The hills eventually levelled off and gave way to a forest filled with large, leafy trees and bushy shrubs. From now on, the travellers would have to find their own way to the golden bracelet. The map had done its part in guiding them here but, with no noticeable landmarks in the forest, they were going to have to put their navigation skills to their ultimate test in order to find this cave. A patch of an ancient path, old man-made markings, anything to ensure them they were on the right track.

The travellers were going to have to keep their eyes open for more than landmarks, though. Although none of them knew enough about orcs to guess whether the monsters would actually live in a forest such as this, the very thought of invading the territory of the creatures behind most wayfarers' woes had a tendency to put one's nerves on edge. Everyone figured a roving band of the monsters could suddenly burst from the surrounding foliage, putting an end to their journey early. With such a looming possibility hanging over their heads, the travellers kept their senses sharp, diligently watching the woods for any warning signs.

Should orcs ambush them though, Alena, usually the first to react in any combative situation, probably would be the last to notice. Her thoughts were still focused on the discussion she had with her tutor the previous night.

Could what he accused her of really be true? Could she really be falling in…love?

The thought of holding a silly fascination towards another man sickened her. Whenever her father told stories of a valiant knight sweeping a beautiful damsel off her feet, the young Alena would giggle with bemused laughter. The sight of seeing a young couple enthralled by their "puppy love" would make her blush with embarrassment from watching them. The princess could hardly even stand being within the presence of the couple from Tempe when they were doting over each other. Love of this sort just never held much interest for her.

Yet, should she be falling in love with Timothy, Alena felt strangely compelled to pursue that course of action.

Why, though? What could this common thief have that would make the Princess of Santeem become infatuated with him? It could not be his appearance, as Alena had seen plenty of other, more attractive men who did not interest her in the slightest. The wealth hidden in his wagon could not be a factor either, as Alena had seen enough wealth to the point it sickened her.

If not anything tangible, then it would have to be something to do with Timothy himself. Alena did find the thief pleasant to be around, as he could express jokes without being too mean and take insults with good humour. At times he could be a bit obnoxious but the princess felt it could easily be ignored in light of his more amiable traits.

Was that what love was all about? To be able to look over the rough edges of someone you admire and only focus on the good in a person? Maybe it was only that single factor.

No, of course it had to be more complicated than one factor. Both people would have to be able to express their love. Would Timothy be able to do that, though? They had kept their relationship during the past week merely on a professional level, as one travelling companion to the other.

Looking back, Alena realized it was mainly due to her actions on their first night as companions. For all she knew, Timothy could have truly fallen in love with her then, only to have his hopes shattered. Had she not twisted the thief's arm, who knows what may have occurred from that point on. At this very moment, they could have been travelling in lands unknown, facing danger and excitement hand in hand.

The princess felt she was going to have to quell Timothy's fear of her in order for him to remain with their group. In order to do that, though, she was going to have to show him she was not a pure, aggressive warrior underneath her fair skin. She was going to have to show the thief that she still had femininity inside her and he would be much happier with her instead of an impersonator of her.

That night, when they set for camp, Alena found her chance…

* * *

"I'm going to see if I can find some food," the thief announced once they got a small fire going. "It seems as though James here doesn't think we serve him enough and has to dip into our stores all the time."

Brey merely shrugged in defence. However, a hint of concern crossed his face when he said, "I don't think you should be going off alone in these woods, Tim. It is too dangerous to venture out without knowing what may be out there. Our food supply is fine for now."

"Not the way you've been eating, old man," Tim pointed out. "We'd all die of starvation sooner than by an orc attack. And I think I'll be perfectly fine by myself. We haven't seen any sign of orcs or their landmarks since last night. They're probably much more spread out in their territory than we think." Before Brey could retort, the thief was off into the woods.

Alena sat still for a few moments, her eyes fixed on the patch of forest Timothy had entered. Excitement ran through her body as she saw her chance handed to her. Now all she had to do was capitalize on it.

