Don't Stray from the Path (closed for CurtailedAmbrosia)

[Mac380]

Evin sat staring at the back wall of the bar in the Drouthy Duck, a few luridly coloured bottles sat with a coating of dust amongst the hazy brown bottles of local 'rot gut' that while still not that inviting at least did not have a covering of dust on them.
Evin's mind drifted off to consider who actually went to all the trouble to bring those brightly coloured liquids all the way from where ever they came from, to this arse end of no-where.
It was not through choice that Evin sat in this back water town, he and his family had been forced from their home in Yelt when he was just a boy, along with the rest of the town, they had been driven out onto the grey moors by the 'Priest's' soldiers and told never to come back.
Now his uncle brewed the weak beer that sat in the tankard in Evin's grasp, his uncle often lamented at the quality of the beer he now brewed and how much better it had been in Yelt, even under the grey cloud that covered the whole land.
No-one could remember the days before "the cloud" and now crops struggled to make the most of the weak sunshine that managed to push through the covering. But the crops in Yelt had been better, maybe the cloud cover there had not been so thick allowing a bit more light to nurture the grains and add a bit more taste to the beer.
That was until the day the rain came.
Rain itself was not unusual in Yelt and usually came as heavy curtains dragging across the land, interspersed by lighter showers, but on that day it just rained, heavy continuous rain, filling the gutters to overflowing and running in streams down the streets.
Evin's uncle was due to collect the latest supply of grain from the farms in the hills, without which the brewery would come to a halt and the beer supply for the town would soon dry up. He called upon both Evin and his father to help him get the cart up to the farms, he knew that once fully laden it would quickly become bogged down on the tracks and his cart horse, while powerful, would struggle to pull the load free.
They had gone out to the farms in the pouring rain, thick oil-skins struggled to keep them dry and warm as they clambered through mud filled ruts, levering the cart over slick rocks, it took them all day to collect the load and return to the brewery.
Kicking mud from their boots and shaking out the sodden oil-skins they had entered the house to find Evin's mother huddled by the fire clinging to his little sister, both sobbing with fear.
Once they had calmed her down she related the story of what had happened while they had been out on the hills.
A platoon of soldiers had appeared out of the mist, at their front were two priests, both bone dry, not a drop of rain came near them. They had entered the market square where the soldiers had cleared the traders away from the central platform, creating a ring around it where the priests took up position. The town council were called for and presented to the priests, they were told to organise the inhabitants of Yelt and have them ready to leave the town on the following morning. The town was now under the jurisdiction of "The Divine Lord" and had to be cleared for the 'greater good'.
There had been an uproar, how dare the Divine Lord steal their homes from under them, some of the town council stepped forward to object and were cut down instantly by the soldiers.
Anyone remaining in the city after midday the next day would be arrested and staked out on the moors for the beasts to feed upon.
Most of the crowd had fled the market square, Evin's mother included, they knew the power of the priests and dared not cross their path.
However it was not long before there was a banging on the front door, Kullum the smithy had come looking for Evin's father and uncle, they were massing a rebellion to force the soldiers and priests out of the town. His mother had explained that they were out of the town collecting grain and would not be back until the evening.
Kullum had gone back out into the street, joining the mass of men who had collected old swords, pitchforks and whatever weapons they could muster before heading to the market square.
Evin's mother had rushed around the house closing up the shutters and sealing the doors as best she could to protect herself and her daughter from the riot that was about to start.
But it had never come, after the men had left for the square, it had gone quiet, no sounds of running feet, no screams of anger or pain as the rebellion went in against the soldiers, only an eerie light that glowed under the door and through the cracks in the shutters for a few minutes.
Since then, his mother had only moved from her spot by the fire to open the door to let the three of them in when she heard them arrive back with the cart.
Evin's uncle and father pulled on the soaked oil-skins they had just shed and headed to the door, his mother tried to hold them back, but they had to go and see what had happened to the 'rebellion'.
Evin could still see in his mind, his father's face when they returned to the house, as pale as his uncle's they both had looks of men who had seen utter horrors, the stains on his father's oil-skins showed that he had been unable to keep down the meagre lunch that they had eaten out on the hills.
The two of them never spoke of what they had seen.
The next day the family had loaded the cart and at first light left the city, joining the train of refugees, mainly women and children who had been left at home by the men in the 'rebellion'. No-one had spoken as they trudged along the muddy tracks, soldiers were stationed at junctions and pointed the refugees towards the next town which the priests had deigned as being safe for them.
So Evin had grown up as a refugee sharing a small house with another family from Yelt their uncles talent for brewing had helped keep them fed and their mother had taken on teaching a small group of the refugee children how to read and write.
Evin had grown up helping his uncle while his father had tried to find work as a labourer sometimes crewing on ships travelling to far off lands with brightly coloured bottles.
With his father away Evin soon fell in with a street gang, nothing bad at first, the occasional scrap with other gangs and sneaking into warehouses to try and find food, usually ending up with them being chased off by the night watchmen.
They had all benefited from the teachings of Evin's mother, so they were seen as the "Posh" street gang because they could read, write and do maths. Silver had been the brightest amongst them, she had gained her nickname from the streak of hair that was permanently grey compared to the rest of her brunette head. She had become their leader, organising scams way beyond the "find the pea" being run by other gangs.
As they grew older she had realised that they could do better protecting those that they had been trying to rip off.
So they had become mercenaries and guides for hire, either as solo commissions or team jobs, they kept a low profile so as not to raise unwanted attention from the priests who did not condone armed groups but knew that such groups were a necessary evil.
It was a few weeks since Evin had been on a commission, the rest of the group were away 'on a job' leaving him to 'man the fort' or at least sit at the bar.

