The Huascar Ring Selen
The scribbles of pens were perhaps the most prominent noise in the library. It was attached Estle City’s arcives, permitting those without permissions into the deeper archives to still have a place to study some of the more abstract or uncommon topics one could hope to find in such a place.
Kerissa had made a point of visiting often. She had the permissions to delve deeper and often did, though also chose to remain on the surface of the building in the library itself.
There was a certain spot she liked to settle in, beside one of the tall paned windows that overlooked the city. If she stood and looked down, Kerissa could see the Sinchi ring below. Not any details but the hubbub of business that pervaded the market district of Estle. Her favoured chair left her between a pair of bookshlesves, near one of the bathrooms toward the back end of this part of the building. It was cooler here and quieter than if she chose to study closer to the entrance.
Quieter was better, her hearing was sensitive as it was and studying required focus.
Focus.
She leaned her cheek into her hand, struggling to do so. Savran hadn’t mentioned when they’d be back from their mission, nor had she spoken with Kordath or Zujenia in a while. It felt like an obligation yet one that put pressure on them too. Pressure that.. she was anxious to put on them when it still felt at any moment she’d have to run away once more.
A sigh escaped the woman, pushing those thoughts aside and staring at the paper. Medical documentation on the effects of various plagues and city ridden diseases. On how they typically would spread, on how to track the source accurately. She’d never bothered with larger effects of disease, just the individual effects of it so it felt like a good next step for her understanding. As.. dull and morose as the topic was.
The library? he had thought, intrigued despite himself. It had been a long time since he had been allowed into a library. There were some most precious memories in them. And others–
…
But…a library.
The idea of quiet, solemn shelves and books and books was nearly as appealing as one of a forest glen without a single smoke trail or sign of civilization for miles around. It made his tail shudder around his leg, trying to flick.
Well. Perhaps. If he tried?
Hunyi encouraged trying. And not asking for going or waiting to be told to go.
The one in the Estle was very large. Three levels! He had never seen another so vast. It smelled of paper, dusty mildew, and wood polish. It was quiet. It was perfect.
Libraries were the closest thing to the absolute splendor and grace of the goddess’ nature that mortals had ever made, and he loved them. He loved this one. He was allowed in it, and that hadn’t stopped being surprising yet. Four days in a row.
When would they tell him no more?
His mind shied from the question. Questioning was not done. The masters let him in when he asked from behind Hunyi the first time and still every time he asked now.
“Hello,” he whispered to the books as he stepped past the masters’ desks, then scurried on deeper inside. A figure rounded a shelf, and he jumped, dropping hurriedly to the ground with head bowed, but they went past without correction.
He waited, then dared to look up. The masters watched him from the desks. He hurried on before he was reprimanded for taking too long to get to the task he’d been permitted in the first place.
Through the shelves, back into the far corner of the first floor, as he had not yet been able to find where the servant’s stair was. Only the masters’ was in plain view. That was alright. The first floor was more than he could imagine as was. And it had tall windows.
Windows.
- He had found a perfect spot to tuck into nearby them. There was a potted plant in one corner, and enough space he could fit into between the round pot and the square angle of the wall. For a few hours in the late afternoon, the sunlight from the windows reached it, and it got so light and warm for the last half of an hour before the Dajorran sun continued past.
He sequestered there now, with a trove of books. Local diseases, the second volume. So many tropical parasitic worms and muscle and bone calcium deficiency.
He cut his finger turning a page too quickly. It closed before it bled. Someone coughed distantly and while he startled, it sounded normal and not rheumatic or rattling or any such. A drink of water, needed, perhaps. Perhaps if they were good the masters would allow some.
Rue turned his page, humming, despite a dry throat.
Classical deterministic epidemic models…
Kerissa frowned at the abstract of the article, blinking away a fuzz to her eyes. There were several on it but this was accepted more widely, across more cities of a few different planets. She grumbled to herself, looking down once more.
Firstly, initial conditions of disease are often heterogeneous, with dise..
Humming. Come on! With disease spreading geographically-
The words continued on, drily explaining the spread that could occur trade routes, offering examples but the dates died as the humming continued on and on. Different diseases, eras. Sectors of the galaxy. It seemed that it could quite easily strike but it was also easy to track down those areas and ensure safe handling.
May you sail fair to the far fields of fortune..
It drew all of Kerissa’s focus immediately from her book.
The Kessurian mix frowned, raising her head. It was hard to miss the humming, coming from a few rows behind her if she had to guess upon tilting toward the noise. The effect was slow but emotion rose, having to swallow back a sudden lump in her throat.
What the kriff?! The words jumped to her as if the song was familiar yet it wasn’t. Yet…
She looked to the sky for a moment, blinking harshly before shifting up to her feet. This was ridiculous. She’d never heard this song before, why was she reacting at all? Kerissa closed to book, annoyed with herself more than anything else. Yet, her curiosity was raised. Maybe she could just say hello? Ask what the song was at least, considering it was like a siren’s call to her.
Yes. Just to say hello. Then she could head up a level or.. somewhere. Okay. Books were in her bag, already checked out.
Kerissa walked toward the noise, following it back not as far as she thought it was. And there he was, down the end of the row. She stepped closer, stopping a reasonable distance away.
