Open Chronicles A Little Village By The Way

[Kasim Areth]

Kasim sat quietly in a tiny tavern within a tiny village in the middle of absolutely nowhere. His expression was a dead one, pale yellow eyes staring into the cup of ale that had been placed in front of him by an overly attentive innkeeper.

He hated places like this.

There was something so isolating and cut away about villages like this. It was as if they were cut off from the rest of Arethil on purpose. Their lives were tucked away from the normal goings on. They didn't care about Alliria, about Molthal, about anything at all except for how well their next grain harvest was going to do.

Holding a conversation with people like this was trying, and attempting to get even a simple opinion out of them was like trying to pull a Dragons tooth.

Kasim couldn't imagine living in a village like this, nevermind putting down roots.

A loud sigh escaped him as he scooped up his mug and took a heavy swig. He wished that the portal stones still worked, he wished that he could actually get to one. Traveling was always the worst part of his little escapade, particularly in the east. It seemed that every year things got worse and worse. Bandits and raiders were more common, and he doubted things would stay calm for much longer.

His fingers tightened slightly as he surveyed the room.

Most of the inn was filled with farmers and simple workmen, people that were not only boring, but entirely uncolored by the joy of life. Kasim quietly found himself questioning why he'd even bothered to stay here.

 

[Aviana Sabel]

It had been a long, arduous road to make it to the small village. Aviana wasn't even sure what the name of it was, anymore. Trestleton? Trimburgh? Thistleveil? She didn't know, and she wasn't entirely sure that she particularly cared at this point. Finding the village after dark had been a challenge in and of itself, and there were several moments during her voyage that she had convinced herself she had somehow strayed from the path and missed the village. She had been considering doubling back to make sure she hadn't done just that when she crested the hill and the cozy lights of the tiny village came into view.

"Go west. Follow the road and don't stray from it. You'll find safe harbor there."

Her father's instructions had been clear. Find the road that led west and follow it. She replayed the scene in her head, again and again, the urgency in his voice etching the words into her memory.

The elk that she rode snorted and tossed his great head, pawing at the dirt road with his one of his cleft hooves. His movement brought Aviana back to the present and her weight shifted on the saddle, leaning forward to pat the beast's neck as she murmured softly. "We're almost there, Erodin."

She leaned upright once more, adding under her breath. "Wherever there is..."

Her right hand instinctively reached for the satchel that she carried, ensuring that the bag was still sealed. Once she was satisfied that everything was still in order, she nudged her heels against the elk's flank to signal him to continue on down the hill.

After she had stabled Erodin, fed and watered the beast, and then paid the stable keeper, Aviana made her way to the only tavern in the small town. She hesitated outside the door, as she wasn't entirely sure what she was supposed to do. Her hands smoothed over her hair to press any of the loose flyways back into place.

Taking a deep breath, she straightened the silver brooch clasped at the base of her throat that held her vibrant blue cloak in place. She hoped that she looked at least somewhat presentable, and she pushed the door open to step inside.

As soon as she shut the door behind her, she felt a hot blush crawl over her cheeks. Most of the patrons gathered inside wore simple brown tunics with similarly plain trousers. She was entirely overdressed in the silver cuirass that was strapped over her white linen shirt and the dark trousers with proper riding boots. The blue cloak was garish in this sea of muted colors. Many of the other women that were clustered inside wore heavy skirts whose hems crumpled against the dirty floor when they walked.

A brief silence fell over the small crowd and the blush on Aviana's cheeks deepened. She sheepishly waved a gloved hand and quickly moved away from the door, seeking out a table next to a window. Once she had moved off to the side, the people resumed the conversations.

Not sure what else to do with herself, the young woman pulled her gloves off her hand and tucked them away into her belt before she took a seat at the table. Out of habit, she tried to smooth her defiant locks once more, tucking the wayward strands behind her ears.

 

[Kasim Areth]

Spotting a noble was generally speaking; easy.

It wasn't just about how they were dressed or how they styled their hair, no, it was how they carried themselves, how they stood, how they looked at others. It didn't take a genius to see it, didn't even take training in fact. Most of the people in the Inn had already made the same assumption that Kasim had.

Though most of them would just let it slip by. Their lives were too small to care about the little mystery that had fallen into their laps, too small to even take a second look. These were farmers, workmen, all they wanted was their little slice of heaven.