"I'm going with him," she eventually stated, standing up from the damp grass and strapping her weapons to their ready positions. "He really shouldn't go alone."

Brey opened his mouth to argue but did not say anything. Instead, he gave the princess a disapproving frown, fully understanding what her real intentions were. However, as he was often finding the case, Alena was going to have to find things out for herself. All he could really do was offer advice, which he already had.

Alena turned to Cristo, fully expecting the protective bodyguard to instantly jump to his feet and offer to go with her as well. She was surprised to find him still buried in his Texts, completely ignoring her. The princess could not help but feel a tiny bit of jealousy but did not let it affect her. She had more important things on her mind.

Seeing no other forces that could prevent her from following Timothy, the princess strode off in pursuit of the thief.

Following his path was not too difficult, even with the limited light a crescent moon could give. Most of the surrounding forest was thick with bushes and scrub so anyone who tried to make their way through it would definitely make a trail, no matter how careful they were. However, Alena found herself tracking the thief for quite some time. It soon became apparent he had wandered quite some distance, and Alena began to wonder if he had become lost.

Eventually, the forest gave way to a small clearing where a tiny stream quietly trickled down into a calm pool of water. Maple and oak trees surrounded the area but were spread away from each other to allow the area right above the pool a perfect view of the stars. A light mist rose from the pool of water and with little moonlight to cast glowering shadows below the trees, the clearing had an almost ethereal feeling to it.

So entranced by the scene was Alena that she did not notice a figure slip behind her until she was knocked to the ground. The princess was taken completely by surprise and instantly found herself on the ground, her assailant pinning her on her back.

Alena would have been quick to escape the hold, probably severely injuring her assailant in the process. However, she did not react as she quickly recognized who had tackled her: Timothy! Alena smiled, finding she did not mind being in such a position now.

The thief, not as quick to recognize his companion, stared dumbfounded at the princess. "Alena!" he finally exclaimed. "What are you doing here? I thought I told you all I'd go alone." At that, he hopped off her, extending a hand to help her up.

"I acted on my own," Alena explained, graciously taking the thief's hand. "Surely you should know by now that I'm prone to do that, right?" She smiled again once she came into eye contact. Timothy seemed to stare at her for a moment, confused by her smile.

An uneasy silence was held for several moments, the only sound coming from the light splashing of the stream. Eventually, Timothy let out an embarrassed cough and retrieved his hand. "So," he said uneasily, "why did you follow me?"

Alena let out a tiny giggle. "There are some things I want to talk to you about," she replied, confidence building inside her upon seeing the thief's uneasiness. If there was one, non-fighting skill the princess did possess, it was her ability to break uncomfortable barriers between people.

She sauntered over to the edge of the pool and sat down at its bank. "Come and join me," she smiled, patting the grass beside her. Timothy raised an eyebrow curiously but did as asked.

Once the thief was sitting beside her, Alena began to take off her boots and socks, dipping her feet into the pool. The water was cold but days under direct sunlight had kept it tolerable, even at night. The princess began to paddle her feet back and forth, causing tiny ripples across the surface to cascade rhythmically into the mist at the far end of the pool.

Leaning back on her hands, Alena tilted her head towards Timothy, who was sitting cross-legged at the bank. Again the princess giggled, this time at the thief's rigid posture. "It's all right," she assured. "The water's fine. Join me, why don't you?"

The thief looked at her for a moment, unsure how to proceed. Eventually, he shrugged, took off his boots and socks, and dipped his feet into the water as well. He shivered for a second but quickly adapted to the cold water, leaning back on his hands as well.

Alena gave him a playful punch in the arm, smiling. "There, that wasn't so hard, now was it?" she teased.

"Alena," Timothy muttered without even looking at her, "what is it that you want to talk to me about?"

Her smile turned to a tiny frown, a little upset the thief was not letting her have any fun. "Tim," she said at length, turning back to the pool, "how would you feel if you stayed with us?"

