513 AV, 71st Day of Summer
Rain dripped off the end of her nose and made her clothes cling to her body. She maneuvered the puddles building on the Kabrin Road as she followed along behind her frolicking pup, who sniffed along oblivious to the wet weather. It wasn't an unpleasant rain - instead rather warm and not much harder than a drizzle. Kayelin wiped the wet hair from her forehead, pushing it back and away from her face. The road had been rather deserted today, but she wasn't surprised. What with the rain, not a lot of people would be traveling. Likely most had taken shelter. But her pup had been getting stir crazy, and wanted the outdoors. Her shield was strapped to her back and her longsword hung heavy and reassuring at her hip. Going out unarmed was flirting with death.
Kayelin tipped her head back and let the rain patter her face. The sky was gray and the surrounding trees were blanketed in a light fog. She could smell it musty in the air. The wind had been picking up then dying down all throughout the day, sometimes disappearing entirely. It was a mercurial day for the weather is seemed. She suddenly winced when a droplet hit her in the eye, and she wiped at her face fiercely. "Shyke," she grumbled, then cursed louder when she stumbled right into a muddle puddle. Her heavy feet splashed muck high up onto her pants and a little on her white shirt.
Sighing with exasperation, she untucked the shirt from her pants and pulled it out to examine it. Surely it would be stained. Kayelin pursed her lips, rubbing at a spot as she continued to shuffle along the road. It smeared at her touch, so she decided to give up. A bark from her Falivan made her look up. The dog stood in the road, head down and hackles raised. The growl she gave made the hair on the back of the Squire's neck stand on end. She'd never reacted like this to anything. Kayelin stopped behind the dog, staring at the road ahead. It disappeared into the trees at a bend. The crop land was behind her she realized uneasily. They'd wandered that far. It wasn't late in the day at all, but the dark sky gave it that appearance.
"Come on girl," she ordered uncertainty. Instead, the dog took several slow steps forward, shivering angrily and keening in warning. Kayelin looked back at the road, feeling like a cold finger had just run up her pine. Gooseflesh rose on her skin, and she put a hand on the hilt of her sword. It wasn't more than few bells after that when she heard it. Hooves thundering down the road. More than one horse, but not many. Three riders appeared around the bend, riding hard. Mud sprayed from behind their mounts' shod hooves, and they slowed once they caught sight of her. The three of them reigned in their panting horses several yards away.
They were all men - big men. Dressed in similar outfits that were at the same time uniquely their own. All unarmed. Kayelin couldn't help but relax when she noticed that. The one closest to her spoke before she could. "Please!" he pleaded, his face twisted into a fearful mask. "They have our friends, and my wife! We barely go away. We managed to ride ahead. Are you a Knight? Please, you have to help." Kayelin's eyes widened with surprise. This, she definitely wasn't expecting. He sounded genuinely distressed. The others looked spooked. But why were three big men running? It must be a substantial threat. Her mouth went dry as her imagination took over. She was only one Squire, but she couldn't leave them here to go fetch help.
Feeling sick for doing so, but also that it was necessary, she lied. "Yes, I am. I'm not patrolling, but I can help you. Where are they? Take me to them." Did she imagine the look of triumph on his face? It passed so quickly, she assured it was a trick of the fog. "Thank you," he breathed with believable relief. "Please, get on behind me and we'll take you there." Kayelin hesitated for a long moment. Her pup still growled quietly at the three of them - but surely that was because they were strangers and had so suddenly appeared. The thought of innocent people being harmed because she was slow, though, pushed her into action. Nodding curtly, Kayelin rushed over to his horse. He allowed her to stirrup and helped her up into the saddle. It was a massive animal - big enough to carry the both of them. They had to keep the pace at a brisk trot though. Every horse had its limits.
