Wow, eight reviews for just my second chapter of this story! I must be getting really popular around here...
khmerboi919: That will be coming shortly...
Millenium Slinky: Said "burly young man" wasn't looking for a fight, he was trying to survive the Dread Isle. He only said he could beat Nergal in a fight because he's a jock and jocks are stupid. They think saying those sort of things will impress people.
And "random dude" said he was looking for his kids (which is referring to other random dude/s). That's why the innkeeper brought him in.
High King Isaac: No worries, it's happened before. Several people read my first story and immediately assumed I was a girl because it was romantic. Then they read my profile. You should see some of their reviews once they recognized that I was a guy :P
Itzel, Phoenix Dagger, The Story Master 125: Thanks for your reviews! (and in Story Master's case, both of them)
DrillingPlanet: As good as Ivanfanatic? Wow, I didn't think I'd ever hear that! Thanks!
Chapter Three
Rescue
Ninian's eyes slowly fluttered open as the light of the sun hit her eyelids.
Her head was resting on Nils's, who was lying on her shoulder. The two were propped up against the wall of the inn, having fallen asleep sitting up.
Ninian yawned and rubbed her eyes. As she did so, Nils fell into her lap, whereupon he quickly woke up. "Morning," he mumbled.
Ninian stood up and dusted off her clothes, and Nils did the same.
"Are you all right now?" Nils asked her.
Ninian closed her eyes and sighed slightly as the memory of the previous night came back to her. "I...I think so," she said. She was about to say more, but she was cut off as Nils's stomach grumbled loudly.
"Ooh," he said, putting a hand to his stomach. "I need something to eat."
Ninian smirked. "Let's see if we can find anything around here."
After a short search, the siblings found a small, uncrowded café. Ninian used a little of the money the traveler had given them to buy some bread and butter, and they sat down at a table.
They ate in silence for awhile, before Nils said, "Ninian, there's something I've been meaning to ask you."
"Yes?" she replied.
"When...that man came last night...did you...did you feel anything strange?"
"Actually, I did," she said, recalling the sensation in the back of her head. "There was this strange feeling in my head...it got stronger as the man got near us..."
"Was it tingly?" Nils asked.
"Yes," she replied. "Did...did you feel it too?"
"Yeah...I wonder what it was. You...you said it got stronger when the man got close?"
"Yes, why?"
"Do you think...we sensed danger?"
"It is a possibility," she answered, before accidentally dropping a piece of buttered bread she was holding. It landed on her dress with a splat. She pulled it off and wiped the butter away, but it left a rather noticeable stain on the black cloth. "Now what?" she sighed.
Nils stifled a laugh. "We could buy a new one," he suggested. "I looked—that traveler gave us quite a bit of money." He looked down at his own clothes. "And I could use something new myself."
"We can't spend too much, though," she replied. "We need money for food...and your flute," she added.
"Well, we should at least get you some new clothes," he said, gesturing at her dress and smiling.
The siblings were able to buy a lot more than Ninian had originally thought.
Ninian stepped out of the vendor into the afternoon sun wearing her new pale green dress. It was a little big and trailed around her feet, but she had liked the color—it matched her hair—and had bought it anyway.
Nils, in addition to his flute, had bought a brown vest and shorts. He also had bought a very long yellow scarf that was now tied around his neck. When Ninian asked him why he had bought such a thing, he had just shrugged and said, "It looked nice."
Ninian had given him a stern look for that one.
Nils had also apparently bought a small dagger, saying that they might need it if any more men came for them. Topping off his purchases was a pack to store their provisions in.
They had enough money left for another meal and maybe a night at an inn if they cut it close. That meant they had to earn some more soon.
"Why don't we start right now?" Nils suggested. Ninian nodded, and the pair walked off to a busy street. Nils set down the pack and opened it for people to put money inside, then closed his eyes, put the flute to his lips, and began to play a fast, cheerful tune. Ninian, at once, felt invigorated. She began to dance to the music, closing her eyes as she twirled around.
Clink.
Ninian smiled as she heard coins drop into the pack.
Clink. Clink.
She opened her eyes to find that a few people had stopped walking to watch her and Nils. As the song ended, the little crowd applauded them, some dropping more money into the pack. One man even asked them to do another song.
Ninian smiled. At this rate, they would have enough money to move on to a new city within a few days.
The memory of her homeland burned brightly in her mind once again...
Ninian and Nils left Badon a few days later in high spirits. The money they had earned over the past few days had allowed them to buy a tent and more food for their journey. Adding to their spirits was the fact that the nights had passed without incident.
Ninian had been able to find a map of the continent. She wasn't sure what her homeland was called—she never had known—but she did remember it was cold, snowy, and mountainous. Looking at the northeast portion of the map, she had decided that her homeland must have been what was now Ilia. With this information, the siblings had set off to the northeast, making their current destination a city called Kathelet.
Their journey passed without incident until their third night away...
GET THEM! BRING THEM BACK TO ME!
