"Aaahh... uhhhn," Norowa Reta rubbed her eyes, gradually sitting up from her comatose state. What happened before that left her in such a sad state, she wondered to herself. Her memory was in a daze, nothing but a foggy recollection of puzzled thoughts. She recalled experiencing these strong emotions flaring up while around Felix and KuliKuli, she was upset about something. Looking around, she found herself resting in a rather uncomfortable bed. The surface felt hard under her body, almost like she was resting on a piece of slab with a cloth blanket thrown under for some resemblance of comfort. Feeling around her bed conformed its discomfort, her vision began to focus when she realized the dozens of candles lit around her.
"Nani?" She held her breath, rubbing her hand and spinning around. This was no bedroom, this was an alter. She was in a church, her body left to rest upon the alter at the end of the walkway. Numerous rows of wooden benches were left mostly empty, only a few occupied by strange men on their knees whispering the same prayers under their breath. She looked down and realized she was dressed in a loose white robe, the silk fabric felt comfortable against her skin but she questioned how and when she was given a change of clothes. Even her top knot was undone, her blue hair left flowing at neck length like a cascading waterfall. She held her breath when a young man approached her, raising his brow with a silver chalice in his hands. It was decorated with three green jewels surrounding the chalice, neatly decorated with eloquent engravings above the stem. He offered it to her, she cautiously retrieved it and peaked at its red liquid contents inside. The smell was a familiar sweetness that reminded her of Janette's celebratory beverage.
"My apologies miss, it's wine." The young man explained, wiping his brow. "My name is Raz, Father will be with you shortly. Drink, it contains natural properties known to tame the stress from a worried heart."
Reta brushed her hair out of her eyes, pressing the lid to her lips and carefully sipping the wine. She licked her lips, savoring its rich flavor.
"Please don't be alarmed, it would be unforgiving of me to poison a guest after saving her."
Reta turned around, spotting Perdilius appear from around the corner. He offered a warm smile, patting Raz on his shoulder. "My son here was generous enough to carry you here. We saw fit to offer aid, how could we not after all I had come to know about you."
"Me?" Reta rubbed the side of her head, keeping the chalice on her thigh as she sat up on the altar. "I... I was drunk."
"Yes, I'm afraid you took to abusing the alcohol beverages at the local tavern. You shared plenty with me the other night after I offered to listen, seemed you needed a friend to carry the stress you were going through." Perdilius explained, drumming his fingers against the hard book in his hand.
"I didn't..." Reta whined, looking down at the wine in her hand. "Where are my friends, why am I not in chains?"
"Hmm." Perdilius hummed to himself, stepping in close to take a seat next to her. "Your friends, yes. I doth fear that your friends were nowhere to be found. It would appear that you were abandoned in your hour of sorrow, it broke my heart to see you suffer so. It would be against my comforting heart not to give aid to a soul in need such as yourself."
"No!" Reta leapt to her feet, moving behind the altar table as Raz took a step toward her. Perdilius raises his hand to stop him, and it was then that Reta took notice of the few guards carrying spikes positioned near the front entrance down the pathway. They seemed uneasy with their eyes peering through their metal helmet visors, returning to their prior stance after taking a few steps forward once she made a move. But Perdilius seemed in control, his palm was enough to alert them to return to their posts. He didn't seem the least bit nervous around her, closing his eyes with his head low as Reta glared back at him.
"I remember my Felix was there to comfort me, where is he?" She hissed, turning her head frantically. "Where am I? What have you done with me and where are my clothes?"
"Your clothes were sweaty and stained so we took the liberty of removing them to wash them for you. Do not fret, I assigned some of my female followers to undress you to retain your modesty. They also took the liberty of alerting me of a peculiar scar on your shoulder, an outline of teeth sunken under your skin." Perdilius spoke softly, locking eyes with her. "You are bitten, yes? The way you explained about your... predicament, it was no disease that you suffer from, but a curse. A Wolf's Curse, am I correct?"
