Heed My Warnings And Survive

Chapter Twenty Six

Pain, And Comfort

We reached a small village not long after, and got a room at the tiny inn. I sighed as I looked at the bed, it was very small, and as gentlemen Finley, and I had to let Kiara have it, but the warm covers looked so inviting. There was however a very small fire we could curl up next to.

“Draven. Do you want the bed?” Kiara asked. I looked over at her.

“No, you can sleep there,” I said. Setting my things next to the bed.

“Are you sure? You look exhausted,” She persisted. I shook my head.

“No thank you. I’ll sit next to the fire.” Kiara nodded.

“Well I’m gonna go get a meal. Do either of you want some?” I shook my head, but Finley jumped up.

“Yeah I’m starving,” He said. They both left the room, leaving me alone with my thoughts. I curled up on my side with a blanket over me. Falling asleep quickly, with much pain, and tears.

“The next morning I woke to the chatter of Kiara, and Finley. I didn’t move. I didn’t want to uncurl from my cocoon of warmth, I knew if I unclenched my body then all the pain, sadness, anger, numbness, and sorrow would return to my heart, and the ache, that horrible ache, and yet despite my baryer, all of those feelings returned, and soon after so did the tears. Kiara, and Finley came over to me, each placing a hand on my shoulder.

“He’s really gone isn’t he Fin?” I said, my voice shaking.

Yeah, he is,” He said sadly, as though his heart had just split in two. “You know, you two are the only family I’ve ever known. He- He was like my big brother.” His voice broke, and he sat next to me, sharing in my tears, and pain.

We stayed in that tiny town for a number of days, and after a while I lost count, but the sorrow of my lost friend had ebbed, and my positive emotions were returning, I had even begun to laugh, and joke once more, as did my friends. We were happy, we were settling, and everything was going ok. It was nice, and I was now able to in a way court Kiara, it was nice. In fact I was just entering the inn, where we were going to have lunch together. I scanned the room looking for her, and my eyes quickly landed on her. I walked over, and sat beside her at the table.

“Hello,” I said smiling. She gave me an uneasy smile.

“Hey.” I furrowed my brow.

“What’s wrong?” she gestured to a man at a nearby table.

“He hasn’t taken his eyes off me since I entered here,” She said, sounding uncomfortable. I took her hand.

“How about we don’t focus on him, and we enjoy a nice meal together,” I suggested. Kiara smiled.

“Alright.” However we were interrupted by the man from the other table. He sauntered over to us, and sat on the other side of Kiara, and deliberately took her hand out from under mine, and kissed it. I glared at him.

“Hello lovely,” He said in a low voice. Smiling at her. Kiara extracted her hand from his before he could place his lips that he had just licked on it.

“Good afternoon sir,” She said politely. The man smiled wider.

“What a beautiful young woman like you doing wasting your time with this peasant?” He asked. Kiara raised her eyebrow.

“Excuse me sir, but what I do with my time is none of your business.” She said indignantly. The man sneered at me. And I glared back.

“I’d advise you to leave her alone, good sir,” I said, plastering a fake smile onto my face.

“Oh yes? And what are you going to do about it boy?” I clasped my hands in front of me.

“See sir I’m a heeler, and am well versed in remedies, as well as the things that give cause for said remedies, such as poisons. If I so pleased I could kill a man with one drop of liquid, or slowly over time. I could make it painless, or excruciating. I could make him sick, and kill those around him as well, or I could even kill him instantly before he could draw two breaths.” The man looked at me with fear behind his eye, and as I had done with Devin soi long ago, I extracted a random vile from my pocket, and held it up. The man stood quickly.

“Excuse me. I have a prior engagement.” He bowed, and left us. I looked at Kiara who burst out laughing. I joined her, and after overcoming our fit of laughter, we atem then proceeded to go on a walk as the sun set.

The past few days we had all been longing to return to our home in the small village we had percoused our farm at, so we decided it was time to return. So in the early morning we left, on the road once more, but this time it felt nice. Natural even. Our nights passed without anything happening.

The days warmed as we neared Tarni, and I remembered my distaste for my homelands’ weather. Weeks after we had left the small village we reached the border between Tarni, and Telanda. And not long after, we arrived at the village we had met Imelda for the second time at, which meant not only were we getting close to my old home, but also my newer one. I smiled as we came across the Village. We stayed a few nights there before continuing on, and eventually making it back to our little village, where my tailor shop was, as was our little farm. Kiara smiled as we reached our home.

“I missed it here,” She said entering the small house. I smiled.

“Me too,” Finley said contently. “I’m gonna go check on the horses. Haven’t seen them in ages.” He turned, and left the house. I sighed.

“I’m gonna go check the garden. Who knows how many weeds have grown since last time I was here,” I said. Turning to exit the house.

The guardian was beautiful, there were weeds yes, but the vegetables were thriving. I smiled as I observed them.

“Wow. the weeds didn’t hinder them at all,” Finley said, walking up behind me. I shook my head.

“No. Not one bit. I’m astonished.” Finley patted my back.

“Well let’s stars wedding,” He said. I smiled, and nodded.

We weeded the guardian until the sun set, and when we entered the house Kiara had prepared a beautiful stew.

“Did you go to the village?” Finley asked. Kiara nodded.

“Yeah, thought I’d get you two a proper meal for all your hard work,” She told us. Finley, and I sat, digging into the stew. It was incredible, the meat was tender, and the vegetables were the perfect texture.

“Mmm. this is amazing Kiara,” I said. She smiled.

“Thank you kind sir,” She said.

“Hey hey, I’m trying to eat,” Finley said. I chuckled.

“Of course. I apologize my friend.

The next day I went to check up on my tailor shop, and to my surprise there was someone there running it. I entered the shop. Going to the counter to meet her.

“Excuse me?” I asked. She looked at me.

“Hello. How may I help you sir?” She said cheerfully. I tilted my head.

“This is my shop,” I said.

“I asked Meri to watch it whilst I was away. If I may. Who are you?” I said. The woman’s eyes widened.

“Oh you must be Dravin then.” I nodded. She smiled. “I’m Fay. I’m Meri’s daughter. I run the shop while she’s busy at the inn,”

“Oh. I see. Well no need for you to run it now. I’m back, and I believe we intend to stay for a while.” Fay smiled.

“Of course.” She came out from behind the counter. “I believe everything is in order.” She said, I smiled, and nodded.

“Thank you,” I said. She gave me another quick smile before exiting the shop. I went behind the counter checking everything. Making sure all my supplies were there, and they were. I then went to the back room to check the fabrics. Everything was there, and accounted for.