The Wanderer (Open)

[Aless]

Spring 5, 512 AV

In the end, despite her earlier misgivings, Aless had had to depend on charity.

In the course of three hours since entering the city, she had managed to transform her appearance into something a little more presentable. A kindhearted healer had bandaged the wound on her arm, so instead of the torn cloak that she had tied around it earlier, a neat white bandage wound its way up from her wrist to just below her shoulder. She would have placed her Sontav back on to hide it, but the glove lay in the bottom of her pack. The wound was too fresh, and she didn't mean the physical one.

She had acquired a fresh set of clothes too--her old ones being too damaged in the storm. Her old clothes also stood out too much, being Inarta-make. Her new clothes consisted of a simple shirt, pants, and boots, a dark cloak resting on her shoulders and covering it all. The cloak was a size too big, and it dwarfed her small form slightly. She ignored it, because it was functional. It was more clothing that she was used to, and cut in a completely different style than the clothes she had grown up wearing, but at the moment, she couldn't muster up the will to care, instead tugging on the uncomfortable shirt and continuing to walk through the streets.

She had given up on her hair. It had been a tangled, matted mess. Instead of attempting to sort through it with her brush, she had simply cut it off, shortening it so it fell just a couple of inches below her ears. The end result was that she was almost unrecognizable.

Good... said a little voice inside her head. You wouldn't want anyone to recognize you anyway. What did you have to be proud of?

She shook her head against the voice, shutting out her thoughts and pulling her pack up onto her shoulders as she surveyed the city. For better or for worse, she was stuck here. She couldn't muster up the will to go traveling again, and the thought of making the climb back down nearly made her sick. In all honesty, all she really wanted to do was find a quiet place, curl up, and not move, but she knew that she couldn't do that. In the end, Aless was a survivor, and if she was going to survive, she would need to know what she was up against.

So the girl walked, and studied the city.

[Ecton]

As he exited the apartment building, Ecton began walking through the Zintia. The sights were as normal; shops advertising their wares, a couple inns, houses, and people walking up and down the streets. Sometime soon he was going to pay a visit to one of those shops and get the tools he needed (as well as the materials) for his carving, but he did not do so now. There was time yet left in the day.

Everything seemed to be as usual, that is, as usual as things could be, what with the Djed Storm.

He did, however, notice something that was out of place. Or, more specifically, someone.

A girl, small in stature, was looking around in a manner that the others simply did not. Her hair was in a state of disarray and her cloak was ill-fitting. He certainly had not seen this person before, and she rather stuck out a bit.

Ecton wondered who this person, this girl so out of sync with the city, was. And yet, he did not go towards her, but did stop to sit on a bench, from which he could see her. Perhaps he could figure this out with time and effort. Maybe she would see him. This, of course, was a risk that he was willing to take. She was like a puzzle, one that begged solving, and he was not one to leave an enigma unsolved. Without even thinking about it, he began tapping the bench with his finger in a slow pulse.

[Aless]

Someone was watching her.

Aless felt it as a prickling on the back of her neck, the sudden gut instinct that something was horribly wrong. She didn't know what had tipped her off to it. Perhaps it was something she saw out of the corner of her eye, or maybe she was just being paranoid. Still, after everything that had happened, maybe she had a right to be. The girl's fingers itched for her talon sword, but she kept her hands close to her side, her green eyes roving over the streets in front of her.

She was in no mood to play around.

Her eyes narrowed as they fixed on one man seated on a bench on the other side of the street. He was taller than her--but that wasn't hard--with dark hair and grayish blue eyes. She noticed the eyes because they were fixed on her.

Aless scowled, walking over to him. "Do you want something?" she asked angrily, stopping just a few feet away from him. Out of the reach of his hands, but just close enough that if she tried something, she could use her sword.

