Hunter Or Huntress

"Jacky?" Tom questioned as she pulled him in tight under the covers. It had been quite a long day by now, so he didn't feel guilty about going to bed early. Tomorrow would likely be another long one after all.

"Yeeeees," she replied, sounding quite content as she got comfortable, an iron grip settling in around Tom's chest.

"Why didn't you tell me you'd had dreams while you were… gone?" No answer was forthcoming as Tom lay waiting, feeling her grip tighten uncomfortably. "Jacky… Too tight," he grunted out, and she released him right away.

"Sorry… I uhm… I thought it would be nice if you had one nice day. You had all this stuff planned and… Well you didn't need anything else to worry about… Nunuk told you, didn't she?"

"Yeah. Could have waited till tomorrow, but here we are I guess."

"Damn nobles wanting to spoil the fun," Jacky joked, though without any real joy in her voice.

"I'm not mad, Jacky, I just… I thought that… You know, we handled these sorts of things together. It's not just you helping me all the time, you know."

"It's just a bad dream. Or vision. Who knows, really? Not the first time I've remembered something from back then. It might be nothing."

"I guess we'll see. It sure has Nunuk worried."

"That whole family worries. The moment they wake up in the morning they start worrying, about taxes, and stocks, and if they remembered some duke's birthday this year. If they aren't worrying, they start worrying they forgot something," Jacky replied, voice still jovial, but Tom saw through it. It was a facade like she so often put up. A strong face for the world to see. One he'd rather hoped she wouldn't need for him.

"It's okay to worry, or to be scared. You know how bad things can go out here. We can't just send a runner for help after all. Unless you count what Deriva can scrape together."

"A tiny little pile of rocks with some crazy people living in it, against the world."

"Yup, sounds about right. With enough crazy, we might just make it out the other side."

"If that's how it works, whoever they are stands no chance at all," Jacky chuckled falsely, Tom turning around in her still weakened grip to wrap his arms around her too.

"It's gonna be fine, Jacky. It's just a dream. Who knows it might just be some jealous smuck that wants us gone, let them show up with a kid of a dragon and his drunk uncle." Jacky didn't reply, but she let him tighten his grip around her as Tom tried to nuzzle up under her chin. "Do you want to talk about what you uhm… saw?"

Tom wasn't actually quite sure how these visions worked, how clear they might be. Perhaps it was a mistake to downplay them like that.

"I uhm… I saw-" Jacky started, voice faltering.

"It's okay, I'm not going anywhere, just like you didn't."

"Iiii-... I saw my home, my old home. Burning. I uhm… I-I saw my dad leave with my brother, but… I-it wasn't him. I don't think it was him. He uhm-... He didn't have a face. You know how it is."

"It's a bit wishy washy, yeah. Dreams don't always make sense," Tom reassured. He didn't understand what any of that might mean, he didn't have to right now.

"... So uhm-... They ehm. They left. Up into the smoke, just like the old nightmares, but then uhm. I-I looked around, and there was a bunch of people there. Fengi, Sapphire, Raulf, little Holdey. But I… They aren't supposed to be there. The screams from up above were there, like before… But I-... I knew the voices. They weren't from Furlong," Jacky continued, jaw jittering as she recalled.

Tom did his best to not interrupt, just be there, he thought that was the best he could do right now.

"... Then there was the knock at the door, just like before. I hide behind Shiva but uhm… It wasn't my mum, I was clutching your leg. You were quite big," she chuckled nervously, pausing for a moment. "Don't normally look up at you."

"There is a first time for everything," Tom said as warmly and as calmly as he could, running his hand down the back of her neck and upper back. "Maybe I should make some stilts. To try that for real."

Jacky chuckled falsely for a moment before sighing. "That would look so very stupid."

"I am the local champion of that, I'm pretty sure. One thing where I got you beat."

"Maybe… I don't think you look stupid."

"Well I know you look sharp as a carving knife. Did anything else happen?"

"Oh right, I uhm. Yes the pounding carried on. Got louder, the door started to shudder, rivets fell out, and fire started leaking around the edges and dripping onto the floor."

"A red dragon," Tom muttered, Jacky nodding.

"Rashan, the one who destroyed our old home. We thought he was going to be coming for us. Instead it was Nunuk and Dakota… Doesn't stop the nightmares though."

"Nunuk is a little better there, you have to admit," Tom tried cautiously.

