NOVEL NEXT Chapter 10: A Change of Course
Chapter 10: A Change of Course
“Change is painful, but nothing is as painful as staying stuck somewhere you don’t belong”
-Old proverb.
Nina took a deep breath, walking hesitantly through the village’s muddy square towards the only opening on the palisade wall as an ever-growing curiosity took over her, being followed closely by Rudo, her newest dragon friend, and Huno, the village’s chief. They watched as this Fist, as the clansmen called it, rode down the mud-caked road at full gallop, just as first droplets began to fall, marking the end of the until now merciful weather.
A group of bull-riders promptly made it to the village’s entrance, crossing the opening in the palisade at full tilt, coming to a sudden halt before the crowd that gathered to meet them. She watched awestruck as the Clan Irfis warriors dismounted, brandishing their magnificently engraved suits of lamellar armor. She instantly realized they weren’t the rank-and-file warriors like those who helped her with the wardens’ burial. They definitely were of the highest ranks, perhaps second only to the Wardens, and they escorted someone of utmost importance.
This is serious.
-“Welcome sire! We didn’t expect you,” Huno said, lending a hand to help him dismount.
-“Neither I expected to be assigned patrol duties, Huno, yet here I am,” said the Overseer without taking his eyes from the palisade wall. -“You did well in fortifying the village. Anything to report?”
-“Not much sire, but the Priestess brings grim news,”
-“What priestess?”
She watched as Huno turned towards her with an apologetic look, as if desperately trying to spare her some inconvenience, but knowing well he had no choice but to comply. His glance was quickly followed by the Overseers. She gulped when their eyes met.
-“Zako. Take your warriors and assist Huno in anything that he requires,”
-“Aye, sire!”
-“We will talk later Huno, I'll have a word with our Lady first,”
-“As you wish, sire,”
He walked past her, his eyes inquiring at her with a stern look as he headed to a nearing hut. Nina gulped in dreadful anticipation, promptly following him but not before turning towards Rudo just briefly with the same apologetic look with which Chief Huno looked at her earlier, making a half-heartened gesture pleading him to wait outside. Rudo was about to race after her but a knowing Lars impeded it by grasping him firmly by the arm. Rudo tried to free himself from his grasp, baring his teeth, making Lars recoil, but Nina sent one last glance before closing the wooden door behind her finally persuading him.
-“Our Lady cares about you mate. Come, she’ll be fine,” Lars said with a gentle tone, patting him on the back before walking away. Rudo just stared at the wooden door for what seemed an eternity, sighing dejectedly before walking away too.
The building they just entered seemed like an infirmary, with a table in the middle, a pair of chairs, and a few shelves filled with small wooden crates. Nina took a seat on one of the chairs in front of the table while the Overseer sat on the opposite side. They sat briefly in an awkward silence before the overseer broke the silence. -“I am Overseer Farlay Maurer of Clan Irfis, Chief Huno said you bring grim news,”
-“My name is Nina, Nina Valdir, Field Priestess of the Church of the Seven,”
-“I know who you are,” he countered sternly, startling her. -“What I don't know is what you are doing here! You’re supposed to be in Repose with Priest Verkan near the mountains!”
-“I know! But… but the Northmen attacked the village! They killed everyone there! …including Verkan,”
-“Northmen… And exactly when this attack happened?”
-“Last night, sir,”
-“How did you survive?”
-“I ran away and hid in the forest! I went back to the village this morning but it was razed to the ground! We battled a small group of mercenaries and a mage! We managed to defeat them and left them there tied! You should send warriors to apprehend them!”
-“Northmen?! Mercenaries?! A freaking mage?! What’s next? The damned God Slayer?! You do realize how ridiculous your story is, do you not?”
-“I know it sounds crazy but I’m telling the truth!”
-“Do you have any proof?”
-“Only this,” Nina said, producing the larger one of the spellcasters, placing it across the table to the Overseer’s complete shock, who recognized the device immediately. He stared at the metal contraption with an ominous look, not daring to even touch it.
