Shit I stayed out way too late...
Kai sighed to himself as he walked down the dark, cobblestone road, he had entered Evergreen just as the moon rose fully in the sky, illuminating his surroundings slightly. The weariness in his mind and body weighed heavily on him as he saw the now dark sign of The Red Hare Inn, slowly opening the door.
"Someone sure is late.." A middle-aged man chuckle from behind the bar, "You better not keep the young lass waiting, she has been up and down the stairs all night, even stepping outside to look for ya."
She stayed up waiting for me?..
Kai's eyes widened slightly as he nodded to the old man, quietly walking up the stairs and entering their shared room. Sitting silently on the windowsill was Elise, looking out the window.
"Hey, I'm sorry I was out so-" Kai had started to say quietly before Elise turned her head to face him, her lower lip quivering slightly, a couple tears trailing down her cheeks.
"Do you have any idea how worried I was?" She murmured softly, "You said you wouldn't be out too late.. it has been almost six hours since we ate dinner here and you left!" Her lip continued to quiver softly as she stared at him.
"I'm sorry.. I had no idea how long I was out there, I was killing monsters to get us money." Kai replied softly as he gazed at her, noticing her in her new nightgown, the silver hairpin with the sapphire inside of it neatly in her white, whispy hair.
"You can't promise a girl you won't be too long and that you will come back without expecting this when you come back so late and look at you do!" She exclaimed quietly as her gaze intensified on Kai's battered leather armor, an indent almost perfectly replicating the Orc's fist right on the side of his chest armor.
I really screwed up, didn't I?...
"I was planning on coming back much sooner Elise, I was taking care of the goblins I killed before I was attacked by an orc." Kai replied as he grunted softly, unclasping the leather armor, letting it fall to the ground next to the bed that didn't have Elise's belongings, "I'm sorry."
"Just make sure to come back earlier next time, or tell me you will be out later, you big dummy." Elise replied quietly with a soft smile as she composed herself, wiping the few stray tears and walking to her bed, sitting down on it, "I'm just so relieved you are safe."
This is so weird... even in my old life, I didn't have others that weren't my parents that were so concerned of where I was let alone how long I was gone. Yet her she is, she stayed up and waited, fretting over me being gone so late.
"I'll tell the orc next time to wait to fight me at another date next time, but this one literally hit me while I was handling the goblin bodies." Kai chuckled softly as he stretched, taking off his shirt and glancing at his side, a dark, purple bruise resided where the creature struck his side, but there was only minor soreness. His toned torso rippled slightly as he stretched, causing Elise's cheeks to flush a light pink.
"As my travel companion and only person I have, I expect you to keep your promises, you're lucky yiu came back mostly safe, or you would be sleeping in the stables!" Elise held up a finger as she scolded Kai playfully, trying to hide her flustered state.
I'm the only person she has?..
Kai laid back onto his bed as he watched Elise with quiet amusement as she scolded him before asking in a quiet voice, "Are you serious that I am the only one you have?"
I guess that would explain her going out of town to scavenge for food, but something still doesn't add up..
Kai thought deeply as his gaze remained on Elise, who fidgeted a little before speaking, "To tell you the truth, I was sold as a child by my family for not being a boy.." Her voice wavered slightly but she continued, "I was a slave for years, owned by a noble who resided right on the border of this kingdom... but I managed to escape a few years ago."
"But you see, they mark you as their property.. and everywhere checks for the mark, to make sure they don't break the law by harboring an escaped slave.." Her eyes travel down to the floor before turning around, her back facing Kai as she lowers her night-gown, revealing a family crest branded on the small of her back, "I'm so sorry I didn't tell you the truth at first, but I just wanted to be free and not seen as property. Please Malakai, don't turn me in." Her shoulders shook as she wept quietly, her long white hair hiding the sides of her face.
That explains why she was so excited, so thoroughly grateful for getting the clothes, soap, hair accessories, stuff that could actually be hers...
Kai thought quietly as he got up from his bed, and walking towards Elise. His hands gently grabbed the top of her gown, and pulled it back up over her shoulders.
"Now, why would I turn in my travel companion? Don't be silly." He whispered playfully in her ear as he rubbed her back reassuringly.
"B-because you can get in a lot of trouble if you don't, and also you would get a lot of money for returning me." Elise continued to sob softly, her chest heaving as she leaned slightly into his touch.
"I won't get in trouble if nobody finds out." He chuckled softly, continuing to rub her back,"I'll do my best to keep you safe, alright?"
I wonder if I could even use an ability of mine to remove that brand...
Kai thought silently as he continued to rub her back.
I think I have an idea, but it won't be pretty... but first, Open Shop, Purchase 4x Health Potions.
4x Health Potions Acquired
-400 Coins
Remaining Balance:
3600 Coins
"Hey Elise... I'm going to need you to trust me on this, okay? But I may be able to remove this mark, but this is going to be very painful.. you are going to have to be very quiet, and may need to bite down on something, alright?" Kai murmurs to her as he retrieves a Health Potion and his new sword.
"Wait... what?" Elise's voice trembles as her gaze shifts to face Kai, her face red and puffy from the tears, "Of course I trust you..."
"Good, now here is this, I need you to drink this when I tell you alright? Don't do it before I say so or it won't do it's job completely." Kai instructed quietly, as he used his mind to power the sword.
Blade of Light
The edge of the blade began to glow a soft blue, the excess energy channeling into the body of the blade, a measure it seems to keep it from being destroyed, unlike his old shoddy sword.
"Okay, bite down on something Elise, I am very sorry, but this is going to hurt, a lot.." He murmured has he pulled down her nightgown just enough to reveal the entirety of the brand, a marking looking like a family crest burned onto her skin, "You won't be property not another day."
Kai used as little force as possible with the blade, the glowing edge humming quietly as it slid into flesh for the first time, cutting through like butter. Elise whimpered and stifled a small scream but stayed still, her mouth biting down hard on her pillow.
I will protect her with all of my being, no matter what.
Kai thought silently to himself as he slowly and carefully cut out the branded skin off of her back. The heat generated from the light coating the edge of his blade seemed to almost cauterize the wound as he cut, very minimal blood leaking out. His freehand held Elise's side to steady her as well as comfort her, his thumb rubbing gently against her. After a few more minutes of silent concentration, the piece of skin on Elise's back gave way as it was peeled off.
"Okay, drink what is in that bottle." Kai murmured quietly. Elise nodded weakly, still holding in her pain as she popped open the bottle, grimacing as her lips left the pillow and began to take in the gross, green tinted liquid. Within a few moments, the spot on her back that was cut began to heal itself, new skin forming rapidly, the bleeding stopping completely, and within a few minutes, was completely healed, the new skin holding no trace of the brand.
"You're free now." Kai murmured quietly as he handed her the piece of branded skin he cut off as proof, pulling up her nightgown gently for her before walking back to his own bed, shoving his sword back into his inventory as he plopped onto the mattress, thoroughly exhausted at this point.
"T-thank you... thank you so much." Elise cried quietly as she looked at the brand, now freed from her body, "For everything, for the shopping, giving me a place to sleep, company, freeing me."
"Now nobody can tell you that they own you. So don't worry about traveling with me, it's what I want." Kai replied back drowsily, the events of the day finally hitting him like a truck.
I will protect her with my life, no matter what. I haven't once felt this way towards someone, not even my parents in my past life. The screaming need to protect and to be beside...
Kai thought to himself silently as he drifted off to sleep.