A/N:This chapter was honestly horrible to write. I AM SO EMOTIONALLY DRAINED. It doesn't feel like it's up to my usual standards at all... Even with that in mind, I hope you all enjoy it!

Disclaimer: I do not own any Kingdom Hearts or Final Fantasy characters!


Chapter 11 :: Recovery

It's the silence which makes him pause. It's deafening, crushing down upon them. The forest is much too quiet in comparison to the heartfelt laughter coming from his comrades as they file along behind him.

Roxas' hands tighten on the reins, pulling on them softly enough to bring his horse to a juddering halt, his head tilting ever so slightly to the side, listening. Not even the soft bellow of wind disrupts the disquiet radiating from the surrounding trees.

And all of a sudden, he hears the cracking of a branch to his right and the unmistakable sound of a bow being drawn.

He throws his head back, hand reaching for the hilt of his sword as he shouts out to his men, "It's an amb—!"

He feels the impact like a punch straight through his chest, piercing through the pale skin of his torso. For a brief second, he thinks it's a mistake, that Axel is pulling one of his pranks on him again. But when he glances down and sees the shaft of an arrow sticking out of his chest, the world slows, his vision goes dark and the last thing he remembers is falling from the saddle as a scream rips through the air…

Roxas awoke gasping for air, covered in sweat. His chest felt as though it was on fire. The nightmare that had plagued his sleep was all too real, all too painful. It haunted him even now, in reality, like a continuous, terrible stabbing pain to the torso.

He knew it was real, the dream. Of course he knew. The terrible weakness in his limbs and constricting pain in his chest as he struggled to breathe was more than enough evidence to confirm his suspicions.

Once he'd gotten his breathing back under control, he glanced feverishly around the tent, surprised to discover that it was dawn. He only knew that it was dawn because the sun's rays shone through the gap in the tarpaulin covering the entrance to his tent. The fact that the sun was even able to reach his tent told him that they must be quite near to the edge of the forest and one step closer to their destination.

His companions must have found an area safe enough where the trees began to thin and set up camp quickly. All he could think about was the fact that he and his fellow outlaws were at an increasing tactical disadvantage while camping surrounded by such little cover and that an attack could come from anywhere at any time with very little warning. But, he begrudgingly conceded, at least they were more likely to see it coming. And of course, it was only a temporary measure. He'd already decided that as soon as he could stand, and providing nobody was seriously injured, they would leave, whether the others liked it or not.

Reluctantly, he glanced down at the bandages heavily covering his chest. The stabbing sensation he'd felt shortly after awakening had subsided to a dull throb, but it was enough to bring him immense discomfort. Despite this, at least he could comfort himself with one simple fact; he was alive.

He had not been joking when he'd told the Prin— Naminé that he was lucky his attacker had been a bad shot. The arrow had pierced his flesh just to the right of his heart, narrowly missing a lung, or so Palom said. As if responding to his thoughts, the wound throbbed painfully. He winced, grabbing a fistful of the sheets until it faded away.

He didn't have time for this. He needed to heal and fast. Xehanort would launch an attack soon. If he'd had any suspicions that the rebels were amassing an army to strike him down, then he knew it for definite now. Sending that message to Xehanort through that guard he had fought with was a testament to that, at least. Considering the forewarning he now had, Xehanort would undoubtedly be more coordinated and more prepared than them unless they somehow managed to get the 'drop' on him, or so to speak. Eraqus needed to be ready.

Roxas released his hold on the sheets and struggled to push himself up into a sitting position, forcing himself to take it slow and steady so he didn't strain himself. He was almost upright when his chest exploded with an agonising burning sensation. He let out a cry, jerking to the side so fast that he fell out of the makeshift bed and to the ground with a thump. The excruciating pain had easily quadrupled to the point that Roxas was panting, struggling to remain conscious, dark spots appearing at the corners of his vision.

All of a sudden, he felt someone tap his shoulder. Despite his weak state, he reacted immediately by whipping out the knife hidden in the waistband of his trousers, but a hand stopped him halfway, easily grabbing his wrist to prevent any movement.

"Shouldn't you be resting?"

With a groan, Roxas slumped back against the straw mattress, breathing heavily as the knife was pulled from his grasp. Through narrowed eyes, he peered up at Saïx, who was crouched beside him wearing an amused smile, twirling the dagger — his dagger — between his fingers. His left arm was in a sling, something which Roxas filed away in his mind for later, his stomach tightening uncomfortably. Who else had been injured during the fight? How badly?

In an attempt to hide the discomfort and exhaustion he was feeling, Roxas drew himself up a little higher. "I believe you are the fourth person to ask me that in some shape or form." He retorted haughtily, although the words had no real bite to them. "And I also believe that I've rested sufficiently since then."

Saïx's amused smile gave way to a concerned frown. "Roxas, you are still recovering. I know what you are like — you never like to stay in one place for too long, but right now we have to." When the blond scoffed, Saïx tightened his grip on the young man's shoulder. "You are not fit enough to be moving around like this."

Roxas shrugged him off, glaring openly at his second in command. "I am perfectly fine."

The man shook his head, scowling. "Of course you are. That's why I found you collapsed on the floor, in obvious pain on the verge of unconsciousness."

The blond huffed, self-consciously placing his hand over his bandaged chest. In the end, he chose not to answer, knowing perfectly well that Saïx was right; he just didn't want to admit it.

Apparently the silence was all Saïx needed. He placed a hand underneath his commander's elbow and helped him to his feet as gently as he could. Roxas grimaced, biting down on his tongue in an attempt to distract himself from the pain. It wasn't working.

He wavered unsteadily on his feet, resisting the urge to lean on Saïx for support. After breathing in deeply, he straightened himself and stopped wobbling, the slight shake to his hands and the bandages covering his torso being the only indication that he was even injured in the first place. He no longer felt as though he was about to pass out, which he decided to take as a good sign. Slowly and steadily, he reached down for the fresh shirt which Porom had left out for him and gingerly pulled it over his head with some difficulty.

Saïx made no move to interfere, knowing when to leave his leader well enough alone and took a respectful step back, clasping his hands behind his back.

