Chapter Twelve
Author's Note: Finally a new chapter! Sorry this update took me so long. I just took a really important test and had to study and everything. Sorry in advance if there are typos or mistakes. I really wanted to post for everyone so I hurried a little bit. :) I hope you like the new chapter!
Disclaimer: If I owned FFXIII, I assure you that there would be no question as to whether or not Fang x Vanille is canon. Enough said, I think.
Vanille bit her lip, feeling both anxious and excited, and glanced both ways down the hallway to make certain that she was alone before she quickly opened the door to her bedroom and slipped inside. She shut the door soundlessly behind her and scanned the dark room to make sure that all the other beds were empty before she crossed the room and knelt at the side of her own bed. Resting her arms against the mattress, she grinned up at the still form of the gorgeous dark-haired girl and attempted to hide her giggle. It was not often that she was able to surprise her.
"Fang?" Vanille whispered gently into the darkness, a bright grin warming her features as she strained her eyes to make certain that she was not the one being tricked. "Are you asleep yet?"
There was no response from the older girl, who always went to bed much earlier than the rest of their roommates because apprentice hunters were required to wake at sunrise. Her chest rose and fell peacefully and her form was still.
Giggling again, Vanille sat on the edge of the bed that they shared and ran her fingers over the silky skin of Fang's cheek before she trailed them through her soft, messy hair. As her eyes began to adjust to the darkness, she admired her attractive features and considered simply changing into her nightclothes and joining her. It was too early for her to fall asleep, but even lying close to the sleeping girl, knowing that she cared about her just as much as she had always begged the fates to allow, would be satisfying in ways that she had not known were possible.
Fang suddenly awoke, her hand snapping alertly around Vanille's wrist as though she thought her to be an intruder.
"It's just me, Fang," Vanille assured her gently, another giggled escaping her lips.
"You say that like I shouldn't be worried about finding you hovering over me with that dreamy look on your face while I'm sleeping," Fang murmured drowsily, a yawn escaping her as she released her grip on the other girl. With a playful grin, she inquired, "What brings you to our bedroom so early in the evening? No one to make beads with tonight?"
Vanille shook her head, climbing onto the bed and sitting on her knees. "I didn't think you'd be sleeping yet, so I came to see if you were."
"What'd you plan to do if I was awake?" Fang teased, a smirk growing on her features.
"I dunno," Vanille replied as her eyes shifted and she giggled nervously.
It had been less than a week since the two of them had kissed for the first time in the forest, and most days the newly fifteen-year-old's head was still spinning from the idea that her dreams had actually come true. Though she had never dared to confide in anyone in the village for fear that the ramifications might be terrible, Vanille had cared deeply for Fang for as long as she could remember. When the two of them had first met, she had immediately admired the older girl for her strength and the roguish grin she always wore. From that point forwards, whenever Fang had cuddled close to her as they slept or teased her, playing with her hair or touching the small of her back, Vanille had always felt her face light up as warm tremors filled her. Even when the other girl simply sat in her presence doing a task on her own, Vanille had always felt elation and completion that could only be explained by the sincerest affection.
It was only when Vanille had begun to notice the way that Fang sometimes looked at her that she had allowed herself to begin to hope that the older girl might share her feelings. However, most times she had been too afraid to ruin their friendship by saying anything in case Fang merely cared for her in the way that normal friends might. Now, something incredible had begun to develop between them. They had spent the last week stealing precious moments alone to nurture the brilliant flame of their blossoming young romance with tender kisses and passionate embraces that left both feeling breathless and content. However, Vanille still frequently feared that she might be enjoying the longest and most wonderful dream she had ever had.
"You didn't wake me just to stare, did you?" Fang teased after a long silence.
Vanille shook her head as she snapped out of it and crawled tentatively closer to Fang. A bright grin rose to her lips when Fang immediately opened her arms and beckoned Vanille to join her. The younger girl did not waste a moment nestling against her and wrapping her arms around her waist as she hugged her tightly.
"I wanted to be alone with you," Vanille murmured belatedly as she nuzzled against Fang's chest and cuddled into her embrace. Wrapped in Fang's arms, she had never felt more secure or whole. "D'you think the others'll come back soon?"
Fang shook her head, sliding her fingers through Vanille's soft locks. "No one wants to go to bed this early, and since I need sleep, none of the other girls come in before bed anymore. I'd stay up later too, if I could, but the chief would get his underclothes all in a bunch if I wasn't perfectly chipper and alert at first light."
Vanille giggled as she leaned up to look into her eyes. She placed her hands on either side of Fang's face and felt entranced by her soft skin. "Should I go so you can sleep?"
"You ask that as if I'd let you," Fang replied with a devilish grin.
As Vanille gave her a confused look, Fang turned the two of them over, causing her companion to squeal in surprise.
The younger girl bit her lip shyly as she stared up at Fang, a faint smile growing on her features as she touched her face again. The pressure of the other girl's body half-resting against hers sent a spark of excitement throughout her form and she breathed in deeply, unsure how to react to the desires that took hold of her other than to wrap her arms around Fang's neck and pull the other girl to her lips.
Their kisses were still excitingly new, soft lips coming together with frenzied passion, hands straying through hair or brushing against the soft skin of each other's faces. Vanille's fingers slid over the fabric of Fang's shirt just above her lower back. The feeling of heat radiating from her skin was intoxicating as they pressed against each other, and their lingering kisses lasted quite a while longer.
The door suddenly opened, but by the time the flood of light had found the bedpost, Fang was on her side facing the wall pretending to be sleeping and Vanille was standing in front of the armoire gathering her pajamas. The two of them had decided after Vanille's birthday that they would not outright tell any others of what had developed between them at least until one or both of them no longer lived in the orphanage. Neither had any way of knowing how others would react, but between the two of them they could not name a single couple that they had ever heard of that did not consist of one male and one female, so they did not want to risk causing the discomfort of those around them or forcing the Matrons to separate them into different sleeping quarters. The worst situation would involve the two of them facing something as difficult as being thrown out of the orphanage or the village, but neither wanted to think that such consequences could be possible, especially because Fang was fairly certain that a handful of the people in the village already suspected them and no one had said anything cruel.
