Fable - Ask Public Enemies

[Sapphire]

If Sapphire had a coin for every time she was to be burned for witchcraft....


She had been doing well over the last few weeks. Cursed with a horrible ability, Sapphire had to isolate herself to prevent drawing unwanted attention to herself. This generally meant avoiding the cities, avoiding people. She tended to flit from hamlet to hamlet, staying where she could for as long as she could without having others take notice of her. It generally worked well; most of the little shit-holes she'd passed through had inns, and most of the innkeepers kept their mouths shut once a heavy enough bag of gold was thrown their way. While she'd avoided harm for long enough, each little village brought little more than a bed to sleep on, and a bowl of gruel to attempt to eat. Needless to say, she'd been heading nowhere fast.

But it had worked for her. There was something relieving about the monotony of it all. Avoiding the danger of being hunted, the guilt of bringing an innocent person excrutiating pain. The absolute mediocrity of the last few weeks had even been enough to scare off that demonic Bocan that had been following for some time. She wondered if the thing would ever come back to collect on his deal. Of course, she could have used the damned thing now. The most recent village she'd landed in was a primitive one. By their standards, the ability to write one's own name could pass for magic. The people here kept to themselves, and expected little of the world. Because of this, Sapphire had found herself growing a little too comfortable in the inn she'd set up in. She'd felt the safest that she had in weeks. There was no need to think three steps ahead anymore, no need to worry about someone learning of her abilities.

Of course, this was a lie. She'd grown careless among these simpletons, taking liberties that she hadn't allowed for herself in other towns. Walking amongst farmlands, conversing with those who worked them. She'd fooled herself into finding comfort in this small corner of the world, and it had cost her.

There was a man her age who worked the largest farm in the area. The eldest of four, he was to inherit the huge bounty of land owed to him by his father. Sapphire would stop by as he worked the land from time to time; initially out of boredom but later out of the enjoyment of the man's company. She'd tried to keep her distance best she could, but soon found herself exercising less caution in his presence. The day before last, he'd expressed his joy at meeting her, extending an invite for her to eat with his family that evening. A good meal was hard to come by for her, so she reluctantly accepted. Ecstatic, the man bounded for her, his arms extending in search of an embrace. Sapphire swore in response, attempting to back off but inevitably being too slow. The man gripped her tightly, and her curse took effect.

A bone in each of his arms snapped before he tore away, falling to the ground in agonized wails. Sapphire would have froze, had this not happened a dozen times before. She turned and fled the town, though had not gotten far before men and their hounds had tracked her down. Though her curse was powerful, she wasn't much of a fighter, and taking on half a dozen burly farmers left her with little chance of winning. They'd been merciful enough with their beatings, but assured her that they were only eager for her to fully appreciate the pain of the stake's fires. Prodding her along back into town, they'd locked her in an old animal shed, bound at the wrists.

She was to be executed in the morning.

 

[Tzuriel Alanthis]

It was becoming increasingly rare for Tzuriel to actually be able to travel with one of his caravans, business in Alliria kept him busy signing paperwork and sending letters, making deals and finalizing plans.
But finally he had an opening to travel, so he jumped on his first available caravan and just left.

Small little hamlets like these had little to offer in the way of trade, but one would be surprised what sort of local crafts can be bought and sold for a pretty copper, and they had goods of their own to barter with the locals.
But what was slightly unexpected was to see the little rural town mobbing a young girl and locking her in a shed as the caravan pulled into town... Not exactly a most welcoming sight, from the glimpse he caught of her she was in pretty rough shape.

The caravan rode into the town center and began unloading their wagons, Tzuriel hopped down from the wagon brushing road dust from his coat and putting on his best smile as the village elder approached them.
"Good morning, I'm Tzuriel Alanthis. We're merchants from Alliria, we've come to bring trade and good fortune to you."
The elder looked the well dressed man up and down, dark traveling clothes with a tailored cut, a long traveling coat, black leather gloves, high leather boots coming up to his knees, and a masterfully crafted rapier sheathed at his side. Complete with rings and a well trimmed and mannered appearance gave him the mark of a noble, though he was far from a noble and nobility didn't run in his family.
"We don't get many traders coming through here, master Alanthis. I am Keeth. We don't have much, but whatever trade you can offer our village is welcome. You have traveled far, I apologize for the unfortunate timing."
Tzuriel waved it off, "Think nothing of it. Though I am curious as to what sort of offense a young girl could cause for your charming little village..."
The elder spat in the dust, "She's a which, evil magic. She attacked some of our men and we had to bring her down. She'll be burned on the morrow, again, I apologize for the unfortunate timing."
Tzuriel shrugged and smiled, "Again, think nothing of it. I completely understand. Speak with my caravan master, he will give you the details of our business and work out prices to suite your means."

