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Post by Amber on May 23, 2020 16:52:01 GMT -5
Levey, the hesitant assassian Levey wasn't sure what his brother would say. It was a borderline insane idea, one that could get them both killed in the worst circumstance. However if they were both caught together then surely they would be captured, questioned, and killed by the angry heads of Gryffon. After a moment, Tyranas' face softened and he sighed. He was in agreement. The older elf finally spoke up, his uneasy about the situation clear. Levey offered a comforting smile, though didn't know how much that would help.
"I'll be okay," he promised. A gentle hand laid on his shoulder for a moment before disappearing. Levey still smiled, it was his brother's way of showing affection, something he wasn't the best at. The younger elf gave a final nod before watching Tyranas melt away into the shadows. Drawing in a shaky breath, he began to cover his face and ears, trying to make it diffcult for people to tell what he was. Levey wasn't entierly sure if it would work, but he knew it didn't hurt to try. He didn't plan on being seen, but plans changed and sometimes people just had to improvise. Unfortunately, Levey wasn't the best at improvising.
After his brother's footsteps faded away and silence had settled over the area again, Levey finally made his move. Taking a careful look around, he slipped out of the alcove and into the streets. It seemed people were beginning to stir from all the commotion at the castle. Levey bit his lip, concern nipping at his chest. What would he do if he were caught? Lie? Run? Would the answer depend on who caught him? His brother would probably have an answer, he always found ways to get out of nearly any situation, usually unscathed. Maybe splitting up wasn't a good idea, he thought, grimacing. It was too late to go back now.
Sticking to the heavy shadows, Levey kept himself as obscured as he could. He passed through dingy side streets and paths that appeared less travled, sticking to ground for now. He wasn't as acrobatic as the other assassins and wouldn't want to risk a fall from a roof. Besides, he knew the city well enough to navigate his way to freedom. Even if he hadn't studied the map as well as he should have, Levey would be fine. Probably.
Kaethe, the reluctant merchant What surprised Kaethe the most wasn't the fact there was someone lurking in the shadows, but the fact that they had answered her. The stranger carefully stepped into the light. As soon as she saw the figure, Kaethe immediately relaxed. He was no vagrant, in fact he seemed to pose no threat at all. Dressed in fine cloths of some kind of noble, his face was surprisingly young. The boy was likely barely older than fifteen or sixteen and he seemed more uneasy than anything.
"Oh, hi. What are you doing out so late dressed like that?" She gestered to his nice-looking clothing, which would certainly make him a target for some thief. No one would be dressed in such a way and wandering the streets, especially so unwisely after dusk. Besides, knife or not, he didn't seem to be a threat to anyone except maybe himself if he wasn't careful. Kaethe carefully stepped forward, her hands cautiously ahead of her. She didn't want the boy to run, assuming her to be some kind of danger to him.
"I'm not going to hurt you either. My knife will stay right here." She gestered to a leather sheath that was securely strapped to her hip. She took a couple more steps towards the young noble until she stood only a foot or two away from him. Kaethe studied him for a moment, looking the stranger up and down. Judging by his attire, his parents were probably quite rich. They were definently not low elites either, but likely people rather prominent among any of the noble houses that resided in the city. As she looked him over once more, a thought came to mind. Maybe if I help him, a reward could be in place. After all, a kid dressed so nicely would have parents who miss him and they might just want to reward whoever brings him home safely.
With a friendly smile, the merchant held out her hand in greeting. "The name's Kaethe Haldis, but my friends called me Kae. Now, maybe you can tell me your name if you want and an explanation on why you're out here so late?" There was a kindness to her voice, though it was only partially an act. She wanted the strange boy to trust her. Even if she was looking for some kind of reward or payout for keeping him safe, a part of her was concerned for his wellbeing. Why was someone of his age and status out alone at night?
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Post by Tealraven on May 24, 2020 23:34:51 GMT -5
Finian Clarel | Market District
Finian slowly lowered his hands, letting the one that held the knife fall to his side but keeping a tight grasp on it nonethless. His eyes widened as the merchant stepped forward into the light, revealing round, feminine features dusted with freckles. She was young, in her early twenties if he had to guess, which was uncommon for a merchant (at least from his limited experience of them). But what surprised him the most was that she was a woman. He couldn't remember ever seeing female merchants, so he had assumed it was a traditionally masculine occupation. Apparently he was wrong, like he was about so many things in the real world. I have so much to learn, he thought in frustration.
That, or this shrewd young woman had the tenacity and cunning to make her living in a highly competitive field. Already he could sense that she was sizing him up. In the few moments that they'd made eye contact, she'd deduced that he was no threat; he could tell by the way her shoulders slumped slightly and the change in her tone of voice. His eyes flicked down to the elaborately embroidered tunic he was wearing, heat blooming in his cheeks. She probably thinks I'm some spoiled rich kid staying out late at night to do... he thought for a moment. He didn't exactly have any friends his age, so he had no clue what other teenaged noble boys did for fun. What ever it is spoiled rich kids do, I guess.
He glanced up at the merchant again, realizing she was expecting an answer from him. This part he hadn't thought about. He'd have to make up a convincing lie on the spot - should he act the part and pretend to be stuck up? No, that would only annoy her, and he suspected she'd see right through the ruse anyway. Oh, perhaps he could borrow a few details from one of his favorite novels and work it into his backstory?
"I, um -- my parents are here on holiday. Just sightseeing, touring the capital, see. We were supposed to leave at midday, but I got separated from them. This city is much bigger than where we come from." He fidgeted with a button on his sleeve and wrinkled his forehead so he looked appropriately befuddled. He'd always been teased for having a baby face; maybe now it would come in handy. "I don't know where they are -- they may have already left the city. So I've, um, been looking for them... all afternoon... and now I don't know where I am," he finished plaintively, allowing the cadence of his voice to rise in pitch at the end of his sentence.
Part of him wanted to fire back at the merchant with questions of his own -- what about you? what are you doing out here so late? -- but he decided he'd better not push his luck. He lowered his powder blue eyes to the knife holstered at her hip, resisting the urge to back away as she stepped closer to inspect him. "I don't mean to cause any trouble. I didn't know anyone else was out here, honestly."
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Post by Amber on May 25, 2020 13:28:45 GMT -5
Kaethe, the reluctant merchant Although the stranger put his arm down, it was clear he still wasn't comfortable with the situation. His grip remained tight around the knife, ready to use it if needed. It was likely pointless as it didn't seem like it would offer him much protection, if any. Even if Kaethe wasn't much of a threat herself, she was sure she could beat the stranger in a fight. Of course she doubted it would come to that. Just like she had studied him, he studied her as well. Perhaps he was trying to get a better idea on just who she was or maybe he was still deciding whether or not to trust her. He wouldn't have much luck, she was as she presented herself. Mostly.
The boy visibly flushed and shifted uncomfortably for a moment, blue eyes wandering over his clothing. Kaethe raised a brow in slight confusion, but didn't say a word. After a moment, he finally spoke up and recounted the events of the day. Kaethe nodded along, watching him carefully as he explained everything. There was something off about the whole situation. From the way he fidgeted with his sleeve to how he scrunched his face slightly, it seemed forced. They almost seemed like deliberate moves as if to make himself appear more sympathetic. Kaethe continued to watch him as he finished his story. He was definently lying and doing a poor job at it.
It was almost as if he was trying too hard to convince her it was true. There were too many odd details that anyone could pick apart with just a little thinking. Why would a rich couple who clearly cared for their child simply up and leave him? They would've realized he was gone the moment they entered the street. Why didn't he go to the authorities or talk to the staff of wherever he was staying? They would have the time, resources, and trustworthiness to help a lost adolescent look for his parents. There were many questions she could ask to pick apart his explanation. However, she kept quiet as there was one question that stuck out to her the most. Why did he lie?
Was the kid some sort of young conartist trying to get something from her? That seemed unlikely. His clothing was simply too nice and he had yet to ask for anything like money. He also certainly wasn't a runaway, or at least hadn't been away long. If that were the case, why spin the story about separating from his parents? The boy was hiding something, the exact reason or thing unclear. For all his poor presentation of a lost kid, there seemed to be some underlying need to leave the city. For now, Kaethe would just play along. Answers would come soon enough, whether through her own prodding or him sharing new details.
"You poor thing. You're parents just left you and you've been searching for them all day? How did you manage? Well, let's not worry about that right now. The good news is, I have a friend who might be able to help with your predicament. I was supposed to meet her around midday tomorrow, but if we leave now we can reach her by morning." She paused for a moment and gestered for him to stay by her sealed cart as she disappeared. Kaethe left only to return a few minutes later with a rather large horse. With quick precision, the merchant secured the steed to the cart to prepare for the journey.
"It's no trouble for me," she encouraged as she settled into the front seat. "As I said, we can reach my friend by morning and she can help find your parents. You ready?" Kaethe moved to the side to make room for the nameless stranger. No longer was she concerned with some kind of reward- though the thought of one was still enticing -now she just wanted to see how long the kid would keep to his story. Even if it all proved to lead to nothing, it was at least an exciting adventure.
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Post by Tealraven on May 25, 2020 23:34:24 GMT -5
Finian Clarel | Market District
Finian had been so busy trying to look the innocent and fretful noble boy, too sheltered to understand how the world works, to notice the imperceptible shifts in expression across the merchant's face. When he met her eyes again, she looked as though she'd swallowed his pitiful tale hook, line and sinker, no questions asked. He supposed he should be relieved that she'd evidently decided she could trust him. Yet, he couldn't shake the suspicion that she hadn't fully believed him. It was too easy. Her eyes glinted sharply in the half-light, clever, experienced. He had a sinking feeling that he was being played, and he prepared himself to field more questions, but she seemed to have stopped prodding him for now.
"You have a friend," he repeated as she disappeared around the back of the cart. "Who can help me." He didn't have a sheathe or anything to put his knife in, so he just fiddled with the handle nervously. "That's awfully convenient. How do I know you're not just going to - to sell me or ransom me or something?" The doubt etched in the lines of his young face was real now; Finian had a way of looking like he was always thinking hard or worried about something, no play-acting required.
Kae the merchant returned leading a tall, beautiful mare, her voice light and conversational, if not exactly friendly. She secured the horse to the front of the cart. Then he stared at her for a moment as she climbed into the front seat and patted the cushion beside her. And finally, it clicked: she planned to take him out of the city. Into the wilderness. Away from warmth and safety and everything he'd ever known. There was absolutely no reason for him to trust the stranger, none. So why did he feel a prickle of excitement?
You've always wanted to go on an adventure, he told himself. It's not like you'd be any good as a ruler anyway. He remembered with a flash of guilt and panic that if he truly was the only survivor of the attack on the palace, that meant he was the sole heir to the throne. The assassins could still be in the city, even now, watching from the shadows. Just the thought of it sent a cold chill down his spine, like someone pouring ice water down the back of his shirt. He shivered. I think I'd rather take my chances with the maybe-secretly-planning-to-kill-me person than the definitely-most-assuredly-planning-to-kill-me people.
Steeling himself, he placed a foot on the running board of the cart and pulled himself up onto the seat beside the merchant. He kept the knife carefully out of her reach so he wouldn't accidentally stab her while they rode, but angled it toward her anyway. More so for his own peace of mind than on any pretense of being threatening. "Alright," he said quietly, voice strained. Kae snapped the reins and with a sudden jolt they were moving. "So, uh, where is this hypothetical friend of yours? How can she help?"
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Post by Amber on May 26, 2020 11:11:08 GMT -5
Kaethe, the reluctant merchant "Yes, I have a friend," she hummed in reply. "And she can definently help you. It does appear to be a little convenient, but how do you think I got to the city? The timing of caravans can be awfully finicky and I can't always wait around for them. So I used my friend's servics when I went from my base of operations to here." She paused for a moment and considered his question. It was a fair point and his concern was genuine. He was truly worried for his safety and well being, and why shouldn't he? They had just met and for all he knew she was indeed some kind of slaver looking for new people to sell. Kaethe sighed and shook her head.
"Trying to kidnap you to sell or for ransom would be pointless. For starters, I only sell trinkets, jewelry, and other small things like that. Selling a person, which is also morally abhorrent, is different and would probably be rather diffcult. Next, it would be too much work. I would have to make sure you got well taken care of and remained mostly unharmed during the journey. The cost of food, water, and other unforeseen expenses alone would eat into whatever profit I earn anyway. And finally, it would be a lot more trouble than it's worth. There would be an investigation, authorities would be after me, and my budding reputation as an excellent merchant would be ruined. Why bother with a one time sellout when I can contiune to build my reputation and grow my profits?" It all seemed fairly obvious to her, but she could understand the boy's hesitance. She was still a stranger after all.
Kaethe finished hooking her mare to the cart. The large horse would be able to handle the extra weight, though it didn't seem like it would be much. She glanced towards the young noble and gestered for him to join her. He could easily run off into the night, she wouldn't chase after him, but a part of her doubted that would be the case. Eventually he joined her in the front, settling into the empty seat beside her. Kaethe offered a warm smile as she picked up the reins and gave the mare some slack. "Onward, Sweets." The mare began to go, pulling the cart and passengers from the market. The noble asked more questions, of course about the woman they would be meeting. He wanted to know what he was getting himself into.
"She lives out in the woods and isn't much of a people person unsurprinsgly. We won't have to go too far in to see her, though. There's a clearing she told me to meet her at where she'll be waiting. Or at least she'll stumble upon us there because we're arriving a little earlier than originally intended," Kaethe explained. She glanced at the noble again. He shifted around, though it seemed less from nervousness and more from excitment. Despite his earlier worries, perhaps he was truly looking for adventure. "She can help because one of her specialties is tracking. So much so that a few people call her Tracker. She could help find where your parents are and bring you to them."
