Quest The Return

[Kaska]

Kaska was not so easily restrained, fighting with all the fiery passion she was known to contain before the two voices before could strike reason in her.

She breathed heavily, disheveled and worked up as the sounds of her father pitching a fight reverberated through the tense air of the room. Her father wasn't particularly boisterous man, so Kaska knew at once that he was trying to alert them.

She forced air through her teeth in a frustrated growl and ripped herself from Lia's grip. "This way," she scowled, shoving hard on Addis's shoulder and leading them to the back of the house. They burst into the small garden just as the first door slammed open.

Adrenaline pumped through Kaska's veins as she climbed her way over the garden wall and hit the ground running.

 

[Lia]

Lia kept her sword sheathed on her back, though drew the small sword-breaker from her belt.

The weapon wouldn't really be much use if anyone charged at them, not without her other sword, but at the very least it was something. Perhaps it gave her a share of comfort.

"We need to get into the city." Lia whispered quietly.

Behind her she could hear the raucous noise of half a dozen boots tramping through the room they had just stood in, some of them clearly wearing armor. Her lips thinned, and quickly she moved alongside Kaska and Addis. This compound was where she herself had been trained, and it's layout was still familiar in her mind.

"Over the wall?" She asked. "The gates will be shut."

 

[Addis Vrummal]

Addis followed quickly, not even minding the shove, a hand always ready to dart over his shoulder. He doubted Kaska was happy about having to leave her father to his fate, but if it was truly the same coup as last time. Securing former enemies was always a first thing for past grudges.

He eyed the wall as he walked toward it but did not stop, following Kaska's example. He was more keen on keeping away from the rangers on their heels than trying to work out semantics this time.

 

[Kaska]

"How could they know?" Kaska murmured, her attention not even on Lia's words as they were brought to a pause and the woman attempted to plan.

"How could they know, we just got here- how-" It only made sense to her that his arrest was tied into her arrival. It was a bit unfathomable, how fast they were caught and how quickly her father was taken for treason. Too quick, really. Didn't make sense. Her fault, though-- execution. Murder charges. Her fault. The voice inside her head snarled nasty things to her, the woman, for a moment, in a daze.

Treason.

 

[Lia]

"Focus!" Lia said in an odd whispering shout, her lips thin as she grabbed both Kaska and Addis' attention.

She understood the shock that Kaska was going through, she understood that her father had just been taken, but now was neither the time nor the place to think it over.

They had to get out. "We have to get over the wall."

The Ranger repeated herself, motioning both of the others towards the left of the Compound. Long ago the Order had been gifted a large plot of land within Alliria itself, the Compound being located directly in the middle of the Inner-City. Once they got out, they could lose themselves in the crowd.

"There." She pointed to the armory. "We can get onto the roof and climb over the wall."

 

[Addis Vrummal]

Addis snapped to attention, listening intently before leading the way to their escape route. He'd offer a boost to the other two before clambering up himself. It had been a very long time since he had ever climbed onto any rooftops, but vague memories of travelling with another ranger pulled at him even in their dire situation.

 

[Kaska]

Kaska felt herself scramble numbly, none of their bags on their backs to weigh them down.

They had nothing now. It all felt surreal, more impossible than the battle had. The world as she knew it felt like sand slipping through her fingers and for once... she was frightened senseless.

She let herself drop from the wall. When she had brought herself dangling over it, she couldn't rightly straighten out. She hit the ground, teeth rattling, and found a bit of sense amongst the city street bustling with morning capers.

"What of- what of her father- what of your father- they could already-"

 

[Lia]

Dozens of people were surrounding them, Alliria ever the trade city providing them cover without anyone even knowing. In that moment she was more thankful for a crowd than ever before.

"That way." Lia said without hesitation.

She knew what Kaska was going through right now...no. She didn't know. The Lieutenant had no idea what it was like to have ones father arrested, to have your one line of safety cut off. She had no idea, but...but she was close. Her lips thinned, and quickly she reached out to grab Kaska's shoulder.

"We'll make it." She told the woman. "We'll get them."

Almost roughly Lia pushed Kaska into the direction she had pointed to. "Come on, hurry."

They had to get to her fathers estate.

 

[Addis Vrummal]

The elf brought up the rear of the group, listening to everything around them and trying to sort out what he heard. Babble most of it, talk of trade or morning tasks, but the few words spoken already of Kaska's father caught his attention.

How did word travel that damned quickly? That had happened not even mere minutes ago. He shook himself loose of the distraction and followed closely behind them.

