The sun seems to be on the verge of reaching its peak in the clear sky above as we waltz over the bridge, the merchants' wagons already waiting and hitched to the horses, Vector still tending to his in earnest. I hear a soft sniff from Mabel as she squeezes my hand once more, my gaze moving down to her as the nerves in my chest stirs. Her face is stiff and her lips tremble lightly, but despite that, she still forces an attempt to at least seem steadfast. I smile sadly and slip my hand from hers, resting it upon her head and brushing lightly.
"It'll be okay little Mabel, I made a promise." I remind the girl, her body jolting slightly as she looks up to me. She doesn't respond verbally, her gold eyes staring into my own, but she does nod instead, her hands clutching at the gifted scarf as she nudges herself into my side. The scarf looks cute on her, albeit a bit too large, her wrapping it around her face is adorable. It's way too big for her to wear it like that.
"Here I was thinking that I'd have to find and drag you here, what took you so long?" Edwards voice rips me from my thoughts, tearing my sight from Mabel to him. He rests his hand upon his sheathed blade, clad in his full armour set and standing upright, nice and proud. I didn't notice him before, maybe he was on the other side of the wagon?
"Hey, I'll have you know I've arrived just on time, as I promised. I just had some things to clean up before I left is all." I reply with a dismissive wave of my spare hand, grin in my face as I gently press my other behind Mabels ears in a mostly absentminded scratch, an affectionate gesture she seems to enjoy. Anything to keep her calm, humans and all, and she's gonna be around a few humans for the next while.
"Right, I won't pry too much into what 'business' you had to do, it's not my place nor my interest Seems that you did some shopping around though." He points out, eyes trailing over both the shield I grip and the scarf that encompasses Mabels face. The girl shivers as he looks over her, moving behind my leg. I keep a hand on her head and shrug, a small smile still in my face as I lift it up.
"Aye, I thought a shield would help keep me safe, it seems sturdy enough to hide behind, what do you think?" I ask the man, wiggling the shield ever slightly with a soft motion. He hums to himself and saunters over, a keen eye examining the hunk of metal up and down, a knuckle knocking against it with a dull thrum.
"It seems well made enough, if a tad plain, function over form and whatnot. I'm surprised you've an eye for such a thing." He comments as he backs away, leaning onto the wagon once more. My throat clenches up awkwardly, coughing to clear it doing little as I rub the back of my neck. Edward raises an eyebrow, arms crossed and fingers tapping against them.
"...You did know what you were doing, right?" He prods a little verbally, a less than bashful grin being my only reply. He both sighs and groans, rubbing a hand against his face.
"Right, I should've figured that. We're about to leave, so toss your things into a wagon and prepare to march." He finishes the conversation with a jabbing of his thumb towards said wagon, pushing himself off and marching to the opposite side of the two. I guess I'm guarding on this side for the time being, no problem. I roll my eyes and unsling my bag, holding it with my shield hand for the moment, my other hand still rubbing Mabels head, even as I walk to the back.
"Alright, I think it might be best for you to hop in a wagon for the journey, lil Mabel. It's a long walk, and I don't want you to be feeling sore because of it, okay?" I say as I look down to her. She looks skittish for a moment, but she nods with a small squeak. I don't hold back my little 'daw', her eyes squinting with a smile on her face as I rub at her head once more. Come on, she's fucking cute right?
'Why are you asking me about it? Rather conceited to get approval from yourself after all.'
Aw, never thought I'd be a fun killer. I heave and shove my bag into the cart, freezing in confusion as a yelp comes from inside the place. I raise an eyebrow and slowly step closer to it, a hand reaching to lift the flaps. I yelp myself as a pale and miffed face appears in front of me, jumping backwards in surprise.
"Hey! What's the big idea, huh? I ain't here to have stuff thrown at me, ya know?" Lucy's shrill voice invades my ears, huffing and pouting as she leans against the wooden bits of the wagon. I blink rapidly, rubbing at my temple with a soft sigh.
