Astra's lost heir

The kingdom of Astra was normally a bustling, beautiful, prosperous place. However, after the attack of its sister kingdom, Wyndia, it was no longer so. Now, it was in the process of rebuilding and reinforcing. Its people were all on edge, stressed and hungry thanks to one of their largest trading routes being cut off thanks to their new enemies. Not only that, but the brigands and thieves were now rearing their ugly heads in the small towns and villages, knowing that Astra no longer had the forces to protect their smaller population outside of the city. With the king almost dead, it sparked a fire in all the inside enemies that had already existed well before the King of Wyndia decided to attempt to occupy Astra.

Raquel Lightning, one of the few soldiers who were posted outside of the gate on the night of the attack that actually had survived, had been sent to the only tavern and inn in town that wasn’t destroyed. She was on orders to find travelers who valued coin for their time so that they could be hired to help out the kingdom. It was definitely a task she found beneath her. After all, she had fought so valiantly and nearly died several weeks ago in order to save Astra. Perhaps it was because of her worsening symptoms of an ailment that had plagued her since childhood that they believed she was better tasked with busy work rather than training the new recruits or being sent to the border patrol. Whatever Ser Justin ordered, however, would be her command.

As she approached the tavern, she saw that it was busier than ever since the competition had all been wiped out. There were people standing outside and actually sleeping underneath the stables meant for the horses to shield themselves from the snow. They were the less fancier looking individuals, with light padded armor and torn clothes. Some even looked like beggars. She knew that the owner of this particular establishment had been charging a lot of money for his rooms, so no doubt they had just been turned away and felt like any shelter was better than none. She shook her head and then slowly walked into the tavern, her eyes immediately scanning the entire room. It was indeed crowded, but not so enough she couldn’t find a place to sit.

She wondered, however. How would she be able to choose a decent party of ragtag sellswords for the mission at hand. As much as the smaller farms tried to help the kingdom out with their food, it just wasn’t enough. The bigger farms were all cut off thanks to Wyndia, and the mission was to capture and hold the trading post until soldier reinforcements came to defend it. Recent intel had indicated that the only ones there now were also mercenaries, as Wyndia had taken quite a hit in their own forces as well.

"What do you mean my coin's useless here? It's copper, isn't it?" Avery's young face was scrunched up as he peered at the barkeep. Was he a half-orc? Or perhaps he'd been dropped too often as an infant? Whatever the reason, the left side of the burly man's face was half again as large as the right side, making it appear that one was looking at him from an angle instead of straight on.

"Yous heard wot I said." The big man pushed the two coins back with two thick, dirty fingers. They found their way into the lad's hands and his pouch, hidden beneath the ragged tabbard he still wore. The colors of his cloth were obscured by the dust and dried ash and blood on the fabric. "That there be Wyndian coin; I don't take that bastard coin in me inn."

"Copper's copper." Avery muttered. His green eyes glared at the man. "It's as good as any."

"Yous lucky I don't string you up fer havin' their tainted blood money." The barkeep peered at the slim young man. Though he wore a sword and a dagger he looked too slim to be a proper soldier. Perhaps he was just a scrounger, wearing the wares of a dead man and spending a ghost's coin. "Where you from, boy?"

Avery felt his heart thump. In Astra all it took was the accusation that one was from the enemy kingdom to get themselves strung up. He didn't very much want to see his neck in a noose. Truth be told, though, he didn't know where he was from. All he knew was that his name might be Avery. Or Avian. Or something similar. Or not...

"Forget it." He sneered one lip and started to walk away. "Your beer's probably watered down with horse piss." He was so wrapped up in hating the barkeep for not taking his money that he didn't notice the diminutive woman in the impressive armor until he nearly knocked her over. Just as Avery turned away from the big glop of a barkeep, he came face-to-face with the tops of a soldier's head and was only a moment from knocking him down.

Or her down. "Oh! Sir! I... sorry I didn't see you." His green eyes widened as he felt his foot hit something unmoving on the floor and realized that he was quickly losing his balance and would sprawl against the city soldier in less than the blink of an eye.