The thief was quick to respond. "You already know full well that I won't. My plan is to go with the Princess of Santeem and nothing anyone can do is going to deter me from that course of action."

At his response, Alena's desire to blurt out who she really was very nearly took control. If he just knew the truth, she would not have to do so much evasive persuasion and everything would work out much easier. Brey's warning still stuck in her mind, though, and she held her tongue. She may not have much respect for the tutor after the verbal thrashing he gave her the other night but she at least respected the point about Flail.

"I'm not saying that you will," Alena eventually said, "but I'm merely asking you how you would feel if you stayed."

Timothy tilted his head to the starry sky, pondering the princess' question. "Probably not much different than now," he simply replied. He turned to face Alena, then added, "Except I may have an aura of bitterness about me, having missed my chance to finally…"

"Why must you insist on that course of action, Tim?" Alena interrupted before she thought, her face almost forming a pout.

"We went over this already, Alena," the thief frowned.

"Yes, but…" she started, but let out a heavy sigh, knowing full well that any argument in that direction would lead to a dead end. The only way she was going to get him to understand was to tell him the truth about her feelings. From there, she could only see how Timothy would react to such a proclamation.

"Tim," she said, looking deep into his eyes, "I…don't think I could bear to see you leave our group because…because…"

She found the words difficult to say, as she would be admitting something to herself that even she could not believe was happening. Looking into the thief's eyes, the princess could tell he was eagerly anticipating what she was going to say. Whether it was because he had already suspected her feelings for him and was only waiting for her to admit it to herself, or he was genuinely clueless as to what she was about to say, Alena did not know. She prayed it was the former.

"…Because…I…love you, Tim," the princess finally managed to say, her eyes still locked with his.

Silence filled the clearing. Even the gentle trickling of the stream seemed to grow quiet, as though it was eager to hear the thief's response as well.

Timothy blinked a few times, his eyes wide with surprise. His mouth was open, apparently eager to express his feelings but it seemed a force had taken his voice and prevented him from speaking. The silence was intolerable but Alena had made her move. Now it was Timothy's turn to act.

After what seemed an eternity, the thief stood up, breaking their locked gaze. He grabbed his footwear and muttered, "We should be getting back to the camp. The others will start to worry." He then began to walk away.

Timothy knew most women who would make such a proclamation could forever be crushed, wondering what it was they had done wrong to not have the object of their affection return it as well. Women in the past had made similar announcements to him, crying for days before carrying on with their life. It was what Timothy had grown to expect from women, so why not now?

However, one thing the thief had not counted on was Alena was not like most women, and could rarely accept defeat.

Before the thief could leave the clearing, Alena bounced up and leaped at Timothy, grabbing him by the neck. She roughly spun him around and clamped her hands on both sides of his head so he would not have any chance of escape. A playful, devilish grin formed in her face as she gazed upon his shocked face. "Let them worry," she cooed into his ear and leaned up on her toes, firmly placing her lips to his.

The princess did not know why she just made such a bold move. She had thought about doing this before but doubted the courage to carry it through lay within her. Even when the thief rejected her, she had to think it over, worrying about the consequences if she did. Would Timothy be insulted now, thinking this was a last, desperate act by a desperate woman?

It did not matter. Just to be able to feel his lips against hers, at least once, made it seem all worth the risk.

They held that position for several moments, although Timothy was less than receptive of Alena's kiss. Eventually, the thief was able to squirm free of the princess' iron grip on his head. "Alena!" he exclaimed, unable to get away as she now had her arms wrapped around his waist. "Just what do you think you're doing?"

"I told you I love you," she simply stated, keeping her eyes locked onto his. "And now I'm proving it to you." The princess had a difficult time keeping from laughing. The very fact Timothy was taking her playful flirting so seriously seemed to make it easier for her to attempt kiss his squirming face.

