I'm back...sorry for the delay, y'all. Sometimes life just gets the best of ya, you know? Anyway, I'll try to update more frequently. Thanks for sticking with me!
Disclaimer: I own nothing except a big attitude and a new pair of black Converse high tops.
"This is bollocks!" The sudden outburst caused everyone to jump, shifting their gazes to Katie. She looked around at each of them, the agitation coming off of her in waves. "Don't you all want to get on with it?"
Dinner had been a subdued affair with only the sounds of the fire and Panda's constant stream of conversation to break the silence. Everyone ate quickly, anxious to move on to the conversation ahead, but as they finished up no one seemed to know what to do next.
At Katie's words though, Effy nodded and finally took charge.
"We all know that something strange is happening." She slowly looked around the group, her piercing blue eyes making contact with each of theirs before continuing in her smoky voice. "Each of us is connected in some way. It's time for us to find out how." Everyone nodded. "Let's start with our mysterious assassin. JJ, Thomas, what did you find out?"
Thomas motioned JJ to start. "Well," JJ began nervously, pulling a sheet of paper from his pocket, "we went through all of the man's belongings. Besides the bow, we found a quiver with 14 arrows - barbed like the one with which he shot Emily, - a set of 6 throwing knives, several meters of rope, enough food for 4 days-" He stumbled slightly as Katie sighed impatiently.
Thomas looked gently at Katie, "Patience, Katie. Please."
Katie looked slightly chagrined, "Sorry, JJ. Go on."
JJ swallowed quickly and nodded. "Perhaps most interestingly our assassin had this." He pulled out a leather-bound journal not unlike the one that Naomi kept. "We also found a mark - a brand of sorts - on the back of his left arm. It matches the mark imprinted on the journal." He briefly showed them the journal cover where a faded stamp appeared in the lower righthand corner. "The assassin seems to have been a member of something called The Order of The Crimson Blade. It is mentioned several times in the book." Cook was listening intently as JJ spoke, his brow furrowed as though he was trying to remember something that was just out of reach. "According to his journal," JJ continued more animatedly, "he was given over to The Order at a young age and has been training as a warrior and assassin ever since. The mark was branded on him at 15 when he completed his training and joined the order."
Cook moved over to crouch next to JJ, "Lemme see that mark." He peered closely for a moment before his eyes widened slightly.
"Do you recognize it, Cook?" Effy asked, seeing his expression.
"Yeah," He ground out. He rose quickly and spun around, his face a mask of fury. "I saw it just this morning." He spat as he rammed his fist into Thomas' face.
"What the Hell?!" Katie rushed to where Thomas had fallen. She glared up at Cook as Thomas rubbed his face with a grimace of pain. "What the Hell is wrong with you, Cook?"
Cook glared back just as fiercely as he looked around Naomi who was standing with her palms on his chest, trying to calm him down. Cook looked beseechingly at Naomi as he spoke, each word hitting like a jackhammer. "Thomas has the same brand. He's the same as the guy who shot Emilio."
Naomi's vision went hazy before turning red. She spun around to add her own injury only to find Effy holding her back. Effy said nothing as they struggled, just held her with a strength that belied her slight frame. "Get out of my way, Eff. I'm going to kill him."
Katie piped up from behind Effy. "He didn't shoot Emily...I'm sure there's an explanation." Her voice became less sure as she glanced to where Thomas sat.
Just then she sensed it. A slight shift, like a puzzle piece falling into place. She looked back to Naomi and found her standing frozen, her eyes wide and her muscles tense. She felt it too, Katie thought in amazement.
"Enough." The husky voice washed over them, leaving each with a different sensation in it's wake. Katie relaxed almost inperceptively as she heard the proof that Emily was alright and would be leading again. Cook stilled instantly, sighing with relief. JJ and Panda both calmed where they stood along the edges, anxiously watching the scene unfold. Even Effy seemed to be affected as she cocked her head to sight the tiny redhead behind Naomi. Naomi seemed to move not a muscle, but as Katie looked more carefully at where she stood in Effy's arms she realized that Effy was holding her up as though her legs couldn't support her.
