Just wanna know if this...

Waste · 09-22-2008

... is any good because i'm really not sure.

Smiling is something that Russett never really had a reason to do, he’d been trapped on Earth for over a hundred years, bound by the knowledge that he would play an important role and with that came a wave of boredom, a period of time where he was simply waiting for the child to be born, and then when she had waiting for the right moment, then after that realising that he still had one last role to play and waiting for that to come. But now that was all over the waiting had finally ended, he was on his way to meet up with an old friend of his, a woman who would give him his last duty.

He walked to the door of a run down house, standing on an outcrop of grass in the usually rocky area, the house was large, three storeys with six bedrooms. Russett could taste the tension of the moments before a battle in the air and he knew that if he walked to the top of the mountain and looked down at the valley below he would find a waiting army, waiting to be slaughtered.

He knocked on the door, three short raps. It swung inwards, before he could reach a fourth, to reveal a tall woman with black satin hair and a face ruined by three thick scars. One pulling down the inner corner of her right eye, the other running from the bottom of her ear along her jaw to her chin and the third cut from her left cheek diagonally over her mouth. She peered at him with stern green eyes, it took her mere moments to recall his name.

“Russett.”

“Nikkei.”

She moved forward and pulled him into a tight hug, her shoulders falling and her head dropping onto his shoulder as she cried. He gently rubbed his hand over her back, she didn’t usually cry but she was going through difficult times, he also knew that what she was about to do would break her heart. After just a few moments she pulled away, wiped her eyes on her sleeve and then led Russett into the house “He’s in his room.” She whispered.

“Could you call him? I want to leave as soon as possible.”

“He’ll be safe with you, won’t he?”

“Of course I will.” A voice came from the top of the stairs and Russett turned to watch the fair boy descend. “You will to? Else I shan’t go.” his hand traced the banister lightly as he descended, Nikkei put her hand to her mouth and nodded silently, tears building in her eyes again. Then she seemed to remember that he couldn’t see the nod and spoke to fast.

“Of course I will, of course.”

“Tobi, I dare say that you are a man.” Russett acknowledged with an approved nod. Tobi reached the floor and held out his hand for Russett to take, they shook. Tobi was taller than Russett, with broad shoulders and arms that held ribbons of strong muscle, his hair was ashen and his features pale. His eyes would have been bright blue if they weren’t blind; instead they were pale and misty. He wore a thick black choker around his neck to conceal the scar beneath.

“I’m eighteen Russett, hardly a man.” His voice retained its usual edge of formal speech, which was to be expected, he had been brought up in a noble household. He turned to Nikkei and stretched out a strong arm, his fingertips just touched her cheek; it amazed Russett, how well he could co-ordinate himself. Nikkei sucked in a short breath and moved forward to pull the boy into a tight hug.

“You’ll always be a boy to me,” she whispered in his ear.

“And you will always be an old woman Nikkei.”

Russett laughed, the boy’s ability to keep a conversation light was uncanny. A wave of presence soon darkened Russett’s mood, “The enemy is close.”

“Then we should go.” Tobi said, pulling away, holding Nikkei’s shoulders “Will you not come with us?”

“This is my duty Tobi. I will come to you once the battle is over.” Tobi nodded and then stooped to kiss her cheek.

“I will see you again soon.” He told her as he picked up a rucksack by the door and swung it onto his shoulder, he left the house with Russett, they walked down the mountain in silence, Tobi keeping close to Russett so that he could follow the sound of his steps, when the reached flat ground Russett spoke.

“We should leave her something so she can find you.”

“She will not find me, I shall not see her again.” Tobi said quietly.

Russett looked to him, “So why did you tell her that you would?”

“It’s easier to say goodbye when that kind of promise is given.” His tone ended the conversation, but he was the first to start a new one. “So where are you taking me?”

“You make it sound as if you do not have a choice in the matter.”

“I don’t do I?”

“No.”

“Which brings me back to my first question…”

“I’m taking you to the City of Willard.”

“Willard, strange name.”

“It’s a second name.” Russett said. “Of the second richest family in all of Liaison”

“Big city then, I thought we were staying inconspicuous.” Tobi frowned.

“I’m afraid that the choice of city was not mine, but it will be hers.”

“Hers?”

Russett stopped walking, Tobi stopped almost instantly and turned to face Russett, they were standing at the edge of a small village where Russett planned to buy horses and supplies for the three-day journey that waited.

“I’m not just taking you away to keep you safe.” He admitted. “There is someone I want you to find, she will pass through the City of Willard one day, and when she does you must give her this.” Russett held out an envelope, sealed with his crest.

“That’s ridiculous Russett, how will I find her? A description will hardly help.”

“You’ll know her when you find her.”

“Again you speak to me in riddles old man. It’s a wonder Nikkei ever found me from the way you put across your ideas”

Russett forced the letter into Tobi’s hand. “You do not have to do this for me, I would never force it upon you, but you play a vital roll in this planets future, and if you want to fulfil it trust my words and wait in Willard. “

“What do you know of my future?”

“Not much.” Russett turned his head away, even though Tobi’s eyes were sightless they still held some level of intensity.

“Do not lie to me Russett.”

“You wont like the truth.”

“Why are you going all doom on me?”

“You will meet her one day, and after that you have two paths to follow.”

“So tell me, which one will I pick? Come on make this a bit easier for me.”

“By the time you realise what path you are on you wont care, both end the same.”

“And how is that?” Tobi pressed.

“She dies.”