A Dungeon to Each Their Own
~Part I: Dungeons of Oestemoor~
~The Lord's Request~
No One's Perspective-
Metal clinked as it bobbled over her head, the skinny frame jogging with giggles that echoed through the helm. The small girl staggered away from the bucket and rags left abandoned against the wall, food still in splotches on sandstone brick. With a quick gasp, her strides were cut short as her lanky limbs tripped over themselves, sending her right to the dirt ground. As a small groan passed her lips, her hands clasped the cool metal around her head before pulling the helmet off, long brunette hair falling to her lower back - though it had brushed the sand on the ground at that time.
White teeth flashed as dark eyes glimmered excitedly, small caramel hands holding the worn helmet. The sun's reflection winked at the long bangs which covered her right eye, dipping near her strong cheekbones as she giggled once again. Just as her fingers ran along the rim of the metal, a voice bellowed behind her crossly. "Tori! Why hasn't this been cleaned yet?"
In a quick instant, the girl stood up abruptly, holding the helmet behind her back while eyes stared obediently at the folded arms before her. "I- uh..." she stammered, brushing the long locks from her left eye, "I want to train...and not clean the food..." The woman merely rolled her eyes, unimpressed, before shaking her messy, grey streaked bun.
"Well you should have thought of that before-" the woman spun around, ripping a short, wooden cane from its casual position against the wall, "-you bludgeoned a girl's eye with this!" Tori grimaced at the red stain at the very end, shuffling a step or two back with her left hand raised.
"I said I was sorry...I didn't mean to- we were training and she came too close and I just-"
"And what?" the woman spat sternly, "Tori, you know she was no match for you!"
The child only groaned tiredly, rubbing her eyes while the cane was propped back in its place. "She's eleven years older than me..." she mumbled under her breath, dark eyes surveying the ground.
The woman scoffed before shaking her head, "Still, you should know better with that strength and reflexes of yours, even if you are only seven."
"But I said I was sorry," Tori whined again.
"If you were truly sorry," the woman sighed wearily, snatching the wooden bucket and rags from the wall and strode towards the girl, "Then clean the mess." The girl slowly nodded, her bare feet trekking the ground gingerly once she recalled the twenty-three houses she had already cleaned after the 'festival of the pumpkin.' She had only wanted to train for a short while, after all. "Are you going to get to it?"
"Yes grandma," Tori mumbled softly, picking up a soaked rag before scratching bits of orange-stringed seeds from the walls. The greying woman nodded in approval before heading back inside, ushering another curious girl through the doorway. As the sun went down gracefully over the low mountains - which only dreamed to brush against the sky - her eyes continuously wondered to her side, eyes following the waves of the ocean near the black, rocky beach. Each time she would snatch her gaze towards the pumpkin on the wall.
One by one the food had fallen from the sandstone bricks, leaving a clean house to its former glory. Pleased with herself, she heaved the heavy bucket to the side, dumping the murky water before leaving the supplies near the door. Striding through the doorway, she turned her attention to the one main room which held three beds to the longest wall on the left of her, a fireplace opposite and short chairs with a table alongside the small, rusted kitchen. As her feet shuffled, three heads turned towards the door, small smiles forming. "Have you finished?" the grandmother asked.
"Yeah, I did..." Tori nodded.
"Well, the sun met the waters; it's time for grandma's story," the younger woman grinned, standing beside the candle-lit oven. "That right?" As a reply, the eldest only nodded before shifting in her wooden chair.
The girl in front of the grandma, her features not as sharp as the girl who sat beside her, asked anxiously, "What's the story tonight gran' ma?"
"How about the 'Banished Princess of the Inferno Kingdom?'" Tori grinned cheekily, eyes widening in anticipation while the other sighed, back slumping.
"Back straight if you want to be a maiden Trina!" the younger woman snapped from the kitchen, immediately raising her back.
Brushing off the comment, despite her body's reaction, she muttered, "But we've heard this one a thousand and a bunch of times."
"But I like it," Tori growled before looking back at her grandma.
