After more Trails crossover talk with @azurefishnets, a quick teen Cabanela in Nord daydreaming of leaving. He was born in the wrong land.
There were more people than he’d ever seen before. Lights shone down through the darkness and he felt the first thrill of exhilaration as a cheer went up. The music began. He stepped forward with a hand over his chest. The first song to capture them all, heart rending and he would give it everything he had. They would be swept up and carried through a glorious tale of adventure, heart break and love all to a stunning victory and profound joy. He waited so long for this. It all began here. He opened his mouth.
“Cabanela!”
Cabanela blinked. His vision filled with sheep and grass. Even less desirable was the stern frown the Elder gave him.
“Come now, lad. The sheep won’t gather themselves.”
Cabanela bit back a sigh that would only earn a lecture and set to work. He hummed snatches of tunes to an inattentive audience and when he finished with the sheep among other chores he mounted his horse and rode out.
He debated going to the watchtower or Zender gate, but instead found himself going up to the stone pillars.
“Not a bad staaage, hm Zephyr?” Cabanela swung off and patted Zephyr’s neck.
Zephyr whinnied and wandered off to a promising patch of grass. Hmph, what did a horse know anyway? Cabanela sprawled across the grass and stared up into the vast blue skies. A few clouds dotted it but mostly it was blue as far as the eye could see today and he lost himself in its depths.
The last travelling priest had described Heimdallr so well he felt he could see it. Stone streets, countless buildings containing all manner of things overlooked by a massive crimson castle. And the opera house! People gathering all in one place to view performances, to appreciate the music. And oh the people. 800 000, the priest had said. It was beyond imagination.
And that was only Heimdallr. He pored over the maps at Zender Gate whenever allowed and the soldiers had grown used to his presence, even almost welcoming. Many cities and towns dotted Erebonia and beyond Erebonia there was Calvard. To actually step foot on Calvard’s soil instead of viewing it from afar. And Liberl and Crossbell. Crossbell sounded as fascinating as Heimdallr. He would see all of it.
One more year, two at most to finish saving mira and prepare. A whole world waited outside the highlands. He watched a hawk fly overhead. If he could fly… He couldn’t, but a train waited. To Roer, to Heimdallr. From there the world.
