Ares’ eyes opened. His vision was blurry and he could barely make out the shapes around him as the colours all blurred together. He could hear some distorted noises off in the distance, they were a cacophony of nothingness and somethingness that he couldn’t quite comprehend.

‘Ah right… I need to go and check out the fort.’ He thought as he tried to roll onto his side to stand, but he felt a heavy pressure against his shoulders and then another at his chest. He lay back down under the pressure’s suggestion, but then remembered he needed to go check out the fort.

He tried to speak, though his breath came out laboured. After a few exhales, he managed to get his voice out. “The fort… I need to check… the fort.”

The sounds began to shift together, like rivers trying to intertwine until he could finally hear the voices properly.

“Rori? Lana?” He asked as he blinked away the blurriness and then saw above him the faces. He recognised the faces. There was Lana, staring right back at him. She looked upset, perhaps even angry. Rori was there, his face didn’t show much emotion. Ah right, he normally never did show such emotion. That was just Rori. Then there was the familiar form. A dragonfolk, yes, Asyllia was her name.

“Oh, Asyllia.” He said as he blinked away his weariness, or at least tried to. He continued to try to move, but Lana had her hands on his chest. Rori pulled his hands away from Ares’ shoulders. “What are you guys doing here?” Ares asked, not realising he was within his tent just yet.

Then he watched as a pretty face appeared, her head covered in a scarf. Ares thought for a moment as his eyes worked her features into his mind. She looked different to all the rest, before the name came to him. “Oh, hey, Kayla, what are you doing here?” He said as he bonked the girl on the head gently.

She looked confused, but then brought a small cup to his lips. Ares turned his head, it smelled gross, but then Emerli pressed it against his lips firmly. The herby, grassy, thick liquid poured into his mouth. Ares swallowed it as best as he could, his eyes tearing up from struggling to do so before he finally coughed.

“Damn, someone gimme a cream fizzy, yeah?” He said as he wiped the back of his mouth with a heavy hand and then dropped it beside him. “Shit… what’s going on?” He said as he looked out to everyone. He drew up the blanket, he was absolutely freezing. “I need another blanket, please.”

“You will have to bear with it.” Rori said. “You may grow sicker still if we make you too warm.”

Ares looked at Rori and then started to laugh, his laughter filling the tent and then even echoing beyond it. His eyes teared up and then he pointed to Rori. “Did you hear that? Did you?” Ares laughed and then he looked to Lana. “He said bear with it, bear with it he says, bear!” Ares howled with laughter and then slapped the ground beside him. “I’m dying! I’m dying! Aaaa!”

He kept laughing as Gantal appeared, spear in hand as her eyes darted between everyone. “Gantal! Gan, Gan, did you hear what he said? Bear with it!” Ares threw his head back into the bundle of cloths and kept laughing, tears flowing down his face from how hilarious he thought it was. He eventually was stopped by a coughing fit, and then grew still, his breath coming to him heavy.

“Are you alright?” Lana asked as she pulled her hands away from his chest finally.

“Eugh… I feel like shit. I’m so cold…” Ares said as he looked up to everyone. “What are you guys doing here?” He said and then looked over to Emerli, then back to Asyllia. “Wait…”

Then the memories returned to him, not just of the passed day, but the beginning of his adventure here. ‘Oh shit, right… I’m a King.’ He closed his eyes and then groaned out.

“What happened” Ares asked as he looked up to his companions.

They waited, and their eyes fell to Asyllia. Ares followed their gaze to the dragonfolk woman.

“No one had seen you since yesterday afternoon. The fort had expected you, and when they hadn’t, Heria had sent a message to us and we received it in the evening, when we expected you back. I, along with Saykkera, went out to search for you. We found you off the trail this afternoon. You were crashed in some trees and had a terrible fever.”

“I was out for that long? Well damn… I’m sorry about that.” Ares said as he looked out to everyone. “I didn’t mean to worry anyone, I… thanks for finding me.” Ares said as he closed his eyes, feeling rather embarrassed about everything. He could feel the tears form in his eyes, but he brought up the backs of his hands to his eyes and then let out a low growl.

‘Damn it, damn it, damn it!’ He shook his head and then inhaled deeply. He kept his hands covering his eyes, he didn’t want to see their looks of disappointment that he could see within his mind.

“You seem well, so I will return to work.” Rori said as he placed down something beside Ares and then swiftly left.

“I shall step out to protect the tent.” Asyllia said as she left too. He heard Gantal first step away and then Asyllia follow her out.

Then he remained with Emerli and Lana. Ares finally dropped his hands from his eyes, quickly bringing his eyes beside him as he saw the jug of clay. He tried to sit up, and Lana helped bring his head up as she came around behind him. Ares could see within the jug was some milk, which he happily drank down. It was sweet, and probably the most delicious thing he had drank in the passed few days all things considered.

Once he had finished it, he sighed and then wiped his mouth before laying down onto Lana’s thigh, blushing a little as he hadn’t noticed her repositioning herself. He stared up passed her breasts to her eyes as she leaned over.

“I told you to not work yourself too hard.”

“Yeah…” Ares said as he sighed out. “Yeah. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry, fix the problem.” Lana worked her fingers through his hair.

Ares then rolled his head to the side to look at Emerli. “Thank you.” He said as he closed his eyes, falling fast asleep.