Devilishly Divine: Terror & Dread

Chapter 1

Gaelin jumped at the sound of the tents rope. Norman made an appearance with his charcoal stained clothing and dirty face. He must've been in the mines. His face aged awfully fast, not to mention how skinny Normans gotten. You could see each individual rib, no trace of the happy belly he used to have. Gaelin was one to talk, he himself was a lean fellow, taller than most humans nowadays. This time around he was less than lean his tanned somewhat smooth skin was always dirty and now adorned scars, much like the rest of the humans here.

"Apologies for being late. I covered a shift for Rider."

"I understand. Did you happen to see Felix?"

"I thought he was with you... He's been gone quite a bit as of recent hasn't he?" 

Norman shuffled over to the water bucket and took a few mouthfuls. Gaelin answered with a hum continuing to look out the rip in the tent. Speak of the devil. The short haired ginger speed walked towards the tent with a slight limp in his step.

That's new.

Felix crawled into the tent without a word, immediately lying down on nature's floor and pulling a lambs skin over himself.

Norman and Gaelin shared a look.

"Where were you Lucky?" Norman spoke softly, registering the red bruisings on his son's face.

"Getting beat into submission," he sat up with a groan "..I uh I was helping one of the younger humans with their task. Knight Jaiskier didn't like how kind I was... And, well, you know me. I can't seem to keep my mouth shut."

"You and that damned mouth of yours. I don't believe you'll be let off so easily next time." Norman scowled.

"There won't be a next time. We leave, tonight" Gaelin said. 

Both gingers turned to look at the halfling with the faintest of hope and relief dawning their face.

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Gaelin, Felix and Norman's Tent:
Xaelux's Military Encampments
Light rain, with thunder
17:30 Autumn

"Those two knights left a few moments ago that gives us more or less four minutes to make it past the night watchers and into the woods." Gaelin peered at his time piece then towards their path of escape.

Felix was behind Gaelin and Norman behind Felix, all three crouched behind tents and stuck as close as they could. Gaelin could feel Felix's breath and body heat, he could feel their nerves rising. He was nervous too, his sweaty hands to show. He could, hypothetically speaking, wring them out like a soaked rag.

"Its a straight line from here. We need to stay in the shadows. Once we get past there - " he pointed to one of the darkest blue warped trees twenty feet away, " - we run like hell."

"Got it" they said.

Felix nodded his big glossy hazel eyes darted around and beckoned his father in front of him who seemed to be lagging behind. Its no surprise labor has been aging him like a wildfire. One of the short guards, Morok, the only leading guard they needed to move from his position finally moved facing the opposite direction of the trio.

Night was falling fast. Morok has moved. They were close to the makeshift fence that entwined with vines, helping them hide in the darkest parts of camp. Gaelin's orange constricted eyes watched the glimmer of a shining white string swayed before straightening as quick as lightning. Their line of freedom. Their opening. His eyes dilated he looked back at Norman and Felix nodding.