Bound in Spirals Ch. 06

The assassin had accessed her magic in that brief moment, yellow-green curls flaring up on her grimacing face and hands. It faded slightly as she must have directed the flow to concentrate in her thighs. Hennel grit his teeth and grunted as he slipped the knife free from his gut. Quickly, he accessed his own magic. The meager pool of jagged dark blue was pulled into his left hand and he attached a complex severing to the blade.

His hand slung forward. It wasn't perfect, but it didn't have to be. The knife tumbled down into the web of tight swirls that was dragging the woman's legs back. A sharp snap echoed in the hall as his magic activated. Wicked forms flicked out like small sparks of lightning among the clouds of spirals. It only cut away a small number of the threads, but it was enough to slow it.

Hennel lunged, flicking his sword in a flash of purple. His strike sliced the top half of her skull clean off, exposing a cross section view of her brain for a seemingly endless moment. A mix of strange clear fluid and red blood spilling out. The top half clunked against the ground, and the corpse fell backward with a slap. Her magic attempted to continue it's process for another second before fading into the skin, leaving her legs partially reattached.

Hennel gasped for air and clutched his stomach wound, trying to staunch the flow of blood that just kept pouring out. "Ugh... Damn, that hurts..." He flicked off the blood from his blade, and sheathed it. The fight had lasted four seconds.

Groaning, he turned slowly, and started stumbling toward the direction Deredd had gone before him. The pain from the wound was excruciating, it burned like hell. He had to find somebody soon, that blood was coming out quickly. Very quickly. Trying to call for help, he rounded the corner. He left a smeared trail of red behind him as he staggered down the corridors of the palace. He made it to the hall where eight paths converged and finally, he collapsed...

———

"Er, thanks for letting me bathe here before I left." Sam said as he walked into the room where Fenella was pouring some concoction down Theodore's opened mouth. "I hadn't realized how grimy I was until after I was clean."

"Of course. You dumped the tub after you finished, right?" She replied, not looking up from the small copper colored funnel she was pouring through.

"Yeah, I did. Um, do you know where I could get a razor or something? This thing growing on my face has been bothering me for a while." He said with a laugh.

"Hm? Oh, I'm sure you could acquire one from one of the blacksmith's around town. I don't own one personally, if that's what you're asking." She said, finally glancing up as he sat down on the bed that lay parallel to Theodore's. "Those clothes seem to be quite fine. That woman must be quite wealthy to afford that."

"Y-Yeah, they're really nice actually." Sam said, looking down at the blue-gray shirt. The cloth was very soft, and seemed surprisingly sturdy. Bright, silvery laces were crisscrossed tightly through the dark gray v at the front of the collar, similar to his other shirt. It fit him snugly, but not tightly. The nearly black, navy pants were loose at the top and slimmed toward the calf to fit into his boots. And, they had pockets! "I kinda feel guilty for letting her buy them for me."

"Yes, speaking of which, she left while you were bathing. She was saying she was going to purchase some supplies for your journey." Fenella said, grinning slightly at the wince on Sam's face.

"I... Goddammit... Is she somehow purposefully trying to make me feel worse about telling her she couldn't join me?" He mumbled under his breath. He started scratching at his beard grumpily. "Fuckin' itchy fuck..."

"I can just shave that off for you..." Fenella said finally, after watching him curse to himself for a minute.

"What? I thought you said you didn't have a razor?"

"I don't." She said, turning and replacing the cup and funnel on one of her many shelves. "I use my magic. Though, I can understand if you refuse. Most aren't comfortable with that."

"Ah... Uh, sure I guess that'll work." He said, rubbing the back of his head. She nodded and came up next to him. She took his head in her hands and started turning it this way and that, examining the patchy beard. Sam heard her suck in slightly when she first grasped him, and he nearly did as well as he saw the dark, seemingly erratic patterns in his head.

The crooked lines weren't black as he'd thought originally, but a very, very dark red. 'Wow, I can see the entirety of it. It... It seems so small.' The little sphere of Fenella's magic was dwarfed next to his own. Finally, she stopped moving his head and embraced her power. The dark lines skittering across the surface of her skin. He thought that if he concentrated, that he could sort of see her magic shifting slightly as she drew from it.

