Living for the Afterlife (For Elflady)

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Gerard's eyes adjusted as Thea came into view and sat across from him at the warm fire. The fire cast pale orange lights over Thea's skin, giving her a warm, bright hue. It was pleasant, in contrast to the darkening purple sky. Suddenly the heat of the fire seemed more intense, wrapping around Gerard in a comforting way. Marie was good company normally but the companionship of another human was something he often ached for. Marie couldn't have a conversation with him, but people could respond! He typically did very well with his loneliness, even preferring it most of the time, but now and then it was nice to remind himself that he was a social being. Thea seemed like pleasant company too. She was kind, and had taken the bad news in stride.

"Oh no, you're brightening my evening," he assured her. "i'm glad you came. I thought I scared you away. What were you working on?" he asked curiously. He remembered her with the small jar of oil in the market earlier. What had she been making? He laughed and rubbed the back of his neck at her question about his business, and shook his head. "No, I'm afraid I did not get anymore customers. But it's alright. It was a fine day and I enjoyed watching the folk in town."

It was then that the light of the fire caught something in her hair. A blue-black glimmer shifted when she moved, and his eyes fell on the bird feather he had given her earlier. His gray eyes brightened, and he grinned widely. "Is that what you were working on? Can I see it closer? Hair ornaments are something I'm quite fond of, naturally," he joked. The couple of beads he had woven into his own chocolate-hued hair clinked together when he laughed. He could see the feather was somehow held in her hair by what looked like a bead but he was too far away to make out exactly what it was. He didn't see hair ornaments with feathers all too often, and perhaps she had a new way of decorating with feathers. If so, he had to learn it. He didn't know if that was truly a raven's feather, but either way, birds were good luck. He wouldn't mind having a feather good luck charm!
 
[BCOLOR=transparent]"I was finishing a sculpture, which is what I needed the oil for," Thea explained. "I was technically done with the sculpture already but the oil gives a nice finish and helps protect the wood." His easy going and friendly attitude quickly made Thea feel comfortable, not like it was a complete stranger opposite her. Having no family left and not any really close friends she spent a lot of time with this moment was well appreciated and a welcome change to the normal evenings spent with her work or a book, although such quiet and calm evenings could be very relaxing it was nice to break the monotony. [/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Thea looked down at the feather dangling from her braid when he noticed it, the orange light from the fire playing across the silky black surface. "Of course," loosening her braid as she spoke so the ornament could be pulled free and moved over to Gerard's side of the fire so she wouldn't need to throw the feather. "It would have taken longer to prepare something with the quartz so I picked the feather first." The fire brought out the unique colouring of the curly maple even more as it dangled from her hand as she held it out for him to take. "I usually don't do much hair ornaments when I carve, it's mostly smaller furniture, decorations and some jewellery, so this was a first. But I like the result so I may start using feathers more in my carvings, then I can offer my customers some good luck as well." She added with a smile, as long as she could find feathers without damage at least. But if she found none on her own she could probably ask someone in town who regularly went outside of the town or perhaps ask a butcher or the man who raised carrier-pigeons if she could get a few feathers.[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]"The tricky part, at least with my way of doing it is that the glue is not super strong so the hole in the bead has to be quite snug so the feather shaft fits perfectly, it's easier for the glue to hold for a long time then when there isn't room for any unneccessary movements." Normally she wouldn't explain her techniques to someone like this mostly because not everyone was as interested as Thea herself and she had learned to keep the wood talk to a minimum, but Gerard seemed genuinely curious about it. "I was not sure how to fasten the bead easily in the hair that's why I added the leather string so it could be braided into the hair and kept in place on its own almost." Thea used her hands as she spoke to emphasise her words, something she often started doing when she didn't feel the need to be formal and felt relaxed.[/BCOLOR]
 
Gerard listened avidly as Thea explained how she made the feather ornament. When she came closer, he was able to properly admire the different colors in the little wooden bead. He had never really paid attention to wood grain before. While he knew there were different kinds of wood, he had never paused to wonder if the different trees looked different on the inside. The color of the bead was fascinating, and went together so well with the striking black feather. It was a lovely ornament, one to be proud of, especially since it was hand made.

"It's absolutely lovely," he complimented. "If you ever make them, I can see them selling like wildfire. If any gypsies come to town, I bet you a silver, they would buy all that you have," he laughed. He could see feather-beads being the new rage. He even wanted one! "That wood is amazing. I've never seen anything like it. It's like fire the way it shines. You're really good," he added. Sure, he had only seen a bead as an example of her work, but it was smooth and symmetrical. The feather fit snug, and the neat craftsmanship was all there. "Tell you what, next time I'm back this way I'll bring you all the feathers I collect, and I'll give them to you if you make me one of those," he grinned. Of course there was something unspoken there; he was assuming that the next time he came through town, Thea would still be here, alive and well...

"The ornament reminds me of that story I mentioned earlier. A witch wanted to kill a raven and take all his feathers to make a cloak. If one feather is good luck, surely the feathers of a hundred ravens would be even more luck. But the story never really talks about how the witch would even fashion such a cloak, other than with magic. I don't suppose you could sew the feathers onto fabric? Hmm," he pondered for a moment, genuinely curious on how someone would make a functional piece of clothing like that. He shook his head. "Anyways, this raven was smart and was not going to be killed by a witch for her own gain, so he would have to outwit her. I will tell you the whole story, if you would like that," he offered. "You need to learn to outwit whatever person you have coming your way. The more good luck from ravens you can get, the better, right?"
 
