No friends-Cadmium, Rosendale
Hunters POV
As soon as my shift ended I happily hurried to the library in the castle. So it was true, uncle was finally giving my privileges back, even if its a small task its by myself. Hes seeing me was worth something again! If I keep it up I could have my missions back in no time.
I entered the library and the warm smell of candle light and old books filled my nose, setting sun and new moonlight settling into the windows and creating a blanket over every object it touched. I scanned the shelves and looked for a specific small section. Now one would wonder why in the Iles theres books on wild magic in the castles library? I can answer that, me.
A year and a half ago I saw first hand how destructive Belos curse can be, he looses sight of himself. It was right after i failed a mission, i reported to him and he was furious. Irritation and anger can make his curse worse and then green dripped from his mask and his hand spewed out of control, ripping away his gloves, and sending it my way. I didnt have enough time to doge and it hit my jaw up to my upper cheek, leaving me sitting in red. Belos of course apologized after i cleaned myself up and I knew I couldn't blame him. It was his stupid curse, and I realized the best way to be useful would be to release him of his burden, so he would never have to experience that pain again.
Anyway im getting off track, luckily when i came down there was a women throwing books on wild magic away, my only hope for information. Belos had destroyed and banned any amount I information on wild magic as possible, it was even banned on the interweb- though that didn't matter because Belos never gave me a scroll. I stopped the woman and-i swear I dont do this often- used my Golden Guard authority and lied saying Belos wanted her to give me the books and I would destroy them. She of course gave them to me-Ive noticed anyone who isn't Kikimora,Lilith- or used to be Lilith after she betrayed the Emperor shes now dead to me- or the coven heads, they just listen without question. Is it respect or fear? Whatever it is it works and i wont complain. I hid the books in a small section in the library- in the romance section because I mean come on, the place is full of adults, no one is going to go in there, and hid them. Ive never had them disturbed.
I sat on the comfortable chair and set my books down and a note pad. The familiar chirping sound rang through my ears, I looked down at my cloak and of course there was the palismen.
How tf did i not feel him-
My eyes widened and i grabbed him and whispered, "What are you doing here??? How many times do I have to tell you to stay in my room! If someone saw you-" Then he completely jumped out and used his beak to flip one of the pages.
"What the Iles are you doing!? Do you want to die?!" I whisper yelled, but then I noticed it had flipped to a page on palismen and palistram wood. I looked down at the red cardinal that tweeted happily at me. I paused and looked at the page, "Are you... helping me.?"
It chirped again as if it were responding but i shook my head at it. Palismen were nothing but dangerous tools, it was meer coincidence it flipped to the page I needed.
Then I heard the library door open and i grabbed the palismen shoving it into my cloak. Then I heard it, "Hey hunter..."
I sighed heavily, annpyed that my reaserch where my book was on the perfect page was to be interuppted, especially by her.
I looked at her anmd noticed her armor and mask were gone, replaced with more comftrable clothes, while my mask was still on and my armor.
We stared at each other for a moment, mask and no mask, her features illuminated like a painting by the candle light.
"I uh..." She fidgeted with her hands that I noticed had a few scars on them, "I have a question for you."
My eyebrows furrowed and my stomach churned as I remembered what we had talked about and what I uncovered to her. Great, so she did see me as some useless freakshow.
I sighed preparing myself for whatever dumb question she had for me about my non insistent bisle sack
"What is it?" I asked monotonly. She was about two feet in front of me as she seemed to be going through something in her head before blurting out, "How are you alive?"
...what-
I looked around uncomfortably, "Well..." I paused allowing myself to become sarcastic, "When two lovers love each other very much..."
She waved her hands expressive in front of her face, "No! I mean," She paused and sighed, "Im sorry if this is kinda rude but... in school one of the first things we learned is that apart of our life sources come from our bisle sacks, and they keep us alive in our parents wombs. So... Titian this is so rude." She rambled on and I fidgeted with my gloves under the table.
What is she talking about, my mask seemed to thicken,"I never learned about that in school..." I lied, not about not learning it but being in school, "Plus I thought you said you only needed to know for missions.?" I asked somewhat trying to evade the topic, mainly because i was just confused.
She began to rock on and off her heals as a fidget, it was obviously awkward; she took another breath, "Yea, I know, Its just I dont understand how thats possible I mean a powerless witch- well that was born powerless- Is un heard of and-..." She seemed to notice my shift in mood as I felt her words hurt me because... well they just did. It was uncomfy to open up about it and then be bombarded my questions. She paused and took a sharp breath.