"Isn't it a little early for you to be going to bed?" Hessa, one of their roommates, whispered to Vanille as she entered the room.
Nodding, the pink-haired girl forced a yawn. "I didn't sleep well last night. What about you?"
"Same." The other girl smiled sheepishly. "I think something must have been going on outside. I kept hearing people talking."
"I heard that, too," Vanille lied, smiling pleasantly as she began to change into her thin nightshirt. When she was finished, she waved to her friend. "Goodnight, Hessa."
As Vanille crawled into the bed with Fang, who still pretended to be sleeping, several more of their bunkmates flooded into the room. The group of them began whispering about the latest gossip as they closed the door to change in the dark. They were rather sensitive about keeping Fang up at night or disturbing her sleep because hunters were so revered in the village that they felt they owed her their respect.
Fang turned over to face Vanille as the others continued their hushed gossip and ran her fingers through her hair, whispering, "That was close."
Stifling a giggle so the others wouldn't hear, Vanille whispered, "Our plan worked great."
"Yeah, good thing we found time to talk about it instead of just kissing all night like you wanted on your birthday," Fang teased with a grin.
"Shh!" Vanille blushed and bit her lip to hide her embarrassment. "What if they hear?"
"Them?" Fang shrugged indifferently. "They're not paying attention."
The younger girl smiled faintly and snuggled timidly closer, not wanting to embrace her while the others were still awake in case someone opened the door but still desiring closeness.
Fang, who was much less concerned by the presence of the others, leaning forwards and captured her lips.
As they broke apart, Vanille gasped urgently, "Fang, what if they see?"
"It's too dark to see us," Fang assured her with a grin before kissing her again.
Vanille complied that time, feeling her cheeks burn, and gradually relaxed as she realized that the other girls really were not paying attention. She was grateful that one of the two girls who had bunked above them over the years had graduated from the orphanage and the other had left to room with another one of her friends, because she doubted that could conceal the slightest sounds of movement from them, but the others were so distracted that they did not notice the sheets rustling ever so faintly as Fang's fingers trailed the length of Vanille's side or as the younger girl wrapped her arms around her neck.
Eventually they did break apart, and Vanille sighed pleasantly before turning away from Fang and leaning back to rest against her. Fang pulled the covers over the two of them and pressed close, wrapping her arm around Vanille's waist beneath the sheets where her hold could not possibly be spotted before morning when light flooded the room.
Then she leaned forwards and kissed her cheek, murmuring gently in her ear, "Since you went to bed early, I'll wake you in the morning to say goodbye."
Vanille grinned at that prospect, for she knew that the two of them could sneak away for a little while before Fang had to leave if she woke and dressed right when the other girl did.
Resting her cheek against the pillow close to Vanille's hair, Fang breathed in the scent of her companion and allowed herself to drift into pleasant dreams. The last week had been so fulfilling that she rarely dreamed of anything but Vanille, but she did not mind that, because for the first time in her entire life whenever she woke up, she could expect the same affection that she received in her dream world.
xxx
"Okay, now I know Head Matron suspects about you two." Konnor slid onto the dining hall bench beside Fang and nudged her arm as he set his tray down. "And I mean even more than everyone else suspects."
Fang raised her brow as she ate a wooden forkful of vegetables. "And that's got you all bothered?"
Konnor raised his brows. "Doesn't it bother you?"
"I dunno." Fang shrugged indifferently, setting her utensil down and wiping her mouth with the back of her wrist. "I say let her suspect. It's not like she can prove it."
"Oh, yeah, 'cause I'm sure you two keep on your own sides of the bed when you're sleeping together, as Vanille loves to call it," Konnor teased with a playful grin. As his features sobered, he suggested, "They'd probably just have to tell your roommates to be real quiet one night and tell them what they hear."
Fang blushed darkly. "Hey, I dunno what's going through your head, but I need to get up really early for morning hunts. All we do at night is cuddle a bit, and we've done that since we were little."
"Well, it wasn't weird when you were little," Konnor pointed out with a chuckle. "Anyway, I just thought you'd be more worried. I dunno if anyone would actually care about the two of you being together or not. I've never heard of anything like this."
"Me either." Fang averted her gaze with a thoughtful frown. "You don't think they'd throw us out of the village or anything, do you?"
"No way. I wouldn't let 'em," Konnor assured her with a triumphant look. "Besides, you've got an in with the Village Chief. He really likes you."
"Says who?" Fang balked.
"What d'you mean?" Konnor raised his brow curiously.
"Chief Torren does not like me," Fang argued with a snort. "He always yells at me and says I do everything wrong. He thinks I'm the worst hunter in all of Gran Pulse."
Konnor burst out laughing. "No, he doesn't."
"Yeah, he does. The other day he told me I wouldn't amount to anything if I didn't clean up my act," Fang insisted with pursed lips, "and I worked my ass off all day."
"I know for a fact he doesn't think you're the worst hunter in the world," Konnor insisted.
"He thinks I'm terrible," Fang replied stubbornly, crossing her arms.
"Maybe that's because you are terrible."
In spite of the insult, a warm smile covered Fang's features as she glanced over her shoulder toward the origin of the adorable voice. Vanille giggled as she slid onto the bench beside her.
"Are we talking about someone you played a prank on?" The younger girl inquired with a twinkle in her eyes.
"Nope, we're talking about hunting, and if you think I'm so terrible, you'd better start worrying about me a little more," Fang replied with a teasing grin. "After all, I'm going out on my own tomorrow for the first time, and there's a lotta danger in the woods."
"What?" Vanille gasped nervously, her eyes widening. "Fang, you can't go out by yourself yet. You're not even a full hunter. There're too many scary things out there."
