Archive of Our Own

Nia held onto Dromarch’s fur as he trotted them into town. The stares they drew were as inevitable as they were unavoidable. Drivers and Blades grabbed attention by their mere presence, especially in backwater towns such as this one. Dromarch being a huge white tiger hardly helped matters. The Titan Cynefindra only had one town of any notable size and that was this place, Hunanol. Everything else was scattered so-called villages of a few homes all filled with big families that farmed the local land.

Surviving on the Titan whilst staying away from prying eyes had been easier than she had expected. There were few dangerous beasts and even fewer idiots wandering around. Dromarch had found them a nice spot out of the way on their third day on the Titan. From there all they had to do was sneak down to the lake every few nights to restock on fresh water. Meals typically came from her efforts in the dead of night every week where she would sneak into a handful of different farms to steal a little bit here and there. As long as she kept what she took small and rotated amongst the farms she could stay fed and hidden for months.

Inevitably she’d have to leave. She always did. Locals would start to talk and they’d begin to notice the patterns. Then they’d find her and she’d have to come up with some excuse. Sometimes she’d be offered shelter or work, but that was a trap even if they didn’t know it. A Driver and Blade drew attention after all.

And so did a girl who didn’t age.

It was such a shame to cut their stay on Cynefindra short. Nothing to be done about it though.

“Keep your eyes open for ‘em, Dromarch. I doubt they’ll have gotten this far already, but best to be cautious.”

“Of course, Milady.”

Her luck had never been what she’d describe as ‘good’. Pathetic. Miserable. Traitorous. Some fourth unpleasant thing. But of all the damned reasons to have to abandon ship, metaphorically speaking, how had it ended up being Indoline missionaries? Did they really have to convert the poor farmers and craftsmen of this Titan that was three peds from nowhere?

Apparently the answer was yes. Just her bloody luck.

They had caught sight of them holding a nighttime prayer amidst a batch of baffled and bemused villagers. Sure Nia had managed to snag some fruit from one of the orange trees, but it was a clear sign that it was time to make her break for it.

She had been to Hunanol once before, back when they had arrived. It was the only place that trading vessels coming and going from the Titan made their berth. Once again she silently thanked Fussfussi for pointing her towards this Titan. It was good while it lasted. She had really thought it could have gone on for longer than usual. After all, nearly everyone on the Titan was of Gormotti descent. Dromarch’s presence still caused her to stand out, but otherwise she could have been any other stray Gormotti farm girl.

Nia did her best to ignore the pleasant scents wafting her way from all the market stalls cooking up fresh grub for the people who lived there. When was the last time she had eaten a proper meal someone had prepared rather than whatever scraps she had managed to steal? Months at least. She wrenched her eyes away from the scintillating sight of a vendor hawking meat pies. Well at least her staring probably made her seem more like the country bumpkin she was supposed to be. Da would have said they were too good for such common food.

One of the many things he had been wrong about.

Her eyes swept through the crowd as she tried to search for any sign of the missionaries. Or at least some excuse to look away from all the food that smelled too bloody good for her sanity. Her stomach was gonna rebel if she wasn’t careful. Hold her hostage or some such nonsense.

A lanky Gormotti boy with nice ears winked at her as she and Dromarch passed by. Nia made sure not to show any positive response. A stranger flirting with her would just make her stand out more than she already did. Not that there was much point to flirting even when she was completely safe. It could never go anywhere. And snogging a local was just asking to be remembered. Better for nobody to care. For her not to.

Finally they arrived at the meager port at the edge of town. It was a handful of docks with canoes and small Titanships lashed to them. There wasn’t much in the way of loading or unloading. The boats just bobbed up and down on the clouds without purpose or attention.

Nia clambered off Dromarch’s back. She ruffled his ears and said, “Hang tight. I’ll talk to the old fella that runs these docks and arrange passage. If you see them just flare your ether to alert me, alright?”

“Of course. I shall be ever vigilant.”

There was a ramshackle hut near the docks where arriving traders and merchants came to pay dock fees. When she had gotten here the Captain of the ship she had been traveling on pointed it out and told her that was where she’d go when or if she needed to book passage off the Titan. Nia knocked on the door and a hoarse voice shouted, “Just a moment!”

She waited patiently, pretending not to hear the muffled curses of an old man clearly getting dressed. Not that she was judging. If she had a home of her own she’d probably spend half the day without trousers on as long as there was no company to worry about. Managing to take your clothes off without being terrified sounded like a fantastic experience. She doubted she’d know what that was like ever again.

