Chapter Text
Euini always hated leaving the smithy this late in the evening. The sun had long since set and he had been tasked with closing up the shop, so he was still sweaty and the cold air was making him shiver because he never wore heavily fabrics to the smithy- his bangs already made him sweat enough in that heat, thank you- so now he was cold, nervous of no good folks who roamed the town at night, and tired from a long day of tediously forging nails for Lord Kukrow’s builders- because of course the older man would demand to build another estate instead of building the public school like he had promised-
Euini’s racing thoughts screech to a halt at the sound of a man’s labored breathing. At first, he worried he was hearing something that he very much did not want to hear- but then he heard a pained groan and no other sounds of a… companion. So, Euini did something that he would later admit to being out of character for someone as flighty as himself- he blames the recent gain in confidence being the cause of Richeh’s recent acceptance of his courtship. If this had happened just last week, he would have likely ran home and hoped for the best. But no. Euini decided to go against his knee-jerk reaction.
He took a step towards the concerning noise.
The full moon assisted in illuminating the figure that appeared to be limping into the nearest tree line; the figure was broad and quite tall- so likely a man- and he was clutching at his head with one hand, while his other was raised in front of him- Euini assumes it is to avoid braining himself on a tree. To make a long report short: He looked like a drunkard. A very big, very pained drunkard who appeared to be experiencing the affects of too much ale.
Now, this is where Scaredy-Cat Euini would have allowed the scary drunk to stumble into the trees and hope for the best- but this was not Scaredy-Cat Euini taking the reigns, so instead of walking away like he ought to, he slowly approached the man.
“Excuse me?” Euini calls, his voice meek and pitching upwards when the man- clearly a stranger, seeing as Euini has never seen his face in the town before- whips around the second he began speaking, “U-Um- Are you well?”
The man groans loudly, both hands now clutching at his head as if Euini had bashed his skull between the anvil and hammer instead of asking a very valid question. His forearms were quite hairy, Euini ponders. The moonlight was hitting the man’s body oddly, making him look almost looming from where he stands a few feet away from Euini and his arms appeared to be growing under the shadows being cast by his trembling form. How the man was still standing, Euini will never know.
“Go away!” The man roars- quite literally roars- his voice booming and angered. Euini squeaks and backs away a step, hands raising to grasp at his own forearms in fright, “Away!” The man slurs, his drunken state becoming clearer as he sways.
“Y-You don’t look well, sir, please allow me to take you to out town’s doctor- he’s a kind old man who can help with whatever is ailing you.” Euini wishes he could chew his own tongue off after offering- why he was even in this situation to begin with is a question he has no answer to. His confidence was unfounded; his muscles built from working at the smithy were in no way enough to even support this stranger’s weight, so to put himself in a situation where he is woefully unprepared was quite stupid of him. His own body began to tremble as the man’s eyes open and the moon’s overhead light reflects off of them, their shine odd; his pupils were blown wide and when he glances at Euini, they reflected the light like a cat’s would.
“You-” The man hunches forwards before he could finish, his scream cut off as his back muscles bulge under his dirty tunic. The sound that escapes his lips next is animalistic and feral, making Euini’s knees weak in fear as he tries to back away, only to fall on his butt. The man- monster?- looks up, then, and his eyes narrow as he takes in the defenseless man now sitting on the grass mere feet away.
The growl that escaped the man’s chest rattles Euini’s bones and he tries to scoot back, arms working quickly to keep him from slowing and legs frantic in their attempts at escape. The monster’s shirt tears, then, and the hairy back that gets exposed to the night air is unnaturally muscular and hairy. The upper half of the man begins to mold into something other that Euini cannot place, before the man’s very human nose begins to elongate, turning into the muzzle of a beast- canine in nature- and the monster’s predatory growl deepens as he falls onto his hands and knees.
The next Euini knows, the man who was once kneeling in front of him was now a wolf with bluish scales on his hide, the light of the full moon giving them a silver gleam that only makes them look sharper in Euini’s eyes. The beast lurches, then, and Euini finds himself pinned to the wet grass, thin shirt doing nothing against the coldness seeping through the seams and only making Euini’s back feel frigid in contrast to the boiling heat on his front. The monster’s eyes had darkened from their previously brown, human eyes, and now two black voids stared back at him with no visible emotion.
The fangs that begin to expose themselves are so large; Euini knows that it will mean certain death if he allowed them anywhere near his neck, so he impulsively blocks the first attempt at his murder with his forearm, the pain making him scream guttural enough that he’s sure he will be unable to speak tomorrow- if there is a tomorrow. The blood immediately pools on his skin and falls quickly onto his neck from where his arm is still being held above his face.
The weight on his chest lessens and he hears thundering footsteps before he finally risks a peek towards where the wolf was once hovering above him.
The night sky greets his wary face. Stars twinkle on as if Euini hadn’t just escaped certain death, their glow almost mocking as he focuses on the arm in front of his eyes. The damage was clear in the way blood still dripped frequently onto his chest and neck, the crimson rivers barely slowing as he stares in shock. Any frantic energy from moments ago were replaced by a numb stupor; his flailing limbs stilling and wide eyes looking through the gaps in his blunt bangs to watch in a morbid fascination as the drip-dropping slows and the skin under all his blood shifts until it heals into a silver scar.
It takes a moment for the reality of the situation to set in. He knows what the rumors are about how Scalewolves come to be. He knows that they are also called Werewolves. He knows that under the light of a full moon- the very one still shining down on him- a bite from one will inevitably change you into one of them. He knows this, but the information moves like molasses through his brain.
The ribbit of a nearby frog finally breaks the ringing silence in Euini’s ears and he sits up so fast that his head is momentarily dizzy before everything rights itself again and he makes to stand, forearm held away from himself as if it will somehow explode if he allows it any closer to the rest of his body. He whimpers quietly to himself as he goes through alleyways and quiet street, only coming to a stop outside the closed magic shop that he knows has a small home in the back of it. His feet freeze at the shop’s front door and he peeks in through the windows to try and see if the woman he was looking for was still puttering around, or if she was off to bed.
The flickering of a candle tells him that she was likely still awake and he maintains his distance from his arm as he uses his other one to knock, the banging frantic and scared now that the numb shock was replacing itself with his overwhelming fear.
Slow, unbothered footsteps can be heard when he ceases his racket and a bored, blue eye gazes through the round window higher on the wood before it widens and the heavy door is hastily opened, revealing his concerned partner in all her glory; hair done up in a convenient ponytail and gown dirty from potion making, “Euini?!” She snags his shirt and tugs him inside before looking back and forth through the empty streets, slamming the door when no threat was near and locking the deadbolt decisively, “What happened?” Her defensive posture softens as she grabs for his bloodied arm, raising a judgmental brow when the man hastily backs away from her touch, “I need to see your injury to heal it, Euini.” Her lips were pressed in their usual line and her face was the picture of disapproval.
