A small tavern in Caemlyn (ATTN: U4ea)

[U4ea]

Edana stopped and turned around. There were signs of straining around his eyes and mouth and she sighed, feeling a little guilty for having let her anger get the best of her. "I apologize, Elyan," she said softly, meeting him halfway as she crossed the space behind her. "I am not as offended as I appear." She sighed and dropped down onto the back step of one of her neighbor's houses. She was tired, she hurt, she was emotionally drained and she was losing control over all of it far faster than she liked. "I have been betrayed by the people who are supposed to love me unconditionally, badly enough that I raised my blade to them. I've been away from Caemlyn for a week and my first night home, a celebration turned into..." she waved her hand in frustration. "Everything my life was is over. I have no idea what to do with myself, but I know I'll have to start by hiding until I can get out of this city."

 

She closed her eyes, her shoulders slumping. "I don't have many friends that are mine, alone, and I'm sure most of the friends I share with my brothers will tell them rather quickly where I am. I can't afford them finding me, Elyan." She raised her eyes to his. "It's probably better for you that you get as far away from me as possible. If there's any chance I may get caught, they'll implicate you, too. I'll just lose my post, but you..." she shook her head and sighed. "I can't have that on my conscience, too." Not on top of everything else.

 

~Edana

[JainFarstrider]

"I have been betrayed by the people who are supposed to love me unconditionally, badly enough that I raised my blade to them. I've been away from Caemlyn for a week and my first night home, a celebration turned into..." she waved her hand in frustration. "Everything my life was is over. I have no idea what to do with myself, but I know I'll have to start by hiding until I can get out of this city."

 

Elyan walked over to where she was and took a seat next to her. He felt sorry for her, though he was not sure what it was like to be loved unconditionally. On the other hand,  he was all too familiar with betrayal, and felt bad for any that had to share in the experience.

 

"I don't have many friends that are mine, alone, and I'm sure most of the friends I share with my brothers will tell them rather quickly where I am. I can't afford them finding me, Elyan." She raised her eyes to his. "It's probably better for you that you get as far away from me as possible. If there's any chance I may get caught, they'll implicate you, too. I'll just lose my post, but you..." she shook her head and sighed. "I can't have that on my conscience, too."

 

“I’m sorry too, I guess I didn’t realize what this must be like for you,” He said with sympathy, “Betrayal is a painful thing, for what it’s worth, I’m sorry for what happened.” He lifted his hand to place it lightly on her shoulder, making sure it was the uninjured one, having seen others do the same to comfort them. “I’m not worried about myself, and if you want company I’ll stay at the inn until you leave the city.” He said, probably going to regret this decision. “But it might be just as dangerous around me.”

 

[U4ea]

“I’m not worried about myself, and if you want company I’ll stay at the inn until you leave the city. But it might be just as dangerous around me.” He seemed unsure of that decision, but she knew she'd feel better about his health if he'd let her take care of him. She was afraid he'd start running a fever and that wound in his side was a nasty one. "I would like that," she said softly. Let him think he was doing her a favor, if it made him feel better. "Perhaps our being together will make it harder for people to find us. People hunting me are expecting me to be alone. I'm guessing those after you are, as well. They'll have a harder time finding us if we're not what they expect..."

 

She pulled herself to her feet, waiting on him to rise to his before moving off at a much slower pace than before. The inn was clear across town and sticking to the alleyways made the trip longer. She composed her resignation letter in her head on the way, watching Elyan out of the corner of her eye. What could he have possibly done to have people looking for him? She'd ask once they were hidden away. She nodded at her decision, then smiled as the back of the inn she was after came into view.

 

"This innkeeper owes me a favor. I helped his youngest son through training so he'd get a good post once he was promoted. It meant a lot of after-hours training and his son was not the easiest of students." She smiled, shaking her head at the memory. "He's a lieutenant, now, though, so it paid off. I'm going to ask for a room and not let him know you're there until much later. My brothers don't know about this and I'd like to keep it that way. When we get inside, go up to the second floor and wait for me there. I know my way around, so he'll give me the key without showing me to the room. I'll meet you up there as soon as I get that key."

 

She paused, smiling slightly. "There's an exterior door at the end of the hall on the second floor. If you need to get away from someone, that's the only other way out of the inn." She could only hope he wouldn't believe her to be someone he needed to escape. "I'll leave a message on the first table inside the door if we get separated, letting you know which room it is." It sounded like she'd done this before and that made her blush a bit. She had, but not for the obvious reason...