The door wrenched open noisily and Nia winced at the terrible sound the hinges made. Would it kill him to oil the bloody things? The dockmaster, or whatever his title was, looked approximately one hundred and twelve years old. His face was seventy percent wrinkles and his thinning white hair barely covered his head, leaving his equally wrinkled ears exposed. They had barely a hint of fluff on them. Must get cold in the winter. “Yes, what?,” he rasped.

“Was hoping to book passage on the next ship out. Could you help set that up for me?”

He squinted at her as if trying to figure something out. Or maybe he could barely see her. On closer inspection his eyes were a bit cloudy. Cataracts were fairly common amongst elderly Gormotti. She had only met Da’s aging Aunt a time or two before the woman had passed, but her eyes had gotten the same way. Bloody cantankerous old woman had refused to let Nia try and heal her. It had never made sense to Nia.

“Could do, yah. Course it’ll be a few days.”

“A few days? Why’s that?”

“Tsk, you look at the sky or are you damned kids too busy staring at yer feet these days? Storm coming in. Nobody leaves till it breaks. Could be tomorrow or maybe the day after. Or longer. No telling.” He jerked his thumb up to the sky above. It did look a little grey and sour, but did that really mean something other than rain?

Nia cast a look back towards Dromarch and then refocused on the dockmaster. “How bad are we talking?”

“Lotta rain, high winds, maybe some hail. Not horrible, but too rough for ships this small to make long trips safely. You in a rush, little lady?” His tongue pressed up against the gap in his front teeth and she tried to ignore it. No need to antagonize the old man.

“Just got nowhere to stay in town and it’s a long walk back. Hard to time it right if I don’t know when it’ll be. How much anyway?”

“These ain’t passenger ships. Just haulers taking fruit to Pyrithium Trade Guild. That walking mountain of fur back there yer Blade?”

“Aye.”

“Two o’ ya taking up space…figure if you feed yourselves and just sleep on the deck…could do for five hundred. If’n ya need food and such it’d be eight.”

Neither of those prices was reasonable, but it wasn’t like she had much of a choice. “The first should do. There an inn in town?”

“Psht, course not. Bar, sure, locals gotta drink, but we ain’t get enough visitors for an inn. Now, if’n ya got a bit of scratch my way, say fifty, I’d be obliged ta point ya toward somewhere safe ya can stay fer cheap.”

Of course that was how it would shake down. Thankfully as a Driver who was mostly self-sufficient she really only had to do a few proper jobs here or there to keep her solvent for her limited expenses. Such as travel. Or a roof to stay under while it was storming and she was sitting around waiting to get scooped up by a bunch of Indoline missionaries who had no idea she was there. Sure she was probably being paranoid, but it was better to be safe. “Fine, fine. If you pull the other one it dispenses wine, but I don’t plan on being a drowned cat for the next couple days. Fifty, yeah?”

“Milady, are you sure this is wise? We could simply remain in the countryside until the weather has passed.”

Dromarch was always looking out for her and she appreciated it, even if sometimes he could be a bit too smothering. “And miss the few ships they send out and then have to wait even longer to get off this Titan? No thanks. We’ll just rent the room and spend the next few days inside. They’ll be even less likely to spot us that way. Besides, I already paid for the info and an extra ten so the old man would send a runner to let us know as soon as a ship is leaving.”

“As you say, but even with that plan was it really necessary to buy so many meat pies? The scent is rather overpowering for me.”

“Listen,” she said huffily as she took a bite out of the flaky and juicy street food. “It’s called planning in advance. If I’ve got enough food to eat we really won’t have any need to go outside until we’re heading out of here. I call it a brilliant plan.”

“And not merely an excuse to eat something another person has cooked,” Dromarch said, his tone filled with reproach.

“It can be both. I got enough for both of us. Sure you don’t want one? I bet you’re just as sick of munching on uncooked veg and fruits as I am.” There were fish in the small lake on Cynefindra, but they were tiny things barely half as long as her little finger. Hardly any meat on them and they weren’t exactly biting lures at night. Going out in the daytime to properly fish had absolutely been out of the question.

Dromarch was just finishing his meat pie as they arrived at the house Nia had been directed to. It was nothing fancy and similar in style to what you’d find on Gormott, much like the rest of the homes, but there was an orange flag streamer attached to a post on the door. According to the dockmaster it was how the locals indicated they had space for rent. Had she known that already she wouldn’t have had to fork over fifty gold, but at least it had taught her a lesson. Next time she was in the boondocks she’d ask around for similar traditions.