His skin tingled slightly as she dragged her fingers along his cheek, and out of the corner of his eye he saw his dark brown whiskers fall away. They seemed to flutter slightly and turn to dust as they fell. His eyes widened at the sight. He suppressed a shiver as Fenella's nails tickled his neck. Finally, she pulled away from him and shook her head as if to clear it.

"Wow, my face feels really smooth..." He said softly as he rubbed a hand across his upper lip.

"I used to do that for my father, and I got quite adept at it. I haven't had to do it since he passed though, so I wasn't sure if I could do it as well." She said, and Sam noted a very faint flush to her freckled cheeks.

"Oh, well it feels good to me. Thanks." He said, smiling slightly. Suddenly, he noticed Fenella was looking straight into his eyes. Her caramel brown eyes seeming to search his own. He shifted himself, suddenly uncomfortable. "Wh-What?"

She didn't answer for another moment. "You are a strange man, Sam."

"Eh? Where'd that come from?"

"Oh never mind, I'm just thinking aloud." She said, finally looking away. "I'd like to ask you something."

"Sure, ask away."

"Could I leave with you? I know you denied that of Lorry, but I get the feeling that there was another reason for that. If I have guessed correctly, you are going to the forest elves to request healing for Theodore, am I right?"

Sam was taken aback and stumbled through his response. "I-I, uh, yeah, um, that's where I planned on going. B-But, why would you just up and leave so randomly?"

"Well, if what you told me yesterday was true, there is an army heading directly toward Eltinn. Unless some miracle falls from above, this town will be overrun easily. There will be raping and pillaging, among other things, and I would be of a mind to be out of the way as soon as I could. I have no loyalties keeping me here.

"I would also be able to keep your friend in the ideal conditions for a healing to occur. You see, healing magic is best used on fresh wounds. If his legs were left to heal over naturally, by the time you reached Leddin they would be unable to regenerate his legs properly. On top of that, I would be able to learn much from the elves. They are very knowledgeable about herbs and medicines."

Sam's mind reeled as she poured out the words so rapidly. When he finally reassembled his thoughts he said, "I would not mind you joining us, I guess. L-Lucy is plenty big enough for one more passenger." He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly as he glanced down at the sleeping Theodore.

"I appreciate it. I will begin preparing immediately."

Remembering what Letta had said about cautiousness, he reminded himself to be more wary. 'She could be lying about the healing part just to give me a reason to take her. Though, it seems reasonable enough I suppose... Fuck. Well it's too late to take it back now, I'll just need to be more careful.'

Sam looked up as he heard loud clanking and rattling from the upper floor and he realized that Fenella was no longer in the room. She apparently meant what she said by 'immediately'. Picking up the new coat Lorry had bought him, he strode into the waiting room at the front. He pulled on the dark blue coat, straightening the simple collar. He fingered the silvery trim that lined the open front.

He really did feel like he'd taken advantage of Lorry, and well... perhaps he had at that. Walking through the front door, he stepped into the waning sunlight of the evening. A few people bustled past on the cobblestone street and he wondered if some of them might be preparing to leave as well. Far above, the dark silhouettes of birds swirled and dove around each other, as if they were playing.

Sam sat down on the front step below the door, and rested his arms on his knees. He didn't know why but it felt good to sit there, able to just be alone for a little while. Running his fingers through his hair, he wondered how he would 'approach' Samson again. Rather, it seemed more likely to be closer to coaxing him out.

'I will do it once we're on the road. For now, just worry about getting that far.' He sighed. Life had become very stressful in the last few days. His world had been unpleasant, with his abusive stepmother and half sister, but even then he'd never been in a particularly life threatening situation. After all, if he were to have died then Britney would've had to get an actual job to pay for her daft fancies.

'Would it be better to be back there? Could I really go back after this glimpse of freedom I've had?' He sighed. 'No, I couldn't. Despite the danger of this place, I have felt a bit better at times. I don't want to leave Theodore behind, or Letta for that matter. Besides, it probably isn't even possible to go back anymore...'

Finally raising his head, he saw a young girl staring at him from across the street. She blushed and looked away. He watched her curiously as she looked back at him from the corner of her eye after a moment and fidgeted with the dirt dusted violet dress that rested over her knees. She couldn't have been more than 14, if that. Eventually, she turned her head to look at him again, and gave a hesitant smile.

