#derrin

None of her companions complained. Sagani especially seemed invested, making suggestions for where to look and how. Emiri asked the dock workers if they’d seen Derrin, and Edér slipped them coin when they hesitated. Most genuinely didn’t know, hadn’t seen him. But one was helpful and one was all she needed.

“Thank you,” she murmured to Edér as they headed toward the Salty Mast.

“No worries,” he said with a shrug. “Sometimes you gotta grease the wheels to get ‘em to turn. Can I ask you somethin’, ‘Miri?”

Emiri nodded, kicking a pebble. “Sure.”

“How come this means so much to you? I get that it’s important an ‘all, don’t get me wrong, but you seem to be takin’ it real personal, savin’ this kid.”

Because last time I couldn’t. She almost laughed, would have if the question didn’t conjure images of a boy all skin and bones with terrified eyes. She’d figured Aloth or Kana would pick up on that first. “I just... have experience with not being able to help. Now that I can, I don’t wanna ever pass up a chance.” They caught up to her pebble and she kicked it again. “B’sides, kids shouldn’t be on their own in a place like this. They should be safe, with their families. Which begs the question” --she stared hard at their destination--”what kind of father takes his eight year old to a place like... this.”

“The kind who’s plannin’ on leavin’ him outside,” Edér replied. “Prob’ly wasn’t intendin’ to be in there long.”

“Still...” Emiri frowned and let the sentence trail off. She’d felt something. A familiar, faint tug on her soul. There was another soul nearby, one strong or unguarded enough it felt almost like it was calling her. She glanced over her shoulder almost instinctively, but it wasn’t Aloth this time. She couldn’t see where it was coming from, so she tried to ignore it as they circled the building, looking for any sign Derrin had been there.

There was, of course, no evidence of anyone except the Mast’s patrons and staff. Well, damn, Emiri thought to herself as she came around the dock-facing side again. She’d really hoped...

The tug on her senses was stronger again, pulsing like a heartbeat this time. As a momentary distraction from the current dead end, she indulged it, following the pull until she stood on the edge of the dock.

“Emiri? What is it?” Kana stepped up next to her, his brow furrowed in concern.

“I... don’t know,” she admitted with a sigh. “There’s just something...” Her gaze caught on a shadow under the opposite side of the pier, one small section a slightly different tone than the rest. “...pulling...” She squinted at the shadow and it resolved into a small, huddled figure leaning against the support post. A hard, cold knot settled in her gut. “Oh, no.”

Heedless of the distance, Emiri sat on the edge of the pier and dropped down. The icy water was nearly knee deep, and splashed even higher. She ignored her companions’ concerned inquiries and strode through the water, feeling it crest and soak her almost to her waist. Oh, no, no, no, please... Given her tenuous relationship with Ondra, she wasn’t sure who was supposed to hear it. Berath, maybe.

As she got closer and more details became visible, she could see this was indeed the soaked and still form of a young boy. Closer still and the light from her halo showed hair the same russet brown as Odda’s. The tug on her soul grew stronger with each step, further solidifying what she so badly didn’t want to be true.

Emiri charged forward the last few steps, stumbling as she knelt by the boy.  “Derrin?”

For half a heartbeat there was nothing, and she fought the urge to scream at the damn predictability of tragedy.

And then Derrin’s head lolled to rest against the opposite shoulder and she caught the barest flutter of his eyelids. Alive. “Derrin?!” she repeated in a harsh, hopeful whisper as she reached to touch his arm.

The second her fingers brushed his skin, the urgent press of his soul exploded across her vision. ‘Wait here, boy, I’ll only be a minute,’ Father said, just one drink, but it’s been hours. Trying to sneak in the back door, only to find the hard-eyed thugs and a woman with a painted face and scared eyes. The knife from one thug’s belt is in hand, then in his thigh. Running but not fast enough. A boot to the face and then falling--

Abruptly as it had washed over her, the vision ended, and Emiri let out a gasp as she returned to the cold, dank air beneath the pier. If what she’d seen was right she had no idea how Derrin was still alive; he’d been here for hours, the water sapping warmth from his body.

