;;The cold from outside;;

“You haven’t seen your family since you were fifteen?” Catelyn asked, shocked and a dozen other questions were on the tip of her tongue– had someone died, or had he chosen to leave, had they been parted by something else, did he wish to keep his distance or long for reunion, had it been part of the sacrifice for the calling he appeared to believe he had– but as soon as the questions came to her mind, they died before they could be spoken. Curiosity and concern were not her place here; Vladek was no relative nor years-old friend, but a stranger, someone happened upon and she had no right to pry into his life, most especially if he wished it to remain private. 

“You sound like a wandering priest,” Catelyn admitted, “Those who used to wander like nomads centuries ago, visiting their faith and skills upon villages and towns alike” She wasn’t sure now whether this was small talk or they had entered so deep a realm of discussion that mere sentences seemed to fall short. This was turning out to be a very strange and unexpected walk; a quick glance at her watch told her she had already been out longer than intended…and had certainly deviated from her intended path. 

“I’ve always had a love for home, ever since I was a girl…if anything I’ve become more attached with age, not less so,” She smiled a little at herself, “Children will do that. But yes, four and wild…wilder than the others and Arya was considerably wild” Catelyn paused, realising something, “You spoke of people talking, but it seems you have a knack for prompting it. I don’t usually talk so freely about my family, not to those so recently met”

Though he elected to make no mention of it, Vladek was immensely grateful for Catelyn’s tact and graceful meandering of their conversation. She was curious – as all good people were – but seemed to recognise when to divert the subject to lighter topics and avoid the potential for awkwardness. It was a little ironic, then, that of the people in the latter years he had spoken to she was someone he could have felt comfortable talking of such matters with, given time and patience. She engendered an immediate sense of trustworthiness and a balance between the practical and passionate.

Perhaps, in another lifetime, she too would have made a wonderful shaman.

The kettle would take a short while longer to boil; part of him knew full well he should be encouraging her to head home as soon as possible before her family began to worry. Of course, a more selfish element was too grateful for the company to voice it, though he swiftly assured himself that Catelyn was perfectly capable of deciding when she wished to leave. Hopefully her family would not be missing her too much, though he could guess that she was an integral part to their running.

“Curiosity,” Notchy answered. “Blind chance. Although once upon a time they say I used to be a man who would turn up when he was needed. I’m not in that game anymore but now and again my abilities could be, shall we say, courted? I’m resourceful, horrifyingly clever and infuriatingly relentless. Perhaps if a people needed me so desperately to help them, they might be willing to pay my price. If I could handle your little demon problem, for example, just what would Vladek Klimov be willing to do?”

He stared at the captive shaman, filled with notions of weaving his way into the man’s beliefs, if he could become a demon - a god even - in this man’s eyes so that he could play more games.

The answer wasn’t the most comforting but, if it could be taken as truth, it was something he had to accept. Knowing that this was all some chance meeting, a fate he could have avoided so easily, did not sit well with him but hindsight could only be a burden here. Instead he chose to focus on the present, brows lowering once again as he listened to the proposition.

He moved with the bandages with clear practised precision; she thought mayhaps it was less to do with the fact he might have tended a dozen wounds before her and more to do with the fact he had such a lonely life that he needed to prepared for every circumstance, including tending his own injuries. “And how do you know where you’re needed?” She asked. Did he feel it in his bone? He seemed the type to follow some sort of innate instinct, a sixth sense of a sorts. 

“That’s a lot to sacrifice for the sake of the world,” She observed, “I don’t think I could do it– in fact, I know I couldn’t. I don’t do very well alone; I find my thoughts are often bad company when I’m on my own. I have to have my family…..” Catelyn shook her head, trying to imagine a life of such long-term solitude and it only left her with a cold shiver down her spine. 

“Thank you,” She flexed her hand a little to ensure the gauze would not come undone, but it was sturdy and secured to an almost professional level. “I tend to work with local chairites more often….too many of my children are still in school so we don’t like taking them away for long, and I don’t like to be away from them so….I keep things close to home. This is our first vacation since my youngest was born…he’s four now. And wild as a winter storm” She added with a smile. 

