Pretend to Believe (On the fence)

You pause for a moment, then smile as you take Kara’s hand. “Alright, alright. I believe you. You’ve been through a lot, huh?” You offer with genuine concern. Her hand tightened around yours and her brows lifted with surprise..

“What should I do, Kara?” You asked in order to humour her.

This girl is obviously a vagrant. She’s probably had it pretty tough. Thought she caught a break when she saw a Hero. I guess there’s stories like that. Women attaching themselves to a Hero that end up being taken along and taken care of. Sad. As you thought through it all Kara smiled brightly.

“You really believe me? You sound kinda…”

“Of course. You sound serious. I’m wondering what I should do.” You offered. Jeane looked between you and her with an unimpressed expression, but said nothing. You were eying Kara’s figure. She didn’t look malnourished but it was worth asking.

“Are you hungry?”

“Uh.” Kara stopped.

“Yeah?” She bristled a bit.

“I don’t accept charity. I’m hungry but I can eat whenever I want.”

You nodded. “Of course. I’m hungry and I want you to help me understand this stuff, so I’ll feed you.” You looked to Jeane.

“You too.” The elf’s cheeks darkened. She looked away.

“Thanks.”

“No problem. Come on, girls. Anyone know a good place to eat?” You corralled them, leading the way into a more populated section of Teor. Jeane got very close, using you as a shield to stop anyone from catching a glimpse of her. Kara seemed to want to stay close for not much reason other than closeness. She tried to hook her arm under yours. You skillfully avoided it and folded your hand over hers instead. She sounded shocked as your fingers locked with hers.

“W-what the hell?” She muttered.

“You’re worried about being separated, right?” You offered the clean out. She reluctantly nodded and allowed herself to be led by the hand. You chuckled to yourself.

Honestly… it’s like looking after children. How do these things happen to me? One after the other.

You led them through the streets to a market row of shops with glass windows. “Ah… this is the richer part of town.” You guessed.

“How’d you figure?” Kara asked.

“Storefronts are to attract people with money. They also require a bit of…” You smirked.

“Well, let’s just say that anyone inclined and able to put a brick through a big black storefront would.” You nodded in a few different direction.

“There’s more guards. More guards means more money circulating. The shops…” You stopped in front of one particular window. Behind it a beautiful blue dress set around a shapely mannequin. Jeane and Kara noticed you stopping and staring. Kara smirked and leaned close.

“Who’re you imagining in that dress, Hero? Someone special? Or-” She moved in.

“Someone closer to you?” You made eye contact with her which set her back. You defused the situation with a smile.

“I dunno. Just looks nice. Like something my sister would look good in.” You offered wistfully. You moved along the road. Jeane tugged on you and asked with some interest.

“You have a Sister?”

“Mhm.” You nodded.

Kara tried to jut back in. “What’s she like?”

You sighed, shutting your eyes to try to imagine an answer to that question. “Beautiful, kind, wise. Simply incredible…” You became aware of the fact that both women were making a face at you.

“Ah… I get it now.” Kara uttered in a low tone.

“W-what?” You blinked.

Jeane nodded. “He is lost. You can not help someone like him.”

“I only said-” You scuffed, running your hand through your smooth hair.

“Ugh, whatever. Think what you want.” You finally made your way out of the richer part of town and found a nice enough inn that you could afford, while also enjoying the food.

“Are you sure this is okay?” Jeane looked around.

“You do not have to spend money on me… I am not poor, just unfortunate.”

“Then pay me back when you get the chance.” You walked over to find a table. Before Jeane could sit down, Kara dexterously slipped in front of her and squeezed in beside you. As Jeane plopped down on the other side with furrowed brow you exhaled lightly through your nose.

“What is so funny?” Jeane asked.

“Get anything you want.” You told her.

“Eat as much as you want.” You directed at Kara. As you sat back comfortably, Jeane scanned you with her dark eyes, but it was Kara who first pointed something out.

“You need an Emblem for something, but you don’t wanna be a Hero or anything higher than Bronze. Doesn’t that mean you’re also trying to lay low?”

“I guess you could say that.”

“You do not need to say anything to me.” Jeane stated, though she was obviously curious.

You leaned over the table, resting your chin on your palm. “I guess it’s a pretty simple answer. Basically, I got my own things I need to be doing. I need the permissions but past a certain point other people's problems start to be yours. It becomes less of a privilege and more of a responsibility and I don’t need that. I don’t need that at all right now.”

There was a punctuated silence at the table. Jean broke it first. “Then thank you for going against that to help me.” She bowed her head.

You opened your mouth, unable to find the words. It was unexpected and you had forgotten that you were in the middle of helping two girls. They were small favours, but still, you were aware how it could come off.