After a minor struggle, the shirt was pulled down over his bandages and Roxas had moved on to the pieces of cloth which he usually wrapped around his lower arms. As an archer, he needed to protect the tender skin of his wrists and this was a way of coping with the whiplash that sometimes occurred after releasing an arrow. Porom had once suggested he actually invest in proper leather wrist guards, but Roxas had discovered that they were too cumbersome and made it hard for him to flex his wrists properly, hence the use of the pieces of fabric. It was something that he had become accustomed to over the years, after all.

Now fully dressed — minus his weapons — he checked his pockets, his hands reaching for the familiar cool hunk of metal which usually inhabited them. He froze when his fingers didn't come into contact with the tin man he usually harboured in his pockets and feverishly began turning them out, searching desperately for the last remnant he had of his brother.

Panic set in; his mouth felt dry, his breathing quickened and his hands fumbled. Where was it? He was not the careless type. It had to be somewhere!

Saïx cleared his throat. Roxas looked up, an irrational sense of fear clenching around his heart, only to see his second in command holding out the little man, his expression apologetic.

"It fell out of your pocket when you were hit." He explained as Roxas gently took it from him, curling his fingers around its familiar shape. "I found it just as we were moving you. I meant to leave it out for you, but I must have forgotten. I apologise."

The blond shook his head, a lump forming in his throat. "It's... It's perfectly alright, Saïx." He said, his voice cracking. He pocketed the tin man, relief flooding through him. His hand lingered in his pocket for a moment, his thumb smoothing over its dented surface, almost as if he were reassuring himself that it was still there. "Thank you for retrieving it for me."

The scarred man dipped his head, taking another step back before turning to leave, but Roxas' next words stopped him.

"This belonged to someone important to me — someone from before." He sounded subdued, almost sad, even to his own ears. "They...they gave this to me when I was ill once, told me I had to get better. Their actual words were that if I did not get better, they would never forgive me." Roxas laughed, but it was empty, hollow. "I've had it with me ever since."

He shook his head suddenly, his eyes suspiciously bright. "Sorry. That was... Never mind. Forget I even said anything." Roxas pushed past Saïx, heading for the entrance. He paused for a moment and looked back. He looked vulnerable and oh so very tired, as though some unknown ordeal had aged him a great many years. "Thank you, Saïx."

Without another word, Roxas lifted the tarp and exited the tent, albeit slowly, one hand braced against his bandaged chest. Axel looked up from his spot in front of a dying fire at the rustle of fabric, his eyes widening with surprise when he saw his friend standing there, face pinched with pain.

The redhead stood abruptly, hovering uncertainly as Roxas walked over. The blond noticed at a glance that Axel's left arm was in a makeshift sling, his arm sitting at an awkward angle, as though something were out of place. Instead of asking him about it, he remained quiet, guilt flooding through him. It was partly his fault, he realised. If he had taken better care with his surroundings, paid closer attention, none of it would have happened and nobody would have gotten hurt. What if somebody had died? What would he have done then?

Axel, meanwhile, shifted from foot to foot as the blond eased himself down onto the rotting log he himself had been perched on not moments ago. After licking his dry lips, the redhead spoke, "Y'know, I'm pretty sure you shouldn't be walkin' around like that just yet."

The blond snorted dryly, picking up a nearby stick and stoking the embers by their feet. "So people keep telling me."

Soon, the fire sprung back to life, crackling softly as the sun's first rays shone down on the camp. After glancing around, Roxas saw that his earlier assumptions had been correct. They were at the very edge of the forest, still enclosed by trees, but close enough to the outer edge that the fields beyond could clearly be seen beyond the canopy of leaves. He recognised the area immediately. It was near to a village just beyond the rolling hills of the fields, somewhere Zack would visit often as it was where Aerith had once lived for a while.

Axel, who had finally decided to sit down beside him, ran an uneasy hand through his hair. "Roxas. I hate to be the one to point out the obvious... But you almost died. You should be taking it easy. If Palom or Porom saw you right now, they would throw a fit."

Roxas' lips twitched. He knew Axel was right, but as their leader he felt an obligation to them. Not just to keep them safe however he could, but to remain strong for them. They were relying on him to get them to Eraqus' fortress safely. And then there was the girl... As much as he hated to admit it, he owed it to her for saving his life.

"I'm fine, Axel." He said, glancing over at his companion and long-time friend. "The sooner we get to Eraqus' fortress, the better. You know this."

The redhead shook his head. "Not like this, Roxas. Not in your condition." When it seemed like Roxas was just going to ignore him, Axel leaned in towards him, his expression serious. "Listen, you know me better than anyone — I'm not the type to say things like this, but we should wait a while, at least until you're at full strength."

Irritated, Roxas stood, secretly pleased when he didn't sway on his feet or stumble unsteadily. "When everyone is up and fed, tell them to be ready to move on. We might be able to make it to the first village by nightfall."

"Where are you going?" Axel called incredulously, standing also as the blonde moved towards the edge of the camp.

Roxas glanced over his shoulder, replying bitingly, "For a walk."

Without waiting to hear his reaction to the news, Roxas stalked off, forcing himself to remain straight and tall until he reached the nearest tree. Immediately ducking into the shadows, he sagged against the trunk, breathing heavily. He knew he'd over-exerted himself, but they couldn't afford to waste any more time; his injury be damned.

Deep down, he knew that both Saïx and Axel were right about him taking time to properly recover, but it wasn't just about him anymore; it was for the sake of the future of the Kingdom. Their loyalty and concern for him was...comforting, but unnecessary. He'd handled worse before.

He rubbed fitfully at his eyes, forcing aside the gruelling sensation of exhaustion that threatened to settle into his limbs and decided that a walk was definitely necessary to clear his head.

For at least the third time since he'd awoken, he silently thanked whoever was listening that Palom and Porom were such excellent healers. While the wound was still healing and still raw, he knew that he would be feeling a hell of a lot worse without the use of magic. In fact, he didn't know if he would even be alive.

