|  Author | Topic: A Prayer for the Road that Leads (Read 182 times) |
VecaVjestica
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Who is this shini cat, shini an pretti, liek teh starz?
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|  | Re: A Prayer for the Road that Leads
« Reply #15 on Nov 20, 2009, 3:25am » | |
"No, I don't see anything. The buildings all look to be in good condition, and there's nothing overgrown as such. I don't think it's abandoned. Maybe it's just closed for the day?" Barax said, but Nura could hear it plainly in his voice than not even he believed it. He grew up at a farm and knew full well that even such a small farm as the one his parents owned demanded constant care. One's work was never done on a farm - and what is a plantation other than a a much larger, more diverse farm?
Finally, as if he too had realized just how implausible his conclusion was, he said: "We'd better check it out." Nura nodded and urged Shine on. The poor mare had began feeling it's mistress' concern, and she began feeling nervous. Nura tried to calm her down, whispering soothing words and petting her neck, but the young woman's efforts not very successful. As they came closer, Nura could see better the state on Sureeta Dawn. It didn't look deserted, but there were no signs of people anywhere, save from the smoke that came from the chimneys here and there. This should've calmed her down, but instead, it only made her feel more nervous. What in the name of gods was going on in there!?
"Nura, you know these grounds well. Is there anywhere the staff might gather, in case of storms or emergencies? Like a cellar or something? Maybe someone spotted us on approach, and thought we were-" Barax began, and Nura just thought how he might have a point, after all, she was coming to Sureeta Dawn every year since she was 11 and she never heard of anyone there who even saw a Templar, let alone of one visiting the plantation, so maybe Barax was right, maybe they were just frightened by the large, strange machine and hid away into the underground cellars. This part of Waeleden was known for strong storms that sometimes ripped houses apart and carried them away, so all cellars on Sureeta Dawn were well built, firm and large, so they could protect not only the goods, but people and animals when the storm season came.
But Barax's sentence as well as her own chain of thoughts was then cut off by a sharp, swooshing sound, and then Nura noticed there was an arrow sticking out of the Templa's armor. "Get behind me!" Barax ordered and, this time, Nura obeyed right away and without protest. She could take a man on in hand to hand combat, but she had no power against projectiles - with which their attackers generously showered them. Barax, on the other hand, had not only the Templar suit, but a giant shield, with which he was protecting them both now while Nura hid behind him and tried to keep Shine from panicking - and failing at it, too.
"Is it possible he knew you were coming?" Barax asked, but Nura replied with full certainty: "No, not a chance. Only you, the King and I knew about where we were going and why." Sure, the Shaden's knew, too, but not much and, even so, Nura was sure they wouldn't reveal it to just anyone.
But she didn't have the time or enough concentration to think. Shine was jumpy, she wanted to run away from the danger, and all of Nura's efforts were set on keeping behind Barax and forcing the horse to obey her. She heard Barax shout out, but she didn't really listen to him, not until he spoke directly to her: "Stay close to me, Nura. I'm going to try to get closer to the house so I can actually see who is attacking us." She replied only with a nod - a stupid thing, really, since Barax couldn't see her, but Nura didn't have enough brain right now to notice such things - and did as the Templar had ordered.
And just as Nura, annoyed, angry and wishing she wasn't so useless int his situation, thought that things probably couldn't get any weirder than this, something - no, someone! If she wasn't hallucinating, that is - literally few into and then bounced off of Barax's Templar suit from behind, jumping straight into the midst of battle inside of the plantation walls, leaving the redhead staring with her mouth open behind him.
Now, if she could do that, she wouldn't be stuck behind Barax, playing a fair maiden in need of rescue, a dead burden, she thought bitterly as she pushed Shine closer to Barax's back, trying to shield both the frightened little horse as well as herself.
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| | Re: A Prayer for the Road that Leads
« Reply #16 on Nov 24, 2009, 1:54pm » | |
"No, not a chance. Only you, the King and I knew about where we were going and why," Nura said, though Barax couldn't really hear her over the clang of arrows bouncing off or embedding into his shield. Barax edged closer to the house, watching for movement- then, something huge landed on him, nearly throwing him entirely off balance. Whatever it was- or whoever, as it looked like a person, or person-shaped blur- dove through the window Barax had shattered moments ago.
