Almost Broken (Kiri)

[Anonymous]

Seeing Kalev smile made her forget to be nervous about her own encrypted promise. So he got it, that or he just liked her usage of words. Not that it mattered! His smile was very pleasant, Natalya couldn't even begin to fathom how she had been afraid of him earlier that same eve.

She was honestly curious about how he saw this place; she wanted to ask, to hear how a blind man perceived something he couldn't even see. It would have been an interesting way to look upon the world, admiring it in ways that the eye could not catch, could not compare to. Though she was equally curious on how he could find it again after leaving it, she could hardly navigate her own room with a candle lit.

"That's only when showing her face to strangers, live here long enough and you begin to see past the facades and brilliantly painted smiles. Down to the core of the beast, Ketra is no better than the worst town and yet no worse than the best of cities. She has two-faces like most of her citizens that you don't see until you're one of them." Her voice was bitter, it had corrupted her before she had entered the world of adults and twisted her till she was willing to sell herself for cash. Yet she wouldn't change it, couldn't. Oh yes, Natalya Llesenith believed that all the mistreatment she had suffered had given birth to some dark side of her and that her kindness was only a mask. Why else would she take on men like the client today, let them beat and hit her, choke her to near asphyxiation?

She listened guardedly as he told her that some girls had asked for their fortunes. Confused at his retelling of their faces. "No... no family there. What do you mean their faces were amazed? Was someone else there with you, could you hear their excitement?" it wasn't meant as an accusation, but there was no way he could know what their faces had been like.

"N-no, I do. It's a refreshing change to be able to hold a conversation with someone..." She was going to tell him, she decided as she walked away, regardless of how he took it. Natalya couldn't keep dodging the matter. "Kalev...," her voice was unsteady as her body was racked with anxiousness, "I... I live at the Peach- I mean I am a Peach. I-, oh hell, I'm a damn whore." She felt tears well up, sure that this was going to be goodbye. "I understand if you want to leave, but I wanted to thank you for everything. Even if you regret it now..." Why explain? He wouldn't stick around long enough to hear.

[Anonymous]

He had not spent much time in Ketra – in fact, today was the first time Kalev had ever been able to do any sightseeing in Adela's esteemed capital. Sure, he had passed through here many times, usually on his way back to Serendipity after a trip to La'marri or some other eastern province, but Ketra he thought – or at least, he assumed, was a friendly sort of place. Sure, it was rough around the edges, but the fortune-teller would've been the last person to guess that underneath its depths, a monster lay in waiting, the second face the city hid underneath its sunny outer mask.

Kalev bit his lower lip idly – but he did not doubt Natalya's words. There was something about the way she spoke of Ketra that reminded Kalev of his attitude before his sister, months after it had finally sank in that she had really stolen his eyes. It was hard to imagine someone was sickeningly sweet being able to betray him so coldly. Over time, the dark-haired man grew to say that she had been 'two-faced' all along – perhaps she and Ketra were the same? He couldn't help but feel melancholy waves rush over him at the thought; while he no longer had a home, he had no idea what it must be like to reside in a city that wore two faces, that changed them like the sky changes from night to day. She is strong, Kalev found himself thinking once again. She was strong, he thought, to stay here.

"I think I know what you mean," the fortune-teller commented softly. "I think... I know what it feels like, to have to live amongst something, or someone, who wears two separate masks." Granted, he no longer lived with her; quite the opposite, he was searching for her now, but could never bring himself to actively do so, afraid what would happen if he should confront her, if she would disable him in some other mindlessly cruel way.

And then – Kalev's own lie had run out, right as he was pondering the lies and faces other wore. She had asked him, what do you mean their faces were amazed? and Kalev, underneath his black blindfold, furrowed his brows in puzzlement. Had he said something about seeing faces? Why was she asking him that? It was almost as if he had...

"How amazed their faces were!"
"...amazed their faces were..."

"...

their faces..."[/list][/i]

...He had tripped. Stumbled. And hell, didn't he know his lie would've had to end, sooner or later? He was no good at keeping secrets – he blurted them out or bottled them up so tightly that they were bound to spring out of him sooner rather than later anyway. Granted, he could just lie again – save himself some trouble – and say something like, oh, it was simply an expression, but he couldn't do that – he couldn't bury himself in a pit of self-made lies, not to someone like Natalya, who had only been honest with him despite the randomness of his appearance, despite his assistance to drag her through the forest just to show her some blinking stars. Ah, he was a liar! And let this sin rest on his chest forevermore!

He had to correct things – but before he could, Natalya spoke up, addressing him shakily, her voice painted with nervousness. No, now was not the time then – let her speak, let her finish, oh, he owed her that much, at least!

"I... I live at the Peach- I mean I am a Peach. I-, oh hell, I'm a damn whore."

The fortune-teller was silent for a brief moment – but it wasn't because of what she told him, but how distraught she seemed to be because she had told him this. Her voice had been full of worry and anxiousness, and suddenly, he could see that this had been a burden on her, hell, maybe she had been trying to tell him this the entire time. How to comfort her – how to tell her that he didn't care? He had never really been good with words – only tonight had he actually managed to speak more than what was normal for him, but he knew he had to act fast, before she left, mistaking his silence for something else.

"I understand if you want to leave, but I wanted to thank you for everything. Even if you regret it now..."

She wasn't going to walk away, was she? Wait! he screamed internally; he could barely form words, he didn't know how to comfort, how to act, how to tell her that he didn't care if she was a Peach – it was fine!

"Natalya!" There was no need to yell, she was right in front of him – but he yelled to clear his mind, to get through to her – it was the only way he knew how to reach out to her, at the time. The wind toyed with the edges of his robe as he reached out towards her, holding onto her wrist, as if he was afraid she'd blow away. Again, he found himself staying silent for a moment – for seconds that felt like centuries – but he groped in the darkness for words, for anything, to say to her.

"You being a Peach – that's trivial to me," Kalev started off, no longer trying to make speeches in his head, but going with what he felt. "I don't care – I couldn't care – you're –" The first person who ever stopped to talk to me. " – ...You're a strong, admirable person –" And he truly thought that. "And honest, as well – more honest than anyone I ever met."

