Teito's POV
He heard the sound of a twig snapping behind him. He pushed the child behind him. XIII had drawn his sword right as Teito had.
To his surprise it was Mercy. Still he didn't relax his guard. First he had to find out what the other saw. Whether or not he would hurt a child for being a mage. If he tried their deal would be off.
Mercy asked his eyes noting their stiff postures," He's a mage isn't he, Klien?"
Teito's stiff response came out," And if he is?"
Would they lose their allies so quickly? Just when his men were beginning to settle. He could feel the child behind him shake in fear. Feeling this he knew that he could not risk the child's fate. Mages were not something to be feared. If people looked past their powers they would see frightened children who are looking for a place to belong.
Mercy noted their cold looks and choose his next words carefully. When he replied it wasn't what he expected," Then he will have to be hidden. Or we will risk people trying to kill him."
Said child grabbed at the back of his pants leg. Teito could feel his fear. This was bad. Untrained mages magic reacted to both anger and fear. After searching the man's expression. Then he turned his back on Mercy to look at the child.
Bending down to a knee he asked," Do you want me to train you? I'm not strong in attacks or defensive magics. I can teach you as I was taught."
The boy asked his eyes wide and wet with tears," I'm just a freak. No one wants me."
Teito's jaw clenched angrily. No child should ever think of themselves that way. It made him remember his own past.
Taking the boy's chin gently in his hands. As he did the child flinched away from him. Instead of continuing his movement he waited. When the child didn't pull away Teito tilted his head to meet his own green ones.
With a soft and gentle but firm at the same time voice he said," You are not a freak. Those who don't understand us call us that. I am not an easy teacher but I will be fair. I won't force you to learn from me however. That's up to you."
The boy's blue eyes searched his. Looking for any kind of falsehoods in his gaze. Teito allowed his gaze to warm slightly. Something that he didn't allow very often.
Finally the boy said in a mere whisper," Lukas. My name is Lukas."
A smile tugged at his lips. Then he said," I'm Teito. Teito Klien once leader of the Black Hawks. This is XIII. Where do you live, Lukas?"
Lukas took a moment to answer. When he did anger filled the killer," The town's main orphanage. My parents abandoned me when I was just a babe."
He and XIII exchanged glances. They would not allow a young mage to stay in the orphanage. They both had grown up in the same situation.
He couldn't be the one to adopt Lukas though. A killer was not fit to be an adoptive parent. XIII would be a better fit. Or one of his men. Either way it couldn't be him.
XIII met his eyes an understanding in his eyes. They exchanged a simple nod. XIII would find the boy a good person to rise him. While he would train the boy he would not be the main influence in Lukas life. It was for the best.
XIII took the lad by the arm and led to him the town. Likely to introduce to him to the members of the Black Hawks. Teito watched them retreat back towards the town. Guilt knawed at him. However as much as he wanted to help the child more he couldn't. Most people didn't yet know that he was a murderer. When it got around he wouldn't be surprised if some of the more foolhardy tried to run him out. A life on the run was no place for a child.
Mercy asked interrupting his thoughts," What do you plan on doing with him?"
Sighing Teito rubbed his eyes wearily before he replied," One of the other Black Hawks will take him in. Hopefully he can find happiness with them. I will be his teacher nothing more."
Mercy asked his eyes meeting Teito's," Are you sure? As an orphan they don't bond with people easily. Yet he put his faith in you. Only you. Not one of your men."
Shaking his head Teito said," I can't give him the life a child should have. At least with my men he could have a steady lifestyle. With an adult who could look after him. Not someone whose always on the run."
The younger leader made a face. He knew what the other was thinking. There was no way he could be on the run forever. Eventually he would have to settle down somewhere.
Deep down though Teito knew he would never settle fully. There would always be something to call him away. Whether it be to kill or to protect. There was no longer anywhere he called home. Just places he stayed for short periods of time.
Mercy said looking towards the road," He wouldn't care you know. Lukas is a child. All he wants is someone to care for him. Whether that's here or on the road."
Teito said over his shoulder as he began the treck back to town," You know as well as I do I can't take him. Not down the path that I'm meant to travel."
Mercy's POV
He watched Klien walk off. This conversation wasn't over. Not by a long shot. Sure he got where the older man was coming from. He understood. He truly did. There was a time and a place for such things. At the moment it seemed Klien didn't think that was now. Mercy begged to differ.
