From Avanthal, With Love [Cara, Open]

[Kainan Thorne]

1st Day of Fall, 511 A.V. "There are those who would say that everything happens for a reason. But then, if for some reason, you have lost your past, your identity, then, do you really want to know the truth?" A hooded stranger walked alongside his huge, black horse through the streets of Avanthal, heading towards the nearest stables. The man, like the horse, was huge, standing at almost two meters and with a constitution that reminded of the Akalak people, yet his eyes revealed that he was more than just some thug. His eyes held intelligence, the kind of intelligence which only comes from years of study. He seemed older than he really was, with his graying hair and the scars on his hands and face. Beneath the saddle of the horse, a huge, two handed greatsword hanged in its scabbard, swaying slowly from side to side as the black stallion trotted alongside his rider. Like his rider, the horse didn't seem to belong to any one breed, but rather a mixture of Cyphrus Strider and the gods knew what else. Together, the two made a fearsome sight. The warrior walked casually towards his destination, the Frostfawn stables, without paying much attention to his surroundings, but this apparent ignorance could easily have been deceiving. His horse followed him close by and that huge and likely sharp greatsword was well within his reach. And anyone unfortunate enough to be caught in the range of its deadly edge would likely meet an early and unfortunate end. The weapon was finely crafted and the hilt engraved with decorative symbols. And it rested in a fine leather scabbard. This was an expensive weapon, likely costing as much as fifty gold-rimmed Mizas. And it was a difficult weapon to master, requiring quite some endurance to wield properly, which was probably the reason why its owner was in such a good physical condition. Arriving at the stables, the Stranger set his gaze on a black haired girl. He picked up the sword and walked towards her with confidence, strapping the weapon over his shoulder as he did. And when he finally spoke, he spoke in a clear, educated common that betrayed his provenience from a higher class family. His gaze was steady as he spoke to the girl. "Hello. I would like my horse tended to. I am also looking for lodging for the night and a warm meal. Would you please be kind enough to help me with my requests?" He asked in a polite manner, almost too polite, some would say. Whoever he was, he knew his way around the world. As he spoke, his horse waited calmly beside him, the animal's eyes holding a malevolent gaze which froze anyone who looked at him. This was an intelligent animal, befitting the nature of his owner perhaps a bit too well. This educated, clean and well mannered stranger was a very dangerous man, no doubt about that.

[Cara]

