Once they left the lake behind them, Raziel guided them north. The path up the mountain was beautiful with Sanyi half hanging out of the carriage to look at it all. Of course, the thought of horse-drawn transportation was something to marvel at, let alone the horses themselves. The sound of their hooves had a mesmerizing pattern. As the air began to grow colder, the wyvern double checked that it was not her fault, much to Raziel’s amusement. She pulled out a couple of cloaks and laid them on the bench by Saanyi, along with a pair of gloves for each of them. The angel seemed quite prepared for something.

Everything was moving smoothly for hours until… ”Stop!” Sanyi cried out, opening the door and eagerly jumping out without even waiting for the driver to listen. ”Sanyi!” But she didn’t listen. For the burst of movement mere moments before, the wyvern now stood still, staring up at the sky. A white… something was lazily drifting, caught in a gentle breeze that made Raziel shiver as she pulled the cloak over her shoulders. ”What is it?” she asked Ensarrian. Sanyi’s hands lifted to gently catch the falling white stuff. Her eyes grew wide with sudden surprise. It melted!

A cold drop of water was on her palm where it had been just moments previously. She tried again, reducing her temperature. This time it stayed. Slowly, she turned to Ensarrian and Raziel, her hands cupped around her discovery protectively, her face shining with pure and innocent awe. ”What is it?” Raziel stayed silent, leaving the explanation to Ensarrian. The wyvern was pleased with her answer and climbed back into the carriage. Something seemed to click from young amusement to serene captivation, for now, she sat still and quiet, watching the snow blanket the ground.

Despite Raziel’s insistence, Sanyi refused to don the cloak, though she did wear the new long-sleeved blouse the angel bought her. In truth, she never felt more comfortable or refreshed in her life. The wyvern continued her silent gaze, feeling quite at peace until she saw a town rise up in the distance. ”When we get there… I need to go to the underground apothecary storage area… Swing by my…. My home. When you are done sightseeing, Ian, meet us in the tavern. It lies at the center of town, the biggest building compared to the shops and homes surrounding it. If you get lost, any angel will happily give you directions. Sanyi, I will require your assistance, so you will have to follow me if you would be so kind.”

Sanyi had tuned back into the conversation at the mention of her name. Instead of her usual mutterings or complaints, Sanyi nodded. ”Yes, Raziel.” Her eyes finally drifted to look at Ensarrian’s fiery orbs, blushing as she did. ”Don’t freeze on us, Ensarrian.” The soft smirk showed she was attempting to make a joke despite her serious tone. Her head tilted curiously when she noticed Raziel fidgeting and shifting rather uncomfortably. ”Are you alright, Raziel?” The angel nodded as she moved to lean against Ensarrian, her hands gripped in tight fists as if to keep herself still. ”Fine…” But her voice was too tense, too emotional to be convincing, even to Sanyi. She looked worryingly at the other wyvern.

The Zujiuchu Mountains were unfamiliar to Ensarrian up close, so he allowed Raziel to take the lead after leaving the lake. He was thankful for the time to rest his weary feet when they took a carriage through the mountain path. He sat next to one of the windows, cheek resting in his palm and eyes watching the world pass by in silence. Many times he would steal a glance over at Sanyi, each time catching her leaning out of her own window. It almost made him chuckle for the first time in years, but the brightness her could that shone in her eyes was enough to bring a ghost of a smile to his face. For some reason that sight gave him a warm feeling in his chest and made his stomach flutter.

Ensarrian forced himself to look away from her for what had to be the one hundredth time since entering the mountains. He grumbled quietly to himself in annoyance. Why was it that no matter how many times he reminded himself to guard his heart he kept turning back to her? The dark Wyvern was too busy brooding to notice the things Raziel had laid out. It wasn’t until the little angel tapped his shoulder that she captured his attention. He apologized for his rudeness and took one of the cloaks and pairs of gloves with a grateful thank you. He pulled the cloak over his shoulders and slipped on the gloves, rubbing his hands together to help build warmth in them. Normally he would use his inner fire, but this was not a very brief visit, so it was best to save his magic for when he needs it the most.