Sam was utterly perplexed by her behavior. He figured he should smile back, so he did. It was a small smile and it never reached his eyes, but she brightened visibly. Her plump baby cheeks flushed even more as she seemed to be having an internal argument with herself. Sam just continued to watch as she looked down at her dirty dress, and hurriedly tried to brush off the dirt. She then tried to fix her black hair, which was held up in a pair of pigtails.

When she looked back at him a third time, she jumped slightly and this time her entire face was nearly consumed in the pink blush. Then, seeming to steel herself, she stood up from the steps she sat on, and scampered across the street. Sam's eyes widened in surprise at this, and he scratched his head. 'She couldn't... Does she like me? Is that what all of that was about? No way... I mean, that couldn't be it. Right?' He shook his head, dispelling the thought.

The girl stopped a few feet in front of him. Her hands gripped the front of her dress which swayed slightly around her calves. She opened her mouth to speak, and closed it, then opened it again. Like she wasn't sure what to say. Sam saw her difficulty and decided to speak first. "Um, hello. How are you?"

She stiffened. "I-I-I... I jus', er... I saw ya sittin' here, an I-I..." Her mouth worked again, trying to speak. "Yer real handsome..."

Despite having guessed that only a moment before, Sam was taken aback. "Oh... Uh, thank you. I'm flattered." He said, and began rubbing the back of his head. He couldn't remember the last time he'd been complimented like that. He smiled, more widely this time. "You're very pretty too."

'If this girl really likes me, then that should make her feel less embarrassed, right?' He thought, hoping he wouldn't seem like a pedophile or something. She relaxed visibly. She smiled brightly, and Sam found his mood was lifted by that smile somehow. It was so genuine.

"M-May I sit 'ere?" She asked, looking at the space next to him on the step.

"Y-Yeah, of course." He replied, and scooted to the right a bit. She sat down carefully, and straightened her dress over her knees. She sat silently, looking down at her hands in her lap. Finally, Sam decided to speak, "er, what's your name?"

Her blush seemed to have receded a bit, and she looked up at him hesitantly. "M-My name? O-Oh, I'm named, uh... w-well, it's kinda a silly name... it-it's Pennia."

"Pennia? I don't think it's silly, it's a fine name." Sam said sincerely and Pennia smiled gratefully at him. "Where I come from, that would be an unusual name. I find it interesting to hear all the different names in this country."

"Th-Thank ya much." She said softly, and looked back down at her hands. She seemed to be twiddling her thumbs. "Um, what's yer name?"

"Oh right!" He said with a laugh. "My name is Sam. Short for Samson."

"That's a good name. Sam... Samson... Yeah, a noble name." She said it as if testing it out.

Sam was about to correct her and say he wasn't a noble or anything, but held it back. 'Well, if she thinks I'm a noble this might be like some sort of dream come true for her... Perhaps it's like the kind of Prince Charming sort of dream she has in her mind. I wouldn't want to shatter that for her,' he thought, 'It's a bit like my crush on Ms. Albright... Okay, I'll try not to ruin it.'

"Y-You seem different from most of them nobility 'ere." Pennia said, looking up at him again, as if hoping for him to confirm it.

"How do they act here? I have not met many as of yet." He asked, keeping the nerves out of his voice.

"W-Well... I dunno. They are kinda cruel, and don't talk to us." She said, and it sounded like she was trying to restrain her accent a bit.

"Ah, I see. Well, I suppose I try to be kind to everyone, and I don't really mind talking to anybody." Sam said.

"Yes, I think you seem real nice, Lord Samson!" She said while nodding enthusiastically. "Lady Ornilla didn't even warn of the army comin' 'fore she got preparin' herself an all."

Sam frowned. "That's pretty messed up. Is your family leaving Eltinn too? I imagine it will be pretty dangerous once that army gets here."

"Yeah we are. My pa says we leavin' day after the morrow. He's been fishing around for a wagon today, and ma is gettin' the rations for the travel. My older brother is tryin' ta find a map to Fenlin, pa says it's the closest city that can take in refugees." It seemed Pennia's anxiousness relaxed a bit as she started talking about her family.

"Ah, well that's good to hear. I'd hate for good people to get caught up in the fighting." He replied. At that moment, Sam saw Lorry approaching from down the street so he decided to wrap up the conversation. "Well, I'm sorry to cut our conversation short, but I must begin my own preparations to leave."

