Ana startled, refusing to budge further and looking up at him in nothing short of horror. Saul couldn't walk in any further. Her gaze begged him to say it wasn't so. Or help. Lift her up. Now!
Private Tales Those Fallen
- Thread starter Saul Talith
- Start date
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- Tags
- broken sword templar
A private roleplay only for those invited by the first writer
He smiled. "I'm kidding."
Though there were probably spiders throughout this place, otherwise there wouldn't be any cobwebs.
So it stood to reason anyway.
"Come on." He nudged her forward. "Let's see if we can't find out who this all belonged to."
Though there were probably spiders throughout this place, otherwise there wouldn't be any cobwebs.
So it stood to reason anyway.
"Come on." He nudged her forward. "Let's see if we can't find out who this all belonged to."
She didn't move for a moment, eyes visibly trailing the floor line. She took an unwilling step forward, allowing him to slip past her as she too approached from behind him now
Not the rodents!
She moved to the bed on her own, picking up the end of the fire poker and using it to lift the ends of the dust cloth off. She yank it off hard and fast, ready to stab any fleeing rats or spiders.
Not the rodents!
She moved to the bed on her own, picking up the end of the fire poker and using it to lift the ends of the dust cloth off. She yank it off hard and fast, ready to stab any fleeing rats or spiders.
There was nothing save for a cloud of dust.
Saul only smiled, shaking his head and wandering over towards what appeared to be a covered book case. Gently he pulled the sheet free, revealing exactly what he'd thought was there.
The book case was filled to the brim with ancient bound novels, most of them covered in dust. The dry air in the fortress had preserved them, though Saul did not dare to touch them. He ran his fingers over the case for a moment, then moved over towards what was clearly a desk.
"Officers quarters." He said out loud finally as he removed the sheet.
Had to be.
Saul only smiled, shaking his head and wandering over towards what appeared to be a covered book case. Gently he pulled the sheet free, revealing exactly what he'd thought was there.
The book case was filled to the brim with ancient bound novels, most of them covered in dust. The dry air in the fortress had preserved them, though Saul did not dare to touch them. He ran his fingers over the case for a moment, then moved over towards what was clearly a desk.
"Officers quarters." He said out loud finally as he removed the sheet.
Had to be.
Ana poked the bed for good measure too.
"...Hm?" She replied, turning her attention back to him. She watched him come up on the now private desk, watching the way he mulled over the belongings.
"Do you like it then? We can keep looking, this is like a whole city in one. I'm sure there's grander sections," she teased. Grander then this, she could not actually fathom. There had to be a place the Lord Commander of this all stay at though, right?
"...Hm?" She replied, turning her attention back to him. She watched him come up on the now private desk, watching the way he mulled over the belongings.
"Do you like it then? We can keep looking, this is like a whole city in one. I'm sure there's grander sections," she teased. Grander then this, she could not actually fathom. There had to be a place the Lord Commander of this all stay at though, right?
"It'll do." Saul said jokingly, as though he were settling. This suite was nicer than the Lord Captain's quarters back at the compound.
Idly Saul began to poke through the desk that he had uncovered, opening drawers and noting the papers that had been left there hundreds of years before.
A few of them had faded, though remarkably most of them remained legible. Leaning down he picked one of them up, frowning for a moment as he realized the language was completely unintelligible to him.
"Old Valeer?" It was a guess. "I doubt there's anyone alive who can still read any of this."
So much for finding out who this place belonged to.
Idly Saul began to poke through the desk that he had uncovered, opening drawers and noting the papers that had been left there hundreds of years before.
A few of them had faded, though remarkably most of them remained legible. Leaning down he picked one of them up, frowning for a moment as he realized the language was completely unintelligible to him.
"Old Valeer?" It was a guess. "I doubt there's anyone alive who can still read any of this."
So much for finding out who this place belonged to.
Ana plopped onto the bed with a grunt, bouncing to test its temperament. The years had left it musty and riddled with dust, but with the help of some of the some of the civilian wives ... she had a seeping suspension she'd never sleep well on the forest floor again. "Here, lemme see," she huffed, one hand cradling her stomach and the other held out for paper.
As if she'd be any better it than him.
As if she'd be any better it than him.
Saul turned and took a few steps towards the bed, offering the piece of parchment to Ana.
The text upon it was faded, older than the oldest building still standing in Alliria. Saul doubted it was anything too important, it hadn't been hidden or even tucked away under a key.
