Appeasing The Devil

[Mugcake]

The Next Day





"Hey, Jed. Fancy seeing you up so early," a blonde with violet eyes said from an open window which faced Gareth's modest log cabin.


"Huh?" A half-asleep Jed turned his head after a considerable pause and stared at the conversationalist for a long moment before snapping back with a wry smile, "The doctor said early birds get the worms. If I get up any later, I'd have to go hunt for breakfast myself. And I don't think Glendis wants a grumpy Jed on the prowl."


His acquaintance laughed and leaned further out, elbows on the sill. Her purple dress complimented her eyes quite well, and her figure too if the way it was stretched across her figure was anything to go by. "Why are you here anyway?"


"Oh, it's a long story. Sorta'. But basically I'm Gareth's apprentice now," the brunette grinned and waved a hand comically, the other holding the garden rake upright. "Hello, pretty neighbour."


"Hello, handsome neighbour," the young woman mirthfully smirked and straightened her back before leaning a hip on the windowsill, posture subtly suggestive. "So, where are you hanging out today?"


"Oh, uh. Just gonna' carve a ridge around the town again. Every guy needs his romantic walk moment, every day."


Violet eyes twinkled. "Can I accompany you?"


"Ruby," the male began with a sigh in his voice, but he held on a smile, "I'd love to get comfortable with you some time again and all but not today. I'm... busy, okay?"


"Does Madame Gareth give you a lot of chores to do?"


"She gave me quite a task recently, yeah," the young man shifted his feet before continuing his duty to clean the front lawn from leaves that fell down the branches shadowing the cabin. He didn't seem like he wanted to say further, and the blonde must have sensed that as well so she pursed her lips before folding her arms underneath her bosom.


"Alright. I'll go to the market and buy stuff while you're being busy here then. Need me to get anything for you as well?"


"You knooow, an avocado sounds wonderful right now."


She giggled, nodded her head and flounced out of the house with a basket in hand moments later.

 

[WolfOfProphecys]

Having had a long, tiring day walking to their new home, Iris was still curled in bed. Unknown to her, her parents were awake, and had busied themselves with sorting out their possessions, making sure nothing had gotten broken or lost during their journey, and were now comfortable talking in the kitchen.


Upon feeling a warmth upon her pale face, Iris slowly opened her pale blue eyes, then instantly shut them again as the sunlight from the window streamed in. She whined softly, attempting to bury herself back in the blankets. After settling there for a while, she groaned, realising she wouldn't get back to sleep, and practically fell out of the bed.


Stretching, the young girl hummed, and padded to her bag, which laid innocently in the corner of the room.


Pulling out clothing, a simple shirt and three quarter length jeans, that hugged her small form. They were old clothes, but Iris didn't care, her family had better things to worry about. Pulling out a comb, she began to rhythmically comb her hair, then platted it so that it hung over her shoulder comfortably.


Then, deciding that it was a nice day outside, and that she didn't really want to stay in, she called out to her parents, "I'm going out to explore! I'll be back soon." She escaped out the door, leaving them no chance to reply or stop her

 

[Mugcake]

Just as Iris has exited the house, a young girl, even younger than the white-haired girl herself, clutched at her elbow and hissed angrily, "Who are you? Why are you staying in Jed's place? What's your connection with him?"


She looked tired, with dark circles under her eyes, and a pale red on where her eyes should have been a healthy white. Her curly black hair was in a messy ponytail that looked like it had been done better before it drooped down to that miserable bundle. Otherwise, the girl looked plenty normal, if you ignored the dirt near her long sleeves, and around the front of her knee-lengthed dress. Her shoes, simple and dainty Mary Janes, were smudged with a pale, brownish gray stain as well. But if she ever cared about her appearance at all, she surely didn't seem like it currently.

 

[WolfOfProphecys]

Iris jumped slightly as a girl grabbed her elbow and hissed. For a moment she stared at the other, her shock turning into slight embarrassment as she realised that she hadn't been concentrating on her surroundings. She answered quickly, and with more hesitation than she would have liked,


"I don't have a connection to Jed." She said softly, "My family is just borrowing his home until our own is built. Why? Why does it concern you?" She asked, frowning. The other girl looked practically abandoned, and Iris herself was unsure whether she was actually part of the town, or if she was passing through, on the run from someone or something. Realising she was letting her imagination run wild, she shook her head to herself, deciding that it was likely something else, and waited patiently for a reply

 

[Mugcake]

"I'm - I'm his girlfriend, obviously!" The girl straightened her back in an awkward jerk and smoothed her dress with a nervous stance. "Sorry about that. He's just giving me a bad time these days, and I get over the top over the smallest things, and - I'm really sorry about, um, grabbing you."


Youth did her well, as her face would have otherwise looked sunken and worn out, but right now, she still held on a tad bit of beauty despite the lack of tending. "Um, so, hi! My name's Maria, but some people call me Marie because they think a cuter name suits me," at this, the girl rolled her green eyes with a smile, then stuck out her left hand. "Nice to meet you ...?"


