Chapter 5: Meeting the Outsider
Emily led Greta to her quarters, keeping a brisk pace. The Sister clearly knew something, and seemed hesitant to solve the mystery unless her need for physical proof was met. She sincerely hoped she was not making a mistake.
Emily stopped in front of the safe room door, and turned to Greta, who was watching her expectantly.
"Leave your mace out here," she commanded, placing a hand on her hip. Greta leaned the weapon against the wall, a curious look on her face. Emily breathed in deeply before placing her ring in the lock and opening the door.
She walked into the dim safe room- the first time she was here she was far too much in a rush to light candles. Greta surprised her by yanking out a box of matches and merrily lighting candles.
"I am guessing from our location that you will be showing me a person rather than a thing?" Greta asked, her voice light and almost teasing.
Emily wanted to smile, but nerves kept her from doing so. "Come," she said, gesturing with her head. The curtains were drawn, separating the small living space from the rest of the room. Emily waited until Greta stood beside her before she pulled back the curtain
It was so hot. The Void no longer burned with the same agonizing sharpness as before, but it burned all the same.
His flesh burned. His boots felt confining, so off they went. His jacket was too tight, so off it came. The shirt and undershirt were drenched with sweat, so off they came as well. The soft cot was too warm, so he lay on the floor. But even that was not enough.
"Illness truly does strip oneself of their dignity," The Outsider thought, as he removed all that covered him and stuck his head under the faucet, desperate for some relief.
He must have fallen asleep because the next thing he recalls hearing was two feminine shrieks.
"Why are you showing me a naked man?!" screamed an unfamiliar voice.
"He wasn't naked when I left him here!" cried Emily. She sounded exceedingly embarrassed.
The Outsider slowly removed he head from the sink and opened his eyes. His vision was bleary at first, but he could make out a short woman with red hair, her hands over her eyes, which was further blocked with a green blindfold. He looked to Emily, and they briefly made eye contact. She turned bright red and immediately adverted her gaze.
"Make yourself decent," she grumbled, walking over to the cot and tossing a blanket on him, her eyes determinedly looking elsewhere.
It occurred to him that he should be embarrassed, or feeling some sort of shame. However he was simply just too warm to care.
"Twenty seven years," he heard the other women moan. "Twenty seven blissfully ignorant years, all gone in a single moment!"
"I know, it must be hard for a person of faith to meet the Outsider," Emily said, sounding tired.
"What? No!" the other person looked at Emily, an oddly befuddled expression on her face. "I meant seeing a naked man! I've made it TWENTY SEVEN YEAR- wait did you just say 'Meet the Outsider'?"
The women lifted the green blindfold from her eyes, and stared at him like he was an incomprehensible book.
"Greta, this is the Outsider," introduced Emily politely. "Outsider, this is Greta, a sister of the Oracular Order."
Any other time he would have relished meeting one of those zealots, if only to see their reaction to him. Right now, he just lifted his hand in greeting, then carefully fit his head back under the faucet. It was far too hot to pay attention.
Emily watched Greta's face transform from bemused, to shocked, to horrified, then finally accepting.
"By his not so crooked cock he's here," Greta squeaked, turning to Emily. "Right in front of us!"
"Will you please not remark his genitalia?" she muttered testily with an eye roll.
The sister went silent, looked at the Outsider, then looked back at her. "Are you two lovers?"
Emily sputtered. "What?! No! He Marked me to help me take back my throne, that's all!"
"Oooooh," Greta at least had the manners to look sheepish. "So you're helping him out as a return favor, for all the help he gave you?"
Emily thought about it. "He just appeared in the throne room after I added the rune, and he was in so much pain that I just did not have the heart to not help him," she quietly explained, looking at the Outsider sprawled on the ground, his eyes closed as cold water flooded over his short dark hair and pale face.
Greta nodded. There was a comfortable silence as the two women looked at the Outsider.
"He would probably be happier in a bathtub," commented Greta.
"We can't just leave the Outsider in a random bathtub!" Emily hissed, somewhat scandalized.
"We could bring a bathtub to him," Greta argued. "I know someone that can help, but we need him conscious and well enough to talk."
"Is that someone human?" Emily asked, suspicious.
"Nope, not in the slightest," Greta replied, serious. "We're basically alone in the tower, the witches are cleared out and gone. I can go find a tub and bring it here."
Emily sighed, won over. "No need. My bathroom should still be functioning. Go check it out, we'll be up shortly."
Author's Note
I just want to thank all of you who have followed so far! Thank you for the support, it means a lot 3. Feel free to leave a review!