Nia knocked on the door. Very quickly the door was pulled open. It was quiet and without a hint of a creak. A pleasant contrast to the old man’s travesty of a hinge. The Gormotti man standing in the doorway was in his middle years and wore simple clothes with an apron tied around his neck. His russet-brown hair and ears were in stark contrast to his vibrant green eyes. He smiled warmly and said, “Yes, can I help you, miss? Are you perhaps here in regards to the room?”

Now that was a tone Nia recognized. That eagerness that was covered up by a pleasant smile and lots of practice. He was eager to rent the room and he had brought it up immediately. Hard up for money? Maybe. Could be something else, but that felt most likely. “Just for a few days until the storm passes. Is it available short term?”

“Yes. I have daily, weekly, and monthly rates. Though given where we are I can’t say any traveler has taken the monthly option since I started this. Until the storm passes you say? Would you be willing to make payment at noon of a day you’ll be staying? That ought to give you time to see if a ship is leaving before you commit to the day.” Yes, there was definitely a bit of tension. Given her experiences she had grown familiar with the sound of a man struggling to make ends meet.

“I can do that. I’ve got my own food so I just need the room. Is my Blade welcome? I’d like him to share a room with me if that’s alright.” As if she’d let herself be separated from Dromarch.

He offered a bright smile to Dromarch and in turn Dromarch inclined his head respectfully. Master of decorum that one. She could do the same if she could be bothered to recall the etiquette lessons she had received, but that was a past she didn’t need to remind herself of. Not her style anyway. “Yes, that should be fine,” he said. “I only have the single room available. You’d be staying in the room adjacent to my daughter’s and just above my own. Not very big, but it has a bed. The privy is shared space so we might have to organize what times it’s available.”

“A bed sounds nice. Much better than having to walk all the way back to the other side of the Titan while I wait for the storm to wear itself out. Right, shall we talk payment?”

By the time he had finished her miniature tour she knew the small home perfectly. Not that there was much to know. The first floor had a single larger bedroom, the sole privy in the house, and a kitchen area with a table for meal times. Upstairs there was a storage closet, a narrow office space with a desk crammed in, and the two bedrooms. Both were about the same size and that size was tiny. There was enough room for a single person bed, a dresser, and a little bit of walking space to go in and out. Thankfully it had a window. Even better it actually had a curtain that could be raised or lowered. Not being awakened by sunlight stabbing her in the eyes might be nice.

Cryf, the homeowner, was a pleasant enough host. He was clearly trying not to be overbearing. His price had been reasonable. Not that different from an inn. He had made it clear that she was free to eat her meals in the kitchen or in her bedroom and even pointed out a tray she could use if she chose to eat in her room.

“I would appreciate it if you could respect quiet hours once the sun goes down. My daughter, Eiddil, she’s rather frail and often struggles to sleep. Her rest not being disrupted is very important to me.”

Nia stumbled and barely caught herself with a hand against the wall. Cryf asked if she was alright and Dromarch opened their affinity so he could send her a feeling of support. “I’m fine. Just tripped is all.”

It took her a few moments to recalibrate her brain. She needed to wrap her head around it. All of it felt a bit too familiar. Gormotti man eager for an influx of money. Daughter of poor health. And Nia.

“My Blade is a healer. We could take a look at your daughter if you’d like.”

Idiot. She shouldn’t have offered. That was a detail he didn’t need to know. Healing some stranger would only make them stand out.

His eyes brightened and then immediately he grew downcast. It was as drastic a transition as it was swift. “Apologies. As much as I would appreciate it, I haven't the money to pay for a Driver’s service. Besides, I’ve had a number of professionals attempt treatment. Even hired a Driver out of Argentum. Nothing.”

A detail about his home suddenly struck her. There had been no paintings. No decorations. Very little furniture. Just a few basic chairs and a rickety table in the kitchen. Besides the obvious signs of use you could be forgiven for thinking nobody lived there year round. Nia was very familiar with the appearance a household took on as the owner slowly sold everything in order to keep going. Too familiar.

She should just accept his reasoning. Not do anything. Let it be.

“If you give me first pick on shower times I’ll take a look at her and we can call it even. How’s that?”

Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.

Through their link she could feel a warm pulse of emotions from Dromarch. Pride. Bloody tiger had the audacity to be proud of her for doing something stupid.

Cryf quickly took her hands in his and offered his heartfelt thanks. He agreed, because of course he would. Why wouldn’t he?

