The turrets of Vigil rise in the distance.
Rataji sits by the fire she and Zohruk made together, cradling her knees to her chest. She’s shivering. Her monkey Babu twitches agitatedly on her shoulder. No wonder. Her head is a swirling mass of emotions, her gut feels ill, but not the kind of ill where you can just throw up and get rid of it. No, this is the kind of pain that stays. Her dad. Her ambassador dad who had taken her all over Golarian, taught her languages, been there for her... He sold her out to pay for orc troops. He sold her.
The past two weeks are a blur. The half-orc knight at her window in Urgir. The warning he gave her, once she removed her blade at his throat. The spell. Them fleeing on foot, with barely any supplies.
And then there’s Zoh. She can feel him, all the time. Carefully sidestepping around her. Watching her. She’s never been this acutely aware of anyone like this before. She’s had other people in her head since she was a small child, but none of them had actual bodies. She can feel him breathe. She knows instantly when he wakes up, when he stretches. This awareness is like an itch she can’t scratch, tingly and ever present.
Zoh is big, male, vibrant and funny... yet so awkward. She caused them to be linked like this, because she couldn’t believe. Zoh didn’t ask for this. Didn’t want this. And if she thinks his name any harder, he’ll be there again, answering her. At her beck and call. What has she done?
Zoh’s a great guy. Solid. Who else goes into a fort full of enemies to rescue someone he’s never met? Who else continues to be a gentleman after the girl not only puts a blade to his throat, but blasts his mind open so that he’ll never have privacy again? He is trying so hard not to make this awful, which somehow makes it worse.
She wishes she can tell him what she feels, but she doesn’t fully know herself. What if it’s the spell that’s making her feel this way? she hears Shivaji laughing in her head.
Shut. Up. She cannot listen to Great Uncle Shivaji’s encounters. Not now.
She needs to distract herself. “Zoh.” It feels odd, speaking his name out loud. Her voice sounds a little rusty to her. “You saved my life. By Mwangi tradition, I have to accompany you until I get to save you in return.”
Then she grins, broadcasting directly to his mind. Yeah, I’m lying through my teeth, or wishing I could. There’s no Mwangi tradition stating that. But I would like the chance to... She pauses, her brain freezing. The chance to do what?
Shivaji asks, helpfully. The spirit is laughing again.
She ignores the spirit, resolutely looking into Zoh’s eyes. ...to help you. To pay forward. Is there anything in Vigil I can do? What’s awaiting me there?
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Zohruk tended the small fire carefully, doing his best to make sure it didn’t get too smoky. They were still far enough away from the border with Lastwall that he wouldn’t call them "safe" just yet. And the activity helped keep his mind off of… other things.
He felt like a sack of crap over the way he’d driven Rataji ever since the two of them had escaped from Urgir. If this Knight of Ozem thing doesn’t work out, you can have a good second career as a hobgoblin taskmaster. You haven’t whipped her yet; saving something for tomorrow, you jerk?
Zohruk’s outdoorsmanship was good enough to keep them moving, but things were complicated by Rataji’s complete lack of outdoor gear; if she had anything of that nature, she surely hadn’t had time to pack it before their flight. So they had to make do with his. Zohruk gave her as much of his own rations as she would accept, foraged some small game, and they shared the rest, including the bedding, One blanket, one bedroll, one big mess, resulting in a few of the most sleepless days he’d ever had.
The orcs’ aversion to sunlight meant their best hope for escape was holing up to rest in the daytime, and keeping on the move at night. One upside was that moving at night kept the chill from being too awful (another four, six weeks later and this could have been a big problem); the corresponding downside was that Rataji’s night vision wasn’t as good as his own, and there had been times when he had basically forced-marched her through the darkness. The strain was beginning to show on her; he could see it in the way she huddled in front of the fire, but beyond that, he could simply feel it. He knew it, as he knew himself.
She was there, constantly. Sometimes "there" was just a presence in his mind, the mental equivalent of a hand on his shoulder. Sometimes "there" meant she commanded his view like a titan straight from Elysium, a tiny vukhrav that loomed over his world. She’d said something about a shamanic bond, but after a few words, all he’d heard was the sweet sound of a dragon’s roar.
It had gotten fairly overwhelming at times. Zohruk was keeping his composure so far. It wasn’t easy, but the reasons to keep himself together were out there in front of him, everywhere he looked, in the blasted landscape that made up the Hold of Belkzen. It was there, too, in the shield-mark under his glove. This isn’t some silly adventure like the tales of Robert the Black. Getting out of Urgir didn’t end the story, just one chapter, and there are still plenty of orcs for whom a happy ending means you’re dead, and she goes back there.
Besides, you just stabbed a Garundi diplomat, and ran off with his daughter. Sure, the “running off” was out of Urgir, and he’d been about to sell her to an orcish warlord, but the generals aren’t gonna want to hear that you made things worse by putting your bloodstained hands in the cookie jar. Just get back to Vigil in one piece, and sort the rest out then.
He’d been calming himself by thinking back to calligraphy in Lady Sato’s class, when Rataji called his name. He looked up, and as she talked, his heart surged at the news, She has to stay with me! He deflated a bit as she slipped into the voiceless communication they’d been developing, and revealed she’d been kidding, but evened himself out enough to hear what she was saying. What’s waiting? A steel-eyed warrior whose heart roars like the Inferno… DOWN, BOY! ENOUGH!!! Zohruk wasn’t sure what of that had made it through their link, but he had to control himself or they’d never reach the Lastwall border alive. "The Crusade’s always looking for folks to help, and the way you laid me out, hell, they’ll probably kick me out and give you my position." He chuckled to himself, that was the most normal he’d felt in days.
This run has been miserable, and I’m sorry I’ve had to put you through this, he thinks. All of this. Just a few more days, and when we reach the border, we can probably ease up on the murderous pace.
Just a few more days… Zohruk stirred the fire again.
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Days? She blinks, then rubs her eyes. Had she imagined the turrets in the distance? It appears she had.
She wants to collapse with the mention of days still left to go, but his chuckle brings her back to herself. He said she could have a job. But with the crusade? Still, it's better to have options then an uncertain future. And this option... Maybe she could work with Zoh. This man saved your life. The least you can do is cheer up and help lighten his mood.
Shivaji asks eagerly.
She resolutely pushes the spirit away. No.
Shivaji sighs as the voice fades away.
Taj walks up to where the Knight is poking at the fire, and puts a hand on his shoulder. Then she wishes she hadn't. The touch is electric, and makes her catch her breath. Still, she keeps the hand where it is, making the effort to smile. It's a good smile, her perfect white teeth against her dark skin.
They won’t kick you out. She raises an eyebrow. Just tell them you fell to the power of shimmering rainbows. And unicorns. Okay, maybe NOT the part about the unicorns.
She pauses, using her voice again. "Have I ever said 'Thank you' properly? If not, I really should."
