Young Writers Society

Chapter 22: Role Reversal

Something had happened between the humans that Dinny didn't really care to figure out, but she stumbled upon it anyways in her search for the mage and the cowboy who murdered her chief.

And somehow she stumbled onto more blood and bodies than she expected. In all fairness, she wasn't expecting to find any at all. The smell seeped into the forest floor, where plants were kicked up, crushed, and uprooted from a scuffle of hooves and feet. She knew those kind of tracks anywhere. Goblins didn't ride horses like humans did, and frankly, the beasts scared her. As a small goblin, they towered over her, and she knew one kick from their hooves would be all it could take to kill her.

Needless to say, she was glad the horses were gone. A few human bodies remained - a sight she was used to seeing in skirmishes between humans and goblins, but she didn't often stumble upon the carnage of a fight among their own people.

She knew humans had their own problems. Their own cities and people groups. All of these complex problems like goblins did. But almost all she ever got to witness from them was violence.

Hopefully, she'd be able to solve one of those problems when she caught up to the mage and the cowboy.

She followed tracks that led deeper into the forest - away from Ruddlan, and closer to camp. Her people. She needed to catch up to them before that happened. Whether the direction of their travel was intentional or accidental, it didn't matter. She needed to find them first.

Fortunately, she got lucky.

A small campfire was dying out, but it was just enough light to spot through the thick of the trees and it drew her near. On light feet she padded through the forest, keeping low to the ground and staying in the shadows. She'd done this so many times she didn't even make a sound. Sneaking was what she was born for. That's what her sister always told her.

She stayed still in the cover of a bush by the base of a tall tree, and squinted in the dark at the two humans, and their horses, who were thankfully on the other side of the little clearing. Dinny didn't want to deal with horses and their hypersensitivity to anything that breathed.

The woman - the mage - was walking over to the man, who was lying on the ground. He had bandages around his back and arms, and it looked like he was in a lot of pain. At least, that had to be assumed. It wasn't like she could get a clear view of his face.

The woman, though, she caught a glimpse of in the dying firelight, and it was the same face of the woman she'd tried to reason with back on the farm. The one who couldn't understand her. The one who probably would've killed her if she had the chance - and she had a lot of chances - and still didn't.

She couldn't understand it.

That was, until she remembered Olir, and how he passed so quickly, with hardly a chance to say goodbye. Revenge. That was what this was about.

Her ears perked up when the woman spoke. She was speaking quietly, but Dinny was just about to make it out.

"How are you feeling?"

Dinny couldn't understand the man on the ground. His voice was so low and quiet he might as well have growled. Except, he was probably too weak to do something like that.

"That's really not convincing, you know."

The woman knelt down beside him, and the man muttered something else. Then she grabbed his shoulder and sat him up, and helped him to his feet.

It was at that moment that Dinny realized this was her opportunity. Kill them now. She would be congratulated. She could leave this camp and go back home to her sister. She could prove herself, taking down a mage all by herself.

Right?

Something kept her feet glued to the ground. Now wasn't the time to freeze, and yet, there she was. Frozen as she watched the woman relocate the man to a tree, and wrap him a blanket. Finally, the man's face was facing her, and she was able to make out the expression.

He might've still been breathing, but he looked dead in the eyes. If she didn't know she was hidden in the dark, she would've thought he was staring right through her.

She took a step back.

"Did you hear something?" the woman turned in Dinny's direction. Oh no. She messed up. Her one chance, and she blew it.

Was this what she wanted? To fail again? It was expected of her. No one would be surprised.

But no one had to know. It was a silly little dream of vengeance and being a hero.

"Stay here," the woman told the man, but by the time she reached Dinny's hiding place, Dinny was already gone.

----------

"There's nothing here," Clandestine said, her voice just above a whisper. She could've sworn she heard something.

"You probably scared it off," James said quietly.

Clandestine swirled her head back around to him and frowned. "I don't think it was an animal."

She watched as James's gaze traveled to the horses. They didn't look that nervous, but a lot of things could escape a horse's senses. And apparently James's too. Not that Clandestine could blame him. He still looked terrible, and she still felt guilty, even after all the things he said about it not being her fault. Those were probably just things he felt like he had to say to make her feel better.

Clandestine sighed and crouched by the tree, poking around the bush. As if on cue, the fire finally died, and any hint of light was gone. Now all she had was the moonlight, which wasn't exactly doing her any favors with where it was casting shadows.

It took a minute for her eyes to adjust, and she waited.

At first, all she could see was bush. Normal bush. But when she pushed away some branches, there were prints. Small ones. She leaned in closer, sticking her head in the bush to try and figure out what shape they were exactly. Small. Flat footed. Three toes.

A goblin?

She backed out of the bush, drew her sword, and spun slowly on light feet as she scanned the forest. She paused when she saw James starting to get up. Her eyes shot to him, wide, and piercing, as a warning.

"Stay," she whispered through her teeth.

James froze, but he didn't look like he was going to listen. She was beginning to think he was always like this. Taking care of himself, even though she could protect him.

... If only she could've proven that, though.

Stupid plan. Stupid goblins. Stupid Clandestine. Stupid, stupid, stupid.

