Private Tales Foosty Gobshytes

[Kaius]

"No..." he answered with a glance down at her as she'd waved her hand between them, gesturing to whatever 'this' was.. "Me neither." he muttered quietly, his brow sloping with a soft frown. He was going to have a hard time remembering that she wasn't some delicate little petal. She'd been training to be a dreadlord, and she was by no means weak. He'd lived far longer than she had and yet had only had one real relationship in his life.

He stopped as she asked him to stay, and he frowned down at her, about to protest to her going alone before reminding himself that she didn't need to be looked after. He stepped back with a huff and took the bow from his shoulder.. "If you need me, you yell - right? Get in and get out as carefully as you can, but I mean it, Riley. Anything comes up and you call my name, I'll hear you." his brows arched at her, making sure she agreed before letting her go.

 

[Riley]

She was relieved and a bit surprised when he agreed. Head tilted, hazels finding those evergreen woods of his. She finally gave a quick, sharp nod. Hand reached forward, going for one of his. She squeezed his fingers.

"I will," she promised and meant it.

She slipped further in, letting her arms wrap around his torso as she gave him a quick squeeze. Nose breathed against his shirt, catching the pine and smoke from the fire the night before. As quickly as she'd been against him, she pulled away.

"I'll see you soon," lopsided smile overtook her face again. "Can't get rid of me that easily." Then she turned and walked quickly down the path that would take her through the only mainstreet. She'd start at the stables. See how well they were guarded.

 

[Kaius]

Gods..

He thought he might melt there and then as her arms wrapped around him and he looked down at her head against his chest. His hand ran over her hair and down her back as he let out a mollified sigh. She had the ability to both start and sooth his storms, and that lopsided grin of hers made his cheeks dimple.

"I hope not..." he answered in a stubborn rumble as he watched her walk away from him. His fingers tightened on his bow and his free hand squeezed at the tension in the back of his neck, starting to pace and never taking her eyes off of her for a moment until she was out of sight.

All he could do was wait, watch and worry.

 

[Riley]

Kaius would have to wait about an hour until he'd spot her riding a chestnut colored horse and leading the reigns of a mottled black and white one at her side. Without seeming too much in a hurry, she left the small town from the side and began circling her way back to where she'd left Kaius through the woods. There were no alarms. No locals chasing her.

Good signs for the worry-ridden elf.

Riley eased her horse forward, eyes searching through the trees for the familiar face. Relief she couldn't hide and a warmth in her eyes as she spotted him.

"You'll never guess how I got these."

She grinned like a scoundrel.

 

[Kaius]

He had to stop himself going to find her at least four times by the time Riley came back into view. The grass he'd been pacing back and forth on was broken and trampled right through to the earth and his palm was clammy from gripping his bow too tightly. He eased a little when he saw her, and now his eyes were on the town, anticipating someone running after her or aiming a weapon of their own.

As she got closer to the tree line and smiled at him, he let out a sigh of relief, a breath he hadn't been aware that he'd been holding. He smiled back, admiring her grin and he laughed under his breath.. "Pray tell.. And why is nobody chasing after you?..." his brow quirked, and he stepped out to take the black and white mare, his hand stroking down her nose and hushing her softly as she nickered at him.

 

[Riley]

"Well...," she drawled out, glancing over her shoulder just to make sure she wasn't being followed out of spite. But the woods remained quiet saved for the natural wildlife. Attention returned to Kaius, not having missed those lines of worry along his brow.

"Found a half drunk rich merchant in the pub. Played a nice game of cards and gambled for them. And won of course." Her smile widened a moment.

She'd cheated but Kaius didn't need to know that.

"A bet is a bet and though he was drunk poor piss and swearing more than me, the doaty gobshyte accepted his loss in the end."

 

[Kaius]

"Clever girl." he grinned at her, quite clearly impressed by her tactics. He squeezed and rubbed the tension from the back of his neck. The horse seemed to take a quick liking to him and nibbled at his cheek. Kaius laughed a sound of both amusement and relief and he reached up to pat Riley's thigh, his hand lingering for a moment longer to squeeze gently, simply glad to have her back safe.

