In the dark of the night part 4

[krystalkatzfics]

“A polite boy you have there...” The stranger said as Jono shrugged off his leather cloak and moved into the warmth of the smithy. Nino was giving the beautiful stallion some water but he could still see the way that Jono’s eyes fixed the strangers with a hard stare before he nodded;

“Aye, he is that, but he can take it into himself to be a brat when the mood takes him, what can I be doing for yer master? I ‘adn’t expected to see yer again so soon, like”

“My horse threw a shoe, you are the best...” The stranger was polite and soft spoke but Nino had the strangest feeling that Jono wanted him out of there as soon as possible. The horse bayed a little nipping gently at the sleeve of Nino’s shirt as if trying to get him to pay attention to him and Nino giggled a little and ran his fingers down the nose of the horse.

“I wouldn’t say so mesen”

“Yer beautiful, hey mister whats his name?” Nino asked looking at the stranger while the horse continued to demand attention. The stranger gave him a blank stare for a moment or two before he answered with a little shrug;

“...He doesn’t have one, I simply call him horse...”

“Eh? How can it not have one? That’s not nice...A pretty ‘orse like ‘im deserves a good name” Nino looked back at the horse noticing that although he had looked completely white at first there was lines of grey all over his body looking like lightning. The horse had deep chocolate brown coloured eyes and he lifted his lips in what resembled a human like grin before snuffling against his cheek.

“Then, perhaps, little one, you would be so kind as to name him for me? I lack the imagination for such things” The stranger offered and Nino blinked a few times before grinning with excitement. The feeling bubbled up through him swiftly collecting in the back of his throat as he looked at the stranger and the horse again gasping;

“Eh? Can I really?! Um...I will give ‘im a great name...”

“Nino, what have I told you about talking too much? Yer bother the customers boy”

“Sorry, Mister Jono, but he said I can name the ‘Orse...” Nino muttered as though his friend hadn’t been there the entire time and heard everything. Jono didn’t look altogether too happy about it but some how he nodded and sighed ruffling his hair with his hands.

“I ‘eard boy, go make me a drink while yer think of a name and leave us in peace a bit to do my work” Jono almost chuckled pressing a finger to his nose.

“Okay Mister Jono! I promise that I will think of a really good name, mister!” Nino promised the stranger before scratching the nose of the horse again before slipping out of the room. Jono had told him that before he married his wife he had lived in the smithy as well as worked there and to make the drink he had to go up a stairway to the second floor.

“It’s my time then?” Jono asked when Nino had left the smithy. His back was turned on the stranger instead focusing on where the boy had been moments before. He heard a cracking of old bones and then a chill whipped around him as though the door to the outside had been thrown open.

*YES* The deep echoing voice announced sending shivers running through the big man but he ignored them asking;

“What about the boy?”

*YOU WISH TO TRADE THE BOY FOR YOUR SOUL?*

“No! Not even as a joke but...What will happen to him? He’s got nobody else...I had hoped the wife would take him on but she would just...She hated him on sight...Made her think of our own little one...” Jono sighed rubbing his chest with his hands. He had been feeling twinges all day but had ignored them hoping that they would go away. “Please master, I know it’s my time and I go willingly but the boy...He would die on the street...”

*YOUR CONCERN FOR THE BOY IS TOUCHING HOWEVER THERE IS NOTHING THAT MAY BE DONE*

“Can’t you take ‘im like? I mean...You have the ‘Orse, you must keep it somewhere...He would make a good servant...” Jono turned to stare at the stranger his face pleading though he wanted to scream at the almost scary sight before him. A skeleton almost eight foot in height wearing only a black robe carrying a scythe was stood there. The sight was enough to make his heart splutter painfully but he couldn’t move his hands to rub at it. He stayed brave however fixing the man with a focused stare. “Please...”