Reta's eyes twitched and she stumbled back, her nervous hands trembling as she found herself figuratively pressed against a wall. She reached up and carefully adjusted the collar of her robe, feeling the bite wound on her shoulder as she did so.
Perdilius nodded and lifted the bottom of his robe as he stood up. "You needn't say more, child. I'm a priest, a follower of faith. I've been privy to many heart wrenching tales from my time. Have you heard of the lost city of Faar?"
He paused, carefully analyzing her lost expression before he continued. "I suppose I shouldn't be surprised, you don't strike me as a local based on your physical traits. Those slanted eyes and blue hair are all new to me, but I am naught but humble and accepting to all of the lords' creatures. The city of Faar was a beautiful boiling pot filled with mixed cultures from many different places. It welcomed all as a sort of sanctuary, a humble city perched atop a rich mountain dense with luscious green forests and rich wildlife. Oh it was beautiful, there was children's laughter parading the cobblestone streets as they chased and played, there were cobblers offering to repair or shine your shoes with their stations around the city parks, and at every corner there would be these little shops where they sold the sweetest candy your tongue hath ever tasted, ooooh it was divine!"
He smacked his lips, smiling as he reminisced of his past, momentarily lost in the present before clearing his throat. "Ahem, we benefited from our large population and the city was under the protection of our King and Queen of the Misty Kingdom. I worked under the church and would volunteer my time listening to the stress and woes of our many inhabitants of local men and women. You would not believe how similar their stories were. Dwarves, Elves, Giants and Saurians all speaking their misdeeds, their sins, their remorse and regrets, sharing them to me anonymously. And I would listen and offer my aid to each and every own of them, no matter the size or intensity of the ordeal. For you see, my wife Carmella had the sweetest soul I had ever known. Her heart was of the most giving, her kindness was endless and she knew not how to say no when someone was in need of help."
"She taught me to be patient and to give when others are in need. I do this because of her, she was tragically taken from me when one of our closest friends... deceived us. O' what a tangled web we weave when we first learn to deceive."
He closed his eyes, lamenting on the thought for a moment before lifting his head.
"I am here now in her name and in the name of our most holy. And I am here to tell you that you are not alone, child." He snapped his fingers as Raz approached him with a tiny bottle in his hand. "How long has it been since you've been cursed?"
Reta's eyes darted back and forth between him and the violet liquid contained within the tiny vial. "Two months."
"I see." He raised the vial in front of him. "What you see here is an herbal concoction, it contains many healing ingredients including the Wolfsbane Plant which gives it its violet color here. I am aware that this is no cure for your... condition, but it can help alleviate the symptoms of your transformation."
"What?" Reta gasped, her lip trembling as she eyed the violet held out for her. "Why would you show me this, what is it you want?"
"What I want is to help you child, nothing more. When I found you, you were at your lowest. Neck deep in beer and rum, weeping and drowning in your sorrows. Your friends hath left you, abandoned you when you needed them most."
"You lie." She seethed under a low growl. "They would do no such thing!"
"Do I?" He asked, shaking the vial between his thumb and index finger. "Where are they now? I tried to call for them, lie in wait for them but I see no one here for you. No one but myself. I recognize the feeling of betrayal, I have witnessed its effects on many people in the secrets of the confessional. What is it that brought you here away from your home? What is it that binds your misguided sense of loyalty to these miscreeds who hath brought but shame and pain to those unfortunate to stumble upon thy path?"
Reta paused, her face concentrating on his words as she collected her thoughts. "I am Norowa Reta, the Wolf without a Home. I swore my loyalty to Gaij-"
She hesitated, closing her eyes. "To my friends. They took me in when I had nowhere to go, and they... have offered me their support ever since."
"But not the other day." He mentioned, catching on to her reluctance. "Something happened then, I seem to recall you expressing that your troubles were dismissed amongst your friends."
"We had come across some new faces, they decided that they took priority for the time being."
