I honestly didn’t want to leave.

Not only did I like it here, I also wanted to return to SilverCreek. Vim had said new members had shown up, and I wanted to go meet those I’d soon be calling family members. To further settle and build our new home.

But I knew Vim wanted me to come south with him for more than just personal reasons.

Walking downstairs, I hummed softly as I wondered what to expect of this upcoming trip. We were to head to Tor, and… what? Kill him? Knowing Vim that was exactly what we were going to do. But it felt… well…

He had hesitated to kill the shadow bear, because it would then endanger Lilly and her family. Since the darkness that surrounded their home, the dark forest, would then disappear. Yet he was now willing to just go kill a monarch that did the same thing for others, and not just a few either? Hundreds of people relied on Tor for safety in their valley. Without him their village would get found rather easily, so I’d been confidently told.

Though maybe he had a plan. Or maybe Light did…

“Renn.”

I paused and glanced to my left, then glanced backward and found… “Crown?” I greeted the thin owl who was peeking out at me from behind a doorframe. Was that her bedroom? I had been told it was on this floor but had not ever seen it.

Walking over to her since she didn’t seem like she was going to leave the safety of her door, I smiled gently at her and nodded.

“Leaving already?” she asked, glancing at my shoulder. I had my bag, the small one I’d brought with me and Vim’s spear attached to a small wrap upon it.

I nodded as I rolled a shoulder and shuffled the bag a bit. “Yep. Vim’s waiting for me below,” I said. Dinner was over, and I’d already said my goodbyes to everyone… even Crown, so it was odd for her to be asking such a thing.

“Hm… do you have a tiny moment?” she asked.

“Sure?”

She nodded then stepped back. As she did she pushed open the door a bit more, and sure enough I was able to see her bedroom. Like most of the owl’s bedrooms, it was large and looked comfy… but also a bit plain. Though I noticed the bed, her bed, in the corner was messy. She… had pillows. And only pillows, it almost looked like. Did she not have any blankets at all? It looked like she had dozens of pillows of varying sizes, but not a single real blanket upon her bed. Maybe it was hidden beneath the pile of pillows…?

“I know you’re going to do something important, but would you do me a favor if you can?” Crown asked as she stepped over towards one of the larger windows in the room. Beneath it was a desk, one that looked clean and almost untouched but she grabbed an obvious letter off it all the same.

“Of course, Crown. Who would you like me to give it to?” I asked as she walked back over to the door and me. I had not intruded into her room, since I didn’t want to knick the top of her doorframe with Vim’s spear. It wrapped in cloth up top on the spear tip, but it’d cut right through it and the wood if I accidentally walked in and hit the doorframe with it.

She smiled a little sheepishly as she held it out to me. “Actually… it’s for Vim.”

Huh…? “Vim…?” I asked carefully as I glanced down to the letter she was offering me. It was the same darker brown color as the other owl letters, and it looked like it had a few pages within it.

“It’s a request for him. If you two get the time, of course,” she said, adding the last bit quickly.

Slowly reaching out to take the letter, I frowned softly as I nodded. “Of course… I uh… I’ll make sure he gets it,” I said. Maybe she didn’t want me to know what the request was, thus it being given in a letter. If so, maybe I shouldn’t pry.

Crown giggled at me, which made my ears flutter a little. She sounded just like her sisters and mother when she giggled, but it also sounded a faint weaker… as if she was about to cough or something afterward. It worried me hearing such undertones in what should otherwise be a beautiful sound. “It’s not that dire, Renn. If you two get too busy then don’t worry about it.”

I nodded softly but decided to fulfill her request no matter how busy Vim and I got. “All the same. Is there anything else I can do for you while I’m down south? Or get for you?” I asked.

Crown frowned for a moment. “I left a few things when coming here, but I plan to have Trunk and Seed pick them up and deliver them back to me since they’re heading that way once they leave,” she said as she thought about it.

Oh…? I hadn’t heard of anyone planning to leave anytime soon. I wonder when they plan to do so, after we leave maybe? Lilly and Windle had been hoping they’d stick around a bit longer…

“We might end up heading to Telmik,” I said, giving her a chance to just have us pick up whatever she wanted from her old home. I wasn’t even sure what town it was in, but I knew it was north of Telmik and not far from the direct route from Telmik to SilverCreek.

“Hm… it’s fine. Actually, instead of that can I ask something else?” Crown quickly switched topics.

I nodded, a tad happy to get a request from her. I know I had just gotten one, indirectly for Vim, but it seemed this one would be one I could actually handle.

“You left a saint, right? At this silver place?” Crown asked.

I frowned as I went to put her letter into one of the monarch pouches on my waist. “Yes. Liora. She’s a sweet girl, really mature for her age,” I said. I had expected her to get upset with my leaving the other day but she had only huffed and said she’d see me later.

Wonder if she had known this would happen…?

Crown hummed at that as I finished putting her letter away, and I noticed it had been an odd hum. Even for her. “Do you… know her? Or something?” I asked. She looked like she was questioning something in her head.

