Chapter 15

Bright orange specks of ash fluttered through the air with each clang of metal against metal; the clangs thundering through deafened ears amidst the realm of soot. Jurij squinted down at the blood, orange metal boiling in his pot; barely even flinching as the metallic ooze bubbled up at him. His lips scrunched together into a frown.

That's heat we need. He thought bitterly; the hairs on his skin rose at the prickling heat pawing at his wrists. The blinding orange spewed up flakes of ash to dust his face in black soot. A ghost of a grin traced his lips the longer he stared at the boiling metal.

"I'll gladly put your face in it if you want." Jurij flinched out of his thoughts as the roar of metal greeted him to reality once more. The frail glow of lanterns shooed the shadows of the cavern aside, draping against the silhouettes of the blacksmiths' hunched frames. Jurij blinked down at his bucket and the man kneeling before him cradling a rusted mold.

Jurij gave him a lopsided grin. "Sorry."

Gunter grunted at the back of his throat, holding the mold down firmly as the molten metal fell from the bucket. The two shielded their eyes at the blazing light as it shrugged into the mold's frame like a glove. Jurij pulled the bucket back up while Gunter quickly shuffled mold to the side and grabbed an empty one from the stack. Jurij carefully tilted the bucket over to pour out the metal, sighing, "Nothing like slaving away, eh?"

Gunter rolled his eyes. "Not when you're whining apparently."

"It's merely an observation." Jurij quipped lightly. "But at least Idon't have another shift." Jurij's grip on the railing slipped slightly, shaking the flow of the molten metal to splatter along the edge of the mold—and onto Gunter's sausage like fingers.

Gunter cursed under his breath and yanked his hand away from the mold. Heat scalded through his skin as he shook the metal from his fingertips. A sliver of gray seared his fingers, patches of skin still trapped under globs of metal, as Gunter shot Jurij a dirty glare.

"I'm not joking," he growled. "I will put your face down in this shit."

A cold bead of sweat ran down the back of Jurij's neck, holding his hands up in defense. Gunter rose from the ground and took a step towards the other when a voice broke through the clashing metal.

"Heimer!" Jurij whipped his head around towards the front of the cavern. Through the thick musty dust that roamed in the cavern, Jurij caught sight of another man staggering by the entrance. "Get up here!"

Jurij let out a sigh of relief, setting the bucket carefully in the melting bin beside the station. He shot Gunter a half grin as he backed away.

"Sorry," he said. "But my face will be attached until another day."

Gunter grumbled under his breath, watching the man quickly scurry along the passageway towards a small opening of light. Small sparks of white whizzed by Jurij as he made his way past the iron workers who sharpened the newly formed metal and climbed up a flight of stairs at the end of the tunnel he entered. The roar of metal and fire died down to a faint hum the further he walked up into the main entrance of the blacksmiths' workshop. The man who had called him gestured him to the small table up front. The man scooped a couple of silver pieces into Jurij's blackened hand. Jurij glanced down at the pieces and frowned.

"You cut me short." Jurij said.

The man raised a brushy eyebrow at him. "And?" Jurij gave him a pointed look while the man leant against the table. Dustings of ash and soot filled the thin crevices of his face like an outline to a sketch as he said calmly, "I don't owe you shit from the work you gave me last week."

"I worked overtime." Jurij replied through gritted teeth.

"Well then," the man swayed his hand to the side and flicked it, where another piece appeared in his hand. He brought the silver piece to Jurij's view. The younger's eyes widened at the bronze seal in the center of the piece as it flickered away from sight. He blinked quizzically until the man finished, "If you want the rest—and more—then you can work overtime again tomorrow."

Jurij's cheeks flushed, his hands balling into fists, and sighed. "Fine." He turned on his heel to walk to the front of the workshop. He yanked the thick goggles from his eyes, drinking in the clear drop off foyer where an aisle of hooks hung on the wall. He snatched a ruddy scarf and cap from a hook. As he threw cap on his head, he grumbled into the scarf, "Expect more shitty work."

Pushing the heavy leaded doors open, Jurij let out a short wheeze at the briskly icy air that whirled around him. The sweat induced ash and soot musk was knocked out of him as he breathed in the air of the outside. A wry smirk worked across his blackened lips.

