Private Tales End of the Line

[Kjaran Mak Aodha]

"Come out and fight like men ye bastards!" Kjaran roared. He risked poking his head around the tree trunk. A twang sounded, an arrow shooting past his face. It flew so close he had to touch his nose with his hand to make sure it was still there.

The day had started off well. The sun was out and even his hangover couldn't stop good humour. He'd laughed, even sung a bit, though the latter had been aided by swigging from his wineskin. On days like this one you could forget the dangers in the world.

Or at least he had until two shafts had flown from the undergrowth and killed his horse. From idyllic dream to nightmare in seconds. He'd come tumbling off the horse, nearly getting trapped under its bulk. Scrambling for cover, he'd slammed head first into a bandit. His head was still throbbing, either from the collision or the ale the night before.

Now he was slumped behind the fallen tree with only the bandit's corpse for company. Kjaran swore and looked at the dead horse. Barely twenty yards away but it might as well be a thousand. A sword was a fine weapon but it wasn't much good when his opponents were hidden archers. "One of us is going to get bored!" Frustrated, he lobbed a rock blindly into the brush. A grin flashed when he heard a muffled curse ahead of him.

"Fuckers" he muttered, his grip tightening on his dagger, they were happy to wait him out, let him cook in the sun a while first.

Aviana Sabel Kasim Areth

 

[Aviana Sabel]

Kjaran Mak Aodha Kasim Areth

Aviana swayed in the saddle as Erodin slowly carried her along the dirt road that wound its way through the forest. The elk's great antlers bobbed up and down with every step that the creature took. Strapped to either side of the saddle in front of her, was a short sword with a silver coated hilt and a pommel made from a smooth, round emerald. On the other side was an elegantly crafted shield, painted in a dark, almost iridescent, color that matched the color of a raven's plumage but with a pattern that resembled scales.

The only sound was the lazy groaning of the leather saddles and the wind whispering through the treetops overhead. Occasionally, there would be a bird call and a cacophony of beatings wings. Aviana was fascinated with the forest, with the trees themselves and any of the wildlife that she happened to catch sight of during the journey.

Just as she was turning in the saddle to smile back at Kasim, and make a remark about a particularly beautiful bird that she had just seen, there was a tremendous shriek that pierced the peaceful silence of the forest. Aviana's head snapped forward to look towards the source of the commotion. It sounded like an animal in a great amount of pain, and then a brief quiet. Erodin stopped and raised his massive head, ears held upright. She could hear and feel the elk inhaling deeply through his nostrils, trying to catch a scent.

The hair on the back of Aviana's neck bristled and the fingers of one hand curled a little more tightly around the reins, though she didn't yank on them since she knew that would only startle the elk more. Her other hand reached forward and gently came to rest against the elk's neck.

Moments later, a feral shout boomed through the forest. "Come out and fight like men ye bastards!!"

She turned her head to meet Kasim's gaze. "Looks like we've found your bandits, Mr. Areth."

 

[Kasim Areth]

”Mmh.” Kadim retorted as he shifted on his horse slightly.

He recounted the lie that he had told the girl, playing it in his head and deciding it was probably best not to even engage in the conversation. At the very least he would steer it in a different direction. So far things had been going rather well, and there was no need to sully any of that with a slice of the truth.

Truth was after all, entirely overrated. Kasim preferred a good story over the truth, and he was sure that much of everyone else did as well. Whether they would admit it at the end of the day or not.

”Likely not the same men.” He commented. ”Either way we should avoid them.”

Kasim was no coward, but he was a survivalist. Why fight when you didnt have to? Specifically when you didnt even have a sword. ”We arent exactly equipped for fighting.”

He urged the young noble, preferring to just avoid whatever mess was up ahead.

