Some Things Can't be Stolen
Twitchy stared down at the bustling market below him. Shabby stalls had been hobbled together and tightly packed almost on top of the wharf. The stink of fish, sweat, and something far fouler lingered in the air. Unease slithered through him and his old wound throbbed. I shouldn't be here, he thought for what had to be the hundredth time. His nerves still couldn't handle this many people, even a year after his attack, and the distance the balcony provided was not enough. After a glance down at his hands, he saw they trembled. Not much longer, he told himself. Then he saw it, a flash of color.
Blue green.
He saw a young girl probably about ten years of age. Her black hair ended with a couple finger's width of blue green color. Standing beside the girl was an elegant woman. Her hair was black like her daughter's, but it lacked the strange coloring. Anna and her daughter Arie.
Anna's bright emerald eyes wandered across the collection of stalls and their goods. He recognized the look; she was searching for a rare treasure. Her gaze fell on a seller that had dried herbs hung up in her stall. She pointed to it and whispered something to her daughter before she slipped a few coins in her daughters hands. The girl beamed then disappeared into the crowd. He watched as people in the crowd took one look at the child and jumped out of her way, and others glared daggers as she past them. It made him wonder about the kid, but those thoughts were lost when he caught sight of her mother again.
Not for the first time, Twitchy cursed his inability to enter crowds. He knew the slum markets weren't safe and had told Anna as much. Still, the foolish medicine woman always came unprotected with just her daughter. Always on the same day, same time, like clockwork. Thieves, like him, took notice of people and things like that. So when she had refused to find someone to go with her he had decided to keep an eye on her while she went about her business. Problem was, he was too distracted by the woman herself. He pulled his gaze from her smile as she spoke with the old hag and forced himself to look at the other people around her.
It wasn't until he saw someone hiding in shadows of a balcony two buildings down from him that he realized his fears were not unfounded. The other man was disheveled, but young in appearance. His clothes had seen better days, probably from living on the streets, not unlike Twitchy. A knife flinted across the boy's fingers as he watched the medicine woman with hungry eyes. There was no way Twitchy could get over two buildings before the younger man made his move, and there was no guarantee that he would let Anna live either.
What should he do, he wracked his brain.
The younger thief took a step back into the shadows. Twitchy was sure this boy would move in once Anna was away from the stalls. Then he'd use the knife and his size against her. Twitchy had to admit, that's what I would have done in the past, but that was the past. Carefully, he judged the distance between himself and the other young man and reached for one of the dozen concealed knives he carried. I've got only one shot at this. He took a deep breath then moved in one well practiced move. The knife concealed at his wrist was in his hand then arced across the space, before he even finished his second breath. A sharp cry drowned out by the noise of the market was confirmation enough that he had hit his target. The knife had pinned the young man's hand to the railing of his balcony.
Twitchy took a step back and made a running leap across the small alleyway that divided the two houses. He crashed onto the roof of the smaller house and had to keep running. The second space loomed before him larger than the first. He jumped without a further thought and sailed through the air. A few seconds later he smashed into the railing with enough force to knock the wind out of himself, but he couldn't stop yet. The younger thief would attempt to get away and would try again later. That thought spurred him to ignore the pain in his ribs and cross the few feet to pinned man.
The man whimpered and snarled as he tried to rip the knife out. Blood already stained most of his fingers, the wood of the railing, and a small puddle had formed at his feet.
"The Rogue's laws about targeting healers are pretty clear."
"She ain't no healer. She's a noble! Fair game." Anger stirred in his gut, this thief planned to kill from the beginning and had chosen his victim for a purpose other than to simply rob her. That much he could see in the other man's expression.
"That woman is under my protection and it is against the Rogue's laws to kill healers. Maybe we need to pay him a visit." The younger man paled at the thought of being brought to the ruler of the Thieves Guild and wrenched the knife from his hand with a howl. Then wounded man turned the blade on Twitchy. He swung wildly from the left to right only to slip in his own blood. The wounded thief flailed desperately, but tipped backwards. Twitchy jumped forward to stop him, but the man caught his hand and yanked him down as well.
