Disclaimer: I don't own Velgarth, I don't own bondbirds, I don't own
Rethwellan or the Shi'na'in. I do own the Wanderers. And Kree. Yup.
I'll reviewer-thank at the bottom.
And I'll revamp this story in Quickedit sometime.
Muse responsible: Rrissa!
[thoughts] :Mindspeech:
----------------------------------------------
I awoke the next morning in my tent, and to my surprise found Helia in her own bedroll beside me. Something in my heart eased as I watched her sleep, and my hangover was temporarily forgotten. I moved to the tent flaps, opening them to clear the slightly stuffy tent. As the sunlight streamed through, Helia awakened.
She opened her eyes and stared at the ceiling of the tent, then closed them with a groan. "Oh, gods."
"Hangover?" I asked, remembering the night before and the drinking the mercs had been doing.
"Yup," managed Helia, throwing an arm over her eyes.
"I have willow somewhere," I croaked, my headache returning with a vengeance. I dug in my pack and came up with the packet. I held it in both hands and raised it up in mock-offering. "Oh mercenary tea of mercy," I said. Helia opened a bloodshot eye to glare at me, and I surrendered, going outside to poke the fire and start the tea.
Thankfully, it took a very short time for the fire to flare up, then heat the water in the kettle. I found my mug, somewhere, and poured the tea, waiting for it to steep before saying, "It's ready."
Helia crawled out of the tent, looking much the worse for wear. She sat beside me as I silently handed her the mug. She took a few sips from it and handed it back; I returned the favor. Between us, we soon finished the mug, then another mug, before we dumped the rest of the tea.
"Bleah," I said, feeling rather better. "I hate that stuff."
"Ugh. Me too," said Helia, "It's disgusting. But it does work. I feel a lot better, now."
"The Healers know their stuff," I said, rolling my neck on my shoulder to crack my neck.
There was a silence for a while, filled by the sleepy murmur of awakening mercs, someone practicing swordwork a few tent-rows away, and the song of morning-birds.
"I saw your face when you left the tavern last night," said Helia, looking straight at me. "This is...what...five times you've either changed the subject or avoided the subject of love?"
I gulped. I'd never been that good a liar, and the look she was giving me seemed to pierce straight through me.
:Now is the time,: said Kree, helpfully, from his perch in a tree at the edge of the camp.
:I didn't know you were listening,: I replied, startled.
:Now is the time!: insisted Kree. :If you let it pass...:
He trailed off. I bit my lip, thinking. If I let this chance pass, then what would I do? Live a lie for the rest of my life? I was miserable already, and I didn't know how much more I could take before I cracked. I remembered what Kaiya had said the night before-"Dissension weakens a Company."
If this wasn't dissension, what was? I could see the hurt in Helia's eyes as I forced myself to meet her gaze.
[I never knew this hurt her as much as it hurts me,] I realized. [What have I been doing to her?...]
I blinked, then swallowed.
I don't know what it was that made me do it. Maybe it was the remnants of drunkenness from the night before, maybe it was my dissipating hangover...hells, it may even have been Kree, exasperated with the way I had been acting. I didn't even remember moving, but suddenly my lips were on hers.
I realized what I was doing a split second too late, and tried to pull away, but-
But-
Helia wouldn't let me go.
------------------------------------------------------
I know that is the shortest chapter in the history of this fic, but I think this is the best possible ending to the chapter, and I tried to make it longer! No, this isn't the end of the fic-not by any means. I have many evil plans for the Wanderers. Muahaha. –grin-
Hope you enjoyed!
Thanks to Queen's Own, Cerulean Sky, Hawk, Lurks In Shadows, and marauder3lives!
Kathleen McCrory: Yup. She did take a long, long time. I decided to have mercy on all of you poor readers. And Liluye, for that matter!
Shahanna: Alcohol to pry into other's lives. Muahaha. Sometimes I love being evil, I really do.
Ssjbookgirl: No, they are NOT lifebonded! I want to make that PERFECTLY clear. They are NOT lifebonded. I want to write a love story without one, for once, you see. (
Oceanmate: You are the one who startled me into writing this chapter. Thank you!