They were a Kessurian mix, with Ryn like her but a lot else too. It put a pit to the bottom of her stomach. She didn’t know many Kessurian hybrids. Nor Ryn. It didn’t guarantee a relation to the Immortal Sith’s cult but it stoppped her approaching to a more friendly distance. She kept it enough that she could run or call upon the Force before anything happened. The softness of the humming fell away to the pain of fear of being on the run. Did she need to run again?
Her mouth was dry and she had to clear her throat before finally getting the words out, watching the man with wary eyes.
“Hello.”
The figure wedged behind the plant flinched when she called out, dropping the book he held and head and spine snapping down so fast it seemed there should have been a crack. In fact, there was quite the thud, as one elbow slammed into the pot itself – which barely shook the leaves of the tall thing – in the man’s haste to crawl into a supplicant pose. The tail that had been peeking out from a massive swallowing cloak disappeared to wrap tight around one leg.
All that, only for him to seem to register the greeting a few heartbeats later. He flinched again, smaller this time, more inward, and pushed himself up as if against a great weight, pulling his hood and shawl up to cover his bright hair and horn cones.
“H-hello, m-mistress,” he whispered, stuttering. His gaze barely skittered up at her. “How may…”
And then did a double take.
His mouth dropped open, eyes widened, emotion spraying across his half-shadowed features. There might have been tears in his eyes. But then he turned his face down again, hiding, and grasped for the dropped book, clutching it close.
“A-apologi-ee-es, m-mistress, what, w-what can this one do f-for you?”
Kerissa froze in place at the reaction. He.. What the ever living kark?!
She felt sick at being called that. It’d confirm what she thought if this person was the furthest thing from a threat Kerissa could imagine. She looked behind her, considering a trap for a moment before looking back at the man. He’d looked shocked on seeing her. Not.. just in the way of someone not expecting a stranger. Kriff, he was already on his knees by that point.
“Don’t.. call me that. Mistress. I mean.” Was the first words that came spilling, not entirely intentioned but sickened enough that she didn’t mind them either. She inhaled, maintaining the space and trying to not run. All the alarm bells in her mind were ringing and she should run and get away an- and yet. That song. Her hands clasped behind her back.
“You have nothing to apologise for I was just… wondering what the song was. That you were humming. I have uh, good hearing too.” Kerissa placed a hand to one of her montrals before lowering it back into place behind her. “It feels like I’ve heard it before but I can’t recall it.”
Something clicked in her mind but she brushed it aside for now. There was no reason to jump to any conclusion. This could be an ambush. It was a public place but only Savi, lightyears away on Dathomir, knew she came here. If her own tail wasn’t wrapped around her thigh, kept in place with a yellow ribbon older than her memory, it’d lash in anxiety.
“Apol– yes, Master,” the man immediately corrected, still looking down, drawn tightly enough in half-bowed posture to tremble. “The Master’s hearing must be most excellent, yes. The song has no title this one knows. It is but called Sleepsong. It is Ryn in origin and a lullaby. Perhaps–” he stopped abruptly, jaw clicking, and fell quiet again for a moment before continuing. “Does this answer the Master’s question?”
“..I’m not your master either.” Kerissa had mumbled, her skin feeling itchy at the repetition. It was an ugly reminder of where she’d come from. Not that she ever interacted with the people they experimented on. The other people there, slaves.
“But yes. It does answer the question. I’m uh, sorry. For disturbing you. Stupid question.”
It felt like one now, questioning a man of his lullaby. A Ryn lullaby. It made more sense shed know it but there was a strange feeling there. A strange feeling about all of this. She watched him a moment more, unable to coalesce anything she felt into a sentence that made sense or felt right to say so turning to leave.
“Mi-master– ah. Pardon this one?” the man asked very softly, tremulous, but still a clear call to her hearing. “What would my Lady have this one’s punishment be?”
If she turned, she’d see his spine straightened up more, slightly less unsure now, though his head stayed lowered. One forelock of hair, gradiating in violet-carmine-gold and flashing metallic in the bit of light from the windows, fell out from his hood and scarves.
She looked back initially and then-
Kerissa genuinely had a moment of contemplating if there was anywhere she could throw up without ruining something. The sensation was fleeting but it left her hands shaking.
“No.” Was the initial reaction. Then to walk away but then-
If this was a trap then they’d kill him.
She turned back, frozen in indecision for barely a moment. Maybe there was somewhere she could get him to, to safety. Or.. something.
She rounded the corner of the books again.
“I know they sent you but you’re safe, for now, okay? Can you come with me or are they tracking you?”
Kerissa was used to running. Shed just have to leave again.
At least she had Savi’s comm codes. She’d be able to explain. They’d understand.
The man’s head snapped up again, and the shock was back, though less personal, less heartbroken. His golden eyes darted wildly around before he shook his head rapidly.
“T-they didn’t s-send me, I–” he seemed to war for a moment, tail tip lashing in upset, visibly squeezing his leg. “I ran. To warn. I. Tracking. I. No? Hunyi did not say– I do not know. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean. Just to warn you. But. Library… D-i-idnt think to-d-day. If not safe. Go! Go, go, I’m. Fine.”
He was babbling now, teary and panicked. He drew back further into the corner, despite it seeming physically impossible, clutching his book like a shield.
“Please, sweetpea.”
“I thought you.. You’re… but if you’re not then that changes..” she didn’t know what to say.
Sweetpea?
They didn’t send him but he knew her and the song and they’d taken it from her. She knew they had but had they really taken-
“If you came.. by yourself then its safe but who are you then?”
