My wrists hurts. My ankles hurts.
I have to run. Faster, further, farther.
- (How I met you.)
I was sitting on one of the caravane's end when the girl approched, wary. She had a careful, almost frightened behaviour. That was clear that she was not used to bursting places, surrounded by a lot of loud people, flinching at every shout or rapid movements. She looked like a cornered animal, baring her teeth and trying to make her as small as she could. Though she was already small as it was. She was interesting enough to catch my interest and I continued to play my instrument, but stopped humming. A smile slowly crept up on my face, as she got closer and closer. She had an interesting look about her. This girl was intriguing me, which said a lot as my attention span was incredibly short.
She was tan, almost like a South waterbender but not quite, her skin more of a light caramel tan. She looked around my age, 20 to 21 year old but she had the most amazing hair I've ever seen, and that was saying a lot as my own hair was long and pure white. The girl had a hair full of multicolored dreads, going from violet, to a bluish grey, whead blond, and even some pink ones. I could see her eyes, glaring at some people that bumped into her. She had murky green eyes, like the deep waters of a damp. More and more I was thinking that she was a waterbender. She had a lot of their ethnic characteristic, but I was not one to judge on appearances, so my curiosity piqued, I got a bit closer, edging on the bench on the rear of the caravane.
The young woman finally found the headchief of the troupe I was travelling with temporarely.
'Excuse me sir.'
Her voice was firm, strong, and her stiff posture in front of the man seemed to indicate she was used to being polite under someone with a powerful position. Again, intriguing. This girl was full of contradictions it seemed. She had my full interest now. I even stopped playing. The headmaster, interrupted in his discussion, looked down on the girl. Next to the earthbender merchant she looked so small, she must have been no more than 5foot 2 at best. Malek, the chief of the caravane, smiled kindly towards the girl, probably sensing her uneasiness and her stiffness.
'Yes little girl?'
She cringed at that, but quickly schooled her face blank.
'Is there still a place available in your troupe? I would like to join.' And she quickly added 'But only temporarely! Maybe until you reach next town? Or the town after that? I -I can pay. I ... I have those.'
She looked down, a strange look on her tired frame, as she reached down in her loose dirty brown pants, that obviously weren't hers as they did not fit her at all, and took out a pouch full of precious stones and jewels. From here, I could see the light catching the stones, the colors shining a bit on Malek' impressed and eager face. The girl knew how to talk business. I smirked slowly.
'I can also sort of earthbend, but I've never been really taught, so ... yeah...'
She looked so ill-at-ease, I had to laugh under my breath at her nervousness, but Malek's wife, Fuin-the real leader of the troupe as she took care of all the business and the delicate matters, saw the girl's growing shaking, and I had to stop my laugh when I saw her eyes, almost haunted at some old demons when Malek took her bandaged wrist to get a closer look on the stones. Fuin lightly tapped the forearm of her husband and scowled at him, indicating with a move of her head the bowed and slouched position of the girl in front of him. He quickly let go of her wrist and she instantly left her submissive position and her strong facade came back, her voice not quavering one bit.
'So, do we have a deal or not? Please?'
Fuin smiled softly, motherly instinct probably kicking at the earthbender's put-up front. Malek, on the other hand glanced at her wife and already knew the matter was completely out of his hand. He sighed and smiled at the girl, leaving it to his wife to deal with it.
'Yes, darling. So what is your name?'
'Tesh, miss.'
'Ok, well, Tesh, you will be working with me and a few others. We are in charge of the children and the provisions of the troupe at the rear.'
I smiled at that and taking up at what I was playing on my luth. I was also assigned at the rear, and I would have all the time I wished to entertain my curiosity. I started humming again, getting a few looks and stares but I ignored it completely, already fully immerged in my own world. This might be more interesting than what I was expecting. The wind slowly picked up and my smile grew even more at that. What a nice day.
-
I looked at the smiling face of the women and the bulky man. He had surprised me when he had took my wrist and it made uneasy. They were still raw after all. The man had a smile on his face, looking at the woman, probably his wife or something. I didn't really care, but I had to be polite and I smiled a bit. The first smiled I had to make since- well, everything. It felt forced, like usual but I didn't mind the feeling, if it would get me what I wanted.