Euini feels himself settle in her company nonetheless, his trembling calming and free hand gripping at his bloody shirt above his settling heart, “I got bit.” He starts, eyes flicking around as if the beast will come to finish the job, “By a wolf- a scalewolf!” His eyes land on his partner’s, her own widening slightly before she roughly grabs his arm, muttering a cleaning spell that rids his clothes and skin of any blood, thus revealing the healed scar that depicts rows of teeth indents. She hisses at the sight, thumb roving over the dips in his pale skin.
“This is not good.” Richeh bluntly states, her glare set on the offending bite as if she could undo everything with her fury alone. Euini wouldn’t be surprised if it worked, to be completely honest, “I don’t know any spells…” Her flat lips twitch downwards, the barest of pouts working its way onto her face, “I’ll need to ask Rili if he knows of any spells that might help…” She mutters a quiet spell and his bites are hidden by glamour, “That will last for a week- don’t stay out at night and don’t go near the forest.” Her eyes are very stern when she looks back up at Euini, her small stature highlighted by his taller self even when he’s hunched over, “I mean it, Euini.”
The man nods, flinching at the headache that the movement instigates, “Ow.” His free hand reaches up as he cradles his forehead, a pathetic whimper escaping his lips before a warmth extends from where Richeh’s hands still hold onto his arm, the magic bleeding up to his shoulder and neck before finally reaching his head to soothe the ache, “Thank you.” He mutters, cheeks pinkening from the care being shown and appreciates the warmth building throughout his body and taking away any remaining cold, “What were you doing up so late?”
Richeh releases him and walks around, feet leading her to the counter where bundles of herbs are being tied to her drying rack, “Herbs.” She says, hanging the bundle she was working on earlier onto the rack, “We ran out earlier, so Rili has me drying more.”
Euini walks over and absentmindedly traces the indents on his arm without looking, fingers disappearing in the glamour, “Do you want my help?” He knows not to say need my help after she had scolded him about the fact that she doesn’t need anyone’s help, seeing as she was well equipped for most things. The memory of her frigid glaring sends shivers down his spine- even after all these years.
“No. You need to rest; blood loss is not a joke.” She gestures towards the cracked open door leading to her living quarters and he blushes deeply.
“I-I cannot! I’ll just head to my home- no need to house me!” He freezes under her disapproving eye and ducks his head obediently, “Is Riliphin in?” He simply asks.
“Of course he is.” Richeh scoffs, “He just went to bed.” She apparently sees no issue in this, as she continues her work without another word.
“Where should I rest..?” Euini meekly whispers, unsure if Richeh understands that- in the last few days since he had been invited to the back for tea- she had not owned more than two beds.
The slowly raised brow suggests that she thinks he is particularly thick in the head, “Sleep in my cot; I can rest with Rili.” Conversation done, she busies herself with the last of her work before rounding the counter to gently grab his wrist and walk towards the door, the hinges creaking as she opens it slowly.
“Okay…” Euini relents, unable to come up with any other reason to bolt out the door. It’s not like he dislikes the idea of sleeping over, but he’s sure that the townsfolk will talk if he were to leave the shop tomorrow morning in the clothes from the day before, and he really hates being the topic of gossip. His body was draining itself of the previous fight or flight energy by now, though, and he can feel his eyelids grow heavy with sleep as they near the two bedroom doors.
Richeh stops in front of her own and opens it with her key before making her way inside to grab her nightgown and brush, turning to leave as Euini reluctantly makes his way to her bed frame. She leaves the door cracked open when she exits, a whispered goodnight is all he hears before she disappears into her brother’s adjacent room.
His boots slide off of his feet easily and he plops down into the sheets, his body heavy with exhaustion before his head even hit the pillow.
He dreams of a beast’s maw and shifting shadows.
—
Euini is late to wake the next morning and he sleepily rolls out of bed to throw on his boots with a yawn. His hands are slow to brush his fingers through his bangs, adjusting them to sit the way they should, and finally exiting the room to see what he can do before he leaves. His dreams from the night before make him jumpy as he enters the open living space and he spooks when someone closes a cabinet door in the kitchen a little too hard.
“Rili!” Richeh’s voice chastises, “I told you to keep it down.”
Riliphin’s quiet voice responds, clearly embarrassed by the way he hisses back his response, “Sorry! The handle popped off!”
Euini enters the kitchen to see the older man awkwardly holding the brass handle in his palm while Richeh tuts at her hearth, “Men.” She mutters, clearly discontented with being awake before midday. Her eyes glance towards the figure standing in the kitchen’s archway and her lips twitch upwards faintly, “Morning Euini, I hope Rili didn’t wake you.” She portions out the savory porridge she had cooked up and hands him a full bowl.
“N-No! I mean, no, he didn’t wake me.” He accepts the bowl and takes a bite, humming quietly around the mouthful before swallowing, “Does he..?” His eyes flicker from Riliphin and Richeh, nerves making him tense as he waits for a response.
“No, I thought it best to wait for you to wake up.” He’s sure that she also didn’t wish to begin such a serious conversation so early in the morning, so he is only a little bit disappointed by this, seeing as a disgruntled Richeh was a very angry person to deal with and he understands her wish for silence in the mornings, “You can tell him, if you wish.”
Her and Riliphin’s bowls are filled and they stand in the kitchen to speak as they eat, “U-Um… okay…” Euini takes another bite of his food before swallowing and speaking again more clearly, “So, I got bit by a wolf last night, during the full moon, and the wound had healed almost immediately…” He holds up his arm before stopping, “Oh, the glamour…”
“It’s fine, Euini, I can see past it.” Riliphin assures, “So, was this wolf a normal wolf..?” The man asks, though everyone else knows that such a question was unnecessary; a regular wolf’s bite was not known to heal itself.
Euini swallows around nothing and grips his bowl tightly between his hands, “It had scales. Blue ones that shined silver. I also… had seen a man shift into the wolf, before I was attacked.” His mind grows distant as he remembers the fear that gripped him at the sight of the man’s muscles shifting grotesquely, the way his jaw popped as his face morphed into that of a wolf. The smell of the beast’s breath as he opened his maw to devour Euini whole…
Cold hands holding his much warmer ones draw him out of his thoughts, eyes blinking until he finally focuses on the woman looking up at him, “Euini?” Richeh’s voice is soft and her mouth tugs into a frown as she takes in his waxy complexion, “Are you well?”
“N-No.” He replies simply, hands shaking in her grasp and eyelids blinking rapidly as he is forced to relive last night’s events, “No, it was… a bit much.” That was the understatement of the century.
Riliphin walks over to remove the bowl from his tight grip and gazes at him sympathetically, “I will consult my parents’ old spell books and try to find a cure, okay?” They all knew how much of an impossibility that is, but the dark haired man’s mind needed something positive to focus on, so he only manages to nod gratefully in return, “Richeh, make sure he makes it home safely and come back to help run the shop so that I can focus on research, okay?”
The woman in question nods and gently leads her partner towards the back door, hands soft as they grasp at his wrists and voice quiet as she talks about something random to try and keep him from spiraling again. Her voice had always been soothing to Euini, so he found it easy to allow his brain to calm at the sound of it so near.