He heard Nura's horse whinny in alarm, and along with the noise of his armor creaking and hissing, made it all but impossible for him to hear the voice speaking inside the house. A few moments later, a quavering voice called out "All right, we give up!", and a small group of haggard figured filed out, followed by an enormous and well-armed man. A few of the figures were bleeding, and one had an arm in a sling and bandages around his chest. Barax kept his ballista trained on the crowd- and the stranger. "If hanging is the price I pay for a week of freedom, so be it!"
Barax couldn't entirely mask his confusion. "Wait... what exactly do you think I am here for?" Barax asked, keeping his weapon raised. "Where is Carmine Lax? Are you hiding him?" he added, trying to impart a sense of confidence in his voice. So far, the absolute oddity of his arrival at the plantation left him more shaken than he wanted to admit. Being ambushed wouldn't normally have bothered him, given how effective his armor was against improvised weapons. But there was Nura to worry about... and that tall stranger had some impressive looking weapons, and had already shown some amazing agility. What was he doing here? And why didn't the servants attack him- they had instead attacked Barax and Nura.
"Carmine Lax is a monster, and we are better in his absence," one of the servants called back. "Why else would he send for a Templar, but to force us from our homes?!"
Barax was confused now. Unless this Carmine Lax was an extraordinarily prescient person, he couldn't possibly have known they were coming. Yet, he was gone- and his servants remained? It made no sense. "Nura, do you know any of these people?" Barax asked Nura, as quietly as he could. She still looked uncomfortable, and he honestly couldn't blame her. "I have a feeling they are neglecting to tell me something, and given the reception we received- and the company they are keeping, in the form of that tall menacing figure, I think it would be a better idea for everyone to calm down a bit. And if one of them recognizes you, it might help keep things more civil."
Despite how exciting the entire exchange had been, Barax was a little surprised at how quickly it was over. He assumed that what he had felt springing off his armor was, in fact, the stranger- so it wasn't much of a stretch to assume he had also convinced the hostiles still inside the house to surrender. That implied he was on Barax's side... which in turn, only raised more questions. How could he be, as nobody else but he and Nura were even supposed to know they were coming here? Had the king sent him? If not, who had?
It was enough to give him a headache. All these details would have to be ironed out later- for now, there were more important matters to attend to. "I trust there aren't any other fighters hiding in the outbuildings?" he began. "If you have any wounded, bring them out- we can tend their injuries. I am not here to arrest any of you, I am here for Carmine."
It was crystal clear that none of the servants believed a word he said- but hopefully, Nura would be able to convince them otherwise. There was still the tall stranger to deal with, but he didn't seem hostile, even though with how well he was armed, he certainly could have been had he chosen to be. He made Barax nervous, as he had certainly not seen any sign of the stranger prior to today, or en route to the plantation. Yet, he had arrived so swiftly, so silently- had he been following them?
Again, thinking only raised more question he had no answers to. As Nura was attending to the injured servants who had been slowly brought out of the unrecognizably marred manor house, and one of the healthy servants had gone running to the outbuildings to tell his fellows to lay down arms, there was nothing for Barax to do. It felt strange, to be bored in the midst of a great deal of commotion. For the moment, the only thing to do was to stay out of the way, while remaining visible enough to ensure nobody got any funny ideas.
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Deva
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| | Re: A Prayer for the Road that Leads
« Reply #17 on Nov 25, 2009, 4:36pm » | |
Carefully going from room to room, Deva wasn't surprised when the people inside tried to sneak up on him, he could smell their fear, he could taste their adrenaline, it was impossible for him not to know where they were. Quickly turning around when the footsteps got louder, he brought his arm up, the blades on his gauntlet cleanly shearing through the wooden handle of the scythe that was on a course for his head.
He then caught the falling blade, tossed it into the wall behind him hard enough to embed it a few inches, then he slammed his would be assailant against the wall, all within the span of a few seconds. Holding the serrated blades up against his throat, he spoke clearly, and calmly. "Listen to me, those people outside aren't your enemy, they aren't here for you, and neither am I. I'm here to find out about them. So how about you and the others lower your weapons, and we can be sensible about this?" The man was so scared, he just nodded in agreement. Turning to head into the other rooms, he opened the door closest to him, and an arrow whizzed straight towards him.
