Fennrin is a shadowforger, a type of az-ari who have mastery over shadows. But all it's ever brought him is misery. People are afraid of the power that he himself barely understands, seeing his shadows as omens of bad luck and death.
Forced to bare...
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Fennrin had no idea what to make of Ainreth. On one hand, the man seemed rather rude to the people around him, and on the other, he seemed to care a whole lot. It made no sense to him. The way Ainreth treated Petre was a perfect example of this. He didn't remember the family name of his lieutenant, and yet he treated them in such a generally positive way.
Fennrin didn't get it at all. It was all just very strange.
But he supposed it didn't really matter. As long as Ainreth didn't treat him rudely, then it was none of his business, though that thought made him feel a little selfish. But then, he had been feeling that way the longer he stayed because Ainreth had been buying him food, and now he'd also given him a bed in his guest bedroom, which he apparently had. Fenn wanted to protest, intending on sleeping in the communal sleeping quarters of the army, where he had been offered a place, but Ainreth had insisted, saying that they were on the other side of the city.
And so Fennrin had given in. And he'd not slept so well in years. Whatever that mattress had been made of, it was incredible. He felt a little bad about all the things Ainreth had decided on giving him. Now he was twice as intent on learning everything he needed to help protect Ainreth.
He had been very torn at the library, at least until he heard that he could meld into other people's shadows. If that were the case, then perhaps there was hope of being useful for this after all. He wasn't certain if he was going to be unaffected by sound as a shadow, but he was willing to try all of this out. Assuming he would figure it out.
He followed Ainreth down back to the city, already dreading the way back. Ainreth had assured him that he'd get a carriage to get them up here, but Fennrin refused. He had already wasted enough of Ainreth's money. If he could avoid using more, he would. Besides, it was good physical training. He needed to get stronger, anyhow.
"So, where are we going?" asked Fennrin after a while once he managed to tear his eyes away from the sight of Kyr-Toryl spread out below them. The city was so large, spreading so much farther than he'd ever been expecting, from one edge of the curved mountain range to the other. He wondered how many people lived here.
Perhaps he should read up on Kyr-Toryl also. It seemed quite interesting.
"Oh, just anywhere," Ainreth said, looking over his shoulder to smile at Fennrin. With the sun shining behind him, making his black hair shine and his skin look almost golden, Fennrin almost paused for a moment at how handsome the lightweaver was, especially because today he wasn't wearing his cloak anymore, opting for a red tunic and a leather jacket with emblems in the shape of the sun on his shoulders made with what seemed to be thin pieces of actual gold.
Because of course he would own something like that. Though Fennrin couldn't even manage to roll his eyes at it. It looked too good on Ainreth for that.
Realizing that he was staring, he forced himself to get a hold of himself quickly, looking away. With what had happened with that librarian yesterday, Fennrin had the feeling getting involved with Ainreth would hardly be good for him.
