Something Darker; Chapter 6

The sun is slowly falling behind the hills in the distance. Our usual evening guests had arrived and were scattered about the main room drinking and being loud. Janice weaved through the tables, filling cups, and managing plates. I could hear mom's voice floating from the kitchen.

I happen to glance up when V walks through the door. I watch as she pauses to look around the room and take in the rabble-rousers. I can't help but notice how tired she looks. Suddenly, her eyes flick to me. I lift a hand and wave. She lifts a hand in response.

She then walks to the stairs. In doing so she has to pass near me. Against my better judgment, I call out to her. "You look tired."

She pauses at the bottom of the stairs and looks at me. "Is it that obvious?"

I shrug. "I've seen sleeping people who look more awake than you do at the moment."

She raises an eyebrow at my remark, and I feel the sudden urge to hit myself for making such a ridiculous statement. She then laughs. It's merry and happy. I feel myself smile in return.

V smiles at me. "Any suggestions on how to look more awake?"

"My mom would say to get some sleep."

"And Eren would say eat," Janice says, passing between us to go back to the kitchen.

"Eren?" V questions.

"Our younger brother," I tell her.

"Smart kid."

Janice walks back in from the kitchen and stops by my side. "Have you eaten anything today, V?"

V starts. "What?"

"You look absolutely pale. The 'I haven't eaten in a while' pale," she says.

"Um," her eyes take on a distant look, thinking. "I don't think so. . ."

Janice makes a choked noise and marches towards V. V takes a step back, but Janice catches her arm and drags her to the nearest table. As she drags V along, I can hear her chiding V, going on about why it's bad to not eat.

Watching that unfold it suddenly occurs to me that we only met her yesterday and knew nothing about her, outside of the fact that she had money to waste, yet here we were acting like old friends with her.

"Copper for your thoughts?" Janice asks, walking by me on her way to the kitchen again.

"Sorry." I shake my head. "It just occurred to me, that we only met V yesterday and know nothing about her but," I spread my hands out before me, "here we are, getting on with her as if we were all old friends."

Janice pauses for a second. "I understand. It probably just has to do with the fact that this is a normal night for us, a normal night that's going very good, and she's surprisingly easy-going."

I nod as Janice walks off. I look to where V is now seated. She's leaned back in her chair, watching the other people in the room. Shaking my head, I go back to the records.

Suddenly, a new, loud boisterous voice breaks out above the din. "What'd I tell ya? Full of life."

Why? Why, why, why?

I look up to see the captain of the guard of the neighboring town. He smiles at me. "Always good for business." The room has gone completely silent. Captain Harsing looked around the room. "Well, as you were."

Everyone slowly goes back to what they were doing. No one wanted to mess with him. He always made random visits to the businesses on the outskirts of Havenwoods to rob them. Not even Lord Calus could stop him; the Lord of Harsing's town always claimed he had been with him going over troop details the night in question.

Once everyone is mostly back to doing what they had been doing before he walked in, he begins to saunter across the room. Before he can get halfway across the room, a figure blocks his path. It takes me a second to recognize it for V, as she's pulled her hood up. She's so small in comparison to him. What is she thinking?!

I catch Janice's frightened look. I shake my head. There's nothing we can do. I grimace and look back to watch the scene play out.

Harsing looks pissed, but V stands her ground. He says something, sneering at her. V tilts her head and places a hand on her hip. His sneer falters. I almost don't believe my eyes. As if to agree with my thought, rage crosses his face. Harsing raises a hand, to strike V, but she catches it and throws it down, taking a step towards him, pulling her hood down. Harsing's face goes pale, and he takes a halting step back. V claims his step back with a step forward. Harsing is terrified.

I wish I was closer, so I could hear what she's saying to him.

V points to the door, slashes through the air with her hand, stabs a finger at him, and lets her arm fall to her side. Harsing nods and retreats through the door.

I notice that once more the room has gone silent.

V turns around to find everyone looking at her, openly gawking. Her cheeks flush red, and she turns, hastily making for the stairs. Once she's gone the rabble resumes, but it excited talking. The people are talking about what just happened.

I'm still staring after her when I see Janice stop at my side. "We may not know anything about her, but I'm glad she's here."

"I can't disagree," I say.

The scene continues to replay in my mind for the rest of the night, trying to figure out what she said to him that had scared him off.