Knights of Anathaeum A Stone in the Road

[Ophelia Tirion]

As they explaid everything to her, she could feel the tension between the knight. The reasoning behind it something she was keen to find out though the elf was well aware that now was not the time or the place.

"Sounds like it can be quite a complex situation," whilst ophelia understood the importance behind it her words played more on empathy towards Hector.

Ophelia took another sip of her drink before leaning towards Toverick her voice almost a whisper,
"Im just pulling your leg."

Then, in an attempt to lighten the mood she bumped his shoulder.
"So tell us," her mug gesuturing to herself and their other companions. "How did you end up as an bandit? You don't seem the type."

Hector

 

[Hector]

Hector smiled, assured by Ophelia's thoughtfulness.

"It is not always a straight and narrow path," Xhokuk assured. "It does not mean that any Squire, or Perspective is less worthy," he nod. "Simply, that their path takes more turns,"

Tovarik wiggled his nose at that. "Huh,"

Ophelia leaned toward him, and he straightened up, a bit nervous as her attentions found him again. "Oh, heh, well, I mean, It just sort of happens when your pa is the leader of the troupe, doesn't it?"

He scratched his nose some once more.

To that, Chadwyck raised a brow. "Your father leads a troupe?"

Xhokuk grunt.

Tovarik sunk in his seat. "Well, yes... Mercenaries, formerly, but, well..." he looked down at the food. "Times have been tough, business slow,"

Hector frowned. Let out a breath.

Chadwyck rubbed his chin, smiled greasy like. "And now they have turned bandit?"

"Our contract is not to hunt down the band, Syr Chadwyck, it is to protect the caravan along its journey," Xhokuk reminded.

Chadwyck nod. "True enough," his eye glint greedily. "But, could be we inform the local lords of the trouble,"

Tovarik looked panic struck. "But! Wait, hold on, please," he shuddered. "They are not bad men, just... just..."

Chadwyck fixed him with a hard glare. "They killed the guardsman protecting the charriot,"

Xhokuk grunt.

Chadwyck went on. "They'll likely take to brigandry again, if left to roam,"

Xhokuk grunt. "Lords problems, not ours, Chadwyck, so long as they do not cross into the Wylds,"

A glad tusk poked out from Chadwyk's lip. "Less the lord hires us to bring them in, to deliver their land's justice,"

Hector shook his head. "And so, the Knights of Anathaeum hunted down the hungry commoner, at the behest of the lords of the land,"

Xhokuk smirked.

Chadwyk's eyes narrowed and he smiled something strange as he crossed his arms before his chest. "Coin is coin, dear Hector, and our Order is in need, or have you forgotten what buys the iron and carbon for your precious forge, hmm?"

Hector grumbled. "But we are not common mercenaries, Syr Chadwyk," he cut back.

"No, but the ways of the world have not left us untouched,"

Hector smacked the table. "You'd ask him to turn on his kin?!"

Chadwyck smiled with challenge. "Don't forget-"

Xhokuk grunt. "Enough,"

The younger knight and perspective settled into a tense silence. Tovarik looked bewildered and confused, and more than a little scared.

Hector huffed.

Xhokuk nod. "We will inform the lord, so that they may act in the interest of his people,"

Tovarik looked down at the bowl. "What if... what if they pledged to the order?"

Xhokuk raised a brow. "Your troupe of bandits?"

Tavarik, bowed his head nervously. "Y-yes,"

Chadwyck laughed. "We have a job to finish,"

"Not to mention it will be a great risk to us to try and make contact with them," Xhokuk added.

Ophelia Tirion

 

[Ophelia Tirion]

Ophelia felt anger bubbeling inside her, whilst her face remaind solem her knuckles whitened as she channeled her emotions into the grip she held on her goblet. She had to hold her tongue until they finished bickering.
"Well here is my opinion, whether you want it or not," the elfs words directed toward Chadwick and Xhokuk.

"You finish the job you came here to do, if Tovariks family interfers again we deal with it. Besides that you leave them be. The lord will likely already know of any threat they pose and if he does not....well then his position is undeserved."