-“You foolish girl! You should have killed him when you had the chance!” he growled, livid, lashing out at Nina fiercely.
-“I’m sorry, sir. I just couldn’t bring myself to do it!”
-“And who the hell is this ‘WE’ you just talked about?!”
-“Me and Rudo,”
-“Rudo?! You wasted THAT name on that thing?!”
-“He’s not a thing!” Nina countered defensively, only to realize to her utter horror she might just put Rudo at risk. Shit! She frantically tried to cover up for him again. -“He’s… uhh… err… H-he’s my servant!”
-“I thought priests were not allowed to own slaves,” the Overseer replied, raising an eyebrow.
-“Well... he's not actually mine, sir. Uhh… he… H-He belongs to my family!”
-“Then he joined you before or after the Northmen attacked the village? Then hastily brought you all the way here in less than a day?” he inquired again with a stern tone. Nina knew instantly that he already knew she was lying, to her utter horror. Shit!
The Overseer had proved to be terrifyingly intuitive. She gulped, feeling cold sweat down her face and hands. She was just about to try to make another vain excuse when he interrupted again. -“No, he...”
-“My Lady,” he spoke with a quiet tone, looking at her straight in the eyes, sending chills down her spine. -“I will not say anything about this but you need to come up with a better lie,”
-“I’m sorry, sir,”
-“How am I supposed to believe you if you cannot trust me with the truth?! And even worse! You are insulting those who died protecting you by lying!”
-“I’m sorry, sir. I-I just…”
-“You are protecting that thing. Why?” Nina found it impossible to reply. She instantly realized he wouldn’t stop questioning her until he could dig out the truth. Continuing lying was pointless. -“Did he hurt you?!”
-“No, sir,”
-“Is he threatening you?!”
-“No, sir. H-he’s helping me!”
-“He’s helping you?!” he inquired yet again, bemused. -“And you trust him?!”
-“Yes, sir! Absolutely!”
-“Why?!”
-“Because he saved me twice already!” she dared to reply, pausing briefly to catch her breath. -“He hasn’t given me any reason not to trust him! He may be too blunt sometimes, and maybe a bit dumb but he’s been trustworthy!”
-“So far,” the Overseer countered, pondering briefly about her words, allowing Nina to calm down before continuing with his questioning. -“And how can you be sure he won’t change his mind later?”
-“B-because we have a deal,”
-“A deal!? You do realize how stupid that is, do you not? How do you make a deal with a beast?!”
-“H-he’s not a feral animal, sir!” Nina growled defensively, to the Overseer’s astonishment, only to instantly regret her words. -“I mean, he can talk! I’ve promised him food! He’s childish, and perhaps a bit aloof, and insensible, but he’s fast! Really fast! And amazingly strong too! He’s been kind to me, sir, and I’m sure he wouldn’t hurt anyone without a good reason!”
-“And now a dragon that talks, and makes deals…” the Overseer said. -“You need to know this, miss. That filthy creature has been stealing from our villages for the past two months! Its tracks are unmistakable! By Clan law, he has to be punished, but I’m willing to overlook this minor offense if he's indeed helping you. But I would keep an eye on him if I were you,”
-“I’ll keep that in mind, sir,”
-“Alright, enough of that monstrosity. Listen carefully miss, Clan Irfis is going through a dire predicament! We share a border with Clan Kano in the west, and Clan Aureon in the south, both of them ancient enemies bent on harassing us,” he explained. Nina leaned closer, listening carefully. -“Outlaws from the Dead Lands attacking caravans in the east at the strait that Imperial outposts simply let pass through, and now Nord raiders landing up north, thousands of them,”
-“Our warriors are exhausted and overextended; they are too few in numbers and spread too thin to protect all the territory. The late Lord Burgan did his best to revert our current situation with help of Priest Verkan but it will still take many years before their reforms bear fruit. Meanwhile, we have to do what we can with what we have,”
-“We made a truce with both Clan Kano and Clan Aureon. Both of them agreed to halt their raids while we mourn our late Lord, but it's only a matter of time before they resume their incursions. The Northmen probably felt encouraged by the Lord's passing that they just launched a massive assault. I've got reports that almost a hundred ships landed in the beaches near the cliffs, just a few leagues north,”
-“Lord Nero is currently facing the main invasion force. You said that a smaller force infiltrated to strike our rearward, correct?”
