▲ my life is just constantly existing at ungodly hours
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Feb 9, 2021 16:38:52 GMT -5
Post by achromatic on Feb 9, 2021 16:38:52 GMT -5
The first mistake he made was going out to Vela on his own. Of course, he hadn't robbed anyone enough to be on their monarch's watchlist...yet. A kingdom this big, he was certain that if anyone really needed to catch someone's eye, they'd have to burn down a city or something. However, that didn't mean anything when he had made an enemy of a certain few merchants. Also, it made even less sense to go to Vela, when most of them congregated there.
Yet, it never occured to Mars that it might be dangerous. Vela was a big city, after all, and just because his men stole a couple barrels of the finest whisky from a ship and perhaps accidentally sank the damn thing didn't mean he was a huge target right? It wasn't even a large ship. Not to mention, Lacaille was known for being peaceful. Cities like Vela had a sizeable security force, after all, and the national guard wouldn't let a battle happen in the city right?
Nope. He was completely wrong, and the problem was that dark fairies were really fucking tricky too. How the hell was he supposed to attack someone who could literally melt into the shadows? There had been little hope of winning from the get go; they had taken him by surprise and fighting six men off with nothing but a pot of rainwater and a missing arm didn't exactly help his chances. Getting away was the simplest way to go about this, but the jagged scar across his torso and the amount of blood he was losing...didn't look great.
He barely made it out the city. The night was starting to cover the ground by the time he stumbled into a barn clutching his side, his face pale from the bloodloss. Dammit. He should've taken Marius' advice and stayed put. He was starting to feel lightheaded as he slumped to the ground, leaning on a pile of hay as pulled the shirt off, pushing it to the wound in order to stop the bleeding, when he heard a noise.
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Feb 9, 2021 16:57:10 GMT -5
Post by nostalgic on Feb 9, 2021 16:57:10 GMT -5
There was a rustling in the doorway as a young boy, probably around 10 (read: 5 human years) years old, led a slow moving cow and her calf into the barn for the night. At the sight of the wounded stranger by the hay, he stopped dead in his tracks, staring at the man.
He was a very handsome young lad, with shiny black curls and quiet, almost sullen brown eyes. His clothing was simple- loose brown pants, sturdy brown boots, and a white, tucked-in shirt. He was pale- likely a dark fairy, and slender.
Apparently he was not used to strange men collapsed in his barn. "Who are you?" He asked, looking over his shoulder at the candlelit farm house, clearly unsure if he should head back for safety or help the bleeding, one-armed man. The cow lowed beside him, moving forward to munch on the hay laid out for her without much regard at all to Mars.
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▲ my life is just constantly existing at ungodly hours
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Feb 9, 2021 17:24:49 GMT -5
Post by achromatic on Feb 9, 2021 17:24:49 GMT -5
"Fuck," he cursed under his breath, a whisper so the kid couldn't hear. He was hoping that the barn would be empty, and that he'd be fine enough to leave the next day, but it seemed like that wasn't the case. A child. He didn't know whether this was a risk, but someone like this wouldn't be working for those merchants, right?
"Sorry," he grunted, "I didn't mean to crash here but I'm afraid I'm...injured and kind of lost." His voice fought to be even. "Do you know if....if there's anywhere I can get help? Is your mother here?"
It was a risk really, involving other people. There was a chance they'd report him to the authorities after all, but...there was also a chance he could bribe their silence, or threaten for it. There were too many plans in his thoughts to really settle on one for now.
"My name is Mars. What's yours?"
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Feb 9, 2021 17:36:38 GMT -5
Post by nostalgic on Feb 9, 2021 17:36:38 GMT -5
"Charlie," he responded, kicking at the hay on the floor. "That's Luna and her calf, Estelle." Charlie pointed at the amicable creature, before remembering the first part of the question. "My ma's at the house. I'll get her." Without further ado, he turned and ran, heading towards the farmhouse.
He returned a few minutes later with a young woman in tow. She did not look like other farmer's wives- she looked as if she belonged in higher society, with her long brown curls and green eyes and pretty features. But she was dressed as plainly as her son, in an off-white shirt and brown skirt covered by her apron.
Her mouth popped open at the sight of the bleeding man. "Go get some water from the well, Charlie," the woman said, and Charlie moved off obediently. Elise knelt beside the man, pulling the dish towel from her apron pocket and dabbing at the wound on his chest. "Can you move?" She asked, eyes flitting up to his face. "It'd be easier to bind up these wounds inside."
