Selina: The Flower of Carnage

[Fluffy]

Over the next couple of days, Ali and Nana recovered from their illnesses while the others planned their next move, also relaxing themselves. Samson told stories of the battles he was involved with, Jon being the only one showing true interest. Already, the old man was becoming an idol of some kind to Jon. He didn't admit it outright to anyone, but his father wasn't around to be an influence; his brother sure as hell wasn't a good role model either.

By this time, Jon was no longer convinced that Selina had cruel intentions for him. After all, she accepted Alia and her little sister into their expedition. She was protecting them, too. It would be far fetched and unfair for Jon to still accuse her of being some sort of vampire or demon lady that wanted to eat them all this time.

The morning arrived and Jon was outside, filling his lungs with fresh air. They would be departing from this shelter today... It was like a sanctuary for him, despite that there was still danger that lurked here. Even so, he took a liking to this isolated area. No one else lived here and there were no farms to plow! He smiled at the thought of it, then let out a grunt when he felt a pair of arms wrap around him, a feminine giggle singing in his ears.

"Ooohh, I snuck up on you!"

Jon rolled his eyes and adjusted himself so he wouldn't tip over. She was a frail girl, but had a lot of force in her attacks. She unwrapped from him and smiled as he turned around to say good morning, little Nana rushing up to hug Jon's legs. Honestly, it felt a bit awkward having two girls smother him with affection... They saw him as a hero, though. A family member, perhaps.

"Good to see you two are better," he said happily.

Coming from behind the home of Samson was what looked to be a giant snail...

Samson was maneuvering this craft, bringing it to a stop in front of the trio that watched it curiously. "Time to go, kiddos!" spoke the old man. This was a genius idea, really. People that passed through the swamps didn't think anything of a giant, mechanical snail that passed through. This included the Kin.

 

[Blind Hemingway]

Selina blinked. Samson had told her that he had a vehicle, but she was expecting something a little more practical looking.

"I got this thing on raid against the Red Feet goblins. My guess was that it was used for some kind of weird ritual. This swamp is full of giant snails, so maybe it was a thing of worship. Either way, it's pretty..." Samson said.

"Acid trippy." Selina butted in. "But, I guess there are worse things to travel around in."

She was going to head towards the lookout tower that was located on the top of the metal framed shell; however, Samson then put his large hand on the woman's slender shoulder. "Sorry Selina. That's Jon's post."

Selina gave him a glaring look. It was her way of saying screw you without having to speak. "Think about it. You're a Kin that's being tracked down by your own kind. Does it make logical sense for you to be stationed as a look out? You're riding shot gun."

"Since when were you interested in coming along?" Selina said in a huff of anger.

"Jon, just climb up the ladder. As for you, I have nothing to loose here. Just an old airship and some stinky swamp gases. Besides, I can be curious to see the world. Not everything in this universe revolves around your own livelihood." Samson said.

He then returned his focus to Jon. He tossed up his machine gun to the farm boy. "I'm sure you know how to use a firearm. Just press the trigger and you'll have enough fire power to wipe out an entire row of people, trees, and cattle." As Jon now held the impressive weapon, he was handed pouch full of clips. "The only down side is that you have to carry around a lot of ammo. But no worries. I have ya covered."

 

[Fluffy]

Jon had never held a real weapon before. The moment his hands wrapped around the machine gun, his focus went to its shape, feel, and colour. Firing a gun did sound easy, especially with the way Samson put it. He put the pouch of ammunition on to his belt for convenience, making sure the strap was tied good and tight. He then smiled excitedly when he went back to examining his newly acquired weapon.

"Thank you, Samson!"

He tried not to seem so ridiculously happy about it because it seemed childish and he knew that Selina would roll her eyes at him. She already seemed unhappy that she couldn't have the job as the look out for the snail mobile. After strapping the gun to his back, he climbed into the vehicle so he could get into the tower.

Following him was Ali, who handed Nana to Samson so the little girl could be secured. She was hesitant at first because she still didn't quite trust Selina... If not that, she was wary. After a nervous smile, she followed her proclaimed sister to the very back where she expected to be safe. Jon watched from above as the two girls situated themselves behind Samson and Selina, nodding with approval when their movement stopped when they felt comfortable.

