Post by Deleted on Mar 26, 2020 21:20:35 GMT -5
[KAIA] She had woken well before Raif had, but she left him alone, knowing quite well that he needed to sleep. Quietly, she snuck away. Grear had helped her with bathing and she dressed herself in the new dress she had bought. It felt good to be clean and out of the dirty old rags she had been in. Afterwards, she helped Grear in the kitchen with making breakfast. Her husband had already gone out to do some hunting, so it was just the two women in the kitchen, and they were laughing up a storm as Grear told Kaia stories of her husband and their marriage and what they had been through together. It made Kaia feel happy and somewhat normal. But when the laughter finally died down, Kaia began to ask some questions. "So, there is a library somewhere in this land? Do they have maps we could either take or copy?" The elderly woman nodded and gave her directions to where they could go to find such a thing. "Raif and I will need to go later on. We are far from home... It would be nice to go back at some point, but we have no idea where we are and where home is from here..." She explained, somewhat lying, because she didn't wish to explain what they were really up to, just because of how foolish it seemed.
Grear nodded understandably. "I am sure you will find your way soon enough..."
Kaia smiled softly, "Thank you... And we really do appreciate all of your kindness and hospitality..." She grabbed hold of an orange the woman placed in front of her and started to idly eat the slices of it, falling silent again, and wondering how long Raif would actually sleep for. [d]
[RAIF] It was probably a miracle that he slept this late. Later than he had the night before at the inn. Of course, the damn sun wasn't waking him up this time, which was probably why. Still, it was a bit alarming when he finally did, only to find Kaia not there. Raif sat up abruptly, looking around quickly, immediately remembering where he was- the butcher's place. He rushed up to his feet, a hand running down his face to try and rid himself of the sleep that still plagued him as he left the small storage room to wander his way towards the sound of voices from the kitchen. He was only breathing properly again when he recognized Kaia's, eventually shuffling into the room to find her there with Grear. It was fine, he only had a near mild heart attack. "Mornin'..." he greeted groggily. Or whatever bloody time it was. [d]
[KAIA] She heard Raif's voice from behind her, so she quickly shifted in the chair she sat in, to look at him, a smile splaying across her lips. "Good morning! We made breakfast!" It had been such a long time that either one of them had actual meals, so Kaia seemed overly excited about it. "Come sit and eat!" She popped another slice of orange into her mouth and savored it, closing her eyes and moaning slightly in delight from the taste. "I forgot how good these tasted..." She laughed as she looked back at Grear, thanking her, for probably the hundredth time. The woman laughed and set a plate down on the table at an empty spot for Raif. [d]
[RAIF] He grumbled again at her very cheery greeting. Raif certainly wasn't a morning person, but he was usually always this way anyway regardless. As Grear set the plate down, he quietly thanked her as his attention seemed to remain out one of the small windows. He didn't sit down, either, but picked a piece of fruit up to eat. It was weird, he couldn't seem to shake this uneasy feeling. He figured it was because Kaia wasn't there when he first woke up, but she was there now. She was fine. So what was it? He quietly moved closer to the window, brushing aside the curtain when he noticed Harold rushing up to the door. Yep, he had a bad feeling about this. The butcher burst through the door and shut it quickly behind him; a couple of dead rabbit dangling over his shoulder. "The slavers-" he stammered out. "I guess your ship crashed just off the coast? Well, some of them survived, and they're walking around asking questions." Great. Grear was already grabbing a bag, rushing around to fill it with whatever supplies they could spare before handing it to Kaia. "You're going to want to get out of here now," Harold, still winded, warned them. They still had a few minutes, but it was a risk to stay any longer. [d]
[KAIA] She was completely oblivious to the idea that they could actually be in danger, so when the door flew open and Harold rushed in, she jumped, startled, her eyes widened at the elderly man's words and her smile slowly faded. Well, damn. Quickly, she turned to Raif as she stood from her seat. "Where should we go, then?" But her question was directed more at the couple, since he was urging them to get out. But to where? And how? She graciously took the bag from Grear and slung it over her shoulder. The search for maps would have to wait now, because once again, they'd have to run for their lives and find somewhere to hide before they could pursue this new quest Raif was so hellbent on pursuing. [d]
[RAIF] Wait? Why wait? They had to run anyway, didn't they? They had to run once again, but at least there was a destination in mind. Raif could see the sorrow on Grear's face, and Harold hadn't wanted to usher them out like this. The situation was dire, but those slavers didn't know where they were headed. They didn't know that they were even alive. Right now, those bastards were just trying to round up any possible runaways that survived the storm. They had time. They could slip out of here unnoticed if they were quick enough. "The city," he told Kaia as though it were obvious. Well, it was obvious to him, anyway. "You have time. Ten minutes at the most," the butcher told them. "Slip out the back, and find the path going up hill. That's North-East. It should head you in the right direction." Raif nodded to him. "Thank you," he told the both of them before grabbing Kaia's hand and leading her out towards the back door. [d]
[KAIA] She barely had a chance to thank the elderly couple for everything they had done for them, because Raif was grabbing her hand and pulling her towards the back door. "Thank you!" She shouted out before they were out of the house. The city. That's where they were heading now. But, she couldn't help but panic now, as they were out in the open, and they did not know anyone from this land. Anyone could rat them out if they were spotted. She held tightly to Raif's hand and moved quickly, alongside him. "I hate this, Raif..." She spoke, annoyed. She hated running, and hiding and being in danger of being caught and enslaved again. She hated the idea of all of that. He had told her that he would not let them catch her. But what if they caught him, and she was left alone? And what if they did catch her? When she spotted the path, she pointed to it, "right there... If we follow that, it will bring us to the city... But we will be out in the open where others can see us..." [d]
[RAIF] Honestly, he was a little bit panicky himself, even if he wasn't showing it. But they couldn't linger. To try and find another place to hide right now would be a bigger risk...yet it was true that they might be seen. They did stick out because of their darker complexions. "I know," he murmured back to her. She seemed so happy back at that little house...the last thing he had wanted to do was drag her out of there in a rush like this. Harold and Grear may have housed them for another day or two if they had continued with chores. He drifted closer to some of the vendor stands. Fortunately, the village market was busy this morning, and no one would notice when he plucked a scarf and shawl from one of them and continued moving. It was cold, so it would not be strange for him to wrap the scarf around his neck, covering half his face as he draped the shawl atop her head and around her shoulders. What he wouldn't do for a damn horse, but that was too risky to try and steal. "Just stay close, alright?" He tried to reassure her as she pointed out the path, and they casually strode onto it as others in carts or horseback did the same. [d]
[KAIA] After Raif draped the shawl over her, she adjusted the fabric over her head some more, shading her face. She stayed close to Raif, even grabbing hold of his hand as they moved down the path. "Grear told me where the library was located... If you want to go try and find some maps...and hide in there for a while, maybe?" She sighed, her bright and large eyes glancing around in search of anyone that could resemble a slaver. Ten minutes the butcher had told them they had to get ahead of whomever was coming. And that was only the one(s) he had seen. What if there were more and they had spread out in search of them? All of the possibilities of danger ran through her head as they walked the path.