She could probably also help with uncovering your secrets, she added silently. Kaethe wasn't sure what would be in store for either of them. What she did know was she wanted answers and would hopefully get them soon.
Levey, the hesitant assassian Levey had no idea how long he had been stalking through the city. It could've a few minutes or maybe closer to an hour. All he knew for certain was that he was lost. Not hopelessly, at least not yet, but his sense of direction wasn't nearly as keen as he had assumed. The streets contiuned to be surprisingly empty as he moved through the shadows. Despite the alarm ringing from the castle, no one had flooded the streets like he expected. As Levey passed through another side street, he heard a set of voices. Drawing in a sharp breath, he peered from the corner to see how he could get around the pair.
The elf's eyes widened. It was the prince. Of course it was the prince and of course he managed to find help and of course Levey just had to stumble upon the one place he had wandered too. The assassin watched them from the shadows, heart loudly drumming in his chest. They chatted for a few minutes before getting into the cart and heading off to who-knows-where. Levey bit his lip, realizing he had two options. He could turn and leave, continuing to find his way out of the maze-like city or he could follow them and get another chance to complete his task. Of course he probably couldn't bring himself to kill the young royal again. A pit formed in his stomach. He couldn't kill anyone. He wasn't fit to be an assassin.
Drawing in a breath, Levey watched the cart roll away. He pursued it. Even if he couldn't finish his job, the least he could hope for was a clear way out to freedom.
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Post by Tealraven on May 26, 2020 14:35:43 GMT -5
Finian Clarel | Leaving the City
Finian leaned forward slightly, his shoulders hunched in a decidedly un-princely way. He put an elbow on his knee and leaned his chin in one palm, watching the shops and houses bounce by as the cart bumped down the road. He made an amused sound through his nose at the merchant's no-nonsense explanation of why she wouldn't sell him. Mostly because he would be too much work -- well, thank you very much, he thought wryly -- and something about reputation and only selling jewelry and other expensive baubles. Which, in all honesty, would probably be worth more than him anyway.
This Kaethe character apparently didn't think much of him if he wasn't worth the effort to keep safe and well-fed. It seemed like he'd have to do that part on his own. He laid the knife in his lap and thumbed the few precious coins he'd brought with him in his pocket. Too bad she didn't sell any food. Dining on gold bracelets and pearl necklaces wouldn't quiet the grumbling of his stomach. He resolved not to trust the merchant; not if she cared more about her profits than the welfare of another human being.
But wait. Another thought struck him, and he sat up quickly. "So, if your goal isn't to make a quick profit off of me, then why are you helping? Why bother if I'm not worth the time and effort?" He tilted his head and narrowed his eyes at her in a manner that was calculating, but not angry. "Or is this about your reputation?" All of the merchants he'd met were selfish, unwilling to put another person before them unless they could get something from them in exchange, and morally grey at best. Maybe she means to extract some sort of reward money from me or my "noble" parents.
He probably shouldn't keep questioning her like this; she had, after all, offered to help him, and he couldn't pretend she wasn't exactly what he needed when he needed it. But she'd piqued his curiosity. He leaned against the backboard as the city gates came into view, the sky above them feathering to a pale lavender-blue color. The stars were fading. If all went well, then they'd be out of the city before the streets became too crowded, making his undetected escape nearly impossible. He certainly couldn't risk Kaethe finding out who he was now. He chewed the inside of his cheek as they approached the guards at the checkpoint. Hopefully, they wouldn't recognize him.
Tyranas Abelahn | On the Run
The long-legged elf ran nimbly down the winding streets, his feet barely skimming the stones. Around him, the darkness was lifting, and early risers were beginning to populate the neighborhood. The baker set fresh bread and pastries on the window sill and pushed open the glass to let the smell waft temptingly across the square. Flipping the sign on the door over to 'open,' he raised a hand and called a friendly greeting to the newsboy as he galloped by, tossing rolled up papers onto the front steps of each building he passed. The pony's jangling riding gear and steady hoofbeats matched the rapid heartbeat pounding in Tyranas' chest and ears until it was all he could hear.
He stumbled, clutching a stitch in his side, and paused to lean against the corner of a blacksmith's. Elves' endurance was greater than humans', but even they had limits. He clapped a hand to his forehead, pressing his palm into his eye sockets, trying to block out the headache he was developing and the sound of a hammer hitting metal.
"Hey," barked a gruff voice. "You just gonna stand there or you gonna buy somethin'?" It was the blacksmith. Tyranas looked up -- mistake -- and the stocky man's eyes widened, bushy eyebrows making a run for his receding hairline. "Elf," he hissed, no doubt recognizing Tyranas' assassin garb. At that moment, several palace guards rounded the corner, the first making eye contact with the assassin. "It's him!" He screeched, pulling his sword from its scabbard and motioning to his fellows. He charged, and Tyranas whipped around behind the blacksmith's, charging down the side of the building.
A rickety metal ladder descended from the plaster wall in front of him. He placed one foot on the bottom-most rung and it groaned alarmingly beneath his weight. He glanced over his shoulder. The guards were still coming, their weapons thrust in front of them as though they meant to skewer him against the wall. No time to hesitate. Tyranas pulled himself up the ladder, one hand after another. He'd almost made it to the top when a rusted rung snapped beneath him and he nearly lost his grip. For a terrifying moment, his legs swung out over a height of nearly ten feet. Yet, somehow, he found the energy to pull himself the rest of the way up onto the roof, shoulders and biceps burning.
Have to keep going, he thought desperately. Summoning his strength, he pushed himself onto his knees and stood shakily. Just don't look down. You've trained for this. The elf darted across the rooftops, leaping from one building to another over narrow alleys. He was dimly aware of townsfolk on the ground below, gaping and pointing. This was the exact opposite of a clean getaway, messy; yet, in spite of himself, he grinned. What spectacle! They'll be talking about this for ages. The city walls rose before him, growing ever taller as he closed the distance.
A shout behind him made him lose focus, and his foot slipped on a loose roof shingle. Pitching forward, he caught himself on his hands, painfully scuffing his palms in the process. He ducked his head, peering between his legs, and saw a ridiculous upside-down image of two guards making a beeline for him, albeit less gracefully as they scrambled across the rooftops. "Seriously?" He cried. "You just have to make things harder for yourselves." He lurched into a standing position, yanking two wickedly-curved blades from their sheathes on his back. He twirled one cockily in his hand as the muscular men approached. "If you insist!" I'll engage them for a bit -- just enough to tire them out or throw them off, and to buy Levey some extra time. I hope that little twerp makes it out of here...
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Post by Amber on May 26, 2020 17:41:46 GMT -5
Kaethe, the reluctant merchant The city was beginning to wake as they road along. Store fronts were getting ready to open while peasants began to head to their jobs or start housework. It was normal and mundane, just like all the other mornings in the city had been. The only odd thing was the increase of guard activity. Kaethe frowned as they passed by another small group. I wonder if it has to do with the alarm bells earlier, she wondered. She never did discover what that was all about, but it ultimately didn't bother her. Whatever the situation was didn't involve her so therefore it was no worry. Her companion remained silent as they headed towards the city's exit. He only hummed in reply to her words and appeared to be lost in whatever thoughts plagued his mind.
Although she could usually read people well enough, it was diffcult to understand anything about the boy. The story about his parents was obviously made up, but he still wanted to get out of the city. He was scared of every shadow and noise around them, but trusted her enough to stay with her. It was truly strange. Before she could delve deeper into her thinking, the noble jolted up and looked at her. He asked a couple of questions, trying to find her own motives for helping him. Kaethe smiled lightly. She was interested to see how long he could keep up the ruse and to know what he really wanted. However, she wouldn't tell them that. Instead, she would only given him a partical truth. It would do for the time being.
"I suppose adding 'helping return lost a child to their parents who left them in the city' would help my reputation, but I honestly just felt bad for you. Scared and alone after searching for your parents all day just struck a cord with me. Besides, it's dangerous to wander the streets at night, especially dressed so nicely. You make yourself a target, even in a relatively safe area like the merchant district." Silence settled over the pair again. It seemed to be enough of an answer for the boy. There was no time to contiune to chat anyway as they pulled towards the exit checkpoint. Kaethe frowned. There was an increase of guards around, easily twice the amount there had been over a week ago.
"What's with all the security?" She grumbled as she took her spot in the short line. Perhaps it was connected with the alarms. Kaethe didn't dwell on it as she glanced towards the sky. The first signs of the sun traced above, offering some light. It was taking on a brighter hue as dawn quickly approched. The merchant didn't look long as aAseries of creaks coming from the cart grabbed her attention. Taking a careful look behind her, she didn't notice anything out of place. With a shrug, she turned her attention back ahead. After a few minutes, the first carriage was dismissed and the next one was inspected. After another few minutes, that too was let go and it was their turn. Kaethe gave the order to Sweets to move before lightly pulling the mare to a stop. One of the guards approched to begin the inspection. With sun-kissed skin and a fit build, he was rather handsome though a scowl did take from that. Kaethe smiled as he approched, waiting for him to speak. If he was in a bad mood, she didn't want to make it worse.
"Papers please," he ordered. She gave a small nod and pulled out a few documents, delicately handing them over to the man. He took a quick look over them as a pair of guards took a look around her cart.
"Open the sides, please," one of them ordered. Kaethe gave a nod and slid from her spot, placing the reins down. With her key, she unlocked the sides and allowed the guards to take a quick look. After a moment, they gave a nod and let her lock everything back up. As she settled back into her seat, the man with her papers nodded towards the noble. "Who's this?" Kaethe glanced towards her companion and flashed a smile. She put her arm around the noble, and gave him a side hug.
"This is my younger cousin actually! He wanted to see how merchants operated as he's interested in becoming one. I let him join me for this trip so he can get an idea about what it's like," she explained. The man narrowed his eyes, but Kaethe didn't falter. She held her smile, ready to explain anything else away if needed. Before he could question them further, a small group of guards rushed up. With breathless whispers, they were clearly speaking of some kind of emergency. The man nodded and dismissed the group.
"You're free to go. Just make sure he has papers next time he joins you." The man handed Kaethe her documents back and they were able to contiune their journey. With a smile, she thanked the guards before lightly snapping the reins to get her mare going once more.
Levey, the hesitant assassian Levey had contiuned to follow just behind the pair. He hadn't been spotted by anyone, and if he was they hopefully just thought he was some sort of street urchin. From behind a stack of wooden boxes, he watched the cart slow to a stop towards one of the city's gates. There was a checkpoint. Of course there was a checkpoint! Especially after what unfolded the night before, the guards would be checking every vehicle that left the city. From his poor hiding spot, he observed the area for a moment. There was no way he could escape that way unseen. However there was also no going back now. The sun would be up shortly and it would be impossible to blend in with the crowd. He would be caught if he tried to escape another way now.
The guards were distracted by another carriage ahead, throughly inspecting it top to bottom. Levey bit his lip, watching the merchant's cart nearby. He had a plan, but if he was caught he would certainly be killed. The elf pulled a hand through his thick curls, checking his surrondings once more. A few shopkeepers were behind him, concerned with getting their businesses run for the day. The guards in front were distracted with the same carriage. Inhaling sharply, Levey made his choice. Getting up from his hiding place, the elf dashed forward, trying to keep himself as small and unseen as possible. In the same movement, he rolled underneath the cart and onto his back. He stilled for a moment, waiting for shouts about an elf sighting or for the guards to drag him from his new hiding spot. Nothing came. He was safe. For now.
With a sigh of relief, Levey grabbed the supports underneath the cart to get himself a ride to freedom. The wood cearked with the added weight and for a moment, the elf thought it would splinter or break. The supports remained strong and no one was alerted to his presence. The cart moved forward as the first one finally left. An eternity passed, and the second vehicle was finished with its inspection. It was finally their turn. A gruff-sounding guard asked for papers as two more began to circle the cart. Levey desprately clung to the supports. They ordered the merchant to open the sides and began to inspect her goods. The doors soon clicked closed and she had gone back to the front. The metal bits of armor clanged and scrapped across the cobblestone as the guards circled again.
Levey could hear the merchant and first guard exchange a few words. There seemed to be some dispute over the prince and paperwork. So that's how he was going to get caught. Some ridiculous paperwork was going to bring his end. Levey squeezed his eyes shut and gripped the under supports harder, waiting for the command to inspect the cart further. The sound of footsteps coming from behind grabbed his attention insteas. There were at least three or four new people who joined at the checkpoint. Levey was left wondering why. Had more guards been called over for something so small? Had they realized the boy was the remaining prince? A few tense whispered were exchanged between them and then there was silence. Six guards now left while the first man spoke with the merchant again. He missed the conversarion between the two, but moments later the cart began to move again. As the cart left the city behind, Levey watched as the next wagon was halted to a stop and inspected.
Levey was free.
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Post by Tealraven on May 27, 2020 15:07:35 GMT -5
Finian Clarel | Leaving the City
Finian had to stop himself from making a retort as they pulled up to the checkpoint. True, his flashy clothing did make him an easy target, but I wasn't expecting to run into anybody else that late at night, sheesh. He jumped when something creaked behind them, but managed to play it off as going over a bump in the road. If he looked behind them, it would only make them seem more suspicious, like they had something to hide. He sighed and gazed ahead, eyes glazed with false boredom.
Beside him, Kaethe slid from the seat and walked around to the side of the cart, withdrawing a jangling set of keys from her pocket. The guards who'd been inspecting them followed her, and Finian was left sitting alone at the reins for a few awkward minutes, trying to ignore the gatekeeper's cold stare. The guards and merchant returned, and the gatekeeper finished riffling through Kaethe's paperwork and handed the documents back to her. As they exchanged papers, he nodded questioningly in Finian's direction. The prince was startled into meeting the man's eyes. Then the merchant threw an arm around his shoulder and pulled him in close, feigning affection.
