64th of Searing, 120
They were living the good life. Arkash and Cojack ate well, rested easy, and ventured on walks through lower Nivenhain at least once a day. The hearth was always burning, and the majority of Arkash's wounds had healed over nicely. He no longer felt migraines. The wounds to his chest had scabbed over; nearly fully healed, and his limp was a distant memory.
[indent=30]If he had known what a difference eating well made, he wouldn't have been so frugal in the past. The young Rathari paused at the thought. That wasn't entirely true. He would have been frugal, still. The only reason he'd gotten as far as he did on a slave's wage was that he starved and denied himself all luxuries bar Cojack's medicine. They wouldn't have made it that far if he'd indulged in something as expensive as eating.
[indent=30]But there they were, making up for the lost time. Arkash laid back on his fur throws with a platter of food from the tavern beside him; a full roasted chicken with miscellaneous vegetables on the side, drizzled in gravy. Granted, the chicken was small, but Arkash had found that he had an almost insatiable appetite for meat.
[indent=30]Even Cojack found the boy's hunger to be disturbing, as Arkash had once eaten until he was visibly bloated. He'd put on some weight too, not from laziness, as he still fetched firewood and tinder as well as the fact that he kept up with his runs, but from the sheer amount of food that he was consuming bi-daily.
[indent=30]The extra muscle and body fat was something he found comfortable, as it helped to insulate the heat that he absorbed from the environment. He didn't need to lounge by the fire as often, but did so anyway, just because he could and he found the heat comfortable.
[indent=30]Cojack, on the other hand, had also seen a significant improvement to his health. He wasn't quite as skinny as he had been, and his mobility had improved considerably. All of it was because Arkash wasn't working. He was able to spend more time on his Father's health as well as care for his worn-out body and his comfort at any one time.
[indent=30]Life, for Arkash, it seemed, had never been better. But not in all aspects. He and his father both failed to see eye-to-eye. Cojack disagreed with thieving, as it was too dangerous. Arkash disagreed with working, as it was too slow.
[indent=30]Ultimately, Arkash couldn't survive another twenty-two years in Lower Nivenhain. Neither could Cojack. They needed the money they'd lost and they needed it as quickly as possible. Heisting stores after hours proved to be the most effective method of doing that.
[indent=30]Hell, they were living like kings! Almost. Even if Cojack hated what Arkash was doing, he couldn't deny that it was so much easier.
[indent=30]With a deep sigh of contentment, Arkash reached over to his plate and pulled one of the chicken's legs away. He then bit into it, and pressed hard with his teeth to break the frail chicken bone, then swallowed the upper half of the drumstick. He tossed the lower half in his maw, then swallowed that too before he sighed and laid back against his throws, entirely satisfied.
[indent=30]Arkash looked to his Father, who'd barely touched his vegetables, again. "Really?" Asked Arkash unamused, and he turned back around to stare at the orange sky through the gaps in the planked wall that made his home.
[indent=30]"I'm not hungry," replied Cojack.
[indent=30]Arkash furrowed his brow. He didn't believe him. Yes, part of Cojack's illness was a loss of appetite, but the horse hadn't eaten in a day. "You need to eat," enforced Arkash as he pulled another drumstick from the chicken, then popped it in his mouth and swallowed it whole.
[indent=30]"I can't," replied Cojack.
[indent=30]"Why not?" Arkash quizzed in turn. He maintained the veil of his calm demeanor, even if he grew tired of trying to convince his father to eat time and time again.
[indent=30]Cojack might have seen through it, however, as he picked up his plate and sighed. "Nevermind," assured the old horse.
[indent=30]Arkash turned to look at him as he began to eat from his plate of grilled carrots and broccoli. "Dad," he spoke with a more serious tone. The horse looked to him to acknowledge his call. "Look, I know you're not happy. I'm not happy either," he lied. Something about stealing from pompous rich people felt... Oddly right, just, even. "But it's not for forever... It'll just be a few more weeks and we can get out of here. We'll travel in comfort with enough money to start over."
