Open Chronicles Mornings are Rough

[Emery Thatcher]

He caught the flung coins at him with a hawks speed and flipped them on to his arm, counting them out before jostling them from his arm to the air and catching them wholly once more. A cocky smile gleaming across his face. "I'd reckon thas' enough for some mutton." He cackled lightly to himself. "Lilya... Lilya..." He spoke aloud, tapping a finger to his chin.

"Don't know this town t'well, unfortunately. Actually trying to remember how the 'ell I got ere' myself... But! I do know your ventures led to the guards housing. The scuffle's a bit blurry fer me, but you did take the dress in that vicinity. If you get a hold of the guard who's been bending Lilya's back at night, you'll likely find er'. Can't imagine they'll be thrilled to see yer mugs though." He shot up from his chair and slammed the rest of his ale, and then put the coins in a sack that was clearly full enough for him to have not needed to ask for any additional currency.

He laughed again at the threat of his neck being rang by Nathanael McCallister, and Jane's collaboration of the idea.

"Darlin', it'd take this lout a hundred moons before he caught me."

 

[Nathanael McCallister]

Nate looked at Jane unamused, “Young man, you’re head is smaller than your cock.” He tells him, “Though,” The monster hunter starts to head out the door, “One should learn never to let cockiness to blind them when they know nothing.” He gives him a look of warning, “You know nothing about me you little pip-squeak.” He growls at him.

The bartender looks at Emery without saying a word and goes back to his business. He’d look at the coin sack, but didn’t press on it. He’d have his time, “Lets go Jane before I do wring the little bastards neck, Id rather not give you hung over eye candy either.”

 

[Jane]

Scratch the compliment on the memory, even if Jane was one to talk. Strawberry Blond was more or less in the same boat Jane had found herself, minus the barn. But he knew enough to get them moving again. Good news, the guard housing in question was probably as small as the tavern, quaint as Town Number Two was. Maybe Lilya's house was right next door? Jane could see herself swiping the dress off of a clothesline, yeah.

Heh. Heh heh. That sly bastard. Look at that fat sack of coin he had. It was almost like he went around in the wake of the drunken revelry parade robbing everyone that happened to get distracted or outright accosted in some fashion.

The thought that Emery perhaps might have--by logical extension of her previous thought should it be true--also swiped her armor whenever and wherever she had foolishly and drunkenly shed it did not cross Jane's mind.

Nate started going, and Jane--attached to him through the dual influences of caution and laziness--went with him, holding lightly onto his arm. Strawberry Blond really scuffed Nate's woodwork, huh. Figure with talk that incendiary Nate thought Blond to be a demon or something. They weren't that far removed from Guillotine, so far as Jane was aware. Nykios wouldn't find it funny if they'd missed one, but Jane'd probably have herself a hearty belly-laugh. Classic blunder, why wouldn't it be hilarious?

She giggled. Not because of that, the Oops missed a demon thought, but from what Nate had said.

"Eye candy. I like that. Mind if I steal it, Nate? One of the better Mainlander idioms I've heard."

Off to the guards' housing then. Or maybe Lilya would see Jane walking through her town wearing her dress and conveniently say something.

Nathanael McCallister Emery Thatcher

 

[Emery Thatcher]

It would feel like a whisper in everyone's ear.

"Beware the wolf hunter, child"

A voice not once heard by the room prior, but now seeping into everyone's mind. Was it imagination? It couldn't have been since Emery and the bartender heard it clearly. As had the other patrons. Meaning Jane and Nathanael McCallister would have certainly heard it too. It didn't seem to come from any direction. It would feel as if it was right next to all who heard it. A crackly, whispy voice. Imbued with terror and curiosity. Emery shook it off. He was used to the voices.

The thief laughed aloud at Nate's threats, which he did not take seriously whatsoever. Regardless of the danger they may actually entail for him. He wiped his eyes and regained his composure after a few moments.

"Yer funny, chief. I'mma come with ya'll." The bartender came back with his meat and Emery picked it off the plate and started chewing it while he followed the two out the door, making sure to be behind the both of him so he could shamelessly watch Jane walk away. Dress looked good on her, after all.

Mouth full of mutton; "I needth ta shee ya haff thith awkward confersation wiff er'." He swallowed his food. "It'll be a riot ta see how ya justify yer actions."

 

[Nathanael McCallister]

Nate chuckles, "It's not mine to steal, so it's all yours." He tells Jane, "Maybe I might say some more idioms for you to steal also along the way my hunter in crime." He tells her but spins around when the voice sounded.

