Author's Note: Here we go with Chapter 9! Finally, all of the pieces are put together...and we can get the plot train a rollin'. Next chapter – on the road! Explanations and conversations! An epic fight in everyone's favorite set of ruins...wait, there aren't any ruins? Gasp!
Chapter Nine
The Fourth One
It was no surprise that she woke screaming.
What was surprising, however, was the sight of a unknown figure in her room, an unfamiliar black shape in the darkness. The only light, such as it was, came from the window which Aurantha was certain had been firmly shut before she went to bed. On a night with only a sliver of the moon in the sky, this wasn't enough to see any details, especially not with her weary old eyes.
It was enough to see that the intruder was standing stock still, his or her pose awkward and stiff. Obviously, he had not anticipated that his target would wake, especially not in such a...startling manner. The shock must have nearly frightened the would-be thief half to death. No doubt he or she had been expecting that an elderly traveler such as herself would prove to be a simple target. Perhaps the intruder even believed that a woman of her age and status would travel with expensive jewels or bags of gil, and being an old lady, she would naively leave such things unguarded?
If that was indeed the case, she would soon have a bit of fun. She enjoyed being underestimated.
Aurantha did not have much time to regain her composure, though. Even she had difficulty maintaining her usual tranquil state after such a harrowing night – waking from what could only be described as a nightmare only to find that someone had broken in to her room. The figure was obviously skilled, and reacted well to surprise. After a mere moment of shocked stillness, the mystery person silently fled for the window.
"Stop." Aurantha nearly did not react in time – truly, her reflexes were not what they used to be. Once, she could stop a drop of rain before it hit her mask, but now she did not even know if she had the speed or power to stop a thief from escaping.
With a sigh and a creak of her old bones, she rose from the bed to see if she had succeeded.
She was interrupted, however, by her door bursting open with a loud bang. Aurantha didn't make a sound, but how badly she was startled was evident in her pose – one hand touched the wall after she stepped back in surprise, the other hand raised in front of her.
The darkness may have preserved her dignity for a second, but at the sight of a candle she gasped and turned away, reaching for a shawl that rested on the nightstand. It was thin and light, not too much of a burden as she covered her head and face with the fabric. She made sure to leave a crack for her to see through – the material was opaque.
She breathed a sigh of relief when she recognized that the second intruder was Sir Ruad. Of course his instincts were too finely honed for him to sleep through such chaos! She did not doubt that he could wake at the slightest hint of trouble. Even if she had not known the need for three companions, it would still have been wise to hire such a guard – everyone has weaknesses of body. No matter how powerful a caster she might be, she could not protect herself as she slept, or if she were surrounded, or any number of situations.
On top of all that, this journey had already made her realize just how old she had become. She was no longer used to walking for so long, and her legs and back ached and the joints protested being out of the comfort of her bed. Even if she were to be attacked while awake and alert, she was no longer certain that she would be able to adequately protect herself from anything posing a significant threat. It was enlightening, albeit humbling.
"There was...an intruder," she said, pointing to the open window. She decided that it would not be prudent to inform Sir Ruad of her nightmare at the current time. Judging by the look on his face, however, he did not entirely believe her words. Perhaps it was merely that he distrusted her entirely due to my race and position, but she chose to attribute his suspicions to his intuition instead. He struck Aurantha as having excellent instincts. Still, he nodded and chose to accept her explanation – for now.
Without having said a word in response, he crept cautiously to the window, candle in one hand, spear in the other. The Yuke woman followed.
There, sprawled beneath the window of the inn – it was lucky for her that it was a one story building – was the motionless body of the nighttime visitor. Sir Ruad's eyebrows shot up. He gave a quick glance back at Aurantha.
"How fortunate, it appears that my spell struck true after all. I had feared I was too late," she said, by means of explanation. Before he could voice his question, she added, "She is alive."
Sir Ruad nodded, still keeping his spear pointed towards the window even as he turned.
"What do you want done with it...Lady?" he asked, pointing to the still form of the intruder with a quick jab of his weapon. The distinct pronoun selection was not lost on the Yuke. Nor did she miss the stiff pause before he said her name.
