As Yet Untitled RP (closed)

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As Yet Untitled RP (closed)

Postby Khavi » Mon Dec 20, 2004 6:18 am

(OOC- sory Raige, it's like one in the morning and i'm too exhausted to come up with a real title, i figure we can hammer one out and fix my posts' kinks tomorow sometime)

The hall of the castle were mostly empty, though far from barren. Decorations of bright paper and evergreen boughs, half-melted lit candles of bright coloured wax, all manner of festive knick-knacks. It was the early winter holidays, and it was obvious.

These stone halls, usually awash in activity, were empty of people only because the biggest of the celebrations were taking place in the grandest hall of the whole palace, and everyone from lowest scullery girl to highest lord were gathered there. Very faint music and laughter could be heard from that set of festivities. The only sound in this empty hall was that of the muttering of one half-elven woman, truding down the hall in her best party gown, grumbling and swearing in a most unladylike fashion.

Iseide Voeskil was not pleasd about being called out of the middle of the biggest celebration of the year, the only time in the whole year when she really got to just sit down and talk to people and relax and drink.

But for some reason, the king had decided that an hour into the celebrations was the best time to send for his best theif and rogue. Why he needed her just then was a mystery, and an exceedingly irritating one at that.

"Curse your bones, Kalgar," she grumbled as she drew up to the doors of the throne room. "This better be damn good... There's a damn war on hold because of the holidays and you want to ruin them for me, you bastard..."

She paused outside the door, dropping the bunch of skirts in her arms so they fell in a more ladylike manner over her legs. Disheveled hair was tucked behind her pointed ears and re-pinned, and she set her face so her annoyance wouldn't show once she entered. A deep breath, and she pushed open the great oaken double doors.

Iseide was a pretty woman, by most standards. Fair skinned, grey-eyed, with long and slightly wavy ebony-black hair. She was not tall, but not short, and of a slender, wiry build. Her dress was violet, wide-necked and long sleeved.

The king, who was seated in his gilt throne with his head resting waerily in his hands, looked eagerly up as Iseide walked into the room. He immediately stood up, stepped down from the throne and took several steps towards her as she advanced. There were only three other people in the room; two advisors, and some large man Iseide figured was a bodyguard.

"Tell me whatever it is you want, Kalgar... you got approximately five minutes before I leave and go back to the feast."

"Patience, Seide, this s important... as you know, there is the matter of the war currently ongoing between ourselves and our neighbors... and the fact that it starts again in about two weeks," King Kalgar said. He glanced from Iseide to the large man, and then back to Iseide. "Well... before I give you your exact mission parameters, I suppose I should tell you who your partner is..."

Iseide glanced around the room, looking for her fellow theiving elf and usual working partner, a man by the name of Nyskino. However, she did not see him, though she thought she had spotted him at the celebrations earlier in the evening...

"This fellow here," Kalgar said, motioning to the large man. Iseide frowned, and looked at the man. He looked as surprised as she felt. She held her tongue, however, waiting for the explanation of what this 'mission' was going to be.
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Postby Raige » Mon Dec 20, 2004 10:51 am

Raige has watched the woman enter the room, and immediately sized her up with a trained eye. Elegant as she was in her dress, she moved with a natural grace, one that she appeared to have been born with but further refined with years of practice. She was of average height, and had a slim, wirey build, probably possessing a strength that was hidden in her grace. The king's most trusted thief. Raige didn't doubt her skills as one, but he didn't immediately believe that she would be able to handle herself in battle.

Raige himself was a large man, rugged. He was one of the king's advanced scouts, and had been on the frontlines of this last war since it began, almost 10 years ago. In his training, there had been about 100 people training as scouts, all vying for the most dangerous positions in the military, the Advanced Scout. Advanced Scouts, or Nightblades as they were commonly called, spent weeks at a time alone on the frontlines. These were the people that went deep into enemy territory, in constant risk of capture and sure death, to bring back intelligence on the opposition's maneuvers. Of the 100 people he had trained with, he was among three that were admitted into the Nightblades. He received his training in the field, being paired up with another now-retired Nightblade, Dannicus Nightblade (all Nightblades take the Nightblade surname when they are fully trained and sanctioned for solo missions).

Raige was tall, broad-shouldered, leather colored skin with blue eyes and golden hair splashed with silver; his elvish heritage was visible in his masculine beauty, as was his human heritage in his physical bulk, all muscles and bones and scars. For the past 10 years, he had done nothing but serve the military. He didn't take the 2 week vacation (in order to cool down and not become battle fatigued) that every soldier was entitled to. He knew that nowhere else would he feel so alive as he did when he was in the field.

The king gestured towards Raige, expecting Raige to introduce himself. Raige stepped forward a step, and inclined his head towards the thief.


"Raige Nightblade, ma'am, at your service."

The king smiled at them both, and returned to his throne. In his normal manner, he began telling them what he needed them to do by laying out a history of the two countries, their own Doranth and its neighbor and long-time rival, Kuelost. Raige kept his visible features set in stone, while his mind cursed Kalgar and wished he would get to the point. Raige felt his eyes wandering out of boredom, drifting over the woman-thief, Iseide's elegant clothes, then to his own wolf-hide pants, boots, jacket, cloak, and cape, with two cotton shirts (one long sleeved and one short sleeved) and wool tunic to protect him from the cold, all white to make him practically invisible in the snow-bound winter months. It was obvious she had come from the ball and he just from the field. The war may have been on hold for the holidays, but spies were always moving, and it was his job to intercept and eliminate any spies from Kuelost that he came across.

Raige brought his attention back to the king, who was now laying out their mission.


"What I am asking you to do is very dangerous. Kuelost is home to many powerful mages, and they will be expecting something of this sort of thing to happen. They have been for years. At the heart of their empire, in the king's palace in the capitol city of Gilden, lies the key to their magical powers. There is a gem there, a gem with powerful magical properties. It is said to be guarded by the most fearsome creatures imaginable. There are guards everywhere, some magi, some swordsmen. The room the gem resides in is said to be more fortified than the king's own bedchamber. This gem is believed to be the key to their immense magical powers. Your mission, Iseide, is to steal this gem. Raige, you are to accompany her and protect her, help her achieve this mission with your life. Do you understand?"

Raige stood there for a moment, stunned. The honor of this mission was immeasurable, assuming they didn't get themselves killed along the way. When they returned, all of his fellow Nightblades would be insane with jealousy. Not that that really mattered, the Nightblades hardly ever met as a group, yet they always seemed to know what everyone else was up to. Raige just wanted to see the looks of the few people he considered friends' faces when he told them of what he had done.

Coming out of his dazed state, Raige held his fist over his heart and bowed to the king in the custom of the Nightblades.


"I humbly accept this mission, highness."

The woman mumbled something along the same lines, although it sounded like a mixture of an insult and acceptance, but Raige wasn't sure. His mind was already pre-occupied with making plans for this mission. Together the two of them departed the throne room, Raige leaving first without holding the door for the woman, so pre-occupied was his mind that he forgot his manners completely.
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Postby Khavi » Mon Dec 20, 2004 4:41 pm

Iseide stood watching the king for a moment, before turning and following Raige out of the throne room. She was not at all happy with this mission. Sneaking out during the holy weeks to infiltrate the enemy kingdom, let alone to steal their most prized possession, was pure suicide. And she couldn't just turn down the mission, because that would probably mean some kind of dreadful punishment.

She sighed as she crossed the long room, and cursed as she almost walked into the rapidly closng door she thought Raige woudl hold as he exited just in front of her. Iseide caught the door and walked through, once again picking her skirts up off the floor so she could hurry and catch up with the quickly egressing Raige.

"Hey... Hey, Nightblade," she called ahead of her, quickly catching up. She had recognized the surname immediately, and knew this fellow was as good as gold in a fight. The very slight poin to his ears also alerted her to his elven heritage, which she thought she had spotted in his easy movements. He didn't seem to notice her, so she spun about so she was walkingbackwards in front of him, looking him in the eye. He paused a moment, and Iseide took the chance to introduce herself.

"I didn't get a chance to introduce myself back there, Kalgar was... awfully eager to pack us off. I'm Iseide Voeskil, theif extrordinaire," she said, and extended her hand. He nodded to her, stepped around, and kept walking.

"Right then," Iseide said, retractign her arm. "Pleased to meet you too, sir, glad we could get off to such a good start." She shook her head, and started back in the direction of the party. If she was going to miss the rest of the holy weeks, she may as well get a good first night under her belt.


The next morning, Iseide reported to the stables, fully geared for the mission ahead. White, fur-lined breeches and shirt over her usual, almost skintight mission attire meant for easy movement. White boots, gloves, fur cloak, white cap to hide her raven hair from easy spotting in the drifts of snow awaiting them outside. The white scarf over her nose and mouth kept the biting cold from her face.

She carried only one dagger openly, a slender blade as long as her forearm hung at her hip. There were many other knives and daggers hidden about her person.

Raige and the king were already there, neither seemed to be talking to one another. Iseide drew up to them, and pulled her scarf down so she could speak freely.

"So have you got a plan of attack for us, Kalgar, or are we going to wing it?"
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Postby Raige » Mon Dec 20, 2004 6:09 pm

Raige was up at first light, travelling through the now-quiet market square, gathering things he would need for this journey. Spare clothing, whet stones, travel rations, spare wineskins, a new block of wood and wittling knife, all these things and more he bought, putting them inside either of the pair of saddlebags he carried slung over one shoulder this morning. Finished gathering supplies, he headed for the stables. Kalgar had asked Raige to meet him there fairly early, and one did not keep a king waiting.

Raige walked into the stables and brushed some of the snow from his shoulders, pulling back his hood while he did so. He went to the stall where his big grey gelding was kept and began the process of saddling his horse. While he was busying himself in this way, the king entered and came to the stall he was working in.


"Ahem...Raige...if I might have a word?"

Raige stopped brushing his horse, Freyl, and put the brush in its proper place in his saddlebags.

"You have my attention, highness."

Raige tossed his saddleblanket over Freyl's back, then his saddle, and began cinching up the straps.

"This mission...I don't need to tell you how important it is. The woman, Iseide, is very talented in the arts of thieving, and perhaps one of the best archers I've seen in quite some time. But, she will need your help. She's not as familiar with the wilderness of Kuelost as you are, as she has not spent as much time in Kuelost as you have. Also, if things...get...rough, you're the best man I know for cleaning things up. I want you to look after her, is all, and make sure the mission is a success and the gem gets back here safely and intact."

With his back to the king, Raige rolled his eyes. Of course he would want the gem returned intact, only a fool wants broken jewelry. Turning about, Raige nodded to Kalgar.

"Of course, highness. I will do as commanded, as always."

"Yes yes, very good. Well then, Iseide should be along anytime now..."

Raige turned back to finishing readying his horse for travel. He checked to make sure his weapons were securely in their sheaths and scabbards, from the longbow and arrows in their closed quiver (to keep them from being damaged by the snow), to the battleaxe in its saddlescabbard, to the two longswords over his right shoulder, the twin shortswords on his left hip, the daggers on each side of each of his boots, the collapsible blowgun hidden in its case at the small of his back, the ten throwing axes strapped onto his belt on his right hip, to the long, serrated knife that he had won when he became a Nightblade in its sheath on the side of his right thigh. Satisfied that he had all of his normal belongings in their proper places, Raige pulled himself up into his saddle, letting the reins hang loose so that Freyl could have his head. Raige ran a hand through his silver and gold beard, feeling the droplets of melted snow in it.

Not much later, Iseide rode up to them and pulled down her scarf. Raige almost smiled when she spoke to the king. Almost.

Instead, he cleared his throat, drawing their attention to him.


"We will set off immediately and head east, towards the Silk River. There, we will parallel it north until we get to the town of Rurin, where we will cross the river and into our eastern neighbor's borders. Travelling through a neutral country without diplomatic backup is risky, but fairly easy. Once we reach the border of Kuelost and Zandir, we'll cross into Kuelost. Once inside Kuelost, we'll stick to the forests as much as we can, for even the Kuelosti Magi's Sight can not penetrate the thick canopy of their forests. We'll make our way to Gilden, and once we arrive, then it will be your turn to run the show."

Raige looked at each of them in turn, seeing the surprise of Iseide's face. Apparently, she didn't think him willing to let her take command. Raige dipped his head a bit, almost in respect.

