章 64: Engage in Warfare?
Cecilia was pretty fast, forcing me to go all out for once. She jumped down stairs, took small paths between apartments and climbed up to the upper floors from said apartments. I struggle with climbing, so I almost lose sight of her a few times. It went from level three down to seven, back up to five - then a few times around the floor before going back up to one. Then she ran outside, to the left side. Well, not like it really matters, as long as her smell keeps me on track. Instincts come in handy quite some times.
Unfortunately, Cecilia ran straightly behind the entrance to Götterfels - where a river passes through a forest. She washes her smell off, but leaves her shirt at the river before heading into the forest. That's where her trace ends. The sounds of a forest were many times more likely to fool me than a stone floor was. Leaves and dirt didn't differ in sound, depending on weight - like stone did. Didn't leave puddles of water, if they get wet. Even so, I try listening around - with medium success. I learned that she went deeper into the forest by analyzing the animals movement.
To ensure a better view I start jumping from tree to tree, with my eyes closed. Suddenly, even the sounds broke off. Sound magic was a useful tool for concealing things, after all. I wasn't able to track mana, but the energized air started vibrating. I was able to see the radius she set for the sound being limited. I know Cecilia takes some time to adjust her magic, so I jump out of the range - then listen around. There was no sound. It might be a close bet, but I am pretty sure that she would've moved from seeing that jump. In conclusion, she has to be somewhere within this thirty meter sphere.
I enhance my direct surroundings of one meter with my own mana. I wasn't able to hear anything that way, but any movement would give me immediate feedback. A few meters into the sphere, there is something dropping down behind me. I look, but it's only two boots. They were coming from above, so Cecilia was either close enough to throw them that high - or she was somewhere in the trees. I climb back up, then continue my search.
Another thing catches my attention shortly after, a movement... swinging around a tree? As I look for it, it appears to be something I recognize rather well. I caught myself staring at it too often to not recognize it now. Suddenly, this hunt becomes more exciting. I expand my manafield strongly for a second, then follow the lead I got back to the river - out of the forest.
The closer surroundings were empty, but my mind tells me to enter anyway. After I got closer to the river, I spot a bubble in the river. So I start undressing, but I refrain from spreading my clothes around the forest. With a bit of complacency, I enter the river and play along. A bit too late for it to be actually believable, but well, it works.
As expected, she slowly began to float upwards behind me, then hugged me.
Cia:" You caught me"
With an audible grin on my face, I reply:" Wasn't there a reward for brave hunters back at the village?"
Cia:" You see, I don't have any meat to give you the most from... I am not rich, or talented."
Ce:" Wealth is more of a plague, than a blessing and you are the only sonic mage around. In an army of three species. Any more false claims about yourself?"
Cia:" I am a handful of bad memories, I have no title and no family."
Ce:" Bad memories need to be overwritten, you are a general of an interspecies army and everyone around here sees you as a part of their family. And I am sure as hell content to be their representative."
Cia:"..."
Ce:" Is that all?"
A moment of intense silence until she speaks again. Long enough for me to feel anxious.
Cia:"...Are you really okay with me?"
Ce:" Okay? No."
I planned to look cool by saying something really nice, but her hurt eyes almost make me stumble over my next words.
Ce:" I feel bad for all the others, that I intend to leave out. So many people that I intend to take you away from. But I can't help but feel happy with the thought of doing so."
Cia:" You know, we never officially stated that we were dating..."
Ce:" Do you want me to hold a speech? A feast?"
Cia:" That's not what I was talking about, it is about ourselves"
Ce:" Did we... No we actually didn't. Let me put it all into one phrase."
Cecilia, you, who was robbed of her name, her pride and her family -
do you want to become my pride, my family, my wife?
I wasn't a romantic, but I think I hit the tone rather well. My experience with woman was really limited, so I had no idea why she started crying. Was she upset? Happy? Did I remember her of the past?
Cia:" If we are going to march into winterlands with a snowbird, why don't I just add the name Winter right here?"
Ce:"... I mean, usually you get my name after the ceremony. But, we aren't normal anyway - why start now?"
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