F R O S T T O U C H - ✔️

FROST TOUCH ~Part One~

Ellanna sighed as she finished changing the linens on the last bed in the inn. It was tough: doing all the housekeeping as well as serving meals in the downstairs tavern, but she couldn't complain. The owners, Mr. Lynch and his wife had been very kind to take her in after her parents' death five years prior. At only ten years of age she had been too young to manage a life on her own, but in such as mall village, she had been lucky anyone had been willing to welcome her into their home.

She left the room and walked down the creaking wooden stairs, carrying a basket of sheets to be washed. As she walked into the backroom, the front door of the inn opened and a cloaked figure stepped inside. A cold gust of wind followed as the man walked to the counter. Ellanna met him from the other side of the counter.

"What can I get for you sir?" she asked him.

He pulled back his hood revealing hair as white as freshly fallen snow, and a pair of ice blue eyes set in a young face. His icy eyes studied her as he replied, "I'm looking for Robert and Grace Barrowton."

Ellanna's breath caught in her throat as she heard the names of the two people she would never see again. "I - I'm sorry, you won't find them," she stammered after a moment. "They died five years ago in a fire." Tears welled in her eyes and threatened to fall. She sniffled and wiped them away with her sleeve.

"I'm sorry," he said, seeing her tears, "you knew them well, I take it?"

She nodded. "I'm Ellanna. I was their daughter." A look of shock passed over his face when she said that.

"I wasn't aware they had a daughter."

"They did." She narrowed her eyes at him. "How do you even know them? You can't be many years older than me, and they lived here for years before I was born."

He glanced around warily and lowered his voice. "I don't know them, not personally. I do know of them, though. It's a long story, but one that you should hear. In any case, if they're gone, then you could be in grave danger." She stared at him. She didn't want to believe him, he sounded crazy. Oddly enough though, she did believe what he was saying.

"Here, come with me to the back. We can speak privately there." She led him around the counter and opened the wooden door to the back. She gestured at the few wooden chairs and table. "Sit, make yourself comfortable. I'll make some tea, you must be cold from your journey."

"No, it's fine. I don't feel the cold. Sit, and we can talk."

She gave him an odd look, but sat down across from him anyway. "Okay, talk. How do you know of my parents, and what do you mean I'm in danger?"

He took a deep breath. "Okay, first of all, do you know of The IronFist?"

"The King's elite group of the cruelest, toughest soldiers in the kingdom, who are the reason so many people live in misery? Yes, I know who they are."

"Alright, just checking. I'll assume you don't know of the Kallima, however." 

She shook her head no. 

"We are a society working in secret to end the tyranny of The Iron fist. We work on protecting, and helping provide for the communities they destroy. Your parents played an important role helping many years ago. I was born shortly after they left eighteen years ago. They left in an attempt to avoid the danger, so they could start a family and not live in fear. I'd be more than willing to bet that The Iron Fist caught up with them and caused their deaths. If they find out about you, they will come after you.

"I was sent here to ask them for their assistance helping us once more as we've had a resurgence of violence with The Fist over the last few years. It's a sad fate that they're gone."

She stared at him wide-eyed. What he was saying sounded like something out of legends. Stories told while gathered around a fire during the cold winter nights. It didn't seem possible. While her life hadn't always been a happy one, it had been plain. Still, she sensed a truth behind his words, a sincerity and honesty many people didn't display.

She wrung her hands and exhaled slowly. "I believe you," she said. He smiled appreciatively. "What are you going to do now?"

"I'll return with this news and we'll have to figure something else out."

"What about me? You said I was in danger."

"I would recommend you come back with me. We can provide you with some safety, though I can't promise you there would be no danger. Of course, it's entirely up to you. You say you believe what I'm saying, but that's a far cry from trusting me with your life, and I wouldn't blame you if you decided to stay here."

"Would you ever intentionally hurt me or break my trust?"

"Never," he said without pause.

She smiled at him and stood up. "Then I trust you. When do we plan on leaving?"

He smiled and shook his head at her. "You are certainly an interesting character." Standing, he said, "I hadn't planned on staying long, but matters are even more urgent than they seemed. We should leave at dawn."

"Alright. Follow me. I can get you a room for the night." She opened the door and led him into the common room. "I never got your name." She looked over her shoulder at him.

"Sebastian."

"Hmm." She stopped at the counter and pulled open the drawer containing the room keys. Just then the door burst open and five men dressed in black leather armour marched into the inn. The chatter quieted and every head turned in response to the menacing air that surrounded the men.

Behind Ellanna, Sebastian froze. The men's gaze locked on Sebastian and they started towards him, drawing their swords.

"Go to the back and stay there," Sebastian whispered in her ear. "They're here for me... Go!"