Author: Silverpaw
Writing: super short...story?
Word Count: 739
“Caesarea,” he gasped, not daring to look down at the dagger pressed against his neck. Her double-ended blade was held threateningly at his stomach.
Alina dropped her weapon immediately and slid her long dagger back into her boot. “I guessed so,” she laughed, swinging her blade back into its sheath on her back.
JIng stood, rubbing the side of his neck. “You got off easily,” he joked. “I wasn’t fighting my hardest.”
Alina didn’t reply but shot him a small grin and threw his glaive back to him.
“You’re not going to give me a clue even?”
She shook her head.
“Is it Rais?”
“Rais Amjier?” She asked incredulously, holding the door open for her leader. She imagined the dark-skinned boy with a flicker of amusement. “No. I would consider us rivals.”
“Me!” he said, lingering outside the training room door.
Alina laughed. “No.”
“Alina!” A round-faced warrior with faint orange hair hurried over. “Hello Jing,” she greeted. “Training?”
Alina nodded, the smile gone.
“You must be tired. Let’s get something to eat.”
“Actually, I was going to go to my room; I need a shower,” Alina said quickly. She bowed to her leader and deputy and hurried off in the opposite direction.
“It’s because of me, isn’t it?” Caesarea sighed quietly.
“She just doesn’t know how to respond yet,” Jing consoled, putting a hand on her shoulder.
“She’s pretty friendly to you though.”
“I-I-well, I’m plenty hungry. Let’s go get some food, ok?”
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
“Alina, where’re you running of to so quickly?”
Alina turned sharply to see Rais running up to her, one hand on his battle axe. “My room,” she replied cooly.
“Just got back from patrol,” he replied cheerfully. “I killed off 91 of those Pains today. What about you?”
“19.”
“Dang.”
“Southern Marshes.”
“Northern Beaches.”
She gave him a funny expression and he turned away.
“Yea. Well, at least 91 less papercuts, right?”
“19 less diseases.”
“Shut up.”
She did and continued heading for her room.
“You’ve been training?”
“With Jing.”
Rais laughed, still following her. “How’re things with Caesarea?”
Alina shot him a glare that made his Mark twitch with unease. “Good night,” she snapped, and closed the door in his face.
“‘Night!” he called after a few moment’s delay. “Proud idiot,” he mumbled under his breath and headed to the dining hall.
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
“Hey Jing, Hey Caesaera.”
“Hi Rais,” the deputy murmured back. She had a cup of cider in her hand and was looking dejected. Jing sat next to her, his plate of food untouched.
“Down about…Alina?” Rais asked, tactless as ever. He sat across from them, and ordered dinner from the ball of light that had floated over to him. “Don’t worry. She just slammed the door in my face too.”
“You’re always asking for it though,” Caesarea mumbled. Before the cocky boy would retort though, a short boy with olive skin wandered over to the table.”
“Hello? Can I sit here?”
“Hey Ren,” Rais said, scooting over on the bench.
“Sure,” Jing said, indicating the seat.
“I already ate,” Ren said to the ball of light that zoomed up to him.
“Don’t worry,” Rais said to Caesaera with a little more compassion than earlier. “I’m sure she’ll come around. Like before, right? Friends.”
“Alina?” Ren asked. A frown took his place as he looked at the people before him. “You’re not talking about…” he trailed off.
“Enlighten us,” Jing said with a smile.
“Vesper Jinan Wisteria.”
“Him?” Rais asked, pushing away and staring at the little boy. “Vesper? From Bryka Fields? Impossible.”
“So you know him?” Caesaera asked, looking up from her drink. “This Vesper?”
“Wait,” Jing intersected, “Bryka Fields is—”
“Alina’s hometown,” Caesaera put in hurriedly. “What about him, Rais?”
“He’s dead,” Rais answered with a scowl. “Killed in the Ferrezin trying to save…uh, Alina’s best friend.”
“Andromeda Corren,” Ren supplied, pushing up his glasses. The ball of light returned, balancing a tray that it set in front of Rais before rushing away again.
“Yea, her.” He paused, and then frowned again. “I though Vesper…the temple girl… Andromeda’s other friend?”
“Elysia Kieran.”
“Elysia?” Caesarea echoed.
“Also dead. Temple apprentice. Kinda stuck up.”
Jing, who had been quiet, now murmured, “We're in a chain of unrequited love.” Love that lived through death. Death that healed some hearts and broke others. Others that had no idea of this complicated chain. Chain of unrequited love.
Artist's Note: Sorry it's a bit late this week! But this is the Week 2 of the Anniversary writing :)
I have this need to mention every character's full name in every story they're in, no matter how insignificant. >.< As you can see, I managed to overcome that scruple in this! :D...Not. The unmentioned surnames: Jing Long, Caesarea Emer, Alina Zephyr (as you probably guessed), Ren Serg. >_<
I also managed not to explain every little detail! :D Well, almost. Hopefully nothing's confusing though, right? I mean, Objects have been mentioned before in entries posted on DIW...
Why is it so short? Because I wanted to see if I could indeed write something relatively complete in less than 750 words. hehe!
Any guesses at the theme?
Next week's post is already completed (that's why this is so late; because I was editing the other one first. OMG yes. I edited something -.-) But you'll have to wait until Friday! :D It's long too...Ridiculously long. It's still like 6K after I cut it. -_- And technically it doesn't even finish. I think I gave too much away already. But ok! If you guess what it's about, congrats :D And it makes no difference to me whether you correctly guess the theme of the month this week or next week or the week after that (lol, but the fourth post won't be any help in determining the theme...unless I reveal then? >:) )
In any case, until next week!
~Silverpaw.
P.S. If you look at the title and think of the chain rule of derivatives/ integrals......I would hat you as a math nerd. But I do, then I too would be hatted as a math nerd. So...we'll just say it's just an idiosyncrasy. ;)
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