Ersia: Raven Dawn

Randia kneels so he can take a closer look at the little girl in front of him. She had a fair face, comparable to the daughters of nobles. Her white skin is sunburned like teak and her cheeks are gaunt. She is quite fair, but unfortunately, lots of spots and blotches clouded her shine.

In truth, for Randia, there is not but one thing that piques his interest. It is none other than the little girl's scarlet eyes.

"Are you going to lecture me? How else do you think I could live if it were not this way?!"

"There is always another way."

"Ha! It's easy, isn't it?! Running your mouth about what should and shouldn't be?! What do you even know about me?!"

". . . The color of your eyes speaks a lot about yourself."

Randia stood up and gave the girl his hand.

"Come with me. We will eat somewhere more proper. After that, we will talk."

"Huh?! What makes you think I'll just follow you like some house pet?! Go screw yourself!"

"Watch your words, brat. You could die much sooner than you think and I can confidently say that I am your best bet. Know that the pain you feel in your stomach at night is not of hunger, but something more horrible."

The little girl is utterly surprised by Randia's words. Her eyes widened as if she was a book being read. The man before her did not even know her name, yet he knew what she was going through. A single peculiar branch of the usually indifferent universe arrived at her door, and she - who had nothing to lose - would take the chance eventually.

"You're not lying . . . right? Can I choose what to eat?"

"As long as they cost less than 20 Rios. And if you mind your words and manners."

***

That noon was the best noon of the little girl's life. She gets to eat all the food that she never thought she could. She even almost threw up because her body was shocked by the sudden surge of stuff to digest.

"Everything is so delicious . . . I wish I had a bigger stomach."

The little girl eyed Randia for a long time. She wondered why he hadn't had any food on his plate yet. She thought of the possibility that he actually didn't have the money to buy one for himself. Out of her guilty pleasure, she decided to make the first move.

"Hey, mister. We don't even know each other's names."

"Do we have to?"

"Of course! It's mandatory to know who's eating at the same table as you! I am Viena. What is yours?"

". . . Ran."

Viena gathered the leftovers of her meal and proceeded to plate them properly to give them a better appearance before he handed them to Randia.

"Here, we shouldn't waste food."

"Then eat it all up. I'm not hungry."

"If you don't eat, then I shouldn't have also," Viena retorted angrily.

The little girl put her fingers to her mouth, trying to make herself throw up. Judging that she might be serious about what she said, Randia grabbed her hand to make her stop. Hence, he ended up doing as she told him and ate his share. Amazed by how Randia eats with all the grace gestures and the big bites, Viena pours another glass of water for him while he keeps staring. She realized that her serving size could barely fill his stomach.

To Viena, Randia clearly doesn't seem like a rich folk. No horse and no fancy leather. He looks like a plain ever-traveling nomadic with little possession to have except for his big rucksack, and he's a rather gloomy one on top of it. So why would he bother himself with someone like her?

"You are weird. Why would you go so far for a total stranger like me? D-Don't tell me, are you one of those slavers?!"

Randia stayed silent and piled up the dirty plates to bring them to the counter, a deed that no one ever did in this part of the world.

"Wait here."

When Randia left to bring the dirty dishes, Viena followed instead. She watched Randia talking to the innkeeper about a room to stay in.

". . . Daughter charges extra, Sir," said the innkeeper as he glanced at Viena.

The man looked around him and found Viena standing right behind him, grabbing his cloak.

"I said we'll only talk. Don't you have somewhere else to be?"

"If you mean another stinky haystack for tonight's sleep, then no, I don't."

"Sigh. You're not going to scram off even if I told you to, are you?"

"That's right!"

Viena grins as she plays around and wraps herself in Randia's cloak. The man sighed as he dug through his purse even deeper.

"Don't give me that look. I will even give you half of my savings for this once-in-three-year experience!"

The girl also digs through her pocket and gives Randia the three Rios which she had held dearly with all her life.

"Keep it. And try to behave."

The both of them move upstairs and get into their bedroom. As soon as the door opens, Viena's excitement bursts into a series of uncontrolled caprices. There are times when Randia must cover his ears and wipe his face wearily. Until the second when Viena wants to jump on the bed, Randia holds her shirt in the air and puts her back on the ground.

"You smell bad. Don't smear it on the clean sheets."

Afterward, Randia and Viena went to visit the local public bathhouse and cleaned themselves there. It is the first time in weeks since both of them cleaned up. Certainly, they are taking their time slowly. It is already 5 pm when they finish with their bath.

The sun's scorching rays are dying and smoothened by the calm horizon. The chilling air starts to swing, and it is time for Viena to finish her bath. She wears the new cheap clothes and shoes given by Randia and takes the dirty ones in a basket to be washed in the river the next morning. Then, she heads out to walk back to the lodge with Randia who had been waiting for her.

"Ahh, I'm feeling refreshed! But honestly, I don't think it is worth paying that much just for a soak . . . We can always use the water from the well, you know! Although we need to stand in line and wait for our turn."

Randia did not reply.

"You are so boring! You need to talk more!"

"You talk too much. You need to shut your mouth."

Viena imitates Randia's words in a mocking tone, but the man keeps walking by. He is too immersed in his surroundings. The way the passersby glance at him when they see him walking together with Viena isn't a pleasant one. The ones with children held them tight, and the ones who don't, hide not their scornful gaze nor cursing whispers.

"Are you not afraid?" Randia asked.

"Of what?" Viena gets closer.

"These people."

"Hm. Right now? No."

"Because you are used to it?"

"Nope. Because you are here, and you are so big like a wall! I wouldn't be walking this far to the middle of the road if I was alone."

Randia sets his sight on the twilight on the horizon. The weight in his chest feels as if it is about to burst. As the innocent offspring of sins in ages past lingers, so does his old will to carry all upon his shoulder. Unkindness that manifests as gazes that are sharp enough to kill a soul is an error of the way the world should be.

For Randia, Viena might be his first step toward the redemption he desperately seeks.