New to Giralda, I see. Well, it takes all sorts around here. Take that shifty-eyed weasel by the fire.
Oh, he acts looks like a simple merchant, peddling meager wares, but watch what you say around him. The Empire’s got ears everywhere...
See those two there? They seem all chummy now, but that’s only because Var is trying to convince Jarek to desert the navy in Thisbē and join
those lawless bastards who sail from the Spice Isles. I’m sure that one will kill the other before the week is out, once they’ve got what they want from each other.
Then there’s always the usual mercs; bastards who’d happily kill their own mothers for a coin. Oh, they say those twins from Brelan aren’t so bad,
but a merc is a merc, and money is all they see.
At least there're no damned elves here tonight. One got uppity last month when I insisted the
bastard slept in the stables. A damn generous offer for a half-breed, if you ask me!
Mind yourself if you head into the Wilds. It’s full of things that
would happily eat you and shit you out without a second thought. Even the people who hunt those things are more beast than civil.
Anyway stranger,
what'll it be: a room, or a drink?
SKYE
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Post by Saskia Belsante on Feb 1, 2023 12:58:48 GMT -6
Saskia Belsante
Tears aren't a womans only weapon.
❧
It was the seneschal of House Belsante that had written to this rumours warriors of the Hells Tundra.
Saskia was sitting on her comfortable chair in her room as she sipped her red wine from her golden goblet. Lady Belsante was reading letters as she heard a knocking. She knew who was waiting at the door, the guards won't let him if that wasn't important enough. Saskia stood up, walking towards her wooden door and opening it gently. "He's arrived, m'lady." The senechal lowered his head and bowed, like the humble servant he was.
- Fine. Take him to the court yard and make sure we get to see if he's as good as you said he would be.
Saskia didn't know if he was going to be pitted against dummies or a couple of her guards. The goblet and the letters would have to wait. She went to the castle yard, to see the warrior with her own eyes. She did not have any high hopes and this would hardly the first man to fail her, and scarcely the last one to let her down. Despite how little she had demanded of a guard, despite how little she expected of them. Protect us. It would be an easy task for a skilled swordsman, but yet three of her family members, several of her friends and servants were dead. A personal bodyguard was not a bad idea, but Saskia hated the idea of paying for ones loyalty. That only meant that someday one might outbid her.
It had been a rainy day, the grounds were soft and muddy. But for now the skies held back it's rain. She sighed at the dull weather when she stepped outside. Saskia did not move alone, she was accompanied by two other women and a guard, as well as the seneshal. But there were more guards in the castle and several of them had gathered in the courtyard.
"Welcome to castle Windermere. Before we proceed with any negotiations, we of course want to make sure of your ability. Do you mind? " said the seneschal. A handful brave men were standing ready to go up against the giant.
fc Laura Berlin ● @vaddix ● Castle Windermere, Triston
Post by Vaddix Rasvadian on Feb 1, 2023 18:10:25 GMT -6
It was early morning when his ship docked into Tristen, having received a raven with a letter attached to its leg. -I wish to hire your services.- Lady Belsante- That was the just of the note. A piece of parchment held in his grasp, walking through the streets of this place steadily. The man would've worn high quality fabrics had it not been for the downpour. So, he had decided that today was one in which he'd wear simple fabrics. The titan received gasps and stares as he traveled down streets. Humans were a meager race and the fact that he had any of their blood in his veins irked him.
The helmet upon his skull sat firmly in place as the black cloth covering his face blew with the wind. There was a mansion before him and after confirming the address; he knocked. It was a brief moment before a Senechal opened the door. Immediately he was escorted to a courtyard, looking at the water filled clouds that rolled over them. A single drop of rain landed upon his silver helmet, running down the metallic accessory signaling a coming down pour.