"My specialty is out there," Raige pointed out to the wilderness beyond the city walls, "As such, I would expect nothing less than you to cooperate with me when I'm making decisions. Your forte is in here," he gestured again, this time within the city walls. "It is only wise that I would let you lead, when you are more familiar with city life than I."

Raige turned to the king. "If my plan suffices, we need to make haste, highness. Travelling in winter during the day is harsh enough, riding at night will only make things worse for ourselves."

"Yes, yes, your plan is fine. As good as it's going to get without proper planning, I suppose. Gods speed to the both of you. Remember, you can not fail."

Raige dipped his head in salute to Kalgar, then pulled his hood up and led the way out of the stables, into the frigid winter morning air. Together, he and Iseide rode out of town and back to where he was most comfortable, the wilds.
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Postby Khavi » Mon Dec 20, 2004 8:12 pm

Iseide's horse, a dusky, dappled grey-white mare, was not a spectacularly large horse, but decent sized all the same. She was, however, fair dwarfed by Raige's large gelding mount. But while Raige's horse outsized hers, Iseide was sure her mare her could outrace his.

This is silly, mentally one-upping him before we're even fully on our way, she thought, pulling scarf back up over her face. Just a few moments against the freezing conditions was enough for her.

Iseide typically didn't travel very far in the winter months, the majority of her work taking place in the pring and summer months when it was easy to travel quickly and with very little gear to weigh her down. Traveling in the winter always put Iseide just a little on edge, for the extra layers of clothing made her feel restricted, unable to move to her full capability. It would be a relief when they eventually got to Gilden and she could rid herself of the extra clothes, despite the certain rise in danger.

The first day's ride was silent and uneventful. Very little conversation passed between the pair of travelers, other than the occaisional monosyllabic direction or question from one to the other. Darkness came early, as was normal during the winter, and with the nightfall came harder falling snow and stronger icy winds. They veered off the road and pitched a tent hidden among a mix of barren maples and resilient evergreens. The horses were tethered and fed, and Raige and Iseide shook snow from their clothing and stamped it from their boots before climbing into their tent. A few lanterns were lit for heat and light.

Iseide was all too happy to shrug out of her furs and remove the white cap from her head. She shook her dark hair free, letting it fall down her back in sharp contrast to her white clothing and pale skin. She set her scarf, cap, gloves, and cloak aside, and set to disarming herself for the night. Two short knives from each boot, one from each sleeve on the inside of her arm, the openly carried one at her hip, two at the small of her back, and a few other various and sundry knives from other hidden spots. She set them neatly with her discarded winter clothing, and turned to face Raige. He had his eye on the mas sof weapons she had removed from her person, one eyebrow cocked in what appeared to be faint surprise.

"You expect I would come on such a dangerous mission unarmed?" she said, seating herself and removing a small dinner from one of her saddlebags. Iseide, not used to dining with someone in silence, could only bear the deafening quiet for so long before she finally spoke up.

"So... You spend a lot of time in the forest, then?" Iseide said, chancing at conversation. Raige, however, just nodded vaguely in response, not looking up from his own dinner.

"Not much of a talker, I see," Iseide said, with a small laugh.

"In my profession," Raige said, finally looking up from his food, his blue eyes boring into hers, "Talking usually means being discovered. Discovery means almost certain death. Talking therefore means death."

Iseide's eyebrows raised, and she looked down to hide the pink flush she could feel leaking into her cheeks. She finished her dinner without another word, and she and Raige both blew out the lanterns on their opposite sides of the tent and lie back. Outside, the wind had begun to die down, and the absolute silence of a winter forest settled over them. Iseide lie staring at the ceiling for a while, wondering what sort of journey it was going to be with such a silent partner. Usually, when working in tandem, conversation was bountiful when stopped for camp.

If nothing else, it would make for an interesting trip.
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Postby Raige » Mon Dec 20, 2004 8:57 pm

Raige couldn't help but notice that his new partner was quite beautiful. However, due to the way he was raised, and then furthermore to his training, he didn't say anything. Most people, when they talked, talked about the obvious. To Raige, it was obvious she was beautiful, and thus would be a waste of time to say anything about it.

She made a few attempts at talking, but he was having nothing of it. Dinner was finished, he shed most of his clothing, leaving only his pants and boots on, stacked his weaponry in a neat pile, leaving his long dagger close at hand, lamps were extinguished, and they both lay down to sleep.

Raige lay awake for some time, listening to his partner's breathing. It wasn't until she was finally asleep, made obvious when he breathing slowed to a much more relaxed pace, that he sat back up. The wind had died down, and wintery silence pressed down upon the pair like a blanket. Raige quietly moved to the tent's flaps and pulled one aside a little, looking out at the horses. They seemed to be fine, sleeping themselves. Raige nodded and reclosed the flap. The chill air beset his skin with goosebumps, and he caught himself wondering, as he slipped back into his sleeping bag, what it would feel like to have a pair of warm arms about him. He found women mystifying, having never known a woman's body before. He held his hand in front of his face, imagining he could see, in the pitch black, the tattoos that were there. He let his hand drop to his side, breathed in deeply once, closed his eyes, and was asleep.

The next day dawned bright and clear, not a cloud in sight. While it could by no means be considered warm, it was definately more comfortable than the previous day. Raige made a small fire in front of the tent, then returned inside and completely clothed himself again. After placing his weapons in their proper places, he boiled a pot of water and made tea. He offered a cup to Iseide, then took a cup himself. He closed his eyes and inhaled the aroma of the tea, then took a sip. Raige glanced at Iseide, and admired her for a moment, for she looked as though she had stepped right out of some artist's painting, the stark beauty of the snowbound countryside complimenting her own striking features. Raige nodded approvingly; at least he would be seen in the company of a pretty woman. No matter they would probably die on this little adventure.

Tea finished, tent packed, and they were on their way again. They rode side by side, at an easy pace, enjoying the break in the frigid winter weather more than anything. Iseide didn't try to make conversation at all, and Raige wondered at this. She seemed to be the talkative sort, and yet today, had no words to speak of. Raige glanced at her, sincerely trying to look worried, but managing only to look like he was frowning disapprovingly.


"Are you sick, lady thief? We pushed hard yesterday, but I thought you could handle the pace."
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Postby Khavi » Mon Dec 20, 2004 10:09 pm

Iseide looked at Raige, momentarily startled by his words. It was not the actual words he had spoken that surprised her, moreso it was the fact he had said them... in fact, that he had said anything at all was a bit of a shock, albeit a pleasent one. She smiled looking down at the reins in her gloved hands, before loking over at her traveling companion. She barely stifled a giggle at the look on his face, halfway between sincere worry and a frown of dissapproval. The result was something that looked, for lack of a suitable word, silly on his stone-chisled features.

"No, master Nightblade, I'm by no means ill," she said, looking forward once again. "I can handle the pacing here fine. Why, if I may ask, do you think I'm sick?"

"Silent, is all," he said simply, reverting back to his usual stoic self. Iseide was quiet a moment, still smiling to herself, and then spoke up again.

"You just didn't seem the type to chat while we ate last nite, so... I kept quiet, out of respect for my silent lord," she said, nodding to him before turning her attention back to the road ahead. She didn't expect him to say much else, their little snippet of conversation for the day now over.

The rest of the day's ride was, like the day before, mostly uneventful. One imporvement, in Iseide's mind, was that they did speak a little more often. It wasn't much, but it was enough that Iseide felt more comfortabe around her partner.

It was beginning to grow dark again when they reached the top of a hill at the edge of what was most likely usually a wide green meadow, but was currently burried in snow. The forest began again at the far edge of the open spanse of snow. Raige and Iseide paused a moment at the topmost part of the hill.

"Well, isnt that pretty," Iseide said. She took in the sight, and then glanced mischeiviously at Raige. "Race you to the trees," she said, looking back at the line of naked elms across the meadow.

"What?" Raige said, obviously puzzled. Iseide responded by spurring her horse forward, and the animal quickly started into a gallop. They were still in Doranth, still in friendly country. A moment's fun would cost them nothing.

"Last one there pitches camp!" she called over her shoulder, already halfway down the hill. She pulled off her cap, freeing her long hair to whip behind her in the wind.

"What... hey!" called Raige, and spurred his horse into a gallop that would never catch Iseide and her mount with their vast head start. She was already a quarter of the way to the

Iseide was waiting for him just inside the treeline, cheeks flushed, smile spread wide across her face. "So sorry, my dear Nightblade friend, looks like I won today. Better luck tomorrow."

Camp was pitched quickly in the rapidly spreading darkness. Iseide bedded the horses while Raige put up the tent. They climbed into the tent, and once again had dinner mostly quietly. Once again Raige removed all his clothing but his breeches and boots, and Iseide was afforded a good look at the tattoos spread across his back. Elven designs spanned his shoulderblade and down his arms, and there was a lagre moon struck through with a serrated knife below that.

"Nightblade," she murmured to herself. She knew very little about the actual order, other than their symbols and the fact that they were the most elite of the kingdom's soldiers. Absently, she reached forward and touched the moon on Raige's spine. He tensed beneath her touch.

"I've heard tell only the best have these," she said, and drew her hand back as he turned to face her. She smiled at him. "You know, it's probably a good think I've got a Nightblade at my back. Kuelost, so they say, is about the most cutthroat kingdom this side of the world."
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Postby Raige » Mon Dec 20, 2004 10:53 pm

Raige tensed when he felt Iseide's finger first touch him, but he relaxed quickly and allowed her to trace the patterns of the tattoo on his back. She said something about him being a Nightblade, and something about Kuelost, but her words were lost on Raige. He was in a world entirely different than that which he was used to. Finally, her words, spoken several minutes ago, seemed to break through the barrier to his mind, and he shook his head slightly as he allowed her to continue tracing the moon on his spine.

"Kuelost is...a beautiful place. It is full of mystery and magic. I've spent a great majority of the last ten years inside Kuelost, and never once was I bored. But, its looks can be deceiving...there are creatures there...like none I've seen anywhere else. Creatures of magick. Dark creatures...creatures right out of nightmares. The Magi there...some are good men and women, wanting only to live in peace. Others...are evil beyond anything you could dream of. Kuelost has a bad name, because it is ruled by crooks and Magi. Honest men flee Kuelost as soon as they can."

Raige turned and, for the first time, Iseide could see the scars on his chest. She started to reach out, but held her hand in place. Raige slowly reached out and took her hand in his, then placed her hand over the largest of the scars. What looked to be a bear's claw gouging down the left side of his chest, about 10 inches long.

"The creature that made this scar...I killed it three time. Three times, I watched it die, yet it kept rising and coming after me. I had to run, once I figured out I could not escape it."

Raige looked down and was almost startled to find him holding Iseide's hand against his chest. He let her hand go, then lay back on his sleeping bag.

"As for travelling with a Nightblade...that has its ups and downs as well. We aren't the most favored people everywhere, you know. But...like you said....I...have your back. With my life, I will protect yours."

Raige became very quiet. He didn't know what else to say. He heard Iseide blow out both lamps, then felt her move closer to him and whisper "thank you" in his ear, and then she was back on her side of the tent, and Raige was left with his heart beating wildly and his thoughts whirling like mad.

They were up and packed with early morning. They had only a short distance to go before they met the river, but then it was another 3 or 4 days ride to Rurin. They travelled along again today at an easy pace, enjoying the weather and, to a greater degree for Raige, each other's company. They travelled in an easy silence, neither one uncomfortable with the other's lack of conversation. Around midday, Raige spoke for the first time, saying that instead of travelling rations, they should try and find some game to eat tonight. Iseide agreed, and no more was spoken.

Raige led the way from the road into the trees. They had arrived at the Silk River, and there was less than two hours before sundown.


"Let's set up camp, and then I'll shoot us a deer for supper."
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Postby Khavi » Tue Dec 21, 2004 5:10 am

Once again, Iseide set to bedding the horses as Raige put up the tent and stowed their gear inside. There was still close to an hour and a half of daylight left once they were finished. Raige offered to hunt down a deer or similar game so they could eat a proper meal for the night, but Iseide stopped him.

"You'll never find a deer in those woods," Iseide said, looking through the leafless, snow-dusted trees. "They're around, but their sparse... You'd get lost in the dark before you found one."

Raige frowned, gave her a questioning look. "What do you propose we eat?" he asked, and crossed his arms.

