Galloping at steady pace through the plains and the forests in their path, only stopping here and there for brief moments to forage for food or water.
Days passed since they set on this journey and spirits were low as tiredness set in and the little food that they had on their way there, wasn't much.
The first light of the day was breaking through, allowing them to see around them and make a plan.
Upon entering Fiahthyr Forest, the familiarity of their surroundings made Rom and Sylus pull the reins of the horses to slow down, coming to a halt.
Sylus was first to unmount his horse to have a better look around and get a sense of direction.
Rom and Maya quickly followed suit, joining Sylus both looking to grasp their surroundings and make a plan.
" Do you know which way are we going?" Sylus questioned while still looking around not really knowing which way to go now that they were here.
"No, not even a faint idea!" Rom curtly replied while his gaze settled on Sylus who was frowning upon hearing Rom's answer.
Maya rolled her eyes, she couldn't believe that they came all the way here and now none of them had no idea what to do.
Looking around again, her eyes travelled up and settled on small hill that stood above the tree level.
" We should get to higher ground and have better look over the forest." she suggested while pointing at the hill that she was looking at.
Both men stood next to Maya to have a better look at what she was pointing at and both nodded in agreement.
"I will let the horses go free, we might get lost in the forest." Sylus added while making his way to the horses to take the reins of them and take the bags.
Maya stretched her limbs, feeling a little stiff after spending so much time riding the horse, her buttocks acked, her thighs were so sore that she could bearly feel them and she desperately needed a bath.
Seeing Sylus carrying all three bags, she tried to move her feet but as soon as tried to take a step she felt sharp jolts of pain shooting through her body, wincing in pain she bent down to rub her legs to alleviate the discomfort that she was feeling.
" It is painful riding the horse for a very long time. I do have with me some ointment that will help with that. With you permission I can apply it on you Lady Maya." he politely offered concerned about her well being, while bending down and fumbling through his bag, looking for the ointment that he was speaking of.
" She can do it herself, just give her the ointment." Rom deadpanned while grabbing the ointment out Sylus's hand and handing it to Maya.
Sylus frowned, his expression hardened seeing his intentions were misunderstood " Rom, you know very well that the muscles need to be massaged for the ointment to help!" Sylus commented in serious tone while staring at Rom
Rom scoffed " I know how it works, but you and Maya are yet to be wed and until then, no touching." Rom growled while scowling at Sylus, his temper a little on the edge seeing that Sylus was seizing every opportunity to lay his hands on her.
Maya rolled her eyes, she couldn't believe how childish her brother was, after she had made pretty clear that she shared Sylus's affections and she could speak for herself now that she was a grown woman.
" Rom, I think that is for me to decide wether I should let Sylus touch me or not." she firmly stated causing Rom to glare at her.
" Maya, you know very well what happens to women that go with men that they haven't weded yet, do you want to share the same fate!" he retorted while his expression softened thinking at how many women have been shunned just because of ill rumors.
Hearing his words Maya's gaze lowered, her lips trembled " I know but we are not in the citadel anymore, it's just us Rom." she reminded him in soft tone of voice while her eyes fell on Sylus who had a pensive look .
Sylus himself hadn't thought that far and he let himself carried away by his emotions when he suggested that he would apply the ointment, his intention were not to put Maya's reputation in question later.
" Then you should carry her, maybe with some luck we will be able to find a healer in these woods." Sylus suggested while looking at Rom intently trying to shift the conversation to something less daunting.
Rom nodded turning around his back to Maya " Hop on!" he encouraged his sister "Just like when you were little and I used to carry everywhere because you didn't like to walk." he added in an amused tone of voice at the memory of his sister who kept ploping herself on the ground and refused to walk because her feet hurt.
Maya giggled, standing up hissing at the pain she was feeling " I don't remember doing that." she retorted while jumping on Rom's back.
" You too little to remember Maya, it was after our parents passed away!" he stated in a broken voice, remembering the days when it was just him and Maya on their own, feeling lost and desperate.
Sylus picked up the bags of the ground, making their in the direction of the hill. Walking in the forest for a considerable amount of time, they soon realised that they were nowhere nearer to the hill, than they were hours ago, passing the same trees over and over.
Looking at Sylus " We are going in circles, we need to mark the trees that we pass to avoid walking in our footsteps." Rom suggested in a worried tone of voice thinking that maybe the rumors were true and the forest is truly cursed.
Sylus nodded in agreement, rearranging the bags that he was carrying to make it easier for him handle both tasks. He unsheated his sword and made his way to the nearest tree, choping a small chunck out of it.
Rom slowly moved to give time to Sylus to mark esch tree that they pass so the wouldn't lose him in the forest.
Thinking back on the earlier events, Rom sighed seeing Sylus make his way to another tree " Do you really share Sylus's affections?" he asked in hushed voice wanting to hear it from his sister while they were alone without the extra pair of eyes on him.
Maya who had her eyes closed ready to go to sleep as she was feeling utterly tired, opened her eyes " Yes Rom! I know that you think he is not good enough for me but he has always been good to me and always showed me the outmost respect!" she replied in a soft voice trying her best to make her brother understand that she was sure of what she was feeling.
" If that's you want I won't stand in your way but if he hurts in any way, I'll make sure he won't see the sunrise again." he warned her in a serious tone of voice while gritting his teeth.
Rom sighed heavily, his expression hardened thinking at the events in the inn, thinking if Sylus is working for the witch this will complicate things, before letting things go further he had to know what side Sylus was on.
Looking at Sylus from the corner of his eye, he kept on walking without paying too much attention where he was going, lost in his own thoughts.
" Rom!" Sylus's voice broke his train of thoughts causing him to halt his steps and look at Sylus who was standing next to a tree.
Rom sighed heavily, putting down Maya he made his way to were Sylus was to look at the tree.
"I marked each tree differently to make sure we know which way we are going. We are back were we started." Sylus informed him while pointing at the tree looking a little sullen.
Rom rubbed the back of his neck, feeling frustrated at lack of progress" We should stop for now, we all need some rest." he suggested while looking up at the sky that was tainted in an orange hue.
Sylus nodded in agreement " I'll go collect some wood to make a fire." he offered while shifting his gaze to Maya who was sitting on the ground, with her head resting on her knees.