Chapter 144 You Lived?

Chapter 144 You Lived?
MYSTAL -

Mystal hadn't realized how far she'd traveled that first day.
To her surprise, patches of snow had begun to appear across the fields on her third morning, and the wind had turned chilly enough that she had to change into warmer clothing.
She hadn't ridden hard the last few days, but she'd been so lost in memories that she'd not stopped for breaks.
She lifted her face to the sky. It wasn't snowing, but it was overcast and the cold bit deep. The grey skies against the white landscape left her feeling somewhat melancholic.
As she pulled her horse to a stop at the top of the hill, she pulled her cloak tighter around her and looked down at the village where everything had started for her.
It was nestled between snow-covered hills, and she could see smoke curling from chimneys, and several lanterns had already been lit.
Golden firelight flickered through windows and street lamps, like a perfect mountain village scene.
She pushed her steed forward and made her way down the hill where Eysa and Alpha Dax fought the black beast.
A god died that day.
It wasn't snowing like it had that day, but she could remember it clearly, and it made her shiver.
She passed the woods where the fight took place, and she forced herself to keep her head forward.
She refused to give the vile god any active attention.
Instead, her eyes fell on the house that was her final destination.
Smoke curled out of its chimney, and light flickered brightly through the window.
She remembered the small home in fragmented pieces only and wondered if Kaol knew exactly what his father had done for her that day.
Her horse moved slowly along the road now. Almost like it could sense her nerves and wanted to give her time.
When she pulled up to the side of the house and dismounted, a chill slid past with a light breeze.
Mystal turned and took in the houses and road that were familiar but different at the same time.
Wide paths were narrow, and once sturdy fences were now worn and missing pieces.
Open fields were now filled with newer shops, homes, and yards with kids playing in them.
And everything felt smaller, somehow. Or perhaps it was just she that had changed.
Mystal felt as Aspen came to the surface to look at her surroundings. Instantly, she noted where the best exits and pathways were, where an ambush would be most likely, and most importantly, who looked dangerous and who didn't.
Their years of training brought out the curiosity and alertness that comes with being a guard.
Uninterested, she slid back into her Soul Chamber but the unease that the village brought to her wouldn't let Aspen get too comfortable.
She made her way over to the door that had been one of the last things her younger self had seen before passing out.
When she finally fully awoke after that, she had been at the capitol with only glimpses of memories about her recovery and a lasting attachment to the boy who had since turned into a man.
Guilt of never returning to thank his family rode her hard, but she shoved it down.
I had no choice. She told herself.
The crown had taken her, and training consumed her. Survival demanded everything from her.
But if she were honest, she had never allowed herself to come back on her own.
Duty to her Luna had brought her here before, and it's what brought her back now.
That was enough for her.
She lifted her hand to the door, but instead of knocking, she placed her palm flat against the door as the smell of woodsmoke slid under the door.
Memories fought to come back to the surface, but Aspen was impatient. "This is the moment you’ve been thinking about."
She heard no judgment from her Wolf, just observation and curiosity.
With a nod of her head, she mumbled, "It's a task. Nothing more."
Finally, she knocked firmly three times. The familiar sound of a professional guard, here to do business.
Nothing more.
She heard a chair scrape against concrete and footsteps making their way to the door.
She wasn't sure why she'd expected his mother to answer, but she did.
So when the door opened and Kaol stood in the opening, her heart sped and pounded loudly in her ears.
She expected some recognition of her past self from him, now that his house wasn't filled with the chaos of Dax and Eysa's wounds.
Instead, it was she who felt pulled back to the past.
The memory of her childhood crush overlapped briefly, and she couldn't help but notice how drastically different he was now.
Broader shoulders, a mature face with a chiseled jaw.
Her eyes met his, and she couldn't help but admit that they hadn't changed much since then. They were the same observant and determined eyes as his child self.
Frustration fell over his face, and his lips pursed. "Did Eysa send you?"
His eyes traveled down her guard's uniform, stopping for a moment on her signet that marked her as a Royal Guard.
"Yes," her voice came out steady. “I was sent to check on you and your mother.”
His eyebrows came together for a moment, like he wanted to say something, but a sound from behind him had him turning around.
She followed his gaze as his mother came around the corner.
She had a cream shawl around her shoulders, and she was hunched over as if she were in pain.
"Mother!" He turned, leaving the door open. "You're not supposed to be out of bed yet. You're still recovering."
Mystal moved into the house, concern driving her more than anything.
She told herself that Eysa would want to know if his mother was sick, but that wasn't it.
She wanted to check for herself.
When she came into the light, his mother's eyes grew large and her mouth opened in shock.
"Mother?" Kaol asked.
But she wasn't looking at him. She was looking at Mystal when she said, "You lived."
Mystal's heart flew into her throat, and her stomach fell low into her gut.
Everyone stood in the silence for so long that the moment grew long.
If it hadn't been for the snicker from Aspen, she wasn't sure she could have moved.
As it was, the sound pushed her in enough that she could close the door behind her to keep the cold out.
"She liv-" Kaol started, turning towards her, but paused as understanding settled over his face.
His mouth opened and his eyes grew wide, just like his mother's had.
"Uh... I-" Her words stuck in her throat, and for a moment anxiety overwhelmed her.
Then she closed off her emotions.
I'm here on duty. Not a meaningful visit.
"I'm sorry, you're mistaken." Her words were cold as she shut out the past and tried to maintain her professionalism.
But as she watched the two stand and stare at her, she knew things had shifted out of her control.
And she wasn't sure she was ready for it.
Or Kaol.