On a cold, rainy, night, it's very peaceful to sit by the fire listening to the rain drum the roof, while your cat purrs contentedly in your lap. -- BKF
The weather outside was truly frightful. Cold rain that was almost sleeting. Blustery winds that turned said rain in varying slants that would render umbrellas nigh to useless.
A perfect evening for relaxing indoors.
Arelgi had set up a nest of blankets and pillows near the fireplace and, with dinner in her belly and a cat snoozing on her lap, settled in for a good read. There was nothing to do and it was glorious. She didn't mind when she drowsed and neither did the cat. Her fingers made a fine enough bookmark between naps. She may well fall completely asleep in this comfort and remain there until dawn.
Perfection.
Until a knock at her door interrupted her sleep. The cat bolted for safety under the bed. Someone had to be either cursed or a true lunatic to be out in weather like that. Arelgi threw off her blankets and extracted herself from her nest to open the door.
Coming face to face with a sopping wet, bedraggled and forlorn turquoise-hued Hellkin.
Ah. So they were both cursed and a lunatic.
"Don't touch me," said the devilborn.
"As you will," allowed Arelgi, stepping aside. "Get out of the cold, at least." She gathered up some of her blankets as the diminutive and dripping form edged past her to the hearth. When she looked up, the Hellkin had stripped off the robe and was in the fire, hands deep in the coals.
Well. She'd heard those folk were fireproof. She'd never thought it true to that extent.
Arelgi put the blankets back down, gesturing at the sopping puddle of robe. "May I hang that up for you?"
"As you will," said the fiend in the flames. "And if you have more firewood, I would thank you."
Arelgi hung up the robe in the mud closet to drain, and handed the Hellkin a couple of logs before she got busy with the mop. "I still have some of this week's bread, though it will take me a while to start up some stew," she said. "May I ask what you were doing out there in that squall?"
"Same as ever, running from people wanting to hurt me to wherever's kind enough to shelter me." A sigh as the flames rose around the crouched coil of their body. "When I use a name, I prefer Char."
"Arelgi," said Arelgi. "I'd shake your hand, but you said not to."
"Too many people grab me only to put me in bonds," said Char. "I've learned to not let folk touch me over the years."
Now that Arelgi could lay out her second-best nightdress for the creature, she could discern more truths about them. First, her visitor was female. Second, she was barely nineteen if she was a day.
"You're a teenager," objected Arelgi. "What do you mean over the years?"
Char stepped steaming out of the flames and tapped one of her horns. "I've been thrown out of places ever since I can remember. Probably before I can remember. Thank you for the clothes." She scooped up the nightdress and wriggled into it.
"Well I can't just let you run around naked," protested Arelgi.
"Many have," said Char. Her eyes glowed red when they fell into shadow. "But you're not like many, are you?"
"I like to believe I'm a decent and kind person. So I do decent and kind things."
Char accepted this with a nod. "You're a treasure worth more than you think," she said. "May I stay and work for you?"
"Can't think of any reason why not," said Arelgi.
"They'll find us," whispered Char. "All reasons will find us in time." Thus warned, she let Arelgi shake her hand.
[Photo by Stéphane Juban on Unsplash]
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