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▲ my life is just constantly existing at ungodly hours
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Feb 9, 2021 17:58:23 GMT -5
Post by achromatic on Feb 9, 2021 17:58:23 GMT -5
Mars grunted, still holding his shirt to his side, as he glanced up to the woman. Huh. She was pretty, and under any other circumstances, he'd certainly flirt with this one, but right now, all he wanted was to stop his bleeding. His own powers weren't exactly strong enough to provide that. He frowned. On one hand, he could use the available hand he had to push himself up, but that'd mean he'd have to remove the shirt, and that seemed risky too. As much as he wanted to, he knew he wouldn't be able to stand without help, especially with the cut so long.
"I might need a bit of help," he spoke, looking almost apologetic, "could you hold onto the shirt for me? Can't really hold it down while getting up, I'm afraid."
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Feb 9, 2021 18:09:40 GMT -5
Post by nostalgic on Feb 9, 2021 18:09:40 GMT -5
Her towel wasn't doing much good anyway, so Elise dropped it on the ground. "Of course," she said, pressing onto the shirt with her hands and she helped him off the ground. Charlie rejoined them with a bucket of water as they made their way up to the farmhouse.
The interior was warm and cozy, lighted by a fire in the hearth. Elise helped Mars to the guest bedroom off the kitchen, before pulling up a chair and seeing to the wound. She didn't speak much, eyebrows drawn together in concentration as she washed it, poured a little alcohol onto it with an apology for the accompanying pain, and bound his chest in a white bandage.
Charlie hovered by the door, taking everything in with an inquisitive gaze. "How'd you get that cut, Mars?" He asked, to be shushed by his mother.
"It's rude to pry, dear. Can you grab the leftover chicken from dinner?"
"Yes, ma," Charlie took another long look at Mars before slipping off to the kitchen. Elise sat back after the bandage was in place, wiping the sweat off her forehead. "That's the best I can do... Mars, is it? You should stay for a few days so I can make sure it doesn't get infected. How are you feeling?" She passed the plate of chicken and greens that Charlie returned with to Mars. "Eat up. You'll need your strength."
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▲ my life is just constantly existing at ungodly hours
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Feb 9, 2021 18:42:25 GMT -5
Post by achromatic on Feb 9, 2021 18:42:25 GMT -5
As she held onto the shirt, he pushed himself up with his now-freed hand, teetering for a moment before finding his balance. Slowly making his way to their kitchen, he practically fell onto the bed, finding his own sense of balance completely off. He hissed in pain as she started to work on his wound, clenching his jaw as she sewed it up, before wrapping it in clean gauze. He was still feeling lightheaded, with all the bloodloss, but he could breathe a sigh of relief at that.
To think that he almost died because of a stupid mistake, he thought. Looking up to the child who asked his question by the door, he gave the kid a faint smile. "Got jumped by a gang when I was heading out of town," he lied smoothly, "they took my horse and wanted my money, and when I didn't give it to them, guess they wanted to leave me a souvenir."
Mars was a storyteller, after all. Perhaps more than even a pirate. It was a believable lie; after all, he did get jumped by a group of men.
He turned back to the woman who was treating his wounds. "Thank you, ma'am," he murmured, "I owe you my life." He glanced at the food now placed near him, surprised at their kindness. People weren't often so welcoming to strangers. Still, he wasn't one to refuse a meal, and by the way his stomach growled at that, it was clear he hadn't eaten all day. Taking the fork in his hand, he quickly began to eat. Delicious, really. It had been months since he had a homemade meal.
"May I ask what your name is?" he inquired, his eyes bright despite the exhaustion clearly settling into his frame, "it's rare for someone out here to have such kindness for strangers, and I'd love to know who exactly to thank for all of this."
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Feb 9, 2021 19:16:52 GMT -5
Post by nostalgic on Feb 9, 2021 19:16:52 GMT -5
Elise smiled faintly, glad someone besides her son was able to enjoy her cooking. It was one of the few things she took pleasure in doing, out here. "Elise. And you've met my son, Charlie." Charlie was climbing onto the foot of the bed, small mouth set in a curious line. "He's got no concept of personal space."