"At the least the air down there was warm," he murmured to his self.

A frail, gray sky rode over the city, letting slivers of sunlight grace the streets in broken fragments. Jurij scoffed at the light attempting to fit into the shadow pieces scattered through the city. He tugged his scarf tighter around his face.

Like that's going to do anything, he thought.

He groaned at the back of his throat once he stepped forward; the snow practically devoured his boots. He kicked thick clumps of snow in his path to the side, alternating between fierce kicks and dragging his feet. As he stomped through the snow, his eyes locked onto a speck of brown leaning by the gates of the workshop. The figure shivered, tugging their coat tighter around them while a smile wormed across Jurij's lips.

He quickly marched through the snowy mounds. Finally Jurij leapt over the last pile of snow onto a cleared path that led out to the twisting, congested streets. The figure at the gates played with the ends of her coat idly as he leant down to her ear.

"Miss me?" The girl jumped, jerking her arm back and slammed her elbow into Jurij's ribcage. He winced. The girl cupped her hands over her mouth.

"Sorry," she said softly.

Jurij gave her a lopsided smile, chuckling, "I'll take that as a no."

The girl flushed, her face growing pink beneath her tattered brown cap that was tugged over her head. The playfulness in Jurij's eyes dimmed as he spotted a strand of gold running down to her shoulders amidst dark brown hair. He quickly jerked the cap down over the back of her head, and plucked the strand from her scalp.

"Ow! What was that—" She trailed off. Her eyes lingered on the strand of golden hair swaying in his hand. She casted his eyes down at the ground as Jurij dropped the strand, shoving it under the snow for good measure. His lips thinned into a slight frown and tentatively offered his arm out to her. She glanced at it warily and wrapped her arm around it with a resigned pout.

"Watch your step," Jurij said.

"I don't need to watch…" She mumbled only to cling onto his arm as she slipped. Ignoring his chuckle, she glared at the ground where the thin sheet of ice glittered amongst gravel. A small flush crept over her cheeks. "S-so how was work?"

"Terrible as always," Jurij snorted. "The tavern?"

"Wonderful," she rolled her eyes. "Even more so with having to clean up Boris's drool when he passes out…with a mouse in his mouth."

"They aren't that bad. Most would kill for at least a tail when you're starving."

"I'm okay with starving then."

Jurij shook his head, the crunching of ice beneath their feet filling the silence between them. He glanced down at her warily. "No boys troubling you?"

"Not with my delicate condition, thank god." She sighed,

Jurij let out a sigh of his own then asked, "No girls either?"

He choked on his laughter and a wheeze as her elbow knocked into his side. She yanked her arm away with a scowl.

"Of course not!" She snapped a tad bit too low for her voice. Jurij gave her warning look as she turned away. She shoved her gloved hands in her pockets, kicking a frosted rock to the side as she mumbled quietly, "I'm already promised to someone else."

Jurij felt his heart skip a beat as they entered the throng of markets and people. Despite her new lack of boisterous statements and appetite (covered by the fact that she was still recovering) she still continued her own habits own working at the Tavern and meeting with her brother. Yet, the two of them had fallen into new, private routine since Odell's returned. Jurij would make sure his sister was acting as she should while she would reveal some shred of her old life.

"Oh," Jurij scratched the back of his head, forcing his tongue to untangle itself to ask quietly, "What was she like?"

The girl—boy, Jurij kept correcting his self in the back of his mind—bit down on her lip. She fiddled with the ends of the heavy coat. Jurij kicked his self. He flicked his gaze over the frost settling in between the stones of houses until her voice murmured ever so quietly, "Beautiful." Jurij whipped his head towards her, eyes threatening to titter out of his sockets. A genuine smile graced her lips at the thought. "She's stubborn—ridiculously stubborn. Stronger than ten men combined! And fragile, more so than she wants to admit."

Jurij's gaze softened; a smile of his own lifting at the corner of his mouth. This was the most he gotten out of the other after three months of careful prying.

"You two must be really close, huh?"

She shrugged, chuckling, "As close as we'll ever be without her reindeer butting in all the time."