Cara walked through the stables, her boots lightly clicking against the wooden floor as the heel snapped several scattered stalks of golden-brown hay. The stalks split into several slender slices, lining the floor in a thin sheet of drying, dead, vegetation. She strode steadily towards the nearest stall, and gently untied the latch. Picking apart the tight knot in the rope that held the door with her slender fingertips, and sharp nails. When it had come undone, she let it drape over the side of the wooden door as she pushed it open lightly, so as not to accidently hit the horse's rump with it as it parted to let her in. When she was safely inside the stall, Cara approached the horse, walking towards it slowly until she reached its head. She extended her right hand and gave the horse several pats on the nose as she whispered in its ear, soothing it as it stomped its feet in agitation. Whether it was because it had not yet been fed or given fresh water, or because she had interrupted its quiet meditation, Cara could not tell. The horse's ears twitched as Cara produced a clicking sound by running her tongue over the roof of her mouth. "Best get these changed before you starve to death," she muttered, as she turned a valve to the side of the horse's water bin, which opened a small drain at its bottom. The water made a gurgling sound as it swirled around the basin and made its way into a pail which hung underneath. When the basin had released all of its contents into the pail, Cara turned the valve back around, tightening the drain, so that when the basin was filled again, nothing could get out. Slowly, she bent over and pulled the pail away. Its metal handle dug into the palm of her hand, causing it to take on its shape; for her skin to grow red and somewhat numb. Cara made her way back out of the horse's stall with the pail in tow. She carried it outside, and dumped it out in the snow, ignoring how some of the droplets of water splashed onto her feet, the folds of her dress, the fabric of her cloak that fluttered in the wind. Now that the pail was empty, it felt significantly lighter, but with the wind howling, and whipping her hair around wildly as it chilled her to the bone, it hurt all the more to hold. Cara's hands began to freeze as the cold metal stung her flesh. As swiftly as she could, she bent to scoop up as much snow as she could, letting the fluffy white mass tower over the top of the silver bucket, and drip down the sides as she headed back inside. She walked in silence until she reached the horse's stall, at which point, she headed inside before dropping the pail beside the horse's water bin. The horse snorted and swished its tail as if to say, you must be kidding me. You expect me to eat snow? Cara's violet-colored eyes settled on the horse's large black ones. "Don't worry, it will melt soon enough," the girl commented as she began to concentrate on her djed. She could feel it tickling the tips of her toes as she forced it to rise. Slowly, it wound its way through her veins, up the length of her long legs and into the pit of her stomach. There it seemed to bubble, and mix with her stomach acids, slowly gaining heat from the churning of the acid, and Cara's knowledge of what it would one day be. Finally, the mixture seemed to boil. Tiny vapors of djed rose up into and her heart, her lungs, up the length of her throat where it spread out to the top of her head, and into her arms. Cara's djed followed the winding path of her veins and arteries until they reached her hands, causing the palms to tingle with excitement, a growing sense of strength and power. The djed fanned out into the girl's fingertips, causing them to prickle and grow warm, as though she had just burned them over a hot fire. "Just about ready," Cara whispered, as her eyes glimmered, the reflection of her own hands upon the darkest coals in their centers; her pupils. Thin wisps of what appeared to be light blue smoke billowed out of Cara's fingertips, the palm of her right hand. It swirled just above her palm, forming a small sphere that drew any more res she produced into it. When it had gotten to the point of being approximately three inches high, and another two wide, Cara stopped producing res and instead, lit the center of what she already had on fire. The orb gave off a pale, golden-orange light, which seemed to flicker. Casting the horse's grey fur, and her own flesh in its glow. Cara bent over and plucked the pail of snow off the ground. She held it in her left hand, while she held the orb of fire beneath it. Growing tired of how slowly the snow seemed to melt, Cara lit the outer portion of the orb on fire, with the exception of the bottom, which was closet to her hand. It took another few minutes for the snow to finally melt, producing what Cara thought to be just enough water to quench the horse's thirst. She put the pail down a moment while she blew out the fire she held over her palm. Tiny tendrils of smoke billowed up towards the ceiling as the flame was snuffed out, filling her and the horse's nostrils with smoke. Each set flared in an irritated manner, while the horse stomped its hooves, apparently, at least a little frightened. "Not to worry," Cara whispered as she lifted the bucket and poured the water into the basin, before returning the pail to its proper place. When she had, she walked over to the horse and gave it a few reassuring pats before whispering, "be right back with some fresh food." Cara gave the horse one last pat before walking back out of the stall, and towards the far end of the stables, where extra hay bails were kept. However, before she could reach her destination, Cara was stepped by a rather tall man and his horse with fur the color of a starless night. "Would you mind getting out of the way?" Cara growled in Vani. "You're blocking the whole path through the stables standing there like a petching idiot like that," she finished, seemingly ignoring the words he had just spoken in Common. She knew a few of the words, and was pretty sure she knew what he was trying to say, but she didn't care. She was busy tending to another horse, so his would have to wait. "Well don't just stand there, lead your horse into an empty stall or out of the stables if it needs to stretch its legs," Cara growled, her irises changing from a calmer shade to an angry ruby red. When the man didn't seem to oblige her, she balled her hands into tight fists as her brow furrowed into several tight lines. Oh why can't we all just speak the same damn language? Cara wondered as she simply stared, waiting for him to make way for her. OOCFirst of all, sorry this is a petching novel. Secondly, the only language both our pcs know is Common. But Cara is not fluent in it. You will have no idea what she is saying to you since it's all spoken in Vani. Yay for sign language?