Without meaning to, his thoughts shifted to Naminé. He could easily recall the look on her face as she knelt over him, watching him bleed out with an arrow sticking out of his chest. She had looked terrified and worried and desperate all at once, her hands shaking, cheeks wet with freshly shed tears. He didn't know whether those tears were because she'd just stabbed someone, or for him and the fact that he was slowly dying, with her unable to do anything about it. Somehow, he couldn't imagine her crying over him, not that he wanted her to, either.

His eyelids felt heavy, his limbs sore. He slumped down even further, his head tipping forward against his chest. If only he wasn't so stubborn, perhaps he would have listened to the advice of his comrades.

...He was so tired...

However, being as stubborn as he was, he refused to give in to his exhaustion and wearily pushed himself away from the tree,. Thankfully, he was fairly familiar with the area and knew that not too far away a small stream flowed down into a small lake hidden amongst the trees. He'd discovered it once after he and Porom had been separated from Zack when he'd first joined the unruly group of outlaw's. Since then, he had returned to visit it on several occasions. He found that it served as a place to relax; somewhere he could forget everything, at least for a little while.

Picking through the undergrowth and twisting trees, Roxas headed further away from the camp, smiling faintly when he finally heard the sound of water rushing down through the thick forestry. He followed the sound until the trees gave way to a small bank, and beyond it, the river which he knew eventually spilled into a tranquil lake. However, he must have been quite far up stream, as there was no lake in sight.

He was about to continue following the stream along when he caught sight of a figure sitting atop one of the nearby boulders, feet hanging over the edge so that their toes dragged through the lazy current. He froze. It only took him a moment to realise just who the figure was and he sighed softly, stepping out of the shadows to stand nearby.

She didn't look up as he approached, but pulled her feet from the water and tucked them beneath her. Her boots sat on the rock's surface beside her, clearly discarded in a rush.

Roxas came to a halt beside the rock she was perched on and allowed himself a moment to recover, leaning heavily on it for support as a ripple of discomfort rushed through him.

"I've read books before, about just how beautiful the world can be." Naminé began, her voice quiet, almost a whisper. He looked over at her sharply as she spoke, eyes assessing. Her expression was so full of longing, mirroring the tone of her voice. "Waterfalls, valleys, mountains, the ocean. I have read all about it and yet, I never expected to actually see it for myself."

His thoughts from several nights ago returned to his mind. She was an enigma, ever evolving, ever growing. Sometimes, the way she spoke was filled with such sadness, such wistfulness and it made him feel angry, despairing. He could not understand why.

Perhaps it was because that when she spoke about herself, she always made it seem like she was a prisoner, imprisoned in a cage and hidden from the world, just like a wounded bird that would never be able to fly again, trapped by its own helplessness, taunted constantly by the wide open sky, freedom always just out of its grasp. It was cruel. And Xehanort was to blame.

With some difficulty, Roxas forced his thoughts away from the monster and from Naminé's obvious melancholy.

"How long have you been out here?" He questioned, turning his back to her and leaning against the rock, crossing his arms over his injured chest as he waited for her response.

He heard her shift behind him and sigh. "Since before dawn."

Roxas frowned, tilting his head back to stare up at the patches of blue sky visible through the branches overhead. Small fluffy white clouds rolled across the sky like a comforting blanket, hiding the vibrant blues from sight. He waited a moment before speaking again, trying to sound impassive, "Why are you out here?"

She shifted again, although the movement was short, uncomfortable. He could almost imagine her clasping her hands in her lap, staring at the body of water in front of her, her forehead creased.

"I...could not sleep." She finally muttered, "When I spoke with her last night, Porom said this is a good place to come and think; somewhere safe and peaceful, where I am unlikely to be…disturbed." She sounded almost accusing then and Roxas had the decency to feel slightly guilty, even if it was technically his spot and she was the invader of his privacy.

A loaded silence fell between them. Roxas said nothing, although he did risk a quick glance at her over his shoulder. When he caught sight of the expression on her face, he immediately turned around, resting his hands on the smooth surface of the rock.

She looked terrified and horrified all at once, her hands shaking uncontrollably in her lap, her skin painfully pale to the point that she looked unwell. What haunted him most was the dead expression present in her eyes, how hollow they seemed. Before, they had always been ablaze, whether with anger directed towards him, curiosity as she met somebody new to her for the first time, desperation when she had been held at knife point by one of Lightning's men, or happiness in rare moments when one of the outlaw's teased a smile from her. Porom, it seemed, was most adept at doing so, surpassed only once or twice by Axel during their brief encounters.

"I keep seeing it every time I close my eyes." She whispered, her voice horribly muted. "It's why I can't sleep."

Roxas' eyes slowly traced her face, searching.

She looked troubled by something, her hands creating knots in the fabric of her borrowed shirt. Her eyes were filled with unbridled emotion; horror. "I keep seeing you, with that arrow sticking out of your chest, dead or dying; sometimes both."

He was shocked. He knew that she was upset, traumatised even, by the events of the day before. He didn't know, however, that saving him and watching him lay there in a pool of his own blood had affected her so terribly to the point that it haunted her even now. Uncertainly, he edged around the rock, stepping closer to the girl. "Princess... I—"

"Shouldn't you be resting?" She looked over at him suddenly, her delicate eyebrows furrowing into a frown as she glanced him up and down, as if she was only just noticing him for the first time. Roxas felt startled. It was almost as though she'd never even said anything, her expression abruptly changing to one of irritation, her voice taking on a disapproving tone, "You do not look well enough to be walking around just yet."

Roxas laughed humourlessly, glancing down at his pale, shaking hands. No, he supposed he didn't. He eased himself up onto the rock beside her, careful to put as much distance between the two of them as possible. For a moment, he contemplated on what he could say to her. He knew now, after what they both had been through together, he would find it a lot harder to remain detached with her.

It was then that a sudden realisation struck him. He felt no animosity towards her, despite her disgusting heritage. She had, miraculously, changed and as such, so had his opinion of her. He didn't know how it was possible for someone as spoilt as her to have changed so quickly, but she had. She was different and he no longer despised her. He wondered if she still hated him

Roxas' lips lifted into a dry smile at the thought. It was then that he noticed she was watching him expectantly, her head tilted ever so slightly to the side, asking a silent question.

What are you doing here?

He wondered that himself. What was he doing?

