A Forest of Secrets

Chapter 6

Jo woke up with the smell of eggs and toast. For a second, she forgot she was inside a tent. She wasn't used to traveling yet. But least she was sheltered, and not outside like the others. She decided to get dressed. There were fresh clothes inside one of the backpacks, and-- she couldn't believe her eyes: her favorite boots were there, waiting for her to put them on, and so she did. She wiggled her toes inside them, smiling: taking pleasure in little things, she thought-- especially in her current situation-- would keep her sane.

Alaric was busy making breakfast on the fire. He had a skillet, but how? He wasn't carrying any backpacks or satchels, where had he taken it from? She noticed one of the backpacks was out of place, sitting right outside her tent: he must've snuck in while she slept to get both the skillet and some bread. She shrugged, sat on a stump by the fire, then yawned a couple of times.

"You're a heavy sleeper," he said, dedicating her a dimpled half smirk. "I got in to get these things, made a rattle while at it: I woke up every animal in the wilds, maybe some dead people in a nearby cemetery, and you were none the wiser," he chuckled.

"I must've been very tired and comfy in my tent-- oh, wait: you wouldn't know what it's like, you slept on the floor. I hear sleeping on the ground does wonders for the back," she sniggered. Alaric smirked and shook his head, probably thinking of a comeback. Messing with him woke her up a little, but she wouldn't let him answer. "So: where did you get the eggs? Please don't tell me Laurentius turned into a hen," she made a revolted face.

"Ontur's mercy, no," he mirrored her face and laughed. "These are quail eggs, from actual quails -- no quail-men involved," he showed her the skillet and the small eggshells on the ground.

"That's a relief, but now I can't shake the image of Laurentius laying an egg from my head: the stuff of nightmares," she said, pretending to shiver. "By the way, where are Gerard and Laurentius?"

"Scouting forward," he took the eggs from the fire. "They took off a couple of minutes ago. The mage turned into some ugly large bird to cover more ground, Gerard is making sure he doesn't betray us or something-- you know, put us in a stew, drink virgin's blood from our empty skulls: that kind of thing," he chuckled, Jo rolled her eyes at him, but laughed too. At least he wouldn't drink her blood-- Alaric, on the other hand... "He doesn't trust him completely, but he thinks it's better if we keep him around: that way we can keep an eye on him at all times, like a bratty child that can't be trusted and can turn us into toads. He rubs me the wrong way too, he's sketchy -- probably up to something. But I trust Gerard's judgment."

"Makes sense, I don't trust him either," she paused to think about it. Alaric was looking at her intently, grabbing the pan-- no doubt he was waiting for her input on the mage-- but then her stomach started to protest and her mind went somewhere completely different. "Are the eggs ready yet?" Alaric looked disappointed for a second. He fixed her a plate, which he had taken from the backpack too, no doubt.

"There's tea, if you want," he offered her a mug filled with a steamy lemongrass infusion. It was fresh, he'd probably collected it nearby. She took it, drank from it greedily. Alaric looked satisfied as he sat next to her with his own breakfast.

"We'll be stuck here for a couple of hours," started Alaric, fixating his eyes to the ground. He took a deep breath and looked at her. "And I was thinking, since we're traveling together, maybe we could get to know each other? It's just a thought, though, we don't have to talk if you don't want to," he added, quickly.

"No, it's fine-- I want to know all your dirty little secrets, and I bet you're dying to hear mine," she teased. "What would you like to know? I have a few spicy stories, but I don't want you to die from the shock," Alaric's cheeks turned a little pink, she could tell even under the stubble. She noticed his ears got a pinkish tint too. Jo noticed they were a little outward.  Alaric reminded her of a mouse, but not quite... he had a handsome face, strong jaw, and the ears actually completed the frame somehow. He pinched the bridge of his nose, no doubt thinking of something to ask her. He had a strong, straight nose, with a slight bump in the middle that suggested it had been broken long ago- she wondered if there was an interesting story behind it.