I crept forwards, still seeing the orange hair in the forest ahead. The boat had just taken off, taking with it all of the people that would have stopped me from saving the woman they had left behind.
My sword was drawn and my coat was wrapped tightly around myself. I carried my bedroll tied across my back, leaving my arms and shoulders free to wield my sword.
My horse was tied to a tree farther back in the forest, out of sight of the retreating ship. The rest of my things were back there, waiting for me to bring the woman.
I stepped forwards around the tree blocking my view, and nearly dropped my sword. The woman with the orange hair and tied to the tree was none other than the Lady Cadenza herself, kidnapped from her own bed almost eight months ago. She looked starved and nearly frozen to death in her spring nightgown, but it was most definitely her.
I crossed the remaining distance and instantly cut through the ropes binding her to the tree. I was too slow to catch her though as she fell sideways to the ground, hitting it with a soft groan as air was forced out of her lungs.
Her eyelids fluttered ever so slightly, and her chest barely moved at all. I knelt next to her, slipping my bedroll off and wrapping around her fragile body.
"You're okay now." I whispered. I picked her up, holding her close and attempting to warm her as much as I could with my own body heat. Then, glancing once more towards the river and the departing boat, I fled back towards my horse, knowing that Lady Cadenza didn't have much longer.
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By the time I reached New Meteli, my horse was panting hard, and tears were streaming down my face. The cold wind hadn't made it easy to keep the pace I needed, but I had pushed on. Lady Cadenza was draped across the front of my horse, and I held her close, trying to keep her as warm as possible. She wore my blanket and coat and even my boots. She needed them way more than I did.
As I approached the gates of New Meteli, I saw Ulrich notice me and point me out to Cloud.
"Welcome back! Didn't expect you home so soon!" Then he noticed the state of my horse and frowned. "Is everything alright?" I shook my head, pulling back the hood of the coat on her head. Her orange red hair tumbled down, making it quite obvious who she was.
"I saw a boat leave a woman on shore. I went to see who it was and I found her; I found Lady Cadenza. She's frozen to death, and I need to get her somewhere warm." Ulrich's expression was one full of shock and joy, as well as fear.
"Our healer isn't in the village. The closest healer is in Phoenix Drop-" before he could finish I wheeled my horse around and prepared myself for even longer in the cold.
"I'm on my way. Tell Sir Zack." Then I spurred my horse into motion, wind whipping my blue hair into my matching blue eyes.