Rowan’s hands cupped my face, “Your not going to leave me to do this on my own, are you?”
The gesture was heartbreaking.
Grabbing her hands into mine, I couldn’t help but respond with the harsh truth, “I have done it alone long before you’ve arrived, if anything happens to me I fully believe in you.”
‐————————————
Java’s feet kicked in the creek as she thought back on that night, the water still touched by the chilly remnants of the winter. The sharp bite of cold felt good on her skin, a reminder of how strong she is even in the recent darkest of days.
How strong everyone has been becoming.
The turn of the season only bringing redemption and favor.
“So, Java. This one wyrd touched?” Ormhildr held up a fresh caught salmon for her to look over. He was a funny old man, always insisted she minded herself and care over Ura and Jorg as a priority. But recently shes felt compelled to visit her neglected ward.
Yes he could take care of himself, but as her eyes looked over the fish they drifted, now focusing only on his marred hand. His thumb and first finger all that was left.
“Looks fresh and healthy to me.” She gave him a nod, then looked back over the rippling water and nature that was blooming with the colors of Spring.
The fish was flopped into the basket between them and he recasted his line, “It’s not yer fault, y’know that.”
She always shy’d away from this subject. In truth it was her fault, she was the one who held the knife. She who was ordered to remove a finger for each time she had refused to cast for Marzana, three times to learn this lesson. Yet here he was always comforting her and calmly reassuring her like a grandfather would.
“There’s a Rogalian noble house at Runehiem. You should see the shade of purple they wear.”
“Royal color, eh?” He let out a low husky laugh, he was never bothered by the changes in subjects. They’ve had the conversation often but the wounds have long been healed and forgiven.
“They brought vampires with them…”
All Ormhildr ever wanted was a good story when she was around so for the next hour she gave him a dramatic re-telling of the vampire in the monestary, the mind controll, the battles. The entire time she spoke his eyes were closed and a small smile on his face as if he was watching the entire scene play out in his mind.
“They’re okay now” she had just finished the part of the story where she had acted against them during the battle against the vampires, “well maybe not Damian, but hey I’ve given the nobles an abundance of gifts as an apology. I think they thought I was going to give myself up to Marzana or something.”
The fishing line tensed but he wasn’t acting on it, “Why would they think that?”
Turning towards him, his gaze hard set on her, a worn look of pain, misery, and worry written all over him.
“Because she’s back.”
The two stared at eachother, reading the small expressions on eachothers face, a silent conversation being held between the two.
Marzana was back, with horns, the usual dying of constant hunger for power, and now as of recently an ultimatum for Java.
“So the Vulgaris are a group of rogue mages,” Java broke the silence again shying away from the risk of a truth she couldn’t yet face, not infront of him.
Ormhildr’s brows furrowed but released quickly, his demeanor returning to his usual self. A new line casted for the next fish.
“They messed a friend up pretty bad, so I returned the favor. Of course that led to an invitation and right as we were getting ready to deal out magic justice, they opened their mouth and I became a fool. A quick witted and charming Gothic, can you even believe that?”
The laughter that came from him, warmed her and settled the nerves that were acting up and only encouraged her share her stories with him.
Spring is a time for redemption and favor.
