Fable - Ask Shedding Skin

[Davi]

Davi lingered by the river a while longer in order to let his horse have the long drink Ralene's had already helped itself to. Enemies had never been his intention in life, it had simply been, and it was a hard habit to now see others as anything but that. He scrunched up his nose at the realisation; he'd certainly need to start addressing it if he had any intentions on making the new life Ralene promised a better one. Shaking his head he eventually led the roan up the slope to join Ralene's mare, draping the feedbag over his head and untacking the rest. If they needed a quick get away he could ride bareback well enough and the gelding deserved some time without the saddle.

"Time to start... making friends, I guess," he muttered and trudged towards the scents of fire and people.

The shifter's ears pricked up at the few snatches of conversation that drifted to him as he drew closer.

"I'm not sure about clean... but I'm unarmed if that's what you mean," he commented as he finally stepped into the light of the fire, hands raised to show they were indeed empty if not fully clean. No scent of alarm came off Ralene so he followed her lead and marshalled his self control to ignore the arrow that tracked him over to the stump he chose for his seat.

"Elves and Dreadlords," muttered one of them beneath their breath before louder saying, "put your bow down Aithwen."

Slowly, the archer lowered her bow.

"You're not Falwood elves," Davi pointed out calmly as he began to rummage through his saddle pack, setting out a small loaf of bread and a portion of cheese. "Not many others choose to come through Anirian territory."

 

[Samantha Black]

Ral was already working the laces of her boot loose, giving Davi a glance as he arrived and an easy, fleeting smile when he made the effort to act with care. She never thought him to be a brute - gods knew he had more tact than Ed or Eli, but Davi always struck her as a bit of a wild card. Hard to predict at times, so Ral wasn't entirely sure what to expect.

But she hoped her own calm approach would ease the tensions. Seemed to be working, at least.

"We're not," said the male, "we're from much farther south, beyond the realm of the Falwood. City called New Miral."

"You shouldn't tell them so much, Gael," Aithwen eyed the pair, "you heard what the others said."

"Forgive my sister," the one called Gael motioned to her, "she forgets our own heritage sometimes. Our father was human."

"I do not think that matters here," Aithwen hissed, "this isn't New Miral. We should take more care who we keep as company."

"She's right," Ralene spoke up finally as she inspected her boot, "you should be careful. This area hasn't been safe for elves for centuries. Vel Anir's had a revolution and a change of heart concerning them, but old and long habits are hard to break."

"You see?" the sister frowned, "We should leave."

"No," Gael eyed Ral first and then Davi, "I do not believe they mean us harm. ...but why not? Why are you different from everyone else, if what you say is true?"

 

[Davi]

"We're not," Davi said simply with a shrug. At least, in his mind there was no real difference between them and the others who had graduated in their class; Sable, Hank, Trix, Evie - even Zael. Especially not after what had happened only a few days ago. His comment caused the female elf to reach for the large knife shoved through her belt but Davi made no move for his sword nor his magic. Instead he kept rummaging in his pack until he had found the dried meat he wanted.

"But what is the point in killing you? We have no orders to, we have no desire to, and - frankly - it sounds like a lot of effort after a long day in the saddle and a hard week," he broke off a bit of bread and cheese and proceeded to take a rather delicate bite for someone of his stature.

 

[Samantha Black]

Ralene eyed Davi after that initial comment but decided not to interject her own thoughts. She counted herself among the few that were different simply for the fact that she wouldn't kill a non-human just because they were a non-human. Orders were a different story, and if that made her just like the rest of them she'd have an argument to make that it didn't.

"Stop it, Aith," Gael hissed at his sister who gave him a wicked scowl.

It all boiled down to doing what had to be done.

"So," she busied herself extracting leather repairing tools and materials from a smaller bag set beside her, "why are you so far away from home?"

"We're searching for our mother," Gael replied, settling back down in his spot by the fire in some semblance of outward comfort, "heading for the portal stone to Elbion."

"She captured?" Ral asked.

"No, at least, we have no reason to believe she was. She's a mercenary that hunts monsters, if the rumors are to be believed. There's a monster hunter guild that has a chapter in Elbion, we're hoping they may have heard of her or the man she travels with."

"Not your father?"

"Our father's dead."

Aithwen took her seat finally, sheathing her blade and stowing her bow, though it was handily ready. "That's our story," she grumbled, "why are you two out here?"

