Closed "The One Where Bolivar Dies." (Orion)

[Bolivar]

Fall 14th, 513 AV
Location: Kova's Wishing Well

A woman of great beauty and poise appears to those who wish at the well. Some of the more hopelessly romantic fellows say that the next person you meet will be your next love. There are even rumors that there is a magic at work that brings the two together.

At least that is what I've been told.

It was a slow enough day for Bolivar. A bit of fun for the moment but now it was mostly over. Another trip into the Bronze with the horse but still he could not find that place where he buried the body. Well... he had all of Fall to blunder around in the forest. That is unless the rains didn't let up.

A makeshift hat from some reeds and ferns he found throughout the Bronze Bolivar wore, with a degree of pride, his new hat making his way back into the city. His rump raw and his want for a bed rising it was only by luck that he passed the wishing well. Trying to instill discipline Bolivar's patron has been suggesting learning of new alleyways and nooks and crannies that the city offered each day. Today he was looking down the Kova wishing well and wondering all the while what its use was.

It only took a few mere tic before Bolivar got the gist of the well's purpose. Now the question was whether those claims were true or not. Honestly this was the first time he had ever heard of such a deed willed by the spirits. It was good to respect them back home but the ghosts that haunted Syliras seemed to be malicious. This being the first instance of hearing anything useful out of them.

Well it would be good to just see if it really worked wouldn't it?

If anything it played on the squire's hopes. He needed something to cheer him up after what he had been through. Requited love, even somewhat forced, would have perked him up indeed.

It seemed that the goings were slow today though. Realizing that no one was going to donate anytime soon exasperated slightly as he finally got off his high horse. Slowly making his way around he picked out three silver mizas from his persons before tossing it into the well.

"A happy life, a happy wife and a happy horse."

Muttering little higher then a pitched whisper Bolivar waited for a few tics for something to suddenly present itself to grant the squire's wish. Or at the very least wish him a pleasant day. Though after a bit the squire was conscious of a tugging on his waist.

"Hey mister what are you doing?"

Hearing the voice and immediately dreading this decision Bolivar looked down to see a little girl all by her lonesome looking at him. Hopefully the rumors told about the well was just that. Rumors and stories for fun.

"Just making a wish. Are you lost young one?"

[Orion Michaels]

--Orion--

That child.

That godforsaken child.

She was his curse, his burden to carry for the rest of his life. It wasn’t enough that she was going to bleed him dry of money. Thousands of mizas were going to become a scant few golden coins in a handful of seasons, and then what was he going to do? Through it all Orion had remained calm and –mostly- dedicated to his craft. He didn’t’ panic, he didn’t worry about running out of money to care for Emily and pay for the nanny that was basically raising the out of control child for him. It was a miracle the woman hadn’t resigned from her post and left Orion with a death wish for the evil he’d put upon her.

Emily was simply unmanageable. He’d managed to talk Dinah into letting him have another day off from training to go and spend time with his daughter, and what a mess it had turned into. He’d planned to take her to the bazaar to buy her a doll or a trinket. Anything but that happened. The moment they’d left the nanny’s apartment, the child took off at a full sprint. While Orion was faster than the 4 year old child, he was also several times larger than her. When she found that first crowd of people, the pitter patter of her little footsteps was all he could hear.

”Emily! Get back here!” Orion forced himself through a group of men who were just going about their business, lost deep in conversation. ”Ah, sorry, pardon me, excuse me.” Leading with his shoulder, he split the final two men, receiving more than a dirty look for his actions. He didn’t have time to sit and be concerned with a few ruffled feathers, instead moving to give chase to the child. The only issue: he didn’t know where she’d gone. Orion took off in a sprint, long legs extending out and his feet pounding against the ground as he pumped his arms vigorously in stride. Deep breaths were sucked into his lungs, as he frantically scanned for his daughter.

He pushed himself onward, wildly sliding around corners of various corridors in a hasty search for Emily. The squire didn’t know his child at all. The only thing that he understood with her was the hate she bore for him, a hate he didn’t understand. He didn’t know what things Roxy had said about him, but she’d ruined a perfectly fine young girl with her venomous words.

He would search for the rest of his days to find that child, regardless of if she despised him to his death bed. He had a responsibility he wasn’t ready to yield.


