Chapter 19

When the storms had passed and the weather began to warm a bit he was able to go to the closest town where Fern, Kyle, Fay, and a few others could send him mail, and where he would update the periodical on his journeys to be published. Valantia went with him, and acted a little strange as they walked through the snow covered streets and held his hand, which surprised him. "You never hold my hand in the village… Are you okay?"

"I don't need the younger girls of my village glaring at me any more than they already do." She snarked back at him.

"But you don't mind if all of these strangers see us like this?" He asks with a smirk.

"Exactly." She huffed as she started to walk a bit faster and get ahead of him. He had stopped though and gently pulled her back. She started to slip on the snow, but he pulled her into him and brought his face close to hers. "Do you mind if they see you like this?"

"I do not." She blushed deeply before he pressed his lips to hers. She enjoyed his kisses, she leaned into them, and yet she knew that he didn't belong to her.

Before heading back to the village they stopped at simple restaurant to get some hot chocolate while Leon opened his letters.

"I'm going to guess you would like extra whipped cream, and I can see if they have cookies." Valantia stated. Leon's bright smile was enough for her to know that she had guessed correctly and went to order as Leon removed his coat and sat down with his mail. The first letter he opens is from Fern Appleton.

"Dear Leon,

I hope that you're still enjoying yourself in that village you left me for. Sorry it has been so long since I last wrote to you.

After our trip to the island where the fish glow at night the team and I decided it was time to return home. It's been such a wonderful year and half adventure, but there is life to attend to back home. My father's health is deteriorating and my brother and his wife are expecting their first child in the Spring.

All that being said, send you next letter to the house you stayed in while you were recovering, that's where I will be staying, for a little while anyway.

Sincerely,

Fern Appleton"

He smiled the whole time he read the letter and only paused to notice Valantia returned to the table with a small plate that had two cookies on it.

The next letter is from Kyle Zoenig.

"Dear Leon,

I hope that this letter finds you doing well.

First things first, congratulations! The articles they are posting about your expedition right now are one of the most talked about things right now. Seriously, I can't go anywhere without hearing someone talking about Leon Stephanotis and the tribe on the other side of the world. I'm really happy for you Leon. I don't know if any of your other fans will see it in the articles like I do, but I can tell that you're really finding yourself out there.

I have exciting news of my own. I'm leaving the the observatory. I'm not leaving to go on the kind of adventure that you're on, but my own kind of adventure. She said yes, Iberis accepted my proposal of marriage. The official date hasn't been set, but we are thinking mid to late September, just when the temperatures should begin to drop. We are planning to hold the whole thing in Leiden, since that's where Iberis's family is and where we plan to live since she works there and most of there are a lot more job opportunities for me there. I know that you are still on your adventure, but I have to admit, I would really like it if you came to the wedding.

I am looking forward to reading the next article from your adventure and hopefully to hear directly from my now famous friend, the Leon Stephanotis.

Sincerely,

Kyle Zoenig"

Leon smiled a warm and gentle smile as he read Kyle's letter that Valantia had to ask what it was for.

He was lightly pensive as he spoke, the smile in his eyes never faltered though as he spoke with some wonder in his voice. "Lots of reasons I guess… My friend's lives are changing and moving on without me, which I knew would happen, and it makes me happy to hear that they are. It's also a little strange to be told I am famous in my home country, because I obviously don't experience that here…"

Valantia snorted after swallowing her sip of hot chocolate. "You are quit famous over here as well, I assure you of that."

"What are you talking about?" His eyebrows pull together, one rose as he looked at her with oblivious confusion.

"I don't think there has been a single woman in the village or here in town that hasn't taken their eyes off of you." She points out the two young ladies that have been periodically staring and giggling to each other.

"You sound jealous." He leaned on to the table, resting his elbows after putting Kyle's letter down.

She leaned onto the table, mirroring his posture as the faced off. "I am not. If anything I'm proud."

His head jerked back a little before relaxing into a more natural position. Before he spoke he took a moment to wonder if anyone had ever said that they were proud of him before this moment. "What do you mean? Why are you proud?"

She smirks as her eyelids close a little. "Well, to put it delicately, I'm the one that you've been with. Only an insecure woman would feel threatened by other women noticing how attractive and handsome their man is. There is also the fact that my village and myself are in a way responsible for not only making you famous in your land, but the hard work and training has made you more…" She tapped her chin as she pretended to think of the right word to use. "Masculine."

He scoffed before leaning closer to her. "Are you saying I wasn't much of a man when I showed up at your village."

She pridefully smiles. "Precisely! I knew you would get it, you've always been so smart."

He lets out a soft, slightly wounded, sigh. "I suppose I owe you all a debt of gratitude then. What can I do to repay you and your village for such a gift as my manliness?"

Her dark golden eyes look up to the ceiling and she pulls her lips to the left as she thinks "I suppose you could start with another kiss." She says as her eyes and lips return to Leon just in time for him to place a gentle kiss on her lips. Valantia enjoyed the sad little sighs from the girl's across the restaurant as her and Leon sat back in their chairs.

His final letter came from Fey Stephanotis. The letters from her had become some of his most treasured possessions over the last two years as she told him about their family. She was engaged, to her childhood sweetheart, they're stuck in a long engagement because of his work as political advisor for the royal family in Flugel, but whenever they did set a date Leon was planning to be there for his cousin's wedding.

He opened the letter excitedly and began to read it's contents.

"Dear Leon,

I hope you are doing well and staying relatively safe.

I would write a longer letter like I normally do, but I think in this case it would be best to keep things short. As far as the family updates I usually give you, not much has changed, everyone is in fine health, and we are looking forward to celebrating Christmas and New Years in just a few short weeks.

The reason for my letter being short is due to the fact that I have found your mother. Leon, she's in Leiden. She has been in Leiden for a very long time. According to the doctors that I spoke to she was in a horrible accident over a decade ago now and has a very hard time remembering anything. I'm sorry that I never told you that I hadn't stopped searching for her, I just couldn't bring myself to say anything until I had information.

I'm staying in Leiden now with her. Along with her amnesia she has a few other ailments. Leon, I'm never one to make suggestions like this, but I believe that if you would like to see her, or spend any time with her before she is truly gone from this world, you should come to Leiden as soon as possible.

I have written the address for the home that I am renting while in Leiden. She's staying with me, along with a nurse. She really is a wonderful woman with the same gentle blue eyes you have.

I hope to hear from you soon Leon.

Sincerely, Fey Stephanotis"

Valantia noticed the shift in Leon's aura as he read the letter and solemnly folded it, slid it back into it's envelope. He picked up his hot chocolate and cookie before staring out the window with a deep contemplative scowl on his face she had never seen before. When he had finished his drink they returned to the village.