Kaden II
The rain started an hour after they left Zuzu. Kaden thought the overhang on the caravan would protect him from it. And he may have been right, if not for the damnable fact that the caravan was moving.
Instead it blasted his front with each passing moment. He heard arguing from inside the caravan, but only managed to pick out every third word. As far as he could tell, the Witch wasn't piping up much. The argument seemed to center between Arestes and Seralyse.
From what he knew of each, he assumed his friend was correct about whatever they were arguing, and that the Kin girl wasn't taking it well. Arestes had a tendency to be overly blunt in his opinions, especially if he felt the situation was dire.
Kaden closed his eyes to fight against the rain. Part of him wished he could plug his nose to fight against the stench. But he'd chosen to sit next to the ghoul and he should have assumed that wet ghoul smelled worse than dry ghoul.
The Warden was keeping his distance, riding behind the caravan. If Kaden had to guess he'd have said the man was doing it out of a misguided sense of guarding the rear. But he suspected the man wasn't quite ready to face the group for longer than necessary. And his position may have blocked the ghoul-stench.
Annoyance flooded through him as he thought about the man. He knew the family by reputation, most in Calabar did. The Count was not well loved by the people. He believed it was his divine right to have a portion of whatever anyone else created, purely because of his family name. So it made perfect sense that one of his sons would fall in with Lord Millwood, who seemed to have the same world view.
It was so like an Abruzzi to abandon a sacred, blessed duty. A duty that most of Calabar would have been honored to hold. Hell, he'd even thought of venturing to the Citadel and earning his own sigils. But he'd been swayed away by the warm Lorakian weather, his amusement with ships and Captain Torres.
He didn't think servitude in any sense was the life for him. Even if there was great honor in calling oneself a Warden of the Gates. An honor great enough that he couldn't help but gnash his teeth together as the Warden stalking behind him had abandoned one of those very gates.
He knew thinking about the Abruzzi was only going to remind him of the stories he'd heard about the man's father and the crimes he's allegedly committed. Enough to take the head off of a peasant, he'd heard, but not enough to take the head off of a Count. Instead he merely had to disappear for a decade or so before King Marek called him back to court to serve as the Royal Tribune.
The seriously wealthy, Kaden thought, got away with everything. And, as far as he could tell, didn't even have to pay for much of it. Count Abruzzi should have been the liaison between the people at the crown. Responsible for not only their taxes but their grievances and their needs as well. As far as Kaden could tell, he only cared about the tithes.
There may have been machinations going on in the Golden Hall of the Balmons that told otherwise. But he'd never be privy to them. Instead all he saw was higher levies. Not that he was one to pay them, mind you. But he heard enough complaining.
The ghoul brought the horses to a halt in the middle of the forest. They weren't quite out of the rain, but the trees did limit it to some extent. Kaden glared at the creature as the caravan stopped.
"Keep going," he ordered. But the ghoul ignored him. It twitched in what might have been a nod, as if gesturing for Kaden to look in front of him. After a few trees it was only blackness.
Kaden rolled his eyes as the Warden came up alongside. He reached for the reins but the ghoul snapped at him, nearly biting his hand. He jerked back and ignored the chuckle from the Warden. He hopped off the caravan and moved toward the horses.
Apple and Pudding were both panting with the effort from the ride but neither looked that tired. The Warden's warhorse didn't seem phased. He watched the Abruzzi walk it over toward a tree and tie it there before he turned his attention to the two smaller horses.
"Not what I would have picked for a caravan," the Warden said.
"Apple and Pudding are fine," Kaden shot back, knowing he'd voiced the same concerns.
"They're small," Wyckham commented.
"Seralyse owns them. They're trained to tolerate Kin," Kaden answered.
"And here I assumed you pilfered them," Wyckham answered. It earned him a glare from Kaden as he unhitched the horses and led Pudding to a reasonably large tree. He wished he'd had a blanket or something for the horse. He made a mental note to ask about it. Although he suspected they'd have to resupply at the next town. He reached for his belt only to remember that they'd taken his coin purse when they'd thrown him into the cell.
"They're hers," Kaden said. Wyckham took Apple and followed him to a nearby tree.
"Easy Pudding," he said as the horse snorted at him.
"That's Apple," Kaden said. Wyckham raised his brows at him.
"But that one is the red one," Wyckham said, nodding toward Pudding.
"I didn't name them," Kaden answered.
"Who is she?" Wyckham added.
"A Kin Siren of some renown," Kaden answered.
"There are no Kin Sirens," Wyckham answered.
"And you've met every Siren?"
"No. But the Wardens keep records of everything. Most Sirens are Calabarian although they are recruiting more in Lorak in the last few decades. And there's a handful of Volkar. There has never been a Kin Siren," Wyckham answered.
"Perhaps they just didn't bother telling you. Why would they care what the Wardens do?"
