Chapter Nine:7:43 pm
Nine months, three days, four hours and seventeen minutes
After reaching the third floor of Nate's walk up, Maura was starting to regret her offer to help him up the stairs. Besides the occasional grunt, he said nothing only concentrated upon the task. He had yet to ever complain over being injured. But what bothered her was he remained so very angry to the point it still hurt to touch him. She guessed his mood had not improved due to finding out he had suffered a second degree ankle sprain and would need to stay completely off it for the next forty-eight hours followed by a few weeks of rehabilitation. Or he had somehow figured out she was behind his sudden loss of consciousness. Regardless of the reason, all Maura could do was bite back moans of pain and take more care when keeping his arm over her shoulders, to not let their skin come into direct contact.
Spotting a short radiator heater on the landing of the fourth floor Maura pointed to it and suggested, "Let's rest here."
"I do not require-"
"Well I do! And unless you want to gimp up those remaining stairs all by yourself and probably fall breaking your neck, then be my guest!" She let out a relieved breath when he shifted his weight off of her to the banister and without a word took back the crutches. As he used them to get himself to the makeshift bench, Maura winced at her short temper. But after helping him move, taking his pain away, calming him down over and over again, it was more than frayed.
Sitting down he gave a small smirk and finished, "I do not require help because I have adjusted to my injury and you appear to be growing tired. If I look to be close to falling and breaking my neck as you say, I would appreciate some assistance then."
Crossing her arms she muttered impishly, "Yeah right you were going to say that." Settling upon the uncomfortable metal chambers of the radiator she still made sure to put some space between them.
Perhaps it was feeling guilty over what she had done to him at the hospital. But as he eyed her, he seemed to say cryptically, "I guess we do not always know what has or will happen in life."
Maura tried not to squirm or fidget and feel bad over protecting herself. Why he became so furious over her opinion she did not know. When he glared at her murderously, not knowing him well enough and remembering how he grabbed her in the park, she was not about to take any chances. If someone had witnessed what she had done all they would have seen her do was touch him and mummer simply, "Sleep."
She grimaced remembering the pain as the rage in him burned at her fingertips. How it shot up her arm when he crumpled forward into them. An utter sadness filled her as she held him tight for a moment. A few tears stung at her eyes as his energy punched into her chest and squeezed around her heart before slowly letting go. He had managed to struggle and fight back against the suggestion briefly before succumbing to it. Something she had never encountered before. It left her puzzled and feeling ever the more horrible.
Lowering him to the ground carefully she had whispered in regret, "I'm so sorry Nate."
Of all of her abilities she possessed, she absolutely loathed this one the most. True, it was potentially helpful at times. But it still upset her that she could render anyone friend or foe utterly helpless all be it temporarily.
"What troubles you," his deep voice pushed into her remorse. Honestly she did not know what to say or could, so she said nothing. After a while he did so for her. "My temper, it frightens you."
"No, it just hurts." When his eyes widened and he tried to reach for her shoulder in apology she slid farther away.
"Maura I would never hurt-"
"That's good but do me another favor too Nate." She took a moment, picked at a thumb nail, absently cleaning it while thinking over how to put things in a way that would seem the least weird. Starting on her other thumb she decided upon carefully. "Don't touch me when you are upset. I can't stand that okay? You… you can be a bit intense at times and well… you need to not touch me then or lighten up."
"How when-" He bit back the demand yet it was still loud, dejected with a trace of regret.
"Well what is upsetting you, besides me?" Waiting she rubbed her hands nervously over her gray yoga pants knees.
"You do not. Well, not always at least." She risked a peek and found him giving that hard half grin of his again. It faded however at his next softer words, "Still I wish I could tell you."
"Why not?"
"It is… complicated."
"So dumb it down." At his confused look she drew a leg up to turn to him and added, "Try to put it simply. Break it apart and identify the real underlying problem. I don't need all of the details, right?" She watched and hugged her leg as he fell into deep thought.
After what felt like at least a full minute of nothing he slowly started, "My father and I do not see eye to eye on some matters. I have obligations to him and many others."
"So… a family business?"
He looked at her briefly then back to the floor. "You could put it that way. Right now my father still leads but I had felt he was misguided and out of touch. Since he clings to old ideals which I feel will not allow us to continue and thrive."
"Is this because he doesn't like your plans for change or he refuses all change in general?"
She watched his eyes tighten and his lips part in deep thought before he murmured, "I am unsure about that aspect. Never gave it much thought till now. Before I was too caught up in one plan and the debate over if I should ask or even if it comes to it, force him to step down to pursue it. Now I am wondering if my plan will ever work and if my father knew this all along."