With a wave Tzuriel left the elder and strode off. He did indeed understand completely, and he wasn't okay with it. It reminded him of when he was afflicted, how he always kept his secret to avoid exactly this sort of reaction... It reminded him of when he first began, how he was first learning to control it and how it had gone wrong so many times and he was almost burned at the stake himself.
He took a meandering way around the village, pretending to soak in the sights and stretch his legs while he unobtrusively circled around to finally stop in front of the shed, now guarded by two burly farm boys.

"You should keep moving, sir... There's a bloody which in there, she'll snap your bones like dry kindling."
Tzuriel looked the two boys over, they were hardly out of their teens but already strong as horses.
"Just looking around, lads. I wondered if I could take a look at the one that's causing all of this trouble. Don't you think it's strange that a woman should be strong enough to break bones of grown men so easily?"
One of the boys shook his head, "Didn't have anything to do with strength, her touch does it, magic."
Well, that ruled out his first assumption. A vampire could certainly perform such a feat, but only a really old one might be able to do it with a touch, and a really old one wouldn't get caught.
"Don't think it'd be a good idea for you to go in there. She's a witch, she's dangerous."
Tzuriel smiled and shook his head, "I've dealt with far worse than witches on the road. Think I'll be fine."
He winked at them and pushed the door open while they tried to decide if it'd be a good idea to physically try to stop someone that looked like a nobleman.

 

[Sapphire]

The jeering mockery had grown old quite quickly. Taking their turns, the villagers would approach her end of the barn to yell obscenities through the thin planks of wood that separated them. Living in a small place like this left one with a downsized worldview, it seemed, as the insults hurled her way lacked any hint of creativity. After some time, however, a shift in the mob's atmosphere came, and the jeering quietened for a time.

Sapphire pressed her cheek against the barn's planked wall, squinting one eye shut as she attempted to peek through a crack between planks. The group had gathered around a wagon, though they were huddled too densely for her to spot who lead the horses. Was she to be carted off somewhere else to die? It seemed unlikely. Why go to the bother, or the risk? The village's residents seemed foolish, but surely even they would know this. She watched them for a time, but eventually the caravan was lead out of view.

She moved away, wondering who might have lead the caravan. Perhaps they were more civilised folk, who saw the madness in carrying out witch trials. Magic was commonplace across the lands, maybe they'd see persecuting someone over use of it to be inherently wrong. But then, the nature of her curse was far from ordinary magic, and she'd fail to be surprised if such people also opted to regard her as a witch. Thinking more on the topic, Sapphire wondered if it was indeed the most accurate title for her.

She didn't get much time to consider this thought, as the door unbolted and began to swing open.
But my execution's tomorrow...
Sapphire bolted to one of the thick wooden beams that held the shed up, facing opposite to the door. Her thin frame gave her a better chance than most in hiding in such a blatantly obvious spot. If someone was entering the shed now, it probably wasn't to kill her. Had they come alone, Sapphire would try to overpower them, in a last ditch effort at escape. Biding her time, she remained still, listening very carefully for oncoming footsteps.

Tzuriel Alanthis

 

[Tzuriel Alanthis]

"Ey! Listen sir, it's not a good idea to be in here!"
The two tough boys followed Tzuriel as he pushed into the barn.
"That witch will..."
"... Probably not be very happy with those who mobbed her," He cut them off, "If you're so concerned, look to your own safety. I can look after mine."
It hadn't dawned on them that they had entered the barn as well where the witch was being held, so they quickly backed up and pulled the door closed behind them.

Having been distracted by the two guards Tzuriel didn't see where the girl bolted to for a hiding spot... But in the dim light of the barn he could see even better than he could in the daylight, and since his safety might very well hang in the balance he was on the alert.
So it wasn't difficult to catch a glimpse of movement behind the support beam. His senses also detected the sound of her breath and heartbeat from that same spot.

He smirked to himself before calling out to her, "I'm not here to hurt you, but I am armed should you try anything stupid."
He decided to pretend he didn't know her hiding spot, in hopes that she would reveal herself without him having to force her. He walked off to the left of the shed to examine the different stalls, as if looking for her.
"Superstitious folk, these villagers. I suppose it's safe to assume you're not a local here? We have that much in common then, I've only just arrived."
His hand rested on the hilt of his rapier, ready to draw it at a moments notice. As he came up past the support beam he purposely turned his back to her.

Spoiler: Attack?

If she moves to attack she would instantly be faced with a blade pointed between her eyes, as if by some slight of hand he didn't even need to draw his sword and was somehow already facing her when she made her move.

Spoiler: Reveal?