"Alright, settle down you two, let's get started," dark eyes twinkled down at the two who both settled in their seats, whether or not their words rang true from before. "Alright, hundreds of years ago there was a great kingdom who lived on, with and for fire. Everything they did had dealt with fire in one shape or form. Now, the last king had two children, a son and a daughter. Both loved to battle with swords and shields in order to protect themselves against monsters and demons. Some say that they were a family with gifts, though others deny that their pure, human blood could be tainted with vile venom - since the culture hated anything that went too far from human nature.
"Well, besides the swords and shields, the princess spent her time by the shore, playing her violin. What an interesting instrument it was with that bow and strings. Nobody had seen it before other than the highest of royalty. Though she played it beautifully with her voice. The kingdom could just listen to her music as she played to herself. Many said that she was very bright, able to think through any problems with music at the front of her mind. Her brother, too, played though his focus was more on taking on the throne, even if he was the younger sibling. All was good, then, until one stormy night...
"Because of the rain that fell, all the lanterns that stood proudly before the castle had burned out, unable to be lit until the storm passed. Lightening flashed as thunder clapped against the earth, sending the citizens home. However, footsteps still padded their way through the dirt paths, marching its way towards the castle. Worry grew over the homes, eyes widening in fear. The beast stood as high as their buildings, eyes gleaming proudly while fangs sunk in front of its jowls. Its mane almost followed it like a black mist, sending the fear of darkness into the villages' souls-"
"Nothing can be that big," a voice scoffed, interrupting the story.
"Trina!" Tori snapped, glaring at her sister while the grandmother merely chuckled.
"Anyway girls," her voice rang, "As it trudged across the bridge, the soldiers at the top of the walls sat waiting with their cowards' weapon. Arrows began to ping off of its back, not fazing the great beast as it knocked down the towering doors. Many speculate that the beast killed the king and queen in their sleep, as the bodies were found in their bed. The brother, too, had perished, leaving only the princess. Instead of killing her, however, the beast made a deal. He took her songs and music in order to give her life. She agreed and handed it her violin before watching the wood smash against the wall.
"In a blinding fury, she made to attack the beast, only for it to take over her. It consumed her, distorting her features before she fled the castle as a smaller, yet more dangerous threat. The kingdom walls had always protected everything against the flames, everything... Though, as fate have it, the city was burned to the ground, only a few peasants and a farmer escaping. To this day, nobody knows for sure what had happened to the princess. Many say she died shortly thereafter, or is still alive, waiting to come across another city to burn. And each year, she does."
The oldest sibling rolled her eyes, head shaking softly before she mumbled, "I don't see how she was banished." The grandmother nodded solemnly in agreement, though her attention was drawn towards the fireplace behind her as the flames flickered insistently.
"Grandma has said that the story probably changed from its original form," Tori murmured before adding, "But I still like it."
"So basically it's about a spoiled princess becoming a lunatic and then kills everyone?" Instead of answering, Tori merely pursed her lips glaring at her beloved sister.
Trina stood from the rug, dusting her skirt off, gazing down at her sister's tattered shorts and shirt. "See? You can't argue with the truth... What's there to like about the story? A beast goes into the town and burns the kingdom down!"
"I liked the princess and her bravery," the youngest mumbled, her limbs creaking as she stood, eyes falling to her sister's neck. Trina merely sighed before she shuffled her way towards the younger woman, making an effort to help with the food.
"Bravery? For taking on a beast that wasn't even there?" she called stubbornly from the kitchen.
"Don't mind her," the old woman spoke humbly, "Her mind isn't built like yours Tori." The young girl nodded, briefly exhaling deeply before she stood, stock still. Slowly, a smile crept across her face before she bolted out of the house, head swiveling around to the village entrance. She wasn't even fazed by Trina's call for her to get back in the house, or her mother's slap on her sister's wrist; she was only determined to scamper along the main road were the steps of warriors coming home. She beamed excitedly, sprinting to join a few other fellow children.