Her voice quivered, stepping close enough to drop into a chair so it felt less like she was going to keen over at whatever he said next.
When she sat down, though still several feet away, the man’s tail uncurled slightly, barely, like it wanted to reach out to her. He snagged it in one hand and pinned it down to the carpeted library floor.
“I…” He shuddered a moment, then slowly, jerkingly, lowered the book a bit. Looked up at her, scarves slipping limp again to show a bit more of his face. “I didn’t– come here, alone, Miss– M–. Mmmr.” There was visible struggle in what to call her with two forbidden options, and the little name that and slipped out didn’t return. “What I mean i-is, not! Not them. I have a…f-ᶠʳᶦᵉⁿᵈ,” his voice was so uncertain on the word, barely a whisper, as if just speaking it would snatch it away. “Met her. On my way. She he-lps. Me. I’m. I am a no thing, M-m-my Lady. But I am called…Rue. J-just a nothing that knew…your Ladyship. I n-needed to warn y-you that they knew of the D-D-Dajorra. But not you.”
“No ones nothing.” Kerissa mumbled, frowning at the top of the table in front of her.
He knew her but she had no idea who he was. She bit the inside of her cheek, looking at him for a few moments before away again.
They were going to know where she was soon then. It was safe now but only for so long. The clan had little reason to truly protect her, one soldier in their war among thousands of others. It wasn’t going to be safe. And this man had travelled so far from the reaches of Dathomir to tell her that.
Rue.
“They took you, didn’t they.” Her voice was barely more than a whisper, “From.. from my memory. I.. I thought that they were doing it. I.. Did they?”
Grey eyes rose one more, toward Rue. Kerissa already knew the answer, it was the only one that made sense yet a part of her hoped that they truly had never met.
He scratched at the floor where he was holding his tail down, a nervous thing. Golden eyes met gray when they lifted, and she found tears in them again, leaving tracks down his hollow cheeks.
“…yes,” he whispered back.
Something he found there in her face made his brows furrow, his expression soften. Made him straighten up finally and unclench, uncurl, crawling from out behind the pot. He left the book there, shuffling closer but still on the ground and slow, as if not to startle. He didn’t reach for her, but his tail flopped out, laying in reach, almost like a hand extended if wanted.
“But it’s alright, sweetpea.” A little, fanged smile for her broke across his features. Between the yellow, petal-like scales of different shades, there were darker violet freckles. “You sailed far away to your far f-fields, that’s the im-important part. Just take the warning, please.” His eyes darted away again, to the windows. “I…Hunyi helped me. She’s very wise. A-and has never punished me even when I did b-badly.”
Except the first time, when she had struck him on the back and thrown him down. The fall broke one finger, but she seemed upset, and then more upset when he rebroke it to set.
And then most upset when he’d thanked her. But eventually they had come to terms with some pointing that it was not punishment, but an ‘accident.’ Back striking was a thing friends did.
His friend.
“I can a-ask her? P-perhaps your…friends…can help you? You must have m-many.”
Tears formed in her eyes and she didn’t bother to swipe them away. She’d known deep down, that her memories had been messed with. Warped. Broken. But to know that there were people she didn’t remember then- What else?
Kerissa was glad she was already sat down. Her tail twitched in its binding against her thigh but it was secure. Hidden away.
“I have one.”
Savi. Who was away. Maybe Zujenia but she had a life to live, a husband to love and children to raise. She had happened upon them and they’d helped her but they weren’t… they weren’t close. So.. Savi. It took her a long time to gather herself, closing her eyes for a moment to try and think.
I don’t wanna run away again, not from this-
She swallowed hard, clearing her throat, “I.. take your warning. I’m sorry I don’t remember you. But it’s good that you have a friend too. A good one. I…”
It wasn’t fair.
“I wish I remembered you. I… don’t really know what to say. What I can say.” Afterall, what else had been lost? How much of herself was snuffed out?
“You don’t have anything to be sorry for.”
It was the first thing he’d spoken without stutter or whisper the whole time. He sounded sure, suddenly lifting his chin, tail lashing once on the floor with a muted smack. He crawled another few inches nearer, kneeling at her chair legs and leaning up a bit. His arm started to lift, then he caught himself, and the other one rose, his hand lifting up out towards her, palm flat. His tail thumped again, a simple rhythm.
“Clap my hand.” And then, a more self conscious again, “If, ah, you would.”
“Oh, sure. Um..” Kerissa shifted, pushing the chair back and moving to sit on the ground in front of him. putting them on the same level. It felt more natural. She didn’t know what he wanted exactly, waiting the moment for him to lower his hand before raising hers, palm aimed toward his and gently clapping their hands together. Her gaze landed on the other arm for a moment, lacking the lower portion of it. He’d had one once, to have raised it like that.
There were no words but there was a scent of flowers on the air. She was so close to him that she could smell it on the air, a faint but sweet perfume that ignited a nostaglia she that her mind couldn’t pull to the surface. There was nothing else there but the scent of flowers still remained in the hollow.
He smiled at her, a tiny thing.
“There now. Yes. Then you clap yours together…and…” His brows pinched, a glance to the other arm mostly held tucked to his side, a couched flinch. “Well. Well we can do it like this. So. S-so, you clap together for us. And then clap mine again. B-but with your other hand. Please?”