“Don’t mention it.” You said, waving a hand as if batting away the thanks. Noticing that Kara was staring at you intently you asked, using it as a way to change the subject.

“Tell me about this danger.” The barmaid came around the moment you said that. You interjected between your own conversation.

“After we order!”

In the end it was you who ended up ordering for everyone. Since it was a table and neither girl knew what they wanted you ordered a roasted game hen for the table. As it came you took your gauntlet off and picked at it, taking some veggies from around the plate. Kara, following your lead, did the same.

“You just… use your hands?” Jeane asked disdainfully.

“Ah.” You remembered her condition.

“Here, Jeane.” You offered your plate to hers, since you already filled it, then took the empty one from in front of her. Her cheeks darkened a little as she stared down at the food and complained.

“Something your-” She looked up and was surprised to comment.

“Oh.”

“What?” You chuckled, picking more for yourself from the communal plate. The hen was golden brown and the flesh inside was pale with just enough moisture to allow it to fall apart.

Jeane observed. “It’s just that your hands were unexpectedly… delicate.”

“Hm. Mm.” You nodded, eating the meat with your hands. You shrugged at the question. You looked over.

“Now that we’re eating. Kara. Go ahead.”

The beastfolk nodded and finished chewing, barely, before speaking. There was a heavy contrast of her trying to seem grave as she licked her fingers. You leaned in as she actually became somewhat pained and hesitant to get what she needed to say out. Finally, after a long silence she said.

“I… think I forgot who I am.”

You blinked. “Huh?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean… I think I used to be someone else. I think I used t- to be someone different.” She held her head in her hand tightly. She saw the way you both looked at her, interested and intrigued but ultimately more concerned than anything.

“I’m NOT crazy! How old do I look?”

“You look about my age?” You shrugged.

“Maybe older.”

“I… I’ve been alive for so much longer but I have no clue how or when or where I grew up… I’ve always looked like this. When I think about it my head hurts… I think that someone made me like this.”

“Why do you think that?” You asked. Jeane observed, carefully popping food into her small mouth as it started to lose its colour.

“It’s a feeling…” She looked down.

“I can do things. I can-” She lowered her voice and leaned closer.

“I can take away people's energy… I don’t know how it works, I just know I can do it. I can sometimes control… things and people if I try really hard.”

“Hmm.” Jeane was in deep thought, chewing. Once her mouth was finally clear she informed Kara.

“I have heard… stories.”

“Stories?” Kara’s ears perked up.

“There are a people from the east, the furthest point north and the furthest point east. The Horn of the world. A reclusive group that congregates around some legendary tree… They’re said to all be beastfolk not found anywhere else in the world.”

Kara almost leaned fully over the table. She yelped as you grabbed the band of her shorts and pulled her but down.

“Relax. Just be calm.”

“How can I be calm when-!” She stopped and saw your expression. You were serious. For quite a while you had become aware of a group that had followed you in, sat down and that had been watching you the whole time. She gulped and nodded, speaking more quietly.

“What do you know about these people?”

Jeane shrugged. “Nothing. They’re a myth. Even to my people.”

Kara looked up, ears drooping. “Your people… who are?”

“N-never mind that.” Jeane uttered defensively.

You sunk into your booth and rubbed your eyes. “Haaah… Alright.” You patted Kara on the shoulder.

“So sorry. I don’t know what happened but it sounds terrible.” You still weren’t one-hundred percent sure you believed her, but one of you was being followed for one reason or another and you didn’t like it.

They think they have the right to follow me? No matter who I’m with, that’s not allowed… You eyed the two girls.

“Which of you is mostly likely to have pissed someone off recently?” Jeane shrugged. She seemed to genuinely not know. As you brought your attention to Kara her face was going red and she was shaking with her posture drawn in and her hands closed into fists on her lap.

Bingo, huh? Eying the group that came in, they were all men of varying sizes and they were too intent on being professionals, so you guessed they had a grievance with something. It was definitely not you.

You got close to Kara, her ear twitching as you whispered near it. “Be honest. You didn’t scam anyone?”

“No one! I promise…” She lowered her voice after initially yelling in her defence.

“I give them what they want and they just get mad when I don’t keep giving more and more and more.” She gritted her teeth. She seemed ready to be blamed, but looked up with wide eyes as you patted her on her back.

“Good. You didn’t do anything wrong. You believe in luck?” She shook her head.

“Fate?” She shook her head. The tip of her tail wagged subtly and her ears stood up as you asked your question. You casually counted out coins equal to a little more than what the bird cost and set them on the table one by one.

“You believe in what?” You asked with a wide grin.

“Myself!” Kara said coarsely.

“Good girl.” You closed your eyes and thought through your next move.

“You two, get ready to act…”