Constantly she made to stand on her tip-toes, only to fall back onto her hind end. 'Why can't they just calm down so I can see?' her thoughts pestered. Biting her bottom lip, Tori jumped quickly, grinning at the sight of the battered, scorched, shining helmets. As she landed, a groan passed her lips briefly before she scowled, jumping as the lanky boy in front stepped back.
"Oh!" he jumped, twisting around. "Sorry Greeny, didn't see you there," he joked, earning a soft smile.
"It's alright Jay," Tori nodded, rubbing her now red toe, "Hey...isn't that your uncle over there?"
A small frown crossed the dark boy's lips, his head swiveling around. "Uncle Scott!" he yelped, his limbs making their way towards the man quickly. Both embraced, having to move with the line filing towards their individual homes. Tori smiled, her gaze lingering over the two.
However, once her eyes went back to searching through the marching soldiers, flicking between all of the faces, her smile dropped into worry. One older man groaned weakly, stumbling in between two men's arms, eyes drooping down to his bloodied stump for a left leg. "Kill me... Just get it over with dammit," he wept.
"We're getting you to the doctor," the left man soothed through a croak, "Come on pa, you can do it." Shaggy white hair merely shook miserably, sending the girl's young gaze quickly away. Another man, not far older than her mother, clutched his shoulder with clenched teeth; a small, broken stick had been plunged by a coward's weapon - Tori knew - aiming right for his heart or neck. There were too many. Too many had scorched skin that blistered even in the rising moon's light. There was too much dried blood on the worn armor and torn clothes that shone in the torches' light spanning across the dirt road.
Her gut knotted gruesomely as her throat tightened, eyes burning. Biting the inside of her cheeks, Tori refused to spill any tear; not until she was sure anyway. Sniffing stubbornly, the tanned girl flicked her gaze around, eyes narrowing to find metal situated without a helm on his head. Focusing on the small sea of glinting helmets, Tori squinted, not taking note of the children bounding beside her, brushing against her shoulders.
A smile began to creep along her lips as she found the familiar, scarred battle helmet. Her steps trudged through the small crowd of little kids, all squirming - just like her - to get to their family. She laughed, finding that he was all in one piece. "Pa!" she shouted excitedly, snatching her father's attention.
"Greeny!" he smiled, widening his broad shoulders as he crouched down, accepting her embrace. "How are you my child? Have you been staying out of trouble for the most part?"
"Uh..." she drawled, a blush warming her cheeks, "Kind of."
"Tori," her father raised a brow sternly, a soft grin playing his lips despite the fact. He stood, grunting as Tori climbed onto his shoulders, holding his firm hands. "You like the view up there?" he asked, chuckling.
"I feel like I'm on a ship!" she giggled.
"Come on...let's dock home then," he murmured, his steps branching from the rest of the crowd towards the sandstone house. The warm light from the candles inside never felt so welcoming...
Dark, rusted eyes blinked open, narrowing from the sun casting its bright, yellow light along the stone room. The young woman grimaced as she sat up groggily, her fingers pressing against long scars as she cracked her back. Tori, several years older now, turned her head to the side, blinking dully at the mirror in the corner of the room then to the blackened chest plate hanging from a wooden chair. She stretched her nimble legs before feet touched the ground.
From the bedpost she snatched a cloth shirt, tugging it over her head. Tori gave a quick glance outside the window, the yellow orb just peaking from the reaching mountains. With a ghost of a smile, she continued to dress herself, eventually sitting on the straw bed with a long, two-handed sword by her side, her chest plate and long, brown cloak over her shoulders. She flexed her fingers on her left hand, a worn, metal gauntlet across her forearm. As she busied herself, adjusting the metal leg-guards that nearly reached her knees, the birds just outside the window chirped quietly, welcoming the coming day.
Satisfied with how everything had fit that morning, Tori slid the sword to her left side where it rested comfortably in its hilt. She took her knotted string left on the pillow just before leaving, remembering to fit her long, brunette hair into a long ponytail that reached between her shoulder blades.
