The Journey Home.

The small group of battered and wounded adventurers sat around the low burning embers of their campfire. Elariel tended to Peter's wounds, washing and cleaning them, applying bandages as best she could but knowing they would leave their scars. The Goblin Girl, whose name was Naya sat alone in solemn silence, having reluctantly agreed to come thanks to Elariels convincing, but all the same she sat more than arms length away from the Elven woman, nudging lumps of meat around in her bowl.

Gawain sat away from them all with his back to the group, his empty bowl sat on the grass beside him.

He hadn't spoken to them, it hadn't felt right. He had options on how to handle the goblins, and acted in the way he thought was best for them all, but in the end all it caused was the deaths of dozens of goblins, and the injury of his closest friend. And he detested this cold feeling in his chest.

With a reserved sigh he swept his hands through his hair, and rose stiffly from his seat before walking back to the group.

All eyes flicked up as their battered leader approached, the fire light illuminating his black and blue face, the subtle wheezing breaths that laboured with pain all too evident to them all.

"We need to talk about Naya" He said, in a quiet but firm voice. His face like steel as Peter scowled, noticing the look of concern on the Goblin Girls face.

"We have to talk about how we are going to get her back to Anhalt, once there she will be fine I am sure, but we have to decide how we are going to do this. The villagers of Erlau will not take kindly to the three of us returning with one of the people we were supposed to dispath" His voice was grim as he crossed his arms, his usual cherry demeanour substantially diminished.

"If I am such a bother then I'll just leave. It's not like I want to be with you murderers anyway" Naya snapped, her head looking away, thick black hair swishing around her.

"I do no think it would be wise to take her back with you, Sir Gawain. I was going to leave this topic for a few days, however if I must bring it up now, then I shall" Elariel began with a soft tone, rising from her seat next to Peter as she finished wrapping his bandages with careful, precise care. "I have already spoken to Miss Naya, and I believe it would be best for her to accompany me, as an Adventurer she will have a secure place in your human society without having to interact overly much with Humans. As a non-human she will always face difficulties, but at least she will have food to eat, and a warm bed to sleep in... normally"

Gawain looked pensive, as Peter sucked his teeth and stared at the floor, jaw grinding.

"I'd never join you two anyway. What made you think you could just drag me along wherever you were goin anyway" Naya seethed with crossed arms, not meeting Gawain's eye.

"So be it, if that is your wish I will not stop you both." Gawain sad in a flat tone, affirming his agreement with a nod.

His eyes watched Peter however, the anger and sadness was written across the boys face as plain as day, and Gawain was unsure of how to fix this bridge that seemed to be burning between them both.

"How are you feeling?" Gawain asked quietly, his eyes fixed on the poor boys wounds.

"Fine."

Gawain sighed, rubbing his forehead in frustration before turning off and dissapearing in the direction of the pool, he turned just before the brush, looking over his shoulder at them all, "I shall take the first watch. Get some rest, all of you." His voice was devoid of anything except steely ferocity, this was an order, not a request.

***

The others all soon fell asleep in their tents, Elariel and Naya doubling up, but Gawain's frustration did not quell itself as he patrolled the edge of the camp. He walked and walked, almost pacing yet barely watching the perimeter, no his eyes were watching the pond, waiting for her to appear again. And appear she did.

Just like before it was as if the moons light feel in a single wispy white beam upon the pool, and the Maiden seemed to rise from the warm depths, her eyes watching Gawain with a playful glint as he approached once more.

"What seems to be the matter Hero? You have been staring at this pool for quite some time, should you not be protecting your compatriots?" She teased with a knife like grin.

"What did you do to me, Spirit." He demanded, rage contorting his face as his voice came out in a brutal whisper.

"Me? Nothing, you meet a spirit in a pond and suddenly think you are the Champion of your own story do you?" She giggled as she wrapped her arms around her dripping gorgeous breasts.

"What is that supposed to mean? You must have done something, I used magic last night!" He snapped back.

"And? People use magic all the time, when the right conditions are met even latent magic can emerge in those much older than teenagers" She shrugs nonchalantly, waving a hand as if this was obvious, "You are not special, at least not in that way"

Gawain looked as if he had been slapped in the face, brow knitted in confusion as he stared at the ground.

"It did not go how I thought it would."

"Adventures never do, perhaps you should look at what you gained however. For when humans are pushed to the point of death, when they push themselves to their ultimate limit, some lucky few have the resolve within them to break beyond these limitations. Consider yourself lucky that your heart wished to fight on, even when your mind did not" She offers, as she walks towards the young man, suddenly cupping his face with her hands and tilting his head up to look into her eyes.

"Just because you are not some chosen one, Gawain Von Arco, does not mean you are not without merit. Learn from what you have experience, like a blade let it temper you, make you stronger and forge your own path. But head my warning, if you follow your true path it will be fraught with danger and sorrow." She adds, with something almost akin to pity in her eyes.

"Why do you appear to me then? If I am not..." His voice trails off, suddenly feeling stupid for even considering them.

"You look like an old friend of mine, your progenitor to be precise, Erik. I loved him once, and travelled with him everywhere he went not unlike this Elariel of yours. But like all humans, one day he died and broke my heart. I receded into myself, into my magic... until one day I found myself just a part of this forest as the moon that shines upon it." She explains, planting a gentle peck on his forehead, "But I will not answer any more of your questions, follow your fated path Gawain, or forge a new one. It is your choice, but a choice for tomorrow. Tonight you must sleep, so long as you rest within my grove you will all be safe, do not worry" Her smile is sad, her eyes full of regrets, but she wished to help this young man all the same as he stepped back, looking downcast before he turned silently and walked away.

*'He will be a curious one'* She thought to herself, as she lost herself in the waters of her pool once again.

***

The party took two days to heal and recuperate their energy. Naya fell into an uncomfortable silence much like Peter, and clung to Elariel's side like a babe to its mother as the elf taught her goblin companion how to wield a blade and how to survive in the wild. Peter said little, and did even less as his mind still worked through all that had happened to the three of them, much in the way Gawain had grown quiet, though now for different reasons.

But soon enough they were all on the move again, trudging through the forest as they made their way back to Erlau, having decided to give Naya Elariel's cloak and try and sneak her in the back of Brick's Inn so long as they were able to convince him. If not though, Gawain would gather Lucy and they would all simply make straight for Anhalt, a more demanding journey but safer all the same.

And, after many days of travel, almost a whole month in fact, Erlau finally rose in the distance, the forest melting away at their back.

And a subtle smile tugged at the sides of Gawain's lips.