[Rearing Stallion] Ale with a Murderer [Finished]

[Kane Roth]

8 Su, 510 AV, 6:49 PM

The hearty sounds of earthware flagons coming together, raised in a toast, roared from one of the back tables, and a good, friendly atmosphere seemed to permeate the whole establishment, and Kane thought to himself, Just why did I stay in Sunberth so long?... Probably the money, it was good pay after all, and nontaxable. Still, such things were behind him, and he was hoping to begin a new chapter in his life tonight, perhaps another step closer to the Order. For... atoning for what he'd done. The earthy smell of beer and sheperd's pie greeted his nose(though he didn't know the latter) as he stepped through the doorway, past the heavy wooden door, and into the warm light inside. Already it seemed that most of the city's working men and women were here, celebrating the release from toil, if only for a few hours, and quickly he found an empty table, with a good view of the door, and took his seat slowly. Though it wasn't but a few moments before he was jumped by a barmaid, a young lass, John not being much older than her, who seemed to be under some duress, though it admirably failed to get the better of her. Must've been a hard house tonight, and so, simply ordering a flagon of the Syliran ale(which he'd never had before), giving the girl the silver miza in cost and waited. John would show sometime or another, and he'd have the maid point him out whenever he did.

As the girl returned with the mug, Kane offered her a slight smile and asked, "If you could, I'm expecting someone. A Knight, he might or might not be in his regalia, but he's a fairly average boy, about five feet, nine inches or so. Only about twenty, I'd reckon."

"'Course, I can, sir." she replied and was on her way, carrying more of the ale to other tables, obviously more concerned with her job than his. Sighing, he looked to the door, having chosen his seat carefully as to watch the door for John, and taking a generous sip from his mug, he was temporarily surprised by the sweet twinge to the cool ale, bearing in stark contrast to all the beer he'd drank in Sunberth which, though bitter and warm, was quite refreshing in its own way. Still, he was here for something other than ale, and so he watched and waited, not only the door, but his cloak on one of the racks.

Too long he'd spent in Sunberth to trust anyone with his belongings.

[John Griffin]

John was running later than he had planned. By his reckoning it was probably about five till seven, and he was still a few minutes away from the Stallion. What a good impression to make on a potential squire, he thought as he hurried along. Fast walking, he made it to the tavern a couple minutes later. Stepping inside the tavern, he took a look around, seeing if he could spot Kane through all the commotion inherent in a tavern during the evening. He was having no luck when the barmaid hurried up to him, obviously rushed to get the message delivery over with. She pointed him in the right direction, after which thanked her and asked for a mug of ale, pressing two silvers into her hand.

John was not in his armor this night, instead opting for a loose and comfortable outfit. He wore a white cotton shirt coupled with brown cotton pants, as well as low cut leather boots and a brown cloak. The whole ensemble was topped off by his belt, from which his sword, dagger, and coin purse hung from. He may have been a knight, but he was far from wealthy, and wore clothes that suited his financial means.

The young knight made his way over to the table Kane was at. He gave the man a smile and a nod. "Glad you're here, Kane. Sorry I'm a bit late, got caught up with some errands." He took off his cloak and draped it on the back of a chair, which he promptly sat in. Leaning comfortably on the table, he stated, "So I just have one rule for this. Don't lie to me. You don't have to tell me everything. You don't really have to tell me anything if you don't want, though that wouldn't get us very far. Just don't be dishonest. Truth, justice and honesty are integral parts of the Knights, and lies reflect poorly upon an individual."

[Kane Roth]

Kane was pleased to see that John had made it; he was also pleased to see that the barmaid had done as he'd asked and gotten his attention for him. As John approached, he apologized, to which Kane simply replied, "Not a problem." As John sat, draping the cloak over the back of his chair, Kane leaned in slightly, crossing his arms across his chest as John laid down a single rule; honesty. He could tell him anything, or not tell him, as long as he didn't lie. Good, best to keep some sleeping dogs asleep, even might be able to forget about them altogether. He could do that, be honest that is, at least about some things. Nodding as John finished, Kane looked to him, shifting in his seat as he did such, and after sighing simply asked, "Where do you want me to begin?"

[John Griffin]

John was glad that his slight lateness was not an issue, and he pulled the chair in closer to the table, wiggling around a bit until he was comfortable. The bigger man had nodded agreeably to John's rule, so there was naught left but to start learning about him. To that end Kane even asked where he should start. John set his chin on his hand and looked about as in thought. He was about to speak when the barmaid returned, ale in hand. He shook his head when she asked if he wanted anything else, and John waited while she asked Kane the same. After the girl had left, the knight took a long sip from the mug before answering the hanging question.

