"You have twigs in your hair. And don't spill the water!!"
"Yeah, well, fix your dress, love, might as well walk back naked."
I cleaned his hair, pushing him a little and spilling some water from his bucket. I wanted to be fast, but then...
"It's not my fault you can't stop after one round."
"Says the lady begging me for it..." he snorted.
I pulled some of his hair in retaliation and fixed my dress, then checked my own hair for any obvious evidence. Saying everyone knows what happened would be an understatement.
Ughh, Eleanor was right... They just sat around the fire waiting for us.
"Well... next time, I suppose I'll just get the water myself," my mother said, giving us a sharp look.
"Brother... your hair." Alexander pointed, prompting Zephyr to fix his hair.
"I told you..." My sister rubbed it in when I was within earshot.
We looked anywhere but them and sat down the water near the cauldron. Soon, the pots were boiling, and the delicious smell of my mother's stew filled our surroundings.
I sat with my back to Zephyr's chest, and in my lap was Anna, who enjoyed my hair pats.
We chatted with Alex and Demelza when I noticed something. "Where is Mr. Emil, Granny?"
She looked off at the distance. "He knew some of the others camping over there and went to greet them. It was some time ago..."
I looked back at Zephyr. He just nodded.
"I'll go check on him, Vistellia." He climbed out.
"Thank you, son." Granny looked relieved.
He walked along the lines of carriages, checking in the direction the Emil's son pointed.
"Is the City really that big?" Ilianna looked right up.
"That's right, sweetheart. I'm confident you're gonna love it. There are all sorts of crazy characters from other nations. Some have different skin color or talk a different language. And the food... and the sweets. Hmm..."
"Sis, you are gonna be a fat woman."
If I had powers, my sister would be hit with something right now. She hid behind Lucian and peeked over his shoulders.
"That's fine... I'll just double down with training with Zephyr." I was quick to retaliate.
"What kind of training?"
"All kinds, you little gnome... but you wouldn't understand." I smiled at my sister.
Now, it was her turn to try and manifest powers to hurt me. Just then, a familiar whirlwind behind hit me.
"Hey, you're ba—"
Zephyr arrived carrying Metill on his back, who was not only unconscious but his head was bleeding, dripping onto Zephyr's clothes.
"Vistellia! Come quick."
He laid the man down gently on the grass, near the light of the fire.
"Father!!"
"Master, what happened to him?"
His sons and daughters surrounded him quickly.
"What happened to him, son!?" asked Granny while unpacking her medicine kit.
"I found him near the tree line over there. No one else around. His boots and coin are gone." He looked around in the night and back to Metill. "Looks beaten, aside from his head."
I stepped near Zephyr to check, but there wasn't a scratch on him, but those eyes were sharp and never stopped scanning our surroundings.
"Alex! Lucian! Be alert! Vistellia, did he mention the name of the man he went to see?"
Alexander and Lucian drew their swords and took up position.
Granny was cleaning Metill's head wound and rubbing a paste to stop the bleeding. She answered without ever losing concentration. "He told me his name is Tikrit, and he is a merchant. He walked off... I couldn't see where he stopped."
"I'll go back and question some people. You stay, Lylly... I'll be back soon, okay?"
He cut me off before I could say I wanted to go with him. He kissed me way too short and disappeared with the usual winds.
I turned around and went to see Metill, who was being checked by Eli and Granny. The bleeding had already stopped.
At this point, others noticed that something was happening and came near our campsite.
"With respect! All of you stay away... or be cut down!"
To my surprise, Lucian stepped up and warned those creeping closer. In their defense, I don't think they wanted us harm. In fact, most immediately stopped in their tracks, and some even put their hands up defensively.
I felt Ilianna hugging my stomach. She looked scared, and if Zephyr saw her like that, these poor souls might suffer for it.
"It's okay, sweetheart. Your father is close..." I knelt down and looked at her with a light expression so as not to scare her more. "He will never let anything happen to you. Don't be scared."
I did my best to calm her down before her already on-edge father returned.
"Father is opening his eyes..." His youngest, Miri, spoke up, drawing my attention to her father.
"...Vi... Vistellia." Metill woke up and saw Granny, who was still wrapping his head.
"Take it easy. You've been attacked. Do you remember what happened?" She brought some water near his mouth and let him drink some first.
He took a few small sips with a satisfied groan before continuing. "I was having an argument with Tikrit... he said I owed him coin for something from an ancient time ago." His expression showed he felt horrible, and his eyes were still confused. "When I refused to pay, he had his man let me have it."
"I'll say... along with your coin, they even took your boots. Just take it easy." Once he heard this, he wanted to look up and check, but Granny gently pushed him down. "Zephyr is already out there."
He lay his head down on a pillow his daughter bought for him. "I keep relying on his kindness..." he stared at the stars lamenting.
"We all do... now eat something and rest." Granny stood up and walked away to make him a bowl.
Mother came over and picked up my daughter. I think she was just as scared as her. I checked, and the people still stood around us whispering. Some were still getting closer to better hear and see us.
"He was attacked by someone inside here..."
"Keep your head on a swivel. Nowhere is safe..."
"I heard there's a blessed here."
"I saw a young man who appeared like magic."
"I saw him too, the blue-haired one..."
"Hey, you two soldiers! Tell us what happened."
"Stop pointing those swords at us!!"
"People, you've been warned. There is no reason to be here... leave!"
I saw Alexander standing imposing between us and them. He and Lucian both clearly remembered what happened on our way back from Tori. This is getting out of hand. Go away already! Before Zephyr arrives and sees this. His family is surrounded by some mob...
With a strong wind, Zephyr came just then, dripping wet... but still couldn't wash away all the blood.
The whispering around us became louder, and some even went down their knees; others just stared at him with fear in their eyes. He looked at us, seeing signs of fear, and his eyes turned cold in an instant.
"People! I'll ask you to keep a level head and leave my family be. What the hell are you doing..."
"I don't think an explanation is too much to ask!?? What is your name, kid!?"
Some idiot stepped forward and blocked his view of us. I felt my stomach tighten... Some people have no self-awareness. Before Zephyr could answer...
"Dad!"
Ilianna broke off from my mother and ran towards him. She tripped on the man's feet, who blocked her way. And then he did something very, very stupid...
"Damn brat!! How dare yo..."
He couldn't really finish... he was gone with Zephyr, and those surrounding us backed away in a panic.
I went and picked up my daughter, taking a few steps back. "BACK AWAY!" Alexander quickly changed his demeanor and was ready to swing.
He didn't have time.
With three total seconds past, Zephyr arrived back alone, touching the ground and sending a small shockwave we felt under our feet. He was looking very scary.
"ALL OF YOU... LEAVEEEEE!!!"
The people scattered away like the devil chased them, some crawling on the ground like animals. Once all were gone, and from the looks, even breaking camp to flee into the night, I looked at him.
He had his back turned to us... I saw him taking deep breaths, then turned around and came over, hugging us both. Ilianna climbed on him.
"...I'm so sorry, princess. That rude man is all gone now."
She rested her head on his shoulder while I caressed her hair.
"Dad... is that man coming back?"
He looked angry just thinking about it.
"No, no... I doubt we'll ever see him." His eyes lost their shine for a moment. "...Ever, ever again. Now let's get some food... I'm starving."
"Hmm..."
He held her with one hand and pulled me closer with the other. I hugged my family tight, just standing there.
My best guess is that poor devil was still falling from the clouds, having enough time to contemplate every decision he had ever made... and the final one that killed him.