Life Bonds

by Daniel Schinhofen

  “Not at this time,” Sean replied simply.

  “I see,” the elder nodded, his hand stroking the long goatee again. “I wish you a pleasant day, then.” Limping through the door, he seemed lost in thought.

  Fiona sighed deeply when the door closed. “Master,” she began, her voice pitched low, “we should be going to try and get everything ready for our departure.”

  “I want you both to be careful,” Sean told them. “I would rather leave empty-handed than have either of you be put at risk.”

  “We will be careful, Master,” Myna said as she opened the door and left.

  Puzzled, Sean turned to Fiona. She looked pensive for a moment, then sighed again, “Sean, I am okay with Myna getting her head rubs, and even the odd kiss here and there.”

  Blinking, not having expected the conversation to take that turn, Sean took a moment to get his words in order. “It felt like cheating when she stole the kiss earlier.”

  Fiona looked at him, a sad smile on her lips. “Silly man. I can’t say I’m enthusiastic about it now, but we will both end up loving you more as our Bonds grow. In time, I will love her as much as I do you, just as you will love us both. The Life Bond will make that a reality. I might have small objections in the short term, but in the long term, it is best if you don’t play favorites too often.”

  Shaking his head, Sean took a seat in his chair again. “I don’t know if I can accept it as easily as you both do.”

  “She told me what you said, and it made me happy that even a simple kiss made you fear how it would make me feel. At the same time, I did feel bad for Myna. During our trek through the woods, I came to understand more of her point of view. It’s one of the reasons I’m Life Bonded to you now. If I truly love you, then I have to love you completely, not halfway. That means loving what you decide to love as well, even if it means sharing you with Myna. Because you do love her, or at least care deeply for her. If we stay here overnight again, you should talk to her more about what it felt like when you called her back to life again.”

  Mind racing, he nodded absently. “I’ll see what I can do. I’m still not sure about what I’ve gotten myself into.”

  Fiona bent down so her forehead touched his. “A life of love, from me and Myna. We’ll be back after we finish our tasks.”

  “I might go down to the common room for a drink, in a bit,” Sean said.

  “No matter where you go, we will find you,” Fiona said, smiling as she gave him another kiss and stood up. “Until later, Master.”

  Sean stayed in the room for a while before finally deciding to go downstairs. He had never been much of a drinker, but today, he felt like he needed something to help him cope with the way his life seemed to be going.

  The common room was empty except for the bartender. Sean nodded to him. “Dark ale.”

  A brief furrow crossed the bartender’s forehead as he filled a large tankard from a keg. “My cousin makes this,” the bartender said.

  Picking up the mug without replying, Sean took it to the table in the corner of the room. Sitting with his back to the walls, Sean took a sip. It was good, though lacked the same depth that the ale in Oaklake had.

  Sean sat back in his chair, slowly sipping the ale and letting his mind go blank. Minutes of peace went by, and Sean felt better. A shadow filled the doorway, bringing Sean’s attention to the person who stood there. “James?” Sean asked, confused for a moment before the person entered, limping.

  “I had hoped to find you, sir,” Old man Johnson said, approaching the table. “Might I sit for a moment?”

  Sean stared at the man for a moment, and Johnson fidgeted slightly. “Grab some drinks, first.”

  Johnson’s relief was obvious as the old fisherman motioned to the bartender. When the two mugs arrived, Johnson was surprised to see dark ale for them both, but quickly masked it.

  “What is it you wanted?” Sean asked after taking a pull from the new tankard.

  “The boat I purchased from you yesterday,” Johnson began, his words slowing some as if he were apprehensive, “how long did it take your Bonded to craft it?”

  Tilting his head to the side, Sean tried to figure out the angle Johnson was playing. “Why does that matter to you?” he finally asked, setting the tankard down firmly.

  Taking a deep draft of his drink to gain a moment's respite, Johnson finally pulled the mug away from his mouth. “I was wondering if she might be able to fix a couple of our other boats before you leave. I can pay,” he added quickly.

  Lips pursed, Sean considered Johnson’s request. He didn’t want to draw more attention to them, and this could go badly in a couple of ways. If he didn’t agree, then it might appear that he was trying to leave quickly and raise suspicion. If he did agree, and Fiona did her normal job, it would clearly make him appear to be a higher ranked noble, or at least as if he were in league with one of them.

  “I’ll consider the request,” Sean finally said. “I’ll send word one way or the other later.”

  “Thank you, sir,” Johnson said, draining his mug and standing. “I’m sorry about yesterday…”

  Sean waved him off. “Go,” he said, making shooing motions.

  “Of course,” Johnson said, giving a shallow bow, “good day, sir.”

  Watching the old man leave, Sean wondered about the village. The village elder and Johnson were obviously two of the cornerstones of the village. Sean was frankly surprised that no one else had approached him yet.

