Rowan

"You're saying you saw someone inside through the windo- hey! ouch! Stop it!".

Omar flinched as Noah disinfected a wound just across the bridge of his nose.

"You know, if you had kept your comments to yourself you wouldn't be in this situation". Rowan scolded him.

"Shut up, Vienna was looking at me with a very satisfied and prideful smile as if she won something! It's not my fault everyone acts like some hungry animals with no self control, they literally shifted and leaped at the deer's poor death body when it was in their sight", Omar rubbed his forehead with his hands showing his annoyance but also hiding the pained expression that resulted from the burning feeling on his nose.

Noah slapped his hands and proceeded to spread an ointment over his nose, he then retreated and smiled, looking proudly at his work, he wasn't an expert like Omar but he had a very basic knowledge which could be helpful in an emergency.

"Alright, get up, you can't be upset all day, we're going inside the castle in about an hour so let's get your mind off this" he tugged at Omar's wrist and led him towards the outside of the tent.

They walked over a small trail covered with leaves that had fallen from nearby trees. They reached the edge of the forest and sat with their backs pressed on trees' trunks facing each other.

Omar sighed and stared at Rowan.

"You saw someone?"

Rowan nodded.

"What did they look like? Did they have elf traits?"

"Yeah, they did", Rowan said quietly with a soft smile. "They had long red hair decorated with flowers. I couldn't make out his face very well but I think they had amber eyes. And I'm a hundred percent sure he was an elf, his ears were long like you said".

Omar smiled when he heard the description even though it wasn't very specific.

It reminded him of the first encounter he had with an elf. He was still a child when that happened, around 7, he'd run away from home, leaving his drunk father and abusive mother behind. He'd traveled for days and entered a forest where he got lost.

He survived hiding in a small cave and eating berries from a bush just outside of it; he would later realize they’d do more bad to him than good. His skin would slowly be covered with dark red spots and he would also start having trouble breathing. He would pass out every time he ate the deathly red berries and find himself in a fake scenery where his parents loved him and he had a perfect life.

He was no longer afraid of death, instead, he desired it. He wanted to have those endless dreams that ensured him a happy place.

He suddenly woke up after being unconscious for a very long time. He was in a strange house, with wooden walls, with distinctive patterns that would’ve made him think he was inside a tree if it weren’t for the small holes that resembled windows, flowery vines covered the ceiling and torches on the walls lit the room. 

He met Ordella, she took care of him in a way his parents never did, and with warm and delicate hands she healed him with abilities he’d never heard of or seen. She convinced him to go to Evior where he could get help from his own kind, she promised him that if it didn't work out, her house would always be open for him.

Now he was back, he’d been so excited to introduce Rowan to her, he knew she’d love him, she would talk so fast while offering them everything she could provide, but she was no longer there.

“Omar…? Are  you okay?”, Rowan's voice woke him from his thoughts, he looked up to meet Rowan’s eyes.

“I- I… really… really wanted you to m-meet her”, a sob slipped from his tightly sealed mouth and with it, all his emotions spilled disastrously, not being able to hold them back any more. His cheeks were damp with overflowing tears that escaped from his eyes despite his attempts to cover them with clumsy hands.

He brought his knees to his chest and rested his face on them while covering his head with his arms.

Rowan stared at him not knowing what to do, he wasn’t very good at consoling people but his friend needed comfort and he would do what he could. He slowly approached Omar and placed a hand on his shoulders in the most comforting way he could, sliding it back to his back, rubbing it soothingly. 

Omar smiled at him with puffy eyes while clearing his throat.

 “Did you see anything else?”.

***

They stayed there two hours, the topic had changed so fast and now they were laughing at the silly comments Omar would say.  The others were probably concerned about them being away and not returning to start taking the path to the castle. 

Rowan’s news had lit a spark inside Omar that told him there was a possiblity Ordella was still alive along with many elves.

Rowan knew Omar couldn’t decide if he wanted to go or not, but he wouldn’t force him.

“You don’t have to go, you know?”

Omar sighed.

“I know… it’s just that…deep inside I really want to go”. Rowan stared at him with furrowed eyebrows deep in thought.

Omar looked at him expectantly.

“We could delay the visit until you’re ready”.

Omar’s eyes widened with a glint of hope. “Really?”

“Yeah… tomorrow is princess Gianna’s birthday, you know everyone takes it very seriously.”

Omar hummed.

“I could convince them to take today and tomorrow off”, Omar looked at him with a thankful expression and was about to say something when Rowan continued, “if you still feel uncomfortable then you can break my leg and we’ll never have to go”.

Omar’s expression darkened, “This is not funny-”

“I know, if you really feel uncomfortable you know I’ll help you out”. 

Omar nodded.

Rowan took off with Omar following behind deep in thought, they reached the campfire where everyone was laughing and talking with deer residues left behind. 

Everyone snapped their heads when they caught their scents and quickly approached them.

“Where were you guys?”, Hugo asked, he was the older one in the group, his forehead covered with deep lines that’d marked their path on the skin over the years.

“Sorry, we were just looking around”, Rowan quickly answered.

“Hah! He was probably consoling Omar after being humiliated!”, Vienna said loudly with a large smirk, her fox tail wagging behind her while she crossed her tanned built arms.

Some people in the back were laughing quietly or trying to suppress them unsuccessfully.

Omar turned bright red with fury but didn't say anything, too exhausted from unbottling his feelings. He just stomped to his tent while everyone stared at him.

“You really got on his nerves Vienna”, Noah mumbled quietly bringing everyone’s attention to him, he flinched and lowered his head.

“Did you say something, Noah?”, Vienna asked with narrowed eyes and a devilish smile growing slowly. Noah cowered away but his path was blocked by some members of the group. Rowan sighed, rubbing his temple with tiredness, slowly leaving the group behind and walking to his tent, not interested in defending Noah, who was now the group’s center of attention.

Apparently, Rowan’s excuse to avoid going to the castle worked. Him and Omar let the group celebrate and get drunk, until two days had passed and Omar was ready to go, at least according to him.

But Rowan didn’t expect the sweet scent he’d noticed the previous days to get closer so suddenly the night before their plans, he was enveloped in a comforting warmth, overwhelmed by the smell that seemed so close, his eyes turned to a wild golden color and his beast took over.