'Thank you for your generosity, sir, miss.'
I bowed at my waist, instinctively going into submission as I had been taught all those years ago. I heard the couple's catch of breath and I quickly understood how it must look like: a girl with strange hair, dirty stolen clothes with rope to make them hold on a small almost skinny frame, the dirty bloodied bandages around the ankles, neck and wrists standing out, offering precious pure stones to get on a caravane as far as possible.
I realised my mistake. I looked like a servant that had run away, having stolen the jewels of her master. Which was close enough to the truth for me to play the role, though I did not stole anything since they were mine to begin with.
I rose and gave them a small self-decrepating smile. The woman's eyes were an onix black, hypnotising, and the soft smile she gave me afterwards made me quizzy. It was not pity that was on her face, nor was it curiosity, it was more of an understanding look.
'My name is Fuin, and this is my husband Malek. We are a merchant troupe but we also make some spectacles when requested by some lords and such. We also take up some strays like you along the way, and wether they stay or not is up to them. We educate the youngest and teach some useful skills to the oldest. Of course, you are free to go whenever you feel like it, as long as you warn us beforehand so we do not worry.' Her smile grew larger and her eyes sparkled. 'There is actually another stray we picked up along the road to this city, you will meet her soon enough, she was also assigned at the rear.'
I nodded carefully, feeling my back stretch uncomfortably. I gave them the pouch and when Malek's hand thrusted his hand to pat my shoulder in a companiable manner, I couldn't held my wince. Suddenly a soft wind picked up, carefully twisting some rogue dreads around my face, and playing with the ropes' end around my waist. With the soft murmur of the playful wind came a smooth hummed song, and my ears did not have to strain to hear a delicate luth playing foreign songs I never heard. I instinctively looked to my right side, where the caravanes were.
I felt my breath hitch in my throat when I laid my eyes upon her. There was something about how the wind played with her, played with her pure white hair, tugged at her long sleeve and the hem of her clothes, how it seemed to move along the song. It was a woman, around my age, maybe slightly older, she was sat upon the edge of a caravane full of stocking, she had long hair, that probably ended under her shoulder-blades, I could see small braids tied at the back of her head but they were hidden by the dancing hair around her, framing her face. She had a fair skin, and her white eyelashes highlighted the electric blue of her eyes, it was like looking at the clear sky. She had unusual bright blue tattoos, in forms of dots under her left eye, and I could see some on her wrists and fingers that were smoothly moving along the cords of the delicate instrument. It had an intriguing design. Everything about the woman was intriguing really. I forced myself to break the stare. There seemed to be a bubble around the stranger that enraptured me.
I heard Malek cleared his throat and I looked back at them. They shared a knowing look and Fuin, her soft smiled still on her face, looked back at the white-haired woman.
'She's the stray I was talking about, her name is Cleo. You will meet her later, for now, let's get you change!'
'Huh, changed, miss?'
'Drope the miss, just call me Fuin, and yes, change! don't tell me you want to stay in those rags?'
I wanted to get offended and tell her my clothes were fine but I knew she was right, it was all starting to itch and Fuin was just being nice. I sighed. I was too tensed.
'I have a bit more stones I think, to pay for the-'
'No, no! No need to Tesh, You've paid far more than what was necessary, so don't worry about it, ok?' Malek said, with a strong booming voice, he then turned around and head off to the ostrich-horses and other animals, probably checking when they could leave.
Fuin smiled at the back of her husband and slowly approached her hand as to not frighten me but I still could not hold my twitch. Her smiled soften more and a spark of sadness passed in her eyes quickly. She looked up at me and turned her palms outward, giving me the choice to take her hand or not, peacefully and patiently she waited for me to make the move. I slowly brought my hands to her, trying ot get used to the warmth of another human genuinely seeking to help me.
'Let's get you change then, come I have clothes that would suit you just fine.'
I thought I heard her whispering 'I can't wait' and the mischivieous spark in her eyes made me wary. What did I put myself into?
