[IC] Swords Beneath the Starlight

Barnabas gives Philomel a look, surprised. She didn't know about Laguz, or at least their features then? Well, maybe... That could make sense he supposed, he knew some Laguz that had only met one or two humans and would be surprised at the diversity of appearances visible right now in them. Had known. Thankfully Saya's voice snapped out of that incoming slump.



"That is the situation, yes. We're both refugees from the land of Travai. We met up after... Well, the group I was travelling with was found, and..." He gave a small, sad shrug. "I wasn't with them when they were captured, and could do nothing to save them so, thankfully Saya found me."

Casey falters a moment, his gaze drifting off of Sunny and out over the horizon.



"That so?" he asks, feeling a bit sheepish at the prospect of paying condolences with an audience. "To be quite honest, I'm not really sure what I'd say. Brendan was a good man, but I'm not....that is, I don't...." Casey's voice trails off, and finally, he sighs.



"Let's at least check on the others. Mazelina and Milo have been over there a while."

"I believe that sometimes, all a soul needs to find peace and move forward is a little gratitude." Sunny says, hands clasped together and head bowed. "I'm sure the Captain would appreciate your words." Her eyes then spring open.



"But yes, let's check on our friends! Come, I see them right over there!" Sunny raises a hand, waving at Mazelina and Milo even as she jogs over to them. "Yoo hoo! Are you two terribly busy?"

Milo turns away from Mazelina as Sunny runs up, but continues to speak to her quiet enough to keep the conversation personal.


"Sorry if I overstepped, for an instant you just looked... I can leave it if you want."

He then speaks louder towards Sunny, speaking loud enough to hear now.

"Not really, I was just paying my last respects to the Captain.  You okay?"

"Most certainly." Sunny nods. "I have said my prayers and made my peace with the Captain's passing. Have you done the same?"

"Yeah I did, just now. His sister is going to take care of his rites, so we can move on once everyone else is ready."

He walks away from the captain's body, leaving it to Mazelina and Casey (should they wish).

"Wherever that might be. If Renault is collapsing I'm not sure what our next move is."

Terribly busy? Near the corpse of their dead captain? It's a strange question, but Mazelina holds her tongue. The current situation had a few people on-edge, but she wasn't about to contribute to any sort of negativity.

Milo's reassurance earns a soft smile from her, and it seems he's right. For a brief moment her eyes are misty, even through her smile.

"Thank you Milo, truly. I appreciate your concern, and your words for Captain Brenden...and I know you are right." Leaning over the Captain's body, she mumbles under her breath a series of sentiments and memories, ones intended only for her, him, and whatever else out there might be able to hear. Whatever energies swirled out in the world and cared to remember, or to take but a moment to mourn with her.

She recounts the day Brenden found her, wandering damp through the forest, shivering and clutching herself tightly. They weren't the shivers of cold so much as exhaustion, her nerves raw from what she saw only days before. The Captain was a man of few words, and seemed to think very little about taking a somewhat quiet woman in with him- especially one he eventually learned was on the track to fancying herself a holy woman.

Now, she's not so sure. The captain is gone, and she feels even more lost without the Dore or him by her side.

"I will do my best to make you proud, and to find others to take in and help. Like you did me. To...try to make things better. Thank you for everything, Captain."
With that, she takes a deep breath, wills peace and health to all the lives Brenden touched once more...and then turns on her heel to follow after Milo (and Sunny? Who knows.)

Barnabas, Saya:



She smiles and nods to both of you.

"How wonderful...! I didn't know animals could assume so many forms... I had a cat back at the-- wait, you're... oh!!!" She nods. "Okay, that makes much more sense, actually. I understand now. How fascinating... But. I hope, more than anything, that your friends are still in good spirits. I will pray to the Goddess for their safety - if you'd like me to, at least."

Mazelina, Milo, Sunny, Casey:

The old woman holds her silence as you each speak.  By the time you're finished, tears are quietly rolling down her cheeks.



"...I never knew. I never even knew... Goddess, forgive this old wretch..." She wipes at her face, takes a breath, holds it. Recovers herself. Looks up to you all. "He got his dream, at least. Turned into the hero he always wanted t'be."

Airitech:

He pauses, as if wondering whether or not to answer. Eventually he caves, though.


"He was a good man. Arrogant, maybe, and a show-off. But he had integrity. Steadfast and responsible."

There's a long pause. A deep breath.

"He's gone, now."

“Tch, figures. ‘Least he hangin’ with Artoria in Mag Mell. Probs.”

He shuffles a bit on his stump. He looks a bit despondent.

