Inheritance

Part 2. Chapter 30: Love

Pollyanna met up with Them for breakfast the next day; as always, his wisp friend, Pete, was there with him.

Pollyanna held a plate of eggs and bacon in her hands as she stepped in front of Them who was intending to sit by Taylor. "So... Did you talk to her? Did you treat her like a man?"

Them cleared his throat awkwardly. "Well, I kind of ended up sleeping with her."

The dark look on Pollyanna's face made Them shrink in fright.

She looks like an angry bull! He thought to himself.

"You slept with that innocent boy who knows nothing about the world..." Pollyanna murmured lowly and dangerously as she took a step closer to Them.

Them laughed awkwardly. "You misunderstand! I merely slept in the same bed as her—I didn't touch her at all! She was lonely and wanted company so I slept with her like she asked."

There was a storm in Pollyanna's head and the waif would be dead where he stood if not for Eory sitting nearby.

As it was, she had to swallow her rage. She forced herself to calm down. "Do you think coddling her will bring Eory back out? She needs to stand on her own two feet like a proper man!"

Them frowned deeply and crossed his arms--holding his head high despite Pollyanna dwarfing him in height. "You think men don't get scared? You think men don't like company every now and again? She has no friends or family! The only person she had when she arrived was you! And you started ignoring her! Fearlessness isn't a male trait—it's a Pollyanna trait—and I can only imagine how hellish a trait it is! You need no one, and that's the saddest fact about you."

"Are you going to help me or not?" Pollyanna asked, looking into his eyes searchingly. She appealed to the waif's better nature because she knew it was the best way to convince and manipulate him. "You may be right; I am a lonely woman, and Eory is my only friend. Won't you please help me bring him back out so I can talk to him?"

Them was a sucker for Pollyanna's tears which he didn't realize were half-real and half-forced. He looked down at his feet. "What do you suggest I do?"

"Tell her she'll look prettier with short hair; don't let her hang on you as you have been." Pollyanna told him sternly. "Keep her at a friendly distance."

Them looked thoughtful for a moment, but he ended up nodding. "Very well. Why don't you come sit with us? I'm sure Eory misses you deep down..."

Pollyanna planted a hand on one of her hips and leaned to the side. Eventually, she shrugged. "It couldn't hurt to just sit next to him..."

Pollyanna and Them sat on either side of the fairy who narrowed her eyes at Pollyanna. "Where have you been? I could have gotten killed without you!"

Pollyanna looked at the fairy's indignant face intently. It seemed to be becoming more and more feminine by the day, and it hurt her unexpectedly to see it happening. "You can clearly handle yourself. However, you can order me to protect you and I will, of course."

Them raised an eyebrow—wondering just why Pollyanna seemed to take all her orders so seriously.

"You're right, I don't need you to protect me!" Taylor retorted foolishly—speaking without thinking. "But... But it is your duty as the Arrozan Sword to do so!"

Pollyanna plopped an egg into her mouth and asked snidely, "don't tell me you were missing me?"

"No! Of course not! But you just stood by and watched that... That Maruka humiliate me!" Taylor said with a trembling voice.