"Thank you," she smiled at his praise. "But a lot of the beauty comes from the wood itself, if you choose the right kind you can make anything look good, well almost anything." There was limits to how much a nice wood could hide a poor craftmanship but even the simplest carving could be made more stunning if using a good looking wood. "If you think this is beautiful then you should see my brother's work, when he sculpted the wood gained life, when he carved animals you'd almost expect it to move any second." She had been taught by him ever since she was young and had started to become interested in working with wood but she still had a few years to go before she came close to his skill and experience. With little effort Thea weaved the leather string holding the feather back into her braid and tied it securely at the end.

Getting feathers from him might be a quite good deal and easier than finding them herself or hoping for fine and non damaged ones from someone in town, making him a feather bead in exchange wasn't much of a price, considering everything today had been on the house he had definitely eanred himself a feather bead without giving her any feathers. That depended on how often he passed through Stenton of course, she hadn't noticed him before but that didn't mean Gerard were here rarely, despite it being a small town it would have been easy to miss him simply by not going to the market for awhile or coming from the wrong direction. However judging by the reading he had given her he might have to hurry up with his next visit, whether she found that mysterious friend or not it was a chance she may not be in town then. That she could die was not at the top of her mind, she prefered to not think about that part of the card's meaning, she was more of the mindset that she would have needed to leave town to get away from whoever would come, if someone would come, there was a chance the reading was wrong, although according to Gerard not a very big one.

With the reminder of the bleak future she apparently had in front of her Thea's mood dampened slightly, the night seemed darker once more despite the strong light of the fire, a tingle spreading through her spine although Thea convinced herself it was because her back was against the dark market and nothing else. "I'd like that, and if you tell me that story then I can tell you a way to fix feathers onto fabric as thanks." Thea suggested with an askew smile, she herself had never quite been good at sewing but an old lady that had been her babysitter sometimes as a child had been a seemstress before she had become too old and she had showed Thea many techniques. Not that Thea had gotten much use of that knowledge since her skill with a needle could stand to be improved quite a bit, and she didn't fancy sewing either since she always managed to prick herself several times even when just reparing something small.
 
Gerard smiled when she agreed to listen to the story. "Excellent! And I would love to learn how. Wearing a cloak of feathers might be nice the next time I tell this story," he grinned. When he wasn't telling fortunes, he was telling stories. He usually preferred a bit more of a crowd but for tonight, Thea was all he needed. A strange gurgling sound met his ears and he jumped in surprise as the water he was heating for tea started boiling over. "Tea! I forgot!" he laughed, standing up quickly to hand a hot rag and move the metal kettle out of the fire. "You're in for another treat. I got this rose tea from a woman in the last town I was in, it's amazing. She puts rose and bark from this tree into it. It's spicy and tastes like a flower," he grinned, ducking into the back of his cart to find the tea. He knelt beside the hot pot and sprinkled in the tea leaves, before sitting back to let it steep while he told his story.

"So," he cleared his throat as he got comfortable in a cross-legged position beside Thea. The cool of the night had faded, and the eerie feeling he had from earlier was gone now that he had another person with him. "A haggard old witch lived alone in a cottage in the woods. In that cottage she would brew potions for all the wayward, lost souls that were unfortunate enough to find her home. The witch had a golden tongue and she changed her appearance for each customer. To young women, she was a portly, kind-faced old woman who could be trusted. For men, she was young and beautiful, and the men could not resist her prices. Unlucky people would seek her out for a love potion, or for a potion that would make them beautiful and desirable. Each situation called for a different price. For a potion of beauty, the witch would ask for five years of your life. For a love potion, the witch would ask for a strand of your hair. When she sold beauty potions, her life was extended, and when she sold love potions, she used the hair to let her take the appearance of the person she got the hair from." He paused in his story to check the tea. It was ready, the heavenly fumes wafting off the water. He got up to find his cups in his cart, continuing the story.

"The witch's fame grew because her potions and spells never failed. She became so famous, that one day, the King came to visit her." Gerard settled back next to Thea and set a cloth strainer over the cups so he could pour the tea into the metal tin cups. "The King had a very particular matter he needed the witch to fix. He knew she could change appearance, and he wanted her to turn into the wife of another King. Then, in the guise of the other woman, she would kill the other King. You see, this man was at war and this was his scheme to win. He would cut the head off the snake with the help of a witch. The witch had never had such a request before. She could brew poisons, but she herself was not a murderer. She explained this to the King, and he said he would pay whatever price she asked. She told the King that she could not appear as the rival King's wife without a strand of hair. The King was stumped. When he could not find a way to give her a piece of hair, the witch remembered how to change form without a hair. She told the King that he must bring her one hundred ravens. The feathers of the ravens would be fashioned into an enchanted cloak. Whenever she wore the cloak, she would not change form but those who looked upon her would see a mirage, a false image. She could then become the rival King's wife, and kill him. The King agreed and left. Here's your tea," he added, handing her a cup.

