“Ten mikes is a good bit, so we’d better get a move on,” she said. She started at a comfortable jog and Farron came up behind her. It was truly breathtaking in the forest south of Pryvlyn. Summer had just ended, and the orange and red leaves were all over the forest floor. The tall trees provided a canopy over their heads that only allowed slivers of sunlight to filter through. You could see a good bit in front of you in that forest, maybe even half a mile, because the trees were very spread out. The whole thing was a beautiful sight.
“I used to go hunting in these woods,” Farron eventually said, notcing Azura taking in the surroundings, “Me and father. We’d take in either birds or small creatures or the evening meal.” There were stage and deer in these parts, but Farron had never killed one, never thought about it as they were sacred round here.
"Really? Once i heard someone talk about practicing archery out here, and they said it was very peaceful. I've actually wanted to come out here myself, but this is the first time I've ever been this far." She added with a giggle, "Of course, it's not all that peaceful, what with our being hunted down."
Farron huffed a laugh, “That’s true. Maybe after all this is over we could come back when it is actually peaceful. If you want to, that is. Or you could just come by yourself and I don’t have to be there or-“ He cut himself off before he could say anything stupid.
Azura laughed, then reached up to ruffle his hair. "You're a mess, you know that?" After a bit of a pause, she added, "but I still like you."
She shuffled the leaves with her feet and leaned forward, arms behind her back.
Farron cracked a side smile and ran a hand through his hair, making it even messier then earlier, “I like you, too.” He said quietly, reaching down to kiss her cheek.
She smiled.
After a while of silence, she decided to take the time to ask Farron about some things, namely the portrait in the orphanage. She tried to do it with tact, but she needed answers.
"Why do you think I've seen your mother before?"
“Because she was at the Rosguard for a while…” Farron replied, “Before she… she passed away.”
Azura paused for a moment before she began talking.
"I'm sorry about your mother. I never knew her, but I did know I've seen her. Why do you think she was in Rosgard? She was a queen, so I would have noticed if it was official normal queen stuff. Everyone would have been talking about her visit."
“She was just visiting me, nothing special.” Farron replied, shrugging a shoulder, “You don’t have to be sorry, Azura. You don’t have to apologise for it.”
Azura didn't respond, for she didn't know what to say. She wanted to say something like, she's not really gone, but she knew he wouldn't get it. Farron was such a matter of fact person, and it was so hard to get to his emotions. He was just different. Azura had resolved the day she met him that she would figure him out, but right now she was too tired to try to dig. So she just dropped the issue.
Farron let out a small sigh through his nose, glad of the silence. He wasn’t in much of a mood for talking, well he never was but right now he Prefered the quiet over anything.
The two walked for a while, not taking many breaks along the way as the sun began to set over the mountains, the presence powerful yet somehow comforting. After a few hours, the distant drift of smoke rose upon over the trees the the view of a small village appeared, “We’ll rest here for the night.”
“Finally,” Azura breathed. “My feet hurt so bad it feels like I’ve been walking on needles for the past mile.”
She walked up to the first cottage in the village and knowcked on the bravo oak door. After a few seconds, a plump middle aged woman peeled out the door. When she saw Azura and Farron, she ushered them in. They made acquaintances, then Azura explained that they had come from Pryvlyn.
“We need somewhere to stay for the night. Do you know of a place?”
“Oh yes, there’s a small inn not that far into town. Tell them Briar Underwood sent you and you should be able to stay for free.” The woman said, giving them both a smile.
"Oh, thank you so much! You've been a big help!" she went to give the woman a hug, then she grabbed Farrons arm and went out the door.
"I'm tired, and sleepy. Walk faster." she said to him while she was pulling him down the street.
Farron chuckled and shook his head slightly, "Alright, I'm coming, I'm coming." He sped up his pace and soon they were at the inn. Farron walked up to the bar, told the bartender they needed a room and that Briar sent them and they were given a room for free.
"Oh, but it only has one bed." The bartender added as the two were headed upstairs.
Azura immediately ducked her head. Then she looked over at Farron (he looked equally nervous) and spoke up:
“Yeah we'll take it,” and she grabbed the key. When they got upstairs, she offered to sleep on the floor, and the two of them kept arguing about that for at least ten minutes.
"It is not happening. You take the bed and I'll sleep on the floor or I can just go pay for another room." Farron said, rubbing at his face with both hands.
“You know what?” She said, smiling. “Rock-paper-scissors.” She held her hands out, a fist on top of a flat hand.
“Azura…” Farron sighed turned his back to her for a moment before turning back around, “Or we could just… both share the bed? I mean we don’t have to but um…. we could?”
"Um, well-" she turned red. "I don't really feel comfortable doing that. I prefer rock paper scissors." She rubbed her arm.
"That's fine. You take the bed. I'm not arguing about this anymore." Farron said, giving her an understanding look, "I'm going to get a drink. I'll be downstairs if you need me." And he left.
Alrighty then, that wasn't awkward at all, Azura thought, running her hands through her hair. She decided to just get in bed already, so she was sitting on the side trying to get her boots off when Farron came back. They turned the lights out and went to bed. While it was dark, Azura started thinking about Herla, and why he hated her so. She actually started to laugh out loud, but she was trying so hard to keep quiet.
“Azura… why are you laughing?” Farrob mumbled from his place on the floor. He propped himself up a little just so he could see her slightly better.
"Because," she said between giggles. "Herla was so surprised when you walked up behind him. He looked like he was about to p-pee his pants!" With that, she lost it. She started full out laughing and curled up in a ball. Then she imitated his facial expression, and laughed even harder.
Farron rolled his eyes with a small laugh, “Alright, I get it. It’s not that funny Azura. Now try and get some sleep, we have another full day of travelling tomorrow.”
"I-I c-can't" she said, then started muffling her laughter in her pillow. Still, it was very audible. It took her a good while to calm down, and even then you could hear a small giggle.
“Sleep. Because I’m not carrying you tomorrow.” Farron said before lying back down again.
"Haha, you don't have the strength to do that," she said, and threw her pillow at him.
"But, good for you, I'm tired, so I'm going to sleep anyway. Goodnight!"
Farron muttered under his breath about how he is strong enough to carry her, throwing the pillow back.
