The Hunt (Retro/Konrad)

[RetroWitchcraft]

Eowyn felt cold as she made the trek into town. The weather was pleasant enough. Golden beams of sun covered the earth and made the grass and trees shine emerald with their radiance. Birds sang merry tunes. The sky was a brilliant shade of cloudless periwinkle. As she reached the city proper, there was an increase in people. They were just as happy as the birds, chittering to everyone as if nothing terrible could happen. That their glad lives would go on being just as happy.

How she envied them. They had no clue the pain people could feel and, while she was never prone to boughts of melancholy, she was suffering from a dark depression.

Who wouldn't be after finding their parent's bodies out on the sprawling veranda of their manor. They had been a wealthy but well liked family. Her father and mother were both talented mages that provided the citizens of the city with many services. If anyone had a problem, it was normally her parents that they came to for advice. No one in Lockport hated them. Eyes turned in her direction as she passed and the chat turned to murky whispers; the whole city knew. It was none of their business but they likely knew about it the very hour it happened. News traveled fast, after all, and servant's mouths ran.

They likely thought that she would still be mourning at her house and preparing her parent's bodies for a funeral. That is what any proper daughter would do. A caring, considerate child would not go out in deep blue leathers and certainly not only a day after it happened. But Eowyn was not going to waist time. The longer she waited, the colder the trail became and the less likely she would find the thieves that murdered her parents over a lump of gold plated lead.

She ignored the words of many, shaking her head at them if any tried to approach her and moving along before they could say anything against it. Whatever it was likely was something she had heard before. Empty offers of help or condolence and a story that was supposed to make her feel better but, really, drew attention to the storyteller.

When she entered the tavern, she lowered her hood and let her silvery blonde waves tumble out of it. Rosebud lips were set in a hard line and hazel doe-shaped eyes scanned the place. She had heard that this particular establishment was full of roughneck swords for hire. Men that knew the ways of tracking and, more importantly, the ways of killing. It did not matter the price.

She walked over to the man that sat behind the counter and leaned in closely to speak with him.

"Have you put out that request I sent last night?" she asked promptly. "I am hoping it found you well and before you retired. I know how clumsy some of my servants can be."

"I did, in fact, post it up," he replied. Sympathetic, pity filled eyes landed on her and hate boiled up in her. He continued you. "But revenge t'aint gonna bring your parents back."

Eowyn scowled. "Just tell me who has answered it."

"Only one person. I forgot his name though."

At this news she visibly blanched. One? Just one person? Certainly there were more than that who wanted to earn all of the gold their greedy heart's desired! Even if a brutal man was not interested in money there was still the thrill of the hunt and kill.

"Just one?" she asked, panic tinged her voice. "There has to be more!"

"There isn't. Jus' him."

A groan escaped her lips and she sunk into a barstool. By the love of the gods known and unknown! She wanted a choice so she did not chose too hastily. Three at least but one? A single man made her feel as if her quest for vengeance never would be quelled.

"Give me a pint of whatever the hell is the house special," she replied. "I think I am going to need it."

Now all she needed to do was wait.

 

[Konrad Curze]

Reevan laughed as he drank down more of the warming liquor. "... And en' he jus' and died!" The group laughed at te end of a particularly large man's joke. The next in the story ring was Reevan,"Go on' Reevan. Tells us more of your sneaky disem-- whatever the fuck ets called." Reevan was taller then the others, and he made a point of showing it to them whenever he could, so he stood looking over them,"I was sent out to kill some rich bastard who was apparently boxing in his town and keeping them as essentially slaves. So some kid comes on in here and he doesn't even talk to Thorian, he just comes right up to me and hangs me a little sack of gold. It wasn't enough for me to kill someone but I never pass a chance like this. So I head out and go in the way the kid showed me. The guy who took over the city had his gaurs force searching house to house, when the guards came to the house I was in I up and killed em. I their armor and wore it myself posing as one of those dirty gaurds. I sunk into the guys 'Throne Room' he was rapein some poor girl. I took this knife." he threw a normal dagger into the table,"And it went into the bastard fuckin' eye" they laughed uproariously. Reevan hadn't spoken in the same way most of the other men had, he spoke more sophisticated.

He made his way over to the bar tender that the girl had just been talking to,"Hey Thorian, back to your pedophile ways?" he asked Thorian and Reevan shared a laugh at the inside joke. "No, this is the girl that put up the contract you took last night" he looked over the girl and almost laughed,"She the little rich girl who got her parents done in by some common thieves?" Thorian grimaced.

