A Forest of Secrets

Chapter 7

After Laurentius and Gerard got back from scouting, they had to resume their walking- much to her dismay. Jo was thankful for her boots, but after a couple of hours, her feet started hurting all the same. She kept a straight face, singing songs inside her head to distract her from the pain. She was immensely thankful when Gerard told them it was time to stop and rest for a while to have some lunch:  her boots were off her feet before he could finish suggesting it.

Alaric took off part of his light armor and lounged on the grass, while Laurentius offered to hunt. In eagle form. Jo's skin crawled every time she saw him turn into a critter,  unsettling didn't even begin to describe it. Gerard gathered some branches to make a modest fire. He asked Jo to ignite it with her fire rock -- she made sure to kick some leaves on Alaric's face as she passed near him, startling him: there would be time for resting later, she thought, and he had to make himself useful like everyone else. Besides, she felt like messing with him a little bit.

Gerard knelt next to her, arranging the branches.

"Alaric was up all night guarding your tent," he whispered to her. Alaric was a few steps away, removing dead leaves from his undershirt.

"I didn't know," she whispered back, feeling a little guilty. But it wasn't like she asked him to do it, she owed him nothing. "He didn't have to. I can take care of myself just fine," she turned her gaze from Gerard, focusing on lighting the fire. The damn rock wasn't working. She angrily rubbed it against a log.

"He doesn't trust Laurentius yet, he said he was spying on you while you bathed? He didn't want to give him a chance to do... worse," Gerard stood up, he looked concerned. Jo gazed at Alaric, who was now being chased by a bee.  She chuckled, he looked clumsy and childlike, it was... endearing, in a way. Maybe she could thank him, after all, but she didn't want to look weak: she was very capable of defending herself, Laurentius wouldn't stand a chance if he dared make a pass at her. She had a feeling the mage wasn't that kind of man, though,  but he was still inappropriate in her books. The mage needed to know his comments were not welcomed, maybe Alaric's weariness would give the man a hint. She'd thank Alaric in a different way, maybe she could let him sleep in her tent while she kept watch that night, he deserved to rest a little.

After a meal of wild hare and some stale bread, the journey continued. Gerard decided they would dismiss Grandmother's map for the time being: the Niveans would be waiting for them in every location, no doubt about it. Laurentius scouted forward in bird shape, warning them of cliffs, streams and wild animals. There was no sign of bandits yet, bless the creators, but that deep in the wilderness they were bound to find some trouble.

"I hear there are outlaws living in the wilds, do you think they'll leave us alone?" she asked Alaric. They were walking behind Gerard, who was reading the map and checking on his compass.

"They have so far, I think," he briefly looked behind his shoulder. "It's not the outlaws that worry me though, some dark mages from all over the kingdom have been fleeing to the wilderness to avoid... well, most of them were to be hanged on the gallows."

"You think they'll be hostile to us? We're just passing through, and we're just a handful," she picked up her pace to keep up with him, how could he be so energetic after so much walking?

"They'll probably invite us for a lovely dinner party, you know how much dark mages love us Onturian knights," he smirked.

"Right, stupid question," she chuckled. Alaric shook his head.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that. It wasn't a stupid question, you're, uh, far from stupid. Far from it," he blushed.

 Jo had a hard time believing that. She felt the journey was turning her brain into mush. Hopefully, she'd get used to all that walking and constant dehydration sometime soon. "Tell me something, Alaric, why do you have to take care of dark mages? Why don't the city guards to it? Or the King's knights?" At least talking to the perpetually flustered Alaric was a good distraction from her discomfort.