Not long after finishing the bottle of Sake, Mereoleona called for everyone to vacate the spring and begin the long journey down the volcano. Dawn was approaching when they reached the bottom, and even the crimson lioness had to admit exhaustion. Yami had tried to suggest they rest once they reached the bottom, but the fiery Vermillion refused to hear him until Charlotte too started complaining.

"The young ones are falling asleep on their feet." She said, glancing back at Noelle specifically.

"Then they need to break through their limits."

"Isn't that my line?" Yami muttered, cigarette dangling from his lip. He caught it before it fell. "Besides, Sissyleon, wouldn't they stand a better chance at tackling whatever crazy stunt you've planned for next after they've rested a bit? Most of them are running low on mana in addition to basic physical exhaustion." He had started out the journey down mildly tipsy, but now they were at the bottom, he had completely sobered up. "Unless you've got someone who can use spatial magic down there and we can all go home."

"No can do on the return trip, but I guess a little rest wouldn't hurt." She admitted.

"You must be tired too. You didn't even threaten me for calling you Sissyleon."

Mereoleona glared at him.

"We can't stay in the wild mana field though. We'll have to get outside it."

Charlotte looked back at the line of knights, young and old stretched out behind them. She hadn't felt this tired since the first time she had marched out with the army when she was barely older then the kids struggling to keep up. Noelle and Asta were having to practically carry each other out of the field, and even the genius young wind mage seemed to be wavering. She glanced over at Yami who kept rubbing his forehead every few minutes. He didn't seem tired, or not nearly as tired as she felt, until she looked up and saw him fighting to keep his eyes open as well.

As tired as she was, she didn't see the rock jump up out of nowhere to trip her. She didn't have the energy to stop her fall. She resigned herself to hitting the ground.

Until she didn't.

"I've got you." A deep voice said near her ear. It made her toes curl and her heart race as she turned to the sound. Yami was so close she was certain he could feel the pounding of her heart. His arm was wrapped around her waist, pulling her close to him as he helped her straighten up and regain her footing. "You alright?"

She was breathless as she looked at him.

"Yeah, I, uh, I just tripped."

"The heat's making me a little dizzy." He rubbed his forehead again.

She knew he had quick reflexes from seeing him fight, but having him catch her so easily while being dizzy made her wonder how quick they really were. He started walking again, and she followed a few paces after. She was dizzy too, she realized as she scanned the ground for any other stray rock and roots. Though she was not sure if it was the heat or his touch that had caused it. She blushed and she couldn't help it. Not now, not when she was so tired.

When Mereoleona called for them to stop, most of the group collapsed gratefully to the ground. Outside the wild magic field, the air was cooler, more humid, and the ground was damp. It felt good against her back as she laid against the grass and looked up at the fading stars in the sky above. She closed her eyes. She was drained, of energy, of mana, and frankly of her will to do anything except sleep.

"I'll take first watch." His deep voice announced. She turned her head toward the voice as he settled down with his back against a tree. How he was still conscious, she didn't know. She sighed.

"I'll take second." She heard herself say. The burden of watch and guarding the group fell to the captains after draining the junior knights so completely. She heard Mereoleona agree to third watch before she passed out.

Yami watched the contingent sleep and felt his own eyelids growing heavy as he watched the sky turn from gray to pink as the crept over the horizon. He thought he would just close his eyes for a moment when a sound made his eyelids snap open. When he turned to find the cause, he saw her coming his way.

"You aren't supposed to relieve me for another hour or so." He shifted away from her as she sat next to him. He did his best to keep his eyes focused everywhere and anywhere except her. He felt his face go red and hoped it was still too dark for her to see. He felt like he was a kid again, sitting next to her and he didn't know why he could watch her bathing from a distance, but close up be so nervous. He did his best to hide it, of course, behind his trademark snark and sarcasm.