Her strides swept quietly down the halls, as they always had, her mind on the morning's chatter in the inn's pub. The atmosphere - as one might assume to be in the morning - was humble, every person keeping to themselves the majority of the time while dining on their dry meals. Seating herself in the musty room along the bar, Tori folded her arms, keeping an ear out for any conversations. "What will it be this morning ma'am," came a rough, feminine voice, "Some liquor?"
"No thank you," she grumbled softly, "Just a biscuit and some cream would do nicely." The barmaid nodded, dashing towards the back to prepare the small meal. Tori flicked her fingers across the bar, eyes drooping down on the stained wood. She padded around her belt, grasping a small canteen before taking a quick swig, grimacing; she never favored warm water. "Thank you," she mumbled, watching as a dry, hot biscuit and a small tin bowl of cream made its way on a small, wooden platter.
"Five shillings," the barmaid muttered, her eyes on Tori's maroon, bloodied sack beside the canteen. Nodding quietly, she reached over, taking a quarter of her money left before handing it across the bar.
As she began to indulge herself in the crumbling bread, her attention became drawn to the table right behind her. "-ease, we need to have someone go down in that damned dungeon and kill the beast! It has swept havoc on our small city ever since the- where are you going?" a man's voice quivered, "You're a mighty man. We need help, I've traveled for five days and four nights just to get here! I've heard of you- Blaston! Come on."
"I don't do dungeons, Lord Mortimer, so go and find yourself another warrior," a gruff voice growled, heavy steps making their way towards the door.
"But you were my last option! I'll pay anything that I can muster," the man weakly replied. As he sighed miserably, sitting back down at his chair, Tori twisted around, just able to see the back of black wolf skin along broad shoulders exit the pub. Her eyes narrowed at the floor in thought, glancing once or twice up at the rising sun through the wall openings.
"I have time..." she mumbled to herself, shoving the last, dipped piece of biscuit and cream in her mouth. Gulping down the rest of the food, she maneuvered her way to the table, standing to the side. "Uh, lord is it?" Tori started, grabbing his attention.
His grey eyes flicked up and down her in interest, his gaze lingering over her two-handed blade. Lord Mortimer quickly grommed is light, blonde wry hair before turning his knobbing wrists. He was a very skinny man - as Tori saw - though he looked to be very sharp. "What sword is that?" he asked quietly, nodding towards the blade.
She glanced down at it, chuckling slightly. "It was crafted by an Elken blacksmith a spell ago."
"You mean about a century ago?" he raised his brow, a small smirk forming along his lips. She merely bowed her head respectfully as an answer, the lord gesturing towards the seat opposite of him. Tori sat down gingerly, her dark eyes flicking over at the man as he itched his large nose. "Now why do you speak to me little girl? Who are you?"
"Firstly," she smiled gently, "I'm not a little girl...however I may look to be-"
"How old? You don't look a day over seventeen," he murmured, offering a compliment.
"A decade older," she answered humbly, "Anyway, I am Tori Vega-Bellator, a simple bounty huntress."
The lord nodded with an interest filtering through his eyes, lips pursing as his hand rubbed his soft beard. "What an interesting mix...a bounty huntress and a-" his eyes widened, "Beg my pardon, I do apologize for your people."
"It's quite alright," she bowed her head. "So, what about a dungeon?"
"Ah, yes," the lord chuckled, grooming his small beard, "You see, for centuries now the ruler of the dungeons and the forest around has attacked our city, making it almost impossible to trade. Do you know Maytredsworth?" The huntress nodded, having a few assignments beforehand in the city. Though, she had ought to not inform the man before her. "Yes. It's quite an old city, especially the structures in the center of it just forth of the dungeon. Now, it's going to be quite the difficult task. All of our best have attempted to kill the beast though never was able to make it out. And so- wait a moment, how am I certain that you can handle such a thing, bounty huntress?"
Dark eyes narrowed at Lord Mortimer, his own grey eyes flashing at her. Tori knew full well that he was testing her, using her own occupation as a slur; it wouldn't have been the first time. Instead her lips grew to a humorless smile, her words biting, "I've seen things you wouldn't even imagine, not even the times that you feared the worst for your child. Now, I have gone through several dungeons and strongholds before. Explain to me why this one is different."