Finian blinked owlishly at the man for a moment, then smiled and shrugged apologetically. He glanced around and tried to pull away from his "cousin" to peer down the road leading out of town, curiosity lighting his fine features. The gatekeeper seemed skeptical, but before he could question them any further, another pair of guards came running up to the cart. They traded news in breathless whispers, and Finian leaned forward slightly to listen in. But one of them lifted his head over the other two and caught the prince's eye. Finian recognized him vaguely from the palace. He turned his head away, pretending to be very interested Kaethe's paperwork.
"What's that?" he started to say. "Official merchant papers?" But then they were dismissed, and with a flick of the reins they jolted forward again. The gates lifted with an ancient creaking sound, and suddenly, they were outside. He was outside the city! Sunlight beamed down on them, unobstructed by walls and tall buildings. Around them, the countryside rolled out like a patchy green carpet over gentle hills, topped with grazing cattle and little white cottonballs that he assumed were sheep. Up ahead, the stone road eventually narrowed to a dirt path as it neared the edge of the distant woods. Their destination was but a dark green smudge on the horizon.
Unable to help himself, Finian began to pepper the merchant with questions: "So, why did you decide to become a merchant? Family business? I bet you've been to many faraway kingdoms on your travels." He squinted, trying to picture the world map from his geography lessons in his head. "Where have you visited? Do you ever encounter ruffians or bandits on the road?" He paused. "Will we encounter ruffians or bandits?"
Tyranas Abelahn | On the Run
Tyranas ducked and weaved around the two guards facing off against him. Each time one made a stab at him, he darted away again, just out of their reach. The taller one nearly impaled his companion, and they teetered precariously on the edge of the roof before regaining their balance. The shorter pushed the other off of him with a grunt and went after the elf again. But they lacked the quick reflexes and agility of a trained assassin, and only succeeded in stumbling comedically around the roof, slipping on the slick tiles. The guards were losing patience, and perhaps beginning to realize they were outmatched. Below them, a large crowd was gathering, people shouting and pointing to the bizarre scuffle unfolding overhead. Tyranas was attracting too much attention; time to go.
He flashed the guards a challenging smile. "Well, it's been fun, but I really must be goin-" Just then he was interrupted by a white hot slice of pain. He glanced down and saw that the taller guard had lashed out at Tyranas' arm, and the sword had connected, though just barely. It still hurt, though, and blood was welling fast in the wound. The guards were desperate, and desperation made people dangerous. Grimacing, Tyranas shot the taller a poisonous look, then sliced his throat and delivered a solid kick to the stomach, pushing him into the other guard. Shrieking, the momentum carried them over the edge. A collection of gasps went up from the crowd.
That ought to keep them busy for awhile, Tyranas thought dizzily. Shaking his head, he sheathed his daggers, clamped one hand over the cut on his upper arm to stem the bleeding, and sprang onto the next shorter building. Behind him, authorities converged on the scene, ordering townspeople out of the way and shouting questions at the frantic crowd. There was too much chaos going on for anybody to notice the tall, pointed-eared man descend from the roof.
Nobody noticed him slink down the street, either.
And not a single soul watched as he slid open a manhole cover in the street and swung down into the darkness.
This sewer must lead somewhere out of the city. Tyranas waited for his eyes to adjust to the gloom. Then, wrinkling his nose at the stench, he splashed down the cavernous tunnel and into the unknown.
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Post by Amber on May 27, 2020 17:41:14 GMT -5
Kaethe, the reluctant merchant The city walls began to shrink behind them as the paved stone path joined with a rough dirt road. The ride wasn't going to be nearly as smooth, but they would be fine. As they road along, Kaethe glanced at the boy for a moment. She was mildly impressed with how he handled the situation. Of course he also didn't have to speak and the thing with her papers was questionable, but there was still hope for him yet. As they contiuned to pull away from the city, Kaethe watched the forest in the distance. They would be there in no time. For now, the woman wanted to enjoy the ride. A light breeze was a welcoming change from the mugginess of the city while the near quiet of the fields was comforting. The occasional noises from far off farm animals or the forest-dwelling birds were the only sounds that filled the air. After being surrounded by noisy crowds for over a week, it was good to have a little silence.
It was good for the few minutes it lasted, at least. Kaethe nearly jumped at the boy's newfound energy as he eagerly tossed out a few questions. She eyed him for a moment, though a small smile tugged at her lips. "That's a lot of questions, especially as they're mostly about me," she noted. After watching him for a moment, she made a show of sighing and clicking her tongue in mock disappointment. "Alright, seeing as you're genuinely curious and I'm interested in sharing, I'll humor you. So, how did I, Kaethe Haldis, become a merchant you ask? As cliche as it might be, it's always been something of a family business, mainly on my father's side. My great-great grandfather became a merchant, then his son became a merchant, then his son became one. Unlike his predecessors, he founded his own guild with a few others, two of those people being my mother's parents. My parents married and had me all the while helping the guild contiune to grow. My uncle's the one who taught me everything." She paused for any questions, then moved onto the next topic.
"I have been to a few kingdoms, you're certainly right about that. I've gone to the small kingdom of Marden southward, below that I've been to the island nation of Aldona, and I've even been to Arthenia. I have a map marking everywhere I've been if you want to take a look at that later along with a couple of stories about my travles as well. That is if you're interested." There was a mischievous glint in her eye. He probably would want to see them and she would gladly share her adventures with the boy.
"Anyway, as for bandits, ruffians, and criminals I have comes across them on the road before. Thankfully it's unlikely we'll see anything out here. We're close enough to the city and by extension the guards for anyone to think twice about robbing us. Plus rangers and woodsmen like Tracker frequently patrol the area and keep an eye on any criminal activity. They're more likely to get to them before they can get to us." Kaethe had only been near the city a few times in her life. In all her expierence, she had never been attacked by rogues or bandits. Tracker had mentioned facing bandits before and fithgint them off...or maybe she was just confusing her uncle's words with the ranger's. Kaethe couldn't be sure, but the noble boy didn't need to know that. As they contiuned to near the forest, she turned to the adolescent and offered a smile.
"Now, I have answered all your questions. I think it's only fair if you answer a few of mine. You never gave me a name and frankly I don't want to refer to you as boy. So what is it? I know you're in the city for vacation, so where are you from? I assume somewhere around Gryffon, but maybe you're from a neighboring kingdom. Also, how long were you staying with your family in the city?" It was probably a lot to throw at the young noble at once. However it was only fair she got some answers of her own. Besides, maybe it would help her figure some stuff out about the stranger.
Levey, the hesitant assassian Smooth stone quickly turned into a dirt road. Levey contiuned to hang on beneath the cart. As his muscles began to ache and cramp up, he wasn't sure how much longer he could manage to hang on. It would have to be at least until they reached the forest. There was nowhere to hide out in the field and he would surely be spotted by the guards or other travlers of he let go now. The dust, rocks, and dirt kicked up by the wheels were certainly not helping the situation and only served as a source of irritation. Levey wanted to wipe his face, but feared letting one hand go would result in a fall. For the time being, he would just have to deal with it.
He could hear the pair above having some kind of conversation, but the rumbling of the road made it impossible to make out what they were saying. It didn't matter, it probably wasn't anything important. Instead, the elf focused on his escape. Despite the fact he would be sore and recovering his hearing later, Levey was free. The humans above didn't know he had hitched a ride and he managed to get out of the city unseen. He could only hope Tyranas managed to escape as well. A pang hit his chest. What if his brother was trapped? Could that have been what distracted the guards at the gate? The young elf squeezed his eyes shut. He couldn't think about that now. He had to focus on making sure he get away from the cart safely. Levey didn't know how long it would be before they stopped or when he could flee the area. For now he would just have to wait it out.
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Post by Tealraven on Jun 3, 2020 19:01:42 GMT -5
Finian Clarel | On The Road
Finian sat up and listened intently, his pale blue eyes bright. He tried briefly to imagine himself in her shoes, young and excited, maybe nervous, setting out on his first trip to some unknown place. Forget books -- here was somebody who'd actually been to the places he'd read about and then some. He recognized the kingdoms she listed, of course; he'd always been an avid student of history, a subject he found nearly as interesting as fiction. The stories he'd grown up on were all fantasy, the tantalizing fruit of an author's imagination. But history was real. It had real heroes and villains just as complex and intriguing as fictional characters. Real places you could go to in person!
He gingerly took the map from her hands, gazing at its worn edges and fading print with deep respect. There were the names of the kingdoms, just as she'd said. To him, they'd always been words on paper, but now they felt tangible. He ran his fingers lightly over the surface, tracing lines that marked the previous routes she'd taken over the course of her career. Here and there, he noticed little marks with notes scratched hastily next to them: shortcut here, this one's a dead end, avoid that cluster of trees, watch out for wolves. He glanced sideways at the merchant without turning his head. She still seemed quite young to have traveled so far. But then again, if it was her job, then she must have been doing it every other week for years.
She turned to him with a pleasant smile and said something that made his stomach drop. Of course she was bound to question him sooner or later. And now that they were traveling together, he couldn't keep changing the subject or offering up vague non-answers. He briefly debated just hopping out of the cart and walking to the next nearest town from there (he still held her map in his hands), but the thought was so ludicrous he dismissed it with a short laugh. "Well, my name is Fin. Just Fin." A childhood nickname of his that he was admittedly still fond of. Finian sounded too regal and old-fashioned to him.
"I am from Gryffon," he went on. There was no way he could hide his accent now after talking to her. "From Valor. That place on the main road to the capital city? You've probably heard of it." He pictured the plain, medium-sized town he'd been dragged to a few times on diplomatic visits with his older brother for "experience." If Florian was going to be king one day, then he should familiarize himself with the rest of the kingdom and get to know his future subjects. It was a blatant lie and they both knew it. The royal family rarely concerned themselves with the wellbeing of the lower class in the capital city, let alone insignificant townships with desperate names like Valor. But Florian played along, and Finian was content to go with him just get out of the city for a few days. He suspected he couldn't have stayed behind even if he wanted to. His older brother's trips were just a convenient way for his parents to be rid of them for a short time.
"My parents are nobles, obviously." He rolled his eyes, thinking of the small group of elites there he'd met once or twice. "They're on the town council. Close ties to the mayor and all that. It's a nice enough place to grow up, I guess. If you're fond of township drama and petty power struggles." He sighed. The tale he was spinning was becoming as easy to recite as breathing. Of course, it did help that there were kernels of truth in it. "Every now and then they go to the capital city to exchange gossip and make connections. My mother's particularly fond of the capital's boutique." He smiled shyly at Kaethe. "So, hopefully that makes a little more sense?" Honestly, he still had more questions he wanted to ask her, but he was getting the feeling that he'd overstepped.
He lowered his eyes and gazed vacantly ahead at the treeline, absent-mindedly brushing the map with his thumb. They were getting closer now. Closer to this contact of Kaethe's... and father away from his responsibilities.
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Post by Amber on Jun 4, 2020 12:44:06 GMT -5
Kaethe, the reluctant merchant Her companion was unsurprisingly eager to see the map. A small smile tugged at the woman's lips as he carefully grabbed it from her. Wide-eyed and curious he unfolded it to reveal the markings of her past adventures. It was rather old and covered in various scribblings from years of use. She had it since her first adventure with her uncle, which had been nearly ten years ago. She watched as the noble boy traced his finger over a few of the paths, mumbling as he repeated the name of the roads and settlements inked down. As he excitedly looked it over, a rustling behind them caught her attention. Kaethe glanced back, but saw nothing. They would be safe in the forest, however part of her was still concerned for whatever creatures lurked beyond the path. With a soft command, the mare began to speed up slightly. She wasn't sure if the noble noticed, he seemed mesmerized by the map.
A few minutes later, she began to question him as he put the map down. "Fin," Kaethe repeated with a nod. It was a name he was comfortable using, though it likely wasn't his real one. He gave no last name, which was probably for the best if he couldn't think of anything to pass. All nobles had some sort of fanciful surname no matter how powerful. His non-existent parents would be no different. Fin continued on, explaining where he was from and a little bit about his family. "Ah yes, I've been to Valor before. It's a nice town, though it's nothing like the capital city. Being the son of council members must be fairly interesting and I'm sure venturing to the capital every so often must have its perks." Although Fin had done well answering the questions, it was still obvious he wasn't any kind of noble. They were nowhere near the main road. In fact, it was behind them. Perhaps he thought she wouldn't notice, or maybe he assumed there would be safety in numbers. Kaethe didn't know what the answer was, however she wasn't going to press him further.
The boy fell silent for the rest of the trip. Kaethe also didn't say anything more, enjoying the calming silence. She hadn't heard anything else unusual since they had first entered the forest. It relieved her. Neither she or the boy were fighters and if it came down to it, they likely wouldn't survive in a battle. Of course if there was something dangerous out there, Tracker would've taken care of it. The forest path soon opened up into a small clearing. The cart rolled towards the middle, Kaethe pulling it to a careful stop. "Well, here we are." She slid off the front seat, landing next to the cart. She gave Sweets a friendly pat on the neck as she took a quick look around. There wasn't much to see, it was just a clearing surrounded by trees and bushes.
"I'm not sure how long she'll be, but we'll be fine sitting here for now. Tracker will probably be here soon." They had agreed to meet around noon, but that was still a couple hours away. Kaethe hoped the woman would show up sooner than that, but if they had to wait a while she wouldn't mind. It would allow for more conversation between the merchant and her companion. She enjoyed his company and wanted to see just how far he was willing to spin his tale.