Townsfolk glanced their way with judgment or concern, but Euini’s mind was far from acknowledging any of it as Richeh guides him down less busy streets, her voice becoming clearer as they leave the crowds, “-mugwort, lavender, tea leaves-”
His mind draws itself towards the topic of conversation and he cannot help the breath of humor from leaving his lips, a smile adorning them when he realizes what she was doing, “Are you listing your stock?”
“Yes, because anything of value I say goes in one of your ears and out the other.” She glances back at him and catches his bashful expression, “Kidding.”
Sighing, Euini moves to walk beside her and laces their fingers together, “Thank you.”
“Of course.” They walk in a peaceful silence after that, hands tightly held in the space between them and the sound of passing townsfolk washing over them as they near Euini’s home, “Here we are.” She looks over at his nervous expression and hops onto her toes to plant a quick kiss to his cheek, “We will fix this.” She swears, a determined fire reaching her eyes and stealing his breath away.
“We will fix this.” He parrots, leaning to plant his own kiss on the top of her head before releasing her hand and entering his home to prepare for his job at the smithy.
—
The sun was setting as he hangs up his leather smock, hands covered in soot and face likely no better. The smell of melting metals and fire smoke was giving him a headache that was only growing worse. He assumes it must have something to do with his… illness… but he would have to ask Riliphin or Richeh about that the next time he sees them.
He’s too busy untying his sleeves to notice his partner entering the smithy and approaching him with her medicine bag slung across her chest, “Rili said that this should help with your… affliction.” Her sudden voice spooks him and he flinches before sharply looking towards where he had heard it and releasing a relieved breath at seeing Richeh.
“Sorry, what?” Euini asks, turning and walking closer to better hear her over his master finishing up an axe nearby. The banging hammer makes his eye twitch irritably.
His partner huffs, “Drink this.” She reaches into her bag and thrusts a bottle towards him, the white liquid inside pure and bright, “Should help.”
Unsure about the mysterious liquid, but unwilling to offend his partner, he uncorks the potion bottle and quickly drinks from it. The drink was overwhelmingly sweet and he fights to hold back a grimace under Richeh’s watchful eyes. He smacks his lips before finally feeling the raging headache fading from his head, “Oh.” He breathes, a relieved smile tugging at his lips as his body begins to feel normal again, “Thank you, that headache was killing me.”
His companion’s keen eyes take him in for a moment longer before nodding, “Rili has assumed you would need it after reading up on what we should be expecting.” A rather loud banging came from the shop they still stood at the entrance of and her own face twitches in irritation at the noise, “Richeh is going to blow up this building if we do not leave soon.”
Knowing that her threats are never idle, Euini quickly takes hold of her hand and tugs her away from the banging hammer and into the flow of people making their ways home after a long day of work. The crowds were also noisy, but not as ear-splitting, so Euini can only hope Richeh doesn’t decide to cast a spell to quiet it as they walk towards her magic shop.
“How was your day?” Euini asks, weaving around a group of children who had decided that the middle of the street was the best place to congregate.
“Boring.” Richeh answers, tugging Euini closer to her side as they pass by a group of gossiping old ladies who gaze at them with searching eyes that never spell out good things, “Brother hid in the back most of the day and we barely had any customers.”
“That’s… good? Boring is safe.” He knew that she didn’t really agree with that assessment, but his chest felt content with the idea that not many people were bothering his partner today. The feeling was new, but he easily switched topics when they had finally reached the open shop door, “Did he find anything?”
The shop was empty today; shelves were still quite full and he could hear Riliphin in the back brewing potions- the clinking of glassware and bubbling of a liquid growing audible the closer they neared the cracked open door. Richeh pushes it open wider before releasing his hand to walk inside, “A few potions to alleviate your symptoms, but nothing to actually change your body back.” Her discontent with this was evident by the downturn of her lips. This makes Euini’s chest tight; either from her obvious sadness, or because of his own fractured hope making home there.
“Don’t worry, Euini, I still have a few more volumes to read through, so you never know.” Riliphin’s smile was reassuring, but Euini couldn’t help glancing towards Richeh’s furrowed brow, “I do have a better understanding of your condition, though.” The man sets down the wooden spoon he was stirring with and rounds the table to grab a book laying nearby, “I found some notes on werewolves. Apparently, your body will not be able to shift on command until the full moon. After your first shift, though, you can learn how to control it- outside of the full moon, of course.” He turns the yellowing book for Euini to read from. A rough drawing of a scalewolf looks back at him and he shivers before instead looking at the other page, actually taking in the information provided.
“In the time leading up to the next full moon, the werewolf will experience hot flashes, headaches, and jumps in emotions. A personality shift may occur depending on outside variables.” Euini reads, a cold sweat building under his hair, “Outside variables!? What does that mean!?”
He looks up at Riliphin and the other man smiles apologetically, “I’m not sure; these are the only notes I could find related to this topic. I might find more in the other books, but for now this is all I know.” Then he turns to place the book back onto his shelf and returns to stirring his small cauldron, “I’m making a batch of that potion you drank earlier so that you can carry it around with you, but I’ll need more time to make the one meant to cool down your hot flashes.”
Richeh gathers the small bottles left in a crate nearby and begins filling them while her brother continues stirring, “I will give you a belt that we use to carry potions with.” She calmly states, “Do not worry, Euini, we will figure something out.” Her eyes are wide and hopeful when she looks at him, clearly believing that her brother will fix things.
As much as Euini does trust the siblings and he does have faith in their magical abilities, he can’t help the anxiety creeping up his spine and into his head. His heart feels heavy with all the worry he has stored there and his eyes water from behind his bangs before he blinks them away, “O-Okay.” He answers, rubbing his sweaty palms on his dirty pants, “I trust you.” The anxiety still threatens to drown him, but at least that frown on his partner’s lips has tilted upwards and she seems lighter as she works to fill up the potion bottles.
The belt gets dragged out from under the table and she diligently snaps the vials into place before walking it over and attaching it above the belt he’s already wearing, small fingers efficient and quick at putting everything in place as Euini fights down a raging blush that threatens to take over his face, “There.” Richeh nods proudly before stepping back.
Euini looks down and adjusts the vials to lay more comfortably on his hip before looking back up at his partner, “Th-Thank you.” He shakily smiles at her, hoping that his face isn’t actually as hot as he thinks it is.
Richeh’s brows furrow and she frowns before reaching up to feel at his cheeks and forehead, “Are you experiencing hot flashes? Already?” She turns to glare at her brother- who looks far too amused by Euini’s predicament, “You said he would have a while yet before that became an issue!”
Riliphin is clearly holding back a laugh as he replies, “It’s not a hot flash, Richeh. He would be shivering if it was.” He looks back down at his cauldron and begins to bottle the extra portions, “He’s just blushing.” He says, like the traitor he is.
Richeh turns back to fix a confused glare at Euini’s exposed eyes, “Why are you blushing?” She demands to know.
“Um! No reason.” Like hell was he telling her about how her hands touching him so much makes him revert back to the blushing school boy from their youth, “I need to head home; the sun will have long set if I stay any longer!”
The bottles on his hip clink together as he bolts out the magic shop, hand covering his mouth as he hustles back home in mortification.
What is my problem?! He frets.