"The beginning. I find that's a good place to start with everything else, why not this too. Just tell me about yourself, your life. Whatever parts of it you choose to reveal anyway. Try to stay away from the trivial, but it's okay if you don't. Just tell me some things about yourself so I can get a better feel for exactly who you are."

[Kane Roth]

"Just tell me some things about yourself so I can get a better feel for exactly who you are."

Sipping from his ale as he asked such, the Knight looked to Kane as he awaited an answer, and Kane inhaled deeply, looking to the right as he thought where to begin, though his eyes darted to his cloak again as he thought, making sure no one was pilfering it. But, like John said, it was best to start at the beginning, from his childhood and work things up from there, starting in the slums of Sunberth. Though before he began in earnest, Kane offered John a brief warning, "John, I've done some things I'm not proud of. I mean some horrible things, but first, before I begin the story, hear this, so you might not judge me too harshly..." Sighing again, Kane continued, "I want to become a Squire, and hopefully a Knight eventually, to atone for my sins. To make right what I've done wrong and repay this world tenfold for what it's given me... so I'll keep my life story as brief as possible."

Taking another generous drink from his mug before continuing, Kane began with his birth, "I was born around 480 AV in a shack to my mother, who was a-... a whore. She didn't care about me, didn't even name me, just called me boy and had the decency to teach me to speak." Biting his lower lip, Kane thought for a moment on how he would continue, his arms still drawn across his chest, his brow wrinkled in thought. Looking to John's face, he continued, "I survived through thievery. Stealing what money and food that I could for many years, until one day, when I was about eight, I was caught, caught by an Isur. He went by the name of Balor Blackheart, a slave trader. Ostracized, didn't have any relatives. Needless to say, I became a slave, but not just any slave," Kane raised a finger at this point, nodding a fraction of an inch as he did such, "I became his personal servant. Fetching things for him, small, meaningless tasks that he wouldn't have to bother with, but what he did for me was much greater, he trained me. Built muscle, even taught me, by mistake, how to read, both Isur and Common, and I grew under him."

"Eventually I came to see him as my father, the father I never had. Though he berated me, worked me something fierce... not to mention enslaved me, he was the closest thing I had to family. Now, eventually he sold me, to the Karenin Cartel, to serve as manual labor. Before doing so though, he gave me this..." Reaching into his tunic, Kane offered forth a small charm, a medallion of sorts, in the shape of a triskelion; an ancient symbol of progress and good fortune. "When I worked for the cartel, things went slowly, carrying boxes, sacks, all sorts of things, until one of the boys insulted Balor, quite harshly, and continued to do such even after I'd asked him to cease. Eventually it culminated in verbal attacks on each other, he called me a son of a whore and well... that did it. I leapt upon him and strangled him to death." Looking to the mug on the table, and spying it was empty, waved down one of the maids, who understood what it was he wanted without need of speaking.

"Sorry about that," Kane offered an apology before thinking on how to continue, "... after I'd killed that boy, and killed him I did, to my knowledge defending the name of both myself and what I saw as my father, I was flogged by the keepers before being thrown to the wolves back in the slave quarters." Pausing before continuing, Kane looked about, trying to find something else to focus on than John, "They... did things to me. Things I don't ever want to think about again. If you don't mind, I'll skip this bit. You don't, do you?" Looking back to John, eyes almost squinting.

[John Griffin]

John listened intently, not daring to interrupt such a tale. It was hard for him to imagine such a life. Having grown up in and around Syrilas, the only time he had traveled any distance from the city was his trip to Zeltiva during his Knight's quest. He had had it good. Sure, plenty of hard work and studying had been involved, but all for a good cause. And never had he really been forced to do anything. Not the way Kane had been.

He wishes to redeem himself, thought John. A good sign. John believed that everyone deserved a chance to change their ways, should they wish it. And service to the Knights was a great way to prove such.

The older man paused to ask if he could skip certain things.

"I don't mind at all," replied John, knowing it was probably hard to tell as much as he had to a near stranger. "Just one thing, where did all of this happen? You never said. Surely not here in Syliras? Zeltiva? Or Sunberth?"

[Kane Roth]

John's move to allow him to skip the horrid episode in the slave barracks comforted Kane somewhat, and uncovered another nugget of respect for the man in Kane's eyes, though he did point out something that Kane'd forgotten to mention, and quickly he apologized, "Oh... I didn't did I? Very sorry about that, it was in Sunberth, most certainly not here in Syliras, but, I'm sure you're wanting to hear more of the boy..."