 

[Kjaran Mak Aodha]

For a man so large, Kjaran could move surprisingly quiet when he wanted to. The mercenary was a few yards back now well in off the road, his helm left on the bandit's corpse. He could hear rustling in the brush and another arrow sailed out to hit the tree trunk with a thunk. He grinned without warmth. They wanted to keep him distracted in the front while one or more flanked him to finish him off.

Of course Kjaran could just have melted away and they'd have called it even. But his worldly belongings were on that horse and he was too stubborn to let a bunch of bushwhackers take that away from him. He froze as one of the bandit's crept carefully to where he'd been hidden. The man was dressed in hues of brown and green, a mask and hood obscuring all but his eyes. He poked at the corpse with his sword, making a sound of disgust.

"Get the bastard! Don't you see him?" demanded the irate voice of the hidden shooter. The swordsman swore to himself, "How can I in all this brush?" "Well he was down there a minute ago!". Kjaran decided the charade had gone on long enough. He sprang from concealment, shrieking a war cry. There was a clang of steel and then the bandit crumpled to the ground with a gasping death rattle.

There was silence for a few seconds. Another more plaintive voice sounded from the other side of the road. "Kal? Did you get him?". Kjaran grinned, backing into the trees. He could hear other movement in the bushes. Now he had a chance to even the odds.

 

[Aviana Sabel]

The sound of the fighting reached the traveling pair as they stood in the middle of the road. Aviana stared at Kasim, almost as if in shock that he would even suggest that they not investigate or try to help. Another fierce shout shattered the peaceful quiet of the forest, then was shortly followes by the distinctive clatter of metal clashing against metal.

"You speak for yourself when you say that we're not equipped for battle." She scolded. Erodin snorted and dipped his head, pulling at the reins.

"We should help." She insisted, a spark in her vivid blue eyes. Every person was raised to come to the aid of those who needed it, where she was from. If there was trouble, you were exoected to react to it, not ignore it. The very idea of avoiding such a confrontation was practically inconceivable.

 

[Kasim Areth]

Kasim perked an eyebrow. "I do not have a sword."

In fact the only weapon that he carried was a dagger. It was of course that way because Kasim wanted it. He had been taught how to use the sword from a young age, but he'd always been against carrying one. Sure it would help in case of bandits, but he'd never particularly considered it to be important.

Not when it came to his survival.

A sword invited trouble just as much as having too much to drink. One fool saw a sword on your hip and saw it as opportunity to attack. It was a simple fact, something that Kasim would have to tell Aviana if they were going to continue to travel together. "Nor armor."

He continued.

"Would you like me to be run through with an arrow?"[/color[ He asked flatly.

 

[Kjaran Mak Aodha]

The sounds of movement and the occasional shouted cry was still coming from the forest. Any further conversation was forestalled by the trouble coming to them.

A figure came crashing out of the brush at the side of the road, followed closely by another. They came to a sudden halt, startled by the two travellers, especially the sight of an elk used as a riding mount. Both were clad in brown and green clothing, with hooded cloaks. Their eyes showed surprise even if their mask hid the rest of their expressions. One had a sword drawn, the other carried a bow. "That's not th-" one started to say "Doesn't matter" his companion snarled.

He started to nock an arrow to his bow while the swordsman charged forward at the two.

 

[Aviana Sabel]

Aviana had been in the process of opening her mouth to further scold the bard, when the pair of bandits erupted from the treeline. There was a moment of confusion on both sides, the half-life waiting to see how to two would react to stumbling upon herself and Kasim. When it became clear that they intended to attack, she swing one leg to the other side of the saddle and snatched her shield up as she slid to the ground. Not a second after her boots had hit the ground, she yanked the sword from its scabbard on the saddle, and turned to face the charging bandit. The scaled shield was raised up into a defensive position, the sword held low and to the side, as she gave a sharp, piercing whistle.

"Get back, Areth!" She shouted, moving to intercept the man with the sword.

Erodin snorted at the command his master had given and the beast swung his massive head around, bringing the pointed antlers to bear on the archer. The red elk was a true war charger, blitzing towards the threat with the force of a train.