The ride wasn't a particularly long one, but the men managed to brief her on the situation. They entered the woods along immediately, and she hung onto him as they rode through the trees and they shared their predicament. There was a group of them traveling from Ravok - they were traders. Not far from Syilras, their destination, they were ambushed by a surprisingly large group of bandits. It was a group that was well known in Ravok for preying on traders who traveled from the two cities. They had followed them all the way here, waiting for the right time to strike. Kayelin asked the appropriate questions, and learned only the leaders of the bandit group stayed armed. Apparently they used numbers and intimidation to get their way. Maybe that would work in her favor.
She pursed her lips, glancing back to see her pup following along at a distance. Why wasn't she staying closer? "We're here!" His words quickly pulled her from her worries, and brought the immediate situation to the forefront of her mind. Kayelin slid down from the back of the horse and looked around as the other three dismounted. There was their wagon they'd told her about, and a handful of other man and women. None of them looked distressed. "Wha-?" she started to ask, but stopped at the look on all their faces. They were all smiling. A cold hand clutched her heart, stopping it momentarily. What had she done? Kayelin backed away from the men who'd brought her here - toward the wagon. The sound of a sword being drawn from behind made her freeze.
"Not too smart, are you?" the man who'd very easily fooled her asked. No, she wasn't. On the inside, she was screaming at herself every foul word she knew. On the outside, she was clearly uneasy but not cowering. Her heart pounded in her chest and her shoulders trembled. When she didn't answer, his smiled broadened. He had two silver teeth. "It's usually not this easy to get a catch. I doubt you're really a Knight. They're not that dumb. What are you, a laborer? No. Squire, maybe? I doesn't matter. None of that will matter now. You'll sell for a good price in Ravok. Nice a strong, by the looks of you. Definitely not for the whore houses. You look more like a man." They all laughed, but she couldn't even feel embarrassed. She felt numb. What have I done? Kayelin was glad her dog was nowhere in sight. Maybe it had run back to the city. Anywhere but here was better.
"It's nothing personal. We're just making a living." He had the nerve to almost look sorry. His eyes were anything but. With that, she felt the sharp blunt force of a sword pommel crack into the back of her head. The thump was sickening, and her knees folded like paper. As the ground rushed up to meet her, her world went dark.
Rain dripped off the end of her nose and made her clothes cling to her body. She maneuvered the puddles building on the Kabrin Road as she followed along behind her frolicking pup, who sniffed along oblivious to the wet weather. It wasn't an unpleasant rain - instead rather warm and not much harder than a drizzle. Kayelin wiped the wet hair from her forehead, pushing it back and away from her face. The road had been rather deserted today, but she wasn't surprised. What with the rain, not a lot of people would be traveling. Likely most had taken shelter. But her pup had been getting stir crazy, and wanted the outdoors. Her shield was strapped to her back and her longsword hung heavy and reassuring at her hip. Going out unarmed was flirting with death.
Kayelin tipped her head back and let the rain patter her face. The sky was gray and the surrounding trees were blanketed in a light fog. She could smell it musty in the air. The wind had been picking up then dying down all throughout the day, sometimes disappearing entirely. It was a mercurial day for the weather is seemed. She suddenly winced when a droplet hit her in the eye, and she wiped at her face fiercely. "Shyke," she grumbled, then cursed louder when she stumbled right into a muddle puddle. Her heavy feet splashed muck high up onto her pants and a little on her white shirt.
Sighing with exasperation, she untucked the shirt from her pants and pulled it out to examine it. Surely it would be stained. Kayelin pursed her lips, rubbing at a spot as she continued to shuffle along the road. It smeared at her touch, so she decided to give up. A bark from her Falivan made her look up. The dog stood in the road, head down and hackles raised. The growl she gave made the hair on the back of the Squire's neck stand on end. She'd never reacted like this to anything. Kayelin stopped behind the dog, staring at the road ahead. It disappeared into the trees at a bend. The crop land was behind her she realized uneasily. They'd wandered that far. It wasn't late in the day at all, but the dark sky gave it that appearance.
