Fernando, Yunara, and Manuel went about preparing everything to be able to leave. In no time Manuel's carriage was pulled around, fully packed with everything Fernando thought necessary for them to bring, along with food for the journey and even extra clothes for Yunara. Since Yunara was a Naiad and could control water, Fernando suggested that she always carry a flask of water to be able to fight with, since she could make more use of water than a sword. He also made sure the bag she always carried with her held all of the items given to her by the Unseeables, as well as a silver bell for calling the them. Yunara's shield she would always carry with her.
When Fernando gave it to her, he said, "I spent all night translating the uses of that shield." he winked. "It's blade-like edges aren't it's only surprise. If you need to use it, tap on the bear on the front, and see what happens."
As they started getting in the carriage, Fernando stopped Manuel and said in english for Yunara's sake, "Don't forget this." he held out for him a large sack.
"What?"
"It's the seeing powder. I packed a good amount. The Unseeables should be able to help you should you run out. It wears off in a day, so be sure to use it every morning."
"Oh. Yes, of course," Manuel said, taking the powder and loading it with the rest of their things.
They decided it would have to be Manuel that drove the carriage from this point on. They couldn't ask any Spanish human to drive them to Seville so they could parallel to Ecencia. The farewell was short. Manuel and Yunara started on their way to Seville, with Lorenn in the carriage.
Yunara looked out the window, watching as the safety of Fernando's masia became smaller in the distance. She wondered if she'd ever see him again.
"What is paralleling?" Manuel asked all of a sudden, his eyes on the road as he lead them away.
"What?" Yunara leaned forward to hear him better from outside the carriage.
"My father mentioned it in his book. It... takes you to this world, Caorfi?"
"Yes. It's an ancient practice that as far as I know, humans are incapable of. But it appears that as the Unseeables created the parallel points, they can also give the ability to parallel."
"But how does it work, exactly?"
Yunara tried to find words to describe it. "The parallel points are portals, between my world and yours. If you know where to find them, you can use them to travel, and the journey is called paralleling."
"And that's how you showed up at my masia?"
"Yes."
Manuel paused, his demeanor much stiffer than it was before, Yunara noticed with chagrin. "This Francis Stretton... who is he?"
"He's the reason I'm here," she said, her mind flashing back to being under the King and Queen's bloody bed while Renen summoned those two monsters. Nexa and Pitrious. A moment that would always bring Yunara pain. The moment of losing it all. All because of Francis Stretton, pulling Renen along on a string like a puppeteer. She had to pull her mind from the memory to keep going. "He's a monster worse than the ones he summons," she said grimly.
"Tell me about him," Manuel asked, flicking his reins.
"In Ecencia there is-- was," she corrected herself painfully. "a King and Queen. King Edward and Queen Norea Silcrest. They had two children, Renen and Cadri. Renen is the one in line for the throne. Everyone always knew that King Edward's brother, Francis Stretton was jealous of brother's rule, and has been a long time member of the Aracs. It seems that he's convinced his nephew to help him take over the Ecencian throne. During the takeover, Princess Cadri was kidnapped and the King and Queen were killed by Dark Ones."
"So Francis Stretton is the King's brother?"
"Yes. Younger brother."
"I understand..." Manuel drifted off into thought. "Thank you."
After that, Manuel didn't say anything else to Yunara. Yunara didn't think he was interested in anything but Francis Stretton. She wondered how Stretton somehow connected with Manuel's parents. Why would he kill them?
The journey was long and slow. Days passed by at a crawling pace with neither of the two conversating much. Yunara felt self conscious with Manuel able to see her now. The experience of having Humans see her for the very first time was unnerving. And she supposed Manuel had his own problems occupying his mind. So the travel was tedious and incredibly monotone.
What she needed was a bath. That would help ease her. As they stopped to stretch their legs and give the horses rest near a stream, Yunara grabbed some of the clothes from the sacks that the horses carried with their things in it while Manuel concerned himself with reading his father's book. Inside one of these bags were also a lot of silver bells for calling the Unseeables. Lorenn said they needed to get used to calling the Unseeables. She may as well bring one. She didn't think it would matter much to Manuel anyway, so now that she was going to be alone could be an opportune moment to practice. Slipping one of the bells in her pocket, she started on her way, walking along the stream to find a point where she could get a little privacy.
There was a curve in the stream that went behind the trees. She could bathe there. She went behind a bush and took off her clothes and hid her things, then started wading into the water. The water felt so good. She tried to remember the last time she had a moment to go swimming. She went to the deepest part of the water and dunked her head under, enjoying the sensation of being under. For a moment, she just drifted under the gentle movement of the water, in her element.
After a good while under the water, she resurfaced and retrieved the silver bell from her pile of things behind the bush before returning to the water and ringing it.
"Lorenn? Where are you?"
It took a few moments, and at first Yunara thought he'd done it wrong, but Lorenn came flying in from above and appeared in front of her. "I was hoping you would call," she said cheerfully.
"I had some questions about the Unseeables. Are there many of you?" she said, sitting down in the shallower parts of the stream on a smooth rock, letting the soothing water pass around her.
"Yes. We pass through this world and Caorfi all the time, unseen. When you become accustomed to speaking with is, it's possible you will confuse us for animals. But there is a way to know for sure."
"How is that?"
Lorenn chuckled. "You become accustomed to seeing the unseen. Look," she gestured with a wing to the other end of the stream. But there was nothing there.
"I don't see anything," Yunara protested, straining her eyes.
"Don't try so hard. Let it come naturally."
Yunara relaxed, and suddenly she saw it. It was a large bear licking the water of the stream on the other side. It lifted its head and saw Yunara, then it finished drinking and turned away, disappearing after a few steps.
"Wow," Yunara muttered.
"We often times come and go, not staying on one world more than a short amount of time. It can be difficult to hold our attention at times. When you spot us, you learn to recognize us, and will be able to tell the difference between us and animals." She paused, as if she were shy about what she was going to say next. "Now, do you mind if I ask you a few questions, myself?"
The question surprised her. Yunara didn't think the Unseeables would have any curiosity about her. "Sure, go right ahead."
"I hope you don't mind," Lorenn said, flying over to a rock that jutted above the surface of the water closer to Yunara. "But it's been so long since I've spoken to one of the physical realm. You don't get along well with Manuel, do you?"
Once again, Lorenn's question took Yunara by surprise. She thought she'd ask more generic questions about herself, but she answered anyway. "Well, I wouldn't say that. He's a very kind gentleman that's treated me fairly well at his manor."
"Then why is it that you rarely speak? I hope you don't notice that I observed you both as you journeyed, but it's my duty to never stray far from you."
"I don't know," Yunara admitted. "I suppose he's rather preoccupied. This is all a bit much. For me, as well."
"You mortals are always so delicate. You all worry so much about everything. Sensitive to change, I think, and always so concerned with being polite at all times. Quite retraining, if you ask me. Unseeables are creatures of freedom. Freedom to move, freedom to be. I think mortals should learn more of that from us."
Yunara chuckled. "Maybe we should."
Lorenn stretched out her wings, closing her eyes. "Ah, I miss the days when we used to discuss these things with mortals. They had the most engaging conversations. Such curious beings, mortals are. But the change is coming. We all sense it.
Yunara frowned, sensing the sudden heaviness that the conversation had taken. Before she could ask, she jumped as she heard, "Yunara! Yunara, where did you go?"
"I'll see you later," Lorenn said with a wink before disappearing.
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