When the Day met the Night: Part II

S

Solon

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Original poster
Feir was surprised. Of all things to ask, she asks why when I'm giving her a second chance? "I'm one of the good guys; it is what I do. Also, who knows what they would have done to you in revenge for your failure. After what they tried to do to me, I would not be surprised as to what lengths they would go to in revenge." Satisfied with his answer, and hoping she was as well, he opened the door and started to walk away.

As he was walking, he left her weapons on a table as he walked, hoping Mel would be smart enough to get the message. Grabbing his cloak, he silently opened the door and walked out. It was an odd feeling to be sure, leaving a segment of one's life behind.

(Sorry for the short post, I just felt to go kind of slow for the first post since all the way back then.)
 
Mel listened silently to Feir as he told her that he was one of the good guys and helping her was what he did. However, she couldn't help but agree as he asked her what they might have done to her for her failure. Knowing that there was no other choice for her, she nodded.

Replacing the package in the heel of her shoes, Mel takes her things from the table, placing each of them on their proper places. Tightening the tie in her hair, she follows him, carefully watching him for any sign that he was deceiving her. Biting her lip as she followed him, she also makes sure that no one sees them leaving, ready to defend herself if need be.
 
As they were walking down the street, Feir felt a strong feeling of foreboding. Without words, he reached down and uncovered his sword, loosening it in it's sheath at the same time. He beckoned Mel forward. "Mel, I have a feeling something bad is about to go down. Be vigilant." he said.

Suddenly, it happened. A circle of imposing figures, suddenly closing them in from the shadows. Feir immediately drew his sword, then looked back at Mel preparing herself as well.

The one who seemed to be the leader of the group came forward, and spoke up, "We have you surrounded, deserter. Lay down your weapons and die honorably." Needless to say, Feir's definition of honor varied greatly from the man's. The man spoke again, "Ah, I see you decided to take that assassin with you. Good. We ca- blargh!" He was cut off suddenly with two and a half feet of steel sticking out of his back. Kicking the man off of his blade, Feir settled back into a balanced stance, ready for offence or defense.
 
Mel readied her dagger as soon as Feir told her that he felt something was off, and wasn't entirely surprised when the figures revealed themselves. As the one spoke up, she wasted no time in focusing upon the other men, melting into the shadows and reappearing, dagger in hand, and dispatching them one at a time.

Easily having a couple of them on the ground by the time Feir finally had the leader dead, Mel glanced towards him just long enough to determine that the sound of a body falling on the ground was the man and not Feir. "Only one?" she asked jokingly, gesturing towards the two dead in front of her, before focusing upon the remaining men.
 
As the men advanced, he heard Mel behind him making some quip about only taking out one. He replied, "Let us see the numbers after we dispatch the rest." Before the rest of the men even had a chance to react to his statement, he had started into them, removing the head of one and the throats of two others. He was now in the zone, so to speak. Fighting for his life had proven to become disturbingly commonplace nowadays, and he was getting quite good at it. Sure, he was a soldier who had been to war, but he had never been outnumbered this badly. No matter, he would just slice through them all. Suddenly, one managed to knock his sword out of his hands. Wasting no time, he punched that man in the face then depriving him of his cudgel, and his life shortly thereafter.
 
Truthfully, Mel didn't care about the numbers, just that she get out of the predicament alive, but upon hearing the sound of a sword clattering to the ground, she looked to Feir once more, to see if he was okay. He was, apparently, judging by how he quickly dispatched a man, and returned her attention to the situation at hand. Taking the feet out beneath a man, she leapt on him, quickly killing him as dispassionately as if she was preparing food. If she wasn't getting paid to kill, it wasn't any fun to her.

Once everyone was on the ground, Mel straightened, wiping the blood from her dagger with a handkerchief. "Right," she muttered, before looking to Feir. "Where to now?"
 
"We should probably find my horse, and one for you. After all, it's pretty unlikely either of us is welcome here anymore." As he was saying this, he threw the cudgel aside, and picked up his sword, cleaning and sheathing it. "We will probably have to ride all night and all day to get a good distance away. I hope you have a warm cloak handy." Feir said, checking for coin on the fallen men. After all, they hardly needed it anymore, and a good escape needs funding. Noticing one of the men had a rather nice dagger, be picked it up and handed it to Mel. With this he straightened and walked away. "Well, we had best find some horses."
 
Mel nodded, taking the offered dagger, as Feir told her that they might have to ride for a night and a day. She groaned inwardly. To her, riding was one of the most dull and monotonous things imaginable, and for a length of time such as that was obscene. She wasn't going to tell him that she had no cloak, as assassins had no need for such a thing, if the only person who saw them was the target. Shrugging as he began walking away once more, she followed him, sheathing her dagger and finding a place for the one he had given her.
 
Feir found himself unable to think of much other than not falling off his horse as they were riding out of the city. Although he tried not to let weakness show, he was exhausted after having been up all night, and especially after taking down that group of assailants. He was actually glad his armor was somewhat uncomfortable, and it kept him awake. They had luckily found his horse and one that most likely belonged to one of the now dead men. He hoped that they would find a hiding place soon.
 
