Private Tales Something Amiss

[Kaska]

Kaska said nothing. She didn’t think now was the moment. There was just so little trust left that she could give out, and Leane’s sharp retort had set a fear through her. If the wrong words could set this woman off on her, then their lives remained a far too heavy thing to place in her hands.

No. Kaska wanted out again. She looked like a cornered animal standing there, overwhelmed and without a sense of direction. Which way was the safest place? She merely nodded her head, no answer to be found.

“Okay,” came the empty agreement.

 

[Lia]

The sewers would work well enough, though...there was a certain amount of discomfort there. "Can we trouble you for some clothes?"

Lia asked, giving Kaska a silence glance before she returned her attention to Leane.

"Not Templar Garb, just..." Her hands flailed, gesturing to herself. Both she and Kaska were still in their Ranger uniforms, or close to it anyway. They needed something else, something that was less conspicuous.

Even if they were going to go through the sewers they needed to think ahead.

Leane gave a nod in answer to her question.

"We keep clothes from the ordinary folk here, lets us go into town without too much fanfare."​

 

[Kaska]

“When will Saul be back?” Kaska cut in, jolting the conversation towards her own train of thought. She was paying little heed to both of them now, mind spinning.

 

[Lia]

Leane quirked an eyebrow at the question, her lips thinning for a moment before she shrugged her shoulders in answer.

"I don't know. The last letter I received spoke of a Maurader attack on the Fortress."

Lia tensed for a moment, expecting bad news.

"They managed to win the fight, but the fortress suffered damage. It is likely Saul will remain there until repairs are effected and the Alliance is more stable. Things are going well, but not enough so that he can just leave."

It made sense. The last time they had been together Saul had spoken of his dream of reunification more than once. There had been the...difficulties that Kaska had referred to, but it seemed those had been overcome. "We are glad...for you."

"It seems things are going well for Saul's dream." Lia added quietly.

"Our dream."

Leane corrected, smiling before continuing on.

"I suggest you rest until nightfall. The City Watch will be keeping an eye on the Compound, but we have our ways of getting out unnoticed."

 

[Kaska]

Yes. It did seem like Saul’s dream was going all to plan. Kaska swallowed back a bitter bump in her throat and tried not to think about her father’s head rolling unattached down a chopping block.

Too late.

“And if they come back for us before then?” Kaska asked, unable to help the sharp edge to her tone.

 

[Lia]

Lia tensed at the question, but mostly because she had been thinking the exact same thing. Would the Templars push them out? Hand them over?

"They will be told you headed west into the Falwood and away from the city."​

Lia breathed a small sigh of relief as Leane kept speaking.

"The Watch has no authority over us, and I doubt they would want to cause an incident by demanding a search. Especially right now."​

The insinuation was clear. The Templar were going through an upswing. Their numbers were growing and the support they held even among the populace was becoming greater than it had been in centuries. Trying to force their way into the compound now could go very very badly.

She almost wondered if they would dare anyway.

So much had happened she'd never thought possible. "Thank you."

The Ranger said quietly.

 

[Kaska]

Kaska swallowed hard. "Yes, thank you." Her tone was not as convincing, but neither was it suspicious. It was guarded. Skeptical. The same tone she had used with the woman when they had first met.

Such different circumstances these were...

Kaska wordlessly accepted the direction to their rooms. Only when the offer was made for her to take her own, she rejected it and went in with Lia's to hers instead. She would not let them be separated until they were in someplace clear.

It was only after the door was firmly closed and the retreating footsteps faded away that Kaska turned to Lia, her expression fierce.

"I don't trust her."

 

[Lia]

"We have no reason not to trust her." Lia said with a sigh. "You brought us here."

She reminded Kaska. "We can't see daggers in the dark everywhere, we can't take everyone as a traitor."

It was a good way to end up dead.

She knew that the urge to fight against the tide was there, she felt it too. Trusting people was difficult, especially now, but...they had to. They had to keep it together, they had to trust at least one person...and Kaska had brought them here after all.

