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Ruin Explorers	By : yukisan Category: +M to R > Ruin Explorers (Hiky? Tanken Famu to ?r?) > Ruin Explorers (Hiky? Tanken Famu to ?r?) Views: 1023 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Ruin Explorers or the characters nor make any profit from this.

Chapter List
- 6
- 7
- 8
Ruin Explorers

Chapter Six: A Confessed Truth
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
“No,” Shigeo spoke clearly and in a tone she hadn't heard before.
“What?” she asked and turned, finally looking him in the eye.
“I'm not going to let you just push me away like you do everyone else,” he told her, daring the woman by raising his eyebrow.
“Shigeo, I'll only ask you nicely once,” she began before he swiftly walked toward her.
He grabbed the woman, cutting the rest of her demand off as he put his mouth over hers. Ihrie succumb to his kiss, unable to resist his touch. She briefly hated that he could overpower her with such a small gesture. But that thought was fleeting when his hands slid around her waist. She put her fingers in his ebony hair and decided to forget everything else. Unfortunately, Shigeo's honor halted her plan.
He pulled away from her hold, shaking his head. “You're trying to distract me.”
“You kissed me,” she spoke defensively.
“This isn't what I intended,” he told her. She tried to move away but he grabbed her by the upper arms. “Please, listen to me, Ihrie. Let me explain. I'm not going away and I won't let you drive me away either. If you want to waste your time trying, then go for it, but I have an abundance of patience and I'm not letting you go. I want you to understand that,” he stressed.
“What do you want from me?” she asked.
Shigeo knew it was the most important question and at least with his answer, he could be truthful. He pulled her close. “I want to be with you for the rest of my life,” he whispered in her ear.
Ihrie gasped at his statement. She didn't quite understand why or his reasoning. “What is it that is so appealing about me?”
“What do you mean?” he asked, not understanding what she was asking.
“I'm not beautiful, I'm cursed, and I own nothing but what's on me,” she waved to her clothes. “It's apparent you have money, more than me, or more than I could imagine to make.”
He stopped her. “You think I care about money?”
“Are you looking for a charity case then?”
“You're scared and avoiding the question. I think you're beautiful regardless of your opinion and I care nothing for your rank in society nor a curse,” he explained to her. “I want you to ask me your questions. Are you afraid of the answers?” He saw her eyes dart away. “I haven't done anything illegal nor killed a man unfairly.” He laughed nervously. “Ihrie, what are you afraid of?”
“May I have some time?” she asked him, finally speaking.
“Of course,” he told her, kissing her forehead before leaving her alone.
Ihrie felt horrible but it was something that she had to resolve by herself. When she woke the next morning, she was more refreshed than she thought possible. It wasn't until noon that Fam disturbed her.
“Ihrie,” she spoke softly as she entered.
The woman looked up, knowing that something was wrong. “Fam, what is it?” she asked, getting up off of the bed, going to her.
Fam tentatively looked at her friend. “Are you angry with Shigeo?” she asked her.
Ihrie was stunned by both Fam's brazen and out-right question and the fact that she knew. “Where did you hear that?” she said, realizing that she wasn't angry, and Ihrie didn't want her to worry.
“I overheard Shigeo getting teased by his friend.”
“Nolden?” said asked.
“Yeah, but I don't want Shigeo to get picked on,” Fam told her. “He's been really nice to me, Ihrie.”
She relented and sighed. “Don't worry about it, Fam. I'll go talk to Nolden and get him to leave Shigeo alone.”
“Thank you, Ihrie,” she sniffled before hugging the woman.
“Do you like your room?” she asked, trying to distract her.
“It's really nice, but lonely sometimes,” she told her.
Ihrie laughed at Fam's comment. “Remember that when you're complaining about not having a bed to sleep on.”
“I can't have both?” she asked.
Ihrie led her out. “Friends and money don't really go hand-in-hand, Fam.”
“Why?” she asked as she started up the short stairs.