 

~Edana

[JainFarstrider]

Elyan nodded as Edana explained to him what he was supposed to do. He approached the inn door, looking back towards Edana, worry in his eyes before opening the door, he walked quickly across the common room of the inn, the limp in his leg not helping much. Resisting the temptation to check the common room for people he might recognize him, but some of the people he would not know and if they saw him first…

 

Elyan walked with his head down, scratching the back of his neck with one hand so that his arm concealed his face from one side and looking in that direction would only allow the people to the other side a view from the back of his head. He hurried up the stairs, still trying to keep his face covered. Entering the hallway, he glanced around quickly, finding himself alone. The hallway was lit by a few lamps and he saw the door at the end of the hall that Edana had indicated was his escape route should he need it.

 

Moving towards the door, he blew out the nearest lamps to the door, so that it was cast in shadow. Approaching the door, he checked which way it would open, seeing that it swung inward he crouched in the corner next to the hinges. Anyone coming from either direction would have a hard time spotting him, before he knew that they were there. The wound in his thigh protested against the crouch, but he forced himself down, it would make him harder to see.

 

[U4ea]

Edana entered a few minutes behind Elyan, her heart thudding in her chest as she waited outside. When she entered, he'd just made it halfway up the stairs and she bit her lip to keep from calling out to him. She could've got a room on the bottom floor. As it was, she vowed that the second floor was as high as she'd make him climb. She wandered over to the bar, glad the room was mostly empty this time of day. She smiled at the innkeeper, who instantly recognized her and grinned. Apparently word of what happened last night hadn't made it this far out. She doubted her luck would hold out through tomorrow, though.

 

She pulled the innkeeper aside, explaining what happened and what she needed. His concern was obvious and she was glad when he passed her the key to a room near that back door. "Just in case you need to leave quickly," he said with an understanding smile. She curled her fingers around the key and hugged him, a gesture that shocked him enough that he rocked back on his heels as she let go and headed up the stairs.

 

She saw the darkened lamps and moved towards the end of the corridor. She didn't have to see him to know he was there, though. She jerked her head to a door and flashed the key to the end of the hall, before turning to open the door. She left it ajar and walked in, finding the bed and sitting down gingerly to wait for Elyan to enter. The innkeeper had said he'd send up a hot meal, so she didn't have to leave the room. She prayed there was enough for both of them on that tray...

 

~Edana

[JainFarstrider]

Elyan was growing nervous as he waited for Edana to ascend the stairs, listening for sounds of commotion coming from the lower level.

 

He was relieved when she finally appeared at the top of the steps. She walked most of the way down the hallway before stopping at a room, she stared at the shadows and gestured towards the door. He was only slightly surprised that she knew where he hid in the dark, he must have made it too obvious, keeping the shadows only at one end of the hallway, unless she just had amazing night vision. Making a mental note, Elyan forced his legs to lift him from the crouch and approached the door that Edana had gone through. She had not closed it completely, he nudged it open just enough to fit through and closed it quietly behind him. Turning the lock, he placed his ear to the door, listening to see if someone had followed either of them up the stairs, satisfied he turned his back to the door.

 

Seeing that Edana had taken the bed, Elyan grabbed the footstool that could double as a small chair, and placing it in front of the door he sat down on it. Leaning against the door, he finally let himself feel his exhaustion, days of not sleeping stacked with the alcohol and blood loss had drained him of all his strength. If Edana drew her sword against him at the moment, he didn’t think he would be able to lift a finger to defend himself even if he wanted. She had not given him any reason not to trust her, but that is when the betrayal hurt the most. The incident in the inn and the pain of injury afterward had lowered his guard, he couldn’t let anyone get close, couldn’t afford to be anyone’s friend.

 

“Well,” He said in a quiet voice, while studying Edana through half closed eyelids, “We made it this far,”

 

[U4ea]

Edana nodded, though she doubted he could see it. "My friend is sending up a tray of food. He agreed that it was best to keep my head down for a few days, so he's going to wave his staff away from this room, except to bring up trays. There's a girl that works in the kitchen, her name is Marie, who'll be bringing up the trays. She lives here, too, so it won't be out of place for her to be up here with trays of food. I'm sure she'll take one look at you and go fetch a hot broth." She pushed herself upright, her body protesting. "Since she's expecting me, I'll take the first watch. You can rest here," she stood up, although more slowly than she'd have liked. "You need to rest and I need to listen for Marie."

 

She stood and crossed her arms, hoping the exhaustion she saw in him meant he wouldn't argue with her. She didn't know how much arguing she was good for before she collapsed in a heap and someone needed to listen out for the approach of the guardsmen that had to be out searching for them. Elyan may have made a small impression, but she was their Captain. They'd know her in a second with only a flash of her braid. This was far from comforting, but what was there to do?

