Anna ~ Don't let anyone dull your sparkle ~ & Maven's Queen

[[deleted user]]

"Is her cooking really that bad?" Jarin asked, surprised. "Black crusty pots doesn't sound like she's got great food. Not if it's constantly burning. Look on the bright side, though, your arms will be even stronger from it," he teased, yawning. He stood and went over to the bucket of water. There was a bit of dust settled on top but he didn't even care. He scooped up a tinful and drank. Jarin set the cup back and returned to his spot on the floor. "I guess we should call it another night. Are we taking turns as guard or just both sleeping?" He figured that Dasha might have the best idea since she was the bounty hunter trained for all of this.

[Lynn]

Dasha shrugged in response to his first question. "I mean I'm sure it can't be too terrible or else she wouldn't have as much buisness as she does. Maybe she had an off day, forgot about them." She hadn't been entrusted with the dishes before today, so she was unsure if that was a regular thing or not. She supposed she would find out soon enough. "It would probably be best to take shifts, just incase." Dasha decided. They had been lucky so far, no one had wondered through and bothered them . . . well no one except that dog. Something told her that that luck was bound to run out sooner or later though, and it would be best if they were not caught off guard.

[[deleted user]]

Jarin nodded, shrugging. That was good enough an explanation that he needed. Either way, he wasn't eating the woman's cooking. He was eating their own concoctions of pretend stew and soggy meat. "I can take the first shift if you'd like. We might as well get some sleep while we can. The night'll go by faster than we want." He grabbed the knife they'd found and went to sit by the door. He also had a large branch with a sharp end to use as a longer weapon in case someone didn't leave them alone.

[Lynn]

Dasha knew he was right, the relief of darkness never lasted nearly long enough. In what would seem like the blink of an eye the sun would be rising again, bringing with it the blazing temperatures again. "Thanks. . . just wake me up in a few hours and I'll take over." She instructed since she wasn't really sure she would do so on her own. She was plenty tired, but she could get by on just on a few hours of rest. It would be best for him to get more as he was still healing. "You'll need more sleep than I will." She got up and tossed the used makeshift utensil she still held into the flames of the fire before going over and settling in to her usual spot.

[[deleted user]]

"I will," Jarin said, nodding to let her know that yes, he would wake her in a few hours' time. "You need sleep just as much as I do so you don't get sick. If you do, who'll take care of me?" he asked, half teasing as he raised his eyebrows. He focused on the door as the evening drew over the town and settled down in ever darkening colors of oranges and eventually purples and blues. It was strange how fast the temperature changed in this climate; it could be soaring hot during the day, drying you out to a crisp, and turn frigid at night. He was thankful for the flames still flickering behind his back. He'd make sure to check that as well, every little while.

[Lynn]

"Alright, fair point I guess." Dasha laid in her now usual spot, next to one of the rickety walls and just near enough to the fire that it's warmth reached her well when it was burning strong. She no longer slept with her back touching the wall as she had when they had first arrived here though, she had grown to trust Jarin enough that that wasn't necessary.
From where she was she could see the faint twinkle of a few stars in the darkening sky above through the gaps in the roof if she looked. She draped one arm over her eyes to block out the flicker of the firelight. ". . . Do you remember anything, from when you had that fever?" She asked suddenly, though she didn't move at all. If she hadn't spoken she probably could of passed as already being asleep. She had refrained from asking so far because it had never felt like a good time to ask, but she was curious.

[[deleted user]]

Jarin had let himself sink into thoughts of how the day had gone and his past life before his abduction, of when he was a little boy and when he could do anything on earth, it seemed. It was strange to reminisce on those things but tonight gave him that opportunity. He was taken back to the present, however, when Dasha questioned him. He looked startled, and if Dasha hadn't covered her eyes she would have clearly seen the surprise on his face. "Remember? The fever? I remember I had the fever but...what do you mean? Did I say something strange?" He asked, a tint of worry streaking into his words.

[Lynn]

"Nothing embarrassing or anything that seemed highly confidential if thats what you're worried about." Dasha assured, though she was unable to keep the slight tone of amusement at his worry from her voice as she did so. After a moment she uncovered her eyes and then turned on her side, now facing where Jarin was and partially propped herself up on on her elbow. ". . . At the worst of it you mistook me for someone else." She explained. "You called me Emmie."

[[deleted user]]

Jarin was about to let relief wash through his body (even though he knew that Dasha could always be lying if he had said something private), but then at her next words his heart fell a bit. He was quiet, watching her with a bit of a serious expression. "Oh. I must have been really out of it to think you were somebody random," he added. "I hope I wasn't too much of a pain in the butt." He wasn't sure how he was supposed to talk to Dasha about Emmie, or if he was really sure he wanted to or not.

