Tale of Tails
Chapter 2: Rotten Eggs
Notes: This story is partially written in 1st-person narrative .. so be very careful to keep track of who is thinking and talking, as the perspective switches quickly between min and turick ...
“What do you mean you're LEAVING?!” The girl cried out. The other covered the mouth of the first's, making a “shh”ing sound.
“There are patients still, Lin!” She whispered irritably.
“But! But you CAN'T leave us, YOU'RE a guardian!” Lin tried to keep at a whisper, however, failing on emotional words.
“Guardianship is voluntary and you know that, Lin, besides, I want to leave the village.”
“That's so selfish of you, Min-!”
“Don't YOU talk to ME about being selfish!!” Minaiya scowled, hearing bodies rustle restlessly in the small rooms of the shack.
“Yes. I suppose I can't…” Lin looked down at the ground in a wounded way.
“…” A long pause, a last scoff by Minaiya and she began to turn for the door.
“Min.”
“…What?”
“This is the last favor I do for you…I don't owe you… anymore!”
“Feh,” She turned with that word, “I never said you did.”
“I'm sorry sir, the acquirement of prince Turick failed.” Turesa said angrily to a man mixing potions at a table. The man looked up passively, speaking softly, “Well, try harder then, wench.”
Turesa sighed. “It's to be expected I guess, If only the bastard wasn't so hot, I wouldn't have agreed to help a dark elf.” She thought to herself. She watches the man drink the potion, his eyes turning from violet to green, his hair darkening from white to dark brown as his skin turned a pale peach. “Bastard …” she thought as he removed his glasses and scowled slightly at her.
“Don't just stand there wench, find prince Turick …”
She walked out in a huff, happy to be rid of his company for a time.
“Come on, I need this Turban!” Turick held up the hat as the merchant glowered at him. “I'll give you two gold!”
“It's two Gold, five silver, SCUM!” The Merchant held a knife up as Turick shoved a hand into his money pouch, drawing out six extra silver. The merchant grabbed up all six from his hand.
Obviously raising the price just for me …
He heard someone coming, and decided to take no chances, wasting no time getting his Turban on. He hurriedly shoved his ears into the Turban, with a few seconds to spare before “Snake Lady” came around the corner.
“YOU THERE! Have you seen a dark elf around here?” She said straight to Turick.
Luck's getting better already … “Sorry lady. Haven't seen any dark elf around here. Come to think of it … I think my cousin saw one yesterday!”
“Where was he?!” She asked excitedly.
“Well … my cousin shot him … I guess you'll find him along the road ahead somewhere …” Oh yesss! Look at that face! HA!
Turick walked down the road, out of sight of the snake lady before ducking into the forest. Phew... He ran as fast as he could into the forest.
Minaiya huddled in the shade of the great oak, crying her heart out. I hadn't realized that the spirits would be so vengefully quick in their decision. But how could I have known? A guardian has never left the forest before... I guess this is payment for my actions. When I think about it like this, it really seems like Lia was right... even if I just wanted to see the outer empires...
I can't stand to look into this stream again... to see what I've become... all those years for nothing... “Huh?”
Leaves rustled above her, and she looked up quickly. Missing her feline hearing and reflexes, she felt oddly vulnerable. She cringed as a body fell to the ground with a great “umph!”
She brought herself up from her spot, an odd curiosity pulling her to see who was there. She gasped as she realized who it was.
What was that about my luck changing?
I felt my foot twitch spasmodically as I pulled the rest of my body to the ground. “Son of a Dryder!!...” I cursed as I got up.
...
... “What are you looking at?!” I didn't know WHY she was looking at me like that. I straightened my turban as I fixed my shirt, buttoning the ones that had come undone.
She raised a hand to her mouth, “It's you!”
Looooney...
“I know who I am, but who YOU are is a different matter...”
Why do I always find the weirdos?
Heh... paranoid and sarcastic as before...
