Chapter 75: Chapter Sixty-Eight: Departure 

“Unhand me!” Lucetta screamed as she ran down the stairs, Neige hot on her heels. 

“But I have to leave soon, and you’re just, so, cute!” 

The moment Neige first laid eyes on Lucetta, something snapped inside her. Some deep familial desire had bubbled to the surface, and Neige immediately declared Lucetta family. 

To the lonely Neige, Lucetta was the younger sister she’d always dreamed of. Sadly for her, Lucetta didn’t see it that way. Lucetta did everything in her power (short of physically attacking) to escape Neige’s attempts at physical bonding. 

“Bernice!” Lucetta shouted as she ran behind me. “Keep her away from me.” 

“Neige,” I giggled, holding out my arms. “Lucetta doesn’t want to be touched, this makes the third time I’m going to have to give you a lecture about consent.” 

“I just want to cuddle with her,” Neige pouted. “I swear I won’t hurt her.” 

“I understand, but she doesn’t like that, so we can’t do it. Besides, shouldn’t you be preparing to leave tomorrow morning? Otrea said she will provide any supplies we ask for. You’re the pilot, I don’t know how long this will take, or what we’ll need.” 

“As long as we avoid unnecessary detours I expect we could make it in about three days. Assuming your map is accurate.” 

“So we need food for two people for six days, some warm clothes for flying, anything else?” 

“Eh?” Neige tilted her head and stared at me as if I’d just said something stupid. “Warm clothes for flying? It’s not that cold.” 

“Says the snow elf.” 

“Better to have more than you need, than to need and not have,” Rysa commented patting Neige on the shoulder, as she stepped into the room. “Being cautious is rarely a bad thing. I’m glad you’re taking after me more than Laura on this front, Bernice.” 

“Hard not to, seeing how Mommy Laura would probably dance naked in a snowstorm if she thought it sounded fun.” 

“True,” Rysa smiled. Stepping around me she knelt so that she was eye level with Lucetta, holding her hand out to her. “Come with me Lucetta, I need to cast a few protections on your soul.” 

“Is she in danger already?” I asked, gazing in concern at Lucetta. 

“No,” Rysa shook her head. “Just some precautions.” 

“I’ll follow you,” Lucetta noted pushing Rysa’s hand away. “But I’m not taking your hand. I’m not a child.” 

“Holding hands isn’t a childish thing.” 

“Don’t start with me,” Lucetta huffed. “There is a big difference between offering your hand to an adult and offering it to a child. You were treating me like a child, I know it.” 

“Alright, follow me Munchkin.” 

“Don’t call me Munchkin!” 

“As you wish, Tiny.” 

“Don’t call me Tiny either! Call me Lucetta. Lou-set-ah, I refuse to respond to anything else!” 

“Aww, Baby Lucetta is getting angry.” 

“I’m going to kill you.” 

I laughed as Rysa and Lucetta left the study behind, enjoying the thorough ribbing Rysa was dishing out. That said, Rysa’s playful teasing of the now-child Lucetta did cause a shiver to go down my spine. After all, she’d once admitted that she wanted to make me a kid again, but Mommy Laura wouldn’t let her. 

With Mommy Laura gone, I can only hope Rysa doesn’t get any ideas after playing with Lucetta. If she wanted me to be a kid again, I doubt I could do anything to stop her. 

“Do you think she’ll be an adult when we get back?” Neige asked, gazing forlornly at Lucetta’s back. 

“I was told forced aging was painful. I guess it really depends on how much she actually hates being a kid, and her tolerance for pain. Honestly, with what little I know about her, I do believe this is a good opportunity. Experiencing a second childhood could be exactly what she needs to restart her life.” 

“Is that so?” 

“Yes. Though you’ve surprised me Neige, I didn’t think you’d try so desperately to play the big sister role for her.” 

“I never had any younger siblings,” Neige smiled ruefully, her eyes unfocusing as a wave of nostalgia hit her. “From the day I was born to the day I left the village, there was never anyone younger than me. This is the first chance I’ve had to dote on a child of the same race as me.” 