"Ready!" Ali chimed.

Jon sat down in the lookout, looking around and taking in the new height from the ground. This seemed like a trustworthy contraption... He looked forward to traveling in this... He climbed a lot of trees in his days as a way of escaping the hardships of the farm and took a liking to the advantage of being farther up.

 

[Blind Hemingway]

Samson then pressed a lever near the drivers seat. The metal sail then slowly began to come to life. First the gears nearest to the antenna started to twitch back and forth, moving just like a real sail's would. Soon the fake neck begun to do the same. "Okay, gals and guy! This is going to be a bumpy ride!" Samson then shouted. He then stepped on the accelerator of the car and the snail began to crawl forward....

Jon would have to occasionally duck from time to time, as he was up higher than the rest of the crew. The trees in the swamp lands weren't super tall but the did present an issue from time to time. Samson had decided to take a half finished road that was first constructed by the nation that went to war with Oren all these decades ago. This was about the only sign that it had existed in the first place. But that was back before the Kin decided that they needed to intervene in the affairs of humans...

"How you doing up there kid?" Samson asked.

"I'm fine." Jon responded.

Selina kept her focus on the front of the car. She had placed in back with Alia, while the young girl Nana was sitting directly behind Samson. There was an uneasy silence between the two girls. "Good to hear." Samson responded. "Oh come on you two. Why so quiet. I think that young women were supposed to be chatter boxes when they were sitting near each other."

"That only applies to humans." Selina responded. "Don't start up on that again."Samson said in return, "The least you can do is have a decent conversation for once in your life."

 

[Fluffy]

Jonathon was focused with his job as the lookout, keeping his eyes peeled for threats and even keeping a close watch on the weather since it's lately been rainy. Ali would have liked to talk to Jon instead of Selina, but Samson was right... What was the point of this silence?

The young woman looked at her lap, watching her fingers lace together while she tried to think of something to say. Selina was no ordinary person and all she knew, was that she is or was a member of the Kin. At least, she was certain of this. It sounded ridiculous that friendly conversation could only be had with humans. Ali didn't completely consider herself a human anyhow... She was different.

"So, um, Selina..." she began to say a bit shyly, though she found the courage to look away from her lap, to Selina. Those icy eyes were making her nervous; they looked as bitter as her personality. "I really like your hair! It's cuter than the other white haired people I've seen and heard about."

"Coot!" Nana squeaked in agreement, earning a giggle from Ali. That was the only word she's heard from the girl in days.

That hair comment was probably a stupid thing to say, but she felt like Selina could use a compliment. From above, Jon was agreeing with Ali, though it was nothing more than a silent nod. He caught himself getting distracted by the two women, however he was thankful for not being stuck sitting with them. It would be incredibly awkward, considering Selina and Alia struck him as polar opposites.

 

[Blind Hemingway]

Selina paused before she spoke. She was not used to humans commenting about her hair style. "Thanks...Though I'll be honest. It's a sign of mourning."

"Mourning? For what?" Alia asked,

"Loss of my clan. My life...Things of that nature."

"Oh... I'm sorry to hear that." Ali then frowned, feeling some sympathy for Selina. Maybe she wasn't as heartless as the raiders had been? But was this possible? All the stories she ever heard, made the Kin out to be nothing more than bandits that stole rice and lives from the poor rice growers.

"Yeah...Hasn't been a good year for me." Selina said, keeping her voice lower than it normally was. She didn't want Jon overhearing what she and Ali were chatting about.

"Nana and I understand." Alia smiled politely.

"Now you. I'm curious. I encountered one slave driver in the woods. He had an Orenian accent. Did that nation attack yours?
I need to know...For personal reasons, if you understand." Selina asked. She wanted to make her hunch about the Kin was right.

"Oh, um... No. These people looked more like you do." Alia said, sounding uneasy.

"I see." Selina said. "Did you happen to see their eye marks, the color?" She then pointed to the strange black shapes that adorned both sides of her face. It looked something like a fancy tattooed triangle that curved just a few inches away from her nose. "I'm a Metis. So mine aren't going to look the same as theirs."

"Something sort of like that...except red! And they had pretty snowy hair like yours."

"Did you notice anything else? Like how any of them were dressed? " Selina asked.