"Alright.. Let's get out of here." he nodded and pulled himself up onto the mare's back with a gentle stroke through her mane before kicking gently with his heels.

"So.. He bet his horses. What exactly did you bet?..." Kaius asked curiously with a side glance.

 

[Riley]

Gods damned.

His touch even brief sent that fire through her veins. It was hard for her not to demand more from him. Right there. Instead, her fingers tightened on the reins. She eased her own horse forward, in line with his own. The trees were wide enough to do that. For now.

She blinked, refocusing on his question as she tried to not focus on the man's ass in the saddle as she came along his side.

"Oh-erm hahaha," she laughed it off, one hand coming to rub at the back of her neck awkwardly. "I bet him a night with me. Don't worry," she shot Kaius a look.

"There was no way he was gonna win. It was a safe bet." She drew herself up in the saddle a little more. Back a little straighter. That lopsided grin flashing briefly in Kaius' direction.

He would probably understand her meaning.

 

[Kaius]

Kaius pulled back on his horse's reins and lapsed into a shocked silence for a moment as he stared at her incredulously.

"Riley." He was trying not to get angry, but the worry and fear didn't always translate well.

"Are you fucking mental? You don't just walk into a random town and put yourself down in a bet, whether you're cheating or not!" he frowned. Not even that grin was saving her from his frustration this time.

"What if he'd realised you'd cheated? What if he hadn't cared whether he won the bet or not? You're not the only one who can use weapons, or magic - Riley. Fuck." he rubbed at his brow and let out an irate growl.

"I know you think you're invincible, lass, but don't ever put yourself in that sort of danger again. I have enough guilt on my conscience and that, that I couldn't have dealt with." he frowned at her and tore his gaze away with a huff.

 

[Riley]

She huffed, her posture not slumping one bit. "Would yah quit getting your feathers in such a ruffle?" One hand went down and gave a gentle pat along the horse's neck.

"Don't you remember how I trained? Who I trained with? Where I came from? That was a goddamned temple lesson compared to the easiest day at the Academy." She tried not to let his anger become kindling for her own. No, this she was trying to keep light. Because she understood that worry he'd felt. Or. Maybe, was beginning to understand it. He'd been the one having to wait outside the town. Not her. Not this time.

"I don't think I'm invincible," she insisted. "I just know when the odds are in my favor. Okay. Most of the time I know that." Her smile faded as she looked at him. A little more quietly. "What do you feel guilty for? And you better believe that if anything happens to me, it's not your fault." Voice rose on her last statement.

 

[Kaius]

Kai's head fell back, casting his face toward the heavens as though asking them for some sort of support. He huffed and groaned "Yes, Riley, I remember where you came from.." he looked up. "Do you think that bad things don't happen to Dreadlords? Do you think they don't make mistakes, that they aren't vulnerable?.." he narrowed his gaze. He could tell she wasn't going to accept what he was trying to say, he just wished she'd be more careful where her safety was concerned. She was too similar to Arwyl in that regard.

His brow knit at her question and he shook his head with a huff at her reassurances.. "Right.. So if anything happens to me, and you're there, I'm sure you won't question what you could have done to stop it happening.." his lips twisted and he nodded slowly. "I'll be sure to take none of the blame when you get yourself hurt." he agreed mockingly and kicked his heels at the mare's sides with a click of his tongue and a mutter to himself.

 

[Riley]

She frowned at his back as he momentarily drew ahead of her. Of course everything he said made sense. She eased her own horse forward.

"Kai," she finally breathed.

"I am careful - I was careful." A hand reached out, fingers touching against the outside of his arm. "Will you just stop, wait one goddamned moment. You said you trusted me, didn't you? Back at the clearing. Has that changed? And you don't get to just huff off. You can yell at me. Fight me like you did Arwyl. But you don't just get to trot away."

