Title: Murderer's Touch
Author: I_nv_u50
Rating: PG13
Disclaimer/Claimer: It's mine, I tell you! Mine!! 'Cept for the world… Yea, I wish .
Warning: Slash!! Whee!!
Author's Notes: Mwahahahaha!! Chapter 6!! Cliffhanger warning!! :D But don't worry, chapter 7 and maybe 8 will be out tomorrow… seven definitely, 8 maybe…
The Golden Dragon ~ I can do summaries, 'cept I tend to go off on a tangent that holds no real importance to the actual subject but which fascinates me nonetheless. My teachers gave up on me a while ago :D Anything's better than maths. Heh :D that was my aim all along. I can tell you right off that Kylan's a prat, but he's a teenager, so that's to be expected. And Brynn's completely dense when it comes to understanding other people. He doesn't even understand himself. Devoni's got a tough job, but he wouldn't give it up for the world ^^ Spanish is fun though ^^ Thanks for reviewing again, I hope this one makes you feel better :D sorry if it's too short T.T can only write POV for short periods… makes it interesting to switch at the most inopportune times. XD
ola ~ I use it as an excuse all the time XD it doesn't usually work, but eh… it's the thought that counts, right? :D 'they' come into the story when Kylan and Brynn have settled down somewhat… makes it more fun when I run out of actual plot :D could even be a sequel and we can have a trilogy!! …. What fun O.o; it'll be a huge story :D I can't write short stories, unless the characters are already together. Has to be long to seem real :D unless of course, you prefer pushing them together when they don't want to be. That makes for a very interesting short story XD …. But yea, this is gonna be long. If it isn't, it'll definitely have a sequel to bring in the 'they' who knows… I'm playing this as I go along ^^;;;; …er.. yea… thanks though, I'm glad you enjoy it ^^
Anyway, more tomorrow, so check back then ^^ Read, enjoy, and please review!! ^^ cheers!! ^^
PS: I'll try and work more on the threatening scenes…. Unfortunately, I usually end up really amused when I write them, so they don't seem that threatening.. I guess I should work on that. Ah well. Enjoy!! ^^
: _Now_ what's his problem?: Brynn asked Devoni silently, confused by the abrupt behavior of the younger boy.
: Maybe he's hurt, Chosen.: Devoni prompted gently. :Leave him alone for a while, he's sure to pull out of it on his own. Go to bed.:
Brynn grinned and stifled a yawn, using Devoni's lowered neck to help pull himself up. "Yes Dad," he mocked, then dodged a teasing nip from his Companion.
:Watch it, ye young whippersnapper.: Devoni teased. :Jesalis says goodnight. So do I. Goodnight Chosen. Don't talk to him when you get back to your room. Let him work it out on his own.:
"Gotcha," Brynn called back, and started towards his rooms, going slowly so as to think. He had overheard the boy talking, and some of the things he had said upset him. Havens above, all of the things he had said had upset Brynn, although he had been careful not to show it. The abrupt dismissal also stung, and Brynn still didn't understand why.
He supposed he could understand… Or not. It bothered him though, that the younger boy was showing such an obvious aversion to something that was supposed to be the best thing that ever happened to either of them. Why the kid couldn't see that, Brynn didn't know.
Although… Brynn frowned thoughtfully and sped up slightly, suddenly not wanting to leave Kylan alone on his own for too long. Strange as it seemed, Brynn almost understood how Kylan felt. He almost felt the same way; except because he had seen lifebonds as a sacred thing, as that had been what he had been taught, Brynn had merely accepted it. Kylan hadn't learnt the same lessons, so he thought differently.
He had a moment to wonder what kind of life Kylan had had before they had met, and then a surge of panic flowed through him to the point of where he couldn't feel anything else but the need to escape. Brynn gave a strangled gasp and clutched his head, shaking it to rid it of the desperation that he had no reason to be feeling.
Then it clicked.
"Kylan!" he gasped, and struggled to his feet, running for his suite. Something was terribly, terribly wrong.
He hit the door at a run, forgetting that it was supposed to open outwards and pushed it inwards in his haste. He barely had time to feel a hint of regretful amusement at the broken door, and he noticed that Kylan was huddled in the corner.
Huddled was the wrong word for the defensive stance the blonde had taken up, crouched ever so slightly in a way that screamed 'Touch me and I'll go down fighting.'
Brynn had another brief second to feel absurdly proud at his life partner's bravery, stupid or not, before his feet carried him further into the room.
Davin stepped in front of him, an uncharacteristic glare on the usually cheerful face. "Did you know?"
Brynn stared at him blankly, giving away nothing, before glancing over the Bard's shoulder. More Bards and Bardic Trainees were standing a few feet away from the sneering figure in the corner, sadly obvious in the fact that they were guarding the murderer, preventing him from escaping.