Sam stood up and held a hand out to Pennia. She put her dainty hand in his and he helped her stand. There was no reaction in his mind when he touched her, so it appeared she was unable to use magic. Then, he knelt and kissed the top of her hand. "It was a pleasure to meet you, Pennia. You really brightened my day, and I hope we can meet again in the future."

She blushed and looked up into his eyes as he stood straight again. "A-A-Ah y-yes, I would like that very much." Pennia said and hesitantly pulled her hand from his. She gave a somewhat shaky curtsy and quickly walked across the street, smiling and waving as she went. He might've been mistaken, but Sam thought he saw a slight skip in her step.

And with that, Sam reentered Mother Ranlenn's. He felt more at peace than he had in a very long time. 'I hope that worked the way I think it did.' He thought, and sat down on the bench in the waiting room. 'Perhaps I can truly find happiness in this world...'

———

"Ouch!" Dettella grunted as the carriage bounced roughly. The roads were getting more and more ragged the further into the country they got, and it seemed they would have to ride through the night since the nearest town was still miles off. Somehow, Dettella doubted she would find much sleep that night. "Yalene, please don't look at me with such a face. I am not so fragile that a few bumps in the path will damage me."

"S-Sorry milady, I did not mean to offend." Yalene said, and looked away with an embarrassed expression. "Perhaps we should have the party rest for the night? I imagine the winnem are exhausted, we would not want to have them die of overworking."

"Y-Yes I sup-pose you mi-might be right." Dettella replied. 'Perhaps I am not as resilient as I would like to believe.' She sighed, and pulled back the curtain. "Master Remille! Master Remille, we have decided to change plans! We will stop to rest at nightfall, so please inform the other guards!"

The stone faced Darrel nodded at her words and gave a few hand gestures to his subordinates. Then, he turned back to the road. Dettella pursed her lips. 'I'm going to get some emotion out of him eventually.' She thought, and nodded to herself determinedly. She left the curtain open and used the last light of the day to read away the seemingly slowing time.

———

"You really didn't need to go out of your way to get all of this stuff for me, Lorry." Sam said as she came in the front door, pulling a small, hand drawn wagon. "I really feel guilty taking the clothes as it is."

"Nonsense. You need the proper supplies if you're going to be traveling." She said sternly. The Sam got up and helped her pull it up the steps and into the front room. It was quite heavy. "Let me explain what's here."

She opened the large wooden chest mounted snugly in the wagon. Inside, Sam could see more clothing, and a number of things he couldn't identify. "I picked up another set of clothes and a cloak for you, some food, and basic survival supplies." She started. "Here is a flicker, here is a lantern just in case..."

"Wait wait wait. Slow down a bit. What does the flicker thing do?"

"Oh, it starts a fire for you. It's halfling made, so it's the best quality. You just poke this pointy part into what you want to light and press this switch here." She said, holding up the metal device. Looking at it from the side, it almost looked like the silhouette of a humming bird with that sharp needle part coming out of it. So apparently it was some sort of lighter. Sam was immediately curious of how it worked.

"Mmm, I see. I-I guess that will be pretty useful." He replied.

"Yes, it will. And here, I got some sturdy, steel cooking supplies which should last on the road." She continued, holding up some a pot, a few small plates, and some sets of utensils. "Ah, well I suppose you can figure the rest out on your own. Unfortunately, I won't be able to see you off, I must attempt to get my mother and sister to leave Eltinn with me. They are very stubborn."

"Ah, yes that is unfortunate. I hope they end up going with you, it would suck if they got caught up in the mess somehow." He replied, but he was relieved she wouldn't be around when he left. It would be awkward to deal with her seeing Fenella leaving with him.

"Yes it would... suck." She said, clearly not familiar with the word being used that way. "Anyways... Ah, well... I was wondering if perhaps I could hug you before I left. I truly am sorry for what happened this morning."

Sam hesitated for a moment, but he relented. "Yeah sure, I guess it won't hurt." He said with a nervous laugh. He embraced Lorry in a sort of half-hearted hug, and broke away quickly.

She looked regretful, but smiled anyway. "Maybe if we meet again in the future we can start over."

Sam nodded, but thought it pretty unlikely that they would meet again. "Well, thanks for everything you've done for me. I really do appreciate the gifts. I wish we could part on a better note, but I suppose the circumstances won't allow it."