Ophelia looked between all of them as she took a sip of her drink. "And in all honesty, if you found some women hiding in a tree useful to your Order, then I am certain a group of bandits who have eluded the law more then once have something to offer - so let Tovarik go to them an extend an invitation or atleast a meeting. He know where there camp is."

And that was all she said before getting up from her seat and heading to the bar.

Hector

 

[Hector]

Chadwyck's brow furrowed. "Well then,"

Xhokuk laughed. "Good mind, that one," he said with a nod of approval.

Hector smiled.

Tovarik had tears streaming down his face. "I... yes, I can," he wiped down his eyes. "If the plan is suitable, I will, I can speak to my father, see if, well, if he might sway the troupe,"

Chadwyck huffed. "Ah, what illustrious company we would keep then,"

Hector glared at the sworn knight. "Syr Chadwyck, your words are most unbecoming of your oaths,"

A greasy grin spread across Chadwyck's lips. "Oh, and what would you know about the oaths, squire?"

Hector's hands balled into fists. "You-"

Xhokuk grunt. "Enough," he stated flatly. "Go on, get yourself a drink, Hector, let me speak to Syr Chadwyck,"

Hector growled, and got up quick, and followed off to the bar.

Tovarik tittered. "Um, excuse me," he said, and moved off after them.

At the bar, a the barkeep smiled at Ophelia. A stout woman, with a kindly face, and dark tresses that curled about her strong features. "What'll it be, hun?" she asked the elf.

Hector came up beside her, face still tight with upset. Tovarik, not long after.

Ophelia Tirion

 

[Ophelia Tirion]

"Your best whiskey," she turned to look at the two who just joined her, uncertain of who was more upset. Rolling her eyes, Ophelia lay down some extra coin, "Make it three please."

Turning her back to the bar now, the elf placed both elbows on counter.
"Okay, spit it out." Looking between the pair she stopped at Hector,
"You first pretty boy."
Hector

 

[Hector]

The barkeep smiled and gave a knowing nod, turned around and grabbed up some small cups, set them before her, then took a bottle from the middle shelf. The amber drink glugged out in measured pour. One, two...

"Pretty boy?" Hector asked, brow cocked and face still scrunched. He shook his head. "It's nothing, it's just,"

The barkeep clacked the three cups on the counter. "Three whiskeys, three silvers," she said with a wink toward Hector, who had the Flower of Anathaeum emblazoned upon his gambeson. "Knights get a discount,"

Hector smiled, nod, and offered up the three silvers.

"Just Chadwyck being Chadwyck," he confessed, as he slid the coins over. "Thank you ma'am,"

Tovarik glanced between the two. Laughed nervously, and took one of the cups. Gave it a sniff. "Never really liked whiskey much," he said quietly to himself.

 

[Ophelia Tirion]

"Well look at you mister knight," Ophelia smirked at the bar ladies reaction and popped her coin back into her satchel. Going to be difficult finding those later, she thought.
"Why not stand up to him? Or are you going to keep letting him walk all over you and wait until he eventually peggs?" She cocked her head to look at the other knight and scrunched her face slightly, "though he looks like he'd make a hard kill."

Taking a sip at her whiskey her ears twitched at Tovariks commentary, "I have a feeling you're going to need it to survive the rest of this night. Besides your dislike for the liqour, whats the bother with you ex-bandit?" She would emphasize the ex part.

Hector

 

[Hector]

"Peggs?!" Hector looked at her, incredulous. Then she went on to mention killing the man. He cleared his throat. Shook his head. "Miss Ophelia, I, well," he blushed. "I think you have the wrong impression, we don't..." he huffed. "We just disagree is all," he grabbed up the drink from the countertop, swirled it some in his hand as he watched the liquid slosh.

Tovarik smiled nervously. "Suppose you have a point, miss," he tittered. "And, you know, the whole, thinking about my family being strung up thing," his whole body seemed to shake with the fear of it.

