Brun decided to head up and gather something so I’m left sitting next to Raun and staring at the fire while he carves a small bear figurine and as he forms up the second set of arms. Or legs. Arms when the bear’s angry? Bears, cute but weird. 

Wonder if their ears are as soft as they look.

Raun must feel my eyes on him as he peers out the side of his eye at me. I wave a little, still staring at the bear carving; he hands it to me and I smooth my thumbs over the little fur indents mindlessly as I continue looking at Raun.

“...Something on your mind?” He asked after a length of time. I pause, and then consider whether he’d be helpful to my imminent vengeance or not.

Then again, he’s the one to suggest I throw Chad in the water that one time so maybe? Not like he can stop me one way or another.

“That brat from earlier. Simon; I want to break his face.” I explain, which causes Raun to furrow his brow and rub the side of his face before resting his chin on a fist.

“You’re telling me this because you want my help covering it up huh” I nod in response. Raun dons a little smile after this and suggests, “Find a poor bastard to frame, then trap the rat by his tail and leave him to dry once you teach ‘im something to remember.”

“How do I frame?” I ask. I’m probably going to throw Chad in front of the horses, but I’m not a subtle sort and ideas haven’t crawled out yet.

“Maybe dress like your sucker and be seen like that? Or,” Raun looks down at me, “Stand on stilts? Change whatever you can get away with, maybe lure the idjit out from his group; I hear he’s trying to hunt a silverpelt and I just so happen to have a rabbit alive that you could use as a lure, though you are not allowed to borrow any of the metal dust that I keep in my second shed beside the saw.”

For some reason he winks at me; just explicitly banned me from the dust and now he’s smiling at me? Dude, give me a break for once. I’m sure I look confused because he huffs a laugh through his nose, leans down, and whispers,

“That was a joke and you’re allowed to use both the rabbit and the dust to trap that little shit.” Oh. Oh! That’s funny!

He smiles when he sees me giggle hysterically but shushes me quietly at hearing the floorboards creaking in the hallway just outside this room. Brun arrives, carrying a leather folder and my now-dry fancy clothing, and settles herself and her burden to my side with a gusty breath.

“Oh fucking worm I don’t want to go back, but I bet if we stay out longer I’ll find a sarcrifical pillar set up with Chauncy volunteering as the sacrifice and I don’t want to scrub charring out again this month. C’mon, up-up get at ‘em” She says, but is still stretching her feet at the fireplace. She says go, but she’s still here. Confusing woman, she is. I stand up and stare at her until she stands as well with an unwilling look on her face. I hear her grumbling but it doesn’t sound like any words a person would actually use to talk, so I’m not sure what she’s trying to communicate. Eh.

A decent walk to the orphanage with Raun and a bright lantern later and we’re waving at the distancing glow from the doorstep. Brun breathes deeply before bursting inside already barking orders at the rowdy group of children as a half-dead Chad and Loup look at her like she’s a saint. I head up as I hear her clucking about the children’s collective stench and curl in my bed, hands wrapped around the tassels to make sure that Chad doesn’t have someone take my shoes off in my sleep. My breath slows and my eyes grow heavy as I succumb to sleep.

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The next morning comes to me as unwillingly as I come to it. I’m mostly healed from yesterday’s fiasco, aside from spontaneously deciding to postpone my bath until later in the day; everything is normal and fine! I was given time off from my chores by Brun, so I was planning on hunting or ‘hunting’ by seeking Simon but Loup grabbed me by the wrist and is in the process of dragging me to the local guildhouse. The higher population the more specialization that can happen in the guildhouse, with some specializing in crafting or fighting but this place is way too small, just a wide building on the edge of town with an image of a sword and hammer aimed at each other. Loup left me outside while he went in for the actual quest procession and I spent the time doing some practice swings of the grey-bladed short axe that Raun gifted me; I tried adding some tassels to the handle but Raun told me that it would just get dirty and to add the tassels to the sheathe if I really have to.

Yes, I really have to, Raun. I shall perish if I am not surrounded by as many tassels as I physically can stand. I shall just keel over and cease to be, just watch me.

Oh, Loup is out, followed by a smiling young lady. Lucy.

Oh, this is going to be one of those days huh?

Oh, fuck this.