[Ecton]

The girl suddenly moved with more purpose, her manner changing entirely, directly towards him. She had noticed him, he knew that much. She stopped well in front of him. Her green eyes were staring sharply, her face in an indignant (though somewhat justified) frown. Her voice came to his ears, and he heard her. However, it what was even more important was the sword that she had with her. Ecton was unarmed at this point, so this situation was potentially dangerous. She was probably stressed and frightened, based on her appearance and tone, which made this all the more dangerous. His fingers began tapping faster. Maybe he should prepare to run away...

No, he thought. He was not going to do that. Being anxious would only make her more suspicious, which was exactly what she did not need. His tapping slowed once more. He was going to be calm and courteous. What should he say, though? The truth was that he wanted to know who she was and why she was in Lhavit, but would she believe it? She looked like she needed some help, and the only reason Lhavit was being charitable at this time was because of the Djed Storm. A lie, however, would further increase her suspicion in him if she detected it. The truth it was.

"Yes. I wish to know who you are, what you are doing here, and if you are in need of assistance. You appear to not know your way around here, you see," he said, standing up, though maintaining the same distance she was at, and subsequently bowed in greeting. It was more than he would normally have said, but he had decided that the situation had rather called for it.

[Aless]

Aless kept the scowl on her face, but on the inside, she was terrified. Her heart was beating so quickly in her chest that she thought it was going to burst out, and the color had drained from her face. The Aless of a few months ago would have been brave, but that was before all of her bravado had cost the lives of everyone that had ever mattered to her. Had almost cost her life. She was sure now that she would be next.

She wanted her sword. But she forced herself to stay still, to keep her hands at her sides and stare down the man without showing fear. She didn't want him to see how badly he had ruffled her feathers.

"I don't..." she began. She trailed off, trying to will some confidence into her voice. "I don't have to tell you any of that." she said, louder this time. To her own ears, she sounded confident, but an observer would know better. Her voice was edged with fear. Like this, she almost looked like a cornered animal. "So, just get lost. I don't need help."

[Ecton]

The girl paled horribly, and spoke, her voice quaking. She was trying to sound confident, but she was not doing so very well. He knew from her words and uncertain tinge to her face that she was very much afraid. He could tell that she was frightened and alone. He knew Lhavit was known for encouraging industry, so charity was not something that was commonplace. Her luck here would run dry soon, as the fallout from the Djed Storm began to settle, and then where would she be?

Ecton frankly felt concerned for her welfare, but he was not blind. She was like a wounded animal; far more prone to lash out at others. The best thing to do, of course, was to give her space. He stepped aside, putting more distance between them.

"Absolutely true. You do not need to tell me anything," he said calmly. The last thing he needed to do right now was raise his voice, make her more angry.

Then, something came over him. He didn't quite know what it was, or why it was happening, but whatever it was made him want to just go, and leave her. It was obvious to him she needed help, and that the chances of her finding it here were decreasing every day, but something inside him made him want to just go.

This strange urge was something he fought at first, but it began to make too much sense to him. Was this really any of his business? Shouldn't he just go? Ecton turned away. He would have started walking, but he balked, lost in thought.

[Aless]

He was leaving.

Just like that, he was leaving.

Aless clenched her fists close to her side, her hands trembling. She had told him to leave, and he left. That should have been a good thing. She should have been happy. She didn't need help. She'd always been fine on her own. She was the leader. She was strong. She helped everyone, and didn't need to depend on anyone. That was how she had always been.

So why...why was she so scared now that he was turning away?

Some leader you are... said an ugly voice in her head. You couldn't even protect the people who depended on you.

He turned away from her, his back towards her as he took a step forward. Aless lowered her eyes to the ground, hot tears beginning to form in them as her shoulders shook. She tried to will them away. She didn't cry. She had never...

You can't even protect yourself, can you?

Her nails dug into her palms. She bit her lip.

In an instant, she had crossed the distance between them, grabbing onto one of his hands with both of hers and stopping him from moving. When he turned around, she would be staring pointedly at the ground, not looking at him. Her face burned with embarrassment, and her green eyes were brimming with tears. "Please..." she said quietly under her breath. Every word pained her. She had never asked for help before. Never. "I don't know what to do...so...please..."

