Rune Factory: Frontiers of Norad

PhoenixFervor would like to take this moment to remind everyone he doesn't own Rune Factory, but rest assured, if I did, we'd be up to RF27 since I'd be making money and wouldn't be able to stop working. The original character added into this fic, Merryck, however, IS his property, so, uh, yeah, I own a man and how will I explain this to my fiancée? Ideas? Anyone? She's the jealous type...

Author's notes:

Whew, Chapter 3 turned out okay. I may go back and try reformatting Chapter 2 the same way, see if it fixes the bugs I've had with it. I'll be continuing to use the star dividers with brackets (the site removes simple dividers but not brackets, so my idea to combine the two worked) rather than use the site's horizontal ruler tool, as opening the file on the site before adding the document to the story appears to cause the glitches. Thanks again for putting up with that, everyone, I only hope no one saw when I had to take chapter 2 down entirely, that was embarrassing.

Anyways, I know I left chapter 3 off at a cliff-hanger, so I tried to get this one up pretty fast. I'm skimping on details to get this one out faster and shorter than the last two. I'm hoping it turns out pretty short, perhaps under 5000 words, but I also didn't intend for chapters 2-3 to be that long either, but once I got into it, I couldn't stop. As of the cut off point, where I chopped off what I had written past chapter 3, and adding this introduction, it's already about 2000 words. I'm hoping this means my writer's block is going away, and I'll be able to write at maximum capacity soon.

As for future chapters, I've had a few ideas for absolutely heartwrenching twists, but I don't want to be a complete and total sadist. I may upload a very clearly marked Spoilers and input "chapter" soon, which of course, would be a major "read at own risk" thing, and to which I'd like comments to be in personal messages only. There's one idea in particular I'm torn on, one friend thinks I'm an evil sadistic jerk for it, and the other thinks I'm a genius, so... well, chances are I'll leave that part out, but if I can't bring myself to just abandon it... yeah, may ask for input from those who don't mind possible spoilers.

Oh, and one more quick note: I shortened the story drastically to get to the action sooner. I originally intended to have Merryck in town for 3 or so months (and the original plan was also one chapter a day, meaning... 60 chapters before what became chapter 2? You see my point!) before Chapter 2's events, which were to take place in Spring or Summer. So despite how I'm writing this in the winter now, I'm still kind of in the spring mindset. I've already caught one slipup, as I come back to add this, so if you catch me saying anything about grass or leaves that seems out of season (frost covered grass and dead leaves are fine) please let me know so I can fix it! No matter how cautious a writer is, everyone makes mistakes, and your feedback helps me make this story better!

DISCLAIMER: If you don't like blood and gore, lucky you, I toned it down to keep with the rated T theme. As for spoilers pertaining to the ending of Rune Factory 1, if you haven't beat it, you may wish to skip this chapter. I may change the rating to M if I feel I get too graphic in the descriptions (in fact, I originally uploaded it as M, knowing I planned to write the attempted rape scene, but changed to T, and of course significantly toned down the detail, involving Lara managing to cover herself in time and changing before healing Merryck, when I saw it doesn't show M by default.) Just a friendly warning.

(*****)

Chapter Four: Escape
Should a desperate gambit, by chance, succeed
The victors have been blessed, indeed

Downing the rest of his milk, Merryck turned to those still in the room. "What?" He asked Selphy and Wesley, both of which wore dumbfounded looks on their faces. "I uncovered a hint that the empire might be up to something. They called it Operation Napalm. Napalm is a chemical weapon meant to burn down forests. So go on, get moving! Meet up by the east exit, I'll get the others!"

"Merry..." Lara sighed, "Yes, there's a fire and your argument is very convincing, but what reason would they have to start a fire? If they want the town's resources, lighting the forest on fire would be a bad idea, since the fire could spread to the town. What reason could they have?

