Dual Wielders
The term dual wielding refers to when a single person has two different colors of essence within them. Both essences use the same reserve but they mostly have different arsenals. Though being born with two essences is not rare it is not that common for a dual wielder to use both essences during battle.
Part 8
Cyeen didn't have any words she could say. Did she misjudge this woman? She pushed that thought away immediately. No, I just saw what the commoners do. I can't trust one blindly. She reluctantly patted her back. This was a good time to use her for her personal gain. Cyeen pushed Súko away to meet her gaze.
"Were you not intending to provide a change of attire for me?"
Súko wiped her tears away and nodded. She didn't want this noble lady to stay in those damaged clothes. Cyeen watched the woman rummage through the clothes for a while. They were all thrown into the wardrobe instead of being folded. She couldn't make any sense out of that. Why wouldn't she fold them? I cannot be that hard. There were cracks in this room. Overall the house looked like a mess. Cyeen wondered why she didn't just hire some maids. Súko finally turned back to Cyeen with some spare clothes. Such an eyesore. Can't refuse a change of clothes though.
Kindness without clear ulterior motives spooked Cyeen a lot. This was one of the extreme cases. This woman scared her, no one could be this kind to a stranger. There was also a gap in her story. A non fighter taking down four trained bandits? She didn't buy it. She couldn't buy it. Trust was supposed to be gained by actions not some sob story which she couldn't even make sure was real. That's what she was taught. Cyeen looked down. The clothes looked terrible on her.
A drop of water. It was raining and the house was leaking. Truly a combination straight from hell. Cyeen had been staying in this house for longer than she anticipated and this was a sign. She wanted to leave as soon as she could but there were multiple things in her way. The first being her clothes being fixed by Súko and the other being the lack of money. She couldn't even get a ride let alone rent a carriage. She wasn't roaming around empty handed as well. There were some requests Súko had of her which she completed out of boredom. Although she tried ignoring it, Súko felt closer by the day. The woman approached her as soon as the rain ended.
"Hey, Cyeen... Flanner. Would you like to go outside for some tea?"
Cyeen looked at her dumbfoundedly. What now. She nodded, almost reflexively. This was a way her noble side showed itself. She had never turned down an event in her life. When her mouth didn't budge her head had simply taken it's place. She didn't want to be near this house anymore. The story behind it unsettled her. But she had agreed to it even though she didn't want to.
"Oh really? I thought you'd refuse. Well then, I'll be at the garden behind the house in about ten minutes. You can wait there right?"
"Yeah for sure."
Cyeen contemplated running away. But her curiosity got the better of her this time. What did this woman want to speak with her and what happened in these past two years?
Cyeen was sitting on a chair at the garden, waiting Súko. The woman soon made her enterance with a teapot in her hands. She poured the green tea into the fancy tea cups she'd brought. I guess Súko falls in the richer side of commoners. Súko sat across from her and began to speak.
"I don't think I can thank you enough, Cyeen. After a really long time I finally can speak with someone. I wish I had a gift worthy of your status, but this tea is all I got."
Cyeen bowed her head. She wasn't moved in the slightest but their closeness over these few days had made her revert back to how she normally talks.
"The gratitude should be mine. You endangered yourself by aiding me. Those wretched thieves could have turned on you instead."
Súko smiled warmly.
"No no, everyone would do what I did. It was just what felt right at the moment. I can guess we both hate bandits though for different reasons. But me helping you out wasn't purely out of kindness."
Cyeen lifted an eyebrow. She knew it, there was a motivation behind her actions.
"Then tell me. What precisely, compelled you to assist me?"
Súko looked in deep thought again.
"It's just... you reminded me too much of my sister. Your hair colors are similar. I called out to you because of that. I thought maybe she came looking for me. It's been years since I last saw her."
Cyeen's expressions remained flat.
"Hm, did you try looking for her?"
"Yes, yes I have. I'm just hoping nothing bad happened to her. I don't know if it was a coincidence but her disappearing happened close to the... attack."
Cyeen was now interested in the story. It's clear that those bandits had connections. She leaned back in her chair. She tilted her head a little.
"Concerning that day—how, exactly, did you manage to incapacitate four trained bandits? Any insight into how that came to pass?"
Súko averted her gaze.
"It's just as I told you; I blacked out and once I was back to my senses they were scattered all over my house without pulses."
Cyeen didn't look convinced, she felt this way a lot these past few days.
"You told me you didn't have any fighting experience as well. I find it weird for that reason."
"These past years I learned one thing: Not everything has to make sense. It's Lianite we're talking about, I'm sure weirder things happen on a daily basis. Enough of me, what about you? Why are you here, Cyeen?"
Cyeen took one last sip of her tea before putting it down gently.
"Well I-" she thought twice before talking about anything important. "don't have much of a reason unlike you. My mother and I got into a big argument and I decided it was best if I took a stroll out. I of course was not expecting an aggressive duo of scoundrels."
Súko giggled. She liked the way Cyeen described the bandits. Is she laughing at me, thought Cyeen, who was visibly annoyed. Súko quickly stopped giggling.
"Oh I wasn't laughing at you I swear, it was just your preference of words I found funny."
Cyeen scoffed.
"I've been told I have a unique sense of humor so it's understandable you have found it funny."
Súko had her own doubts.
"But I gotta ask, why are you really here, Cyeen? You don't strike me as someone who leaves home over an argument."
The woman was more insightful than Cyeen gave her credit for.
"You caught me. I gotta admit, that was merely a part of the full story. There was a second reason for me to leave my house. Simply put, I felt suffocated among all the nobles and duties."
Súko looked at her with a hint of envy in her eyes. How hard could a noble's life be? All they do is organize tea parties. She thought.
"I see, I'm glad you opened up to me. I'd love to listen to the stories of a noble if you are willing to tell me."
That sentence caused the air to soften a little allowing them to converse for at least half an hour or precisely four cups of tea. Cyeen of course didn't forget to make some snarky remarks in between topics. She just couldn't shake off her nature. The woman in front of her was actually rubbing on her. This could maybe be the only time she was actually having fun talking to someone. But it had to come to an end as Suko got up and opened her mouth one last time.
"I want to thank you once again for going along with my requests. As I said, it's been long since I've had a one on one conversation."
Cyeen just smiled in response. What do you even expect me to reply to this with? She got up aswell and followed Súko inside the house.