( 10 )
N O C T

The whole situation was so sudden, it was almost too funny. Noct had never expected nor intended for this to happen. Only a day ago, if someone had told him this was how he was going to end up after all that had happened, he would have dismissed that person with a huge guffaw for such an unlikely joke. A day ago, Noct never even had the thought cross through his mind that he would have to leave the kingdom of Uldard—the only place where he had been all his life—in such an abrupt way. A day ago, he never would have even guessed that his so called 'best' theft of a lifetime would lead to him accepting a deal and working under a girl who looked no less than a few years younger—and was a witch, of all things.

That's right. It all happened a day ago. The mere thought that Noct had only just met the little miss in such a short timespan made him unknowingly grin in amusement as he sat there on the wooden backside of the wagon they were riding on. Only the sound of the steady clip-clopping of the horses and the low murmur of the other people who were on board was heard.

It was still early morning. Not an hour had passed since Noct and the witch had traded their oaths. After they had a proper round of breakfast and discussed how they would leave the kingdom before getting caught, Noct had went and bought all the necessary things he thought they needed for their journey using the money the witch had given him: a change of shoddy clothes, two long cloaks, two bottles of water, a spare satchel, and a small package of bread and food. Other than that, Noct had no idea what else to bring. Since the witch hadn't particularly told him what to get other than the robes she had asked for in order to conceal their faces, he had to trust his gut with the other basic necessities.

    Still, Noct felt like there was still a lot he had missed. After all, the witch had not given him any additional information about what she meant by their oath. Noct, however, had understood the fact that he would have to accompany her in her travels, and that she would repay him in exchange. The witch had not chosen to elaborate further, however. Noct did not know where they were headed, how long it would take them to get there, or even why they were even traveling in the first place. Though it was not that he cared in the slightest. If it meant she would be the one to pay for everything, and also would repay him in return on top of that, Noct felt like he didn't need to go that far to involve himself deeper with a stranger he had just met. To him, she was nothing more but a mere benefactor. A patron, of sorts.

It was not that he had not accepted her deal without thinking it through. True, he had been unwilling at first simply because the girl was too naive and trusting and he felt like he didn't want to be involved with her any more than he already had. But once he thought it all over, he realized going with her was the better option. If he had stayed, it was inevitable that he would end up captured and sentenced to death again, with his face revealed by so many people. And since her offer was something a thief like him was unable to easily refuse, Noct had accepted. Another part of the reason, perhaps, was also because of what she had told him.

"I believe the dead also led me to you."

That was what she had said. Noct remembered the dread he immediately felt once he heard those words. If the dead was involved, then he felt like he didn't want to take any chances.

Funny how now the deceased almost seem very eager to threaten me into helping her, he thought.

A small and strained laugh escaped from Noct's mouth unintentionally. He then looked beside him with an expression of slight embarrassment, noticing, to his discomfort, that the witch was staring at him. The look of her face underneath the hood was confused and it was only in that moment that Noct realized that she must have been staring for a while now. He shook his head, offering an apologetic grin.

"Sorry. There's a lot on my mind," he said.

The witch shook her head dismissively, turning her head to look away from him. Noct was beginning to think that maybe silent head gestures were her favorite methods of communicating.

He looked around him. Aside from both of them, five other people were on the wagon, including the coachman. One was a middle-aged man with a blank expression on his face. The other was a younger person covered in a dusted gray cloak, sitting as still as a rock. Lastly, a mother and a son were huddled close in front of Noct and the witch. The child pointed to the view outside and cried out in glee, "Mother, look! I can see the mountains from here!"

Noct glanced at the child. He could somehow understand the boy's admiration, since it was also his first time stepping foot outside of Uldard. Even the outside scenery which was visible from the walls whenever he climbed atop the rooftops seemed new and fascinating. He marveled at the distant sights of the winding mountains and puzzling forests. A feeling of eagerness had swept over him which he did his best to keep hidden. He had to hold back the urge to climb up the roof of the wagon and simply marvel at the scenery.

Don't be a child, he scolded himself.

Noct had been the one who suggested to the witch that they ride on this specific wagon as soon as they finished their preparations. It was essential that they didn't stay any longer in Uldard. Since rumors about the disturbance form yesterday was spreading over the kingdom like a wildfire, Noct determined that it was the perfect time to flee, while the kingdom's guard was still loose and in confusion. When he asked the witch where she had planned to go, she had merely answered with a single word. "North."

At that moment, he glanced back at her seated figure beside him. Jutting from the edge of her cloak were three thin fingers. The witch had wrapped her hands with bandages again, although this time they looked less dirtied. He was still curious about why she preferred it that way, why she liked to conceal her skin despite having nothing to hide. He decided not to press any further, however. It, he decided, was not his business.

"Is the pain... still there?" the witch suddenly spoke quietly, startling Noct. It took him a few seconds before he understood that what she was referring to was his arrow wound.

"A... bit," he answered truthfully. "Thanks to your help, it doesn't hurt so much anymore. Although it hurts when I move."

She nodded slightly, then went quiet. When Noct thought she wasn't going to say anything any more, she parted her mouth underneath the hood and whispered in a low tone, "... Are you sure... you don't need to say farewell... to anyone?"

He scratched the back of his head. "Farewell? No, not really..." He trailed off, mind wandering for a second. The only person he had wanted to say goodbye to was to Pierre, but he had disappeared since the last time they had met. He almost felt a small sense of loss at the thought that he had left without any goodbyes. Other than him, Noct had no other person he cared enough in mind.

"... Ah." He gasped suddenly, raising his head to turn to her. "I just realized something important little miss. Haha, that reminds me. I never once asked your name."

Underneath the hood, Noct saw the witch blink slowly, as if also realizing the thought herself. She looked up at him.

"My... name..." she finally said after a long pause, "... is Chell."

Noct raised his eyebrows and tilted his head. "Chell? Pfft, For some reason... it reminds me of a cat of sorts," he said with a mocking grin.

Her eyes widened slightly, clearly not expecting the comparison he had in mind. "A... cat?"

"Yep." He laughed quietly. "But, that's probably just me. Anyway, I really look forward to traveling with you, Chell." He tried saying her name for the first time. It was easy to say, and left a kind of familiar feeling as the word rolled in his tongue. "I have a feeling something great will happen."

Instead of a response, all she did was look at him with her piercing silver eyes. Noct noticed a strand of white hair poking out from her hood and instinctively leaned in close, reaching out to tug on the cloth, his hand hovering merely inches from her face. Normally, girls would blush or swoon at this kind of sudden and intimate gesture as Noct tried to divert their attention while he grabbed for their purses. However, he was not surprised to see that there was no change of expression on the witch's blank face. She had not even blinked in the slightest.

Noct leaned back. He gave a forced smiled at her.

... As of now, what I need to do is to leech off from her and gain her trust, he thought at the back of his mind. And when I feel like she's no use anymore, I'm going to leave her behind...

Another pang of guilt crossed over him once he thought of that last sentence. Noct quickly shook it off. He chided himself for getting too soft lately. Before, he would never even think twice about using others for his own gain. He was the Crow Thief after all. The homeless, cunning orphan and thief who could survive through his wits, talent, and some bits of luck alone. He deceived in order to receive. Lying and gaining somebody's trust was something he was a master at. There was no need of guilt.

So why am I having this unseasy feeling? he thought.

Noct grit his teeth and looked outside of the wagon, determined to change his train of thoughts. Far away, the sun was already on its gentle rise behind a tall mountain, its luminous rays showering the continent. Although dawn had already happened hours ago, Noct felt that this one was a similar, yet new one.

A different light. A new beginning...

to be continued in VOL. 2