"You told me, yourself!" Merryck started, as he took a moment to grab a bite of his now-cold supper, "That a few years back, Raguna beat the Grimoire. After that, Terrable, the dragon god of earth, ensnared the Empire's tanks with vegetation! Think about it. Ground to a halt, and they retreated... but why did they not attack again sooner? It clearly took them this long to create a weapon capable of harming Terrable, and now they're back to finish their assault! So go on, meet by the east gate! I'll get everyone else to safety!" Not waiting around, he sprinted down the stairs into the Church itself, and made a beeline for the exit.

"Um... Lara?" Selphy poked her friend's shoulder, "Merryck left his weapons here... is that bad? Also... how did he know? And you knew too, didn't you?" Selphy began to realize that perhaps she picked a bad day to drink, as she began to feel a tad nauseous while rising from her seat.

Lara sighed, "I'll explain on the way, and yes, he planned to leave the weapons with me so the others, probably Camus and Zavier, could use them if we were ambushed. I kept telling him not to go play the hero but he insists that the only way to do this might be for him to hold them off... Selphy, Father, let's go! We don't want to stay here with the empire on the way!"

Even as Merryck sprinted through the door, he could already hear someone screaming on the edge of town. A pink haired woman Merryck had not met earlier came running though the entrance to town. "You!" she exclaimed, seeing his attire, "You look like you have some combat experience! The Sechs are attacking, and-"

"I know, that's why I'm here!" he cut her off, "And if you're not with the Empire, you're going to help me! I'm leading Kardia's evacuation, Father Wesley and others are gathering by the east gate! Can you take the west side of town? I'll notify the east!"

"R-right! And if anyone asks, I'm Lynette!" The woman told him, and within seconds, had vanished into the general store. Merryck tore off in the other direction, first ducking into the tavern. Within ten minutes, everyone had gathered at the east gate, including Merryck. "Are we missing anyone?" He demanded, and noticed Nicholas crying. Sabrina, his mother, wasn't with the rest of them. Nicholas and Cecilia had still been playing, and Merryck hadn't thought of checking the hut by the beach. Cursing himself, he knew he couldn't just leave her.

"All of you, go! I'll catch up!" Merryck ordered, "I'll go find Sabrina, after I give you about ten minutes' head start!" Everyone tried to protest, Neumann even demanding he come too, but within seconds, the first of the soldiers came into view, sporting the traditional blue colors that the Empire was feared for. Spotting the group clustered by the eastern exit, he grabbed a throwing knife and, without warning, threw it at the children. Merryck tried to catch it, but missed, and everyone moved out of the way, save for Cecilia, her eyes fixed on the sparkling metal object flying towards her.

"Be careful!" Selphy called out to her, as she crouched over Cecilia and threw her arms around her. The dagger stuck in Selphy's lower right back, roughly where Cecilia's chest would have otherwise been. Selphy screamed, and fell on her side, but had at least sobered up from the shock. Russell pulled a small vial of a medical salve out of his pocket, which he kept on hand in case Cecilia fell and got hurt, and, after taking a minute to slow the bleeding and to apply the salve to Selphy's injury, had hoisted her on his back. Dr Edward tried to request he take a look himself, but Russell insisted that they'd be safer if they put some distance behind them first, and everyone but Lara agreed.

Realizing that the Empire wouldn't let them leave peacefully, Lady Ann, the innkeeper, snapped, "So why didn't we retreat last time they tried to attack? Those monsters are trying to kill everyone who can't fight! Attacking the children! Do these men know no shame?" Lara handed Merryck's weapons to Camus, Zavier, and Neumann, as he had instructed, and watched as Merryck dodged his opponent's spear. With one fluid motion, Merryck had managed to assume about as much control of the weapon as the soldier he grappled with, and ten seconds of wrestling later, Merryck had completely disarmed him. The young soldier was dead seconds later, as Merryck stabbed him clean through the head.