 

"Come," she said, glad to have someone that would still listen to her, even if reluctantly. "Get some rest. I'll wake you when the tray arrives."

 

~Edana

[JainFarstrider]

Elyan looked up at Edana as she stood up from the bed. He started to voice an argument, “Are you sure that you don’t need to rest first…”

 

Crossing her arms and giving him a glare, stopped his words in his throat. “Alright,” he said getting up and moving over to the bed. “But, wake me when the food comes,” He said laying down on the bed, “You need to get some rest too,” Looking at her over the edge of the bed, she would probably try to stay on guard for longer, denying herself to let him sleep.

 

Either way, there wasn’t any way that Elyan was going to be able to get Edana to take the first rest. He closed his eyes and tried to clear his mind of all thought, but sleep did not come easily. His thoughts kept drifting back to what there were going to do and if he had done the right thing getting involved in something that had nothing to do with him. Was Edana going to be alright outside of the city on her own, he couldn’t figure out why he felt concerned for her safety, he had never worried about other people before, except maybe the woman he thought of as his mother.

 

Eventually he fell into a fitful sleep, dreams of being chased around by guards, his own hands covered in blood. He could not figure out whether the blood was theirs or his own. He awoke, sitting up suddenly and hurting his side, he clinched his jaw in pain and waited for his vision to adjust to the light.

 

[U4ea]

Edana settled on the footstool Elyan had vacated, leaning her head on the wall to wait on the food. The inn was quiet and she was glad for it, knowing she'd hear any commotion as clear as day from where she was. Her eyes closed, but she fought the sleep her body was craving. She couldn't afford to sleep right now. It would have to...

 

She jerked awake as she heard a noise, her hand immediately going to her sword belt as she scanned the room. She sighed, realizing it was Elyan, shifting in his sleep. She relaxed, but only slightly. What is he dreaming about? she wondered, watching the jerky motions of his hands as he slept. She shook her head, slowly. His body was never going to rest if he kept that up...

 

She jumped as the knock sounded on the door. She laughed to herself as she stood to answer it, but didn't make it before the person on the other side knocked again. She heard the bed shift behind her and turned to look over her shoulder at Elyan. He'd pushed himself up too quickly, that much was obvious. He was paying for it, too, so she kept her mouth shut as she checked to make sure it was Marie with the tray. She smiled as she opened the door, checking the corridor before stepping back to allow the woman to come in.

 

"Marie, this is Elyan," she said softly.

 

Marie didn't look surprised, just turned a knowing look on Edana. "I told you that men drag you into the worst fits! They were talking about it at the Market this morning, how you took on a tavern full of guardsmen with the help of a street rat and a hired thug. You wouldn't believe what they're saying!" 

 

Edana sighed, sinking back onto the footstool as the woman shifted the heavy tray onto a low table nearby. If it was in the Market already, she may have one day to rest before needing to be on the road. At least they didn't know the "street rat" had a name. She sighed, her eyes moving back to Elyan. Marie excused herself with a murmured order that they both rest easy and Edana stood and walked to the tray, uncovering it to find a mountain of steaming food piled underneath. She'd asked for whatever was left over from breakfast and had gotten everything that might've been on a buffet, instead. She smiled and shook her head, glad to know she had friends somewhere. "What would you like, Elyan? I'll bring it to you..." She hefted the tray and moved to the bed, resting the whole tray in the middle of it and sitting on the other side. "I think once we eat all this, we'll have no choice but to rest..."

 

~Edana

[JainFarstrider]

Elyan sat and waited while Edana spoke with the woman who had come to the door, she brought in a covered tray setting it on the table that stood opposite the bed, before she excused herself and left, closing the door behind her. Edana asked him something before bringing the tray over, placing it on the bed, and setting herself down next to it.

 

Elyan had not registered most of the activity, he sat confused on the side of the bed. He knew that his side hurt but couldn’t remember why, he recognized the woman sitting on the bed but didn’t know where he knew her from. His thoughts were still concentrated on the remnants of the dream, and he was filled with a desire to run, knowing that he was being pursued. Feeling the need to wash the blood off his hands almost forced him to rise and fill the washstand, though he could clearly see that they were clean. The harder he concentrated, the more difficult it was to make sense of his situation. Then as suddenly as his body had woken, his mind awoke to reality and the world made sense again.

 

"I think once we eat all this, we'll have no choice but to rest..." Spoke Edana, Elyan nodded in response, remembering his previous resolve of not getting close.

 

He picked at the food, forcing himself to swallow some of what lay before him. He knew that he needed the food, but no longer felt hungry.

 

He paused in between choosing bits from the plate, he studied the food without seeing it. Looking up at Edana, he watched her for a moment, organizing the words from his thoughts.

