"Hey."
Somewhere a voice echoed throughout her head in a muffled tone. The girl, or rather the person lying semi-unconscious on the ground could not muster a proper response.
Her arms felt like liquid, along with her legs and torso. Even if she could move, there was no telling how far she could go before passing out again, or perhaps even worse. And right now the voice calling out to her sounded completely incoherent.
"So I'm assuming from your lack of response that you can't speak? Either that or you're dying."
Somehow even through the foggy mess of her brain, the girl could understand what this unknown figure was saying.
'A voice... but who is talking?' She thought to herself as her eyesight blurred in and out, desperately trying to adjust in order to find out who stood near.
"Great, you're definitely alive... At least from what I can tell. That's a lot a blood though, rather beautiful since its coming from a girl who's equally gorgeous. But it doesn't appear that you can move at all, what a shame."
Just who was this person saying such ridiculous things?
From the tone, she could at least deduce that he was a man, or rather a younger one. His voice didn't sound like it had completely matured, but the way he spoke... sounded much like he'd been through his fair share of hardships.
This mysterious girl lying on the ground in a pool of her own blood, discarded in the middle of an unknown forest, seemed different than an ordinary female.
The man standing over her could tell that from a single glance. Even with that deep gash embedded in her lower back staining her entire form couldn't hide that fact.
He rarely saw women like her, ever.
Medium/long, thick and untamable dark brown hair, smooth lightly sun-kissed skin, a curvaceous figure adorned with a black skin tight body suit that covered her from head to toe, and located around her left hand and right ankle were several bangles where each one looked like they were made of expensive materials. If she hadn't been severely injured, the boy would have considered her a rare beauty indeed.
However, that was not the case.
What he saw right now, was a pitiful creature slain by some type of bandit or brigand blade, whimpering in silence.
'What a pathetic sight.' He thought narrowing his eyes.
If a person could not fight to live, then why have that person exist in the first place? Anyone willing to go down so easily may as well be dead.
Meanwhile during his mental interrogation, the girl struggled to make any movements. There had to be something that she could do in order to get his attention, less he leave her right then and there.
With all her might, she struggled to get any part of her to move in any means possible. Anything to let the mysterious stranger know that she was in fact fighting for dear life in order to survive.
She didn't have a choice.
There were too many things to be done. Revenge she had to achieve for everything that had been done to her before ending up in this pitiful state. And she would be damned if things would end here.
"Well, if you're going to die, then do it already. I don't have time to waste on deadweight." The boy sneered before turning on his heel and taking a step away.
Oh, perhaps before leaving he should take those pieces of jewlery. They would most likely fetch a fair price at the black market...
It was a great surprise however, when he suddenly felt the grip of something wrapped tightly around his ankle.
Curiously, he tilted his head backwards. The strength of her hold had genuinely impressed with her resolve as he shot her a smirk of satisfaction. "Now would you look at that? That's a good girl~" He cooed facing her once again. "You impressed me. Who would've guessed that the little vixen had a bite to her bark?"
With every remaining reserve of her energy, The girl propped her upper body with her arms, finally meeting his gaze.
A young man, maybe 13, no 14, with short, white, wavy hair and tanned skin in tattered clothing stared back down at her. Even with a patch covering his right eye, the sneaky expression plastered on his face made her heartbeat pick up a few ticks due to caution, regardless of whether or not she could defend herself.
He noticed her slight change in demeanor and grinned defiantly.
"Wow that's quite a look. Are you interested in me?"
Ignoring his comment, she knew that it was now or never to ask him for help. If she took any longer, then death soon approached.
It took more than her remaining energy to speak, even then, she was limited to as few words as possible.
"H...e-lp... Pl-eas...e."
And as suspected from someone who looked like a troublemaker, the question that she had foreseen spilled from that mischievous mouth of his in a singing drawl.
"And if I do~?"
If she wasn't in so much pain, the girl would've decked him in the face, but since she didn't have that luxury, she replied as simply as possible, "Re-tu...rn... f-fav-or..."
And with that... She lost consciousness once more.
~oOo~
Hours later, dawn was approaching. The slight orange from the sun mixed in with the infinite darkness of the Nohr kingdom; like always it appeared that the morning was losing its battle to the night. The sky would never get more than that same sliver of sun, truly a disappointment.
Right now though, the boy had other problems. To be more specific, there was literally a 130 pound weight resting against his back.
