Li didn't travel far that day. He camped near the road at a spot he had used many times before on his way to the lake. Strange to think he would have been doing that anyway in just a few weeks time but in such different circumstances if things had gone differently. After a night without sleep and the stress of the day he needed rest. So he sat on a convenient log and swallowed some bread from his bag. He knew he should be careful with the rations his brother had packed but today was not the day to start hunting. After forcing down some food he curled up in his blanket and slept as if dead.

He woke with a start. It was still late. The sun not yet staining the sky. and he was still tired with an aches in every part of his body. But something was moving in the woods near him. The sword, where was it? He scrabbled around at his pack trying to be quiet but also trying to be quick. Finally he found the hilt and clutched it desperately even as he bent all his concentration to listening to the night around him.

He stifled a yelp as a voice split the silence, seeming to come from only feet away. “No sign. He must not have stayed here. We should move on down the road. I want to make sure the sinner feels the touch of my cane before he leaves.”

Simon’s father’s voice. He was here in the woods. He was hunting Li. And he wasn't alone.

Li cowered under his blankets, sword clutched to his side. He had bedded down at the base of a tree and thankfully his dark blanket helped him blend in to its contours. He stayed where he was while the sound of footsteps faded into the distance.

When they had finally gone, and he had gotten his shaking muscles back under control, he stood and gathered his pack and other belongings. His sword he kept in his fist, sheathed to avoid a stray reflection giving him away, although he knew a club would probably be a better weapon given his lack of knowledge. Quickly he made his way deeper into the woods, away from the road and then started following the trail of a nearby river. He knew these woods well and would be able to put a few miles between himself and the camp before dawn.

He pushed himself the next day as well, stopping only briefly to eat and never lighting a fire. Not that he needed it in the fine Spring sunshine but the aches in his body had gotten worse during the night as he made his way through the cold wet trees. As the day went on his throat ached and he wished he was back in his bed. In his home. With his family. He clamped down on that line of thought before it could get too far.

That night he threw himself down and struggled into his blankets without even bothering with food. He woke in the night parched and convinced that there were people in the forest. A panicked march through the darkness stopped when a misstep found him plunging into the cold water of the river. Soaked, cold and thoroughly miserable he crunched under the cover of some bushes for two hours shivering and flinching at every sound. But never once did he hear any of his pursuers.

Eventually tired, sore and wet he fell into a troubled sleep.

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The next two days went by in a blur. Afterwards Li could remember pulling himself to the river in search of water at least three times. There were nightmarish memories of hiding from giant deformed men armed with cudgels who were stalking him through the woods. And there were visions of twisted misshapen Sidhe that leered and called from every shadow beneath the trees and whose jeers and catcalls were carried by the rustle of the breeze in the trees.

But through it all his Sidhe, the one who had stayed with him so long, stood by his side. A soft light bathing its features as it kept silent watch beside him.

Li was never sure if any of it had been real. It didn't seem likely that any Sidhe would stay by his side for so long. They were known as flighty creatures and it seemed unlikely for one to stick to any task. But on the third morning he woke up back where he had started, in the dip beside the river. He was tired but clear in his head and after a few moments he looked around and took stock.

He was still by the riverside. Most of his belongings had been scattered around him and he was ravenously hungry. But otherwise he was fine. Li knew that a fever like that while alone and without proper shelter could have been fatal. He had been lucky. Very lucky. He wouldn't be able to depend on luck like that again.

He repacked his bag, taking careful note of everything he now possessed. Food for a week if he were careful. His water bottle. The sword. A few coins and some clothes that had seen better days. There was his bedding and a tarp be used as a tent as well as his knife and fire-making kit.

He also had his sling. He had spent many days hunting rabbits while walking the fields around the village and had gotten quite good with it. He would keep it to hand and if chance presented itself he might be able to feed himself on the way.

Job done he refilled his water bottle at the stream and set off in the direction of Laoire. He would travel with the river for a few more days. It was bringing him roughly in the right direction but well away from the road. When he had passed by the lake he would angle back to it. That was as far as he had ever gone on his own wanderings and he would be surprised if many from the village had gone as far.

For a second he thrilled with the thought of going so far and the tales he would tell his brother. And then he realised once again that he would not be seeing his brother. And heart sinking he plodded on his way.

Two days later he was making his way back to the road. Following the river had been uneventful. He had startled a couple of deer and a rabbit - the latter had made a great stew - but had seen no sign of any pursuit. Still he had kept his guard up and the sword was always in easy reach at his side. He had decided that lighting a fire in the evenings was essential while he was still recovering but he had been careful to dig a deep fire pit and shield it well from all sides so as little of the light as possible was visible away from the camp.

It had been lonely the last few days but it had also been liberating. He was his own master, there was no Simon to taunt and jeer at him. He had a task ahead of him - get to Laoire - but it was a task he could do. And when he got there? Well he would figure out what he would do when he got there. Li had never been to any other village beside his own, had never been anywhere near a major city. So he only had the stories of the merchants and some few of the villagers who had travelled for guidance. He knew it would be big. He knew it would be busy. But he would have to take the rest as it came.

Now he needed to rejoin the road and make sure he stayed away from any other groups he might find. He doubted there would be a lot of traffic. The village was at the northern end of the empire, well away from anything else and there was little of interest this far north. The road was mainly used by the merchants coming to buy cops and sell their wares. And they would not be expected for some months yet.

Still as he came to the edge of the trees he cast a careful look up and down the road. Seeing nothing he walked out onto the road and started along in the direction of Laoire. According to what he had heard in the village it would take him another full week to walk to the city. His food would barely last that long so he was going to have to break off from the road now and then to forage. But he could do this. He had to.