—
The following week felt like hell to Euini. Yes, the potions that taste like pure sugarcane in a bottle helped with his headaches, but it did not help with how… clingy he felt when going back to his home at the end of the day. His parents had long since died- mother during childbirth and father after an incident involving too much alcohol in his system and too much fuel in the blacksmith’s forge- so he was used to being given ample free time after a long day of working.
Now, he felt as if there was a very obvious blank space at his side- one suspiciously Richeh-shaped. When he had first began to feel this way, he assumed it was due to feeling a bit out of his element regarding all this magic business. Yes, he was used to seeing it- growing up with a sorceress would help anybody grow use to seeing magic- but having it personally affecting him in a negative way was daunting and made his hands shake. His master had already said a few choice words regarding his lackluster performance at the smithy due to this issue and he was made to focus only on the task of making hundreds of iron nails, due to that being an easier task.
His arms are sore as he bangs down his hammer, the reverberation rocketing up his hand and through his bones. The vibrations sounded louder than usual today- maybe because of his budding headache- and he doesn’t hear the approaching mayor until it is too late due to the ringing in his ears.
“Tsk, Euini, you would think a young man like yourself would have already fulfilled my order in a timely manner.” Lord Kukrow’s voice is the first he hears once his ears had settled enough for the man’s words to process in his mind, “My workers have already ran out of nails and the manor has barely even began being constructed!” His irritation was clear in his stance and the way he sneered at Euini, “I expect better from the son of a blacksmith.”
Euini looks down at the cooling nail and quickens the process by dipping it into the bucket of water, the sizzling sound soothing to Euini’s sensitive ears. That headache was growing quickly, the presence of Lord Kukrow making his anxiety worse. Euini places the nail in his pile and begins packing the box they sit in, hands shaking from his building discomfort, “I apologize, my lord.” His voice could barely be heard over his master’s hammer coming down on an axe head across the room, “I will have this box delivered to your workers immediately, my lord.”
His long gloves make it difficult to arrange the thin nails, so he tugs them off and sighs in relief at the feeling of air on his sweaty palms and wrists. His hands works quickly to finish his work and he turns to the lord, words dying on his lips when he spots the lord’s critical eyes zeroing in on his arm, “What is that?” The man’s much cooler skin snatches at Euini’s arm, tugging him forwards forcefully and making him drop the box of nails at their feet, nearly hitting their toes in their tumble.
Euini’s eyes widen as he sees the faded glamour spell revealing his bite mark, a cold sweat joining the sweat already drenching his shirt as he frantically thinks up an excuse, “An animal in the woods, my lord! I-I was turning in for the night after closing the shop and an animal attacked me-”
The lord releases his arm in disgust, “An animal?” He sneers, “What animal?” His lips form a disbelieving frown as he takes in the young man’s fearful expression, clearly not believing him, “Answer me!”
Euini startles and a whine escapes his lips without permission, getting cut off before the lord could bring any attention to it, “A-A large one, my lord, it was too dark to see!” He cradles his arm closer to his chest, taking a step back and nearly slipping on a rogue nail, “It’s been too long since then, my lord, so I do not think it poses any threat to the town!”
His master had long since stopped his hammering, attention drawn to them after the box had fallen and face set in confusion at the words being shared, “You were bit?”
“Y-Yes, master! But Richeh had healed it for me, so I am well now.” Not the full truth, but he would rather die than admit that he could be the possible threat to the town in two weeks’ time, “Her healing spells are very powerful, as you know.” He says this to the room as a whole; they both had seen her heal many illnesses that could have taken out the entire town if she had not caught it in time.
Lord Kukrow turns his nose up at Euini’s praise towards his intended and huffs, “And are those potions meant to heal, too, or are you just drinking them for some nefarious reason?” His hand gestures to Euini’s belt, where a white potion bottle peeks out from behind his leather smock, “Because I feel the need to remind you that we do not allow people like that in our town.”
“No, sir! I drink these for my headaches. Working at the smithy had given me head pains and Richeh has began gifting these to me every time I visit.” His face heats, “I do not abuse magic, sir.” He think Richeh and Riliphin would both have his head if he did.
Still seeming unsure, but clearly too busy to care, Lord Kukrow just shoots him one last disgusted look before gesturing to the messy floor, “Get these to me by sundown, smith.” Then he was turning, his dark cape fluttering in his dramatic exit.
Sighing in relief, Euini drops to his knees and begins gathering the nails from the floor, fingers missing every other one as he frantically gathers them up. He hears heavy footsteps approaching him and he tenses, “If you are abusing potions, Euini, then I will need to find someone who won’t.” His master’s voice was rough and deep, clearly unused to speaking to people about such issues, but unwilling to avoid saying his piece, “Don’t want another apprentice like your pa.” Then his heavy steps made their way to the other side of the smithy and the sounds of him working became the background to Euini’s spiraling thoughts.
He thinks I’m like my dad?! He frets, hands struggling to place the last of his nails in the box, He thinks I’m an addict?! The last nail gets put away and Euini quickly stands, boots turning him towards the exit with his delivery in his arms.
“I’ll be delivering this to Lord Kukrow, master!” Hearing a grunt in response, Euini quickens his pace to the town’s countryside, mind hyper aware of the air blowing on his warm skin and making him shiver.
I need to speak with Richeh.
Nails eventually delivered, Euini makes a stop at the siblings’ magic shop, weaving his way around the small crowd of customers and waiting patiently as Richeh gives the woman buying some spelled candles her change. The old lady shoots Euini a raised brow at his- admittedly- disheveled appearance and makes her way out of the store in a hurry.
“Euini?” Richeh calls, stealing his attention away from his embarrassment, “What are you doing here?”
“I wanted to see if Riliphin might… you know…” He glances at the people filling their baskets and then back at his partner, eyes pleading.
“He’s in the potions room.” Is all she says before another person comes to check out, a young boy this time who seems to be in need of some herbs. Euini nods before quickly ducking into the back room and finding Riliphin deep in a book while he uses magic to stir his cauldron.
“Hello Euini.” Riliphin greets, eyes barely glancing up before he looks back down at his books and hums, satisfied, at what he finds there, hand blindly grabbing for a ribbon of leather and inspecting it before next grabbing a carving tool and carving a rune on the leather, “What brings you here this early?” It was still a few candle marks before he was off work, so Riliphin’s curiosity was not unfounded.
“Lord Kukrow knows something’s up.” Euini’s hand reaches towards his forearm, scratching idly at the silver scars there, “He saw my bite.” He hisses, eyes glancing towards the closed door as if the lord was about to barge in unannounced like he had done at the smithy, “He’s suspicious of me.”
This draws Riliphin’s full attention, his floating book gets lowered as the other man looks at Euini with concern, “Are you sure?” The leather gets set down next along with the carving tool, “Euini, if Lord Kukrow learns of your illness, then he will kick you out of the town…” The man’s eyes widen, “Or worse!”
