Sehun started rummaging in his bag, before I could recover from the initial shock of seeing the changes in him. If he was aware that I was staring at him so badly, he at least didn’t make a comment on it. Instead, he handed me a neatly-folded set of garments and said, “Here.”

Rather absentmindedly, I took it from him, and he continued, “I knew this would happen, since you’ve never really been to Sycrestia. You need to change, or you’ll attract unwanted attention.”

The headache from before had not gone, but I managed to stand up on my own to scan the pieces of garments. They turned out to be a simple medieval-looking beige-colored dress robes that reached up to my knees, and a black travelling cloak. Sehun also handed me laced-up knee-high flat, outdoor boots to match the get-up. 

“I’ll turn around,” he said, seemingly understanding my discomfort. Before I could say even a word,  Sehun already turned his back on me.

I knew with him, nothing’s really up for negotiations, and I didn’t want to be annoying on the first day, so I just stripped there and then. I kept my eyes on Sehun, however, to make sure that he isn’t peeking. Although I knew of course that he wouldn't dare, it was comforting for me to make myself feel secure from unwanted eyes. 

Surprisingly, the garments fit me so well, one would have thought that he got my measurements to personalize the stitches. The dress, in particular, hugged my waist exactly the way I wanted it to so that the rest of the dress robes flow gracefully like a normal skirt. At this unexpectedness which gave me some sort of relief, I then removed my sneakers and, wore the boots with great difficulty. Then, after pinning the black cloak around my neck so that it covered my arms and reached just before my ankle, I told Sehun that he could finally turn around.

Sehun didn’t seem amazed when he set his eyes on me after I gave the go signal. Still, he carefully scanned my frame, and I was satified to see an expression of approval on his face. Although I wanted to stay focused, at least until he could say something about my change of clothes, I still found myself, or rather, my eyes unhelplessly gazing a little bit higher up his forehead, and settling at his mesmerizing silver hair. 

“Good,” Sehun finally said, earning what's left of my attention back.  “You look like a normal Sycrestian now. Give me your previous clothes, I’ll keep it until we find an inconspicuous place to destroy ‘em.”

I picked them up from the ground and handed it to him. He threw it in his bag and that's when I finally asked, “Where exactly are we?”

I figured I was too disheveled earlier to even notice the surroundings. Looking at it now, it appears that we are standing on a clearing with leaves scattered all over the ground, probably in the middle of a forest. Tall and wide trees, enough to keep us away from anyone's view, encircle us, such that the light could barely shine through the thick of the leaves. Moreover, I could hear birds chirping around and pecking on trees above us. A lake or probably a pond, too, could be heard flowing from a distance. The bushes are unkempt, and stray grasses have almost grown everywhere, but still I could see and understand wholeheartedly what Chanyeol meant in our previous conversation. 

Everything in this place just seems to have a small, enchanting glow around them. The forest does not feel at all scary, instead it seems and feels as if it is alive, breathing and b with magical force. I had a notion that all the flora and fauna are placed exactly where they should be, but I couldn’t exactly pinpoint what made me think so.

Sehun also scanned the place first, before turning to me and answering, “This is the Forest of Hain. I haven’t exactly been here before, but from the way the people described this forest, I could give a good guess. I was worried we’d land in a difficult position because the gate was unguarded, but this is quite good. It’s a friendly place to start, at least, if nothing much changed since I left Sycrestia.”

“I see,” I replied in a soft voice, but still, quite relieved. “So, where do we go from here?”

Sehun looked me in the eye then, as if by doing so he could read what I am thinking. I stood there unfazed, until he said, “I live in the Capital, it’s a long way from here.”

“Okay,” I said slowly, as if waiting for him to say more. “How far?”

“We’re in the Southwest region, the Capital’s in the upper part of Sycrestia, on the Eastern side,” Sehun said. “It’ll be a long travel, and…”

“And?” I asked, almost dreading the answer, at the sound of his hesitation.

“Chanyeol told you there’s a civil war?”

“Yes.”

“They closed the Capital,” Sehun explained. “We could go through the fastest direct route, but we don’t know for sure what entrances would be easier to penetrate.”

“So what you’re saying is,” I said, trying to look for words that wouldn’t be so accusing or hurtful. “Right now, we don’t really have a solid plan?”

“Yes,” Sehun said, scrutinizing my expression. “At least, ‘til we reach the villages, where I could ask around for news.”

“Right,” I said, that sounds like a plan, although bleak. “So we first try to find a way to get out of this forest to civilization. Easy.”

Sehun looked as if he wanted to say something else, but decided otherwise. Instead he instructed, “Wear your hood. Sycrestia is still dangerous, and it’s even more for female travelers.”

“Yes, sir,” I said, trying to be cheerful as I put the hood above my head, and secured better my travelling cloak around my body. 

The simple conversation being apparently over, we started walking and I realized that my initial guess was right. The light around the forest was just getting brighter, so it really was the break of dawn when we arrived at Sycrestia. Furthermore, as we delved into the various parts of the forest in our venture to get out, everything seemed to me very fascinating, and that made the long walk less hard. Sehun, on the other hand, walks a little too fast, so I had to make an effort every once in a while to catch up to him. After all, no matter how much I wish to look around, I can’t risk losing the sight of him, because then I wouldn’t know where to go.

Speaking of which, eventhough he said he had never been in this forest before, Sehun seemed to know really well what direction to take. He doesn’t even have a compass or a map, but he doesn’t stop for a long time to think where to go. He just pauses for a bit, a little less than a minute, and then he starts walking again. Curious, I asked him while we were resting during the peak of the day.

“The wind,” Sehun said with finality as if that explained everything. When he didn't get a reaction from me, that's when he added, “My soul has been blessed by Neptune, which is why the wind whispers to me.”

“Oh,” I said, completely amazed. Chanyeol did tell me about Sycrestians having powers, but to see it myself is something truly incredible.

Sehun and I continued to travel until nightfall. At some point, I saw a road just down a little hill, and pointed it out to Sehun. He just looked at me like I was insane, and pulled me off the road, back into the thick of trees. Then, he explained with a little impatience, “We should keep off the road. In almost all forests, there are barbarians, and Rumilans are everywhere.”

“Alright, I’m sorry,” I said quickly. “I just thought we would reach the village faster if we’re taking the road.”

“Just stick with me, and don’t stray,” Sehun said sternly, and then continued walking.

I kept my silence after that, until the sun completely disappeared from the horizon, and basked us in darkness. Sehun stopped then, and I started to worry where we’d sleep, because it doesn’t look like he could fit a tent in that bag of his, and there are no cottages in sight. That’s when he dropped his bag on the floor, and started rummaging in it again. I was beginning to think his bag could be magical, when he took out two golden circles, like big coins, the size of my palm, and handed me one.

I stared at him in confusion, wondering if he’s suddenly pulling a prank on me, when he started speaking. “Look at the side, and pull the thin rope.”

So I did, curiously. I found the tip of the rope, and pulled it. I was holding the coin at the level of my chest, and the thin rope reached all the way to the floor. Sehun did the same thing, and then grabbed the rope. I copied his actions. Then, grabbing his bag, he walked a little bit, looking for particularly high trees with thick branches. When he found what he was looking for, he threw the rope high up, and to my great surprise, the thin rope wound its way around a thick b