(no subject)
Blueberry Yogurt #13. A Helping Hand
Story : knights & necromancers
Rating : PG
Timeframe : 1265 (same arc as Too Close for Comfort and Vivify)
Word Count : 1429
“They’re both out,” Kairn called softly as he neared the bottom of the stairs.
Lyssa was lounging in the doorway to the kitchen. Ski was at the table. Both looked up from whatever conversation they’d been having as he entered. Lyssa smirked. “You bore them to sleep with Roscoe the Fuzzy Rabbit?”
“It sounds a great deal more appropriate than your usual tales,” said Ski.
“Hmph.” Lyssa stalked off into the sitting room.
Kairn made his way to the table and settled across from Ski, who greeted him with a tight smile that only made him feel more awkward.
“You have such a way with the children,” she said. “I do wish I could have kept you on.”
“They are looking for a place now,” Lyssa called, reappearing in the doorway with a bottle in her hand.
Kairn fidgeted in his seat. “I-I wouldn’t want to make any trouble,” he insisted, but Ski was focused on Lyssa now.
“What is that?” she snapped.
“Wine.”
“I thought I asked you to refrain from your drinking in my house.”
“I’m not drinking,” said Lyssa, sweeping past the table to reach for the cabinets. “It’s one glass, Ski. Come on, join me, will you?” She swung the cabinet door open and fished out a pair of glasses.
“I think not.”
Lyssa shrugged. “Oh well, more for me then. Kairn?”
He sank lower in his chair.
“Need I remind you that you just said one?”
Lyssa returned Ski’s scowl. “I was joking.”
“When?”
“When I offered you any at all.” She replaced the glasses, shut the cabinet and made for the door. “I’m going outside. It’s stuffy in here.”
Kairn reached a hand toward her but she brushed past it. A moment later, the front door slammed shut, leaving him with the silently fuming Ski.
“She, uh, really doesn’t mean-” he started, but Ski turned her glare on him and he swallowed the rest of his attempt at an apology.
Minutes passed, with Ski sourly drumming her fingers on the table and Kairn shifting uncomfortably in his seat as he considered and rejected saying anything more.
Finally, he gave up, pushed his chair back, and rose to his feet. Ski looked up at the loud scrape of the chair legs against the floor and Kairn cringed. “I... well, I think maybe I’d better go check on her.”
Ski sighed, her expression softening. “That might be best,” she said. “Kairn?” she called, as he reached the door.
“Yeah?
“What is…” She frowned as if unsure how to proceed. “Going on between the two of you?”
“Nothing,” Kairn said hastily.
“Oh.” She sounded disappointed.
Kairn let out a nervous laugh. “Why? Should there be?”
“I just wish that Lyssa would find someone or something that would make her happy.”
“I…uh, I think that’s up to Lyssa. I suppose I can go stop her from passing out in the yard at
least though.” Not waiting for further comment from Ski, he slipped out the door and into the night.
“Lyssa?”
She was curled up on the ground against the side of the barn.
“Yeah?”
He heard the swish of liquor against glass and a soft thump as the bottle hit the ground.
“Are... are you alright?” He edged closer.
“Got the bottle and the yard to myself,” she said. “Better than alright, or I will be soon, anyway.”
“Lyssa...”
She turned to glare at him. “If you came out here to lecture me, you can go back right now, ‘cause I’m not listening.”
“I’m not here to lecture.” He settled in the grass beside her. “I just thought maybe you could use some company.”
“I like company.” She took a swig from the bottle and gave it a wave in his direction. It was already half empty. “Want some?”
“No thanks.”
Lyssa shrugged. “Like I told my sister, more for me.” She took another gulp and Kairn sighed.
They sat quietly for a few minutes, Lyssa polishing off still more of her wine, Kairn searching for something reassuring to say.
“She’s a good kid, your daughter,” he tried at last.
Lyssa just nodded and took another gulp of wine.
“Sham really seems to have taken a shine to her.”
“They could both use more friends.”
“What about you?” said Kairn. “I mean, I know it’s not the best circumstances or anything, but you must be glad to see your family.”
Lyssa gave him a long bleary look and took the biggest drink from the bottle she’d had yet. “Overjoyed,” she said, sourly.
“She’s happy to see you,” he offered.
“Remember the last time we did this?” said Lyssa, in a tone that said she was well aware of his comment and intent on ignoring it, “Sittin’ on the floor with a bottle of wine?”
“I’d rather not.”
Lyssa sniffed. She looked him over slowly. “You sure you don’t want some?”
“There’s, er, not much left.”
“Got more in my pack. Wait here and I’ll-”
He caught her arm as she started to stand and pulled her back down. “Don’t worry about it. I’m fine without.”
“You know,” she said more seriously. “You still haven’t told me why you were in such a hurry to get out of there.”
“I saw someone I knew.”
“We’ve dealt with that before.”
“This was a friend.”
Lyssa raised a brow but said nothing, so Kairn floundered on.
“My friends are, well, different. Not the sort of thing most people would call friends...It’s hard to explain. You don’t know what it was like, where I grew up.”