He released her wrist, hoping that she wouldn't walk away. "You're more honest than I've been to you, Natalya," he muttered softly, and then, for the first time, he turned his face toward her, and if not for the black blindfold that hid away his nonexistent eyes, he would've been staring right at her.

"I've lied to you," he choked out, and then, he held up his right hand – the hand that controlled the Foresight Aura. Through total concentration, he turned the Aura on to its highest percentage – so clear was his vision, and so large was the Aura that his hand began to glow a light blue in color, his five fingertips glowing strongest of them all.

 "I'm not blind."

His heart was hurting again – it was hurting so damn bad, but he couldn't stop now.

"I can see you. I have seen you, Natalya... all this time."

[Anonymous]

[OOC: It's fine, I enjoy reading your post and honestly I love long ones... despite mine being so short. Ugh, I had most of this written but my computer decided to close Internet explorer so I lost everything; it was much better the first time.]

Natalya would have studied him, tense about each gesture and expression, but she was too afraid as it was. Her mind cleared a little as he disclosed he too knew the pain from living with the two-faced. It was enough to make her more solemn than worried; who had hurt him? And how? It was what always came from fraternizing with their kind as she had come to personally find out.

The thought of someone being able to hurt Kalev made her sick. He was so kind and gentle that the idea never would  have crossed her mind, there was no way she could have willingly wronged him. The gypsy was so strung over this that she missed his reaction to his exposed lie.

There it was though... the silence. Why had she even bothered trying to hope that someone would finally see her as something other than a whore? There had been one other time, a few years back, another foreigner. He had been smitten with her; buying her gifts and meeting with her under the romantic light of the moon just so they might talk. One night, similar to this, she had gained the courage to tell him what exactly what she was and confess her feelings all at once. Yet after her bold declaration he just stood there, silence clung to and soaked into everything, remaining when even he had not.

Now it had found it's way to her again. A tear trailed down her cheek as she started to leave, the pain of such broken hope was too much to bear.

"Natalya!"

Flinching, she froze instantly. It took her several breaths before she was able to move again, his voice hadn't been angry but it had still overwhelmed the girl. Natalya looked up right as he grabbed her wrist. This confused her as she had moved away from him, yet he had found her without even stumbling. It was quite touching to see him still here, trying to keep her from leaving.

So touching that she started crying, in relief, when he stated that her being a peach meant little. A small smile formed at his words, he didn't care! She wanted to argue that she wasn't strong, that there were times she wasn't so honest but it could all wait till she calmed down.

The tears stopped though, ceased at his confession. He hadn't been sincere with her? How? What could he have possibly lied about?

And then he looked toward her. No, at her. Her breath caught in her throat and her heart about stopped. It wasn't possible that he could know where her face was, no humanly way that he could sense where her eyes were.

"I'm not Blind." "W-wha-?" she began. Her eyes widening at the sight of his glowing hand. "I have seen you" Her face drained of all color, her heart was pounding so hard that she was afraid it would burst from her chest. Natalya took a step back, no it couldn't be... It was unnatural, blind men couldn't see.

"Kalev," her voice shook more than when she confessed her occupation, "I-it isn't possible. I'm happy that you can look past what I am but... this isn't funny." He was just joking right? She would even be fine if he confessed that he had magic... Just-.. just-

The gypsy was feeling lightheaded.

[Anonymous]

He had confessed.

But why was his heart still hurting? It was as if telling the truth had not applied a salve to his wounds, but instead, unleashed a burning hot torment in his soul, one that ate away at all the honor he had humbly thought he possessed. He watched her eyes widen, and suddenly wished reverently that his secret had been as easy to forgive as her own – how could she ever forgive him, for telling such a blatant lie? It was an easy lie to get away with – and people had always treated him as blind ever since he had tied the black blindfold around the space where his eyes should be, but she – she deserved to know, even if she cast him out for being the abomination that he was.

Abomination – there, he had come to terms with it! That was what he was, wasn't he? Disfigured by his own sister for reasons that would probably never be known to him, he walked through this world like a ghost on the scene – never forging any close bonds, but despite that, he was the one who could hold all the delicate strings of fate in his hand, like gossamer spider webs wet with morning dew – fragile, yet beautiful in their porcelain state. The state of his own being was not something he ever pondered – hell, he wasn't allowed to ponder it, not with the way he lived. He thought of everyone else, acting as a spiritual advisor to those curious enough to hold a looking glass and point it towards their destiny – but he could barely even point himself towards tomorrow, without stumbling in the darkness.

"It is magic – but for me, it has become a way of life," Kalev confessed, and somehow, letting the truth fly free did not feel beneficial to his salvation of sorts. In a way, he wished he could shut up – but it was too late for that now. "The same magic I use to see the future allows me to see by surroundings. With my hands, I can 'see' around me – from the shadowy lake, to the grass at my feet, to you, standing right in front of me – I can see it all. It is not as efficient as normal vision, but still – I can see. Just not through my eyes."

The infernal wind was howling now – like a damned beast calling out for salvation amongst the wilderness. It whipped at the dark fringes of Kalev's robe, and his long, dark hair rustled behind him. It was as if nature itself was attempted to eradicate him from the natural beauty of this special place – of course, he did not belong, he did not fit in in a place as beautiful as this. For the first time since he had left the Isles, he was confessing his power – confessing that he was not the blind man he claimed to be, even though he could still see her, standing right in front of her.

"The blindfold is a necessary ruse. I... cannot allow people to see what lies beneath them."

Because even if he was not disabled, he was still disfigured.

"Under my blindfold, there are no eyes."

He had no eyes – such was the truth! – just milky white balls where his eyes should be. As a result, he never removed the black blindfold from his face when in the presence of enough – he would not torture anyone with the sight of his "true" eyes – just useless things in his eyesockets that could not see, that had no purpose, and didn't even look like eyes should, anyway. He felt he should explain – it was his sister's fault, he had not been born this way! – but would it have mattered, why he was the way he was? It wouldn't have. Facts were facts. And he had spilled his heart out there – to the only person who had really listened to him talk – and now, he had probably successfully scared her away.

[ OOC | Gah, it sucks to lose posts in your browser, it's the absolute worst! That used to happen to me all the time - so I just started writing my posts in Word. Either way, I still loved your post! ]

[Anonymous]

[OOC: >.> That would probably be smart... I should start doing that. But thank you!]