Probably a report of some sort.
Still, every little clue would help in trying to figure out just who this suite belonged to. In the end though, Saul didn't suppose that would matter too much. Whomever it was they had been a Templar, and had apparently been one of those last to leave when Herath had been abandoned.
The text upon it was faded, older than the oldest building still standing in Alliria. Saul doubted it was anything too important, it hadn't been hidden or even tucked away under a key.
Probably a report of some sort.
Still, every little clue would help in trying to figure out just who this suite belonged to. In the end though, Saul didn't suppose that would matter too much. Whomever it was they had been a Templar, and had apparently been one of those last to leave when Herath had been abandoned.
Ana frowned at it. "No... sorry." She went to hand it back. "Although." She pulled it back to herself, squinting at the text again. "It does look vaguely familiar. I think I've seen this somewhere before." She shrugged, handing it back then.
"Try Myrelle?"
"Try Myrelle?"
Saul frowned for a brief moment, then shrugged. "Maybe send it off to Elbion."
He chuckled.
"I'm sure the wizards would love that." The idea did seem amusing, though for a brief moment he wondered why Ana thought it familied.
"Maybe you saw it on a ruin somewhere?" Saul asked as he returned to the desk, placing the document back into the drawer. "If this stuff is left over, who knows what else is."
He mused. "We'll have to get most of it cleared out."
He chuckled.
"I'm sure the wizards would love that." The idea did seem amusing, though for a brief moment he wondered why Ana thought it familied.
"Maybe you saw it on a ruin somewhere?" Saul asked as he returned to the desk, placing the document back into the drawer. "If this stuff is left over, who knows what else is."
He mused. "We'll have to get most of it cleared out."
Ana laid back and was caught by surprise at the oriental designs on the ceiling above them as well. Thorough, that lot...
"The wives," she commented, rubbing at her neck and back. "Without households of their own, they are starting to grow antsy on their own. We can have them come through it all. Let them... nest." The word rolled off her tongue, given to her by the midwife. Something she was suppose to normally doing right about now. Ana couldn't help but to wonder if she could 'nest' the Templar matters into perfection instead.
"The wives," she commented, rubbing at her neck and back. "Without households of their own, they are starting to grow antsy on their own. We can have them come through it all. Let them... nest." The word rolled off her tongue, given to her by the midwife. Something she was suppose to normally doing right about now. Ana couldn't help but to wonder if she could 'nest' the Templar matters into perfection instead.
He glanced at her, still poking through the desk. One of the drawers on the bottom was locked, holding a small keyhole in order to unlock. "We have enough space now."
Saul said quietly as he began to fiddle with the lock.
"The second Fortress has enough space for everyone twice over." Before they had all been squeezed to the rafters in barracks, now? Now it was different. "We can give people entire sections."
He said as he took out a small piece of metal and inserted it into the lock, a trick he'd learned from Owin. "We'll section out the fortress and make sure everyone gets a spot."
That seemed fair to him.
Saul said quietly as he began to fiddle with the lock.
"The second Fortress has enough space for everyone twice over." Before they had all been squeezed to the rafters in barracks, now? Now it was different. "We can give people entire sections."
He said as he took out a small piece of metal and inserted it into the lock, a trick he'd learned from Owin. "We'll section out the fortress and make sure everyone gets a spot."
That seemed fair to him.
"Hmm," Ana hummed in agreement, falling silent. They had discussed this over countless time, but still it felt good to repeat their plans and verify that they were on their way to it.
She mused over the room around them, unable to help the small plans bubbling up. How could she get this to feel more like home to them? Books over there, any small trinkets of note she could find over there... Her arms spread out, judging the size of the bed.
Big enough not to smush the baby? She made a slight snow angel. Yeah. Perfect.
She mused over the room around them, unable to help the small plans bubbling up. How could she get this to feel more like home to them? Books over there, any small trinkets of note she could find over there... Her arms spread out, judging the size of the bed.
Big enough not to smush the baby? She made a slight snow angel. Yeah. Perfect.
Saul kept on fiddling with the small lock in the desk. It was an ornate thing, finely carved and nicely put together with steel fittings. It reminded him of the desk he'd had back in Alliria, nice, but also homely in a way. Perhaps the man who had occupied this room was like him.
