Kayeni had decided that if she was ever allowed to go back to Galcolia, she’d never take the fresh air for granted again.

Ever.

Even kilometers from the volcanic wasteland they called a capital, the air was still tainted with the faintest trace of sulfur, and her enhanced senses still openly blanched at the taste of the air. Granted, in the forest it was less, but then the faintest trace of sulfur still permeated the air far out from the source.

Growling slightly in frustration, she slid behind a bush and inhaled a load of said bush, getting a noseful of leaves - but at least it didn’t smell like freaking sulfur.

Only, it did.

Gosh, everything in this forbidden wasteland smelled like the rock that she was steadily growing to hate.

The evening sun cast overly long shadows as she continued on her aimless journey, slightly faster now due to her annoyance with the damned smell. Maybe it could just… go away... if she travelled a bit faster.

Buuuuuuuut it didn’t. What did she expect? No clue.

And the air still smelt horrible.

Reluctantly, she began a big loop, intending to start heading back. It was probably better that she got back before the sun fully set - the area was still somewhat of a novelty for her, and lest she get lost on the way back.
Even though she somewhat wished she could get “lost”. Maybe just wander away in some random direction, away from the stupid prince and the stupid Valvorkhs and the stupid mountain and the stupid freaking sulfuric smell.

She made a mental note to ask the servants to find some sort of thing that made the room smell nicer. If she had to breathe the sulfuric air for weeks on end, she could swear she’d go crazy.

A familiar formation of rocks emerged, and she idly noted that she’d travelled in her loop and that she had to start heading back. Reluctantly, she took a quick glance behind her - nothing, just as expected - and started back on the same trail she’d vaguely made.

Her thoughts wandered again. How far away would she have to go through the forest to get away from the horrid sulfuric smell? Definitely more than an hour one-way at the very minimum. In fact, she’d have to figure it out one day when she had the time. And today was not such a day - in fact, as the lighting became even poorer, she became more preoccupied with the fact that she had much less than half an hour of daylight to get back to the castle and make it look like she’d been there the whole time.Did she want to go back? Not really. But she still kind of had to.

Regardless of the sulfuric smell, the venture out of the hot, oppressive castle had calmed her down… somewhat. For a little while, she could escape from the incessant whispers and the constant judgement. Just for a moment, she stopped in her tracks and just took in the forest, with the evening light glancing through the trees and it’s (slightly sulfuric) scent.

And… a hint of spices?