Private Tales The Legend's Heir

[Serafina]

Sera let out a breath she hadn't realised she was holding when Ari strode off through the town.

"Thank you," another brief moment where their eyes met and then she looked away like an animal who knew it was in the presence of a predator that might break its neck any moment. Before one of the others could roughouse them back onto the warg Serafina carefully helped her friend up onto the things back, padding around her thigh carefully before doing the strap herself. Violet gently ran a hand through her friends golden hair with a shaky smile of gratitude; the bandits wouldn't have cared if the strap rubbed against her wound all day.

She hovered, waiting for Ari to return before getting on herself and instead spent the time gently running her hand down the wargs shoulder absentmindedly. She had discovered on the last journey that the creature seemed to like it when she scratched where its odd little matted mane met its spine. It was also the only space out of its biting reach.

 

[Solgrin]

Solgrin waited, though he did not like to.

With the Band entirely gathered people steered clear of them, but they also drew attention. More than once he caught people staring, more than once he knew that someone was watching from a window or looking out over them.

It set his nerves on edge.

Five minutes passed, then ten. "We're going."

There was no arguing with him, at least from any of his men. Those who had been with him long knew better than to try and go against him, those who hadn't simply didn't have the standing. Solgrin had kept them alive, following him now was only the right thing to do.

 

[Serafina]

"N-no, wait, please-!"

Most of the Bandits were mounting up as Sol had ordered but Sera didn't. The rogue who had been responsible for bringing Violet and her out grabbed her about the waist before she could take another step towards Sol to beg for more time for her friend. Her face crumpled and tears threatened to spill from her sapphire eyes but she kept them in check. Just. The other Bandit hurled her on to the saddle of the Warg and roughly did the straps about her thigh just in case she got any thoughts about trying to get off.

"Did they get anything?" Violet asked in a quiet murmur, her arms limply sliding about her waist and her cheek pressing against Sera's shoulder.

"No, I'm sorry Violet..." she tried to twist round to see her friends face and check on her but the warg underneath her gave a lurch and they were soon moving out once more.

 

[Solgrin]

Solgrin pulled himself up on the warg. "Ari will catch up."

The Bandit Chief hissed before he had time to catch himself.

Why did he give a fuck about placating the girl? Her feelings didn't matter, what she thought didn't really matter. Before long she would be little more than a battery for his own strength. Everything else came less than second.

Fingers tightened and he motioned to the others. Before long fifty riders had pulled themselves up into their saddles and readied themselves on their wargs.

"Vel, Tannith. Wait for Ari." Solgrin growled as the Pack of Warg's suddenly broke off and begun to rush down the street. Just ahead of them a man stood on top of a roof, his hood drawn, his eyes following the Warg Violet and Serafinna were on.

 

[Serafina]

Sera waited for the cruel joke or threat that would follow the Bandit Chiefs words but they didn't come. It confused her, in a way. Her body was a tapestry of his complete disregard for her wellbeing. She knew quite firmly where it was she belonged in his mind and the hierarchy of this group: the bottom. Little more than an energy source to unleash untold magics on this world.

So why had he agreed to medicine and then also assured her it would come? Did he believe Violet really was that useful to him to ensure her good behaviour?

The thoughts buzzed about her mind so furiously she wasn't looking at what was in front of her. She didn't see the figure up ahead of them, nor did she see him pull a crossbow from his cloak. The first thing that told her something was wrong was her warg suddenly stumbling then hitting the ground mid lope.

 

[Solgrin]

Solgrin jumped from his mount in an instant.

The movement was so liquid, so instant, and it would have been hard for anyone to believe the older Bandit Chief hadn't done it a thousand times before. He leaped from his place in an instant, landing in the muck and crashing into the ground.

Mud sprayed everywhere, but Solgrin hardly seemed to care. In an instant he swooped down and grabbed the girl, some of his other men quickly pulling around them as he tossed her over the back of his own warg. "GO!"

He hissed as one of the other men pulled Violet up from the ground and threw her over the saddle.

It was an ambush.

Someone had gotten curious, someone had gotten a lingering look. Somoene had gotten the idea that Violet was worth a lot of money.

 

[Serafina]

The bolt went through the wargs eye with perfect precision, piercing the brain in an instant. Even though her legs kept moving the beast was dead before it hit the floor. Both girls screamed as it tumbled onto its side and pinned them underneath its large body. The crushing weight was only there for a moment though before Sol was heaving the thing off them both and dragging her up. Searing pain shot through her leg as he picked her up alerting her to the fact she had broken something in the accident, but it was all forgotten as more bolts and arrows suddenly began to rain down on them like a vicious hail storm.