"Well, there's nothing I can do about it." Fang gave her a rather serious look. "Chief Torren hates me and doesn't think I'll ever learn to follow orders, so he's decided to just send me off on my own to teach me a lesson. Maybe he even wants me to give him a reason to say I can't be a hunter."
Konnor rolled his eyes from Fang's other side and kept to his food.
"But why would he be so cruel?" Vanille gasped frantically.
"Maybe he wants to get rid of me," Fang shrugged.
Vanille covered her mouth, a look of horror covering her features, and exclaimed angrily, "Well, he can't make you go. I'll tell him that myself."
"Will you?" Fang chuckled lightly.
"Calm down, Vanille, and yell at Fang instead of Chief Torren," Konnor exclaimed as he elbowed Fang in the side. "She's just pretending. Apprentice hunters can't go out on their own."
"What?" Vanille blinked.
"That's punishment for saying I was terrible without even knowing what we were talking about," Fang informed her with a grin, though she discretely squeezed her thigh under the table as an apology. "And while we're at it, it's punishment for all the times you got me to do stuff for you by pretending to cry."
Vanille narrowed her eyes, a faintly frightening smile covering her features. "That's okay, Fang. I'll find some way to get you back."
"Oh really?" Fang smirked.
"Yep." Vanille crossed her arms. "So, look out."
Konnor chuckled at the two of them before informing Vanille, "None of what she was saying was believable if you've ever heard Chief Torren talk about her. I dunno what makes her think he hates her. I heard a rumor he said she'd be the best hunter in the village someday."
Fang scoffed. "There's no way he said anything like that."
"You don't have to believe me," Konnor informed her as he turned his chin up. "You'll figure out that he likes you eventually."
Grinning playfully, Fang shook her head at Vanille and mouthed 'he's crazy,' which caused the younger girl to giggle.
"Anyway, I'm off," Konnor exclaimed as finished the last of his meal.
"The blacksmith keeps you busy these days," Fang commented with a faint smirk. "I guess it's to keep your hands off his daughter."
"Well, it doesn't work very well," Konnor snickered, causing Vanille to blush. "Anyway, I think he's okay with me dating her. At first, I thought he wasn't, since he kept working me so hard, but now I get it. He's training me to be his successor since he doesn't have any sons."
"That's a nice arrangement if you're planning on getting married soon." Fang eyed him with a raised brow. "Are you?"
"I dunno. Maybe." It was Konnor's turn to flush. "I never think about that kinda stuff, but once I'm not an apprentice anymore I'll save up some money and then who knows what'll happen."
Fang nodded, mildly surprised that he had uttered anything mature, and noticed that Vanille was having a conversation with one of her friends.
Konnor regained Fang's attention by squeezing her shoulders. "I'll see you tonight. Remember, Head Matron knows. I'm sure of it."
Fang shrugged and waved him off before turning thoughtfully back to her food. Head Matron had started to watch them even more intently than she had before, and whenever one of them left the orphanage on an errand, she always managed to imply that they would inevitably see the other. However, unless any of the matrons followed the two of them on their lunch breaks or ever really saw them alone together, she doubted that there was cause for concern yet, if it even mattered at all. She still thought that nothing terrible would probably happen since most everyone claimed to suspect something about them and no pitch-fork wielding mobs had surrounded the orphanage yet.
The more she thought about it, the more Fang realized that she did not actually care if Head Matron Solstice or anyone else knew about the two of them unless it would cause trouble. Fang felt that their feelings for each other were completely natural, and they were both old enough to make their own decisions, so unless there was some law that she did not know about stating that two girls could not be together, she thought no one could likely contest their relationship anyway. She just hoped that she was correct, because no matter what happened to her, she never wanted to do anything that would put Vanille in danger or threaten her future.
"Fang, what's wrong?"
Fang looked up at the sweet voice that interrupted her thoughts and realized that Vanille's friend had left and the younger girl had been staring at her. She did not want to remind her of her own fears about people discovering the two of them, so instead she forced a smile and suggested gently, "Let's go for a walk."
"I thought you had to get back to the training fields soon," Vanille pointed out.
Usually the two of them shared their lunch hour elsewhere, but for once Fang had not had time in the morning to pack something for the two of them before she left.
"I've got a little time left, and I know just how to spend it," Fang replied with a suggestive grin. Grabbing Vanille's hand and tugging her out of her chair, she murmured, "So, come on."
"Okay," Vanille chirped with a grin as she picked up both of their trays and deposited them on the counter.
The younger girl skipped excitedly behind Fang as the two of them left the orphanage and made their way to their favorite hiding spot. The flowery fields that Vanille had always populated as a young girl were as gorgeous as ever, though it was a little chilly in the autumn air. Vanille did not do a good job combating the cold with the skimpy clothes that she wore. The rest of the girls in the village seemed to dress in the same way, but Fang thought that it must be rather inconvenient for most of them and chose to cover herself in warmer fabrics during the cold seasons, a subject of much teasing from Vanille. The younger girl loved even more to tease Fang about the way her eyes could not seem to stop wandering the more skin she revealed.
Fang watched with a faint grin as Vanille raced to her favorite flower patch, the one from which gorgeous white lilies reached toward the sky in the summer months, and dove into the sweet-smelling grass. The younger girl flopped onto the ground with a giggle and rolled onto her back, resting her hands behind her head. A blissful grin covered her features as she closed her eyes and breathed in the saccharine scent of the natural world.
Fang laughed softly to herself as the wind caused her hair to billow about and watched the younger girl for a little while before crossing the clearing to sit beside her. Vanille stretched her back animatedly and then rolled onto her side to face Fang with a grin.
"You will be the best hunter in the village, you know."
Fang glanced down at her with a playful smile and raised brows. "What's that now?"
"I know you will," Vanille informed her with a sincere smile, her eyes reflecting deep affection. "I believe in you, Fang."