Natalya listened quietly; never interrupting but not offering one reassuring word. She could hardly believe it... he could see her through his hand. Him lying to her wouldn't have been so significant, after all they had just met today, but she didn't know whether to be frightened by this whole predicament or not.

Like all Adelans, Natalya was superstitious. It was difficult to decide whether this new knowledge was an ill omen. He was only kind to you though... It's clear that this must have been harder for him to confess than yours ever was. Perhaps she was two-faced, a hypocrite down to the core.

Here she had been frightened that he would shun her for what she was, yet when he offered the same amount of trust she was ready to flee his presence.

The gypsy hesitantly approached the man. Her face still pale but a shy smile replaced her earlier numb gaze. Taking his left hand in both of hers, she raised her head to stare at where his eyes should have been. Natalya had taken his left hand for fear that holding his right would blind him... and she wasn't sure she was brave enough to touch it yet.

"You were wrong when you called me admirable and strong," she began in a soft voice, "Sure, I let men beat me and use me for a profit and I know the taste of a whip all too well, but I'm sure your burden must be heavier than I could imagine."

"Not just the lose of your eyes, but telling a person's future... I don't think I could handle it. I wouldn't even ask to know my own," the girl was trying to return the favor, be there for him as he had been for her, "Then to be the only one to hold your secret, at least even I have the other Peaches when something goes awry."

Talking had helped, it had reminded her that his secret didn't define him. Reassured her that this new development didn't in anyway change who Kalev was.

Even if she was uneasy about it.

[Anonymous]

He lowered his right hand, finally, concentrating less on the Foresight Aura so that his hand was no longer glowing. It took a conscious effort, to make others aware of the Foresight Aura – unless they noticed him slightly twisting his hand or wiggling his fingers, the fact that he used magic to see was something he could easily keep under wraps – unless, for some strange reason, he wanted to shed his nearly impenetrable façade.  Today was one of those days – or rather, the only day he had ever wanted to figuratively remove his blindfold, and show someone, tell someone, I can see you, I always have. It was a necessary burden, he realized, for not everyone could be exposed to the truth.

She held his left hand – why not the right hand, he wasn't sure why – and smiled up at him, looking at him where his eyes should be. It was a warm gesture, spoiled by her argument that he had been wrong about her before. Kalev probably would've smiled at her gesture before, but now he frowned, shaking his head. He could not be happy when she constantly put herself down like this.

"Was I?" he asked, but the question was rhetorical. "My burden is no heavier than yours. It's something I've become used to – something that only inconveniences my life slightly, if ever at all." He shook his head. "No, the only burden my disability gives me ... is having to explain it to others."

It was true. On normal, dime-a-dozen days he would go about life as any other normal traveller would – amazed at the new sights the day would bring, stopping to talk to the children that run amuck on the streets and giving them a copper penny to buy candy with, making camp where the stars could shine over him with ease; life was not hard, for Kalev. It was only hard when we remembered why he wore the blind, or when someone shifted and awkwardly mentioned, 'Oh, you're blind, forgive me,' when really, that wasn't the case. Life was only hard when he remembered the look in Lelena's eyes before she stole his own – and how it was the last thing he had ever seen with them.

"I wasn't wrong at all," he continued, shaking his head. "Look at me. My life is easy. I wander from town to town and have no home to call my own. I live off the charity of strangers, and if they fail, then nature gives me a home to rest my head. I have few worries and few responsibilities – I am a child compared to you."

He squeezed her hand firmly, perhaps a little too firmly – the vigor of what he truly believed resonating in his grip. It was strong enough to possibly pull her forward towards him, if she hadn't been expecting it.

"But you are abused by those with no respect for you – and still, you live your life with pride and strength. You remain in Ketra despite the hypocritical mask it wears. You are strong. Don't let anyone tell you differently."

For some reason, she found his own burden to be heavier, but why that was, he couldn't for the life of him understand. To keep this secret to himself had never really be a problem for him – not until today, when he had found the one person he could not lie to. With a laugh, he had to add, "I've told you, haven't I?" and he smiled, but it was that ghost of a smile, the one that would play on his lips, but never really shine through, not as brightly as he had before. Perhaps it was better to have her think he was an invalid – but no, he couldn't have played that charade forever, not around her.

And why not? He did not know. Since when did he grow a conscience about this sort of thing anyhow – when he had told this same lie a thousand times to a thousand different people? Perhaps it was her own sincerity, or his surprise at how easily he'd let it slip that he could 'see' faces, but either way, the cat was out of the bag. His confession did not even cleanse him in the slightest. He still felt dirty, down in his core.

"Please," he started, shaking his head. "Don't worry about me. Life without 'eyes'... isn't as hard as you might think." He wanted to add, 'I'm still Kalev, all that's different is that you know I can see you now,' but decided against it, not wanting to make it seem as if he was uncomfortable at her condolences. It was unneeded – for the strangeness of his 'condition' wasn't something that made his life harder or easier, to him, it just offered him a different set of challenges than most people. She didn't have to do that – to put his burdens above her own.

"I'm more worried about you, to be honest," Kalev confessed, even though he had learned than confessionals never did anyone a lick of good. "Why were you so worried, that I would not accept you, for being a Peach? Surely," and here Kalev would display his naivety, "no one would truly care about such a thing?"

[Anonymous]

Natalya's nerves eased when the glow around his hand diminished. "Life itself can seem so facile and straightforward once we train ourselves in a certain routine. Just because it appears simple doesn't erase the effects and scars; even if we never linger on them. I am, in every sense, still a child Kalev."

Her own schedule was hardly complex, she could proceed through the day with her eyes closed. Half the time she was on her back regardless. The few things she had to stress over were purchasing her freedom and remaining childless, food and housing came with the job. The scars would never leave though, slowly cutting deeper, she was just too numb to care.

A sudden pressure made her glance at their joined hands. It seemed that he was trying to re-enforce his belief with touch where he could not with expression.

It was touching that he was so determined to make her appear like an honorable person... but she couldn't condone to the idea. Natalya pulled away, a feat within itself because of his iron hold on her hand, and retreated. Her head hung in guilt. "I told you that one can only see this mask if they themselves don it... that includes me. I'm selfish, that's the only reason I put up with it. Money is my curse; I'm willing to live as Peach to have it."