https://66.media.tumblr.com/1a42636739f8494c5dcc23a70039ea03/tumblr_pw9te714zA1uij8smo1_250.png

 

[CurtailedAmbrosia]

Darrick Ritters pushed in the door to the inn and staggered through it, noticably sweaty and even a little ill looking, he was so pale. He’d be familiar sight in the place-a reasonably well off merchant, he managed to stay as portly as he was through good business deals and occasional underhanded tactics of a career criminals. He was usually fairly intoxicated this time of night, but something had kept him over in his ware stall, and that something certainly hadn’t been his long suffering wife-she’d been trying to get him to quit drinking for nearly thirty years, and he’d failed to miss a day so far.

Pulling a handkerchief, he blotted at the sweat beading across his round face and made his way to the bar-where he half lifted a hand as if to order something, then immediately thought better of it with a nervous shake of his head and another swipe of his handkerchief.

He spotted Evin, chewed his lip a minute-and made his way over.

“How far west have you traveled?” It wasn’t much of a greeting, and his eyes stayed on him only a hint of a moment before flicking nervously around the rest of the smoke choked room. He saw something and his gaze ripped back, a little too wide and his face gaining a sheen of fresh sweat. “Tell me you’re looking for work, lad.”

A glance into the place didn’t reveal what had him so nervous. There were the usual drunk revelers and a few noisy pockets of men, several laborers quietly enjoying a weak, watery soup-and a woman. Not one of the barmaids, and certainly not Hilda, the middle aged caretaker of the rooms-but a serious looking young woman with long dark hair. She was dressed in a dark green silk gown that stood out and a travel worn brown cloak that didn’t, feet shod in brown leather boots well made for travel. She was rather calm for how rowdy some others in the room were getting. As if she had little worry about, should the men get out of hand. Which was a little strange.

Stranger still, she was watching them.

