Nalewen (BearClaw X SirLostBoy)

[BearClaw]

The year is 864 A.D. The Kingdom of Nalewen has been torn by civil war for the past 7 years. Nobody ever saw it coming. First there some small riots in the bordering farm lands. Then the small towns started in an upheaval. And before the King knew what was happening there was a group calling themselves the Revolutionaries were calling for his head. They were lead by a man only known by the name of Archer. Many wondered whether the chaos and bloodshed would ever end. Both sides are weakening and it is only a matter of time before one gets the upper hand.

 

[SirLostBoy]

Artorius shot up in a cold sweat, swinging out his dagger he hides under his pillow at night. "Damned nightmares again...." the grizzled warrior cursed under his breath as he left his head rest on the palm of his left as he caught his breath. As he tried to stand up a pain shot through his waist and he hesitated in pain and sat back down for a moment. It was dark, probably around 11 at night, and they had set up camp for the day. they were on their final push towards the capitol and they were making good progress until a few hours earlier. He wondered if he ever regretted his decision of his second in command. She was a young thing, probably around 16 or so, but she was the best shot with the longbow he had ever seen. Her name was Clarissa and he met her in one of the first farm town he had started the revolution in and she had been with him ever since.


It was about midday when it happened. They had good troop movement and it looked they might get to the next city ahead of schedule, but Clarissa, trying to impress her commander, decided to scout ahead without asking him. Oh how he wished she had asked. Before he knew it, he heard a scream and they were ambushed on all sides by Imperial soldiers. The only thing on his mind was his Lieutenant and how stupid he was to have gone on ahead with them. He and his trusty blade made easy work of the men as he carved his way to his officer. He found her bleeding from multiple cuts but luckily livable. He sighed with relief but that was the mistake was made. That sign of weakness was enough for the enemy to make a slice across his belly. Luckily Artorius was fast enough so that the cut wasn't too deep, and killed his attacker. After the incident they were forced to bunker down in the nearby forests to hide and recover from the attack. Artorius now cursed himself under his breath and he moved to stand once more and grabbed his leather bota bag (wine sack) filled with strong mead and swigged it down. "Artorius..." he heard Atarka in his head. "Oh shut up you damned lizard....I'll be fine..." The man grumbled as he wiped his wet lips on his arm and laid back down on his cot; hoping that the alcohol would give him the dreamless sleep he desired.

 

[BearClaw]

Aya sighed and lay back against Durga, they were out in the garden under the stars. It was a beautiful, cloudless night and she refused to stay cooped up in her room. She stared at the large wall that separated them from the outside world. "What's it like out there? Hey boy? How many people do you think will be waiting to ambush us at night? Not many I think.... Should we try?" She murmured to her large cat. Then she chuckled, she didn't think she would ever have the confidence to leave where it was safe, but she so badly wanted to know about the world on the other side of the wall.


"I have my blade... And I have Durga, I'll be fine!" She stated to no one in particular, more trying to convince herself. After saying that she pulled the hood of her cloak over her head and stood up. "Come Durga, let's go exploring." The panther lazily stood up and stretched before stepping to his lady's side. Within moments they had reached the palace gate and just like two black shadows they slipped past it and into the open world on the other side.

 

[SirLostBoy]

Archer was up at the crack of dawn the next morning to make sure everyone was ready for the trek. It was the last stretch before they reached their destination: The city of Erewyn. The largest major city before the castle. It would be there that they set up their plans. "Remember the plan everyone! I want everyone with the siege weapons to stick to the forests and position there where we had planned! Everyone else split into squads and get onto the roads in shifts! The goal is to lose any and all suspicion! Got it?!" Archer barked at his army, which gave him back a hoo-rah of their own. "I hope this work...." he mutters under his breath as he slings his giant sword, that he has covered in a cloth, onto his back. He always chose to wear light on journeys. A standard black jerkin leather doublet over a burgundy undershirt with white loose fitting pants and sturdy walking boots. "Oh stop being such a debby downer!" Clarissa complained at his depressing comment. "Clarissa...it is important this works...we're near the end...and am I to assume you want to accompany me?" he sighed. "hehe of coure, who else is going to protect our great commander?" she smirked with a chuckle. Artorius just shook his head, threw on his billowing red flaming cape and headed out. He knew it drew a lot of attention but he didn't care. He thought it was badass and it was his fathers so it was important to him (it looks kind of like Kamina' cape from Gurran Lagann without the symbol on it.)


They reached the city with no problems though it was pain to get around. They got there about mid morning and it was bustling. You couldn't hear yourself think with the amount of hawkers at stalls and horses with trolleys clamouring around. "Clarissa....go find us a room at an inn, preferably one that contains alcohol, and I will meet you later...I need to get a better layout of the city..." he said in a soft order, glancing in her direction with a hard stare. She got the message, nodded before disappearing into the crowd.

