Asher! There you are." Tora called out as she strutted up tail flowing. "Way to get lost on me. Come on the church is this way." She turned expecting him to follow and he did. "Pretty nice place that church. I don't go very often as my people don't follow the Ichorian religion." Her gaze swept around the buildings as they walked enjoying the sights. "We follow Mannus and the elven goddess. Or just the elven goddess and we revere Mannus? I don't remember."
Curiosity got the better of Asher his mouth moving before his brain. "I don't know much about your people?" He said questioningly. "Mhmm. Most people don't." Tora affirmed, looking back at him with a chipper expression. "We live separately from humanity in a mountain range divided from the empire by a great river filled with some terribly hungry and scarily big fishies which makes crossing it basically impossible."
A small pause before Asher decided to continue his query figuring since he'd already opened the book, may as well start reading. "What are your people like?" Tora smiled happy to finally be talking with the sullen and scrawny boy, happier still that he was showing an emotion aside from that blank stare he normally wore under a stone mask of neutrality.
"There are four tribes the fanged Marsi, the feathered Suevi who live on high peaks, the sea dwelling gambrivi, and finally the ferocious Vandili who are the strongest." She turned walking backwards flexing her arms upward a smile still plastering her face. "Each one are descended from the God Mannus' children, and each tribe is named after their great progenitor. I'm from the hero Vandilis direct line, so I'm as Vandili as Vandili gets." She beamed with pride.
Asher stared at her for a moment before stating. "You have a slight accent." Tora flushed slightly at the comment. "Yes, I do… We don't use the human tongue where I'm from so of course I have a different accent but I don't use it, people tend to look at me funny when I do… it's embarrassing being stared at." She stated picking at her hair.
Was she self conscious about her appearance? The thought was odd… or no it made sense now that he looked at her Asher realized how beautiful his company was. Any normal boy his age would be frothing at the mouth to have such an opportunity to be taking with a girl like her. Any boy except Asher, nothing within him stirred at the sight of her the thought of romance or other such things were a million miles away from his brain.
"I don't like being stared at either… I blush easy… I think." He said trying to reassure her. "Really? You're so pale I couldn't imagine you blushing." She smiled. "So pale you might catch fire if you ever did." She teased, looking at him. Once again she was left bewildered, he didn't smile or react in any way his face remaining devoid of emotion.
Any one else would leave her put off, but she understood this boy had been through something, something that made smiling hard, his eyes made that clear. She'd been there and there had been plenty of soldiers with eyes like that; Hard hiding a profound anger and sadness. Both in the city and in miss Erika's warband.
They would ask things of her, things she couldn't understand things she simply couldn't and wouldn't do no matter how broken the requester was. This boy was different he asked for help in order to help himself rather than a hand out or for strange things.
It wouldn't be easy but she'd try and help him, because she felt he could be helped, that she could trust him not to take advantage of that. If he had any ill will she'd never have made it back to the city that was clear. Sophia too, that tiny thing, children who've usually suffered hardship are polite and well behaved much like she was.
They came to the church it was a humble building comprised of cobbled stone painted white though it was fading a belfry sat atop the end of the roof a bronze circlet shaped like the sun and polished to look like gold sat atop it. Its windows bore no stained glass instead there were long shutters with painted engravings on them thrown open displaying outwards.
On one which stood out greatly to Asher there was a quartet of angels each with one wing, each holding a different armament in hand. The highest, serene faced held a bow, beneath it a sword and blonde hair the face obscured by the blade the next held a staff holding it out in offering and the lowest was a shining fist stone faced wearing a helm, and shield crest upon its chest.
It was fine but the arrangement suggested more a sense of unity than hierarchy. At least that was the feeling he got from looking at it. The two entered, it was as humble inside as it was out. Uncushioned pews sat in rows before an altar depicting the sun, he knew nothing of it but he understood it was probably the main line religion of this region.
Not like he cared no god would ever grant him mercy after what he'd allowed to come to pass through his own failings, whatever they were. All he knows is he died and that many others died because of him as a result.
