Water's Reflection or Hero's Guilt

Chapter Two

          It rained. That was all there was to say, it seemed to June. The clouds up high covered the entire heavenly plane, and they slowly grew darker and darker. A soft drizzle came down, not enough water to soak them, but just enough to constantly remind them of the fact that it rained. Still, she didn't mind it.

          She was huddled up on the driver's box on the wagon they took at Bailey Manor. Terrance sat right next to her, the reins in his right hand, and his left resting over her. Wrapped up inside her traveling cloak, the beautiful and expensive Cloak of Flight, June was protected from the rain. She was warm, and all that got wet, was her hair. And Terrance.

          She couldn't deny a small smile as she looked upon him. He minded the road, though they had not met anyone since they crossed the border the day before, and paid little attention to her. The white scar on his brow emphasized the slight frown on his face as he did.

          “I love you,” she murmured.

          He looked up, a little surprised, and for a moment, it seemed he was taken aback by this. Then his frown disappeared and he returned the smile. “I know you do,” he answered and pulled her somewhat closer. “I love you too, June.”

          “Are you worried?”

          He shrugged as he returned his eyes on the road. “Right now? I'm mostly frustrated.”

          “Why?”

          “The rain.”

          “It's not that bad,” she said. “I mean, I've seen worse. The Wooden Province has worse all the time.”

          Again, he shrugged. “Not arguing with that; concerning weather, I adore the Seaside. But the rain is making the road soggy. I'm worried we might get the wagon stuck in a hole. We'd be spending some time getting out of there.”

          “Ah...” June scooted over even closer to Terrance. She could feel the warmth of his body. She lay her head on his lap and closed her eyes. She loved him. She loved this. Just traveling. She wasn't sure just exactly where they were—she was not familiar with the Seaside Province—and that was just the way she liked it. Seeing new places, meeting new people. And being with the ones she loved.

          Inside her cloak, she fingered her ring; the silver ring she traded for her golden wedding ring, the one Terrance had given her. The initials etched into the surface of the ring, TL, made it for an obvious gift from him, and not long ago, she had cursed it. Now, however, she was but all to happy to have it with her.

          A sound from the back of the wagon warned her Maya was done; though June and Terrance loved traveling on the wagon, the little girl had little to keep herself busy with. The last hour, she spent training some sort of meditation, as suggested by Terrance, but to judge by the sounds of rummaging in the back, Maya was thoroughly bored by this. She, however, resisted the urge to get up and see if she could think of something to keep the child busy. Instead, June remained where she lay, waiting for Maya to come to her.

          It took her about four point two seconds before Maya lunged at June, nearly jumping overboard—yet somehow, she managed to land exactly on June's lap. She vaulted up from force and immediately grabbed the little girl with a startling growl, mixed in with a laugh. Maya struggled, though not too much; both of them were aware they had to balance on the driver's box.

          When they settled down, and Maya had found a spot wedged tightly in between June and Terrance, she asked, “Where are we going anyway?”