Some time has passed. The bonfire outside the shelter went out some time ago. Reden opens and rubs his eyes. He gets out of bed and looks outside the shelter and sees the campfire extinguished. Then he looks at Gah-Hal who is sleeping peacefully and smiles.
He leaves the shelter takes a quick look around him and covers the campfire with dirt. Sounds of light wind make the leaves on the trees sound like a melody for nature lovers like Reden.
"Time to move on." Reden says to himself and goes back to the shelter to pick up his stuff.
Reden gathers his belongings and gently wakes Gah-Hal from his slumber by carefully picking him up. Gah-Hal stirs, blinking his eyes sleepily.
"Sorry for waking you up little one but we have to keep going." Reden quietly says to Gah-Hal while packing his stuff.
After he finishes gathering his stuff he picks his son up and holds him with one arm. He leaves the shelter and leaves it there while he continues to wander.
As Reden continues to walk, his mind drifts back to the events that led them to this point. A war that could've been prevented if not the Queen of Glazes that "unknowingly" sold the critical information. Except of that there is also still Mary in his thoughts that still didn't give any signs of survival. He still hopes and believes she is fine.
Reden tightened his grip on Gah-Hal as he trudged forward, the weight of uncertain future bearing down on him. The world around them was cloaked in a desolate silence, broken only by the faint rustling of leaves.
As he continues to walk through the forest and back to the path, Reden couldn't shake the feeling of being watched. He still doesn't know what's been happening recently afraid that the chaos made him lose his mind which may end very badly not only for him but also for Gah-Hal.
Despite his growing apprehension, Reden pressed on, determined to find safety for himself and his son. With his determination to get to safety he continued to walk along on path.
After 30 minutes of walking Reden notices the carriage behind him heading the same path.
"Oh my. Gracious. Maybe he will let us take a ride." Reden says to himself holding Gah-Hal tighter.
Once carriage is close enough Reden waves to coachman and hopes he stops. Coachman stopped and looked at Reden.
"If you are looking for a ride then it's not gonna be comfortable one as carriage is almost full." Coachman tells it to Reden as he already knew what he wanted.
"Doesn't matter. We will take a ride." Reden responds to coachman.
"Get in then. It's not on me if something happens to you back there." Coachman says with "whatever" face.
"Thank you very much!" Reden says and gets to the back of carriage. He sees around 10 people there who also look like they are running away from endangered places.
Half of people there are dirty and another half just looks normal. There are 3 women, 1 with child, 1 with ripped clothes and 1 with peasant clothes. Rest are just men with some of them obviously looking like they have had a bad time.
That doesn't seem to matter much for Reden as he just enters and fits in the back of the carriage between woman with ripped clothes and man with pale face that looks soulless. Reden feels a bit uncomfortable but that doesn't matter that much for him.
Gah-Hal meanwhile was still just lying with his eyes closed in hands of Reden like nothing. He is just very calm. Reden seeing him started to bounce him a little in his arms with smile.
"Are you a widower?" Says woman next to Reden.
"Huh..? No... I'm not..." Reden answers with hope he isn't yet widower.
"Oh. Sorry for asking then. Good for you." Says woman and looks back at her dirty hands.
"I had a husband who recently died the same day the war started. He was blacksmith who worked for the army. He was smithing armors and weapons for knights." Says woman while looking empty at her hands.
"That's... very sad to hear. My condolences." Reden responds.
"I said Im not widower because I hope Im not. I still want to believe she lives. I haven't seen her die but we promised to eachother to meet soon. I dont even want to think about anything bad happening to her." Reden says to woman while looking at Gah-Hal.
Moment of silence.
"How did your husband die? If you wish to say of course." Reden asks.
"His friends who saw that said that he got... got... crashed by falling roof..." Woman struggles with explanation.
"I see. Tragic. My condolences again." Reden says.
"I hope you find your wife. For me... I have to start my life over again." Woman says still looking at her hands.
"I wish you a good luck. I really hope all this finally ends as soon as possible." Reden says to woman.
"Thank you." Woman responds.
"So. What is your destination?" Reden asks.
"Castledale. That's a long way from here. Around 3 days of trip on horse." Woman answers.
"I dont know where that is. I will just use carriage to go as far as possible." Reden says.
"I see." Woman says.
Then there was silence. Nobody talking to anyone. Just sounds of moving carriage, crying babies and coughing of some people.
3.5 Hours Later
The trip was going on for a few hours now. 4 people left the carriage randomly within these hours. Woman with baby are asleep along with guy next to Reden. Gah-Hal is asleep too and Reden is just sitting and waiting.
Reden feels hunger as he didn't eat anything for a long time. Gah-Hal doesn't seem as he wants to eat which confuses Reden just a little. Reden's stomach hurts a bit, but its within the endurance limits.
After few minutes he decided to check if he has something to eat in his bag back from when he was in forest. After quick searching he found some berries which dont look so fresh now and 2 apples which still look fresh and edible.
It wouldn't fill Reden for too long but it would be better to eat it now and be fed for a while than wait until they become inedible. So Reden picked apple and ate it. Then he ate another apple. Then he ate berries. Then he realized he already ate everything he had.
"Damn it. I was supposed to keep some for later." Reden says to himself.
Reden sighs and looks to his bag again to take the bottle for Gah-Hal. Infant is no longer asleep and look at Reden while he brings the bottle closer to Gah-Hal's mouth.
Just like last time. Gah-Hal finished the whole very quickly and that's all. This is still confusing for Reden that he never heard his son neither cry or even make any other sound than sounds of him moving his body around.
"Finished the bottle already. Thankfully I have second one which I managed get for free. I dont like debts even if it's just one copper." Reden thinks to himself.
"I will have to hunt or gather something very quickly once coachman gives his horses a quick or long break. I dont know when the next carriage would be and I dont know if I wouldn't be attacked by something on my way." Reden thinks to himself again while looking at the path behind the carriage.
After 10 minutes the woman that Reden talked with decided to leave the carriage. She yells to coachman to halt.
"Um. We aren't in Castledale yet?" Reden says to woman.
"I know. I just got tired of this ride for now. I will stop by in some village and wait for next traveler." Woman explains to Reden while leaving.
"Oh. Well then good luck. Be safe." Reden says to woman and waves.
Woman waves back and carriage moves again. This is probably the last time they have seen eachother. After few seconds she isn't visible anymore.
20 minutes later
For some time there was sitting space for 4 more people which was kind of relieving for Reden because he had more space and air for himself and Gah-Hal. This however ended as carriage stopped and another 5 people entered the carriage which once again made Reden uncomfortable and there was once again tight in there.
Reden sighed a little tensed but calmed down as he understood what would happen after choosing such traveling way.
"This is gonna be long, tiring ride." Reden quietly said to himself with bored face.