He held the tin in his hands, savoring the warmth. He sipped it, before continuing. "A few weeks later, the King returned to the witch. 'I have brought you most of the ravens,' he told the witch. 'But I could only find 99...' The witch scorned him and said that she needed one hundred. He pleaded with her that there were no more ravens to be found. She grew angry and told him the price would be higher now, but she had yet to tell him what the price was. He accepted this, not knowing what he would pay with. The witch dismissed him, because she now had to find the one hundredth raven. She set out into the forest, listening for the cawing of the bird she wanted to kill. A week into her search and early one morning she heard a raven's call. Her eyes fell onto the black bird, and the bird was more fine than any raven she had ever seen. His feathers were long and full, and blacker than night. His eyes were liquid gems, and his beak was curved and strong. She knew he was the bird she needed. But as she lifted her hand to cast a stone at the bird, the raven turned his head to look at her and spoke. 'You dare toss a stone at my fine feathered body?' he asked in outrage. The witch was stunned, and lowered her hand. 'I need your feathers to help a king,' she told the raven. He cawed at her. 'And I need my feathers to fly! I will not help you!' He flew off quickly, and though the witch threw her stone, she missed. She chased after the bird but lost sight. 'I will find you,' she promised, setting about to look for herbs for a new potion. The raven would not outwit her, she was sure."

Gerard took another sip of his tea, his face bright and excited at the prospect of the story. He watched Thea avidly for her reaction. He opened his mouth to continue the story, but another voice sounded. The voice was deep, and from a man, and came from the darkness. Gerard jerked so quickly he spilled the hot tea across his legs, his eyes searching out into the darkness beyond the fire. Night had completely fallen. "You and ravens...That is your favorite story, isn't it? Haven't you learned that ravens are bad luck, not good?" the voice said.
 
[BCOLOR=transparent]Not an avid tea drinker Thea had little experience with different teas, not that she didn't like them, she did, but she never seemed to have time or the memory to brew it, except in winter, then the hot liquid was often prepared to ward of the cold, although she had very few different kinds of tea. Shifting where she sat, legs folded beneath her, to be as comfortable as se could be as Gerard began telling his story, the tea leaves steeping in the kettle starting to spread a faint scent across the small camp.[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Thea took the hot cup when he held it out, nodding in thanks but too caught up in the story to speak up and interrupt him, blowing gently on the tea, taking in the sweet aroma she sipped it carefully as Gerard continued speaking, the tea tasting just as spicy as he had said, with a sweet, flowery hint. The cup almost to hot to hold spread warmth into her hands and together with the fire made sure she would not freeze even as the night chill was spreading. The story in itself was perhaps not one of great suspense or tension, so far at least, but Gerard was a very good story teller, his voice and excitment for what he was doing was just as catching as the story, if not more. It pulled her into the story, ensnaring her imagination so she couldn't wait to hear what happened next.[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]What was the witch thinking in her efforts, what had she desired so greatly that she would kill for it despite insisting to the King that she was no killer? What could she want that her spells or potions could not gain her and why could only the King grant her that reward? And just what was with the raven who could speak the language of man, was it enchanted or was it perhaps something more than just a bird? Curious questions about the story swirled in her head but she didn't want to interrupt Gerard as he told the story, it would ruin the flow. But maybe that was the point with a good story, that it was never fully spelled out and you could interpret it however you wanted, it would mean different things to different people depending on their own unique view or maybe she was just thinking too much about things that weren't that important in the story.[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Waiting intently to hear how the raven could possibly get away from a witch who would use magic to ensnare it and steal its feathers, warm cup in hand, she jumped where she sat dropping the cup so the tea spilled out on the ground, the fire sizzling a bit as the liquid splattered onto it when a deep voice spoke up from across the fire. A startled yelp caught in her throat as she snapped her head up, searching in vain for the man who had spoken, the fire making the night appear even darker than it was, hiding anyone who stood more than a few feet from away from it. In her surprise she didn't quite pick up on the fact that the words implied that the stranger hiding in the shadows knew Gerard in some way.[/BCOLOR]
 
Gerard's reaction was similar to Thea's. At first, all he heard was the sudden voice from the darkness. He jerked in surprise, head turning sharply in the direction of the dark road. His tea sloshed, some of the hot liquid falling onto his knee and seeping through the cloth to sting his skin. He hardly felt the pain. He knew that voice. He set down the mug slowly, his hand shaking badly as he did it. His eyes could not see the figure in the darkness, but Gerard had other ways of seeing. There was a shadow in the darkness, a shadow with a glowing heart of blue. He was behind the cart, as far as Gerard could tell. Marie's head had shot up, her ears perked forward in alertness. She stomped a hoof in agitation, and Gerard felt his mouth go dry. Panic seized him, and for a moment that felt like eternity, he could do nothing. He could not breathe. He could not run. He could not tear his stormy eyes from the blue light he could see beyond his cart.

"Cat got your tongue?" The man laughed, but it was not a sound of mirth. Rather, it was a low, throaty chuckle, one that broke goosebumps across Gerard's skin. Gerard's lungs finally filled with air and he reached over, grabbing Thea's hand and yanking her to her feet. He stood with her, ambling up quickly, his back straight as he faced the cart. "What are you doing here?" Gerard tried to demand when he found his tongue loosen from the roof of his mouth. His voice wavered, betraying the fact that he wasn't as brave as he was trying to be. The blue light was moving as the man came around the fire. The orange light of the flames fell upon him and revealed an slender old man, with a neatly maintained gray and white beard, and white hair that was clean, and parted neatly. His clothing was simple brown traveling clothing, but the material was well made and new.