"Oh shit- Im sorry I dont know why Im asking that was so insensitive." She said holding onto a book in her hands, she began to slowly walk backwards, "Im sorry forget i asked, have a good night," She them mumbled something about not taking ehr own advice and listening to Steve.
I watched as she hesitantly leaved apart of me pissed that she would look down on me, but apart of me felt bad, while I didn't like being interrupted she could've been Kikimora, I mean at least she isn't her. Then I remembered her reaction when she caught up to me again. Her cool understanding and affirmation that she didn't think less of me reminded me she was much more than not Kikimora. And then I looked at it in her shoes and it was right, my family was the only one in the history of the Boling Isles to ever be born without a bislesack.
I sighed and decided that because of her reaction I owed her at least that question, I mean or I knew she would beat around the bush and ask again so it was better to just get it over with, "I just wasn't. My family is born powerless, its been that was for generations. I wish-" No I dont, "-I could tell you why or how but I dont know, It just is."
She then turned around and smiled softly, "Oh, yea no that makes sense. Im sorry for asking about a sensitive topic so abruptly."
I just shook my head, "yea..." It was all i was able to say. I just looked at her and without her armor she seemed so... normal.
"So... what are you reading?"
I laughed softly, sort of appreciative at her wanting to change subject, "Are you attempting to socialize with me?" I asked somewhat teasing as I looked up at her.
She awkwardly smiled, "Whatttt no.... Is it working?" She asked softly, earning a soft chuckle from me.
"Its a-" I paused remembering what it was, "A nonfiction book," I noted in my head hat she was trying to be friendly. I was going to end it there but then SOMEPALISMEN bit my side, making me whine, "What about you-?"
She seemed surprised I asked, "Oh- uh just some love story about two teens with parents from apposing businesses."
I was surprised, "you read... romance?" I asked somewhat teasingly, "Is it your book?"
She laughed, "No I got it from here, and hey, I dont want to hear anyone who reads nonfiction for fun judge me."
Oh shit- Damn of course shes the only one in the entire castle who actually gets their romance books from here, I really should start seeing that stuff coming.
I shook my head, "And I dont want to hear someone who reads romance and obsesses over fiction characters because they cant get into a relationship."
She laughed and crossed her arms, somewhere in our conversation she took a seat across from me, "Oh yea, and like you're doing much better than me. I dont think I've ever seen you have a conversation with anyone besides from me,"
I smiled under my mask and waved my hands, "Oh? You think I dont have witches and demons lining up at my door every morning, I mean you should see the line, rejecting everyone all day gets tiring."
She smirked and shook her head, "Ah, so thats why you have eyebags deeper than the boiling sea," she replied sarcastically.
"Oh, well obviously."
She just laughed again, her smile made me smile-which was rare.
"You know, its kind of weird to be the only one here without my mask," She said suddenly, and i raised an eyebrow at her and smirked.
"Is that your secretive way of asking me to take my mask off?" I asked almost teasingly, I didn't know why I felt so comfortable to talk and joke with her. It was weird how easy it felt considering I couldn't have normal conversations with witches for my life.
She laughed softly and went along with it, "Maybe, I mean I'm so mysterious and secretive how could you ever tell?" She asked sarcastically.
I softly smiled and shook my head, and although it made me uncomfortable to take it off, I weirdly felt comfortable doing it, so i did.
She smiled and leaned back in her chair, "Ah theres those craters of purple under your eyes, you know from your line of lovers outside your door."
I laughed, really laughed as I set my mask on the table, "You're horrible."
Sh gasped dramatically, "Oh my Titian! Did I make the Golden Guard laugh?!"
I crossed my arms and chuckled softly, "Yea yea, drink it up I know its a privilege to see my winning smile," I teased back, as I did and she smiled I realized why it was that I saw her conversing with any scout she sees, and why they all talk to her like they've known her for years. Because shes easy to talk to, she has this vibe about her when she has her mask off that makes one feel... well comfortable. Another reason why it felt like in reality if she were to be replacing me, it felt like the better choice. I shoved the awfully familiar feeling down as she laughed again, placing her head in her hand. Her eyes seeming to light up under the firelight.
"You're awful," she insisted.
"I can live with that."