Chapter 12:Echoes
Ian woke up in his bed. Last thing he remembered was the fight.
There was a slight wetnsss on his pillow, suggesting he had drooled in his sleep.
He looked down, seeing Fen curled up on the soft rug on the floor. His stomach lifting and falling as he dreamt away.
Looking over him, he saw the paper still on the floor. An unintelligable wave of anger falling over him as he's reminded of his failed magic attempts.
A slight headache struck Ian during it, causing his emotions to sway back to normal. "Damn it..."
He clutched his head slightly rubbing where it hurt most.
It was most likely hurting now that the adrenaline was gone. He also felt aching in his arm. Looking at it, he saw the bite mark.
Fen's teeth were pretty sharp it seemed.
It stung even though it wasn't too deep. But it was clearly surpressed after Veyra's training.
"Right...when did she want to train me further? And will Fen also enter her dream realm when I do?" He whispered to himself.
Finally putting his feet on the floor, he stood up. His walking a little wobbly to start.
As he reached the door Fen seemed to have been alerted judging by how he lifted his head.
Fen quickly got up and trotted down the hallway after Ian.
Now, clutching his stomach, Ian was starving. He tightens his abs so it wouldn't growl. But a slight groan escaped it.
As he reached the final rooms down the hall, he saw Ryn and Charlotte.
Another groan was let out. This time it was Fen's stomach. Since they were soulbound, it's possible they might share hunger.
"You too?" He looked down at Fen behind him.
He stopped by the lobby couches where the two of them sat.
"Morning..." Ian muttered. His headache still being present, but clearly weaker already.
They didn't respond. Instead, they looked almost the same as him. Tired.
Ian glances out a nearby window. People were already roaming in the early morning sun.
He could tell it was early due to the suns location in the sky. Since there were no clocks in this world that he knew of.
Looking over at Ryn, sitting on the couch to his left, Ian spoke again. "Never thought I'd see you like this." He yawned in between words.
Ryn blinked slowly. "Too bad..."
"He patrolled all night." Was heard from the couch to his left.
"I'm unsure how, but he's drained." Charlotte continued, finally deciding to speak as she nodded toward Ryn from across the table.
Ian walked past them, into the kitchen. Normally, Charlotte would tell him not to go through her fridge like he owned the place, but she seemed too tired to care.
Just as he finished spreading butter over a slice of bread, there was a knock on the front door.
Looking over, he still saw the two sitting idly in the red couches, he decided to take the initiative to answer.
"I'll get it." He offered as he walked to the door.
As he opened, a girl stood there. Brown hair, blue eyes. Wait, she looked like Charlotte quite a bit...just a bit taller.
"Is Charlotte Werden here?" The girl asked out of no where.
"Werden? That's her last name?" Ian responded.
The girl walked in, shoving him slightly to the side, clearly taking his response as a yes.
"Come...in?" Ian said, a little confused.
Sure enough, she found her.
As Charlotte laid eyes on the girl she straightened instantly, her previously tired self replaced by an annoyed and nervous one.
"Hello...sister. What are you doing here?" She greeted. A shocked undertone in her voice, her grip intensifying in the couch cushion.
"Don't hello me, Charlotte." The sister responded, putting her hands on her hips and biting her lower lip slightly.
Charlotte got up and stood in front of her sister. She then turned to Ian and Ryn. "Sorry, this is my older sister Mara."
Ian opened his mouth, trying to respond. But as he did, Mara was already behind him, massaging his shoulders causing him to close it.
"You're wasting your time here, little sister. Look at him, he's got more life in him than this dusty clinic." Mara answered, glancing at Charlotte from the corner of her eye.
Charlotte sighed. Clearly annoyed but not in the mood for a fight.
"My my...You've got quite the muscles here." She said as she massaged him, her hands working away remaining tension from Veyra's training.
"And this cloak fits you perfectly..." she gripped his cheeks, playing with them slightly before her hand trailed down his back.
A growl escaped Fen, who was standing right beside him. Causing Mara to laugh. "Is this little puppy your friend? How cute."
Charlotte snaps. "Stop flirting with my guest and focus on why you're actually here."
Mara laughed, stepping away from Ian who just stood there, speechless.
'What the hell was that?...Why'd she stop?' He couldn't help but think.
Mara leaned against a nearby wall. "Well, sister. As you know, I'm the eldest out of us three." She started.
'Wait. Three? She has another sibling?' Ian looked at Ryn, seeing that he had been listening. The glint in his eyes told Ian they were on the same wavelength.
"Well, since I'm the eldest, it's only natural i inherit the clinic. No?" Mara then continued, clearly knowing both Ian and Ryn didn't know what was happening.
Mother's will was verbal she told me first-born takes the family trade. Besides, I've got debts in three cities. Selling this place clears them and leaves enough for all of us."
There's silence. No one knew how to answer.
Which Mara took the chance to continue. "Or I go to the guild court. They don't look kindly on undocumented inheritances."
Charlotte tenses, but quickly counters.
"You left when she was dying. I was the one cleaning bedpans, mixing tonics at midnight. This clinic is mine by sweat, tears and blood." Her voice was shaking slightly.
Ian tries to mediate awkwardly: "Maybe… talk to a lawyer? Or split shifts?"
Mara laughs, touches his cheek: "Sweet, but naive. Stick to looking pretty, handsome."
Charlotte finally snaps fully, already tired of her older sister even though their reunion was short. "Get out. Now."
Mara rolled her eyes. But as she looked between Ian and Ryn, who were both frowning, she turned towards the door.
