The Prophecy: an Epic Adventure (Dawg and Aestas)

[Dawg]

Kinnegarr listened to her reply and his position sunk in even further than before.  True, no matter how much he resented his uncle for not letting him grow, he had been sheltered.  He could go into the woods and do most anything he pleased.  As the harsh reality continued to imbue itself on his mind, he thought if he would ever be able go out and spend a lazy afternoon fishing by a bubbling brook or sit at the side of a meadow at dawn when the sun came up painting the sky with blazing color of orange, purple and blue while he watched a mother and young buck cross to feed.

Yes, those images are fast becoming distant and being clouded by the shadow from his dream last night.  The sight of his aunt and uncle lying on the floor just night before with their life essence draining from them, and his family being run over in the streets which he now knows was a murder.  Yes his life was changing and at a speed unthinkable to any being alive.

“You are right Jira, I am unprepared for what stands before me, but I swear to you that I will do whatever must be done to make up that difference so we can defeat whatever it is that you talk about. Let’s get moving, we are wasting time sitting here.”

He stands and offers his hand to her to help her up.

[Sherona]

"Indeed." She says flatly as he speaks. Taking one last look at her rough, calloused hands she sighs lightly and slips her hand into his and climbed to her feet. She could have done so without his help, but even that small gesture helped her to feel slightly more feminine, slightly more normal.

"You must stop thinking about it." She casualy remarks as she begins to lead them once more, her body moving fluidly around obstacles, adn keeping from sticking to a straight path. "Keep the hate and anger, but stop picturing what you saw. It will only serve to distract you."

She does not pause, does not look towards him as she continues. The trees thin lightly, almost imperceptively until there was a break a head, about a hundred yards or so.

[Dawg]

Kinegarr helps Jira to her feet and is glad that she allowed him to do so.  His view of her has changed from the sassy lass in the skirts down at the pub in the village to that of his protector now.  A strong willed warrior that has sworn to protect him with her very life, but this momentary moment of chivalry that she allowed to happen reminds him that she is still the Jira he always knew under all that armor and thick skin of hers.

He listens to her words of wisdom about letting go and doesn’t know if he can, but he begins to try at least.  She steps off through the woods again and this time he is determined to keep up with her as they make their way to whatever destination she has them headed for.  His steps have a new spring in them since the rest and he manages to keep pace with her a little easier this time.

The woods are changing slightly as they continue onwards, gone are the towering oak trees mixed with the occasional white pine.  Now the trees are mixed with more maples and the occasional meadows they skirt bussing with the insects above the grass are getting larger and less swampy.

His mind begins to think less about his own personal grief and focuses instead on the world around him.  The squirrels that scamper up the tree trunks as they pass near or the possum hanging high on that branch, asleep for the day out of the reach of all the ground predators.  Even the different insects fluttering about in the air in front of him seem to come into focus.  He realizes that as he focuses the journey becomes easier and he is still not out of breath even as he notices Jira slow and takes particular notice of the break ahead.

[Sherona]

Jira slows her step as the clearing approaches, her ears perking as she listened carefully. She must remember that many do not even remember that the king who sits on Kinegarr's throne is just a spot holder, an usurper. Instead he held the power, and the full authority of the law over them.

"Listen very closely Kinegarr. We go into a village now. You must not speak of what happened, you must not try and alert the authorities..you must keep quiet and let me do the speaking." Her voice was low, and very still as she begins putting herself more together, tucking in her tight armored shirt and adjusting so that it did not look as if she had sat all night in it.  "You are the fugitive now. Just assume that the Usurper has been alerted that you were not slain last night, and he has a very long reach."

That said she slowly begins to move, not at a pace like before but a more casual pace, swinging her arms almost girlishly as the village road came into view, almost as if she was just on a hike.

[Dawg]

Kinngar watched Jira as she slowed upon reaching the clearing, this time seemed different, she wasn’t looking for a way around and where potential danger may lurk, rather she was eyeing the village ahead of us and seeming to size it up.  He noticed her look at the perimeter buildings and then a long concentrated look at the heart of the village and the people bustling about there.