Sera threw one arm over her head and used the other to fist into the wargs fur to keep herself in the saddle. She ought not to have worried as Sol was back on his warg, his body pinning her in place. The pack was moving again but it seemed like this group had used their men well and positioned them at every turn.

"Use me!" She looked up at the Bandit chief, flinching as another arrow whizzed by. They weren't getting out of this without a fight. "Channel through me."

 

[Solgrin]

He growled. "I don't need your permission."

Solgrin had broken his chains, torn free of them.

No one could command him. No one would command him ever again. It was a promise that he had made himself, a sworn oath that he had taken above any others. His fingers tightened, and then with a rabid grip his hand curled around Serafina's throat.

In his palm was that gem, that precious little artifact of ages past.

His fingers curled around her neck, and with it came a power that flooded through him. He took a sharp breath, his other hand extended, and then suddenly the sharp crack of lightning exploded out from the skies above.

A bolt of pure white struck the building of the original attacker, smashing down and booming as wood and stone burst into pieces.

 

[Serafina]

I suppose I should have expected that...

She wasn't sure why it hurt that he barked at her after being more... more human when she had asked for aid from her friend. But it did nevertheless. It crossed over her face like a grey cloud a second before he reached out and grabbed her throat like a vicious hawk. The force of it half lifted her onto his lap and one hand came up to wrap around his wrist whilst the other scrabbled to find purchase on the saddle to support her weight. As the gem touched her skin however, it was all forgotten. The lack of air, the pain in her leg, the fear. Gone.

The power surged through her in that delicious intoxicating rush she had felt before but this time she didn't feel satisfied. It was being stolen, sucked out of her and used when it was hers. She wanted to reach for it and take a hold of it but she could not. All she could do was sit, helplessly, in the storm of her mind as her body grew weaker and weaker.

On the outside it was much the same as before. Her eyes had gone that mesmerizing silvery white that seemed to glow with energy and her hand slid from about his wrist and the saddle. His grip was the only thing keeping her on the wargs back at all. The more he took the more her body softened, her eyes closing fraction by fraction. If he wasn't the one to pull back it would be her falling into unconsciousness that ended it.

 

[Solgrin]

Another crack of lightning rang from the sky.

Wood and stone shattered, exploded. A man screamed somewhere, an arrow landed nearby, but now chaos had erupted through the Maw. This was not a place used to magic, this was not a place that mages or wizards ever visited.

The lightning crashing down was a horror. It's sundering of buildings caused abject fear. Men and women went rushing into the streets, away from the fire, towards whatever would bring them an ounce of safety.

Solgrin and his men broke through the crowds.

The Warg's rushed forward, trampling over some of those who fled and simply brushing past others. Women were sent crashing into the muck, men were crushed beneath the heavy feet of wolf like beasts, and children found themselves snapped up by the angry monsters being pushed forward.

Solgrin's fingers unfurled from around Serafina's throat, pulling away and gripping the reigns as his Warg went bounding over a fallen cart. The Band rushed forward, weaving through the streets until they broke free of the city.

 

[Serafina]

Sera gasped in great, big gulps of air as Sol released his death grip on her throat. Her vision swam but he hadn't drawn enough to send her into the darkness of unconsciousness; she was just exhausted. The girls body shook as though possessed by a sudden chill and she slumped weakly against his chest. Sat as she was in front of him in the saddle and with his hands about her waist to hold onto the reins she had no where else to go. She found herself wanting her own warg back and the tiny bit of independence it had granted her.

She tried to keep as silent and as small as she could for the duration of the trip out through the city and onwards to the south. Every now and then she glanced over to where Violet was on another woman's warg. Her skin was ashen grey and she didn't open her eyes once; from a distance Sera couldn't even tell if the girl was breathing.

As before they rode until the wargs grew tired and Sol called to make camp. By that point her right leg had gone from extreme agony to numb. How her nightgown had ridden up and her bare feet meant she could see even at a glance something was broken. It was black up to her knee broken up by the white of bone pressing against her skin. But all worries of herself were gone when she saw the bandit lift Violet roughly from the warg with a look of disgust over in Sol's direction.

"The girl is as good as dead, Sir."

 

[Solgrin]

Solgrin pulled Serafina from the Warg as an Adventurer might a treasure chest.

