Malion

His Hate, His Love

I grabbed Elliott's wrist and barged on towards Nathaniel's cottage. He protested and insisted he would be fine walking on his own. I didn't look back at him and kept a tight hold on his arm. He wouldn't stop his babbling until he saw Kaylum walking up to the cottage. For once he was silent, his ears lowered.

"Whats is a Flame Wraith doing here?" I heard Ronin whisper. I looked back at him to see him crouch down and glare at Kaylum as he ascended the hill, not noticing us at all. His feline pupils were so thin I could barely make them out.

"Ronin, he's friendly. If anything, he can help us if Auntie Abby decides to attack us with some kind of noxious alchemical mixture." I told him sternly and beckoned him to stand. He frowmed at me, baring his sharp teeth. I always wondered why Osrocan were so different from Aslantians and Karmareans.

Begrudgingly, he stood and followed. He kept his gaze trained on Kaylum as he entered the cottage. I told Elliott, or Ronin, whoever was in control, to stay where I left him and went inside to tell Alex and Kaylum about him.

Kaylum scoffed but waited for Alex's reaction. She was wary, but decided to meet him first. As we wandered outside, Elliott was leaning against the wall, wistfully staring down past the valley towards the Midnight Forest.

"Hi, you must be Elliott. My name is Alex. Good to meet you." She said, cocking her head slightly and opening her palm. Elliot raised an eyebrow.

"You know the Osrocan greeting?" He mumbled, his pupils back to normal. Alex nodded and Elliott cocked his head to the side and faced the back of his hand at her.

"Awe, come on, man. I want to make friends." Alex insisted.

"I don't trust Beneath Wanderers." He told her, glaring at Kaylum with tiny pupils. Alex gave a small smile and moved her thumb to the center of her palm.

"Very well. I appreciate the gesture. Although it may take time for me to warm up to you." He told her, moving his thumb to the center of his palm, now facing the side of his head. As Alex stepped away and Kaylum approached, Elliott extended a fist at him. A pang of burning hit mu chest and it left as soon as it came.

"No. You stay there." He growled. Kaylum extended a hand in an Aslantian greeting, to which Elliott growled and launched himself at Kaylun. Swiftly, Kaylum sunk a blade into Elliott's abdomen. He fell to the ground with a sickening thud, his eyes wide and gasping for air. Alex's eyes widened and immediately tears began to stream down her face. She wraihted off into the forest and Kaylum stared at Elliott for a moment before realising Alex had gone. I glared at Kaylum, noticing the light brighten. Kaylum gasped and stepped back, retreating into the house.

I picked Elliott up with surprising ease and ran down to the beach. He was gasping, a terrible raspy sound escaping his mouth. When I got Elliott into the Burns' ship, Barbara demanded I set him down in the only cot that looked un-lived-in. She told me to leave him with her while I went and rallied the others. Furious, I ran back up to the cottage and burst through the doors. The house was silent. I moved up the ladder to find Kaylum sitting against a wall. When he saw me, he gasped and stood, visibly shaking.

"Kaylum, what were you thinking?!" I yelled. He stuttered as I barged forward.

"He was busy escaping from someone! Why would you do that?!" I growled.

"P-Princess, please! It was only self defence! I-I-I did not mean to harm him so badly!" He stammered. I growled as I glared into his teary eyes.

"If you lay a finger on him or Alex ever again, you will pay." My voice rumbled in an unsettingly raspy tone as I looked up at him. He shrank into a bow.

"Yes, Princess." He told me. Without another word, I left the house to head back down to the beach. Alex had returned by then, only with slightly more red eyes and cheeks than I was used to. I gave her hand a reasuring squeeze and she smiled at me. Once we headed into the boat, Elliott was out cold, a long white sheet of linen wrapped around his torso. Barbara was sitting next to him, two fingers pressed against the side of his neck. She waved at us as we entered the small room.

"He'll be alright. This should be healed up in a few weeks time." She told us.

A few days later, I wandered into the boat to find Elliott sitting in his cot, carving away at a small block of wood. He smiled at my entry. I cocked my head to the side and opened my palm to face him. He did the same.

"Grezk, Decoda. How are you, this fine morning?" He asked in an Osrocan greeting.

"Valvess, Elliott." I said, sitting in the stool next to him.

"I see you're breaking out the Infernos greetings today." He chuckled.

"What are you making?"

"I'm trying to make a new belt holder, but I'd need some iron for the moving parts. I fear I may be here for a bit. I could use something to keep me busy. Are you good with a bow?" He asked. My ears pricked when I heard the word "Bow".

"I was the best in Nefeli." I told him, "Haven't gotten much practice since then. I mean it's been a while." I told him. He chuckled.

"Well then, Lethallin, I should get to work. After all, such a wonderful Aslantian deserves a wonderful weapon." He said.

"Lethallin?"

"A term in Osrocan. It can be used as a term of indeerment like "sweetheart" or "dear". Or one can use it to respect a close friend." He explained. I smiled.

"Well then, thank you, Lethallin." I told him. He grinned at me, his cheeks lighing up a bright pink.