Lightning had overheard the exchange between the barkeep and a strange looking man..well not a strange looking man, a man with a strange looking face. The fact that he had taken Wyndia coin to this place meant he was completely oblivious to what was going on around here. That or he just didn't have any other type of currency. After all, travelers collected all kinds of coin from different regions, though he was right. It was all valued the same. She started to approach the two, not to intervene but just to keep an eye on things as they were getting quite heated between the two. When she got closer she saw the small, thin sword strapped to the mans back. How odd...he was a fighter but was he good enough for her to recruit? That was the question.

She became lost and thought up until the point where he suddenly got up and made almost a dash for the exit, nearly running into her. She looked up at him, something she was no stranger to doing, and then placed one gauntlet covered hand on his chest to prevent him from losing his balance and toppling over on her. Slowly she looked into his eyes as he called her sir. Something she was definitely used to especially when she had on her helm. "It's fine. Just watch where you flash your Wyndia coin here. If you really need something, I could spare a copper piece or two. Maybe." Her eyes glanced at the sword at his side. "Do you actually fight with that thing?" She questioned quite rudely. Charisma was not her strong suit, at least not intentionally. She had won the hearts of many with just her courage and need to help. When she opened her mouth however, it was a different story.

Oh! That was a girl soldier! Avery thought, his heart skipping a beat where the strong, small hand had kept him from sprawling about like a court jester. A faint memory of watching one juggling in an immense hall filled with fancy people ticked at his brain and then fluttered off like a butterfly.

"Thank you. I could trade a coin, maybe? I..." He lowered his voice and leaned in slightly "I thought that a human coin would be more acceptable here, but if you would trade I have a few Dwarvish and Elvish ones too... I guess I got around a lot." He shrugged and smiled, his eyebrows raised slightly in an innocent gesture.

When she mentioned his sword his hand went to the top of the scabbard as if he thought she might try to take it from him. "I prefer to talk things out instead of fighting, but at a last resort? Yes."

He extended his right hand to her "I'm Avery." His stomach answered with a long, sad growl of emptiness. "If you really meant what you said, I'd appreciate trading a few coins for some soup. It's been a while since I've eaten properly."

Just as things seemed to settle down the tavern's main doors were thrown open to reveal a tall, dark-haired elf in red flowing robes that bellowed greatly, not seeming to care that there was no wind to propel them. Flashing a smug smile to the room the elf paused a moment to let the occupants gaze upon his magnificence "Barkeep, a glass of your finest wine for the great Nabriel! The rest of you continue on with your mundane lives." He ordered before walking halfway to the bar, a thin staff topped by a flame encasing sphere clinking lightly on the ground with every step.

"It's nice to meet you, Avery. My name is Raquel Lightning...though you can call me Lightning." She told him, raising her eyebrow at the uncertainty of his words, as if he didn't know himself. She dipped her hand into her pouch to fetch some coin. "Keep that Wyndian coin. Though, you seem like you need a job...How would you like to earn yourself more than one hot meal?" Lightning asked as she gave him a single gold piece, more than enough to cover his food and lodging expenses. She gave him a smile before hearing the doors burst open.

Naturally, Lightning thought that an enemy had come in to raid the tavern. Though when she saw the flamboyant robes and pointy ears belonging to an elf, she relaxed and then looked back to Avery awaiting his answer. She would make a mental note that the elf was holding that brilliant staff. A mage. A very loud one, though.

The bar keep seemed annoyed, though he stuck his hand out expecting to be paid for his services. "We don't serve wine here. We serve ale."

Avery had never heard such a strange name. Lightning? As in as quick as lightning, or as destructive? Or maybe it was in reference to the quickness in which it appeared and then was gone again?

But the gold coin made his eyes almost bulge, and the offer of a job was something that he needed. He swung his head to watch the newcomer into the tavern and for a moment he thought that the great Nabriel must be the name of a performer. Had an elven circus come to town?