Before picking her up, he made sure to tightly wrap the huge gash on her back with the cape he had worn around his shoulders. To a normal person, they might not have seen that he was a boy of many talents when it came to using his hands... In more ways than one he might add.
"Oh well, at least I can feel her chest pressing from behind. Wow~ They're quite soft." He quipped playfully, almost hoping he'd get a response... but unfortunately, she still seemed to have been knocked out from the lack of blood in her system.
The hours of silence on his way back to the kingdom felt stiffling. But this was how it always was... So then, why is it that he craved the acknowledgment of a strange woman whom he had just met?
He sighed internally at his twisted self.
How pathetic could a single person be? Wrestling with their usual routine just because some girl showed up by his feet during a scouting session after a job had been completed. In the end he had no particular answer.
But there was one thing he knew for certain when she first made eye contact with him.
The undeniable fire in her eyes.
In his short and painful existance, there were few people that he bothered to remember, but out of everyone the he'd encountered, there wasn't a single person who shared the same intensity.
In that brief moment when he looked into those bright hazel orbs of hers... they shone so brightly that it was blinding.
In all honesty, he had intended to leave her there to rot in death the entire time he had approached her... But when she looked at him like that, with the strong intent to survive; he knew that he was hook, line, and sinker.
"S-is...ter..."
The sound of her voice was faint and cracked. It truly was a miracle that she was alive. In fact, he hadn't expected her speak for at least several more hours until she received treatment. And did this girl have a sister? If she didn't then mumbling something like that was rather redundant. Either way, it wasn't his business, nor did he really care.
Perhaps that was his cue to carry on faster. The medical tent was within his viewing distance, so he picked up his pace to a slow jog so that he wouldn't accidentally open her wounds.
"Hang on there princess, we're in the clear."
Rushing into the same tent that had tended to his own wounds for the past few years while carrying a woman on his back nearly sent the entire staff into a frenzy.
"Goodness! What on earth happened? Did you do this?" One of the three nurses scolded.
Grinning, the boy snickered and said, "Oh please, the only time I'd do this much damage is in the bedroom."
The doctor and remaining nurses sighed before gesturing to hand the fainted girl over, mumbling something about how a punk like him would say a vulgar thing like that as a response. They then quickly got to work by laying her down facedown in a rolling bed frame and pushed her inside the surgery room.
"Wait here."
It would once again be a few hours before he got any word of her progress. In the meantime he would sneak in and out to visit the local markets, buying snacks and food from the stalls, and occasionally perhaps a small weapon or a certain type of poison that could help him in his next assignment. Anything to really kill time. The last job he'd accomplished paid him handsomely, so he had the funds to spend, even on frivolous wares. Besides, he wasn't really concerned with how the mystery woman was doing. If she died, then yes, he most likely wasted his time on a lost cause... But if that expression on her face back in the forest meant that she was serious about living, then he had nothing to worry about in the first place.
After returning to the tent for the last time with an apple in hand and various goodies in the other, the doctor emerged with bloody hands and a large sigh.
"So? Did the miracle girl survive? Or did she die miserably?" He asked without emotion, biting into his apple as if instances like this were a daily occurrence... Which they most likely were in his line of work.
"She's alive. The stitching process was terribly intense considering how deep the wound was, so it took many hours of meticulous silence in order to make sure they were woven correctly. Right now she's resting, but it appears that she's going to be conscious soon. When that happens we'll inform you. However... If you wouldn't mind me asking, where did you find this young lady? She barely flinched when performing the surgery, and I say that in awe because we ran out of anesthesia halfway through. Is she a soldier?" The doctor furrowed her brows at the notion.
In response the younger boy laughed and shrugged replying that he didn't know a damned thing about her or her past. All he knew was that there was an equal trade. An eye for an eye as one would say.
"Listen doc, I just happened to come across her in the woods last night and we struck a deal. I scratch her back, and she scratches mine. Simple as that."
Exhaling bitterly the doctor shook her head. "That sounds just like you. Was I a fool in believing that perhaps you had finally found someone that you could trust?"
"Trust? Oh please, as if a thing like that is earned so easily. What? Did you imagine that I took one look at her pretty little face and melted into her arms like a lovesick puppy?" He spat back.
"Ahem. Yes, well then... If you excuse me." The doctor bowed before returning to the other room for check ups.
'Me trust her? Are they mad?' The very thought stumped him. No one is his area of expertise could fathom the idea.
