Fable - Ask The Road Home

[Nathaira]

Nathaira shifted around, giving her other side some attention from the fire. The leather she wore held the heat nicely, for a time. Kasimir's response was no surprise, the fact that he had said this much to the girl already was astounding. Her ears perked up as he referred to her as "Nat." She had never been called that before, but she did not mind it.

Was that... humor in his voice? She had always suspected there were more than shadows within him, but this was a rare glimpse of it. She was intrigued, enough that chose not to challenge his notion that she had not trained Rumer adequately with weaponry. Multiple teachers would be good, anyhow, she told herself, and truth be told there had been precious little time to do more than tell her which end of a knife to hold before they were sent off.

"I didn't know you had ssuch a ssoft spot for children, Kasimir," she teased. "Perhaps you ought to join our sessions more often." Not only would this give Rumer more variety, more experience, it would allow Nathaira herself to learn more about Kasimir's unique talents.

She looked over her shoulder back at Aila when the woman spoke. Ever the voice of reason. "Yes, probably," she answered with a wry smile back at the pair, "But that's no reason not to try and prevent it." Her eyes glittered in the firelight, although Rumer would probably not find her joke as amusing as she had.

 

[Kasimir]

"I would be honoured to help," Kasimir inclined his head towards the invite and then glanced to Aila and thought on her comment. It was probably true that the girl wouldn't survive but he had to agree with Nat - there was no reason not to try and prevent it. At least give the girl a good shot. It would be down to her if she decided to use the tools they gave her to fight for her life. Taking the dagger back he held it lightly between two fingers, twirled it, and then let her watch as it vanished in a plume of shadowy smoke to appear on the inside of his forearm.

"Come, Aila, we are not giving false hope just tools. It is up to her if she uses them well enough to survive here. Your skills would be worth teaching her too," he quirked an eyebrow slightly to the other half elf. Whilst the girls went back to talking or pondering on what he said he lowered his voice so that it was only Rumer that could hear him as he parted with some advice.

"Split yourself in two, Little Mouse. Turn one to iron and stone and wear it to protect the other half, which you need to bury deep. We are often called monsters but we are creatures of circumstance. If you are strong enough you can survive with a little of yourself still intact," as he spoke he moved his fingers again and a small shadow butterfly appeared on one finger, it fluttered to sit on the young girls knee.

 

[Rumer]

Rumer's gaze fell downcast with a mixture of fear and anger at Aila's words. All the determination in the world couldn't make her want to do the things she was being trained to do, and so how could she want to succeed? The woman's words were cutting, but the anger was not at Aila for saying them but at how true those words were. She would probably die amongst the countless other 'mongrel' children without a single tear shed for them.. "You didn't die." she answered Aila without really meaning to and she bit down on her lip, looking away from the woman.

She listened to Nathaira and Kasimir both offer their own response, not that it made her feel much better. The trying part was only more suffering and endurance and she dreaded every second of it.

She lifted her eyes back to Kasimir as his voice lowered and her brow creased slightly at his advice.. How did one split themselves in two? She would think on it, she decided, and she couldn't resist a smile at the butterfly that landed on her knee. Her magic was not that pretty. "Alright.. I'll try." she nodded, reaching a fingertip to the butterfly with deep thought clear on her face.

 

[Aila]

"Hmpf." Aila said as she turned away in half a huff.

In her own way, she did not really despise Rumer. In fact, she felt more than a bit of pity for the girl. Aila knew the truth of what was about to happen to her, what torture and horror she would have to endure within the coming years.

The rage, the anger in her voice was offered because she knew what her fate would be.

That what she had suffered herself.

As the girl reached out with her own magic, Aila simply frowned. Her fingers wrapped around her arm, crossing over her chest. Then suddenly her index tapped one of the marks upon her flesh. The ground beneath Rumer would suddenly quake, and a sudden pit opened up beneath her.

 

[Nathaira]

Oh ho! It seemed that Rumer possessed some venom of her own! Nathaira bit her lip and looked back to Aila, who had become quite sullen. This was even more entertainment than Kasimir's lute. She heard Kasimir's whispered advice, most of it at least.

