Sorry about the long wait. I've been on vacation, but I'm back now. This one is (I think) the longest chapter in this story right now.
We stared at each other, breathing in and out, waiting for the other to make the first move. I certainly wouldn't. I was tense, adrenaline kicking in again, all instinct telling him to run. My brain knew I'd never make it away, even with adrenaline. I crouch there warily, by the fire I had been preparing. He takes a tentative step forward, his eyes watching my every move. My body refuses to cooperate with my brain anymore, my legs shooting up and preparing to run.
"Wait," he says quickly, quietly, almost as if talking to a young child, "I won't hurt you,"
My eyes dart back and forth, trying to decide the quickest way to get as far as possible from him. I take a deep breath, my lungs filling up with the air I knew I'd need, before moving. I bolted to the side, where the closest patch of trees was. Once I was there, I'd be safer. I'm more nimble, can move faster through the underbrush. I'd double back, and try to go south to Mercia. He wouldn't follow me there, nor try to look for me. He'd expect me to go to Ealdor, which was west from here.
I start to run, tripping over my own feet, limping, but still I run. He catches up, easily, grabbing the arm I didn't have in a sling. I tried to push him off, but I couldn't. I whimpered. He held firmly, not letting go. I didn't even think about using magic on him; just let him lead me towards the inside of the clearing before I collapsed again, on the forest floor. I was defenseless.
He sat there, crouched and tense, staring at me helplessly. I took a step forward; he wasn't going to move first, one of us had to. He rose up in a fluid movement. I could tell he was looking for a way out, trying to escape. I'd seen it on hundreds of men's faces as I attacked them, killed them, but never had it pained me so much. This was my friend, as much as it pained me to admit it. How could he be so scared of me? How could I have allowed myself to do this?
"Wait, " I tried to stop him. I needed to apologize, to say I didn't mean to hurt him. He didn't stop. I tried not to show my worry and anger at my self in my voice. "I won't hurt you," He needed to listen. I won't make the same mistake twice. He dashed, to his side. I was quicker; he always was a klutz. He only needed to go three more steps until he's reach the safety of the trees when I reached him, grabbing his arm as gently as I could; I stopped him in his tracks. He tried to get away from me, but I was stronger. I tried not to hurt him. He didn't use magic. I tried not to show my surprise, why would a sorcerer not use magic? I led him away from the forest, back to the center of the clearing, towards the fire. At some point he collapsed on the way. I tried to make him more comfortable, changing his bandages and putting his bedroll under his head. I put mine on him; he was shivering. I added more wood to the fire-pit before lighting it. He stopped shivering, as the sun began to set. Darkness took over, and I sat there awake, protecting him, on guard. The question was, did he want me as guard?