Listle

  Sitting under a creaking bridge Listel tapped his fist against his palm jittering looking around for any signs of those who he’d run away from.

  “What are you doing?” A voice asked. Listle jumped and swirled expecting to see a knife, scarred marking and pointed toothed smiles.

  Instead he looked at a boy a few years older a sword sheaved at his side far too beig for him with shining blue jewels that looked far more valuable then a random child should be just carrying around. A bag was swung over his shoulder that seemed to be poorly closed.

  Listle opened and closed his mouth looking in all directions figuring the best way to escape.

  The boy tilted a head of blue hair shifting. He opened his bag.

  “Are you hungry?” He asked holding out a small loaf of bread. Listle’s stomach betrayed him by growling but he wouldn’t accept. The boy hummed and sat right next to him.

  “My name is Vendri. I have more so you can have this one.” The boy insisted putting it down next to Listle. “That looks like it hurts.” Vendri offered motioning to a few of his cuts and bruises.

  Listle really didn’t know how it came to be that he was sitting eating bread while a fellow child was wrapping him up in bandages.

  “Are you a healer?” He asked looking at the sword doubtfully. Vendri grinned at him.

  “My mother was. She had the talent, I’m just learning what I can. Indigo has been finding me things so I can learn.” He offered.

  “Indigo?” Listle asked softly. Vendri nodded.

  “Indigo is… She’s my family. Kind of like a sister, sort of like a mother. We’re figuring it out. She says family doesn’t have to make sense.” Vendri explained. Listle felt a bit of a twist in his chest of jealousy. Listle could say who his family might have been or if he’d even ever had one. Even those he ended up with latter never seemed to stick around long enough to truly be family.

  “Well there you go.” Vendri breathed. Listel looked at his bandaged leg and nodded. “I’ve got to go. Here you can have the rest.” Vendri breath dropping more bread in Listle’s lap. “How about we meet here again tomorrow. I’ll bring you more food.” Vendri offered. Before Listle could agree of disagree Vendri was off. Listle gaped shifting the large hat that hid his ears more securely on his head.

  Wasn’t he supposed to be the one people were afraid would compel of charm them in and out of everything?

  Listle was sure his supposed charm was nothing compared to this strange boy because here he was again when it was safer to be anywhere but when the kid might not even come back. Listle was just thinking about scurrying away when out of no where.

  “Hey, you’re here!” Vendri breathed ducking under. Vendri didn’t have the sword or bag today. He didn’t sit down this time. “I wasn’t able to bring food here. Indigo had a late night and she’s sleeping in. I thought that maybe we could hang out at the apartment we’re renting. It’s a lot warmer and drier there.” He offered holding out his hand. “I’ve got a dog and a bird they’re pretty cool.” He insisted.

  He shouldn’t. Couldn’t really.

  Yet once again here he was somehow giving in sitting at a counter dressed in warm clothing that were a little too big for him his bandages changed a cup of a warm drink in his hands. The air smelled like fish in the noisy market below and the dog was asleep at his feet. Her name was Ona. And he was eyeing the familiar bird that chittered near him affectionately with a new name Nosi.

  Listle jumped as the footsteps clattered down the stairs. A woman with a haphazard swirl of yellowy blonde hair on the top of her head braced herself on the stairs. Pale slits of purple narrowed on him like a cat watching a bird it was about to pounce on. Listle couldn’t breath for a moment everything in his body told him to run.

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  Then her gaze flicked to Vendri who sat unfazed.

  “Kid, whose the other kid.” She asked in a sigh.

  “His name is Listle and some bad men were after him.” Vendri voiced surprising Listle. How did he know that. Vendri’s smile though gaze nothing away and didn’t waver even as there seemed to be a battle of gazes between the boy and the woman.

  The woman hissed out what sounded like the start of an expletive and groaned. She rubbed her face and finished down the stared lifting something that thudded onto her shoulder. A large hefty carved stick.

  “These bad men. Do I have time to plan a fight or do we think they’re just going to show up outside?” She asked. Dropping the stick next to a chair she sat in to pull on boots. She didn’t bother to put on better clothing just tossed a jacket on over what she’d slept in. When Vendri shrugged her face pinched. But she leaned over grabbing up a jingling little purse.