 

[Kaius]

Kai stopped again as she pulled up beside him and he rubbed at the back of his neck and then at his face. "I trust you, but you make it difficult for me to believe you're not going to do anything stupid." he muttered, unable to help but smirk even slightly as she mentioned him fighting her.

"I don't want to fight you.." he laughed under his breath and huffed with a shake of his head. "Look I.. Sometimes I just.." he stopped and growled. He'd been about to explain how sometimes he had to just, step away, go off on his own and deal with his thoughts and straighten them out. Being as old as he was, he'd collected a lot to think about, but he was generally able to piece them together after some time on his own. But... That was Arwyl. It was the prince he needed to step away from, the prince that drove him so utterly mad that he had to leave before being tempted to throttle him.

It wasn't Riley... The thought of storming away and leaving her made him physically ache and he frowned at her. "I'm sorry..." he conceded and reached to slide his hand into hers.. "You did well." he huffed with a smile.

 

[Riley]

As he slid his hand into hers, she melted a little. The fires she'd been stoking to hold her ground, to defend herself...fizzled. Only Kaius could do that.

"I mean, we could always tussle on the ground a bit," her brows waggled as she offered him a lighthearted wink. A squeeze of his hand. "And hey," she huffed. "If I never did anything stupid I never would've met you or Arwyl."

It was true. She chose to fight that dreadlord instead of run and that had gotten her sent through a jail wall.

An innocent shrug in his direction as she released his hand and turned her attention forward. Her expression became serious as her lips thinned. She knew she had to tell him. About meeting her brother recently. But she'd only just found Kaius and she was worried of losing him.

"When we stop for camp. Remind me that I need to tell you something. Okay?" Eyes flickered back to his bearded face.

 

[Kaius]

Tussle?...

Kaius arched a brow at her but didn't answer. Gods she confused him. The way she'd kissed him, her request to just 'rest', the way she'd reacted to being quiet literally swept off her feet. One minute she was passionate and the next she was vulnerable and she sent his mind spinning in so many different directions all at once and frankly, she terrified him.

He looked down at his hand as she squeezed it, a sort frown on his brow as she reminded him of the circumstances surrounding how they'd met. He couldn't deny the truth of her words, but he hadn't known her back then, if she'd died he'd have been none the wiser. Now, things were different. He clenched his hand into a fist as she let go of him and he slowly dragged his attention to the path ahead.

His horse had only taken a few more steps by the time he'd stopped her again, Riley's words causing his tension to build all over again. "D'you really expect me to wait until we make camp knowing you have 'something to tell me'....?" he looked at her expectantly.

"You can tell me now."

 

[Riley]

Riley shook him off, knowing full well this conversation was not best had on horses. The elf had nearly stormed off with their last one. And this one...she sighed, internally steeling herself.

"Soon, just, let's get a little further away from the town. That dreadlord." Heels dug into her own horse and she trotted forward. It was a few minutes more until she said. "Remember when Riz and I went on mission to steal more food for the camp? We went to a city close to the capitol."

They'd had to go closer to the heart of Vel Anir. Considering the amount of food they had to steal for camp. That might irk Kaius, unless Riz had told the commander already. But that wasn't the part Riley knew would irk him even more.

 

[Kaius]

He couldn't help but feel nervous about whatever it was she had to speak to him about. In the minutes of silence he tried to mollify his mind and convince himself that whatever it was, he could deal with. Whatever it was, he wouldn't be angry, or upset, but he doubted it could be anything good. His grip tightened on his reins as he fought the urge to press her further, his jaw clenching tightly to keep the questions locked behind his teeth.

When she finally spoke his brow arched and he pushed the very first thought he had out of his mind and cleared his throat with a frown, wishing he hadn't just created that mental image. "Aye, I remember." he urged.. "What about it?.."

