Who am I without my armor?
Steady, long-legged strides crunching down the path announced that the boy indeed was out of time. Aino came stomping up the road to her house with a stormy look on her face and a sword dangling from its belt in one hand. A nasty bruise had already begun to purple along the side of her face, and something red and crusty clinging to her nose suggested that whoever she had sparred with had been less than gentle. Or skilled, for that matter.
Muttered oaths kept sizzling the air as she passed, spat in rhythm with her steps, and she did not appear to see anything other than whatever miserable scene that had played out on the training field that day.
She nearly stepped on the muffin before realizing that something was there. Freezing, Aino staggered aside and nearly slipped, bit off a few more curses and bent down to pick up the thing. Scowling, she looked at the muffin. Then she looked around.
"What the..."
Very suspiciously, she sniffed at the baked good. Light colored eyebrows shot up as a delightful aroma annunced that yes, it was indeed a proper muffin.
Something in her expression softened then. Something weary and worn fell away, and the little smile carried a look so tender and warm that most in town would have been shocked to see it on the straight-faced, no-nonsense woman's face.
Taking a bite of the muffin, Aino reached for her door. Pulled it open. And was left staring dumbfounded as the overwhelming scent of freshly baked treats came wafting out, like this was a bakery and not her boring, ramshackle hovel of a house. Gaping, the woman tried to find a place to set her feet in order to even enter the house... but it was too crammed with sweets.
Her shoulders began to shake. A chuff huffed out warm breath in a laughter that began slowly, quietly. Unaccustomed, unheard for a long time; it rose gradually yet relentless, until the woman had to grab hold of the doorframe in order to keep on her feet.
After a while, it was difficult to say whether she was still laughing, or whether those shaking shoulders were due to something else.
Muttered oaths kept sizzling the air as she passed, spat in rhythm with her steps, and she did not appear to see anything other than whatever miserable scene that had played out on the training field that day.
She nearly stepped on the muffin before realizing that something was there. Freezing, Aino staggered aside and nearly slipped, bit off a few more curses and bent down to pick up the thing. Scowling, she looked at the muffin. Then she looked around.
"What the..."
Very suspiciously, she sniffed at the baked good. Light colored eyebrows shot up as a delightful aroma annunced that yes, it was indeed a proper muffin.
Something in her expression softened then. Something weary and worn fell away, and the little smile carried a look so tender and warm that most in town would have been shocked to see it on the straight-faced, no-nonsense woman's face.
Taking a bite of the muffin, Aino reached for her door. Pulled it open. And was left staring dumbfounded as the overwhelming scent of freshly baked treats came wafting out, like this was a bakery and not her boring, ramshackle hovel of a house. Gaping, the woman tried to find a place to set her feet in order to even enter the house... but it was too crammed with sweets.
Her shoulders began to shake. A chuff huffed out warm breath in a laughter that began slowly, quietly. Unaccustomed, unheard for a long time; it rose gradually yet relentless, until the woman had to grab hold of the doorframe in order to keep on her feet.
After a while, it was difficult to say whether she was still laughing, or whether those shaking shoulders were due to something else.
AinO