Fang grinned appreciatively, lying on her side to face Vanille and reaching out to twirl her fingers through her dark pink curls. She smirked faintly when the younger girl met her gaze longingly and proclaimed with confidence, "Well, you'll be the best jewelry maker in the village. You already are, in my opinion, but no one asked me."
Vanille beamed happily and dove into Fang, wrapping her arms around her and burying her face in the older girl's chest. She nuzzled into the warmth of Fang's embrace, exclaiming, "I'll believe you, since you still wear that necklace I made."
The dark-haired girl merely smiled and rolled onto her back so that Vanille could rest against her, her arms wrapped tightly around the younger girl's waist. She placed one hand on the back of Vanille's head, and her fingers ran delicately through her pink locks without disturbing the pigtails that the younger girl had taken to wearing lately.
"You know, moments like these are absolutely perfect," Fang murmured gently as she kissed Vanille's forehead and watched the clouds drifting lazily above their heads.
"Hm?" Vanille lifted her head and looked curiously down at her.
Fang met her gaze with a tender grin, her fingertips brushing down the side of Vanille's face. As the younger girl cooed and leaned into her touch, Fang replied, "When the two of us are here together with no one else around, those're the moments that are absolutely perfect."
"I agree," Vanille squealed excitedly. "I wanna stay like this forever, Fang."
With a light chuckle, Fang tightened her embrace, her fingers touching Vanille's side as she closed her eyes.
"What will you do when you leave the orphanage?" Vanille inquired suddenly.
Fang, surprised, opened her eyes to look at her.
Vanille looked away. "Well, Aria just left yesterday since she's getting married. I was thinking how you're not gonna get married, which means you can only stay in the orphanage until you're eighteen, right?"
"Well, when it's time for me to leave the orphanage, they'll raise up a house for me since I'm gonna be a hunter," Fang explained, smiling faintly. "I'll never be far away."
Vanille nodded against her chest and remained silent, but Fang thought she heard the other girl sniffle.
"Hey," Fang murmured gingerly, placing her hand on Vanille's cheek so the girl would look up at her. "What's wrong?"
"It's nothing." Vanille forced a smile as though to prove her statement.
"Don't do that," Fang reprimanded lightheartedly as she ran her fingers down the side of her cheek. "Remember what I have to do whenever I think you're upset?"
"What?" Vanille raised her brows.
"Cheer you up," Fang replied impishly as she tickled her side.
Vanille let out a squeal of laughter and attempted to squirm away from her, but Fang merely wrapped her arms more firmly around her and kissed her cheek.
"Now, what's really wrong?" She inquired as she brushed her bangs out of her face.
"I just don't want you to leave," Vanille admitted as she bit her lip nervously. "I know it's really silly, but you promised I'd never have to sleep alone."
"Well, try not to think about it too much," Fang replied with a warm smile, since she appreciated that the other girl wanted her to remain. "It won't be for a while now."
"That's true." Vanille smiled cheerfully before resting against her chest again. "I know you've gotta go soon, but I think we should stay just like this."
"For how long?" Fang inquired teasingly as she poked her in the side. "Until the matrons send out a search party?"
Vanille looked up at her, smiling honestly. "I was thinking forever."
Fang's heart skipped a beat and she grinned.
"What?" Vanille's brow raised innocently.
"Nothing," Fang assured her as she suddenly turned them over.
The younger girl giggled in surprise and stared into the gorgeous green eyes that always entranced her, inquiring innocently, "You didn't wanna stay that way after all?"
Fang shrugged nonchalantly, smirking as she leaned forwards and kissed along her jaw line. Pausing at the other girl's ear, she murmured, "I thought you liked when I was on top."
Vanille blushed darkly and giggled as Fang brought their lips together again. The tingling sensation that spread throughout her abdomen as their lips meshed together led her to wonder if all the girls in the village felt so utterly complete when their partners kissed them. She was so happy that it felt as though she were glowing.
Eventually Fang broke away and stared down at her for so long that Vanille threaded her fingers through the messy black locks she adored and grinned shyly under her gaze. "What is it?"
Fang shrugged, pecking her lips. "You're beautiful."
Vanille squealed happily and threw her arms around Fang's neck, pulling her companion into a deeper kiss. The two of them lost track of time kissing and teasing each other in the flowery fields until Fang heard the bell signifying the midday Elder meeting and realized that she was extremely late for her afternoon practice. With a sheepish grin, Vanille waved as the older girl raced out of the fields and then turned to run to the jeweler's house. As she went, she was already planning her excuse, which unfortunately would have to be better then sneaking away with Fang and losing track of time.
Xxx
Vanille let out a shriek of surprise before beginning to laugh.
Fang, who had been walking at her side, paused to glance up at the dark clouds that had just burst overhead, instantly drenching the two of them. The cold rain fell so abundantly that her eyes blinked away the water and she was forced to turn her gaze back to the ground.
Fang grinned at her companion, teasing, "Afraid of a little water?"
Vanille shook her head and spun around in the rain, her arms extended and giggles escaping her lips. "I love rain. I just didn't expect it."
Fang smiled warmly and watched her dance around as she wondered if it would be fine for the two of them to spend a little time enjoying the weather. The matrons had always told them that remaining outside when they were cold and wet could cause them to catch an illness, which in their medically limited village could be devastating. However, Vanille looked so pleased that Fang could not stand to interrupt her.
The two of them had snuck away from the village after dinner that night to spend some time together, but when Vanille had voiced concerns about her upcoming hunt, Fang had given her an impromptu review of forest survival. She cared for Vanille far too much to assume that nothing would go wrong on her hunt, so she frequently gave her bits of advice and showed her forest trails that the hunters had marked over the years so that they could find their way back to the village. By the time that the impromptu lesson was finished and the two of them had spent a bit of time cuddling together as they talked about the various encounters they had had during that day, it was extremely dark outside.
Vanille had finally suggested that they return to the orphanage when a cool breeze that warned of rain blew in, but they had not escaped the forest quickly enough.
