The endless sunlight grazing down from the treetops started to become whole as the company finally exited the woods. Gently rolling, violet hills crested the horizon as the forest gave way to open skies. Ryker inhaled deeply, enjoying the unique, earthly smells of the plains. It was something different compared to the never ending aroma of dead leaves that he had been exposed to the past week. He stretched his arms skyward, both feeling good as new as they tenderly cracked in pop in relief. The twin suns above him were just as bright, if not brighter, out in the open, but the lack of godrays made Ryker smile. From behind, Aaron quickly approached; he too enjoyed the comforts of finally being in a different environment. Their mothers, followed by Argust, Anjali, and a number of other soldiers caught up with them, the earthly smells of the forest washing off of them in the wind.

Sarah’s head still hung low, even after another week of travel. Her eyes, glazed over, had lost their usual sheen as she dimly followed behind her wife, never once making a sound. Ryker and Aaron’s smiles faded, and they had yet another reason to finally be rid of those accursed woods. Melissa and Sarah joined their sons in the clearing, the anurians keeping an eye on things as they set up their camp. The four of them rejoined the captain, as he had just gestured for them to join him in his nearly constructed tent. The sounds of the camp coming together filled the empty wind; carrying with it the remnants of the forest and the smells of freshly struck campfires. 

Anjali held open the tent for the group, allowing them entrance. The Captain’s war table was already set up, on it sat the map of the surrounding areas. Everyone took a seat around it, the humans sticking close as always. Ulia and Hro shortly followed, taking up residence in the tent as well. 

“Now then,” began Argust, “Now that everyone is here let's discuss our current plan.”

“Our rendezvous with the main forces,” Hro said, leaning forward in his chair, “Is that still a go?” His hair drooped to the sides of his head, as did Ryker’s as he listened closely as well.

“As far as we know, yes,” he answered, He pointed at the drawing of a village near the middle of the map, “a runner from the general should be in the village of Kree to the north of us.,” the captain sat back down in his chair, slumping ever slightly. “We’re within schedule, so they should still be there for the next few travels. There, they are to give us the location of the forces so that we can meet up with them before returning to Florim.”

“So you just pop over to the meeting and grab the rendezvous point then,” Melissa interjected, the captain gave her the side eye and held a stern look on his face.

“That’s right”

“Then why did you want us here? This could’ve just been something you told us you were doing later.”

“We need two of you to come with us for this meeting.”

“You need us to do what now,” Ryker asked, shocked at the response. 

The human’s jaws fell at the Captain’s request, it was a stupid request that placed an unnecessarily large amount of risk and pressure on them. The Gales looked at each other, dumbstruck. Melissa shook her head and stood up at the head of the table, crossing her arms in anger, her eyes daggers. Ryker, Aaron, and the other elves watching and waiting for her response evidently also surprised at the Captain’s orders; Sarah continued her quiet slump, but still locked eyes with her wife, and shook her head no.

“Why the hell would we go with you,” she asked bewildered and angry, “That’s the dumbest idea I’ve heard in quite a while.”

Argust stood up himself, bringing his full brunt of his height upon the goliath of a human woman. Attempting to reclaim some authority, he loudly cleared his throat, and casually sat back down on the table.

“For two reasons,” he started, “one: for contingency reasons. If the camp were to be attacked for whatever reason we would only have to protect two of you while the other two could be safely escorted away without even fighting.”

“Yeah,” Ryker interrupted, “because the split up strategy worked so well last time.” He gestured to Sarah, who meekly stared at her son. 

“You’re alive, aren’t you? Melissa and Aaron were also never in danger, right? Despite any…,” he paused, “... unwanted side effects; the important thing is that you’re alive and in one piece because I split you four up.”

“Tch,” Ryker scoffed.

“And the other reason, Captain,” Melissa questioned.

“The second reason being I need to present at least one of you as proof we succeeded; you were, and still are, our mission after all. My commanders need to know what we’re dealing with. Especially after what your wife and son did”

Melissa clammed up and sighed. She placed a hand on top of her head; her wife reacted numbly to the touch, and stared back at Melissa with a thousand yard stare. Melissa sighed again.