 

“Thank you,” He muttered quietly, still keeping her eyes on her, though he wished to look away from embarrassment, “You have done much for me, and I have nothing with which to repay your kindness,” He finally broke eye contact, looking instead at the floor, “The only thing that I have given you is more danger.” He glanced back up at her, trying to gauge her reaction and choose his words carefully. “If there is something that I can do for compensation, tell me and I will see that it is done.” Elyan said, pausing a moment for thought, he might be signing himself up for something he would not enjoy, but he was loathe to let the debt stand. Owing someone left a string tied around his neck, something with which to control him, better that this obligation was filled now. “Else, I will find some other way to repay you.”

 

Elyan began to feel uncomfortable with this line of discussion, wishing to change the subject he reached for the nearest thing he could find, “Are you planning on leaving the city tonight?” He said, before returning to the food with renewed vigor.

 

[U4ea]

Edana wondered if she should keep talking until that haze left his eyes, but decided not to. She wasn't one given for chatter, which probably explained why she was nineteen and unmarried. Well, that and her job. OK, that, her job, and her brothers. She smiled a moment before her memory ruined that pleasant thought.

 

Sighing, she ate as much as she could. She needed the energy, even if her stomach rebelled at the idea of eating.

 

“Thank you,” He said so quietly, she almost didn't hear it. Her head jerked back to him and her eyebrows wrinkled together, wondering what he'd been dreaming if he truly believed he owed her anything. “You have done much for me, and I have nothing with which to repay your kindness. The only thing that I have given you is more danger. If there is something that I can do for compensation, tell me and I will see that it is done. Else, I will find some other way to repay you.” She watched his head bob, up and down, from the floor back to her. She shook her head slowly, unable to form a response to that. He didn't owe her anything. He'd probably saved her life in that tavern, for Light's sake!

 

Just short of opened her mouth and telling him so, he changed the conversation. “Are you planning on leaving the city tonight?”

 

She looked down at the tray, her ability to eat having officially fled. She nodded, piling food back up on the tray. "I can't afford for them to find me," she said softly. She looked back up at him, "I'm guessing you're not sticking around long, either?" 

 

She waved at the tray, silently asking if he was finished before moving it back to the table. With her back to him, she found the courage to say what she was thinking. "And you don't owe me anything that you haven't already paid, Elyan. I'd have died in that tavern last night, most likely by accident, but dead is dead. If you hadn't jumped in when you did, I'd be in far worse shape than I am, now. I'm the one who owes you, my friend." She smiled and shook her head. "And if stitching you up and making sure you rest and eat are the only payment I can offer, I'll still owe you a great deal more."

 

~Edana

[JainFarstrider]

Elyan nodded when Edana inquired if he would be leaving soon as well.

 

She took the tray over to the table, for which he was grateful, he didn’t think he could force himself to contain any more food, but his instincts urged him to take advantage of sustenance whenever it presented itself. He still felt the urge to swallow as much as he could, but with the tray on the other side of the room it was easier to resist, he wasn’t quite sure if he would have the energy to stand.

 

He listened as she spoke, with her back still facing him. Shaking his head as she finished, he started to speak, “I…” Then stopped himself, there was something to her words that he was missing. Elyan had always spoken his mind, clearly stating what he meant, not hiding behind a fog of subtle hints with ambiguous meanings. She must be trying to maneuver him, a game of cat and mouse where the rules remained unclear. Elyan knew he was the mouse.

 

What bothered him was that she was making it so obvious, pretending that somehow him putting his life on the line meant something. He knew well enough that it was the contrary, he had been told often enough that his life had no worth, so risking it held little value. Maybe she was trying to put him at ease until house Marne was informed of his location. He had to be wary, she must have a card up her sleeve and Elyan couldn’t afford to lose with these stakes.  He checked himself, his features must have betrayed his thoughts, but he regained control quickly.

 

Planning his next words carefully, he had to change the topic without making it seem intentional and he had to appear unaware that she was planning something. She couldn’t have already sent a message, even if she did know, could she have? He was getting too suspicious and Edana was watching him, he had to say something. Why did you join the guard? No, that would lead her to ask about his past. Do you think it was just envy, or was there something else that drove your brothers to betray you? Absolutely not, too sensitive an area at the moment. Yes, Elyan thought, that would be perfect.

 

Elyan looked at Edana, trying to appear curious, “How did you come to know the innkeeper here?” He said, thinking it a perfectly innocent question, but a viable one to ask. 