 

[BearClaw]

Aya watched the sun rise from a grassy hill at the edge of the town. If she was lucky, no one would realize she was gone if she went back to the castle tonight. She didn't see many people when she was in the castle, they were all busy with their own duties.


She could see the townspeople rising for the day ahead, all rushing around outside, they had such simple lives. They weren't the targets of an opposing army. She shook her head, what was it like? There in the town? She decided that she would find out for herself, a day out wouldn't harm anyone. She started walking towards the busy marketplace, Durga close at her side.

 

[SirLostBoy]

"I need something to drink..." Artorius thought to himself as he shook his wine sack to only find it empty. So he wandered the streets of the busy marketplace to see what he could find As he did so his mind seemed to wander as he watched the busy people go about their days. It made him think back to his days as a child when he walked about the marketplaces in Thassa. The only main difference being there was a huge fish scent in the air and there were different commodities. But the behaviors were the same; people arguing over prices, kids tugging at their parents' legs for treats. He wondered for a minute if he was taking anything away from them through this war? Whether he could ever come back to that simplicity? However, his thoughts were instantly halted as he slammed into a cloaked girl by accident and her large cat; making a hard landing on his butt. "By the god watch where you're going!" He called out to her as stood up; brushing the dust of his pants and butt.

 

[BearClaw]

Aya walked with her head down and her cloak wrapped around her tightly. There were so many people, she generally had the castle almost to herself so she wasn't used to crowded places.


"Oof!" She exclaimed as she walked into someone. She stumbled backwards and bumped into Durga who growled in annoyance. "Uh sorry, I didn't see you..." She said quietly, looking up at the man.

 

[SirLostBoy]

"Well then pay attention next time! No wonder you can't see anyone with that cloak around you and head down like that!" he curse under his breath. "Lucky for you your big furball over there caught you...unlike me...fell on my ass.." he grumbled as he looked her over. He didn't recognize her at all though he found her very curious. "Anyways as repayment for my damage you should buy me a drink! I think that is fair don't you?" he asked curtly.

 

[BearClaw]

Aya nodded, "I can do that." She had a pouch of coins with her which she had been planning to use on getting a few trinkets to remind her of her escapade outside the castle walls. "Do you know the area? I don't know where anything is around here..." She spoke cautiously, if he realised that she was the daughter of the king she would be in huge trouble. If one person found out she was sure that word would spread that the princess was outside the walls. If word reached her father he would have her guarded day and night.

 

[SirLostBoy]

"No, we're visiting the city, catching the sights and all that. Wanted to see the castle." He said bluntly. He noted the cautious tone in her voice; making him wonder if she knew who he was and if there cover was blown. If she was a spy he'd have to keep an eye on her. If worse comes he'll have to deal with her personally. "What about yourself? You live around her?" He'd ask feigning curiosity as they walked about the market.

 

[BearClaw]

Aya thought for a moment before responding. "No, I don't live in town; I don't really come here very often." She spoke a version of the truth that wouldn't give him any idea of where she was actually from. She looked down at the ground, he was making her slightly uncomfortable. Something about him seemed... Off... She wasn't quite sure what it was, but she didn't trust him.

 

[SirLostBoy]

He could tell she was horrible at lying and improv, but he decided to test out the waters a little more. "Ahh! A pub! Finally!" He grinned as he lead them inside. It was bad. There were loud drunkards everywhere, old men telling their veteran stories, women trying to wring drunk men out of their hard earned gold. "So why have you come to this city for, if you don't mind me asking?" He asked the girl as they say down at a table by one of the windows

 

[BearClaw]

Aya looked around in shock as they entered the pub, it was extremely loud and there were so many people. The crowd was making her nervous but she followed the man to a table. As they sat down her asked her another question and this time she answered almost immediately, she didn't have to hide much for this question because the answer couldn't really give away her identity. "I am here because I am curious. I told you earlier, I don't come to town often, I used to when I was younger but I wanted to see how it had changed over the years."

 

[SirLostBoy]

Her quick response made him smirk a little. Interesting he thought to himself. " So I'm guessing you don't see town live often. Where are you from?" He'd ask curiously as a bar maid came by. "I'll have your strongest stout! And whatever the lady wants!" He ordered to the lady

 

[BearClaw]

Aya looked down at the table. "I don't live too far away, just outside the town..." She didn't know the area well enough to give a decent answer, she just hoped he believed her so that he would stop asking questions she couldn't answer. When the barmaid arrived she just shook her head, "I'm okay thanks, I won't have anything."