"It seemed formal to me... A man did stick out, though. He was so pretty looking! And he was with a bossy lady with a funny looking hat...."

" ...Funny looking hat?" Selina only knew of one Kin that would wear any sort of hat that would look strange to a human. That was Edelweiss, the Flower of Wrath.

"Mhm. It was red and had a strange shape. I'm sure it symbolized her authority, though."

"Shit and a pile of it." Selina thought to herself. "Yes it does...That would be Edelweiss..." Then without explanation she opened the hatch that led to the location to where Jon was located. "Selina!!! What the hell do you think you're doing?" Samson then yelled. Nana covered her ears, since she didn't understand what was going on. Alia just looked on in curious confusion.

"...Selina, what are you doing?" Was all that Jon could say, when he saw the white haired girl struggle to make her way to the top. "Protecting your life, again. The woman that destroyed Alia's village is the some one that is supposed to be monitoring my movements. Now hand me that firearm. You're probably a crappy shot anyways!"

"What!? No! It's mine! Get your own. Besides, I don't see anyone." Jon protested.

"That's because you're a full blooded human. You don't have the same senses I do."

"Then do you sense her?" Jon growled.

"No. But there's definitely a significant amount of Kin in the nearby region. They'll try to stop us from getting to Oren... Do you understand what I'm saying?"
Selina growled back.

"Yes ma'am. You can take the gun if you need it." Jon sighed.

"Don't give it to her! She has to realize that this concerns all of us,not just her. Force her small butt back down that shoot!" Samson then yelled to him.

"That sounds suicidal!" He then held the gun protectively... "Ugh..."

"It is."

"Inside that bag I handed you. There's something that'll help you deal with her"! It was a certain kind of flower as soon as Jon grabs it from one of the ammo pouches. " Um...okay." Jon then looked dryly, this wasn't what he had in mind at all...

"A flower? Fufufuffufu." Selina then mocked.

"Yes...it is. Want to smell it?"

Just then the snail car went over a slight bump in the road and it landed right on her nose! Selina's cheeks then turned a flush pink and she started giggling and making weird faces.

"Selina...?" Jon then blinked. She kept making girlie giggles as he mentioned her name.

"Samson, what's happening to her!?" Jon yelled, trying to hold back a laugh.

"White lilies. Super effective on the Kin. Like a catnip to 'em. It'll keep her drugged for about two hours, enough time for us to get to Oren without her being all high and mighty." Samson responded.

"Oh! Good to know." Jon then smirked. When she wasn't being bossy, Selina could be almost as cute as Alia was. "Um...is she safe up here?" He then asked knowing that she was going to be a problem if the Kin were to spot her.

"She won't do much besides for sleep for awhile. But see if you can slide her down the shoot."

Jon then smiled, this girl was a wild one, indeed, unlike any of the farm girls back home. He guided Selina back to her seat with Ali's help*

This trip was going to be very interesting indeed. In four days from leaving home, he met a bad ass grandfather sort named Samson. A young run away slave and her sister named Alia and Nana. Though out of all them, the one that proved to be the biggest pain in the ass, meanest girl he ever met; he found Selina to be the very figure in his life that he had been seeking for all these years. Though, he wouldn't freely admit to it, just yet.

End of Episode 3​

 

[Fluffy]

Chapter 4: Living a Wild Fairytale​

The weather was merciless with its frigid temperature. Nothing went according to plan for Catherine as she journeyed many miles away from her town by the lake. No one knew she had left and no one would ever be able to find her. She was on a search for something better than being a wife in a kitchen, her devotion being to someone she was not in love with. Cathy wanted a taste of adventure, in hopes that she would find the one man destined for her.

At this point, she had more than a 'taste' of adventure... She had taken a mouthful by now and although she was not regretting it, she was in bad shape. Ever since stepping foot off of Laiktown, she hasn't come across any civilization, where she could purchase more supplies. She was hungry, cold and tired, her spirit nearly broken by her physical and mental exhaustion.

Cathy clutched the front of her baby blue jacket as if the buttons were going to fall off. She wore a black and yellow sundress beneath it with flower patterns, a pair of long, black stockings and a pair of brown boots made from sheep skin, the insides having wool sewn in. The cold was making her numb, her cheeks a bright pink quite possibly from a fever.