There was nowhere for him to go but backward, and he didn't have enough room to maneuver out of the way, so he stood there and let the arrow hit him in the stomach. Grunting a bit as he pulled the arrowhead out, he gave the man who shot him a look of annoyance. "I suggest you put the bow down, I don't want to hurt you, and you can't hurt me." Showing him the hole where the arrow had penetrated, the wound was already closing, healing itself.
The man paid him no mind, and was notching another arrow when Deva sped across the room, ripped the bow from his hand, took the arrow, then impaled his leg with it. The man screamed in agony as he realized what had just happened. "Don't be a whiner, it went clean through, and I'll take it out once we come to an understanding. You tell you're friends, we're going outside, and we're going to talk to the Templar and the girl you attacked, we're going to figure out what exactly is going on, okay?? I'll be waiting outside."
After a bit of coercion, Deva had gotten all of them outside, although a few still tried his patience, and they ended up with a few shallow wounds, and one with a broken arm. "Alright we give up!" One of the men shouted to the Templar before everyone stepped outside. Once they all started walking towards them, one of the more passionate workers thought a week of freedom was worth a lynching, what sort of conditions were these people living in? "You won't be led to the gallows you fool, just talk to them." After a bit of conversation, a runner went to tell the other workers that it was okay, and that they could come out. The girl was tending to the wounded, and the Templar was standing off to the side, he was the one he needed to talk to. Walking over to him, Deva looked him in the eyes, as best as he could through the helmet anyway. "Templar, I'm sure you have questions about me, and I have questions about you and the girl. So, let's stop standing around awkwardly, and get them out of the way, I'm sure things will run much more smoothly then."
((Apparently, if you put brickRed as a color, this blue thing I've got goin on is the result))
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VecaVjestica
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| | Re: A Prayer for the Road that Leads
« Reply #18 on Nov 25, 2009, 7:20pm » | |
As strange as these latest events were, after a while - a while that seamed to last forever and was far too dramatic for Nura's taste - it seamed that they were finally settling down...at least enough for Barax to have the time to actually start talking to the people he was fighting. Deciding that what's safe was safe, she stayed behind him until he called out to her, asking: "Nura, do you know any of these people?" He was trying to be quiet, but she heard people around her murmur and her name was repeated several times, so he was obviously failing in successfully executing that decision. She looked around, but she didn't see any familiar faces. "I have a feeling they are neglecting to tell me something, and given the reception we received- and the company they are keeping, in the form of that tall menacing figure, I think it would be a better idea for everyone to calm down a bit. And if one of them recognizes you, it might help keep things more civil."
Since Barax obviously thought it was safe enough for her to come out, Nura did so, slowly riding up in front of the Templar. The battlefield look awful and she instinctively began thinking of everything they will need to tend to the wounded. Judging from the looks of the people that surrounded them, not a small number was sickly as well. She sighed. What the hell happened to this place? Lax was a terrible person, like people here rightfully noticed, but his foremen kept the plantation efficient and progressive. Something happened, something wrong, to bring this prosperous estate to such ruin.
While Barax spoke some more to the people, trying to convince them they came here to help, not harm, she looked around, her head held high and her back straight, like a queen. Her mother taught her pride and it showed at all times in her stance and speech. She was watching the faces carefully, hoping to spot one she knew...but someone spotted her first.
"Nura? Do you remember me?" she heard a man's voice before she saw a tall, muscular young man making his way towards her trough the crowd. She didn't quite recognize him, but his voice was very familiar, a musical voice that made her think of jokes and songs and someone pulling her hair...and when he smiled to her, dimples showing on his handsome face, she remembered. "Jørgen Leth," she spoke out loud, as if to remind herself, and his smile widened. "You look...very different than the last time I saw you," he said with a somewhat flirtatious tone. "You look a bit different too...but I see your character hasn't changed at all," she replied with a raised eyebrow, to which he began to laugh. "Life treated you well, Firecracker," Jørgen kept teasing - her comment amused him, it was obvious, "A Templar guard and that guy with the blades, whoever he is...what did you do, marry royalty?" Nura frowned. "Irrelevant," she replied coldly, "Do you have enough authority around here to have someone give the Templar the answers he needs and obey his orders while I gather up the sick and wounded. I see you have plenty of both here." It was Jørgen's time to frown. "Yeah, things didn't really go the way we thought...but sure, I'll see what I can do." He left and Nura turned to Barax. "Sorry...this was the best I can do...I don't see anyone else I know, not here."