"This rain's a little cold," Vanille commented idly as her soaked hair clung to her face and shoulders. A shiver ran through her and she hugged herself.
"It's not so bad when you've got me here," Fang replied cheekily as she wrapped her arms around her shoulders and pulled the drenched girl against her.
A warm smile crossed Vanille's lips and she huddled against her as they walked. "Are we still far away?"
Fang glanced around thoughtfully before shrugged. "Maybe another ten minutes in the rain. That's not too far."
Vanille nodded and wrapped her arms around Fang's waist, and an amused and nervous smile covered her features as she wondered what the other villagers might say if they saw them that way. She frequently worried what would happen if anyone knew for sure that there was something between them, but Fang always told her not to worry so she tried not to think about it.
Fang ran her fingers up and down Vanille's arm as the two of them walked, and in the silence she drifted into her own thoughts. The storm would make the ground very wet, which would make it difficult for the hunters to track in the morning if prints and scents had been washed away.
As the two of them neared the village, the rain began to taper off, the droplets still heavy but far less frequent.
"Glad that's over," Fang murmured, glancing up at the sky another time. "Now we've just gotta get back to the orphanage to the shelter of our warm, comfy bed."
Vanille bit her lip. "Since it's not raining so hard, maybe we should stay out a little longer."
"I gotta get up in the morning," Fang pointed out, adding teasingly, "Besides, what would we do in the woods in the middle of the night?"
With an innocent grin, Vanille stepped away and leaned against the nearest tree. "I dunno. Can you think of anything?"
Fang smirked, moving closer until her form pressed gently against Vanille's and gently kissing her lips. As she pulled away, she murmured playfully, "That what you had in mind?"
Vanille nodded, giggling as she wrapped her arms around her neck, and the two of them kissed again, their lips gently moving together.
Suddenly a rumble of thunder shook the forest and a hot streak of lightning lit the entire sky, snapping so loudly that they heard it split the air. Both girl's jumped, and Fang immediately grabbed Vanille's hand and tugged her urgently away from the tree.
"We gotta get inside," Fang exclaimed nervously, watching the sky. "Come on."
Vanille nodded fearfully and pointed into the distance where a plume of smoke rose above the trees. It was almost invisible against the dark clouds. "What's that, Fang?"
"It's a fire." Fang cursed, her eyes widening. "Let's go. If the hunters are there already, they'll probably need my help."
Vanille nodded and released Fang's hand as the two of them began to run. By the time they burst through the forest line, the rain had stopped completely. The closer that they came to the center of the village, the thicker and darker the smoke was against the cloudy night. The village lanterns had all gone out, making it difficult to see where they were going, but the glow of the fire in the distance was like a beacon against the disorienting blackness all around.
Fang paused in her steps, taking Vanille by the shoulders and looking into her eyes. "I'm gonna go see what's happening over there, but you better get back to the orphanage. It's far enough away, so you'll be safe there."
Vanille shook her head, nervously gripping Fang by the upper arms. "Fang, I wanna go with you. What if the hunters aren't there? It's too dangerous for you to go by yourself."
"It's too dangerous for you to go to go no matter what," Fang argued gently, brushing he fingers tenderly across her cheek. "Now, get back to the orphanage. If the lightning strikes again, you can't be outside."
"But Fang—"
"Go back," Fang interrupted gently before kissing her cheek and turning to race toward the fire.
Vanille watched her as she chased the smoke climbing higher and higher into the sky and bit her lip nervously. When the other girl disappeared between the buildings, she hugged herself and looked around. She did not feel safe in the darkness, but she was torn between wanting to trust Fang's wisdom and fearing for her. It was definitely too dangerous, but she just could not let the girl for whom she cared so much run into a terrible situation on her own.
With a resolute nod, Vanille told herself that following Fang was the correct decision and took off in the direction into which Fang had disappeared. It was not difficult to follow the glow of the fire and the plumes rising into the darkness of the night.
Upon reaching the afflicted house, Vanille stopped in her tracks and gasped in horror, her hands covering her face as tears filled her eyes. The house that had been struck by the lightning belonged to Tam Ooran, the most generous farmer in the village who always allowed the orphans to pick apples from his property free of charge in the fall. He was so sweet and gentle that Vanille could not stand the thought of anything happening to him, and all thoughts of staying back until she knew that Fang was okay fled from her mind as she raced through the trees.
Vanille paused at the edge of the forest when she spotted Fang, Chief Torren and many of the other hunters. The majority of the adults were digging trenches around the smoldering house in hope of stopping the fire before it reached the forest, the orchard, or the rest of the village. Vanille was relieved to see that Fang and Chief Torren were standing beside a weary looking Tam Ooran and the rest of his family. She was about to run back to the orphanage as Fang had told her when she noticed that Ooran's family seemed distraught.
Sneaking closer, she noticed that Ooran's granddaughter, who was a little older than herself and Fang and just married two years earlier, was crying and shouting. Vanille moved closer until she could hear what was being said.
"I have to go back inside!" The granddaughter shouted, tears pouring down her cheeks as she attempted to move toward the house. Her husband was holding her back. "My baby is still in there, and she can't get out on her own. She's just too young!"
"Kella, it's too dangerous for you to go inside," Chief Torren argued firmly. "Fang is a little smaller than the rest of us. We're going to try to fit her through the window and if that doesn't work, we'll find some other way to rescue your daughter. You have to stay here where it's safe so we don't need to worry about you, too."
"Little Shani has seen less than a full year of life." Ooran sounded dismayed. "She is my first great grandchild."
Chief Torren placed his hand on his shoulder and squeezed. "Ooran, you've done so much for this village. I swear to you that we will rescue Shani at the cost of our own lives if it's necessary."
Ooran looked comforted. "All I ask is that you do your best."
"Always." Chief Torren squeezed his shoulder again before turning away. "Come on, Fang. It's a tight fit, but if Anima wills it, you'll fit through."