The caravane was getting ready to leave, the shopping and stocking finally done. I let my luth down, settling it nicely in the fur behind me, at the rear of one of the caravane that were assigned to me. I was waiting for Fuin to come, secretely hoping I would get to meet the strange earthbender Tesh. I mindlessly scratched my ankle's tattoos, a succession of dots from different sizes. I scowled at them but my mind quickly changed its focus when I caught a glimpse of a bird flying towards the ostrich-horses and settling on its head. I laughed, a clear pure sound at the ostrich's outrage expression. I then heard talk, and turned my head. I couldn't stop staring and my so fleating mind focused incredibly so. Fuin was walking with the multicolored haired woman.
Fuin must have got her to change out of her rags, because the earthbender now wore an assymetrical pants, the right leg rolled up high on her thigh, the other going into dusty military boots, made for travel and battle. The covered leg of her pants had a dark violet leather band around her thigh. A large dark brown leather buckle was holding the pants around her waist, the same color of her shoes. The material of the pants themselves was rather thin, a light brown. she had a tight dark brown tank top, showing her muscular form, she had a right breast protector in the same dark violet leather of the straps on her pants, she had the same straps on her left biceps, and both her wrists. the breast protector was linked to a shoulder protection on her left side, the same dark purple color. All of her right forearm was covered and ended in a fingerless glove in a dark brown leather, linked to a strap of the same leather on her biceps. Her dreads were put up in a lazy bun, some escaping and framing her face with colors. Her eyes seemed more shiny and lively. There were small thin scars going on the back of her shoulders and probably going all over her back.
Her overall look was fierce and strong, she looked even more confident and firm than before, and it was even more tantalizing. Everything about her had changed and all the shyness I thought she had, had disappeared and instead her figure screamed of a beautiful fierceness and strenght. What was she? Who was she?
As they got closer, my mind still couldn't stop focusing on Tesh, and it's only when our eyes met that I realised that Fuin had been talking to me and they were already at my side, probably to make presentation. The spell broken, my concentration shifted and I was once again distracted when I heard a group of child run after a cat. I then started to follow the drills of some contortionist of the troup. I understood that after being so down to study every side of the girl in front of me, my mind had tired out all of its span of attention, and I was now impossibly unfocused, my mind wandering in its own world. The wind -ever so present at my side- was carrying smells and sounds that distracted me even more and I ended up completely ignoring Fuin and Tesh, not saying a word, gazing around, my eyes fleeting over movements, people and things only I could see. But my mind was still thinking back periodically to the deep muddy green eyes I met, their intensity and the emotions that passed into them.
-
After being led to some caravane by Fuin; she showed me the clothes and I realised I felt better, as if those clothes would give me the courage and armor I needed to heal. Fuin had seen the wounds on my back, legacy of a troubled past, and she promised not to ask if I promised it would not bring them trouble (probably thinking of an angry lord going after its run-away servant or something of the likes). I assured her of it not being possible, as I came from quite far away and not having the value for my 'master' to come after me. The last one was a lie, but she did not have to know that. She smiled at me and gave me the rest of my clothes, helping me wrap bandages around my breats and wrapping small details -straps of leathers around my thigh and others-, I found them useless but it was pretty and it pleased Fuin, so I let her. I quickly found myself liking the woman. She had told me she understood where I came from, her also being a former servant of a fire-nation official. She had fire-whip marks on her back to prove it and it was Malek who had saved her. She was an open woman, and as she could not give birth, she focused her motherly instincts on runaways and strays, children and adults all the same, teaching them life and giving a family feeling to the troupe. She had a big heart.
When I was finally done with clothing, I wrapped a light brown tissue piece around my dreads, trying to tame them and failing incredibly. Amused, Fuin tried to help me, making a nicer bun than what I had done. She asked about the bandages and showed me a reddish leather pieces. I told her I'll just put the leather on top of it, not wanting her to touch them or even remotely see my naked wrists. Now ready, she quickly put her silky black hair into a high ponytail and brought me outside off the caravane with all the troupe's clothes.
'Come, I will bring you to the caravane you will sleep in and show you the ones you and I will take care of.'
As we approached some of the caravane, I was listening to Fuin talk about the people, the rules such as when to eat, learning that the all troupe had to gather for the evening meals. But Fuin stopped in her tracks and smiled.
'Oh, looks like I will also present you to your companion; Cleo!'
