Sara's displeasure at the request was evident. Unfortunately, Hazel was the best chance they had to save her son. She alone knew what was in every potion he had taken, and if someone had a counter to the concoctions, it would be her. For John and Kayden's sake, Sara crossed to the door and pulled it open. "Hazel."

Hazel smiled politely. "Sara." Her arm was wrapped in a yellow bandage with a pungent scent, but otherwise there was no indication from the witch that anything had happened here before. "It is lovely to see you again. I brought a few things for John and Roger." Wordlessly Sara turned to escort her to the infirmary.

~~~~

Roger groaned as he stood up from the table. Caleb's face twisted with confusion. The skeleton laughed. "When your bones are as old as mine, you will be groaning the day after battle as well."

"But..." Caleb decided it wasn't worth trying to apply logic to Roger's condition. "Yes sir." The youth trailed after him in trusting silence. From the garden the sound of children at play floated across the air. The smell of wet dirt rose up about the pair as they crossed the garden. Edward, Jake, and Skyla chased each other around the beds of flowers and vegetables. Skyla was screaming something unintelligibly as she tried to grab her brother. Edward lapped them both easily. Kayden sat by herself pinching flowers off the closest herb bush.

"Edward." Roger offered the young hippocampus a kindly smile. "Could you walk with Caleb and I? I have some things to collect for John and I could use your help."

"Sure!" Edward trotted over eagerly, his tail swishing as he batted away the occasional bug. "What are we getting first?"

"Can I help?" Kayden looked up at her uncle hopefully, her eyes bright with barely contained tears.

Roger shook his head. "You are doing fine as you are, Kayden. I will need those blooms soon enough. Thank you for getting a headstart on them. I am impressed you remembered them on your own." He ushered Caleb and Edward away from the others with a sweep of his bony arm. "This way, boys. We'll start over near the sage."

Edward trotted happily down the path. "Caleb said Mister John was very brave yesterday! I can't wait for him to be better so he can tell me all about the fight! Caleb already told me everything, of course, but I want to hear it from his view as well!"

Roger smiled as he placed a gentle hand on Edward's back. "You may need to wait a while for that, my young friend. I have a task that I need to ask you to complete for me." Edward's head tilted with curiosity, and so Roger explained his plan to the colt. Edward was quick to agree to the task. 

That was something that Caleb found himself admiring about his friend. No matter how small or how dangerous the request was, Eddy was so quick to offer to help others. Caleb was not certain Edward had the ability to deny assistance to those in need, so swift was he to leap at the chance to help. It did not seem possible to the boy that his friend might willingly let someone go unaided. Edward was prancing happily now. "I'll be ready to go when you are!"

Roger smiled brightly. "Wonderful. After I tend to John, I shall make you a dye for your coat so that you will be less conspicuous. That will help you get into the mines more easily." He stroked his long gone beard as he thought over the particulars. "You will need to get use to a harness as well, so it would be wise for you to practice as you make your trip there. I think I have a pony cart from when John-the senior, not our John- was little. I will see if I can hook it up to you so you can pull Jake and the girls about the garden today."