"Who are you anyway?" one of the women asked and Nura turned to her before replying: "I used to work at this plantation with my mother every year." She heard people scoff and exclaim profanities, denying that was she was telling was true. "I'm not lying," Nura continued seriously, "Carmine Lax killed my mother several years ago and then I tried to kill him with a shovel. You must've heard about that. It was a rather...pictorial event." People murmured, eying her suspiciously. "I heard about that," one of the men said, "They said the girl who did it had hair and eyes like yours...but that still doesn't prove it was you, or explain what you are doing here with these two warriors." She tried to keep her temper on a leash, which wasn't easy - these people were getting on her nerves - but nobody could tell that from her face or her voice. She seamed as calm and collected as she was in reality disturbed. "I only came here with the Templar. I have no idea who the other man is," she replied and then took the letter from the King, the one that she was to take to the nearest judge and showed it to the man - unopened, of course. She needed to preserve the seal. "I am here to see that Lax is arrested and trialed as the responsible one for my mother's death, with the authority given to me by the High King himself."
The man took the letter, staring at it in shock. "But how...?" he began, but Nura cut him off: "Does it matter? We're wasting time I could use to tend to those who need medical attention. I'm a trained healer." She wasn't, but the man didn't know that. Besides, it wasn't important. The people will heal, and it didn't really matter how, not to her. The man nodded, obviously seeing the truth in her words, and returned the letter. Nura packed it back into her pouch and turned to Barax. "I'll go see what I can do to help. You please take care of the rest. You're better at it than I am," she asked him, and when he agreed, left to find a few women who could help her organize a small dispensary.
It was a hard and arduous job, but once she persuaded the people she meant well, it ran more or less smoothly. There were too many of those who needed the help of a healer or a doctor, and for some reason they saw Nura as a miracle-worker. It had been a long time since they had someone who knew more than to brew herbal tea and pull out rotten teeth, she was told later, and it made her angry. She didn't, however, waste time on trying to find out why things at Sureeta Dawn were in such a terrible state - she was just too busy. Some of the men were injured difficult enough that she had no idea if her latent healing power will save their lives, and a few had old injuries that hadn't been properly taken care of and developed gangrene. At least one of them needed to have a limb amputated in order to save his life, but not one accepted it, no matter how hard she tried to convince them to do it.
She had no idea how long it had passed when she heard someone calling her name. She left the side of the poor sick child who had apparently suffered from dysentery and which she had to separate from the others to prevent an epidemic, leaving the boy in the care of his mother. The woman told Nura that the boy probably got infected by drinking infected water - one of the six wells of the plantation had been spoiled during the last storm. Making a mental note that she had to check all water and seal up the infected well, Nura came out of the improvised field hospital she created under the shed, where they used to keep karts and such, and met with the man who came for her.
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Trippy Hare
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| | Re: A Prayer for the Road that Leads
« Reply #19 on Nov 26, 2009, 5:03am » | |
"Sorry...this was the best I can do...I don't see anyone else I know, not here," Nura said apologetically. Barax had known it was a longshot to hope that Nura was on friendly terms with everyone. He hadn't really expected her to know anybody, so the fact that she did was actually better than he had expected. Nura explained to one of the more upstart of the motley bunch why they were there, and Barax had to stifle a smirk as the man's jaw dropped in shock at seeing the Royal Seal. "I'll go see what I can do to help. You please take care of the rest. You're better at it than I am," Nura said, before rounding up some of the relatively able-bodied people and got to work.