Together the two of them tumbled from the balcony and landed in the empty alleyway. Pain lanced through Twitchy's ribs as breath was forced from his lungs. His eyes watered as he tried to push past the pain and get up to look for the thief. Experience had taught him that the first to attack was usually the victor. But Twitchy found that he need not have bothered. The other man lay a few feet away, his eyes glazed over with death. The young man had landed on top of the knife which was still clasped in the thief's wounded hand. Straight through his heart. He gasped in pain as darkness closed in around him like black ink spilled across a picture.
Twitchy felt awareness come back with vengeance. His lungs burned like he had inhaled ale accidently. Pain wracked his body. Twitchy coughed and blindly sat up. Agony ripped through his chest as his muscles screamed in protest. His eyes refused to open.
"Mom, he's awake and won't stop moving. Should I knock em out?" The voice was girlish and vaguely familiar. He was about to snap at her to try it, but Anna intervened.
"Arie!"
He would recognize Anna's voice anywhere. Her gentle hands pressed him back down into the cot, and the warmth of her magic spread through his body and stole the pain away. Once the pain was gone he was able to relax and sleep swamped him. This time when he slept it was peaceful and relaxing.
The second time he woke was much easier. There was no pain clawing at his body or head. He actually felt like he had had a good night's sleep. A first since he had been stabbed a year before and been homeless since then.
Twitchy listened very carefully before he stirred. He could hear soft breathing, a fire crackled close by, but that was it. Odd, he thought, even at night the port was alive with sounds. Yet that was not the case here, which meant this was not the port.
Carefully he opened one eye and took in his surroundings. It was a small room. The walls were made of rough cut timbers that probably let in far too much of the bitter cold in winter. There were no floors, just the natural packed clay of the area around the port. The wall at his feet was dominated by a stone fireplace, and he was pretty sure the door was on the opposite wall. Across from him was a small ladder leading up to the second floor.
A foot suddenly came down the from the upper level, followed by another, then a worn and patched dress. Anna scrambled down the ladder with what looked like a bundle of clothes under her arm. She happened to look his way. Surprise flickered briefly in her eyes only to replaced by a warm smile.
"Glad to see you're awake, Twitchy."
"You remember my name?" He had given his name to her only once a year ago and the few times they had spoken since she hadn't used it. Anna nodded as she set her burden down on the rough table; one of the few things in the house.
"I remember all of my patients." She went over to the fire and pulled out a pot that hung from an iron arm. "Hungry?" Before he could deny it, his stomach gurgled loudly. She laughed softly and handed him a bowl. "How do you feel?"
"Good as new, and like I slept a week."
She laughed,
"Close, three days. Arie's magic works wonders, but people tend to be sleepy afterwards."
"Huh, I didn't know she was a mage."
Anna nodded and beamed with pride.
"So what brings you to me this time?"
"Couldn't a man take a fall from a roof just to see your purtty face?"
She smiled at him.
"I'm still married, Twitchy." They had had this conversation several times. At first Twitchy thought she lied to spare him, but as he had gotten to know Anna, he realized she didn't lie. The woman was too damn nice to lie. She didn't have it in her.
"How come you're faithful to a man who's abandoned you?"
Another smile pulled at Anna's lips, like something he had said was funny.
"My husband has not abandoned me or Arie."
The door opened as if on cue. Arie came in with a bucket of water. She took one look at him and snorted before she set her burden down.
"Awake again, thief?"
This kid, Twitchy thought spitefully.
"Arie." Her mother gave her a disapproving look. "He is a patient."
"Chances are he is also a murderer, and last I checked the gods punish murder harshest."
"Arie!" Anna got up and glared down at her daughter. "Do not speak of the gods lightly, they watch and listen to everything."
Arie shrugged as if the gods held no fear for her.
"Have you even bothered to ask him," Arie asked, and by the look on Anna's face, this was a conversation they had more than once. "That alley was full of fresh blood and it wasn't his. Someone died, mom."
