When I view a journal entry, there are two copies of the journal entry.
Here's the next part of Chronicles of Tesselle
Title: Chronicles of Tesselle
Author: kmeree
Rating: NC-17 eventually
Warnings: m/m slash, violence, cursing, etc.
Part 1
Before dawn, they gathered up the rest of their possessions that hadn’t already been packed and set out for the given location where they were to meet the rest of their party.
Although Shikishi showed no signs of apprehension, Nen could tell that he was on his guard. Shikishi did not like the fact that they knew nothing about the others who were to travel with them. For all he knew, the whole thing could be a setup, designed to catch those who wanted to leave Pendelia quickly and stealthily. Shikishi knew that while his main reason for choosing this party was due to their meager funds, he also knew that the Pendel authorities would not care about his reasons…especially not if they saw Nen’s face. But he had no choice. They had to leave before word got out that Nen was in the city. Should that happen, security would tighten and it would be impossible for them to leave. And staying was not an option.
So when, they were the first ones to enter the designated clearing just beyond the edge of the forest to the east of the city, Nen knew Shikishi tensed in anticipation of an ambush.
It apparently didn’t ease the blind boy’s worries at all when the next person to enter the clearing was completely covered in an outfit that left only a pair of green-gold eyes visible. The eyes passed over the cloaked figures of Shikishi and Nen in an instant before turning away and scanning the surrounding wood. Yet in the brief moment the person had looked at him, Nen felt that he had peered into the core of his very being. If Shikishi had been able to see the strange color of the person’s eyes, he would have been even more unsettled. It was an uncanny feeling for Nen-not one that he particularly looked forward to feeling for the next three months. But it was not something he could do anything about.
The next few people were less intimidating but no less sketchy. The three of them were covered in ratty, mud-covered clothes and had the feel of people who were on the run. Nen didn’t particularly want to know why they were fleeing Pendelia. He doubted it was for the same reasons he and Nen were leaving.
An obvious mercenary was the fifth person to enter the clearing after Shikishi and Nen. Despite his slender figure, there was an aura of danger about him. That air was aided by the presence of twin long daggers at either side of his waist, a shorter knife bound to his left leg, a wicked looking bow at his back, and an array of other weapons likely hidden about his person.
Nen came to the conclusion that in spite of the merc’s many deadly weapons (or perhaps because of it), he was a very attractive person. “Very attractive” may have been a bit of an understatement. His flawless ivory skin was covered by black leather pants and a leather tunic that was trimmed with silver. He had long black hair that flashed silver when he moved. It looked silky and Nen wanted to touch it. The amused look in the merc’s cat-green eyes said that he knew what Nen was thinking. The look also said something like: “Try to touch it and you’ll find you no longer have hands to touch with.” Nen wisely decided against touching it.
From the looks the merc was sending Shikishi, Nen could tell that the merc was curious about his blind friend. Apparently, the merc had very good eyesight and could tell that Shikishi kept his eyes closed beneath his hood. Nen couldn’t say he was surprised. The merc’s interest then was understandable as it was doubtful that blind people often tried to cross the Pendelia-Faniue border. Most perfectly healthy people wouldn’t dare it. It probably didn’t help that Shikishi was still smiling through all this, as if this were all just some sort of reunion between old friends. If Nen didn’t know better, he would have thought that Shikishi was completely at ease.
The merc’s entrance was followed by a sad-looking family of four. The mother and father gave everyone in the clearing haunted looks before ushering their two children to the distant corner of the clearing, where they continued to shoot worried looks at the rest of the people in the clearing. Nen felt sorry for the two children-the youngest looked about five and the oldest appeared to be eight. They were already obviously starving-they were bone thing beneath their ragged clothes. Once winter began, he wondered if any of the family would survive. They already looked like they had reached the end of their capabilities.
“Why would a family with children as young as that want to leave the country?” Nen whispered to Shikishi. “Wouldn’t it be especially dangerous for the young ones?”
Shikishi nodded still smiling, though Nen saw that his smile was tinged with sadness. “It would be very dangerous. Undoubtedly, the parents realize this. However, circumstances here must be bad enough for them to risk it. From their state of undernourishment, they’re likely the victims of Pendelia’s high taxes. If a family here can’t pay their taxes, the entire family will be sent to prison. Having heard stories of that place, I can’t disagree with the parents for thinking that they have a better chance in the wilderness.”