"Uhm, a job?" he clarified to the woman. "Nothing illegal, is it?" Or dangerous? He thought. "Yes, of course. Count me in." He eyed the coin and then tested it between his teeth. Saints alive! - It was real! He felt his stomach growling again. "Yes. As soon as I've eaten." He nodded to himself as if he was confirming this fact with an invisible companion. Soup and tea sounded divine.

"Ah well, it's not wine but you could be serving a worse refreshment. I'll take as many as many of your best quality as this can buy." He said, once again billowing his robes as he turned to take a seat at a nearby table. As he turned a duo of silver coins floated up from somewhere within his robes and bee-lined away to the barkeep's hand, hovering a moment over the palm before dropping naturally into the hand.

"Nothing illegal," Lightning answered as she pointed over to the table next to the extravagant elf, though she didn't really give him a chance to comply. She simply took him by the arm and brought him over gently but forcefully. "Let's sit and talk about it over some food." As Lightning sat, she watched the silver float into the air and into the palm of a happy barkeep. It must have been Astrian coin. He then sent a bar maid over to him with a mug of ale and then Lightning stopped her. "My friend would like a nice hot meal and some ale." She gave her a silver piece despite having previously given him a gold piece. The red headed girl nodded and then left to fetch his food.

Lightning made sure the mage would be able to hear her considering they were in earshot. "The job is simple, actually. You see, food is so expensive right here because our biggest trading post has been blocked with a barricade. The barricade is guarded by Wyndia mercenaries and bandits. The farmers are too scared to deliver their shipments to us. So I am hiring a few travelers who are confident in their abilities to make it safe again before reinforcements can be stationed there to guard the route. Of course, this is pretty dangerous, especially for someone who doesn't like to fight...but if you pull this job off, the King is prepared to offer at least fifty gold pieces to each person that comes to help me..." As her explanation came to a close, the bar maid came back to serve Avery his meal.

Avery happily followed the woman guard over to the table. Who wouldn't? She was authoritative, leading him to food, and footing the bill. It was the best of the best, as far as he was concerned. His slim fingers expertly slipped his gold piece into an inside pocket and he watched the two silvers float from the elf to the tavern keeper.

What a great skill! Why, if he could do that backwards he'd be all kinds of rich!

He sat with a happy grin on his face and watched the guardswoman. When the food arrived he thanked both the guard and the waitress before diving in. Food had NEVER tasted so good! It was spiced with hunger and paid for with kindness, and it seemed like the lad's luck was about to change for the better.

"Sure, I'd be happy to get food flowing to the cities again!" The thought of fifty whole gold pieces weighing down his pockets was almost an aphrodisiac. He was certain that he'd never heard a name as lovely as Lightning.

The door of the tavern was taking a beating tonight as it burst open yet again. In prowled a slim, female Drow, average in height and surprisingly dressed in garb typical to the Druids from the nearby forest. She wore hide armor, trimmed in furs and carried a wicked looking scimitar on her belt. Three rabbits were hanging limply from the opposite side of the belt, which earned almost as many hungry stares as the silver that had floated into the air moments ago. She cast her pale, icy eyes around the room staring down anyone who looked for too long.

Lara approached the bar and pushed her thick, white hair over her shoulder. She had always hated the stern look of having her hair pulled back. Her mother often forced a rigid appearance on her as a child so as a form of rebellion let her hair flow loose around her shoulders. It had the surprising effect of making her face appear much softer than a lot of Drow women. It would probably look a lot kinder if she smiled too, but Lara was not one for making friends easily. The fierce expression she wore kept all but the bravest or drunkest admirers away. The rabbits hit the smooth, wooden top of the bar with a soft thud and the bar keep gave her an apprehensive look. "Lara." He said with a minute nod. "Same as usual?" He asked cautiously, he had been on the wrong side of the Druid before and didn't care to repeat the experience.

She gave a curt nod and turned to look around the bar again. Her eyes landed on the group of strangers sitting in the middle of the room. It was painfully obvious none of them were locals, the woman however fit the description given to her by one of the other guards. She was supposedly recruiting for a task and Lara wanted to know what it was. If it helped keep the blasted bandits away from her forest and from ransacking the meager supplies she protected she wanted in on it regardless of the pay. The barkeep handed her a small satchel of supplies and took the rabbits back to the kitchen. His best paying customers likely to get some meat in their stew finally.