"HEY!! Right there! You! Stop!!" A voice shouted from behind them. Kaia's eyes widened and she squeezed Raif's hand, not turning to look at whomever was calling after them. [d]
[RAIF] His fingers curled around her hand tightly, continuing to lead them along the path and further away from the village. The further they went, the less people there were. And that was both a good and bad thing. "How far is it?" he asked her, wondering if Grear had let her know. Would it be half a day? A whole day or more? He really wished they could get a horse When that voice called out, he finally panicked. Fortunately, there was a merchant and his horse up ahead; the man was in the process of relieving himself in the bushes and Raif didn't think any further. Ushering Kaia faster, he was helping her mount the horse. "Hey!" the man called in surprise as the thieves began to take his horse. He struggled to finish pissing and get his pants back up, just as Raif was climbing up into the saddle behind Kaia. He didn't stop to look at the man or the one who had originally called to them- he just spurred the horse on into an immediate gallop. [d]
[KAIA] She hadn't answered Raif's question regarding how far away they were from the library, because the voice had fully panicked her. She honestly did not know exactly how far away they were--as she hadn't bothered to ask. Grear had just told her she would know when they arrived, it would be somewhat obvious. "Raif--we can't...." She started, as he was urging her up onto the horse, but she got on it regardless. It was one thing to steal a piece of fruit, but a horse? They could get into a lot more trouble for this. But before she could protest any further, Raif was climbing on behind her and spurring the horse into the gallop. She shrieked slightly and held on tightly. They were just borrowing the horse. Maybe? The man could find his horse later, once they were safe. For now, Kaia was quiet as they rushed down the path towards the city.
It was probably a good thing they had borrowed the horse, because it would have taken all day to get to the city. It was a half hour ride with the horse until they finally arrived. Kaia sighed, tiredly, before she spotted what looked to be like a library. "Right there, Raif! Look!" Hopefully, they had lost whomever had been following them. [d]
[RAIF] It was either steal the horse- or "borrow" it"- or be caught by whomever was after them. He had a feeling that if he had posed this actual dilemma, Kaia would have chosen thievery as well. They had no choice in the matter, and if she was adamant on returning the beast, then they could deal with that later. If they could. Once they were safe. But they needed to find a map to figure out where to even go from here. Raif didn't like the idea of being trapped on this island and having to constantly run away and hide. It wasn't hard to spot the looming city in the distance, and it had fortunately not taken them very long to get there. At Kaia's exclamation, he took a glance behind them to try and spot any danger. He believed they had lost whomever it was, so he dismounted and helped her down...before steering the horse back down the path and smacked it against its hide, sending it off where it would hopefully find its true master. Perhaps they still head a head start on the slavers. Taking Kaia's hand once more, he rushed towards the library, shutting the door behind them once they were inside. Although the city was seemingly busy, this place was not and the silence was almost deafening. [d]
[KAIA] She could feel herself slipping away as Raif pulled her into the library. Once the door was shut, she fell to the floor, out of breath. She sat there on her knees, holding herself up with her hands and hung her head, her hair grazing the floor as she drew in slow and deep breaths, trying to calm herself. Kaia could actually feel herself slipping away, "Raif..." she whispered in warning. Her body felt like pins and needles were stabbing her all over, and her head began to throb and pierce with pain. She grabbed her head with her hands, holding onto it tightly as she rocked back and forth on her knees, groaning and crying in pain. Yes, this always seemed to happen at the worst of times, but that was just how it worked. Stress, panic, overwhelming feelings, seemed to trigger it along. [d]
[RAIF] Gazing out the small window, her voice drew his attention back over to her, immediately seeing what was happening. Oh yes, this always happened at the worst of times. Cursing lowly, he was rushing over to her to scoop her up into his arms and draw her to a far corner of this quiet library. There was an elderly gentleman behind a desk but he barely paid them any mind. But if she started screaming and ranting, then, they might have a problem. He placed her down gently, taking her face into his hands. "Kaia..." he whispered quietly. "I need you to look at me. You're right here with me...nowhere else..." [d]
[KAIA] She felt him pick her up and bring her to the corner, but as he set her down, she started to fight him, her eyes narrowing harshly at him as he held her face and tried to get her to look at him. "Let go of me." She tried to wriggle out of his grasp. "I don't know you... Don't touch me!" She shoved him back away from her and she quickly stood up, pacing around, seemingly looking as if she were trying to find a way out. She wandered over towards a shelf full of books and started to try and climb it, as if it were something different than a shelf. Perhaps a ladder of sorts? Was she seeing something differently than what was there? As she tried climbing, various books were spilling out of the shelf and all over the floor, she was definitely making a scene. [d]
[RAIF] He knew this would happen, he expected this. She often when into this rage-filled, child-like fits at no fault of her own and neither of them really knew why. Only that it happened. Only that she knew when it was about to happen. And in these moments, she didn't remember him. It had bothered him the first few times, but now he let her rant. However, now wasn't the best of times and he couldn't continue letting her destroy everything in this library. The shelf she was attempting to climb wavered a little, and he had to rush over and grab her by the waist to pull her down. They really did not need this right now. The shopkeeper could very well throw them out for this. "Kaia!" he yelled in a harsh whisper. Raif had to be a little more forceful than he normally was, pushing her up against the wall, his chest against her back. She could flail and claw out less at his face this way. "Kaia!" His words were growled at her ear, fingers tightening just a little bit on her arms. The last thing he wanted to do was hurt her...but he also didn't need her thrashing at him or hurting herself either. "You know who this is...you know me...snap the fuck out of it." There was little time for subtleties today. [d]
[KAIA] She growled as Raif pinned her against the wall, and she tried to fight her way out of his grasp, but was unable. "I swear, I will kill you!" She hissed out at him. "Let me go! I do not know you!" Kaia squirmed underneath him, trying with all her strength to break free of him, to no avail. She breathed heavily, angrily, before she finally gave up her fight. "Get it over with, then..." She sounded defeated, her fingers clawing at the wall, as if trying to brace herself for what she felt might be her demise. [d]