If she steps out peacefully he would turn around and face her with a kind smile.

 

[Sapphire]

Three voices filled the room. The first two were young, crackly. Though their words suggested they held some position of power, the uncertainty in their tone revealed them to be mere boys playing soldier. Sapphire almost felt insulted that they be left to guard her. The third voice exuded more confidence, and spoke in a way that suggested he wasn't too concerned with the threat Sapphire was said to pose.

The door shut with another crack, and silence reigned once more. Again the third voice spoke, smoothly. He was well spoken, and Sapphire quickly came to the assumption that he wasn't from town. Still, that didn't warrant dropping her guard. He assured her he held no ill intentions, while balancing this with a threat, should she decide to attack him. If he wasn't bluffing, Sapphire didn't fancy her chances. She was unarmed, and would need to close the distance in order to do any real damage. The uncertainty of the man's identity and intentions lead her to hesitate further.

Footsteps crunched across the barn, and Sapphire hugged the beam closer. The man spoke more, confirming her suspicion that he too was an outsider. He was working hard to draw a connection between them, and Sapphire had to wonder if the villagers had sent him here to draw her out for a quicker death.

Then, he passed by the beam, back turned, and Sapphire's heart jolted in her chest. She was faced with a difficult choice. To take the man out would be to shatter his bones, and his blood-curdling screams would quickly alert the boys outside. While Sapphire reckoned she could take them, she didn't fancy her chances with the rest of the village. It seemed trusting this stranger was her only option.

She stepped back from the beam, putting a little more distance between her and the man. If he decided in the end to try and kill her, she at least wanted space to make a plan of attack. Observing the man from behind now, she first had him made for an elf. His impressive height suggested so. As he turned, however, he revealed himself as a human, his cold resting face brightening to a light smile as his eyes fell on her. He dressed well, suggesting that he came from wealth. What was he doing in this old sty of a village?

He looked innocent, though looks had deceived her before. Sapphire's expression was unwavered, and she spoke quietly for fear that the villagers outside would overhear.

"You were with that caravan?"

 

[Tzuriel Alanthis]

She didn't attack, a broken neck would have silenced him quickly and armed her with an enchanted sword, which told him that whatever event brought her here involved a mistake or misunderstanding of some kind.
There were other options of course, but he thought of himself as a good student of people, a simple tactical flaw in the idea of attacking him didn't convince him that she was simply playing it safe.

Now he got a good look at her, and he was grateful that even if she was a witch at least she wasn't a hag. His first glimpse of her was confirmed, a girl in her early twenties and not displeasing to the eye.

"You were with that caravan?"

He shrugged, "I own that caravan."
His smile reached his eyes this time and he took his hand off his sword.
"Let me introduce myself..."
He took a step forward and folded his right arm across his stomach as he bowed, though he maintained eye contact.
"Tzuriel Alanthis, head and owner of the Alanthis Trading Company..."
He straightened, his body language hiding no threats and only minimal traces of caution.
"... And your knight in shining armor, if you like..."

 

[Sapphire]

The man, Tzuriel Alanthis, spoke with the confidence, his smile expanding as he pulled away from his sword. Sapphire felt somewhat at ease by the relaxed stance he now assumed. With a curt bow, he introduced himself, and the company which he headed. The leader of a trading company... Sapphire wondered what it would be like to sit on such wealth. The man seemed so at ease, and she imagined there was little he ever had to worry about, little he had to struggle for. She would be lying if she said she didn't envy such a lifestyle.

His knightly proposal evoked minimum reaction, Sapphire raising a skeptical brow in his direction. The last couple of years had left her cynical, and she had no reason to believe Tzuriel would aid her out of the goodness of his heart. Fidgeting with the rope that bound her hands, she went on.
"Why offer your help? What's in this for you?".

Friendly as this guy came off, Sapphire didn't trust him. His arrival here, and interest in helping her seemed so unlikely. She wanted to be sure the man wouldn't stab her in the back the second she turned it to him. She wasn't looking for a saviour. She'd done well enough alone so far, so she kept the talking to a minimum, not even offering her name. Sapphire would be satisfied well enough if she could convince the man to cut her binds, and maybe distract the two oafs at the door. Even that would be enough to secure a good chance at escape.

 

[Tzuriel Alanthis]

"Why offer your help? What's in this for you?".

Skepticism, good, at least she wasn't a fool.
His smile turned back into a mischievous smirk, "Why indeed. Very perceptive of you, Milady."
He went into one of the animal stalls and came out with two small wooden crates, he set one in front of her and set the other a couple feet away from it and sat down, inviting her to do the same.
"What's in it for me to free you? Depending on how I do it, I secure friendship with this village and stand to gain a small profit through trade, and in the process I do a good deed for a fair maiden."
He grabbed a piece of straw from the floor and fiddled with it.
"If the people in this village believe that you are a witch, they can be convinced to believe anything. The boys outside mentioned that you break bones. I find the idea interesting, is it true?"

