The After Effects

The Tiny Human

After a long night of tending my many blades, I found myself wandering the streets of Everest.

The interaction with the stranger at the bar had left me in a sour mood. Covered from head to toe in my gray cloak, I couldn't help but find the stormy appearance of the morning fitting.

People filled the streets and sidewalks, rushing to their work. The town bustling at the early hours of the day.

Thankfully, no one seemed to notice me and I was wandering around with no troubles.

Eventually, I ended up in front of a cloth store that looked like it had just opened. I do need clothes, I sighed as I walked in.

The door rang as I pushed it open, alerting the shop keeper that someone was here.

"I'll be out in a second." A sweet voice rang from somewhere around the shop.

I decided to browse, mentally sighing at the bare options. Why are there so many dresses and so little shirts?

"Hello." A small voice squeaked from beside me while tugging on my cloak.

Jumping, I turned and looked at the tiny human next to me. Maybe around ten years old, the small girl smiled up at me. Her white hair was pulled into a wild braid, which matched her strange gray eyes. A faded pink dress hung off of the girl, showing that despite her family's job, she couldn't afford much better.

"What's your name?" The little girl asked, her gray eyes sparkling with excitement.

Despite my mood, I couldn't help but smile at the adorable girl.

Crouching down, I reached for the girl's soft hands and answered her. "I'm Ivy. What's your name?"

"Harper..." She beamed at me. "I like your hair." The girl reached up and tugged on my braid.

"Thank you. I could say the same about your hair." I mirrored her actions and tugged on her wildly braided hair.

"You're really pretty." The girl complimented me but before I could respond, a loud gasp could be heard.

I turned to see an older looking woman emerge from a door, in her hands a basket of clothes. The woman's curly black hair was graying slightly and her brown eyes were widened in shock. She had the same nose as the little girl, but that was where the resemblance ended.

"Hello." The woman said, shock evident in her face. "Who are you?"

"I'm looking for some new clothes," I told the woman as I straightened from my crouched position.

Coming around the counter, the woman grabbed for the little girl and, bending down, whispered into her ear. The little girl nodded her head and disappeared out the back door.

"I'm sorry about my rude behavior." The woman apologized as she set the basket of clothes down. "I haven't seen Harper approach or talk to anybody in years."

Strange... I stared at the door that she had left through.

"Why?" I asked.

The woman stopped folding a shirt as a haunted look passed over her face. "Vikings." She said simply. Which was all she needed to say.

An emotion I hadn't felt in a while suddenly tugged at my heart. Empathy? Pain? Indignation? That poor girl...

"My sister, her mother, died trying to protect her, but it was for naught." The woman said. "I found her on the edge of the Black Forest four days after my sister died and she hasn't spoken since." A look of disdain crossed the woman's face as she focused intently on picking some dirt off of a dress. "I've been stuck with her since she was eight."