[Eskal]

Cormac ran up to Astien and helped him up. "Seroteth isn't going to tell...Please, stop running from me." He clung to Astien as tears ran down his face. "I'm sorry. I got scared and...I'm sorry."

[FweepFwopFwoop]

Astien was caught off guard by Cormac's burst of emotion. After a moment of confusion, he wrapped his arms around Cormac. But he didn't say anything. He wasn't sure what he could say.

[Eskal]

Cormac gave Astien his journal as well as some of his food provisions. "Here." He said as he wiped away tears. "I would have brought the carriage, but I kinda set it on fire."

[FweepFwopFwoop]

Astien was taken aback by all of this. "Are you sure I'm safe? No one's going to try and take my son away?" He clutched his belly protectively. "And why did you set my carriage on fire?"

[Eskal]

"Well, the drakes wont take him at least. As for your carriage... Well, I couldn't just leave it there for that one guy to find it. But I did get everything that was important out of it." He opened the bag of Astien's belongings. "I'll make sure that nobody takes him or you." He smiled sheepishly. "I know we haven't know each other very long, but Astien you are the closest I've ever had to having a father and...I just...I couldn't lose another one, you know?"

[FweepFwopFwoop]

Saturn smiled. "Okay, I guess that makes sense." He winced and clutched his belly in pain. "Argh! Oh, that fall didn't do me any favors." He leaned on Cormac. "Ah. I hope the placenta didn't rupture. That would be a huge problem that I just don't need."

[Eskal]

(Saturn? XD)
Cormac eased Astien onto the ground where they sat for a while. He looked up at the sky and closed his eyes as exhaustion washed over him.

[FweepFwopFwoop]

(I hate autocorrect so much)

Astien sat, watching his belly move and shift beneath his fingers as his son moved within him. It didn't feel like anything had ruptured. He looked over at an exhausted Cormac. "Are you alright?"

[Eskal]

"I've been going for nearly a day," Cormac muttered. "And taught myself to fly in that time. Luckily that woman I ran into healed my wings. Otherwise I would have never caught up." He glanced at Astien. "You must be tired too."

[FweepFwopFwoop]

Astien nodded. "I've been riding almost non-stop. I'm so tired." Astien's stomach let loose a loud cry, and his baby kicked him in unison. "An hungry."

[Eskal]

Cormac pulled some food out of one of his bags. "Here." He said as he offered them to Astien. "It's not much, but it should be enough to get us to the next town."

[FweepFwopFwoop]

Astien ate his food, though without his usual fervor. "We need to get to that town before nightfall, or we're stuck outside. And I hope I'm wrong, but it looks like its going to rain."

They say in silence after that. "What made you change your mind? You seemed so sure my baby was a danger, you destroyed the wheels to stop me... And now here you are."

[Eskal]

"If something has the power to do evil, then they are equally capable of doing good. Right?"

[FweepFwopFwoop]

"That's what I thought when I decided to carry this child, but you didn't put much thought into that when you tries to stop me."

[Eskal]

"Seroteth scared me with his talk, to be honest. I'm sorry that I didn't take time to think. Would have saved us a lot of trouble." Cormac sighed. "I screw up a lot."

[FweepFwopFwoop]

Astien chuckled. "Well at least you admit it. Many men can't do that."

[Eskal]

"It would have been easier if you just told me in the first place," Cormac stated with a sigh. "It can't be helped now." He slowly got up. "We should get moving."

[FweepFwopFwoop]

Astien frowned. "The way you reacted was precisely why I didn't tell you."

[Eskal]

"Hey if you told me rather than the king of drakes, maybe I wouldn't have." He offered a hand to Astien and helped him to his feet. "It's water under the bridge now. Let's get to town before it starts to rain."

[FweepFwopFwoop]

"Not sure I'd call it water under the bridge just yet. You basically burned down my home and a fair bit of my research." Astien said as he mounted his horse.

It began to rain as the two neared the next town. When they finally found an inn, they were drenched. Astien sat on a bench in the lobby, shivering.