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Rataji’s hand on his shoulder sends shockwaves through Zohruk. He’s reminded of the times he’s seen Daen lay out serious-looking foes with a touch of lightning. Funny, I’d have thought it would hurt more, he muses to himself.
”Yeah, for my part in it, you're welcome, but you sure did more’n your fair share of the work,” he grins as he waves his hand, not too much teeth, broadly mimicking the casting of a spell. He pauses for a moment, thinking, before he continues, a bit more seriously. ”If you really want to thank someone, then thank whatever force guides your luck that Commander Mogra got greedy, and wanted you in addition to the muskets your father was trying to sell. If I hadn't heard him croaking about making you part of the deal, I wouldn't have even known you were there. I'd have settled things by… dealing with your father a little more decisively.” Zohruk shrugs, not terribly proud of that fact, but what is, is. ”If I’d done that, and left you in Urgir with those maniacs…” He trails off, not even sure if that sentence can be finished.
He stands, and turns back in the direction they came from. ”The first time I was in Urgir, I worked for a smuggler named Rhoumok. He’d bring in things like, magical and alchemical ingredients that were going to the Black Tower. Any time he’d score a big deal, he’d strut around for the rest of the day, half in the bag, saying, 'Never underestimate the other guy’s greed.' Rhoumok, Commander Mogra, thanks, guys. You a++$~%~s really deserve each other.” Zoh flips both middle fingers back in the direction of Urgir. Almost immediately, he’s acutely aware of the crudity he displayed in front of Rataji, and his face almost blackens as he blushes.
Sorry…
His embarrassment amuses her. What kind of a Knight is this?
No need to apologize. Though I’ve been taught to deliver my invective more ‘elegantly’, I feel much the same way. Did you know I was proud that Dad brought me along on this trip? He’d been distancing himself from me, ever since he married Lalibai. Even more after Haru was born. She wraps the blanket tighter about herself as she shivers. When I was little, we were in Kyonin and he showed me off everywhere. I was his little ‘umn*tanenkosi’, or princess. Even in thought form, the polyglot word has odd sounds within it, including a tongue click on the ‘tan’ syllable. I thought he wanted me part of his life again. I was such a fool.
She shakes herself. But you’re right. I am lucky. You’ve been keeping me alive, and haven’t... you haven’t complained once. About this bond between us. What will you do when we get back? Do I need to answer to a girlfriend? Your superiors?
She releases the touch on his shoulder reluctantly and scoops her monkey back into her jacket. Babu protests, but not too much. It’s still plenty cold, and she can feel his contentment when he clings to her, reveling in her body heat. Babu's head pokes out though, dark little eyes peering at Zohruk.
I suppose it’s time to get going again, isn’t it? Promise me there be hot baths available in Last Wall? Perhaps a few more blankets?
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Do I need to answer to a girlfriend?
At that question, Zohruk drops the stick he’d been using to stir the fire, which he rapidly scoops up and makes sure he didn’t just start a wildfire. In one regard, too late, dummy!
Holy crap, Yhrrilka… He had somehow managed to not even think about her since they’d left Urgir. That never happened. One of these two women is gonna friggin’ kill me.
Not in Vigil, no. But here. In Belkzen, with my tribe, there’s a girl, Yhrrilka. She’s the volokh for my chief, Chief Mahja. She was… okay fine, I don’t know what to tell you she was to me, but we cared about each other a lot. But the Chief, she must not’ve been too crazy about the idea, because whenever she noticed Ril and I getting close, she managed to come up with a reason to send me off to someplace way the hell away. First Urgir, then Vigil.
There’s a part of Zohruk that wants to be mad at Rataji. She had no damn right to do this to me…! But he looks at her, this scared young woman, and the outrage he thought he was going to unleash… just isn’t there. He gives her what he hopes is his most reassuring smile, and puts a hand on her shoulder. We’ll figure this out, Rataji. Don’t worry. His hand lingers for just a moment, before he turns back to the fire, extinguishing it.
Yeah, we’ve gotta get going. I’ll get this fire covered, then we can be off. The terrain probably won’t be too bad for most of tonight’s travel. A few more days to Vigil. Be strong like you’ve been, and before you know it, you can have that hot bath... Images linger in Zohruk’s mind for a moment, and he takes a moment longer to dismiss them than he thinks he ought. Escaping Belkzen is no longer the hardest part of this mission, he thinks to himself.
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He has a girlfriend. The news hits Taj like a punch in the stomach, but she tries to keep her composure. Of course he would have someone. Zoh’s got a big, open heart. What girl wouldn’t want him? She can feel his shock, realizing the consequences of their bond. She looks at him, scared, for a moment, then recovers.
Diplomatic training takes over. Step back. Talk in neutral terms. When you’ve received a shock, slide to another subject. Maintain your composure, Taj. When Zoh touches her shoulder, she feels the charge of the connection between them, and her heart aches. Zoh isn’t hers, was never meant to be hers, yet she thrills to his touch, longing for what she should not have.
“Yhrrilka’s a pretty name.” She carefully speaks aloud, trying to keep the disappointment she feels out of their mental link. “It means ‘Smouldering Ember’, yes? It’s a reference to the first line of one of the ballads of Warlord Belkzen, right?”
дайн оч асаан гал архирах хамаатан
садан нь, цус, зүрх сэтгэлд дуудлага:
"Өндөр таны тэнхлэг хүргэж, бөмбөр дуу
Тэднийг Belkzen нь Орд ирдэг мэдэх болтугай!"
The smouldering ember that sparks the war
The call to kin, to blood, to hearts that roar:
“Raise your axes high and sound the drums
Let them know the horde of Belkzen comes!”
The literary allusion allows her to slide past the emotional roil and finally answer him. Sorry, I’m babbling like a fool, aren’t I? It’s just... there’s so much to process here. Yes, we’ll figure this out.
As they move out again, she uses the exhausting pace that Zoh has set to go silent.
Shivaji? Are you there?
The spirit sounds petulant.
Is there a way to break the bond? Free him?
The spirit is silent so long she prompts him again. Uncle?
Shivaj sighs, and his voice sounds heavy, and far more somber than she’s ever heard.
She’s stunned by this revelation. Why didn’t you ever tell me about this before?
I’ve changed his life. Turned it upside down...
But how do I know it’s the right thing?
Oh, Shivaji...
Then Shivaji’s voice takes on a sly tone, and he laughs.
Pervert, she says affectionately, laughing too.
Seeing Zoh’s startled look, she turns to him. I’m sorry. I was in a different conversation. My uncle was giving me a pep talk. I think... I think it’s time I explain to you about me being a Yisik, and the other voices in my head.”
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The swordsman sat on a log, nearly standing but hunched over as he fussed over a particular tiny piece of wood with a whittling knife. As he sat with his legs nearly extended, his long hair hid his face, and not his ears which pointed out in fairly long fashion. He retained his shiny armor, and kept his sword in it's fairly ornate scabbard, but next to him on the ground in the dim light was a book with strange lettering accompanying it's pages.