He nodded carefully, not wanting to actually drive away the potential help. "This one is the most beautifully crafted and yet most dangerous dungeons within Maytredsworth and around. Now that I think about it, it may even be the first built."
"What do you mean?" Tori folded her hands quietly, dark eyes searching through grey.
"You've never heard of it? The Oestemoor Dungeons, my friend. That is what is our trouble," he growled softly.
Gears clicked and turned in the back of her head, eyes closing as she finally understood. She had heard of these dungeons briefly from time to time among whispers of a crowd. Though the legends around it was distorted, changing from person to person when she had asked what was said. Though few details remained the same: it sat within a great mountain, the town just at its steps grew to be powerful and feared, and the dungeon remained to be a treasure to be searched and ran-sacked.
Those were the details she had acquired anyway. Not much - the hunter knew that much from her previous times in other dungeons - but it was very telling on its own. "So why do you need my hand in this then? Anybody's at least," her eyes flicked open, resting on the lord.
"It's the beast that rules it. Our small community within the woods before it can't handle the countless attacks, the spirits in the woods nor the constant disappearances within its chambers," he started wearily, feeling the weight of the trouble sink in, "Dark figures often snatch those before they wake, forcing them to the ground prematurely. No one has been able to actually destroy the beast, let alone catch a glimpse... As far as we know anyhow."
"Alright," Tori came to her decision, "I will do it."
"Do you offer a price?" Lord Mortimer leaned forward, eyes wide and almost gleeful.
She nodded slowly, feeling the rather light coin pouch by her side. "Not too much, would about a thousand shillings be enough?"
"A thousand shillings?" his eyes popped, mouth hanging open. The huntress felt her cheeks warm, darting her gaze about the pub, few of the guests around raising a brow. "My word girl! Only a thousand shillings? For the centuries that the dungeon has been an issue you only ask for a thousand?"
"Uh, y-yeah," she stammered, "I don't need much."
"Blimey, a thousand? The least that can be given is ten thousand," he shook his head. "Though, alright... I can see you aren't bound to a home. A thousand shillings and a fine steed for you girl, that will be all."
She bowed her head gratefully, thankful that the man wasn't oblivious. "Thank you lord, I will honor this trust greatly."
"Shall we be on our way then? It is quite the journey," the lord uncrossed his legs, gripping the sides of the chair.
Tori nodded before muttering, "After I have finished with the business that brought me here. Shall we meet each other back here once the sun reaches the mountains?" The man sighed, rubbing his whispery chin. His hand was brought out towards hers in agreement. Tori leaned forward, giving the lord a firm shake before quickly striding out of the door, pulling her hood.
. . .
Dark eyes drifted from under her hood, glowering at every little thing that had made any noise. Her eyes shifted towards the edge of the shadows she stalked silently in, awaiting for anything to come along the trail just a foot from her ledge. She felt her breathing sharpen as she shifted within the crack of the mountain, her expression forming a slight wince. Her chest plate scratched slightly, ringing in her ears. Just to the side of the trail, she knew, led to nothing but a drop down to the heavy forests below.
Quietly, the hunter clambered to a crouch, sitting rather more comfortably down where the rocks had been weathered more. With her firm grip ready on her blade, Tori waited patiently for what was supposed to come. 'That old bastard had better be right about this or I'll just be down West,' her thoughts growled. It wasn't her favorite way of doing things, taking a person's word for it, though the man had been visited by her target several times.
Her eyes lingered over the border walls that had protected this city, the said 'old bastard' surely walking along the long corridors to his station. The huntress exhaled rather softly, her eyes lingering on the ground for a moment. They followed small ants as they crawled along in a line, going from one side to the other.
"Get moving now! We don't have any time to waste you ass!" a booming voice shook her briefly, switching her attention towards the side. With a small, quiet smile creeping along her face, she watched as the top of a carriage which rattled with chains shot passed, hooves thundering against the ground. In a quick instant, Tori slithered up the crack, her hands firmly grasping the rock before leaping down quietly to the trail. The road curved around the mountain, the target moving away quickly.