His time researching and observing Klien told him many things. Some were good. Most were not.
Klien had been a killer for hire. Given that he had only been at it for a year the amount of kills he had were staggering. Every kill had the same means of death. A single arrow to fatally wound the target. Usually killing instantly. 205 kills in a year. Not many outside a war zone could do that. To make things worse those were only the ones attributed to him. Who knew how many weren't.
If this was the judge of his character Mercy would agree. Klien was not meant to be a parent. It wasn't however.
He had seen the hope in the child known as Lukas' eyes. That maybe someone would care for him. Give him a place to call home.
Klien had not called anywhere home since the fall of his stronghold. He moved around almost constantly. Any time not on a mission was thought to be in one of his safe houses. Or to be hiding in the forest.
Mercy could see where he was coming from. Such a lifestyle was no place for a child. Then again. He had seen the hope in the child's eyes when he looked at Klien. Hope that someone would take him from his personal hell. It made him extremely angry that an orphanage under his watch treated a child like that. Something he would soon rectify.
Mercy made his way towards the road. The treck back to town was short. He saw Klien heading to the nearest bar. Wincing he hoped the other didn't start a fight.
Then he saw XIII with the child going to the orphanage. Taking in everything in his city he noticed new things. A few of the lower ranked Black Hawks were talking with merchants. Others were catching up on the streets.
There was mistrust in his own people but they were welcoming at least. Trust would come with time. So he wasn't worried.
Passing by a blacksmith he saw something that made him stop. Eon stood holding a short sword in his hand. The blacksmith showing the older man how to hold the blade. There was patience in his eyes but also amusement.
Mercy moved closer to the two men. Seeing his approach the blacksmith stiffened. Eon noticed the stiffness that the blacksmith suddenly had.
He turned and greeted," Lord Mercy."
Mercy greeted in return with a smile," Hello, Eon. It's just Mercy to my friends."
That got a warm smile from the older man. It was nice to see it on the other's face. Something he had noticed was that every Black Hawks were all serious. Eon seemed less serious than the rest of them. He had an ever easier smile.
Eon corrected himself," Mercy then. What brings you here?"
Mercy said smiling slightly," I was checking over the town. After meeting with Klien."
Eon snorted as he said," Well depending on his soberity depends on how well that went."
Mercy smiled gently as he replied," Well he was sober. At least I think he was. It's hard to tell sometimes."
Eon gave another snort as he said," I haven't seen him sober since the fall. Don't ever bet you can out drink him. You will die before he's even half way done."
Mercy gave a soft laugh. His men would likely try but he wasn't so stupid. Now that, that was over however he noticed the way Eon awkwardly held the sword. Apparently he was not one of the fighters.
Mercy asked carefully," You want to learn about swordsmanship? Why?"
Eon said his eyes going hard," Blue says that I'm the one going to die. If I die then it will be fighting for what I believe in. I want to protect my Lord with my life."
A voice said from behind them," Don't say that Eon. Without you most of us would have died. Teito looks at you as a brother."
At first it had been hard. Then it had softened somewhat. Turning they saw Daniel. Like Eon he had a silver lined crest. This was one of the Lord's of Black Hawks. The second youngest if he remembered correctly.
Daniel held out his gloved right hand and said," Lord Mercy it's a pleasure. I'm Daniel of the southern mountains."
Southern mountains. For some reason it rang a cord with him. Why he couldn't remember.
Mercy took the hand and replied," Nice to meet you Daniel of the southern mountains. You can just call me Mercy. There is no need for the Lord business."
Daniel's gaze searched his for a long moment. Then he nodded and said," Mercy then."
With that he turned back to Eon. The older man had paid for the sword while they were talking. It was now belted to his hip and his gaze was now on them.
Daniel said with a sigh," You were never much of a fighter, Eon. At your age you should be taking it easy. Letting the younger guys fight."
A steely look entered the eldest man's eyes. It made both Daniel and he take a step back. Neither had ever seen such a look in his eyes before.
Eon said with a finality that made them shiver," I never had the need to learn to fight. This time however I do. I will no longer watch those I care about die while I do nothing. If that means I must fight with a sword when the times comes. Then so be it."
Daniel sighed. Mercy held back one of his own. He understood the frustration of both men. If it was him and he would feel the same way. There was no way he could ever abandon the battlefield while his men fought for their lives.