[Lynn]

Dasha didn't really buy that it had just been a random person. Whoever he had mistaken her for in his feverish haze was someone that he knew as more than just a casual passing stranger. That had been evident enough through his mannerisms towards her in those moments. "You were - out of it that is."
She wouldn't pry into it any further. She wondered what things would of spilled from her own mouth had the situation been reversed - nothing that she would of wanted to be questioned about. She turned back so that she was once again looking up at the stars through the gaps in the roof again. "At that point I wasn't sure you were going to come out of it at all." It was the first time she had admitted such aloud. She hadn't let on to how serious it had truly been before, it had seemed easier just to write it off as a minor inconvenience. She draped her arm back over her eyes again, mostly to avoid any chance of catching sight of Jarin from her peripheral.
". . . You should of taken the opportunity to be more of a pain. I would of deserved it. It was my fault it happened in the first place." Although she might of lead him to believe otherwise it was the closest she had ever come to actually killing someone by her own hand, and she had been terrified.

[[deleted user]]

Jarin tried to wrack his brain for how he had acted that night with his fever, but of course he couldn't remember a thing. Whatever it had been, he hoped it hadn't been anything too serious or personal. He hated the idea of acting and not knowing what he was saying or doing.
"You thought I was going to die?" Jarin asked, sounding actually surprised. Dasha didn't exactly tell him about her emotions like that and it was strange she was now acting like this. He felt a bit confused. Was this her attempt at an apology?
"I'll keep it in mind next time," he said with a faint smirk, not that she could see anyway, "It was just an accident. I was sort of being the fool in the first place. You told me not to leave the shack and I did. It's not easy to drag someone back on your own," he explained. He watched her. Was she afraid of what she had done that night? Of how he might have died?

[Lynn]

Dasha was silent a few long moments, and it almost seemed like she wouldn't respond at all. "No," she said at last "an accident is knocking over a glass full of water, or dropping a freshly washed white sheet in the dirt." It took effort to keep her voice even. She could feel tears threatening to form behind her eyes which were still covered by her arm. "Almost costing a life cannot fall in that same category." She said nothing further for she didn't trust her voice, and didn't dare move. If he hadn't been positioned at the door she would of gotten up and come up with an excuse to step out for some air so she could collect herself. As it was the best she could do was take slow, deep breaths and trust the flicker of the firelight cast enough shadows that it hid any hint of emotion. She told herself that this was stupid. When had she allowed herself to grow so weak? She wasn't supposed to allow such things to get under her skin. Any good bounty hunter in her shoes wouldn't of been off put by the possibility of causing his death, just annoyed with the extra steps that would mean. There was no room for remorse or strong morals.

[[deleted user]]

"Dasha, I'm fine. I'm not mad at you for what happened," Jarin said. He shook his head. "It was a mistake, really. We choose the wrong decision without maybe thinking about it. But it's a mistake. Or even if you thought about it and chose to, it was the wrong choice and still a mistake." He turned, angling his body towards the flickering flames. When neither of then were speaking, the only noise was from the crackling fire. In a way it felt peaceful. Jarin was quiet for a bit before speaking. "How long have you been a bounty hunter for?" Since this mood of open honesty seemed to be present, he thought he might as well ask.

[Lynn]

Nothing seemed like a good response so Dasha said nothing at all to his first statements and stayed exactly as she was, unmoving. She was glad for his question- it gave her something different to redirect her thoughts to.
". . . lets see, started when I was seventeen, so I guess it's going on four years now." She didn't know why exactly she had actually answered, she could of just as easily pretended to be asleep or simply chosen not to. She frowned at the realization that it had almost been four years already. That meant she was probably more than midway through her career span. Most bounty hunters didn't last long, if you were lucky you could squeeze out a decade in the profession- make your fortune and get out before the job could take you out. The average was six years, and that number wasn't generally due to voluntary early retirement. When she was seventeen six years had seemed like so much more time- now the majority of those were behind her and the remainder would pass in the blink of an eye. It troubled her that statistically speaking she could very well only have two more years . . . of course if they didn't get out of here soon it would be much less than that. For now she wouldn't think about that, she couldn't - there was too much else to worry about.