Growling quietly, she sprinted off. As usual, she was thankful to have her nimble limbs be quick and steady, unceasing in their sways. Another grin flashed across her lips as the steeds bucked, nearly tripping over themselves at the blocked path, huge logs laying along the road. "Move it you bastards!" the voice spat once again, bouncing off the of the great, natural point. Climbing from the back of the carriage, three burly men scurried forth, attempting to move to clear the path.
A fourth, having been stalled within the vehicle, hopped out, his black eyes swerving abruptly towards the cloaked figure now striding ahead, blade in her hand. "Your highness!" he squeaked, "It's the bounty hunter the guard warned you about!"
'Of course,' she mentally seethed, casting a glare towards the border walls, 'I'll deal with him later.'
From the shadows of the wooden, barred box climbed out a tall, broad-shouldered man. He stretched his shoulders, a dark sword with shallow cracks lining the metal alike veins. His pale skin almost gleamed in the sunlight, greying emerald eyes staring sharply at the huntress with no remorse of mercy flowing through them. His hair, a brow just as light as the dirt bathed in the sun was, fell over his ears in small waves. On his chin sat a pointed beard, twisting at the tip.
"Ah, welcome then," his sinister smirk presented a cracked canine, "I presume you want me dead?"
"Not a dull knife you are," Tori answered calmly.
He merely chuckled knowingly, pulling out his sword as if it was a toy stick. "Sure I am, I haven't been caught by any others, no matter how hard they had tried to go forth with their efforts," he boasted, turning the blade over and over. "Though," he admitted, "You are not a dull knife either. Not one that will live, surely, though one that isn't dull. You will die today sharp." He twisted around, eyes blaring at the other four. "Stay back! I'll deal with this swine quickly," he spat before abruptly lashing forward, his blade dashing to the right of the huntress.
In a quick instant, both hands gripped the long blade, clashing it against the hilt of his own, dark eyes flashing grimly. He sneered down at her, though his hands shook from the tension between the two weapons. Tori flicked her sword, sending him to the wall of the mountain, shaking in annoyance. With a snarl he bounded up to her once more, attempting to launch her over the cliff's edge. Though - the huntress smirked victoriously - he hadn't caught on to her speed. She darted towards the side quickly, growling herself once the tip of her sword caught to the hilt of the target's.
Jerking away, she stumbled towards the wall, smacking right against it as he turned around. He bared his white teeth as the dark blade in his hands began to surge, white-red filling the cracks running along it. "You are no match for this sword," he snapped, hurling the blade randomly towards her head. She rolled her eyes, ducking down where the weapon was caught in the running, loose stones in the wall.
In several attempts to free his tool, the man nearly missed the hurtling kick to his side, which had sent him down even if it didn't hit the knee. With green eyes wide with shock, the man stumbled up, throwing himself towards his sword as Tori swerved, barely missing his fist. He yanked once, twice and three times at the blade, though the huntress knew her game would be caught soon. Her blade swiped towards his shoulder, however a quick foot took the blow, knocking her finest weapon out of her hands.
Growling as he went back to his efforts, the blade now wobbling with the rocks, she whipped out her knife which had rested along her belt. In a flash the man staggered back, his arm pressed against his shoulder. "Damn you bitch!" he snarled venomously, trekking forward as her hand gripped the dark sword's hilt. With one quick heave she pulled the weapon free. It was such an interesting one at that. The light that had just shone from it before had died out. It was light, very light and yet the edge looked thick enough to handle anything against it. There were scratches all along the rim of it; she could make out some words scrawled into the metal. 'Raven's Blade...heads all...wield...power...'
Her brows furrowed, the blade distracting her attention from the bellowing call. Once steps crunched all around her, dark eyes widened, flaming with a flash of light like coals in a fire. The huntress clenched her jaw as she twisted around, the sword - as she mentally deemed it the 'Raven's Blade' - now almost pumping with a deep blood red flowing through the cracks. It felt almost hot in her hands like adrenaline as she swiped, backing away the cowardly men.
