The Tiran Wars: Liberty, at all Costs

[DeletedUser28032]

Wearing nothing but Joshua’s loosely buttoned tunic and hat, Mei lay beside her fiancée; quietly giggling as she carefully placed a piece of bread into his mouth. After their recent activities the pair of them were famished, with the breakfast they’d eaten back at her parent’s house being nothing more than a distant memory.
Gently brushing aside a loose strand of hair from his face with a fingertip Mei lovingly gazed upon the man beside her with a look of pure adoration that verged on worship on her face; the girl perfectly willing to enter the realms of hell if Joshua asked her to “Why did we wait so long before doing this?” Mei quietly asked before plucking a piece of bread from off of the small wooden plate and placing it between her lips “…I mean that was…magnificent, especially the second time” she said flushing bright red and giggling in a girly manner at the memory.
The first time had been sweet and Mei wouldn’t have traded it for the world, but it had been during their second attempt that the pair of them had started to explore; discovering exactly what it was that made each other tick such as the sensitive patch on the side of Mei’s neck that never failed to make her melt in his Joshua’s arms when he kissed her there “you know, I think I could get used to being your wife…speaking of which, I don’t suppose you’ve given any further thought as to when you’d like to make a honest woman of me?” she quietly asked, punctuating the question with gentle kiss on his cheek. It wasn’t that she was worried that now that they’d slept together that he’d run out on her with the first pretty girl he found but rather that her own excitement over her upcoming marriage was almost unbearable. She wanted to marry him, wanted to be his wife and raise his children and would willingly do whatever it took in order to make that dream a reality. Though admittedly being asked to give up her magic would certainly make her pause for thought just as giving up Auldhulma would for Joshua as it was part of who they were, and the idea of seeing Joshua without a sword at his side just wouldn’t be right.
Content to remain within their tiny sanctuary away from the hustle and bustle of the camp and its army, Mei gently rested her head upon Joshua’s shoulder with a satisfied sigh before quietly murmuring in his ear “so…what are we going to do with ourselves for the rest of the day?”

Leilani had spent most of the afternoon helping Red and the strike team, or at least those that had returned from the field dismantle the camp and pack it onto the back of a cart. The entire camp seeming to be a bustle of energy as entire sections were dismantled and loaded onto carts, wagons and even rucksacks with whatever wasn’t required being simply abandoned for the jungle to reclaim.
Carrying Red’s chair over to the cart, Leilani idly listened as she and the rest of the team discussed another group that had been present at the battle with Red saying that although the men in question were good warriors, they weren’t great warriors like they were with one of her men quickly speaking up to correct her “No, they are great warriors…they’re just really bad soldiers, they have absolutely no discipline or form of leadership with which to guide them” Edward responded to his commanding officers question with a wry shake of his head, knowing that if they were organised that the Blades would truly be a force to reckon with.
It was at this point that the conversation took an unexpected turn with Leilani nearly dropping the chair she was carrying “Me!? No…I…I’m a girl, it is…” she had been about to say forbidden only to then remember that Red was in fact a girl herself and that she was allowed to wield a sword so why not her? “I…I don’t know, I’d have to ask mistress Sun” Leilani replied uncertainly, throwing a look at the farmhouse into which her mistress and Joshua had disappeared into with no sign of them reappearing any time soon “Do…Do you really think I could use a sword?” she asked anxiously, though her question was more than likely drowned out by the strike teams protests over a former prisoner being trained. To be honest she couldn’t really blame them as the last time they’d seen her she’d been bound hand and foot with no idea that her joining them was even an option.
It was as the strike voiced their concerns and doubts over her trustworthiness that Leilani pondered the possibility of not only a girl being permitted to wield a sword, but that the girl in question could be her. Girls weren’t allowed to be warriors or heroes, the girls in the stories she so loved to read were only ever portrayed as damsel’s in distress to be rescued or the purveyors of useful information with which the hero could slay the beast and then return to sweep her off her feet. But maybe…just maybe the stories were wrong about this and that a girl was capable of being a brave warrior and becoming a hero? Perhaps she could even save her handsome prince from the clutches of some fell creature? Now wouldn’t that be a story worth reading.

 

[DeletedUser37114]

Unfortunately, Red eventually decided to stop petting her. Gwyll quickly lost track of the conversation from there, just trying to get someone else to come over to the comfy chair and give her some affection. It wasn't long before Gwyll became bored, the talk had nothing to do with her, Red wasn't petting her, and Mei was not going to hurt the woman with Joshua and Red obviously protecting her. She had slept well the night before, but there was no reason she could not simply doze. She did not sleep, as that would have left her without clothes in front of two men, something Mei had told her not to do, but she tuned out her surroundings for a while, curling up and relaxing into the chair. The only thing that eventually filtered in was her name being called by Red, at which point, she opened her eyes and looked around again. Joshua and Mei were still gone, Red was leaving with the Mage Girl, who was now untied, which probably meant she was on their side now. Gwyll scrambled off the chair, following the two, right up until the camp dissolved into a whirlwind of movement and thing-storage.

Apparently people were coming back from the battle, which meant that Khalid would be back soon and... Gwyll paused for a moment. She should probably be back in human form in order to talk and help move things, she was supposed to be sticking with Red, after all, and he was moving things. But that meant leaving him to go get her dress, which was still in Khalid's tent and if Khalid was going to be back soon, she couldn't shift while in his tent when he was around. Gwyll dashed away, hoping that she would make it back in time. She dove into the thankfully empty tent, tugged on the dress, took the time to do all of the buttons, pulled shoes on, and dashed back, arriving just in time to hear Red ask if the Mage Girl knew how to use a sword. Confusingly enough, there seemed to be mixed opinions on this subject, from Red, the strange men around Red, and from the Mage herself. Gwyll sidled up quietly to the girl's side and asked, "Why would you need to ask the Sun? It doesn't answer questions very well. And I have never lost anything from learning something new." She was not particularly interested in learning how to use a sword, but it could not be too much different from a knife.