[RAIF] This was either a trick or she truly had given up...but it still wasn't Kaia. That much he was certain, so he had to be wary. Raif swiftly spun her around so that she could see him, but he kept his hands around her wrists now, clutched tightly in between them. "You do know me, Kaia," he growled back. "Whatever has a hold of you doesn't want you to remember it..." Bright blues pierced into honey-colored eyes, realizing there was no point in rushing this. He could yell at her but it might do very little. "Look at me," he quietly demanded, freeing one of his hands so that fingers could grasp her chin. "You know me. You know me well. You know me better than anyone..." [d]
[KAIA] She gasped as he spun her around, her gaze narrowed at him as he accused her of being controlled by something. Yes, by him. He had control over her, not letting her go, and then forcing her to look him in the eyes. Her jaw clenched tightly as she looked into his eyes, and she once again tried to free herself from his grasp. "How can you say that? I don't know you...I don't even know your name! Why are you doing this to me?!" She stared at him, her gaze finally catching sight of those bright blue eyes, and she blinked a few times, before she seemed to relax a bit, her expression slightly confused. "Raif? What are you doing?" Why did he have hold of her like this? Had she just slipped away from him? Oftentimes, when she came out of it, she found herself in this situation, it was nothing new. She sighed, looking at him apologetically, knowing that whenever she got this way, she either hurt him--physically or emotionally. [d]
[RAIF] His grip on her wrist tightened just a little bit more, always worried that whenever this happened that she would never return. That wouldn't come back to him. That this time she would remain like this forever. He barely registered that he had stopped breathing, just staring at her, waiting for something to click or to break as she continued to deny. Then it happened. Like a light turned on and she was seeing things clearly again. Sometimes it was slow to happen, sometimes it was immediate and it took him off guard. Raif finally breathed as she looked helplessly apologetic and he loosened his grip on her although he did not move. Those fingers moved from her chin to rest against the side of her face where he would rest his forehead against hers. And he sighed. It was almost a tired growl of frustration as she shut his eyes briefly. It did always hurt, especially when the unknown always loomed over their heads. "You left me there for a moment..." he quietly told her. [d]
[KAIA] Her eyes remained on his as he loosened his grip on her wrists, but didn't move. She sighed, drawing in a breath as he rested his forehead against hers. "I'm sorry..." She whispered quietly. Though she had no control over when it happened, or what she did, she still felt awful every time it happened and he was the one left to deal with it. "How long?" Each time it happened, it seemed to last longer and longer, and she wondered how much time one would last before it was her last one and she would be lost completely. She reached a hand up and touched his cheek, rubbing his face gently. "And thank you for not giving up on me..." [d]
[RAIF] Better he deal with it than nobody. No one else was there for her, and he didn't just do it because of that. Raif was the type of person who would walk away when he didn't care for something or simply didn't wish to get involved. He could have walked away years ago. He could have ignored her, could have left her there on that ship...but he hadn't. He chose to keep her at his side, and this wasn't going to change that. Raif made his choice already, and there would be little anyone could do to change it. "Just a moment," he assured her when she asked. Yet in that short moment, she seemed to have made a mess of that shelf. Letting out a slow breath through his nose, he shut his eyes briefly and just stood there still. This was why he wanted to find that map, why he wanted to hold onto hope that Nani's story was true. And if it wasn't? Well...he probably wouldn't give up regardless. When he felt her hand at his cheek, he slowly opened those eyes again; a corner of his mouth curling up into the faintest of grins, "Never will, love." [d]
KAIA] She continued to look into his eyes, catching that faint grin on his lips. At his words, though, she smiled softly, continuing to brush her fingers along his cheek. Kaia didn't fully grasp or understand why Raif seemed to care about her, or protect her the way that he did. She had never asked him to. He could have left long ago, but he didn't--and she never really knew why he decided to stick around her, despite how much of a nuisance she could become. She sighed quietly, still trapped beneath Raif, and he wasn't rushing in moving away from her now, so she kept her eyes on him, tilting her head slightly to kiss his cheek. "Are you sure about that?" She teased him, trying to make light of the situation. Everyone had their breaking point--she wondered when Raif would break and tire of this and leave her-- give up on her. [d]
[RAIF] After awhile of wondering all of this himself, he chalked it up "simply because". He may never know why and he nor longer cared about questioning why. She was the only thing he really cared about in his damn life, even more than surviving this cruel world. Right now it would matter little without her. A soft huff of laughter through his nose, he pressed a light kiss to her forehead before glancing over his shoulder at the shelf she had tried to climb. "Well...you do make a bit of a mess..." he joked slightly before finally drawing from her to begin cleaning it up. He was surprised the shopkeep hadn't come over yet. [d]
[KAIA] She never had recollection of what happened or what she did while she fell into these episodes, so when Raif finally pulled away from her, she glanced around seeing the books scattered around the floor. She frowned slightly and crouched down to help pick the books up. She thought nothing of the books as she stacked them up, until she lifted a book that had been splayed open. Her eyes stared at the book for a moment before she whispered, "It's a real place...?" Her voice was nearly inaudible and she fell to the floor, sitting as she ruffled through the pages. "Raif..." her voice filled with disbelief. She motioned to him to come see what she had found. It would seem that her illness had pointed them in the right direction, because Kaia held a book that mentioned a Sanctuary Outpost. [d]
[RAIF] Even if he got angry when she lost herself, he could never be angry at her. Because it wasn't really her. It was like something else, something Other seemed to possess her and the true her was buried deep down. And he always had to try her back to the surface. Busy trying to clean up as he noticed the old shopkeep glaring in annoyance at them, Kaia said something. He almost missed it. "Hmm?" Eyes flickered over to her and down to the book; kneeling down beside her. After a moment, he was taking the book from her to look at it in disbelief. He should be excited, he should be happy and maybe even gloating...but his attention lifted to her face because, yes, for some reason, that illness of hers led them straight to what they needed. How? [d]