Brynn idly wondered how long any of them could keep Kylan busy, and then corrected himself regretfully. Bards did have some of the finest weapon training in the country. Kylan wouldn't stand a chance against so many.
"Brynn!" snapped Davin. Brynn switched his gaze back to the older Bard, his face calmly angry.
"What?" he asked.
"Did you know? That he murdered Akseli?"
:Might as well tell him the truth, Chosen.: Devoni sounded serious. And worried. Not really a regular occurrence, and Brynn started to get more apprehensive. What were the Heralds doing? They couldn't kill… but what if…
He listened to Devoni. "Yes, I knew," he said simply.
"And you didn't tell anyone?"
Brynn gave a small shrug, and made to move closer to the knot of people in the corner. Davin stood in his way. Brynn felt his face get a whole lot cooler with fury. "Let me through, Davin."
"Answer me first."
"Davin, let me past before I do it myself."
Davin glowered at him, moving out the way nevertheless. Brynn felt a brief thrill of triumph, and pushed his way through the reluctant Trainees, who didn't try to stop him, although they didn't look too pleased.
Kylan regarded him sourly, but seemed to accept him as the lesser evil, because he straightened up out of defense mode. Brynn felt strangely pleased, optimistically taking the slight relaxation as a sign of trust.
He hid his smile though. It would only create more problems. "I knew," he repeated, for the benefit of the ones who hadn't heard him earlier. "I was the one who caught him. I've already taken him to see King Solas and Herald Astral. They sentenced him to house arrest here, in my suite. What right do you have to be barging in?"
Davin looked astonished. "He murdered Akseli! Why would you want him around you?"
Brynn stared at him silently. Davin managed to keep his gaze and return the stare, but the others looked away.
Brynn sighed, and looked away. He shrugged. "It's more complicated than that. Come visit me later, alone and I might explain it to you. Although," he glanced sideways at the extraordinarily pale blonde next to him, "would you please leave us for the moment? We need to get to bed. We've all had a hard day."
Davin snorted in disgust. "Traitor," he said half-heartedly, and waved the others out the room. He glared at the two before he swung the door closed.
Brynn accepted the silence for a while, still stinging from the insult, not noticing that Kylan was staring at him until he felt Kylan's hand hesitantly touch his arm.
"Are you all right?" Kylan asked.
Brynn frowned, and then started laughing at the ridiculous question. It had been Kylan who had been surrounded, out of his depth, and he asked if Brynn was all right. Was his opinion so low?
Kylan looked put out. He withdrew his hand, which Brynn felt the loss of immediately, and crossed his arms, glaring into the fire. "Fine. I don't care anyway."
Brynn's laughter faded to a genuine smile. "I'm not laughing at you."
Kylan lifted an eyebrow eloquently at him, and then shook his head. "Sure ya aren't," he drawled, and walked calmly to the bed in front of the fireplace. "Anyway," Kylan stopped, suddenly looking shy. "I just… I… Well… Thanks anyway," he finished softly, and promptly crawled under the covers.
Brynn stared at the inanimate lump for a few moments, then smiled again, pulling off his boots. Maybe it wouldn't be too bad. Maybe they could get used to it. All it would take was time, and Lord knew he had enough of that.
Brynn woke up the next day with an uncomfortable feeling down at the bottom of his bed. Cracking an eye open, he saw Kylan sitting there, grinning at him mischievously.
The grin made the attractive boy look beautiful, and Brynn almost said so, when the uncomfortable feeling grew. Forgetting the compliment, he opened both eyes to narrow them at the younger boy.
"What are you doing?"
"Me?" Kylan said innocently. "Nothing in the world."
"Mmhm." Brynn mumbled, not believing it in the least. "What have you got there?"
Kylan flushed, although he looked like he was hiding back laughter. "N-nothing at a-all."
Brynn sat up and looked down. His feet were lying in mud. Unable to accept the peculiar sights his eyes were seeing, all Brynn did was stare for a while. Then he looked up at Kylan, who was laughing silently, shoulders shaking. "What did you do that for?"
"Ritual," gasped Kylan, his eyes crinkled with glee. "Always used to do it to whoever wasn't awake. Feels strange, don't it."
It wasn't a question. Brynn blinked and stared, feeling as if he had suddenly woken up in some other place, because surely this wasn't the sullen murderer of last night. He didn't even look the same. Hilarity made his face younger, softened the lines and made it seem more boyish. Brynn smiled eventually, his own eyes going softer, his smile enjoying the merriment of his life bound. "What kind of life did you lead, to have such strange rituals?"