 

[DeletedUser13682]

Of course, it was only natural for the strike team to think that the Blades were great warriors. They were crazy, and had chaos coursing through their veins. Their surface flash caused a favorable impression but if you dug deeper, you would figure out that they had no use in symmetrical warfare. It was fortunate that they were fighting an asymmetrical war, but if they ever got into regular war, the Blades would fall apart or get destroyed. The strike team, however, would be able to fight both a symmetric and an asymmetric war equally well, even if they didn't know it. Red would have to figure out a way to prove that this new experiment in warfare was not only a good success, but the future of warfare. Well, it would be if Red could organize more strike teams on the same model and teach them to work together and as seperate units, depending on the situation. Red's strike team could operate in two man units, and, as Red proved (sort of), could operate alone. In theory, the standard units of about 150 men would be able to operate as 50 men, 30 men, 10 men, 4 men, or some other small sized unit. This new flexibility would allow militaries to complete any mission that their leaders required of them. But right now, Red would have to work small, and that meant getting one more person for the strike team. Loolayannie's magical abilities would be extremely helpful to the strike team and allow Red to form more creative solutions to potential problems. But, her apprehension at taking up the sword was evident in her stuttering and questioning the basic fact about her ability to even wield a blade. "Think you should listen to her Red," Arnold spoke, while throwing the last of the cooking equipment into their wagon. "She seem to know what she's talking about. Besides, she hasn't had any training. It's too late for her to learn much." Red gave a shake of the head before Gwyll popped up next to Loolayannie asking why the magician would need to ask the sun about training in swords. "May requires Loolayannie Mistress Sun May to call. I believe the reason May the light of knowledge to be to represent. Loolayannie asks the sun not." Red then faced the magician in question and spoke to her directly. "You can a swordfighter to learn to be. I believe magic of lightning and swordfighting a potent combination to be." Red wasn't ready to tell Loolayannie that she would be offered a position on the strike team. Red was certain that the other members of the strike team wouldn't accept her. Not yet. It'd be a hard enough task to convince them to accept Red training Loolayannie. It'd be possible, but hard. When she was able to prove herself in sword fighting, then maybe Red would be able to get the strike team to accept the magician. If she could fight with a sword.

 

[Deleted User - 819397]

Sometimes it was best to stick with what you knew...it was safer with a lower chance of failure. People were less likely to criticize you for being good at something than they were for being a royal failure. Some people went through life this way, avoiding things they were bad at so as to remain safe. And yet, Joshua reasoned...sometimes the best moments in life were when you got out of that comfort zone and reached for new horizons. The last period of time had certainly supported that concept, anyway...as he accepted the piece of bread that Mei was offering him, his mind once more replayed what they had done, and he found himself smiling, at peace with the world. His fiancée started questioning why they had waited so long for this, his hat askew a little on her head. His smile becoming a bit of a grin, the Swordmaster replied, "Well, I don't think either of us was ready on the ship..." he stopped and chuckled, unable to continue that line of thought. "In all seriousness, I didn't want to push, didn't want to assume...plus my whole making it a bigger deal than it was...but...looking back at it now, I...kinda regret having not asked..." She had referenced their second time specifically, and Joshua shivered slightly in blissful remembrance...having been able to shed most if not all of his inhibitions the first time, they had been a bit more...adventurous after that...he hadn't realized his sides were as sensitive as they were, but he knew they were both going to take advantage of that in the future.

Mei turned the topic to their impending marriage, asking if he'd put more thought into when. The monarch looked over at his bride to be, affection pouring from him as he considered. "Part of the issue is I don't know how the war is going to develop...setting a fixed date is a bit of an issue...but..." he shrugged. "I want to marry you, and I agree that waiting too long would become a problem, but...I don't have a specific date in mind because I don't know what tomorrow will bring, let alone a few days from now..." He gently reached out and adjusted his hat on Mei's head, unable to suppress a laugh as it shifted straight back to its lopsided position when he removed his hand. Her question as to how to spend the rest of the day stopped him for a moment. "Honestly, I...I'm enjoying just being here, with you...I've not felt this at peace in a long time...if you have something in mind I'll gladly go along with it, but for me..." he leaned over and kissed her softly, keeping his head close to hers as he finished, "this is perfect for right now."

 

[DeletedUser28032]

There appeared to be some confusion as to the meaning of her Mistress’ title. A misunderstanding that Leilani felt she should correct to save any potential embarrassment for them all further down the line “erm…actually…Sun is my mistress’ family name, her full name is being Sun Mei like mine is being Liu Leilani. I am calling her Mistress Sun as marking of respect” she explained, knowing that it wasn’t their fault for not knowing the ways of her culture; they were still foreign barbarians after all even if they were very nice to her. It simply meant that Leilani would have to explain certain things from time to time just as Red would for her when it came to other things.
Once this little misunderstanding had been sorted out both Gwyll; who was once again in the form of a pretty Northern girl in a blue dress, and Red, both encouraged her to attempt the art of sword craft. She was still uncertain that it was something she’d be able to do as the rest of Red’s strike team seemed adamant that it was beyond her abilities yet part of her still found the idea of being a hero like out of her stories intriguing and almost too good an opportunity to let pass un-attempted “I…I would to be asking Mistress Sun’s permission and no sure that I being any good…but…if you saying I should trying of it then I am willing to giving it a go” Leilani said hesitantly in her broken Tiranian, not wanting Red to think that she had a firm promise from her that she would train to be a soldier, as Mistress Sun may still say no.
Part of her wanted Mistress Sun to say no so as to save her from what she fear would be a skill well beyond her abilities to learn, and yet there was another part of her that found whole experience strangely exciting with her new life as a rebel rapidly providing her with a whole range of new opportunities and a fresh start for a life that had up to this point save for a few notable exceptions had been far from desirable.

Roughly bandaged with strips of torn linen, Khalid’s wounded side hurt like hell despite it only being a shallow cut with the bleeding now safely under control, though had it been a little deeper it may well have killed him instead of simply causing him some pain and ruining his uniform.
Walking into camp Khalid was glad to see that the preparations to move on had already been started with some of the wagons and carts already disappearing down one of the wider jungle paths towards the camp’s new location within the mountains.
It would be winter soon. Meaning that the campaign would be as good as over apart from a few small skirmishes and raids here and there, which was fine by him as it would give him time to fully train and arm his men before joining up with the other rebel forces within Khitai and launch an offensive that would strike a lasting blow against the enemy.
Spying Red and his team loading their own equipment onto a cart with the aid of Gwyll and the prisoner Leilani, Khalid walks over to speak with them, trying his best to hide the pain he was in “I take it there is a good reason that your prisoner is not bound?” he asked Red; eyeing Leilani warily as he did so, not that she looked like she would actually cause them any trouble. After listening to Red’s explanation pertaining to the prisoner he would then simply nod his head in understanding before moving onto another topic “Oda and his men are staying behind in order to ensure our relocation is undisturbed; I am with the last of the men that are returning today so as soon as the camp is packed we are to move on…any questions?”