It was fortunate that they had this run-in so early in the morning, where most folks would have gone hunting or out of town to their plantations near the skirts of Glendis, so no one really paid any heed to the two girls.

 

[WolfOfProphecys]

Iris smiled softly at the girls words, and nodded. Jed was lucky to have her, he could see it already in her protective nature over him, how she had grabbed her. But then, maybe that wasn't protectiveness, but instead her being possessive of her boyfriend, who did in fact seem to be a free spirit when it came to relationships of any kind, if his greeting from the day before was any idea of his true nature.


"Its fine. I'm Iris." She responded, then frowned slightly, "What do you mean, that he's giving you a bad time?" She asked, then quickly added, "You don't have to tell me, but if he's treating you badly…" She trailed off, watching the other girl curiously

 

[Mugcake]

Maria began walking out of the compound, idly strolling down the pathway towards the edge of the town for some privacy in case some of the housewives start to return from the market. Her smile soured somewhat at the mention of Jed, and she shrugged. "He said things weren't working out, and that he needs to take a break. So we did, but, I mean ... it's just like, cooldown, isn't it? But then I caught him holding hands with this other girl called Ruby. I couldn't do much since she was the daughter of Dirk, the last head village. But then he died from stress or something, I think. Serves her right for stealing others' boyfriends."

 

[WolfOfProphecys]

Iris followed her companion, somewhat thankful that they were on the move. In her old town she had always been the child to go excitedly running about when she was small, but even now, with less eager running, she didn't like to be in the same place for very long. Listening to Maria, she bobbed her head, "Honestly? It sounds like you need to talk to him. Offer to take him someplace quiet, and ask him what you need to know." She said softly. To her it sounded like Jed had meant that they were breaking up, but it was clear that Maria didn't seem to think so

 

[Mugcake]

"He wouldn't even look at me anymore," the girl mourned her own tragedy and walked farther out of town. One of the men who was just leaving for the plantations, opposite where Maria was headed to, cocked his head at the girls' direction before lulling to the side as if in thought. The man squinted at Iris with an intense studying stare before placing a hand on his hip. He had on a farmer's hat, and black sleeveless tank top, matched with a loose pair of trousers held up by an old belt, and boots that covered the hem of his pants.


"Ey, girl! What do you think you're doing?"

 

[WolfOfProphecys]

"I'm sure he'll be back for you" Iris said softly, about to follow Maria when someone else spoke. She paused, and turned to look at the man, looking sheepish, "I…I um…I was just talking to my uh…friend." She responded uncertainly, not sure who this was, and what he wanted. Her pale blue gaze watched the man, glancing for Maria, before realising her companion had disappeared off into the distance

 

[Mugcake]

"I didn't see anyone with you," the man crossed his brows in disgruntled confusion. His voice wasn't low as a bear's, but it was gruff and a little coarse. He swallowed and slid his tongue along the left side of his cheek wall. There was an uncomfortable silence that lasted likely no more than a few seconds, but it was unsettling to say the least. "Just be careful around the areas here, y'hear? Lots of weird things happen in Glendis."





With that, the man lugged his way to the plantation a few dozen feet away, where banana trees were lined up in organised and parallel rows.

 

[WolfOfProphecys]

Iris frowned in confusion. Maria had been right there beside her. She supposed that perhaps the man had only looked at her because she was a newcomer, and by the time he had looked about, Maria had been gone. That must be it. But what did he mean by weird things? Instead of asking, she just nodded, and sighed softly, alone once more. She turned around, deciding that if she saw Jed, she'd ask him

 

[Mugcake]

"It wasn't my fault," Ruby growled at the three women who were surrounding to her right. With a careful spin, she moved the tray of eggs to her left instead, while trying to juggle the rugged avocado on the cardboard tray that fortunately had a mountainous design, so it helped plenty to stop it from rolling around. "Can't you guys just get over things?"


"You sure are quick to finish grieving for your father!"


The blonde woman shook violently and shot a hard look at the plump woman who had said that. She was a head shorter than Ruby - which was saying something, and had a mole next to her left eye, near the temple but not quite either. Ruby wanted to pluck it out with a knife and punch her in face so much.


"I dare you to say that again."

 

[WolfOfProphecys]

As Iris began to walk back, she thought quietly to herself. Her wild imagination took her random places as she padded along, quietly dodging anyone she met. She sighed after a while, and finally looked around properly, as she settled against a building, leaning against it. This place was interesting, she had to at least admit that. But she still missed the familiarity of her old home.


Snapping out of her thoughts as she heard a growling noise, she turned her head to see three women surrounding another. She didn't go to interfere, unsure of what the fight was about and, being new, she didn't want to get on the bad side of anyone around the town

 

[Mugcake]

"Isn't it true? You didn't cry all that much even though it was your father who kicked the bucket!" The woman rebuked with a face red from getting worked up. She held her chin high and proudly, taunting the blonde vixen into a violent face-off. To which she was caught by surprise when Ruby bowed instead, so low she could easily touch the floor with her fingertips if she tried.


