They had been wandering almost aimlessly for days, it was pure luck and chance they had not met anyone else in this forest as they made their way to find Lot and his camp. The days and nights had all blurred together, the knight and the princess were frozen to the bone, the weather had not been kind to them, and a rain that never seemed to ease continued to fall. It trickled down their necks and backs and made both of them irritable, Luna was not used to such conditions, her hands were numb from cold and the cut on her arm throbbed with a hot intensity that was so at odds with their world of freezing misery. However she said nothing for there was nothing anyone could do, Illy was dealing with the same situation and the only remedy for them was to continue and hope there was a warm welcome awaiting them. If she thought rationally it was Goya she felt most sorry for, as strong as a carthorse her bore them both uncomplaining but his head drooping more each day, he was indeed a war horse of noble stock.

Finally there came a time when Luna stirred herself from the chilled stupor she had been living in for the last few days. They had come to a cave with the obvious touch of a human hand; the cave itself was draped in a ragged cloth which hid the interior and ringed around the outside the importune palisades which although hasty were a good defence. Luna sighed as from behind the cloth they could see Lot’s pale face; he looked haggard but relieved to see them. She hadn’t even noticed that the rain had stopped around half an hour ago but still what a pitiful sight they made, all of them soaked to the skin, spattered in mud and grim as a funeral. It was Lot who made the first move as Luna and Illyce were both too weary to do anything, running forward he grasped Goya’s reins and lead him through the defences and into the cave, with its fire lit against the back wall the small space was cosy and warm.  

“You two look horrible.” Lot said with a laugh, then seeing that no one was joining in his joke he made his way over to the saddle. They continued to sit in the saddle as though bound together neither having the strength or the will to dismount. Lot tutted under his breath but knew that he would have to be in charge for a while, leaning forward he took Illyce’s hands and after breaking her grip from around Luna he swung her down and off Goya, setting her down beside the fire. At the breaking of the contact Luna looked around in dazed confusion, the small timid noise of panic escaping her throat and Illyce responded to that sound, trying in vain to get to her feet. Lot made impatient but not unkind hushing noises at both of them as he reached up and took hold of Luna’s arms but when he felt the raging heat from one and the hiss of pain she made at his touch he instead grasped her slender waist and hoisted her down, placing her gently upon the floor next to Illyce.  

Both ladies sat beside the fire trying to bring some warmth into their numb fingers while Lot unsaddled Goya and rubbed him down as best he could with a scrap of cloth until his coat was mostly dry. Then he scattered some oats down for Goya to lip sleepily at, brushing the sweat from his brow Lot then turned back to his companions. They sat propped up against each other, Luna’s head dropping onto Illyce’s shoulder, Illyce head cushioned in Luna silvery hair. Lot couldn’t help the smile on his face, they seemed so peaceful together and he was very loathed to disturb them, so moving forward he grabbed a blanket and draped it around their shoulders. Throwing another blanket across Goya’s withers, Lot moved to the front of the cave and settled himself in to keep watch.

The morning brought the first sunshine any of them had seen in days. Luna opened her eyes to its alien glow and looked around her in slight confusion, then her mind catching up with her senses Luna quickly spotted Lot, asleep by the entrance and Illyce still sleeping beside her. Gently Luna extricated herself from Illyce’s hold and stood stretching. Her clothes were finally dry and her hair too, reaching up she attempted to comb it with her fingers, as she stretched her arm out she hissed quietly. Turning her back on her companions Luna unwound the rough bandage, to her dismay she found the skin red and hot, although the wound was closed it was taught and painful to touch. Biting her lip she thought quickly, it didn’t pose much danger to her at the moment and in any case there was very little any of them could do about it at the moment, until they came to the next village their options for healing were very limited. Tying the bandage back around the cut Luna set about trying to keep herself busy, doling out another helping of oats of Goya and restocking the dying fire. She was just setting out a hot breakfast with the supplies from Goya’s saddlebags when her companions began to show signs of waking.

“Good morning!” Luna said her cheerful cadence lighting up the cave as much as the newly built fire. It was Illyce’s bright eyes that she caught with her blue doe eyed gaze and she could not help the bright smile that spread across her lips. “Good morning Illyce, glad I am to see you properly. Sitting astride Goya doesn’t really present much of a chance to chat. Come I am making breakfast for you, I think we need it. You too sir Lot, you who aided us when we needed it most, to you I am heartily grateful. Come eat, then we can discuss our next steps.”