As the two rode the horses out of the city, Mel found herself wishing she had gotten some sleep that night. Catching herself glancing at Feir occasionally, seeing that he was lagging. After she began becoming overtaken by boredom, Mel found herself looking up at the stars trying to determine where exactly Feir was leading her and if he actually was going anywhere. Once that became monotonous, she started counting in her mind. I really hate riding...she thought, wondering how Feir had gotten the idea that it was a good one.
 
Feir suddenly decided that conversation would be more likely to keep him awake that just riding in silence. He said, "We will figure out where we need to go in the morning, unless we can think of someplace to go now." Noticing that Mel kept looking at her horse with distaste, he asked, "Do you think it is any more comfortable for me to ride a horse? It is just the most efficient way to get someplace." After all, what did she expect them to do? Run? Their pursuers would most likely have horses as well.
 
"Assassins have no need for homes," Mel replied stonily, "as such, I've nowhere I can lead you where we can be safe." Closing her eyes as he asks if she thought that it was more comfortable for him to be riding a horse, she sighs, yawning. "Surely, though, there must be something to do to stem the boredom? This is going to kill me before any soldiers, falling off a horse because I fell asleep."
 
A few hours later, Feir suddenly reined in his horse. Looking relieved, he said," Do you see that cave? It would probably be a good spot to stop for the night." With no further words, he dismounted his horse, grunting a bit in pain from the long ride. Removing his sword from the saddle and attaching it to his back once again, he tied up his horse to a nearby oak tree. Feir then proceeded to grab his bedroll off of the saddle, along with his tinderbox. "It'll be good to get some rest. You go ahead, and I will take first watch."
 
Mel was beyond relieved when they finally stopped riding, stopping at a cave. Tying up her horse as well, she nodded as he said that she could sleep first. However, her pride wouldn't let her take anything from him without an argument. "No way am I sleeping with you awake. Who knows what you could do to me in my sleep. You're going to have to knock me out before you catch me sleeping." She shakes her head, though in truth she was unbelievably tired.
 
Feir grunted, "You aren't hiding how tired you are very well. Relax, and keep a knife under your head if you don't trust me." Feir inwardly groaned, wondering what the hell he had gotten himself into. His inner optimist managed to escape from it's prison, telling him that he should be glad he wasn't dead. "Anyway, save it. You are going to need that energy for when it is your watch." With this, Feir sat down on a rock after getting his oilcloth out of his bag and started oiling and sharpening his sword. "Damn. When I dropped my sword I must have notched my blade."
 
"I will," Mel responded indignantly, taking off her shirt, and revealing a tighter undershirt beneath. Balling up her overshirt, she used it as a pillow as she lied down, taking the dagger from its sheath and holding it tightly in her hands. Turning over slightly, she closed her eyes, and though she would never admit it to Feir, she was asleep within moments.
 
Feir couldn't believe how slowly time seemed to be moving during his watch. Looking up at the moon, he saw that it had barely moved since he had last looked up. About two hours ago he had finally gotten the notch out of his blade, and since then he had had nothing to do. Heading just outside the entrance of the cave to relieve himself, he heard a pack of wolves howling in the distance. Finishing up his business, he heard one of the horses whicker nervously, giving him just enough warning to draw his sword before the wolves were upon him. He backed up into the entrance of the cave, which was just wide enough for him, giving him some cover at least from the back. Hoping not to wake Mel up, he drew his dagger in his off hand, he started methodically driving the wolves off of him and away.
 
Mel's dreams were filled with wolves. First, she was running from guards, who were chasing her out of a city, probably because of some assassination she had done. Then, suddenly, the howls of wolves filled her ears and as she glanced behind her, she was being chased by wolves. She wasn't able to outrun them; they were catching up quickly and began nipping at her heels. Tripping, the contact with the ground forced her into consciousness once again. Waking up with a start and a yelp, she sat straight up. Once lucidity returned to her, she saw Feir in the mouth of the cave, fighting off the very thing she had been running from in her dreams. Leaping up, she ran to his side, dagger in her hand at the ready.
 
Hearing Mel running up behind him, Feir stepped to the side to allow her to get up beside him. Before she had arrived, Feir had taken out most of the wolves and was now just facing the three largest wolves. Kicking the body of the second largest one off his sword, he paused to realize that Mel had already taken out the other two. He spoke, "Thanks. The help was nice, I was starting to wear down. Looks like it's time for your watch."
 
As the wolves came at her, Mel ducked beneath one's jaws, raising her dagger as it flew over her. The dagger plunged itself into the soft underbelly of the animal, and she heard it yelp in pain as it landed behind her. Turning to the other one, she quickly dispatched it, before hearing Feir speaking to her. She nodded at his thanks, cleaning the dagger on the grass nearby. "Guess so," she answered in response to his statement, sheathing it. In truth, she was still tired, but knew that she wouldn't fall asleep on watch, from a time when she had been running from a town and needed to stay awake for three days while she ran through the nearby forest. If needed, she would stay awake for longer.