He wasn't about the tell her that the wound opened back up when he carried the orc that short distance, it had been impractical to fight with the orc on his back and they made far better time without him.

The signs of concern had been there though Jenna got out another vial, this one full of white powder that she sprinkles out over the wound on Edgar's leg. Just how many tonics did she have on her person?

“Because if we had stopped the orcs would have overtaken us, even with their fears of magic they either would have eventually grew bolder or just used ranged attacks to take you down. I had to be certain that they would not have such an opportunity.”

He grinned as he looked at her. “This is good. Last time around you didn't seem so concerned. Have I grown on you, even just a little?”

Narrisa could not easily quip a word back to him at his reasoning, even though she did not enjoy the fact that he put himself in such danger just because it would mean she would be within its range, too. Such a troublesome nuisance the two seemed to put themselves into for each other. Instead of reacting quickly to his quick jest, she instead focused on how Jenna was tending to it already, focusing her attention on making sure it had gotten better. The blood, as little as it was, was bothering her a little more than it should have, to her understanding. There was so much more back at the stakes . . . But none a drop of it was his. Once Jenna was complete and the bleeding had stopped, she was able to rear back a glare at his attention.

"I ought to use something on you. If only Jenna's tonics could seal those petulant lips closed for a day, that would truly be something of use," she said, unable to hide a little of her own smile. But if he had the energy to make jokes so lightly, than that meant he would be ok. The wound showed no sign of infections, even if it had just occurred, but hopfully the tonic would be able to disinfect it as well as seal it.

"If I said something as rash as that, you'd no doubt hold it over my head until the day I died," she snorted. " . . . . Not wanting anything to happen to you shouldn't . . . well," she tripped over her words, looking away bashfully. Yes, she did care, but so openly?! Must he be so needy in her expressions that even she wasn't sure which way was up or down? It confused her and made her thoughts dizzy.

“Oh, such a tonic would be most useful alas she can't make it.”

“Can't! Keep saying I'm a witch and I'll learn how! There are ways that I can do most things non magically. Yeah, a wizard is going to be way cooler and far more effective but I guess you have on now at least you can do offensive things now.”

“Jenna, I haven't called you a witch in close to a day now.”

“Oh?” The girl glared at him and he point to Narissa.

“She did it!”

“Only because you tricked her. I hope your leg falls off! I suggest moving to that cave there, I'll take first watch.” She moved off and Edgar shook his head.

“Three caves in the area and she picks the one furthest away!” Edgar chuckled as he pushed himself back up extending a hand down to her to help her up.

She blinked, watching the exchange of the two back and forth before her lips pulled up and back in a smile. These two seemed like they were brother and sisters for life, the way they acted. It was hard to believe they were running for their lives just a while back. Narrisa so wished she could remember the way things were before. . . It seemed much longer had transpired. . . .

"Well, I'm sure she meant well when she picked it," she said sympathetically. She looked up, not hiding her smile as she accepted the help. She was much too exhausted to try by herself. "Do you think we will be safe, though?"

He considered. “Well, it is perhaps the best concealed ...” he conceded as he assisted her up to her fee.

His eyes locked with hers for a moment, his thumb tracing over the back of her hand as her stared into her eyes.

Delayed as it were he answered her as they made their way to the cave.

“No, but if we can make it through the night we can travel on throughout the day. Orcs hate the light, they were hard pressed as it were to attack I'm assuming and someone other than an orc is leading them as orcs would not willingly fight even at dusk on their own.

“It will be dark soon though and they are far more active at night. They can see at night as well as you or I can see during the day so pressing on throughout the night won't work.

Finding a defensible location and hoping that they just pass us by is our best option. They are not very perceptive in any case and might overlook us.”

She gasped at his strength, surprised after such an arduous trek and still more fighting, that he had any of his strength about him. For a moment, her breath did not easy return as her eyes caught to his own, almost trapped in the time as she became hyper-aware of the proximity, the touch of his thumb over her knuckles, the skin that was still so smooth in contrast to his rough, firm ones. It was almost entrancing. She was surprised that it was he that had broke free first of this small peace as the air chose to return to her own lungs. She was quick to find her own steps as they trailed behind Jenna.

"I'm . . . Sure that we can survive that long." 'I hope,' she thought, leaving those words out from the evening. They needed to focus on getting what they needed to now while there was still light about the sky. His explanation further confounded her. "So you believe that they were under orders? But who would employ such hostile creatures, no less find their loyalty?" She was afraid she may have just the idea, but for now, she left it up to him as they finally reached the cave, the sun just hovering over the horizon, threatening to snatch away the heat of the day from the cold of night.

