Morgan shook Iridia awake, “He did it!”

Her eyes fluttered and cleared away the morning blur, The air was cold and her clothes were chilly, waking was tougher after so little sleep. “Mmf, did what?”

“He saved him.”

Iridia sat up and looked over the temple, Flencer was sitting up looking more than worse for wear. “Flencer!”

“Not so loud, dear.” His voice was so shrivelled it might be swept away by the lightest of summer breezes.

Iridia made her way to him, “How do you feel?”

Flencer kept his eyes down, the light scolded his vision with a stern glare anytime he attempted to look beyond his feet. “I feel like Kaleb's face looks.” he tried to chuckle at his joke but it came out as a cough.

Both elders, that being Kaleb and the botanist were packing up their goods to leave, all business as usual, it’s as if they could not take in a single moment of uplift and let it carry them away lest they feared not being able to return to ground. Kaleb approached Morgan, “Well my lad, I thought we said goodbye back in the forest, goodbye again.”

Morgan nodded, looking over at Iridia.

Iridia sighed inwardly, Whatever decision she made would be the wrong one, if she asked Morgan to join, Kaleb might not accept the proposal, She promised to think about it, but she had failed at that, instead falling asleep and dreaming about a buffet in the forest…ridiculous dream. She wandered over and placed her hand on Morgan’s shoulder. “It has been good to see you again.” she bowed her head.

Morgan nodded and bit his lip, taking that as Iridia’s decision, he was to return to the forest and be with his people, for if Iridia did not want him there, then he had no place in the party.

Iridia kissed his cheek and paid a quiet visit to the botanist, thanking him and hugging him. The botanist wasn’t sure what to do with the hug and he stood there singing an irk-riddled song in Sinley.

“Leave the man alone, Iridia.” Called Kaleb while in mid-conversation with Flencer. “Are you well enough to ride the buck?”

Flencer rubbed his forehead, “Aye, you have lost too much time on my account already.”

Kaleb nodded, “I am not sure how safe Elsbury is, but it’s quiet and the road to Farlow Port wall is about a two-week walk, it’s the biggest venture we have made, we don’t have food enough for that journey, we’ll need you hunting again.”

Flencer grunted, “Lost me crossbow.”

“Come again?”

“I lost me bloody crossbow.”

Kaleb hadn’t put Flencer’s weapon into thought, an unarmed Dwarf, hungry and injured would be a great burden to the party, it would be easier to leave him here and let him find his own way back to Brimshire or a neighbouring village to rest. “You understand I cannot accommodate you?”

“Aye, my life is saved, but I must continue my quest, I will follow you on the buck, if starvation takes me I will not be bitter for it.” Flencer managed to look up long enough for Kaleb to catch his face, his eyes were bloodshot and his lips dried out and scabby.

“You’d be dead for it, Dwarf, I cannot promise things will get easier.” Kaleb took note of his condition, bandages were wrapped around his broad chest from the wounds inflicted by the murder root infection.

Morgan made his way to Flencer and bid him farewell and good luck on his quest, all the while glancing back at Iridia who was inspecting her spear and shield before they made way. “Perhaps, my lord, I could come with you as far as the port?”

Kaleb chortled at Morgan, “Another mouth to feed? More feet to slow us down?”

“Flencer cannot tend the camp, I could forage and cook up broth, be a lookout and–”

“You could be many things, Morgan, but an adventurer you’re not, I doubt you would have made it out of the cave alive.”

Morgan sniffed, “I have proved myself a little don’t you think?”

“You have proven lucky, that is what I think, I cannot bring you.” The sun cracked through the temple and bathed them in a warming glow, the smell of the fresh grass begged Morgan to take up residence, stay warm and safe, away from the harm Kaleb would lead him into.

Iridia moved up beside Morgan, “What is this debate now?”

Kaleb picked up his hammer, broken but still dangerous all the same, “No debate, Flencer is a burden for now and will have to fend for himself if he wishes to follow, I will provide him with a couple of days' allowance, Morgan, you are not fit to see this quest through with us.”

Morgan looked down and away, dejected, but he couldn’t argue. Iridia knew it best for him to stay in the forest and Kaleb would not want the burden on the party.

“Morgan could be helpful with Flencer unwell.”

Morgan raised his eyebrow at Iridia’s words, not expecting her to fight his case.

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“Aye,” Flencer sputtered, “He could tend ta me, make camp, he’s a good la–” Flencer couldn’t quite finish his sentence, he fell into a nap and snored away.

“I could tend to the buck and the bags.”

Kaleb shook his head and grunted, he heaved the Dwarf over his shoulder and flopped him over the buck.

“He’s brave, he’s strong, but more importantly he has something nobody within the empire or outside can give us.”

Kaleb turned to face Irida, arms crossed, a sneer painted on his lips. “What might that be, neophyte?”

“Loyalty.”

He raised his eyebrow, the sneer faded in the face of truth, but he did not say a word, Kaleb was being worked over by the simple logic of a younger Paladin, he admired the spirit in the fight at least.

“He can be trusted with messages and news, he can keep our secret, he’s proven that.”

