I’ve Not Seen Any Starved Touched Hero Stories So May I Request A Starved Touched Hero And The Villain

Taking one look at him, something dawned on me. He was like me, looked like me in a sense. He had the dark, bark-like pattern that I have.

Only his was in a different shape.

"Pour soul," I murmured as I came across someone who lost their way and perished in the desert. Necromancy is illegal and only useable by mages who heal people. I heal and raise plants.

The soil was too hard for me to bury the person and the rocks were far too hot for me to carry so I draped some stitched furs I had in my bag.

I knelt and prayed a quick prayer that this soul would be guided safely over to the other side.

Sunlight rained through the grove. It was a long day and, to be honest, I wanted a nap. There was a stone that was large, flat, and grey, that wasn't too far from me but it was in direct sunlight. Just to test the heat of the rock, I lightly rested my hand against it and instantly recoiled it back. It was way too hot to even consider.

Abandoning the hot rock, I searched for another good place to rest. After a moment, I found one that was completely shaded by a large oak tree and was covered in moss. There was no doubt in my mind that this was the better option.

My messenger bag served as my pillow and my cape as my blanket. It didn't take a long time for me to fall asleep on this rock.

The golden crescent of the beloved moon hung peacefully in the ebony star dusted sky. Here, alone with the night, I could forget all of my problems, all of my duties, my regrets and mistakes, everything. I watched for I don’t know how long now but it was worth it, staying up and loosing sleep. As time slipped by, the moon sank closer and closer to the horizon. I didn’t want to but I pulled myself away from the window, feeling an awful feeling that nagged me that I was abandoning one of the only ones who listen to my problems. There were things I had to do in the morning. I carried myself off to my bed of starlight and fell into a dreamless sleep.

The unicorn pawed the ground, aggrivated. I didn't know much about animals but I was taking this as a warning.

"It's okay," my stranger soothed, walking forward slow enough to not spook the oakwood unicorn.

It grunted and looked like it was about to charge and skewer him to a tree.

"Hey!" he snapped at the sentinel. He had guts to even think about doing that to a sentinel.

The unicorn reared its head in a way as if to ask, "What are you going to do?"

The highwayman walked forward with the same commanding presence that he just used. My best guess is that he needed the unicorn to know that he was in no mood for funny business.

"Hey, there," he murmured when he could pet the unicorn's mossy head. "Do you want a snack? Snack?" He pulled an apple out and presented it to the sentinel.

The oakwood unicorn, much calmer now, ate the apple.

"Come on, let's sit down," the highwayman suggested while he guided the unicorn down.

It nickered as it lied down beside him. Just as he put his hand in its hair, it laid it head down on his lap.

"And here I thought that only pure maidens could do that to a unicorn," I commented.

The highwayman just smiled up at me, "I have a horse like this one back at home." He looked down at the unicorn. "Mine has beautiful black fur and a sweet temperament."

The unicorn grumbled.

"Hey, I'm a little biased since she is my horse. You are a very handsome boy for a unicorn but you can't let my horse know that I said that, okay?" he told the resting unicorn.

The unicorn rolled so its head rested on the highwayman's abdomen. As the unicorn was moving, my highwayman made it so he was on his back.

"I'm very uncomfortable," he told me. I think he was on a decent sized, dull rock.

The unicorn nickered.

"Oh? Are you comfortable?" the highwayman asked the unicorn in possible sarcasm.

It had the audacity to nicker again.

His head hit the ground as he mumbled, "Of course you are." His troubled gaze found me again. "You better get comfortable, too. We might be here for awhile."

I couldn't help but giggle a little.

"Toby!" I called out to the celestial minister.

He visibly sighed. "Yes, my king?" I knew he was just tired.

I beamed at him. "I would like for you to follow me."

"Why?"

I slung my arm around his neck. "I have something for you."

He looked at me as he reminded me, "The last time you wanted to do that, you had a constellation there in the flesh and not where it belonged in the sky!"

I rolled my eyes at the memory. "You know that my brother and I see you as family, right?"

"Yeah..." he trailed off.

"I know that you worry about us, too. So," I pulled a small, plain box out of my cloak and handed it to him, "I want to give you peace of mind."

He gingerly opened the box. He pulled out the pin I'd asked an apprentice metal worker to make. It was divided in half, one side a warm yellow and the other a gentle white, and some silver going down between the two.

"What-?"

"If either of us are in trouble, the respective sides will light up. Yellow for my brother and white for me," I explained.

"But... Why?" He looked up at me. "I-I mean, I appreciate the gift but why did you give me a gift?"

"Tommorow is your birthday."

"You aren't planning to do anything stupid, are you?"

I smiled, "I don't want my brothers to worry. So, no, I will stay here."

The quiet lake town has always been a favorite places to visit. It wasn't as densely populated as the capital was and it was just all around relaxing.

I haven't been to the marshes, bogs, fens, or anything like that west of the little town. There are rumors of monsters living there.

I like knowing that little town is okay.

"Tobias," I sighed.

"Yes, my king?"

"How long do you think we can honestly hold out for him to come home?"

"We're beyond that point, my king. The plant and animal mages are doing what they can to help."

I nodded. I'm tired and I know I can't rule without my brother to help me.

The fields of Royal Cress are okay but when it's pollen mixes with that of things like Ghost Mother Willow... It's just not a good day.

"Have you ever been in there?" I asked as I gestured to the edge of the woods. If he hasn't, then we'd have to go around the Ashen Grove.

"Years ago, I think," he answered, picking a sprig of Royal Cress.

I was just very happy that Royal Cress pollen is heavier than most others.

"Maybe we should just go around," I offered.

"Will it get us there faster?"

"No."

He stood up. "We got through the Ashen Grove, then," he stated.

Oh dear. I rubbed my head. I'd probably have to help him through the mirages that happen to those not used to the pollens.

"Wait up," I called as I trotted to keep up with him.

"Why are there so many sunflowers, especially by the boarders?" my stranger asked when we passed a field of some bowing sunflowers.

"There's some bad magic, I don't know what, that the king has tried to protect the kingdom from. But everything he tried didn't work. Ages ago, the mages who used the magic I use figured out that sunflowers were the best defense."

"Did they ever tell the king what they found out?"

I knew he was looking at me but I couldn't tell which he was more concerned for - me or if the king found out sunflowers were good protectors against magic in general.

I stopped to look over the elderly sunflower field. They should be getting ready to go to seed so the next generation could defend the kingdom. But that also means that I have to work in some black gold deep into the soil for them.

"No. They never told him and he never found out," I solemnly stated. It's just not how we were.