The North (Closed)

[KieranSoares]

"Then I will introduce you to Steris and he will give you a token to allow you entry to the Judges' stronghold at Ararat," Hoban explained quietly as they headed for the door. "Ararat is many days away by horse, but you could get there in just a few days with your partner, and avoid the dangerous roads to boot. There is often conflict in the regions east of here that you'd much rather not get caught up in."

As they went, Hoban guided Riley through the city with intimate knowledge of alleys and shortcuts, even passing through underground walkways along the path. Eventually he came to a large stone building with many column reliefs and a few decorative turrets, its walls plastered, whitewashed, and painted bright teal. It hosted a large courtyard filled with simple gardens, among which healing and recovering patients of the hospital wandered. It seemed a well-kept and well-funded place, and reliefs and statues of its generous patrons were dotted about the gardens and walls, painted bright and exquisite colors. Hoban approached the open gates where a man in plain brown robes and a head wrap stood waiting for entering patients. A few quick words were exchanged and Hoban motioned Riley through with him. Upon entering the dark wooden doors covered in carved reliefs of angels and Muslim-leaning imagery, they passed a large lobby partly filled with waiting patients, and Hoban led the way down plain, clean halls to an apparent office with its own small archive and a separated medical study area full of papers, tools, and a large storage vault sealed behind a metal door.

The office door sat open, prompting Hoban to glance inside. Riley saw past him all the plain but sturdy wooden furniture draped in cloth and cushions, stone counters and shelves full of implements and books, and a grizzled old Jackal easily in his eighties or more, settled into a large armchair staring at a sun-bleached canine skull on a table before him. He sketched and took notes, studied teeth, and handled it with great care. After all, it wasn't just an animal skull. It was too large. It had at one point likely belonged to a Wolf.

The old Jackal glanced up over wire-frame glasses balanced on his muzzle, and gave Riley a suspicious stare before finally speaking in a heavy Greek accent, "Hoban... I was not expecting guests."

"This one is too important to wait for an appointment," Hoban muttered, ushering Riley in and shutting the door behind them. "She needs to see the Judges immediately."

Setting his studies aside and rising to adjust his simple cream-colored robes, old Steris gave Riley another hard look while Hoban quietly explained what they'd already discussed. Steris barely glanced away from Riley, but his gaze grew less suspicious. Even before her name was mentioned, Steris had a look of recognition about her.

"The woman in question," Hoban summed up, getting ready to quietly reveal who they were dealing with, "is the-"

"The Rider Queen," Steris muttered. "I may have never met this girl before, Hoban... But I see Ephriam Blackstone in her. There's absolutely no doubt." He came striding forward, much to Hoban's surprise. He nearly went to embrace Riley, but caught himself and instead offered a hand to shake. "You are... most welcome. Most welcome indeed. Any family of Ephriam is a friend of mine, dear girl. You are... Riley, yes?"

Hoban looked stunned that Steris already seemed to know who he was speaking to, whereas Steris had to clench his jaw to hold back some long-forgotten emotion. It seemed that her very face brought back memories of a dear old friend.

 

[heartofcourage]

When they approached the stone building, Riley instantly knew where they were. She had seen it before in one of Vincenzo's journals that her father was so fond of reading to them at night. She'd been young, but she remembered being tucked beneath one of Sam's strong arms while he held Soma in the other and read to them of Vincenzo's adventures so far from home. She had thought it silly that he had been so taken with a hospital when he had seen countless before, but now she was faced with that exact building.

She stayed a step or two behind Hoban as he led her into the building. The jackal knew where he was going, and Riley was simply an intruder. The moment that she saw Steris, she paused. There was an indescribable emotion that came to her, one that he emanated. He was cautious, but he had also seen a ghost from his past. There was confusion, deeply rooted, and familiarity. He knew who she was, but that wasn't unusual. Many did. However, when he said her great-grandfather's name, she was taken back. She only knew him as the poor, old fox who had raised Fiona briefly. Owen rarely spoke of his father as the pain was too great. Steris knew him, and most likely knew him as a young, strong Arbiter.

"Riley Ghis. Yes." She said softly, shaking his hand. "I'm terribly sorry that I don't know much of Ephriam. You probably know the sorrows of his life."

Riley nervously wiped her palms on her trousers, pulling back the hood of her cloak. "My mother was...is...very ill. We've come on bended knee to anyone that might have something to save her."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I doubt your mother would ever willingly accept such help," Steris murmured, seemingly more intrigued now than suspicious. "I wonder if she would consider us much different from our Arbiter forebears. We hunt dragons, young Fox. And when we find them, they bow or they die."

"That's... that's not the whole truth," Hoban murmured. "You relocate them for their safety."

"We kill those who cause harm, and imprison the rest in small havens so humans won't wipe them out," Steris stated bluntly. "Only Fiona Blackstone has the luxury of a haven spanning countries." He sighed and shook his head, turning back toward his desk to gather up his research and store it away in drawers. "We earned our name from centuries of judging dragon and man, whether they are worth the resources it takes to keep them alive, and whether we can afford to protect them from the greater machinations of war and greed. As a young man, Ephriam was one of our most dedicated Judges, til the work grew too taxing on his soft heart. He left us for the north and took nothing with him but his regrets. Last I knew... he died a penniless poet in the woods beyond some little Scottish town. A sorry end to one of the greatest Riders and warriors I ever knew. Ephriam and his partner Odessa could outfly, outfight, and outwit anyone. When they parted ways, she was never the same."

Hoban shifted uncomfortably, but kept silent as Steris packed things away and began gathering up a few items into a satchel. The old Jackal soon came to face Riley, his bag over his shoulder. "I will help you, if only out of respect to my brother-in-arms. His letters spoke so lovingly of his granddaughter... I would not spit on his memory by letting her die to a sickness he could've saved her from if he were still here."