Euini nods frantically and he clutches at his arm, hiding the incriminating mark unnecessarily, “I know! That’s why I’m here; I needed to see if you had anything that can help me.” His expression turns pleading, the worry over his own life looming over his mind and becoming all-consuming now that he was somewhere safe, “Oh gods! He knows Richeh knows!” His hands fly to his hair and he tugs, feet beginning to pace, “If he finds out anything, then Richeh will be hailed an accomplice and we’ll both be in trouble!”
Riliphin rounds his worktable and gently takes hold of his friend’s hands, urging his fingers away from the black strands and hiding his own worry behind a mask of calm, “Euini, I’m sure Lord Kukrow doesn’t know much about magical creatures- especially Scalewolves. He would need to visit us for better information and we wouldn’t admit anything that would put you in danger.”
The man’s words calm Euini down a little bit and he finally allows his hands to be returned to his side, his breathing calming down from it’s frantic inhales and eyes closing as he takes a deeper breath, “Okay.” He says in his exhale, “Okay.” He opens them and takes in Riliphin’s calm demeanor, “What do we do?”
Riliphin backs away to his table once more and grabs hold of the leather ribbon he was previously holding, “I’m making a tool that should help calm you down. A book I had read commented on how recently turned werewolves will experience mood swings and how those can build into a larger issue- namely fangs becoming prominent and eyes becoming black voids. This will help keep you calm during every day stressors and make sure you aren’t behaving erratically.” He looks down at the strip of leather and grabs a few more tools as he adds a clasp and a few more finishing touches, “The runes go on the inside so that they can make contact with your skin, it will also help conceal the runes from prying eyes.” He goes behind Euini and wraps the leather around Euini’s throat, fingers quick as they close the latch tightly and leaving the warmed leather resting snugly against his skin.
Euini reaches up to touch his new accessory, feeling the calming effect immediately and releasing a breath that he hadn’t even noticed holding, “Thank you, Riliphin.”
Riliphin waves away the gratitude and smiles, “No need, just make it back to the smithy soon so that your master doesn’t ask too many questions and we’ll be good.” The older man moves back to his table and begins bottling whatever concoction he was boiling into vials, the color of the liquid a light blue color and releasing a strong floral scent that pounds at the headache that Euini’s adrenaline was helping him ignore until this very moment.
His hands are finally steady as he grabs for his belt and pops the cork off of the potion bottle, knocking back the white liquid and grimacing at the sweet flavor. His head finally feels calm and steady, a feeling that he hadn’t felt in years settling over his entire being and making him relax, “I’ll go back to work. Send Richeh my regards!” He leaves the empty glass on the nearest clear shelf and exits out the back, quickly heading back to the smithy and finishing his day of work without issue.
—
Euini’s last week was one of the most calm he’s experienced in nearly a decade. The combination of his choker stabilizing his moods and the potion keeping his headaches at bay help him focus on his job easily, while allowing him to think about what to do once the full moon arrives. Richeh, Riliphin and Euini used to visit a clearing far off from the town- a place that flourishes with wildflowers and natural magic that the siblings would use to practice their own with. It was one of the only places Euini felt peaceful in, and he couldn’t think of anywhere better to spend his first full moon at.
Yes, the fear regarding pain and losing control still permeate his brain, but he is sure that with the proper wards and with the distance being as wide as it is from the clearing and to the town, he would be able to keep himself safe from hunters while also keeping the townsfolk safe from himself. The pain was a factor he didn’t think he could actually prepare for, but he was determined to try and reassure himself that- even if this was against his will- he would be able to overcome it and go back to his usual routine once he had finished his first transformation. Sure, he would have to spend every full moon at the clearing, but he trusts the siblings enough to find a way for him to keep safe during those times.
He was currently purchasing some fruits for the siblings, though, so these concerns will have to wait to be addressed for later this afternoon. Richeh enjoyed apples, so he made sure none of them were bruised before grabbing a few peaches for Riliphin and paying for the basket. The market wasn’t too full, seeing as it was nearing evening and everyone was either heading home from work or cooking supper, so he felt comfortable taking his time walking to the magic shop.
The only thing making him a tad uneasy was the group of women crowded together on the other side of the street- their heads were ducked in the middle of their small circle and one would occasionally peek their head up, catch sight of Euini’s tall frame, and then they would duck back down to share whatever they had to say about him to their peers. It made the hairs on his forearms stand on end and his instincts scream at him to hurry- and so he tried to do just that.
His feet were swift as they began his journey out of the town square before a gruff, irritated male voice calls out to him, “Hey, Euini!” It wasn’t unusual for someone to know his name- many people knew him due to his occupation as a blacksmith’s apprentice and from the impression his father made during his death- so Euini’s tense shoulders and quick turn was less of a reaction to worry as to why this man would know his name, but more of the fact that this man was clearly angered by something Euini apparently did.
The man- one of the lumbermen, Euini remembers- begins a quick march towards the younger man and his callused palm is rough where it snatches at Euini’s wrist- the one with his silver mark. The evening sun lights up his pale skin and makes his bite mark almost glitter in it’s rays; unmistakable and damning. Euini tries to tug his arm away, but the man’s grip only becomes vice-like in response, “What are you doing?!” Euini shouts, heartbeat quickening as curious eyes begin to turn towards the scene.
The wicker basket in Euini’s other arm rocks and nearly drops all his produce before he quickly adjusts it to sit more snugly at his side. The lumberman clearly doesn’t care about this as he raises Euini’s arm higher in the air like a trophy to the surrounding villagers who openly gawk at his clear mark, “And what beast would leave such a mark, aye? In all my years spent in the woods, never have I seen anything like it!”
Euini finally wiggles his wrist out of the man’s grasp and takes long strides backwards, creating space between them, “That is none of your concern!” Euini shouts back, heart racing under his palm.
“It is too my concern, boy! If there is a beast in the town, I would expect to be told of it! A beast like that is a danger to all!” The man sneers, taking a step closer. Euini has a distinct feeling that this man was no longer talking only about a wild animal.
“This occurred many nights ago! There is no longer a beast in the town!” The conviction in Euini’s voice wavers as he speaks, his choker tightening in a bid to calm his fear and anxiety once more, but only managing to make Euini fear that he would be suffocated under it’s hold.
“Are we sure about that? If there is no beast, then why is there one with a collar right in front of me?” The man’s arm shoots across the space between them and his fingers try to grab hold of Euini’s choker, only to have his own wrist snatched by the younger man’s fingers.
Euini can feel his eyes widen at his unexpected action, his fear for being choked by his accessory only shifting to a fear of harming this man who had tried to take his only protection away from him. In response to Euini’s racketing fear, his nails begin to elongate and poke at the man’s skin, the sticky warmth of blood bleeding out and catching onto Euini’s palm and fingers only panicking him more, “Don’t touch me!”
The man’s fingers twitch and release Euini’s choker at the sudden pain at his wrist, a startled gasp escaping his lips and wide eyes looking up to Euini’s own after spotting the traces of blood pooling out from under the younger man’s hold, “You’re a monster!” The man shouts, a mixture of fear and shock turning his once-gruff voice high before Euini releases the hold he had, turning, and running into the nearest alleyway.
