her.
Aiden, wherever you are, please hold out for a little bit longer. We are coming to rescue you!