"Don't come any closer," Gerard warned, stepping back and tugging Thea's hand gently but firmly to suggest she do the same. "Tsk, tsk," the older man said, crossing his arms and lifting his chin as he regarded Gerard and then Thea. "That is no way to treat your teacher. Who is this? Do remember your manners and introduce me," the older man smiled, and his teeth were white and straight. Gerard's insides trembled because he knew the look the man was giving Thea. It was an appraising look, the same look someone might give cattle or horses when deciding if the stock was worthy of a dinner plate or work.

"A customer," Gerard said through clenched teeth, and though he knew it did little to protect the poor woman who was now caught up in his mess, he did step forward again to slightly block the man's view of Thea. The man burst out laughing. "A customer!? At this hour? I hardly believe you are reading her hand or cards. You and those silly tricks, didn't I tell you to stop playing games? You were never good at your studies though," he sighed wistfully. "But nevertheless, you were talented, if distracted. It's time you come back, Gerard. You had your little vacation, but now you need to be serious. Let go of the girl's hand, send her on her way, pack your cart, and we can go. No harm done, I promise," the man smiled, spreading his hands. Gerard felt his throat closing with fear, and he shook his head. His hand was tight and clammy on Thea's, and it was trembling faintly. "I'm not going back," Gerard said, trying to sound strong, but his voice betrayed him with its own tremble. The man stepped closer and Gerard stepped back, forgetting for a moment that Thea was there so that his back pressed up against her front. It was almost comforting to have someone there with him. Almost.

"Don't you get any closer!" Gerard warned, pointing with his free hand. "I am not going back. You need to leave, right now," he insisted, and the man laughed. "Or you will what?"
 
The man that finally stepped into the light did not appear threatening at first sight, his clean and proper clothes were neatly cared for and while not extrememly expensive was all else than badly made and he hardly looked rough or dirty. No he looked like a nice old man, the type one might see as a teacher or grand father, kind and teasing but strict. But as soon as he continued speaking you noticed his appearance was more a facade than anything, to Thea's ears he didn't say anything particularly evil but something in his tone as he spoke and laughed was unsettling and more terrifying than obvious menace.

Full of confusion and questions Thea found herself pulled to her feet by a not so calm Gerard as she looked between the two men, somehow they seemed to know each other and judging by how the younger man reacted it was not that good of a past. In a way Gerard's fear intensified her own, since he knew the old man and was this obviously distressed then there must be a reason to fear him. When the old man focused his attention on her Thea wanted to fall through the ground, her stomach tied itself into a knot and she swallowed feeling like a spooked deer in front of a hunter. Something in his eyes when he looked at her was frightening, creepy in a way, she felt like he was judging her worth, her heart calmed bit when Gerard stepped forward a bit, getting the attention of off her but not entirely.

All the while her mind was a swirling mess, there was so much she wanted to ask, most of all what the heck was going on between them and why Gerard was so scared of the old man but she didn't dare raise her voice in case it would get the attention on her again. All she could deduce was that the old man apparently had been some sort of teacher to Gerard but it couldn't have to do with his cards or palm reading judging by how the old man had made clear what he thought of those. So what could it be? Curious as she was this was hardly the time for questions and snooping into the past of others.

As the old man stepped forward Gerard mirrored him by stepping backwards, straight into her, but while Thea normally would want to keep some space with a stranger this particular night being close to another human was more comforting than anything else. Facing this deceptively scary old man alone was not something she wanted to do, of course she would most likely never have crossed paths with him if she hadn't accepted Gerard's invitation. Moving so that they weren't pressed together, although she kept pretty close she peaked over Gerard's shoulder not willing to loose sight of the old man but not about to step forward to see better.

Despite not having any real reason to fear the old man she did and she was torn between what to do, staying or leaving, neither option was tempting since she was afraid that if she moved she would be noticed once more, why that would be so bad she didn't know. Gerards fear and refusal to come with the man made it clear this wouldn't be easily solved but she wasn't exactly one to give help, she had no knowledge about them and nothing to use as a weapon, unless a feather counted as one.

While trying to decide what to do the dark reading she had been given flashed through her mind. But despite the negativity they both shared the reading and what happened now didn't have much in common, this was more Gerard's problematic future, and past, not hers although it still had the potential to affect her before her own dark future caught up with her, so far she wasn't sure which would be worse.
 
Gerard's muscles were tense wires, ready to spring forward into action at any moment. His body was in full flight or fight mode, and he knew he did not stand much of a chance in a fight with this man. If he did not do something, however, it was likely he would be forced back to that damned home of Sirle. He had spent nearly ten years in the shadow of this man's roof. Nearly half his life wasted under Sirle's 'guidance and teachings.' He was not going back. And worse yet, he knew Sirle would not hesitate to hurt Thea if that was what it took to get Gerard to cooperate. Thea had no idea that an adder snake had just slithered into their camp, spitting his venom, and that he was ready to strike at them at any moment.

A glance to the side told Gerard that the town square was utterly empty. No unfortunate towns person was wandering around at night. There were no guard patrols for this tiny community. Thea and Gerard were utterly alone and had to face Sirle that way. Gerard grit his teeth, his hand still tight in Thea's behind him. There was a little bit of comfort offering by the fact he had someone with him to face this nightmare of his past. But it was a tiny comfort only, and it was shrouded by his overwhelming fear for this man.