"I...came here because I needed to...escape." He said finally, his words coming out in a disjointed mess.

"From your responsibilities?" She asked instantly, looking away from him again and out across the river, wrapping her arms around her knees and hugging them tightly to her chest.

"From it all. From everything." He responded, surprised by his own truthfulness. He looked away from her, feeling oddly exposed.

Naminé's smile was empty as she rested her chin on top of her bent knees. "That's all I have ever wanted to do — escape." She admitted, her smile fading. "Even if it was only for a little while. But I never could."

For some reason, her words struck a chord within him. His earlier thoughts of her being a prisoner were solidified in his mind. But it made no sense. None of it. Why would she be a prisoner? Surely Xehanort would not be so cruel to his own flesh and blood? Did he have no understanding of what it meant to be family?

He straightened the best he could, wincing when his chest ached, watching her out of the corner of his eye. She looked so miserable. Was he to blame for that? The very thought made his stomach churn with unease. He sucked in a deep breath, ignoring the pain that came with it and angled his shoulders towards her.

"Naminé... I'm sor—"

She abruptly cut him off, her words cold. "Don't apologise. You do not have to apologise to me." She bowed her head, staring down at her hands in her lap, her face softening, "For what it's worth, I prefer being here."

He processed the information, barely hiding a frown. "Even considering the circumstances?" Roxas asked, watching her carefully out of the corner of his eye.

A light laugh spilled past her lips. "Yes. Even considering the circumstances."

The silence that settled between them was natural this time, unforced. The two of them stayed there for a while, watching the water flow down towards the unseen lake, the sunlight pouring down through the trees, bathing them in warm rays. It was peaceful and utterly quiet.

After a while, Roxas eased himself down from the boulder, taking note of the sun's position in the sky. From what he could tell, it was nearing mid-morning and if they wanted to make it to the village by nightfall, they would have to leave soon.

He turned to the Princess, standing awkwardly beside the rock as she continued to watch the water lapping at the bank. He cleared his throat, immediately looking away when her gaze met his. "We should head back. We have made plans to advance."

"Advance? Already?" Naminé sounded baffled by his declaration and immediately protested, "But you haven't healed! Don't be so rash!"

Roxas clenched his fists. "It is none of your concern. We need to make it to Eraqus' stronghold." He turned his cold stare on her. "We cannot do that by moping around, waiting for something so minor and superfluous to heal."

Naminé shook her head out of disbelief. "Why are you so willing to put yourself at risk? Why must you throw your life away so carelessly?" Her face twisted, but he was unable to make out her expression before it smoothed out once more. She huffed, "What about Palom and Porom? They need rest just as much as you do."

He balked. That was not something he had thought of. What if Palom and Porom were too drained to move on just yet? He couldn't very well split up and have a group wait behind with them — they were an integral part of his team. Without their skills, they would not have made it as far as they had. Besides, he had already lost Terra and Riku, he couldn't afford to leave behind anybody else. His shoulders slumped.

If only matters were not so pressing.

"Wait a day." She reasoned as she tugged her boots back on, notably without socks. She slid down from the rock and faced him, frowning sternly. "Give them and yourself a chance to recover."

Roxas pinched the bridge of his nose. "We shall see." Before she could interject, he swiftly turned away from her and began steadily heading back for camp. She easily caught up to him, hovering uncertainly by his elbow as his movements soon slowed considerably.

His breath, by this point, left his lips in short, ragged gasps and his forehead was already beaded with sweat. He didn't understand. He'd been fine on the way, but now he found it hard to even put one foot in front of the other. His heart was racing as he paused at a nearby tree, leaning heavily on it for support, his chest radiating with fresh pain.

It wasn't until he felt a hand on his arm that he realised he had closed his eyes. He looked up, startled to find a pair of impossibly blue eyes swimming in front of his face. He jerked away reflexively, but found that he had no energy to snap at her.

Naminé backed off a little, her face creased with concern as she offered her arm to him. "Come on, Roxas. You need help."

Roxas scowled and pushed her away, wavering unsteadily as he moved away from the tree supporting him. "No. I don't require your assistance."

The blonde turned her nose up at him, her eyes flashing with anger; something he was increasingly becoming accustomed to. "Oh, but of course you don't. Shall I leave you to it, then?" She shot him a filthy glare. "Shall I let you make your own way back?"

"Wait!" He blanched, his hand shooting out of its own accord, cursing savagely under his breath when his torso throbbed in protest to the sudden movement. Unknowingly, he clutched at her wrist, only to realise his mistake not more than a moment later. He opened his mouth to apologise as he snatched his hand away, but Naminé merely lifted a brow at him, apparently taking no notice of their brief contact.

Roxas' mouth twisted. He didn't know what to say, much less how to say it. He needed her, she knew that and so did he, but she wanted him to admit it. As a matter of pride, he simply couldn't do that. After a long awkward silence on his part, he finally mustered the courage to mutter two words, "Stay. Please."

Her face softened marginally, her eyes darting about his face, taking in his condition. She sighed and reoffered her arm to him. "I wouldn't have left you. I risked my life for you. You are not going to die out here, of all places." She smiled slyly. "Besides, I do believe that you now owe me."

A retort immediately formed on his tongue, but he remained silent and instead accepted her arm, allowing her to lead the way back to camp. She was right, in more ways than one, but there was no way he was going to say that to her face.

As they walked, they fell into yet another silence, punctuated by his quiet gasps as he struggled to breathe. He didn't notice the worried glances Naminé cast his way as they walked, his head bowed as he concentrated on moving forward.

They reached camp fairly quickly. Already, it was filled with activity. Demyx was saddling Zexion's horse, while the slate-haired man awkwardly attached his belt using his left hand. It was then that Roxas noticed that his entire right side was bandaged.

Larxene and Marluxia had taken Axel's place in front of the now roaring fire, conversing quietly as they ate. Luxord was sharpening his sword, an obvious cut running across his cheek, and another above his eyebrow. Axel was leaning against a nearby tree, watching it all from afar. Palom and Porom, as he had both been expecting and dreading, were nowhere to be found. Saïx, too, was missing.