Nen was still looking at the wretched family sadly when the next traveler glided into the clearing. Like Nen and Shikishi, the person was wearing a hooded cloak. The only thing visible from the shadows of the hood was the person’s piercing blue eyes. Nen’s attention was completely diverted from the family when he noticed how blue the person’s eyes were. He had never seen any color that was so pure.
When the person caught him staring (it was rather hard for anyone not to notice someone staring that intently at them), the person did not look offended or annoyed. Not at all. The person actually winked at him before settling himself (for the figure suggested a male) down to wait for the rest of their party.
Following closely behind the blue-eyed figure, was a group of five. When they entered the clearing, Nen felt everything in his being recoil at what he saw. Four of them were dressed in earthy colored leathers and were armed to the teeth. They all were somewhat large with bulky muscles, but were otherwise nondescript. All had brown hair of varied shades. Two had brown eyes, one had beady black eyes, the last had unremarkable blue eyes.
It was the fifth person that made Nen’s blood freeze. The young man-for he seemed to be in his early twenties-was in no position to intimidate Nen. It was the position itself that brought fear to Nen’s being. About the boy’s neck and wrists were thick iron shackles-impossible to escape from. His exotic appearance, beautiful in spite of the caked blood and dirt, was unquestionably the reason behind his bondage. He had long dark silver hair that was crudely tied back in a thong. Wisps of hair that were too short to be held by the thong fell into angry dark red eyes. His bruised golden skin was graced with multicolored scales about his eyes, down the sides of his face, along his spine, down the backs of his arms and legs, and around his navel. It was easy to see where the scales were as the only thing he wore was a dirty loincloth.
Nen barely noticed Shikishi’s supporting arm on his shoulder as he stared at the slave before him.
“But slaves are illegal in Pendelia…” Nen whispered to himself.
“They are,” Shikishi’s attention was directed at the five as well. “That’s likely the reason they’ve joined this group.”
Nen felt tears burn in his eyes and quickly buried his face in Shikishi’s shoulder before any of the others saw him cry. He had sworn he wouldn’t cry again. /I’m so weak!/ And he hated it. He hated the fact that he was still weak enough to cry at the presence of slavery. He truly, deeply hated it.
“Seventeen people…. It looks like everyone’s here.”
Against his desire, Nen turned a tear-stained face towards the speaker. It was a middle-aged man of average height yet strong physique. His frame was covered with corded muscles and weather-roughened skin that bespoke of experience in the outdoors. The spark in his gray eyes belied the receding line of his coarse gray hair. Though he was no longer young, he was not a man who would die of old age any time soon. He would probably be killed by a rabid bear first.
The man surveyed the group with his intelligent gray eyes, as if he was reading each of their pasts to ensure that none of them were spies.
“Since I neglected to mention it when I first met each of ya, I’ll tell ya now. I have no name-at least not one I’d like y’all to know-but ya can call me Bear.” Hearing this, Nen choked in surprise, having just connected the man to bears in his thoughts. /Maybe I can read minds…unknowingly…./ Deciding that this was unlikely, Nen abandoned the thought.
“From my interrogation of ya…” Nen shot a look to Shikishi. /Interrogation?/ “…I’ve decided that ya’ll are relatively trustworthy people. Mind, I wouldn’t trust any of ya as far as I could throw ya, but in this little expedition of ours, I doubt ya’ll be wandering that far off.” Bear narrowed his eyes. He was not going to make any exceptions. “Now, do any of ya have any questions before we head out?”
‘Actually, I do.’ Every head in the clearing but two whipped towards the speaker. Those with weapons instantly had them in their hands, as if by magic and not years of practiced skill. The two who didn’t seem at all surprised were the completely shrouded one with the powerful green-gold eyes and the one with electric blue eyes.
The speaker was a fairly tall man with golden blond hair and compelling pale green eyes. His tan skin seemed natural on him, as if he’d been born with skin that color, and had not acquired it through time spent outdoors. He looked to be in his early twenties and was built like a fighter-lean, muscled, and sinuous. Yet his warrior form was obviously not in its best condition as his used cotton tunic and breeches hung off his body in such a way that he seemed underfed. His eyes contained a look of grim resolve that overpowered the weakened state of his body. Even though the man’s physical condition was far less than healthy, he was still absolutely gorgeous. Nen, for the life of him, couldn’t figure out how this was possible.