"I know you told me. I'm pleased that you can trust me so – I'm not going to stop talking to you because you aren't really blind," dark brows dropped even further, "I'm just not the sort of person anyone would normally confide in."

Even with all he knew, the efforts to make her out as someone she was not hadn't ceased. "Would you let someone use your body? Could you pleasure someone else, make love to them when there is no love?" She held up her blackening wrists with disgust in her eyes, "Let them carry out their twisted fetishes as long as they paid? It's an abhorrent job."

"I've slept with women's husbands, the dregs of society, boys hardly my age, public figures, religious men who are nothing more than blasphemous hypocrites." Admitting it all out loud was worse, especially to him. "I take not joy in it, I'm worse than selfish because I'm not even pleasing myself in the end. I want money but I never get to savor it, all that I make goes to the man who, by law, still owns me. What could I gain? More bruises? A baby that I could never afford to take care of?"

If Kalev hadn't been repulsed before, he should be now.

"I'm not brave, I'm simply too cowardly to flee. Afraid to try because I can't get another job here because of my race. I used to wonder, when I first started as a Peach, why good reasonable people would avoid me. Why I was called worse things than "gypsy". Now I understand... and I deserve every bit of slander they could wield."

[Anonymous]

She was so stubborn, so intensely determined to believe herself to be such a horrid person! Even with all that he knew, Kalev could not paint her with the same colors that she painted herself. It wasn't for lack of 'real' eyes either, but for the sheer fact that he could not see her as such an abhorrent person. Fate had been a cruel mistress to her, and if anyone knew about the intricacies of fortune and falsities, it was the 'blind' mind that pulled at their strings.

How she went on – of the things her job had forced her to do. The husbands of women, the ne'er-do-wells of society, public figures and hypocrites, she had bedded them all, but Kalev did not care. Perhaps, some whispering voice in the back of his head hissed, he was just stupid, so stupid or too innocent that he could not comprehend just how Natalya was painting herself.

She bore the scarlet letter that labeled her as a Peach, and would wear it as long as she had to, even if she felt so badly for doing it. She told him that she did not care, that she did it for money she could not savor, but it wasn't fair – it wasn't her choice to do these things. She did not march up to the Randy Peach and demand to sleep with a woman's husband, no, fate had done this, cruel random fate, that deal full houses to some people and baseless cards to the next. Fate had put chains of bondage around her ankles and forced her to look at herself the way a noble looks at swine rolling around in the mud. It was almost unbearable.

So she wasn't brave, she said, just too cowardly too flee. Kalev shook his head, but she had stolen all of the words away from him, so at the moment, he may as well have been blind and mute – she wouldn't have noticed. This seemed to be a thing for him – his inability to speak when faced with cold reality, but Kalev was an optimist, someone who should be impossible to be around because of it, someone who society had failed to break.

Lelena had tried – she had plucked out his eyes and probably would've left him for dead, but still, he had carried on. It may as well have been fate slapping him on the wrist – he had persevered through it and with a smile, too. He wanted to find Lelena, to confront her about what she had done, but he balked at the task and wandered instead, settling for a substitute for seeing that wasn't anything like the real thing. Was he a coward, as well? Too cowardly to fight, to find his eyes, to take them back from his sister with a triumphant roar?

"I'm not brave, I'm simply too cowardly to flee."

"Then escape with me!"

The words had left his mouth with fervor unbeknownst to him. He had not intentionally planned to say them – he had been thinking them, but, like a bolt of lightning, they had left his mouth before he had time to even think. Still, he meant them, and he realized that he meant them more than he had ever meant anything he ever spoke.

"We can leave this place – and you won't have to return to Ketra again. We can run, and you won't have to do this anymore!"

He had never been so spontaneous in his life. He was a ghost on the scene, someone who smiled slowly at strangers and waved to wandering women on the street – he never showed too much emotion, he never interfered with anyone's day to day life. He told their fortunes and was done with them, but today, he couldn't do that. When faced with this situation, he just couldn't!

"We can live on the land while we search, and you'd be able to live however you want. Or we'll look for the gypsies, instead – back on Yoreiq, or back somewhere. And if not, then, we could get you out of here, away from here."

He placed his hands on her shoulders, trying to communicate how serious he was, how he had meant them – meant every word that he had said. "We could do this," he voiced, and his voice was cracking, but he wasn't sure why.

[Anonymous]

"E-escape?" the words a mere whisper as they fell through the silence. Natalya tried searching the cloth tied around his eyes, wishing she could see the emotion in them, find some explanation. Instead she found her own emotions too rampant to decide which was dominant.

Excitement made her eyes glitter, her face light up at the dream that was leaving Ketra. Then was confusion; how would she be able to just pick up and walk away? Would she be able to find another job elsewhere, or would she always be a prostitute? Next was fear: twisting, and burning deep within her very soul as she saw everything that could go wrong flash before her eyes. Death from bandits, being taken as a slave again, starving in the wilderness, being turned away by her own people...

Fear was by no means the worst of these, Despair's clutches held every inch of her body, uprooting fear and leaving room for nothing else. Once again, Natalya pulled away from Kalev, her eyes empty as she rested against a tree to keep from collapsing.

"I-...How-" How pathetic was she? Not even able to form one intelligent sentence; it just sounded so impossible. "Kalev," she began again, "What if this is it for me? Maybe not in Ketra, but anywhere? I doubt the gypsies would accept one such as myself, and if I couldn't find another job in Ketra where else could I get one? If all I'm ever meant to be is a whore, the Peach at least guarantees food and shelter, protection even."

Toying with her hands, she desperately tried to tell him "yes", to run back to the Peach and pack all her things, just walk away. "I couldn't be a fortune-teller like you, I can't tell stories, sing, or even dance. You would be taking on someone as helpless as a newborn babe." One who wasn't sure she would be able to survive the road. "I want to," she persisted, "believe me. I just... can't be sure anything good will come from this. I'd just get in your way."

The sound of his voice cracking made her eyes water. He sounded so sure, so hopeful. If only she could feel the same.

[Anonymous]

Escape! Yes, he meant it – with every bone in his body, he meant it!