The two emerged out from below. Ihrie glanced around but didn't see Shigeo or Nolden within sight. She watched Fam trot off to the other side and slipped away to find Nolden before Shigeo found her. She moved around the side and to the front of the ship. Spotting the man near the front bow, Ihrie began walking to him.
The sound of footsteps brought Nolden's head around. He hid his smirk as he watched the woman approach. She looked quite pleasing, more so than Shigeo told him. “How are you today?” he asked.
Now that she was much closer, Ihrie could see he was generally well-kept, even with the shade of a bearding growing about his face. “Thank you but I didn't come here for niceties. I understand that you and Shigeo are friends but you don't have to bully him,” she told him.
He laughed and shook his head. “I didn't mean to offend you.”
“I'm not the one offended,” she tried to tell him but he kept laughing. “Look,” she started.
“If you believe that I am the one bullying Shigeo, then you still have a lot to find out about him.”
“What does that mean?”
“Ihrie,” Shigeo spoke surprised to see her. “What are you doing up here?”
“Nothing,” she spoke briskly, quickly walking past him and around the corner. She was determined to not speak to him until she knew how she felt. She didn't want him confusing her again.
Shigeo watched her disappear before he stalked up to Nolden. “What did you say to her?” he asked angrily.
“Whoa,” he said, holding his hands up. “Don't start on me. She,” Nolden pointed behind him, “came to me, started saying the funniest shit. I couldn't help but laugh. Damn, Shigeo, calm down.” He watched his friend tense. “I've never seen you like this before. She really got to you, huh?”
“What did she say?” he spoke, ignoring his statement and question.
“She told me to not bully you. Can you imagine that? Me bullying you.” Nolden laughed again, louder this time. The irony just killed him. “It's obvious your lady doesn't know you very well.”
“Shut up, Nolden,” he muttered and turned to walk away.
“She must care if she dares to threaten me. At least go speak to her, Shigeo,” Nolden told his old friend. “It's better than seeing you wallow in your misery.”
He walked off, ignoring his comrade's words. He wasn't sure what she was angry with him about and his ignorance could be costly. In his experience, his current situation was very dangerous.
They docked the next afternoon off of the north side of the island Larouserene. It was used as a hoping stone to the continent south which was split by two nations, Reon and Aquion. Fam was excited because it meant that she would be able to replace Lyle's gift. Ihrie was not happy about being dragged out but kept her complaints to herself but she didn't see Shigeo as they were leaving and was relieved.
After a few hours, Fam had finally found something she thought Lyle would like. Ihrie was only happy that they could go back to the ship now. When they boarded, Fam spotted Ava with Eros and ran over to the blonde with excitement. Ihrie decided to take that chance and slip to her room, grateful she still hadn't seen Shigeo.
She knew it was stupid to avoid him but it was the only way she felt she could tell him. She opened the door and slid in, locking it behind her before moving to her bed. Ihrie kicked off her black boots, falling on the mattress. She sighed and shifted to make herself more comfortable before Shigeo invaded her thoughts.
A knock on the door woke Ihrie up. Still sleepy-eyed, the woman stumbled to the door, opening it to see Ava on the other side. She was surprised to find her there. “Ava?”
“Dinner is ready. Do you want some?” she asked.
It was apparent that even Ava had become worried about her. “Yeah, I'll be up in a minute,” she told her before the woman nodded and walked off. Ihrie closed the door and turned. She sighed and slumped against the wood before pushing herself off to walk to the basin.
The woman washed her face and straightened her clothes before leaving the room. She ascended the stairs and found them quietly sailing toward their next docking point. The crew was lounging about, eating the food that had been prepared. She found her friends huddled toward the railing on her right.
Ihrie made her way to them, happy to not see Shigeo, before she fetched her food. She spotted Nolden across the way and their eyes met. He winked at her before breaking the contact. She was annoyed but returned to her group.
Their chatter and laughter filled the air and, before Ihrie realized, the moon was high in the sky. She excused herself and retired to her room, glad that she had missed Shigeo again. She closed the door behind her and staggered to her bed again. The food was better than she thought but she couldn't keep her mind off of that man. He was like the plague.