"Aaah I see, and so they set aside your debacle against your wishes and without asking for your approval first." He nodded, pressing his lips together. "I see now why you found comfort in rum that night."
"Yes." Reta agreed, hanging her head briefly before raising her eyes to him. "But I was briefly cautioned about your presence beforehand, Perdilius. I was informed that you are the reason behind why they run, that you seek them now but the reason behind it is unknown to me."
"I understand, and I want you to know that I have no reason or foresight to apprehend you. I chose not to bind you for a reason, child. I hope you give me a chance to explain myself, do not think I am blinded to you interest on the weapon sheathed on his belt." Perdilius mentioned.
Reta's shoulders sunk in defeat as he rightfully predicted her move, with Raz stepping back out of caution, placing a hand on his sword just in case.
"What would you do if you if you discovered the means to change the world and create a bright future for everyone?" He asked.
Reta blinked and was taken aback by his question.
"Let me rephrase, if you were given the chance to save your friends at the cost of taking a few lives, would you?"
Reta looked down and back. "I would, the bond toward those I trust dearly are worth ending the lives of those who threaten them."
"Then we see eye to eye." He smiled and leaned back into the altar. "I am in pursuit of three Nekomata girls not out of some silly fable of torture or revenge, but for a greater purpose. I have discovered a way to change the course of history through a powerful ritual capable of ridding all sources of dark magic across the land and seas. All the demons, all the monsters, all the monster girls, all would cease to coexist, leaving us in a hopeful world for a brighter future."
"What?"
"You question its validity, I understand. I can't be dishonest and say that I am not without a few doubts myself, I would test it if I could. But this is the test, a means that allows me in one fell swoop to cleanse this world off all those nasty beasts!"
"Why" She asked, shaking her head. "I have heard of a warrior thirsting for bloodshed in battle, but why seek the means to test some mythical ritual when you've no means of predicting its outcome? And with a goal to kill so many, have you given no thought if it kills you as well?"
Perdilius experienced a different facial expression then, his optimistic smile melting away as his tired eyes glared through dark baggy eyelids and the wrinkle on his forehead arched downward to further express an intimidating glare from his demeanor. Some of the candles burned away, the loss of their light accentuated his shadowy expression as he turned his back on her and replied in a deeper voice.
"Thou doth not realize, child, that I hath nothing left to bring into this world. Nothing to fear, nothing to lose. If I perish in this journey, it would mean my life was sacrificed for a greater purpose. If not me, then someone else shall taketh the mantle and cleanse the world of this impurity and valley of darkness. Tell me, this village you came from... what happened that led you away from it?"
Reta paused as they stood in silence. "Exile." She whispered.
"I see, for your curse, yes?" She nodded as he kept his back to her, placing the book over the altar. "I had a home too, the people you see around me are all that remains. We survived and watched helplessly as the city of Faar was drenched in hellfire, listening to the cries of women holding their children, pleading for help and lying to them that everything would be fine. Is that what happened to your home as well? I'm guessing, that curse didn't come after your exile. If it be the reason for it, then there is reason to believe that chaos ensued in your home village. Am I correct?"
"Yes." Reta replied, hanging her head. "I thought... I thought I was alone. I did not know that you lost your home as well. I did not foresee that we would share anything in common, let alone that."
Perdilius grinned unbeknownst to her, smiling as he heard her words before adjusting his composure and turning to face her with a saddened expression of a tired old man seeking help.
"I offer you this vial of Wolfsbane to help you with your curse. It would help you control yourself when fallen under the effects of the full moon, but this size alone is not enough to quench your incoming transformation. I can send word for more but it will take time. All that I ask is for your assistance, help an old man fix this world and make it a little bit better to live in."
Reta hesitated and clutched her white robe when he reached out with his hand for her, his eyes looking sincere as he expressed a warm smile once again.
"Come child, take my hand and I can guide you to a brighter path, lead you to a happy life and a better future. You will be given food, shelter, comfort and all of your expenses will be covered should you take a liking to any trinkets or clothes that you fancy. All I ask is that you help me... and that you trust me. Can you do that for me, Reta?"
