It was well past midday by the time the group made it into Trilon, having been delayed the day before by soaked clothes and bags resulting in them having to set up camp early and losing nearly a whole day’s travel in the process.

Sakura followed behind the group as they walked down the main road of the town, taking note of a few new buildings that had sprung up since the last time she’d been through while nearly everything else seemed to remain untouched. This place had once been a destination that the woman impatiently looked forward to visiting during her younger years when her view of the world was still so small and sheltered. It then became a point of dread; one she wanted to avoid at all costs.

But it wasn’t like that now.

She didn’t feel a sense of excitement or unease.

Only relief.

A solace that she would soon be home.

And that she was doing the right thing by staying.

Sakura watched the boy and girl ahead of her, mentally taking account of the supplies on their backs and considering what more they would need. “We’ll stop and get you two some clothes,” she declared. “You don’t have much, and since we’re here, we might as well get them now.”

Ivy instantly brightened as she spun to face the woman. “Can I get new boots, too?”

“That’s fine.”

The girl had never been allowed more than a couple of changes of clothes and never more than one pair of boots when it was just her and Sakura. She had gotten lucky with Ren though, as the man had allowed her a bit more leeway in her outfits by taking on a few of them in his own bag. But still, it wasn’t much. “Can I get two pairs?” She had to try.

The fox smiled at her, feeling generous. “Alright. But that’s it for now. Let’s not go overboard today.”

Sakura never really understood the allure of clothes and shoes and couldn’t fathom why other girls were so concerned about them. For her, as long as it fit decently and was comfortable, then she was content. She’d rather spend her coin on weapons and food anyway, and the prettier the dress the more it tended to cost.

But the girl was opposite of the woman. She loved the beautiful and colorful dresses and the cute shoes and boots that went with them. She even admired the jewelry in the shops that were completely out of their price range. Her eyes often wandered after the finely dressed women in the cities, her teeth nibbling at her lip in order to keep her desires from spilling out.

But still, sometimes she couldn’t help but ask for that which she knew she wouldn’t receive.

And it always broke the demon’s heart to see the girl’s gloomy expression when she had to deny her of the bright, flowing dress or the sparkly pins she could put in her hair. She knew the girl’s disappointment didn’t stem from not getting what she wanted. It was because she barely had anything at all.

But now Ivy was so blissful, almost floating through the shop as she grabbed dresses and rushed them to Ren for approval to purchase, the man perpetually nodding as she draped the garments over his arm and scurried off in search for another.

“She’s going to buy the whole shop if you let her,” Sakura warned, knowing she should have nipped it in the bud before they walked through the door but not having had the heart to.

“No, she won’t,” he argued as he allowed another without even sparing the newest dress a glance. “She can’t fit in everything. Most of it’s too big for her.”

The woman rolled her eyes. “You coddle her too much.”

“I sure do,” the man agreed cheerfully. “Just look how happy she is. How can you say no to that?”

“You’re gonna have to learn how to. We have to take all those with us. And by we, I mean you because I’m not doing it.”

Ren looked at his arm, noticing for the first time how large the pile was. “Oh fuck this,” he blurted as he dumped the dresses against the woman, forcing her to grab onto them. “This is way too much. Where is she gonna put all these? Not in my house. There’s not enough room for all this shit. Go put them back.”

Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

She glared at him with a mixture of shock and irritation. “You do it! You’re the one who agreed to all of these!”

He stared down at the woman without a hint of humor. “It doesn’t matter. I’ve changed my mind. Go tell her she can’t get all of these.”

“This is your fault. You go tell her!”

The woman was right, but the man had long learned how to efficiently play this game in his favor. “You sure you want me to tell her? I can do that. Easy. No problem. But is that what you really want? Do you think leaving this extremely sensitive discussion to me is going to end in the way you think it should? I’m pretty sure my track record will show that this is not going to go smoothly.”

It wouldn’t, and Sakura knew that very well. Ren would go to Ivy and spew his objections without so much as a moment's thought. And though Ivy was accustomed to being told no and not getting her way, it wasn’t fair to hype her up only to pull the rug out from under her feet. There was a way to gently let her down, and Ren would differently blow it.