 

 

~Elyan, (and his soliloquy of paranoia)

 

[U4ea]

Edana turned, watching the play of emotions chasing each other around in his eyes. She sighed, shaking her head tiredly. She wondered what he was thinking, but truly had no energy to dig any deeper. Chances were, they'd part ways with the sunrise and never see each other again. She wandered back to her place by the door and leaned her head back on it while he searched for something to say. She watched him through the cracks of her eyes, vaguely wondering what he was planning. She didn't have the energy to fight off a blade in her chest, so if that was his plan...

 

She sighed inwardly. Perhaps it would be best if she died here. She had no clue what she'd do after the sun came up, so maybe it would be best if she just didn't make it to see the sunrise again.

 

“How did you come to know the innkeeper here?” She smiled as he found something to talk about. She was glad it wasn't a deep-ended conversation that he was starting. Luckily, it was a funny enough story that she was glad for it.

 

"Well," she said, not opening her eyes. "When I was about twelve, I had grand plans for my life. I was going to run away with a gleeman who my brother Tanner had taken me to see. He was a beautiful man, all shiny hair and glittering eyes. He could tell a story so wonderfully that you'd swear you were there, right in the middle of it. He was staying in this inn, so when I tracked him down, it was here that I stopped. He performed that night here in the common room downstairs. Hernan met me at the door, prepared to toss me out on my ear. Somewhere in my hormone influenced pleadings he took pity on me and let me in. He wouldn't let me anywhere near the common room, though, and made me stay in the kitchen. That's where I met Marie, who talked me out of pursuing men I didn't know. It was her opinion that any man worth having would stay in one place for longer than a week. Naturally, a gleeman can't do that."

 

She sighed and opened her eyes to wink at him. "It turns out he stole about a week's worth of tips from the maids in his room, don't ask me how..."

 

~Edana

struggling to lighten up the mood

[JainFarstrider]

Elyan sat and listened to Edana’s story.

 

Her story almost made him forget all the troubles that plagued them now, alleviating his pain if only for a short while. When she finished he found himself smiling at her, and almost laughed softly at her final comment, but the sudden stomach spasm that the laughter sought to bring, pulled on his stitches reminding him of his pain, and their desperate situation.

 

“Never seen a gleeman before,” He said softly, “Though I’ve heard they can be quite amazing, weaving stories with threads of enchanted words and painting masterpieces from their listeners’ imagination.” The smile returning slightly, “I wanted to be a gleeman once, when I was younger, travel the world constantly meeting new people.” He said, looking over at her. “I even learned to play the flute, which I was fairly good at. Though, I never really had any skill telling stories, couldn’t quite make them come alive.”

 

Despair came over him as he remembered that life, he didn’t have much but he had hope, he could not recall the feeling of hope anymore. It had been replaced by paranoia and fear. He had sold his flute to pay for food his first months on the streets. It had given him a few coins, more than he ever got for playing it. No one wanted to see a dirty street rat playing the flute in their in, no matter how well he could play. He wasn’t sure why he had told even this small piece of his history to the woman he barely knew.

 

“Anyway, that was a long time ago, and like the flute is long gone.” He said sighing, glancing at Edana made him realize he had taken the light heartedness out of the conversation, something they both could probably use. He grinned at Edana, trying to lift the mood again, “I don’t think I could imagine you mooning over some pretty gleeman, even at that age, Marie was right to talk some sense into you. Man like that can’t be trusted,” He said smiling, “Stealing hard earned money from the maids.” He laughed softly, immediately regretting it as pain gripped his side. “Shouldn’t be laughing anyway,” He said clenching his hand to his side, “Not polite to the maids.”

 

[U4ea]

She could tell the memories were good ones, though something had tainted them for him. She sighed again and turned to stretch out on her back. She stared at the ceiling, letting her own memories swamp in. Her brothers had welcomed her home, smiling at her, but each wore an understanding expression. When had that changed? Tears threatened her eyes, stinging and demanding attention. She wouldn't cry in front of him, though. She wouldn't cry in front of anyone.

 

Loneliness settled in her thoughts and she turned her head. "How long have you been alone, Elyan?" She said it softly, her voice little more than a whisper. If she put any more voice to it, he'd figure out how close to crying she was. She wasn't sure she could take his reaction, regardless of what it might be. Sympathy would turn her into a wreck and a hard nosed response would only make her angry. She couldn't afford anger anymore. It had cost her too much already.

 

~Edana

sorry this took so long. I had a funeral 1200 miles away that snuck up on me.

[JainFarstrider]

Elyan sat on the bed, subconsciously holding his side while nestled deep within his own morbid thoughts. Edana had not yet broken the silence that followed after his last comment and he could not read what she was thinking, and found himself again considering the possibility that she wasn’t telling him something. With her next to the door, he couldn’t leave without getting her to move, and the only other way out was the window. He glanced out the glass for a second, seeing the day become slowly brighter as the sun progressed on it’s journey into the sky. They were only on the second floor, he might survive the jump from the window.