But whether he wanted to admit it or not, it was a fact that deep down... He craved for that special connection with another person. Whether it be with a comrade or this woman... Unfortunately for someone like him, that was impossible.
A few more minutes went by when the nurses exited the surgery room and conveyed the message that the girl was finally conscious. However, before they could finish their statement that he should wait outside for one more moment, he practically flew into said room, only to be greeted with the injured girl's half naked form, with only a small blanket covering her from the waist down. She was still laying down on her front, but the view of her smooth skin and side cleavage was quite an image.
"Oho~" The boy leered at the sight with a strong expression of approval written all over his face.
"E-Excuse me! Sir! I thought the nurses to told you to wait while we dressed the patient!" The doctor yelled, mortified.
"Sorry about that doc. But don't get all defensive just because she's got more to look at than you do, if you understand what I'm getting at." He replied maliciously.
The surgeon's face turned bright pink, before she regained some of her composure. "Listen here! I said get out of here right this instant! I will come get you once we've finished dressi-"
"Its alright doctor. There's no need."
Both the boy and the woman were shocked to hear the other party in the room speak in the middle of their spat. Simultaneously they turned their attention to the girl and were surprised to see her leaning up on her forearms, giving them a relaxed stare of silence.
"Like I said, its alright. I need to speak with him alone anyway, so I'll be fine." She reassured.
"But-" Noticing the intensity in her hazel orbs, the doctor could not say another word. Instead, she sighed and gave them both a curt bow before leaving the room, but not without glancing back one more time for the girl's sake.
"Just be careful, Miss. He seems sketchy, but trust me, its because he is. He's an utter lech, so be careful what you say to him." She warned finally taking her leave.
"Aww, how cute. That's the nicest thing anyone's ever said about me~" The boy cooed, sarcasm clearly laced in his words. "So then little vixen... You have quite the confidence to be showing a man that much skin. Are you trying to seduce me?"
The girl, clearly not buying his act sighed and laid back down turning her head so that she could at least face him when speaking.
"You and I both know I'm not doing anything of the sort. So... what is it that you want from me in return? Judging by your looks, I'd say you're either a thief or some form of vigilante. Although with that awful personality, I would guess more the former." She frowned.
"Well, well; it seems like we have a bona-fide detective on our hands. I guess now that you owe me your life, I can at least confirm you're correct in deducing what my profession is. That's a keen eye you've get there, in fact it seems too keen." His eyes narrowed as he continued. "So then... would you mind returning the favor and sharing whom exactly you might be? I doubt you'd receive an injury like that for being ordinary, not to mention living through all of this as if it were a daily routine."
The both of them fell silent for a spell. Tension was high when she finally spoke.
"I assume what you're implying is that you're actually interested in uncovering more about me, so I will tell you one thing. I am not like you. I don't have a short lifespan or weak recovery when I am injured. I heal quicker than a mortal could ever imagine. I remain in the same form after millenia without ever gaining a single wrinkle, and the life of anything other than my own species seems to pass in the blink of an eye. To put it shortly... I am not human."
Expecting the thief to react with shock, the girl was taken off guard when he simply smiled and said, "Well I figured that much. Do you think I'm an idiot?"
Instead, it was she who was surprised. At a loss she stared at him with a dubious expression.
'He isn't phased at all from what I can tell. That's rather impressive... what an oddball.' She thought.
"Heh, judging by that look, you're at a loss. Would you have preferred I screamed in horror or questioned you with stupid queries of how it was possible? Sorry to tell you this, but that's not really my style." He shrugged before leaning against the wall.
The smug grin on his face made the girl furrow her brows in irritation. "You are... quite annoying."
And with that the thief laughed for the first time in a long while... Only this time, it was genuine.
"Cheeky." The girl scoffed.
"I believe the word you're looking for little vixen is 'Insolent.' When someone laughs at a line like that, its the only word that properly fits the situation, especially coming from a pretty little mouth like yours. But besides that, would you mind specifying what it is that you actually are?"
She narrowed her eyes. This boy was the epitome of vulgar, in every sense of the word. They way he spoke, moved, and carried himself was enough to send her into automatic dislike towards him.
However, a deal was a deal, so she had no choice but to answer his question.
"I'm a being that holds the ability of transformation. With a certain type of stone, I can shape-shift into my true form, a beast whose power reigns over all others minus the gods themselves. But to put it in human terms, you hail us as creatures of legend, the Dragon clan."
"Ahh, so instead of a fox, you're a slimy lizard."