Dirt crunched behind her, sending her glare over her shoulder. With the hood hanging from the back of her neck, the man saw the deadly fire in her doe eyes, halting in his movements. His heart beat rapidly against his chest as she hurled herself towards her in a blinding fury, not willing to accept any target to catch her back. He writhed with a small blade in his hands, constantly ducking and dashing back and forth with her quick swipes. Her reflexes were impenetrable, unlike his gut which allowed the dark blade to sink into.
He whimpered through a growl, his eyes lingering on the heated ones in front of him. His hands clutched the blade, attempting to pull it out as Tori backed away, darkening eyes gazing at him intently. There were always those few who had tried their hardest to escape their fate, even if she did pity them. However, as his shifty eyes made their way towards the huntress, she decided none was given to him.
"Damn you to internal fire, bitch," he snarled, his feet scuffing against the ground. He gasped, however, green eyes darting behind him just in time to watch the ground below come closer to him, eventually burying his body under the treetops below.
"I wasn't paid to slay any of you but I'd run just to be sure," she growled, casting a quick glance over her shoulder. The four men nodded quickly scampering over the logs and down the trail. Tori rolled her eyes; she found them to be utter fools. Sliding her own weapon in her sheath and then holding the knife in her hands, she made her way into the carriage, finding a cage. In it was a skinny, lanky boy with curled brown as his hair, blue eyes staring out past his locks.
In a quick flash she slashed through the rusted chain that held the door together, the old metal easily breaking away. "I didn't expect it to break that quickly," his voice came out gravelly, sending chills down the huntress' spine. "Though they did leave it in the rain with me. Anyway," he clambered out, joining Tori, "thank you for saving me."
"Of course," she murmured, giving a small grin to the tall boy, "My pleasure."
"What's your name?" he asked, following her with his belt slung from his shoulders.
"Tori," she answered, "And yours?" The boy watched quietly as she unlatched the horses from the carriage, petting their necks to keep them calm.
As she dropped the unnecessary straps, he responded with, "Sinjin Van Cleef." The huntress nodded, back against the face of the carriage, grunting as it wheeled back. "What are you doing?" he drawled calmly.
"Getting this over the edge...Why don't you get the logs out of the way? Keep the two there though," she gestured towards the two blonde steeds. Following her order, Sinjin went over, pushing one of the logs loose with a quick heave, eyeing the heavy rocks in the path behind.
"Are you sure you don't need help?" he asked once the rocks were taken care of. With a short kick the logs rolled down the trail easily, falling over the edge once gravity took its course. Tori, meanwhile, still was shoving the carriage closer and closer towards the edge of the cliff. She merely shook her head, teeth gritting as the wheels turned unwillingly. "Why are we getting rid of the wagon?" he crossed his arms as the huntress gave one final push, the vehicle finally falling down the mountain, shattering into many splinters at the bottom.
"It was part of my job," she gave as a gruff answer. He nodded solemnly, keeping up with her quick pace back towards the steeds. Both hoisted themselves up onto them, their hands gripping the reins gingerly as dark eyes swept towards the sun. There was some time, though the horses still went at a slow jog, their bare backs bumping against the huntress and the - now freed - prisoner. They rode in silence for a long while, passing the trees that brushed against the trail as it descended down slowly to ground level. "So how come you were captured?" Tori started curiously.
Sinjin shrugged, lamely stating, "Dunno. They were after some other folk to give to the giants, I think, and I ended up getting caught in the middle of it. I went to go trade with him and he went and shoved me into the cage. I guess my trades weren't good enough."
The two horses slowed to a leisure stroll as she furrowed her brows. "The same giants of Rots-berg?"
"The Berg-Eremiten? Yeah, the same," he answered quietly.
"Damn this war," she whispered throatily, glaring off into the distance. Sinjin quietly agreed, letting the conversation dip back down through his thoughts.
"Tori is it?" Her head bobs to his understanding. "Do you- do you kill often?"