“Great shame he had t’die so far away. Mag Mell is supposed t’be somewhere in Ossory. His soul s’gonna have to walk for a real feckin’ long time before he can rest for good.”

Barnabas was a little unsure whether she did understand, but her heart seemed in the right place.



"That I... Well, yes. Please do." He said. He didn't think his people would be in high spirits but, that was the point of hope he supposed. Couldn't hurt to get another word in, she likely had a better direct line than him. "I suppose I'll pray for... Your missing friend then in return?" He suggested, having heard that one was currently away at the moment.

Milo looked down, and for maybe the first time since any of his companions had met him a slight smile graced his face.  It had been a long time since he had ever felt like he's genuinely helped anyone in any way besides just being another body to throw at enemies.  Now between Mazelina's thanks and the old woman's tearful response he felt almost overwhelmed.


"Ah, not a problem, Mazelina.  If you ever need any help, let me know.  And ma'am?"

He places a hand on the old woman's shoulder, assuming she allows it.

"He was that and more.  Are you sure we can't do anything to help before we leave?"

"Anything at all, Miss, you name it," Mazelina agrees, nodding her head to Milo.

Casey stands there in silence a few moments as everyone begins to walk away.  He stares once more upon his fallen companion, and once more he fails to come up with something suitably flowery to say. Between Mazelina, Milo, and this woman who is apparently the Captain's sister? It's all a bit much, he thinks. There simply isn't anything meaningful he can add by being here, is there?



"......."

He spends a moment more lingering before turning away, clearing the immediate area with haste. He'll return to Sunny, Milo, and Mazelina once their business is concluded.

Airitech:



"...You don't really know how to put it lightly, do you?"

He chuckles. It's joyless.

"...Here's hoping he was wearing his good shoes, then. And that Ossory's mud isn't too deep this time of year."

Milo, Mazelina, Casey, Sunny:



"Unless you can bring back the dead... no, I don't think so. Just keep us in yer prayers. It's... a long, hard road, from here. Don't know what we're going t'do - submit, or flee - but whatever yer folks choose, I wish ye the best. Do the same for us, and I figure all's square. And... thank you. For telling me the truth of things."

Saya, Barnabas:



"Oh! You don't need to pray for him. He's one of Saedore's chosen! A personal guard to--"

She receives a sharp stare from Lien. She wilts; it seems as if she's going to crumple to ash, for a moment.

"To... important people!!! He'll be safe. I'm certain of it."

EVERYONE:

...as if on cue, an absolute hulk of a man rides forth. He's covered in tremendous plates of armor from the neck down, his eyes bloodshot and bulging. On his back he carries a massive lance, an axe, and a sword, all spattered with blood - presumably Revotrian in origin. His black horse is huge, full of bulging muscle - an absolute beast of a creature. On his shield, he bears a sigil - the sigil of House Altena, which Mazelina, Casey, Logan and Airitech recognize as the ruling house of Achaim.



"AH, LAD N' LASSIES! I'VE RETURNED! NAE A SCRATCH ON ME! REVOTRIAN BRAGGARTS HAD NARY A CHANCE 'GAINST MY BLADE! AN' WHATS THIS I SEE?! A BUNCH MORE LITTLUNS GATHERED ON YER HIP? INTRODUCE YAERSELVES, EACH AN' EVERY! YOU HAVEN'T GOT A THING TA BE FEARIN' SO LONG AS OLD DERMID'S AROUND!"

"Very well, you'll be in our..." a slight pause.  Milo had never really been too familiar with the concept of a prayer.  People certainly prayed to progress, but it was hardly more than just an overview of catechism.  What would that even entail?

"... yes, I'll keep you all in my thoughts, I hope you manage to stay safe.  Goodbye, and good luck."

He then hears the huge brute of a man charging towards them.  He must be Lien's remaining companion, and it seems like a horde of Revotrians were nothing for him to deal with.  Instinctively, Milo pulls up his cloak and looks over towards Casey, Sunny, and Mazelina.


"Well, I guess we should go introduce ourselves?"

Airitech glances at the wild-eyed man. He glances at the posh longbowman as if he was asking, what's his deal?

Anyway Airitech reneged. "...Airitech, a grown-arse man."

"Certainly," Casey replies, a satisfied smile on upon his face. If nothing else, the spectacle this man has made (Casey can only assume he's Lien's Colonel that she mentioned) should diminish the need to gather everyone together. Much simpler to return to Lien and let things play out in due course.