 

[Kaska]

Kaska followed without resistance, her vision blurred. Shapes distorted, colors melded. Her body moved in sync with orders she was no longer giving it as they were lead through the city.

She wasn't present in that moment. She was lucky to have Lia watching her back. They had one goal and she ran towards it.

 

[Lia]

They made their way through the city quickly, passing through crowds quickly.

It helped that they were not being looked for by the City Watch. Their guard posts sat on every corner and it would have been difficult to avoid them. It was lucky in a way, that the Rangers were detached from the central government of Alliria. Set apart from the grander schemes.

At least...that was what Lia thought.

There was no way that any of them could have known how deeply this truly ran. How not only the Rangers were corrupt, but the very city they had sworn to protect so long ago.

"There." She pointed as they turned the corner, her families banner hanging from a high wall that surrounded her fathers estate. It was an Anirian custom, building walls around your estate within the city in order to keep it private.

Without another word she lead the two Rangers to the front gate, motioning to the lone guard standing there.

"Robert." She called. "Let us in, don't tell anyone you've seen us."

The guard did as he was asked without a single word, loyal to a fault.

 

[Addis Vrummal]

Addis kept close, not daring to stray away in the crowd for the fact of rangers possibly following them. He wondered if they would be so quick behind them, or if they would take their time like hounds on a trail. Didn't matter as they came upon Lia's estate and she begged entry.

Which they were given to his surprise. Shouldn't have been a surprise truly. The news didn't appear to have traveled this far yet.

 

[Kaska]

Yet they were never perused, not even as they pushed into the safety of the house and stumbled behind the security of the heavy wooden doors. No one came for them or Lia's father.

But there wasn't yet time to realize that. Kaska bent over, her hands on her knees as she tried to catch her breath. "This can't be happening, this can't be real," she uttered, wanting someone to tell her it wasn't.

 

[Lia]

"My father?" Lia asked one of the guards who stood off to the side of the gate.

The estate itself consisted of a single manor house, a courtyard, and then a large stable. All of it was ringed by a large wall which cut off any view into the city, save for when you were standing at the very top of the manor. It was an enclave in the middle of Alliria.

"He and your mother are in Vel Anir, Rosalia."

She twitched slightly at the name, but turned towards the man that had said it.

He was her fathers steward, a man as loyal as could be. His name was Tyrul, and he had been at her fathers side long before she had ever been born. A slight frown touched Lia's face at the news. "We need to hide, the Rangers are looking for us."

The steward straightened for a moment, then he nodded.

"You're of course safe here, but we best make plans to get you out of the city if they're looking."

 

[Addis Vrummal]

Addis had no words for Kaska as they pushed into the gate. He did not know exactly what he could even say to try to help. She had just been in her family home, which was quickly taken over by people after them for reasons they had no clear the range of. He was lost on what to do for her.

"I'm sorry but it is, we'll have time to sort this out later. We need to keep moving until then." He spoke quietly, not entirely sure of his own words.

A man addressed them quickly after and he could not help but note the name he spoke. The sound plan of leaving the city quite pleasant to his ears.

 

[Kaska]

"We can't run. We have to help my father, we have to fix this!" She snapped, pushing past them to peer out the window to the front yard. Yet she could see nothing of the world beyond the maintained grass, Alliria indiscernible beyond the gates.

"If they come here, your men can't let them in. We need to find a new contact, someone we can trust-" She pushed away from it, pacing, looking half desperate. "Who can we trust?"

 

[Lia]

"We will." Lia assured her friend as she cast a glance towards her fathers Steward.

He remained silent, his expression blank. Kaska's order was not ignored of course, but that decision had already been made. No one would enter the Kahl estate without it being their place. Be they Ranger or City Watch. One would truly have to be foolish to test Lia's father.

He was not on the City Council, but held enough connections that going against him would bring trouble.

That being said, Lia was not eager to stay here. The Estate was at the very center of Alliria, and if they lingered it was very likely that their enemy would find out where they were. After that...any number of accidents could happen. Best to keep moving.

"Not many." She answered Kaska. "The few Ranger's i've contacted...they'll be in the Reaches. My father might have some connections...other than that?"

They hadn't exactly been good at making friends.

 

[Addis Vrummal]

Addis had no more words and listened as they spoke. He was just as edgy as Kaska was about staying considering her estate had been so readily intruded upon. He took in the walls, the steward, and their situation. They would likely have to leave by night. Or hiding in something.