Anna set her shoulders back and said firmly,
"Apologize Arie." The two stared each other down for two breathes before Arie sighed and grudgingly turned to him. She inclined her head and said,
"I apologize for my rudeness."
Horse dung was she sorry. But he did the gentlemanly thing and nodded to accept her apology. On the one hand, he thought, I'm glad the kid was smart enough to question people, but on the other hand she made things damn difficult with me and her mom.
There was a rapid series of knocks on the door.
"Anna, are you there?"
"Come in Joel."
The door opened to admit a large man. A blacksmith, Twitchy thought. He glanced at Anna out of the corner of his eye, and tried to judge her reaction to this man. The big man looked worried while Anna looked only mildly concerned.
"Is Mary alright?"
Joel nodded.
"She'll give birth soon. That's not it though. There was a battle on the cliffs last night." Twitchy watched the look of sorrow and regret move across Anna's face. Arie on the other hand quickly moved up the ladder only to come back down with a large basket and a small medicine bag.
"I suppose you can't escort me there," Anna asked.
"Mary is due any day now," Joel replied guiltily. "If she wasn't pregnant I would."
Anna waved off his apology and smiled,
"I understand, go be with your wife. I collect the bodies if you'll leave the cart."
"Of course, the Great Mother's blessings on you Anna." The big man bowed slightly and was about to leave, but Twitchy noticed something odd. When Joel glanced at Arie, the bigger man glared at her with almost open aggression and whispered something under his breath. Twitchy didn't doubt it was some kind of slur. Anna missed both the look and the slur, but Arie seemed to curl inward on herself, as if she could protect herself from Joel if she were a smaller target.
Once Joel was gone Twitchy said, "Anna don't go."
"I have to. Someone needs to help those people."
"Be reasonable. There will be looters and murderers out there. It is a battle ground for the Golden One's sake."
Anna smiled gently at him. His stomach felt like she had just tied it up in knots.
"Do not use a god's name lightly less they turn their attention to on you," she admonished him lightly. "There will also be people who are clinging to life, afraid and alone. Can you honestly expect me to stay here and do nothing just because it is safer?"
Twitchy bit back the knee jerk reaction to say, 'yes that is exactly what she should do'. He knew that would not endear her to him at all. In fact, she'd probably be very angry. Instead he forced himself to take a deep breath and reply calmly.
"At least let me go with you. Battlefields are not safe for you to wander alone."
Anna snorted and amusement played across her face.
"No place is safe. But I am not helpless," she reminded gently. "However, if you insist on coming with, I can't exactly stop you." As an afterthought she added, "Might as well make use of you if you're coming with."
Twitchy was about to sigh in relief when Anna handed the heavy straw basket to him. Then she grabbed a second pack and flung it over her shoulders. Anna turned to her daughter who had come back from a second trip upstairs with her own pack.
"Arie, I want you to stay here in case someone else needs help."
The young girl looked mutinous at the idea of being left at home. Twitchy thought, like mother like daughter. After several seconds of mother and daughter stare down, Arie dropped her gaze in defeat.
"Alright."
Anna smiled and went out to the cart. Twitchy took one backward glance at Arie. Instinct told him that she wouldn't listen to her mom, but there wasn't much he could do about that.
"Do what your mom says kiddo. "
Arie gave him a sour look and a rude gesture. Twitchy chuckled as he followed Anna out to the cart.
"What's so funny," Anna asked.
"Your daughter has a good spirit."
Anna beamed and agreed. She waited until Twitchy had gotten comfortable on the seat beside her before she flicked the reins on the two draft horses. The two creatures started off at sedately pace until they were urged to go faster by Anna. All the way up the cliff side path they remained silent. Twitchy could feel Anna's agitation and worry. She knew what they would find would be unpleasant, yet there was almost a need to go, to help. It made Twitchy wonder if she was indeed a saint that everyone claimed her to be.
There had to be something she would want selfishly, he reasoned, everyone wants something. If I could find that I could give it to her and just maybe- . His thoughts were interrupted by Anna's soft gasp.
