Chapter Text
Under the clouds that covered the wide world, rain poured down on the green, blooming ground beneath a traveler's bare and bruised feet, on his pale face, heavy and tired arms and the body of a younger man laying ontop on them.
The traveler was thinking of giving up a few steps back, but then he had seen promising lights of a village in the distance and the sight had given him a glimmer of hope. But now his green eyes darted to a big house, made of stone slabs and partially hidden near the forest and the rocks and cliffs behind that the building seemed to merge into.
It was closer than the village and it wouldn't be the worst idea to knock. Besides the little traveler's wounds had been opened up. The older one could tell by the way the recently dried bandages were starting to bloom red again. With a groan the traveler pushed the unconcious boy over to one of his shoulders and his bruised - and bloody - fingers tapped against the heavy oak door. The windows didn't have any lights in them, so he was pretty certain not to expect any response. Though he got slightly anxious as he heard footsteps from behind the door his hand was still almost hopelessly clenched on. The traveler,Clave, pulled his fingers away and just a few tics of time later a lady in maybe her fourties opened the door. She looked like a villager - animal hide, leather and khaki coloured, rough fabric made up the entirety of her clothes. Her chestnut hair was up in a bun and her blue eyes widened in horror as she saw the sight in front of her door.
Clave was covered in blood, grime and probably a lot more shit, his clothes were torn, dirty and he smelled of fresh blood and sweat, he looked like he hadnt slept in days and a slight stubble had started to grow, making his young face look older than it was. Not to mention he had a boy slung over his shoulder that not only looked worse than him, but was also freshly bleeding and looked dead.
The woman screamed, making her husband appear in the doorway. Clave was too tired to speak, to explain or even resist as both him and Paul got pulled inside the warm, surprisingly bright kitchen. His vision blurred as two more guys appeared in the kitchen, both of them immediatly panicking but following the orders the woman and man gave them, that Clave couldn't care to dechiper. He barely registered as he was undressed by the lady, picked up, lowered into lukewar water, then pushed into a big soft something on a rocking chair. The wamth, the care. Too much to bear for Clave's tired mind.
His vision blacked out.
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The world gained sound first - subtle footsteps as if people were tiptoing around. Then it gained smell - rich smell of fresh bread, and a thicker one of some kind of porrige.
And when it gained sight Clave's eyes parted open. Half of his vision was obstructed by a big, slightly yellow-y sheep hide blanket. The other half was looking at a dark oak wood ceiling high up above him. And then his vision blurred - by pain induced tears. His whole body ached like a little bitch and his throat was dry like the river in the town he had abandoned and trailed way from years ago. When every rational thought returned, Clave shot up. Where was Paul? His head was pounding but he tried to untangle himself from the hot cocoon he was in. Just then he heard footsteps and the lady he vaguely remembered but didn't know came into view.
"Oh! You are awake!" She exclaimed in a loving, motherly voice that seemed too young for her face. Before Clave could answer she pressed a wood mug to Clave's rosey lips. The smell of fresh, cold water hit Clave's nose and he drank untill the mug was empty. His throat screamed in delight at being refreshed.
"Where is Paul?" Were the first, raspy words that Clave's mouth formed. "The guy that was with me, last night. Paul. My brother. Is he okay? Is he here?" Clave kept asking on, desperately. The next words were the scariest and he wasn't sure if he wanted an answer to them.
"Is he alive?"