[C] Freedom

"Me too," the boy murmured softly. He didn't want to be haunted by his past through nightmares any more.

This was a new start for him. He wanted to make the most of it.

"Thanks," the boy murmured, setting teh strip of cotton between his teeth as he worked his hair into a clump. He wound the cotton around it and yanked it tight so it pulled his hair into a tight, messy bun.

He didn't care how pretty it looked as long as it kept it out of his face.

"How long until we start travelling again?" he asked softly after a moment.

He gave a hum and looked over head, the sun was already growing dim.

"I'd give it another hour before we pack up and head off. Scouts found a creek nearby, we should head over there if you're feeling up to it and get your neck cleaned up, the cuts should be sealed by now, means we can get rid of that cloth."

Many of the other Elves had already been brought over there by his men and cleaned up, luckily none of them had serious wounds from their masters so they were just cleaned out and wrapped, it would hold them over until they got to town.

Fys murmured a soft hum as he pushed himself to his feet and stretched a little.

His hand stroked over the cloth wrapped around his neck.

Pressing the cloth to the cuts stung a little. They were still sore. They probably would be for a day or two as they healed up a little more.

"Which way?"

Fys liked the idea of getting cleaned up.

"Follow me."

He murmured as he pushed himself onto his feet with a soft groan.

After being stuck on his horse for hours he felt nice to move around, his legs were a little stiff.

Brynjolf nodded toward the denser part of the foliage that had been pushed through, everyone going back and forth had made a little track toward it.

It didn't take long to reach and within five minutes the sound of running water was clearly heard through the trees.

"Now that's a sight for sore eyes."

The creak was a beautiful spot and more than a few of the free Elves huddled near it, washing off their skin of simply laying beside it happily.

The water was fairly shallow but ran down hill, causing little water falls every few meters.

"Looks like they're enjoying themselves."

Bryn chuckled as a little boy they had saved earlier that week splashed water at his guardian, one of his squad an older woman who laughed and chased after him.

"Lets find you somewhere a little more quiet."

He muttered, leading the man upstream to somewhere that he could have his privacy and bathe alone.

Fys followed after Bryn as they made their way to the creek.

When he laid eyes on it his breathing literally stopped. He'd never seen anything so beautiful. This was nothing like the harsh sand and rock of the desert.

His eyes trailed over the beautiful scenery and the Elves enjoying themselves in the water.

This was how he wanted to live. To be free and careless. To be able to splash around in water and truly enjoy himself like these people were.

He stumbled to catch up with Bryn when the man walked in ahead to find him somewhere to bathe, his hand curling in the back of his tunic so he didn't lose him while he looked around in awe.

Bryn couldn't help but grin when the boy chased after him and gripped his tunic, at least Fys was getting more comfortable around him.

He loved seeing the look on the Elves faces when they first saw this kind of scenery.

This was where they were meant to live, out in the open air under the shade of a tree, not his the harshness of the desert.

"This looks like a nice spot."

He muttered, leading the boy to his own private pool of water which bubbled merrily as water streamed in from over head from a small waterfall, not much taller than they were, the large smooth rocks making it easy to climb.

The bank of the water was made up by smaller pebbles which faded into the lush green grasses and smaller flowering plants.

"Your own little oasis."

He added with a smile as he looked down at the boy.

Fys's mouth dropped open as he gazed at the pool Bryn had taken him to.

It was... He couldn't think of a word that could live up to its standard.

The boy's hand loosened before finally slipping away from Bryn's tunic and he stepped forwards slowly. The water lapped at his toes when he finally stepped close enough and his eyes slid shut, just taking in the feeling.

He couldn't remember the last time he'd seen this much water.

He could actually have a bath.

Fys stripped quickly, tossing his corset, tunic and pants aside as he waded into the water until he was waist deep, right now not caring that he was completely naked in Bryn's presence.

The older Elf would just be able to see his back, covered in thin scar and burn marks from being whipped cut and having people's cigars stubbed out on him.

Brynjolf had more respect for those he set free than to watch them undress when it wasn't needed.

Unless they had wounds that needed tending to he didn't allow himself to see them exposed, the last thing he needed was them thinking he was going to make a move on them.

His gaze dropped as the boy stripped, moving to take a seat on one of the larger rocks as the boy had his bath.

He wouldn't leave Fys's presence encase the boy needed him.

The boy turned with a wide grin, pushing at the water. That sent a stream of water directly at Bryn.

"It's amazing here!"

His eyes were bright with a childish wonder and playfulness.

This place was amazing. He didn't think he'd ever see somewhere so beautiful in his time.

He had thought he'd be stuck either in the tavern or being passed back and forth in the black market for his entire life.

"Oi, watch it."

Bryn laughed as shook off as water splashed at him, looking over at the boy with playful scolding now that his body was submerged in the water.

"I'm glad you like it, you'll see much more like it when we hit Kunla, just don't let me find you in the center of town, naked in the water fountain splashing about."

He replied with a chuckle and a shake of his head, it was nice to see the boy happy and having fun.

"Make sure you get clean, it will take two days to get town, don't want you getting an infection."

Fys' lips spread into a huge grin when the man scolded him playfully. The expression made him look so much more alive.

"I'll try to hold myself back," the boy giggled.

But for now he was having too much fun. He wasn't naked in the middle of town. He was naked in a private little pond in the forest on the border of Kunla. He could have his fun.

He sent another jet of water towards Bryn, giggling as he did so a third time.

