Private Tales The Mountains Ahead

[Aviana Sabel]

"I'll do my best." She called back to him as he walked out the door, smiling a little.

Once he'd stepped out, she walked over to the door and locked it. He would have the key to get back in, and she didn't want someone to barge in on her in case she fell asleep while he was gone.

Then silence fell over the room.

The little dragon stirred awake and chirped at her, drawing her attention away from the haunting thoughts that had threatened to overwhelm her. Vivid memories from the black halls of the dwarven ruins, being forced to kill a man, and the terror that came with it. Taking a deep breath, she padded over to the dragonling, her bare feet pattering softly across the wooden floor.

"Shh, it's alright. He'll be back soon." She cooed, gathering the small creature into her arms and sitting down next to the hearth.

 

[Kasim Areth]

The Performance went about as well as Kasim had expected.

Most of it had been the weaving of tales and telling of stories. There had been little music, and what song there had been mostly went unappreciated by those in the common room. Kasim was no musician, not really anyway, and most of the people seemed to realize that straight away.

He wasn't bad at the flute by any means, hell he could have joined an Orchestra, but his talents lay in drawing folk into his words, pulling them where he wanted them to go.

That was what he was good at, and he did it well.

Two hours after performing, two hours of telling stories and pushing the crowd in every emotional direction possible, Kasim knocked on the door of his and Aviana's room.

 

[Aviana Sabel]

While Kasim had kept himself busy upholding his part of the bargain that had garnered the room for him and Aviana, the young half-elf stayed by the fireplace with the dragonling resting in her lap. Since the creature was now awake, she needed to stay with him to make sure that he didn't make too much noise or inadvertently burn the building down.

Even though the dragon was only a few days old, she could tell that he was already maturing rapidly. He'd learned how to properly control his wings now, and they no longer flopped awkwardly at his sides when he walked. His scales seemed harder than when he first hatched, and he was noticeably growing. She wondered how long she would be able to carry him on her own; at the rate he was going it couldn't be more than a few weeks.

The dragon lifted his head and met Aviana's gaze, a keen intellect evident behind his flame-colored eyes. Aviana's brow furrowed slightly, it felt as though the creature was actually looking at her -- closer to making eye contact with a person, than an animal. The pulse of magic flared through her veins and she sensed the inert connection come to life as the little dragon perched his front legs on her chest, so that his face was just in front of her.

"Warden?" She heard a voice tickle at the back of her mind, soft and gentle. It sounded youthful and innocently curious. The tip of the dragon's tail wriggled slightly with excitement.

Aviana hesitated, unsure of what she should do exactly. She took some solace in knowing that probably no one else would know what to do in this situation either. Eventually, she settled on pulling on the magic that she could feel thrumming within her, itching for her acknowledgement; and tried to use it to focus her own thoughts.

"How are you... what did you call me?"

The little dragon gave a soft chirp when she gave a response and his wings fluttered at his sides. "Warden." He responded cheerily, as if that should have explained everything.

A knock sounded at the door and drew Aviana's attention. The connection faltered and it left her feeling a little drained. Perhaps she was just tired. Shaking her head, she gathered the dragon back into her arms and shuffled over to the door, unlocked it then peeked her head out while keeping her torso out of sight to hide the dragon.

When she realized that it was Kasim, she stepped to the side and smiled as she opened the door a little further for him.

"How'd it go?"

 

[Kasim Areth]

"Well enough." He told her truthfully, smiling for a brief second before he stepped into the room fully and placed his flute down onto the table.

The way he walked told of the fact that pain still lanced through his entire body, and from the way he winced it was obvious that the feeling wasn't exactly pleasant either. He frowned for a moment, glancing at the Dragon before he slowly wandered to the bed and sat himself down.

A muted oof echoed from his lips, almost as if his muscles had protested even sitting.

"I learned about a few villages nearby." Well, relatively speaking anyway. "Plus some more information about where we can find a ship."

Drunk people just loved to talk. "And about an abandoned mine to the South of here."

 

[Aviana Sabel]

"A mine?" She asked curiously, shutting the door behind him while he made his way over to the bed.

Her eyes followed him as he shuffled across the room, the pain evident in his every movement. She desperately wished there was something she could do to ease his suffering.

Quietly, she bolted the door shut then padded over to him.

"Anything interesting about the mine? Or just something they thought was worth mentioning?"

 

[Kasim Areth]

"The mine was operated independently by some dwarves." He explained. Ordinarily the local Lord would have done something like that, run the place and made sure that everything was as it was supposed to, but apparently this was an independent clan.

