Frozen Sunset

Raya sighed, her shoulders heaving. Crawling across the rooftop, she hung her head over the edge, looking down at Nicholas. "I think... I may just stay. It wouldn't be wise to leave you alone. Especially given your condition." Raya sat, allowing her legs to dangle over the edge, cloaked in shadow.
Raya muttered quietly to herself; "what have I gotten myself into.."

He looked up at her with a neutral expression before his eyes returned to the faint rectangle of light on the ground that marked out where small amounts of light escaped the heavy door.
"I am sorry" He stated, briefly regretting having taken her along with them when he knew things could only get worse now that it was not just him and his brother. He finally felt the regret fade when he heard the Innkeeper tiredly announce that some doors down, lived a herbist. A herbist in a village of spies.

Retracting her legs, she ensured her entire form was concealed by the night. "They'll be sure to see him. I'm sure their Captain isn't in a good state..." She muttered, his face appearing in her head. She remembered the girl that had helped them escape. Raya hadn't seen the girl arrive with the pack of soldiers and archers alike. "Where's the witch?" Her voice was nothing more than a whisper, almost unaudible despite the quiet night air.

"I haven't seen her either..." He murmured, listening as the door opened once more, a single archer exiting onto the waterlogged street.
"Maybe she's with the other two..." He watched as the archer searched his surroundings cautiously, even looking directly into his direction though he did not appear to see him or Raya.
"He'll be off to find someone to tend to their captain...we may need to follow him..." The archer slunk off into the shadows, turning off into a silent gap in between two old buildings that would have once made comfortable homes had they roofs. "Where are you Christian...." He growled under his breath, silently wishing for an answer though there was no chance of him receiving one.

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They crept slowly through the forest, the young femmes hair curling around her face. She couldn't feel the prescence of the band of soldiers that had, until recently, inhabited the forest. Only one little light remained... And it was almost out.
She rounded a tree, grateful to have free mobility within the forests walls once again. "Soldiers!" She spat. "Hate 'em, hate 'em, hate 'em!" It felt good not to have to whisper in fear of being found. It had been days now. Days of waiting for them to move on.
She had spent the last day watching as the thick fog had slowly retracted, giving her her eyes back. The femme drew in a breath of fresh air, almost choking on it as her eyes fell upon the hanging female. "Fuck..." She breathed, the maze of deep lacerations that plastered the girls skin hitting her eyes.

The girl was ice cold. It shouldn't have been possible but her body temperature had lowered far beneath that of the cold water that had been poured over her what could have been hours ago. Had it not been for the deep red gashes she would have been as white as ice, instead, the only indication of her cold body was the blue lips and the purple hands that had long since gone numb. The girl did not move, instead she was eerily still, as if dead.
"Noita! What have you found child?!"
The second girl had been followed from the trees by a male much older than herself, he was weighted down by pelts and bags though none of it seemed at all necessary even though the winter had so far proven to be a harsh one. For a gruff looking man of many years, his voice was fairly kind and carried a tone of authority.
As the male stepped up next to the girl he let out a whistle of surprise.
"My my my my my...what have we here?" He surveyed the nude girl with a pitying glance and shook his head. "She's still alive...cut her down"

Removing a knife swiftly from her belt, Noita hastily cut the girls bonds, catching her before she hit the floor. "Christ! She's frozen solid!!" Noita breathed into her hands, the girls head resting upon her knees. "She's weak... Almost dead.. Wh- who would do this?" She removed the fur coat that had protected her from the harsh Winters chill and placed it over the frozen femme.
"I bet it was those fucking soldiers," she spat. Noita really disliked soldiers and would dislike them more if she found it was them that had tortured this girl. "She... She's a witch," Noita murmured with wide eyes. She's like me... She had used the little power she had to search through the femmes mind, stumbling across an interesting fact. "This girl is a witch. She's like me."

The old man nodded and stepped closer. He didn't look away from the girl's body for it did not shock or interest him, what he was searching for could not be found though he sensed a heartbeat somewhere within her chest.
"You know if that's true then she'll be all right...but we'll need to take her back with us if she's to have any chance of waking up" He placed his big hand on Noita's shoulder and shrugged off one of his own pelts to replace the coat she had placed upon the girl. Without difficulty he plucked the girl from the ground and held her in his strong arms, waiting for the second girl.
"Let's go, before those soldiers come back...you know what they're like"

Noita nodded, about to walk away but she stopped in her tracks. "If they do come back... They're gonna know we were here... Or that someone was. What if they try to track us?" Noita sat, looking up at the sky. It was void of clouds, odd for winter. The girl smiled and clasped her hands together. One simple word escaped her tongue and clouds formed over the clearing. "Snow." She sat for a moment, waiting for the tiny flakes of snow to begin falling.
With time the snow got heavier and Noita knew it was then time to leave. "The snow will cover our tracks... It's spread throughout the forest and will continue to get heavier until I decide differently. We should hurry before this one," she pointed at the unconscious girl, "freezes to death."

