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Soulmates weren't unusual. In fact everyone had one. Jester knew everyone had soulmates, she'd read stories about them: the noble knight who meets a fair maiden and finds his name written on her wrist, boy who couldn't see blue until he looked into the eyes of his beloved. She's even heard of people with their first words written on each other. She often spent her afternoons daydreaming about the handsome stranger who would sweep her off her feet. She read all of her mama's story books, it was so exciting! She was a little disappointed that she didn't have a mark, that was the most common physical marker of the soulmate bond. She didn't have any words either, not a name or a phrase. That would have been pretty cool. But she didn't have anything. So she asked her mama for some more books on soulmates, of course her mama gave them to her. There were all sorts of bonds! She probably had a really cool one! She was pretty sure she could see all the colours, she could see blue and green and pink and brown, she was pretty sure that it wasn't that. Just because she hadn't found which bond she had it didn't mean she didn't have one... right? The traveller, her best friend in the whole world, told her not to worry, she'd find her soulmate some day.
-
Beau wasn't a very well behaved child and her parents weren't exactly tolerant people. She must have been smacked with a belt or the back of her father's hand more times than she could count. It didn't really matter to her, it never really hurt, it left some pretty spectacular bruises though. At the moment she had a blooming blue bruise on her right arm, she'd got that for refusing to wear the frilly yellow dress with all the matching accessories. When she'd put the dress on she'd proceeded to get it covered in mud and grass stains. To go with that particular bruise was a lecture from her mother. She'd told her all about soulmates, she'd lectured her and told her that there was someone out there for her, even if she didn't have a mark. She'd told her that no man would like her if she carried on like she was! Beau's response had earned her a slightly smaller red bruise beneath the bolder blue one. She'd told her mum that she didn't want to marry a man. Just thinking about it made her feel sick. That had got her a quick smack on the arm and a lecture about how she'll change her mind someday.
-
Jester was pretty clumsy. She put the tapestry of bruises covering her skin down to that. She hit her leg into a table, slept a little weirdly, fell over in the garden, got a papercut while she was reading, stubbed her toe. She was always getting into trouble while playing her pranks so it was no wonder that she was covered in scrapes and bruises. But she couldn't really ignore them after a while. She was pretty sure the bruise appearing on her right arm wasn't her. She'd been sat doodling all day, how was she bruised? She decided to address that later, she'd probably just hit it on the table or something. Besides her mother just shouted her for dinner.
-
Beau was bored and angry. She was sitting cross legged in the living room, pretending to enjoy whatever crappy book her parents had given her.
"I'm going out." She announced.
Her mother didn't even look up from her sewing, "Okay darling, don't get mud on your dress."
Beau had found this really cool little ditch in the back garden, if you walked down it you could get under the gap in the hedge and out into the fields. Also there were frogs and she was pretty sure she'd seen a snake down here once. She was running, a white flowery dress flying round her ankles as she squelched through the mud. As her slipped slightly on the muddy floor she felt something catch her as she fell forward, then heard a tear. She fell flat, she put her hands out the catch herself, her dress already torn and soaked in mud. She hit the ground at an awkward angle and cursed under her breath. She sat up against the edge of the ditch, spotting a frog or toad a little ways away and focusing on that instead of the dull throb in her wrist. It didn't hurt too bad though, she could shake it off, breaks would hurt more than that so it was probably just a little sore from the impact. The belt she was going to get when she got home was going to be much worse. She shrugged off her fall and carried on, not even noticing the shambles scraping at her legs.
-
Jester was sat eating dinner with her mama, it was rare she got to do this, her mama was usually busy working but today they were having this really nice potato thing. She wasn't sure what it was called but it was nice. All of a sudden she was crying. What was this? It hurt. Oh traveller it hurt. She was crying and her mother stood panicked, asking her if she was okay, rushing to her daughter, her little sapphire. She looked down through her tears at her throbbing wrist.
Wrists shouldn't bend that way.
"Mama, mama," she said through sobs, "My wrist, it hurts, it hurts a lot mama,"
"Shh, it's okay sweetie, it's okay, what did you do?" She asked, her gentle eyes focused on Jester.
"I-" she hiccuped, "Nothing- It just started and it's bent in the wrong way-"
Her mama looked down at it and frowned, "My little sapphire, I think it's broken, hold on, come with me, it's okay,"
Her mama fixed her up, but the doctor had to come the next day, she didn't know what had happened. One minute she'd been fine, the next she'd been crying and holding her wrist. The doctor showed up and examined her, he was a little confused too.
"Yep, definitely broken, we'll put it in a sling and it should heal up fine, are you sure you didn't fall?"
"Definitely not," Jester shook her head, "I was eating dinner! I wasn't running around, was I Mama?"
"Hm, odd, I can't think of any other ways you could have done that… Unless?" He stopped, pausing for thought, "Marion," he turned to her mother, "I would assume you know rather a lot about soulmates in your line of work,"
She looked confused, as did Jester, "I know quite a lot yes but I don't see how that's relevant?" she queried.