The watch was going as well as could be expected at this time of night, meaning that it was going quietly. Daen preferred uneventful evenings, as he prepared and polished a new wooden stick for wand use. It was odd to him how much of magic involved some form of artistry, and when Professor Comell and given him a whittling knife and some sandpaper along with some precise measurements, he'd initially balked. But he soon became enamored with the power of wands. Though they were mere sticks, thin wooden objects, they could be imbued with tremendous power. The trouble with bringing them into a sword fight is that they were mere wooden sticks. Comell also taught him the spell that allowed one to encase the powerful, yet fragile, sticks inside the hilt of a weapon, granting them far greater protection. Then it began to make sense to use them more and more for offensive purposes.
He took a moment from his work to survey the camp. With all of these distractions it was hard to get real progress, but it would be better to make sure nothing was amiss. The crew had been together for a while now, and they had made a relatively decent team. Grimold, Kassie, Allie, were all sleeping there, and breathing faintly in the night air. They'd almost made a mess of all that, and for a while they didn't know if they'd ever see Allie again, but it was behind them now and they were coming back successful. He had already prepared his report in triplicate ready to be delivered when they arrived the next day, and then they would see why they had been so urgently summoned.
The half elf was about to return to his arcane work when he heard another stick snap in the distance. He'd spread a few around in the dark to warn of incoming footfalls, and it seemed they'd fallen prey to his alert. Not all sticks had to be arcane to have their uses. "Identify Yourself, but do not come closer until I allow it." He said as he oriented himself to the noise, drawing his blade. One couldn't be too careful in the open, this close to the border. With a flick of his foot, he closed the book he'd been using as reference and spread his toe out behind him in a stance of readiness.
Taj startles at the snap of the stick underfoot, and looks an apology to Zoh.
Is it safe to tell him who we are?
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Zohruk moved confidently through the darkness. I am a hole in the night...
<snap!>
My job may be slightly safer than I first thought. His blades were drawn in a flash, but Zohruk unwound himself as soon as he heard the voice.
Yeah, 'Taj, pretty safe. His voice takes on a tone of slight exasperation. "'Allow it?' Honestly, throw one Challenge match to a guy, he thinks he can order you around the rest of your life... "
Zoh's words and tone relax Taj, though she wishes she weren't quite so disheveled when meeting people that Zohruk knows. "I take it you know each other."
She raises open hands in the air. "I am the one called Rataji, but my friends call me Taj. Are you another knight, like Zohruk? You'll have to forgive my appearance. We've come a long way on foot, and without supplies."
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Eilidh rolls over in a light sleep, nightmares of her ordeal flashing through her head. Her stutter, which had gotten so much better as knighthood approached, had returned with a vengeance over the course of the crusade, and she rested fitfully, if at all. Daen's words punched through her rest, and her eyes flicked open. "Is th-that the m-m-monster...that the monster?" The words are harsh, but the tone is friendly, much different than so long ago in a chapel in Vigil. Nonetheless, her hand quickly reaches for her bow, just in case it's a different kind of monster.
Monster?
Taj hears the harsh words, not the tone. "You must be mistaken, milady. Zohruk is a Knight, not a monster. He braved Urgir to rescue me, and brought me out safe. I'll hear no insults against his name." The words are softly spoken, but firm.
Then she started reciting the war ballad of Belkzen, and the world stopped. Zohruk flashed back to a time early on in his stay in Lastwall, he’d given Kassie a little guff about her speaking Orcish without “a proper mouthful of fangs,” and Zoh now figured he might owe her an apology. Hearing Rataji recite those lines, intended to fill the listener with wrath and battle-lust, Zohruk was hit by a few feelings at once: yes, the galvanizing call to action the words were meant to elicit, but also amazed fascination at her knowledge of this, and coming from Taj, shorn of their original brutal context, it actually made him feel proud of a piece of orcish heritage, a rare feat indeed.
After she finished, Zohruk took it in for a few seconds. Then, he unclenched the fists that had gotten balled up so tight they almost hurt, and said in a low voice, ”Ene ni saikhan baisan yum.”
Much of the rest of the trek was made in silence. Even their mental communication was limited to little more than an occasional, Watch your step here. It wasn’t until he heard Rataji laughing that he turned around, the look on his face both puzzled and concerned. There was that one time Ril laughed like that, right before she picked up the knife…
The other voices in my head, Zohruk mouths the words back to himself. Okay. I’m gonna keep us walking, armies on the march and all that, but apart from that, you have my full attention…
After Rataji bursts forward, Zohruk greets his friend. "Damn, it's good to see you, man. Rataji, this is Daen. Daen, the young lady who isn't walking in the places I was walking..." Zoh gives her a look, "...is the reason I got pulled out of Ustalav. I got to go back to Urgir. Yay!"
"You must be mistaken, milady. Zohruk is a Knight, not a monster. He braved Urgir to rescue me, and brought me out safe. I'll hear no insults against his name."
Zohruk smiles. It's okay, Rataji. When we first met, Allie and I didn't exactly see eye to eye, she thought I was a spy out of Belkzen. Well, I mean, I was a spy, and I was from Belkzen, but... I'll fill you in later, he says, shaking his head.
Zohruk affects some mock outrage. "Well it's really tough to be the beast under your bed out here! I'll need a shovel, and probably an hour's worth of time, and I just might have lost the element of surprise." He extends a hand back toward Rataji. "Rataji, this is Eilidh Tilernos. She's a good daughter of the Burning Mother, even if she gets some of the details ass-backwards," he quips, as his eyes sparkle with mischief. "Allie, this is Rataji. I just helped her escape from a few thousand of the sort of guys you used to think I was."
Kassie lay on her own bedroll with her sister between herself and the fire, protectively shielding her from the surrounding darkness. She had slept badly since Allie had gone missing and even since her return Kassie had not managed a full night sleep. Her sleep is so shallow that, almost before the first word is out of Daen's mouth, she is awake and standing, her silvered rapier in her hand and pointing directly at the source of the noise. When she hears the familiar voice she lets the tip drop, but does not put it away. She does, however, step forward protectively when she hears the other, unfamiliar, voice.
As Zohruk steps forward into the light she finally does, however, seem relax a bit, and she steps forward with a grin and darts forward to envelope him in a hug. "Zoh, you big idiot. What are you doing sneaking around out here? You could've gotten yourself killed!
My job may be slightly safer than I first thought. His blades were drawn in a flash, but Zohruk unwound himself as soon as he heard the voice.
Yeah, 'Taj, pretty safe. His voice takes on a tone of slight exasperation. "'Allow it?' Honestly, throw one Challenge match to a guy, he thinks he can order you around the rest of your life... "
Hearing a familiar voice didn't necessarily mean that the danger was over. "You'll have to be more specific. There are many who've claimed they've thrown a challenge, and not all of them I consider friends." Even though he said it, he couldn't help but have a smile tug at the corner of his lips.
