If We Waited

'Why didn't you do your thing to help me avoid this person? Now I am going to be killed for sure!' I question the voice.

*Silence.*

The girl pressing down on top of me was looking into my eyes. I was staring back into her crystal blue eyes, and I realized just how beautiful this girl was. She had smooth skin, and I noticed a silver tiara in her hair that flowed over it.

I couldn't believe a girl this small could weigh so much. Our eyes stayed locked together, and I could feel her body pressing into me in a way I wasn't used to ever, even if it was being crushed into me.

Suddenly, she pushed me off and then ran away. I got up slowly and then saw why she was crushing me. Sideways across her back was an impossibly big sword that looked like it was twice her size, but it didn't slow her down.

I looked around and then started to run. I didn't want to get noticed and have a Cast call the guards. I headed towards Hegumen's Distill, the place Yuri worked. I had time, so I might as well see if he needed some help.

I turned the corner and saw the front of the shop. There was a beard cask of ale for the logo hanging above the front door, but the building had no windows on the first floor. That was the smart thing to do in this part of town.

I passed by the front door, running around the side and to the back instead. Even though Grim, the Distillery owner, was secretly nice to Castless.

That didn't mean we could walk in the front door. I ran to the back, and the Alley was empty with no cart, so I went to the back door instead and knocked hard.

I waited for about a minute before short, and fat Mr. Grim answered the door. Mr. Grim had a stern face when he saw me and then yelled at me to get inside, slamming the door.

I was used to this kind of greeting, and I did as I was told, running inside. After we walked down a set of stairs, Mr. Grim patted my shoulder, and I winced involuntarily.

"Ho, boy! Did ya get another lickin?" Mr. Grim asked, but I knew he didn't need an answer. "You're just in time, so Yuri will be glad to see ya!"

I smiled; Mr. Grim was the one that made it possible for us to wake up each day. This man risked his life to show us the smallest amount of kindness by just talking to us.

That alone, if seen by the wrong overzealous person, would get Mr. Grim executed for treason.

[I see...]

'Oh? You are there then?' I asked in my head.

[Listening and trying to understand.]

I guess that made sense, maybe C6 couldn't help me, but that was no reason to be short or mean to him. I was slated to die sooner or later, so I shouldn't get mad if he tries to help me. Maybe that was the reason he didn't stop the girl?

[No.]

'No? That's it?' I asked.

[I don't know why.]

'Hmmm,' I mused.

I walked over to a side room Mr. Grim had pointed to and found Yuri inside pointing at the barrels and sticking out a finger after pointing to one. What was he doing? Yuri was concentrating, so I waited till he was finished.

"What are you doing?"

Yuri jumped at my voice and turned to me with a surprised look that turned to a smile. Yuri was one of the very few lucky kids that didn't have to worry. Mr. Grim kept him in the shop, and he wasn't allowed to leave, but Mr. Grim gave him food and a place to sleep.

Before, Yuri was continuously abused by other Castless for his feminine features, and it wasn't long before a group of older Castless males sexually assaulted him behind this shop.

Mr. Grim found him and cared for Yuri in secret and has kept him safe ever since. It was a fair trade-off for Yuri never to leave; he had never been the same since and didn't even get close to me, his best friend.

"I was trying to count the barrels for Master Grim; he has been teaching me numbers, Rhune! Imagine that? a Castless that can speak numbers! Why are you here anyway, Rhune?"

"I'm here to help! And I have something interesting to tell you about!"

I explained to Yuri about the voice in my head and the System I got. Even though neither of us could figure out anything useful to do with it, we still talked and even laughed a little.

These actions were something that could only be done in this place. Outside, we could be killed for having a conversation with another Castless, which was considered a treasonous act.

"Well, I do need to go hide by the soup kitchen at some point, so let's get the boards and start pushing the barrels up top."

We both grabbed the boards, and I walked my ends up the stairs. At the bottom, Yuri slid the boards into holes in the floor.

That would wedge the long boards that made a steep ramp up to the back door. Yuri said this load was for The Tiger Fist Guild and they had only ordered five barrels of ale and three of the hard stuff, or that's what Mr. Grim called it.

Once we rolled the barrels out, we waited until we heard Mr. Grim's gruff voice yell down to hurry up with the barrels. Together, Yuri and I started to push the barrels up the ramp and up to Mr. Grim.

He stood and spun the barrels to the men that had come with the wagon. They took the barrels and loaded them in the back of the wagon.

After all the barrels had been brought up, Yuri and I put away the boards. I headed up the stairs to leave, but Yuri followed me.

"Hey, Rhune, I just want to say that I really am thankful when you come and help me. I know you have it hard out there, and you don't need to be wasting your time with me."

"Wasting time? No, the time we spend each day talking is what keeps me going to the next. I don't mind; I got my stuff done fast and even dodged a kick from a guard thanks to C6."

"Really? Tomorrow, I wanna hear all about it, ok? and maybe I can teach you how to count too!" Yuri's pretty face lit up with a smile, and I opened the door to leave.

"I knew if we waited long enough, you would come out, hehe!"

A hand grabbed me, ripping me from my feet, and tossed me to the ground in the back alley.