After all, if Sakura wanted something done right, she’d have to do it herself.

“You just want me to be the bad guy,” she accused, resigning herself to the fate placed before her.

He smiled with his victory. “Only because you do it so well.”

The vixen sighed but went to break the bad news to Ivy, and after some disappointment and reluctance, helped her choose the dresses she was most fond of. They paid for their purchases and proceeded forward, one step at a time.

They followed the path.

They crossed the bridge.

They entered the village.

They were almost home.

“You want to go see Torg and Okag?” Ren asked the woman.

She nodded with a hint of hesitance. “I suppose we should. I don’t think they’d be too pleased with us if we snuck by without so much as a hello.” A groan rumbled in her throat. “Okag isn’t gonna be pleased with me regardless though.”

“Well, you reap what you sow. Best to suck it up and take your lashings.”

They went to the shop, Ren opening the door for the others to enter as the bell announced their arrival. There were heavy steps clomping around in the back before the ogre’s lumbering body ducked under the archway and into the main room.

“Welcome. What can…” Torg froze, his face going a paler shade of sage as he looked up at the unexpected guests.

“Hey.” Ren smiled and nodded as he closed the door. “We’re back.”

“What are you doing, Torg? You act like you’ve seen a ghost.” Okag’s voice came from around the corner, her body following before halting at the same sight that stopped her husband. But her shock was short-lived, and she was quickly across the shop, crushing the angel and demon against her, her tears streaming down her face and being wiped into their hair. “You found her,” she sobbed. “You finally found her and brought her home.”

The angel would have responded if his chest wasn’t caving in and vision going spotty, the thin thread of his life being pulled tightly and threatening to snap. But just when he had accepted his fate, the woman set the pair down and released them, grabbing the vixen’s face and kissing it all over.

“You stubborn, foolish girl,” she scolded between her kisses. “It’s been years since you’ve come back. Do you know how worried we’ve been?! How many nights I’ve laid awake wondering if you’d gotten yourself killed. Or if Ren and Zero had gotten themselves killed while out looking for you.” She finally released Sakura, her relief turning to disapproval. “Where have you been?”

“Around,” she managed through the pain, unable to look at the woman.

“Where did you find her,” she asked Ren, knowing she’d get a straight answer from him.

“In Naddenly,” he breathed, becoming more confident in his survival.

Okag shook her head in dismay. “That’s much too far. Traveling all that way on your own. Something terrible could have happened. It’s not safe for two girls to travel alone. You could have been injured. Or Ivy! Then what? Would all of this have been worth it then?” She looked up at Ivy and opened her arms to the girl who rushed into them. “Oh, my sweet girl. I told you last time not to let her take you too far.”

“She’s fine,” Sakura grumbled. “You worry too much.”

“Well, someone has to because you don’t worry enough!” The ogre snapped before looking down at Ivy and smoothing amethyst waves. “Were you able to at least find out anything new?”

Ivy shook her head, her smile bright and cheerful. “No, but it doesn’t matter. We’re staying now.”

“Staying? Here?!” It was a shock for the woman to hear. “Are you sure, dear?”

“Mmhmm.” She beamed before hurrying to hug Torg and bring him out of his stupor.

Torg looked at each of the four before settling on the fox. “All of you? For good?”

“Yeah.” Sakura shrugged. “I guess so.”

The group stayed a while longer, discussing the places they’d been and listening to the ogres relay what news and information they had before being shooed off by Okag with her insisting that it was getting late, and they needed to rest after such a long journey. So, they left with promises to visit soon, and they made their way past the aspens and pines until the trees feel away into the clearing where the cottage sat waiting for their return.

Ivy screeched in delight the moment it was in her sight and latched onto Sakura’s arm, dragging the woman to the house all while chattering about all the things she wanted to do.

Ren glanced at Zero, ruffling his hair as the boy smiled at the girl’s reaction before pushing him forward to follow after the pair. The man stopped and watched the three disappear into the cottage before peering at the mountains looming overhead.

He grinned.

This had gone so much easier than he had planned.

How nice.