She spotted a large tree that would most certainly shelter her from any rainfall and block the chilly gusts of wind. Without hesitation, she ran to the tree, her messenger bag of supplies smacking against her side while her flowing, chocolaty brown hair flew back in the breeze. Her back was put to the bark of the trunk, her body sliding down it so she could sit down in the grass with her arms hugging her knees.

"This was not well planned out..." she said to herself, rubbing her hands together. Strapped to one of her sides was a sword in its sheath. She stole it from her Grandfather, intending to use it for self defense if she should need it. Though... It was surprisingly heavy and she had no experience whatsoever with weapons. Women weren't allowed to wield such honourable items, because the men were supposed to be the protectors. If it became useless, she thought she could trade it for a new home someday; it had to be worth something. She didn't know where to go from here... She had no idea how to figure out where some more humans might be and her survival skills were poor.

Little did Catherine know, she was going to be involved with the foes of Selina and Jonathon. She was going to be tied into a crazy fairytale from her dreams that may also prove to be a nightmare. One way or or another, she would fulfill whatever destiny was meant for her.

 

[Blind Hemingway]

The nighttime air in the Frosh Swamps was still cold. Tager had a heavy wool cloak on over his black tunic, in order to keep warm. Though that being said, compared to Cathy, this Kin's body was less susceptible to extreme temperatures. "She has to be here somewhere. We had Selina pinned down near the Goblin settlements. Come on girl, show yourself. I'd hate to resorting to use the markings." Standing near his side were several Kin soldiers wearing less flamboyant outfits than their commanding officer did. They were all armed with large bolt action rifles, having to haul them out for the first time in generations. If Selina was in fact trying to reach Oren, they would have to stop her by any means possible. The air barge that he was standing on quietly hovered over the tall grasses of the bayou.

The wind blew his long hair in every which direction, but Tager's face remained determined. Selina was the first opponent that made him second guess his moves. She was like a wily chess player that managed to sneak past the defenses of a well fortified plan...

The girl grinned. Standing before her was a Relic Guard. It's long arms dragged across the ground, sounding like nails scarping a blackboard. This was one of many trails and combat scenarios that she'd have to go through before applying to become a field agent. She had a lot of potential considering she came from a rather obscure background.

She dodged them with ease, like any of her classmates. Her taunting face revealed that she was fearless in the heat of battle. Tager watched her with much interest. According to her files, it labeled her as being human. She was too muscular to be long mistaken for a full blooded Kin, yet she was still too slight and alien looking to be fully human. She also had black markings instead of red.

The girl then drew out her rifle and used it as a club, then combining it with the Kin's magical powers, she added more force to the bullets that she was using. With a single shot, she took the Relic Guard down with ease. She was going to force her fellow Kin to respect her through her actions, alone. This impressed Tager. She had a beauty that few other Kin had. It dealt with her drive to keep on fighting...

After the combat scenario was complete, Tager went down to speak with the girl, "You must be Selina Orion. A pleasure it is to meet a student with such potential. There are those that say you'll be perpetually on the outside...However, through my influence, you can achieve so much more..."

"Is that so?" Selina asked. Her shoulder length hair was messy after the fight. "Well, it's good to know that I have a back up plan then. However, I have to do this by myself. I've spent too many years hiding in fear of what others think of me. If I fight alone, I do better. I thank you for your offer though...."

She then carried her rifle at arm's port and began to head out the door. Tager blinked, she had refused his help. A less liberal Kin would have struck her down for being insolent but he was impressed.

There was now a beep coming from his wrist cuff. "What is it?" Tager asked. "I see. Then bring the prisoner over here. Keep her alive and in one piece."

The Relic Guard had apparently found a woman that stood 5'4" and had a large blade. He didn't ask for anymore details than that. They probably caught her off her guard. Not even a girl of her power could fend off the need to rest and with humans following her around, they would have slowed her down.

About twenty minutes passed by before the Guards showed up. Tager then raised his hand and the Kin Soldiers then went to the lower levels while the Relic Guards landed on the deck. One with a black helmet guard then saluted Tager and dumped the body of a young woman in front of him.

