The mere sight of Jernlod’s mark sent a chill down Seth’s spine. He wasn’t sure if it was the elf that had left it there, or why. He only knew that he didn’t like it much. He looked at the trail of blood that led deeper into the forest. He was no tracker, nor a hunter. If that blood didn’t suddenly start to dance and sing he wouldn’t be able to follow it through the woods. 
“Well, if he is hurt, I pitty the best that wounded him…” Seth said and sighed before he shifted the body of the nameless woman a bit to his right. 
“Come on, let us get you to a warm bed.” 

When he reached the road again he felt lost. He looked down the roads, but could see nothing that suggested a society nearby. To his right was the inn where he most certainly couldn’t return. And further that way was where he’d come from earlier that morning, not even a farm for several days. And so he decided to turn south and follow the road that had once led to the great city. On his shoulders the woman had started to stir, he suspected she was having nightmares or something like that. At times it became hard to keep her still, and he feared more than once that he would drop her. After one particularly violent outburst he tried to wake her up, but she refused his request once again. This frightened the nobleman even more and made him pick up the pace. Whatever she had done to heal him obviously plagued her greatly and he would be damned if he didn't do all that he was capable of to repay the favour. 

Jogging along the road, he eventually laid eyes on a building. Hope rose in his heart, but it sank when he came closer and saw that it had been badly burned and abandoned. The road split here. One road would take him to the ruins of Veiron, where not a living soul dared to stay for long. The other led to the coast. There was a chance. You didn't build roads that didn't lead anywhere. He knew he’d hit the jackpot when he spotted a sign that said “Rudin”. He’d never heard of the place before, but any settlement was better than none. So focused on his task was he, he didn’t even notice that he’d been followed all the way from the clearing. 

In the village everyone stood still and stared. Seth of Valeria was used to drawing a crowd, but never like this. Everywhere he looked it was open mouths and wide eyes for as long as he could see. It took him a few seconds to figure out why, then he had to step around something on the ground and caught a glimpse of his clothes. This morning they’d been clean, blue and silver, nice cut, both fine and functional at the same time. Now they were red with blood, and had holes on the legs and sleeves. He was muddy too, as was his sleeping companion. He was a bizarre sight indeed. 
“You there!” Seth of Valeria shouted at a man leaning on a rake. “Do you have a medical man in this village? Anyone that can look after this woman?”
At first the man was dumbstruck, then he came to his senses all at once. He dropped his tool and led the bloody nobleman down the only street in the village to a slightly larger house at the far end. A woman clad in white came out, took one look at Seth and forced him into the house. Several times he had to ensure the white lady that he was fine, and that it was his companion she should be looking at, but not until he finally gave in and let her see his non-existant wounds did she listen. 

“She’ll be just fine, she’s asleep, exhausted. What caused this?” The white lady asked after a while. 
“Not sure.” Said Seth of Valeria “I think she performed some sort of witchcraft to heal my wounds, then she fell over and has been asleep since then.” 
The white lady, Seth never asked asked for her name, assured him that the woman only needed to rest for a while, and that nightmares could be considered normal. He opened his money pouch and gave the white lady a gold coin. “It will cover any expense you have to make, correct? Keep the rest. I am sorry, but I cannot stay.” Then he simply walked out, looked up toward the sky just in time to catch the first drop of rain on his nose, laughed a little, and walked away from Rodin.