The bandit with a sword swung towards Aviana, who in turn raised her shield to deflect the attack. She could hear her mother's words, the Aegis of Minaris, coaching her from the sidelines. Keep your guard up. Press the attack. Your shield can be just as much a weapon as your blade. She saw her opening as the man tried to pull his sword back for another strike.

Gritting her teeth, Aviana swung her shield arm to the side and slammed the blunt metal edge of the heavy disk into the side of the man's head. He cursed and stumbled back from her, giving her the space she needed to readjust and find a more defensive position. There was a gash over the man's eye from the blow she'd dealt and blood trickled down into his eye.

 

[Kasim Areth]

Kasim let out a sigh.

He wasn't a warrior, not by any means of the word. His father had ensured that he knew how to wield a sword, had made sure that he could hold his own in combat, but he'd never much liked it. His brother was much more the soldier. Always besting the masters, always ensuring that he cut down whoever stood in his way.

There had been a passion for it, one that Kasim had never really had.

Not that it mattered much now. The swordsman charged at Aviana, and that meant no matter Kasim's wishes he was in the midst of it all. His head tilted up for just a brief moment, his eyes closing as he prayed to whatever deity decided he was still worth watching over. Then he kicked his leg up and slid off of his horse.

He heard the thud of Aviana's hilt smashing against the man's head, the solid impact ringing out within the clearing as Kasim landed on the ground.

With no hint of hesitation Kasim pulled a small stone disc from his pack. Inscribed deep within the stone on a dark ruby red was a single rune. With a flick of his wrist the Jester tossed the disc into the air, and half a second later it exploded into a bright flash of light as the Rune Magic sprung into life, hopefully blinding the archer.

 

[Kjaran Mak Aodha]

Torn between three threats, the archer hesitated too long before the rune stone exploded. The blinding light made him roar with pain and he let loose his arrow, shooting it wide. He didn't even have a chance to drop his bow before Erodin struck home, sending the bandit flying. There was the sound of bone crunching as he hit the ground. The bandit was motionless on the dirt track.

The swordsman wasn't expecting some slip of a girl to outsmart him. The half-elf was small but no one could ignore being smashed in the skull. He stumbled sideways, the cut above his eye obscuring his vision. He lashed out blindly at her, with a blow that was strong to make up for its poor aim.

A scream sounded in the trees ahead of them. A third bandit came stumbling out, his steps unfocused. His mask was off but blood bubbled at his mouth when he tried to speak. He keeled over, collapsing face down. A large man appeared from the woods behind him, a bloodied sword in his hands.

Kjaran was beginning to enjoy himself. Good archers rarely enjoyed fighting up close. It'd been like butchering sheep. He froze at the scene in front of him. A small warrior traded blows with one bandit, while a man and an elk stood over the corpse of a second. He eyed them warily but made no move forward.

 

[Aviana Sabel]

Aviana was aware of the third bandit that briefly stumbled into the road before he collapsed, but when he toppled to the ground she returned her full attention to the man before her just in time to catch the powerful blow with her shield a second time. The bandit had put so much force behind it that she felt the shield shudder and her arm absorbed the intense vibrations. She needed to be more aggressive, and the arrival of a fourth man who lingered in her peripheral only pressed the issue.

As the man went to strike a third time, swinging wildly in his panic and half-blindness, he miscalculated and left himself open. Aviana swiftly stepped into the attack, slamming her shield into his sword arm, and she felt the bones in his wrist crack with the impact. He howled and the sword tumbled to the ground.

Before he could stumble away from her, she'd already dropped down and swept his legs out from beneath him with one of her own. He fell flat on his back, knocking the wind from his lungs. She didn't give him a chance to recover, leveling the flat of her blade against the man's throat. "Do you yield?" She growled down at him.

