Littered Of Scars

"…"

"…"

"What… are you saying?" She whispered as the spark of fire licked the wood.

"You know what I mean," Her brother sighed, "Do you think your requirements are too harsh on our people? Things are different now. Best you change as well."

"But-"

"The full moon is upon us soon, my dear sister," the Sun God cupped her face, "I worry for you."

The look her brother had was similar to the look when she was dying in his arms. Tired eyes filled with fear, the Sun God do not wish to lose his sister again. He had tried to keep the people loving her when she fell asleep. But when her chosen had died fending off an entire city, from attacking another, he felt it in every ray of his sun.

Change was coming.

"Brother," his sister's voice broke him out of his train of thought.

Purple eyes searched his face with furrowed brows and he offered a smile.

"I will find one. I promise. The end of the full moon, I will mark one. Even if they may not meet my requirements, it will happen. Do not worry, brother."

Ah, there was his sister. Nodding, he placed a kiss to her forehead before standing. Saying his goodbyes, he left down the hill with another pair of golden eyes watching him.

"Sir Torrence," Moon walked toward the fire and the scarred skinned man looked at her, "Thank you for the fire."

Torrence nodded and turned back to where the man left to find no one there. Furrowing his brows, he wondered who that man was and why did it look like they were lovers? Turning back to the female before him, he saw her eyes staring at him.

"The fish smells good."

He nodded.

"Have you been to Northham, Sir Torrence?"

He nodded again.

"Sir Clete was upset when I told him I'd go there. Do you know why?"

Moon waited before sighing and dropping her shoulders. She looked over at Lula who was staring at her like her owner. She smiled, petting the horse as she thought of her woodland creatures. She missed them dearly.

"The leader."

Her eyes widened and she looked to see Torrence was turning the fish on the stick over the fire.

"What… about the leader? I have never been there or know anything about Northham. If you are comfortable, please tell me."

"The leader's name is Eddrick Griffin. Promiscuous. Does not know how to lead. There is no leader in Northham."

"Mm, I see."

A roasted fish was handed to her and she thanked him. The sound of the flickering wood and the snore from Lula was all that sounded in the night. She ate slowly and thought about what Torrence had just told her.

A city with no leader.

A man with the title but had none of the qualities.

How did that even happen and why was Eddrick the leader if he did not fit the role?

"His parents were the leader before him," Torrence seemed to know what she was thinking, "They wanted the lineage to continue."

Nodding her head, she could understand why Eddrick Griffin was given the role. However, she wondered if anyone had fought to be a leader themselves or possibly overthrow the man. She had seen it before many centuries ago. The people rioting, revolting against their unfit leader. She wondered if the time was that much different than before.

"Were you… sent there?" She questioned quietly not really expecting him to speak up, but he did.

"Yes," he nodded and pointed to the scar on the right arm, "Stabbed."

She got up and quickly went around the fire to kneel beside Torrence. Touching the scar he pointed out, she could tell it was a deep stab wound. Her fingers moved to touch another scar, this one at his neck.

"Cut."

She touched the ones littered on his calloused hands.

"Blisters from burn."

She touched the on his abdomen.

"Stab."

She touched the left arm where a long-jagged line sat.

"Stab and cut open."

Her fingers trembled but she wanted to know about more. She touched his chest over the small scar.

"Stab."

"It is small…"

"Needle."

Her eyes teared up and she placed her head on his shoulder.

"All from Northham?" She whispered.

"No. Many people. Many cities."

Poor Torrence had gone through a tumultuous amount of pain and she wasn't there to help him. People like Torrence, the people in Baystall, Winterhallow, and everyone living in the land of Nevrisea… Did many of them gone through this pain too?

"I am sorry, Sir Torrence," she whispered and wiped her eyes, "You have gone through a lot of pain."

The golden eyed man blinked at her. She was… crying… for him? It made him feel weird and his heart was beating wildly. He didn't want to make Moon cry. He didn't want to make anyone cry. He hoped he wasn't going to get beat again. Wait… no. He was fine.

He had no master. He was no longer a slave.

He took a deep breath and stared up at the moon.

"No need to cry, Miss Moon. My Goddess had taken care of me."

That only made her cry harder. She covered her face and shook her head. That wasn't true. She did not take care of him. She was too busy sleeping! She didn't protect him. She didn't protect anyone!

"That man who was here," Torrence spoke slowly and hesitantly, "Who was he?"

"My brother," she whispered and lied down on her side, "He worries for me."

Torrence stared at the female for a moment.

'Brother… That is good…' he thought before his eyes widened, 'W… What am I saying?'

He quickly turned to look at the fire and took a deep breath. He looked at the many scars on his body and his mind drifted to all the pain he had gone through. Even when he was hurting, he forced himself not to cry. He would pray instead for the Moon Goddess to protect him. All the pain he endured and things that happened to him, he knew in his heart there was meaning to it.

His Goddess was listening. His Goddess would protect him.