Something Underneath Their Differences

Arin finished preparing breakfast as the sun rose in the sky. She scraped the last bit of porridge from the pot as she looked at the depressing, barely filled bowl. She let out a heavy sigh then shook her body loose. The day was wasting, and she couldn’t afford to let that happen. With one last loud exhale she grabbed the bowl and went to her son sitting in a handmade seat placed on a sturdy yet shabby looking table. She quickly got to feeding Cahaya as he babbled; his amethyst eyes sparkling as he looked at her then zeroed in on the spoon when it got close. 

After breakfast, she dropped Cahaya off to her neighbor then ventured to the guild. As she traveled down the busy streets of Mildune she mentally calculated her finances. There was nothing left to eat but a few bites of bread and she had no money left for milk. She barely had enough iron pieces to compensate her neighbor for watching Cahaya and nobody was looking to hire a masculine looking woman.

Once she arrived in the guild community, she got serious. She started with the adventurers' bulletin; most were for long journeys and dangerous quests for precious information or rare and mythical treasures. With Cahaya in mind, she couldn’t take part. She then made her way to the board of odd jobs; this one consisted from strange to the simplest of tasks one would rather pay someone else to do than doing themselves. These were the typical jobs Arin would take, but she needed more money than a handful of them combined could offer. Finally, she took a glance at the hunting wall; these requests varied in time span and qualifications but all of them involved a dangerous beast turned into prey. This guild lost the most members due to some wild things like venomous plantlife.

She scanned the board and took down the pieces of parchment that peaked her interest. At the end of it she had 3 jobs that could last her another two days if she was lucky. She was about to head out, but caught the sight of a piece of cloth pinned to the board. It had no information but an old crest. Tensing her jaw she snatched the cloth from the board and stomped towards the counter. The guild handler looked towards Arin and grabbed her a pint of ale.

“Mornin’ Arin. How’s that boy of yours doin’?” The handler greeted.

“Mornin’. He’s alright. Tryin’ his darnest to talk too.” Arin answered with a sip of her mug.

“I see. Gonna be smart just like his mother.” The handler complimented. “But anyways what can I do you for?”

Arin placed the crest onto the counter. The handler glanced at it then nodded towards the back rooms.

“The fifth door. Don’t know anything ‘bout that, but a man did say for anyone who questioned it to see him.” He told her.

Arin nodded her thanks and took the cloth with her to the private rooms. Once she got to the fifth door she knocked and was granted entrance. Inside sat a man she thought she wouldn’t ever see again. With his nose buried in a book, he took his time to redirect his attention. When he caught a glance of Arin, he closed his book and put it aside. His eyes then found the wooden floor and perused floor planks.

“Why are you here?” Arin asked.

“I can explain.” He tried to tell her.

“We had a deal, Sinclair.” She reminded him.

“I know, but I had no other choice. I need you for this job.” Sinclair expressed. “I’ll even give you my share.”

Arin cocked a brow at the man who was still staring at the floorboards. If she didn’t know this man for two whole decades, she would have just left before he could talk. At the sound of his voice she knew he was being sincere, it made it a bit harder for her to ignore him. Arin then decided to grab the extra chair in the room and dragged it across from him. She sat right in front of him with the tips of her feet in his view.

The tension left Sinclair’s shoulders as he sighed out in relief. He knew it was a gamble to request anything from Arin, but thankfully she stayed.

“I’ll make the explanation quick.” He started. “There is something taking children around the western outskirts. Trackers and mages have both failed trying to trace anything. I didn’t know what else to do, so I came here.”

Before Arin could share her thoughts, a knock sounded on the door. At the sound of familiar babbling Arin scrambled from out of her chair. When she opened it Cahaya was squirming in the handler’s arms to get to her.

“Your neighbor came in and dropped your boy at the bar. Said somethin’ bout’ her children and a accident.” The handler relayed. “Said she can’t watch ‘im for a while.”

Arin huffed and took Cahaya into her arms. He quickly snuggled in and laid his head on her chest.

“Thanks handler.” She said before the door was closed once again.

She swayed Cahaya in her arms as she thought of her next move.

“I can’t help you.” Arin told Sinclair with her back towards him.

“Because you have no one to watch your son?” Sinclair asked, finally picking his head up to look at her back.

“Of course.” She answered.

“There will be more than enough people to protect and watch him. With you there it will be over quickly and you will be on your way before too long, I promise.” Sinclair listed.

Arin quickly turned around to look at Sinclair, Cahaya’s giggling at the sudden action being the only sound in the room. Being caught off guard, Sinclair was too slow to avoid her gaze. Her gray orbs held him in his place as his amethyst ones stared back at her flickering with emotions he couldn’t process.