"When the mine ran out they left." Kasim said with a smile. "Leaving behind everything."

There was a point to this obviously, but he liked to build. "Including barracks and the foreman's cabin."

Which was of course the point to all of this. The Mine was four days ride south, and from what he understood next to no one went there anymore. The buildings were also dwarven made, which meant they would still be standing. Quite a good find if he didn't say so himself.

 

[Aviana Sabel]

"Huh... sounds almost too good to be true. Is it safe?" She asked, clearly skeptical that an entire mining encampment would be left abandoned without some nefarious individuals setting up shop there.

If it was safe, it could very well be the break that her and Kasim so desperately needed. For weeks now they had been on the road, with no chance to catch their breath. Spending a few days in an old dwarven cabin sounded like the perfect opportunity for them to reconstitute.

She trailed her fingers along the spine of the dragon in thought, quirking her mouth slightly to the side. The people downstairs were under the belief that Kasim was a servant to a wealthy noble woman, which wasn't too terribly far from the truth, if she was honest; but she worried that it might have been a trick or a trap.

If she'd learned anything during her travels on the mainland, it was that many of its inhabitants could not be trusted. "You don't think it's a setup or something, do you?"

 

[Kasim Areth]

He gave her a puzzle expression.

Perhaps some of his earlier words had set off a certain amount of paranoia in Aviana, or perhaps she was now simply used to having to look around every corner for danger. Either way Kasim didn't like it. He didn't want her to be afraid, to constantly look over her shoulder.

"No." He told her with a smile.

"None of them knew why I was asking, nor did I ask in the first place." Kasim knew how to get information he wanted without ever actually asking for said information. It was the skill of a bard and a Court spy, something born of his time at home and on the road. "To them the Mine is simply a lost remnant of when they truly prospered."

As it would be in most places. "They wouldn't even think of someone trying to live there again."

Why would they? There was no money to be had.

 

[Aviana Sabel]

Kasim's calm demeanor about the entire prospect helped to ease Aviana's uncertainty. She managed a faint smile and leaned over to affectionately nuzzle her cheek against the jester's shoulder. After everything that had happened, she couldn't help but be apprehensive that something else would go horribly wrong; that another attack was just around the corner. She didn't like this new found fear... but she couldn't shake it.

"Well... if you think it's safe, did you want to stay there for a few days? If it's that isolated and actually abandoned it sounds like a perfect spot for us to recover." She murmured quietly.

 

[Kasim Areth]

He nodded.

"The journey will take a day or two." The terrain was apparently quite rough. "But I think it will be good. Easy enough to protect as well."

Not against an army of course, but if anyone tried to sneak up on them they'd at least be able to see it coming. That was really what Kasim was worried about in the first place, not so much an entire military force.

He let out a sigh. "For tonight though we can relax here."

The jester smiled.

"No need to rush out in the middle of the night." Not this time anyway.

 

[Aviana Sabel]

"Mmm. You should get some rest then." She said quietly, glancing over to the second bed that was still empty. Not wanting to make any assumptions, Aviana stood up and leaned over to kiss his forehead once more.

If he wanted her to stay in his bed, he would ask or offer, she was not about to impose that onto him.

"There's still some brandy left over, though, if you want some." She added, moving to set the dragon down in the arm chair by the fire. It would serve as a decent enough bed for the creature, since he was still small enough to fit in it.

 

[Kasim Areth]

Kasim gently caught her arm as she began to come back. "We should both rest."

He told her.

They had been travelling for the better part of two months now. They'd had a few relaxing nights here and there of course, but even those were marred with assassins or death kist hours after. They needed time to actually let their bodies relax, to give them a moment to breath.

If only because they had no idea what would come next.

The cabins looked good, but for all they knew a Basilisk dwelled within the mines below them. Better to rest now and hope that they could again later.

"Come on." He urged her. "I'll even..."

His voice dropped to a low whisper as he pulled her into his lap.

 

[Aviana Sabel]

Having Kasim gently grasp her arm to stop her warmed the half-elf's heart. It was difficult to admit, but she needed to feel wanted. Throughout their travels together, Aviana had come to feel as though she was aburden on the jester. She hated the uncertainty and how useless it made her feel. Kasim, of course, had never once complained about taking care of her. That did little to shake off her own doubt; especially after the night in the werewolf village when he'd nearly killed himself to protect her.

Then he pulled her into his lap.

Her cheeks blushed a deep scarlet as Kasim lowered his voice, and she was careful to not hurt his aching body. She wanted to wrap her arms around his shoulders, but she was afraid of putting too much pressure on his skin.

