[IC] The Dragon Empire

[duskreaper]

Jube looked up at kes for a moment, "I believe they used to eat humans, specifically human babies or so I'm told." June thought about it for a bit. His father had spoken about various creatures often. It left him wondering about his abilities with fire. Could he be a sorceror? Perhaps a dragon slayer even? Fire never hurt him. "Dragons would be interesting to see... From afar perhaps..." Jube could only imagine the possibility of being eaten. Kestral's stare brought him back to reality. "Would you like to hear about dragon slayers next?"

[Lullyn]

"Should have fed them Pepper," she said, though it was an empty wish. It would be fun though, to watch Pepper running away from a full size dragon. She bet they would be huge. She nodded minutely, biting her lip as she mentioned the next one. "Dragon slayers," she said, though the only word she associated with slayer was killer. There were Vampire Slayers, which was the same. In the village, there was no one of a magical background or any supernatural behavior. Parents told children stories to frighten them but not many of the folk around here had traveled further than the next village for trading, and even that was considered far. She wondered if any of this was really real, or just something in a book. Were there really castles and monsters? Who had decided who people were? For some reason Pepper and his gang came into her head, then her mother and sisters. Giving labels when they understood nothing. Was the person who wrote these the same?

[duskreaper]

Jube looked at Kes for a moment. He contemplated telling her about his notion that he could very well be a dragon slayer. Part of him was unsure. What good could even come of it? "Kes... I..." He paused for a moment thinking better of it, "I feel hungry. Shall I make us something to eat?"

[Lullyn]

She looked at him carefully, then shook her head, climbing to her feet. "Yeah, okay," she said, looking thoughtful. "I'm gonna go to the feilds. You're going to need some fresh lavender for those stone marks. You're mum will only be upset if she sees them." She gave him a smile, and adjusted her scarf so it covered her head before heading to the door. "I'll be back in 5," she added, before letting herself out of the house. The sun was warm and many of the local young were in the town center. The little ones played, whilst their older siblings chattered, the boys taking breaks from their work, the girls pausing in their chores to chat and laugh. Kes didn't seem to notice them, mostly because they'd always been background to her. Her brother, on orders from her mother, had been trying to get her to go in the evening to socialize. Kes had scowled and said she didn't want to go. She wanted to see her friends, which had meant Jube. Her brother didn't go often himself, sticking to the forge. The girls that liked him, that he didn't even realize, would cluster near the forge when their father went for his lunch, calling to him and giggling. They were there now, she saw. She moved past them to Robin, who's head was bent, ears red. She pulled a face at the girls and they shot her daggers but left. Robin looked relieved. "Feeling better," he asked, throwing the metal into the water to seal. "I'm still not happy, Robin," she told him, "but I have Jube to think about. I can't leave." "You really love him," Robin said kindly. Seeing her face, he added "like a friend." "He's my best friend, like you," she said, mollified. "I don't know what to do, Robin. I don't want to marry." Robin didn't say anything. If their parents had told Robin he was to marry, he would have been unhappy but obedient. It would be Kes who would have kicked up a stink for him. "I'm off into the feilds," she said. "I just wanted you to know I was okay." "Just be careful," he said, retrieving the metal to hit again. She felt relieved having spoken to Robin. She knew he hated being used by her mother and her as some sort of intermediary. At least now he could relax. She headed down a lane, looking closely for lavender. It was then that she saw Pepper and his friends, jogging slightly to the woods. They seemed excited about something. She looked around. She owed Pepper for that attack on Jube and Jube would never do it himself. Pepper needed to understand that she wasn't going to let him hurt Jube. She had been told violence didn't solve violence, and that a lady shouldn't raise her fist. She didn't care about being a lady, and she knew Pepper would never respond to being reasoned with. Beside, something that caused Pepper to run was not going to be good. She moved fast, even more concerned when she saw there was 5 boys, all holding sticks. Between their legs she could see a black wolf. It was cowering, cornered by the boys. Each time it tried to move, a boy would swing a stick, striking the poor beast. "Leave it alone!" she screamed, running at them and throwing herself at Pepper, who stumbled forward and the wolf, frightened and confused, bit him. He gave a howl and the other boys looked alarmed, frozen for long enough for the wolf to dodge away, clearly hurt but seeming to know that it would have only one chance. "You stupid...." Pepper shouted, angry as a bull and in pain, lashing out and hitting her head. Kes was tough, but she was still smaller than Pepper, and his pain and fury gave him adrenaline. He knocked her aside as easy as if she were a blade of grass, and she went over, her face hitting a rock. This would normally have put fear into any of the boys, who understood exactly who's daughter, and come to that family she was, but Pepper was too far gone on his rage and kicked her hard in the side. "Pepper!" one of the others shouted, as a couple tried to grab him. His nostrils were flared and his leg was bleeding.