She pulled away from him and for the split second that she did, Kalev was disoriented – his hands had been on her shoulders before, effectively blinding him, but the moment the Foresight Aura returned, he had to shake his hands a bit, to focus the aura back on her. Oriented once again, Kalev still kept that optimistic fervor held tightly in his heart, not wanting to believe that she'd really prefer a life here in relative safety rather than escaping and looking for a better life. She did not seem to be oriented at the mere thought of leaving, but still, his fervent optimism held strong.

"What if this is it for me? Maybe not in Ketra, but anywhere?"

Kalev shook his head, calm, but passionate, "How will you know, if you don't bother to find out?" It was the quickest he had ever spoken back to someone – usually, the fortune teller was fond of mulling over his responses, of thinking, reflecting, pondering – but no, this situation had proved to himself  that he was not just a ghost on the scene. He was a man molded of mutters and whispers, of silent laughs and gentle gestures, but how could one stay silent in a situation like this?

"If this is all you've ever known," Kalev began, 'this' referring to her life as a Peach, "then it makes sense, that you wouldn't know any other trade. But, there is something that shines in all of us – that, I truly believe." Kalev was not a man who was good at communicating his true passions and beliefs – how could he be, when all he ever spoke of were the fortunes of the damned and dismal, or the fortunate and bold? His profession left no room for himself in the equation. "I make enough for the both of us," he informed, "I'll show you how to survive in the wilderness. I'd teach you everything you need to know."

It would not be a glamorous life, but in search of happiness, what price was anyone willing to pay?

"It might be safer here," he acknowledged, "but what if this is all you'll ever see of the world? What if you never buy enough money to become free? What if this is your mortal hell, for all of time?" Kalev was not one who tossed around terms like 'hell' freely – being a fortune teller, hell was a place he saw frequently, hells of all different beliefs and customs. His voice even cracked at the term, as anyone's voice would when understanding the depth of the term. "I don't have a 'way' to get into, Natalya," he corrected. "The only 'way' you'd be interrupting is your own."

He smiled a little, a sad smile, and shook his head. "If you prefer the Peach, then, with all of my wildest tantrums, I wouldn't be able to stop you from going back. But," and here, he paused, and offered his hand out to her, one last time,

"If you truly want to take the chance, to escape, then I would be with you, for every step of the way."

He wouldn't repeat himself – he would take care of her, he would show her the ropes, and if all went well, even if they did not find the gypsies, perhaps she would learn how to take care of herself without a cruel master, without a cruel profession, in a world that was not as cruel as people were so quick to paint it. As he offered out his hand, that chilling cold wind blew again, whipping his midnight black hair behind him, giving him that ghostly visage.

[Anonymous]

Oh dear, maybe she shouldn't have pulled away so fast. Natalya had sat up abruptly, ready to help Kalev were he to need any. She had no clue as to why he would be disoriented, but at the moment it didn't matter. He seemed to gain his bearings quickly enough and she gave a sigh of relief.

The gypsy blinked, his quick reply confusing her. It was her turn to hesitate in answering, rolling each idea through her head several times before being able to answer. "I won't, I can't deny that, but I'm just one girl with nothing but a bad legacy to carry on. How could there be much more than this for me?" No one could blame her for feeling like this... they would find a way though. Maybe they would blame it on her blood for why she became a peach.

"No one would ever take me on, teach me anything for what I've been," they hadn't before all this, "Face it, I've screwed things up beyond repair. I messed up and I don't see how I can turn it all around." Natalya knew she couldn't blame anyone else - she wasn't forced to become a peach, she had said she would stick with her mistake hadn't she? Though his passionate argument had her doubting her resolve to stay. "I couldn't do that!" Natalya's eyes widened in disbelief, "I would never be able to willingly live off of your money. Being young and healthy I should be able to bring in my own income to support myself. You shouldn't have to provide for me, teaching me to live in the wild will be more than adequate."

Even if she would despise it. Nature was beautiful, but it couldn't sell silk or give the guarantee of a carefree life. There were hidden dangers she didn't know anything about; nightmarish tales had her more terrified of the deep wilderness than the heart of Ketra.

The girl listened quietly, had she not always viewed this as her mortal hell? When had there been a time when it was anything but a hell? If there was a time, Natalya couldn't remember it. No one's way but her own... and wasn't she - simply mulling it over was tearing her apart. This wasn't how she wanted her life to end; hundreds of men's forgotten mistress, possibly a mother of several outcasted children...

Once again, Natalya saw Kalev as a ghost. A chill crept up her spine with whispers for her to leave now, to go back to what she knew and stay there. Yet... how could she sit tight after throwing away freedom that was so close? Natalya hesitated, reaching her hand toward his, snatching it back again several times with indecision. Finally, her hand just dropped limply to her side, it appeared as though the girl had given up, losing faith in everything she knew.

An eternity seemed to pass, time would run out and he would leave. The promise of escape disappearing with him. It was the last second when her hand shot out to grip Kalev's with a shaky resolve. "I want to leave," she was trying not to cry, trying not to show how difficult this was for her, "I don't want to see the Peach anymore. I never want to be a man's whore again. I'm sick of tears. And I desperately want my freedom!"

[Anonymous]

Before this, Kalev had always thought of himself as a 'neutral' party. He had never invested his time in anyone personally, had never stopped to see the world for what it was – a source of light, lit up by many individual candles. Everyone, he believed, had the potential to spark a light inside them that lit up the darkness – but he hadn't learned that until today. He had seen death and cruelty, had witnessed it firsthand with the extraction of his eye so many years ago... But he had never had the chance to see sadness up close. For sadness to manifest itself in a person who Kalev believed was truly kind and good, and to see that sadness overwhelm her – how could he stand here and bare it? And how would he deal with the possibility that she might not take his hand?

An eternity stretched before them. Her hand reached out to his, but there were many times where she would snatch it back, as if the future was too cold, too uncertain, to touch. Still, he did not give up – although he was tempted to say something, say anything that could possibly help her change her mind. He did not speak, though – he had said all there was to say. He merely stood there, the silent ghost, hoping that she would take her hand in his. He could show her a new life, he knew he could – but he couldn't if her heart wasn't in it. Sure, it wouldn't be easy – but nothing worth having in life should ever be obtained easily. Somehow, it would undervalue the meaning of freedom.