A set of doors swung open and his skull rotated to watch a rather enticing woman walk out. She was accompanied by two guards and another woman, watching them step into the yard. "Welcome to castle Windermere. Before we proceed with any negotiations, we of course want to make sure of your ability. Do you mind? "
That's when he watched six lightly armed men surround him. Two of them had spears and the rest had swords and shields. Except for one. That lad had two daggers and a smile rose upon his lips, six men to measure the ability of one. "I see no problem. Six men. I'm assuming you down want them dead."
A tsk sound left his helmet as a long sigh split the air, reaching onto his back he pulled off the massive waraxe. He'd drop its head into the mud and stepped away, noting the position of each man. "What a tragedy." The deepness of his voice was unmatched among the men in the courtyard. It was the Orc inside him that gave him such gruffness. Slowly his forearms rotated palms up and out, nodding as he stared at the first man with the shield. "Shall we start, lads?"
The titan stood there in defiance of every soldier in that courtyard, tilting his head slowly. "Net? No one? Fine." The behemoth snapped his body, stepping sideways as his right fist collided with the breastplate of one of the sword users. The cracking of metal as it caved from the force, watching the man spill the contents of his stomach onto the ground. "I'm alright, coming for you." Two men rushed forward, one spear and one sword both coming at different angles. Vaddix' red iris glowed with anxiousness, his left foot kicking out behind him like a stallion.
The first man dropped as his leg was kicked out from under him, reaching out to catch the hilt guard of the sword being swung at him. The man jerked back and brought the blade down, tearing into his arm. The titan felt the sensation of pain run up his shoulder as he stared down at the man. He'd pull the man close, dropping his own skull into the guards, busting his nose and lip open.
A fist came forward and nailed his helmet with a loud thunk, standing up as he watched the lad shake his fist in pain. "My apologies. Yer naugh wearing armor." He stood up to his full height and lifted the helmet from his head, letting it drop into the mud with a splash. His black hair falling to his shoulders as he nodded at the man. But, this was a fight and there were still four to deal with. The two spear users rushed him as well as two swordsmen. "I commend your bravery."
The Rasvadian slapped the first spear away, stepping into him as he ripped the staff from the man's grasp. The wooden shaft shattered over the man's face and he'd collapse to the ground. Both swords came in and he'd jump back, but not before the front of his shirt was sliced into ribbons. It flapped in the wind as rain began to fall heavily, red eyes switching between targets. Where did the spear man go?
The tip of the spear came flying low and Vaddix reached to grab it, but the water made for a slick surface. The edge cut his left palm and the bends of his knuckles, biting his lip as it went through his body. This seemed to stun the sword users, as his bloody hand held the shaft of the second spear. "It's been awhile." His eyes looked at his own blood slowly running out of the new stab wound. It was just above his left hip bone and had missed anything vital. His right hand tore off the shredded shirt, as rain fell on to his newly exposed flesh.
"It has a burn to it."
A note was made as he smiled in a friendly manner, something he never did often. His right elbow went into the wooden shaft, splintering it as it was knocked from the man's grasp. The warrior pulled the left over out of his body and drove it right into the shoulder of the man who'd just stabbed him. His elbow rose up to slam into his chin before he dropped the man and let him fall into the mud. "We'll call it, an aye for an aye, Da?"
The two men had seen their buddy get knocked out and both rushed forward, again slicing simultaneously. He expertly dodged to the right, balling up his bloodlied left hand, knocking the man in his esophagus, right beneath his jaw. The trooper collapsed and with that, Vaddix grabbed his ankle. The muscles in his biceps, back, and hips flexed heavily as he rotated to his right. This man's unconscious body rose up off the ground, not overly with ease but his arms were dangling out as his chest and skull collided with the upper body of his ally.
Vaddix stood surrounded by six unconscious bodies, crimson orbs staring at Lady Belsante as his sides rose and fell with every breath. The rain continued its assault on the earth, putting pressure on his new wound that would surely be a scar. "Six men. A bold number. My apologies should any have to take leave. What do you desire to hire me for?
The blood ran down his hips and into his pants seam, pulling his left hand away as he flicked excess crimson from his palm. "Lady Belsante."