[Kainan Thorne]

"...Metal clashed against metal as the two huge swords rammed against eachother with enough force to produce sparks. The warrior's arms shivered with the force of each impact. His swings were precise and fluid, turning the huge and deadly blade with extraordinary speed and precision, sending with each swing a hurtling blow at his opponent. He blocked every attack with lightning quick reflexes, resulting in a harmony of war, a song of swords..." The Stranger's mind understood that the girl was pretty much mocking him. This huge brute was smarter than he looked. His icy blue eyes stared at her with a gaze that could have frozen the blood of most people. He seemed somewhat odd. Like a predator fixed on his prey. And he smiled. A slight, barely noticeable smile was the only warning before the huge, ornate greatsword came out of its scabbard. Within a split second, the huge weapon was in his hands, the cold steel glimmering menacingly in the light. With a flick of his wrist, the huge blade rammed into the wooden frame of the door, instantly shattering it. "I don't like it when people mock me, girl. You are payed to do your job. You'd better do it before someone takes notice. Someone like me, with a sword, the skill and the will to use it." He said in a rather strange tone. His eyes glimmered like his sword, and his steel gaze seemed as deadly as his blade. He disliked the fact that he didn't understand her language, but her message was obvious. And so was his. Beside him, the huge horse also fixed his eyes on the girl, mimicking the response of his owner. The stallion seemed calm, but his eyes betrayed a different state of mind. Reaper knew a fight when he saw it and he welcomed each with a unique kind of enthusiasm, one that sent shivers up the spine of most people. And there seemed to be some sort of communication between the animal and his rider, the kind of understanding that only comes after years of partnership, when both man and animal understand eachother perfectly. The Stranger kept his gaze steady on the girl, seeking direct eye contact. He looked just like a pillar of ice, cold and unmoving. Like a force of nature and just as merciless as one. He was a proud and powerful figure who would not feel even the slightest hesitation at killing the girl. "Good. Now that I have your attention, I would also like to know your name. Mine is Kainan. Kainan Thorne." He spoke to her in a strangely calm tone. He didn't feel the slightest fear or hesitation. He didn't even have one second thought. Perfectly disciplined, he kept his emotions under tight control to make it impossible for anyone to read his mind. This was a strange and unpredictable man with enough skill with his weapon that he could prove to be quite the match for the common majority. He had training, that much was obvious, but perhaps what was more perilous than his blade was his mind. His devious intellect that worked day and night, plotting and scheeming only the gods knew what.

[Cheshire]

Jariah was walking briskly through Avanthal, her bondmate Ne'kai following after her. While the pair were usually out in the wastes or reaches watching over recruits or training the newer members of Icewatch, today they were simply taking a stroll and enjoying the Talderian weather. Most would not call a cloudy day and constant flurries enjoyable weather but to a Vantha, there was nothing more beautiful. Perfect weather for a pair of Icewatchers taking a simple stroll. This fact alone was enough to urk Jariah when she heard shouting over at the White Elk Stables. "Petch, what in Morwen's name could be happening over there?" Ne'kai, in bear form at this time simply let out a small growl. He was just as upset as his bondmate was. "I tell you Kai, there is no such thing as a day off for us." When the pair made it to the stables it was clear to see the problem. An outsider and a Frostfawn seemed to be having a disagreement. While the Vantha knew it was not her business to meddle in personal affairs, she chose to keep watch over the two in case a fight did in fact break out. While Cara was a fellow Vantha, she was also known to be a bit hotheaded and often hotheadedness lead to fights. The outsider swung at the door of the stables, leaving at most a shallow dent in the wood. Now it was time to step in. Jariah knew that the barn could take a few swings from some outsider's sword. It was built to protect the animals from Taldera's harsh weather for Morwen's sake! The man would scare the animals though and that would not be allowed. Stepping forward, Jariah placed a hand on the man's shoulder. "Excuse me, it is not a good idea to be pulling a weapon out in front of the animals." Her tone was kind, but rich with the hint of authority. Even if this man wanted to try to fight, she would win. She was not one of the higher ranked members of Icewatch for no reason. Besides, Ne'kai was on her side and only a fool would try to go up against an Icewatch bear. "I don't care if you are an outsider, we don't deal with disputes through violence and those who do have to deal with Icewatch." Her hand gripped around his sword, prying it from his hand. "And I'll hold onto this until we get this whole thing sorted out. Come, we are going to head to the barracks. Icewatch will decide what happens with you. Before we do though, we gotta get everyone's stories straight, who wants to go first?" OOCOkay, here is how it is going to go. We are going to have one more round of posts where everyone explains what is going on and if Jariah finds either of you guilty, you are off to the slammer. Kainan, you did not break the door since it was too thick to destroy and your sword skill is not high enough to do much damage. Ianthe and I have talked about your jail time and she will be taking care of your thread where you are in the jail. All other details will be explained when I post the XP award to this thread.

