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If it came to that, thenmaybeher brother could help her. Noelle doubted Elena could make decisions without his permission. Since their relationship had evolved over the years to a degree that she considered her brother and Yuyufriends—or as close to that definition as possible—he couldn't possibly allow her to be bartered in marriage to who knows who.
Cisco himself had circumvented his arranged marriage. Why couldn't he do it for her, too?
Yes, Noelle nodded to herself as she regarded her appearance in the small ensuite bathroom. Her hands were still wet as she brought them to her hair in an effort to tame her wild locks. Her lips tipped into a genuine smile the more she thought of it. Of course her brother wouldn't allow her to be married off to a stranger. She wasn't sure of many things, but this was one of them.
When she turned eighteen, Cisco would help her leave Elena and the family behind. Maybe continue her education in some way, or get a job. Noelle was willing to do anything as long as she could take control of her life. And without the piano…
Her smile fell. Shaking her head, she banished the melancholy that threatened to envelop her when she thought about her failed career—and the fact that she might never get to perform on a big stage again.
Dinner was a relatively quiet affair, after which they made plans for the weekend.
The first day, Noelle was going out to hunt with Cisco while Yuyu went out for a walk with Val. On the second day they would switch. Yuyu and Noelle would tend to the hunted game while Cisco would take Val on a little adventure in the forest, which usually involved picking up mushrooms, berries, and other edible plants they could cook alongside the meat.
In the past, that had been Noelle's task, either with her brother or with Yuyu. She'd never once failed to be amazed by Cisco and Yuyu's vast knowledge about the forest and about wild, edible plants. On one occasion, Yuyu had intimated the two of them had spent time in the wilderness before and as such they'd had to adapt.
That night, though Noelle was anticipating the day of the hunt, she couldn't help but feel as though she was missing something…or someone.
Her friends had become such a prominent part of her routine that she found it hard to spend the day without them. Of course, she could have brought her laptop with her, but the connection at the lodge wasn't as great and she would have likely inconvenienced her teammates.
Early the next morning, she was ready to embark on a new adventure. So she might not be the best at fulfilling the missions in the game, but she was pretty confident of her shooting skills outside of it.
Since the first time Cisco had taught her how to shoot, they'd regularly come to the lodge and practiced. He'd always told her that one day, when she was ready, he would take her hunting and she'd learned in practice.
Noelle was entirely too giddy at the thought of joining her brother for the day. So much so that everyone commented on it and the constant grin she was sporting.
"You know how much I've been waiting for this," she said in her defense when she felt all eyes on her.
"I know, I know," Cisco chuckled, bringing a cup of coffee to his lips. His eyes crinkled at the corners, and Noelle noted the sour mood from the night before was gone.
Yuyu was pretty cheerful too as she served breakfast. Even Val seemed to be in a good mood as he spoke relentlessly about his new anime obsession all through the meal.
"Sorry," Yuyu mouthed to Noelle. "You can never stop him when he gets excited about something," she smiled as she looked at him.
"He's too cute," Noelle giggled. And he was. Val had inherited features from both his parents. He'd gotten his olive skin tone from Cisco, together with the color of his eyes—a deep green. From Yuyu, he inherited the shape of his eyes, nose and mouth.
"He's growing too fast," Yuyu sighed. "I don't even know where the years have gone," she said as she ruffled his hair.
He pouted at her, but continued with his explanation of the latest episode of the anime he'd been watching.
After breakfast, they split into two teams, one going into the woods and one staying behind.
Noelle pulled her boots on, adding a small knife for easy reach as her brother had taught her. She filled her bag with everything her brother had suggested, and going to the main room, she grabbed one of the hunting rifles—the small one she always used.
When they were both done, they started on their journey.
Though Noelle was pretty familiar with the area, Cisco had never taken her beyond the immediate surroundings. This time, they would go slightly further into the official hunting territory.
"What are we getting today?" She asked in a brisk, cheerful tone.
"Whatever we find," he smiled. "Something small for your first game. A rabbit, or maybe a bird. I won't expect you to get a bear on your first try."
"What if I can?" She pushed her chin up—challenge accepted.
Cisco stopped. Turning to face her, he lifted an incredulous brow at her.
"You're five foot, if at that, Noelle. You'renotgoing to get a bear. And please. Don't even try. If you see one, you call me, and you stay out of sight. Understood?"
"Yes, sir," she raised her hand to her forehead, barely subduing her laughter.