"Merryck, why do you keep pushing yourself like this!" Lara cried out, as he turned to see three more men come sprinting around the corner, "Your wounds haven't healed properly yet! Even if they don't hit you, you could die if enough of them open again! Stop being a fool!" However, she was quickly silenced by a grim thought. "This is the second time I've seen Merryck kill..." Lara realized, as Merryck pulled the weapon out of his victim, and, with a flourish that left a trail of blood streaking through the air behind the spearhead, had parried the nearest swordsman who had attacked, and with a dancing pirouette, dodged another. He struck two of them who were side by side across the chest with his spear's shaft, and sliced their throats as they staggered backwards from the jolt of the sudden impact. Lara stood there, transfixed, for a good twenty seconds, counting. "Third... fourth... fifth..." Her father, however, had grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her away. "Is there something wrong with me... if I WANT to watch him fight? Merryck... don't die! I'll never forgive you if you do!"

Once everyone was out of sight, Merryck quickly dispatched his last opponent. "Damn!" he cursed, as he clutched his side, "My... my lungs are on fire!" he had never fought for so long before, and despite his talent with the spear, his opponents were very well trained. "I'm not sure what's worse... blood loss or... oh jeez... I want to sit down... why do I want to sit down... and why am I asking myself why I- damnit, Merry, this isn't the time for that!" Merryck took a few moments to relieve the fallen of some of their weapons. He was startled by a bang, and with a jolt that jarred his arm, the sword he was beginning to lift flew out of his hand.

"Interesting..." Merryck said with a smile, "So the rumors are true." Merryck was now closing the distance with an Imperial officer, whose rank was apparent from how ornate his armor was. Sporting bands of gold on his shoulder, the lieutenant fired another round from his musket. He missed, and Merryck could feel the shot fly past his right hand. As me attacked, the man used his musket to parry, and pulled out a dagger to try to stab Merryck while his spear was being wielded with two hands. Merryck kicked the man in retaliation, and threw his spear to the ground, instead grabbing the swords he had barely finished placing at each hip.

'Only officers get firearms, they're too expensive to mass produce, or so that's how the rumor goes.' Merryck reasoned, 'And his bad aim means he was recently promoted. It explains why he's on the front lines, and why his unit was scattered rather than staying together as a regiment. I got lucky... this time.' Merryck dodged the man's dagger, and caught the musket between both swords. With another kick, this one aimed straight at the officer's chest, Merryck decapitated the man, a thick trail of blood following the swords that did the job. The officer's lifeless body fell to the floor, staining the cobbled path red. "Seriously, what the heck...?" Merryck wondered aloud, as he looked at the two blades, "Why is it that I can use spears whenever I want, but I can only use swords in life or death situations like this? I... okay, my head is hurting, not a good time to think about it."

Merryck took a moment to grab the musket, and, seeing how it could come in handy, stole a few rounds of ammunition and powder off his fallen victim, as well. He ran to the southwest corner of town, just past the library, and, screaming, fired a few shots. He had hoped to raise an alarm to lure the soldiers away from the beach. After a few minutes, he began to curse, "Damnit!" He groaned, "I'll give them credit, they're loyal to a fault, which makes this harder for me... now I need to get her out the hard way...

He crept towards the stairs leading down to the beach, and stuck his head over the stone rail. "Six... no, eight. I'd say it's safe to say someone is in there... A sudden scream startled Merryck, as he turned to his right to see a soldier at the bottom of the stairs, raising an alarm. "This works for me!" Merryck said, with a smile, "Stairs are narrow enough, I have the upper ground... classic bottleneck tactics! Bring it on!" Grabbing a dagger out of his left boot, he threw it clumsily at the man, but failed miserably. "Okay, I hate this, why can I only fight well when my life is in irrefutable danger?" Merryck took a moment to curse his failing sanity, as he realized what he was about to do. "Oh well... here I go!" Merryck vaulted himself over the railing into the sands below, and, readying his weapons, lost himself in yet another fit of his body seeming to act on its own. "I'm honestly not complaining, now that I have no one to protect but myself!" He realized, and within a minute, he had regained control of himself, and was the last man standing on the beach.

Dizzy and disoriented, Merryck could only laugh. "I don't know if I'll ever find out why that happens when I fight..." He said aloud, as he turned to face the door, "But for now, it's saving lives, so I'll use everything I can..." An unpleasant, moist sensation crept across his torso, and he realized that several of his wounds had opened in the fray. "Damnit, Lara will see the blood on my clothes... looks like I'm getting condemned to bed rest..."