Ninian quickly awoke in a cold sweat, breathing heavily. Her nightmare of Nergal was even worse this time, as his anger seemed to be rising to a fever pitch. She heard Nils breathing heavily beside her, indicating that he had awoken. She calmed down for a moment—
—and nearly fainted when she felt the tingling sensation in the back of her head again. Nils apparently felt it too, as he quickly rummaged through his pack in the dim light and pulled out his dagger. He stood at the entrance to the tent with an angry look on his face, ready to ambush anyone that tried to step inside.
The tent flap opened, and Nils leapt at a man who looked eerily similar to the one that had come for them that first night...
The dagger drove deep into the man's shoulder, making him cry out in pain. But Ninian wasn't focused on that. Behind the man, she could see several more men who looked just like him.
The sensation in her head became painful once again, and she screamed.
Clang!
Nils's dagger was knocked away by the sword of one of the other men. His angry look changed to one of terror, and he ran. A couple of the men followed him.
The rest slowly walked into the tent as Ninian pushed herself back until she felt the tent's wall press into her skin. Eyes wide in terror and her head now pounding from the sensation in it, she could not do much but scream as one of the men bound her legs, then her hands. Finally, with an annoyed look in his eyes from her screaming, the man placed a strip of cloth around her mouth.
The other men laughed softly.
The man who had bound her legs and feet picked her up and began to carry her over his shoulder. Ninian brought her feet back to kick him, but the man caught the kick in his free hand. She stopped trying to resist, as it seemed pointless to do so now.
As the men brought her out of the tent, she looked around for any sign of Nils. He was nowhere to be seen. She panicked—what if the other men had caught him?
The man carried her silently for a few minutes, while Ninian thought of the terrible things that would happen once Nergal had his quintessence...
"Put that girl down!" a male voice suddenly shouted. The man carrying her stopped.
Ninian looked around; the voice didn't seem to have come from one of the men sent to capture her. Try as she might, however, she could not locate the source of the voice.
"Oof!"
Ninian was suddenly dropped as something slammed into the midsection of the man that was carrying her. Her head hit the ground and her vision became blurry. She looked up to see a man with spiky red hair and blue eyes fighting with the black-wearing men before she lapsed into unconsciousness...
***
Well, there's the big rescue.
If you're wondering where I found out that Ninian is from Ilia, it's from her support conversations with...Florina. I bet a lot of you haven't tried to get those :P
Speaking of Florina, she's going to be quite an important character. Any of you who have seen her A support with Ninian will know why. Of course, that means that almost none of you know. *laughs evilly* You'll just have to read the story to find out.
Well, I gotta get some sleep cause tomorrow is my ROAD TEST! Woohoo! Driver's license, here I come! That is, if I can pass...wish me luck! (please! I need it!)
Please review!!!
-TheOneAndOnlyT
khmerboi919: That will be coming shortly...
Millenium Slinky: Said "burly young man" wasn't looking for a fight, he was trying to survive the Dread Isle. He only said he could beat Nergal in a fight because he's a jock and jocks are stupid. They think saying those sort of things will impress people.
And "random dude" said he was looking for his kids (which is referring to other random dude/s). That's why the innkeeper brought him in.
High King Isaac: No worries, it's happened before. Several people read my first story and immediately assumed I was a girl because it was romantic. Then they read my profile. You should see some of their reviews once they recognized that I was a guy :P
Itzel, Phoenix Dagger, The Story Master 125: Thanks for your reviews! (and in Story Master's case, both of them)
DrillingPlanet: As good as Ivanfanatic? Wow, I didn't think I'd ever hear that! Thanks!
Rescue
Her head was resting on Nils's, who was lying on her shoulder. The two were propped up against the wall of the inn, having fallen asleep sitting up.
Ninian yawned and rubbed her eyes. As she did so, Nils fell into her lap, whereupon he quickly woke up. "Morning," he mumbled.
Ninian stood up and dusted off her clothes, and Nils did the same.
"Are you all right now?" Nils asked her.
Ninian closed her eyes and sighed slightly as the memory of the previous night came back to her. "I...I think so," she said. She was about to say more, but she was cut off as Nils's stomach grumbled loudly.
"Ooh," he said, putting a hand to his stomach. "I need something to eat."
Ninian smirked. "Let's see if we can find anything around here."
After a short search, the siblings found a small, uncrowded café. Ninian used a little of the money the traveler had given them to buy some bread and butter, and they sat down at a table.
They ate in silence for awhile, before Nils said, "Ninian, there's something I've been meaning to ask you."
"Yes?" she replied.
"When...that man came last night...did you...did you feel anything strange?"
"Actually, I did," she said, recalling the sensation in the back of her head. "There was this strange feeling in my head...it got stronger as the man got near us..."
"Was it tingly?" Nils asked.
"Yes," she replied. "Did...did you feel it too?"
"Yeah...I wonder what it was. You...you said it got stronger when the man got close?"
"Yes, why?"
"Do you think...we sensed danger?"
"It is a possibility," she answered, before accidentally dropping a piece of buttered bread she was holding. It landed on her dress with a splat. She pulled it off and wiped the butter away, but it left a rather noticeable stain on the black cloth. "Now what?" she sighed.
