Roderich sat down on the bench before the piano and let out a deep, weary sigh. He was still tense from the confrontation with Vash earlier, but at least he could relax at the thought that now he wouldn't have to face Elizaveta's wrath.
He inhaled deeply and set his fingers lightly over the keys, simply savoring the comforting familiarity of the piano. After a moment, his mind back at ease, he rose his fingers slightly and—
"Roderich!"
—jumped in surprise when Elizaveta's voice rang through the hallway and echoed around the room.
The musician reached up and rubbed his temples in exasperation.
"I warned you that it wouldn't go well," Roderich began as he began to turn around, "but I did speak with him like you asked me too…" He paused when he saw the people at his door. There was Elizaveta, which he had expected, but her green eyes flashed with urgency instead of the anger he had anticipated. Beside her were Crevan and Lili, both trying to catch their breath as if they had been running.
Roderich stood. "Did something happen?"
"Where's Vash?" Elizaveta asked instead.
"He should be back in his room." Roderich answered. "Why? What's going on?"
"Let's go to Vash's room. He needs to know too." She instructed instead. Roderich, although thoroughly confused about the situation, didn't hesitate to follow her and the others up the stairs and to the guest room.
Elizaveta opened the door without bothering to knock and hurried in with the others at her heels. Vash looked up from where he was sitting up in bed, his eyes widened slightly in surprise.
In mere moments Vash composed himself to ask the obvious question. "Is something wrong?"
Elizaveta nodded. "Crevan, tell them what happened."
All eyes turned to Crevan as he began to speak. "I was at the Cattic Tavern about three days ago. There were a lot less people than usual, and when I asked Gupta about it, he told me that the king has ordered for all mercenaries to be killed upon sight—all except one."
"Except for one?" Roderich questioned. "You don't mean…"
Crevan nodded. "Yes. The king wants Vash to be captured alive, but I wasn't able to find out the reason."
"Did anything else happen while you were there?" Vash asked.
"Just I was about to leave, knights appeared and demanded that the tavern be shut down. Gupta and his mother held them off long enough for the rest of us inside to escape. I heard them say your name right before I left, which is how I know about them wanting you."
"What happened to Gupta and his mother?"
Crevan averted his gaze. "They were captured."
Vash didn't respond. Crevan glanced at him, searching the mercenary's face to see if the other held any flicker of resentment toward him, but to his surprise he found nothing but calm and calculating green eyes and a mouth set in a straight line.
"It won't be long before knights get here too." Elizaveta stated. "Vash, you need to get out of here before they do. I don't know what the king wants with you, but it can't be good."
Vash nodded in agreement and swung his legs over to the side of the bed, about to get up.
"Wait." Roderich said, making Vash pause and look at him questioningly. "You're not completely healed yet."
"So?" Vash countered. "I don't have much of a choice. Or would you rather me get captured?"
"That's not what I meant." Roderich defended.
"You should leave tomorrow morning." Elizaveta decided, cutting their impending argument short. "It'll take them at least two days to get here, if we take in the fact that they'll be going through all the cities and towns between here and the Cattic Inn. Possibly more if they're really being thorough."
"…that does seem to be the best option." Vash conceded. He briefly felt the automatic urge to place a hand against his injured abdomen, but easily quelled the thought; he would be able to handle traveling well enough. It may wear him out a bit more than he'd like, but that couldn't be helped.
"Where will you go?" Lili quietly spoke up.
"I think I'll go west until I reach the border of Yarenel and figure something out from there. The knights can't follow me into a different country." He responded.
"What about me?" Lili asked.
Vash hesitated, looking at her as if he hadn't even thought about what would happen to her. Lili tried to ignore the needle of hurt that pricked her heart at the realization.
"You'll stay here with Roderich and Elizaveta." He finally decided. She opened her mouth to speak, but he interrupted her by firmly saying, "And that is final."
"Vash, you don't have to be so harsh just because you're worried." Elizaveta reprimanded. "What were you going to say, Lili?"
She spoke just a little louder than before, relieved to know that her brother was only acting that way because he was concerned. "I used to live in a town in Yarenel before I came here. It's called Rinep."
"The town of Rinep? If I remember right, it shouldn't be more than a week's walk from the border." Roderich said.