Nevertheless, that didn't keep the small smile from her lips.

 

[Kasim Areth]

He tried not to show any of the pain he was feeling, something that was actually mildly successful this time.

Though it had only been a short time, he was recovering fairly well. The only real problems he was having were from the wounds the knife had made. Everything else was...natural in a way, something he was used to, a dull ache more than a stabbing pain.

"You're with a Jester." He mused as he kissed the back of her neck.

Kasim sounded almost amused.

"Things are going to get interesting." He smirked against her skin. "Both out there..."

His fingers began to roam. "And in here."

 

[Aviana Sabel]

She closed her eyes and relaxed in his arms as his lips traced along the back of her neck, tingles dancing down her spine. It didn't escape her that his statement of being with a jester came with a double meaning, which brought a smile of her own to her lips.

"You do have a way of spicing things up." She teased softly, keeping her voice at a low whisper. Her thoughts drifted as Kasim explored. This entire relationship would have been quite the scandal back home. No doubt it would be a point of contention when they arrived in the city. Out here, none of that actually mattered.

She reached behind her to trail her fingers through his hair with a quiet chuckle, even if she was worried for what the future held. There was little she could do about that now, so she might as well focus on the present.

 

[Kasim Areth]

Scandal in Minaris?

Back home Kasim would have been literally crucified. Well, perhaps not anymore, not by the ruling Houses, but by his father most assured. His sister too probably, she had always bought into the propaganda far more than any of her other siblings. Likely to try and ingratiate herself with their father.

Fool of a girl. "I do."

He mused as he kissed the back of her neck.

Briefly he wondered just what would happen when he was finally healed up, when they made it to the south and boarded a ship. The Dragon would be there, but for some reason he doubted the creature would solve many problems for them. Specifically with what he understood of Aviana's homeland.

He didn't want Aviana to worry, but one of them had to.

 

[Aviana Sabel]

Aviana's quiet chuckle turned to a giggle. The jester's confidence had always amused her, but in this setting the effect was compounded. She tilted her head to the side, giving him more access to her neck. His breath tickled across her skin when he spoke or exhaled, causing goosebumps to raise across her flesh.

"I admire your humility." The half-elf quipped in response, grinning ear to ear.

What was going to happen when she arrived home, with a jester in tow and a dragon perched on her shoulders? If it would even stayed that small for the trip there. Rumors would undoubtedly break out, but she had no idea what the current state of Minaris was. If assassins had been sent after her, she doubted that things were as they should be. What turmoil was she going to find back home?

Her nose wrinkled slightly, unable to push the thoughts aside. While on the road, Kasim has a reason to stay with Aviana and to travel with her. What would happen if she was forced to stay? There wasn't much of a question there: Kasim would likely leave and she would be forced into a political marriage. The thought alone was enough to make her stomach churn.

 

[Kasim Areth]

Kasim pushed the darker thoughts from his mind.

They were there. They would always be there. The Well would make sure of it now. It was like a creeping plague, something that slowly slipped forward and threatened to consume everything that made him...himself. The idea alone was terrifying, but for now...for now he chose not to think of it.

"I am a humble man." He said as his hands began to roam over her skin.

"I've had entire Courts sway to my words." The Jester said with a honey'd tone, his eyes sailing over her as he smirked. "You should appreciate me while you have the time."

He said quietly, leaning forward again. "In fact..."

Quietly Kasim whispered in her ear once more.

 

[Aviana Sabel]

Unfortunately, Kasim's words inadvertently struck a painful cord in Aviana. While you have the time. It only served to reinforce the idea that this was only temporary. She knew it was selfish of her to want otherwise, but Kasim had been pretty explicit that day in the river. For him, this was but a fleeting fancy. Perhaps there was genuine attachment behind it, after all; he'd risked everything for her... But even after that, he'd made sure to state his intentions before he kissed her.

Over by the fire, the dragonling lifted his head off the cushion and looked Aviana, giving a concerned trill.

She should have immersed herself in the moment, poured herself into Kasim, but she hesitated. If she followed down this path, she was only setting herself up for utter heartbreak in the near future. Would she be able to handle trying to save Minaris and the possibility of him leaving at the same time?

The myriad of unknowns swirled in her thoughts like a dark cloud, a storm lingering on the horizon. None of this was fair to him. He'd done nothing wrong, in fact, he'd gone well above and beyond what anyone else would have done for her.

She bit at her bottom lip, trying to keep her uncertainty in check for five damned minutes.

 

[Kasim Areth]

Kasim looked at her for a moment, sensing the apprehension and fear.

