White Strings

Episode 18 - Fides

The groups that were dispatched all had clear instructions on how to handle a terror beast that might be the Abomination. It appeared to be that no one really knew anything about the Fides bloodline, and that the talks and whispers were mostly about the Abomination. It didn't calm Silk, however, and she kept looking around for any pair of eyes that might be following her.

She didn't say a word as both she and Kaon made their way towards their destination on a mule. It was very uncomfortable, but her thoughts were further away from the bumps and the sways. Silk felt a little better as they were finally somewhat far from the Temple. She didn't know her way home, but she was adamant on not going back to the lair of the wolves who wanted her life. She just had to figure out how to tell Kaon about it.

She looked at her lap, where Dream had slept on ever since they left the Temple. He seemed peaceful, making Silk jealous of how unbothered he probably was. Kaon said that he didn't leave Dream with the caretaker because he tends to get problematic when away from his owner for too long. Silk had a feeling that it was also because Kaon wanted Silk to have something to calm her down.

They traveled through the night without speaking a word to each other. Silk was thankful for the silence as much as she was worried about it. She decided to trust Kaon, but the fact that he said that he knew still bothered her. She wasn't sure whether he meant something else, or maybe he had seen her mark somehow and found out about her bloodline. Yet, every time she opened her mouth to ask him, she couldn't even whisper a word. The only time Kaon said anything was one time they stopped for a few hours of rest before embarking on the wordless journey again.

"Our area isn't too big, since we are just a duo." Kaon broke the silence after more than a full day of zero conversation. "We should be able to cover it all in about a week or two."

He removed himself from the mule and scanned the area before looking back to see if Silk needed help. He watched her as she jumped down, her eyes still unfocused. It was clear that her mind was somewhere far away from here, probably imagining all sorts of atrocities and countless mishaps.

"We will rest here," Kaon said as Dream hopped off Silk's head. "Normally I begin missions right away, but I would like to talk to you first."

Silk's muscles tensed up immediately. She wanted to tell Kaon everything and ask for help, but at the same time she was horrified by the possibility that she would end up dead the moment she'd dare to speak. She just nodded and helped Kaon set up the tent they brought with them, avoiding Kaon's gaze at all costs.

"I can't with this silence," Kaon suddenly exclaimed. "It's fine if you don't want to look at me, just listen."

Silk bit her lower lip as she did her best to concentrate on the stubborn robust rope she struggled with. Dream was hanging around her shoulders, observing her hands as she slowly managed to make the tie she wanted. She took a deep breath and exhaled, trying to calm her nervousness.

"Fides were a gift to my family centuries ago, by some deity. I don't know why and when, because all information about it was probably destroyed. The only ones who somewhat know the history are Fides themselves.

"But even if you asked a Fides, they would only know bits and pieces. This whole... topic, it's considered to be one of the most taboo topics you could decide to speak of. But, the narrative of the Fides' stories I could find, was so much different than the ones written in our own books. As you know, stories have more than one perspective."

Silk listened as Kaon kept throwing her family name at her, as if it meant nothing when it left his lips. She could barely concentrate on the words he said. Her heartbeat listened to every tone and nuance in his voice, seeking even the slightest hint of threat.