 

[Sapphire]

Tzuriel was aiming to decieve the villagers. Noting their willingness to believe just about anything, the merchant seemed fairly certain that he'd be able to do so, and perhaps secure her freedom in the process. Beneficial as this might be for the both of them, Sapphire was irked by his flirting tone. Over the last few miserable months she'd proven to herself that she was anything but a fair maiden or a damsel in distress. She was a survivor, and sometimes that involved becoming the monster people labelled her as.

Then he asked about her curse, though seemed skeptical about the ins and outs of it. Sapphire felt comfortable enough talking about it to those few who listened; perhaps out of a hope that they'd heard of something similar before, and could point her towards a cure. But then, a cure was something even the most expert of healers could find, from her experience.

If he were really eager for alliance with these people, he could bribe them with the most basic trinkets. Why go to the bother of helping me if there's a much easier way around all this?.

"I've had this curse since I was young, was never told how it came to be. My touch causes bones to shatter and snap. Sometimes it take time, others its almost instantaneous."

Sapphire sat opposite him, quite uncomfortably considering the rope on her wrists. Her steely gaze met his calmer blue eyes.

"These people are right to fear me, but I'm not a fucking witch"

 

[Tzuriel Alanthis]

He nodded and listened quietly while she detailed her 'curse' as she called it. He twirled the piece of straw in his fingers as he considered the girl seated across from his, his blue eyes met her gaze and held it.
"That must be frustrating... To go through life unable to touch anyone or anything you care about... To be persecuted whenever someone slipped up and you got caught... After all, if you had a choice then it wouldn't be a curse, would it?"

His smirk faded and his face took on a more thoughtful expression.
"I understand curses, but I don't understand those who think they have no choice."

"These people are right to fear me, but I'm not a fucking witch"

"Temper, temper..."
His voice gave a cautioning tone, but he stifled a smile.
"I happen to know a witch, a very charming person by all accounts."
He raised his hands in an open inviting gesture.
"I suppose I can tell you this much. Your abilities intrigue me, in my line of work such abilities are invaluable at the best of times... But as I said, I understand curses. If you don't think you can ever come to terms with your curse I completely understand."

 

[Sapphire]

His words evoked mixed reactions. His comment on her 'temper', almost pulled further swearings out of her. Following that, he expressed sympathy, recognising the difficulty of living with such an inconvenient curse. He spoke of how she couldn't touch the ones she loved, and Sapphire found herself fighting not to think of home, of her family.
"Still a curse, regardless of choice", she countered. She'd rather not let the man in, any connection he tried to make was better off reflected. The last time she'd gotten along with someone, he'd lost use of both his arms. "Even if I could control this, its an dark and evil power."

His expression of sympathy had painted him in a good light, though the words that followed had Sapphire gritting her teeth in annoyance. He saw her abilities as invaluable, something to gain from. She'd done her best to prevent her curse from causing any trouble, and here he was thinking of ways to exploit it.
"There's no 'coming to terms' with something like this. My life, anything I could have hoped for myself, was robbed from me by this curse. I don't know what kind of value you see in it, but if you think my curse is something that can be gained from, you must be twisted."

Sapphire was clenching her fists tight now, knuckles whitened and nails digging into her palms. She held his stare, wondering what he could possibly say to justify his viewpoint.

Tzuriel Alanthis

 

[Tzuriel Alanthis]

"Still a curse, regardless of choice", she countered. She'd rather not let the man in, any connection he tried to make was better off reflected. The last time she'd gotten along with someone, he'd lost use of both his arms. "Even if I could control this, its an dark and evil power."

Tzuriel shrugged, "Dark? Perhaps in a macabre sense... Evil? Well, that all depends on how you use it once you have the choice."
He crossed his foot over his knee and got comfortable, he didn't seem to be in any sort of hurry.
"I suppose I would agree with you that some curses remain so in spite of choice... I am a prime example of this, I was a vampire once and by choice."

"There's no 'coming to terms' with something like this. My life, anything I could have hoped for myself, was robbed from me by this curse. I don't know what kind of value you see in it, but if you think my curse is something that can be gained from, you must be twisted."