Levey, the hesitant assassian The sound of the rocks rhythmically clacking along the road was replaced by the soft crunching of leaves. Slowly blinking, Levey slacked his arms and looked forward. Although the world was upside down, it was clear they were in the forest. The soft grass and worn path were replaced by thick underbrush, fallen leaves, and lively trees. He had successfully escaped. After taking a quick look around, Levey finally let go of the supports and dropped onto the ground with a dull thud. Pain shot through his back as he brought his arms to his side and legs together. Once the cart completely passed over him, he rolled off into the bushes.
His body protested aganist the movements, but he ignored it and allowed himself to relax. His hands, arms, and legs were already growing sore as he laid on his back for a moment's rest. Levey eventually sat up on his knees, muscles strained and bones cracking as he shifted around. The young elf ignored the pain as he peered from behind a bush. The cart wheeled away, its passengers unaware he had ever been with them. He was finally free. Truly free. A grin spread across his face as he silently celebrated his escape. Somehow, someway Levey had done it. As he got to his feet, the elf knew it was time to meet back up with the other assassins. He had spent enough time among the humans and was ready to go. He turned to begin his trek through the woods only to stop himself. Levey looked back at the cart and watched as it disappeared deeper through the path.
The assassins would figure out the youngest prince had escaped. With no body or evidence to suggest he was dead, the temporary leaders of Gryffon would surely announce there was one prince left to give the citizens hope. The other elves would realize Levey had failed. Tyranas would realize he had lied to his face! How could he go back and see his brother after something like that? The elf drew in a shaky breath and pulled a hand tightly through his dark curls. Unsheathing one of his daggers, he turned it in his hand a few times. He could follow the prince and ambush him. The merchant could be a problem, but he could take care of her too. He could kill the prince and be done with it. He could kill the prince, but he knew he wouldn't. Levey had to face the facts that lingered in his head in the hours since the assassinations. No matter how hard he could try, he couldn't kill the boy. He was not fit to be an assassin.
Levey squeezed his eyes shut and gripped the weapon tightly in one hand. Hot anger flashed in his chest. He wanted to scream and rave about his failures, about the letdown of his mission, about the pathetic excuse of an assassin he turned out to be. With a silent screech Levey threw his dagger deeper into the woods. It clanged dully as it bounced off a rock. He fought back tears as he sank to his knees and let out a ragged breath. His brother could be dead and one of the last things he told him was a lie. Tyranas had been so proud of him too, and yet that felt empty. Despite his anguish and shame, there was a spark of relief. Levey had many regrets, but letting the prince go wasn't one of them. He knew he made the right choice. He had never been so sure of something in his life.
After some undetermined amount of time, the elf drew in a steady breath before getting up and collecting his dagger. It took a little searching, but Levey eventually found the weapon. Despite carelessly tossing it away, the blade had remained undamaged. Now that he had collected himself, the elf wasn't entierly sure what to do next. He wasn't planning on going back, but he couldn't remain out in the woods forever. He had to go somewhere. For the time being, Levey trailed after the cart. If he was lucky, they would lead him somewhere to lie low for a while. He began to follow the path, but paused. If his brother was still alive he had to leave something for him. A sign that he was okay.
Pulling out his dagger, Levey decided to carve something into the trees. He could attempt the assassin's symbol, that would clearly point to him having been around. However it was ultimately too complicated. Instead, Levey settled to etech rough L-shapes into the bark. Every couple of trees he would leave his mark for Tyranas. Staying just beyond the main path, Levey quickly went from one tree to the next. As he left another cut into a tree, he could hear movement behind him. Before he could move, something pressed into his upper back. Levey stiffened. He recognized the tip of a blade digging into his back. The elf's fingers twitched. If he could just reach for his other dagger-
"Move and I stab you." The threat came from the strong voice of a woman. She pressed the blade further behind him. If she were to push any harder, she would pierce his skin and draw blood. Not wanting to risk injury, Levey complied. Silently, the strange snatched the dagger from his hand and began to removed his belted sheath. The young elf remained still and quiet. He wasn't sure if he could disengage an enemy behind him, especially with a literal knife at his back. Without some way to defend himself, he wouldn't even attempt it. He could feel the pressure of her weapon ease away as she flung the belt over her shoulder.
"Back away from the tree and move forward. Do as I say and maybe you'll get away unscathed." Levey simply nodded, following the woman's orders. They began to move through the woods, the elf wondering just what was in store for him.
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Post by Tealraven on Jun 7, 2020 19:51:34 GMT -5
Finian Clarel | In the Woods
The boy looked up as they passed under the shady evergreen canopy. The cart seemed to have slowed down, indicating that their destination was close at hand. Soon they rolled to a stop, crunching over the dirt path into a small clearing bordered by an intimidating tangle of trees and bushes. It gave Finian the oppressive feeling that if anybody tried to yell for help, their voice would be absorbed into the woods, swallowed up instantly by the dense foliage that surrounded them.
With that cheerful thought in mind, he took hold of the map with both hands and slid off the seat after Kaethe. He reached back up for the small blade he had kept beside him during their trip. As they'd talked, he'd gradually loosened his grip on it. The map had distracted him completely. He rubbed his thumb thoughtfully along the handle. Neither of them were fighters, he knew that now. But at least he'd have something to defend himself with if things didn't go according to plan.
He followed the merchant over to a log that provided a natural bench of sorts, keeping the blade at his side. He glanced around, unimpressed. "So, this is your meeting place? How did you know it would be here?" There was nothing remarkable about the clearing. No outstanding landmarks or anything. He wondered how she could possibly tell it apart from any other ordinary clearing in the forest.
Finian handed the map back to Kaethe and began to pace, suddenly restless after spending a few hours in the cart. His legs were tingling, so he scuffed his feet through the grass to stimulate blood flow, and partly to calm his nerves. His stomach fizzed with anxiety. This was an excellent place to be ambushed. The merchant had assured him she wouldn't sell him or his things to anyone else, but what if she had been tricked, too? This arranged meeting sounded too convenient to him.
He paced back over to the log, peering over Kaethe's shoulder from a respectful distance. "Could you tell me more about the island nation? Aldona, right? I've always wanted to visit. It sounds like it'd be so different from Gryffon." Finian was not a fan of awkward silence or small talk with strangers - two things he'd already been forced to endure for the first half of the day. Though he felt a little like an insolent child begging for a story, he suspected that asking the merchant more about her travels would take his mind off of other unpleasant thoughts.
Tyranas Abelahn | On the Run
Tyranas had gotten lucky. The sewer tunnel, as it turned out, did in fact lead him beyond the imposing walls that guarded the city. It opened into a narrow ditch filled with stagnant, murky water. It cut through a neglected field, where the weeds rose to his waist. Swatting away a fly and trying not to think about what was in the water, Tyranas dropped onto his butt at the edge of the tunnel and lowered himself to the ground. It was a short drop. When he landed, his boots sank into the mud. Gritting his teeth, both in frustration and at the growing pain in his upper arm, he struggled to pull his foot free of the suctioning mud. It came loose with an awful slurpy sound. Muttering quiet curses to the elven gods, he hauled himself out of the stinking ditch and into the field.
He had to get away from the city walls as quickly as possible. Though his muscles protested more running, he managed to jog a safe distance away. The ratty fields eventually smoothed into lazy green pastures, and the pastures rose gradually into gentle hills, none too tall. As he came to the top of one he turned, putting a hand to his forehead to shield his eyes from the sun. He was surprised at the miles he'd managed put between himself and the city; from this distance it looked more like a fort than an impenetrable capital.
He allowed himself a grin. Impenetrable. Ha! He'd carried out his mission successfully and escaped the city without putting any of the other assassins in danger. Now he could catch his breath for a moment, get his bearings - the adrenaline rush was wearing off and exhaustion was rapidly overtaking him. The elf chanced a look at his left bicep. Beneath the torn fabric was an ugly red wound, still weeping blood, though he'd managed to slow it for now. He'd have to take care of that before it could get infected.
And then there was the matter of finding Levey. Tyranas knew he wouldn't be able to let himself rest until he found out his brother's fate. Dead or alive, escaped or trapped in the city - he had to know. The band of assassins he'd sneaked out with were more of a secret club than an actual guild. They were radicals, unsatisfied with the shaky truce between their nations, disgusted by the outright opulence of their more powerful human neighbors. So long as there were people who gave elves sideways looks and whispered slurs like "knife-ear" under their breath, there wouldn't be peace. The older generations, those who could remember the Great War or had lost relatives to it, still harbored resentment for the other side. The peace had been manufactured by their leaders, and it wasn't enough for younger elves like Tyranas and his associates. If no one else was willing to stand up and make change happen, then they would.
Tyranas regretted ever dragging Levey into this. Of course, he hadn't expected Levey would actually listen to him and join up. When Tyranas had brought back news from his late night meetings, relaying information in excited whispers to his brother, the younger elf had always seemed doubtful. But he'd kept Tyranas' secret. He couldn't have been more surprised when Levey followed him one evening. Perhaps there was a revolutionary spark in him, after all. But if something had happened to him... if Levey was stuck somewhere, or worse... their father would never forgive Tyranas. Tyranas could never forgive himself. He had to believe Levey was alive for now, so long as there was no evidence to the contrary.
So, what would a frightened young assassin do after his first mission? Where would he go? What would I have done? Tyranas asked himself. Headed straight home, of course. Take the quickest route. There was the main highway out of the city that led to the border checkpoint, but that seemed too obvious. It was highly patrolled. But there were other ways of getting into Arthenia. The elven kingdom's borders were heavily guarded, but only on Gryffon's side. He knew of a stretch of uncharted forest that separated Arthenia and Gryffon from a neighboring kingdom - a sort of no man's land that had been left in place as a natural boundary. It was known to provide a safe haven for outcasts, bandits, thugs... and runaway assassins.
Tyranas eyed the distant trees, biting his lip as he made his way down the hill, one hand still clamped on his cut. He was injured, and he was tired, and he was alone. He knew he should head for the border straightaway and rendezvous with the rest of the assassins. But maybe the forest would give him an excuse to lay up for awhile, too, once he'd found his brother. He nodded grimly. First, find Levey. Then, recovery. Collateral later.
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Post by Amber on Jun 8, 2020 13:38:42 GMT -5
Kaethe, the reluctant merchant Fin followed behind her, one hand still on the map and the other grasping his dagger. He wandered towards the log and looked over the clearing for a moment. He seemed disinterested and maybe even a little bored. Kaethe looked it over for a moment and wrinkled her nose. With a quick stretch, she sat down as Fin began to pace around. "Yes, this is the spot. She told me about it, but for whatever reasons didn't want me to mark it down. It also helps that my uncle told me about this clearing as well. Whenever one of merchants trade in the city, we come here when we're ready to go back. It makes it easier for her to help us." Kaethe paused for a moment as she took back the map. The boy would probably want an explanation about that as well.
"A few years back, my uncle was traveling through the forest as a shortcut of sorts. He hired a pair of mercenaries to keep him safe during his travels. As they were going through, a few other mercenaries showed up. Unsurprisingly I suppose, the people he hired betrayed him and decided to captured him. Tracker had seen everything and with the help of some people she knew, they fought them back and saved my uncle. The ranger and my uncle ended up striking some sort of agreement and since then she's helped take care of our merchants if they travled through." Kaethe watched the boy pace back over as she finished her story. There was silence for a moment as he looked over her shoulder. It wasn't long until it was broken with a question about the island nation. Kaethe smiled lightly, unsurprised that he was asking questions about the far off land.
"As you might know, Aldona is made up of three islands clustered together. The largest island is the capital, the middle island is home to fishing communities and farms, and the smallest island is dangerous because of the criminals who flock to it. I've only visited the capital before. It's where the profits are made and has the benefit of not being full of criminals. As you can imagine, Aldona's quite different from Gryffon. The weather's rather unpredictable. One minute it may be bright and sunny, but the next a storm will have rolled in. No matter what, it's almost always humid, which isn't good for my hair. The people are prideful and loud, but also some of the friendliest out there. Even if you're a stranger, you might as well be part of their family with the way they talk to you." Kaethe paused for a moment, to think of anything else the boy might want to hear.
"Aldonians like to have a good party and seem to celebrate something almost every day. During my last visit about three years ago- I would've been around nineteen then -my uncle and I packed up our cart for the night. He was invited to a party and told me to go back to our room at the inn. I began walking back to head in for the night. Of course, as soon as he was out of sight, I left explore on my own. I know, I know it was a terrible idea for a small lady like me to wander the streets of a place I barley knew alone without telling anyone of my whereabouts. But off I went anyway. It wasn't long until I got sucked into the merriment of the evening and began to celebrate whoknowswhat with a bunch of strangers.
"We dance, sang, drank, and overall just had a good time. The night was a blur, but a fun one. Unfortunately for me, I didn't keep track of how long I had stayed out. By the time I realized it was dawn, my uncle had been searching for me for hours worried sick. He dragged me back to our room and I got an earful on top of feeling terrible the next day. I wouldn't do something like that again, at least not without anyone I know, but I also don't regret it. It was a fun expierence and who knows, maybe you can visit Aldona someday yourself." Kaethe smiled as she finished her tale. She glanced at Fin, hoping it fulfilled that itch of curiosity.
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Post by Tealraven on Jun 16, 2020 12:42:22 GMT -5
Finian Clarel | In the Woods
Finian came around in front of the log and sat down, grimacing at the slight dampness of the rotting wood. He kept a polite distance between himself and Kaethe and tossed his blade onto the grass, holding the handle down with his shoe. By the sound of it, this 'Tracker' character wasn't a trusted friend, but an ally of the merchants' guild. It made sense, he thought. If somebody was going to be a recluse and live in the woods all the time, then they must be an opportunist. It quelled his anxiety a little, but, as always, it prompted more questions from him. He wondered what agreement the ranger had struck with Kaethe's uncle.
