Starsong

Scene 24

{--} Ren {--}

          Ren didn't know why she'd promised that.

          She watched the kids as she hung back, thinking. Tok was walking next to Heros-- post-possession, he had been able to walk just fine, like his legs had never been injured at all. Ren supposed the serpent wouldn't have much use for him as a vessel if he didn't heal Tok after violently mutilating his body. Piya was on her back, still in a deep sleep. They hadn't been able to wake her up in the morning. Her breathing was still steady, but anxiety gnawed at the back of Ren's mind. The only reason she hadn't slipped into panic was because her mind kept returning to her promise.

          There was no way she could think of to free Tok from his possessor that wasn't related to magic. Stars, Ren knew nothing about magic, not how to do it, not what she was even looking for.  All she knew was that it always did more harm than good.

          There was a pause to the thought now. So she had thought, before she met Piya. Piya could do incredible things with it, impossible things that had saved them all time and time again. Still, she only ever saved them from the problems magic caused in the first place.

          But still. Just seeing Tok on the ground, so scared and out of control... It was the same feeling that had made her take the kids to Springspire in the first place. She couldn't just leave him like this. But what could she do? They were traveling now to find a cartographer, but that was the plan to get to Springspire. How could she find someone who knew anything about possession--

          Oh. She suddenly thought, Oh, no.

          Not him, stars, anyone but him. She didn't want to need him any more than she already did.

          Luckily the Nightmonger wasn't here this morning-- he hadn't seen any of the fight, and hopefully had no idea that she was even considering his advice. Still, when he did show up... Could she really turn down her closest opportunity to heal Tok just for her own pride?

          "How's her breathing?" Lilith asked as she sidled up to Ren, her voice softening as though not to wake the girl in her back.

          "Steady." Ren said, her voice as firm as ever, averting her eyes to hide the traces of panic.

          "That's good." Lilith reached out, and Ren felt her rub Piya's back gently. "...I wish I had learned anything from my husband. I know some basic emergency actions, but anything about how to monitor recovery... I learned all that from caring for my boys. And they've never suffered magical strain. Heros has always liked the idea of magic, but--" Lilith waved the thought away before she could ramble, "Nevermind. I'm just-- I'm sorry that I can't help."

          Ren barely glanced at her, "They're not your responsibility, Lilith. I took the kids on. We just dragged your family into this."

          "Still. I want to be able to help you."

          "You don't have to. Really. I can take care of them." Ren didn't look at her now. There was a long stretch of silence, and Ren felt a strange, hot shame rise up in her throat. "...But thank you." She said finally, "You've helped a lot. And your kids are great."

          Lilith chuckled a little, and Ren looked at her. Lilith was smiling at her. Ren gave a small smile back. It was unfamiliar, but it didn't feel wrong. Had she ever felt like this while she was with... Them?

          Her smile faltered as her mind began to slip back into dark thoughts, dark memories, but she shook her head to clear it. She wasn't with them anymore. She hadn't been for ten years.

          Lilith rubbed Piya's back one last time before she left Ren to walk up the path and stop Aro from pestering Tok-- Ari had been asking question after question about what had happened to him. Tok hadn't talked much since he'd woken up, much less answered them. And it was only once she was alone that she heard the voice-- that cool, spidery, obnoxious voice.

          "Ren-ar-aaaa! I have a free moment, my friend, is now a bad time?"

          Ren glanced furtively at the silver silhouette pressed against the trees. She jerked her head towards the others ahead-- she couldn't be caught talking to him. To everyone else, she'd just be talking into thin air.

          "Just be quiet, then, Renara! Phrase it like musing, if you must!" The Nightmonger said happily, impatiently, like a small child wanting to play.

          Ren just walked for a few moments-- her plan was to ignore him as always. If he couldn't show up at night or when she really needed him, it wasn't her fault that she couldn't chat. But she paused. She didn't want to, but he was right here. But what would he take in exchange? Stubbornness kicked all the way in-- maybe there was a mage passing through the village that could help. Piya seemed to have some connection with the possessor, maybe she could help when she woke up. Anything but the Nightmonger.

          So her pride won, and she kept walking. He was the third option if the other two failed. But she was not going to come to him if she didn't need to.

          "Mmmm, fine." The Nightmonger grumbled, "You've been much less fun since you started being with your charges more often. And you've even recruited others! Are you trying to avoid me?" His voice was teasing, his cutout grin widening.

          If only you knew.

          "...Well, I suppose I could find the time to come back tonight! You have trouble sleeping, do you not? I can catch you between when they fall asleep and you do!"

          Ren only sighed. She didn't want that, not at all. But anything to get the Nightmonger off her back.

          "...Sure." She said quietly, watching the Nightmonger grin wider out of the corner of her eye.

          "Excellent!" The Nightmonger's silhouette clapped, then dissolved. Ren sighed deeply, walking faster to catch up with the group.

           It was strange, not wanting to be alone.