[duskreaper]

Jube noted that Kestral had left a long time ago, and still hadn't returned. Looking out the window, Jube began to worry; had something happened to her? Jube got up from his chair, and headed into town with his dark green cloak. He passed many of the young men and women, dodging their glances as best as he could. When he made his way to see Robin, he stopped outside of the blacksmith's place. "I... Kes left to get some lavender from the fields... that was a while ago. Have you seen her?" Jube asked his best friends brother with a look of concern playing on his face. It wasn't at all like Kestral to abandon him. When she said something, she meant it. Kes told him she'd be right back. Something must have happened, and he was extremely worried just thinking of the prospect. Kes was a strong woman, and for her to not return... he was growing sick in the pit of his stomach just thinking about it all.

[Lullyn]

Robin looked a little surprised to see Jube, but shrugged. "She said same to me when she came past," he said, stopping his work to talk. "She probably just got distracted." Jube looked distressed, with made Robin feel uneasy. There were a lot of things Kes would do which he thought were silly, but nothing that would upset Jube. She was sometimes like a protective mother hen with a baby chick. He put down the tool into the water and stepped outside. As he did, he saw his father emerge from the house. That meant she'd been a gone a while. "Come on," he said to Jube, calling to his father that he was taking his break and walking toward the feilds. "She needs a collar with a bell." They reached the feilds, but there was no sign of her. Robin spotted Lavender too, so it wasn't as if she would need to go anywhere else. As if on some cue, 2 boys emerged from the woods in a run. Robin recognized them and moved so that they would either need to collide with or stop. "What's going on?" he said, seeing the alarm on their faces. They were panting too hard to be coherent, but one managed to say Kestral's name after several attempts. Robin would have lifted him by his collar, but he was more concerned with Kes than he was with whatever had spooked the two boys. Breaking into a run, he headed into the woods, following the path that brought him to the sight that made his blood run cold. Kestral was on the floor, her back to him so he couldn't see her face. Pepper was still being held back by 2 boys whilst a third was standing looking white faced.

[duskreaper]

Jube took in the scene. His panic turned to anger as he approached Pepper. "What did you do?!" Jube never held anything more than a calm composure. This time they had gone too far. His hands began to heat up, smoke arising from his palms. He was seeing red.

[Lullyn]

