Settling Old Grudges

Dakran fisted puddin' tunic, ensuring he wouldn't attempt to run again and granted his steps where Nya and Haren were waiting.

" Thanks for the help!" Dakran mumbled, disgruntled, with his eyes on Nya and Haren.

Haren shrugged " I couldn't let this beautiful lady on her own!" Haren crooned with a charming smile. He didn't think that Haren was even capable of smiling like that.

Dakran scoffed " We are returning to Ironstone!" Dakran informed and pushed puddin' beside the horse, more forceful than he had intended.

" Mount!" Dakran barked, and puddin' gave him a wary look. Again he sounded harsh, but that wasn't his intention.

" Hurry up! Remember, someone, is dying!" Dakran urged puddin', and he finally mounted the horse. This time he went for a softer approach but still kept the tone firm. Puddin' conceded, squirming, huffing and grunting. He eventually climbed the horse with incredible difficulty. Dakran refrained from laughing at him, mainly because Edýia's life depended on him to bring Puddin in one piece back to Ironstone. If he'd say anything crude at Puddin's expense, he might overhaul and not come.

" Since you, too, are so taken with each other, I'll take your horse! You can stay and enjoy the white lands!" Dakran amusedly said, if not a little mocking. The subtle message was evident in his tone.

Haren nodded " I will rest and follow on foot!" he threw another charming smile at Nya, who stared at Dakran. Still very much displeased with the news of his nuptials.

Dakran rolled his eyes. He already knew what that meant. He couldn't give a toss.

" Make sure when you return that you only bring what you're wearing!" Dakran cryptically said and mounted his horse.

Haren frowned, bushed " I will!' he briefly said, and Dakran knew that trouble was brewing.

" Just your bag and nothing else, Haren!" Dakran reinforced his earlier statement and nudged his horse.

Haren didn't reply.

He had no clue what he was trying to say, which spelt trouble. Out of respect for Nya and their alliance over the years, he refrained again from speaking plainly. He hoped Nya would have enough common sense and stay in the white lands.

Dakran watched Pelham fidgeting on the horse. He was either uncomfortable or planning to run again. He knew what he did last time was wrong, but he couldn't change the past, no matter how much he regretted it.

" I'm sorry for what I did to you!" Dakran broke the silence, and Pelham stopped fidgeting.

Pelham gave him a wry smile but didn't reply.

" I shouldn't have forced you to help!" Dakran said on pensive voice, pentintet.

Pelham let out a loud chuckle, his big belly jiggling " And yet here we are !" he sniggered, mocking him on how the tables had turned, and he was once again at puddin' mercy.

" This is no joke Pelham! She is on her last legs! I'm not sure she will still be alive when we arrive!" Dakran grew doleful relatively quickly. Edýia's life hung in the balance and puddin' hands.

" I will do my best to help her. She is such a sweet child! I came to the North because I saw this happening, and I wanted to help! But you people!" Pelham chuckled in disbelief and scoffed " Are next to impossible to deal with! he let out a heavy sigh, relenting almost like he'd given up.

" I found the woman you spoke of. She came here to help! You deserve better treatment than we have offered you so far!" Dakran gave merit to puddin. Due to him, they have found Iris and finally end the chaos. Dakran looked up at the dark sky. More or less.

" You guess!" Pelham mocked, " I've been drowning in blood and seen enough death to last me ten lifetimes. All I did was to help, and the first chance you got, you made a bufoon out of me!" Pelham scorned, disgruntled over his past deeds.

" Let's just say that I...had a lapse in judgment!" Dakran whitewashed his past actions very nonchalantly, trying to give them less weight.

" You're an asshole!" Pelham barked

Dakran nervously chuckled at Pelham's retort. Undoubtedly that was a very accurate observation, but he was trying to better himself.

But Pelham was making a mountain out of a molehill, and he had no plans on grovelling in front of him. He had apologised, and it was more than enough.

" How about we put aside our differences and focus on saving Edýia! If all goes well, you can stay in Ironstone!" Dakran extended an olive branch trying to temper Pelham's bruised ego.

" Ha! Stay under the same roof as you and that idiot you call brother! That one is crazier than you are!" Pelham scoffed at his offer. He wasn't wrong, but he wasn't planning on giving Pelham the satisfaction of being right.

Dakran growled, his lip twitching. Besides, Pelham was being a pain in the ass, and he was in no mood to deal with a man that behaved like a spoiled little girl. But he needed Pelham, so he had to behave for Edýia's sake.

" You're right!" Dakran paused momentarily and swallowed the urge to knock Pelham off his horse " What we did. We shouldn't have treated you that way, and I'm sorry!" Dakran mumbled a half-assed apology, hoping Pelham would let the matter go.

" You're saying that because you need me. Surely you don't expect me to believe your half-assed apologies!" Pelham mocked and saw right through his bulshitt

" Believe what you want!" Dakran barked, annoyed. It was enough. The half-assed apology was the best he could do.

" Now! Tell me, can you help Edýia?" Dakran's voice broke, and gulped. Regardless of what occurred in the past, he had to help Edýia. Their little feud could wait until she was prim and proper.

Pelham fell silent at his question, looking ahead.

" Well?" Dakran pressed Pelham to answer his question. Angst bubbled in his chest as the silence stretched between them.

" I can, but it will come at a price! The stone that she wore weakened her body!" Pelham reiterated his earlier words. Finally, offering a sliver of hope. He'd already said that, but It was good to hear it again.

" You already said that, Pelham!" Dakran pointed out, a little annoyed at Pelham's answer.

" I did? Oh, well! Tell me more then, so I can start working on something before we reach Ironstone!" Pelham turned to look at him.

" Well, it turns out that Edýia is Ruma's vessel, and each time she does that flamy thing. Her condition worsens!" Dakran grew wistful as he regaled what had happened.

" Oh! I see! I didn't see that coming! I was never able to see into her future! I guess Ruma's presence in her made her impervious to my abilities!" Pelham reasoned with a pout all fanciful in his wordings.

" Uhmm! Right! So, if what you say it's true, then Edýia is in big trouble! We need to break the bond between Edýia in Ruma. Even if Ruma isn't using her body. Edýia is still very much tied to Ruma. And I'm sure that Ruma already knows this! Is she awake?" Pelham rubbed his wrinkled forehead.

" She wasn't when I left! Last time it took her five days to wake up! Now, I'm not certain if she ever will!" Dakran's voice broke again, clutching tight on the horse's reins, desperately trying to subdue his darkest thoughts.

Pelham grumbled something and fumbled in his bag for something.

" Ha!" he excitedly exclaimed when he found what he was looking for, shaking it in the air.