Fantasy A New Reign [ Phoenix and Nicodaemus ]

[Nicodaemus]

Guiart pointed at Sebastian. "No, you have the right of it. Make a scene of your leaving. Make sure that as many of your household staff and guards see you leaving. In fact, if there are any guards more loyal to you than your father, bring them with you. That way, we will have a multitude of witnesses to affirm that you left of your own accord."

He mused for a second, scratching under his chin.

"As for accusations of manipulation, such deception is a matter of honor." His brow furrowed. "And if he dares insult my honor, it is grounds for me to challenge him to a duel."

 

[PhoenixMire]

“I will, then.” Sebastian rested his hands in his lap and idly tapped a finger on his palm. Guards that were more loyal to him than his father? He could already think of a few - one of them in particular may even jump at the chance to follow him instead of Earl Veit. He nodded, mostly to himself than to Guiart, as he thought. “I know of a few who would likely be glad to follow me. I do not know if there are many, however, but I feel every little bit helps.”

Sebastian covered his mouth with a hand at Guiart’s mention of a duel. He was trying to hide a smile. The thought of his father in a duel… now that, he had to see. “That would be quite a sight. I would be very interested to see this duel.”

Sighing, the young noble brushed a lock of brown hair away from his face. “Do you suggest we move immediately upon first light? If so, I should probably rest to prepare for tomorrow.”

 

[Nicodaemus]

Guiart nodded. "At first light is probably best. Which means we have to discuss your sleeping arrangements." He rose from the table, glancing around. "How well do you sleep in a tent on your own? Or, perhaps, in a tent with a group of soldiers? I know you are a nobleman, but it's important to consider what will actually give you a good night's rest."

Options were somewhat limited. While Guiart knew the young man would need to get used to sleeping on the ground in a bedroll, potentially with many other soldiers surrounding him, eventually, he also knew that it would not do to bring Sebastian back to his father's castle totally exhausted from a night without real sleep.

 

[PhoenixMire]

Sebastian chewed his lip, thinking. He knew he would need to make some sacrifices to be on Guiart’s side, but he was accustomed to his lavish bed within his castle’s chambers. Sleeping in tents in the wild… it did not sound appealing.

“Perhaps I could have… more comfortable accommodations, just for tonight. I am willing to make sacrifices to try and improve this kingdom, but I do feel I need to be well rested for tomorrow.” Even then - he didn’t know how well he would sleep. It had been a very eventful day, and his mind raced with thoughts of being kidnapped and then rescued.

“Do you perhaps have lavender to make tea with?” he asked.

 

[Nicodaemus]

Hearing Sebastian's preferences about where he'd like to sleep, Guiart said, "Very well. My bed is the most comfortable in the camp. For tonight, I will sleep elsewhere while you take my bed. However, you should know that the reason my bed is the most comfortable in the camp is because I earned it. While even for the first few nights that you spend with us you may use it, after that you will have to earn a better place to sleep. And that will include packing it up in a wagon yourself, when the time comes to move camp."

At Sebastian's request, Guiart said, "Lavender tea? Such a thing is rare to find in a mercenary camp. There may be someone with tea, but I very much doubt that it will be lavender. Why do you need it? There may be something else that serves the same purpose."

 

[PhoenixMire]

Sebastian listened with a frown. What the other man said made sense, but gods above, what was he getting himself into? He was so accustomed to the comforts of nobility. Being out in the wilds like this and sleeping in tents was foreign to him. For a brief moment he considered forgetting about Guiart’s cause and simply returning home to his castle - but no. He couldn’t live with himself if he did that. There was too much wrong in the kingdom; too much he wanted to see changed.

With a sigh, the young noble scratched idly at his chin. “Well, I was hoping for lavender tea to calm myself and sleep easier. It is something I drink regularly at home,” he confessed. “But do not concern yourself over it. I… will try to get used to this rougher living.”

 

[Nicodaemus]

"It does not take as long to get used to as you might think," said Guiart.

He rose from the table and stood beside Sebastian's chair. "Know this, anything worth accomplishing is worth sacrificing for, and any sacrifices you made will not go unnoticed. In a few years' time, the common folk will speak of noble Sebastian, who sacrificed the comfortable life to do what was right and bring order to a world gone mad." He placed his heavy, six-fingered hand on Sebastian's shoulder. "I don't know if your father has ever said this to you, but I'm proud of you, Sebastian, and I'm sure you'll make me much prouder still."

 

[PhoenixMire]

Sebastian flushed slightly in happiness, turning his face away to hide his growing smile. No, he’d never heard that from his father - but he didn’t quite yet want to admit that to the other man. “Thank you,” he managed to say. Truly this was a worthy cause he could be proud of. “I will do my best.”