He looked around and made a resigned sigh. They had reached the top plateau where the battle had taken place. Bodies were strewn across the grassy land like broken dolls, forgotten and unwanted. The pungent smell of death and shit hung in the air. Bottom feeders had probably already gotten to bodies if the smell was anything to go by. He couldn't help but note there wasn't as many bodies as he had expected. An overwhelming victory, he thought bitterly.
Anna pulled sharply on the reins to halt the horses progress. She jumped from the cart and raced to the first body. The bright light of her magic lit her fingertips in an eerie green. Twitchy looked away and at the sun. From the smell alone he knew what Anna would find. No one was alive. Still, she went frantically from body to body checking each one. What could have been minutes or hours later she came back and it looked like a piece of her had been crushed.
Twitchy gently pulled her into a hug. There was nothing he could do or say to make this bearable.
Dammit all, he thought viciously. This woman made herself sick helping other people. Yet this still happened. He glared at the scarred earth and destroyed lives. Anna stiffened against him and pulled away.
"What is it," he asked her.
Anna stared off toward where her home was. When she didn't answer him, he asked, "Anna?"
She turned back with her green magic flaring in her eyes. Sight magic, he realized with a jolt. He had not realized Anna's magic included being able to see the future or what event that happened elsewhere.
"Arie!" Fear and horror raced through her expression before she had bolted for the path. Twitchy swore to himself and went back for the cart. The bodies would have to wait.
By the time he had gotten the cart and started off in the direction Anna had run, she was long gone. He urged the horses on down the path. They responded eagerly, clearly they liked the battlefield as much as he did.
Within minutes they we at the bottom of the path and Twitchy could see Anna. She was crouched near the sheer cliff side. He was about to call out to her when he noticed it. Arie lay motionlessly in the center of a eerie circle. Everything in a four foot circle around her was dead. The grass, plants, even a tree looked wilted like something had sucked the life out of it. The draft horses refused to go anywhere near the circle.
Anna didn't even look up at him as her hands moved over her daughter's body. After a long time Anna sighed.
"She's just asleep," she said to herself. Then she gathered Arie up in her arms. Now Twitchy saw the blood that was encrusted on the girl's sides. The sleeves of her shirt were shredded like huge claws had snatched her up and torn her flesh, but there were only scars under the destroyed fabric. The wounds were completely healed.
"What happened? It looks like her wounds are already healed."
Anna bit he lip as she laid Arie down in the cart.
"It looks like a bird tried carrying her off."
"And her wounds? Not even the best healers can heal that quickly, Anna."
She clearly was uncomfortable sharing information about this magic, but she seemed to decide that Twitchy should know at least something.
"Arie's magic works on its own sometimes. She gets it from her father. She can heal herself if she draws from the life of other things around, but she gets tired when it happens."
Twitchy considered her words for a minute then remembered all the nasty looks he had witnessed people give Arie when her mother wasn't near.
"Is that why people don't like her? They think she'll steal their life?"
Anna clenched her fists and snapped,
"Arie heals other people using her own body's energy."
So that was exactly why people were scared of Arie, he thought. It occurred to Twitchy that he found the one thing Anna wanted selfishly above anything else, her daughter to be safe. I could help with that, he thought to himself, It killed two birds with one stone too because I would be able to see Anna while I taught the kid a few things. It would give me more time to convince Anna that her husband wasn't coming back too.
"Anna, I could teach Arie to defend herself. Then she won't need her magic too often and it can be payment for my treatment and lodging."
It had been surprisingly how easily convinced Anna was. Now two months later, Arie had picked up everything better than anyone Twitchy had ever seen. However, the girl refused to speak except for the bare minimum of what was needed. So it surprised him when one day she randomly spoke,
"She's never going have anything to do with you, not in the way you want."
"What are you talkin bout?"
She glared at him.
"My mom, she doesn't want a man. She has my Da."
"You mean the one who left you both?"
"He hasn't left. Mom sees him when she heals." At her comment Twitchy raised his eyebrows. It wasn't the first time he heard this. Anna had told him that she still saw her husband, but Twitchy had never seen him and he spent most of his days the past two months with the two of them.
