Private Tales A Performance In The Fortress

[Kasim Areth]

Kasim shrugged. "As is everyone."

Magic was unmistakably dangerous. Entire civilizations had been wiped out because of one foolish magician. There were times in history when it was said that mages were at fault for most wars in the world. Kasim didn't know the truth of that, but he knew that back home the Dreadlords were half the reason the Houses still existed.

There was a certain amount of healthy...regard one could have for magic without it becoming a problem, though Eislyn's home sort of took that a tad too far. He was sure she didn't need to be told that.

"Magic is..." Kasim trailed off. "It's like a sword."

The Jester explained further. "It can be held in the hands of a killer, a soldier, or a simple farmer trying to protect himself."

 

[Eislyn Gray]

The girl nodded. She understood. She really did. Her father may be strict but deep down, he meant well. And she didn't doubt his own experiences shaped his actions and decisions. But yes, she also understood it was to the EXTREME.

Too far and too much.

And her own thoughts on magic? She didn't know yet. She wasn't as fearful as her father but she was definitely cautious. Because a sword was a sword. No matter who wielded it. It had the potential for great damage even if the intentions of the wielder were good.

Eislyn didn't have much else to say. She liked to think before acting or speaking. Weight actions in her mind. She tended to be more like her mother. Although, she'd argue her mother was even more selfless than she.

They continued to ride on in quiet conversation for the next several hours. The ache in her back continued to spread. She felt like she was battling between aches and a growing numbness from her legs and the muscles along the saddle.

"Are we going to stop and rest soon?" She finally asked, a bit meekly.

 

[Kasim Areth]

He peered over at her. "Already getting tired?"

The Jester seemed somewhat amused by that, lips tweaking in a slight smile. They had been riding for almost the entire day, having started well before dawn, but the distance they'd managed to go was far from what he would have liked. Being on Horse-back certainly helped, but he was weary of setting up camp.

Especially if someone from the Citadel was following them.

Considering for a moment Kasim eventually let out a long sigh, nodding his head in confirmation of his own thoughts. He supposed he did not want to run her ragged immediately, especially considering the fact that they would still have to travel for several more weeks.

"We'll need to find someplace hidden." He told her quietly. "A cavern or a grove."

Somewhere out of sight.

 

[Eislyn Gray]

She was tired. The sun was about to set but even in the waning daylight, she found her eyes beginning to close. That chin of hers threatening to nod off. All those aching and stiff muscles.

Was she getting tired?

"I fear you'll have to pry my stiff legs off this mount if we continued too much further, " she admitted quietly. She found herself quite relieved when he agreed to stop. She nodded, weary eyes scanning the horizon. She, of course, wasn't familiar with these lands. Or any beyond the walls. Only what she'd read in the ancient texts or from her mother. But off to their right, there was a wooded area. It was hard to tell how thick the trees got from there.

Hand reached out to point.

"What about there?"

A glade might be their best bet.

 

[Kasim Areth]

"It's a start." Kasim commented as he gently pulled on his reigns and lead his horse over towards the Glade. He knew that Eislyn would be following him, but he was careful to make sure not to get too far ahead anyway.

He didn't want the girl getting lost.

His horse slowly traversed off the road and into the trees, Kasim ducking every now and again to avoid getting hit in the face with a low branch. Eventually they crossed through a more thickly wooded area, forcing him to basically lean over the neck of his horse until they finally happened upon a clearing.

A frown settled on Kasim's face for a second as he looked around. "This will do."

He commented, dismounting his horse.

"We'll have to be careful." The Jester continued. "Fire can't be too big."

 

[Eislyn Gray]

A steadying hand went down to her horse’s mane as she eased her off the road to follow Kasim. She seemed jumpy. Maybe it was because the horse could sense Eislyn’s own emotions. The girl went wide-eyed into the woods. She’d never seen trees as thick as these. There was something beautiful but also terrifying about it. Like being hemmed in from all sides.

Branches plucked at her hair, skin, and clothes as they went deeper in. Like fingers wanting to claw and take their toll. She felt a sharp scratch along one cheek as bark snagged with skin.

“It’s okay,” she whispered to her horse. Maybe more-so to herself. And just when she felt she couldn’t get any lower in the saddle, the trees parted slightly for their little den. Her horse gave a soft whiny.