"Why do you say that?"
"I do not know if you have noticed this yet about me or not but I can be rather... stubborn at times." When he looked up Maura struggled to keep a straight face but eventually lost the battle.
She gave a soft snort, "At times?"
His eyes only crinkled as he squinted at her slyly and they shared a small laugh. But as it died away so did his brief moment of lightheartedness. Maura watched the burden slowly settle upon his sturdy shoulders as he returned to the topic of his father. "He is not one to waste words upon deaf ears. To that I am very guilty off. A long time I have been preparing for when I will take over my father's responsibilities but now I worry over what is best to do and if I'm even up to the task."
"Any suggestions from the employees? You know, you don't have to come up with all of the answers, right?"
Relaxing a little, he smiled and answered simply, "True... I do not. Perhaps, I have been out of touch."
Blushing she got up, shuffled a foot and quietly admitted. "So I'm guessing what I said about leaders at the hospital… it sorta struck a nerve, huh? I'm sorry if-"
"No. I should not have taken insult, Maura. No apology is needed."
She looked back and found his eyes were no longer hard but kind. His features at ease. Tentatively she reached out a hand and let out a relieved breath when he took it and used it briefly to rise to his uninjured foot. She felt no more pain at the skin to skin contact, instead he was pulsing with warmth and gratitude before he let go. It was a balm upon her nerves. Wordlessly she followed and watched if he needed help up the stairs. With his one hand using the crutch, his other upon the rail he worked up the remaining ones all by himself.
At entering his spartan, tidy and small apartment she assumed his family's business was indeed struggling. What also struck her as odd was the complete lack of electronics. There was no TV, radio, microwave. Not even a digital clock, only one for a fire place mantle was atop of the refrigerator. She smiled at it but the moment her eyes settled upon the coffee table it faded. At finding her father's pocket watch neatly dissected and arranged.
=0=
Nuada watched her cautiously approach, gazing at it and asking, "That bad?"
Reaching the sofa, he set aside the crutches and eased down onto the floor. Waving a hand over the table he reassured, "No only a few parts are missing and damaged beyond repair. What I have done was necessary for me to assess all of the issues. Repairing the case and reattaching this will prove the greater challenge."
Taking the engraved lid, she sat down across from him, looked it over and murmured, "I always wondered over this."
"The date?"
"No the words, do you think it's a part of a poem?"
"I could not say for certain. Perhaps my sister would, she reads far more than I." He paused in debate but then asked, "How old is your grandmother?"
"I dunno, whenever I ask she just smiles and says, 'a lady never reveals her true age,' why?"
He gave what she held another pointed look and explained, "1919… an engraving such as that usually marks a special event rather than when the watch was made."
Her brows drew together in confusion, staring at the date, doing the math. "Strange… If that were true it would make her about a hundred."
"At least," He agreed, watching her very closely.
"What is it?" She noticed and squirmed under his gaze uncomfortable.
"How old do you think she is?"
"Not a hundred, maybe eighty? I really don't know, she has always taken very good care of herself and is still very active. Practically lives in her herb garden and kitchen." When he gave her a dubious look she added hastily while putting the cover down. "Look that has to be a date for when the watch was made. Or it was a family heirloom on her side and the phrase and initials for Anna and Liam were added later on."
"Your grandparent's names?"
"Yes."
He hated to press her more but still he asked, "How old were you when your grandfather passed?"
"Not sure he died sometime before I was born, why?"
At his narrowed gaze of concentration, she shot up paced a little then suggested. "You should really get off the floor and keep that ankle elevated. And I should at least make a quick run to the corner store to get you some food and…" she took a few steps to open his refrigerator and he laughed softly at her jaw dropping. There was nothing in there but some questionable milk and half a loaf of stale whole grain bread. "Oh Nate," she tisked and opened up the freezer then gave a sigh.
It was filled with frozen vegetables, fruits, fish and other meats. He preferred fresh unprocessed food but it was expensive and did not keep long so he had settled for putting most of it on ice. What she said next puzzled him.
"Well at least you have plenty of packs for your ankle."
"Pardon?"
He watched her pull out a bag of peas and slam it on the counter to loosen them up. Walking back to the sofa she handed it to him and gave a nod to his ankle. "Elevate and ice that for twenty minutes every three to four hours at least for the next four days. And if I catch you putting any weight on that foot I'll drag you kicking and screaming back to that hospital."
Nuada arched a brow but smiled playfully before suggesting, "Speaking of the hospital and what you mentioned there about work… I was thinking that if you help me the very least I can do is not charge you on repairing this in exchange." He gave a pointed look to her father's pocket watch. To her growing smile he held up a finger and stressed, "But… since I am doing this for free-parts included, I have to focus on my other repairs first. Do you find this a fair offer for your help?"