Raziel had said this trip was only to restock her bag, but Ensarrian was skeptical. She disguised it well with bright smiles and encouraging words, but there was something hidden behind those eyes. There was sadness, and pain. He had a feeling this journey was personal to her, but couldn’t place how or why. He recalled the day they had met, sunset on the beach in Onnen. She had cried that night, he remembered very clearly. A claim that it was her birthday; even then it didn’t make much sense. Since then he had known there was more to the story, and for some reason she wouldn’t tell him. Perhaps this was connected to then somehow. But he wouldn’t ask, not yet. He trusted she would tell him when she was ready… he hoped.

Ensarrian was jerked from his thoughts when, out of the blue, Sanyi shouted and jumped out of the carriage. Raziel called after her, but there was brightness in the Wyvern’s eyes; she would not listen. He couldn’t hide his amusement as he watched Sanyi. The white flakes danced in their descent from the sky, mesmerizing her. She caught one, melting it in her hands. Another, and this one stayed. “It’s called snow,” he replied nonchalantly. “When the air is too cold, water vapor freezes and becomes snow.” Sanyi seemed satisfied with his explication and got back into the carriage. This time she was silent. All of her curiosity had gone. Now there was a calmness that washed over her as she watched the snowdrift. Her face was so soft, so… peaceful. His eyes stared at her largely, his heart fluttering. There was something— he didn’t know what, just something about seeing her that way that he liked. He swallowed and clutched his first over his racing heart, gripping the clothing hard.

Damn…

Ensarrian forced himself to look away again, feeling his face warm. He rubbed his temples as if that alone would help distract his thoughts from his fellow Wyvern, his betrothed… the beautiful girl that’s supposed to be his wife. He couldn’t seem to shake that fact from his mind. Every time he looked at her he would see her, not as the newest person to enter his life, but a girl he had known their whole lives, the precious daughter of another Alpha, the girl he had sworn to forever and always protect. That promise… he feared the thought of falling for her, but he had made a sacred promise and he had no intentions of leaving her. It was a promise he was willing to die to keep.

When Raziel began speaking Ensarrian barely noticed in time to catch what she said. He blinked and turned his eyes down on her, nodding obediently. But a single dark brow raised with suspicion. Ensarrian could not help but to wonder why she did not wish for him to go along with them, and why there was a pause in her words as she mentioned her home.

Her home… That could be personal, especially since he’s never heard her speak of it. Did it have anything to do with why she did not wish to go back home? To his surprise, Sanyi replied obligingly instead of with defiance. He wasn’t sure why, but he hadn’t expected her to warm up to being a familiar so quickly. Or perhaps it was just him who took so long to accept the role. She glanced at him, icy pools meeting his fiery ones. For a heartbeat he tensed, his heart betraying him with a flutter. “Please, I can handle myself in the cold just fine,” he countered with a phantom grin of his own. Raziel’s movements averted both of their attention to the angel. Everything about her appearance suggested something was amiss. It was so obvious that even Sanyi could see it. The angel replied simply, but there was no effort put into hiding the truth. His heart splintered at the pain in her voice, and he could not refuse her when she leaned against him. He exchanged glances with Sanyi. Her worried expression told him enough. Something was bothering Raziel, and for whatever reason she wasn’t spilling. He had tried respecting her silence and hoped she would come to him whatever she was ready. But now it has gotten to the point where he needed to give her a little push.

Keeping his expression calm, Ensarrian wrapped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her in against his chest. “I don’t understand why, but you’re hiding something from me. If you don’t trust me enough to tell me the truth, then at least trust me enough to hide your tears for you if you don’t wish for them to be seen,” his tone was soft and understanding, yet firm so that she would listen and consider what he was telling her. He pulled her closer by moving his other hand to the back of her head, hiding her face in his chest should she decide to cry, showing his words rang with truth. “It’s alright to shed tears. You can hide them from the world all you want, but please… don’t hide them from me.”

