Bloodlines
Act II Chapter V
"There." Alekith pointed out into the dark. A few hundred feet away the two riders can spot the flames of lampposts, giving away the shape of a walled town.
"I can't make out the size of it, or what it even looks like." Lucifen complained mildly, but yet still impressed from what little he see's. The whole land is diffirent from Bree-land, from the trees, to the grass. He's expecting the town to be unique from the others he's been in.
"When morning comes, you will." Alekith replies as the two get closer.
"You are still weak, I can see how skinny your body is from what it should be. Whatever painful travel you had getting here will take time to recover. But that won't mean I'm nursing you forever." He continues as Lucifen can now make out a wooden gate, the walls of which are made in similar fashion and wood.
"Lida will take care of getting you back into physical shape. If you're rusty with weaponry, that's where my brother and I will focus on. We'll reshape you into the sellsword we're paying you for."
"I won't ask for much, there isn't really anywhere else for me to be..." Lucifen states, already in debt for Alekith's gratefulness, even though it was out of dire need of help.
"Regardless, Amarion has invested nearly all of his funds into protecting this town, we will take care of you if you deliver on your end." Alekith says as he waves towards the gate, his face lit from a few torches out front of the town.
Slowly, the gates open outward as a hooded man approaches.
"Hail!" Alekith shouts out.
"Warden? Coming for another visit?" The man asks as the horses stop before him, turning his sight onto Lucifen. "Who's this?"
Alekith looks over at Lucifen and points at him with his arm. "This is Luc, my new recruit."
The hooded man stares at Lucifen before nodding. "Ahh, another one. You know, he looks like-"
"I know." Alekith says, interupting him. "I'm well aware of the situation. We're on our way to the Barrel."
The hooded man looks between the two and nods once more. "Of course Warden, you know I won't keep you waiting." he says as he moves aside and waves to someone inside the walls.
"Come." Alekith says to Lucifen as their horses begin moving into the town.
Lucifen follows Alekith's lead, observing the dark town of Tâdcelon. The wooden homes reminding him of Bree, but the architecture is completely foreign. "He said I looked like something?"
"We'll talk about that once we reach the Barrel." Alekith replies, keeping his eyes forward.
"The Barrel?"
"Consider it like the Pony."
"The Prancing Pony! You know of it?"
"I've read about it, consider yourself lucky that it isn't the Prancing Pony."
Lucifen hums to himself slowly, excited about being in a new place.
The city seemed around the same size of Bree, maybe smaller. None of it's buildings are too large, definitely smaller than some of the ones in Bree.
Lucifen could tell one they reached the Barrel. The building was similar in stature of the Prancing Pony, but was more of a long house. Lamps were hung off it's support beams on all sides, just like many other houses in Tâdcelon. So far, it was the largest Lucifen has seen.
Leaving their horses near the left side of the Barrel, the two walked inside. The main room was lit very well, a large room filled with half a dozen large tables. Near the entrance was the bar, where behind a young brunette cleaning the counter with a cloth. Noticing the two enter, she looks up and moves her long hair from her face.
"Warden." she greets him, ever so casually. Her eyes pan over to Lucifen, making her stop cleaning.
"This is Luc, a new recruit. And before you say it, yes he does." Alekith interrupts her train of thought as he places a few coins from his pouch onto the counter. "We'll take a room for two Illin." he says to the bar lady, but her eyes focus on Lucifen's.
Lucifen, confused, stares back from behind Alekith. "Nice to meet you Illin..." he greets her, trying to be polite.
Alekith snaps his fingers and Illin returns her gaze to the warden, not even looking at the coins as she drags them to her. "Don't make a mess..." She says as she reaches underneath the counter, pulling up a small key with a tag attached.
Alekith pats on Lucifen's shoulder, indicating him to follow as he leads them to a staircase against a wall.
"Explain...?" Lucifen quietly asks as he follows him up the stairs.
"Once we're inside."
On the second floor, they were inside a long hallway leading to six diffirent doors. A small window at the end of the hallway shows the end of length of the Barrel. Alekith looks at the tag, finding the number four on it.
Inside their room was two beds, a larger window than the one in the hallway, and everything else a guestroom would have in an Inn. Lucifen noticed how much nicer the room was than any room the Prancing Pony could have created. There was no luxury in it, but the craftsmanship of the building, room, and all the cabinets and such caught his eye.
"We'll stay the night, and tomorrow you'll get a real introduction to the town." the Warden says while taking off his sword from his body.
"And about all that?" Lucifen questions the odd reactions from earlier as he sits down on one of the beds.
Alekith gives him a look before sighing, taking a seat on the other bed. "It's time to fill in a few gaps."
Lucifen remains silent, wanting to listen as Alekith stares back at him, looking at his facial features.
"Rathel and I are brothers, but we still look a bit diffirent. Quite actually. But do you remember where Rathel found you? Captive by those brigands?"
Lucifen nods. "Aye."
"Well, their leader, is a man. He was once known around these parts." He says as he stares into Lucifen's eyes. "You resemble him."
Lucifen raises his eye brows. "Oh...?"
Out in the distance, far away in the wilderness sits another man with his own company. The man wears grey and black just like his men, not in uniform, but similar enough to be grouped together by the eye. Upon his head lies a matching spiked helm.
"Yes, and he was once like you and I, a sellsword hired to protect Tâdcelon."
The man sits around a campfire, some of his company sleep while others sit and guard. Their numbers small, only six in total. The man gazes into the fire, deep in thought.
"After a short period of time, he... Well, he turned brigand. Convincing more than half of the sellswords to work with him in an attempt to conquer Tâdcelon."
Listening to the crackles of the flame, the man breaths deeply as he places his hands on his helmet.
"His name was Caies, and he was my brother."
Removing the helmet, Caies brings it in front of him, turning it around. With the light from the fire, Caies looks into the reflection, barely making out his face as he brings up a hand to touch it, closing his eyes from the pain as he touches his burnt face.
