Fantasy Drops of Ember (with TheDarkButterfly)

[Shy2Infinity]

As she ate, she began to lower her guard without quite thinking about it. The aura of the large room was quite relaxing and jubilant, it didn't sound like there would be a fight breaking out any time soon. Nor did she really think that they were still about to spring a trap on her. Why on earth would someone put so much effort into saving her, letting her bathe, cutting her hair, and feeding her only to kill her or capture her? That was too much of a paranoid thought, even for her.

Eventually though, she began to ebb off. Pushing the bowl slightly away from her, she went back to sipping at her tea. Instead of answering Ame out loud, she offered a sleepy nod. Full and content, all she really wanted to do was crawl into a bed and sleep away the day.

 

[TheDarkButterfly]

The three companions sat in silence for a while, enjoying the chatter of the hall. Eventually, Ame and Knight finished their drinks and waved off the woman, not wanting a refill. Ame stood and tapped on Cinder's shoulder. "Ready for a warm bed?" She asked gently. "You get to sleep in for however long you want to tomorrow. Sound like a deal?"

"I'll walk you two there." Knight said, ignoring Ame's scoff and eye roll as he went to the door, holding it open for them. "Best to get going, or I'll end up having to carry her there." He told Ame playfully, clearly only teasing the other two.

 

[Shy2Infinity]

By the time Ame had spoken to her, she was about to doze off. She half jumped as Ame tapped her on the shoulder, and slowly raised her gaze to meet the woman's. Her head bobbed a bit as Ame spoke to her, clenching her jaw against the yawn that nearly snaked from her lips. "Deal, she mumbled and rested her hands against the table top, heaving up onto her feet. She barely reacted to Knight's words at first, as she pushed away from the table. It's only with his last words that she manages to rouse herself to respond. It's with a huff she grumbles, "I'm not a child..." But there's no bite to it and her words end on a yawn. She blinks hard against the sleepiness, brushing her hands roughly against her eyes to rub away the sleepy tears.

 

[TheDarkButterfly]

Both people chuckled as they started to walk to where Cinder's new home would be. The night was peaceful and the sky was clear. They walked in silence until they reached the small building that was now Cinder's. Ame opened the door for her and Knight bowed to the two of them. "Good night, ladies. Sleep well." Ame scoffed softly. "Try and take our hands to kiss, and I'll break yours." She said playfully before ushering Cinder into the room to help get her settled in for the night.

Knight left them to settle in and took a walk for a while, letting the quiet of the woods surrounding them wash over him. It had been a long day, but a successful one. Eventually he went back to his own place and settled in for the night, finally able to relieve himself of the mask for a while. He kept it beside the bed for easy access, just in case though. If the others ever found out his true face, he wasn't sure what would happen, either to him or the revolution.

 

[Shy2Infinity]

As she followed the two to her new home, she struggled to get the sleepiness away. She was thankful for the silence from the two, because she doubted that she would be able to speak much. The night was cool, and the chill only served to lure her further into sleepiness, like a lullaby. And yet, she continued to refrain from holding onto one of the two, too terribly prideful to do such a thing. And finally, they made it to her new home. She rubbed her eyes sleepily, lips screwing up at Knight's words. "Don't call me that." She was too sleepy to figure out why it annoyed her so much. After all, she still identified as a lady, if only somewhat. Maybe she was just put off by the manners? Maybe she was annoyed that he seemed to be thinking of her as some noble lady when she really wasn't?

At least... She didn't think of herself as one.

She followed Ame into the house and though it took many metaphorical steps to get to that point, she fell asleep the moment her head hit her pillow.

 

[TheDarkButterfly]

Morning found Knight deep in the woods, meditating quietly with the flora and fauna around him. He had been in his spot for so long that a doe had deemed him safe enough to graze somewhat nearby with her fawn playing happily beside her. His stillness and the white of his dress nearly rendered him statue-like in the growing light, the beams of morning sun casting down on his form and setting the silver-workings of his mask aflame. He stayed there for a while longer before silently standing, ghosting through the underbrush and leaving the spot as if he had never been there. It was for the small moments of peace that he found that drove him to keep going forward with his task.