[indent=30]Cojack rose his brows at the gesture. "Really? I thought you liked stealing."
[indent=30]Arkash furrowed his brow and tilted his head. "Why do you say that?"
[indent=30]"You've smiled more these past two weeks than you have in ages," answered the sickly horse.
[indent=30]Arkash paused. Was that true? He sighed eventually, then turned back to staring at the sky as the sun began to set. "I'm just glad I'm not stuck in some dark cave mining metal for some fat Lustrian pig," he answered with part of the truth. He'd come to loathe the higher castes. Every time he stole from the savants brought him such satisfaction, not because he stood to gain, but because they had so far to fall. "Or breaking my back chopping trees or dragging flour around. I'm glad I can just be comfortable without slaving years of my life away. That's all, Dad."
[indent=30]Cojack fell into silence. Perhaps he realized the weight of his words whenever he asked Arkash to stop stealing. The converse of what he asked was to drop the boy back into those horrible, dangerous working conditions where they could barely afford to eat for the sake of his morals. It wasn't fair, and it wasn't happening.
[indent=30]Arkash breathed an exhale to steady himself, as he caught his rage mid-creep, and suppressed it. "I'm sorry, Dad. I wish it was different."
[indent=30]A knock on the door interrupted them. Arkash's first thought was that it was Brodie, who'd come to collect his protection fees. It didn't matter that time, as he could just pay him with the money he'd stole and make it back with relative ease.
[indent=30]"It's Barry," declared Cojack as he peeked through a gap in the wall. Arkash furrowed his brow with wide eyes. What was Barry doing there? His heart began to pick up a little as fear began to work through his blood and into the roots of his teeth. Deep down, he knew. Barry had come for revenge, he knew Arkash was the one that jumped him, it was obvious. Even if there was no hard proof. That begged the question of why he was there. Why didn't he just have some hollows hunt him down and kill him?
[indent=30]Arkash swallowed the venom on his tongue, then stood. He was dressed in his linen tunic and pants, which wasn't ideal for the situation, but he hadn't the time to change.
[indent=30]Another knock rapped at the door, and Arkash picked up his pipe. Very carefully, he crept toward the door. He had to be ready; he wouldn't be caught off-guard. If Barry wanted to fight, he'd fight.
[indent=30]The same claw that held the pipe opened the door and filled the room with the light of the setting sun. Barry was there, dressed in his usual shirt, pants, and boots, but without his apron. He was smiling, which caught Arkash off guard. Maybe he didn't know anything? Arkash's eye drifted lower, where he saw the hilt of a weapon on his belt. His blood ran cold, but he didn't know if the knife was for Arkash or if it was for his own protection. "Barry..?" he stammered and feigned confusion.
[indent=30]"Arkash!" Spoke the large human, who extended his hand to shake. Arkash was holding a pipe, he couldn't shake his hand if he wanted to continue holding the pipe out of Barry's sight. He looked to the hand quite deliberately, then settled his eyes back on the fat human's.
[indent=30]"Last we spoke, 'ou told me t' fuck off," he answered in common, which was far more muddied by the locals he spoke with than his Ithmi.
[indent=30]The human's smile dissolved to a frown, and he put his hand away. "It's like that then," he spoke simply. Arkash's heart skipped a beat as the human looked to the street, then shook his head. "looks like you're doin' well for youerself, anyway," he spoke with a motion of his head about Arkash's clothes.
[indent=30]"Whatcha want, Barry?" Arkash spoke, feigning impatience. In truth, he just wanted Barry to go. He didn't want to fight him, he was much larger stronger than the young Rathari.
[indent=30]"How'd you suppose you got all them fancy clothes wivout workin'?" Asked the human directly.
[indent=30]Arkash hesitated. Barry knew. He totally knew. "The fuck's it t' you? I'm workin' the mines."
[indent=30]"You think I'm thick, yeah?" Asked Barry, who took a step through the threshold of the door. "I checked wiv Dante," the mine's overseer, "'E 'asn't seen 'ou."