Hector seized on that. "No," he said, and held his drink firm. His eyes cast to Tovarik. "I know the Wagon route," Hector shared. "If we..." he thought of the words that would come next. Looked to Ophelia and then Tovarik. "We can catch up with Syrs Xhokuk and Chadwyck, but we should go and try and convince your father, Tovarik,"

Tovarik stared wide eyed at that. "Convince him?"

"To parlay with us,"

Tovarik's lip quivered. "Truly?"

Hector grinned, and looked to Ophelia. "What do you think?"

Ophelia Tirion

 

[Ophelia Tirion]

Ophelia thought on it. If Tovriks father truly only turned to a life of banditry out of desperation then the possibility of a truce or peacful agreement could work, but if his chosen lifestyle were out of enjoyment this would not be an easy task - especially if the man felt he were to be ambushed by the knights.
"And there is no possibility for someone to ride out alone before the caravan reaches them? It would look less intimidating and increase our chances of a positive outcome?"

 

[Hector]

Hector gave the notion some thought.

"What if," Tovarik added. His voice quavered some. "What if, I go back an, well, speak with them?"

The squire gave Ophelia a look, as if he finally came to realize her plan. "Sounds like the best course of action, we can leave come morning,"

Tovarik shuddered, and he grabbed up the cup of whiskey. "Come momrning," he said in a small voice. "Right," and he downed the drink, clacked the empty glass back onto the counter top. "One more, barkeep," he said.

The woman laughed, and she nod. Gave another pour.

"Well," Hector said looking down at his own drink. "This will either be a great success, or see us in a whole heap of shit," he said with a smirk on his lips.

 

[Ophelia Tirion]

After a good nights rest, the smallest crack of sunlight had woken Ophelia. After she had gotten ready, the knight prospect found a quite patch of grass close to where Hector and the others had stabled their horses and pulled some dried meat out of her satchet to snack on.

As she sat there, her thought wondered to the possibility of joining the Knights of Anatheum and what the path forward would be if the opportunity arose to join their organization and she took it. She had skills, but were they ones that the Knights could put to use?

That she did not know.

Hector

 

[Hector]

"Mornin'" Hector said bright and warm, despite the chill of early morning which still clung about the air. Saw that the young elf was munchin on something. "Didn't get any breakfast?" He asked, with some mild concern.

Tovarik was not far behind. Face pale with worry, his eyes paradoxically wide and small all the same.

"Oy, Tovarik, you alright?"

The former rogue, prospective squire, darted his eyes up to Hector, then Ophelia. "Um, y-yes. I, well, I am just nervous is all,"

Hector eyed him through squinted lids, then pat him on the shoulder. "It'll be alright, we'll be there to support you," he assured.

Tovarik looked to Hector, then to Ophelia. His frown deepened. "But I only just met you two, and... well... " His eyes cast down, and his head hung with dread.

Hector blinked. Unsure of what to do.

Ophelia Tirion

 

[Ophelia Tirion]

"Didn't have much of an appetite," Ophelia stood from her spot and dusted off her pants.

Tovrik had mad his way over aswell, his face still filled with the same concerned look it had been the previous night.

"Weelll?" Ophelia almost drew out the word, her tone close to mocking as if Tovrik had just asked what colour the sky was. "Well what Tovrik? I cant speak for Hector, but if I had any ill centered plans towards you - then you would not be standing here right now."

 

[Hector]

Hector laughed. Nod, and his smile took on a bit of malice, the curl of his lip crule. His brow pointed, and the glint in his eye impish. "All just a plan to leave you hog-tied on the side of the road,"

Tovarik squealed. "No, no, don't say that, you, i mean," he looked to Ophelia, in hopes that she would save him. "He doesn't mean it, does he,"

Hector laughed, walked over to the other young man and clapped his back, heavy and sure. "Let's go, daylight is burning, and," he looked over his shoulder. "We don't want Syr Xhokuk finding out we are sneaking ahead without them,"

A squeak came from the would-be-squire. "What? They, they don't know?"