Fang and Chief Torren moved to where two hunters were already studying the window. As they approached, one of the hunters told them, "They say she's in a room connected to the one through the window. A wooden beam fell across the window, so it's too small for any of us to fit through. Are you small enough Fang?"
Fang furrowed her brows as she surveyed the window. "I really don't think so. I'll try if you want, but it looks too small."
"She's almost as big as Dorin, and he couldn't get through. I think we should just go around the back of the house. The fire's spreading too quickly on the eastern side of the house and in the front, but it hasn't reached this side of the house yet."
"It's moving too fast. We don't have enough time," Fang exclaimed urgently, stepping forwards as she dropped her light jacket on the ground. "I gotta try to get in that window or we'll lose that little girl."
"You'd just be wasting time," Chief Torren scolded, frowning. "I agree that you won't fit through. The window's smaller than I thought. Let's focus on what we can achieve and go around the back of the house for another entrance."
"What if there isn't another one?" Fang argued.
Vanille, realizing that she might be their only hope, immediately ran to their sides. "I'm small enough to fit through the window!"
The hunters jumped, surprised to see her, and Fang stared incredulously. "Vanille, what're you doing here? I thought you were going back to the orphanage where it's safe."
Vanille ignored Fang's question and appealed to Chief Torren. "I know I'm small enough to fit through that window. I could climb up and pass the baby out the window to one of you. I'm a really fast runner, so even if they fire spread while I was inside—"
"No. That's way too dangerous," Fang argued immediately, stepping forwards. "Vanille, the house is falling apart. One wrong step and you could fall through the ceiling. If there was no way out, we couldn't get to you."
"There's less chance I'll fall through the ceiling than one of you," Vanille insisted, pouting. "I'm a lot lighter."
"I don't care," Fang replied firmly before turning to the others. "Come on. We gotta hurry and find a way in before this whole house burns down, and someone tell Ooran and his family to get out of here. They shouldn't be standing inside of the trenches with the way the fire's spreading so quickly."
"Chief Torren, I'm small enough to fit inside," Vanille interrupted, stepping forwards and touching the older hunter's arm. "Please, let me try. That little baby's life could depend on it."
The chief frowned thoughtfully, sizing her before looking to the window.
"No. She's not going in there," Fang suddenly snapped, narrowing her eyes at the chief. "It's too dangerous. She's got no training and she hasn't even gone on her first hunt yet. If she gets trapped, there might not be a way out and then we'll lose both of them."
"But she's the only one who can fit, and she said she's fast," Chief Torren pointed out.
"I don't care if she says she can fly," Fang cried incredulously, clenching her fists. "She's not going in there and that's final."
Chief Torren pursed his lips before sighing and nodding. "I'm sorry, Vanille, but Fang's right. You don't have any training and this is very dangerous, so leave it to us and stay with the others."
The hunters began moving around the house, but Fang stayed back as she let out a relieved sigh. Turning to Vanille, who was pouting at her with tears in her eyes, she placed her hands gently on her shoulders.
"I'm sorry, but I can't let you go in there, Vanille." She brushed her hair out of her eyes. "If I lost you, I don't think I could go on, so go back to the orphanage and wait for me, okay?"
"But Fang, I could save that little girl," Vanille insisted, crossing her arms. "Nothing'll happen to me. I'll climb in quick and then carry her back out."
"It's not safe," Fang snapped, looking her in the eyes. She begged, "Pleas go back to the orphanage and wait for me."
"Fang," Chief Torren interrupted firmly, "we've got to hurry."
"I'm coming." Fang squeezed Vanille's shoulders before releasing her and following the village chief around the house.
"Fang, I can't just go back to the orphanage," Vanille insisted under her breath, knowing that the other girl would not leave if she could hear her. "I can do this!"
Vanille watched the others walk around the side of the smoldering house and determined that it was unfair of all of them to treat her as though she could do nothing on her own. If one of them had given her a boost and then waited for her, she most likely could have gone into and come back out of the house rather quickly, but instead she would have no choice but to act on her own. Even though she knew that Fang was correct in telling her that it was dangerous, a child's life was at stake! She could not stand around idly and wait.
Turning around quickly, Vanille asked the family, "Which room is the baby in?"
Ooran's granddaughter snapped to attention, her eyes widening desperately. "Are you going to help?"
"Kella, she doesn't look like a hunter." Her husband furrowed his brows. "What are you doing here? The fire's too dangerous for someone your age."
"I'm not that young, and I'm the only one small enough to climb into the window," Vanille replied, annoyed. "Now which room is the baby in?"
"It's too dangerous for you to go in there," Ooran interrupted. "It's Vanille, right?"
The pink-haired girl nodded.
"I know you want to help because we've been kind to you over the years, Vanille, but the best thing you can do right now is return to the orphanage and let the hunters sort this out," Ooran exclaimed. "We all just have to trust that Chief Torren knows what he's doing."
"Chief Torren would've let me go if Fang wasn't here," Vanille huffed, crossing her arms stubbornly. "If you won't tell me where your great granddaughter is, then I'll just have to find her myself."
"If she wants to help—"
"No, Kella," Ooran interrupted firmly. "Vanille, please just sit with us and wait for the hunters to return. They will save Shani as promised."
Vanille placed her hands on her hips, her lips forming a tightly line as she tried to decide what to do. Even though she knew that attempting to save the child herself would be dangerous, she truly felt that Fang and the others would not have time to get to her unless they went through the window that was too small for any of them. With that thought in mind, she immediately turned around and raced toward the burning house, which she was convinced would collapse before the hunters could reach the child.
As she went, Vanille took the sash that she had tied around her waist that morning as a belt and tied it around her mouth and nose to keep the smoke out as best she could. She heard Ooran and the others shouting for her to stop and shouting for the hunters to stop her, but no one could reach her in time.
