For all of Vim's hate… he sure did seem to trust them, at least to a point.
"Coin had seed rather flustered, Renn. Hopefully all is well," Nessa, Laura's mother, said.
We weren't alone in the mailroom, but the only other person here was Bless, her other daughter. She though was busy preparing letters, and judging by the way she was so focused on her task and humming a tune as she did so, I doubted she was paying much attention at all to our conversation.
"I'm not really sure what's going on, but I'm sure Vim will take care of it," I said as I glanced down at Coin's letter. It was… not thin enough to be a single sheet, but it also wasn't more than two pages judging by how thick it felt. The wax that sealed it shut had a neat little engraving on it, though surprisingly was not a coin but instead a tiny ship… maybe the one she and her brother owned and used?
It was too bad I had missed her arrival at SilverCreek…
"Speaking of Vim… did I hear him outside? Did he not want to say hello?" Nessa then asked with a faint smile, one that told she was just teasing and not actually bothered or offended by him not joining into the mailroom.
"He's picking up glass out in the hall. A window broke," I said.
Nessa gave a frown and her daughter stopped humming as she too glanced our way. "What now?" she asked.
I nodded. "One of the hallway windows shattered. Vim's cleaning it up… I uh, don't know if he plans to fix it right away but I assu he will? Or might? He usually does, I think," I said. He hadn't ntioned if he was going to or not, he had just told to co in here and get Coin's ssage while he dealt with it.
Honestly I was very surprised he had allowed even to leave his sight… he had been so adamant earlier about not doing so, yet…
You'd think Renka showing up, without warning, like she just had would have had the opposite effect.
"Huh… did you hear a window break, dear?" Nessa then asked her daughter.
"No… but I've been focused, and the door has been shut," she said, reasoning it away as she went back to her work.
"And humming terribly," Nessa said.
"I'm not as bad as Laura," Bless said with a huff.
I smirked at that and nodded, though didn't comnt aloud that she was right. "She's having fun up north, maybe even too much."
"I'm glad to hear it… Coin had brought us a letter from her, one which she ntions it's her second to us which ans Oplar likely has the first. Not usual for her to be the one behind soone else!" Nessa said with cheer.
Smiling softly, I nodded and enjoyed the human mail clerks for a short ti… but eventually my concern over Vim forced to cut the mont short. I politely left the mailroom and found Vim standing in front of the window he had broken, with another man. One in simple clothes, not priest garb but instead sothing I'd see being worn by a common worker in the city. I didn't know who he was, but he seed to be talking to Vim in a way that made think and assu…
As I stepped over to the two, I concluded the man was in fact one of us. He had an odd scent, one that I had almost thought was wafting in from the now missing window, but upon getting closer I could tell it was coming from him.
He slled familiar. He slled like Brom and Reatti, the erkats.
"I'll handle it for you, Vim. To be honest I've been bored last couple of days, so in fact please let handle it," the man said with a tiny wave at the now missing window. There were oddly only a few shards left around the window fra's edges.
Stepping over to the two, I glanced around for a mont to see if Vim had already gathered up all the glass… and it seed he had. Which ant he had done so without a broom. I knew of course he had no worry or fear over glass, no matter how sharp, but sotis he needed to be a bit more proper. Especially here where normal people walked around occasionally.
Vim sighed but nodded as he turned to glance at . He looked… bothered, of course, but not nearly as much as I expected him to be.
Just what kind of hate was in his heart towards Renka and her people, I wonder? One that was obviously deep and real… yet at the sa ti…
"Oh my? The pride of the savannah! Hello, you're unmistakably Rennalee. My na is Lorto, it's a pleasure to finally et you," the man turned and imdiately broke out into an odd smile as he stepped forward and… instead of reaching out to shake my hand he bowed.
My back got a little stiff as I watched the man, who was taller than by a full head, bowed low enough that I could see the top of his head. I noted he had what at first I had thought was a bald spot, but after studying it for a small mont I realized it was a long windy scar. He had no hair growing from the hand-length scar, though had enough hair everywhere else that it wasn't too noticeable. In fact the only reason I had even saw it was because of his bow.