"Has he visited you?"
Doubt flickered in Arie's eyes.
"No."
"Then how can you say he hasn't left?"
"When I heal, I feel him." She shrugged. "I can't explain it, he's just there when I use magic." He sighed and bit back his response.
She's still just a kid, he reminded himself. "Let's see what you remember from last week's lesson." Twitchy tossed Arie a sheathed knife and drew one of his own. Once she drew the weapon he said, "Come at me then."
Arie bobbed her head and charged forward. She swung the knife forward in attack that aimed for his left side. Twitchy moved to block when Arie suddenly glanced elsewhere. She didn't see the slight dip in the ground as a result she tripped forward. Shit, he thought as the blade that had originally been meant to stop her knife instead sliced across her exposed left shoulder. Twitchy threw his knife aside and tried to steady Arie.
"Geez! Are you okay?" He crouched down beside Arie and tried to look at the wound, but she brushed him off, got up, and wandered over to a small collection of bushes by the house. She reminded Twitchy of a sleep walker as she moved through the brush. A squeak came from the foliage and Arie drew back with large hawk in her hands. The poor creature looked like it had been mauled by a cat. Feathers were ripped out here and there and scarlet dots spotted it's body. It struggled feebly in the girl's hands; it probably didn't have long.
Arie bent over the creature and whispered soft nonsense to it until it settled. Then blue green fire wrapped around Arie and the bird. Twitchy watched in wonder as feathers that were scattered on the ground were drawn back to the creature. Rifts that had been ripped into flesh knitted themselves back together. All the while he noticed Arie grew paler, the trickle of blood from her wound increased at a steady rate. Suddenly a cry came from the hawk and it jumped from Arie's hands and shot off into a tree nearby. Arie watched it then slumped forward. Only Twitchy's fast reaction saved the girl from falling face first into the dirt.
"What did you do," he asked in awe.
"Turned back death." She panted lightly. "I feel when things are dying, are going to die, or dead. Sometimes I'm just compelled to help." Her eyelids fluttered. She was way too pale and her skin felt cold. "Besides, there's been too much death this week already."
"What do you mean?" He hoisted Arie up into his arms.
"We've lost too many patients this week. Not everyone can be saved even by magic, but it hurts when they go even if I do get stronger." She yawned and her voice trailed off as she fell asleep.
Her words reminded him of the whispers he had heard. There were many people in port who believed Arie was evil. There were people who muttered the word necromancer when they spoke of Anna's daughter. It had taken Twitchy a while to remember what that was and where he had heard the term before. He remembered that a few years back a necromancer had plagued the port. People just dropped dead and their souls fed the man's youth, strength, and magic. It was something like fifty people who had died before the god of death's priestess finally caught the man. So it was no wonder that people feared necromancers.
But Arie, a necromancer? Complete rubbish, he thought, sure the kid could be a brat, and her magic was sometimes creepy, but she was gentle and kind like her mother. Animals flocked to her and she cared for them until she was like this. Twitchy went to the door and managed to open it with one hand.
"Anna?"
Anna came down the latter and turned and looked at the two of them. Her bright expression changed to fear as she took in the blood soaked into her daughter's shirt.
"What have you done?" She snatched her daughter from his arms and brought her over to the cot. Quickly she moved the fabric away from the wound. Twitchy realized it was much deeper than he had first thought.
"It was an accident."
Anna didn't listen to him. Instead she focused until green fire lit her hands and laid them over Arie's wound. With excruciating slowness the wound stopped bleeding.
"How come she isn't healing like she did back then," he asked.
Now Anna whirled on him. For the first time he saw her truly angry. Her green eyes darkened with rage. Green energy sparked around her clenched fists and heat washed towards Twitchy.
"Because she used up her magic! What were you thinking using a blade on a child?" Anna's magic grew around her and danced with agitation.
Twitchy took an instinctive step back.
