He looks up at you Tristan and shakes his head as if he cant believe what he is seeing, he murmurs to himself, "No, no, no, no... can't be, don't... See me Kevros..." He does his best to not let Kevros see his face.
You see your father's face before you but much younger. The man before you is older than you but not by much.
Kevros shakes his head, "It can't be?! Tristan, that voice sounds very familiar!" Kevros slings his Repeating Heavy Crossbow and approaches the human man and lifts his hood, "FATHER!" Kevros almost gives the man a hug but steps back, "Father I want to hug you but first you have some questions to answer! First, where is mother?! Second, why in the 7 planes of Hell are you associating yourself with the Stag Lord?! Thirdly, why do you look younger than when I saw you?! Did you sale mother and yourself out to be young again?! Or are you really not my father but an illusion?! Lastly, do you have the vine disease?!
"Father? Well I sense no evil here though he did align himself with such. I will aid you how I can her Kevros, but I will leave this man to you if he is who you claim him to be."
Hey you . . . we are in danger of no longer being cutest couple, of course one couple crossed species and the other couple includes the faerie dragon."
Angeus looks coyly at Quince, and asks, "What, you don't think I'm as cute as her?"
As Quince stammer something in Celestial, she laughs and pats him on the cheek, "Just kidding!" and leans in to give him a quick kiss, "I'll have to learn whatever language you speak when you're flustered." she teases before turning with a flip of her multi-colored hair.
As the others talk of cottages and temples and training, Angeus continues to move about the clearing, getting used to her new helm.
She makes a game of it , the grig and pseudodragon taking turns holding on to the spines of the helm's antlers as she tumbled and leapt, trying to dislodge them.
One such tumble brings her to her feet near the captive bandit. Seeing he was awake, she began to walk towards him in her best impression of the Stag Lord, all swagger and aggression, mumbling the way the crazy man did when alive.
But she was brought up short by Kevros' exclamation....Father?, his Father?
Angeus stood frozen, at once overcome with emotion. So glad for Kevros that his Father was before him once again, but also fiery anger that it was his Father and not hers.
Resisting the urge to run and hide in the trees, Angeus forces herself to watch the long awaited reunion, tears slowly tracking through the dirt on her face.
Kevros looks at Tristan and nods, "Thank you my friend and I hope he has good answers for us all." He looks back at his father, awaiting for those questions to be answered.
Quince chuckles at Angeus' 'training' with the fey. He continues trying to fix his technique with the bow.
When the crowd grows around the bandit he comes closer and tries to catch up. "Father?" . . ."Will he want his bow back?"
Quince notices the slump if Angeus' shoulders. Quince moves close to Angeus and whispers, "You alright?" Puts a reassuring arm around her.
The shackled man shakes his head no, then sorrowfully says, "I am your older brother, Silvrestrin. The Stag Lord caught me in a debt, one that I don't have to pay anymore. Last I know your parents are still where you left them. Vine curse?"
The dragon and grig enjoy the game of dislodge, laughing as it is played. They converse in Draconic a bit while playing and likely only Angeus can hear.
They both look down a bit confused as she stops. They both climb down onto her shoulders and the grig asks in common, "What is wrong?"
Kevros is partially relieved that Silvrestrin is not his father who sold his soul to the Planes of Hell to be young again, "Ok now! We are getting to the truth! You are obviously not my father and not my brother. I was first born but you are definitely relations! Come on Cousin Silvrestrin, the lies are over with?! No longer lie because you are making my fellow Greenwatch Wardens distrust you more and more! You are in deep trouble here and you need to start confessing the whole truth and nothing but the truth!" Kevros rolls his eyes, "I am beginning to sound like a Shire Reeve Knight! Back to the offense at hand, you need to not only convince me that you are telling the truth, but you need repent your thuggish life and you will no longer practice thievery in our lands. If you need a job, we have plenty but first you need to guide us to the Stag Lord's headquarters and all of his caches? We have bills to pay and this would be a good start. Also, as extra evidence, is that dead human over there really the Stag Lord?!"
"So are the lies of our father, he had liaisons with other women before he wedded your mother. Don't believe me if you don't want to. I can take you to the camp we were at before. It is one of two that I know of. Yes, that is the stag lord. Thuggery? Thievery? What do you take me for a rogue?" He is still confident in his words, though irritated.
Vine curse? Kevros' parents suffered the same affliction as Stalker? Not the time.