His quick boots take him to the siblings’ magic shop and he hurries in through the unlocked door, the closed sign knocking harshly against it’s glass and alerting the siblings of their guest. Riliphin looks up from his sorting and stares, hands freezing on the glass he was arranging and eyes darting to where deep red blood coated the other man’s palm. Richeh sets down the coins she had been counting and rounds the counter to approach her partner, worried eyes taking in his frantic expression and trembling body.
“Euini?” Her voice was it’s usual quiet, but Euini knew she had softened it further in fear that he would react poorly to any harsh noises. Her soft hand reaches out to gently grasp his bloodied one and she looks away from his face to inspect his clawed fingers, eyes narrowing in search of any cuts and inspecting the unusual claws, “What happened?” Her voice had hardened, clearly now aware that this blood was not his own.
Riliphin approaches once it became clear that Euini was okay and slowly pries the basket of fruits out from under his arm, placing it on a nearby shelf before beginning his own inspection of Euini’s person. The feeling of the siblings’ eyes on him makes him sweat more than he already was and an uncontrollable whine escapes his throat, causing both of them to stop in their movements.
“They know.” Euini whispers, eyes glancing away from whatever expression the siblings make at this news, “They know.” He stresses, voice raising before the choker violently tightens, turning his skin white around the edges of the leather and making him choke.
Deft hands quickly work the offending accessory off of his person and he feels everything that had been numbed until now surge within him, making him gasp for air and grasp at his own throat with his clean hand. He feels the odd sensation of claws grazing the thin skin on his neck, but he was too distracted by his rising emotions to worry about accidentally harming himself.
“Euini! You need to breathe!” Riliphin’s voice sounds like its underwater; the words distant and muffled as Euini desperately gasps for air. He can feel large hands assisting in lowering him to the floor, while smaller ones brush back his bangs and rub soothing circles in his blooded palm. The cold stone floor shocks him back for a moment- long enough to realize that both siblings were trying to say something- and he forces himself to release the hold on his throat so that he can take a deeper inhale, the air feeling cold and harsh against his damages vocal cords.
“Euini?” Richeh calls, wide eyes taking in his expression frantically and jaw clenched in her worry, “You need to try and calm down.” Her hand leaves his bangs to instead grab hold of the hand that was just on his neck, grip firm and thumb pressing into his palm in an attempt at grounding him, “You are safe; the shop is warded and nobody is trying to get you.”
Riliphin nods as he finally stops staring at Euini to instead look down at the choker in his hands, brows furrowed in confusion and a frown adorning his lips, “I don’t know why this choker reacted like that, though. It shouldn’t have tightened up at all.” His free hand reaches down to grasp at his tool belt and he pulls out a carving tool, the leather barely making a noise as he cleans up the runes and reads over them, “I’m sorry, Euini; I didn’t expect it to malfunction like that.”
Breathing calmed and a small blush of embarrassment dusting his cheeks now that he can catch up with current events, his face ducking down as he shakes his head, “It’s fine, Rili. I just panicked quicker than it could react. I don’t think it’s used to someone with the type of… problems… that I have.” A sigh of relief makes his shoulders lower from his ears as his claws retract under Richeh’s ministrations, leaving him feeling drained of the overwhelming fear previously taking hold of his mind, “I messed everything up.”
His confession makes both siblings pause and look up at him with soft expressions, “What happened?” Richeh asks, breaking the suffocating silence they had found themselves in.
“One of the lumbermen- he-” Euini spots the drying blood on his hand and clenches his eyelids shut, “He approached me in the market and showed everyone my bite mark. Everyone saw.” The memory of shocked and horrified faces make him open his eyes again to try and escape the images threatening to drown him, “I tried backing away- tried to defend myself- but he approached again and attempted to take my choker. I had grabbed his wrist before I could think. The claws cut him real bad.” Euini feels tears build up on his lashes and he tries to blink them away, making a few drop onto his pant legs, “He-he called me a monster!”
The silence that follows is crushing, making Euini hunch in on himself and hide his eyes behind his hair. His sensitive ears can hear the raising heartbeats of his companions and he can feel more tears fall at the knowledge that he was the reason they were now afraid- he was the reason they were now in danger, “I need to leave- they know- I can’t stay here if I can’t even avoid drawing another person’s blood.” His eyes find his blooded hand and he’s shocked to find Richeh’s hand still cupping the dirtied appendage, “How can you bear to touch me..?” Euini’s voice whispers, his throat hurting further as it cracks.
“Because you are not a monster, Euini.” Richeh’s own voice is clear and confident in her assessment, eyes blazing with determination when Euini looks up in shock and she makes sure they maintain contact as she repeats herself, “You are not a monster- you are Euini. That man grabbed you and you defended yourself; monsters would have attacked the man before he even opened his mouth.”
Euini looks down when he feels a cool breeze blow on his palm, watching- transfixed- as the drying blood easily fades away, leaving him clean. His head raises again to look at the siblings, shocked once more to find Riliphin looking at him with brotherly care, “She’s right, Euini. If you were a monster, you wouldn’t care about drawing blood- you would have already done much worse than cutting up his arm in self defense.”
Richeh nods, “Brother is right.”
Euini can feel a new wave of tears, but this time he knows they aren’t those made of sadness- but instead ones made of appreciation and love, “Thank you.” He whispers, accepting the hug Richeh draws him into and leaning into the palm placed steadily on his spine.
“You’re family, Euini, there is no need to thank us.” Riliphin’s words are spoken strongly and he pats the younger man firmly before standing, “I need to add some more runes to your choker, so stay for the night and I’ll be able to return it to you in the morning.”
Euini slumps further into Richeh, resulting in a disgruntled huff from his intended- but she doesn’t shove him away, so he stays in her comforting hold, “Okay, I’ll stay.”
Richeh’s response is muffled by his tunic, but both men can make out the stubborn “Good.” nonetheless.
—
That night, sitting at the hearth long after Richeh had headed to bed, Euini stares at the flames and wonders about what to do. He knows that he will likely be unable to stay- the public shaming he experienced clearly displayed to the townsfolk his affliction and how dangerous he could be if left unchecked- so he knows he will need a plan to leave. The issue is not necessarily the plan itself, but instead the emotionally taxing decision to leave.
He had lived in this town his whole life; he knows everyone to a degree that is impossible in any larger cities. But, if he were to leave and find a home elsewhere, he would be left needing to live somewhere with a higher population. A higher population means less people knowing personal information about him- like his personality, name and if it was normal for him to run off once a month to do whatever grown men do in a forest.
The social aspect of all of this makes him shiver even as the fire’s heat brings a comforting warmth to his person. He was never social growing up- something he shares with both Richeh and Riliphin, to a degree- and he dreads the idea of starting fresh somewhere else. He would be alone, left to his own devices and made to try and figure everything else out through trial and error- error, which could result in harm to either himself or other, and of which he dreads even more than socializing. He’s never been a violent person. To think that one misstep during his walk home could change him so much makes him feel lost at sea with no help in sight. He feels lonely, even with the recent memory of warm arms giving him comfort not even twenty-four hours ago.
The thought of living the rest of his life like this is daunting, to say the least.