But nothing lasts forever, no, not even an eternity. Eventually, that long stretch of time ended, and Natalya's hand shot out to grab his own. He gripped it firmly – slightly surprised, slightly shocked, but fully glad that he had felt her own hand in his. And so the fortune-teller listened to her exclamations – how she wanted to leave, how she wanted her freedom, how she was sick of tears. He smiled – a smile full of expression, with none of his tired eloquent mannerisms. It was the sort of smile that one sees ever so rarely – one of true elation.

"Then you will have it," Kalev promised, his usually soft voice brimming with determination. "We'll leave it all behind. The Peach, your master, Ketra... all of it can be put behind you." He was still holding onto her hand, but it was an unconscious action at this point – a part of him feared that she would slip away if he bothered to release it, so he held on tightly.

The fortune-teller focused his Aura on the lake, and thought it looked like a mirror of heaven, for the stars above seemed to reflect in the clear waters below. "This spot is a well-kept secret," he informed, looking out at the scenery with nostalgia. He focused his gaze towards her, his "eyes" on level with hers – she knew his secret, he did not have to look away.

"This will be our last night here, in Ketra – then, before daybreak, we can take our leave. My camp is on the other side of the lake, if you're tired. A good rest before doing extensive travelling might be good for the body, and the soul." He placed a hand on his chest, as if his own soul was hurting – and it may as well be. He was no longer a neutral party, a wandering loner with no ties to this earth. He would help her, teach her all he knew, and help her make a living somewhere else, somewhere far away from here.

She wouldn't have to deal with this two-faced city ever again.

Suddenly, it struck him – perhaps she'd rather not lay idle after making such a tough, life-changing decision? "Or," Kalev offered, because he was a man who liked choices, "Maybe you'd like to put some distance between yourself and Ketra now?"

He wasn't someone who normally traveled in darkness – but he had never found a occasion where he'd had to. He wasn't sure what her master was like, or if bouncers from the Peach would come looking for you – but even if they did, it was very unlikely that they'd find this secluded oasis. Still, it was up to her – Kalev would stand beside her, every step of the way.

[Anonymous]

Natalya had never felt more free than after her declaration, never more safe and protected than when Kalev gripped her hand with a firm finality. There wasn't any turning back now, she would only move forward from here. The young gypsy needed a new life, one that she could care about, look forward to.

Kalev's smile was more than reassuring and helped to ease some of her fear for the unknown; being afraid of the world as better than being mortified by it. She didn't even notice the fact that he was still grasping her hand, not that she would have minded. Even looking at his "eyes" was unconsciously done. How could he have ever frightened her by being able to see?

With a gentle shake of her head, a tired smile turned one corner of her mouth upward. "I'm sure you must be tired, I certainly am. Sleep sounds very nice after everything." It had been a very emotional and trying night hadn't it? "I would have to agree that it would be very good for my body and soul both." Would sleep come though?

She briefly mourned her plush bed and everything that was still in her room. All the familiar frivolities that she had doted on, treasured throughout her time at the Peach... It was all gone for this unfamiliar freedom; she wasn't sure if the trade was fair. The brothel would keep everything if she just disappeared; unless they sent them to her master in compensation. Natalya had become feverish over the thought. The slime didn't deserve them! she was tempted to march back to the peach now, in her busiest hour, risk being caught and destroying her resolve in order to get her possessions.

A mournful sigh escaped as she buried the idea. She had already come so far in agreeing to leave, why would she quit now? After all... they were just objects. The gypsy had a hard time keeping this in mind as she gave a mental goodbye to all of them.

[Anonymous]

Kalev was tired – devastatingly so. He had arrived in Ketra not too long ago, and now he was going to leave it behind. There would be more weeks – or months, should lady luck not spare a glance his way – spent in the wilderness, travelling, but Kalev found himself looking forward to the venture. He had always travelled alone, and had never one companion by his side, but now, things would be different. Was it wrong, for him to be a little excited about the days that were to come? He knew the days to come were not easy, nor glamorous, but he had never had company with him before – had never shared the stars with someone else.

He offered his hand out to her again, meaning to guide her towards the other side of the lake, where his small campsite stood. "You're right," he agreed with the smallest of nods, leading her down toward the lake. "Tomorrow is a big day, after all. We'll need our strength." The first day of travel, he knew, from experience, was always the hardest.

For Kalev, leaving a town, even if he had only been there for a few weeks or a month (or in this case, a couple of days) was always a little hard on his heart. It meant facing the uncertainty of the wilderness again, but it also meant being one with nature, and being amongst the quiet solitude that the forests offered. It was bittersweet, in a sense.

The grass under his feet felt soft and homey, like the plush carpets of a well-to-do home. He circled the lake, the Foresight Aura extended so that he could get a good look at its serene view, at the stars that seemed mirrored in its depths. "It is probably better this way, as well," Kalev pondered, after a beat, "To leave, that is, without looking back. It takes a certain brand of strength, in order to plunge forward."  

It had not taken very long to circle the lake. In a few minutes, they had reached Kalev's campground. It stood among a small grove of trees that bent naturally, making a shelter for them, should it rain. Still, one could see the stars from the branches, a peak of the heavens above.

For a campsite, things were neat, and orderly. A stew pot hung over a burnt out fire, while small bags made of dogbane sat to the side. In them were oats, berries and vegetables, and herbs – foods that could be cooked or managed quickly, all while being easy to carry as well. A sleeping cushion, equipped with a dark blanket, lay under a tree, neatly made, despite its location. Somewhere in the distance, the low gurgling of a stream could be heard.

"The bed isn't much," Kalev admitted, biting his lip, "But it's warm, if not anything else." He gestured to it with a sweep of his hand, smiling a little. He gave up his bed gladly, making a note to buy another when they came to the next town. "Sleep, Natalya. In the morning, we'll put distance between ourselves and this place." He settled down near a tree with a stooped back, and found it rather comfortable to lean against. His robe was enough of a blanket for him, and he did not need a pillow to rest his head. He was used to it, the roughness of the wilds.

[Anonymous]

Natalya took his hand without a second thought. This was it; no one had to reveal that it would be challenging, for she already knew. While her resolve was strong enough to drop everything she had known for this chance it never meant that she trusted herself it make it through. Hadn't it been slim luck that she had escaped her master? Then again, she had never had help.

Would it be different to have someone care? To have someone willingly aid her escape? Only time would tell.

