Owned by: Catherine Fisher
Warning: slight J/K
Dauntless Pluck
2: Waiting
Summary: Kari learns what it means to miss someone, and even greater, learns the agony of waiting for their return.
He walked through the empty corridors of Thrasirshall ,his mouth pulled tightly in a frown. It had been a week since he returned to his 'icy kingdom', and he was happy, but...something was missing. In the sixteen years he'd been alive, he'd felt many things, but this was new to him. It was a distinct emptiness, somewhat like a void - not satiated by any of his previous attempts to quell it.
Kari finally stopped walking, quickly becoming aware of his position in front of Brochael's door. The large man had insisted on taking care of Kari, even though he would have nothing of it, and acted as a self-appointed guardian. The boy didn't argue; he liked having him around. Now he approached the man for advice and felt a slight nervousness, although for what reason he did not know.
Brochael was sitting in his chair by a small window, completely unaware of Kari's presence. In his large hands rested an object the young man could not see, but he could tell it was important from the way the brute stared at it, mesmerized with a smirk on his face. His trance was broken when Kari took a step toward him.
"What brings you here?" He asked, sneakily stuffing the item into his pocket.
"What was that?" Kari asked, ignoring Brochael's question. The burly man sighed, withdrawing the now-crumpled paper he had stashed away only moments prior. It was a scroll, tied with bright blue lace. He handed it to Kari, eliciting a confused glance and a quirked eyebrow, and then shooed him out of his quarters.
Kari reached his tower room and wearily placed himself in the chair by the window, bringing his knees up to his chest and coiling his arms around his legs. He untied the ribbon and uncurled the letter, anxious and bothered by his caretaker's abnormal behavior.
Kari,
I've discussed it with Brochael, and we both agree that I come to stay in Thrasirshall. I hope it doesn't seem that I'm barging I; it's just I've run into a bit of trouble involving an old man, an Thorkil, and Horolfstead.
I'd realized owning the land was rather bothersome since I've taken to traveling lately, so I chose to sell the land to a man whom Thorkil deemed 'unfit to care for it'. In short, he acted rashly and I took the blame. Somehow, my 'banishment' to Thrasirshall will act as punishment for some rich man's burnt crops.
I've already started my trek, so it should not take more than two days for my arrival.
Always,
Jessa
Kari smiled at the thought of the young woman throwing insults at her cousin. He wouldn't have expected Thorkil to do something so spontaneous, though, since Jessa was the more impulsive out of the two. The thought of her coming to stay in Thrasirshall excited him, and the emptiness he'd felt slightly eased.
Maybe that's what was missing..., he thought, and now, even though darkness had fallen and his eyelids drooped, he felt a restless urge to keep awake until Jessa arrived. However, for once in his short existence, his body overruled his extremely-powerful mind and he fell into a deep, dreamless slumber.