Pyrrha mounted Nendia after Blake mounted Symphony. They found Blake’s younger sister and the younger girl clearly wasn’t fond of having to cover for Blake. Pyrrha’s grip on Nendia’s reins tightened a bit. She should have fought more to not come with Blake. Apparently, Heshia had sent Blake to help her out but that made no sense. Heshia hadn’t sent any signs or messengers when the false allegations had been levied against Pyrrha.

  So why?

  Why send somebody to help her now? She knew the gods could be fickle, but this felt almost too good to be true. She’d seen essentially exiled in the mid fall and had wandered through the winter until today. It made no sense to have almost completely silence for so long then have Heshia speak up. She didn’t understand. The will of the gods was truly unknowable. She really didn’t know why Heshia hadn’t stood up for her…

  She was silent as they left the forest and into the bright sunshine and she shielded her eyes. After being in the low light of the forest for several weeks, it hurt her eyes. She hadn’t even paid attention to the cycles of the moon. There was no point in trying when she could barely see the sky beyond small windows in the growing leaves.

  Nendia plodded behind Symphony, a heavy silence hanging between Blake and Pyrrha. She was fairly certain Blake had a ton of questions for her as that would only be natural. Pegasus knights were held in incredibly high esteem in Illyria. If anything, they were held in even higher esteem than normal knights. With the Covenant of the Winds, pegasus knights were held not only to the tenants of chivalry as well as the Covenant which bound them to complete purity. No sort of impurity was allowed for pegasus knights. So the fact there was a lone knight and pegasus out here… Something had clearly happened to her. Blake had to be consumed with curiosity.

  Yet…the young Faunus woman asked nothing. She remained silent as they walked along the muddy cart track that lay between the forest and whatever town Blake lived in.

  “I know you said we’re almost at the border, but what town do you live in…?” Pyrrha wanted to know exactly where she was. Geography hadn’t been her strongest subject when being taught, but she had a general idea of where most border towns were. As long as the population wasn’t mostly sheep, this town should be on a map. Granted, she didn’t have a map with her and her last look at one had been…sometime before the false allegations. Sometime during her last mission with the knights.

  “Ah, I live in Hazelmire. Mot much of a general population center, but we have the largest Sanctum for two hundred miles. It houses about two thousand aetherians. It’s one of the larger Sanctums away from the capitol.”

  “Thank you.” Hazelmire… She definitely knew the name. She’d apparently turned east at some poind and hadn’t realised. The fact she was so close to Tosnor should’ve tipped her off earlier, but she was still adjusting to being around another person again.The last time she’d been around other people had probably ben during Soloran which had been… “What month is it?” She had completely lost track of time. Winter felt never ending.

  “It’s Heshval.” Thankfully, it seemed like Blake wasn’t going to ask unnecessary questions. She had answers for Pyrrha and no doubt questions but it seemed like she wasn’t going to ask them. Which let Pyrrha breathe a sigh of relief. She didn’t feel like answering questions about what she’d been through… It still felt much too raw despite having been seven or so months ago.

  “I see. Thank you.” So a new year had hit them huh? It was the first time since she’d been a little girl that she hadn’t celebrated with the knights… She would never again be able to celebrate with her sister on any holiday. It hurt.

  It really hurt.

  No, her heart had never truly been in being a knight especially the vows of purity, but still… It had been her entire life since she’d been a little girl. Her parents had shipped her off when she’d been about six years old. It had been fourteen years since then… It was so hard to be away from the knights for around half a year. She would never go back. She hadn’t even been offered the Trial of the Winds. She hadn’t even broken the Purity of the Wind vow…

  But what was a baron’s word against a prince’s?

  Tears came to her eyes. She honestly thought she had cried herself out some time ago, but interacting with a new person… Apparently, she hadn’t. She thought she had grown entirely numb with winter entirely freezing her heart, but it hadn’t. She really wished it had. All she’d known the past seven months were pain, sorrow, and numbness. Only Nendia had been her companion through all of this. Nobody had paid her any mind until Blake.

