Title: Everything’s Different
Genre: Fantasy
Writing Prompt/Inspiration: Another scene for my really big idea. Takes place after “The Sahar House”, but before “Celestial Gold”. I’m not entirely sure what the story wanting to be told here is, so I’m just writing scenes as they come to me, hoping that eventually I can find the plot and piece together the scenes. This picks up from “Everything’s Different, part 1“ and “Everything’s Different, part 2”
* * *
Noa slid her arm through Seth’s and followed him through the main room. There were no pinches on her bottom this time, but the leers and jeers remained the same. Noa felt Seth tense and she stood on tiptoe to whisper into his ear.
“Let it go,” she said to him, “tis not worth it.”
He didn’t relax, but he didn’t retaliate on any of the patrons either.
Once inside his room, Noa remained standing against the door while Seth paced for a moment before plopping onto the bed. Seth held his head in his hands muttering to himself and Noa could not help but giggle a little.
“This isn’t a joke, Noa,” Seth murmured from behind his hands.
“Never said it was,” Noa replied, smiling.
Seth looked up from his hands and cocked his head to one side quizzically, “Why are you standing by the door?” He gestured to velvet burgundy chair against the wall, “Sit.”
Noa untied the black ties of her cloak, shaking the brown fabric off of her shoulders. She slung the cloak over the back of the chair and took a seat.
“What are you wearing?” Seth asked looking at Noa’s attire.
Noa looked down at her clothes. She wore loose brown trousers and a very worn, dirty white tunic shirt. The shirt was obviously a man’s shirt, but Noa had cinched it around her waist with a black leather belt. She shrugged as she looked from her ensemble back to Seth.
“Clothes,” she answered.
“They’re men’s clothes,” Seth pointed out.
Noa remained silent.
Seth sighed as he realized whose clothes she was wearing. “They’re Arctic’s clothes.”
“I left in a hurry. Arctic always kept two packed bags near the door and I grabbed his by mistake. With Braeden…” Noa hesitated for a moment, “I didn’t have time to check which bag was which.”
Rising from the bed, Seth moved and knelt in front of Noa placing a hand on her knee. “You did good, kid. You got away.”
“I’m not a kid,” Noa murmured.
Seth grinned, “Sure you are. You’ll always be the little girl we all took care of. “
Noa shot Seth a pointed look, “You’re only two years older than me.”
“Still older,” Seth teased. “Besides, I was a clan member. You were just the daughter of the clan leader.”
“Onan is not my father.”
“Sure, sure,” Seth replied. “I’m not going to lecture you about Onan.” He stood up and stretched and walked toward the small chest of drawers in the room and pulled out a crisp, clean white tunic shirt. Turning around he tossed it at Noa, “I’ll have the chamber maid fill the bathing pot and bring up some wine and wash your clothes. You’ve had a long journey. A bath and some wine will relax you.”
Noa nodded and looked around the room awkwardly for a moment. “Where will you be?” she asked softly.
Seth laughed, his golden brown eyes sparkling, “We used to bath together, you know.”
Noa’s emerald eyes widened in horror and Seth only laughed harder.
“Relax, Noa,” he said between laughing breaths. “I’m going downstairs. I’ll have some ale, a little dinner and I’ll knock before I come in. I’ll ask the chamber maid to bring a bed pallet. You take the bed; I’ll take the pallet.”
“You’re a terrible tease,” Noa replied attempting to sound irritated.
“It’s what brother’s do: tease their sisters.”
“You remember that?” Noa asked.
“Of course,” Seth answered with a smile as he left the room.
