Moving steadily

They then began to walk of, leaving behind the blood scattered and bad smelling battlefield. They walked at a moderate piece, not only so Mikael could keep up, but also to be aware of the surroundings.

"The quarrel could have drawn some attention, which we don't want. Keep up your senses." Robert reminded Mikael.

He lagged behind a bit, and every so often leaned on a tree to support himself. Diana kept close to him, giving him bits of pieces of bread and some water, which kept him busy.

Constantly keeping up your guard was arduous, combining it with the strain from the fight they both also were not in the best shape.

"Almost there. These brambles are hiding our little cave." Diana said, Robert already waiting at the entrance.

They walked for about some hours, the sun went down and it further tiring them navigating in an complex terrain, and her voice had almost no energy in it, also looking forward to some rest.

In the dim light, the cave was barely illuminated.

She went past Robert first, and Mikael followed. When Robert closed up the entrance, the weakly blowing wind got even weaker, and the inside of the small cave was cozy and weatherproof.

Back against the wall, Diana sat there, closing her eyes to let them rest a bit. She kept on most of her gear, only laying down the quiver and bow, backpack, as well as the sword she carried, tho she kept it in reach.

"Make yourself at home. Even if there is nothing here." Robert said behind Mikael, also removing his heavy backpack and bow.

"It is only for the night, and Diana and I will keep watch. You just sleep somewhere, and get some rest. Bet you are the most battered of us, after all surviving the hellish ride and fighting in one day is one bad day, if I say so."

"Shouldn't I help keeping watch?" he asked, wanting to make himself useful.

Robert just smiled wryly, shaking his head, poking at Mikaels arm. This simple, light action sent a wave of pain through him, enhanced by his other, smaller wounds and bruises.

"Nope, little guy. First, you are beat up, tired out and not all that reliable. I, for now, only trust her, and like to keep also watch over you." He said, pointing with his eyes at Diana, who replied by just winking at him, taking out some bread and breaking of a piece, stuffing her mouth.

"Want some? Even if you have no appetite, having something in your stomach is only beneficial, if you keep it in at least."

She said with a full mouth, throwing a piece towards Robert who catches it with one hand, playing it cool.

"Sure, gladly." He accepted also some, offered by Robert. He took position by the entrance, holding his shovel casually on his lap, polishing away some blood and earth with a dirty rag.

"Why have you such an interesting weapon?" Mikael asked, wondering how anyone could use it for such a purpose. He heard only about swords, spears, hammers and halberds as the most common used close combat weapons.

"No special reason. Had back then no money to buy a decent sword or hammer that could endure more than one fight, so I stuck with this thing." He weaved it around a bit, producing a bit of wind.

"It had a good mass behind each swing, is useful as a tool and durable. Sharpen an end and you got a decent weapon."

He was visibly proud of his ingenuity, and so was Mikael.

"That's awesome. Can I try it out?" He asked, realizing how suspicious it sounded.

"No, why would I give you my weapon?" he rhetorically asked, more questioning Mikaels thought process, when thinking he maybe really only wants to swing it.

"Yeah, you are right, forget that I asked." He dismissed quickly. In this safe environment, watched over and exhausted, he quickly slipped into a dreamless sleep, not even getting a second to have doubt anything would happen.

"Thank you, Rob. I know it is unreasonable to keep him with us." Diana said relaxed, looking sleepy at Robert who sat a bit away from her.

"But I couldn't just leaves this guy there, not after what he told us, and I feel like he did go through too much already, and I wanted to be the savior for once. Doing something just, You follow?"

She was also tired, and Robert said nothing, just kept looking out. Their soft breath soon echoing off the walls.

When the minutes fused into hours, night descending and noises of unidentifiable creatures being heard sometimes.

'I could just let him die here. It would probably safe us from a bunch of trouble. Easy, fast and painless.' Robert thought, looking into the dark, listening to Mikaels soft breath. But he quickly dismissed it.

'Diana would never forgive me.'

He walked up to her, gently shaking her awake.

"Your turn, get up sleepy head." She grunted a bit, quickly getting up as her sleep was anything but deep.

"Thank you, Robert." She kissed his cheek, whispering when sneaking past him:" for everything today."

"Don't mention it." he sat up, closing his eyes, entering a very light sleep, shovel in reach. Diana took the same place as Robert had, and the night passed by, unnoticed by Mikael who awoke the next day.