Timothy paused for a moment, a sudden thought entering his head. "What about before?" he asked, implying their first night as companions.

Alena looked down for a moment, a sweet smile forming on her lips; the same smile she had given the thief when she nearly broke his arm. "I've reconsidered…" she replied, turning her gaze back onto Timothy before giving him another firm kiss.

The thief thought about his position for a moment, unsure how to proceed. Several negative factors tried to work their way into his mind, most poignant of them the thought of a Princess to be saved and woo upon her rescue. If he had Alena by his side when the time came, any woman would be unimpressed by a man looking for two companions.

Yet, the smell of Alena's hair and the contact of her small, strong body against his; the taste of her sweet lips. His arguments instantly shattered before his overwhelmed senses. He did the only thing any man could do.

He embraced the princess back and they both fell to the grass by the misty pool.

* * *

Cristo suddenly looked up from his Texts, his head darting left and right. "Where's Alena and Tim?" he asked.

"Who knows," Brey muttered, reading his own spell book by the tiny campfire.

The bodyguard did not seem to pay attention to the old tutor's reply and bolted up, grabbing his sword and darting towards the area of the forest their companions had disappeared into.

"Cristo!" Brey shouted. "Just where do you think you're going?"

The bodyguard paused just at the edge of the forest but did not turn to face the old tutor. "I have to find the Princess," he replied, his voice uneasy. "I don't have time to explain." At that, he disappeared into the forest.

"Cristo!" Brey called out after him, his hand outstretched in a futile attempt to stop him. "Damn it!" he muttered, standing up. He could not let Cristo run off to find Alena and Tim, especially if what the old tutor suspected the Princess was doing was true. The scene of the bodyguard suddenly bursting in on them was unpleasant to imagine.

Grumbling as he did so, the old tutor grabbed his walking staff and dashed into the forest, hoping to intercept Cristo before he stumbled upon Alena and Tim.

* * *

"…And that one," Timothy said, pointing to the stars, "is the constellation of Master Dragon." He turned his head, looking at Alena who was lying on the grass beside him. "I'm sure Cristo has told you that many times," he smiled.

"Not really," she lied, smiling back as she ran her fingers though his hair. It was cute how the thief explained each constellation to her, especially since Brey had ingrained them into her early in her childhood. However, she found it pleasing to be able to lie in the cool, damp grass beside the man she had grown to love and listen to him mix up Ramia, the Great Phoenix, with Ramia, the Great Bird.

Stealing a quick peck to Timothy's cheek, the princess sat up, lightly brushing the moisture from her back. The evening had been more of a success than she had hoped. Timothy's affection towards her had proven he would be happy if he stayed with their group. Should her impostor some how be exposed as the phoney she was, he would have every desire then to stay with Alena. Definitely something to consider, to say the least, if it would lead to more nights like this.

However, this night was going to have to end. They had been away from the camp for at least an hour now. Should her companions come searching for them, the last thing Alena wanted was for Brey and Cristo to stumble across them while engaged in the heat of passion; although, the princess would not mind rubbing the fact in her tutor's face she was right and he was wrong. "We should start to head back," she said, starting to stand up.

She found herself suddenly pulled back down, the thief's hand on her arm. "They can wait for a while," he smiled and Alena smiled back before they shared more kisses. This was going almost too good to be true!

A rustling in the surrounding forest brought the princess back from her euphoric high. Guess they finally found us, she thought bitterly. Hearing Timothy's disappointed sigh indicated he shared her exact feelings; another good sign.

Stealing one more kiss, Alena sat up and called out into the forest, "All right, you can stop watching. We know you're here, old man!"

A spear flew from the bushes, its aim less than true as it flew just above the surprised princess' head and splashed into the pool behind them. "What on…?" Alena gasped, unconsciously touching the top of her head to make sure it had not been cut.