"I don't mean to sound rude, but what the fuck, why are you here Miss Lucy?" I question the mage inquisitively, raising an eyebrow as I glare her down.
"Awh, I didn't want ya to fall behind on your magical studies and stuff, so I thought I should tag along! I reaaaaaally hope ya don't mind, I was gunna ask before you left, but I was kinda busy with the mess you made. The rest o' the room seems okay with it~" She explains in what sounds like a faux soft manner, a smug gleeful smile on her face as she leans into it. I sigh again and groan, eyes flickering down below me for a few seconds as Mabel squeezes in behind my legs and the cloak once again, looking over to the other wagon.
"Hey, Edward!" I call out to the guardsman, his head poking out from the other side of the wagons.
"Yeah?"
"The fuck is this?" I question once again as I point a hand towards Lucy, a smug grin still on her face as she hums.
"I'm not sure what you mean." Edward answers unhelpfully with a shrug, a sly smile on his face as he pulls his head back, disappearing again. I run a hand through my hair, thoughts running through my mind.
"Okay, I assume that you have everything prepared for yourself?" She nods quickly, her head disappearing behind the flaps for a moment, a scuffling noise coming from the insides before reappearing, holding out a deep brown bag to the air. It looks like an oversized pouch from around here, leather straps on leather to, well, strap it down, though a piece of paper sticks out from the tip of it. She nods once more before yanking the bag back inside with her, back to resting her head atop her hands.
"Yup yup! I got everythin all ready for myself, don't need ta worry bout me! Who's the lil fox right there though? Friend o' yours?" Mabel lets out a small squeak from behind me as Lucy points a finger towards her, tittering lightly as she does so.
"I guess you could call her that, she's gonna be with us for the foreseeable future, can't say that I expected you to come along. What about your clinic? Is everything gonna be okay there?" She scoffs and waves a hand dismissively, I still feel weird for thinking about the whole slave thing that's going on. I just want her safe.
"Awh,dontcha worry bout telling me your things, I'll keep your secrets safe~ And the clinic's gonna be okay, it's not like I get many clients to begin with, so I've just closed up shop for the next while, it's not like it matters that much." She answers casually, she talks with such a carefree air around here when speaking about it. Well, if she says that it'll be fine then I guess I gotta believe her about it, it's not like I can convince the chick to stay here. Besides, it's more magic lessons when we get the time.
'A joyous occasion, more time to spur us further into mental madness, woohoo!'
Shush, we'll know our limits, hopefully anyways. Lucy being here in that wagon specifically it's quite unfortunate though, humming to myself as I look down to Mabels shivering form, still hiding behind me as she looks up to Lucy with a concerned look.
"Hey, sorry to bother you about it, but do you think you could move to the other wagon?" I request from the mage, her face morphing into a pout once more, huffing as she does so.
"Awh, but I'm already so comfy here! Why do ya want me to do that anyways?" I gesture with a hand towards the shivering leaf of the keidran, resting a hand on her head with a brief rub. That soothes her slightly at least, she's not as spooked as before.
"Mabel here, that's her name by the way, doesn't really get along with humans. At least not with ones shes just met, we're working on it, but I don't want to force her to do anything. I'd switch with Edward, but Gerome's rather friendly and chatty, at least Vectors quiet. I just need to be by her side" I continue to explain to her. Truthfully, I wouldn't mind just switching with Edward, I'm sure that Gerome would understand, if be a bit awkward about it all, but still. She pouts, her bottom lip trembling and eyes watering.
"Awh, you wanna kick little me outta here? But I just got coooomfy."
"Yes." I answer swiftly and bluntly, maintaining eye contact with her. She drops the act, though a pout's still on her face.
"Phooey, you're no fun, fuzzface. Fiiiiine, I'll move." She finally agrees with a grumble, grunting as she disappears once more, stepping out from the wagon. She lands on two feet with a huff, a pout still on her face as she glares at me. I cough and rub at the back of my neck awkwardly, I'm sure she'll get over it, but still.