  The entered a stone wall through a guard gate and the man watching out spoke up. “Blake, who’s that with you? Is she trustworthy?” The question stabbed Pyrrha’s heart. She supposed it only made sense. How did it look to have a singular person on a pegasus in threadbare clothing? It must look beyond suspicious… Some aetherians received Everwild pegasi just as Blake received an Everwild horse, but it was beyond rare. Pegasus knights were really the only people who rode them with any regularity…

  The town itself was relatively small. As was usual for Illyrian building, the houses and shops blended into the natural environment relatively well. People went about their business but cast wary glances at Pyrrha. She sighed mentally. This was why she’d avoided going into towns especially without any coin to her name. She’d spent the last of it on grain for Nendia months ago, right as Kephryon had begun and winter’s icy grip had started freezing the land. The poor pegasus hadn’t had grain since winter had begun. Maybe, if they were merciful. Blake’s family would give Pyrrha some grain for Nendia. She tried to give Nendia the sustenance she needed, but it had been so very hard to do without any money.

  “Would you be willing to give Nendia some grain when we get to your house…?” It took ever bit of self-control for Pyrrha to not start weeping on the spot. She had neglected her pegasus so badly. She had tried her best, but it hadn’t been good enough. She was no Animancer, so she hadn’t been allowed into the Everwild to allow Nendia to graze. She had absolutely betrayed her mount and her trust… She hated that Nendia hadn’t left her to see greener pastures in migration.

  Blake’s ears twitched and she nodded. “Of course. Honestly, were it possible, I would’ve let you ride Symphony, but even an Everwild horse would struggle to carry two fully grown adults.” Blake smiled at her. “We’ll let you and Nendia stay with us as long as you want.” It felt too good to be true. Pretty much everybody had treated them with a lot of suspicion to the point of town guards asking her to leave. Why was Blake so different? She was grateful, but she didn’t understand…

  “Thank you.” That was all she could say right now. She was personally starving but she was far more worried about Nendia. A knight always worried about her mount than herself. She really wanted Nendia to get better even if she herself languished. She felt certain that Blake and her family would let her stay overnight then have her be on her way. Blake said they could stay as long as needbe, but she severely doubted that. Nobody was this kind. They couldn’t—wouldn’t—be allowed to stay more than a day or two. She would probably be sent to the Sanctum then expected to work for her keep.

  “It’s really no trouble. And we’ll get you some good food while you stay with us. Though…could you come with me to the Sanctum first? I’m guessing you don’t have any other clothing beyond what’s on your back? They usually have clothing there. It might be a little ill fitting, but that’ll be better than what you have on right now.” Pyrrha’s heart sank. So Blake was just going to take Pyrrha to the Sanctum. She’d gotten her hopes up, only to have them dashed.

  “No, no other clothes.” She couldn’t work right now. She was far, far too weak. Sometimes even riding Nendia was hard. Right nw, she spent more time sleeping than not. She had to make up for the lack of food somehow. She was sleeping like a cat right now. Honestly, she wanted to curl up and sleep right now if possible.

  But Blake was right. She needed more clothing. Even her boots were well past their lifetime. Snow and rain had been leaking in since mid-Lunaris. BUt that was still better than walking in the snow and risking frostbite. She couldn’t even afford grain or hay for Nendia; how could she afford boots for herself?

  They came to the Sanctum. Compared to the one Pyrrha was used to, it was rather paltry in comparison, but it was still a grand structure nonetheless. A massive sacred flame stood in the middle, a roaring green bonfire dedicated to Vareya the Flamekeeper. A massive altar stood a bit away from the sacred flame, both protected by an impressive crystal dome that reflected the ever-shifting constellations. Several Diviners, identifiable by their color-coded robes, stood at the altar to Niru to do whatever rites they needed to do. She was no mage, so she had no idea what a Diviner or High Archmage needed to do on a daily basis.