The Drow approached the table and dropped into a seat across from the woman soldier. "Are you the one looking for fighters?" She demanded, clearly not big on friendly conversation, Lara got right to the point. "I want in on whatever you have planned." She stated, staring across the table with a hint of a glower.

Lightning was somewhat pleased that she had found one person that would be willing to help. She heard nothing from the elf that was next to their table, but that was fine. Maybe he was just thinking it over. Even if he wasn't, it was hard to work with his type. Lightning was a very quiet woman and only spoke when she felt the need to. She watched him eat, as if he hadn't had a meal in days. Such a thing wasn't uncommon among travelers, that's why Lightning enjoyed being a soldier. She didn't have to worry about not being able to eat, finding a place to stay, or not having any money. Most of all though, she wanted to follow in her fathers footsteps and become a great knight. Being apart of the Kings guard would be the highest honor to her.

She was about to respond to Avery, though she was interrupted when a stranger sat at their table. A woman...a drow. Peculiar. Lightning hadn't really seen much of their kind around. "I am the one...I assume you have spoken to someone around here who knows about that. Did they tell you what the mission was?" If Lightning didn't have to repeat what she had just told Avery, that would be great. However, even if she did have to, she wouldn't mind. It was all part of the job.

Avery's meal was interrupted by the appearance of the drow. A drow! I real, live drow! He'd read about them he remembered (but how he remembered was lost to him) and he'd often seen elves and a few of the Underdark's dwarven minions, but a drow? This was a first! This would be worth writing home about, if only he remembered where 'home' was.

As the lithe and confidently powerful woman moved across the room he knew that his was not the only pair of eyes riveted on her. Even the great Nabriel was forgotten. The rabbits bounced along on her shapely hip and made Avery's young head bounce along with them, wondering how recently their little hearts had beat in their chest.

When the drow woman - drowdess? - came to their table the young man crossed his legs at the knees, his manhood feeling suddenly very vulnerable, as if she might rip out his tenders and string him up on her belt as well. Nervously the dropped his gaze and took a bite of his stew as the women talked. The prospect of being on the same side of a blade as this drow made him glad that he wasn't on the opposite, but her closeness and the cruel reputation her people had made him suddenly aware of his 'man-ness' around her.

Didn't drow turn their men into eunuchs? He grew very interested in his stew and waited to see what the outcome would be.

Lara leaned one elbow on the table and gazed at the woman. "No, but I know enough and like I said I want in." A rustle of movement from the second occupant of the table drew her icy gaze. She watched the young man's nervous behaviour for a moment before giving a derisive snort. "This is one of your companions, a scared little boy?" She couldn't keep the barbs out of her tone, sometimes her nature seeped out even when she tried her best to keep it contained. "He doesn't look like he could stand up to one of those dead rabbits I brought in." Her fingers tapped idly across the table top, irritation setting in. How was this mission supposed to succeed with so few people and such...frail looking fighters.

"When are you going to hit the road? I dislike being in town more than absolutely necessary." Lara stated, picking at a chip in the wooden top of the table. Being in such closed spaces and surrounded by so many dirty human made her uncomfortable and more irritable than usual and it was clearly showing in the way she was unable to remain still.

Lightning sighed, her gaze shifting towards Avery as she shrugged. "Underneath this armor I would look weaker than this man. You can't always judge a book by it's cover. Even so..." She trailed off and looked back to Lara. "If you want to join in, you should be a bit nicer. We will be watching each others backs out there, and animosity towards a party member will do nothing but get us all killed." Her gaze was stern, to show this female Drow that she wasn't one for any nonsense. She was a soldier and knew better than anyone that if someone did not like you, they would not go out of their way to save you.

