Aria watched as Leon and Helbram’s party sat at the table closest to the bar. She herself was at the corner of the bar, a bowl of hot porridge steaming in front of her. Cora, who had put the bowl in front of her, had returned to the kitchen with Erik, leaving her alone to witness their discussion. Though, for the time being, she was more inclined to poke at her food with a spoon. Before, she would be able to smell the honey that was drizzled across the porridge’s top, taste the sweetness that it provided. Now it was nothing more than a bland stew, but she could still smell a phantom of its scent, an echo of its taste. It would have been a cause for worry, but that had been occupied by the chill that kept creeping across her skin in waves, giving her gooseflesh even if she stood in front of a fire. Her impulse was to ignore it, but as the chill bit down to her bones it was something that was getting harder to do. She knew what it was, what was happening to her.

The Cold was returning.

She clenched her hand around her spoon to stop it from shaking, but failed to stop her lips from trembling.

“I trust that I don’t need to tell you that the journey will be dangerous?” Leon asked. His tone was neutral, but Aria could see a darkness over the man’s eyes. 

Eyes that were doing everything they could to not look over to her.

“At the risk of sounding foolhardy, danger is something that we are greatly familiar with,” Helbram said, “But this is admittedly outside of our usual scope, and we defer to you for guidance.”

Leon nodded, “We make for Blade’s Rest. From there we will get in contact with others from our order and escort Aria to our keep.”

“And where is that?” Leaf asked.

“The outskirts of Helios territory, close to the borders of Voltun.”

Elly rubbed her chin, “If we were to be particularly expeditious about the journey, then that would take us the better part of two months.”

“Yes, though your party possessing a wagon is quite the boon,” Leon said.

Leaf tilted his head, “How so?”

“While it will be cramped, it should be enough to hold all of us while your Auroc keeps going.”

“Oi, if we pushed Bessie that hard she wouldn’t survive the journey.”

“Normally, yes, but we are in possession of boons that would prevent that from happening,” as Leon spoke, Ren walked down the tavern stairs. The Black Cloak looked to the Cleric, who gave a knowing nod and took a seat next to his companion. Ren cast a look at Aria as he sat down and rubbed his chin. Their eyes met and as he gave her a smile and a wave.

“What Leon says is correct,” the Cleric added.

To add to his point, he tapped his staff on the ground, triggering a soft amber light from its tip.

“With a minor blessing from Velendel, Bessie will not tire for quite some time,” Ren said with confidence, “We of course will stop to allow her to rest normally, but with the blessing our travels will take half the time”

Leaf crossed his arms and frowned.

“I assure you that it is harmless,” Ren added, “I have used it on myself many times for when we’ve had to travel long distances.”

The skeptical man looked to Leon, “And you?”

The Black Cloak linked his fingers, “I’ve no need of it. My abilities as an Awoken have granted me similar advantages.”

“Yes… an Expert would be able to stay up for quite a long period, should he desire to do so,” Helbram begrudgingly agreed.

“We have no intention of forcing this upon you,” Ren said, “Our travels should be faster with your wagon regardless.”

Leaf looked over to Aria. The girl was following their conversation with curiosity, but admittedly the significance of what they discussed was beyond her current comprehension. What she did know, however, was the twinge of worry in Leaf’s eyes, but before she could look further he closed them and sighed.

“Fine,” he said, “But I’ll be keeping a close eye on her. The moment she starts to be in any distress we are letting her rest, understand?”

Leon and Ren both nodded.

“Thank you,” the Cleric said.

“Don’t thank me, thank Bessie,” Leaf scratched his head and slumped in his seat. Jahora patted his shoulder, “And if you try to push her it’s your arse.”

“I understand,” Ren said.

“What can we expect to encounter on the road?” Hebram asked.

“If we are lucky, nothing,” Ren said with a sigh, “but given that we’ve no idea where the other Shades have gone, we must prepare for a possible attack.”

“We do have to ask, what does Aria possess to make her the subject of interest of multiple Shades?” Elly asked

“We can only guess,” Leon said, “and given that they are reluctant to reveal themselves, or their secrets, we can only assume that allowing them to get their hands on her would be less than ideal.”

The Black Cloak spoke with a dispassionate tone, one which gave Aria an uneasiness that she could not place. Realization then struck her.

