Sightseeing

The berries tasted like ash and left what felt like an unbearable film in Lysandar's mouth instead of the tart sweetness he remembered. Not wanting to make a mess, Lysandar swallowed, trying to keep himself from grimacing. He failed. His face wrinkled in disgust as his body railed against the action.

"I warned you," Erasmus said softly, his voice filled with what Lysandar guessed to be a false sadness. The man simply sounded miserable no matter the occasion. He didn't pity him in this since only moments ago he told him repeatedly to not try eating.

Tears pricked at his eyes. Lysandar wiped his face with his sleeve, focusing his attention around his mouth to make it seem he was simply wiping away the bit of awful juice that stained his lips. Erasmus had seen enough of his tears in the past week. He hated to show him any more weakness.

Erasmus turned away. "Stay here." He said. "I'm going to scout ahead."

Lysandar nodded even though Erasmus couldn't see him. "Be safe." He mumbled even though he doubted a mage like Erasmus needed well wishes. The man could handle himself without any extra care from another. Lysandar sat down obediently to wait for the man's return, not in the mood to wander even a little bit. Erasmus' quiet steps quickly faded as he disappeared into the thicket that surrounded them.

Miserably, with his one hand, Lysandar pulled at the clumps of grass that grew next to him picking the long stems that had gone to seed. He fiddled with it absentmindedly, stripping the blades from the stalk, and then used his nails to break off the oval-shaped seeds one by one. Within the hour, he picked the area around him bald, leaving dark patches of exposed soil.

Erasmus' horse, a nervous spotted creature named Fera, approached him slowly, snuffled up the discarded piles of grass then quickly retreated once more to a safe distance to graze and occasionally lift its blocky head to stare warily at him. Out of things to easily fiddle with, Lysandar laid down and turned his focus to a line of ants and various other little creatures that crept along the earth. He named them and crafted little narratives based on stories his parents once recited to him. Miss Spider who wove the net to catch the stars. Millipede who was given a dozen legs as punishment for always being late, who instead viewed them as something to boast about, and trick Worm and Snake out of theirs. He hoped to hear those stories again soon.

The horse suddenly snorted loudly and stamped in fright. Lysandar bolted upright. He stared into the woods, trying to figure out what startled the horse. Young trees swayed and twigs snapped. A bit of red came into view. Erasmus. His fear died down quickly as the man emerged from the brush, pushing his way past branches and back into the clearing. His horse was quickly upon him, huffing and butting its head against him, desperate for reassurance. Erasmus stroked it, whispering calming words all the while until the creature backed off.

Erasmus came beside Lysandar and said, "Hold still." before picking a few bits of debris out of his hair with his deft hands. "May I show you something?"

"Sure," Lysandar replied.

Erasmus gave him what could be called a poor attempt at a smile, his permanently drooped doe-ears only adding to the look. He offered Lysandar his pale, freckled hand. "It's not far."

Lysandar let the other man pull him to his feet. "What is it that you're so keen on showing me?" He asked, a bit of fear creeping in, making his voice shake. Erasmus so far had done little besides basic acts of mercy, the man mostly ignored him. He bit the inside of his cheek, trying to ground himself. That was no way to think of the man who saved his life.

"A waypoint," Erasmus replied as he started back the way he just came from.

Lysandar clumsily followed after, failing to mimic the careful way Erasmus weaved through the underbrush with neat, purposeful steps. "A waypoint?"

Erasmus hummed in agreement but failed to elaborate further.

"Why show me a waypoint?" Lysandar asked again, earning nothing but silence in reply.

The two made their way along, Erasmus stopping occasionally stopping to allow Lysandar to catch up. Gradually the thicket opened up to another clearing filled with tiny pale flowers. In the center of it, two trees grew, trunks tangled together with interlocking branches. The smaller of the two bore pure white leaves that stood out against the dark bark and leaves of the other. Decades worth of woven trinkets lay at the bases in pastel clumps, the once bright dyes faded from exposure.

"You seem to like these sorts of things," Erasmus said.

It took Lysandar a moment to find his voice. Still, it came out hardly more than a whisper. "I do." He cleared his throat and added, "This seems...more of a site of worship than what one would call a waypoint."