Pies all around! Celebrate the fluffiness!
-Fireblade K'Chona
I'll reviewer-thank at the bottom.
And I'll revamp this story in Quickedit sometime.
Muse responsible: Rrissa!
[thoughts] :Mindspeech:
----------------------------------------------
I awoke the next morning in my tent, and to my surprise found Helia in her own bedroll beside me. Something in my heart eased as I watched her sleep, and my hangover was temporarily forgotten. I moved to the tent flaps, opening them to clear the slightly stuffy tent. As the sunlight streamed through, Helia awakened.
She opened her eyes and stared at the ceiling of the tent, then closed them with a groan. "Oh, gods."
"Hangover?" I asked, remembering the night before and the drinking the mercs had been doing.
"Yup," managed Helia, throwing an arm over her eyes.
"I have willow somewhere," I croaked, my headache returning with a vengeance. I dug in my pack and came up with the packet. I held it in both hands and raised it up in mock-offering. "Oh mercenary tea of mercy," I said. Helia opened a bloodshot eye to glare at me, and I surrendered, going outside to poke the fire and start the tea.
Thankfully, it took a very short time for the fire to flare up, then heat the water in the kettle. I found my mug, somewhere, and poured the tea, waiting for it to steep before saying, "It's ready."
Helia crawled out of the tent, looking much the worse for wear. She sat beside me as I silently handed her the mug. She took a few sips from it and handed it back; I returned the favor. Between us, we soon finished the mug, then another mug, before we dumped the rest of the tea.
"Bleah," I said, feeling rather better. "I hate that stuff."
"Ugh. Me too," said Helia, "It's disgusting. But it does work. I feel a lot better, now."
"The Healers know their stuff," I said, rolling my neck on my shoulder to crack my neck.
There was a silence for a while, filled by the sleepy murmur of awakening mercs, someone practicing swordwork a few tent-rows away, and the song of morning-birds.
"I saw your face when you left the tavern last night," said Helia, looking straight at me. "This is...what...five times you've either changed the subject or avoided the subject of love?"
I gulped. I'd never been that good a liar, and the look she was giving me seemed to pierce straight through me.
:Now is the time,: said Kree, helpfully, from his perch in a tree at the edge of the camp.
:I didn't know you were listening,: I replied, startled.
:Now is the time!: insisted Kree. :If you let it pass...:
He trailed off. I bit my lip, thinking. If I let this chance pass, then what would I do? Live a lie for the rest of my life? I was miserable already, and I didn't know how much more I could take before I cracked. I remembered what Kaiya had said the night before-"Dissension weakens a Company."
If this wasn't dissension, what was? I could see the hurt in Helia's eyes as I forced myself to meet her gaze.
[I never knew this hurt her as much as it hurts me,] I realized. [What have I been doing to her?...]
I blinked, then swallowed.
I don't know what it was that made me do it. Maybe it was the remnants of drunkenness from the night before, maybe it was my dissipating hangover...hells, it may even have been Kree, exasperated with the way I had been acting. I didn't even remember moving, but suddenly my lips were on hers.
I realized what I was doing a split second too late, and tried to pull away, but-
But-
Helia wouldn't let me go.
------------------------------------------------------
I know that is the shortest chapter in the history of this fic, but I think this is the best possible ending to the chapter, and I tried to make it longer! No, this isn't the end of the fic-not by any means. I have many evil plans for the Wanderers. Muahaha. –grin-
Hope you enjoyed!
Thanks to Queen's Own, Cerulean Sky, Hawk, Lurks In Shadows, and marauder3lives!
Kathleen McCrory: Yup. She did take a long, long time. I decided to have mercy on all of you poor readers. And Liluye, for that matter!
Shahanna: Alcohol to pry into other's lives. Muahaha. Sometimes I love being evil, I really do.
Ssjbookgirl: No, they are NOT lifebonded! I want to make that PERFECTLY clear. They are NOT lifebonded. I want to write a love story without one, for once, you see. (
Oceanmate: You are the one who startled me into writing this chapter. Thank you!
Pies all around! Celebrate the fluffiness!
-Fireblade K'Chona