"You wanted me to teach her-"
"I wanted her to learn how to defend herself, not have to fight off a grown man and use her magic. You said she wouldn't get hurt, you'd protect her!"
Twitchy took another step back. This was not going as he had expected. Fear coiled in his gut as green fire licked hungry at his boots.
"She can't learn without getting hurt once in a-"
"Get out!"
Now anger burned through him.
"Fine, let your husband protect her. Such a fine job he has done so far." He saw hurt and anger flash in Anna's eyes, but he was already out the door before her magic lashed at him.
Angrily he walked back to port. He moved through the mostly empty roads to a tavern. The laughing thief it was called. He snorted in disgust as he sat down at the bar. The bar tender brought him a pint of something that smelt strong.
"Been a while Twitchy."
Twitchy grunted in response, then chugged the drink, and let it burn its way down to his stomach.
"Things go bad with Anna?"
"How could you tell?"
The wizened bartender nodded at the sleeve of his shirt which was burned.
"Magic tells."
Twitchy snorted.
So it did.
After his third full drink night started to fall. The bartender was filling his fourth drink when another man came in. The man stank of fish worse than most people who lived on the wharf. A fisherman like some of the others in the bar, Twitchy guessed. The newcomer sat down in the back corner with group of five men. Twitchy was so drunk he missed the first part of their conversation,
"... That makes fifteen people that Anna's monster killed."
Twitchy's drink froze midway to his lips. The other people at the table grumbled angrily. "I think we need to get rid of this plague."
"Anna has been good to everyone," the youngest of the group replied, clearly trying to deescalate his friend's mood. "She rarely asks for any payment except food or things like that."
Twitchy noticed that one or two of the others were considering the boy's words.
"Just leave the kid alone."
There were still mixed looks. The one who spoke first pounded his fist on the table.
"My father is dead. You didn't see what I saw. She got stronger like she was eating his soul." The second man waved him off, but a few of the others listened. Those that listened ended up leaving with the first man. Twitchy sat there silently staring into his drink.
They will be fine, he reasoned. Anna has her magic and can protect herself. Arie will be safe. those men are just drunk. Doubt gnawed at him like hunger in a starved belly. He couldn't help but remember his own family. His pa had protected everyone even at the cost of his life. Twitchy clenched his fists around his drink and sighed, I am a coward. With that thought he started to chug his fourth tankard of strong ale in hopes that it would drown such thoughts out.
He paid for his drinks and sat there for a moment. Then Twitchy felt unease slither through him. Not unlike the time I had been watching Anna when she went to the market. He half rose half stumbled out of the bar chair. Maybe my old man had been right about me having magic, too bad it wasn't terribly useful, just as he finished that thought he knew it was Arie who was in trouble and she wouldn't last long. Twitchy forced himself to walk to the door. He stumbled and teetered the whole way. For the first time in his life he cursed his love for strong drinks.
"If I make it there in time I won't touch another drop of that stuff. The gods I swear I won't," he muttered after he managed to stager out the bar door.
A hand caught Twitchy under his arm and helped to steady him.
"Careful, the gods take oaths very seriously. And they will hold you to your words."
He looked to his helper and instantly wished he hadn't. The person was dressed in black robes and a black cowl draped across his face. But it didn't matter that he couldn't see the newcomer's face, he could feel the power that radiated off this person, like he stood next to a fire. Not to mention the fact that this man's image was carved all over the temple of the God of Death. The god himself had come to pay him a visit.
"It is not my time." Twitchy couldn't stop the shudder of fear.
"Perhaps. But I am not here for you." Soothing, healing energy came off the god.
Twitchy was suddenly reminded of Anna and Arie. This was how it felt when they healed. Then all the little pieces clicked together with shocking force. Arie's magic was well past normal, Anna always insisted her husband hadn't left her despite no one ever seeing him, and Anna's constant instance not to call on the gods. Almost like she had personal experience with the gods.
"Arie, she's your daughter." That thought lasted only seconds before anger hit Twitchy. He remembered all the things Arie had gone through because she had inherited some of her father's magic. "You left them!" It was accusation he noticed that the god did not refute. Instead the god merely helped Twitchy along. "What could you want with them now," Twitchy demanded angrily.