“Well, I’m sure deep down she’s enjoying the attention. She’ll probably have no reason to ask Otrea to forcibly age her.” 

Neige and I chatted a bit more before retiring to our rooms. We planned to leave early in the morning to give ourselves as much daylight as possible. Due to snow elves having absolutely dismal night vision we’d have to land before the sunset each day. 

“Still awake?” Rysa whispered as she slipped into my room. 

“Just barely,” I replied, opening a single eye to stare at her. 

“Alright,” Rysa sat down on the edge of the bed and began to brush her fingers through my hair. “I just wanted to tell you to be careful on your trip. Since I’m a foreign god here, I can’t exert my powers as freely as I once did, meaning I can’t come to your aid. You’re stronger now, but there are still so many people who could overpower you. Don’t let yourself be dragged into any fights you aren’t sure you can win, okay?”

“I don’t plan to run into anybody,” I smiled. “In and out, once we have a handful of coffee cherries we’ll be on our way. I plan to be long gone before Libelle can even smell us.” 

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“Libelle may not be the only dragon you are at risk of running into. Who knows what inhabits that part of the world right now. Never let your guard down, okay?” 

“You know, you were the first one to suggest I go collect some coffee.” 

“Yes, and I’m not stopping you. I just wanted to tell you to be cautious.” 

“I will be. I fully plan to come back in one piece without a single scratch on me.” 

“You better,” Rysa smiled. “I’ll be upset with you if you let yourself get hurt.” 

“I wouldn’t want that,” I reached out and clasped Rysa’s hand in mine, then faded off into the land of dreams. 

The next morning, Neige called her wyvern to the manor’s backyard. The massive winged lizard looked far more draconic than I’d imagined, its scales a pale pinkish color, each glimmering like a pearl. On the wyvern’s back was a saddle and a pair of saddlebags, which Neige quickly stuffed full of our provisions. 

“Ready when you are,” Neige said as she mounted her wyvern, holding out a hand to help me up. 

“Umm, does your wyvern have a name?” I asked as I took Neige’s offered hand. 

“Gloria,” Neige replied, helping me nestle into the saddle in front of her. 

“Won’t I obscure your vision? Shouldn’t I be sitting behind you?” 

“You’re short enough, it won’t be a problem.” 

“If you say—“ I was cut short by Gloria flapping her powerful wings, rocketing us into the air. “Fuck, warn me next time!” I grumbled tightly clutching the saddle. 

“Sorry, you didn’t bite your tongue did you?” Neige asked as one of her arms snaked around me, tightly clutching my stomach. 

“No, thankfully.” 

“Good,” Neige leaned her head forward so that her cheek brushed against one of my ears. “Take off and landing are the only rough bits. You’ll find that flying is quite boring once we’ve been in the air for a few hours.” 

“How?” I asked, gazing down at the city beneath us. “It’s beautiful up here.” 

“The city might be, but we’ll be over nothing but trees soon.” 

“Even then, I can’t imagine it’ll be an uninteresting sight.” 

“Maybe I’ve allowed myself to become cynical,” Neige laughed. “I’ll try to look at everything with a fresh perspective.”

“You should, this is amazing.” 

“Hey, Bernice.” 

“Yeah?” 

“Thanks.” 

“For what?” 

“Convincing Lucetta to become a snow elf. Just knowing I’m not the last one, it’s so freeing.”

“You should be thanking her. All I did was ask the question, she was the one who agreed.” 

“If I wasn’t broke I’d shower her in presents to show how thankful I am.”

“Well you’re doing me a solid by flying me around, I could provide some coin so you can buy her a present.” 

“Would it have the same meaning, if you were the one to pay for it?” 

“If you don’t tell her I paid, she’ll never know.” 

“Bernice,” Neige whispered, nuzzling against my ear. 

“Yeah?”

“You’re a wonderful girl.” 

“Feel like kissing me?” 

“I’m getting there.” 

Neige, you’re too easy. 

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