Taking the path less travelled

[Wayfarer]

The path to Malkier was an enlightening experience for Ashar.  The farthest north he had ever travelled, the kind weather had failed to deny geography its due, it was getting colder.  He'd been glad for the extra layer of furs he had picked up in Merrilor on the advice of those who knew better, even more glad he'd been able to secure some extra clothing for the others on the coin of the merchants who had employed them.  Even now it was a welcome respite from the bite of a chill wind that contrasted with the sun that had blessed their path.

 

The wagons at least had travelled well with little hassle.  Only one axle had broken a week north of Merrilor, the teamsters had made a quick fix and Jerinvar Alanda, the merchant in charge of the expedition, was even handed and easy to approach.  He seemed to have the confidence of years despite not even being thirty.  Apart from his Jerinvar's guardsmen, led by a burly Illianer called Nikos, Ashar's group was somewhat settled.  In addition to himself, and the trio he had recruited on the first day made up of Kai, Kaylee and Eb, he'd also found two more to round out their crew.  Tolin never gave his last name, or contributed that much to conversation, but at least his sturdy frame could keep to the saddle and his chipped mace with its fins looked like it had seen plenty of use. 

 

That then left Uno who had come to see him a day later.  He'd decided that the call of the road was his to answer, something which had led to more than one conversation with Donal who had eventually given his reluctant blessing.  It had been a source of tension given his first meeting with the others, but Ashar wasn't overly concerned.  There hadn't been any blow ups yet, and if people kept civil and did their jobs, then that should be enough for the run.  Days were spent on travel with Ashar ranging forward with Kai and Tolin scouting ahead while Kaylee and Eb stayed with the wagons and acted as spotters.

 

When they weren't travelling it had been an opportunity to observe their interactions, Eb and Kai had taken Uno under their wing and were providing him training and tips.  Tolin occasionally offered an acerbic comment or a grunt, but Kaylee worried him a little more.  They'd had a few chats here and there, but she was still guarded, hopefully that would ease over the course of the trip.

 

Things proceeded well up until they crossed the border into Malkier.  The sun was shrouded by the clouds more often than not, and the land was . . . he'd heard stories of the Blight, and while this didn't match what he had heard it was still not quite right.  The land still had patches where life stubbornly struggled to take root, leaving patches of despoiled and browned grasses desperately eking out their existence.  Elsewhere, it was like the land was still trying to decide what it was, patches of trees that lacked the age of the forests in the south like the Braem Wood that he had visited.  Maybe in another twenty to thirty years Malkier would take shape, but for now it was still . . . young?  Ashar struggled to quite conceive it.

 

One thing Ashar did not appreciate was the way that the morning fogs rolled in, making their scouting difficult but if nothing else, the lack of options for cover and shelter had made their nights easy to plan for.  A couple of budding groves and then bare plains occasionally interrupted by hillocks, scouting was no longer an ambling affair as they had to remain alert in case of attack.  Despite the road guiding the way and the occasional patrol sighted, much of Malkier was still unsettled.  When Ashar had raised the question, Jerinvar's observation was that many of the communities that had been founded had looked for the most fertile places for crops and were mostly self contained.  The major highways had been the priority in development along with the settlements themselves, the paths that would normally splinter from the highway would take time to develop.

 

A week into Malkier was when the weather became ugly.  The wind that had been chilly now threatened to cut through their clothing even with the cover, the horses were suffering for it as well.  Three days away from their first settlement to visit, Jerinvar took the decisiont that they should search for cover and outwait the weather as it was only getting worse with intermittent sleeting that was getting heavier.  The clouds had turned ominously dark, thunder roared in the distance, there was nothing to be gained from trying to foray through the storm that was coming.

 

Ashar had led the scouting party amongst the hillocks that now dominated the landscape, but it was Kai who had found them shelter.  A large cavern, its maw extending as far as twenty feet high but only ten feet in width, it offered a possibility of shielding themselves against the worst of the approaching elements.  A cursory inspection showed that it opened into a wider space once past the entrance, but there seemed to be no end to it as it began to descend.

 

In the absence of any immediate danger and a lack of other options, Jerinvar had made the decision for them to bring the convoy there.  The decision had been proven wise when within half an hour of arrival, the full storm struck.  The lay of the land shielded them from flooding, but the rain was so thick that it one could barely see ten feet ahead and the thunder reverberated about them when lightning struck from the sky, sometimes close enough that the flash outside was immediately followed by a roar that both echoed and washed over them.  They had pushed further into the cave after the first day to mitigate this, but by the fourth day it was clear that the weather was not shifting.