“Uhm, sure. Trust me, I am not leaving your side Jira, I have no idea what is going on but right now you are the only one I trust”

Nervously he stepped behind her trying to put on his best face.  He looked around nervously as the two of them approached the village.  The hair on the back of his neck stood on end as he was positive every person in the village was watching him and expecting someone to dart out and grab him at any moment.

[Sherona]

Jira walks almost happily, though her green eyes glint hard between her lashes. One arm reaches out and snags Kinnegar's arm, her hand looping through his elbow, casually forthe appearance of outsiders, though her fingers grasp his arm tightly.

"Ho there, little girl, son.." A guard calls, moving toward them quickly. His weathered face kindly, but looking over them quickly wtih an inspectory glance. "What be your business in Fairweather today, I don't recognize you nor your pretty lass." He spoke, obviously at the man of the duo, though Jira speaks up firmly.

"Forgive my brother my Lord...he is a bit daft in the head...Maw said it was because the All Father thought that there was enough ableminded men in the world, that we needed a few more loving boys." Jira smiles almost too innocently up at the guard, who looked at them both a bit suspiciously. "Why do you have armaments?' He questioned shrewdly.

"We came from our farm about two days journy My Lord. You would not have a woman and her poor feeble minded brother travel alone and unarmed? I am the only other child of my parents, who are both too ill to make a trip for apothecary purposes, I must take care of Kenneth here as well as myself." Flashing the older guard a winning smile, her fingers just about digging into Kinnegar's arm as the guard turnedhis attention back to the man.

"Can you speak boy?"

[Dawg]

Kinngar walked into the village feeling about as out of place as a fox in a hen house.  The feeling that he was the center of attention and that they would be spotted came bluntly before him as the guard came up and started talking to Jira.  He could feel is all the way to his bone that they were going to be found out and taken in.  Jira spun her tale like a practiced rogue trying to get them out of a jam, but he knew it wouldn’t work.

His perspiration began to run down his back and he knew that his face must be red from the feel of the blood rushing to his head.   Thoughts of prison and torture were flying through his mind and he wanted to reach for his sword, there was only one of them here and they beat the men on the farm, why not here and now.  Jira just dug into his arm and kept telling her tale, what was that she called him, feeble minded, what is that supposed to mean.

His breathing was fast and he felt light headed, then the guard turned to him, think Kinngar, what are you supposed to say ….

He took his free hand and began to rub the back of his neck and and rocked his head back and forth not looking the guard in the eye, instead he looked over the man’s shoulder. He remembered that the crazy old man in the town back home used to do that.  Maybe that is what she meant, he always talked jibberish and nobody ever paid attention to him, so maybe he could do the same.

“Talk … talk … ye-ye-yes sirrr, I ca-ca-can talk,” he looked at Jira next, “i-i-s th-th-this the ta-ta-town, that ma-ma-maw sent us too Kate.” He continued to bob his head back and forth as he said it and never ceased vigerously rubbing the back of his neck.


His only hope was that he was convincing enough that they would spot him as futre King material and would let them go.

[Aestas]

A change had come over the warrior.  Her smile more open, her eyes bright with supposed honesty, she seemed almost idle as the guard would turn his questioning towards her charge.  The only betrayal of her nervousness would be the way her nails dug into his arm.  Of course, she could not control what he said, or how well he acted. 

A sweet, compassionate smile touching her lips as he would stutter so, acting the right, proper idiot.  For a moment she would muse to herself that it would be easier for everyone if he was.. But then.. Her attention turning back to the guard, that slight lift of her shoulder as she would meet his eyes, seeming to share a look of pity with the older man.  'Aye, it is, brother.  Don't stress your sweet head.."  That soft press of her lips against his brow, as one might sooth a child. 

"An' you! Please don't confuse the poor boy, it's 'ard enough to keep him in line without people making him think we is wrong in being here.."  That slight sniff, a touch offended by the guards continued questioning, though the older man seemed taken aback by her mild rebuff. 

