A Hero With/Out Time

Chapter 9: My Calm (Part 6)

With the excitement over Lara and I waited at the apothecary till Michael's sister woke up fully. While we waited I used the equipment downstairs to make a few mixtures of my own and talk with the man who ran the store. His name was Mala and had been living in Greytree for the past twenty years. Truly he was an exceptional apothecary and business man but when I told him about the cure he was still surprised. If anything it just went to show how much of an oddball my teacher was. We ended up getting into a conversation about brewing techniques and I even taught him how to mix potions inside your mouth. His reaction to that was interesting to say the least.

Michael and his sister Lily thanked us gratefully for our help and when Lara was sure they'd be fine we left the apothecary in the afternoon. There wasn't much else to do aside from relax in the town. Together we met with Taylor, found Earnest drinking alone, took Marley to eat some ice cream, discussed some issues with Ronalt and inspected the carriage again with Ardent. It was peaceful.

When night came and I laid myself onto my bed I couldn't sleep. It wasn't that I wasn't tired. Instead it was an odd feeling of everything being too calm. Was it really alright for us to just spend time here so leisurely? Sure we had to wait for the carriage to be repaired before we could leave but after all that I had experienced it felt wrong to have this opportunity.

I brushed off my blankets and opened the window leaning out to take in the fresh air. The town was darkening and only a few lights could be seen. The inn was a higher class place and had a nice view of streets leading towards the main gate. I breathed in deeply and sighed. At home during this time the outside world would be almost pitch black aside from the light of the moon. There would be barely any sound but here even now I could hear the quiet shuffles in the dark as people walked the streets.

"It's too quiet," Taylor's voice came from beside me and I turned to see her leaning out her own window like I was.

"I was just thinking the opposite," I laughed softly.

"I don't mean literally. This place... it's so close to the border but they're living like nothing will ever happen. We're on the cuff of war and yet they just go on with their everyday lives. I- I don't understand." Her eyes stared down towards the far buildings. Though her words said one thing there was a longing in her blue eyes.

"It's normal for them, and people usually like it when things stay that way. Change is hard."

"Yeah... it really is," her hands tightened almost unnoticeably.

"What, still feel like stealing things?"

She nodded, "Honestly yes." I was taken aback, my question wasn't meant to be serious. "Staying in the one place for this long... it's not something I'm used to. Like when we had dinner, the waiter recognised us. He recognised me. He even tried to flirt."

"I'm surprised you didn't take him up on the offer," I poked fun at her.

"I was tempted," she smiled as if mocking herself. "Rain have you ever fallen in love with someone?"

"Can't say I have," I replied easily, at least on the surface.

"Of all the things I've stolen a person's heart is the most satisfying. Spend a night, a day and in that time make them yours. Women, men, it didn't matter to me. What I wanted was their love, to know that they thought of me. And when I was gone, to know that they could never forget me."

I didn't know what to say. Yes, I had seen Taylor do just that. When we passed through on our previous cycles. The town's we stayed in, she'd sneak away and come back the next morning.

"Do you still want to?" I asked awkwardly. My eyes flicked towards her, "I mean go out and steal someone's heart."

"Like I said before, yes... a little. I'm not sure. It feels like I lost the point of it all," she turned and looked at me. I had gotten used to it but Taylor was really a beautiful women. However she was still young and right now seemed fragile. Her hair swept softly in the wind, the light of moon lit up her face, "Rain what should I do?"

I couldn't reply. No words formed. For a moment I said nothing.

"You really like springing this stuff on me don't you?" I couldn't help chuckle.

She laughed herself, "Sorry, it's just I feel like I can talk to you."

"I think...," I paused. Did I really have the right to give her this advice? Before she said that she started to care for us and now she was having trouble adjusting. I shook myself and continued, it was the least I could do, "I think that you no longer need to. You stole for the attention right? Well me, Lara and everyone else, we remember you, we know you and we want to know more about you." I smiled whole heartedly, "You're not alone."

A red tinge crossed her face, "W-wow Rain way to say something so embarrassing." She fanned herself as I reddened myself realising what I had said. Then she looked at me again and smiled, "Thank you though, I needed to hear that."

"No problem." I stretched, "Well I'm going to sleep. Goodnight."

"You could always spend some more time with me if you want, of course it'll be in my room," she winked at me. And there it was, the part of her that never really changed.

"Ha try again later. I might actually take you seriously," I waved her away.

"I will," the words were said so softly I didn't know if I actually heard them.

"What was that?"

"Goodnight Rain," she moved away from the window.

"Yeah... goodnight Taylor."