 

[Davi]

Davi would have been quite content for them all to sit in silence. Even before they'd learnt their new fireside companions were elves he had said a silent goodbye to that wish; people always wanted to talk. He finished eating his bite, waiting to see if Ralene would answer this question too, before finishing his mouthful and suppressing a begrudging sigh.

"We're travelling North."

A pregnant silence filled with expectation followed. This time, he didn't quite manage to repress the sigh.

"To Vel Draza, reporting to one of our Generals--"

"Why?" demanded Althwen, her hand clenching round the dagger hilt.

"Give him a chance to speak," her brother hushed though Davi could see from his eyes the story made him nervous.

"Nothing to do with elves," Davi began to make up a sandwich. "We're moving out West," that seemed to relax them both, he more than she. Once he was done making up the basic sandwich he silently set it beside Ralene.

 

[Samantha Black]

Minding her own business, to suddenly be sandwiched came as a very pleasant surprise. Ral paused in her motions of fussing with the woebegotten boot to look down at the offering sat next to her and blinked at it as if Davi had just put a large stone beside her for some unknown reason. She could fix herself some food just fine on her own (how dare he do something nice for her?) but Ralene would never turn down food simply offered to her.

Unless, of course, she had reason to suspect foul play. Not the case here she liked to believe - or she had greatly underestimated Davi's level of hidden agenda. Waste not, want not. She picked it up and took a bite. If she had to go down from being poisoned, she'd like to do so with a full belly.

"We're part of the military," Ral filled in for her companion who seemed more concerned about a meal than he did conversation. She could hardly blame him. They could take turns, needs be. "Moving to a new assignment, new boss on the western front. Lots of elves out that way, though, not just the ones from the Falwood. Empire has a large population of Kaliti elves ... sand elves."

"We've heard of them from our mother," nodded Gael, "in fact I believe we have a distant cousin or two in the Amol Kalit."

"What are you doing?" Aithwen scowled at Ralene.

"Fixing my boot," Ral held it up and flapped the loose outsole at her before taking a large bite and continuing with her mouth full, "eafing a san-whiff. What are you doing?"

The she-elf scoffed, stood from her seat and stomped off back to her bedroll under a makeshift canvas covering they'd set up among the saplings.

"Apologies," Gael gave a shrug of his hands, "she's always been like this. Try not to take offense."

"She's a doll compared to what we grew up with."

"I'm Gaelen," he leaned forward and offered a hand to Davi to shake, "it's a pleasure to meet two Dreadlords and not get my head lopped off."

 

[Davi]

Davi looked at the offered hand like a wary dog before slowly lowering his own sandwich and taking it in a firm grip.

"Davi," he replied then released the man as quickly as possible. Touch had never been something the man had been comfortable with; for far too long it had been linked to pain. Now even a simple handshake made him want to wipe his hand on his trouser leg. He resisted the urge, assuming it might be construed as rude - or worse - when he was doing it to an elf.

"We're not killing the elves," Davi clarified but in a tone that suggested it shouldn't need saying, his eyes flickering from the lump under the bedroll which snorted, back to the male still sitting around the fire. "At least, not because they're elves," he scowled at the sandwich in his hands. Fuck, but he was not good at this. "There's actually an elven quarter in Vel Anir now."

 

[Samantha Black]

Gaelen looked mildly put-off by the hasty handshake but decided to take his own advice, "Well met, Davi," then offered the same hand to Ralene.

"Ralene," she said, affording the elf a solid and friendly handshake, "he's always been like this," Ral said with a smirk and a nod of her head to Davi, "try not to take offense."

The elf gave a chuff of a laugh as he sat back again, "Well, we've all got our stories haven't we?"

"Some more than others," Ral finished her sandwich in what might've been considered record time for a normal person. She never wasted food.

"You both must have quite a few then ... as Dreadlords? We hear tales about them even as far south as we live," the elf calmly stoked the fire with a stick, adding an extra log to the tune of crackling embers.

The notion that Davi wouldn't care to talk about his escapades was strong, and given he was taking his painfully sweet time making that sandwich Ral assumed he wouldn't mind if she hogged the conversation. "Mm," she began as her hands pulled out a length of heavy thread from a spool and nipped it with a utility knife, "hunted and killed a dragon during my apprenticeship."

"Seven hells," Gaelen sputtered, "you've got to be joking."

