Ring of Power

Chapter 14: More Than a Friend?

     Once Xavier was done cleaning Emerald's wounds, Emerald let him rest and crept down to the kitchen. The music was still playing and the men were all dancing and shouting. She went around the counter and through the doors to the back room and kitchen area.
     "Hey! You're not allowed back here, girl!"
     Emerald turned to see the woman who served their meal sitting at a table with a mug of ale in her hand.
      "Please, I just need some medicine for my friend. He has a horrible headache." She pleaded.
     The woman got up and headed toward her. She stared at Emerald really hard, then a look of realization appeared on her face.
     "I know you!" the woman began, "You are the girl from the corner, the one who had her hood up the whole time. Why, your friend was mighty nice. I suppose I can lend you some herbs to take care of his headache."
     "Thank you Ma'am." Emerald said, relieved.
     "The name's Margret. I'm the inn keeper's wife, but sadly he passed years ago and now I'm runnin' the business all alone."
     "I'm sorry to hear that."
     Margret gave her a small smile and headed to the back cabinet with all kinds of supplies in it. She pulled out a few herbs and handed them to Emerald.
     "Grind these together and then put them in a cup with some water and have him drink it. His headache should be gone in no time!" Margret said, then she noticed the blood stain on her hip, "My little lady! It seems you had a rough night as well!"
     Before Emerald could respond, Margret ran back to the cabinet and grabbed a few more herbs, handing them to the girl.
     "Those should help with healing and pain as well,  my dear."
     "Thank you so much!" Emerald replied, grateful for her help.
     Margret nodded to her and she ran back up to her room, closing and locking the door.
     Emerald took the herbs and put them in two small cups. Then, using the hilt of her dagger she grinded them together and added a little bit of water to each.
     She went and woke Xavier, putting the cup to his lips and holding his head as he drank the liquid. Once he was finished she put the cup on a table in the corner and drank the other. She placed hers on the table and curled up on the floor next to the bed. She looked up at Xavier and thought of how he helped her from something that seemed so small, and got hurt in the process, but to her meant so much.

