Well, this is harder than I thought it would be but I'm still at it! I do feel I could have made the first Chapter longer by adding this to it. Oh well. I'll just revise it a bit to streamline it better. Now on to the story.
Two days have passed since he was found unconscious in the plains, her guest hasn't awakened. Lyn was no healer but she did what she learned from her mother, who used to be the head tribal healer. Removing his cloak revealed a snug, high collar, black long-sleeved shirt with ornate buttons running down the front, dark slacks that ended within brown boots. His hands bore black leather gloves that seems to be of high quality. Used to seeing the male gender at various stages of undress from her time with her mother, she continued to remove his clothing to check his condition.
Upon removing his shirt she froze. There were scars. Many scars adorned his chest. While his face seemed young and innocent as if unmarred by life, his chest told a different story. Multiple scars, shallow and deep covered his torso. His arms were free of such punishment except for his hands and knuckles which were calloused. Rolling him onto his back revealed the worst of it, as the scars were larger and more grotesque. Long crisscrossed marks marred his back in a repeating pattern which seemed to have healed terribly, causing the scars to stand out. Lyn clamped a hand over her mouth in horror and faced away from the disturbing sight. Looking back she felt pain and pity for someone so young to have suffered so much. Taking a deep breath to regain her composure and steeling herself, she continued.
Removing his pants, luckily, revealed fewer wounds than above, only a few scrapes and cuts. Rolling him back she noticed something else underneath the scars. "No wonder he's so light," Lyn observed. "He's small, so thin and malnourished, but...", though he was indeed small, shorter than her it seems, he had an impressive physique. It was well toned with muscle with little fat as if he was built to fight.
"What happened to you…" she whispered, confused. How can someone built to fight be found in such a battered state?
No weapons were found only a satchel containing a journal written in an odd language, round contraptions with a piece of rope sticking out of the tops, two bottles with different colored liquid and a necklace adorned with a medallion with the symbol of the sun.
Taking stoke of the boy and his belongings, its as if he fell out of the sky.
Sighing in relief that there were no bleeding wounds that needed to be treated and further confusion at the situation. Lyn proceeded to wash the stranger clean of grim before placing him in her bedroll in clean garments. Lyn kept watching over him when she could, leaving only to gather food or get supplies from merchants or nearby tribes. To say she was anxious was an understatement. Her guest's condition had yet to improve aside from his breathing becoming normal and face regaining color. She felt as if she was useless and incapable to provide the care for he needed to recover, a feeling she did not like. Lyn saw herself as capable, independent and resourceful. Proud of her heritage, able to handle any situation head-on through sheer will alone. Yet that feeling was waning as time passed as she was at a loss on how to proceed.
Already having spent most of the morning looking over the boy, Lyn exited the tent to tend to her chores before noon and believing occupying herself will do some good to her nerves.
"I'll be back," she told him. Something she did every time she left his side as if he can hear him. To reassure him that she won't abandon him like whatever force abandoned him in the plains.
Despite the morbid situation, Lyn was secretly ecstatic to have a deviation from her routine, to have someone else to talk to even if he didn't reply to her comments about mundane things such as her day had gone and what she learned from neighboring tribes. It seems the dark clouds that hung over her days were lifted and she found herself looking at her guest at times and smiling for no reason. Lyn was always told she was naturally a caring and thoughtful person since her youth. Always empathizing with those around her. A trait her mother said she got from her mother.
"You'll make a great mother one-day dear," her mother would say, "You care for your fellow tribesmen as if they were your own children." A smile on her face and pride in her eyes.
Squandering those thoughts before her mood fell, Lyn began gathering her laundry to take inside the tent. Walking back inside, Lyn gasped at what she saw. Her guest was massaging his forehead and grunted in pain with every movement. Dropping the laundry she rushed to his side.
"Are you awake?" she wanted to smack herself at her question. Of course, he's awake!
He removed his hand and looked at her. Lyn stared at his eyes in surprise. His eyes were a warm shade of gold, like the color of the sun at dawn or dusk. It made her want to move closer to gaze better yet also move away. Despite their enchanting look, there was a haunted quality behind them. As if they've seen horrors she could not fathom and did not want to know. He continued to stare at her with a blank expression and Lyn broke from her thoughts as if her worth was being judged
"I...I found you unconscious in the plains." she stammered out.
He frowned at her words. Looking at his surroundings, himself, then back at her.
"Where am I and who are you?" he croaked out as if he hadn't spoken for weeks. Lyn jumped at the sound of his voice. It was soft, proper with a distinct accent she couldn't pick out. Yet it was also hollow, emotionless, and revealing nothing.
"You're in the Sacean plains," she replied. He frowned more at her in confusion. "I am Lyndis, of the Lorca tribe. You're safe here," she said. Something flashed in his eyes at that moment. Recognition? Remembrance? She wasn't sure. What followed was more staring as if he was seeing ghosts.
Feeling brave, she decided to ask questions. "Who are you? Can you remember your name?"
He sat up then, flinching and placing his hand to his head as if in pain.
"Easy there, I've been unconscious for two days. You were in bad shape when I found you." she reprimanded softly. "You should...,"
"You should be more careful, it's dangerous to give your name and hospitality freely to strangers, Lyndis of Lorca." Came his snide reply, cutting off what she was about to say, "Especially for little girls alone in the plains." Ignoring her concern while raising an eyebrow and keeping his frown. Lyn just stared at his face in disbelief at his words.
Did he just say that? This ungrateful little shi...
Lyn was compassionate and respectful to others but she did not tolerate disrespect nor demeaning comments. She was not a little girl. Something in her burned at such a comment. After the care she'd given this boy and worry she felt fretting over his well being for days, to lead to this? Squaring her shoulders, she looked at her guest in her tent square in the eyes. "Well boy," he scowled now, she didn't care, "I think it's more dangerous to disrespect a Lorcan's hospitality after you were found alone and near death in the fields, then nursed back to health by this little girl," she hissed out within an emphasis on words she wanted to drive home. Let it be said Lyn knew how to give what was given. She had her mother's pride after all. He continued to stare at her, frowning at her in annoyance at her snark and she stared back with equal annoyance, resisting the urge smack him upside the head at his blatant disrespect.
Suddenly, his frown dropped and if she wasn't focusing on his face, she would have missed it. His lips twitched upwards and eyes lit up in amusement with what Lyn could only guess as approval or acknowledgment. Likely both. As if she passed a test. It was as if Lyn was speaking to an entirely different person than the one moments ago. "Mark, Lyndis of Lorca, my name is Mark," Mark replied with what she can determine to be respected.
At this moment, as she gazed upon this snarky yet foreign, interesting boy she now knew as Mark. Lyn didn't know why she did what she did next but she smiled her first real smile that even reached her eyes, in years.
Went well methinks. I wanted Lyn to be kind and considerate yet bold and proud of herself. Not taking Mark's snarky attitude without dishing it back or folding. That's what I want to build between the two. Complimenting each other's habits. As the saying goes, If someone strikes you, strike back twice as hard or something. Anyway, added some original dialogue from the core game to not deviate too much. But don't worry it won't be cut and paste. Next Chapter should be up by Monday night, got a template set up already. Alas, school and work are in the way. So is life. Review and comment, please. Your advise and critique is necessary.