The god turned to him and though Twitchy couldn't see his face, he could feel his gaze borrowing into. The sane part of his mind screamed for him to shut his trap, while the rest of him wanted nothing more than to pick a fight with this god.
"What about you? What do you want from them?"
Twitchy froze with his mouth open. Whatever response he had expected it was not that. "I love all, I welcome all. I choose to wed Anna because she shared that. But I am forbidden to act in this world except in my duty as guide for the dead. I have now broken that vow three times, any more and my wife and daughter's very existence could be taken. My brothers or sisters cannot find out about either of them. That is why you are here."
Warmth spread through Twitchy's body and mind. In no time he was able to stand on his own and his mind had cleared from the haze of alcohol. The god stepped back and discarded a large bubble of amber liquid. All the ale he had just drank.
"Save them," the god of death commanded.
"Only Arie is hurt."
"And what do you think will happen to Anna if Arie is murdered by people she healed?" Twitchy didn't answer he simply turned and swung into a side street. He ran through all the back alleys always keeping the strange unease in the center of his mind like a compass that point to Arie. He heard the shouts before he turned the corner.
"You killed my wife!"
"Murderer!"
"Necromancer!" Several other shouts intermingled making storm cloud of hate and blame.
Twitchy shoved people aside even as his fear roared to life. I could die, but if I do nothing then Arie will die. Strength surged to his scarred limbs as he shoved to the center of the mob. Arie was crouched down with her arms over her head. Bruises colored her exposed skin in a patchwork of black and blue, and blood stained her clothes. Stones lay scattered at her feet, more stones were in the hands of her tormenters. No, executioners, he realized. No one here objected to killing a kid because her magic was outside the norm. Arie to her credit hadn't used her magic on, them though he could see a blue green flame held tightly against her chest. If she attacks using her magic it will make her truly guilty, he realized.
"Back off!" Twitchy snarled as he approached Arie. Oddly enough people hesitated and even moved aside. He looked around at the different people that surrounded Arie and now him. Not a single one of the people present were fighters. "No one can tell me that ganging up on a child is right. I won't believe it!" Some people exchanged looks. They could see the scars on his body and knew he could fight. Most of these people couldn't claim the same. Merchants, farm hands, bread bakers, butchers, tailors, he saw the sailors from earlier, but no one who could fight on their own, at least not against him. "I demand the priestess of the god of death be brought here. If this child is a necromancer than it falls to her to destroy that curse." Anger coursed through his body making him feel light headed and a little dizzy. "However, the punishment for false charges of necromancy and killing an innocent are even higher. I wonder if we'll have one body or a dozen tonight."
Twitchy could see the fear and uncertainty as it moved through the crowd. No one liked the priestesses of the god of death. She held the power to decide who lived or died. Equally people feared Arie and her power.
It would come down to who these people feared more. Arie or the priestess. Twitchy watched as those on the fringes of the group slipped back into the shadow. Clearly some people feared the priestess more. I can use that, he thought to himself slyly. He waited until a small number of them had gone.
"Looks like someone is going to go fetch her for us." Fear was infectious as it spread in the eyes of everyone. Panic murmurs moved through the crowd like wild fire. People exchanged looks while even more people broke away. In minutes they scattered to the wind leaving only Twitchy and Arie. He slumped down to the dirt road and panted breathlessly. His whole body began to shake as he realized what he had done. Arie sighed softly beside him reminding Twitchy that there were still things to be done.
"Let's get you home kiddo." After a quick look at her bruises he thought, Anna's going to kill me.
"Twitchy?"
"Yeah?"
"Mom said it would be alright if we used blunted knives next time." Her words surprised him.
She talked to her mom for me?
"It wasn't your fault, and to be honest it's nice having you around. It means mom is safer."
Twitchy chuckled to himself.
This child was an odd one. But out loud he said, "It would be nice to have a home again."
"Mom and I don't mind sharing ours."