"Apprentice Sirens often tour the Gates for morale. It's good, low-pressure experience for them," Wyckham answered. "A Kin Siren trainee would have been popular up north. They would have made a note of it."
"Maybe," Kaden shrugged. He had no more interest in listening to an Abruzzi so he turned and walked away from the man. The Warden at least had the good sense to try to forage some fruits from the trees for the horses rather than follow him. When he was unsuccessful he took a handful of something from the pack on his warhorse and split it between the two smaller beasts.
Kaden moved to the back of the caravan and opened the door. Inside Seralyse was waving her arms in annoyance as Arestes dug through every drawer. The Witch was perched on one of the shelves as she watched.
"We're done moving?" she asked.
"Your pet stopped the horses and refused to start them again," Kaden answered, wondering just how he'd keep the vitriol out of his voice. The woman frowned at his words.
"He drove them alright?" she asked.
"Seemed fine," Kaden answered. He heard the Warden moving behind them, undoubtedly joining in the party.
"Well that's good. Sometimes he tries things he has no experience in and it ends poorly," Alisen said. Kaden stared at her.
"And you let him…" he started. She shrugged her shoulders.
"He gets upset if you try to stop him," Alisen shrugged. Kaden felt his jaw tighten. It took him a moment to compose himself.
"That thing should be destroyed."
"That's not nice! He's harmless!" Alisen argued.
"He's an abomination," Kaden said.
"I agree with the thief," Wyckham answered from behind him. Which annoyed Kaden. Because he didn't want to be in agreement with the coward of a Warden. He noticed that Seralyse and Arestes had stopped rummaging through the caravan and were looking down at them.
"How are we looking?" Kaden asked, changing the subject. Alisen kept her glare on him, crossing her arms over her chest. Her white hair fell down framing her face and the red eyes stayed focused on him.
"Trying to get an inventory," Arestes said. "But she's being difficult."
"I have a system!" Seralyse argued.
"Yes, and it was a nice system, before the entire thing was ransacked. Now we need to figure out what we have so we can buy the supplies we need if we ever make it to a town," Arestes countered. Seralyse glared at him. Her tail swished sharply behind her and Kaden got the distinct feeling this was a conversation that had been going on for a few hours already. He was starting to think maybe being out in the rain was better than being in the caravan.
"What do we have?" Kaden asked, his tone undermining Seralyse's position as the leader of the group. But at this point he didn't care about that facade. If she wanted to keep thinking it, she was more than welcome to do so. As far as he was concerned she'd hired him to make sure she made it safely back to Bazaar and part of doing that was making sure they had the necessary supplies for the journey.
"Food is pretty much gone. Most of her outfits and instruments are still there," Arestes explained.
"Lord Millwood thought there might be some value to them. He insisted they not be touched," Wyckham interjected. Kaden hoped the other man understood that his glare meant 'shut up.' Especially since he figured Lord Millwood was more interested in seeing her wear the costumes, and then ripping them off of her.
"How gone?" he asked, bringing the conversation back to the food.
"Well, the three of us could have maybe managed two or three emergency meals. Five of is makes it one, more or less," Arestes explained. Kaden nodded. He'd learned from Captain Torres that the best thing to do in a dire situation was present a sense of calm.
Torres had laughed as he explained it. Sure, panic away on the inside. But don't ever let your crew see it.
"There's some fruit in the trees around. We can scavenge a bit there. We could try to hunt," Kaden said. He let his voice peter off and Arestes finished for him.
"We don't really have any weapons good for it. I can probably devise a trap or two but if we're trying to keep moving that won't do us any good for now," Arestes answered.
"You have me," the Volkar interjected. Kaden looked toward her as she held up her left hand. Small purple bolts shot between her fingers as she let magic well. The Warden hissed behind him. Kaden could sense his hand going for his sword. She let the magic fade after a moment.
"Oh!" Seralyse exclaimed. At first Kaden thought she was frightened by the magical display. It wasn't an uncommon reaction. Volkar had that effect on most people. But instead she pushed Arestes away with both hands and bent over one of the cabinets. Her tail swished behind her and even Kaden had to admit it wasn't an unpleasant view.
She found a hidden compartment in one of the cabinets and pulled out a dusty bow and five arrows.
"I have this," she said, holding it up. "But I'm awful with it."
"Kaden's a decent shot and I'm sure the Warden has training," Arestes said. He took it from her and peered at it. "It's not in great shape but should be fine."
"I'll take it," Kaden said, figuring the fewer weapons the Warden had the better. The Lorakian Artificer handed it to him without question. He slung it over his shoulder and put the arrows down next to him.
"I'm far more than a 'decent' shot," Wyckham scoffed.
"What else?" Kaden asked, ignoring the outburst from the coward.
"Most of her cookware is still there. Her coin stash is gone," Arestes said.