The fifteen-year-old immediately gripped the rough wooden planks of the house and began to pull herself upwards, ignoring the pain of the splinters scratching against her fingers. She had never been very skilled when it came to climbing downwards, but over the last year she had mastered the skill of climbing up trees and over walls. It did not take her long to drag herself through the small window, and she was surprised at how small the opening was when her leg caught against a splinter sticking out of the frame and a scrape formed on her skin.
Vanille ignored the trivial wound and dropped into the house. An unbearable blast of heat hit her in the face, causing her skin to immediately bead with sweat. The smoke was next to come, filling her eyes and penetrating the thin silk she had wrapped around her face. In an attempt to protect herself, Vanille covered her mouth and nose with her own hand. Then she pushed her way through the disorienting haze of pollutants and stumbled over fallen beams and overturned furniture as she moved toward the only door in the room. She pressed the back of her hand to the wood to make sure that it was cool before pushing the door open and passing through the frame.
The cradle was easy on her eyes, sending a wave of relief through her form, but then she realized that the room was eerily silent. Her eyes filled with desperate tears as she begged fate to be kind, because the child was not crying.
With a sense of desperation growing in her breast, Vanille ran to the cradle and took the infant into her arms, holding her to her chest as she stroked her hair.
"Come on, little one," Vanille whispered gently. "Make a noise."
The infant remained unmoving, so Vanille lifted the baby into the air and pressed her ear to her chest. A sigh of relief passed through her lips as she realized that the child's heart was still beating and her breath was weak. Knowing that this life was more precious than her own, Vanille removed the sash from around her face and wrapped it around the child's face, covering her mouth and nose and hoping that she could escape from the house before the child was smothered. It was better for her not to breathe in the smoke, so perhaps the Gods would allow her to breathe filtered air through the fabric.
"Let's go, little Shani," Vanille murmured hoarsely as smoke filled her lungs. "I'm bringing you back to your mommy and daddy."
Vanille received no response from the child, so as her fear grew, she immediately ran to the door through which she had entered. Just as she passed through the frame, a beam in the ceiling cracked loudly, weakened by the flames climbing across the roof, and fell into her path. Vanille screamed, holding the infant to her chest with one arm as she covered her head with the other, and dove out of the way as sparks spread in every direction. She jumped to her feet and took several staggering steps backwards when the path in front of her suddenly burst into flame.
"Oh, Anima, please let there be another way out," Vanille cried, taking one step towards the wave of heat and attempting to spot a path through the flames.
Another beam collapsed, bringing with it a rush of fire, and Vanille had no choice but to back into the child's bedroom. She slammed the door shut in an attempt to hold the flames back and allowed herself only a moment to think. Knowing that it would take her longer to leave the house than she had originally thought, she immediately tore up one of the blankets in the cradle and used it to create a pack for herself. She wrapped the baby inside of the pack and then tied it at her neck and around her waist so that she could carry the little girl without using her hands. Then she used the ripped fabric to create another scarf for herself and hoped that she would not suffocate before she escaped from the house.
Vanille then pushed the second door in the bedroom open and dropped to the floor to crawl through the thick smoke. Her eyes stung and the fire at her back raced toward her, devouring the wooden frame of the house all around her. She closed her eyes tightly and urged herself to move faster, ignoring the painful bruises forming on her knees and the rough wood that tore at her fingers. Her adrenaline began to race as she realized that the end could be near. There was no escape unless she could find another exit.
The pink-haired girl darted into the first door that she found, kicking it open from the floor because she was afraid to stand. The door's hinges whined as it swung open, and its movement only stalled when it hit the wall with a resounding thud. She stood in the mostly smoke-free room and ran to the window, but her heart fell and a gasp of dismay escaped her lips when she realized that the window had recently been shut off, new wooden planks with no signs of decay having been hammered across the frame. It would be impossible for her to break the wood without some kind of weapon, and she doubted that she had the energy to expend attempting to use her own strength. With a hopeless cry, she ran back into the hallway.
Her foot caught on a beam that had fallen into her path and Vanille flew forwards with a shriek of surprise. When her shoulder hit the floor, she felt a burst of pain that was quickly pushed away by the fear of the flames racing toward her. Hot smoke filled her nostrils and tears came to her eyes, but she told herself to be strong as she stumbled forwards, crawling on her hands and knees at a speed faster than she had ever imagined. There was only one more door in the hallway closed off at each end by towers of flame, so no matter what the state of the windows that she found, she would have to escape through that room.
Her head began to sway dizzily from the smoke as she crawled through the final door in the hallway. The only sound that she could hear was the beating of her own heart in her ears, and she had no idea if the baby tied to her back was even still alive. Her chest began to ache and heave as she dragged herself weakly toward the window, and it took all of the strength within her to pull herself up so that she could look out the window. The breath of fresh air that rewarded her was sweet, but the smoke in her lungs caused her to cough painfully.
There was no time to waste, so she dragged herself over the edge of the window and turned around as quickly as she could. Fleetingly, she prayed that the baby was secured to her back tightly enough that she would not fall to the ground as they were making their escape out the window.
Vanille dug her feet into the ruts between the planks of the house as she began her shaky decent. The fresh air reminded her that her eyes and throat still burned from the smoke-induced trauma, and her fingers trembled as she weakly lowered herself. The world was spinning by the time she was only a few steps from the ground, and one sway too many caused her feet to slid out from under her.
While still in the air she had the sense to turn herself around so that she would not crush the baby, but the world went black before she even hit the ground.
Xxx
Fang and the other hunters had walked around the side of the house several times attempting to figure out how to get inside, but there was only one other available window and that, too, was too small for even Fang to fit through. The group of them had decided that there was little chance of rescuing the child, and their only hope was to enter from the downstairs and attempt to hack their way through the ceiling and climb through the hole that they made. However, when they had returned to tell Ooran of their plans, he had frantically informed them that Vanille had climbed into the house against Chief Torren's orders and they had not heard from her since then.