She was only half conscious, her eyes drated back and forth and Tager. She was in pain, but didn't whimper. However, there was something off about the girl. Tager then knelt down and pulled the baby blue jacket down from over her face.

"You fools!!!!" Tager growled while he punched the Relic Guard on the head, causing it to tip over and struggle to get back on it's feet.

"This is a human. Not Selina!" There were reasons why he hated using these machines. They had a tendency of messing orders up.

The woman's bright eyes then were drawn to Tager's long white hair. They were asking for help, while her mouth couldn't. His eyes avoided direct contact until he saw the large blade that the girl had strapped to her side. Tager recognized it almost immediately, it was the same size and shape of the blade that he had sheathed on his back. There was no way that a human could be able to carry it. Tager's eyes slowly scanned the girl over. There was a very small trace of Kin blood in her. This interested him. Just how many Kin broke the Laws of Arbel? To lay with a Human was seen as a betrayal of Kin custom, tradition, and law....

He then place his hand out to the girl, something in his soul was telling him to save this miserable sight....

 

[Fluffy]

Cathy was much too weak to defend herself against the pair that captured her. She felt herself being dragged, her messenger bag collecting dirt as it slid across the ground. She dearly hoped this wouldn't be the end of her, but at least she was being taken to an authority, or at least a prison. That's what she hoped for, anyway. Being behind bars was better than being all alone outside with no idea where you were going. When she had strength, she could interrogate the people in charge because really... What crime did she commit?

She wasn't taken to a prison, though. Her body was met with a new patch of grass, her limbs all tucked in as she curled into a ball. Cathy could hear the voice of a man, though she couldn't make out what exactly he was saying. When he moved off the jacket from her face, she looked to him with big, brown eyes that were asking him for mercy. For help.

Cathy felt herself suddenly warming up as she continued to stare, his flowing, white hair a beautiful sight; it was unlike anything she's ever seen. Although he was considerably pretty, there was still a manly charm to him. Just staring at his image brought sunlight to the background and glistening sparkles showering over him.

Perhaps she was hallucinating...

When he offered his hand to her, she reached out and meekly wrapped her fingers around it. It felt wonderful to have heat on her cold skin... Using his hand as support, she managed to climb to her knees and then to her feet, her balance very sloppy. She suddenly felt her breath be taken away, her frail form falling onto him when she let go of his hand. Her bag was diagonal from her right shoulder and the sword at the right side of her waist. It was dragging her down since she hardly had the energy to stand up, the bag even adding to the weight.

She admitted to herself that she was terrified right now, though the presence of Tager slowly calmed her down. "S..orry..." she murmured.

 

[Blind Hemingway]

"It is alright, child." Tager said as the young girl collapsed into his arms. Tager then laid Cathy gently on the ground, stripping her of the heavy belongings on her person. His red markings then began to glow a pale pinkish tone. Soon several short Kin appeared on the deck of the airship. They were wearing blue tunics with black braid near the buttons, signaling that they were servants in the hierarchy of the complex Kin society. "Take her belongs down to my quarters. And make it snappy." The servants then bowed and grabbed everything but the blade, since by this time he strapped it around his back and then proceeded to pick Cathy up and carry like a groom would carry his bride through the threshold.

"It'll be okay, young one. I'm going to take you to my chambers, where you can rest up and keep warm. I can tell that you are a weary traveler and anyone with Kin blood is welcomed at my door." Tager spoke gently to Cathy.

Compared to many of the upper class members of Kin society, Tager believed that the Kin should be more willing to accept the fact that there were going to be people of mixed heritage within their society as time progressed. This is not to suggest that he believed that humans were equal to the Kin, for he supported the apartheid between the two races, in order to keep divisions and maintain a race-focused society. The Metis would be held in higher regard since they had Kin blood in them, and save for need to express emotion and the colors of their markings. Unlike Edelweiss, whom was a decadent aristocrat, callous and ruthless in her ways, he was more cunning and progressive.

There was just something about this child that called out to him to save her.

 

[Fluffy]

Cathy felt instant relief when her belongings were taken from her, putting so much less weight on her body. It surprised her that she was even able to carry this weapon so far from home without being weighted to the ground. She shamefully admitted, she was frail and weak. If it weren't for her strong spirit, she would have died before meeting Tager; she was certain of this. People often admired the woman for her positive outlooks and her ever powerful spirit.

