A/N: So, due to my re-reading of the last chapter, I decided to edit it a little bit. Aside from a few tweaks here and there, I also changed Bryn's position in the Reaver household, as I found myself disliking what I had originally gone with. If it interests you, you can go back and read that again if you already haven't. Not much changed, really. Anyway, here is chapter eight, which is a little shorter than I expected, but...yeah. Feel free to leave your thoughts! Enjoy!

Is Reaver the remaining Hero of Skill? I have my own theories about Ben Finn, but...yeah.


Traveller

Chapter Eight

Accusations.


This book smells.

I can't quite pinpoint it, really. I must have dropped it while carrying it around with me the day I bought it. It vaguely smells of dirt and...something else. It isn't too bad, the smell, but I think that my writing just might be. I am no writer, my metaphors sound like I took them from a three-year-old, and I am not a fan of flowery language. At least I have decent grammar.

I bought this book so that I could put down my thoughts, nightmares, anything that might lift some of the stress from my shoulders. I haven't gotten a full nights sleep in a few days, though I can't say how many, I have lost count. I really hope I am not becoming an insomniac, Reaver has already commented on the dark rings under my eyes, even if he has them too.

Does he suffer from nightmares, too? Or it is just part of his 'look'?

I don't know. If he does, I'll have to ask him if he has any remedies.

I didn't expect to die at twenty-four years of age, much less so to be 'reborn' in a completely new world that also echos my own. It's a video game, though I am starting to find that excuse not working anymore.

It has been a few months since I was pulled out of my death by Theresa, who claims to be a Seer, but I think she might be something more. She claimed she was the 'Seer of The Spire', though I don't really know what that is. Still, in those months, I have been shot four times, brought back from the brink of death, and landed myself a new job.

In this past week, I have seen two maids shot, ruined a good set of plates, spilt hot tea on Reaver's trousers, and had his gun pointed at me about three times. Though, I guess I can say that I am starting to get used to things around here. I have yet to find time to leave and deal with some things, though I plan on trying to do so today. I managed to sneak away to pick this book up, I am sure I can sneak away for a little bit.

I am up pretty early, I think I can spare an hour or two to get my things done.

Until the next nightmare.

- Bryn


I closed the leather-bound journal, blowing out the candle in the small room that I was sharing with two other maids, who were both still fast asleep. Tucking the journal under my mattress, I grabbed my coat and slipped it on. Careful not to make any noise, I walked towards the door and pushed it open slowly, looking around for anybody that might see me.

Shutting the door quietly, and walked down the hall and exited out the door that lead to the dining hall, which actually looked rather clean for a morning after what was called a 'small gathering'. I walked quickly towards the front of the manor, slipping out the front door and smiled softly at the fresh air outside. It was still rather dark out, actually, only hints of the sun starting to rise. I realized that between working and the lack of sleep, I had lost track of time. Days were starting to blur, but I hoped that a solid night's sleep will clear that up for me. I walked down towards the lake from the manor, making sure to avoid the guard in front, not wanting to take the chance of him ratting me out.

I started the walk towards Bowerstone, my arms crossed and head down. I knew that I would have to be quick if I wanted to return without any questions asked, hopefully Page won't keep me too long. Luckily, I managed to avoid any bandits and other creatures that might have attacked me, though I doubted that it would happen again.

It took me a few hours before I reached the resistance hideout, slipping into the sewers and walked towards the familiar room. I peered inside to see Page up, her head turning towards me as I walked inside.

"There you are," she said quickly, "I was growing concerned."

"It is rather hard to slip away from the manor, especially since I am new and Reaver is probably still suspicious of me," I said with a sigh, "but, I am currently a maid in his manor and I hope I will be able to keep that up."

"Have you gotten any information?"

"Aside from how he likes his tea and that he likes to twist my words around, no," I said with a small smile, "though, without anybody looking to fill in as his butler, it gives me a chance to snoop around."

"Be careful," Page said, looking at me sternly, "if you find anything, tell one of my people there with you. They will be able to slip away easier than you might, just make sure that they cover their tracks."

"Of course," I said with a nod, "is there another time you want me to meet with you?"

"Only if you absolutely have to," Page said, moving around the table, looking me over slightly, "you should get situated first before you start leaving regularly."

I nodded in agreement, getting ready to leave once again and head back to the manor, but Page stopped me.

"Watch your back," she said, "as much as I hate to admit it, Reaver is much smarter than he lets on."

"I know," I said with a nod, Page giving me a dismissive nod and turned back to her table as I walked out of the hideout and back into the streets, hoping that I wouldn't have to try to explain myself to any of the maids. Still, judging from the sun, I might be able to get back before things start to get busy.


I haven't experienced this since I was a teenager, how I woke up one morning, stretched out my limbs, looked down, and realized that I was higher off the ground than I had been the day before. I knew I had been growing taller bit and bit every few weeks or so, but this time I noticed that I was a little taller than I was the day before.

I have to tighten my corset, and pin the back of my uniform because I have been losing my curves that I had developed over the years, most of it being replaced by height. Now, I wasn't freakishly tall...yet, but I noticed that I stood just a little taller than some of the woman in the house. I had come to the terms that I would be somewhat short, as it did run in my family, but I couldn't help but wonder at the sudden growth spurt.

I made sure I was eating fairly well, that I wasn't starving myself. Maybe this is part of Skill?

Reaver is fairly tall, maybe I should ask him about it...

"Bryn!" one of the maids called, walking quickly towards me. She looked to be the same age as me, a girl I had seen around, but didn't really learn her name. I didn't really interact with the maids here, just the ones I knew were resistance members, and even that was rare. Was I being too paranoid? Still, I kept to myself and the things I needed to do.