[KAIA] She had thought this would be impossible, like trying to search for a needle in a haystack. It had even made her feel overwhelmed and that this whole quest Raif was after would be near impossible. But somehow, it had literally fallen right in front of them, and only because of her illness taking over her. She didn't understand it, and she was looking at Raif with a confused and bewildered expression. It made her feel uneasy and she couldn't explain it. It made her skin crawl and she was suddenly afraid of herself and whatever it was that took over her. [d]
[RAIF] At the most, he figured Sanctuary just existed. Other than that...he wasn't sure about any of it. He had to hope, and that was all they had. But after this? Something was strange. Something made him wonder far more than he dared. When that part of her immediately took hold the moment they set foot in the library, it made her go to that shelf. Out of all the books and shelves in this place, she had gone to that specific one. Blue eyes lifted from the map to find her face, hesitant to ask because he basically already knew. "When this...happens...you really don't remember anything?" His voice was quiet. "You don't...sense or feel anything...?" They didn't even know what this was to begin with, and Raif wasn't sure if he should worry about it or not. [d]
[KAIA] She looked at Raif with a confused expression as he asked her if she remembered anything. She instantly shook her head to answer his question, but she hesitated and thought about it for a moment, as if maybe there was something there that she never thought about. "I..." She thought some more and shook her head again. "I don't really know... I never fully paid attention to it... Or none of it made sense. Sometimes it feels like I am dreaming, but none of what I see or hear makes sense..." She shrugged her shoulders, "Why? Should I be?" Another confused look was given to Raif, wondering what he was thinking. It didn't seem as if she were thinking what Raif was. But she did find it odd that she had found the book without having to try. [d]
[RAIF] He wasn't sure how to say anything more without frightening her...but maybe he had to, because this was new. This was strange. "I don't know," he answered her quietly, letting his attention drop from her face and back to the map. Sanctuary was blatantly right there. Out of all of these books, she happened to find that very one, that specific one. "But...this?" A hand gestured towards the map. "This...couldn't just be a coincidence." Raif looked back to her, trying to keep the strange worry from his features, wondering if she felt the same about that. [d]
[KAIA] The illness itself was frightening enough, if there were a deeper meaning behind it, it just made it even more frightening. She studied Raif's features as he spoke. Could this just be a coincidence? Couldn't it be? She bit her lower lip and fumbled with her fingers nervously before she shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know..." Her stomach was suddenly twisting into knots and she didn't like this. (Not that she did to begin with). She slowly stood up, trying to busy herself by putting the books away, back on the shelf. She didn't want to think about the possibility that both of them were thinking right now. Kaia did not want to admit she was thinking it. So she said nothing, and just continued to put the books away, leaving Raif with the one that she magically selected. [d]
[RAIF] He knew she didn't remember, but...what if there was some sort of residual feeling or sense? Kaia didn't seem to know and he wouldn't pressure her on it. But now, it was just one more thing to worry about... because he didn't know if he should be concerned or not. Raif was silent as she continued to clean up. Blue eyes flickered around to ensure that the shopkeep wasn't looking before he tore out that particular page, folded it quickly and hid it away in a pocket before helping Kaia clean up. "This is a good sign," he finally whispered, trying to bring back some of that hope. "Sanctuary exists. And I'm going to get us there, Kaia." [d]
[KAIA] She heard the ripping sound and whirled around to look at Raif, seeing that he ripped the page out of that book. She looked at him for a moment and shook her head. "We need the entire book, Raif." If the map was in there, there could be something else they might need in there. It was better to be safe and have the whole thing, than to realize later on that they should have kept the book. At Raif's hopeful words, she forced a smile and nodded. She wouldn't argue with him about it anymore, even if it still seemed far fetched to her. "I trust you. And I know you will get us there." Somehow. She wasn't sure how they would be able to get there... Everything seemed impossible right now. But they knew Sanctuary existed, at least. [d]
[RAIF] It was just more maps and idle boring shit in that book that he didn't care about. All he needed was to know the outpost existed and where exactly it was located. It was to get them in the right direction, because it was on Sanctuary where the true adventure began. "If you think so, then you can carry it," he commented idly, gently tossing it to her. If she didn't catch it, it would just drop to the floor by her feet. "But we shouldn't linger much longer. This is an island, which means there will be more ports. We find one and bribe our way into a ship." Bribe, stowaway... whatever works. [d]
[KAIA] She caught the book as Raif tossed it to her, and she threw it into the satchel that Grear had given her with food and supplies. She nodded in agreement with Raif. "Okay." She simply said, not having any other ideas at the moment. Part of her felt that they should stay, but Raif didn't agree. She wasn't going to argue over it though, except for one thing. "I just... Don't think it is a good idea to be wandering around port right now... Especially with the slavers looking for us? They'd expect us to go there, probably... I don't know." She shrugged her shoulders and sighed. [d]
[RAIF] He noticed the shopkeeper was lingering back in view, probably wondering what they were doing and if they were actually looking at any books or buying time. That wasn't setting well with him, because if the man didn't like the idea of them staying too long and a slaver came around asking questions...no, they couldn't stay. They were possibly still ahead of them, he and Kaia had to keep it that way. "We're not wandering around this port," he told her again. "We stay, there's a bigger chance of them finding us. If we keep moving and stay ahead, find another port, we can find a ship elsewhere." [d]
[KAIA] She nodded slightly. "Alright. Then lead the way..." She motioned for him to go, and that she would follow behind him, or next to him--whichever. Though, she still was feeling a bit shaken up by what had just happened to her, despite not being able to remember any of it. Maybe more so because she had found the book without even trying, and she would not have if she hadn't lost herself, or been taken over by something. They had never done that before--helped out, so it just left her feeling rather confused, and maybe a little scared. [d]
Grear nodded understandably. "I am sure you will find your way soon enough..."