 

"How long have you been alone, Elyan?" said Edana softly, which brought his attention back to her sitting in front of the door. It appeared that there was moisture gathering in the corners of her eyes, but Elyan did not see a reason for her to be crying and attributed it to his fatigue and blood loss.

 

The question surprised him, and he was trying to decide what motivated her to pose such a query. She could have honestly been curious, but Elyan did not think that was the case. She probably saw his half concealed thoughts of fleeing and was trying to distract him with topics she thought would be emotional for him, intending to cause him to delay attempting to leave.

 

Elyan was suddenly unsure if her position in front of the door was to keep people from intruding into their room, or keep him from escaping. He studied her for a moment, trying to decide if she was in any condition to stop him from leaving, she did not look like she had the energy to rise, but Elyan wasn’t in any shape for a fight either and if either of them lived through that encounter he doubted it would be him. He looked back towards the window, again considering if he would be able to walk after a fall from the second story. His hand moved to his side, causing him to think about his injuries and decided against risking the jump. Besides, he thought, if she isn’t planning something, then he still had a debt to pay to her, and until he had done so, he was obligated to fulfill anything she asked of him. If she was curious about his past, he owed her an answer.

 

Still looking out the window, thinking to himself, how long had it been since he was forced to scrape a living off the streets, “Long time,” he said softly to himself, but loud enough for her to hear. Memories rushed before his eyes, the first nights spent huddled in alleyways trying to avoid anyone that might know who he was, hoping a nearby thief did not think he had enough money to be worth the risk of slitting his throat. The first time he stole so he wouldn’t starve, running from a fight with a thug, bleeding on the stones as he pounded them with bare feet, forcing himself to sleep on cold nights and worried that he wouldn’t wake up. “Almost seven years,” leaving the manor that long ago, did he have any idea what would happen to him, would he even recognize himself now. He didn’t think so, “Long time”. He muttered again barely audible, before turning back towards Edana.

 

[U4ea]

His hesitation was confusing, but she found herself unable to process enough of it. She was so tired...

 

“Long time,” he answered, his voice so soft she almost missed it. She closed her eyes again. “Almost seven years,” she turned her head and looked at him, then, trying to imagine how young he must've been. She sighed, almost feeling guilty that she'd been comfortably ensconced here in Caemlyn while he was in such a dire predicament. She sighed inwardly, wondering how long she'd make it. She was even older than he was. “Long time,” he said again. He was lost in his memories, so she knew she didn't have to answer right away. Which was good, she wasn't sure what she'd say.

 

She waited a few minutes and pushed herself up on her elbows. "I am about to fall asleep on this bed," she said, trying to change the subject. "Do you feel well enough to take an hour or so for watch while I try to sleep some of this off?" She didn't move past her elbows, not sure she could stand as tired as she was. "I could probably handle an hour, if you need me to..."

 

~Edana

[JainFarstrider]

"No," He said quickly, "I'll be alright," even now she doesn't want to admit her own fatigue, he thought springing off the bed, or his head swirled as if he had. Though, he raised himself off the bed slowly. "Besides, I believe that it is your turn for a rest." It had been a long night and there still lay a longer day in front of them, but Elyan had gone without sleep before. Fatigue was a pestering gnat that kept flying near the ear, it was annoying and could distract a man from what happened around him. It was a bug that Elyan had become accustomed to ignoring, he lived with an almost constant weariness.

 

Making his way over to the door, he offered her a hand to help her up should she need it.

He stood watching her as she made her way to lay down on the bed, then walking towards where the candle was sitting, he dowsed the flame between his fingers, casting the room in shadow lessened by the daylight shining through the shaded window. Then taking a seat on the stool that she had vacated, resting his head on the door and watching Edana settle herself through half lidded eyes. The residue of warmth seeping from the wood through the seat of his pants, as he waited to hear the steadiness in her breathing to indicate she slept.

 

[U4ea]

Edana looked at his hand a moment before taking it. She was far too tired to turn down help. Her arm ached and her side... oh, she didn't even want to think about her side. She was pretty sure she'd pulled a stitch and was grateful for the darkness that would conceal the blood she felt seeping through the opening. She eased down on the bed, not bothering to cover herself up. If they needed to leave quickly, she'd only get tangled in the blankets, after all. She stretched out on her back, not trusting the hole in her side if she slept on it, instead.