He noticed her polar reactions and realized the mistake of using blunt terms. Realizing he must sound like a total ass he tried breaking the tension with a smile again.
"I'm sorry, but I am a businessman first and foremost, seeing the value of a thing comes with the territory. Vampirism has a value and benefit that, for its time, outweighed the detriments."
He uncrossed his legs again and leaned forward.
"The problem I'm seeing here is you don't even know HOW to see your curse in a positive light, because you cannot control it. Because you can't control it all you know is that it does this horrible thing against your will to anything you care about... Reminds me of the cravings I had for blood."
He let the smile fade again and his blue stare pierced her eyes.
"I know it sounds horrible, revolting even because you've fought it and hid from it your whole life, but once you give it a chance to exercise, once you test its limits and stretch its uses... Once you come to terms with it and accept it as part of your life and know it inside and out, then you WILL find the control you seek. Then, once you can control it, the choice to use it or not will most certainly follow."
He raised his hands preemptively against an automatic denial.
"Think about it first, you know I'm right. No one with power ever learned to control it without practice... And since you're stuck with it for the rest of your life, I say you might as well give it a try."

 

[Sapphire]

Tzuriel disclosed that he was a vampire... once. Sapphire was under the assumption that vampirism had no cure. Tzuriel spoke of it like something that had lost his value, and was therefore discarded. He explained that he was a businessman, and he tended to speak of things in ways that businessmen generally did. That didn't gain him any point by Sapphire's standards. It seemed like he attributed a certain value to everything, and that these values guided his actions. Sapphire took whatever she could to survive. Tzuriel was sounding like a man who took things of value just because he could.

He seemed to shift about in his chair as he spoke, He argued that she was failing to see how she could reap benefit from her curse, should she learn to control it. He related this to his own experiences as a vampire, and she supposed she could sympathise with him in that sense. At lease she could stop herself from touching others; the bloodlust of a vampire took that choice away. Speaking of it seemed to sober the man, as he met her gaze again following the death of his smile. He spoke with a hopeful tone, stressing that accepting what had befallen her would take her on the path to controlling her curse. She wasn't convinced, as much as she wanted to be. She'd seen healers, mages and even historians. Not one of them had seen something like her curse before, and not one of them expected there to be an easy cure.

Yet he persisted. Tzuriel went on, displaying confidence in his own words. She wasn't sure why he was putting out for her as much as he was right now. He was a businessman, of course, so he was obviously going to prove convincing. But why did he want to convince her of anything? What could be possibly want from her abilities? A harsh rapping sounded on the door behind Tzuriel, as one of the boys urged him to hurry along.

"Look, I appreciate what you're saying, but even if I were to control this, I still have to live with the guilt. All the pain I've causedover the last couple of years, I can't exactly atone for this. Rather than practice and perfect control over this... curse, I'd rather just avoid giving it the chance to do its thing."

She stood from the crate, walking back to her wooden beam and leaning backwards against it.
"Those fools will be here in a minute. 'Spose its time you decide what you want to do about me". She was quite stuck at how Tzuriel had practically poured his heart out to her, but Sapphire found herself pulling away from the man. If he was as nice as he came across, he didn't deserve to wind up suffering for her sake. And if he had more nefarious intentions, then well, Sapphire was better off staying away.

Regardless, she needed to get out of this damned shed. If that meant working with Tzuriel and ditching him when the opportunity arose, then that's what she'd do.

Tzuriel Alanthis

 

[Tzuriel Alanthis]

The sound of the guards at the door didn't break his focus. He could see how her curse could be used as a blessing because in the end it came down to who the curse was used on. In his line of work he had a laundry list of people that he wanted out of the way, and if she knew them then she would no doubt agree. What her curse needed was a healthy outlet to help her learn how exactly the curse was triggered and what she could do to control that or suppress the triggers when she wanted.

"Look, I appreciate what you're saying, but even if I were to control this, I still have to live with the guilt. All the pain I've causedover the last couple of years, I can't exactly atone for this. Rather than practice and perfect control over this... curse, I'd rather just avoid giving it the chance to do its thing."

His gaze followed her as she stood up and moved to the beam.
"You're right about that... You will have to live with the guilt one way or the other... That's the unavoidable fact that you will have to face, the past cannot be changed and that is a burden you cannot escape. I carry that guilt as well for the innocents I fed on."
His eyes remained on hers and once again the smile returned.
"But... I only feel guilty because I fed on the innocent... I have no guilt or remorse for the evil people that I sucked dry."

"Those fools will be here in a minute. 'Spose its time you decide what you want to do about me".

She was right... It was time to decide, and he made his decision.
In one fluid motion he stood up, drew his sword, and made an upward slash at the cursed girl, and then sheathed the blade.
The next moment the ropes fell from her hands.
"You're free to go, and I won't stop you. If you can't think of anything useful to do with your curse I've got plenty of outlets for you to consider if you agree to join me. Or you can continue being a danger to those around you, having no direction or purpose, but it's your choice."

