DOOM SAGA I - I'll be home tomorrow

Day 212

Argent d'Nur

He had to trek carefully as the trails were more dangerous than expected, and he didn't want to slip while she was nearly asleep on his back. His heavy cloak was shielding both of them from the wind that bit mercilessly up here in the mountains, and he began to worry if they would make it before the night. He was focused on the deep snow in front of him, the path along the hillside through the woods was no longer visible, as a shadow darkened the world over the already overcast sky.
Above them from the other side of the peak, deep black and blue clouds came down unexpectedly, and with them roaring winds. He had to turn away for a moment, as it blew fine ice into the air. They were not terribly far away. But without orientation, he wouldn't dare to go on much longer.
They had taken too long, the path was not cleared at all, so he had to carry her nearly all the way. The signs were broken or too worn down that he had to go by memory, but the wilderness had changed in the last couple of years. Clouds formed from her breath from underneath the big hood and he felt it freeze on his face as the temperature already began to drop. He needed to find shelter, now. He trekked quicker, wishing he had his strength back as he ploughed through, panting from exhaustion.
Snow fell heavy and the wind blew it sideways down the mountain limiting his sight as, at the corner of the path where a clearing had formed because the rocks were too steep for roots, he finally lay his eyes on something.

The early winter sunrise coloured the world in gold and blinding white as the storm that had raged throughout the night had frozen everything. The paths along the hillside here were luckily not covered in much snow, the open area not allowing it to build up. She let down the little body to walk on its own and watched the little packed-in-fur mannequin stagger down the way. She followed a few meters behind, the mechanical bow hanging from her shoulder, as she watched her child walk slower and stare into the open shelter that was carved into the rock at the side.
"Avik mun tosa!", the woman whispered in shock and vaulted to keep her son from poking the thing in the corner with his stick.
"No!", she scolded him cautiously and sat him at a safer distance before taking a closer look.
Snow had blown into the open front and built upon the back of the figure that was sat there. From the man's head, only the hair and his eyes poked through the cloak. Ice coated his skin and hair, hung from his lashes, and as the woman's hand touched his shoulder the eyes ripped open and she shrieked surprised.
"Mun tosa... Mun tosa!"
"He alive is!", the little boy yelled happily. The blonde woman stammered overwhelmed before coming closer again to help. He was tugged tightly into the corner, finding as much protection as there was possible in this hellscape.
"Are you okay?!", she asked in a panic, as her hand lay down and felt more movement under the cloak. His bluish-green eyes watched her patiently, waiting, before he pulled his mouth from the little hole and moved his face to get rid of the ice. He searched for her gaze before nodding, and the quiet mumble from his small cloak-tent made her wonder.
"We are okay, Valis.", he said softly and watched her face freeze.
"Wha- How...?"
She looked him up and down, and as a pale face peeked from at his chest her eyes blinked as she understood.
"Slayer...", she whispered in relief and fell around his neck.
"We've been waiting for you!"

"Gropa? Gropaaa?", she called as they closed the heavy door to the house behind them. She sighed and immediately pulled off the thick clothing layers and hung them on a rack in the anteroom. The Slayer helped Io as her body seemed stiff from huddling all night, but the warmth of the inside already welcomed them. Even the little boy knew what to do, though clumsily sitting on the floor to pull his boots off, and ran inside quickly.
"He must still be asleep.", Valis said as she put some logs into the big fireplace that heated what looked like the main room of the house. It was only very dimly lit, the windows locked up and barred against the storms of the winter.
"Sit! I get you something warm!"
Without much hesitation, the Slayer obliged and took a much familiar place at the table. As he looked back, he could see her shy eyes scanning every inch of the wood and stone building and her hands fidgeted nervously.
"Sit!", the woman repeated with a tender laugh.
"We invited you to come here, dear. No need to be afraid of us!"
She poured some steaming brew into big cups on the table and sat down with them on the other side, her son next to her already playing with some tiny wooden toys, dice and figurines. Her hands closed cautiously around the hot cup, and a sigh let her relax a little as the Slayer moved. He pulled a little bundle from the bag and Valis knowingly bend over the table in excitement. She snatched it from his hand and a second later examined the dark root-like sticks in it.
"Oh my, you really brought them! Thank you! Thank you so much, Slayer!", she held it tight to her chest and immediately began to chew on one of them joyfully.
"You want some?", she asked, but still looking at everything but them Io hadn't seen the amused look they had exchanged for a heartbeat. Hesitantly she grabbed a small piece that had broken off and licked it.
"Mmh!"
Their faces transformed as quickly as their look had been and they watched her confused and unbelieving. Io was too focused on one of the first sweet things she had tasted here and began gnawing it like a lollipop. The Slayer shook his head at Valis's questioning gaze.
"Io... you know... It only tastes sweet... when a woman is... pregnant...", she said unsure of what she was witnessing. Io froze and looked at them just as confused as they looked at her.
"But, I mean... It's also sweet for children, you know, before puberty... so maybe...",  Valis tried to explain it rather to herself than to Io, continuously looking at him for confirmation, but he was as clueless as her.
"Maybe... since you were so sick... maybe your body is not yet... ready...?"
The Slayer and Valis nodded to each other and then to her, but she didn't look at them anymore, staring onto the table and placing the root bag with the rest.
"I mean it's medicine anyway. It helps with all the sickness that pregnancy and all of that kind holds. I mean... I... Io... did you already bleed since--?", she asked keeping her eyes connected with him, and when he shook his head discreetly as a silent answer when Io didn't. She was resigning from the conversation already, a shadow creeping in below her forced calm expression.
"Yeah... that's probably it...", she said impassive, still staring at the wooden surface. Valis swallowed at his worried eyes before she put on her happy face again.