“You made me a lot of promises and most of them were empty.” She told him.

Their eyes did not waiver as silence once again took over the room. Cahaya, however, didn’t care for it and reached for his mother’s face to get her attention. He reached up to her cheek and successfully distracted her when he began to babble. Arin looked at Cahaya and bopped him in her arms.

“I know, but Mama is tryin’ to settle some business.” She said as she placed a kiss on his nose.

He giggled and began to blow spit to try to kiss her too.

“I, Sinclair Haywerd of Gantril Peak, give you my solemn oath to protect your son, if anything were to happen to him I offer my life to you to do what you deem fit.” He swore on one knee and his right hand on his heart.

He then hissed and clenched his fist as his left peck glowed under his clothes. Arin couldn’t help but watch. Sinclair never made oaths over his heart. Once oaths were made on your heart, there was no way to remove it and if the wearer breaks their oath, they instantly die.

“What in the seven hells do you think you are doing?” Arin questioned him.

“What you two deserved.” He gritted out as he pulled open his shirt.

Groaning as the air touched his raw skin, he placed his hand over to perform a healing spell. Once there was a scarred brand in its place, Sinclair tried to catch his breath. When he finally looked up Arin was looking away but offering up her free hand.

“You didn’t have to do something that stupid.” She told him as he took her hand.

Arin pulled him and looked into his tired gem-like eyes.

“But I believe ya.” She said before heading to the door. “I need to grab some things for us and then we can head out.”

+++

Keshet slowly inched towards the edge of the forest. His steps getting smaller and smaller as he got closer to the sun shining through from the treeline. He rarely ever ventured out of the forest but the herb peddler failed to pass through today and he was in urgent need of some. It took him a while to gather his courage for the trip, but now it was petering off and he was close to turning back around.

The sudden sound of a cry made him flinch. He strained his ears to hear that it was the cries of a baby along with people arguing. Afraid of the state of the child he followed the cries to the treeline where he could see a wagon next to a campsite.

“Who throws down weapons next to a baby?!” He heard one person yell.

“I told ya, I didn’t see ‘em!” He heard another person yell back.

“Well she won’t listen until she punches me so your words mean nothing!” The first person griped.

He then heard someone running from his right. When he looked he saw a man with a bag in his hand and sword on his hip. Then he took a better look and realized it was a woman. Keshet knew there were human women who were larger than elven women and a few men, but he didn’t expect them to tower his kind like she did. Without a sound, he watched her run behind the wagon, heard a cry of pain from the man he assumed she punched, and walked out from behind the wagon with the baby in her arms. Keshet thought the woman made the child look even smaller, but the sight of her being so gentle with her large stature showed her genuine love she had for the baby. The woman’s gaze then focused on him.

“Who’s there?” She called out.

Keshet froze. She wasn’t clear on who she was talking to, but he knew she meant him. With a shaky breath he slowly stepped out from the cover of the trees.

+++

Arin watched as something emerged from the forest. She held Cahaya firmly to her chest while her free hand hovered next to her throwing knife. As the light hit the shadow, Arin couldn’t believe what she was seeing.

She knew the being was an elf, but she didn’t recall ever meeting an elf as venust as the goddess herself. Their gaze was towards the ground as they slowly showed her their hands. Just by looking she could tell that they were nervous, but she didn’t feel any sense of forebode. When the elf finally looked up their mouth opened a few times without uttering a word.

“I-I-I’m s-sorr-ry. I-I did-dn’t mean t-to c-cause a-al-larm.” They finally stuttered out.

Arin let her hand fall from her throwing knife at the innocent sounding voice of the elf. She felt like scooping them up and calming them down, but that was only something she ever felt towards Cahaya.

“I’m Arin.” She started. “What are you doing on the outskirts of the forest?”

Keshet liked the way her name sounded. He wanted to tell her his, but his chest was still tight. He always had problems talking to people, however, it never felt like this. His nerves were on edge but couldn’t push down the urge to continue the conversation.

“Uh.” He struggled. “I-I’m K-K-Keshet. I’m th-the onl-ly male h-healer in my v-village.”

“You’re a man?” Arin questioned with wide eyes.

Keshet dropped his gaze in embarrassment at her astonishment. With his light fair skin, long auburn hair, small stature, and thin limbs; he was normally mistaken as a woman. He eventually got used to it after getting older, but now his insecurity crashed back on to him like he was a juvenile again.

When Arin saw his mouth form a pout as he had a difficulty meeting her eyes again, she found it completely adorable. Even though he was a man, the elf was mesmerizing, especially with how the sunlight reflected off of his flowing reddish-brown locks.

“Arin, we have to get going!” Sinclair called out breaking them both from their thoughts.