“Do….do you have any family, Vladek?”

Vladek couldn’t quite decide how he wanted the conversation to flow. He always had been open to new experiences and the company of others – especially someone so open-minded and easy to talk to – but they were teetering on the periphery of actual, personal conversation. As much as he had indulged others, he was perhaps not so used to talking about himself beyond what was barely necessary.

Fortunately, he could buy himself a little time to think and began packing away the remnants of equipment back in his first aid kit. This completed with all the due care of any long-term traveller, he slid it back beneath the bed and responded with the same cheerful, if laconic, patter as before. “I suppose I must still have, yes. I haven’t seen them since I was…” The shaman exhaled, brows furrowed as he gave the matter thought for the first time in years. “I suppose I was fifteen or so. It can be hard to remain in contact when you have no fixed address.”

He elected to leave it there for now and got back to his feet to finish cleaning up. It was not so much his nature to pry as it was approach people with a natural curiosity and trust them to divulge as much as they wanted. This being said, the more Catelyn spoke, the more interesting he found her.  “I find where I am needed as much from listening as I do from instinct, now. People in towns love to talk, and over time these…pictures build up. Everyone’s own stories connect together and point me where I need to go. It isn’t the easiest lifestyle, but I have freedom and plenty of stories from those I meet.”

That this human could be a raving lunatic did cross Notchy’s mind, but there was a steadiness and deliberation to Vladek’s words. At worst he was a superstitious radical, which was not particularly to the Time Lord’s taste. However that did not mean he wouldn’t be interesting to play with for a time. Notchy was also unwilling to rule out the concept of magic when in strange lands.

“This demon you intend to fight, do you know what it looks like? I ask because I’ve been called such things in my time and it would be helpful to know if your people plan on attacking me. If it helps matters, I’m not in the business of bloodshed unless I have to. Killing is wasteful. Except apparently in your case you need some of their squishy bits.”

With the tea ready in seconds, XI brought the pot and cups to the table and sat opposite Vladek. He spoke genially as he poured.

“Basically I’m from another world. My ship is an advanced technology that can travel across time and space. She’s a TARDIS - Time And Relative Dimension In Space. Silly old name but my granddaughter coined it a long time ago and it stuck ever since. You can fit an infinite quantity of room within one small box.

“She’s my home, but she’s also a vehicle. Right now she’s having to put up with being more like a car for nipping to the shops than my usual home. One day I’m hoping that will change.”

Truth be told, Vladek couldn’t remember the last time he had been offered tea over coffee. Something about it felt bizarrely, amusingly, refined in this setting and he couldn’t help but find the ridiculousness of it relaxing. He was aboard a space ship with an alien and everything was so human.

Distracted only by picking up the offered cup, the young man’s focus hardly wavered from XI whilst he explained. It was a bizarre concept to try and conceptualise but he had seen enough oddities in his spirit journeys to at least accept the facts at face value. True understanding could come later, should such an opportunity present itself. For now he focused on not scalding his tongue with the first mouthful of tea. After a thoughtful silence, he spoke again.

Mortified wasn’t big enough. Appalled was a bit closer. Still, she pressed her back to the door and turned bright red in the face. It was one thing to be found out by a total stranger. Then she could just be that quirky girl that nobody really understood but seemed nice. Sighing heavily at herself, she wished she could crawl back under the door in shame. Seeming to answer her complaint, the door gave a little rattle and let loose another waft of smoke. It was getting lighter at least. 

“Oh, everything’s fine. Really. If I just give it a minute it will stop.” She was lying. Badly. “Probably.”

Wiping roughly at her cheeks, she shrugged. “Did I get it? Sorry. I was, um, working on a new soap. Must have gotten the lye ratio wrong. Or was it a salve? Nothing too serious.” Her voice dipped to a mutter. “I hope.”