“This looks perfect,” the girl looked around and didn’t complain about a small fire. It was a mercy just to not be riding anymore. If she had to handle some cold, she would. At least, that’s what she told herself.

Stiff leg raised and she found herself sliding and falling off her mount rather than stepping off gracefully. Bottom hit the ground in a soft thud, leaf and branch snagged hair cascading messily across her face. At least it hid the sudden rosy hue that spread across her features.

“Oh,” the princess exclaimed quietly. “I imagined that going better in my head.”

 

[Kasim Areth]

Kasim smiled. "I don't think you're yet used to being out here."

The Jester commented wryly, knowing full well that the girl wasn't. He wondered what her plan had been if he hadn't shown up. Would she just sit out here alone? Ready to feed herself to whatever wolves happened to trot on by?

It was a rather dark thought.

"Do you have any other clothes?" Kasim asked. "Something more uhh..."

How did he put this. "Better suited?"

He was trying to be nice.

 

[Eislyn Gray]

Hands came up to push tangled strands of mounds hair away from her face. Eyes drifted down her own body. It was a casual dress, one she often did activities in. There weren’t any extra ruffles or frills. Just the simple fabric and corset. There were undergarments as well.

Of course.

“What’s wrong...,” voice trailed off. Did he mean that she wear....trousers?

Gasp.

Struggling to her feet, fingers smoothed down the long fabric of her dress. “I havent worn trousers since I was a child. I didn’t even own a pair to bring.”

Apologetic look crossed her oval face as she looked at the jester. To her credit, the princess was wearing a good pair of trekking boots. She’d akways hated the dainty slippers and heels she’d been required to wear most of the time.

“Maybe we can stop in the next town?” Taking the reins of her horse. She began securing her to a tree. It was already growing darker outside and her eyes were beginning to play tricks on her. What dark shapes lurked beyond the trees?

And she will wondered briefly if Kasim would abandon her. When would enough be enough?

 

[Kasim Areth]

Kasim pinched the bridge of his nose. This was exactly what he had been afraid of. She couldn't go running around the world in dresses. Sure if they stopped at every Inn and tavern on the way for a nice bed every night, but that wasn't at all in the cards.

Her fathers retainers would catch up to them in a breath if they did that. "I..."

Kasim took a breath. There was no use in getting mad at her, not right now anyway. The girl had been sheltered for most of her entire life, and if he yelled at her they would just end up arguing. Better not to upset her and just take this slowly, especially considering this was only their first day.

"Yes." The Jester nodded finally. "You can't go around in dresses, especially if your father sends someone after us."

She'd stick out like a sore thumb. "The first town is about three days ride, but...well you're just gonna have to live with it for now."

 

[Eislyn Gray]

“These are travel dresses. Meant for activity.” Of course, she wasn’t thinking about double entendre when she said it. “I don’t understand why you think I’ll have to live with it. They’re quite comfortable.”

She wasn’t really trying to argue or be a pain. She just didn’t understand why he thought she’d be in turmoil for wearing them until they came to that town. She was in more turmoil trying to get her legs working again. Muscles she didnt even know she had all stiffened up like a wound coil.

Finishing with the horse, she began to pick up branches and sticks, hoping to help with the wood gathering bit of this outdoors adventure. “I mean Kasim.” Gray blues flickered briefly in his direction.

“Have you ever worn one?”

There was the smallest smile on her face. Maybe it was because she was beginning to feel a teeny, tiny. TEENY TINY bit more comfortable around the traveling stranger.

 

[Kasim Areth]

"I've not had the fortune." He commented dryly, though there was a hint of a smile on his face. She had a sense of humor after all. "But then again I also have a notion to remain as hidden as I can."

A man wearing a dress would have been noticed pretty much anywhere he went. Even Alliria wasn't that far with it's social liberties. Perhaps once day, but he wasn't going to test the waters. "Besides, even if you're comfortable you still stick out with how nice those clothes are."

That was really what worried him in the end.

He knew that she had done this without the permission of her father, and that inevitably meant he would be coming after her. The more they could make Eislyn look like a regular traveler, or even a farmgirl, the better.

"Try to only get small sticks." He told her. "We don't need anything too large."

 

[Eislyn Gray]

Too fancy?

Huh.