Quince looks on not wanting to step in Kevros' family business. He breaks his silence finally. "Additional camps, we can seek out the remaining bandits before a new figure head rallies them." He frowns and tries to be supportive to Kevros, "That would go along way toward showing this one was turning away from an ill choice to support the Stag Lord."
At Quince's claim of Angeus' beauty, she merely backs away from him, her eyes shining, a coy smile still on her lips, before dancing away once more, the fey a laughing , tumbling crown upon her head.
Quince notices the slump if Angeus' shoulders. Quince moves close to Angeus and whispers, "You alright?" Puts a reassuring arm around her.
They both climb down onto her shoulders and the grig asks in common, "What is wrong?"
Angeus sniffles a bit, then wipes a bunch of snot onto her sleeve, her face clearing a bit as the man reveals his true relations to Kevros.
She shrugs and smiles sheepishly at Quince and the fey on her shoulders, "I never knew my father...and I was jealous of Kevros finding his...and happy for him at the same time! Sorry."
She looks sideways at Quince, hoping he doesn't judge her too harshly, but also appraisingly , the fey's conversation rolliing about in her head.
She crosses her arms and looks down at Kevros' brother, "Hey, watch it....rogues have feelings too!"
Tristan studies the man as he speaks
"He seems to be telling the truth. As said he is not an evil man but opportunistic for sure and quite willing to look past the evil in others it it earns wealth for himself. For his crimes of banditry his sentence is death based on the charter given us. As he is blood to you Kevros you may claim his life and do what you will with it. We should rest though. We have a dragon to slay tomorrow."
Katrina shrugs and asks Kevros, "It could be true."
"Oh the camps are more like caches, the other fellow and stag lord were the only ones at the last campsite with me. Would you untie me so I can stand proper. I don't support the stag lord, definetly not anymore." He says in response to Quince. Then to Angeus, "No offense meant, just I ain't what he is calling me." Finally in response to Tristan, "Woah WOAH woah, wait a minute banditry!? Death y'all are too serous! What banditry have I done? Merely paying a debt!"
Quince looks rather incredulously, "If your service to the Staglord was extorted or forced it could be understood perhaps forgiven if you prove yourself but other than being a blasphemous curr the Staglord was the leader of a ring of bandits that has plagued this region. Who did you think you served."
"Ok then Silvrestrin, I have no choice but to accept you as my older half-brother.." Kevros looks at Tristan, then the others, "We have to give him a chance like we have already given to so many." Then he looks at his half-brother with all seriousness, "You were following an evil man and you are guilty by association even if were paying a debt because you were breaking the laws of humanity in order to pay your debt. Silvrestrin, do you repent your deeds, promise to research what your debtors plans are from now on, and promise not to conduct business like you were doing previously with the Stag Lord in the Greenwatch?"
Now that Kevros' brother's relation was established, and her own tenuous connection was eliminated, Angeus quickly lost interest in the drama.
She wanders over to Tristan, "Slay? Let's figure out if it is a dragon first, then if it's friendly. A dragon ally would be really great, don't you think?" she looks up at the pseudo-dragon hanging from her helm, "A bigger dragon , I mean."
She then asks the dragon a question...
"I overheard you earlier, talking about Quince. What's a kitsune?"
"I agree Kevros, " He says simply enough.
The fey dragon responds in
"Before I untie, I must also state the punishment for failure that all of us Wardens have agreed to. If you fail to comply with your repentance, there is no second chance for anyone including blood. Perhaps when these lands become more tamed, further leniency can be enacted?" Kevros reaches down and unties Silvrestrin, then grabs his hand and helps him to his feet.
"I agree Angeus, but our fey friend pointed out it is a wild beast, not capable of communication. Perhaps I can approach and try to tame it like a dog, but we should be ready as I have little faith in that working especially seeing that it has a taste for man. Best to put those animals down I'm afraid. Especially if the end goal is safety for those traveling the road."
"I just didn't want us to meet this way. All I knew is that you were down here in the Stolenlands and thought that perhaps we could get to know each other." He says with a quick smile after he takes Kevros' hand to get up.
________________________
The group spends the night around the statue. Then pack up to follow Tristan.
