Heart Over Sword

Evanna deflated, releasing a slow breath and leaned her head against the wall, enjoying the cold feeling it left on her burnt skin. While the princess was left gaping at the prince's sudden actions in the dank cell she now resided in, further away from the palace and deep into the forest, Ger, Ronan and Axel were still moving.

Their footsteps crunched into the dirt and leaves of the forest floor, their breathing ragged as they continued rushing through the woods. There was no point in hiding at this point, the Flori knew they were in Direwood, but once they were in the clear, they would begin to be careful again. But for now, their heavy footsteps was a necessity as they fled. 

Although Cilv already informed them climbing through the trees that they had lost the Flori, it didn't stop them from moving. Their bodies were on high alert, the paranoia kicking in, any little sound made the trees appear to be the woodland elves, and they jumped on the spot, weapons ready. Ger led the way with Ronan and Axel trailing behind. Axel's pace slowly exacerbated, his limp increasing from his injuries.

Hours had passed since they left Evanna and had been on the run. Ger slowed their pace down to a walk after glancing back at Axel and seeing the apparent pain he was in. He clutched onto the gem in his pocket every few minutes. It was his only motivation now for continuing on and not turning around to bust Evanna out of the damned place.

His mind kept replaying the moment he abandoned his best friend. He abandoned Evanna. His hands fisted together as guilt and loathing consumed him. He should have been there to protect her; he should have been the one to get captured. Not her. Or at the very least, try and fight for her.

But he turned his back on her, prompted by Axel. The man who would be dead right now if it wasn't for her. The man who Ger noticed Evanna looking up to and cherishing as a dear friend.

"We'll camp here," Ger barked to the others. He didn't bother looking at their surroundings, the shapeshifter was among them somewhere, and for once, he gave her an ounce of trust to be diligent in checking for danger. Ger didn't like her, but the woman always looked out for herself, meaning her survival was a priority. She would not let them get captured or killed.

Ger sat down and rested against a tree, looking at the others in disdain before shifting on the spot. Axel stayed standing, dropping his bag on the ground along with his shield and axes, while Ronan collapsed on the floor with a huff. Ger glanced to his side; the little bundle of joy who had taken up a permanent spot next to him was missing.

He stared ahead; the images of their fight from earlier kept flashing through his mind again. The moment where Evanna stupidly sacrificed herself for the gem and the others to get away.

The moment where she dropped to her knees, a sword pointed at her head, and that white-haired elf looking smug and acting like he won her, as though she was a prize. Ger wrinkled his nose at the arrogant prick. He should have known the elf had an interest in her after she was temporarily missing when the elves ambushed them.

He clenched his teeth together as another image flashed across his eyes, the moment where Axel grappled with him and pulled him away, yelling in his face to go. That the gem was their priority. Ger's eyes gleamed with the burning rage that had been slowly eating at him since they left. He looked at Axel. Their eyes met, and Ger looked away, not wanting to see his face; it only angered him more.

"Ger, it's not your fault. She made a decision-"

"No, it's not my fault. It's yours," Ger interrupted Axel, his voice icy.

"Come on, man-" Ronan began.

"And where were you? Hmm.." Ger snapped back at him, continuing in his rage.

Ronan closed his mouth, his eyes hardening as he stared back at Ger. The tension surrounding the men was slowly suffocating them. Ger scoffed after Ronan looked away.

"Stop trying to pick a fight," Cilv jumped down from a tree, landing in a crouch before swing her legs forwards and sitting down comfortably, cross-legged next to Ronan.

Ger glared at the red-head.

"Ger."

He moved his eyes away from Cilv and looked at Axel, who shifted uncomfortably on his feet, "She made a decision that has kept us alive. Those horsemen were on their way towards us, and she saw this. None of us would be alive right now."

"AT WHAT COST!?" Ger shouted.

"Be quiet!" Ronan scolded him, "Or her sacrifice was for NOTHING. You think you're the only one here consumed by guilt. You're not. You are not the only one here who cares for Evanna.."

Ronan threw a stone he had been playing with in his hands before glaring at Ger.

"Oh boy, here we go.." Cilv muttered, looking up at the heavens for some form of guidance, "This is why I stay clear of … humans and their drama's."

Cilv sighed and lay down, preparing herself to sleep, already dismissing any fight that may happen. She was tired and didn't care for the idiots sitting near her, arguing over the princess.

Axel tsked at Cilv's words and interrupted Ger and Ronan's heated argument, "If you need someone to blame. Then so be it, blame me. But that's it. We need to stick together and keep moving forwards or all of this.. That gem.. would be for nothing. Everything she has done, things she despised like killing people even when it was an act of self-defence..  would be for nothing."

Ger parted his lips, scowling at Axel, but he continued unfazed by Ger's looks, "She asked me to promise her." Axel's voice broke.

Ger stared at him, "She made you promise what.."

Axel gulped, "To force you to leave," He sighed, "If anything was to happen to her, then I had to stick to my words: To keep going and not look back."

Ger's jaw was ticking now from this new information.

"Evanna knew you wouldn't let her go if she fell," Axel spoke quietly and looked down after seeing Ger's pained expression.