Robin wasn't listening to what was going on. He dashed to Kestral, moving her carefully. "Kes," he said softly, his voice with some panic. He could see the deep cut over her eye, which had covered her face in blood. She looked dazed, but she was still moving. "Robin," her voice came in some gasps. The kick had winded her. "Don't talk," he said, trying to wipe away the blood to see how bad the cut was, but it only smeared in across her face. "Easy." But she was shaking her head, trying to grip his shoulder. "No," she said in a voice no louder than a breath, as she saw her friend's head just behind her brother. The rest of him was shielded, but he was looking at Pepper "Jube...." She tried to tell Robin that she needed to protect Jube. They'd hurt him. But she couldn't get enough air into her lungs. Pepper seemed to be calming, as some of what he had done seemed to penetrate his skull. But his dislike of Jube, something that was within his core being, overrode it. Who did the little gobber think he was talking to? He was nothing, but he stood there, bold as brass, talking to Pepper like he was his equal. Pepper's cronies, however, were faster on the uptake. Something was wrong with the weird kid. Didn't everyone say that the people like him could go psycho? It was something they all talked about, the freaky guy who followed Kestral like a puppy. The two holding Pepper very carefully let go, wishing they'd run when the others had. There was 4 of them, including their leader, but this looked like he would kill at least 2 of them and the rest wouldn't be walking away. They began to back off, leaving Pepper stood there. "What you going to do, freak?" said Pepper, who either hadn't twigged that he was alone or hadn't noticed the air change around Jube. ooc: you can take over Pepper if you like. He was your NPC. I just stole him ;) Beside, I think you're going to need to take over the next bit.

[duskreaper]

Jube glared daggers at the delinquent before him. "You are going to pay for what you did to her..." His voice went deeper as he spoke. Pepper made the stupid move of grabbing Jube by the collar. Moments after the initial contact June grabbed both of Peppers wrists. " let go of me you fr-" before he found finish his sentence he felt the heat from Jube's hands. Not heat. Fire. "You will never touch her again. Understand me?!" Jube yelled protectively . Pepper screamed in searing pain as his wrists began to sizzle under Jube's grip.

[Lullyn]

The scream seemed to light a fire within her, her eyes on Jube's face. There was something powerful and... she couldn't explain it, but it called to her, as strongly as her need to take care of him, to protect him. Her lungs screamed in protest, but she took as much notice as she did of Robin. He couldn't have stopped her with a hammer. She was on her feet and flew at him, running at his back and putting her arms around him, her face buried in his back. "Jube..." her voice was still struggling, but she was forcing it. "Jube, I'm okay. It's okay, Jube." She was clinging to him fiercely, tears mingling with the dry and curdling blood and surely staining his clothing. "Jube...." She felt her knees loosing strength. Her body had allowed her to reach him, but it wasn't going to last long. Her legs began to shake and her hands gripped as much to prevent herself from falling as to be there for him.

[duskreaper]

Jube seemed to instantly cease his powers against Pepper. The delinquent fell to the ground, wrists bloody and burnt. Jube turned to hold her close. "I'm sorry..." He held her up. It seemed to strike through him like lightening; he had just used magic on a villager! Oh, how he wished he could reverse time. Jube stared down at Pepper whose eyes were red from tears. "What did you do to me?!" Jube couldn't respond. He just held Kes.

[Lullyn]

The spell broke with Pepper's words, Robin standing and shaking. There was no way to explain what had happened, no way without saying something utterly impossible. He felt some shock and it was clear, despite the tears, that Pepper was in some as well. But it was one thing at a time. He glared at the boys who were stood not moving and ordered them to take Pepper to the forge. "There's barrels there for burns," he said, knowing from years of experience what he was seeing. "Go there with him and put his hands in there. Do it now." Robin's voice was cold and calm, which was unlike him. The boys did as they were told, forcing their blubbering leader with them. "It's lavender," said Robin to no one imparticular, but since only Kes and Jube were left, they were the only ones to hear it. "Lavender is amazing for burns, which is why it's in the forge." Kes seemed to lose what was left of her strength. Jube was safe. She knew that, so she felt the world fall away to darkess. It was Jube's turn to hear Robin, the same careful, calm but serious tone he's used on the boys. "Jube, I'm going to take Kestral home," he said, stepping forward to take her weight. "She's hurt and needs to be seen to. You are going to go home. You will not tell anyone what happened, or come to see Kestral. You will wait at home whilst I take Kestral." Kestral looked so small as Robin lifted her into his arms, her face dirty and her scarf, as well as her clothes, ruined. "Go home, Jube," he repeated, before turning from him and walking away with Kestral in his arms. "If you do anything silly, Kestral will get upset and possibly hurt in the process. I know you don't want that."