Fortunately, that was something she knew how to fix. She might be new to fighting, and barely know how to read(it was a work in progress), but she knew what to do for this. She slowly and carefully picked Derrin up, cradling him close as she stood. He’s so scrawny, she thought, which made sense with how badly off most people in the Gift were, but it was going to make warming him up more of a challenge.

She felt a hand on her arm and turned to see Aloth, brows raised in concern.  “You found him?”

She nodded and held Derrin closer, his wet clothes soaking her shirt. “If we don’t get him warm and dry fast, I don’t think he’ll make it.” And I won’t let that happen. She looked back over her shoulder and saw the others waiting just outside the brackish water. “Is that where you came down?”

“Yes,” he nodded, gesturing even though Emiri had already started walking.

She strode through the water fast as her legs would carry her. Once out from the shadows of the pier, the bruising on half of Derrin’s face became visible, and Emiri felt murderous for the first time since escaping the pirates. Who the fuck does this to a little kid?!

She knew, of course. Emiri was well-versed in exactly the kind of person who would do this and worse to kids. Hence the feeling murderous.

But that was a problem for later. The problem for now was keeping Derrin alive. “I need a blanket!” she hollered as she rushed toward the ramp where her friends waited. Upon reaching them, Emiri only paused long enough to divest Derrin of most of his wet clothes before rapidly--but still carefully--bundling him in the blankets Sagani and Kana offered.

“Well, we found him,” Edér muttered, pensive gaze on Derrin’s face. “Now what?”

“Now we take him back to his mother,” Emiri said, holding him close once more.  “I can tell her what to do to help him recover. It’s not hard; she should be able to manage even with... the baby. And once he wakes up it’ll only be a few days before he’s mostly back to normal.” She glanced down as Derrin shivered and hugged him even closer, worried about even the light breeze that had sprung up. “Let’s go.”

The four of them nodded and they headed back to the ramshackle house where Odda waited with her Hollowborn baby, worried beyond bearing about her son.

When they reached street level, Kana wordlessly moved to walk in front of her, serving as a windbreak. Emiri thanked him and felt her face heat when he assured her it was no trouble.

Odda’s head snapped up as soon as Emiri entered the house, the mending in her lap forgotten and her eyes burning with a single question.

“I found him,” Emiri said gently. “He’s hurt and chilled from spending the night in the elements, but I know what to do for that. Assuming he wakes up soon”--Derrin stirred in her arms even as she spoke--”he should be alright in a week or two at most.”

The worry in Odda’s eyes melted into relief bordering on joy, though still tempered with concern as she caught sight of the bruises on her son’s face. “Oh, gods bless you! What... do you know what happened?”

Something told her not to go into too much detail. “Best I can tell he was hit in the face and fell in the water.” Emiri shifted her grip. “Does he have a bed?”

“Oh, yes.” Odda pointed it out; a rickety narrow cot shoved in the corner.

“It needs to be close to the fire, but not too close,” Emiri said. She ran through the rest of the instructions as Edér helped Odda move the bed without breaking it. “And I’m going to leave you some money,” she added, “to replace his clothes, since they were ruined, and also to buy better food. For him and the rest of you.” She handed Odda a small pouch of coin, wishing she could spare more. “If you’d like, I’m going to be in the city a few days doing other business, I can come back to check on him? Offer more advice if you need it?”

Odda clutched the coin purse close as she nodded. “That would be wonderful. Thank you. I wish I had some way to repay you.”

Emiri shook her head. “No need.” Derrin was safe and that was enough.  The spark of hope rekindled in the woman’s eyes, the joy under the weariness in her voice. That was all the repayment she needed.For once the gods had been kind. For once, she’d seen hope kindle rather than die. For once, she’d been able to help.

It was a very good feeling.

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Emiri 100% hunts down Bragan and guts him(all my Watchers do that anyway, but holy crap was she emphatic about it).