I turned my head slightly, not wanting to get enraptured in this girl's air, remembering how I stared earlier. I saw her staring intensely at me, like I was a puzzle she wanted to resolve, her face set in a surprised, determined and curious expression at the same time. Her sky-blue eyes were burning hole in my frame and I felt my whole body shiver under the intensity of her focus. I slowly followed Fuin, getting closer and closer. Cleo's eyes were roaming my body, probably taking in the clothes and the attitude I was trying to convey. When our eyes met, I was already almost at her side. Fuin had been talking all the way but I had shut her voice off, observing the stranger in front of me. As I had caught a glimpse of, there were three small braids from each sides of her face linked in a pretty design on the back of her head. Her hair was pure white, and under the sun it was almost hurting my eyes to stare at it too long 'like snow' I thought.
From a closer look, the tattooed blue dots under her eyes were going into her hairline, and with her fair skin tone, they looked strangely harmonous, like they belonged. Her rosy lips seemed frozen into a small 'o' as her eyes were still glued to me. She had unusual clothes, as unusual as mine really. Just as mine were made for combat and travel, hers were entirely made for travel, easy to move in and flowy, and it seemed like the wind was always playing with every hem of it. She had weird clothes really. The top had only one complete sleeve, the left one was cut open in two and hanged loosely around her biceps. The other sleeve was long and large, always floating. It was a clear grey, almost white but not entirely. She had a corset just under her breasts going to her waist, the sides a dark silver leather, the center of it had a mix of symbols I never saw before, twirls and round shapes, the base being white and the drawings a mix of blue and silver. She had a large scarf around her waist, the scarf hiding her right hip, it looked like multi layers of materials, going from white to blue to turquoise, each ending with little piece of gold, clinging soflty in the wind (like chimes). Under it were tight grey pants going into scalf-protectors, a really dark silver leather with blue lining and a white piece of tissue on the left protection. Her ankles were slightly visible and I caught a glimpse of blue tattooed dots, the same she had on her wrists and face. Her shoes were grey and dirty from the road.
When Cleo finally broke the eye-contact, her eyes flew from one thing to another, seemingly unable to settle and concentrate on one thing. She raised both her hands and settled her head in them as she put her elbows on her knees. I saw smaller dots on her middle and index fingers. It was all so very titillating, and I wanted to reach out and see every detail of her tattoos.
When Fuin raised her hand to my face I was startled out of the trance I got in and looked at her. She had a curious funny look on her but quickly smiled and presented me to Cleo who had still not registered our presence next to her.
'Cleo? This is Tesh, she is going ot protect the rear with us, she knows a bit of earthbending but do not expect her to fight alongside you, as she does not have a weapon like you.'
I raised an eyebrow at that, and Fuin quickly explained that Fuin had a naginata, which was like a lance but the blade being longer and larger. Quite the rare and ancient dreadful weapon.
'Tesh will also room with you in this caravane, and if you want to change caravanes or anything, I will either be with the children or with Malek. There's also Maro, a waterbender, that will be with the children at all time.'
Cleo completely ignored Fuin, and did not even twitch when Fuin waved a hand to her face, much like she did to me a few seconds ago. Fuin sighed and gingerly looked up at me.
'One of the few things I learned about our friend here is that she often goes into her world and doesn't register anything happening around her. It is quite useless to try to talk to her at those time really. Anyway, as I said, you will share half of this caravane' at that she pointed to the wooden vehicle where Cleo had been sitting on, 'the other half of it is full of goods we are going to sell a few towns away. Anyway, here are some clothes for the next few days, we are going to leave soon so you should settle down, maybe get some sleep, we are going to eat outside the city, around 9 or 10 pm? See you then!'
At that, she gave me a sack of clothes resembling what I had but with darker leather, almost black, a fur for me to sleep on, a few apples and a gourd of water. I loked at Cleo again, and decided to just ignore her as she was totally immersed in her head, her unfocused eyes fleeing to one thing to another, never pausing. I settled down the fur that was in my bag and quickly laid down. I was falling asleep when the caravane starting moving, but I was too tired from my voyage to even care of where Cleo was, where we were going, what time it was or anything. I just went back to sleep.