[[deleted user]]

Jarin didn't reply for a little bit, sorting through his thoughts. What had he been doing at seventeen? For him, it was only just over two years ago. He'd been rebelling against the throne, struggling to find a way to slip out of the position he had hated before his sick father who didn't care much about his life died. All Jarin had wanted was to get away from the burdens of royalty and the rules and regulations that he would be tied to, and find a new life. Then when he thought he had escaped two years later, his father had died. When he was caught by Dasha, he had missed his father's funeral. By now, either the advisors had stepped in, or his old mother had become queen. But that wouldn't last long until they chose a new king and she died herself, or he was sent back and stumbled once more into the world he didn't want to have anything part of.
"How come? How come you ever got started into being a bounty hunter, Dasha?" Jarin asked, suddenly curious, although his voice held a hint of emotion, one he couldn't explain. He wondered if she had been feeling as trapped as he had been.

[Lynn]

"Its a long story. . . In short it was the best option I had at hand. " For a minute that seemed like all Dasha would say on the matter. She listened to the crackle of the fire, debating on if she should elaborate or not. Finally she breathed a sigh and let the arm that had been covering her eyes fall to her side, seeming to of made a decision. If she gave him the gist now there would be less to explain later if the situation came to demanded it.
"I didn't originally belong in the timeline I've been calling home." Dasha began, "Very briefly there was- or I guess thinking from your perspective, will be - a program where children of the past who were destined to meet insignificant untimely fates are intercepted from those ends and taken to the future, where they could be adopted by wealthy families." It felt weird to Dasha to be talking about such out loud. She had spent so long trying to separate herself from her past that it was odd to be talking about it so casually.
"I was older than most- " she continued "right at the cut off age." she fell silent a moment and just studied the stars she could see overhead. ". . . Everyone wanted third class babies plucked from the icy wreckage of the titanic, or toddlers swiped from Pompeii moments before disaster, not an unremarkable eight year old who still woke up screaming even after the majority of her memories were suppressed." It was clear Dasha was still bitter about it, she probably always would be. In her book anger was better than the sadness she had once held.
"As I grew older they didn't know what to do with me. There was talk of altering my timeline a second time, to where I would never of been rescued and met my original intended fate." She reached up around her neck, feeling for the gold ring that usually hung there by a cord. Of course it wasn't there, it was still in the general store owner's possession since she had traded it for much needed supplies. She settled for acting as if her intended action was just to adjust her shirt collar instead.
"I needed a fast way to prove I was useful so that wouldn't happen . . . Bounty hunting was my best option. I am a perfect fit for such a risky job since I am so easily disposable." Without so much as sparing a glance towards Jarin she draped her arm back over her eyes, signaling that this would be all she would say on the matter right now. "The board didn't have much that they could throw against that proposition, so we were able to come to an understanding."

[[deleted user]]

Never in a million years would Jarin have expected Dasha to tell him something like that. It sounded too horrible and crazy for that to possibly happen. Whatever the case was, Jarin was stunned into silence as she finished her story. Her tragic story. He was sure she didn't want him to say anything to pity her, and he wasn't trying to, but he couldn't help the "sorry" that leaked out of his mouth.
"That's horrible," Jarin said, still quite shocked. "I...that'll happen in my future? So I'm from your past, anyway? I'm sorry, Dasha. I never thought something like that was even remotely possible. Why would they do that? It's criminal," he said. He shifted on his seat near the fire and frowned. It wasn't fair that someone could steal a child away at such a young age, treat them badly, and expect them to turn out into a happy person. They'd hurt her at a young age, and that weird feeling Jarin had had earlier when she had mentioned the tavern keeper bubbled up inside him again.
"Do you even...would you stop bounty hunting if you could?" Jarin asked. He had no idea what would involve getting out of the contract, no idea how long a contract for bounty hunting even was.

[Lynn]

There it was, the pity that she had come to resent. Since this was the first Jarin had heard of anything like this she gave him a pass though, and simply ignored that word. She never knew what to say in reply anyway, perhaps that was why she hated hearing such words so much. What was she supposed to reply with, that it was okay because it was all in the past? It wasn't, in both senses of the matter currently. "I suppose it was inevitable, limits were bound to be tested." She sighed, "There are better regulations against such now. And I guess really I shouldn't complain much." If there had been no intervention whatsoever she wouldn't currently be around to complain about anything.
Dasha didn't reply right away when he asked if she would quit bounty hunting if she could. She hadn't really thought about it extensively before. Mostly because it was a foolish thought to entertain under the circumstances. What would she even do with her days if bounty hunting didn't take up ninety five percent of her life? She didn't know, and she supposed it didn't matter much. She wasn't one to generally entertain such foolish fantasies. "It doesn't matter if I want out or not. I signed for twelve years." She didn't mention the part about how most only made it to half of that, and not of their own volition. She knew her contract terms hadn't been designed with the intention of it being realistically achievable. They were banking on her dying on the job well before the contract ran out. For that reason she had always been determined to complete it one way or another- if only just to put a damper on the council's day.
"It would take a ridiculous sum of money to buy out my remaining time. Nothing I'll soon be able to get my hands on, even if I accept every bounty that is directed my way. Eventually I might be able to save up and buy out the last couple years." But that would only be if they were able to get out of here very soon. If they didn't, the remaining years of her contract would be the least of her problems. "I guess we'll-" she realized that was wrong. After this was over she would be back on her own again. She had already agreed that she would return and release him into his own time, and although that had been an empty promise at first she now intended to keep it. She couldn't imagine turning Jarin over for a bounty anymore, not when he was no longer just a nameless price sticker to her. She amended it, "I guess I'll see."