"Fish," she said simply, and started for the nearby river.

"No poles."

"No need." They came to the edge of the river, and Iseide looked up and down the banks. The river was almost completely frozen over, and Iseide started out across the ice, Raige following her skeptically. "Here should be good..." she murmured more to herself than Raige.

She gripped Raige's shoulder suddenly, and slammed her boot down on the ice. Her heel punched through, making a small hole in the ice. Shaking the frigid water from her boot she paced around the hole, punching at the outside when her heel. When the hole was about three feet in diameter she shrugged out of her heavy fur cloak.

"Hold this," she said, pressing it into Raige's hands. He took the cloak and she shrugged out of her outermost layer of clothing, stepping out of her boots and removing her fur-lined breeches.

"You're not..." Raige started, but looked away quickly when she unexpectedly pulled her innermost shirt over her head.

Before long, Iseide was nude and doing her best to ignore the freezing cold. "Keep that cloak ready," she said, and plunged into the hole in the ice. Raige looked on bewilderment, shocked that she would dive naked into ice-covered, freezing water.

Not much more than a minute later Iseide burst through the surface of the water, wet hair obscuring her features and the top part of her torso from veiw. She did, however, have a fish clenched in her teeth and one in each hand, which she slid across the ice as she hauled herself out of the water.

"Cloak!" she gasped, and Raige quickly handed it to her. Iseide wrapped herself in it, and sat down on the ice to pull on her boots. She sat there a moment, cloak drawn tightly abouth er shoulders, booted feet the only things visible beneath the white fur.

Finally she looked up at Raige through wet hair, grinning. "Your turn!" she said brightly, and picked herself up off the ground. She gathered up her discarded clothing and the three fish she had caught, and turned to saunter off the ice. "See you at the tent, oh mighty hunter."
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Postby Raige » Tue Dec 21, 2004 11:19 am

Raige stared at her cloak-covered form as she walked away carrying her belongings and her fish. He looked back at the opening in the ice, then back at her. Grumbling, he began stripping himself of his clothing, pushing them far enough away from the hole so that they wouldn't get wet when he came out of the water, yet close enough that he could reach them quickly.

"Insane woman...diving in a frozen river...and here I am, following suit!"

With a last muttered curse, Raige dove into the river. The fish were towards the riverbed, and were sluggish due to the winter season. They were surprisingly easy to catch, and he returned to the surface carrying three fish of his own. He tossed them up onto the ice, and then, just to prove to himself that he was indeed tougher, dove back underwater and got three more fish. Returning to the surface, he tossed these up onto the ice as well, and then hauled himself out of the water, his body shivering painfully. He padded barefoot to his pile of clothes and wrapped his cloak about himself, pulled on his boots, put the fish in his water-resistant cape, and gathered up the rest of his clothes before setting off back towards camp, chilled to the bone.

Iseide already had her fish roasting over the fire, and Raige dumped his fish onto the ground beside her, sparing her a wink before entering the tent. Inside, he removed his cloak and boots, rummaged in the saddlebag he had brought inside, but he couldn't find the spare shirt he was looking for.


"Hells..." he muttered, before pulling his pants on and returning his boots to his feet. He stepped out of the tent and walked rather quickly to his horse, rummaged in the remaining saddlebag still on him, found the spare shirt, and returned to the fire, using the shirt to dry himself with. Once done, he hung the shirt up over a branch above the fire, close enough to dry it but not close enough to catch it on fire. He glanced at Iseide and saw her shivering, only her boots peeking out from under her cloak. He wondered if she had gotten dressed yet, then shrugged to himself and entered the tent and finished putting his warm winter clothes on. Properly dressed, he went back outside and had cooked fish on a plate shoved in his hands. He smiled gratefully at Iseide, and sat down in the edge of the tent to eat. He wolfed his meal down quickly, waited for Iseide to finish hers, then returned to the hole in the river and rinsed the plates off before returning to camp, dousing the fire, and putting the plates in their proper places in their bags. Raige closed the tent up tight against the weather; the wind was picking up again. He performed his nightly routine of stripping to his boots and pants, and lay down on top of his sleeping bag, hands clasped behind his head.

"Once we get into Kuelost...we'll have to limit the fires we have. It'll be more uncomfortable, but safer. We should probably start doing without them inside Zandir, to get you used to it. We'll spend a day in Rurin, to clean the road's grime off and allow you to rest in a real bed, before continuing on into Zandir. Does this sound reasonable, lady Iseide?"
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Postby Khavi » Tue Dec 21, 2004 3:33 pm

"...Does this sound reasonable, lady Iseide?"

Iseide looked over at Raige's prone form, one slender eyebrow raised. Since they had started traveling, what little talking Raige did was often quite formal, and he always called her 'lady.' It was time to put an end to that foolishness.

"Lady... No need for those formalities. Just Iseide will do," she said. "And that sounds like as good a plan as any. Though you say we're stopping in Rurin so I can sleep in a real bed... But what about you?"

Raige sat halfway up, propped on his elbows, and cast Iseide a puzzled look, as though he didn't understand her question.

"Well... don't you want to sleep in a real bed, also? I know you're used to the wilds and all that, roughing it and sleeping naked in snow drifts and that sort of silliness, but still. The idea of a nice warm bed... You can't possibly say that you would rather sleep alone in the woods," she said. Raige shrugged and lay back down, and Iseide rolled her eyes as she blew out the lanterns.

"You're a rotten liar," she muttered into the darkness, and lay down to sleep.

The next several days' ride was quiet as they followed the river towards Rurin. They managed to catch two thin rabbits rather than diving back into the frigid river water for fish. It was getting into midwinter, the coldest part of the season, and the ice over the river was getting to thick to easily break through.

Three days down the road closer to Rurin, they set up camp at dusk as they always did. The last of the rabbit was cooked over a small fire, and they ate quietly.

"We should reach Rurin tomorrow," Raige said, swallowing a last mouthful of food. "Then it's into Zandir and we have to start laying low."

"Ah, Rurin and that promised bed," Iseid replied, closng her eyes. "Well a bed for me anyway... You, as far as I can gather, will still be sleeping all alone in a bush." Iseide stood up, brushing snow from her pants, and smiled at Raige.

"If I were you, oh mysterious one, I'd sleep in the bed," she said, and turned to duck into their tent.
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Postby Raige » Tue Jan 04, 2005 10:15 pm

Raige awoke in the middle of the night, unsure as to why exactly he was awake. He couldn't remember if he had been dreaming, so he was sure that wasn't the cause of it. Then, he heard it. A soft footstep in the snow. Someone was coming up to their tent, trying to do so stealthily.

Raige looked over at Iseide, who was still sleeping. He silently sat up, and pulled the knife from its sheathe on his thigh. He crept towards the tent flaps and slowly, ever so slowly, inched one side open, to get a look around. He saw a figure crouched low to the ground, walking carefully towards the tent. In the shadows to the figure's right, Raige caught a glimpse of bared steel, also moving in Raige's direction.

Thieves or spies. Either way, Raige would deal with them. Raige let the tent flap close, crept to his side of the tent, and slid under the side. Keeping low, he fairly floated over the snow and into the trees. He circled around behind the thief closest to him, coming up behind him and, without much of a struggle, Raige clamped his hand over the thief's mouth, jerked his head back, and shoved his knife into the thief's throat, working it back and forth to sever as many arteries as quickly as possible. Raige pulled his knife free and gently laid the body on the ground. Then, he moved around the clearing to the other side, looking for a possible third, unseen attacker. Seeing no one, Raige was about to move into the clearing when he heard a small snap, as though a twig broke. Raige immediately dropped to the snow and looked around him, senses fully open, looking and hearing and smelling for anything out of the ordinary. There was a third attacker, Raige just had not seen him.

Raige looked around himself more carefully, inspecting every shadow, watching, waiting. Then, he heard an abnormal rustiling of leaves. He looked up, and spotted his third adversary. The man (or woman, Raige wasn't sure) was in the trees! Raige guess the man was providing long range cover for his other two companions. Raige was willing to be his life that the man had a bow. Raige didn't want to be seen by this man while he was climbing up the tree, he'd be shot down before he made it half way. Raige crawled his way silently through the snow to the archer's blindside, and began quietly scrabbling up the tree. He climbed until he was a branch above the archer, then circled his way around the tree, and dropped down onto the archer from above. They crashed to the ground together, Raige twisting and snapping the archer's neck on the way down. They landed in the snow with an audible thump, and Raige felt the wind knocked out of him. He wasn't sure, but he thought he might've cracked a rib or two. Getting unsteadily to his feet, he squinted out into the clearing. The man was only feet away from the tent.

Raige searched through the snow quickly and found his knife, then went running across the clearing toward the thief. The thief heard him and turned just in time for Raige to dive into him in a picture-perfect tackle. They both went down and tumbling in the snow. The thief came out on top, and quickly went for Raige's throat. Raige gripped the thief's wrist, and held on, using his free hand to jam his knife into the thief's heart. The thief's eyes went wide, and Raige pulled his blade free and stabbed it into the thief's slack-jawed mouth. Raige pushed the body to the side and retrieved his knife from the thief's mouth, wiped it on the thief's shirt, and returned it to its sheath on his thigh. Raige, gasping for breath, returned to the tent and climbed back into his sleeping bag, shivering fiercely.


"Next time I decide to play in the snow..." he muttered quietly to himself, "I'm going to wear more than pants and boots."
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Postby Khavi » Tue Jan 04, 2005 11:21 pm

Iseide stirred awake in the middle of the night, to the sound of Raige entering the tent. She rolled onto her side to peer at him through half open eyes. A few moments later, she sat bolt upright as Raige was just lying down.

"What in the name of... What were you doing out there?" hissed Iseide, lurching forward out of her sleeping bag. She had spotted his slow movements, and his shivering would have been obvious to the blind. Placing her hand against his cheek, Iseide felt that his flesh was cold as ice. "What were you doing in that snow with no shirt on?" she asked.

"Theives," he muttered, labouring himself up into a sitting position. He looked as though he were trying to hide a decent amount of pain. "You can go back to sleep, they're dead."

Iseide said nothing, merely lifting her eyebrows in an expression of cynicism. "I dont know how exactly, but you hurt yourself. What's making you move like an old man."

"Nothing. Go back to bed, Iseide," he said, leveling a steely gaze at her. Iseide didn't look away, and after a long while of silence she managed to out-stare Raige. He looked away finally and muttered, "Ribs."

"How?" Iseide asked, moving closer. She extended her arms, running her hands down his sides.

"Jumped out of a tree."

"And what did you land on?"

"The man I jumped at." Iseide noticed a very slight flush spilling into Raige's cheeks, and she attributed it to the warmth leaking back into his system.

Sitting back, Iseide shook her head. "Well you didn't break anything, as far as I can tell, but you bruised yourself up pretty good. When we get to Rurin tomorrow, I think it'd be best if we stay more than just one night, unless you make some miraculous recovery or, by some chance, there is a healer in town."

"No. We can't put our mission on hold for something small like this. I'll be fine."

"...We'll see."

That said, Iseide moved back to her own sleeping bag. She lay down, and though fell asleep quickly did not sleep peacefully. The worry that they would be again discovered in the night dominated her mind.


The next morning's ride into Rurin was slow, due to several inches of new snowfall. They reached the town just after midday. There was la fair amount of activity in the town, as it was a docking town. Even in winter there was a fair amount of traffic over the Rurin bridges and on the Silk River.

Raige and Iseide found a decent inn where they could stable their horses and put up for the night. They put down coins enough to cover for a night in a decent-sized room and to have food brought to their room.

Upstairs, Iseide slung her saddlebags onto the floor by the bed and sat upon the sheets. Raige stood by the door, looking around the room. His own saddlebags rested at his feet.

"How are you today, Raige?" Iseide asked, motioning him to sit next to her. "Better, I hope?"

"Fine, Iseide," he said. Iseide noted that he still moved a bit stiffly, not bending too much a the middle. Cocking and eyebrow, she shook her head as he sat down.

"Off with the shirt," she said, almost as would a mother to a truant child.

"No," he said, casting her an incredulous look.

"Of with it, Raige, or I'll do it for you," she said. Raige watched her a moment, and then with a few very creative curses and oaths removed his shirts. Beneath them, Iseide saw violently black and purple bruises blossoming across one side of his abdomen and across his chest, no doubt the side he landed on.

