Italics: memories
"Dialogue"
'Inner thoughts'
Disclaimer: claymore doesn't belong to me.
Chapter 4:
Teresa woke the next day because of noises; she rose, got dressed and left the tent. She stopped on her tracks and just stared. The nomads were in a state of unrest, always moving and preparing food on tables and drinks. She thought 'oh my, what have I gotten myself into'
"Teresa good morning, well what do you think?" Serach said.
"Don't you think that it is a bit too much?"
"No! We are having a feast…it will never be too much!" Serach said as they started walking outside of the camp towards a lone tree. They sat at the roots continuing their conversation.
"I don't know what to say. I am not used to it."
"To what?"
Teresa's sighed, lowering her head; she said "I am not used to all of this. I am not used of people speaking in a civilized way to me, seeing me without judging me. I am not used of people giving me things and enjoying my presence, I don't…"
"Stop! This is silly. You know our people are a bit like you. At least in the reaction we get from people of the towns we visit. At least at the beginning, people were cautious of us. With our weird living style, never to live in one place, travelling all around. They thought we were thieves, bandits, but slowly they realized what we were, who we were, they may have accepted us, but they will never fully accept us or understand us, things slowly changing, slowly but surely"
"What do you mean?"
"Things will change, if you want, they will change, and right now you can relax, enjoy life and have some fun."
"I believe you are right. But in the back of my mind there are always to be what I am"
"I never said that you should forget who you are; instead try to do something for your own self, try to be yourself."
A moment of silence past and Serach said "I am a very curious woman may I ask you something?" Teresa turned her head towards her, giving her silent permission. "Actually I have two questions. The first one is this, I was wondering, I mean, I know that you as claymores have numbers to show your power, so what number were you?"
Teresa sighed and said with a small grin "I really thought you were going to ask me sooner" Teresa stopped considering her answer.
"Well?" Serach insisted
"Well….I was….why do you want to know?"
"I am just curious"
"Why don't I believe you?"
"I am curious…grrr…you are a sadist" Serach said with a grin on her face and hitting Teresa on her shoulder
"Thank for your kind and gentle words. What about your other question?"
"Why did you leave the organization?" Teresa looked surprised, not expecting this question. She stood there, under the tree silently wondering if she should tell her. Serach knew that this question was too personal, so she didn't say anything. She just left Teresa thinking. Some time passed and Serach got ready to leave because she was sure that she wouldn't answer her question, it was too personal, and then Teresa's voice stopped her.
"When I was under the orders of the organization I was just a tool. I was just travelling killing yomas and obeying orders. I had sadness in me, pain and all these feelings I haven't even recognized nor understood. All these suddenly changed when I met a girl, I saved her from a yoma that kept her as a pet. At the beginning I was nonchalant towards her, I even kicked her. After some things that took place I decided to take the girl with me and give her to a family, the life of a warrior is not fit for humans. She taught me how to be alive again and the most important lesson of all, how to be human again. I left her on a village, bandits attacked; I saw one of them carrying Clare's body. I snapped and I killed them all" frowning she continued "There is a law in the organization saying that we must not kill humans, otherwise we are condemned to death. Four warriors came to me. I was defeated getting this scar on my neck. I really want to believe that my little Clare is alive but the chances are extremely thin and I…." Teresa stopped talking and lowered her head. Serach thought she saw a tear but she wasn't sure.
"I believe my dear friend that you will find your way. You just have to look for it, or perhaps the way will find you." Serach said standing up "I have to return to the preparations, see you" she said hitting softly Teresa on the back and left. Teresa stood there with her back against the tree, hugging her knees, her gaze off to the horizon.
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The time for the feast came too soon for Teresa's liking.
They were fires, people everywhere holding a glass of some drink, the smell of roasting meat everywhere in the air, musicians and kids hunting each other. It was madness.
'Why am I feeling nervous? This is stupid' she heard footsteps behind her, she turned and saw Serach.
"Teresa, calm yourself, I can feel that you are nervous from a mile away, I meant it when I said relax earlier."
"I know Serach, it's just that I am not used to this"
"It's a very good opportunity to get used to it then, let's go to eat and drink. I am famished" Serach said, grabbing Teresa from the shoulders and dragged her to the center of the feast. 'God help me' a panicked voice said inside Teresa's mind.
All through the feast Teresa ate, drunk and talked to the people around her. For the first time in her life she felt…dare she say…free? Yes…free….
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Teresa woke at noon with a killer headache. She lowered her feet off the bed and grabbed her head 'oh my, I will never drink again, I forgot how bad is this' she thought while she stood up. She got dressed, or at least she tried. After many tries, that she wouldn't even dare to count she managed it got dressed and left the tent.
Teresa walked through the people that slept on the ground. Before she left the camp she heard a voice calling her.
"You would leave without saying goodbye? How rude" Teresa turned and saw Fegu and Serach standing next to each other.
"I am not good at goodbyes" Teresa said as she sighed. Serach got closer to Teresa and she hugged her, Teresa hugged her back.
"I am not good either, but…" she didn't say anything else. Fegu got closer as Serach released Teresa from her hug.
"I would like to thank you for what you did and it was an honor"
"I should be the one to thank you"
"As a token of our gratitude and friendship, Serach and I decided to give you this" Fegu said and he took out of his pocket a small box and he gave it to Teresa. She took it and said "I don't know what to say. I haven't thought of something similar. Thank you".
Teresa opened the box. Inside was a circular medallion, it was made of silver. It had nine stripes going like an S from the inside of the circle out. Each stripe was separated into three different parts, the outer parts was a lighter shade of silver than the middle part which was almost black. The medallion connected to a silver chain. Teresa unclasped the chain and put it around her neck. "Thank you" she shook hands with Fegu and hugged Serach again. She turned and left.
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(A/N: the image of the medallion is the Spartan shield that the Spartan king carried. Google it. The colors are red for the back image and black and white for the stripes) if you can't find it tell me so I can post an http… for an image)
A/N 2: unfortunately next update will be delayed for at least 2 weeks. I have to go somewhere that doesn't have internet. Fortunately they have electricity…;-)
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