Kaia smiled softly, "Thank you... And we really do appreciate all of your kindness and hospitality..." She grabbed hold of an orange the woman placed in front of her and started to idly eat the slices of it, falling silent again, and wondering how long Raif would actually sleep for. [d]
[RAIF] It was probably a miracle that he slept this late. Later than he had the night before at the inn. Of course, the damn sun wasn't waking him up this time, which was probably why. Still, it was a bit alarming when he finally did, only to find Kaia not there. Raif sat up abruptly, looking around quickly, immediately remembering where he was- the butcher's place. He rushed up to his feet, a hand running down his face to try and rid himself of the sleep that still plagued him as he left the small storage room to wander his way towards the sound of voices from the kitchen. He was only breathing properly again when he recognized Kaia's, eventually shuffling into the room to find her there with Grear. It was fine, he only had a near mild heart attack. "Mornin'..." he greeted groggily. Or whatever bloody time it was. [d]
[KAIA] She heard Raif's voice from behind her, so she quickly shifted in the chair she sat in, to look at him, a smile splaying across her lips. "Good morning! We made breakfast!" It had been such a long time that either one of them had actual meals, so Kaia seemed overly excited about it. "Come sit and eat!" She popped another slice of orange into her mouth and savored it, closing her eyes and moaning slightly in delight from the taste. "I forgot how good these tasted..." She laughed as she looked back at Grear, thanking her, for probably the hundredth time. The woman laughed and set a plate down on the table at an empty spot for Raif. [d]
[RAIF] He grumbled again at her very cheery greeting. Raif certainly wasn't a morning person, but he was usually always this way anyway regardless. As Grear set the plate down, he quietly thanked her as his attention seemed to remain out one of the small windows. He didn't sit down, either, but picked a piece of fruit up to eat. It was weird, he couldn't seem to shake this uneasy feeling. He figured it was because Kaia wasn't there when he first woke up, but she was there now. She was fine. So what was it? He quietly moved closer to the window, brushing aside the curtain when he noticed Harold rushing up to the door. Yep, he had a bad feeling about this. The butcher burst through the door and shut it quickly behind him; a couple of dead rabbit dangling over his shoulder. "The slavers-" he stammered out. "I guess your ship crashed just off the coast? Well, some of them survived, and they're walking around asking questions." Great. Grear was already grabbing a bag, rushing around to fill it with whatever supplies they could spare before handing it to Kaia. "You're going to want to get out of here now," Harold, still winded, warned them. They still had a few minutes, but it was a risk to stay any longer. [d]
[KAIA] She was completely oblivious to the idea that they could actually be in danger, so when the door flew open and Harold rushed in, she jumped, startled, her eyes widened at the elderly man's words and her smile slowly faded. Well, damn. Quickly, she turned to Raif as she stood from her seat. "Where should we go, then?" But her question was directed more at the couple, since he was urging them to get out. But to where? And how? She graciously took the bag from Grear and slung it over her shoulder. The search for maps would have to wait now, because once again, they'd have to run for their lives and find somewhere to hide before they could pursue this new quest Raif was so hellbent on pursuing. [d]
[RAIF] Wait? Why wait? They had to run anyway, didn't they? They had to run once again, but at least there was a destination in mind. Raif could see the sorrow on Grear's face, and Harold hadn't wanted to usher them out like this. The situation was dire, but those slavers didn't know where they were headed. They didn't know that they were even alive. Right now, those bastards were just trying to round up any possible runaways that survived the storm. They had time. They could slip out of here unnoticed if they were quick enough. "The city," he told Kaia as though it were obvious. Well, it was obvious to him, anyway. "You have time. Ten minutes at the most," the butcher told them. "Slip out the back, and find the path going up hill. That's North-East. It should head you in the right direction." Raif nodded to him. "Thank you," he told the both of them before grabbing Kaia's hand and leading her out towards the back door. [d]
[KAIA] She barely had a chance to thank the elderly couple for everything they had done for them, because Raif was grabbing her hand and pulling her towards the back door. "Thank you!" She shouted out before they were out of the house. The city. That's where they were heading now. But, she couldn't help but panic now, as they were out in the open, and they did not know anyone from this land. Anyone could rat them out if they were spotted. She held tightly to Raif's hand and moved quickly, alongside him. "I hate this, Raif..." She spoke, annoyed. She hated running, and hiding and being in danger of being caught and enslaved again. She hated the idea of all of that. He had told her that he would not let them catch her. But what if they caught him, and she was left alone? And what if they did catch her? When she spotted the path, she pointed to it, "right there... If we follow that, it will bring us to the city... But we will be out in the open where others can see us..." [d]
[RAIF] Honestly, he was a little bit panicky himself, even if he wasn't showing it. But they couldn't linger. To try and find another place to hide right now would be a bigger risk...yet it was true that they might be seen. They did stick out because of their darker complexions. "I know," he murmured back to her. She seemed so happy back at that little house...the last thing he had wanted to do was drag her out of there in a rush like this. Harold and Grear may have housed them for another day or two if they had continued with chores. He drifted closer to some of the vendor stands. Fortunately, the village market was busy this morning, and no one would notice when he plucked a scarf and shawl from one of them and continued moving. It was cold, so it would not be strange for him to wrap the scarf around his neck, covering half his face as he draped the shawl atop her head and around her shoulders. What he wouldn't do for a damn horse, but that was too risky to try and steal. "Just stay close, alright?" He tried to reassure her as she pointed out the path, and they casually strode onto it as others in carts or horseback did the same. [d]
[KAIA] After Raif draped the shawl over her, she adjusted the fabric over her head some more, shading her face. She stayed close to Raif, even grabbing hold of his hand as they moved down the path. "Grear told me where the library was located... If you want to go try and find some maps...and hide in there for a while, maybe?" She sighed, her bright and large eyes glancing around in search of anyone that could resemble a slaver. Ten minutes the butcher had told them they had to get ahead of whomever was coming. And that was only the one(s) he had seen. What if there were more and they had spread out in search of them? All of the possibilities of danger ran through her head as they walked the path.