Shikishi tilted his head to the side, having never lost his smile. “Interesting.”
Nen looked up at his friend. “What?”
“Well, I didn’t sense anyone was there…I still don’t, actually.” Nen gawped. Shikishi couldn’t sense the presence of someone?! It was unbelievable. Shikishi continued. “Also, the others may not have noticed, but…” he trailed off. By this point, the others in the clearing, including the blond man, were paying attention to him.
“May not have noticed what?” the merc asked Shikishi with narrowed eyes.
Shikishi turned his smile on the merc. “You may not have noticed that this person,” he motioned in the direction of the blond man, “did not actually speak aloud.”
“What the fuck do you mean by that?”
Shikishi’s smile somehow took on a disapproving look as he turned to one of the three bedraggled men that had arrived together. “That was rather vulgar language, ne?”
“I don’t fucking care about my ‘vulgar language’! Tell us what you fucking meant!”
Nen glared at him. “You shouldn’t speak that way to a blind man.”
The man, as well as quite a few others, seemed taken aback by that statement. “He’s fucking blind?!”
Nen’s glare deepened but the man didn’t seem to care.
“We’re supposed to travel with a fucking blind man, that’s just fucking fantastic.” The man did not look happy about it.
Neither did many of the others. “W-won’t that s-slow us d-d-down?” The family of four’s father looked at Shikishi worriedly.
Shikishi smiled reassuringly at him. “Don’t fret, I’m not like most blind people.”
“Regardless,” the merc spoke up, giving Shikishi another appraising look, “We would still like to hear what you meant when you said that this man ‘did not speak aloud’.”
“He didn’t speak to us using his vocal cords, he spoke using his mind.”
“The fuck?” The man had a disbelieving look in his eyes. “He’s a fucking telepath?!”
Shikishi shrugged. “I can’t say if he is or isn’t, but he certainly wasn’t speaking through his mouth.”
Throughout all this, the man in question had remained silent. He seemed amused, if the fact that one side of his mouth curved up slightly had any meaning. When the others returned their gaze to him, he nodded his respect to the blind boy. Apparently Shikishi had been correct.
Bear cleared his throat. “What was yar question, young man?” The tenseness of his body said that he was far from trusting the blond.
The man looked even more amused at being called a “young man” but answered the question nevertheless. ‘My question is this: May I join your party?’
Bear frowned before motioning the man over to the far side of the clearing to talk. The rest of the travelers were silent as Bear proceeded to determine the man’s trustworthiness. When they came back, Bear looked slightly miffed, as though he did not know what to do with the newcomer.
“I suppose that it wouldn’t hurt for our numbers to be increased by one more,” Bear finally said gruffly and then moved over to the family to converse with them.
While the others eyed the newest member of the group warily, Nen watched Bear’s conversation with the parents of the family. They were speaking too quietly for him to hear what was being said. He knew Shikishi could probably hear them but he doubted Shikishi would tell him what they said. Being the private person he was, the blind boy had a strong respect for the privacy of others. From the desperate gestures of the father, Nen surmised that Bear was making sure that the family understood the dangers. Apparently, the danger was worth it for at last, Bear just shook his head and returned to his previous position at the edge of the clearing.
He looked around the clearing at each of the people within it before nodding to himself. “Unless there are any further questions or issues to be taken care of…” he paused, no one broke the silence, “…then I suppose we’d best be moving out.”
With that, he merely turned around and disappeared into the underbrush, expecting the others to follow him. After a moment, they did just that, hauling up their possessions and moving out.
Nen groaned as he picked up his portion of the supplies. It was going to be a loooong trip. The only thing he looked forward to was the fact that as time went on, their supplies would gradually diminish, making them more easier to carry.
“It seems that we’ve got ourselves an interesting bunch of companions,” Shikishi commented to no one in particular.
Nen looked around at the people who had just become their fellow travelers. Then he nodded. “Yup.”
They entered the line of travelers.
