FanStory.com - Trust and Understandingby Rinshikai

Can you even understand me? In the eerie silence, we stare each other down, unsure of what the other will do. I pick up the funnel, and she refuses to look at me. I let it fall, drawing her attention. With my arms up, I stomp on it until the crunching stops, kicking it under my desk.

Through her mane, one brow rises. Like a puppy, she tilts her head. "I don't want to hurt you, do you understand?" Even gagged, I'd hope for a nod or a muffled yes. The moment I step forward, she tenses, the fire in her eye now an inferno. She was daring me to try anything, with everything she had been through; her unbroken will is impressive and a relief.

I've seen many people broken under the Imperial boot, but she hasn't given up. With each step, her features become apparent. Fit but not muscular, feminine but not soft. Faint freckles adorn her body; it's a rare sight. As my eyes wander, the glint from her chest draws my attention. Tucked between those pierced breasts dangles a golden tag.

Before I could read the name, she tries to kick me. I avoid it, but she swings back on the wall and launches like a coiled snake. I would be gasping for air if my training hadn't kicked in. With my arm around her waist, I pin her to the wall, "I'm not here to hurt you!" I said as she struggled in my grip. Teeth bared like an animal, ready to gnaw off a limb. Of course, you can't understand a word I'm saying. I curse in the northern tongue.

Suddenly she calms down, and our eyes lock. Could she understand me? I let her go, but we remain cautious. "If I remove your gag, do you promise not to attack me again? I ask in the northern tongue. She nods, so I remove her gag. With a few heavy pants, she bared her teeth at me.

"Where's my mother?"

"Your mother?"

"You killed her, didn't you?" Her words are hot coals. "Well, I won't be your pet!" She sticks out her tongue. Without thinking, I shove my thumb in her mouth, and she bites down. Her teeth dig deep into my flesh, sending a wave of pain through my arm. I try to pry her mouth open, but she bites down even harder. The dam bursting at the seams, she's prepared to die. My heart racing, I strike her in the chest. Gasps fill the room, and I free my hand. However, I hesitate at the thought of gagging her again. On cue, a river coats the floor, leaving a putrid smell, forcing me to open the window.

As I catch my breath, all I can hear is her panicked breath, then nothing. She wasn't moving. Worried, I check her pulse, relieved she isn't dead. I gagged her, only realizing my hand was crimson. Fighting my racing heart, I make a makeshift bandage, only for it to bleed through. With few opinions, I enter the hall, desperate for help.

"Colton?" I followed the voice, relieved Serivious was here. "My God, what happened to your hand?" He applies new bondages, but it doesn't help. Crimson spots show through, "I'll go get Luna. You go back to your room and wait." Before I can protest, he uses his lantern, showing me the rudy trail I had made. "Go," he gestures to the door. When another wave of pain shoots up my arm, I do what I'm told.

Despite my mind clouding over, I get my guest down. Her limp form was now huddled like an infant. Slumping onto my chair, I feel warmth flowing across my arm. It bled, though, and it won't stop. I'm cold. A creek of the door allows me to focus, and I'm relieved; my Aunt Luna is here, wearing Iona's dress. With precision and grace, she gets to work.

"Colton?" those blue sapphires dart across my face. "Need you to eat this ok," she slid a piece of dried meat into my mouth. Though it's hard to chew, I manage. "Good, let's get a look at that hand." Removing the crimson rag, she cleans my hand with a moist cloth. Though it burns, I ignore it. "She tried to kill herself, didn't she?"

"How'd you guess?" Looking up from her work, the expression on her pale face said it all. "Right, the arena."

When my wound stops bleeding, she binds my hand. "There, you won't lose your thumb to the rot now." She leaves a poultice on my desk, "I want you to apply that to your hand in the morning, ok." I nod," Good, now can you,"-she pinches her nose, handing me a vial. "Deal with that while I help her." She ties the white hair back.

Again the putrid smell filled the room, challenging my stomach not to add to the floor. Bucket and rag in hand, I fight the two battles, winning by the skin of my teeth. Opening the vial, I pour it into the bucket choking back the aroma of sweet combating sour. Now in the corner, I snap back at the sound from my bed. The girl was awake and panicking.

"Easy, we're not going to hurt you."

She reaches for the gag, "Your mother's alive." She and Luna stare at me. "The Priestess, the one with the tree of life on her back. She's your mother, right?" Her frantic movements stop, going rigid, then slumping. Eyes full of tears, she nods. Her expression is a mixture of anger, relief, and confusion.

Now that she's calm, the extent of her injuries is apparent. Her hair hid a swollen eye, while scrapes and bruises litter everything else. She didn't go quietly, "You're hurt. Let me help you." Luna kneels, gesturing for her case. I take the hint and hand it to her, going to the window and giving them what little privacy I can.

The night air clears my lungs, and I process the events of the evening. What did Cato mean? Out in the yard, embers dance off torches, glinting off the jewelry of a cloaked woman. One snap of her fingers, and I know it's Vita. Her guards pull the priestess into view, shoving her into the arms of two handmaidens. My heart jumps into my throat, but I swallow it when I see the maidens are lady Giselle's. "Thank the gods."

"What is it," Luna finishes her work handing the girl one of my shirts. Silent as a ghost, she joins me. "Is that her?"

"Yes."

With a deep exhale, she sits on my bed. "Your mother is safe." The girl shoves Luna away, springing off the bed and rushing to the window. Dancing around me, she frantically looks for her mother. I pull her back in while she kicks and squirms like a child. Calmly, Luna grabs her face, forcing their eyes to lock. "Listen, listen, listen to me!" She stops, yet her heavy breathing continues." I know you are scared and alone. But your mother is in good hands." Her words are soothing and motherly. "Giselle is from the north. She won't let any harm come to her. I promise." I let her go when she relaxes, but it's like dealing with a cornered animal.

"What's your name?" I ask, getting a raised eyebrow in return. "I'm Colton, and this is my aunt, Luna." We set the foundations. Hopefully, she'll build the bridge. A quick look between us and her shoulders cave with a long exhale.

"Becka," she answers.

"It's nice to meet you, Becka," Luna said. "I know you don't trust us, but we will do everything we can to reunite you with your mother." She opens her case, offering her a herb. "Wounds need time to heal, and this will help you sleep." Swallowing some shows that it isn't poisonous.

Hesitating, Becka takes the herb and then sits on my bed. With a flick to the shoulder, Luna signals me to follow her to the door. "I need you to watch her," her gaze darts past me, "She'll fight the urge to sleep. I'm worried she'll do something stupid." A quick kiss on the cheek, "Protect her from herself." She leaves, the echo of the door lock sending shivers down my spine. I lock the window and then sit at my desk. It's going to be a long night.