“No…this is good” Mei whispered as she wriggled in closer to her lover; her hand gently stroking the muscles of the arm that held her so close; Content to simply lie here in his arms and feel of his breath upon her cheek as she listened to the beating of the heart that he had given over to her.
She knew that the moment would end in the fullness of time and that once again she would find herself embroiled in the day to day tasks of fighting a civil war along with the fresh new challenges of training an apprentice. A task that she wasn’t entirely sure how she would go about tackling but felt that she was more than able to achieve…assuming of course that Leilani wasn’t Water or Spirit element in which case they may as well give up now and not waste their time though Mei was just as equally certain that Leilani was not a Fire Element as she seemed far too timid to control that particular element.
Mei wasn’t sure how long she lay within his arms drifting in and out of a light sleep before she finally gave voice to what she had been dreading ever since they’d entered the tiny farmhouse “you know…we’d better make the most of this right? Because there’s no telling when we’ll next get this much time alone together…I am kind of surprised that no one has knocked on the door already” she said with a sleepy laugh; her eyes still closed in a semblance of contented sleep with Joshua’s hat now covering half of her face having shifted in her sleep “…and don’t worry about picking a date Joshua my Ka-Me, I won’t let you forget…in fact I plan on showing you how much I love you on a very regular basis”

 

[DeletedUser37114]

Apparently Sun was Mei's full name, which was probably something Gwyll should have remembered. Names were something that were more difficult with humans, having, of course, the most ridiculous ways to refer to themselves and others, but she would manage. Red, on the other hand, seemed to be trying to make sure she was as confused as possible, going on about how sword fighting and magic would be a good combination and something about the light of the sun. It was almost enough to make her frustrated with the man, even after his magnificent petting skills earlier, which she really would need to have him demonstrate again. At that point, Khalid managed to find the camp again from the battleground, which made Gwyll happy. He had promised her that he would do his best not to get hurt, but there was always a better fighter out there. A hug was her substitute for a greeting, as soon as he'd stopped talking, the best way to greet someone coming back from a successful hunt. If she had been a wolf, he would have been on the ground with her tongue telling him how much she enjoyed having him back, but human greetings were much more reserved. The hug would do. He smelled like sweat, metal, and blood, which was no surprise to her, though the smell of blood was stronger from him than the soldiers nearby. "Are you hurt?" she asked, relaxing her hold on him a little. "You told me you would do your best not to get hurt and it cannot be that bad, but I smell blood..." She trailed off, people were staring and it made her uncomfortable. Besides, this was their leader for the hunt, they had probably taken care of him already, a strange girl would not be welcome so close to their wounded leader. Gwyll backed away, toward the mage girl, shoulders rounded in submission. She did not want to have a fight over some silly misunderstanding and if Khalid was hurt, the people with him were probably better suited to help him than she was.

 

[DeletedUser13682]

There appeared to be a misunderstanding about the meaning of May's title. Apparently, her family name was also Sun, with possibly no realation to that orb in the sky. Gathering from the information she gave, It seemed that Red had not only been confusing her full name for just her first name, but that her entire culture placed the family name before the personal name. That indicated interesting cultural development that Red would have to think on more, once they were on the road. But there was something that Red could think about now. Loolayannie was the magician's full name. So then, what exactly was her first name? It wasn't Liu, but was her first name Layannie, or just Annie? Red would have assumed Annie, but the Khitain language might not have even produced that word. It was possible for Red to ask the magician herself; it was obvious that Red had been saying it wrong the entire time. Before Red could ask, Khalid walked up to their disassembled campsite, nasty looking wound bound by soaked through bandaged, uniform covered in blood. Before Red could say anything, Khalid asked why Loolayannie was out of bindings. "She was by May interrogated," Red began, slightly annoyed that the magician's status was most pressing on his mind at this time, not even that suspiciously affectionate hug Gwyll gave him. "May determined the magician honesty to have. She allowed the magician her apprentice to become. I will the magician in swords to train. She is with us to fight." Surprising, Khalid's reaction to this revelation at the quick reversal of the former prisoner was anticlimactic, boring even. He just nodded and moved on to the next subject. All the soliders from the attack had returned and everyone would depart. There wasn't much to do except get everyone moving. "I have no questions. We have readiness to leave. Remain well. Treat the wound. It appears severity to have." Red saluted and finalized the packing. In a few minutes, the strike team and their luggage was on the move to the mountain camp, a prospect that excited Red. They'd finally get snow, crystal clear water, and the end of this hot weather.

 

[DeletedUser28032]

As Gwyll threw her arms around him; Khalid, despite the hiss of pain that passed through his lips still managed to put his own arms around the girl and return the gesture. It was obvious that she was happy to see him and he was glad to see her as well, he just wished she wouldn't squeeze him so tightly as it was more than a little painful "Its just a little nick, I'll be fine" he replied when Gwyll started questioning whether he was alright, demonstrating once again that her sense of smell was far more sensitive than his own when she mentioned that she could smell blood.
Still reeling from a combination of pain, weariness and confusion over Gwyll's actions; one minute affectionate the next chastised even though no one had made any comment over her hugging him. Khalid didn't really digest the news that Red's prisoner was no longer a prisoner but was in fact now fighting on their side though no doubt it would hit him fully after he'd gotten some rest.
With Red reporting that everything was under control and that they would soon be on their way, he once again nods his head in an absent manner clearly demonstrating that he wasn't really with it at the minute "Good...in which case you lead the vanguard and get set up in the mountains...erm...Gwyll would you be able to help me pack my stuff away?" he asked knowing that he'd require help with any heavy lifting in his current state and it would also give him chance to ask her what was going on and why she was all of a sudden acting so meekly. Had somebody said something to her?
Deciding that the camp was in more than capable hands, Khalid saluted Red before then leaving to follow his advice and deal with his wound in between packing and talking with Gwyll should she agree to help.

