There was a silence in the camp, Gawain couldn't hear anything after the dwindling heartbeat of the child stopped. The mother who had bandaged her child, who wept for her child, now held a lifeless body. She didn't realize, but somehow with the cries of the little girls it was obvious they knew. Fredrick's stomach had stopped rising; Ben had noticed but Gabby remained holding him staring at his face as if she still waited for him to come back.
Gabby stared, shaking her head as she slid her slightly bloody hand against his cheek as she rocked back and forth with him.
"Come on, Fredrick, wake up" She whispered, Gawain looked away from her clenching his fists. This was sad to watch, she knew her son was gone despite his best efforts to save him. He was gone and she wasn't accepting it.
"See we wasted our efforts" Lavia whispered, Gawain's golden eyes landed on her. No light landed on them from the fire but still in the darkness they glowed.
"We aren't dravian, there's no return for us" He snapped in a hushed tone.
"Who is we, Leech? You aren't one of them anymore." She said bitterly, looking over at the child, a softness returning to her eyes. He wouldn't return, hopefully he's at their Belona's side.
"Gabby…" Ben said in a soft tone,as he kneeled down besides Gabby and he wrapped his arm around her. The mother stopped rocking but she shook her head more violently.
"No, no, this can't be real. They saved him, he should be fine. They didn't just bring him back so we could bury him!" She yelled, still holding her child as one would a newborn. She was in distressed, the calm woman who had thought we saved her child's life from moments ago was gone.
"No, no they didn't mean to do that" He said putting his chin on her head, trying to hush her as tears fell from him onto her head.
Gawain was angry, with himself, with Lavia with whatever that was out there in the woods. He was too slow to save the child, he couldn't deny Lavia's words as he lost his right as a human and that thing struck with such deception. He walked over to the cart of the family, and began rummaging through their things, he found some farming gear. Out of it he pulled a shovel, and he began digging a hole.
Gabby was angered "You- you give me no time?!" She roared at him, clenching her child closer to her chest. "No time before you give my son to the worms?!" She growled, Ben was a bit shocked but Lavia understood.
He didn't have the privilege to stay until the sun rose, he would have to hide like the denizen of darkness he was, and he would have no part in the burial of the child. He couldn't save him, in life he did nothing but cause the child undo pain. He was too human, he knew someone of that age couldn't survive wounds like that. A vampire would have ended the life quickly, it might have been without mercy but it would have saved him from the pain and terror. It was Gawain's fault the child died in such pain, the least he could do was help bring him to the goddess that no longer would welcome him.
Gawain finished ignoring everyone around him, he tossed the shovel aside and headed straight into the woods. "Do not follow Lavia." He walked by where he had left his sword and placed it back in it's sheath.
The sun rose.
Gawain had returned before the sun rose cleaned off all the blood, only small stains remained barely visible on his dark brown clothes. Simply climbing into the carriage and said nothing else.
Lavia sighed as the sun rose they barely got any sleep, she managed to keep her race hidden from the children and the man by keeping away from the fire. Now that the sun was up, she needed to get some distance so she climbed into the carriage. She was exhausted, she brought a finger up to her lips and bit down to stimulate her awake. She cursed Gawain's disposition, he should be driving while she rested.
"Lavia." A soft voice said, she turned to look to see Gabby staring up at her with deep blue eyes though all her other features seemed more battered.
"Yes?" Lavia was a bit confused by her presence, she figured she'd spend as much time by her son's grave.
"Would you mind if I ride with you until the fork?" She pleaded.
"Why?" Lavia replied instantly.
"Uh" Gabby was caught a bit off guard. "I just wish to talk, I trust talking about you will keep my mind away from sadder thoughts…" The girl was staring at the white scales on her cheeks, since it blended so well with her skin it was hard to get a good look unless searching for them.
"Well…" Lavia trailed off looking back at the carriage, expecting a response from Gawain but heard nothing. "Sure"
They continued down the road, her father's cart a short distance ahead of them. He seemed to be talking to the little girls, trying to cheer them up if she would guess.
"How did a dravian end up so far west?" Gabby said softly, looking over at Lavia.
"I got captured, and dragged west." She said without looking to her.
"By who? Who's the man then?" She said looking back in the carriage.
"By some… chaos beings and he- he um saved me?" Lavia didn't want to say it especially knowing he could be listening, she didn't want to give him the satisfaction.
"Ah, no wonder he tried to save Fredrick. Seems like a good man. Where are you heading to then?" Gabby said with a soft smile.
Lavia rolled her eyes at the praise "Aye" she looked to Gabby. "If I tell you, you need to swear not to speak of it."
Gabby nodded "I swear"
"We're going to join the war, he's going to help me save my people." She spoke proudly.
"He'll fight against his own?"
"He doesn't consider you his own anymore Gabby." Lavia said with a soft sigh
"Strange that you say that, he rushed so quickly to save Fredrick." She said solemnly "He did the best he could, seems he still intends to consider us his own."
"He's slow to coming to terms with it" Lavia whined.
"I hope he doesnt forsake himself, that's how villains are born." Gabby chuckled.
"He might already be one." Lavia eyed Gabby.
"The way he looked when he was trying to save Fredrick, he was trying so hard, with all his will." Lavia shook her head, she knew what that face he made was truly for; trying to hold back his vampiric urges.
"It wasn't that." Lavia sighed
"Whatever it was, it looked like he was trying his best against what he faced. What I saw was a man trying to save my child, so I want to thank him. I do not wish to wake him so I'll thank you and hope the message reaches him." Gabby said with a kind look on her face.
Lavia nodded, before pulling the reins on the horse, they've reached the fork in the road. "Alright well this is good bye."
Gabby nodded, leaving to go to Ben's cart before climbing slowly. She waved at Lavia before they headed off.
Lavia sighed "So?"
"I am grateful for her words. We can rest at the fork if you wish, it's not my people I'm trying to save."
Lavia growled, kicking the bottom of the carriage causing the horse to trot forward again. They continued east, past Bluewaters.