When the other person out there raised her hands and identified herself, he did become rather curious, moreso than he was alarmed. The smile on his lips did fade and his blade did not retreat though, he still wasn't completely convinced it wasn't a trick. At this point his instinct told him something was different, but he couldn't quite put a finger on it. "Someone bringing a stray home?" he managed to get out before Allie stirred. He was rather hoping the girl would get some sleep, especially if this turned out to be benign, but that looked like it was out of reach.
"If our dear friend is a Knight, Lady Rataji, then he is perfectly capable of defending his own name." The half orc brings a woman home, who is zealous in defending his honor? He stowed his sword. It was obvious what the difference was. Zoh had someone with him who had fallen in love with him. It was too far fetched to be a lie, although it did make sense that he'd find one of them in the Hold. Maybe he killed a monster that was trying to eat her or something, it didn't really matter. Come up to the fire. You are both welcome here. If you don't have provisions, you can find them in my saddlebags. They are organized they way they always are Zoh. I'll have to summon the two of you some horses so we can make our way down to Vigil in the morning."
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Hearing a familiar voice didn't necessarily mean that the danger was over. "You'll have to be more specific. There are many who've claimed they've thrown a challenge, and not all of them I consider friends."
"Not even the ones you took to the Tribune to get their shield-mark?"
"Someone bringing a stray home?"
Zoh's stomach clenched just a little at the comment. He deadpans, "Yeah, she is." It was late and even dog-tired as he was, Zoh was kind of proud of himself for that one. Daen always likes a little wordplay...
"Come up to the fire. You are both welcome here. If you don't have provisions, you can find them in my saddlebags. They are organized they way they always are Zoh. I'll have to summon the two of you some horses so we can make our way down to Vigil in the morning."
Zoh grabs the first unused blanket he sees (if none are available, he retrieves his own, gives it to Rataji, then goes over to the fire). "The first time I came into Vigil with Sir Lukyan, I spent a week on a horse. It was my first time, and I didn't much care for it. This time, I think I'm looking forward to it..." He does go over to Daen's saddlebags, pulls out a little something for himself, but mainly for Rataji. "I don't think I got anything out of order there, but well, you probably do...", he shrugs, handing some food to Rataji.
"Zoh, you big idiot. What are you doing sneaking around out here? You could've gotten yourself killed!"
"Looking for you guys, is what I'm doing! I made it all the way out of Urgir on foot, you really think I'm gonna let myself get killed by my best friends? Kassie, meet Rataji. Rataji, Kassara Tilernos, Allie's sister." In a stage whisper, Zohruk says, "Kassie, I take back everything I ever said about a roshka's pronunciation of Orc."
He looks over at Grimold's sleeping form. "What'd you do, hit him over the head with a rock?"
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Grimold tosses in his bedroll, mumbling in his sleep. "Keep...down. 'm sleep'n'..."
Grimold had always been a heavy sleeper; even during his first days at the Bonewatch, when he still slept with a dagger under his pillow, he would often sleep through the morning bell. Once Trainer Fisk took it upon himself to teach the lazy scrub some discipline and received an elbow in the face for his trouble. After that, Grimold had been forced to begin each match of the next challenge day tied to a bed in the middle of the ring, coming dangerously close to being cut from the ranks as a result. It had become something of a private joke that it was better to leave the camp undefended than to try to wake Grimold for a midnight watch.
He rolls back over, his face turned away from the fire. "Desna's blessings on the Newlyweds."
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Zohruk gently sidles up to Grimold's bedroll. He bends down (but keeps out of arm's reach), and in his orciest voice, he gruffly barks, "Gal Belkzen ni tenkhleg!"
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Startled awake, Grimold leaps out of his bedroll, rolling across the ground. He comes up in a defensive stance, wielding a dagger seemingly produced from nowhere. "We're under atta-" His warning to the others dies on his lips as he notices the rest of the party laughing around the campfire. He scowls at them, fuming, before understanding dawns. "Zohruk?" Grimold rubs his eyes and looks again. "Zohruk!" He rushes toward the half-orc with arms wide open, but instead drives his fist into his friend's shoulder at the last moment, a bit harder than strictly necessary. "Where in the hells have you been?!"
Zohruk blushes furiously, missing what Sleepy meant about the constellation. But we didn't...
"Ha-ha-hah-hah... OW! Eh, as long as it's just me, that'll always be funny," Zohruk says as he rubs his shoulder. "Would you believe me if I said, back to Urgir? Now, I'm not gonna say it was exactly like a Robert the Black story, but, yeah, it kinda was." Zoh grins sheepishly, "Well, 'cept for the part where the girl beat me up. Grimold, this is Rataji. Rataji, Sleeping Ugly over here is my buddy, Grimold."
"So hold on, are you guys just getting back from Ustalav, or did you come back to Vigil? Are you here to bring me in, or is something else afoot already...?"
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Grimold raises a hand in greeting to Rataji. "You brought home a girl that beat you up? Yhrrilka's not going to be happy about that."
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Giving Kassie an approving look for her quick reflexes, he turned back to the half orc's question. "It took far too long and very nearly our lives, but yes, we are back from Ustalav, mission accomplished. Our meeting today was completely unintended, but not unwelcome. We were summoned back to Vigil with all haste, as it seems the crusade is not going well, of which I'm sure you are aware. The orders were not specific, but I have my suspicions that they will soon become so."
The half elf looked at Rataji appraisingly, recognizing a similar heritage. She had a weak build, but she was quite pretty, seeming to have a natural draw about her. There were definitely two possibilities. Either she was worthless, and Zoh would have to find a place to ditch her once they got to Vigil, or she had some sort of magical talent. Possibly a sorceress of some kind, or a Sarkorian Summoner, but her skin was far too dark for that. But there was a hint of mithral peeking out from underneath a tabard of some kind so it could be that she was some special kind of cleric. That made him frown a bit. He wasn't too fond of clerics. He'd made an exception for Allie some time ago, but he wasn't fond of exceptions either. When he heard that she'd bested the half orc, his eyes narrowed. Duty had a habit of trumping personal feelings considering the matter.
"I highly doubt you were merely a damsel in distress. Where does your allegiance lay?"
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Grimold raises a hand in greeting to Rataji. "You brought home a girl that beat you up? Yhrrilka's not going to be happy about that."
Zohruk grimaces a bit at that, as if Grimold hit a sore spot. "Oh man, you have no idea. I'll, uh, I'll go into more detail later, I promise." To Rataji, he voicelessly adds, Not too much detail, don't worry. Not that there's any detail to be added. Or that I don't want detail. Or want there to be detail, I guess? No, wait, what I mean is I... augh!!! Wait, how long has it been now since I said anything out loud...? Realizing the answer to that is basically, 'Too long for it to not be awkward,' Zoh leans in close to Grimold, and says, "I'm hoping that if we have to go to the Burning Suns anytime like, ever, you're gonna do the right thing and kill me, okay?"
