Title: Murderer's Touch
Author: I_nv_u50
Rating: PG13
Disclaimer/Claimer: Characters and plot mine, world isn't.
Warning: Slash!! Whee!!
Author's Notes: Chapter 5!! I'll try and get 6 out soon ^^ Maybe tomorrow, maybe Friday… guess we'll see ^^ Yes, I'm going too fast with this, which means it's probably going to be rewritten when it's finished. Right now I just want to get the plot done before I forget it all. I'm so weird sometimes O.o;;;
I did this chapter in two different parts, so if it seems particularly disjointed or rushed, I'm sorry ^^ Just remember that this story is probably going to be rewritten when I'm done… with everything else… that'll take a while, but eh… we all gotta have goals, right? ^^
The Golden Dragon ~ Know what you mean T.T hate maths too. Argh… stupid numbers… the world should be written with letters and everything would be so much easier!! ^^ Kylan's got problems. They both do, and neither knows about the others yet… Mwahhahaha … I love being mean to my characters ^^;;; PS: I apologise in advance for the ending… don't do too much math XD And yes. Yes indeed. Let slash rule the world so all us fangirls (and boys, I know they're out there somewhere) can be happy. Ahem there's my vote, right there :D
Fireblade ~ heh ^^ Thanks ^^ Hope you enjoy this one as well ^^
ola ~ Yea.. those finals are a bugger of a time.. heh thanks ^^ I'm glad you like it ^^ actually, that could have been it. Of course, Kylan's completely unaware of this, so Brynn's feelings make him feel worse. Poor boy. He's so confused T.T Heh. Sorry, can only answer one of those questions – you'll find it in this chapter XD Unfortunately, they couldn't ignore the door forever. Damn. . I know O.o; I've shocked myself at the speed I'm writing it O.o; The speed is probably going to be a reason I can't stand it later on, but right now I just wanna get the plot down before it runs away screaming (*run away! Run AWAY!!*) O.o;;; er… yea O.o; I'd be very grateful if you did review every chapter :D
For anyone else who feels the urge to review, I'll thank you very very much next chapter. As well as Kylan, who is currently doing his best 'Come hither' look for Brynn. Ah, the voices in my head finally have bodies. Thank you, whoever. Now make them go away T.T
Anyway, read, enjoy, and please review ^^
Brynn's lips were warm and dry and soft against his, slightly aggressive, but more cautious, for reasons that Kylan could only guess at. He didn't care at the moment. All he knew at that particular time was that he wanted more. It was all he cared about, all he could care about. If this was what lifebonds did to a simple, relatively chaste kiss, he'd stick with it.
But it wasn't just because of the kiss. It was because there was a warmth that Kylan had never felt before flooding through him, something that words couldn't possibly describe, but it made him feel warm, content and secure. Safe. That was what he would stay for. The undeniable feeling that Brynn would protect him no matter what. Kylan wasn't just ready to admit it yet, not even to himself, but he sensed that he would do anything to protect the Herald as well. It was, all in all a good arrangement.
With the contentedness comfortably settled in his head, Kylan nudged his mind back to his current situation, not finding the least bit of opposition from either himself or from Brynn when he pressed himself closer, aching for more contact.
Brynn seemed to take that as a good sign and hauled him closer, deepening the kiss until Kylan parted his lips slightly in a surrender that he gave himself over to willingly.
Forgotten was the door, who cared about the world. This was the real Haven, with Brynn's body pressed tightly against his own, with a tongue flicking over into his mouth. Kylan made a helpless sound.
The door, previously forgotten, crashed open with a bang that was enough to pull the two apart ever so slightly. Brynn looked surprised, his face kind of dazed.
Kylan struggled to get the dazed look off his own face, but since Brynn hadn't yet let him go, it was harder than he might have wished it to be. And then Brynn's pleasant expression seeped out of his face, a cool, unreadable guise slipping on instead. He smiled coolly. "Good evening, Davin. How may I help you tonight?"
Kylan was almost too apprehensive to turn around; the sudden chill in the room not all due to air temperature. He could feel eyes burning into his back.
"Who's that?" A curious sounding voice said. He didn't sound so bad though, and Kylan carefully turned around in Brynn's arms, suddenly grateful for the bath that had washed the blood off.
An older man, maybe mid thirties, was standing in the door. Brown hair starting to go gray was a clue that he might have been older than he looked, but he wasn't wearing Heraldic white. He was wearing red, a bright scarlet.
"Er… New friend…" Brynn answered smoothly, his arms reflexively tightening around Kylan's waist. Kylan thought about complaining, but didn't see the point of fighting against something that felt so good, so he kept his mouth shut and regarded the other man, peeking through his lashes, knowing it made him look younger and less tainted.
"Friend, eh? I'd suggest something more, but you'd probably kick me out. Is he up to date on the news?"
Kylan suspected that Brynn nodded, because the other man continued after a tiny pause.
