Kayan fiddled with his fingers, gesturing with his head exaggeratedly as he explained.
“He was apparently in league with a few other men that he cheated out of the profits,” he said. “So I’m going to question them— assuming I find them, which I have no doubt.”
He noted back to her first remark. “And, no,” he muttered somewhat sternly. “I’m just going to find them and question them. That’s it. If they are guilty, they’ll be punished. If innocent— no harm will come their way.”
Evers nodded and glanced as they came to her house. “I’m sure you will find them before they end up hurting anyone.” She stopped a few feet away from the door and glanced back at the path they came from. She watched at the moon rise and the landscape change from golden to a glowing blue. “Thank you for walking me Kayan. I do hope you find his associates soon. If there’s anything I can help with, you know where to find me.” She tilted her head to the house and curtsied in polite departure, checking the plants along the path to the front door along the way. The crown of flowers and leaves washed in golds and silvers from the moonlight. She crouched down and tended to a small plant, urging herself not to look back and the Fae
Kayan bowed back in response to her curtesy, his white gloves extremely bright in contrast to the ever darkening sky. His wings seemed to glow in just the slightest, the bright green backs of them visible as he bowed.
“The pleasure was mine, miss,” he cooed as she walked back. “And if I find anything out, I’ll let you know you’re safe. Now worries, as long as I’m around.”
He gave her a last smile and turned, skipping up and launching himself into the sky. He flew off, his wings reflecting the moon’s shine.
Kayan’s eyes darted back and forth for the village, or any open tavern of the like. He shivered slightly, the cold air creeping through his clothes and tugging at his skin.
(So I had an idea- for their next meeting maybe Evers gets attacked by one of the associates or maybe just by the village people cuz they think she’s a witch because of her fortune telling and Kai saves her and they become close? Let me know if you have any suggestions btw! I’d love to hear them.)
Evers glanced up when she herd Kayan fly away and sighed softly “I hate you,” she whispered softly “how dare you tear down these walls I’ve built up?” She watched the night sky until she could no longer see Kayan’s silky wings. She started humming again as she tended to the garden. After a while of gathering plants, she went back inside and put everything in its place.
(It’s really up to you. The first idea incorporates it pretty well, so after this passage I write we could time-skip to the morning and Kai would just randomly show up?)
Kayan drifted down once he heard the sounds of the village tavern. He smiled as he skidded to a stop, a light skip in his step.
He opened the door, his guns clinking softly in contrast to the roar of the bar. He sauntered up to the bar, smiling happily at the keep.
“Will you be staying?” the barkeep asked, wiping down the counter. “Or just lookin’ for a late-night drink, eh?”
“As great as that sounds…,” Kayan muttered, pulling up his glove more. “I’ll just be staying, thank you.”
“Room’s upstairs,” the keep replied. Immediately Kai threw down a couple silver pieces.
“It’s all yours,” the bartender said, tossing Kai a key. Kayan smiled, nodded, then made his way up to the second floor of the tavern. He unlocked one of the rooms, shutting the door and flopping on the uncomfortable cot soon thereafter. A small window allowed the moon to shine through, allowing Kayan a bit of light to shed his gloves and jacket. His hands were rough and scarred, much like his arms as he hung the jacket on the wooden chair beside the bed. Kai rolled onto his stomach, closing his eyes slowly at first, then drifting into a light sleep.
(Sure! Maybe he’s passing through or just checking up on her and happens to stumble in?)
Evers had woken up in the early morning to crashing noise in the kitchen followed by shuffling. It wasn’t unusual that an animal happened to find themselves in her home from time to time, seeing that there so many spices and vegetables in the garden. She grabbed her knife from the night stand in case it wasn’t an animal and pulled cloak over her nightgown. She walked into the main living and working space and covered her mouth in horror as she looked around the trashed area. Tarot cards and glass bottles smashed to pieces on the floor, the remnants of what was in the bottles and vials were strewn across the walls. The baskets she made herself were torn apart and shredded. Suddenly a hand clasped over her and yanked her close.
“Ah, there you witch I was wondering when you might come out.” Evers could feel her intruder’s warm briny breath on her ear and neck. She shut her eyes tight and surprised a whimper.
“You have no business being in this village you mister, we don’t want your kind here. But, I am willing to make trade with you. If you give me one night, he’ll not even a full one, I’ll vouch for your stay here. Sound like a deal?” He drawled our the words, his free hand skimming the length of her chest and torsos, nudging aside the cloak that covered her light nightgown. she bit down a cry of disgust and drew her elbow up and thrusted it as hard as she could into the mans gut, causing into groan in pain and stumble back
Kayan glanced around, the elm forest much nicer in the early morning.
He had left the tavern and inn early— he didn’t necessarily want to stay there, and got out as fast as he could. He couldn’t be bothered with drunken stragglers passed out at the bar.