 

She heard the silence that indicated he'd taken up his position and sighed inwardly, closing her eyes. It wasn't long before her exhaustion got the better of her and she was asleep. It wasn't a deep sleep. Dreams tickled her mind, fleeting in a haze as she tried to control any sign of fidgeting. The temperature of the room seemed to be going up and a light sweat appeared on her brow. The dream was a good one, though. Liam had taken her fishing. They were sitting on the bank of the small lake outside of what used to be their grandparent's house, enjoying the morning breeze and talking softly about silly things that didn't really matter to anyone.

 

Then it changed, became ugly and twisted. Instead of the light-hearted brother she'd grown up with, he was angry, his face lined with rage as he yelled down at her. He called her horrible names that echoed in her thoughts and she couldn't stop the gasp as his hand swung towards her. She rolled out of the way of his swing, falling on ground that seemed harder than she remembered the grass being. 

 

"EDANA!" he roared and she turned, the scene blurring in her thoughts as the hotel room she was in came into focus. She groaned, laying her head on the floor as pain flared from her side. "EDANA!" she heard again, her eyes turning back towards the door and the voice on the other side of it. "Edana, they're here! You must go, quickly!"

 

Reality cut through the remaining haze in her thoughts like a knife and she was on her feet quickly. Her eyes fell on Elyan. "It seems our rest is over, my friend."

 

~Edana

[JainFarstrider]

Elyan sat trying to gain back a measure of his strength as he watched Edana fall to sleep. Satisfied that she was gone, he quietly eased himself to his feet when footsteps sounded in the hallway froze him in a half crouch. He held his breath as they passed by the door and soon were on the stairs. Several minutes passed before Elyan moved again, he could see someone creeping back down the hallway towards their door their feet bringing them soundlessly closer to him.

 

He quietly placed the stool aside from the door, and held his back against the wall, twisting the knob ever so slowly. He inched the door open just enough to get his head through and peaked out into the hallway. Empty. He sighed, he was more paranoid than usual. Looking back towards Edana lying on the bed motionless, except for the steady rise and fall of her chest, glancing between her and the open door he contemplated his decision. He could leave, nothing now stood in his way, they would both be safer if he left and he would only have himself to look out for. The guards would not be looking for him, he could go back to living on the streets as he always had. He opened the door wider and took a step out into the hallway. No one could betray him if he was alone, he had to guard himself from others, couldn’t be tied to anyone. Alone, cut off from the world and everyone in it, that’s what he was familiar with and he liked it that way.

 

Swearing softly, he closed the door with a small thud. Stilling his breath he watched Edana, she did not stir. He let out a sigh again taking his seat by the door. Pointless really, he was trying to argue with himself when he had already made his decision. Maybe he would leave her, but he would not do it now, not when she trusted him to watch over her. She could not have been planning something and leave herself so vulnerable, at least he didn’t think so. Either way, he wasn’t going to leave her defenseless for someone to sneak in and slit her throat while she slept, or be found by the guard. He studied her, trying to figure which one she would prefer, he knew what he would choose.

 

The hours past uneventfully, Elyan was aroused from his thoughts by Edana mumbling in her sleep, he could not make out what she was saying, but it seemed frightened and she raised up her hands defensively. A noise from within the room made him twist suddenly looking for the source, before realizing it was him. A deep baritone hum resonated from him, a lullaby he remembered from his childhood. The memories brought tears to his eyes, but he allowed the song to continue.

 

A commotion from outside sounded through the window, Elyan stood slowly and crept towards the window still humming softly. Pulling back the shades just enough to see through them revealed the front of the inn and the armored men wearing the tabard of the white lion that approached the door. His voice caught in his throat as he drew the knife from his sleeve, terror suddenly gripping him raising the hairs on his neck.

 

At that moment a voice shouted from outside, Edana fell from the bed, but rose just as quickly. "It seems our rest is over, my friend." She said.

 

Elyan’s thoughts raced through his mind and his glanced around the room, looking for something that would help them escape. His eyes fell on the small table and then on the bed and an idea formed in his mind as a smile formed on his lips.

 

Sheathing the knife he moved quickly, tossing Edana her cloak, and then relieving the table of it’s load, he turned it over quickly. He had repaired furniture before, but his work still proved to be a difficult task. Within moments he had muscled one of the legs off without snapping the wood, it could be replaced with relative ease by someone with experience. Wrapping the blanket around him, so that it covered his head, he then turned to Edana.

 

“It looks like I may have the opportunity to repay you now, but only if we move quickly.” He walked towards the door, dropping to his hands and knees he looked under it. Satisfied, he rose somewhat more slowly as pain forced his jaw closed. Turning back towards Edana, “I’ll keep them busy, make for the back door once I’m gone,” He tried to flash her what he thought was an encouraging smile. Then, hunched over, walking unsteadily with his knees bent, and using the wood as a makeshift cane, he turned towards the door. He hoped the image of an old crippled man was as good as he thought it was. Breathing deeply, he opened the door.

