Chapter 14: To Storm-tossed Seas
He turned his head, seeking and finding Urianger's gaze. "You mentioned some plan to get us to the Tempest. I'm all for whatever it is but I am in no condition to be moving on my own. If you can afford me time to rest during the journey, delaying our departure any longer seems silly."
Urianger nodded. "I assure thee rest awaits should my efforts pay off."
The shivering finally started but he did what he could to quell the chattering of his own teeth. "You doubt your own plan?"
"Merely the execution, for it relies on the assistance of an ancient fae entity whomst lieth in rest to the south and west of the hamlet of Sullen."
He blinked. "I might be able to help with that." Before anyone could counter his words, he called out, "Feo Ul?"
"My [adorable sapling]! You've learned to call me at last! And with company, no less. Where do you go? On a trip? A journey? I knew you wouldn't give up without a fight!"
He smiled as the pixie spun in the air in a happy twirl. His teeth chattering made it difficult to talk. "Can we have your assistance for a time? Urianger wishes to ask an ancient fae entity to take us to the Tempest and I would like for you to assist him with it."
"Oh, my precious mortal." Feo Ul drifted closer, his happy expression falling slightly. "I shall help you in any way I can!" He couldn't get a hand free but Feo Ul didn't seem to mind as the pixie pressed their foreheads together. "It is good to see your company is taking good care of you. Your aether is still quite the mess but it looks better." Feo Ul drifted away, holding his gaze. "Barely but it's better than what it was. Now, don't you worry, my little [sapling]. You are in good hands."
"I'll try not to," was the last talking he was going to manage as his chattering teeth destroyed most of those few words.
Thancred shifted his hold around Echo'a, dragging him higher into the man's hold. "Let's see about getting you warmer, shall we? Alphinaud, Alisaie. Come here for a second."
There was a lot of muttering over his head but he lost it to the chattering of his own teeth. What little movement they were putting him through was causing pain to flare throughout his entire body and he shrank from it. Two sets of arms wrapped around him as Alphinaud and Alisaie pressed their faces to his shoulders. With apparent ease they curled around him, boxing him in to a bundle of warmth that he sank into, Thancred's coat still draped over him.
He didn't remember falling asleep but he could remember the hazy attempt to wake up when a deep, thunderous voice washed over him. Alisaie and Alphinaud were tucked close on either side of him and the view he had was of Alphinaud's lap and torso and whatever they were sitting on beyond that. Both of his hands were clasped in one of each of the twin's and he could feel a slow trickle of aether drifting in from Alisaie, like she couldn't bring herself to stop.
-he couldn't bring himself to follow suit. If he stopped, Haurchefant would die. If he stopped-
[What a rare thing to awaken to,] the voice had said, dragging him from the precipice of a spiral. [My beautiful king. If it be thy wish, then so shall it be done.]
His grip on her hand tightened as he faded again.
He woke groggily to the sound of shifting sand and running water underlying the voices of his friends.
"Ah, I had hoped to manage that without waking you," Thancred said, grunting as he shifted under him. And it was truly under him. For some reason he was laying on top of Thancred.
He curled closer to Thancred's chest, his face finding the base of Thancred's neck. Thancred's hand in his hair carding through it before running over an ear. "What happened?" The words were gruff. He needed some water.
"Essentially, we were dumped off a whale's back onto the ocean floor while you napped." The muscles of Thancred's neck shifted. "He's awake."
He opened his eyes at that and found several pairs of boots standing beside Thancred: both the twins and Y'shtola, which left Urianger and Ryne unaccounted for. Alphinaud knelt and offered him a soft smile as Y'shtola said, the words amused, "Let it not be said that you are incapable of protecting an unconscious charge from a terrible fall." Alphinaud and Alisaie gently tugged him to his feet. His legs took his weight with minor complaints. "That was quite the impressive feat of acrobatics."
"I try," Thancred grunted as the man stood. Somewhere during his stint of unconsciousness, Thancred had taken his coat back and the man promptly started brushing sand off of it. He reached out to help and gained an amused little smile for the effort. The twins joined him and Thancred was thoroughly patted by three pairs of hands, leaving him free to oggle the spectacle before focusing on the remainder of the group. "So, where to from here? I rather doubt Emet-Selch will be sitting around out in the open. If no one has any better ideas, I propose we follow the slope down towards the deeper trenches, and keep an eye out for rock formations large enough to house a stronghold."
Echo'a brushed his hands off on his pants to rid them of the last of the tacky feeling as he stepped away. Alphinaud - still brushing sand from some stubborn crevice - voiced, "I have no objections."
Alisaie rolled her eyes and tugged her brother away. "He's clean enough. Come on."
Thancred clapped his hands together; sand drifted down from his gloves. "Let's be off, then─but watch your footing. The ground is still wet, and like to be slippery."