Bastian picked up his sword and looked at the dried blood. His brows furrowed and he glanced at the flower who was eating. His heart felt heavy and he was beginning to understand why.
Guilt.
It was that awful feeling again the one that rested heavily on his shoulders and that caused that persistent knot in his stomach. He'd felt it every night he'd… every night he'd hurt those girls. He couldn't breathe.
He dropped his sword again and stumbled backwards, inhaling sharply.
"My Sovereign?" The maid asked, her hands dropping the pack in her hands, "My Sovereign, are you alright?"
He held out his hand which was discernibly shaking and she stopped in her questioning, though her eyes were still concerned.
He picked up his sword without looking at it and sheathed it. He climbed the horse he had rode the day previous, it's dark brown coat matched his hair.
He steered it to the road and waited, he focused on breathing. But the images of the girl continued to flash in his mind; her tormented eyes and her terrified screams. A painful tightness appeared in his throat and he looked for something to distract himself.
He wanted a drink. His tongue and throat began to crave that burn of the alcohol and the numbing sensation that would follow.
His mind still haunted, the others soon joined him on the unkempt road and they began the long trek to the capital of Crescent.
"Why is this road so carelessly kept?" He heard the flower ask. She was on the white horse with Ariston sitting behind her. It irked him. He rolled his eyes and looked ahead of him.
Why should he care? But the more he thought of why he should care the more upset he got.
"Because most people use ships to trade between Crescent Port and the capital of Wanington." Dimitri answered, he was sitting behind the maid on the light brown horse, "This road is seldom used unless needed by carts and horses. But boats are quicker."
'Yes they are.' Thought Bastian.
A light patter of rain began to fall on the travellers and Bastian's shoulders slumped.
~~~~~~~~~
They rode for two weeks, stopping every so often to rest, most days they rode every hour of the day, wanting to keep up their continuous pace.
Dimitri and Ariston healed as those weeks passed and they helped the two women when they were able.
This day they had just crossed a river, avoiding the dilapidated manmade bridge and instead crossing over a land bridge in the shape of a bear. The flower had said that it had been carved by the first peoples to reside in Crescent.
He'd read of the carvings of the first peoples and was impressed to actually see one. Despite being covered by moss and prickly vines it was very lifelike.
After that the maid asked the flower how she knew about the bear bridge, and she answered that they were nearing her home.
Bastian's chest constricted in anxiety. He was afraid to see what home he'd torn her away from.
They were now in a thick, coniferous forest, cold air biting at them as the rain fell heavily on them, each drop like a painful pebble. The night hung around them, their surroundings lit dimly by the moon shining through the incessant rain drops.
They had long since dismounted from their horses to better navigate through the trees. Their clothes clung to their bodies, both woman were covered with the two cloaks though they offered little protection from the torrent.
The ground beneath them was covered with pine and fur needles, old leaves and pinecones, the rain submerging them and forming a thick layer of mud.
Hydrangea was heading the group, her hand on the reins of her white horse. Her feet suddenly stopped and it appeared as though they were at an impasse.
Bastian heaved an exasperated sigh as he pulled his soaked coat around his shoulders and trudged towards the flower.
"We should've turned back when I said and walked by the shore." He yelled over the rain, his eyes blinking out the frigid water.
She turned to look at him, a damp strand of hair stuck to her forehead, with blazing grey eyes she jutted a finger at him, "I have lived here all my life." She yelled, "If we were to go by the shore we would be washed away. The sea here is ruthless." She turned to face the forest ahead of them, "We are close, I know that." She ended with a glare in his direction.
He hung his head and ran a hand through his damp hair. Throughout the past weeks he's continuously thought of Samadur's words, never able to get the girl's face out of his head. But Samadur's words were what made him falter, "Seek the forgiveness of those you have wronged."
He would groan silently to himself; he had wronged so many. But he knew that he needed to seek forgiveness from the flower first.
He could never find the strength or humility to do it though.
The flower walked onward, her white stallion following after.
He grumbled to himself about the cold and the rain and he grabbed hold of his stallion's reins and pulled it forward, following after the flower's silhouette.
Arriving at a maple grove she paused once more in her steps and began to circle the area.
"Why are we stopping?" Bastian asked after shrugging his shoulders in exasperation.
"Because this is where my brother Rowan spends most of his time." She said as she bent down to pick up something from the ground.
Bastian then noticed that the rain had mostly ceased and he looked up to behold a large mat draped over the area, protecting them from the rain. It looked handwoven.
Hydrangea was still observing her brother's carving when she heard footsteps.
She sprinted to where the Sovereign stood and he drew his sword, understanding her reason for fear.
Dimitri and Ariston brandished their own weapons, a dagger and one of the other swords.
All five listened and waited to see if the owner of the footsteps would appear. Or if they were soldiers feet.
The trees began to move across from them and the three men readied themselves for the possible enemy. A figure soon appeared and the men all aimed their weapons at the person.
"No!" Hydrangea screamed, her feet running to step in between the new arrival and the weapons.
Bastian watched her in utter aggravation, "Hydie! Do you really need to jump in front of them now?"
Her eyes hardened as his sword stayed unmoving, poised to strike.
"Bastian." She said in a scolding tone, "He is my brother."