Chapter 5 - Arrivederci And Goodbye But Also Ciao
¨I see him!¨ Hermes exclaimed—earning a tap on his bicep from Adel's fist; ¨quiet.¨
Liline sighed in relief, teary-eyed. All three of them stepped into the dim moonlight to observe Damien's descent, whereupon Adel's eyes quickly narrowed as he slightly angled his head. ¨Wait a damned minute…Who the hell is that? Why is that idiot being escorted by some half-naked lady?¨ the boy asked, gaining no answers; though Liline did soon after let out a terrified gasp, and the group seemed to forget about Damien's strange companion entirely for the moment.
¨Is that?..¨ Hermes mumbled while observing Damien's graceful landing, though his attention was mostly gathered around the massive amounts of dark-red colour he now donned.
¨Bedraggled by blood, a new sword on his hip, that blasted buffoon…¨ Adel sighed; ¨It seems I've lied Lily.¨
The red-haired girl did not pay the boy any mind however, instead she quickly rushed to meet Damien.
¨What happened? Are you hurt?¨ she stressed.
¨Uuh, yeah, don't worry about it, not my blood. We need to get out of here fast though.¨ the boy explained bluntly as he waved the girl off and kept his feet swiftly moving.
¨Hold on a second.¨ Adel said as he grabbed Damien's passing arm, earning an immediate look of anger in return as Damien yanked his arm away; though contrary to his physical aggression the boy's following vocal response remained quite calm-sounding.
¨Keep moving Adel…I'll explain on the way.¨
The group traversed with the black-haired boy in lead, through narrow alleyways they travelled with haste though never reaching quite past jogging speeds. After all, as much of a boon as speed was, it did also hold its own adverse recklessness, and Damien naturally wished to remain unseen…
So the boy tried his best to explain the severe circumstances at hand, and considering his simultaneous efforts of keeping his group safe, in his own mind he ultimately recounted his empirical account to a degree he found satisfactory. Whereas any ideas that yet remained unclear or had been sloppily exchanged, could have surely been clarified later. And since the most important parts had ultimately been discussed, everyone seemed to have a minimum rudimentary understanding of the prevailing circumstances.
…The group had treaded just about half the distance back to the hive, when Hermes at the back of the group took note of the sour-faced girl trailing slightly behind. Waddling along with tight-paced short steps and her arms crossed tightly, she was noticeably shaking, her teeth occasionally clattered, and her feet were covered in mud. Not to mention, it could have been dangerous to walk without any protective layering in mud so deep and cold—there could be nails and such. Therefore, the benevolent giant decided to offer his aid.
¨I can carry you if you want.¨
The reticent girl shook her head; ¨no need. I can walk just fine.¨
Damien scoffed at her words; ¨stop talking nonsense, Hermes is two men stacked on top of each other, and you're a runt. It's tenfold the bother you walk.¨
Adel burst out in laughter, though managed to quickly suppress that involuntary beacon; ¨A runt huh? That's quite the insult coming from you Damien…Otherwise known as 'the Diminutive'.¨
Hermes couldn't help but vocalize a slight chuckle; ¨Got to agree there—Damien the Diminutive—it has got a nice ring to it. And besides, there's no need to be so rude towards the poor girl.¨
¨Rude? Oh I'm sorry, I didn't realize we had time for kindness! Especially when the damn fool is placing her pride against our survival. I already had to endanger my skin as she sulked in her room—there is a limit to this stuff you know.¨
Adel nodded his head in approval as he glanced at the noble girl; ¨I can't really argue with that,¨ he muttered under his breath.
Liline on the other hand did not seem pleased, made evident as she pulled on Damien's sleeve and shook her head with a sigh; ¨be nicer okay? she's been through a lot,¨ she firmly requested.
And I haven't?! Besides! It worked, didn't it? Seeing as she's currently a burden on Hermie's back as opposed to her health and potentially ours…
In spite of his thoughts, Damien attempted to remain positive as he suppressed a coming sigh; ¨I know Liline. My bad,¨ he muttered along with a small faux smile; which Liline incidentally must have picked up on as she walked the rest of the way with an obvious pout.
…The truth was that Damien understood. Despite his anger, - which he personally found as necessary, - he understood those types of hypotheticals that could have led to her frankly pestilent behaviour. Moreover, he felt sorry for her—really, and, how could he have not? He did after all see himself in her…
Namely: those eyes were plagued by a deep gloom, and her circumstances were doubtless enjoyed within walls of her own in silent solitude; he was sure he had seen it before as she waited for death. Perhaps that was the reason he waited as well? Ultimately though, she knew what it was like to be alone in this world—that he felt for certain…
…In the end, no conflict had cursed their steps, and the group arrived safely at the empty areas surrounding the Hive.
The black-haired girl's silver pearls jumped from place to place, enflamed by her curious nature; settling eventually on a lugubrious lump of moldy half-rot wood.
Is this where they live? She wondered, her eyes narrowed in evident disbelief.
¨Home sweet home,¨ Hermes grinned, glancing at the girl on her back.
Whereas Damien was naturally still soaked in blood, and the metallic smell of that blasted ichor was starting to get to him—a headache loomed in the horizon.
¨Lily, see if you can find some old shoes for her or something. I'm going to try and wash off some of this bloody filth. Fetch me in the backyard when you're ready to get going.¨ the boy said, veering off the small dirt path.
¨Right! I think I might have a pair.¨ she exclaimed, turning towards Hermie and his cargo; ¨I have my old coat too! Though, I suppose those aren't exactly fitting of a princess,¨ she continued with an awkward smile.