"They've caught the murderer, apparently. No one knows where he is though, because the guards didn't take him to gaol. Isn't that something, hey?" Davin stopped talking again, his eyes going dark with confusion. "Brynn?"
"I think you should leave," Brynn said, in a tone that Kylan had never heard him use before. It was too cold, too aloof to get close to, and he shivered instinctively, pressing back further until Brynn's body heat proved that Brynn hadn't frozen completely.
Davin blinked, also confused by the sudden switch, and backed out carefully. "Sorry… He was a good man, Akseli… You'll miss him, just like we all will… I'll leave you two alone right now…"
He shut the door behind him, and they waited together in silence for a few moments, before Brynn dropped his arms and cursed, going to stand by the fire.
Kylan blinked at him, suddenly suspicious. "Why didn't you tell him I was the murderer?"
Brynn looked up at that, and stared at him, his eyes incredulous. "Are you kidding? Just what do you think he would have done to you if he had known you were the murderer?"
Kylan winced at the tone, and annoyed with himself for wincing, glowered at the Herald. "They're going to find out sooner or later. Imagine how angry they'll be at you when they find out you've been hiding it. Then what would they do?"
Brynn flinched as if Kylan had struck him, and turned away again, hiding his face. "I guess we'll cross that when we come to it."
Kylan narrowed his eyes at his back. "Where can I sleep?"
Brynn moved slowly to the door. "Stay here, I'll send for a page to make a bed for you."
Kylan watched him close the door, then just sat on the floor, too weary to think about moving when he had more pressing matters to attend to.
First, and most important would be how to stop the others from killing him when they found out who he was. The best solution he could come up with for that was simply to avoid it, wait until it happened, as Brynn had suggested.
The second thing was what to do when they caught up with him. That he couldn't wait for a solution to present itself, because they would attack him with a surprise, and he'd probably have no back up around when they did come.
The third thing, which was vaguely more important than the other two, but in a different way, was: how exactly did he feel about the Herald?
The first word that came to his mind was safe. When he tried to think of a better one, all he could come up with was loved. Try as he might, getting more frustrated with each repetition because the idea was absolutely crazy. You couldn't love someone you had known for barely a few candlemarks, it was impossible!
Kylan leapt to his feet, confusion and frustration, mixed with annoyance and irritation finally making him feel trapped. He had to get out.
He opened the garden door slowly, not angry enough at himself to be caught by people who could have been out there. It seemed to be all cleared of people though, so he crept out, suddenly feeling a thrill of excited anticipation. Even though his new and sort of improved sentence had only been on him for less than a candlemark, it was still a thrill to get out, still a thrill to know that he could escape if he ever needed to.
He walked quietly, almost silently down the dark paths, examining the gardens he moved through that were lit with a pale sort of moonlight. It was peaceful, the air was calm and warm enough to make him pleased he wasn't wearing anything warmer. The garden's looked beautiful in the dark, and he wandered quite a bit further than he had thought, cutting across the grass and leaving the paths to take in more.
Then he sidestepped a smallish bush, and tripped, feeling a sudden surge of fear. He pushed it away. He didn't have anything to be scared of, he hadn't heard anybody come up, and his ears were extremely sensitive.
Even as he scoffed at the idea of there being anyone behind him, something big and blunt poked him in the small of his back.
Kylan froze. "Who's that? What do you want?" Unfortunate, and awfully inconvenient was the sudden knowledge of how far he had wandered from Brynn's suite. He felt a surge of guilt that he managed to ignore, reminding himself that he was certainly old enough to look after himself. He didn't need a protector.
Although, when the thing butted him again, Kylan realized that he wanted Brynn with him. Not especially to help him, but for comfort. He snorted at himself, thankful that none of his old friends knew what he was thinking, and the snort was echoed from above him.
Kylan sighed, realized who, or what, was above him, and rolled over, staring into piercing blue eyes that held a tint of curiosity.
"Hello," he said vaguely. "You're not Devoni, are you?"
The Companion looked faintly amused and shook it's head.
Kylan sighed, and rested himself on his elbows, feeling strangely at ease. Companions were supposed to be good. They wouldn't hurt him. "Who are you then?"
The Companion bit him sharply.
Kylan yelped and scrabbled away, glaring at the innocent looking Companion and clutching his shoulder. "What was that for?"
It tossed it's head, and whickered at him. Kylan continued to glower. "I don't understand you. Who are you, and what did you do that for?"
The Companion stepped forward again, and Kylan scuttled back hurriedly, ignoring the wounded expression in those eerily intelligent eyes, knowing that they were mocking him at the same time.
Then the Companion looked over it's shoulder, and trumpeted a neigh that surprised Kylan far more than the next nose which knocked him on the shoulder.
He turned his head to stare into reproachful dark blue eyes. The shape and build of this Companion looked vaguely familiar, and he hazarded a guess, hoping this one wouldn't bite him if he was wrong. "Devoni?"
Devoni bobbed his head in agreement, his eyes still accusing.
Kylan took a guess. "He's returned, hasn't he? Found me missing? Don't let him come here."