Survive with yourself intact... interesting. Nathaira wasn't exactly sure what he meant by it. This was herself. She had been quite successfully molded, and though she did not always wish to kill and maim and torture, she had little issue with it most of the time. Perhaps this was the circumstance he spoke of, it was not like she was ever actually given a choice. So then... who was she really?

Dangerous thoughts, like ice that wound send her down a slope to madness, so she focused instead on the faint fluttering shadow that he produced. Who was this man who had possessed the silent tiefling all of a sudden?

The butterfly landed on Rumer's knee, and a touching moment might have been had if she hadn't been swallowed by the earth.

Nathaira yelped and sprang over the fire, landing on her stomach and sliding towards the pit, reaching her long, thin arms into the darkness, trying to catch the girl.

 

[Kasimir]

Despite the ground opening relatively close to him Kasimir didn't even batter an eyelid. Instead he held out a hand as the shadow butterfly returned to him and he raised his eyes to look over at the sullen half-elf opposite. Such a foul mood. But in a way he felt the little pit was her own attempt at trying to bond with the girl. In the twisted way only a forsaken would think of. What did surprise him was Nat's response to the girl falling in the hole. Was that care? Interesting. He twisted his hand and the butterfly disappeared.

"That was not very nice Aila," there was a warning edge to his tone as he finished off his meal and let the snake woman deal with her ward. "How would Norris feel if we returned one of his latest pets to him broken and we had to tell him it was you who had caused the injuries?" Because Forsaken were prized assassins and as much as they were despised nobody could dispute their usefulness. Besides, who were they to harm another who had been placed within their group to learn? That was the discretion of the Handlers. Only they decided who was harmed and who was not.

He ate another piece of meat as he regarded Aila coolly.

 

[Rumer]

She'd begun to feel safe, and relaxed, but the ground fell away without warning and Rumer let out a short squeal in fright, landing in a cloud of dust and rubble and coughing as she looked up at Nathaira from the ditch. Had she tried to save her? "I'm alright.." she growled. But she wasn't. She'd had enough torture and torment in her life but she didn't appreciate her weakness serving as an amusement. She watched the butterfly flutter above her and disappear from sight, and her expression shifted from hurt to anger. She found that she didn't enjoy being ridiculed, not in the slightest, and she picked up a rock and gripped it hard for a moment in deep consideration.. The woman was trying to get to her and it was working.

She stood up and dusted herself off, and reached for Nathaira's hands to pull herself back out of the ditch, her dirty little face arranged in a scowl as she directed it at Aila..Perhaps if she stood up for herself, it might change her opinion.She found her voice, and it was raised.

"What have I ever done to upset you!? You of all people should know what I'm--" she cut off and clenched her jaw. "At least they are trying to help me.. I don't want to be here either but I don't have a choice! So you might as well just get used to it and stop trying to make my life harder than it already is!" she stepped closer.. "I don't need you to like me. I don't much like you either. But Nat told me that you were all my family now and I need you." she frowned. They all knew how treacherous her current life was, they'd all been through the same, but they'd all made it, and as difficult as it was to admit, she needed their help to survive it. "I don't want to die." she added and grit her teeth, dropping the rock she'd been holding at Aila's feet and turning her back on her to find a new place to sit. She didn't want to end up in a deeper or more permanent hole in the ground.

 

[Aila]

Aila stared coldly at the girl as she stepped away, her lips thin and her hands frozen across her chest.

She had said nothing to the girl, nothing to Kasimir either, her lips pressed so thin that the blood had nearly drained from them completely. In a way she was impressed, the girl hadn't lashed out like Aila thought she would.

The Half-elf couldn't help but wonder if that was a bad thing.

Yet the girl wanted to live. Wanted to make it through this life of torture and misery. Who was she to deny Rumer that? If the girl wanted a life of violence and death...a scowl set on her face, and she regarded Kasimir.

"I'm going to scout ahead." The words were the only thing she could think to say as she turned and headed towards the clearing.

She had to fight not to let her voice break with emotion.

 

[Nathaira]

Nathaira was relieved that the sinkhole was only a few feet deep. Her reaction had been unconscious, almost involuntary. Perhaps keeping an eye on Rumer during the mission had conditioned her. The child was not truly ready to defend herself properly, and though she pushed her "student" as much as she could she would step in if any real danger to her life presented itself.

...Probably.