He looked away from his comrades quickly, guilt consuming him. By the looks of things, almost all of them had been hurt in the skirmish, some, judging by the way they held themselves, quite severely. He felt so angry at himself, frustrated by his own weakness. He hadn't been there to fight by their sides and they were injured, indirectly because of him.

A light tug on his arm brought him out of his reverie. Naminé was watching him warily. They had stopped for a moment, he noticed and he realised that she was waiting for his permission to continue. With a brusque nod, they resumed walking.

Axel looked up as the two of them approached, his eyebrows drawing together as he saw how heavily Roxas was leaning on Naminé. The blond felt sufficiently embarrassed as Axel scrutinised them, but was too tired to withdraw from the Princess' side.

Axel's frown melted away into a disapproving expression. "Pushed yourself too hard, eh? I told you it was too soon." He shook his head. "Not even Palom and Porom are up yet, so you can go back to your tent and rest for a little longer."

Naminé sighed, glancing across at him pointedly, but Roxas dutifully ignored her.

"I take it you relayed my message to Saïx?" The blond asked, directing his question to the redhead.

The man rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah. He isn't happy about it though..." Axel raked a hand through his hair, something which was becoming a common gesture for the pyromaniac. "Do us all a favour and take it easy, okay?"

Roxas ignored his last comment, much to the evident disapproval of the Princess holding him upright, and urged her further into the camp. She complied, but not without grumbling in protest.

"You should listen to him, you know." Naminé mumbled, glowering at him out of the corner of her eye as they headed towards his tent. "If you strain yourself, you will only injure yourself further."

The blond exhaled loudly, swiftly yanking his arm from her grip, ignoring the searing pain radiating from his abdomen, "I do not need your concern. Nor do I need any of theirs." He turned to face her fully. "You do not understand the weight of our current situation. Unless we can unite with Eraqus' forces soon, we will all be wiped out and Xehanort will win this war. There won't be anything left of the Kingdom."

"And I suppose this is more important than your health?" She asked dryly, clearly both annoyed and confused by his blatant disregard for his own wellbeing.

He leaned in towards her, his eyes darkening. "Of course. Besides, you can't convince me that this does not concern you, too." When her eyes widened with surprise, he smirked and straightened. "You have made it clear that you do not wish to return to your father, but if we do not succeed, the likelihood is that you will have no other choice but to go home."

Roxas watched on as her face paled and she began worrying at her lower lip, her eyes darting this way and that. "I... I understand." Her gaze suddenly locked onto his, her posture rigid. "But what harm would one more day do?"

She was persistent, he would give her that much. She also seemed concerned for him. But it just wasn't enough.

Begrudgingly, he forced himself to look away from her imploring gaze. "One day is more than enough to tip the balance between winning and losing, living and dying." He ducked his head in a silent apology, lowering his voice to a whisper that only she could hear, "That is a risk I cannot take."

He felt her fingertips brush the back of his hand in a soundless objection, but he moved away before she could say anything further, leaving her standing there in the middle of camp, at a loss for words.

····» «····

When it came around to the next morning, Xion was feeling positively dreadful. She had found herself unable to rest sufficiently that night, the ground on which she was forced to sleep hard and entirely uncomfortable for such a delicate Princess. Following the events of the evening prior, she had been forced to accept their chosen camping spot after the silver haired peasant had rebuffed her request to move. Things had truly taken a turn for the worst.

So far, her experience outside of the castle walls while no longer under the protection of her father had been simply awful. She had spent a whole day traipsing through the forest, following after the very servant who had the nerve to even think of abandoning her, to then spend the good part of a second day walking through the undergrowth with no apparent destination in mind. When they finally discovered the horses left behind for them, she was on the verge of a breakdown. Her dress was torn, her shoes muddy. Her hair was in complete disarray and she felt disgusting to top it off.

To make matters worse, the silver haired peasant they came across in the forest, who her would-be kidnapper was apparently acquainted with, had seemingly taken it upon himself to irritate and infuriate her at every turn. He had completely disregarded her heritage and obvious royalty, dared to bring up her pathetic excuse of a cousin and then refused to treat her with the respect she so blatantly deserved. Threatening to throw her on the fire had been the final straw. She had stubbornly refused to scream and cry, but had sulked for the rest of the evening.

She wanted to go home. Damn her stupid servant. Damn that stupid peasant. Damn herself. Damn it all.

Xion sat up abruptly, wiping at her eyes which were stinging with unshed tears. The fire by her feet had significantly dwindled during the night and was now nothing more than a pile of softly glowing embers giving off very little heat. The horses, which were tethered loosely to a nearby tree, snorted and whinnied softly amongst themselves, grazing calmly at the grass by their hooves.

On her right, Serah was lying with her back to her, her slow and steady breathing a testament to her unconscious state. Glancing to her left, she saw that Ventus was curled up on his side, facing her. His face looked peaceful, smoother and more serene than usual, his bright blue eyes hidden beneath his eyelids. Beyond him, Aqua was asleep on her back, one hand reached out towards Ven, the other towards the man who had tried to kidnap her. What was his name again? Terry? Tomas? Not that she particularly cared what his name was. Nor did she care for the name of the sleeping silver haired peasant on the other side of the fire from her. Wasn't he supposed to be keeping watch? Or was he that confident with his chosen spot that he no longer felt the need to look out for their safety?

With a silent huff of annoyance, Xion looked around, unsure of what to do. She spied left over food from the previous night and bit her lip as her stomach grumbled in protest. There was no way she was going to lower herself to such an uncivilized manner of eating ever again. Wrinkling her nose, she looked away, directing her gaze to the expanse of sky visible through the thick boughs of the trees above her head.

It was dawn, that much she could tell, meaning that they would soon be on their way again. She hoped that they did not expect her to journey on for yet another full day. Her legs, feet and back ached from riding and walking, her body unused to such strain. She didn't even understand why they were making such haste, or where they were heading for. She remembered overhearing something about meeting up with Terrance's fellow outlaws, which did not exactly fill her with much joy.