"Yes?" I asked, stopping my walk towards the servant's hall to settle down for the night, the girl looking a little flustered.

"Master Reaver wants to see you in his study."

"What for?" I asked, the girl just shaking her head.

"I don't know," she said, "he just told me to fetch you."

"Alright, thank you," I said with a sigh, turning on my heel and headed up towards his study. As I walked, I tried to think of things that might have caused him to get someone to fetch me. I was quick and tedious with my work, I stayed out from under people's feet today and couldn't think of things I had done wrong.

He probably just wants something from me...I thought, quickly climbing up some stairs and turned down the generally dimly lit hallways. I noticed that the house had many windows, yet inside it always seemed darker than expected. It made the days when my anxiety would flare up much more taxing. Quickly composing myself, I folded my hands behind my back as I walked into his study, Reaver sitting behind a cleared off desk that usually had papers of some sort on them.

I knew this because I would peer down at them from time to time when I thought Reaver wasn't looking, though I could never read long enough to pick up on anything note worthy.

It seemed this time, though, I had his full attention.

Crap.

"Ah, yes, Bryn. Prompt, as always," Reaver said, sitting up fully, placing the chalice of what I assumed was wine down on the desk.

"Is there anything I can get you, si-Master?" I asked, quickly correcting the "sir" that was about to slip out of my mouth. I had been corrected a number of times on it before and didn't feel like being corrected again.

Reaver gave me a look, leading me to believe that he caught my mistake, but didn't comment on it as he pointed a finger towards an empty chair in front of his desk.

"Close the door and sit, I believe that it is time we had a conversation," he said, watching me as I turned and walked back towards the door. I tried not to sigh as I shut the door, basically trapping myself in a room alone with him. If I didn't count the fear for my life while in his presence, it would be the stories I heard that circulated around house, which lead me to believe that the last place I wanted to be was to be alone with Reaver.

Trying not to express my anxiety, I crossed the room once again and sat down in the chair, looking at him expectantly. I tried to think of the number of things he could want to talk about, hoping that it would be about our agreement and not what I was really sent here for. I had been careful in covering my tracks and others as well, but, as always, I was just one person and prone to mistakes.

My foot started to tap slightly, something I always did while nervous. Scratching the back of my neck and touching my face, too, but I hand my hands clasped tightly together, resting on my lap.

"I see you have survived a month working for me, not without some minor irritations, but a month none the less," Reaver said, "Being a generous man, and seeing that you are one of the more competent people working here, I feel that I have no choice but to oblige to your proposition."

"You'll teach me to shoot?" I asked, taking notice of the hopefulness in my voice. I forced down the smile threatening to come out, looking down at my hands as I cleared my throat.

"If you prove you are worth teaching, I do have more important matters," Reaver said, rising up from his desk, "though, I do have some questions."

I nodded my head, a little uncertain about being asked questions. While part of me wanted to just spew out everything that happened to me to someone who would listen, yet I knew that Reaver was the last person to tell that to.

Needless to say, in my situation, the best question is no question.

"I'll try to answer as truthfully as I can," I said with a nod, looking up at him.

"You will answer truthfully."

I gave him another nod, hoping to get the questioning out of the way so I can try to get some sort of rest. Reaver walked back around his desk, picking up his wine as he looked down into the liquid inside the cup.

"Who are your parents?"

I paused, not really expecting that question.

You tell me...my real parents don't exist here.

"I...don't really see how my parents would have anything to do with my shooting ability," I stated, trying to brush off the question, but Reaver didn't seem to want to let it go.

"You claim to be a Hero of Skill. Heroes don't just appear without being linked to another, not in these days at least. Which leads me to believe that, if you are indeed what you claim to be, we must be related somehow. The most logical answer would be that you are an illegitimate child of mine, seeing as I am the remaining Hero of Skill. So, the proper question is: who is your mother?"

I stared at him, my mouth slightly agape. Reaver stood before me, waiting for my answer. I kept trying to process what he was saying, trying to piece together what he was assuming. I felt something bubble up from within, making me pull my eyebrows together and grin as I let out a loud laugh. I quickly slapped a hand over my mouth, still laughing into the palm of my hand.

"I'm sorry," I said after gathering myself, "I apologize for laughing, but are you trying to tell me that you think you might be my father? It is impossible, we are almost the same age."

"Well, I see you haven't heard all the stories about me, then," Reaver said, making me pause in my amusement, furrowing my eyebrows.

"What do you mean by that?"

"Now, if I simply tell you, it would take away all the fun of having you figure it out yourself," Reaver said, his smile on his face, one that I kept calling the "Dolphin Smile", "though, if you haven't figured it out by the end of the year, I will gladly show you want I mean."

"I...still haven't a clue what you are talking about," I said after a few moments of processing that too, "but I am blood related to both my mother and father, who I'm afraid isn't you. I'm sorry if you were looking forward to a...father-daughter reunion of some sort."

"Oh, Avo, no," Reaver said, taking a few gulps from his chalice, "I am quite relieved. Now, if I am going to be teaching you, it will be on your time. Now, don't mistake what I am saying as giving you permission to choose when I will be training you, you will still do your job the same way you have been, and I will do this as payment for doing it properly."

"Yes, Master Reaver," I said, nodding my head. I kept thinking back to what he had said about Heroes, wanting to laugh every time I did, but there was a part of me that wanted to think about it.

"Good, now shoo! Before I change my mind."

That was all I needed. I stood quickly at the dismissal and walked back towards the servant's hall, all too happy to be out of there. Still, I will have to get used to spending more time with him and what that may bring about.

The man is not my father, it is impossible. I didn't exist in this world, if I search for my family, I won't find them. I wasn't born with this, I was given the powers from Theresa.

"I need some sleep," I muttered to myself, "I need some answers. Where are you, Theresa..."