Oh if only there was a way the thief could capture her next expression on a canvas. The way her eyes widened in pure disbelief and anger was quite a sight to see, one that he'd gladly like to see again.
"EXCUSE ME?!" She growled, baring a few pretty fangs that he overlooked before.
The saying if looks could kill definitely applied to this moment. If he were anyone else, they most likely would have fainted in fear or dashed away as fast as they could... But him, he let out an even bigger laugh than ever before.
"Ahahahaha! Amusing, so amusing! Bwahahaha!"
At one point he was snickering so hard that he gripped his sides that were beginning to hurt.
She took notice of this and calmed down just as quickly as she had lost her temper, glaring at him with disgust. How could a single person be so... so...
'Insolent...'
It was minutes afterwards that he'd finally managed to calm himself down. The boy was certain he burned a fair amount of calories from his outburst. Satisfied, he turned to see her sulking, pouting lips and all as she stared at the ground trying to avoid his gaze.
This caused him to chuckle once more, once again catching her attention.
"It was not that funny..." She grumbled.
"Apologies oh great Dragon lord, I had no intention of insulting her highness." He replied with a bow that seemed way too over-dramatic for her liking.
"You can cut the theatrics. And please don't call me that."
Peering up from his position, his eyes widened when the girl sat up, exposing her naked upper-body before quickly covering herself with the blanket. It was only a split second due to how swiftly she moved, so unfortunately he was unable to capture a peek of the beauty before him.
"Well aren't you daring. Be careful little dragon, in your weak state, there's no telling if I'll pounce or not~" He teased.
This time it was her turn to laugh. "Ha! You and I both know that regardless of what you say, you're all talk and no action; at least when it comes to women. Besides at your age, you've probably been reduced to peeping on females in their bathing chambers rather than actually seeing one whose actually aware of your presence. What you witnessed just now was most likely the most you'll ever see in your lifetime."
Suddenly his grin turned to a frown. The first one that she had seen since they started this little rendezvous.
"Oh? Could it be the thief is finally at a loss on what to say?" She snickered.
'I suppose I deserved that.' He thought to himself.
"Yes, well, moving on; you and I have unfinished business to discuss, so you're right in saying we should cut the chit-chat."
"I've already told you about myself. So what more do you want to know? I'll answer if its within reason." She replied.
Humming softly, he tried to think of what other information he was curious to discover about this strange girl. But what else could he possibly be missing? Oh...
"Your name."
She blinked rapidly at the inquiry.
"Excuse me?"
His expression darkened when he repeated himself. "I asked you to tell me your name. I can't cash in my favor if I don't know what to call you."
The question was indeed intended for communication purposes whenever they carried out their deal, but above all else, the boy couldn't deny he was merely interested in finding out who this girl was. What was her story? How did she wind up half dead in the forest?
Who was she?
"That information is classified."
The boy's hands balled into fists. Damn it all. Had she figured him out? And here he thought that his poker face was perfected after all these years. But then something she added to the sentence caught him off guard.
"Its classified... Unless the favor is returned of course."
The room fell silent for a moment, only for the thief's laughter to break the tension again.
"Did I say something amusing?"
He waved his hand in his fit of giggles signifying that she was incorrect in assuming such a notion.
"Not at all. I just wasn't expecting something like that. I think I can have a lot of fun messing with you... Yes its settled, today you are hereby deemed as my unofficial informant! Whenever we each need information from each other, we will seek the other out. You and I will work together until I decide on what I want you to do for me as payment for saving your life. In return, I will help you build a reputation here in the underground of Nohr and help you strive until everyone is aware of who you are. Does that sound like a good deal, little dragon?"
That conniving expression of his was exasperating. But in the end, the girl could not deny that she had nowhere else to go. She had lived in the outskirts of Nohr for a long time, but never within the city walls. It would be quite a change for her. Not to mention she still had the matter of finding her adoptive sibling whom she lost along the way of her endeavors to carry out... And what better way to find her than through a thief with endless connections?
"Fine then, its a deal."
"Perfect, sounds like a date~" He replied winking while blowing a kiss.
'Now I just have to figure out how I'm supposed to deal with such a crude man for my remaining time here.' She thought sighing.
"Like I said, cut that out. If you're like this in your pre-pubescent stage, then I'm worried to see what you'll become when you actually hit maturity."