"Yes. So it will take a little longer, that's no problem, no problem at all." He watched the grin grow on her face as she shifted from one foot to another in excitement. "So first order of business, do you want me to get you a few things today?"
Although it warmed him that she was pleased, he hid it and said coolly, "No help me up." As she did Nuada added, "I do not require you to fetch anything till tomorrow. I will manage fine for now and I will make up a list of tasks tonight."
He echoed her soft laugh when he wobbled upon one foot and she helped steady him. Holding his biceps, she warmly looked up. What she did next made him drop the bag of peas in surprise. This time without hesitation she hugged him tight. And as she eased back she even got to her tip toes to press a soft quick kiss upon his cheek. Such an act from a human would have mortify if not disgusted him in the past, he now found himself reacting in quite the opposite way.
Through the intoxicating haze of her joy and excitement pulsing through him, he almost missed her murmurer, "Thank you. I really do appreciate this. So will noon tomorrow be good?" When he just blinked as she carefully let him go, she prodded, "Nate?"
"Yes… yes that will be fine. But I will call before that time to give you the list and save you a trip."
He watched a little dazed as her cheeks started to become pink. Turning away before he could see them redden more, she headed for the door. From it she gave one more smile and let herself out. Leaving him to stare after her and slowly reach up to touch the warm spot where she chastely kissed him.
=0=
From the alley Wink spotted Maura skipped down the steps from Nuada's apartment building to the side walk. It set off a worried buzzing in his ear from Ike as someone who leaned leisurely against the fence watched her pass then rose off of it. He glared after her then started to follow.
"I told you, it is him. It has to be him! He follows our prince and now she is-"
Wink gave a soft growl, silencing Ike. Although he knew their tongue well, he never gave wood fairies much thought or respect. Still he had to give this one some credit for bravery all be it grudgingly. For Ike had risked it all. Revealing what he knew to him after some careful thought and seeing the reluctance in his eyes when it came to Nuada's plans for the Golden Army.
He only had to endure a brief fit from Ike before they put aside the small matter of his suggestion to Nuada to have him killed.
"It was nothing personal. I only asked to learn how much he cared for your friend," Wink assured and satisfied Ike literally stopped chewing him out.
Wink rubbed his small now sore ear absently. It did not take the both of them long to figure out neither one of them wanted bloodshed. Fast becoming allies and after some debate over what to do they had decided to seek Princess Nuala's advice. Her simple order to protect Nuada as well as Maura eased any guilt Wink had over trying to thwart the Crowned Prince's misguided plans. After all, the choice over what to do when he gained her piece of the crown after the wager would still remain.
Eyes narrowing upon the elf disguised in glamor growing closer to Maura, Wink wondered why Cecht was bothering with her. As Ike's chirpings became more urgent Wink hushed him with a soft rumble. Vanishing them both under his glamor, Wink started slowly and carefully after them. Thankfully the sidewalk and streets were not busy. But seeing a flash of a blade, Ike's squeal of alarm had Wink putting caution aside. Quickly he brought up his right arm to shoot out his mechanical hand as Cecht drew back his arm with blade extending.
=0=
Hearing heavy running footsteps from behind Maura turned around just as something grabbed a hold of a man's head and jerked him away from her. In his hand he was drawing horizontally of all things what looked like a very sharp dagger. But the blade was somehow growing, the very tip of it nicking her throat as she stumbled back clumsily in alarm. Maura gripping her neck felt her fingers grow warm and wet as he was yanked away and lifted off of his feet.
Something from the alley roared. Maura cried out watching the man come down with a sickening crash on the sidewalk. With the hairs on the back of her neck rising, she realized that after a fall like that a normal man would probably not be conscious let alone still fighting. He kept kicking instead, struggling to get what looked like a metal hand off of his face. Spotting the dropped dagger against all reason she snatched it up, cautiously followed and ignored the thin tickling trickle of blood down her heaving chest.
Something moved in the shadows as a body was slammed against what sounded like a dumpster. A low growl and heavy breathing had Maura eyeing the street in debate.
But the scuffling, followed by a man yelling, pulled her deeper into the alley in curiosity.
"De do ghnothaich!"
A series of deep garbled grunts mixed with what seemed words in a strange tongue responded. But hearing an angry and familiar chittering she made out, "You will not hurt her! Murderer! Filthy Murderer!"
"Aich te bheal! Aireamh na h-aoine ort!"
"We will not! She is under our protection now!"