Kevros wanting to a be a good half brother misses in fluctuation in his voice or mannerisms, Kevros places his hand on his shoulder and smiles, "Very well brother, Welcome to the Stolenlands and our company! I am not into hugging you as my brother yet due to how we met. In time, we could be more like brothers." Kevros looks around to the other wardens, "We should at least arm him if we are going to visit a dragon tomorrow. What do you all think?"
"He is your brother if he wants his bow back I figure he knows how to use it. Unless he wants a crossbow for trade." Quince looks to Silverstrin giving him opportunity to say.
Kevros' brother responds to Quince after Kevros, "I understand, I will have to earn that. Loyalty and all. I will take a crossbow, and use a long bow when we find another one, I prefer to fight in melee."
Quince rises early and prays near the statue at first privately but if others approach he seems to be reluctantly settling into a pastoral role.
When the conversation Kevros welcomes "I will take the trade Silvestrin. Here is your other gear as well. You seem willing to turn things around and Kevros is willing to give you a shot."
Quince helps those breaking camp and checks on the horses.
Before Departing
After the trading between Quince and Silvestrin, "Silvestrin, do you require healing?" Then he looks to everyone else, "Anyone else require healing?"
Kevros then walks up to Katrina with a smile, "Sweetie, do you mind if you ride me with me so Silvestrin can use your horse?"
Before Departing
After the trading between Quince and Silvestrin, "Silvestrin, do you require healing?" Then he looks to everyone else, "Anyone else require healing?"
Kevros then walks up to Katrina with a smile, "Sweetie, do you mind if you ride me with me so Silvestrin can use your horse?"
"Yeah, I think it is all here.... wait where is my locket?" Silvestrin asks. Then replies to Kevros, "Yes I am still a bit hurt."
She would heal anyone before sleeping.
She smiles at the request and responds happily, "I would like that."
Quince adds, "Oh your locket? I see that it is enchanted. Does it serve a purpose?"
Kevros smiles, "I would like that too! Do you want to be in front of or behind me, and I will prepare the saddle so we will both be comfortable?"
Quince smirks at the conversation Katrina and Kevros are havin, "We can spread the load on the pack horse." Quince looks at Kevros with a wink, "No clue on position and a saddle . . . this is getting unseemly for a servant of Old Deadeye. I should warn you . . . amourus activity attracts bears. . . That's what my mom always said."
"You can say it was the only present from our father to me, it won't open." Silvistren says in a snide remark.
The group finished packing and sets out with Tristan in lead. After an hours ride or so you come out of the trees to a ford.
"Surprise me dear, and Quince that is an old wives tale, one you know isn't true." She says in banter and winks at Quince. "Besides wouldn't you like to have some too?"
Since Katrina is shorter than Kevros, it does not matter where Katrina sits. This time he wants her to sit in front so he can cuddle with her while riding. In addition, he can shoot better being behind Katrina and he can still steer Hala with his feet. While Kev organizes the saddle and saddle bags so two riders can ride comfortably he nods at Katrina with a smile regarding the saddle set up, then chuckles at Katrina's teasing banter to Quince, "She has you there, Warden Medvyed, my friend!"
Quince blushes but quips back, "Kevros I have no desire to 'ride horses' with you." Quince winks.
"So big lizard dragon things."
Kevros chuckles, "Nor do I with you my friend nor would I want my brother riding with me on the same horse, and he's blood."
Tristan waves to shush the banter as the get close to the ford.
"Quiet now. We don't want to startle it. Prepare your bows. We will harass it from range. If it charges I will do my best to cut it off."
Kevros repeats the quiet signal just in case not everyone is looking at Tristan. He then readies his repeating crossbow. "Do we know this dragon thinks like an animal or is intelligent like our fey dragon ally? I have heard tales of both and witnessed our Fey Dragon friend is very intelligent and good. So is it possible this dragon is nice and intelligent as well?"
The grig speaks up in her quiet voice, "It is a beast, a creature that is a threat to fey and mortals alike."
Silvistren lets it go for now, whispering under his breath, "I will get it back eventually." He draws the crossbow and loads it.
Katrina gets off of the horse with Kevros' help. She strings her bow as she leans on the bow. She looks around and asks quietly, "Anyone have a quiver of arrows, or a few to spare?"
Kevros helps Katrina down and then dismounts while Katrina is asking for arrows, then he whispers in her ear ...
"My love, didn't Erastil give you some magical arrows in a quiver?"
Kevros looks to Grig, "So this dragon is either evil, upset, or lost its mind?"
Quince offers Katrina arrows. "Here.