The way that Tager spoke was a little bit confusing. Kin blood? She knew that people from her Father's side of the family were, in a way, special. From pictures she saw, they had markings much similar to the ones on her saviour's face. Their hair was white, they had unique weapons... Cathy also didn't see many of them beyond her Grandfather. She could now make sense of it when her Mother would tell her that she was so grateful that her daughter was alive.

Cathy glanced at Tager's face as he carried her, her vision still somewhat blurry. His voice was calming and his body was warm; she felt like she could just fall asleep. Still, she wanted to know something: "What is your name?" Her voice was meek, but clear. She was determined to find this out before letting herself drift off, even if he should give her a false name. At least then, if she should dream, she wouldn't have a nameless hero rescuing her.

 

[Blind Hemingway]

"It is Alexis Tager," he quietly mentioned, "Though for your safety, it is best to address me by Commissioner for the time being."

He placed Cathy down on his bed. Tager then went over to his desk. A large glass mirror was connected to it and for a brief moment he peered back at himself. Tager then began to pull his cape off and donned his armor off next, leaving his muscular chest exposed. His long hair remained in it's pony tail. Tager looked back at Cathy, whom was now fast asleep on his bed. He then began to dig around in one of the drawers of the desk he had sat down at. He then placed a pair of slim glasses on.

"If you will excuse me for barging into your personal accoutrements, but I am rather curious about something." He thought to himself.

As the girl slept, Tager pulled her blade from its sheath and took a closer look at it. All of the Kin had a blade that was given to them from their parents. Each was designed to suit the wielder's size and shape. This was one was rather top heavy and Tager had to wonder just how Cathy had been able to carry it has far as she had. It was clear from his first assessement that this blade had been treated like a hand me down from generation to generation, always ending up in the hands of the first born son of the family. This made it even more curious, since a girl was carrying it instead of a young male warrior.

" Let's see what is on this sword." Tager examined the blade over and over again. Every blade a Kin held had a story behind it. Even the one that Selina seemed to disregard as a handsome paperweight. "Interesting. Three waves, a sail ship, and a large stone. It's not every day that you come across these ancient symbols. This girl is becoming curiouser and curiouser."

He believed that this girl's family was somehow connected to the Song of the Sea:

"You are my love, my only love. The one I truly belong to! We are together forever, no matter what may happen to us. I promise I will always be there for you, if you'll always be there for me. Our love is as deep as the deepest sea. We are drifting and sailing on this water. It may be stormy and gray, but as long as we have each other, we can chase all the clouds away and bring out the sun to brighten our day.

I love you like the sea...

Tager then placed the sword on his desk and adjusted his glasses, "Just who are you, young miss?" He asked aloud.

 

[Fluffy]

The moment she was set onto the bed, she tucked her limbs in so her body could curl. It helped her contain warmth because at this point, her jacket simply wasn't enough. Strands of hair fell over her face, making only patches of her skin visible is someone were to try and look into her eyes. She was sleeping lightly because although she was assuredly safe, this was still a new area; she wanted to keep her guard up.

She could hear her sword be unsheathed so Tager could examine it. Cathy lay there hoping he had no intention of stealing it or using it to kill her as she helplessly laid there. That would have completely shattered the heart warming image she had of the man already... So, she did her best not to think of that.

Cathy peeked through her hair, one of her hands reaching up to pull some of it out of the way when it was all warmed up. She was beginning to feel more alive; all she needed was warm food and a good night's sleep. Tager was far more interesting than any of that, though. She was quietly observing him, her eyes drawn to the bare muscles he was exposing and his long hair.

Just as she let her hair fall back over her face, he asked what her name was. She hadn't fallen back to sleep yet, so she went ahead and answered, "Catherine Manos. Or, Cathy."

 

[Blind Hemingway]

The sounds of heavy rains hitting the metallic plastic sides of the airship, made the mood on the Kin airship sort of depressing. There wasn't much for the soldiers to do. Selina was no where to be found in these parts...However, in the private quarters of Tager, there was life.

"So. You're a Manos." Tager said, while placing his hand under this chin. "That would explain a great deal of questions. Funny, how the world works like that."