-
My mind was still fluttering from one thing to another, trying to rid myself of the memories of the muddy green eyes, full of unkept emotions, inner turmoil, put-up front and secrecy, when the caravane moved on its own. The ostrich-horses that was assigned to our vehicle knew the way perfectly and just followed the lead, not needing anyone at their reins. Nevertheless, I still got up, and I was on my way to pass through the interior of the vehicle to get to the front bench of it when I saw her.
The earthbender was sleeping on a fur quite similar to the one Fuin had proposed to me when I joined them. The girl's breath was all over the place, her face screwed into a pained scowl. I sighed and ignored it. It's not like I could do anything. It was just another piece of a puzzle getting more and more chaotic, pieces all over the place. I went up to the bench on the front of the caravane, taking rein in a loose hand and settling my naginata at my sides, by habit. I thought about playing some songs but my luth was at the back, where Tesh was sleeping, and I did not want to move from my position. The sun settling over the hills was warming my skin, and I thanked the wind for its soft breath, freshening the air.
I settled more comfortably and smiled at the sky. It felt great. I was still puzzled but my brain easily forgets and I was back to being in my own little imaginative world. I saw colorful birds in the leaves that were dragged into the twirl of the wind. I saw fairies and elves in the flowers and trees around us. I saw forms in the clouds, magic beings and magic buildings. Ships, floating in the sky, conquering the island that was the sun. I felt a song reverbating in my soul and before I could think about it, I started singing in the coded language I had been taught all those years ago. I raised tattooed fingers, and left the wind passed through and around them.
I continued singing and ignored the tiny gasps I heard in the back.
I continued singing even when Tesh sat down next to me.
I continued singing even when she went back inside to get my luth and pushed it into my laps, taking the reins from me.
I continued singing even as I played on my luth, the clear notes flying all around us. The guards that were protecting the troupe sighed, relaxing on their mounts, and bobbed their heads along the songs. The childrens laughed and cheered, people clapping the tempo of the cheerful song could be heard a bit further in the back and at the front. And I knew at this moment that everyone was listening to me, but they did not listen with the same intensity as the woman next to me. I could see her brows furowing at my foreign words, could see her glancing at my luth and its original design and the drawings on my clothes. I understood at this moment that she was as fascinated by me as I was by her.
We had already left the small city and we were on a rural road when I stopped singing, but mindlessly left my hands playing on my luth. Children were running around the caravane, chasing each others, some high-jacking the guards's mounts. My eyes were a bit more focused, but I still couldn't stop on anything. I still inclined my head towards my travelling companion, waiting for her to say anything. And she did not disappoint. Her voice would have come soft and blank to others but to me, I could discern the curiosity, the eagerness and the abrupt carefulness of it.
'So, you're Cleo huh. I'm Tesh. We'll be working and sorta living together I guess.'
'Nice to meet you, though we had already met, didn't we?' I smiled a cryptic smile, seeing her brows furrow as she thought back. Then her eyebrows unexpectedly rose up.
'So you knew we were there? Why didn't you reply? It's... Well, it's rude.' She almost sounded offended.
'You didn't knew I knew that I knew you were there?' My eyes following birds and movements, but my full attention was directed towards our talk. I was enjoying twisting my words and seeing her react to them so openly. She huffed, surprisingly.
'So you're one of those huh?' At my expression, she laughed behind a closed mouth and her eyes sparkled with more life. I found myself wanting to see more mirth in her, seeing lose her control and laugh without control, I wanted to see her eyes explode with joyful tears. I shook my head a bit, already getting rid of the thoughts and trying to sharpen my mind to our discussion. 'The sort of people that like to put words into the other's mouth, that twist their words. Well, sorry to break it to you but I tend to not fall into this bullshit.' She huffed again, and she angled her body so she was facing me, trying to look at my eyes but they could not focus on her, so I decided to settle in looking at her wrists's bandages. 'I've met someone like you. A really long time ago.'
Shocked would have been an understatment as to how I felt. I immediately completely focused on her, my eyes catching hers. What did she meant? Was it the clothes? The songs? What gave it away? Did she knew? Who was she?
-
I had her full attention in a matter of seconds after I said that, and it made my breath hitch a bit. It was intense. Until then, her eyes had been going fom one thing to another, never settling, unfocused, her mind not even focused on our talk it seemed. But as soon as I said that, I could feel every inch of the traveller next to me focused solely on me. It was not only intense but heavy. I took a deep breath, remembering who I was talking about, about a time that was not all that happy. I took another breath and talked.