  As expected, she got looks from the Diviners but they looked more confused than wary or outright aggressive. That…was somewhat better than people wanting to turn her away. It still didn’t feel good, though. She just wanted to be treated normally. She was used to reverence from the everyday person and the companionship of that came with being in the Sisterhood. All of that had been ripped away from her. She just wanted to live a normal life as a commoner. She’d had her title of baronness ripped away from her like so much else.

  They arrived at a building offset from the main part of the complex. Non-Diviners walked in and out. Blake dismounted and Pyrrha followed her lead, warily walking into the building which was full to the brin with clothes and other objects that a person could need.

  “Welcome!” A woman dressed in a green robe stood behind a counter. “Can I help you with anything? Oh, hello, Blake! Who’s that with you? I don’t think I’ve seen her around her before.” The woman suddenly turned wary.

  “Heshia asked me to help her. Her name is Pyrrha.” Blake smiled and the woman returned it, but Pyrrha didn’t. She was too used to people acting like this toward her. She could understand, but it didn’t make things any easier. Especially in the Sanctuary of Second Blessings. The Sanctuary of Second Blessings was supposed to be a non-judgemental place where people could get secondhand goods with no questions asked. And yet questions kept being asked. Travelers weren’t the most common but still… Couldn’t be people a little kinder to her? Why did they have to be so cruel to her?

  "Welcome in then, Pyrrha. You seem to not have a lot. Normally we charge a modest fee, but in your case, take whatever you need. There are changing rooms to try things on in the back." The young woman smiled. "Though, usually, we do ask people who take for free to spend some time in the Circle of Gratitude to show their respects and gratitude toward Rhyza or at least have them speak to the Diviners in the Blessing Rooms to receive some spiritual support from the Diviners." Bile rose in the back of Pyrrha's throat and it took quite a bit of self-control to not yell at the young woman. The young woman had done nothing to her and was really only doing her job. There had been other sanctums with Sanctuaries of Second Blessings she could have stopped at but this was why she had avoided them entirely. She simply wanted nothing to do with the gods. Heshia hadn't stood up for her when the false allegations had come in. No Diviner had come and spoken up for her in the trial. Heshia had completely forsaken her despite the obvious acceptance the deity had shown her.

  "No thank you for any of that." She had no reason to be thankful to the gods or demigods. She refused to pray at any shrines dedicated to Falthael, let alone Heshia after the deity refused to stand up for her. The gods often didn't intercede into everyday life, but this felt like a special slap in the face. She had been offered the Trial of the Winds but that meant leaving Nendia behind and traveling alone in a dangerous pilgrimage that she might die during. Plenty of knights had died during the Trial and never made it back. She had done nothing wrong, but she had been found guilty due to the prince bribing knights, servants, and other nobles. She couldn't stand it all and Nendia hadn't abandoned her. That alone should have been enough to prove she was innocent:

  But no. Either take the pilgrimage without her bestfriend or fend for herself away from the knights.

  "I'll bring some winter clothes by later. Don't worry about it, Pyrrha," Blake said. She shot the other young woman a grateful glance then started looking through the clothes. Even if some were ill-fitting, she could always take them in.

  This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  She frowned.

  She hadn't even been allowed her standard-issue sewing kit the knights had given her. She really even shouldn't have the boots on her feet, but one of her sisters had managed to sneak her a brand-new pair before her departure. She was forever thankful to Lene and her other sisters for doing what they could to see her off as best they could. She probably should have just come to a sanctuary but being in the presence of the gods... She still didn't want to be here in the first place, but her clothes were falling apart at this point. She really had no other choice but to be here. Going to a tailor would take too much time and she wasn't sure how much money Blake's family would be willing to spend on her.

  Eventually, Pyrrha found a fair few outfits that were an okay size wise. However, they were clearly meant for someone much more filled out than her. She'd dropped a drastic amount of weight the past months. Nothing fit her as it really should have. But it would give her room to fill in as she became healthier...assuming Blake didn't just leave while she tried the clothes on and looked around.