"He no well" Leilani said quietly as Khalid walked away. She'd been half expecting a blazing row to break out over her release yet he'd barely even responded to it. It would also appear that Gwyll and Khalid were an item which was a bit of a shame but not overly surprising.
With the last of their things now packed the imminent departure of the strike team brought to mind another problem that she felt she should point out "Red...Mistress Sun she not knowing we to be leaving should...should I be telling of her?" she asked sheepishly, part of her afraid of what would happen if she left her mistress behind without telling her that they were leaving and another part afraid of what would happen if she disturbed them though with any luck Red would know what to do about the situation. Red was smart like that.

 

[Deleted User - 819397]

The next span of time passed incredibly peacefully for Joshua…just being able to rest with Mei in his arms and him in hers…it made up wonderfully for the time they'd been apart. The Swordmaster managed to push any worries he had aside and simply enjoy the solace they'd created in the farmhouse. He slid in and out of sleep along with his fiancée, his mind pleasantly filled with the woman he was with. It was only when Mei spoke that he dragged himself even a little back to reality. She noted that they should make the most of their time since there was no guarantee they'd get anything like this again for a while. He reluctantly agreed…there was a war on, after all. She went on to say that there wasn't a need to pick a date, that she wouldn't let him forget. "I'm not liable to forget, but I'll take the failsafe," he joked softly. "Actually…since so much about this is uncertain, how about we get married when we've acquired the things you mentioned before? Rings, a dress for you, something nice for me, and someone to officiate? We don't know when we'll stumble upon them, but once we have them…" There wasn't any point to trying to shoot for a fixed date when war surrounded their lives, but if they had the pieces, there wasn't much point in his mind in delaying much beyond that. Mei's last statement resurfaced in his mind, causing him to chuckle, and he opened his eyes to gaze at her, his hat having done its best to swallow her head. "I think I might know where your thoughts are aiming then…if I may be so bold as to assume, My Queen." The last was provided in a slightly cheeky voice, the monarch realizing he could use that now, before moving to kiss the side of her neck.

 

[DeletedUser37114]

Gwyll looked around as Khalid asked her to help pack his stuff away, which was certainly something she could do, though she was a little worried. She wasn't trying to avoid being alone with him, quite the opposite, but the change seemed a little sudden if he was as hurt as he was acting. But even if he was just exhausted and the wound was not serious, Gwyll still had a responsibility to help her friend. "Of course," she replied to Khalid's request, moving closer and glancing around at the soldiers surrounding her. The feeling of hostility wasn't there anymore, which surprised her... unless that was just her overreacting in the first place? Something to think about another time. For now, she followed behind him until they'd left the soldiers, Red, and Mage Girl behind, when she moved up beside him on his wounded side, shoulder almost touching his. More than close enough to catch him if he stumbled or fell. "Are you really okay?" Gwyll asked quietly as they walked. She had seen enough animals try to hide weakness or a wound until it killed them, she was not going to let Khalid do the same just so that he could look strong in front of his soldiers. She was no healer, but she knew some basics of how to fix someone who was hurt. She would make sure he was okay, even if she had to hold him down to check.

 

[DeletedUser13682]

Red watched a moment as Khalid and Gwyll went off to their,,, his tent, to help him pack his belongings, or so the claim was made. Her staring was disturbed by Loolayannie stating that Khalid was not well. "I agree," stated Red before sending her campsite's wagons off to join the stream heading off to the new base in the mountains. Red was tasked with leading the efforts to establish the new camp, a job that would require Red to get there fairly early, necessitating traveling seperately from the strike team. Red would be able to get near the front of the line fairly easily, and still had some time before it would be necessary to leave. While trying to figure out what to do, Loolayannie brought up a very important point. It seemed that nobody had actually gone to tell Joshua and May that they were leaving. Loolayannie was wondering if it would be in her place to go tell them, considering what they were probably up to at the moment. "Hmm... I will the couple to go to retrieve," responded Red, after a moment of thought. "I believe myself less squeamishness to have. Travel with the strike team. I will them to deal with if they you to bother. Tell them that statement." Red gave the magician an informal salute, two fingers to the forehead, a flick of the wrist to point those fingers at the magician. Red then left the magician's company, and traveled to the farmhouse, only a short distance away. Red knocked loudly at the door, three hard knocks. "Joshua, May, we move the camp. It is time to pack. Please hurry. I will if necessary to help. Quickness is required. I have sorriness." Red paced in front of the door, waiting for an answer. Most likely, Red would get sent away; those two lovebirds were probably having too much fun making a nest. But on the off chance that they really would accept help, Red would ensure that they were packed very quickly and very organized.

 

[DeletedUser28032]

"Yes...that could work, and if memory serves you still owe me a dress" Mei murmured sleepily as Joshua laid out his plan for when they should get married without actually setting a date. A small smile touching her lips as she reminded him of the dress that the liberation of his homeland had destroyed.
It was then that he started to gently kiss her neck eliciting a low moan from the mage girl as she tilted her head so as to aid him in his ministrations. Part of her silently grumbling over the fact that it took so little for him to gain complete control over her emotions where as the rest of her didn't care and was quite happy for him to do whatever he wanted to her so long as he didn't stop what he was doing.
It was as her fingers were rapidly undoing the handful of buttons on her borrowed tunic that somebody started knocking on the door stopping the pair of them dead in their tracks with a disappointed groan. Mei was half tempted to ignore whoever it was and carry on where they had left off only this wasn't the tentative knocking of somebody that didn't really want to disturb them. Quite the opposite in fact and Red's shouted message made it clear as to how important it was that they didn't simply ignore him "alright...just give us a few minutes before you come in, ok?" Mei called over to the door resigned to the fact that they weren’t going to get the chance to have a third attempt whilst hoping that Red wouldn't simply come barging in on them whilst they were both undressed.
Giving Joshua one last kiss and an apologetic look Mei slips out of bed and goes in search of her own clothing that she'd scattered around the room in her excitement only a short while ago.
Once the pair of them were fully clothed she'd call for Red so that he knew it was safe for him to come inside and help them pack. Though truth be told they didn't have that much in the way of possessions as all of the furniture had come with the farmhouse and so would be staying leaving only their clothes, weapons and a handful of personal effects between them. All in all packing up wouldn't take them very long at all.