"We're leaving at dawn. Though I am curious...why are you so interested in joining us? Do you need gold? Or is it something else? I don't mean to be rude, it's just...you don't look like a mercenary...nor do you look like someone who would care about the affairs of our country." Lighting laced her fingers together and rested her chin upon her fingers. The stern gaze was now an intense stare. As desperate for fighters as she was, Lightning knew that she couldn't hire just anyone. It was very possible that there were a few spies within the borders of the kingdom, and while Avery was definitely a hungry traveler, she wasn't so sure about this Drow. And while she did her best not to stereotype, she once was told that Drows were not to be trusted by a friend she held dear.

Lara gave a soft growl and did not drop her gaze from the woman. She truly was a wolf at heart and wouldn't back down from a fight regardless of the situation. "I don't need to be nice to do my job." She said in a soft but cool tone. "And I don't need your money, what I need is for filthy bandits to stop pilfering our supplies, if helping you improves the conditions of this country I suspect out meager weekly caravan of goods will be less of a target." She sat back and with a completely deadpan expression added, "It gets very tiresome ripping out throats every week."

(Sorry, midterms and the catchup that comes after them are hell )

Watching the conversations occurring at the table next to his as he enjoyed his ale, Nabriel guided his mage hand spell that had delivered the coins over to the pretty Drow's backside and give it a squeeze before letting the spell fade away and standing up. "Well then it seems like you could use Nabriel, the Grandmaster of the Arcane, on this quest of mercy and pretty women." Nabriel stated as he promptly and figuratively smashed his way into the group. It was clear that he was not taking no for an answer.

The last words were barely out of Lara's mouth when she felt a far too casual grope of her bottom. As the mage rose to his feet and introduced himself, rage boiled up inside the Drow. As he finished his flourishing introduction she darted out her chair and held the razer edge of her scimitar against his throat. Unsurprisingly, no one in the tavern moved to assist the Elven caster, fearing Lara's wrath much more. There was a reason no one flirted with the Drow. "If you ever touch me with magic OR OTHERWISE, I will tear out your throat with my teeth." As she spoke the air around him chilled to a frosty temperature, an interesting side effect from her Druid training. Her emotions often manifested in physical ways like this.

"Me? Touch you? I never!" Nabriel said, looking offended and completely unconcerned about the blade at his throat. "Of course I would happily do so if you were to indicate such desire, for I am Nabriel! Magical wonder and appreciator of the female form, which may I say you are a fine example of the latter. From your crown of fresh fallen snow to your strong but flawless ankles and feet." He said, looking from said head to foot of the Drow.

So she just wanted to take care of the bandit problem. Well, fair enough. She didn't seem like she was lying. Especially when Lightning sensed that she was extremely uncomfortable around other people like this. "Alright. Well, I suppose you could join us..." Before she could ask the woman's name and properly introduced herself, she heard the loud elf from earlier finally butt his way into the coversation. Opening her mouth, Lightning was about to speak but found herself once again. This time by the drow, who was up from her seat, sword drawn, ready to kill the magician that seemed to not care that he was about to have his head lopped off.

Lightning stood up and then raised her arm up so she could gently tilt the blade away from the elfs throat. "Don't do this. Killing a man over something so trivial will get you locked in the dungeons. I would rather not have a dead elf and a chained up drow in my company. Let it go. And as for you.." Lightning looked up at Nabriel. "You can join our party but our missions are going to require stealth and finesse and you parading around announcing your name and title won't be acceptable when we face the field of battle. If you promise me that you will keep yourself quiet, we will shake on it. And if you," Lightning directed her gaze at Lara now, though she still had to look up at the woman just as she had to look up to the elf. "Promise me you will not kill any of us on this mission, we can shake on it too. Okay?" Lightning took her hand away from Lara's sword and then crossed her arms, expecting an agreement out of both of them.

God, this was good, thought Avery, lifting his bowl and drinking the last of the broth from his soup. His eyes followed the near-death scene in front of him, darting from the elf to the drow, and then to the little woman in the armor. He thought that he had never seen such an entertaining night of theater in all his years!

His eyes went down to the empty bowl. The soup was good too. He sighed happily and dipped the last of his loaf of bread across the bottom on the bowl to sop up the last few drops. It had been a long time since he had tasted such a divine combination of basil and celery, spiced with a bit of cumin and pepper... he almost wanted to lick his fingertips!