The mid day's sky was pale and full of dusty rain clouds that covered from the mystical place where the sun rose and the place where it vanished at day's end. The grounds were muddy, cold, and still the rain fell. Streams poured in soupy rivulets down the sides of banks and into trenches, carrying leaves and twigs along to collect in a messy pile at the bottoms of hills. [break][break]
It was the kind of rain fall that kept most inside where they were sheltered by a dry roof and warmed by a hearth. Still, two chose to brave the elements and venture into the cold, wet world. They moved quickly across the land, their hoods and cloaks soaked with rain and clinging to their bodies. The boots shielding their feet were muddy, as was the hems of their cloak. [break][break]
They walked until they started to ascend along the uneven terrain that went into a deep slope between a hill top. The traveling pair transverse over the hill until they could barely make out the the other side. "Ah! Across the grounds just over there! There is the castle! It has to be." Nymeria's breath was heavy with excitement, her lips quivering from the cold rain. [break][break]
Houdouyn's features looked the same as he looked around them scouting their location. "Ah, yes. That does appear to be the castle of House Belsante. Let us hurry and put this damnable rain behind us."[break][break]
The rain poured without mercy turning the earth beneath them into sloppy mulch that was almost impossible to climb. Finally, they did reached the top of the hill, but as Houdouyn grasped for a low hanging branch to steady his footing, his hand slipped and he fell down the other side. The lanky mage turned his body and dug in his heels to keep himself from rolling, and thrashing against earth and stone as he slid to the bottom. Nymeria followed closely behind, her body lowered and heels dug in so that she slid down the side of the hill rather than tumble. [break][break]
"Are you alright? That was some tumble just now." she asked, wiping more moister from her face. [break][break]
"I'm fine. I didn't fancy these boots anyway." Houdouyn said as he dusted himself off.[break][break]
The two stood at the bottom - plains out stretched before them. It had been a long journey to reach Castle Windermere and not for the faint of heart. It would have been easier had either of the two mages had visited the mansion before. Nymeria could have wisp them away to the front door as easily as snapping her bony fingers. However without a location in sight, she couldn't travel blindly to a place she'd never been.[break][break]
Finally they reached the doors of the castle, and a tired and somewhat breathless Houdouyn knocked on the door. Nymera pulled back her hood and wiped at her face again as she stood beside her companion and sighed. "Well, we finally made it. Now comes the hard part."[break][break]
"Ah, yes. Lady Saskia's family was assassinated? Bloody dreadful business there." Houdouyn answered.[break][break]
"Is it though? Silly me, and here I thought that court intrigue, vicious scandals, devious machinations, and assassinations were all par for the course with nobility."[break][break]
"You have a very droll sense of humor young lady and it's a little disturbing."
Post by Saskia Belsante on Feb 19, 2023 12:49:19 GMT -6
Saskia Belsante
Recognize that I could be the eye, the eye of the storm
❧
Assassination was not that uncommon, blood feuds and vendettas were rare. The man that Saskia has imprisoned was her grandfather's bastard. He was no lord, no knight... normally a deed like this would've started a war. Only blood could pay for blood. She had a loud voice within her calling for revenge. She would find everyone of the traitors. The future for House Belsante held cold metal and violence.
Saskia watched the giant more or less maul down her guards. He seemed to be unstoppable. She nods towards her Seneschal, while the men still were fighting. It would feel safe to have him as a bodyguard.
"He will do."
All business was not handled by her personally, details like payment and such he would take with her the seneschal of Windermere. Saskia raised an eyebrow when the giant was bold (or ill-mannered) enough to address her directly. Although the recent events had been life-changing for her, others had just had a normal day. They didn't hear the screaming silence from her family. She gracefully took the steps down the stairs and walked closer to the giant. Although he was physically taller than her, she had an aura of authority that made her at least as tall.
"My family was murdered and we are in the middle of a feud. I need a bodyguard."