He hadn’t looked at her, not even once, since he came down to the tavern.

“Noted,” Helbram said, “it would be prudent to expect an attack, and we do have to consider the possibility of reinforcements.”

Ren rubbed his chin, “You’re not wrong. Until we get to Blade’s Rest we will need to be vigilant.”

Leon reached under his cloak and produced two round bottles, each around half the size of his palm. Even from the bar, Aria could see that they were filled with a bright red liquid.

“If anyone of you are grievously wounded, use these,” the Black Cloak said, “but I must caution you.”

Helbram leaned forward, “About what?”

“The effects of these potions are extremely potent, allowing you to recover from all manner of injuries, but its side effects are all the more pronounced as a result.”

“Which means?” Jahora asked.

“Imagine all the pain you would have felt recovering occuring all at once, and magnified by a factor of ten. For Awoken of the Expert level and above, it is possible to push through this pain, but should one of lesser strength be subjected to this backlash… I will not say you will perish, but the likelihood of you retaining consciousness is very low.”

Helbram clicked his teeth, but took the bottles anyway, “Let us hope that such things never come to pass.”

“I’ve another question,” Leaf asked as Helbram put the bottles away.

Ren turned to him, “What is it?”

“If we’re going to be dealing with Shades, you must have a way of dealing with their abilities, right? Beyond your own strengths, of course.”

Leon reached back into his robes again and placed two objects on the table. They were pairs of rings made from a light golden metal, linked together by chains of similar material. She could see a sheen of white light pulse over the cuffs, as well as the frowns that had washed over Helbram’s party as they saw the objects.

“Sealing Cuffs…” Jahora muttered.

“At the very least, these do not have spikes,” Elly said, “In fact, these are a far more sophisticated design.”

“Spikes?” Ren’s brow furrowed, “There are still those that use the spikes?”

“The Freemarks can be a less than modern place at times,” Helbram admitted.

“I am more curious to know what you did to encounter such things,” Leon inquired.

Helbram sighed, “A mix of bad luck and happenstance, but back to the task at hand,” he picked up one of the cuffs, “These are potent enough to seal the abilities of a Shade?”

Leon nodded, “As strong as they are, a Shade’s abilities are merely reflection of their skills in their previous lives, which means that they are reliant on Ether or Aether. If we are capable of cutting off their connection to such energies then they are no different than anyone else.”

It was then that Leon started to turn towards Aria, but he stopped himself before he made eye contact. Jahora appeared to catch onto this, and frowned.

“No,” she said.

Leon looked at her, but said nothing else.

“Are we to take one of these?” Helbram asked.

“I’d recommend it,” Ren said, “In the case you are attacked by a Shade while we are not there, you will need every edge to emerge victorious.”

Helbram tapped the cuffs against his knuckles and, after a moment of thought, held them out to Elly. She looked at him in confusion.

“Deft hands,” Helbram said with a smile, “and you are the one most familiar with them.”

Apprehension clear on her face, Elly still took the restraints and slipped them into her pocket.

Ren stood up, “Right then, anything further we can discuss on the road,” he tapped Leon on the shoulder and walked towards the door, “We’ll do one final sweep of the town, and then be on our way. Will that be enough time for all of you?”

Helbram nodded, “Yes.”

“Good, we will not be long,” Leon stood up and walked towards the door. When he was halfway across the tavern, he stopped. The Black Cloak started to turn to Aria once again, but like before he stopped before he fully faced her. He grit his teeth, and turned away from her before marching out. Ren gave Aria an apologetic smile before he followed after his companion, leaving her and Helbram’s party alone.

Jahora stood up from her table and sat herself next to Aria, she looked at the barely touched porridge in front of the girl.

“You’ve hardly touched your food!” she said as she pushed the bowl closer to the girl.

“...it doesn’t taste good,” Aria said, a longing in her voice.

“I see… but you have to eat to be strong,” Jahora wrapped an arm around her, “we’ve a long journey ahead of us.”

The Mage spoke in a cheery tone, but Aria could recognize the worry in her eyes. Nodding, she started to take small bites from the bowl in front of her.

As Jahora encouraged her to eat, the rest of her party approached.

“Going to grab supplies?” Jahora asked.

Helbram nodded, “Given the pace they are aiming for we will need to stock up a bit more than intended, and it is going to need more hands than mine if we are to be expedient about it.”