 

[Sapphire]

Again he spoke of his own experience, his own curse. Tzuriel had targeted the wicked in order to get by, sating his hunger by feeding on those who deserved it. In a way, Sapphire felt vampirism would be a much worse affliction than what she had to deal with. The idea of ravenously feeding on another human horrified her, as did the total loss of control that came with it. She'd dwelt on the thought for a moment, before she was woken by Tzuriel darting to his feet.

She'd no time to react when he swung the sword at her. In that moment she resigned that this was all some sick game. The merchant was a sadistic killer who had wanted to lull her into a false sense of security before promptly ending her life. It seemed she thought the worst of people, opening her eyes to realize the man had accurately severed the ropes that held her wrists together. Sapphire exhaled shakily, frown creasing over her eyes as she looked up at the swordsman.
"You could have warned me".

Tzuriel offered an alliance of some kind. He seemed to think joining him would give her some kind of purpose, and she had to hold herself from rolling her eyes at his grandiosity. But as her arms fell to her sides, and as the wooden doors began to creak open, Sapphire felt a surge of dread shoot up her chest. It was time for her to run again, to find some other hole to lie in before inevitably being caught. Unless... Well, it seemed clear enough that if Tzuriel wanted her dead, she'd be dead right now. While she was still skeptical of his intentions, no one had managed to prompt her to think of her curse in this light before. What was the worst that could happen by taking him up on his offer? Surely it couldn't be any worse than another few months on the run.
"Where do I find you?", she asked hurriedly, scanning over the merchant's shoulder for fear of the mob rushing in. Tzuriel spoke of outlets, of limiting her harm to others. It seemed like the only lead she had right now.

 

[Tzuriel Alanthis]

"You could have warned me".

He smirked, "I know, I'm a child like that. I always loved theater when I was little."
If it wasn't obvious by now, he had a thing for theatrics. He thought of himself as a student of people, he loved seeing how different people react to different things.

The villagers were coming in, probably concerned for him and ready to kill the Witch.

"Where do I find you?",

He blinked at her, not comprehending for a moment before it occurred to him that she was planning on running and meeting up with him.
"If your joining me, don't run."
He stepped out from behind the beam and confronted the villagers.

The burly boys were in front with clubs and a few other backed them up with the elder watching from the back.
"No need, gentlemen. As you can see I am unharmed. I've studied your 'witch' and concluded that she's in fact simply afflicted. There are organizations dedicated to the treatment of these symptoms, and when I leave I will be taking her with me to Alliria where she can receive proper treatment."
He addressed this to the elder who seemed surprised that he wasn't a mound of boneless flesh.
"She is not a witch, but she is hurt and scared and might do with a warm meal. I trust this won't be any problem?"
He spoke with practiced authority and a charming smile that served to sell his confidence and doubled as a challenge to these backwater superstitious hicks, almost daring them to call his bluff.

 

[Sapphire]

Thoughts of childhood lead Tzuriel to perk up again, as he excused himself for playing such a nasty trick on her. She hadn't much time to reminisce on the better parts of her childhood lately. Her life had been primarily guided by the more traumatic moments. Sapphire was shifting in her feet as the merchant spoke, eager to make a beeline for the first route of escape that presented itself to her.

Though Tzuriel had assumed she'd join him. Surely he didn't intend to talk his way around the villagers, to convince them to leave her go, after all she'd done. Sapphire couldn't find words before Alanthis stepped out to confront the two boys. By the sounds of things, they'd brought backup. Tzuriel spoke eloquently, something that probably garnered respect from these small-minded oafs.

Tzuriel referred to her as 'afflicted', and she couldn't help but wonder if he was using what he'd learned from his own vampiric experiences to convince the villagers now. Maybe he'd been hunted by a mob once, maybe someone had stood up for him like he was doing for her now. Still reluctant to step out, Sapphire rested her back against the beam, listening keenly to how the villagers might respond.
"Whether she be sickly or a witch, she broke my boys arms. He'll never work our farm again. I want bloody compensation, I do!".

Sapphire swore internally as the villagers piped up again, egging the farmer on.

"Where's me boy's Allirian treatment, eh? She started all this, the wench!"

"Ah, fuck you", Sapphire muttered inaudibly. She knew he was right, in a way, but right now this farmer was the only thing between her freedom and a burning stake.

Tzuriel Alanthis

 

[Tzuriel Alanthis]

"Whether she be sickly or a witch, she broke my boys arms. He'll never work our farm again. I want bloody compensation, I do!".

Sapphire swore internally as the villagers piped up again, egging the farmer on.

"Where's me boy's Allirian treatment, eh? She started all this, the wench!"