"Lucky," Jurij scratched at the stubble on his cheek. "Da always buts in before I can get close. Though I guess it's better than having your sibling meddling in."

The chuckling stopped dead in its tracks. Jurij arched an eyebrow, looking down at the solemn gaze in her eyes.

"O-Odell?" He asked tentatively.

She blinked, taking her boot away from the snow she was stomping in.

"We should hurry up," she grunted. "Ot—Da wants me to fix up another brew of mice." Her shoulders hunched up defensively as she scurried through the busy street with Jurij at her heels. His brows still furrowed in a deep frown. "You got work later tonight?"

Jurij frowned, sighing, "No, tomorrow. Ol' bastard won't leave me alone."

"I can help with your deliveries then." She replied without missing a beat.

His frown deepened. "You can barely lift a barrel. What makes you think you can lift a cart?"

"My will, that's what!" She snapped. "It's only a few deliveries anyway."

Jurij restrained from arguing anymore and followed after her.


"Make sure you only give out one crate per customer. Jurij I'm talking to you." Otto said with a glare.

"It was one time Da!" Jurij groaned, hoisting a crate onto the cart. The amber liquid glimmered under the lantern lights, beaming a dull gold within the flasks. He licked his chapped lips with a frown. "Are you sure they can't just come down to the Tavern? They even have people to do it for them."

"The inner parts of the city don't work like that." Otto grunted, snatching a crate from Odell before it could fall. "You know that." Jurij grumbled under his breath as Otto placed the last crate onto the cart. He turned on his heel and clapped the girl's shoulder, whispering, "Keep an eye on this one will you?"

She bit back a snort as Jurij glared at the back of Otto's graying head. The man slammed the door to the empty tavern behind him. Jurij tied the restraints on the donkey, tapping lightly on the back. The creature snapped its jaws at the man before sauntering forward with the crate creaking behind them.

"I thought we weren't bringing Ryle?" Odell said.

"That was before the entire Inner City wanted half of the tavern." Jurij grumbled. He glanced down at her and scratched the back of his neck. His eyes darted along the empty streets twisting around them the further they walked. "I bet it's warmer back home, huh?"

Odell's lips swerved into a frown, shrugging, "Truth be told, it's a different kind of cold.''

"Really?" Jurij arched an eyebrow, careful to hide the curiosity in his voice.

"Yeah, I guess you can say it's not as harsh," Odell replied, snorting slightly, "Then again, it really depends on his mood."

"What?"

"Nothing." Odell flushed, fumbling with the buttons on her coat. The narrow streets widened as they walked, the creaking of the cart filling the silence that had become an alien familiarity. "Do you miss her?"

Ryle shook his head as Jurij's jaw set. "No."

Odell flinched at the coldness in his voice. Her eyes narrowed at the crinkled brow forming over head and frowned. "I don't believe you."

Jurij jerked his gaze at her-him he reminded his self. "Well it doesn't really matter now does it?"

"I would just think you would talk more about the girl I'm supposed to be." She snapped.

"And I would think you would tell me something about you to make things easier."

She blinked at the bitterness lacing his tone and dragged her gaze down at the gravel ground. Jurij sighed, running a hand down his face. He swatted Ryle's back to come to a halt as they neared a line of buildings with snow dusting their stone ledges. Jurij rounded behind the cart and heaved a crate up to his chest. Odell silently scurried to the door and rapped her knuckles on the metal. The door swung open, letting a golden glow shoo the darkness overlying the doorway away. A man poked his bald head out of the door with a grimace as a rush of cold air flew in.

"What do you want at this hour?" He asked tartly.

Jurij stomped towards him, jerking the crate out in front of him. "Your delivery, sir."

The man's narrowed eyes widened at the crate of flasks jingling in the crate. His wrinkled, but firm hands reached out for the crate. Jurij pulled back instantly and nodded at Odell.

"A shiny piece would make our hour," Jurij said, grinning a dark smirk, "Sir."

The man growled at the back of his throat. He shoved his hand into his pocket and quickly shoved five silver pieces in the girl's hand. He snatched the crate out of Jurij's grasp, slamming the door behind him. The door's slam echoed throughout the empty streets. Ryle clapped his hooves on the gravelly road as Jurij spat at the door, "I hope you choke."

