The Darkest Dawn

Chapitre 9

Darius lead the way through the busy town. For some reason, slaves in Bennois are happier. They don't duck their heads, nor do they act skittish. Perhaps the Seivohn Overlord here is kinder. Lucien watched Darius gold blonde hair catch sunlight, making sure he didn't lose him in the crowd.

Women tittered as the men passed, a few going as far as fawning over Malachai. Lucien struggled to keep up with Darius' long strides. Malachai didn't seem to have that problem, taking lengthy steps himself yet slowing down every so often to check that Lucien still followed. Darius never bothered looking back. Perhaps he was confident in Lucien's capability to follow? Lucien huffed, half annoyed Darius didn't check on him or slow down and half happy Darius trusted Lucien to still be there if he did happen to turn his head.

Darius thumped up the stairs of a house's porch and knocked very suddenly on the door. He waited a minute, then knocked a pattern into the door. Lucien carefully climbed the small set of stairs, holding Malachai's hand who trailed behind him. The pattern was repeated on the other side of the door and it opened. A massive older man, maybe in his fifties, appeared on the threshold. He grinned and clapped a large hand on Darius' shoulder.

"Hello Q. Long time no see?" Darius smiled in return.

"Darius, old friend! Come in, come in! Make yourself comfortable, I've baked brownies!" The man, Q, replied heartily. He moved from the frame to let the men in and then shut the door. Q lumbers across the quaint room and patted a leather arm chair. "Sit!" He commanded. Darius settled lightly into the chair, as equally cumbersome as the man who disappeared into the kitchen.

"Darius, what are 'brownies'?" Lucien questioned Darius. Malachai perked up, curious to hear what the answer was.

"You've never had brownies?" Darius asked quizzically. Lucien and Malachai shook their heads. "Well I understand the kid, but not you. You guys are in for a treat." Darius grinned, another mischievous twinkle in his eye.

"Here we are, boys!" Q bellowed, balancing a large tray of what appeared to be square chocolate cakes. Malachai's eyes turned large as saucers. Q distributed two brownies per person. He then chuckled at Dog, who begged at the man's trunk-like thighs. "Oh no! Not you! Chocolate kills puppers like you. Though... I do have something nice." Q marched back to the kitchen.

"He's certainly lively." Lucien commented, nibbling at his first brownie. He glanced at Malachai, who already devoured his first one. He turned his head to Darius, who fit an entire one in his mouth. "Dear God! Breathe, you heathens!" He piped in disbelief. Malachai swallowed what he had guiltily. Darius choked laughing.

Q returned with little tidbits from whatever leftovers he had. It looked like chicken. Dog stood and reared up on his hind legs, front paws landing on the giant's chest. "Ho oh! Aren't you a big boy!" Q chuckled heartily. Then he leaned his head to the side curiously. "Oh, excuse me, a big girl!" He pushed Dog off of him and tossed the tidbits on the ground. Dog snapped up the chicken bits with her mighty jaws.

"So, is Q short for anything?" Malachai squeaked shyly.

"Quentin, but that's a shitty name so call me Q." Q grunted, sitting on the ground. Dog brushed up against his face, wagging her tail fiercely. Q pat the Dog heavily.

"Q was apart of my unit. We fought at each other's backs until Q gone and blew his leg up!" Darius snickered.

"Ha ha! Good ol' times." Q guffawed, patting his left leg which sounded hollow. "After I got me a prosthetic leg, they threw me for Reeducation." Q roared proudly, like the Pageant wasn't as terrible as Darius makes it out to be.

"Isn't Reeducation bad?" Lucien mumbled.

"Oh, it is." Q amended.

"Q likes battle. He takes it upon himself to fight only 'worthy opponents'." Darius explained.