She paused, licking her lips and rubbing the mark on her shoulder. Her memory about last night remained foggy and she had a splitting headache, the pain had subsided a bit from the drink she was given but she wondered if the pain was clouding her judgement. He didn't seem unreasonable, quite the contrary. This was no terrifying mad man lusting for power, just a sincere man of the cloth seeking to make something out of his existence. She could relate to that, she felt aimless in her life as well.
No, she argued with herself, that can't be. Felix, KuliKuli, even Janette all offered her aid, support, comfort, and even some nights of exhilarating sex when the mood was right. Maybe a bit more, her mind filled with memories of their time spent together. KuliKuli was a whiny, loud-mouthed brat who couldn't help but express herself in annoying ways. Always jumping up and down in excitement, always yearning to go out into the sun, go for walks or look forward to trips to Farmer's Den. She remembered how wide eyed she was, staring in awe with her jaw on the floor as they explored the carnival on their trip to Kershin Market.
Then there was Felix, the lousy, responsible, stubborn, organized, scrawny excuse of a warrior when she first saw him. He was weak, skinny, and feeble compared to the men of her clan. Yet he was caring to her needs and to KuliKuli, would express compassion when under their company and was patient enough to teach them about the duties to help around the farm. He never mocked her, teased her, or even put her down for being an outsider or foreigner to him. The time when they met Umeka, he and KuliKuli did no hesitate to help free her despite her hostility toward them.
Reta found herself conflicted thinking about the two, missing them dearly now as she stood alone staring at Perdilius and his waiting hand. Time stood still for her as she realized the conflicting feelings she had toward them both. She hated them, she... l-liked them? Did she hate them because she liked them? No, those emotions were seen as weakness in her village, she should no better than to show weakness to anyone else! Even to them... oh how her heart ached as she missed them so.
Norowa Reta sighed, her shoulders falling in defeat as she looked up to meet Perdilius' eyes one last time.
"Aaahh... uhhhn," Norowa Reta rubbed her eyes, gradually sitting up from her comatose state. What happened before that left her in such a sad state, she wondered to herself. Her memory was in a daze, nothing but a foggy recollection of puzzled thoughts. She recalled experiencing these strong emotions flaring up while around Felix and KuliKuli, she was upset about something. Looking around, she found herself resting in a rather uncomfortable bed. The surface felt hard under her body, almost like she was resting on a piece of slab with a cloth blanket thrown under for some resemblance of comfort. Feeling around her bed conformed its discomfort, her vision began to focus when she realized the dozens of candles lit around her.
"Nani?" She held her breath, rubbing her hand and spinning around. This was no bedroom, this was an alter. She was in a church, her body left to rest upon the alter at the end of the walkway. Numerous rows of wooden benches were left mostly empty, only a few occupied by strange men on their knees whispering the same prayers under their breath. She looked down and realized she was dressed in a loose white robe, the silk fabric felt comfortable against her skin but she questioned how and when she was given a change of clothes. Even her top knot was undone, her blue hair left flowing at neck length like a cascading waterfall. She held her breath when a young man approached her, raising his brow with a silver chalice in his hands. It was decorated with three green jewels surrounding the chalice, neatly decorated with eloquent engravings above the stem. He offered it to her, she cautiously retrieved it and peaked at its red liquid contents inside. The smell was a familiar sweetness that reminded her of Janette's celebratory beverage.
"My apologies miss, it's wine." The young man explained, wiping his brow. "My name is Raz, Father will be with you shortly. Drink, it contains natural properties known to tame the stress from a worried heart."
Reta brushed her hair out of her eyes, pressing the lid to her lips and carefully sipping the wine. She licked her lips, savoring its rich flavor.
"Please don't be alarmed, it would be unforgiving of me to poison a guest after saving her."
Reta turned around, spotting Perdilius appear from around the corner. He offered a warm smile, patting Raz on his shoulder. "My son here was generous enough to carry you here. We saw fit to offer aid, how could we not after all I had come to know about you."
