Guard duty was the same old, today they position themself near the slum, never seemed to be a lack of crime there. I was very dark at night torches were good, but never enough to chase away the dark completely. Richon was talking to a vendor the sold bread-like cake for pretty much dirt cheap with enough people buying it was a business scheme the light green fae man named Reimand had a thieving business on the side, recruited kids to steal from the richer folks gave them food in return. Everyone around the city knew him, never punished though. Didn't help the kids though.
Kol was pretty sure he had dirt on anyone and everyone.
"Yes, yes I knew your brother's good friends of the business," Reimand smirked "Ah, and who might you be"
"That's Soot, "I mean Kol," Richon said, "He doesn't speak much don't take an offense."
"Ah well, a friend of family is family as they say," Reimand motioned to a follower, a frail male that looked like he was made of bark moved the stand, "I have got a meeting, I'll see more of you soot I'm sure. He walked off.
Kol raised an eyebrow at Richon he shrugged "Brothers know him well, It's good to know people they can get you out of tough spots, anyways I getting a drink standing around is tiring were off duty soon anyway."
Richon and Kol stumbled through a few alleys lined in mangled stone.
"Brothers all in different camps, my oldest found a lady they're brutes, but I like em' well enough. You got family?" Richon asked as they made their way through.
Kol shrugged she did have a family, lived comfortably now that she was here she had no one in particular just some friendlier faces in crowds of dirt. She rubbed her face looking up to where you could just view the night sky.
"No one particularly notable."
"Sorry I asked," Richon shrugged before turning and slyly smiling "this is my favorite place old guy has been brewing his own stuff for hundreds of years, real nutter but great alcohol."
The thick door crept open, and the room opened up,
Shook awake by strong hands Kol looked around the dark barracks the sent on molding wood and the damp walls reached Kol's nose she crinkled it as she sat up, her moldy wood bed frame groaned in response.
Pyper slept soundly as ever, snoring so lightly face scrunched, she quietly shuffled through the dark patting the walls and floors to find the cold hilt of her sword, Hewn wasn't safe without one even in uniform. She never thought that this would be her life she thought as she shivered.
Kol looked down and found Richon's big shadow and met Richon's hazel irises he smirked- smirking came easy for him, it was an expression to just about anything. He was more cocky than smart, and social with everyone if maybe trying to ride on the coattails of the stronger Illyrians. Kol didn't mind as long as she had a friend in him.
. "Come on we're going." She was confused, and fumbled to attach the hard leather around her waist she felt sluggish as if she hadn't slept a wink, rubbing her bleary eyes she grabbed her sword and belt.
"What's going on?" she asked quietly, Richon turned and looked around as if he was looking for spies and leaned in "You'll find out if you come with, you in?" he replied quickly he looked nervous peeking across a courtyard then looking back to see if his shorter companion still followed suit, Richon took it as a yes as she nodded and followed him down the halls they moved through the halls quietly as to not disturb the dust laying the streets, as they stepped some flew up as if waking before falling back down once again.
Kol trusted Richon, sometimes he lacked in judgment and any instruction would go out the other. Nevertheless, trust was built in the time they spent. If he wanted her dead he would've left her, the others would be picking her body off the street.
They maneuvered out towards what was known by many as the Cavern because it was a giant cavern it was expertly named as such, very imaginative Kol had thought.
When Kol looked down out from the path but in the stone a crashing river with jagged sharp tuffs on rocks and stone thunder below turning her stomach. Water wasn't Kol's favorite, besides the wings, that was the reason she hadn't set foot in the Summer court, water. Drowning, falling, dying. The water that surged below did not instill confidence in her.
Four others surrounded in the darkness came forward meeting Richon. They had their faces down and cover out of sight, she noted in this low light that it would be impossible to see their faces anyway. She grasped at her sword.
"This is him?" One asks snidely giving Kol a pointed look. Kol recoiled back, tense. Richon nodded before they all ran forward grabbing her arms and legs, snatching her sword.
"It's time for a swim, boy," one whispered in his ear in a breathy tone, Kol stopped for a moment gaping. Before a sac was pulled over her head. She punched, scratched and kicked but her captors had far greater strength gripping her limbs as the carried her down the cavern.
Her captors didn't speak but if they did it was whispered, she didn't know if Richon was still there, had he left her here with these people?
When they stopped and the bag was torn off, she was on gravel and the ground, four still had a grip on each of her limbs, as she looked she hadn't recognized them, they didn't arrive with her maybe they were older she presumed before one spoke.
"Okay, easy now we don' wanna kill him. Besides, I think we've scared him enough let's just let him go" it was Richon he had his arms crossed
"Yea, Yea we've seen this done a thousand times, promise it'll be great, everyone will love you after this."
Richon looked toward the ground before nodding for them to continue giving one last glance at Kol.
"Rich come help," Richon scooted over near her foot as he leaned forward to pick it up stones jumbled under his boots,
Kol kicked as hard as she could.
Richon's headshot back, he held his nose and swore loudly as it dribbled blood, he stumbled back looking at Connie with a look saying he knew he'd deserved it in actuality.
"Let's just get him in the water and go," One quickly whispered hotly.
And so in a swift movement, Kol was thrown into the icy glacial water it shocked her system and she let a noise out in surprise. Grasping for the surface of the crashing river hitting the bottom hard rocky surface hitting her back she turned upward desperately scrambling up and crashing to the surface the leathering restricting her movements her head bobbed under again as she clawed the water that moved rapidly fast toward sharper rocks.
Everyone had run off leaving Kol to her own.
Richon looked out at his companion struggling on the stony beach, this was supposed to be fun he groveled, but all he felt was the betrayal in Kol's eyes. As she went under again Richon stood, Why wasn't he swimming back to shore he thought.
"Fuck this," Richon mumbled before casting his shoes off wading in the strong current the grabbing at his pant legs desperately pulling him to join them in the water. Connie was thrashing violently in the water hands reaching for the shore. Richon grabbed his friend's hand pulling her away from the current and onto the hard story beach. She latched onto him in he panic she used him to get above the water he went under. He took hold of Kol and swam away.
"Kol you gotta' stop fightin' I need to save you."
Her bandana fell leaving the view of a violent scar that stretched across her face Richon winced, he'd been burnt before, never like that though. Kol looked terrified. Richon pulled Kol out onto the stones.
Kol shivered violently, he knew hypothermia, it was a common thing in the mountains and knew that he'd stop shaking soon if his friend wet clothes weren't off and weren't given the warmth she needed. He started by taking his linen shirt from his back throwing it to the ground, and her shirt was pulled from her frozen form leaving only her bandaged chest, he paid it no mind, it was to be addressed after. She was breathing heavily. He pulled his much larger shirt over her and picked his friend up over his shoulder unfurling his wings out the membrane stretch and pulled from disuse and flew out of the cavern, landing on the high bridges above.
"I hate you." there was a tired mumble, Kol's vision swam she felt him tense.
I know, I know, I know, Fuck I know." He mumbled
Richon took her back to their rooms, it was cold but at least there were blankets present. He sat her down on his bunk and grabbed his thick blanket wrapping it around her stiff form. they climbed and found them the same military issued a blanket he wrapped it around her as well before sitting down next to her. He let out a breath, leaving them in silence.
"We're in deep shit," Rich swore out into the dark as his nose dribble out blood in response.