In the hour that I spent in her company, I learned two things about the mercenary: her name and that she was a silent, brooding, grumpy person.
Eventually the silence became unbearable, and I tried to break the ice. "So where are we going?" I asked. She turned to me as I was following her. Since her strides were so much bigger than mine. She grumbled, "Almost there, you slop. I need to stop by my house to pick up supplies and information."
When she turned her body fully to my side, I filled her shadow, overflowing my presence, making me shrink into myself. "You are going to stay outside the house and not interfere, you understand?" She narrowed her eyes, nostrils flaring.
I knew there was more to this; clearly whatever was in the house was really important to her, but I wasn't going to pry, so I just kept quiet until we got there. It was smaller than I imagined, about the size of a shack. White tiles greeted the entry to the door. The house was newly painted, and I could see small chalk marks on the floor and walls. Colorful crayons lay on the grass. Clearly whoever owned this house had children.
Maron grumbled, her foot nudging the chalk to sit against the wall. She gave a gentle knock, and a grin grew on her face.
A soft voice answered, "Maron? Come in."
She opened the door, revealing a small warm space with a few toys sitting on the floor. Resting on the floor was the owner of the toys when it was nowhere to be found. A warm smell greeted my greedy nose.
I moved to the kitchen, and Maron was fast to follow me. A small woman with raven hair bent over the kitchen counter. She was carrying out a tray of hot muffins. Maron looked at me with disdain but stayed quiet. I did promise to stay outside, but I needed leverage over her.
Clearly whoever this is meant enough to her so she wouldn't reveal who I am to her or ask me to go out in front of her.
The woman with the Raven hair chafed her hands together, cleaning them. She turned fully to the both of us, but her eyes did not land on me. They landed on the woman beside me, but I could not even be concerned over that.
Her face and her eyes were so familiar, and I knew who she was immediately. I could not forget those dark eyes and full lips making into a heart shape. And that scar she got falling off a tree climbing trees with me on her shoulder.
Nyla, my sister, stood in front of me after I hadn't seen her in over 10 years.
She strode to Moraine, giving her a kiss on the cheek. "I missed you, honey." She looked at me as if I was a stranger. "And who are you?"
I could not stop the tears burning into my eyes. I slapped a hand over my mouth to stop the awful sob ripping through me. Nyla frowned, not understanding. Moraine looked for the very first time concerned for me.
"Nyla, is that you?"
The frown on her brow prickled in concentration, still not understanding who I am and why I know her name. "It's me. It's Taji, your big brother, do you remember me?"
Maron's eyes bounce from me to my little sister, who starting to understand exactly what's happening. She's crying just like me. "Taj?"
I nod my head, not able to have the words come out of my mouth. I hug her in a bear hug, crushing the both of us in the embrace.