Seeing is Believing (17 page)

"Where are you taking me?" Asahi asked, deliberately not looking at their hands clasped together. He wasn't completely stupid, though. Nesfir was probably trying to take him into town. Shakartha.

"Away from your cabin," Nesfir answered, smiling a bit. "You can't stay hidden away here forever."

"That's none of your concern," Asahi bit out, yanking his hand away because he couldn't deliver sharp remarks and still hold onto Nesfir's rough, calloused, surprisingly warm hand.

"It is. You're one of my villagers now, and I'll look out for you because of it," Nesfir replied stubbornly, turning to face him. Asahi struggled to pick which part of that statement to attack—he wasn't a villager and he didn't need looking after like some reckless, impulsive teenager.

Nesfir grinned suddenly, and Asahi cursed him for the expression. The thoughts it evoked were not good for Asahi's peace of mind and were too distracting for him to properly snap at Nesfir.

"I can and will carry you," Nesfir threatened playfully, and Asahi immediately took a step back, putting more space between them.

"I can and will conjure itching powder in your pants," Asahi threatened before he could debate the wisdom of threatening the mayor of the town that was tentatively not running him out immediately.

Nesfir's mouth dropped open a little and Asahi crossed his arms defensively. Nesfir began to laugh though, and Asahi scowled and blushed because he hadn't meant it to be funny.

"Just come with me?" Nesfir asked, fighting a losing battle against a smile. Asahi sighed, scowling irritably. It was in his plan, at least, so conceding wasn't out of the realm of possibility.

"I'll feed you?" Nesfir bribed, and Asahi stared at him, refusing to be embarrassed. It wasn't his fault everything he tried to cook decided it would rather burn than be edible enough for him to consume.

"Fine," Asahi agreed reluctantly. Glancing back at his cabin for a moment, he wished for a moment he'd shut the door in Nesfir's face. Or that he had enough guts to eat his own bad cooking and risk food poisoning. Surely that was better than braving a town and people who would love dearly to see him gone.

*~*~*

Nesfir was failing miserably to contain his smile. He hadn't actually thought he'd succeed in getting Asahi to come with him to Shakartha. Not at any point in the near future anyway. Still, he had no qualms about using what little he knew of the defensive, skittish witch to his full advantage.

Asahi would be good for Shakartha, and Nesfir liked to think the people in Shakartha would be good for Asahi, too. Asahi was too resigned to them being afraid of him, or worse, outraged over him, just because he had the markings of a witch.

Even if they were the oddest markings Nesfir had seen. Not that he'd seen many, but they weren't usually as intricate as the dark blue mark that stretched across Asahi's left cheekbone. He'd never seen one of that color, either, and if he had less of a sense of preservation, he'd ask Asahi about it.

Maybe once he was settled. Nesfir's smile widened a little as he led the way through the woods. He ignored the way the low brush and fallen leaves rustled at his ankles and tugged at his pant legs, pushing through without much effort. It wouldn't take long for the village women to adopt Asahi. Nesfir could just let it slip that Asahi cooked worse than Helia did, and then he'd get enough food to feed him for a few years before he could protest.

Pausing as he left the trees, Nesfir glanced back at Asahi to make sure the witch hadn't gotten separated. Asahi had paused and was picking a burr off his sleeve. He made a face as he dropped it to the ground, and Nesfir made a note to make sure Asahi got paid in clothing at some point, provided he did manage to get Asahi working.

"Are you going to tell me why you're dragging me out here?" Asahi demanded, not looking at him as he looked for more burrs.

"I'm taking you to town," Nesfir reminded him. Asahi huffed, looking up flatly.

"I know that." Asahi stretched the words out slowly, as if he was talking to the village idiot. "But
why
?"

"Because you can't stay—"

"I can too," Asahi interrupted. Nesfir wanted a real smile. Something more than this defensiveness and anger and unhappiness. "Give me a real reason."

"Talk and walk," Nesfir directed, gesturing Asahi forward. Asahi didn't move, and Nesfir stifled a sigh. "Asahi."