  Nursing the second ale, he was about to go back to his room when people began to show up. Not wanting to look like he was running away, Sean motioned to the bartender. A few moments later, the maid—who was still terrified of him—stood next to his table.

  “How can I help you, sir?”

  “What teas do you have at the moment?”

  “Black, honeysuckle, berry, and orange, sir,” she said, keeping her head bowed. Her voice trembled as she spoke.

  “A pot of the honeysuckle, and some bread with honey,” Sean said as he took in the people entering the inn.

  “Right away, sir,” the maid squeaked and scampered away.

  The people coming in were all in their late teens to mid-twenties, wearing plain clothing that had the look and feel of field hands. When the maid had scurried off, a few of the men looked in his direction before quickly looking away.

  Why do I feel like the bully here? Sean sighed internally. Snorting at his own thought, he looked at his table. His ears were still sharp, so he was able to hear snippets of the mumbled conversations in the room.

  “Thinks he’s so special…”

  “Did you see the way Jennifer ran from him?”

  “He’s got the right attitude to be…”

  “I agree, I’d totally warm his bed. I wonder if…”

  Shaking his head slightly at the last line, Sean sighed. That’s the last thing I need, more women interested in me. Pushing the thought from his mind, Sean rubbed at his jaw and hoped that the villagers would leave him alone.

  “Your order, sir,” the maid said as she set the tray on the table.

  “Take it to my room,” Sean said as he got to his feet.

  Gulping, she picked the tray back up and headed for the stairs. Sean turned to follow, and a number of mutters picked up behind him. Most of them thought that Sean was going to force himself on the maid, Jennifer.

  Once Jennifer unloaded the food and drink onto the table in his room, Sean gave her a nod and she fled the room. “Did you have to scare her that badly, Fiona?” Sean sighed as he took the first sip of his tea. “At least she’ll be back downstairs quickly so they’ll know I didn’t molest the poor girl.”

  Chapter Fourteen

  By the time Fiona and Myna had returned hours later, Sean was about to lose his mind. He hadn’t realized how badly being alone in his own head with no distractions would bother him. “How did the shopping go?”

  “We have a wagon and two horses, along with everything we’ll need for the journe
y, though most of it won’t be ready until tomorrow morning,” Fiona explained.

  “The old man from the dock, Johnson, stopped by and asked if I would have you Shape some of his boats into better condition before we leave. I told him I would consider it, since I had no idea what that would really equate to.”

  “We could use more coin, considering how much it cost us to purchase all the supplies,” Myna said.

  “That’s true,” Fiona agreed. “I’m a little concerned about some of the villagers, though. They seem unusually interested in us. I think they might be working for someone higher up in society. I didn’t expect that here.”

  “They already know you’re a Shaper, so it’s a moot point,” Sean said.

  “True,” Fiona nodded. “If you wish, Master, I will make sure it gets taken care of.”

  “We should both go,” Myna said. “It will be quicker.”

  “Actually,” Sean interrupted, “I would rather one of you stay. I’ve been going a little buggy with no one to talk to.”

  “I’ll go,” Myna said, but Fiona touched her arm and stopped her.

  “No, I’ll go,” Fiona told her. “You should have a chance to talk with our Master.”

  “Thank you,” Myna said softly as she gave Fiona a hug. “I know I’m the intruder in your space.”

  “You’re my friend and Bonded sister,” Fiona said softly, lightly stroking Myna’s ears. “You deserve to know him more than the little you’ve been able to.”

  Sean watched them, waiting for the twist. They had been basically declaring war a tenday ago, but now seemed to be past that. Thank god it’s past the anime stage... I didn’t want to deal with the Tsundere or the Yandere tropes.

  “I’d like to talk with Myna, too,” Sean said. “Make sure you’re back in time for dinner, Fiona. And have them send up some more honeysuckle tea, please.”

  Fiona let go of Myna and went to Sean to hug him. Her words were barely audible to him as she whispered in his ear, “Only kisses and talking, please.”

  Sean gave her a squeeze, letting her know he’d heard her words. “See you when you get back.” His tone was full of love as he let her go.

  “Enjoy your time, Myna,” Fiona said as she went out the door.

  Sean took his seat at the table, while Myna waited by the door. “You can sit while we wait, Myna.”

  “There’s no need,” Myna said. “The maid won’t be long; they keep kettles on the stove downstairs. Would you mind if I got your stove started?”

  Sean looked at the cold stove in the corner. “If you want more warmth, that would be fine. I hadn’t realized it had gone out.” He stood and started toward it. “I’ll get it—”

  Myna was by his side instantly. “No. You must not be seen doing menial labor. I will handle it.”

  “Myna,” Sean said, slightly aggravated, “it's just the two of us. I don’t need someone to do everything for me.”

  “Once we leave here, I’ll stop,” Myna said quietly. “Until then, it’s best if we keep the cover we’ve got, especially when anyone might overhear us.” She went to the door as a knock sounded. Taking the tray from the maid with a strained smile, Myna shut the door as the maid stepped hastily back.