“It hurts like hell, and I’ve lost more than a little blood…but I’ll be fine” Khalid confessed as Gwyll asked if he really was ok and not just putting on a brave face for her benefit “…though I suppose this means you’ll be wanting to come with me next time?” he continued with a weak chuckle as they drew nearer to his tent, hoping that she would realise that he was joking and not actually take him up on the offer.
With nobody around to eaves drop on them Khalid also decided that now was as good a time as any to query what had happened back at Red’s camp as he began the process of packing his things away “So what about yourself, are you ok? No ones been having a go at you have they? Only you seemed a little worried about other people seeing you with me” he asked hoping that that wasn’t the case and that he was just overreacting. Despite their own somewhat rocky start Gwyll seemed to be a nice girl, if a little strange and so didn’t deserve to be picked on and woe betide anyone that tried to do so whilst he was around to hear of it.

Sync’s sleep was fitful at best with the combination of the activity outside and his extremely ill girlfriend’s tossing, turning and violent shivering preventing him from sleeping for any real length of time.
A single glance in Glasya’s direction told him that whatever transformation she was going through was almost complete. Her skin was now almost entirely copper coloured and covered in intricate, swirling tattoos that seemed to move and twist before his very eyes. Quietly whimpering she lay shivering within his arms with her clothes and the blankets that covered them seemingly doing nothing to stop it. Her skin was extremely hot and clammy, and her dress was almost completely drenched with sweat.
Any attempt that Sync made to rouse would result in nothing but quiet delirious moaning as her glazed eyes on the occasions that they did open seeming to stare right through him as her mind wandered to gods knew where. Though judging by the fact that the only coherent thing she’d said since entering the tent was “Please daddy, no…I don’t want to” meant that Sync could probably make a fairly accurate guess if he wanted to.

With everyone that she knew, and let’s face it she didn’t exactly know them well either, having abandoned her. Leilani had stood by the remains of Red’s campfire looking lost and confused until Edward finally took pity on the poor girl and told her to follow him at which point she stuck with him like a little lost puppy.
No doubt he was going to get some stick from the rest of the team for his act of kindness but the girl had looked so sad and pathetic simply standing there not knowing what to do and at least this way they were less likely to incur Red’s wrath, though Edward wearily suspected that it would be a very long and awkward walk for him and his new shadow unless he managed to get her talking “So…do you know any good jokes?”

 

[Deleted User - 819397]

Mei liked Joshua's plan, which settled how they were to discern when they would get married, though she pointed out that he owed her a dress anyway, which caused him to chuckle. Things were just getting interesting when Red knocked on the door very insistently, telling them they needed to pack and he'd help if they wanted. The Swordmaster's first inclination was to send the man packing…surely it could wait for a bit? However, the rest of him knew that ignoring this would only hurt him in the long run…he was a king, and while he didn't like acting like one surely he could do the right thing here? Mei seemed similarly distraught but had reached the same conclusion. She kissed him apologetically, then went off in search of her clothes, prompting him to do the same. They were both dressed before long, and as his fiancée went to go open the door for Red he plucked his hat off her head before returning it to his own. "Couldn't have someone taking you less seriously for having too large a hat on your head," he explained with a smile that was equally sincere and playful. They'd be packed before long, having not been traveling all that heavily. It seemed it was time to leave the peaceful bubble they'd created and head out back into the world in trouble from too many wars…

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Sync groaned as another loud retinue of soldiers walked by their tent, waking him up once again. If it weren't for the knowledge he'd lose any chance he had at winning Joshua, Mei, and Khalid over he would've killed the morons…but nothing for it. He blearily peered at his lover, whom he was still holding as per her request. Her slow transformation had continued…coppery skin, weird tattoos…he wondered if this was what Glasya truly looked like, or if this was her body attempting to reject the sickness he'd unwittingly forced upon her. The construct felt his heart go out to the Ifrit…she was horribly unwell, mind not present in this time or space. He wanted to help her, but had no real idea what he could do…this was a magically induced illness, ordinary methods wouldn't work. For loss of a better idea he simply continued holding her despite her burning body temperature and sweat…she'd asked him to, and it was possible that was all the help he could give. So deciding, Sync felt his eyes start to close again. He'd gotten some rest, but it wasn't nearly enough to put him back in his normal condition. He'd need more…and then food, and a lot of it. As he departed the land of the living once more in favor of the land of the dreamers, he murmured, "I'm here for you Glasya…you'll be ok, I promise…" He knew she couldn't hear him, but he needed to say something to reassure her regardless, just in case it somehow reached her.

 

[DeletedUser37114]

"I may come with you next time," Gwyll replied to Khalid's question, still watching him closely. She did not particularly want to be around a large number of soldiers and combat that had nothing to do with hunting did not appeal to her, but she would rather not have a friend be hurt if she could help it. "Ask me again the next time you are planning to fight." If the battle was small or if it was in a forest or somewhere she could maneuver and watch over him, she would certainly be making sure this did not happen again. His next question was a strange one and she knew she had to ask for clarification so that she did not repeat her earlier missteps. "I am doing well, but I do not understand what you mean by anyone 'having a go at me.' Nobody has made mating displays toward me and I have not fought with anyone, though I came close with Mei. I was a little... worried earlier that the others would not like a near stranger being so close to their injured leader, if that is what you were asking about." Worried was probably not the right word and she had apparently overreacted, which Khalid would probably tell her, but it was better to be as honest about these things as she could be.