 

[SirLostBoy]

"Not too far...so Ghena? Or Rhodiza? Maybe you live with the natives in the forests of Pondu? Oh Amalur isn't far from here either," Artorius said as he listed off nearby cities. This was either make it or break it now. He didn't have all day to waste and if she was a spy he would need to know sooner than later.

 

[BearClaw]

Aya shook her head, "I don't live in a city, I live just outside of this town..." She didn't know what to say to stop him questioning her. She was running out of responses. She couldn't let him find out who she was so she knew she should leave as soon as possible.

 

[SirLostBoy]

"Soo...you live in the fields is what you're telling me? Just a vagrant?" He asked again curiously as he swigged his stout. He had and he could tell she knew it. Sooner or later he hoped she would give up the game herself so he wouldn't have to fight her at all.

 

[BearClaw]

"No, not in the fields... Just... Nevermind. I think I need to go..." She said quickly, pulling a few coins out of her pouch. "This should cover your drink. It was nice meeting you and once again, I'm sorry for walking into you." Without waiting for a reply she got up and started walking towards the door, she had to get out of there. She was beginning to regret ever having left the castle... Or maybe she was just regretting walking into the man.

 

[SirLostBoy]

"Halt." Artorius said calmly as he grabbed her forearm firmly before she could run away. "I don't get the feeling that you actually believe it was nice meeting me." He said nonchalantly as he stared at her. "I'm sure whoever you are, you don't want people to notice you and I don't want people to notice either now if you don't want to make a scene I suggest you sit back down...calmly..." Artorius order in a low voice. He had enough of games and he was sure that they didn't have time for them either. He could tell that it was getting close to midday and he had better things to do than worry about some dumb kid that could or could not be a imperial spy. "Now I'm only going to ask this once...who are you?"

 

[BearClaw]

Aya stifled a scream, she was getting scared now. Who was this man and why was he so interested in who she was? She sat down as calmly as she could. Her hood had slipped a little and she pulled it forward again so that he wouldn't see the gold circlet on her head. "I am no one. I don't want to answer your questions and I would appreciate it if you would just let me leave." Durga sat by her side, growling with discontent.

 

[SirLostBoy]

"Nobody's no one....everybody's someone even if they don't want to be..." He said with a light sigh. "Look I don't like doing this especially to a young girl like you, but right now you are a liability. I have too damn far for you to be a liability. So now you better tell me who you goddamn are or I'm gonna have to tie up these loose ends myself," the man said in a low, threatening tone. "Artorius...she's just a girl" He heard Atarka in his head. "Oh my god it's not like I'm gonna kill her Atarka!" He said aloud, by the time he realized he had said it aloud it was too late. He was so used to talking aloud to Atarka cause it would usually in the comfort of his own tent at night that he kind of forgot about keeping it in his head. "If I don't say anything she might forget about it," he thought to himself as he watched her.

 

[BearClaw]

Aya shook her head quickly, "I said, I'm no one. Well, no one you have to worry about, I can assure you of that. Just let me leave and you will never see me again." She didn't plan to leave the castle again for a long time if she was just allowed to go back to it. She was staring down at her hands but when he suddenly said something to someone named "Atarka" her head shot up, "What did you say? Kill me?" Her eyes were wide with fear and she just wanted to run but she knew that if he caught her, Durga's protective instinct would kick in and the man would be dead. She didn't want to cause a scene.

 

[SirLostBoy]

"By Chromium's beard Atarka! Look what you've done now! Are you happy?! Just butt out for now ok?!" Artorius said with an exasperated sigh. "Look here little lady, I am NOT, and I repeat, NOT going to kill you alright? That isn't my style...for the most part." He emphasized as he looked her straight in the eyes; muttering the last part to himself. "However you are also an unknown entity. For all I know you could be a goddamn spy and I would be none the wiser. So what do you to assure me that you are no one I need to worry about, because so far just about everything you have told me has been a sham," Artorius said coldly as he leaned across the table a little and stared her down. The more he looked at her, the more something didn't seem right. She tried hiding her face a lot but he could tell that she had beauty; beauty that would be rare in most common folk. Then there was her panther. He never paid much attention to it until now. It seemed very tame and very well groomed. Plus panthers were not really native to their kingdom. He guessed at that moment that she was probably some princess from the far east countries who probably escaped with her pet panther to escape some kind of arranged marriage of the like. It was odd but not unheard. But what he guessed wasn't important so for now he decided put the thought to the side as he waited for her answer.

 

[BearClaw]

Aya still wasn't sure if she could trust this strange man, but she knew that she had to do something to stop him pestering her. It was a huge risk, but she decided to see how it went. "Look, I'll tell you who I am. But not here, the walls have ears." She looked him dead in the eyes, fear gone. There were two ways this could go and both of them would be a win for her. "Follow me okay?" She said, standing up.