So he had decided to survey the village early morning, the sky still dark. Finding nothing out of the ordinary, he continued down the path he once walked. With that nice girl from before. Kayan smiled to himself softly.
As he came upon her house, his plan was to just walk by. However, a broken down door and loud clangs from the building made him stop entirely.
Kayan’s hands instantly flew to his duel pistols. He yanked them out of their holster and flew to her door, letting himself in. Although, due to the broken down door, it wasn’t very hard.
As he inched in, he could see a large man doubling over in pain but regaining himself quickly, as Evers stood off to the side, recollecting herself as well.
Before the man could get his footing, Kayan lunged forward, shooting the area just above the man’s head and causing him to duck, cursing. Kai swiftly spun around, knocking his heel forcefully to the temple of his head. The force brought the man to his knees.
Kayan grabbed the man’s shirt collar, and held a flintlock to his head.
“What,” Kayan growled menacingly, “do you think you’re doing?”
The man smirked “oh don’t pretend you care for this witch, you of all people should know what they do to society.” He growled, baring his teeth at Kayan in a show of defiance. “Oh come on, I was only offering her what any of us would grant to a creature like her, freedom for a little bit of fun. Don’t tell you hadn’t thought about it.”
Evers was kneeling in the corner and wrapping herself in her cloak. “I am not a witch! Just because I can tell when your untimely demise is doesn’t mean I’m a bad person.” She defended, whipping away the tears that had fallen out of relief and shook shakily to her feet. “Do what you want to me, do what you want with my home but that will never stop what I love to do.” She pulled picked the knife off the floor and stick it into the wall next to the mans head where Kayan held him. “You should’ve came to me before you attacked my home. Maybe you could’ve seen the future.”
Kayan dropped the man to the floor and turned his back, his guns glimmering in his hands.
“You know,” he mumbled, tinkering with the lock. “Frankly, I like witches.”
He spun back around, hitting the butt of the gun to the man’s neck, causing the criminal to pass out cold on Evers’ floor.
He quickly looked over at the woman, his face now more concerned than cocky— this emotion he never showed much of.
“Are you okay?” he asked. “We can replace your bottles and I’ll help you make more, and I’ll do whatever I can to replace anything.”
Rambling was unusual for him. Kayan was a naturally composed and cool person. Though something about Evers set off his protective nature.
“I’ll take care of this guy,” he uttered in disgust, glaring back to the limp frame on the floor. “Don’t worry about him or where he’ll end up. He’ll get what’s coming for ‘em.”
She looked away from the man and gazed up at Kayan “uhm y-yeah, I’m okay.” She looked away and shook her head, heart breaking at the sight of the destroyed item on the wall and on the floor “no! No. You don’t have to do that.” She waved a hand to the man “just get him out of here. I can manage with this… for the most part. Thank you for your help though, I don’t know what would have happened if you didn’t come. Guess I’m not as good as a fortune teller as I thought.” She offered a faint smile though it faded quickly as she slumped back down against the wall among the broken pieces of glass. She picked a few pieces up and sighed softly. “He’s not wrong. They’ll keep coming. Once they figure out what happened to him, more will come. Do you know what they do to supposed witches?”
Kayan nodded solemnly. “Yes. Unfortunately, I know.”
He took the rope from his belt, heaving the man over and tying his hands tightly behind his back.
Kayan began dragging him out, almost tossing him out the door. The man was insanely heavy by Kai’s standards.
He tugged the criminal all the way until the end of Evers’ walkway, leaning him up against an elm.
“I’m so sorry,” he said, walking back up and leaning on the woman’s doorway. “I should have been quicker. I apologize for the trouble he’s caused. Are you positive you’re okay? I could stick around for a little while if you would like… Otherwise I’ll fly this guy to the village and see if anyone can take him to the city.”
Ever's shook her head "Don't apologies Kai, not for what he did, it wasn't your fault. I'm just glad you got here when you did. else I…" her eyes grew distant as she thought of her alternate future, the where Kayan didn't come at all. "I wouldn't be alive…" she whispered, squeezing what was in her hand until she felt the skin break and blood pool. She brought her hand into her lap and glanced up at Kayan "Do your job. I'm staying here. it's your choice if you want to come back." she glanced around the area and breathed heavily before standing up and finding a broom.
Kayan gazed at her, his eyes slightly glazed over. She was right. If he had been just a minute too late, she would have been…
No, he didn’t want to think about that. He adverted his gaze, looking down at the shattered glass and shoving his guns forcefully in his holsters.
“I’m coming back,” he said, more to himself than anyone. Kayan stormed out of the partially unhinged door, his boots crunching the gravel down her walkway.
He left before she could even look back, hauling the man over his shoulder and giving a labored walk to the busier part of the village.
