Chapter 175: The Talk

"What do you want, Hunter Liv?" It was Swift, she rounded Ned and moved in front. She stood in between the two, cloak held on her arms, and gave Liv a wary look under the holes of her mask. Steam shut out under her mask. She uses a variety of masks, sometimes a single hole, double, or tiny holes. Her voice muffled big, which made Liv took a step backward. How could they not see her under the mask? Yes, the curves were gone by the leather coat she was wearing, and a fitting male trouser. But, still, the feminine side was there. Her movements were counted, and sometimes it was too obvious. Perhaps, Ned was keen eyes than the other.

"I-I," he said, a trail of tense between his words. "Swift, he—that dumb outlander broke the stone, Swift! Why are you with him?"

"We're talking about trade, hunter Liv," Ned said. This guy won't leave them. Perhaps, he would understand the meaning of civility in terms of trade. "And I won the stone. I own it, I can do whatever I want with it. So, do you mind?"

"Not a fraction," Liv said, turning around, eventually. Hissing along the way. "I'll be watching you, Outlander." Two fingers pointed on both eyes and to Ned, a threat it is.

Raindrops frizzled on their shoulders. Liv left together with three men, hunters. Might be his Companions, as Ned saw Liv hissing on one of them.

"Thank you," Ned said, resting a hand on Swift's shoulder.

In return, Ned was answered by Swift almost jumping away from him.

"Don't touch me," Swift said, eyes, under the black mask, cast down on the ground. A tiny pond she fond of perhaps. But no, she seemed anxious with her legs fidgeting. "No, I mean, yes. You can touch me, Ned."

There, she said it, and Ned was silent for a moment. Scene of his dreams with Sasani spread over him transitioned inside his mind. These were the events Ned wasn't familiar with handling. Aside from Kamma, there were none who made his genetically enhanced heart to beat like a clap of roaring thunder. But it seemed that he might feel the heat sooner than he had expected. He wasn't dumb or numb about this kind of thing. It's just that, Ned had a different goal at the moment.

Sasani's words echoed inside his mind like a sound inside a cave stretched a thousand miles.

You can touch me, Ned thought, an echo. Can touch me, touch me, me—no.

[I would suggest running your finger behind her head and snap to pull her hair.]

[That way, she could feel the intensity of her words.]

Ned wasn't sure if ICE was being sarcastic or blunt.

"Eh!" Swift exploded. The words must have drained all the strength inside her. She wobbled on her feet, almost clutching Hunter's board alongside her. "No! That's not what I mean!" Her voice was highly tensed, probably blushing without the mask.

Ned cooled off, he couldn't respond. Swift was a lady, and her mind was a maze-like labyrinth of Tartarus. One wouldn't know what to expect at every turn. So Ned, being a man he once was, remained silent. Not a nod or a smile. Better this way, Ned thought.

"Here," Swift said, stretching her hand to give Ned his cloak. "Thank you, for saving me, and sorry for being so weak."

Ned reached for the cloak. The cloak in black shimmered like a reptile's scale under the lonely streak of light. The rain was there for a reason, the climate in Bogblot was unpredictable. There was more rain in Bogblot than in the Island of O'rriadt, even while the latter was way below the map.

"You are not," Ned said. "You held on your own, that alone is more than enough for you to be commended, Sasani."

"You talk like an officer on my father's army," Swift replied. The blush was there under her tensed voice. "Let's go."

"Where?" Ned said, a frown above his eyes.

"To eat, and talk about something."

Ned nodded, and Swift led the way.

They strode along with other people under the rain. The rain was calm with no thunder, it was eerily calm. Like the calm before the storm.

Swift wore her usual self, leather in black, boots cut high accomodating the puddles of water of Sudden Plate. The mask was connected with a leather strap that locks both her face and the strings that clasped her hair. She turned over her shoulder, she nodded like a man, suggesting Ned to follow her.

Ned slung the cloak, Lady Darcey gave him, over his shoulders. He wore the cloak with a regal formality, it made Swift turned over her eyes once again to look at Ned. Who wouldn't? Ned was clad in a black tunic, one button undone to show a piece of garment under his chest. His trousers black, and boots black. Now, he has the cloak, also black. The sky was black, and he moved like a shadow: stealthy and precise. Silver hair flap against the wind.

Briefly, Swift withdrew meeting Ned's eyes. "We're almost there," she said, coughing. Her eyes in the distance at a building, coiling with vines that looked like iron, leaves that looked like iron: thin and sharp.

Seeing that the front of the building was bustling with people, they turned into an alley, squared the double-story building, and proceed using the back door. There, stood a man in Hunter's clothing, black leather, with a symbol slapped over his chest. A spear and shield over white. A House symbol.

The man lifted a chin, he nodded in response to Swift's waving gesture. The man in sleek black hair and line jaw took a sidestep. Letting Ned and Swift proceed inside the building. The hunter guard throws a gaze at Ned before nodding. It seemed that Swift was here quite often.

The two turned to a passage that connects the front of the house and the kitchen. The inside was lavished with banners hanging over the railings of the square room. Tables affixed on the wooden floor, hunters with unknown rank filled the room without a single space to sit on. Besides the banner were weapons hung against the wooden wall, some were rusty, some were shining, swords, bows, and weird blades.

Swift turned to her right, above the stairs leading to the second floor. Arriving, there, tables lined just like at the bottom floor, servers both male and female puffed air as they took orders from the eager customers. The guests were hunters, but the second floor was filled with mages with their robes hung over the floor. Swift took another turn after entering the wide room. Ned followed, and she sat at the very corner of the lavish room. It was far from the other guests, making the table vacant only for VIPs.

Ned sat across Swift over a rounded table, they took turns looking at each other. "Why the mask?" Ned asked, leaning forward, breaking the silence. "What does it mean? Why do you hide?"

"I have asked many times myself," Swift said, "my mask reserves my self. Besides, it gives me the ability to adapt."

Ned sat back, thoughtful. Ability to adapt, huh. "Does your father know?"

"No," she said, shaking head.

"Then, Twali?" Ned said.

"Yes, he knew, apparently," she replied. "Twali's very loyal to my father. He didn't tell my father, yet. But, soon, eventually, he will abide by his Oath."

"What are you doing there?" Ned asked, "in the settlement. And, the day before the raid, I sensed you there. Why?"

"Yes, I saw you indeed," she said, "it was a coincidence, but my favor, that time, was greater toward my team. They need me and, I needed to... "

She trailed off, looking at the server coming toward them. Swift gestured, raising a hand regally, meaning to wait for more time. The server bowed and turned to leave the two. Light affixed against the wall—inside a stone, wasn't rough, but smooth and shiny—it was yellow and warm, making the scene peaceful. Sprouting plants behind Swift, and Ned inside a vase of clay. Far from Ned's behind, was a balcony, showing the sky with its gloomy rain.

"I needed to," Swift said, sat back, and looked at the horizon behind Ned. He wore masks, yet, Ned could feel the desperation behind. "To prove myself to my father and my House. But now, Ned... "

Ned leaned forward, silver hair flapped across his forehead. "But?" He said.

"But," She said, the voice was pinched between her throat. "You saw me naked, haven't you?"

Ned coughed, wasn't the word he expected. But... "Yes," he said, no way to lie around. He saw her. Her body, her curves, her eyes shut off yet ambiguous pretty. "Why? During that time, I do not think much of it. We are surrounded. You, Rickart our Rouge, and I. We're surrounded, so I—"

"Marry me, Ned."

"Eh?"