One last gurgle and everything behind the door went quiet. She waited a count of two before taking her weight off the door slowly. All stayed quiet. She released her grip on the book with one hand long enough to reach for the handle to open the door when a sharp bird sound pierced the air. 

“Bran, no! Wait!”

Whipping the door wide, Sarah ran back into the apartment. Her concern for her friend’s well-being overrode her need for secrecy. The door had swung open enough that he would see clearly to the center of the room where a cast iron cauldron sat on a table. It was surrounded by herbs and dried flowers and still bubbling a bit of the green smoke that blanketed the entirety of the apartment. The large book Sarah had been holding was tossed onto a chair as she ran straight for the windows, pulling each and every one open.

Stranger yet was the dark bird tapping it’s clawed feet along a long counter. Its wings ruffled, it hopped and made a few distressed noises at the girl. 

“Yes, I know. Just let me air it out, okay? I said I was sorry!”

Whatever Sarah had claimed to be the last time they had met, it was clear that there was more to her than appearance had suggested. He passed no comment on her blatant lie, nor the mention of soap, save for another arched brow but decided not to press the matter. It was an unprecedented situation and surely he would discover what he was meant to in due course.

Quickly smoothing his features into gentle concern so as not to cause her further embarrassment, Vladek barely had time to think, let alone speak, as the chaos erupted around him. Slow caution had quickly turned to frantic action and the shaman was fast at Sarah’s heels to follow her inside, though the sight of her apartment was..arresting, to say the least.

I knew she was special. Although taken aback by the array of equipment inside the room, it was clear that any surprise was tempered with a subtle, quiet delight. There were many branches within Pagan belief systems, and many practices of varying shapes and forms: although her work was clearly a world away from his own, there was enough common thread that to see such evidence was both a comfort and exciting. Despite himself, he grinned.

“I don’t think the suffering of animals and wildlife is specific to this locale alone,” Catelyn reasoned heavily, watching as he tended her arm. Her eyes briefly surveyed the first aid kit, unable to entirely suppress the worry that the contents might be terribly out of date and therefore do more harm than good, but it all seemed to be up to scratch and Vladek appeared to know what he was doing; but then, if this was his typical existence then basic first aid must be a necessity. 

“I don’t exactly wander the wild rescuing tiger cubs, but I work with a lot of charities….the world is in need of a great deal of help. Some people are less willing to give it than others,” Catelyn added. Some people, such as herself and her husband, her family, were moved by the troubles of the world, by both the trials of human and animal, of the world and it’s entirety and all the damage being done to it…but others, they preferred to bid on fashionable artwork and turn a blind eye for an easy life. A sad truth.

“It would bring out only interest in my three youngest, I’m certain,” Catelyn reasoned, wincing at the pain of the wound, but trying her best to ignore it as he worked a way at cleaning and binding it. “Arya has a thirst for such grim things, Bran loves adventures and Rickon…..Rickon is wild. They’ll be annoyed they weren’t with me when it happened” Robb would ask the most questions and Sansa would only find the whole thing sickening and Ned….Ned….he was harder to predict, but his concern she was certain of. “My husband can’t take warm places and he hates cities and noise….and isn’t fond of people beyond his own. Remote and chilly are our destination choices” The smile in her voice told Vladek that she wasn’t complaining. 

“Do you travel all over the world then?” She asked in true interest and something of concern “Always alone?”

Now that was interesting. Whilst he couldn’t attest to the suffering Catelyn described as being anything akin to the behaviour of the animals around the area, it was a disquieting notion to consider that the fauna was being impacted on a wider scale. It was not a thought long entertained, for the continued explanations stole his interest and his expression softened considerably. She understood the pull, the call to heal and give aid where possible, and likely shared his frustrations with those who wilfully ignored such calls despite their privilege.

For the time being Vladek simply nodded and focused on dressing the wound as quickly as possible. Now that it was clean he suspected they could get away without stitches (a mercy, for getting to a hospital would be a whole other ordeal), so he did what he could with the remnants of his first-aid kit.

