Chapter 4

            After a couple of days, the group found themselves in the middle of the Black Mountains, in an attempt to cut down the time it would take to get them to Powys. Erika had gotten down to walk alongside Romaro awhile, gently patting the horse’s neck and helping him navigate the more perilous terrain. Adel watched the girl inconspicuously, marvelling at how normal it seemed to have her travelling with them now. He tried and failed to resist a smile as she stumbled and fell backwards onto her rear, then batted at Romaro as the mount nosed her curiously. However, when he caught Cyrus watching him with a slight grin tugging at his lips, his smile quickly faded and he looked away with an air of stubborn defiance.

          Eventually the group took a small break, and Adel took the opportunity to scout ahead. He took his time with it, enjoying the solitude and freedom of the excursion. Though he was still acutely aware of his surroundings, his awareness was subconscious. He allowed his mind to wander to inconsequential things, while his feet carried him through the twisting trunks of elm, maple, hawthorn, oak, and several coniferous trees, his feet noiseless against the leaf and needle-strewn ground.

          As he rounded a particularly large hawthorn tree, he stopped dead, and then quickly backtracked until he was completely covered in shadow. He had instinctively headed toward the water, but as it was, he was not alone. Erika was crouched by the stream, staring into a small pool of the crystalline water she had cupped in her hands. Adel watched as she raised her hands and splashed the liquid on her face, wiping it from her eyes and seeming to enjoy as the rivulets ran down her throat and disappeared beneath the collar of her shirt. Droplets clung to her eyelashes and bangs, causing them to shimmer slightly in the dappled sunlight.

          Erika shifted to sit more comfortably on the ground, removing her shoes and socks and setting them beside her. She quickly rolled up her pant-legs, and then slipped her feet into the gurgling current, sighing at the relief it brought. She hadn’t wanted to complain, but her feet had been aching ever since she fell, because she’d done so by tripping over a very large rock that she’d been trying to manoeuvre the horse around. She didn’t want to be a hindrance, and now her right ankle was swollen.

          Adel noticed this too, and frowned. When had that happened? Why didn’t she say anything? Sighing, he slipped from the shadows, and within moments, was crouching beside her, looking at her still submerged foot.

          “Let me see.” He said, his gruff tone startling her from her thoughts.

          “When did you get there?” She asked in a bewildered tone. Adel looked up at her.

          “Let me see your foot.” He repeated, gesturing to the injured one. Erika frowned, and then carefully extracted it from the water, revealing a mottle of purpling bruises and obvious swelling. “How long have you been walking on this?”

          “A little while back, I caught it on a rock and fell.” Adel frowned. He’d watched that fall; it hadn’t seemed that bad…

          “Stupid girl, why didn’t you tell us?” He replied, pulling the sash that held his over shirt together off, and looked around quickly. “Stay here.” He said suddenly, getting up and disappearing into the trees. Erika blinked owlishly after him, then meeped softly when he returned, shirtless, carrying two sticks that look like they’d been part of a tree limb seconds before.

          “Was it necessary to take off your shirt to do that?” She asked, her cheeks tinting a light rose colour as she tried to look anywhere but at him. So harlequin books were historically accurate… Focus, Erika. She told herself, shaking her head briskly. Adel had ignored her question, and sat back down next to her, using a hunting dagger he’d drawn from his boot to peel the bark from the sticks, and chop them to roughly the same size. Erika watched in silence, but couldn’t help the whimper that escaped her when he moved her foot into his lap.

          “Sorry,” he said, and instantly, his touch became gentler. He carefully wrapped her ankle partially in the fabric, and then set the sticks so that they’d brace it, before wrapping the rest of the fabric tightly around them and tying it off. “Does that feel better? Try putting a bit of pressure on it.” He said, gently moving her foot and getting up, and then holding out his hand to help her up. Erika stared at him a moment before taking his hand and cautiously rising to her feet, putting a bit of weight on her bad leg. Adel was careful to hover near her, his hands out to catch her in case she fell.

          “Better, thanks.” Erika murmured, looking up at him. They both realized their proximity to one another, because they both froze at the same moment. Green stared into teal, and in that moment, Erika felt like she knew him from somewhere else. Their gaze held for a few seconds longer, before Adel averted his eyes and cleared his throat awkwardly.

          “Tell one of us next time, alright, Erika?” He muttered, picking up his shirt. He then walked off back the way he came, leaving Erika staring after him, mouth agape. Had he just used her name? She shook her head, resolving that she was just hearing things, and sat back down next to the water.

          It was dusk by the time Erika returned to the camp, carrying an armload of deadfall to fuel the fire with. The siblings were all sitting around the fire, and when Erika appeared within the ring of light it emitted, both Cyrus and Adel looked up simultaneously. Erika blushed and set the wood down next to the fire, and went to sit down beside Lana, who smiled a greeting.

          “Adel tells me you’ve injured yourself.” Cyrus said gently, causing Erika’s blush to darken.

          “He already fixed it for me, Cy.” She replied, tugging up the leg of her jeans to show him Adel’s bandaging job. “The swelling’s gone down already by the way, thanks Adel.” She added, smiling at him. Adel went a shade similar to his hair and glanced down, muttering something along the lines of ‘don’t mention it.’

          Lana and Cyrus cast knowing looks between one another, and tactfully ignored them. A long silence fell over the group once Erika had gotten herself settled with her meal for the evening, where the only sounds were of cutlery on platters, and the crackling of the fire. Though she came later, Erika finished her food quickly, and rose to her feet, earning the attention of her comrades.

