Private Tales Upriver

[Rayth Keirn]

Rayth drew his sword too. He had fought monsters of many kinds, but had never deliberately sought out the nest of something so horrendous.

If the paladin felt fear then he displayed none as he approached the home of the wendigo.

A dark pit in a cluster of trees and vines did not look like the home of a beast. A loud huff could only be the sound of an animal or monster. A puff of steam rose from the hole. Then one long sinewy arm rose up, claws anchoring on the ground. Then the antlers and the blank, skeletal face.

"Fuck."

 

[Eislyn Gray]

Eislyn blinked, the paladin drawing her attention like a fly to a light. "You can do...magic?" She breathed, the moment gone as suddenly as it came, attention shifting to the gruesome being. She found herself trying not to panic - pushing down the sudden urge to grab Rayth's hand and tell him she loved him one last time.

Worried that they'd only have one last time.

The wendigo stood nearly as tall as their two-story inn. Eislyn raised her palm and found it quivering slightly. Clenching her jaw past fear, she released a powerful bolt of light which seared through the flesh of the wendigo's shoulder. The beast roared, socket-less eyes immediately focusing on the princess, a clawed hand coming to swipe and cut through the air.

 

[Tonwee]

The sound of a gong ringing out filled the air. Qik'teth stood before the wendigo, his shield of light blocking its claws.

"It is not magic, but a divine favour," he hissed. The Draconaad held firm against the wendigo's strength.

It raised its other arm to strike but Rayth darted in. The keen edge of his blade cut back and forth across its flank. The wendigo turned towards Rayth, who quickly backed away.

Qik'teth raised his sword over his shield and stabbed its arm.

 

[Eislyn Gray]

Eislyn's pink lips parted.

Divine favor?

Was he tasked as she was by the Goddess?

The beast was faster than she thought possible with his size. She had no more time to spare to her unvoiced questions. Something swooped from behind her ankles and swept her off her feet. Verdants caught the wendigo's tails out of the corner of her eye rattle by as her back hit the moist, sticky earth of the swamps.

Palms raised with holy-fire light as the clawed-hand not stabbed by the other two came crashing down toward her. Claw met light as the beast howled, the smell of singed and burning flesh permeating the air around them.

But Eislyn was slowly being crushed beneath the weight of its relentless paw.

 

[Rayth Keirn]

Rayth was caught by a backhand from the wendigo. Even as large as it was, its raw strength far surpassed its lanky form. Rayth went back, tumbling across the floor. Having dropped his sword to avoid skewering himself with it, Rayth drew himself to his feet without a weapon.

He expected to find the beast already on top of him. Instead it was trying to snuff out Eislyn's light. He had never seen anything resist her power quite like that. His heart skipped a beat as he saw the demonic beast edging closer. Rayth was just a man with a sharp sword with a paladin and sorceress.

He rushed forwards, flinging a knife that sunk deep into the wendigo's flank. He scooped up his sword as he ran.

The Draconaad paladin charged back in with his shield of light, slamming it to the wendigo's chest as he tried to drive it back.

 

[Eislyn Gray]

She was sinking into the muck, the weight of the beast barely held from crushing her completely by the magic coursing through her limbs. She was amazed at the creature's tenacity to continue on through the burning of its flesh and soul.

Five-inches deep.

7 inches deep.

She couldn't hold...the beast screamed and was suddenly off her. Chest heaved as her magic stopped. She struggled, trying to wrench herself free from the sticky-ground that left a body-size imprint in its wake. Her hands trembled as she pushed herself to a sitting position and blinked. Qik'teth managed to topple the beast over onto its back and was pressing that position to his advantage. Verdants searched wildly for Rayth as she staggered up to one knee, a sharp spike of light forming in her outstretched palm.

A weapon to form from the heavenly light.

 

[Rayth Keirn]

This was going to end quickly in their favour or very badly, Rayth realised. Calling upon magic was draining. This fiend was faster and more powerful than almost anything he had fought.

Qik'teth was hacking at its head with his mighty sword. The paladin was far stronger than any man of his size, his faith unshakable. Rayth appraised the situation and picked his moment.

As the wendigo raised one oversized hand he drove the point of his sword into it. Up close he had a clear view of the dagger-like claws that could rend him apart. They were covered in dried blood.

He shouted in anger as he threw his weight behind his sword. Steel grated on bone, but he managed to drive his sword into the ground too. It pinned one of its hands down.

"Kill it! Kill it!"

 

[Eislyn Gray]

Grunting to push back that tidal wave of weariness starting to set in her bones. Slender arm rose as her leg straightened and she launched her light spear straight into the beast's head. She wasn't sure if it had a heart or where it was. Very unlady and princess like, she decided to go for the brain, instead.

Wrist snapped forward and the speak-like weapon met its bony skull. The beast turned its head at the last minute but it only served to cause the spear to skewer its eye and straight into its head. As quickly as its strength fought against Rayth and the paladin, it twitched to a sudden still as Eislyn sunk to the muck in her knees.

Trembles began to shudder through her body.

The energy from her magic beginning to take its toll.