The first rays of dawn were just beginning to tinge the eastern sky a rosy hue.
Title: Chronicles of Tesselle
Author: kmeree
Rating: NC-17 eventually
Warnings: m/m slash, violence, cursing, etc.
Part 1
Before dawn, they gathered up the rest of their possessions that hadn’t already been packed and set out for the given location where they were to meet the rest of their party.
Although Shikishi showed no signs of apprehension, Nen could tell that he was on his guard. Shikishi did not like the fact that they knew nothing about the others who were to travel with them. For all he knew, the whole thing could be a setup, designed to catch those who wanted to leave Pendelia quickly and stealthily. Shikishi knew that while his main reason for choosing this party was due to their meager funds, he also knew that the Pendel authorities would not care about his reasons…especially not if they saw Nen’s face. But he had no choice. They had to leave before word got out that Nen was in the city. Should that happen, security would tighten and it would be impossible for them to leave. And staying was not an option.
So when, they were the first ones to enter the designated clearing just beyond the edge of the forest to the east of the city, Nen knew Shikishi tensed in anticipation of an ambush.
It apparently didn’t ease the blind boy’s worries at all when the next person to enter the clearing was completely covered in an outfit that left only a pair of green-gold eyes visible. The eyes passed over the cloaked figures of Shikishi and Nen in an instant before turning away and scanning the surrounding wood. Yet in the brief moment the person had looked at him, Nen felt that he had peered into the core of his very being. If Shikishi had been able to see the strange color of the person’s eyes, he would have been even more unsettled. It was an uncanny feeling for Nen-not one that he particularly looked forward to feeling for the next three months. But it was not something he could do anything about.
The next few people were less intimidating but no less sketchy. The three of them were covered in ratty, mud-covered clothes and had the feel of people who were on the run. Nen didn’t particularly want to know why they were fleeing Pendelia. He doubted it was for the same reasons he and Nen were leaving.
An obvious mercenary was the fifth person to enter the clearing after Shikishi and Nen. Despite his slender figure, there was an aura of danger about him. That air was aided by the presence of twin long daggers at either side of his waist, a shorter knife bound to his left leg, a wicked looking bow at his back, and an array of other weapons likely hidden about his person.
Nen came to the conclusion that in spite of the merc’s many deadly weapons (or perhaps because of it), he was a very attractive person. “Very attractive” may have been a bit of an understatement. His flawless ivory skin was covered by black leather pants and a leather tunic that was trimmed with silver. He had long black hair that flashed silver when he moved. It looked silky and Nen wanted to touch it. The amused look in the merc’s cat-green eyes said that he knew what Nen was thinking. The look also said something like: “Try to touch it and you’ll find you no longer have hands to touch with.” Nen wisely decided against touching it.
From the looks the merc was sending Shikishi, Nen could tell that the merc was curious about his blind friend. Apparently, the merc had very good eyesight and could tell that Shikishi kept his eyes closed beneath his hood. Nen couldn’t say he was surprised. The merc’s interest then was understandable as it was doubtful that blind people often tried to cross the Pendelia-Faniue border. Most perfectly healthy people wouldn’t dare it. It probably didn’t help that Shikishi was still smiling through all this, as if this were all just some sort of reunion between old friends. If Nen didn’t know better, he would have thought that Shikishi was completely at ease.
The merc’s entrance was followed by a sad-looking family of four. The mother and father gave everyone in the clearing haunted looks before ushering their two children to the distant corner of the clearing, where they continued to shoot worried looks at the rest of the people in the clearing. Nen felt sorry for the two children-the youngest looked about five and the oldest appeared to be eight. They were already obviously starving-they were bone thing beneath their ragged clothes. Once winter began, he wondered if any of the family would survive. They already looked like they had reached the end of their capabilities.
“Why would a family with children as young as that want to leave the country?” Nen whispered to Shikishi. “Wouldn’t it be especially dangerous for the young ones?”
Shikishi nodded still smiling, though Nen saw that his smile was tinged with sadness. “It would be very dangerous. Undoubtedly, the parents realize this. However, circumstances here must be bad enough for them to risk it. From their state of undernourishment, they’re likely the victims of Pendelia’s high taxes. If a family here can’t pay their taxes, the entire family will be sent to prison. Having heard stories of that place, I can’t disagree with the parents for thinking that they have a better chance in the wilderness.”