(******)

Meanwhile, Lara had regained her senses, and was leading the refugees back towards Trampoli. "In about an hour we'll cross a large wooden bridge over a reasonably large chasm!" She told them, "And on the other side is a hill with very tall bushes and a small forest that we can hide in! That's where we'll wait for Sabrina and Merryck! If the Imperials reach it first, Merryck's ordered us to burn the bridge down, and he'll find another way across. So let's get moving, the sooner we can rest, the better!"

Despite Russell's salve, Selphy was fading fast. "A-an hour, huh...?" She asked, groggy from the blood loss, "I... sure, that's not too... long... ugh..." Lara reached into Merryck's pack, and handed Selphy an energy drink. "I... oh, I get it, THAT'S why he wanted to bring so many energy drinks!" Selphy laughed, and drank it.

"Try to keep your eyes open." Dr. Edward told her, "Because people with injuries, specifically head wounds, but often blood loss, have this bad habit of never waking up. We'll get to the checkpoint and treat you properly there, just hang on a little longer!"

"Yeah..." Selphy groaned, "I've read enough books about this kind of thing, but they never prepared me for the pain of having a dagger in me up to the guard!" A sudden shift in Russell's movement as he almost lost his footing sent a jolt up Selphy's back, and she took in a quick breath in pain. "How the heck did Merry get cut so many times in one battle and not give up and die? The man's a super hero or something!"

"He was just desperate." Lara told her, "Kind of like how you saved Cecilia, he was determined to-" Lara stopped herself. Only Selphy and her father, out of those assembled, knew what really transpired that night. "Well, Selphy, you'd have taken another knife to protect the kids if you had to, right? The church was-"

"But, Lara..." Felicity began, still panting from the sudden exertion of running, so soon after her curse was lifted, "Cecilia was... Ceci was right there, and you... said you said said you weren't-" She stopped abruptly, as Lara, frustrated with the situation, cut her off.

"Okay, okay, Merryck saved my life, happy!" Lara snapped at her, "He said we should lie about what happened since he didn't want people to think I was weak and needed protection, but that man was armed and I would be dead if Merryck hadn't been there! Is it really so strange that I'm worried about him, after that? He's my patient, and he got those wounds protecting me, of course I'll be worried about them! I don't see why that automatically makes everyone assume we're-"

"No one said anything about that." Lady Ann cut her off, with a smile, "But now that you mentioned it, I do have to congratulate you, he's quite a catch!" Everyone started laughing, and ignoring Lara's complaints, Lady Ann continued, "A man of action, not afraid to take charge. I wish my husband was like that on our honeymoon!" Everyone started laughing even harder, Emmett and Camus in particular had totally doubled over, except of course for the kids, who didn't get what Lady Ann was suggesting.

Blushing profusely, Lara groaned and kept walking, "Honestly, there's nothing like that between us! And if you don't hurry, you'll be left behind. And dad! Why are you, of all people, smiling at this! I can't believe you!" She sped up her pace in frustration, and soon, the stragglers were running to try to keep up.

"Lady Ann was just trying to keep our spirits up with a little humour!" Camus pointed out, as he jogged alongside Lara, "Please don't be mad at her! Besides, I've been writing to Melody, and she did say there was a rumour about you two, and seeing your reaction to him staying behind like that..."

Lara merely scoffed. "You know how long Melody and I have been friends. Don't you think she'd know for sure if there really was anything? Honestly, Selphy was insufferable about this earlier, and now all of you... this really feels like 'Pick On Lara Day' or something..."

(******)

Merryck had stolen a suit of armor from one of the imperial soldiers. "Sorry about this!" He told Sabrina, as he threw her his bloody jerkin, "But I need you to wear this! I may be able to sneak you of of Kardia if I pretend you're my hostage!"

"Who... who are you?" Sabrina asked, "You don't look like you're with them... but... how do I know I can trust you?"