“No... well of course...” yeah... no ears... She reached back and curled one of her bangs behind her ear nervously. “I know you won't believe me, but it's me, Minaiya...”
“Minaiya? Whoa... where'd your ears go? Ear piercing go horribly wrong?” I'm not trying to be mean, it's just my nature. “Didn't recognize you without your big cat ears.” I put my hands behind my head to make 'ears'. “As if I should talk about big ears...”
“You mean like the ones sticking out on that side?” She pointed as she wiped her eyes with the other hand. “The ears are quite... a story...”
Just what I'd need if snake lady came... an ear saying “hello”... I pushed my ear under the Turban. “Love to hear stories... do tell, my EX-cat friend.”
My heart sunk; I'm sure it's just my fault for taking it so personally. “I Left the forest... that's all there is to it really.” Funny... it really is that simple. “I had decided to... I should have noticed when I started to loose my balance... but I didn't realize it fully until I fell into this stream.” Gulp. “And I saw my reflection.” A guardian has never left the forest... is this what it really meant? The spirit, not the person?
“I don't know what the big deal is. So you don't have ears as big as you used to, and you have shit for balance.” I shrugged and leaned against the tree. “If anything, Min, you'd be able to blend in better in town.” Why did I give a shit anyway?
He's so shallow... “you don't understand...” I missed the familiar feeling of my ears moving to match my moods. “It's an omen. A sign that I am no longer worthy. It means I can never return... I can't believe I risked everything just to go on some silly adventure. He doesn't want my help anyhow.” I flushed. I had said that under my breath....
“I... should go...” I leapt up, barely catching a branch I had once jumped to with ease. “It's not as if you cared about others anyhow...”... DOH...
“I care about others! SHEESH! You haven't even been around me long enough to judge that!” I grabbed her and pulled her off the branch, “Now, one thing, I don't think crawling around in trees would be a positive point on the normal meter. You have to walk like everyone else. SHEESH! You won't blend in with anyone if you don't act normal!” I can't believe I'm doing this... “Come on!” I stood with my hands on my hips, looking like a whining child, and I knew it...
How dare he!? “And you think you're a better judge of character?!” God... I don't want to start crying in front of someone like him. “I didn't say I wanted to be normal.” I said that I had to leave. Normal and alone certainly aren't the same.
“No need to snap at me! I just wanna help you!” Did I just say that? Oh great... “I mean... just because you've helped me before, I thought I'd help you out now. You're probably feeling really lonely and vulnerable right now.” I leaned against the tree as I spoke, thinking about how I felt when everything around me changed back then...
God... he has such a way to make me feel bad... “I... I'm sorry...” She rubbed her bottom where she'd fallen nervously; it still hurt. “I guess I should learn to accept help more gracefully.”
“That's 'graciously' ”
“Yes...” The pause was unbearable. “Please?...”
“What?” He sighed.
Must he always make it so hard on me? “Let me come with you?”
“Sure, I was going to go and see if what viper-lady said was true... that's right, I'm going to see my father in Dan'rok. Hopefully to get some stuff straight.” I gnashed my teeth as I thought. If my father was like my mother, I'd have a fun time... indeed...
He gave in so easily? “T-Thank you.” I can't help smiling though. Kinda funny that all this is because of just one silly drow. Makes me wanna find out why...
“Who do you think you ARE anyway, sending me on a wild goose chase like this?” Turesa said angrily as she glowered at the man, once again with human pigments.
“Idiot, you really don't know ANYONE above those street-urchins you 'mingle' with, do you?... Well, you know the person who is always at the kings right hand? The person who knows every nook and cranny of the kingdom? The one person who holds almost as much power as the king HIMSELF?... That's me. And I intend to keep it that way, even if my half-wit of a half-brother DOES decide to return.”
She was surprised he had lost his composure so easily. “So your brother is the king's son... I see... take out the heir, and there is no one left to lead the kingdom, save you.”