Another spear flew from the bushes but this time the two were better prepared and were able to roll away from the flying weapon before it hit. Alena brought her hand to her hip, grabbing the whip that was still coiled on her belt. Timothy, who only had a tiny dagger for a weapon, grabbed the spear impaled in the ground and held it defensively. "Who's there?" he called out.

No words were given and none were required as the hidden attackers made themselves known. Their actions clearly displayed their intentions as five smaller creatures dressed in ratty clothes and armed with small clubs and dull, rusty blades, burst into the clearing, screeching a terrible battle cry.

Alena's first thought was they were troglodytes, just from their size. However, she grimly recognized the heads; albeit in much better condition than the one she saw before but similar nonetheless. These were orcs.

Alena's eyes grew wide with alarm, the implications of their predicament clearly obvious. They were outnumbered, to say the least, but perhaps not yet outmatched. The opponents were definitely smaller than her or Timothy, and sometimes a battle could be won by shear strength. The princess snapped her whip, halting the orcs' charge for an instant so she and Timothy could think of a plan. Escape was not an option, as the pool was directly behind them and the orcs had formed a tight semi-circle around them. They could perhaps charge forward, breaking the enemy's ranks, but Alena did not think they could get far before the monsters caught up with them.

In any event, the least they could do was perhaps even the odds.

Still snapping her whip, the princess quickly leapt at an orc on her immediate right, hoping to take it by surprise. Unfortunately, the monster seemed to be prepared for such an attack and easily dodged. Alena stumbled forward but was quick to spin around to face her attacker.

Two orcs were there, their clubs already swinging. The princess had no time to dodge or block and took the weapons squarely on her right arm. The force of the blow was greater than she could have imagined and she was knocked to the ground, clutching her arm as the pain of what felt like broken bone was excruciating.

"Alena!" Timothy called out, very nearly rushing to her aid. He stopped, though, as he knew the moment he dropped his defensive posture, the three remaining orcs would be upon him in an instant. He could only grimly wait for an opportunity to arise, keeping his wooden spear ready should any of the remaining orcs show him an opportunity.

The princess desperately held back her tears of pain, realizing they would only be a distraction. Her right arm was useless and her left was never adept to fighting on its own. However, as the orcs started to descend upon her, Alena found there were other weapons available other than her arms. Rolling on her back, she managed to catch the orcs with her feet and push them away before they could deliver a final blow with their clubs. The monsters, unsuspecting their victim had any fight left in her, were sent reeling back, one even stumbling into the pool behind them.

The splash of water was all the distraction Timothy needed.

The thief swung his weapon in a horizontal arc, intent on perhaps cutting a deep gash into the closest orc. Unfortunately, the weapon's wooden tip did very little other than tear a hole into the orc's simple clothes, infuriating the monster. Armed with rusty blades, two orcs began attacking Timothy, the other rushing to help its companion against Alena. The thief did his best to fend off the attacks but the clumsy spear could not hope to block every strike, and soon his body was covered in tiny, painful cuts.

Alena, spurred forth by a burst of adrenaline upon seeing her enemies repealed back, leaped onto her feet, ready to take out her dryer opponent. She caught the movement of the charging orc out of the corner of her eye and was able to dodge at the last possible moment, letting the monster stumble forward. Gritting her teeth as she let go of her useless arm, the princess was able to get her left arm up in time to catch the orc by the throat, knocking it to the ground. Grimacing as she did so, Alena jumped up and firmly slammed her bare feet into the monster's chest, crushing its ribcage. The princess did not relish in such an attack but knew if was necessary to get quick results for a victory.

The snapping of a spear's shaft turned Alena's attention towards her love and she saw the thief staring dumbfounded at the bottom portion of his spear. "Tim!" she cried out, her feet already positioned for a sprint to his aid. She quickly found herself face first in the grass, two orc hands wrapped around her ankle. Angrily, she lashed out her other foot, smashing it into the monster's face. It could not help but grab its face in agony, letting the princess go.