The surname of Manos referred to a tribe of Kin that lived in the sea plains that were about three hundred miles north from the lands that Jon called home. They were famous for making their homes out of abandoned sail ships that used to dot the shore thousands of year in the past. They were a proud nation. It was destroyed by a volcanic eruption leaving behind only a few survivors and relics such as the sword that rested on Tager's desk.

"What does it explain?" Cathy asked. She slowly tried to pull herself up though Tager signaled for her to stay still.

"All in good time. There's no need to rush the past to the present." Tager said, giving the girl a sly smile. "So, Catherine. That's a very special name for a girl of your nature. It's rare to meet someone that has a pure heart these days."

He then pulled a blanket out from one of the closet panels near him. It was a heavy green-grey wool. "I'll bring you some warm dakka dumpling soup and of our best mineral waters. Rest up. I'll be back shortly."

 

[Fluffy]

After Tager left, she got onto her knees so she could get a look at her reflection. The distance made it challenging to see her face, but at least then she could inspect her hair and see how ill she might look. Cathy looked surprisingly well, patches of dirt on her face and hands. She wasn't the type to use her jacket or dress as a napkin, so she just dealt with it. Fingers ran through her long, dark brown hair as she stared into the mirror, also lost in thought.

When she finally came to realize that her hair looked perfectly fine now, all free of tangles and frizz, her gaze lowered to her sword. She knew that the markings and images told a story about her relatives, but wasn't entirely certain what it all meant. Cathy was mostly hidden from secrets on her Father's side because strictly, she was just supposed to be a housewife. Now that she found someone like Tager, he could probably tell her who she was. Maybe even tell her about this Kin blood he spoke of.

She sat herself down after a while and wrapped up in the green blanket Tager set down for her. Her body warmed up quickly and she left her boots on the floor beside the bed. The blanket was even on her head, looking much like a hood. All that revealed were her fingers and her face because she wanted to get as much warmth as possible.

Tager arrived with the hot meal he promised, a thankful smile on her face when she took it, setting the dish onto her lap. It added to the heat she got from the blanket and she knew that once she took a bite, she'd begin to feel more like herself. "Thank you," she cooed.

 

[Blind Hemingway]

"It is no problem." Tager said. He then sat down in his chair again. "It was prepared by one of my best maids. I'll give her the compliment as soon as you are finished."

He remained relatively still while the girl began to eat her food; his fingers rested on his chin, as if he were thinking. There was a sparkle in his eyes that suggested he was interested in what was going on. Tager liked to watch people while they were at their most natural. Cathy ate the food like it was her salvation. It was kind of cute, in it's own pitiful way. He found it interesting that both this girl and Selina seemed to push past their handicap of being human and continue to keep going until they found help. However, unlike Selina this girl seemed more like the yellow lilies that grew in the mountain passages that Tager originally came from before becoming a political man.

Cathy soon then finished eating and looked up at him.

 

[Fluffy]

Cathy felt a little nervous as she ate because she knew how closely she was being watched. Obviously, there was something fascinating about her. Perhaps he thought she was beautiful and couldn't take his eyes off of her! She smiled lightly to herself during the last few bites, content with this assumption, even if it wasn't really the case.

"Yes, do compliment her..." Cathy said, albeit belated. She set the empty dish down by her boots and then inspected her fingers for any residue. To her satisfaction, she managed to make no messes during her quick meal.

She hid her arms into the blanket so she could contain more heat, her eyes on Tager now that there was nothing else to give attention to. Cathy had a lot of questions, but they were probably best saved for later. As long as he was willing to keep her around, anyway. One question wouldn't hurt, though. After all, this particular one felt important,

"Can you...tell me where I am?"

 

[Blind Hemingway]

"You are in the Frosh Marshlands." Tager said, "Which means that you've been travelling for some time now. It was good timing that the Relic Guards found you when they did. It's the middle of the rainy season."

Tager then stood up, his long hair gently followed him upwards. He then walked towards one of the massive windows in his quarters, "Excuse me for one moment. I prefer having some natural light in this room when I can. The moon is a great healer for our race." The blinds slowly faded away exposing the bright full moon through the paneled glass.