And so Nia found herself standing in Eiddil’s cramped bedroom with Dromarch just behind her. Eiddil sat cross-legged on her bed and watched Dromarch with open curiosity. Even if she had met a Blade before that wouldn’t make Dromarch any less fascinating. Beastform Blades were rarer than humanoid ones and Unique ones like Dromarch were even rarer than that.

Of course her type of Blade was rare even by comparison to all the others.

Eiddil was clearly less than ten, though she might be closer than Nia was thinking. The little Gormotti girl was too thin and her skin a bit too pale. Her hair was a fiery red and it was pulled into a loose ponytail that was tied in place by a length of blue ribbon. Ribbons like that one or the yellow ones Nia used were common fashion amongst young Gormotti girls. Eiddil shared her father’s beautiful green eyes.

“Hello,” Eiddil said tentatively. Her voice was soft and weak. “Da says you want to give me a check-up. I’m Eiddil. What are your names?”

“Gaya,” Nia said without thinking. “And this is my Blade, Byakko.”

“Hello,” Eiddil replied. She looked next to Dromarch and smiled shyly at him. “Would it be alright if I pet you?”

“Of course, miss. Milady, would you mind making room so I might go closer?”

Nia scooted over so Dromarch could pass. Her brain was so distracted that she barely paid attention as Eiddil first nervously touched Dromarch’s fur and then more eagerly began to stroke the top of his head.

Why had she given that name? Of all the ones she could have picked, why that one?

She knew why. She could stare the reason why right in her green eyes. This house and its small fragile family was familiar in all the wrong ways.

There was no taking it back. Until the storm broke she would be using her sister’s name.

Just like she was using her sister’s ribbons.

It was all so familiar that it soured Nia’s stomach.

Because life was a circle Nia quickly realized that Eiddil’s illness was something that could not be resolved via traditional ether based healing. With Dromarch’s powers there was nothing that could be done. “I’m sorry,” she whispered.

“It’s alright, thank you for trying,” Cryf responded as if by rote.

“I got to pet Byakko so it’s okay,” Eiddil said with a surprisingly genuine smile.

Of course that was what they said. Why wouldn’t they? At no real cost they had gotten to take a shot at healing Eiddil. Not that they had high expectations. Nothing else had worked, so why would this?

But that wasn’t why she had apologized. It wasn’t because Dromarch couldn’t heal Eiddil.

It was because Nia could.

Alone in the adjacent room with Dromarch, Nia sat on the bed and pulled her knees up to her stomach. She pressed her forehead against her knees and clenched her nails on her legs. Without a word she cut the affinity.

“Coward. Bloody coward.”

“Milady,” Dromarch began.

“Can we not talk for a while? I…need quiet.”

The rain began to pour before the hour was out.

That torrential ominous drumbeat upon the roof matched her mood beat for beat.

Better for the rain to drown out her thoughts.

Dromarch pretended to sleep. Nia knew he was pretending and he knew Nia knew that he knew she knew. He often did so in order to observe her during difficult nights. Just so that he could be on hand if she needed him. And this was such a night.

Gormotti ears were more sensitive to sound than most other humans. Nothing like her original ears, but still better than others. Too good at times. Like when they picked up the sound of Eiddil coughing in the middle of the night, punctuated by peals of thunder. It was a sound nearly as wet and unpleasant as the weather. A sign of fluid build-up.

Eiddil’s bed was up against the wall as was Nia’s. That thin wall separated them, but had it not been there Nia could have reached out a hand and touched Eiddil. Close enough that Nia could feel the wall vibrate as Eiddil’s pained shudders shook the bed.

Nia squeezed her eyes shut as she tried to banish the memory of Gaya trembling in her arms as she tried to push through the pain.

Go away.

Go away.

‘I don’t want to remember.’

The coughing intensified and Nia clapped her hands atop her head to cover her ears and muffle the sound. She buried her face into the pillow fiercely as if she could burrow her way down far enough that she could escape the reminders.

Nia rejected Dromarch’s attempt to establish their link.

He didn’t deserve to feel what she was experiencing. It wasn’t his burden to bear.

Not long after noon the next day Nia stood at the window in her room. It overlooked the street below. There, in the pouring rain, Cryf had a heated argument with a burly bearded Gormotti man half again Cryf’s size. The big fellow made threatening gestures and kept pointing towards the house. It ended with the man stalking away with a pouch of money in hand and Cryf slinking back inside. The very same pouch Cryf had put Nia’s payment into.

Debt collection. That was why Cryf was so eager to get the quick influx of money from renting out a room. That wasn’t a discussion where full payment was rendered. It was a stand-in. A way to get circling vultures to back off. To give him more time.

