The pale moon radiated in the night sky, lighting up Seras' surroundings. The edge of a forest; a tactical advantage, she thought. An hour ago, the rough terrain leading to the forest had slowed, then stopped, her cart; but the others weren't so lucky. Their wagon dented a tree. And exploded.
Everyone was now talking around a campfire, or atleast listening. Seras unsheathed one of her hands that matched the moon's tone to scratch below her left eye. There laid a scab she had unknowingly received in the previous battle. Her irritation opened the small wound. Crimson water leaked from Seras' face.
"Oh, let me get that." Were the words of Mitra as she grabbed her staff. The cobalt orb of healing pulled energy from the teal-headed woman, and forced its way inside of Seras to stitch the miniature wound. Mitra gave a smile, then returned to observing the man from the monk temple. How different their magics were: Mitra's could bring happiness, and warm feelings were created inside the person being healed; when Seras used hers, it was to tear the soul out of another living being and throw it into The Void. But wars weren't won by merely healing.
"So what is your name, brother monk?" Trystan asked. The monk seemed to squirm in his seat before replying.
"I was called Treys. Please excuse my urgency to come with; I believed my skills to be of use."
"But we already have a healer. Trystan replied, pointing to Mitra. Treys' eyes met hers, and she blushed.
Gary's flatulence caused several to scream, and others to hit him. This turned everyone's attention away from the monk; except Seras of course. She was the only one to hear him mutter, "I didn't mean those skills." His fingers twitched, then his whole body spasmed as he realized he said that aloud.
Soon, all were falling asleep again. Seras immediately volunteered to be the lookout. Hours into the night Trystan awoke to take her place, and ordered her to stand down when she refused.
The prince didn't know he shoold be watching his soldiers, as Seras had known. Although they weren't ambushed in the night, several more valuables had been stolen.
***
The silver-haired shaman was the first up; again, as usual. She read three more chapters of her book in wait.
Treys awoke next. He excused himself into the forest. Soon, everyone was up and feasting upon the morning meal of salted pork, and the monk had yet to return.
Fey mounted her pegasi and announced she would scout ahead. Finally Treys stopped out of the trees. "That won't be needed. The patrol is coming from the west."
After a pause, Fey replied, "...I'll check anyway." Ursula galloped across the morning dew and flew away.
Trystan approached the monk. "How do you know this? Is there something you aren't telling us?"
"Uh... I overheard it from the Galkian commander the first time he visited that he had men patrolling the nearby roads." Trystan huffed and sat down by his sister.
Now it was Seras' turn. She yanked Treys away from the group. "Where were you? I don't believe it takes an hour to water the trees."
Treys dug in his pocket and pulled out a few plants. "Collecting herbs." Seras knew nothing of plants and had no way of knowing whether is was a bluff or not, so she let him go. She went back to reading and finished the book within minutes. She put it in her robes and retrieved another.
Minutes later, she stopped her reading mid-sentence as Ursula galloped back onto the grass and stopped. Fey was clutching her left arm, and her iron lance was gone. "Yeah, there's a patrol." She fell off her pagasus, her eyes closed shut.
"Help me, Treys!" Mitra shouted. She sprinted the distance to the unconscious pegknight and wiped at her red arm, trying to locate the wound. She found the hole and pulled out the hooked arrowhead. Treys stood behind her. "What are you doing?! Help!"
He looked around nervously. "I can't heal..."
The worried Fiona was holding back her tears, but a few slipped out as she yelled, "Why the hell not?!"
In spite of being yelled at, the monk replied calmly, "I'm not a monk." Orias nocked an arrow; Seras focused her energy into her hidden fingertips.
"Kill him." Trystan ordered.
"Woah woah woah-wait-I'm on your side-I swear! I'm a thief! A spy! You don't have one of those. I can get information, scout ahead-safely-, steal things! C'mon, Prince, you can use me."
"You know I'm a prince?"
"Duh. I mean... of course Your Higness."
"...Fine. You won't be allowed to leave us. If you do, I will have you tracked down and killed. I will be watching you."
"Ya' know, that last part really wasn't that threatening."
"Okay, she will be watching you." Seras glared on cue. The thief almost jumped.
"So uh... who wants a free silver arrow and several coin pouches?" Treys ducked and one of Orias' arrows shaved several blue hairs into the morning air.