"Well, isn't that pretty. You've got to relax and heal, Raige, before we go on. I don't want to keep going and make it worse. I know you didn't crack anything yet but I bet you would if we keep traipsing about as we have," she said.

"Iseide, it's nothing. It's more colour than actual pain, trust me. I don't know what you're getting all worked up about," he said, frowning at her. Iseide said nothing, but without removing her eyes from his face, she lifted a hand and jabbed two fingers into the heart of the bruised area.

"Ow!" he snarled, and leapt backwards off the bed, hand protectively over the spot Iseide had struck. "What in hell was that for?"

"Lying," she said simply, standing up. "And to prove my point. You may be strong willed, Raige, but you'll never out-stubborn me."
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Postby Raige » Sun Jan 09, 2005 4:26 am

"You may be strong willed, Raige, but you'll never out-stubborn me."

Raige looked at her for a moment, one hand over his ribs, then straightened up and gritted his teeth.

"That's all fine and well. Get your rest tonight," he said, snatching up his inner shirt from the bed and pulling it on, tucking it into his pants. "We're leaving tomorrow."

He turned and stalked to the door, heading into the hallway and slamming it behind him.

"Women. Stubborn headed foolish women! Why?! Why'd I have to be partnered with one?!"

Raige walked down the hall, muttering to himself about the impossibility of women in general, and the one he was stuck with in particular. He stomped down the stairs and across the common room, and seated himself at the bar. He ordered two mugs of ale, and drank the first quickly, then began to work on the second. It passed by rather quickly as well, and he ordered a third and fourth.

He spent some time at the bar, drinking heavily, ignoring those around him. He worked himself into an excellent drunk, his ribs (along with his entire body, and most of his brain) becoming cheerfully numb. He had even taken up residence at a table with a couple other drinkers, and they were laughing and talking and having an excellent time.

Some time later, Iseide came down into the common room, looking for Raige. She was going to apologize to him for hurting him. Raige saw her, but ignored her. His fellows noticed the difference in him, because he wasn't laughing as much, and had become noticeably quieter. He watched her out of the corner of his eye, wending her way through the tables, heading towards his. He sunk a little lower in his chair, his eyes never leaving her as she made her way towards him.

A hand shot out and grabbed Iseide by the arm. She looked at the man, words were exchanged, and she tried to go about her way. However, the man, a trapper or hunter of some sort, held fast to her arm. He rose from his chair, pulling her towards him. Using the momentum from his pull, Iseide brought her other arm about, her fist crashing squarely into the man's nose. The people around watching roared with laughter. The man immediately released her and brought both of his hands to his nose. She stood there, talking to him, although it was clear from her facial expressions that she was no longer being polite.

Raige, however, had seen enough. On the third try (the first two being failed attempts), he stood and stumbled his way over to the trapper.


"All right there, 'seide?" he asked, glancing at her for a moment before, without any warning, slamming his own fist into the trapper's hands which were cupped about his bloody nose. The trapper fell to the ground and Raige merely sat on the man's chest and began pummeling his face. He got in a good five or six shots before one of the trapper's companions got to his feet and came for Raige, who didn't even notice. Raige did take notice, however, when the companion's booted foot connected squarely with the side of Raige's head. Raige rolled with the blow off of the trapper's chest and landed on his back. He dazedly looked up at the ceiling for a moment, before a pair of hands grasped his shirt and yanked him off the floor. Raige caught a glance of Iseide dealing with the kicker, her blades a-spinning, before his vision was obscurred by yet another ugly face.

"You done got yerself in a world of trouble, Nightblade or not!"

Raige grinned. "Oiy...ish wha ah do, you ugly pire ov ferrt vome...vome...oh, hell wif it!" Raige slammed his forehead into the man's face. The man didn't immediately release him, so Raige grabbed the back of the man's head and, with all of his drunken strength, brought the man's face crashing into Raige's forehead. That, understandably, stunned the man enough to release Raige and drop the floor. Raige, now laughing like a drunken fool, gave the man a good hard kick in the balls. He hoped the man could taste them. He turned his attention to the other's at the table. None of them moved, their eyes were transfixed by Iseide's twirling blades. Raige grunted and rolled his eyes. "Showf." Raige bent over, grabbed the original trapper's shirt, lifted his head off the ground, and slammed home a couple more punches, then allowed the thoroughly bloodied and unconscious man to fall back to the floor. He looked over at Iseide and saw that she was now sheathing her blades. Raige nodded, returned to his table, downed the last of his ale, accepted the laughing congratulations of his drinking companions, laid some coin on the table to pay for his tab, and began the long, oh so long journey up the stairs and back into their room.

Without removing his boots, or undressing in the slightest, Raige collapsed upon the bed and dropped off into oblivion. Iseide returned to the room within a minute or two of Raige getting back, and she arrived to find him stone cold passed out.
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Postby Khavi » Sun Jan 09, 2005 5:25 am

"Great way to end the night, oh mighty warrior," Iseide said as she let herself into their room. Raige was lying unconcious on the bed, obviously exhausted after his battle down in the tavern. He still had his boots and shirt on, which led her to beleive he had simply stumbled up the stairs an into bed with a nary a thought to anything else. She smiled at Raige's sleeping form, and draped a blanket over him.


The next morning, Iseide was standing at the room's single window when there came the distinct sounds of someone in great pain waking up. There was a serious of mournful groans, and then the sounds of joints cracking.

"Morning, sunshine," Iseide said, turning to face Raige, who was struggling to sit up. "How are you feeling this fine, fine winter morning?"

Raige grumbled something unintelligible, and carefully kicked off his boots. He looked up at her, grumbled something else, and smiled as winningly as he could. It was a good effort, but one eye was half swollen shut from the kick he had taken to the face, and his lower lip was a bit fattened by the same blow.

"Handsome," she said with a laugh, and sat at the edge of the bed. "All that thrashing around can't have been too good for your beaten ribcage, either."

"...Not really," he mumbled, gingerly touching hs bruised ribs. He grumbled something that sounded a lot like a curse, and brought his hands up to rub his face.

"And what with all that alcohol you consumed, the rest of you can't be feeling very well, either," she added.

Raige peered over his fingers, glaring. "You vile woman," he growled. "You're trying to make me feel worse."

Iseide laughed and shook her head, and glanced out the window. Outside everything was hidden beneath a layer of fresh white snow. "Thanks for cutting in last night, even if you were too drunk to speak. And sorry I let that other man kick you in the head... I didn't notice he was getting up until it was too late."

"Not your fault," he replied, shrugging. He carefully touched the purpled area around his left eye. "You took care of him well enough afterwards... what did you do to him? All I saw was spinning knives."

Iseide stood, drawing a handkercheif from her shirt as she did so. "Just scared him, really... didn't hurt anything but his ego. Cut his belt and shirtsleeves right off his body before he knew what happened. Lost a lot of his confidence once his pants were around his ankles. Of course, when he was looking down at his fallen trousers I took the opportunity to put both hilts quite forcefully into his nose," she said, as she crossed to the window. She slid it open, and took a large handful of snow from the sill.

"It wasn't quite as effective as slamming another man's head into my own, but I suppose we'll each use our own tactics," she said, and wrapped the snow into the handkercheif. Iseide crossed back to Raige, sat at the edge of the bed again, and placed the kercheif-wrapped snow against his bruised temple. "Better?"

Raige leaned back against the headboard. "A bit," he said, and smiled, turning his open eye towards her. "We should be getting ready to leave," he added, looking towards the window. "We've lost half the day."

"We're not going anywhere, Raige. You're not traveling, not in your shape. Tomorrow, maybe," she said, shifting the cold kerchief to his purpled cheek.

"But Iseide-"

"But nothing, Raige. Two fights in one day, you've earned your right to rest," Iseide said. "So just sit here quietly and milk it for all you can, it's rare I'm willing to sit here and dote on someone. But it thanks to you I'm not the one lying there battered."
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Postby Raige » Tue Jan 11, 2005 4:08 pm

Raige grunted, and grinned.

"You're a rotten liar, lady. I did a bit of research, the night before we left. I heard from a few unmentionable sources that you are an excellent knife fighter. One of the best, so I'm told. You could've handled those drunken men easily, I'm sure."

Raige reached his free hand out and took Iseide's, and held it for a moment. "At any rate...thank you for the compliment, and the dotage." Without thinking, Raige brought her hand to his lips. He kissed it briefly then, as if he were stunned by his own actions, looked at her, embarassment clearly written across his face. "Uh...beg your pardon, m'lady."

Raige released her hand, and closed his eyes, mentally chastising himself for last night's activities, and for continuing on with his lack of discipline this morning. When he opened his eyes again, she was merely sitting there, smiling at him. He felt color rising to his face, and turned his head away. She took his hand, patted it, and stood up.

"I'll go order some breakfast, get cleaned up and dressed. You happen to smell to the high heavens," she said, grinning at him.

Raige got out of bed, albeit slowly, and removed his clothes, laying them in a disorganized pile on the floor, then made his way into the bathing chamber attached to their room. The water was hot, and he spent some time soaking in it, feeling the warmth creep into his bones. He sighed with no small amount of pleasure, and allowed himself to relax.

The rest of the day was spent much the same way. He relaxed. Even if he didn't want to. Iseide saw to that. The only thing she allowed him to do was sharpen his weapons. So he did. Repeatedly. Until there was no a single knick in any of the blade edges. He cleaned them and oiled them, oiled their sheaths and scabbards.

Once, when she was out of the room, he began doing exercises. Incredibly, even though she had only left, she came back during the middle of them, and gave him a scolding his trainer would've been proud of.

The next day, Iseide awoke to find Raige full dressed, all weapons on his body.


"What do you presume to think you're doing?" she asked, yawning.

"It's time to go."

"I suppose you've forgotten about those ribs?"

"No. But, it's time to go."

Iseide got out of bed and walked up to him. She kept his eyes glued to hers, frowning at him, and without warning, jabbed two of her fingers into the same spot as last time.

This time, however, Raige didn't even flinch. He waited a moment, then raised an eyebrow.


"Are you finished? Get dressed, we have to move. We've been here long enough."

Raige left the room and went downstairs and outside to fetch their horses from the inn's stables. The wind bit at his freshly shaven cheeks, but he didn't mind. He was ready to be on the move again. He had the horses saddled and ready to go by the time Iseide came into the stables. For some reason, as though noticing for the first time, Raige was dumbstruck by her beauty. A few snowflakes clung to her hair, her cheeks were flushed with the cold...she was breathtaking. He shook his head, and led the horses to her, handing her reigns to her when they stood next to one another.

"Well...let's get on with it."

They mounted up, and trotted out of the inn and towards the docks, where they would catch a ferry across the river and into Zandir. They arrived at the docks, and Raige paid the fee to be ferried across the river. As they went across, Raige stood slightly behind Iseide, so that he might lean forward and whisper into her ear, and it would look nothing more than one lover whispering to another. One well-armed lover, true. But, it was better cover than nothing.

"From now on, no more fires," Raige said in a low tone. "It will be cold, but better to be cold and undetected than warm and dead. It's a full hundred miles to Kuelost from this crossing, so you should have plenty of practice at becoming invisible in the wilds."

"Raige," she whispered back, "I don't need practice."

She reached up and patted his cheek. He rolled his eyes and sighed. "We'll see."

The ferryman pulled into the dock smoothly, and Raige and Iseide disembarked and were off with no hassle. The day was rather dismal, gray clouds covering the sky, a cold wind blowing. They made decent time, considering the conditions, and night fell early, as it was want to do in winter. They continued travelling for a few more hours after dark, before Raige decided they could make camp for the evening.

They tethered the horses well clear of the road, and Raige found them a dry shelter under the branches of a hollow pine. They ate their travel rations in silence, and curled into their sleeping bags. Raige was asleep very shortly after laying down.

He awoke sometime later. He heard teeth chattering. He looked over and saw Iseide shivering violently in her bedroll. Raige rolled his eyes, reached out, took hold of Iseide's bedroll, and pulled it across the ground beside his. He unbuttoned it, unbuttoned his own, then attached the two bedrolls so they became one big one. Without a word, he removed Iseide's outer layers of clothing, until she lay in her under garments. Then, with her back to him, he pulled her into his arms. Finally, he spoke.