“So..” Kerissa guided herself with the instructions as they started, moving slowly, learning for the first time.
Except it wasn’t the first, was it?
It didn’t take long for it to become easier, swapping hands to clap with his after each clap of her own hands together and moving at a reasonable but steady pace.
She had so many questions but not now. Another time.
Lop-sided though it was, they kept doing it, clapping along to the rhythm his tail set. Rue smiled to her again, the metallic sheen of his hair shifting in the light as his head tilted, no longer having to look up at her when they were on level ground, sitting close enough knees could almost brush.
And nothing between them, except lifetimes.
“There, now, wonderful,” he encouraged. “See? Now…you remember something. That’s two things. This and the song.” His tone grew shy again; it was always soft. “If you would like. I can s-sing it for you? Um,” eyes darted towards the front desks, taking on a fearful cast, but still though he trembled he nodded to himself and turned to her with shaking determination. “This one accepts whatever the masters’ punishment for violating the quietude of the library. Would you like to hear?”
“There’s no one around and.. there..” She trailed off, her hands slowing from the clapping. “There isn’t a punishment for making noise, or being here you know? It’s public, for everyone. If you make noise they ask you to stop. If you keep making noise, they just ask you to leave so long as you aren’t being hurtful. Most places are like that. It’s.. not like back there. No one’s your master just because they work they administration desk.”
Kerissa felt sick again but shoved it down. She hadn’t been too aware of how they’d treated but this poorly…
Anger followed. Her hands shook, resting on her knees. “I’d like to hear it. Apparently some part of me remembers it still, it’d.. be nice.” Her voice softened toward the end.
“Oh. Alright, yes, mis– of course you are right,” he said to the information about the library workings. He didn’t seem convinced. More confused, and lost. “Hunyi…says things like that too.”
His hand fell finally, and he plucked at his tail, which coiled back around his leg before Kerissa went on. The man perked again at her acceptance, at instruction.
“Then I shall.” Rue straightened up, taking in a deep breath, and began humming, the same tune she’d followed eariler. After a few bars, he started singing softly.
“Lay down your head, and I’ll sing you a lullaby, back to the years, of loo-lee-lai-lay…”
It was slow, and soft, and sweet. Tears drew up in his eyes again, staring at her with a naked adoration she couldn’t understand, when he sang of wishing her happiness, love, and peace for all her days. Of being watched over and safe and guided, guarded and kept from harm. Of going off to sleep, off to sail far, how he didn’t mean to keep her, how he’d just stay and sing for awhile…
…of loo-lee-lai-lay.
It was a few bars in when it started clicking together. Not anything beyond the song but the words returned to her as if she’d always known them.
Perhaps she had.
She murmured along, her voice not at all skillfull but confident and uncaring of such a thing. Her talents laid elsewhere. Still, they sang in a quiet harmony, tucked far enough into the corner of the library that no one bothered to disturb them. If they were heard, they weren’t minded.
Kerissa wiped tears away from her eyes as they neared the end. It was horribly disorientating to react so viscerally without a source to call upon. Without a reasoning to look at for comfort as to why.
Kriff. She hated them all.
Her hands shook again, clenching into fists as she cut off before the last verse, unable to go on.
Rue’s verse didn’t stumble when she choked off, as if used to singing on through such things. Any thing. He just brought it to a gentle end, like a laying down to sleep, soft tones trailing slower and softer still until they faded on breath. He looked to her shaking, her tears, and made a soothing, shushing noise, humming while he did so.
“I know, I know. It’s alright, sweetpea. We’ll be alright…” he soothed, reaching out for her. His hand stopped just over hers, hesitant, before it pressed ever so carefully, smooth palm over her knuckles. His breath hitched, a moment to marvel that they could play this way, that he could touch…
…no bars between them…
“Oh, chrysanthemum. There now, I know, I know… you’ll be alright. Two things.”
“How… how long have you known me for Rue?”
Kerissa’s gaze focussed down on his hand, not returning the touch, overwhelmed yet even as her tail strained against its binding.
Golden eyes fell away, drifting for a moment, before they returned with another fond look.
A loving look.
“I heard of it when you were born. The goddess blessed us that day. But I did not get to meet you until you were…oh…” his hand drew away, skittering back quickly now from the bold touch, and he measured about at their shoulders, with them both sitting, “this big. I apologize, I do not know how long that is, I’m sorry, mis–sweetpea…”
Kerissa looked at the height. For her to be that small she couldn’t have been more than.. eight? At most. She’d grown quickly, there weren’t many memories of her that.. small.
“Kerissa.” She said softly, reaching out gently, her hand landing on his knee. “And.. that’s a long time. I..” her breath caught, “I hope I was good. When I could be.”
Rue flinched at the touch, but his hand covered hers, as if to try to hold on a little bit longer.
“Kerissa,” he said, ducking to catch her eye. He smiled again, watery, grateful. “You were always good. You…were the greatest thing that ever happened to me.” A timid squeeze of her hand. “This one is grateful for every moment.”
She wiped a tear away with her other hand.
It was hard to not hate the idea that the best thing that happened to him was a kid who couldn’t remember him anymore.
“Then it won’t be the last. The people here might be able to help.. Both of us.”
Then it won’t be the last.
More time?
Could they have more time?
Perhaps…a walk or…or a story before…yes that would be very nice indeed.
