Solving Problems With Violence, attn Sangreal, Thera

[Visar Falmaien]

Visar rolled his shoulders as he walked slowly, trying to stretch out the aches from wearing a helmet and mail all day.  He was finally off work as a guardsman, and he knew just where to go to relax and forget about the day's drudgery with a good pint of ale and a few laughs.  He was sure that Sandre and Dante were already there, so he would go meet them at the tavern.

 

Hopefully they would not give him a hard time for being later than usual, though Visar knew Dante would most likely try to tease him about something.  On his way, Visar didn't even notice a small group of people turn as one to look at him.  He didn't hear the points and the murmers, whispering his name.  He had assumed like most people that Tar Valon was completely safe, and even if it wasn't, no one would dare to attack a member of the Guard.  But tonight was different, and the group of eight men followed silently behind him.

 

Arriving at the tavern, Visar noticed that business seemed a little slow.  There were half the people there that were normally in this time of the evening.  No matter, there were Sandre and Dante!  Visar smiled as he took a seat next to them.

 

"Sorry I'm late," he began, "Had to stay overtime on bridge duty, and then it took forever to get back to the Tower and change.  How are you both?" he asked as he ordered his usual pint.

 

As they answered, the door swung open and in strode the eight men, with cudgels at their sides.  The room hushed instantly, as if sensing their villainous intent.  Visar's back was turned when they approached him.

[Sangreal]

Dante scratched his head frustrated as he placed a stone on the board. He knew he wouldnt win. Sandre always won. Still both Kalduns offered a great challenge to each other. Both had the perfect memory of the Kalduns and never could they use the same trick against each other. Still though, Sandre every game seemed to have a new trick. It didnt help that Dante was on his second pint either. Sandre always drank water, sometimes with fruit juices or a little wine but always sober and in control. Dante thought the man so uptight he was surprised his uniform pants didnt squeak when he walked.

 

Sandre placed a stone though he seemed to not be paying attention with his nose both in a book and a trading ledger. Dante thought he was doing it on purpose. He was clearly being dominated in this game. "Now your just rubbing it in." Sandre turned from the boom with a sly smile and went right back into it. Dante scratched his head again which was moist with sweat from the hot day. Seeing an opening he had not seen before Dante almost got excited. He was about to place his stone when Visar came up behind him. After murmuring his apology in his usual quiet Visar tone Dante turned and saw the men coming up behind Visar. He frowned as his hand went into a fist. Sandre he noticed was already looking at the men and no doubt already had the numbers worked out and the strategy to defeat everyone in the bar if he had to. Visar seemed almost surprised and hurt by Dante's look as though it was meant for him. "Easy Dante." Sandre said which only added to the confusion already on Visar's face.

 

The confusion was over when one of the men spoke "Vizrid Belar... we will ask you to put your weapons on that there table and step away. We have a long way to Tear and if you come peacefully we wont have to hurt you."

[Visar Falmaien]

Visar turned and warily observed the eight, tough looking men that marched up to him.  They all had cudgels, and some had knives in sheaths or short staffs too.

 

"Vizrid Belig... we will ask you to put your weapons on that there table and step away. We have a long way to Tear and if you come peacefully we wont have to hurt you."

 

It's been a long time since anyone called me by that name.  This is not good. Visar's eyes were furrowed into dark slits, his jaw clenched.  He stood, clenched and unclenched a fist.  Someone had found his idendity and knew of his crimes. He had to be sure this was not a misunderstanding, however.

 

"Tear?" he said at almost a whisper.  "I am a member of the Tower Guard, and I have a duty to serve the White Tower. What am I accused of that I might be dragged back to Tear by the likes of such crude men?  Who is my accuser?"  his voice steadily raised, and he practically snarled at the men, bristling with indignation and anger.

 

Their supposed leader laughed, and came closer.

"I don't care one flaming bit whether you say you're a Guard; you're a liar, a thief, and a murderer.  You've got a price on your head, and we've come to collect.  Give up your weapons or else." Their leader drew his cudgel from the loop at his belt, and the seven others did the same.

 

Visar breathed in, trying to stay calm, and took a quick look around the room.  People were already slipping out the door to leave, anxious to avoid a fight.  Dante and Sandre were standing behind him.  They knew what he had done.  He could only hope that they would back him up.  Yet still...Visar had never fought so many men before, and if he killed one of them with his blade, he would be no better than the murderer they accused him of being.

 

And the tavern would not do...he had to get outside to the street to have any chance to maneuver against so many.

 

Visar made himself appear resigned, and he slowly undid his sword belt, placing his sword and dagger on the table.  As he turned, he gave Sandre and Dante a look and an almost imperceptible nod.

 

"Fine, I'll come with you." he said to the men, keeping his eyes downcast to play a defeated man.

 

Somewhat surprised, the leader seized Visar's hands, bound them tightly with rope, and dragged him to the exit.  Once out the door, Visar was in the midst of them.  He waited until he saw both Sandre and Dante exit the inn to follow.

 

"But I'll be dead before I return to Tear in chains!" Visar shouted, and he dropped his weight, ramming his shoulder into his nearest captor.  The man fell down, and Visar bolted to the gap where he was.  He had only gone a few steps when the group closed in again. 

"Get him!" the leader shouted angrily as he got back up to his feet. They caught up to him and rained down strikes with their cudgels.  Visar did his best to dodge the strikes aimed at his head and keep moving, but his hands were still tied and he still received almost a dozen stinging blows.