"Fool of a woman...you need to spend more time in the forests. You stay warmer by wearing less clothes. It sounds strange, but it works. Trust me." Raige grinned. "Just hope we don't get attacked while we're like this, or we're both going to be extremely cold...and I'm not sure I would want to leave this bedroll to fight anyhow." Raige said it jokingly, but inside his heart, for the first time in his life, he realized how much truth there was in his words. For the first time, he found he wouldn't leap at the chance to fight. Damn this woman for changing him! Making him soft!
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Postby Khavi » Tue Jan 11, 2005 8:19 pm

Iseide woke the next morning curled into a relatively unfamiliar bare chest. It was quite pleasently warm, and whoever it belonged to was still sleeping, judging by the very rhythmic breathing. She opened her eyes and recognized the faded pattern of bruises across the ribcage, the tattoos peeking around from his back. It was certainly Raige.

The question was, why were they in the same bedroll?

She realized, just after she asked herself that question, that the bedroll was actually two bedrolls, fastened together to make one big one.

Iseide sat up, and immediately regretted the action. She was in not much more than her undershirt, and the wind bit at her bare skin. She lay back down, pulling the covers up over her nose and closing her eyes again.

"Cold?" Iseide reopened her eyes, and looked up at Raige. He was awake, head propped up on on hand, smirking down at her.

"No," said Iseide defiantly, pulling the bedroll away from her face. "I love the snow."

"Liar," said Raige. "You belong in the city."

"I work in cities. I'm a theif and a sneak and a spy and I do not trek out into the wilderness for my own personal enjoyment. Of course I hate winter," Iseide said, and sat up again. She unbuttoned the bedroll and stood up, trying to ignore the cold. Pulling her shirt over her head, Iseide continued to grumble.

"This is silly, creeping through the wilderness with Raige the Bushman, couldn't just sneak us into a caravan and travel in warmth..." she muttered, hoping on one foot as she pulled on a boot. She put her foot down, and turned to face Raige.

"You know, Bushman, it's not too late to find a nice caravan, and travel along with fire and hot food," she said, and slid into her heavy winter coat.

"Sorry Iseide, I don't think so," Raige said, also standing. He began to dress, and Iseide found herself watching appreciatively out of the corner of one eye until he turned to face her.


The next several days travel were quiet. They traveled until just after sunset every day, and each night went without a fire. More and more often, as the days went by, Iseide found herself able to withstand the cold and sleep in her own bedroll. Finally, after a week of traveling in Zandir, Iseide could spend the whole night alone, curled mostly comfortably into her own roll.

While proud of her ability to survive the wilderness, Iseide found herself, for some reason, wishing she still needed that second body next to hers to withstand the freezing nights, it had become somewhat of a comfort in the vastly unfamiliar territory.

She was puzzling over this fact late one morning as they rode through the trees when she noticed something farther down along the road.

"Raige," she said, halting her horse. He stopped his as well, frowning back at her. Iseide pulled down the scarf covering her nose and mouth, and pointed ahead. "Raige, it looks like a patrol, coming this way."

Raige followed her pointing finger, and saw the few ranks of men marching towards them. "It's too late to hide in the trees, they've likely already noticed us if we've noticed them. By the looks of their crest, their Zandir troops, which means not necessarily hostile. So... just ride like nothing's wrong. Don't give them a second glance." Raige pulled his hood up to cover the tattoo on his face identifying him as a Doranthian Nightblade.

Iseide nodded, and spurred her horse forward into an easy walk. The troops drew ever nearer, and Iseide struggled to keep from staring at them.

"Hold, travelers," called the only mounted man in the patrol, whome Iseide assumed was in charge. Iseide halted her horse, and motioned Raige to do the same.

"Yes, my lord?" Iseide said, as politely as she could. She counted, out of the corner of her eyes, ten men behind the commander.

"Who are you, traveling this back roads of Zandir? These are usually only military roads. Pray tell why a lady such as yourself is out in this wilderness?"

Iseide was silent a moment, thinking as quick as she could for a feasible alibi. She glanced furtively at Raige, who remaind stoic and silent, face hidden in the shadows of his deep cowl.

"I am the lady Khavira Monderiel, of Lepori," she said, stating a relative's name and the first country name to pop into her head. "This is my bodyguard, Imati. I am traveling to Kuelost on a diplomatic mission to discuss alliances between my country and theirs." Iseide held her head high and regal as she could.

The commander was quiet, eyes narrowed. "Lepori, you say?" he said, a dangerous undertone in his voice. "That is to the east, correct?"

Iseide thought wildly back to geography lessons she had had as a child. Was it to the east? Or was it to the south? She kept her face emotionless, despite the fear building in her chest.

"It is, sir. We've been riding for weeks," she said.

"Let me see his face," the commander said. Iseide looked back at Raige, and gave an almost imperceptible shake of her head. "Let me see his face!"

There was a moment of tense silence, and Raige drew back his hood. There was a collective gasp as they the tattoo across his cheek, and it was obvious they all knew he was a Nightblade.

"Nightblade... Lepori do not travel with Nightblades, it is not done. They are loyal only to Doranth."

"This one is a traitor. He no longer rides with those vile Doranthi."

Suddenly the commander reached out and grabbed the straps of her horse's bridle, yanking the animal's head sharply towards him. Iseide mount houghed and stamped in protest.

"Do not trifle with me, madam! I know you are not from Lepori, no one by that name resides in the Lepori court," he snarled. "And a Nightblade would never turn on his brothers. Lepori and Doranth are far from friendly, a Nightblade would not ride with his country's enemy, it simply does not happen!"

"Let go of my horse," Iseide growled.

"This is the Doranthian seal stamped onto your bridle," the commander said, jerking the horse's head one more time. His ran his thumb over the crest stamped into the leather of the bridle, and frowned at Iseide. "Who are you, and what business have you here?"

"I told you to let go of my horse. Now I suggest you do so," Iseide repeated. "Please."

"Tell me what you are doing here! I do not appreciate lies, woman!" he roared, and tugged the birdle once more. He struck Iseide with his free hand, and Iseide immediately recoiled with a knife across the hand holding her mount. The edge of the blade slit through his glove and deep into the flesh beneath. He jerked backwards with a snarl of pain and anger. The ten men behind the comander surged forward, but Raige intercepted them, easily engaging them and drawing their attention.

Iseide's attention was drawn away momentarily, and the commander struck her across the face while was looking away. Iseide fell from the saddle, landing on her side in the snow. She cursed, and pushed herself up. A boot connected with her lower back, pushing her back down into the snow.

She twisted around, another knife in her hand, and slashed at the commander's leg. Her dagger cut across his shin, deep enough to scraped against the bone. Blood splattered from the end of her knife, landing in sharp red relief against the stark white snow. The coander leapt backwards, giving Iseide time to stand up. The commander hurtled forward, and Iseide dodge easily. She drew the long dagger at her hip and held both knives up defensively.

Iseide had no trouble dancing around the commander, until he managed to catch her in the legs with his full force. He had her pinned in the snow, and slashed downwards with his own knife. Iseide threw up her arm to protect her face, and gritted her teeth against the sudden flash of pain as the knife cut across her arm, leaving a long bloody gash in its wake. Iseide brougth her knife around, cutting him across the face. He rolled away, and Iseide leapt to her feet immediately.

He came at her again, and Iseide dodged to the side, ignoring the shooting pain up her arm. She rolled and came up with her knife poised at his gut. Unfortunately, the commander was just as quick, and the poitn of his blade was aimed at her throat.

Iseide, one one knee in the snow with a knife at his stomach, and the commander on both feet with a sword at her neck, fell completely still.

"It seems we have come to an impasse," the commander said, eyeing the knife in Iseide's hand.

"Indeed it does," replied Iseide. She never took her eyes from his face, watching for any sort of clue to his next move.

"I believe I've heard of you," the commander said, his eyes wandering to the cut in her arm. "You're Kalgar's favourite little snoop, aren't you? You're as good as it gets. Practically invisible. Why are you touring around with a big clumsy Nightblade?" He glanced meaningfully at the fight Raige was winning against his men. Iseide did not follow his gaze.

"Don't worry your pretty little head about what we're doing here," she said. She noticed a muscle in his jaw twitch, and moved a split second before he did. She twisted to the left and forward, where he dodged to the right and past her.

Both daggers struck home, but Iseide's hit it's mark truer. The commander's knife bit into Iseide's thigh, but Iseide's dagger sank into his back, right into his spine. He collapsed into the snow, dead, and Iseide staggered backwards. She wrenched his knife out of her leg, and threw it into the snow next to him.

Iseide collapsed to her knees, pressing her hands to the deep wound in her thigh, and look up at Raige. Six of the ten had fallen, and the four remaining were not going to last much longer. Looking down, Iseide saw blood spilling between her fingers, staining her white pants and the snow around her.

"Don't pass out, Iseide," she said, squeezing her eyes shut. The pain was blinding, and the sounds of Raige's fight were beginning to sound far away. "It's not that bad. It just looks like a lot of blood." She opened her eyes, forced herself to stay concious. She bent over her leg, putting down as much pressure as she could, do her best to staunch the flow.

"You've had worse, Iseide. Much worse."
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Postby Raige » Wed Jan 12, 2005 12:03 am

As soon as the troop of men had stopped them, Raige already had one hand on a throwing axe, ready to pull it from its ring and let it fly at the first sign of aggression. Raige let Iseide do the talking, although he knew that an assault was inevitable as soon as they had seen his face. He waited impatiently, feeling his heart start pumping faster, the adrenalin begin to flood his body. He would allow Iseide to try to talk them out of this...but he was like a loaded weapon. Locked, loaded, and ready to fire.

As soon as the man raised his hand to slap Iseide, Raige let his axe fly. It embedded itself squarely in one of the troop's face. Raige quickly got his feet out of their stirrups, balanced himself on his saddle, and leapt at the next pair of troops, hands speedily drawing his shortswords as he did so. As Raige flew at them, the two soldiers drew their swords, and both swung at Raige once he was within range. Raige parried them both, inverted his grip on his swords, and plunged them into both men's backs as he went by.

He hit the ground and rolled, two more throwing axes in hand before he stood. He turned and immediately released them. Both found home in a single soldier's back, knocking him from his horse as though he had been plucked from it and tossed away by the hand of the gods. The remaining six remaining soldiers dismounted, probably to give themselves a stable working area; Raige couldn't help but grin. These men, even though they outnumbered him, would never defeated him. Not in open combat, on solid ground. Raige drew his longswords slowly, their harmonious singing as they were drawn from their sheaths combining with the war drum beat of his heart, to make a deadly song that only he could hear. Raige changed his stance, digging his heels into the ground a bit, and grinned at the six. Then, he was charging them, and his twin longswords became a living whirlwind of death. Two more of the soldiers had fallen before the other four could react.

Just then, somehow through the roar of blood rushing in his ears, and the pounding of his own heart, Raige heard gasping. He dared a glance to his right, saw Iseide kneeling in the snow. Blood was staining her pants and the snow around her. The man she had been fighting was dispatched, but she was obviously hurt. Raige looked back to the four he was now facing.


"I'm giving you all one chance to live," he growled. Raige held his swords out in front of him, then dropped them to the snow. "Turn now, and forget about us. Do it not, and die."

Seeing him with no weapons bolstered the soldiers' confidence, and they charged him as one. He sidestepped the first attack, dodged the second, leapt over the third and rolled under the fourth. The men turned, and Raige was upon them, in their midst, gouging out eyes, breaking knees, sending well-placed kicks and punches to vulnerable areas of confused men. Raige caught one man in his arms and promptly snapped his neck. Another, he grabbed by the throat, and with a snarl, ripped it out. The third, Raige tripped and went to the ground with him, only his knee was atop the soldier's nose, so when head struck ground, knee struck nose, and when head tried to bounce off the ground, knee drove nose into brain. The fourth man, seeing the carnage about him, dropped his weapon and took off running. Raige, snarling like a madman, went to one of the first bodies he had dispatched, yanked a throwing axe from the corpse, took aim, and hurled the deadly projectile toward the fleeing man. Fortunately for the soldier, he never saw it coming. One minute he was running, the next, he was facedown in the snow, an axe lodged deeply into the back of his skull. Raige took several deep breaths, forcing himself to calm down, to let his killing rage go.

"You've had worse, Iseide. Much worse."