"Or you will what, Gerard?" Sirle repeated, crossing his arms and lifting his chin. "You will do nothing. You know your place and where you belong. Now send the girl on her way and we can go home. This little vacation of yours has lasted long enough. Now, Gerard," he added with a stern tone, his eyes darkening. Gerard broke out in goosebumps, watching the way the fire cast orange and black shadows over Sirle, hooding his already darkened eyes. The younger man hesitated for a moment, before slowly looking over his shoulder at Thea's shadowed face. She looked confused and scared and he didn't blame her. This wasn't her fight. This wasn't her problem. Gerard didn't want to drag her into his problems but it seemed she was already attached to the issue.

"I'm sorry Thea," he whispered, his hand slowly unwinding from hers. His heart hammered in his chest, beating against the ribcage that confined it. Gerard was sure if the bones in his chest weren't so solid, his heart might rip out of his chest and land on the ground. He could feel the blood pumping in his ears, hot and quickly. It was giving him a headache. He looked forward at Sirle, and the world began spinning and wobbling on it's axis. It was hard to see straight as the cart, Sirle, the fire and stars began to blur and form doubles, spinning around and tossing side to side. When he stepped forward towards Sirle he wavered as if off balance. Sirle scowled, looking down to Gerard's feet as the young man took another step, the step careful and slow, even though Gerard through out a hand to balance, as if he were on a tight rope. Sirle's eyes shot to Gerard's face, and the young man's gray eyes were gone. The black of his pupils had faded to a gray pinprick, and his gray irises were a pale white that matched the rest of his eyes. His expression was vacant for the most part, other than the determined set of his brow.

"Don't you dare Gerard!" Sirle began to shout, stepping back. Gerard took a quick step forward, his arm out for balance swinging forward and grabbing for Sirle. Gerard could see two Sirle's dancing in front of him. One was blurry and clothed, with flesh and hair and bone. The other was a pale blue ghost of a man, see-through, with glowing white eyes and a grimacing face. Gerard grabbed for the blue ghostly Sirle, his hand connecting with it's shoulder. He felt a hot vibration ripple up his arm, almost painfully intense in the way his hand heated and his muscles complained a the vibration.

He tugged on the blue Sirle, and the real Sirle's eyes rolled up into his head, his mouth went slack, and he collapsed on the ground. Gerard quickly let go of the blue Sirle, watching him sink and float down to lay with the real Sirle. He cleared his throat and shook his head, the pale Sirle disappearing as the world came into focus once more. It quick spinning and the sounds of crickets met his ears again. He always forgot how quiet it was, stepping inbetween the worlds. Then again, he hadn't had time to think about the lack of sound.

He looked down at his feet, at the still breathing Sirle and nearly wanted to vomit. Gerard brought in a deep breath. All Thea would have seen was Gerard touch Sirle's shoulder and then the man collapsing. He hoped he had not frightened her. He sprung into action. "We need to go," he said, untying Marie from his cart and then hurrying to grab a sack from his carriage to fill with only necessities. His deck of cards. One crystal. A cloak, a change of clothes, a bag of herbs and teas. "You need to come with me. When he wakes, he will know if you're still here and he will find you. I don't have time to explain," he gushed, grabbing a pot and stuffing it into the bag too. A few more items and the green wool sack was full. He tied it and grabbed the lead rope to Marie. He nodded across the road. "The forest, across the wheat field. We go there. We can hide for a few hours before I figure out what to do. He should stay asleep for a good while, if we're lucky."
 
Thea looked away from the old man and focused on Gerard as he let go of her hand and stepped forward, her first thought was that he had given up and would go back with this man that seemed to have been his mentor of some kind. But that thought was quickly pushed away, his fear and utter refusal all the time couldn't just suddenly be gone. When Gerard started swaying as he walked, a arm stretched out as for balance she almost took a step forward to help him but she seemed to be rooted to the ground, filled with confusion, curiosity and fear all at once.

When the old man was to slow to get away and simply fell to the ground at Gerard's touch her jaw actually dropped and it took a few seconds before she snapped it shut. "How... what... what did you do? He just collapsed!" Thea exclaimed, eyes wide as she stared between Gerard and the man lying on the ground. From her viewpoint Gerard had only placed his hand on the old man's shoulder and in a moment the latter had just collapsed. It didn't make any sense. How had he managed to do it without actually doing anything that she could see anyway. I must have been something more than she saw, the old man had also seemed to know what was happening but not been able to stop it.

By now she had too many questions swirling in her head than she knew what to do with and none seemed to be close to getting an answer. "What do you mean leave?" She asked turning to look at the young gypsy as he was hurridly packing his things, her mind seemed to work slower than normal as if it was overwhelmed by everything that happened, it was like all this wasn't really happening to her but to omeone else. "I can't leave, what about my house, my things" he couldn't mean she should just leave town. He was just as much a stranger to her as the old man, or well not quite as much and certainly far from as fearsome and creepy as the older man but it was still not something she could accept so easily.

"What about my tools, I can't leave them behind." It was only a nostalgic memento of her brother but Thea was very much a nostagic person, otherwise she would have exchanged the old and worn tools for something sharper by now. How could she leave her brother's tools to gather dust and eventually rust, it would sadden and disappoint him to see her waste tools like that. Not once did it enter her mind that if her brother could see her he would be more concerned with her safety than some mere tools, but like everyone who had lost someone Thea tended to miss that particular way of seeing things. "Besides how can he possibly know I'm in town or even where I live?" She asked, casting an apprehensive look over the unconscious old man as if she was afraid he'd suddenly rise up.
 
