Fated Arrival (2)

KLOP...KLOP...KLOP...

In a four-person carriage, two people sat inside the comforts of ample space and sturdy construction, designed for long journeys across varied terrain.

The girl in the white cloak leaned against the plush cushions, her gaze fixed on the passing landscape. 

Every bump of the carriage, every turn in the road, brought her closer to her destination.

She had just finished her travels from her country to the mainland of Aethel and was now seated amongst one of the most powerful figures in the world.

"Thank you so much for accompanying me to the Kingdom, Mr. Benard..." she said, her voice soft but clear. 

With a gentle tug, she lowered her hood, revealing a cascade of pale blue hair that shimmered like spun ice in the sunlight.

On the side of her hair a delicate silver clip, shaped like a snowflake, held back a portion of her hairstyle, the intricate design a symbol of her family's crest.

"Ah, don't mention it, Your Royal Highness, the pleasures all mine!"

Bernard chuckled as the carriage swayed and rumbled.

He looked outside the window to see the small houses of villagers appearing now and then.

"I'm just returning your father the favour. He saved me back then."

"I see..."

Audrey's expression remained unchanged, her blue eyes fixed on the passing landscape.

"His save must have been quite something."

"It was. So... how are you finding it here, Princess Audrey?"

Audrey's eyes drifted back from the window to Benard.

"It's much brighter and warmer here compared to Hybernia."

"Yeah, the climate is pretty nice here. It doesn't get too hot or too cold. If anything, I'm just glad it's not like Drakenheim."

"Mhm," Princess Audrey responded, her gaze already drifting back towards the window.

She traced a delicate finger along the frost-patterned design seemingly more captivated by the scenery than by Benard's words.

"For someone who's been around the world, would you live in Drakenheim or Hybernia?"

"Well, I'd definitely live in Hybernia," He said with a chuckle, "since heated conditioning exists there—my body doesn't appreciate the Drakenheim chill."

Wehaha!

Benard slapped his knee and kept laughing, then his smile faded as a flicker of concern crossed his eyes. 

He glanced towards the driver and then back to Princess Audrey. 

"Is it just me, or is the carriage..."

CRACK...

A sudden jolt ran through the carriage, disrupting their conversation. Audrey frowned, and her blue eyes narrowed towards the window.

Outside, the peaceful scenery of rolling hills and quaint villages was softening in a dizzying rush.

"What was that?" she asked.

CRACKKKKK!!

Before Benard could answer, a sharp CRACK! split the air, followed by a sickening lurch as the carriage veered off the road. 

The world tilted at a dizzying angle, and Audrey felt herself thrown against Benard.

With his arms crossed, he didn't lift a finger or move.

Then suddenly Audrey had been caught in mid-air by a strange energy.

Outside, the panicked whinnying of horses mingled with the scraping of wood against stone.

Dust rose around them as the carriage skidded to a halt and then its wheels flopped at an unnatural angle.

"What in the..." Bernard muttered.

He steadied Audrey, but kept his arms crossed, keeping a careful eye out for anything dangerous.

Then his expression hardened as he assessed the situation.

"...It seems we have a slight predicament, Princess."

A moment of tense silence hung in the air, punctuated only by the wheezing of the horses and the creaking of the damaged carriage. 

"Begging your pardon, sir, but the carriage... it seems to have broken down," a voice piped up from the front, tinged with a nervous tremor.

Benard, his arms still crossed, merely raised an eyebrow. 

"You don't say..." he muttered to himself

Then, with a flick of his index finger, the strange energy that had been cradling Audrey dissipated, and she gently landed back on the seat. 

He pulled his hood back over his head, concealing his features once more.

"I'll let you know when you can go for a walk, Princess," he said, with a calm and reassuring voice. 

"For now, just stay inside. I'll see if the problem is as bad as our driver seems to think."

He pushed open the carriage door, stepping out into the breeze.

The driver, an agile man with a look of panic, rushed towards him, gesturing wildly at the broken wheels.

"The axle snapped clean through, sir! We'll be lucky if—"

Benard raised a hand, silencing the driver's frantic explanations. 

"I can see that. Now, calm yourself and tell me: where exactly are we?"

The driver stammered, but his eyes darted around as if searching for a landmark.

"Just outside of Nefta, sir. A small village, but—"

"Nefta?!" His eyes were in shock to see the state of the village, "I wouldn't even have guessed."

He ran a hand through his red hair, a deep frown creasing his brow. 

This village really has changed... to think they call it a village is an understatement!

Though Benard was joyful about the situation, a young voice broke through his thoughts.

"Excuse me, sir? Are you alright? That was a nasty crash!"

Benard turned to find a boy, no older than six, with bright, inquisitive eyes and a mop of unruly brown hair, standing a few feet away. 

Two others: a slightly younger boy with a more reserved demeanour and a tall, imposing man who looked like he could handle himself in a fight, accompanied him.

"We heard the commotion from the blacksmith's shop," the boy with blonde hair continued.

"We came to see if anyone was hurt."

Benard felt the warmth of the boy's genuine concern. 

He knelt down, meeting the boy's gaze. "Thank you for your kindness," he said with a gentle smile. 

"We seem to have lost a wheel or two, but thankfully, no one was injured."

As he spoke, Bernard couldn't help but notice the boy's striking resemblance to someone...

Why does this kid look like someone I know?

The shape of his eyes, the curve of his smile... it was all too familiar.

"Ezekiel! Get back here this instant!"

The tall man, who Benard now presumed to be the boy's caretaker, rushed forward, grabbing Ezekiel by his arm. 

"I apologise for his intrusion, sir. He has a tendency to wander off."

Benard chuckled, finding the situation more amusing than alarming.

"It's quite alright," he reassured the man. "Children are naturally curious. Is this young man yours?" he asked, gesturing towards Ezekiel.

"I'm his caretaker," the man clarified with a slight bow of his head conveying respect.

"I see..." Benard replied, amusingly.

But as his gaze shifted to the other boy, the one with the reserved demeanour, a wave of surprise washed over him.

Black dyed hair? He thought, his eyes narrowing as he observed the boy's unusual appearance. 

Most children of that age wouldn't bother with such things.

And those eyes... they were a startling blue, but something about their intensity seemed unnatural. 

Benard prided himself on his ability to see through disguises, to discern the truth behind a person's facade with a single glance. 

But this boy... he was a puzzle Benard couldn't quite solve.

His instincts screamed that something wasn't right, that there was more to this child than met the eye.

As Benard continued to observe him, the boy met his gaze unlike any other child.

Those red eyes were different compared to the ones of an innocent child.

Benard felt a shiver run down his spine.

He'd only encountered that kind of focus a handful of times before. 

But he knew that this child wasn't of the ordinary bunch.

"Can you see it?"