Grinning he responded by leaning forward, close enough to where their noses were almost touching, and whispered suggestively, "Yes I like a woman who can talk down to me like that. In all seriousness though, you paint quite the picture. With a face and figure like that, you could easily become a performer."
"What a coincidence... It just so happens that I already am one. Also, your face is too close. Unless you don't want to keep those dashing features, I suggest you take a step backwards." She warned.
Her remark caused him to grin wider. "That's pretty kinky, even for a dragon girl~"
And with that, he finally managed to break that straight laced expression of hers when a small blush tinted her cheeks. It would seem the use of more vulgar language was what tipped the scale... In the next moment, she used her hand that wasn't holding up the blanket to push against his chest, making him stumble backwards a couple of steps.
"Now, now there's no need to be so rough. Everyone's first time should be gentl-"
"Enough!" By that point her blush darkened from light pink to dark red. It appeared that she was finally reaching her breaking point.
'How fun~' He thought.
At this moment he noticed the way she averted her gaze and clutched the blanket close to her breast, almost as if she was trying to calm the frenzy of her heartbeat. She took several breaths until she had returned to her normal demeanor. Only one thing stayed the same...
"Those rosy cheeks of yours are quite fetching. I must say that's an interesting look for a diety such as yourself. Are you trying out the bashful princess persona now?"
'I swear I'll bite his head off.' She glowered.
"If you're done being salacious then let's return to the matter at hand. Understand this thief, I have no intention of associating with you more than necessary during our mutual agreement. So if you're looking for someone to tease and do lewd activities with, search elsewhere."
"Oho, so the dragon finally drops the god-complex facade in order to speak her true feelings. How admirable. Fine then, I'll try to contact you only when needed. However, it might be difficult for a man like me to stay away from a goddess such as yourself."
This time she laughed with malice.
"A man? You're no more than a boy who's barely hit his teens."
Smiling he replied, "Be careful, this 'boy' is perfectly capable of pulling off jobs that you could only imagine. Not to mention in your current state, I could easily snuff out your existence with a clean stroke of my knife."
"That overconfidence will be your downfall one day, don't forget that."
"That's rich coming from you and your current condition. But yes, go ahead and scold me as much as you like, I'll be sure to take it in stride."
Both ends stared at each other in a stalemate. This silly "conversation" was going nowhere.
"Listen... This won't work if all we do is bicker. We have to come to some sort of truce." The girl sighed.
"Oh please wise goddess of dragons, do tell me how we can solve our issues since you know everything."
"THAT... That right there. Listen, I never claimed to know everything. If what you thought you heard misinterpreted as my saying I am the all knowing diety of the universe, then you are severely mistaken. You were the one who jumped to that conclusion, not I. And on another note, I am not that much older than you are, so you can stop assuming my age as well."
It took him a moment to think over their previous exchanges, and she was indeed correct. There was never a point where she claimed to know everything, nor did she reveal her true age.
Perhaps he was in the wrong... Much like usual.
Taking note of her stern but calm expression, he felt a bit swayed and relaxed more as a result.
Damn, he'd faltered again.
Standing up straight, he gave a small bow.
"You're right little dragon. What you said is true, and I was wrong for assuming such things. You were also right in saying that our partnership should be more civil. So then... Truce?"
She eyed him closely, genuinely surprised that he was so apologetic. Perhaps, in his own twisted way he was a good person deep down. Although it would take a lot of digging to discover the full extent of his character. But from what she could deduce; maybe he acted this way because of all the hardships he'd endured throughout his short life. No... That was definitely the reason. Whether or not she chose to delve deeper into his past however; was something she was unsure of.
In the meantime... maybe she could let him see at least a little more of her true self.
"Truce... Also, don't bow to me, its creepy." She grinned mockingly.
"Cre-hey! I'm trying to be civil here." He snapped.
"Pffffft, ahahahaha! Look at that face! That's a pretty ugly expression! Hahahaha!"
This time it was the thief's turn to blush, although not as noticeable as hers, the pink covering his cheeks was still undeniable.
"Heehee, who's the child now, hm? Oh and one more thing, the name is Yendys. Do try your hardest to remember it."
His eyes widened. It was as if her personality did a 180. She sounded more like a regular girl, albeit more brash and informal, but completely different from a moment ago.
Ah, what an interesting turn of events this was.
"Be careful, laugh too hard and you might swallow your own tongue..." He warned waving his hand casually.
At this point, she didn't take anything he said to heart.
"Oh and, the names' Niles."
Yes what an interesting twist indeed.