 

[DeletedUser13682]

Over the sound of boots on ground, Red could hear near frantic shuffling inside the farmhouse. After a couple minutes, Red was finally allowed to enter the farmhouse, greeted by the sight of two slightly dishevled leaders amidst an overturned room. They had almost managed to put their clothes on right; the only modification required was the removal of Joshua's hat from May's head and its replacement on its rightful owner's head. "Good. Let us your belongings now to pack." Red helped the two turtledoves stow all thei items for the journey. "We can in the snow to fight," Red explained as the small amount of items were almost completely stowed away. "We have transportation for snow in Mauranger. They are flat, wood pieces. A piece has largeness. A piece has smallness. The small piece has animal skin on the bottom. The large piece has fat. The small piece propels the person. The large piece slides the person on the snow. We travel many distances. We hunt at all times. We have sneakiness. We can raids on the enemy to perform. I would like the pieces and the soldiers to produce to train. The mountain has excellent snow. This region will very shortly snow to receive. The enemy has skadi not. I can a very large advantage us to give." Red finished with the packing, and began to move the boxes to the waiting cart. The camp was nearly empty, everyone had all but left. The only signs of any human occupation were the farmhouse, and abandoned or buried campfires dotting the area. It was impressive that the soldiers were able to leave this place so quickly. Maurangerians wouldn't have been able to leave so quickly; there was just too much every person used to own. It was strange that such unrealated thoughts could cause Red homesickness, but that was the fact of the matter.

 

[DeletedUser31931]

The job was simpler than Daner would have expected. Far too simple considering that the Empress was supposed to be some tyrannical dictator. As she was dragged out of her room Daner couldn't help but feel that something, somehow, was going terribly wrong. As they entered a lavish room, seemingly a bedroom, Daner realised the full extent of his error. We've been had. The thought was plain and simple from Brahmoth but it accurately conveyed Daner's feelings as they watched on as the demonic figure literally ripped out his aunt's heart. As the cold pit in his stomach grew, he felt Lucy by his side, enquiring as to what they had done. Before he could reassure her though, they were approached by the man from the Tea Shop who, unsurprisingly given the rest of the room, was grinning from ear to ear. As he enquired if they wanted to know what the new Emperor had planned Daner inwardly cursed at the fact that he wouldn't get the chance to reassure Lucy but he instead he tapped her wrist and, secretly, made the motion for follow me on the back of her wrist, hoping she would garner his message. Grinning back at the man he responded with "Of course! Depending on the plan and on how I consider the needs of the guild to be placed, I may be well disposed to take part in the plan." Daner knew he could put up a convincing act and this way they would get more information. It was clear that they'd made a mistake. But no-one double-crosses the thieves' guild of Tiran.

 

[DeletedUser28032]

Despite her confusion Khalid was glad to hear that no one was picking on her though he was quietly curious as to what could have sparked a potential fight between her and Mei.
Instead he learnt that she'd simply been worried that people wouldn't have wanted her around him since he was injured "oh don't worry about that, most people won't be upset about you trying to help me...oh and for the record the slang for mating displays would be chatting up or hitting on ...its a little confusing, but I am sure you'll get the hang of it after you've spent a little more time with us" Khalid said with a chuckle; relieved that she was alright and that it'd all been a misunderstanding “Honestly Gwyll, Don’t worry about what other people think, if you want to hang around me then that’s perfectly fine by me and I’ll deal with anyone that says otherwise” he said, placing a hand upon her shoulder as he gently spoke to her.
Despite his injuries, Khalid did his best to pack away his things with only the minimal of assistance from Gwyll; though he did have to call upon the girl when it came time to collapse the tent; a pair of volunteers then being given the task of actually putting the tent onto one of the wagons along with Khalid’s heavier possessions.
Hefting his pack over his shoulders with a slight hiss of pain he then starts walking towards the line of men and wagons that were already beginning to leave the former campsite, with Khalid beckoning for Gwyll to join him. Sure he could have hitched a ride on one of the wagons as some of the other wounded had done but he felt that by walking that he was setting a good example for his men, that and this way he at least got the chance to walk with a pretty girl.

Blushing furiously as the hat was quickly whipped from off of her head, Mei had set about gathering her things so that Red could have them stowed onto one of the wagons “He…he proposed to me today” Mei stammered timidly to Red feeling the need to explain their somewhat dishevelled appearance “I…I said yes” she then quickly added, though to be honest Red had probably figured that part out for himself.
It was as they were placing the last few items onto a cart that Red started speaking of snow and a method of traversing it that his people had used; along with his desire to train some men to use such a method in order to perform raids.
The camp was practically empty now with only a handful of tents remaining in the field that were either broken beyond repair or belonged to dead men; the personal possessions of the men still out in the field having already been collected by their friends.
It was as Red was surveying this scene that Mei noticed that a melancholy looked had fallen upon him; dead friends? Homesickness? She wasn’t sure but all the same Mei found herself speaking to the foreign soldier in a friendly voice “you’ll have to teach me your language one day…I do enjoy learning different tongues and their nuances and suspect that yours would be interesting…that and the pair of us could have nice long chats, that is if you wanted to” she wasn’t sure whether Red would take her up on the offer, after all they barely knew one another despite the length of time they’d spent together within the camp, but felt she should make the attempt all the same.
With her offer of friendship extended Mei would take Joshua’s hand and start walking; frowning when she caught sight of Glasya’s tent still set up. She hasn’t just abandoned it has she? Mei silently wondered, suddenly feeling concerned for the Ifrit’s wellbeing, because despite everything that she’d done to her, Glasya had come when she’d asked for help…that had to count for something, right?

The journey into the mountains would prove to be long and tiring with the process made even slower by the large heavy wagons being hauled along the narrow mountain paths.
The campsite itself was on steep sided plateau that offered an excellent view of the surrounding countryside with a small lake fed by a mountain stream providing them with an ample supply of water. Meanwhile in the distance a small village could be seen; far enough away that they wouldn’t be bothering one another but close enough that it could be used to send messages and make use of any traders it had.
Despite the snow that Red so loved being yet to come it was bitterly cold up here and the stony ground had already become hardened by ice, yet it was sheltered from the worst of the wind by the surrounding cliffs and mountainsides meaning that their new mountainside home wouldn’t prove too uncomfortable for them all.