“…both?” The man seemed genuinely puzzled at that, subtly glimmering violet brows crinkled. “This one is alright, m– Kerissa. I am helped beyond measure. Hunyi has done so much for me. Although…” His hand spasmed a little in hers, and he flinched a bit, but went on, “If…if this one may ask, perhaps, you or these people may know how I can thank her? I will not burden her or you any longer, I s-swear it, I just. Would l-like to do her the s-same kindness before I am returned.”
“Returned?!” Kerissa snapped to attention, withdrawing her hand and.. shocked. Angry? She wasn’t sure at who.
“Your friend, she isn’t forcing you to go back is she?”
The sudden anger had Rue recoiling in an instant, skittering backwards on knees and dropping to his one hand again in a bow that nearly bent his forehead and montrals to the floor.
“N-no, no! No, Mistress, apologies, apologies! this one– Hunyi d-do-does not f-force this one anything, s-save to e-eat s-snacks s-s-s-som-t-times.” The stutter was exacerbated by his sudden shaking, tail whipped tight around his leg. “T-this one only meant. It has w-warned you now. T-there is n-nothing else for it t-to do. S-so it must r-return to its place, Mis-m-mmm– Ker–mnn. Miss Ke-r'ssa.”
He took a quick, sharp breath.
Sounded terrified and lost.
“M…must it…not?”
“No!” Kerissa responded too quickly, too loudly, covering her mouth after and forcing herself to inhale through her nose, trying to calm. Static was in the air and she closed her eyes too, Not that the Kessurian mix felt safe enough to do it but those she-akks.
She exhaled, instead of screaming, and slowly lowered her hands away from her face, tucking them into her lap in fists, nails digging into her palm.
“No, Rue. You’re a person. You.. You’re free. Like me. You got free. The only who’d make you go back now is you so long as they don’t find you. And- and if they can’t find me for ten years then, well, maybe this friend can help keep you away from them.”
If the friend was really secure but if this Hunyi was making him eat then maybe that was something favourable to note. It took a long moment to force herself to back off of worst conclusion she’d leapt too.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have yelled- and don’t tell me its okay. It’s not.”
“Yes, ma'am,” the man responded immediately, still to the floor. With visible struggle he peeked upwards, eyes darting over her before they fell back down again. “I-I’m sor-sorry. I th-thought something wrong. I’m sorry. This one w-will do better, it swears, please.”
The things she said…they were too big to think on. Free? A person? No, those…those were masters things. He was bad. He’d run away. And Jan would be so angry if he made him come find him.
Iron cages, faces. A body laying with its arm at an angle. Long, vertical cuts slowly widening, split around steel in dark skin over a knotted fist.
“Don’t make me do this again.”
There were people all over in this city. The nice masters at the desk that let him in. The merchant on the Oval. Hunyi. Kerissa. Back there. Any of them could be hurt if–
But…Kerissa was here. And she said there were people that could? Help? Her?
He didn’t have to go back?
“I–” his weak voice cracked, eyes squeezing shut. “I-I d-don’t know if I– I– c-can. ₛₜₐᵧ.”
“These people would help you. They helped me and kriff, I didn’t need it really. I.. guess I do now.” Afterall she couldn’t run if she wanted to make sure Rue never went back. She’d have to meet Hunyi, the friend. It was terrifying but determination flooded past the fear for now. If she wavered then he’d-
Kriff she didn’t know what he’d do.
“If you can’t stay with your friend, I’ll make sure you find a place to stay here. They helped me find one, all of my own. It’d be your choice and I don’t… do you really want to go back? That’s your choice to make now. No one can force you.”
And if they did I’d kill them all. Kerissa bit back that addition and the near growl it would have come out with.
Did he want to?
The hybrid sat up an inch more, trying to be as small as possible, but his legs couldn’t tuck up any tighter, and he only had one hand to hug them with. He wished Hunyi were there to hide behind.
“I…” he choked, struggling to keep speaking. So much talking. His choice? Stay here?
Perhaps if he could just stay behind the nice plant in the corner here in the library. The sunlight for those few hours was so very warm. Maybe with Alk. That would be so nice.
“I…I d-don’t know what t-to want,” Rue whispered. He had to answer her. He had to.
He had to.
Breathing hurt he couldn’t breathe it hurt it hurt.
It always hurt. It was alright.
His vision was going black. The was alright. It always came back. Or it wouldn’t. And then that was how it would be. Lots of them couldn’t see, or lost their sight after apoplexy, or the eyeballs decomposed.
He–
His choice?
Stay with Hunyi? But she was. That would be a burden. He could not even help her do the work things that got them food and fuel with the money. And she had her own thing to do.
Or another place for him to stay? But then…what would he do there?
It was all too much.
“I don’t know. I’m sorry, sorry, sorry…”
When was the punishment.
Kerissa realised perhaps too late that it was far too much to lay on someone who was still referring to themselves as an it. Would touching make things worse? Better? She’d managed to kark it up already but she.. she could help him. At least he hadn’t said yes. She might’ve lost it if he had.
With a lack of anything else to do, even moving away to give him space required moving which could shock him too. He acted as if about to be struck.
So she hummed, the same the song they’d sung together minutes ago. One of two things to remember that had been lost. Kerissa didn’t dare sing fully, not that she sounded particularly good anyway, more so concerned that any sudden jump in volume would make him fold over enough to actually break something.
…
…
…loo-lee-lai-ley.