The lake wasn't near as large as she had thought; thought it was a trifle as she admired the clear reflection of the stars. Was he right? He said it took strength, but she didn't feel it; she felt as though she had jumped into a black crevice. Natalya had not clue what was below, perpetually free-falling and praying that someone would catch her. It appear to be strength.

The orderly little camp of Kalev's quite surprised her. She had figured that it...- well that was unfair. The assumption had been based off the blindfold he adorned, completely unjust seeing as she knew his ability to see. Overall she was excited, the realization of adventure starting to sink into her veins. The little shelter was genius seeing as it was natural, nothing she would have ever thought of. Her only problem was that she saw only one cushion.

Natalya wanted to deny it, to try sleeping on the ground and test herself. If she couldn't handle it then she would only slow the man down, but she couldn't say no to his generosity. Climbing into the bed, she noted it was a more bumpy and rough than her elaborate cushioned one back at the Peach... The sight of Kalev resting against the tree nearby cut her thoughts, she wouldn't dare complain when he was giving up so much by helping her. "Kalev," her eyes were warm and an appreciative smile formed on her lips, "thank you. You didn't have to offer to help me, but you did. I appreciate it more than I could show. I fully plan on repaying you and should you ever need something from me, just ask."

Not wanting to give him a chance to deny her offer, the young gypsy gave another small smile. "Good night Kalev." With that she laid down and pulled the blanket up to her chin, naturally curling up as sleep started taking over. Her sides gently rose and fell as exhaustion quickly overcame her, quieting her breathing.

--------------------------

The bright sun light burned her eyes; seared her lids and cut right through her sleep. Natalya groaned and sat up, her night had been horrible. Sure she had dozed off abruptly... but after a couple hours she continuously woke up. The dark of the forest was foreign and frightening, sounds of animals or the wind rustling the leaves had made her leap awake.... the roughness of the cushion was not her familiar one and she swore she could only feel the hard earth.

Groggily, she stood and walked to the stream. Her feet were freezing, even heels would have been better than bare skin. Her skirt was wrinkled and rumpled, easily done with shorter hemlines. All together she was a mess. Well, she could always have been in one of the shorter dresses instead....that was one positive.

Natalya didn't even dare looking at her reflection in the water, she knew she must have looked awful. Without observing her features she could already tell her eyes were baggy and black curls matted and tangled from her restless sleep. To be honest, right now she didn't care, or so she told herself as she splashed the freezing water onto her face - drawing a wince or two of course.

[Anonymous]

Daybreak.

He had not dreamed last night – a good omen for the morning to follow. A fortune teller's dreams were always things to take seriously, and called for a day's pondering. Dreaming for Kalev would have meant spending the day recalling the intricacies of the dream, for sometimes a vision would dance right before a fortune teller's eyes, taunting him, daring him to decipher what he could barely remember. A night where a dream did not rise up its enigmatic head was a morning well cherished, a day well spent. He stretched his arms out above him, rising from his spot near the tree slowly, groggily, while raising his hand out in front of him to get a good look of the new day.

It was then that he remembered all that had happened – meeting Natalya, and his promise to her, to help her find her freedom. Was that why he felt more motivated to rouse himself from sleep this morning? His purpose in life had currently been redefined – and now, he was no longer alone. He cast the Aura around him, expecting to see her sleeping form still on the mattress, but was a little surprised to not find her there. For a moment, he grew worried, but then figured she had probably gone out for a walk, or decided to sit by the stream.

For now, breakfast was the main task on his mind. Near the trees was a bag of oats, and near it was another collection of wild berries, and a small container of honey – together, it'd make a nice oatmeal, once he boiled water to cook the oats. And he was sure he had some tea leaves nearby, enough to make a calming tea to start their morning. He unpacked the clay bowls, the sturdy cups for tea, and held the pot with two hands, making his way slowly towards the stream.

It was a slow walk, towards the stream, but finally, Kalev set the pot down, sat cross-legged by the stream, and lowered the pot into the water. It was harder to control the Foresight Aura when his hands were fully or occupied, so he always did not detect Natalya until after he had filled the pot and set it beside him. As soon as his hands were free, his 'vision' cleared exponentially, enough to make out her form by the stream.

"The sun feels so bright today," he commented – for while he could feel the brightness, he could not see it. Concepts like 'dark' and 'bright' were foreign to the Aura, despite all the things he could still see with it. "It's a good omen, perhaps. Maybe it's the best sort of day for a new beginning?" He gripped the pot again, and his vision dimmed, but at least he knew she was still there. "I'm making breakfast for us back at camp – in the meantime, if you need to bathe in the stream, feel free. The best time to do it is in the morning, when the animals are still groggy from sleep." Bathing at night was a daredevil's trial – the creatures that lurked in and near the stream were wild and unpredictable At least in the morning, you were less likely to be disturbed.

Wanting to leave her to her privacy, Kalev began the trip back to camp – starting the fire and beginning to boil the tea leaves first, the refreshing smell of chamomile and blends of peppermint wafting through the area. He thought it a crime that they should have only a few cubes of sugar left, and decided that he'd give those cubes to Natalya if he wanted them. Kalev liked his tea the same color as he liked his blindfold, and the robes that wrapped around his body – black.

[Anonymous]

Mornings, Natalya loathed them than any other time of day. It was always the time when she could finally calculate all the new injuries she had and mourn over her fate. Today was only somewhat better. She could see fresh black marks along her wrists and ankles, purple spots on her shoulder, a few brown on her arms, and one nice little bluish blob on her thigh. Suddenly she made the resolve to not look at her face until these started to disappear.

Kalev's voice made her jump back with a timid squeak. Whether his approach had been completely silent or her rather apparent lack of sleep, Natalya hadn't even the slightest clue the man was there until he had spoken. With her heart in a frenzy, it had taken several seconds to remember than the eerie man in black before her was her friend. With the internal commotion going on she never had a chance to reply before he left... would he think her rude for not saying anything? She prayed not and decided to take his advice and wash up.

Seemed like her memory was going fast as she quickly shed her clothing and jumped in the stream. Profanities fell violently from her mouth as she hug herself tightly, trying to keep hold of what little warmth she had left; large goose-flesh covered any and all skin, whether above the water or not. How she would miss cold baths. Natalya could safely say that it was the fastest she had ever bathed.