His tale was not an entirely uncommon one, though the people who got jumped did not often show up in their barn. "We're glad to share our home. We don't get many visitors at all, and it gets kind of lonesome out here. Just don't steal anything."
Charlie's feet swung as he dangled them off the bed, still watching Mars. "How'd you lose your arm, mister?" He asked, bringing another gentle chastisement from Elise. She really ought to teach him better manners, but with just the two of them out here he'd become less than aware about privacy and how strangers normally interacted.
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▲ my life is just constantly existing at ungodly hours
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Feb 9, 2021 19:25:33 GMT -5
Post by achromatic on Feb 9, 2021 19:25:33 GMT -5
Mars chuckled, glancing to Charlie. He supposed the woman wasn't wrong, but then again, five year olds were always like that, weren't they? The boy wasn't the first one to ask Mars intrusive questions, and he'd certainly not be the last.
"Of course," he chuckled, "I'd be asking Frey to smite me if I treated you with anything but kindness after what you did for me." Perhaps it was all too revealing, to mention a separate god when he was here in Lacaille, but it slipped his own notice. He could imagine it being a bit lonely out here, living with a child. He wondered if her husband was perhaps away on a business trip or something. After all, plenty of merchants lived in the city, and she seemed like she was raised in that sort of situation, at least from her features. They were still soft, like the kind who grew up in the city.
He turned to Charlie at the question, before smiling at Elise's surprise and her little lecture. Waiting for her to finish, he turned to the young boy with a sly grin. "A sea monster ate it," he gestured, "I can tell you part of the story tonight if you're not scared." He looked to Elise, to check if that was okay. After all, he still had food on his plate and he didn't mind the company while he was still awake, though that might not remain so for long.
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Feb 9, 2021 19:50:23 GMT -5
Post by nostalgic on Feb 9, 2021 19:50:23 GMT -5
Elise nodded at the request, excusing herself while Charlie inched closer. The sound of dishes being washed could be heard through the open door as Charlie heard the first part of the tale of the lost arm, eyes widening as he heard of the kraken and the dangers deep in the sea.
Eventually Elise returned, insisting Charlie wash up for bed. He scampered away after giving her one sullen pout, and Elise disappeared with Mars's empty plate, re-appearing with a slice of chocolate cake. "Do you want any?" She asked, holding out the plate. "I can eat it if you just want to go to sleep?"
She sank into the chair, letting out a deep breath. "I'm glad you didn't bleed to death on our barn floor," she said after a moment, grinning. "And that Charlie's got a strong stomach. He's seen one of the sheep mauled by a wolf before, and it didn't bother him much- well, the sheep's death did, but the blood didn't phase him."
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▲ my life is just constantly existing at ungodly hours
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Feb 9, 2021 19:59:07 GMT -5
Post by achromatic on Feb 9, 2021 19:59:07 GMT -5
Mars was an animated storyteller, anyone would give him that. After all, he only learned from the best; his father had been just as much of a storyteller, perhaps even more. His old man had a fondness for sea shanties, after all. He talked about the great kraken, and how it terrorised his hometown, how it all began at first. There were times when retelling this tale made his chest hurt, but with the child looking on so intently, it didn't feel nearly as personal. It just felt like a bedtime story.
"He really is something," Mars commented, watching Charlie run off towards the bathroom. He turned to Elise only to see that she had a slice of cake with her. Damn, it had been years since he had cake. He immediately dug into it, and nearly moaned at the decadence. "You are literally the best cook I've ever eaten from," he laughed, "I haven't eaten this well in years. Your husband must be a lucky man to have you two waiting for him to return."
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Feb 9, 2021 20:12:36 GMT -5
Post by nostalgic on Feb 9, 2021 20:12:36 GMT -5
"You flatter me," Elise said with a faint grin. "I better be good, at least. I've had years of practice at this point." There was little to do in the countryside apart from farm chores, and she'd been a decent cook back home, so it had grown to be a passion for her. Charlie surely spent enough time running around to burn the extra calories off.
The husband remark left a bitter taste in her mouth. Of course he would assume that, it was only natural. It was rare a single mother could afford a nice farmhouse and extensive property, but she was under strict confidence to never let her true situation be known. "I've never been married," she told him, with a shrug. Better for him to think her a harlot, like most of the villagers nearby did. "I haven't seen Charlie's father since the pregnancy, either. It's just the two of us out here."