She pushed herself back up to her knees, dusting off her front. Rumer's outburst was... magnificent. Where had this come from? What had pulled this fire from beneath her timid, weak exterior? It was a good sign, she would need that fire in the cold and dark that was to be her life. She let the nickname slip again, although she wasn't sure how she felt about Rumer using it. Was she supposed to be more formal with a trainee? Ah, it didn't really matter.

Aila stalked off, and Nathaira's face turned away from amusement to understanding. She looked at Kasimir, who hadn't moved an inch to help the child. "I will sspeak to her.

She stood and walked after Aila, catching up to her in the clearing. She looked up at the stars, millions of them peppering the sky. "Find any danger?" she asked the self-appointed scout, her hands held behind her back. "We are all tired. It is much warmer by the fire, though you can ssee more stars here."

Nathaira did not pry, not when she didn't need to. She would like Aila to return and join them, to be in a better mood, but she would not demand this. Perhaps she wished to be alone, many of them were more used to that.

 

[Kasimir]

Women were curious creatures. Kasimir watched the events unfold and briefly wondered if now was the point to step into the shadows. He could almost taste the emotions in the air. Rumer found her claws, Aila seemed to take offence to the point of... tears, and Nat stepped in to go after her showing compassion and understanding. After the heat of the moment a strange silence fell over the camp. Or what remained of it, which was only himself and Rumer.

Very slowly he stood.

This was uncharted ground but he had to agree with Rumer on one fact; they were meant to be a family. Kas could remember these missions as being his own shining moments of... normality compared to the training he had undergone. The other Forsaken who had taken him under their wing had made these moments around the fire the only positive memories he had had. It was what had made it easier for him to see the job merely as a job. Once it was done, then there was a chance to be yourself again.

The girl seemed to be trembling from the outburst and he stepped around the hole and went to her quietly.

"It is ok Little Mouse," he murmured and then very gently he pulled her to him and his arms went round her in an embrace. The shadows came up around them. He gave her, for a moment, time to give in to whatever emotions she needed to without fear. "We are your family."

 

[Rumer]

She had expected rage and repercussion following her outburst, she had certainly not expected her words to be met with silence... She felt instantly guilty and she pulled her knees tightly against her chest for some form of comfort. She stared ahead, wordlessly, her glassy gaze lifting timidly to Nathaira as she got up to go after Aila.

Her brow fell into crease. Some family it was, they’d beat her until she became a hardened killer and wouldn’t care if she lived or died. But they were in this together, she tried not to blame them for what the handlers made them do..

Rumer blinked, wide eyed as arms wrapped around her and she went rigid for a moment. She had never been hugged in her life until Nathaira had done so on her first day of training, but she had been terrified and it was uncomfortably rigid. She glanced up at him as he spoke, and her arm hesitantly returned the gesture and she found herself both easing and tightening her grip, taking comfort from this thing people called an embrace.

Her skin warmed without her meaning to, her body responding to the contact and trying to heal Kasimir of any wounds he had as she closed her eyes and tried not to cry.

 

[Aila]

Aila nearly yelled at Nathaira to get out of her face and just go away, but memories of the naga woman helping her in the past kept her lips sealed.

Life as a Forsaken was not easy, most of the time they could hardly move from day to day with any amount of joy. It was hard to find friends, harder still to find those who would actually support or help you. Most of their rank would gladly slit anothers throat once they looked away.

That was just how it was.

Being the only one left meant that you might get some beneficial treatment. Though even that was really left at the whim of the handlers. "She's just going to die."

Aila said quietly.

"Just like the others." Her lips pressed together. "And if she doesn't..."

For a second her throat caught, then she slowly continued. "She'll be like us."

Murderers, killers. The dregs of any society.

 

[Nathaira]

Nathaira watched Aila in the moonlight. She had known the half-elf longer than she had known Kasimir and certainly longer than Rumer. She always thought of her as resourceful, level-headed, efficient. This emotion was different.

She allowed a few moments of silence before stepping forwards slowly, walking around to Aila’s side and peering around at her face.

”And what iss wrong with uss?” she hissed quietly. "We did not assk for this... we did not choose thiss life," she circled around and faced Aila fully. "It was forced upon us... all of us... even her."