That being said, the damned lock didn't seem to be budging in the least. No matter how much he tried the metal pin didn't seem to catch like it was supposed to. Frowning, Saul fiddled with it some more, pressed, then tried again.
There was a cloud click and then the drawer popped open slightly. "Ha!"
Perhaps he would have made a decent criminal in another life.
"Owin would be proud." Saul commented as he looked back at Ana, catching her spreading out on the bed. He smiled slightly, watching her quietly for a moment.
That being said, the damned lock didn't seem to be budging in the least. No matter how much he tried the metal pin didn't seem to catch like it was supposed to. Frowning, Saul fiddled with it some more, pressed, then tried again.
There was a cloud click and then the drawer popped open slightly. "Ha!"
Perhaps he would have made a decent criminal in another life.
"Owin would be proud." Saul commented as he looked back at Ana, catching her spreading out on the bed. He smiled slightly, watching her quietly for a moment.
Ana caught his gaze and smiled back. She pushed herself up onto her elbows, all too aware of what that sound signified. "You pick a lock? What is it?" She shimmied off the bed, her curiosity overwhelming.
"A journal." Saul said as he scooped out what appeared to be a small leather bound book, his lips thinning slightly as he saw what was resting beneath it.
His fingers turned to a fist for just a moment before he unfurled them.
"And a knife." He'd nearly cut himself on the damned thing! Who kept an unsheathed knife in a drawer beneath something that needed to be picked up. That was just unsafe. "An unusual one."
The Lord Captain said as he used his other hand to take the knife from the drawer.
It was made in an eastern style, the blade curved and edged on only one side, half as long as his forearm with the metal black as night. The handle was carved ornately, a single purple jewel sitting at it's base.
His fingers turned to a fist for just a moment before he unfurled them.
"And a knife." He'd nearly cut himself on the damned thing! Who kept an unsheathed knife in a drawer beneath something that needed to be picked up. That was just unsafe. "An unusual one."
The Lord Captain said as he used his other hand to take the knife from the drawer.
It was made in an eastern style, the blade curved and edged on only one side, half as long as his forearm with the metal black as night. The handle was carved ornately, a single purple jewel sitting at it's base.
"Careful," she chastised, snatching the knife from in an instant. There was no hope in stopping her, not with the bandages on his hand and her deft fingers twirling it away with skill that surpassed any of the other nine. Who needed swords when you could use daggers?
"You're suppose to be keeping that still."
"You're suppose to be keeping that still."
"It's been weeks." The Arm was not completely better yet, but nearly there.
Still, he didn't put up a fight when she snatched the knife away, if only because he was a tad more interested in the journal. On it's cover was the same strange language as before, the one that he had surely already guessed wrong.
The knife was just...well a pretty knife as far as he could tell.
"Odd design though." He commented as he looked up at her. "Though maybe our Templar was from the East."
Not impossible. "We need a historian."
He grumbled.
Still, he didn't put up a fight when she snatched the knife away, if only because he was a tad more interested in the journal. On it's cover was the same strange language as before, the one that he had surely already guessed wrong.
The knife was just...well a pretty knife as far as he could tell.
"Odd design though." He commented as he looked up at her. "Though maybe our Templar was from the East."
Not impossible. "We need a historian."
He grumbled.
Ana's brows furrowed as she studied the blade in turn. "The blade suggests it, though the last time I saw metal of this nature tempered like this was in our vaults... It's very old," she breathed, turning it over in her hands. She brought the jewel a little closer, curious for magic properties.
"Do we have any orders from there here?" She asked, looking up.
"Do we have any orders from there here?" She asked, looking up.
"At least a thousand years." That was when Herath had been abandoned, during the second Civil War, when the split had been bad enough to fracture the entire Order into pieces.
"None from the East." He said quietly. "They tend to be...traditionalists."
It was a way of saying they hated any and all magic.
As he thought for a moment Saul undid the small knot on the leather that held the journal closed, opening up and glancing at the pages. Inside there were dozens upon dozens of illustrations, each of them marked by the same lettering that had been on the parchment he'd pulled out earlier.
A gasp escaped him as he saw the drawings, each of them clearly an illustration of a monster. Revenant, werewolf, lesser vampires, even a beholder. "Look at this."
Saul said as he showed her a page of the journal depicting an Erevetia, a monstrous type of creature that drank blood and consumed it's victims. Like a Vampire, but far more bestial.
"None from the East." He said quietly. "They tend to be...traditionalists."
