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“But rogues are ruled by the animal losing their human side.” Little John said, eyeing Ruby with pity in his eyes.
“That may have been true originally.” I replied, coolly then turned back to Ruby. “Can you sneak into camp and find out if Epione is there?”
Ruby rolled his eyes in an ‘of course’ gesture before looking from me to Little John expectantly.
“What’s he waiting for?”
I frowned at Ruby trying to figure out what he was trying to tell me. He looked from Little John to me again, then pressed his snout to my arm and sniffed.
“Oh. Do you need to get Epione’s scent?” I wondered, looking at Little John who was digging in his pack.
“Here,” he said, pulling out a pretty embroidered piece of cloth.
Ruby leaned over and sniffed the cloth for a moment then turned and crawled back the way he’d come.
“We’ll wait here.” I told him ignoring the worried looks I could feel from Brex and Little John.
The truth was I wasn’t entirely sure Ruby could get us the confirmation that we needed but he seemed to act more and more human the longer he was in my presence. I didn’t know what it meant but I couldn’t help but wonder if it was my Maiden side giving him his humanity.
The longer I thought about it, the more certain I became. Ruby was definitely becoming more in tune with his humanity, and I sincerely hoped some small part could be attributed to me. I needed a bit of hope. I needed to be able to do something good. If anything happened to Epione… My thoughts stuttered, and I could feel the fog pressing in on me, the weight of it dragged me down further.
There was no air here in the fog, only coldness and despair.
“Oi, Arrow!” I turned to the furious whisper, surprised to find Little John’s face inches from mine. “Ruby will return. Don’t borrow fears before they’re realized.”
I nodded, slowly, grateful for his interference, even while I felt a twinge of unease at his closeness. I scooted back a bit, and he caught the movement.
“I have no wish to harm you, lass.”
I nodded quickly. “I know that!”
He cocked his head, studying me. “Do you truly?”
I nodded vigorously, aiming for sincerity. But truth be told, I did feel a little… uncertain. A little raw, regarding our practice fight. For a moment, it had felt startlingly real, something I hadn’t anticipated feeling towards someone I thought I trusted.
He continued staring at me, and I began to fidget.
“I didn’t overpower you to make you fear me.” He said finally.
“Why did you, then?” Brex interjected. She was asking the very question I needed the answer to, yet I was unsure I wanted to hear the answer.
He turned to her. “Because she has a power and ability that can change the course of our future, and yet she dances around it like a dizzy grasshopper. She needed to see.”
“Well, that is certainly a vivid image.” She said wryly, and I had to agree with her.
“Little John, I’m… I’m not as powerful as you seem to think I am,” I said slowly.
His gaze bored into me intently. “You’re more powerful than you realize.” He responded. “Power isn’t tangible. I would know, I’ve been in the presence of many powerful men who hadn’t a drop of magic to them. Yet, you refuse to acknowledge your own. Don’t be afraid to plot your own course.”
I threw my hands up, exasperated. “Why do you keep saying things like that?”
“Because it’s true. One day, I hope you realize it.”
I studied the man before me and thought back to my first meeting with him. I realized I didn’t view him as the same man anymore. No longer was he the drunkard who knew my father, now, he was a friend. Someone I relied upon simply for who he was. What we had gone through together. Even if I didn’t fully believe his words, I could feel the sincerity of them. He truly believed his own words. I only wished I could, as well.
I reached out and laid a hand on his cheek. “Thank you, Little John. I’m humbled.”
He nodded and looked over his shoulder at Brex, and while I couldn’t catch his meaning, Brex nodded in response. Turning to me, he said, “I’m going to circle around the camp and see what I can discover. Wait here ’til I come back.” He gave me a hard look. “Don’t do anything stupid.”