"Um… it's a pleasure to et you too, Lorto… I hope you don't find this rude if I ask, but are you perchance a erkat?" I asked.
The bowing man tilted his head… and then slowly stood back up. "Why, yes. I am. However did you notice?" he asked, and did so in a way that told he was genuinely shocked.
"I know a couple others…" I started to say their nas but glanced at Vim first for conformation. He luckily wasn't lost in thought as he had been lately, understandably, and gave a tiny nod.
"She's friends with Reatti… a younger erkat who joined the Society not too long after you guys all left for the other continent," Vim said
Lorto frowned at that. "I had not been aware any of us had remained! That's… shocking news, especially since I don't recognize the na! I wonder just who she's related to?" Lorto wondered as he crossed his arms in thought.
I frowned a bit at the way he seed to be so seriously considering such thing… as if…
"Is it… strange?" I asked, a tad worried about his reaction.
Vim was the one who nodded. "There were only a few families of erkats to ever exist, though they were large they were very close knit and pretty much all of them had been involved in the Society from the beginning. Reatti and her brother were…" Vim was about to explain further, but the man startled and hurriedly reached out to grab Vim by the arm, interrupting him.
"Brother!? There's a male!?"
I flinched, but not because of his shout… as Vim kindly took the brunt of the mont for and slowly shook his head. "No… Sadly Brom passed away not too long ago. Reatti is the only erkat, that I know of at least, other than you and the others who returned."
The man's shoulders slumped, heavily… and he groaned, suddenly looking so disappointed and defeated that it was actually unsettling…
Glancing at Vim, for answers and maybe so kind of guidance, I found him gently smiling at . He gestured ever so gently at Lorto and nodded. "erkats are practically always born female. At least, our kind are. I uh… I'm assuming there are none, at the mont, then? Based off your reaction, Lorto," Vim asked the man.
Lorto heaved a sigh and nodded. "Not a one… I'm the youngest of the four who are left… I apologize… I should be happy to hear of a fellow survivor, yet here I am unable to contain my utter sorrow. Forgive , Rennalee, for showing you such an unseemly sight," Lorto then bowed again towards , though this ti not as deeply.
"Ah… it's okay, Lorto… I understand," I said as I cald down a little.
So he had simply been excited. For those he knew, since if Brom had been alive he might have been a potential mate for those he called family and friends…
And…
I blinked watery eyes as I felt the terrible realization that I had likely just dood an entire line of peoples.
"No matter… Reatti you said? Not a na I recognize, but still not sothing a human would be called… might I inquire of her status, Vim? Is she nearby?" Lorto stood back up, and seed a bit calr now… though I could still see the utter sadness on his face and hear it in his voice. The fact he was still so disturbed by such sudden, then disastrous news, made feel all the more terrible.
This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
Just how many would receive similar monts? To have heartbeats of utter joy and thrill, upon hearing of potential family and friends… only for it to co crashing down as reality smacked into them? And said reality only existed because of …? Because of my actions?
"Renn… would you do a favor?" Vim then got my attention, and I was glad for it because I suddenly felt like crying. And I didn't want to do that… because then I'd have to explain to Lorto why his hopes had just been crushed.
But… I had to, didn't I? Shouldn't I say it…? I…
"Hm…?" I glanced at Vim, and didn't like the way he was looking at .
Vim knew what was wrong. He was looking at with eyes full of not just concern… but understanding.
He knew this feeling well, didn't he? "Is that the ssage?" he asked with a point downward. I glanced down, wondering what he was talking about… and then flinched at the letter. One that was now crumpled in my grip.
Woops… "Um… yes," I said, a bit sheepishly. Gosh hopefully it was just papers inside… sotis certain letters had special items, such as when Lomi had sent so wheat in hers.
"I see… would you mind reading it for ? Just in case it's sothing I don't want to read myself," he asked.
"Oh? Sure…" I nodded softly and used the opportunity to give Lorto a bow in return, finally. "It was nice to et you Lorto…" I said as I started to step away.
"Pleasure was all mine, have a good day pride of our savannah," he said with another small bow in return.