Nils stifled a laugh. "We could buy a new one," he suggested. "I looked—that traveler gave us quite a bit of money." He looked down at his own clothes. "And I could use something new myself."
"We can't spend too much, though," she replied. "We need money for food...and your flute," she added.
"Well, we should at least get you some new clothes," he said, gesturing at her dress and smiling.
The siblings were able to buy a lot more than Ninian had originally thought.
Ninian stepped out of the vendor into the afternoon sun wearing her new pale green dress. It was a little big and trailed around her feet, but she had liked the color—it matched her hair—and had bought it anyway.
Nils, in addition to his flute, had bought a brown vest and shorts. He also had bought a very long yellow scarf that was now tied around his neck. When Ninian asked him why he had bought such a thing, he had just shrugged and said, "It looked nice."
Ninian had given him a stern look for that one.
Nils had also apparently bought a small dagger, saying that they might need it if any more men came for them. Topping off his purchases was a pack to store their provisions in.
They had enough money left for another meal and maybe a night at an inn if they cut it close. That meant they had to earn some more soon.
"Why don't we start right now?" Nils suggested. Ninian nodded, and the pair walked off to a busy street. Nils set down the pack and opened it for people to put money inside, then closed his eyes, put the flute to his lips, and began to play a fast, cheerful tune. Ninian, at once, felt invigorated. She began to dance to the music, closing her eyes as she twirled around.
Clink.
Ninian smiled as she heard coins drop into the pack.
Clink. Clink.
She opened her eyes to find that a few people had stopped walking to watch her and Nils. As the song ended, the little crowd applauded them, some dropping more money into the pack. One man even asked them to do another song.
Ninian smiled. At this rate, they would have enough money to move on to a new city within a few days.
The memory of her homeland burned brightly in her mind once again...
Ninian and Nils left Badon a few days later in high spirits. The money they had earned over the past few days had allowed them to buy a tent and more food for their journey. Adding to their spirits was the fact that the nights had passed without incident.
Ninian had been able to find a map of the continent. She wasn't sure what her homeland was called—she never had known—but she did remember it was cold, snowy, and mountainous. Looking at the northeast portion of the map, she had decided that her homeland must have been what was now Ilia. With this information, the siblings had set off to the northeast, making their current destination a city called Kathelet.
Their journey passed without incident until their third night away...
GET THEM! BRING THEM BACK TO ME!
Ninian quickly awoke in a cold sweat, breathing heavily. Her nightmare of Nergal was even worse this time, as his anger seemed to be rising to a fever pitch. She heard Nils breathing heavily beside her, indicating that he had awoken. She calmed down for a moment—
—and nearly fainted when she felt the tingling sensation in the back of her head again. Nils apparently felt it too, as he quickly rummaged through his pack in the dim light and pulled out his dagger. He stood at the entrance to the tent with an angry look on his face, ready to ambush anyone that tried to step inside.
The tent flap opened, and Nils leapt at a man who looked eerily similar to the one that had come for them that first night...
The dagger drove deep into the man's shoulder, making him cry out in pain. But Ninian wasn't focused on that. Behind the man, she could see several more men who looked just like him.
The sensation in her head became painful once again, and she screamed.
Clang!
Nils's dagger was knocked away by the sword of one of the other men. His angry look changed to one of terror, and he ran. A couple of the men followed him.
The rest slowly walked into the tent as Ninian pushed herself back until she felt the tent's wall press into her skin. Eyes wide in terror and her head now pounding from the sensation in it, she could not do much but scream as one of the men bound her legs, then her hands. Finally, with an annoyed look in his eyes from her screaming, the man placed a strip of cloth around her mouth.
The other men laughed softly.
The man who had bound her legs and feet picked her up and began to carry her over his shoulder. Ninian brought her feet back to kick him, but the man caught the kick in his free hand. She stopped trying to resist, as it seemed pointless to do so now.
As the men brought her out of the tent, she looked around for any sign of Nils. He was nowhere to be seen. She panicked—what if the other men had caught him?
The man carried her silently for a few minutes, while Ninian thought of the terrible things that would happen once Nergal had his quintessence...
"Put that girl down!" a male voice suddenly shouted. The man carrying her stopped.
Ninian looked around; the voice didn't seem to have come from one of the men sent to capture her. Try as she might, however, she could not locate the source of the voice.
"Oof!"
Ninian was suddenly dropped as something slammed into the midsection of the man that was carrying her. Her head hit the ground and her vision became blurry. She looked up to see a man with spiky red hair and blue eyes fighting with the black-wearing men before she lapsed into unconsciousness...
Well, there's the big rescue.
If you're wondering where I found out that Ninian is from Ilia, it's from her support conversations with...Florina. I bet a lot of you haven't tried to get those :P
Speaking of Florina, she's going to be quite an important character. Any of you who have seen her A support with Ninian will know why. Of course, that means that almost none of you know. *laughs evilly* You'll just have to read the story to find out.
Well, I gotta get some sleep cause tomorrow is my ROAD TEST! Woohoo! Driver's license, here I come! That is, if I can pass...wish me luck! (please! I need it!)
Please review!!!
-TheOneAndOnlyT