She stepped close. "And what have we done with it?" Her hand shot out, invisibly fast to try and grab Aila's chin and bring her eyes up to meet Nathaira's own yellow slits.

"We have ssurvived," she said. There was no more sweetness in her voice, it had been replaced by strength, by a desperation for her next words to be true. "And there is no guilt in that."

She would not hear of it. She would not be brought low for her crimes that she had no choice in committing. She was a killer, yes, and she was good at it, but she was only the weapon. The wielders, the ones who bore the blame, they were the handlers. The proctors. The elite of Vel Anir that spat at them in the streets.

 

[Kasimir]

This warm and tingling sensation was a little unnerving for the Tiefling but he didn't pull away, especially when he felt her arms come around his waist and then tighten. He ran a hand slowly down her hair and back in a soothing stroke then repeated the gesture again. The moment reminded him of the small kindness his own mentor had once shown him when he was very young - soon after he had joined the Forsaken and been taken from the Nurse he had thought would protect him from the evil things in this world. His mentor had been a beast of a woman, a half giant Kas still wasn't sure how they had kept a secret beneath the city. She was a gruff woman but fair. He had been distraught after killing a small child and she had come to him and given him the comfort of touch. Their handlers seemed to forget that a part of every Forsaken was intrinsically human. She had given him the same advice he had passed to Rumer and it had been a lifeline.

"It is ok Rumer, nobody else can see your emotions here. You are safe. Let them go," he kept the gentle movement going before rubbing her back in slow soothing circles. Then he paused, thought about what he had worried about too and added. "I won't tell anyone."

 

[Rumer]

Rumer had never once felt safe in her life, and even less so since she'd left the care of her father whom she was too afraid to mention or mourn. She'd been told to forget her past life and accept her new one, and her new one had thrown too much physical and mental trauma at the girl much too quickly for her to process. Right now her mind was a battlefield of thoughts and fears.

You're safe..It's a trick.. he's going to hurt you..He won't hurt you.. stop being so gullible..shh .. they hate you.. they're family, they only do what they're told.. they'll tell Norris that you're weak.. they wouldn't...

The gentle stroking of her hair caused her eyes to blink heavily, she wasn't sure if it was magic or if it had just been what a gentle touch felt like. Each time a calmness washed over her, bringing her tortured mind to a sudden surrender, and the trouble seemed to melt from her face, leaving it as passive as it would be in slumber.

Still, she didn't cry. If she loosed her emotions there would be no clawing them back, and she held the thought of Norris' words at the back of her mind, her mind would never be free of him again. She tensed slightly and eased slowly again as his hand touched at her back, and she nuzzled her face against the Tiefling's chest..She was safe..

"I didn't mean to upset her.." was all she said. She'd been tortured and beaten and had cruel words drummed into her mind, the woman had taken the ground from beneath her, and yet guilt crushed at her when the woman had said nothing and left. She simply couldn't be okay with hurting people.

 

[Aila]

"We're killers." She stared up at Nathaira's eyes, not shying away from her touch but staring up at her.

There was a hardness to Aila's gaze.

She had never thought of her anger as something to be ashamed of. She did not regret feeling this way, she did not even really feel...guilty. Aila had absolutely no way of knowing how to describe her feelings. She was simply not equipped to.

"We don't even kill for ourselves." She said quietly. "We kill for some fucking noble who just...who just..."

Her shoulders shrugged. "I'm not ashamed of us, Nath. I don't feel guilty. I just..."

Aila's fingers balled into a fist.

"I'm just sick of this." The words could have condemned her.

 

[Nathaira]

Nathaira let her hand fall, her expression softening. Aila's words were troubling. None of them truly wanted this life, but what else was there? They were slaves, bound by magic and torture to be the perfect servants.

Aila's confession, if true, was a death sentence. It was not just because it would be treason should the handlers ever find out. It was because any Forsaken that lost their nerve, that lost their will to keep fighting, was very likely to die. Despair would lead to mistakes, mistakes would get her (or her companions) killed.

She did not truly know what to say to this. She could not comfort her, tell her that these feelings were natural. Natural as they were those feelings must be crushed, they must be swept aside. Nor could she deny that she, too, had felt the weariness creep in. Reaching 24 was a notable achievement, and Aila had endured three more years of this life already.