She scrambled up, rushing to Timothy's aid. The thief had fallen back, futilely covering himself with his arms as the two orcs prepared to bring down their rusted blades. Gritting her teeth, Alena did not think she would get there in time.

A flurry of movement from the bushes briefly brought the princess' attention there as a figure erupted from the forest, bowling over one of the orcs about to end Timothy's life.

"Cristo!" Alena exclaimed but did not let the bodyguard's sudden appearance deter her from her path. The second orc, surprised by Cristo's attack, did not notice Alena until the princess had rammed her left shoulder into the monster's chest, following through until she made contact with the trunk of a maple tree, crushing the orc between. The vibration sent a searing pain through her right arm but the princess took it resolutely.

She turned around to see her bodyguard plunging his copper sword deep into the orc's chest, ending its life with a gurgled scream. "Cristo!" Alena and Timothy both said, disbelief in their eyes. "What are you doing here?" the princess asked, helping a scratched Timothy up.

The bodyguard opened his mouth to reply but was cut off when Brey burst into the scene as well. "Cristo!" he was yelling. "Where are you? Get back…oh!" The old tutor sucked in his breath upon seeing the once tranquil clearing turned into a battlefield.

"Where did you come from?" Alena cried, her eyes wide with disbelief.

The old tutor snorted. "Cristo here decided to inexplicably run off looking for you two," he replied. "I tried to stop him but…"

A hideous shriek interrupted Brey, causing the four travellers to involuntarily cover their ears. They turned and saw an orc in the pool, its head tilted up, shrieking into the night sky.

"You seem to have missed one," the old tutor muttered. He chanted some magical words and a spear of ice formed at his hands, throwing the projectile directly into the head of the remaining orc. It convulsed for a moment, then fell forward, floating face-first in the still water.

"Now then." Brey turned back to Cristo and started tapping him with his walking staff. "You have some explaining to do, young man."

"I have to help Alena's arm first," the bodyguard calmly said. "It's broken."

"My arm can wait," the princess interjected, grimly holding it. Her adrenaline level was subsiding and the severity of the injury was becoming apparent. However, she was also curious as to why her bodyguard had suddenly decided to go searching for her, especially when he had not displayed any concern for her before.

Cristo found himself cornered against the pool, all three of his companion's eyes intently boring into him. However, if he was at all nervous, he certainly did not display any of it. He remained silent for several moments, as though he was desperately thinking of an excuse. "I don't really know how to explain myself," he said at length, looking down.

"Not the answer I wanted!" Alena growled, her bodyguard's attitude finally setting her nerves on edge. She roughly grabbed his shirt, violently shaking him. "I'm sick and tired of this act you're doing, Cristo! I want it to…"

"W…wait!" he stuttered. Alena let go of him, expecting an answer finally. However, none was forthcoming as the bodyguard grabbed his sword, still oozing with dark orc blood. He then went into a defensive posture, eyeing the surrounding forest suspiciously.

"Cris," Timothy said, looking at the bodyguard with bewilderment, "just what do you think…"

He held up a hand, silencing the thief. "There's…something out there," he uttered, bringing his sword up.

"What?" Timothy asked incredulously. "Where? How can…?"

The bushes erupted with movement, strange chattering emanating from the forest. Timothy backed up against the pool, his tiny dagger up. His walking staff defensively clasped in both hands, Brey backed up as well as ‘Icebolt' began to come to mind. Alena darted for her whip, grabbing it with her left arm. She did not know how effective it would be with her seldom-used arm but having a weapon in her hand made her feel more comfortable nonetheless.

Hideous shrieking pierced the night as at least a dozen orcs bust into the clearing, carrying all sorts of weapons from tiny clubs, rusted swords, and wooden spears. The odds were clearly in favour of the monsters, as the travellers could have no hope in defeating them all. However, Cristo seemed to have different intentions.

"Keep them back for a few seconds," he ordered his companions.