"I don't have much time, but it's true I need your trust, so I'll make it quick. My name is Merryck. I'm the Guard Captain in Trampoli, and I've already evacuated the rest of the villagers. I came for you when Nicholas didn't see you with everyone else. He's with Neumann right now, and we need to hurry if we want to get to the meeting point! If you can stand, put this on, and we'll make a hasty escape. At the very least, if we're found out, the leather can offer some minor protection as you run for it. If I have to, I can stay behind to hold them off, but I'd rather not get Lara angry at me again!"

"Lara's here too?" Sabrina asked, as she got up and tried to pull the moist leather over her shirt, "I haven't seen her since she moved to Trampoli! How is she doing?" Merryck laughed.

"She is very, very angry with me for pushing myself too hard! All I can really say until we catch up to her and make sure she's all right. So let's get going! Nicholas is waiting for you!"

(******)

"So let me get this straight..." Dr. Edward asked Lara, after treating Selphy. They had made it to the checkpoint, and a few of the villagers had opted to take a quick nap while waiting for Merryck and Sabrina. Mei had picked up a few things about winter survival back home, and had gathered dry, long dead twigs to make a nearly smokeless fire, that the villagers had gathered around. "But the reason you had medical supplies in your pocket is because Merryck's wounds keep opening and he refuses to sit still? I'd be annoyed with my patients too, if they did that... but don't you think you're being a bit harsh on him?"

"How so?" Lara asked. She tried to maintain an expression of indifference, but Dr. Edward could tell he had hit a note. "He's being incredibly foolish, and he seems to have a fondness for playing the hero, he's constantly putting his life at even further risk while he's still recovering from-"

"Lara." Edward interrupted, "Look around you. Look how many lives he saved today. He held them off long enough for even Leo and his old bones to make it out in one piece!" He gestured to the grizzled old blacksmith, who was snoring in the bushes, a few feet away from the children. "Now tell me he'd have listened to anyone, ANYONE, who told him he was being foolish. You say he's playing the hero? If he makes it back with Sabrina, that means he saved everyone in Kardia. EVERYONE. Doesn't that make him a hero? Yes, he could kill himself, but you have to realize, that perhaps he feels that his life is-"

"I don't want to hear this." Lara interrupted, and sat down on Merryck's empty backpack, the one that had held the stones he traded to Ceci, arms crossed. They had reached her biggest frustration with Merryck, his apparent lack of concern for his own safety. "No one should have to sacrifice one's life for another, and he seems perfectly content to-"

"Would you sacrifice twenty to preserve your own life?" Edward asked. Lara couldn't answer. She gazed at the bridge, in the distance, transfixed. She knew Edward was right. She knew that if not for her vows of nonviolence, and if she had Merryck's strength, she may very well be fighting these battles instead. She admitted this to Edward, but she still couldn't bring herself to accept one thing.

"He's already told me why he was so determined to protect Trampoli..." She sighed, "But Kardia? He has no attachment to it, and yet he insisted on going out that way just in case the note he uncovered about a possible invasion was true, and it swept him up into even more fighting. I don't get him sometimes..."

"Well..." Edward began, and scratched his chin, "It IS apparent the two of you are pretty close, I mean, you've saved each other's lives and all... maybe he wanted to protect Kardia for your sake? After all, you have family and friends gathered here... These are the people you grew up with, Lara. We're like an extended family. I don't think he wanted to see you, or anyone else from Kardia who has moved to Trampoli, lose the people you care about. Am I making sense?"

Lara shifted her gaze to her knees, as she sighed. "We're just friends, and I wouldn't have held it against him for choosing not to engage an entire army head on... the way he keeps doing things like this, it's no wonder people have the wrong idea about us... and of course, me, being so worried about my patients... it really doesn't help! Honestly, the whole thing is embarrassing..." uncrossing her arms and leaning back on the hilly terrain, she looked up at the first stars beginning to come out. "And yet, I worry about him. Do you remember how much I used to worry about Raguna when he used to collapse on the farm while still learning his limits?"