My ears fluttered under my hat, and I made sure to make a ntal note to ask Vim what he ant by that later… for now though I was going to graciously accept the chance to escape before my heart really did break.
Stepping away as Vim and Lorto returned to talking about the window, I breathed a tiny sigh of both relief and disappointnt… as I felt my heavy shoulders slump as I walked down the hallway and started to open Coin's letter.
I wasn't entirely sure if Vim really did want to read her letter for him or not, since I had been able to tell he had noticed my swirling emotions… and had thus given a way to escape the situation, but I figured it would both give sothing to distract my now pained heart and that neither Coin or Vim would mind if I actually did.
Reading such letters for him was kind of one of my main jobs, being his wife and all…
Rounding a corner, I slowed a bit as I pulled out what looked to be three pages… and then I had to slightly unfold them a bit more than usual since I had crumpled them in my distress earlier.
"Isn't often I'm struck so directly," I whispered as I thought of what had just happened.
Brom was dead because of . And there were people out there who had needed him. If the erkats were anything like so of our other mbers, they desperately preferred partnering with their own bloodlines… so…
Not only did I likely cost soone a potential mate and husband, I had also dood an entire bloodline to either obscurity or destruction… since now that they would have to have children with others, or even humans, their own children would then in turn be less non-human… and thus less likely to live as long or as healthily… and…
I sniffed as I forcefully stopped myself from thinking past those thoughts, and focused on the letters.
Coin seed to have written two letters… and… "A map…?" I wondered as I studied a slightly crude drawing of what looked to be Telmik. The Cathedral, depicted by crude spikes and towers, was in the left corner and there were streets and other landmarks drawn around it… leading to what looked like a building in the southern district.
"I could not stay long, they know of you and I told them to expect your coming. Will see you in Lun…" I whispered Coin's beginning of her letter, which then diverted in topic to her complaining that her brother had refused to take on another task, again…
Frowning softly, I wondered what the big deal was for her brother to opt to not separate from her. The whole second page of her letter was her complaining over Ledger's unwillingness to accept a task on his own, and…
"Does she… not like him, or sothing?" I wondered as I finished reading her letter. She had, near the end, stopped complaining about her brother and instead again switched back to speaking to Vim in Lun. She was looking forward to talking to him about sothing important, as to continue a conversation they had started last they t.
"Who? ?"
I didn't startle upon hearing Vim's voice, but I did warily glance around upon hearing him… as to make sure he was alone. He was. "Ledger. Her brother," I said.
"Ah…" Vim slowly nodded with a soft smile. "Rather she just… wants him to be happy, and more than he is. But he's got different ideas of how to live his life, is all."
"She's upset he turned down a job. One that would have led him southward, while she heads to Lun," I said as I showed him the letters… and then dug out the map she'd drawn for him. "And she says you're to go here, that they're expecting you."
Vim didn't frown as he took the map… but he did sigh softly, in a way that told he full well knew what Coin was talking about.
"Is it bad…?" I asked carefully.
"Yes. Did she not ntion riah at all?"
riah…? "No? Other than her complaining about her brother, which was a full page on its own by the way, she only ntions she looks forward to talking to you in Lun as to continue your conversation and also that she hadn't been able to wait long enough and so you're to go there and whomsoever there is expecting you… is that where riah is?" I asked, a tad excited to potentially see my friend again. I liked riah, she was unique.
"Sothing tells no, she's not… but we're going to find out," Vim said as he studied the rough map Coin had drawn for him.
Although I was unsure if I should bring it up or not… since it was obvious Vim was doing all he could to avoid talking about it, I felt I had no choice. "Are we um… sure? We should? I an… is that outside of the town?" I asked carefully.
Vim's eyes narrowed at the map… and then slowly looked up from it as to glare at instead. "Telmik. She had said Telmik, not the church itself."
"Should we risk it though? What if she ant…"
Vim shifted, and before I could say more sothing else broke nearby. I flinched as I turned a little… and watched a small piece of the roof fall down a few feet from us. It was a piece of brick and upon landing on other bricks made a noise and broke into more pieces.
