ZaiWin1Literally zai (blade) + win (chaos). didn't take long to guide them both out of the large settlement. After all, he knew that place like the back of his hand. And how could he not? When he had helped raise many of those large tents, back when he was around Snow's age?
Truth be told, ZaiWin had planned to linger around the huge campsite for a bit longer, maybe try and convince Snow to choose something for himself, something he would like to have, from the various vending stalls. But the fact that Snow had cautiously kept his distance from him since they’d stopped at Wing’s tent was kind of bothered him … a lot!
A rushing cart, pulled by two large oxes, forced ZaiWin to step out of the road, and he couldn’t help take that opportunity to steal a brief glance at him. Snow had also stepped to the side, his pale hands holding his hood in place as if he were afraid that the draft of air caused by the moving cart might uncover his head.
“Are you okay?” he asked and the boy went immediately stiff, as if his voice had caught him by surprise. Of course he instantly tried to mask it, nodding a confirmation, but ZaiWin could easily tell that he was way too tense, maybe even a bit scared. He couldn't say if that knowledge came from spending too much time in the boy’s company, or if it had something to do with the link they both shared. But, somehow, since they had left that icy cavern, it had become much easier, almost instinctive, to understand what Snow was thinking.
“Was it too crowded?” he tried to guess but Snow quickly shook his head.
ZaiWin had thought that the boy would enjoy visiting something a bit more lively than the ordinary small village. And by the way Snow so vehemently denied his supposition, ZaiWin knew he’d been right in his assumptions. Then, if that wasn't it, what could be the reason for his sudden redrawn attitude?
“Hey, Snow. Won’t you tell me what’s wrong?” He opted for a more direct approach, reaching out to turn him his way, and the small shoulder under his hand flinched at his touch, his pale, fearful eyes immediately going for his belt.
Belt? No. The dagger that he’d just received as a gift, ZaiWin quickly concluded, placing a hand over it, which was enough to make Snow shake his hand off and take two quick steps back.
“Is this what’s bothering you?” ZaiWin asked, pulling the blade free, and the boy’s eyes followed his gesture with alarmed urgency. “It’s only a small dagger … You’ve been around much larger, much more dangerous blades than this, before. Want to keep it?” ZaiWin asked, offering him the handle, hoping that giving it to him would make him feel safer, but Snow simply took another step back, shaking his head.
ZaiWin looked at the blade in his hand. He could simply throw it away and be done with it. That would certainly solve the problem. But he kind of wanted to know the reason why Snow was reacting in such a strange manner.
“Silver …”
The small whisper made ZaiWin raise his gaze to look at him. Snow looked … conflicted. As if he wasn’t sure he should tell him that.
“Mm, I know it’s made of silver …” ZaiWin cautiously repeated and Snow frowned, refusing to look up at him.
“I can’t ... heal from silver … It’s like poison … it burns …”
ZaiWin looked at the small blade in his hands, again. The boy’s small voice continued.
“When I get cut with it, it makes me bleed for days. Only special herbs can stop it. And it always leaves a mark …”
“The scars on your body …?”
Snow lowered his head even more, to the point ZaiWin could no longer see his face.
So that’s why, ZaiWin thought, still looking at the small dagger. Why, for example, the horrible wounds on his back, left by the metallic spikes lining the box where he had found him, had healed without leaving a mark. And yet there were several pale scars covering his torso, legs and arms.
Just like Wing's husband had pointed out, silver daggers were hardly found in commoners’ hands. They were, however, something a noble would easily own and proudly flaunt around. Which added up, ZaiWin grimly concluded. There was no way something as miraculous as Snow’s blood would have been sold at a low price, meaning that only people with a considerable amount of money would have been able to afford it.
Turning around, ZaiWin held the dagger in one hand and threw it with as much strength as he could muster. The small blade flew so far that he couldn’t even hear the sound of it falling.
“There. Problem solved,” he declared and turned to face the boy’s wide-eyed expression.
“You just … threw it away?”
“Mm. It was bothering you,” ZaiWin calmly confirmed, in such a matter of fact tone that Snow couldn't help gape.
“But it was very expensive!” Snow immediately argued.
Ah. He had forgotten that for someone like Snow, who had come from nothing, something like a silver dagger was probably equal to a year’s worth of food.
Crossing the space between them, ZaiWin placed a hand over his hooded head, inwardly glad that Snow didn’t flinch anymore.
“Don’t worry. Someone is bound to find it and put it to good use. Shall we go on with our escape-trip?”
After a moment of consideration, Snow nodded, taking a step closer, lightly wrapping his arms around ZaiWin, his small hands flat against his back. ZaiWin smiled at the foreign sensation that would have undeniably made him want to crawl out of his skin, if it had been someone else standing there, in front of him. Holding him back a bit more firmly, he took a deep breath and activated his daitai2Literally dai (light) + tai (mark), or Holly Markings, considered Heavenly Blessings. They’re the source of power., jumping to another place.
AutumnLeaves· Jun 10, 2020