Gerard tried to listen to the young woman's shocked complaints as he made sure he had everything he needed. He set his pack down carefully, and walked around Sirle, giving the man a wide berth as if he feared he would wake suddenly.

"I don't have time to explain now Thea," he huffed, kicking dirt onto the fire and casting them into darkness. The orange and gray coals glowed and shimmered underneath the layer of dirt. It took Gerard's eyes a moment to adjust to the light shed by the moon and stars. It felt colder without the fire's warmth and light. He scooped up his bag and took Marie's reins.

He stopped to look at Thea, listening to her concerns. "Listen, Thea, he could wake up now or in three hours. I don't know when he will come to, but we cannot be here when he does. Trust me, he will find you," he assured her quickly. "

We won't go forever. I'm not saying you need to leave your home and never return. We will go into the forest and hide for a while, a few days at most, until he leaves. I...I need time to think. I just know we have to go," he urged, walking away from the fire and glancing over his shoulder at Sirle's prone body on the ground.

"I'm sorry, but you really should come with me," he said, looking to her. Technically, he couldn't force her to come but... "He's not a good man. If you stay, he will find you because you know me. That's all the reason he needs." Gerard wasn't going to let Sirle harm this girl because of their association, and Sirle was just cruel enough to harm her. The old man knew Gerry would break if someone's well being was threatened. He wasn't going back with Sirle but he wasn't going to let an innocent suffer ether.

"Just for a few days. It is safer in those woods than here. He..." he sighed, "Sirle might even be the person I saw in your fortune. I don't know for sure yet but... We need to go."
 
Thea was still not convinced, the old man knew nothing about her not even her name so in her mind such a thing wasn't possible. But she couldn't deny that Gerard seemed very afraid and very insistant for there to be no cause at all which was more convincing to her combined with the instinctual fear she had felt for the old man than the words themselves. Although her sceptic side had not seen any actual proof for anything unnatural happening she couldn't deny that a lot of things didn't seem entirely normal, so it may be a stupid idea to completely ignore his warnings.

But to just leave in the middle of the night with a man she didn't really know wasn't the best idea, although. she wasn't a terrible judge of character and to her Gerard seemed all else but wicked. A choice between leaving with him or staying and potentially be found by the old man was actually pretty easy. Besides he had said it was only for a few days, then it couldn't be that bad, could it?

The possibility that the old man, Sirle as he apparently was named, connected to Gerard had something to do with Thea's reading, while the thought had hit her, wasn't something she honestly believed in. However if there was any chance of that being the case then it was just one more incentive to keep away from Sirle. Biting her lip in indecision her eyes went once more between Sirle on the ground and Gerard who by now stood by his cart, reins in hand, before letting out a faint sigh of resignation. "Okay, I'll come." Time would tell if this was a terrible decision or not but it felt a lot safer leaving the market than staying. "If it's just for a few days then I suppose it's not so bad." At least if the alternative held any truth.
 
"Just a few days," Gerry assured her softly, eyes falling back on Sirle's prone body. He shivered, goosebumps breaking out on his skin and it wasn't because of the cold. "I know I sound crazy," he apologized. "I know it is unorthodox. But this man..." he shivered again and grit his teeth. "I'll explain when we're far away from him. I can't stand to be this close. Come on," he added softly, waving his hand. He felt horrible for leaving his cart and most his things behind but they were just objects. He had what was most precious in the bag on his shoulder, and he had Marie, his best friend. The donkey's ears were perked up and attentive to the night, her lazy eyes wide and alert.

If he was lucky, he could come back for his things but his main priority was surviving. "We will cut across the field and go straight into the trees. I hope you're not afraid of the dark," Gerard told Thea, heading off across the road that ringed the town and straight into the field of wheat. Marie plodded along his side. There was still plenty of light from the star and moon, but the field was eerie, and the trees beyond it were a black, foreboding mass. It looked like safety to Gerard. He walked in silence with Thea for a few moments before looking behind him at the town that was now shrinking away.

"That man was my teacher. Of sorts," he said, voice low even though there was no one to hear them out here. "I went to live with him when I was seven. I left him a few years ago... Spent most of my life with him," he explained. "I uh...I don't just tell fortunes and read palms," he said a bit sheepishly. "I might be able to do a few other tricks. Like knocking him out. It's...complicated," he grimaced. "It's painless for him. I just sort of...shoved his soul, I guess is the best way I can think to explain it. Gave it a little tug. Not hard enough to do any damage but enough to make a short disconnect. But he isn't a good man, he practically deserved it. He might seem like one at first, but he's truly wicked. He's got some very cruel ideas and opinions. That's why you have to come with me. He's got ways of finding people. Just looking at you, and it's like...he's got your scent. How do you think he found me? And since you know me, you're the only person he has to play against me. Practical stranger or not," he sympathized. "But don't get me wrong. He wouldn't hesitate to hurt you."
 
Thea followed Gerard as he led the way, still trying to process all that had happened since she had arrived earlier, this was not exactly what she had in mind when accepting his offer for some tea. Granted he promised it would only be for a few days but could he really promise that? But, he knew Sirle better than she did so she would have to trust his words on it, and she'd much rather follow him than the old man.