Even though these were the most plain dresses she owned she supposed the fabric was still nicer than that of a milk maid. She sighed inwardly, though couldnt keep the smile off her face thinking about Kasim in one of HER dresses. His arms were definitely too thick for the sleeves, though. And she doubted he corset would...

Mind focused on finding another small stick instead. And another. Hand went up to her face to wipe something wet off. She was startled to see it was blood. Must’ve gotten scratched from their trek through the trees.

After a bit of stooping and gathering, she returned to the inner circle of their little glade. “Will these do? And at the next town, I’ll sell my dresses for some simpler fabric.”

She nodded to herself. It was clear she’d give up anything she had to. She loved her sister that much. Though she was royalty, at heart, Eislyn only wanted to serve those she loved.

 

[Kasim Areth]

He nodded.

At least she wasn't going to argue about getting something more plain. There were a lot of Princesses who would have, and in truth even Kasim might have objected if he were in her shoes. The clothes she had with her could probably fetch quite a high price in any village around here.

"They'll do." The Jester said as he took some of the sticks and put them into a small pile. From his pack he retrieved a stone disc, a single rune carved into it's center. He put the disc on top of the pile, and then gently brushed his finger over the rune.

There was a spark, and then the disc shattered.

A second later the bits of the disc burst into flame, catching to the twigs. "We made good time today. Hopefully we can do the same tomorrow."

 

[Eislyn Gray]

A small squeal bubbled from the base of her throat. She took an involuntary step back as fire leaped from the stone Kasim just touched. Just TOUCHED.

“You’re a...,” hand went over her open mouth, wide-eyes moving from the fire to him. Him to the fire. Mouth wouldn’t work. Eyebrows continued to lift.

“Magic. You do.” She stuttered realizing she sounded like a fool. “I didn’t. You didn’t. I knew it.”

It was a hushed whisper. Hand finally lowered from her mouth. She came closer. Shyly. Cautiously.

“How did you?”

 

[Kasim Areth]

He cocked an eyebrow, somewhat confused by her reaction. Then he realized that it had not come up until now, that she had thought he was just a simple Jester. His lips thinned for a moment, and Kasim thought that he probably could have handled that introduction better.

Much better. "It is Rune Magic."

Kasim began slowly. Explaining this to someone who came from a place where magic was not only outlawed but...reviled would be rather difficult. He could still do it though, especially considering that Eislyn would very likely need magic to heal her sister anyway. Best to be careful about it.

"It's an old thing." Kasim went on. "Older than the elves some say."

That was actually true, as unbelievable as it was. "The Magic is invoked through writing, an ancient language that brings it power."

 

[Eislyn Gray]

Kasim might be happy to know that Eislyn was more intrigued than disgusted. While she didn’t share her father’s views on magic, that didn’t mean she wasn’t scared.

And she was.

Scared.

Fingers trembled slightly as she lowered them. Eyes stared into the flames then panned up to Kasim’s face.

“If anyone knows the language, can they do what you just did?”

Weariness was getting to her along with the shock of actually seeing magic. REAL magic. So close. She found herself sinking to a seat on the ground. Arms encircled her knees as she tugged them up to her chest.

“Coming to the fortress, you’re braver than I thought,” she commented wryly knowing if her father had known about Kasim it would’ve been a death sentence.

 

[Kasim Areth]

"Technically yes." In a weird way it really was that simple with Rune Magic. All you had to know was how to carve the runes and what runes you were carving. The idea was simple as could be, though in truth the practice was actually far more difficult.

Kasim knew that because he'd learned himself, and when he had learned it had been difficult. It took years of practice to make things fit right.

"It's hard though." Kasim warned. "It's not just about knowing the language, but also how to draw the runes correctly."

He sounded a bit more grave now. "With this...one wrong line, one thing out of place and..."

The Jester trailed off, letting the obvious remain unsaid. Even the most harmless rune could kill if it was drawn incorrectly, something he had seen more than once.

 

[Eislyn Gray]

“That sword in the farmer’s hands becomes something much more dangerous,” she drew back a comparison to their earlier conversation. Perhaps her father wasn’t too far off in being fearful. Still. Probably better to TRY to understand.

There was something else. The moment he brushed his finger over that rune, no, ever since she’d left those iron walls, she’d felt something. A buzzing in the air or in the earth. Something the girl didn’t quite understand. Or maybe it was nothing.