"Me?" Reta rubbed the side of her head, keeping the chalice on her thigh as she sat up on the altar. "I... I was drunk."
"Yes, I'm afraid you took to abusing the alcohol beverages at the local tavern. You shared plenty with me the other night after I offered to listen, seemed you needed a friend to carry the stress you were going through." Perdilius explained, drumming his fingers against the hard book in his hand.
"I didn't..." Reta whined, looking down at the wine in her hand. "Where are my friends, why am I not in chains?"
"Hmm." Perdilius hummed to himself, stepping in close to take a seat next to her. "Your friends, yes. I doth fear that your friends were nowhere to be found. It would appear that you were abandoned in your hour of sorrow, it broke my heart to see you suffer so. It would be against my comforting heart not to give aid to a soul in need such as yourself."
"No!" Reta leapt to her feet, moving behind the altar table as Raz took a step toward her. Perdilius raises his hand to stop him, and it was then that Reta took notice of the few guards carrying spikes positioned near the front entrance down the pathway. They seemed uneasy with their eyes peering through their metal helmet visors, returning to their prior stance after taking a few steps forward once she made a move. But Perdilius seemed in control, his palm was enough to alert them to return to their posts. He didn't seem the least bit nervous around her, closing his eyes with his head low as Reta glared back at him.
"I remember my Felix was there to comfort me, where is he?" She hissed, turning her head frantically. "Where am I? What have you done with me and where are my clothes?"
"Your clothes were sweaty and stained so we took the liberty of removing them to wash them for you. Do not fret, I assigned some of my female followers to undress you to retain your modesty. They also took the liberty of alerting me of a peculiar scar on your shoulder, an outline of teeth sunken under your skin." Perdilius spoke softly, locking eyes with her. "You are bitten, yes? The way you explained about your... predicament, it was no disease that you suffer from, but a curse. A Wolf's Curse, am I correct?"
Reta's eyes twitched and she stumbled back, her nervous hands trembling as she found herself figuratively pressed against a wall. She reached up and carefully adjusted the collar of her robe, feeling the bite wound on her shoulder as she did so.
Perdilius nodded and lifted the bottom of his robe as he stood up. "You needn't say more, child. I'm a priest, a follower of faith. I've been privy to many heart wrenching tales from my time. Have you heard of the lost city of Faar?"
He paused, carefully analyzing her lost expression before he continued. "I suppose I shouldn't be surprised, you don't strike me as a local based on your physical traits. Those slanted eyes and blue hair are all new to me, but I am naught but humble and accepting to all of the lords' creatures. The city of Faar was a beautiful boiling pot filled with mixed cultures from many different places. It welcomed all as a sort of sanctuary, a humble city perched atop a rich mountain dense with luscious green forests and rich wildlife. Oh it was beautiful, there was children's laughter parading the cobblestone streets as they chased and played, there were cobblers offering to repair or shine your shoes with their stations around the city parks, and at every corner there would be these little shops where they sold the sweetest candy your tongue hath ever tasted, ooooh it was divine!"
He smacked his lips, smiling as he reminisced of his past, momentarily lost in the present before clearing his throat. "Ahem, we benefited from our large population and the city was under the protection of our King and Queen of the Misty Kingdom. I worked under the church and would volunteer my time listening to the stress and woes of our many inhabitants of local men and women. You would not believe how similar their stories were. Dwarves, Elves, Giants and Saurians all speaking their misdeeds, their sins, their remorse and regrets, sharing them to me anonymously. And I would listen and offer my aid to each and every own of them, no matter the size or intensity of the ordeal. For you see, my wife Carmella had the sweetest soul I had ever known. Her heart was of the most giving, her kindness was endless and she knew not how to say no when someone was in need of help."
"She taught me to be patient and to give when others are in need. I do this because of her, she was tragically taken from me when one of our closest friends... deceived us. O' what a tangled web we weave when we first learn to deceive."
