Blood and Water (♠ Blue Suit ♠)

Tome stumbled along behind the guard pulling him until they reached the stairs, which he almost had to be dragged up. He had his footing again by the time they reached the top, and didn't so much as wince when the knife that sliced through his bonds caught the very edge of his hand. It was superficial. Insignificant when faced with the fact that his sister was waiting for him, wide-eyed and fearful and pale. She was wobbling on her feet, but as soon as she was free she ran for him, stumbling but not falling and just collapsing into him when she reached him. She was sobbing, her small, fragile body heaving and shaking with it, and Tome knew then who had summoned them back out. People forgot that Fawn was the princess sometimes, the throne's true heir.


Tome brought his arms gently up around her, holding her close and just pressing a kiss to her hair, closing his eyes. "It's all right. . ." He whispered softly to her, ignoring the others still in the room. "I'm fine. . . Don't cry. It's all right." She had always worried for him so, even if she had never known exactly how badly he had been treated here, never been allowed to know. This wasn't anywhere near the first time she had cried for him.
 
Mia glanced at the scene between the two siblings in awe before looking down. Fawn wouldn't even have to need to worry about him if it hadn't been because of the misunderstanding. Well, she wouldn't allow them to hurt him any longer, then that was good. But... Would they really let her off the hook? Didn't really feel like it mattered by now, she wouldn't even be allowed near The King anymore.
 
When Fawn had quieted, Tome picked her up into his arms, carrying her in his arms rather than with her clinging around his shoulders and waist because he didn't want her to find the fresh brand. He walked with her, even though it felt like his arm was trying to fall free of the socket, and took her to her room to lay her down. Fawn had freed them both, so Tome knew she would have some accommodation made for Mia, and his suspicions were confirmed when Mia was led along with them by the servant that had saved them. It didn't matter. Tome would get rid of her later, when Fawn was settled and his new injuries bandaged.
 
Mia followed them close behind as she absently rubbed her wrists, trying to soothe the pain. The spot in her cheek which had been hit, was swelling up, she could feel it, but she actually tried to leave it alone. Would she be kicked out? If she was not punished it was likely to happen. She felt a dull emptiness on the pit of her stomach, as if something had left her, as if something was missing. It was truly a horrible feeling to be honest. She felt guilty as well, she wanted to apologize to Tome once again. She opened her mouth to do so, but her voice got stuck on her throat. She hadn't really wanted him to find out, much less for him to be punished like that. She couldn't help it but shiver at the memory.
 
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Tome took Fawn to her room and laid her down in bed, stayed with her and spoke quietly to her so she would know he was safe. The servant took supplies from the doctor that had been waiting for them and cleaned Tome's wound while the doctor checked on Fawn to be sure her little excursion and the strain hadnt hurt her badly. Tome gritted his teeth and bore through the cleaning and bandaging of the wound because he was used to this kind of pain, and didn't both grabbing a new shirt when they finished, just letting the old one hang loosely on his shoulders. He did his best not to acknowledge Mia, knowing if he did he might do something he regretted. And he wasnt even sure what that would be.
 
Mia had remained practically silent and still the whole time, for once not really liking to be there near the two siblings, it kind of suffocated her. Instead, she kept on rubbing her wrists, particularly one that she was sure, she had dislocated when she had pushed herself forwards as she was still tied to the cell's bars. Sometimes her gaze would look for Tome's, expecting but not really wanting to meet his own. Nevertheless, he never looked at her, not once, as if she was not really there and that sort of saddened and in a way pained her. It was as if... She had regretted to lose his trust, as if she had truly came to appreciate it and somehow cherish it even if she had surely won it not long ago.
 
