When Ella had finished her sweet potato, she sat back with a sigh of contentment.
Briar glanced at Ella. "So? Is it enough?"
Ella pursed her lips. "Maybe….just kidding, teehee! Of course it's enough!"
Robin and the rest of the party, who were a little tense, relaxed. They suppressed their cheers of excited laughter as Robin asked. "Really? You mean it?"
"I don't see an issue with it. After all, you did hold up your end of the bargain. I have no objections." Ella nodded. Ella then turned to Briar with a wink.
"Briar, dear, why don't you do the honors of introducting them?"
Briar raised an eyebrow, but agreed, with an amiable nod. "All right." She stood and cleared her throat.
"Honorable guests from Ekkinshire, and Hero Robin, may I present to you, the leader of the batkin tribe, ruler of the mountain range, the Honorable Stella." Briar waved a hand flourish in Ella's direction.
The group looked behind Ella first. But Robin was the quickest to catch on. "...So you weren't in fact Ella, but Stella." She said.
"What?" Gerard squeaked, wide-eyed.
Ella-I mean Stella- smiled. "You catch on quick."
"You were in on it from the very start. Weren't you, Briar?" Robin asked. "From the moment we met, you were playing along."
"I couldn't help myself. Both me and Stella do enjoy our bits of mischief. I would hate to ruin her fun. Besides, Ella is indeed a part of her name, so considering it a nickname is appropriate." Briar chuckled. "Do forgive me. I didn't think it would do any harm to you."
Robin shrugged her shoulders. "I…should have guessed. You can't be serious for too long, can you?"
"Well…no, actually. Not anymore." Briar admitted, tilting her head as she considered it. "I suppose I may have used most of it up a couple hundred years ago. Now that I am released from those times, I am ever ready for a good joke."
"In that case, hahaha, you both got me good, didn't you?" Robin chuckled.
"We did, we did. And you walked right into it." Stella agreed with a smile. "But, this trick comes with its own reward." Stella reached her hand out into the air, and motes of light gathered together into a jade seal. She presented it to Robin.
"Now you have my approval and my friendship, Hero Robin. The batkins will ever be in your debt." Stella smiled. "May it aid you on your journey."
"Thank you, Stella." Robin smiled.
Robin received the jade with a warm feeling in her heart. Just a few more….just a few more and she could go ho-...Robin stared at the jade in a daze as the warm feeling suddenly seemed to cool.
'Huh? I should be happy, right? I'm heading home, after all. This is what I've been working towards this entire time, right?' Robin thought as she stared at the jade seal. 'Then…why am I not happy?'
Robin blinked and shook her head, as if waking herself up. "Well…now that I have received your favor, I do not mind searching a while longer tomorrow morning. Is it possible to have someone accompany me in searching, so that I am aware of what is already a part of your diet?"
Stella smiled. "All right. You and your party rest well now. I will accompany you tomorrow morning before you leave."
"Hmm? But-" Robin was mildly confused.
"'The Batkin that takes on the job is entitled to the reward.' This is one of our laws. Since I have taken on your job, I will see you through these mountains, Hero Robin." Stella explained.
"Oh…okay." Robin replied, with an adorable dumbfounded expression.
Stella laughed. "I see now why you have decided to accompany them, Briar. This Hero is too cute." Stella said before she left.
Robin blinked, dumbfounded. She pointed at herself. 'Me? Cute?' Was what was clearly expressed on her face. She looked at her group, still confused. But they were all clearly nodding, and holding in their laughter desperately with red faces and trembling shoulders
Robin narrowed her eyes at them dangerously, and moved her hand to her sword. That was enough to calm them down as they felt a chill run down their backs. Robin paused, then sighed and turned away.
'What's the matter, Robin? Shouldn't you be happy? You have Stella's approval, after all.' Briar asked through what everyone was now calling the Skye-link.
'I…does it matter what they think of me?' Robin asked.
'That depends. Are they important to you?' Briar asked. 'If they are important, then you will care about what they think, even if it's pointless banter. If they are unimportant, what does it matter if they are wrong? It isn't the first time people have been mistaken. They're just another ignorant person.'
Robin thought about it.. 'I guess…they are important to me. Somehow…they became important to me.'
'Is that so?' Briar smiled and patted Robin's shoulder. 'It's people like those who become your family and friends, your home away from home.'
'Yes…I know. Which is probably why I feel this way.' Robin put a hand to her heart with a lost expression. 'It's always sad…when the people you care about leave…or you have to leave the people you care about. Especially if it might be permanently.'
'I'm not sure what you are referring to, Robin, but know this: whether upon earth, or here on these lands, or upon the sun or inside of the moons, nothing is permanent. 'Everything is bound to come to an end': that is the nature of the material plane. Even time itself will end one day. Therefore, there is no obstacle that you can't breach given you put your mind to it. You came here once. Believe that you can also return here, if you wish for it.' Briar said.
'...I…suppose you're right.' Robin nodded. She attempted a smile, but it was not a heartfelt one. She blinked in surprise when Briar placed a hand atop her head, stroking her hair.
'Goodnight, my little sister.' Briar smiled warmly.
'...Goodnight.' Robin replied blinking back the tears that had sprung up out of nowhere. Even though she had spent the shortest time with Briar, Robin already knew that she would miss Briar terribly once she left.
Briar nodded. 'Sleep well. I will be back by the time you are to wake up.' She waved goodbye and left the cavern.
Christian watched this exchange between Briar and Robin. He was unaware of what words they exchanged. And, due to the dim lighting, no one could see how dark his expression had become…
~~~
The next morning, the group set off with Stella sitting up next to the carriage driver. True to her words, she was accompanying them through the mountains. The windows of the carriage were closed to cut down on the noise she was hearing, so the party could speak normally for a short while.
Christian had uncommonly dark circles under his eyes, which he was being teased for.
"Couldn't sleep? What was it? Did you have a pea under that mossy bed you slept on last night?" Jasmine provoked.
Christian scowled and looked out of the window.
"None of your business." He replied curtly.
"Is it because your idol is here? Don't tell me you were like a giddy youth excited about his hero returning from the battlefield?" Keith prodded.
"It's not that." Christian replied.
Jasmine leaned over to talk to Keith, conspiratorially. Her whisper was still loud enough for everyone in the carriage to hear clearly enough.
"I'm getting rather concerned. He hasn't spoken more than ten words this entire morning! What do you think it could be? Did Auntie Em set up a new partner potential for him back at home?"
Keith shook his head. "We haven't gotten any mail since we set out from Lave Mercantiles."
"That…is true enough….then whatever could it be?" Jasmine mused. She was half-playful, half-serious. "Do you think he had a thing for Chelsea-"
"I think-" Christian turned to look at her with a steely expression. "That it sounded better before you started talking nonsense."
Gerard was also thinking about it. "Oh! Is it because Robin's still mad at him?" Gerard asked. The innocent question struck home like an unsuspecting jab to Christian's heart. That's right…Robin was still mad at him…Christian sighed.
"Oh, that." Robin considered things. "To be honest, I had forgotten about it. You are forgiven Christian….but there better not be a next time, got it?"
Christian quickly nodded.
Briar smirked. "Isn't that great for you, Christian? Robin has forgiven you your little blunder~"
Christian remained silent, but his expression had cleared up somewhat.
__________
Author's Note: Merry Christmas ~