[[deleted user]]

"Yeah," Jarin said, since he wasn't really sure what else to say. What could he say? He had nothing he could really promise. Although...his mind was churning. He had to try something. While he didn't want Dasha to get money by turning him in (of course not), he had another idea that was rash and had just popped into his brain. But there was the tiniest chance that it might just work.
If Jarin got himself and Dasha out of here and back to the normal time period he was from, he could go back to royalty and see if he could either turn himself in or return for the position. He doubted anyone would want to see him back and put him in position as king, but if he turned himself in there for the troublemaker he was, then he could ask for a fee in return. Or Dasha could turn him back in to the royal court. If it was enough money, then Dasha could pay off the rest of her remaining time. If she needed, she might be able to live a normal life somewhere around the castle, either in the castle, or nearby in the city.
"How much money would the rest of your years cost to buy?" Jarin asked.

[Lynn]

Dasha didn't see why it much mattered, a large sum of money was a large sum of money, but she answered anyway. "I don't remember exactly." With each passing month it decreased a little bit, but not nearly fast enough for her liking. "Its well into the millions, I know that much." In the past she had kept an obsessive tab on that number, but over the years she had found it was best just not to think about it, not until it reached a more manageable number. That would take years. Years she may or may not be given once they escaped from this horrid time. For now she decided it was best not to think about that either.

[[deleted user]]

Jarin simply nodded. Then he decided to say nothing at all, knowing that empty promises were useless. He couldn't promise her a thing if he never even got back to his own time. But he'd keep it in the back of his mind and never forget. "Well, you should probably go to sleep and get some rest," Jarin said after awhile. "One day at a time," he sighed, yawning.

[Lynn]

One day at a time. That was easier accepted when there wasn't so much and an unknown time line hanging overhead. She supposed that could be argument for even more of a reason to just worry about the current day at hand. The ultimate picture could be put off for now. ". . . Just remember to wake me to take over watch." She reminded as she turned on her side so that her back was facing the fire and Jarin.

[[deleted user]]

"I will," Jarin said. Then, without much thought, he added, "Good night." He watched her form as she breathed softly. He hoped she could relax. It wasn't fair that she had to go through what she had in the past, but maybe it would make Dasha understand his own feelings and actions. Although he hadn't quite told her about Emmie yet. He'd do so soon enough. She had told him so much about her own life that she deserved to hear about what happened in his.
He stayed up for the few hours of his own watch, guarding Dasha and keeping the flames alive. That stray dog did end up coming back. When Jarin didn't threaten it or shoo it away, it sank down gratefully by the fire and watched him carefully. At the end of the watch, Jarin stood up and the dog trotted out.
"Dasha," he said gently, shaking her shoulder. He hoped she wouldn't leap up and strike at him, thinking he was some person come to kill her.

[Lynn]

Luckily it hadn't taken Dasha all that long to fall asleep. She was plenty tired, so much so that even dreams did not plague her as they often did- at least not that she could remember. When Jarin shook her awake hours later she must of been in the middle of a sleep cycle for she woke up feeling groggy and it took her a moment to remember where and when she was. Once her sleep induced mental fog cleared and the details clicked into place once more she had to resist the initial urge to groan- both due to the time period and setting she was waking up to again and the fact that a few hours had already passed when it felt like she had only closed her eyes minutes ago. She wordlessly sat up, rubbed her eyes until they seemed to abandon the lazy blur of sleep, and then began to get up to go take over watch from right next to the doorway.

[[deleted user]]

Jarin watched Dasha for a few minutes, moving over to his spot on the floor. He first wanted to make sure she was okay and fully awake before committing himself to sleep a few hours. He missed sleeping an entire night away in one go. That and having enough food every day to fill his stomach, he missed from the castle. But he couldn't do anything about that right now. He lay down on his side, closed his eyes, and let himself drift off into a dreamless sleep.