"Oh right," Wyckham fumbled at his hip and produced three coin purses. Kaden recognized his own. It looked lighter than he remembered as he held them up. "I don't know if I got all of it but I confiscated it from the guards."
Seralyse walked over to him and took the pouches from him. She moved to a corner and started to count it out. It was, Kaden had to admit, a small mercy. They wouldn't be utterly destitute although it appeared most of what he'd made on his last voyage was lost to him. Still, it wouldn't matter if she actually came up with the thousand gold at the end of the journey.
"Well, that's a plus," Kaden admitted. "Next town we should be able to stock up. What else do we need."
"There's only about a hundred foot of hempen rope," Arestes admitted. Kaden felt his lips curl downward.
"Damn," Kaden scoffed.
"Who cares about rope?" Seralyse asked with the distinct tone of someone who had just had this conversation.
"That could be a problem," Wyckham added.
"Seriously, it's rope," Seralyse scoffed.
"Rope is very useful," Alisen added. "Everyone should always have about fifty feet available. It's shocking what you can use it for."
"You're all teasing me, aren't you," Seralyse growled, the coins momentarily forgotten.
"No," Wyckham said.
"They're right," Arestes admitted. "Rope is a life saver."
"You're all insane," Seralyse turned back to counting the coins.
"We should focus on food first," Kaden said, figuring it would be easier to rectify than the lack of rope. "Probably best to split up and see if we can find enough to tide us over before we dip into the salted beef. Sera you want to stay here and watch the caravan and the horses?"
"No," she said. Kaden blinked at her. He'd almost started to turn away when he'd asked, figuring there would be no argument from her.
"Excuse me?" he asked.
"I'm going with you," she said, looking him square in the eyes. Her expression left no doubt how much she was willing to argue that point. And it made some sense, he knew. She'd paid for him to protect her. Leaving her while he sauntered into the woods was hardly protection. Then again, woods were dangerous.
"Fine," he sighed. "Arestes?"
"Got it. I'll be able to do a full inventory away from her prying hands," Arestes answered. Seralyse growled at him. For a moment Kaden thought it might get him out of the argument, but instead she left her coins and moved over toward him. He stepped out of the caravan, ignoring the Warden, and offered his hand to help her down. She didn't take it.
"Great," he said. "Let's go then."
"You expect me to go with the Volkar? She'll try to kill me," Wyckham sounded genuinely alarmed.
"Only if you want to eat. I'm not sharing my rations with a freeloading coward," Kaden answered.
"I'm not a coward," Wyckham hissed.
"The Gates are that way," Kaden said, pointing west.
"Has it ever occurred to you that there could be a reason why I'm here?" Wyckham asked.
"Is there?" Kaden quipped, tilting his head to the side. He noticed that Seralyse was standing slightly behind him, as if using his body as a shield from the Warden. Which was odd, he thought, as the more dangerous threat was the Witch. The Warden pressed his lips together but didn't comment.
"Are you done comparing dicks yet?" Alisen asked. She slipped around them and out of the caravan. She blinked up at the rain as if it was something she'd never experienced before.
"How do we know he's a real warden?" Seralyse asked.
"The sigils glow," Arestes said from the caravan. His tone was even, he was doing nothing more than answering a question. Seralyse just looked to Kaden for help, as if the answer meant nothing to her.
"Only someone who has succeeded in taking the Calling will have the sigils glow. It's an aftereffect of the magic," Alisen explained. "It's why your bodyguard is being particularly obstinate."
"Why?" Seralyse asked. Her eyes narrowed and she kept her gaze focused on Kaden.
"Because Wardens take a vow to not talk about their Calling. So if there is a reason for his presence here, he can't admit to it without violating his oath. He could lie, but then he'd have to affirm the suspicion that he's a coward," Alisen explained. She walked over toward Wyckham and stood next to him. Kaden wondered if, in a way, battle lines were being drawn.
"So you're just being mean to be mean?" Seralyse asked.
"I don't trust him," Kaden said.
"He saved us from prison," Seralyse countered.
"No he didn't," Kaden said. "We were out of the cells when he showed up."
"Whatever," she rolled her eyes. "He helped."
"He's a Warden who abandoned his duty to serve a minor lordling who was abusing his people and violating his own position as a Lord. I don't trust his judgment. And that's even before we get into his last name," Kaden said. Wyckham flushed crimson, his eyes flashing with cold fury. But the Volkar interrupted them.
"This is going to be a while, Warden," Alisen said. "Shall we?"
"What?" Wyckham asked.
"Hunting. Let's go. Let them argue. A lady's got to eat," Alisen stalked around him and disappeared into the dark forest. Wyckham frowned but followed her. Kaden watched them go, waiting until the faint glow from the sigils faded before he turned his gaze back to the Kin girl.
The rain had darkened her hair. Her ears twitched every few moments as droplets hit them. Her tail was still as she took him in. He paused before nodding in the opposite direction the others had left from.