"You need to eat something. I'll warm some of the breakfast up for you and Gropa.", she said and got up to the brick and metal stove next to the fireplace.
"Breakfast? Seems like I'm just on time...!"
The raspy old voice made the Slayer's face light up as the man stepped out of one of the two doors on the right side of the room.
"Valen.", Slayer answered, getting up to greet him warmly. A manly long hug and some shoulder pats later, she noticed he had only one arm, hidden under the blanket that hung around his shoulders. He grabbed the Slayer's face to take a good look at him.
"You haven't changed a bit grumpy old man.", Valen chuckled and let go to take hold of a crutch that he seemingly needed to support himself, his back bent and his movement rigid. He was old, very old. All of his sparse hair was white and his skin was freckled with age. As the Slayer wrapped his arm loosely around him to help him to the table, she noticed the storm of emotions brewing within those much familiar blue eyes. Was this the friend he was talking about? He was so old, much older than-- her eyes widened for a second before she turned away. She always forgot about these things. But before she could sink deeper into her dark thoughts a friendly voice called for her.
"So that's the little troublemaker that dared to piss onto King Novik's leg?", Valen asked as he sat down, his eyes... eye, curiously watching her.
Unsure and surprised she stammered, looking at the Slayer for help. Valen huffed amused.
"You know, I wanted to do that for a long, long time. Must have balls bigger than his!"
He nodded towards the Slayer, who grunted unimpressed but her sudden flattered giggle let Valen's eyebrows raise. His demeanour changed, and a soft smile underlined his gentle eyes.
"I see...", he mumbled to himself watching her hiding her humbled grin.
Breakfast was different from what she had gotten used to but good either way. A bowl of hot broth, hearty and yet sweeter than salty. Some thick slices of darker bread brought a piece of heaven to her heart as she hadn't had any in months. She was glad that it was easy for her to bring it down; the first meal that she did not share with him, though it took her some time. But nobody rushed her. She noticed the Slayer's discreet observation of her, and the others were too tangled in their conversation with him and each other, loud, but also gentle. They laughed, argued, choked and spilt their broth as they poked their old friendship. As her bowl was emptied and her stomach full she felt the tiredness come to the surface, as the night had not been much restful. Mellow fingers brushed some strands behind her ear again, the uneven length of her thinning hair unable to stay tied up. She did not need to say anything as he knew what that look of her meant.
"You both look pooped. It would be best if you rested until noon; being outside for such a long time truly drains the body...", Valen said before the Slayer could raise his gaze from her again.
The small bedroom chambers were on the upper floor that was connected with a big open stair which was comparably steep to climb. Valis led them along the straight inner wall, the rooms themselves positioned under the slanted roof. It was comfortably warm up here, though one felt the frost creep through the cracks in the walls wherever it could. The chambers were small, maybe three by four meters, still a bigger family would have found enough space here. Valis left them alone to ready her son, Aether his name, for his own naptime. The bed was low but sturdy and warm with fur and wool. Yet it felt strange lying in a strange one again. Smoke and the scent she could already connect to this family wrapped around the freshly made linen.

"Io... Io..."
A warm hand shook her shoulder awake and she rose from her pillow wet from her spit. Dazed she blinked at Valis kneeling at her side.
"You slept in. It is already afternoon."
Confused she sat up in the bed and voluntarily took the bowl of stew from her, as she couldn't yet understand what was happening.
"Slayer said you don't eat meat, so I made some without any for you."
Valis's smile was so tender that she could barely take her eyes away. Puzzled she mumbled a thank you and rubbed her sleepy eyes before taking a spoonful. As she was chewing leisurely a sudden touch made her arch her spine inwards, as the woman stroked her back. Perplexed Io stared at her, but the kindness in her stunned eyes made her feel bad for her reaction. She relaxed forcefully, mumbled an inaudible apology and went on stuffing more stew into her mouth.
"You... you can come down to us when you are finished. I will prepare a nice bath for us soon. Get you back to the living!", she joked with a heavy smile before leaving her side. Io stayed behind, gazing at the stew still processing what had just happened. Why was she so surprised about their compassion? She should know that not everybody is like-- There were still normal people in this world, but there was more to Valis than she could put in words.