"Yes, let's." With one more smile to the old woman- and a whisper that she'll keep her in her prayers- Mazelina begins walking with her companions towards the loud, enormous man.

At the end of Dermid's introduction, she feel a bit more relaxed, and at the same time homesick. This kind of personality type is familiar to her, so in a place and surrounded by the unfamiliar she does gravitate toward him, cutting off any conversations she was previously having with anyone with just a look. She goes and gathers with the crowed around him.

Important people. He glanced at Lien, the leader of this trio, then back to poor withered Philomel. Something had been let slip there.

Then, distraction from a big hulking force of a man. Barnabas posture seemed to crouch smaller, his pupils dilated and eyes wide at the sight of Dermid and jaw clenched hard.

After that moment of reflexive fear, he quickly flicked his hood back up and over, keeping his gaze downwards and stepped away from Philomel and Lien, giving Saya a worried look.

He was briefly torn between joining the crowd around the warrior, and keeping his distance but standing out away from the pack, and decided to slink up to the outskirts, trying to keep to the side of/behind Dermid's sight and kept dumb.

"..."

Sunny just takes a moment to quietly absorb the entrance of their newest arrival, who she could only assume was Lien's missing Colonel. He was very impressive, to say the least. She could definitely appreciate that. Her fingers drum on her thigh. Then, her smile returns in full.



"Of course!" She says little else as she trots over to greet their new friend.

Milo cautiously approaches the rider with the rest of his companions.  When they get there however, he makes sure to stand slightly towards the back of the group.


"Greetings, I'm Milo.  We all jut met fighting against the bandits attacking this village.  Any news on Revotria's movements?"

The man dismounts, and for the first time, you really get a sense of scale for him. He must be at least seven feet tall, his horse at least six. He puts his hands on his hips and lets out a hearty laugh. Lien steps in to speak for him, cheeks red as can be.



"A-Ah, Sir Dermid, I-- it's good to see you've returned to us safe! We were just-- greeting these travelers, fellow refugees like us, and-- they were offering to come along and offer their combat expertise to our struggle? I thought it wise to wait for your thoughts on the matter, but--"



"EXPERTISE? HAH! THESE PUNY LITTLUNS CANNAE BE SAID TA HAVE A LICK O' EXPERTISE! POTENTIAL THOUGH? AYE, I CAN WHIP THESE FRESHFACED WEE DUCKS INTAE SHAPE, I RECKON. YOU LOT ARE A FINE BUNCH OF BLUNT SWORDS, SPEARS, SEAX, SAGARIS AN' STAVES, BUT I CAN SEE YE SHARPENED TA A FINE POINT."

He seems to be bulldozing over any and all questions asked of him.



"...You're not supposed to sharpen a staf--"



"AH, AN' WE HAVE SOME WEE BEASTIES ALONG WITH US TOO?!" The man shifts with surprising agility to look straight at Barnabas. "EXCELLENT! HAVE NAE SEEN A LAGUZ WHO COULDN'T FIGHT HALF AS WELL AS A SOLDIER -- HAVE NAE SEEN MORE N' TEN LAGUZ AT ALL, BUT THAT'S BESIDE THE POINT! YER LOT ARE WELCOME 'ROUND IF ITS YER WISH. THIS OLD SACK OF STICKS IS READY AN' WILLIN' TAE PROTECT A FEW MORE YOUNG SOFTIES."

Oh, there was so much happening here. Logan was, truth be told, a bit overwhelmed by it all. They were used to having maybe... one or two people around at any given time, and now more people just kept showing up, and there was blood all over that guy, too. There was also blood all over Logan. And all over half this group, actually. That was unpleasant, regardless of whose blood it was.

Logan sort of... drifts away from their halfhearted conversation with the Laguz, if only to turn and see what's up with the shouty guy.



"That... Aye, I think that sounds good? Don't know exactly what we were plannin' to do otherwise."

Logan keeps it short, because Dermid's probably already interrupted them by now, and also, he's kind of intimidating. It's the yelling.

Casey waves as he approaches, eager to get his feet moving again. All this talk of an attack on Renault, a man with an arsenal soaked in blood, along with the looming uncertainty of all of their futures has made him more than a little anxious. Sir Dermid's distraction is more than welcome. Casey watches as Logan attempts to get a word in, before making his own effort. He's a pebble compared to this man, but he wears a relaxed smile as he approaches all the same.



"You must be the young Lady's Colonel then," Casey declares with a confident tone. "I hate to overstep, but do you have any news of Renault?" 



"We'd been traveling towards the kingdom when we ended up in a struggle with a group of bandits. Does it still stand?"