He handled her not like a person, not like one would someone they cared about. Instead she was more like a thing, something precious that was useful to him and needed to be treated as such. There was no calming presence, no reassurance of her survival, nothing.

She was there to create the magic he channeled, nothing more.

As Solgrin set her down onto the ground the bandits words echoed out. Head turned, lips thinning as he glanced over towards Violet. The other girls was of little consequence, and in fact her death might have been helpful. The City Watch may well stop giving chase when they found her lifeless corpse. Though they might also redouble their goals.

Vengeance was a good motivator. Solgrin knew that better than most. "Keep her alive as long as you can."

The Bandit Chief ordered.

"If Ari catches up before she died she might we'll make it." Though even if she did, he did not think she would survive for much longer.

Not with the horrors yet in store.

 

[Serafina]

"No... she... she can't..."

It felt like someone had pulled the rug out from under her feet. The Bandit's words rung in her ears and for a moment she couldn't comprehend what she was saying about her best friend, a girl who she had been raised with as close as sisters would be. Dying? Violet couldn't die. She was the embodiment of life itself; kind, with a laugh like summers sun, and so many hopes for the future. She couldn't die. Sera watched mutely as the Bandit nodded and carried the girl off further into the camp where the fires would be started. Despite her leg she followed like a lost lamb, tears welling in her eyes from a mix of the pain and the sudden unexplainable fear of losing her friend.

When the Bandit dropped her, Sera fell down beside her friend and cradled her head in her lap. The woman who had been charged with caring for her looked over the bruised and broken leg with an irritated growl then left muttering.

"Violet please don't leave me," she whispered, resting her forehead against her friends cold and clammy forehead.

 

[Solgrin]

Sera's objections were, largely, ignored.

A few of the other bandits in the bigger band cast some glances towards the girl. Some had a marked amount of sympathy in their eye. The men and women that followed Solgrin might have been monsters in their own way, but a tinge of them were still human.

Most had lost that piece of themselves long ago, but some, some still managed to cling to whatever little humanity they still had left. Though their numbers were few against the grand total.

It was after an hour that Ari and one of the others Solgrin had ordered to stay behind rode into camp. There was blood on their clothes, and the second man had a wound on his side. Fingers clutched at the bloody gash as they dismounted, dark grimace on their faces.

"You fucking left!"

A shout raised through the camp, Solgrin instantly turning around to be met with Ari.

"You fucking left me in that death trap and I nea-"

Before he could say another word Solgrin whirled around and struck the man in the face. There was a crack as knuckles met jaw, and Ari was quickly sent sprawling to the ground. "If I hadn't there would be a lot more of us dead."

The Bandit Chief hissed, looking down at Ari.

"Did you get the medicine?" For a moment Ari simply laid sprawled on the ground, then slowly cast his gaze over towards Violet and Serafina.

 

[Serafina]

The rest of them might as well have not existed for Sera in that hour. Her whole attention was on Violet and the fact her breathing was growing more laboured with every passing second. She was barely even aware of the Bandit who had been charged with looking after her as she cleaned and re-dressed Violet's wounds, left water for Sera to pour between her lips, and brought strips of cloth to drape over her fevered head. She had thought at one point the woman might try to pull her away to deal with the broken leg but she seemed to decide against it in the end and stalked off.

It was Ari's voice that finally brought her out of her daze. Hope rose in her chest. Funny, the man who had caused her and Violet both such fear would suddenly be the angel she needed to save her friend. She went to scramble to her feet but the Bandit woman was back and shoved her back down.

"Don't be stupid, girl."

The woman gave her a flat look then stalked over to Ari herself, snatching the satchel the man held out without a word.

"Thank you," Sera croaked as the woman squatted down in front of them both and forced the liquid between Violet's lips and some salve to the wound itself. She nodded then tugged Violet off of her.

"Now. Your leg."

 

[Solgrin]

Ari practically sulked as he laid the ground, grimacing and looking over towards the two girls with no small amount of resentment on his face. Lips thinned for a moment, and then he looked over towards Solgrin with a vile sort of anger.

The Bandit Chief didn't even look at the man, either uninterested or simply deciding that it did not matter.

"The leg isn't so bad." Solgrin said gruffly, looking towards the woman who was no pulling Serafina's leg straight. The pain from that would be immense, but that hardly seemed to matter to anyone there. "But it in a splint, she'll heal fine."

There was a pause.

"Not so bad if it doesn't."​

Those words floated from Ari's lips, but before he could speak Solgrin took half a step and then kicked him in the face. "No one asked you to open your mouth."