In a fit of panic, Fang had immediately scaled the wall beneath the window that Vanille had used to enter the house and tried desperately to push herself through. However, she determined quickly that even Vanille would not have been able to return the way that she had come because of the flames climbing the walls and the fallen wooden beams. That thought had caused her to drop herself promptly to the ground and motion for the hunters to follow her, because they had all seen the only other second-story exit. Vanille would have no choice but to leave through the one other window, which meant that they could help her down if she had not been trapped somewhere inside.
That thought left Fang feeling beyond petrified, but she pushed her emotions away knowing that she might need to quickly come up with a plan to rescue the other girl.
It only took Chief Torren and the other hunters a few minutes to race around the side of the house and find the only exit that Vanille could take, and Fang was relieved to see Vanille safely escaping and climbing down until the girl suddenly fell and landed hard on her side. When she did not move, Fang felt a swell of panic ensnare her.
"Vanille!" She shouted desperately, racing to her side and shaking her shoulder. "Wake up, Vanille. Tell me you're okay."
"The baby's not crying," Chief Torren commented as he knelt at Vanille's back and immediately removed the baby from her side. "I'll have to try breathing for her. There's no time to summon a healer now."
Fang raised her brow and watched for a moment as Chief Torren placed the baby on her back on the ground and gently pinched her nose. He then breathed into her mouth, pulling away to watch her for a second before repeating the process several times. His efforts were rewarded with a loud whining cry from the child as she immediately awoke and began searching vainly for her parents.
"How'd you do that?" Fang demanded frantically, her nervous gaze returning to Vanille's unmoving form.
Chief Torren handed the baby to one of the other hunters and instructed him to return her to her family before he moved to tend to Vanille. He pulled the younger girl onto her back and pressed his ear close to her lips, sighing in relief.
"She's still breathing, Fang, but after all the smoke, she could probably use some clean air. I'm no healer, but I suggest you give her some of your breath."
Fang had no idea what that would accomplish, but she was willing to try anything. "How do I do it?"
"Just pinch her nose so none of the air escapes and breath into her mouth," Chief Torren instructed gently.
Fang nodded, her heart racing anxiously as she wondered if she could somehow mess up. She should have paid more attention in her healing classes.
"She'll be fine, Fang," Chief Torren assured her, placing his hand on her shoulder and looking her in the eyes. "Just give her a few breaths and then get her away from this house. We'll be waiting outside of the trenches."
Fang nodded and took a breath to calm herself before she leaned forwards and pressed her mouth to Vanille's, gently plugging her nose as she released her breath between her lips. She repeated the process twice before wrapping the smaller girl delicately in her arms and picking her up. Then Fang carried Vanille around the house to where Chief Torren and the other hunters were waiting with Ooran's family.
Vanille suddenly blinked and squirmed around.
"It's okay, Vanille." Fang paused to look at her. "You're okay."
"Fang?" Vanille exclaimed nervously, her voice still hoarse. She wrapped her arms around her neck to keep he balance. "Is the baby okay?"
"Yeah, I think she's gonna be fine thanks to you." Fang smiled emotionally, holding her more tightly. "You're a hero, but don't ever do that again. I was so scared when I saw you fall."
Vanille smiled weakly as she relaxed into her grasp. "What about the fire?"
"There's nothing we can do but let it burn and hope the rain starts up again," Fang replied gently as she resumed her footsteps, carrying Vanille effortlessly.
"You're really strong," Vanille murmured sleepily as she nuzzled against her.
"Yeah?" Fang smirked faintly. "I try my best."
Suddenly the clouds opened and rain began to pour down on the two of them. Vanille smiled in spite of beginning to shiver. "It's raining!"
"Looks like the Gods don't want old Ooran to lose his fields," Fang commented idly.
"It's because he's such a good man," Vanille exclaimed agreeably as she tightened her hold around Fang's neck. "I'm so tired. I'm glad I saved that little girl, but everything hurts."
"You'll get to rest soon." Fang's breath caught unexpectedly in her throat as she thought about what it might have felt like to lose Vanille. "Do you want a bath before bed? I bet I could convince Chief Torren to let us use the hunter's bathhouse."
"Really?" Vanille's smile was excited in spite of how weak she felt.
"Yup. You're sure dirty enough," Fang replied humorously, trying to lighten the mood. "Look at all that soot in your hair."
Vanille merely giggled. "I hope Chief Torren says it's okay. I love the bathhouse."
When they reached the others, Fang set Vanille down and was bare able to move out of the way as the mother of the rescued child threw her arms around the weak pink-haired girl's form and began blubbering all over her, tears of gratitude pouring down her cheeks.
"You are the most wonderful person in this world!" She cried, hysterical with relief. "I must find some way to repay you."
"I-I was just doing what's right," Vanille insisted weakly, patting the other woman's back.
After the granddaughter of Ooran released her, Vanille stumbled back towards Fang and smiled gratefully when the older girl steadied her by placing her hand on her lower back.
Ooran crowded around the rescued little girl with the rest of his family before he pulled away and hobbled towards Fang and Vanille with a look of relief and gratitude. He clasped Vanille's hands into his own and smiled brightly.
"I know you're an orphan, little Vanille, but from this point forwards, I consider you to be a part of our family," Ooran informed her gently. "If you ever want to leave the orphanage, even just for a night or two, you will always find a place here. And if you ever need anything, never hesitate to ask me. I can never fully repay you for saving my great granddaughter's life."
"Thank you," Vanille gasped, looking touched. "I'm just glad she's okay."
"No. I'm the one who must thank you." Ooran squeezed her hands before leaving the two of them to return to his family members. With a grin, he informed his loved ones, "We're all alive! This is a moment for rejoicing."
Fang wrapped her arm around Vanille and grinned at her, teasing, "Looks like you've got a new place to live once they get their house rebuilt. They might even let you have your own bed."
Vanille giggled and wrapped her arms tightly around Fang's waist, shaking her head. "Fang, the only place I wanna live is with you."