"Aye, aye, captain." The boy gave a salute as he dropped down into the water so he could scrub at his chest and arms under the water.

He was glad to see the boy looking so happy, the smile on his lips made him look so much younger, seeing his face now you wouldn't be able to guess the life he had lived.

"Glad to hear it."

Bryn laughed and shook his head as he was splashed again, oh the boy was going to get it now.

The Elf moved to the edge of the water and no further, he wanted to give the boy the space he need, but at the same time, get his revenge.

His hands scooped up a large amount of water and splashed it straight at the boy.

The boy stopped dead when he was splashed, looking at the older Elf in shock.

His lips spread into a wide grin a moment later, though. "This is war!" he declared, splashing Bryn back.

He sent stream after stream of water at the older Elf, determined to win this little water fight game.

Fys laughed as he moved around in the water, trying not to be an easy target for the man.

"I war I plan on winning you rascal!"

He replied with a smirk as he was splashed with water, quickly wiping it from his eyes before stepping forward and cupping his hands again.

Each stream that was sent his way was met with a larger one which he launched at the boy with a laugh.

Fys looked like a drowned rat as his wet hair draped over his face.

It was a war that the man, unfortunately, was winning.

Fys pouted as he sent another stream of water at Byrn. He needed a plan.

The plan came to him as he was hit with Bryn's next stream of water.

The pushed all of his body weight into throwing the next stream at Bryn, pushing himself to run right after it.

He grinned as he grabbed the front of Bryn's tunic and walked backwards, yanking the man with him.

He stumbled over a rock and fell backwards into the water with a loud yelp, still gripping onto Bryn.

Bryn barely saw Fys coming as the stream of water got in his face.

He slipped forward as he was yanked, stumbling into the water whilst still fully dressed.

The man spluttered as he broke the surface of the water, wiping it from his eye as he pulled the boy up with him.

"I think you won."

He muttered with a chuckle.

The boy spluttered too when he was dragged up by the older Elf.

When he'd pieced together what had happened, he burst into laughter, eyes closing under the force of the wide grin he flashed up at Bryn.

"I think I did, too."

He'd won that war and he was more than happy about doing so.

It was a fun game and he'd won on top of that.

"Well I'm all ready soaked so I might as well scrub up a little."

He muttered, he was utterly soaked. Leaning down he yanked off his waterlogged boots and tossed them at the shore, followed by his belt, holding pouches and straps for his weapons, which clattered against the rocks.

"Hope you don't mind sharing a pool."

He added as he swam back a little floating on the water in his tunic and pants, his clothes were filthy from travel so he could kill two birds with one stone and soak them here.

The boy shook his head and waved his hand in a little motion.

"Knock yourself out."

Fys returned to cleaning himself up a little, scrubbing weeks worth of dirt and dust off his skin.

His 'baths' over the past few years had been his owners tossing buckets of dirty water at his naked body as he stood out in the centre of town. It was an amusement for the Elementals more than for his own health.

He began humming softly as he pulled the tie from his hair and let the damp curls cascade down his back and shoulders.

Bryn made himself busy, it wouldn't be long until they had to leave the camp and since he was wet he at least wanted to get clean.

He pulled at the string which joined at the back of his head and pulled off his eye-patch, soaking it in the water and cleaning it thoroughly.

He lowered his face into the water and scrubbed it roughly, removing any stains of blood or dirt from his skin.

Reaching over he left the scrape of fabric on a rock to dry in the sun as he too got to cleaning his hair, pulling the tie from his braid and quickly undoing it and washing it.

His arms were scrubbed next as he yanked off his tunic.

Fys wasn't quite as rough as Bryn with cleaning himself.

He wanted to savour and enjoy this. He didn't know how long it would be until he next got a bath like this.

The boy hummed an old lullaby he remembered from his childhood as he cleaned his backside and thighs carefully. It was nice to feel cool, clean water against his body, especially in areas that really needed cleaning.

He moaned softly in joy. He finally felt clean. For the first time in such a long, long time he felt clean.

He wasn't bathing for pleasure, he simply wanted to scrub up for sanitary reason.

When he was less on edge he would eagerly take a nice long trip to the hotsprings in Kunla.

Until they were out of Aedan he worked in a very military style even if he gave small moments to play around and relax.

The man soaked in the water a little as he pulled on his tunic again, attempting to reattach the four strings of his eye covering.

"Little help?"

He muttered as he held them at the back of his head, unable to bow them together.

The boy's eyes flickered up, landing on the man as he asked for help.

He waded towards the man, still humming softly. He took the strings from the man's fingers and tied them into a bow.

His fingers ran idly through the man's hair as his humming morphed into soft lyrics.

"All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost."

His fingers parted the man's hair and he began to braid it loosely.

He rarely took the patch off unless he was bathing, he had seen people fall to infection so he always made sure wounds, old or new, were tended to properly.

Brynjolf stayed still as the boy began to comb and braid his hair. Seeing the boy's attitude change was wonderful, he hadn't wanted to be anywhere near him a short while ago and now he was willingly touching him when he didn't need to.

He hoped this behaviour continued so he could learn to trust that not every man that touched him was going to abuse him.

He trusted that Bryn wouldn't harm him.

The Elf had had plenty of opportunities to do something to the boy and he hadn't. Even when they were press so close when Bryn had fallen on top of him.

The Elf had been nice to him, coaxed him to eat and sleep and cared for him when he was wounded.

Enfys trusted Brynjolf more than anyone else at the moment.

He stepped back when he was done braiding the man's hair and turned back to the task of cleaning himself.