  Tired. She was so incredibly tired. She wanted to sleep. Carrying armfuls of clothes like that wasn't something she had the strength to do. The cloth was heavy and had drained her of whatever energy the food from earlier had given her. She desperately needed to rest.

  Surprisingly, she found Blake still standing out front with a young man, chatting casually. Pyrrha approached the counter with the armful of clothes she found as well as a pair of anklet booties. The booties weren't the tall, knee-high riding boots Pyrrha had grown used to all her life. But she needed something to put over her feet. Water and snowmelt had began to leak in probably about a month ago and she couldn't stand it anymore. She needed new shoes. They were still a little ill- fitting, but even ill-fitting boots were better than the cracked, leaky boots she currently wore. The young Man put everything into bags but she took the booties and put them on. She had almost forgotten what having solid shoes on was like... Ill-fitting, solid shoes were far better than the pieces of junk she'd had on for the past month...

  "Can someone dispose of these for me?" Pyrrha held up the decrepit boots. As if to accentuate the point, a large part of the sole fell off. There was no place for those boots anymore. They had long outlived their usefulness. They needed to be disposed of immediately. Thankfully, the young man behind the counter took and stowed them beneath the counter with the promise of disposal.

  "I can take your bags," Blake offered." You look exhausted."

  Pyrrha nodded wearily, "I am." Blake... wasn't just dropping her off here at the Sanctum? It felt too good to be true. Sure, Blake had ⑤ aid] she was going to take her to her family's store," buts he hadn't believed it. She didn't want to get her hopes up only to have them dashed. She really did need a stable place to live so she could recover at least physically. Her main worries right now were food and shelter. She probably should've headed south to Illyria's warmer climes instead of staying in the north, but she had been south before and couldn't stand The overly warm air. It felt like she breathed water in. The north was really all she'd known most of her life... She really just needed shelter and food right now above all else. It sounded like Blake's family might actually offer her that. "Thank you."

  They left the Sanctuary of Second Blessings where Symphony and Nendia waited for them. Blake put the clothes in her saddlebags. Pyrrha went to mount until something shimmery caught her eye and she felt something lodge itself on her shoulder. She tensed and raised her hands, ready for combat, but by time she had, the thing had already landed on her shoulder.

  A bird with mostly golden feathers sat there. From what little she could see, there were also tinges of oranges, reds, pinks, and purples on the bird. It was stunning and she'd never seen a bird like it before. She really had no idea what it was, Birds were not her specialty…

  A priest in yellow robes with glimmering golden embroidery ran up. "Sunveil, what is your— Forgive me, miss, that's Sunveil, one of our auroraswifts. He's been extremely agitated for the past few hours." The bird fluffed up and let out a series of dearly angry, aggressive chirps. They were fast and incredibly aggressive and the bird spread its wings. It almost seemed as if the bird were taunting the caretaker.

  The man stomped his foot. "Insolent bird! You need to come back to the cage! You can't just stay here on this girl all day!" The bird let out another series of fast chirps, though these seemed less aggressive than before. The man fell silent for several moments then looked at Pyrrha. "Have you had a new beginning recently?"

  Pyrrha blinked. "This…is my first day in this town. Why do you ask?" What was this bird? It seemed this bird had some sort of spiritual significance. Why else would it be kept at a sanctum? The capitol had plenty of Sanctums, but it wasn't like she knew the ins and outs of every type. It seemed like this was some kind of mixed Sanctum which.-did make sense. A small one on the border that serviced most if not all of the deities did make logical sense. Still…she wasn't sure which deity this priest served.

  "So you're starting a new life here... It makes sense why an aurora swift would come to you then." The man smiled. "Take him. Rhyza told him that you're to be his new caretaker."

  Pyrrha frowned. "But I know nothing about birds." She couldn't even recognise different types by looks. She could recall hearing about auroraswifts at one point, but she had never learned about Their care. How was she supposed to care for a bird whose name she barely recalled?

