introducing another character
Chocolate #11. Confusion
Rating : PG-ish
Timeframe : 1273
REMOVED FROM CANON 10/23/09 because, well, Sham has met Lyssa now.
The woman drew a sharp, hissing breath and her arm twitched in his grasp, as Shamino pulled a wet cloth over her wound. The boy couldn’t recall ever having seen so much blood, and he was sure the innkeeper, who had given them use of his well, hadn’t either.
His new companion didn’t seem phased by it in the least, but then he’d just seen her cut down three men with a flaming sword, so he wasn’t exactly sure what would shake the woman. He shook his head, thinking it best not to dwell on what he’d just witnessed and focus, instead, on sorting through the host of questions the whole ordeal had spawned.
“So,” he said, keeping his eyes on the wound he was tending, rather than its owner’s face, as he worked to put his thoughts in order. “Let me see if I’ve got this. The black cloaked freaks tear apart a whole city so they can get their hands on me. But then you show up, right on my doorstep. You take on a demon the size of a building and three mages with your crazy flaming sword. And you’re not even exactly sure why.”
He continued to wash the blood and dirt from the deep gashes on her arm in silence. When he grew tired of waiting for a response, he lifted his gaze to meet hers. Amber eyes studied him, though there was something akin to laughter beneath her thoughtful stare.
“I know they’re desperate to have you. I see that as reason enough they shouldn’t.”
Shamino scowled at the woman. “I think you know a lot more than you’re telling me.” She jerked her arm as he struck a tender spot. He brought his attention back to the task, making an effort to be more gentle. “How did you know where to find me? How did you know my name?”
“Kairn sent me,” she said. “Does that suffice?”
His head snapped up, eyes intent on hers. “What? How? He’s… he’s been gone months now.”
“He would have come for you himself, but it wasn’t safe.”
“Where is he?”
She shook her head. “You don’t need to know.”
“Is he in danger?”
She smiled, a gesture that held the same concealed laughter he’d seen in her eyes before. “Kairn can take care of himself better than you might think.”
He frowned, looking back to her arm. “Seems there’s a lot about him I didn’t know. He never mentioned you.”
“I’m not surprised,” she said. “Figured the less you had to do with me and mine, the safer you were.”
“You know,” he said, tossing the bloody cloth aside. “I still don’t know who you are, not even a name.”
“It’s Lyssa,” she said. “Used to be a Knight. I’ve known your uncle longer than you’ve been alive, and I suppose it’s my job now to look after you.”
“A Knight, huh?” he said, choosing to ignore the part about being looked after by anyone. “So, what else has my uncle been hiding? Any other friends with flaming swords?”
She laughed. “Not exactly.” Shamino wondered if he was likely to get a straight answer about anything ever again.
“What about that last demon? You said that wasn’t you. Another friend I should know about?” He found himself to regret the question immediately, as any hint of amusement fled her features, replaced by a thoughtful frown.
“Perhaps,” she said, her tone far less confident. “If it was the man I think it was, you have no need to worry.”
“If it wa-? Just how many people are after me?”
She laughed, though it held none of the warmth it had before. “Doesn’t much matter. You’re under my watch now.”
Rating : PG-ish
Timeframe : 1273
REMOVED FROM CANON 10/23/09 because, well, Sham has met Lyssa now.
The woman drew a sharp, hissing breath and her arm twitched in his grasp, as Shamino pulled a wet cloth over her wound. The boy couldn’t recall ever having seen so much blood, and he was sure the innkeeper, who had given them use of his well, hadn’t either.
His new companion didn’t seem phased by it in the least, but then he’d just seen her cut down three men with a flaming sword, so he wasn’t exactly sure what would shake the woman. He shook his head, thinking it best not to dwell on what he’d just witnessed and focus, instead, on sorting through the host of questions the whole ordeal had spawned.
“So,” he said, keeping his eyes on the wound he was tending, rather than its owner’s face, as he worked to put his thoughts in order. “Let me see if I’ve got this. The black cloaked freaks tear apart a whole city so they can get their hands on me. But then you show up, right on my doorstep. You take on a demon the size of a building and three mages with your crazy flaming sword. And you’re not even exactly sure why.”
He continued to wash the blood and dirt from the deep gashes on her arm in silence. When he grew tired of waiting for a response, he lifted his gaze to meet hers. Amber eyes studied him, though there was something akin to laughter beneath her thoughtful stare.
“I know they’re desperate to have you. I see that as reason enough they shouldn’t.”
Shamino scowled at the woman. “I think you know a lot more than you’re telling me.” She jerked her arm as he struck a tender spot. He brought his attention back to the task, making an effort to be more gentle. “How did you know where to find me? How did you know my name?”
“Kairn sent me,” she said. “Does that suffice?”
His head snapped up, eyes intent on hers. “What? How? He’s… he’s been gone months now.”
“He would have come for you himself, but it wasn’t safe.”
“Where is he?”
She shook her head. “You don’t need to know.”
“Is he in danger?”
She smiled, a gesture that held the same concealed laughter he’d seen in her eyes before. “Kairn can take care of himself better than you might think.”
He frowned, looking back to her arm. “Seems there’s a lot about him I didn’t know. He never mentioned you.”
“I’m not surprised,” she said. “Figured the less you had to do with me and mine, the safer you were.”
“You know,” he said, tossing the bloody cloth aside. “I still don’t know who you are, not even a name.”
“It’s Lyssa,” she said. “Used to be a Knight. I’ve known your uncle longer than you’ve been alive, and I suppose it’s my job now to look after you.”
“A Knight, huh?” he said, choosing to ignore the part about being looked after by anyone. “So, what else has my uncle been hiding? Any other friends with flaming swords?”
She laughed. “Not exactly.” Shamino wondered if he was likely to get a straight answer about anything ever again.
“What about that last demon? You said that wasn’t you. Another friend I should know about?” He found himself to regret the question immediately, as any hint of amusement fled her features, replaced by a thoughtful frown.
“Perhaps,” she said, her tone far less confident. “If it was the man I think it was, you have no need to worry.”
“If it wa-? Just how many people are after me?”
She laughed, though it held none of the warmth it had before. “Doesn’t much matter. You’re under my watch now.”