thanks to everyone who pointed out that Rolan was never human. i am amazed that i managed to forget something so blindingly obvious. please do not hesitate to throw things at me when i stop making sense. and now, back to the story.
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Chapter Four
Chloe was getting restless. She'd been in Valdemar for over a week now and there was no sign of her destiny, Glorious or otherwise. That, and she was starting to get homesick. Brandon was a pain the ass most days, but he was her brother.
Chloe rested her head on the fence at the edge of Companions Field and watched the people go by. She wished Rolan was here so that she could talk to him. But he was listening in on some meeting. Something about an Alliance, Chloe hadn't really been listening.
A small explosion in the vicinity of the Healer's Collegium caught her attention. Chloe contemplated wandering over to see what had happened, when she noticed a figure running flat out for the Field. She decided that it was a young female (not many guys wore skirts). The girl hopped the fence and disappeared into one of the many groves of trees that dotted the Field. Everyone else was running in the direction of the Collegium, but Chloe pranced over to the grove.
This particular grove had benches for the humanoids. The girl was wedged between two of the stone blocks, sobbing as if the tears would never end. She was also totally oblivious to the arrival of a large white horse.
Rolan had been telling her about Empathy and Mindspeech, but Chloe never quite got the concept until now. The guilt was like a neon sign over her head. Chloe could sense the memory of what was upsetting her, seething just below the surface. Well, if Talia could look at other people's memories, why couldn't she? Chloe imagined herself diving into the girl's mind.
The door slammed. Wren barely had time to look up before his hand caught her across the temple. She curled into a protective ball and waited for the next blow, but it never fell. Instead he overturned the table, yelling at the top of his lungs. Wren dared a look at him. He was pacing the room like a feral dog, screaming at her. He was obviously drunk, slurring all the words together and tripping over his own feet. This only made him angrier. He picked up the knife she'd been using to cut chicken for dinner and advanced slowly on her, carefully enunciating each word.
"You. Won't. Make. A. Fool. Of. Me. Again. Bitch." Wren felt that she was choking on her fear. He swung wildly at her. She flung her arms up to protect herself and the knife made a long slash down her forearm. She stared at the blood, her blood dripping from the knife and felt something snap inside of her. She could her him screaming and it all faded to black.
Chloe snapped back to herself and considered this. It was a clear-cut case of self-defense, but Wren clearly didn't see it that way. Well, that would have to change.
:: What's wrong? :: Chloe asked.
"I'm an awful person." Wren choked out around her sobs.
:: You don't seem like it. ::
"But I am!"
:: You haven't bashed me over the head with a shovel yet. What makes you think you're a bad person? ::
"I've killed! I'm a murderer!" Chloe took another look at the poor girl, shivering in corner, broadcasting guilt and remorse on all frequencies.
:: I don't think so. :: This radical statement, so calmly issued made Wren pause in her sobbing. When she saw that the person she'd been confiding to was actually a large white horse she gaped. Chloe decided to press her advantage. :: Murderers don't feel sorry for what they've done. You didn't mean to kill him. Besides he deserved it. ::
People had probably been telling her this for days, but she clearly hadn't been listening. Wren looked as if she'd gotten a revelation from the gods.
"But… but the Collegium. I… I…" Wren burst into sobs again. Chloe sent a mental email to Rolan.
:: How are things? ::
:: Fine. She blew a hole in the wall, but no one got hurt. :: Chloe privately thought that she wouldn't call a brand-new hole in the wall 'fine.'
::What should I say? :: Chloe listened to Rolan for a few moments then began repeating it verbatim to Wren.
:: Listen Wren. Everyone at the Collegium is fine. You have a Gift. It's no different than being able to paint or sing well. It's just… a little out of control. ::
"I killed a man!" Wren protested. "I'm dangerous."
:: That's just because you don't have it under control. We can help you with that. :: Wren kept sobbing. Chloe heaved an equine sigh.
:: Look chica, I know you're feeling all guilty cause you killed that piece of slime, but that's really a good thing, you wanna know why? 'Cause it means you are a GOOD person. So don't be wasting perfectly good H2O on that son-of-a-bilge rat. ::
Wren stared again. Chloe was willing to bet she'd never heard anyone talk quite like that. About this point Chloe heard the voices of worried Healers calling.
:: They're looking for you. They're worried about you and they just want to help. Give 'em a chance. Can you do that for me? ::
Wren stood up slowly, visibly steeling herself. Chloe was rather shocked to realize that she was about Brandon's age. They left the small grove and were spotted by the Healers. Wren cringed but didn't bolt.
:: I want you to remember three things for me, okay? ::
"Okay."
:: Number One: You are NOT a bad person. Number Two: The ability to blow a large hole in a stone wall is way cool. :: Wren actually giggled at that.
:: Number Three: My name is Chloe and I'll be here all week. ::
~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~
Questions, comments, critisicms, complaints? Make your voice heard.
