We're Off To Kill The King

[RAIN.cloud]

Anger....

Hate...

Pain...

Arros hated them, he hated them all as they sat upon their plush bountiful wealth, reveled in their soft silks and engorged on the finest of foods. They lived in a heaven while their people toiled in hell. They worked and died and worked some more for these wretches to fill their bellies like needy little piglets. It was a mockery, a farce, of what was good in the world and, once upon a time, this very man had fought to keep their ways in tact. He'd been their guard, their protector, and he'd been the best until the very people he served turned on him. Their jealousy and their lies, it soured his life and blackened his heart. As any grieving man would, Arros wished for revenge, wished to rip the very life from their throats. They had taken everything from him. His life was gone, his lover -- heart ripped from his chest the moment that they were taken from him. He would have his revenge, but first...he needed out.

He knew their schedule, long since memorized it with his years in service. He knew when they'd bring him his food, when they'd switch stations and when Sallot often took his mid shift nap. They pitied him, at least some did, fellow guardsmen who wondered how their leader could have fallen so far from grace. Others were smug, glad to see their competition downtrodden and in pain. They were vindictive souls, green with envy and ripe with anger. Arros wouldn't be surprised if they had a hand in all of this, in his fall from grace.

It was lunch time, a meager metallic tray with a single roll and the scant remains of a turkey leg. The latter was surely smuggled in by the kind eyed man Arros had been training just a few short years ago. He wasn't a friend, but perhaps the closes thing the elf had to one, then and now. He was fine with being alone, preferred it that way, but today, he ventured to reach out. Sitting straight as the younger elf approached, vibrant blue eyes standing out against a pale face smudged with dirt. His gaze was careful, the one set upon him filled with pity, a silent exchange passing between the two. They seemed to have an understanding, one Arros fostered as he slowly rose to meet the man at the door.

There they stood, eyes connected as they spoke without words, an understanding. His peer felt awful and Arros was playing the role of a pitiful man. Hands reached out, passing the tray through the slot between the bars. Reaching for it, Arros bypassed the food to grab a thin wrist and, as much as it guilted him to hurt someone who had no part in his pain, the bent the arm down unnaturally, grimacing at the sick snap of bone. A cry rang out, bouncing against the stone walls as Arros whirled around, fist passing between the spaces of the rusting iron bars and slamming into the mans face. Crumpling to the ground, his guard was unconscious. Arros had to work fast, dropping to his knees to reach through the bars of his cell. Fingertips grazed the metal, listening to it jingle just out of his grasp. Cursing softly, the elf pressed closer to the bars, stretching his grasp as far as he could.

Hooking a single digit inside the ring, Arros breathed a sigh of relief. With a bit of struggle he was able to tug the key ring free of its owner. It wasn't over yet, shaking hands, trembling from hunger and fatigue, shifted through the keys, trying time and time again to find the one to match his cell. He could hear boots coming, the heavy thunk of their uniform slapping against damp stone floors, the way it moved throughout the space distorted the proximity of their owner. "C'mon, c'mon," the disgraced guard hissed, gasping as the lock clicked and the cell door creaked open. Those echoing steps began to speed now as they heard the metal move in its hinges. He had to move....fast.

There was a small nook just after the curve in the hall, Arros stepping into it to mask himself. His heart thumped hard in his chest, mind tracking his plan in his minds eye. He could hear them better now, just one guard to check up on the other. Arros stepped out once the man passed, grabbing a fistful of hair and stopping the man in his tracks. He didn't stand a chance as the elf bashed his opponent's head against the wall. He too crumpled to the floor, sword drawn from its hilt before he took off before anyone could stop him.

---

They were looking for him everywhere, drawn photos of his face with 'TRAITOR' stamped across its top were posted in every small town in the kingdom. There was no place that he was safe, slipping in under the cloak of night to scavenge whatever food from unattended shops that he could manage. The forest was his refuge during the day, hunting and trapping when he couldn't get to a small town fast enough. Arros was at his wits end, exhausted, hungry. Dirt smeared across his cheeks, his hair was matted and his clothes were tattered at the edges. He needed to find a save place soon, to plan and strategize while he gained his strength back. He would make them pay for what they did to his love.

Stumbling towards a stream, Arros dropped to his knees to splash the clear water over his face. He scrubbed the dirt from his cheeks, attempted to clean the ratted masses from his hair. The water was cool against his skin, soothing and refreshing. His body was tired, his mind fatigued, but Arros couldn't stop, wouldn't stop, until he got what he wanted.