[Lynn]

Dasha took up post next to the doorway, where she could easily peer out into the night beyond. She would get up and tend to the fire when it needed it, but other than that she had no plans to move from this spot. Although she doubted she would need it as they hadn't really had any trouble so far, she made sure her knife was within reachable distance. It was always better to be safe than sorry.
She intended to keep watch until morning. Perhaps before Jarin woke she would venture out and fill up the bucket with fresher water. She silently made a list of things she needed and or wanted to get done in the morning and throughout tomorrow as a way to keep herself awake and alert while Jarin slept.

[[deleted user]]

That night, while Jarin slept and Dasha was on duty, a sound was heard scuttling around the outside of the shack. Jarin didn't hear it and kept sleeping. The soft crunching of feet on the dirt outside proved it wasn't the dog, but a two legged human of some sort. There was a low murmur, and a body slowly emerged from the shadows. Instead of an adult, however, a young boy of about ten with sandy brown hair and dirt streaked across his whole being, came into view. He looked nervous and froze. "Don't shoot me, please?"

[Lynn]

Dasha had already been up, tending to the fire when she had heard the first scuffles of movement. Since she wasn't entirely sure she hadn't imagined it, she concentrated on tuning out the sounds of the crackling fire and Jarin's breathing and tried to watch for movement in the direction she had thought she had heard something through the small gaps in the wood. The latter proved impossible as the fire rendered everything beyond it's flood of light one pitch black color. She wouldn't be able to dichiper darker shadows unless she doused it. That didn't prove necessary as further sounds were audible, confirmation enough that something or someone was out there. She glanced over to Jarin, but he had not been disturbed and was still asleep. Perhaps she could startle away the source of the noise before he did wake. She drew her knife and carefully crept her way over to the door- mindful not to step on any of the particularly creaky boards under foot as she didn't want to wake Jarin if at all possible. Of course she guessed if he hadn't woken from the sound of movement outside, he probably wouldn't wake due to the simple creak of a board either. She remained mindful of the faint sounds of the movement from outside, using it to keep track of where the individual was at. She didn't want them getting the chance to step inside, she didn't want to feel trapped in this space. She paced herself so she reached the doorway and blocked it off just as movement could be heard rounding the corner towards it. It took a moment for her eyes to adjust enough to make out much, as such she only saw the now frozen silluhette to begin with. Shorter than she had expected. A child she quickly realized after he had spoken. For a moment she paused, unsure what to do herself. She suddenly remembered she was holding a blade and that didn't feel right given she was confronting a child. "I won't harm you." She tucked the blade in so it was held by her belt, no longer in hand- but not as far of a reach as it was to her boot which was where she usually kept it. "As long as you don't give me a reason I should." she added since the first statement alone sounded too much like a promise and she had no idea of this child's intentions. This was a harsh place and she had to be skeptical, even of children.
As her eyes adjusted further and she was able to make out additional details beyond just his silluhette, she had a hard time picturing that this kid could mean to bring any harm. Dasha frowned "Are you wondering around out here all by yourself?" It was a question to gauge if this was some sort of ambush set up as well as one of concern.

[[deleted user]]

The boy still seemed nervous and shifted on his bare feet, rocking back and forth as he pondered what to do next. He shivered in the chilly night air. "Uh huh," he nodded, swiping at some of the dirt on his cheek. "Can I come in? It's cold out here and you have a fire," he said. He didn't sound dangerous, but of course he could easily be trying to set something up for this woman. In reality, the little boy wasn't planning anything wicked. He just wanted to warm up. "I won't do anything bad, and I'll be quiet," he added. He glanced around him for a second before stepping up and putting his hand on the rickety wall, hoping to creep further in.

[Lynn]

Dasha knew that the boy could easily be lying about being alone. She glanced around into the night beyond but didn't pick up on any hints that might suggest anyone else's presence. She studied the boy for a minute weighing her options. Did she dare trust this boy? If she didn't could she just turn him away and leave him out in the cold with a clear conscience?
Maybe it was because she was still tired or because her own emotions were still running high from telling Jarin about her own misfortunes- whatever the reason she decided she could not turn this child away. She would give him the benefit of the doubt even though it went against her better judgement.
She reasoned that if worst came to worst at least by inviting him in she would have a hostage if need be. "Alright." She moved so that she was not blocking the entirety of the doorway anymore. "I suppose that is a reasonable request."

[[deleted user]]

The little boy watched as Dasha thought. He hoped he could go in. Finally, she replied, and seemed to be okay with it. He gave a slightly bigger smile and stepped inside, passing her towards the fire. Immediately, he plopped down and curled up, though his head kept angling towards Dasha. He wondered about her. Even though he said he'd be quiet, he spoke up anyway. "What's your name?" he whispered.

