Fire and Steel [Pathfinder & Wiki234]

If something bad could happen it did, at least that's what was on everyone's mind. Not only has a plague swept through the kingdom, killing many people both young and old, but on top of that the harvest was much smaller than it had ever been and doomed some to starvation for the coming winter. In addition bandits had been receiving a lucrative time this year as the merchants and their caravans had been all but ransacked, depriving the kingdom their wares.

However the worst would be that through all of this, the people were beginning to blame the princess for it. Her hosting the flame spirit wasn't common knowledge but they did know that she was...unnatural. This brought fourth words of curses and demons. Something very dangerous for a royal family. Fearing what would happen to his daughter be captured during a revolt, the king sent his daughter away until things calmed down enough for her to return.

And so it was, however she would not be left to fend for herself. A knight would be there to watch over, care, and even die for her if necessary. With both parties knowing what they must do they were sent off in the dead of night in a dingy little carriage that rattles and shook like a man possessed. After several days of travel the pair are almost to their destination, a cabin deep inside the enchanted forest north of the kingdom.
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The day air had a slight chill to it, autumn was in its infancy. Leaves were beginning to turn and the days were becoming shorter. However this didn't effect Gareth much at all, the fur armor protecting him from far more than knives. Granted it wouldn't do much against a good sword or an arrow, but it would fit his cover as a hunter.

Letting his gaze wonder, Gareth began to notice little things. Little lights zipping past faster than arrows, the cold biting his nose a little harder than usual, and the trees a little more imposing than before. "Damnable enchanted forest" he grumbled to himself.

However there is a silver lining to everything and the one of this particular raincloud was that they were almost to the cabin. Turning to the rickety carriage to his back and said, "Your highness, we should be arriving at our destination in any moment."

Gareth didn't say much else, this whole situation was rather awkward and when it came to people skills..well lers say he wasn't the sharpest sword in the armory.

kotori was the first born daughter and princess of the ruler of the kingdom she lived in. Recently things havent been going so well in the time that was coming now. Unexpected plagues, stealing in the streets and even the weather was becoming harsher for them, though one day her father suddenly came to her saying she would have to leaved the kingdom for her own safety. She nodded as she undrestood and quietly walked off toward the carriage where she would be taken to a certain safe area far from the kingdom, though what she didnt know was that she would have a personal knight who would protect her. The king wanted no danger to her when she left and when she came back and it was neccessary to have his best knight to be with her for all the time she would have to be, away from the subjects and her family.

She sat in the the carriage, quielty, looking out at the surrounding scenery around them with the bored expression she usually had doing nothing much when she was back at home and everything was actually normal. Kotori looked over at the knight, "hmm ok then...' she said knowing it was time to get used to not being in castle being served by all the servants and being spoiled like she used to growing up.



http://www.emptyblue.it/data/wallpaper/DateALive/itsuka_kotori_01.jpg

Gareth nodded at her words, concise and simple. Nothing overly flashy and complicated, good. The rest of the trip continued with nothing to report. Some little mammals ran around, birds flew, and some leaves fell. Peaceful but boring, which was all right for him. Soon the cabin came into view and within fifteen minutes they were at the front door. It was a humble dwelling. Not too large or too small, comfortably medium. There were several windows from what he could see and even a chimney. You don't see those alot, usually in bakeries. However it was made of some wood he hadn't seen before, odd.

After studying the cabin for awhile Gareth quietly left the carriage and just stood stock still, listening for anything. Not satisfied with his inability to fan out and search around, Gareth would have to make due with the silence. Without waiting a moment longer he moved to the carriage and opened the door, helping the princess out of the carriage before movie to their supplies for their stay. Nothing to fancy just food, water, herbs, dressings, some fire wood, and change of clothes. That wasn't even included what the princess personally packed, which he had no idea what. His personal items just consisted of a whet stone and several bottles of mead.

Grabbing the biggest box of luggage, Gareth said "Your highness, there should be a key inside the stone by the door. I'd get it myself but as it stands I'm a little full."

Kotori leaned back and got out when he opened it for her. "Ok then..." She said walking over to get the key. She turned and opened the door, walking in to see what was inside. Everything seemed really equipped for some comfort though it wasn't anything as special as what she had back home. There was a large open kitchen on one side with a medium sized living room and the a small hallway for the bedrooms and other rooms. She leaned against the wall, feeling a sharp pain so suddenly on her shoulder. " please don't do this..." She said looking at the glowing red symbol of the spirit on her shoulder. Kotori just leaned against the wall trying to wait for the pain

After a small struggle Gareth got the luggage and began moving towards the cabin before something caught his eye. Like before, little lights began to move about this way and that excitedly. Now he had seen fireflies before but these lights were definitely NOT fireflies. The lights began to fly around, swirly and swirly about until all Gareth could see was light.

He wanted to pull out his sword, face whatever was happening with the cold steel of his blade, but he couldn't find the will to. Instead he stood there and let what happened happen. Soon enough it was over, in fact what felt like hours was in fact out of time and within several seconds not even Gareth remembered the display of magic.

With a shrug of his shoulders Gareth made his way to the door. However his calm state of mind was disturbed by the now glowing princess. Concerned, Gareth said, "Your highness, are you all right? Do you need something from the carriage?"

There's...nothing that will help ever help with what I have inside of me." She looked down for a moment, just leanjng against the wall with her hair covering her face for a moment. She then collapsed on the ground sitting and leaning back against the wall. " my body...feels like...it's being consumed in...flames..." After a moment she was breathing heavily, though no visible Flames could be seen, it was just the feeling." Kotori crawled onto the small sofa that was here and laid down. " the kingdom...hates me, I'm a...monster, I don't think I'll be able to be with my family again without people yelling and blaming me that many were killed by a ruthless flame spirit...and it was me who actually did it..." Kotori was shivering a bit, " I don't want to turn back...I cant control it much when I do..."

Gareth stood awkwardly by the door, unsure how to proceed with this knowledge. If you needed someone dead than he was your man, needed a bodyguard than he could do that too, but talking down an angsty princess? Not a part of his skill set. Gently he put the suitcase down before sitting on the sofa, placing a hand on her shoulder in an effort to comfort the young woman. "I do not know much about magic, steel and blood is my domain but I am sure that one day we can rid you of this burden."

It was odd being this close to the princess, as a knight he was only really close to the royal family if their lives were in danger. Otherwise he would keep a respectful distance from them, for etiquette he guessed. However this was different, somehow and instead of etiquette Gareth fallowed his stomach and decided to stay with the princess until she rode out whatever it was that caused the glowing.

She simply stayed laying down, her hair falling to cover a bit of her face as she felt his hand on her shoulder. Kotori just ignored deciding not to say anything else seeing that he wasn't much help. He would be surprised that this was more serious than anything... It just felt like she was alone for now. He didn't understand yet...the young girl put a hand on her shoulder with the mark and just laid there wondering what she would even do anymore. She hurt people, and it wasn't her. It just happened, it happened without a reason when she was young.

Gareth didn't know what to do, this was becoming a far more complicated charge than he had originally planned for. Instead of helping, which he doubted he was doing, Gareth stood up and walked away before bringing the large piece of luggage into its place. Fishing through it he grabbed a water skin and placed on a stool he dragged to the sofa. "l suggest you drink up your grace, I need to take care of the supplies lest animals get interested. Should you require me, all you need to do is ask."

With that Gareth moved and began to move things around, release the horses, and generally just watch for more trouble.