Edward cracked up laughing, "How could I forget? Everyone thought you had a crush on him, the way you told him off for being reckless and incapable of taking care of himself! In fact, I seem to remember one time, you threatened to tie him up so he couldn't overexert himself!"

"I did no such thing!" Lara gasped, "Stop making stories up! I... oh... I, uh... I guess I really did say that once, huh? Around the time he beat the record for the most number of times anyone had been carried through the doors of the clinic..."

"It was pretty obvious you liked him..." Edward told her, with a warm smile, "And now you're acting the same way about Merryck. That, and he was badly wounded while saving your life, and now with his refusal to sit still while his wounds heal... you can see why people are assuming things about you, right?"

Lara nodded. "I suppose to someone who doesn't know about our friendship that well, it looks like there are feelings running both ways." She sighed, and shook her head, "In all seriousness, I've only known him for two weeks, this is hardly a time to joke about romance. He seems to be a good man, but a lot can change in a week..." Lara took a long pause, and gazed up at the stars again, "A week ago, life was calm and quiet. Everything was right. I had never been attacked. I never had a patient who proved to be too much for me to handle. The Sechs were on their side of the border. And look what just one week has brought..."

"And a man willing to fight an army to protect his friends." Edward added with a smile, "Lara, you always have been the religious type, so remember this. 'There's always a plan.' Do you think his timing was just a coincidence? I think fate delivered him to you right when you needed him most, just like how Raguna saved our town from the Empire once before. And speaking of timing, I see two people nearing the bridge! But wait... something's not right..."

Lara saw it too. Even from her distance, she could tell one of the figures bore Imperial armor, and the other, who wore what looked like it might be Merryck's jerkin, was clearly female. Lara held her breath and stared intently at the two figures as they crossed the bridge. As they stopped, and one of them plunged a spear into the ground, Lara breathed a sigh of relief as she recognixed the series of gestures Merryck had said he'd use to signal her. "It's them!" She told Edward, "Grab a branch and set it on fire, we're burning the bridge down!"

Within fifteen minutes, Merryck had decided they'd be safe and had travelled long enough, and let everyone rest there for the night. Yawning, he opened up the backpack Lara had been sitting on, and pointed out that the rocks had been wrapped in relatively thin wool blankets. "it's better than nothing, at least..." He shrugged, and handed them out. "I'm sorry there's not enough for everyone, this is all I have... some of you will have to share..." Sabrina had already curled up next to her son, and Merryck gently placed a blanket over them, and was about to pass another one out to Tori and Zavier, but Lara snatched his pack away and tossed it to Dr Edward.

"Not until I Stitch you back up again!" Lara scolded, and pointed at the red splotches on the armor he had stolen, "Just how hard were you fighting, anyways!" Merryck didn't answer. "I'll..." Lara had just stopped herself from saying 'I'll undress you myself, if I have to!' and she knew that everyone would take it the wrong way.

Merryck understood, and, without protest, removed the clunky brigandine. Lara gasped, no less than eight wounds had opened, and she could tell Merryck was weak from the blood loss. "Don't yell at me, you'll wake the kids..." He chuckled weakly, and with Lara's help, lowered himself to the ground without falling over completely. Merryck could see Edward examining his wounds more closely, only having seen his shoulder earlier that day, and it became apparent the doctor couldn't decide whether to be appalled or impressed by his numerous gashes.

"Merry..." Lara began, as she applied pressure to his chest to try to stop the largest source of the blood loss, "What's the first thing you're doing when we get back?" Lara had expected to hear him agree to bed rest, and was frustrated when his answer varied.

"First, gather everyone, from both Kardia and Trampoli, in the town square for an emergency meeting. I may need to declare a state of emergency, really makes me wish I'd explained that to the villagers the day I became the Guard. Next, we'll need to discuss accommodations for the Kardians. Family can probably stay together, but there's only one free room at the inn, one free room at Anette's house, one bed at Brodik's house, which I really should stay in since it's right next to the town's gate, and, assuming no one gets hurt, there's two beds in the infirmary... we'll need to build extentions and more houses, which will-"

"Bed rest." Lara interrupted, "Let me arrange the meeting and housing, you need to rest." If her frustration failed to show before, it became apparent now, as Merryck refused.