"Right protective of your brother, are ya, lass?  Well, all to the better, boy like that need ah guardian.."  the older man would nod, knuckling his mustaches a bit.  Taking one last look at their garb, as if measuring it against what they had said, before he would wave them on through. "Just make sure to be indoors before nightfall, there is mischief afoot.."

A sweet smile, tossing her hair lightly in a rather flighty manner before she would lead her brother past the man.  Her fingers slowly letting up on his arm, tension draining from her body, though she did not stop until they were well out of the guard's eyes.  "That was too close.."  Her tone cold now, brows furrowed as she would look at her charge for a moment.

[Dawg]

Kinngar continued his act hoping it was going to work, no one would think he were the future possible king if he acted like this – he hoped.  Jira’s finger still held tight and as he spoke they dug deeper, he hadn’t realized just how strong she was until just now as he bit back on the pain in his forearm from her grip.  She turned to him and kissed him on the forehead, no one had done that since his mother  … yes his mother, she used to protect him when he was little didn’t she …  his mind goes back for a moment thinking of his mother and how she used to make sure no harm came to him.

His mind snapped back to the present almost as fast as it had slipped, when he heard the guard speaking again and this time he kept quiet, nothing was directed at him in this line of the conversation so best he keep his mouth shut. He lets them go bye and he almost let out a sigh of relief, but held in rocking his head and quietly mumbling nonsense to himself.

Since he had no idea where they were, let alone where they were going, he let Jira lead him by the arm through the village.  As they walked her grip let up and he was grateful to feel the circulation returning to his hand.  Once they were out of the guards view, she turned to him and spoke, "That was too close.."  only this was the Jira from outside the village, serious and with a goal in her eyes.  It was that look that one has when they can see what they are thinking before they even see it.  “What are you doing,” he queried her quietly, “why did you bring me in here, we almost got caught back there.”

[Aestas]

They were at the edge of the village.  A low wall surrounding the 'Village Green'  The long pole standing at the center, well-weathered from use.  Jira would look around them, her arm still wrapped through his, leaning against him slightly.  Giving the casual appearance of intimacy, or even caring.  Though her eyes were hard, sliding past him towards where the guard had gone back to his post, before she would begin to lead him, instead of through the village, along the side of it.  Towards the woods.

"Everything we do is dangerous.  Letting you live is dangerous.  Walking down this street is dangerous..'  It seemed they merely strolled across the green, as if they had a destination, but weren't in any hurry to get there.  'Would you rather we curled up under a rock some where, waiting for everything to pass us by?  Or do you want to learn what you must to take back your kingdom?  To displace the pretender who has corrupted your throne?  Quit whining.'  She smiled brightly, her expression completely at odds with her words.  Making her seem almost bi-polar if the boy didn't know that the sweet expression was simply a show in case anyone else saw them.  When they reached the edge of the village, the forest looming closer to them than not, she would pull him suddenly into the darkness of the trees. 

"Simply put, Kinngar.. We do not have alot of time..  It would have taken hours for me to navigate through the woods what took mere minutes of time to stroll through the village.."  The truth was, she wasn't sure she could have found it in the woods.. The directions she had been given were rather specific.  In the woods.  Under the cover of trees and bushes, she would release him, her expression turning back to that icy disinterest, focusing not on him, but on the area around them.  "This way.."  Spoken softly as she would find what seemed to be a deer trail, leading them through the woods towards a cottage.  It was not far, all told, from the village itself, though isolated by the thick woods around it. 

Perhaps cottage was too strong a word.  The building looking more like a hovel.  A shanty.  It had obviously not been painted in years.  The wood seeming splintered in places, not quite meeting up right in places, likely not much better than simply sleeping outside. 

"Ho there.. anyone about?"  Her voice just barely raised, anyone farther away than the edge of the building would not even hear it. 