With dripping wet hair, goose-flesh for skin, and wet bare feet, the girl was sure she looked worse than when she had first awoken. She noted regrettably that the cold had only accented the marks on her skin and she suddenly wished more fervently for a different dress.

Nothing was more reassuring and brightening than the smell of food.

Worries quickly forgotten, her rumbling stomach rejoiced at the sight of something to eat. About lunging for the food, she quickly restrained herself and sat down not far away, wanting to be polite; she also didn't want Kalev to start regretting this before he had to.

[Anonymous]

It was easy to tell that Kalev was comfortable around the campfire. Years of living out on the open road had taught him how to cook good food at a quick pace – after all, when you were on the go, you didn't want to spend hours waiting for a stew to finish cooking, or for meat to finish roasting. Breakfast today was void of any meat, sadly, but while Natalya had been washing at the stream, he had boiled the oats for the oatmeal, which finished cooking just as she returned to camp. Kalev looked up at her, smiling, grateful for company.

"How was the stream?" Kalev asked, while scooping some of the oatmeal into a small wooden bowl. "I find that the best way to wake up is with a cold dip in the stream... Ah, but you're probably starving, right?" He drizzled honey over the meal, and then added berries – blueberries and raspberries – to the mixture, and finally, placed a small wooden spoon in the bowl. He handed it over towards Natalya, then poured her a cup of his tea – a mixture of chamomile and peppermint. "We have a few sugar cubes left, if the tea is too bitter," he added, gesturing towards the small bag of sugar cubes to his left. "I prefer my tea without it, but I know not everyone does..."

The area was very orderly, considering Kalev's impaired vision. They sat on a blanket – tattered, but comfy – which breakfast was set up on. While all of the utensils were made of wood, the kettle, which boiled the tea, was made of light steel, and the pot which had cooked the oats was made of the same material. Two small fires burned, one for the pot and kettle, and they crackled amicably, complementing the yellow orange sunrise that streaked above them. Kalev personally loved this time of day – morning, the start of a new day...

He flicked his hand – his control of the Foresight Aura always subtle and discrete, even though she knew about it already – and expanded his vision, taking her in, and realizing that her attire was definitely not fit for travel. While he fixed his own breakfast, he spoke, while looking into the pot of oats, "It might be a while, before we get to any major cities, but there are small civilizations, which live in the Draconi Forest, in the northwest. There, I could find someone to make you more comfortable clothes, if you wish?" It must be hard, travelling in such attire! He smiled a little, drizzling honey over his own meal. "For now, eat your fill! There's plenty of oats left, if you're still hungry." He wanted to make her as comfortable as possible – the last thing he wanted was for her to regret her decision to leave...

[Anonymous]

Natalya found it hard not to return his smile. Sure this was going to be rough, but she wasn't alone, she had a friend who - even after one night - she felt she could trust more than anyone else she had met. Some dark corner of her mind hoped that she wasn't being too trusting, that Kalev wouldn't betray her.

Only time would tell, and it enjoyed surprising people.

"It was freezing cold," she admitted, "Honestly I've never had to take a cold bath, it was... quite the experience." One that would take time to become accustomed to. "Yes, it doesn't help that the food smells delicious." It was by no means anything less than true, her stomach growled in confirmation. When he handed her the bowl, all manners were forgotten as she wolfed the breakfast. She could only shake her head when he offered the cubes, her mouth too full to answer. Bitter tea wasn't her preferred kind, but if it helped her wake up she was willing to try it.

The gypsy finally slowed down about halfway through and hesitantly tried the tea. It was bitter... but the taste of peppermint and chamomile made it bearable, favorable even. She was grateful that the fires had her drying rapidly, the breeze had her shivering.

When Kalev mentioned her clothes, a slight blush crept upon her dark face. "If we could, and the clothes not very expensive. Sadly I didn't bother changing last night..." She sat silently for a bit, reminiscing about the night before. Another angry grumble from her stomach pulled her out of the reverie and caused her to blush yet again. "By the time we leave there won't be any left."

And with that she finished her first bowl.

[Anonymous]

Kalev chuckled a little – the streams were always ridiculously cold at this time of day. But the colder the bath, the easier it was to wake up, he had found. "Never taken a cold bath?" he echoed, in slight surprise. "Now that I think about it... I don't think I've ever taken a warm bath." Streams, oceans, lakes, hell, even rivers if need be, had always been his wash-up areas, and they had always been blisteringly cold. Hell, even before then, on Yoreiq Isles, the water had always managed to be freezing.

"You'll get used to it though, I'm sure," he assured, half teasingly. Hopefully, they wouldn't always have to rough it out in the wild, of course – once they made it into the Draconi Forest, he could rustle up some customers from people who lived in villages in the forests – but for now, this sort of camp had to do. The goal was to make some decent ground into the forest today and get her some better travelling clothes – the rest would come later. Kalev, being a man who was always on the move, did well with thinking two days ahead of their journey.

He ate his own oatmeal slowly, his eating soundless, and slow – like all of his movements, there was a fluidity to him, even when he ate. He listened quietly, as she agreed – new clothes would certainly be an asset. "Don't worry about it," he assured, smiling, "The small villages in the forests are cheaply priced – they know many travellers come through their forests. You'll be in travel-ready clothes in no time."

At the rumbling of her stomach, Kalev laughed good-naturedly, and pushed the bowl of oatmeal closer towards her, so she could fill her bowl as she needed. "Feel free to take seconds! I can't take any of the food with us when we leave, anyway... Most of the camping stuff will have to stay here." With good luck, they should make it to the Draconi campsite before nightfall anyway.

After finally finishing his own oatmeal, Kalev took up his cup of tea, and didn't cringe at its bitter burst of flavor. He looked toward her, still amazed – by the courage she had exhibited, by choosing to leave her only home, her only country. "Are you nervous?" he asked, curious, hoping the question would not offend. Bah, why had he asked it so suddenly! Perhaps it was a stupid thing to ask, so suddenly, so out of the blue... He turned his eyes down towards his cup of tea, but the Foresight Aura was still on her. "I only ask because... I remember it took me ages, before I could work up the courage to leave home. But sometimes..." He shook his head. "Sometimes you just know when it's time to leave."