The small rebel village was now bustling with activity as the others woke and started with their work for the day. Some were building yet more small homes for those that would join their efforts, while others tended to horses or went to relieve the night watches. A sturdy man noticed Knights approach and strode up purposefully, clasping Knights hand in a firm shake. "They tell me you were successful in your trip yesterday, lad." He rumbled. "Good work. The Lady will be much pleased to hear of it."

"My thanks for your hard work, Triever." Knight replied, unphased by how the other man dwarfed him in size. "I am glad to see you in good health. The mission went smoothly with nothing of note."

"Good, good." Triever patted Knights shoulder, careful to contain his strength as to not batter the smaller man. "I shall buy you a drink tonight to celebrate!"

 

[Shy2Infinity]

That night was blissfully kind to her. Perhaps it was because of how exhausted she was, or maybe it was simply that she wasn't thinking about him before hand. Whatever case it was, that night had seen her with no nightmares to speak of. In fact, her sleep was dreamless, which was just as fine. Because she wanted to get all the sleep she could get for the days to come. By the time the day's light peeked through her windows, she was starting to stir.

She'd never gotten such a good night's sleep before.

Pulling her legs in close to her body, her eyes opened... And then promptly shut again, a groan escaping her as the light pierced her eyes. Hesitating another moment, she squinted her eyes and peered out the window. This time, the sun's beams didn't hurt quite as much. Slipping an arm beneath her pillow, she considered leaving the bed. Stepping out into the day's chatter was not an enviable thought. And besides, Ame said she could sleep in for that day. Her brows furrowed, however, at this thought; how long had she been sleeping, actually? The fact that she didn't quite know was disquieting.

Leaning up slightly, she tried to get a better reading on the sun from out the window. From the way the sun was positioned... The after noon? She immediately tossed the blankets aside as her heart skipped a beat. Sure, they'd said that she could sleep in, but did they really mean for her to sleep in this long? Scrambling from the bed, she almost flew out the door... Until she looked down and realized that she'd essentially slept in the clothes she'd had on yesterday. Her steps slowed as she looked around the place, taking everything in for the first time.

Going to the dresser, she pulled out some clothing. They'd really thought about everything, huh? Knight's noble presence was the first thing to invade her mind and her jaw clenched against the flood of warmth that flushed her face. Ridiculous. Why he had to appear in her mind like this was annoying. Trying desperately to push him out of her mind, she decided to get dressed.

 

[TheDarkButterfly]

Ame met up with Knight and Triever, talking with the two men for a long while about which direction the Lady wished the revolution to go to. Triever worked directly under the Lady and had been the one to lead Knight to the village in the first place. Ame had been rather abrasive at first until Triever had pulled her aside and talked with her a long time alone, explaining Knight's purpose and role to be played in the revolution. She had warmed up to him afterward.

"The Lady wishes to meet her after she's recovered." Triever told the other two. "She has great plans, I'm sure. She wishes you to escort her, Knight. Judge when she's ready and then bring her to the Lady. I can stay for a couple of nights only, and then I must be off again to return to her. Is there anything else you have to report to me or her?" He nodded after Ame and Knight shook their heads in turn. "Good. Then the rest of my time here can be spent relaxing." He chuckled.

 

[Shy2Infinity]

After she'd gotten dressed, she flung open the door and stood in the entrance, hesitating on the boundary between one world and the next. Once she left, she'd be swept up into the revolution's game and now that she'd gotten a good night's sleep, she'd realized that. She looked around for Knight and Ame, figuring that finding them ought to be a good first step. But still, she hesitated. They were no where that she could see, but then again, finding them would require that she actually leave her new home.

Clenching her jaw on a growl, she shook her head at herself. It was ridiculous. What did she have to be nervous about? Forcibly putting one foot in front of the other, she closed the door shut behind her. There were a few curious looks she'd earned as she went on her journey to find Ame and Knight. If anything, at least she could use this opportunity to explore since the day before had been spent getting swept up in exhaustion, hunger, and the like.

Now that she thought about it... She brushed her drowsy eyes and frowned. It might help her wake up if she grabbed something to eat. Hopefully the mess hall still had something. With destination in mind, she tried to recall the route from the night before and retraced her steps.

