Jald Nightson stepped out into the night, leaning against the wall of
the tavern, folding his arms around his chest and watching his female
companion through narrowed eyes, "You wanted to speak to me, Boneflower?"
The female stoat nodded, lowering her eyes slightly as she sighed, "Jald..."
Jald watched her calmly and completely impassively, his face emotionless, "It's Eroket and Morik, isn't it?"
"Aye," She answered softly, her blue eyes lowered as she wrung her paws together nervously, "Jald, ye know how I feel about Ero."
"You love him." Jald answered calmly, "Any fool could have seen it when you met him those years ago. Any fool can see it now."
"Jald! Leave me some integrity, will ye?" Her eyes narrowed sharply, taking Jald a bit by surprise which faded into slight amusement.
The ferret smiled, showing his pearly, pointed teeth, "You're confused though. Morik's along, he has feelings for you and you may have feelings for him too. You also dislike how those two are perpetually at one another's throats."
Boneflower nodded once more, seeming surprised Jald was able to grasp it so quickly, "Morik's from the Academy though...I dunno what he's done, what he's been through and he always tries to see I get what's in me best interest on this trip...he's been a good friend."
Jald nodded once more, "You felt you could talk to me about this because I'm from Meridian?"
"That'n you trained Eroket. You know how they think and you know what I'm goin' through!"
A sardonic smile crossed Jald's face, "Good guess. Rather accurate too. Yes, I know full well what you're going through, Boneflower. I experienced it once. Not exactly first person, but I was one point on a little love triangle."
Curiosity tinged Boneflower's features, "Y'were? Who with?"
"Eroket's mother," Jald answered, closing his eyes for a moment, "When Aleran and I fled the Academy, we spent a year living in the forests before we ran...afoul of some bandits. Eroket's mother was an assistant to the bandit lord. It's a long story, and I don't care to get into right now. Keep what you just heard silent; I don't want Eroket getting hold of it."
Boneflower sighed and nodded, "I will, Jald. Is there anything you c'n give me that'll help me?"
"You came to the wrong beast for romance advice, Boneflower. I'm a soldier and I always have been."
"Y'weren't when I first met ye, Jald. In fact," Her voice turned sharp, "When ye spent the night with me,where were these reservations?"
Jald froze, his gaze hardening, mouth tightening in a thin line, in a terrifying instant he became the Jald Eroket had once known, the Jald that had reveled in blood and death, "I was a different beast. You want to bring up my past mistakes to torment me?"
"Oh, so now I'm a 'mistake?'"
"No! Dammit, Boneflower!" Jald's resolve melted into a semblance of hopelessness, "I haven't told Ero about us and I doubt you have either. If you want to blackmail me, then go ahead! If not, say your piece and let me enjoy the rest of my night!"
Boneflower sighed, "Yer right, Jald...that was kind of uncalled for...'s just, y'know I was a whore. In some ways, I still am. Jald, I never wanted to get attached, but I couldn't help it!"
"'Kind of uncalled for?' Jald folded his arms, glowering at her.
"Fine, it was completely uncalled her!" She snapped angrily, "I need t'know: what do I do?"
"If all your choices are painful, there is no right one. Let it play out is the only advice I can give."
"I don't want them hurt over me, Jald."
"Then you shouldn't love both of them. And you shouldn't have them love you back." With that, Jald turned from her and strode off into the night, not wanting to see Eroket, Morik or Boneflower again for the rest of the night.
With a groan of desperation and hurt, Boneflower realized Jald was right as he usually was nowadays. With a sigh, she turned and walked back into the tavern.
She'd spend this night alone, at least.
Tilverin; City of Splendors.
Davrag walked into the streets, mapping out every inch of the great city. Trading posts and shops marked most every corner, beasts hustled by, selling, buying or walking.
Large buildings marked the place as well, Davrag noticed, probably important locations or the like. Landlocked Tilverin was not a port city liked Calishan or Meridian, so Davrag was disappointed to note the absence of the sea that he often lived by but Tilverin lived up to its name.
He had split with Yarel and his group at the inn, wanting the Academy rat to keep control over his own soldiers while he checked out the area with Exles. It was better to keep the Academy rat in the dark for the moment as Davrag was one hundred percent certain he could deal with Exles if the mad rat decided to try anything. Davrag didn't trust Exles as far as he could throw him.
"Why're we stayin' here, Davrag?" Exles's mad eyes locked on Davrag's amber as the rat's paw held and caressed his broadsword hilt, a twisted grin revealing yellowing teeth, "We should be getting' back to Vandashira, get workin' on finishin' those who're takin' on that job."
"That is why I sent Ren and Silter to deal with it," Davrag answered smoothly, "I have a hunch anyways. If the hunters have to pass to Kolma, they'll probably need to restock at Tilverin, thus allowing us the perfect spot for ambush."
"How'll we even know if they're 'ere, Davrag?"
"I put Yarel on that. His soldiers are watching the entrances of the place night and day. If anybeast who comes close to the descriptions I gave, Yarel will inform me immediately."
"He's an Academy rat! How c'n you trust him?"
"I don't need to explain myself, Exles," Davrag's patience was dangerously close to snapping, "Once done, we get back up to the mountains, to Shadows Keep and meet with your master. Then we'll see what happens."
Exles seemed to accept this and quieted. Davrag gave a small sigh of relief. Exles was beginning to grate on him.
If, in three days, there was no sign of Eroekt and his little club, Davrag would just move on, but at least one beast would stay behind. It would just be a shame if Exles tripped and fell on a dagger, or fell from a high cliff or ate some spoiled meat, wouldn't it?