He smiled knowingly at her and kicked out with a leg though it was without malice.
"That's my girl" He tucked the coat tightly around the stiff witch and began to follow the faint tracks in the leaves that led back to their secret little nook.
"But you know, nobody's going to appreciate a sudden snowfall, I suppose you better get to cooking to make it up to them" The age of the man seemed to melt away as he broke into a run, his pelts blurring together giving the illusion of some great beast running through the trees. He stopped only when he felt the heat of camp.

Pulling up close behind the male Noita scowled at him. "Like Hel am I cooking! I'll bloody kill you all!" She laughed. "And it won't be accidental." She closed her eyes, her lips stretching into a huge grin. Looking back, Noita found no tracks to give herself away. Nothing remained of their return journey. The snowfall had completely covered it already.
Gently whispering into the cold winter air, the snow began to slow, flakes drifting silently past her face. She shook her head when a single snowflake landed on her nose. "I think, it's time to warm her up. Remembering though... It must be done gradually. A sudden jump from extreme cold to warm will kill her."

Chuckling to himself the old man strode along the banks of what had once been a river, sliding strategically down into a cleverly placed encampment, not down wind nor upwind from anything lurking in the woods.
"I'm no fool to the way of a cold body near heat my pet, you were born into this cold and while your mother slept I kept you warm, not too warm, but warm enough to live to the grand old age of...what are you now? Six?" Chuckling once more he nodded to the few grubby faces who kept the campfire's burning, none questioning him on the girl in his arms.

"Hey! That's not fair! You know I'm older than that!" She gave her father a light push, pouting. "Some father you are. Don't even remember your own daughters age!" She strode ahead, desperate to find the heat of the camp. "It might just be that you're old... But it would appear your memory is slipping!"
Noita curled up on the ground in front of one of the many fires, holding her hands up to warm them. "Damn Winter," she muttered. I may have been born into the cold but it doesn't make it any less cold!
"How long do you reckon it will take for her to wake up?" She asked over her shoulder. Noita couldn't feel any life from the girl but knew she still lived. The very faint flutter of her heartbeat told her that.

"A few hours...a couple of days...depends on her I'm afraid" The male took a seat next to his daughter and gestured to a few of his friends to bring more pelts.
"I'll have someone clean and dress her wounds once she's warmed up, else she'll only pass out again when she does come around..." Even as he spoke he wrapped the girl up a little more with warm animal furs, his hands gently smoothing the fur down, adding heat to the thick hairs that covered each skin. There was no color in the girl's face but he soon heard breathing, labored, unsteady breathing.
"There we go! Some life in the little witch already!" He sounded overjoyed, around them there were unsteady shuffles and whispers, no one was too happy about there being yet another witch among camp, but no one dared speak out against their leader, their old wise leader.

Noita's face lit up. "She's warming up already?" The girl sighed in relief. She felt it would be nice to have someone who was somewhat similar to her around. She was the only one of her kind; a witch. No one came too close to her; afraid of her. Sometimes, when she felt truly lonely, the weather would reflect her mood. It got to the others that resided in the camp. Snow in the middle of Spring isn't really what would be considered normal.
"I hope she's going to be okay. Do you think she'll be of any danger to us? I mean, she was with the soldiers after all. And, if I'm correct in thinking, none of the others were witches, meaning she was the one who created that disgusting fog..."

"Now now...being with soldiers tells us nothing...she may have been aiding them...but even you know what this world is coming to...groups of families rounded up and never seen again just because of who they descend from...witches aren't safe even if they work for soldiers...and who do you think did this to her? Soldiers that's who! There's no scum lower than a soldier serving under a murderous monarchy...I think we'll be fine...besides" With a red faced beaming grin he lifted the girl up so that her face was on show, just as streaked as the rest of her.
"Does that look like the face of a meanie?" He raised a questioning brow and chuckled as a few passing figures laughed themselves, nearly dropping the pales of water they carried.

"Dad! That's so rude! And for the record, no. No it's not! Now please, don't be so rude and let the poor girl recover in peace! She doesn't need a bunch of half-wits laughing at her. Especially an old man such as yourself! Don't you have any respect for women?" Noita hung her head in frustration, muttering quietly to herself; "the day I leave this place is the day my life finally begins!"
Noita stood, brushing the snow from her behind. "The ground'll end up soaked once all this melts," she sighed. She stared long at the girl, colour having returned to her lips. "I wonder if she had a choice. Serve the Queen or die..."

"Thats a choice we all face sooner or later darling...and having voted not to serve the queen...well, it leaves us slightly limited to this way of life, doesn't it? Would you wish it upon anyone? Because I certainly wouldn't" Tucking the pelts around the girl once more he gently lay her in front on the fire on a patch of ground where the snow could not hope to settle upon. He eased himself onto his feet and smiled down at his daughter.
"I suppose while we camp you'll simply have to keep the snow falling before you flood us all!" He burst into laughter and patted her back happily. From somewhere a little further off, one of the males tending one of the few horses they owned called out that food was ready, not the best cook, it took a few minutes for the entire camp to saunter his way for their fill.
"Time to eat!" The old man chimed, already making his way to the smell of food.
"Everybody be sure to leave some for out new witch!" He added.

