Chapter Text
It’s always the same thing.
I admit, aside from being frustrated with these assignments and their ambiguity, I’m also beginning to get a bit bored. It’s always the same thing - “A true rune has been spotted in some place or the other. Go research it, and if possible, claim it for Harmonia.” This time it’s far to the south, to a place I’ve barely even heard of before. I don’t think people from this part of the world even go there much. It’s called Valenta. It’s a tiny principality on the far edge of the continent, south of the Toran Republic, on the south-east coast, part of the unoccupied lands of what was the Kooluk Empire over a hundred years ago.
“Nash, any other ideas?”
I hear the people of Valenta are a little…backward. But considering some of the ‘interesting’ people I’ve met over the years, it couldn’t possibly be that bad, could it?
“Hello?”
After all, I ended up being followed by this old hag named Sierra. Of all the people I’ve made acquaintance with, she’s certainly among the weirdest. I swear, there are days I wonder if she was just thrust into my life to make me miserable, with all her nagging, and her insistence on tagging along. But at the same time, I’d be lying if something about her didn’t fascinate me. I don’t know any mortal who can really say they’ve travelled with a vampire for any length of time. Much less, get wrapped up in her vendetta to be the last of her kind.
“Are you listening to me?”
I guess it’s fortunate that I sometimes have something to break up the monotony of my missions from Bishop Sasarai. I honestly never intended to become an occasional vampire hunter, but…things happen, I guess.
“You’re not listening! Pay attention!”
Of course, there aren’t any rumours of vampires this far south. But for whatever reason, she’s decided to follow me anyway. I don’t understand why she just can’t find someone else to bother. Or to help her in her mission. Someone who doesn’t have a paying job he’s trying to do without getting wrapped up in fights with the undead. I get into enough trouble like that on my own.
“Nash!”
“Oh, how am I supposed to know? You’re the expert on vampires. Besides, I’m not coming all the way down here to hunt vampires. I’m looking for True Runes. Because, quite frankly, I need money. The whole vampire hunting thing is your baby, not mine. If you want to find vampires, then you’re on your own.”
Two years ago, right after Sierra’s stint in the war against Highland, she had decided to follow, and probably bother, a friend of hers she met there. She’s mentioned Khan in short anecdotes, and as someone from a noble family of Harmonia myself, of course I’ve heard of the Marleys and their crazy vampire hunting exploits. But Sierra quickly got bored of hanging around Crystal Valley, and, after tracking me down, became my problem again.
She’s just got a thing for men from noble families. Some days I kind of wish she’d get bored of me and go away.
“Then perhaps you should stop insisting on following me, if you dislike my company so much,” Sierra said, vainly pulling a stray strand of pale white hair from her face.
Of course, she was the one who decided to follow me, but I know the mistake I’d be making by pointing that out, outright. It was a mistake I regretted last time. Calling her an old hag isn’t nearly as painful. I have to tackle this carefully.
“I told you I’m chasing a rumour about the Rune of Intelligence down in Valenta, with or without you. It was your decision to tag along. I don’t know why you have this delusion that I need your company.”
“Oh, and you don’t?”
“Not at all. I went on for years without your help. In fact, I like travelling alone. And a bit of peace and quiet would be a blessing right about now.”
“Nonsense. I know you miss me when I’m gone.”
“Not even in the slightest. In fact, when you’re not here, I barely even think of you.”
It wasn’t true, of course. As much as he told himself otherwise, he thought about her often.
Nash had to admit - he’d honestly never expected to see Sierra again. When she’d abandoned him that night in Penenberg Manor, without providing the agreed-upon information on the True Rune she had once borne, he thought she was gone for good. He was used to women leaving him in the cold, but…
Sierra was different. Very different. Cold and heartless, but with eyes filled with sadness and regret. And beautiful. Very beautiful. For a vampire.
He hated admitting it to himself, but despite her nagging, he was happy she had come with him. He had been known to say that he liked travelling alone, but it had never been the whole truth. It was lonely, and his desire to be a lone wanderer was based on his desire to not get anyone else wrapped up in his messes. Just as he had involved his dear sister Julie in his quest to avenge his parents’ deaths. So much that she now needed the protection of Bishop Sasarai and his people, just to keep her safe in Crystal Valley.
Of course, unlike Julie, Sierra was more than able to take care of herself. That was why, after 800 years, she was still alive and kicking. She hadn’t gotten through everything completely unscathed, but certainly well enough.
That didn’t mean that he never desired the peace and quiet he had once enjoyed before she had forced herself on his travels.
“Well, if I offend you so much, perhaps I should just go off and look for leads on my own,” Sierra said.
“Fine with me. It’s not like you won’t be back in a few days, anyway. You can’t live without me, after all.”
“Oh, get over yourself, Nash Latkje.”
“So you don’t want to test the theory?”
“Maybe I will.”
“Fine with me,” Nash shrugged, then turned away from her to continue his travels. If she did leave, then at least he’d get back his peace and quiet. He resisted the desire to turn back and see if she was following him. He would know soon enough, anyway.
He needn’t have put any thought or concern into it. He heard the light rustle of her steps hitting the dead leaves beneath her feet as she continued on behind him, and he suppressed a smile. Nash still hadn’t decided whether having a tag-along was a complete detriment. But he was secretly flattered by the attention, and her in-explainable fascination with him. He supposed a tiny bit of nagging was probably the least of his problems.