“If they deign to do business with us,” Elly admitted, “though perhaps they would be more amicable if they were to be aware that we were leaving.”

“Aye, press them for an extra pack of hard tack,” Leaf said in a dry tone, “how exciting.”

Helbram snorted and shook his head, but looked back to Jahora, “It will most likely take some time, I trust that you will handle things here?”

She smiled, “Of course.”

He ruffled Aria’s hair and patted her on the shoulder, “We will be back soon.”

The girl beamed at him, and sent the three off with a wave.

With Jahora’s urging, Aria eventually did finish her food, and as she did Cora and Erik stepped out of the kitchen, steaming mugs in their hands.

“Oh?” Cora placed the cups on the bar, “did they all step out?”

“A few last minute errands,” Jahora explained.

“I see…” Erik mused, “honestly things are happening so fast that I can hardly believe it.”

“Yes,” his wife said in a sorrowful tone, “I’d thought we’d have until the weather calmed down before you all set out.”

“Likewise,” Jahora said, “but as things are, the haste is warranted,” she sighed and rubbed her temples.

“You don’t seem happy about it,” Cora slid one of the cups towards her.

“It’s… just a lot that is happening at once. I feel like I haven’t had a chance to catch my breath.”

“There is no better time than now,” Erik said as he sipped his mug, “Take some time to center yourself for the journey ahead.”

Jahora took a sip from the mug with a thankful expression, “Perhaps I will, after I get Aria ready.”

“We’ll take care of that,” Cora said, “tis only a few things left to pack.”

“Let Aria choose some of her favorites,” Erik said with a firm nod.

Jahora opened her mouth and started to stand up.

“We insist,” Cora said, “if you keep this up you will burn yourself out before your journey even starts.”

Aria looked at Jahora closely, seeing the sunken look in the Mage’s eyes, the hair that frayed from her bun and the paler, almost sickly appearance to her skin compared to when she first met her. Even with the fear of the Cold growing in her mind, Aria reached out and touched Jahora’s cheek.

“I’ll be ok,” she said, “rest.”

Jahora held the girl’s hand and smiled, “Ok, I shall.”

Erik clapped a hand over the woman’s shoulder as he walked towards his room. Aria took his hand as he passed by and followed after him, giving Jahora another smile before Cora followed after them. 

As they entered the room the couple set about gathering the last of the girl’s clothes and started folding them. Aria was surprised by the amount, not having realized how much of their own clothing the two had altered for her. Aria felt guilt crept into her chest as her pack started to swell, something that the couple noticed in her eyes.

“What’s wrong?” Cora asked as she walked over to her.

“I only cause trouble,” the girl said with a weak tone. In the corner of her mind, a distant voice echoed its agreement.

“No you haven’t,” Cora kneeled down and grabbed her shoulders, “You have nothing to be sorry for Aria. Nothing at all.”

“But your clothes… and Jahora, and everyone…”

“All things that people have willingly done for you,” Erik said, “you didn’t force them to do it. We all chose to do this on our own.”

“Which reminds us,” Cora said with a smile, “we’ve a gift for you.”

Aria looked up, her head tilted with curiosity.

Cora looked over to Erik, who walked to the wardrobe and opened it, pulling out another piece of clothing.

One that hadn’t been altered from their own.

It was a dress of brilliant white, like snow that sheened in the sunlight. Its design was simple, but there were a few frills and patterns sewn into the short sleeves and skirt that made it feel look bigger than it actually was. Even through her dulled senses, Aria could feel the excitement rise in her chest.

“It took some convincing, but we managed to find a dress around your size,” Erik said in a prideful tone.”

“I touched it up,” Cora puffed her chest out, “Just a bit.”

Her husband snorted, “Is that what we call it? Jahora’s not the only one that’s lost a bit of sleep lately.”

Cora waved her hand frivolously, “Twas nothing, and completely worth it,” she looked back to Aria, “Would you like to try it on?”

Aria nodded fervently.

Erik laughed.

The woman beamed at her, “Perfect, but I would ask one thing of you.”

Aria tilted her head.

“A final goodbye,” Cora said, “to the place that you came from.”

The girl did not know what she was referring to at first, but the seriousness in Erik’s expression signaled her realization.