*I HAVE NEVER TAKEN A HUMAN SERVANT* Death sounded almost thoughtful and Jono hoped that that meant he would consider it. It might be scary for Nino but if Death could change his appearance as he could he may never know. *IT IS NOT THE DONE THING*

“Please, the request of a dying man...Take the boy and make him safe...” Jono pleaded and slowly the skeleton moved his head into a nod.

*VERY WELL, YOU HAVE TAKEN CARE OF MY HORSE WELL, I WILL FULFIL YOUR LAST REQUEST*

“Thank-you master...Wait? Will Nino find me? I don’t want the boy finding my body, like, take him and then...Come back for me...”

*YOU ASK A LOT OF DEATH HUMAN, VERY WELL, MY HORSE DOES NEED THE SHOE...* Death lifted his scythe and for a second Jono thought he was going to take him there and then but when he waved it all that happened was the skeleton vanished and the handsome man was back. Jono opened his mouth to speak again but Nino was soon running back in carrying a cup of green tea.

“Mister! I thought of a name! Arashi! It’s a good name! It matches the patterns!”

*-*-*-*

“Hello, Arashi” Nino smiled happily at the stallion who bayed loudly before trotting over to him and fussing at the arms of his clothes. Nino brought his hand up and scratched his nose in between his eyes. “Still the most handsome horse I have ever seen”

“He has missed you” The master said sounding almost as though he would be smiling and Nino sighed dropping his hand away from the horse to look at his master. He had thankfully stayed in his human form and Nino didn’t want to argue and lose out on his trip to the city.

“I’ve missed him too, perhaps you could bring him to visit more often”

“Would you rather I never went away? I could stay...If you wanted...” The question was asked softly, with an uncertainty that he never associated with the master and Nino was surprised at how excited he got at the idea of the master staying. It knocked the air out of his lungs and he gasped at the force of it and he blinked slowly at the man positive that he man looked nervous. “If that was something that you desired...”

“I...Can I think about it? Can we just go to town?” Nino moved to Arashi’s side waiting for the master to pick him up and lift him onto the back. The master didn’t answer him but did lift him easily into the saddle before climbing up behind him. Nino sat proudly on the horse holding the reigns the way that the master had taught him. He could remember the way the master had praised him back then and he really did wish that they could go back to being that way. When he had first come with the master away from Jono and his wife.

“What are you thinking about, little one?”

“Jono...And how I came here...” Nino answered honestly, he didn’t want an argument but knew that the master favoured the truth over a lie. “Was his death peaceful?”

“It was as peaceful end as I could give him. I do not cause the deaths of those I take, young one, you know that, and I take no joy in bringing about an end. More so not for somebody as kind as Jono” The master answered and Nino gave a nod as Arashi trotted forward through the garden towards the gate. It had been months before he had realised the truth about the master and why Jono had sold him to the man.

*-*-*-*

“Mister! I thought of a name! Arashi! It’s a good name! It matches the patterns!” Nino announced skidding back into the smithy holding the cup of green tea. His smile fell away as he saw Jono’s tight serious expression. The man looked somewhat pale and sickly his hand was resting on his chest. “Mister Jono, you okay?”

“I’m fine, boy, just a little sickly...Hey boy, the master is looking for a servant to take care of his horse...I think it would be a good idea for you to go with him. It’s clear to me that you won’t make a good smithy and it is a better life than I could give you...”

“But...But...Mister...”

“Look, I’m sorry boy, winter is almost over...You don’t want to end up on the street again do you?” Jono asked and Nino shuddered at the idea his head shaking rapidly. Although it hadn’t been completely easy he had grown used to being in the home and he couldn’t imagine being on the street again. “See boy, it will be good for you...”

“But...But...I can come and see you again right?”

“...You’ll probably forget all about me, yer’ll be okay, yer a good kid, just listen to the master ne, do as you’re told, keep yer nose clean...He’s a good lad, yer’ll treat him right, won’t yer?” Jono asked the man and the master gave a blank stare nodding slowly as he answered;

“I will do my level best”

TBC

A/N: I hope that this is okay ^_^