"Come on girl," she ordered uncertainty. Instead, the dog took several slow steps forward, shivering angrily and keening in warning. Kayelin looked back at the road, feeling like a cold finger had just run up her pine. Gooseflesh rose on her skin, and she put a hand on the hilt of her sword. It wasn't more than few bells after that when she heard it. Hooves thundering down the road. More than one horse, but not many. Three riders appeared around the bend, riding hard. Mud sprayed from behind their mounts' shod hooves, and they slowed once they caught sight of her. The three of them reigned in their panting horses several yards away.
They were all men - big men. Dressed in similar outfits that were at the same time uniquely their own. All unarmed. Kayelin couldn't help but relax when she noticed that. The one closest to her spoke before she could. "Please!" he pleaded, his face twisted into a fearful mask. "They have our friends, and my wife! We barely go away. We managed to ride ahead. Are you a Knight? Please, you have to help." Kayelin's eyes widened with surprise. This, she definitely wasn't expecting. He sounded genuinely distressed. The others looked spooked. But why were three big men running? It must be a substantial threat. Her mouth went dry as her imagination took over. She was only one Squire, but she couldn't leave them here to go fetch help.
Feeling sick for doing so, but also that it was necessary, she lied. "Yes, I am. I'm not patrolling, but I can help you. Where are they? Take me to them." Did she imagine the look of triumph on his face? It passed so quickly, she assured it was a trick of the fog. "Thank you," he breathed with believable relief. "Please, get on behind me and we'll take you there." Kayelin hesitated for a long moment. Her pup still growled quietly at the three of them - but surely that was because they were strangers and had so suddenly appeared. The thought of innocent people being harmed because she was slow, though, pushed her into action. Nodding curtly, Kayelin rushed over to his horse. He allowed her to stirrup and helped her up into the saddle. It was a massive animal - big enough to carry the both of them. They had to keep the pace at a brisk trot though. Every horse had its limits.
The ride wasn't a particularly long one, but the men managed to brief her on the situation. They entered the woods along immediately, and she hung onto him as they rode through the trees and they shared their predicament. There was a group of them traveling from Ravok - they were traders. Not far from Syilras, their destination, they were ambushed by a surprisingly large group of bandits. It was a group that was well known in Ravok for preying on traders who traveled from the two cities. They had followed them all the way here, waiting for the right time to strike. Kayelin asked the appropriate questions, and learned only the leaders of the bandit group stayed armed. Apparently they used numbers and intimidation to get their way. Maybe that would work in her favor.
She pursed her lips, glancing back to see her pup following along at a distance. Why wasn't she staying closer? "We're here!" His words quickly pulled her from her worries, and brought the immediate situation to the forefront of her mind. Kayelin slid down from the back of the horse and looked around as the other three dismounted. There was their wagon they'd told her about, and a handful of other man and women. None of them looked distressed. "Wha-?" she started to ask, but stopped at the look on all their faces. They were all smiling. A cold hand clutched her heart, stopping it momentarily. What had she done? Kayelin backed away from the men who'd brought her here - toward the wagon. The sound of a sword being drawn from behind made her freeze.
"Not too smart, are you?" the man who'd very easily fooled her asked. No, she wasn't. On the inside, she was screaming at herself every foul word she knew. On the outside, she was clearly uneasy but not cowering. Her heart pounded in her chest and her shoulders trembled. When she didn't answer, his smiled broadened. He had two silver teeth. "It's usually not this easy to get a catch. I doubt you're really a Knight. They're not that dumb. What are you, a laborer? No. Squire, maybe? I doesn't matter. None of that will matter now. You'll sell for a good price in Ravok. Nice a strong, by the looks of you. Definitely not for the whore houses. You look more like a man." They all laughed, but she couldn't even feel embarrassed. She felt numb. What have I done? Kayelin was glad her dog was nowhere in sight. Maybe it had run back to the city. Anywhere but here was better.
"It's nothing personal. We're just making a living." He had the nerve to almost look sorry. His eyes were anything but. With that, she felt the sharp blunt force of a sword pommel crack into the back of her head. The thump was sickening, and her knees folded like paper. As the ground rushed up to meet her, her world went dark.