Kasim wanted more.

Thus, slowly the Jester stood from his place at the small table. He left the mug that he'd been idly sipping behind, not caring much for the contents. With almost soundless steps he made his way over towards the young woman who had pulled herself into the deepest corner.

"Don't really belong here, do you?" Kasim asked with a broad smile.

 

[Aviana Sabel]

Kasim almost stood out as much as Aviana did in the tiny inn, and her first instinct was to arch an eyebrow up at the man. Her blue eyes quickly swept over his features, taking in as many details as she could at once. He looked familiar, but she couldn't quite place his face.

She pulled the satchel into her lap, keeping the strap slung diagonally across her chest, quirking her mouth slightly to the side. One of her hands moved to brush another stray lock of hair out of her face with the back of her hand, a much more collected gesture than her initial awkward entrance.

"Uhm... I had hoped that I wasn't quite so obvious... but that was too much to ask for. You don't exactly seem like a local yourself." She countered with the faintest hint of a smile, but it didn't quite reach her tired eyes.

 

[Kasim Areth]

"Kasim Areth." He said, flourishing the end of his robe slightly. "Jester, Bard."

One of the people at the tables behind him turned around, perking an eyebrow slightly. Nobles passed through now and again, Soldiers did too, but Jesters or Bards? Hardly ever. It was a profession that wasn't exactly common in this day and age, particularly traveling ones. "Entertainer Extraordinaire."

He flourished his cloak once more.

"No I'm not from here." Kasim finished his introduction, and then sat himself down besides Aviana in one fluid motion practiced motion.

Unlike her, he made no attempt to hide himself, and a small buzz went through the crowd as the man who had turned around relayed what he'd just overheard.

 

[Aviana Sabel]

Briefly, the color drained from Avian's face as she realized that the man who had approached her was exactly the sort she had wanted to avoid -- a jester. It was quite clear that this man adored attention, and as the eyes turned towards the small table that she'd taken refuge at, her weight shifted slightly on the uncomfortable wooden chair. The last thing she wanted to do was draw attention to herself, but her upbringing kept her from making a scene.

The conflicted expression was gone almost as quickly as it had appeared -- a warm smile taking its place as she inclined her head in greeting. Donning the mask is what her mother had called it when she'd first explained the practice.

As the jester took the seat next to her, she followed his movements with her eyes without actually moving her head. "Mr. Areth. A pleasure." Her voice was low and reserved, not quite sure what to make of Kasim just yet.

After a pause, she dipped her head towards him and smiled softly. "Aviana Sabel." The name tumbled from her lips without thought. As soon as she'd uttered the words, she knew that had been a mistake and a foolish one at that.

Her fingers tightened against the fabric of the satchel and she took a deep breath.

Then she paused, considering the man next to her intently. Perhaps there was a way for her to use this predicament. A jester would be an excellent way to draw the attention away from her. If she was lucky, no one here would even really remember she was here.

When she smiled again, it was more genuine than it had been previously. "It seems as though these good people have gone without a good jester for far too long. Are you here to rectify that woeful misfortune?" She asked, nodding her head towards the muttering man behind him.

 

[Kasim Areth]

Kasim shook his head. "I would be aghast to leave fine folk such as these without a performance."

His tone of course told more of a story than his actual words, foreshadowing the fact that he wasn't about to launch into a song and dance.

"But..." Quiet murmurs sounded behind him. "I'm afraid that my harp was stolen by bandits just a few days gone by."

That wasn't exactly the truth. What had really happened was Kasim had lost it in a game of cards. He had thought he'd had the upper hand, but as it turned out the swordsmen across the table had a better set. It was an unfortunate fact, but not something to dwell on.

Once he reached Alliria he could buy a new Harp. "Tragic really, but such are the dangers of the road."

He shrugged.

 

[Aviana Sabel]

"A bard without his harp? A tragedy if ever there was one." She remarked, blue eyes scanning over the crowd behind him before they flicked back to his face.

She noticed that the food the others were eating looked entirely different than what she was accustomed to. The scents were foreign to her and she struggled to keep her nose from wrinkling. There was a non-too subtle hint of body odor and sweat in the air. The overpowering wreak of spilled, stale beer drowned out most of the other smells.

"If you aren't here to perform them, Mr. Areth, what brings you to erm..." She faltered, realizing that she still didn't know the name of this little hamlet. "This fine establishment?"