 

It was also clear something had to change.  Jerinvar's instructions were simple to Ashar, gather his people and get them ready for plan B.  They had spread the wagons out a bit to give space as some had found their current predicament claustrophobic enough as it was with Nikos' people maintaining sentries.  With the cavern extending so far, the choice had been made to simply keep themselves safe rather than range out too far and invite further problems.  Ashar wondered if that was about to change, but Jerinvar would be able to explain more by the campfire he was seated by when everyone was assembled.

OOC: A chance to set the scene for how your characters have been going during the trip and what they might be up to on their down time normally.  

[HeavyHalfMoonBlade]

Kaylee massaged her rear end after climbing down off the wagon bed. She shared a rueful grin with the wagon driver, a stocky red-headed woman who obviously also was suffering from  numb buttocks. The wagon's seats were little more than rude planks, and did little to cushion the people riding in it. The grin turned into a frown when one of the guards approached her with a toothy smile. The man opened his mouth as if to say something but shut it again with a snap when Kaylee doubled the intensity of her frown and moved her hands from the seat of her pants to plant her fists on her hips. The guard kept walking while pretending to busy himself with his pack and Kaylee snorted and stalked off looking for the wagon with the provisions. It was her turn to cook. 

The howling weather did not sound like it was showing any inclination of calming down outside the cave. Torches and lanterns lit the darkness - though the sun still shone at this time of the day, the blanket of thick, towering storm clouds allowed little to none of its light to reach their refuge. The journey had been uneventful, if bruising. The merchant that was running the caravan and supplying some of his own guards seemed to know what he was doing. Kaylee had dealt with many men like him in Illian, an eye for detail and ability to work hard holding their avarice in check. Merchants that let their greed overcome their good sense did not stay in business long. The only worse trait was bad luck for a merchant. 

 

When Kaylee had met up with Ashar and the Taraboner's group of mercenaries, she found that they had grown in number. Of the two men, Tolin seemed to be passable, but the other left Kaylee grinding her teeth frustration. The pretty little runner from the Respite was signed up for the trip as well. The boy was barely off his mother's apron strings and yet here he was awkwardly handling a sword of all things scabarded at his waist. Uno flinched slightly when they made eye contact, but Kaylee had to give grudging respect when he straightened his posture and calmly looked back. At least he could show some back bone when it was needed. Kaylee had brushed past him to speak to Ashar, giving Uno no further attention and afterwards ignored him as thoroughly as she did the insufferable Kai, acting as if they did not exist unless she had to for their duties. 

 

A week into the journey, a wagon broke an axle. After the teamsters had pulled the splintered wood free, it was discarded to be chopped into firewood. Kaylee hefted the discarded wood and examined its grain. It was not as fine as pearwood, but it did not seem too coarse for oak.

 

After asking to borrow a saw, Kaylee with a little effort had two undamaged lengths that looked to be suitable for her needs. The rest was returned to the firewood, splintered into chunks by the Illianer as a return of the favour. 

 

That evening Kaylee started to carve the lengths of axle. She did not do it while riding the wagon – the job required her attention and she could not perform her duties for the caravan as a spotter at the same time. Kaylee stayed apart from the others in the evenings and the carving gave her something to do apart from lie in her blankets. She noticed that Uno take interest in what she was doing, though he obviously did not recognise what she was carving. The young man frequently looked her way but she did not encourage his interest.

 

After a little longer than a week, the carving was done and the two lengths were crudely pegged together. Two shapes vaguely reminiscent of cat’s paws, and a series of ridges and bumps. It was the first time that Kaylee had attempted this but she was fairly confident she had gotten the dimensions right. 

Borrowing a large pot, she filled it with water from the stream the were camped beside. She hung it from the tripod over the fire once the evening meal was done and let the water heat. Returning to knapsack, she fished out a roll of heavy leather. Measuring it against her carved creation, Kaylee quickly trimmed it to the size she wanted, then returned to the pot over the fire. Unlacing the sleeve of her jerkin, Kaylee tried to push the garment past her elbow but the think material resisted. Sighing, she shrugged out of the warm garment into the cold late evening air. Rolling up the sleeve of her shirt, Kaylee stuck her elbow into the water. It was still too cold, only slightly warmer than her body temperature. 