Nia had seen it all before.

As the debt collector left he looked up at the window for such a brief moment that Nia wasn’t sure if she had imagined it. Could someone even see her from below while it was raining so hard?

On her trek downstairs Nia briefly overheard Eiddil reading aloud. Doing her lessons. Even a girl that sick still had to study for the future. A future she might not get to experience.

Taking her trip down to the privy Nia locked the door and double checked that it couldn’t be opened accidentally. Once she was finally certain she stripped down and folded her clothes up. Her eyes caught her reflection in the mirror and she glared at herself and her puffy eyes. Lack of sleep and tears had done that.

Nia stretched out her left hand and touched a finger to the red and blue core on her reflection’s chest. “They aren’t Sis and Da. Don’t be an idiot. Just ignore it. You’ve got yourself to look out for. And Dromarch too. Let ‘em go.”

Once she was in the shower she let the hot water pour over her skin. It was so scalding she almost believed that it could distract her from unpleasant memories. And the happy ones.

In those memories she sat outside and helped Gaya with her lessons. Da sat nearby reading from one of those historical fiction books he loved so much. It was so normal. So peaceful. Their little family.

Her tears blended with the water that rained down upon her.

Nia gently pressed the towel against the fur of her ears as she walked into the kitchen. Her hair was mostly dry, but that last bit of moisture on her ears was bothering her. Ten years ago Nia hadn’t known what that was like. She had just used her powers to dry herself off. The mundane way of doing it was tedious, but it was something she was used to by now.

Despite being fully dressed she felt a little naked without her boots and especially with her bandolier upstairs. Being in a stranger’s house with bare feet and her knives not within reach was a recipe for the jitters. Certainly not helped by the presence of those missionaries somewhere on the Titan.

She stopped dead, towel against her ears, and stared at Eiddil. The little girl sat at the kitchen table with a book spread out in front of her. Her head lifted at the sound of Nia’s approach and their eyes met. Eiddil smiled brightly and Nia tried to pretend she wasn’t imagining her sister. “Good morning, Miss Gaya. Were you coming down to eat? Don’t worry, I’m not loud while reading.”

Nia bit her lower lip to focus herself. She draped the towel across her shoulders and proceeded further. “Figured I’d just grab the tray your Da pointed out and head back upstairs. Byakko and I like our privacy.”

That had come out in more of a rush than she had intended. She had nearly called Dromarch by his proper name, but had remembered at the last moment. “You can keep reading in peace. We won’t bother you.”

“Oh that’s alright. I wouldn’t mind the company.”

“Maybe, but I’m not good company most of the time. People say I’ve got a rough sense of humor.” If idiots didn’t want her bluntly pointing out how stupid they were they shouldn’t have been so dumb to begin with. Wasn’t her fault.

Eiddil’s smile seemed to burn into Nia’s back even as Nia picked up the tray she had come for. “Could I ask you something, Miss Gaya?”

“Sure,” she said without thinking or turning around.

“What’s it like being a Driver? You must get to travel and see the world. It sounds so exciting.”

Well she certainly got to travel and see the world, but she wouldn’t personally have described it as exciting. Then again, most Drivers didn’t have to deal with the problems she did. “The being the Driver part, at least for me, is more about having someone I trust. He keeps me centered and safe. The rest of it? Just another job I’d say.”

Nia tucked the tray under her arm and turned around to head back upstairs. As she walked Eiddil asked another question. “Have you ever been to Gormott? Ma was born there, but I’ve never seen it. She used to say it was pretty.”

Best not to ask what had happened to Eiddil’s mother. There were no signs of a third person living in the home so whatever had taken place had been years ago. “A time or two. And yeah, I’d call it pretty.”

Her left foot touched the first step when Eiddil said, “Have you ever heard of a town called Echell? That’s where Ma was born. I’ve always wanted to see it.”

“Never heard of it,” she lied. Her right foot followed the left and she ascended the stairs.

Too bloody familiar.

The next morning Dromarch insisted on using an Art to heal her. Her eyes were obviously puffy. Letting her own regenerative powers take over would have been easy, but her mind automatically repressed them in this form. Begrudgingly she let him help, even if only because the signs of her crying might draw questions from their hosts.

Dromarch didn’t need to ask her why she had been crying. He could tell. Always had been able to. Maybe not the exact reason, but the general state of her mentality. She hadn’t lied when she had told Eiddil that Dromarch kept her centered and safe. Sometimes from herself. Without him she would have given up years ago. Or gotten captured.