 

[Kaska]

“I trust you,” Kaska said sharply. Wasn’t that enough?

“What if she’s lying about everything? What if Saul is dead and she sees this as an opportunity to finally get on better terms with the city watch. It’s been the only thing giving us more power than them in the city. The watch knows we’re here. We’ll be cornered and if that happens, we’re as good as dead.

We can’t stay here,” She snatched up a pillow and started to upend it, intending to use the case for a makeshift bag that she could stuff useful things into.

 

[Lia]

"That's nonsense." Lia stated bluntly.

She was tired of the paranoia, tired of running.

"This woman had Saul's trust. We both saw that, know that." A frown touched her lips, deep enough to almost be a scowl. "Plus, nothing you said makes any sense."

Not logically anyway. "She already could have turned us over for greater favor. Not to mention they could have overpowered us in a heartbeat. We've seen these Templars fight, I'm not sure we could one in a straight fight, much less outnumbered."

Rangers were trained to fight mostly in hit and run tactics and quick duelists. Templar, at least these ones, were Heavy Infantry. They were slower, but endured longer and hit harder.

Lia crossed her arms over her chest.

"Betraying us doesn't make any sense. Not after she already refused to and gave us information we needed." She took a step forward. "Think. Don't panic."

Panic was the last thing they needed now.

 

[Kaska]

“Easy for you to say, your father is safe,” Kaska snapped. She shoved candle sticks into the bottom of the pillow case, pacing around the room and looking for bits of metal she could pry off of things to sell on a black market.

“It must be nice walking around knowing they’re alive. Knowing they believe in you.” Animosity laced her tone. “Some money sent by them and you will be safely ferried out. You could start over. Like it never happened. This doesn’t affect you at all does it?”

 

[Lia]

Half a heartbeat passed, and then Lia took three quick steps forward. Before Kaska could react the Other Ranger struck out with an open hand.

Lia smacked Kaska hard across the face. "GET A HOLD ON YOURSELF!"

The Ranger was like a whirlwind of barely controlled anger. She grabbed Kaska by the lapels and dragged her closer. The words and accusations that Kaska had tossed at her stung, and she would not take any of them lightly. Not now, and certainly not before. She had fought for the Rangers, been one most of her life. Her family was alive, but she would not apologize for that.

Not when she was trying to keep Kaskas whole.

"You wanted to come here. You said we could trust the Templar." She growled. "They already saved us once. They already gave us what we need. Now you want to what? Run and abandon the only option we have? Steal from them and cut off our only strong line of support?"

"Think." She repeated.

"Leane is helping us. They are helping us." They were the only ones who were. "And I am trying to help you."

 

[Kaska]

Kaska quaked. For the first time, she shook like a leaf in the wind before Lia. A storm brewed behind her expression, her eyes growing red and damn. Her nose grew moist. Her lips trembled over the emotions she struggled to keep locked up.

A slight sob was choked back, before a single sentence was allowed to slip out. “He’ll never know the truth about me.”

 

[Lia]

"He will." There was so much confidence and certainty in Lia's voice that one might have mistook her for a prophet of old in that moment.

She was sure of herself.

"We have a plan." The Ranger told her friend, a fire in her eyes that said she absolutely meant it. "We know what we have to do."

Her fingers eased on Kaska's lapels. "We have the support."

It seemed odd to refer to the Templar as 'support', but that was what they were. Leane had provided information, clothes, and a line of entry for them. Hell the woman had even offered them an exit after. they just had to use it.

"We'll get him out, kill those bastards, and get the Rangers back to what they're meant to be." They had to, no one else would.

 

[Kaska]

Kaska swallowed hard, trying to summon a glimmer of Lia‘s confidence inside of herself. She gave a weak nod, then a stronger one, looking away and fiercely wiping at her face.

With no further words she upended the pillow case and put the stolen goods back. She trusted Lia. That was enough.

There was a knock at the door just as she finished replacing the pillowcase. She looked sharply up at Lia... fluffed the pillow, then nodded at her to open it.