Hector grinned wider, tapped the tip of his nose. "What they don't know wont hurt them," He nod over his shoulder. "Come on, we've wasted enough time,"

Tovarik sort of screamed, half wailed.

---

The bandit camp was on the horizon. At least, the patch of woods that Tovarik swore was the camp.

"You're sure?" Hector asked, from atop his mount, squinting at the woodlands that looked like every other grove in the Reach.

"Yes, see there," Tovarik pointed in a direction. Hector did not know, but the broken branches, all on the left side of the trees, at the height of a man's head all. "That marks the way, every three trees, the break pointing west,"

"Huh," Hector sounded.

Tovarik wore a proud little smile on his lips. And ushered their horse forward, into the woods.
Ophelia Tirion

 

[Ophelia Tirion]

"No, no, don't say that, you, i

Ophelia only offered a shrug as she tied the laces of her boots and grinned when Hector announced that the others were unaware of their plans

________________________

With the bandit camp not far off, the trio needed to put their plan in place.
As they trotted slowly through the forest she listened for any voices or rumbelings nearby. Eventually they got close enough that if one listened properly, you could hear chatter in the distance.

Bringing her horse to a holt, Ophelia spoke up - her tone low.
"Hector and I should stop here Tovrik. Ill scout from a tree. If theres any trouble you signal us and we'll take it from there. Anyone disagree?" She asked confidently.

Hector

 

[Hector]

Hector nod in agreement, glad to have such a confident partner in this plan. "Sounds like the plan, O,"

Tovarik nod nervously, and kicked his heels into his horse's side. "I'll, I'll be sure to signal," he reminded them. Reminded himself just as much. He hopped off the horse, and ventured into the brush, steady, despite all of his nerves.

Hector let out a sigh. Nod. "This will go well, this will go,"

"Help! Help!" Came the cries from up ahead.

Hector's eyes went wide, and he looked to Ophelia, looked back to the brush, and urged his horse forward. When he broke through the brush, there was violence all about. Brigand lashed out against brigand, swords clattered and shook. Tovarik worked his weapon against a larger man, desperate to keep his life.

A kick of his heels saw his horse lurch forward with a ht sputter of breath. Sword brandished from sheath, Hector rode forward, wide eyed. Gripped tight his sword, and cut down at the man who tangled with Tovarik. His horse, Analon, charged on. Blew back one man with a hard crunch.

It was chaos in the small clearing where they had come to meet Tovarik's band.

Ophelia Tirion

 

[Ophelia Tirion]

Just as Ophelia was readying herself to scout from a nearby tree top, the cry sounded through the shrubbery. Shit.
Mounting her horse as quickly as possible she shot after Hector, pulling one of her throwing knives from her pouch on her thigh as she rode. Nudging the borrowed mares sides to pick up speed she watched Hector cut down the man attacking Tovarik.
With all her might Ophelia threw the first knife, hitting another brute square in the shoulder as he charged the ex-bandit.

If herself and the others were ever uncertain of where T's loyalties lay, it had become clear here and now.

"TOVARIK DUCK!" Ophelia screamed at him before another blade zipped just past his head in the direction of a man coming from behind. She pulled her mare to a halt in front of Tovarik, offering him a hand, "we need to go!"

Hector

 

[Hector]

Tovarik ducked, the knife zipped over him and sunk blade first into the attacker's chest, and knocked him onto his ass with a painfilled grown.

Tovarik looked wide eyed up to Ophelia. "But! But my father!" he cried out in obvious panic. The look in his eye said it all. He wasn't going anywhere.

Hector managed to get his horse to away from the oncoming foes. Analon, a fiesty rouncey. ganshed out at one rogue that had come too close. A gruff old bandit, who looked a lot like Tovarik.

"Oh you bloody hobby!" he shout, shirked off a club swing with the round of his shield, smashed back at the man's legs and felt the bone crack under the weight of his hammer. He grit his teeth, and clubbed the fallen bandit over the head with a harsh crack. "First knights, now mutiny!" he turned on Hector, went wide eyed. "Oh, for bloody fuck!"

Ophelia Tirion