Those were occupational hazard in this line of work, after all.
The female stoat nodded, lowering her eyes slightly as she sighed, "Jald..."
Jald watched her calmly and completely impassively, his face emotionless, "It's Eroket and Morik, isn't it?"
"Aye," She answered softly, her blue eyes lowered as she wrung her paws together nervously, "Jald, ye know how I feel about Ero."
"You love him." Jald answered calmly, "Any fool could have seen it when you met him those years ago. Any fool can see it now."
"Jald! Leave me some integrity, will ye?" Her eyes narrowed sharply, taking Jald a bit by surprise which faded into slight amusement.
The ferret smiled, showing his pearly, pointed teeth, "You're confused though. Morik's along, he has feelings for you and you may have feelings for him too. You also dislike how those two are perpetually at one another's throats."
Boneflower nodded once more, seeming surprised Jald was able to grasp it so quickly, "Morik's from the Academy though...I dunno what he's done, what he's been through and he always tries to see I get what's in me best interest on this trip...he's been a good friend."
Jald nodded once more, "You felt you could talk to me about this because I'm from Meridian?"
"That'n you trained Eroket. You know how they think and you know what I'm goin' through!"
A sardonic smile crossed Jald's face, "Good guess. Rather accurate too. Yes, I know full well what you're going through, Boneflower. I experienced it once. Not exactly first person, but I was one point on a little love triangle."
Curiosity tinged Boneflower's features, "Y'were? Who with?"
"Eroket's mother," Jald answered, closing his eyes for a moment, "When Aleran and I fled the Academy, we spent a year living in the forests before we ran...afoul of some bandits. Eroket's mother was an assistant to the bandit lord. It's a long story, and I don't care to get into right now. Keep what you just heard silent; I don't want Eroket getting hold of it."
Boneflower sighed and nodded, "I will, Jald. Is there anything you c'n give me that'll help me?"
"You came to the wrong beast for romance advice, Boneflower. I'm a soldier and I always have been."
"Y'weren't when I first met ye, Jald. In fact," Her voice turned sharp, "When ye spent the night with me,where were these reservations?"
Jald froze, his gaze hardening, mouth tightening in a thin line, in a terrifying instant he became the Jald Eroket had once known, the Jald that had reveled in blood and death, "I was a different beast. You want to bring up my past mistakes to torment me?"
"Oh, so now I'm a 'mistake?'"
"No! Dammit, Boneflower!" Jald's resolve melted into a semblance of hopelessness, "I haven't told Ero about us and I doubt you have either. If you want to blackmail me, then go ahead! If not, say your piece and let me enjoy the rest of my night!"
Boneflower sighed, "Yer right, Jald...that was kind of uncalled for...'s just, y'know I was a whore. In some ways, I still am. Jald, I never wanted to get attached, but I couldn't help it!"
"'Kind of uncalled for?' Jald folded his arms, glowering at her.
"Fine, it was completely uncalled her!" She snapped angrily, "I need t'know: what do I do?"
"If all your choices are painful, there is no right one. Let it play out is the only advice I can give."
"I don't want them hurt over me, Jald."
"Then you shouldn't love both of them. And you shouldn't have them love you back." With that, Jald turned from her and strode off into the night, not wanting to see Eroket, Morik or Boneflower again for the rest of the night.
With a groan of desperation and hurt, Boneflower realized Jald was right as he usually was nowadays. With a sigh, she turned and walked back into the tavern.
She'd spend this night alone, at least.
Tilverin; City of Splendors.
Davrag walked into the streets, mapping out every inch of the great city. Trading posts and shops marked most every corner, beasts hustled by, selling, buying or walking.
Large buildings marked the place as well, Davrag noticed, probably important locations or the like. Landlocked Tilverin was not a port city liked Calishan or Meridian, so Davrag was disappointed to note the absence of the sea that he often lived by but Tilverin lived up to its name.
He had split with Yarel and his group at the inn, wanting the Academy rat to keep control over his own soldiers while he checked out the area with Exles. It was better to keep the Academy rat in the dark for the moment as Davrag was one hundred percent certain he could deal with Exles if the mad rat decided to try anything. Davrag didn't trust Exles as far as he could throw him.
"Why're we stayin' here, Davrag?" Exles's mad eyes locked on Davrag's amber as the rat's paw held and caressed his broadsword hilt, a twisted grin revealing yellowing teeth, "We should be getting' back to Vandashira, get workin' on finishin' those who're takin' on that job."
"That is why I sent Ren and Silter to deal with it," Davrag answered smoothly, "I have a hunch anyways. If the hunters have to pass to Kolma, they'll probably need to restock at Tilverin, thus allowing us the perfect spot for ambush."
"How'll we even know if they're 'ere, Davrag?"
"I put Yarel on that. His soldiers are watching the entrances of the place night and day. If anybeast who comes close to the descriptions I gave, Yarel will inform me immediately."
"He's an Academy rat! How c'n you trust him?"
"I don't need to explain myself, Exles," Davrag's patience was dangerously close to snapping, "Once done, we get back up to the mountains, to Shadows Keep and meet with your master. Then we'll see what happens."
Exles seemed to accept this and quieted. Davrag gave a small sigh of relief. Exles was beginning to grate on him.
If, in three days, there was no sign of Eroekt and his little club, Davrag would just move on, but at least one beast would stay behind. It would just be a shame if Exles tripped and fell on a dagger, or fell from a high cliff or ate some spoiled meat, wouldn't it?
Those were occupational hazard in this line of work, after all.