     The next morning Emerald woke to silence. There was no music, no singing, and no shouting. She was pleased it was finally quiet.
     She got to her feet and looked at Xavier still fast asleep on the bed, his face had healed some and he looked content. She covered him back up with the thin blanket he had kicked off sometime the night before and then left the room quietly.
     She headed down to the main floor, still feeling the injury in her hip, but not as much as the night before thanks to the herbs from Margret, and looked around. There were a few people at the tables eating their breakfast in silence. Emerald went around the counter and into the back room to find Margret. She was at the far end of the kitchen cleaning some pots and pans from breakfast.
     Margret looked up as Emerald approached and greeted her with a big smile.
     "Mornin'! You're looking better. How's the boy?" She asked.
     "He looks a lot better as well and he looks like he slept well. Those herbs must have worked great. Thank you so much for your help. We ran into some trouble last night." Emerald remarked.
     "Good to hear he's doing well. I heard the ruckus ya'll made, but by the time I got over there you were all gone. Sorry 'bout those guys, they always causin' trouble." Margret said, then she began to prepare meals for her guests. She went and gathered fresh cheese, meat, and some newly laid eggs. She placed them all on a tray and handed it to Emerald.
     "Thank you again for all your help, Margret.  We are truly in your debt." Emerald said.
     "No problem!" Margret replied, glad that she could be of assistance to the two youngsters.
     Emerald took the tray back up to her room and set it down on the table. Xavier was still asleep so she didn't eat yet, although she was hungry, because she wanted to wait until he woke.
     Emerald sat in a chair next to the bed and sharpened her sword and daggers to pass by the hours. Close to midday, Xavier started to stir.
     He slowly sat up and looked around the small room, remembering where he was and what had happened the night before. He was surprised to find he didn't have a terrible headache and realized he was still in the bed.
     He looked over to where Emerald was sitting next to the bed looking back at him, then he noticed the breakfast tray sitting on the table untouched.
     "Did you eat?" He asked, hoping she had.
     "No, I was waiting for you to wake up." She replied, knowing he wasn't going to like her answer.
     "What time is it?"
     "Almost midday."
     "You waited until midday to eat just so you wouldn't eat without me?! You need food too, Emerald!"
     "I know, but I still waited."
     "Where did you sleep."
     "On the floor."
     "Why didn't you take the bed?"
     "You needed it."
     "I would have given it to you!"
     "I wanted you to have it, it's not a big deal. Now calm down and let's eat." Emerald said, annoyed that he was making a big deal of these small things but touched at the same time.
     They ate quietly and then packed their things. Emerald grabbed all of her weapons and Xavier had his sword. They had decided they needed to set out, even though they were both against it. They needed to keep moving but Xavier could still use some rest and Emerald was still limping.
     When they exited the inn, they heard a shout and a commotion behind them. The two turned to see the three men from the night before. They were angry and heading their way, Emerald looked at Xavier and they took off.
     They ran through the village, out of the gates, and back into the opening next to the mountains.
     "Head to the right and into the Daier Forest!" Xavier yelled from behind Emerald.
     She turned to the right and he followed. They ran until they saw the tree line of the Daier Forest and were safely inside. They ran a few feet in and Emerald saw a small shady spot off the left of the path. She headed for it and Xavier was close behind. He sat and regained his breathe while Emerald made sure the three brutes didn't follow them into the forest.
     Finally, she decided the coast was clear. They either gave up the chase or didn't want to enter the forest behind them.
     Emerald slowly stepped out onto the path and looked both ways warily. She motioned for Xavier to follow and they started down the path.
     "Are you alright?" Xavier asked, looking worryingly at her hip.
     "I'm fine, you?" She replied.
     "Fine"
     "What do we do now?"
     "We follow this path until we make it to The River Luna and then we will have to cross the river and continue through the forest to Elensdor." He said, confidently.
     "How long will it take?"
     "If we keep at this pace, we should be there by this time tomorrow or a little later. This is quite a small forest after all."
     Emerald nodded and led the way. She felt so out of place and so far from home. She had never left the Kaikon Forest and never thought she would. But here she was, a few days, a mountain range, and another forest away. She couldn't believe she had traveled this far away, and for what? A magic ring?
     The sun began to set and make dark shadows in the forest around them. They decided to call it a day and started to look for a nice place to stop and rest. They found a tree that curved in at the bottom and it made for a perfect place to stay the night.
     They sat down and ate meat and berries for supper. They were starting to run low on supplies since they didn't really have time to buy more in Gangrar.
     Soon they both wrapped up tight in their cloaks next to one another and were off to sleep.
     At first Emerald was so tired she felt like she could sleep for weeks, but as she laid there in the dark in this unfamiliar forest, she found she was wide awake.
     She slowly rose to her feet, careful not to wake Xavier, and she wandered into the dark trees ahead. She walked until she found a beautiful clearing filled with flowered vines and weeping willows. There were many large rocks and some fallen trees. In the moonlight the rocks shinned bright and the flowers were pale white. It was so incredible!
     Emerald found a big rock near the centre of the clearing and sat down in the midst of it all. She forgot about her home for a while and became lost in this wonderful place. She felt so peaceful and relaxed, she never felt this way before. Actually, at this moment she realized how much she had changed. She went to a strict, hidden, elven girl no one knew about to a soft elven girl with a friend. She knew it was all because of Xavier and this journey, but she didn't know if she liked it or not. She would just have to get used to it. She also wasn't sure how she felt about Xavier, it was a strange, new feeling. He has helped her a lot and has acted like more than just a friend toward her. She wondered how he felt about her but was too shy to ask him.
     Suddenly she heard a rustle behind her and someone touched her shoulder. She jumped up, turned around and pulled her sword from its sheath in one swift motion. Then she lowered her sword when she realized it was just Xavier.
     "Why did you do that?" She asked, angrily.
     "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. I just wanted to know where you went." He said, backing up.
     "Why did you follow me?" She said, loosening up.
     "I just wanted to make sure you were okay."
     "I'm fine. It's me who has to worry about you when you wander off. I can take care of myself."
     "I know you can. I didn't mean okay as in safe, I meant as in mentally, emotionally. I noticed earlier you looked sort of down and I wondered if that's why you left."
     Emerald looked away sadly, she should not have gotten on him. He just wanted to help, and she was quite down. She looked back at him with a look of admiration and gratitude as he sat next to her on the stone.
     "Yes, I am upset. I guess you can say I'm sort of home sick. I have never left the Kaikon Forest and now I'm in a totally new place. I am just missing my forts and their safety and the river bank where my parents are buried, but saving the world is a lot more important than homesickness." At the last part, Emerald perked up and smiled.
     "I understand," Xavier said, "I just don't miss my home as you do because I never want to go back. It was horrible living as my parents slave all those years. Now I'm finally where I want to be and with who I want to be with."
     Emerald and Xavier both blushed and looked away.
     But at that moment they both unknowingly decided how they felt about one another, and they both silently confirmed to themselves that the other felt the same way as they did.