He shifted his gaze sideways to her without turning his head. Kaethe spoke about it so casually. That made him wonder what kind of relationship she had with her uncle, for her to describe how he almost met his death with such nonchalance. Finian had never been close with his aunts, yet he felt a pang in his gut as he thought of where they might be now. Probably dead - they had been gossips and the assassins probably wouldn't have risked leaving them alive to flurry about the palace and alert the whole city. By morning, the next kingdom over would've heard all about it. He caught himself smiling sadly, and rubbed at the corner of his mouth subconsciously.
Kaethe was telling a story about the island nation now. That got his attention. He leaned forward, elbows on his knees and chin in his hands again, casting his pale blue eyes up towards what little of the sky they could see through the dense canopy. He imagined the scene vividly: pushing through a crowded square full of loud, friendly people shouting greetings to one another, surrounding by colorful, exotic clothing, the air thick with humidity and the fragrance of a dozen kinds of flowers he'd never seen before, the call of an island bird in the distance. Finian was struck with a powerful sense of longing for a place he'd never been to.
"You know," he said quietly, "you're a great storyteller." He sat up, wiping his hands along his pants. "Makes me wish I could go with you. Who knows? Maybe one day you'll need an apprentice." He laughed to himself, the corners of his eyes crinkling. He was joking, of course. Nobody ever took him seriously, and in her case, he'd probably just slow her down. "So, when do you-" he was going to ask her when she thought Tracker would be along, when the bushes across the clearing from them rustled ominously and he nearly jumped out of his skin. The movement seemed too big to be just the wind. He hoped it was the woman they were waiting for and not something scarier.
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Post by Amber on Jun 17, 2020 19:07:09 GMT -5
Kaethe, the reluctant merchant The woman smiled as she finished her story. Aldona was truly a beautiful place. She loved the hospility of its people and the energy that filled every corner of the streets. She missed the exotic birds and mouth-watering foods as well as the lively music that always filled the air. Kaethe sighed. Hopefully she could go back one day. The woman glanced towards Fin, who smiled widely. The story had clearly been to his liking. He complimented her storytelling. The merchant couldn't help but beam at his words. I really am great, aren't I. The boy went on to muse about joining her on her travels, perhaps as an apprentice of some sort.
An apprentice. That was certainly an interesting prospect, though she doubted anything would come from it. Besides the noble boy still lying about his story, there were many things that went into training a new merchant. Kaethe was still young herself and she wasn't sure how well she could handle it. Considering he was no fighter himself, that would only serve to possibly complicate things. Fortunately, it didn't seem like he was serious about the idea. It was a simple musing of a curious child. "Maybe one day I will need one," Kaethe hummed in reply. Even if he was a serious choice, he would likely be too old by then. Most merchants were trained young as a way to better hone in their skills as they got older. If he was truly interested in the job, he wouldn't want to wait.
Kaethe pushed the thoughts from her mind as the boy spoke up again. Only, he never finished his sentence. A rustling from the other side of the clearing caught their attention. The merchant sat up, eyes fixed across to the noise. She glanced at her cart then towards Fin, tensing. She didn't know what to expect for them, but it wasn't like she could do much about it anyway. After a moment, an elf emerged from the greenery with his hands up followed by a hooded figure. Kaethe smiled, mostly out of relief because of the friendly face.
"It's Tracker! And apparently she has a hostage. Who's this?"
Levey, the hesitant assassian The pair hiked through the thick undergrowth going somewhere Levey didn't know. Thorny vines ripped at the elf's clothes as he was forced forward. A few times he could feel his skin getting nicked and scrapped, but there wasn't much he could do about it beyond wincing. His captor positioned herself just behind him, her weapon still fixed only inches from his back. Everytime he attempted to get a good look at her, she would snap at the elf to keep his eyes ahead. It was't like he could see much anyway, a hood seem to help obscure her features. For nearly twenty minutes, Levey repeated a process of stumbling forward, hearing gruff remarks from the stranger, and wondering what was in store for him. It wasn't long until the trees began to clear out and he was finally shoved into a clearing. Stumbling forward, he took a quick study of his surrondings. There was nothing of note. Just trees, dirt, rocks-
"It's Tracker! And apparently she has a hostage. Who's this?" Levey looked over in the direction of the voice. His heart sank in an instant. The situation was worse than he initially assumed. Much worse. The merchant and prince were both on the other side of the clearing, staring at the pair. Levey watched the boy as waves of guilt washed over him. The elf looked away and towards his captor instead. He couldn't see her expression, but by the way she moved he could tell she barely acknowledged the others.
"Turn around and face me. Keep your hands where I can see them. I have no patience for tricks to," the woman ordered. Levey complied, not wanting to make her angry. Or at least any angrier than she appeared to be. When the stranger finally pulled off her hood, Levey was met with a narrowed, suspicious gaze and unusual features. The first thing he noticed was the elvhen ears and striking white hair. She was rather tall and seemed to have the slightly long limbs common for elves. However, there was something off about the way she looked. The pointed features, the characteristic elvhen ears, and the unnatural hair color all pointed to her being an elf. And yet, she was different. Her features weren't pointed enough, her ears were too short, and unlike the graceful build of most elves, she had a studerier build. Levey studied her for a moment, trying to piece it together. His eyes widened as he came to a realization.
"You're a half-elf," he breathed, forgetting his predicament for a moment. As soon as the words escaped his lips, Levey flushed. He hadn't mean to speak out so suddenly, but he never expected to come face to face with someone like her. He had seen people like the woman before, though it was only a rare few times. The woman gave him a flat stare and said nothing.
"Who's this? Why do you have a hostage, exactly?" The blonde questioned again. The stranger- Tracker as the merchant had called her earlier -glanced towards the merchant, but obviously kept her eye on Levey.
"I saw you two enter the forest earlier," Tracker finally answered. "I was going to meet up with you, but I saw him roll out from under your cart and into the woods. I watched him, followed him, and brought him here to see if you knew him. So, do either of you recognize him?"
(I just started a new job, so replies may be a little slower here and there. Just wanted to give you a headsup~)
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Post by Tealraven on Jun 17, 2020 20:03:09 GMT -5
( Oh, no problem! Thanks for the headsup. I wanted to apologize for being slow with replies myself. I just finished the semester - it's always that last big push at the end that's the hardest, right? Anyway, I'm officially free for the summer now, so I can respond more promptly (: sorry to keep you waiting! ) Finian Clarel | In the Woods
Finian resisted the urge to hide behind Kaethe's back. Instead, he clumsily picked up his knife and pointed it towards the moving shrubbery, palms slippery with sweat. The leaves parted and young man stumbled into the open, followed by a shrouded figure who held a knife to his back. A woman's voice rang out from under the hood, sharp and commanding, and the man turned unceremoniously to face her, hands up and shaking.
All of this happened in less than five seconds, during which Finian looked to Kaethe for their next move. But the merchant hadn't moved; in fact, she was smiling. To his relief, she seemed to have recognized the stranger in the cloak. This woman must be the one they'd been waiting for. Though outwardly, Kaethe looked relaxed, she remained on guard, wary of the hostage Tracker had brought with her.
"Um," said Finian, pointing to Tracker and looking from her to Kaethe. "I take it you weren't expecting her to show up with company?" As he returned his gaze to the other woman, he stiffened and did a double take. Right away, he noticed two things: one, that Tracker had features that were decidedly elvhen, yet oddly human at the same time; and two, when she jerked her hostage around to face them once more, that he was an elf. And not just any elf, but the very assassin who had cornered Finian in his wardrobe hours earlier.
The prince wondered what Kaethe would think of him if he turned and ran away screaming into the woods and never came back.
Which he was seriously contemplating, as the elf met his eyes. He wasn't sure what he expected to find in the man's expression - surprise? Maybe anger? But mostly, he just looked... sad. Defeated, almost. Finian swallowed nervously as Tracker shoved the elf forward and questioned them.
He'd been following us? He was in the cart the whole time?? Finian's blood ran cold. He didn't understand; why let him go only to chase after him again? It couldn't have been easy to escape the palace unnoticed, and then secretly hitch a ride out of the city, of all things. He was slightly impressed, in all honesty, that the assassin had managed to avoid detection by the guards at the city gates. But why go to all that trouble? Had he changed his mind?
Maybe the other assassins found out he spared me and were angry with him. Finian took a step back, mind whirling. As he often did when he was afraid or in an unfamiliar situation, he tried to compare his current circumstances to a book he'd read. What if they threatened to kill him unless he regained his honor by killing me? Then an even worse thought occurred to him. What if they sent him to capture me and take me to Arthenia as prisoner? Boasting that they held captive the sole remaining heir to Gryffon would definitely be a political power move. What would the kingdom be willing to give up to get their prince back?
"You're -- you're a -- an--" He stammered, looking from elf to half-elf. "What's going on here? Are you Tracker?" For the moment, he'd been shocked into forgetting to answer her original question. He backed into Kaethe, accidentally stepping on her foot.
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Post by Amber on Jun 17, 2020 23:55:13 GMT -5
Levey, the hesitant assassian It was clear that the prince was frightened by the situation. His knife shook in his hand as he awkwardly held it in front of him. The merchant seemed unfazed, moreso curious by everything than frightened. She smiled lightly, which didn't surprise the assassin in a way. She seemed to know Tracker personally. The young prince managed to find his voice, questioning his companion. The woman shrugged.
"Nope, wasn't expecting this at all. Not sure who he is anyway. Do you know him?" As the ranger contiuned to keep her blade trained in Levey's back, the elf tried to avoid the prince's gaze. Surely the bou would realize who he was if he thought about it. He glanced towards the merchant who didn't seem to notice Finian's unease. Or maybe she was simply ignoring him. The woman seemed to be thinking something over for a moment. "Wait a second...back at the gates I thought I felt the cart shift. Was that him trying to hitch a ride? And then back at the beginning of the forest, we seemed to speed up after I heard a rustling behind us. Was that him trying to escape?"
Levey looked away, keeping his mouth shut. Even as a failed assassin, he still knew better than to speak up and answer the blonde's questions. His focus shifted again back to the young prince. The remaining prince. The very person that made him fail his mission, and yet he still felt no anger. He was still shaking slightly, but as soon as Levey faced him, he froze. The elf's heart sank yet again and a pit began to form in his stomach. He had been recognized.
Finally, the prince found his voice again. He questioned the situation and the identity of the woman. Tracker remained silent as she regarded the three in the clearing. Levey drew in a small breath, unsure of what to do. Should he answer the questions or offer an explanation? Should he out the prince? If he did, would the ranger or even the merchant become dangerous? And if they did...would Levey protect him? The elf turned the thoughts over in his head. It's probably best if I don't say anything at all, he silently decided.
Astra, the neutral ranger Astra studied the three in the clearing. One was a human merchant. A woman she somewhat knew. Another was an elf. He was young, falling somewhere between the noble boy and Kaethe in age. However, his clothing marked him as some kind of mercenary or criminal. He was not to be trusted. That left the last, the noble boy. His unease, maybe even fear was obvious. He was like a nervous rabbit, waiting for the predator ahead to make a move. His eyes were noticeably sunken in. Had he gotten much sleep the previous night? Maybe he had sleeping problems and needed-
There was no time to worry about such a thing now. Astra had to figure out how to deal with the current situation. Her green eyes flickered towards the noble as he spoke. His confusion was apparent by the questions and his fear seemed to rise on the few minutes since their arrival. He clumsily stpped back and onto Kaethe's foot. The young woman hissed in pain as she managed to get it free, glaring at the noble. Astra frowned as the noble's words sank in.
"Tracker?" The woman questioned, glancing at Kaethe. The ranger sighed, then shifted her gaze towards the elf for a moment. Hopefully he wouldn't recognize her name. "Techinally yes, but that's not my name. It's some nickname others came up with for me. I'm Astra Nailo, but I also go by Swiftquiver. Now as for what's going on, I would like to ask you both the same question. This noble wasn't with you before, Kaethe. Who is he?"
The merchant smiled. "This is my friend, Fin. His parents accidently left him in the city, so I brought him to you so he can find them again." Astra gave her a flat look. There was something off about that explanation. Unfortunately, she would have to deal with that later.
"Right. I'll deal with you two in a moment. Assuming he doesn't want anything to do with you, he still stole a ride on your cart, which means he's running from something." As Astra studied the young man again, she finally sheathed her sword and carefully circled around the elf, suspicious. Her hand lingered towards her weapon. One wrong move and she would be able to strike him. She hoped it wouldn't come to that. After circling him a few times, Astra finally came to a stop in front of the young man. "Who do you work for? Why were you following them? What are you?" Silnece filled the clearing as the strange elf thought everything over.
"What am I?" The elf repeated. He glanced between the boy and the ranger. Finally, he let out a shaky breath as though he were trying to hold back tears. "I'm sorry."
(You're welcome! No worries about the wait and congratulations on finishing the semester! I wish you many restful nights now that's not hanging over your head. Also, Levey probably picked up on some of Tyranas' dramatic tendencies, just saying.)
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Post by Tealraven on Jun 18, 2020 13:53:41 GMT -5
( thanks! and congrats on your new job, btw ^^ hah, that's great. I can see the family resemblance showing through with him ) Finian Clarel | In the Woods
The prince smiled sheepishly at Kaethe, then ducked his head as she glared daggers at him. "Um, no?" He whispered, stepping to the side. "Noble kid here, remember? I didn't get out very much. Haven't seen many elves where I come from." Again, there was a nugget of truth in that statement.
He glanced at the cart, recalling the thump he'd felt as they left the city. Kaethe could be right. He hadn't said anything at the time because he thought she hadn't noticed, but of course she had. Finian had only known her for half of a day, but he knew now that not much got past the shrewd merchant. Even now, as she spoke lightly, her eyes were analyzing the situation, sizing up the elf as she had sized him up back in the market. Finian was fairly observant himself, but Kaethe was more experienced. Maybe she would notice something he might miss.