Xion tapped her feet restlessly as she glanced around their barbaric camp, desperately searching for something to end her boredom. She contemplated waking Ventus, but the peaceful expression on his face halted such a notion before she even had chance to shake his shoulder. Instead, her fingertips automatically reached up, lightly brushing his forehead and pushing away the strands of hair that fell into his face. Her lips twisted into a minuscule smile, which she quickly covered with a grimace, snatching her hand away as the boy mumbled something in his sleep and turned away from her.

"You should sleep, while you still can."

Xion looked up, startled, her gaze met with a pair of beautiful aquamarine eyes. For a moment, she was transfixed, mesmerized by their incredible stare before she realised who it was and recoiled, disgusted. She turned away from him to hide the embarrassing reddening of her cheeks, pushing her fingers through her once immaculate hair. Perhaps he was not as 'asleep' as she had first thought.

"You should sleep." The young man reiterated, his voice cold, conveying no concern for her wellbeing despite the insinuation behind his words.

"Oh, is that so?" Xion scoffed, tossing him a scathing glance as she attempted to flatten down her bangs. "And why, exactly, do you care so much, peasant?"

The young man straightened, his eyes flashing and jaw clenching. For a moment, Xion genuinely believed that he was going to snap at her, when he suddenly deflated, his expression stony. "Believe me, I really couldn't care less." He replied bitingly, practically spitting the words at her. "But we'll be on our way soon. The last thing I want is for you to burden us anymore than you already have because you haven't had enough of your 'beauty sleep'."

Xion snapped around to face him, her small hands clenching into fists by her sides. "'Burden'? How dare you!"

He stood, stamping out the last of the embers in the pit in front of them, refusing to look at her or even acknowledge the fact that she had spoken. "You should know that from now on, Princess, we can't afford to waste our time stopping every time you declare that you are 'tired'." He raised his head sharply, meeting her enraged gaze head on. "You should understand that the world doesn't revolve around anyone, least of all you."

She stared at him, open mouthed, as he turned his back on her and flopped onto his bed roll. Fuming, she slammed her palms onto the ground. "What gives you the right to look down on me so?" She demanded, raising her voice high enough that he had no choice but to hear her. "You do not know the first thing—"

A loud groan cut her off mid-rant. Both Xion and the silver-haired teenager glanced towards the source of the noise to see the other outlaw lying on his back, one hand strewn across his face. "For the love of Trinitas, would you both be quiet?" He grumbled throatily, his words disorientated and rough. "Unlike some people, I am actually trying to sleep."

The young man who had insulted her not moments ago let out a short bark of laughter, rolling onto his side to peer over at his companion better. "At least you have had some sleep."

From beneath the shadow of his arm, the man's lips curled into a sleepy smile. "Oh, so you weren't snoozing just a moment ago?" When the younger man spluttered in protest, the brunet merely chuckled, lifting his arm to peek over at him. "I believe I have told you many times before; I know you well, Riku."

"Perhaps you know me too well." Riku — or 'peasant', as she had taken to calling him —muttered, his lips pulling into a small scowl.

Xion watched the whole exchange with a neutral expression, realising that she was much fonder of the older man than his obnoxious, insanely rude younger brother, despite his attempted kidnapping of her. Perhaps it was because he reminded her rather a lot of Ventus and the other servant, Aqua? Either way, she would accept his presence. Riku — peasant — however, she would just have to learn to tolerate.

From beside her, Ventus started mumbling something in his sleep. Intrigued, she turned to face him, completely ignoring the other two outlaws who were now conversing quietly, the brunet having apparently given up on his endeavour for more sleep.

Ventus' face was creased with fear, his forehead beading with sweat. Had she not felt the slightest bit concerned for him, she would have recoiled out of disgust. His mumbling grew louder until she could begin to make out semi-coherent words. "Must…help …him…" His face twisted into a pained expression. "Please…don't hurt him… He's…all I have…left…"

Then he began to shake, turning violently in his sleep, the blanket covering his midriff slipping off entirely. It was becoming rather obvious to her that he was having a nightmare, but unfortunately she had no idea how to remedy such a thing, nor if it was something that could be remedied. All she knew was that she wanted to ease her servant's suffering. Unsure what to do, Xion hesitantly reached out towards him, her hand gently brushing his exposed shoulder. She shook him experimentally, to no avail. He continued to thrash, one arm flying out, narrowly missing her face.

Huffing, Xion tried again, shoving him a little harder, murmuring his name, "Ventus. Wake up!"

The boy's hand suddenly grabbed her outstretched wrist, his fingers clamping firmly around the small circumference. She let out a gasp, whether out of shock or outrage, she wasn't quite sure. When his grip on her wrist tightened, she winced. Apparently, force would be needed to awaken him. Sucking in a deep breath, she used her free hand to slap him across the shoulder while hissing rather loudly, "Ventus!"

The effect was instantaneous. He released her wrist and shot into a sitting position, hands clenched into fists which were raised in front of his face. His eyes were blown wide, holding a slightly vacant expression carried over from his sleep. He looked around wearily; his gaze skimmed over the conversing brothers who had not noticed his distress, pausing briefly on Aqua's sleeping form before coming to rest on her. If possible, his eyes widened even further, a slight spark igniting in their blue depths as he recognised her.

"Xion…?" His voice was gravelly and heavy from disuse, his lips forming a tired smile. "Sorry, did something happen?"

Xion's eyebrows knitted into a frown as she looked him up and down, taking note of his mussed hair and sweaty forehead. "You were having a nightmare, Ventus." She informed him, her expression guarded.

His smile fell. He swallowed audibly and looked away from her, shifting uncomfortably. "Did I hurt anyone?"

"How could you have hurt anyone?" She demanded, hiding her slightly sore wrist from his view. Unfortunately, he noticed the movement, his hand shooting out to capture her lower arm. He pulled it towards him, investigating the reddened area where his fingers had imprinted on her skin. Much to her own surprise, she let him, squirming awkwardly when his eyes finally flicked towards her face.

"I'm sorry." He whispered, sounding ashamed as he let her hand drop. "I guess I must have grabbed you in my sleep. I apologise, Xion."

She scowled at him, poking his arm roughly to regain his attention, hoping that her feigned irritation hid the blush rushing across her cheeks. "You have nothing to apologise for, servant, other than leaving me and forcing me to follow you out into this God forsaken forest."