“Alright Captain, I won’t argue. Me and Ryker will go with you whenever you’re ready.”

“That's alright with me,” Argust said, pleased at her acceptance, “we’ll be leaving in a few hours so be ready by-.”

“Um … Mom,” Aaron interrupted, sitting up in his chair. Melissa raised an eyebrow at her son, but gave him her ear in the end.

“I wanna go with Ryker instead.”

Melissa’s motherly instincts awoke and she stood all the way up, hands gripping the back of the chair hard; she made her way around the table, “absolutely not,” she rejected standing behind Aaron now, ”I will not have another one of my children risk their life.”

“Actually Melissa,” Ryker retorted, strolling over to Aaron’s chair as well, “I’m gonna have to agree with Aaron here.”

“What,” the room said aloud. Two shocking requests in a row, even Silver’ok was confused.

“Mom, look,” Aaron started again,”Madre over there isn’t doing too good right now. She’s in a dark place right now and I don’t know if me or Ryker are gonna be able to help her if something goes wrong here.”

“But you’re my son, i’m sure nothing is gonna happen-”

“And she’s your wife and my mother. She needs you right now, don’t leave her alone.”

Melissa’s normally strong face turned sour with worry, her forehead wrinkling ready to argue with her son again, but she was stopped as Ryker placed a hand on her shoulder soothing her a bit.

“Melissa, don’t worry. Nothing bad is gonna happen to us, and if it does I’ll be there to protect Aaron; the first thing we’ll do is head back here for you. Alright?” 

Melissa stared up at her son, then bowed her head in defeat; she gave her sons a hug and made her way to her wife. The two stared at each other, their eyes darting back over to their children. Sarah’s eyes glimmered with worry, but Melissa shone with a fiery determination, “Come back unharmed, or i’ll kill you myself,” she spoke with fake anger, “Understood soldiers?”

“Aye aye captain,” the two boys said in unison standing with salutes to their mother. Melissa brought Sarah out of her chair with a gentle tug and led her out of the tent; she gave one last look over to her children, her little soldiers she was about to let go of into unknown territory, and dragged herself out of the tent. Ryker and Aaron breathed a sigh of relief and sat back down.

“Well now that we got our volunteers,” Anjali said, “Let’s get to discussing our plan of action.”

“Right,” Silv’ok agreed, “The idea is simple: We disguise ourselves as a small family of traders taking a pit stop in the village. We stay for a night, refill some supplies, and of course meet our liaison somewhere in there.”

“And where exactly are they,” asked Hro, “Do we have a general idea of where we’re supposed to meet them?”

“Bulfog inn is where I was told to meet them,” Silv’ok replied, “Order the Bulfog special and then someone is supposed to serve us, that's our messenger.”

“And how will we fit into it,” Ryker interjected, “You mentioned us needing to be there to prove you succeeded. But how are you gonna sneak a couple of humans into a village of elves? Last time I checked we didn’t have daggers for ears.”

“Ah, but we have just the thing for that you see,” Hro retorted, “Anjali is actually from this country, and the male elves engage in a particular custom that we can use to our advantage.”

“And that is what exactly,” asked Aaron.

“We’re gonna cut your ears off of course,”

“Excuse me what,” Ryker asked wide eyed and slack jawed; Aaron and his eyes were bulging, he gingerly kneaded his ears.

“Not literally anyway, we’re just gonna make it look like your ears are cut off at the tips.”

“And how exactly is that gonna disguise us?”

“Well you see, the men of this country are subservient to the women and as such their ears are cut off at the tips to show said subservience, at least until they get married and he’s allowed to regrow one of his ears.”

“Jesus, that's pretty harsh.”

