Completed [North Kabrin Road]I don't need a knight!

[Amelia Cross]

Everything happened too fast, she couldn’t really recall how and what happened, but now she had a corpse not that far from her...She carefully eyed him, the wound in his head and the blood that surrounded him. Another death, it would have been hard to swallow in most cases, for most people, but Amelia had seen death. Was she happy about it? No, nobody in the right mind would be. But Amelia had seen it once, had seen it on the way to Ravok and back…one more or one less didn’t seem to be bothering her. It even looked bizarre as she seemed to be much more intrigued by the event, curios of the death and what had happened to him to lose the sanity? She wanted to study him…

While Xander cut her bounds, Amelia didn’t look up at him. Her look shooting from the corpse and to Fauna, back and forth. She didn’t care of her body being bare, it just somehow seemed to be irrelevant for the moment, or she just stopped seeing the point in it? Everyone always knew what was under them, why bother? Such strange things shot through her mind…but the look on her face was probably the strangest, when combined with the fact she didn’t thank the knight who saved her, though it was the huntress who really saved her.

She didn’t react much to anything else, their words or actions. She got up, shaky on her feet and walked over to Fauna. She was impolite, too impolite for her current state, but Fauna mattered to Amelia more than these two. ”it’s Amelia, not Mistress…” she just said quietly, as she released the ropes holding Fauna, holding her head against hers for a moment, before heading over to bags the bags an pulling out a simple dress in a brown color, putting it on without any under clothing.

”Thank you, Rakkina was it? I appreciate your help...if there is something I can do for you” she finally spoke, properly while she came closer to the woman, handing her the cloak. Ignoring the knight.

[Radiant]

"Ame-?!" Xander's eyes widened in utter shock and surprise when the girl spoke her name. The Knight's hunch was right, this girl was the little girl she saved back in the very same Woods so many years ago, only it was a mountain lion, not a rapist. Deja vu began flooding his mind, he had saved her... again. But... something was different, really different, the girl in front of her acted really cold and... ungrateful, Xander just shook his head lightly and exhaled. He knew that people could change... for the better or worst and something must had happened to the formerly sweet girl into such a... cold young woman.

"....My apologies, Miss Amelia" Xander lightly bowed and collected back his weapons, the thought of asking for just a simple "thank you" or some kind of appreciation didn't cross his mind. Technically, it was Rakkina who saved the girl, not him. Sensing that his presence was not welcomed and the fact that the young woman may needed some privacy from males for some time due to obvious reasons. He prepared to leave.

He lifted Reick's corpse and put him on top of Thunder, the horse neighed in protest, but not for long. The corpse would be useful for research on whatever information the Order might get from it. "I will take my leave now... Rakkina, can I burden you with a request once more? Would you kindly accompany her back to Syliras?"

"Of course, Ser. It would be my pleasure" The huntress nodded and waved the knight good-bye. "And something you can do for me? Well, you can begin by thanking Ser Xander here, without him, I would never find you, I met him while he was galloping in a hurry" The huntress shrugged, she noticed the girl's disdain for the Knight, but didn't really want to prod.

"Let's.. go, Thunder" Xander prepared to gallop his horse, if Amelia wanted to him to stay or something, this would be her last chance at the moment.

[Amelia Cross]

Amelia didn’t look at Xander as he finally spoke her name, it was so funny. To Amelia, after he had saved her for the first time, he was the world…she would lurk around to spot him within the citadel and brag to the other children that she knew him and had been riding on the horse, what was his name? She couldn’t remember now…had she even known it? That wasn’t the point, and it didn’t matter…because to the knight, she was nothing but yet another girl who got her own butt into trouble. He didn’t remember her, she was sure of it.