Raige whipped about, saw Iseide pressing into her leg wound, trying to stop the blood flow. Raige rushed to her, knelt down in front of her, examining her wounds. Working quickly, he pulled his knife from its sheath on his thigh, untucked the layers of his clothing, and cut a long strip from his undershirt. He stuck the knife into the ground, and began wrapping the leg above the wound. He tied it tightly, then regained his knife and cut another strip from his shirt for her arm. This strip was merely going to be a bandage, the cut wasn't very deep, although it was long and ragged. She didn't need a tourniquet for this arm, like her leg. He wrapped the strip about her arm, tying it in place. Raige picked up his knife and replaced it in its sheath, then stood and lifted Iseide off the ground.

"I can walk, you fool! Get your weapons, I can walk on my own!" she snarled at him.

"Sure you can."

Raige, ignoring her protests, carried her to her horse, and seated her upon it. He handed her reigns to her.

"Stay up there, you stubborn woman. I'll collect my things, then we'll be off. There's a town, roughly 3 miles down the road. I happen to have a contact there, he'd be willing to help you."

Without waiting for a response, Raige went about the small battlefield, gathering his fallen weapons. He cleaned them on the corpses' clothing where he found them, and returned them to their rightful places. He even snagged a few coin purses, and put them in his own on his belt. That task completed, he remounted himself, and led the way down the road.

It was only three miles, but to Raige, who was worried about Iseide's leg, it seemed to take forever to reach the small town of Gallion. When they arrived, Raige hurriedly led them to the house of his contact. He dismounted and tied both of their horses to the tethering post, then went to help Iseide dismount. To his surprise, she was already down, although she was only standing on one leg. She looked at him with defiance in her eyes, and he merely shrugged and lifted her off the ground, carrying her bodily over his shoulder. He reached the door and knocked twice, thrice, and twice. The door opened, and he stepped inside.

The warmth hit him in the face like a punch, stining his somewhat frozen skin. Raige carefully set Iseide down, who promptly punched him in the arm. Raige frowned at her, then looked around for the old man who had been his friend and confidante for close to 8 years now.


"Ah....always in trouble, young one. Forever in need of some kind of help."

The voice was soft, kind, and sounded ancient, as though it were time itself's voice. Raige smiled and looked about.

"Where are you, Hadar? Come out, my friend here is wounded."

From behind them, even though both had been sure no one was there, Hadar stepped from the shadows, causing Iseide to nearly jump from her skin. Raige, who was far too used to Hadar's tricks to be fooled, grinned as the old man came shuffling around into the firelight for them to see. Hadar looked at Iseide's leg and frowned.

"Looks like the work of those Zandirian fools," he said. "How could you let this happen to such a pretty girl, Raige? You ought to be ashamed. Come, come child, sit, sit. Old Hadar will have you fixed up in no time at all."

While Hadar busied himself Healing Iseide's wounds, Raige kept himself occupied by bringing in more firewood for the old man. Not that he needed help with the chores around the place, but Hadar liked to pretend that he was feeble and helpless, and Raige had learned long ago to play along.

In no time at all, Iseide's leg was healed as though it hadn't even been scratched, her arm was mended as well, and Hadar was telling Iseide stories of Raige's early misadventures and training while the three of them sat around Hadar's table, drinking tea.

Raige, who knew these stories because he had, of course, lived through them, soon grew bored and excused himself, and sat in a chair by the fire. The old man's voice was soothing, and, when combined by the comfort of the chair and the warmth of the hearth, Raige soon found himself drowsy. Before he knew it, he had dozed off completely.

Taking notice immediately, Hadar broke off from his story in midsentence and turned a serious look upon Iseide.


"Listen to me, young lady," he whispered. "Raige is a very special man, and not only because of his talent of the arts of war. His heart is pure, although it has been buried for some time. There is a secret within him, something even he does not know about. You and you alone can help him release this secret. You must, if he is to protect you the way the gods intended."

"But, Hadar, we won't be working together much longer. After our mission is completed, I doubt we'll see each other again. How am I to help him then?"

Hadar chuckled, as only old men can do. "My dear girl, I have Seen things. You must help him unlock his secret, so that he may help you."

"For the mission?"

"Bah. This...mission. Raige would be able to help you with this mission if he were blind and had but one arm. No...there are dark times ahead. You will need him, Iseide. And he you."

The two sat silently for some time, Iseide taking in what Hadar had told him, Hadar....thinking about whatever it is that his kind think of. Suddenly, Hadar broke the silence with a loud yawn.

"There is a spare room upstairs. You two may sleep there, if you are going to stay the night. And for the sake of the gods, don't leave him sleeping in that chair. He'll snore so loudly the entire town won't be able to sleep a wink!" His eyes sparkled merrily as he said this, smiling at Iseide. "I am retiring now, I should hope to see your beautiful face in the morning, child. Good night."
Quitters never win, winners never quit, but those who never win AND never quit are idiots.

For every winner, there are dozens of losers. Odds are you're one of them.
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Postby Khavi » Thu Jan 13, 2005 4:13 pm

Iseide sat at the table for a while after Hadar left, puzzling over the old man's cryptic words. Raige had some deep secret even he didn't know about? They would need eachother beyond their mission?

It seemed absurd, but... something in the old man's words made them ring true in Iseide's heart. She thought for a while, before finally standing at stretching. She walked to where Raige slept in his chair, and couldn't help but smile when she saw him.

He slept peacefully, arms cross over his chest, leaning into the left side of the chair. His features were greatly softened by sleep and the gentle firelight, giving him an innocent look he did not possess while awake. When she brushed his arm and spoke his name his stirred a bit, but did not wake.

"Raige, you can't sleep in that chair," she said softly, brushin his cheek with her fingers. He let out a rumbling sigh, and a vague smile passed over his lips. "You're faking," she said, and laughed. "Come on, up with you. Sleeping in that chair'll make you wish you were dead in the morning."

Raige opened his eyes. "I know for a fact that Hadar has one bed up there, just one. You can have it, you've had a rough day, I'll take the chair."

"Your day was no simpler than mine, Raige, I'm not letting you sleep in that chair."

"You would rather sleep in the chair?"

"Raige, we've shared the same bedroll for coming up on a week now, one night in a decent sized bed will be no different. Now come on, a bed will do us both some good," she replied.

"In the forest it was so you didn't freeze to death. This is a matter of modesty."

"Modesty? We jumped naked into frozen rivers and stripped down to our underclothes to keep warm at night... and you're just now worrying about modesty? Not an excuse, Raige, not now," she said, shaking her head. Raige frowned a moment, then stood up.

"You'll be the death of me, woman," he said, and headed for the stairs. Iseide followed, rolling her eyes.

"Most likely, yes," she said as they mounted the staircase.

Upstairs there was a mid-sized bed and a small desk. Iseide stepped out of her boots and left them at the foot of the bed as she began to pull her shirt over her head. She had shed her outermost layers once inside, where the thicker leathers and furs were unecessary in the firelit warmth of the house. Removing her shirt left her in her undershirt, leaving her arms and most of her shoulders bare.

"I'm almost glad I got stabbed, it puts me in a real, warm home again," she chuckled, turned to face Raige. He was sitting on the edge of the bed watching her, and Iseide smiled puzzledly. "You seem fascinated."

Raige shook his head and looked away. "Fascinated by the fact you could possibly be happy about being knifed in the leg. You are insane. You could've died, you lost a lot of blood."

"Well, I'm alive," she said, stepping out of her pants and sitting next to him. "And I have you to thank for that. You kept me from bleeding to death and you brought me here. So thank you, again."

"I couldn't just let you die, that would be the end of the mission," Raige said simply, and pulled off his boots. "It's late, we should go to sleep. We need to get moving tomorrow."

Raige lay back, not bothering to retreat under the blankets. It was warm enough without them. Iseide blew out the candles on the night stand, then lay down as well, also on top of the covers.

"Night," she whispered, and kissed Raige breifly on the cheek. Then she rolled over and closed her eyes, immediately asleep.


The next morning, Raige woke up to the sound of laughter from down the stairs. Light spilled through the window on the far wall, and Iseide was nowhere to be found. Upon further inspection, though, her shirt was still draped over the chair at the desk.

Raige stepped into his boots and walked down the stairs. In the main room of Hadar's house, Iseide and the old man sat at the table. Iseide was still in her nightshirt, and was smiling broadly, laughing and talking with Hadar. She seemed to be sewing something, for there was a needle, thread, and pile of white fabric in her lap. Her hair was messily knotted back into a loose pile at the back of her head.

"...Drunk as can be," she was saying, and Hadar chuckled. "Stumbles up, asks 'All right, there, 'Seide?' and slams the man's face right into the table. He even broke a man's nose with his head. Quite effective, really."

At this point Iseide looked up and saw Raige at the foot of the stair, and she smiled to him. Hadar peered around his chair, and also smiled at Raige.

"Good morning, my lad!" Hadar said jovially. "Come, sit with us. Iseide here was just telling me about your eventful evening in Rurin recently."

Raige seated himself next to Iseide, trying to figure out what it was she was stitching together.

"That man cut a nice hole in my trousers," Iseide said, following Raige's eyes. "It's no good trooping about in the snow with a big hole in your pantlegs. I managed to get most of the bloodstains out so we aren't too obvious hiding in the snow."

"She's been sewing and scrubbing all morning, trying to mend and clean those leggings of hers. I tell her it would be easier to go out and buy a new pair but she'll have none of it," Hadar said. Iseide smiled down at her handiwork.

Just then, a kettle began to howl in the kitchen. Hadar began to stand, but Iseide stopped him.

"I'll get it," she said, standing. She turned and walked towards the kitchen.

"Raige, you have to tell me where you found this lovely girl," Hadar said, leaning over the table. "She's a delight to have around. Pretty, too!"

Once Iseide had repaired her clothing, she and Raige began packing up to leave. They pulled on their extra layers of clothing and their weapons, and soon were standing at the door wishing Hadar their farewells.

"Thank you, for everything," Iseide said. "I hope to visit again sometime, though hopefully under better circumstances than one of us profusely bleeding."

Hadar chuckled. "Please, visit any time you like. This old man doesn't often get company, I'd love to have you." He looked up to Raige. "You take care of her, Raige. I expect to see her again, alive, soon."

"I wouldn't worry too much about her, she can certainly handle herself," Raige said, with a laugh. "We'll be back, Hadar."

"Good luck," he said as they left. "Remember what I told you, Iseide."

As the door shut and they started towards where their horses were tethered, Raige turned to Iseide questioningly.

"What did he mean, remember what he said?" asked Raige. Iseide merely shrugged in reply, and looked enigmatically at him.

"Nothing you need to be concerned about. We, after all, have a mission to complete. If we keep stopping like this, we won't be done with it until sometime next winter," she said as she mounted her horse. "So I suggest we get as far out of Zandir as we can, as soon as possible."
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Postby Raige » Thu Jan 13, 2005 4:57 pm

The days passed slowly, the nights even slower. The further into Zandir they traveled, the harder Raige pushed. They'd ride all day and most of the night, catching only a few hours rest. Conversation became more and more sparse, only the bare necessities of travel being addressed, as Raige fell deeper and deeper into the man he had been for so many years now, a Nightblade.

Iseide kept trying to engage him in conversation, but Raige would simply answer with a word or two at most, and the subject, whatever it was she tried to bring up, would die. Eventually, she gave up, resigning herself to travelling in silence. Every day, the routine was the same. Up before dawn, camp gear packed, and off they went. All day, every day, they rode, alternately switching between running their horses and trotting them. Raige knew how to work horses to cover maximum distance without completely exhausting them, and he seemed to be pushing the horses further every day.

The miles were endless. Iseide found herself wondering if people could live in eternity like this, forever travelling, never seeing another human, never seeing any change in the scenery. It seemed as though the two of them could travel forever, and never reach Kuelost. She found it strange that he never consulted a map of any sort, but didn't bother asking about it; he probably wouldn't answer anyway.

That night, as they made camp, Raige broke the silence for the first time for several days.


"Tomorrow afternoon, we'll reach the Kuelosti border. We'll bury the saddles and turn the horses loose. Anything you can't carry on your body has to be buried. Now, more than ever, we have to maintain secrecy."