[[deleted user]]

((What the little boy looks like, though dirty: https://i.pinimg.com/564x/c6/c3/56/c6...))

[Lynn]

Dasha watched the boy walk in and take a place by the fire. She spared one more moment to listen for any signs of further movement in the surrounding area before she went back in herself, taking her watch spot by the doorway. Once she was settled she glanced over to Jarin, making sure he hadn't woken. She wasn't sure what she was going to say to him when he woke up if the boy was still here. She didn't answer the boy's question right away when he asked. She couldn't introduce herself as Dasha, that name didn't exactly fit here. She had already given the boarding house woman a different name, but she wasn't too keen on using that one any further. She decided to give a name that could pass as a nickname to the one she had already given, just incase the boarding house woman happened to remember it. She doubted it would be an issue, but she had to keep some consistency just incase. "Katie" she answered in reply, keeping her voice a whisper as well. ". . . What's yours?"

[[deleted user]]

"I'm Matteo," the little boy smiled. "Although mostly people call me Mattie or Matt. You can call me any of those." He rolled onto his back, stretching his legs out and putting his feet up on the logs forming the wall. "The fire feels nice. Thanks for letting me in, Katie." He tried to stay awake, but he was sleepy. Now that he was warm, Mattie was having a hard time staying awake any longer. It appeared that he would be staying the night if he could. "I'm tired," he yawned, eyes already closed.

[Lynn]

Dasha silently took note of the boy's name. Since he had willingly shared it, it did make her slightly less suspicious that he might have some other unspoken motive. Of course it could of been a fake name, like she had given, but she didn't want to think about that. As the boy settled in she once again wondered what she would tell Jarin when he woke since it looked like the boy would be staying overnight. She couldn't exactly order him back out, not when it was so cold and he didn't seem to have any place else to go or get back to. She figured she would find the words to explain when she had to and instead spent her time revising her list for what she needed to get done in the morning. Getting fresh water would have to wait until Jarin woke if Mattie still remained here. She wasn't going to leave the two in here alone, especially when Jarin didn't yet know about the boy.

[[deleted user]]

"Good night, Katie," Mattie said softly, and finally his breathing evened out as he lulled himself to sleep. It was strange how he seemed so careful, yet so trusting. Wherever he'd come from was a mystery.
The boy slept for a good hour at least before Jarin woke automatically. He rolled onto his front and sat up. Jarin noticed the boy near the fireplace and looked questioningly at Dasha. He was still tired but he hadn't noticed this boy beforehand. He wondered who he was.
"My turn for watch?" Jarin asked softly, breathing out a whisper to keep from waking the little stranger.

[Lynn]

Dasha had been engrossed with watching the fire burn until Jarin woke. She frowned "I was going to let you sleep longer." she whispered back. She glanced over to Mattie who was still asleep. Although Jarin hadn't directly asked, she knew she owed at least a brief explanation as to why there was an extra individual here now. She looked back to Jarin, "I caught him poking around all alone outside . . . It didn't seem harmful for him to come in and warm up." She caught herself wondering where the boy would head off to in the morning and quickly pushed the wonder aside. That was really of no concern to her. Once the sun was up their paths would divide and that would be that.

[[deleted user]]

"It's fine, I can take over now," Jarin shrugged. He rolled his shoulders and rubbed at his neck. It was sore from being in a strange position. His eyes landed on the boy and he gave Dasha a questioning look. Who was that? When she spoke, he frowned but nodded. It seemed strange that a little boy like that would be all on his own. "Let him sleep, then. Can't be too harmful, unless he snores," Jarin half joked. He yawned and stood, moving over towards Dasha's side. "How long ago was that?"

[Lynn]

"Alright, if you're sure." Dasha was still quite tired herself, though she wouldn't outright admit it, so she wouldn't argue the subject. "I don't know." She glanced out the doorway and up at the sky. "An hour, hour and a half maybe?" she guessed. It was hard to tell time exactly without any sort of time piece and she was basing that assumption purely on the change in position of the moon. "Not too incredibly long anyway." She shrugged before getting up to forfeit her watch spot.

[[deleted user]]

"I'm sure. You keep staying up longer than me," Jarin said. He sat down beside Dasha, nodding. "As long as he doesn't try to kill either of us, I'm fine." He watched the little boy's chest rise and fall as he slept and looked back towards Dasha. "Get some rest. I'll keep watch until morning."

((Sorry, I'm having some writer's block right now.))

