Teep stared out of his guard tower, yawning. The figure had slowly gotten closer and closer to the castle, and Rythian had told Tee to stay awake and keep watch over the person until they got here, then he was to bring them to Rythian and Zoey for them to deal with.

LINEBREAK

"So, um, Hex?" Tech caught her attention quietly.

Hex turned to him, smiling. "Yeah, Tech?"

"Could you help me re-wrap this bandage?" He asked her, embarrassed that he couldn`t do it himself.

Hex smiled, then took his hand and unwrapped his finger. "Oh, Jesus. How did you manage to cut straight through the bone? You were just chopping vegetables, right?"

Tech sighed, "I really don`t know how I managed it. Would you just hurry, though?"

Hex chuckled, and quickly re-wrapped Tech`s wound, smiling when she was done. "Finished!"

Tech smiled at her. "Thank, Hex." He yawned. "Oh, boy. I`m tired as hell. How are you holding up?"

Hex shrugged. "I`m fine. Why don`t you go on to bed?" But she yawned, too.

Tech looked at her. "Why don`t you sleep in my room? I can whip up another bed really quick." He suggested, pulling out some wool.

Hex blushed. "Oh, I couldn`t intrude like that."

Tech smiled at her again. "It`ll be fine! I insist."

Hex blushed a bit deeper, and turned away to hide it. "Yeah, okay." She mumbled.

Tech took her upstairs to his room, then opened the crafting table and made her a bed. He placed it on the empty wall on the other side of the room from his bed, lest he make her uncomfortable by having them closer.

Hex smiled at him. "Thank, Tech." And then she tucked herself in and fell fast asleep.

Tech sat on his bed, watching her peaceful face as she slept. When he felt his own eyes growing heavy, he laid down and murmured, just before he fell asleep. "You`re welcome, Hex."

ANOTHER LINEBREAK

Rythian woke up to the sound of the front door opening, and carefully got up and walked downstairs. He saw Teep standing there, with a cloaked person at his side.

'Oh, shit.' Rythian thought, walking closer. "Hey, Tee. Thanks for bringing him here."

Teep nodded and exited the building, returning to his post.

The cloaked figure stared at Rythian, then removed his hood. The two watched each other silently, taking in their appearances and how they had changed.

"Hello, Rythian." The tall stranger said.

"Hello, Gulf." Rythian greeted.

The two then broke the serious tension, and hugged each other. "Oh, it`s great to see you again, brother." Gulf smiled down at his younger brother.

"It`s good to see you again, too. But what brings you here?" Rythian asked.

Gulf`s smile faded. "It`s Father. He`s sick again, but this time they say he won`t get over it. He`s not as young as he once was, after all."

Rythian sighed, and looked up at his brother. "I know that, but he isn`t supposed to die from being sick! He`s supposed to die courageously, in battle or something, not by choking on his own phlegm!"

Gulf made a face. "Calm down, Rythian. I have a feeling that he`ll pull through, no matter what obstacles may block his path."

Rythian calmed himself, and pinched the bridge of his nose to prevent his angry tears from spilling. "Yeah, yeah. Okay. I`m calm. I`m good." He looked back at Gulf. "I just don`t want Father to die a death such as sickness. It`s a horrible way to go, don`t you think?"

Gulf sighed. "It is. But there isn`t much that we can do about it."

Rythian nodded slowly. "I guess so." He yawned. "I should get back to bed. You can make yourself a bed and sleep in here, I suppose. We`ll leave at dawn."

Gulf simply nodded, and Rythian trudged off to his room.