Erodin had rounded about after flattening the archer, tossing his head in wide arcs as he cantered back to the fight. His attention was fixated on Kjaran at the edge of the road, but he didn't charge in recklessly as the man was too close to the trees.

 

[Kasim Areth]

Kasim didn't move save for reaching up to the very top of his tunic.

On the back of his palm was a small rune, red ink etched into his skin. A learned man would recognize it for what it was, though any commoner would just see it as an odd sort of pattern. Kasim held fast however, his gaze falling on the man that had just entered the clearing.

The Jester had no idea who he was, who any of these men were in fact.

To say he was weary was an understatement. Every rune that he used was a resource wasted, hours thrown away simply to survive. The more he could avoid using them the better, especially when they were etched into his skin. Fingers tightened slightly as he glanced over towards Aviana.

"I think it best everyone slow down." Kasim called out. "No need for further violence."

Not as long as he didn't have a sword anyway.

His gaze drifted towards the fallen man, searching for a weapon.

 

[Kjaran Mak Aodha]

Kjaran kept still. The man was unarmed but there was a very large elk stomping at the ground, its head tossing impatiently while it eyed him up. That and the swordswoman seemed ready to go for another bout. The bandit didn't dare make a grab for his sword, not with the half-elf's blade at his throat. He nodded, slumping back on the ground in defeat.

"There might be with yon lad" he murmured, his head indicating the bandit who'd been disarmed. He casually wiped his sword clean on the grass but didn't immediately sheathe it. It didn't look like they were bandits but having his horse shot from under him had left Kjaran a little wary of fellow travellers on the road.

"Sorry ye ran into these two. I'd have caught them but the legs aren't what they used to be" he said with an apologetic shrug. He stabbed his sword into the dirt so it stood hilt upward. "Slow down. I can do that. I'm sure not to be moving fast" he said, one wary eye on the elk.

 

[Aviana Sabel]

With the bandit subdued, Aviana kept her blade to his throat and glanced over to Erodin, then to Kjaran, and finally to Kasim. She noted the rune on his hand, but tucked the information away for assessment at a later date. Another whistle sounded from her lips to call the elk off from running down the new arrival.

She wasn't sure what to do with the bandit now that he'd surrendered. They were in the middle of the forest with no lawmen to hand the criminal over to. Her face scrunched up as she looked down at him.

"Mr. Areth, I need a way to restrain this man... There should be some rope in one of my saddle bags on Erodin. Could you please get it for me?"

 

[Kasim Areth]

Kasim nodded and wandered over to the pack, softly patting the elk as he retrieved a length of rope.

He glanced towards the armored fellow for a moment, noting that he had put down his weapon for the time being. He could still scoop it up and charge across the field but...well the elk could just smash into him and take care of that little problem. At least he hoped so, otherwise he'd end up getting skewered in the middle of the road.

With deft hands he unfurled the rope, grabbing the bandits arms and tying them behind his back.

Then suddenly he stopped as a thought occurred to him. He leaned down and grasped the mans belt. And incredulous gasp escaped the man, but Kasim silenced him with a quick thwap and then pulled his scabbard free. A second later he bent low and grabbed the man's sword from where he had dropped it. ”Road tax.”

The Jester explained as he inspected the weapon.

It wasn't anything special from what he could tell. There was no family crest, no runes or even a makers mark. The blade was well maintained, but looked to be the sort you could buy from any blacksmith in any town in Arethil. It was better than nothing though, and Kasim wasn't above taking from bandits.

With a eerily practiced motion Kasim returned the blade into its scabbard, pulling the belt over his chest and strapping the weapon to his back.

 

[Kjaran Mak Aodha]

Kjaran made a face. "It'd be kinder to kill him. Plenty of things out here that'll be happy to eat him and I don't see him reforming his ways" the voice wasn't harsh, just stating a fact. He didn't move to help or hinder the bandit being trussed up but he did smile a little as the sword was taken.

