w-h-e-n I w-a-k-e u-p || open

[Light]

{{ I'm afraid }}

somebody else might take my place

somebody else might end up being me

---

"Big brother?" A little girls voice echoes through the trees. The trees beyond the wall, the trees covered in thick snow and had long branches. Long branches that concealed the ground, the ground which a stiff, cold body laid. Underneath the body was the speaker; her back wet with the cold snow that had been underneath her before she fell, and her front sticky with blood. "Big brother, wake up," she pleads frantically, her small hands pushing against his shoulders weakly.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

(Errr... where is this?)

[Light]

(Outside the wall. Or it can be in the north.)

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Lord Kelsier Stark, heir of his house, was riding across the snowy landscape of the North. Alone. If his father knew he was out riding alone, he would be furious, but Kell had snuck out without anyone knowing. He led his horse across an icy river and then swung himself back into the saddle. That was when he heard the girl's voice. He urged his horse forward, toward the voice of the child.

[Light]

The girl gives one last push before her arms fall down around him. She sobs loudly, the dead body getting heavier and heavier. The weight pushes her further down into the snow, and her deer skin coat turned dark with the clashing liquids. "I'll be a good girl--so wake up, okay?" She hugs him closing her eyes, frost settling on her eye lashes, "I won't complain anymore..." She whispers, "I won't cry... So... Wake up."

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Kelsier trotted up to her and hopped down from the saddle. A pure black wolf padded behind him. "Hey," he said gently, keeping his distance from the girl. He didn't want to scare her. "It's going to be okay." Even though he could clearly tell the man in her arms was dead.

[Light]

Her breath catches, and she looks up startled. As he suspected, her first reaction was fear. "A-ah..." Her grip tightens on her brother and she tries to make herself shrink. "B-but..."

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Kelsier held up his hands. "It's okay," he told her. "I won't hurt you. I promise." He smiled, his eyes gentle.

[Light]

She stares at him for a moment before looking back at her brother. Her eyes dart back over to Kelsier and she whispers, "I... Trust you."

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Kelsier let out a breath of relief and walked forward slowly. His wolf stayed where it was, a few feet from the horse so as not to spook it. Kell's stallion had been conditioned to be used to the wolf, but it was still somewhat skittish around it. The Stark heir knelt down beside her and touched her shoulder lightly. "What's your name?" he asked.

[Light]

"Noctalist," she answers softly as she tilts her head downwards, "I-I don't know... my family name." She pushes her wet hair back up under her hood and the cap that was swallowing the top of her head. "He said... we were going to them."

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

"Them?" Kelsier asked, confused. "Who's them?"

[Light]

"To my family," she tilts her head a bit rubbing her wrists.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

"So you were going to meet your family," Kelsier said. "Where were you before that? Why don't you know your family name?"

[Light]

"A-ah..." She shifts and shakes her head, "I... Was never told. I don't really remember anything. It's blurry..."

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

"It's okay," Kell assured her. "Why don't you come with me. We'll get your someplace warm."

[Light]

She looks at her brother sadly and nods her head up and down slowly. "Okay..."

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Kell laid his hand on her shoulder and gave it a reassuring squeeze. Then he lifted her dead brother into his arms and carried the body over to his horse.

[Light]

Noctalist follows him, watching her brothers still form on the new strangers horse. "A-ah... i'm sorry, for the trouble."

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

"It's no trouble," Kelsier told her gently. "Come on. Up you go." He held his hands out to her.