"...Help me..."

[Ecton]

Right after he had taken his first step, something happened. His right hand had been grabbed, and he knew exactly who had done it. The feeling shot up his arm due to the unexpected nature of the event. And then her voice came.

She asked him for help.

Ecton hardly knew what to say. He turned around and saw her face. She was embarrassed, but there was much more. She was alone and afraid.

He had seen that sort of face before. When his mother had learned of his father's demise, she had made a face like that before. The despair in this girl's eyes reminded Ecton of when he learned that his father was never coming home.

He knew that she had lost something meaningful.

What was so amazing to him, though, was that she had finally said this. She had admitted weakness, had demonstrated her plight. She had put herself into his hands with this statement.

He would not let her down now.

"You..." he said, choking up, "are very brave."

Perhaps she would not understand why he thought she was brave. Maybe she would think he was mocking her. However, he had said it with the utmost sincerity, and it was doubtful anyone could think he was lying.

But what to do next? What would happen from here on in?

The things that came to mind were simple: She needed shelter, and he needed her name. He had shelter. His apartment, though simple and single-bedroomed, could be used for two. He had a spare blanket and pillow she could use. However, what stuck in her mind was her name. He needed to know her name.

"Brave girl... What is your name?" he asked of her.

[Aless]

You...are very brave.

Aless scowled, turning her eyes away as anger coursed through her. Was he insulting her? He had to have been. There was nothing brave about this. This was weakness, pathetic weakness that she had denied having her whole life.

The tears that were in her eyes began to leak out the sides, trickling down her cheek one after another and falling onto the ground. Her whole life, people had called her weak, and her whole life, she had wanted to prove them wrong. This was supposed to be her chance, her chance to prove her strength. She would leave, she would get away, and she would make it on her own.

And now what had happened? She would only end up proving them right.

He asked for her name, and for a moment, she almost didn't tell him. But what more could she lose? She had already been humiliated enough. If she didn't answer him, he would probably leave again.

"...Aless..." she said quietly.

[Ecton]

It was obvious to him that she did not understand his admission of her bravery, and for this he was downcast. He was not entriely surprised, but it was still disenheartening. He closed his eyes and breathed deeply.

The problem was not her mind, but her heart. Or was it the other way around? The two are so intertwined... there is no real difference. Still he had figured out that the issue was not so much mental or cognitive, but emotional. She was still on edge, hypersensitive... Or maybe the explanation was simpler. Regardless, he would have to tread carefully...

And then she said her name.

Aless... what sort of name was it? What was its origin... what was its meaning? Did either of those things matter anyway? He knew it now, at least, which was a step in the right direction.

The next logical step would be to tell her his name, but then the situation grew difficult. It was obvious to him that the last thing he needed was for her to feel like she was disrespecting her (he figured he had done that enough already!), and as such should avoid a paternal, commanding, or patronizing voice in any manner. What he needed to do was establish to her that they were on equal ground. The issue for him was not what to say, but how to say it. Indeed, that issue seemed to be pervasive in his life... he felt like he had a penchant for saying the wrong thing, and usually kept his mouth shut as such.

What, however, to say? He figured he should not remark about her name, due to the obvious risks involving voice. He did not want to say much, to minimize the risk of saying something bad... or was he overanalyzing this? No... this was important enough to him now.

The best course of action, he decided, would be a question after his own name admission. There were a number of questions to ask... where she came from, if she needed a roof... so much to ask, so little room to work with. Or, perhaps he should ask a more general, broad-based question? A broad-based question had advantages and disadvantages...

Time! Too little time! Such a long, odd pause... surely this would be uncomfortable! He needed to just act! Speak now!

"I am Ecton," he said, "what do you need?"

He had said it in an upbeat, vigorous manner.

What was wrong with him? Why had he said it like that? Sure, the tone was friendly, but... what he had said, he had said. No use dwelling on it, it was out there.