Soft footfalls draw him out of his head and he glances over to see Riliphin making his way over from across the room and sitting beside Euini without a word. His hand holds the leather choker and he offers it up when he catches Euini’s wary eyes taking the accessory in, “Here, it shouldn’t do that anymore.”
Hesitantly, Euini accepts the offering and runs his fingers over the fresh runes, “It won’t choke me?” His voice is barely a whisper, matching the quiet night’s atmosphere and portraying his worry clearly to his conversation partner.
“It won’t harm you.” Riliphin responds, his own voice quieting, “You don’t have to worry about it tightening ever again.”
Trusting his friend, Euini slowly latches the cool leather around his neck and sighing in relief at the immediate affect of calm that encompasses his whole being, “Thank you.”
“No need to thank me, Euini.”
The men stare into the fire’s dying flames for a few moments, neither feeling the need to fill in the quiet and enjoying the moment of rare peace. Euini’s previous concerns regarding his plan resurface in his wandering mind and he gathers the courage to break the silence, “I’ll be leaving after the full moon.” The words allow a somber energy to build between them, “I can’t stay here and risk either harming someone else or getting attacked again. Lord Kukrow must know something is wrong; the lumberman who had approached me was one of the men who has been working on the new manor and I wouldn’t put it past Kukrow to pay someone off in hopes of outing my nature.” His hopes of finding a cure had died along with his hopes of staying in the town. Acceptance had coursed through his veins not long after being left alone at the hearth, heart in his throat and a melancholy building in his chest. Running from the town seems the only logical option, now that he had accepted the truth of the matter.
Riliphin must understand his unspoken words, because he doesn’t try to fight against his decision, “I suggest packing a bag- just in case you need to leave before the full moon. Lord Kukrow isn’t known to let grudges go. He’s like a dog with a bone; there will be no arguing your case if he has already found you guilty.” The harsh words coming from someone so even tempered as Riliphin shocks Euini, but he can’t help his nod of agreement.
“I’ll make sure to pack once I go back home.”
Silence fills the space once more, but Euini can feel the words building in Riliphin’s throat before he even speaks them, “What about Richeh? I can handle the shop alone- actually, I had been approached earlier about taking in an apprentice, so I won’t be lacking in hands- and I know she would be very cross with both of us if you left without at least talking with her about this.”
“I can’t make her leave everything behind just because of my mistakes.” Euini’s words are final, jaw clenching against the new wave of sadness that soon dissipates as his choker warms slightly, “I’ll miss her- I’ll miss everyone- but I can’t take her away from the only life she knows. It’s not fair to her- or to you.”
Riliphin sits with those words, face unreadable as he stares at the fire and finally sighing after a few moments of tense silence, “Very well.”
And that was it.
—
It’s only a few days after the encounter in the market when Euini awakens to shouts at his door. He nearly trips over his thin blanket while trying to stand out of bed, but straightens as he throws on his cloak and grabs his boots, tugging those on with loose laces made with trembling fingers. The shouting outside growing in volume; the people nearing Euini’s home and clearing unhappy.
A man’s familiar voice rises above them all before the night air becomes eerily silent once more. Euini’s hands slow as he grabs for his choker and he strains to hear the shuffling of boots on cobblestone. The mob was still outside, but they were clearly waiting for something to happen. The choker warms in his palm and he mindlessly stuffs it in his pocket before grabbing his bag and throwing that across his chest, movements slow and quiet while he strains his ears to hear.
“Euini!” A voice shouts, startling the young man and making his heartbeat quicken, “Beast! Show yourself!” Lord Kukrow’s voice was smug and demanding, clearly believing that he had all the cards in his hands and expected Euini to comply like the meek, eager to please boy that he used to be.
A foreign feeling of defiance builds in Euini’s chest and he stomps loudly to the door, throwing the thin wood open with a bang and emerging from the home with fire in his eyes and a steadiness that spoke of rebellion, “What is this?” He, of course, know what this was, but he would like to hear it. To watch these people he had grown up around condemn him of something he had no control over.
The crowd grew rowdy once more, cracking at his resolve with their sudden volume. The women stood in the back, torches in hand and venom in their voices as they shouted at him for being a monster, for endangering their children. The men were glaring daggers at Euini, various farming tools in hand and some holding a bottle of liquid in one hand and a lit torch in the other. Alcohol and fire. Euini notes, a feeling of fear crawling up his spine, They plan to burn me alive.
These people- many of whom he grew up with and others who had met him when he was still in a crib- were out for his blood. They all were poised to kill him, all because Lord Kukrow had made them believe him to be a beast waiting for the opportunity to strike them down. Faces that he was familiar with- who he had seen age into the adults they now were- sneered and tensed, ready to charge the second that Kukrow gave the word.
Lord Kukrow raises a hand, silencing the crowd easily and stepping forward with two men at either side. Euini recognizes his master- the man who had watched Euini grow, the man who had a face contorted by so many warring emotions that Euini could barely read the sorrow weighing down his shoulders. The man’s hands held glittering cuffs- pure iron reflecting the moon’s rays and sending a jolt of dread through Euini’s entire being; such cuffs would burn his skin a steal the very energy that now keeps him alive. The other man was the one he had attacked in the market- his wound had been tended to and hidden by clean white bandages. His face was one full of contempt and his lips rose in a sneer as he took in Euini’s form. He clearly wished to settle their score, with or without Lord Kukrow’s go-ahead.
“Surely you know why we’re here, Euini.” Lord Kukrow’s oily voice bled through the night, a smarmy smile tugging at his lips as he gestures to the people behind him, “We just wish to keep the town safe- safe from beasts and monsters. I’m sure you understand.”
Euini swallows back the bile threatening to escape his stomach, “No, I fear I do not understand.” His voice cracks, various raising emotions now attacking his mind. The urge to fight lies in wait as the urge to fawn or flee argue amongst themselves. His thoughts are loud, the wish to appease these scared people- people he knows- arguing that he was not what they claimed he was; that he was not a monster who threatened their lives, “I’m just Euini.” His voice had lost it’s confidence, now, and he edges towards his open door. If he runs, he could make it out the back while they fought to enter the front and he could make it to the woods before anyone noticed.
“Euini.” His master speaks, face an unreadable mask hiding the emotions he once held on his sleeve, “Come with us; we can help.” His words were meant to sooth, but Euini couldn’t help the fearful glance towards the cold iron being held in his grasps, “Do the right thing, boy.”
Euini shook his head, boot making the floor creak under his weight as he takes another step back, “I am not a monster. I do not need to be chained up.” His eyes scan the crowd once more, but he only sees enemies in the people who had once been good to him.
He feels his claws grow and he clutches his fists to hide them. Lord Kukrow takes another step forwards, followed by the crowd, “We know what you are, Euini.” He was clearly growing impatient, now, as he sneered openly, “Come with us and we won’t have to resort to violence.”
The lumberman takes a daring step forwards, his own hands clenched into fists that promised violence no matter what Euini decides, “You’re a monster, Euini.” He spits, “You deserve to be chained up where you won’t be able to harm anyone ever again.” Euini flinches, his eyes involuntarily glancing at the bandage that hid away his previous offense.