The chapel was empty except for Asher, Tora and the Priest he hadn't the opportunity to speak with when leaving Sophia here, being hurried along by Tora.
He was blonde and narrow eyed his chin sharp and nose straight his skin fair and hair a shaggy blonde hanging just above his shoulders at the longest point. He wore black robes well tailored to his body. Asher couldn't tell how old the man was but he doubted he was out of his twenties.
"Ah, you must be little Sophia's elder brother. My name is Xander." He stated, his voice was cheery warm, smooth and leaning slightly towards the deep side. This man Xander Linth ran this church single handedly and extended a hand to adventurers in need who had nowhere to turn in regards to the watching of their wards when out on a request.
"Yes… thank you for watching her for me." Asher affirmed. Xander looked to Tora "Say Tora? how about you go entertain the children for me id like a moment to speak at length about Sophia's education with Asher. Consider it an informal request and help yourself to a few loafs of bread in the kitchen." Tora didn't hesitate striding from the room at the mention of free food.
Ashers hand reflexively gripped the scabbard of his sword not tightly but something simply felt off. A few tense moments passed, the priest's smile still in place until he was sure Tora was out of earshot. "Tell me Asher, are you aware that you reek of death?"
Xander flicked a glance at where Asher's hand lay on his sword. "I'll take that as a yes." He stepped back, turning to run a hand over the large tome of holy text sitting at the altar. "Murder carries a hefty sentence, and child you reek of blood so to the point you may as well be colored red." he paused, opening up the scriptures.
"The eyes of a killer and an immutable bloodlust you can't fully suppress. That being said I haven't any proof of any misdoing so nothing can be done. And I would rather not take away poor Sophia's only family if I don't have to." He closed the book.
"That being said who knows what you've done and what you've gone through. What I'm saying is I will not persecute you. Your sins are between you and the lord of light Ichorian." He turned, his eyes opening, meeting Ashers. "Young man you are not alone in this world, so long as the sun rises the eyes of heaven will be on you." He smoothed down his robe.
"But, do please continue bringing little Sophia to the church so I can keep an eye on her and so she can be taught literacy and arithmetic. A child needs at-least that much of an education." He cleared his throat. "Anywho come along ill feed you before you go, heaven knows you need it. You're still barely more than a child yourself after all, killer or no."
Asher called after him. "Saying something like that, how'd you know I wouldn't kill you if you're so sure I'm a killer?" Xander didn't look back. "Try. You would try." He stated, and Asher understood the words were exactly that, a statement, not a challenge nor a threat.
The priest was confident and Asher could tell he had reason to be able to discern that there was more to this man than he led on, but only Asher knew the truth of what he himself was.
He didn't press the issue any further, and followed after him into the courtyard. It was humble like the rest of the church; some thick patches of wild flowers in garden beds and a white stone birdbath decorated the space.
Xander led the way into an adjoining building looking more like a storehouse inside was a table surrounded by low benches and a kitchen area, a wood stove and in the far end was a handful of cots.
Sitting at the table was Tora eating some bread with Sophia and another child sitting in her lap. "Oh oh! and I could only count to twenty before but now I can go all the way to forty, aren't I amazing?!" Sophia beamed excited to show off her new learnings to Tora. "Heck yeah you are!" Tora answered back. "I couldn't even count that high when I was your age." She added taking another bite of bread.
Asher sat down across from them, observing his younger sister's enthusiasm, a small warmth in his chest at the girl's elation. Xander set a bowl of stew and a loaf of bread in front of him. This would be his first real meal in who knows how long. All he could do was stare at it, almost as if he were expecting it to explode or start making some awful noise.
He tentatively picked up the wooden spoon and took a bite purposefully avoiding the meat. He wasn't quite sure how he'd react to meat yet. Given his diet consisted of it for an unknown length of time and the nature of the meat itself. He ate without tasting much of it.
"Sophia here was telling me about the letters Xanders been teaching her. I suppose you and I will have to take turns tutoring her." Tora said to him.
Asher paused his eating. Letters, as in reading? He thought for a moment, and then the realization struck him. Somehow he'd not realized he was illiterate.