Ger put his hands through his hair. "Fuck!" He shook his head.

"Evanna.." He whispered to himself.

"Ah," Axel groaned. Ger looked back up and saw Ronan standing again and assessing the arrows in Axel's legs. He reached for one and began to pull-

"Seriously!? We've been through this before.." Ger grumbled.

Ronan stopped what he was doing and glared at him, anger still apparent on his face.

"We can't build a fire. It will attract attention," Ronan retorted.

"Cilv," Ger threw a twig at her, "Cilv, I know you aren't asleep. Do you think it's safe to have a small fire?" He asked.

A few minutes went by, making Ger wonder if Cilv was asleep or pretending to be asleep. He was not aware that she was listening for any dangers nearby.

Sighing, she said, "I don't have Raven's senses, you know.. There's only so much I can tell you. But we are fine. Just put it out once it's done."

Ger started a small fire while Ronan mixed together some herbs and water into a paste to help assist in healing. Once the flames began to dance atop the wood, Ger put the tip of his sword in it.

Axel shuffled forward and leaned his body against the tree nearest to Ger, the back of his legs facing them. Ronan gave him a thick twig, and he placed it in his mouth.

"This is going to sting," Ger cautioned him.

"Urry op," Axel mumbled with the stick in his mouth.

"1..2..3," Ger whisper-shouted.

On three, Ronan yanked the first arrow away on the back of Axel's thigh; his muffled scream filtered through the surrounding woods. Ger immediately placed his sword on the wound, cauterizing it, and another cry resounded in the woods. He pulled the blade away from the wound and put it back in the fire. 

Tears fell down Axel's cheeks. Axel sniffed. Stupid tears, he was in unbelievable pain, but he knew it had to be done, but having his other leg cauterized meant he had to dig deeper into himself to hack the pain without passing out. Taking deep breaths in, he looked back at Ger, who was now eying him, "Ready?"

Axel grunted back and leaned his head against the tree, eyes clenched shut. The second arrow was ripped from his leg, the ripping of more flesh made him feel sick, but before he even managed to scream, searing pain shot through his calf. Ger had placed the sword on his leg quicker this time. He growled into the tree and nearly collapsed once the blade was removed. 

Axel made sure to hug the tree for balance. But once he opened his eyes, his dark surroundings were spinning, and he stumbled to the side.

"Woah, Axel. Come here," Ronan grabbed him and helped him down to the floor, then turned him over onto his front, somewhat struggling with his weight as he grunted. Axel placed his head into his arms on the ground and sighed in relief after feeling a cooling sensation on his wounds. 

Ronan rubbed the light green paste gently on top of his wounds to help alleviate Axel's pain. 

"Ger, grab some of those leaves over there. It needs to stay covered," Ronan ordered. But Axel didn't focus on what was happening next as he fell into a deep sleep.

Ronan checked Axel's head for a fever and was relieved when he felt normal. He shuffled back after checking the leaf bandages he created with some string he had in his bag and looked over at Ger. He was still annoyed with him and angry at himself as well, but what could they do now but take the gem to Evanna's mother. That was what she wanted. For now, he focused on that and hoped she would be okay; he knew without a doubt that their next quest would be to rescue her from the kingdom.

"Elves," He muttered. 

"Get some rest, Roach. We are only sleeping five hours, and we are taking turns to keep watch," Ger said in a low voice as he glanced around the woods. Ronan nodded his head and lay down on the cold ground, forcing himself to get some shut-eye. But although he was tired, his muscles aching and screaming for a bath and comfy bed, his mind was racing to thoughts of Evanna.

Five hours later, the only ones in the remaining group who were well-rested, was Cilv and Axel. Ronan shook Axel awake and asked how he was. Much to their relief, he looked in much better shape.

"What was in that paste?" Cilv asked as she eyed Axel's legs. 

"Oh, just herbs to help heal the wounds, and they are also a cooling pain relief," Ronan replied as they began to walk away from the area they slept at. 

"How do you know about these? Is that what you carry in your bag?" She enquired.

"Now, who wants to know more about me.." Ronan smirked, before replying in a serious tone, "My mother was a herbalist, she taught me from a young age, and I kept up with studying such things. It comes in handy in these situations."

Cilv's brows raised, she was not aware that Ronan had a form of education, but then, she didn't actually know anything about him other than his pretty eyes and face and how good he was in bed. She sighed and looked away.

She really had spent too much time with them; she does not need to know more about them. That was how feelings were caught, and that was not what she wanted. If one of them died, she did not wish to grieve for them. It was a waste of time and energy.

A snapping sound brought her out of her reverie, and she looked behind her. Her brows drew together as her nails elongated, "Guys… I think we should start running again."

Ger looked at her and then behind them before nodding, "Okay, here's the plan.. we keep running until we make it out of the forest. Axel, can you do that?"

Axel grimaced but replied, "Of course. We need to get that gem out of here."

Ger nodded and set off at a run, the others following behind until Cilv jumped into the trees again. She preferred it up there; she also had a birds-eye view of everything and could alert them to any upcoming dangers. This also gave her time to think about a few things. 

Such as that gem Ger was holding onto.