Jacky let out a shallow sigh, "She is… She was the best thing that could have happened to us there… If only dad hadn't gone up those bloody stairs." She clenched her teeth and forced out the words. "I would have had a father, I would have had a brother…"

Tom didn't say anything; he just held her close. She had told the story before, he knew how it ended. There were only two Furlongs left, and that day was the reason. He could feel how tense she was, like she was fighting to hold on to what she had. But her grip on him was forcefully gentle. Like someone desperately holding onto a delicate wineglass.

"I know… I know Jacky. It wasn't fair. You didn't deserve any of it. They didn't deserve it."

"... Tom… If it isn't just a stupid vision. I don't wanna be left over again," she whispered in his ear, voice quivering.

"...As long as you don't leave me behind either," Tom whispered back after a moment's thought.

They laid there together for a moment as silence reigned, nothing but darkness enveloping the room. She didn't cry, or sob. He thought she probably wanted to. But even here she had to save face. It saddened him, but he understood. She had to be strong. Not for his sake, but for her sake.

"We go together or not at all then, sounds agreeable to me," he offered, hoping to break the silence.

"Deal...So it's like the Royal Guard say, when they want to sound dramatic. 'Into the sky, to victory or die.' Dakota won't be happy."

"Well I can't fly, so she'll get her way in the end," Tom joked, hoping it would be taken well.

Jacky sighed, but she didn't sound mad or saddened. "You silly sod, I'll drag you up there of course."

"Ahr, of course… I guess you're in charge then. Just don't put us in the ground unless you have to."

"Well maybe if you'd kept a diet this winter we wouldn't have that problem," she fired back, the mood lightening. Tom knew she liked bottling up whatever was wrong behind humor and a tough face. Maybe he should let her, it hadn't been a nice sleep from the sound of it.

'I wonder if she had to see that again and again? I hope she only remembered the once at least.'

"Well not everyone can stop eating for weeks just cause it gets a little cold. Besides, I had to taste the pasta."

"It was very good," Jacky replied as she shifted again to get comfortable, one wing stretching over him and wrapping him up. "Thank you… Today was a pretty good day, despite everything."

"Agreed… You wouldn't believe how boring Rachuck can be when he's all you got to talk to."

"Oh shut up, we all know someone came by."

"God fucking dammit… we suck at secrets arround here," Tom said sarcastically. Jacky snickered, shaking her head.

"We really are… But hey, maybe Paulin will be less of a bitch if we are too dumb to lie to her."

"Hooo, I feel an interrogation coming on already."

_________________________________________________________________________________

"You're sure you don't need a hand?"

"The forge is full already, I don't think so. Didn't you have something you were doing before we went under?"

"Book work," Sapphire admitted, not feeling wholly motivated to spend her whole day attempting to do translations of what she barely understood.

"Do that then. You'll skip the bath tonight, too. There is always the kitchen."

"Noooo, thank you. I'm not going after what your boytoy made yesterday."

"Oh piss off, the only boytoy around here is Balathon and he sucks at it."

"Hah true. Best of luck swinging the hammer I suppose. I'll go find a comfy chair in the library. I'd much rather go for a quick spin around the keep. I can feel my wings sagging already.

"So fucking cold though, you aren't staying out there more than a few minutes. Tom had a much better idea. Remember those times we spent 'training' with him, hanging from a bar or pushing yourself off the ground?"

"Yeah? To get stronger, right? It makes sense, people who work hard are stronger than those who don't."

"Exactly so just keep that up for your wings in here. I hang from the doorframe on the wingclaws, feels quite nice."

"I guess that is a thought, isn't it?... Eh, why not? Beats freezing a wingfinger off to get some exercise. Anyway, see you later, try not to burn the place down and all that."

"No promises, Tink is involved after all."

"Then hang him from a coatrack or something," Sapphire replied with a chuckle as she turned around to make for the library, Jacky carrying on down below.

"Brilliant idea, Saph. I'll make sure to get Junior's permission first."

When she made it to the library she didn't find it empty. Apuma apparently had a class in session, and judging from the blackboard today's subject was mathematics. Math had always been part of his teachings, even if it was very elementary. If you could do basic arithmetic on the frontier then you were pretty much set for life. Tom's escapades had shifted the bar a touch on what would be useful to know, so it only made sense the old man was trying to get the children a little further ahead in terms of what they could do.

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"Oh hello Sapphire. Are you here to lend us a hand?" the old man questioned warmly as she entered. She gently shook her head.

"Noo, no. I'm going to be doing some reading. Please, carry on."