“Have you...have you killed with it before?”

Reaching for her pack, she began to pull out some dried and cured meats and fruits.

 

[Kasim Areth]

That was a tougher question to answer, mostly because Rune Magic itself was rather difficult to use in combat in direct means. "Well..."

Kasim considered for a moment. He wasn't about to lie to her, mostly because he was not the sort and he felt as though there was no real reason to. Kasim had done plenty of killing, but never in a situation where it hadn't been for a righteous cause. Or in self defense.

"Rune Magic isn't...you don't shoot fireballs with your hands." He commented. "It just can't do that."

Killing someone directly with Rune Magic was next to impossible. "Instead its more..."

With a second more of hesitation Kasim lifted his tunic, showing her half a dozen runes that had been tattooed and carved into his flesh.

"It can be used to enhance yourself, change things...but at a price." He hoped she understood that explanation.

 

[Eislyn Gray]

She actually was thinking about shooting fireballs. Or wielding lightning bolts or floating spheres of water. She certainly had a healthy imagination. And for a moment, she wondered if Kasim could read her mind.

Head shook at the thought.

Lips parted and she couldn’t hide the gasp of surprise as he lifted his shirt. Cheeks warmed and she was thankful for the firelight. She recognized this as a very private thing. And of course this went against all her formal and conservative upbringing. Traveling alone with Kasim without a chaperone was scandalous enough.

She tried not to stare. She really did. In a way it was, well, beautiful. But also wild. It only made her cheeks warm further.

She nodded and managed to look away, finally.

“What kind of enhancements do you have?”

Whoops. Maybe a bit of poor wording.

 

[Kasim Areth]

He perked an eyebrow. "Most of them make me stronger, faster."

Kasim explained slowly.

"Those are the tattoos." The Jester didn't go into the cost and price of any of them, deciding it would be best not to mention that just yet. She was interested in magic, but if he told her the cost it might just make her a tad more nervous to be around him. "The Carved ones are...different."

He mused for a second. "They...change...It's hard to explain."

For a second he thought, then slowly continued, choosing his words carefully.

"They partially take me from his reality." At great cost of course. "Letting me do things that wouldn't ordinarily be possible. Though only for a short time."

 

[Eislyn Gray]

"No wonder you do not fear travel by yourself," she commented quietly, gray-blue orbs flickering up to his face. She began nibbling on the food. She'd lost much of her appetite by the sudden exposure to magic. But it was probably mostly because she was THAT tired. So tired, she wasn't even hungry anymore.

Sandy brows rose along her face.

"From this reality. What do you mean?" She didn't understand. Wasn't this reality all there was? Did he visit the underworld?

 

[Kasim Areth]

He paused for a second in thought. "It's difficult to explain."

It really was, mostly because the rune didn't quite work the way that others did. It wasn't necessarily about speed, pacing, or any of that nonsense. Instead it was something completely different. He frowned for a moment, drumming his fingers in thought before he finally spoke.

"When I activate the rune certain things happen." Kasim explained. "A sword might not hit me, an arrow could perhaps just fade through me, a step I take could take me twice the distance."

He shrugged. "It bends things to me, in my favor."

Of course, he'd only done it once before, and the price of using those runes was...well, not worth it in many respects. He'd learned that.

 

[Eislyn Gray]

"Hm," was her quiet reply. Carefully, she replaced the uneaten food in her pack. He was describing a lot of power. The kind of power that could do great good or great harm. It wasn't something easy to swallow.

"Well," she said after a moment more, standing up to get her bedroll. "Let us hope you will not need to use that one on our journey." Finding a spot at a confit ankle distance from the fire, she began laying out the roll, taking a small pouched that was tied to the belt around her waist. Digging inside, she took out a small vial as she sat down. Fingers came away with a goopy substance that she began rubbing along the small cut on her cheek.

 

[Kasim Areth]

He smiled. "Lets hope not indeed."

Eislyn had no idea how much he didn't want to use those runes. The effects were devastating, especially if used more than once. The price of the rune was quite literally a piece of his soul.

Not an easy thing to give up.

"So." Kasim began. "Will your father be sending people after you?"

The Jester continued before she answered. "I won't get mad, we just have to plan to make sure we don't end up dead."