He'd look at Jane with a serious look then at Emery the hair on his neck bristling grabbing Jane's arm and squeezing it gently, trying to tell her something was up but he didn't know what so close to the demon ran town there were just at. If she could even read that message with a hangover at all.

"Yeah yeah yeah, shut up already drunkard." He waves off Emery, "Let's get this done and over with and move on Jane, if need be I can get you new armor." He informs Jane quietly, "If that's okay. Before that kid fucks with us so much we get thrown in prison."

 

[Jane]

What in the immortal hell was that.

Jane glanced around with a narrowed brow and pinched lips when she heard the crackly, wispy voice (looked around--even if it was more so on the sluggish side--a bit too fast for her sloshing, hungover head). She thought she'd missed yet another patron in the tavern, perhaps somebody else who had a tip or two about the sprawling, crawling party that happened last night.

But nobody else seemed to make mention of it. Nate gave her one those looks--one of those, as the Guillotiners would say, "Keep your sword, keep it close" looks--and squeezed her arm. Comforting. Far as she knew, she only drank beer and ale and so on last night, not some orc's visionary brew, so she really ought not to be hearing things. Strawberry Blond didn't seem to give a shit, and neither did the barkeep, so...fuck it, Jane guessed.

Blond followed after them, munching a (damn delicious smelling) leg of meat as he did. He trailed in their wake as she and Nate stepped out of the lonely tavern and back onto the quaint streets of the little town. Conveniently little, mind. They wouldn't have to bumble around for long looking for the guards' housing.

Jane tossed a glance back over her shoulder, grinning and genial, and said, "Does it cost extra for your escort services? And you got a name, Mutton Man?"

Nate was none too interested in any of that. She leaned her ear toward him in a way blatantly conspiratorial and heard his urging to just get all this done with.

A cavalier bit of side-eye to Nate. Then she wiggled his arm back and forth some and said, "I appreciate the offer, Nate. Really, I won't bless you twice as hard for that. But we've got to at least put in the effort. You know what they say in Cerak: 'Keep working you fucking maggot.'"

A glance askew. A glance back. And Jane smiled as if a joke had her on the verge of a laugh. Said, "I only have terrible sayings from my home."

Through the street they went, the occasional folk of the town sparing them a look and the friendlier of the bunch offering up a wave and bidding them a good morning. And, up ahead, toward the town's eastern periphery, there was indeed a guard who by happenstance was coming their way. He stopped once he--some twenty or thirty paces removed--took full notice the trio. His sallet helm let the glimmer of recognition in his expression be quite evident.

Nathanael McCallister Emery Thatcher

 

[Emery Thatcher]

Emery put his hands up as if he was under arrest at the words of Nathanael McCallister.
"Oi oi oi!" He exclaimed. "Ain't no need to be riled up. Not tryna catch a prison sentence neither, ya hear? I'm just here for t'hell of it, nothin' sinister." He lied, as he stared directly at Jane's backside. Emery really didn't have a plan for this venture. It just sounded fun. Arguments were fun, watching dogooders try and talk their way out of their mistakes was fun. Plus he hoped he could find out exactly what HE did as well. Because he straight up did not remember.

Jane tossed a glance back to him, moving his eyes quickly up to hers from where his focus had been the whole walk thus far.

"Does it cost extra for your escort services?

He smirked. "Funny, I was just bout' t'ask ya the same thing," He spoke with a wink. "Emry's the name. Charmed, I'm fuckin' sure of it." He finally put his hands down to pull a crumpled cigarette from his pocket and lit it with an equally crumpled match.

As they moseyed their way, the guard came into sight. Emery recognized the bloke as he had recognized the three of them.

"Aye! Thas one o'them! O'er here! Mate, yer much uglier than I recall previous!" He cackled through the exhaling smoke once more. The guard did not find it funny and turned his head around quickly.

"CONOR. BERTRAM. THE THREE FROM LAST NIGHT ARE HERE." Emery rose an eyebrow.

"Oi, that ain't a happy tone now, is it?"

 

[Nathanael McCallister]

Nate chuckles, "Yeah yeah yeah, but keep in mind. This sort of shit happens all the time with my family, I'm sure the good Lord McCallister wouldn't mind helping me out with a good friend. AND we should work on your sayings in our travels". He tells Jane but jumps at the thought of some more blessing but takes a deep breath when he figured she was kidding. Hopefully.