"Ahr I see, very well then. Just try not to disturb Linkosta, she too is reading," the loremaster replied, gesturing to the young mage who was sitting at the study bench by the wall with a large tome open, utterly engrossed in its pages.

Sapphire had rather hoped to use said bench, but there was room for two so it should be fine.

"I can certainly try," Sapphire said as she went to fetch her own reading materials. She had been in the middle of a book of Tom's about the history of glassworking. The human had asked that she go through it and look for anything they might be able to make use of. She had no idea what exactly he wanted, but supposedly anything to do with glass and vacuum was important to him.

It did not take long for her to procure the book, Tom's volumes rather stood out on the shelf, with their picturesque backings made of paper rather than leather. Carefully, she pulled it from the shelf and went to sit next to Linkosta, who only then noticed Sapphire had entered.

"Oh hi Saph. Sorry, I will just move over a little." True to her word she picked up her tome and moved over to the side a little so Sapphire would fit. Tom's book was substantially smaller next to the large and intricate tome Linkosta was working on, but as she opened it there were probably twice the number of words to a page, and a lovely picture to look at.

"It really is fun to see the difference isn't it?" Sapphire remarked as she tried to remember just what it was she had been reading while she got out the small notebook she used to aid in her translation work. Her own little dictionary one might say.

Linkosta glanced over and nodded. "Yes, quite. And the pages are so thin and smooth. But they could have spent a little more time on embellishments."

Linkosta's tome did have some very beautiful pattern work all along the margins, and of course the first rune looked like it had taken an artist the better part of a day to paint. It was a handwritten work too, Sapphire remarked. Very expensive stuff.

"Yeah, the pictures are much better though… What are you reading?"

"One of Edita's books. It is about enchanting. She needs me to help her with something she has been working on and I need to learn the new rituals for it."

"Ooooh Inquisition book, that explains all the niceties."

"Yes, it is priceless. But even just making another one by hand would take a year for a very skilled scribe. The backing bands are solid gold and the cover is wingleather."

"The last person who pissed off Joelina. Wings cut and rings melted down," Sapphire joked. Linkosta didn't seem to take the joke that well.

"Please Sapphire. You know Paulin listens."

"I honestly don't think she'd disagree. If she had her way Yldril would be a wall ornament by now I'm sure. Or slaving away until she becomes said ornament quite naturally."

"Maybe… just don't, okay? It's pretty strange to be holding what's left of someone. You know?"

Sapphire shrugged. "Your mother's armor has bits of someone in it. Likely someone quite unfortunate, you know."

"Well I won't ever have to wear that. I will be quite alright with a nice robe."

"Who knows maybe it'll even be silk… Actually yeah, have you heard how Esmeralda, Wiperna, and Ray are getting on with those uniforms they talked about? And the dresses?"

"No I haven't. I'm sure it will take quite a long time. What about Jacky? Wasn't she making something for Tom?"

"She is, yeah. She is quite busy, though. I don't know if she's handed it over, she isn't that great at sewing after all."

"Yes she is much better with a hammer. And we need someone to swing those these days. Tom loves his metal that is for certain."

"Half the things humans make are metal by the looks of things. And the rest is that strange plastic stuff that doesn't exist here. I still don't know how they make it."

"Edita explained it to me actually, Tom must have told her. It's made from oil."

"Oil...? You know what, I'm just gonna not ask any questions."

"I don't understand either, something about tiny snakes in the oil curling together into a birdsnest. It was very weird to listen to."

"Blessed be her heart. She probably understands, though."

"Or doesn't mind not understanding, that is just how it is."

"Smartest move to be honest… Oh yeah question, do you know what that means? It's all over this book," Saph questioned, pointing at the word Propane. "It's that funny lip sound again that he loves. It says Crocakne burner and shows a picture of a flame coming out of a tube. Have you ever heard of it?"

"No, I haven't got a clue. Maybe it's a fuel the burner uses?"

"Like a different kind of uhm… one moment," Sapphire started paging through her little booklet looking for the section she had made on Human materials, running a finger down the page. "Ahr! Cetrol, Detrol Whatever it is. The fuel for his bike."

"It does sound a little bit similar, maybe it's a different kind. Like you have dlan oil and orkid oil."

"Maybe… I think you should ask him, I'm sure he won't mind clearing it up."

"Right yeah. I'll just put that one in fuel then… and question mark," Sapphire muttered as she carefully made the note using her dencil. She could write pretty well, but she needed to be slow and careful if it had to look even halfway decent. She could feel the kind yet judging eyes of Linkosta glance over her work as she finished the new line.