They finished erecting the tent, but before Iseide went in, Raige put a hand on her arm, stopping her. He gestured with his finger, and she followed him. He led her to a massive oak, and began climbing it. She followed, only having to be helped a couple of times. They climbed high into the tree, until they could see out over what seemed to be the entire earth. Raige walked out on a thich branch, grasped one above him to ensure he didn't fall, then reached his free hand back to help Iseide come out as well. She grasped his gloved hand and went out on the branch beside him. He wrapped his arm about her waist to steady her, and nodded to the northwest.

"Roughly thirty miles that way is Gilden, capitol city of the Magi. Once we get in the city, you will be the leader, and I the follower. Until after we get the gem. Once we have it, we can steal a boat in Gilden's docks. The Jade River runs right through the city, and its currents are faster than any mounts the Kuelosti army has. The Jade River joins with the Silk River some thirty miles north of the Kuelosti/Doranthian border. Technically, we could ride the river straight into Doranth, but I'd bet my life that the Magi's troops will have their river patrol swarming at the border. So, we'll get off the river and make our way back into Doranth by foot. We'll be far harder to catch that way."

Raige led Iseide back along the branch, and she began climbing down. Raige, grinning for the first time in quite some time, leapt down from branch to branch, all the way down the tree and to the ground. He was waiting for her when Iseide reached the bottom, and he helped her down from the last branch to the ground. She threw him a disgusted look and marched towards their tent. Raige shrugged and followed her inside. After they ate, and lay down to sleep, Iseide rolled onto her side and looked at Raige. He turned his head and returned her questioning look.

"What was that look for, when we were up in the tree, when you were looking out towards Gilden?" she inquired.

Raige ran a hand through his hair, sighed deeply. "It's strange...but...whenever I go near Gilden...I get this odd feeling. Almost as if...something inside me is saying that...that it is wrong for me to be fighting the Magi. That I personally have never seen them harm another human being, except in self defense, and I have no right to keep attacking them. That, instead..." Raige stopped speaking, closed his eyes. He took in a deep breath, as if to steady himself. When he continued, his voice was a mere whisper. "I feel as though I should be protecting them. Even more strange...I get the same exact feeling when I'm with you. The closer we get...the stronger it is." Raige opened his eyes, looked at Iseide. "This feeling...it conflicts with my training and my loyalty. When I'm out here alone, it is easy for me to dispel it, simply by rinsing my mind with battle rage. With you...I can't just go looking for fights everywhere. I have to think of you before I think of myself. So...now...I'm fighting this battle inside myself. Fighting a battle for loyalty that should never waiver, the way my training instilled in me."
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Postby Khavi » Fri Jan 14, 2005 12:55 am

Iseide lay quietly for several moments, thinking over what Raige had said. This had to do with what Hadar had said, she was sure of it. Killing the Magi was wrong... Maybe he was one. Maybe his deep secret was that he was actually Magi, just undiscovered... No. Impossible. The Magi were supposed to be wicked, not like Raige. Once he came out of his Nightblade shell, he was... friendly. Helpful. Everything that was ineherently not Magi.

Finally she sat up in her bedroll, ignoring the cold that bit into her bare shoulders and arms.

"Have you ever thought... that maybe there's more to life than just your training? You're allowed to have loyalties outside of jst the Nightblades, aren't you? Friends, lovers, people other than just your fellow warriors," she said. Raige sat up at this point, but didn't speak. "You're entire life can't be spent mostly alone, killing things. It'd make a man crazy, not to mention get him killed prematurely."

"It is what I do. For me, that is life. It has been life for almost as long as I can remember. My parents left me with the soldiers when I was eight, and I've been a warrior ever since. There is nothing else for me, Iseide. I live, I fight, I'll eventually die, and that's it. That's how life is for me, and for the other Nightblades," he said. There was an air of finality in his voice, suggesting there was no room for argument. Iseide, not one to take hints, did not lie back down.

"But there is more to life, Raige. You can't tell me you'd never like to take a holiday. That... you'd rather sit out in a tree watching for an enemy than spending the evening in a tavern with a few friends. And don't tell me that you don't have friends, Raige," she replied.

"I don't have friends. Friends are weaknesses, they become liabilities, something to distract me from my duties. They're something to worry about when I should be focused. If you have friends, your enemies can use them against you," he said. Iseide frowned.

"No friends? Not a single one in all the world? You seemed awfully fond of Hadar. And... I'd like to thinkwe were friends, Raige," Iseide said, looking down at her hands, which were toying with the edge of her bedroll.

"Hadar is a contact. He feeds me information, and I see him only very rarely, not enough to be followed or for him to be pinpointed as someone to use against me. And you, Iseide..." here he paused, as though unsure what he should say. "You are a responsibility. It is my duty to keep you alive so you can stell the gem from Keulost so we can win the war. After this, I doubt we'll see eachother again outside of subsequent missions."

Iseide was silent. Her lips pressed into a thin line, as though she was biting back words, and her brow knit tightly together. Finally she spoke. Her words were carefulyl chosen and een more carefully enunciated, which despite her efforts only made her sound angrier.

"Fair enough, Lord Nightblade," she said acidly. She didn't use his first name, and it hit him like a wall of ice. "I suppose friends would be just a liability to someone of your... profession. We have to wake up early tomorrow morning and travel to Keulost, so we should probably go to sleep. Good night, Raige."


The next several days travel were almost completely silent, neither Raige nore Iseide willing to speak about much of anything. Once they loosed the horses and traveled off the beaten roads, travel slowed considerably. They slogged through snow and ice, and what would have taken only a few days on horseback took just over a week on foot. When they finally reached Gilden, Iseide was exhausted. Her body was not used to prolonged periods of foot travel, and muscles she was unaware she possessed ached. She was in no shape to creep into the castle without at least a day's rest.

"We will spend a day or two in the city, resting and collecting information. We have to learn whatever we can before actually breaking into the castle," she said. They were her first words in almost a week. She and Raige had stopped to rest a mile outside Gilden. The lights of the city glittered in the night. The sun would be up in just a few hours, and they would enter Gilden in the early morning.

'We don't have time to sit and do nothing," Raige grunted, not looking up from his meager dinner. Iseide looked up at him, frowning.

"We will make time, Nightblade. I am tired and I am sore. I am in no condition to do much of anything that I need to do, Raige. I cae along for the explicit purpose of lifting the diamond from the castle, and I can't do that if I am exhausted. So we will wait, and we will rest, and we will figure out the best strategy for finishing our job. Theiving requires a lot of patience. Rushing in without thinking will get us killed almost for sure. All right?" she said sternly. Iseide was in no mood for argument.

"Yes, my lady," Raige said, sounding as hough he were biting back much harsher words.

"Good," was all she said. The rest of the night was spent as silent as the past week, and awake.

The next morning they brushed the snow from their clothing and belongings, and trekked into Gilden. They had a long several days ahead of them, and Iseide was all too ready to get their mission over with.
I was so mad, I could have chewed up nails and spit out paper clips.
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Postby Raige » Tue Jan 18, 2005 11:17 pm

Raige and Iseide made it into the city of Gilden without any problems. They found a quiet inn and got settled in. Then, the problems between the two of them reared their ugly heads.

"No. Absolutely not."

"I'm going out to do some scouting, and that's final."

"Not by yourself, you're not."

"Well I can't very well do my job with you clomping around behind me!"

"...I don't clomp."

"Well you aren't as quiet as a mouse, now are you? You always end up in a fight. We don't need that, we need stealth. Now, I'm leaving, you stay here, I'll be back shortly."

Raige watched Iseide leave, fuming darkly. After she left, he exploded, ripping his throwing axes from his belt in two handfuls and launching them. Every single one embedded itself into the door. Raige disarmed himself, laying his weapons in an orderly fashion on the desk, then began working out. Pushups, situps, handstand pushups, one-legged squats, pushups, situps, repeating the exercises over and over, not letting exhaustion slow him down in the least.
Quitters never win, winners never quit, but those who never win AND never quit are idiots.

For every winner, there are dozens of losers. Odds are you're one of them.
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Postby Khavi » Wed Jan 19, 2005 2:29 am

Iseide pushed open the window at the end of the hallway, and glanced behind her to be sure no one was watching her. She hoisted herself up onto the sill and slid through the small window, and hauled herself up onto the roof, using her foot to lever shut the window as she exited. A full day of rest behind her, she was rested enough to do a little scouting around.

Outside, it was beginning to get dark. Iseide was clad in all black, dark hair knotted securly back at the base of her skull. From the roof of the inn she looked out across the city, to the palace located in the very center.

The palace was her destination that evening, just to see if there was a simple way she could get herself and Raige in, or if she would have to talk him into staying behind.

"Pompous, thick headed muscle," she muttered to herself, hopping to the next rooftop over and landing without a sound. "Even if there was no way for me to sneak that giant in, he'd probably just hack his way through the wall with his teeth."

She hopped swiftly from rooftop to rooftop towards the palace, making little to no noise as she did so. She was three quarters of the way to the palace when she came across two soldiers riding patrol slowly through the streets, chatting as they did so. Iseide paused in her leaping to creep to the edge of the roof, and listen to the talking men. She crept along slowly at the edge fo the roof to keep pace with the soldiers.

"...Paranoid. King's absolutely paranoid. Increasing patrols like that. No one's brave enough-"

"Or stupid enough," interjected his companion.

"Right, or stupid enough, to try and steal the damn diamond. It's hidden well enough that you have to be blindfolded on your way down to patrol it, and behind about a thousand traps beyond the doors we patrol around in front of..."

"I heard," the second soldier said conspiratorily. He leaned closer to his mate, and Iseide craned her neck over the edge, risking being spotted, to hear what he was saying. "I heard that there's monsters behind that doors. And false floors, spike pits, moving walls... Magi who live in the center of the diamond chamber, strictly to protect it. Patrols of magic soldiers and demons."

The first solider shook his head and waved away his friend's tales. "Bollocks," he said. "Magic soldiers? Magi living that far underground? That's just silly."

Underground, thought Iseide, sitting back. The diamond's hidden underground, behind legions of soldiers, and series of traps... shouldn't be too difficult.

"Oy... what's that?" he said suddenly, and pointed up towards Iseide's hidingplace. Iseide scrambled backwards as quietly as she could, and pressed herself flat against the roof.

"Probably just a cat. They're all over the city these days."

"Pretty damn big cat..." The first soldier slid from his saddle, and walked towards the roof. Iseide began inching backwards. She could hear the soldier clinking in his armour, coming ever closer to the roof. She heard him jump, and saw gauntleted hands grasp the edge of the building. She knew he was about to haul hiself up to peer over the roof, and she knew discovery could mean death.

Quickly she grasped the peak of the roof and vaulted herself backwards over the top. A graceful landing and she pressed herself down on the other side of the roof, praying she wa sout of sight.

"Guess you were right," she heard the soldier say, and heard him land back on his feet. "Just a cat."

Iseide exhaled with releif, and rested her cheek against the cold tiles of the roof. She pushed herself to her feet and leapt away over the roofs so she was a few streets over from her initial path, and again started towards the palace.

It wasn't long before she was lurking in the shadows of the great palace wall. She circled the palace once, looking for cracks in the walls or draining vents.

There were none. The wall seemed to be completely unbreachable. It was alost perfectly smooth and at least sixty feet high, impossible to scale. The only way in was through the heavily guarded main entrance.

She crouched on a roof across from the entrance for a long while, watching who, exactly was allowed in. Hiding in a cart was out of the question, they thoroughly checked every cart that went through the gates. They shoved spears through hay bales, opened every chicken crate, unrolled every rug. It was impossible.

Iseide was crestfallen, nearly ready to throw in the towel. She was very close to turning around and heading back to the inn until she realized the one thing.

The huge gate was built from wood, and wood was easily scaled with the proper tools. The gate, now that it was an hour or so after dark, was closed. Guards posted outside the walls were brought in. At the top of the wall, guards paced back and forth, but with Raige's muscle and her stealth, it would be a simple matter to either sneak past or silence them.

Iseide bit her lip, surpressing a smile, and turned to go bounding back to the inn.

She landed on the inn roof not long later, and peering over the ledge found the window into the room she shared with Raige. She lowered herself carefully down to perch on the windowsill, and peered into the window. Raige was furiously doing pushups on the floor of their room. She watched a moment, before pulling open the window and sliding through, landing on the floor in one fluid, catlike motion.

"I found our way in. We'll have to go very late at night... Not for a few days though, I want to survey them for a while, figure out the guard schedules and the timing," she said, shutting the window behind them. She pulled off her gloves, and rubbed her hands together. They were cold from beind out in the winter night air for so long.