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She smiles up at him. “Bi ta nart taalagdsand bayartai baina, minii baatar. Minii nasny khüükhdiin biye khamgaalagch, Tam Drumtusk, nadad zamyg ni soyolyn zürkhend ülger damjuulan baisan ni ööröö ööriigöö oilgokh gej khelsen gej khelsen.”
She lets him set the pace, trying to keep up with him though his strides are so much larger than hers. I’m not a mage, or a druid. Maybe the closest is priestess, though my power isn’t tied to a single god but the people who came before me. I’m a Yisik, a spirit talker. My ancestors come with me, but only the human side so far. I don’t hear the elves. She feels a pang of sadness about this, one more sign of the rejection that happened when she was born. Each of my ancestors has different gifts that they want to lend me. It’s a family reunion in my head. My uncle Shivaji... she pauses, blushing, ...dispenses flame magic and unwanted courtship advice in equal measure. Quite a man with the ladies, Shivaji was. The others offer different things. They all squabble about who gets to be my daily guide. I can usually shut out the voices of those that don’t get chosen, but then they mess with my things, and rearrange my stuff. Anything I drop I’ll be lucky if I ever find again.
I’m haunted, Zoh. She picks up some rocks from the path, and casually drops them, one by one, letting Zoh watch as they fall, then shoot off ten feet in different directions through the wood. Hey, if this crusader thing doesn’t work, maybe I can use this trick to pick up free drinks in bars. What do you think?
_______
Rataji watches the reunion as Zoh dives back into the circle of his friends. There are so many emotional waves that roll over her. Amusement at how Daen first views her suspiciously then dismisses her completely as a threat. Annoyance at the ‘stray’ comment, which stings because it hits so close. What is she now, but a stray? All her status had come from her father. Who is she now? An immigrant, a refugee, a hanger-on...
She blinks, straightening her shoulders. You’re right, uncle. I have you all with me. Diplomatic training kicks in. Watch the dynamic. They’re not paying attention to her. This is an advantage, giving her a chance to see how they interact, to orient herself, to wait for her moment. Eventually, they will turn to study the newcomer, and there’s only one chance to make a first impression.
Daen is bright, organized, with a cool demeanor. Clearly a leader. Not the type to warm up to a newcomer. Allie’s a little shy, and they’re all being careful of her. Kassie’s a hugger. Grimold is quite open too. A best friend?
A Desnan? Interesting, especially since some of her power derives from her connection to ancestors that have passed from this world on to the stars. She smiles at Grimold and Zoh’s exchanges, until the matter of Yrhrrilka comes up. But the matter will come up, again and again. Far better that Zoh have a chance to clear his head by talking, however clumsily, with a friend.
Then Daen’s challenge comes. Ah, the moment she was waiting for. Her entrance on the stage, her chance to actually make that first impression. “You’re right. I am no damsel in distress. Zoh helped me escape Urgir, but it was a partnership. His skills, my magic. I was the daughter of Ambassador Akbar of Bloodcove. I say ‘was’ because my father attempted to sell me to Commander Mogra, one of Grask Uldeth’s lieutenants." There's a catch in her voice, but she's done with crying over this. It's time to stand tall in front of these strangers, show them that Mwangi can be strong and resilient. She maintains her gaze on Daen, taking his measure in turn. "Apparently I was less important than the troops he was negotiating for. Where do my allegiances lie? With the man who risked everything to warn me and get me out of there.”
“I owe Zoh my life, and I intend to stay with him until I repay the debt. It’s a Mwangi thing.”
It’s not a Mwangi thing, but Rataji clearly feels not only indebted to Zoh, but also clearly attached to him. She won’t allow herself to be separated from him easily.
“Perhaps we got started on the wrong foot. I know Zoh can defend his own honor. But surely it adds to his honor if others are willing to defend it also?” She looks Daen in the eyes and holds out a hand. “I offer myself and my magic in service to your crusade if you’ll have me.”
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Grimold grins, fingering his blade. "Shick! Dagger to the heart. Even the orcs can appreciate poetry like that, eh?"
After listening to Rataji's little speech, he steps back from his friend, give him an exaggerated once-over as he pretends to appraise the man. "Zoh, I never knew you were so... honorable. Sounds like she knows you better than we do!" Mirth and firelight glint in Grimold's eyes as he watches Rataji and Zohruk to figure out just how far he can push things.
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"W-w-well, I d-don't know w-what secrets y-you're k-k-keeping, b-but the m-monster is a g-g-good...monster is a good follower of S-Sarenrae. J-just don't h-hurt him. And, um, 'on b-b-behalf of the C-Crusade, w-welcome. P-please kneel...'" Eilidh shoots Rataji a look between girls, half a wink and half a nod. "I th-think I c-can d-d-do this, as a n-noble's d-daughter."
"'D-d-do you p-pledge yourself t-to the op...to the opposition of B-Belkzen, the c-c-confinement of G-Gallowspire, and th-the p-p-protection of th-those who unknowingly s-s-stand in their s-s-shadows?
D-Do you s-swear...do you swear to follow the t-tenants of our Order, even if th-they l-lead to d-d-death or w-worse?
W-w-will you b-be loyal t-t-to your fellow Knights, t-trusting th-th-their l-loyalty to you?"
Her questioning done, Eilidh relaxes again, sitting atop her bedroll. "It's n-n-not quite r-right. C-C-Commander Cerban d-d-did a much b-better version, b-but this should d-do until we c-can get somewhere safer. In the meantime, w-w-what orders d-did we have b-before you...found me again?" Eilidh says this last with a shudder.
Taj raises an eyebrow at Grimold, and then pats his shoulder. "I'm sure there's much you don't know, Grimold, but it's alright to admit your inadequacies in such matters." She attempts to maintain a straight face, but her lips quirk upward.
Allie's words asking her not to hurt Zoh make Taj rapidly revise her opinion upwards on the red-headed girl. Then Allie asks her to kneel, surprising her again. Taj's face lights up when the girl winks at her. Acceptance, so early? She'd expected more questions about her abilities, or where she's from.
Zoh, this is what I think it is, right? A good thing?
She kneels.
"I, Rataji, gladly pledge myself to the opposition of Belkzen, the confinement of Gallowspire, and the protection of those who unknowingly stand in their shadows."
Then she pauses. "Before I swear to follow the tenets of your Order, may I know what those tenets are?"
"W-well, C-C-Commander Cerban t-talked about honesty, l-loyalty, j-justice, and s-s-stuff like th-that. Honestly, it's m-m-mostly p-pretty simple. If y-you see a situation and th-think 'th-that's w-wrong', you t-try to fix it. D-do you know m-much about Iomedae? Sh-she's b-big in the Knights. S-Sarenrae is a b-bit l-less popu...bit less popular. She's t-t-too forgiving f-for most p-p-people."