His smile returned, albeit half-heartedly. It made her chest tighten with an unnameable emotion. "That was technically you're fault."

Xion looked affronted, an indignant gasp tearing past her lips, "My fault? You were the one to have left me, not the other way around!" She glared at him. "What other choice did I have?"

Ventus' smile widened considerably at this, but he graced her with no reply, merely chuckling and shaking his head instead.

"Ven…? Is everything alright?"

The Princess and servant looked sharply towards the source of the voice, the latter brightening significantly as he saw Aqua sitting there, rubbing her eyes tiredly. She dropped her hands and smiled, immediately pulling him into a warm hug. Xion merely scowled, feeling her stomach churn.

"Good morning, Aqua." Ven laughed, returning the embrace. "Did we wake you?"

The young woman pulled away from him, smiling softly as she ruffled his already messy hair. "No, silly. I was already waking up. I just heard you talking." Her eyes slid past her friend, landing on the Princess. She dipped her head respectfully. "Good morning, Princess Xion. Did you sleep well?"

Xion wrinkled her nose and tossed her head, choosing not to grant the woman an answer. Of course she did not sleep well. How anybody could even stomach sleeping outdoors was a complete and utter mystery to her. Not only was it barbaric, but it lacked the necessary comforts for a good night sleep. While she kept all of this to herself, her silence was apparently enough for Aqua to make an assumption.

"Me neither. In some ways, I look forward to meeting up with the rest of the outlaws. I do hope they have proper beds…" Aqua sighed wistfully, frowning down at her attire and tugging on her dreary locks. "And a bath wouldn't go amiss, either."

Ven snickered lightly, "I agree with you there. It feels like ages since I last felt clean."

The young Princess grimaced, silently agreeing with their sentiment. She, too, was beginning to feel particularly dirty and bedraggled, mostly due to her poor dress and limp hair. For one used to the luxury of having a bath every night, Xion felt utterly disgusting.

"You're worried about your cleanliness now?" A teasing voice called.

Xion glanced up as the older brother sidled over to where they were sat, a grin on his face as he regarded the blush adorning Aqua's cheeks. Inwardly, she scoffed at the pair, immediately noticing the irritated expression on Ventus' face.

The young man sat down beside Aqua, slinging one arm over his knee. "It's alright. We should catch up with the others today." He chuckled, reaching up to toy with Aqua's hair, "You can all clean up there."

"Well isn't that great." Ventus muttered, turning towards Xion, effectively putting his back to the brunet and Aqua. Because of this, he didn't notice the look of hurt that crossed his best friend's face and Xion certainly was not about to point it out to him, and as such he remained unaware.

He was scowling as he set about rolling up his make-shift mattress, aggressively shoving it into the old potato sack which acted as his travel bag. He leaned over and gestured for the Princess to stand. When she did, he quickly rolled up her own mattress, stuffing it into the sack as well.

The movement seemed to disturb Serah, who, up until that point, had remained in the blissful realm of sleep in the space next to her. Xion secretly envied the young woman as she sat up, stretching her arms above her head, looking completely refreshed despite the obvious discomfort they were being subjected to.

She blinked dazedly, looking around their small camp. "Oh? Everyone else is awake… Are we moving on already, Terra?"

Terra. So that was his name. Xion filed that piece of information away for later as the young man turned towards Serah with an apologetic smile. "Yes, we are. Sorry, Serah."

The young woman shrugged, yawning into the back of her hand. "It's fine." She pulled her hand away, smiling gently. "The sooner we move on the better."

Xion could only imagine what she meant by that.

····» «····

They left a little after dawn, with Riku leading on his own horse, followed closely by Serah who struck up a friendly conversation with him. Ven and Xion travelled in the middle, the Princess barely making any of her usual loud-mouthed complaints, something which Terra was unbelievably grateful for. It was bad enough that she and Riku's yelling match had awoken him earlier without the two of them snapping at each other's throats for the rest of their duration together.

Truthfully, Terra was still tired. His eyelids felt heavy, his arms weak and his back ached. Despite this, Aqua's presence was soothing, melting away the bad mood which settled about him like a shroud. However, this was something he was feeling particularly conflicted about. He wanted to be close to Aqua, all of the time. He wanted to make her laugh, make her smile, make her happy, but he worried about separating her from Ven, someone whom she was clearly attached to deeply.

He knew for a fact that Ven did not think particularly highly of him, most probably because of the fiasco regarding the Princess in his charge; this was something that he wished to remedy soon. As long as Ven remained hostile, Aqua would be torn between the two of them. More than anything, he wanted to be accepted by Ven, partly for Aqua's sake, but mostly because he genuinely liked the boy.

Terra felt his gaze being pulled towards the blond in question. The longer he spent time around him, the more and more he realised just how different he was from Roxas, not just emotionally either. He was thinner, his cheekbones more profound. His hair was neater too, eyes lighter, yet overshadowed by the same horror as his counterpart.

He wondered if he could ever consider Ventus a friend...

Suddenly, Serah's excited voice piped up from the front of the group, "I know where we are!" She twisted around in her saddle, smiling brightly. "I know where we are! This is near Lightning's training headquarters!"

Terra looked around, also recognising the area. Serah was right. It was the one of the few places that the rebels had claimed permanently. According to Riku, he had met with Lightning much earlier along the road, but it stood to reason that she must have moved back to her main base since then. Looking back towards the younger Farron sister, he nodded in agreement. "Yes, this looks like the place."

Serah's expression became wistful. "I wish I could see her, let her know I'm alright. I know she'll be worrying."

"You can," Riku said, back-tracking his horse to stop beside Serah, "You don't have to come any further." Riku glanced over his shoulder, catching Terra's gaze. "I know how important family is. So go and see her. She's your sister."

The young woman pondered this for a moment, glancing away from the group before settling her gaze on Riku's face again. "Are you sure that's alright?"

"Of course it is." Riku replied with ease, smiling at her. "Go ahead. It's not far from here and you'll be safer there than you are here with us."

Serah was positively beaming, thanking Riku over and over, but Terra felt slightly uneasy by it all. This feeling was reinforced when he felt Aqua stiffen. His eyes immediately flitted towards the surrounding trees, picking up on the reason behind her tension. Would whatever that was following them hurt Serah if she tried to leave? Aqua seemed to think so. He was beginning to think so, too.

