Biding Their Time

The girl had indeed returned to the building. However, she never seemed to be alone. But after thinking about it overnight, Kaas was no longer interested in capturing the girl, just observing her. His gut told him there was so much more to her than being the target of Darris’s attention. He had to know what it was.

They had managed to follow her to her dwelling. But upon approach, they sensed an immense aura emanating from it. It was familiar. Oriander.

Somewhere, the former champion lingered, perhaps guarding the house against threats. They could probably overpower him if they wanted, but his death would be a signal to the Hidaar. Plus, the girl fascinated him. He needed to know more before he made another rash decision.

So, they backed off and found themselves in an area full of long grassy slopes and a large canal. The others were enthralled with the tiniest things, especially the grass, and water.

“Do you smell that?” said Aaska with a deep sniff. Naaro sniffed as well, “It smells so—”

They looked at each other, then smiled as they said together, “—clean.” Both dropped to their hands and knees and pressed their noses into the grass.

There was a large splash. All turned their heads to see that Tykus had jumped into the canal. The blood that hid his appearance washed away as he dipped below the surface.

Kaas thought he might have drowned, but then Tykus’s head popped up as he shook the water from his shaggy black mane. “Ludd, come here! You’ve got to try this water stuff! It’s nothing like books described.”

Ludd eagerly obeyed and jumped in with a much tinier splash.

Kaas felt his heart skip as he saw the thin boy flail and begin to sink. But Tykus scooped Ludd in his arms and placed him on his shoulders.

“Let me try!” said the twins as they, too, raced down the hill and splashed their way into the canal.

Kaas sat, smiling at the sight of his soldiers playing in the water. They had worked so hard for him. They deserved a bit of levity. There was a tap on his shoulder. He turned to see an invisible Alén. The only thing visible was her single eye, not covered by her hair.

Kaas's smile broadened, “Did you want to join them?”

He saw her uncovered eye move as she shook her head.

“…”

Something came into a field of vision from below. Kaas looked and saw that she had held a small, white flower.

“…I found it.”

Kaas looked at her, then back at the flower. “I see. Do you… like it?”

Her eye moved vertically—a nod.

He felt her hand grab his as she placed the flower into his palm.

“…for you.”

With that, he heard her stand and walk off.

Kaas looked down at his palm. What would he need with a useless flower? From what he remembered, flowers were regarded for their beauty. But Alén had picked it, and now it was doomed to wither and die. He could feel its Rau leak from its little body. He should probably throw it away so that it could die in peace.

His fingers closed around the little plant. And yet, he found himself smiling, his heart warm at the thought that she killed this flower for him. He should keep it, then.

As the sunset again, they gathered beneath a nearby bridge and began to formulate a plan of keeping watch over the blue-eyed girl. It was eventually decided that they would watch her in secret in pairs. Kaas had proposed solo missions, but the twins had protested so loudly that Kaas gave in for fear of discovery. Those two would rather die than be without the other.

They were one in mind, or so they claimed. They were certainly one in power, so Kaas allowed them to think however they wanted if it meant they fought at full strength. Pairs were better anyway, as Kaas found out a few days later.

Aaska and Naaro had taken to kneeling at the canal and grabbing at any fish they saw—they usually went after the same one and caught it together. Kaas watched them from the hillside and kept an eye out for any humans walking into their area. This place seemed relatively deserted, enough to be out without the mask of Ludd’s blood. But it was better to be safe than sorry.

The sound of hurried footsteps caught in his ear. Kaas went prone. “Someone’s coming. Hide you two. Go back to Tykus under the bridge.”

The twins obeyed, leaping into the canal as they let the current carry them to their bridge.

Kaas crawled on his arms to risk a glance at the source of the footsteps. To his relief, he saw nothing, even as the footsteps pounded closer.

He stood. “You gave us a fright, Alén, Ludd.”

“Sorry, Kaas,” said Ludd coming to a stop in front of him, “Bad news. The girl sensed our presence.”

“She what?! How?”

“Yeah, so I don’t know what happened. She was training near her home when she suddenly began to glow. And then she was wearing different clothes, and her power shot up like nothing I’d ever seen!”

The gears were turning in Kaas’s head. How was that possible? Did this girl have other abilities beyond mastering language? Was this why the Hidaar was fascinated so?

“Then what?”

“She sensed us. Just outta nowhere, don’t ask me how. She looked right at me and threatened to shoot us. Luckily, Alén protected me as we ran away.”

“…sorry,” said Alén.

Kaas rubbed at his goatee, “No. You were wise not to engage. It seems that this girl is a lot more trouble by herself than I thought. And with the Hidaar and that small thing watching over her, we need to be all the more cautious.”

That grey fluff also seemed dangerous. It was well hidden, but its aura was as refined as Vir and the Hidaar’s.

“So, what should we do?” asked Ludd.

“We wait. Continue to watch her from a distance and learn as much as we can about her. She’s mysterious and powerful. But we’ll learn all we need to know, then strike when the opportunity presents itself.

“Then we should try to kill her before she becomes too powerful!”

Kaas shook his head, “No. Not until she’s alone. It’ll happen soon. I guarantee. And when she is….”

His hands tightened into fists. “We’ll be ready to take her down.” That should bring the Hidaar down a few pegs.

He had stolen their dreams. They would steal his.

It was only fair.