"It seems like fate has something in store for you. I say this because normally we do not make rounds into this region of No-Man's Land, since we have no interests in goblins. Though I am relieved that we were able to save you when we did. Apparently, there's been a member of my Clan that has decided that they'd rebel against us. She's been supported by the goblins and they've been going out of their way in attacking travelers in the swamps. It is quite distasteful, if you ask me."

He then noticed that Cathy was wrapping herself up more and more in the blanket. "I'm going to allow you to sleep in my bed for this night. Tomorrow, after we get things settled for you, I'll find quarters for you to stay in. In the meantime feel free to us my bathing chambers on the door to the left. You probably desire to get the smell of stress and the wilderness of you."

What Tager didn't mention was that the Kin's sense of smell was stronger than that of a human's and he could sense that she was still nervous. "I'll be sitting out here reading my books. Just ask if you need anything."

 

[Fluffy]

Going back to our group in the snail...

The group was getting restless during their trip and very soon, Selina was sure to wake up from her trance caused by the lily. With this in mind, Samson kept his eyes open for a safe place to stop so people could stretch their legs. There was also an important task in mind...

Up ahead, the old man spotted a lake surrounded with trees and bushes. It was a very shady area, though it didn't matter since the sky was still gray. He steered towards the area and asked Alia to search for a cloth bag hidden someplace in the vehicle. She left kept Selina leaned against her as she felt around the floor for this bag, wrinkling her nose when her hands made contact with clumps of dust and dead plants. In time, she found the strap and pulled the bag out, making a small cough when a cloud of dust kicked up from it.

"Here Nana, hold this..." she said as she set it into the little girl's lap. Nana imitated the sneeze that Ali made and then giggled, patting at the bag and humming a song to herself. Ali couldn't get irritated with the child for making fun of her... After all, she was only playing.

When the snail came to a stop, Jon looked down to everyone, his weapon still strapped to his back. "Jonny, keep an eye out for baddies. Ali and I got a job to do!" Jon nodded in response and waited for everyone to get out before climbing down to stretch. Some ground would be nice...

"Um, what are we doing, Mister Samson?" Ali asked, biting her bottom lip as she helped Selina out of the snail, followed by Nana who was dragging the bag across the ground.

"We're gonna play dress up with Selina," he answered, taking the bag from Nana when they arrived under a tree. Ali set Selina down against the trunk and then looked to Samson, a little afraid. Playing dress up with Selina sounded like a murder waiting to happen! She watched as Samson took out some different objects that looked to be make-up and hair dye. The more she thought about it, the more it made sense... Selina needed to disguise her Kin-like image.

"I see..." she murmured, looking away for only a moment to see how Jon was doing. The young man was leaned up against the snail car, content in his thoughts as he watched for danger.

Samson and Ali proceeded to colour Selina's hair blond and put on a facial powder to cover up the markings under her eyes. No doubt about it, she'd be unhappy when she was fully conscious again...

 

[Blind Hemingway]

Selina awoke a few moments later. Everything still felt pretty dizzy and the world around her seemed to still be spinning out of control. She groaned but none of the others dared make a sound. "You guys are so dead!" She yelled. Even with the dizziness, Selina attempted to stand up; after all the body is just a tool to be use according to her.

While her eyes weren't focused her sense of smell still was. Her mouth felt dry, so she sniffed the air and soon discovered that they were near a small stream. Using trees as her guiding posts, Selina soon came across the small creek. Bending down, she scooped some water up and rubbed her eyes. While it didn't get rid of the lightheaded feeling, it did make her eyes stop hurting.

However upon doing so, she saw her new reflection. This stranger had the same eye colors but her hair was wavy and a natural blonde instead of being nearly white. There were no black markings under her eyes. Everything about her screamed "human." This caused her to nearly panic at first. That was until she pinched her face and the reflection did just as she did.

"....." Selina looked down at her reflection. "What the hell... There's no way that they could have...Could they have had?"

Her eyes darted back and forth. There was still no sign of her traveling mates. She felt her heart race. There was only way to make a Kin a full blooded human and that was called the Forbidden Ritual. It wasn't necessarily taboo but there was no way in hell that Jon or Ali would posses the knowledge on how to do such a spell.

That left one man, that hermit named Samson.

"ALRIGHT SAMSON GET YOUR ASS OVER HERE!"