[Lynn]

Dasha shrugged, before this she had been plenty used to running on little sleep. Of course that had usually only been a couple days at a time and then she would always more or less catch up on what sleep debt she had collected. There wasn't opportunity for that here, not yet. It hadn't been all that long since she had stayed up practically the entirety of the night- trying to get and waiting for Jarin's fever to break. She knew she couldn't handle another round of that, and as long as Jarin wasn't completely healed there was still risk of it.
"You needed the sleep more anyway. . . Just don't mistake that for a noble gesture, I assure you it is completely of a selfish nature. I don't want to have to deal with any sort of infection again." The more sleep he got the more he would heal and the quicker that risk would be reduced and then finally gone. "Once you've completely healed it's totally going to fifty- fifty."
She stood up as Jarin spoke about the boy. She glanced over to the slumbering child, once again silently wondering what his story was. She supposed she would never know. So far she didn't think he would pose any sort of problem, surely if he had been part of a larger scheme it would of already been sprung on them. She nodded when Jarin told her to get some rest and moved back to her preferred sleeping spot. "Alright . . . If anything seems off, don't hesitate to wake me. Can't be too careful out here." Despite that fact that she probably should of felt less at ease with a stranger, even if it was just a child, under the roof- it didn't take her any longer than it had the first time for her to fall asleep.

((Totally fine, it happens.))

[[deleted user]]

Jarin half grinned at Dasha. "I'm allowed to think of it as a noble gesture if I wish," he teased. "But true, like you said, I don't wish to deal with any sort of infection again. Unless it means you'll take good care of me, which would be-" he shook his head. "Never mind," he said, knowing he would have said a bit too much to Dasha. Their relationship was so confusing. In the beginning, it had been an enemies thing; Dasha the captor and Jarin the unlucky prize. Then it had shifted into something more like they were just trying to survive and had to do it together. He didn't really get it, but his brain told him that Dasha wasn't actually half bad if she wasn't threatening to kill you.
"Yeah," Jarin nodded. "I'll let you know. We'll be fine." He watched her until she fell asleep and glanced over at the little boy who'd shown up that night. He too wondered where he had come from.

[Lynn]

Just as it had earlier, sleep swiftly pulled Dasha under it's heavy clutch. For the rest of the night she didn't so much as shift positions. She didn't even dream until morning drew near. Even then it was just brief flashes that didn't seem to fit together, nothing that she would remember upon waking. She was jarred awake by whatever the last image had been, the only hint as to what it was the phantom sound like that of a pen being dragged across paper- which lingered in her mind a millisecond longer before it too faded. The sun was at least partially up, there was light filtering in through the cracks in the structure and it was already beginning to get warmer. She could see dust particles floating through those streaks of light above. It would almost be a peaceful thing to watch if only she weren't so fed up with the stuff. peaceful. The thought reminded her about the boy who had shown up and it seemed too quiet. She sat up quickly to see if he was still around, and automatically found herself checking if everything she had had on her person when she had went to sleep was still there. Knife check Bootlaces check the one measley coin the boarding house woman had given her yesterday check. Her fingers began to drift up to her neck before she once again remembered what they sought wouldn't be there. She let her hand drop back to her side, satisfied that everything of any importance was still there. It wasn't that she didn't trust that Jarin had kept an eye on things while she was out, for whatever reason she found she actually did. It was the boy she didn't know about.

[[deleted user]]

In the morning, Jarin had actually dozed off during the very end of his watch. Instead of staying fully awake like required, he'd drifted to sleep. Because of that, he'd missed the stray dog that had again entered the shack. Strangely enough, however, the dog had gone right over to the new little boy, Mattie, and had curled up tightly against him. One of the dog's paws rested up on Mattie's chest, which rose and fell evenly with soft breathing.

[Lynn]

Dasha looked to where she had last seen the boy last night which quickly confirmed that he was still here . . . and that they had gained another guest sometime in the night. At least neither the boy nor the dog were causing any sort of trouble right now. It looked like the dog had taken a liking to Mattie, perhaps luck would be on her side and it would follow the boy wherever he wondered off to next- then both would no longer be her problem.
She quietly got up, not wanting to disturb them and made her way over to where Jarin was- asleep as well. She had no idea how long he had been out and how long they had been without anyone on watch, but despite that fact it didn't even cross her mind to be upset with him. Instead she knelt next to him and checked to make sure a fever hadn't re-emerged, keeping her touch light as not to wake him. It was still fairly early and she wanted to at least get some fresh water before anyone else woke.