Ihrie growled and hit the mattress. She was mad at herself for pushing him away. She knew how she felt but didn't want to face it. The woman sat up, frustrated with herself when a knock on the door made her get up.
Shigeo pushed his way past her when she opened it. Surprised, she shut the wooden slab. He looked distressed and Ihrie began to worry. “Are you okay?” she asked, quickly walking to his side.
“Why can't you come to me? Why can't you ask me what you want to know?” he asked, not daring to touch her, but she didn't speak. “Are you afraid of me?”
“No, of course not,” Ihrie almost shouted.
“Why are you assuming Nolden is bullying me?”
“What?” she asked confused.
“Nolden told me what you said. Why?” he pushed.
“Fam was worried about you,” she told him. “What reason were you thinking of?” she bit back at him. Ihrie couldn't explain why she was so mad. “Just get out, Shigeo. Leave me alone for a while.”
He nodded and swiftly left her alone in the room. The door slammed behind him.
Ihrie felt sick. She cared for him but there was a fear that grabbed her. Anger filled her, making her blind and unable to think before she opened her mouth. The woman sighed heavily and leaned against the wall for support. This was already turning into a big mess. Ihrie knew what she had to do and braced herself as left her room in search of Shigeo.
When she stepped onto the deck, he wasn't in sight but she spotted the wine barrels still out. Ihrie headed toward them, grabbing a cup and filling it full. She turned, still not seeing him, and took a large gulp then stepped around the wooden cases to move to the back of the ship.
The woman saw him standing near the rail and hesitated before moving toward him. “Shigeo,” she called and he turned to see her.
The moonlight made her glow. It twisted his heart but he didn't care now that she was in front of him. “Ihrie, I'm,” he started but she cut him off.
“Please,” she spoke quickly. “Please, let me speak first.” He nodded and she took a deep breathe before continuing. “I want to apologize for earlier,” she said as she moved closer to him. The wind rustled their hair.
Shigeo didn't move. Her words squeezed at his heart and he only wanted to hold her, comfort her, but he did dare reach out to her. He only listened to her words.
“I,” she stopped, taking another slow breathe before continuing, “I was being unfair to you, and lying.” She moved closer to the edge, resting her hands on the guard. “I care about you,” she whispered as they stood out on the deck under the night stars. “I want taking my frustration out on you, and

Nolden. I'm sorry.”
He kept his smile and the elated joy that swelled inside his chest hidden. “Ihrie, I don't care about any of that.”

She finally looked over at him. “What?”
“All I care about is that you care. I'm not expecting anything more than that,” he told her. It was enough.
He held a hand out to her and Ihrie accepted as he walked her back to her cabin. He had to let her go or he wouldn't be able to look himself in the mirror tomorrow. After he said goodnight, Shigeo went to find Nolden but had been informed that the captain had retired to his quarters. The man huffed but returned to his room. He would wait until the morning to speak with Nolden.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
By the end of the eighth day, they were docked near the closest city, Austra, which was only a four days ride from their location. Everyone was in good spirits when they started inland. Shigeo sent them ahead and Ihrie realized it was so he could speak to Nolden. She didn't begrudge him but she also didn't ask him any more questions. She knew it bothered him but she couldn't bring herself to force the words past her lips.
Within the hour, Shigeo had caught up to them. He chatted with Eros quietly before moving to her side. “Nolden seems to like you,” he commented, not glancing her way.
Ihrie was surprised by his statement. “You're joking right?”
“No,” he shook his head.
Ihrie remained silent, wondering why he even bothered to say anything. Whether Nolden found her likable or not was none of her concern. The rest of the ride was easy as they covered the plains and sloping hills. Before long, farmland field their vision and they rode through a small village.
The people were dressed in muted reds, oranges and browns. The men wore two-piece outfits; a loose shirt and pants. Women wore a one-piece. The top was fitted and the skirt flowed to a few inches above the ground. Some had wide-brimmed hats on, signally that they had been working the crops and fields. Some nodded as they rode by but most continued on with their task at hand.