'Yeah, it was a little firebender at the place I... I was in. She couldn't focus, she didn't like being touched, thought that is not surprising,- ... As I was saying, it was a little girl. She only opened to me because of the- ... She only talked to me, and no one elses, and she knew why she was like that, so unfocused. When she had a family, she had went to a doctor. He had told her it was a sort of mental illness? Autism? Something in the likes. She preferred to be in her own head, only opening when necessary, never focusing on one thing unless it was interesting or catching her eyes.'
Without realising it, I had fallen silent, deep in thoughts. When I caught the eyes of Cleo, I startled into reality. She was looking at me curiously, like she wanted to decipher me. She tilted her head sideways.
'What was her name?'
'... Siphu.'
'Where is she?' At that, she stopped staring at me and she angled her body so that she was looking at the front. her gaze away from me let me release a breath I didn't knew I was holding.
'Dead.'
'How?'
'I killed her. I took pity and killed her.'
Silence stretched. I was starting to let my mind wander, ignoring the turmoil in my heart. Why did I tell her? Why couldn't I lie properly? The truth is I knew why I couldn't lie about this. It would have shamed Siphu. Shamed my memory of her, and questions would have been asked, such as why I wasn't travelling with her, where was she, how old was she now... I sighed, and twitched when I saw a hand stretch outward to me.
'Nice to meet you, Tesh the earthbender.'
Cleo had a lazy smile and her posture was peaceful, almost sluggish. I shakily took it and gave her a small smile I couldn't hold back.
- /(How I Learned) /
It's been around two month since Tesh has arrived. I had to get used to someone else living next to me in this small space. I couldn't sleep at first, but with some relaxation exercises I settled my feelings. But I wasn't the only one that had a hard time. Tesh had a lot of nightmares. And I mean a lot. She even cried herself asleep at the beginning, though she had started to settle. She didn't scream though, which I was thankful for, or I wouldn't have been able to sleep at all. She was what I called the 'silent anguish'. I was like that a long time ago before I got used to it. I like to think that being with me made her less edgy, more relaxed, but I know I annoyed her sometimes. Usually, people tends to hate my aloofness, either ignoring me, unable to understand how I functioned, but Tesh -well wasn't she different, she surprised me when she constantly confronted me about anything I did or didn't do. She always tried (and often succeeded) in getting my attention for a moment, asking me things, making me a part of a conversation or an activity. We talked sometimes, when it was just the two of us. I like those times the best. I always go back to trying to trick her, make her say things about her, learn more about the mysterious earthbender, but she often got me back or avoided it, like she was used to it.
When we have our talk like that, she reminds me of a leaf floating through the whites of a river in a forest. Those times are the best to me.
Unknown to her, I did learned a few things about her; I like observing her after all, especially since she seems capable of focusing my fleeting mind rather easily without trying. She has some quirks and habits that, mixed with what I know from our time together in our caravane, gives me an idea of what she is. She is used to being under someone more powerful in position than her, she has manners of a servant sometimes so acerbated, it's almost like watching a slave. It's really unsettling to me. I don't like it when she unconsciously bows her head showing her scarred neck, or when she looks down when someone she doesn't know talks to her.
Before I knew it, I made a game out of it. Distracting her so that she loses that submissive gaze she gets, and it often works. I could focus on more things -probably Tesh' influences on me, and Fuin seemed to have noticed it, giving me more things to do with the children.
What made me eeringly curious was that I never saw her earthbend. When Malek and the other earthbenders trained and invited her for a few moves, even teaching her, she politely refused, saying she didn't want to bother them or finding an escape. It bothered me, because she often used me as her excuse. It was so contradictory because minutes after having carefully avoided training with Malek, she'd stare longinly at them and the earth floating around. It was hard for a bender not to bend their elements, it was like having a cast on a limb. Bothersome. Cumbersome too.