Looking at the table, Kane continued after thinking on how to word it, "Put simply, all the boys that had done those things to me wound up dead. Some of the guards even gave me the tools, a rusty dagger, a jagged floorboard, all sorts of things. Of course, they had wagers going on how the boys would die, see, they caught on eventually, and they got so caught up in their bloodsport that when I ran out of the... twenty or so that I killed, and they brought in new slaves, they didn't realize why I didn't try with them. I had no quarrel with the new blood. They didn't defile me." Inhaling deeply, Kane looked to John's eyes, trying to explain it all as best he could, "The guards saw what I could do, and thought it might be a bit advantageous to put me into the pitfights. Not the big league, but small stuff, backlot rings, gladitorial combat. How I could tell you of the fights, the battles, I remember them all," gesturing with his finger against his forehead, "every one. But I'd started when I was fourteen, with at least two matches a week, sometimes more, I ended at the age of 18, having defeated what was regarded as one of the most fearsome opponents in the sport: a Myrian who went by the name of Urmand Kub'l. At that point, no one wanted to fight anymore, at least not fight me, no one wanted to put their slave, their money, on the line. So, Mr. Ajagur offered me a job, he'd been watching me fight, and saw what I can do..." Glancing about, Kane decided to focus on a nearby table leg, the long conversation beginning to take its toll, both emotionally and physically, his muscles simply not developed for it.

"So soon I became a guard for a cartel, Ajagur's cartel. Just guarded a room, nothing special, though I had a few favors owed in the system, and I got out of the job, and I became an... enforcer, if you will. A thug, a cross between an assassin and a goon. This was when I was truly evil, something that I'm... I'm not proud to admit. I did things that I wouldn't dare tell most, a Knight especially... But, you asked for honesty... I made people remember things, if they owed Mr. Ajagur some money, if something they said made him angry, if they looked to closely at his harem of whores... It didn't matter the cause, but the countless cases of battery and murder rack up, though one crime does stand above all others. Though I would ask that the following will not go beyond us." Kane licked his lips quickly, his breath becoming more drawn and quick, "I've sired a child, though the child isn't mine, truly. I know little of them, only that they exist... And their mother, perhaps, Knight, if I become your Squire I will tell you of her, but not now... not unless it is needed."

Quickly trying to steer the conversation in a different path, Kane quickly continued, trying to get to his saving grace; Balor's vision. "For years I was an enforcer, well over a decade, until I began to read on the Knights, last autumn. A subject that fascinated me greatly, especially of Wolfgang Roth the Sinner, but it wasn't until I was sent to deal with an Isur, though I didn't know it was my surrogate father, Balor, whom when I met was caring for a boy, not but of ten years age. Balor seemed very different then, he hadn't been training the boy, and the house was a different one than the one I'd dwelled in... I'll be brief, simply put, Balor had abandoned the life of a slaver, which was very kind to him, to simply become a plebeian, all because of a single vision."

Looking to John for any sort of spark of recognition, he spoke, "He told me as we supped that he witnessed a primordial tree, an oak, something that before my 'pilgrimage' to Syliras I'd never seen before. But it spoke to him, I know not why or how, even it was even just a dream, but the words spoke of redemption. Balor couldn't recall them exactly, but it moved him deeply. You remember I'd been reading about the Knights, and it's either a great coincidence, or something was working for me, for the night prior, I'd studied the Windoak. That's when I started to change."

Looking back to his mug and wondering why the girl hadn't been by with his next flagon of ale, Kane summarized the events after the meeting with Balor greatly, "After that, Balor was killed, and I fled for my life, all the provisions I could carry on my horse with me. Lost most of it in the wilds, not a good place to be for a city boy, like myself. But I've come on a pilgrimage, come to just try to join the Order... It's all I've lived for the past few months, really." Looking to John, he finished, "I've abandoned everything in my old life, John. There's nothing for me there anymore. I know I've trespassed greatly, sinned grievously, but I need to do something... Something for others. Something good."

Pausing for a moment, he looked about, musing out loud, "Personally, I wouldn't be surprised nor offended if you left now, but I've been... wrong, evil even, my entire adult life." Glancing back at John, only for a moment before reverting his eyes back to the floor in shame, "I want to change that, John."

[John Griffin]

John was drawn into Kane's story. It tugged at something in his heart, something that'd never been tugged before. The man had committed grievous crimes, murdered and hurt countless. But he said he wished to change, and John believed him. Either Kane was being honest and straightforward, or he was a very good actor. The Windoak would see through the lies, though, and if Kane was being false, he would never be a Knight. By the end of Kane's tale, John was ready to be his Patron. Wouldn't that be a sight. An brand new knight off 18 guiding a man a decade his senior in the ways of the Order. He supposed stranger things had happened.