"We'll do magic stuff soon, I promise, happy?" I offer an olive branch to her with a smile. She continues to stare at me for a few moments longer, huffing haughtily but nodding in the end.
"Oy, is everything being okay back here? We are abouts to go." Gerome suddenly enters the fray, his head popping out from beside us.
"Aye, we're basically ready to go." I reply to him as I escort Mabel to the wagon, helping her up and over the wooden barrier, still keeping a tight grip on my shield. It's awkward, but I don't want to be without it, I've been in a few situations without something to defend myself. Now that I have someone else to defend too, I can't be careless.
I chuckle as I overhear Lucy grumbling, glancing out of the corner of my eye as she tries to haul herself into the wagon, my chuckling turning into laughter as she yelps, shoved into it ungracefully by Edward himself. She pokes her head out of the flaps with a burning face, verbally lashing at the man, who only shrugs and moves himself back to his post. It's an amusing sight.
"Are you gonna be okay kid? I'll be within arms reach, just yell for me if you need anything." I say to the girl, I'm not sure if I'm comforting myself or her, but either way it gets a nod from the girl.
"Okay." She says simply in a soft voice. I smile and ruffle her hair again, taking my place by the side of the wagon as the merchants shout, wood creaking as they're carried onwards.
Back on the road again, hopefully it's less eventful than last time.
…
The march feels long, very long, like we've been walking for hours and hours on end with minimal breaks, but I feel like we've good progress in returning to Dartwood. From midday to deep into the night we walk, I occasionally lag behind to check up on Mabel, the girl's been quiet and nervous looking since the beginning, but she keeps a stiff upper lip at least, rather entertained by the sounds of the birds.
"I like the bird noises." She says with an innocent smile on her face as her ears flicker, distracted eyes gazing into the canopy. I chuckle and ruffle her head, she's a cute kid. I look up into the night sky, the moon began its ascent a while ago, and my legs pulse with a dull pain from the march. I ruffle her head once more as a temporary goodbye before dipping to the other side of the twin wagons.
"Hey Edhead, you got time to chat?" I call out to the guardsman, his stiff march hesitating for a brief moment as he turns to face me, slowing down to stand by my side.
"It's best to keep guard, but I could have a moment to spare. Is there an issue? Do you hear anything?" He whispers hushedly, his face leaning close even as his eyes glare into the deep woods, squinting slightly. Hear anything? Why wou- oh yeah, last time we were out here I listened a bit too hard.
"Nothing like that, as far as I know there's nothing other than the birds, do you think it would be a good idea to find a quick place to rest for the night? It's getting late, and the horses would need to rest." I ask the man, despite the assurance of safety, I keep my voice as low as his. I guess his paranoia's rubbing off on me.
'It's not as if you don't have your own bouts of needless paranoia, at least his worry isn't without reason. We got an arrow to the leg last time we were out here after all, dumbass.'
Pfeh, details details.
"Mn, perhaps I've been too caught up in forcing us too hard, I'll speak to Gerome shortly though. Back to your post you go though, we've spoken too long." I roll my eyes and give him a poorly maintained salute, a half grin on my face as he shakes his head. I hear his boots crunching sticks as I return to my post, returning back to Mabel. Her face pokes out from behind the wraps, her eyes flickering as her maw opens, the squeak of a yawn forcing itself from it. I stand by her side and brush her head, her prolonged yawn eventually subsiding.
"We'll set up camp soon, you'll get some sleep then, okay?" I tell the kid, her eyelids flickering as she rubs at them groggily, pressing her head against my hand.
"Okay.." She says simply with a mumble, voice as soft as the wind that brushes against me as her head nods off slightly. She looks far too soft, far too pure to be in a world like this, especially as a slave.
'The way you've been so touchy feely and emotional over this kid is worrisome, and weird, stop being a creep.'