Ensarrian’s arm draped around her shoulders, holding her close in his warm embrace. To know that he was so comforting, even when she hides the pain, was almost enough to make her cry. Both wyverns had a right to be worried, for she knew that her efforts to keep everything locked down had been failing the closer they got to the Cradle. Raziel swallowed hard as she pressed her face into his chest. They had a right to know, despite her reluctance to share. It was hard to share the frightening truth with Ramiel, but she already knew half of the story. The angel shifted so her voice would not be blocked by Ensarrian.

”A long, long time ago,” she began, her voice heavy with emotion. Many of the stories started out that way on those nights not so long ago. ”There was a beautiful and brave angel who saw the beauty of the world. He also saw dark things fighting to destroy the beauty. In an effort to protect the world, the angel dedicated his life to defeating the evil from demons to monsters and the greedy hearts of men.” Raziel could remember sitting in front of a fire as she listened to the very same words coming from her mother. The way she spoke added mystery and allure, keeping a small Raziel sitting at the edge of her seat as she eagerly hung on every syllable.

”One day, he was beaten and left for dead. But when he woke, a beautiful woman stood over him, tending to his wounds. She thanked him for saving her life, for fighting as long as he had. The woman was a water nymph whose home was destroyed by the chaos of the battle, so she chose to follow the angel and assist him in his noble goal.” Various battles that were described to her flashed in her mind, imagined by a child so innocent and pure, she did not yet know the concept of life or death. ”They fell in love… Had kids… She’s dying…” Finally, the tears did fall silently as she buried herself into Ensarrian again, wrapping her arms around him to grip for support.

Sanyi averted her gaze, clenching her teeth together against her own memories. Due to her age upon Solmundr’s raid, her mother was the only adult who was spared. But she was drugged into compliance. Yet, lessons were still managed to get passed on. When young Sanyi was old enough to be without her mother, not to mention Solmundr outgrowing the fear the woman instilled into him about Sanyi’s survival, she was ripped from Sanyi’s hands. The echoes of the elder wyvern’s screams still haunt Sanyi’s nightmares. To lose one’s mother… It was something she could understand. Eventually, the half-angel stopped crying, her grip on Ensarrian loosened, yet she stayed in his embrace. The rest of the ride passed by in silence.

Even though her eyes were puffy, Raziel exited the carriage with her head held high. The wyvern was surprised by the angels that she saw walking about the streets. Most of them were of average height or taller. Due to Raziel, she had thought that all of them were short like her. Many of them noticed the trio and most of them greeted Raziel very friendly, each of them familiar with her in a way Sanyi was very unaccustomed to. Ensarrian was left to explore the town as the women made their way through town. Even though Raziel was blind, she knew her way around so well she did not require guidance. It amazed the wyvern to see the angel walk with confidence as a normal sentient being with sight.

She led them into what appeared to be a storage house with shelving units meticulously organized. Tools and equipment, bandages and feed. Anything one might need could be found inside. In the back was a stairway that led down into an underground system of more storage rooms. Raziel broke the silence. ”Do you like him?” Sanyi blinked with surprise at the sudden question. ”Ensarrian. Do you like him?” she repeated. ”Yes… I think so…” ”You need to talk to him. Ian can be… quite shy, and will always refuse to make the first move. He doesn’t know how to express his feelings.”

The wyvern frowned. ”I don’t understand…” Raziel stopped in her tracks. ”You two are so socially awkward because of your ordeals. He cares for you. But he won’t admit it. So stop being a demure and innocent wyvern. Be upfront with him, or neither of you will ever know the truth.” Sanyi was shocked as Raziel began walking again, her mind refusing to put the words into comprehension. What did she mean by the truth? ”You coming?” She numbly followed the angel as she restocked her bags with apothecary items, then made their way to her home. In silence, they left the house and went to the tavern where they would meet Ensarrian.