Rain positively assaulted the homes and streets of Hunanol. Every so often there was a powerful blast of wind that made it seem as if the walls were going to rattle themselves into collapse. No sign of the hail the old dockmaster had mentioned, so that was one less thing to worry about.

Nia stepped outside onto the porch, though she made sure to stay far enough back under the overhang that she wasn’t getting more than a misting of water. The town was essentially empty. No stalls were open and no one was in the streets. It was a strange sight. Places like Torigoth were never silent. At any hour of the day and any weather condition you’d see at least a few people out and about. A city of that size couldn’t stop, like a boulder rolling down a hill.

Watching the rain soothed her. Her eyes scanned the town whilst her hands busied themselves peeling an orange. The ones grown here on Cynefindra were especially tasty and the skin was easy to remove. Supposedly the locals rarely ate them raw, preferring to juice the oranges or to cook them into their meals. The largest portions were sold to the trade guilds, but if you grew enough of something you’d end up eating it in some fashion. Nia had never tried the juice by itself, though she was sure it was tasty. Still, she preferred the sensation of sinking her teeth into the flesh and letting the juices burst out.

She took just such a bite out of the orange. It was delicious. Even after all the ones she had stolen and eaten they hadn’t gotten stale to her palate. After she left she’d likely never know if the orange she was eating had come from this place. The trade guilds slapped corporate labels on goods rather than specifying the origin. That was a bit sad. These backwater Titans would see more visitors if not for nonsense like that.

The door opened and then closed moments later. Cryf settled down into the singular rocking chair on the porch that sat less than a meter to Nia’s right. He had a mug in hand and was sipping slowly from it as steam billowed up. “Good morning.”

“Mornin’,” she replied lazily. So much for solitude and the rain.

“I made plenty of tea. You’re free to have some if you like. It isn’t anything fancy, but it has that nostalgic flavor of home. Well, to me it does. Oh, but the blue tin is just for Eiddil.”

“That so?,” she asked without looking. Nia took another large bite out of the orange as an excuse to not say more.

“Most of the people on this Titan were born here and not the homeland. Eiddil was, but my wife and I were born elsewhere.”

Nia made a sound that probably resembled acknowledgment. Did he have to talk?

“I know what it’s like, to not have a place of your own. To be scattered to the wind by chance. My wife, she was from the homeland, just like my parents. But I was born in a refugee camp in Indol. The Praetorium eventually found a place for us here. We settled in. Put down our roots so to speak. There’s a lot of folk like that out in the world. Sometimes all they need is a kindly hand to reach out and offer them a place.”

Oh Architect, he thought she was a refugee or some stray orphan. Not that he was wrong about how many of them there were. Lots of Gormotti had been taken in as refugees after the Ardainian invasion fifty years ago. Most who had useful skills or trades had settled in amongst the various villages, but those without had either been left homeless or had filled up Torigoth’s slums.

“I’m not a refugee. Just a traveling Driver.”

“Those aren’t mutually exclusive. A kid your age living a nomadic life making a living as a Driver? Pardon me if it offends, but that doesn’t sound like someone with a family or a place to call home.”

He wasn’t wrong. He just wasn’t right either. “I’ve got a young face is all. Older than most think.”

Which wasn’t a lie. It just wasn’t the complete truth.

“I retract what I said, but I’ll just say this next part to the wind. Cynefindra is a good place to call home. A pleasant and welcoming Titan to put roots down in.”

She made a sound that probably resembled acknowledgment and then set about licking the juices off her fingers. When had she finished the orange? His comments had been so distracting she had eaten the rest of it without getting to savor the crisp flavors.

Nia stepped closer to the edge of the porch and stretched her hands out to let the rain clean them. Once she had turned around she shook her hands off and pulled the door open. “Doesn’t look like it’s letting up today. I’ll leave the money on the kitchen table.”

The debt collector came by not long after noon. Even the heavy rain beating down upon him hadn’t stopped him from coming. Debt would find you wherever you went. Even the non-monetary kind. There was always someone collecting.

This time Nia was sure the man had looked at the window. She had stayed closer to the edge to make it less likely she was spotted. The fellow was clearly curious about the person renting. After all, he had to know that whoever was in the room was the actual source of the money he was getting. Had Cryf mentioned that she was a Driver? It wouldn’t surprise her. Even half decent Drivers could pull in a solid income. Mentioning that he was renting to a Driver would have been an easy way to convince the collector that the money would be there.

And maybe a subtle way of keeping the collector off the premises. Starting violence around a Driver you didn’t know was risking getting your arse kicked. Nia could very well be acting as a silent shield for Cryf.