He smiles. "Though, if you want an okay saying, try "Don't beat a dead horse." Or something like that." The monster hunter nudges Jane slightly, "Though you might be able to teach me some to be able to confuse whatever monster somehow thinks they captured me next."

The town was quite lovely, and it was quiet, kind of made him miss where he was from in away. The people were about their quiet business and others were off working the fields or lumber. The birds were singing their songs and the animals scurrying everywhere. Even the bugs seemed to be enjoying the daytime as they approached the guard and Emery spoke first -

And then he called the guard ugly.

"Oh for fuck sake. Don't piss off the people we are trying to repent to Emery, show some respect to the man." He groans and approaches the guard.

"Sir, my young lovely friend here was one of those pub crawlers last night." He introduced them just in case they don't remember, why was everyone in this town always wasted in some way?

"And we've come to look for Lilya and return her dress to her and hopefully find my good associate's armor. Which she may have left here in the chaos or whatever drunken blur she was in last night."

"Do you by any chance know of where we can find her?" Nate asks him even was ready to give a bit of coin to the guard, if this whole town was as money seeking as Emery was.

 

[Jane]

Here for the hell of it. Now there was a saying common to Cerak and the Mainland both. If Jane had a coin for every time she heard one of the pirates of the Black Bay say that, she could stack them all up and go for a climb and shake hands with Astra at the top.

Emry, huh. The delightfully unkempt, swashbuckling, charmed he's sure type. Reminded Jane of home. He had a hell of a tongue on him and that certainly was no compliant at all of Jane's. Maybe Astra would find it unbecoming, but you couldn't convert everybody now could you. Looking at you, Redeemer.

Funny, I was just bout' t'ask ya the same thing.

Jane glanced back again and just lightly bit the skin under her bottom lip and gave a quick perk of her eyebrows.

Eyes front again after she shared her saying from Cerak and Nate shared another of his. No, wait-wait-wait, before that. Did he say this sort of shit happens all the time with his family? A massive grin crossed Jane's face; she assumed that meant Nate and his family got hammered with a frequency that would make a dwarf sober, and she loved it. Astra would also find that unbecoming, but Jane could always pay her back for both her drunkenness and Nate's drunkenness--spend a little extra time with the whip.

But the Don't beat saying. Jane commented, "If we fight an undead horse, that'll confuse it. Huh. You like that. Ha, ha, my cleverness knows no bounds when I'm drunk!" She thought for a second. "But I'm not drunk, so we'll settle for silver."

Along they went and then came that guard. Charmed, Emry was sure.

Two other guards--Conor and Bertram, seemed--came from corners unseen and gathered about Ugly. Nate approached, Jane along with him, and he was the most diplomatic of the three for sure--Tychan was sure to be proud. Well, hopefully her armor was here in Town Number Two. The barkeep mentioned that she was only in her blue arming dress and pants when she had come to his tavern, but--possibly--she might have ditched it somewhere stupid before going to gulp down more beer.

Jane put on her best, Astra-like behavior, and said to the trio of guards, "I fucked up."

Astra, it should be noted, was likely used to face-palming at this point in Jane's journey into the light of Celestialism. Conversion didn't erase everything that she was prior, that was for damn sure. Jane had a lot to work on.

One of the guards, Bertram, shook his head at Jane and then looked to Nate and said, "Lilya, you say. How coincidental."

Then Bertram and Ugly both shifted their gazes to the third guard, Conor.

Nathanael McCallister Emery Thatcher

 

[Emery Thatcher]

"Look, not all of us can be blest' wit' a jawline like mine, aight?" He spoke in response to Nathanael McCallister's berating of his observation. "I'm just bein' honest wit' da' man."

Emery's eyebrows perked up at Jane's response as well. Might end up having a place to sleep after all. So long as the grumpy man didn't prevent it.

The guard shook his head but seemed to calm himself a bit thanks to Nate's ability to ease the situation. Impossible to tell what would have happened had his level headed self not coaxed the scenario from Emery's insult. The other two guards made their way onto the scene post haste. Bertram, who looked exhausted from being alive. And Conor, who seemed to be panning his eyes between Jane and Emery equally. With a lot of anger pent up. But what did he do? Perhaps he did have some hand in this awkward exchange the whole time.

When Bertram spoke, Conor's breath seemed to intensify.

"Lilya's the love of my life you fucking cock wart." Conor was looking dead at Emery now. "That dress." He pointed at Jane. "I purchased for her on our anniversary. And last night..." He drew his sword. The others trying to hold him back from rushing Emery where he stood.