"It's a waypoint for me," Erasmus said with a grin that seemed far more human and less forced than the expression he made earlier.

"It's a bit out of the way, though too much use of finding your way."

Erasmus shook his head. "You don't often follow clear-cut paths as a mage for hire. People love to believe they can just wander into the woods and be swallowed up by them."

"Then what about us? You said we were safe."

"Unless they find another mage, we are. Even then, you're not worth the effort."

Lysandar's ears flattened. While it was a relief to hear he wouldn't be hunted to the ends of the world, it still stung in a way. "Not worth the effort." He numbly repeated.

Erasmus pulled at his sleeve. "There is a canyon just ahead, do you want to see that as well?"

"Why not?" Lysandar said, forcing an upbeat tone.

Not letting go of him, Erasmus led him along the edge of the clearing and once again into the woods. Around them, the woods gradually thinned until they opened upon bare slabs of rock that gave way to the yawning expanse of the canyon. The canyon curved its way through the mountains, ending somewhere beyond the horizon. On either side of it lay steep walls of rock that lay in colourful sloping stripes ranging from reds and oranges to whites and faint greens.

Erasmus released his grip on Lysandar and moved close to the edge, keeping only a couple of steps between him and the steep drop below. He pointed out across the canyon. "Near where it ends is Ibel." He then turned to his left, "Northwards we'll eventually reach a pass that we'll use to take you home."

Lysandar wrapped his arms around himself, suddenly feeling very small, an insignificant thing in comparison to the landscape around him. It seemed borderline horrific that something so massive only was one part of a larger whole and that it eventually came to an end. "You talk like you've seen the end of it."

"I grew up there." A momentary sound of fondness came into his voice as he said "There".

"Is it far?" Lysandar asked, trying to focus on anything but himself.

Erasmus shook his head, his loose curls bouncing. "Barely a week's ride."

"A week." Lysandar echoed. That sounded like an impossible feat staring at what lay before them with the trees like green splotches and a river like a thin dark line.

"Dinesne will take us about two if we're lucky."

"Lucky?"

"We're doing it with only one horse and two riders. It will be slow going once the ground becomes steeper."

Lysandar choked back tears. His voice failed him, all he could get his body to do in response was nod.

Erasmus turned and looked back at him. "It's beautiful isn't it?"

Lysandar gave him another small nod.

"Do you not like it?" Erasmus asked as he moved back to Lysandar's side.

Lysandar shook his head, then shrugged, tears streaming down his face all the while. "It's beautiful." He finally managed. "I've never seen anything like it. Dinesne is so flat in comparison with the sea and the beaches and everything there is so much smaller except for the water. I miss it. I-I just...I just want to go home."

Erasmus placed his hands upon Lysandar's shoulders and gave them a soft squeeze. "I've promised I'll take you there and I shall. You'll see your home and the ocean again soon." With that, Erasmus once again took Lysandar's sleeve, leading him past the trees with their offerings, back to the clearing where Erasmus' horse waited impatiently for their return.

Erasmus readied Fera, putting the well-worn tack once more onto the animal and cinching it all tight. He hoisted Lysandar into the saddle then climbed up behind him. With a light kick, he spurred his horse onwards.

Exhausted from the walk and the tears, Lysandar closed his and rested as much as a dead man could, his half-awake thoughts filled to the brim with strange trees and massive landscapes. It all truly had been beautiful. As hard as it was to tell what the man was feeling, Erasmus seemed happy to share it with him.

"I seem to like these sort of things," Lysandar thought, mulling over Erasmus's words to him. "Did he do it to try to cheer me up?"

The thought clicked a missing piece into place. Ever since they started traveling together Erasmus had been bringing him objects, from flowers to rocks, and pointing out bits of the landscape they passed, the entire time divulging what he knew about it. Days of tiny gestures that he entirely missed the meaning of. Erasmus showered him with tiny kindnesses, especially after he cried.

Lysandar stared down at Erasmus' hands, one upon the saddle horn and the other gripping the reins. "All I did was say I missed the scent of flowers."