Later that night, after the sun had set and the moon was high. Anular awoke with someone shaking him. Anular’s eyes snapped open to see Audra over him, her green eyes looking right into his. She motioned for him to follow her quietly, as Gran Gran was asleep in a chair in the corner of the hut. They slunk out of the door and into the star light. “You promised to take me the capital of Hafdir, Obin.” Audra said looking toward the mountains. “Gran Gran does not want me to go, she says that my duty as a sage overrides my desires as a person.” Audra finished as her gaze shifted toward the ground.

“Whats a Sage?” Anular asked.

Audra looked surprised at this question, “Well I’m a sage” Audra said bluntly. “or rather I was born to be one. I have access to more magic than others and I have control over wind magic. Apparently I am reincarnated protector of the kingdom. When I was baby, the rulers in Obin found me and forced me and Gran Gran out here to ‘protect’ me. Gran Gran is not really my Grandmother, I don’t know who that is or who even my parents are.” Audra finished sitting down on the ground next to the hut, with her back resting on the wall. “She is the closest thing to family I have. Obin will have more answers to who I am, or it should. Gran Gran has taught me how to control my magic and the limits of it, but not of my family, or past or anything.”

Anular followed Audra’s lead and sat beside her looking into the stars, head resting against the hut. “So that’s why you want to leave? To learn about your past? That’s it?” Anular seemed annoyed that this girl had brought him all the way to her village, just so they could go venture further into enemy territory. It’s suicide to waltz into the Obin, he would be killed on the spot if he was discovered.

“Well yes, I have no idea who my parents were.” Audra replied.

“Ask Gran Gran.”

“I did, she did not know who they were, I was assigned as her charge. Audra, is my name now, but its not the name I was given at birth. Gran Gran does not know that either. My past before discovery is a complete mystery to me.”

“You know that I’m an Imperial Enkel, I will stick out and be killed on the spot. If discovered”

“Just claim to be a defector, you’ll be fine.” Audra assured “You will be traveling with the sage of the wind, I will be able to protect you.”

Anular and Audra sat in silence for while. “I could use this as an excuse to get access to Obin. I would be able to gather intelligence on the enemy ” Anular thought to himself. “and she kinda has me, I will just have to play along until, she lets me go.” “You will release me when we get to Obin, after we get there, I will leave you to explore. Do we have a deal.”
Audra thought for a moment, it was not the deal she had put forth before, but it would have to do. “If you can convince Gran Gran to let us go, yes. I will be able to make it on my own in the city.” Audra said satisfied with this arrangement.

Quietly, Gran Gran moved back to her chair to resume sleeping. She had been there the whole time and now understood more on why Audra wanted to leave. She had much to think about in the coming days on how to prepare Audra for the journey ahead.