"I can wait," Barax told Nura. "I'll find out what these people know about Carmine's whereabouts regardless, and if we leave in a hurry, some of them may not survive. We have plenty of time, while they do not," he said, hoping to instill a sense of authority into the frightened and sickly-looking crowd. "I'll keep watch for now, as I won't be of much help to you in treating them. Let me know if you require my help," he added, before striding off to stand watch.
Barax kept a wary eye on the proceedings, as Nura and an acquaintance of hers whose name he didn't quite catch went about setting up a clinic of sorts. As the day wore on, it became more and more apparent that something had gone terribly wrong at the plantation. It wasn't just the confrontation earlier- there were much older injuries among some of them, and clear signs of disease and malnutrition. It looked more like a prison camp than a plantation. From Nura's descriptions of Carmine Lax, Barax had anticipated signs of abuse and poor treatment among the servants, but nothing as bad as this. He had a feeling the extent of the problem would only become worse as he queried these people, but investigations would have to wait. There was something far more pressing to deal with, and that was the mysterious warrior who had arrived in the midst of the fracas.
"Templar, I'm sure you have questions about me, and I have questions about you and the girl. So, let's stop standing around awkwardly, and get them out of the way, I'm sure things will run much more smoothly then," he said, his tone of voice and posture showing a clear sense of purpose. Barax nodded in agreement, this man was obviously very skilled in combat, and his arrival could not have been coincidence. Still, he was not hostile, despite an easy opportunity to injure or kill Nura earlier.
"Yes, I'm sure we have much to discuss," Barax replied. "The threat has certainly passed, in any case, so we might as well do something productive." After moving a little ways away from the field clinic- close enough to rush in should Nura call for his aid, but not so close as to be in the way- Barax opened the hatch of his suit, though he didn't exit it. The small breeze felt wonderful, compared to the stifling heat inside his armor. This served another purpose, as well- it showed the stranger that Barax did not see him as a threat, but was not so foolish as to lower his guard completely. "I suppose the first order of business is gratitude- there would most definitely have been more casualties had I been forced to enter the manor. Whatever you did in there saved a lot of lives. So for that, you have my thanks," Barax began. It was certainly true- had he been forced to enter the manor, much of the structure would have been demolished, and no doubt there would be far worse injuries to everyone inside. Thanks to the stranger, he would have far more people to question as to the events that happened here- and maybe a few leads as to Carmine's whereabouts.
"It seems strange not to know to whom I am speaking," Barax mused. "So for the sake of civility, might I have your name, sir? My own name is Barax, and the girl's is Nura." Barax paused, trying to think of a way to phrase the long list of questions racing through his mind at the moment. "Though I've no doubt you heard Nura's explanation, it is indeed true that the High King Waeleth sent us here to apprehend Carmine Lax and bring him to justice- though it seems we arrived too late to catch him so easily" he continued. Barax didn't want to say too much, but he felt it was necessary to show a certain degree of fairness in the dialogue. "That is what brought us here- so to what purpose did you arrive?" he asked. Barax hoped that by explaining their own arrival first, the stranger would be more inclined to reveal his own intentions.
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Deva
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| | Re: A Prayer for the Road that Leads
« Reply #20 on Nov 28, 2009, 12:31am » | |
Walking over to the side with Barax, Deva watched the goings on of the servants, and Nura tending to them. After Barax spoke for a bit, Deva said his piece, "There's no need for thanks, I only did what was necessary to spare innocent lives. You'd be surprised at how fast people follow orders when you have these brandished in their face." Engaging his arms blades, he held them away from the Templar to show he meant no harm. "After all, Templars aren't know for their subtlety in combat after all, and you trying to go into a house with regular doors would amount in mass collateral damage. I must admit, you Templars have always intrigued me, so much power from a suit of metal, fascinating." Pacing back and forth, his eyes took in everything there was to take in, and he committed it all to memory.
"It seems strange not to know to whom I am speaking. So for the sake of civility, might I have your name, sir? My own name is Barax, and the girl's is Nura."