 

“Did your mother no be teaching you that it be rude to be staring at people?” Kaylee did not raise her head, but she was fully aware of Uno’s rapt attention. The young man still had not finished his bowl of stew, and was sitting near the fire for its warmth.

 

“Sorry, I’ll, er, leave you in peace...” Uno stumbled awkwardly as he tried to gather his things and balance his bowl at the same time. Kaylee sighed heavily.

 

“Stay by the fire, boy, I be no chasing you into the cold.” Kaylee stirred the pot to make sure the temperature was even and tested it again with her elbow. It was nearly at the right heat now. Uno sank back down onto the ground, obviously struggling internally with something. “Well, out with it. You do be wanting to ask something or you need to adjusting your small clothes so they no be pinching so much." She frowned at the youngster. "Do you be thinking that I'll be taking everything off and having a bath in this pot?" Uno coloured a deep red even visible in the firelight.

 

"No, of course not! You would not even fit in the..." Kaylee's level look cut him off, as he realised that it was a rhetorical question. "But what, what are you doing? If I may ask?"

 

Kaylee eyed him thoughtfully while still stirring the pot.

 

"I have been thinking about what happened in the Respite. Been thinking about my outlook on life." Kaylee dunked her elbow in the water again. "That argument could have been messy. Kai being able to channel and a trained swordsman? That could have gotten me into some real trouble. So I be thinking now about my future." She cocked her head at Uno "How big do be your arms?" She asked rather suddenly. Kaylee grabbed his wrist and pulled him to his feet. "Put the bowl down." She felt around his forearms. "Take off your coat." Uno paused looking at her bewildered.

 

"What? Why?" Kaylee started tugging the garment off his shoulders. "It's cold!"

 

"It no be that cold, besides you can jump in the pot after I be finished with my bath."

 

"What?" Uno's face was a misery of confusion.

 

"Roll up your sleeves now, like a good lad." Kaylee took a length of twine from her pack and measured the length and girth of Uno's bare forearms. "Your sword practice do be building muscle. Perhaps you will no be squealing so easy any more." 

 

Turning back to supply of leather she quickly cut some strips, using the twine to measure them. 

"When leather do be heated, once it is cooled it becomes hard. The hotter you make it, the lighter and harder it do be." All the while Kaylee's hands were busy, practiced efficient movements shaped the leather as she wanted it. "The hotter it be, the more it shrinks as well, the more likely it be to crack. You can boil it in water, or put it for longer in water that be only warm. Or bake it in an oven, or soak it in cold water and pour boiling water over it to harden the outer layers. The strongest and heaviest leather you do get from painting it in molten beeswax, though it is as heavy as steel and I do no be having a bucket of beeswax here." Kaylee dumped the strips into the pot and hooked it onto a higher hook on the tripod so it would not heat up as quickly. 

 

Uno opened his mouth.

 

"I do be counting, boy" Kaylee growled warningly. 

 

Uno closed his mouth again. 

 

After a long drawn out moment, Uno would have hazarded around thirty to forty seconds, Kaylee pulled the leather from the water. She attached a set of clamps connected to lengths of twine and then turned to the shivering Uno.

 

"This might be a little warm."  Grabbing his wrist again, she pulled his arm straight and slapped the hot leather onto his arm.

 

Uno screamed between clenced teeth, trying to pull free from the smaller woman. 

 

"What are you doing?" Uno unsuccessfully tried to free his arm. 

 

Kaylee sighed heavily. 

 

"Look it no be that hot." She pressed the leather against her own bare skin. "See? The leather will be taking the shape it dries and cools in. If you be wanting shaped leather vambraces, it needs to dry on your arm. Come on now, we be no having all night for this." Kaylee renewed her grip on his arm and reapplied the leather. 

 

"And I want vambraces?" Uno did not sound very certain. Several members of the caravan came to find out what the source of the scream was. Many stared perplexed at the two people standing in the bare shirt sleeves round the fire. A glare from Kaylee sent them finding other things to do on the chilly evening.

 

Kaylee nodded emphatically. 

 

"Armour for your forearms. They do be a gift. To protect your very sensitive arms." Kaylee tugged on the twine and neatly tied them around the length of leather, first on one arm and then the other. "Let them dry and bring them to me in the morning, and I'll cut you out of them and fasten a cord to hold them together."