Eilidh pauses, wringing her hands together nervously. "L-look, th-this is a f-field c-c-conscription, n-not anything official. It's j-just...th-there could be s-sensitive c-c-conversations, and it's b-best if you're s-sworn to s-secrecy before. The C-c-commanders will have t-to c-c-confirm you l-later, and until then, I th-th-think you can choose t-t-to lea...chose to leave."
"I know something about Iomedae, and a little of Sarenrae, but I know it primarily as an outsider. I haven't decided on whether to worship a god yet. My people venerate the ancestors and spirits that came before them. If I did worship a god though, I'd choose a merciful one."
"Trying to fix what is wrong sounds like a code that I can live with. I, Rataji, choose to follow the tenets of your order, righting wrongs where I see them, though they may lead to death or worse."
Leaving is not a choice I can make, not without tearing my heart apart.
She looks at the faces of the five knights, eyes lingering longest on Zoh.
"I swear to be loyal to my fellow knights, trusting that they will be loyal to me."
Then she looks up at Allie. "I know this is not part of the official oath, but my path has joined with Zohruk's. I pledge to do my best to not hurt him, and if I do by accident, to try to make amends. Will that do?"
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Taj raises an eyebrow at Grimold, and then pats his shoulder. "I'm sure there's much you don't know, Grimold, but it's alright to admit your inadequacies in such matters." She attempts to maintain a straight face, but her lips quirk upward.
Grimold blushes, surprised by the insinuation. His gaze shifts back and forth between Rataji and Zohruk. "Oh, Yhrrilka's really not going to like that." Sidling away from Zohruk as though he were a cosmic lightning rod, he retreats back to his bedroll.
As Rataji finishes her oaths, Grimold lets out a yawn. "It sounds fine to me. Welcome to the D Squad. Can we go back to sleep now?"
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Zoh listens to Rataji’s explanation of her abilities. While he hadn’t directly heard of anything of the sort before, Um, okay, I guess it all sounds pretty plausible. It's a little unnerving to think that they're there, always watching, especially this Uncle Shivaji. Fire and thunder, like I wasn't self-conscious enough...!
I’m haunted, Zoh. Hey, if this crusader thing doesn’t work, maybe I can use this trick to pick up free drinks in bars. What do you think?
Zohruk approaches as she drops the stones. As the last one falls, he deftly grabs for it. Hah! Be faster next time, whichever one of Rataji’s assorted dead relatives I’m possibly talking to, unless I’m just imagining it! He takes the stone, and presses it into Rataji’s hand. I think you’re not the kind to beg for drinks in taverns. He was imagining the sort of slob who would be amused by making Rataji do this, and was getting furious to the point of wanting to shank the guy. Settle down, you’re inventing people that you want to stab, okay? That can’t be healthy. Indeed, he realizes he was still holding Rataji’s hand as he thinking about that, and he might have squeezed a bit. Sorry. I got upset, as he relaxes his grip.
Is it crazy? Hell yeah, he muses, shrugging his shoulders. But more important question: so what? I mean, 200 years ago, an angel appears to an orc tribe, tells them to get their s~%# together and follow Sarenrae. And they did it. Is that really that much less crazy? So I don’t think I have any right to look down on you. All any this means is I’m not letting you hold the money. Or the alchemist’s fire, he grins.
Zohruk’s face goes serious again. Rataji, don’t… don’t ever offer yourself up pre-judged as bad, as someone else’s problem. People can be all too quick to put you there without you offering to go there on your own. I saw too much of that kind of crap in both Urgir and Vigil. I suspect you’re better than that. His gaze shifts from her eyes, to her right ear, and the wonderful, subtle point that it rises to at the top. Much different from his ears, which to him feel like they belong on a barghest in comparison. Did your mother ever offer any theories as to why you can’t talk to her ancestors?
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"Shick! Dagger to the heart. Even the orcs can appreciate poetry like that, eh?"
”Okay, you know what? You're already far too eager for this. Deal's off. I'll probably get up 40 gold on you in our card game, next morning I'm gonna wake up dead, with a ‘Varisian Necktie’ and a forged set of orders in my hand. No thank you!”
Before Zoh can even come up with a retort to Grimold, there's Rataji picking up the slack. Oh yeah, I think you'll fit in just fine…
Zohruk smiles broadly as Allie inducts Rataji. Yes, Rataji, this is a good thing. Very good. Zoh thought back on everything he and Allie had gone through to get to where they were, if you'd told me the girl I first met would end up doing this for us now…
"It sounds fine to me. Welcome to the D Squad. Can we go back to sleep now?"
”The D Squad? What happened to the Screaming Griffins, I thought we settled on that?” Zoh imagines the music playing, him and his fierce clockwork Mechano-griffin right messing up a wyvern three times their size. Scooping Rataji up into the saddle, flying off into the sunset… Uh, I hope Taj isn't hearing that! Zoh snaps back to the matter at hand, hoping he hadn't stopped paying attention for too long.
Later, as things settle down some, Zohruk gets Daen alone out of earshot.
“So Taj’s dad, the Ambassador, he was in Urgir to negotiate a trade deal with Uldeth’s goons. Orc troops to Mwangi as mercenaries, a couple hundred muskets to Belkzen, that's what had the generals losing sleep, really, and then some gold changes hands to seal the deal, blah blah blah.”
“Rataji was there as like, an aide for her father. So I managed to get a good spot to eavesdrop on some of the negotiations that were just between Akbar and Mogra, and it seemed Mogra took quite a shine to Rataji. His position hardened such that the deal wasn't happening without her staying in Urgir. Naturally, once I heard that, I figured the best way to quash the deal was to get her out of there. Besides, leaving her there? Pfft, not happening, no matter what.”
“I made my way up to her window. ‘Don’t panic, I’m on your side.’ I’m thinking of dropping that line from my repertoire, because it never works, they always react badly. She laid a spell-whammy on me, and got a knife to my throat. I was trying to convince her of the deal, but she didn’t believe me. So her grandmother - and let me emphasize here, her dead grandmother - then decided that the best way to get ‘Taj to see the truth was through more magic…” Zoh rolls his eyes, and takes a deep breath.
“The upshot of this is that we're linked now, Rataji and I. Some of it is like those spells, where you can talk just using your mind. But it's more than that. It was almost too much for me the first few days, I was seeing wild hallucinations and stuff like that. It wasn't until… Huh.” Realization seems to come across Zohruk's face. ”I didn't even out until earlier this evening. Taj asked if I had a girlfriend. Up until the moment she asked me that, I had… Damn, Daen, I had forgotten Yhrrilka. Once that happened, a lot of the weirdness cleared up. Well, the magical weirdness. The fact that this is an incredibly weird situation isn't gonna change any time soon.”
“So, which version of the Have-You-Considered Speech goes with this situation…?”
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Daen nodded his assent as Allie performed the field commission. She was the most qualified to give the oath, although she didn't get it quite right. He frowned a bit, but let it go without a word, relatively happy to be forgotten about for a moment.