All the more reason for her to leave as soon as a boat was available. Not her problem. No reason to get involved.

“I could track the man if you’d like,” Dromarch said quietly. “The rain will wash away the scent quickly so I would have to start immediately.”

“Don’t bother. Far as we know it’s just legit business. We aren’t getting paid to right wrongs. That kind of sentimentality gets people hurt.” Not always physically.

“As you wish. Cryf and Eiddil seem to be good people, don’t you think, Milady?”

Nia tossed her pillow half heartedly into his face. “Stuff it. We don’t get involved in people’s problems. Not unless there’s money in it. You know that.”

Dromarch didn’t understand. He couldn’t. He knew of her past, but he hadn’t experienced it. She had never even told him about his previous Driver, though she was sure he suspected that Nia had known an older version of him. Dromarch could sympathize with her, but he would never feel what she felt. He shouldn’t have to.

“I think I’ll take a walk,” she said.

“Milady? In the rain? I thought~”

“Nobody is out there anyway. It’s safe. I just need to…cool my head. Rain’ll do that.”

Nia sat with her legs dangling off the edge of the pier. Her whole body was cold and heavy from the rain that soaked through her bodysuit. It clung to her uncomfortably, but she didn’t care. The rain that swirled the Cloud Sea drowned out most of her intrusive thoughts and that was all that mattered.

She just felt tired. Not just from a lack of sleep. A numbness had settled upon her to the extent that all except the strongest emotions seemed absent. Some tiny fragment of herself wanted to abandon her form and revert to her original self. To proudly walk through the streets of this small town, her body kept dry by her powers even in the heavy rain. Every ache and pain that these villagers suffered she could heal with barely a thought.

But she wouldn’t do it. Couldn’t.

“What’s the point of these powers if I can’t do a damned thing with them? Is this your idea of a joke? You sit up there watching us and you don’t get off your arse and help! What use are you? What’s the point of a god who lets everyone suffer? What use am I? Bastard…why did you make me like this?”

The Architect did not answer.

Her scream was smothered by the unending rhythm of the rain.

Eiddil cried in her sleep.

Nia could hear it. She knew the source. A simple reason.

Cryf brewed a special batch of tea for his daughter. One steeped with painkillers. It let Eiddil get through the day with some semblance of normalcy. Come nighttime the medicine wore off and the pain returned. Eiddil struggled to sleep and suffered even as her body tried to rest. Did she even dream? What of?

Gaya used to say that her dreams were filled with grand adventures. Of seeing the world. Helping others. In her dreams she was the hero.

Gaya had cried in her sleep too.

Nia sat on the edge of the bed with her feet on the floor. The rain had begun to weaken. Its absence made the sounds Eiddil made more prominent. Harder to ignore.

“It’s selfishness,” Nia said as she stared at the floorboards. They were old wood with fine grain. Well worn by time.

“Milady?,” Dromarch replied. “What do you mean?”

“All these years…do you know how many people I’ve seen suffering right in front of me? People I could have helped. Could have healed. I could have done something. But I didn’t. I chose not to.”

“And you believe prioritizing your life over theirs is selfishness?”

“No. Maybe. But what is selfish is this. All of those people and I did nothing. But put a mirror to my own life in front of me and suddenly I’m overcome by this need to act. Because it reminds me of the past. Because it hits me personally. I can’t ignore it because it’s so familiar. That’s selfishness.”

“Milady, are you…”

Nia stood and walked to the door. “Guard the stairs. After this, no matter what happens, we’ll leave tomorrow. Even if we have to steal a boat.”

She exited the room, Dromarch following along. They split off as he descended the steps to keep watch. Nia opened the door to Eiddil’s room and stepped inside. As she did so her body bloomed with ether and she took upon herself her original form. How long had it been?

The world was more alive when she was like this. She could feel the world around her in a way her Gormotti form could not replicate. Everything was sharper, crisper, more distinct. Even the sound of Eiddil’s whimpering.

Her feet carried her to the young girl’s bedside and she stretched out her gloved left hand. A green glow enveloped Eiddil’s body as Nia let her ether flow out and into the child. The disease that ate at Eiddil and which had stymied doctors and healing Blades alike was complex. It was easy to see why normal Blades could do nothing.

To her it was effortless.

Eiddil’s eyes fluttered open and she gasped. Her deep intake of breath was pure, clean, and painless. No rasping. No sign of fluid in the lungs. Those green eyes took in Nia’s form and she gawked in surprise. “Miss Gaya, you…”

Nia released the ether and brushed the hair from Eiddil’s face with her fingertips. “Shhh. This is just a dream. That’s all. Sleep. Forget all of this. When you wake up you’ll be well again. Go. See the world. Be happy. Live. But forget about me.”

