One-Handed Rover

@the-roving-kern​ asked —  ❛  you look like you could use a hand with that.  ❜

   XIA huffed, standing straight up and brushing some loose strands of hair that dangled in front of her face. Small beads of sweat dotted her forehead. The road had been quiet after Xia had taken out the bandits. The road, however, had been littered with some bodies. In an attempt to be a good person, Xia decided to try and clear the road. Bodies, however, were not necessarily light. So, here she was, struggling to do a good deed. 

   SHE looked up at the man who had approached her, commenting on her struggling. She frowned slightly, eyes narrowing as she gave him a once over. ❝Are you offering your help?❞ She asked him, head tilted and eyebrow raised. 

“If you’ll have me, I’d be happy too.” Nuada confirmed.

“I have no issues living off the land. But I’ve grown tired of fruit and nettle soup.” Nuada began, “Some real food sounds like it’d do me a world of good.”

Nuada carried on walking, though after glancing back and noticing Fiadh hot on his trail he sighed, and slowed himself.

“I apologise. It’s hard for me to confront familiar faces. And Brigid especially doesn’t make it easy.” He began, solemnly.

@the-roving-kern​ asked —  ❛  you look like you could use a hand with that.  ❜

   XIA huffed, standing straight up and brushing some loose strands of hair that dangled in front of her face. Small beads of sweat dotted her forehead. The road had been quiet after Xia had taken out the bandits. The road, however, had been littered with some bodies. In an attempt to be a good person, Xia decided to try and clear the road. Bodies, however, were not necessarily light. So, here she was, struggling to do a good deed. 

   SHE looked up at the man who had approached her, commenting on her struggling. She frowned slightly, eyes narrowing as she gave him a once over. ❝Are you offering your help?❞ She asked him, head tilted and eyebrow raised. 

“I have no sympathy for bandits. And if all of this is your handy work then you handle yourself well. I’m Nuada.”

“A gift. Nothing more.” He spoke, coldly to Brigid. She nodded in understanding as Nuada opened the door. He gave a nod to Fiadh and left.

Brigid stood up, traipsing over to the stand and picking up the coins. “The gods and goddess wouldn’t have me take payment for my work.” Brigid said, as if to no one in particular. “But they say nothing of gifts.” she added, nodding her head towards the quartz.

The corners of Brigid's lips almost threatened a smile. "He was a good king." Her voice was sweet with nostalgia. Her eyes grew wet but no tear would dare fall.

"Psha! Talk about himself, aye?" Brigid said suddenly, steeling herself back into her hardened way. "He's different. Different ever sinc-"

"Brigid." Nuada's voice was stern. It was amazing how quietly he could move in his brigandine, for he had entered the room without a peep.

"My history is my own. No more gossip." He sauntered over to the table, placing the bam down in front of a Brigid who dared not look at him.

@the-roving-kern​ asked —  ❛  you look like you could use a hand with that.  ❜

   XIA huffed, standing straight up and brushing some loose strands of hair that dangled in front of her face. Small beads of sweat dotted her forehead. The road had been quiet after Xia had taken out the bandits. The road, however, had been littered with some bodies. In an attempt to be a good person, Xia decided to try and clear the road. Bodies, however, were not necessarily light. So, here she was, struggling to do a good deed. 

   SHE looked up at the man who had approached her, commenting on her struggling. She frowned slightly, eyes narrowing as she gave him a once over. ❝Are you offering your help?❞ She asked him, head tilted and eyebrow raised. 

Mimicking Xia, Nuada walked over to the body nearest him and squatted down. Taking the body in his right arm and with a great heave he pulled it over his shoulder. Curiously, his left arm remained concealed behind his long green cloak and made no effort to assist him with the strenuous lifting.

Suddenly, Brigid's brow furrowed at the mention of payment. "Psha! Repay!" She began, shakin her head. "No, no a healing woman cannot take money. It's not right."

By now the pain had subsided. Curiously the wound had begun closing itself, all just from Brigid placing her hand over the nasty gash. "Not long now, hun." She hummed, the closet to comforting she had been so far.

Nuada guided her onto a table as Brigid lifted Fiadh’s shirt to assess the wound. A slight hum emerged from her. “A nasty wound, from a nasty blade no doubt.” she said, shaking her head. “Ye see, if this had been a nice, clean ‘n’ sharp blade, I might’ve been able to stitch ye good as new. But as it stands I think you’ll need it to be cauterised, love.”

Brigid placed her hand over the wound and suddenly, Warmth? Almost enough to be uncomfortable, far too much to be natural. After a few moments a soothing numbness was added to the sensation making the heat a tad more bearable.

Nuada watched on in silence. He was clearly uncomfortable, and out of his depth.

“Brigid.” He began. “What are you doing here.”

Her nose wrinkled in annoyance.

“I should be askin’ ye that. Yer in my home.”

“I meant- I thought you an-”

“Ye thought wrong.” She cut him off, seemingly paying him no mind. “I’m workin’ here. Healin’ enchantments aren’t easy so please, make yourself useful and get me some healing bam from upstairs.”

Nuada huffed, exiting upstairs as he was told.

Pushing themselves through the door into the cottage they were met with a warm orange light emanating from a fire in the center of the room which a lone woman sat opposite of. She had wild orange hair which curled and flicked just like the flames before her, and piercing green eyes which captured the light like a cat. It was hard to tell where her hair ended and face began as many freckles were speckled across her skin as if she was ginger incarnate.

Nuada fell silent. Too shocked to speak. A long pause hung in the air.

"...Brigid?"

“You’re not… how I thought you’d be.”

“Is this what you’re really like, or was that an act?”

“I need to know this is for real. If you’re not genuine, tell me right now.”

“You’re… good at that.”

“I didn’t realize you were - maybe we should start again. I’m [name].”

“So this is what the (in)famous [Name] is like behind closed doors.”

“You have a lot of experience with this.”

“Do you know what people say about you?”

“You’re just like they said.”

“Why don’t you correct them? When people talk about you, and they’re wrong?”

“I thought they were exaggerating about you.”

“I’ve wanted to meet you for a long time.”

“Am I safe with you?”

“Do you mean that?”

“I’m just trying to figure out why you’re here.”

“What made you get into this/that line of work?”

“Look, you’re either going to help, or you aren’t. Which one is it going to be?”

“You … you chose me.”

“I… no, nothing. I just didn’t realize you were brave.”

“You’re going to get yourself killed/fired, you know.”

“Have you always been like that?”

“That was kind.”

“That was good of you.”

“That was stupid.”

“You didn’t have to do that. But you did.”

“You were there. You didn’t have to be.”

“I think .. I have you to thank, for this.”

“I wouldn’t be here without you.”

After a quiet pause, a lone man stood up who seemed as out of place as themselves spoke quietly. "A healing woman." He began, stuttering heavily. Unnerved by the amount of attention he was receiving. "Down the road, you'll see a wooden sign with a heart hung up outside."

"we thank you lad." Nuada said. Not wishing to stay any longer than necessary. "And goodnight to ye all."

Soon they approached the inn. Nuada braced fiadh with his arm as to not let her fall as he used his shoulder to push open the door. "Never say I'm no gentleman!" He said, stepping into the warmth of the inn.

The display two armed strangers, one dripping blood and the other missing a hand unsurprisingly made a stir within the tavern. All eyes were fixed on them, and not a sound was made except for the wind creeping at their backs from the open doorway.