 

[TheDarkButterfly]

"Come! I wish for a hearty meal and then to meet our little rescue! Perhaps even at the same time!" Ame and Knight shook their heads as the burly man went off to the hall in search of food. They followed him at a more relaxed pace, knowing that if they had wished to keep up they would almost have to jog. He held the door for them, almost having to duck its frame to enter the building.

Knight looked a moment before spotting Cinder at a table, going to her with the other two in tow. "Morning. Did you sleep well?" He asked politely as a different woman, much older than the one last night, came over to get what they wished to drink and eat.

"Hello, little lady." Triever rumbled to Cinder, smiling as to not scare her with his size. "Nice to meet you!"

 

[Shy2Infinity]

Admittedly, it had taken her a bit to find the mess hall. She had not been entirely awake the night before and could only remember bits and pieces. What she remembered most was the smoke crawling from the mess hall's chimney. Still, it had taken her close to no time at all to set foot into the mess hall and once she did, she couldn't help breathing deeply. Her stomach rumbled, brought sharply awake by the sudden assault on her senses. Thankfully, she was not with Ame or Knight this time or she was certain they'd laugh...

She went over to a table and took her seat, fidgeting sheepishly. She'd been with Ame and Knight the night before, so it was somewhat awkward to be the only one there this time. The thought of her being awkward was annoying. Come on! She was a fearsome assassin! For someone like her to be beaten by a little social awkwardness was idiotic!

She was so distracted with her thoughts that she jumped when Knight called out to her. Looking up, she blinked at them. There was a different person with them this time... Ah, I guess it's the day to get all my introductions out of the way. "Um... Yeah," she directed her focus to Knight first, rubbing the back of her neck awkwardly. She was completely unwilling to state just how good her sleep had been. Then her focus went to the woman that had come to get their order. And with a couple of hand gestures, she'd gotten her point across. Now all that was left was the BIG guy. And big he was, she had no doubt that he had to duck to make it through the door.

"Nice... To meet you too," she frowned and wondered if she should give her name. That would be the correct thing to do, right? "I'm Cinder."

 

[TheDarkButterfly]

"Cinder! What a pretty name! Please, call me Triever." He settled into one of the chairs and Knight and Ame took the other two, making themselves comfortable. "You look quite well for what you've gone through. I'm glad. It was a good choice to trust Knight with the task of rescuing you. Although the symbolism would be lost on most." He chuckled, ignoring the sharp look from both Ame and Knight.

Their food came quickly and Triever tucked right in, standing on no ceremony. "Eat up, Cinder! Get some meat on those bones of yours!" He said jollily between bites of his own meal. "We can get better acquainted once we're finished, eh?"

 

[Shy2Infinity]

She nodded, resolving to commit his name to memory. Although she couldn't help wondering if everyone was as exhausting as this guy. She didn't quite know what to make of him. He had a lot of energy, sure. But she was quickly coming to find that it'd probably be exhausting to hang out around him. She looked at Knight and Ame, trying to figure out how to handle him. She'd never been in a position to be around people before...

Then, his comment about symbolism stuck out to her and she couldn't help bristling. Not noticing Ame and Knight's sharp look, her gaze quickly shot to the burly man. What symbolism was he talking about? That Knight was her knight in shining armor? Or something of that nature?

The nerve... He most definitely wasn't that! But before she could say anything, their food came and her annoyed words evaporated like smoke. With a huff, she reluctantly tucked into her food.

 

[TheDarkButterfly]

The companions ate in a comfortable silence, Triever ending up with a second portion. He was quite bigger than the rest of them after all. Knight finished first and kept an eye on the door, sipping at the hot tea that had a delicate aroma. It was new and he found it quite pleasant.

Soon the other two had also finished and now sat enjoying the quiet company that they kept at the moment. Triever leaned back in his chair with a lazy sigh and patted his full belly. "That's want I needed. Nothing beats a good hot meal and pretty company." He didn't bother to clarify who exactly he was teasing, but the playful look he gave Knight made it clear he was trying to get some form of reaction from the smaller male. Knight didn't even bat an eye as he blatantly ignored the teasing. Undiscouraged, Triever went on. "I think I could go for a nice walk to work all this off. How's that sound to you all? We can get to know each other as we go, eh?"