 

[Spekkun]

Arros' face was everywhere. It was plastered on every wall, in every tavern, bar, and shop you could visit. To not know who he was meant that you had to have been living under a rock. The King's guard were looking for him, and they were offering a hefty reward for anyone who could bring him in. Such was the life of a traitor.

The streets were teeming with people who were either actively looking for the Elven male or passively keeping an eye out to point the guard in the right direction. The entire kingdom seemed to have it out for him, but finding him seemed impossible. No one had sighted him and many had begun to believe he'd fled from the kingdom, a wise move. Maybe they'd never see him again.

And that was why Bailey was surprised when she saw him at the stream, on his knees while he washed his face with water. For a moment, she just watched him, brow furrowed slightly and her lips pursed. She didn't know how to approach him, not in a way that wouldn't result in him fleeing from her. He wouldn't trust her, and she couldn't blame him for that. He couldn't trust anyone right now, he'd be a fool to do it. But maybe, just maybe, he would at least hear her out.

She approached him slowly, clearing her throat loud enough for him to hear her. "...Hello." She greeted, stopping when there were but a few feet between them. Any closer and she risked him fleeing or worse, attacking her. "I...you look like you could use some help." Not what she wanted to lead with, but she couldn't just launch into the full story, not yet. She needed him to be more agreeable first. Only then would she truly be able to talk to him. "You look like you could use a real bath. Maybe some warm food and some sleep." She flashed him a small smile. While it was genuine and earnest, she hoped it would settle any bad nerves he might have had.

"I can help you with that if you want." She offered. "No tricks or anything. I'm not looking to do his Majesty any favors right now." She was a human, a commoner at that. Her distaste towards the elves and human nobles that walked across the backs of her people were obvious just from looking at her. The poorly stitched and dirty clothing was just one of the many giveaways. Her people were the roots of the Kingdom, the ones who performed the menial labor that the nobles deemed themselves too good to do.

Her people had no love for the Kingdom that stood upon their backs. None at all.

 

[RAIN.cloud]

Arros was on his feet with dagger in hand in a blink of an eye, face wet as piercing blue eyes trained on the foreign figure before him. A human, female, but that didn't make him relax whatsoever. Arros had learned long ago that looks could be deceiving, to trust no one. Her words were interesting, but that didn't mean he would ease up any time soon, grip tightening around the blade he held. "And what do you want of it?" a rasp of a voice from a too tired man. Arros was running on adrenaline and a few scraps of food he was able to scavenge here and there. It's not like he could allow plenty of down time while he ran from the guards scouring every inch of the forest for him. "What need you have to help me?" Arros questioned, eyes flickering to the side for a split second. He was scoping out his exits, opportunities to run when the girl was distracted.

His heart beat hard and fast in his chest, body weak from lack of food. As of right now, Arros was easy prey, though years of training still made him somewhat formidable. At the very least he'd put up a good fight, make it a nuisance to take him. Whatever this girl wanted, this human wanted, he cared not. Arros only had one goal in mind, to enact revenge on the people that destroyed his entire life stole the one person he cared more for than anything else in the world. They were going to have a family, they were going to be happy, but jealousy turned violent and it was snatched away from him just before Arros could grasp it in his hands.

All of this wasn't to say that Arros wasn't tempted. He'd give almost anything for a hot meal and a bath...but his freedom wasn't one of them. Brilliant blues were trained once more on the woman, properly sizing her up. She seemed to be alone, pointed ears straining for the sound of any hidden assailants. Arros didn't trust her, refused to be swayed by promises of luxuries he was well aware he'd be giving up should he run. "I don't need your help friend of royal's or not." It was too dangerous to trust someone.

 

[Spekkun]

The moment he brandished his dagger, Bailey took a hesitant step backward, hands raised. She knew he wouldn't trust her, she even forsaw that he would be aggressive, but she still didn't come armed, not that she was much a fighter herself. She was tempted to walk away, but she fought against that fear and instead took a step forward, swallowing before speaking again. "You're dirty, tired and hungry. I think you do need my help." Her voice was a little shaky, the worry and fear evident in her voice, but it was also obvious that she was trying her best to sound firm and sure. She stared him down, as unflinchingly possible as she could.

"I know you don't trust me, I don't blame you. You are a wanted man." She chewed her lip in thought for a moment before sighing. "Truth be told, I...I could use your help too." She didn't want to go into detail, not out here and not yet, but the truth was the truth. It was better she was honest from the start. She was a terrible liar anyway.