.•´¨`•»¦«•Kerowyn•»¦«•´¨`•.
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Chapter Four
Chloe was getting restless. She'd been in Valdemar for over a week now and there was no sign of her destiny, Glorious or otherwise. That, and she was starting to get homesick. Brandon was a pain the ass most days, but he was her brother.
Chloe rested her head on the fence at the edge of Companions Field and watched the people go by. She wished Rolan was here so that she could talk to him. But he was listening in on some meeting. Something about an Alliance, Chloe hadn't really been listening.
A small explosion in the vicinity of the Healer's Collegium caught her attention. Chloe contemplated wandering over to see what had happened, when she noticed a figure running flat out for the Field. She decided that it was a young female (not many guys wore skirts). The girl hopped the fence and disappeared into one of the many groves of trees that dotted the Field. Everyone else was running in the direction of the Collegium, but Chloe pranced over to the grove.
This particular grove had benches for the humanoids. The girl was wedged between two of the stone blocks, sobbing as if the tears would never end. She was also totally oblivious to the arrival of a large white horse.
Rolan had been telling her about Empathy and Mindspeech, but Chloe never quite got the concept until now. The guilt was like a neon sign over her head. Chloe could sense the memory of what was upsetting her, seething just below the surface. Well, if Talia could look at other people's memories, why couldn't she? Chloe imagined herself diving into the girl's mind.
The door slammed. Wren barely had time to look up before his hand caught her across the temple. She curled into a protective ball and waited for the next blow, but it never fell. Instead he overturned the table, yelling at the top of his lungs. Wren dared a look at him. He was pacing the room like a feral dog, screaming at her. He was obviously drunk, slurring all the words together and tripping over his own feet. This only made him angrier. He picked up the knife she'd been using to cut chicken for dinner and advanced slowly on her, carefully enunciating each word.
"You. Won't. Make. A. Fool. Of. Me. Again. Bitch." Wren felt that she was choking on her fear. He swung wildly at her. She flung her arms up to protect herself and the knife made a long slash down her forearm. She stared at the blood, her blood dripping from the knife and felt something snap inside of her. She could her him screaming and it all faded to black.
Chloe snapped back to herself and considered this. It was a clear-cut case of self-defense, but Wren clearly didn't see it that way. Well, that would have to change.
:: What's wrong? :: Chloe asked.
"I'm an awful person." Wren choked out around her sobs.
:: You don't seem like it. ::
"But I am!"
:: You haven't bashed me over the head with a shovel yet. What makes you think you're a bad person? ::
"I've killed! I'm a murderer!" Chloe took another look at the poor girl, shivering in corner, broadcasting guilt and remorse on all frequencies.
:: I don't think so. :: This radical statement, so calmly issued made Wren pause in her sobbing. When she saw that the person she'd been confiding to was actually a large white horse she gaped. Chloe decided to press her advantage. :: Murderers don't feel sorry for what they've done. You didn't mean to kill him. Besides he deserved it. ::
People had probably been telling her this for days, but she clearly hadn't been listening. Wren looked as if she'd gotten a revelation from the gods.
"But… but the Collegium. I… I…" Wren burst into sobs again. Chloe sent a mental email to Rolan.
:: How are things? ::
:: Fine. She blew a hole in the wall, but no one got hurt. :: Chloe privately thought that she wouldn't call a brand-new hole in the wall 'fine.'
::What should I say? :: Chloe listened to Rolan for a few moments then began repeating it verbatim to Wren.
:: Listen Wren. Everyone at the Collegium is fine. You have a Gift. It's no different than being able to paint or sing well. It's just… a little out of control. ::
"I killed a man!" Wren protested. "I'm dangerous."
:: That's just because you don't have it under control. We can help you with that. :: Wren kept sobbing. Chloe heaved an equine sigh.
:: Look chica, I know you're feeling all guilty cause you killed that piece of slime, but that's really a good thing, you wanna know why? 'Cause it means you are a GOOD person. So don't be wasting perfectly good H2O on that son-of-a-bilge rat. ::
Wren stared again. Chloe was willing to bet she'd never heard anyone talk quite like that. About this point Chloe heard the voices of worried Healers calling.
:: They're looking for you. They're worried about you and they just want to help. Give 'em a chance. Can you do that for me? ::
Wren stood up slowly, visibly steeling herself. Chloe was rather shocked to realize that she was about Brandon's age. They left the small grove and were spotted by the Healers. Wren cringed but didn't bolt.
:: I want you to remember three things for me, okay? ::
"Okay."
:: Number One: You are NOT a bad person. Number Two: The ability to blow a large hole in a stone wall is way cool. :: Wren actually giggled at that.
:: Number Three: My name is Chloe and I'll be here all week. ::
~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~
Questions, comments, critisicms, complaints? Make your voice heard.
.•´¨`•»¦«•Kerowyn•»¦«•´¨`•.