“Smart wench, smart... try once more... fail this time, and I won't give you another. Hopefully, third time's a charm...”
She gulped as he walked out of the room. “Yes, Yarven...”
“Oi, Tyu'rach! Uah weh kneh dis tuff'?” Minaiya mumbled from beneath a thick wooly blanket he'd thrown over her.
“Well, the blanket's to keep warm, the knife for food, the chopsticks for the same reason... ooh .. those rations look good...” his eyes wandered into the stalls.
“Gah.” She came up from under the blanket to catch her breath, “Can't you build a fire, and catch food?”
“One, we're in town. Two, I don't know how. Three, I don't know how. Four, I don't care.”
e'scoo'ze your highness... She thought sarcastically. “Okay then.” Came her muffled reply.
“...”... “Hey. Pots.”
“Five gold.” The merchant looked down his nose toward Turick.
“Five gold MY ASS! Why-“ He scoffed, “That's robbery!” He brushed past Min quickly, muttering a, “We're LEAVING!”
She looked over at the merchant shortly before turning as well with her bundle.
“Hey, pretty lady!”
“Hoi?” She turned, pointing at herself.
“Why, you look to be needing some supplies, miss! I have these WONDERFUL p-“
Turick's ears began to perk as he noticed Min no longer following him. I smacked myself for not thinking of it beforehand! “Min, come here!” He pulled her away from the merchant. “You know what you can do? Guys always give girls discounts! Plus, you don't look weird... bargain with him Min! You can do it!” He handed her his money pouch. “You've got twelve gold to work with. Try BELOW five...” He nudged her back towards the merchant's stand, grinning.
Not weird? Her ears burned where they used to be. “I'll try.” She dumped the blankets onto Turick as she began to saunter over. She looked at the pots a moment before gazing up to the merchant again. “Truth is, I've seen those same pots ALL over the market, as low as four silver a piece. That makes the SET one gold... if you can't come close, I'm leaving...” She gave the merchant a hard stare.
“W-why lady, I can't possibly sell them so low!”
“I lied...”
“M-mam...”
“But so have you... and I don't appreciate how you've treated my traveling partner.” She nodded her head towards Turick, who had already started browsing some other items. “Try to be less of a hypocrite in the future...” she frowned, silently reveling in the angry expression he was sending her.
“So Min, you get the pots?” Tuick asked as he looked up from some more blankets.
“No .. the price was too high...”
“WOW!” Turick chuckled as they walked away. He smacked her on the back in congratulation. “Now, where did THAT come from?!”
“A guardian's gotta eat... and you can't find EVERYTHING in the forest... so you have to con a few stable boys along the way... no money for volunteer work.” She said with a drained look to her eyes.
“Tired, oh queen of haggle? Well, I'll see if anyone's got a room. This time I'll take the 'servant' role if it means room and board...” Turick grinned at Minaiya as he walked to the Inn.
“What's the rate sir?” Minaiya walked up calmly, but a bit flushed.
The innkeeper rattled off, “Three gold per night.”
“That for one bed or two?”
“Oh... well, if that's an offer.” He gave a toothy grin.
She glared. “It's not.” She irritably growled, with a vicious infliction to her voice.
He grimaced, “Well lady, in that case'd still be twenty-five silver...”
“I'll take it... don't get me wrong, I'm just not willing to waste a bed on a servant.” She snatched the room keys and waved for Turick come with her.
Turick walked up and past Minaiya, snitching the keys in the process, an irritated expression on his face. He shut the door just as she followed him up to it.
“H-HEY! Turick!”
“What? I said room and board... not for who.”
“Oh...” she said, dis-heartend, and slid down to the ground, back against the wall near the door. The door opened a moment as he tossed a blanket out. She tucked it over to wrap herself as she adjusted herself to sleep there the night.
As I lie here in bed, I can just SEE where she is. Damn bed facing door... that and the fact that there are so many WEIRDOS who would try and take advantage of a girl... that, and Minaiya is still getting used to not having her heightened senses... Damn my sentimental human side!