"Ike!" Maura cried out, drew up the short blade shakily and charged around the corner only to find herself behind something very large and scary looking. It had to be no less than seven feet tall, roughly humanoid in shape. The creature's blue-grey back rippled with muscles and quills. All she could think to do was to keep breathing as it picked up the man and threw him against a brick wall with a roar. As the man fell to the ground unconscious, it slowly turned around to face her.
Goodness, it looks like an ape with tusks! Well... one tusk.
She noted its right one was broken off. Its eyes seemed tiny compared to its large scarred mouth. Maura congratulated herself on not screaming but she was so frozen with fear she doubted she even make any sound at all. Lips working uselessly, she dropped her eyes, hoping somehow that it would agitate the creature less. It drew close and still unable to move her eyes focused upon it's large belt and recognized the symbol upon it from of her childhood. Yet none of the tales her grandmother read to her from a book bearing the same mark described a creature such as this, let along prepare her on how to deal with one. All they spoke about were elves especially the royal family.
"Ma-urrrr-aaa," he rumbled out. Breathing hard, his shoulders and arms rose and fell with each breath.
Shifting he drew his mechanical hand back behind him as if to hide it. Yet it was the very one that grabbed the man who attempted to kill her. Absorbing that fact, Maura tried to relax and peeked up. The creature meeting her eyes took what seemed a few shy steps back before turning his head to the left to regard her with one good right eye. She guessed the creature was male since he wore only an armored leather loincloth. Her dark brows knit in confusion as he bent his knees and dropped his shoulders. As if he was trying to make himself smaller and less threatening. Upon one of them sat Ike with an equally unsure look.
Just when Maura started to calm down, the creature's expression changed, he let out a frightening snarl then howled as he turned from her and took a few steps after her vanishing attacker. Even though the reaction was not meant for her, it still had her dropping the dagger and jumping back.
"Let him go we have our orders," she heard Ike say in his native language and with a frustrated snarl the large creature reluctantly seemed to agree before turning his attention back to her.
"Ah... H-h-hi," Maura managed to say to him without squeaking. He gave a smile and it only took a few strides before he was standing before her. Resisting the urge to take a few steps back, not wanting to cause insult she asked instead, "Um… Ike would you be a dear and tell me what the hell is going on, please?"
"Fffriend… Ca-ve Tro-oll," Ike explained in English and fluttered down from his shoulder to hers.
The creature backed up, pointed to his chest with his left hand and said slowly in a very deep voice, "Mr. Wink."
Eyeing his belt Maura managed, "Please to meet you, th-thank you for helping me. So… you serve Bethmoora?"
"Yesss, I pro-tect. Beeest yooou go hooome," Wink ground out as if he, like Ike struggled with speaking her language.
Craning her neck to look up at him she was not about to argue or push her luck with asking him a number of growing questions. Blinking, she realized Ike was talking urgently and as usual too fast for her to translate it all.
"Slow down!" Maura complained and closed her eyes to concentrate on all he said.
Ike tried but Wink ground out, "We gooo nooow. Gooo hhhome Ma-urr-aaa."
"But B-bethmoora… it's real? I thought... Wow, I have…" she trailed off opening her eyes to find the both of them gone. "Mr Wink? Ike?" She called out and looked about. Snatching up the blade, she ran to the other end of the alley. The same direction her attacker fled. Reaching another street she found nobody but pedestrians. Hastily she hid the odd blade in her sleeve but winced as it nicked the inside of her left forearm.
"Youch! Dammit that's sharp!" She grumbled and ducked back into the alley, found some cardboard to sheath the blade before stuffing it into her book bag. All the while muttering, "I don't understand. Grandma Ann always said the Bethmoora clan was nothing but fairy-" Squeezing her eyes shut in frustration she still smirked and realized with a laugh, "And I grew up seeing fairies, just got attacked by something that was probably not human and was saved by a troll today… a really-really big fucking troll so… okay it's real. It's all real!"
Putting further thought upon the matter aside for later, coming down off of the adrenaline, Maura shakily wiggled on her book bag and started for home, quickly.
=0=
Translations for the Gaelic Chet spoke.
"De do ghnothaich" Mind you own business!
"Aich te bheal" Shut up!
"Aireamh na h-aoine ort!" Damn you!
Note about Glamour powers: I based them off of what is seen and mentioned in Hellboy II. Nuada's ability to vanish himself and his sister completely to escape BPRD and how the fragglewump disguises herself among the humans. I made the assumption that fae can see through other fae's glamour with some concentration and using it over long periods of time can be draining. Hence why Nuada's pendent provides glamour for him to appear human all of the time but it also prevents him from using it to pull another disappearing act.