Tzuriel looked incredulously at the farmer with an expression that said 'Seriously?',
"My god, have you gone mad? Allirian treatment for two broken arms? Alliria is nearly a month away and by the time your son arrived his arms would have healed and he truly won't be able to farm again! Take a silver to the next village a days travel away, they have a doctor that can treat your boy for much less than the Allirian doctors would charge and once he's recovered he'll be able to farm again."
He reached into his wallet and took out a silver coin, "I'm shocked and ashamed of you if it takes money for you to leave an innocent girl alone, but here's your compensation. Go take your son to a doctor and once my business is completed you'll never see this girl in your village again."
He flipped the coin to the farmer.

Now was the moment of truth... Is the boy really the reason these villagers are up in arms? Or was their superstition stronger than any logical reasoning.
He discreetly laid his hand on the pommel of his rapier, preparing for the worst.

 

[Sapphire]

Tzuriel tossed a coin to the farmer, and the mob began muttering amongst themselves, some evidently moved by the merchant's words. Sapphire was almost humoured by Tzuriel's performance, and was beginning to think it might actually work. These village folk were foolish enough to go along with whatever a smooth-talking man said, it seemed. Certainly when coin became involved.

Things were rarely that simple, though, as Sapphire was beginning to learn lately. Another man spoke up now, his voice more measured than the furious farmer.
"Reckon the witch's put a hex on him lads, the poor bastard. He's probably completely unaware of his thoughts 'n actions, eh? You all saw the witch earlier, she was wild. Not innocent, and far too dangerous to let live."

This livened the mob up once again, and Sapphire grit her teeth. If the situation didn't resolve itself soon, she was going to have to try and barge out of her by force. Waiting for Tzuriel's next move, she attempted to subtly peer around the beam to get a look at the crowd her new ally was facing.

 

[Tzuriel Alanthis]

"Reckon the witch's put a hex on him lads, the poor bastard. He's probably completely unaware of his thoughts 'n actions, eh? You all saw the witch earlier, she was wild. Not innocent, and far too dangerous to let live."

Well, he had anticipated this outcome, but he was really banking on his reasoning to win them over.
Tzuriel had to do some fast thinking to get them out of this, a final attempt to avoid fighting their way out.
"If I'm bewitched then there's nothing you folks can do. If we fight you certainly couldn't win against me and my caravan, unless you didn't notice that we travel with mercenaries."
His mind still racing he flipped out his pocket watch and presented it to the villagers.
"That's assuming that a witch COULD bewitch me. This pocket watch is enchanted, I cannot be influenced by any being against my will... As a merchant this tool is invaluable to me in safeguarding my business."
A bluff, it was just a watch, but it was true that he had built up a strong mental resistance to outside influences, be it magical or even telepathic. But a pocket watch was easier to explain than years of mental training and exercise.

 

[Sapphire]

Tzuriel countered, and the mob fell silent. There was little they could do to debate his point. Their view of the world was small, and Tzuriel was a well-travelled man who'd managed to gain their trust for whatever reason. For a moment Sapphire considered revealing herself, exaggerating that she had indeed bewitched the merchant. She could have threatened the mob too, with an awful plague or decades of bad luck. She thought that might have been a fun thing to do.

Now wasn't the time for fun, though, and she remained silent. The mob, even the farmer, were in awe of the enchanted watch, asking all sorts of irrelevant questions, none warranting answers. Eventually the elder strode forward, looking up at Alanthis, with beady eyes.
"You'll take her now. We'll allow the girl to live, but if she harms any more of our people it will be your head too merchant!"

The elder spoke out of a need to preserve his own pride and dignity, horrified a appearing weak before his fellow townspeople. In truth, he could do little to argue with the merchant, and none of the men seemed quite experienced enough to take Tzuriel on. Sapphire breathed a sigh of relief, gladly knowing that she probably wouldn't have to hurt anyone else today. The villagers retreated from the shed, some still unhappy with the outcome of what had just happened, others just plain confused. The elder nodded to Tzuriel, before making his own way out of the shed. When they'd cleared out, Sapphire spoke from behind the beam.

"Did you know that was going to work?"

 

[Tzuriel Alanthis]

"You'll take her now. We'll allow the girl to live, but if she harms any more of our people it will be your head too merchant!"

Now that was more like it. Tzuriel broke into a smile and relaxed his shoulders.
"I'm taking responsibility for her, Elder. There will be no trouble from OUR end..."
He looked meaningfully at the farmers who only recently were willing to kill on a foolish notion. He made sure his insinuation was not lost on the elder that he wouldn't put up with any further foolishness from them either.

The mob broke up and he breathed a sigh of relief while the girl spoke up from her hiding place.

"Did you know that was going to work?"

