Yuto was beginning to grow weary of the witch doctor.
She could not understand what the old woman truly hoped to gain from helping her reach Valdoria. First, she had treated her wounds without hesitation without once questioning her identity or the dangerous lie she lived by, pretending to be a prince. And now, just as uncertainty tightened its grip around her heart, the witch was offering her aid once again.
It felt too easy.
Too convenient.
Nothing in Yuto's life had ever been given without a price.
And that was what unsettled her the most.
"What is it you seek ?" Yuto asked cautiously
The witch doctor slowed her steps but did not turn around at once. The faint glow of the hearth painted long, dancing shadows across the walls as she moved. Only when the fire crackled sharply did she finally look back.
"Nothing you can't offer, fortunately, " the old woman's lips curved into a strange knowing smile.
"Go ahead, state your price" Yuto said unwavering
The old woman stepped forward her shadow stretching across the floor
" I want a pardon from King Kaelith," she said seriously. Yuto burst into laughter as she considered what the witch had just said absurd. She wasn't loud at first—just a soft, startled sound that escaped her lips before she could stop it. Her hand rose instinctively to cover her mouth, dark lashes lowering as if she were embarrassed by her own reaction. But the laughter broke free anyway, warm and unrestrained, cutting through the tension like sunlight through storm clouds.That might have been the funniest thing she had heard in a year.
Finally, she took a deep breath to stop herself from laughing any further.
"I'm sorry, but that was just funny," she said, wiping tears from the corners of her eyes. "I mean, look at me. I highly doubt I can be the one to form an alliance between our kingdoms, and yet you're asking me to beg the King for your pardon when I barely even know him."
The witch doctor let out a low chuckle, the sound dry and unsettling. She turned away from her and reached for a bundle of herbs hanging from the wall, crushing the leaves slowly between her fingers.
"You really don't remember, do you?" she said casually.
Yuto's irritation sharpened and her eyes narrowed slightly. "Remember what?" she snapped. "You speak in riddles and expect me to understand?"
Her crooked smile widened just a fraction. "I guess that's a riddle to solve for another day. Now do you accept my proposal."
Yuto thought about the urgency of the Kingdom's peace and reluctantly agreed
"I agree. I will do my best but I cannot guarantee you anything. I would like to speak with my men first before I depart."
"Go ahead. Your leg is almost healed, isn't it."
Yuto smiled slightly then slowly stood and then soon after she realized that his leg had healed quit a bit as the pain was dull nothing significant. She then nodded towards the witch and headed for the door. Gasps rippled as soon as Yuto stepped outside. Armor shifted, boots scraped against stone, and every soldier straightened in disbelief.
"Your, highness," Rhett shouted in disbelief "you were dying a few hours ago."
Yuto exhaled slowly, breath measured "I was injured " she corrected him "There is a difference." Everyone else's expressions were either filled with amazement.
"Since you are awake, we should hurry as time is essential. We missed our boat so we travel by land " the commander stated
"As you said commander 'time is essential' so I will travel ahead. You follow."
The soldiers looked at each other confused and finally Marcus bothered to ask the question that was on everyone's mind.
"What do you mean?" he questioned
Yuto turned back for just a moment. Her gaze found Marcus'.
"The witch is going to help."
The soldiers were bewildered. for a moment the world seemed to pause, no shifting feet, no whisper of wind between the columns. The soldiers stared at one another in disbelief, as if waiting for someone to laugh and admit it was a cruel joke.
"You trust the witch?" Rhett scoffed "And what is it she intends to gain from this,"
Yuto's gaze hardened instantly
"This is not a matter for discussion," she said coldly. "I did not come to seek your approval. I came to inform you. That is all."
The finality in her tone struck like thunder. Even the commander stiffened at the edge in his voice.
Then a quieter voice rose from the back, hesitant yet heavy with concern.
"It's not safe for you," Adrian said, stepping forward at last. It was the first time he had spoken in what felt like forever. "Out there… alone… with no protection."
Yuto's gaze softened for a moment and then she replied
"I can protect myself."
At that moment the witch stepped forward from the shadows, her presence sending a chill through the air. The faint scent of smoke and crushed herbs followed her like a living thing.
"Shall we…" the witch asked, her voice low and laced with a strange calm—too calm for the tension humming through the air.
Yuto gave a single nod.
Then, without another word, she turned her back to the soldiers. The motion was slow, deliberate, an unspoken command that no one dared challenge. Her cloak shifted with the movement, brushing lightly against the dusty ground as she walked toward the cottage door. Adrian caught a glimpse of her profile in that brief moment: steady, resolute, and utterly unshaken by the storm of worry she left behind him.
The witch followed close behind, her steps silent, almost gliding. She pushed the door open, and the faint smell of old wood, herbs, and lingering smoke drifted out, curling around Yuto as she reentered the dim-lit cottage.
The door shut behind them with a soft thud.
Outside, the soldiers remained frozen in place, staring at the empty space where their prince had stood only seconds before. No one spoke. No one even breathed too loudly. The only sound was the restless rustle of leaves in the wind, unsettled, as though the forest itself sensed the shift in fate.
And in that moment, every single one of them realized the truth, no matter how uncertain the journey, no matter how dangerous the road ahead was, their prince had already chosen to walk it.