There's Crows In The Garden | 3rd Life AU

.: Enemies Are Made :.

TWs: mentions of death

***

It had been blizzarding for days. Ren and I were trapped inside, stuck swapping stories as the wind howled outside. We spent most of our time by the fire, swaddled in warm quilts and drinking barley tea.

It was kind of nice, I had to admit.

Then, on the third night, when the wind and snow was starting to slow down and it looked like there was an end in sight for this storm, there was a knock on the door. The Emporium had been closed for the duration of the blizzard, as the shopkeeper had wisely decided to stay at home with his family, so the door was locked. I glanced over at Ren, who was sitting beside me, in the middle of a book about the history of Dogwarts. "Who would be crazy enough to venture out in the middle of such a storm?"

Ren closed his book and shrugged. "I'm not sure. D'you think we should let them in?"

"I mean, they'll probably freeze out there if we don't."

"What if they're a threat?"

I shot Ren a grin. "I can take care of them if needed." I had already stood up, so I held out a hand to My King, and he used it to help pull himself up. 

"It's going to be so cold downstairs," Ren complained, shrugging on his jacket.

"You don't have to come if you don't want to," I told him, already on my way to the stairs. "I know where the spare keys are; I can let whoever's out there in and bring them up here by myself."

"I'm not letting you get yourself killed if they're hostile," Ren practically growled, and I almost stopped in my tracks, taken aback by the protective edge to his voice. 

"Okay," I murmured after a second, finding myself unable to argue against whatever that was. We made our way downstairs, and Ren stuck close by while I grabbed the keys from behind the counter and unlocked the door.

There were two people and a llama standing there, all shivering and covered in snow.

"It's about time you opened the door!" one of the individuals grumbled. "We're just about freezing to death out here!" 

"You're crazy for being out in the middle of a blizzard," I told them. "You very well could've frozen to death."

"Listen," said the other person, "we can talk about our questionable life choices later, after we're nice and toasty warm. Would you be so kind as to step aside and let us in?"

"Woah, woah, woah, hold up. I don't know who you are at all. For all I know, you could be here to kill My King or myself!"

The first person who had spoken after I'd opened the door was the one to respond. "I'm King Scar of Monopoly Mountain, and with me is Grian, my wonderful assistant, and Pizza, my beloved llama."

"They can come in," Ren murmured from behind me. 

"Okay." I stepped aside, and Scar, Grian, and Pizza all piled inside. Ren went to fetch blankets for the llama while I led our human guests upstairs and got them settled by the fire. 

"This place is . . . interesting." King Scar said. His assistant elbowed him. "Er, I mean, thank you for letting us in?"

I sighed, electing to ignore his first statement for now. "You're welcome. Would either of you like some barley tea?"

Scar's face scrunched up, but before he could say anything, Grian answered with an enthusiastic, "Yes, please!" He then looked over at his companion's face. "None for Scar, though."