The cave seemed deep enough, from where she could see it from the entrance, a sudden sense of deja vu struck her as she made a pause. But with no other memory following it, she continued her way unhesitated. "Edgar . . . How come . . . How come you weren't afraid, back there, like the others? Even some of the bandits had left," she whispered.

She knew she had let the fear best her. It was all too sudden, she should have listened to Jenna's advice and kept it under lock and key . . . But she did just the opposite and had done it openly in the camp. Even if they were the same bandits that had saved her from Rhode's wrath, being under suspicion and coming out full blast were two different things. Was today the first time Edgar had seen her use it? Was the only reason he hadn't fled was because he was too busy fighting off the orcs and wounded? Narrisa gulped as the ideas of apprehension rose into her chest.

“Suspicions is all I have …” he stated. “But the church is very powerful and this Rhodes character didn't seem to have any scruples about bringing you to 'justice'. Orcs respect strength so if he bested their chief and proved he was stronger they'd follow him … they could also be hired too like mercenaries. The church has a ton of money and hey know that you are not alone.

“Of course it seems a bit quick, too quick unless the church had command of them this whole time and if so, well I don't know how I'd feel about a church that affiliates with evil creatures for whatever reason. They might argue that as evil creatures that they are expendable resources to get at a greater evil bu I'm not fooled.”

He was quiet for a moment as she asked why he didn't run when so many had. Was he afraid? Yes and no. Caught up in the thrill of battle he tended to be on automatic though there were a few times lately where that was no the case.

“Oh, I was afraid back there,” he shot her a brief smile and shook his head briefly. “A great man once asked what the difference between a hero and a coward was. They are both afraid but the hero does not run away. I could not leave until I knew you were safe ...”

"You know, I've never known a bandit to be so philosophical before," she teased, smiling softly. But it was only a front. This Rhodes character seemed to be everywhere and nowhere. She felt truly hunted. But would she ever meet theface of her predator? Or would she be taken out before? Just how far was this man's reach?

"If it means anything....you help me be a little braver." With that, she took her focus on Jenna. "Hey, do you need any help, fire or somehing??"

“Well, I wasn't always a bandit,” he grinned a bit. It was not as if he had been born with a sword in his hand after all. That story was not a noble one as far as how he got into matters … somewhat tragic, a man at his lowest perhaps as his fall from grace occurred gradually though he would save that tale for another time if he every did get around to telling it.

“I am glad for that but you are already plenty brave. You try to been a brave little soldier and tackle this all by yourself but I am here for you, just realize that ...”

Jenna, who was by the mouth of the cave looked over towards the two and shook her head. “A fire would just attract too much attention unless deeper in the cave and then we'd have the problem of all the smoke. You two get some rest I'll keep a watch on things to ensure that there are no problems though I'm waking you Eddie if I start to get tired!”

“Don't call me that, witch!”

She stuck here tongue out at him. “Eddie! Eddie!” She had to run off dipping outside as Edgar took a few hasty steps forward, bad idea on his leg and fought back a grunt.

“You're lucky I'm hurt!”

Her cheeks burned with the blush at his words, giving him a shy nod as she turned away. Why was he so easily able to offgaurd her without the slightest of efforts? She frowned when she heard that the likelihood of a fire was not going to happen tonight. Jenna was right, even though it would make it a little easier for her to rest, with the warmth of a fire to scare away any small animals and keep her vision so nothing could sneak up to them too closely. But she supposed the risk was just too great.

"I understand," she huffed. It would likely be a cold one tonight. In only a dress, it offered little protection against the chance of chill. She wished she had her pants or overcoat, just like the winters back in the . . . the . . .Mountains? She paused, a chill went through her as a memory of being in the mountains, the foothills of a high altitude place of her home . . . But the vision made no sense. Paved roads of hard black, carriages of metal and glass. The skies lined with large naked trees lined row for row with black linings connecting them from great and greater distances.

Her hand snatched to her forehead, a sudden wave of inertia pulling her to the side as she fell against the side of the cave wall. Her head pounded with ache as she closed her eyes to the world, disorientated. "Ed . . .Edgar?" Her voice was weaker than the banter the two threw at eachother as she screwed her eyes tight. Her mana flared, afraid, fearful, unknowing. She couldn't see the cave, or Jenna, or Edgar!

Threads of mana whipped fearful about her, trying to protect her, trying to keep her defenses as she began to pant, exhaustion kicking in as she slid to the cave floor. "edgar, whats going on??" she said afraid, unsure of why her mana was fearfully draining away at her.