  "The main things to know are they like to be high in the air and they need to see the first light of dawn. We can give you food. The main one needed is sun fruit and a mix of star grains mixed with other grains. Nectar of Dawn is optional but recommended. Like I said, we can provide the diet to you for no change; you'll just have to come around once a week to get it."

  "I don't want this bird." she hadn't asked for it, it had just come out of nowhere and perched on her. She hadn't even began healing physically yet. They wanted her to care for a bird when she hadn't even started caring for her Pegasus again? She wanted nothing to do with Rhyza or any other deity. They had forsaken her when the false accusations had taken over and she had been found guilty of breaking the purity of the Wind vow. She had done no such thing, but the tribunal had still found her guilty…

  The priest shrugged. "Sunveil has chosen you as his person. I always thought it was odd he never bonded with any of us Aeverians, but I guess he sensed he would need to bond with someone who needed his companionship in the future. There's not much you can do when anaarora Swift chooses you as their person. They're great companions especially if you're lonely." He smiled. "I f- Lou'll wait a bit, I can have some of the diet brought to you.”

  "I'll come and pick it up later I Pyrrha needs to rest," Blake interceded. Pyrrha shot her a grateful glance. After walking around so much and hauling the clothes around, she was beyond exhausted. She still didn't want the damn bird but it seemed like she had no other choice. She really just wanted to curl up in bed. She would have to take care of Nendia first though. But she really didn't have the energy... "Let's go, Pyrrha."

  "Okay." she mounted Nendia and Sun veil took off, flying around in exuberant patterns. Pyrrha couldn't keep up with how mentally and physically she was exhausted.

  They eventually reached a shop on the edge of town that towered at a good seven stories and had atleast three rooms on every floor. Apparently what Blake had said about her family being large was no joke. She dismounted and gathered up Nen did's reins to take care of her, but Blake held out her hand.

  "I'll take care of her. Go up the stairs in the back. My room is on the second floor, first on the left." Pyrrha frowned but Nendia butted her head against Pyrrha.

  The message was clear.

  She sighed and held her hand out for surveil. The medium-sized bird landed and chittered at her happily. She mounted the stairs and followed Blake's instructions. The room definitely resembled one for her age group. A bit of chaos but still organised. She sat Sunveil down on the dresser and took her booties off, then fell on the mattress.

  Before she knew it, darkness swept over her and let her drift off in comfort for the first time in months.

  "Can someone dispose of these for me?" Pyrrha held up the decrepit boots. As if to accentuate the point, a large part of the sole fell off. There was no place for those boots anymore. They had long outlived their usefulness. They needed to be disposed of immediately. Thankfully, the young man behind the counter took and stowed them beneath the counter with the promise of disposal.

  "I can take your bags," Blake offered." You look exhausted."

  Pyrrha nodded wearily, "I am." Blake... wasn't just dropping her off here at the Sanctum? It felt too good to be true. Sure, Blake had ⑤ aid] she was going to take her to her family's store," buts he hadn't believed it. She didn't want to get her hopes up only to have them dashed. She really did need a stable place to live so she could recover at least physically. Her main worries right now were food and shelter. She probably should've headed south to Illyria's warmer climes instead of staying in the north, but she had been south before and couldn't stand The overly warm air. It felt like she breathed water in. The north was really all she'd known most of her life... She really just needed shelter and food right now above all else. It sounded like Blake's family might actually offer her that. "Thank you."

  They left the Sanctuary of Second Blessings where Symphony and Nendia waited for them. Blake put the clothes in her saddlebags. Pyrrha went to mount until something shimmery caught her eye and she felt something lodge itself on her shoulder. She tensed and raised her hands, ready for combat, but by time she had, the thing had already landed on her shoulder.