Katie watched her sister walk toward them. She was clearly in pain, but moved with a strength and determination that seemed to outweigh it. Katie and Effy both tracked her as she stepped past Cook with a gentle squeeze on his arm. Naomi didn't turn, her face a mask of longing and fear mixed into one. Emily hesitated behind her, her fingers reaching out slightly before she quickly pulled them back and turned to Thomas who had not moved from his spot on the ground.
She knelt in from of him. "Thommo," Her voice was soft, its tone creeping in and filling the space like a gentle fog rolling in. "What's going on?"
Thomas' calm facade crumbled at her words and he looked at her with dark eyes gleaming with sadness and tears. "I have not been honest with you, Emily. My friends-" His voice broke as he looked around at the group. "My family. I have not told you all you should know. I thought I could protect you without you finding out." Tears streamed down his face in earnest now. "I have never betrayed you. I swear it! I just could not bear to see your eyes change when you look at me. I could not bear it if you hated me." Thomas let out a choked sob as Pandora enveloped him in a hug. He clung to her as she stroked his back and murmured soothing words.
Emily glanced back at Cook and Katie, carefully avoiding eye contact with Naomi. After a moment of silent conversation with them, she leaned forward, placing a cool palm on Thomas' cheek.
"Thommo, you are family. Family is forever." She wiped away his tears and kissed him gently on each cheek. "Each of us has done things that we regret. Things that haunt us at night. We force ourselves to be stronger because of them and we can't help but be stronger because of each other." Thomas looked at her, gratitude shining in his face. "I know this will be hard, but, when you are ready, we would hear your story." Thomas nodded to her. "In the meantime," she said, turning to the rest of the group, humor entering her voice. "perhaps someone could catch me up. I seem to have missed some things and..." Her voice trailed off as she locked eyes with the one person she had been trying not to address.
Effy glanced between the two of them, almost embarrassed by the intensity of the gaze. "I think Naomi can fill you in. We'll go get...a unicorn." Katie looked at her sharply, her brows raised. "They're not listening anyway." Effy shrugged. "Come on," she said to Katie and the boys. "We're not going to get anywhere until this happens."
The silence lengthened between the girls, neither seeming to know how to start, until finally Emily managed to speak.
"Hi." Emily gave herself a mental slap. Hi? You're faced with the girl you've literally been dreaming about and all you can manage is hi?
Naomiwatched the play of emotions across the face of the small girl in front of her. She felt herself relaxing as she realized that Emily was nervous. "Hi." She replied back with a shy smile. "How are you feeling?"
Emily shrugged, trying to play it cool, only to wince in pain as she moved her injured shoulder. She gave Naomi a sheepish grin, "I feel like I got shot." She cocked her head slightly. "I get the feeling I would be a lot worse off if not for you." Emily's nose wrinkled as she sifted through the memories and pictures that floated in the back of her mind. "You pushed the arrow out." She said with certainty as the scene came back to her.
"I'm sorry." Naomi blurted, "I know it must have been very painful. We were worried about infection and the arrow was barbed so I couldn't just pull it out. I tried to be care-" Naomi stopped abruptly as Emily stepped forward and grasped her wrist with cool fingers.
"Thank you," Emily said softly. "For that and for the journey back to camp." Naomi's cheeks burned as she realized that Emily remembered being carried by her. "I don't think I've ever felt as safe as I did in your arms." Emily's words filled Naomi with a warmth and joy she'd never known.
"You're welcome, Emily." Noami answered just as softly. She glanced down, unsurprised to find her fingers interlaced with Emily's. Everything about being with her felt right and pure. Naomi could swear that she felt the ground tremble, as if the Earth itself had been waiting for the moment they would meet.