"Give me a real reason," Asahi repeated, but stepped forward, dry leaves crunching beneath his feet.

"A real reason," Nesfir repeated thoughtfully, falling into step beside Asahi, who gave him a suspicious look but didn't say anything. "Because I'm doing my best to prove to you that we don't mean you harm. I let you stay in your cabin for a while, but that isn't helping and I'm afraid you're going to end up starving yourself because you won't leave. Because I want you to have a home here, and you're more likely to feel comfortable here if you know what's out there. Here. Shakartha isn't a big town, but it's home and I want it to be like that for you. How're those reasons?"

"Silly," Asahi dismissed, stumbling over a sudden flat bit of the path to Shakartha.

"Silly, but true," Nesfir replied lightly, pausing while Asahi recovered his pace. "The Cinades own this farm," Nesfir changed the subject as they approached the farthest meadow of the Cinades' farm. "They grow mostly wheat for bread and have a few milk cows."

Asahi glanced at him blankly, and Nesfir smiled a little, stepping into the thigh-high field of grass.

"Telhi makes a delicious bread twist with vegetables and bits of meat and her own homemade sauce. The recipe is a secret and the ingredients are never the same twice, but it's always delicious," Nesfir continued, making himself slow his stride as Asahi's steps slowed a little.

"So?" Asahi asked, peering apprehensively at the farmhouse that sat, short and squat, on the other end of the meadow.

"They've been looking to put a second well in, closer to the barn," Nesfir pointed off to the left, where the barn sat a good distance out. Past two large fields, Nesfir knew, though he couldn't see them clearly from where he was. "They have to carry water from behind the farmhouse to the barn to water their animals. Even in winter."

Asahi winced sympathetically, and Nesfir smothered a smile because Asahi wasn't as indifferent as he tried to seem.

"Your assistance with their well would probably get you fed for quite a few months," Nesfir finished. "There's water out that way, too, but there just hasn't been enough time or labor available for the project."

"I can't make the ground disappear," Asahi told him dismissively. "It would have to be dug out in any case."

"You can make stones for the sides. That lasts longer than wood and we wouldn't need to haul them from Risalka," Nesfir countered easily. He wasn't giving up that easily. Asahi gave him another blank look, and Nesfir wondered how he'd managed to get this far into the country without knowing any of the town or city names.

"Risalka is the city, three days to the south," Nesfir elaborated. "We usually have too much to cart back when we take a trip out that way to worry about stone for a second well."

Asahi shrugged, his eyes fixed on the farmhouse they were approaching.

"I can do a well," Asahi conceded thoughtfully.

"Good," Nesfir declared, grinning excitedly. He'd have to organize that quickly, both because it would soon get too cold to be doing much digging and because he didn't want Asahi to back out of it. Asahi gave him a suspicious look, but didn't say anything.

Nesfir picked up the pace, making Asahi walk faster. He briefly thought about stopping to say hello to Telhi and her husband, but dismissed it. Asahi would no doubt want to talk to as few people as possible, and once they actually got to town there would be plenty of curious people harassing them.

It wasn't a short walk to Shakartha from Asahi's cabin, but it wasn't too long either. Twenty minutes or so, Nesfir had judged, and it was a relatively easy walk. Asahi kept up without complaint, and Nesfir kept up a steady stream of idle chatter, doing his best to introduce Asahi to their surroundings.

They made it to Nesfir's house without incident. There was hardly anyone about this time of day as most of the villagers were busy helping with the harvest or involved in their afternoon activities. Still, there were enough people about that Asahi walked a little closer to him, and he seemed to stare steadfastly at the ground instead of looking around as he'd done during their approach.

Nesfir's house wasn't large. It never had been, but it was home and he liked it. He let Asahi in first, brushing by the conjurer when he paused inside the door. Giving Asahi a smile, he shut the door and gestured around the room.

"Make yourself at home," he offered, crossing the room to start tea. The house had two floors. The downstairs included the kitchen, a small eating area and a slightly bigger living area. Upstairs were two bedrooms; the one that had been his parents' before they died and the one he'd shared with his brother growing up.