“My… the house.”

Cora nodded, “Yes. You don’t have to talk to your family of course, but it’s a fine chance for a clean break,” her grip tightened, “To face your past before you put it behind you forever.”

Aria looked to Erik, who nodded in agreement.

“What do you say?”

Aria looked at the couple, then at the dress, and nodded.

“I should tell Jahora,” she turned turned towards the door

“We can just keep this between us,” Cora said in a quieter tone, “she needs some time to rest. You know if you said anything now she’d only worry more.”

Aria hand reached for the door handle, but then Jahora’s tired expression entered her mind. The fatigue, the worry, the pain behind it all that seemed ready to break out at any moment.

And she let her hand fall.

---

Jahora sat at the bar and sipped at her tea, fighting the urge to follow after Aria as she entered the couple’s room. As the Mage was now, doing so would have only made the girl feel worse, and Cora was not wrong in saying that she was tightly wound.

She still did not know if she could trust Leon and Ren. What they said made sense, and Ren in particular did paint a picture where Aria would be treated well, but she had no way of confirming that was true without checking for herself. Helbram was the one to bring up the idea, but she knew she would have gone with Aria regardless.

She had to do it right this time.

For her… for Roy.

And for herself.

She sighed and took a long swig of her team, wincing when she found the beverage hotter than she initially thought. As she cooled off the tongue, the door behind her opened.

“Oh, Erik’s not in is he?” a slurred voice said.

Jahora turned and saw Rodney had walked in. The man’s face held a drunken droopiness to it, but she’d seen the man enough to know that was just how he looked regardless of his inebriation.

“He’s busy in the back,” she said in a dull tone.

“Ah I see, well he won’t mind if I get myself started for the day.”

Rodney walked behind the bar and rifled through Erik’s stock. It was something that he’d done even in Erik’s presence, so Jahora let him continue. Eventually, he produced a large wooden mug and darkened bottle of ale, popping its cork with a look of glee.

“A bit early for drink, don’t you think?” she asked.

“No such thing,” Rodney poured the bottle into the cup and looked back towards Erik’s room, “they with the girl?”

“Yes.”

He shrugged, “Don’t know what they’re thinking, getting wrapped up in that sort of business.”

“Define ‘business’,” Jahora narrowed her eyes.

“Curses.”

“She’s not a curse!”

Despite the venom in Jahora’s voice, Rodney remained unfazed.

“Sure,” he said in a blunt tone, “But I supposed if anyone was going to be involved it was those two.”

“What do you mean?” Jahora asked.

“They’re not native to these parts,” Rodney explained, “Not familiar with our history.”

Jahora froze.

Rodney sipped his mug and scratched at his whiskers, “Came in around five years ago? Was rather sudden, honestly, but I’d say The Wandering Fowl is a fine addition to our town. Sure Erik will wander off sometimes, but the man always found himself back here,” he snickered, “with a wife like that I can see why. Shame about the baby.”

“Baby?”

“Cora lost her child quite a while ago,” he said, “before they came to town, but you can tell it still hurts her. Maybe that’s why she takes pity on the girl.”

Jahora shot up from her seat, starting Rodney. She ignored the man’s protests as she hurried to Erik’s door. Her breaths started to quicken, but she felt herself losing air as she knocked on the door.

No one answered.

She grabbed the handle, praying as she threw the door open.

Only to find an empty room.

---

Author's Note: To be quite honest, this is probably the chapter I'm most unsure about this arc. The revelation that happens here is meant to be a surprise, so I didn't hint at it a whole bunch since I wanted it to be a genuine "whaaaaaat" moment, but what I'm probably most worried about is how it lands. I considered having Erik and Cora just be innocent bystanders, but given how nebulous the threat of Shades was, it felt weak to me if I just threw antagonists that appear all of the sudden so I wanted it to be more personal. I am aware that I could have delved into Erik and Cora's background some more, but given their position I didn't want them to be revealing too much about themselves other than just being helpful to create that false sense of security and I feel like if I focused on them too much earlier it would have bogged down the pace and created the expectation that something special about them was coming up.

Again, still unsure about this chapter and execution, but the plot point was intended from the start. Let me know what you think of it! Does it make sense? What holes do you think this creates?

Things are certainly picking up though :p Till next time folks! See you next week!