Nen was still looking at the wretched family sadly when the next traveler glided into the clearing. Like Nen and Shikishi, the person was wearing a hooded cloak. The only thing visible from the shadows of the hood was the person’s piercing blue eyes. Nen’s attention was completely diverted from the family when he noticed how blue the person’s eyes were. He had never seen any color that was so pure.
When the person caught him staring (it was rather hard for anyone not to notice someone staring that intently at them), the person did not look offended or annoyed. Not at all. The person actually winked at him before settling himself (for the figure suggested a male) down to wait for the rest of their party.
Following closely behind the blue-eyed figure, was a group of five. When they entered the clearing, Nen felt everything in his being recoil at what he saw. Four of them were dressed in earthy colored leathers and were armed to the teeth. They all were somewhat large with bulky muscles, but were otherwise nondescript. All had brown hair of varied shades. Two had brown eyes, one had beady black eyes, the last had unremarkable blue eyes.
It was the fifth person that made Nen’s blood freeze. The young man-for he seemed to be in his early twenties-was in no position to intimidate Nen. It was the position itself that brought fear to Nen’s being. About the boy’s neck and wrists were thick iron shackles-impossible to escape from. His exotic appearance, beautiful in spite of the caked blood and dirt, was unquestionably the reason behind his bondage. He had long dark silver hair that was crudely tied back in a thong. Wisps of hair that were too short to be held by the thong fell into angry dark red eyes. His bruised golden skin was graced with multicolored scales about his eyes, down the sides of his face, along his spine, down the backs of his arms and legs, and around his navel. It was easy to see where the scales were as the only thing he wore was a dirty loincloth.
Nen barely noticed Shikishi’s supporting arm on his shoulder as he stared at the slave before him.
“But slaves are illegal in Pendelia…” Nen whispered to himself.
“They are,” Shikishi’s attention was directed at the five as well. “That’s likely the reason they’ve joined this group.”
Nen felt tears burn in his eyes and quickly buried his face in Shikishi’s shoulder before any of the others saw him cry. He had sworn he wouldn’t cry again. /I’m so weak!/ And he hated it. He hated the fact that he was still weak enough to cry at the presence of slavery. He truly, deeply hated it.
“Seventeen people…. It looks like everyone’s here.”
Against his desire, Nen turned a tear-stained face towards the speaker. It was a middle-aged man of average height yet strong physique. His frame was covered with corded muscles and weather-roughened skin that bespoke of experience in the outdoors. The spark in his gray eyes belied the receding line of his coarse gray hair. Though he was no longer young, he was not a man who would die of old age any time soon. He would probably be killed by a rabid bear first.
The man surveyed the group with his intelligent gray eyes, as if he was reading each of their pasts to ensure that none of them were spies.
“Since I neglected to mention it when I first met each of ya, I’ll tell ya now. I have no name-at least not one I’d like y’all to know-but ya can call me Bear.” Hearing this, Nen choked in surprise, having just connected the man to bears in his thoughts. /Maybe I can read minds…unknowingly…./ Deciding that this was unlikely, Nen abandoned the thought.
“From my interrogation of ya…” Nen shot a look to Shikishi. /Interrogation?/ “…I’ve decided that ya’ll are relatively trustworthy people. Mind, I wouldn’t trust any of ya as far as I could throw ya, but in this little expedition of ours, I doubt ya’ll be wandering that far off.” Bear narrowed his eyes. He was not going to make any exceptions. “Now, do any of ya have any questions before we head out?”
‘Actually, I do.’ Every head in the clearing but two whipped towards the speaker. Those with weapons instantly had them in their hands, as if by magic and not years of practiced skill. The two who didn’t seem at all surprised were the completely shrouded one with the powerful green-gold eyes and the one with electric blue eyes.
The speaker was a fairly tall man with golden blond hair and compelling pale green eyes. His tan skin seemed natural on him, as if he’d been born with skin that color, and had not acquired it through time spent outdoors. He looked to be in his early twenties and was built like a fighter-lean, muscled, and sinuous. Yet his warrior form was obviously not in its best condition as his used cotton tunic and breeches hung off his body in such a way that he seemed underfed. His eyes contained a look of grim resolve that overpowered the weakened state of his body. Even though the man’s physical condition was far less than healthy, he was still absolutely gorgeous. Nen, for the life of him, couldn’t figure out how this was possible.