--Emily--

”No, I’m not lost. I’m running from a monster,” replied Emily, looking up at the stranger. She’d lost that stupid face, and now she could live her own life. He didn’t know what she needed. Her momma had taught her that. She had to do everything on own and couldn’t rely on her dad. ”What did you wish for, mister?”

Emily skipped over to the well and stood up on her tip toes trying to look down inside of it. She’d never been here before, but Roxy had told her about it. It was a place where stupid people came to waste their money. ”You could have gotten candy with that money, mister. That would have made me happy. Now your money is gone.” The little girl paused for a moment, as she struggled to try and climb up on top of the well. In her young mind, the well must have had a mountain of gold waiting to be claimed.

”Let me down there. I’ll get your money back. Then I can get away from the monster and take care of mommy.” She looked over at Bolivar and held her arms open expectantly. It was very simple to Emily. If he let her climb down there, she could get all of the money and then there would never be any problems again. ”And I can have candy.” She grinned, a faint blush touching the child’s cheeks as she thought about the delicious sugary treats. Her dad never got her those when she wanted them. Maybe this other stupid man could help her out.

[Bolivar]

"You. Are. Running. From. A. Monster."

Speaking the words at length Bolivar could feel himself spurning the fates as the mixed blood's superstitious side was going into overdrive at the sound of a monster chasing this mysterious little girl. Was she always here and he had not noticed him? Or did she appear as the squire gave an offering to the well? Perhaps the well's powers were in fact not to be trifled with.

But this is a little girl! There is no way I am destined to become enamored by one who is not even a quarter my age.

"Oh... something silly. Though maybe I should have just asked for peace of mind."

For some reason watching the young child walk closer seemed to have the opposite effect as he watched the kid peer into the well.

"Why would I..."

Stopping short as he looked directly at the well before shaking his head slightly at the thoughts swarming him. If the kid was indeed an act on the well's part it wouldn't be too wise to question it's motives in front of it.

"Yea. I get it. Anything to make the kid happy right? You seem to know what you want."

The hints of wonder mixed with greed was a curious sight to see a child have. Not quite understanding what was wrong with thinking in such a way was characteristic of being a child after all. If anything the possible apparition believed itself a child itself.

A refund? That would be did sound pretty appealing considering what was given. Though once again the talk of the monster put Bolivar on edge once again. There was no chance he would risk angering the well's spirits any further. Bolivar would rather deal with this problem before causing another one with the fickle spirits.

"Candy I can provide. Given you behave yourself. First, tell me about this monster and then let's see what candies the vendors have that you might like little miss."

The idea of dumping the kid into the well crossed Bolivar's mind. The idea of rejecting the well's “gift” and returning the goods appealed to the squire as his hands shook slightly getting closer and closer. Emily turned back to meet the squire as if she knew the squire's intentions. Looking thoughtfully up for a moment before twisting her face in disgust. Thinking of Orion more then she had to was an odd thought but the promise of candy from the stranger was tempting.

“He's long and stringy and tall as can be. Much taller then you mister and with very blue eyes. Does medicine and a knight like you.”

A murky image of some tall, striking behemoth with striking blue eyes appeared to Bolivar. Hazy in quite a few areas but as he gestured for Emily to go on the pieces started to fill in slightly.

“He's also got two scars on his face across the eyes and he always think he's such a good talker. Especially with girls.”

That clinches it. The gaps that were once unknown was all to easy to fill in now. The picture of a very, very flattering Orion appeared to Bolivar's mind now making the squire felt somewhat threatened by the picture.

“So... you are saying he's smart, strong and handsome? Oh yea he's definitely a monster. Want me to slay him for you?”

The laugh that came from the Emily didn't register the serious tone from Bolivar. Shrugging slightly as he eased himself down Bolivar raised an eyebrow in the expectant look coming from the little girl.

“So you gonna give me candy right?”

“I lied. Go back to where you belong little girl.”

A defiant pout reached Emily's lips as she turned back to the well. She was definitely going to try and reach for the coins. Maybe. On the off chance if this was just a lost little girl that fell into the well Bolivar would be in a world of trouble. Sighing irate Bolivar guided Emily away from the wishing well.

“Enough! Forget about the mizas there. Just show me where we can get candy and I'll just buy some for you.”