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▲ my life is just constantly existing at ungodly hours
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Feb 10, 2021 5:03:32 GMT -5
Post by achromatic on Feb 10, 2021 5:03:32 GMT -5
Oh. He suddenly felt a little embarrassed for assuming. Of course, it was a little rare for a woman in the countryside to be on her own, especially on a farm. He had always heard rumours, that Lacaille was plenty more...what was the word, conservative? That women were expected to hold a certain role, and men were supposed to be another...but they were all rumours, having never lived in this region himself.
It must be rough too, he thought, if a man had simply come into her life and disappeared the moment it became inconvenient. It was a common occurrence back home in Maline, but that didn't mean the fathers didn't remain in the lives of any of their children. It was just unfortunate that in their line of work, one rarely came back until half a year later. They used to say it took a village to raise a child, and he was certainly the child that took a village, with all the trouble he caused. It seemed like Charlie was the same, he mused with a faint amusement.
"It must be pretty tough," he offered ,"living here on your own. I always heard farm work was tough even with a large family. Well...once this wound heals, I'd love to be able to help you around the place if you need any; I owe you a big one for this, after all."
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Feb 10, 2021 8:02:26 GMT -5
Post by nostalgic on Feb 10, 2021 8:02:26 GMT -5
Elise smiled at the offer, clearing away the empty cake plate and standing to blow out the candle on the dresser. "Thank you, Mars. I'll be sure to take you up on that. Get some sleep- you need rest. Goodnight." With a wave, she shut the door, leaving Mars alone with the glowing embers in the hearth of the fireplace.
Charlie was already sitting in the chair beside the bed when Mars woke up, late the next morning. "Ma's making breakfast," he said, fiddling with a small toy train. "You have to finish your story- and tell me who Frey is and why they'd sm-smike you."
He struggled over the new word, but his brown eyes were curious and bright, and his face and curls washed and fresh. The smell of bacon and eggs drifted in from the kitchen- like their large house, they were well off enough to afford middle class food, while most small farmers went without meat for a while.
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▲ my life is just constantly existing at ungodly hours
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Feb 10, 2021 9:25:35 GMT -5
Post by achromatic on Feb 10, 2021 9:25:35 GMT -5
Mars slept easily, but the morning after wasn't exactly pleasant. His wound throbbed the moment he woke up, finding himself even more tired than usual. Perhaps it was the blood loss, he figured, still feeling a little lightheaded. Still, he smiled at the child who had immediately found himself bouncing on the chair next to him.
"Frey's the god of the sea," Mars started, trying to sit up as best as he could, wincing as he did, "he's the great shapeshifter. Some say he takes the shape of the kraken in the seas, others say he looks like us to blend in, but...people who rely on the seas pray to him for good weather. Some say he created this world from the seas because he was tired of being alone." He seemed to think on that for a moment.
He turned to the child with a small smirk. "Because Frey is a shapeshifter, you never know what he's going to be like. He could be a sea animal, he could look like us...that's why if you do harm to someone who treats you well, he might find revenge, because you don't know if you just angered a god who showed you favor or not. He controls the winds of change, so you have to always be prepared."
He ruffled the kid's hair with a smile. "–but I don't think you have to worry about that," he hummed, "your mother's been kind enough for all of us."
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Feb 10, 2021 9:55:35 GMT -5
Post by nostalgic on Feb 10, 2021 9:55:35 GMT -5
"She's nice enough," he said with a shrug, handing Mars his toy train to look at. "But she makes me do a lot of chores." The story of Frey was an interesting one- his mother had turned her back on religion in general, so he'd grown up without these kinds of stories.
He peppered him with questions about Frey and if Mars was a sailor even now, and if Frey could control the winds on the farm too, or just the sea. Eventually, Elise came in to tell them dinner was ready. She insisted that Mars move to the table to get his blood flowing in a way that didn't require too much effort.
The kitchen was lit by daylight now instead of firelight, and was a quaint, lived-in place. The wooden table was laden with pancakes, eggs, and bacon, and Elise helped Mars into one of the chairs, across from Charlie.
Charlie set in on the food without a second of hesitation, gobbling it down. "We have to go to the market today, love," Elise told him, and he nodded, wiping away the syrup from his lips.
"Can Mars come?"
"He's not well enough to go yet. Besides, he probably needs a break from storytelling to rest up. He'll be here when we get back."