A woman with hair as black as night stepped inside. Her form was misleadingly small, Kaska had seen what the Templar could do and knew there was a fierceness to the woman that her soft frame hide. She gave them a pretty smile and Kaska hated her already.

”Your clothing,” the woman offered, silently handing it over to Lia. “Leone would also like to offer my services for your little... venture back into the city. I know the path you are going to take well. And by the sounds of it, you could do with a bit of help.“

Kaska stiffened. The woman offered a warm smile, trying to ease them. “I am a close friend of Saul‘s. He told me about you. I know he’d prefer you have a hand. That is, if you want it.” She offered out her hand to Lia.

“My name is Valerie.“

 

[Lia]

Lia took a step back away from Kaska as Valerie entered the room, her eyes narrowing for just a moment as she nodded and turned towards the newly arrived Templar.

"Lia." She did not use a title introducing herself, it didn't feel right.

Once she would have balked at doing so, after all she was a Ranger, but right now that was questionable. She still considered herself a good guy of course, but she wasn't necessarily a Ranger. Perhaps a Ranger in Exile. That sounded nice at least.

"This is Kaska." Lia said with a wave towards her companion. "We'll appreciate any help we can get."

Their mission would not be an easy one. "Thank you."

A sigh passed her lips as she glanced down at the clothes the Templar had brought. The idea of stripping from her armor did not please her, nor did the idea that she would have to leave behind her sword.

Still, they had a plan.

 

[Kaska]

Kaska felt the woman’s gaze slip to her when her identity was revealed. Heard of her, huh? She raised her chin, refusing to acknowledge the red tinging her cheeks.

“When do we leave?“ She grabbed the clothes, dropping her sword onto a chair. She looked directly at Valerie and started to strip down, articles dropping one by one in an unspoken flair of attitude. She. Didn’t. Care. What she. Thought. Of. Her.

 

[Lia]

Lia glanced at Kaska for a moment and raised an eyebrow, then looked away pointedly as she cleared her throat. Valerie seemed amused at first, then looked at Lia.

"Tonight."

There was a nod. "The Sooner the better I suppose."

They had no time to waste after all, though more than a small part of her had hoped they would get a chance to rest before going out again. She supposed the City Watch would expect that though, and if they struck immediately their chances might go up.

"I'll get ready." The Ranger said quietly, turning towards the corner of the small room and changing there.

 

[Kaska]

Kaska slipped on the last article of clothing, her gut boiling as she did so. Her previous distress had funneled into anger. And she used that as fuel to keep herself going and ignore the pressing desire to give up and curl up.

"Right. And is Saul aware you're doing this or this your own little thing."

Valerie looked back to Kaska, unphased by the vehement mistrust being thrown her way. "Leane will include it in amongst her letters. I promise you, I'm only trying to help you here. Whether or not you believe it is on you." She tossed them each bags with small coin pouches inside. "In case something happens and you need to buy your way to safety. We should go now. We'll join a contingent heading into the city and break off for the sewers when the moment is right."

The guards would catch them at the gate otherwise.

Kaska huffed, looking to Lia. No trust!

 

[Lia]

Lia caught the purse of coins and nodded to Valeria, saying a quick thank you before hiding the leather bag on her person. A moment later she glanced at Kaska, giving her a very pointed look before grabbing her sword breaker off the table.

The blade was not suitable to take with you alone into a fight, not without a hand and a half sword, but it was better than having nothing at all. Besides, she could hide it among the folds of her skirt and it wouldn't due to go completely unarmed into the city. Especially where they were going.

They would likely need it.

"Let's go." Lia said as she pulled a piece of cloth over her hidden blade and shook herself upright.

In the back of her mind she knew that this wouldn't be easy, that it would likely all end in disaster, but right now it was the only direction they had to go in. Nobody else was leading the way, nobody else was going to tell them what to do. So Lia headed out the door behind Valerie, determined to make it back into that fortress.