          “I’ll go do the dishes, give me yours.” She said, carefully balancing them all as they were handed to her. “I can wash them in the stream I was at today, and I can refill the canteens.” Cyrus nodded his approval, and turned to his brother.

          “Adel why don’t you go with her to make sure she doesn’t get into trouble?” He suggested jovially, earning a scowl from the rogue.

“Why don’t you go babysit?” He demanded. Erika, who happened to be behind him grabbing his plate, snorted and smacked him in the back of the head. Adel yelped, spinning around to glare at her. “Oi! Is that the thanks I get for bandaging up your foot you klutzy wench?” He demanded, and received yet another smack.

“No that’s for being rude. You used my name earlier today so you’re not incapable of it. I do not need to be babysat, and that fall that I took was while I was attempting to guide your horse. Be glad it’s my ankle and not his.” She retorted sharply, then stood up and walked off toward the stream. With a melodramatic sigh, Adel rose and followed her with the canteens, muttering about women. He was halfway there when he collided with Erika. Automatically, his hands grabbed her waist to stabilize her, even as she gasped in surprise and reached up to catch his arms. They stayed like that for several seconds, both staring at each other with stunned expressions.

“Your hands are on my waist.” Erika pointed out dumbly. Adel looked down, gulped, and nodded.

“Yeah. Yours are on my arms.” Erika looked at her hands. They were indeed, on his arms. She carefully lifted her hands, as if she’d been touching a bomb.

“S-so they were. Um...Sorry.” She said, backing up out of his grasp, only to stumble and cry out softly in pain. Adel caught her in an instant, and gently lowered her onto the ground, looking critically at her ankle.

“You shouldn’t be walking on it so much you’re going to make it worse.” He chastised. When he looked up he was surprised to see her sticking her tongue out at him.

“Well what am I supposed to do? I can’t just be carried everywhere, and Romaro has enough difficulty with Lana on his back in this terrain.” She pouted. Adel blinked, then he did something he’d never done in her presence before; he chuckled. Erika started, staring at him. Adel glanced at her.

“We baby Lana because she is the youngest. She has walked quite a bit before, and I’m sure she’s willing to give up Romaro for a month or two. And as for not being able to carry you...” He scooped her up bridal-style into his arms along with the canteens, and began walking the rest of the way to the stream.

 

*

 

          Erika was crouched awkwardly by the stream, rinsing off the plates and utensils in the current. Her face was still cherry red from being scooped up like a ragdoll, and she refused to look at Adel. The rogue in question sat a short distance away, lounging against a tree with his eyes closed and a slight smirk on his lips.

          Dusk began to fall upon the forest, and as the light waned, the trees were cast into sharp contrast against the suddenly blazing sky. Erika looked skyward, having seen the pinks and oranges reflecting off the glittering water, and stood suddenly. Adel watched her limp over to a nearby tree and began to awkwardly climb it. Bewildered, he watched her reach the second array of limbs, before her damaged foot slipped on the bark. For a moment, she fell, and then her hand caught another limb. Jerking to a stop, she hung there for a moment, then hauled herself up, and up again, scaling further up in the tree. Cautiously, Adel began following her, mindful to stay beneath her lest she fall.

          Eventually, Erika broke the canopy, and Adel heard her gasp sharply. Assuming that she’d hurt herself again, Adel quickly closed the distance between them, appearing above the tree line next to her seconds later.

          “What’s wrong?” He demanded, looking at her with a concerned expression, his teal gaze lowering to her ankle. “Did you hurt�"“

          “Look,” Erika cut him off, pointing behind him. Adel turned cautiously, but didn’t see anything.

          “What?” He looked around, scanning the canopy, looking for signs of movement.

          “Look at the sky.” He heard her say, and his gaze turned skyward.

          It was ablaze with a cacophony of colour. Near the horizon, nothing but a sea of gold spanned as far as the eye could see, while peaches and deeper burnt oranges crept their way along above it, giving way to the deep reds and bright pinks above them. The pinks interwove with turbulent purples, and peeks of the baby blue sky beneath it all.

          Adel turned from the spectacular scene back to Erika, watching her. She nearly broke her neck for a sunset? What was the matter with her? However, as he was watching, he saw a smile blossom on her lips, and the colours reflect in her too-green eyes. Her hair blazed as magnificently as the sky above her, and the expression on her face was, for once, enough to keep the rogue silent.

          “Beautiful, hm?” She asked softly, her gaze still heaven-bound. Adel smiled slightly, his eyes darkening with an unknown emotion for the briefest second.

          “Yeah, I guess so.” He replied, turning to look back at the sky. Erika cast a glance at him out of the corner of her eye, and chuckled.

          “I don’t see many this spectacular at home. I always loved sunsets, because… I don’t know, because it feels like it brings me closer to… Everything, really. Every time I watch one, I feel reconnected with the world in a way I wasn’t before.” Adel stared at her, and when Erika noticed, she blushed. “What?”

          “I just never thought of it that way.” He said, looking back toward the sky hastily. The golds and reds had given way to deep purples and pinks, which lightened still to salmon orange closer to the horizon. He heard Erika start climbing down; and calmly grabbed her around the waist, climbing down one-handed. Once he set her down. “Go on back to camp; I’ll be there in a minute.” He told her, shooing her off. She angled a curious look at him but complied.

It was awhile after she left that Adel continued to stare after her, his gaze unreadable in the waning light. “Beautiful.” He murmured softly. Slowly, he followed after the unusual redheaded girl, as the sky began to stain with the inky blackness of the encroaching night.