In any case, he was too paranoid to think straight at the moment. He steeled himself and managed to stop his hands from shaking, but kept a good distance between him and the assassin. The elf was still in his murdering clothes, though they looked a little scratched up and worse for wear. Finian allowed himself a few seconds of relief; whatever the assassin's motives were, he was glad Tracker had caught him. But hadn't she noticed his outfit? Had she even taken his weapons from him yet?
He looked back to the ranger. "Astra," he echoed. "So, then... what do you want me to call you?" The idea of standing here in the middle of a forest, a few feet away from a cold-blooded murderer, and exchanging pleasantries with a lethal stranger was so absurd he almost laughed.
But then, Tracker/Astra/Swiftquiver said something to the elf. Finian's breath became shallow. He desperately wanted to know why the assassin had followed them, but the elf probably had more important information than that, if it could be divulged. I could be about to learn who was behind the assassination plot. What group wiped out the royal family and why, and maybe even where they're hiding out. That was information that somebody could do something useful with. Then, maybe, he could go back to the city and tell the guards... summon the soldiers... and what? Lead Gryffon into battle? Him? Ridiculous.
The elf met the prince's eyes and uttered two words. Two words that triggered an internal avalanche of emotion, mostly anger. "You're sorry?" He asked incredulously. Sorry for ruining everything? Is he serious? "What do you even want with us?"
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Post by Amber on Jun 18, 2020 22:36:43 GMT -5
Kaethe, the reluctant merchant Kaethe's face soften as Fin answered. Of course, a question lingered at the back of her mind. Was it another lie or did it had some truth to it? Those made for the best lies, the most convincing ones. Although many considered the merchant to be unnaturally good at reading people, she wasn't invinsible or even the best. Her skills were more built for targeting people to sell to, not sniffing out whole truth. For now, she just stored the information away and responded with a small nod. Fin glanced at the cart, then again towards the elf. He had stopped shaking and seemed to compose himself somewhat. There was something off in the way he looked at and reacted to the elf. It was almost he knew him in a way, but what would some dishonest noble boy have to do with an elf? Perhaps his mysterious parents were involved somehow?
Kaethe didn't have long to ponder on it as Fin spoke up again. Tracker answered the boy easily, though there was an edge to her voice. She wasn't much of a taller or liked being questioned. Right, her name was Astra. It was a pretty name she supposed, but Tracker just sounded so much more mysterious and interesting. Then there was the other name, Swiftquiver. Why wouldn't the ranger chose to go by the more interesting nicknames? If she had such names, Kaethe would chose to use those instead of Kaethe or Kae. The curious air surrounding such names would get people talking. Maybe there was a way to establish such a thing if she wanted.
As Kaethe became lost in her thoughts despite the situation, Fin suddenly became unusually angry. The woman almost jumped at the change. Despite only knowing him briefly, it was an odd change for sure. The noble had been mostly curious and relaxed before, if not slightly jumpy. Why was he angry now? Whatever the reasons the elf might've had something to do with it, directly or indirectly.
Levey, the hesitant assassian The prince had a brief exchange with both women. The human asked if he knew Levey, which he did and lied about, while the half-elf her introduced herself sort of. Astra Nailo. Hm. Nailo. The surname stuck out to the elf. It was obviously elvhen in origin, but there was something else about it. Something oddly familair about the surname, though Levey couldn't quite understand what it was. He had no time to worry about it now, there were more pressing concerns at the moment. The elf's attention turned back towards the boy as he snapped. The words came out harsh as he demanded answers. The royal deserved them.
"I...I want nothing with you. Not anymore, probably not even in the first place," Levey managed. "I just...I just want to go. I can't go back to my home because I failed and I can't stay here for long. I don't want to stay here. Please, just let me go." Levey was practically begging the three of them. It was pathetic and if Tyranas saw him now, he would probably be ashamed. As for the other assassins, they might just put him our of his misery. Even still, Levey had no regrets. He wasn't ready to admit it to himself yet, but he knew he made the right decision.
Astra, the neutral ranger "Call me Astra, but I don't really care what you do. I'm not fond of Tracker, though." It wasn't her name, it wasn't even that good of a nickname. It was just something people called her because of rumors or whispers or something. The ranger didn't care enough to pay attention to what they said. Astra regarded the elf again as he answered the noble boy. His guilt and unease was obvious as he spoke. He was ashamed of something, but Astra had no idea what it could be. It quickly became clear he somehow knew the noble. The boy's anger made sense. The question remained was how they knew each other. Astra's eyes went from the elf, to the boy, and then to Kaethe.
"Kaethe, unhook your horse from the cart and bring her here."
"Why?"
Astra didn't answer as the merchant grumbled and complied. For a few minutes, the merchant carefully unbound the horse free from the wooden supports. She calmed the mare with a few words as she worked before grabbing the reins and heading towards Astra and the elf. Once the mare was free, the ranger spoke up again. "We're sitting ducks out here and it's clear that there's something you two," she gestered to the elf and the boy, "are keeping from me. You will all be blindfolded as I lead us to a safer spot. Once we're there, we can figure this mess out." Her tone was clear. There was no room for arguement. The clearing was a terrible place to figure out the situation and the longer they sat around, the easier someone could ambush them, even if it was unlikely. Despite her skills, she could never truly make sure they were alone, especially not while distracted. At the very least, she would feel more comfortable if they left the unguarded clearing. The elf said nothing as her attention was drawn towards Kaethe. The other woman scoffed.
"You want to blindfold us and lead us to who-knows-where? I don't think so, Tracker. I refuse to be blindfolded, thank you very much," Kaethe decided. Her insistence surprised Astra just a little, though she brushed it off. She wasn't about to waste her time trying to convince the woman to join them.
"Alright then, don't come with me. You can stay in the clearing all alone waiting for bandits to rob you. Or you can come with us where you will be safe. Also stop calling me Tracker." She pulled rope from her belt as she answered the other woman. Ordering the elf to place his hands behind his back, she tied them together, making sure he wouldn't escape. It wasn't like he could do much anyway without his daggers.
"What about my cart?" Kaethe huffed. "Am I just supposed to leave it out here to be stolen or pulled apart?" Astra shrugged as she finished binding the mercenary. Once he was secure, she pulled strips of cloth from her cloak, creating makeshift blindfolds. She finished dealing with the elf before heading towards Kaethe and the noble boy.
"I won't tie either of you up, I'll just blindfold you," she stated. She hesitated. Although she didn't want to force them into anything, she also wanted answers. The ranger wasn't sure what she would do if either of them resisted. Eventually, Kaethe sighed and turned around to let Astra to work, only leaving the noble.
"Kaethe, get on your horse and you," she pointed to Fin, "get on too. I'll guide her and make sure you two stay safe."
(You're welcome and thanks!
Haha, yeah.)
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Post by Tealraven on Jun 19, 2020 19:26:27 GMT -5
Finian Clarel | In the Woods
Finian felt his anger thaw a little. He frowned in confusion. Did the assassin really expect him to believe that he wanted nothing to do with the prince in the first place? That had to be a blatant lie. It made no sense! Nothing about this made any sense. Yet the elf's words sounded sincere, and his eyes were almost teary. The prince folded his arms, his blue eyes narrow. There was something else going on here, and wasn't going to let the assassin manipulate him into a false sense of security. He might be a bit naive, but he wasn't stupid.
He could believe that the elf didn't want to stay with them, though. The prince was an uncomfortable reminder of his failure, and now that the assassin had been caught, his fate was uncertain. "You're not seriously going to let him go, right?"
But the ranger wasn't listening to him. She had turned to issue orders to Kaethe, who reluctantly obeyed. That's it, Finian thought. They could take the assassin to the nearest city using the cart. Leave him there and let him be someone else's problem. Finian would be happy to never see him again. Except that wouldn't work, he realized, heart sinking. They had no incriminating evidence unless he decided to bear witness against him, and even then, who would believe him?
Kaethe walked the mare over to Astra, grumbling. What the ranger said next shocked both of them. "What?" Finian cried at the same time the merchant protested. "We're not criminals! Blindfold the elf if you must, but not me!" He looked at Kaethe, expecting her to say something else, but the merchant simply glared at the ranger until her eyes were covered. Then Astra turned towards him.
Finian held up both hands defiantly. "How is waiting for bandits to rob us any different from what you're doing? Taking her horse? Blindfolding us? You're no better than a common highwayman at this rate." Some part of him knew he was taking a risk, losing his temper with this stranger, but he was beyond caring now. "Why would you even bother to go to all that trouble if you didn't want something out of us?"
He sighed. "I'll come with you, but only if I'm not blindfolded. I know you won't leave me here because you undoubtedly have questions for me." He didn't know that for sure, but he was tired of being babied. First by his family, now this?
Tyranas Abelahn | Into the Woods
He'd managed to stem the flow of blood for now, which meant it had probably clotted. He'd certainly been walking for long enough. The wound was deeper than he'd first thought, and the area around it was starting to turn an ugly color before he'd ripped a swath of fabric from his undershirt and wrapped it around his arm in a makeshift bandage. It itched like crazy, but he tried to ignore that.
Tyranas trekked on in a daze, sweat rolling down his neck, dimly aware of the passage of time. If only he could've stolen a horse or hitched a ride on somebody's cart! That would've been much faster than making the journey on aching feet. But the countryside was deserted. He was nowhere near the main highway -- couldn't risk being spotted and recognized -- but it was probably being carefully watched.
The sun was well past its highest point in the sky by the time he'd reached the edge of the woods. Somewhere on the far side was Arthenia, but getting there would be no simple task. The forest was dense and unfriendly to outsiders, too dangerous for the average traveler to make it through unscathed on their own. The interior was a thorny maze of trees and bushes that all looked the same to the untrained eye. It provided plenty of hiding spots for bandits and outlaws to prey on the hopelessly lost, which was actually a good thing for him.
It was just a matter of looking for the telltale signs of an assassin. To avoid attracting attention by passing over the main border, the group had come through the forest instead. It was a less direct route, for sure, but they'd left marks behind so they could find their way back. As the elf scanned the trees for a hint that his associates had been there, an unnatural shape carved into the bark caught his eye.
Tyranas stepped closer, squinting. It was a deliberate shape, not scratched into the wood by a forest creature. More specifically, it was an L. His eyes widened. Levey. It had to be. Next to it was the assassin's symbol (or an attempt at one), carved by an inexperienced hand. He's been through here. His brother could be nearby. Tyranas traced the letter with a finger, eyes roving from one tree to the next. There, a few feet up ahead! He thrashed through the undergrowth to get to it. Another L.
The assassin felt shaky with relief. He took in a slow, deep breath. Levey was alive. He'd made it out of the city and was probably on his way home right now. All at once, the exhaustion he'd been fighting every step of the way hit him like a giant tidal wave. Tyranas smiled weakly to himself. Now he could finally let himself rest. Darkness was still a ways off, but he wasn't picky. The elf carefully hoisted himself up into the tree, climbing until he came to a small, hollowed out area where three large branches spread out and up. He'd be decently safe up here, and in the morning, he'd find his way out of the woods and back to the designated rendezvous point where Levey and the others were waiting.
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Post by Amber on Jun 20, 2020 0:42:45 GMT -5
Levey, the hesitant assassian
The elf watched as Astra flatly stared at the boy. She seemed almost annoyed that he questioned her about him. "Of course I'm not going to let him go. Even if he has nothing to do with either of you, he's clearly still a criminal of some sort. Look at his clothing. Dark, inconspicuous, and it covers his features pretty well. Then there's his weapons, freshly sharpened either for killing or to intimidate someone." She paused and gestered to the leather belt on her shoulder. Both daggers were sheathed safely away from his grasp. It wasn't like he was much of a threat anyway as his hands were bound behind him. "I have no intentions of letting him go. It's part of my job to make sure people like him can't harm anyone."
A pit formed in Levey's stomach. The half-elf wasn't going to set him free. He was going to be imprisoned or worse. Of course, he should've expected as much by the way she treated him earlier. He held his tongue as Astra ordered Kaethe, the merchant, to get her horse. As soon as the brown and white mare was brought to the woman, she told the pair they would need to be blindfolded. Levey sat up as both protested her proposal. The prince mentioned him in an attempt to avoid being blindfolded while the other human begrudgingly went with it. The young elf frowned, but contiuned to stay quiet. The last thing he wanted was to anger the ranger further. He didn't know what to expect from her, especially as she knew he was a criminal of some kind.
Astra, the neutral ranger
Along with Kaethe's protests aganist being blindfolded, the noble argued as well. It wasn't surprising they would. But whereas the merchant willingly agreed, the boy wasn't having it. As Astra finished with the blonde, she eyed the noble boy as he put his hands up. He compared her to a common criminal, worry obviously rising with him. Astra rolled her eyes and let out a snort. "I'm not taking the horse. I was going to have you and Kaethe ride her as I led the three of you to a better spot for us to talk." Why would she take the beast? She didn't have much use for one and keeping a horse would be more trouble than it's worth. Besides, they were weird. The noble offered her another question, wondering what she wanted out of them. Again, Astra rolled her green eyes.
"The only thing I want from all of you is an explanation. I want to know what's going on and make sure none of your are dangerous. Well, not too dangerous at least." Even with her explanation, she wasn't sure if it would put the boy at ease. He seemed worried and her words would only do so much, especially because she was a stranger to him. Eventually the noble sighed and met her green eyes. He agreed to go on the condition he wasn't blindfolded. Astra watched him for a moment, unsure of what to do.