((Hmm, not sure what to do to keep her here at this point. I was planning on Tome getting her papers that say she's free, handing her a bag of coins and just saying 'get out', but then I'm like, how do I get her back? lol))


Tome waited until Fawn eventually fell asleep, then finally instructed the servant and doctor to keep an eye on Mia, to keep her in the room but away from his sister, and walked out. He got himself washed up and changed into new clothes, then brought a change of clothes for Mia and set them on the table near her when he returned. "The doctor will look at your arm." He said, voice emotionless. "Go clean up."
 
(Hmm I don't know. I think that way of kicking her out would fit his personality the most tho. How do you feel towards dramatic parts? 'Cause if you're okay with it I may have an idea, but it can be quite dramatic xD Like maybe he does kick her out like that and they don't see each other again say maybe in a month or so. But then one day when he goes out of the house to retrieve some supplies he finds her with a cruel master that does beats her up and such and saves her, out of pity perhaps? Or he finds her sick or starving, can be some of those possibilities. The thing is that he takes her back with him to treat her?) (If not, maybe Fawn begs him not to kick her out or something like that?)


Mia almost reached for Tome's arm as before when she heard his tone of voice. It was just so... indifferent. However, she kept her hand in place, aware that it wouldn't be the best thing to do at that moment "Yes" Her voice came out as low as she reached for the clothes and left to be cleaned up and such. At least, she would get medical treatment. So that may be a good thing.
 
((Well, I was gonna have him give her papers that say she's free, but maybe if she ends up wherever he is he can find her ill or save her from being beaten to death by some random person, and take her home to heal her?))


Tome glanced at her back when she walked away, then just sat down at Fawn's side again, ignoring the burning ache in his shoulder, back and arm. It would pass, eventually, as all physical pain did. The ache in his chest was different, though. It felt permanent, in a way he hadn't ever felt before. Perhaps that was just what betrayal was like.
 
(If you're okay with it, I'd go with that idea then ^^ When would he be doing that?)


Mia practically dragged her feet thought the floor as she made her way to clean herself up. She felt... Empty. She was there at the castle and still she knew it would be impossible to even get near The King on her own. Her chances had been blown up and now that it seemed she would be kept alive, it was as if there would be no purpose on that life. Before, it had been good enough for her the fact that she had tried and had been close to succeed, but just because she thought she would die, because she thought it would all end on that moment. With that in mind she could just absently do the things she had been told to do, getting cleaned up and getting the doctor to see her wrists.
 
((Probably in morning. Gonna send out a messenger now lol))


Tome left the room while Mia cleaned herself up, and returned when she was being patched up by the doctor. He'd sent out a messenger to fetch the proper papers for him, and would have them filled out by nightfall. He could give them to her in the morning, when it was light and he'd gathered the amount of funds he planned to get her away from here, and she could leave and never be seen again.
 
(Kk! ^o^)


Mia let out a relieved sigh as the doctor was done with her. It had hurt like hell when he had, by force, aligned her bones properly, she had even had to bit her lip with all her might to stop a squeak to escape them, even to the point when she felt the fresh blood against her tongue as she slid it through it. With the same silent she was sent to sleep, it had been a long day and she, for the moment, just wished it to end.
 
Mia was given the couch at the far side of the large room, and Tome took the bed, while the doctor and servant left to their respective rooms nearby. In the morning, while Fawn slept peacefully on, Tome got up to complete his errand of the night before. He had a small bag of all the clothes he'd bought her, and a couple necessary supplies - because he was not heartless, like most like to think - as well as the proper papers and a small bag of silver coins, since gold were too hard to get change for in normal cities. He sat at the table, with the objects mostly hidden in his lap or on the floor, and just waited for her to get up.
 
Mia's brows furrowed a bit as she felt the dim sun light falling on her face and rolled to her side a bit before groaning at the sharp pain which ran up from her wrist to her spine. She realized she had leaned all her weight on her recently bandaged wrist and, prying her eyes open, she got herself up, blinking a couple of times. It didn't take her long to realize that Tome was sitting at the table and when she did she opened her mouth to speak, but as before she didn't seem to be able to get any words out. What would he do with her today?
 