He started walking, it was perhaps ten steps before he heard her turn and follow him. He spared a quick glance for the caravan as he passed it. The ghoul was missing but the three horses were exactly where they'd been left. So, at the very least, it hadn't eaten them.
Which, of course, was a viable option. But one he doubted he'd be able to talk Seralyse into, no matter how desperate things got. Hell, as far as he knew, Kin may think Calabarian may be tastier than horse.
It wasn't until they moved into the trees that she bothered speaking up.
"I'm almost surprised you aren't advocating for hitching the horses and fleeing," she said. Her tone was harsh. It was fairly obvious she wasn't thrilled with how he was acting. But he didn't care. He could already tell she was naive. There was little reason to abide by her whims. They were likely safer without the Witch or the Warden.
"There's merit to that, you know," he said. She rolled her eyes at him. Which was more or less the exact response he'd expected.
"We're not doing that unless they deserve it," Seralyse said.
"You realize she almost certainly killed whomever was the ghoul, right?" Kaden said. Seralyse shrugged her shoulders.
"You don't know that," she said.
"It wouldn't be bound to her if she didn't," Kaden said.
"And you're an expert on magic now?"
"I've heard my fair share of rumors."
"And how many Kraken have you seen, pirate?"
"Water is too warm around Loark," Kaden said, making the commonly heard excuse for why there had never been a confirmed Kraken sighting around Pelican's Rest.
"A leviathan then?"
"Obvious fiction," Kaden countered.
"You have to see my point," she said.
"Not really."
"You're being difficult," she said.
"Not really."
"Don't make me hit you."
"I'm the armed one," Kaden countered, he slung the bow off of his shoulder and held up an arrow.
"I'm terrified," she responded. Her voice was dry, betraying just how unconcerned she was. Her eyes darted around the dark forest, pausing every few minutes to focus on something before continuing forward. He knew she had better vision than him, especially at night. So he let her lead. Although he wondered if they were really hunting anything.
"Smell anything?" he teased.
"Yes," she answered, her tone even and serious. She shifted to her left and continued through some of the trees.
"Really?" Kaden asked, startled by that. She'd implied in the tavern just how much better her nose was. But they hadn't really talked about it. Well, aside from her saying Arestes smelled bad one night early in their journey. But that was a pretty common thing. Especially given their general lack of opportunities for bathing.
"Yes," she answered, keeping her voice soft, talking barely above a whisper. She hunched her shoulders and leaned forward. Her eyes shot downward, examining the ground for any branches or anything that could give away her movements as she stalked through the forest.
"What?" Kaden asked. He followed her lead but kept himself a few feet behind her. He readied an arrow and scanned the area ahead of her, looking for any sign of movement, or, really, anything that stood out against the darkness.
"Something warm," she said, making an exaggerated sniffing noise and peering around the darkness. "Something earthy. Something a little afraid."
"A deer, perhaps?" Kaden whispered in hopes of not spooking whatever she was hunting. He hunched over next to her and peered into the forest. He saw no sign of anything. She tilted her head to the side and seemed to think about it for a moment. She made another exaggerated sniffing noise and pressed her lips together.
"No. Deer doesn't feel right," she whispered back, slowly inching forward. Seeming to take an almost absurd amount of care with each step. Kaden followed her, squinting into the darkness.
"Then what?" he asked.
"Do you think I can tell different animals apart in a forested area on nothing more than smell?" she scoffed. Kaden shrugged her shoulders.
"You're the one bragging about how good your nose is," Kaden countered.
"I did not brag. I merely pointed out it was better than yours. Since I've had to live with you and Arestes, I do not think it is something worth bragging about," she argued, making a face to show exactly how pleasant she thought having the best nose of the group was.
"And you always smell like freshly bloomed roses?" Kaden asked. Seralyse let her fist snap out to the side, hitting him fairly hard in the stomach. He bent over and gasped for air as she hopped ahead of him. Her movements managed to be just as precise as when she was sneaking. He was rather jealous of it, even as he gasped for air and watched her sneak away.
It took him a moment to recover. By the time he did she was nowhere to be seen. He ventured after her, moving slowly through the dark forest, cursing her for putting so much distance between the two of them.
He was almost going to yell, figuring he should scare off any potential game rather than lose his quarry. But then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw a swish of pink tail around a tree. He moved after it.
He kept chasing her. Frowning at the absurdity of it. She was far better at navigating through the dark forest than he was. She made almost no sound as she moved. And the ones he did hear, part of him thought may have been intentional. It didn't help that the occasional noise may or may not have been a soft giggle.
Sometimes he felt like he grew closer to her. Like he was almost caught up to her. Like she would be just around another tree. And then he'd get there, and there would be no sign of her. The giggle would spur him in another direction.
Then he'd see the pink tail, or the twitch of an ear just barely poking out from behind the tree, or the flash of a pale arm and the entire thing would begin anew.