-“Correct!” Nina said stoutly. -“They were fifty at least! The larger force is just a diversion so the smaller one can have free reign!”
-“How do you know that? How are you so sure?”
-“The mage told me,”
-“And you believed him?!” he retorted fiercely, startling Nina. -“You shouldn’t believe ANYTHING that comes from that man’s mouth! You do realize he could have just lied to save his neck, do you not?!”
That made her recoil. She paused briefly, taking a deep breath to calm down. She’s been feeling all worked up by the Overseer’s sheer animosity, and her heart has been prompting her to just snap at him. Part of her really wanted to. That would show him how to treat a lady! But the other part knew very well that would only make things worse.
But even though the Overseer has been nothing but unpleasant, she had to concede he probably had only the best intentions in mind, at least for his Clan. She has been incredibly cautious about revealing the truth behind her plight, ever since learning about it. However, the Overseer proved to be terrifyingly
sharp and practically extracted what he wanted out of her. Still, Nina felt it was her own fault since she was the one who lied to his face in the first place.
She knew she had no choice but to trust him.
-“I know,” Nina said, producing a small rolled scroll from her pockets and placing it over the table. -“But he showed me this, so I think he was telling the truth,”
-“What is this?” he asked, taking a closer look at the scroll. His jaw dropped. He glanced at her and back at the scroll again, not believing his eyes, his sharp mind racing at all the possible ramifications. -“By the Gods... Are you telling me this is all because of you?!”
-“I don’t know what else to think, sir,”
The Overseer realized immediately the colossal mess she was in, trying to imagine what she felt. She couldn’t trust anyone. She couldn’t rely on anyone. And now she was sitting across the table, confiding to him her predicament. An immense regret took over him for how harshly he had treated her until now. No wonder why she sought that abomination’s help.
-“You did well in concealing this information,” the Overseer said, handing the scroll back to her. -“I’m certain people from Clan Irfis would never betray you, they put an extreme value on their honor. But I wouldn’t be so sure about other Clans; they would probably sell you out at the slightest chance. Don't share this with anyone, do you understand?!”
-“Yes, sir,”
-“I need to inform Lord Nero immediately. I will send my personal guard to apprehend this Mage if he’s still where you left him. Do you have any idea who might have put that bounty on you?”
-“No, sir. Your guess is as good as mine,”
-“I see,” he said, pondering briefly, stroking his chin. -“I will tell you what I think. If this incursion has anything to do with the bounty on you, it had to be planned by someone with enough resources to arm a small army, someone with enough influence to convince the Northmen to attack us exactly at the moment we are the most vulnerable. Someone with well-positioned spies to give accurate information of our organization, AND your whereabouts. With the specific knowledge on WHEN and WHERE you would be in our territory. This cannot be a coincidence,”
Shit! He’s damn right, Nina! This is huge! But what should I do?!
She already thought about the sheer magnitude of the events that transpired in the past few hours, but she never imagined it could have this reach. If the Overseer theory was correct, it means that someone, somewhere, funded, armed, and mobilized an entire Nord fleet, and a massive army just to get to her. But why?!
-“Is there someone like that in the Highlands?” she dared to ask.
-“I can think of a person or two, but I have my doubts,” he said, closing his eyes, and sighing powerfully. -“This looks like the kind of trickery that Imperials would do. No clansman, no matter how wicked, would ever dare to mess with the Northmen in this way. If you are targeted by a conspiracy of this size, then it's probably a power play against your father,”
Her heart stopped.