The open are outside the town stretched out but the woods and the mountain, the fields and even the road were covered in darkness and hard to see. All the vivid colours visible during the day were dyed grey, the pale moon casting an eerie light across the fields. "Not exactly afraid," she said, her voice low and yet it seemed higher in the silence around them. She was not afraid of the dark since the dark couldn't harm you, unless you tripped over something and broke a leg. It was more what could hide in the dark, nothing as far fetched as monsters although her wild imagination could paint up a scary scenario. No real dangers were just as dangerous as fictional ones, wild animals, robbers and uneven ground could hide in the dark.

When they had put quite some distance between themselves and the town Gerard started explaning but his words only served to confuse her more. "Shoved his soul?" It didn't make any sense, how could a person touch someone's soul, one was physical and the other etheral, at least it would be like that for people who believed in souls. True, it was strange the way Gerard had been able to knock Sirle unconscious by just touching him, but was that grounds enough to believe the gypsy could see and touch a persons soul? "But... how is that even possible?"

Was that why his card readings had been so accurate, especially about the parts of her past that he could not have known about from the start. But still that was just not possible, physically touching something that could not be seen and that had no real proof of existance just because it couldn't be seen, touched or sensed.

"Wait," she said, having given up on trying to understand how touching a soul worked and focused on what Gerard had last said. "If Sirle is the human version of a tracking dog then how will this help? Won't he just follow us into the forest?"
 
((So, so, so sorry about the delay! Major writers block with almost all of my rps. Sorry!!))

Gerard sighed and looked out at the darkness of the field. They began to wade into the wheat and the stalks beat against his body and tickled his arms. He had never explained to anyone what he could do, but it seemed like there was no better time than now. His old teacher had just approached him with dark intentions, he had attacked the man, and in the whole mess, implicated poor Ms. Thea. He had no option but to give her a little explanation. It was awkward explaining the situation. The words felt wrong in his mouth and he knew words could never really explain what he could do either. He didn't know how to properly explain it to himself.

"It shouldn't be possible, should it?" he agreed softly. "But it is. You...well, you didn't really see me do anything, but I did. People are bodies on the shoreline of an ocean," he said quietly. His arms were growing itchy from wading through wheat. Marie was grabbing bits and chewing them as she followed behind him. He glanced over his shoulder to look back at the town growing distant. It was still too close for comfort. "When alive, our toes are in the dry sand. Everyday we inch a little bit closer to the ocean. When we start to die, the tide splashes our toes. When we die, we walk into the water and drift away. Right now, your feet are firmly planted in warm, dry sand. I have one foot in the dry sand and one in the water," he said solemnly.

"I don't see the world the way you do, because you are firmly alive. I'm not dying, not immediately, anyways, but I'm more there than you. My feet are wet and dry. I see both worlds. I see where you stand, and I can influence that. I pushed Sirle towards the water. Not hard enough to get him wet, but hard enough he stumbled. He'll recover just fine," he sighed. He knew if he tried, he could kill Sirle. The thought made his stomach churn. He was not a murderer, nor did he ever plan on being one.

"As for Sirle finding us, it's easier to find us in a town. He can systematically hunt us, looking for your 'scent' and picking it out from all the other ones. But there? In that forest?" he pointed ahead. The trees were growing taller and closer. "There is so much life it is distracting. It looks like stars in an ocean. Thousands, and thousands of lives - or scents, whichever is easier to understand. It will be easier to lose him in there. For a while, at least, until I can think a way out of this mess."

He grew quiet for a moment, before looking over at Thea, his gray eyes dark in the dim light of the stars. "I am sorry about this. Really, I am. If I could have left you in good conscious, knowing you would survive and Sirle would leave you be, I would have. But I don't want your life on my hands. I don't want to be responsible for that... I am sorry," he repeated quietly. "I've given you nothing but horrible news all day. I don't think I'll ever be able to make that up."
 
(Don't worry about it:)

What he said shouldn't make sense and it didn't but Thea could at least grasp the idea even if the concept of souls and the ability to see and even touch one was a foreign area to her and it wasn't the wind that knocked the old man out. So in light of what happened she had to accept that not everything followed the laws of logic. His way of explaining it, like a giant ocean that everyone inches closer to as they near their death whenever that might be was not so hard to understand although it made her wonder how it would be like to see where a person stood in their life, to know they soon might die and yet you most likely could do nothing to help them. Either they refused the offered help or there simply was nothing to do. Thea wasn't sure she would be able to handle that.

"So you can see people's souls, and touch them because you are in the middle," she said. Pushing away wheat from her path to avoid brushing against her. Her long sleeved dress protected her skin but she had already been forced to wipe off two caterpillars that had clung the her dress as she passed through and while she wasn't afraid of them she'd rather not have them on her person. "Does that mean you'll die much sooner than normal or simply that you stand a bit inbetween?" She hesitated a bit on the word die, while everything inevitably came to an end she wasn't too fond of life ending too quick, lives that were cut off before they could live their life to the fullest.

Granted she had just met Gerard and didn't know him enough to form any sort of personal bond with him but that did not mean she wouldn't care if he died. Perhaps it was a bit of a mix between a strong empathy and an experience of loosing people too early, and to be honest maybe there was an undertone of uncertainty and fear for death, that definite end that no one could know anything about since no one could explain what really happened.