He sheathed his sword, holding the scabbard in his hand. It was only polite when all other parties had done so. "I take it ye're not bandits then?" there was some humour there. "What business have a half-elf and a-a" a lazy handwave substituted for describing Kasim, "Have on the road? Travelling troubadours?" They were far less scruffy looking than the mercenary was.

 

[Aviana Sabel]

"Mr. Areth is escorting me to..." She paused in the middle of her sentence, realizing that she wasn't entirely sure just where they were headed. "... Well, to the next the city, I suppose." Her accent was lilted and clearly not from these parts.

After Kasim had secured the bandit, she stood up and walked to Erodin to sheath her sword. Once that was taken care of, she ducked around the large beast and secured her shield back into place on the saddle, as well. Her arm ached from the powerful blows that it had absorbed, there would likely be some bruising along her forearm.

She leaned a little to the side as she buckled the straps, looking at Kjaran and Kasim from underneath Erodin's shaggy neck. "You may accompany us if you wish, Mr. Uhm..." Her words faltered, not knowing the burky man's name. "By Minaris' wings, how rude of me! We haven't been properly introduced."

She quickly finished fiddling with the buckler, then stepped over to the other side of the elk so that she could properly get a look at Kjaran. One leg was positioned a step behind the other, a fist clasped over her chest, and she dipped down in what looked to be a mixture of a curtsy and a bow. "Aviana Sabel." She explained, then gestured over to Kasim. "And Mr. Kasim Areth, the entertainer extraordinaire. Or at least, so he claims. I've yet to see such a performance from the man."

When she straightened herself, she looked to Kasim and grinned faintly.

 

[Kasim Areth]

Kasim slowly turned his head towards the elf woman, his gaze incredulous as it was dismayed.

Was she seriously inviting a random armed and armored stranger to travel along with them after encountering him in the middle of the woods? At least he and she had met in an inn and spoken before they'd joined up as companions. They had no idea who this man was except that he had some blood on him and carried a sword.

Those weren't great details. ”Err.”

Kasim made a noise with his throat, looking up at the girl from his place on the small sloap and shaking his head as if he were trying to determine her sanity. This woman was going to get him killed, and their new armored ‘friend’ was probably going to do the killing. Both of em if he had to guess.

”I am a bard.” He explained as he turned back to face the man. ”And a traveler.”

Close enough.

 

[Kjaran Mak Aodha]

The sharp eared spoke with an odd accent, one he couldn't quite place. "Escorting you, well he's doing a fine job" Kjaran managed. He wasn't sure if someone's charge was meant to lead the attack, for a noble the half-elf seemed happy to get her hands dirty. One brow did raise at the courtesy but he managed a smile. It was a bit unnerving. "Kjaran Mak Aodha, soldier of fortune" he offered, pausing only to give the bound bandit a kick with his foot. The smile didn't falter once.

"A bard? The gods bless and save us, my cousin wanted to be one" he told the restrained Kasim, stepping forward to clap a hand on his shoulder. "Never worked out though, voice on him like a crow. Do ya sing?" he asked with clear enthusiasm. Beaming uncomprehending friendship, he gave a shrug, "Well the road is always good to have company on. But what's left of my horse is just a little ways ahead. With all my worldly belongings. I'd not slow ye down?"

 

[Aviana Sabel]

Erodin heaved a snorting breath, nuzzling into his master's hand with his lips idly nibbling at her gloved fingers. Aviana glanced over her shoulder at the beast and smiled a little to herself. One of her hands reached to grab one of the reins, pulling the elk around so that he was standing next to her while Kjaran spoke with Kasim.

The bard's discomfort was not lost on her. She wasn't familiar with the societal norms here on the mainland, but she could tell when a man was uncomfortable. There was a small part of her that was amused by the fact, considering how cocky he normally seemed.

