Who: Lirael and Andivad What: New beginnings and confusion abounds! Where: The Six Kingdoms, Underground Warnings: High Fantasy and cuteness and no seriously, puke inducing sweetness.
Andivad had narrowly avoided going to war with the devil kingdom to find his betrothed. Some time after he'd found resolve to find his way to the devil king's castle, he'd been talked out of the madness by Queen Evuul (and his own mother) who had told him that if she'd been taken by the devil king, there would have been a ransom note, and that trying to find her there would be an utter disaster.
He took their advice, and decided, rather, to look in the realm of humans for a while. It was only out of sheer luck that when he was there that new year's day, he was teaching a young man how to find his way into the Goblin realms when one of his subjects dashed up with an urgent message. A mountain pass east of the wild lands had opened up and there were stories of a beautiful, pale, dark haired witch who was seen roaming there and seeming to be utterly lost. He showed his new friend the way back through the door in haste, and apologized for the quick adieu - he had things to do - and immediately left as soon as he'd packed to traverse the wild mountains.
He used magic to pop to the eastmost point of the wild lands with Ferina, and then a wizard who'd been to the mountain pass transported them quickly to the trailhead. He made sure he had plenty of supplies for the deep snow, and the bitter cold - including a spare heavy cloak made of the softest jackfox fur and a tent that was magically resistant to heavy snowfall - and set up the mountain.
It was a perilous trail, one which no person had found the end of - the mountains themselves went on forever and ever, it seemed - and was peppered with danger. The beasts in the caves here were far more wild than any beast tamer could manage, and were quick to attack a person caught unawares on the trail. He kept his sword at his hip and his bow at the ready, and only dealt with one single dire wolf - or what seemed to be a larger, heavier cousin of one - which he kept the carcass of to make dinner from - on his way up the narrow pass. He had been told by the wizard earlier, that the pass would open up to a small, empty valley, which had one cabin which was used by travelers.
Once the light started to fade, he decided that it'd probably be easier to continue towards the cabin than head back down or make camp. He kept a wary eye open for any sign of Lirael and her charter marks, which had an unmistakable glow. He had grown so accustomed to them, that he almost knew their scent, their taste - if indeed magic had those. He hoped for a miracle.
Please, spirits of the mountain, guide me to my destination, and let the witch be the lady who I've lost, he thought as he rode silently. Let her be safe from harm, and let her magic be bright in the dimming daylight.
Above him and over the mountain ridges, the aurora started to shine, like an iridescent curtain pulled over the world.