"I am known as Deva, although my clan brothers and associates often call me Sturm, it's your choice really. As for your reason of being here, I believe you, I'd know if you were lying, trust me. I might be able to help you in your endeavor, but it depends on how long ago Carmine left. As for my reason, or should I say reasons for being here. You and Nura are my reasons for being here. Motioning him a bit further away from the others, he waited till they were far enough away for him to speak freely. Many in my line bend the truth so to speak, coercion is praised, however I will speak truthfully with you. I don't know if you've heard of us other than myths, but I am a member of the Clan Oberon, a coven of assassins that has existed for longer than most can remember. The reason I'm here is because I was assigned to...deal with that little group of bandits who had the unfortunate luck to run across you. Even though my assignment was completed, it wasn't me who completed it, so duty compelled me to follow you. That's how I came to be here."
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VecaVjestica
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| | Re: A Prayer for the Road that Leads
« Reply #21 on Nov 30, 2009, 4:05pm » | |
It was Jørgen. He looked tired, but cheerful, and he carried what looked like a large chunk of bread and cheese sandwich. "I thought you might like something to eat and rest a little. You've been working damn hard," he told her with a smile and Nura took the sandwich with a look of gratitude on her face. "You thought right," she said and sat down on a nearby haystack. Jørgen pulled up a haystack for himself as well, seating himself right across from her. "So...am I ever gonna find out how did you find yourself in fancy garbs and escorted by a Templar guard?" he asked both genuinely curious and amused. Nura gave him a scornful look and waited till she swallowed the food she was chewing before replying: "You did. I told you it was irrelevant." He laughed out loud before he leaned his elbows on his knees and flashed her a charming smile. "You haven't changed at all...only became come beautiful," he told her, his voice becoming lower and colored with a light purr.
Nura's face immediately became serious and cold. She didn't like where this was heading. Did he thought she had become a prostitute or maybe a mistress to an influential man, and was now trying his luck with her as well thinking that, if one man could do it, so could he? He always had success with women, she knew he was very confident about himself in that area. "More beautiful implies that you thought of me as a pretty girl before. You haven't," she told him. Jørgen raised an eyebrow: "And why do you think that?" Nura replied without even a hint of reproach, simply stating the obvious: "Mila Barun, Kari Sondik, Raquel Moor...you called them dove, rose, jewel...me, you called carrot." He grinned: "And Firecracker." Nura couldn't help but smile: "Yes. And Firecracker." But only when they were alone, she remembered that too, as if he was embarrassed to call her by any pet-name that wasn't a mockery in public. That was the strongest reason why she never allowed him to have his way with her, despite wanting to do so. He was her first crush and he knew it, or at least suspected it, but Nura remained cold to his advances...well, remained seaming cold. Inside, she rejoiced each of his attempts and had wild dreams about him and places where his hands and lips could make their marks on her body. She knew how quickly he dismissed girls and women he managed to woo into his sweet web, and yet she envied them - they got to have him, taste him the way she never allowed herself out of fear of emotional pain she was sure he would cause and pride.
Not too far away, Barax was talking to the strange man who had joined them in the middle of the fight, a strange looking man that made Nura feel wary and nervous. She wondered about him, and now that she had the chance to observe him, the impression she had of him only deepened. He was dangerous. Deadly. But what else? She had no idea.
"So who is that guy, anyway?" Jørgen asked and Nura waved her head: "I have no idea." He nodded: "Nobody does, but people who fought him say he was fast and well trained...almost as if he weren't human. And he looks odd, too, so he's inspiring some interesting stories. Every time I hear Buckram - one of our blacksmiths - talk about their encounter, the guy gains an inch in height and some nigh-magical new feature." Both of them chuckled to that. Yes, rumors were funny, but they didn't change the aura this man shined, an aura that woke concern in Nura's heart.
"People also say you came here for Lax," Jørgen asked almost nonchalantly, but the look on his face was, for once, serious. Nura nodded. "You won't find him here," he told her, sounding almost apologetic about it. "Do you know where I might?" she asked him after a moment of silence, but it was his time to wave his head in negation this time. He looked...angry for a moment. Nura gently laid her hand over his and asked, worried: "Jørgen...what happened?" He looked at her, frowned, and replied with a dark tone in his voice. "The bastard sold us out." Nura gave the young man a questioning look and he began to talk, unraveling a story of corruption and blood that caused the demise of Sureeta Dawn.