-“I have to warn him!” she blurted out in response, standing abruptly from the chair and making it topple behind her, startling him.
-“Don't be foolish! How would you do it?!” he countered fiercely. -“He is on the far side of the world! You cannot send a letter from here, and even if you could, it would take months to reach him! You need to focus on your own survival!”
-“I'm sorry, sir,”
Of course! After pondering about it just briefly it suddenly made perfect sense why so many people were after her! They were trying to get to her father through her. After all, HE was the important one, the world-renowned Mage Slayer, Warlord of the Six Clans, Bane of the Empire, and the Hero of Midland. She was just a little nobody that just happened to be his daughter, who still hasn’t even made a name for herself in these god-forsaken lands, and nothing more.
But if those plotting against her father were willing to reach these lengths to kidnap her to be used as political leverage against him, that also meant her estranged half-brother, her beloved Elliam, also was in great danger. Oh no! Her heart suddenly clenched inside her ribcage, filled with absolute dread as the realization hit. She instantly began to cry. She had already lost her mentor Verkan, she still hasn’t moved on from his tragic death, and now she faced the possibility of also losing her dear brother.
Elliam! Please, not you! Please Gods protect him!
-“Are you alright?” the Overseer asked, noticing her sudden change of mood. She wiped her tears with her now-clean sleeves. -“You look troubled,”
-“I’m fine, sir. Is just…” she said, contemplating her response briefly but unwilling to go down that route, promptly changing the subject to a less painful one instead. -“Never mind. May I ask how you know my father?”
-“I can’t think of anyone who doesn't know your father. But we’ve actually met you know, many years ago during the war,”
-“You fought with him?”
-“I fought against him,”
-“A-a-against? I thought you were from the Clans!”
-“I never said that,” he countered. -“Do I look like a clansman to you?”
-“I can't really tell, sir,”
-“I am a Teberian, miss, but people here refer to my kind simply as Imperials. It is just a generalization but we usually have green eyes,” he said, pointing at his pair of emerald green eyes that caught her attention. -“I met your father on the battlefield, fifteen years ago. I served in the Imperial Army during the war and was taken as a bondsman,”
-“Bondsman?”
-“You know nothing about the Clans, do you not?” he countered, suddenly feeling empty-headed. Right! Verkan already told me that!
-“Not much to be honest, sir,”
-“I understand you grew up secluded in your isles and that you spent some time in the Empire, that's correct?”
-“That’s correct, sir,”
-“I see,” he said, pondering his next words briefly, stroking his chin. -“A bondsman is a prisoner forced to work as a slave for a period of time, but instead of whip and chains, you are bound to your captors by your own honor. I was badly wounded during the war, so I was no longer fit to fight. I wasn’t able to escape either. They assigned me to the worker caste, as a farmer. I was given menial tasks at first, but after some time passed, they began trusting me with more responsibilities,”
-“They trusted me, and treated me with dignity, and once I served my time they offered me a place among them. I contemplated the possibility of going back to my home, but I realized life here was much better than in my homeland. These people treated me as one of their own, despite me being an outlander. The late Lord Burgan realized my potential and appointed me Chief Overseer a few years ago. I'm one of them now. You realize if the situation was the other way around, I would have probably been worked to death as a slave of some twisted Imperial noble, do you not?”
-“I do, sir,”
-“Alright. Listen carefully, miss,” he said, suddenly changing the subject, and earning her complete attention. Whatever he was about to say seemed important. -“You need to head south to Dawnfall. A brand new cathedral was built within the city walls some years ago. There is the local headquarters of the Church. You should be able to find protection, and lift the reward with their help,”
Wait! What?! This can’t be! Her heart nearly stopped, she couldn’t believe her ears. Nina had hoped that Clan Irfis would keep her safe now, especially after that entire ordeal. But now he was just giving her instructions on what to do next. He’s practically asking me to leave! -“So you won't help me?!” she asked, indignant.