 

[Mac380]

Evin glanced in the mirror on the back of the bar when he heard the bar door open, in the reflection he saw the figure of Ritters navigating his large frame into the room. Evin lost interest in the merchant almost as soon as he saw him, Ritters rarely came in here alone and had little to do with the likes of Evin, more often one of his lieutenants would liaise with Silver and agree the contract before she selected the team members.
So it came as a surprise when Ritters blurted out his question at Evin "How far West have you travelled?"
Evin turned to look at the merchant who now stood next to him, a drop of sweat trickling down the side of his face which was quickly wiped away by the grey handkerchief that he fiddled with in his hand, furtive eyes flicking around the room looking for…. something.
"Tell me you're looking for work, lad" Evin could almost feel the desperation in Ritters voice, if the warnings in his brain hadn't been loud enough they were now screaming at Evin that something was wrong.
Evin considered his options, yes he was looking for work and here it was laid out on a platter for his taking, but, Silver would be almightily pissed off with him for taking a contract "off the books" especially with a client like Ritters.
It was at that moment that things got complicated, the bar door swung open again and Evin could see in the reflection, the steel helmets of the City Watch entering the room. With his boot, Evin pushed out the stool next to him a whispered to Ritters "Sit down and shut up."
The bar had gone quiet as all eyes followed the 5 watchmen circle around the room before their commander walked in. "Shit" muttered Evin when he saw it was Mathers.
Mathers had grown up on the same city streets as Evin, he had run with another street gang that Evin's crew had come across a couple of times . He was a little older than the others and joined the watch when he realised he would rather be on the other side of the cell door than the side he was normally on.
It would be the icing on Mathers cake to find Evin sat next to a sweating merchantman who obviously had some "dodgy deal" to complete.
Stepping to the centre of the room Mathers looked around at the customers "I'm sure some of you know why we are here", there was a general shuffling of feet as customers looked at each other to see who 'knew'.
"Aye!" came a cheery voice from near the back of the bar "Hilda's upstairs waiting fer ya."
The bar broke into laughter at the comment, which was short lived as two of The Watch dove forward and grabbed the comedian, dragging him in-front of Mathers.
"A delivery of Red-Eye has come into the city, someone in here knows where it is!" Mathers steel gauntleted hand closed around the comedians throat lifting him off the ground "and you my friend have just become my prime suspect".
Evin glanced at the still sweating Ritters 'Oh god's' he thought 'please don't tell me Ritters was trying to get me to escort a stack of drugs out of the city.'
Over Ritter's shoulder Evin spotted a movement. Skritt who was sat with a bunch of low life street criminals was edging towards the end of the bench that he sat on.
In the melee of the watchmen grabbing the comedian, they had left a route open to the toilets at the back of the bar, from there any escapee could take a quick diversion through the kitchen and out of the pot wash door into the street behind the bar.
Skritt saw Evin looking, shrugged his shoulders with a grin and dived for the door, had he waited another moment he would have seen Evin shake his head to warn him off. But as it was Skritt learnt the hard way that watchmen worked in groups of eight.
Skritt came back into the room backwards looking down at the point of the sword being carried by Sgt Wheelan "feeling a bit incontinent boy?" smirked the sergeant.
Mathers dropped the comedian who fell to his knees holding his neck and gasping for breath, he would think twice about making any witty comments to The Watch in future.
"And ladies and Gentlemen we have a winner" announced Mathers "Take him to the cart boys."
Securing Skritt with a pair of manacles the rest of The Watch bundled him out the door to the waiting cart. While Mathers stepped in to the space next to Evin.
"Well well, Evin Mcduncan, still hanging around bars waiting for the that big break? Keeping such high class company as well!" Mathers nodded towards Ritters "My my, Mr Ritters, you are looking ever so peaky I do hope it's not anything 'catching'"
"I …. I.. Of course not, I'm…. I'm just in for a quick drink then back to the good lady wife."
Mathers raised an eye brow, even he knew that Ritters didn't do his own dirty work these days and wouldn't be seen dead in this type of establishment without a couple of sidekicks. But he also knew not to rock the boat too much as The Watch made a nice little earner from turning a blind eye once in a while to certain goings on around certain warehouses.
"Enjoy your drink, when you finally get one…. and mind how you go."
Mathers turned and left the bar.
As soon as the door shut the volume of chatter rose as the evenings events suddenly came at the top of everyone's agenda.
Turning to Ritters Evin said "Going with how much you are still shaking and sweating, I would say that whatever you have on offer far outweighs a few kilos of Red-Eye……"

 

[CurtailedAmbrosia]

Ritters gives a curt shake of his head before lifting a trembling hand to flag down the bartender. If he was nervous before, now he was on the verge of a panic attack.