"It's my responsibility." He told her, "I evacuated Kardia, and I need to see that they have a place to stay. I also need to prepare everyone in Trampoli for the possibility of needing to evacuate. There won't be any fighting, just talking, and I promise to rest for as long as I can afterwards. Even if the empire took the next shortest route here, with the bridge out, it may take a few days, due to the other towns they'd need to pass through and conquer, assuming they even come this way at all... I could make it to Kardia in 12 hours, alone, the long way, though, so if we go 2 weeks without getting attacked, I can scout Kardia, see if they're still around..."

"So assuming we don't get attacked before then, that's two weeks you're promising to rest for? You won't run off and try to save the other towns? And don't forget, Merry, you told me yourself how you ALWAYS keep your promises!" Merryck nodded, and Lara smiled in triumph.

"Don't forget. My obligation isn't to Norad. It's to Trampoli. To you," Merryck paused, worried about what he had just let slip in his weakened state, but Lara didn't act like she interpreted it in a negative way, so he continued. "I'll rest for as long as I can on one condition." Lara gave him a light smack on the shoulder, but Merryck just laughed, "No, seriously. I can't keep an eye on things while I'm in a bed, resting. If everyone who doesn't have a proper day job in Trampoli can help keep a watch out for me while I rest, I can take time to heal. All I ask is that my weapons and armor be kept in the infirmary with me so I can react quickly in the case of an emergency.

Satisfied with his terms, Lara nodded. "Very well, then. Now, you should get some sleep, I can tell you're ready to collapse, and you don't want to overdo it before you have a chance to heal!"

"You've had almost as stressful a day as me, Lara," Merryck pointed out, Sure, you didn't lose any blood or fight eight men at once on a sandy-"

"EIGHT?" Lara gasped, "At once? You're serious, aren't you? Merry, it's no wonder your wounds-"

"May I finish?" Merryck smiled, as Lara went silent, "You've had a long day, too, and you should try to get some shut eye. That fire will keep the monsters at bay, and Mei agreed to stay up to tend to it, so I left the energy drinks with her. Unless the Empire brings their tanks this way, we're basically out of their range to hit us from the other side of that chasm. Get some sleep, we can talk more in the morning.

"Do you have any blankets left?" Lara asked, as Merryck picked his pack up and opened it.

Pulling a single blanket out, he turned to her and held it out. "Just the one..."

Simultaneously, both of them said "You take it! No, you take it! I said it first!" Both stared at each other for a minute, and then began to laugh uncontrollably.

"Oh, Merry, what am I going to do with you?" Lara asked, "What kind of nurse puts a patient's needs before her own? You can't ask me to take it!"

"Same goes to you, Lara!" Merryck smiled, "What kind of man willingly takes the only blanket, when his body is more naturally adapted to cold temperatures than the woman's? Ever wonder why monsters that thrive on cold environments are big and furry?"

Lara was still laughing, "You're hardly furry, if you don't count that silly looking beard!" Merryck started to laugh again too, and stroked his chin.

"It's called a goatee, and I'm quite fond of it!" he retorted, "But, well... here's the problem. I can't take the blanket... and you can't take the blanket... so our only option left is..."

"... one the villagers will never let us live down, am I right?" Lara asked, with a smile. "Honestly, I'm to the point I don't care what they say anymore, after what happened earlier. Did I tell you what Lady Ann said?" Lara recounted her teasing, and Merryck cracked up entirely.

"If they're already saying THAT about us, how much worse can it get, am I right?" Merryck smiled, and, as he and Lara lay down side by side, pulled the blanket over them. Good night, and don't worry, I won't try anything while you sleep!"

"I trust you," Lara replied, "just try not to bleed on me as you move around in your sleep!"

"Hey, I can't make any promises there..."