"No doubt the brigands that attacked you have a horse or two tucked away somewhere nearby." She mused, turning her blue gaze towards the bound survivor. She stared at the man for several seconds with a small smile forming on her lips as an idea came to mind.

"So, tell me, thief. If you've horses close, perhaps we could make a deal?"

 

[Kasim Areth]

He had already taken the man's sword, and for some reason he thought that might effect just how this 'deal' would come out.

In truth thought he wasn't entirely focused on that. The Bandit was a bandit, he could understand that motivation. Times were tough all over and in general things weren't too pleasant. What he couldn't really understand was the man standing in front of him in armor.

Sell swords were iffy at best.

Many of them claimed that they just wanted gold, but that wasn't really the greatest thing to hear either. Anyone with a big purse could throw gold at them and then boom, you got stabbed. Kasim didn't want to get stabbed.

He stared at the man, and then spoke. "What brings a sell sword out here?"

The question was innocent enough.

 

[Kjaran Mak Aodha]

"Change of scenery" Kjaran said, his voice airy. "I get bored after a season or two in a place. Always good to keep moving". He'd even tried his hand at farming once though that had had a bloody ending. "Though I think I'm right to keep the mail on during the day in these parts" he said, giving the bandit another kick.

Annoyed that he wasn't more forthcoming with answers, the sellsword dropped to his knees and grabbed the bound bandit. Whatever he whispered to him made the man go pale and Kjaran rose, brushing his hands as if he hadn't just confirmed Kasim's belief in murderous mood changing mercenaries.

"They're a hundred yards in from the road. Some people really do need to be asked twice". He sounded regretful. "Mind watching my things while I grab one? It's just around the next corner"

 

[Aviana Sabel]

The slender half-elf offered a bright smile, trying her best to look put together and friendly. It was certainly a struggle.

"Not at all. Though it may be wise for you to be quick. I'd rather not tary here for too long, in case more of his friends show up." She said, glancing over to Kasim.

It was obvious to her that he wasn't pleased with the offer she'd given to the sellsword, but it was too late for her to retract the words now. Why was he so upset this time? Her mouth quirked to the side and she turned to Erodin, pulling herself up into the saddle.

She gathered the reins in her hand, taking a deep breath to center herself. Her heart was still pounding away in her chest after the excitement and adrenaline of the fight.

 

[Kasim Areth]

Kasim was entirely sure that he did not like this man.

It wasn't anything personal of course, it was just that he was a stranger on the road and he very well looked like he could fight. Those two things together meant he posed a danger to Kasim himself, and that was something he just couldn't get behind. A part of him wanted to tell Aviana no, but the girl seemed determined.

Plus if the man did turn out to be trustworthy than he was someone else who could fight. His fingers drummed against the side of his thigh, and eventually he simply decided not to argue. It was best to just keep an eye on the man, and perhaps set up a rune of protection for himself.

Without another word Kasim wandered back towards his horse, grasping the pommel of his saddle and pulling himself up.

There was no time to waste. "Let's go."

The Jester's tone was brisk, though not in any way insulting. What they would do with the bandit he still had no idea, but the man didn't offer up much concern for Kasim. A bandit was a bandit, nothing more. It was a harsh way of thinking, Kasim's father would have been proud.

 

[Kjaran Mak Aodha]

Kjaran smiled and disappeared into the undergrowth, the sound of his tramping fading into the brush. They'd come across him again a couple of hundred feet further across the road. He had a docile mare tied to a branch, a second standing placidly by him while he fumbled with the saddlebags on his dead mount. A large two-handed sword was hefted and strapped onto the side of the saddle, Kjaran patting it affectionately before he went back looking for more.

"She cost me forty silver pieces. Didn't expect her to go that fast" he admitted, feeling a little guilty at the loss. "But still, we've two now. Should make as much as that in the next town". He clambered up onto the saddle with a grunt. He clearly wasn't a rider, the tall mercenary sat awkwardly in the saddle.

"Where did ye say ye were headed?"