He turned on his heel, stomping back to Ryle's reins and tugged him forward. Jurij glanced over at Odell.

"You coming or what?" He snapped.

The wheels of the cart creaked forward, crunching the icy gravel beneath it. Odell gripped the frayed end of her coat and trekked behind him. Her lips twisted, glancing at the back of Jurij's matted hair as she blurted out, "I know you're lying." Jurij froze, sparing her a glance over his shoulder. She jittered on one foot to the next. "You still miss her."

Jurij rolled his eyes. "What does it matter?"

"Because," She hesitated, biting her lip. "I know what it's like. Losing someone who should be your best friend to someone else."

"You know it's still damn hard to get you when you talk like that." Jurij stepped towards her, tilting his head to the side.

She scratched the back of her neck, chuckling forcefully, "It's better not knowing everything." She cracked a frail grin. "Trust me, I know."

Jurij sighed, "I'd feel more trusting if I at least had a name. Unless you like Odell more." She fiddled with her coat again. "Three months and still nothing?"

"I like Odd." She shrugged.

"I wonder why?" Jurij rolled his eyes and smirked. Shoving Ryle's reins in Odd's hands, he said, "Then you can lead Rule to the next drop off."

She fumbled with the tattered leather and gawked at the creature. "But that's almost two miles!"

"I know." She groaned at his sneer, pulling at the reins to no avail. Ryle snapped his jaws at her with each tug until Jurij tapped the donkey's back to move.

Once Ryle, with much stomping and snapping, moved, the buildings in the inner city grew taller the further they walked. Guards lined the corners of streets, eyeing Jurij and Odd through their steel caps up to their last delivery at the Patrol Block. The two eyed the bulky facility that took up half the street, the city's flag whipping fiercely with the wind. Odd bit her lip as a dank, musky odor wafted through the air; the clatter of crashes and curses making her heart ring in her ears.

"I thought…" She flinched at a hearty cry that erupted in the building. "I thought you said the Patrol lived here."

"They do." Jurij mumbled, his brows furrowing. "I never said they were civil."

Her breath caught in her throat as Jurij clapped his hand on her shoulder. "Stay out here." He whispered. "And stay close to Ryle. I won't be long."

She swallowed thickly, nodding as he cradled the last crate under his arm. He moved towards the large metal doors and raised his fist to the frame, cursing under his breath at his shaking hand. Odd watched the door swing in with Jurij being hustled inside by a man. The door's slam echoed in the air, accenting Odd's heartbeat.

Her coat glowed a dark copper under the lone lantern strung against the building. She leaned back against Ryle's furry side and glanced at the frosted rust coating the shambles of the building. Twining her fingers together, Odd rocked back and forth with each crash and guffaw that rumbled in the building until Ryle nudged his head at her. She froze and chuckled half heart fully.

"Sorry, Ryle," she sighed as the donkey snorted. "Guess I'm just a little-"

A hand clapped over mouth as she shrieked. She squirmed against large arms that held her in a vice like grip, the thundering of a beating heart resonating against her back making her grow ashen. The pungent scent of smoke and beer flooded her nostrils as she felt the ground fall under her. Her screams were muffled by the hand pressing down on her mouth; thick, sausage like fingers digging into her cheeks. Her boots flailed against the gravel as she was dragged into a narrow alleyway just as her teeth sank into her capturer's hand.

A grunted curse fell from his mouth as he slammed Odd against the wall. Pain throbbed at the back of her neck while the man chuckled, "I didn't know you were a biter Heimer." Her blood ran cold, a streak of lantern light dusting the thick black stubble and bruised skin staring down at her with dark eyes.

His lips pulled back into a sneer as he grabbed her cheeks. "But I'm sure that can be changed."

Peder.


Andy felt every nerve of his body burn with each nauseous breath Peder plumed on him. The heavy stench of liquor made his eyes water while his stomach churned at the fingers digging into his cheeks.

"What's wrong Heimer?" Peder chuckled darkly. "What happened to that famous tongue of yours?"

Andy swallowed around the lump in his throat, squeaking, "I'm sorry."

