The Rise Of a Shadow [Preview]

Twilight's prelude II

II

The horse made a low sound as Ronn brushed his hair, he always had more affinity with animals than with people, animals did not attack simply because they could do so, instead they did so only for the purpose of survival, and animals didn't care that he was a bastard, poor, dirty, and scarred. As a child, he had understood this when the butcher had released his dog to attack Ronn, after seeing him steal a single sausage.

He absently touched the scar on the back of his left hand, where the scary man had beaten him with a fireplace poker. Ronn had only had time to scream in pain and run, taking with him the fruit of the robbery. It had been one of the many occasions when he was denied food for days, as a form of punishment for doing something supposedly wrong, like existing.

The butcher then lets go of the tabby dog, which at the time would be bigger than him if it was on its hind legs. Ronn had run two whole streets until the dog reached him in a dead-end street, he had not tried to attack the animal, he knew that it was not his fault what the owner ordered it to do and even though he was shaking with hunger, exhaustion and fear, he had noticed that the beast was extremely thin and with beat marks.

He didn't think twice before splitting the stolen sausage in two and throwing a piece at the dog, who was approaching dangerously, the animal had smelled the meat and eaten it immediately, Ronn had finally fallen to his knees and ate his share the same way the dog had just done.

He offered his good hand to the ground so that the animal could smell it and when he did, Ronn carefully caressed its nose.

Footsteps drew Ronn's attention back to the present, he smelled the strong acrid scent of the herb she chewed even before she came to him, he hated it when she came to him, would rather have her just scream from wherever she was what he should do, because coming to him meant that he should have to look at her and doing that was simply hateful.

"Dame Gwendoline." He said dryly before even turning to her.

Instead of hearing an answer, he felt a claw touching his back, then he jumped back into the horse's stall and put it between them, acting casually, as if he'd just moved the spot he brushed the animal.

He did not look at her but knew she watched him with something like malice in the eyes. He didn't know exactly what it was, but to be honest, would rather not know.

"Skiderik, you must take firewood into the room of the Great Sêlkior, now." Said as she turns and lefts the stable.

"Aye dame." He replied drily, without turning to look in her direction.

Ronn set things aside and got dressed before collecting firewood and entering the back of the tavern, going up the stairs, toward the bedrooms, the travellers' were to the right, so he went left. Ronn very rarely would go upstairs, only to take the wood to his father's room, the only one in the tavern with a fireplace.

He entered the room, murmuring an apology, and crossed it to get down on his knees and start his work. Until he heard the door behind him closing.

Ronn glanced over his shoulder and froze at the sight of Gwendoline locking the door. Since he was not allowed to speak, unless it was to acknowledge the presence of a superior or answer something that was asked of him, he turned back to the fireplace and worked as fast as he could.

His hands were sweating cold as he scooped out ashes with his cupped hands and set the wood. He heard the rustling of her dress around the room as he thanked Odin20 for finishing his task and stood up, ready to leave. He hadn't even taken the time to clean his hands, turned and murmured a request to leave.