“Because you never talk about it.”
Kairn sighed. “I used to be one of them. I wanted to see... whatever he is. His father was my best friend. I always thought he was right. Until it was my sister. Until it was my son.”
“Kairn...” Now she was the one trying to be comforting, laying a hand on his shoulder. It wasn’t until she touched him that Kairn realized he was shaking.
“I don’t care where he came from, I don’t care what he is. He’s mine now and I’m keeping him safe.”
“So... his father came looking for him? Is that it?”
“Worse.”
She waited expectantly.
“Reida is... She’s dangerous. Wrath of the gods? End of the world?” He laughed. “She’d do it, just so she could be there to see it when it happened. She wants her hands on him and I don’t know what she’ll do with him, but it won’t be good. I caught her in my house that day. I didn’t know what else to do, so I called you.”
“You really feel that much safer with me? I’ve seen your magic. You can take care of yourself.”
Kairn choked on a laugh. “You’ve seen my magic? I’m sorry, Lyssa, you’ve seen nothing. Reida’s...well, Reida. And even if I was a match for her, and I’m not, not by a lot, she’s still my friend.”
She was shaking her head at him and smiling. “You’re too good,” she said.
Kairn flushed slightly. “I-I don’t know how else to be.”
“You know what I think?” she said, staring off into the stars as she downed the last of the wine.
“What?”
“I think the world is lucky the kid’s got you. Maybe the gods know what they’re doing sometimes after all.”
Kairn followed her gaze and muttered a half-hearted “Maybe.” He’d never found such sentiments particularly reassuring.
“You know what I think?” he added after a moment.
“What?”
“I think we should get you inside and into bed.”
“Bah,” said Lyssa. “Night’s still young.”
“You’ve already got an entire bottle of wine in you.”
“That’s nothing.”
“Your sister’s worried about you.”
He cringed as soon as he’d said it. She just stared at him.
“Did she send you?”
It wasn’t accusatory, at least openly so, and Kairn wasn’t sure how to respond.
“No,” he said slowly. “I sent myself.”
She regarded him in silence for a moment. “You’re right. I probably should head to bed.”
“You’re going to leave the rest of your stash alone?” he asked hopefully.
Lyssa sniffed. “Ski’s already found it and hidden it by now. Nothing left to do but sleep I s’pose.” She was on her feet much more smoothly than someone who’d just downed a whole bottle of wine should be, and offering him a hand up.
“Thanks,” she said, as he took her hand and stood.
“For what?”
“For being you.” She turned and strode towards the house, empty bottle in hand, leaving Kairn shaking his head as he followed after her.
Story : knights & necromancers
Rating : PG
Timeframe : 1265 (same arc as Too Close for Comfort and Vivify)
Word Count : 1429
“They’re both out,” Kairn called softly as he neared the bottom of the stairs.
Lyssa was lounging in the doorway to the kitchen. Ski was at the table. Both looked up from whatever conversation they’d been having as he entered. Lyssa smirked. “You bore them to sleep with Roscoe the Fuzzy Rabbit?”
“It sounds a great deal more appropriate than your usual tales,” said Ski.
“Hmph.” Lyssa stalked off into the sitting room.
Kairn made his way to the table and settled across from Ski, who greeted him with a tight smile that only made him feel more awkward.
“You have such a way with the children,” she said. “I do wish I could have kept you on.”
“They are looking for a place now,” Lyssa called, reappearing in the doorway with a bottle in her hand.
Kairn fidgeted in his seat. “I-I wouldn’t want to make any trouble,” he insisted, but Ski was focused on Lyssa now.
“What is that?” she snapped.
“Wine.”
“I thought I asked you to refrain from your drinking in my house.”
“I’m not drinking,” said Lyssa, sweeping past the table to reach for the cabinets. “It’s one glass, Ski. Come on, join me, will you?” She swung the cabinet door open and fished out a pair of glasses.
“I think not.”
Lyssa shrugged. “Oh well, more for me then. Kairn?”
He sank lower in his chair.
“Need I remind you that you just said one?”
Lyssa returned Ski’s scowl. “I was joking.”
“When?”
“When I offered you any at all.” She replaced the glasses, shut the cabinet and made for the door. “I’m going outside. It’s stuffy in here.”
Kairn reached a hand toward her but she brushed past it. A moment later, the front door slammed shut, leaving him with the silently fuming Ski.
“She, uh, really doesn’t mean-” he started, but Ski turned her glare on him and he swallowed the rest of his attempt at an apology.
Minutes passed, with Ski sourly drumming her fingers on the table and Kairn shifting uncomfortably in his seat as he considered and rejected saying anything more.
Finally, he gave up, pushed his chair back, and rose to his feet. Ski looked up at the loud scrape of the chair legs against the floor and Kairn cringed. “I... well, I think maybe I’d better go check on her.”
Ski sighed, her expression softening. “That might be best,” she said. “Kairn?” she called, as he reached the door.
“Yeah?
“What is…” She frowned as if unsure how to proceed. “Going on between the two of you?”
“Nothing,” Kairn said hastily.