Evers started to clean when Kayan left, first tending to her bloodied hand before starting to clean. She threw on a simple green dress and threw her hair up into a neat bun. Taking the broom, she swept all the glass and strewn ingredients into a neat piled in the corner of the room. She picked up the broken baskets and sighed softly. She set them aside to be thrown out later and looked around the room again. She found Maiden Crown in the corner, cut so it was now a chain instead of a circlet, something women would do if they had lost their virginity. She threw it in the pile of broken baskets as well and went out back to grab a pail of water. She brought it inside and started cleaning the walls with a rag she had found in the kitchen
After a long while, Kayan returned to the partially unhinged doorframe of Evers, leaning up against the side of it and knocking.
“I took care of him,” he said, so she could hear him through. Though, something seemed slightly off. His voice no longer held the cocky flair, and not even a hint of playfulness could be heard.
He kept his eyes on the ground.
I hate people like that, he thought, the voice in his mind growling. Though, this was no different than other times he had saved people. Why was he acting so beat up, then? Why did he feel this protective over a woman he had met just the day prior? Why did he find himself never wanting to leave her side?
He shook his head, his wings fluttering partially.
“You… you don’t have to worry about a thing,” Kayan said softly. “Now or ever. He’s been taken to the city for trial, but the odds are nowhere near being in his favor.”
Evers hummed and looked up as he heard Kayan walk in. She was at her desk, the one piece of furniture that was salvageable, reading her tarot cards that had been in her dress pocket from the day before and making a new crown, one of deep purple roses and thorns. she stood up and walked over to Kayan. she gently touched his arm and looked into his eyes. “Thank you for what you did. I’m forever in your dept.” she took a step back, not wanting to make Kayan uncomfortable. “I hope he gets what he deserves.” She took a deep breath and waved him into her home “please, sit wherever you feel comfortable. Is there anything I can get you to eat or drink?”
Kayan glanced over a pile of glass, wincing inwardly. Instead, he took a seat at a half-broken chair. He was so light, the chair did only but creak as he descended.
“You’re not in my debt, love,” he said, his voice still laced with a soft hue. “This is my job. And yes, that man will be punished, just as Tawn was. It’s now just a matter of finding his other associates.”
He waved his gloved hand dismissively. “Nothing, thank you,” he said in regards to her offer. “I will have to be on my way in a moment.”
Kayan’s eyes glanced to the door, then back to the torn floors.
“Are you sure I can’t help you with anything?” he asked, his voice picking up in just the slightest. “Anything at all?”
She looked down at the ground, feeling as if she should do something for Kayan to thank him for saving her life. “If you won’t let me feed you then at least let me show you a peek into your future.” She offered, waving him over to the table. “All I have to do is burn the baskets. There’s no use in keeping them if they’re that badly broken.” She explained,maticulously shuffling the cards and fanning them out on the desk. “Now, do you believe in this kinda of stuff? I know some are opposed.”
“No preference,” he said, his eyes following the cards. “I’ve never exactly been in contact with fortune-telling.”
Kayan pulled up his glove, fiddling with the edge of it below the table. He adjusted himself on the chair so his wings wouldn’t press up against the back, stretching them out slightly.
“I guess I’d say these readings are suggestions, no?” he said, propping an elbow on the table. It seemed his demeanor was back to normal. “Or, tell me, is the future set?”
His eyes held a playful twinkle as he smiled. “Could I possibly change what you tell me?”
Evers smiled softly, feeling confident in her skill and domain. “You can interpret these readings however way you want. I’ll just be telling you one possibility of your life out of the many that you can carve out for yourself.” She stood from the table and found a few trinkets from a hidden alcove in the wall. She set down a gold and jade ring on a silver chain, a piece of rose quarts, and a piece of polished obsidian. She gestured to the objects and flicked her gaze up to meet Kayan’s “chose any of the objects at the table.” She instructed, watching the Fae closely
Kayan sat there, deciding longer than he really had to.
His eyes rested on the rings draped on the chain. His mind instantly came up with whatever it could to somehow figure out how Evers would interpret it. He wanted to know what tricks.. what games.. what magic she used.
He finally held out a gloved finger, pointing to the gold and jade ring.
“This one.”
Evers nodded, keeping a face of neutrality “Alright, now take off your glove and show me your palm.” She instructed, taking away the other two objects. When she stood, she shut the curtains and lit a candle near the doorway. Sitting back down, she glanced up at Kayan, eyeing his beautiful wings. She blushed softly and averted her gaze, focusing on the card she in front of her
Kayan hesitantly took off his glove, revealing a rough hand littered with scars and cuts. Almost as if he had taken a fistful of knives and held onto it for dear life.
He watched the woman walk, his heart beating faster at the thought of each possibility she could say. Though, he wouldn’t be surprised if it said he could die tomorrow, or get promoted. His future had been like that so far— either extreme, completely unpredictable.