Slowly the notes filtered through the suffocating muck of his thoughts, giving a direction to go for air. He broke the surface with a harsh, thready gasp, spitting black bile, tar from every pore, trying to drag him back under–
But the humming stayed. Soft and stilted, a little unsure, but there. The first lark of a mourning dove, ringed in lathyrus and holly…
Loo-lee-lai-ley…
Grandmother?
No.
Kerissa.
Little flower.
Oh how tall she’d gotten, though. Sprung up like a sunflower. Hardly his little sweetpea anymore.
Rue didn’t realize it when he started breathing again, hiccoughing at first, then slower. Or when he uncurled by inches. But eventually while Kerissa hummed he sat up some, blinking stickily with exhaustion, dazed, and softly singing along to her melody in fits and starts.
Only when she stopped did he stop too, staring placidly at her. He seemed to be waiting for permission, for a what now.
She let the quiet hang for a few moments, calmer now too. Even if it felt like it wouldn’t take much for that calm to break, it still.. it was something.
“Do you.. have a communications device? Like a uh, a data pad? Or.. Well anything. So I can find you again? And you can find me too, if you need me.”
The quiet helped. The library was really such a good place. Rue nodded readily, seeming much more at ease to have something he could answer in the positive.
“Yes, ma'am– Miss Kerissa. Hunyi had this one take this.” He fumbled a little, pawing at a pocket until he got a comm device out and presented it to the Kessuryn, palm out. “I can call her,” he reported in a helpful tone. “With this…button. So that ‘I don’t get lost again.’ But usually we just point. Mistress Hunyi only speaks her tree tongue.”
Tree tongue?
Kerissa decided to not ask, she’d hopefully meet Hunyi at some point. She took the device, angling so he could watch as she entered her details into it. Then, she pressed the call button.
Her own device buzzed and Kerissa drew it out, declining the call but handing Rue’s back to him.
“Now, yours has my details and because it has called me, I have yours too.” She smiled slightly.
Rue watched with open fascination, and gave a yelp and a slight jump when the buzzing came. The inch or so he’d retreated though were leaned back across when Kerissa pulled out her comm and showed it to him, offering his back.
“Oh!” he murmured, and carefully took his comm back. He looked between the two and then turned it over this way and that. “I did not know there were crickets inside…Miss Hunyi’s does not make that noise. This one’s borrowed one goes…breet breet?” he attempted to do.
And of course, he had never been present when either of them called the other to see what happened.
An extremely shy smile turned back to Kerissa’s.
“You will always have me,” he said softly, tucking the comm away again with much struggle and fussing of pockets that were still very novel to him– so much clothing! “I th-hink you will like Miss Hunyi. She is. Wonderful. And l-like us. Someone took her parts too.”
“It’s not crickets. It’s.. Complicated. But you know how theres buttons to open doors and such? There’s devices that make noise. These have those devices so you know when someone’s trying to call you.”
It was the simplest explanation she could think of.
He continued though and- Took her parts? Kerissa looked confused. It didn’t take long for it to click, back there she’d never hidden her tail. It was a bold assumption but it wasn’t like she hadn’t had close calls in the past. Though.. Kark this was all so complex.
“I’d love to meet her. I’m.. afraid I don’t have any missing parts. Just hidden. But I’m sure we’ll find something else in common instead. We have you, at least.” Kerissa patted her thigh on the word hidden, on the slightly raised part of the fabric where the appendage was bound in place.
Rue looked confused at first, then followed her gesture, and his eyes widened.
And then he started to cry again, hiccuping. His one remaining hand flew to his mouth, knuckles quickly stuffed between teeth and bloodied to muffle the noise. Silently his shoulders shook, staring at her with open joy so raw and broken it looked more like he was in pain.
It seemed he couldn’t help himself from pulling cut fingers out and babbling, “You– I thought– w-wh-when–” a hiccup, “you esca-a-aped, th-that night, must h-have– but– you are alright!” He blubbered further. “Sweetpea, sweetpea, you’re*whole,* oh, oh, th-thank y-you, Goddess, thank you…”
Afraid she wasn’t missing any parts? No. No this was.
A miracle.
Kerissa was uncomfortable.
She’d thought he was about to panic at first though even his happiness she didn’t know how to handle as she watched the blood seep from his own fist.
“Can.. I see that?” Kerissa held her hand out toward his, palm up and fingers together. She could heal this, at least.
“Y-yes, mast– Missrissa,” garbled out amidst widely smiling sniffles, eyes and scales scrunching along smile lines. He immediately extended his hand to her, tail tip flicking.
His hand was, perhaps surprisingly, very smooth and unblemished. There was some soil far under stubby, rock-like nails, but it was clean otherwise. The blood leaking from around small, fanged holes amid the imprint of teeth in his knuckle had a slight sheen to it, not unlike his hair, but duller, and darkened quickly. As she watched, the shallowest scrapes seemed to be granulating at the edges, clotting up already as if to scab.
That was fast. Odd. She ignored it and placed her other hand over the wounds
Kerissa frowned but closed her eyes, focussing. With whatever was already boosting Rue’s healing, it didn’t take as much as she expected to heal the wound, her hand glowing a dark green for those moments. She released a breath, withdrawing her hand from his now healed knuckles.
“There you go.”
Rue was still beaming at her in his relief, and looked amazed when he took his hand back once permitted, gaping at the green glow.