[Dawg]

Kinngar followed behind Jira through the village, he had no other choice since she was pulling him along nor did he have any other desire yet to stay close to her.  His heart was pounding still from the encounter with the guard, he felt as the entire land could hear the steady fast beat thumping in his chest.  The adrenaline was so high that his ears buzzed and he could barely pay attention when they got to the village green and she said something about things still being dangerous, or did she say everything is dangerous.  He didn’t know as he nervously followed her lead.

Finally she made for the woods again, at least he felt safer there – at least with her nearby.  Things were still moving too fast for him, but he had no choice but to listen and learn.  She gave her lecture about how going through the village was their only choice today since time was their enemy it seemed.  This now began to make sense, and since he was away from that drilling guard his heartbeat turned back to normal and his breathing eased as she spoke. He finally caught on to what she was saying in the green as it sunk in. In an almost defiant tone he turned to her as she told him about going through the village instead of around, “I’m not whining Jira, I don’t know these things, you do.  Give me time and I will learn,” his expression softened and he looked up at the branches blowing in the breeze, questioning why he was the chosen one, but didn’t tell her that, that was his devil to conquer, “Thank you.”

She turned and told him to follow and he did, much better this time.  He recalled how she told him to not only pay attention to where he stepped next but to keep an eye all around.  This time when she flung the branch back at him he saw it coming and ducked, a sly smirk across his face at this minor victory.  But it soon faded as she picked up the pace, it seemed that with each lesson learned she would deal out more.

They finally reached the destination she had been talking about, or so he thought until he stepped out of the deeper woods and the house, no cabin or whatever it was came into view.  At first he thought it was just another shortcut, until she called out to whoever was inside.  She said we going to see a master, a mighty warrior that thought her what she knew.  Not some has been hermit that lives in a rundown shanty in the woods. As the realization that this was where they were headed sank in, for the first time he began to question what she had been telling him.

[Aestas]

His words made sense.. To a large degree it did bug her that he was not ready to take the throne, that moment.. Perhaps she did lay too heavy a burden upon him.  Expecting too much.  'I apologize.. I have been hard on you..'

Jira's eyes slowly moved around the shack, taking a single step forward.  And then she would hear it.  That slight sound that was outside the natural order of bird calls and furtive animal movements.  A slight ¤click¤ seemed to resonate within her mind.  She barely had time to speak, in the second it took for her heart to thud within her chest she had jumped sideways, her body connecting with that of her charge, carrying him sideways.  The loud meaty ¤thunk!¤ echoing through the small clearing.

'Stay down..'  A harsh whisper in his ear as the toes of her boots would dig into the soft loam of the forest floor, mere second before she would disappear into the underbrush.  Should Kinngar look up he would notice the crossbow bolt buried deeply in the soft wood of a tree, the feathered end still quivering unsettlingly.

Jira moved quietly, every shift of her body precise and controlled. It almost made her giddy, that rush of adrenaline, a tight smile touching those normally thin lips.  She tried not to hurry, though the thought of having left the prince crouched down in the grass, in the open, was enough to spur her movements.  It did not take long before she caught sight of the man.  He was a burly sort.  Thick muscular arms that seemed to handle the heavy crossbow like a child's toy, pulling back the string with thick fingers rather than using the crank as a lesser man might. 

She would watch him take aim again, his attention focused outwards, giving her plenty of time to step quietly behind him, her dagger scraping the meaty curve of her throat.

'Pull that trigger, and so help me..'  She let it hang, nearly holding her breath..

[Dawg]

Kinngar followed Jira into the clearing and stood next her as she quietly called out, obviously she was looking for someone, but who he wondered.  He knew better than to ask questions at this juncture, she was already on edge from the village and neither had a good night’s sleep so he let the question hang in his mind unanswered.

He was practicing what she had taught him earlier that day, to look beyond the tree and use your senses to see the forest.  He noticed two squirrels running up separate trees on opposite sides of the cabin, something he would not have before and a small smile came to his face at this minor victory, he was sure of himself as a fast learner and that had just proved it to himself.