"Noh," Ral threaded an oversized needle and spun a knot onto the end, "got a fang and plenty of scars to show for it," among other things she wouldn't mention. She fell silent as she began to resew the welt of her boot, glancing up to find Gaelen looking at her expectantly and his sister sitting up in her bedroll pretending to be reading a book. It was too dark to read over there, Ral could tell she was listening in.

"So," she took a deep breath and settled back against the chunk of stone and began to tell the story of her mission with Dreadlord Sagarus into the northern expanse, chasing down a rampaging elder black dragon.

Took a good hour to tell it all, but by the time she finished Gaelen looked eager to hear more - until his sister reminded him they had another hundred miles to go and he needed his sleep. The elf bid them goodnight and moved to join his sister under their tarp, seemingly unworried about any untoward intent of their Dreadlord company.

Satisfied with her role for the evening, she glanced over at Davi and stretched to nudge at him with her unbooted foot, "I'll take first watch. Not quite finished with this."

 

[Davi]

To anyone with a keen eye and who was watching, Davi seemed to relax as attention and conversation veered away from him. He was far more comfortable listening and eating - something which suddenly sped up once Ralene took the reins - than he was engaging with the conversation. He did, however, listen with quiet intent as Ralene regaled them all with her story. He'd only heard whispers of the mission in the Academy halls but it was another thing to hear it straight from the source.

At some point during the tale he had, however, succumbed to the exhaustion of the last few days, his wounds, and the days ride. His chin rested against his chest until Ral nudged him.

"Mm? M'kay," no sense in protesting. Instead he bedded down. "Wake me when it's my turn."

 

[Samantha Black]

She did not, in fact, wake him for his turn.

"Davi," Ral's tone hushed to him in the quiet of the morning, her hand firmly gripping his shoulder as she knelt by his bedroll, "wake up. Time for us to head out."

The sky had already begun to pink with sunlight and morning dew clung to every surface. The fire now cold, Ralene moved from his side to finish packing up her bag. "Elves are gone already. Made us coffee and brek before they left. Some there for you, should still be warm."

 

[Davi]

Davi felt as though he were wading through mud to wake. The healers had done a tremendous job in healing the worst of his serious injuries but the toil healing took on the body was almost not worth it. Certainly he had never sought it out for minor cuts and grazes for such a reason. He groaned with the effort of waking and his eyes squinted against the morning light...

Morning light? But his watch...

He sat bolt up and stared at Ralene. His first emotional response was anger; did she think him too weak to take a watch? That he needed to be mothered? But then he thought of what he would have done had the roles been reversed and so held his tongue and glanced to the coffee.

"Thanks," he grumped as little as he could manage and set about filling a cup from his pack. "How much further had we got to go?" he queried in between bites of the morning meal.

 

[Samantha Black]

"Bout the same as yesterday," Ralene replied, maintaining her casual vibe as she continued packing, "should reach Vel Draza by early evening."

Bag packed, she stood and hoisted it over her shoulder, "I'll get the horses ready to go." In any other circumstance those words likely would have been said bitterly. Often on group missions it had been the case that Ralene was the responsible one, forced to take charge and do the work for lack of anyone more competent. Today was different. Ral was content to take on that chore in order to let Davi eat and not feel rushed. They had only one destination and it would take them all day to get there regardless - a few extra minutes wouldn't make any difference. So today the words were spoken with care and maybe even some warmth.

By the time Davi finished his meal the horses were tacked and ready to go, Ral already settled into her saddle while she let the two graze on a nearby grassy knoll.

"I realized I never named this nag," Ral said while picking twigs out of the mare's mane, "been riding her for the last four years...reckon its time she has one."

 

[Davi]

It was an... odd feeling. Being cared for. Davi watched Ralene's retreating back before cleaning up the remaining porridge. Definitely an odd feeling, but one he found himself not... opposed to. He ate quickly though and then spent time making sure the camp was cleared enough that should anyone, for any reason, be attempting to track them that they would find no help from their resting spot. After he'd thrown water on his face he joined her with the horses.

Ralene's admission got a rare reaction of surprise from Davi who looked up at her with raised brows.

"Really?" He glanced to the Gelding and stroked his nose before checking the girth and mounting up. "One of the few things I remember of my father, is him telling me it is bad luck not to name a horse."

 

[Samantha Black]

"Mmm," she frowned while looking down upon the grumpy ears of her mare, "maybe that's been my problem all along."

Plenty of things she could blame on bad luck for, even if she didn't really believe in that sort of thing. She gave a snort and nudged the horse out of the grass to take the trail back out to their route.