[duskreaper]

Jube let go of Kestral, and felt the loneliness welling up inside of himself. He was scared, and he needed his best friend. Simultaneously, he knew it was best for her to be at home. Jube said nothing. Nodding his head, the brunette numbly headed back home. So many thoughts flooded his mind. He was worried about kes. It scared him not knowing if she would be OK. It also scared him to wonder what Pepper and the rest of town would do to him should he finally be exposes as a monster of some sort. Heading into his house, Jube avoided contact with anyone else.

[Lullyn]

Robin sat by Kestral's bed some time later, feeling drained. When he'd reached the forge, Pepper's arms were submerged in the lavender, the other boys looking owlishly. His father hadn't asked what had happened to them, but at the sight of his little girl's still and damaged form, he moved and took her from his son's arms. His father spoke softly, as big men often do. Robin had said he'd found her that way and must have fallen from a tree and hit her head. His father had looked pat him to the boys and then back at Kestral, who's eyes were closed and she breathed as if asleep. He'd taken her into the house. Robin, before following, turned to the boys and spoke in a low growl. "I've just saved your skins for now," he told them, keeping his voice too low for anyone to hear but them. "You will not breathe a word of what happened, how it happened, and you will stay away from Kestral and Jubilant Wells." There was that force in the voice. The other boys looked to Pepper, who had stopped crying but was livid with anger now. "You saw what that little freak did," he hissed at Robin. "He's...." "You were the one who hurt, Kes," said Robin gently, putting his hand into the cool liquid essence of lavender and squeezing Pepper skin where the burn had left it's mark. He could feel the heat coming from it. Pepper gave a moan of pain. "Remember this, Philip," said Robin, using Pepper's real name to emphasize the point. "Your parents are pig farmers, who need my father's forge to repair their broken tools and to make them new ones. If my father knew what you'd done, he would never do it again." The silence was filled with this idea. It might not happen straight away, because the Blacksmith was a good soul, but he would wait for them to come to him and turn them away. They would be unable to buy any tools, for their neighbours would shun them, for fear that the Blacksmith would add them to his list of people not to do work for. There was no other blacksmith within 5 days travel. This went through Pepper's mind as fast as the others boys. He swallowed. "So," continued Robin in a voice that told them they were not to argue, "you were playing with fire and you got burnt. You came here because everyone knows that blacksmiths have great cures for burns, since they have to work with fire, and we took care of you. Lavender is amazing with burns, and you may not have serious tissue damage. Whatever you do have, you will accept as payment for my silence and doing as I've said. 1 word and I will ensure all of your families," and with this he met each boy's eyes, "will never receive any assistance further from my family." After that, he told Pepper's hands in the barrels until the stinging stopped and the redness went from the skin. The other boys seemed to realize that being associated with Pepper would land them in a very bad place, and drifted away from the foolish idiot. Robin had gone inside to hear his mother fussing, but he went to Kestral's room, where her father had gently put her in bed and had cleaned her face. He was carefully stitching the skin. "She may have a scar," his father had said when he heard his son's footsteps, though he didn't turn. Her head was bound and then Robin sat with her, his father's wish to be called once she awoke. He sat on the floor, back to the bed, staring at the other wall. His brain was trying to process something it couldn't accept. What had happened? He'd worked with fire for a long time, and understood burns. But how had Jube done it....? And, in his soul, he wondered how he'd be able to leave Kes alone with him ever again. He felt a soft touch on his hair, but the name that was murmured wasn't his. He turned and met her gaze, which was a little blurry. "Sorry Robin," she said with a small smile. "I thought you were Jube. Why am I in bed? I feel...." He took her small hand between both of hers. "What can you remember?" he asked. Most of it, it seemed. She told him how the fight had started and she remembered going to protect Jube. Robin listened with his lips pressed tight. She was worried for Jube, asking if he was okay and if Pepper had hurt him. She sounded weak, but her tone seemed to say she really wanted to do something. He tried to soothe her. "Jube is fine," he said. "Not a mark. I told him to go home." Kes nodded, seeming to relax. "If I had to get married so that I could stay near him, I would." Robin looked shocked at her words. She was talking nonsense. "I didn't think you were getting married," he said trying tease her, but feeling worried. "I'm not," she murmured sleepily, "but I'm not leaving him alone. He needs me." Robin frowned, not wanting to explain to his sister that Jube, despite all appearances, could protect himself. "I'll go find father," he said, patting her hand then standing. "You gave him a fright. But Kes, I've told him you fell from a tree." She nodded. She didn't need to know his reasons. She trusted him. Once he'd spoken to his father, he followed the promise he'd made Kes just before he'd left her. "Go see Jube," she'd pleaded quietly. "Tell him I'm okay. He'll be upset. Just tell him. Please?" So Robin headed to Jube's house with the message, feeling confused. He strolled to the house and knocked on the door, looking back to the forge, and from there to the empty, open window which was Kes's room. He'd do as she asked, but he wasn't sure what else he might do. He forced his hands into his pockets where they'd be safe.

