The Noble Queen-A Shadow Slave Fanfic

Eventually, the storm outside calmed and the one that had been brewing inside the Fiery Abyss Cafe dissipated as well. Chip was a Master, so even the enchanted alcohol moved through his system faster than an Awakened or Mundane. 

After an hour of listening to the man, he was starting to sound more like himself.

Chip drank more coffee and ate more bread than most of the rest of the shop, but he insisted on giving over all his recently-harvested soul shards as compensation. 

"I'll get more," he explained. "If I can't get justice for living people, I'll just keep killing every Nightmare Creature I can find to avenge Jo. The stronger, the better–my strength is tied to the abominations I kill." 

"So you aren't staying in town?" Noble wasn't sure what answer to hope for. 

The man was a loose cannon and was adrift without his anchor. In town, he might have trouble with the locals after his display today, but out in the wilderness, she feared for his sanity. 

"I will come from time to time, especially now that I know there is good coffee to sober me up." Chip raised his cup in a small toast. 

"Wouldn't it be better to not drink at all?" Rain tilted her head at him. 

"Aye, it would, little sheila. But I can't and won't promise to stop. Asking me to stop is like asking a fish to breathe out of water. Impossible." The strange master chuckled sadly.

Rain opened her mouth to ask why, but Noble shook her head slowly.

Making him explain might trigger him all over again, and Noble didn't want to have to exert her powers over him a second time.

Having seen what a capable fighter Chip was in the Battle for Crestfall, Noble wasn't keen to fight the other Master when he was more sober-minded.

"We want the best for you," Noble patted his arm gently.

"And I thank you for it, but you all should be pouring your time into this promising young sheila and not some old wildman like me." Chip winked at the teen. "I am rightly at the bottom of the priorities list."

Clearing his throat, he pushed back his chair and stood.

"I have used up enough of your day with my ramblings. I'll be on my way."

"You are welcome here anytime," Sarai stood and offered him a hug. 

"Your generosity is appreciated. Who knows? Maybe a miracle will happen. I might decide to do something crazy like settle down and come looking for a job." Chip shrugged. 

"That reminds me. Abyss? I quit." Noble said to the shopkeeper as he passed by with a tray. 

"Can't keep good help these days." The Awakened sighed amiably. "Don't be a stranger!" 

"The same goes for you." Sarai told Chip. "If you stick around Ravenheart, drop in and let us know you are well." 

"You have a friend in me." the former soldier promised. 

"Speaking of friends, you may want to reach out to Coy. I am sure he would like to hear from you. I can point you to the gateway here..." Noble realized that she had no idea which way it was from inside the building. 

"Thank you, but I think I can find the big pointy black place on my own," Chip chuckled. "I'll be on my way." 

The Master shouldered his pack and made a modified salute. He headed toward the door, the remaining customers giving him a wide berth as he did so. 

Touching the frame for good luck, he stopped in the doorway. "I meant what I said about that girlie of yours, Noble. She's special, I can promise you that. Treasure her." 

"I do," Noble wrapped her arm around her daughter and squeezed her gently. 

The man nodded his approval. "Till we meet again." 

The door opened and Chip trod into the freshly fallen snow. Most of it would either melt or become part of the permafrost in the next few days, but for now, it was piled high in drifts. 

"The storm has passed," Sarai noted with some relief. "I figured it had when people started to filter out, but it is nice to know for sure." 

"It's been a crazy day," Noble winced at her choice of words. "I meant the weather and the opening day of the Academy this morning, though this afternoon has been extra memorable." 

The professor glanced at Rain's shadow. 

"I didn't even get to ask you how things went!" Sarai pressed her hand to her cheek. 

"It's alright. I need to go home and you probably want to get back to baking. Our friend made a serious dent in your inventory." Noble looked at the nearly empty display case behind the counter. 

"It is nice to have my work appreciated," Sarai blushed. "We will catch up soon, then?" 

Noble hugged her friend. "Absolutely." 

"Bye Auntie, Sarai. Thanks for listening and for the advice." Rain received an embrace as well. 

"You can always keep me company in the bakery," the redhead clapped her hands. 

The mother and daughter headed into the street. The snow shushed softly under Rain's feet. Noble floated over it, wondering briefly if it would count as ground if she let her feet drag through it. 

Some people might find it odd that she left no footprints, but now that it was out in the open that Noble could float, she could always say she didn't want to get her feet wet. 

"You think the boys did alright in this bad weather?" Rain asked as they headed home. 

"If I was worried about them, I wouldn't have stayed after checking that you were with Sarai." Noble shrugged. 

While the school was being constructed, Elder Azuma had gathered classes to meet in the homes of government officials. Her twins had been with their new teacher for the duration of the storm. 

If anything, Noble felt bad for the teacher who would have needed to deal with the squirrely youth during the blizzard.

"They are probably outside our house building a snowman as we speak." The professor spread her search for her children. They were up ahead somewhere, but Noble could not say exactly where the boys were playing. 

"That's good. That sounds relaxing." Rain sighed. 

"We can build one too, if you like." A small bit of snow lifted from the ground and flew into Noble's palm. "Or we could make a snow fort and have a war?" 

Rain ducked away from the lobbed ball and tossed back one of her own. It went wide, redirected by some invisible force. 

"No wars for me. I've had enough fighting for today. I want to do something mind-numbing while I think."

"You can help me do laundry after we make dinner. That isn't exactly a task that requires many brain cells." 

"Sounds good to me," Rain answered, tossing a returning ball of snow toward her mother. 

This one flew upward and then landed back at the teen's feet. 

"I thought you didn't want a war?" Noble narrowed her gaze. 

"Maybe a little skirmish." Rain grinned. 

The women rushed along the street, tossing balls of fluff in each other's directions.

By the time they reached the house, both ladies were covered in an appropriate amount of white dusting.

"That was fun," Noble brushed the newest spray from her shoulders. "It was nice to see your evasion skills outside of the practice ring. I wouldn't mind seeing that more often."

"Yeah." Rain's smile faded as she fell into thought. "Hey, mom? I wanted to talk to you about something that happened today. What do you think about—"

Noble's face changed as she grabbed a hold of her daughter.

"Watch out!"