Wetting his throat with another long sip of ale, John gave a little cough before speaking. "You've been straightforward with my Kane, so I feel I must do the same. You do seem like you want to change, to pay for your sins with good, honest work helping the Order." He paused for a moment. "The path will be long and arduous, and the heinousness of your crimes will mark you forever, of that there is no doubt." He paused again, thinking of the Oath he took during his knighting. "But no man is beyond redemption, and all that wish for the remission of their sins should be allowed a chance at a good, productive life. I will vouch for you as your Patron, and the heads of our Order and the Windoak will decide if you are truly penitent."

John leaned back, taking another sip from his ale. "Now, I'm sure this will be asked again during your interview, but I would like to get an idea for myself. There are many things a squire must learn before he can become a knight. The sword is foremost among these, as well as the use of a shield. Riding, the lance or spear, or even the bow. I daresay I hope you know your letters. If not, there is that too, as well as a number of topics to study. History, language, religion, among other things. Tell me, what do you know of all these things?"

[Kane Roth]

As John agreed to be Kane's patron, a dam penning up the lake of tension in his chest had broken, allowing the waters of relief to flow freely. John described what it would take to become a Knight in the Order, the long, hard struggle, and Kane had expected no less. The thought, just the thought of being a Squire, working for the Order, working for himself-no. Working for others, becoming a Knight, chief among it all, and helping prevent stories such as his own. Though, as John asked about his skill with certain things, a blade, a shield, riding, spears, and bows. Then there was education, History, Language, and more. Many of these things, especially the use of a bow, was beyond him. Though Kane, at the invitation of John, began to asses each area, "I'm very familiar with a blade, John. Five years in the pits, and longer doing things I shouldn't have thereafter with one, I've slain a great many with a sword. As for a shield? I've used one, but not to any proficiency. Rode a horse from Sunberth to Syliras, if that's worth anything. Ehh... Lance, never used one. Spears? Not often. I've never touched a bow, to be honest..."

Thinking further, he began to recall his long studies of the Order, though probably dwarfed by John's knowledge, Kane simply stated, "I know a good deal more than the average person, regarding the Knights. The only languages I speak are Common and Isur, don't know if that's worth anything either... But religion? Thus far I haven't had reason to believe, in anything, really." Looking to John, he finished with a promise, "But if I become your Squire, I will not disappoint you, John Griffin."

[John Griffin]

John listened carefully as Kane explained his skill, or lack thereof, with each item, as well as the limits of his education. Mentally John assessed the training that Kane would need. His skill with a sword was probably adequate, and it would be nice to have a training partner. But he would have to learn to ride with at least some measure of skill more than just leisure riding. Mounted combat required a knight to do more than just hold reins and spur a horse. "You don't have to learn the bow," he said. "It's just an option. A knight cannot rely on only his sword when atop a steed, and thus squires must learn another weapon, usually the lance, sometimes the spear, and more rarely the bow. Though many knights look down on the use of the bow, feeing is dishonorable. They prefer to meet an enemy face to face in combat, even if it costs them their lives. There is much to be said for such courage, but I hold no such disdain for the bow, I'm just not comfortable using one, it feels quite awkward."

The knight wasn't sure just how much Kane actually new about the order, but there would be plenty of time to properly assess such. That he knew another language was good news, and he said as much. "It will help. A knight must travel from time to time. We cannot just focus on Syliras, but must venture out to the world as well."

He smiled faintly when Kane professed no actual faith in a God. "You need not worry, there is no requirement to worship any God or Godess. We honor Sylir and his sacrifice, and live our lives based on his tenants, but he is dead. Many pray to other gods, chief among these are Tyveth, Yahal, and Eyris, who we beseech during the knighting ceremony. I myself honor Tyveth in particular, but I shall not force anything upon you." He smiled bigger. "Faith is not something to be forced into, but something that one must find on their own."

John waved his hand dismissively, "But that is neither here, nor there. I am sure you will come into some faith of your own, eventually. It's just part of being a knight."

He locked eyes with Kane. "I trust that you won't," speaking of Kane's promise with understanding.

"Now then. I will contact the proper channels and see about getting you the necessary interview. Until then I need to know where you are staying, so I can contact you." He smirked, "Also, maybe we can get together and spar, work on our swordplay a little. And, if you like, we could go to the library and talk about some of the things you'll need to start studying. No harm in a little preemptive training and study, right?"