"It's okay. She can have my share. I'm not really hungry to be honest. The image of her hung to a tree is kinda etched into my brain right now and has stolen away my appetite." Noita still joined her father on their way to the cook. She stopped when they reached the horses, running a hand over their soft coats. She sighed, shoulders heaving. "Why would anyone leave a girl in that kind of state? It's disrespectful really." She muttered into the horses neck as she lent against it.
Thinking about the snow, Noita had an idea. Sure, it might make things a little colder but it would stop the ground from soaking. Thinking carefully she sought to turn the recent snow into a thick sheet of ice. It would mean that each and every person would have to take care whilst walking but better that then being flooded in a bog. Slowly, the crackle of freezing water sounded beneath her, spreading within the vicinity of the camp. A few of the men screeched as they fell to their buttocks on the slippery sheet of ice. "Be careful, idiots," she mumbled. Honestly, Noita didn't care much for the other because they didn't particularly care for her. The only one that deserved her attention was her father. He was the only one who really accepted her for what she was. A witch.

Despite there being a large crowd of people to feed, the line to receive the food was fairly orderly, the result of years of working as a team paying off to be shown in their manner, despite being bandits that were often...misunderstood. While humans and animals struggled on the sudden ice, Noita's father found himself at the front of the disbanding line, face to face with a young man whose face was discolored due to an overwhelming birthmark that hid his good looks.
"News on supplies Trinius, we're lower than usual...my father wants details on where we're headed next..." The old man considered the question as his bowl was filled with the steaming stew then grinned.
"Tell your father we'll be heading to a camp somewhere passed Dolusidai...we'll stock up and replace a few of the horses we had to lose...pick up some weapons and the like..." The young man nodded and filled another bowl.
"Noita..." He held the bowl out to her even though the heat began to burn his palm.
"You have to eat...even if you're not hungry" He stared at her with an unbroken stare until Trinius took the bowl from him and pushed it into his daughter's hands.

Noita accepted the bowl of food reluctantly. It smelt good. She wouldn't deny it that. Putting the steaming bowl to her lips, she sipped at the stew. It tasted as good as it smelt but she couldn't enjoy it. Not properly anyway. "Compliments to the chef," she smiled, half-heartedly. Taking another sip, she curled up on the icy ground, sighing.
"I can't believe we've been reduced to this. Sure, we weren't living under the best conditions at home but this is pathetic. When do I get to kill the Queen?" She looked up at her father, a murderous look in her eyes. She was disgusted at what the Queen had done to the world... All because she can. "Bitch let the power go straight to her head. It's disgusting. She doesn't deserve her crown. Never has, never will."

"Noita..." Her father sighed and took an awkwardly cold seat next to her, regarding her in silence for a moment before taking a mouthful of his food, taking a moment to let it warm him through before looking back to his daughter.
"It's difficult to say when someone truly deserves the crown...history and myth is full of treachery, double crossing...murder...it's not something most can handle...so when the real king or queen finally arrives...well, I suppose if you happen to be around...a blade can only strike true in the right hands" He patted her back and stood though his well wrapped up behind had gone numb from the cold, causing him to rub at it as he wandered off with his food.
"He talking in metaphors again?" Asked the young man who had dished out their meals, his eyes on their leader as he disappeared from sight.
"Y'know, you shouldn't criticize our way of life so easily...it's not the best, but we get to see the whole world like this...and we finally know whats going on in the world...it's not that bad"

"Hm... Maybe so." Noita stood, after downing the last of her stew, a burning sensation in her throat and esophagus... "Ow," she breathed, fanning her mouth and breathing in the cold air. "That was hot."
She thrust the bowl into the males hands, nodding in thanks for the meal. "I don't think it's so much that. It's just... We're constantly having to hide in fear of being found. They'd probably take us as slaves or something. Seems only fitting, doesn't it?" She picked at one of the few autumn leaves still laying dead upon the ground. "I'd be forced to do something like her over there," Noita pointed over at the unconscious girl who was still warming by the fire. "Probably end up like her too..."
She looked down the ground, the last piece of the leaf gracefully floating to the icy floor. "No one likes a witch," she sneered.

The male added the bowl to the growing pile of those in need of cleaning and shrugged.
"Guess that's partially true...but most of it's fear induced...why trust a witch when you lack their power? People tend to get a little paranoid...nowadays..." The bowls were collected in a box which was to be placed on a cart until water was next available to wash them, and the male took up a space next to the box to rest, lying back comfortably. He was smiling as small flakes of snow fell onto his face.
"I suppose witches like witches...soldiers like soldiers...but then...no one likes a soldier"

Noita laughed softly. "You're quite right. No one likes a soldier." Her face became puzzled as she looked back towards the unknown female. "Do you think she'll like me? I mean... She is a witch after all... The only person here who really accepts me is my Father. I don't have any friends. Not really, anyways." She picked at the hem of her trousers before suddenly bursting into laughter.
"It's funny really, isn't it? Both of my parents are respectful people with plen'y o' friends and then they produce a witch. Said witch is hated by all she encounters. It'll be nice to have a friend."