“Excellent! Come with me” the smiling man said, almost as if they’d actually had a choice. With a pair of black clad figures shadowing them, Daner and Lucy walked through a place wreathed in chaos as the men and women loyal to the Emperor set about butchering or incarcerating those that had been foolish enough to either speak out against his reign or too loudly praise his aunt’s.
Passing through a large doorway guarded by a pair of heavily armed men they descended into what seemed to be the very bowels of the Forbidden city with the smiling man practically giddy as began explaining to them what he was about to unveil to them “In our country we have these stories; you’ll know them Lucy, Tazeko Kensei? Even a half-breed like you must know of them…anyway I digress…” he said glossing over the casual racism he’d shown towards Lucy’s mixed heritage though judging from her reaction she was more than a little used to this and was simply resigned to fact that it was her place to endure it “…within these stories there is mention of a dragon who grants him great powers, issues him quests, so on so forth and as we all know such creatures were made extinct years ago by our mutual ancestors however what most people don’t know is…is that it’s a lie” another heavy door flanked by a pair of guards greeted them, with a casual wave of the smiling man’s hand permitting them entry and another walk down a long flight of stairs “…you see dragons have the ability to sleep for thousands upon thousand of years allowing them to slip from the memories of man, however long ago one of the first Emperor’s of Khitai discovered what he believed to be the fabled dragon from the Tazeko Kensei stories asleep in its cave, however instead of killing it or waking it up in order to ask a favour of it he sealed it away within a deep vault and built his palace atop of it, safe in the knowledge that come the time that Khitai needed its assistance that he could awaken the beast and seek its aid…well my friends that time has come” an involuntary gasp escaped Lucy’s throat as they come face to face with what had to be largest set of doors they had ever seen towering up into the darkness. Wrought out of the gods alone knew how many tons of iron the doors bore an intricate engraving of the beast that lay beyond such a towering edifice “but alas the Emperor was no fool and so had three keys made so that no one could release the beast before its time; one key resides within the palace, mistakenly believed to be nothing more than a strange curio and the Council of Magi are already seeking the other two, but that is not your concern, what is your concern is that as a reward for your efforts you will have the honour of using the first key and begin the process of unlocking the door before you; a man is already on his way to retrieve the key from the museum as we speak” it was at this point that Daner would notice the three star-shaped indentations within the door “So what say you Daner? Are you ready to unleash a dragon upon the world?”

 

[DeletedUser13682]

Oak Village, now just a large pile of swept away ash and burnt out wood, would look much like this campsite before too long; entropy would have finally reduced the town to another scenic spot on a crystal clear lake. Without Red, or those traders that visited the place, Oak Village's physical site would be fogotten in a few decades. Perhaps that was for teh best; most of the lore and fictional accounts, along with some of the technical skills had been loast, probably permanently. Whatever. Red retained quite a bit of scinetific knowledge and technical know how, and that was probably worth saving. There was quite a bit that magic could do, but Red had never seen magic move water across long distances, direct rainwater falling off a room into specific areas, not only cure people but prevent people from getting sickness. It was those kinds of things that Red would have to spread to keep any sort of memory of her home town alive. Perhaps that knowledge could also save lives and improve the world as a whole. But that would have to wait, at least until Red got revenge against the current Khitain government for destroying Oak Village. Red was broken out of this thinking by May asking Red to teach her Maurangerian, for the purpose of having conversations. That didn't make much sense; Red and May could already talk well enough already with that mutual language that many people around the world seemed to know well enough. And while there were still quite a few cities in Mauranger that could speak the language, none had the peculier dialect that Oak Village had, and it would be easier to discuss the more technical of scientific discoveries in Maurangerian. "We can discussions already to have," stated Red, turning around to face May, tucking that stray lock of red hair back underneath the head scarf. "I can you Maurangerian to teach. It has difficulty. The structure has differences. The word order has large divergences. However, I can you the language if you desire to teach to have. I might you science also to teach. You might me theories of magic also to teach." Red shrugged. Despite not being able to perform magic, it was still useful to know the theories behind it. It might be possible to invent better ways to do things. Fire throwing, for example. Using a simple syringe, a person could cast a burning substance that would stick to anything it landed on. It was large, but a smaller version was being worked on when the village was destroyed.

After the last of the luggage was packed, Red sent the cart along its way to join the line streaming towards the mountain base, ready to be unpacked again. "I must now to go," Red said to Joshua and May. "The camp will when you arrive preparedness to have. Have a good day." Red gave a salute and left the farmhouse. The caravan was slowly making its way through the forest and to the narrow mountain passes. Some carts needed help navigating the passes, a job that Red could easily help with. Mountains were Red's specialty, having grown up right next to them. The campsite was right near a village that was somewhat reminiscent of Red's old home. The architecture was somewhat similar, but the lake it was by was somewhat smaller. Red was helping around here and there, now sporting a fur lined parka to protect against the cold. It wasn't too long before people seemed to have their campsites together well enough to free up Red to go over to the village. Before leaving, Red walked over to the strike team's new campsite. "I will to the village to go," announced Red. "Watch Loolayannie a time. I will later to return." With a short wave, Red walked off towards the village to establish communication and explain their purpose in being there. It might be possible to set up normal relations with them, allowing the freedom fighters more lateral flexibility in their mission choice and duration.

 

[DeletedUser37114]

From what Khalid said, her earlier actions had been fine. As long as she was seen as helping, Gwyll could be around Khalid as much as she wanted, even if he was wounded. Definitely an odd situation for a leader, though it did seem like communication was much easier with humans than with any animal pack she had been in. The idea clashed with what she had talked with Mei about a couple of days ago, the idea of humans lying and camouflaging themselves. In fact, she would have guessed that the Mage Girl would not have been allowed anywhere close to Khalid. But if Khalid himself told her this, she would have to believe him. He then talked about some odd terms for mating displays, which she promptly forgot after a moment of trying to reconcile what "hitting" or "chatting" had to do with mating. Khalid or Joshua would help her if they ever came up again, maybe the explanation they would give might actually be sane. But then Khalid explained that she should not need to worry about what anyone thought, just hang around him if she wanted and he would deal with anyone who did not like that. The statement itself was simple, but combined with a hand on her shoulder, it spoke volumes. "Is... is that what being friends means?" she asked, her voice quiet. To be honest with herself, she did not know if she really wanted him to answer or even knew if he heard her. The answer was plain enough either way.