 

[Rayth Keirn]

Qi'tek didn't take any chances. The paladin stepped across the beasts' chest and took up his sword in both hands. It came swinging down like a pendulum and sent up a curtain of blood. He seemed satisfied once its head had been taken from its shouldered.

Rayth dropped to one knee. His sword, still pinning the wendigo's twitching hand down, was used to hold himself upright. He was out of his depth, but it was over. He hoped. He didn't think they could regrow heads.

Qi'tek had dropped to one knee as well, but it seemed it was to start a prayer. Rayth used his sword to pull himself to his feet. He stumbled towards Eislyn to the sound of hissed litany.

"Eislyn?" he called. Suddenly he was taken back to those caves, carrying her away from the krakarl.

 

[Eislyn Gray]

She looked up, just as relieved to see Rayth unharmed. "I'm alright," she breathed. She was covered in mud though, from head to her heels on her backside. And along her arms and legs.

"But my clothes, alas, have met their doom," a twitch of a tired smile as she looked up at him and managed to stagger up to her feet instead of on her knees. She looked to the unmoving monster and shivered. Even though she was covered in mud, she needed to hold onto something right now.

Her hand instinctively reached out for Rayth's.

 

[Rayth Keirn]

"Well you get the first bath then," he said softly. It was over, he told himself. It did not stop his hands from shaking.

"I believe I've mentioned how much I enjoy a good adventure, but if someone suggests we hunt a wendigo again we should say no."

If they hadn't caught that thing by surprise or hadn't been with the Draconaad paladin it would not have gone well at all.

" Qi'tek?" he called, but he was still saying his prayers and consecration the ground around the abomination.

 

[Eislyn Gray]

"I," she took a deep breath and squeezed his hand. "Agree with you on that. Time to go back to the village with the head and get our coin." There was a grimace as she said it. Looked like Qi'tek was finally done with his praying and the lizard-man stood, grabbing the severed head by the horns and dragging it along behind them.

She found herself leaning on Rayth as they stomped and trudged through the ever-growing darkness of the swamps. She was worried Qi'tek wouldn't make it - with his reptilian need for warmth and sun. But he did. It was the three of them who stopped by the mayor's house with the kill. The mayor was astonished and quickly paid what was due, eyeing Qi'tek with a mixed amount of wariness and respect. She and Rayth had enough coin back in their pockets to last them a few months by the time they stumbled back to the Inn.

 

[Rayth Keirn]

"Ew," went one of the women from the inn at the sight of them. The swamp mud was now caked into Eislyn's clothes. He had as much blood on him as he did mud.

"We were busy killing the monster hounding your people," Rayth snapped. His patience had been used up.

"Bring us a boot brush if you don't want the mud everywhere, a bottle of wine and have someone please take some warm water to the bath in our room," Rayth instructed.

A brush was brought and the two of them stepped outside to try and get the worst of it off.

 

[Eislyn Gray]

"And some sandwiches," she requested, knowing the cook would be happy to oblige. She followed Rayth outside and found herself sinking to the wooden porch. She was worried about Rayth. She hadn't heard him snap like that in a long time. She had a feeling it was more than just fatigue getting to him.

Gripping the brush, she motioned for the man to step down the porch and to the ground in front of her.

"Here. I can get the backs of your boots first. Then can you get mine?"

He was already more generous than herself. She would've gladly traipsed through the entire inn just to get to their room and peel off these clothes. And sink into that warm water. At least this would give them some time to talk privately while their tub was being filled.

"We can probably afford another room and tub if you don't want to wait," she said quietly, treading carefully around what might be bothering the man.

 

[Rayth Keirn]

When Rayth took the boot brush he actually applied it to her clothes first, dislodging some of the larger chunks of dried mud. Content that the worst was off he left the brush outside and led her indoors.

"I didn't mean to snap at her like that," he said, noticing the way it seems to have changed Eislyn's mannerisms. "I will apologise to her in the morning."

The door to their room was open and another member of the staff hurried away with an empty bucket, telling them it was ready. The bath was tepid, but that was better than cold. There was a bottle of wine and sandwiches.

"I can wait," he said to Eislyn, closing the door behind you. "Turn my back and talk to you. But we can get another if you'd rather," he offered.

 

[Eislyn Gray]

"If you want to wait, I'm okay with that," she said quietly. Boots were peeled off. Fingers moved to undo the belt around her waist. Shirt quickly followed as well as her trousers. Somehow, the mud had gotten beneath her clothing and was caked onto her skin like a painter's brush strokes.

"Rayth. What aren't you telling me? We promised to be honest with each other, remember?"

Undergarments joined the pile of clothes at her feet, trusting Rayth to keep his word, as she quickly moved to slip beneath the tepid water. Couldn't help the low sigh that bubbled up from her throat.

 

[Rayth Keirn]

The low sigh made it very, very difficult to keep his face towards the wall. He peeled away his own damp clothes, even if they were not as caked in swamp mud.

"Faced with that thing maybe I'm a little out of sorts?" he asked. He shook his own head. She had come to read his all too easily.

"I was thinking about money. And who we knew and where we can go safely. So...say we got married. What would that look like? Just you and me somewhere quiet?"