It was that simple. Until all the traitors were found, she would not feel safe. This close he could see the red veins in her eyes. She had been crying recently. She studied him for a long time, but her emotions and thoughts were hidden behind a invisible mask. Saskia turned and started walking back towards the castle.
"Symion will handle the necessary arrangements with your contract. A healer will tend to your wounds."
fc Laura Berlin ● @vaddix ● Castle Windermere, Triston
Post by Vaddix Rasvadian on Feb 20, 2023 14:22:56 GMT -6
A heavy rain fell from the heavens as Vaddix stood there in the muddied courtyard. The set of blood red orbs in his skull's sockets watched as the six men lie there either not moving or writhing in pain. That's when the wet splashes of the woman who'd summoned him sounded off, turning to her as she spoke about her family being slaughtered.
"Interesting."
If it was something he was all too familiar with it would be blood feuds within families. It had been the sole factor of his kind's near extinction, watching her as she so boldly stood there sizing him up. The titan's roots of a Matriarchal society held themselves deep. He had an unfounded amount of respect for a powerful woman, stepping with her as she turned to leave. "I don't need your payment. You are the first to so bravely request me directly."
He quickly reached into the muck to sling that soil covered helmet back over his skull. The blood from his pelvic wound seeped into his shredded pants, following her as he grabbed his ax. It slid against the ground, squelching as it pulled water and soil with it. The heavy weapon was slung over his right shoulder lazily, watching the Queen's backside for a brief amount of time.
Someone approached him and he could only inwardly assume it was the healer. She was quickly dismissed with a wave of a hand. "Tell me, Lady Belsante. Do you know your enemy's numbers." The tones of his throat were low and thunderous as his boots found the stone steps. In truth, it didn't matter the number of the foe. A slow drawn out breath was exhaled from his massive lungs, stepping in time with her as he followed like a looming shadow.
"Net, it doesn't matter. Any being who graces your presence with ill set intent. Shall find their corpse strung through the city streets."
Vaddix wasn't making idle threats. These were promises built upon a new set foundation of loyalty. "You needn't worry any longer. A Rasvadian's loyalty can't be bought. I am yours now."
"One has to keep a sense of hour about such things. Death comes for us all eventually, can't very well cry your eyes out every time the reaper comes to collect." Nymeria commented as she looked over her nails and moisten fingers. "Besides, we don't even know if they were good people."[break][break]
"I think it might be best if I spoke to the queen if you don't mind? We wouldn't want to appear rude." Houdouyn replied while giving her a judgemental look of disapproval. [break][break]
"As you wish. That is...if we ever get inside. How long do we have to stand here and wait? I thought this was of some importance?"[break][break]
"Perhaps they were in the middle of a meeting of some kind. I don't know kinds of activities they get up to here. This place is rather new to me."[break][break]
"I thought you'd spent time here before?"[break][break]
"Yes, in the city. I didn't spent a lot of time rummaging around the castle and learning their schedule." Houdouyn retorted as he knocked on the door again.[break][break]
"Now who's being droll?"[break][break]
The double doors made a click before the left door swung open slowly revealing a chubby man in a brown doublet. He looked out into the world and it was clear at once to both Nymeria and Houdouyn that the man wasn't sure what he was doing. [break][break]
"Well met." Houdouyn spoke as he came close to the door. "We are here by invitation of the queen. We are mages of the guild. This is Nymeria and I am Houdouyn."[break][break]
The man stared at them, and he still looked as if he were caught off guard or wasn't supposed to be at the door. Nymeria became irritated, she was cold, wet, and her condition wasn't going to be any better standing outside. "Are you going to let us in?"[break][break]
The man looked at them both before moving aside and allowing them to come inside. "The queen is on the ground at the moment. Please wait for her here."[break][break]
"Thank you. Let us go inside and find warmth." Houdouyn said as he ushered Nymeria inside quickly.[break][break]
"Finally." the younger mage sighed as she entered and sought out the first hearth she could find.