-“What exactly do you want me to do?!” he countered, startling her. -“We are facing an invasion, miss! An army of vicious Northmen, thousands of them! Even if Lord Nero was here, I doubt if he’ll be able to guarantee your or anyone’s safety! And even if he could, what would you do?! Staying here for the rest of your life?!”
-“I think it will be better for us both if you leave Clan Irfis territory while you still can. You understand how desperate our situation is, do you not?”
-“Yes, sir, I understand,” Nina said begrudgingly.
-“I wish I could do more! Believe me!” he let out, understanding her righteous discontent. -“But I also need to keep my people safe, and sadly, your presence here also endangers them. There just isn’t much I can do with our current situation. I think your best option is to keep on the move, especially since everyone seems to know you're here,”
-“Lady Nana's caravan parted yesterday, but if that… thing was able to bring you here in only half a day then you should have no trouble catching up with them. Dawnfall also happens to be their ultimate destination. They went south to Clan Aureon's lands. It is the longer path but is also the safest,”
-“Clan Aureon has far more warriors in their ranks than us. They should be able to provide protection and deter the Northmen from pursuing. She also hired her own escort of sell-words so the rest of the trip should be safe. It’s a long trip but that's your best chance,”
-“Yes, sir,”
The Overseer stood abruptly and walked outside, stopping under the porch, watching the heavy rain pour. Nina promptly followed him. He summoned Zako, the leader of his escort, who swiftly reached him, instructing him in the Imperial tongue, with an accent so thick that she could understand only one word: Wizard. Zako quickly assembled his warriors, mounted their bulls, and then took off East at full tilt, toward their new search mission.
The Overseer stepped under the rain, hastily mounting his ride. Huno and Lars raced through the muddy square, braving the rainfall to meet them. They were about to speak when the sudden bellowing of the Overseer’s personal mount interrupted. Farlay reined his trusty bull, walking to the anxious-looking trio under the porch, ignoring the intense rain, and ready to depart. They exchanged awkward looks briefly before he broke the silence. -“The longer you stay, miss, the most likely that anyone looking for you to find you! I suggest you depart soon! The sooner the better! If you need anything just ask Chief Huno, I’m certain he will provide you with anything at his disposal if he hasn’t already,”
-“Our talk will have to wait for another time, Huno,” he said, now talking to Chief Huno who stood at attention. -“I need to report these news to Lord Nero immediately! As for you, miss, good luck. You are going to need it,”
-“Thank you, sir,”
He took off violently, riding his mount at full tilt. Nina watched him disappear into the dense, faraway mist with mixed feelings. Did I say thank you?! I meant, thanks for nothing! Although she was extremely disappointed by how things turned out, she had to admit begrudgingly that the Overseer was right, and he had only the best interests.
Sooner or later, you’ll have to sort this out, Nina. And the sooner, the better.
-“My Lady, are you alright?” Huno asked, interrupting her thoughts. -“You seem agitated. What did you talk about?”
-“Yes, Chief, I'm fine. We just talked about the attack,”
-“I see. I humbly apologize in the name of Clan Irfis, My Lady. The Overseer can be a bit overbearing sometimes,”
-“Just a bit?!” Lars said jokingly, robbing her of a smile.
-“Don’t worry, Chief. You did nothing to apologize for,”
-“My Lady, you are the most kind,”
-“We finished the defenses while you were talking,” Lars pointed out. -“Your servant has been of a lot of help!”
-“Where is he?”
Lars pointed to the palisade. She turned instantly, quickly spotting Rudo standing under the chilling heavy rain, silently watching her from afar. Her heart tore apart, feeling a pang of immense guilt. Not only the Overseer shoed complete disdain for Rudo, but he also had to go along with her lies, and fake being the exact thing that Rudo himself despised the most.
A slave.