"A woman." He says, the words reluctant, catching in his throat. His brows furrow as his lips continue to move, wordlessly shaping syllables that don't come. He almost seems choked up.

But when he barks at the bartender, it's bold and unfettered with any difficulty.

"Strongest rotgut you have." He blots at his forehead again, murmuring an oath. He rocked a little, and something seemed to soothe him, enough he could go on.

"Need an escort, a guide. A woman's looking to go to Averston. Just a stone's throw from the capital, you know it?" He throws back the a gulp of the brew and grimaces, a shake of his head. "Even if you don't-take the job lad. I'm paying upfront." A suspicious glance in the mirror before he lowers his voice.

"What happens once you're out of town ain't my business-just make sure she won't be coming back for me, you cut the trip short." He drained his glass and wiped his mouth, then his forehead again, dazed. "Don't know how I got into this.". He murmured to himself before his eyes slid to the other man.

"Coin plus provisions, if you'll do it-will you do it? Please say you'll do it."

Someone had him by the balls.

 

[Mac380]

The desperation was almost dripping off Ritters as much as he was sweating.
Evin knew Averston, or at least in passing, a few contracts had taken them that way not the friendliest of roads as thieves and robbers saw it as a lucrative route towards the capital.
Beasts were sometimes seen wandering the lands around the road but most travellers had the sense not to travel the route by night, no point in tempting fate.
But Evin was curious and he had caught Ritter's glance into the mirror, "who is this woman to you Ritter? She or someone to do with her has something on you" Evin casually turned on his stool so he could lean his back against the bar and was able to look into Ritter's eyes.
He also took the opportunity to check out the room for whatever Ritter had glanced at.
It didn't take long to spot the green silk dress not quite hidden by the folds of the dirty brown cloak.
Looking back at Ritter, Evin could see him try to form the words to answer the question, his eyes madly trying to find a way to avoid it.
Oh well, the poor man was obviously in dire need "Make it twice my normal fee if you won't answer the question and Silver gets first refusal on your next big shipment to capital."
Silver was going to be pissed at him so he might as well have something in his back pocket to placate her.

 

[CurtailedAmbrosia]

Vivienne watched the overweight merchant speak in a harried, anxious fashion to a man seemingly just trying to brood over a drink-and lost concentration only for a moment when the soldiers burst in, her eyes flicking to the head of the group-and then to her own mug of untouched ale, a small bowl of half finished soup.

She was no one of importance. Just a woman sitting with her meager meal in a town used to occasional strangers. Her dark eyes studied the bits of oat and suspiciously pale carrot floating around in the watery broth, listening uninterestedly in the reason for the shakedown...but no one spoke, not after he’d grabbed hold of a wisecracker.

She let her mind wander, found a likely source and-a sudden scuffle as a man darted off to a side room, only to skid to a stop and retreat the way he’d come. Vivienne felt a pang of regret-and then squelched it. She hadn’t known about the guard, and even if she had-she couldn’t risk being discovered. She watched him be led out, dared not refocus until the guard turned to go-and only then did her gaze flick back to the pair, boring into the scummy Ritters in particular.

~*~

Ritters opened his mouth to answer Evin, but again-his lips moved, but the words didn’t come. He clicked his teeth together in a frustrated hiss as the mercenary made his gambit. Twice the normal fee. TWICE the normal fee! And first refusal-

Well, Ritters thought resignedly. at least she’ll be away from me. Last strange woman I try to swindle.

Ritters shook his head. “I agree to the terms.” Outside of his clouding attentions, the dark haired woman rose from her seat and, without so much as another glance, exited the establishment.

“Meet me at my stall just before dawn. I’ll have the coin and your provisions then.” He looked relieved, if anxious to be done with it. He didn’t want to think about what would have happened if he hadn’t found what the wench wanted.


THE NEXT DAY, MINUTES BEFORE DAWN


The sky was lightening to its usual grey gloom, and the cool, choking mists swirled low to the ground as the air warmed-it was becoming more and more translucent, and soon it’d fade yet further.