[duskreaper]

Jube's mother opened the door. "Oh, hello Robin." She greeted him as though everything was alright, Jube hadn't told her a thing. Jube sat in his room wringing his hands nervously. People were going to know soon enough. He attacked Pepper of all people. Jube didn't look up until he heard his mother Vivian say 'Robin' from the main room. Why was he there? Was he going to give Jube trouble? He was mostly concerned about Kestral, and if he was coming to deliver bad news... Jube couldn't take it. Vivian led Robin inside, and pointed towards Jube's door. "That's where he is." She whispered the next part, "I think he had a run-in with some bullies, he's been sulking for hours."

[Lullyn]

Robin smiled warmly at Jube's mum, despite the confusion going on in his head. She was a nice lady and she and her husband had been to the forge with tools to be repaired. Robin nodded when Vivian mentioned bullies. He fought between telling her what her son had done, but couldn't. One, because he'd already told his father a different story. Two, because he couldn't really explain it himself. He couldn't even say Jube had been protecting Kestral. "That's okay," he said brightly. "I'm sure he's fine, but I'll have a chat to him." He didn't mention Kes. Even if he said that the boy had found her when she'd fallen out the tree, that would give him the right to see her, like some hero. Right now Robin wasn't sure what he wanted to do, but he was probably the only person, beside Kes, who could decide what would happen next. He decided not to mention to Vivian the tale of Kes falling out the tree, but tapped patiently on the door. "Jubilant," he called, then realised he'd been calling him that since the incident. It was too formal, so he added, "Jube." He didn't want to say anymore with his mum listening. Robin gave her another smile. "Don't worry, I'll not be long but I'm sure it'll all be fine," he said, trying to convince himself as much as reassure her.

[duskreaper]

Vivian smiled, "very well, son." She headed off. Moments after Jube opened his door slowly looking out at Robin, eyes large with concern. "Is she OK?" All he could assume was that Robin had some news about his best friend. Jube needed to hear that she was OK now more than ever.

[Lullyn]

Robin nodded, guesturing to be let inside. "I don't think you want to have this conversation where it can be heard, do you?" he said, giving him a meaningful look.

[duskreaper]

Jube moved aside and allowed robin access to his room. He had a book shelf that was nearly overflowing as well as various books and papers on his small reading desk.

[Lullyn]

Robin took the room in with one sweep. He'd never been in it Jube's room and he felt like he should be there. It was like an intrusion, but at the same time he needed to be. "Kes is okay," he told Jube. "She's in bed and she's not allowed to leave the house, so she told me I should come and see you to let you know." He paused, then explained the story he'd made Pepper and his friends agree. "One word from them about what happened, and they know there will be a serious issue," he said. "So now I want the same from you. You are to stick to he story...." He'd got to the part he hadn't planned. What did he do? He waited for a response form Jube regarding his request, and tried to make a decision.