"YOU FUCKED HER! YOU FUCKED HER AND SHE FUCKED YOU! SHE SWORE HER FEALTY TO ME AND YOU TURNED HER INTO AN ADULTEROUS WHORE! AND THEN THAT BITCH STOLE HER CLOTHES!"

Emery shook his head in disbelief. He couldn't believe he'd say such a thing. What lunacy would this fool have to hold in order to exclaim such nonsense. I mean was anyone really gonna believe him? He lowered his body forward, cigarette hanging out his mouth and eyebrow raised.

"I'm sorry but did you say... Fealty?" Emery cackled. "I ain't seen no lord in you, bub, and I guess Lilya didn't neither. Musta been a good time tho if I remembered er' name."

Conor broke free of the two holding him back with bloodlust in his eyes, sprinting straight for Emery.

 

[Nathanael McCallister]

Nate stood aside as Connor ran at Emery, “Im not getting into your two’s fight.” He tells Emery before asking the other guards, “Where is miss Lilya’s or that guard’s house? We just want to return the dress and be out of your hair.” He asks one of the guards as the other went to go stop the fight that was moment away from occurring.

The other guard who stuck behind sighed and pointed at a wooden house across town, “That’s the one for Lilya, Im pretty sure she is more likely to be there given.... her busy night last night.” He tells them before running off to help stop the pissed off Connor.

“Come on Jane, I would rather not get in the middle of their fight. Let’s make this right then scram. Well I’ll be scramming, I don’t know about you.” He tells her as the quickly walked away from the fuss.

Nate in general did not like stirring up unnecessary trouble. Particularly being around the risk of unnecessary trouble. It was bad for business, not to mention jail was not his place. It was not a bad idea to help Jane with her issues, but with Emery around he is second guessing it in general.

“The cat is out of the bag for Emery.”

 

[Jane]

Cut and dry. Jane fucked up, and Emry fucked Lilya. Conor was the only one of the three guards who was particularly enraged, and his ire was directed at Emry. Mostly. Turned out the dress was a nice gift, and he rightfully called Jane a bitch (heh, and if she had a coin for every time she heard that too), but he was far more focused on Emry. Again, rightfully so, as Emry worked his tongue and charmed (he's sure) the guard.

Nate stood aside and Jane still held his arm but she watched with a precise turning of her head and gleeful smirk as Conor went dashing for Emry. Ah, she loved a good fight. Watching one. Being in one--so long as she didn't catch any black eyes. Nate in his diplomatic way inquired further about Lilya, meanwhile.

Come on Jane...

"Yeah. Fine idea. I can't throw a punch worth a damn right now." She followed along while the scuffle ensued behind them. Followed and held Nate's steady arm for balance and hissed a little as she stepped on something with her bare right foot, hitching her shoulders up and her chest out as she drew in that sharp breath. This, highlighting something else she gave voice to, "Make this right. No mistake there, Nate. I need to get out of this dress before I accidentally rip it."

At least Emry was taking all of the current heat from the guards.

* * * * *​

Lilya, dressed in much simpler garb of modest means, as out behind the wooden house so indicated by the guard. She was checking everywhere. She'd already looked under every garment hanging on the clothesline between her house and the tree nearby, but she checked again, as if by doing it a second time it would cause her Green Dress to appear.

She clapped her hands to the top of her head.

It wasn't in her home, it wasn't outside, where was it??

Nathanael McCallister Emery Thatcher

 

[Nathanael McCallister]

Nate notices Jane jumping a bit again as she stepped on something else, so he once again picks her up and piggybacks her to Lilya’s house. “You won’t be able to rip it if I carry you at least. I just hope we find your armor. Otherwise we’re gonna need to get you new ones.”

He smiles imagining his dad’s face when he asks him for actual armor. He can just picture his father looking so confused particularly with the size of it, pretty small for Nate after all.

“Though you’ll have to take it to wherever you paladins take your armor to get blessed or whatever.” As they approached the house Nate knocks on the door after setting Jane down.

“Miss Lilya, we are here regarding that dress you’re looking for!” Nate calls out, “And hopefully get some information about some armor that was lost!”

As soon as dress was said the door quickly swings open, “You got it? You found it? Where is i-“ Lilya gasps out and was in mid-sentence when she sees Jane in it, “So that’s where it went you stolen it! I heard some word about some drunks running around!” Lilya crosses her arms tipping her foot in anger. “Whatever, you have it none the less.”

Opening the door the rest of the way she invite Jane and Nate in looking a bit relieved and angry.