Thea looked over at him as he apologized fo causing her trouble, his entire being solemn, almost enough to bring down the ever returning positive spark in her. "Don't blame it all on yourself," Thea said with an askew smile to try and brighten him up even if just a little. "Even if it was you who saw it in the cards doesn't mean it's your fault my future is messed up, that burden lies on me I'm afraid." Sure she had started the day out as a sceptic but the more that happened the more she got convinced that maybe her view of everything being logical and realistic might be wrong. Or rather not the whole truth, she wasn't able to just accept that her logical view was wrong so it was easier to accept that what she knew wasn't everything.

"The only thing you did was to tell me of a threat I would not be aware of otherwise and maybe make it so that I'm a bit more prepared. Besides," she smiled a bit wider, pale green eyes narrowing as she flicked her braid slightly, the black feather bouncing as well and catching whatever faint light that spread from the stars. "You gave me my good luck charm right, doesn't that account for something good?"
 
Gerard thought about her question as they walked beneath the stars, and shrugged after a moment.

"I'm not sure my life will be any longer or shorter than anyone else's. With luck, I'll live a long, healthy life. I'm not really sure." Another shrug. "Either way, I'm not too bothered with it. I'm not afraid," he smiled faintly. He knew too much of death and the afterlife to be afraid. Perhaps to those who had very short, horrific and sad experiences with death, it was a scary thing. But he had known it all his life and was as comfortable with death as he was with an old friend.... if only he had an old friend. Perhaps death and Marie the donkey were his only companions in this life. It was a somber thought.

He looked over to her as she flicked her braid and smiled, his gray eyes bright in the moonlight. He nodded.

"That I did. And perhaps that charm gave us some luck tonight, considering we escaped Sirle with few problems." He glanced over his shoulder at the town in the distance. They were coming to the end of the wheat field now. Sirle would be able to track them through the wheat - the blades of gold had left a fairly visible trail. But he could not follow them through the forest. He could not track footprints, and with so much life in the forest, they might be able to escape him for a while. Food and shelter were going to be their biggest problems now, for the next few days. He didn't want to think about what would happen when they ran out of food. He was no hunter. He didn't know how to clean and butcher an animal. And if they went back to town, Sirle might be waiting, he might find them. What were they going to do? He had told Thea she would be able to go home.

What if she could never go home? What if it was never safe?

"Well, here we are. The deeper we can get in before we rest, the better." They emerged from the wheat field and stood about ten feet away from the dark entrance to the forest. The tall oaks and pines rose above them as black silhouetted sentinels. He pat Marie's neck and trudged forward into the trees. It was much darker within the forest, the foilage of the leaves obscuring the moon and starlight from the floor. Even with his eyes adjusted to the dark, it was fairly hard to see. He could make out some of the tree trunks and avoid them, but they needed light.

"I've got a small candle. Better than nothing..." He stopped and rummaged through the pack on Marie's back, searching blindly for his flint and a candle. The sounds of the forest filled the air. Trees creaked in the wind. Leaves rustled. Crickets chirped and owls hooted. A stick cracked in the distance and something rustled. There was life everywhere.

"Here!" he said triumphantly, pulling out the candle. It took him a few moments to strike the flint and get the candle light. The long, sturdy white pillar was about six inches long. It struck and the area around them brightened. He couldn't see much further than ten feet but the light was warm and inviting.

"That's better now, isn't it?"
 
The towering shadow clad forest that stretched for the sky in front of them looked ominous in Thea's eyes, like it was a beast ready to swallow them if they dared enter and never let them leave again. Normally she wasn't afraid of the dark, just because the light disappeared didn't mean monsters came out. At least she had believed so until now. But she had always had the town around her, she had never been far from Stenton, not further than you could get during an afternoon. Out here though, away from all the warm lights and familiar streets Thea realised her brain was very fond of working out scenarios of what could hide further in among the trees, realistic and not so realistic ones.

Get a grip, she snapped at herself, shaking her head slightly. It was just stupid fears born from what had happened earlier with Sirle and why they were now running. It was not enough of a reason for her to let her imagination run wild, she was far from a child who wanted a lamp lit at night.

"Sounds good," the further they got from the creepy old man the better, and hopefully Gerard new what he was talking about when he said Sirle couldn't track them amongst so much life. In the dark forest it was practically impossible to see anything, even when her eyes adjusted to the dark it was mostly just vague shapes, darker than the rest of the forest. The undergrowth was her worst obstacle so far, Gerard and Marie had no skirt getting snagged on whatever hid in the dark forest floor. With a sigh she lifted her dress enough for it to avoid the worst of it, gathering the fabric in one hand so she had the other one free.

As Gerard stopped to search his bag Thea paused to actually listen to the forest, in the town she rarely heard nature unobstructed, there wasn't much silence to be found even in a small town. BUt out here it was easy to hear, and if nothing else that there was sound made her feel safer. If something dangerous was nearby then it would be far more quiet.

"That's much better indeed," Thea agreed, relieved to actually see where she put her feet and not notice it while she was already tripping.The surroundings appeared even darker but it was a small price to pay for seeing where they were going. "By the way, you said this would only be a few days right, but even so what are we going to eat? I guess water isn't impossible to find in a forest but if we have nothing I'm afraid my skills with food involves preparing it and not hunting it."
 
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