'So, he insists on playing this game. A pity,' she thought disapprovingly. 'So much effort is wasted in masking bitterness with civility.'
"If you would be so kind, help me lift her inside. I would speak with her," Aurantha said, her tone weary.
His eyes narrowed, but he did not question her.
"Very well...Lady."
It took a few minutes of awkward struggling with the body to get it back inside. The spell had rendered the would-be burglar stiff as a board, as for all intents and purposes she was 'frozen' in time. It wasn't truly accurate, as tampering with the flow of time would be a spell far more complex and difficult than a simple one word incantation, magic of a truly frightening magnitude. However, it wasn't exactly paralysis, nor was she literally frozen – it was easiest just to accept the spell at its base value. It made the intruder stop.
When the body was carefully set inside the room, with the window and door firmly shut and locked. Aurantha had donned her helmet and lit a lamp. (She was pleasantly shocked to find that
Sir Ruad had turned away as soon as she reached for her mask. It was a courtesy she had not expected of him.) The soldier warily stood in front of the stranger, holding his spear in such a way as to make it clear that there was no escape.
It was of very little surprise to either of them to note that the infiltrator was a Selkie. What was more surprising was the sorry state of the bandit – slightly underfed, a figure that made the average Clavat woman look voluptuous, with clothing that seemed shabby even when compared to other vagrant bands of Selkies. The thick-stitched patches that made up her outfit were so discolored as to all shades of gray or green or brown, and it was next to impossible to tell the materials sewn in. The only bright bit of color was her tribal tattoo, and even that was a hue of red that was muddled and dark.
Most Selkies prided themselves on their appearance. It was a cultural idiosyncrasy, a mark of status. Much like wild wolves, a group of Selkie thieves fought amongst themselves to make a sort of hierarchy. Obviously, the most skilled thieves were able to obtain the best items, whether it was fine clothes or bits of precious metals or gems. The finer the appearance, the more respected the Selkie tended to be among his or her pack. Not to mention the fact that Selkies tended to be a vain people, aware and arrogant of the fact that they were beautiful in their wildness.
But while they might fight clan-to-clan and family against family, Selkies looked after their own pack.
Aurantha was even more curious to learn about her mysterious invader. With a hand gesture, the spell was broken. The Selkie nearly collapsed as limpness replaced the stillness that held her. Still, her eyes darted about the room, indicating that she was alert. By the way she stiffened into something that was trying to be a crouch, Aurantha could tell that the girl was ready to bolt at a moments notice, and would have done so already if not for the spear pointed at her chest.
"Greetings," the Yuke said, trying to put the tense thief at ease. She did not want to harm the girl; she merely wanted to question her. It was far more generous than the girl would reasonably expect, in truth. Many would have her hands for breaking in, even if she did not succeed in stealing anything. In fact, most would see her lose more than simply her hands, due to the fact that she was a Selkie. There were more than a few towns that would hang a Selkie for walking in broad daylight, let alone breaking and entering.
It did not work. The girl remained wary like a caught animal: the hairs of her neck and arms sticking up, every muscle tensed, every sense straining to pick up every detail of her surroundings. She did not move half an inch.
"I will not harm you. I simply wish for you to explain yourself. "
The girl did not answer. In response, Geirr tightened the grip on his spear. Her eyes darted to his hands, then to his face. In a flash, her gaze returned to Aurantha. She still did not move.
"Why did you break in here tonight?"
"...Felt off."
"What felt...off, exactly?" Aurantha asked, pleased to have gotten a response so quickly, and highly interested at the unexpected statement.
"Th' wind. Th' air. Felt different. Off," the thief grunted, clearly not wanting to elaborate.
Curiouser and curiouser. Unfortunately for Aurantha, the explanation didn't actually explain anything at all. However, it was far too early to simply give up, so she continued to prod.
"And this lead you to breaking in to my room? Am I to conclude, then, that you believed that I had something to do with this aberrance?"
"Yeah. S'you. Somethin's up, and yer in the middle of it," the Selkie girl said, meeting Aurantha's stare with something that wasn't quite a glare, but nonetheless seemed accusatory. It was true what they said about Selkies having feral eyes, the older woman noted. Yet despite what many believed, and for all that they acted like it at times, they were not part beast.