Reevan looked back at the girl,"Alright little one, meet me back here... Oh.." he sighed and ran his hand threw his extremely short brown hair,"3 this afternoon? You know times right?" he knew she did and he left to assemble what he was bring with him on this venture.

He went to his own quarters at the tavern and grabbed up a hand and a half long sword. A long dagger which was closer to a gladius, a small dagger. He put on a mix of leather stitched with metal material, plates covering one shoulder parts of his chest, his right hand, and a shin. The metal was special in the make,it was extremely light. He grabbed up other minor provons which he put into a saddle bag.

 

[RetroWitchcraft]

Their conversation made her fume. Clearly she could hear them. She was right at the bar that they were at. Her eyes closed. They were men being men, she tried to tell herself. Still to be referred to as a 'little rich girl' was grating. Her lips pursed and she busied herself with a mouthful of mead. Instantly she retched. That was foul beyond foul. Nothing like the sweet wines she was accustomed to. She placed the pint down.


The look that crossed her face was indignant. Did he seriously think that she did not know how to tell time? Did not everyone above a peasant know that basic concept? Even those who had fields to tend understood that concept! Already she knew this was going to be a difficult journey.

"Very well," she replied. The agitation was not hidden well within the cool tone she attempted to use. "It gives me time to buy supplies for the trip."

The trek down to the main town without the aid of a horse took nearly an hour. There was no point in heading back to her home at that time. Two hours back and forth was not a good idea. So she simply stood up, dug around in the purse at her hip, and slammed some coin down on the bar to pay for the drink she did not finish.

She then left the tavern to find her own supplies. Although she had never been on an adventure, she had asked servants about what things would be best to take. Bedrolls, a ten, potions to refill magic essence since she was mage, potions that would heal, rope, flint, lantern... basically items that would make sleeping outside and fighting much easier. It seemed like an awful lot.

So she visited every shop she could and loaded up with the bare essentials. The new leather bag she had slung over her shoulders was heavy but the load was well worth it. There was nothing she wouldn't do towards avenging her parents.

When she reentered the tavern at the appointed time, she did so with a much more confident stance than before.

 

[Konrad Curze]

Reevan stepped down the tairs packed much lighter then the girl. At his belt he had his hand in a half sword in a simple sheath. The gladius like knife strapped to his thigh, and the dagger at his belt along with many smaller pockets. Thorian rolled his eyes while gestureing subtlety at the girl,"The little girl went out and got enough provision for a entire group. Reevan smiled at the old bartender,"but I ou' feel bad for the 'ittle girl. Mother killed just after she were taken from the nipple." Thorian was of course over exaggerating by a great deal of years but it got his point across.

He handed Thorian a pouch of gold,"This for upkeep and the care mistletoe." He said to Thorian, Mistletoe his dear cat who he had stay back in the tavern after receiveing a nasty scratch that left a scar from it he base of its left ear to just under it's left eye. The cat was lucky enough to not have had her eye hit.

Reevan walked over to the girl the clink of his equipment audible in the noisy room. He reached her and looked at her bag then at her,"Little bit much stuff there don'tcha think? We are only gunna be gone for a few months, we will be huntin-- oh damn I will be right back." he quickly ran upstairs again and came down with a simple unstrung bow and a quiver full of arrows. "As I was saying we will be hunting for our own food, after that, I got a knife for skinning and some flint and steel."

He looked at the girl questioningly, she seemed a little resentful but she looked more confident then earlier,"you grew a pair the girlie?"he laughed at his own vulgar joke before opening the door,"Come on let's get goin. I assume you have a horse. We will go to the stables and you tell me about the murder."

 

[RetroWitchcraft]

Their barbs were making her more irritated than anything. Had they no sympathy or heart? She just lost her parents and all they could do was pick at that fresh wound. Men like this were bastards but she had no choice in the matter. It was either pay for the help or do it on her own and she was not fool enough to go after the thieves on her own. With no experience with either tracking or fighting, that would be considered a suicide mission.

Of course she packed a lot of things. What was he expecting? Everything she brought was important, especially if it were to get cold. The fall had just began and the days were still warm but in a few weeks chill was going to settle in. She rolled her eyes as he left really quick and came back with a bow and arrow quiver.

"I bought so many things because I am prepared." She replied simple. "I would rather have extra than not have enough."

Though her delicate shoulders already ached from the weight pressing down on them. That did not matter though. In that moment she was going to do anything; go through any pain just to see that she got the justice she believed she deserved.

"I have a name," she replied coolly. "I am Lady Eowyn de 'Lirk. Since I am paying you, you can simply refer to me as 'm'lady' or by any other respective title a noblewoman would hold.

"And I do not have a horse. I walked from my parent's estate to here."

Horse frankly terrified her.