Suddenly though he got a great sense of unease, the same feeling he had last night before he went to sleep, but now keen to the feeling he knew something was about to happen just not what. How he knew this he wasn’t sure, but he was sure it was.  Looking around he became very serious trying to locate the source of this disturbance, he opened his ears and sniffed the air as he looked, but could detect nothing.

Then it happened, Jira jumped at him, she was trying to catch him off guard.  He knew she couldn’t be trusted, why did he allow himself to follow her to this place, she was going to kill him herself he was sure of it even before she was on top of him.  She came like lightning, he had never seen anyone move so quickly and everything he could think of to defend himself was useless as time slowed down for him and all he could see was her wrapping her arms around him as she tackled him to the ground.  He tried to raise his hands even but she was just too fast.

He was about to kick her off and draw his sword when the bolt flew just past her head landing with a THUD in a nearby tree.  His defenses collapsed when he realized what he had been thinking just then, it wasn’t her that was trying to kill him it was someone else and she had just saved his life, again.

“Stay Down,” was her command and he obeyed. As she disappeared into the leaves he looked at the bolt still vibrating in the tree and internally a small waive of shame broke over him as he realized that he had not yet let into her full trust, yest she has already saved his life twice at the risk of her own.  He bite hard on that shame and vowed to himself that he would rust her from this point forward.

[Aestas]

The man had been distracted.  Rising on his tiptoes, his body mostly obscured from her original place by the overgrown brush that surrounded the hovel.  However, when her blade had slid against his throat he had gone deadly still.  He was a big man.  Muscular, though it was layered with fat enough to make one dismiss him as a layabout, or a drunkard..  Jira was much smaller, pressed up on her tiptoes to get high enough to press the blade into his throat.  She would tighten her grip, pressing it back against his thick neck.  Her lips pulled back into something that mocked a smile, tight and feral. 

Thick fingers wrapping around her wrist, jerking her hand down, her body slamming against his back, and then suddenly she was being hurtled over his shoulder.  Her first impulse to tense, yet she fought that, instead making her body relax, hitting the ground, now within sight of Kinngar once more.  She.. Rolled, head over hills until she was rightside up once more.  Strands of dark hair coming loose from the tight knot she kept it in.  Only a second and she was on her feet again, her sword drawn, held low and ready, across her body.

The heavy man stepped from the brush, a movement that was oddly graceful for how bulky he was.  Almost like a dancer.  His head shaved, though a bushy beard covered the bottom half of his face.  A plain leather jerkin pulled taut over his bulk, straining at the seams, his pants more comfortably fitted, leather as well, a long curved dagger hanging off his belt, though he still held the crossbow, the bolt already loaded.  Those narrowed eyes taking in the boy, as well as the warrior lass who slowly rose to her feet.

'So this is 'im?'  His voice a low rumble, like distant thunder, even as he would lift the crossbow bolt once more, aiming it directly at Kinngar where he still crouched on the ground. 'Not much is'ee?'  Narrowed eyes, a startling blue, would focus on Kinngar as he would aim the heavy crossbow, the weighty weapon balanced easily in one hand, his finger tightening upon the trigger.  'I do nary see what all the fuss 'as been about..'  His hard face wearing something akin to a smile as he would slowly lower the aim of the weapon from the boy's general area, to his head in specific.

Jira would launch herself forward, her heart seeming to beat double time.  Every throb thundering in her ear.  She didn't come this far to lose him already!

[Dawg]

Kinngar lay still as he watched the bolt twanging in the tree above his head.  Silently he looked at the man and his heart began to race shoving blood to his cheeks as they turned a faint shade of pink.  His breathing quickened as he stayed motionless watching him for what he would do next.

Suddenly he saw his savior gain the upper hand as he saw her blade come across the man’s neck from behind, his breath eased for a moment until he saw the man gracefully to his surprise grab her and flip her onto the ground in front of him.  His words came with sarcasm and were directed at him as well as her.