Linkosta didn't say anything but rather returned to her own tome, making effortless notes as she went along without even looking at her own notebook.

'One day Sapphire, you too will make it look easy… It's going to suck to get there though… uuuurgh why couldn't I be a patrol chief instead or something, that would be so much easier… But nooooo Sapphire wants to be a clerk for some reason… Just cause she feels like being useful. Any idiot can patrol. No one can read English… Urgh fuck it, next line… The fuck is a p-u-n-t-y?.'

_________________________________________________________________________________

"Right, everyone ready to get back to work?" Tom half-shouted into the workshop filled with sleepy dragonettes. Only one was truly awake.

"Of course, engineer," Edita spoke up quickly and with reverence, giving a quick bow. "How shall we apply ourselves?"

Everyone, including Tom, gave the artificer a bit of a side eye, and as he cleared his throat to continue Tink joined in.

"By golly I could do with your sprightlyness, Edita. My bones ache and my fingers are all stiff. Can we start there? Something to get a stiff old man warmed up?"

Edita didn't look like she knew how to answer that question; concessions to comfort had never been her strong suit.

"We may start by cleaning up the mess someone has made of my forge while I was not here to supervise," Shiva then added with evident annoyance, still holding the broom she had been so rudely interrupted from using when Tom had so kindly asked for their attention but a moment ago.

"Oh, what is a dirty workshop but a sign things are being done? Besides, it pleases Oleg," Tink was quick to answer, Shiva giving him a glare that betrayed she certainly didn't agree with the sentiment.

"It looks more like Tula's doing in here, and the only thing you do battle with, Tink, is sanity."

"Oh, don't be such a killjoy. We only just got back up, and need I remind you I haven't been on fire for months? You only managed a few weeks before we went to sleep."

"It is hardly my fault someone spilled oil upon my apron," the smith replied with palpable annoyance.

Tom just stood there and watched, quite confident that interrupting would be a poor idea. Edita was waiting patiently and Junior looked a touch embarrassed. Jacky had just started putting things in order while they waited.

"Well it wasn't me, I can assure you of that," Tink declared confidently.

"You wouldn't know if you had doused yourself in the stuff," the smith dismissed as she turned her back to rearrange the rack of hammers.

Tink just crossed his arms in defiance and held his head high. "I can tell the oil by smell alone. And it was shale oil."

Shiva decided she had no need to respond and simply carried on with her sorting, moving to the rows of tongs and pliers.

"Riiight," Tom said cautiously, hoping that was his cue to get back to talking. Shiva did actually stop and look at him, so that was a good sign. "We have a few things we need to get on with. Edita, you have a watercooling system to finish, and we need the second machine gun done. I am going to need some help from you for the heating system as well. And Shiva, you are gonna be on that to start with. We have a lot of casting to do."

Shiva simply nodded, and Edita looked ecstatic, clutching a wrench which Tom assumed functioned almost like a teddy bear to her.

"Tink and Junior, you are going to be making parts for the machinegun. I have finished what I need for the heating system. When you are done with that I have some plans for you. Gotta keep the lathe and mill running."

The pair nodded in unison, the old man smiling kindly.

"Oh and… Well Nunuk wants us done by spring. Poor Rachuck thinks the world wants us dead like usual, so best just make him happy," Tom lied, giving Shiva a knowing glance. She didn't say anything or even nod. She just stared blankly at him like nothing was amiss.

"Hah, of course! The little blighter could be scared by a pointy shadow. No need to worry, we will have everything ready for the lovely spring sun," Tink stated confidently. It wasn't a confidence which was grounded in anything really, but that never stopped Tink.

"Even if we have to work through the night!" Edita added, with unbridled enthusiasm and determination.

Tom allowed a chuckle as he nodded. "Let us hope it doesn't come to that. We have many new things to tangle with. Better to do it right than to get it wrong because we are tired. I am certain you will have plenty of opportunity."

"Of course." She gave a quick bow, eyes gleaming with excitement. She definitely assumed it would be something grand. For once it actually was. Tom needed to have some more discussions on cold steam and mechanics of flight. Who knew what was locked away inside that head of hers? Maybe making gliders for cripples was an old lost tradition, that sure would be helpful. "I will do my best to finish any task in time."

Tom chuckled, "You aren't behind schedule, you were asleep. We will be fine."

"Of course." She gave another deeper nod. "Sorry."

Tom stared for a moment, wondering if he should correct her then just sighed. "Right, Shiva. When you think the forge is ready, we have some casting to do."

