The Fog of Airyll COMPLETE

Chapter 20

Hello everyone!

How are you doing? 

I think this was one of my favorite chapters so far - I've discovered I love writing grumpy Fox, lol. 

I hope you enjoy reading this as well! As always, I'm looking forward to hearing what you think :)

Next update: August, 9th. I hope to see you there!

Chapter 20

"I still can't believe he did that,"

Fox barely heard his brother's voice over the sound of his own heartbeat. Glancing behind, he could glimpse the men on their horses, little more than a few feet away.

They were about to be caught by Alastair's men and his brother was still moaning over the loss of his hero.

Turning back forward to see where he was going, he gripped the reigns tighter as he ran over his options.

"Get over it," his voice was clipped as he urged his horse to go faster. "that man is not the person we thought he was."

"I've figured that out," Wade's voice was tired as he leaned forward against his brother's back. "I saw him giving the orders, you know?"

"Then I can't understand why is it so hard to believe."

"Fox, the man is accusing us of poisoning Nephy. He made you look like a panicked fiancée who, when it looked like Nephelle would be swept of her feet by another man, poisoned her. Not ditched her. Not called her bad names. Not ruined her reputation. Poisoned her." Pausing, in part for emphasis, and in part because he almost fell off the horse when Fox did a sharp turn, Wade was fixing his glasses when he added. " He made us into criminals!"

"I'm well aware of that."

"People are chasing us off! We have pictures of us being painted everywhere into Philtria - Fox, we are criminals!"

"No, we aren't criminals," Fox's voice was strangely calm, as he inclined his body to the side, urging his horse to make the next turn. "People think we are criminals. That's a different story."

"That's a technicality!" Wade cried out, lifting both hands to the skies and almost falling off the horse's back once more. "What if Nephelle believes what he is saying? Did you stop to think of this possibility?"

"She won't." He answered as they approached a pond. Deciding to urge his horse to jump instead of making yet another turn - hoping to at least put a couple of extra miles between them and their pursuers, Fox sighed. The horse stumbled, and though he recovered quickly, it was clear that the horse was getting tired. They wouldn't be able to keep running for much longer - and if they were caught...

The jail wasn't something he was looking forward to.

They were needed at home, not to mention that Nephelle needed them as well. Every time that he imagined her as his brother had described her the day this nightmare had begun, he felt sick.

And to think it had only been two days ago.

Cursing as something - an arrow? Probably. - came way too close to cutting his face, Fox grumbled. "'Nephy needs to recover her memories, Fox. It could be important, Fox. She needs to control her magic, Fox.' Honestly, I hope this teaches the two of you something - if something is fine the way it is, let it be fine the way it is. There's a reason for the whole 'Curiosity killed the Cat' adage, did you know?"

"Aw, don't tell me you are going to start the whole 'I was right, you were wrong' lecture right now, are you? People are shooting at us!"

"That wasn't a lecture, why do you think it was?" Grumbling, Fox managed to duck just in time to avoid a lower branch. " Oh maybe because you think you deserve one? And why, please do tell, do you think you deserve a lecture? Oh, yes, because I was the only one with enough common sense to say that, if someone appears half-dead in your house and suggests that to go lookin' into their past is a good thing, it isn't?"