I feel my face morph into a grimace, though I step to the side of the wagon itself to hide it from her. There's nothing creepy about looking out for a child, it's a decent bit of humanity that should extend to anyone with morals! I've made a promise to keep her safe, and I'll keep at it till my body breaks.
'Right right, if you say so.'
I believe it so, and I'll make it a reality as best I can. It's a purpose beyond the endless wandering of the land that my heart longs for, perhaps it's selfish to drag her alongside it, but it's better than the alternative of staying as an unhappy slave.
'So it's better to you that you make her be a happy slave? Even if you're her master?'
Can't set her free, not here, as much as I want to do so. I feel like we've been over this a bunch to be honest, it feels like a dull conversation topic now.
'Hey, I'm just you talking to you, anything I say is what you say to yourself.'
I'm aware, I'm very well aware. I shake my head, giving it a few soft slaps, get outta that mindset Zeke, stop talking to yourself. The wagons creak and shake as they veer off of the road, surprise clutching at my chest for a brief moment before feeling returns to it, dipping back to Mabels side. She lets out a frightened yelp as she climbs out from behind the flaps, her arms tensing before she drags herself forward, basically leaping onto me. I grunt as she collides with my chest, her arms wrapping around my neck as mine wraps around her back, unsteady breathing coming from her chest as her head twists to look back. They veer off into a clearing, mostly plain and dull with the scattering of rocks and grass inside it.
"Shshsh, it's okay Mabel, it's okay. They're gonna set up camp right now, okay?" I try to comfort the trembling lass. Her shaking does eventually die down, although it's slowly, and she does slide off of my chest, standing beside me as her eyes wander over the clearing, she still seems jittery. I sigh and ruffle her head, stepping into the clearing myself, her hands clutching at the sides of my cloak as she follows along. The merchants unload their troughs with a fevered haste, the horses kicking and snorting heatedly even as they tend to them, whispering to them softly with tender touches to soothe them. Looks like they were pushed a bit too hard, hopefully nothing negative happens because of it, but it's best to keep it in mind just in case. Lucy makes a surprise appearance as she pushes herself out of her wagon, her clothing and general attitude unkempt and unamused, a huff and pout on her white face.
"We'll be setting up camp here, but you've likely realised that, I'll be searching to gather some wood for the fire, and you'll be doing your part by looking out for the camp itself. Is she going to be an issue, or do you have it under control?" Edward questions as he approaches, steeled eyes and a finger jabbing towards the small keidran by my side, the girl yelping and moving herself under my cloak under his glare.
"Hey hey, don't give her a hard time, I have everything under control, it'll be fine. I'll look after the camp, I'll even take the first shift, hows that sound?" I try to reassure and offer him, keeping a hand on top of Mabels head. Poor girl, there's no need to be a dick to a kid Edward, come on.
"Right, if you say so. Will there be an issue with her sleeping in a wagon?" He continues to question, hand fingering at his hilt as he looks around our surroundings, not like I can speak, my spare hands gripping at my shield like there's no tomorrow. Fucking forests.
"Can't say for certain, but I'll deal with it as it comes. Lets get to work though." He nods and grunts, boots twisting in the dirt as he marches off into the woods himself. I release a sigh and walk into the clearing, focusing on the surroundings myself, mostly on my ears.
There's work to do, at least Mabel seems less uneasy.
…
The firewood crackles and burns with an intense heat, the wood fuelling it turning charred and ashen, thanks to Edwards assistance. Said man's still awake even deep within to the night, the moon on the brink of reaching its apex within the night sky, a stick prodding and fanning the flames every so often. I feel little heat from, but the small amount of warmth I feel from the thing is appreciated. The majority of the warmth that inhabits my chest comes from the slightly oversized organic heater that purrs deeply within my arms, my cloak wrapped around Mabel as I lean against the makeshift post, the rocks far from a comfortable place to relax, but I muscle through it regardless. I hum lightly to myself as I brush a hand through her hair, a faint ghosting of a smile on her sleeping face as she continues her slumber. She refuses to sleep in either of the wagons, even with Lucy's assurance, and thus she remains with me. Not that I mind it so.