"Oh!" She was pulled abruptly from her thoughts by Emily's exclamation. She glanced at Emily with concern. Emily's face seemed pale and Naomi detected a slight hitch in her breathing.
"What's wrong? Is it your shoulder? Your head? You should sit down." Naomi looked around anxiously for Pandora.
Emily squeezed her hand gently. "It's not that. I just realized that I don't even know your name."
Naomi sighed in relief, smiling at the other girl. "It's Naomi. Naomi Campbell."
Emily's smile lit her eyes so brightly that Naomi felt that she must have little sparks in them. "Naomi" Her husky voice sent shivers down Naomi's spine. "It's beautiful name. I like it."
Naomi had never paid much attention to her name, but she was suddenly very thankful for it. The girls smiled goofily at each other for a few moments before the sound of Emily's stomach growling broke the silence and caused them both to giggle.
"We better feed that beast." Naomi joked. "Come on; I'll get you some food. You should probably be resting anyway."
Naomi gathered up some food and led Emily back to Pandora's tent, ignoring all of Emily's protests that she was capable of carrying her own supper. Once they were settled inside, Emily tore into the food, listening intently as Naomi summarized the day's events. Once her initial hunger was satisified, Emily slowed her chewing and pondered all that Naomi had told her. She looked thoughtfully at Naomi.
"I saw you, you know." Naomi looked at her quizzically. "In the village. I saw you in front of a big stone building."
Naomi's eyes lit with understanding and she nodded. "I saw you too." She smiled slightly. "Well, I saw a flash of red." Her face turned serious again. "When I saw you in the trees, I knew it was you and when you fell..." Naomi took a breath to steady her shaking voice. "When you fell, I thought my heart had stopped." Her brow wrinkled in confusion and she looked almost pleadingly at Emily. "I don't understand it, Ems." Emily smiled at the nicknames that Naomi didn't seem to notice. "It's like we're tied together. When you were hurt, I felt like I had been shot. I was ready to kill your sister for trying to come between us." Naomi began to pace. "It's just...I've never felt like this before. I love Effy more than anyone in the world, but I've never felt like this about her. With you, it's like you're a part of me. Like you're essential to my very being, but I don't even know you. I mean, how can one flash of red change everything?"
Emily watched Naomi grow more and more agitated. She is magnificent, Emily thought with a bemused grin. Finally she caught Naomi's hand causing her to still. Emily stood quickly, intending to address Naomi's concerns. Before she could speak, a wave of dizziness washed over her causing her to lose her balance. Instantly, Naomi caught her in a tight embrace, her arms snaking around Emily's waist pulling their bodies flush. Instinctively, Emily threw her arms around Naomi's neck, her fingers getting tangled in soft, blonde hair. Emily stared into Naomi's crystal blue eyes, lost in the emotions she saw there. Softly, she trailed one hand along Naomi's jaw, watching her pupils dialate in response, her own mirroring the display.
"I understand." Emily whispered. "I feel it too." Slowly she leaned forward placing a soft kiss on Naomi's lips.
The reaction was instant, like lightening striking dry brush. Naomi tightened her hold, deepening the kiss. She ran her tongue along Emily's bottom lip seeking entry which was immediately granted. Emily's hands plunged deeper into Naomi's hair as she tried to get even closer. She felt like a fire in danger of spreading out of control. Cool fingers moved along her back seeking bare skin, every touch causing the flames within her to flare. Emily's head fell back as Naomi's lips made their way down her neck leaving a trail of icy fire.
Suddenly, the tent flap burst open causing the girls to jump away from each other, their breath coming in pants.
"Oh!" Katie exclaimed, having the grace to look slightly embarrassed before she scoffed at them. "That was well quick."
Effy smirked at her. "I win."
"Shut up, Eff." Naomi blinked at Katie's casual use of the name, but was distracted as Katie's full attention came back to them. "If you two are through with your snogfest..." Emily and Naomi both blushed and avoided looking at each other. "Thomas is ready to tell us his story."
Well? What do you think? Suggestions?