He closed his eyes, lamenting on the thought for a moment before lifting his head.
"I am here now in her name and in the name of our most holy. And I am here to tell you that you are not alone, child." He snapped his fingers as Raz approached him with a tiny bottle in his hand. "How long has it been since you've been cursed?"
Reta's eyes darted back and forth between him and the violet liquid contained within the tiny vial. "Two months."
"I see." He raised the vial in front of him. "What you see here is an herbal concoction, it contains many healing ingredients including the Wolfsbane Plant which gives it its violet color here. I am aware that this is no cure for your... condition, but it can help alleviate the symptoms of your transformation."
"What?" Reta gasped, her lip trembling as she eyed the violet held out for her. "Why would you show me this, what is it you want?"
"What I want is to help you child, nothing more. When I found you, you were at your lowest. Neck deep in beer and rum, weeping and drowning in your sorrows. Your friends hath left you, abandoned you when you needed them most."
"You lie." She seethed under a low growl. "They would do no such thing!"
"Do I?" He asked, shaking the vial between his thumb and index finger. "Where are they now? I tried to call for them, lie in wait for them but I see no one here for you. No one but myself. I recognize the feeling of betrayal, I have witnessed its effects on many people in the secrets of the confessional. What is it that brought you here away from your home? What is it that binds your misguided sense of loyalty to these miscreeds who hath brought but shame and pain to those unfortunate to stumble upon thy path?"
Reta paused, her face concentrating on his words as she collected her thoughts. "I am Norowa Reta, the Wolf without a Home. I swore my loyalty to Gaij-"
She hesitated, closing her eyes. "To my friends. They took me in when I had nowhere to go, and they... have offered me their support ever since."
"But not the other day." He mentioned, catching on to her reluctance. "Something happened then, I seem to recall you expressing that your troubles were dismissed amongst your friends."
"We had come across some new faces, they decided that they took priority for the time being."
"Aaah I see, and so they set aside your debacle against your wishes and without asking for your approval first." He nodded, pressing his lips together. "I see now why you found comfort in rum that night."
"Yes." Reta agreed, hanging her head briefly before raising her eyes to him. "But I was briefly cautioned about your presence beforehand, Perdilius. I was informed that you are the reason behind why they run, that you seek them now but the reason behind it is unknown to me."
"I understand, and I want you to know that I have no reason or foresight to apprehend you. I chose not to bind you for a reason, child. I hope you give me a chance to explain myself, do not think I am blinded to you interest on the weapon sheathed on his belt." Perdilius mentioned.
Reta's shoulders sunk in defeat as he rightfully predicted her move, with Raz stepping back out of caution, placing a hand on his sword just in case.
"What would you do if you if you discovered the means to change the world and create a bright future for everyone?" He asked.
Reta blinked and was taken aback by his question.
"Let me rephrase, if you were given the chance to save your friends at the cost of taking a few lives, would you?"
Reta looked down and back. "I would, the bond toward those I trust dearly are worth ending the lives of those who threaten them."
"Then we see eye to eye." He smiled and leaned back into the altar. "I am in pursuit of three Nekomata girls not out of some silly fable of torture or revenge, but for a greater purpose. I have discovered a way to change the course of history through a powerful ritual capable of ridding all sources of dark magic across the land and seas. All the demons, all the monsters, all the monster girls, all would cease to coexist, leaving us in a hopeful world for a brighter future."
"What?"
"You question its validity, I understand. I can't be dishonest and say that I am not without a few doubts myself, I would test it if I could. But this is the test, a means that allows me in one fell swoop to cleanse this world off all those nasty beasts!"
"Why" She asked, shaking her head. "I have heard of a warrior thirsting for bloodshed in battle, but why seek the means to test some mythical ritual when you've no means of predicting its outcome? And with a goal to kill so many, have you given no thought if it kills you as well?"
