Title: A Ray of Sunlight
Fandom: Avalon Code
Pairing: Implied one-sided Heath/Tia
Warning: -
Synopsis: -

There was a dull thud behind him.

Heath spun around. Tia lay sprawled awkwardly on the ground, her eyes closed. The shock, exhaustion and pain had probably been too great for her, and she had passed out. Maybe it was for the best, the general thought quietly, scooping the girl's thin frame into his arms. She was so light, maybe too light for a girl of her age. Then again, he didn't really know how old she was.

Throughout their entire escape, the girl had been silent. Heath couldn't help but wonder exactly how much hurt was she hiding, and how exhausted had she been.

He had to find a place for her to rest.

He too, needed a little patching up. It wasn't anything too serious, but Heath would quite have liked to get a decent bath and maybe some cleaner clothes.

The name of a place momentarily flashed through his mind; Hunter's Trail. He had an old friend there, and she had a place where both of them could rest.

Heath turned and started the long walk towards the marsh, Tia unconscious and limp in his arms. It would probably be nightfall by the time he reached his destination.

Walking, naturally, gave him plenty of time to think. He wondered why he was carrying this girl to safety; she was Kaleilan after all, an enemy to him and Waisen. But that said, Waisen itself had turned against the general. And she, that girl...

The poor girl had it tough, the palace guards hadn't been gentle interrogating her, and although he had often pretended not to notice the dark marks and pained expression that she hid under long sleeves and a somewhat forced smile, Heath had seen the ugly side of Kaleila's palace. It was amazing how she still managed to love the world with all her heart. She wasn't like that boy, the boy who had brought the book to Valdo and caused all the chaos.

Heath had seen them together before. But they were like day and night, he hated the world while she embraced and loved it. Even after being betrayed again and again, she wanted to protect them still. It was something he couldn't understand. Maybe it was because he harboured that quiet betrayal deep in his heart that he couldn't understand.

She was too sweet. Too beautiful to be hurt, and too helpless in her current predicament.

Pushing past a few branches, Heath stepped through the darkened forest to a patch of glimmering, evening sun. Maybe that was what it was like. A ray of sunlight in the world.

The general continued on, disappearing into the darkened forest. It would be night soon, and he needed to reach Lauca's house before then.

END