Resentment practically burned from the other man

 

[Serafina]

This Bandit woman was clearly their designated medic of sorts. Either that or Sera and Violet were just lucky that Sol had instructed a woman who had apparent medical training to take care of them both. She wasn't gentle like the doctors back home but she had that same diligent approach and the way she inspected her leg was with intelligence. Before she pulled the girls leg straight she forced a bit of wood between the girls teeth with a gruff mutter about biting down on it. Sera had once seen a young boy break his leg and so knew what was coming. Even then it didn't prepare her for the pain of experiencing it for herself.

Her nails dug into the dirt and she bit down so hard upon the branch splinters of it stuck into the roof of her mouth. For a moment her vision swam and she thought she might even be sick but it disappeared in sickening waves.

"Put this in your mouth and chew," she instructed sternly, removing the wood and ramming another bundle of bitter leaves in her mouth. The woman spoke as though Ari hadn't spoken and Sol hadn't just kicked his teeth in. "She is lucky the bone did not break the skin but this, coupled with her other injuries..." her lips twisted in disdain as she began to carefully splint the leg. "If you want her to survive, Sir, I can only recommend in a professional opinion she needs more care. At the least some actual clothes," her nose scrunched up in obvious disgust at the state of her nightgown.

 

[Solgrin]

Solgrin was not a medic, nor a doctor, but he had slgen injuries like the girl wore before. Most of the time Medicine would have been enough, most of the time it would have healed and been fine.

Lips thinned for a moment as he listened to the Maria, the bandit woman who acted most often as the Medic of the Band. She was knowledgeable, knew her things, but there was always a second guessing with Solgrin. Slowly he moved towards Serafina, squatting down besides her.

His eyes slowly glanced up and down her form, fixing upon her wound. For a long moment there was silence, no answer. Then finally he spoke. "Alright."

There was a gruff agreement.

"Get them some clothes." Solgrin said as he looked towards the other girl as well. Violet had not been who he'd been after, but there was still a value to keeping her alive. His hand slowly reached out, letting his fingers run through Serafina's hair. "We'll head towards Illia."

Some of the bandits grumbled as he said the name.

 

[Serafina]

Sera's whole body stiffened as Sol approach and a tremor racked her body as she prepared for some form of abuse. Maria glanced up with a scowl for the shaking made the splitting harder but there was a hint, the barest one, of understanding at her fear when it came to the chief. She didn't speak though, turning her gaze to her leader and giving a curt nod when he issued his orders. She finished up the splint and then stood swiftly to see it was done.

Sera wished the woman wouldn't leave, especially when Sol's fingers wound into her hair like a tainted lover's. But despite the sickening feeling there was an odd sense of relief amd comfort at being given a gentle touch. Her body relaxed and her eyes closed in a sweep of thick eyelashes. The shadows they cast could hardly be seen on one side of her face due to the bruises he had gifted her at their first meeting. The nasty gash across her temple had been stitched but still looked sore and angry, let alone the various bruises on her body from rough handling. Bodily she had been beaten and broken close to her limit and it was a human thing to seek comfort in touch when she felt as she felt.

"What's in Illia?" She whispered so low even Sol would have trouble hearing. Her eyes opened to catch his gaze as she sunk into his touch.

 

[Solgrin]

"Doctors." Solgrin gave the simple answer as he looked over Serafina for a moment, frowning.

Perhaps she would have to be treated better.

If the girl died he would have to spend another year tracing a line of blood, another few months finding what he needed.

"It is a city of merchants." He explained further, listening as the Bandit woman began to rustle through some packs. A few of the other Bandits did the same, apparently gathering clothing for the two girls to wear. "Rich and a center of trade."

Illia sat on the inlet of a River, meaning it received trade from both the Sea and the inlands. Dozens of merchants made their home their, and with that came the peasantry and anyone else who could serve those with money. That of course also meant Doctors.

Doctors with access to some of the rarest herbs on the continent.

Before long Maria returned, carrying two bundles of clothes. The garbs were mismatched, but warm and far better than the torn nightgowns.

 

[Serafina]

It was the most conversation she had had with anyone in days other than Violet and even their conversations had been limited, stifled by fear and pain. She listened quietly, her eyes never wavering from his as he explained why they were going. When he was done she nodded slowly in understanding then turned her attention to Maria.