[Kainan Thorne]

"...Beads of sweat formed on the warrior's brow, then slowly dripped down his face as he stared at his opponent, his nemesis. His skill with the huge weapon in his hands was almost flawless, but that 'almost' was enough to decide his demise, as his rival's technique, the result of years of training as a knight, was perfect. He began to wear out and each of his swings was less accurate and slower and then, in a moment of carelessness, he lost the grip onto his blade. And his rival's keen and deadly sword bit into his flesh, the cold steel tearing through the fabric of his clothes, wreaking havoc on the unprotected body beneath. Struggling to stand, he made one last, desperate attempt at attacking, one last act of defiance, but instead he stumbled and fell. As his opponent stood towering above him, he knew he was staring at his death. That realization came to him, sending cold shivers down his spine, as the knight's sword struck down one more time, and then darkness followed..." The Stranger looked at Jariah and Ne'kai with a cold, analytical stare. He was obviously calculating his chances at escaping or fighting. It was the kind of "fight or flight" response specific to someone who is used to be outside the law, the kind of reaction of a wanted man. The mysterious foreigner was a huge brute of a man, but there seemed to be a rare and educated intelligence beneath that appearance. His ragged appearance and his white hair made him seem older than he really was, while his physical condition placed his age somewhere around the mid twenties. This was a strange fellow indeed, one who seemed to know his way around things. Then, with a strange and surprising move, he showed his capacity for careful planning and attempted to regain control over the situation. He straightened and, apparently relaxing, spoke to Jariah in a clear, steady common. "I would like my sword back, thank you. Oh and you can tell the lady here to treat her customers with more respect. I've been on the road for days and all I did was ask her to tend to my horse and point me towards some inn nearby, where I could rest my head. And despite the fact that I asked politely, she treated my like garbage and didn't even have the decency to talk to me in a language I can understand. So, obviously, I lost my temper and rammed my sword into the frame of the door. I don't know about the law here, but I think insulting people and treating them like trash is improper behavior in a civilized society." He said to the guard. He was obviously skilled with words, showing some skill in politics. He obviously knew how to talk his way out of a situation, but that didn't change the fact that he had broken the law, or the fact that there was something suspicious about him. He was smart enough to know that he was going to be thrown behind bars, that much was obvious, but he tried to gain leverage with the Icewatch by cooperating with them and behaving politely. Beside him, the huge horse stood motionless, staring at the guard and her bondmate. The animal seemed to know what was going on and he seemed to know that his rider was in serious trouble. So, instead of reacting violently, Reaper put on a docile behavior to avoid causing even more trouble. They were a strange pair, the horse and his rider. Whoever they were, they were not common bandits or thugs. Banditry may have been one of their occupations, but it was not a way of life for the two. And, no matter how hard they would try, it would be impossible for them to go unnoticed.

[Cara]