It was strange how saying something out loud could make something seem more appealing.

"I suppose... Actually..."

 

[Eislyn Gray]

Eislyn grabbed a bar of mint-smelling soap and began lathering up. She paused and blinked up at Rayth's back, trying not to let her eyes linger along his backside.

"Ere might have a spot near the Falwood we could settle down in. I don't think trying to go back to my father's kingdom is an option." She didn't know what happened with the duke after they'd gotten out safely.

"Do you have other ideas?" A small smile warmed its way up her lips. "Perhaps we could get a cottage by the sea and we could fish for food. I could start a garden..." Lathering up her hair, she disappeared beneath the water's surface for a moment before coming back up.

 

[Rayth Keirn]

"I think that you are being very pragmatic and brave about the whole situation," Rayth replied to the wall.

"I am thinking into everything far too much. I think there is still a little of my past in my. Enough to feel that I should do more for someone so...someone as amazing as your are."

"I was thinking more of the wedding itself. It is not as if we could have a big hall and family and wine. What would you like?" he asked.

It seems distinctly improper to ask such things before he had even proposed, but it was starting to dawn on him that many of the fears that held him back were irrational. He should never have held such expectations of what she would have wanted. The chances of fixing things between their families seemed ever slimmer.

 

[Eislyn Gray]

Hands gripped either side of the tub as she carefully rose and stepped out. She didn't want the water to lose all its warmth for Rayth. Small, wet foot-steps left trails along the wood floor as she quickly wrapped a towel around herself. Wet, ribbons of blond hair shifted along her back and shoulders as she rummaged through her satchel for a nightshift.

"Rayth," she finally breathed and glanced around slowly, wanting to hold that gaze of his. "You will always be enough. I don't need...what you give me is more than I need."

She perched on the edge of the bed.

She'd always imagined Hannah being at her wedding. Her mother. People Rayth or herself could never provide.

"As for the wedding," verdants traveled to the dark window of their room. "Something simple. Maybe Geelyn or your captain can marry us?" A slight upturn of the corners of her lips.

 

[Rayth Keirn]

Rayth frowned and hummed to himself. It took a moment for the idea to sink in. When it did a grin spread quickly across his face.

"Well not Geelyn, she'd get bored and walk off. But the captain could. If we could find the Paragon. Could have a whole party on the deck," he started speaking more quickly. Pacing shamelessly on the floor before her.

"It would be loud, but there would be dancing and laughter. And food. He might be stubborn but he would make sure there was food. I mean...if you like the sound of that..." his excitement was tempered quickly and he tailed off.

The lesson hadn't quite sunk in yet. She wanted him, not some grand ceremony. Rayth was simply catching up more slowly than usual. He was overexcited at the thought of an event which didn't seem as dour as the two of them alone with some local minister in a village church.

 

[Eislyn Gray]

She averted her eyes demurely as he paced in front of her.

"If you think the captain would be agreeable and not try to collect on a bounty for me again," there was a light tone behind her words, eyes sparkling. "Then yes. If the Paragon isn't too hard to find. But then again, you haven't even proposed to me yet so I'm not sure there's a rush," a full grin now - eyes going between darting to his face and moving back to the wall.

"I think the less fancy the better." Fingers lifted, working tangled knots out of her damp hair that was draped across one bare shoulder. She paused, her tone becoming stiff with real worry.

"You don't think...any of those crew members would slap my rear end do you?" She'd heard stories of how rowdy crew members got during any kind of revelry.

 

[Rayth Keirn]

"No they wouldn't but...perhaps a deck of drunken mercenaries and sailors isn't the best idea either. You are right, planning would be inappropriate without a proposal..." Rayth admitted.

That in itself required plenty of thought. The lesson would perhaps sink in by the morning that he was too quick to over think these things.

"I hadn't even considered..." Rayth shook his head and smiled at her. "Bath," he told himself, turning away and walking away from her to the tub. He slipped into the water which was now cooling below tepid. It was still nice to scrub away the swamp grime.

 

[Eislyn Gray]

"What brought all this up so suddenly?" She asked, amusement reflecting on her brow. Turning from him, she unwound her towel and slipped on the shift. She hung up the towel quickly, then moved to pile their clothes near the door. She was willing to shell out the extra coin to have someone do their wash in the morning.

"I am not opposed to a wedding with a band of mercenaries, just to be clear. After all, our life has become a grand adventure to rival anything told in the storybooks. Wouldn't you agree?" She grinned at the swashbuckler and moved back to the bed, slipping beneath the sheet, pillows propping her up.

 

[Rayth Keirn]

Rayth had been very disciplined before, but he glanced across when she turned away from him and let the towel slide away with a whisper. He took a quivering, steadying breath and closed his eyes.

"The biggest adventure," he agreed. Even if the monster today had been a little too frightening. He was going to need to get some armour, padded leather wasn't up to it.

"All comes from nearly running out of coin. I think the world of you Eislyn and think you deserve the world. At least we talked and now I know I've been a bit...silly."

That was one way of putting it. He finished washing and stepped lightly out of the tub. Someone could empty and wash it tomorrow.