So caught up with Jenna he missed it at first. When he looked back his heart pounded in his chest as he rushed back to her.

“Nari! Nari! What's wrong?” He had been at her side in a flash though he could not see any visible injury. What was worse was that Jenna had rushed off without even being aware that she was needed.

He set her head in his lap and without hesitation he drew one of the treasures he carried and liked to have in a pinch, He had not even used it to heal his own wound, it was minor, it would heal and it was not as if he were slowing the others down.

Out came the healing potion that he had acquired recently, one of the better ones. He tilted her head back and unless she didn't seem to need it he gave her that potion expressing a worried look as he gazed upon her nervously.

Narrisa groaned as she felt herself falling. Muscles caught her that weren't n hers. She fell limp into the lap, writhing as her mind showed her things, things from another shadow. But they slipped from her sight more quickly than they appeared. She felt something touch her lips, trying to let them open.

Fear. Was it poison? Rhodes? She squeezed her lips shut. No. Rhodes wouldn't get to her so easily. Edgar. She needed Edgar and Jenna. She thrashed, her mana spinning uselessly, draining her more of her energy to fight. What was she fighting.

Edgar! Please! She needed him so bad.

Her body wrestled the phantom of Rhodes as best she could, but all she was physically able to do was shrink into herself, hands weakly swatting away at the 'poison' at her.

“Nari, come on and open up,” he cooed as she fought this. Images had blurred through her mind, images of her past life streamed forth and Aegir could only determine that she was having an episode, perhaps something with the way her mana worked.

The defenses of her body had sprung up and she dwelled on these for a moment, unsure how magical abilities worked for the most part. He exerted more of his will against her mind to suppress her thoughts on the present though he had granted something to her then in that fit, a memory so that her conscious mind would not dwell upon this more.

Access to more mana of course, utility things for the most part. Some very minor divinations and a few wards that protected against some offensive magic that had not been amongst the advanced stuff.

She would see herself facing off against over a dozen soldiers that stormed into a tavern that she was staying at. With them was a man in dark blue, nearly black robes embroided with the family crest of the king. Unlike the soldiers that were all decked out in golden armor with similar markings on their tabbards the soldiers pressed in, her mana flying from her fingers though something either had been done with their armor or they were under a protective spell as she was unable to harm them and looked to be in dire straights … then the memory ended abruptly ...

Narrisa whimper, the memories flashing through her eyes as her fingers soon found their place in reality. She anchored them, clutching the digits like talons into the fabric of what was next to her. Blind, she hung on for dear life until the memories ended, her fingers finding themselves in Edgar's top.

"Ed . . .ED . . .Edgar. . .I saw him, I saw him!" she whimpered, turning full over to him as she tried to make herself as small as possible. Even if the face wasn't as clear to her now that she was conscious, she knew it could be none other than the man that was hunting her. "I saw Rhodes!" she squeaked, terrified as she brought her legs into her chest, clinging to him all the more desperately. Whatever other memories had flashed through her mind, whether they be from the shadow that she was originally from or not, soon drained away, blanched out by that fearful visage of the man that she could only see in her nightmares.

Her mana soon died down, falling limp from their defensive stance to withdraw back into her, no longer able to sense a threat as she sobbed into his chest, trying to catch her breath from the episode that had just happened. Memories of skills soon soothed her as she clamped her eyes closed, the memory of other spells she never really thought she had coming in more calmly as Edgar's presence seem to dispel any fears.

At first he did not know what to make of it as she gripped him as fiercely as if she saw the devil himself. The terror in her eyes had been unmistakable of course and he was confused at first.

“Saw who?” Of course, he should have known and whether or not he had an impact on her subconscious mind Edgar did not know. It was clear that he had some sort of effect upon her, however. She was afraid …

“Rhodes? I will not let him harm you.” Witchcraft wasn't such a big deal on many other Shadows and he of course intended to see her off, well no, he knew that was a lie. He had wanted to go with her, would, but last time she did not desire that, did not wish to seem weak or needy perhaps? Maybe she remembered more than she was letting on and there were things that she simply blocked out to endure them better.

He could not say with any real certainty there. He considered this of course and slipped an arm about her hugging her close to his body, his hand brushing up and down her ebony colored arm. “Hey, it's OK. Rhodes is afraid too. Why else would he try to flush you out with the orcs? Just rest up and tomorrow we'll set out to my brother's. It should take us no more than three days to reach him from her, just hold it together until then, alright?”