Arin yelled back to Sinclair then looked back at Keshet. She waved him over coaxing him away from the forest.

“Where are you headin? We could give you a ride.” She offered.

“Phlantum.” He answered.

“We’re passing through there. Come on.” She insisted.

Keshet watched Arin walk back to the wagon where she loaded her child and the rest of their things. He knew he should have rejected her proposal, but there was a desire inside him to spend more time with this refreshingly unique woman.

+++

“Missing ch-children?” Keshet stuttered.

“Yes, there are children reported missing between the town of Phlantum and the city of Dewn.” Sinclair explained. “Have similar things happened in the elf villages?”

Keshet shook his head.

“Th-there has n-ot been a-ny news like th-that.” Keshet replied.

“Well hopefully we can put a stop to it.” Sinclair sighed before climbing into the front with their coachman Dirn.

Squeals of glee drew Keshet’s attention to the mother and son. Arin was leaning down to blow kisses into Cahaya’s stomach as the child wiggled with joy. He found himself watching their interaction with a soft smile. A bond between mother and child was such a beautiful thing to witness for Keshet. He remembered all the women he helped give birth, and they all had the same big smile Arin has when they looked at their children. Normally the sight would make him want a child of his own, but in his current case, he wanted Arin to smile at him with just as much delight.

When Arin saw Cahaya red in his face, she thought it was time for him to amuse himself for a while. She placed him in front of her with a few of his toys and his attention was diverted and captured once again. She finally got the chance to catch the gaze that was burning into her for quite some time. When their eyes met, she could tell Keshet’s face was blushing complimenting his soft features and sweet doe eyes. Quickly, Keshet averted her gaze, making Arin chuckle. She expected him to remain quiet but then she heard him mumble.

“Y-you are s-so gr-eat w-with him.” He complimented.

Arin didn’t know how to react to his words, nobody had ever spoken nicely about her being a mother. Many people believed she would abandon him like Sinclair, but she proved them all wrong. After hearing a compliment after so long, she couldn’t help the warmth she felt flush her face.

“Thank you.” She finally muttered out. “Nobody ever told me somethin’ like that. I ‘preciate it.”

“P-people sh-should te-ll you m-more often.” He voiced.

Keshet then felt a tug on his coat. When he looked down it was Cahaya playing with the end of his sleeve. He gave the child permission to explore the sleeve with more access. Cahaya babbled and grabbed more at the pattern catching his attention; then he moved on to explore Keshet’s hand. When he placed the palm of his hand on Keshet’s open one he cackled and began to smack the man's hand with his baby strength.

“Sorry, he likes doin’ that for some reason. I think it’s the sound, but he don’t like clappin’ his own hands.” Arin explained.

“He’s f-fine.” Keshet assured.

Eventually Arin and Keshet began to play with Cahaya together which just made his laughter louder and even more infectious than it already was.

“WATCH OUT!” Sinclair yelled right before the wagon began to roll.

Arin immediately reached for Cahaya and Keshet to cushion them from the impact. After the rolling ceased Cahaya began to cry from shock causing Arin and Keshet to look him over for injuries before trying to soothe him.

Arin noticed an opening at the side of the wagon which was now above them. A glowing figure looked in and reached towards them.

“Don’t cry. Your joy was much sweeter.” An eerie voice whispered.

Arin felt a chill go down her spine at the wisp of a sound. Her maternal instincts kicked in when it tried to get closer to Cahaya. Without thinking she threw a punch at the figure sending it back away from the hole.

“Stay here.” Arin told Keshet before climbing out of the wagon with her sword.

Keshet held Cahaya close and cooed to him to stop crying, but with the commotion going on outside, his efforts were futile. They heard slashing and screeching along with metal clanging and grunting from Arin and probably the others. Keshet looked at Cahaya and tried to block out their sickening surroundings. Failing to reach Cahaya through his wailing, Keshet tried one last option. He brought his mouth close to one of the baby’s ears and hummed an elvish tune mothers sang to their children. Eventually Cahaya’s cries became whimpers as he opened his eyes to see Keshet watching him. As the fighting continued neither of them noticed as they silently comforted each other.

+++

Arin watched her opponent fall with a loud thud while trying to keep her own balance. She had a few injuries that needed to be tended to but those were the last things on her mind as she trudged her way to the wagon. She busted a new hole in the wagon to get to Keshet and Cahaya. When Keshet first saw her, he was taken aback by the blood and green ooze she was covered in. He was always against violence and the harm of other living things. Normally he would detest someone who killed, but looking upon Arin’s solemn face just made him want to grant her solace with a gentle embrace. He didn't believe he could feel this way towards someone, but it was evident in his heart.