To be continued: here.
They were living the good life. Arkash and Cojack ate well, rested easy, and ventured on walks through lower Nivenhain at least once a day. The hearth was always burning, and the majority of Arkash's wounds had healed over nicely. He no longer felt migraines. The wounds to his chest had scabbed over; nearly fully healed, and his limp was a distant memory.
[indent=30]If he had known what a difference eating well made, he wouldn't have been so frugal in the past. The young Rathari paused at the thought. That wasn't entirely true. He would have been frugal, still. The only reason he'd gotten as far as he did on a slave's wage was that he starved and denied himself all luxuries bar Cojack's medicine. They wouldn't have made it that far if he'd indulged in something as expensive as eating.
[indent=30]But there they were, making up for the lost time. Arkash laid back on his fur throws with a platter of food from the tavern beside him; a full roasted chicken with miscellaneous vegetables on the side, drizzled in gravy. Granted, the chicken was small, but Arkash had found that he had an almost insatiable appetite for meat.
[indent=30]Even Cojack found the boy's hunger to be disturbing, as Arkash had once eaten until he was visibly bloated. He'd put on some weight too, not from laziness, as he still fetched firewood and tinder as well as the fact that he kept up with his runs, but from the sheer amount of food that he was consuming bi-daily.
[indent=30]The extra muscle and body fat was something he found comfortable, as it helped to insulate the heat that he absorbed from the environment. He didn't need to lounge by the fire as often, but did so anyway, just because he could and he found the heat comfortable.
[indent=30]Cojack, on the other hand, had also seen a significant improvement to his health. He wasn't quite as skinny as he had been, and his mobility had improved considerably. All of it was because Arkash wasn't working. He was able to spend more time on his Father's health as well as care for his worn-out body and his comfort at any one time.
[indent=30]Life, for Arkash, it seemed, had never been better. But not in all aspects. He and his father both failed to see eye-to-eye. Cojack disagreed with thieving, as it was too dangerous. Arkash disagreed with working, as it was too slow.
[indent=30]Ultimately, Arkash couldn't survive another twenty-two years in Lower Nivenhain. Neither could Cojack. They needed the money they'd lost and they needed it as quickly as possible. Heisting stores after hours proved to be the most effective method of doing that.
[indent=30]Hell, they were living like kings! Almost. Even if Cojack hated what Arkash was doing, he couldn't deny that it was so much easier.
[indent=30]With a deep sigh of contentment, Arkash reached over to his plate and pulled one of the chicken's legs away. He then bit into it, and pressed hard with his teeth to break the frail chicken bone, then swallowed the upper half of the drumstick. He tossed the lower half in his maw, then swallowed that too before he sighed and laid back against his throws, entirely satisfied.
[indent=30]Arkash looked to his Father, who'd barely touched his vegetables, again. "Really?" Asked Arkash unamused, and he turned back around to stare at the orange sky through the gaps in the planked wall that made his home.
[indent=30]"I'm not hungry," replied Cojack.
[indent=30]Arkash furrowed his brow. He didn't believe him. Yes, part of Cojack's illness was a loss of appetite, but the horse hadn't eaten in a day. "You need to eat," enforced Arkash as he pulled another drumstick from the chicken, then popped it in his mouth and swallowed it whole.
[indent=30]"I can't," replied Cojack.
[indent=30]"Why not?" Arkash quizzed in turn. He maintained the veil of his calm demeanor, even if he grew tired of trying to convince his father to eat time and time again.
[indent=30]Cojack might have seen through it, however, as he picked up his plate and sighed. "Nevermind," assured the old horse.
[indent=30]Arkash turned to look at him as he began to eat from his plate of grilled carrots and broccoli. "Dad," he spoke with a more serious tone. The horse looked to him to acknowledge his call. "Look, I know you're not happy. I'm not happy either," he lied. Something about stealing from pompous rich people felt... Oddly right, just, even. "But it's not for forever... It'll just be a few more weeks and we can get out of here. We'll travel in comfort with enough money to start over."