... I got up and walked to the door, opening it, she's curled up in a corner. I went over to pick her up, at least I TRIED to...
My eyes opened heavily, “You should get some rest. I could hear you pacing in there...” And they close again. When I try, it's like I'm still hearing from MY ears...
I stopped. “Min. Inside.” I pulled on her arm slightly. “My conscience won't leave me alone otherwise.”
“But... I'm fine... really-“
“No, you're not.”
Okay, so now I'm INSIDE the room, and I flop down into the corner again. Why is he looking at me like that? Did I sit in the wrong spot?
“In the bed...” I pointed at it and felt a chill run up my spine. First time I've said that to a girl... I hoped she wouldn't take that the wrong way, I was tired, and didn't feel up to explaining my sentences.
“I'm fine...” I repeated sleepily.
“Grr.” He grumbled in half-awake irritation. Then he simply picked her up physically and put her on the bed.
Her eyes stayed wide open, staring at him a moment before falling asleep as well.
Female minds are too complicated for me to understand... I thought as I fell asleep.
“Mmm... warm...” I could feel someone warm next to me... funny... I can't remember picking anyone up... I opened my eyes and saw auburn hair. I looked closer... GAH! Minaiya was curled next to me. I pulled away from her, but she scooted after me.
Scoot scoot...
Scoot scoot...
“GAH!” FLOMP! “Great... now I've fallen off the bed.” Oof! “And she's fallen on top of me. I'm really regretting inviting you in.”
“Min...”... “Min!”... “Min, get off me!”
“You were stealing the blankets...” she mumbled sleepily.
“Well... you're stealing my body heat right now!” God she's heavy as dead weight. “Min, get off of me, for the last time.” Great! Snuggling me again! I pushed her off and quickly jumped up as she snuggled the blankets. “Min... you're scary sometimes...”
“Kowai...” her eyebrows crinkled up in her sleep.
I waited an hour for her to wake up. After sitting there, looking at our recent acquirements. “Min, you're sleeping the day away.” I grumbled as I nudged her, of course, she's still on the floor... It couldn't be later then mid morning, but still! I wanted to get going!
“I'm awake... nyao...” She said as her eyes slowly opened, her ears twitching slightly. She sat up quickly as she realized where she was. “How'd I end up on the floor?”
“Weeeell, you decided I was a stuffed animal this morning and cuddled me. I decide to get out of bed and you follow... straight to the floor.” I shook my shirt out as I sighed and put it back on. “Fun as all hell to get up with dead weight on your chest.”
“I'm sorry... Min does not mean to be 'dead weight'...” I'm just ending up a bother... “I'll get the stuff together...” She replied solemnly as she tried to find her way out of the nest of blankets she had created by accident.
“Hey, it's alright. I got everything packed... and I meant dead-asleep weight.” Turick already had the pack on his back. “I was going to carry you on my back, too, if you weren't going to get up on your own.” He grinned, but shook his head as she stumbled up, the blankets wrapped around her.
She swatted off the cocoon-like layers of the blankets as she looked at the already prepared pack. She rolled the blankets up absently. “You're... you're going back home, right?”
“Home? I don't know the meaning of the word. I'm going to see my father, sure, but I'm NOT staying. If he's anything like my mother though... personally, I'd fear for my very life.” He refrained from spitting on the ground. “Let's go before the innkeeper decides to charge us more...”
...Home... “Yeah... sorry I called it wrong... let's go...”
“Why do you want to see your father?” Min asked out of boredom.
“I don't know why... I guess that I want to ask why I was born... My mother always spoke of him so acidly...” Turick yawned as he pulled the turban down to shade his eyes more against the sun.
Hmm... so you're just trying to answer the same questions as everyone else. “Maybe she's mad because he told her he was gay.” She snickered wickedly.