Cara simply glared at the man, clearly displeased with his behavior, even though she could not make out the majority of his words. Why won't he speak Vani? If he's in Avanthal, he should speak the tongue of the people there, or get out, Cara thought angrily, as she listened to the sound of several horses nervously stamping their feet on the ground, and pulling on the rope that kept them in place, causing several wooden boards to creak, ever so slightly. The Vantha raised a single brow as she turned to face Jariah and her bondmate. "I was just tending to a horse," Cara replied in Vani, before gesturing with her hand to another section of the stables, "over there. I gave him some fresh water, and went to fetch a bale of hay for him to eat, but found this man standing in the walkway, and couldn't get past. I asked him to move, but he wouldn't. Asked him to go stretch his horse's legs, or take it into one of the empty stalls," she continued, her eyes flashing a deep violet as she glanced at the man for a moment before turning back to Jariah. "The man then pulls out his sword and brings it down on the stall door- just because he was asked to move," Cara explained, before pausing. "And if he expects the Frostfawn to care for his horse, he should have thought better than to destroy their property and frighten the horses, for now we have even more work to deal with. Feeding them all, giving them water, and brushing the dirt and grime from their coats." Cara sighed. "He seems inpatient and unstable, unwilling to wait his turn; if he was truly seeking a shelter and some care for his horse." Cara stopped and glared at the man, her heart pounding. How could someone be so petching stupid? Doesn't he know that loud noises frighten most horses, and that doing something like that could make them buck? Which could only add more danger to this already unpleasant situation? Cara's mind growled. He SHOULD know that, he owns a horse. A monstrosity of a horse, but a horse nonetheless. There was another pause, and he is old enough to know NOT to pull a sword in order to destroy another's property, unless he intends to pay for it. Cara put her right hand on her hip, "I think it'd be wise if you kept that sword from him awhile, Jariah. And make sure he doesn't set foot in the stables again until he can learn to control his temper around the animals... we Frostfawn can't afford to have to clean up after him every time he hears something he doesn't like," Cara added, rather cooly. The Vantha stood in silence after that. Waiting for Jariah to make her decision, to see right through Kainan, and take him away to prison, so she could get back to work. OOCCara spoke in Vani the entire time, so Kainan wouldn't know what she is saying.

[Cheshire]

Jariah listened to both sides of the story, first Kainan's and then Cara's. While she knew Cara did have a reputation of being a hothead it was no excuse for a man to unsheathe his sword. She knew this was going to be difficult but Morwen be blessed, she would sort this mess out. "Sorry sir, no can do. You break the rules, you loose your blade. You should have thought about that before you went around swinging it like a child." Jeriah placed the sword at Ne'kai's feet before looking back at the pair in front of her. "Also, I will ask you kindly not to give me orders. You are an outsider and by the looks of you, you have not been here long." She looked the man over curiously, her eyes turning a bright yellow. "You confuse me, I gotta say it. You walk into a town and think you own the place because you have a blade. A blade might I add that you don't know how to use. If you truly did, you would not swing it about every time someone gave you lip. On top of that, you walk into Avanthal, the city of the Vantha, were we speak Vani and expect us to speak your language. I believe it should be the other way around. If you come into our city you should have the common decency to learn the language we speak." Next her eyes turned to the horse that the man seemed to be so fond of. "Also, you cannot act as though you were only looking out for the betterment of your steed. I don't even ride a horse and I know the last thing you want to do around them is whip a blade out and smash it into things." Her fingers drummed on her own blade as her eyes darkened to a shade of rosy red. "Gotta say though, making orders is not exactly helping your case." A small smirk twitched at her lips before looking over to Cara. "And you missy… I don't know how many times people have to tell you to try and be polite. We can't all be perfect little Frostfawns, can we?" Her eyes glowed a light pink as she spoke to Cara. "A little kindness goes a long way. Morwen be blessed, you could even gather a few friends that way." Jeriah was more teasing with Cara than anything but still, the girl needed to learn how to be a bit sweeter. Especially if she was going to be working in the stables were people would have to deal with her and her catty attitude. With a light nod to another worker in the stables, they walked over to her side. The pair spoke for a few chimes before Jariah nodded them off with a simple, "okay, I see." "Okay outsider, come with me. The Frostfawns have spoken and we gotta take you to Svanhilder."

[Cheshire]

Character: Kainan Thorne Experience: Observation +1, Sword +1, Persuasion +1 Lore: Getting Arrested, Defending Your Case Etc.: Kainan now has to serve time at Svanhilder for 15 days and his belongings have been taken from him until Tomaan Iceglaze (Warden of Svanhilder) has decided it is safe to return them. Character: Cara Experience: Animal Husbandry +1, Horsemanship +2, Reimancy +1, Persuasion +1 Lore: Caring for Horses, Defending Your Case Additional Note: You both got a point in persuasion for trying to defend your point. Short but interesting thread guys. Kainan, good luck with Ianthe. PM me with concerns.