He wasn't sure how long it went for. It couldn't have been more than a half hour. But after the last day he felt energy drain from him. He wondered how she was still going. Of course, the guards hadn't beaten her when they dragged them to the cells.
His ribs still felt sore. As did parts of his chest. His legs were more annoyed at moving than they should have been by this point. And his ass hurt. But he assumed that was from sitting on the wooden bench of the caravan for so long as opposed to anything else.
He saw her tail swish against a tree about ten feet away from him. But he couldn't bring himself to pursue for now. He knew he was chasing her in circles. He wasn't sure why he was chasing her. And he wasn't sure why she wanted him to chase her. What was the point of this little game?
A flash of pink distracted him once more. He saw a swish of it on a tree closer than the one before. He spun around, leaning slightly against a tree as he tried to monitor her this way. By now, he was positive she wasn't going to abandon him. But he still wondered exactly what she was attempting.
He took a few deep breaths and then pressed himself off of the tree, moving toward where he'd last seen that damnable pink tail. He wanted to grab it, squeeze it, pull it to him. He wondered just what that fluffy pink appendage felt like.
She'd pick at it when she was nervous or bored. He wondered if it felt nice. Or if it was merely a Kin equivalent of biting one's nails. She'd seem to catch herself when she was doing it. And would deliberately place her tail down and often sit on her hands instead. She'd look embarrassed, but neither of the men with her thought much of it.
The tail flashed just ahead of him. He reached for it, feeling the tantalizing fluff of it whisk against his fingers. But he failed to grasp it. Still, she was feet from him. He pressed after her, spinning around the tree, only to find she wasn't there.
This time he did curse. He spun around, wondering just where she could have disappeared to. A moment later she spun around the tree as well. Seralyse threw her body against his. She knocked him into the tree, her inhuman warmth pressing into him as her arms circled him.
A warm, almost cinnamon scent wafted up toward his nostrils as the impact forced his head down slightly. Her hair tickled his face as the warmth of her filled his body. She felt almost feverish by comparison, but after the chill of the rain it was rather wonderful. He saw no reason to let her go.
"Got it!" she giggled, her body shifting against his. There was something almost familiar about the position. He assumed one hug from an attractive female felt much the same as any other.
The thought gave him pause. While he'd known since he saw her dancing at The Rusty Door that she was attractive. He hadn't let it leak into his thoughts. He'd done everything to keep the relationship professional. To not let himself think about the Siren in any way that could distract him. But now, he found himself rather distracted.
It was Arestes who lusted after Kin. Part of him had assumed the Siren and his friend would end up fooling around. He liked their warmth, he'd often joked. Enjoying how they ran warmer than other humanoids. And he'd often joke he liked the noises they made. There was something more primal about them, his friend would say. He always navigated toward a Kin, if there was one, when they were in port.
Kaden hadn't had the pleasure. He didn't find it any different than anyone else. Although his experiences were almost exclusively with Lorakian women. Mostly because they were the most common option while in Lorakian ports.
Well, he had one experience with a Volkar. But the less that was said about that angry night the better. Thinking of it still sent a pang of disgust through him. He hoped that woman was okay. Still, he shook the thought from him as the Kin wiggled once more.
"What was the point of this?" he asked, trying to keep his voice even and annoyed. Hoping she understood tone as he attempted to be a leader.
"I caught what I was hunting," she said. She leaned away from him and giggled once more. Her pink eyes were playful, defiant, and completely disinterested in cowering from his angry words.
"You scared away any game we might have caught," he countered, staring down at her and willing her to argue with him. She rolled her eyes.
"There's no game to catch," she said. "And it's too dark and too rainy for you to hit any birds with that bow. Hunting right now is stupid."
"So is frolicking around in the forest. I don't even know which way is back to the caravan now," he countered.
"Good thing I do," she said. She nodded in the opposite direction that he would have started, had he had to get back to the caravan.
"You're fibbing," he argued.
"We can race there, if you like," she said.
"This is a waste of time," he countered.
"For you maybe. I needed to burn off some energy. We're not all lazy humans who can sit around all day. And it's not like you had to chase me," she said.
"I wasn't going to let you get lost in the woods."
"I wouldn't have."
"You can't possibly know that."
"Yes. I can," she countered. She took the moment to slip away from him. She shook out her hair, her ears still twitching against the occasional errant raindrop as she glared at him. After a moment though, her expression darkened and her eyes narrowed.
"Why did you chase me, anyway?" she asked.
"I told you. So you wouldn't get lost," Kaden repeated.
"But you know what they say about chasing a Kin," she teased, a blush rising into her cheeks.
"I have no idea," he scoffed. And he didn't. But given she was blushing he had a fairly good idea where she was going with that. "And we should focus far more on not starving than anything else."
"Oh I'm sure we'll be fine," she said. "I don't need to eat as much as I do. Especially if I'm not performing. And we can't be that far away from a town."