 

[Emery Thatcher]

ABOUT A HUNDRED YARDS AWAY

Conor was again being restrained by his allies, begging him to let it go. The rage would not subside in the guards eyes. It's amazing how much Emery had accomplished without even having learned the name of this town. Or knowing how he even got here.

"Ehhhh, let t'bloke come at me. He ain't gonna feel any better til' he does." Bertram and the original guard shook their heads but knew he was right. They let his arms be free and Conor rushed Emery without a second thought. Emery spit his cigarette out and set his hands in his pockets, smiling widely. Conor brought the force of his sword down towards the thief. It would feel as if Emery himself was a mirage. The blade looked to him as if it had connected, but his periphery showed Emery standing to the left of Conor as if he'd been there the whole time.

"G'night." Emery spat with a grin. His shin connected into the bridge of Conor's nose, a large cracking heard throughout. He hit the ground hard and fainted immediately. His allies rushed to his side and picked him up.
Bertram looked up towards Emery and shouted;

"YOU ARE UNDER ARRE-" But the thief wasn't there. He already found himself leaning against the side of Lilya's house, now eavesdropping on his original party.

 

[Jane]

Nate to the rescue. Thaaaaat was much better. Honestly, she was going to need to clean up her feet after all this. Her boots were probably in the same place as her arming dress and pants--presumably Lilya's house--and they could not get there fast enough. This walking around bare foot thing was awful, why in the immortal hell did she even take her damn boots off in the first place? That must have been some good beer.

You won’t be able to rip it if I carry you at least.

"I will if I can keep arching my back like that," she said, grinning and settling into Nate's carry. "And yeah. I hope we find my armor too. It's shaped correctly."

Men, and a good number of women, didn't have to worry about that problem.

Take it to wherever she got it blessed. Ahh, back to the Redeemer. That was sure to go over well. Hey, you know that suit of armor you had specially crafted for me so I could start my path toward Astra as a proper paladin under your tutelage? Remember that? I lost it. No, don't blame me, blame the Dark Ones.

Jane found her footing once Nate set her down before Lilya's door. And that door swung open with a staggering alacrity. Rightfully pissed, Lilya. Jane wasn't sheepish nor apologetic about it at all, but instead level and cavalier, a "So this is what happened..." sort of tone.

She walked into the main room of the house when invited, saying, "I don't remember how I got into it, but here it is. And no vomit, praise Astra."

Lilya snapped her fingers (and, for a moment, Jane thought Lilya was actually disappointed that there was no vomit on her dress) and said, "So I suppose that blue dress on my bedroom windowsill is yours, then?"

Ooooohh. Okay. Now it seemed to be coming together. While Emry was unsheathing his sword, Lilya was slipping out of her shift dress and tossing it to the windowsill, and then Jane--meandering by outside the house--took drunken notice of the garment hanging out and had the dumb idea of switching. Astra knew that sounded exactly like something Jane would do.

"I'll bet that it is," Jane said. "Did you at least enjoy Emry? He's still around if you want another go."

There were few shades of red redder than Lilya's face just then. Hey, looked good her too, who knew. Red was a nice color, wasn't it.

"But let me change out of your dress first," Jane said, then--with a glance to the adjacent bedroom with the ajar door--walked toward it and added, "Nate can entertain you for a bit."

She guessed correctly, surprisingly enough: Lilya's room. And yes, like she said, Jane's blue arming dress was on the windowsill, hanging half in the room and half out of the house. She went to the window and leaned out and, yup, her boots and her arming pants set down along the outside wall. She bent over the windowsill and teetered in a haphazard balancing act--belly on the sill and legs in the air and arms stretched outside--to reach down and grab her boots and her pants and then lean back into the room (slosh, slosh went her head with all that perilous movement, ugh).

Jane hadn't bothered to close the door for privacy. It was Lilya's own damn house for one, she was mostly out of line of sight to the main room anyway, and she was hardly a prude (another starkly Mainlander word).

So Jane shimmied out of Lilya's dress and started putting on her own clothes.

Nathanael McCallister Emery Thatcher

 

[Emery Thatcher]

Emery could hear the conversation between the three quite well. He could also see the two still conscious guards looking around for the young thief while simultaneously carrying their knocked out friend back to his home. He couldn't help but smirk. Guards were always a riot for him. To think he'd slept with one of their ladies the night prior too. He felt like a god damned king.