"Problem solved. Vash, you can take Lili with you and go to Rinep." Elizaveta proposed.
Vash shook his head. "No. If they catch up to me before I make it across then she would be in danger."
"It's not like they know where you're going." Elizaveta insisted. "And you can bet that none of us will tell them. Not to mention that the settlements toward the west are so small that it will be a while before they bother to search them."
"It's still dangerous." Vash argued.
"Can I please go with you, big brother?"
Vash already had a refusal prepared but it died in his throat when his gaze landed upon Lili. Her large eyes brimmed with a pleading hope that seemed to banish any opposing thought in his head.
He sighed in defeat. "Fine. You can go."
Lili beamed. "Thank you big brother!"
Elizaveta laughed and patted Lili on the back. "I didn't think anyone could tame Vash, but you've got him wrapped around your finger."
Vash pointedly ignored her statement and shifted his attention to someone else. "Crevan, what are you going to do?'
"I'm going to see if I can get some more information about what's going on." He answered.
"Tell me if you figure out anything."
"Us too." Elizaveta spoke up. Crevan nodded.
"It's getting late. We should turn in soon." Roderich announced.
Everyone else muttered an agreement and started to leave the room. Elizaveta waited for the others to go before reaching out and grabbing the last person's sleeve.
Crevan turned to face her as she released his cloak. He waited for her to say something, but instead she leaned forward slightly and stared at him.
Discomfort settling in his bones, Crevan dipped his head to further shadow his face and took a step back. "What is it?"
"I've seen you somewhere before." She explained.
He immediately reached up to pull up the dark cloth covering the lower half of his face. "I don't think…"
She rolled her eyes and straightened, apparently done examining him. "Don't worry, all I can see are your eyes. It just seems like your familiar somehow."
"You must be mistaken." He quickly replied.
"If you say so." She relented, but she didn't sound convinced in the least. Crevan turned and headed down the hallway, his pace faster than a casual walk. Elizaveta let him go.
"Do you think that will be enough?" Meryl asked, looking over the provisions. A good portion of dried meats, fruits, and a few other miscellaneous items had been laid out on the table.
"Yes, that's good." Vash assured. They both looked up as Elizaveta entered the room carrying a sturdy bag in each hand.
"Sorry it took me so long. Here's your armor, good as new." She placed one of the bags onto the table.
"I thought Roderich was supposed to be getting my armor?" Vash asked.
"Well, you see, I got tired of watching him trying to drag it all the way here, so I carried it instead."
"Ah." Vash nodded in understanding. It wasn't exactly a light load, and put all together in one bag like that it had to weigh quite a bit. But Vash wasn't about to admit that Elizaveta seemed to have an easier time picking it up than he himself would have.
"I'll be right back. I need to go give these clothes to Lili. Oh, by the way, Roderich said he wanted to talk to you by the stables."
Even after she left Vash hadn't moved from his spot. Meryl gave him a gentle nudge with her elbow. "Go on, Vash."
"…fine." He walked around the table and exited the house. He walked over to the stables where he could see a rather uncomfortable looking Roderich waiting.
"Elizaveta said you wanted to tell me something." Vash stated. He never was one to beat around the bush.
"Yes, I do."
"What about?" Vash impatiently demanded when Roderich showed no signs of continuing.
"Right, well. I decided that since you are going to be traveling, and it will be for quite a ways, along with Lili—"
"Get to the point."
"I want you to take Cinder with you." Roderich finally blurted out.
Vash's annoyance vanished to be replaced with surprise.
Roderich turned away as if embarrassed. "Don't get the wrong idea. I just figured that Cinder would be more useful to you than to me, especially since she appears to not be particularly fond of me."
"Thank you."
This time it was Roderich's turn to be shocked at the sincerity behind the two words. "Er…you're welcome."
Vash took a step toward the stables in front of him, but then paused. "One more thing."
"Yes?"
"Why didn't Elizaveta tell me instead? You must have told her about the decision."
"I wanted her to but she insisted on making me do it. She—"
"—threatened you with the frying pan?"
Roderich sighed. "Yes."
"I understand. Still…thank you."
Roderich watched Vash walk into the stables before turning around and returning to his house.
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