"Five or six days at best. Assuming the caravan fits through the path Arestes and I know," he said.
"Right he said something about a cove," Seralyse remembered. Kaden nodded, but then shook his head.
"We call it the Cove because that's what our mentor called it. It's really just a small path through the forest that eventually leads to the village of Morak. It's longer, but unseen. Was particularly useful for smuggling," Kaden explained. Seralyse raised her brows and then giggled again. It annoyed him that the sound made him want to smile.
"Why would a perfectly legitimate merchant mariner need to know inland smuggling paths?" she asked.
"He wouldn't," Kaden answered with a smile. One that had the amusing effect of making the Kin girl giggle more.
"I've been to Morak," she said when she composed herself. "It wasn't very nice. They paid me in chocolate. It wasn't very useful."
"It'll be as good of a place as any to restock on some supplies," Kaden shrugged. He'd been to Morak as well. But it had been a while. However, he would have called it nice. He remembered a rather large village, one that perhaps should have earned the moniker of a city. He remembered open and honest people willing to help and give a fair deal.
He wondered if perhaps Kin villages were more grand than he realized if the Siren was looking down at Morak. But he remembered Zuzu nicer than it appeared as well. Perhaps there was something else at play.
"I don't know," Seralyse frowned. "Some of the chocolates had lemon in them."
"I doubt we'll get chocolate," he said.
"We'll see," she said, knowingly.
"I could go for chocolate right now," Kaden sighed.
"Well it doesn't grow on trees," Seralyse said, gesturing to the trees.
"Technically," Kaden started.
"I know," she snapped, immediately realizing her mistake. "You get my point."
"I do," he said, figuring there was no more reason to argue with her.
"There were some apples on the ground back this way," she said as she started walking away. He followed her, doing his best to not pay attention to her tail as it swayed behind her. After a few moments he stood over some rotting fruit.
"These are no good," he said, peering down at the crushed and half consumed ones on the ground beneath them. Some animals had gotten into most of them. He figured he would be better off hunting those animals than eating rotten fruit. But he also saw no sign of them.
"Really?" she asked, looking at him with mock confusion. Once again he found himself wondering about the dietary habits of the Kin. He was pretty sure their palette wasn't much different than your average Calabarian, but if she was proposing to eat rotten fruit he'd have to give her some type of education.
"Yeah we can't eat those," Kaden said, doing his best to be diplomatic. Seralyse rolled her eyes at him.
"Help me up the tree you dolt," she said. He nodded and moved to the tree. He put a knee out and she walked toward him. A quick hop and some force from him and she was halfway up the tree.
He watched her climb, staring up at her backside under the guise that he was making sure she didn't fall. She climbed well and it only took her a few moments to get to one of the branches.
"I don't have anything to carry them with," he said, wondering how many Apples he could carry in his arms. A fair amount, he figured, but it would be obnoxious to make it back to the caravan cradling apples in his arms. But they wouldn't need that many. The forest seemed to have enough fruit that they could scavenge daily, if necessary.
She started lobbing them down to him. She took some care to give him a moment to catch and store each, but it wasn't a fool-proof system. She tossed down around two dozen of varying sizes before she scurried her way out of the tree.
"How'd I do?" she asked, landing on her feet next to him. He peered down at the apples in varying shades of red and shrugged his shoulders.
"Fine," he said. "I'm not sure how we're going to carry them."
"Well I gathered them, it's your job to get them back to the caravan," she said as she tossed one more at him. She held one more and took a bite of it, making a face as she did. "Wow that's tart."
Kaden paused but looked down at the apple in his hand. He wasn't that hungry yet. But he knew better than to refuse food. Especially given their current situation. He took a bite of his own apple, wincing a bit against the sour nature of it. At least it was edible, he thought, as he debated the best way to carry the rest of them to the caravan.
He tried holding them in his shirt. But he could only get about half of them before he was left feeling like a moron as he couldn't even really walk. He debated asking her for help, despite her initial insistence he figured she'd help if he asked.
But she hadn't changed since the prison. She still wore one of her costumes, and there was no excess fabric to do anything with. He cursed himself for not thinking of bringing her robe as it would have at least helped facilitate carrying something. That did give him one other idea though.
"Do you have a knife?" he asked.
"Me? Where do you think I'd hide it?" she asked, gesturing down to herself. Kaden looked her up and down but had to admit it would have been obvious had she been hiding any weaponry.
"You should have brought a hatchet with you at least," Kaden sighed in annoyance. She rolled her eyes at him.
"When the big strong pirate is here to protect me?" she teased.
"It never hurts to be armed in a forest," he countered.
"You have a whole five arrows. Now have you come up with a way to carry those yet?" she asked.
"Yes," he said, taking off his shirt. He took one of the arrows and started to cut it with the sharpened tip. It took longer than he'd have cared for but he managed to fashion it back into a sort of bag. He knelt next to the tree and started to put the apples into the makeshift bag.
