“Why here?” Ren asked, turning his horse around and dismounting a little unsteadily. He groaned as he stretched out his cramping legs slowly. An entire day and half a night in the saddle with no sleep left its mark. He shook his head to steady his vision, then tied his horse to a nearby tree. Ren felt like he'd never close his legs properly again. And not for any pleasant reason.

“Because you could barely stay upright in the saddle, and because of the river, and because that hill shields us from view from the road,” Anik said, pointing to each feature before sinking down on the grass with a sigh. He rolled his shoulders and extended his legs.

At least Ren wasn't the only one feeling spent. It was the first time Anik had shown any real signs of fatigue. They were subtle, like the slightly slower blinks of his eyes and the droop of his shoulders. It was somehow intriguing.

They shared a meal of bread and dried meat. Ren already missed the delicious stew he'd bought in Isleya. Anik didn't get up to catch fish in the river this time. Maybe he was too tired. The apples Keelan had packed for them were starting to go a little soft, but Ren still ate two. It was far removed from the fruits, meats, wines, and sugary treats served in the castle at all hours of the day.

Ren's muscles burned and his sight was blurry, but he knew better than to complain. He was far too tired for another dose of snark from Anik.

A family of boar wandered out into the tall grass between two clusters of trees. Ren watched them bow their heads to turn the soil with their tusks and noses. If he'd had a spear, he could have taken down one of the young ones. Maybe that would have even gained him some respect from Anik. But all he had was his sword, and he couldn't throw that. He watched the boar return to the shelter of the brush, disappearing from Ren's view along with his dream of juicy boar steak.

The constant, endless silence was also hard to tolerate. Anik seemed to prefer it, only speaking to Ren when absolutely necessary, and again, Ren decided not to push.

They finished eating in the same way they had passed the rest of the day – in silence. Ren's entire body screamed for rest as he lay down on his blankets. Anik didn't get up to do his strange training routine this time, but followed Ren's example. Ren fell asleep the moment his eyes slipped closed, but even in sleep, the world seemed keen on denying him a break. His dreams haunted him with memories of his brother, broken and bleeding on the marble floor.

* * *