Private Tales There are things that hunt you in the night

[Lumen]

There was a small town just north of Vel Cirak called Umanji. While not notable enough to warrant a Vel title, it was a favorite jaunt for one of the prominent nobles in Vel Anir. A cousin to the Urahils. Bernard Urahil. Lumen had to wonder if he had the signature Urahil pale-blonde hair.

Probably.

Hopefully he wasn't exactly like Leander.

She'd just graduated and was unsure of where she wanted to serve next. Those at the Academy didn't usually wait for new graduates to make those kind of decisions, so they assigned her to a mission, here, in this small town that was notable for a blacksmith and for having a higher elf population with its proximity to the Fal Wood. Lumen was assigned to track down what happened to Bernard Urahil. And they'd told her a senior dreadlord would be sent to work with her. Lumen was supposed to meet who it was at the Laughing Pony Inn.

She wondered if it would be Henk. And then tried not to let her mind wander as she dismounted from her horse and went to tie up the reins. A few children of the town were already pointing and whispering at her, noting her armor and rank. A tradesman with a cart full of furs and a dark moustache glared at her and began packing up his things.


Sable Pembroke

 

[Sable Pembroke]

Life had changed a lot for Sable since graduation. From service as a fully fledged Dreadlord, to incarceration in the wake of his madness, and now to provisional knighthood under the watchful command of Samantha Black. By all rights, Sable was supposed to be in Vel Castere for the foreseeable future. His probationary period was not yet complete, his training with the knights not finished. Lord Tobias Pirian was both clever and thorough, however, and fine print was ever important.

With permission and on Lord Pirian's request, Sable was to sally out for what would likely be his last mission without Sam's supervision in a good long time. "An apology by way of duty," Lord Pirian had called it, to someone it was very much owed to. Coy as he was, the noble had not mentioned who, but Sable had a feeling he already knew. There was only a few options.

Arriving at the meeting point and dismounting, it didn't take Sable much longer to figure it out. Distinctive armor and long, flaxen hair made it clear. Sable paid no mind to the glaring and gawking of townsfolk as he approached; the sting of their eyes upon his back was something he'd long since gotten used to.

"Lumen?"

 

[Lumen]

She looked up at that voice. It was like part of the air had been stolen from her lungs. Sable Pembroke. They hadn't seen each other, well, since he'd lost his mind with Kristin and Zael.

What had Edric told her when she'd visited him in prison?

Take your friends and run as far away from Vel Anir as possible. Lumen obviously hadn't listened but she had to wonder if Sable thought that. If he regretted that he couldn't do more for Zael. For Kristin. Like Lumen sometimes thought about Ysobel. Maybe it was the friends she knew would never leave that so easily dismissed Edric's advice. Or the sense of duty she felt to serve and protect those of Vel Anir who couldn't.

She finally remembered to breath and strode forward, offering her hand to the Dreadlord who was a year ahead of her.

"Hi Sable. Don't worry, no anti-magical cuff this time," she meant it as a joke as she showed one of her wrists but it fell flat. "You want to debrief inside?" Chin tilted to the dilapidated sign of the Laughing Pony Inn. "You...doing okay?"

Tawny-eyes briefly swept over his form.

 

[Sable Pembroke]

Sable hadn't known her long, but it was hard to forget her even while he had been under the sway of that dark curse that had wracked his mind. That sunny disposition of hers held up well despite everything, fitting well with that golden crown of hair she flaunted.

He took her hand in a firm grip and shook it professionally.
"Heh...good day to you, Lumen," he greeted her in turn with a wry smile, the best he could muster for her attempt at levity. "Sure, let's head in. Might give the locals some peace of mind if we put ourselves out of sight."

Lumen's concern was, of course, understandable. Sable hadn't exactly left the best impression when first and last they'd met.
"Don't worry," he joked back in the same fashion she had. "No meltdowns this time."

The titan of a man rubbed the back of his head sheepishly after a moment.
"I'm...terribly sorry for what happened at Zettal. I'm told someone or something was influencing my mind magically at that point, but...I don't feel right about using that as an excuse. I should have had the wherewithal to have figured out I wasn't well."

 

[Lumen]

Had Sable always been this...built?

Any apprehension she might've felt in seeing Sable Pembroke began to melt away. Even with his knight armor on and the way those villagers were eyeing them both. Maybe it was his voice or that small, sheepish smile he offered. Humility was not a trait a lot of dreadlords possessed and Lu could appreciate it when she saw it.

"Yeah, let's go," she stepped back and lead the way into the Laughing Pony Inn. The tavern was mostly empty this time of day. The barkeep was washing glasses. A pair of hunters sat in one corner.

"You don't have to apologize...but thanks for letting me know what happened. Could've happened to any of us." She frowned, thinking about that day. An older female with greying hair entered behind them and spread her hands in welcome, though her eyes crinkled on the edges with clear nerves.

"Welcome to Umanji. I'm Mayor Fairview."

Lumen smiled warmly and stepped forward, shaking the woman's hand. "I'm Lumen and this is Sable. Anything you can tell us about Bernard Urahil. When he was last seen and what he was doing?"

The Mayor shifted nervously and motioned to a table near the bar for them all to sit down.