Shikishi tilted his head to the side, having never lost his smile. “Interesting.”
Nen looked up at his friend. “What?”
“Well, I didn’t sense anyone was there…I still don’t, actually.” Nen gawped. Shikishi couldn’t sense the presence of someone?! It was unbelievable. Shikishi continued. “Also, the others may not have noticed, but…” he trailed off. By this point, the others in the clearing, including the blond man, were paying attention to him.
“May not have noticed what?” the merc asked Shikishi with narrowed eyes.
Shikishi turned his smile on the merc. “You may not have noticed that this person,” he motioned in the direction of the blond man, “did not actually speak aloud.”
“What the fuck do you mean by that?”
Shikishi’s smile somehow took on a disapproving look as he turned to one of the three bedraggled men that had arrived together. “That was rather vulgar language, ne?”
“I don’t fucking care about my ‘vulgar language’! Tell us what you fucking meant!”
Nen glared at him. “You shouldn’t speak that way to a blind man.”
The man, as well as quite a few others, seemed taken aback by that statement. “He’s fucking blind?!”
Nen’s glare deepened but the man didn’t seem to care.
“We’re supposed to travel with a fucking blind man, that’s just fucking fantastic.” The man did not look happy about it.
Neither did many of the others. “W-won’t that s-slow us d-d-down?” The family of four’s father looked at Shikishi worriedly.
Shikishi smiled reassuringly at him. “Don’t fret, I’m not like most blind people.”
“Regardless,” the merc spoke up, giving Shikishi another appraising look, “We would still like to hear what you meant when you said that this man ‘did not speak aloud’.”
“He didn’t speak to us using his vocal cords, he spoke using his mind.”
“The fuck?” The man had a disbelieving look in his eyes. “He’s a fucking telepath?!”
Shikishi shrugged. “I can’t say if he is or isn’t, but he certainly wasn’t speaking through his mouth.”
Throughout all this, the man in question had remained silent. He seemed amused, if the fact that one side of his mouth curved up slightly had any meaning. When the others returned their gaze to him, he nodded his respect to the blind boy. Apparently Shikishi had been correct.
Bear cleared his throat. “What was yar question, young man?” The tenseness of his body said that he was far from trusting the blond.
The man looked even more amused at being called a “young man” but answered the question nevertheless. ‘My question is this: May I join your party?’
Bear frowned before motioning the man over to the far side of the clearing to talk. The rest of the travelers were silent as Bear proceeded to determine the man’s trustworthiness. When they came back, Bear looked slightly miffed, as though he did not know what to do with the newcomer.
“I suppose that it wouldn’t hurt for our numbers to be increased by one more,” Bear finally said gruffly and then moved over to the family to converse with them.
While the others eyed the newest member of the group warily, Nen watched Bear’s conversation with the parents of the family. They were speaking too quietly for him to hear what was being said. He knew Shikishi could probably hear them but he doubted Shikishi would tell him what they said. Being the private person he was, the blind boy had a strong respect for the privacy of others. From the desperate gestures of the father, Nen surmised that Bear was making sure that the family understood the dangers. Apparently, the danger was worth it for at last, Bear just shook his head and returned to his previous position at the edge of the clearing.
He looked around the clearing at each of the people within it before nodding to himself. “Unless there are any further questions or issues to be taken care of…” he paused, no one broke the silence, “…then I suppose we’d best be moving out.”
With that, he merely turned around and disappeared into the underbrush, expecting the others to follow him. After a moment, they did just that, hauling up their possessions and moving out.
Nen groaned as he picked up his portion of the supplies. It was going to be a loooong trip. The only thing he looked forward to was the fact that as time went on, their supplies would gradually diminish, making them more easier to carry.
“It seems that we’ve got ourselves an interesting bunch of companions,” Shikishi commented to no one in particular.
Nen looked around at the people who had just become their fellow travelers. Then he nodded. “Yup.”
They entered the line of travelers.
The first rays of dawn were just beginning to tinge the eastern sky a rosy hue.