In the morning the rain had finally stopped. The sun had broken through the clouds. It was a beautiful day.

Outside the house was surrounded by Indoline missionaries and a cadre of warrior monks. Through the window Nia spotted the debt collector. And Cryf. One of the monks handed Cryf a large bag and, after glancing nervously up at the window, he passed the bag to the collector.

Nia felt deflated. Exhausted. Drained dry.

Cryf came back inside. Nia sat at the top of the steps as he entered. He looked up at her and flinched. “I…I’m sorry. There was a bounty poster and…I…”

“Yeah,” she replied, her voice monotone. “I know. Got to settle those debts somehow.”

He seemed to shrink back from her. “I put everything I had into saving Eiddil. I…I have to do what’s best for her.”

“I know. I’ve been here before. Just make sure you take care of her.”

Dromarch exited the room and sat down at her side. “I am ready whenever you are, Milady.”

The door behind them opened and Eiddil stumbled out. “Da? Da? What’s going on? Who are those people?”

Without turning around Nia said, “Don’t worry about it. They’re here for me. It’s got nothing to do with you.”

“What? I don’t understand, why do they want you?”

“Because I’m here. Because I’m alive. Because I’m a monster. Take your pick. It doesn’t matter anymore.”

“Da! Da, she saved me. She healed me last night! Da, you can’t let them take her!”

Cryf looked as empty inside as Nia felt. “Healed you? I…what? No that’s…that can’t…”

Nia leaned to the side and pressed her head against Dromarch. “I’m so tired, Dromarch. Too tired.”

“Milady, I~”

“S’okay. I’m done. It was stupid of me to think I could make it. I know it isn’t fair to you. That I’m being selfish. But I just…can’t. If you run you can probably live free for a while longer. End up with someone who deserves you. I’m sorry.”

“I can imagine nowhere that I should be more than at your side. I shall stay with you. Till the very end.”

Nia wrapped her arms around him and squeezed tightly. He was warm and soft.

As she opened the door to the outside, passing Cryf in the process, the man stuttered out something meaningless. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

The monks had their weapons ready as she stepped out onto the porch. They seemed confused as Nia sat down on the porch.

One of the monks clanged his staff against the ground. They had drawn a crowd of onlookers. “Monster,” the monk loudly proclaimed. “By the authority of the Praetorium you are hereby under arrest. For crimes against nature and the will of the Architect you shall be summarily transported to Indol where your punishment shall be meted out. A punishment befitting a Flesh Eater.”

“Okay. I’m ready.”

Eiddil sat outside in the sunlight. There was no pain. No fatigue. What she ate and drank seemed more flavorful than it had before. The world was more alive. Da had brought the town apothecary to inspect her. None of them seemed to believe she had been healed. They thought it was just a good spell. Nothing that would last.

They were wrong.

The stranger Da had been talking to walked out of the house and stood next to her. He was tall and wore clothes like nothing she had seen before. His white hair fell to his shoulders and he had on a horned mask. Pretty blue eyes peered out from within. “Your father seems to doubt you were truly healed.”

“She healed me. Nobody else could do anything, not even other Blades, but she did. She was special.”

“Yes.”

“They called her a monster. Those priests. She called herself a monster.”

“What do you believe?”

“A monster wouldn’t have helped me. She’s a good person. She saved me.”

“I see.”

He took a step forward and she grabbed hold of his wrist. “You’ve got that sword and everyone in town seems scared of you. That means you’re strong, right?”

She had read it in stories. The dashing swordsman who would appear in order to save the princess from her cruel fate.

“I am.”

“Please…can you save her?”

The swordsman turned, his wrist coming free from her small hand. He squatted down so that he could look her in the eyes. He seemed to take in her appearance and for a moment she thought he seemed sad. “Are…you okay?,” she asked.

“Worrying about me? You really do remind me of him.”

“Who?”

“A Gormotti boy I knew what seems like lifetimes ago.”

“Oh,” she said. Eiddil bit her lip and then gave him her best serious face. “Can you? Save her, I mean. You’ve got that sword and the mask. That means you’re the knight that comes to the rescue. The hero. And the hero saves the girl.”

“Save her? Perhaps.”

He stood and turned away from her and towards the World Tree.

“All I can do is offer her my hand. What happens from there will depend on what she chooses.”

And thus…