A sigh was the only sound other then the pound of the horses outside. A young man sat in the heavily decorated carriage of a foreign noble, sitting deeper then what would normally be seen as proper. He was handsome in a roguish way. He had dirty blonde hair, combed but still out of place a bit. Clear blue eyes watched out a window in boredom. He wore a very expensive outfit, thick pants made from the fur of the blackest panthers, and a white silk shirt over his undergarments that helped to keep him warm. There was a rapier with a curled and gem inlaid hilt kept in a black leather scabbard on his belt with his other pouches and a riding crop The chain of a golden pocket watch ran from his belt to his pocket. His family coat of arms; a unicorn and a griffon in a fighting stance, was pinned to the neck of his shirt. Tight black leather gloves over his hands. A scarf around his neck and a thick coat left open over his outfit. His boyish features twisted into an annoyed scowl.
The carriage was an expensive build of royal purple cloth, deep expensive oak wood, and gold trim. It held the coat of arms of one of the dukes of England the family represented, as well as the royal coat of arms and then a large family coat on either side, and on the front. A driver controlled no less than 4 magnificently bred chestnut colored stallions. Two extra running along behind either side.
Sharing the upper class carriage was a second man that looked…crow like…to explain him easily. He had thick black hair that was always uncombed. He had small, beady like dark eyes, and a large hooked nose. Thin almost colorless lips. Angular features. Somewhat pointy ears that looked as though they were deformed. He wore a black hunting outfit and a thick bear fur coat. Even his voice was squawky somehow. Having a grating quality that was rather annoying.
"Calm down," the crow-like companion said to the other man, "you get overly antsy whenever we get close to a new town. As though your visiting the candy shop and your eleven. It is going to be there when we arrive."
"Bram," he laughed at his friends comments, "you need to get more excited. Doesn't anything put a spark in your eye?"
"No," came the expected response.
Another laugh, "figures, your mother probably never let you play with the other boys."
"Why would she have needed too?" he said with a seriousness that made the better dressed man start to wonder.
"Seriously," the younger man asked, "why the attitude? Your usually not this bad."
A shrug as the man looked out the window, a sigh escaping him.
"Not getting off that easily mister," he pressed with a playful tone.
"Anthony," he said as a quick and grave warning that he did not wish to be bothered.
"Fine," the younger man muttered, half-pouting, "be all gloomy and sad. Christ. Just trying to have a good mood."
"Don't use the lord's name in vain."
The younger man looked about to snap at his friend when his friend nodded out the window and he grew more serious glancing out at the thick forests.
"What?"
"The forest," Bram said.
"Yeah?" he asked, "it's the same annoying Forest we've been going through for three days."
"It is thinner here," he answered, "see the trunks there. We are ahead of schedule. I imagine we'll reach a city within the hour or two. There are less animals around here as well. All the trees look less alive…as though some poison has made the very land ill."
"Oh," Anthony answered, looking to see that which his mentor spoke of. Growing serious with the knowledge. He never seemed to notice anything on his own, it was aggravating. He didn't understand why he needed such a good understanding of such things anyway. He had servants like Bram to do it for him. Father was so daft. Besides, why Bram of all people? He was a wonderful fellow but not exactly cheerful. Ever. This whole trip hadn't taught him anything anyway.
"You seem troubled," Bram said, eyes still out the window on something. Something Anthony figured he probably couldn't notice anyway so he didn't try.
"Just restless," he answered, it wasn't the whole truth, but it wasn't a lie.
"I realize you don't appreciate my teachings," Bram said quietly, "however you will someday understand them. I don't wish to stay in this city for more then a night…two at most."
"but…why?" Anthony said, ready to protest now. They hadn't been to a city or an inn in weeks. Both were in need of a good rest. So were the horses before they left on the week or more trip to the small province they were sent to visit on this damned trip in the first place. This endless wasteland of snow and forest hadn't looked any different to Anthony since they'd arrived and started this long journey.
"There are things of this world that are best left alone," Bram answered, eyes worried at whatever it was he watched, "the mountains and the unknown areas of Russia are best left just that. We are outsiders here, we should go quickly else we get drawn into whatever sickness holds this land."
"Bram, that is a very unchristian view of things," Anthony said sourly, "I'm not about to give up a good few days of rest and entertainment just because you think some nameless evil holds sway here. Even out here in the middle of this snowy hell they believe in god. You shouldn't act so much like you don't. Your words teeter on heresy."
"Nonetheless," Bram answered quietly, "your god has demons. And I'd rather not meet any of them if it's all the same. We will stay two days. That is all."
Anthony stared at him quietly, there wasn't much he could say. Bram was as nice as he could imagine a knight that served under his father. Still, Anthony knew that he would be left in this city if he didn't go when his mentor did. He ground his teeth quietly as he fumed at being unable to do anything about it.