She just vaguely listened to what Xander said, but she picked up one thing, the man was leaving. And she wasn’t sure how she wanted to react to that. A part of her really wanted the man to go, but he had left a huge mark on her soul, those years ago, and now. If he really was as foul as she thought him to be, why did he come and help? She was confused. She wanted to ask for explanations, for so many things, but was unsure did she have the right to do so. And if he asked questions, would she be able to explain.

Time seemed to slow down as more and more questions filled her mind. But she didn’t get to fully rethink what she wanted to do, as she heard the huntress’s words. If her savior asked for it, she couldn’t really refuse…especially, since she was the one who had asked of ways to repay her. Sure, she didn’t believe that it was actually what the woman wanted, she thought it was more of politeness and the way the knights had brainwashed the citizens here. She was exaggerating, paranoid, but she had her reasons.

She nodded her head, letting the woman know she acknowledged her request and turned to the knight. She toke a few steps forward to him, a few more until she was close to the horse, it wasn’t the horse from before. ”Had he gotten rid of it?” she didn’t look up at him at first, as if she was a child who was ashamed of its own actions ”…Xa...ser Xander, thank you for saving me…again” her courage had vanished, her feet were cold and she was sure of one thing, she wouldn’t dare to ask him anything more…or would she?

”I…might I ask you a favor?” her words were silent, but her voice was cold and lacking any visible emotions, it was just the nervous fidgeting of her fingers and the way she touched her hair, only that gave off how unusual and nervous she was. As her question was of the sort she wouldn’t expect to have, she wanted to head to the citadel with him. She knew it would be risky, but she wanted to find out the truth…it was haunting her. And despite her never, ever in her life consider Syliras a home, a safe home…she wouldn’t want to leave the city, with a grudge on Xander, her knight in shining armor…right?

[Radiant]

"...well... you're very welcome, Mis-... Amelia" Xander just couldn't help to get rid of that particular title he had used for the pretty little girl he met years ago, but if she didn't wish it, he would adhere to it. The Knight stopped Thunder from galloping, the horse neighed in annoyance at having its exciting gallop home interrupted. The huntress just put her hands to her waist and watched in intrigued.

"Of course, how may I help you, Miss?" Xander jumped down from Thunder and bowed slightly to Amelia, his voice was visibly guarded now, the reason was that he didn't want to offend Amelia even though he didn't know what was the cause. The one that came on top of his mind was that the young woman might be uncomfortable with males right now, after surviving an attempted rape.

[Amelia Cross]

If she had to be honest, she didn’t really expect for him to be willing, she had expected the man to storm off with an excuse of something to do. So for a brief moment she was lost, until she swallowed a rock that was somewhere in her through, preventing her from speaking. She looked up at the knight, still not quite sure how to state her question. ”Could I…ride with you?””What are you doing!” she cursed in her mind, that was not what she wanted to ask. That was silly, she didn’t think the horse would even accept the idea, it already seemed to be displeased by Amelia’s interruption.

She waited for the answer, but she couldn’t keep it down and finally ”actually…what I want to ask for…are some answers…” this was not something of courage anymore. Amelia’s fingers seemed to tremble, just as her lips. Did her face become paler? Or was it a trick of the light mist? ”you…you made it in time…now, but two years ago…a…a knight” she wasn’t really thinking straight, she was mixing up the fact it was a drunk squire, with her mind in a mess and her eyes, her empty eyes filling with tears she never wanted to show to anyone…she just couldn’t pull together proper sentences, not to mention detailed speeches of descriptive detail ”he…he said you sent him, to …” she was keeping her tears in under control, but her voice was breaking. She couldn’t even put the actual action in words, she didn’t have the bravery, or just the words. Would Xander understand?

The whole, short speech was done in silence, she didn’t want anyone except the man to hear. She hugged herself with her arms, it seemed like her mind had just now realized what had been happening since she met the two men on the road. With the horrible memory of how she was touched, humiliated, the things she saw and the things she felt, how she cried and what torture the next year had been. ”just…d~don’t cry, nobody deserves to see you cry” she repeated over and over in her mind.