They camped two hours after leaving the village, woke the next morning and continued on until three days later when they came to Austra, only a day's ride from Corian.
Shigeo and Eros went to make reservations at a tavern while Ihrie took care of stabling the horses overnight. She managed to talk the blacksmith down by the time the two men came back. Shigeo had to admit that he was impressed as they collected their gear and headed for the direction of their rooms.
Eros led them inside the building, collecting the keys at the desk before handing them out. Ihrie wasn't paying attention until he handed her the bronze-cast metal that unlocked the door's latch. It peaked her curiosity and she looked to see Shigeo talking to the barmaid but moved to find her room.
Ihrie shut the door behind her and locked it. She didn't want Shigeo to find her practicing. Since that night on the boat, Ihrie had decided to keep what she learned to herself. Within a month, she had ten. Some were more useful than others but it was progress and she was happy for that.
She put what few things she had up and went to sit on the bed before pulling the Lancaster out. She flipped to the sixth page, seeing the new spell on the page. Acceptance was written at the top of the page. Her eyes scanned the words, and froze. This was an initiation spell. Ihrie suddenly became nervous and shut the book, tossing it on the bed away from her.
'What the hell is going on?' she thought as she looked at it. She needed to speak to Deigan but she had no idea how to get in touch with him. She wasn't going to be a fool, or tricked. The woman shook her head as she put the book back in her bag. She wasn't ready to make a commitment to something she knew nothing of.
Instead, she turned her attention to the room. It was apparent that Shigeo had made the reservations but she still didn't understand why Eros handed the keys out. It was clean and had decorations, a soft bed and sheets. A knock on the door brought her up.
“Hey,” he smiled when she opened the threshold. Ihrie let him in and he walked past her. “Get settled in?” he asked as he put a box on the table beside the bed.
“Yes, it's a nice room. Thank you,” she told him and walked closer. “Why did Eros hand the keys out?”
“Huh?” he responded absently.
“You always hand out the keys. Did you think I wouldn't notice? It's strange so you must be up to something.” She watched him, then continued. “The room must be part of it.”
“You're a hard one to get anything by,” he laughed. “I just wanted to surprise you. I'm sorry, Ihrie.”
“Surprise? With what?” she asked.
Shigeo realized that she hadn't noticed the small box and stepped back to grab it without her knowing. “It wouldn't be a surprise if I told you,” he chastised, moving to stand in front of her. “Close your eyes.” She did as told before she felt him near. “You can open your eyes,” he spoke softly.
She looked down and saw a beautiful blue and white jewel necklace in an opened black box, all sitting in Shigeo's hand. Ihrie looked up, eyes wide with surprise. “A necklace? This is too much, Shigeo. I can't accept this, it's real.”
“I want you to wear it,” he insisted, pushing it toward her. “At least touch it,” he finally prompted.
She looked up but fingers reached out. The second they made contact, she could feel herself calming. She pulled away. “How long do you want me to wear this?”
“At least until we leave Corian. The Sword of Sargus could be a problem,” he explained.
She nodded but only cared about having to wear the necklace, not the reason. “The whole time?” she asked. She knew it would bring attention to her.
“Please, Ihrie, don't take it off.”
“What's going on, Shigeo?” she pushed. It had to be something more than just Lyle's sword.
“Just trust me,” he told her and brushed her cheek.
“Will you eventually tell me?” she spoke, connecting to his eyes. She was angry about the new spell and now Shigeo seemed to want to keep information from her, even after what he had told her on Nolden's ship.
“Yes,” he told her. He wanted her to know that he wasn't joking.
“Fine,” she said, giving in and taking the box.
“Thank you,” he told her, relieved that she conceited. He turned to go before stopping. “Do you want to have a drink later?”
“Yea,” she nodded, showing him out.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Larouserene – La'row – serene
- 6
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- 8
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Ruin Explorers