As he mockingly spoke about him his fear turned to anger and he stood quickly, even quick enough to surprise himself and drew his sword in a quick graceful motion that only the trained eye would catch as being a sloppy move, but for him he was rather proud of how quickly he had reacted.

“Hold there,” he said pointing his sword at the man, “who are you and what do mean by attacking us here so unexpectedly?” His words came out and were steady as he tried to hide his fear from the attacker.  As he said that the man still with the crossbow aimed at him he caught side of Jira as she lunged at the man.

[Aestas]

If she had a moment to think upon it, she might have been proud of the way he faced down that barbed bolt.  The brute's attention focused upon him, giving her just the edge she needed to slam her lithe frame into his side.  Her head lowering, hitting him with her shoulder, in the soft roundness of his belly.  The bigger man gasped as he stumbled back.  “Jira!  I wasn't going to shoot!”  His voice gruff, breathless as he would try to regain his equilibrium. 

The large man rubbing his ribs lightly, glaring at the dark-headed warrioress.  “Though nice t'see that ye have not lost yer touch, gel.  Though, didst ye 'ave to hit so 'ard?” 

“I thought..  Damnit!  Did you have to scare me like that?”  Little strands of hair falling across her hair, her entire demeanor one of disarray.  Her heart was beating too fast.  “He hasn't been trained..”  Correcting herself, turning towards Kinngar now, instead of talking over his head.  “Kinngar Garlerran, meet.. My teacher.. Telgryn Hykrithe.  Telgryn.. This is Kinngar Garlerran.. Rightful King..”  And perhaps it showed in the way he had stood up in the face of almost certain death.  That barbed quarrel gleaming in the sunlight now, though it was no longer pointed at anyone or anything. 

“Well!  Let me look at'ye lad!”  The man was built like a bear, and his large hand grabbed the boy's shoulder, jerking him forward slightly.  “'E's feisty alright.. But does 'e always let ye fight 'is battles for him, lass?”  Jira's eyebrows drawing in as she would straighten her shoulders. 

“He's young yet.. He hasn't been properly trained..”  She would have continued but he seemed to bowl right over her. 

“Not properly Trained!”  He roared, his bushy brows drawing inwards as he would turn back to Jira.  “What do you mean, not properly trained.. How is he supposed to take back the throne like this?!”

“Thats just it!  I need your help.. I cannot teach him on my own..  He learns quickly..”

“I 'ave nae taken a student in.. well.. Since ye, Jira..”  Turning to the boy he would squint at him. “What say ye, Lad?  Willing t'Learn?”

[Dawg]

As Kinngar stood there with his sword pointed at the man threatening him he suddenly realized how foolish his position was, he could feel his heartbeat in the back of his throat like a large piece of food lodged there blocking his airway and making it difficult to breathe.  He realized for the first time in his young life that he had just stood up for himself, against real danger, and seeing just what that danger consisted of he forgot to breathe momentarily.

The glint from the sun shone off the bolt as it was aimed at him and he saw in the man’s eyes not that of an overzealous bounty hunter looking for an easy trap, but that of a trained warrior who knew exactly what he was doing, but what his plans were Kinngar could not discern.

As the two stared at each other Jira lunged into him and as the bolt left its aim at him, he caught his breathe and could feel that lump in the back of his throat again. 

Jira and the man spoke as though they knew each other and it became apparent that in fact he was a friend and not a foe, in fact it turned out this was the man she spoke about on the cliff side last night, her teacher that she was taking him too and the lump began to dissipate. 

The two spoke of his inexperience and a sudden shyness came over him from the embarrassment he felt at not knowing the skills needed to take the thrown.  As Telgryn looked him over he felt almost naked to the world at his inexperience, and a tinge of anger at Jira for disclosing his inadequacy to this stranger.