Kaethe was a crafty woman. Even if she didn't possess skills like Astra's, she was sril full of surprises. The ranger didn't want her knowing where she lived. As for the criminal, it could be dangerous if he knew how to find her home. Even if there wasn't enough time to memorize the path, Astra wasn't one to take a huge risk like that. Only the boy was left. She wanted to blindfold him too, just as a safety precaution. However, he was young and clearly didn't travel through the woods often. If she were careful, he probably wouldn't remember how to get to the destination.
Against her better judgement, Astra eventually nodded. "Alright then. I agree on one condition, you listen to everything I say and follow my every word. The woods can be a tricky place to navigate if you aren't careful and you don't know them like I do." Of course it wouldn't be diffcult to track them down if it came to it. But Astra didn't want that to happen. "Help me get Kaethe up on her horse. Do you know how to ride? At least well enough to control the animal to follow me?" As she waited for a reply, the ranger walked towards the elf and got him to his feet before blind folding him. She guided him ahead of the horse towards one side of the clearing, ready to leave it behind.
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Post by Tealraven on Jun 20, 2020 13:06:15 GMT -5
( "besides they were weird" -- Astra Nailo about horses, 2020 pft, my thoughts exactly )
Finian Clarel | ???
Finian had no idea where they were going, and if there was a chance the overly-suspicious stranger could help them, he wasn't going to turn it down. He nodded, relieved. "Thanks. I can do that. Uh, listen to your directions, I mean," he added hastily, coming over to greet the mare. She startled at the touch of an unfamiliar hand, but calmed as he stroked the side of her face, murmuring quietly to her.
Behind him, Astra was doing something complicated with Kaethe to get the merchant up onto the horse. Finian gently led the mare forward, stopping her beside the pair. He was careful to never turn his back on the assassin, keeping the elf in his peripheral vision as he walked. "There we go, that's a good girl," he said to the horse as Kaethe awkwardly positioned herself in the saddle.
He came around to the mare's side, placing one foot in the stirrup and pulling himself up into the saddle in front of Kaethe. He leaned forward to pat the horse's shoulder. Of course a prince was supposed to know how to ride a horse. Not necessarily for travel -- that's what the royal carriages were for -- but for show. Just like he was supposed to have proper table etiquette, know how to play violin, and a dozen other useless princely things. He'd always thought he looked more natural in the saddle, a little more like the royal he was supposed to be.
He took up the reins and nudged the mare forward, trotting after Astra and the assassin to the edge of the clearing. He wasn't sure how he was going to ride a horse through wild thickets and trees, but the ranger seemed to have a plan. "Alright," he muttered. "Lead on."
Time to start thinking of a decent explanation.
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Post by Amber on Jun 20, 2020 20:00:50 GMT -5
Astra, the neutral ranger Wordlessly, Astra pushed the elf forward just as she had done earlier. Fin took the reins of Kaethe's horse as the merchant steadied herself with the newfound motion. Despite being blindfolded, her displeasure at her current situation was obvious. The ranger ignored it as she gave the command to move forward into the woods. There weren't many landmarks in the area to go off of. At least, that was true for the untrained like the noble boy. Astra could pick out a few trees and bushes she could use to find her way through the forest, however she didn't need them. She had travled through that section of woods for years. She knew it better than the back of her hand.
It was unlikely they would run into anyone or anything out in the woods. Most animals would stay away from such a ruckus, both predator and prey. The former would chose to go after far easier targets while the latter would simply avoid a sizable group. It would certainly make the trip less complicated for everyone. Through the thicket of underbrush and trees, small streams ran through woods. Astra knew where they all went. Some formed ponds while others eventually joined up with rivers. Astra knew the paths well. She could almost imagine them in detail, though had no reason to. The group travled in silence, the only noise coming from rustling trees in the breeze, sweet melodies of songbirds, and the occasional flowing stream. As she led the way, Astra would occasionally signle everyone to stop and cover their tracks. Although they wouldn't be any followers, she wasn't ready to take that risk. With a horse to make their trail all the more obvious, she would hide the path best she could.
The small group contiuned to travel. Eventually, they came to a small hill. The forest refused to clear. A sea of green surrounded them, only being broken up by the deep, earthy browns and grays of rocks and stones. Astra paused at the top and drew in a deep breath. She was done trying to cover their tracks. So deep into the woods it would be pointless. Through near overpowering musky air of the forest, the faint scent of honeysuckle drifted around them. It was a sweet, familiar smell that calmed and comforted the ranger. It reminded her of her mother's homemade perfumes, which she still recieved as gifts sometimes. With an unchanging expression, Astra studied the area for a moment, though it was pointless. She knew they were close.
Over an hour since their initial encounter, they had arrived to another clearing. If she were alone, the trip would've been at least half that. It didn't help they had a horse and she was trying to make it confusing for Fin. Even if it was unlikely he would remember the path, she didn't want to take any chances. The clearing was a little larger than the first one. A small garden of carefully cultivated various herbs and medicinal plants sat a few feet away from a small house. Although it was close to one side of the clearing, it didn't sit directly in front of any section of wood. That was to make it more defendable. Astra could see who was coming and going, though she never really had to use it. Some rangers kept their homes well hidden in underground tunnels or using the natural foliage around. Others, like the half-elf, didn't care to put so much effort into their home. The ranger guided the group towards the house, stopping near her garden.
"Kaethe, you can take your blindfold off now. Your horse can be tied right there," she gestered to a wooden fence-like structure near her home. The merchant gratefully removed the strip of cloth covering her eyes before discarding it on the ground. The structer's purpose wasn't to tie down a horse but to hang up and dry both meat and hide. Right now, it would work to make sure the mare didn't run off. Astra turned her focus towards the elf. His eyes weren't going to be uncovered nor was he going to be untied. She had some questions for the criminal and wasn't about to let him study the area. As soon as the horse was tied off, Astra led them inside.
Kaethe, the reluctant merchant After a far too long time of being sightless on her horse, Kaethe was glad see again. She took seeing for granted appearently. While Astra grabbed the elf, the merchant slid off Sweets and waited for Fin to follow. As soon as he was off, she led them to the thing the half-elf pointed out. After she was tied off, the blonde comfortably patted her muzzle. "You'll be okay out here. We'll just be inside and we'll see you soon," the woman whispered to the mare.
Turning, she studied the area. It was...quaint. Not something she would go out of her way to find herself, but it was hardly the worst place she'd seen. It was entierly made out of wood and stone, of course, and was noticeably small. Of course if the ranger was living alone, there was probably no reason for her to have any wasted space. Kaethe didn't have long to study it as Astra led them inside. On one side of the main room was a sime fireplace. A small stack of wood sat nearby, waiting to be used again. She noted a bookcase surprisingly full of various texts as well as some furs from whatever the ranger had hunted in the past. On the other side of the room was something that could only be described as a makeshift kitchen and a small table with a few chairs.
"I like your...house. It's, um, cozy." House was a generous term. Really it was a two room shack with a couple of pieces of furniture and random objects she could only assume was "decore". It certinaly wasn't a place she would imagine visiting on her own, but she wasn't going to judge Astra harshly on it. At least not too harshly. The white-haired woman pulled a chair forward for their elvhen companion. She guided him to sit before pulling away his blindfold. Hazel eyes frantically looked around and for a moment, Kaethe thought he was going to get up. He didn't move. Instead he attempted to calm himself down and kept his mouth shut. That was probably the wisest thing for him to do.
(Ah yes, Astra being relatable. Well, kind of. I like horses, but I can't say the same for her.)
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Post by Tealraven on Jun 25, 2020 12:10:43 GMT -5
Finian Clarel | Astra's House
The prince trailed slowly after the ranger on horseback in silence. The only noise he made was the occasional click of his tongue to maneuver the mare through the tangle of foliage. If Astra was trying to make sure he had no clue where they were going, she was doing a good job. He thought that pausing every few minutes to cover their tracks was overkill -- he couldn't imagine why anybody else would be out this far into the woods -- but he knew better than to argue. So they proceeded in that manner for over an hour, never once exchanging words.
That left him with plenty of time to think of what to say next and how to say it. When he wasn't watching the path ahead of them, he kept his eyes on the blindfolded assassin, brow furrowed with a pensive expression.
At last, they reached their destination. It was a modest little place, with a garden off to one side full of plants he didn't recognize. He brought the mare to a halt and slid off onto the grass, shifting his weight from one foot to the other and stretching his legs. His muscles were slightly cramped after sitting in that position for so long. He followed Astra to the door of her home, maintaining a healthy distance between himself and the elvhen man. He paused in the doorway, waiting for Kaethe, and once she caught up he led her inside.
Cozy was a... polite way of describing their new surroundings. He could tell Kaethe was trying to be nice. Finian, personally, would rather not risk angering the ranger again either. The boy stood awkwardly in not-quite-the center of the room, waiting to be offered a chair instead of sitting wherever he liked. When no such offer came, he shrugged and sat down cross-legged on a worn rug. A bookshelf teeming with dust-covered volumes caught his eye. He could just imagine himself curling up in front of the small fire on the rug, burying his nose in the pages until cobwebs filled his head... he resisted a yawn. He had been awake for hours... and it was so warm...
Then Astra reappeared and yanked the blindfold of the assassin, and Finian snapped back to attention. The elf blinked in confusion for moment, glancing frantically around the room, probably trying to absorb as much detail about where he was as possible. Finian pointedly avoided his gaze, instead looking up at the ranger. "Um, we are going to question him first, right?" He jerked his head toward the assassin. "I think that should definitely be our priority here, don't you? I'd really like to know why he was following us."
He also wanted to hear what the elf had to say before Astra inevitably began interrogating Finian, since their version of events could have potentially conflicting details. (If the elf even decided to tell the truth.) But he didn't say that part aloud.
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Post by Amber on Jun 25, 2020 20:34:07 GMT -5
Levey, the hesitant assassian The trip from the clearing to the new location had been uneventful. For Levey, it was a whole lot of stumbling as he strained his ears to make up for his lack of sight. Unfortunately, it didn't work out as well as he hoped. He had a couple of close falls, but Astra was there to help the elf. Despite her cold demeanor, the ranger didn't let him fall. She probably wanted to get whever she was taking them as soon a possible. Levey falling would just slow them down. During their journey, the older woman left him standing around a couple of times. He hadn't been sure of her whereabouts, though assumed it was something she deemed important. Eventually, the group came to a stop. Astra gave orders to the humans, though Levey was too scared to pay attention to them. After they did whatever she had asked, he found himself being forced forward again.
He could hear the creaking of wood and the sound of a door opening. They had arrived at some sort of building, perhaps the ranger's house? The failed assassin was soon forced forward once more. He stood around for a moment, hearing the sound of metal scraped aganist wood. He was forced into a chair barely a few seconds later. Finally, the piece of cloth came off his face and he could see again. He looked around, frantically trying to study her surrondings. Ahead, there was a small are he could only describe as a small kitchen. A table sepratrd the two areas of the room, he was sitting at one of its chairs. Astra stood a little to the left qhile Kaethe took a spot near the prince who had taken a spot on the floor. Levey let out a small breath as the boy questioned the half-elf.
Astra eyed him, then eventually nodded. "Of course," she answered simply. The woman turned her attention towards the elf. Levey held back a gulp as he watched her. He could feel his heart steadily beat faster as warmth began to rise to his cheeks. He could feel the back of his shirt collar dampening a little. Was that sweat?
"What is your name?" The woman asked smoothly. Levey's attention turned towards Astra, his nervousness now barely a thought. The young elf drew in a small breath as he hesitated. He couldn't just give her his name, could he? Levey wasn't exactly a common name among the elves, however he also had met a few others in his life. Besides, it wasn't like he planned on giving her his full name.
"I'm Levey," he answered softly. The woman didn't move as she watched him through suspicious eyes. Maybe faking a name would've been better. It was too late to go back now. The half-elf nodded after a moment, perhaps coming to the conclusion he was telling the truth. Even if she couldn't tell, it was probably unwise to lie to her. If the ranger found out, Levey was sure she knew quite a few places to hide a body.
"What are you doing in my forest? Why did you follow these two?" She gestered to Kaethe and the prince. "What are you? And don't play games with me this time."
Levey thought all her questions over briefly. How would he go about answering them? It would be diffcult to answer honestly. He wasn't about to reveal he was an assassin or that he tried, and failed, to kill the Gryffon royal family. No. If he revealed that, it was unlike he would survive the next hour. Besides, it could out the prince as well. Levey wasn't sure why he cared about that so much, but he did.
"I'm a mercenary," he finally answered. Not entirely untrue. Assassins and mercenaries were similar in many ways. "I needed to escape the city after finishing a job. The-The humans don't like elves. The ones in the capital live in the slums on the outskirts. I-I hitched a ride on her cart to get out of there. That's why I wandered into your forest, ranger. As for why I was following them, that was unintentional. I began to go in a random direction, hoping to get out of the woods soon." Astra narrowed her eyes as he answered, but said nothing. That unnerved Levey. Was she deciding if she believed him or not? Did she see through his lie and trying to figure out how to deal with him? She revealed nothing as the half-elf asked another series if questions.
"Why did you leave marks in the wood? I saw them. They were an L-shape, likely to indicate it was you who left them and I saw a crude symbol on the first tree. Are you apart of some mercenary guild? Was it a trail for other criminals to follow?" Astra saw that. Of course she did. If she had been following him as he marked up the trees, she would've checked his carvings. Levey didn't have time to think it over, he just let his mouth run.
"It was for my brother. We got seprated in the city, so I was leaving it for him to follow. We're supposed to meet a little ways south near the Arthenia border. I mean no harm. I'm not interested in attacking anyone or robbing anyone in the forest or whatever you may think. I just want to be paid." That last part was a lie, but he hoped his prefomance was convincing enough for the woman to let him go. A green gaze eyed him for a moment. Again, the same questions from earlier ran through his mind. What is she thinking? The woman said nothing more as she turned her attention to Fin. Her face seemed to soften some, though it was hard to tell with the ranger.