  “Your tea, Master,” Myna said in a normal voice as she set up his cup for him, then pulled a cup out of her new belt pouch. Pouring herself a cup, she went to the stove. “I’ll have your room warm in a moment.”

  Sean frowned as he sipped his tea, wondering if being alone might have been the better choice. Once Myna had a fire going in the stove, she took a seat across from him. “Feel better?” Sean asked with a wry smile.

  “I do. Thank you, Sean,” Myna said softly. “Will you tell me more about you and your world? I would like to know more about the man my soul is tied to.”

  “I will, but you need to tell me more about you as well, Myna. What kind of friend would I be if I didn’t learn about you in return?”

  “I will do as you wish,” she said with a gentle smile. “Will you go first?”

  “Okay,” Sean said, deciding what story he wanted to tell. “I’ve heard there’s an academy here. In my old world, we also had places of higher learning. For some people, they seemed to be more about wild parties than doing much actual learning.”

  He went on to tell her about a few of the crazier things he’d seen in college, smiling as he recalled old memories. He had to pause and explain some things, like beer pong, but time went by quickly.

  It was only when he ran out of tea that Sean realized he had been the only one telling stories. “Myna, you said you would share with me as well.”

  “I did,” Myna nodded. “I’m sorry, I got caught up in your stories.” Pouring him another cup of tea, she frowned. “I guess I just don’t have stories that compare to those.”

  “Any story will be fine, Myna,” Sean told her with a smile.

  “Has Fiona told you about the academy, where those who are Talented and backed by a noble can go for further training?”

  “Yes.”

  “There’s a smaller school you can attend if you have the coin to pay for it. Mother sent me there to help me get used to being around people.”

  “Grow up in a small village?”

  “Yes. My village bordered the wilds of the east, and was much like this place,” Myna said. “I wasn’t as much of an outcast there as I have been in other places. The villagers had accepted my grandfather, and he had helped found the village.”

  “I interrupted. Please, go on,” Sean said, sipping the tea.

  “It was my second day at the school, and I was wearing the cap you used to see me wear,” Myna continued. “During combat training, Zachary kept attacking my head, and he’d been mocking my hat the entire first day. I kept fixing it between exchanges, which meant I missed some opportunities to follow up on openings. Instructor Helmbraid yelled at me and told me to take off the hat.” Myna went quiet for a moment. “I refused, so she snatched it from my head and everyone saw my ears.”

  Sean watched Myna’s face, seeing her sadness fall as memory gripped her. Reaching across the table, he covered one of her hands with his. “If you need to stop…”

  “No, no,” Myna said, “I’ll be fine. It just...that was the first time I really saw how much my bloodline is looked down on.”

  Sean squeezed her hand then sat back in his chair with a sympathetic smile. “Even my old world had issues with some people of different races being looked down on, and they’re all just human.”

  “When Helmbraid snatched the cap from my head, the entire class came to a halt. Everyone had thought me human until that moment. I saw revulsion, sneers... even hatred, but no caring looks—not even from the other two women that I had befriended the day before. Helmbraid dressed me down. Not just for missing the attacks, but for thinking that keeping my blood hidden was more important than doing so.”

  Myna sipped at her tea before continuing, “I never fit in after that day. The two I had thought friends were the most vicious of the class. They mocked me, destroyed my possessions, and did everything they could to chase me away. It was two years of hell. The final test was the worst, though. It was in parts—a one-on-one single elimination combat tournament, a grand melee free-for-all, and a Seek and Sneak hunting free-for-all. Those last few days were even worse than I had anticipated they would be.”

  Abruptly getting to her feet, Myna went to the stove and began adding more wood to the fire. “The one-on-one tournament told me all I needed to know, that even with the petty grievances they had against each other, they all hated me. Zachary even told me as much during the first round, saying that the first few would gladly lose to see me knocked out. He at least lived up to the threat. He didn’t defend at all, but attacked at all of my weaknesses. I managed to win, but I took numerous wounds. The healers on hand only made sure that people didn’t die or bleed out, so my wounds carried to the second round, where I was beaten and almost killed. Helmbraid stepped in before an accident could happen.�
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  When Myna came back to the table, her gaze was distant. “In the free-for-all melee, everyone came after me first. I would’ve expected one or two to backstab the strongest in the class to give them a leg up, but that didn’t happen. I leapt out of the arena and disqualified myself. Helmbraid thrashed me for that, but it was better than what might have happened.”

  Sean felt his heart fill with anger at her classmates. He had never been one for bullies, and she had been bullied by all of them. He wanted to reach out for her, but felt it wasn’t the moment and waited instead. Myna sat, staring into her teacup as she recounted the memory.

  “The last part was my event, Sneak and Seek. All through the two years I had been there, I had never once been bested, not even by the upperclassmen during my first year. I didn’t understand what lengths they would go to, to rob me of even that.”