“But useful, we’ll hide your ears beneath these ceremonial headscarves,” Anjali said, pulling out a pair of sky blue headdressings; patterned with white feathers. Their cloth appearance gave them the aura of a winter cap. Ryker thought that they looked too warm for the current weather, but took them from the elf. He handed one to his brother and fashioned the other around his forehead like a bandana, making sure to keep the tips of his ears barely covered; Aaron followed his lead.

“Well, look at our handsome children Peatrice,” the captain said. Anjali laughed in amusement while Ryker and Aaron felt their awkwardness set it.

“Aren’t they beautiful Neeps,” she responded. The soldiers all laughed at Aaron and Ryker’s expense; Ryker crossed his arms and tried to ignore them, Aaron could only blush.

“Come on now, sons,” Silver’ok said coyly, “We got a messenger to meet!”

The two elven commanders quietly left the tent, gesturing for the two boys to follow them out, Ryker and Aaron looked back at their mothers; the worry in their faces was evident for all to see, the dark shadow of the tent showing the aging that their separation had done to them mentally. Ulia walked over to the boys, and slapped them on the back, a huge grin on his face.

“Have some faith in us you two,” he said reassuringly, “I’ll personally make sure that your moms stay nice and safe, no matter what happens. Alright?” 

Ryker and his brother gave a knowing look at each other, before a small sigh escaped their lips. They boys, not really having another choice, decided to give their faith in the battlemage. Ryker held the tent flap open for his brother, who quickly waved goodbye to his mothers as he stepped out into the light. Ryker gave one last glance to his mothers, their worry having yet to dissipate.

“I’ll bring him back safely, I promise you guys that.”

“And yourself,” Melissa asked.

“Can’t exactly protect anyone if i’m dead now, can I,” Ryker jokes, a small smile escaped his militant mother, who hugged her wife closer. Ryker turned his gaze back out towards the tent, and joined his brother. Ulia waved towards the pair as they made their way towards their waiting Captain and Lieutenant. Together, the four of them headed to the end of the camp; a caravan wagon had been prepared for them: A modest vehicle covered in a red and green tarp. The animals pulling the wagon were the same kind of horses that were dotted in a small stable to the right of the camp’s entrance, this time both were a dull muddy brown with white spots.

 Silver’ok had already shed his trademark armor and was sporting a simple cloak and tunic setup, accompanied by a traveling stick. Anjali, similar to her Captain, had forgone her usual armor and had also donned light travel clothing, although her cloak was much more lavishly decorated, sporting a bright blue hue with the image of a yellow tree ensnared by a vine sewn into it. She took a position at the head of the wagon, holding onto the reins of the horses so that she could direct them; Silver’ok took a position next to her as his soldiers began loading up the back of the wagon with crates of unknown trade material. 

“Alright you two, as soon as my men are finished with the loading head on into the back,” the Captain explained, “While we’re heading towards the village, we’ll go over our story and anything you have to know beforehand.”

“Sounds good to me,” Ryker replied, “Any qualms Aaron?”

“None here,” he said, “I do wonder what an elvish village is like though.”

“You’ll find out soon enough, children,” Anjali said with a smile.

Soon the soldiers were done loading the wagon full, and Ryker and Aaron squeezed their way into the back of it making their way towards the front. They plopped down by their faux parents and relaxed a little. The covered wagon provided excellent shade from the light of the suns shining above. Silver’ok peaked his head into the wagon to ensure the boys were ready for travel and gave a small nod to Anjali, who nodded back and struck the reins. The horses began to move and the cart with it, Aaron bracing himself against a crate from the sudden movement. The brothers watched as the front entrance guards parted ways and the wagon fully exited the camp, the smells of dinner and fire wafting towards them with a slight gust of wind. They looked out at the camp, through the crates and boxes, and saw their mothers behind the elven soldiers taking stock; they watched as their two sons wandered away from them. Melissa waved her soldiers, Sarah simply held her head on her wife’s shoulder. Ryker waved back, and as they began to crest a hill and cross the horizon towards the village, Ryker could only hope that his and Aaron’s parents would be safe. Their faces fully gone, Ryker turned towards his brother, and looked forward.