Tome didn't turn his head from where he'd been looking out the window, but looked at her with just his eyes instead. ". . . Get up." He said, blandly, and kicked the small bag out from under the table so that it slid almost all the way over to where she sat. "Get dressed." He set the paper declaring her freedom on the table, sliding it across to the side closest to her, and bag of coins on top of it as he got to his feet.


"Get out."
 
Ok, the first ones, she could cope with it. She could cope with the short words, with the way they were said. She even did as she was told, as if she did it automatically. Then her eyes fixated on the paper, the bag, the smaller bag and she understood it all even before he spoke the last two words. Strangely enough, it took her a few seconds to move, never she had expected to feel that way because she was kicked out. It felt... Nothing, nothing at all and that was much worse than the most horrible pain. Ah, so that was how it used to feel. She clenched her hands a little before forcing herself to move.


She picked up the things he had been given and made her way to the door, stopping for a moment in front of it to speak "Thank you" She said almost blankly as she opened it. She wouldn't be apologizing, because she felt there was no place for her apologies there "Please be safe and take care of yourself" With those last words she slid herself outside and closed the door behind her. She was free, she was supposed to be happy, right? Now why wasn't she?


(Should we timeskip there?)
 
((Yes, ma'am))


Tome stayed with Fawn at the castle until she could leave again, working through his injury healing and thus making it take longer. It was two weeks before they left, and he took her home where he could care for her again, carefully erased any sign that there had ever been a third person in the house, and nursed her back into better health. She did well, away from the stresses of life, and Tome resolved to do it all himself, no matter how ragged it ran him. He didn't need to hire a servant or a slave, didn't need to fool himself into trusting anyone again. He didn't need anyone.
 
Mia dragged her feet through the practically empty street as she carried a heavy sack back to her work place. Her face was rather muddy and she seemed just dirty. It had been a month or maybe more, she couldn't tell, since she had been set free by her previous master. She had been given clothes, money and supplies by him but she had actually just kept the later. She had no use for money or clothes and she had just simply gave them away. It forced her to look for a job, and that was exactly what she needed, to work. She had lost track of her future, without a purpose it just seemed so blurry and unpredictable, work kept her mind away from those thoughts.


As Mia thought about it she felt as if she had slammed into something and being the sack as heavy as it was she wobbled a bit before stumbling back and eventually fall, the sack falling on her stomach, leaving her breathless for a moment before she pushed it off her, grasping for air "Eh, just what do you think you're doing?" Some meaty hands closed themselves around her collar before pulling her up. Her eyes widened at the man who looked at her with irritation.


"You were the one who bumped into me" Mia complained as she wiggled a little, trying to break free "Did I told you to speak?" The man slammed her against the wall, making Mia cough at the sharp pain that spread quickly though her back "Let... go... of me!" She managed to get out in between pants as she reached for his cheek, managing only to scratch him a little. The man groaned and let go of her, kicking her on the ribs before she even had the chance to move. Mia gasped and curled on herself, holding the hit area in pain "You, b*tch. Don't get so cocky" And so like that the man started to beat her up, with Mia only being able to do her best to cover her face from his hands and feet, with no body interfering nor trying to help her either. Wasn't she just lucky?
 
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As he had before he'd ever thought to get assistance, Tome had to summon a trusted servant from the castle to come all the way to where he lived and watch over Fawn while he got supplies to restock the house. He had finished most everything he'd wanted to accomplish that day and had it loaded into the carriage the relevant had ridden in to get here before he stumbled upon the commotion. He had a knife with him, like usual, but didn't see fit to use it, not on an idiot like this, beating on a small, defenseless woman.


It was only when Tome grew closer that he saw who it was lying on the ground, through the pain and the dirt and the distance. He faltered, at first, then just kept walking towards them. When he got to the large man standing over her, a man frankly much larger than himself - enough so that he'd scared off any other attempts to help that may or may not have come - Tome grabbed the man's arm and spun him around.


