Mirror (part 6 of 28)
Back to Part 5 Later that evening Lina poked at the fire with a stick, the
shadows of twilight settling down around the three of them in their
small camp. They had set up not too far from the now deserted bandit
camp, the hidden valley razed by a well placed Dragon Slave.
Her hair was almost same color as the flames Lina tended as she
looked over at Naga, "You don't remember?"
Naga shook her head firmly, the black haired warrior woman
carefully sharpening the great sword that she usually carried over her
back. "I'm sorry Lady Amelia," the leather clad warrior gently said to
the young woman who was sitting on the other side of the fire, "but I
don't have any memories, not past a certain point."
"There is a resemblance there," Lina noted, looking between both
women.
"Indeed," Amelia softly agreed, her short black hair glowing in
the firelight. Her white garb shimmered in the light as she looked at
Naga, "My elder sister has been missing for many years, I had hoped that
you...."
"Even if I was," Naga said to her gently, "I am but a mystically
produced copy of the woman. You would still need to seek out the
original."
"And no," Lina swiftly anticipated the question as Amelia looked
at her curiously, "I don't know where the original Naga is."
Amelia nodded with a soft sigh. She hesitated but asked, "May I
ask what caused you two to stop being partners?"
"We were rivals right from the beginning," Lina lay back,
looking up at the starry sky, "and that was what ultimately broke up the
partnership. I walked away after we fought over a bounty we had won and
I haven't seen her since."
Naga slid her sword away with barely a whisper, setting the
great weapon aside but still easily within reach. "What are you going to
do now?" she asked.
"I'm not sure," Amelia said. "I know I need to let my father
know about this," she reflected then lit up, "I know! Lina, Naga, would
you care to accompany me back to Saillune?"
Lina sat up again, looking over at Amelia curiously as she
drawled, "And why would we want to go see Phil?"
"My father could identify if Naga is my sister better than I
could," Amelia said eagerly, "and with your Naga's help we could try a
similarity spell."
Naga nodded thoughtfully at that, "Use me as a template and then
look for anything similar. My different personality shouldn't create too
many problems." She looked over at Lina before saying with a smile, "I'm
willing."
Amelia hid a smile as she added, "I'm sure my father would be
willing to compensate you for your time and trouble."
"Why didn't you say so," Lina smiled back impishly.
Naga rolled her eyes at that comment. Lina curled up, falling
asleep not far from where the two women sat talking. They fell silent
for a moment, Naga looking over at Amelia and studying the younger woman
thoughtfully.
"What?" Amelia asked softly.
"What was your sister's name?" Naga asked her curiously.
"Gracia el Naga Saillune," Amelia said simply.
Naga's lips moved as she repeated the name to herself softly,
getting the feel of it. "Gracia," she murmured to herself softly, "I
don't know if that's quite my style."
"You didn't use it much," Amelia said, "you prefered the middle
name."
Naga looked up at her calmly, "Don't make too many assumptions.
You yourself haven't recognized me as your sister."
"Fair enough," Amelia agreed, "but...."
"You want that hole in your history," Naga mused as she looking
into the fire, "that piece ofd your past restored."
"Exactly," Amelia nodded. "With all that my family has been
through over the years," she said, "it would bring my father great
happiness if my sister could be restored."
”And I'll do whatever I can to help," Naga promised warmly, "as
long as I'm not seperated from Lina-san,"
Amelia blinked, looking at the sleeping figure then at Naga in
confusion. "You and she...?" she said faintly.
"No," Naga shook her head firmly, an oddly sad little smile on
her face,"but I gave my work to accompany her."
"I would never see another forsworn," Amelia agreed, still
studdying Naga thoughtfully.
Naga looked away, a bit of a blush to her cheeks. "We'd best get
some sleep," she said, "it's going to be a long day tomorrow."
"Of course," Amelia agreed and they settled down to sleep.
Lina snuggled into the warmth, sleepily wondering if the fire
was still going. 'No,' she mused, 'Naga and Amelia wouldn't have let it
keep burning.' She opened her eyes a bit, peering sleepily, then her
eyes popped open wide.
Naga's face was peaceful, her short dark hair framing her
handsome face. Her breasts were pressed against Lina's front, rising
gently with her breath. Lina turned a bit, blinking, and saw Amelia
snuggled up against her back, her child-like face sweetly innocent.
'They really do look alike,' was the odd thought that ran
through Lina's mind.
With some effort the slim redhead slipped out of both women's
grasp, watching as they fidgeted a moment before settling back to sleep.
Cheeks red Lina walked off into the woods, gathering more firewood and
trying to recover her composure.
'I don't go that way,' Lina thought as she walked back towards
the camp. Still, laying there with Naga, it had been oddly exciting to
her. Looking at Naga's sleeping face she had been tempted to press
forward, to kiss her just once.
"Lina," Amelia was stretching out, her black hair messy from
sleep, "you're up early."
"Something woke me up," Lina said dryly, dropping the lumber by
the fire. She frowned, noticing Naga was gone.
"Lady Naga left to wash up at the stream," Amelia informed her
pleasantly. She began rooting through their packs, "Do you want me to
make some breakfast? I'm sure I saw a bag of nutritious porridge in here
somewhere...."
"Thanks," Lina stacked the wood in the fire pit, igniting it
with a casually tossed fireball. "Be right back," Lina waved as she
headed towards the stream.
The sounds of rushing water grew louder as Lina approached the
stream. She broke through the trees and brush, stopping cold in honest
surprise. Naga was standing out in the stream, her clothes in a pile on
the bank. Her back was pale but muscular, matching glimpses of her arms
Lina had seen. Her waist was slim but healthy, and the bottom that faced
Lina was probably one of the best that the world had ever seen.
"Naga?" Lina croaked out. She cleared her throat, then repeated
in a bit louder.
Naga turned slightly, covering her breasts with one hand,
reaching down to shield her lower parts with the other. "Yes Lina?" she
asked.
Lina turned, quickly, her cheeks beet red. It wasn't the
nakedness that was the problem, it had been the cool, assessing gaze the
warrior laid on her. "Amelia's starting breakfast," she managed.
There was the sound of movement in the water, then rustling as
clothes were pulled on quickly. "I'm sorry," Naga put her hand on Lina's
shoulder, "I thought I'd be done before anyone came looking for me."
Lina met her gaze, glad to see that Naga was fully dressed. "I
didn't mean to disturb you," Lina managed.
"It's all right," Naga reassured her, running a hand through her
wet hair. She looked Lina over, "Do you want me to stand watch while you
bathe?"
"Maybe next time," Lina murmured, moving to head back to camp.
Onwards to Part 7
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