 

[Shy2Infinity]

She decidedly felt awkward with the man's company. It was hard to imagine that someone could be so enthusiastic to. Perhaps she wasn't used to someone so overly enthusiastic, but she felt that she probably wasn't going to spend much time in his company if she could help it. As she ate, she found herself glancing at Knight more than once. He kept looking at the door and she wondered if he might want leave as much as she did.

She quickly looked away, hopefully before he noticed her staring at him. Stars, it wasn't like her to fixate on someone so much. It was almost like she was crushing, and she'd deny that to her last, bitter breath. No, it's almost like-- That thought she squashed before it could finish. Because to think such a thing would be horrifying...

Though Cinder didn't answer Triever, she doubted he cared. It didn't take her long to finish eating and she sipped away at her tea, trying her best to look anywhere but at Knight.

 

[TheDarkButterfly]

Triever was the first to stand and Knight and Ame followed, finishing their drinks. "Alright, let's go for our walk and we can talk for a while. I'm sure you have some questions and hopefully, I have some answers for you, Cinder. There are things we must discuss, as well." There was a serious tone beneath the joviality. It was heavily implied that such things could not be so easily spoken in the presence of so many others.

Knight was the first to the door, opening it for the others. Triever was the first out, stretching in the sunlight with a satisfied grunt. It was turning out to be a beautiful day and the sun was warm but not hot. Truly a perfect day for a walk, and promising for being undisturbed while they talked.

 

[Shy2Infinity]

She blinked in surprise as the three stood. She continued to sat right where she was sitting, up until she sensed the serious tone beneath his joviality. Ah, so there was something more to this conversation. Something that he didn't want the whole mess hall to hear. With a nod, she downed the rest of her tea. Pushing away from the table, she glanced from Knight to Ame and tried to glean what they could be about to talk about. But Knight was wearing that stupid mask and Ame's face was impossible to read. She offered Knight a nod of thanks as she passed him and once outside, she couldn't help squinting.

It might have been a warm, pleasant day but the sun's rays still burned her eyes. And in the dimness of the mess hall, the sun's light hadn't been able to penetrate. She looked around the bustling village, wondering where they could possibly go that wouldn't have lots of people around.

 

[TheDarkButterfly]

Triever smiled at the other three before starting off into the surrounding woods, expecting them to follow. He walked in silence for a while, enjoying the peace the woods granted them. Ame and Knight trailed behind him, letting the larger man choose the path for now. They walked until they came upon a glade a ways from the village and from prying eyes and ears. Triever found a log for them to sit on and patted the bark as he sat on the larger end, inviting the others to take a seat. Ame obliged but Knight remained standing.

"Alright, Cinder. What questions do you have for me? I swear that I will do my best to answer what I am allowed to."

 

[Shy2Infinity]

The silence made the back of her neck prickle. With every step, she yearned to break the silence. It was unnerving and yet, she didn't know what to say. And the sense of Ame and Knight close by, their body heat radiating from them, did little to quell her sudden unease. This far from the village, she couldn't help but be put on edge. What if an ambush lay in wait for them? But neither of the three seemed the least bit worried and she couldn't help but wondering at the reason behind that. Finally, they came to a clearing -- a glade, of sorts. There was a bubbling brook nearby, a deer looking up at them warily before going back to the water.

Triever's words brought her back to the moment and she considered the question. Ame had been as helpful as ever with her questions, but did she have others? After a moment's thought she frowned and gestured around them. "Aren't you afraid that the Kingdom might find the village? I mean, it's not exactly hidden."

 

[TheDarkButterfly]

Triever chuckled. "No. We are safe for now. Only those that know the way can enter the village. The Lady protects us where she can, especially from the Queen. As long as she cannot get her hands on someone who knows the way and force them to reveal it to her. We must be extra cautious now that we have announced the start of the revolution. We had no ground to stand on before the death of the Prince, but now she knows of our presence, and I'm sure she seeks us." He said seriously. "There are other places that we have too, but they are not under the protection of the Lady as this place is. This is our only true safe haven at the moment."