The crowd grows loud, feet inching to close the space between themselves and Euini as the man himself glances from sneer to sneer, emotions building until he’s sure something must be showing on his face. His gums ache and his sight zeros in on the threat trying to corner him, his claws elongate into his own palms and he hisses involuntarily at the dull pain, “I’m not a monster!” Euini barks out, invoking a gasp from the people who catch sight of his fangs in their torchlight. He flinches back as both the blacksmith and the lumberman quicken to close the distance, hands and cuffs outstretched in a clear show of trying to arrest him.
Euini’s breath catches when the first line of rioters get forced back by a wave of unseen magic, their butts and backs hitting the unforgiving stone as Richeh places herself between the danger and Euini. His instincts demands he grabs her and move to take her place, but one vicious glare from her has him cowering into his doorframe, “Euini! Are you okay?” She takes him in before turning to force back more attackers that had tried to advance upon them while her eyes were elsewhere.
She was standing before him in the braid she wears to bed, nightgown peaking out from under her cloak and boots barely laced. She had a bag slung over her body and the power that filled the space around them was suffocating. She had clearly heard the commotion and knew- somehow- that it meant Euini was in danger. She had heard of danger and ran towards it, for him. The thought makes his chest tighten impossibly; love and fear fighting behind his collarbones and making his eyes water.
More people rush towards them and Euini’s body moves before he can think, hand grabbing for Richeh’s outstretched one and making her keep up with his quick pace through his house and out the back door. The sounds of shouting and the sight of torches fade as their boots stumble through the thick woods. The smell of smoke reaches them and Euini knows, in his heart, that they had burned down his home in hopes of smoking them out- or of burning them alive. It only makes him hurry to the clearing with renewed energy.
Richeh can be heard muttering spells to quicken her pace, shorter legs not made to keep up with Euini’s longer strides, and Euini can feel gusts of wind hitting his heels as she boosts her steps.
The field, when they reach it, isn’t as full as it would have been in spring. The cooler weather of fall had wilted many of the buds, but Euini still takes in the natural magic that soothes his frayed nerves. He doesn’t realize that he was still gripping onto Richeh’s hand until she wiggles her wrist in an attempt to free it, resulting in Euini hastily letting go, “Did I cut you? Are you hurt?”
Richeh huffs, clearly irritated, “Hurt that you would leave me behind, maybe.” Her wrist is unmarred when Euini looks down at it and he feels weight lift off his chest, “Surely you didn’t think I would have let you leave without me.”
Her words take a moment to process in Euini’s mind and he stares in shock, “You knew?”
The look she sends him lets him know just how stupid she thinks he is, “Of course I know, Euini. The walls in the shop aren’t that thick. I’ve known ever since you told my brother.”
Guilt and lingering panic makes him twitch to do something- anything- to make her feel better. He never wanted her to be upset with him, but he had also thought she would have understood to some degree why he chose to leave alone. He watches, helpless, as she mutters a few spells that glisten at the edge of the clearing before the glitter fades and leaves behind an invisible wall of magic that will keep them safe from any trackers that might come after them. Euini doesn’t know what to say, or do, that might ease that frown off of Richeh’s lips. He never likes making her sad, or mad, or any negative emotions, really- so having her looking so disheartened makes him itch.
“I’m sorry.” He begins, voice choking before he clears his throat and tries again, “I’m sorry, I just didn’t want to make you choose between me and your home. Making you choose between a life on the run with me verses a life safe and comfortable with your brother was something I would have never wanted to put you through.” The itching hasn’t eased, but he is just glad to have gotten the words out, even if they didn’t settle his agitated nerves.
“That was not your decision to make, Euini.” Richeh states bluntly, brows furrowed in confusion and hurt, “I’m not a damsel in distress who needs decisions to be made for her; I am a talented sorceress who deserves to choose which way her life turns out. I chose you that day I accepted your courtship, so why would I change my mind now?”
Seeing his shocked expression, Richeh sighs and begins grabbing at her topmost skirt, tearing the dark blue skirt’s hem, creating one long ribbon and leaving her white underskirt visible, the shameless action makes him blush and avert his eyes. Richeh has no shame! He yells in his mind.
He yelps when his green tunic gets attacked next, the hem easily tearing under Richeh’s determination to get another ribbon, “Richeh!” Euini gasps in shock, hands flying to stop her before she bats them away irritably, “We do not have enough clothing for you to be tearing them up!” The thought of them entering any town looking like this makes his blush darken and trail down his neck, “What are you doing?!”
The two ribbons of fabric now procured, Richeh begins to twirl them together and makes a cord of blue and green fabric that only further confuses Euini. The silent woman snatches his arm and lines her fingers up on his forearm, blunt nails digging into his silver scar and eyes blazing with magic and desperation when they meet his, “Euini. I have vowed myself to you in every way that matters, but it appears that I need to make my actions clearer for you to understand.” Euini’s own grip tightens on her forearm at the feeling of fabric twisting around his arm. His wide eyes look down to see the cord winding its way around both their arms, the meaning of her actions becoming startlingly clear and taking his breath away, “We have courted for nearly a month, now, and I have known you since we were children who played in mud puddles and fell in poison ivy bushes; I know you, you know me, and I pledge myself to you under the moon and the stars so that we can now begin a new life together.” Her eyes now water, the glowing gold in them fading as the cord tightens one last time around their arms, “I love you, and I wish to join you on this new journey because it is what you deserve- it is what I wish to do- and I will not let you decide my feelings for me.”
Unused to Richeh showing such emotion- especially though so many words- Euini can only stare at her in awe and disbelief. All his life, he had dealt with loss. His mother had died before he had even taken his first breath and his father had died only after Euini had just reached adulthood. He had dealt with people always viewing him as other even before the bite, and he had always believed them when they would whisper about him being odd, uncomfortable to be around, and awkward. He never expected to meet the daughter of the resident sorcerers until they had chanced upon each other in their youths. He definitely never expected for said woman to now stand before him and offer him something that he had so long craved from those around him; a person who would stand with him, through thick and thin, just to once again show him love through such an act that it makes him tremble with all the bottled emotions overcoming his worn body.
“Richeh.” He breathes, “How can you wish to stay with me- how can you wish to embark on a journey with no purpose, with no destination?” He wanted to accept her words, to believe that she means them, but his heart cannot handle the idea that she would regret her actions come morning.
“Because you are a good man, Euini. You deserve my love and my support.” The certainty in her words strike him once more and he can’t hold back the way he shutters before openly crying, shoulders hunching inwards and grip tightening on her arm in an attempt at keeping her close.
“I love you too.” He sobs, falling into the embrace that she draws him into. Their arms smash awkwardly between their chests, but he barely registers it as he hides his face in her hair and drags her closer, body and cloak nearly hiding her from view of the wildlife trying to sleep nearby.
The moon, its face nearly full, sends rays of moonlight speckled throughout their clearing and bugs sing from wherever they had chosen to hide. The night is peaceful, despite the fear and haste that had once interrupted their slumber. Euini held Richeh close, their arms falling asleep between them, and accepts that he has finally found someone who would never leave him, no matter what might come to pass in his- their- life.