  A bird with mostly golden feathers sat there. From what little she could see, there were also tinges of oranges, reds, pinks, and purples on the bird. It was stunning and she'd never seen a bird like it before. She really had no idea what it was, Birds were not her specialty…

  A priest in yellow robes with glimmering golden embroidery ran up. "Sunveil, what is your— Forgive me, miss, that's Sunveil, one of our auroraswifts. He's been extremely agitated for the past few hours." The bird fluffed up and let out a series of dearly angry, aggressive chirps. They were fast and incredibly aggressive and the bird spread its wings. It almost seemed as if the bird were taunting the caretaker.

  The man stomped his foot. "Insolent bird! You need to come back to the cage! You can't just stay here on this girl all day!" The bird let out another series of fast chirps, though these seemed less aggressive than before. The man fell silent for several moments then looked at Pyrrha. "Have you had a new beginning recently?"

  Pyrrha blinked. "This…is my first day in this town. Why do you ask?" What was this bird? It seemed this bird had some sort of spiritual significance. Why else would it be kept at a sanctum? The capitol had plenty of Sanctums, but it wasn't like she knew the ins and outs of every type. It seemed like this was some kind of mixed Sanctum which.-did make sense. A small one on the border that serviced most if not all of the deities did make logical sense. Still…she wasn't sure which deity this priest served.

  "So you're starting a new life here... It makes sense why an aurora swift would come to you then." The man smiled. "Take him. Rhyza told him that you're to be his new caretaker."

  Pyrrha frowned. "But I know nothing about birds." She couldn't even recognise different types by looks. She could recall hearing about auroraswifts at one point, but she had never learned about Their care. How was she supposed to care for a bird whose name she barely recalled?

  "The main things to know are they like to be high in the air and they need to see the first light of dawn. We can give you food. The main one needed is sun fruit and a mix of star grains mixed with other grains. Nectar of Dawn is optional but recommended. Like I said, we can provide the diet to you for no change; you'll just have to come around once a week to get it."

  "I don't want this bird." she hadn't asked for it, it had just come out of nowhere and perched on her. She hadn't even began healing physically yet. They wanted her to care for a bird when she hadn't even started caring for her Pegasus again? She wanted nothing to do with Rhyza or any other deity. They had forsaken her when the false accusations had taken over and she had been found guilty of breaking the purity of the Wind vow. She had done no such thing, but the tribunal had still found her guilty…

  The priest shrugged. "Sunveil has chosen you as his person. I always thought it was odd he never bonded with any of us Aeverians, but I guess he sensed he would need to bond with someone who needed his companionship in the future. There's not much you can do when anaarora Swift chooses you as their person. They're great companions especially if you're lonely." He smiled. "I f- Lou'll wait a bit, I can have some of the diet brought to you.”

  "I'll come and pick it up later I Pyrrha needs to rest," Blake interceded. Pyrrha shot her a grateful glance. After walking around so much and hauling the clothes around, she was beyond exhausted. She still didn't want the damn bird but it seemed like she had no other choice. She really just wanted to curl up in bed. She would have to take care of Nendia first though. But she really didn't have the energy... "Let's go, Pyrrha."

  "Okay." she mounted Nendia and Sun veil took off, flying around in exuberant patterns. Pyrrha couldn't keep up with how mentally and physically she was exhausted.

  They eventually reached a shop on the edge of town that towered at a good seven stories and had at least three rooms on every floor. Apparently what Blake had said about her family being large was no joke. She dismounted and gathered up Nen did's reins to take care of her, but Blake held out her hand.

  "I'll take care of her. Go up the stairs in the back. My room is on the second floor, first on the left." Pyrrha frowned but Nendia butted her head against Pyrrha.

  The message was clear.

  She sighed and held her hand out for surveil. The medium-sized bird landed and chittered at her happily. She mounted the stairs and followed Blake's instructions. The room definitely resembled one for her age group. A bit of chaos but still organised. She sat Sunveil down on the dresser and took her booties off, then fell on the mattress.

  Before she knew it, darkness swept over her and let her drift off in comfort for the first time in months.