"HEY!! Right there! You! Stop!!" A voice shouted from behind them. Kaia's eyes widened and she squeezed Raif's hand, not turning to look at whomever was calling after them. [d]
[RAIF] His fingers curled around her hand tightly, continuing to lead them along the path and further away from the village. The further they went, the less people there were. And that was both a good and bad thing. "How far is it?" he asked her, wondering if Grear had let her know. Would it be half a day? A whole day or more? He really wished they could get a horse When that voice called out, he finally panicked. Fortunately, there was a merchant and his horse up ahead; the man was in the process of relieving himself in the bushes and Raif didn't think any further. Ushering Kaia faster, he was helping her mount the horse. "Hey!" the man called in surprise as the thieves began to take his horse. He struggled to finish pissing and get his pants back up, just as Raif was climbing up into the saddle behind Kaia. He didn't stop to look at the man or the one who had originally called to them- he just spurred the horse on into an immediate gallop. [d]
[KAIA] She hadn't answered Raif's question regarding how far away they were from the library, because the voice had fully panicked her. She honestly did not know exactly how far away they were--as she hadn't bothered to ask. Grear had just told her she would know when they arrived, it would be somewhat obvious. "Raif--we can't...." She started, as he was urging her up onto the horse, but she got on it regardless. It was one thing to steal a piece of fruit, but a horse? They could get into a lot more trouble for this. But before she could protest any further, Raif was climbing on behind her and spurring the horse into the gallop. She shrieked slightly and held on tightly. They were just borrowing the horse. Maybe? The man could find his horse later, once they were safe. For now, Kaia was quiet as they rushed down the path towards the city.
It was probably a good thing they had borrowed the horse, because it would have taken all day to get to the city. It was a half hour ride with the horse until they finally arrived. Kaia sighed, tiredly, before she spotted what looked to be like a library. "Right there, Raif! Look!" Hopefully, they had lost whomever had been following them. [d]
[RAIF] It was either steal the horse- or "borrow" it"- or be caught by whomever was after them. He had a feeling that if he had posed this actual dilemma, Kaia would have chosen thievery as well. They had no choice in the matter, and if she was adamant on returning the beast, then they could deal with that later. If they could. Once they were safe. But they needed to find a map to figure out where to even go from here. Raif didn't like the idea of being trapped on this island and having to constantly run away and hide. It wasn't hard to spot the looming city in the distance, and it had fortunately not taken them very long to get there. At Kaia's exclamation, he took a glance behind them to try and spot any danger. He believed they had lost whomever it was, so he dismounted and helped her down...before steering the horse back down the path and smacked it against its hide, sending it off where it would hopefully find its true master. Perhaps they still head a head start on the slavers. Taking Kaia's hand once more, he rushed towards the library, shutting the door behind them once they were inside. Although the city was seemingly busy, this place was not and the silence was almost deafening. [d]
[KAIA] She could feel herself slipping away as Raif pulled her into the library. Once the door was shut, she fell to the floor, out of breath. She sat there on her knees, holding herself up with her hands and hung her head, her hair grazing the floor as she drew in slow and deep breaths, trying to calm herself. Kaia could actually feel herself slipping away, "Raif..." she whispered in warning. Her body felt like pins and needles were stabbing her all over, and her head began to throb and pierce with pain. She grabbed her head with her hands, holding onto it tightly as she rocked back and forth on her knees, groaning and crying in pain. Yes, this always seemed to happen at the worst of times, but that was just how it worked. Stress, panic, overwhelming feelings, seemed to trigger it along. [d]
[RAIF] Gazing out the small window, her voice drew his attention back over to her, immediately seeing what was happening. Oh yes, this always happened at the worst of times. Cursing lowly, he was rushing over to her to scoop her up into his arms and draw her to a far corner of this quiet library. There was an elderly gentleman behind a desk but he barely paid them any mind. But if she started screaming and ranting, then, they might have a problem. He placed her down gently, taking her face into his hands. "Kaia..." he whispered quietly. "I need you to look at me. You're right here with me...nowhere else..." [d]
[KAIA] She felt him pick her up and bring her to the corner, but as he set her down, she started to fight him, her eyes narrowing harshly at him as he held her face and tried to get her to look at him. "Let go of me." She tried to wriggle out of his grasp. "I don't know you... Don't touch me!" She shoved him back away from her and she quickly stood up, pacing around, seemingly looking as if she were trying to find a way out. She wandered over towards a shelf full of books and started to try and climb it, as if it were something different than a shelf. Perhaps a ladder of sorts? Was she seeing something differently than what was there? As she tried climbing, various books were spilling out of the shelf and all over the floor, she was definitely making a scene. [d]
[RAIF] He knew this would happen, he expected this. She often when into this rage-filled, child-like fits at no fault of her own and neither of them really knew why. Only that it happened. Only that she knew when it was about to happen. And in these moments, she didn't remember him. It had bothered him the first few times, but now he let her rant. However, now wasn't the best of times and he couldn't continue letting her destroy everything in this library. The shelf she was attempting to climb wavered a little, and he had to rush over and grab her by the waist to pull her down. They really did not need this right now. The shopkeeper could very well throw them out for this. "Kaia!" he yelled in a harsh whisper. Raif had to be a little more forceful than he normally was, pushing her up against the wall, his chest against her back. She could flail and claw out less at his face this way. "Kaia!" His words were growled at her ear, fingers tightening just a little bit on her arms. The last thing he wanted to do was hurt her...but he also didn't need her thrashing at him or hurting herself either. "You know who this is...you know me...snap the fuck out of it." There was little time for subtleties today. [d]
[KAIA] She growled as Raif pinned her against the wall, and she tried to fight her way out of his grasp, but was unable. "I swear, I will kill you!" She hissed out at him. "Let me go! I do not know you!" Kaia squirmed underneath him, trying with all her strength to break free of him, to no avail. She breathed heavily, angrily, before she finally gave up her fight. "Get it over with, then..." She sounded defeated, her fingers clawing at the wall, as if trying to brace herself for what she felt might be her demise. [d]