Charlie pouted, biting down a piece of bacon. "Boo. I wish you could come," he said to Mars. "I like the market. We go there once a week, to sell our eggs and veggies. I get to carry the egg basket. We also buy meat from the butcher to store in the icebox. Do you go to the market?"
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▲ my life is just constantly existing at ungodly hours
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Feb 10, 2021 11:05:53 GMT -5
Post by achromatic on Feb 10, 2021 11:05:53 GMT -5
He laughed. "One day you'll be glad she made you do chores," he mused, "when you grow up and live by yourself, at least you know how to take care of yourself."
Getting up slowly, he found his way to the chair, and the food smelled amazing. He could feel his stomach growl. Shovelling down his food, he savoured every taste. He almost felt like a child again, when his parents were both home and they made him shakshouka for breakfast, sitting together with Elise and Charlie.
"I don't think I've ever eaten better than I have now," he grinned, leaning back as he finished his last pancake, "if you ever want a job as a chef, I'd certainly hire you."
If it was another situation, he'd be happy to join the two. They were lovely people, and well, Elise was an interesting person. Except he was injured and certain that someone would be out to get him. He'd be able to defend himself, but defending himself and trying not to tear open the injury he had now...it didn't sound smart.
"Maybe next time," he assured Charlie, "but I'll probably get a little bit more rest in if that's okay."
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Feb 10, 2021 11:38:03 GMT -5
Post by nostalgic on Feb 10, 2021 11:38:03 GMT -5
"Quite a compliment for a man who's been here twelve hours," Elise said with a smile, pushing the last of her eggs around her plate. Perhaps it was dangerous to leave a man alone in their house, but he had not caused trouble last night, and he was still wounded. Despite it all, Elise found herself trusting him enough to leave him here for an hour. "Maybe I'll take you up on the job offer one day."
Charlie helped Mars back to bed as Elise cleaned up, listening to the rest of the kraken story with the same amazed attachment he'd had earlier. Reluctantly, he left with Elise to visit the market, while Mars settled back in.
They returned a time later, and Mars could hear them unloading their groceries in the kitchen. Afterwards, Charlie was sent outside to play, and Elise entered Mars's room once more, giving him a faint smile. "How are you feeling? Can I get you anything?"
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▲ my life is just constantly existing at ungodly hours
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Feb 10, 2021 11:59:08 GMT -5
Post by achromatic on Feb 10, 2021 11:59:08 GMT -5
The extra sleep was quite welcome, actually. He wasn't as exhausted as he thought he was, but having a bit of time to regain his thoughts had been useful. The most pressing thought was...how the hell could he tell Marius and the others that he was out here? Certainly they'd wait, and it wasn't as if they were docked anywhere near the city, they were always cautious about that.
It wouldn't take long for Marius to realize something was wrong. While Mars knew he was the face of their little troupe, he couldn't help but worry a little. There were the younger ones, and his partner, and Rose of course. They were all tough fairies, but if they were hunting his people down, then he couldn't exactly be certain that they'd have the advantage. Surprise was a killer in these situations.
The door opening shook him out of his thoughts, and he pushed himself up to sit. Elise was back.
"Hey," he greeted, smiling at the young woman as he stood, "I'm feeling a lot better, thanks for everything." He glanced towards the bathroom. "I was wondering if I could take a shower perhaps?" he replied with a sheepish smile, "I think there's still a bit of blood from yesterday on my skin, and I'd be plenty more comfortable if I was clean."
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Feb 10, 2021 12:11:36 GMT -5
Post by nostalgic on Feb 10, 2021 12:11:36 GMT -5
"Of course," Elise said. "I'll grab you a towel." She moved out to the linen closet, peering out the front windows at Charlie and their dog, Kiki. She smiled absent-mindedly, before noticing the black carriage turning up their driveway.
Oh shit, she thought. It was Tristan. He wasn't supposed to come until next week- and she had a strange man in the guest room. At the thought of Mars, she turned and returned to the room, pushing him on to the bed as gently as she could and leaving the towel beside him.
"Stay here," she said in a low tone. "And don't say anything until my guest leaves. Please." A knock on the front door made her jump, and she looked back at Mars. "Please," she repeated, backing away and closing the door tightly. The only thing she could do now was hope Tristan was not in the mood to snoop in her spare rooms, and that Mars would stay quiet.
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