Till Death Do Us Part

22. On the Run

Zephyr lay low on the grass, his whole body motionless, except the tail lashing excitedly from one side to another. Suddenly, all prominent muscles on his body tensed, and he jumped at a little grey rabbit. He always depended on the extra speed surge his wings provided, but his left side was off-balance, and he brushed clumsily against a tree trunk. The rabbit looked up and bolted into the brush. The gryphon shrieked, frustrated.

"Don't beat yourself up, buddy. It was a good effort," said Gawyn. He was sitting under the tree and fumbling with a stick in his hands. Zephyr gargled and trotted to plop on the grass next to him. The General ran his hand through the golden fur on his back. "I guess we are both equally useless now."

They've been on the run for three days now. Skylar agreed with him that their only chance was to reach Shawcross' lands, where the majority of Gryphonhearts' army was already stationed, strengthening the border with the Blighted Lands. But the trip that took one day on horseback seemed to be far longer on foot. Especially when they couldn't just travel on the roads and had to make big circles around the settlements to avoid Queen's soldiers, that were on the lookout for them. Also, Gawyn sprained his ankle during their crashlanding, so their pace was not very fast.

Zephyr sensing his foul mood, put his big head on his lap.

Gawyn sighed and brushed silky feathers. "I know. Beating myself up about it won't help us. I'm just worried about her, you know. She's been out there for two hours now, facing the dangers alone, and there's nothing I can do about it." He was annoyed and frustrated, mostly with himself.

It turned out very quickly how out of his element he was in the middle of the forest. He commanded armies of countless soldiers and managed scouting and recognisance missions but was never part of them himself. He felt more at home at the head of the army charging on the battlefront, not sneaking around unseen, unlike Skylar.

She acted as if being stranded in the woods was the most natural thing in the world. She did countless patrols on the Blighted Lands border, which was pretty much a wilderness compared to the capital's lands. And it showed right after they left the cave in the morning after their frantic escape. Her steps were cautious and soundless, and she moved with such confidence as if she knew the woods like the back of her hand. It was only logical that she'd take the lead.

Gawyn knew that, yet he couldn't help but feel useless. He finally understood how Skylar felt when she was pushed to attend the royal court, a completely alien environment. Also, he didn't fail to notice the irony of how their roles turned around.

But even though they managed to stay out of sight, thanks to Skylar's excellent scouting skills, they still struggled. They have no supplies except for what they had on them at the banquet. That meant no food or range weapons. Foraging in the forest would only get them so far, and Zephyr couldn't survive on just berries and mushrooms - he needed meat. He tried to hunt for small animals, but he was clumsy and graceless without wings, so the forest wildlife had no problem escaping him. And running after deers with a sword wasn't the best idea. 

That's why they agreed to venture into the settlements to get more substantial food. They couldn't just walk into any town on the way. As the Queen proclaimed them both traitors, there was undoubtedly a bounty on their heads by now. Gawyn was too well-known a figure to stroll around unnoticed. On the other hand, Skylar was more suitable to blend in, though the expensive clothes she wore, even though they were muddied and tattered, were a sure sign that could quickly give her away. They both agreed the best approach would be to sneak into the town after the sunset.

Gawyn knew she was capable. He knew she was far better suited to do this than him. And yet, he couldn't stop thinking he was failing as a husband. He had sworn to protect her, and here he was, sitting uselessly on his ass while she was braving all the dangers alone...