The young mercenary set the bowl down and picked up his ale mug to wash down the last bits. His stomach almost hurt, it was so full! He noticed with a wry smile that Ms Lightning (was she to be addressed as Sir Lightning?) didn't require any pledge from him, which was just as well.

At this rate he could let the flamboyant mage and the fiery ranger take the front flank and destroy whatever it was that they were facing, and he would come along afterwards and mop up whatever needed tidying. It was a good arrangement. He liked tidying things up; it made for less chances of getting made dead, and it was certainly good for keeping blood off his clothing! He liked the idea of not being made dead and bloody. It suited him.

"Of course my Lady! The Great Artist Nabriel is as a shadow!" Nabriel exclaimed with a flourished bow to the knight.

Lara gave a soft growl of annoyance as the knight pushed her sword away but the woman's request wasn't unreasonable. She withdrew her weapon and turned to face the knight. "Very well, I will refrain from killing him. My word as a Druid and a member of the Circle of the Moon." In one swift movement she spun around and quickly punched Nabriel in the nose though intentionally without much force, enough for a bloody nose perhaps. "I cannot promise not to hurt him if he insists on his obnoxious behaviour."

Most people might have looked satisfied at getting in a little payback but Lara seemed to consider it equal trade. She was already sitting back at the table as the bar keep approached with a tray of drinks. He looked harassed as if he didn't know how to placate the group of potentially dangerous patrons currently seated in his bar. Lara forgot the kind of reverence caster types instilled in back water folks like them. He was probably afraid the elf would burn the whole tavern down on a whim...Lara stared at the mage for a moment, she didn't think he would but who knew mages AND elves were fickle at best.

Lightning was relieved to hear both of them accepting her proposal, but that relief was shattered when she saw the drow punch the elf square in the nose. She sighed and then shook her head. Violence wasn't against the law, so she really couldn't do anything about it. She wished everyone could be quiet and enjoy the coin like Avery but, this was something that was inevitable. Mercenaries came from different backgrounds and all walks of life and sometimes they just didn't mix well together. If Lightning could be picky, she would have just told Lara to leave.

"Well now that that's out of your system," Lightning said as she looked over at Nabriel and placed her hand on his cheek. He would have first felt the icy sensation of her cold armor touching his skin, but then it would feel warm as his lesser injury healed from her divine magic. He would have been as good as new. Stepping back, Lightning decided to introduce herself. "My name is Raquel Lightning. We leave tomorrow, when it's brighter and warmer outside. The oracles predict heavy snowfall today anyway. So, if you all have no place to stay, we can go back to the castle for shelter."

Slowly Jin lifted his left foot in front of the right, somberly walking towards his destination. Traveling through the streets of Astra, Jin patiently made way to a tavern. Figuring if any jobs or missions were available, the bar-keep would certainly possess such information.

Jin would rather be purchasing a room for the night, however lack of currency wouldn't allow such luxury. Though utterly determined to not sleep outside, he decided to attempt and offer his services on a mission or job the kingdom requires completing.

Once reaching the tavern, Jin stood at the doorway, showing no care if he blocked the entrance for any leaving or entering. Despite the attention it would draw to himself, he proceeded with his idea anyways, without a second guess.......

"I require a comfortable nights sleep, yet due to lack of funds, I must enlist my services to who deems fit. Who's interested?" Needless to say, the outburst from the newly arrived monk made a few heads turn. The barkeep simply motioned towards Lightning and the situation she was indulging in.

Looking at the barkeep then the woman in armor, Jin scoffed. "Look at this, a woman adorned in armor, how quaint" Pivoting on his right heel, Jin left the tavern as swiflty as he entered, waiting outside. However these words could be heard as he left. "I'll be outside, meet me when ready to discuss matters at hand." The only problem stood, about half of what he said while leaving, was more then likely unheard.

Now outside, Jin positioned himself somewhere easily spotted when exiting the Tavern. Somewhere Lightning and others would swiftly spot him if they left, along with him being able to see if they leave.....