Erlem & Daisy

The clothes Daisy has made Erlem were more durable, they had a leather pair of rangers oants a satchel a cotton shirt and a brown robe with a hood and fur that lined the inside. There were many pockets inside and a chain that connected the buttons on the lapel. One of the buttons bore the leaf symbol on the archegate.

Daisy turned around again so Erlem could put his new clothes on. Erlem gave back Daisy's cloak and remembered how tired he was, he was still afraid to sleep.

There was smoke coming from the chimney outside, certainly they would be found. " Daisy are we safe here?" Daisy smiled " well since no one is really looking for us I doubt anyone with the ability to see through my charms will just walk through this spot and start throwing hexes." She explained that no one could even see the archegate without one of their pins. Anyone who wondered by the hut would just see a tree.

Erlem felt easier about their situation, he still wasn't so sure but Daisy urged him to go to bed, they both needed rest they had gone many many miles in a short amount of time and the mental strain was starting to show on Erlems little face. She hovered him up to his bed and lowered the fire so it barely glowed. Erlem felt his body finally give up and within seconds he was fast asleep.

Erlem's dreams were a chaotic mess, replays of Stanley's body filled with arrows, Penelope smashed by a siege boulder, and the horde of techno-drivers ascending onto the city. Erlem awoke a few times covered in sweat, but the exhaustion would win and Erlem would fall back to sleep.

Erlem awoke to see sunlight fill the kitchen, he wasn't sure what time it was but he was sure it was well beyond morning. Daisy wasn't in the hut, and her cloak was no long on the coat rack. Erlem was nervous, he wasn't sure if they were being hunted or not.

Erlem got out of bed and climbed down his ladder, he stretched his sore little body. The escape had taken a toll on Erlem physically, he wasnt the most athletic child, most of his time was spent studying. Luckily his abilities allowed him to push himself much further than he should have been. He decided to sit at the table and wait for Daisy to come back. He wasn't sure if he should leave the safety of the shelter, he didn't know the area and he may have some talents but he was no match for a full fledged mage or a techno-driver, even common folk soldiers could kill him with little trouble.

Erlem decided to create some small shadow creatures and have them battle on the table top to pass the time. His stomach grumbled louder as time passed, Erlem hadn't eaten since the party and most of it was left on the ground after Huxley was killed.

Erlem had began to get worried, it had been three hours since he woke up and the sun had began to set. Erlem walked over to the fireplace and turned the knob bringing the fire to life. Erlem went back to his monster game when he heard sounds of footprints outside. Erlem went the window to the left of the door and peered into the dusky surroundings. He didnt see anyone, but he was sure he heard foot steps. He may have been just hearing things, he was having a hard time focusing as his stomach became more and more angry due to lack of food.

The archegate turned blue startling Erlem, he immediately hopped into a nearby shadow. A familiar black cloaked figure came through the archegate. " Daisy! Your back!" Erlem came out from the shadow, Daisy lowered her hood and smiled at Erlem, " of course im back, and it looks like you already have the fire going." Daisy pulled a satchel from a pocket in her cloak and opened it. She pulled brown paper clad parcels and a cooking knight and placed them on the table. "Where did you go?" He sat in his chair and watched as Daisy opened the parcels to reveal a parcel of meat, some sweet potatoes, some herbs, mushrooms and some wild onions. " I had to find us some food, clean water, and see if there's any villages nearby. " Daisy sliced the meat into cubes and put it into the cauldron, she followed suit with the rest of the ingredients and out them all in the pot. She then pulled a large canteen from her cloak, he watch intently as she filled the large cauldron with the seemingly endless supply of water that spewed forth.

" I see you found food!" Erlem said excitedly, his stomach was beyond angry at this point. " I managed to kill a pigmy hog and find some edible plants. As far as i can see we have the dusty desert south or the goblin islands north, the new lands are an option but there could be orcs." Erlem heard the word orc and immediately wanted to know more "Orcs? Whats an Orc?" Erlem had never heard of an orc, he knew about goblins and merfolk

Who inhabited the islands around Denizens bay.

"They're powerful creatures who inhabit the savage lands, techno-drivers were originally designed to help us fight them. Orcs are twice as strong as humans, and they're skin deflect magic."

" what do they look like?" Erlem was fascinated, he wanted to meet an orc, " I dont really know, most accounts of orcs differ. The tribe really determines the looks from what we have been able to gather so far." He really hoped they'd venture into the savage lands, orcs sounded cool and mysterious.

"What are we going to do then?" Daisy smiled, "we are going to stay here as long as we can, there's plenty of food, the ocean is nearby and from what i can tell they aren't searching for survivors. there are various small villages south east of us we can travel quickly to to find out the news of the realm as well." It made sense to Erlem, they didn't dare try to go to the citadel, most likely the royal army was based in the mountain pass and there would be no use in trying to get to the magestrate. They were on their own for the time being.

"Also if anyone asks you're my son, you're family name is Oakleaf now." "Nice to meet you Daisy Oakleaf!" Daisy hadn't given Erlem her last name when they met, but here she was , essentially adopting him and giving him a sir-name.

She smiled " Erlem Oakleaf, sounds good." He agreed, he was extremely happy, he almost forgot the constant replay of Stanleys body in the back of his mind.

"Autumnveil may be too risky a sir-name to keep now that the crown just wiped it off the map, you do like it right?" He nodded smiling, he had began to tear up, without even thinking he hugged her tight. " You won't change your mind will you?"

"I'm afraid not, you are stuck with me as long as I still breathe Erlem."