The Broken Ones

Chapter 4:2 -Confessions

Soi could feel the cold metal on his skin and he looked into the crazy green eyes of his attacker. And he smiled.
-Do you think that just because this is your dream you got to decide?
Sam frowned his forehead and looked confused at Soi, which gave him enough time to get a grip around Sam’s wrist and pushed him off. Sam looked up at Soi who stood before him with a surprised expression. In Soi’s hand lay the silver dagger.
-You might be a broken or whatever, but you’re not a soldier and I care this much for magic.
Soi held up his hand and showed with the distance between his thumb and index finger.
Both Sam and Ana stared at Soi.
-Ana, come on.
He stretched out his hand to her and she slowly got up on her feet. She limped to him and took his hand.
-Let’s get back, Soi said and smiled to her.
She smiled faintly back at him, her eyes tearing and her body shivering in relief. They turned their backs on Sam.
A mistake.
With a roar he got up and attacked.
-I told you to stay away!
Soi instantly pushed Ana behind him and faced his opponent who came rushing with another dagger held over his head, ready to strike.
When he passed out he heard Sam’s voice whispering “I might not be a soldier, but I sure can throw a dagger. Did you think I’d only carry one?” and Ana’s screaming.

When he woke up he was back in the camp, looking up at the moon. Someone was holding his hand tightly and he turned his head slightly to see who it was. Ana was crouched over him, her head held up by her knee and her eyes closely shut. In the moonlight she looked like she was a small child around twelve with her long hair hanging in the way. Soi tried to sit up but a sharp pain stopped him and he groaned.
-You’re awake, Ana looked at him with strange tired eyes.
-Yes…
-How are you, how do you feel, I was afraid that you were stuck there, does it hurt anywhere, can you move your arm?
-Stuck? Where?
-You know… there.
-What do you mean stuck?
-You’ve been out for two days.
-What! I have? Why would I…
-You were injured, Ana gulped loudly. –How do you feel? I think it will heal eventually, I’ve tried to stop it from being infected, I think I succeeded but it still looks kind of bad, you’ll probably have a scar. I’m sorry it’s all my fault, I’m so sorry.
Soi pulled down his shirt to see the damage, his left arm was covered with bandage and he begun to unwrap it.
-Stop! What are you doing? Ana tried to hinder him.
-I must see how serious it is.
-You probably will get some powers from it.
Ana had a big wrinkle on her face and her eyes were sad.
-That’s not what I meant. Can you go and get my bag? he asked.
Soi got up and staggered a bit unsecure on his feet to the lit fire. The other camp members slept soundly and didn’t wake up when he accidently tipped a kettle. By the fire he saw the wound clearly. It was bad, it was infected and was feverish red and irritated. When he poked it yellow pus came flowing out from the wound. Ana returned with his bag and grimaced when she saw the injury.
-I probably didn’t take care of it very well, she said with a guilty face.
-It could have been worse.
Soi smiled at her and took the bag from her with his healthy arm. He held it upside down and emptied it of all his stuff.
-Look for a tiny dark bottle, he said to Ana.
They began to search among his belongings. Ana found a bracelet made out of skin twinned together with a small blue rock intertwined in the middle.
-Is this yours? She asked and held it up.
-Does that look like a bottle to you? Soi answered and took the bracelet away from her.
-No, sorry.
-Ah, found it.
Soi hold up the small dark bottle and bit the tap and opened it up.
-What is it? Ana asked curious.
-Wait and see, Soi answered and gulped down some of its liquid.-Watch.
He nodded in the direction of his wounded arm and Ana watched it carefully. Slowly it healed and soon there was no evidence that there even had been a cut. It left no scares or even a bruise.
-What happened? What just happened? Ana stared at the arm. –How? It’s not possible.
-It just water, Soi smiled silly at her.
-Water!?
-Yes, it’s water from… no, I can’t tell you.
-Why not?
Soi looked at Ana, she looked like a little curious child anxious to be a part of the secret.
-You’re not qualified to know.
-What?! I’m not qualified? Ana raised her voice in anger.
From his tent, Nibbles looked out with tired eyes.
-What’s going on? He yawned.
-He says I’m not qualified! Ana yelled upset and pointed her finger at Soi.
Nibbles clipped with his one eye sleepily.
-Hi Soi, nice to see that you’re up. But qualified for what? He asked indifferent.
-For…
Soi quickly covered her mouth with his hand.
-It’s not your secret to tell, he whispered urgently in her ear.
Their eyes met and Ana’s were round of surprise. But slowly she nodded and Soi released her.
-For riding alone, Ana called out to Nebelius.
-Of course you’re not, you can’t even walk in a straight line, Nibbles mumbled in return and turned around.
Soi released a breath he didn’t know he was holding.
-We should get some sleep before we start in the morning, he said with a low voice to not wake any other.
He packed down the bottle in his bag again, took the bag and returned to his bed. Before he fell asleep he could hear Ana moving around in the camp.

-Rise and shine, slowpokes!
Soi was hit by a water bottle and he sat up and rubbed the back of his head. He watched the camp with weary eyes. It was gone, everything was packed up and both horses were saddled and ready. A few meters away Nibbles sat, also rubbing his head. Soi wasn’t the only one hit by a water bottle in the early morning. Ana stood by the horses, accompanied by Sassa and her guard. Both girls were annoyingly alert and awake. Ana with her eyes shining bright, crossed arms and nervously stamping foot. Sassa was draped over her guard, touching him freely. It was the first time Soi saw her in the sunlight. She was stilled dressed in black leather, her hair was equally long as Ana’s but it was black as coal and she was a fully grown woman about the same age as Soi. When they stood side by side, Ana and Sassa were contrasts of each other. Sassa was appeared to be more spirited than Ana, though Soi knew Ana had strong will, it was like Sassa was more free. Soi could understand why she was called Sassy, just as Nebelius was called Nibbles.
Ana caught him staring at Sassa and she gave him the evil eye.
-Your eyes will fall if you keep gawking, she said and suddenly another water bottle hit his head. –You’re wasting my time.
She turned and limped away from their former camp, taking his mare with her.
-Hey, that’s my horse!
-So come and get it. We’re leaving now.
She kept walking and Sassa and her guard followed behind. Soi just blinked at them with an open mouth. Suddenly an arm draped his shoulder and Nibbles put his mouth close to Soi’s ear.
-Mooorning, he said with a sleepy voice and kissed Soi’s ear.
-Ah!
Soi quickly got away from Nebelius and picked up his blankets.
-What? Nibbles asked with sullen face. –What did I do?
Soi rolled his eyes and didn’t answer.

To be continued...
By J.L.Frick