 

[Kasim Areth]

"Even I have to sleep." He said with a shrug. Not everything needed a complex story behind it, and in this case it was best not to tell too many lies anyway. Kasim had no idea who this woman was or why she was here, and if he added to many details she might be able to pick at them.

Best to keep things simple.

"An Inn is better than the forest floor." He shifted slightly in his seat, leaning against the back of it as he glanced around the room. "Particularly with those bandits out there."

There were no bandits of course, but she didn't know that which was of course the point. Nobles in his experience often didn't question those sorts of things. They didn't care to think too hard.

Particularly when it came to the common folk.

 

[Aviana Sabel]

Aviana narrowed her eyes slightly at the jester, a frown threatening to form on her lips as she watched him but she kept it from doing so. She had been on the road for days now, and had not come across a single bandit in her journey. That seemed unlikely, as she was traveling alone, relatively unarmed, and was clearly dressed as a noble. If her guards were privy to that information, they would have died with shame on the spot.

She bit the inside of her cheek at the thought and averted her gaze from Kasim. Instead of directly contradicting the man, she decided to press him for details. If there were bandits out there, she would need to know about them, and it was best to be safe than sorry.

"So you must be traveling east then?" She asked innocently, look back to Kasim with a friendly smile. "I am westbound myself, perhaps you could describe your ambush for me? I would like to avoid any unnecessary complications during my travels... and I am rather unfamiliar with the territory."

 

[Kasim Areth]

Kasim didn't miss a beat. Half the work of a Jester was telling stories. His act was far more than just playing his harp and singing a song. He wove great tales and legends out of thin air, brought people to the cusp of tears with his stories, and what were stories if not just pretty lies.

"Two or three days out from here." He began. "Just off the road by a creek. I was washing myself when a man appeared on the bank with a bow."

It helped when lying to add an embarrassing fact. "Two more appeared behind him not long after he called out to me, and while I can hold my own in a fight..."

A shrug rolled over his shoulders.

"I'm no soldier, and thus I surrendered most of my goods to the thieves." The story was not as riveting as he could have made it, but that was hardly his objective here. Kasim didn't need to be the hero.

 

[Aviana Sabel]

Aviana nodded quietly as she listened to the man's tale. She could all but hear her father's voice murmuring in her ear, "A jester's purpose is to make fools of us all." He would say.

She hesitated for a moment, glancing down at her hands that were gathered neatly together in her lap. For her entire life, she'd always had someone with her, guiding her along. Now that she was alone, she wasn't sure what to do with herself, or how any of this was supposed to work. She didn't even know how to get herself a room at the tavern, but she certainly wasn't about to confess that to this bard.

"At least they had the decency to let you keep your clothing." She responded after her brief pause, raising her blue gaze back up to meet Kasim's.

 

[Kasim Areth]

He let out a laugh. "Well, at least some of them."

The truth was once more that he had lost a good chunk of his clothes gambling against the same soldier that had taken his Harp. It wasn't a big deal, he would just make more using the Runes but...again he wasn't about to share that little fact with this girl. Especially not here.

This was the sort of village where magic might have you end up swinging from the nearest tree. Best not to tempt that particular string of fate. Especially since he was on a streak of bad luck lately.

"These things happen." Kasim said with a shrug. "Can't expect to travel and not run into bandits every now and again."

It really was common enough.

 

[Aviana Sabel]

A few of the other tables were still staring at Kasim's back, oggling the man and whispering behind their hands. Perhaps these poor farmers simply wished to hear an enthralling tale to inject some excitement into their mundane lives. Why had he chosen to speak with her, instead of making some coin?

Her attention returned to the jester and a small smile perched at the corner of her mouth. "Well. They let you keep the important bits, I see. They could have left you in nothing but your skivvies."

Perhaps he was trying to get her to pay for his room? She realized after a moment of consideration. Her attire clearly marked her as a wealthy individual, that would be a logical conclusion, right? Or he hadn't been robbed at all and had plenty of coin, and didn't feel the need to make any more for the night.

"It sounds as if you've had a rough few days, Mr. Areth. I hope that your luck improves."

 

[Kasim Areth]

That was a sentiment that he could get behind, even if she didn't know the real reason for it. He wouldn't mention it of course, and now he had finally driven the conversation to it's natural switching point.