"Be careful, Serah." Terra called out as the young woman turned her horse to leave. She looked up at the sound of his voice, her expression slightly baffled. He nodded towards the trees. "You never know what's out there. Just take it steady until you make it to Lightning, okay?"

Her face immediately changed and she nodded firmly. "Yes. I promise." She turned her gaze on the Princess sulking behind Ven for a brief moment, smiling behind her hand. "I'm sure we'll all see each other again, soon. You guys be careful, too!"

With a final farewell, Serah turned away and forced her horse into a canter, quickly disappearing amongst the trees until not even the sound of the hooves slapping against the trampled earth met their ears. She was gone. Terra only hoped that she would be alright. He had to believe she would, for Lightning's sake and for the sake of the poor bastard who thought it wise to mess with the younger Farron. Lightning was wrathful and merciless towards her enemies, at best.

"Alright, let's move on." Terra called, putting his worries out of his mind for the time being as he encouraged his horse onwards. By now, he was growing desperate. He just wanted to catch up to the rest of the outlaws. He'd feel a lot better knowing they were in larger numbers; at least he would know for sure that Aqua and the others would be safe with them.

As is sensing his discomfort, Aqua's arms tightened slightly, her cheek resting against his back. "Do you think we'll catch up to the others soon?" She asked gently.

Terra sighed, glancing at her over his shoulder. "I really don't know, but I hope so. Being away from everyone for so long is making me uneasy."

Aqua hummed softly, "That's understandable. I don't like it out here either."

He caught onto her double meaning immediately and straightened out of habit. "Aqua, I need you to tell me something." Terra murmured under his breath, careful to remain quiet in case they were being listened to. Even now, he felt the weight of someone or something's gaze on them as they rode on through the forest. It had been plaguing him for a while and only now had he decided to take a form of action. When she said nothing, he took her silence as a cue to continue. "Are we being followed?"

The young woman seated behind him breathed in sharply and that was enough of an answer for him. The brunet closed his eyes, silently cursing their luck. "I thought as much…"

"How did you know?" She whispered, her voice fearful.

He shrugged, letting out a shallow laugh. "It was easy enough to figure out. I guess it was—"

"Terra!" Riku called out, cutting him off mid-sentence, sounding oddly panicked. The brunet's eyes instantly searched for his brother, finding him at the edge of a path that veered off to the right. He had dismounted at some point, placing his horse in such a way as if to hide something, his face ashen.

His younger brother grimaced, waving to him. "You better get up here. There's something you need to see and I don't think you're going to like it."

Terra turned to Aqua. "Stay here with Ven and Xion. I'll go and see what this is all about." He patted her hand reassuringly and swung down from the saddle, handing the reins over to her.

Before he could turn away, she grabbed one of his hands, her eyes blown wide with worry. "Be careful."

He nodded grimly, gently squeezing her fingers. She let go of his hand and he turned away, jogging over to where his brother stood. Nothing could have prepared Terra for what awaited him beyond Riku's horse.

Bodies were strewn everywhere, the ground stained with blood. Weapons lay discarded beside their owners, whose faces were frozen in an endless expression of terror and pain, their limbs twisted at horrendous angles. Terra quickly looked away, meeting his brother's gaze. Riku swallowed, "I… I think this must have been—"

"W-what happened here?"

The two brothers looked swiftly towards the blond standing behind them, his eyes wide with horror and fear. Desperately, Terra tried to step into his line of vision. "You don't want to see this, Ven. Go and wait with Aqua."

Ven's face contorted with rage, pushing the brunet aside. "No! I want to know!" He turned his angered glare on Riku, who visibly flinched. "Who did this?"

Riku massaged the bridge of his nose, shooting a glare at Terra who shook his head in warning. However, his brother paid him no mind, meeting Ven's gaze with a hard stare. "You want the truth? Fine. My best bet would be that it was Roxas and the others."

The blond's anger instantly melted away into outright fear. "You mean they did this? They killed all these people?"

Riku brushed the grief-stricken boy aside, practically ignoring him completely as he remounted his horse. "We've got to keep moving. They can't have gotten too far." He cast Ven a final glance before moving past the twisted corpses, heading onwards, likely to scout ahead.

Terra placed a hand on Ven's shoulder, who was now shaking uncontrollably, unable to tear his eyes away from the mangled scene. "You can't dwell on this, Ventus. This is what it's going to be like wherever you go. It's either kill or be killed, especially when Xehanort is involved." He leaned in towards the boy's face in a last, desperate plea. "Do you understand?"

Ven shoved him away savagely. "Yes. I understand just fine."

The blond stalked back to where Xion and Aqua were waiting for him, the former facing away from the terrible scene, her face chalky white. The latter stared at him with unbridled fear, as if she couldn't believe her eyes. Terra ducked his head out of shame. He knew how bad it looked, but there was nothing he could do. There had to be an explanation, there always was… Wasn't there?

"I only hope that nobody was too badly hurt…" He whispered, more to himself than anyone else.


A/N: Filler alert. Oops. I had something planned for this chapter, but my plan — naturally — went awry when I ended up shooting Roxas with that damned arrow in the last installment... So, it became a filler. As much as I hate them, it had to happen. Hopefully it wasn't all bad! xD

Perhaps some of you are wondering why it seems that Roxas is taking a while to recover, even though he's been healed to the point that his life-threatening injury is now little more than a puncture. Weird, huh? I have an explanation for that; Palom and Porom did indeed heal him to the best of their abilities, but only the worst of his injury. They can't replenish his energy or health and they certainly couldn't fully heal something that extensive, or at least, that's my headcanon (I'm taking major liberties here, someone stop me)... Hope that kinda clears up the ambiguous nature of Roxas and his recovery! :3

As a heads up — I'm unfortunately going back to school on Wednesday (ALTHOUGH IT'S MY FINAL YEAR, HELL YEAH!). Long story short; the next update may take some time, so bear with me!

Thank you all for your reviews, favourites and follows, take care and I'll see you all next time!

~AusisWinds-13