"Its rare so I am not surprised if you have not heard of it," he turned back to Jester and got down on his knees to her level, "Jester, you are a very special little girl, maybe a little unlucky but very special nonetheless,"
"Uh, okay?" What? What was this guy on about?
He continued, "You know about soulmates, yes? Well soulmate bonds come in different strengths, some are weaker, just an affinity to another's presence, others are shown by marks or words, there are even rumours of telepathy," he whispered, "I don't think that one's real though do you?"
"No," she giggled,
"You Jester, are very special, I think that you have a very strong bond with your soulmate. You ah how to phrase this, you share pain with him. He gets hurt and can brush it off but you my dear, you feel it instead,"
"Oh." She said, "So I'm like his knight!"
The doctor looked sad and a little wistful, "Sure, you're his knight,"
Jester started to play some more, planning some more pranks and didn't notice the conversation that was being had in hushed whispers behind her.
-
Beau remembered the day she was sent away vividly. Well. Not so much sent away as 'abducted for a price'. She'd fought. She'd fucking fought like hell but she wasn't trained like the monks. She could throw fists, she was strong and fast but the monks were just that little bit faster. Before she left she swung a fist that did hit. But not at the monks. A crack of her knuckles against her father's jaw.
"That's for Tori you bastard." She spat. She knew they hadn't been soulmates but he didn't know that. Or maybe he did. It didn't matter, he didn't have to let her rot in a prison cell. Maybe it wasn't for Tori, it was for her, for sending her away, for giving up on her, for every time he'd hit her. She swung again, he tried to duck but she was too fast. The monks intervened but not until she'd hit him again and again, a knee to the throat and an elbow to his temples, they restrained her pulling her away.
She yelled, angry and maybe just a little bit sad, "Actually you know what? Fuck you. That was for me. You're a shit dad and can go fuck yourself!" She looked at him and her anger should have softened, she knew it should have but it didn't. He was pathetic. A bleeding mess on the floor, tears welling in his eyes, panting, gasping for breath.
"Fuck you old man. Fuck you." The monks dragged her away. She remembered it in vivid detail, the pottery smashed to the floor, the bruises on her knuckles and the wine bottle broken on the floor, staining the rug. Like her she guessed. Beau wasn't very poetic but she bet that stain was still there. Or maybe they got rid of it. Just like they got rid of her. She remembered it as she parried a blow from another monk, then cracked down with her staff. She was stronger now and she bet that that old man was still a squalling mess.
-
Jester remembered the day it changed. She got used to her soulmate. She thought about him a lot. What adventures he must be getting into, she was covered in scrapes and cuts and always aching. It sucked. The breaks were the worst. Could he not chill out a bit? Just for a little while? Maybe he was a soldier she thought, he was clearly strong, she was pretty sure that he won most of his fights. There was a day though, it wasn't too significant, not really, it was weirdly calm. Then in the evening bruises blossomed along her knuckles and along her ribs, it was like someone was dragging her back, it didn't hurt as bad as it usually did but she felt a pang of anguish, she wondered if that was her soulmate too? What was happening to him? After that day it got worse. More bruises. More scars. More cuts. The traveller had taught her healing spells though, she could fix up anything serious but sometimes her damn soulmate did too much to fix easily so it was a good old medicine kit and some hot chocolate. Today was one of those days and it was exhausting. She just wanted a break. How hard was it?
-
Beau remembered that day when she received a letter. They'd had a son. So that was it then. She left the monastery that night. They were better off without her.
-
Jester had to leave her home, the Lavish Chateau, maybe the prank had gone a little far but he didn't have to put her on a hit list! This was totally not her fault but nonetheless she had to leave Nicodranus. And quick. Her mama gave her some money and she left. Travelling. She laughed with the Traveller and maybe out here she'd meet her soulmate!
She was walking along the dirt paths of the coast, she wasn't really sure where she was going, she didn't really have a goal but she was having fun! She wasn't sure where she was but she'd started chatting to a lovely guy, he was a half orc and his name was Fjord! He wanted to learn magic at the Soltryce academy in Rexxentrum and that was so cool. Jester was happy to join him. Now she had a destination! That night she sat doodling and she wondered, maybe Fjord was her soulmate? It was too early to be sure but he was cute, right?
They were walking down the Amber Road. Jester made some throwaway dick joke that made Fjord laugh and he almost fell straight into a lady in front of them.
"Hey watch it-" she a glared at the two of them and Jester couldn't breath for a minute.
Her eyes were fierce, a stunning cold blue, icy, Jester just had to draw her at some point. She was absolutely beautiful, literally breathtaking.