As she was about to leave, she stopped right before the doorframe.
Ian shot a glance at Charlotte, expecting her to body slam her sister out like a wrester for some reason.
"Three days, Charlotte. Sell willingly or I'll make it official. And don't worry. I'll take good care of your little stray here too." She turns winking at Ian before slamming the door behind her.
A deafening silence fills the building. No doubt patients heard the interaction as well.
Somwthing was sure though. She wasn't coming back alone.
Ian looked at Charlotte. Her arms were crossed and she looked angry as hell.
"You...you alright?" He asked, his voice unsure.
Charlotte looked over, her gaze softening ever so slightly. "Yeah, I'm fine. She always does this." Her arms fall to her sides with a sigh.
"I have things to do..." She muttered before walking down the hall.
She hadn't seen Mara in four years. Not since Mother's funeral.
Mara had left the next day with a bag of coin and a promise to "send for them when she made it big." She never did.
And now she was back, acting like the clinic was just another thing to claim.
12.2Bitter Return
Ian stood there, his brain was present. But still not.
He hadn't expected Charlotte to walk off like that.
His body then started moving on it's own, following Charlotte down the hall.
Fen was stepping right behind him.
As he saw her enter a room, he did the same.
"You're just gonna take this?!" He shouted as he slammed the door open.
Charlotte flinched slightly from the sudden sound, before turning to him.
She was lookinf through drawers. Most likely pretending to look busy.
She opened her mouth. But didn't answer. Instead, she closed it again.
Ian stepped inside through the doorframe. Not realising he was closinf the gap between them quickly.
"Are you really gonna let this happen?" He repeated, more silent this time.
Charlotte looked down. It was unusual for her to look this...vulnerable.
Ian quicklt realised his mistake and took teo or so steps back, for some reason dusting himself off as he did.
A moment passed. Then another. A long silence lingered, eventually broken by Fen as he walked into the room.
Ian had thought he was much closer. So him coming now was another, but smaller shock.
"I..." Charlotte stammered.
Ian was expecting a smack on the head, but it never came.
"I… I don't know what to do…" she finally responded, slumping down on the floor, dropping the bandages along her.
Ian stood frozen for a second. The usual awkward joke didn't come.
Instead he rubbed the back of his neck and muttered "I haven't really had a plan since the day I got here."
The words came out quieter than he expected. He felt stupid saying it, but it was true.
Every single day in Zendrya had been one long reaction. Alley, explosions, wolf, now this.
He was just surviving, fate just happened to hate him. Or love him, depending on which angle you look at it.
Charlotte looked up at him, eyes red-rimmed but surprised.
For once she didn't call him an idiot. She just stared, like she was really seeing him.
"You and me both," she whispered.
Fen whined softly and pushed his head into her lap. Charlotte's fingers moved on their own, burying themselves in his white fur.
The silence that followed wasn't cold anymore. Just heavy, shared.
Ian shifted his weight. "If you need me to stand here and look pretty while you fight her… or whatever. I'm here. For whatever that's worth." he said as he pointed his thumb confidently at himself.
Charlotte gave a weak, watery laugh. "You're an idiot."
There was no bite in it this time.
She stayed on the floor a moment longer, then pushed herself up, wiping her eyes with her sleeve. "I'll handle Mara. Somehow. I always do."
She glanced at him once more before turning toward the door. "Go finish your bread, Ian."
The door clicked shut behind her, leaving Ian alone. Still, pointing at himself with his thumb.
As he realised, his cheeks quickly turned red and he pushed his hand down with the other.
12.3 Three days
Ian turned around, walking to the door as well.
But just as he was about to leave, Veyra's voice echoed in his mind. "Endure."
Ian sighed. He walked back to where he had left his bread, silently chomping on it.
He sat down in the lobby, planning ti discuss a plan with Ryn.
But, he wasn't there. Instead, he was right outside the door. Watching over a few youngsters playing ball.
Ian swiftly stepped out, watching as well.
Ryn turned to him, predicting Ian might ask him something. "Well?"
Ian, who had zoned out watching the game, got snapped back to reality by Ryn's voice.
'Oh right...so, what do we do?" Ian didn't meet his gaze. He was too focused, not only on the ball but his inner thoughts as well.
"Well, I'm sure it will fix itself. Though, I must say, Mara has quite the arguments. And, since it is a property matter, it will be done in court." Ryn turned back, looking forward.
Ian perked up at the mentioning of court. He had never been in a courtroom before. Would he be the defendant?
"Court you say?" Ian mindlessly responded.
The words 'endure' were echoing enough to give him a headache.
Ryn nodded. "Correct. And since Mara has a few debts, the odds are not in her favor it seems."
Ian simply shrugged. "If she has debts, could she even get a lawyer?"
Ryn nodded again. "Good question. Since lawyers are paid through taxes, most will be free to the public. So, yes."
Ian could tell Ryn was trying to be as neutral as possible in the matter. It was only fair since he was involved with the law directly, as a knight, neutrality is an important deal.
At least within legal type problems like this one.
The youngesters with the goal to their left scored a goal in the slightly bigger goal to the right.
The right players complaining on goal sizes as the left ones cheer.
As they did, Ian couldn't help but notice thev
lack of sand.
"So it was that Fen after all..." he muttered to himself.
As he looked down to his right, he saw the white-furred canine look up at him, most likely already familiar with his name.
Ian pet Fen on the head, before walking inside again.
Ryn gazed after him as he walked through the door.
The truth was, Ian had a headache. One he was meant to 'endure.'