Peder snorted, propping his arm over Andy's head. His fingers drummed against the wall lazily, trailing his eyes over his face.

"You should be. Do you have any idea how hard it is to get near you without that guard dog on you?" Andy quickly shook his head. "It's fucking hard."

Andy's fists clenched and unclenched as Peder pressed closer against him. The larger man tilted his head to the side, letting the hand holding him in place run down his cheek. Andy felt the stone wall's frost dig into his back.

"Though I guess it was worth the wait," Peder mused. His hand trailed down to the boy's hip and squeezed. A smirk crhowls, cross his grimy lips and ducked his head to Andy's ear, breathing heavily, "Time to pay your dues."

Andy's breath hitched at the back of his throat as Peder roughly pressed his self against him, as if trying to mold their frames together. The boy squirmed under the man rutting against him. His face paled as he felt something warm press against his thigh while Peder's hands clawed at the collar of his coat. Just as teeth nipped at his neck, pain bloomed across the boy's skin and jerked his knee upward. Lifting up through the heavy folds of the skirt, Andy's knee slammed into Peder's inner thigh. The man cursed under his breath and toppled back, cupping his groin warily.

"You little…" Peder growled through gritted teeth.

"S-stay away from me!" Andy's hands felt along the wall, forcing his self up on his wobbly knees. Andy skittered to the side only to fall back against the wall. His cheek throbbed as Peder's fist back handed him again. He crumbled onto the ground, the corner of his head throbbing while he felt his self shoved up against the icy stone.

Andy's heart leapt onto his tongue as he felt his dress being shuffled around his waist. Peder pressed the boy's arms against his back, using his free hand to yank at the frail underskirts underneath.

"N-no! Please don't-" Andy cried as his face was pressed harder against the ground. Gravel filled his mouth, muffling his cry as the sound of tearing fabric thundered in his ears.

"Will you shut up!" Peder snapped, shoving his face deeper on the ground. Andy felt his heart crack at the heated flesh pressing up behind him through the last shred of cloth; the nicks and stings of his ankle and limbs suddenly reawakening tenfold. Invisible hands groped at his arms and pounded heavier punches upon him as Peder snarled, "I paid good money for you. Now be a good bitch you whore!"

The last words and tear rang in Andy's ears. He clenched his eyes shut only to hear a strangled yelp greet his ears. Andy blinked, an icy chill roaming over his back as a hand gently touched his head. The boy whipped his head up to the side to find Peder sprawled on the ground with a trickle of red running down the side if his head. Andy gasped breathlessly, scrambling away from the man when he bumped into another. A shriek fell from his mouth as the man kneeled beside him with soft hushes.

"Hey, it's okay. You're okay," he whispered gently, blocking the boy's blind flailing of fists. Andy panted heavily; his fists weakly hitting the man's chest until he felt arms wind around him. The cool wind brushed against the tear tracks on his cheeks. Andy gulped in shuddering breaths as a hand brushed away the hair matted to his face. "You're okay now."

The soft, gentle voice coaxed the boy to look up. The lantern squeaked on its hinges with the wind's quiet howls, causing the light to flail about wildly. Andy's eyes widened as he stared up at the man's piercing blue eyes-and raven, black hair.

"Y-you?" Andy choked on a gasp, falling back from the man's grasp.

The man smiled sheepishly. "Yeah. Me." Andy's heartbeat began roaring in his ears again and glanced back at Peder's unconscious frame. "He's alive if that's what you're worried about. Though not too presentable if I say so myself."

The man smirked at Peder's opened trousers while Andy squirmed in his hold. The man stared at Andy, tentatively wrapping an arm around his back.

"It's okay," he whispered. "You can trust me."

Andy froze, the words nagging at the back of his mind yet refused to settle. He bit his lip as footsteps raced around the corner.

"Odell!" Jurij gasped, sweat dripping from his brow as he clung to the side of the wall. "Are you…"

He trailed off, blinking at an unconscious Peder and Andy with a stranger holding him. The man smiled softly, tilting his head to the side.

"She's okay," he said. "You must be her brother. Pleased to meet you."


A/N: Finally updated, yes! And our mysterious stranger returns. Thank you for reading! :)