The laughter snapped off immediately, and Brynn instantly regretted his words. Kylan glanced at him, his eyes serious and somewhat brooding again and shrugged, looking away. "Nothing much," he said, and got off the bed. "Ring for something to eat, would you? I'm hungry."
Brynn nodded, confusion curling in his mind. "All right. Where are you going?"
Kylan gave him another unreadable look. "To take a bath."
Brynn managed to avoid blushing, and heard Devoni snicker in his mind. As Kylan disappeared through the bathroom door, Brynn turned on his Companion in mock anger.
:Sneak! You're such an eavesdropper.:
:And think of the trouble it saves you.: Devoni returned promptly. :Otherwise you'd have to explain everything to me all over again.:
:True.: Brynn allowed. :What are we doing today?:
There was a pause as Devoni conferred and thought, then a slight hint of worry. :You've got a class today.:
:Really? What of?:
:New Trainees.:
Brynn felt a flash of guilt. Three newly Chosen had arrived the day before, a few candlemarks prior to… to…
:Akseli's death.: Devoni finished smoothly, sympathy in his voice. :They couldn't help it Chosen. And don't blame him either.:
:Why not?: Brynn returned bitterly. :He was the one who killed Akseli.:
:Do you know his reasons?:
:No…: Brynn admitted. :But so what?:
:You can't accuse until you find out why he did it.:
:Which means I can never accuse because he will never tell me.:
:I wouldn't be too sure of that, Chosen. Just give him time. It's as new for him as it is for you.:
"You keep saying that," Brynn said aloud, softly. "But I don't know how long I can wait."
"Wait for what?" Kylan asked, equally softly.
Brynn jumped, then blinked at the figure in the doorway. "For the food," Brynn answered quickly. "Finished already?"
Kylan gave a half-hearted shrug. "Forgot the clothes."
Brynn smiled down at his hands, suddenly shy. "I'll ring for the food so long. It'll be here by the time you're ready. Then we can go over what you're supposed to do today."
Kylan gave him a dubious look. "What I'm supposed to do today," he repeated slowly, as if trying to understand something.
"Yea." Brynn answered, than gave a small smile and waved him out. "Go clean up, we'll eat within half a candlemark."
Kylan nodded slowly, and left through the door. Brynn yawned and stretched, before regarding his feet with mild despair. It was almost a childish prank. It was a childish prank. Brynn would never have suspected the murderer to be capable of harmless pranks, but with further thought, he supposed it made sense. The murderers obviously couldn't keep their childhood for as long as they might like. They probably did it to retain as much of a carefree attitude as possible. Brynn shook his head sadly, both at the state of his feet and at the state of the lives of these teenagers, and got out of bed to ring for a page.
A page arrived with decent alacrity, bringing food with him. Brynn requested some things that the page hadn't brought, and the boy nodded and darted away, intent on other business after the food delivery.
Brynn set it up. He wasn't the most pompous of Heralds, but he found some pleasure in eating properly, given that he rarely had the opportunity when riding on circuit.
Kylan joined him less than half a candlemark later and sat down silently, helping himself to some food with a normal teenager's appetite. Maybe even double that, Brynn thought, amazed as he watched food rapidly disappear.
Eventually Kylan paused, and stared up at him, his fork halfway to his mouth. "You gonna eat or what?"
Brynn gave a sheepish grin. "Sorry. Was just… thinking."
Kylan nodded in agreement, and Brynn started eating his own plateful, chewing the sausage carefully as he thought.
"Kylan, I have to teach a class later on today," he started, but Kylan's suddenly surprised expression stopped him. Brynn blinked. "What?"
"You teach a class?" Kylan asked curiously.
Brynn nodded.
"What do you teach?"
"Anything they tell me to," Brynn replied, with a wry grin. "Most of the time I just take the orientation classes, for new Trainees."
"Oh," Kylan said quietly, thoughtfully, and continued eating.
Brynn cocked his head, staring at the blonde. "Would you like to come too?"
Kylan looked up at that, and made a face at him. It looked spontaneous enough that Brynn felt himself cheering up immediately, which surprised him. He hadn't thought he had been depressed a few moments earlier.
"Go with you?" Kylan echoed derisively. "I'm not allowed to leave your room or they'll be after me again."
"The Heralds? Or the Bards?" Brynn asked needlessly.
"Both." Kylan said triumphantly, smirking at him. The smirk faded a few moments later. "Seriously though, I shouldn't."
Brynn grinned. "But you will, won't you?"
Kylan stared at him thoughtfully, doubtfully. Then he grinned back, and he looked like an ordinary teenager again, the ancient expression in those blue eyes fading out of sight. "Yea, I guess I will. Never said I was clever."
Brynn smirked teasingly, and was about to reply, when Devoni's voice cut through his mind, colored a dull gray with grimness.