And not only he went along with it, but every single thing he has done until now has also been for her sake. She sighed; their previous argument promptly came to mind, only making her feel even worse. What have you done, Nina? You owe him big time! You better make it up to him later!
-“My Lady. It is past noon already, but we made lunch for you,” Lars said.
-“Thank you, Lars, I’m really hungry! I’ll be with you in a second,”
Lars hurried to the kitchen, venturing again under the rain, being followed by Huno who nodded before parting, leaving Nina by herself. She turned to Rudo again, who stood still silently near the entrance, his eyes closed as if he enjoyed the piercing cold rain striking against his mostly naked body. Part of her almost wished to join him, while the more reasoning part shook the childish thought out of her head. Don’t! -“Ptss! Rudo! Over here!”
Rudo opened his eyes, blinking before looking at her, finding Nina waving at him, motioning him to come. He obliged immediately, slowly making his way under the rain and through the grey mud of the town’s square back to the porch where she waited. The loud growling of her stomach reminded her of the lunch that Lars offered but she wanted to talk with him first.
-“Wat’s this?” Rudo asked, marveling at the rain like a fool to Nina’s amusement, who smiled fondly in response. -“I’ve never seen water falling from the sky! It feels good!”
-“I’ve told you you could use a bath!”
-“This never happened where I came from!”
-“It’s called rain, you dimwit! It’s a blessing from the Gods! Or it’s that it never rained in the Badlands?”
-“Nah, the Gods don’t like it down there very much,”
-“Oh, I forgot you don’t believe in the Gods,”
Even though Nina outright insulted him in his face, he didn’t seem to mind. Quite the contrary, he seemed fond of her calling him names, curiously enough. Well, it was me who came up with a good name for him after all! She didn’t mean it with malice, or at least that’s what she kept telling herself, and since those names always came with an endearing tone and Rudo didn’t seem to mind, she thought it would be okay to keep teasing him mischievously. Hehehe. -“Hey! I’m going to eat lunch now. I can save you the leftovers if you like,”
-“Really?” he asked excitedly, drooling all over -“Dat’s cool!”
Nina sighed in relief, smiling broadly. It was like Rudo completely forgot about their earlier fight, and returned to being his usual curious, recklessly childish self. He kept looking at the sky, waving his tail back and forth, and gaping like a fish, marveling at something so ordinary that everybody gave for granted, but that he experienced for the first time in his life.
The past few hours have been a horrific nightmare for her, having lost her mentor Verkan, and almost being ravaged by the rampaging Northmen. Rudo had not only saved her, but he also alleviated some of her pain with nothing but that stubborn, foolishly naïve yet positive attitude.
Again.
The clansmen’s politeness ended up as a nice surprise but also forced her to behave formally and show proper etiquette. Verkan was the closest thing to a friend she ever had, and losing him broke her heart into a million pieces. He taught her to always respect traditions above everything else, and she had the chance to actually be herself around him but only to a certain degree. Despite his best intentions, she never dared to completely confide to him her deepest dreams and fears that she could only unveil when secretly reading her forbidden books.
Although she trusted Rudo, Nina still had to be cautious around him. Despite being around the same age as her, or even younger, that inhuman strength of his still terrified her, especially when he was mad. He didn’t seem malicious, or even uncaring, but she wished to remain in his good graces as much as possible. Even though it was unlikely, she didn’t want to even risk finding herself on the receiving end of his nastier, more dangerous side.
Oh. But she wouldn’t waste this chance to tease Rudo, especially since he was in such a good mood. It was better than keep brooding over things outside her control. She thought it was high time for lunch and was about to go to the kitchen but not before teasing him one last time. -“You better get ready because I’ll bathe you when I come back! You stink!” Nina yelled at the top of her lungs to Rudo’s shock, promptly turning and running away, leaping from one porch to the next one not to step on the mud.
-“Hey! I’m not stinky!” Rudo countered, sniffing his own body just to contradict her words. -“I’ll eat your soup! Dat’s wat you’ll get!”
