Ad Astra

Chapter 13

In the days following, I excitedly anticipate my mother's letter, but nothing ever arrives. Each afternoon, I sort through the stack of mail left on the kitchen table, but when I reenter my room, there is never a letter in my hand. The lack of any correspondence between me and my mother keeps me up at night. I worry if my letter was intercepted or perhaps something terrible has prevented my mother from responding. I consider composing a second letter, but there has been nothing substantial to share since my walk with Asteria in the garden.

One afternoon, before I can sadly sort through the letters, Alba motions me over toward her on my way back to the maid's quarters.

"Yes? Is everything all right?" I ask.

"You have a visitor," Alba says, eyeing the back gate of the estate. "Be back in a few hours."

I nod and thank her. My heart leaps in excitement at the thought of Taika waiting for me. I have to wonder if his visit brings good news or bad, but knowing that someone from home is waiting for me is enough to fill me with glee, no matter the reason. I nearly run out the back gates of the estate to find Taika leaning on a wooden fence on the outskirt of the road.

"Taika!" I exclaim excitedly. His face lights up in a smile, and I carry the hem of my maid's uniform as I rush over to him. He engulfs me in a firm hug. Though we saw each other only a few weeks prior, I have already missed him greatly. He does not know how much I cried after he left. I do not plan to tell him this, but I hope to convey my excitement over our reunion in the tightness of my hug.

"I'm glad to see you are still well," Taika says gently.

"Shall we walk the same route as last time?" I wonder. I am already thinking of all that I want to tell him and all that I want to ask about. An afternoon stroll sounds absolutely perfect in this springtime air.

However, Taika shakes his head. Last time, he greeted me with excitement, but this time, he appears nervous, which causes my stomach to drop. Is there bad news he must share? Taika points his head toward a small stretch of woods in the distance. "We'll go a different way. There is someone waiting for you," he says.

I nod. I could always ask who this mysterious visitor is, though I have a fairly good idea if the absence of a letter gives any indication. I walk quietly alongside Taika, wishing I could tell him all about how my plan is going in Esterpool, but he keeps the conversation brief and surface-level, merely asking if I am eating enough and getting along with the other maids. It is clear he wants to save the larger discussion for when we get to the woods.

We walk alongside the dirt roads of Esterpool, past the sprawling farms, until I can hear the sound of a creek in the distance. It drains from the farms in the east and travels west, where there is small shrouds of woods.

"This way," Taika says, taking me away from the open space of the farmland into the denser brush of the forest. I follow behind him slowly and enter into the woods. The trees have thin trunks and delicate green leaves, and various bushes and flowers, entirely different from the flora of the Landiani Jungle, decorate the forest floor. I suppose it is quite beautiful, but it must not even compare to what the forests of Magnuvia used to look like. I expect these woods are one of the few remnants of natural beauty in this country.

Taika takes a large step over the creek. He turns, seeing me hold the ends of my uniform nervously as I eye the creek with uncertainty.

"Take my hand," Taika offers.

I nod and grasp on, thanking him as he helps me make it across the small stream of running water. I try to brush any remnants of dirt from my gown, but I am sure I will need to do my laundry later regardless. Alba does not take lightly to even a speck of dirt on our uniforms.