Telgryn grabbed him by the shoulder and looking him in the eyes asked, “What say ye, Lad?  Willing t'Learn?”  And suddenly Kinngar came to reality again, this master was willing to take him in as a student and teach him the ways of a warrior, something he had wanted his entire life, a dream to be fulfilled.  Time seemed to stop for him as this reality hit him.  All the years of beating up trees with wooden swords and parrying the head and hoofs of the plow horse would now instead be taught to him by a master.  And if he was good enough to teach Jira what she displayed in the last couple of days, then he would be good enough for him, did she say future King.  That thought floored him as it hit him again things were moving to fast for him.

What seemed like an eternity to Kinngar was in fact a split second to Jira and Telgryn, his answer came almost before Telgryn finished his sentence. “Aye, I will learn from you Telgryn, that is your name isn’t it.  We don’t have much time as I saw this evil in my dreams last night and it seeks me out even as we speak.  If Jira is correct in her relaying of the prophecy, we must move quickly so I can be ready when it finds me, or better yet, I can be ready to go find it.  What do we need to start?” 

He was as ready as he ever has been, although the thought of the minor lessons that Jira had taught over the last couple of days and his ineptitude frightened him, but he was ready, whatever Telgryn would have him do he would, it was the only way.

[Aestas]

For a long wavering moment, he would continue to squint at the young man, seeming to size him up, everything from the way his shoulders were built, to the way he carried the wooden sword.  “Right fancy at talkin' already is ye, boy?”  Yet the older man was grinning, a right strange expression upon the grizzled face.  “Well, ain't no time like t'present t'be knowin' how things be..”  The man looking around at the seeming hovel, his eyes meeting Jira's for a moment before he would move towards the rundown building. 

“We do nae have t'luxury of time..”  The large man stopping to spit to the side of the door before disappearing inside, with a wave of his hand towards the two who were still standing before the run down cabin.  Jira would take a moment to adjust her belt, giving Kinngar a long, measuring look, as if seeing him for the first time.  And then following Telgryn into the building. Inside, the bigger man was nowhere to be seen.  The building itself seemed to encompass just one room.  Though that one room was cluttered.. A broken chair leaning against one wall, several barrels and dried furs heaped haphazardly.  A grimy table seeming to dominate, though Telgryn was no where to be seen.

Her nose crinkling for a moment at the heavy stench of the place.  The stench of the furs, the scent of an animal's nest likely somewhere within the mess.. Her gaze sweeping the room to find her old Master, only to catch the edge of darkness behind the barrels, some sort of hidden doorway, likely invisible when it was not opened.  Without hesitation she would move towards it, sliding downwards into the darkness. 

Her rough and calloused digits would brush against the wall beside her head, following the contours of it, though it seemed a straight enough corridor.  The steps rough-hewn, a mixture of hard packed earth and natural stone edifice.  The dim glow of a flickering flame would quickly outline the path before her, the flames light capricious, throwing shadows with wild abandon around the place where they now found themselves.  Compared to the upstairs, the small gathering of rooms was strangely pristine.  A mat lying against the far wall, a table set up with maps and compasses, and various other items scattered about the top.. 

Through the stone-archway, rough though it might be, one could see the glimmer of light off metal.  Weapons, armor, the pure magnitude of the selection was amazing.  As if every piece of old armor from the village had been collected, shined until it gleamed, and then stored within this hiding place.

“T'ain't a moment t'spare..”  The older man already gathering a few items that could be termed.. 'Practice weapons'.  A halberd.  A sword.  Several daggers.  All seemingly thick and well carved, likely to add weight.  Though as Kinngar would come down the stairs, his eyes might be drawn to a single suit of mail at the center of the room beyond them.  A familiar icon upon the proud chest.  The only seeming full set in attendance..

[Dawg]

If he wasn’t nervous enough with his own self doubt that he had, the way that Telgryn was sizing him up didn’t help matters.  He felt like livestock being appraised in the market before a sale, but a look at Jira and his mind eased a bit.

He saw Telgryn motion them to follow as he spat and disappeared into the shack and then he noticed Jira give him a strange look, he couldn’t quite make out what she was saying with it, but he could definitely tell that something was different, something was about to change.