He heard Nate explain their situation politely. Good tongue on that one. Too bad they'd never get along, he'd be helpful in regards to lying his way into galas in Vel Anir that Emery so desperately wanted to crash. Usually he found those not useful in his schemes to be worthy of pickpocketing, but he wasn't really all that willing to find out how hard Nathanael McCallister threw a punch.

Jane brought up his and Lilya's little blunder and his grin grew ten fold. Especially since she went about it so cheeky. Truth is, he'd definitely go again. Maybe he could Jane to get in on the fun, who knows? World was full of surprises. He heard a bit of rustling from a window behind the house and his ears perked up. He moseyed to the side and caught a glimpse of Jane pulling herself back in the window from retrieving clothes. Emery smiled and leaned against the wall just beside the window.

"Care if I steala' glance, love?" He asked with a chuckle.

---

There were stirrings in Emery's head that he was choosing to ignore. Xiahael was growing bored. Though Emery couldn't tell that's what was happening, he didn't feel right. The Unforgivable followed this thief due to his rambunctious and hedonistic nature, but the creature lurking in his mind was growing tired of nothing happening. It poked at Emery's brain.

 

[Nathanael McCallister]

“So that’s where your dress was Jane.” Nate chuckles but once Jane brought up the previous night with Lilya and Emery he’d just cough and run his hands through his hair.

Awkward for him even though he was not involved with that night. Still he’d watch as Jane left to Lilya’s room to go change.

“So Lilya, do you know of any monsters? You know, vampires, werewolves, sirens, the like.” Nate asks Lilya who looks at him confused at the question, “We hunt them.” Nate finsihes as she looked at him so confused. The woman lights up in understanding, “Well Guillotine just got hit by monsters I heard....”

“Already was there.”

“Well there is definetly a few demons and maybe some vampires running around still. Nothing here exactly. Though, I did hear something of a vampire nest east of here, maybe 5 days away.“

Nate sighs, she knew nothing. Absolutely nothing, to be fair it was a quiet town. But still atleast she was right about one thing, demons were probably running around still.

The monster hunter leans back against the wall and grits his teeth when he hear Emery’s voice. Man that boy needed to learn how to be a decent person. Even Nate himself wasn’t as bad as Emery!

“Jane, wanna go hunt some vampire!?” Nate calls out to Jane listening to the clack and clunks of her armor.

 

[Jane]

A voice. Emry, actually. Just outside and around the edge of the window. Now that was funny--he actually asked for permission. Jane's kind of joke.

"Only if you won against Conor," she said. "If not, don't cheat yourself. Go finish the job and then have a look. Ah. I mean. By Astra...don't you dare steal a glance..."

She couldn't help smirking at that. Really, though, it wasn't her fault if he looked. That degeneracy was on him, not her. Right, Astra? Wasn't like Jane was parading through the town topless. This was modest enough.

Jane set Lilya's dress down on her bed and collected up her arming pants and slipped one leg in, then the other, then shuffled her hips left to right to pull them up and belted them. She sat down on the floor for a moment to put her boots on (still keeping that foot cleansing present in the back of her mind), laced them, and stood again after she grabbed her dress. She slipped it on over her head and pulled it down and thrust one arm through a sleeve and then the other and adjusted her bosom to be snug and then laced up the back of the dress securely. Heh, it was going to be unlaced for the whole afternoon, once she found her damn whip and got to work flagellating herself. Astra and especially Nykios were sure to be waiting with bated breath.

Jane patted out the skirt of her dress when Nate called out to her. Ah ha! Now that was the calling needed to sate Nykios's thirst for her penance, and Astra was probably back behind him, nodding approvingly.

A parting wink to Emry if he, indeed, had been and was still looking through the window (parting was probably a strong word, though). Jane turned called back as she started walking, "Absolutely. One condition, Nate."

She emerged from the bedroom and into the main room of Lilya's house. Grinned. Finished saying, "I'm the only one allowed to bite you."

Jane put her hands on her hips, her grin fading as the dull pressure of her hangover--pressing against the inside of her forehead--intruded on her awareness again. To Lilya, "Your dress is on the bed."

And then to Nate, "Still need to put in the effort to find my armor and weapons. What do you figure? That I was really lazy and ditched them in the First Town, or that I came here wearing and carrying them still, and did something stupid with them before going to the tavern?"

An idea. And she raised her voice and called to Emry (likely to still be around), saying, "Hey! Emry! Do you remember seeing me in armor? Shiny armor."