Nina opened the heavy wooden door upon reaching the building, pulling one final wry face to an utterly appalled Rudo who could only bare his teeth in return. She ran inside the dining room to escape his ‘wrath’, slamming the colossal door behind her. Silly Rudo! That surely did a number on him! She leaned against the door frame, letting out a long, powerful sigh, not believing that she was actually laughing. What is this?! I shouldn’t be laughing like this! She took a deep breath, her mood promptly taking a nosedive again, but the fact that Rudo made her genuinely laugh, even if just briefly, meant she could feel hopeful for the future. And right now she needed it.
She found her lunch already served at the head of a long wooden table, also finding Lars at the corner, working thoroughly on a lengthy piece of white linen that would become a new set of clothes to replace the oversized ones she currently wore. Nina took one of the several wooden chairs arranged upside down over the table and took a seat. She craved enjoying a decent meal at last after a whole day without a bite, clasping her hands for a quick, silent prayer.
-“Enjoy your meal!” Lars spoke across the room.
The meal instantly caught her attention, a smoky soup with beans and peas with a handful of small pieces of unknown meat that had been recently reheated, which she proceeded to eat enthusiastically. But said enthusiasm promptly died down after the first sip. Yuck! Nina took a bread roll from the centerpiece basket, noticing their rock-hard firmness immediately. She broke the bread into smaller pieces with a spoon, plunging them into the soup to soften them. Rudo’s previous words quickly came to mind.
He was right. It isn’t good. It isn’t good at all.
Poor Lars. He must have cooked lunch in a hurry under the threat of a possible attack. Although the unsavory meal paled in comparison to Lady Nana’s feast, Nina was starving to even begin complaining. The last thing she ate was the weasel she overcooked in the morning and the few bites she took barely filled her. If I actually ate that thing, I can’t be picky with the food now! She sighed downheartedly, deciding to get over it and finish the soup already. The solid bits at the bottom of the bowl proved far more appealing than the soup, and the dissolved chunks of bread were actually nice.
She stood up, taking a pair of bread rolls to share with Rudo later, thanking Lars on her way out, swinging the door open only to be met with an increasingly stronger rain outside. Nina just stared at the rain, deciding to remain indoors watching Lars sewing skillfully the different linen sections together in silence. It was astonishing how that pair of giant hands showed off their skills with both needle and thread, but witnessing Lars sewing just briefly was enough to make her sleepy all of a sudden. Having spent more than a day and a half without an ounce of sleep finally took its toll on her.
Lars promptly noticed her half-asleep state after a notorious yawn despite her hardest efforts not to. She’s been battling the sleep and it was evident she was losing. -“I’m so sorry!” she blurted, apologizing profusely although Lars didn’t seem to mind, offering the same shack she took a bath in for her use since none of the buildings provided any sort of privacy, or even comfort, not even the living quarters. Nina just nodded in response, utterly embarrassed.
-“I’ll be back,” he said, putting his needlework aside and leaving the hall. Lars ventured under the rain, rushing to the largest building at the far side of the square, avoiding the pools that formed in the mud. Nina waited on the porch, striving to remain awake as her eyelids became heavier and heavier by the second. Rudo spotted her from the far side of the square and promptly raced to meet her, sporting a worried look, being greeted by a grimace and a smile, much to his relief.
-“I thought you were crying,” Rudo said.
-“I’m just tired,”
They saw Lars returning with a large burden over his head. Rudo rushed to help him Lars gently turned him down since the mattresses, sheets, and pillows barely weighed anything, instructing him to bring the spare stakes of the palisade instead. She couldn’t help but smile, her heart warming as she watched both man and dragon helping each other and working together seamlessly in what was probably the first time Rudo interacted with someone other than a slaver.