 

Uno examined the quickly cooling leather on his arms, as Kaylee turned back to the pot and set it again just above the flames.

 

"Kaylee?" Uno shrugged back into his coat, awkward with the extra width to his arms. 

 

"Yes?" The Illianer raised an eyebrow at the young man.

 

"Thank you. This is," Uno frantically searched for a word but ended lamely, "nice."

 

"You do be most welcome, kind Sir." Kaylee held imaginary skirts wide as she curtsied to him. The gesture was exaggerated, but her smile was genuine. "You'll do well, boy. Listen to what Eb tells you. And Kai." She added the last rather grudgingly. She dropped the leather for her original creation into the pot and raised it again from the flames. The water was hotter time so she used tongs to pull the leather out and then held it against her mould, hammering it into place with brass nails. The wrapping it around the whole thing and pulling it tight with all her might she hammered it taught. Testing the nails to make sure they were secure, she put aside the small hammer for a large mallet, made of rawhide tightly rolled up. Kaylee use the mallet to shape the hot leather against the mould. It took sometime before she was satisfied and could leave it to dry beside the dying fire.

 

When Uno came in the morning to be freed from his now hard and rigid vambraces, Kaylee was already putting the finishing touches to her creation. Waxed thread now attached the pieces of hardened leather to a pair of leather gloves. Wide cuffs protected the wrists, which were attached to the cats paw shaped pieces that covered the back of the hand and knuckles, which gave them their distinctive shape. The finger joints were protected by small domes which slid over half tube like pieces that protected the fingers. 

 

"You have made gauntlets!" Uno exclaimed. 

 

Kaylee shrugged.

 

"I could no sleep, so decided to finish it." Uno flinched as she sawed the leather off his arms, trying not to squirm. Kaylee had been using a large piece of broken pottery as a make shift lap table for sewing the gauntlets together. She laid it out on the ground then pulled the gauntlets on to her hands, twisting them one way then the other as she tested the fit and how the fingers moved. "As I say, I have been thinking about my future, and my temper." Kaylee suddenly dropped to one knee, smashing her gauntleted fist through the pottery. "And do I be thinking that only punching one person a day be just too limiting." Uno paled looking at the shattered pottery and then up at Kaylee's open smile, as she flexed her hand, curling and extending her fingers, happy that the test had gone well and pain-free. 

 

Uno open his mouth, and then closed it again.

 

"Good, be glad you be agreeing with me, lad." Kaylee clapped Uno on the shoulder. "Looks like we be about to be moving, better get to your position. I'll have these finished to you in no time." Kaylee gestured the leather casts from his arm. "I think they'll be looking fine on you. Like a real mercenary."

 

The caravan had continued its way north, and life went on. Uno often approached Kaylee to talk in the evenings and though she did not exactly welcome him, she no longer rebuffed him either. Kaylee could see that she still made the young man nervous, but she appreciated his company as long as it was not accompanied by Kai. 

 

Then the storm struck, and it was Kaylee's turn to cook. The others' grumbles seemed even more vehement than usual. Kaylee could not understand why, it was only a bit a bad weather.
 

Edited June 7 by HeavyHalfMoonBlade

[Matalina]

[[ ooc: okay so much to process I've been unable to do so so I'll just write a quick post, sorry it's short ]]

 

The initial part of the trek was surrounded by lots of scouting.  He didn't spend much time with the others, instead it was alone or solo with the other scouts. It was a big responsibility and Kai spent most of that time on high alert.  His anxiety was on high by the time he reached the caravan and he usually only spoke to Uno and Eb -- he completely avoided Kaylee, he didn't want another altercation.  And he certain didn't want to cause any one else any issues on his account so he spent most of his down time trying to wrestle the ever growing anxiety by reading a book or practicing the quarterstaff lost in the void away from any and all emotions.

 

The rain now made his temperaments worse.  He could feel the ache in his joints from the anxiety  pressing on him.  The wet humid weather making matters all that worse.  He kept his father's mantra in his head.  He could do this.  He was stronger than whatever came at him.  It worked sorta.  But it was still pressing in on him and the confined space wasn't only just getting at him, but the others too.  Kai was half ready to scout the tunnels.  He'd snuck off into the darkness a time or two but he never went far.  

 

Kai sat around the fire, trying to stave off the cold from the rain while he waited for whatever their next move was.  They couldn't wait here forever -- but they might try if it were still too dangerous out to travel, and who knows where the tunnels went.