Nathanael McCallister Emery Thatcher

 

[Emery Thatcher]

He could still hear Nate and Lilya's talking. Bit awkward, wasn't it? But the bloke mentioned something interesting. Not to him, but to Xiahael. The entity was ever curious about these 'vampires' which were apparently something that humans hunted. It could tell that Emery didn't care about the aforementioned creatures so he did a little mental nudging. Then, thinking it was of his own will, the thief found it to be a great possibility for a reward. Some cold hard coin and a little bit of impressing the lovely Jane didn't seem all that bad an idea.

"Oi, you think that wank could take me? Went down in one hit." With his response to Jane, he ran up the wall lightly with his hands in his pockets and leapt in the room. Well shucks, she'd already appropriated her pants. Top half was better than nothing, he supposed. "Pardon the intrusion, ladies." He spoke directly at Jane's chest and then offered her a click of his tongue and a wink. He turned his back to her and wandered into Lilya's and Nathanael McCallister's conversation. Lilya flushing red upon seeing him and hiding her face.

"Ah, no shame, love. I'd make the same mistake too." He blew her a kiss before turning his focus to Nate. "Whas' all this bouta' vampire? There a reward? Ain't done much creature killin' but I'm pretty straight and narrow wit' a knife. Watcha say? Lemme come along."

 

[Nathanael McCallister]

Nate sighs rubbing his hands down his face as Emery entered through the window. Then obviously got a look at Jane changing and then he entered the room.

“None of your business.” He tells him upfront and Lilya was still hiding her face out of embarrassment. Nate looks unamused at Emery. “Go get some actual training and learning done, both completed all the way, then we can talk.”

Nate tells him with a deadly serious tone, he had seen so many young kids die to them without the proper training and instruction. He’d look at Lilya with a look of pity. Poor thing was so embarrassed to be around Emery.

Then Jane walked back into the room,

"I'm the only one allowed to bite you."

It was nice seeing her in her original outfit again to be fair.

Nate laughs at that notion, “I’d like to see you try to bite me, hell I’d say draw blood but neither of us would want that.” He waves his pointer finger back and forth. He’d stand up and stretch giving Lilya a nod, “Thank you for your time Miss Lilya. We will be out of your hair now.” He’d give his thanks then head out the door with a somewhat accomplished look to his face.

“I recommend going back to the first town, if you were still in your armor there was no way you’d been able to change into Lilya’s dress in time. We could go there and check it out.” Nate stretches as he walks out into the now afternoon sunshine. “Emery can come as long as he keeps his smart mouth shut and his cock in his pants. But first town and that’s it.”

Nate still had a bit of figuring out to do with the young man and his scent, that voice was weird also. He did not want Emery running around a town free and loose where he could fuck up more people’s lives.

“Damn time flew by...” Nate sounds surprise.

 

[Jane]

Nate was none too keen on Emry's offer. Jane, for one, didn't give a shit. Not in the bad way, in the good way, where she wouldn't mind his company (hey, she'd have someone to Bless). Emry had an air of Cerak about him; and, despite Mainlander opinions, Cerak was her home. Not much of one, granted, and if Jane had her way she'd probably end up killing more than half of the people there, sure, but...home. Yeah.

By his own admission though, he "ain't done much creature killin'." Creature killin' was essentially Nate's middle and last names; Jane had seen it in Guillotine, and Nate himself said as much while they were having their stroll from the bar to Town Number Two.

It'd be a good time either way, with Nate and who knew about Emry. But Jane had the notion that Emry was the sort of (heh heh, Mainlander word time) gentleman who'd invite himself along.

I'd like to see you try to bite me.

Jane grinned, very much in a "Challenge Accepted" sort of fashion. She'd followed Nate out of Lilya's house, keeping her teeth to herself for the moment, and, to her surprise, actually maintaining some semblance of passable balance. The throbbing and sloshing in her head hadn't abated entirely, but it was far better than when she'd first woke up. Heh, maybe if she was ever feeling somewhat lazy in the future she could pretend to stub her toe and give Nate big, beseeching, would you be a sweetheart eyes and get a relaxing ride.

"Agreed. First town, and that's it," Jane said. "I'm fairly certain my armor and weapons are there. Hopefully...hopefully, Astra preserve me...I was smart enough to buy an inn room for the night and stowed my gear there. Or we might have to get into another fistfight to get them back, I don't know."

Jane shrugged and laughed and walked beside Nate and they started out from quaint little Town Number Two.