Perdilius experienced a different facial expression then, his optimistic smile melting away as his tired eyes glared through dark baggy eyelids and the wrinkle on his forehead arched downward to further express an intimidating glare from his demeanor. Some of the candles burned away, the loss of their light accentuated his shadowy expression as he turned his back on her and replied in a deeper voice.
"Thou doth not realize, child, that I hath nothing left to bring into this world. Nothing to fear, nothing to lose. If I perish in this journey, it would mean my life was sacrificed for a greater purpose. If not me, then someone else shall taketh the mantle and cleanse the world of this impurity and valley of darkness. Tell me, this village you came from... what happened that led you away from it?"
Reta paused as they stood in silence. "Exile." She whispered.
"I see, for your curse, yes?" She nodded as he kept his back to her, placing the book over the altar. "I had a home too, the people you see around me are all that remains. We survived and watched helplessly as the city of Faar was drenched in hellfire, listening to the cries of women holding their children, pleading for help and lying to them that everything would be fine. Is that what happened to your home as well? I'm guessing, that curse didn't come after your exile. If it be the reason for it, then there is reason to believe that chaos ensued in your home village. Am I correct?"
"Yes." Reta replied, hanging her head. "I thought... I thought I was alone. I did not know that you lost your home as well. I did not foresee that we would share anything in common, let alone that."
Perdilius grinned unbeknownst to her, smiling as he heard her words before adjusting his composure and turning to face her with a saddened expression of a tired old man seeking help.
"I offer you this vial of Wolfsbane to help you with your curse. It would help you control yourself when fallen under the effects of the full moon, but this size alone is not enough to quench your incoming transformation. I can send word for more but it will take time. All that I ask is for your assistance, help an old man fix this world and make it a little bit better to live in."
Reta hesitated and clutched her white robe when he reached out with his hand for her, his eyes looking sincere as he expressed a warm smile once again.
"Come child, take my hand and I can guide you to a brighter path, lead you to a happy life and a better future. You will be given food, shelter, comfort and all of your expenses will be covered should you take a liking to any trinkets or clothes that you fancy. All I ask is that you help me... and that you trust me. Can you do that for me, Reta?"
She paused, licking her lips and rubbing the mark on her shoulder. Her memory about last night remained foggy and she had a splitting headache, the pain had subsided a bit from the drink she was given but she wondered if the pain was clouding her judgement. He didn't seem unreasonable, quite the contrary. This was no terrifying mad man lusting for power, just a sincere man of the cloth seeking to make something out of his existence. She could relate to that, she felt aimless in her life as well.
No, she argued with herself, that can't be. Felix, KuliKuli, even Janette all offered her aid, support, comfort, and even some nights of exhilarating sex when the mood was right. Maybe a bit more, her mind filled with memories of their time spent together. KuliKuli was a whiny, loud-mouthed brat who couldn't help but express herself in annoying ways. Always jumping up and down in excitement, always yearning to go out into the sun, go for walks or look forward to trips to Farmer's Den. She remembered how wide eyed she was, staring in awe with her jaw on the floor as they explored the carnival on their trip to Kershin Market.
Then there was Felix, the lousy, responsible, stubborn, organized, scrawny excuse of a warrior when she first saw him. He was weak, skinny, and feeble compared to the men of her clan. Yet he was caring to her needs and to KuliKuli, would express compassion when under their company and was patient enough to teach them about the duties to help around the farm. He never mocked her, teased her, or even put her down for being an outsider or foreigner to him. The time when they met Umeka, he and KuliKuli did no hesitate to help free her despite her hostility toward them.
Reta found herself conflicted thinking about the two, missing them dearly now as she stood alone staring at Perdilius and his waiting hand. Time stood still for her as she realized the conflicting feelings she had toward them both. She hated them, she... l-liked them? Did she hate them because she liked them? No, those emotions were seen as weakness in her village, she should no better than to show weakness to anyone else! Even to them... oh how her heart ached as she missed them so.
Norowa Reta sighed, her shoulders falling in defeat as she looked up to meet Perdilius' eyes one last time.
