The explanation Khadai began to proffer was easily his best yet, but did little to assuage the unease settling in the core of her chest. It was a clinical description of the events, and if what he was saying was to be believed, then he was not at fault. Not entirely. Edda cupped her hands together and covered her mouth with her fingers, breathing heavily through her nostrils. As he spoke, Edda walked around the boulder to better view the scene. She came to stand in between Khadai and the bodies, her back facing him.
His story made sense. The weapons of the pair had clearly been drawn at some point, now lying discarded in the gathering snow. She grimaced as she inspected them further. They were dressed for the weather, but not well dressed; that they were simple mercenaries was quite clear, the materiel of their equipment and discernible lack of hygiene as obvious as their current state of decay. They were not Ishgardian natives – that much was clear – but it was not out of the question that they were hired by the city-state for simple work.
Edda turned back to the Au Ra to address his question. The look in his eye was not remorseful, but the refreshed appearance he had had prior gave way to confusion, though his nonchalance was ever present. She hesitated as she looked at him, her eyebrows creased. The question was a difficult one to answer, as she herself did now know how she would have responded in such a scenario.
“If they truly meant to attack you,†she began slowly. “Then I suppose I can hardly hold you accountable for your actions. Brutish, yes, but if you felt threatened…†Edda trailed off and pouted ever so slightly. She could not be so angry with him for this. Were it more Wailers, or anyone unarmed, she would have been quite distressed, but she relaxed knowing it was two faceless and aggressive mercenaries. Still, if the Wood Wailers – or anyone else – had figured them out and followed them, leaving a pair of similarly mutilated bodies out in the open would keep them on their trail. This would not do.
“We will have to hide the bodies,†Edda said matter-of-factly. By ‘we,’ she of course meant Khadai. He would be far more capable and experienced at such a thing, and it was only natural that he clean up his own mess.
Edda looked around from where she stood for a viable spot to hide them. The ground was too hard to bury them in, and she doubt the Xaela would agree to use his sword as a spade regardless. The bodies could be dragged behind the boulders so as not to be seen from the road, though that counted on no travelers using the area to camp for quite some time. It would be their best bet, however, and the snow could be used to cover the blood.
As she looked past the campsite, Edda alerted to Gullinbursti, who appeared quite focused on something beyond the tall boulders on his side of the outcropping. He was not a large bird, and so he stood remarkably straight, his neck strained in an attempt to peer over it. Edda frowned. He had always been a skittish creature – perhaps he was frightened by the violence from earlier. The hairs stood up on the back of Edda’s neck, and she stood perfectly still.
No.
He was not looking toward them, rather beyond a point neither of them could see. There was something there. An animal perhaps, or a companion of the two seeking revenge. Gullinbursti let out a shallow wark as his head turned to follow whatever it was beyond the boulder. Edda nearly dove for Khadai, placing her right hand on his upper arm, her left over the hand that held his sword. She was not quite an obstacle, and far from strong enough to keep him still, but perhaps it would be enough to stop him from cutting down whatever may be out there without a second thought. She did not look at him, instead focused on the blind spot around the boulder, and waited.
His story made sense. The weapons of the pair had clearly been drawn at some point, now lying discarded in the gathering snow. She grimaced as she inspected them further. They were dressed for the weather, but not well dressed; that they were simple mercenaries was quite clear, the materiel of their equipment and discernible lack of hygiene as obvious as their current state of decay. They were not Ishgardian natives – that much was clear – but it was not out of the question that they were hired by the city-state for simple work.
Edda turned back to the Au Ra to address his question. The look in his eye was not remorseful, but the refreshed appearance he had had prior gave way to confusion, though his nonchalance was ever present. She hesitated as she looked at him, her eyebrows creased. The question was a difficult one to answer, as she herself did now know how she would have responded in such a scenario.
“If they truly meant to attack you,†she began slowly. “Then I suppose I can hardly hold you accountable for your actions. Brutish, yes, but if you felt threatened…†Edda trailed off and pouted ever so slightly. She could not be so angry with him for this. Were it more Wailers, or anyone unarmed, she would have been quite distressed, but she relaxed knowing it was two faceless and aggressive mercenaries. Still, if the Wood Wailers – or anyone else – had figured them out and followed them, leaving a pair of similarly mutilated bodies out in the open would keep them on their trail. This would not do.
“We will have to hide the bodies,†Edda said matter-of-factly. By ‘we,’ she of course meant Khadai. He would be far more capable and experienced at such a thing, and it was only natural that he clean up his own mess.
Edda looked around from where she stood for a viable spot to hide them. The ground was too hard to bury them in, and she doubt the Xaela would agree to use his sword as a spade regardless. The bodies could be dragged behind the boulders so as not to be seen from the road, though that counted on no travelers using the area to camp for quite some time. It would be their best bet, however, and the snow could be used to cover the blood.
As she looked past the campsite, Edda alerted to Gullinbursti, who appeared quite focused on something beyond the tall boulders on his side of the outcropping. He was not a large bird, and so he stood remarkably straight, his neck strained in an attempt to peer over it. Edda frowned. He had always been a skittish creature – perhaps he was frightened by the violence from earlier. The hairs stood up on the back of Edda’s neck, and she stood perfectly still.
No.
He was not looking toward them, rather beyond a point neither of them could see. There was something there. An animal perhaps, or a companion of the two seeking revenge. Gullinbursti let out a shallow wark as his head turned to follow whatever it was beyond the boulder. Edda nearly dove for Khadai, placing her right hand on his upper arm, her left over the hand that held his sword. She was not quite an obstacle, and far from strong enough to keep him still, but perhaps it would be enough to stop him from cutting down whatever may be out there without a second thought. She did not look at him, instead focused on the blind spot around the boulder, and waited.