"I'm awfully sorry miss, we're passing through, you don't think you could help us with some directions?" Fjord asked, he was so good with words but totally unfazed by the woman in front of them,
"Uh sure, where d'you wanna go?" She asked
"We're headed to Soltryce, Rexxentrum, we got a little turned around though,"
"Fuck yeah you did it's miles away, uh its-" Jester wasn't listening to her directions, what was this feeling? It was probably just meeting new people!
Jester blurted out, "Maybe you could come with us," Oh god why did she say that she'd obviously say no. She was far too cool and why was her heart beating so damn fast-
"Yeah sure, I don't have anything better to do, I'll show ya, name's Beau by the way,"
Well she'd be damned.
-
They met some others in the tavern, then some others at the circus. The circus had ended messily. A fight between them and some weird zombie demon things. Despite the fact that she wasn't in the centre of the action she felt a blow to the stomach, a gash on her arm too. So many people had been hit in that fight that it was hard to tell. But her soulmate was there. He was with her. Right beside her, but who was it?
Could it be Fjord, he was handsome, very strong. He took care of her. He had taught her so much and he was so sweet, maybe it was him, that would be a funny turn of events. How lucky would it be that the first person she met outside her home was her soulmate?
Could it be Caleb, he was cute in a scruffy unkempt sort of way. Definitely a nerd. His red hair would be really nice if he brushed and his accent was adorable. They'd be good together she thought.
Could it be Molly? He was so cool. Another tiefling but he was bright purple, he was flamboyant and bright and funny and Jester adored him. He was definitely good-looking, it could be him.
This was fun, figuring it all out. She loved the Mighty Nein even if she only had one soulmate and she couldn't figure out who.
-
Beau loved this new group of people, The Mighty Nein they were calling themselves. She thought Fjord was a laugh and Caleb was pretty chill, Mollymauk was shifty for sure and Yasha was hot as well as pretty cool. Nott was a hilarious troublemaker and then there was Jester. She was adorable and naive and Beau had taken her under her wing. She was cute but making a move would feel like taking advantage, besides she was probably straight. They roomed together, one night the discussion of soulmates came up,
"Load o' bullshit if you ask me."
"But Beau!" Jester protested, "It's so romantic!"
"Nah, I don't think so, I think it's weird, I don't want fate to tell me who to love, had enough of that as a kid,"
"Well I mean I guess but what bond do you have with your soulmate?" Jester bounced,
"Me?" Beau asked, "I don't think I have one, we'll no mark, no weird brain thing, I've never really looked into it."
"I have. Its weird and kinda fucked up but in a sweet way?" Jester shrugged, "Wanna hear mine?"
"Sure, why not, d'you have a mark?"
"No, not like you're thinking," Jester looked straight in her eyes and fuck those purple eyes were beautifully distracting, "I get their pain."
"That's fucked up man,"
"I know! But if my soulmate gets hurt then I take the pain! And-" she lowered her voice to a whisper, "I think my soulmates in our group,"
Beau sat forward, leaning on her elbows, "Who d'you think it is?"
"I'm not sure, it could be anyone! It's so frustrating!"
"I bet, what's the worst thing they ever did?"
"My soulmate? They broke a lot of bones, ribs, legs, arms, you name it they probably broke it, the worst was probably a wrist when I was nine, it hurt like hell and I had no idea what it was."
"Your wrist just snapped outta nowhere? Fuck that must have hurt, I snapped my wrist at about that age and it hurt like a bitch,"
"It did! I was just eating dinner and then bam broken wrist."
"That's sucks man."
-
Beau came back late one night and Jester wasn't sure why. All she knew was she was in a lot of fucking pain. She was fine the day before but she woke up in agony.
"Beau-" she croaked, eyes full of tears,
"Jes, are you alright?"
"No-" she sobbed, her wrist felt like she had severed it from her arm, "My soulmate is an asshole,"
"Oh Jester," she came over and propped Jester up against the wall, "Are you okay? Where does it hurt?"
"That asshole broke their wrist again. And I think they might have bruised a couple ribs." Beau took a few seconds but then she realised.
"Jessie why didn't you say you weren't straight? It would have narrowed it down a bit," she laughed,
"What do you mean?"
"Like well, as in you like girls right?"
"That's allowed? " She said, a little too loudly,
"Uh, yeah, also I think I might be an asshole…"
"No Beau you're great!"
"About that Jessie… Oh god I'm so sorry, I'm a fucking dumbass."
"Why?" Jester looked quizzically at her.
"We match." Beau said simply, "Jessie I think we're soulmates,"
Soulmates.
Beau was her soulmate.
And everything made sense all of a sudden.
Jester didn't even realise what she was doing when she pulled Beau into a kiss. It was tentative at first, new and her lips were oh so soft. Then they pulled away for a fraction of a second to look at eachother, then they kissed again, hungrier this time, more desperate, one of Jester's fangs catching Beau's lip. It felt so right. So right that they didn't notice the knock on the door, or Caleb stood awkwardly,
"Oh, es tut mir leid. " And the door closed with a click. The two of them dissolving into laughter.
Soulmates.