One of the best things, in his opinion, about the work he did was getting to know those he encountered. Every soul was unique and revealed to him facets of their being which were as fascinating as they were indicative of their relaxed state: such openness was to be both respected and cherished. He listened to Catelyn describe how her children were likely to react with keen interest, amused that they sounded so very distinct and yet all with traits he could imagine the woman before him displaying: curious, unafraid to face grim tasks, and yet possessed of a certain gentleness. He elected to make no mention on the number of children, though he was impressed. Small wonder that she was so very calm when dealing with such situations as this.

The question was not one he had been expecting, nor had he been prepared for the hint of concern lacing the otherwise innocuous query. Vladek blinked but only paused briefly as he considered a reply. “I go where I am needed,” he replied gently as deft fingers wrapped bandages about the gauze-covered wound, “where I can help. As you say, the world is in need of it. I don’t stay long, and this life, it, uhm, is not the easiest way to make longer-term friends.” He tied off the bandage as gently as possible, expression contemplative. “It is not such a bad price to pay for the work. I meet many people and see many different communities. Everyone is far kinder than the world has us believe.”

There was something about Vladek that felt incredibly welcoming. Trusting her instincts this far in life had proven to work so she didn’t doubt them now. Color still bright on her cheeks, Sarah turned a brilliant smile in his direction and accepted his greeting in kind.

“Very nice to meet you too, Vladek. My pleasure entirely!”

Following along she was able to really take in the shop fronts and faces of people as they walked. It was fascinating and never, ever got old. The only time Sarah was quiet was when she was learning, when she was really listening. Her eyes lit up at his story. 

“You’re a traveler, too? Isn’t it amazing? Something new and exciting at each new stop. I’m going to see as much of this world as I can before I get tired. I know it.” Her laugh was soft and light, like chimes shifting in the breeze. “Wildlife? Oh that’s fantastic! I don’t plan to be anywhere. Just sort of find out what’s waiting when I get there.”

She paused at his offer, faintly nervous again. Doing her best to hide it, she shifted the bag on her shoulder. It was nearly as heavy as she was, but she was used to carrying it by now. Her whole life was inside: clothes and basics, tinctures and herbs, stones and cards, her Book. Never mind her most precious cargo, Bran. And yet, she just knew he would be careful. Taking the strap down slowly, she handed it to him.

“Sure. Thank you. Mind, it’s a bit heavier than it looks. For being a traveler, I’m a bit of a collector, too.” She shrugged. “Helps if I can pay my own way as I go, right? I make things people need.” Enough of a truth at least. “What sort of work do you do?”

She was so enthusiastic. Though he could not yet read her clearly enough to make such assumptions, there was an innocence – or at least an openness, a positivity – about her he had not encountered for some time. She seemed neither to mind his presence nor held any awareness of what Fortitude itself represented. It was no local secret that tourists (whilst once popular for the town was renowned as the most Northerly in the world), had dwindled significantly since the scandal which had rocked them prior to his arrival. She would be received with as much wariness as he had, but her demeanour would easily soothe most of the suspicions.

Truly Sarah was a unique being; a free spirit with wanderlust in her soul and he had no intentions of arguing with her philosophy even if his outlook was a pessimistic one. Vladek simply nodded and smiled, several questions about her travels already begging to be asked. They could wait for the Blue Fox, though, but eagerness was not the only reason for him increasing his pace: though still light, it had begun to snow.

It was difficult not to remark in surprise when he took Sarah’s bag (“You carry this everywhere?!”) for even with her warning it had been hard to gauge how dense it really was. Surprised, and more than a little impressed, the shaman settled it across his shoulders and adjusted his own bag accordingly.

“I make things people need.” Now that was interesting. Though they had barely known one another, Sarah continued to surprise with these little hints of her character, and the half-truth intrigued him to no end. In fact, he was so focused on mulling the enigmatic words over that her question took him off guard. “Oh,” he replied after a moment, “I’m an electrical engineer.” Much like her it was the truth, but only a partial aspect of it. “Mostly maintenance and repairs. It’s not particularly exciting, but these small towns…they need someone every few years for the more complicated jobs, and the big companies, they don’t like coming out too far from the cities so there’s always work.”