Nathanael McCallister Emery Thatcher

 

[Emery Thatcher]

Emery grinned. He hadn't planned on providing the two with the sight of his cock... But it'd be quite the prank, wouldn't it? As for his mouth, they should probably have gathered there was no stopping that from happening. He was excited! Unaware his excitement came from a little manipulation he felt a strange urge to fight some baddies. Though baddie was a relative term, as many considered himself to be one.

"Yeesh how many clothes can ya lose in day's time?" He cackled Jane's way. "Seems like ifit' weren't fer the grumpy partner yer travelin' with, you'd lose yer own damn head."

Emery followed them close behind as he had no idea where the hell they were headed but luckily they seemed to remember at least that much. He tried to think back on if he'd ever encountered a vampire before. From memory, there was nothing. He'd only had major run ins with the ratfolk of Vel Anir.

"So whats the plan den'? Drive a stick through the bastards heart? Eat some garlic bread? How we fight these things?" He started faking a stabbing motion in laughter, obviously not taking this seriously.

 

[Nathanael McCallister]

“There is no we, just me and Jane.” Nate growls, “I’m not saying it again, and I’d be less grumpy if you stop butting your way into our business.” He was getting a headache with this kid. “Trust me when I say they are out of your league, if you try to come along I will knock your little ass out and leave you tied up hanging from a tree. And just having you around makes me feel more tired than I am.” He warns Emery.

The hunter looked even more tired with the kid around, he would rather not be a parent to him. He felt as if he was probably the only more mature one. Followed by Jane... somewhat. Then finally Emery. He’d watch his feet as they walked kicking a stone out of the way because he was bored.

“If you do get in another fist fight I might actually join in, been wanting to fight a human or whatever that isn’t a monster for a change. Though hopefully your armor will be easier to get and a dragon didn’t fly off with it.”

The lycan takes a deep sniff of air then smiles happily as he stops and takes out his dagger, “Deer...”

 

[Jane]

Seems like ifit' weren't fer the grumpy partner yer travelin' with, you'd lose yer own damn head.

Jane shrugged, bolstering the Guess I've been lucky enough so far manner in which she did it by saying, "Not dead yet."

And Jane had some suggestions of questionable help on how best to slay vampires, but Nate was adamant about having none of it. You know...worst case scenario, Emry ends up being a distraction and getting slaughtered in several astoundingly creative ways at once. It'd buy Jane and Nate some time, that. And Astra liked people who at least put in the attempt, even if they got eviscerated on their first outing...right, Astra?

Placing her entwined hands on the top of her head, Jane walked along with the two of them down the road connecting the two small towns. Fortunately--even if Jane didn't know it because she couldn't remember--the walk was at least half that of the one she and Nate had embarked on earlier from the barn to Town Number Two.

"Yeah. I might only be able to throw a sloppy punch right now, but if one of you holds 'em and I can smack a bastard with righteous conviction." A beat passed, and Jane grinned. "Nykios probably wouldn't be fond of it, but he ought to be."

Heh, a dragon flying off with her armor though. That'd be just the right amount of awful luck to round out the miserable day, wouldn't it? Well. If something that shitty did happen, it wasn't all a loss. She liked spending time with Nate. So she still had that, armor or no armor.

Nate stopped. Jane, likewise, also stopped. Glanced around the undulating ground of the forest to either side of the road, then back at Nate and said, "Holy shit, you can smell a deer? I can't even see--"

Her stomach growled so damn loudly, it sounded as if it were one of the demons that had assaulted Guillotine. And, unlike them, had won.

Jane clicked her tongue. Said, "I did skip breakfast, huh."

Nathanael McCallister Emery Thatcher

 

[Emery Thatcher]

Emery bursts out in tears laughing. Slapping his leg all the way. He couldn't take Nate seriously. He never respected authority. Thought it to be a waste of everyone's time. He had a problem with those pompous enough to think themselves better than others because of their own made up 'resolve.' "Don't worry, pumpkin, I'll stay outta yer tight assed way. But fer the record, I go wherever the hell I want."

The thief shook his head. "Yeesh, the lot o' you ought to learn how to hold your liquor." He didn't speak with conviction though. As his head was throbbing like hell but he'd never admit to it. At this point the only thing keeping him together was the consistency of him getting to be a thorn in their sides.

He couldn't fathom how any man could smell a deer with no one in sight. Then again, his scent was ruined by the cigarettes and fact he hardly bathed.

Xiahael, however, could sense something else. Something wicked was not far off.

"What the FUCK?!" The boy exclaimed, holding his head in his hands. Xiahael was trying to beat something into his head.