Ritters had a small shop behind the open air stall he did most of his daily business in-a squat little building that was mostly storage, a narrow counter, and a roaring fireplace. He was wealthy enough not to live there-no, he housed his wife and the several children he had fathered elsewhere.

The door was propped open with a chair, a small bedroll and pack resting on the seat-Ritters was kneeling down in his stall packing a similar sack. Inside the shop was the same green gown wearing woman from the night before-she stood with her back to the open door, lost in thought as she gazed into the flames of the fireplace. Her cloak had been laid over the counter, and the simple a line cut of the gown could be better seen-as well as the braided cord belt loose around her hips. A threaded cord of red, one of blue, and one of gold were all braided together before being knotted at her front, the tails hanging long and loose just past her presumed knees. Other than the belt, she lacked any adornments, and all in all-looked too poor to be noble, and too stately to be poor.

 

[Mac380]

Cold water ran over Evin's head and down his back as he washed away the soap over the trough behind his mothers house. She was already up and had kicked him out of bed when she had gone out to get the morning bread.
Stripped to his waist Evin rinced off the last of the soap from his arms before drying off and heading back into the house to pack his gear for the journey.
It did not take long for him to gather what little stuff that he had into his pack and pull on a shirt. The bang of the front door announced his mother's return, from her bag she extracted several loaves and some cured meats that she wrapped in muslin before handing them to him.
"Ritter will probably give you whatever rubbish he has lying around the shop, so you better have something decent to see you through the first few days."
Evin smiled, his mother couldn't help but fuss over him, she always had, evers since they had left Yelt.
"Thanks, I'm sure we will find something along the way, I know most of the stops where we can pick up fresh supplies."
They shared a quick breakfast together and just as the false dawn lit the horizon Evin slung his pack over his shoulder, saying his goodbyes to his mother, he promised not to be gone too long.
It was not far to the traders market and Evin arrived outside Ritters stall just as the first spears of sunlight broke over the hills outside the town, it was setting up to be a pleasant day for the first part of the joe urney West. Spying the bed roll and chair propping the door open he went in "Hey Ritter, got my gear ready?" he called as he entered.
To his surprise it was not Ritter standing at the count but the dark haired woman who had been in the bar the night before, without her cloak the dark green gown accenuated her figure and with the simple multi coloured belt hanging from her hips making it quite alluring.
"Well hello princess" he grinned "are you to be my fare to Alveston?"
Ritter's head appeared above the counter "Yes, yes, this is the lady in question and she doesn't need you to try and charm her" he hoisted up a pack of provisions and clothing "there should be enough to see you through the journey, I included some heavy waxed cloaks, they say the weather is going to turn soon."
Ritters was being quite obsequious to the woman which caught Evin unawares, maybe she was Royalty?
Opening the pack Evin checked the contents, inside he did indeed find several waxed cloaks along with gators and hats, the food was also fresh and of good quality. "This better not be coming out of my payment Ritter" warned Evin
"O..of course not, just make sure you bring it back....intact" he gave Evin a look that suggested that a few blood stains might be overlooked. "Serga will be around with the horses in a moment."
Evin picked the map out of his own pack and laid it on the counter "Any news on the roads?" he asked. Information about robber and beast activity was always passing between the traders and any guide worth his salt checked for news before departing on their journeys, updating their maps with trouble spots and any encampments that might offer shelter if caught out between halts.
Ritter and Evin went through the route while the woman watched assesing her guide for the trip to Aveston.

 

[CurtailedAmbrosia]

"Hey Ritter, got my gear ready?"

Her head turns, dark tresses sliding off one slender shoulder before she turns to face him fully, graceful hands lightly touching at the counter as she visibly sizes him up.

"Well hello princess, are you to be my fare to Alveston?"

It was as if he hadn’t spoken, and when Ritter pops up, notably a little panicked and trying to avoid offense being taken-only then does she speak, a dry tone and a sharp look at the merchant as he confirms it.

“I’m certainly not the would be victim of your suggested “shortcut”, Ritter.” Her voice was unwittingly sensual, smooth-like warm velour. Ritter freezes, paling as he stares at her, wide eyed.