"Thank you," she took the offered bundle. The other woman grunted but she watched carefully as Sera unsteadily stood up on her unbroken leg. When it looked like she might go over she offered an arm for support, muttering about undoing her work. She didn't make a move to help her over to somewhere with privacy so Sera swallowed what little of her ragged pride she had left and tugged on the warm undergarments, a thick woollen skirt split for riding, and shirt.

Once she was done Maria sat her sternly back down and set about helping Violet. Sera looked down at her bulkier leg and then to Sol before away again.

"I'm sorry for inconveniencing you."

 

[Solgrin]

No answer came, at least not from Solgrin.

"Just don't die."​

It was Maria that said the words, clearly more than a little perturbed by the entire situation. Most of the bandits in Solgrin's crew knew the end goal, but few understood just how important Serafina actually was to that.

Maria was one of those that had been with Solgrin the longest.

She had once been an apothecary in the town the Bandit Chief had served in, and when he'd initiated his revolt she had joined his side quickly. Things had not gone well of course, but Maria had survived and stuck with Solgrin through the years.

"She won't." Solgrin said definitely, never offering the girl another glance.

 

[Serafina]

In any other circumstance Maria's words might have been considered a joke, but when Sera raised her eyes to meet the other woman's gaze she saw nothing but annoyance. Clearly the idea of her dying would be more than an inconvenience. In fact she got the distinct feeling that the Medic might find a way to raise her from the dead and beat her black and blue for the trouble. Her eyes lowered and then shut with a wince as Sol's hand drew once more through her hair and then pulled back.

"I won't," she echoed weakly even though it was the only thing she wanted to do in that moment. Maria snorted but didn't spare the girl another look as she went to Violet's side instead and began to carefully tend more closely to her wounds. Sera wrapped her arms around herself and stayed as still and as quiet as she could be whilst the camp got on with its work.

The sky deepened into the darkness of night and the fire smoke curled up into the sky. Maria had erected a tent and moved Violet inside to better care for her and everyone else paid Sera no mind. So she watched quietly instead. Whilst it was a large group it seemed to be made up of a lot of small ones. Clearly some Bandits favoured some more than others. Some laughed and joked, others had started a game of dice and were busy gambling on odds.

She had never felt so alone with not even Violet to keep her company.

In the end she slowly pushed herself to her feet and hobbled her way over to where the wargs were instead. She wasn't stupid enough to get too close to them but she sat near enough that for a while she could close her eyes and take a breath and imagine herself in the stables back home.

 

[Solgrin]

Solgrin moved among the small cliques of the bandits, talking to everyone and ensuring that they had what they needed.

It was obvious that all of them respected him, if not loved him in their own way. As soon as he showed up there were kind words, praises sung, small jokes made. Anyone watching would have thought Solgrin a King among his people.

All but one.

Ari hung on the outside of the Camp.

He watched quietly, silently, his arms crossed, fingers tapping the hilt of a long knife that hung off the edge of his belt. His stance spoke of anger, of vilification. Fingers were tight, muscles taught, and the air around him stank of rage.

His eyes were fixed on Serafina as she moved around the Camp and towards the Wargs, gaze never flickering away for even a second.

 

[Serafina]

The young girl was exhausted yet sleep evaded her. Violet dominated her thoughts and her fear that she could lose her. If she died, she didn't think she would ever be able to forgive herself. Sera was the reason she was there after all.

Footsteps crunching through the frost bitten grass made Sera open her eyes. Maria wore an annoyed scowl and she realised the Medic had probably wanted her patient to stay where she was. In her hand she carried a bowl of stew which she thrust out towards the girl. Her mouth watered and her stomach growled painfully, reminding her she had not eaten in a while.

"Thank you," she lowered her gaze so as not to offend and the woman grunted before taking a knee to check her wounds. "How is Violet?" She asked after a while, voice small. Maria shook her head.

"The medicine seems to be working but we will see. If she makes it through the night there is hope, if not it would be easier to kill her," she nodded to herself as she looked at her handy work. Sera tried not to let it show how much her words stung and added to her pain.

"Eat then sleep, that is what your body needs. If you go dying on him..." she gripped the girls chin hard and gave her a look that could peel the flesh from bone. She held her there for a moment then let her go and stalked back to the fire.

Sera watched her go mutely then looked down at the stew in her hands. Despite her hunger her appetite had shrivelled up and her first spoonful tasted like ash in her mouth. How could she improve their situation? If Violet could make it to this city could she beg for help from one of the Doctors? Would someone stand up to the Bandits for them? She felt so... useless. Her hand tightened on the spoon so hard her knuckles turned white.

She had to try. She had to try and get Violet out at the least.