Walking side by side on the streets of Ravnica with Rincewind, the Luggage at our heels, I couldn't help noting that Rincewind was sticking close to me after spotting one of the Guild of Rakdos' demons wandering past with a grin on his face. The demon barely even glanced at me, a smile on his face and I gave it a nod intent on leading Rincewind and the Luggage the rest of the way to my favourite cafe until I finally saw Rincewind had come to a complete stop. His eyes wide and unblinking he stared straight ahead and I sighed to myself before I stepped close to him, standing shoulder to shoulder before I reached out.
If I don't move it can't see me. Who am I kidding? It saw me and it's probably planning on eating me. If I run now maybe I can get a head start.
Rincewind jerked, his mind screaming at him that the demon had finally decided he looked like a nice meal when I set a hand down on his shoulder. Seeing how wide and unblinking his blue eyes were I sighed to myself. "I should have realized how scary this city can be to a newcomer. Come on let's go back to my house. I went shopping the other day and I could maybe make you a sandwich and some tea." I suggested, silently scolding myself at not seeing how badly he wanted to run until he saw the demon pass by.
"I'll...be fine. Follow me." Rincewind finally croaked out, blinking rapidly before he started to stumble along the street again. Until I tapped his shoulder and he turned around to find that he was walking in the opposite direction. "Oh yes. You're right." He commented and I shook my head offering the wizard a tiny smile.
"Let's head back okay? If one demon scares you that much I'd hate to see your reaction to the rest of the Rakdos guild." I answered, regretting it when he actually started to sweat in front of me his knees knocking together at the thought of a whole horde of demons. The Luggage stopped in its tracks and, sitting back it tilted itself to one side reminding me suddenly of a dog.
"Probably should not have mentioned them." I muttered, awkwardly reaching over for Rincewind's hand. Still reeling by the demon encounter Rincewind didn't react and once I saw his feet planted firmly on the street I rolled my eyes.
With a shrug the Luggage followed as we made our way slowly back to my house trotting alongside Rincewind who didn't even seem to notice me standing behind him, pushing him the entire way back.
"Would you like some tea?" I asked Rincewind who barely had time to nod when I started to head for the kitchen leaving the wizard to perch on the edge of the torn couch in my living room. "I'll be right back." I added hearing a brief cough in response. Shaking my head I decided to make us some tea and a few sandwiches hoping it would cheer the wizard up. At least a little I hoped.
Maybe I can find my way back to the library. Even if I can't find the book that can send me back I can always hide in the library. That seems like a safe place without any demons.
Staring at the floor with his head in his hands Rincewind didn't hear my footsteps until I joined him at the couch. Seeing him looking lost I sighed, gently lowering the tray towards the coffee table in front of Rincewind.
"Rincewind, are you alright?" I asked and his head shot up nearly upsetting the tray containing a teapot, two cups and several sandwiches. Pulling back I carefully set the tray down on the table waiting patiently for the wizard to climb down from the back of the couch. Once he did I set down a teacup in front of him raising an eyebrow at him when he didn't pick it up.
"Look I'm really sorry about ripping you from your world but it wasn't on purpose. I brought you tea and sandwiches." I apologized as he finally picked up the cup, holding it between his fingers.
"Tea and sandwiches? Oh so that makes it okay does it?" Rincewind grumbled, blowing on the steam rising from the cup before he took a sip. "Snatching me from my bedroom of all places and tossing me into this world."
"I said I was sorry. Stop making me feel even worse." I snapped at him, sitting on a far end of the couch with a sniff and my own teacup. Ignoring the sandwiches I'd spent the last few minutes making, mainly for Rincewind since I barely needed to eat, I sat there staring at the kitchen wall occasionally sipping at my own tea and trying very hard not to cry at being rebuffed by an ungrateful wizard.
Even the Luggage stared up at Rincewind who frowned into his own tea, glancing up only to meet my eyes and I sniffed a little louder wiping at my watery eyes with the sleeve of my cloak before I turned my head away giving him a nice view of the back of my cloak when I pulled my hood over my head. Once he glanced down he saw the Luggage staring at him, as much as a sentient suitcase can without any visible eyes anyway, and he frowned at it.
"Alright so maybe I was a little harsh but she did drag us both here. I thought you would be as angry at her as I am." He protested and the Luggage, after some careful thought, shrugged trotting over to me before it sat retracting each of its many legs. "Sure. Take her side then." Rincewind complained as he picked up a sandwich and after checking the contents, ham and cheese, he took a bite.
While the peace and quiet was quite nice, Rincewind thought so anyway, he couldn't help feeling a slight tingle in his stomach every time he looked over at me. It was guilt or maybe intergestion but the point stood; maybe he could stand to be a little more forgiving to Ailis. After all he knew just how dangerous magic could be in inexperienced hands.
