Chapter II

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When I awoke I found that I was snuggled comfortably in front of Tristan and just behind the horse's neck. We were still riding.
"Good morning Sleeping Beauty. I had to move you or you would have fallen off the horse," he said.
I yawned. Directly in front of us, the sun peeked a hill, which sent golden rays out to the lands.
"It's so pretty," I said, quietly.
I snuggled deeper into the warm folds of the cloak and into Tristan's chest, I felt like a roasting marshmallow, it was the most delightful feeling.
"Do you want to stop for breakfast?" asked Tristan.
"Yes please," I replied.
Tristan guided the horse into a little spread of green grass where the Talise River ran through. We dismounted and Tristan relieved the horses of everything they carried. They immediately went to work on the lush green grass and clear snowmelt river. We sat on the grass and Tristan pulled out several pieces of food, even a couple fruits.
"So what is your family like?" he asked.
"Poor," I said.
He almost smiled.
"So far we don't have very much in common."
"I guess not, I have two sisters and one brother. My father works as a peddler, and my mother makes cloth at home for the tailor," I said.
Tristan nodded, but didn't say anything.
"May I ask what your fiancée was like?" I asked, hesitantly.
"Well, if we are to be traveling together, you have a right to know," he said. After collecting his thoughts he began. "She was the most wonderful woman, she had white blond curly hair, the most mesmerising green eyes I have ever seen..." he twiddled a stick in between his tan fingers as he spoke. "Pure, pale skin, long slim fingers, but rough from work. And her character, much sweeter than any I have ever seen, she was optimistic—which is more than I've ever been—encouraging, kind, persuasive, delicate and perfect." He looked up as if coming out of a trance. "But yeah, she was everything a man could hope for."  
"I'm sorry you had to lose her. I once lost someone I loved, it was my grandmother, but she died of natural causes," I said, comfortingly.
He pursed his lips sadly. Several minutes went by.
"How long are you planning to travel with me?" he asked.
"Oh, uh, well I don't really have anywhere to go..." I said
"Well, I guess we'll travel together until you turn aside," said Tristan.
We mounted the beige, Tristan sitting in front and I behind with my arms around his waist.

We went from place to place, looking for Tristan's uncle, but he seemed to have simply vanished.
During our time together we experienced many things. For instance one morning I learned that Tristan had Hay Fever, or so he explained as his eyes were quite watery.
A couple weeks passed of us going to dozens of towns, villages, and cities. We managed to buy necessities by selling the horses and using the money we received from them. Which was quite a lot, as Tristan drove a hard bargain.

At long last we wandered into the capital of Cascata: Ardine. No trace had been found of him in any of the other cities, so Tristan's next best guess was Ardine. By then Tristan and I had become good friends with each other, though he saw me simply as a friend. I wished he'd see me in a romantic way, but he was scarred. And I thought that he might never love another, let alone love me.

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