Chapter 3: Simple Complexity
Later in the day...after the little hellions had been called away for an early lunch...more like a late breakfast, some of the people approached the crimson haired goddess, asking for her help. He was rather fascinated with how her mind worked because some of the things she had helped with were mind boggling yet seemed so simple to her.
Yet when trying to do something simple...something that was normally done or commonplace, she got incredibly confused...frustrated even. He watched her face scrunch up, her eyes looking so totally lost. She just stared at her supposedly simple project like she was trying to build an entire city out of twigs. He actually thought that the city building idea would actually be easier for her.
Killian would have laughed at the sight and the silliness of the idea, but it was the look in her eyes that had stopped him. She was upset...no, she was angry, angry with herself...but why? Could she really not do something so simplistic that a child could do it?
He felt a brief flicker of irritation, mainly due to some of older teenage boys gawking at her. He was pretty certain that they were undressing her in their minds… one of the many reasons why he wanted a daughter and not a son. He'd rather kill off potential suitors instead of contending with the headache of a boy's overactive libido and his complete lack of restraint...the irony was not lost on him.
One of the women eventually noticed the ginger's shift in emotion and immediately called to her, asking her for some help with untangling all the leftover twine, rope, and threads they had used to pack with. His eyes widened as his jaw dropped slightly as the ginger expertly and swiftly unknotted and wound up each one, her eyes flickering quickly from one to another.
Within minutes, she had successfully untangled everything, wound them up, and placed them neatly in a basket. Sweet lord...how did...she can do that but not something simple? He took a moment to analyze her movements as people asked her to do more complicated tasks. Methodical, yes, logical even...but she wasn't trying to force a solution which often times resulted in some rather nasty consequences...like his missing hand.
It was more like a process of elimination, following a specific path until she could go no further. Then she backtracked to where it deviated and continued down another course until it deviated as well. Oh...he had heard of this, this particular talent anyways. People would often confuse it with precognition, the ability to see the future, but was in fact...mapping.
This remarkable woman possessed a rather rare and valuable talent, a highly sought after one at that. She was a probability mapper, someone that could map out the infinite paths of life. Don't give this woman time to think or she'll have a few dozen ways of out smarting you, out witting you, or just making you look like a complete and utter fool.
He had encountered others with this kind of talent...ironically, his first mate, William Smee, also possessed a talent similar to hers...just one of the many reasons why he kept his first mate content. It only took Mr. Smee three minutes to make him regret a single poor decision and it took months for both him and his ship to recover.
Mr. Smee's talent notwithstanding...the ginger's talent was taken to an extremely high level...so high, in fact, that normal, every day tasks that anyone could do confused the living daylights out of her. He has actually stumbled across someone that could literally out think her every opponent like it was child's play and yet give her a simple task and her brain implodes because it was too simple.
He wasnt entirely sure how to feel about that...mainly because that particular talent of hers made her extremely dangerous but also a prime target for the more specialized slavers. They would have a hell of a time catching her but she had one blaringly loud and insanely obvious weakness...she was kind, impossibly so.
As the day went on, he learned more about her. The reason why her kindness had not put her in an early grave was due to an eerily accurate perception. She referred to it as her instincts or the initial reaction of meeting someone for the first time and according to one of the scouters, she called it the four F's. He only knew of two, Fight or Flight, but she had a third and fourth… Follow and Fix.
Interesting concept...which apparently helped the scouters because they successfully avoided all the ogres and brought back a few deer, a rare find given their rather unruly neighbors...along with several apples, some grapefruit, and an assortment of edible berries and nuts.
Where did she learn how to track? To forage and not get poisoned by picking the wrong berries? She didn't seem like a huntsman...though he was privy to some of the warriors trying to show her how to use their weapons...only to be bested by her and for heaven's sake! Do Not put a bow in this woman's hands!
It was not because she couldn't handle it...it was because she could...and she was good...very, very good. It didn't matter if the targets were stationary or moving, short, mid, or long range...or even in the weirdest spots or at supposedly impossible angles...she hit every single one...twice...in a row...repeatedly...usually splitting the first into two pieces or making it splinter apart completely.
He will never forget the looks on their faces; skin like white ash, eyes wide in shock and petrification, and a fair bit of nervous sweating. He would admit to being impressed by her skill, but there was something in the way she moved that made him question why she was so good.
The reasoning behind this question was the fact that she was from another land, specifically one without the more unusual and mystical creatures...ogres for example. There was no need for her to train like she was fighting a never ending war and yet she possessed the knowledge, skills, and training of someone from this land...and that was putting it mildly.
He watched her move on to the scouters, suggesting a possible deterrent for the ogres and requested certain herbs and spices so that she could make it. They had been hesitant at first, but she looked at them with such sincerity and kindness that they relented and gathered the requested items. He would have said they were pushovers but that woman was completely genuine in her desire to help...she was just genuine period.
Within minutes, her concoction was complete...a rather sweet aroma that suddenly made his head spin and he damn near fell over. Fortunately the red head bagged her strange powder and gave each scouter two bags a piece to spread around the perimeter. Then they left the encampment and the Crimson Savior wandered off, looking for something to do.
The Dark Captain observed her yet as each new thread unraveled, the more layered and intricate she became. How could learning more about her make her that much more complex? A puzzle that became more difficult to solve with each passing moment and his time was running out.