After checking around their camp again Clandestine found nothing. Wherever the goblin went, it wasn't nearby, but that wasn't exactly reassuring. They could always come back when they went to sleep, which probably meant no more sleeping for the night, knowing James. He would rather risk sleep deprivation than death, but technically, couldn't both lead to death? Maybe she should bring that up at some point. She, for one, was feeling exhausted.

She sheathed her sword and plopped down on the ground with a sigh. James had gone back to sitting. Thank gods.

"Goblins," she finally said.

She imagined him nodding. In reality he stayed still. But he did speak.

"What are the odds?"

Clandestine stared at him. He didn't smile, and he didn't laugh, but that felt like a joke. As a very delayed reaction, her mouth twitched into what was meant to be a smile but felt like a grimace. She didn't know why. She looked down at her boots and tugged one of the laces.

"You probably want to leave again, don't you?"

"I thought you were against that."

Clandestine looked up at him. His eyes were barely open.

"Well, yeah," she said, lowering her voice. "You still don't look so good."

"Mmh."

"Is that supposed to be you agreeing with me?"

James let out a pained noise that was somewhere between a wheeze and a groan.

"I never know how to respond when someone tells me I look terrible," James said. "Should I say thank you?"

Clandestine started at him again, and she found her expression softening into a small smile.

"I guess you can take anything as a compliment if you want to," she chuckled.

"Thank you."

Clandestine paused and looked at him for a second. He was grinning.

"You're really out of it, aren't you," Clandestine snorted.

"What if we stayed just a little longer," he said. "It's only been an hour, and I don't think you've sat down for longer than five minutes."

"What? Noooo. Lies." Clandestine crossed her arms and shook her head, aware that she was over-acting. "I sat down for a long time when I dug the bullet out of your back! That counts."

James closed his eyes. "Don't remind me."

Her grin fell. "I... sorry. I was just joking."

James opened his eyes again and let out a heavy sigh. "You're fine. So was I. I'm just... tired."

Clandestine nodded, and dipped her head towards the ground, playing with her shoelace again.

"Do you want to try sleeping?"

"I don't think I can."

She nodded. She understood. Silence settled between the two of them as she focused on her shoelace and twisted it around her finger over and over. Around, unwound, and back again. She stopped when she heard Billy snort to her left. He was fine. Just... shaking his head.

He was tired too.

"You know," she started. "...You never really did explain why you were wanted an all. And all the names."

James was quiet, but she wasn't surprised. She kept going.

"I guess I'm just still confused is all."

She looked back down at her shoe as she waited for his answer, but prepared herself for something confusing. Hiding behind his words like he always did. Somehow saying so many things without saying anything.

She found herself waiting what felt like a really long time before he said anything, and each passing second felt like a sign. He was going to get mad again. He was going to leave her again. She knew it. She knew it.

"Sorry," he said slowly. "I was just... thinking."

Clandestine held her tongue.

"I haven't really had to put it all into words before," he said. "I... I don't think I ever have."

What?

"What I mean to say is, I just need a second. There's a lot to sift through."

Finally, Clandestine looked back up at him, hoping to meet his eyes. He was looking at the ground, though. Ironically, he was also looking at her shoes. A good staring place.

"My name is James Hawke," he said. "That's the name I was given when I was born, but the amount of people who know me as that name now I can count on one hand." He squinted.

Clandestine scooted closer, locking her eyes on him. He huffed through his nose.

"It's a little complicated."

"I don't mind complicated."

James looked at her with his usual dead-eyed face but she felt like there was something behind it. She wished she knew what.

"Okay. But when I feel strong enough to get up, we're moving again."

Clandestine nodded emphatically.

"I'm listening!"

James took in a deep breath.

"I..."

Clandestine held her breath in anticipation.

"... am ready to go now."

Clandestine stared wide-eyed as James stood up with a pained expression, but a glint of mischief in his eyes. Clandestine found herself stuttering non-words as she jumped to her feet in front of him. Anger rushed to her face.

"James!"

He started laughing. He was actually laughing.

She froze in confusion as she watched him sway on his feet and hunch over, leaning onto the tree. She was torn between feeling bad that he was in pain and pounding him with her fists.

"I'm sorry," he started sputtering. "I'm sorry, gods, god--" And, he was coughing up blood.

She put an arm around his shoulders.

"James, you can't just push yourself for a joke, you're seriously hurt," she scolded. Normally he was... pretty reasonable. This felt weird. Was he okay?

James coughed again, and took in a sharp breath.

"But really, I can't - you can't just-" she huffed.

"I'm sorry," he wheezed again. "I swear, I'll actually tell you I just saw the opportunity and I couldn't --"

A gunshot rung out through the forest.

Clandestine's eyes went wide as she watched James stumble back a step, and he collapsed to the ground, limp. Her vision went black.

No. No. No. No!

"James! What--"

A net twisted around her head and her arms, and weights brought her to the ground, tucking under her legs. She kicked. She screamed, and she heard footsteps approaching as she wriggled against the ropes.

A small man in shining armor appeared standing over her, and he met her eyes with cold indifference.

Fire burned in her chest, and then the world went dark.