'Id argue that her insistence only made her more wary, she's far from a people person, and Mabel's adverseness to humans would only exemplify that.'
Can't exactly argue with a good point, not that I can think of anything else that could challenge it. I'm not complaining about her though, the closer she is the better I can protect her. My eyes wander beside myself, sword and board propped up against the same rock as myself, best keep it within arm's reach after all. It feels strange to have a weight on my chest, and to be without my chain mail, that along with my bags been tossed into a wagon for the night, it's easier than lugging it around when it's not needed. The organic heater's pretty god damn warm, partially because of the scarf, I'd like to hope that it'll be a worthwhile purchase.
"Do you have a clue on how to use a shield, Fuzz?" Edwards' voice rings out in the otherwise silent night, the fire crackling once more as he stokes the flame in front of us once more, the fire roaring briefly. Equipment by one side within close reach, a friend by the other, it feels almost safe and homely even within the uncertainty of the night. And the discomfort of using rocks, at least Edward's just sitting on one.
"Can't say I do, I can't imagine it's too hard though. Are shields rare or something?" I reply with a shake of my head, eyes looking up to him inquisitively. His stare remains focused on the fire, blinking his half lidded eyes every so often with a blank face. He looks tired, though he tries to mask it as best as he can. He really should get some sleep, I did promise to take the first watch.
"Mn, it's not as if its unheard of, but it's definitely not common by any stretch. I recall a few in my squad that used shields, though they used kite shields, they're far from maneuverable as your own." He responds, looking into the dirt, it feels as if he's recollecting some memories. Definitely looks the part anyways, though that does bring into another question I'm curious about.
"Your squad, huh? Were you close to them?" I prod gently with a soft voice, very very gently, I still remember the last time I brought up things from his past. It's still my fault, but that's besides the point. He shrugs, a blank stare looking into the fire.
"Not really, Uncle always believed it to be best for myself to act as the leader with whatever squad he decided for a mission. I never understood why, at least back then, I always believed myself to be so much better than them… I still don't believe it to be entirely untrue, but that's due to my own focus in training rather than theirs. In the end, it's not how a leader nor a proper Captain should be thinking." He answers, almost rambling on at the end. I let out a surprised hum as my ears peak up, shuffling and digging myself into the rock as best I can, gotta get comfy somehow. He scoffs suddenly, shaking his head.
"Shit, sorry, got lost in thought there. Maybe I should sleep soon." He apologises with a mumble, his stick hanging loosely in the tips of his fingers. I roll my eyes and slink an arm out of the protective blanket of my cloak, gently jabbing at his leg.
"You're right about sleeping, I told you I'd take the first shift for the night dummy, but don't apologise for talking about yourself. It's nice to hear you open up, the ever elusive Edward Backstory is an interest indeed. So what was it then? Just you being a bit cocky about your skills when it came to fighting?" I assure the man with a chuckle, yanking my arm back to my chest, pulling the cloak back over the squirming form of Mabel, her movements dying down quickly soon after. Can't wake the kid up after all. Edwards lips curl into a smile himself, though his chuckles seem only half hearted, not quite as mirthful as it ought to be.
"More or less, there was rarely a time where I felt as if I was genuinely pushed to become better, so I became complacent for a while. Maybe it's because I'm good, maybe the others just didn't care for the job as much as I did. Uncle always wiped the floor with me whenever we practised, my body would hurt as much as my pride, so I leaned away from it somewhat." He continues his talkative rambling about his past, the smile on his face souring lightly. Ah, less than nice memories then. He is a proud man after all, with his determination to be a guardsman and all.