"Did that hurt?" she asked.
"What?" he answered as he continued to pile in the apples, not sure what she was asking.
"That," she said, poking the brand on his shoulder with one finger. He froze as she did it.
"To be honest, I don't remember," he said.
"You don't remember?" Disbelief was evident in her voice. He paused for a moment but nodded.
"I don't," he admitted with a shrug. "I remember being terrified before it happened. I remember screaming. And I remember the smell. I'm sure it must have. But I don't remember the actual pain."
"I….I see," she said. She traced her finger over the sun insignia burned into his skin. It felt nice to be touched. But, at the same time, it brought back the memories of the hot iron pressing into his shoulder. And the smell of his own flesh burning in his nostrils. He wondered if it was odd he could remember the smell, but not the pain.
"It was a long time ago," he said. He cursed himself in his head, knowing that it would lead to one specific question.
"How long?"
"I was eight," he answered, figuring it was better than giving her an exact answer on just how long ago it was.
"Eight?" she gasped. "And branded? That seems cruel even for Calabar. What did you steal an entire castle?"
"Something like that," he chuckled and resumed packing away the apples. He thought she'd keep pressing him for more information but instead she shifted down his back.
"And that?" she asked, tracing her finger over a thin scar a few inches down.
"A scimitar from a rival seafaring merchant," he answered. "He looks worse now than I do."
"I imagine," she said, clearly understanding his implication. "And that?" she asked, tracing her thumb over another marred chunk of flesh near his ribs.
"A mishap with some rigging, actually. My own fault. Carelessness and sailing ships is not a good combination. I learned the painful way," he answered. Part of him wanted to let her keep her skin on his, to let her fingers trace over the history of every wound on his person. But he wasn't sure he liked where that would take their relationship. Or, perhaps, that was exactly what he wanted but his brain knew better. So he stood, lifting his makeshift bag. It was awkward, but it worked.
"I see," she said. "I don't know anything about sailing."
"Obviously, or you'd have understood the importance of rope."
"I still think you're all just screwing with me on that. Some in-joke. Some way to make fun of the Kin girl," Seralyse complained.
"I wouldn't do that to you, Sera," he said. She looked like she was going to scold him. But instead she paused and shrugged. Something fluttered in his chest at the approval of the nickname. The baser part of his brain wondered what it meant that he could now get away with it. Almost certainly nothing, but he felt special regardless.
"Camp is this way," she said, walking away from him. He heaved up the bag and followed her. It didn't take very long before he saw the clearing and the outlines of the caravan. She must have led her in circles not too far into the forest. While he was scanning for any sort of prey, she must have found a decent apple tree and then circled around it until she was bored.
Part of him didn't like that he was being led around by the whims of the Kin. But after their little forest chase he felt lighter. A sort of modicum of happiness seemed to fill him. Something he hadn't felt since standing on the prow of The Lost Prince as it cut its way through the waves south of the Lorakian coast. Something about it all just felt right.
He walked into the back of the Caravan, depositing the apples near the door.
"Any extra clothing?" he asked. Arestes looked at him, then at the makeshift bag, then pointed to a cupboard near the entrance. He opened it to find a stash of their clothing. Most of what they'd brought with them seemed to still be there. Out of curiosity he checked the next cabinet and found a far neater assortment of dresses and outfits for Seralyse. Part of him wondered if the Witch had anything other than what she wore.
"Are the others back yet?" Seralyse asked. Kaden peered at her and saw her eyeing the caravan as he pulled on a fresh shirt. She didn't look thrilled with his new organizational system but she seemed to know better than to comment on it.
He knew Arestes well enough to understand his system and know that it was going to be far more organized than what she'd had before. But he also knew how obnoxious it was to have someone else come in and change everything you did.
"Not yet," Arestes responded.
"How's it coming in here?" he asked.
"It's fine. Should be able to get it all finished before we go to bed. It sounds like the rain is slowing down. Want to try to get a fire going?" He nodded toward one of Seralyse's hatchets.
"Should we?"
"If they were pursuing us they'd have caught up by now. I think they gave up," Kaden said.
"Probably sending riders ahead and trying to inform villages of our dastardly deeds," Arestes chuckled.
"Still, might not be the safest course if there's bandits or anything around," Kaden added.
"We have a Volkar Witch, a Warden, and you," Arestes shrugged. "That's more than most bandits will like to bargain with. And if they fared better than you we'll have to cook the meat."
"Two of those aren't currently here," Kaden said. "And may not return."
"I'm cold," Seralyse said. Kaden pressed his lips together and resisted the urge to tell her to put on more clothing.
"Fine," he said. He stalked out of the caravan and moved toward the trees. He gathered up some wood for a fire and set about getting one started. He'd just had the first tinklings of embers when a rustling in the nearby trees distracted him.