The smith nodded and stepped forward, thrusting her broom into his hands, which did surprise Tom a touch.

"Get sweeping then, esteemed engineer."

_________________________________________________________________________________

As Sapphire's work continued, things had started to get out of hand a little bit. Classes had ended, earning her and Linkosta the run of the library. Linkosta had decided to weigh in more and more on Sapphire's work. The mage had tried asking questions of Sapphire in regards to her own work which had not been much use.

Outside of her own magics, Sapphire knew little more than the children about magics and enchantments; she didn't know if Linkosta just wanted a break from her own studies or if the constant questions Sapphire had offered proved too enticing.

Even Sapphire had to admit it was interesting reading actually. This idea of molding glass like clay, she'd never thought about how glass was made or worked before. It wasn't as if they had anyone who could do it at the keep. Well perhaps Edita, but she would leave Tom to find that out. For now her job was to understand this book so she could start translating it sorta accurately. But now she had help.

It also let her pay heed to Jackalope's recommendation. The heavyset chandelier had worked quite wonderfully. You always had to jump into it to light the tallow candles. You could of course use a lighting stick like Apuma normally did. But Kullinger had been kind enough to add in handholds, it would be a shame not to use them. As such Sapphire hung suspended from her wing claws, rising and falling slowly, like a saint of legend who could hover effortlessly. Only the tome she held preached of industry rather than worship and battle.

"For… Dorosilicat glass, the… uhm… Heat… Growth, I think. The heat growth, is defined by… Oh my, an equation. I'll come down."

True to her word Sapphire hung low, wings stretched above her head then let her claws slip from the handholds and plummeted. Her wings drove down, catching her as she alighted gently upon the floor and turning to Linkosta, book in hand. "We'll have to copy this as is."

She turned the book to show the mage, who nodded in agreement. It's not so bad but let's see here. Three times 10 to the negative 6th power-"

"Oh that's how you say that… what does that do?"

"It makes the number very small. One with six zeros in front of it, rather than six behind it," Linkosta explained as she kept copying to the sheet of parchment.

"Ahr right… that's a very small number."

"Yes, that is what it said in the summary, this type of glass doesn't expand when it gets hot."

"I didn't know glass got bigger when it got hot in the first place. The books said metal does too."

"It's strange to think about, isn't it?"

"I'm sure Shiva knew. It must be annoying when trying to forge something. How much does it grow?"

"I don't know," Linkosta answered honestly, looking at the small equation. "But this would be very little… can you remember what the formula for steel was?"

"Lin… I got no gods damn clue," Sapphire chuckled incredulously as she looked to the mage.

Lin slowly looked up from her page to the huntress, seemingly without comprehending what was funny. At least for a moment.

"Oh… oh right," she too began to snicker, shaking her head. "Sorry, I will ask about the goose migration season next time."

Saph nodded and smiled. "Yes, that would be better."

Linkosta looked back down and put the finishing touches on the formula before nodding to herself. "Right what does that mean then?"

Sapphire looked to where the mage was pointing. "At… 20 degrees celsius… That's room temperature I think."

"Rooms can have many different temperatures?"

"Well apparently humans decided there was only one correct temperature, knowing Tom I'm betting it's too cold to be comfortable. But if it's only at that temperature, then what happens with the formula as it gets hotter? Isn't that the point of this?"

"I don't know… maybe K changes? I thought that was a constant."

"Oh godsdammit, we are gonna have to find out what that is, isn't it? I'll start paging."

"Does that mean I need to dangle from the ceiling instead?" Linkosta joked, throwing a side eye up at the still swaying chandelier.

"What, looking to get fit again? Maybe go on a few field trips. Or what was it they called it at the academy? I remember you talking about it."

"Excursions, and I'm not that out of shape, I can fly along with all of you."

"If we slow down," Sapphire jested as she kept paging.

"Well not everyone can be a famous racer," Linkosta replied, crossing her arms as she waited. "But maybe I'll just have to challenge you one day, when I can get Jarix to help me out."

"Riding someone else is damn well cheating and you know it," Sapphire chuckled.

"I have learned dragon magic, and when he wakes up we are going to have to practice. One of the spells in that nice big book I got from Joelina is about transferring energy from one person to another. It's very important; you have to use it for a bunch of other spells."

"What, so you are gonna be flying on a sugar rush without the sugar?"

"I think so. I haven't tried it yet."

"Well I will if you ever get it working, then you're on girl."