Notchy tucked away his remaining tools and sat still, his arms folded. He made no move to release his prisoner, keeping his voice calm and steady.

“As long as you’re inside these walls you have all the time in the world. Anything out there is in flux. The events of this town hang in suspense until my say so. This place, Vladek, is a time machine amongst other things. My gift to you, one of many, is the time to heal and breathe and think. Tell me, where is it you need to be in such a hurry? The way I see things you’ve killed a man because he killed a woman. Is there someone else you’re keen to butcher? What are you up to, Mr Klimov?”

The disconnect between the way he had been treated at the outset, with no consent to his abduction during such a distressing time, and the manner in which he was now being spoken to left Vladek floundering. Gifts from the unknown were to be viewed with suspicion, let alone ones offered so freely lest he talk himself into giving away parts of himself or promising loyalties without even realising.

Had this happened but this morning he felt he would have been in a better state to argue his case and fight back; as it was he was too exhausted to keep pace with the fast thinking required. Being absent from the passage of time was nothing new with his spirit journeys but it did little to ease his concerns, nor did it give him any excuse to leave. His threats had been in vain.

For a few brief moments Vladek’s expression couldn’t quite decide what it wanted to present to the man opposite, so taken aback was he by the reaction. Bemusement, even vague discomfort, at last settled upon his often somber features but there appeared no intention to walk away now. He had, indeed, been the first to mention it and now he had to press forward regardless of how the news would be received.

It had been an impulsive decision to impart such information right away, though how could he have resisted? It was rare enough that such dreams and visions were so clear, but to stumble upon the same face that very morning had been a coincidence the shaman could not ignore. He had expected a strange look, perhaps to be ignored altogether or condescended for such a bizarre statement, but never before had someone reacted with such interest. Perhaps his phrasing, in using the word dream, had been off.

“Runes?” Catelyn was vaguely familiar with the tools and the use of them, though her knowledge was limited to the world of ancient history. Born and raised Catholic, her family were not like the strict followers who felt any form of divination even to the point of horoscopes were ‘devilish work’, but  runes and other such divination tricks had still not played any part in her upbringing. In truth, she hadn’t fully comprehended that there might be those out there who still used them so organically.

The tusks was also something greatly unexpected as well. It had never occurred to her that there were people who might find a dead carcass and see it as an opportunity. 

“So, then this is something you do….frequently in your day to day life?” Catelyn asked, still stemming the flow of blood from her hand as the feel became wet and sticky, the blood hot in her palms. Maybe it was something more common in his country rather than her own….maybe…but somehow she felt this was something specific to a very small group of people, namely just Vladek. 

“We’re on holiday, my family and I,” Catelyn explained as she took a seat in the near Spartan living space. It seemed clean though and she didn’t see any debris of dead animals anywhere which was good enough for her. “I decided to go for a walk….a little quiet for a short while,” Or rather to enjoy a short, scenic walk which too many of their children would find tiresome and boring and would no doubt complain about throughout. “You, however, were not part of the plan,” She added, a jest in her tone as she looked about her. “This isn’t your home, is it? Are you passing through?” Looking for tusks, she added silently. 

At least his honesty had been well received. Frequently used to derisive comments or disinterest when it came to his beliefs, it was of some comfort that she seemed to continue accepting his explanations without any apparent judgement. He uttered a quiet laugh of his own as he washed his hands clean; so many questions and the answers were never as clear-cut as he wanted to make them.

“I wouldn’t say frequently,” he mused, grabbing a cloth which he also soaked with water, “though recently it’s been a bit more common. I worry that the animals, the wildlife...it is suffering in these parts lately.” Crossing the small room again, the shaman crouched before Catelyn and pulled out the first aid kit from beneath his bed. Once open, he took her arm as gently as possible and began pulling the makeshift bandage off, swift to clean up what blood he could with the cloth.