"If you wanted someone defenseless to beat on, you could have found a child." Tome said, voice cold and harsh and mocking. "I would say to find a wife instead, but no woman could stomach the sight of you."


Enraged already and presented with a new target, the man all but roared and swung a fist at him. Tome twisted easily to the side, one hand catching the man's extended wrist and the other coming down in a blow that broke the man's arm at the elbow. The man howled in pain and held onto his arm, and while he was distracted Tome kicked out his knee, most likely ensuring the man would be partially a cripple his whole life if he didn't find a very good healer, something he probably couldn't afford anyway.


Calmly, Tome stepped up behind the man when he'd fallen to his knees, and curled one hand in his hair, the other around the man's chin. "One twist and ill have your head. Remember how it feels to be hopelessly overpowered." He didn't kill the man, but cracked a knee against the back of his head and neck hard enough that he lost consciousness and fell to the ground. Stepping away from the limp form, Tome fixed his hood in place and just moved to pick the quivering, hurt girl off the ground. "Stay still," he said quietly. "I'll patch you up." He could heal her at home where they wouldn't attract attention.
 
Mia had curled up on herself and had decided to stay that way until everything finished. She could still feel the pain, the heavy fists slamming against her body, still she refused to move. If only she had been a little bit stronger... That's the only thing she could think about as she tried her best not to give in and lose consciousness. She didn't know when nor why, but the man suddenly stopped, and for a moment she just remained in the ground with her arms wrapped around her head and her knees brought to her chest. It felt fuzzy but she could hear another new voice as well.


She shivered a little before she slowly moved. She spat blood to the ground and stretched a bit, trying to get her arms to move and at least crawl her way out of that situation. The man was distracted and Mia didn't really even thought of turning to see who was that man he seemed to be focused on now. She placed her shaky hands on the ground and, digging her own fingers into it, she did her best to push herself up. Funny enough, even if she was hurting all over and her body just begged for her to stop trying, there was no hint of pain in her face. Instead, there was just a strange nothingness mixed with a blinding determination of getting away while she was still alive.


However, she couldn't get her body to move correctly relying on just pure will, and her arms failed her without her permission, causing her to fall to the ground again when she hadn't even managed to fully get up. Some heavy body fell to the ground with her as well and just then she turned her head to the side. To her surprise, the man who had attacked her had fell unconscious to her side. Her body stiffened again when she saw the stranger who had defeated him bending down to pick her up, her hands clenching as if she was ready to defend herself from the new attacker. But then she heard his voice and her gaze looked instinctively for his own. And just like that, when her eyes met with some yellow pair of ones her body strangely relaxed and her eyes dropped, allowing the darkness to take over her.
 
Tome caught Mia when she went limp, lifting her up into his arms and cradling her there gently. He glanced around, taking in the faces that watched from windows and open doors and side streets, then turned and walked away. He held her carefully in the carriage, using what few spells he could manage to discover what sort of damage had been done to her. Her ribs hadn't been broken, thankfully, but a few were cracked and fractured and would need mending. He was able to stop the bleed that had leaked into her lungs and thus been coughed up into her mouth, patched the damage and left the non-life threatening wounds for later to conserve his energy.


Once home, Tome enlisted the help of the servant left with Fawn to get Mia cleaned off, bandaged and stable. Her arm had broken, but with a helping hand from the servant - not so much teaching him the healing spells but filtering his magic through Tome to assist - they were able to get it to knit enough that it would be safe to move. After everything was said and done, she was almost more bandage than skin, and Tome let the servant leave and go back to the castle, under oath to not say a word about her. People didn't respect Tome, but Fawn would have wanted it, were she awake to see, and the staff of the castle could at least discern that. Tome let her sleep in the sitting room after that, and just left to make Fawn's lunch.
 
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