“Huh…? No. No… but I once knew a saint, who I… well…” Crown went quiet as I patiently waited to hear the rest. She had known a saint? I wonder who? Celine maybe? Light? “When I first started working amongst the church, a long time ago… a saint had been born in the orphanage I had been working at,” she then said.

I blinked and nodded, surprised to hear this. That meant it had been a human one, like Liora. I wonder who it had been?

“I did as we’re told to. To alert the church… the Singing Sisters. And not long afterward they eventually came and got her. As they have many of the children I’ve recommended to be members,” Crown said.

Oh my…? “Right…” I nodded carefully. I knew we, or rather the Society and Church, basically ran the orphanages for that purpose. To find humans we could trust and utilize in such a way, but hearing someone talk about them in this way was kind of awkward. It was almost like we were talking not about people but objects, or animals, to be raised and nurtured like one would cattle. It felt weird, especially since I knew Crown wasn’t like that. She was more like her other siblings, Trunk, Seed and Bark, who took more after Windle and were more human in emotions and philosophies than not. They weren’t capable of such cruelty as to see human children as cattle.

“I… regret that. Many of the children I’ve sent into the Society have expressed their thanks over the years, either in person or letters, but… other than only a couple I’ve never gotten to see any of them ever again,” Crown said.

“Do you… worry she had not been thankful or happy, or something?” I asked. This topic started over Liora hadn’t it? Was she worried Liora would be sent to the same fate or something?

Crown slowly nodded, and did so in a way that made me again notice how thin she was. Her collarbones looked a tad odd as she moved her head, almost as if they were out of place. Hopefully she regained some weight soon. “I’ve always wondered, is all. As I said, many have reached out to me throughout the years. Yet she never had. I never heard from her again after the Singing Sisters took her away, and… I’ve always wondered why,” Crown said gently.

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Oh boy… “I see… if you’re worried Liora will end up the same way, there’s no need to. Vim wants her with us up here, and he’s lately become very possessive when he wants to be,” I said.

Crown smirked at that, since she knew what I was hinting at. “I’ve heard. And I’m glad to hear it, but… all the same. Mother said you needed help… and now you and Vim are heading south? So you need help even more, right? Would you be okay with me going there, then? I can help Randle and the rest too; I’ve worked with him before. So I can keep an eye on this Liora for you while I do so,” Crown offered… and seemed to be very serious as she did so.

It took all I had to not just leap forward and wrap her in a hug, as I nearly giggled with glee while nodding happily. “Of course! We honestly really could use the help, you know? Vim was even worrying about it, because we actually have a few kids that need some schooling and the older lady who was doing it died…” I said quickly, itching to toss aside my bag and Vim’s spear as to wrap her in a hug.

Crown sheepishly nodded and smiled. “I see… then I’ll head that way when I can. I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but mother’s become very protective of me lately. It might take a bit for me to convince her to let me leave the nest again,” Crown said.

Oh gosh! “I’m sure she’ll listen! If not I’ll just come kidnap you later!” I said happily. How little she knew! Lilly had been hoping that we’d be able to convince her to move to SilverCreek with us, in hopes of getting her active again. Upon Vim deciding we would be heading south Lilly had been really worried that such a plan would go south alongside us, and ruin it completely. Turns out that worry had been for nothing!

“Good… thank you, though uh… maybe don’t sound so serious about that. I can actually see you trying it,” Crown said with a tiny laugh.

“Because I would, of course,” I said proudly.

She laughed a bit more as I heard some voices down below. One particular, Vim’s, told me I probably was about to get yelled at.

“Ah… he sounds annoyed. He’s ready to go, Crown,” I said as I heard Vim complain to… who I think was Fly? Why was he complaining to Fly?

Crown smiled as she nodded. “Yes, he’s the one who taught mother urgency. Once they decide to go they go even if it means leaving us behind. So I know how it is,” she said.

I wanted to groan at that. I didn’t want to leave now, even more than before, now that something so interesting was happening…

“Can I uh… give you a hug, Renn?”

My mind went a tad blank as I stood up a bit straighter and stiffly nodded. “Of course…!” I said, and nearly flinched when my voice cracked and sounded all odd as I did.

Crown laughed at me as she stepped through the doorway and gave me a hug. I returned it, carefully, and tried not to notice how… cold and small she was.

She was taller than me. Like all the other owls. Yet felt so thin and light that she’d snap at a mere touch. It made my heart twist and heart.

Hopefully this recent excitement, and her desire to head to SilverCreek, will help her get better faster.

“Mhm… thanks,” Crown didn’t hug me long and separated after a moment, even though I had wanted to hold onto her. I sighed at her as I nodded and stepped back, as to glance her up and down.

“If you head to SilverCreek before I get back, your father has some letters we gave him,” I told her.

She nodded and smiled. “I’ll make sure to take them once I get permission to go, it might uh… take a bit, Renn,” Crown said sheepishly.

“It’s fine! Like I said, I’ll kidnap you if I have to! I’ll make Vim make a really nice sack to carry you off in and everything!” I teased as I stepped away.