"What!" they all exclaimed but Cristo did not give any details, his sword placed back in its scabbard and his hands put together in prayer. They could not believe this happening but if a prayer to the Master was what it would take to get them out of this most perilous of situations, so be it.

Alena lashed her whip out, the weapon moving in wide, clumsy motions as her left arm was not sufficient enough to use it properly. However, it was enough to momentarily stop the monsters' advance. A four-foot spear of ice flew forward, impaling one of the lead orcs and sending it flying back, knocking down two others as it convulsed with agony. Timothy, whose weapon was useless until close range battle (something none of them wished for), could only swing the dagger in wild arcs, yelling and screaming at the orcs to stay back. A sound strategy, to say the least, until the monsters gained enough courage to charge forward despite the thief's threats. And, with their superior numbers, such a tactic would be executed in short time.

As Brey prepared another ‘Icebolt', he glanced over to Cristo, anxious to know what the bodyguard was up to. Had he not been occupied with the current threat, the old tutor probably would have stared with disbelief. Cristo was still in a praying stance but was chanting in a language that Brey had never heard!

Before the old tutor could ponder it, the bodyguard suddenly threw his arms out, shouting, "Surround!"

A wave of white light engulfed the clearing, causing everything inside to briefly shield their eyes. Alena was the first to open her eyes again and nearly dropped her whip in shock. Literally dozens of images of her, Timothy, Cristo, and Brey were scattered about the area. Some were standing prone between orcs, some right on the surface of the pool, others half buried in trees!

Upon gaining their eyesight back, the orcs stared around in confusion, wondering where the multiple enemies had come from. A couple slashed their weapons at some of the mirages, only to discover they were not really there.

"Quick!" Cristo ordered, his sword already in his hand again. "While they're disorientated. We have to get out of here!" His companions, although stunned by what the bodyguard just did, whole-heartedly agreed. Taking advantage of the orcs' confusion, the travellers darted between the monsters and into the forest, hoping they would not become lost in the thick bushes before the monsters realized what had happened.

Once they felt they were a safe distance for the moment, the travellers stopped to catch their breath. "Where should we go?" Alena asked, gently rubbing her right arm.

"The camp," Brey simply replied. "We have to make sure our supplies haven't been found yet." The others agreed and they hastily made their way back.

While the clearing had been some distance away, they were able to find their camp with relative ease, their original trail still fresh. However, they had a problem upon arriving. The brahmird, still tied to a tree, was in a panicked state, apparently from hearing the battle. Most of their supplies were still strapped to the large beast's back and were nearly impossible to grab. Timothy started to creep up to the brahmird, his voice easy and soothing as he tried to calm the beast. A hideous screech of orcs from the surrounding forest reminded the travellers of their situation and spooked the brahmird further, erasing any success Timothy may have had.

"We don't have time for this," Brey muttered disgustingly. He cast ‘Icebolt' and threw the spear of ice at the brahmird's head. Blood splattered across the wood's surface as the beast instantly stopped its screeching, the deadly projectile pinning its head to the trunk of the tree. Its mouth and eyes were still wide open, as though its torment had not ended even in death.

Alena could not help but gasp at the hideous spectacle, instantly turning away.

Timothy sucked in his breath, the old tutor's action taking him by shock. Fury in his eyes formed as he turned toward Brey. "Was that really necessary, James?" he angrily shot.

"It was," the old tutor coldly replied, walking up to the dead beast. He proceeded to take off a few of the bags of food strapped to its back. "It's only going to be a burden with orcs on our trail," he added callously, tossing the bags to Timothy and Cristo.

He noticed Alena was turned away, her shoulders lightly bobbing up and down. Sighing, Brey hobbled over to the princess, resting his hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry you had to see that, dear," he muttered, "but there wasn't…"

Cristo suddenly glanced around the camp, his blade brought up defensively. "What is it?" Brey asked, forgetting Alena and focusing on the bodyguard.

"They're coming."