She started to walk back to the fire, speaking over her shoulder as she went. "Come back to the fire, it may help you take your mind off things." Distraction was likely not what Aila wanted, but it was all Nathaira could offer.

As she returned, she was surprised that both Rumer and Kasimir had gone. She glanced around the dark trees but was unable to see anything. The fire produced too much heat for her infrared pits to be much use. Perhaps they had gone on a soul-searching walk of their own. At least Rumer was not on her own. Still, she couldn't help but feel a tightness in her chest at not knowing the girl's whereabouts.

She sat down close to the fire again. With no one else around, she found it a little harder not to fall into her own thoughts. What Aila said had shaken her.

 

[Kasimir]

Kasimir sighed softly when he felt her relax against him and he continued on in the comforting motions with his hand. This was a good thing and it was needed. If she couldn't feel safe at moments like this she would be scared every second of every day and fear led to mistakes which led to death. He would not lie to her and tell her everything was going to be ok though, she had been born on the wrong side of the bed with a race that the humans hated. But she shouldn't have to feel scared of other Forsaken in moments like this.

"I know Little Mouse, I know. But all of us have our own demons, Aila is no exception," he watched quietly as Nat returned to the fire, glanced around and then sat down. He stopped his movements and then very gently tilted the girls face up so she had to look at him. "You did not upset her, this runs deeper than you. You will face enough things on this journey that will upset you but do not let it be other Forsaken. Nat was right, we are your family and we will help you as much as we can. The rest is down to you." He searched her gaze for a little understanding before he nodded slightly and glanced once again to Nat beside the fire.

"Are you ready for me to drop the shadows now? I believe our sister misses you," he gave her a small reassuring smile. If she agreed he would drop the shadows around them. To the others around the fire it would simply be as if they stepped out of the shadow the fire cast across the grass.

 

[Rumer]

Rumer sighed deeply and gave Kas the look of understanding he’d been searching for. It was perfectly simple to understand when she knew how they'd suffered, and how they still did. "I will try.." she answered the Tiefling, and that was all she could do, try not to give up, try to survive, but they wouldn't make it easy on her and she knew it.

She watched Nathaira return to the fire, a small smile playing on her lips in amusement that she couldn't see them, it was a curious magic, and how jealous she was that he could disappear from sight whenever he chose. She looked up at him at his words, nobody ever missed her, but she nodded anyway.

As the shadows fell away, Rumer gave Kasimir a final squeeze and let go, and she went to sit by Nathaira, in case she really had missed her. "I will try." she repeated her words to Nathaira. "You all think i'll die but I'll try not to. I promise." she told her, staring at the woman for some form of approval.

 

[Aila]

"Okay." Aila said quietly, though at first she did not move.

Instead she allowed the half Naga to slowly creep away and back to the camp. A breath filled her lungs as she stood there, quietly mulling over what decision to make.

Ultimately she landed on the fact that there was no decision to make.

She could simply do as she had always done; survive. A sigh escaped Aila, and then slowly she turned on her heel and trotted back towards the camp. The words of Rumer echoed in her ears as she stepped back into the camp, her face inexpressive.

Rumer would receive no apology, but Aila stepped over to the fire and peeled off a small piece of meat still left from what Kasimir had brought.

It was about the most she could manage.

 

[Nathaira]

Nathaira gazed into the fire, watching the wood crumble and burn away. The fire gave warmth, cooked their food, supported them… but it destroyed everything it touched. There was probably poetry in that, but she was starting to get too sleepy to care.

Movement drew her eyes up and across the flames and she started when she saw Rumer and Kasimir suddenly there. At first her brain couldn’t put the pieces together, had they been there the whole time and she only now noticed? No… Kasimir had done one of his tricks for sure, and she shot him a wry look.

Her lips turned upwards in a smile as Rumer took a seat by her. The girl still seemed to hold a good deal of apprehension around her, so it was nice to see that she wasn’t completely petrified of her all the time.

Her smile faltered for a moment when Rumer spoke. Such determination, such will had taken her by surprise, but she was glad to hear it. The smile returned, pride in the girl swelling. ”Good,” she said, taking a finger to brush Rumer’s bangs aside. ”That is all any of us can do.”

