The Witch And The Other One
A Fifth Caustrian Tale
I
had been trying to get my brain organized when I heard the thud. It was a body
falling thud, I knew, because the last time I'd spent time in my subconscious
doing the "adventure/quest" thing, I'd found out that only bodies
make the "uhhh" sound when they fall. Most of the time, those bodies
weren't able to stop themselves from making that sound, which meant they were
pretty badly hurt, too. Christine!, I thought immediately, running to
the door.
I
opened my door to the hallway and was surprised to find a battered and bruised
woman halfway leaning against the wall with a glazed expression of pain on her
elven face. Well, I'd been right on one count, I thought, leaning
forward to peer closer at the woman. This was definitely someone in pain. I
instantly recognized the face and the look on it. The look was the one fairies
wore when someone or something had severely taxed their magic reserves. The
face belonged to...
"Naomi?"
I said incredulously.
She
slid down the wall to the floor in response. Against my better judgment, I ran
to her side and grabbed her shoulders. "What are you...doing...here?"
I really wanted to be vicious and cruel to this fairy who had, less than a
month ago, kidnapped my little sister, slashed my chin open with a poisoned dagger
and then shot me with a crossbow with the intent to kill. Unfortunately, my
first instinct is to help the needy, so I faltered a little in my harsh tone.
It
didn't help when she looked up at me, her eyes pained and distant, but vaguely
showing recognition. "Help me...please," she croaked...then
she fainted.
Drat!,
I thought. Did she have to ask me nicely?
"Ro-binnnnnnnn!"
I hollered.
Naomi
always woke up unlike anyone she knew--always very suddenly, without the
general grogginess most had, and always with her hand on her gun. It was as if
something dangerous startled her awake every morning.
She
leapt straight up this time and found herself staring right into Robin's
surprised face...without her gun. She checked her back for the dagger the kept
tucked in her belt and couldn't find it, either. She began to do a routine body
cavity check for all the rest of her weapons and general defenses as if Robin
weren't even in the room.
"If
you're looking for your weapons," said Robin, keeping her cool, as usual,
"you might as well stop. You're not getting them back until you leave
here, so lie down." Naomi gave her a glare and Robin ignored it, adding,
"Disarming you is like disarming a small country in a military zone."
"Talking
to stuck-up fairies like you is like talking to dry toast," Naomi replied
irritably. She swiftly, almost stealthily, cased the room she was in, and found
it very familiar. "Where am I?" she asked sulkily.
"Safe,
if that's what you mean," Robin answered, pushing her back down.
"That is, unless you continue to overexert yourself. Now lie down."
"I
mean, where am I?" Naomi demanded, shrugging Robin off her and continuing
to sit up.
"You're
back where you started before you caused the whole of Caustria to fall into a
memory void," Robin said sharply. "With Daina. How did you escape
Christine's void?"
Naomi
avoided the question. Deals with demons were not things one casually chatted
about with the enemy. "You can't keep me here," she said.
"And
I wouldn't want to," Robin said. "The way I see it, you'd be better
off dying under a thornbush somewhere. Daina seems to believe otherwise, but
your attitude should soon change that."
"So
why am I here, if she thinks I'm so wonderful?" Naomi demanded.
"You
tell me," Daina asked. She moved from her semi-hidden chair in the corner
to stare hard at Naomi. In her hand was the gun Naomi felt so naked without.
"Who staggered into whose hallway, wench?"
"I
wouldn't have ever..." Naomi began.
"Well,
you did and now you're going to pay for it!" Daina snapped,
striding toward her. Naomi instinctively jumped back and grabbed the nearest
sharp object she could find; a spoon. Daina looked at her, then shook her head.
"Christ," she grumbled. "You can't possibly be for real."
Daina turned for the door, adding, "Get her fixed up and outta here,"
just as Naomi flung the spoon toward her.
"Daina!"
Robin shouted, but the spoon past Daina and actually embedded itself into the
wall by the door, tip first. Daina turned to look at Naomi, who was barely
remaining conscious after her efforts.
"Don't
bet on it," she said steadily, then fainted again, leaving Daina staring
at her in shock.
"Oddly
enough," Robin said, with a slight smirk, "I think you might find
some use for her here, if you can live with her attitude."
"Think
again," muttered Daina, storming out.