Raige didn't look up from his excersize, only grunted in agreement.

"I trust you'll be able to scale the gate quietly," she said, sitting on the edge of the bed. Her soft leather boots came off next, and she removed all her knives.

"Of course I can," he rumbled, sitting back on the floor. He swept the sweat from his face witht he sleeves of his shirt, and leveled a cool gaze on Iseide. "I can be quiet when I must."

"...So I've noticed," replied Iseide, setting her weaponry on a side table. "I overheard some soldiers talking as I was headed for the castle. From what I understand, at the very least, there is amazing armed protection around the outside of the diamond. It is hidden underground, and judging by what they said, the armed guards are the least of our worries. I'm sure half of it was blown up romour, but behind the guarded doors there is a series of wicked traps and things to be manipulated as nimbly as possible. Supposedly, just outisde the chamber housing the gem, there are either magical soldiers, sorcerous beasts, powerful Magi themselves, or some combination of the three. It will be a very, very tricky business extracting this diamond, and to be completely honest I'm not entirely sure how much I will be able to get you through."

Raige, who had been looking towards the castle out the window, immediately looked back at Iseide, his eyes hardened.

"You mean you'll be getting this diamond... by yourself." His voice let Iseide know he was not at all happy with her words.

"I don't know. Maybe. Depending upon the severity of the traps and pitfalls that may be awaiting us within the castle walls... It's quite possible. Your brute strength got us through the forest well enough, but my stealth will get us into the castle and to the diamond. This is why I came, Raige. Your power will not save you if you are not quick and stealthy."

"I don't know what you're playing at, rogue, but-"

"No buts, Raige. We will see when we get down there. Speed and nimbleness may be what we need to get the diamond."

Raige was silent. He watched her through unreadable eyes, and Iseide couldn't tell what he was thinking.

"I'm sorry. But that may be the way it has to happen. If we can find a way to get both of us into the diamond chamber, all the better, but I'm not making a futile attempt to sneak you through. Not if it means your life and mine. If I get killed on the way in, so be it, one us can go back to tell Kalgar the mission failed. But if both of us die in the attempt, Kalgar has no warning of what is bound to come next. All personal problems between us aside, I will not have both of us die when it could have been preventable." She did not break his gaze, and said only, "We go in three days time. We can burn all our bridges when we get to them."
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Postby Raige » Wed Jan 19, 2005 4:15 pm

Raige kept his steely gaze on Iseide for a long, uncomfortable moment, before turning his head away and shrugging. He stood and removed his shirt, tossing it into a corner of the room.

"As you wish."

Raige went to the bathchamber, and, purely out of pent up frustration, slammed the door behind him.

The next two nights were more of the same, Iseide going out and doing her scouting, Raige staying in the room, exercising. During the day, he moved the furniture around so as to give him room to work, and practiced with all of his weapons for hours upon hours. At night, he worked on his body. He never sat still for long, and each night, after waiting for Iseide to return, he would clean up and collapse into bed. Iseide would tell him what she found out, and he would pretend he wasn't listening, but he stored every bit of information for use later. She didn't know it, but he was going with her to get that gem, whether she liked it or not. All that nonsense about her maybe being killed and him escaping to tell Kalgar? That was what it was; pure nonsense. He was ordered to protect her, and by the gods, he was not going to allow any harm to come to her, not while he could draw a breath with which to fight.
Quitters never win, winners never quit, but those who never win AND never quit are idiots.

For every winner, there are dozens of losers. Odds are you're one of them.
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Postby Khavi » Mon Mar 14, 2005 3:57 am

Iseide and Raige crouched at the top of the wall, four dead and one unconcious guard behind them. Iseide was peering over the wall, down into the yard around castle walls. There were a few guards patroling back and forth, and any number of doors and hatches behind which could be the diamond. Iseide thought for a moment, then turned around and sat down.

She reached into a small pouch at her hip, and withdrew some tiny object before creeping forward towards one unconscious soldier. An officer, judging by the medals on his breast. Crouching over him, pinning him to the floor, Iseide placed one hand over the man's mouth, and swept the tiny thing underneath his nose.

He woke up immediately, eyes wild, and strained against Iseide's hand. She kept her hand firmly over his mouth, keeping him silent. Tucking the small thing back into the pouch, Iseide drew a dagger and pressed it to his throat.

"Be still," she hissed. "I am going to ask you some questions, and you will answer them quietly, or I will not hesitate to kill you. All right?"

The man nodded vigorously, eyes still wide.

"First question," she said. "And I will know if you are lying. How do I get to the diamond chambers?"

She peeled her hand slowly from his mouth, ready to clap it back down if he made any uncalled for noise.

"Go into the yard," he said fearfully. "There is a hidden door in the east wall, marked by the symbol of the Magi on one of the stones... But you'll never get in, you must be Magi to open the door!"

Iseide pressed her hand back to his mouth. "I'm sure I can manage. What will I find when I get through that door?"

"Stairs," he choked, once her had was away from his mouth again. "Stairs that go down forever... and then soldiers, the worst you could imagine... soldiers who live underground, who live only to protect the diamond."

"Mortal men?"

"Mortal men."

"And past that?"

"I do not know. I've only been to the bottom of the stairs," he said. Iseide knew he was being sincere. She frowned, puth her hand to his mouth, and pulled her knife away from his neck. He relaxed, until he saw Iseide raise her dagger.

She brought the pommel down hard across his temple, rendering him almost immediately unconcious. She sheathed her sword, pulled another tiny thing from her pouch, and slipped it into his mouth.

"You'll be out for the next three days," she whispered. "Though I suspect they'll do worse to you once they discover you've given us the gem."

She stood, and began creeping down the walkway, motioning Raige to follow her. He was surprisingly silent for his bulk and the amount of equipment he carried with him. Iseide was glad for that, she had been very worried about his making accidental noise.

They got down the stairs and across the yard without trouble or discovery. It was a new moon, so there was very little natural light. Guards were easy to spot, for they carried torches, which served as warning beacons. Once they were pressed against the castle wall, Iseide paused to orient herself. The door was on the east wall, and they had scaled the north gate.

She started creeping in an easterly direction, motioning Raige to follow her. When they came to the corner, Iseide motioned him to stop. She leaned around and peered very carefully past the corner. There were guards near the outer wall, but far enough away that they wouldn't notice anything. Their torches would alert Iseide to any movement.

She slipped around the corner, onto the east wall, and crept very slowly along the wall. The mark of the Magi was not a symbol she was familiar with, but she was sure she would recognize it against the otherwise smooth walls.

It was extremely slow going, with Raige keeping an eye on the guards and Iseide checking every brick in the wall for any sort of mysterious symbols.

She was nearly to the end of the wall, and beginning to think she had honestly been duped, when Raige caught her arm. He tapped his finger on a brick, and then turned his attention back to the guards. Iseide frowned, and moved back to the brick.

In the corner of the brick there was a tiny symbol Iseide was sure had not been there previously. It was twisted and jagged, vaguely remeniscent of ancient symbols she had seen in holy places. She frowned, and searched around the brick for any unnatural cracks in the wall, any signs of a door.

There were none.

Iseide felt the urge to kick the wall and go home. She looked back at the symbol, and saw it had changed. There were two marks now, a second symbol next to the first one. Puzzled, Iseide ran her fingers over the sybols to be sure they were really carved into the stone.

At her touch, however, they suddenly flared to life. Blue-white light glowed from the symbols, as a third one appeared. Iseide immediatle slapped her hands over them, trying to hide the light, but it was strong enough to shine between her fingers.

Looking over her shoulder, she saw the guards take notice, and begin to move towards their position against the wall.

"Dispatch them!" she hissed at Raige. She heard the sound of weapons drawn and thrown, and before she could figure out what had happened, the wall began to slide away from her hands, surprisingly quietly. The light from the symbols died, and Iseide immediately ducked into the opening. Raige followed.

The section of the wall slid back into place behind them, and everything was dark and silent. It was so dark in the passage that even Iseide's night-sighted eyes could not see through the thick blackness that had settled around them.

"Should have brought a torch," she grumbled. However, just as she finished speaking, torches flared on either side of them, in curiously blue, cold fire. Then other torches sprang to life, all down the passageway, which turned out to be shallow curving stairs.

"So much for only Magi can get through."

She started down the stairs, moving cautiously, looking everywhere for false floors or tripwires or any other number of potentially fatal traps. Everywhere she looked, though, were identical blue-flame torches, curving grey stone walls, and shallow steps.

They followed the steps for what felt like hours and hours, in complete silence. Finally the stairs straightened out, and there was what appeared to be an archway into a dark room several hundred paces in front of them. They advanced slowly, and when they reached the door Iseide tried to see in through the darkness.

As soon as they reached the archway, the torches winked out, leaving them in opaque blackness. Iseide froze, listening, straining to see through the darkness. She reached out, felt the wall, and took a small step forward.

Suddenly, in the next room, torches exploded to life. These burned red, like true fire, but still seemed to give no heat. She looked at Raige, and motioned him to stay hidden, out of sight of the door. It was better if whatever was in the room didn't know exactly what was coming.

Iseide started forward, creeping through the door into the next room. It was a wide, ciruclar room, with huge oaken double doors set in the far wall. In the lefthand door was the first symbol to appear on the brick in the castle yard, and on the righthand door was the mysterious second symbol.

There didn't appear to be anyone ese in the room, hiding in the corners or against the wall behind her, so Iseide started towards the doors. Just as she laid her hands on the wood, there were voices behind her.

"Nobody likes a sneak or a theif," said one voice. "Sneaks and theives just cause trouble."

"You're right, I think. But this one's different... she got past the door, and the steps, and she brought a friend," said a second voice. They sounded young, no more than eighteen, and when she turned she saw two handsome young faces watching her intently.

"Don't look so surprised, sneak-theif, you knew we were here. That guard told you," said the first. He was pale and blonde, with shining blue eyes and a constant smirk.

"And tell your friend he can come out, we know he's there," said the second. This one was the exact opposite of the first. He was brown skinned, with raven hair and eyes so dark they seemed to swallow light.

"How do you..." Iseide started, and they both laughed.

"Oh we know everything that goes on down here. We do live here, after all."

"You two are the soldiers that guard warned me of? But you're..."

"Older than we look. We've lived here fora very long time, you know."

Iseide opened her mouth to speak, but they silenced her.

"You're going to say you thought we were mortal men... and we are. But as long as we stay right here, in this chamber, we are young. We cannot leave. And you can kill us... if you can catch us."

"Will you let us through?"

"Of course not. We're charged with protecting the diamond. You've come to take it, and we're going to stop you."

"And that fellow of yours is trying to sneak up on me, but of course I'm having none of it," the fair haired one said. He ducked suddenly, with inhuman speed, and Raige's sword struck the stone floor. Raige turned and started after the boy, who had pulled a long shining sword of his own.

"I'm very sorry Iseide, I think you're quite interesting really... but I'm afraid we've got to do our duties," the dark haired boy said, and Iseide turned her attention back to him. She didn't know how he knew her name, and she didn't spectacularly care.

"I don't suppose we could talk about this like civilized people," Iseide said, beginning to circle her opponent. "I'm sure we could come to an agreement."

"Only if you agreed to turn and walk out," the boy said. He shrugged, beginning to circle as well, keeping a careful and apparently well-trained eye on Iseide.

"I don't think that will be happening any time soon," Iseide replied. She drew two long daggers, and the boy followed suit. His blades were black as night, and didn't seem to reflect the torchlight. "Interesting weapons."

"Thanks," he said. He smiled wickedly at her. "They haven't seen good use in a long time, I'm quite pleased at a chance to draw them again."

Iseide lunged forward, striking out, not expecting to hit. She wanted to guage his speed and strength more than anything else. He was impossible to read, just circling as they were.

The boy dodged, as fast as his counterpart, and Isede twisted away from the knife he brought down at her shoulder. They struck and dodged for a while, a lithe game of cat and mouse, before backing away from one another again. Iseide couldn't help but feel as though she was fighting her own shadow.

"You're the fastest I've seen in a while," he said. "It's refreshing."

"Same to you," Iseide said, smiling. "I'm pleasently surprised, really. That guard told me soldiers and I expected the same old brutes as we always get. It's very rare I get to fight someone worth the effort."
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