Clearing his throat he waited for me to raise my head, hoping his mind would help for once and come up with a apology for Ailis. Though as soon as he opened his mouth I fixed him with a glare my eyes still leaking tears before I straightened from the couch, making my way towards the kitchen with my teacup. Shaking his head Rincewind extracted himself from the couch, swallowing the rest of his tea before he headed my way. He was so quiet that I didn't even hear his footsteps until he bumped into me when I turned around, which caused me to drop the teacup.
Seeing me giving him the same wide-eyed stare Rincewind fixed a tiny smile to his face, holding his palms out in front of him. "Don't sneak up on me." I gasped, holding a hand against my chest. "You could give someone heart failure sneaking up on them like that."
"But you're already dead so I don't see what harm it could do to you." Rincewind unwisely pointed out and I growled something very colorful under my breath in response."That came out all wrong."
Thanks, brain. Mind helping me fix the mess you've made? No? Thanks for nothing.
"You soon will be if you keep doing things like that." I warned, kneeling before I started to gather the broken pieces of the teacup into the palm of my right hand. "That was my favourite too." I muttered and Rincewind chewed his lower lip, kneeling beside me.
"Here, pass those to me. It is kind of my fault you broke your teacup." Rincewind said and I snorted pulling my hand away when he tried to take the broken pieces away from me. As soon as I closed my hand in an effort of prevent him I wished I hadn't, grimacing before I opened my hand to reveal the pieces of pottery I'd managed to gather and a bleeding hand.
"Now look what you made me do?" I snapped at him, straightening before I deposited the remains of the teacup on the kitchen counter. "Now where did I put my first-aid kit?" I muttered to myself, holding my bleeding and sore hand against my cloak as I wandered around my kitchen not even seeing Rincewind still kneeling awkwardly on the floor.
Sighing and with an eye roll directed in my general direction he climbed to his feet, dusting off his robe as he watched me digging through the various cupboards visible from his vantage point. Eventually I found exactly what I was looking for at the very back of the cupboard where I stored all of my cups and plates, grasping the light blue box with my left hand before I pulled it towards me. Holding the kit against my side I walked back to the couch trying not to notice small droplets of bright red blood leaving a trail along my floor.
Planting myself squarely in the center of the couch I fiddled with the catch of the kit, growling increasingly more frustrated as the seconds ticked by. I heard the distinct sound of someone clearing their throat and I snorted content to ignore the wizard hovering over me until I grimaced, my hand throbbing and I finally pushed the kit to one side allowing Rincewind to take a seat beside me.
"Let me see your hand." Rincewind sighed and I relented, holding out my palm for his inspection. He grimaced at the sight of a sliver of pottery sticking out of my hand and after a pause he reached over. The second his fingers tugged at the broken piece I just about hit the ceiling snatching back my hand with a whine and two eyes narrowed in his direction. "Just tell me what to do." He asked, trying to focus on my hand and not the blood still dripping from it.
"You need to grab the tweezers and pull that piece out. Then check if there's anymore teacup in my hand and after that..." I trailed off with another grimace, feeling slightly woozy as Rincewind dug around in the box for the tweezers.
When he turned back around to face me now holding the tweezers in one hand I braced myself for the pain that I knew would follow but when he didn't move I fixed my eyes on him. "Rincewind, just get it over with. You need to pull that piece free before I can wrap my hand." I explained as calmly as I could, not liking the way his hand kept hovering over my right one.
"Okay, okay. No need to raise your voice." Rincewind sighed, using his other hand to grasp my hand before the tweezers moved to the injury and I bit back a howl as he grasped the sliver. I grasped the couch beneath me with my left hand trying hard not to move as he pulled the sliver free, dropping it at our feet before he set the tweezers back into the kit. Searching the box he finally removed a small bundle of gauze turning back to see me staring at the floor with a slightly glazed expression and he froze, looking a little worried when I closed my eyes.
"Ailis, do you think you're going to..." Rincewind began, watching on unable to move when I pitched forward. Now lying over his lap he blinked as I let out a groan. "Faint." He finished, rolling me over and I groaned again now looking up at him with two half-closed eyes.
"Yes I believe I did. Sorry about that." I apologized once I discovered I was lying across his lap though as I attempted to sit I found that with blood-lost, no matter how minor, even the simple act of sitting can be a struggle. Once Rincewind saw me leaning dangerously to one side and fearful I would soon topple from the couch he set a hand down on my shoulder and my lips curled into a smile which more resembled a wince as I leaned back against the couch cushions, not even feeling Rincewind's hands as he carefully wrapped my hand in gauze.
"There now try and keep your hands away from sharp objects. I do and you'll find you live longer. No offense of course.." Rincewind told me, putting the unused gauze away before he closed the kit resting beside him. "Now would you like a sandwich?" He offered and I gave him a slight nod, reaching for one when he offered me the tray.