The girl placed the tray and fruit on the floor, and kept quiet. Not a word was uttered as she stood up slowly and exchanged a cool glance at the trio of middle-aged woman before she threw a punch in the woman's nose.


She was pretty sure she broke a useful bone, and it gave her a satisfaction that made her feel giddy.

 

[WolfOfProphecys]

Iris jolted at this, and decided that she couldn't stand watching anymore. She moved forward, "H-hey!" She called out, moving closer, "I know she was annoying you, but thats no reason to punch someone in the face!" For once Iris sounded angry, clearly not liking the violent and angry happenings around her. She stood between the injured woman and the one who had harmed her, blue eyes wary and cautious

 

[Mugcake]

"God, watch it!"


The tray of eggs was knocked over by the sudden commotion, and a few stray eggs fell out only to be crushed into broken shells and skewed yolk. Ruby stared at it in horror at first, and, getting out of the reverie, shot an angry glare at Iris. "Who the hell are you?"

 

[WolfOfProphecys]

Iris looked slightly confused and guilty as the eggs fell over, but refused to help the other pick them up, "Iris Storm. I…I'm new here." She muttered, frowning at Ruby as the other glared at her, "But that doesn't matter. You still shouldn't be hitting people!"

 

[Mugcake]

"That's right!" Another woman, also stocky but much more fluffed up, shoved at Ruby's shoulder, but retracted her hand hastily upon seeing the deadly glare the girl directed at her. She held the gaze on her shoulder for a moment as if wanting to burn the touch away, but instead fumed at Iris again.


"Just my luck running into all of you loonbins early in the morning," she spat and bowed just quick enough to retrieve the avocado, which was somewhat bruised as it bounded off the tray onto the floor earlier. With one last wilting look at all of them, Ruby stormed off, but not before flipping the white-haired girl off.


"Good grief, this girl couldn't have been a good sacrifice anyway," the biggest of the group muttered with a sharp 'tsk'. The tallest but frailest of the trio, a thin lady with bobbed hair and blemishes all over her face and arms yelped. "S-Susan!"


Realising her mistake, 'Susan' covered her mouth and turned to her bleeding friend instead. "Gertrude, are you okay?"


The one with a bleeding nose had both hands over her face, head down. She made a string of ineligible sentences but was otherwise in too much pain.

 

[WolfOfProphecys]

Iris watched the girl silently, really wondering what her problem with the three ladies was. Though, to be fair, the three hadn't seemed all that kind to the other girl in the first place, if the arguing that Iris had seen was any idea of their cruelty. She hadn't heard what they had exactly, but knew whatever it was had angered the other.


Turning to ask, Iris paused. She listened to them talk, wondering what they were talking about, "I don't want to be rude but... What do you mean by sacrifice? And are you ok?" She asked, watching the injured woman

 

[Mugcake]

"I'm ... I'm going to go see Jed," the woman shook her head at Iris' question and half stumbled on her way.


"I'll go with you," Susan covered her friend from people who were giving her strange looks, turning to look at the thin woman with a firm expression. "Tell Dawson that we need to get rid of this girl even if she isn't the sacrifice! She's a devil in a lamb's skin." That said, the two shifted step by step towards Jed's house.


"A-Ah..." The thin woman, frazzled and badly frightened by the ordeal, could only gap her mouth open and nod awkwardly, shaking in fear. "T-Tell Dawson... Oh... oh, hello, miss. You- right, you helped us earlier. But I don't recognise you? ... oh, yes. The nasty girl asked that earlier and you said you're new... o-oh, um, what is your name again? I'm Luna."

 

[WolfOfProphecys]

Iris watched them frowning as she was basically ignored by two of them. They kept saying sacrifice, but what did they mean?


Jolted from her thoughts when the remaining woman spoke to her, the girl blinked at the other. She nodded to confirm that she was in fact new, and gave the other a shy smile, "Iris" She replied softly, "What were they talking about?" She asked, frowning

 

[Mugcake]

"I suppose you wouldn't know," Luna brought a hand to her chin and lightly nipped at her trimmed-too-short fingernails, eyeing the younger woman with an understanding sentiment laced in her voice, she spoke, "Glendis is owned by... a man, who's very powerful around here. And he usually keeps us safe, but in exchange we would have to give him a s- wife every twenty years."


Her sandy brown hair was tied back in a loose braid, which she fiddled with while speaking after she stopped biting her nails. "It's a very strange town, isn't it? It's embarrassing for us to meet in such a situation! Gertrude has always been... nngh," if she wanted to comment a bit more, she decided against it.

 

[WolfOfProphecys]

Iris bobbed her head in understanding to Luna, but wondered why the man needed a wife every twenty years. Did he just get bored of them, or did they just happen to die young? She shook her head to herself, deciding that these were questions better kept in her head, and not said aloud. She simply nodded again at next words that escaped the woman's mouth, "It is a bit weird" She agreed