"Maybe your uncle was trying to force you into a leadership role to make you grow up and get out of that proud shell of yours?" I offer an explanation for it as I look up to him. He hums, shanking the fire some more and nodding slowly.
"I thought the same, granted, it definitely didn't set in back then. Uncle's an interesting man, I respect him immensely, along with Father, though I don't always understand nor agree with their methods to say the least." He trails off at the end of it, almost sounds like he's running out of steam for the topic. Hey, wait a second.
"Wouldn't that have really burnt you when we first met, though? We didn't exactly meet on nice terms after all." I quickly point out, cursing myself soon after as Mabel squirms, a disgruntled frown on her face as she shivers. Edward lets out a strange mix of a sigh and a groan, running a hand over his face as he slouches. I can't help but snicker a little, it's fun to rib him.
"That's definitely a way to say it, losing to a mutt like you kicked my pride between the legs. Didn't help that Uncle had to drag me to you to apologise, then you asked me to that inn, then Uncle forced me to take you on this job…" He trails off, his face scrunching together as he waves his hand in front of himself, "And here we are now, er, no offence on the 'mutt' thing either, you already know how I feel about that mess."
I stifle a chuckle, my chest rumbling from its depths despite my efforts, though Mabel doesn't stir like last time. Deep in sleep, she deserves it.
"None taken, I feel like I've had to say that a little bit lately, but no harm no foul. Well, there was harm, which I'm still sorry about by the way." I say with a sheepish smile on my face, I still feel awkward about that. It really wasnt the best meeting. He scoffs, waving a hand and standing upright, stretching himself with a grunt, his neck cracking as he twists his head.
"Bah, I feel like we've been over this a bit much, but it's humorous to reminisce about it. Somewhat ironic in a sense I guess. Anyhow, I'm off to bed, wake me when it's my shift Fuzz." He turns and gives a backhanded wave as he makes his way to a wagon. I give himself a wave of my own, even if he can't see it, its the thought that counts. I sigh as he disappears from view, frowning slightly as I slump against the rock, looking up to the midnight sky. The stars glitter and shine above, twinkling against the tenebrous backdrop lit up by the moon. It's a full moon, and it sits wondrously within the sky, the night's soothing and calming. I sigh and smile, the rock against the back of my head is far from comfortable, but it's acceptable enough.
I feel like I've laid here for a while, watching the moon float by, my heart beating slowly as Mabel nestles against my chest. It's… I feel relaxed, super relaxed, it's nice. It feels foreign and strange, but I'll welcome it nonetheless. My eyelids feel heavy as I yawn, smacking my lips together as darkness flickers before my eyes.
'Someone approaches.'
A sober feeling grips my chest like an icy hand, my eyes forcing themselves open as I hastily force Mabel off of me, the girl thudding against the ground with a confused yelp. I reach and grip at my equipment, fumbling with my shield as I slide it over my arm, standing upright and bringing it to my chest, standing in front of the confused and stumbling keidran and shoving my sword towards the deep dark depths of the woods.
"I know you're there, show yourself, and there'll be no harm." I shout to the trees and canopy above, looking behind myself briefly to Mabel, her shivering form hiding behind me with a sniffling whimper. I grit my teeth and force myself to focus on the unknown in front of us, as much as I want to soothe the girl, I can't risk being stabbed in the back. Not again, not in front of her either. My ears poke up as the branches stir, the whisper of a disturbance in the trees, I clench my teeth and hand, the tip of my blade rising up and down with tense breath. A blacked figure drops from the trees, my eyes furrow as I glare at the intruder. It rises to its feet, it's a very brown figure, from its furred snout and general body to the hair that splits between and beside his eyes, his hands raised up in a passive surrender.
"Wait wait wait, I'm not here to harm." He replies hurriedly, brown pupils eyeing up and down my body. I steady myself and keep the tip of my blade pointed towards his chest. Wait a second, I know this person, what the fuck?
Despite myself, I feel my grip loosening as I continue to stare.
"Zen?"