Crows of a Feather

The Storm

Erine

    It had been a year since Kaz Brekkar had picked up Erine. The little girl was the happiest she had ever felt. She was free, in a sense.  Kaz never really confided her to any space unless it was for a job, she had earned his trust a long time ago. Kaz still continued to teach her how to talk and she was starting to understand a lot better. Some Things however, had yet to change. For starters, Erine's ears were still very sensitive. Kaz had contemplated long ago taking her to a medic about it, figuring it had something to do with how she was treated in the past. But ultimately decided against it, when she signed to ask why he had told her that it was too risky for anyone but him to know her weakness.

    Now, Erine sat curled in her nook. Knees to her chest, arms over head covering her ears as she tried to block out the raging storm outside. The thunder was pounding like a thousand drums, the lighting was harsh like a whip. It frightened her. It took all her might to let out inevitable whimpers as her body trembled in fear. Her ears were ringing, her eyes had tears leaking from them. To her she looked just like she had when she woke on that slave boat. Lost, Weak, and Alone. Things she never wanted to be again.

    A soft tap in front of her was what brought her back from that horrid ship. Looking up from the safety of her knees, yellow eyes met blue. She looked into Kaz's calm blue eyes and saw what she would learn to be the look of worry in them. If Kaz was like any of her other owners she would've been scared for her life for disrupting his work. She was supposed to be asleep at this hour, not up causing a scene, a scene that Kaz had to step away from his cherished work to address. But kaz wasn't like those men, she knew that. " I'm sorry Kaz-" " Don't apologize Erine, there is nothing to be sorry for" his voice was firm, with the very slightest hint of care. A hint only her ears were able to hear. "Take these, they will help you with your hearing. And try to get some sleep Katje." Erine looked at the boy then at the small little plugs he had laid in front of her, she assumed they were for her ears. Carefully she took them and placed one in either ear.

    Instantly the noise softened, just enough to be nothing but a dull sound in the back of her mind. Enough to make her close her eyes.

Kaz

Kaz hated himself as he watched the girl as she found a way to sleep through her fears, something he found himself doing for the past 6 years of his life. As of last night he was named lieutenant to Per Haskell, lieutenant of the dregs. He had new power in the barrel, he owned the Crow Club, he had men working for him. Kaz Brekker was officially the Bastard of the Barrell, feared by the kings and people, Dirtyhands that did the dirty jobs. And by his side was Erine, His panther.

    Kaz was a very calculated person, he never did anything without thinking it through. When he first found Erine he had the full intention of freeing her, sending her to a nice orphanage in the country and be done with it. No one would ever know who she was, she would have the life a child like her deserved, like the one he had lost. But Ketterdam was never a forgiving place, and Kerch was ever too eager to make its money. Kaz quickly learned that there was no way to free Erine from slavery. She wasn't like the girls at the menagerie, he couldn't just pay for an indenture and be done with it. She wasn't branded with a simple symbol. She had a code, numbers that were recognized all over the world, embedded in her wrist. Numbers that were registered in any book by slavers, merchants, governments that cared for currency. No matter where she ran, she wouldn't be free. There would always be a price and buyer for her. And he hated that.

    Even now as he stared at her shaking form, he hated that he couldn't help her how he wanted to. He hated himself for allowing things to get this far. 6 years ago, when Kaz Reitveld died and Kaz Brekker was born, he made a promise to himself. 'Not to care' he wasn't going to let anything or anyone be taken from again by not having anyone to take. He closed himself off, built up walls so high even he couldn't get past him. He ran from touch so he wouldn't relieve his pain. He couldn't bear it, he saw too much of himself in the little girl, and he didn't like that. She was too weak, too vulnerable, and he had to protect her.

    That's why he found the ear plugs. They allowed her some peace, something he wanted to give her so he did. Kaz watched as her breath evened out the further she fell asleep. Kaz didn't know what came over himself in that moment. He lifted his gloved hand, holding just above her head. ' she isn't jordie' he kept repeating, as he took deep breaths. With a shaking hand he ever so lightly touched her head, like he remembered his mother doing for him as a boy. As quickly as he could he took his hand off and limped back to his desk. The next time he looked at the sleeping Erine, he saw the ever so faint smile.

That was the first time The Crow was able to touch his Panther