"Always called her nag though," Ral pondered aloud with a glance over at Davi, "not sure if that counts."

With the sunlight rising to their right, she felt the warmth of its rays pouring across her face once they cleared the trees out onto the main road.

"Nag, short for ... Nagiri," the mare's ears remained pinned, "no? Don't like that one? Suppose it's not quite proper enough. Vel Nag it is."

 

[Davi]

Davi covered his laugh with a cough as he mounted up and turned his horse back towards the road.

"Unfortunately, when I shift, I don't gain the ability to understand them," it would have certainly been a handy skill but one many initiates had wrongly assumed. His gift with animals were far more innocent. Or at least, Davi liked to think so. Still, he did glance at the mare and wonder what he would have called her had she been his.

"I think I would have called her Lytta," of course the mares ears still stayed pinned; it was only in stories that animals chose their name. Still he couldn't help but smile. The name of the Goddess of Wrath seemed well suited to a mare who personified the word. As they warmed up their horses Davi glanced once more to Ralene.

"Thank you."

He didn't do her the disservice of assuming she wouldn't know what for.

 

[Samantha Black]

"Lytta?" Ral echoed. Not being particularly religious, she only recognized the name at base level. The initiate snorted at the suggestion and then laughed as the mare tossed her head pissily at his own horse.

"I'm gonna take that as a fuck no."

Vel Nag would have to suit for now, which was at least something more formal than no name at all. Ral scratched at the mare's withers in front of the saddle rug, earning a very brief perk of the ears, and looked over at Davi's words of thanks. Ral didn't quite smile, but appraised her fellow Dreadlord with knowing appreciation.

"Don't mention it," she said, leaning forward to offer rough scratches up the length of the mare's crest, "the way I hear it, the Guard isn't pleased with the way things turned out where Dreadlords are concerned among their ranks. They won't be happy to see us. Holstag will keep us well, but we have to look out for each other."

 

[Davi]

"It doesn't seem like anyone knows what to do with us," Davi remarked quietly. The Guard had welcomed the Dreadlords of course, but he had also heard of the unease surrounding the sudden swelling of ranks to include Dreadlords - many of whom had fought on the side of the Old Ways during the revolution. Davi couldn't really blame them, especially not when he imagined those Dreadlords still looked down on their fellow comrade.

"The sooner we're with the General the better," he rolled his shoulders to loosen a knot that had formed from sleeping with a rock in the wrong spot. "We'll just have to earn our spot like we've had to do for the last ten years."

At least, he would.

 

[Samantha Black]

It was a sour state of affairs all around for their generation of Dreadlords. Caught between a rock and a hard place, there didn't seem to be any one right answer for what to do with them. They were to be the guinea pigs of the new Republic and much as she was committed to serving Vel Anir, she wasn't sure she was feeling the mutual commitment of Vel Anir to its Dreadlords.

"Well," Ral bit into a half smirk and glance to Davi, "you will."

At least with Holstag's crew. Once they got in with the General's legion, that would be a completely different story for them both. With a sharp cackle she nudged her mare into a lope to make way on the remainder of their journey.


The day wore on uneventfully, much like the first. They passed along the rolling hills and farmlands that blanketed the surrounding lands of Vel Anir's territory. It would be late evening when they arrived upon the mountain city of Vel Draza. A curios of their people, Ralene had never managed to figure why Holstag chose this location as his base.

An ancient and oft forgotten city, Vel Draza sits at the top of the mountains of Fel Draza. Looked after by the Monks of Vel Draza, the city acts as a massive repository of the forgotten past of Vel Anir. Filled with dozens of artifacts, scrolls, books, documents, and long buried men, Vel Draza is an echo of Anirian history. Often ignored, and all but forgotten.

She knew he appreciated history and that he'd many a friend among the monks of Vel Draza, but beyond that the connection to the place was a hard one to make. Never having been one to pry, Ral had never asked after the curiosity. Stranger yet upon their arrival, the usual crew she'd become accustomed to greeting her was not there. In fact, Vel Draza seemed quite vacant of Holstag's company.

Brow furrowed, Ralene dismounted upon reaching the main square, "Holstag's sigil usually hangs on that building," she remarked to Davi, "it's not there...his entire company seems to be gone."

 

[Davi]

Don't jump to conclusions...