[RAIF] This was either a trick or she truly had given up...but it still wasn't Kaia. That much he was certain, so he had to be wary. Raif swiftly spun her around so that she could see him, but he kept his hands around her wrists now, clutched tightly in between them. "You do know me, Kaia," he growled back. "Whatever has a hold of you doesn't want you to remember it..." Bright blues pierced into honey-colored eyes, realizing there was no point in rushing this. He could yell at her but it might do very little. "Look at me," he quietly demanded, freeing one of his hands so that fingers could grasp her chin. "You know me. You know me well. You know me better than anyone..." [d]
[KAIA] She gasped as he spun her around, her gaze narrowed at him as he accused her of being controlled by something. Yes, by him. He had control over her, not letting her go, and then forcing her to look him in the eyes. Her jaw clenched tightly as she looked into his eyes, and she once again tried to free herself from his grasp. "How can you say that? I don't know you...I don't even know your name! Why are you doing this to me?!" She stared at him, her gaze finally catching sight of those bright blue eyes, and she blinked a few times, before she seemed to relax a bit, her expression slightly confused. "Raif? What are you doing?" Why did he have hold of her like this? Had she just slipped away from him? Oftentimes, when she came out of it, she found herself in this situation, it was nothing new. She sighed, looking at him apologetically, knowing that whenever she got this way, she either hurt him--physically or emotionally. [d]
[RAIF] His grip on her wrist tightened just a little bit more, always worried that whenever this happened that she would never return. That wouldn't come back to him. That this time she would remain like this forever. He barely registered that he had stopped breathing, just staring at her, waiting for something to click or to break as she continued to deny. Then it happened. Like a light turned on and she was seeing things clearly again. Sometimes it was slow to happen, sometimes it was immediate and it took him off guard. Raif finally breathed as she looked helplessly apologetic and he loosened his grip on her although he did not move. Those fingers moved from her chin to rest against the side of her face where he would rest his forehead against hers. And he sighed. It was almost a tired growl of frustration as she shut his eyes briefly. It did always hurt, especially when the unknown always loomed over their heads. "You left me there for a moment..." he quietly told her. [d]
[KAIA] Her eyes remained on his as he loosened his grip on her wrists, but didn't move. She sighed, drawing in a breath as he rested his forehead against hers. "I'm sorry..." She whispered quietly. Though she had no control over when it happened, or what she did, she still felt awful every time it happened and he was the one left to deal with it. "How long?" Each time it happened, it seemed to last longer and longer, and she wondered how much time one would last before it was her last one and she would be lost completely. She reached a hand up and touched his cheek, rubbing his face gently. "And thank you for not giving up on me..." [d]
[RAIF] Better he deal with it than nobody. No one else was there for her, and he didn't just do it because of that. Raif was the type of person who would walk away when he didn't care for something or simply didn't wish to get involved. He could have walked away years ago. He could have ignored her, could have left her there on that ship...but he hadn't. He chose to keep her at his side, and this wasn't going to change that. Raif made his choice already, and there would be little anyone could do to change it. "Just a moment," he assured her when she asked. Yet in that short moment, she seemed to have made a mess of that shelf. Letting out a slow breath through his nose, he shut his eyes briefly and just stood there still. This was why he wanted to find that map, why he wanted to hold onto hope that Nani's story was true. And if it wasn't? Well...he probably wouldn't give up regardless. When he felt her hand at his cheek, he slowly opened those eyes again; a corner of his mouth curling up into the faintest of grins, "Never will, love." [d]
KAIA] She continued to look into his eyes, catching that faint grin on his lips. At his words, though, she smiled softly, continuing to brush her fingers along his cheek. Kaia didn't fully grasp or understand why Raif seemed to care about her, or protect her the way that he did. She had never asked him to. He could have left long ago, but he didn't--and she never really knew why he decided to stick around her, despite how much of a nuisance she could become. She sighed quietly, still trapped beneath Raif, and he wasn't rushing in moving away from her now, so she kept her eyes on him, tilting her head slightly to kiss his cheek. "Are you sure about that?" She teased him, trying to make light of the situation. Everyone had their breaking point--she wondered when Raif would break and tire of this and leave her-- give up on her. [d]
[RAIF] After awhile of wondering all of this himself, he chalked it up "simply because". He may never know why and he nor longer cared about questioning why. She was the only thing he really cared about in his damn life, even more than surviving this cruel world. Right now it would matter little without her. A soft huff of laughter through his nose, he pressed a light kiss to her forehead before glancing over his shoulder at the shelf she had tried to climb. "Well...you do make a bit of a mess..." he joked slightly before finally drawing from her to begin cleaning it up. He was surprised the shopkeep hadn't come over yet. [d]
[KAIA] She never had recollection of what happened or what she did while she fell into these episodes, so when Raif finally pulled away from her, she glanced around seeing the books scattered around the floor. She frowned slightly and crouched down to help pick the books up. She thought nothing of the books as she stacked them up, until she lifted a book that had been splayed open. Her eyes stared at the book for a moment before she whispered, "It's a real place...?" Her voice was nearly inaudible and she fell to the floor, sitting as she ruffled through the pages. "Raif..." her voice filled with disbelief. She motioned to him to come see what she had found. It would seem that her illness had pointed them in the right direction, because Kaia held a book that mentioned a Sanctuary Outpost. [d]
[RAIF] Even if he got angry when she lost herself, he could never be angry at her. Because it wasn't really her. It was like something else, something Other seemed to possess her and the true her was buried deep down. And he always had to try her back to the surface. Busy trying to clean up as he noticed the old shopkeep glaring in annoyance at them, Kaia said something. He almost missed it. "Hmm?" Eyes flickered over to her and down to the book; kneeling down beside her. After a moment, he was taking the book from her to look at it in disbelief. He should be excited, he should be happy and maybe even gloating...but his attention lifted to her face because, yes, for some reason, that illness of hers led them straight to what they needed. How? [d]