He gave her a sideways glare. “Leave my sexuality out of this.” He sighed and turned his head towards her. “Why'd you leave the village, anyway? I thought you liked being a guardian.”
Many reasons... “It's not that I don't like it... I wanted to learn about the world... learn why people hurt each other.” She closed her eyes in thought as the horse trotted along.
His voice softened slightly as he spoke. “... Most people do it to gain what the other had... others... just for plain fun... I should know...” Turick growled out the last part bitterly.
“Yes... I know too...” I will never forget their faces. “But I also wanted to be better able to defend those people that I am supposed to...” She touched a hand to the strap of her bow and quiver.
“Ah...” Turick sighed. “Cities are fun and all... but nothing compares to the green forests...” He breathed in deeply. He quickly snapped a hand to his head, gritting his teeth as he felt one of his visions coming on. “Ow, ow, ow... dammit.” He cursed.
“Oh! Did you hurt yourself? A bug bite you?” Min's ears twitched slightly as she listened to him.
“No... no... This happens sometimes... it's a curse to me but sometimes... “ He gritted his teeth again. “It's helpful...” He pulled hard on the horse's reigns, barely hopping off before he felt nauseous with the usual force of his visions, holding his head panting. He cursed under his breath in Dark Elvin.
Oh...
She felt her ears twitch slightly as she watched him out of curiosity. “I remember... before... I watched you.” She caught the aggravated look in his eye and blushed in embarasement; she hopped off the horse in the opposite direction. “I'm SORRY!” She ducked her head shamefully behind the horse. “I haven't been respecting your privacy!”
“It's okay, it's okay...” He rubbed his aching head feverishly. Jeez, why me? “Oh... feel like a hot spring?” He stood up as the pain subsided. “There is one we're coming up on.” He massaged his shoulder as he climbed onto the horse, as if nothing had happened.
She blinked quickly as he returned to the horse. “That was quick...”
“Sometimes it lasts for hours, other times only for minutes...” Min seated herself behind him on the saddle, and he was off at a gallop. “So, how about that hot spring?”
“What's a 'hot spring' ?”
“One of those big steaming pots of water I fell into when my wound was barely healed.” He pointed to the area where only about a week ago it was a horrible hole. “ 'member, Min?”
“Oh... but what's so interesting about a 'hot pot'?”
“Spring, Min, Spring.” He held up a finger as he corrected her. “You bathe and it makes you feel refreshed... at least, when you don't have a hole in your side... “ He sighed, trying not to remember TOO clearly how foolish he'd been.
“Oh... okay.” How does this help us reach his father? Let alone, can't you bathe in a stream? Her ears twitched instinctively as she thought.
“Ah... we should be coming up any minute now...” He sniffed the air, the stench of sulfur on the air. We're close. “Smell that Min, the rotten eggs-“
“I know what sulfur smells like, NYAO!”
“Well, That's a hot spring ...”
“Yes... hot pots are always like this...” I would have smelled it before even he sensed it if the gods were still with me... one in particular.
...
”Why are you stripping?”
“It's the only way to go into a hot spring!” He yelled as he ran towards the spring, jumping in with a rather immature cannonball. “Ah! Hot!” He laughed as he nestled into place against the rocks lining the spring. He looked back as he began to lounge, “Well, come on, Min!”
... She stared blankly at him a moment before walking off, mumbling, “I'll wait.”
”Ah! Min! Come on! Relax for a while! I don't care about your breasts, if that's what you're worried about!”
”What ABOUT my breasts?! This isn't about ME!!” She yelled from behind the nearest visual barrier she could find to hide behind. It happened to be some rather tall brush...
“Then... what IS it about? I won't look then!” He covered his eyes and sunk into the water up to his chin.
“One doesn't... not supposed to... it's... you're...” She stuttered with anger and frustration in her voice, “You're naked and that means I'm not supposed to be, you uncivilized half-wit KUR!” aiya ... thinking out loud again...
