“Oh, so you think I should always look like a thief rolled in mud, and smell like a soldier in unwashed armor, do you, Va’il?”
“Yes.”
“Jerk!” Ruby laughed a bit and pushed Va’il a bit. He laughed too, but then noticed some leftover rope marks on Ruby’s wrists.
“Really Ruby, I’m sorry. I’m sorry you had to go through all that. It’s all my fault. All of it’s my fault. I should have protected you,” Va’il said, sulking slightly.
“Yes, you should have. But now, you have. And I’m fine, now. It was nothing I couldn’t handle, just a simple kidnapping,” Ruby said.
“A simple kidnapping! That’s far from simple! Oh wait, no. You’re passing it off again. It’s not so simple for you, is it? Don’t be the lying Ruby again,” Va’il said, this time sounding a little angry.
“Maybe. I don’t want to think about it. I don’t want people capturing me, forcing me, restraining me. I really was scared, Va’il,” Ruby said, looking down.
“I know. I won’t say it’s okay because it’s fine now. But now, you’ll be fine. They didn’t do anything too bad to you, did they?” Va’il asked carefully, though the question itself was as frank as Va’il usually was.
“No, I’m fine. They didn’t hurt me. Though, if they caught me now, I’d bet they would, ha,” Ruby said. She chuckled lightly.
“Good. So he was right. Well, if they were going to, or had, I would’ve acted sooner,” Va’il said.
“What? What do you mean? You can’t mean you didn’t come as fast as possible!” Ruby was angry again.
“That’s not what I meant. What I mean is that I was told you’d be unharmed. I did rush to find you as soon as possible. And that was much more difficult than you’d think. That story doesn’t matter, all that matters is that I did eventually catch up. But you know I didn’t rush in the moment I found you, right?”
“The wolf that howled at night, right?”
“Right. I was worried you wouldn’t catch on. I stayed a distance away once I did finally find you, but I wouldn’t have if I thought you really were going to be harmed, or if I’d seen something once I caught up. Nothing would’ve stopped me,” Va’il said, the lupus in him tensely speaking the final few words.
“I knew you’d hear me. I knew it had to be you. If it really had been just a wolf, I don’t know what. But it had to be you. Cause it was silent all the next night. Good lupus, good boy,” Ruby said. She patted Va’il on the head twice, which removed his prior tension.
“Ha, I’m no dog. But it’s still nice. But yes. And your silly message. That play we all know, that woman’s quote. Two talon’d, three clawed. Not two nights, but three. You knew I’d understand, then? You knew I’d hear from that distance?”
“Of course. Well, maybe. Three was safest, that night was the stupid guy’s turn to stay up. He’s paid for his incompetence. And even if you didn’t understand, I figured you’d rush after me if I ran off. Unless you slept through the night or something silly.”
“Sleep could wait. But you ran off in a direction I wasn’t expecting. I was on the other side, I had to take a way around to avoid those men. And at least my night vision is good. Thank Mum for it. You looked just like a small rabbit fleeing from a big mean predator,” Va’il said, licking his lips once.
“Who was the predator? Well, no, whatever. I’m just happy. Don’t leave me again. What happened to you anyways?”
“My life was saved,” Va’il said. He laughed a bit.
“Saved? I thought something happened to you. Last I recall, you were whisked away. I was scared you were gone for good.”
“The drunk we met earlier. He’s a crazy man. He found out about the plan to kidnap you. And dispose of me. He told me they were instructed to keep you safe and take you back to Rising, so he rushed in when they did to save my life,” Va’il said.
“He overheard? That’s suspicious. And take me to Rising? I guess we’ve been going back that direction, but why? And those men, they are probably Grip men,” Ruby said.
“That drunk was very suspicious. And very wonderful, in his own way. I had pretty good reason to believe him back then. His history is probably something really fantastic. I’m sure he knew it was Grip men who took you. Why they’d go in the direction of home, I don’t know. But just being in Rising wouldn’t matter if you arrived as a kidnapped person. It’s easier to use a hostage when you can prove their existence to the people who matter. So, though safe, you had to be rescued. Though, it looks like you had an ordeal of your own. You did get away for just long enough, but how, and what were those screams?”
“I see. I should’ve expected. I suppose I won’t know why for a while. Well, we know why, but you know what I mean. You sure you want to know how I escaped?”
“Yes. How did you escape?”
“Running wouldn’t have been enough, not with them. I needed something that’d distract them long enough for me to get to you without them catching up right away. And, I guess it also served as a signal to you. When it was time, I rushed the man who was supposed to be watching me, though he was tipsy from all his drinks. I pulled his sword out, and while I used the momentum to stand and turn, I slashed downwards. Well, almost. I turned the blade and used the side to smack his hand as hard as I could. It probably broke a couple bones, but I didn’t want to hurt him more than was needed for our distraction. I dropped the sword and ran at that point. I figured that’d take him and at least one other off the pursuit, especially if he didn’t realize in the low light I hadn’t taken off his hand, just hurt it enough to make him want help instead of chasing me,” Ruby said factually. Va’il whistled slightly.
“Used a sword, I see,” Va’il said. He breathed a sigh of relief. Nothing would’ve stopped him if Ruby was in true danger, and so he was very relieved that Ruby was competent in desperate situations. He thought he had to protect her, but the older girl, just a human even, had the ability to take care of herself as well.
“Yes. It’s actually my best form. Makeen and Shiroi have helped with some of the other forms a bit, but, if I can brag a bit, I’m best with a sword or preferably stick,” Ruby said, laughing a little.
“Sure you can. That’s really amazing of you. And it helped save you. Good job, Ruby. Really, wonderful job. Now, let’s head home. After a nap.”
Ruby smiled at the compliments, relaxed her tired body, and continued their journey.