 

[Shy2Infinity]

His chuckle made her raise a brow. Though she knew that he wasn't making fun of her, she still found herself bristling somewhat. A new object of interest popped out to her though: This Lady. Who was the Lady? Perhaps their leady? She frowned, listening to him talk for a moment. The queen was ruthless. If she found this village, Cinder was positive that no one would survive her wrath. Whoever the Lady was must have been pretty clever to be able to hide them for this long. In fact, she couldn't help being curious about her. With a nod, she gestured a hand vaguely. "And this Lady, Is she the leader of your movement?"

 

[TheDarkButterfly]

Triever nodded. "In a way, yes. She is the one who started gathering everyone together to prepare to take down the Queen. Although, there were some things beyond her expectations." He glanced at Knight when he said this but didn't clarify exactly what those expectations had been. "You will be meeting her soon enough, though. She has requested that Knight escort you to her once you are fully rested. She wishes to meet and speak with you for a while. Don't worry, though. That will only be when you are fully recovered, and she only wants to talk. There will not be anything that she will demand of you, Cinder." He smiled kindly at her. "You have done plenty enough for the revolution. We could not ask more of you."

 

[Shy2Infinity]

She nodded and rocked back on her heels. She was curious to meet their leader, but it didn't seem like she was able to just yet. What kind of a leader would it be to so blatantly take a stand against the Queen? She just couldn't imagine it. The fact that she'd asked Knight to personally escort her to meet the Lady surprised her somewhat. Was it simply because she was another person that'd been added to the rebellion, or because of what she'd done? There was no answer to be found in Triever's face, nor did she expect to find one. Glancing behind her, she took several steps back to lean carefully against the tree.

A thin line spread across Cinder's lips as Triever talked. It was clear his words were meant to be reassuring, but instead she felt slightly uncomfortable. It was becoming increasingly clear that these people had quite a few expectations of her, both big and small. Expectations that she definitely hadn't taken into count when going on her big, bad mission to assassinate the prince. And she couldn't help but wondering how these people would react to discovering that the tyrannical prince had been her soulmate.

With pity, probably. Just the mere thought of that was enough to make her bristle. Still, she rubbed the back of her neck and offered a shrug as she looked elsewhere. "It was the... Least I could do." Did these people know that the prince may not have been in his right mind? That he may have been mind controlled? Did they know that haunted her even now?

 

[TheDarkButterfly]

Knight noticed the shift in her mood and sighed inwardly. "You will like the Lady's gardens." He offered. "They are beautiful to walk through, especially at night. Her realm is certainly one worth visiting." Triever nodded in agreement at his words.

"Yes, the Lady's gardens are certainly spectacular. There are flowers there that you would be hard-pressed to find elsewhere."

"I must ask though Cinder, do you know how to ride a horse? We must take one to reach the Lady and we need to know if you can ride by yourself or if we need to double up and ride together." Knight continued. "If you can ride, we'll prepare you a mount to take when you're ready to go. This is only for when you feel recovered enough to go. There is no rush, and so no need to push yourself."

 

[Shy2Infinity]

When Knight spoke out to her, she gazed at him sidelong. The mention of a garden had two kinds of effects on her. She inwardly recoiled, the mention of a garden made her recall that night, just three days ago. The scent of flowers, the sight of them straining towards the moon, and the prince... Offering her his hand. Offering her the world. She remembered his blood splattering against some of those plants, the way some of those plants drooped as his blood splattered against those leaves. But she remembered how she also used to love plants. That was the sole reason she'd brought him there. Because whenever she had to make a hard decision, the scents calmed her.

Despite being out in nature, surrounded by reminders of her past, she'd never felt so uneasy.

She licked her dry lips. Her heart quickened. She was well aware that they hadn't mentioned the garden to hurt her, quite the contrary. But her hands were clammy and she could hardly think. This wasn't good. Not at all. She had to calm down.

"I can -- I can ride a horse," she stumbled over her words and had she the energy, she probably would have winced. She'd never thought that killing the prince would have this much of an effect on her, especially considering how much she had hated him.

... She had hated him, right?