When Grimold welcomed them in, Daen opened his mouth to give assent when Zoh interrupted with his delusional griffon idea again. "We were assigned the name when we started, and we all know the Bonewatch's lack of imagination but when we get our own standard and we all get griffons to ride, we'll see about the name." Daen gave him a weary smirk, and finally addressed Grimold's question. "Yes, let's get some rest. We've a long day of riding in the morning."
The half elf took a moment to ponder the symptoms. An obscure mention in Comell's library came to mind nearly instantly but he reviewed with his general arcane knowledge before speaking. "I don't know what you've been telling yourself lately, but I'm quite sure this link is something you desired, at least in some way. Your own chief has been trying to keep you and your tattoo artist apart for quite some time, and you've even said she had better ideas than you. Perhaps she saw something like this coming, and now you're just going to have to deal with the ramifications."
The two half-breeds looked at each other for a moment and Daen put his hand up on Zohruk's shoulder with a bit of a sigh. "I'm just going to tell you what you're going to do anyway. Make the most of what you have with you, and buy a couple potions of fire resistance."
He gave his friend a couple pats on the shoulder for good measure before returning to his seat and picking up his stick and whittling knife. "Get what rest you can. I've got your back."
"Oh, we're getting griffons. We are totally getting griffons. I've been talking to a guy..." Zohruk goes off into his happy mechanical griffon-place for a few minutes...
Zohruk thinks over what Daen was telling him. Sensible freaking guy, as always. "I guess so, eh? Maybe I'll see about making one of Bottinger's new students brew something up, call it an 'exam'," he grins. "Thanks, I just wanted an opinion on it. The paranoid in me worried that something like this coulda, I don't know, left a window open in my head, or something."
"When you get overcome by the thrills of whittling, wake me up and I'll cover a watch. We been sleeping days and moving nights to mitigate the risk of orcs comin' on us while we slept, and I'm, well, I won't go so far as to say I'm well-rested, but I can go a stretch if you need me tonight. It's good to be back with the team, Daen." Zohruk gets up and ambles back toward the fire.
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When Zoh presses the stone into her palm, Taj looks up into his eyes. Good catch.
This is the longest they’ve ever held hands, and Taj doesn’t want to be the first to let go. Deal. I’ll let you hold all our all our explosives. She grins back.
But the smile dies when he brings up her mother. I don’t know my mother. Sidhmeldiriel left when I was born. Just handed me to my father, and told him she wasn’t staying anymore. She packed her things and left for the interior. Even now, she feels the pain of it. Akbar told me that she had been happy with him until the shame of... She breaks off. Kyonin is not the most friendly place to non-elves, but if my mother had seen something in my father then why couldn’t she see something in me?
She needs a change of topic. I don’t know anything of your family. Do you have one of each for parents, or are you ünen törölkhiin*? She reaches up and touches his tusk. I’m glad you came through my window. These past two weeks... She breaks off, not sure what to say. The past two weeks have sucked, except for his humor, and these conversations, and sleeping with his arm around her when it got so cold that she couldn’t stop shivering.
She feels so giddy that for once Shivaji's advice doesn't seem ridiculous. She stands on tiptoe and leans in, intending to kiss him on the mouth. At the last minute, her courage fails her and she kisses Zoh on the cheek instead. Thank you.
* Orcish word of the day: ‘ünen törölkhiin’ or ‘true born’ -- half orcs with two half-orc parents.
______________
Taj grins. “Griffons, huh? We’ll have to see what we can do to get you some. Meanwhile, surely there's no reason D Squad can't have a nickname, right?”
I’m NOT scared of heights. You can take me flying anytime.
Although she wants nothing more than to curl up with Zoh, Taj takes the hint that he gave her, grabs the blanket that she was handed, and goes off to sleep by the other girls. ”Allie, do you mind if Babu and I join you and your sister over here?” She shows them Babu, who pops his head out of her jacket and looks curiously at the two girls and then leaps out onto Kassie's bag. "Um, you do like animals, right? Babu's a really well-behaved monkey."
Shivaji perks up.
Nope. Not going there.
Shivaji’s laughter echoing in her mind, she smiles at the others. “Good night, all.”
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When Rataji kisses him, Zohruk’s entire body tenses up. When he finds himself able to think again, he bends down to her, and gives her a brief but firm kiss on the lips, at the last second reminding himself, gently, and watch the tusks, you clod! He would’ve happily stayed there forever, if not for the inescapable reminders that the two of them were still deep enough in enemy territory to have a big problem. With great hesitation, he pulls away.
Let’s get you to safety.
As they move through the early evening, Zohruk proceeds to tell her a little more of what she asked him about. Actually yeah, both my parents were vukhrov, but you’d barely know it to look at them. My father, Vroduk, he really had a lot of the orc blood in him, and Groona, my mother, well, in my memory she could’ve passed as human. Both of them passed away, oh I must’ve been about three or four. It sucks, but that’s life in these parts, I guess. Vroduk died on a hunt, and Groona, she died a few months later, defending the camp from a raid by another tribe.
After that, I hung around with my cousin, Haazek, and his family. He’s a great guy, and he’s hell with an axe, but, um, he kinda gets his brains from the orcish side of the family, if you take my meaning. As we were growing up, I found myself having to use my wits for the both of us, since Haazek was more than willing to supply the brawn. So, I basically became the… Zohruk trails off as his attention is drawn to a twig on the ground; it doesn’t seem to be from any of the native plant life, and the way it’s laying on the trail almost asking to be stepped on and snapped.
He gestures Rataji to come over, and points out the stick. This was left here for someone to step on, making noise to give away an approach. I think there might be a fire up ahead. Stay low, and only step where I’ve stepped. Zohruk moves ahead with silent purpose, practically becoming a hole in the night...
I’m NOT scared of heights. You can take me flying anytime.
No, I’m actually terrified of flying, that was just ACK! You heard that? That was... I just…! Zoh is a little too mortified to even make eye contact for a few moments, at the thought of his silly juvenile daydreams having been sent to Rataji. He buries his face in his hands, hoping for something convenient, like a suddenly-opening crack in the earth, but no such luck.
He’s a little disappointed to see Taj go over to the Tilernos sisters, but figures maybe she wanted to take the opportunity to bond with the girls. But truth be told, a part of Zohruk was relieved. With what had transpired between them earlier, he knew that getting any actual sleep would be damn near impossible if she were in that sort of proximity again tonight, and they both needed to recover after their long flight out of Belkzen. So Zohruk got himself situated, and when Rataji called out her good-nights, he replied, ”Sain shönö minii erdene.”
As he settles in, Zoh says to Grimold, ”You’re right, there’s no part of this situation that won’t make Ril pitch a fit,” but he realizes his friend’s probably asleep already. Laughing softly to himself, he shakes his head, and follows suit.
The fire continues to burn, casting long shadows across the grass to the trees at the edge of the clearing. A light wind ripples now and again but leaves the sleeping travelers untouched.