Davi swallowed his instinct to assume the worst as his feet his the wide stone slabs of the courtyard. There were plenty of reasons a whole company might suddenly vacate a base; it could simply be that they had arrived too late to catch the Company before they left for the next station. Nothing bad. He stroked his geldings neck to steady his own nerves then tied his reins off one of the horse tie up posts.

"Well... Holstag was never the aim I guess. I'm sure there are supplies here we can stock up on before heading to the West."

Whether he was trying to convince himself or her he wasn't sure but he set off for the main doorway so as not to give himself time to think on it further.

 

[Samantha Black]

She lingered on the cobble road, her gaze sweeping slowly up and down the lane but no sign of the company was to be found. Clearly they'd picked up and moved but to where? With a sigh of muddled by frustration and disappointment, Ral tied off her mare and followed after Davi into what she had always known as The Barracks.

Boots stiffly strode across old and worn floorboards, the same old tune of creaks and groans finding her ears that she'd recognize blind. "Jules?" the young Dreadlord called out as they stood inside the foyer.

"That you, Black?" an elderly woman's voice sounded from the room Ral knew to be the den on their right, and she nodded for Davi to follow it.

"Did you serve that horrible bean soup again and scare em off?" Ral joked in return, a half smile meeting the woman who she found sitting in a chair by the window, her hands busy repairing a tunic.

Jules chuckled, "No, but I can make a pot for you if you like," the woman shifted her gaze to Davi, "who you got there with you? Not familiar with this one."

"This one?" Ral side glance to Davi and clamped a hand firmly on his near shoulder, "This is Wolf. Wolf, Jules. She keeps the company housed and fed ... or at least she used to."

"Welcome Wolf," Jules smiled warmly at him, "I'm afraid you both just missed them. They set out yester-morn for Vel Castere by order of the General."

 

[Davi]

He returned Jules' greeting with a polite bow of his head.

Wolf? The name was amusing but he didn't question it; she could have gone for puppy after all or something equally humiliating. It was a lot more reassuring to hear his fears were unfounded and that the army had simply left before they had gotten here. If they had left that early then it explained too why Davi had not smelt anything of a large amount of men and horses moving through.

"If we leave now we might be able to catch up with them by tomorrow evening," the horses hadn't worked too hard today and the army would have taken the large road to the West. It was well maintained and so the risks of a horse breaking its leg in the dark was low. Besides, that many men moved slowly. They couldn't be more than fifteen miles away if that.

 

[Samantha Black]

"Eager pup you got there," Jules remarked.

"It's been a hell of a week," Ralene replied, "did Holstag leave a missive?"

"Noh," Jules shook her head gently, "but he said to expect you. Didn' seem fussed to hurry you along. Just said to point you in the right direction."

"Alright then," Ral dropped her hand from Davi's shoulder, "let's rest here tonight. You should have at least one chance to enjoy Jules' cooking and I have a monk to see about a tome."

 

[Davi]

He'd expected her? Davi raised a brow but said nothing. Surely he had not heard of what had happened already, not before he had left here yesterday morning.

"Really, I don't mind lea-- a monk?" the boys brows furrowed in confusion. Ralene hadn't mentioned a monk nor a book before now. He glanced to the elderly woman who gave him a smile full of missing teeth and tried to hide a small grimace. Being left to socialise with a complete stranger ranked lower on his list of favourite things to do than having his nails ripped out.

"If you tell me the name I'm sure I can go and you two can... catch up."

 

[Samantha Black]

"I just saw her last month," Ralene waved away the offered opportunity to which Jules visibly rolled her eyes, "how much news can the old gal have? Lost another tooth maybe."

"I'll put the next one in your boot," Jules cackled, "go on. Sup will be ready in an hour or so."

"Come on Wolf, let's get the horses to the stable for the night," pivoting, Ralen turned to head right back out the door of the barracks, "you ever been to Vel Castere?" she asked him as she headed across the road to collect her nag.

 

[Davi]

Davi could practically feel his throat closing up as his excuses to flee the old woman dwindled to nothing. Small talk was perhaps one of the most terrifying things to the newly-ascended Dreadlord. There was no hiding the relief when Ralene mentioned the horses and the wolf practically fled the room.

"Once, when I was very young," he could barely remember the fort-like city aside from how tall the walls had seemed to a 10 year old boy. "My city was Cortosi until the Anirian's came, Vel Castere was where all the children with magic were taken," until a Dreadlord could come and pick them up. The roan's ears flicked forward when they emerged into the courtyard in the hopes Davi had brought something with him.