Tzuriel shrugged. "It's not the first mob I've faced down, and while nothing is assured the moment they stopped to talk and listen to what I had to say I had them all in the palm of my hand."
He turned to face the beam where she was peaking out.
"On the off-chance that it didn't work?... Well, I'd have a few more lives to add to my guilty conscience... Though we've only just met I would rather fight on your side than join a mob."

 

[Sapphire]

"It's not the first mob I've faced down"

"I was beginning to suspect that", Sapphire said, stepping out from behind the beam. The farmers had just about finished filing out of the barn, the last couple of stragglers looking back for a glance at the witch. A feeling of relief washed over her as the door closed behind them, her thoughts soon racing to the wonder of how soon she could get away from this hellhole of a hamlet.

"Though we've only just met I would rather fight on your side than join a mob."

Sapphire was inclined to believe that. Tzuriel was proving himself to be a decent man, or at the very least, a valuable ally. Her eyes failed to meet his now, instead looking over her shoulder as she spoke
"Thanks. I appreciate the help".
She couldn't remember the last time she'd said something like that. She had relied on no one but herself over her time on the run. In some ways, it had protected her from betrayal. Other times, when she refused help it had wound up getting her into even bigger trouble. She wondered what trouble shee'd have gotten in if she refused help today.

"We should go, before someone with more than half a brain realises what's just happened".

 

[Tzuriel Alanthis]

"We should go, before someone with more than half a brain realises what's just happened".

Tzuriel chuckled, "Anyone here with more than half a brain would know it's foolish to try anything at this point. I wasn't lying, I do travel with mercenaries and adventurers.
I'd be more worried about those with less than half a brain who attempt something anyways out of spite."
He was about to offer her his arm to escort her out of the shed but then chuckled thinking better of it.
Instead he moved to the door and opened it for her with a slight bow.
"After you, milady."

Outside the caravan had unloaded there wares and we're calling out to the villagers and drumming up business.
It was true, men in leather armor and armed with swords walked about protecting the merchants, and even a few of the merchants themselves were armed and armored.
The caravan master met Tzuriel's gaze and they both exchanged a conspiratory nod.

Still careful not to touch her Tzuriel led the girl over to the wagons where a couple adventurers leaned against a wheel to keep an eye on things.
"We won't be leaving immediately. Only a guilty culprit flees the scene after talking down the watchman. We'll finish what we came here to do, prove we've got nothing to hide, and leave when the time comes. Sound good?"
As an afterthought Tzuriel caught himself, "I'm sorry, I never got your name, miss. Have I earned the right to know it?"

 

[Sapphire]

"Anyone here with more than half a brain would know it's foolish to try anything at this point. I wasn't lying, I do travel with mercenaries and adventurers.
I'd be more worried about those with less than half a brain who attempt something anyways out of spite."

Sapphire wasn't sure whether what Tzuriel said was a good or bad thing. On the plus side, the mercenaries would certainly secure her way out of this village, even if the use of force was necessary. However, she also had to consider that if Tzuriel was aiming to deceive or use her, he had capable soldiers to back him up in doing so. If she wanted to give him the slip, and they were surrounded by armed men, then she'd be posed with a problem.

He spoke wisely. She hadn't considered those who'd aim to attack her regardless of the merchant's words. The villagers were a superstitious folk, and were less likely to listen to reason because of it. They'd have to be wary of those foolish enough to oppose the elder.

She eyed Tzuriel warily as he held the door for her, slipping by back into the outside world. As Tzuriel led her to meet the caravan, Sapphire cast her eyes back to where she'd been paraded in front of the village. The elder had gathered a crowd there, and was likely updating them of what had just transpired. He looked to her, and the villagers turned, following his gaze. Mixed reactions fell on the faces that met her; fear, disgust, apathy. Damn, she wanted to get out of here.

Tzuriel didn't seem to hold such a desire. He wanted to prove something to the villagers about her, and her abilities. Sapphire didn't see much a point in this, and just wanted to leave as soon as possible. She eyed one of the carriages as the merchant spoke.

"We won't be leaving immediately. Only a guilty culprit flees the scene after talking down the watchman. We'll finish what we came here to do, prove we've got nothing to hide, and leave when the time comes. Sound good?"
As an afterthought Tzuriel caught himself, "I'm sorry, I never got your name, miss. Have I earned the right to know it?"

"I'd much rather leaving now, actually. At the very least, I'd like to stay in one of these carriages until you've finished up your business here."Sapphire folded her arms, glancing to the crowd once more, then back to Tzuriel. She supposed he had earned her name, at least.
"Its Sapphire", she greeted, her own name feeling odd to say. Even back hope she'd always been Saph, though that was a name reserved for those who'd gained her trust, and whose trust she had gained. There weren't much people like that left.