Although it would appear that their instincts were as sharp as if they were part animal, judging by the perceptiveness of this girl.
"How very astute. You are correct; something is happening...or something will happen, to be more precise," the Yuke woman said, elated as realization dawned on her.
This was the one. The fourth one of whom she dreamt. She surely had to be; only fate would pull such a trick as to have her literally tumble through the window.
The Selkie girl didn't look surprised in the least. Aurantha wasn't sure if it was her imagination or not, but the girl seemed to be relaxing a bit. Perhaps it was her perceptive instincts again, making her aware of the tug of fate?
"Knew it. Shadows and animals and monsters don't whisper lies," the girl muttered, looking away. "The monsters, they're excited. Something 'bout a red moon..."
A red moon...
It has long been a symbol of evil, just as the light of the crystal is a symbol of good. The two repel each other, holding balance.
And somehow, all of the twisted creatures born to shadows and hatred and war seem to sense whenever that balance is broken. Of course they would feel it know as well. This looked to be the greatest upset of balance in all of history. They draw power from the weakness of people, from chaos and pain and fear. There was a time when monsters roamed the roads freely, but in these days of relative peace they were a very rare sight, thankfully. Only in the forgotten lands, deep in the wilds, did monsters still rule. Travelers still were wary on the roads at night, but bandits were far more likely to strike them down than monsters.
Somehow, it was not surprising to find that this girl lived in places where monsters could be found. Every inch of her advertised her lack of touch with the civilized world.
"I know of these things as well. I have seen them," Aurantha said softly. "That is why I am here. I aim to ensure that we withstand these events. I fear for what might occur if nothing is done."
The girl stared at her for a long time. This time her gaze was not hostile; rather it was calculating.
"An' you need help." It was not a question.
"Yes, I most certainly do. Are you willing? I do not know why, but I am nonetheless sure you have some skill or knowledge that could make all the difference in this quest."
"What?" It had been a while since he had spoken up, so both women turned to look at Geirr in mild surprise. "You must be joking. Surely you can't seriously mean to have this...person accompany you as well!"
"I mean exactly that, and I assure you that I am entirely serious," Aurantha said mildly. "I have seen that there will be four on this journey, and I believe her to be the fourth."
"You've seen? You've seen her break into your room as well; shouldn't your actual senses be used in your judgment, rather than some mystical dream?" Geirr said curtly. "Need I point out that this
scrawny wretch is a thief?"
"Why should I trust my visions less than my eyesight? I have rarely been led wrong by my visions, and the eyes can be so easily fooled. And though she did indeed break in here tonight, her goal was not to steal. Does she have any pockets? Does she carry with her a bag? I see neither on her person. Tell me, what sort of burglar has no means to carry her ill-gotten goods?"
He was visibly furious.
"Very well, Lady. I will retire to my room. I assume we still mean to leave at dawn...that is, if your throat has not been slit come the morning."
"I should hope it will not be. After all, I did hire a skilled guard, did I not?" she replied, her tone dry.
She regretted baiting him so; if his face was any redder he would surely burst a vein. And for all his rudeness, Sir Ruad did not speak without reason. She could not expect him to trust a vision he did not experience, nor was it silly of him to be distrustful of strangers. It was clearly his nature.
"I ask that you forgive his rude words," Aurantha said after he left the room.
"Nah, he's right. I don't get why yer so loose with trust. I sure as hell wouldn't trust myself in yer shoes. Hell, I don't trust you yet, anyways," the Selkie girl said, crossing her arms.
"That is...understandable. However, I do not feel as though my trust is misplaced. Does that mean that you decline?" Aurantha asked with a sigh.
"I...I don' know. Maybe? I guess...I'll think 'bout it some..." she nervously answered.
"We leave with the dawn. You will find us at the entrance to town...I believe you know the spot," Aurantha said, as if the girl had already agreed. Perhaps she had.
The girl turned to leave through the very window she had entered through, when one last question stopped her.
"Forgive me, but I nearly forgot one thing. What is your name?"
The Selkie paused, hesitant. Evidently she decided that it was safe enough to answer, for before she disappeared from sight, Aurantha clearly heard her say, "Izha Lul."
