New World with Four Husbands-Chapter 669: Gates

Coco slowly blinked open her eyes, her mind still hazy with sleep.

She let out a soft, half-asleep hum and blinked a couple more times, her body shifting slightly against the warmth of Kairo’s coat.

A moment of confusion washed over her before reality came back into focus.

She was in the wagon— still in the middle of the journey, but somehow, she felt refreshed, the weight of sleep lifting off her as she straightened.

"Hmm.. How long was I out?" She mumbled, words slurred with lingering fatigue.

Silence. Nothing reached her ears, but complete silence and when Coco received no answer, she shifted away from Kairo’s body, raising a hand to rub the sleep from her eyes.

Slowly, as her vision cleared, she glanced around the wagon, her eyebrows furrowing in slight confusion.

The sight that greeted her was almost.. Endearing.

All the others were fast asleep in their own spots, their bodies leaning against each other in a messy tangle of limbs, and even Kairo, who was supposed to be wide awake, had his head tilted to the side, mouth slightly open in sleep.

She blinked, her earlier daze replaced with mild fondness.

A small smile tugged at the corners of Coco’s lips as she took in the scene around her, because there was something strangely peaceful about seeing everyone asleep, all their usual chatters and sharpness softened in sleep.

With a soft shake of her head, she turned back to the wagon’s curtains that were still fluttering, her eyes drawn to the passing world outside.

As the same as earlier, the scenery before her was incredibly beautiful, even in the dim light of night.

Trees, fallen leaves on the forest floor, open fields that they quickly passed by.. The world kept moving, unbothered by their presence.

She found herself relaxing, a sense of calm washed over her as she watched quietly, the rhythmic rumble of the wagon and the steady breathing of her companions creating a strangely comforting ambiance.

Coco exhaled through her nose, her breath forming a small, fleeting puff of mist in the chilly air.

She barely registered it, her gaze still fixed on the darkened scenery outside, but then, the wagon began to slow down.

The rhythmic clatter of hooves against the ground grew quieter, the creaking of the wheels easing into a gentle halt, causing Coco to blink, peering through the curtains to see what could possibly be the issue this time.

As she looked out, she saw a faint glow of lanterns illuminating the surroundings— signs that they had reached a location with civilization.

Well, probably. Coco thought, not wanting to jump into conclusion.

She glanced back at the others and sighed.

She’s curious as to what the surroundings look like, so she wanted to step out even just for a bit.

With that in mind, Coco carefully shifted Kairo’s arm off her waist, moving as quietly as possible to avoid waking him.

The moment she managed to get Kairo’s limb off her, she quickly exited the wooden vehicle.

As soon as her boots touched the frozen ground outside, a sharp, biting cold rushed up her legs, clinging to her skin like needles. 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

Damn this weather. I’m already wearing a coat that reached my ankles. She thought with a grumble as she sucked in a breath, her body instinctively tensing against the sudden assault of winter’s grip.

The air stung her lungs and the wind nipped at her exposed cheeks.

Still, she spared one last glance back at the wagon, where her companions remained blissfully unaware of the cold waiting for them.

Then, Coco turned away, her breath visible in the frigid air as she surveyed their surroundings. searching for clues about the location they had stopped.

To her surprise, she noticed that a few of the men from the adjacent wagons were in the process of dismounting their vehicle, their dark silhouettes visible even in the dim light.

Several men from the other wagons had emerged, their boots crunching softly against the frost-covered ground as they trudged past her. Some spared her curious glances, others too preoccupied with their own tasks to pay her much mind.

She folded her arms tightly against her chest, rubbing her sleeves to generate some warmth as she watched the knights unload the supplies and tend to the horses.

She furrowed her brow, a slight shiver wracking her as a gust of wind swept past her.

They must have reached their destination— her dearest mother’s territory, by the way the men had started to unpack almost everything from their wagon, only leaving her things and her companions’.

That must mean that I have to go back inside because this wagon will be moving any second now. Coco hummed to herself and reached for the wagon’s curtain, fingers curling around the heavy fabric, ready to duck back inside and wake the others.

Only for Cleora to suddenly appear beside her like a phantom materializing from the winter mist.

She barely had time to blink before the older woman peered into the wagon, her eyes scanning the sleeping forms inside, then— without so much as a word, Cleora seized Coco’s wrist in an iron grip and yanked her forward, dragging her away from the wagon with quick strides.

Coco blinked in surprise, barely processing the woman’s presence before Cleora decided to drag her somewhere.

"Mama?" Coco called, startled.

Cleora just kept walking, her grip firm on Coco’s wrist, so Coco quickened her steps to keep up with Cleora’s relentless pace, her breath forming rapid puffs in the cold air.

"Mama?" She called again, her voice tinged with confusion. "Where are we going?"

Cleora remained silent and kept staring ahead

Coco decided to follow her gaze and her steps faltered almost immediately, her eyes widening at the sight before them.

Two massive gates loomed ahead, their iron frames towering and foreboding, etched with detailed snow designs— the sheer scale of them sending a shiver down her spine.

Is.. Is this mama’s territory?