[Orion Michaels]

--Orion--

It was an absolute mess. He couldn't believe how quickly he'd lost the child. "Emily! Where are you?" Orion cried out, receiving half glances from disinterested passerby. He was an annoyance, and without the plate armor he wore on patrols, he didn't command any authority just by his appearance. This proved quite the obstacle when trying to work his way through the narrow corridors of the city.

"Pardon me. Excuse me. Don't mind me."

Orion spun away from a rather rotund man only to crash into a tall,skinny, elderly woman. "Why I never," she cried out, appalled that someone would accost her in such a manner. "Do watch where you are going, young man! Don't be so rude!" Before he could reply, the woman was off in a huff. The squire didn't wait around to feel bad.

Once again his feet were pounding against the rough surface of the Syliran corridors. It was a good thing he'd been working out, otherwise this would be even worse. It didn't seem possible that such a little girl could cover so much ground, but her size allowed her to slip past places Orion hadn't been able to dream of squeezing since he was her age?

Gods, was I this much of a nuisance to my father? No wonder he was so harsh with me..

He kept his arms pumping as he frantically tried to think of where the little blue eyed girl would head off too. Sucking in deep breaths, he tried to keep his pace even and his form good, though with a mind split in its focus, it wasn't exactly perfect. After all, he couldn't live with himself if something happened to that little girl. She may have hated him, but she was still his flesh and blood, the only family he had left.

--Emily--

She had the stupid knight right where she wanted him. He had to be a stupid head if he was a knight like her daddy. No one who had anything in common with him could be smart. She didn't have to go down in the well, and she was getting candy.

"The monster always took me to the..grape batter." Emily nodded. That's what he called it, she was sure of it. Grape batter, the area of wondrous wonders and awesome toys that the idiot wouldn't buy her. Except when he did. That was one of the better things that dumb dumb did. Maybe this dumb dumb would do it well. She did find one little thing strange though.

"Why are you so short?" She asked her question bluntly, deep blue eyes staring up at Bolivar as she began to back away from him. She was going to lead him to the grape batter, as though she had any idea where the grape batter was. She didn't know her way around Syliras and was completely dependent on her father or nanny to lead her about.

"I thought knights was big and strong. Not little and money wasters." She didn't really wait for an answer, instead turning away from knight in training, heading for a random corridor. His answer didn't really matter, as long as she got her candy. Maybe if she got the candy from the little man, she could get her idiot dad to give her candy, too.

"Come on little knight! I'm not going alone, duh!" She turned back over her shoulder and gave Bolivar a big toothy grin before moving into one of the corridors and heading down it. She was about to become a lost girl in a big city. "Hurry!" She whined, the high pitched squeak echoing back throughout the area. She was a demanding little brat.

[Bolivar]

"The. Grape. Batter?"

A reminder that he was dealing with a child. This young thing didn't even have no idea what she wanted. Much less bride material given to him by the well's forces Bolivar took Emily for what she was. Some odd sheltered kid of one of Sylira's knights.

"Because I am not quite human you see."

Bolivar could feel his eyes scrunching up at the young in's words. There stood in front of him another case where the knights had it's failings. A not so common occurrence but it reared it's ugly head enough times to put the squire on guard. The squire had seen it a few times in his Sultros. The families of the city's guardians stretched to it's limits. Perhaps the kid was taken care of by one of the knights.

"I am pretty strong when I want to be. Just like that monster you speak of."

No doubt that the kid was a victim of sorts. Though, this type of empathy was always difficult in some way. Anger of course threatened to rear it's head with the kid's prattling but somehow Bolivar kept it together. The kid's prattling was just that, the prattling of a confused kid.

"Certainly not! A child your age should be-"

Bolivar stopped himself with that. What was he doing? Where the petch was this 'monster' that was suppose to take care of her? The thought running through his head as he picked up the pace, Bolivar quickly turned the corner to spot Emily leading the pair down a rather unfamiliar road.

"Wait hold on. I've some questions for you if you. If you want this batter grape of yours you have to answer. You'd better answer truthfully, I will know you know. I am a knight. How can we save your mommy?"

[Accolade]

Orion Michaels

Experience

Skill	XP Earned
Running	+ 2 XP

Lores

•	Lore Earned
•	Emily: unmanageable
•	Roxy: whispers corrupted Emily
•	Orion: Deadbeat dad

Notes :

Awwww...didn't expect him to die like that

The Sylir has spoken

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