He got inside the shack and was immediately taken back by the smell and clutter.  How could someone that lives in a place like this call himself a master, maybe time had slipped in on old Telgryn and he has faded from his gloried past, but as he looked around he didn’t see him in the one room shack, he was no where to be seen and that was when he noticed Jira slip down the passageway on the far side of the room, perhaps there is more to him than meets the eye.

He followed her into the shadows and traced his hands along the wall as much for balance as for guidance until he saw the glimmer of the torch and came into the expanse below.  The shadows were unlike any he had seen before, but then he had never really been in an underground Bastian such as this before lit only by torch light, at least not that he could remember.

He looked around and his mouth dropped for a few moments as he gazed upon the armory assembled until he gained his composure and continued to watch as Telgryn gathered things mumbling something or other.  Until his eyes caught a set of armor that stood apart from the others, not only in its location at the center, but in its craftsmanship.  And on the breastplate was a symbol he knew only from one place before, something given to him by his parents, as far as he knew his only link to his past.

His hand rose up and through his shirt he grasped the pendant that hung around his neck as his eyes remained transfixed on the symbol upon the chest of the armor.

[Aestas]

Her attention was rather lax.  Watching Telgryn as he spoke, and then wandering towards Kinngar.  For a moment she was rather annoyed that he seemed to be paying such lax attention, only to catch the way his eyes lingered in the other room.  She had barely glanced there on her way down.  Her hand tugging lightly on her braid as she would shift towards him.  Her breath caught in her throat.  “Ah, Telgryn.. You kept his armor?”

Her words cutting through the older man's muttered words, grasping his attention.  “I.. T'was all that was left.. I thought.. Well the boy 'as to 'ave somethin', don't 'e?”  The man looking gruff as he would busy himself with gathering all the items he needed.  “I.. I can't let ye take t'armor boy.. Ye could be 'anged just for 'avin' it, see?  But..” Stepping by them he would grasp the sword, heavy, obviously made for more than simple ornamentation.  “Ye can well enough take this.. T'isn't much..  The armor will be waitin' for ye..” The rest of the thought cut off.. After all, there were really only two outcomes.. And the chances of the boy winning were slim enough without voicing them. 

“Yes well.. We can practice here, well enough, I 'pose..  But it's much nicer outside..”  His gruff voice closer to a growl as he would nudge the both of them towards the door.  “We 'ave a rather intricate network of spies.. I will know if any get closer than a mile of this shit-heap..”  The man seeming almost too blustery after the emotional powerhouse of the last few minutes. “I hope ye nary mind.. Better t'get ye started now, than t'wait..” 

Bustling both Jira and Kinngar out of the building and into the woods.. A clearing spreading out before them.  Several rather butchered looking hunks of wood set up to look something like dummies, though that was only in context, anyone wandering by might wonder if the wood had, perhaps, been struck by lightening..

[Dawg]

“His armor,” Kinngar thought as Jira mentioned it to Telgryn, it was then that he recognized the significance of the medallion he now wore around his neck.  That was the royal seal denoting the King.  There was a lot more to this Telgryn than met the eye, and who was the he that she was referring too. 

Telgryn handed him the sword and he took it in his hands feeling the weight, but also the perfect balance.  It was no common village blacksmith that forged this sword, it was made for a warrior by an artist hands.  He played with it for a moment relishing in its feel and beauty.

He followed them outside to the clearing and stopped before taking his place, “Before we begin I have a question for you,” the look of puzzlement mixed with inquisitiveness filled his face as he stonily gazed at Telgryn.  “Waiting for me, you mean that is my armor?  Who did it belong to before and what happened that he is no longer the owner of it?”

Kingarr’s word cut through the air like a snake slithering through the forest floor.  Not knowing the significance of what he had just asked, nor the ignorance of his question.  He had no idea of his history, but there was more to this story than a family feud he could tell.  He cursed his uncle for not telling him any of this before; he would have studied these things instead of that useless science and languages.  What us would those be to him, no he needed to know more about his past and what really happened if he was to be expected to correct the evil that sent it awry.