It was a way of saying they hated any and all magic.
As he thought for a moment Saul undid the small knot on the leather that held the journal closed, opening up and glancing at the pages. Inside there were dozens upon dozens of illustrations, each of them marked by the same lettering that had been on the parchment he'd pulled out earlier.
A gasp escaped him as he saw the drawings, each of them clearly an illustration of a monster. Revenant, werewolf, lesser vampires, even a beholder. "Look at this."
Saul said as he showed her a page of the journal depicting an Erevetia, a monstrous type of creature that drank blood and consumed it's victims. Like a Vampire, but far more bestial.
Ana leaned on, raising a brow at the pictures. "Huh. That's a lot of writing around it. ... They... must of known more," she hazard carefully, more interested in their finds that moment than any other point so far.
Finally, she cared about the writing.
"We need to get that translated," she agreed, opinion now firm.
Finally, she cared about the writing.
"We need to get that translated," she agreed, opinion now firm.
Saul slowly flipped the pages, taking note not to tear or damage any of them. "They're all like this."
There was wonder in his voice.
"Some of these we've never even seen before." A frown touched his lips. "Look at this thing. What the hell is it?"
The depiction was of a horse, though there was something...off about it. Instead of eyes the drawing showed deep wells of black abyss, flames seemed to cover the creature, and it's legs were sheathed in shadow. His fingers fluttered over the page.
Quietly he cursed the fact that their Order had been broken. So much knowledge lost. So much good that could have been done.
"Maybe someone else knows about the knife too." He suggested.
There was wonder in his voice.
"Some of these we've never even seen before." A frown touched his lips. "Look at this thing. What the hell is it?"
The depiction was of a horse, though there was something...off about it. Instead of eyes the drawing showed deep wells of black abyss, flames seemed to cover the creature, and it's legs were sheathed in shadow. His fingers fluttered over the page.
Quietly he cursed the fact that their Order had been broken. So much knowledge lost. So much good that could have been done.
"Maybe someone else knows about the knife too." He suggested.
She glanced down at the knife, then smiled appreciatively, clutching it a little closer.
"Maybe. Though I'm just glad we haven't seen a creature like that before," She commented, drifting back away and going to mull around the rest of the room.
"With luck, they've died out too." She pressed the plate to another window, this time inside their chambers. She peered outside once the clanking stopped, eyes skimming the distance.
"We can't take on more loses than we already have."
"Maybe. Though I'm just glad we haven't seen a creature like that before," She commented, drifting back away and going to mull around the rest of the room.
"With luck, they've died out too." She pressed the plate to another window, this time inside their chambers. She peered outside once the clanking stopped, eyes skimming the distance.
"We can't take on more loses than we already have."
He nodded in agreement. There were plenty of monsters in this world, they could do with one less running around. Glancing down at the Journal Saul frowned for a moment, skimming another page before he slowly closed it and placed it back onto the desk.
It would be useful, even if he had to translate the damned thing himself.
"We're growing." He told her quietly with a smile, standing from where he had positioned himself on the ground and stepping towards her. "Got a letter from Edwin a few days ago."
Edwin had remained in Alliria to lead the Templar there. "Nearly a hundred new recruits have started training."
The most in living memory. Far more than had been in their class.
"The Chapters here are bringing their numbers too." He came up behind her. "Things are looking better."
It would be useful, even if he had to translate the damned thing himself.
"We're growing." He told her quietly with a smile, standing from where he had positioned himself on the ground and stepping towards her. "Got a letter from Edwin a few days ago."
Edwin had remained in Alliria to lead the Templar there. "Nearly a hundred new recruits have started training."
The most in living memory. Far more than had been in their class.
"The Chapters here are bringing their numbers too." He came up behind her. "Things are looking better."
Ana looked up at him, blinking in visible shock.
"Wow..." The word was almost somber as she recalled what it had costed to get here. She turned and pressed herself into his arms, smelling faintly of musty cotton as she smushed her face into his chest.
"Yeah. It really is..." Was all she said. Because if any one thing had skewed a little to the life, they wouldn't be here right now. And right here was really nice.
"Wow..." The word was almost somber as she recalled what it had costed to get here. She turned and pressed herself into his arms, smelling faintly of musty cotton as she smushed her face into his chest.
"Yeah. It really is..." Was all she said. Because if any one thing had skewed a little to the life, they wouldn't be here right now. And right here was really nice.