"Vim…" I groaned at him
He handed back the map as he stepped away towards the middle of the hallway, where the piece of brick had fallen from. He stared up at the ceiling, at a noticeable white spot that was now there. I wasn't sure if the inside of the bricks were what was so much whiter than the outsides, or if the outer layer of the bricks were just darker thanks to age and wear, but the white spot was rather bright.
"Doesn't look too bad, just a piece of the outer brick broke," Vim said after a mont of study.
"How is it you break things in such odd ways anyway?" I asked as I folded up Coin's letters and map as to make sure I didn't break or lose them during all this commotion.
Vim took in a deep breath… and then after a mont of holding it he turned and shook his head at . "You're right, Renn… as much as I'd like to blatantly ignore Renka's words, as to not give them any credit whatsoever… it would be foolish. You're right. I can't risk you just because I want to be petty. I'll go alone. You stay here, just to be safe."
I blinked a few tis, a tad shocked Vim had so readily brought us back to this topic… and also had done so in such a pure way.
"I… okay…?" I wasn't sure what to say, or do, so I simply nodded and accepted it.
Did this an he really was taking this seriously…? Or was this just… his typical protective self, the part of him that refused to ever risk or allow any of those he cherished or felt responsible for to ever be put in any kind of danger?
Vim sighed as he bent down and picked up the few pieces of the broken brick. They sounded hollow as they banged against each other in his hand. "Can you believe she's likely been spying on us this whole ti…? Ridiculous," he muttered.
I blinked at that, and then smiled as I nodded. "It is a little weird," I agreed. I wonder just how long she's been watching us? She had used that phrase of his, his trying his best one, and that was sothing he had started using… well… it felt like a long ti ago, but in reality it was only a few months ago maybe. A year at most…?
"Maybe I should just try to kill her the next ti I see her…" Vim then mumbled as he pocketed the brick pieces.
"Considering she could have hurt or killed this whole ti, and hasn't done so, is pretty telling though isn't it…? Should we not wait to find out why she'd not at least attempt it?" I asked.
Vim glanced at … and for a tiny mont just glared at , and then he begrudgingly nodded. "I guess…"
Oh my! He was acting not too unalike the way Fly or one of the other younger children acted when forced to admit sothing they didn't want to!
A little amused over his childish reaction to the scenario, I nodded and reached over to gently pat him on the arm. "Thanks for earlier, by the way," I said.
"Hm…? For not destroying the whole church upon seeing her? Yes, you're welco."
"Well… yes. But no. I ant just a bit ago with Lorto. I… well…"
Before I could explain, Vim simply nodded and gave a tiny nudge with his elbow. "All's well, Renn. You can take your ti, confront it, or keep what happened to yourself until the day you die. Don't let others dictate your thod of living, do what lets you sleep at night," he said.
My face got a tad warm as I nodded. "Thanks… I plan to let him know later… I just… need a little ti to collect myself before I do, is all," I said.
Vim simply shrugged. "Take all the ti you need… I an, really Renn… look at . Thousands of years later and I still struggle to even ntion certain things or mistakes I've made, and I personally have rules that are supposed to not allow that. So… yeah."
Sothing told the mistakes he spoke of were far worse in magnitude than my own, but I nodded and agreed all the sa. Especially since it made feel a bit… better to know I wasn't alone in such a thing. Even if it wasn't a good thing to not be alone in this instance… Since after all we were talking about my actions having led to Brom's death.
"Now let's change focus before we both get all depressed and awkward… how about you take up Fizz's offer while I go check out this… place Coin is sending to," Vim then said with a nod.
"Hm…? Sure…?"
It was a tad disappointing I'd not get to go with him, but at the sa ti I was also a bit glad.
Maybe now I could spend so more ti with everyone before we leave… now that I didn't need to stay under Vim's watchful eyes anymore.
I of course wasn't too bothered with such a thing… I an, spend ti with Vim? That was one of if not the very top most important things on my list of activities… but I also enjoyed my ti with everyone else. Enough so that I had been a bit worried over it these last few hours, stressing over the fact that Vim might have kept forcing to stay near him for an unknown amount of ti.
Hopefully he handled Renka and… whatever else he needed to deal with concerning the gods soon… before he felt the need to be overprotective once more.
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