Morgan was blushing wildly now at the praises Iridia was singing for him. Flencer snorted in agreement as he listened to the conversation play out like a lucid dream. “Mmf, good lad, terrible hat…”

“What of your people? What of your new maiden? She is very pretty.” Kaleb was wavering but his point was well made.

“I love them, I may one day return to them, but if your quest fails then I’ll lose them anyway, The forest is about ready to consume them, you’ve seen it with your own eyes.”

The botanist, who was mounted and ready to leave, yelled; “Min-grin, acha!”

Morgan waved his hand at him in response. “I’m not ready to settle away in a dark corner knowing what is to happen or could happen, If I can even give one thing to help the quest I’ll do it, even if it just gets you on a boat and away.”

Iridia didn’t know why she was fighting Morgan's case, she had just told him to stay with his people, but something she couldn’t control pulled it out of her, subconsciously she knew he belonged with the party, it was feeling and she couldn’t shake it. “If he’s a burden, we can send him away or leave him at Port Farlow.”

“Yes of course…” Morgan raised a finger but frowned slightly when her words sank in.

Kaleb groaned, “Fine!” he flicked the reigns in Morgan's direction, “You are promoted to buck boy and chief Dwarf caretaker.

“Yes, my lord!”

“If he dies, not my fault, entirely on you Iridia.”

“Of course Master Kaleb.” She saluted him playfully and both her and Morgan chuckled.

Kaleb shook his head and walked out in front.

“Oh, I better let the botanist know I won’t be coming–” Morgan looked around, “the grumpy bugger already left.”

“He was clearly the smartest one of us all,” Kaleb called back at the reformed party.

They marched over the hills at a decent pace, staying off the road in case of imperial convoys, though it was tempting to find the path, what for speed and the potential to come upon a caravan that they might barter with.

At the peak of a hill, Kaleb could see the main road rolling away, “We might join the road, it seems safe and perhaps we can save a lot of time.”

“Right.”

They bumbled their way down toward the main road, finding the flat stone a welcome reprieve from the hills and climbs, the land was calm and quiet. Iridia felt like she was in heaven, the way through Manglewood was painful and slow, and she could walk this route for days. “Let’s hope the way is this clear all the way to the Elves.”

“Port Farlow is a stain, I would make the most of it.”

“Why is it so bad?” Morgan chimed in.

“It operated outside of Imperial control.”

Iridia scratched her head, “Why hasn’t the Emperor brought it into the fold?”

“It serves a purpose…many heretical raises that are not connected to the divine were banished from Imperial lands, this is where they bring their goods, trade and help the Imperium in other ways.”

Morgan sighed, “I am surprised my kin have not been exiled as of yet, I wonder if they would be sought out in Manglewood and made nomads once again.”

Kaleb scratched his cheek, “Our current emperor has been passive on that front, promises were made to put more taxation on Dwarves mind you.”

“It still doesn’t explain why Port Farlow is so bad.”

Kaleb looked back at Iridia. “The edicts in place allow all sordid goings on in Port Farlow, yet they must adhere to Paladin and Imperial presence, Let’s say Paladins are not considered friends and you would be wise to keep your status secret.”

Iridia nodded, She hadn’t thought about other races much or the way they see Paladins, she always understood that Paladin houses were revered and considered heroes, of course to the heretical races that was a different matter, not being attached to the heart brought about many issues, it would be impossible to see them through the eyes of truth. The Emperor and Paladins relied upon their ability to see through the darkness. Something she learned when facing the Necromancer.

Mid-afternoon struck and the party met a travelling caravan, Kaleb was expecting to see more, it suggested the recent troubles upon the land have now taken effect upon trade, poverty usually follows such a disaster. Kaleb spoke with the caravan master briefly and was given access for fifteen minutes to make any quick deals he could, Morgan and Iridia waited with the buck to one side, Flencer was still snoozing.

Kaleb emerged with a pull cart containing food and a bag, he wheeled towards Morgan, “Unpack the buck.”

“Why?”

“Traded it in.”

“For that?”

“Got a bag of gold, food and a pull cart, another promotion for you Morgan, cart master.”

Iridia half smiled but knew poor Morgan would have some work to do now, “I’ll help you pull it.”

They loaded up the cart and bid farewell to their faithful buck, it was a smart move in the end by Kaleb as the buck would not fare well over the seas and it needed to be fed and cared for, a valuable trade-in, unfortunately, Morgan would become the new puller, and he’d have the trunk and flencer to cart along.

He heaved up the handles and grunted, Once he got going it wasn’t too bad, but it certainly made the journey a little less enjoyable, he supposed he couldn’t complain for he did ask for this, and when Flencer became well enough the load would be lighter.

“Oh, I almost forgot!” Kaleb turned and Morgan stopped.

“Yes, my lord?”

Kaleb strode up to Morgan with a big grin and reached into the front of his breastplate, he took out some screwed-up green fabric and did something above Morgan's head that he could not see. Morgan blinked as he felt something press down on his head.

“New hat, as promised.”

Morgan dropped the cart handles and took off the hat to inspect it, it matched his outfit and had a green dyed feather in it. “Thank you, my lord!”

Iridia chortled and shook her head, “Looks great, Morgan.”

Flencer groaned in his sleep, “Crossbow!”