Took a deep breath and nearly jumped out of the bed with wide eyes. The pain made me hold my chest and groan. I fell back and closed my eyes in an attempt to make my body stop hurting. I was wearing white pants, but no shirt. My light brown hair was a complete mess and the marks of sheets were around my body. "How much time did I stay here? What is this place?" It was a common room, wood walls, uncomfortable bed and very simple furniture.
The room was dim, but light got in through a window, illuminating the room to an extent and making it possible to see some particles of dust wondering around. The sound outside showed that it was still in the city. Voices, steps, wheels of caravans. It was obviously not the center, but had quite the activity. "Crow!" I called him, but there was only silence. I tried again, but the answer was the same.
"Where in heavens is he?" People heard my struggle and the door soon openned. A woman, between 16 and 20 years old, was wearing a long dress made of wool. She had definetly come from a peasant family as her clothes were made of wool.
Her expression showed that she wasn't expecting me to be awake. She ran back inside and kept looking at the door. I didn't have crow with me, neither I had the power to fight. My face contorted, but I used my strength to push me up and sit down.
I needed time to breath and regain courage to move again, but the woman arrived again with an old man. He had an unshaved brown beard, but the few threads of hair were already white. He was different from her, she had long black hair tied back.
"It seems like you woke up" The old man sounded worried "I was afraid you wouldn't". I frowned and looked at him with weary eyes. He turned to the girl and kindly spoke to her "Bring us water and something to eat, please" She nodded and headed to the kitchen.
He walked to me and I noticed that he was nearly limping. I looked down to see he didn't have a feet, it was replaced by a piece of wood. "I know you must be tired and might still be in pain, but you need to understand that I need to put the safety of my family aboe anything else" He had told the lady an excuse for her to leave us. I raised my brows and looked upt to him.
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Right in front of me, his face looked serious. "Tell me, young man. What happened to you?" There was a second of silence in the room. "I wish I knew. When I woke up I was already here" He stared into my eyes to discern truth from lie. "We carried you here, but that's not what I'm asking. My grandson found you in the street in the middle of the night, bleeding and unconscious".
"I see.. so Crow transported me out of there and put me here" How Crow had helped me was the only thought that came across my mind. The old man saw that I didn't give him an answer. "There have been many attacks in the city these days after the danmed show of lights in the middle of the night. I will ask you already. Are you going to do our family any harm? Do you have a place to come back to?"
"No". The answer was quick and hit the old man with surprise "No?". I repeated after a small pause "No". He understood that it was the same for both questions and sighed. He was about to say something, but we were interrupted by the young woman.
"This is my granddaughter, Quinn" She was a beauty and I did understand why he felt the need to protect them. I gave him a serious nod and he nearly formed a smile, but stopped halfway through it.
She didn't seem to understand as her eyes wondered between me and the old man. He pulled the chair to sit near the small table by the window. "Can you stand to get here?" I wish I could have said yes, but I wasn't sure with all that pain "I hope so"
The old man was very cold, but his granddaughter looked concerned. I struggled, but managed to get stand up.
--- P.O.V. of Bertrand ---
It was a complete failure. My house was turned to ashes and most of my men were dead. "Fuck!" I cursed to the heavens as I moved my hand to rub my forehead and clean the sweat. I no longer had the other arm.
"That fucking demon took off my arm! I will have him serve me!" My face as red with rage and I was trembling. I was in that inn room in the middle of the city, among the peasants and that was humiliating.
Bang. The window closed itself and I looked around as the temperature dropped to the point in which I could see my own breath. "Who is there!?" I shouted and the room started to become darker. A presence could be felt all around, exerting pressure.
"Do you want a new arm?" I jumped back up, prepared to fight when I heard the voice echoing. "Or perhaps you want a new house?" The voice continued, feeling closer to me every second. "Oh I know what you want"
"And I can offer it to you" There was a small pause, but I awaited for it to continue. "You want power to control everything around you and I will give it to you"