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Trippy Hare
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| | Re: A Prayer for the Road that Leads
« Reply #22 on Dec 7, 2009, 8:29pm » | |
"There's no need for thanks, I only did what was necessary to spare innocent lives. You'd be surprised at how fast people follow orders when you have these brandished in their face," the stranger responded, showing Barax his weapons. He didn't brandish them with hostility, but rather demonstratively- just to call awareness to them, but not to imply a need to use them. "After all, Templars aren't know for their subtlety in combat, and you trying to go into a house with regular doors would amount in mass collateral damage. I must admit, you Templars have always intrigued me, so much power from a suit of metal, fascinating."
"Yes, that's very true. Given the state of some of these people, it seems rather remarkable any of them fought at all. I'm not sure what has happened here, but it doesn't look like any plantation I've ever seen before."
"I am known as Deva, although my clan brothers and associates often call me Sturm, it's your choice really. As for your reason of being here, I believe you, I'd know if you were lying, trust me. I might be able to help you in your endeavor, but it depends on how long ago Carmine left."
"I had planned on questioning some of these refugees in regards to Carmine's whereabouts, though I'll wait until Nura has at least looked them over. Given their overall condition, it would certainly seem that Carmine left some time ago. Still, any leads would be most helpful- as far as any assistance you'd be willing to give, I'd have to consult with Nura. I doubt she would refuse, but I wouldn't want to make any decision without at least getting her opinion on the matter." Barax didn't see the necessity of it, to be honest. Even though every village he'd been to so far- save his own- had been under attack, that couldn't possibly happen everywhere they went. Still, Deva seemed willing to help- and if she felt Deva could help track down Carmine's whereabouts, then he saw no reason to refuse.
"As for my reason, or should I say reasons for being here. You and Nura are my reasons for being here. Many in my line bend the truth so to speak, coercion is praised, however I will speak truthfully with you."
Barax tried to suppress the instinct to narrow his eyes suspiciously, and consciously guided his hand away from the lever that would close his armor. So far, Deva had not shown any sign of hostility or deceit- so admitting his "line of work" utilized it didn't necessarily make him untrustworthy. Still, Barax could feel his hackles raising, much though he pretended they weren't.
"I don't know if you've heard of us other than myths, but I am a member of the Clan Oberon, a coven of assassins that has existed for longer than most can remember. The reason I'm here is because I was assigned to...deal with that little group of bandits who had the unfortunate luck to run across you. Even though my assignment was completed, it wasn't me who completed it, so duty compelled me to follow you. That's how I came to be here."
Barax stroked his chin thoughtfully- he had not heard of this Clan Oberon per se, but he had heard tales of tyrants and despots, murderers and thieves, all who met their grisly comeuppance at the hands of an uncatchable assassin. In these stories, the victim was always someone who very clearly deserved their fate- yet it seemed impossible that someone whose profession was to deliver it could actually exist.
Then again, Deva had been following them since mere days out of Swordstroke Moors, and neither he, nor Nura, nor even her comedically clever horse had known or even suspected as much. Again, Barax couldn't help but marvel at how many opportunities he had unknowingly given any potential assassin to kill Nura and himself, and couldn't help but be both grateful and a little creeped out by the fact that nothing had happened. "Ah, well, I'm afraid it was pure chance that led to my encountering those criminals. Nura and I had been slightly delayed, and we determined that waiting until morning would have been more amenable to the villagers that stomping in in the dead of night would have been. Apparently, the morning we had waited to enter the village for resupply was the same day the bandits attacked. Personally, I found it strange that such a small settlement would even merit being attacked- but then, as now, quick intervention saved lives. I apologize if my intervention caused any problems for your assignment, though I would not have acted differently had I known. I'm sure you understand," Barax said, trying to keep his tone pleasant.
"I'm going to start questioning the healthier villagers," Barax said, racking his brain for something productive to do. "Hopefully one of them knows where Carmine went- or at the very least, what caused this place to fall to such desperate ruin as to make its residents desperate enough to assault us. I would certainly appreciate your assistance- though on the other hand, I'm sure Nura would like some help with her efforts to treat them, too. I'm not much use in a medical setting, so I cannot help much in that regard."
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