In Kasim's experience it didn't really matter if a person was a Noble, Commoner, or Priest, conversation always went the same way. He had practice at it, learned both at home and on the road. His job involved talking, and thus over the years he'd learned to go exactly in the right direction.

"So." He began with a smile, waving to the innkeeper to bring over drinks. "What brings you here?"

Kasim asked. "You don't exactly match the decor."

An understatement to be sure.

 

[Aviana Sabel]

Aviana tilted her head slightly at the question. Even though it was a natural question for most people, she'd never heard it before. Back on Sheketh everyone had known who she was, or what she was doing in a certain place. She'd never been allowed to travel or really explore on her own, always accompanied by a guard wherever she went. Which meant that the opportunity for someone to ask her 'what brings you here' had never arisen before this exact moment.

Judging by the casualness of the question, she could tell that it was a normal one to ask; but she wasn't entirely sure how to respond. Uttering the truth was still too painful, something she had not yet come to admit to herself yet. She didn't dare explain her situation to a stranger, especially one who made a living off of telling tales -- but she'd never been particularly apt at lying either. Half-truths were something she was familiar with, and her time in court had exposed her to the art.

Best to keep her tale as mundane as possible then, she reasoned. Then she froze, she didn't know what exactly counted as mundane. Ran away from home? No, it would only encourage him to ask more questions. Traveling merchant? No, she didn't have enough goods or guards with her. She'd already played her hand as being unfamiliar with the area... which left her options quite limited.

"A spiritual pilgrimage, as it were." She explained simply, wishing that she had a drink that she could sip from to buy herself a reason to not elaborate. It wasn't entirely the truth, but it was not exactly a lie either. "A journey to discover the world and develop a more profound sense of self-reliance."

 

[Kasim Areth]

"Ah." Kasim said, sounding rather unenthused about the explanation.

He understood the motivation well enough. The story was as old as time. Noble rich girl living a life of luxury running away to experience something 'real'. More often than not it didn't tend to work out, though once or twice he'd heard of the opposite. One of his more popular stories was about such a happenstance in fact.

A bemused expression crossed The Jester's features for a moment, though he tried not to appear as though he were silently mocking her. "Well, you may want to try to stand out less."

Kasim suggested.

"If only so you don't meet the same fate as I." He shrugged again as the innkeeper finally reached him, looking expectantly. "Another...ale, and whatever the lady wants."

The Innkeeper stared for a second, knowing their arrangement but not exactly liking it, then cleared his throat and looked at the girl.

 

[Aviana Sabel]

She breathed a little easier once he took the dull and rather vapid explanation that she had offered. The sooner he lost interest in her, the sooner he would likely venture off. She couldn't have a bard bleating a song across the countryside about a wandering noblewoman from Minaris.

It took her a moment to realize that Kasim was offering to buy her a drink, and she glanced between the innkeeper and the bard. "Just a glass of..." She realized that this establishment may not have the widest selection of beverages in the middle of her sentence. "honey mead, if you'd be so kind."

Kasim's suggestion of not standing out was good advice, but she didn't have any other clothes. There hadn't been any time to pack her bags, all she had was the clothes on her back, the precious satchel that she carried, and her beloved elk.

"If I had a way to do that, I would." She replied softly, glancing back down to her hands, squeezing her fingers tightly together.

 

[Kasim Areth]

He perked an eyebrow.

So she wasn't resourceful. Not too surprising really. People like her, nobles, generally didn't know the way of the world. Kasim knew that from personal experience. It was almost amusing seeing it from the other side, but then he suspected that his own journey was far different from hers.

"I can help you." He mused quietly.

It would be easy enough really, just a few swipes of the right ink. Clothes were always the easiest, one of the first things he had learned in fact.

There had always been a need to change and disguise himself in those early days. Now it seemed like a snap of the finger would do it, even though there wasn't much call for it. Especially way out here.

 

[Aviana Sabel]

"Help me how... and why?" She asked, the skepticism clear in her voice as she asked the question. Her eyes followed the innkeeper as they turned to leave to fetch the drinks that had been ordered. "From what you've told me, you've had a hard enough time on your own."

She didn't want to turn down the chance for help, as she was desperately in need of it; and she didn't know who or where to turn to. What would her father say now? He never would have gotten himself into a situation like this, to begin with... so she had a hard time imaging what she should do.