“Well, if that's how you feel, then I'll get OUT and head for town, and you can stay here-“
“NO!” he heard her meekly reply. “... I'm coming in...”
“HMPH! That's better!” he grumbled in irritation.
She walked in, heading straight for the water, sitting down below the surface quickly as possible and with none of the show Turick had made before.
Whaa? She has that same look as back in the marketplace...
“I had to wash first...” she said off hand. “You're supposed to wash first...”
“Never heard of that rule, I thought you washed afterwars, to get the smell off you...” He shrugged and dunked his head under quickly before continuing to soak. Ahh ... that refreshing BURNING sensation! “So... Min, you grow up in that village...? Or did you wander into there like me? And how does this 'guardian' thing go?”
“I wasn't born there... but I was born there ...”
He scrunched his nose into a confused expression.
“Same old sob story... parents killed, but before my mother died she had the strength to drag herself to the village to have me... “ Days of fevers and blood loss... not a moment of sanity before she died... “They found my... father... they suppose, later, along the southern trail... from the ounds and scene, their best guess was that bandits had attacked them, and my father had fended them off... for a while.”
Damn, Min...
He blinked a moment, taking in what she had just told him. “Damn... and what about the guardians? Please tell me it doesn't include an animal sacrifice...” He grinned nervously, trying to lighten the mood a little.
“Why, no, but a nice dark elf caught in the wild suffices nicely...” She grinned just enough to show her abnormally-sharp canines, one of the few traits she had not lost as she left the forest. She smiled only until she felt she had rattled him a little, before continuing on, “No... “ she shook her head, “It entails an invocation of the four great spirits...”
Creepy girl... “North, South, East, West...” He shifted uncomfortably after she had given him that smile...
Glad to see HIM uncomfortable for once. “Yeah. North, the great bear. West, the falcon. South, the mother Oak, and East, the Cat. Spirits, which, if you are choosen by them, deemed worthy, you are 'bestowed' certain gifts. Somewhere past the gray in the varying abilities, those people who are strongly attuned to the East or West become Guardians. The north are often the farmers and workers, the south, healers, artists... and parents... the guardians are thought to be agents of the gods' grace.”
“Ah-hmm...” he muttered in thought.
“I remember... the people of the village had always given me a choice... they would say, 'it's your decision to leave child.' ... they were always so kind to me... I wanted to do something to show them how thankful I was...” and to hope they might forgive me... though that... “They say that a western or eastern warrior is a rare gift... one blessed by the sun and the moon...”
He sighed, “At least they gave you a choice. When I was thirteen I overheard my brothers talking with my mother. They were discussing inheritances... I had no clue what they were talking about.” He shut his eyes, slipping into the water further. Jeez... the wind seems cold suddenly.
“What do you mean...” you're confusing... “You're not the oldest child, then?”
“I'm the youngest... my brothers are a hundred years older then me. Well, I tripped and they saw me. I realized then that I had stmbled onto something much more significant than I realized then...” That I even know now... “Something which I was NEVER meant to hear. The funny part is- still don't know what was so important about it... but it was important enough to chase me down to the outskirts of the city caverns, leave me bloody and beaten, and feebly hoping that I'd even LIVE through it...” it amazes me to this day how truly lucky I was to have survived...
“What was it you heard?!” Min said with interest.
He shook his head, “I don't know. I only caught the tail end of the conversation. Bascically, I think, it was about when I would be presented to my oldest brother at the castle,” he shrugged, trying to recall the details. “I didn't understand. As far as I knew, I had two brothers, no more... oh well... hey- I'm going to get something to eat, okay? We'll leave soon.” He turned and climbed up out of the spring, searching around a moment to find where he'd flung his clothes into a pile.
Min stared down at the calming ripples of the pool, going over all he had just told her. “Presented? Why does that have such an ominous ring to it?”
Chapter 3: Quick Snake, Slow Poison
Return to The Playwrights' Scripts