Was this a side of him he refrained to show to others? A tenderer, altruistic side fueled by his protective instincts, contrary to the savage, animalistic picture she first thought of him. It was amazing how Rudo, Lars, and the clansmen by extension, had way more in common than they even realized. They showed an inherent helpfulness that came naturally to them, and a righteous, giving heart that was so rare, and yet so desperately needed these days, just like the heroes of those fantasy books she enjoyed so much. A far cry from the barbaric Nord raiders that were after her.
Verkan was right. There’s something magical about this place.
She’s been suffering from a minor case of headache for the entire morning that just recently worsened into an unbearable migraine due to extended sleep deprivation. Nina craved some urgently needed bedtime yet dreaded the inevitable journey to dreamland as she knew awfully well she wouldn’t meet her dreamy Knight in shining armor but most likely the accursed Northmen that even in her dreams wouldn’t leave her alone.
Lars promptly built a makeshift bed for her using the stakes Rudo just brought. It took him just minutes to cut the wooden trunks to the correct length, nailing the structure together into an austere but firm piece of furniture. He put the mattress and sheets in place, making the bed ready. -“Finally! A bed worth of our Lady! I hope you find it comfortable,”
-“Thank you, Lars. I really appreciate it,”
-“Sleep well, My Lady,” Lars said, promptly closing the roof’s hatch as it remained open, and rain poured inside incessantly, quickly filling the bathtub completely. His towering height allowed him to reach the hatch, and close it effortlessly. He then covered the bathtub with a lengthy wooden plank that previously rested against the stone walls, turning it into an improvised table, and finally closing the door on his way out.
Nina hurried to inspect the bed, finding it reasonably comfortable if a bit stiff, although she wasn’t exactly in a position to even complain. At last! Rudo just stared at the bed, having never seen anything like it before, and then looked at her utterly confused, to which she smiled in return. Silly Rudo! It was odd, to say the least, how he went from an annoying pest to a trustworthy friend in just half a day.
-“I guess girls sleep on these things,” Rudo said
-“Rudo, you’re the only one who sleeps on the floor,”
-“But I do sleep! You’ve been up the entire day!”
-“It’s not that I wished to stay awake!” Nina lashed out, only to pull back regretfully. She didn’t mean to lash out, but the pain had made her overly sensitive.
Oh, I almost forgot! -“I’ve got this for you,” she said, producing a pair of hardened bread rolls from her pockets. Rudo took them, and immediately began to eat, to her amusement. -“I guess your bath will have to wait for later,”
Rudo bit off a sizeable chunk of the hard-rock bread effortlessly. He turned to Nina, finding her already resting on the bed, deciding not to disturb her in her sleep. -“I’ll be outside,” he said in a soft tone.
He headed outside when something pulled him from his wrist. He froze. Wat’s this?! Rudo slowly looked down at his wrist, finding Nina’s hand gently holding it, to his absolute shock, feeling a sudden fuzzy uproar twisting his insides that was certainly not the food, cold sweat down his face and hands, and his own heart beating wildly against his chest, threatening to rip through his ribcage. He gulped. Wat the hell?! He had cheated death many times before and didn’t even sweat. Why was this suddenly so terrifying?!
-“Please, stay with me. I don’t want to be alone,” she said.
-“S-s-sure,”
Rudo sat on the floor, leaning against the bed to keep an eye on her, taking the chance to sleep as well, as helping the villagers to dig trenches for the defenses also took a toll on him. Nina fell deeply asleep soon after, but not before sandwiching his oversized hand between her own delicate pair, feeling her rogue hair strands, and even her warm breath between his fingers, leaving Rudo wondering why in hell was suddenly so freaking difficult to just pull his hand from her warm, tender grasp. Even though he didn’t believe in magic or in any God, he just couldn’t ignore this. Wat kind of power is this?!
Despite not knowing what the future would hold, or even the kind of dangers they would face, there was one thing Rudo was absolutely sure of. He didn’t even know why, but he was sure of it.
He would never let any harm come to her. Not in HIS watch.