September Surprise Story Week: Tristan continued: The Brotherhood Collection: 1004 words

[k_a_webb]

See the beginning of this story here (LJ link).
See the second part of this story here (LJ link).
See the third part of this story here (LJ link).
 

“I honestly don't think I could have,” Kara said, and Tristan saw the look in her eye she always had when she talked about that night. Seeing it always made him think that she hadn't told him the whole truth. “If I talk to Mim's brother maybe I can finally come to terms with what happened. It's something I need to try, at least, even if he doesn't understand why I had to do what I did.”

“Do you know where he lives?”

“I checked it out online.” She shrugged. “I've been thinking about this for a long time, Trist, and his address has been in my notebook for the last year. Every so often I get it out, look at it, and think that I can't possible travel all that way to talk to him. It wasn't until I looked at it tonight that I knew I was ready to do it.”

“Kara, I'm really not happy about you going anywhere by yourself.”

“We both know I can look after myself.”

“That won't stop me from worrying.” Tristan sighed, knowing he needed to do what was best for her rather than keep her trapped if she really needed to leave the house. “Are you sure that he's definitely at the address you found?”

“I can't know for sure. Not until I look for myself.” She smiled at him. “I understand why you're worried, and I worry about it too, but if I don't go then all I'll do is wonder.”

“How do you plan on keeping yourself safe?”

“Tristan...” Kara shook her head. “You're being overprotective.”

“I know I am. It's my job.”

“Fine. I'm going to travel as a fox, because it will be safer than travelling as a human. When I get to the house I'll ring you to let you know I'm alive, okay?”

“I guess so.” Tristan tried not to sound upset, but he was and he'd never been very good at hiding his emotions. “Just be careful.”

Kara was the only person in the house that Tristan could truly say was his friend. He knew what the others thought of him. It wasn't exactly hard to see the... he didn't think it was quite dislike but it was getting that way. Not having any powers meant he wasn't one of the Millennium children and yet he was still in charge of the house. When he looked at Lucas, who was easily the strongest male in the house, it was obvious that Lucas wanted to take over control. Tristan was just waiting to see what happened. A normal person would probably talk to him. The Millennium children were not normal, which meant that nothing was predictable.

“I'm sorry, Tristan.”

“What for?”

“This is going to be hard for you and I know that. I just don't think that there's anything else I can do right now.” She sighed. “While I'm gone I want you to be careful too. Sometimes I wish I could look you in this room and keep you safe.”

Tristan raised an eyebrow. “I don't need keeping safe.”

“We both know that's not true. You're not one of us, which automatically means you're permanently in danger. There's no way you can protect yourself if anything happens.” Kara bit her lip. “That's why I made this.” She put her hand under the desk and pulled out a stone. “I managed to, after a lot of experimentation, make this stone hold a shield. When you hold it you should automatically be surrounded by a shield of my power, which should be strong enough to keep you safe no matter who you're hit by.”

When Kara held it out Tristan took it. He wasn't sure what to expect but the moment he touched it he felt something surround him. It was the same something that he felt every time he was in the training room and he looked at Kara, unable to push away the strange happiness that had welled up inside him.

“Do you really care that much?” he asked, smiling at her.

“You didn't have to stay. You were little more than a child yourself and yet you still took on the responsibility of looking after me. I have to repay that kindness somehow and the only way I can think of doing it is by keeping you safe.” Kara looked at him and he could see the worry in her eyes. “We both know that the Millennium children are dangerous.” She shrugged. “I'm dangerous.”

“I know that.” Tristan looked at the stone. “I didn't entirely know what I was taking on when I made that choice, but that doesn't change why I did it. You needed me.” He turned his attention to Kara and smiled. “I know you don't need me now.”

“That's not true.”

“Kara, you're not a child any more. I'm not entirely sure you ever really were a child. From the moment you first changed into an animal your life was turned upside down and you had to learn how to deal with it. I think you've reached a point where you can cope with everything, even if I wasn't here.”

“Trist...”

“We both know that I can't stay as leader of the house forever. Leonard would have handed control over to Conrad by now, or Lucas, and I think it's time I did the same thing.”

“Not until I come back.” Kara shook her head. “You're the only thing I have to come back to, and... this is going to sound melodramatic, but I know that if you're not in charge of the house when I feel ready to return then I won't come back. It's as simple as that.”

“I do understand.” Tristan glanced at the pictures on the wall. “I'm the only person you trust here.”

“It's hard to trust people you know could turn on you at any moment.” She smiled. “You're the only thing that has ever been predictable in my life and I like having you around.”

© K A Jones 2011

 

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License. This entry was originally posted at http://kajones-writing.dreamwidth.org/35245.html. It currently has comments.

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[ysabetwordsmith.livejournal.com]

I like the creative application of power in the shield stone.

>>Sometimes I wish I could look you in this room and keep you safe.”<<

That should say "lock" above.

>>There's no way you can protect yourself if anything happens.<<

I can see how they'd feel that way, but it's not actually true. As Steven Brust says, "No matter how powerful the wizard, a knife between the shoulder blades will seriously cramp his style." And guns are still a great equalizer.