“Oh.” She sounded disappointed.
Kairn let out a nervous laugh. “Why? Should there be?”
“I just wish that Lyssa would find someone or something that would make her happy.”
“I…uh, I think that’s up to Lyssa. I suppose I can go stop her from passing out in the yard at
least though.” Not waiting for further comment from Ski, he slipped out the door and into the night.
“Lyssa?”
She was curled up on the ground against the side of the barn.
“Yeah?”
He heard the swish of liquor against glass and a soft thump as the bottle hit the ground.
“Are... are you alright?” He edged closer.
“Got the bottle and the yard to myself,” she said. “Better than alright, or I will be soon, anyway.”
“Lyssa...”
She turned to glare at him. “If you came out here to lecture me, you can go back right now, ‘cause I’m not listening.”
“I’m not here to lecture.” He settled in the grass beside her. “I just thought maybe you could use some company.”
“I like company.” She took a swig from the bottle and gave it a wave in his direction. It was already half empty. “Want some?”
“No thanks.”
Lyssa shrugged. “Like I told my sister, more for me.” She took another gulp and Kairn sighed.
They sat quietly for a few minutes, Lyssa polishing off still more of her wine, Kairn searching for something reassuring to say.
“She’s a good kid, your daughter,” he tried at last.
Lyssa just nodded and took another gulp of wine.
“Sham really seems to have taken a shine to her.”
“They could both use more friends.”
“What about you?” said Kairn. “I mean, I know it’s not the best circumstances or anything, but you must be glad to see your family.”
Lyssa gave him a long bleary look and took the biggest drink from the bottle she’d had yet. “Overjoyed,” she said, sourly.
“She’s happy to see you,” he offered.
“Remember the last time we did this?” said Lyssa, in a tone that said she was well aware of his comment and intent on ignoring it, “Sittin’ on the floor with a bottle of wine?”
“I’d rather not.”
Lyssa sniffed. She looked him over slowly. “You sure you don’t want some?”
“There’s, er, not much left.”
“Got more in my pack. Wait here and I’ll-”
He caught her arm as she started to stand and pulled her back down. “Don’t worry about it. I’m fine without.”
“You know,” she said more seriously. “You still haven’t told me why you were in such a hurry to get out of there.”
“I saw someone I knew.”
“We’ve dealt with that before.”
“This was a friend.”
Lyssa raised a brow but said nothing, so Kairn floundered on.
“My friends are, well, different. Not the sort of thing most people would call friends...It’s hard to explain. You don’t know what it was like, where I grew up.”
“Because you never talk about it.”
Kairn sighed. “I used to be one of them. I wanted to see... whatever he is. His father was my best friend. I always thought he was right. Until it was my sister. Until it was my son.”
“Kairn...” Now she was the one trying to be comforting, laying a hand on his shoulder. It wasn’t until she touched him that Kairn realized he was shaking.
“I don’t care where he came from, I don’t care what he is. He’s mine now and I’m keeping him safe.”
“So... his father came looking for him? Is that it?”
“Worse.”
She waited expectantly.
“Reida is... She’s dangerous. Wrath of the gods? End of the world?” He laughed. “She’d do it, just so she could be there to see it when it happened. She wants her hands on him and I don’t know what she’ll do with him, but it won’t be good. I caught her in my house that day. I didn’t know what else to do, so I called you.”
“You really feel that much safer with me? I’ve seen your magic. You can take care of yourself.”
Kairn choked on a laugh. “You’ve seen my magic? I’m sorry, Lyssa, you’ve seen nothing. Reida’s...well, Reida. And even if I was a match for her, and I’m not, not by a lot, she’s still my friend.”
She was shaking her head at him and smiling. “You’re too good,” she said.
Kairn flushed slightly. “I-I don’t know how else to be.”
“You know what I think?” she said, staring off into the stars as she downed the last of the wine.
“What?”
“I think the world is lucky the kid’s got you. Maybe the gods know what they’re doing sometimes after all.”
Kairn followed her gaze and muttered a half-hearted “Maybe.” He’d never found such sentiments particularly reassuring.
“You know what I think?” he added after a moment.
“What?”
“I think we should get you inside and into bed.”
“Bah,” said Lyssa. “Night’s still young.”
“You’ve already got an entire bottle of wine in you.”
“That’s nothing.”
“Your sister’s worried about you.”
He cringed as soon as he’d said it. She just stared at him.
“Did she send you?”
It wasn’t accusatory, at least openly so, and Kairn wasn’t sure how to respond.
“No,” he said slowly. “I sent myself.”
She regarded him in silence for a moment. “You’re right. I probably should head to bed.”
“You’re going to leave the rest of your stash alone?” he asked hopefully.
Lyssa sniffed. “Ski’s already found it and hidden it by now. Nothing left to do but sleep I s’pose.” She was on her feet much more smoothly than someone who’d just downed a whole bottle of wine should be, and offering him a hand up.
“Thanks,” she said, as he took her hand and stood.
“For what?”
“For being you.” She turned and strode towards the house, empty bottle in hand, leaving Kairn shaking his head as he followed after her.