[i]Somewhere in Hammerfell, 12 Rain’s Hand[/i]

Francis drained the last remaining drops from the waterskin before tossing it back to Vendel. It had been quite the trek, and with nothing to show for it, it may have well been a thousand years compared to its actual mere days. It was a certain kind of loose-limbed limbo that Francis had fallen into the last few miles. Neither of the two had eaten anything but dried meat strips for quite some time and they were burning much more energy than what the strips gave them. Vendel sighed very audibly, Francis took the hint and looked to his friend, whose arms raised to his sides with a shrug.

“Complaining?” Francis questioned, though it sounded more like a statement.

“Yes. I’m not going to beat around the bush with it. I’m much too tired for wit, Francis, I [i]am complaining.[/i] We may die out here before we can even start your grand adventure, you Gods damned fool. I should have drug you back to Wayrest, kicking and screaming.” Vendel told his friend, pointedly.

“I know that you mean that-”

“Yes, I do, Francis.”

Francis continued without acknowledging the interruption, “I know that you mean that, [i]friend[/i], but there must be some kind of hunting prowess between the two of us. We could try our hands at trapping. Rabbit tastes good enough, does it not?”

“Francis, your delusions and denial are becoming more obvious by the day, as fast as they are growing intolerable. You are my friend, I don’t want you to be unhappy, but neither do I want you dead.” Vendel said, shaking his head in exasperation before continuing to walk the direction they had been.

“Vendel, I know that you care-”

“Yes, I do, Francis. I do care, I care about your sister. Someone ought to, between the two of us! Who do you think you [i]are[/i]? You haven’t taken your sister into account these past days. I thought we may head back to Rihad. Francis, as much as I want you to follow what you think you need to do, I must follow your sister’s wishes and return you to Wayrest after our mission is complete,” Vendel let it sink in for a moment, “Our mission is accomplished. It has [i]been[/i] accomplished for days before now, Francis. You grow too selfish these days.”

Francis heard those words hit his ears, and then they sliced into his very soul like a rapier through his chest. All of this time, and it took his best friend to tell him something he should have been thinking about, something that should have been at the forefront of his mind this entire time. He had been selfish, hadn’t he? His sister would probably slap him for such selfishness. He’d probably welcome it too, it had been a long time since he had been able to hug Annaliese. He wondered how much growing a person could do in two years. He wanted to find out. Francis swallowed hard, more out of emotion than dehydration, though the latter was very bothering.

“I will cut you a deal, Vendel.” Francis spoke, only loud enough for Vendel to hear.

“If this some foolish thing you’re hoping I’ll receive with open arms, Francis…”

“Rest assured, my friend, we’re both proving ourselves fools each day with the things we choose to undertake,” Francis let go of a small laugh at his lips that curled them into a smile, he raised his hand towards his friend, reaching, so as to catch his full attention, “We head North to Helgathe. We’ll end up meeting the Heroes there. I have a feeling that there is where they will be. If they are not there when we are, if there are no whispers of their presence, then we will continue north. We will go back to Wayrest.”

Francis stood with pleading eyes, hoping that this compromise would ease the tension between the two. It seemed like they were walking tightropes with every word they spoke to each other. One miniscule miscalculation and their relationship would fall to the abyssal depths below. Francis had to respect Vendel for even offering to come with him, he knew how much it pained him to be away from home, probably because it pained Francis as well. It was only that there was a calling to him that beckoned him forth just that much stronger than the call to home. Francis hoped the Gods didn’t see him as foolish. He knew Vendel did, and his opinions mattered more than any God’s. Francis’s eyes bade forgiveness and agreement.

“Fine.” Vendel said, simply.

Francis smiled then. North they went, and had been going for some time now.