After a moment, he stood from his chair, turning to look at Guiart with a nod. “Then I am ready to sleep. It sounds like we have a long day ahead of us tomorrow.”

 

[Nicodaemus]

"Yes, we do," said Guiart.

The conqueror got to work setting up sleeping areas for both of them. As he promised, he let Sebastian take his bed while he laid out a bedroll in the tent for himself. Under the pillow, he placed a sheathed dagger, a precaution should anyone manage to get past his guards during the night.

Once everything was set up, he changed into sleeping clothes behind the privacy screen and double-checked to make sure his dagger was still there. Crouching beside his bedroll, he whispered a few almost inaudible prayers.

 

[PhoenixMire]

Sebastian left on the clothes he had been given - they weren’t uncomfortable, after all, and all he really needed to do was take off his boots and get into bed.

The young noble eyed Guiart as he knelt beside his bedroll to pray. So the man was religious, then? Sebastian wasn’t, himself - despite all his father’s pushing and urging. He just couldn’t understand how loving gods existed if they allowed such unfairness in the world.

But he frowned and chased the thoughts away. That was irrelevant, and he wouldn’t say such things to Guiart - it would be beyond impolite, after all. So he settled beneath the blanket and shut his eyes, trying hard not to overthink on that day’s events and what tomorrow would hold.

After a long while he began to drift off to sleep.

 

[Nicodaemus]

Once Guiart's prayers to the goddess of conquest were finished, he laid down to sleep. As always, though, he remained aware of his surroundings, even as he rested. Years in his line of work had taught him to be ever-vigilant and take his rest wherever he could find it.

That was why he knew to turn on his side and slip a hand under his pillow when he heard grass crunching under approaching feet. His fingers found the hilt of the dagger he kept there. With his eyes barely open, seemingly closed to anyone looking at him in the dark, Guiart watched as a stranger in black parted the flap of his tent.

Fool! Any assassin worth his salt should know better than to come so close to me.

The killer, it seemed, was not worth their salt, as they crept closer to Guiart's bedroll, a knife in hand. Just when they got within arm's reach, Guiart seized the assassin's leg and yanked it out from under them. The assassin toppled to the ground with a yelp. In a flash, Guiart was upon them, thrusting his dagger into the would-be-killer's chest over and over, until all squirming and cries of pain finally ceased.

 

[PhoenixMire]

Sebastian slept surprisingly soundly - the day's events had finally caught up to him, entirely exhausting the young man. He slept, at least, until a yelp awoke him.

The young noble shot upright in bed with his heart pounding. His eyes were blurry with sleep, and in the time it took him to rub the bleariness from his vision, the commotion already seemed to be over. Darkness swathed the tent, but Sebastian thought he could make out two figures - the long-haired Guiart, and a silhouette lying on the ground. There was... a strange coppery scent in the air. It couldn't be blood, could it? Oh gods.

Sebastian swallowed heavily, clamping a hand over his nose and mouth. "What - what happened?" he asked, voice shaking a little.

 

[Nicodaemus]

Guiart sighed. "I did not mean to wake you, but since you're already up, light one of those rushlights. I'd like a better look at my would-be assassin."

He felt that was enough explanation to give the lad for the time being. Honestly, it was all he knew about the stranger at the time. He cleaned his dagger and sheathed it, then rolled the body away from his bedroll. The attacker was light, suggesting that they were of lithe frame. Perhaps a woman? Had someone sent a woman to kill him?

 

[PhoenixMire]

Sebastian rushed to do as he was told, bringing the light to Guiart and eyeing the formerly silhouetted figure now lying on the ground. His amber gaze flicked nervously between the body and Guiart, the small flickering light pronouncing the fear in his features. “Someone tried to assassinate you just now?”

 

[Nicodaemus]

Guiart cleaned his hands, peering down at the assassin in the light Sebastian provided. "Yes. It's been a while since someone tried to kill me in my sleep. Guess I've already ruffled some feathers." With his foot, he adjusted the assassin's face until she stared up at the tent's ceiling. "A woman. As I thought. Anyone you know, Sebastian?"

 

[PhoenixMire]

Sebastian stepped back, gripping the rushlight with white knuckles. "I... do not believe so. She could be anyone," he murmured. He couldn't help staring, transfixed and horrified, at the woman's face. What was her story? Why had she come? Why did she want to kill Guiart so badly? Who had she been before she was now nothing but a lifeless shell, lying motionless on the ground of Guiart's tent? Sebastian clenched his jaw tightly. "Does this happen often?"