It wasn't her father's wisdom that came to her this time, but her mother's cunning. "A woman's greatest curse and blessing in life is that men will underestimate her. You can use that arrogance to your advantage if you're clever."

That had been something her mother had taught her during a swordsmanship lesson when she was very little. Her mother was one of the most well-respected shieldmaidens in the city, but it was a respect that she had fought tooth and nail to earn. She had been just as dangerous in court as in the battlefield.

Softly, Aviana cleared her throat and shifted her weight in the chair. "You would... do that?"

 

[Kasim Areth]

"For the story of course." Kasim said plainly. "A Bard needs stories to tell."

Anyone else might have sought an ulterior motive, and in truth it wasn't like Kasim was some innocent priest either. He was intrigued by this girl, and he knew that she was hiding something.

The Jester didn't particularly care what, but he thought it would be interesting to find out. Curiosity had lead him down many roads, some good, some bad, but it was ultimately what drove him. His father would disapprove of course, but that was why he had left in the first place. "I can help you to blend in."

Just as he had learned to do.

"I just want to know your story." He shrugged. "Wherever it may take you."

 

[Aviana Sabel]

The innkeeper arrived and set the two drinks down in between them. Aviana reached over to curl the fingers of her left hand around the tall cup, while the other hand stayed firmly planted on top of the satchel in her lap. She raised the glass to her lips and took a small sip from the contents, trying her best to hide the grimace on her features from the taste.

A woman, especially a noblewoman, traveling on her own across the countryside was enough to draw attention to herself in and of itself. She needed to find a travel companion to at least get her to the next city... which she wasn't sure where that was. West, was all she knew.

"If you want my story... you'll have to accompany me back through the bandit-infested forest, as it's still unfolding." She murmured quietly to him, lowering the cup from her mouth as she spoke. "I wouldn't want to impose, or be a burden."

 

[Kasim Areth]

He smiled, leaning back in his chair to the point of tipping it back. A good story was worth all sorts of danger, especially if he could tell it in the nearest royal court afterward. More than once he'd joined a party of mercenaries just to be able to dig into their lives for something interesting.

This was no different. "Oh I think that will be fine."

The room was no longer paying any attention to them of course. It had been established that Kasim wouldn't be performing, and thus everyone had lost interest in the pair. No doubt one or two were still staring at Aviana when she wasn't looking, but a womans bust would bring that sort of attention.

"Sometimes you just have to go in the direction of the wind." He mused. "And I sense a strong wind."

Sailing analogies weren't his particular cup of tea, but he tried to make it work.

 

[Aviana Sabel]

Aviana seemed to have relaxed somewhat now that the room's attention had drifted away from her table. No one else had approached her or attempted to pry into the reasons for her presence, which bolstered her confidence somewhat that she would be able to avoid detection. If the Bard could manage to procure her a less noticeable set of clothes, she imagined that her life would improve considerably -- at least, until they reached a major city.

She took another sip from the mead, enjoying the feeling of the warmth blossoming in her belly. "I should get a room. It's... been a long day of drifting on the wind, as you so eloquently put it."

Even if Kasim didn't enjoy the analogy, it was an apt one for how Aviana felt. It was as if she'd been thrown overboard from a ship in the midst of a typhoon. For now, she was just grateful for the chance to sleep in an actual building.

"If you still wish to travel with me tomorrow, meet me at the stables in the morning?" She offered with a small smile. Before he could make any untoward offer, or attempt a flirtation, as she knew jesters were prone to do; Aviana rose up from the table and quietly excused herself. "Have a good night, Mr. Areth."

Having watched Kasim interact with the innkeeper, she had a good idea of who to talk to about getting a room. She didn't bother to haggle with the price, set down three gold pieces on the counter, and then took the key that was offered to her.

 

[Kasim Areth]

"Excellent." Kasim said with a small smile touching his face.

There was a story here, he could tell. What exactly it was he had no idea, but it didn't really matter to him. There were very few times when he genuinely could say where he knew what he was doing or where he was going. Since he had left Vel Anir the road had always been a mystery.

Kasim liked it that way.

A life that was undecided, a life that could lead him anywhere. It was all that he had ever wanted, all that he had sought for as a child. That was why he had run away, that was why he was out here in the middle of this gods-forsaken country.

Experience. Life. "I'll see you there."

Kasim assured her with a smile and another sip of his drink.