"What's your story, kid?" Astra asked the prince.
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Post by Tealraven on Jun 28, 2020 17:38:20 GMT -5
Finian Clarel | Astra's House
The assassin was silent for a moment. Then he opened his mouth to speak, and Finian's heartbeat accelerated. Unknown to the merchant and the ranger, the prince's fate hung in the balance in that trembling moment of breath.
The elf -- Levey; his would-be murderer had a name now -- confessed to being a mercenary. That wasn't too far from the truth. Finian turned his face toward the fire, his cheeks glowing orange in the light of the flames dancing in the hearth. He listened intently to Levey's every word, mind spinning, but his gaze was blank. The only clue to his discomfort was how he fidgeted absent mindedly with a thread in the fraying rug beneath him.
He risked a glance at the elf once he'd finished his story. The man's words were callous and short, but his voice seemed too soft for a cold-blooded mercenary. Finian wondered what Kaethe and Astra thought. Would they believe Levey?
But then Astra was facing Finian, and he'd run out of time. Here goes nothing.
"Um, I'm Fin," he said quietly, looking down at the floor. "I lived in the palace in the capital city of Gryffon, a-as a servant to the royal family. I had just gone to bed when one of the guards sounded the alarm. I didn't know what had happened. I--" he squinted, his forehead wrinkling as though he were struggling to remember the details. "I think I heard something about a murder? Or the palace was under attack?" He shook his head. "So I panicked and ran for it. I'm expendable, nobody would notice if I was gone. I would just be an obstacle in the path to the royal family, easy to cut down."
He shifted his gaze uneasily to Kaethe, worried about what he'd see on her face. This was uncomfortably close to the truth, and he knew Levey knew it, too. But the assassin had spared him twice now, and he wasn't about to throw that opportunity away by shoving Levey under the carriage.
"So, yeah, I'm a coward. I stole some clothes and got as far as the market when I ran into your friend here. If I went back, I'd probably be thrown onto the streets or worse for deserting my superiors, so I had to get out of the city." Finian wrapped his arms around himself and sighed, the weight of exhaustion and reliving the previous night's events crashing down on him. He closed his eyes. "You're lucky you left when you did," he said to Levey.
I wonder what's happening in the city now, Finian thought. He hadn't thought about much beyond escaping, but of course he'd have to go back eventually. The kingdom was leaderless. He didn't know if he was ready to face that yet; he needed more information, and the other assassins could still be out there. No, he needed to stay low for awhile, at least until they could figure out what was going on.
"Wait," he said suddenly, lifting his head. "What day is it?"
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Post by Amber on Jun 29, 2020 16:08:18 GMT -5
Kaethe, the reluctant merchant Kaethe watched the mercenary as Astra questioned him. He seemed uneasy, voice soft as he answered. Levey- as the formerly nameless elf called himself -appeared to be around her age, easily a couple of years younger. Once the half-elf finished her questioning, she backed away from him. It was hard to read the other woman's emotions, but it seemed she didn't find anything odd about his story. The merchant found herself agreeing with the assumption. A mercenary finishing a some job fled from the city so he wouldn't get caught. It made sense. The only thing she wondered was his fate. Astra had proclaimed herself twice before that is was her job to protect the forest and its travlers from criminals. She wouldn't just let him go unless she deemed him harmless.
Astra turned her attention towards Fin. As Kaethe watched her, she narrowed her eyes slightly. Did her face grow softer as she questioned him? The merchant didn't bother to ask as her brown gaze watched the noble. The boy shifted around uneasily as all eyes fell on him. He restated his name, his voice barely above a whisper. He was nervous and rightly so, Astra would see right through his lie. The boy stammered through his story. So he was some sort of servant instead of a noble. The original story was a complete fabrication, though it at least explained the original idea for his story. He paused, as if trying to remember the events of the night.
"I think I heard something about a murder? Or the palace was under attack?" Kaethe stared, wide-eyed. Even Astra- who was usually calm- spun around and faced him, clearly caught off guard. The merchant glanced at the other three in the room. Levey averted his gaze, Fin focused on his story, and Astra watched him more intently. The news seemed to really bother her. Kaethe kept quiet as she watched the servant boy. With a quiet sigh, he closed his eyes, called himself a coward, and finished his story. The room was uncomfortably silent. Finally, Kaethe smiled. Now wasn't the time to make the scared boy uncomfortable.
"I knew your story wasn't true," she breathed. Kaethe lightly sighed and inwardly scolded herself. Out of everything I could've said, I talk about his original story?! The woman held her tongue, but surely there were better things she could've said. Words of comfort, perhaps a question, or maybe even a joke. Of course, anything would've been better than what she said. There was no time to focus on that as she watched Fin again.
Astra, the neutral ranger On the heels of her boots, Astra spun around to face Fin. The royal family was attacked? Not only that, but the prupertrators were elves? That explained why Fin seemed nervous around Levey. The castle was attacked by at least one, though likely more if it was an assassination attempt. The situation was bad. Really bad, especially if they had all been killed. Astra drew in a steady breath as Fin finished his story. She barely paid attention as Kaethe commented on a lie the boy had given her earlier.
What will happen between the two nations? There will be people on both sides trying to get back to their respective lands before things get too heated. I need to figure out how to help them. Where does this leave me or my parents? How will we- No. She couldn't think about that now. Those were real worries she had to keep in mind, but they could be saved for later. Instead, she had to figure out what she was going to do now. The ranger turned her attention back to Fin as he made a final few comments. Astra frowned as he called himself a coward. Silently, the woman walked forward and crouched down a few inches from him.
"You aren't a coward," she said firmly. "You're quite brave and you have good survival instincts, I think." She got back to her feet as she eyed the small group. What were they going to do? What did she plan on doing? The boy would probably need a fresh start. She didn't feel comfortable with setting him out on his own. Kaethe needed to get back to her uncle and the merchant guild. Astra already had that prior arrangement she committed to, so she would see it through. That left the elf. He was a mercenary, a potentially dangerous criminal. If she let him go, he could harm someone in the future. However, if there was to be conflict between the humans and elves- and the humans wouldn't stay quiet about the attack -perhaps he would just leave. The ranger wasn't sure how much she trusted that yet, however.
Fin spoke up again, distracting Astra from her thoughts. He insistently asked about the day. The white-haired ranger glanced at Kaethe. Astra didn't really keep track of time or the days of the week. She didn't have reason to worry about it, but the merchant, however, did. Kaethe gave a small nod, understanding that was something she had to answer.
"It's a Thursday and the fifth. Why? What's so important?" The merchant questioned curiously.
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Post by Tealraven on Jun 29, 2020 19:52:57 GMT -5
Finian Clarel | Astra's House
Finian kept his eyes on Kaethe's face during the brief silence that followed. He'd never been entirely sure how much of his original story she had believed, but apparently, she'd never trusted him at all. He should've known. A shrewd merchant wouldn't fall for a sixteen year-old prince's lies so easily. "I guess that makes me an idiot, too," he muttered.
He turned his head and startled. The ranger had crouched right in front of him, her eyes intense. "You aren't a coward," she said, so firmly he almost believed her. She stood again and surveyed the group. Sensing that something important was about to happen, Finian rose too, sticking his hands in his pockets. The three of them exchanged glances, none of them looking at Levey. The tension in the room was palpable.
Finally, Astra shot a puzzled look at Kaethe who answered with the day and date. "Thursday," Finian repeated, withdrawing a hand from his pocket and running it through his messy blond hair. "Wednesday is when that week's news goes to print in the capital," he explained. "After last night, I'm certain they'll be rushing to get a special emergency edition out as soon as possible. It takes a few days to get around the kingdom, but most towns will have received the paper by Saturday. Even the smallest hamlets have some sort of village bulletin where news and announcements are posted."
He turned to address Kaethe. "You're probably the most traveled one out of all of us," he pointed out. "And you have a map. If you know where the nearest town is and how to get there..."
...maybe we'll be able to make heads or tails of what's going on in the capital. He finished the thought in his head; he didn't need to say the rest out loud. And even if they couldn't, the local tavern was always a good place to pick up rumors. He surveyed the faces around him. Kaethe just looked surprised, Levey wasn't looking at anybody, and Astra, oddly, looked ready to explode. Something I said really upset her. He nonchalantly took a step to the side, just to be safe.
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Post by Amber on Jun 30, 2020 0:22:01 GMT -5
Kaethe, the reluctant merchant Kaethe watched as Astra gave Fin some words of encouragement. She didn't know if the ranger meant it or not, but it seemed to do something for the boy. A few minutes later, Fin asked about the day and the merchant was quick to answer. Soon after, he explained his line of thinking. Kaethe nodded along. He wanted to see news of the attack to find out what happened that night. Now that he mentioned it, the merchant wanted to learn the details as well. She was curious, a little frightened, and eager to hear what happened. If he was comfortable with it, Fin might provide some details for the woman. Her attention snapped back to the boy as he questioned her about her map. The woman smiled and nodded.
"Yeah, I have the map." She had been smart enough to stash it on herself before Astra dragged them to her house. Without promoting, Kaethe pulled it out and unfolded it onto the table. It wasn't huge and only had the major cities filled out onto it. Alongside various notes and paths she had drawn out, the merchant had taken the time to mark out the small towns in the area. The nearest settlement that wasn't too small to notice an odd group, but also not too big to get lost in was just south of them. Silverton, it was called, was a mining town she has visited on a few occasions. It would be a perfect place for them to visit.
Levey, the hesitant assassian Astra had questioned Fin, who answered as honestly as he was willing to. Levey said nothing. Eventually, the topic changed from the prince's brief questioning to finding somewhere to get some news. The merchant looked over her map, likely trying to find the perfect place.
"We can go to Silverton," Kaethe said. Astra walked to the oak table and leaned over the map. She examined the page until she found the town.
"We won't have enough time today," Astra concluded. Kaethe sharply turned to her.
"And why not? There's still plenty of daylight out and if we leave now, we can reach my cart in no time. We could probably even reach the city just after nightfall if we hurry."
"It depends on what we need to do." Astra pointed to Fin. "He can't go back to the capital and we can't let him go off on his own. So, we'll have to see what he wants to do. The elf...he's a mercenary and I'm still not sure what I need to do with him. As for you, Kaethe, I need to get you back on the path to your guild. Before we set off, we need to have a solid plan to take care of all this."
"What do you suppose we do with Levey? Someone's obviously looking for him and will notice his absence. Do we just let his whoever he's working with follow us? That seems like a bad idea to me." Kaethe had a point. They didn't know who would be following him and for all they knew, he was leading danger straight toward them. The white-haired woman thought the merchant's concerns over for a moment. Although her green eyes never wandered to him, it was clear she was trying to decide what to do with him. Levey averted his gaze anyway and sighed.
"Actually, I wasn't being entierly honest earlier." Astra turned to him, eyes full of suspicion. A spike of fear shot through him. Why did he speak out? Was Aatra going to retaliate for his unprompted statement? The assassin watched her for a moment, uncertain. She didn't reach for her weapon, which was probably a good sign. The woman stepped forward and titled her head as if to say 'go on'. Levey gulped. "I wasn't planning on going back. I failed my mission and the others won't be happy to find that out. I'm fleeing, though I don't know to where. I left the carvings for my brother. One last goodbye, so he at least knew I was alive." Like a cat watching her prey, Astra observed the elf. He let his eyes wander around, uncomfortable with the idea of meeting her eyes. The woman sighed and played with the bottom of her ear with her thumb.
"You're coming with us, then." Her tone was almost regretful. It was probably the last thing she wanted to do and he could hardly blame her. The prospect of traveling with the three of them made his stomach churn. Two didn't know what he really was and the third knew exactly what he could do. However, he was more concerned with Astra's other ideas. "I don't trust you," she contiuned, "but if you're trying to run away then I suppose I can help you. If I go through with this, you would have to do everything I say. And if cross us or betray us in any way..." She trailed off, her green eyes ablaze with a quiet anger. It was clear what she meant.
"I...I understand," he said. Her broke his eyes from hers and dared to glance at Fin. For the brief second he watched him, the assassin was trying to gage his reaction. Would he say anything or react in anyway? He didn't stare for long before finding something else in the room to occupy his attention.
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Post by Tealraven on Jun 30, 2020 14:23:56 GMT -5
Finian Clarel | Astra's House
Finian followed Kaethe over to the table, planting his hands on the wood and leaning forward to scrutinize the map. Astra came up beside him and took the worn parchment before he could get a good look. Careful not to brush against her, he craned his neck to peer down at the spot Kaethe had indicated. Silverton. He'd never even heard of the place. I guess I shouldn't be surprised. It's too far out of the way and too inconsequential for the royals to care about it. But that was probably a good thing; it meant the inhabitants of the town wouldn't recognize him.
Kaethe and Astra started to converse, and the prince felt a pinch of annoyance. He wanted to ask why they couldn't allow him to go off on his own, but decided against it. At this point, he was lucky they hadn't thrown him out.
Both the ranger and the merchant made good points, and he wasn't sure who he agreed with more. On the one hand, he was exhausted, and he knew Kaethe must be too, even if she wouldn't admit it. And it had been almost a full day since he'd last eaten. Also, he wasn't thrilled about the idea of getting back in the cart again, this time with two additional people.
But on the other hand, staying here meant sharing a room with the man who'd almost killed him the night before. That was enough to wake him up a bit.
Though Levey insisted on being harmless, Finian wasn't ready to believe him yet. He especially didn't like the idea that the assassin's brother could be coming for them right now. Astra could probably take Levey one-on-one, but if there were two trained assassins in their midst...
"Okay, fine," said the prince. "But I think you should tie him up again. Just in case." He eyed the elf suspiciously.
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