 

[U4ea]

Edana had to stand and watch for a moment, unsure whether he was convincing enough to get past trained soldiers who were hunting them. She knew it was him, they didn't. In the sparse few moments she had to watch him she didn't see anyone heading his way. She sighed, knowing that half of his slowness had nothing to do with acting. She whispered, "We shall meet again, Elyan," nodding to his back, though she knew he didn't hear her.

 

She made her way towards the back steps, her breath catching as her side erupted in pain. Sweat seemed to stand out on her brow and she wiped it away before it got in her eyes. She couldn't afford to be feverish now, she just couldn't. She stumbled down the last few steps, her sword in her hand. The only person that noticed was the innkeeper and he was at her side in a flash.

 

"You can't leave like this, Edana," he said softly. "Come, let me hide you," he didn't give her time to argue, just lifted her off her feet and shuffled towards the private quarters off the back of the kitchen. Marie jumped up, not asking questions before pulling Edana towards the bedroom in the back and bundling her up in the piles of blankets strewn across the top. Edana didn't complain, she didn't have the energy. Oddly enough, the sheet closest to her face was really cool.

 

She heard the heavy boots of a soldier and knew she was done for. The voices were muffled, but she heard "laundry" more than once. They must be passing this huge bundle of blankets off as the inn's laundry. It made sense in her muddled head. Apparently it made sense to the soldier, too, because she heard his boots retreating. A few minutes later, Marie tossed the blankets off of her and exclaimed. Ed wasn't sure what she said, but she was very glad when the black promise of unconsciousness came to claim her for its own...

 

~Edana

 

OOC: *grins* now what?

[JainFarstrider]

Elyan took the steps slowly, partly because of the pain in his leg and side, partly because he wanted to hold true to his disguise. Rounding the corner at the landing of the stairs, he saw two guards moving towards the base. He moved even more slowly, Edana couldn’t have made it out yet, and he had to give her every minute he could. One step at a time, first his cane, one foot and then the other. He was wide enough and the stairs narrow enough that the guards were not able to make it past him. The soldiers at the bottom glared at him, “Hurry it up old man, we don’t have all day, and we can always throw you down the steps.”

 

Elyan was relieved that they were buying his act for now, but sighed at the way they were willing to threaten an old man. He played the sigh off as heavy breathing, adding a slight wheezing to it for added effect. Making it to the bottom step under the watchful glare of the guardsmen, he stopped and raised his head to them, careful to keep his face concealed. “Young people today,” He croaked, “No respect for your elders.” Still standing on the last step, barring the way for the guards. “When I was your age,” hitting the guard weakly with his cane, “We knew better than to mistreat those who bore the weight and wisdom of many years.” Striking him slightly harder with his cane, “I bet your grandsire would be rolling in his grave if he could see what a disgrace you have become.”

 

“Why you senile old..” Raising a gauntleted hand, Elyan prepared for the strike. “Barrick!” cried one of the other men, Elyan could not see who had spoken. “Leave the old man alone, unless you want to be cleaning out the stalls until you are his age.”

 

Barrick grumbled something Elyan did not hear, but backed away from him. A smile formed on his concealed lips as Elyan stepped onto the floor. Making his way towards the inn door at a slow pace, careful not to arouse suspicion by hurrying, he said a small prayer to the light that he had given Edana enough time to get away. It might have been his throat if he had delayed any longer.

 

He exited the inn and started heading east, ducking into an alleyway once he was out of sight of the inn. Leaning on a wall, he let it support him as he dropped to the floor. He was alone again, he had to rely on his own skills to keep himself alive. It had been a long day, and he couldn’t resist the temptation to rest here for awhile, he would wait until dark, and then return the blanket and table leg, it would not be right to steal from someone who had provided him food and shelter.

 

“Well well well,” A voice sounded from the shadows that concealed the alley farther down. “I heard you were around here, Elyan,” Elyan froze unable to react, as the large form of a man stepped out of the shadows and approached him. He was plainly dressed, no indication that he was sent by the house. “There has been a heavy reward promised to anyone who brought you to House Marne, with or without whatever it was that you stole,” He leaned over close to a confused Elyan, he had not stolen anything, why was… Of course, He wouldn’t have told mercenaries the real reason he was wanted.

 

“Alive, or dead…” A large club was the last thing he saw before falling into darkness.

 

~Last Post of mine

 

OOC: No need to respond to that last part, just setting up for another thread.

 

back to the other thread? http://forums.dragonmount.com/index.php/topic,39638.24.html