[[deleted user]]

Jarin didn't have a fever anymore, so his only possible excuse for falling asleep would be that he was still recovering and quite tired from it all. He was sleeping on the floor like a little boy, almost, the same way as Mattie. He was curled up in the fetal position like the boy. It appeared almost funny since Jarin was a full sized man. He stirred somewhat and rubbed at his face like he felt Dasha's touch. It had been very light indeed, but just enough that Jarin felt it in his shallow sleep. He opened his eyes slowly and looked groggily at her. He wasn't exactly sure what to say, seeing as he hadn't expected her so close to him like that.
"Good morning," he mumbled, uncurling and rolling onto his side.

Mattie and the dog still lay sleeping.

[Lynn]

Dasha quickly pulled her hand away as Jarin began to stir. Thankfully there seemed to be no sign of fever. "Good morning." she echoed, mostly because she didn't know what to say either. She was slightly flustered that she had been caught checking on him. Why she couldn't quite explain, after all she had checked on him many times when his fever had been running rampant. Somehow that had been different- perhaps it was simply because then he had been too out of it to even be aware of, let alone remember, her actions. Now with no haze of fever to impair his consciousness and memory, that felt dangerous. Being diplomatic to make the best of the time they were being forced to coexist and survive together was one thing, but it felt like she was getting dangerously close to crossing some invisible line. She had already told him more about herself than she should of. She pushed herself back up to stand.
"I'm, uh, going to go get some fresh water." She announced, grabbing the bucket. In her haste a bit sloshed over the rim- darkening a patch of the dusty floor boards below. "Keep an eye on our guests, will you." She didn't wait for a reply before she turned and ducked out the door- making a quick get away before Jarin's grogginess cleared enough for him to question why she had been so close.

[[deleted user]]

Jarin sat up further as Dasha hurried to take the bucket out towards the stream. He wondered why she was so flustered like that. And as she left, he wondered why she had been so close to him. Strange. But Dasha had her ways and he often didn't understand them all. He found that he wished he did.

Jarin stood and walked over to the two new guests, his boots clumping softly on the dusty floor and creaking two of the boards. He said nothing and sat beside them.

Thoughts swirled in his mind as he waited for Dasha. The two of them had been here for months now, trying to find a way to get back home. Jarin wanted to build that piece. But at the same time, he felt strange about it. Returning home meant saying goodbye to Dasha and even though they didn't often agree with matters, he had started considering her a friend. Back at home he'd have no one who cared about his being and he'd go on ruling as king for the rest of his life if they hadn't chosen someone else. If they had, he'd be even more ignored. That was plain lonely.

[Lynn]

As Dasha walked to the stream she tried not to think any further about it and instead ran through the remainder of the list of things she wanted to get done this morning. Perhaps she could catch a few fresh fish, at least that would be a bit better than the dried ones. As the stream came into view that hope was crushed along with her intention of getting fresher water.
Overnight the stream level had dropped dramatically. What water was left at the bottom of the nearly dried stream at stagnant and was churned dark with silt. It would not be enjoyable, or possibly even safe, to drink. She suspected that it too would dry up within the day if the heat continued on like it had been.
A few fish lay motionless on the still semi muddy banks of the river. She considered taking them but ultimately decided against it since she had no idea how long they had been there. Possible food poisoning was not something that she needed to add to the ever-growing list of burdens. She turned around, empty handed aside from the bucket and water that she had packed along with her originally. She was thankful that she had been flustered enough to not automatically dump out the buckets contents once she had stepped out the door as usual and had instead foolishly carried a partially full bucket all the way here.
Her first priority for the day would now have to be to find another water source- another stream or perhaps a well somewhere in town. Water was something urgent that they could not go without. On her way back she was more careful, mindful to not let any more water slosh out of the bucket.
Once she was back inside she carefully set it back in its designated spot. She couldn't help but frown at the spot where she had spilled some on her way out. What a waste. ". . . Stream level is down. It won't be safe to drink from again unless there is some rain fall."

[[deleted user]]

Jarin had been keeping an eye on the two new guests like Dasha had suggested when she returned. He looked up at her and quickly gathered from her state that she only had bad news to bear. "Seriously..?" he asked cautiously, but by now he trusted that Dasha knew what she was talking about. Especially if it came to surviving in a place as foreign and strange as here. He let out a defeated sigh. "I don't need any of it. There's got to be another place to find some, otherwise this whole town would collapse." Despite saying what he was, Jarin suddenly felt a sudden need to get a drink of water. His mouth felt parched and his tongue thick in his throat. He felt clammy and that sort of scared him into thinking he'd lose more water than he could afford to. "I'll look around town anyway. When I go in to work at the blacksmith's."