"I couldn't sleep. It's too hot." Her head thunked against the tree trunk they shared. Despite their distance from the wild mana zone, the residual heat from the volcano kept the air warmer than expected.

He hazarded a look at her. Her eyes were closed and her lips were slightly parted as she breathed. He caught her yawning, and echoed the action.

"Stop that." He said through a second yawn. She chuckled, smiling a sleepy smile. Her eyes were still closed in the pinkish light before the sun broke over the surrounding hills.

"Sorry."

He yawned a third time. He forced his eyes open so he could see her so unguarded. He had only seen her so open once, at most twice, before.

"She used us, you know. Mereoleona." She said, her eyes still closed.

"Yep. I can never tell if that woman is a genius or just crazy."

"A little of both, I wager."

"You're probably right."

He watched her profile as the first rays of light struck her skin. He wanted to kiss her. He wondered what she would do to him if he tried.

"You should get some rest." She turned toward him, catching him staring. He swallowed hard before nodding. He leaned his head back against the tree and closed his eyes. His mind was foggy with exhaustion, but sleep would not come. He couldn't get comfortable and his head throbbed with the growing light.

"Lay down." She suggested. He sighed and tried to stretch out, pillowing his head on his arm. He heard her sigh as he still tossed and turned.

"It's been a while, hasn't it?" She looked out at the sleeping knights all sprawled in various ways across the ground.

"Since?' He looked up at her.

"Since we marched off to battle, since we shared a campsite like this. Things have been so quiet, until recently. I mean, ten years ago it felt like we were handling major offensives by the Diamond and Spade Kingdom every other week."

He yawned.

"It has been a while since I had to sleep on the ground." He shifted around again. "I forgot how hard it can be."

She chuckled. And then she sighed. She looked out at them once more, worry lining her face. He looked up at her as she watched the group at large.

"This isn't like those times, is it?" She asked quietly after a long silent moment.

"Nope."

"Do you think we got him?"

"What do you mean?"

"The traitor. Do you think Gueldre was working alone?"

He sighed and sat up, propping his elbow on his knee to support his head.

"Marx's magic showed he was, didn't it?"

"It did." She looked at him. "But something still feels, I don't know, off. As much as I hate to admit it, you've always had good instincts."

He chuckled.

"Rare praise from the Queen of Thorns? What is the world coming to." He jibbed as he sat up fully once more.

She groaned and shook her head.

"But no." He scratched at his face. "I agree. There's something we're missing."

"You have an idea, don't you?"

"My gut tells me one thing, but all the evidence says otherwise."

"So what does your gut tell you?"

"Something's up with William." He leaned his head against the tree trunk once more and closed his eyes.

"Mine too." He heard her whisper as his exhaustion finally overcame him.

Charlotte waited for some other confirmation of her uneasiness with the growing threat, but when she looked over, Yami had passed out. His head had lolled to one side and his breathing had slowed. She realized they had just had their longest ever conversation and she hadn't panicked or froze because of his mere presence. She watched him sleeping, seeing the lines on his face relax, making him seem far younger than he was. It reminded her of when he had broken the curse, what seemed like a lifetime ago now.

She yawned. It was still a few hours before Mereoleona was to relieve her, and then a few hours more before they would head back to civilization. She knew she would have to stay awake, but she found it difficult to resist the steady rhythm of his soft breathing.

Mereoleona stood and stretched, feeling refreshed and ready to march everyone back to civilization. The mid-morning sun was shining through the tree cover as she looked around at her squad and the few others she had 'recruited' for the special training mission. Most of them were still snoring away, though a few were beginning to stir-notably the magic-less whelp from the Black Bulls and the Blue Rose amazon who had tagged along. She looked around for the other two captains she had dragged along in her path. She found them asleep against a tree. She raised an eyebrow as she noticed how they leaned against each other and how their arms seemed interlocked. She smiled.

"Maybe I shouldn't have interrupted his looking after all." she muttered to herself.