What Kind of Man

2. The Caravan, part two

The caravaners watched with curiosity as the small group approached. Fai caught a few rather frank looks directed his way. He raised an eyebrow, and, somewhat reluctantly, concentrated. The blood of the 'perfect predator' in his veins gave him certain advantages. He could smell, now, certain strong emotions, like fear or desire. The traders did not seem hostile, but, their curiosity about him seemed a tad too enthusiastic. It was a strange sensation, not anything he could put a finger on. Fai rearranged his facial muscles. It occurred to him that his usual strategy of smiling amiably might have an adverse effect, and, unsure, he resorted to staring ahead of himself sulkily as they walked behind Alana.

    Meanwhile, the commander ordered a short break. It seemed that the traders had been moving all night, and the traders seemed happy for a chance to stretch their legs, have breakfast, and ogle the strangers. Under their looks Fai felt exposed, and was growing more irritated by the moment.

Why was that? He wasn't sure why he cared so much. They have travelled to many various places before, and they have always stood out as outsiders. He was used to curious stares and questioning glances, but there was something different about it this time. Not that they had any choice but adapt to this world's conventions; after all, Mokona will be able to open the portal for them to move on only once they found the feather. Fai often wondered why the fragments of Sakura's scattered spirit took the shape of feathers, and, perhaps one day they will gather them all, and find out... Until then, they had to play by the rules of foreign worlds, moving forward.

Fai gritted his teeth, and, looking over at Kurogane, noted with some surprise that the other man was working his jaw in much the same grim determination.

    Alana invited them to share her meal, and gratefully, they accepted. Despite their excessive interest in his person, the traders seemed to be a friendly, good-natured people. However, Fai was relieved that the commander, at least, seemed to treat them normally, even if he detected amusement sparkling in her light brown eyes.

    They sat down in the shade of one of the big vehicles, on thick mats brought out of its cavernous cargo hull. One of the junior cadets brought them some simple fare consisting of dried meat, some fruit, and a refreshing tea-like drink which Kurogane seemed to approve of after sniffing it for a long time. Fai's appetite for regular food has diminished a great deal as of late, but he drank the cool light-coloured liquid and nibbled on some fruit nevertheless, while Kurogane summarily devoured both their portions. Watching them, Alana burst out laughing.

    "I see now that you really are stranded travellers! I do beg your pardon, if my men seemed overly curious. They've been on the desert for weeks, and are forgetting their manners... But, may I ask how you got here in the first place? You have no riding beasts, no caravan, no visible supplies of food or water, and we are many days' travel away from anywhere, except for the Capital."

    Her manner was friendly and curious, but also, Fai thought, she was testing them. Lying did not seem like a good idea, and in any case, they did not know enough about this world to tell a good lie. He decided the best way to win an ally was to tell the truth. Or at least, some part of it.

    "It is just as we said before," Fai said, arranging his face into an open, friendly smile. "It may sound far-fetched, but we are strangers not only to this land, but to this world as well... We have been travelling with a few other companions. But in coming here, we were separated from them. We think they must have ended up in the city. However, when we walked in its direction yesterday..."

Fai paused, thinking how best to put it. He wasn't sure how much he wanted to reveal. "We had some difficulty... Perhaps it is the desert, and it plays tricks on travellers. But we've had a hard time... ummm, approaching the city."

    Alana listened to his words carefully, her expression neutral. She did not seem particularly shocked to hear they were travelling from 'another world,' nor did she ask for clarification, which was an interesting sign, thought Fai. Instead, for a moment or two she carefully studied Fai and Kurogane's faces, then nodded to herself, as if satisfied with the inspection.

    "Well, that's quite the tale, travellers..." she said, after a time. "A hard time approaching, eh? And let me guess, you were the only one who had this issue?" Her penetrating gaze was directed at Fai, who only smiled guiltily.

Clearly, she knew, though he was not sure how. Fai only hoped he needn't put all their cards on the table, just yet... They ate their simple meals, sipped the foreign-tasting tea, and waited for Alana to go on.

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A/N

Keep reading for the end of this chapter!

Chapter art: Kamui, by CLAMP, in Tokyo Revelations. He's not in this story, technically speaking, but I keep mentioning him, so I thought I'd add a visual. Also, CLAMP do vampires well, what can I say?