[indent=30]Cojack rose his brows at the gesture. "Really? I thought you liked stealing."
[indent=30]Arkash furrowed his brow and tilted his head. "Why do you say that?"
[indent=30]"You've smiled more these past two weeks than you have in ages," answered the sickly horse.
[indent=30]Arkash paused. Was that true? He sighed eventually, then turned back to staring at the sky as the sun began to set. "I'm just glad I'm not stuck in some dark cave mining metal for some fat Lustrian pig," he answered with part of the truth. He'd come to loathe the higher castes. Every time he stole from the savants brought him such satisfaction, not because he stood to gain, but because they had so far to fall. "Or breaking my back chopping trees or dragging flour around. I'm glad I can just be comfortable without slaving years of my life away. That's all, Dad."
[indent=30]Cojack fell into silence. Perhaps he realized the weight of his words whenever he asked Arkash to stop stealing. The converse of what he asked was to drop the boy back into those horrible, dangerous working conditions where they could barely afford to eat for the sake of his morals. It wasn't fair, and it wasn't happening.
[indent=30]Arkash breathed an exhale to steady himself, as he caught his rage mid-creep, and suppressed it. "I'm sorry, Dad. I wish it was different."
[indent=30]A knock on the door interrupted them. Arkash's first thought was that it was Brodie, who'd come to collect his protection fees. It didn't matter that time, as he could just pay him with the money he'd stole and make it back with relative ease.
[indent=30]"It's Barry," declared Cojack as he peeked through a gap in the wall. Arkash furrowed his brow with wide eyes. What was Barry doing there? His heart began to pick up a little as fear began to work through his blood and into the roots of his teeth. Deep down, he knew. Barry had come for revenge, he knew Arkash was the one that jumped him, it was obvious. Even if there was no hard proof. That begged the question of why he was there. Why didn't he just have some hollows hunt him down and kill him?
[indent=30]Arkash swallowed the venom on his tongue, then stood. He was dressed in his linen tunic and pants, which wasn't ideal for the situation, but he hadn't the time to change.
[indent=30]Another knock rapped at the door, and Arkash picked up his pipe. Very carefully, he crept toward the door. He had to be ready; he wouldn't be caught off-guard. If Barry wanted to fight, he'd fight.
[indent=30]The same claw that held the pipe opened the door and filled the room with the light of the setting sun. Barry was there, dressed in his usual shirt, pants, and boots, but without his apron. He was smiling, which caught Arkash off guard. Maybe he didn't know anything? Arkash's eye drifted lower, where he saw the hilt of a weapon on his belt. His blood ran cold, but he didn't know if the knife was for Arkash or if it was for his own protection. "Barry..?" he stammered and feigned confusion.
[indent=30]"Arkash!" Spoke the large human, who extended his hand to shake. Arkash was holding a pipe, he couldn't shake his hand if he wanted to continue holding the pipe out of Barry's sight. He looked to the hand quite deliberately, then settled his eyes back on the fat human's.
[indent=30]"Last we spoke, 'ou told me t' fuck off," he answered in common, which was far more muddied by the locals he spoke with than his Ithmi.
[indent=30]The human's smile dissolved to a frown, and he put his hand away. "It's like that then," he spoke simply. Arkash's heart skipped a beat as the human looked to the street, then shook his head. "looks like you're doin' well for youerself, anyway," he spoke with a motion of his head about Arkash's clothes.
[indent=30]"Whatcha want, Barry?" Arkash spoke, feigning impatience. In truth, he just wanted Barry to go. He didn't want to fight him, he was much larger stronger than the young Rathari.
[indent=30]"How'd you suppose you got all them fancy clothes wivout workin'?" Asked the human directly.
[indent=30]Arkash hesitated. Barry knew. He totally knew. "The fuck's it t' you? I'm workin' the mines."
[indent=30]"You think I'm thick, yeah?" Asked Barry, who took a step through the threshold of the door. "I checked wiv Dante," the mine's overseer, "'E 'asn't seen 'ou."
To be continued: here.