Crown laughed, a bit shyly, as she and I waved at each other and I left. I hurried down the hallway, since if I didn’t force my feet to take me away I’d never leave. I suddenly felt protective of the weakly owl, which was weird. It wasn’t as if she was young, she was just…

Sad. Hurt. And I felt as if I was now abandoning her when she needed someone, anyone, the most.

She wasn’t the only one either. I was being forced to leave my new home. My family. My friends. And on top of it, so many interesting things!

Rivonne, those bears, all the new faces and friends, and even Vim! He’s been getting so odd lately, and it’s been so fascinating to watch…! But now? Now we were heading away from all these interesting things, and to do something that will make me sad and Vim grouch too.

Tor was going to have to answer for this…

Heading downstairs, I slowed as I neared the front door and found exactly who I had thought I had heard. Vim and Fly.

The young robin had her hands on her hips, and was sighing at Vim as I walked up… which made me both happy, and upset.

See? This was so fun and interesting! Why were we leaving this?

“What’d he do this time?” I asked Fly.

The young bird sighed at him, flamboyantly shaking her head to such a degree her feathers danced. “He’s being a stick in the mud!” she said.

Glancing at Vim, and the way he gently smiled and glanced back at me, I knew this was likely nothing too serious… yet all the same I took her side anyway, as if it were. “Why are you being so rude, Vim? Really? Look at her, she deserves whatever it is she wants!” I said as I stepped over to Fly as to wrap her in a small hug. I liked hugging her because her feathers made her feel soft.

She allowed me to hug her, but didn’t reciprocate. Instead she turned to glare up at Vim defiantly, as if to showcase my hug as proof of my words. To further enforce it I even went to rubbing my face against her head, as to breathe in her scent for the road. She smelled like Lilly now, though hadn’t before she had moved here.

“I’d usually agree, Renn… but your little friend wants something a tad odd,” he said.

Oh? I glanced up from the feathers of happiness and frowned at him. His tone had been a bit off; maybe this was more serious than I thought? “What do you want, Fly?” I asked.

Fly huffed, and her feathers puffed up as she did. “I want a husband too,” she said.

Oh…

Unsure if I should giggle or flinch, I took a small moment to glance up at Vim and found his calm face relieving. Moments like this his stoic calmness was invaluable. “Jealous of me are you?” I asked, teasing the girl.

“I mean… not really? He has no feathers,” Fly said with a small point at Vim.

I couldn’t help it, I laughed.

Vim smirked too as I giggled and squeezed Fly some more, causing her to groan at me as I likely ruffled feathers. “You’re so adorable,” I said.

“Vim said earlier that others like me had shown up! With feathers and wings! I want one of them!” Fly said as I hugged her, to the point of even lifting her off the ground as I did. She allowed it, and didn’t seem too bothered, but she did seem like she wanted me to focus on the topic at hand instead.

“Oh…? Really?” I asked, a tad shocked to hear so. I had honestly not talked much with Vim about those who had come from the other continent, other than those like Fressi, the young duck who was related to Merit’s friend Nasba.

He nodded with a small frown. “There were a few yes…”

I see… I glanced down at Fly as I lowered her back to the ground. “Well, I’ll be heading that way… want me to take a look at them all for you?” I asked her.

“Would you!?” Fly spun around, happily and excitedly at my offer.

I nodded and smiled. “Of course I will. Any preferences? Do they have to be robins too?” I asked.

“No! I just want feathers!”

My smile faltered a little as I wondered how serious that statement was. Was that really all she cared about…? Maybe I should be worried… “Well, I’ll take a look and let you know when I get back, okay?” I offered.

“Awesome! Thanks Renn! I knew I should have just asked you first!” Fly said as she stepped forward and gave me a quick hug, and then afterward she spun around to stick a tongue out at Vim and then ran deeper into the house.

Vim sighed as we watched her round a corner. “She’s still young, Renn. She needs more time,” he said.

“I know? But there’s no harm in starting the process is there?” I asked. It’s not like we couldn’t slowly over years introduce her to others, until she found someone she liked. By then she’d not be so young, right?

“If you say so…” he mumbled.

“To be honest I was kind of hoping she’d pick one of Lilly’s boys,” I said softly. Vim and I were seemingly alone here near the door, but I knew just like how I could hear from across the home so could others. Or well, Lilly and Sap could. I wasn’t sure if any of the other owls had any better hearing, even Branches who was mentally like his mother was a tad… different.

“Not possible anymore, Renn,” Vim said simply.

“Because of her feather thing, yes, I know,” I said.

He frowned at me and shook his head. “She’s seen as an owl now. A sibling. They’ll not court or mate her now.”

Oh… right… Lilly had once mentioned, before officially adopting the young robin, that she had kind of hoped one of her sons might take an interest in her but now that did indeed seem to be no longer a thought. Maybe Vim was right, and it was because they genuinely all saw her as a family member now?

Still…

I chuckled at him and reached over to gently pat him on the arm. “At least she’s not like Angie, you know?”

He smiled at that. “I like Angie’s perspective. I hope Nory ends up like her,” he said.

It bothered me that I couldn’t tell if I agreed with him or not.

A lot.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep