Will Of The Fates

8.

I only got back to our cottage around sunset. Garmin was still awake. He informed me that Kieran went to bed to rest for the night watch with me. I vaguely wondered what Ralda would say about that.

The day, as hectic as it was, had been pretty interesting. She'd tell me snippets about herself in exchange for the free work I was made to do. She was extremely interesting. And she did not give up on the idea of me being a healer. Pippa would love her. Actually, they all would love her. I should get them here someday.

It felt like I'd barely slept when I heard the first set of knocks on my door. Kieran had the same tired look in his eyes as mine when I opened the door. "How was your day?" He smiled at me.

"Well..." I sighed as I leaned heavily against my door. "It was actually good. She's a lot of fun to be around."

"Hmm..." He nodded, his head pressed to the doorsill the same way. "So..."

"Hmm?"

"Everyone's asleep again."

"At night? No way."

He shook his head as he chuckled. "I wish I was asleep. I'm so..." He yawned. "... tired."

"Maybe you should go get some extra sleep." I sighed sadly as I turned away. "And here I was about to invite you in."

It took a second for what I'd said to register. His eyes widened when it did. However, the door shut the next moment. I laughed loudly and turned away from the door as another thud sounded. "Emerys..." He groaned loudly, much to my further amusement.

He still had a bit of an annoyed pout on his face when I got downstairs. I sat across him just to enjoy his walk as he got up to sit beside me. His nose pressed into the side of my neck. I giggled. "You're killing me." He muttered.

I hummed. My head turned to the side, nose and lips pressed into his hair. "Have you noticed yet?"

"What?" He didn't hesitate to ask.

I adjusted my neckline. The action would draw his eyes down. "No..." I tried to let him figure it out.

"No..." He inhaled sharply. "No chainmail." He completed.

Confusion formed in me as he suddenly straightened. I realised why as he took a deep breath. "We need to go. They've been on watch long enough. Let's eat. "

I hid a yawn and a smile. My knee pressed to my chest as I reached for the bread and the butter on the table. "I'm not really hungry."

"You usually aren't." He replied dryly.

"Ralda cooks really well. I am still stuffed.

"Oh, yeah." He looked at me as he poured some vegetable stew into his bowl. "What's up with her?"

I nodded as I swallowed a bite. Kieran listened with interest. He'd laugh or comment as I told him about all the errands I'd had to run. Ralda wasn't from this village. She'd settled here a year ago to study the local flora and fauna. The dragon had arrived just before she'd been about to leave. And now that she'd heard about it's evitable death, she was waiting to study it. Felt a bit cold when she said it that way. However, her entire demeanour was a bit aloof and cold. She'd say random things and expect me to connect the dots.

Kieran walked a distance away when we left to head into the forest. He kept a few trees between us as he walked ahead, and emerged into the clearing first. Liru smiled at him. "Hello..."

He nodded at her. "Evening. You two can leave now."

Yorja was already on his way out. He nodded to me as he yawned. "See ya." He scratched his ass as he walked past me.