She leaned into Rumer’s ear and whispered, so that only she could hear. ”What did that jesster show you in his shadowss?” She was unabashedly curious.

Aila returned then, though, and the momentary distraction would give Rumer an excuse not to answer, should she not wish to.

 

[Kasimir]

The tiefling nodded at Rumers words, content with her conviction to at least try. He watched as she made her way back over to her mentor and let Nat's wry look with his usual bored expression, offering her nothing but a slight shoulder shrug. What Kas had shared with Rumer was a private thing and he would keep his word to her to not tell a soul about what had transpired between them in that moment. When Nat turned her attention away from him Kasimir pressed a finger to his lips and gave Rumer a conspirators wink. He then turned and walked back to the hole Aila had created, reached in, and fished out his trenchcoat which had fallen in after the girl.

He gave it a firm shake to remove the dirt and a slight frown marred his brow.

Kasimir liked his coat. It was a slight irritation it had got muddy.

Not uttering another word he returned instead to his original position by the boulder, picked up his lute, and began to play again with one ankle resting on his other knee.

 

[Rumer]

The child smiled as Nathaira fixed her messy hair, and she glanced back over her shoulder to Kasimir at her question. She grinned at him and nodded at his gesture, and simply shook her head as she looked back to Nathaira again “Nothing.” she shrugged. But they hadn’t been nothing. They’d been the only place in this world she’d felt entirely safe for a few blissful minutes. A place to hide... there was that envy again.

Rumer looked up as Aila returned, her eyes following her to where she sat at the fire, and she bit on her lip and chewed for a moment before getting up and going to kneel down in front of the half elf with a quiet sigh. “I’m sorry Aila.” She told the woman firmly. “I shouldn’t have spoken to you the way I did.. If you don’t want me to talk to you, I won’t.” her head tilted, and stole a curious glance at her ears. She felt robbed, and she had been. They were pretty ears, her mothers would have been the same.. She almost spoke again but she caught herself and bit down on her lip again, dropping her gaze to her fidgeting hands in her lap, glad Kasimir has taken up his lute again.

 

[Aila]

Aila stared at the girl as she quietly nibbled on the piece of flesh she had carved for herself.

Her ears twitched slightly, an almost involuntary motion as she noticed Rumer staring at them. Lips turned into a scowl, and she had to resist the urge to pull up her hood and hide them. "Don't apologize."

Aila's voice was stern, but not harsh.

Briefly she looked over towards Nat and then Kas. Her eyes searched for something, and then she turned back to face Rumer as she kneeled on front of her.

"Makes you look weak." A lesson she had learned early on.

Apologizing wouldn't do much with the Handlers, often times it only got you into more trouble. It was better to just be silent, take the beatings and do as you were told. At least they respected that.

 

[Nathaira]

Her eyes narrowed at Rumer's insistence that "nothing" had happened with her and Kasimir. An obvious lie, but not one that was harmful. There was a risk that Rumer was becoming too comfortable if she was speaking so freely, and although Nathaira enjoyed it, she would need to make sure the dynamics of their relationship did not sway too much. She would forgive this lie, she hadn't expected her to say much anyway, and she knew Kasimir had a hand to play in it as well.

She was again surprised when Rumer approached Aila. Well... it was her choice if she wanted to end up in a pit again. Luckily Aila's response was measured and did not involved any further outbursts.

The music started up again to her right, and she turned back to their horned companion. His skin, already bright, was exceptionally brilliant in the orange firelight. He may be the one Forsaken that stood out more than she did, although he did have those shadows to dip into. Still, there were distinctly human aspects to him that couldn't be ignored. He had a gentle face, a clear appreciation for music, and apparently a soft spot for children. More pieces to add to a puzzle that as of yet did not fit together.

She yawned, turning her head back to the fire so Kasimir did not need to see her face split in half. It was rather late now, and they had walked for a very long time.

She stood and walked purposefully to the musician, sitting her self down directly next to him and leaning into his large shoulder. "Keep me warm, would you? The fire iss dying." She settled in and closed her eyes. This was a role she had made Aila fill on previous assignments, as body warmth was more reliable than fires which needed tending. The elven woman did not seem to be in a very... accommodating mood, however. Her tongue flicked out briefly, picking up the odors of smoke, meat, wood, and the particular scent of Kasimir himself.