[Radiant]

"Well... of course" Xander scratched his head, he was a bit taken aback, just chimes ago, this young woman scoffed him away right after being saved from a possible worse-than-death fate, but right now, she was fumbling and looked apologetic. Something must have happened to her that I do not have any knowledge off... It was his chance to find out and if she was willing, try to help her "Of course, Miss. You can mount your beautiful horse there and ride beside me... because I don't think you would be fond of... riding with this bastard's corpse right here.. haha..." It was an awful joke, even Xander cringed in his mind, Thunder seemed to understand and neighed while rolling his eyes.

"Soooo..." The huntress chimed in, seeing that the young woman would leave together with the knight, that meant she could continue doing what she was supposed to be doing, hunting. "Seeing as you two lovebirds are about to ride together, Can I take my leave now?"

"Yes, of course, Madame" Xander acknowledged the huntress.

"I told you to just call me 'Rakkina', alright then! Kay thanks bye!" The red-haired hunter then walked off deeper into the Woods, searching for the usual deer or boar.

”you…you made it in time…now, but two years ago…a…a knight”

"Uhm... yes, what happened two years ago, Miss? And... a knight?" After hearing that, Amelia finally got Xander truly curious. Something must have happened two years ago and from her words, it involved the Order in some way.

”he…he said you sent him, to …”

"I... did what?" Xander was rather surprised, someone was using his name to do something that made this girl disdained him? Someone was actually blackmailing him? This was unacceptable, a fellow knight tarnishing the reputation of his/her fellow knight and involved Amelia nonetheless. Was it an agent of the Black Sun trying to destroy the Order's reputation, starting with him? He must found out about this.

Amelia looked like she wanted to cry, Xander instinctively wanted to hug and comfort her, but stopped himself. Any physical affection from a male after what just happened may set the young woman off.

"Forgive me, Mist-... Amelia, I don't wish to make assumptions... but could you tell me more on what happened two years ago?"

[Amelia Cross]

Was the huntress leaving a good thing? Not exactly, if Xander turned out to be a monster, she would be left alone with him…and the corpse of the other man. But her curiosity forced her further, the desire to understand was the force that made her do all of her decisions. For good of for bad.

Her mind didn’t quite fully follow, she couldn’t tell was he playing dumb, or was he sincerely unaware of the events. But it all made her grow even more heavy hearted. As she didn’t really want to go through the detail, she wouldn’t want to say how she was nearly raped as a young girl, she didn’t want to tell him any of that, but she was the one who brought it up…so she had little choice. She had to explain, to get the answers.

She got a deep breath and stepped a small step back from Xander, still not sure, could she fully trust him. She wanted to, but the voice inside of her mind told her to step away. ”two…years ago…I was in the woods, I….I wanted to meet a knight, to be…introduced to the order” was that really how it went? Well, it was close enough to be true. ”I…a man, a knight…he found me…” she still kept repeating it, a knight, even though it was a squire, but her mind had gone delusional. ”..he was strong, I couldn’t fight back, h..he~ said he wanted to be my friend…he kissed me” each new word came from her with new struggles, her voice becoming more and more soaked in pain of her memories, but somehow, her heart was becoming more at ease….she had never spoken of this out loud.

”he hit me, knocked me out….toke me deeper in the woods….w~when I woke up, I was tied by ropes….exposed to him…” she couldn’t keep it anymore, she wanted to let go, but it haunted her ”I told him to stop….but he didn’t…and then he left me there…like that…in the woods” by now, a few tears had found their way down her face, she had found herself stepping away from the man even more, stepping away further until her back was against Fauna, who had come closer to the two. ”he…he said you sent him to do it…” She had gotten the facts wrong here and there, but her state was understandable…

[Radiant]

"....." Xander went silent, his fists visibly clenching for him to control himself. A knight... someone who had passed his initiation actually tried to rape an underage girl?! He would personally cut down this bastard of a knight for justice. Moreover, this "knight" specifically mentioned his name to Amelia. The nerve of the scum... Grandmaster Loren Dyres shall hear about this. "I.... I'm..." Xander gritted his teeth, he wanted to demand the girl to tell him more, he needed every information to find this taint.