It was midday when things started to change. It was Thursday. Or Wednesday? I never pay attention to time and days. Quite the contrary to my newfound curiosity, Tesh. Anyway, it was sunny and warm, we were edging on a forest and Malek had the fantastic idea of having a race. The guards quickly went ahead, feeling secure enough to leave us alone to play along Malek's idea. Sadly, th caravane upfront ours randomly had her wheel going off on its own. I laughed, seeing the lonely wheel go off on the road and laughed, shouting "Be free, Wheel! Run free!". I heard Fuin sighed at my childiness, Maro glaring at me while he ran after the wheel, the other caravanes long gone ahead. The children were laughing and running everywhere, but even amidst the chaos that erupted I heard the chuckle from Tesh, who had been walking alongside the ostrich-horses, pointedly ignoring the race.
But the mayhem made my mind go into overdrive, my eyes flying everywhere, trying to catch every moment and every magic I could see, and even when I saw the glim of an arrowhead in the trees, I couldn't precisely stop on it, easily distracted by a child running, an ostrich cackling or Maro puffing with the wheel in his hand.
By pure instinct, my hand shot out to my naginata and my body jumped down in front of the group of children. Fuin quickly understood and packed all the kids behind us, on the side of our caravane. The arrow wisthled in alarm, I couldn't see where it was heading and only heard it when it struck the wood of the wheel Maro had used as a shield. All around us, mercenaries, some former firebenders soldiers, appeared. Maro left the wheel fall on the ground and quickly got the water in a whip, Fuin got her sword out and I tightened my hold on my naginata. I glanced on my left and saw Tesh crouching a bit low, in a hand-to-hand pose, her eyes alarmed but her posture rigid and ready. The mercenaries stared at us while the firebenders started to close off on us. My mind, seconds ago unable to stop spinning, suddenly stopped and concentrated on the task at hand. I slowly breathed in and out, and ordered Maro to use his waterbending to counter the firebenders. I asked Fuin to go take care of the archers, knowing she had an incredible agility and was able to climb trees like a mountain cat while we would create an opening for her and protect the kids. I asked Tesh to attack anyone coming on the children behind us, but not engage in the battle where my naginata range could hit her by mistake. She nodded and quickly took position in front of the kids.
The tens atmosphere went on, the oldest mercenary, a pepper haired strong soldier, organised his troop with quick head movements. There must've been thirty men.
Without hesitation I went to attack, starting the fights. I cut and pushed forth, my naginata moving like it weighed nothing in my hands. I thrusted it and pushed it on the side, clearing a path for the nimble and fast Fuin to pass through. She ran to the trees, quickly finding the archers and engaging them. Maro was holding on as best as he could but was starting to get overwhelmed, and I risked a glance behind me, and saw Tesh fighting hand on hand, like a tamed tiger, her hit controlled, but I had the clear feeling that she was struggling and holding herself back, she was clearly overwhelmed. I was going to help them when two burly strong men appeared, one with a hammer the other firebending a whip. It was starting to get tougher and I didn't expected that.
Suddenly, as more men went behind me, I felt the earth tremble, signs of eathbending. I thought of Malek coming to our rescue but couldn't see him anywhere until everything stilled. The two brute in front of me stopped and stared behind me, the other mercenaries gapping. Fuin who was running back from the treeline to help us stopped and the wind brought her words to my hear "What the..."
I turned around and stared. My battle-focused mind saving each and every detail my eyes could see, that my ears could hear and what the wind smelled like.
Tesh was earthbending.
But it wasn't the normal brute rock that came out of the earth. It was beautiful stones, starting jagged and smoothing out, gems shining different colors, blending together, from amethyst to opal and diamond. It was creating a shield around the children. Tesh was breathing slowly, like she was finally free. Her eyes glanced over to us and I could see fear, apprehension but also determination and a sort of frantic joy, the one you get when you bend after a long time. She sunddely crouched down, her bandaged wrists ripping appart and gems spurting from her skin, bloody. She raised her left hand and caught one stone in her right wirst and vice versa, created daggers. She grinned at the stunned soldiers.
