Warm Memories (solo)

[Thorne]

(OoC: Years in the past...)    

    Waking up with a jolt, Thorne sat up and immediately regretted it, crashing his head into a wooden shelf above him. "Owwww... right..." Now mostly awake, he glanced around the dark room he had found himself in. It was dim, musty, and cold, which seemed odd. He didn't remember how he'd gotten here, but it was time to leave, he decided. After collecting his cloak and hip pouch, he inched his way through the gloomy shadows, searching for an exit. After tripping over every object in the room, Thorne found a small window with old, dusty blinds stopping morning light from passing through. Looking out, Thorne saw a few houses, a cobblestone path with a few passerby, and most of all, SNOW. Lots and lots of snow. Suddenly, he remembered where he was. A large village in... Eel-ee-ya? He didn't quite remember everything the nomads had told him, but that was were he was. He also remembered stumbling into the city the previous evening, and with nowhere else to sleep, sneaking into a house through the window. Quickly, Thorne opened the heavy window and climbed outside.

    He'd expected a snowy village to seem more... cheerful? Joyous? The people walking on the streets barely paid him heed and continued walking. They looked cold, exhausted, some even looked as if they might collapse at any moment. Unfortunately, this was beyond Thorne's ability to notice, so he walked up to an older woman and attempted to strike up a conversation. 

    "'Scuse me, hello! Who are you? Where are we?" It was a few seconds before he got a response. "...Talking to me, kid?" Thorne nodded with a grin. "Then scram. I've got better ways to waste away 'stead of chatting with some orphan." Trying his best to understand, Thorne posed another question. "Erm, what's an orphan?" 

    "For the love of..." The woman glanced at Thorne. "Oh, they're gettin' younger. Elimine really has forsaken us." Thorne couldn't resist another question. "Who's... Eee-lee-mee-nee...?" Letting out a small chuckle, the woman replied "Ah, nobody you need to worry about, kid. You should worry 'bout what you're gonna eat, instead. Stores here are all empty - it's been a bad year for the mercenaries, though they should be here any day now." Glancing towards the sky, Thorne saw another opportunity. "What are you-"

    "Quiet, kid, I'm tryna help you. Why don't you head down to the baker? He doesn't have any food, but he will soon, and he's a nice man. I'm sure if you offered to help, he'd give you some bread." "Uhm... bread?" The woman looked at Thorne in shock. "What do ya mean, 'bread?' Where do you live, a cave?" Letting out a sigh, she continued. "Look, just go to the bakery. It's the taller building over there, see it?" He nodded, and the woman started to leave. "Okay, go there and ask if you can work. See ya around, kid." Thorne waved goodbye, then hurried off to the bakery.

    Once he was far out of earshot, the woman whispered. "Best o' luck, kid. Elimine knows you'll need it."

[Thorne]

    On the way to the bakery, Thorne got a chance to look around the village in the light. There were a few dozen houses, most of which seemed to residential. Down the main road were a few shops and businesses, though most of them appeared quiet and undisturbed. A few people marched out of town, dressed in warm-looking furs, each equipped with an axe or bow. A sudden gust of wind pierced through Thorne's cloak with a sharp, cold chill that nearly sent him into the air. Despite this, a few people stood outside houses or in front of open windows, all staring towards the sky as if they were expecting something. Paying no heed, Thorne quickened his pace to get out of the cold.

    He soon came to the front of the building, gazing at it in curiosity. A swinging sign was hung off of the front, simply titled "Bakery". The front window appeared plain yet sturdy, likely to resist the icy winds. Thorne stepped over to the door and attempted to open it, the frosty gale working against him to keep the door in place. Finally, he managed to pull the door ajar just enough for the boy to slip inside.

    "Ah, hello! Welcome to the bakery, my friend." A cheerful voice called out him from behind a counter. The bakery was warm and well-lit, which didn't go unappreciated. The room was somewhat small, with a few small tables and chairs occupying much of the space. "E-er, th-thank you," Thorne chattered out, still shivering. "W-what's y-your name?" The man behind the counter smiled. He looked young, with strangely well-kept hair. A sense of dignity seemed emanate from his movements. "The name's Evith, though you may call me whatever you like. I'm the owner of this shop. What is your name, if I can ask?" Thorne hardly got a chance to clear his throat before Evith spoke again. "Oh, my apologies, you must be cold. Would you like a cup of tea?" Nodding, Thorne climbed onto a stool at the front bar. "You came in at a good time; I just made a cup for myself a few minutes ago. The water should still be hot..." Thorne watched as Evith made his cup of tea. He used a foreign-looking cup, with very intricate details painted onto the sides. After stirring the tea leaves for a few minutes, he passed the tea to Thorne. "Thanks," he spoke after taking a sip. "Of course! Now, tell me - what's your name?"

    "My name's Thorne. I traveled here from the plains, though I don't... remember why..." Trailing off, he thought back to his dream the previous night. Yelling, screaming. Someone pushing him away. A flash of bright light. And, most of all, a demented laugh echoing through his brain. "Aggh..!" Thorne clutched at his chest, a sudden sharp pain hitting him. The memory had faded as soon as it had come. "Thorne! Are you okay? What's wrong?" The pain vanished alongside the memory. Letting out a worried chuckle, Evith hurried over. "It, uh, wasn't the tea, was it?" Apparently fine now, Thorne shook his head. "It's fine... must've been nothing."

    "Well... if you insist." Evith clearly didn't think so, but was interrupted by the sound of flapping coming from outside. "Ah, finally! They've returned!"