 

Time seemed to slow as pain numbed every other sense.  Muffled and confused shouts followed, and suddenly Dante and Sandre were standing next to him, their fists raised.  Dante had Visar's dagger, and quickly cut the ropes binding his wrists while their assailants regrouped. His weapon back in his hands, Visar thanked Dante, and gripped the hilt, adrenaline rushing through him. Three enemies with staves in hand were to the sides, they would be the hardest to deal with; the rest with knives and cudgels drawn, one man down.  They were fanned out again to encircle the three of them.

 

"The three of us, we'll be just fine!" Visar said, his words hopelessly slurred into incoherency. He tried to gasp out a forced laugh but ended up coughing up blood.  One stick had struck him on the top of his head, and his teeth had bit down on his tongue from the shock of the blow.  He added a selfish request once he had regained his breath, "Try not to kill them?"

 

"He's still worth five hundred dead!" the leader shouted, and seven armed men surged in, most still focused on targeting Visar.

[Sangreal]

Sandre was not going to let them take his friend. Looking over at Dante as they followed the group out of the Tavern he knew Dante felt the same. Dante turned and nodded at him. As though just for confirmation of the unspoken thought.

 

When Visar shouldered a captor the two took off at a spring towards Visar. Sandre pulled his sword and used it to tangle the legs of and trip the men who came to stop Dante from cutting Visar free. He hoped it sent the message that they were fools for messing with three Tower guards. He stood before them until Visar had recovered and smiled that they seemed more lost in thought. Was 500 gold really worth all this to them? Times were hard but he didnt think they were this hard.

 

The brothers nodded when Visar requested that they not be hurt too badly. It seemed both sides moved at once. Dante using his sword as defense only and making them look the fool with kicks and punches. One man got a full on knee to the groin that lifted the man off his feet and had him tossing his lunch before he hit the ground and passed out. Dante had taken several painful blows from a staff fighter who correctly chose to fight Dante whos scimitar and hand to hand would be a serious disadvantage. Sandre was at home with multiple opponents. They could have tied him up with just their best duelist but like fools they sent more than one against him and like fools he handled them like children. It wasnt perfect but Sandre was still in his armor and was protected. He made sure to remember to torment Dante about being hit later.

[Visar Falmaien]

Visar advanced cautiously, flanked by Dante and Sandre who still had plenty of fight left in them.  Left and right they beat their assailants down, and only one slipped through to attack Visar with a knife.  Fortunately, the man telegraphed his strike by starting farther out, and Visar had plenty of time to crash his dagger and off hand down to block the thrust at his belly.  Keeping a hold of the dagger arm, Visar pivoted, stretching it out and up against his shoulder.  He yanked mercilessly down, and the man's elbow broke with an audible snap, the knife falling from limp fingers.  The slightest pressure on the damaged joint sent the man face first to the ground.

 

Visar looked around, the adrenaline starting to wear off.  There were only three men left standing, and of those only one looked unharmed; it didn't take much of a show to make them reconsider.  They gathered their wounded comrades and beat a hasty retreat. 

 

"Tower.  Sanctuary" Visar gasped desperately, trying to hold onto consciousness.  Knowing what to do, Sandre and Dante helped him, half dragging him as he drifted in and out of awareness, to reach the safety of the White Tower and figure out what in the Light was going on.

 

(ooc: if either Thera or Shawn would like to join us at this point, they are welcome to)

[Eqwina]

Thera couldn’t sleep, which was not an unusual state since Serena had come back into her life.  They spoke often of the past, and the life they’d both left behind. They spoke of the future, and Thera’s spoke of Lyss and of her job as Mistress of Trainee’s. They spoke of the weather, and of the state of the world and if they would see the Last Battle before the year was done. They spoke of everything, except the one topic that Thera knew was on both their hearts. Bonding…

 

They had done what so few Aes Sedai and Warders had, annulled a bond. Thera had been released from her oaths to protect Serena and she felt as if she had no right to ask for a second chance. Still, she prayed that her beautiful Aes Sedai would want her back.

 

The sky was still dark, but all too soon the light would start to creep over the Tower walls. Putting on her uniform, Thera began her morning routine. Little did she know this would be a far from routine day.

 

When she’d first received the letter from Tear, she had been shocked, but it was easy to reject. The authority of the White Tower was not to be questioned and anyone within its walls would be dealt with in their own way. Well, events had not played out as she’d demanded, but only time would tell how badly they’d fallen out.

 

[Visar Falmaien]

Visar wasn't sure what happened, but when he woke again, he was on a bed in the infirmary.  A concerned attendant glanced his way, and walked over.  Checking again that he was alright, other than a nasty bruise here and there, she announced solemnly.

 

"Guardsman Visar.  Mistress Thera has asked to see you as soon as you were awake."

 

Mistress Thera?  But he wasn't a trainee anymore and...The night's earlier events rushed up violently to reacquaint themselves with him.  That's right, someone had a bounty on his head, something to do with Tear!

 

He bound to his feet and immediately regretted it, his vision blurring in a dizzy spell.  Sitting back down, he calmed himself and rose more slowly next time.  Walking measuredly but with some excitement, Visar reached the Mistress of Trainees office.  He felt an instinctive urge of both fear and nostalgia, but decided to ignore the former.

 

After knocking, Visar went in.  He was surprised that she was still up at this time of night.  Or was it in the morning?  Visar wasn't sure.

 

"You asked to see me, Mistress Thera?" Visar asked, hoping that she would know something more than he did about Tear and the bounty on his head.

[Elgee]

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