The black-haired girl gave Hermie a tap on his shoulder; as the latter crouched for her to stand; ¨that's okay. I'm not exactly picky clothing-wise.¨
¨That's good to hear,¨ Liline sighed in relief, her face filling with warmth as she followed Adel inside; heading straight for her room to scour through all that stuff of hers she believed fated as waste.
Adel eyed the strange girl pensively as she walked in; noticing her eyes scanning the Hive's insides with apparent curiosity.
¨Not exactly a castle,¨ Adel quipped
The girl wandered for a moment, wiping the nonexistent dust off the probably-fickle kitchen table, and after what could only be explained as a deep think; answered, slow-spoken and monotone. ¨No I suppose not. But castles aren't exactly known for their coziness either.¨
Adel chuckled in response, clearly intrigued by the mysterious black-haired girl; though he did not reply or linger as he found himself grabbing his sack from the floor and heading outside. Then as he was stepping through the dirt and the occasional solitary strands of wilted grass towards the backyard, he cracked the brown sack open, and placed within it another much like it—this one full of tonks and dings.
Then, as he reached the back of the Hive's outer wall, and the subsequent outside area for cooking and cleaning: he headed for a wooden shed at the back of the yard; opening the door and finding Damien within, rinsing the blood from his skin by a large barrel made of varnished oak.
¨This blasted coat is hitting the dirt at our first rest, haah…You guys already done?¨ Damien asked, running his fingers through wet wooly blackness.
¨Believe not. Wager you have a minute or two.¨ Adel answered, leaned lazily against the doorframe; ¨I just had a lot of questions that's all.¨
¨Figured you might have. Though if it's about all this blood or the ones who shed it, I'm not really in the mood right now.¨
¨That was honestly a part of it…But uh, why did you take the girl with you? I doubt I would have shared your benevolence had I been there.¨
¨I know you wouldn't have, and for that matter, I shouldn't have either. But, when I saw her eyes…I don't know? I just couldn't abandon her for some reason. It's stupid, I am aware.¨
¨You know, now that you mention it, her eyes do in fact remind me of someone else. You Damien, she has that same melancholy in the depths of her gaze. And incidentally, regardless of what factors contributed to your decision, it is not stupid—it is human…Just like the apple and the tree.¨ Adel muttered pensively.
¨Don't give me that crap…I mean it's ridiculous, she would have been a stranger to you, which is frankly a gigantic distinction, wherefore the whole thing exists on a different plane entirely to what you're referring to. And besides I know you, annoying as you are—you would never leave family behind.¨ Damien said bluntly, stepping away from the barrel as he started rustling the wetness of his hair onto the dirt below.
¨Thanks…Anyway, distinction huh? I didn't think you knew that many words other than the usual troglodyte-common,¨ the boy joked, earning an exasperated sigh from Damien.
¨Naturally it's one of yours.¨ Damien bluntly moaned, pulling out his sword as he made his way towards the outside past Adel; ¨oh? So he learns after all.¨ Adel said and followed Damien.
The short thief then grabbed his new sword by its blade, and pointed the pommel towards his friend; ¨I was curious, you must know what type of sword this is.¨
¨Of course. Although I wouldn't claim my expertise consummate, I do still know a couple things…¨ Adel took the sword into his hands and studied it sweepingly.
The blade was freshly sharpened, decent-quality tempered steel with scars of heavy usage, it was around seventy-five centimeters long with a steep taper. Below a basic cross-shaped guard, the grip was ridged and stubby, its thickness uniform; the pommel on the other hand was disc-shaped, colour-wise it mimicked the bronze-esque shade of the guard in a way that pleased the eye. In its entirety, the sword could have not weighed more than a kilogram, and it was nicely balanced as well. So all in all—a decent tool for shedding blood.
Adel handed the sword back to his friend; ¨It's called an arming sword, and at the very least it's of a higher-quality than anything my father ever forged—though admittedly therein lies little weight. He is after all—a disgrace of a smith and a comprehensive charlatan to boot.¨
¨An arming sword huh,¨ Damien swung the sword a couple times through the air before sheathing it in unison with a satisfied sigh; ¨you think it's fine if I hold onto this? For now at least.¨
¨I can tell you straight away that those two won't mind. As for myself though—I mean as much as I'd like to pocket that beauty and make it my own…Reckon I'll acquiesce in the absence of arguments. After all it is not like being the son of a blacksmith magically imports skill with a sword. And besides, my rust-stained seax has served me adequately thus far.¨
¨I mean…You've never actually used it though?¨ Damien inserted bluntly.
¨Precisely.¨ Adel spat out as he broke into laughter.
The two teenagers soon reached the front of the house; Hermes was already outside waiting, holding Damien's parcel in his hands as his face beamed with excitement.
Soon from within, two girls appeared; black and red. A princess draped in ragged clothes of wear and tear: dark-brown coat from the skin of a fromoose, trousers warmed by the black fur of a northern-hillgoat, and thick brown boots of which one's sole was cracked wide open.
Across the street from them, a row of ruins stood as the border between dreams and nightmares, and from there on only wilderness would stand in their way.
Two hundred kilometers…which upon taking into consideration the mandatory detours around mountains and lakes, would be the distance they'd need to hike through. A cold wasteland of sparse meals and shivering sleep loomed ahead…
With any luck though, and assuming a consistent pace of average speed, Adel had calculated that they would reach their first true respite within four to five days…
…And so in the dark of night, they turned their backs on all they knew, smiles taking the form of their collective goodbye…