He needn't have worried. The faint glow of the sigils appeared first, and moments later the Volkar emerged, followed by the warden. She carried an assortment of fruits and berries. The Warden had nothing.
"No luck?" Seralyse asked as Alisen popped a berry into her mouth.
"Well, some," the Volkar said, gesturing to her arms. She saw the bag of apples and decided that was a good enough spot to dump her haul.
"You get anything?" Wyckham asked.
"Apples," Seralyse answered while Kaden ignored him. He wondered if he could ignore him enough to make him go away. For some reason, he doubted his life would work out that easily.
"We can't live on apples," Wyckham responded with a frown. Sera's face fell so Kaden took the opportunity to chastise the Warden.
"We don't have to," Kaden said. "We only have to make it five days or so. Assuming you're not an utter glutton, we'll be fine."
"Assuming you can get anyone in town to sell you supplies. I'm sure we'll be wanted by the time we get there," Wyckham spat.
"You can have a couple of apples and head to the Gates, if you like," Kaden countered.
"I'm not leaving," Wyckham countered.
"Then don't complain about the food," Kaden said.
"I'm not complaining," Wyckham defended himself. Kaden rolled his eyes. "Merely pointing out that we need more."
"Obviously," Kaden said. He found a good sized log and rolled it toward the fire, deciding to use it as a chair before cutting it up for wood. To his annoyance the Witch sat next to him. She seemed to sniff more than entirely normal, as if she was trying to pinpoint something, as she looked at him. He decided to ignore it and continue needling the Warden. "You're welcome to continue trying to hunt."
"I can't see anything out there," the Warden admitted.
"Then shut up," Kaden said.
"Be nice," Seralyse said, coming out and sitting on his opposite side on the log. She leaned toward the fire and closed her eyes. They were silent for a moment before the Warden spoke up.
"I'll try to rise with the sun and see if I have better luck in the morning," he said. Kaden bit his tongue and waited until the sarcastic comment slipped away before speaking.
"Probably a better time anyway," he said as diplomatically as he could muster. Both men nodded as silence reigned once more. The Volkar said nothing. After a few moments Seralyse started to hum a quiet tune. They listened in silence until a snapping branch brought all their gazes to the treeline.
To his credit, the Warden made it to his feet first, sword already drawn. He put himself between the others and the tree line. Kaden thought about joining him, but found his log was comfortable enough. And knew that not every noise in the woods required an armed response. Next to him, Seralyse's tail twitched and her eyes narrowed. The Volkar barely even moved.
A moment later he understood why.
The ghoul shambled into view, dragging one leg with every step it managed. It groaned, or at least attempted a noise similar enough as it approached the fire.
"What did you find, Shambles?" Alisen asked as if talking to an excited toddler. The ghoul held up its hands and the Volkar made a face. "Gross, you know I don't like fish."
"I do," Seralyse said, eyeing the fish in the hands of the ghoul. Shambles approached and offered them to Kaden. He stared at the creature, wondering what exactly he'd done to earn that honor, but took them anyway. The Warden sheathed his sword and returned to his seat.
"Where did you get those?" Kaden asked. It only took a moment for him to feel foolish as he remembered the creature couldn't talk.
"I thought I heard a river nearby," Wyckham suggested. Kaden looked down at the fish, it seemed logical enough. Still, he took them and stood. He approached the caravan and gathered some utensils and some spices Arestes has found before returning to the fire. The fish weren't big, and cooking them didn't take very long.
Alisen didn't take one. Instead opting for an apple. But the rest of the party each ate. Kaden peered between his new companions as they thanked him for the food. It wouldn't have been bad, he thought, had they had some mead.
Eventually they stomped out the fire as their first night as a party came to the end. The Warden joined Arestes and the girls in the caravan. But that all felt far too cramped for Kaden. So instead he lay across the bench on the front of it. He barely fit, but his legs dangling off didn't bother him. He stared up at the dark sky and wondered what the next few days would bring.
He knew there was a chance they'd stay ahead of the news, and that they'd get far enough into Calabar that people would stop to care about the death of a local lord. But he wondered if his shortcut would prevent that from happening.
Still, he knew there was no reason to worry about it. It would either happen, or it wouldn't. All he could really do was what he'd promised to do. He'd keep them moving north and get Seralyse home.
Author's Note: This marks the end of the campaign heavy beginning of the story. From here on out it essentially bounces back and forth by chapter between the two worlds with the actions in one more directly affecting the other. The most we really get here, is Seralyse's bumbling attempts at flirting. The end of the story ends up far more Hogwarts centered, for what it's worth.
As always thanks for reading and reviewing, I do appreciate all of the support I receive. If you'd like to support me further I can be found on PAT RE ON at TE7Writes. There's about nine more chapters of this live there, and about five more of my other WIP, Cleansing the Sins. Thanks again!