  Listle looked back and forth between them not knowing what was happening anymore.

  “Why did I know this was going to happen?” She grumbled out. “You know you are exactly like your parents.” She shot at him and Listle didn’t think it was meant to be a compliment, but Vendri brighten immensely with the words. She tossed the purse onto the table and it skittered open showing coins.

  “Protection charms on both of you. No arguments. Get food and the kid… Listle clothing that actually fits him and shoes. If you don’t have enough there sell one of the collection.” She listed standing hefting the stick back over her shoulder. Her face grew more menacing glaring down Vendri. “If I find out you followed me. I will find a tower in the middle of no where and lock you in it.” She hissed out.

  Her tone was threatening. Listle thought it might just shake the room but Vendri shot back a cheeky grin.

  “Whatever you say Ma.” He breamed.

  “You little.” She groaned pinched the bridge of her nose. “I’ll be home in hopefully a couple hours. Behave, be safe.” She ranted then paused in the door glancing back at Vendri. Her face softened just a bit. “I love you kid.” She almost seemed to make a point to say. Vendri’s face became a bit mote serious.

  “Love you too.” He breathed back. And then she was gone the door clambering behind her. Vendri waited a few beats after she left to turn with a overly bright smile looking at Listle. “Welcome to the family. I always wanted a brother.” Vendri offered his lie almost touching both his ears.

  “Brother?” Listle asked.

  “Yeah. Family means a lot to Indigo. My parent accepted her as family and so she’s willing to give the same to others. She sees it as natural that if my parents would randomly bring home a nearly grown woman and start calling her their daughter then it makes sense that I would start to bring home those who need a family.” He offered motioning to the dog and the bird then smiling at him.

  Listle frowned.

  “I’m not a pet.” He grumbled.

  “I know that stupid, you’re a brother.” He taunted poking Listle’s forehead.

  Dressed in clothing that now fit him eating the food they’d brought home from the market Listle found himself sleepy. It was an active day. He now even had a bag that Vendri told him he could put his treasures in.

  He had a hair brush, things to take care of his teeth. Vendri had insisted that no matter what Vendri found interest in Indigo would help him learn it.

  Vendri talked a lot about Indigo. More so then anyone else. Though he brought up his mother and father every so often as well. From what Listle gathered Vendri’s mother was dead and his father for one reason or another was absent. Indigo was the only tangible family he had.

  It made Listle kind of want to trust Indigo.

  The door clattered open sharply and suddenly. The woman stepping through and tossed a bag she hadn’t had when she left onto the chair leaning her stick up against it. She walked over and dropped a box that smelled of savory meats in between them.

  “If you want some.” She offered gruffly.

  “Thanks Ma.” Vednri breathed. Indigo chuffed but leaned down and kissed Vendri’s forehead. Listel followed her every movement with his eyes. The she set her gaze on him again. This time though he thought it was less predatory and softer.

  “Those clothes fit you better. What’s with the hat though?” She asked him. Listle wrapped his arms around his head glaring at her. She leaned against the wall though seeming to have no intension of taking it. Indigo simply looked contemplative.

  “If your trying to hide that your fae that hat isn’t doing much.” She offered. Listle stiffened. Then something flew towards him he flinched and it clattered on the table in front of him. He blinked at the gnarled piece of metal. “It’s a glamour charm. It’s cuter then that hat.” She offered.

  Listle blinked and hesitantly took the charm. The metal was warm and it wasn’t actually gnarled, it was woven into the image of a tree.

  “Do I call you Indigo or Ma?” He asked hesitantly. The woman looked him over and her lips pulled into a smile.

  “I am a woman of many names call me whatever makes you feel secure. It won’t change the fact that I’m looking out for you.” She promised him. Then she pushed off the walls.

  “Well gremlin boy we move by the end of the week.” She informed them.

  “Did you break something again?” Vendri winced as if that was a common occurrence.

  “No. I didn’t break anything. But the attention from taking down a crime branch single handedly will get annoying.” She offered shrugging and sitting down in the soft backed chair.

  A crime branch? He glanced at the clock she’d only been gone for at the most five hours.

  “This time can we go somewhere with trees. I really prefer trees.” Vendri requested. Indigo hummed.