So she had heard him make that little...suggestion, last night.

Vivienne dismisses him coolly and it sends him scurrying. Only then does she retrieve her cloak and leave the counter, having yet to say anything at all to Evin directly. She’s back to watching the fire as the two men discuss the route and Ritters relays what news he has-calmly donning her cloak.

The merchant Ritters might be a scumbag, but his hired man, she’s decently sure, had never intended taking that previously mentioned ‘shortcut’. Which was fortunate, she had to admit, for everyone involved-else she’d be out a guide, and the hired man his life.

Hm.

“I’d introduce you, Evin, but-”

“He doesn’t know my name.” Vivienne interrupts, lifting the hood to her cloak up as she turns again, stepping forward into their circle to introduce herself. “Nor shall you, sir. You may however call me V. Rest assured, I am pleased to make your acquaintance.” That didn’t sound very sincere, but it also wasn’t outright hostile. She was just a woman with her mind on her destination, not idle pleasantries.

Her eyes are blue grey in color, with lighter striations throughout the irises-they give a steely appearance of a stormy sky, and were rather determined, direct. When they turned back to Ritter however, her disdain returned, and her animosity towards him clear. “You’ll not hear from me again Ritter-or so you should hope.”

And with a more neutral glance back to Evin-she left the shop, leaving the merchant to sweat it out alone.

 

[Mac380]

Glancing at Ritters, Evin asked "What have you got me into Ritters? Better not be trouble for me or I'll set Silver on you and you know what she can be like."
Ritters look suggested that Silver would be preferable to the woman who now stood outside watching Serga put the packs on the horses.
He turned back to the counter and gathered up the maps and papers that they had been going over, placing them in a satchel that he slung over his shoulder.
Evin went outside to where Serga was holding the two Bays, murmering to them to keep them calm.
"Hope you picked a good pair for us Serga. We have a long way to go."
"Oh yes nice and fresh, they have been in the field for a week now."
Evin walked round the horses checking their condition, shoes and tack.
This was going to be a luxury trip if all went well, good horses, good food and good equipment, a big change to what they normally ended up with.
Glancing over at the woman 'V' he chuckled 'a woman of mystery' perhaps she was escaping some over zelous husband, but going by her demenour so far he would have had to be exceedingly zelous.
She obviously had it in for Ritters but the dislike seemed to go both ways and the two of them would be glad to see the back of each other. He just hoped she would relax a bit once they got away from the town otherwise it was going to be a long and tedious journey. At least she was resonably shapely and quite pleasant on the eye. He considered how she would take the news that they would have a few days out in the wild with the local river for ablutions, perhaps he would save that until they were further down the trail.
"Alright then" he announced watching the hood turn toward him, bring her stormy grey eyes to bare, "lets get going, we have a bit of ground to cover through the marshes before we reach our first stop for the night."
Grabbing the saddle he pulled himself up and got himself settled ready for the first leg, looking over he caught sight of 'V' hoisting herself up and swinging her boot clad leg over the horse.
"We will head out to Marsh Bridge then take the path along the river to Bogend where we stop for the first night."
Giving his horse a nudge he turned toward the town gates leading the way into the mele of farmers and traders starting their day.

 

[CurtailedAmbrosia]

Serga studied the woman for a moment, and then leaned in with a soft murmur.

“Yours is the gentler of the two, mi’lady.” He slipped the reins into her left hand and motioned to the saddlehorn, a guiding gesture for her to stand closer to the horse-and then assisted her up into the saddle by steadying the stirrup. The horse sidestepped once she was mounted, but she was able to easily regain control, her closed expression returning as she gave the man a nod, smoothing the skirt to her gown.

“Thank you.”

She cast a final cold look at Ritter, and then followed after Evin. Hopefully, her horse would naturally follow after it’s field mate-it did seem a rather gentle thing.

“Bogend it is, then.” She finally, somewhat distractedly replied to Evin-and then she turned her eyes ahead, straight backed and uncaring to the men around them-ignoring the occasional curious glance they cast her way.