“Kerissa! You! Oh, you learned how! The Goddess’ blessing! That is amazing. You are amazing.” Gold eyes shone at her. “Thank you, Mi–Miss. This one– I am grateful for the mercy.”
“Just a friend helping a friend. ” Kerissa said softly, smiling back, “It’s a good one to know. Not what I’m best at but I’ve gotten better.”
A friend.
They could still be friends again?
His eyes didn’t have many tears left at this point, but they surely burned to cry at that.
“You are amazing,” he repeated, insistent. “You couldn’t do that, before. I’d d-do it for you wh-when, sometimes. You’ve grown so much.” He looked her over again, still fond, happy, and wiped at his eyes. His tail tip flicked with shy, tremulous happiness. “In so m-many ways.”
She placed her hands in her lap, overlapping them and trying to not think of other ways she’d grown.
The ways that she’d hoped to walk away from but had yet to find a way. He didn’t need to know those worries, he was happy and kark it seemed like that was a rare commodity. No way was she going to take that away just for the sake of being correct.
Kerissa smiled yet, “I’ve learned a lot. Speaking into people’s minds, making images appear, floating things. It’s taken a long time but… it’s been good.”
Rue continued to appear impressed, awestruck, adoring. So much she had done. So much her blessings with God had grown.
It’s been good…
His expression softened a little.
“Are you happy now?”
Kerissa opened her mouth to say yes automatically but.. the smile dimmed. It remained but the initial burst of all the things going well were dampened with the knowledge old and new. The pain to get here lingered.
“I’m happier than I was. That’s enough for now.”
It was enough to fight for, rather than to run once more.
Rue just smiled back at her, his eyes nearly squinched all the way shut with the force of it, dislodging a last few years from shimmering eyelashes and trailing down flushed cheeks.
“I’m so so glad. That– that’s all we wanted. All I hoped.”
More than enough.
“We can both be free now.” She said softly, smiling despite the ache. Had she ever tried to save him? Had it ever been enough? How many times did they- Kriff there was too many questions. No.
One thing at a time.
“Do you know how to get back to Hunyi when you’re done here?”
“I…hum,” his brows scrunched with thought to retrace his steps. “Yes, yes, Miss. I can go back to her. But, um, she w-was going to come get me after her, um, shift. I’m supposed to stay here and not wander off. Again…again.”
He fiddled with his hair, then realized his hood had fallen and fixed it up again. He glanced back towards the plant where he’d dropped his book, then to her table where she’s had her book.
“D-do,” he looked back, shy. “Do you…want to …r-read together f-for a bit? N-not to trouble you! This one knows you must have i-important things, more, friends, yes.”
“Okay. That makes sense.” Kerissa had said, smiling slightly. She was glad he had the help. “And sure, I’ll grab mine.”
She shifted to get up, grabbing the book and settling back down, her back against the leg of a chair.
The other hybrid observed her for a moment for cues, then scarpered over and grabbed his book back up, eyes darting over towards the front. He returned and started to sit on the floor a bit away from her, then paused. Stared at the foot or two between them for a moment.
No bars.
There didn’t…have…to be distance. Did there?
Experientially, he scooted closer.
Nothing bad happened.
“Thank you, my Lady,” he whispered to his Goddess, then peeked over to make certain it was really alright. And to see what she was reading. “Oh, that is a g-g-good one. I read it y-yesterday. Now I’m on this.”
He showed her the cover, Indigenous Infectious Diseases and Parasites of the Planet: Vol. II: Ninanisia Ocean.
Kerissa smiled at the scooting, looking at the cover of the book and nodding.
“It’s.. interesting. Kind of boring but… I should know this stuff I think.” She shrugged.
He glanced at her, a question open on his features. “Why?”
Kerissa paused. Then she frowned.
“I don’t know.”
“Hmm.” He gave a thoughtful hum, then compared their books. “This one could guess, if you would like. But if Miss finds it boring, or is not actively interested, she could always read something else? Perhaps a fairytale.”
“It’s.. okay for now. I’m a ways in to start something new but maybe the next one.” She smiled, before opening it to the book mark she’d slipped into it earlier.
It was just a receipt but oh well.
Rue merely nodded – more bowing his head and shoulders in a bob – before he mimicked her and opened his own book. He had no marker; he’d just dropped it earlier and spent some time finding his place again then before settling in. At least, as much as it seemed possible for him to settle. He was very twitchy, flinching and then sitting up straight at each cough or sniffle or shuffle of feet or opening door. Looking up for someone to come…do something. And each time he’d hold that pose a moment, ready to prostrate, before slowly inching back into his book, head sinking into his shoulders and spine curling.
Still, the time was quiet, pleasant. It passed to the turning pages, and the sun from the windows eventually had the hybrid leaning back to turn his face to the glow and closing his eyes, just basking in it until, another hour later, it passed. Like sunlight was foreign to him, and rare.
After a couple hours, eventually there came a soft – soft for a Wookiee, anyway – call from near the front that both Kessurian hybrids easily heard like a shout. Rue’s flinch turned to a perk, and he scrambled to his feet.
“That’s Miss Hunyi.”
“Oh-” Kerissa had jumped as well, turning toward the noise. She shifted up to her feet with a slight smile.
Tree language.
“I think Miss Hunyi is a Wookie. Language is called the same name I believe. That.. explains a lot.”