 

[Kaska]

Kaska's half blade was much easier to hide. Though truth be told it no longer felt natural or right inside her hands since she got it back. She glanced at Lia's hidden sword break with a quick flash of conflicted envy.

Neither the time nor the place. Maybe one day, if they got out of this alive, she could question whether or not she had made the correct weapon decision. Until then...

She tucked the blade into her hem line, giving a huff and walking out after them.

God's she hoped for another chance to meet Saul. The feeling cinched oddly in her chest as her and Lia dawned cloaks and merged into the middle of the group. The air was thick with tension. Whether or not it was because the Templar's they traveled with disapproved, or because Kaska was seeing shadows, was unclear to her.

All that mattered was that the walk through the country side was unmolested. The city watch did catch wind of the groups movement. It followed in the vague distance, lingering between them and the city gates. Valerie lead them in a wide circle, towards the hills she once met Saul and the others on to give them news of their leader's death.

In the small valley's, she quickly shepherded Lia and Kaska away. The split from the group with relative ease, following the roundabout path out of guards sight and into a river that flowed away from the city. It did not smell pleasant. The city walls stood tall in the distance.

 

[Lia]

Lia pinched her nose as they waded through the river, lips turned into a scowl.

The scent was utterly putrid, and she couldn't help but wonder if it would ever actually wash out. She felt as though by the end of this trip the smell would likely seep into her skin and just remain there permanently. The shit Ranger they would call her.

The idea made her want to scream. "How far?"

It was a quick and terse question, though not because she was angry at the Templar or anything of the sort. It was just...well they were literally swimming in shit.

"Just a short while."

Valerie answered. The woman seemed to be completely unphased, something that Lia would not have guessed to see when she'd first met her. A few moments later they met the wall, a large sewer grate with a massive bucking hole in the center sitting at its base.

"Through here."

The Templar said as she ducked through the broken metal, Lia quickly following along.

 

[Kaska]

Kaska had to admit— it was satisfying to see Valerie covered in shit. It really was. Granted she was also covered in shit, but that was besides the point.

Her satisfaction, while grim, was a slight balm to the the trek as she tried not to think about what might wait for them at the end of it. Death seemed likely. For any one of them, her father included. The ranger’s were known for their extension compound in the city, and they didn’t take lightly to their laws being broken.

Some citizens opporated with this assumption that because most rangers spent their days escorting the wealthy about, that meant they were casual and even lazy compared to other policing agencies. Kaska’s exposure being raised among them promised her that wasn’t true. She knew better than to be fooled by the easy nature of their system. And just because someone could join and leave the ranks at will, that didn’t mean ranking offenders weren’t prosecuted. Heavily.

It was hard to ignore the threat on their lives as they waded through the sewage-stained underground of the city. But if the others could press forward and not hesitate, then she wouldn’t show a crack in her resolve. This was her father. She would save him.

Emerging into the daylight was a breath of fresh air. Literally. She stepped back as Valerie held the grate in a back alley open, allowing her and Lia to step out and breath in the clean air deeply.

“Where are we exactly?” She coughed, resisting the urge to scratch her face as she craned her neck around for a landmark that would give her her bearings.

 

[Lia]

Lia looked around with quick searching eyes. She, like Kaska, had absolutely no idea where they had popped up in the city.

Alliria was a sprawling mass, less concentrated than both Elbion and Vel Anir. Her lips thinned as she settled her gaze on Valerie, briefly wondering if the woman had after all betrayed them and they were now in some tiny entrance to the City Watch.

It was a paranoid thought, and she mentally chastised herself for it immediately.

"We're near the Ranger compound, by the docks."​

The Templar explained quickly, making a motion for the two other women to squat down as a flame moved on the small bridge above them. Lia's faced tightened for a moment.

Above them she could hear a voice.

"Can't believe it happened so fast."

The voice said as it passed on by, the reply from the other figure too quiet for her to hear. Her gaze jumped to Kaska, and then she motioned upward towards the bridge. "Lets follow them."

She said as she began to clamber up the sidewall.