The Noble Queen-A Shadow Slave Fanfic

It took a bit of creative storytelling, as well as a promise that Cade was nowhere in Ravenheart for Sunny to agree that he shouldn't destroy the little heartbreaker. 

If Noble had any remaining doubts about whether the older brother would keep his younger sister safe, they were gone now.

'With such a protective sibling in her shadow, Rain will never be able to date, poor girl.' 

They would have to confront that issue if and when it ever arose. 

Before then, they would have to deal with whatever decision Rain made about her future. 

And speaking of Rain...

"She's coming back," the two said in unison. 

Each gave the other a strange look but decided to each keep their own secret. 

"Goodbye, Sunny." Noble turned to head for the hall. "At least for now." 

Sunny had said that he would wait for Rain here, and she would let him do just that. 

Only...

The door to the cafe swung open and Sarai ran down the hall. 

"Noble! I need your help. I...where is Rain?" 

"Rain?" The professor turned around to the empty room. "Oh, Rain! She stepped outside for a moment. We can come back when..." 

Rain pulled open the door, allowing another flurry of flakes to blow in across the floor. 

"It was a longer walk than I thought, but—"

Rain's eyes adjusted to the room to see her Noble pushing her friend toward the hall.

"Mom? Auntie Sarai? What are you doing here? Were you looking for me?" The girl glanced around the room making sure that the two ladies were its only occupants.

"Actually, Sarai was looking for me!" Noble deflected. 

She pretended not to notice the shadow move contrary to the fire and slip back into the void resembling her daughter's frame. 

The professor turned to her friend in a slightly exaggerated manner. "How can I help you?" 

Sarai looked at the older woman and then the younger one suspiciously. 

But a crash in the cafe brought her attention back to why she had come. 

"We have an ongoing incident happening in the shop. It's a mutual acquaintance of ours and I could use your help." The redhead glanced nervously toward the swinging door. 

The mother and daughter looked at each other. 

"It must be pretty serious for you to say it like that. Lead the way." Noble ushered the baker forward.

Too intrigued by the development, Rain followed shortly behind. As they entered the connecting hall, Sarai explained quickly. 

"I did my best to try and calm him, but he isn't rational, you know? I thought he was a little eccentric last time we met, but today he has passed into full-blown crazy town." 

"Who?" Rain asked. 

Noble already knew. 

Opening the swinging door confirmed what her emotional radar had already told her. 

"Oh no." 

The room was as full as it had been before, but the customers had shifted drastically. One corner of the room was devoid of all but one person. 

The other patrons did not want to face the elements, but they also did not want to go up against such an imposing figure. Instead, they crowded together in the three other parts of the room. 

The man in question was hunched over one table with a cup in his hand. Noble couldn't look at him directly, but she knew if she could view the Master, he would be wearing a wild, untamed expression. 

"Master Noble is that you?!" he called out.

"Hello Master Chip. It's been a while." Despite the tension in her body, Noble did her best to sound friendly. 

The bulky man waved his arm. "Come on over and sit with me. No one else wants to. Maybe I smell!"

Noble nodded politely.

"Stay here," she told her daughter and fiery friend. 

"You might need backup," Sarai argued. "In case he doesn't react well to your persuasion." 

 "I wanna come too!" Rain seemed to have forgotten all about her mysterious protector, or perhaps like Noble, she had seen him slip into her shadow.

That would explain why she no longer felt any fear.

"I was the only one invited." Noble floated forward.

The two ladies left behind looked at each other, shrugged, and then followed at a reasonable distance.

Noble decided to ignore them. She focused on the man at the far table.

She approached slowly, averting her eyes from his face to keep herself from getting queasy.

"Sit down and have a drink!" The man slurred as he waved at Abyss to bring something over. "She will have what I'm having."

He slid out the chair next to him with his foot.

"A gentleman always helps a lady with her seat. I'd stand, but I think for both our sakes that isn't a great idea."

"Thank you," Noble accepted both kind gestures.

The man summoned a Memory and refilled his mug of coffee with it. "Nothing like liquor and coffee. Such a great combination. Though I think I'm running low on the coffee."

The man's breath was so strong with alcohol that Noble felt the inside of her nose burn.

"I've never tried it."

"You are missing out." Chip took a swig of his newly-mixed drink.

"I suppose so," Noble cleared her throat. "So, uh, Master Chip, I didn't expect to find you in Ravenheart."

The last time she had seen the eccentric warrior was after the battle of Crestfall.

Chip barked a laugh.

"I could say the same about you!"

"I suppose that's fair." Noble accepted a cup that Abyss brought over. Thankfully it was tea and not coffee. "My husband works for the government. He was promoted to ambassador in Ravenheart, and I chose to join him. What brings you here?"

Had the army relocated him?

"I walked here from Crestfall. Might have talked back to my commanding officer when he said I needed to learn to get past Jo's death. He didn't like that so much, or at least his broken jaw didn't. That was about two months ago. Dishonorable discharge is probably waiting for me when I get back to the waking world, but who cares? I mean except for Jo, and she's dead."

The drunk man finished off his cup and refilled it with more alcohol from his Memory.

He offered some to Noble but she shook her head.

"I don't think Jo was the only one who cared about you. I imagine that Coy cares too," Noble hoped she had said the name of the third member of his cohort correctly.

Chip sighed. "You may be on to something. He deserves better. Poor bloke handled her death far better than I did."

The burly man pushed back his cup, seemingly ready to take a break from his drunken binge.

Taking a deep breath, Noble forced a smile.

"Chip, please don't take this the wrong way. Can I ask you a question?"

"You just did, but I'll allow a second." The man shrugged.

"That's very gracious of you." Noble nodded before motioning to the other patrons. "You have most of the people in here very spooked by your entrance. And the thing they are all wondering—and I am wondering as well—is: Whose blood is all over your hands?"