Packing up Khalid's tent was a fairly easy job from there, Gwyll settling her own stuff into her pack and stowing it before sitting down to watch Khalid pack. He did ask for her help a few times, but she got the impression that that was mostly to give her something to do and to avoid straining himself too much. The tent itself was the one exception, being more than enough work for two people, eventually ending with two others being called upon to help load it into one of the wagons. Though why Khalid told her not to help them, she had no idea. She listened, of course, but the looks the men gave her as she and Khalid walked away were... unpleasant. Still, Khalid had told her he would deal with anyone who did not want her to hang around him and he was leaving. So she paid no more attention to the men who loaded the heavy materials into wagons for the trip. She stuck with Khalid, making sure he did nothing to strain himself for the day, then slept beside him that night, to make sure he did nothing to hurt himself again that night.

The days from there formed a nice pattern. Her routine consisted of watching over Khalid wherever he went, though she met with Kes a few times and left the man in the care of Kes' mother at one point, while she learned Kes' form. The ability to go out and soar together with the bird was amazing, flipping and diving over and around the mountains they were traveling through. She could not thank Isolde enough, though the woman rejected any claim that she needed thanking. One visit in particular ended with Gwyll nearly dying due to a careless dive and meeting Owain, Isolde's significant other, who made the tattoos that decorated the woman's body. The next visit involved nearly dying again due to a sudden downdraft and a small mountain river, and Gwyll's very first tattoo, a watchful black wolf on her arm, up near the shoulder. She was sure Empty Night would have been mystified by her likeness appearing on the girl's body, though she would surely have flattered given that Gwyll made sure to describe long teeth, sharp claws, and a thick coat. The process itself was painful, though more than bearable and a promise to come back for more was an easy one to make. Empty Night might get lonely without her pack, after all. The main problem was keeping still and trying to make sure Khalid did nothing to injure himself again, which was difficult, as the man was prone to escaping while she was otherwise occupied. Shortly before they managed to find their campsite, she learned to simply leave him with Joshua and Mei, who promised her that they would make sure he came to no more harm. That allowed her the luxury of the occasional hunt, where she would be alone in the quiet of the mountains to take her prey as she wished.

Gwyll did make sure to spend every night in Khalid's tent, which did a wonderful job of combatting the loneliness that reared its ugly head the first and last night she tried sleeping somewhere else. The odd looks she received for the first couple days when people noticed where she was sleeping were, of course, entirely worth it. As the air grew colder, Gwyll packed away the dress Mei had given her in favor of her furs, which were much warmer and better suited to the snow and ice. As much as she liked the pretty thing, being warm was far more important. But after a while of walking, they finally reached their final campsite. Which was a mostly barren spot with few trees, with the only advantage Gwyll could see being plenty of water and a good view. But she knew she could trust Joshua and Mei and Khalid, they could not have made too awful of a decision on where to spend the winter, could they?

 

[Deleted User - 819397]

Red had helped Joshua and Mei pack their few belongings before they headed out, the rest of the camp seemingly ready to move out. However, there was one tent that hadn't even begun to be taken down. The Swordmaster looked to his fiancée to ask if she knew what the reason was, but her expression told him he probably didn't want to ask. She did eventually move on though, so he figured it couldn't be something too bad. It wasn't until they were well on their way that it struck him that he didn't see Sync or Glasya anywhere amongst the company. Had they decided to stay? He somehow didn't think so, but…what had happened to them then?

The trip itself wasn't too bad…the presence of both wagons and people on the trip meant the pace was slow. Joshua wasn't quite sure why Gwyll kept finding him and Mei and telling them to keep Khalid safe while she was gone, but it warmed his heart in more ways than one…after such a rocky start he hadn't been sure they'd ever get along, but it seemed they'd come to a mutual friendship, with the wild girl becoming overly protective of his fellow Swordmaster, and him doing his best to teach her things as they came up. He couldn't have imagined things going this well between them…it was truly good to see.

Their eventual campsite was at a relatively high altitude, fairly strange for someone used to living in the low desert. Joshua had jumped in to help set up camp despite any protests that he shouldn't, only to find himself breathing far harder than he was used to for such simple manual labor. A little taken aback, he made sure to not push himself as hard for the rest of the time, wondering what had happened…he kept himself in great shape…why was he burning out so quickly? Once they'd finished, he went looking for Mei, wiping the sweat from his face as he did so…he was sweating…in this temperature…how in the world…when he found his fiancée, he kissed her briefly, then asked, "Mei…is there some magic up here that's making it harder to do things? I don't think I could fight anyone at any length right now…what's going on?" Magic was the most likely example…he knew it wasn't the cold air, as it hadn't happened in Jehanna's nighttime deserts or the Northlands…and seeing as he was eternally clueless about magecraft, it was all too likely he wasn't getting the concept here as well.

---------------------------

Sync finally felt as though he'd had enough rest after a time…the area around them had quieted enough he was only awoken when Glasya had another fit. Realizing they'd both gone a long while without food or water, he reluctantly extracted himself from his lover and staggered outside the tent to find…everyone was gone. Completely. They'd left, and left them behind. Panic overtook him slightly…what if the opposing forces found their tent? He took a few steps, then looked back to find…the tent was gone, and a tree was in its place. Puzzled, the construct walked up to it and touched it. It felt like a tree…what was going on? After a good few seconds of exploring the plant's contours, it melted away and the tent replaced it. Eyes wide, he stepped back and watched the illusion return. It was…so real…at least on the scale of what Glasya could do when she was well, if not greater. It would fool anyone looking at it, and even those who experimentally probed it. It fit in with the few other trees scattered around the abandoned farmland, so no suspicion would fall upon it. Who had done this? It certainly wasn't the Ifrit…she wasn't doing anything aside from struggling to live. And speaking of…

Sync ultimately stuck with water, using the farm's well to give himself a long drink before refilling the bucket, detaching it, and returning to the tent. He found a clean cloth and soaked it in the water, then dabbed Glasya's lips. She'd been sweating so much she was certainly dehydrated by now…pouring the water directly into her mouth would be excessively dangerous…she'd be more likely to choke on it than anything else. This method was far slower, but would ultimately be effective. He'd go get food for himself later…he could ignore an empty stomach for a little longer for his lover's sake…she needed to rehydrate more than he needed to refuel.