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When the mercenaries popped out, Cleo instinctly took over, giving us order, and I followed them, knowing she knew better. I was in front of the kids, protecting them as best as I could, using hand-to-hand techniques I learned over the yeard. Luckily, at first, the enemies were a bit hectic, and Cleo's naginata were tearing through them. Her technique and power was mesmerizing. She was fluid and handled her impressive heavy weapon like it was a mere stick. She was cutting into the wind, and it was like watching a dancer. But I couldn't get distracted for too long, because one of the men had given orders, and they wanted to get to the kids. I knew exactly why. Kids this age would do great as slaves. I wouldn't let one filthy hands touch them. I threw a thin men over my shoulder and quickly spinned to kick the side of another when I noticed Maro and Cleo getting overwhelmed. I myself was starting to have it tough, especially since Maro, even with all the waterbending he could do, could not hold all of the firebenders, and some were making their way to me. After avoiding a few fire balls, I looked back and saw one of the kids burned, the others crying. A girl and a boy, the oldests, took rocks on the floor to throw at the firebenders, trying to get them away.
A guilty wave passed through me. I could stop everything quickly but I was too scared of the consequences. But now, kids had been hurt. I couldn't go on like that.
I evened my breath and felt the earth beneath me. Luckily we were in a relatively rich area, and the crystals that were hidden within the earth resonated deep within me. I called upon them, creating a smooth shield over the kids, with the most heat-restistent gems I knew and could summon here. The different stones melded together, creating a wave of colors. I could feel the very air around me still, the children awed, the mercenaries stunned. I slowly opened my eyes when I felt a breeze pass through me. Maro was gaping at me, the firebenders momentarly forgotten, before he quickly used their distraction to his best, throwing frozen daggers to one of the soldiers too close to him to his taste. Fuin was running towards us, ready to back-knife the soldiers on Cleo, but she had slowed down to a stop, and whispered something I couldn't catch. Her eyes were blown out, slightly scared and astonished, but mostly uneasy. Fear and nervousness crept within me. My gaze drifted to Cleo, and I saw her turn around slowly and look at me, all of her battle-focused mind analysing me, cold and curious. I met her gaze, usually so fleeting, and held it until I could finally read it -pride from having protected the children, and I saw a grin spread out. Her eyes shone, bright with recognition. It relaxed me immediately and I crouched down, ready to take it to the next level, determined to protect the kids.
I called forth the gems embedded in my wrists, ignoring the memories it brought. My skin burned and I felt the leather I had strapped on it rip. I hold back my twitch of pain when I grabbed them and pulled. Blood slowly dripped and I realised everyone was watching me. I held my stoned dagger in both my hands slowly bending them into the shapes I wanted. I crouched a bit lower and quickly threw myself at the men in front of me, running low and bringing up my arm to cut them in two. My dagger wasn't long enough to do such a thing but it had made enough damage for him to bleed out. I turned around, seeing the fights begin again, most of the men trying to outnumber me. I raised an enormous jagged stone's spike in the back of one, and cut the throat of another. I lost myself in the battle, the blood bringing me back to a darker setting, to chains and pain. To fleeting smiles and too soft heart.
I was dancing among the blood, cutting and tearing through men, and when I felt the stone-shield around the children resonate with a hit, I instinctively reach out to it, jagging all of its surface, and I was satisfied to hear a pained grunt. Distracted by it, I didn't feel the firebender behind me and when he punched my back with fire I couldn't withhold the surprised shout. I turned around ready to rip him apart when I saw Cleo running towards me. She was shouting something but I could only hear the sizzle of my burned back, the shout of the men around me, and it's only when I glanced back that I understood. Maro was down, and the last of his attackers were already on me, ready to pounce and kill me. I was clearly overwhelmed.
Suddenly the air stopped and was sucked in to where Cleo was. She jumped up and flew towards me, with a, unimagineable speed. The air around her changed and when she reappeared crouched down on the floor behind me, she expulsed the air outward, slashing all of them men. She airbender the firebender in front of me, sending a gust of wind so strong it broke the men's rib.
She looked up to me and grinned. Her eyes were clear and amused, like a kid. I couldn't stop myself and wonder. There were too many men, and Maro was still down. I couldn't see Fuin anywhere, but I didn't want to wait to know. We had to end it, quickly.
We ended up back to back, her naginata carelessely held in both her hands, the air she bended sharpening it, making it even more potent. I decided to use her arrival to stop the burn, using the crystal that was in my neck to spread over my back, protectcing it and soothing the burn a bit. I now had a thin emerald armor on my back and shoulders. I sighed and crouched quickly readying myself to a fight.