Sitting in watchful silence, Daen peered at the treeline. His keen perception from his elvish heritage allowing him to actually see several yards back into the forest. If not for this, he never would have seen the great cat the half circled the encampment. Black as the space between the stars and large as a horse, it looked at the sleeping prey.
It's yellow eyes glimmered in the shadows. It met Daen's eyes and stared at him for awhile. Then, as cats often do, moved on, unwilling to attack without the element of surprise.
Daen watched it go and returned to his watch. The rest of the night passed quietly and the party woke in the morning to the chill of the dew and the light of dawn.
Taj spent the last shift of the night on watch with Zoh. They hadn't officially put the newcomer in their midst on a watch shift, but she'd woken, automatically, a few seconds after Zoh had. It was difficult to sleep with him being on guard and watchful. Drawing a blanket around her, and helping feed the fire, they kept each other company, watching the bustle of pre-dawn animal life in the woods.
Finally, there was a chorus of birds trilling, getting noisy the way they always do a few minutes before dawn. I'll leave you to wake Grimold, since you two clearly have a routine in place for that. Taj grins at Zoh. I'll get the others.
"Hey guys, it's morning." Daen and Kassie woke up the moment she touched their shoulders. Then Kassie got up to slowly and gently wake her sister herself.
Zoh, what happened to Allie? Why are the other three treating her like she's made of glass?
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Zohruk awoke out of a sleep that hadn’t been his most peaceful. He’d been dreaming; he and Rataji were escaping Urgir, but this time, they hadn’t cleared the city gates before the ogres got them shut, and the number of foes he was facing didn’t look promising…
He managed to avoid screaming or something ridiculous like that when Daen woke him up, but he was clearly a little agitated. Zoh hoped he hadn’t put any of that bad dream out there for Rataji to pick up; he looked over and saw that she was waking up at the same time. Damn, I was hoping I could let her sleep a bit more…
Still, it was nice to spend some quiet time with her, in a setting that, if not safe, was at least safer than what they’d had together for the last two weeks. He grinned his best grin as he got waking-Grimold duty, and picked up a length of rope.
Zoh, what happened to Allie? Why are the other three treating her like she's made of glass?
Well, that’s the tricky part, Taj. I actually missed large chunks of it, but what I know of it goes like this. Initially, the lot of us were on a mission up in Ustalav. Right before, and I mean right before I got recalled and sent on damsel-in-distress duty, he smirks a bit at that last bit, Allie flat-out disappeared. What little Daen’s had to say, it sounds like it was touch-and-go whether they were going to find her, or at least find her alive. Zoh shook his head, as he lifted Grimold’s blanket and tied a loop of rope around his friend’s feet. It’s no damn fair. She’s been so strong, and the universe seems to just use that as an excuse to try harder to break her.
I don’t know what else I can do yet, but hopefully I can at least give her a smile... With Grimold’s feet tied, after everyone else is awake, Zohruk gets into position, and does a fair-to-middling imitation of Trainer Fisk’s gruff, bellowing voice.
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Daen eyed the black cat with a bit of arrogance. It didn't matter how big it was, it knew strength when it saw it. There was no weak ones in this herd it could take off. It would be far better finding other prey. When it finally left, he looked about the site and making sure of the positions of the stars, woke Allie to take watch before taking a bit of a nap himself.
After everyone was awake in the morning, despite his fatigue and Zoh's antics, Daen was at work in his spellbook. They'd make nearly double the amount of time on horseback, and it would require him to make sure he had the proper spells. Spending time scribing a new spell, and then burning it into his memory, he finally finished after everyone had breakfast and cast it twice in quick succession. Two appaloosa horses appeared from thin air with a flash of purple eldritch power. Properly arrayed for riding, he walked them up to Zoh and Raj. "These will serve you until we get to Vigil. We've a long ride today, so take what preparation you'll need."
When he'd finished that, he walked over and grabbed some hardtack from his saddlebags and hopped up on his own horse. "We're not far behind schedule, if we keep up our pace perhaps we'll get to dine at the Rose Chalice tonight. I, for one, am ready for something besides rations." He took a distasteful bite out of the biscuit to make his point and wheeled his steed toward the capitol.
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Zohruk starts to mount up, stops, goes over to Rataji, helps her up, then gets back onto his own horse. Eyeing the horse warily, he sys, "You know, that first time you did this, off that scroll, the horse bit me..."
"We're not far behind schedule, if we keep up our pace perhaps we'll get to dine at the Rose Chalice tonight. I, for one, am ready for something besides rations."
Weeks spent living on trail rations and the awful food in Urgir just about set Zohruk to drooling. As he walks his horse up alongside Taj's, he jokes, "You always say the sweetest things, Daen. Ma'am, may I lead you to Vigil?"
"Nice spell, Sir Daen." Taj raises an eyebrow at the summoned horses. She's never rode before, but she's always been good with animals, and finds she can handle the well trained appaloosa for now. The horse's gait beneath her feels strange, but the animal is good natured and lovely.
Then she grins at Zohruk. "By all means, lead the way, Sir Zohruk! I'd love to see your city. Hot food, baths... It sounds like paradise right now."
Better give me some pointers on this riding business, though... At the moment, I'm letting it lead since it has a better idea of what it's doing than I do.
Zoh stammers a bit, horsemanship isn't his strongest skill, just enough to keep himself out of trouble. Well, um, keep yourself sitting straight up. It's more about balance than hanging on with your legs. One of the things I've come to realize is that horses, at least the real ones, who knows about these things, they're pretty good at picking up cues from you up in the saddle. So it might seem like he's just doing what he wants, but that might be more your doing than you think...
That's it. Yeah, no back more... yeah. I seem to recall someone wanted to ride a horse out of Urgir, Zoh grins as he thinks to Rataji.
With Zoh's advice, Taj manages to not fall off the saddle, though it's clear she will never win equestrian contests.
Eilidh, for her part, saddles up quickly and efficiently, slotting her bow and a dozen arrows into a tube quiver near her left thigh and grinning sheepishly. "Sato always s-s-said I w-was...said I was t-terrible at s-shooting from a horse. I agree, D-Daen, the R-Rose Chalice s-sounds nice!" With a grin, she prods her horse into a trot and looks back. "C-c-coming?"
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Grimold yawns awake, stretching his arms above his head. "You're going to have to do better than that," he says to Zohruk, unimpressed. Sleepily, he stands to his feet and takes a step forward, only to fall face-down on the ground. I should have seen that one coming, Grimold thinks as he picks himself back up, untying the rope. "So nice to have you back, Zohruk. When are you leaving again?"
After a flavorless breakfast of camp gruel and hardtack, Grimold saddles and mounts his horse, slinging his own quiver on his back.
"So nice to have you back, Zohruk. When are you leaving again?"
"Well, if my luck holds true to form, then some time next week I'll be dropped into the Worldwound with a tower shield and a ball of string."
"And for the record, that was her idea," Zohruk nods his head over to Rataji.