We kept off of the main trails and avoided the most populated areas once we left Stargon Castle, through sleepy woods and muddy marshes which hid our path and kept us unseen. Brio was adept at traversing the lands, knowing inherently where to tread. Eldwyn rested his head against my back and I felt a sense of pride in that. His powers aside, I felt like his protector, and it was a responsibility that I didn't take lightly.
At the eastern border of the Stargon region, I finally felt I could breathe a sigh of relief. Eldwyn had stirred himself awake and we were trotting along at a steady pace.
"You made the right decision," Eldwyn said, as if we had been in conversation.
"I hadn't the choice," I replied," he said, as we came to the Trail of Naireth. It was broken and obstructed by forest debris. Most maps didn't even include this trail, but I was a studious one and we owned the most accurate maps in all the realm.
"But you did. You could have waited for Captain Ral to return with news about the tower."
"I already know what the tower signifies. Captain Ral doesn't know what waits for him there. His words might not have been enough to set you free and I couldn't take that risk. It's up to us to stop the Oblivion Witch."
The trail brought us to the Hollis Wood. It shined bright green in the glow of the simmering dusk and I grew more tired by the minute. Our escape from Stargon and my worrying about Eldwyn had taken more of a toll than I had realized.
"Will we be resting soon?" asked Eldwyn, as if he could read my mind.
"Yes, once we find a suitable place."
"What about there?" Eldwyn pointed at a large oakwood up ahead with a hole in it, big enough for two bodies.
"That will have to do. But we'll need a meal first."
We dismounted and I sharpened a stick with my stolen sword and made a makeshift spear. I used it to catch a codfish from the babbling brook. Eldwyn gathered taran berries for himself. I found them bitter whenever the castle kitchen made them for dessert. When I returned to Eldwyn, he had made a fire and handed me a stick to roast my catch.
"I'm happy to be back in nature," said Eldwyn.
"You didn't seem so unhappy about your prison," I reminded him.
"You can find the good in any place if you look hard enough." He smiled as he stared into the glowing fire. "It's been so long since I've been home. You'll love it there."
"We'll be passing through the Misty Moors?" I asked.
"That's where I was born, but we'll be going to my village where I was raised. There are swings and vines and waterfalls. We can consult with the wizard who trained me, Murton. He taught me the ways of the winds and he will tell us all we need to know about the Oblivion Witch."
"We will need all the help we can get."
We ate well and went to sleep in the mighty oak. My purple cloak was used as our blanket to keep warm in the chilly, autumn night and we held onto each other for warmth. In the darkness, I felt most true, as if I wasn't myself in the forest and could therefore could indulge in my unabashed feelings. I felt Eldwyn's breath upon my face and his hazel eyes lit by the moon and I could resist him no more. I pressed my lips to his tenderly and tentatively at first to make sure that he wanted to, and he responded with a kiss of his own. His lips were soft and he tasted sweet. I combed his shiny black hair back with my hand as he nuzzled it playfully. He was as adorable as he was fearless and I wanted to take him right there. Instead, we simply kissed until we succumbed to slumber.
I got up earlier than Eldwyn in the morning and gathered some fresh, non-taran, berries to eat for breakfast. Brio was eating the grass around a tree and I walked up and stroked his coat. He lifted his head and stared into my eyes, then went back to eating. When Eldwyn woke up, I was seated on a decaying log and he came and sat next to me close enough for our arms to touch.
"Good morning, knight," said Eldwyn with a smile so big it forced his eyes closed.
"Good morning," I said, and handed him a few berries. I would've had a bigger and meatier breakfast, but I wanted us to be on our way sooner rather than later.
"I must tell you something," I said quickly to get it out without much thought. "What happened last night...was nice."
"I think so too." He looked away bashfully and I waited for his attention to return to me.
"But t cannot happen again. Just because I have left the Stargon Kingdom, doesn't mean that my fate has changed. I still must marry Lucas. My deeds yesterday will not go unnoticed, but I am and shall forever be the High Prince of Sentria. My fate is sealed."
"As you wish," said Eldwyn, "I won't stand in your way."
"You aren't standing in my way, Eldwyn. It's simply what has to be. I will find a place for you in the kingdom and we will be forever friends. Let that be enough."
"It will have to be."
We got up shortly after and mounted Brio, traveling eastward and onward to the Winding Forest in silence. I had an undeniable connection with Eldwyn, but some things just couldn't be changed. I didn't have the power to move the hearts and minds of people, nor did I have the ability to alter the system that had been in place centuries before I ever graced this realm. The most I could do was fight for the rights of relics. Loving one would have to wait. Perhaps in some other world, things would have been easier and we could have lived a life, flying freely in the skies. This one had hard truths that we were all forced to obey.