Post by Azuloth on Apr 7, 2015 20:00:46 GMT -5
Ardath returned to the house at the end of Lark street an hour after she had come face to... face with Julgrava himself. She could only assume that the blurred figure was Julgrava. She had never seen someone who was actually blurry with everything else so sharp and clear around her. Her vision was perfect, so it had to be some kind of passive hex he had. When she opened up the door and entered the house she could feel their stares immediately. The three persons in the room were looking at her.
"You're alive. We didn't think you'd make it."
This was a young man holding a long spear wearing light leather armor. He had lighter hair and was cheeky looking.
"You should have more faith in me. But I failed."
Ardath said closing the door behind her.
"How did he defeat you?"
This figure was cloaked in robes entirely but the voice was feminine. They sat on the floor with their legs crossed.
"By not fighting at all... Don't look at me like that. I burst into the room sword swinging, ready to cut him down and he was just sitting there on the floor staring into space."
"Why didn't you just put an end to him?"
"I couldn't... I can't kill someone who just won't fight back, or can't fight back. It's..."
"Not right?"
"Stupid?"
"Not fun. Jackass."
Ardath sat down in front of the cook fire, warming her hands. The sun had gone down hours ago. The man in the advanced armor and the red cloak entered the room from the other room. His companions, the painted people were without their colors, standing naked in the doorway leaning on the jambs. Without the colors it was obvious that they were brother and sister, twins.
"How many did you kill?"
"Forty eight."
"Thirty six."
"Fifty. But Julgrava wasn't in my count."
"Hmm, that's one hundred thirty four we won't have to fight again the next time we try. I heard you stayed your blade, Ardath. Once upon a time I would have done the same. Then upon another time I'd have slain him. And now again I would have done the same. Perhaps next time you encounter him you will be different and slay him anyway. Or perhaps you'll make the same decision. No one can say what they really would have done in your position with any certainty."
"James... I..."
"Massiney. I don't like James."
"Massiney... I'm sorry. I should have ended it all right there. It'd have been so easy. I'm not worthy of being your subordinate."
"Or perhaps it is best that you didn't. There's turmoil in the south. There's always turmoil in the south. Some little girl is claiming to be a Justea and heir to the true throne of cruinthe. I assume you saw that, Ardath?"
"What? The throne? I saw the golden throne of humanity, and I saw another one on its side behind it, thrust up against the wall."
"That's the one. The true throne of Cruinthe. I'm surprised its intact. There's only one way to see if this... alleged Justea... Availa I think is her name..."
"I'm sorry for interrupting, sir. Do they HAVE to be NAKED?"
"I guess so. They've shown no interest in clothes at all, other than the armor they brought with them. Anyway... the only way to see if she's actually a true heir is to have her sit on that throne."
"What does that have to do with anything? It's a chair."
"A very pretty chair though."
"Enough! You'll see what I mean if we can get her on it. And any other pretender. The Royal Justean Guard is dangerous. They look and feel almost like the Elite Guard of old, but they're not the same. And the Republic of Cruinthe. Ha, they have very little support right now. It'll be hard to see if their supposed heir is actually truly an heir and get him into the city alive. He's a wanted man too."
"So what's our next move?"
"We'll lay low for a while. Let's pack up and head back to base in the morning."
The group slept, and with the dawn were gone from the city, heading south west through the wilderness.
"You're alive. We didn't think you'd make it."
This was a young man holding a long spear wearing light leather armor. He had lighter hair and was cheeky looking.
"You should have more faith in me. But I failed."
Ardath said closing the door behind her.
"How did he defeat you?"
This figure was cloaked in robes entirely but the voice was feminine. They sat on the floor with their legs crossed.
"By not fighting at all... Don't look at me like that. I burst into the room sword swinging, ready to cut him down and he was just sitting there on the floor staring into space."
"Why didn't you just put an end to him?"
"I couldn't... I can't kill someone who just won't fight back, or can't fight back. It's..."
"Not right?"
"Stupid?"
"Not fun. Jackass."
Ardath sat down in front of the cook fire, warming her hands. The sun had gone down hours ago. The man in the advanced armor and the red cloak entered the room from the other room. His companions, the painted people were without their colors, standing naked in the doorway leaning on the jambs. Without the colors it was obvious that they were brother and sister, twins.
"How many did you kill?"
"Forty eight."
"Thirty six."
"Fifty. But Julgrava wasn't in my count."
"Hmm, that's one hundred thirty four we won't have to fight again the next time we try. I heard you stayed your blade, Ardath. Once upon a time I would have done the same. Then upon another time I'd have slain him. And now again I would have done the same. Perhaps next time you encounter him you will be different and slay him anyway. Or perhaps you'll make the same decision. No one can say what they really would have done in your position with any certainty."
"James... I..."
"Massiney. I don't like James."
"Massiney... I'm sorry. I should have ended it all right there. It'd have been so easy. I'm not worthy of being your subordinate."
"Or perhaps it is best that you didn't. There's turmoil in the south. There's always turmoil in the south. Some little girl is claiming to be a Justea and heir to the true throne of cruinthe. I assume you saw that, Ardath?"
"What? The throne? I saw the golden throne of humanity, and I saw another one on its side behind it, thrust up against the wall."
"That's the one. The true throne of Cruinthe. I'm surprised its intact. There's only one way to see if this... alleged Justea... Availa I think is her name..."
"I'm sorry for interrupting, sir. Do they HAVE to be NAKED?"
"I guess so. They've shown no interest in clothes at all, other than the armor they brought with them. Anyway... the only way to see if she's actually a true heir is to have her sit on that throne."
"What does that have to do with anything? It's a chair."
"A very pretty chair though."
"Enough! You'll see what I mean if we can get her on it. And any other pretender. The Royal Justean Guard is dangerous. They look and feel almost like the Elite Guard of old, but they're not the same. And the Republic of Cruinthe. Ha, they have very little support right now. It'll be hard to see if their supposed heir is actually truly an heir and get him into the city alive. He's a wanted man too."
"So what's our next move?"
"We'll lay low for a while. Let's pack up and head back to base in the morning."
The group slept, and with the dawn were gone from the city, heading south west through the wilderness.