 

[Riley]

She frowned as she looked ahead. Through the trees it looked like they were coming up to a cabin. Her eyes flickered toward the roof. No smoke curling from the chimney. Looked like it might be someone's winter cabin. Or abandoned from here but she couldn't be too sure.

"Riz and I got separated in the markets and a dreadlord caught me." Riley paused and looked back at Kaius, gnawing lightly on the outside of her bottom lip. "I tried to get away but a second one came...anyway, the second one ended up being my brother who I thought was dead and the first one was...um....pretty much his wife."

It was why she wasn't being executed right now or rotting in an Anirian prison perhaps about to be re-educated. It's why she'd been able to meet up with Riz early the next morning at their agreed upon extraction point in case something went wrong. Why they'd been able to return to Arwyl's camp. She'd never told Riz details of what had happened. Just that she'd gotten into some trouble. And he'd never pressed her, either.

 

[Kaius]

Kaius stared at her, part of him half expecting her to tell him she was joking, but when no punchline followed his jaw clenched and her let a huff escape his nose, but he continued on his path.

"Brother, hm?.." Kaius asked after a few moments to think. Technically, he couldn't be angry with her about being caught by a dreadlord, that had been bad luck but better luck that it hadn't been one who would have seen her hanged within the hour.

"How did you get caught?.." he asked with a frown, his shoulders rolling with a wave of guilt for allowing her to go in the first place. She wanted to pull her weight, she never had any issue with missions, but she was wanted just as much as they were and therefore just as much at risk even though she was human.

"Why didn't you tell me before?" Why hadn't Riz told her she'd gotten into trouble?

 

[Riley]

She gulped feeling as though this autumn day was suddenly much warmer. All those questions. Jaw clenched. She looked back toward that cabin. A hand lifted and rugged at the back of her neck. Then adjusted the sleeves of her shirt.

Damnit.

Kaius made her feel so nervous because she cared about his opinion. Cared about him.

A low sigh left her lips and she forced herself to face him again.

“Yes. Older brother. Vel Anir came for him when I was really young so I barely remember him. He and his wife are...different. They didn’t turn me in. Obviously.”

Different than all the other brainwashed dreadlords.

“I was um...doing magic and she sensed me. I didn’t know she was so close. But I didn’t tell you because I had to make sure they were who they said they were. That this wasn’t all some elaborate trap. That I could trust them. Trust him.”

A hand dragged down her face.

“And I know people don’t really trust me all that much already and if they knew I had an older brother dread lord.” Her shoulders shrugged then slumped.

“I haven’t told them anything about what I do. You all. Arwyl. And I won’t,” she quickly added in a stern promise. “But...I want to go back to them. I need more training with my magic and Zana agreed to help.”

 

[Kaius]

"Different.." he repeated the word so uncertainly without the lilt of a question. He'd never have believed any dreadlord could be 'different' from the rest until he met Riley, and so how could he say that her brother was not also 'different' without evidence to suggest otherwise. They hadn't turned her in, and so he had to give them the benefit of the doubt.

His face snapped to look at her as she spoke of going back and he gave her a look that needed no verbal explanation to tell her that he didn't think it was a good idea. "Riley.." he stopped himself and rubbed at the back of his neck.

"We do trust you, I just.. If they knew you were going back and forth between us and them I.." his head shook. If he didn't know her so well his first thought would be that she was spying on them too, he couldn't have blamed any other elf for thinking it. "You're aware of how dangerous that is?.. They may not turn you in Riley but there are other risks, if someone else were to see you. I couldn't.." he rubbed at his face now and drew in a deep breath which he let out in a huff.

"This is your decision." his head shook and he dropped his gaze. "I can't and won't stop you from seeing your brother. Just.." he frowned. "If Arwyl found out, he'd make you choose, if he was feeling generous enough to give you the choice. I don't enjoy lying to him, but I can't lose you." he rubbed at his face.

 

[Riley]

Riley slowed her horse, then stopped. She couldn't stop biting at her lips. It was a nasty habit that often left her lips chapped or slightly cut.