"It wouldn't be free, but it could be the start of something beneficial for both of us. So please, put the dagger away and then after you've had a nice meal and some decent rest, we can talk." Once again she gave a smile, this one uneasy. It was hard to smile genuinely at someone threatening you with a blade. "Think of the meal and rest as payment for at least hearing me out."​

 

[RAIN.cloud]

Arros didn't trust this woman, didn't trust anyone anymore, but the promise of food and a proper rest was calling to him like a siren's song in the fog. Jaw tight, the knight...ex-knight...eased his stance, though his dagger had yet to be put away. For now, Arros figured, he could take her up on her offer, shoulders squaring where he stood, head held tall. "Fine." Quick and curt, eyes cast themselves around the small clearing near the riverside. The first sign of trouble and he was gone, still wondering if he was making the right decision. It wasn't safe to trust just anyone, especially when that someone was a part of the kingdom that was ruled over by the very people hunting him down. Arros could only wish that he was making the right decision, following the woman wordlessly. Ever vigilant, Arros stepped carefully, barely making a sound as they moved through the woods, pausing every now and then when he heard something suspicious. This made their trek slower than it probably should have been, but Arros far preferred safe than sorry. He'd been sorry quite a lot recently -- sorry he couldn't see the truth sooner, sorry that he couldn't protect his lover, sorry that he'd lashed out and gotten himself in this situation in the first place. There were plenty of things to be sorry for and the knight was tired of it. So he would move with caution, tense and waiting for an attack at any moment.

The attack never came though, leaving Arros so slowly begin to ease the closer they got to the woman's home. That didn't mean his guard was down though, eyes continuing to shift through their surroundings. "So..what's your name?" The words were stiff, eyes glancing towards the human who'd gathered him from the river's edge. Arros was a knight, trained in at least some sort of respect. If the woman was going to be true to her word, help him, then he could, at the very least, learn her name. He wished to know where they were going, but considering how easy it was to lie, a simple formation of words, Arros chose to find out for himself.

 

[Spekkun]

"Bailey...Bailey Shade." She answered as she opened the door to her home. At first, she moved to step aside and let him enter first, but she didn't want to give the impression that something other than what she had told him was waiting inside, so she quickly stepped into the house, beckoning for him to follow her. She was taking a risk by being with him, she didn't want him outside where he could be recognized any longer.

Not even a second after the door had opened, the smell of a medley of different herbs, meats and vegetables would hit Arros's nose. True to her word, Bailey had prepared a meal today, a stew with bread. While the meat wasn't the best and the vegetables weren't stellar, it was good enough to eat at least. "Please, make yourself comfortable, I'll fetch you something to eat." She told him before scurrying off to her kitchen. She sounded relieved and visibly looked less scared now that they were indoors.

Her home was small and old, the wood aged and even appearing to be rotting in some places. The first room had a single chair and a large plain rug on the floor riddled with holes and missing patches. There was an area for lighting fires to fight off the cold and a steep staircase that led to an attic area, as well as two other rooms, one being the kitchen and the other being her bedroom.

She came back shortly, a bowl filled nearly to the brim with stew and a spoon, offering the bowl to him. "Here, eat up. There's a lot in the back." She offered a smile. "Thank you for coming with me."​

 

[RAIN.cloud]

There was no need to share his name with the woman, it was plastered over every wanted sign with a recreation of his visage stamped on it. Arros was sure that the human knew his name already, humming in acknowledgment of the one shared. "Bailey," spoken quietly for the elf's own ears as he committed it to memory. She was interesting to say the least, if only for her bravery, or stupidity who really knew, at helping a rogue wanted by the royal family for treason. Arros supposed that he would learn of that soon enough, tracking after Bailey as they neared the end of their trip. His eyes continued to scan their surroundings, ever alert despite his slightly lowered guard. He wasn't as tense before, ready to spring into action, but he was far from oblivious, far from thinking himself safe.

A rather humble looking home appeared the closer they got, eyes on the woman as she opened the door. Arros lingered in the doorway, bright blue eyes moving across what he could see. Deeming it safe enough, the ex-guard stepped inside, the poverty Bailey lived in more than clear. There were several things that needed fixing around here, most looking as if they were scavenged trash. It was far from the lavish room that the Arros had once lived in -- a special thanks for his service as one of the King's best knights. He lived in luxury, loved by most -- at least in the King's court at least. It was a far cry from....this.

Eyes moved back to the human once she reappeared, eyes falling to the bowl in her hands. It tempted in, stomach rumbling in want though he was wary to take it. Poison was easy to hide in food, the suspicion clear in the way that his body tensed. "You're not eating?" the question set as blue eyes traveled upwards to meet Bailey's once more. Being who he was, hated now on both sides, there was little leeway for trust to be given so blindly.