Inside the home, Firion and Kaida were readily gathering what they could travel with, especially what they theorize could be a long and potentially harsh journey.
Their location was not safe anymore, those knights will comeback with a larger search party, and Firion did not have power to go against such a powerful noble.
("Fleeing seems cowardly, but I don't want to risk putting Kaida in harms way, but I'll be damned if they think they can take her from me. I just want to build a life with her.") Firion's thoughts surged with determination.
He figured that the forest is right between Junai and Aldenburg, while simply traveling south sounded easier, Firion remembered that there was a Lustrodos military base between them and Eurelca.
Instead, Firion proposed to Kaida that they travel west through Junai, though he was unsure what their situation would be if they encountered any white fang devas, the odds with them were still better than Aldenburgs.
("Crossing nations puts Lustrodos at a greater length, that will at least limit their reach.") he surmised.
The army tried to kill him once, they will definitely want him dead now that he took the intended bride from someone in the royal family.
As he folded some blankets into a bag, he decided that now would be a good time to tell Kaida some of the things he heard from the soldiers.
"Kaida, outside of the things you told me about your mother, did you know her name? or her position of where she came from?" he questioned her.
She shook her head, meaning she lacked that knowledge, her mother only ever told her vaguely about the world, and barely touched the past.
Whenever Kaida did try have such conversations with her mother, she would recall emotions of fear and anger that would arise from her heart, eventually Kaida learned not to press on the subject out of respect for her well-being.
"One of the soldiers mentioned the name Amara...and that she was a priestess that escaped from an arranged marriage, she might have been a intended bride to a Aldenburg noble, I believe that is the true identity of your mother Kaida." Firion explained to her.
He also informed her of the marital exchanges that have been going on between Mycean and Aldenburg, and how those soldiers were there to "take" Kaida to be a wife to a powerful person.
This revelation shot an unknown fear down Kaida's spine, and she began shivering at the thought that someone would want to forcibly take her against her will. Something she never considered.
("Mother...I know you just wanted keep me safe...but to hide the truth of such dangers, I am fortunate that I met Firion who is my protector now, but what if those people found me before he did?!") she thought to herself in fear as she gazed at her husband.
Then tears suddenly started flowing down her cheeks...this fear, suddenly having to leave everything behind, and now people wish to take her from Firion?
"Kaida? Are you scared?" The large elf noticed and carefully walked over to her and gently pulled into his chest, she was shaking, he can tell she's overwhelmed by whats going on.
She cleared her throat and spoke, "I am scared, and I know we wanted to leave, but for it to happen so abruptly, and just when we realized we love each other, and now there are people pursuing us..."
But her last sentence was interrupted by a deep kiss from Firion, and with it her tears stopped, and she returned his embrace.
He gently pulled her towards the ground and wrapped his massive arms around her while her delicate pale limbs wrapped around his neck.
Their mouths were exchanging each others saliva as Firion's longer tongue wrapped around her's and thoroughly touched every corner of her mouth.
("His tongue is just like his penis...") her perverted thoughts echoed.
He pulled his mouth away from Kaida as she carefully took a few deep breaths and hugged her once more.
"I know Kaida, this situation is scary for the both of us, but I will not let anybody take you from me! This journey might seem overwhelming, but we will make it!" he promised her.
From his words she felt a surge of courage from her heart! And she wiped her tears.
He is right, though the situation may still seem overwhelming, as long as they have each other they can pull through this and build a new life.
After a while it appears they have most of their essentials packed, they will be departing soon.
"Firion I am almost done with our packing out rations, its a good thing I keep plenty of dried fruits and nuts for the winter months, and I have a bag of potato starch and millet flour." Kaida informed him as she will take care of the essentials.
She also remembered to keep the seeds from her garden. She could always grow a new one.
Meanwhile Firion will manage all the heavier utensils like the cookware, clothes, and blankets.
He then handed a cloak to Kaida that had a hood on it. "Put this on. I found this under some old blankets, it will help hide your horns."
It was her mother's old mantle, she held it to her nose, it still had Amara's nostalgic scent on it.
("Mother...") she reminisce.
Then Kaida remembered one more thing! "Firion the tome! Lets take it with us!"
"Ah! I almost forgot, maybe it may have some value. It might help us some way on our journey!" Firion replied as he pulled it from the shelf.
Thankfully the knights didn't notice it, he couldn't tell why, but he knew that this book was special and it was too valuable to just leave behind.
They carefully crept out of the home and looked around, it was still pitch dark outside.
Based on Kaida's knowledge of the forest they will travel north around a cliff that seems to be the most secluded part of the area, from there they should eventually reach the plains of Junai.
Once more, they gazed at the humble home that brought them so many warm memories, especially for Kaida, and as they turned away they walked away from it.
Never will they be able to return here.