Nesfir rummaged about quickly, dredging up the some fresh greens. Asahi looked like he could use a good meal or three, so Nesfir resolved to feed him something healthy. He heard the telltale creak that meant Asahi had sat in the chair closest the door, and Nesfir smiled briefly, setting the kettle near the banked kitchen fire.

"Tell me something about yourself," Nesfir requested, moving to start the fire again. He'd ask specific questions, but he was too wary of hitting on a topic Asahi would get defensive about. Most of the dozens of questions he had probably would, after all.

"What?" Asahi asked, and a quick glance over confirmed he was scowling. "Why?"

"Because I'm curious," Nesfir answered casually, smiling when a spark finally caught in the tinder. "And because I've been talking all morning."

"Nothing about you," Asahi accused, and Nesfir blinked, a little startled. Straightening, he tossed a bit of kindling on the fire before turning to face Asahi.

"What would you like to know?" Nesfir asked, hoping that Asahi wouldn't ask anything he didn't want to answer. Some things were better left in the past. Asahi gave him a surprised look, frowning thoughtfully.

"You've lived here your whole life?" Asahi fairly accused him, and Nesfir laughed.

"Yes. I was born here. In this house, actually," Nesfir replied easily, pointing to the upstairs. Asahi made a face, glancing up.

"Bedrooms up there?" He asked, more curious and less aggressive.

"Yes," Nesfir confirmed, giving Asahi an encouraging smile that only made Asahi roll his eyes. "Anything else?" He asked when Asahi fell quiet.

Asahi frowned, looking away for a moment, and Nesfir waited, curious.

"Where are your parents?" Asahi asked, glancing back at him with a carefully blank look. Nesfir smiled sadly, leaning on the tall counter that helped to separate the kitchen from the rest of the downstairs.

"They died, about five years back," Nesfir answered with only a hint of sadness in his voice. Asahi nodded, looking briefly uncomfortable before scowling again.

"My family is still alive," Asahi offered, glaring at Nesfir as though daring him to interrupt. "At home."

"That's something," Nesfir said, smiling at Asahi encouragingly. Asahi rolled his eyes again and Nesfir laughed, turning back to his food preparation. "Go on," he prompted over his shoulder, digging out the last of the bread Talli Harkis had baked the other day.

"I have parents," Asahi said dryly. "A mother and a father. Three sisters and two brother. Two older and three younger."

"Big family," Nesfir commented simply, searching the larder to find some of the fresh vegetables he'd gotten from yesterday's harvest work. He'd need to get out to the fields later this week, perhaps after they did the well.

"Hmm," Asahi hummed in agreement, falling quiet. Nesfir glanced over to find him staring out the window distantly and decided to risk a question.

"Do you miss them?" Nesfir asked, busying himself by starting a salad. Asahi didn't answer right away, staring for a moment longer before meeting Nesfir's eyes.

"When I'm not hating them, yes," Asahi answered candidly, and Nesfir nearly asked but held his tongue in time. Even if he was curious—perhaps they'd had something to do with Asahi coming here, where he was so obviously unhappy?

Asahi smiled wryly, crossing his arms. "They kicked me out."

"Really," Nesfir smiled back briefly.

"Yes," Asahi confirmed, rolling his eyes again. "I made a career choice they weren't pleased with, so they kicked me out. I don't know if they regret it, because I foolishly hopped the next ship this way and, well, that hasn't gotten me far."

"Career choice?" Nesfir asked, because that seemed the safest thing to ask. Pulling out a knife, he started to chop the dark green lettuce into rough chunks. Asahi smiled wryly, leaning back in his chair.

"It's complicated," Asahi muttered, his fingers moving to touch his cheek lightly. "It's not like it is here, with everyone hating witches. I went to school for it."

"Really," Nesfir looked up, his knife stilling. "There are schools for it?"

"Yes," Asahi answered, looking faintly annoyed. Probably at having to repeat himself. "Different schools for different types of magic. I went to a conjuring school. Two of my sisters went to sorcery school, and one of my brothers went to enchanting school."