“Wookiee…” Rue repeated, and twisted about to dig in his clothes again. Evidently he had a small bag under there, which was also overwhelming. Pockets were already boggling; a bag too? But it did hold the notebooks Hunyi got for him easily. The strap hurt his shoulders but that was fine.
He drew out one of several, and opened it up, flipping. Then made a note. Wooky.
That had not been what the masters called that species. It was good to know a name.
“She’s lovely,” he repeated, and then looked to Kerissa for permission. “May Miss and this one go and meet her?”
“Sure.” Kerissa tucked the book away, moving up to her feet. “Lead the way”
As the Kessurian hybrid pair approached the front of the library, they were greeted with a seemingly mundane and quiet scene. Well, quiet wave for the half-grown spotted mott snuffing at the carpet beneath its hooves and the weary, and exasperated glances of library staff who likely weren’t keen on asking the rugged looking wookiee the beast seemed to belong to.
Standing taller than the average near-human and fairly standard height for her species, was Hunyiiyaantii or Hunyi as Rue knew her. Her long shaggy fur was midnight brown and streaked with white, ashen stripes especially pronounced upon her face and a white mane faded down onto her back. She wore only a leather chest piece and a red leather utility belt to which the young mott’s lead was clipped.
When Hunyi turned and spotted Rue, her lone amber eye fell next upon Kerissa. There was a significant pause before she raised her hand in greeting, her only hand – her right arm was missing from the bicep down. She spoke in a soft rumbling growl, first gesturing to Rue then to the woman beside him. There was a furrow of her ashen brows as if debating how to convey the rest of her thought, she begrudgingly gave a questioning thumbs up and nodded her head.
“Mi-Hunyi!” Rue practically chirped, rushing right up to the Wookiee who the staff gave a wide bearth. He also made a happy exclamation for the nosey little mott, crouching down to give a loving pet to tiny trunk and head, as if he hadn’t seen him just that morning. “Alk! Hello, hello, I missed you.”
The hybrid’s head turned up – and up – towards Hunyi, and he gave the ‘thumbs up’ back, before resuming Alk attentions.
“Hunyi! Look! It’s her, Mistress! Miss Kerissa. My little hydrangea! T-though not so very little any longer. She found me first!”
Gold eyes and a shy smile shone at the Wookiee, trying to convey this great miracle and hopeful of approval.
Kerissa smiled shyly as well, raising a hand in greeting, echoing Hunyi’s gesture.
She didn’t quite know what to say but the joy in Rue’s voice was.. a lot. He’d really come all this way for a girl he hadn’t seen in a decade. A girl who didn’t even remember him.
Alk leaned into the pets with about half his young growing weight. He snuffed noisily in Rue’s ear before plopping onto his rear against the man, sitting somewhat and nearly onto the hybrid’s lap.
Meanwhile, the amber eyes of the wookiee remained on her found charge, weighing his behavior more than words. Only a twitch of her nose betrayed her registering the slip of ‘Mistress.’ There were a few thoughts rising in her mind but she pushed them aside in favor of offering him a rare small smile to meet his own.
Hunyi shifted her attention to Kerissa, regarding her for a moment. Dipping her head, she gestured another thumbs up to the woman followed by lightly swinging her arm chest high with the palm down. An attempt to convey and ask ‘safe?’ with a rumble of Shyriiwook in kind.
Rue’s smile only got bigger for seeing Hunyi’s thick pointy one. He was no small part distracted by Alk in his lap, wrapping his one good arm around and leaning back in his very best strugglebus attempt to “pick” Alk up and baby him. Given the mott weighed half as much as him and the one arm, it really wasn’t possible, but there were still much snuggles in laps and nuzzles for heads.
Also Alk nomming on his tail like grass, which was fine.
Spying motions out the corner of his eye, he craned his neck back to look at Hunyi. Would Miss Kerissa know the gestures better than him? She was certainly more brilliant! Would it be rude to speak up?
“Umm,” he began shyly, “she asks if it’s safe? Or if you’re safe. We’re safe? That means safe, and good or bad, yes or no for the thumb, ma'am.”
“Oh, right.” Kerissa had had no idea what Hunyi meant beyond hello. She smiled sheepishly, rubbing the back of her neck.
“Its safe for now though.. Well. According to Rue, maybe not for much longer. So..” Kerissa raised her hand, holding her thumb in between good and bad.
Hunyi frowned, brows furrowing as she looked to Rue again for a long moment, seemingly in thought. She hadn’t really planned this far, at most the Wookiee initially figured the two of them would split ways once he found who he needed to but…
Amber eyes watched the timid man pet and nuzzle Alk, her mind recalling the past month or so. Had it really been that long? What would he do now? She doubted he would wish to leave Kerissa here. And herself? Sticking to one place wasn’t beneficial to her own goals.
A huff of air not quite the fullness of a sigh escaped the Wookiee, and she nodded once.
“Wraagaaga rgha ro,” Hunyi affirmed, patting her chest. She flexed her arm before pointing one final time to the KessuRyn – offering her aid in whatever is coming.
After all, she can’t have Rue getting himself killed.
“That means she will keep us safe,” Rue supplied, delighted to be maybe a teensy bit helpful and useful! “Because she is very strong and fierce and lots of masters run from her. She kept this one– me, safe. Many times now. She is a blessing.”
He happily kept petting Alk, looking to the Wookiee with complete trust.
Hunyi sighed. The praise felt much, but her face seemed to soften hearing it.