Confessions are made

Truth be told, Lily was a fast flyer. But not for long. She lacked training and stamina.

Ryon just had to follow the general direction he'd seen her head for. The rest was done by his trusty big wings.

"Stay away from me!", he heard Lily shout from up ahead. Apparently, his visibility had worn off.

He didn't say anything, just kept his distance until she inevitably would have to ground herself.

He landed in a safe distance to her.

"Traitor", she hissed.

Ryon's notorious grin didn't waver, even though he trembled at her words.

"I'm not", he said.

"Just admit you work for House Duncan!"

„House Duncan? Who are they?", he asked confused. Then, a moment later, it came to him. „Were those the guys who attacked you? Those Duncans?"

As Lily nodded once again, Ryon's mind reeled. „Who are they?", he asked again. „What do they want from you?"

„They are…", Lily began, then stopped herself. „Wait a minute. You don't know who they are?"

„No, how should I? …Wait, did you think I was with them? I wasn't! I don't know these guys, I swear!", he cried. No, she mustn't think that!

But Lily regarded him for a long moment, before she replied.

„They are the men my so-called father sent after me", she explained quietly. „Remember, I told you that people were after me to catch me?"

Now that she said it, he did remember and nodded.

However, a frown appeared on her face.

„But if you don't work for them, then who sent you?", she asked icily.

„Well…", he began.

As Lily backed away from him, she called. „Who are you, really?"

„No, wait. I… I can explain", he stammered.

And with that, Lily cross folded the arms over her chest and looked at him defiantly.

„And I think you should", she said.

And then he explained everything. How he had lived his days before, in the Realm Between, how the king had summoned him and assigned him the task of protecting her on the way to her destination of which no one really seemed to know the location of. He even told her of his first encounter with Mr. Golden-Eyes. He really wanted to come clean this time. He then told her how he had first searched for her and finally faced her on the clearing for the first time.

Then he told her, how worried he had been about her, when he had seen that she was wounded, and how he had seen to it, that the wound wouldn't be an issue in the morning by healing it with some of his magic.

He told her how he had come to think of her as a friend with every passing day. And, now that her departure date was once again as unreadable as it was supposed to be, he even dared to tell her about how close she had come to dying that day, and that that had been the reason why he had been fidgeting, not some mysterious old foe. At that, he used the opportunity to also apologize for lying about that.

When he talked about what had happened in Reskal he made sure to leave nothing out - not even the slightest detail that he knew of.

Finally, after what had seemed like an eternity, Lily spoke.

„So you don't have any connections to House Duncan?", she asked.

„No", he replied.

„So, everything you did for me was to evade punishment by your king." She made it rather a statement than a question.

Ryon looked very uncomfortable because he was aware how cheap his next reply must sound to her. „I thought so. In the beginning at least. But things changed after I met you. With each passing day I grew to like you more and more. And suddenly, I began to hurt. And it wasn't because of sickness nor fear for myself. No, what was hurting me, was the fact that I was afraid for you. Because I didn't want to lose you. I really didn't." He hung his head and waited for the verdict.

For another while that seemed like an eternity to him, she remained silent. Then she sighed. And said: „I have to think about this. But most importantly, you don't belong to the Duncans. Even though their commander said you led them to me."

„I don't know what he meant by that. I really don't. Maybe he was just shooting blue", he said, and then added at her puzzled expression. „I mean he bluffed. Maybe he'd already seen me earlier being with you and decided to use that against us."

„Huh", Lily made. „Maybe."

„But let's discuss this on the way", Ryon suggested. „In case they are still after you, we should keep moving."

Lily nodded. „I fear, they won't give up the chase just yet. Their leader is a vicious little thing, and she won't allow me to slip through their fingers that easily."

„Alright, then let's give them something to run their feet raw", Ryon said, and Lily, for the first time in a long while, smiled a little.

They left the glade shortly after and as they walked Lily magicked the map he had given her, and a winter apple she must have found on another day, into her hands and held the map up to read in the pale sunlight.

„There is a mountain range to the south of us. If we make it there, we can hide between the cliffs until they give up or freeze to death", she then said generically.

Ryon hesitated. He felt that he had to be careful what he said or else she would accuse him of something new. Well, true enough, he had been withholding information about his assignment to her, but he wouldn't harm her even if his life depended on it! Hopefully, she would come to see that, too, one day.

But now he had to say something about her idea, because it was not a very good one.

„That's quite a walk from here", he pointed out carefully. „By the time we get there it will be positively winter, and it would be suicidal to try the mountains during that season."

„I know, but they will have a hard time too. And they are only humans, so our chances of survival will be much higher. We'll find a cozy cave and I can make fire to keep us warm", Lily persisted.

„No. There is nothing cozy about the mountains during winter. There is no wood to make a fire, and neither greens nor game to keep you fed. And you know why? Because the greens perish and the game flees, because its smart enough not to stay in the mountains during winter. Let nature's success rate be your counsel here", he replied. He hadn't planned to lecture her, but it had just come out that way and he could see that Lily was grinding her teeth. It didn't matter to her if there was game in the mountains, since she wouldn't eat it anyway, but she had to admit that he had a point. She wouldn't starve but it would be a challenging experience.

She was silent for a while, and he could read from her expression that she was thinking things over. Which pleased him, he had to admit.

They continued to walk in silence, until Lily finally asked: „Do you have a better idea?"

In fact, he had. And he had only waited for her to ask, instead of pushing it onto her lest she might think he was trying to trick her. Yes, it would probably be a while, before she could fully trust him again. Which was fair enough. He could be patient, as long as she'd allow him to stay by her side. And for the time being he would assist her as best as possible.

He looked at the map as if he was just beginning to think about an alternative, and then, after an adequate amount of time had passed, he spoke:

„We can head in that direction, south I mean. But instead of trying for the mountains, we should stay on sea-level. Winter doesn't get as harsh down here. And see, there at the foot of this mountain", he said pointing. „There is a meadow and a river. And where there are rivers, there are grottos. Instead of looking for a mountain cave we can search for a grotto. It will be hidden and, just in case, easy to defend."

Lily looked at the map with a furrowed brow, as if, if she only stared at it long enough, it would tell her the best solution. Finally, she nodded, if slowly.

„Fine", she said. „We'll try that. If we don't find a grotto we can still go up into the mountains."

Ryon nodded but said nothing. If that's what made her comply, all for the best. But if they really didn't find a suitable hiding spot on the meadow, he would personally dig one, before he'd let Lily climb those perilous peaks.