But... was it really like that? Xander exhaled and calmed himself down, his calculating mind analyzed the situation. It was at times like this that one's wisdom truly stood out. What if... this "knight" was actually someone posing as a knight? Using the Order's name and his name to stain his reputation? Xander knew that there were unruly men who hated the Order because of their strictness, he arrested some of them himself... maybe, just maybe this was one of those criminals who did his punishment but still bore disdain for the Order and specifically, himself.

"Amelia... it's most likely that... this 'knight' was a fraud, just some criminal trying to stain the Order's name. I assure you, every knight is a person of honor... and would never even think of doing something like that... I know that there are criminals whom I arrested and still bear hatred to the Order... do you think it may be one of those people? Please tell me his physical traits... It may help me find him and put him to justice. I promise you that..."

[Amelia Cross]

Mind still a huge confusion, where the past, present and possibilities were mixing up to create a more or less, modified and freshly molded story. That even though had things right, had enough lines blurred. The worst part was, she started believing her own version and doubting that the man she saw earlier was the same man who had been the monster from her past. And that guess came from her own generated line ‘a knight’, because a knight couldn’t drop to be a hunter, right? She was sure of it, so she stayed firmly to her version, a knight it was, or maybe a squire?

She looked around, at Xander, back at Fauna and the tree she was tied to. She couldn’t remember his features, not at all…he was strong, but for her age, even an average man could be taken as strong. The only thing that had really stayed in her mind was the fact he had been foul mouthed and the name…what was that name…”he…he said his name was…br…Brock” her voice wasn’t confident, it was seemingly shaking and almost looking for approval of Xander to say if it was right or not. ”with him…” she lifted her finger up and pointed at the corpse over the horses back. ”he was with a man…that man…he looked like that man…sort of…or not…”

Her hands forming into fists as she was getting angry at herself for not remembering, for not seeing clear, She had a chance to get back at him, to maybe save some other little girl…and her memory was preventing her from it. But how could she actually remember something she had been trying to forget ever since that day. This all mixed her up ”I don’t want to remember him” she finally let out with a sob, she couldn’t really hold her emotionless mask, she was crying and felt little to no shame of crying in front of the man.

[Radiant]

"Brock?" Xander couldn''t hide the surprised tone from his voice, he personally knew of one knights with the "Brock" name, it was Ser Wade Brock. Impossible, Ser Wade was a man of honor, he would never fall to such debauchery. The senior knight guilty? It was out of the question. What came next to Xander's mind was this "Brock" was definitely trying to stain the Order's name by blackmailing various random name of the Knights that he knew.

Amelia's next explanation made it all clicked into place. So... Korkult, yes, it was most likely Korkult. The former squire was often seen together with the now-dead Reick. Xander knew Sera Mona Reeves kicked the thug of a squire from the Order and he bore disdain and hatred for it then he tried to stain the Order's name by... attempting to rape an underaged girl! This was absolutely unacceptable. What made Xander so sure was that he had a way to prove that Korkult was guilty, how? Bring Amelia to him and see if the young woman recognized the bastard... then Xander would wrench the truth out of him.

"I..it's okay, Mistress..." Seeing Amelia crying, Xander forgot to correct himself of the tittle he so often used and instinctively comforted the young woman by lightly hugging her "It's okay... I know it's hard, but... I may know this man that you speak of... his name is Korkult and he's often seen with this (dead) man here, I can bring you to him and see if you can recognize his face, that would give me a reason to interrogate the truth out of him. I'm sorry if this sounds uncomfortable, but I really need your help on this one, Mistress. You are the key to root out this taint in Syliras"