"I'm not asking you to...I don't want you to lie to him either." Swinging one leg over, she hopped off her horse at the first line of trees surrounding the cabin. A hand pointed to the abandoned-looking structure.

"Could probably hole up there for the night."

She pinched the bridge of her nose and circled her horse, running a hand down the dark mane. "I know about the risks," she said quietly and finally looked back to Kaius' face. By telling Kaius all this, it meant she trusted him. And she hoped he saw that. And if Arwyl found out...Riley wasn't worried about what he'd do to her. She was a little worried about what some of the others might do to her brother. Or try to do.

It was the same they could do to her, though.

And the more she knew about Arwyl and his band, the less she thought any of them would do it. Just like she'd never, NEVER, betray any of them. "Zana has magic like mine. Part of it and the training she could offer," Riley's voice trailed off, gazing up at the golden light on the tree branches above them. "That training could save our lives, Kaius. Give us a leg up in the upcoming skirmishes. If anything can help us, I'm willing to take the risk to go see them...even that close to Vel Anir."

And Talus was her brother. She was still sorting all that out. She had mixed feelings about it. But finding out her brother was alive?

"I wouldn't go back to them if I thought he was a goddamned muppet," Riley's hazel eyes, circled in that gold flickered back to Kaius.

 

[Kaius]

Kaius watched her dismount her horse and he frowned.. "But you are asking me to, because I can't tell him that." he muttered, and followed her gaze to the cabin. He'd been so preoccupied with what she'd been telling him that he'd remained entirely oblivious to their surroundings. He slipped down from his saddle and took hold of the mare's reins with a click of his tongue and started moving toward the cabin, a little more cautiously now.

"I know you know the risks but that doesn't stop you taking them. I'm happy that you found your brother, Riley. But Anirians don't take too kindly to elves. The more time you spend with them, they're going to want to know where you're going." he sighed.. “If I thought you’d be safer there, I’d tell you that you should stay with them rather than sneaking around..” he huffed and rolled a shoulder. It was a rock and hard place and he was firmly stuck between them, his loyalty to Arwyl, his feeling for Riley and his desire for her to be safe.

Kaius unclipped his axe from his saddle and tightened his grip on it as they approached the little cabin, his eyes narrowed as he looked around it for any signs of life. He stopped and bent to lift a rock from the ground and threw it against the door with a loud thud in case anything was waiting to pounce.

 

[Riley]

"Thank you for explaining to me how Anirians feel about elves," she said dryly. She couldn't help it. A huff of air left her lips. And a small snort at his next comment. "As if you could order me away, Kaius." A single brow lofted in his direction.

As if she'd want to leave him.

The only time she'd consider it would be if it protected him.

Her attention shifted to the door, tensing and waiting as the rock bounced off. She counted silently in her head and crouched low. Nothing happened. She began to straighten, her grip on the axe not really loosening. Turning back to Kaius, she lowered her axe.

"Maybe I'll go see them a few times and if it gets to be too much...I can stop. Or if it feels off. Or if you want to call it off." She frowned but she wanted to give Kaius the option. Would she be able to stop seeing her brother only just having found him?

Perhaps for Kaius she could.

 

[Kaius]

Kaius let out a huff of his own at her answer.. "You're not a normal Anirian." he muttered quietly and chose not to answer her comment about sending her away. It was the last thing he wanted, but if staying was more dangerous for her there was little choice in the matter.

His head shook gently and he glanced at her as he approached the door. "I told you. I won't stop you seeing your family. I'm just, trying to let you know that at some point, you may have to choose. Our worlds don't coexist very well.." he told her solemnly and shoved the door of the little cabin open. It was a cosy little place, a hunting cabin by the looks of it. Kaius ran his fingertips across the mantlepiece and looked at the dust on his fingertips..

"Don't think anyone has been here in a little while. We should be alright here." he rumbled and stepped back outside to unsaddle and tie up the horses, avoiding any more conversation.