Devoni lifted his head and stared down at him patiently. Kylan sighed and shrugged, unsure why he didn't want to be found just yet.
He muddled through his thoughts and emotions. "I… It's just I've never… This hasn't… Damnit, I'm seventeen! That's too young to be in love! He can't love me after a few candlemarks, the thought's insane!"
The Companion behind him shoved him again with it's nose, making Kylan sprawl half heartedly on the ground again. He lay there, not uncomfortable enough to move yet, and it was as good a place as any to think.
"I don't want to be in love. The whole idea is completely unrealistic. Who cares about some stupid lifebond anyway?" Kylan snarled and spat some grit out of his mouth. Devoni promptly placed a silver hoof between his shoulder blades, making Kylan go very still.
"What?" he said, turning his head to look up at the stallion. "Want me to give it a chance? Why should I? So he can feel better and you don't have to feel so guilty?"
Devoni bared his teeth and lowered his muzzle to Kylan's face, snorting in it warningly.
Kylan turned his face away sullenly. "I don't care. Do what you want. He won't want me, and I don't want him." Something inside told him not to lie, but he spoke over it, denying it's existence. "And what would happen if I did love him? They're only going to pull us apart anyway."
Devoni pulled back, and Kylan felt the second Companion retreat somewhat as well, but he just laid there, his thoughts muddled and his heart sore.
He would have jumped when the hand landed lightly on his back, but since he was lying down, all he could manage was an undignified squawk, and he rolled over quickly, years of living on the streets by Exile's Gate making him forget that if it had been someone truly dangerous, the Companions would have raised some alarm.
Unless they really did hate him.
When he had caught his breath again and was sitting up normally, he lifted his eyes, meeting concerned gray eyes without the slightest bit of surprise. Now that the initial shock was over, he supposed it was only right that Brynn find him. It was stupid not to have expected it sooner.
Brynn stared at him, his face calmly expressionless, except for the troubled and tender eyes. Kylan stared back until the previously comfortable silence became somewhat awkward.
He cleared his throat nervously, suddenly remembering what he had done earlier. His boldness didn't astonish him, he used it to his advantage usually. What astonished him was the way he had reacted. It was disturbing. He had never actually had any hints of being attracted to boys… It was all very strange.
But then, he thought wryly, the whole night had been very strange.
"What's that Companion's name?" he asked, for something to say, pointing over Brynn shoulder to the Companion who was still standing there, still looking vaguely amused.
Brynn glanced at it over his shoulder. "That's Jesalis. She hasn't Chosen yet." He suddenly fixed Kylan with a searching look. Kylan blinked after a few seconds, then averted his eyes, not wanting to be pulled in by the intense gaze.
"Did she Choose you?" Brynn whispered, his voice disbelievingly hopeful.
"No," Kylan replied at the same time Jesalis whinnied with obvious laughter. Kylan glared at her over Brynn's shoulder.
"Oh," Brynn murmured, his tone distracted. "Devoni says that the majority of the Companions don't like you. It's not safe for you to be here."
"But they aren't supposed to hurt people," Kylan protested blankly. Surely that hadn't been a lie?
Brynn sighed, and looked at his hands, which were fiddling with the grass. "Technically, that's true. But it doesn't help your case if you've murdered a Herald. The Companions that have Chosen aren't telling their Chosen, by order of Taver, apparently. That doesn't mean they like you. At most you'll get a grudging kind of toleration from them. The ones that haven't Chosen yet though… Well, they might be a bit harder to control. Jesalis hasn't Chosen yet, but she's always been weird, supposedly. Devoni says she's just curious. That's what girls just use as an excuse."
Brynn paused, then suddenly laughed, Devoni whickering as an echo of the amusement, as Jesalis tossed her head and looked proud of herself.
"What?" Kylan asked, annoyed at being left out yet again. It seemed to be a regular occurrence here, and he didn't like it that much. He stood up and glowered down at the chuckling Herald, crossing his arms. "What's so funny?"
Brynn shook his head in answer, and lifted a hand as a mute request to be helped up.
Kylan stared at the hand, still unexplainably hurt by being left out, still feeling lonely enough to ignore the amusement surrounding him. He snorted with something resembling disgust, turned on the spot, and stalked off towards Brynn's suite, leaving the Herald on the ground behind him, staring after him.
Kylan slowed as he approached the empty suite. The door was open, and he could see a makeshift bed in front of the fire. It looked too good to be true. Knowing he had no other place to go, Kylan paused at the doorway anyway, and stared around the room. The fire was still crackling merrily, the table had been cleared and there was a fresh set of clothing bundled up in a chair. There was a candle next to the bed, and the door to the bathroom was open, showing the bathtub and drying towels.
Kylan sighed miserably, and shuffled into the room. It was a nice room, welcoming in all the right ways, not pushy but just cozy enough to resemble the closest thing to a home he had ever had.
It had to be too good to be true, or he wouldn't be able to leave.