"Ohhhhh, my body." he lamented. Wanting to stand up, everything protested, hurting more than before. He laid there, searching in a moment around the small cave. 'Are they gone?' He panicked. Almost calling out, he bellowed quietly, wanting to get up. As to answer him, the entrance shook, reveling Dianas pretty face.

"Awake? We were about to wake you." His face in pain, she simply entered, ignoring his protest and helping him cautiously leaving the cave.

"When moving, you will feel better, trust me. Here," she shoved a flask at him, filled to the brim with clean water. "Our provisions is almost used up, so we get going soon. We have to make sure to arrive by night, or we won't have a secure resting place." She looked worried.

"To achieve that, our pace has to be faster than yesterday. Think you can keep up?" Robert warned.

Mikael felt better, apart from his muscle pain, so he nodded confidently.

"I have to, do I not."

' On the way I can look for the flower, helping me recover.'

He checked his belongings, making sure everything was still there, Robert and Diana did the same, and together they began to make the journey.

Traversing through the lush and vivid forest, Mikael struggled to keep up, despite him feeling better than before.

Even as they said they had to hurry, Diana managed to slow Robert down every so often, either under pretext or in consideration for her and Mikael.

Frantically searching for that damned flower, in hope it can cure him to some extend, he slowed also down by looking at every one he came across, confusing his companions.

He stared for so long at one that even Diana wondered, until Robert couldn't hold back.

"What is it with you and the vegetation?" he blurted out, throwing down his hands in frustration.

"Can you please tel us if you got some information that can help us? Or do you purposely hinder us?"

"Uhm, no, I don't." he replied a bit unsure. His eyes left the flower, it not having the right shape to be the Flower of Opportunity.

"You know, this bundle here was given to me by my fathers acquaintance, as a sort of settling a debt."

He held the book, brushing side by side till he found the flower he looked for, the image showing it with its four different colors.

"Here, look for yourself."

Diana took a look, reading slowly through the information and exclaiming a silent "ahhh".

"So that is why, never heard of that plant tho."

"What plant? What should a flower do?" Robert said, not wanting to read.

"You really shouldn't have slept when Miranda taught us reading. You miss out so much."

Pointing at that book, she summarized:" It tells that there is some uncommon flower with red petals that blooms all year, but is hidden, as it grows in shady places. It has properties useful for recovery, so if he eats one, it can help with his chest problems."

"There is stuff like that?" Robert asked interested.

"If we find one, of course. We can look together for it, just bye yourself your chances are quite abysmal."

"That would be fantastic, please." Mikael exclaimed thankful.

"Can we continue then? I would like to arrive today at least. Or should we turn every stone to find that flower first?"

"Yes yes, no need to get sarcastic, Rob. Come Mikael, he is right, we should go."

They began their long travel again, and now even Robert and Diana stopped now and then, analyzing a flower and looking in especially dark places. That and two times where they had to go around camping Kobolds and Goblins made them slow, and night descended when Robert said:" We still have another hour or two till we get out! Stay observant, sharpen your ears and walk fast."

Just when he wanted to warn them to still watch their steps, he heard a thud, and the soft gasp of pain escaping Mikaels mouth.

"Mikael!"

"Stop Diana, or you fall down, too!"

They spoke with dampened voices, careful for any threats around.

Meanwhile, Mikael rolled downwards a lightly slanting hill. His right arm around his head, he came to stop when hitting not so soft a wide tree.

"Still okay, but... my arm... shhhh." He whispered, heavily breathing. The steps of leaves and earth coming downhill, kicked down by the two coming for him, rushed towards him.

"What's this? A flower.... Flower?" he saw a red flower peaking out under his body, squashed down and looking quite battered.

"This form, the environment, and the color..." he plucked it out quickly, holding it up despite the pain from the sudden movement, letting the moonlight show the color of its petals.

"It is it!" Diana said happily, as she and Robert came to his aid.

"Looks like the book described. Go ahead, it is written directly consumed it won't loose much of its effectiveness."

Mikael looked at her, then back at the frail plant in his palm, and after a short moment of deliberating, he swallowed it whole, stem and dirt together.

'Taste earthy, and quite sour." he noticed.

"And? Already feeling something?"