Sanctuary

Sanctuary 2

Sanctuary: Liberality, the Pursuit of Will

Chapter Four: Industria - Acedia Tristitia

When Clair returned to the dinning room where Kai and Gotz were, she was dressed in a black ninja outfit similar to Kai's. Her golden hair was tugged away under a black bandana and she was ready to blend in with the night. This was only a precaution of course, since if all went well no one should be out there to see them, but better safe than sorry.

Gotz picked up his large black jacket from the back of his chair and put it on. "One of these days Clair... one of these days..." he muttered as the trio left Clair's mansion via the back door.

Clair smiled at the remark and even let out a soft laugh, as if remembering something from the past that she and Gotz witnessed. "I'm always armed, you know that." She patted the black holster on her waist that hid her favorite silver gun.

Kai's uneasiness returned to him as he wondered just how well acquainted those two were with firearms. Kai himself had never had the opportunity nor the necessity or desire to hold one.

As if reading Kai's curiosity in his face, Gotz elaborated while they walked down the dark path of Clair's yard. "Clair's father, my brother and I used to go on hunting trips. The three of us were inseparable. One day when Clair was only fourteen, her father brought her to hunt with us. I told him I would never think of bringing my daughter on one of our trips, since it was no place for a girl. Then Clair shot my hat right off my head and gave me a look that no one would dare to challenge. She's got great aim and sharp senses; she's known how to shoot, and shoot well, since she was thirteen."

"Are you serious?" Kai stammered, no matter how much of a firearm enthusiast Clair's father was, to let someone so young train with a weapon felt dangerous.

"There were reasons of course," Gotz left it at that, hinting that the reasons were private and not even he knew about them. He trusted the judgment of his friend, Clair's father, may he rest in peace.

"Was your mom okay with that too?" Kai curiously asked. Clair ignored the question and kept walking with a noticeably more aggressive stride. Kai felt one of Gotz large hands on his shoulder. He looked at the tall bearded man who sternly shook his head. Kai knew that he had stumbled on a sour topic. Clair was quite an enigma, her thoughts, her personality, her family, her past. This was obviously a puzzle that he wouldn't solve any time soon, if he ever did.

"We should all go to the mountains and hunt wild bears sometime. What do you say Clair?" Gotz tried to lighten the mood as they approached the far end of Clair's vast property. "You can bring your pet!" He playfully elbowed Kai, almost knocking the younger man to the ground.

Kai stumbled but managed to maintain his balance. He was so puzzled and curious about Clair and her mother that he didn't even bother to complain about being called Clair's pet.

"He's like Cliff," Clair finally spoke, "he's not a hunter. I can't turn him into one any more than Cliff's father could."

"Ah, I see," Gotz nodded in understanding.

With the mention of another person that both Clair and Gotz knew but Kai didn't, his curiosity grew but he kept quiet about it. The silence went uninterrupted as they were close to the fence that marked the border of Clair's land.

Gotz revealed a rope that he had hidden in his large black jacket. The rope had a hook at the end, which he skillfully threw up into the tall brick fence that stood about fifteen feet up. He pulled the rope to test it before Clair stepped in to take it. She skillfully climbed up and peered over the fence. She looked back and nodded, then jumped to the other side of the fence.