He could understand it truthfully, there was reason for it. Much of their future was not written in stone, but instead set upon the most flimsy of papers. "Relax."

The Jester knew that it would not be that easy, a few words wouldn't do it, so his touch became a little bit rougher. Not enough to hurt her, but enough to draw her attention to only that.

"We have our time now." He said softly. "That's what matters."

His lips pressed against her neck. "Focus on the now."

Not easy.

 

[Aviana Sabel]

"I know, I know... I'm just..." Her words faltered as Kasim's fingers dug more insistently into her soft flesh. "Afraid of setting myself up..." She murmured, trailing her fingers down along his arm.

Before she could say something to embarrass herself further, she cut herself off and closed her eyes.

She knew he was right, in a way. She should enjoy the time she had with him while she could.

"Can you tell me that everything is going to be okay?" She whispered softly, resting her head back against his shoulder.

 

[Kasim Areth]

"Everything will be okay." He told her with a soft smile.

There was no doubt in his voice.

He wasn't sure if that was true or not, but he wanted her to be okay, he wanted her to settle and actually relax for a change. He knew that Aviana was always thinking of the worst, always leaning towards the bad side of life. Perhaps it was a part of her upbringing.

Kasim couldn't blame her, he was almost the same.

"We have a plan." He kissed her neck again. "We'll get past all of this."

He kissed again. "I'm sure we will, love."

 

[Aviana Sabel]

She twisted slightly in his lap so that she was facing him, and tenderly pressed her lips to his. Even if it was a lie, just hearing him say the words helped to ease her nerves. Her fingers brushed across his cheek and then down his neck.

"Thank you." She whispered, smiling a little when she pulled back from him to meet his gaze.

Ridiculous as it was, it allowed her to push the worries aside for the time being.

 

[Kasim Areth]

He smiled.

Time made fools of everyone.

You could plan something out, you could lay your traps, you could do your best to make sure that everything fell into place exactly where you wanted...but in the end it often wasn't up to you. That was perhaps how this would all end, with neither of their plans meeting.

Kasim had no idea, he had no gift for foretelling.

But he was confident things would go alright. He always was. There were too many challenges in his way, in the past, for him to think of anything else.

 

[Aviana Sabel]

​

Aviana's trust in Kasim's reassurance that they were safe in the town was not misplaced. During their stay, no one came to bother them. No one threatened them, or showed any inclination in attacking the traveling pair. For Aviana, it was a welcome return to normalcy -- even if it was only for a short while.

When Kasim decided that it was time for them to move on in search for that abandoned mining operation, Aviana found that she was a little sad to leave the comforting village behind. Though if the jester was feeling well enough for a few days more of travel, she wasn't going to insist that they stay put for too long. They could properly unwind once they'd found this cabin some of the dwarves had described.

While originally they thought it was going to take the better part of a week to reach their destination, they arrived late in the afternoon of the third day. Most of the site was overgrown as the wilderness reclaimed what had once been a part of it -- young trees had taken root in the clearings, tall grasses swayed in the gentle breeze, flora sprouting up in the cracked brick of the paths. It was certainly a strange sight to take in.

What had once been a bustling settlement was now utterly silent, save for the chirping of the birds.

They found the overseer's cabin nestled into the side of the cliff face that had been carved out by the dwarves years ago. The building itself was sturdy, but it was beginning to show signs of erosion without its keepers there to maintain the facility.

The first two days of their stay were spent sleeping; and Aviana took care of most of the daily chores while Kasim recovered.

Aviana woke just as the sun was rising on the third day. The jester was still asleep next to her, one of his arms draped across her slender waist, which brought a smile to her face. Rays of light danced across his face and hair. The half-elf pressed a tender kiss to his forehead, and then carefully slipped out from beneath his arm.

She'd always been one to wake early, and she loved to watch the sun as it rose over the horizon. That had been much easier from her bedroom high up in Drakefell Keep back in Minaris, but this small cliff offered enough of a view to make it worthwhile.

The little dragon scampered after her, his scaly tail skittering across the stone floor made a sound similar to pebbles clinking together. Already the creature had noticeably grown to the size of a rather large raccoon; but he was also learning to glide. By the time they reached the next settlement, Aviana wagered that the dragon will have learned how to properly fly.

When she leaned against the short stone wall that acted as a railing to keep unwitting pedestrians from tumbling down the cliff side, the dragonling gave a flap of his powerful wings to get himself airborne enough so that he could pull himself up onto her shoulders. It wasn't quite flying, more of an assisted jump; but it was still impressive that he could leap more than five feet vertically.