[KAIA] She had thought this would be impossible, like trying to search for a needle in a haystack. It had even made her feel overwhelmed and that this whole quest Raif was after would be near impossible. But somehow, it had literally fallen right in front of them, and only because of her illness taking over her. She didn't understand it, and she was looking at Raif with a confused and bewildered expression. It made her feel uneasy and she couldn't explain it. It made her skin crawl and she was suddenly afraid of herself and whatever it was that took over her. [d]
[RAIF] At the most, he figured Sanctuary just existed. Other than that...he wasn't sure about any of it. He had to hope, and that was all they had. But after this? Something was strange. Something made him wonder far more than he dared. When that part of her immediately took hold the moment they set foot in the library, it made her go to that shelf. Out of all the books and shelves in this place, she had gone to that specific one. Blue eyes lifted from the map to find her face, hesitant to ask because he basically already knew. "When this...happens...you really don't remember anything?" His voice was quiet. "You don't...sense or feel anything...?" They didn't even know what this was to begin with, and Raif wasn't sure if he should worry about it or not. [d]
[KAIA] She looked at Raif with a confused expression as he asked her if she remembered anything. She instantly shook her head to answer his question, but she hesitated and thought about it for a moment, as if maybe there was something there that she never thought about. "I..." She thought some more and shook her head again. "I don't really know... I never fully paid attention to it... Or none of it made sense. Sometimes it feels like I am dreaming, but none of what I see or hear makes sense..." She shrugged her shoulders, "Why? Should I be?" Another confused look was given to Raif, wondering what he was thinking. It didn't seem as if she were thinking what Raif was. But she did find it odd that she had found the book without having to try. [d]
[RAIF] He wasn't sure how to say anything more without frightening her...but maybe he had to, because this was new. This was strange. "I don't know," he answered her quietly, letting his attention drop from her face and back to the map. Sanctuary was blatantly right there. Out of all of these books, she happened to find that very one, that specific one. "But...this?" A hand gestured towards the map. "This...couldn't just be a coincidence." Raif looked back to her, trying to keep the strange worry from his features, wondering if she felt the same about that. [d]
[KAIA] The illness itself was frightening enough, if there were a deeper meaning behind it, it just made it even more frightening. She studied Raif's features as he spoke. Could this just be a coincidence? Couldn't it be? She bit her lower lip and fumbled with her fingers nervously before she shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know..." Her stomach was suddenly twisting into knots and she didn't like this. (Not that she did to begin with). She slowly stood up, trying to busy herself by putting the books away, back on the shelf. She didn't want to think about the possibility that both of them were thinking right now. Kaia did not want to admit she was thinking it. So she said nothing, and just continued to put the books away, leaving Raif with the one that she magically selected. [d]
[RAIF] He knew she didn't remember, but...what if there was some sort of residual feeling or sense? Kaia didn't seem to know and he wouldn't pressure her on it. But now, it was just one more thing to worry about... because he didn't know if he should be concerned or not. Raif was silent as she continued to clean up. Blue eyes flickered around to ensure that the shopkeep wasn't looking before he tore out that particular page, folded it quickly and hid it away in a pocket before helping Kaia clean up. "This is a good sign," he finally whispered, trying to bring back some of that hope. "Sanctuary exists. And I'm going to get us there, Kaia." [d]
[KAIA] She heard the ripping sound and whirled around to look at Raif, seeing that he ripped the page out of that book. She looked at him for a moment and shook her head. "We need the entire book, Raif." If the map was in there, there could be something else they might need in there. It was better to be safe and have the whole thing, than to realize later on that they should have kept the book. At Raif's hopeful words, she forced a smile and nodded. She wouldn't argue with him about it anymore, even if it still seemed far fetched to her. "I trust you. And I know you will get us there." Somehow. She wasn't sure how they would be able to get there... Everything seemed impossible right now. But they knew Sanctuary existed, at least. [d]
[RAIF] It was just more maps and idle boring shit in that book that he didn't care about. All he needed was to know the outpost existed and where exactly it was located. It was to get them in the right direction, because it was on Sanctuary where the true adventure began. "If you think so, then you can carry it," he commented idly, gently tossing it to her. If she didn't catch it, it would just drop to the floor by her feet. "But we shouldn't linger much longer. This is an island, which means there will be more ports. We find one and bribe our way into a ship." Bribe, stowaway... whatever works. [d]
[KAIA] She caught the book as Raif tossed it to her, and she threw it into the satchel that Grear had given her with food and supplies. She nodded in agreement with Raif. "Okay." She simply said, not having any other ideas at the moment. Part of her felt that they should stay, but Raif didn't agree. She wasn't going to argue over it though, except for one thing. "I just... Don't think it is a good idea to be wandering around port right now... Especially with the slavers looking for us? They'd expect us to go there, probably... I don't know." She shrugged her shoulders and sighed. [d]
[RAIF] He noticed the shopkeeper was lingering back in view, probably wondering what they were doing and if they were actually looking at any books or buying time. That wasn't setting well with him, because if the man didn't like the idea of them staying too long and a slaver came around asking questions...no, they couldn't stay. They were possibly still ahead of them, he and Kaia had to keep it that way. "We're not wandering around this port," he told her again. "We stay, there's a bigger chance of them finding us. If we keep moving and stay ahead, find another port, we can find a ship elsewhere." [d]
[KAIA] She nodded slightly. "Alright. Then lead the way..." She motioned for him to go, and that she would follow behind him, or next to him--whichever. Though, she still was feeling a bit shaken up by what had just happened to her, despite not being able to remember any of it. Maybe more so because she had found the book without even trying, and she would not have if she hadn't lost herself, or been taken over by something. They had never done that before--helped out, so it just left her feeling rather confused, and maybe a little scared. [d]