Her dark eyes dropped to her hands, growing in despair at the red stains from the few hours before. "Too much for my conscious and spirit to be considered clean," she finally rasped, dropping the subject all together. The trader pursed his lips as they crossed to the first actual street, buildings surrounding them. Blue eyes watched as she slid off the steed, guiding it towards the bar before she turned around at his short call.
"So will we meet again? You did save me after all," he croaked.
"Perhaps if we run into each other," she bowed respectfully, turning around with the golden stallion lowering his head behind her. As the hooves clapped against the ground, she took a moment to tie the horse to a pole, eyeing it carefully. "Don't spook now," she muttered slowly, "I'll be right back." As a response it merely blinked its brown eyes, giving a short snort. The huntress shuffled against the crowded doorway, slipping in quiet easily once a few others made their way about. Her dark eyes glanced over the pub, snapping immediately to the lord who had his foot tapping against the floor.
Quietly, she made her way towards him as he sipped his liquor tastefully. "Would you care to have some?" he asked, not turning around.
"I don't drink," she muttered rather flatly, warmth growing across her cheeks once she realized how it came across. "Anyway," Tori murmured, brushing it off, "Should we get started? We could make it to the small village by the time the moon comes out above us."
"Alright," he nodded briefly, slamming a few shillings down at the wood, leaving the tin cup behind. Both weaved around the people bustling through the pub. Once outside, Tori found that Lord Mortimer had actually parked his own horse on the side, leaving them to ride off in a rather quick fashion. "So," his horse bowed it's head, eyeing the stallion beside it, "How far about this land have you gone?"
"Quite," she replied, passing the very same buildings she had just gone in from, "Not too far east though certainly the other directions."
As her steed jogged up and along the trail, her eyes momentarily wandered over the roofed forest, the sun just peaking above them. How she wanted to just go back in time to watch the sun rise from the mountains around her home, or through the small window that morning. Oh how she had just wanted to have a quiet moment in her life. Though, she knew, it wouldn't come. The hooves still made their way around, following the trail while she absentmindedly commented with the lord as he did the same, filling the air around them with words just to do it.
Eventually as the sky darkened, the same stone wall that had bordered the forest ahead of the village back, coming across two set of mountains, stood before the two. The lord raised a brow as the huntress slid off her horse, the reins falling onto it's neck before she led it with the bridle. "We don't have to get off," he muttered, confused.
"I know," she growled, eyes searching, "I need to speak with someone- Hey!" Beside the column of stone, holding up the bridge overhead, stood a scrawny man with a short beard with dark grey eyes. He flicked them up in shock, backing into the wall as Tori stormed forward, the stallion trailing behind. She flipped out her knife, holding it out before snapping, "What's the idea of selling me out to them?"
"I- I swear I didn't want to," he whimpered, raising his hands, "He- he was going to kill my kids. They were with me and- please don't hurt me." Dark eyes softened, searching through grey. They were honest, as she concluded with her knife back into the small sheath at her hip. The lord's horse stepped closer, his own grey eyes flicking over the scene. "But di-did you actually kill the prince?"
"Naturally," she nodded.
He breathed a sigh of relief, a small grin forming across his lips. "He's been causing too much trouble during these times..." There were nods in agreement as Tori climbed back up onto the blonde stallions back, making her way towards the other side. "Well, hopefully you'll do more wonders, my friend," the man called out.
"Hopefully," she murmured softly, her heart dropping. And so the lord and the huntress set off into the night, letting the moon bathe them in its light. Constantly Tori's mind strolled off, imagining the possible dangers ahead as she always had done with a new quest. Though her stomach twisted violently, ensuring that her nerves were heightened.
Whatever was to come would be painful, and she knew that too well with her own intuition. She glanced at the weary man beside her, watching how his gaze shifted nervously whenever bushes rustled or a twig snapped. She lingered her stare on the horses which often lolled with the guidance of their riders, occasionally spooking in the night. And as her eyes set forward, she couldn't ignore the hammering heart within her breast as she dwelled on the future.