Just over half a bell later, the Silver Baazar was in sight and she had seen no trace of the man she was looking for. Would that she was not being pursued she may have stopped to look for tracks along the road. So she rode onward, eyes constantly scanning the road and plateaus to either side.
Still at full flight, it was by mere chance she spotted the pair of chocobos off the road towards the old lighthouse. She pulled the reins hard after a double-take which prompted a loud wark and dust cloud as the bird skidded sideways. Two riders were standing just up the stairs before the doors. One male, one female by the look of their clothes from a distance. They noticed her quickly and the man waved an arm and hand high over his head to flag her down. "Hello there rider!" he called out.
Drawing the bird up alongside the bottom step, she dismounted and turned to wave back a signal that she was no threat. Her cloak was still drawn tight, her hood covering her fiery locks and pulled low in front of her eyes. The paladin wasted no time ascending the stair to meet them. "Hello." the man said again with some hint of caution. She could see the woman also fidgeting nervously to the side.
"Forgive me, my lord, lady. Would you happen to be the son of Lord Algincourt?" Coatleque glanced from one to the other before settling her gaze on the woman. Their eyes met briefly, then they both looked away. Her cowl was pulled down even further when she recognized Lady Mandercrown's handmaiden. Coatleque immediately moved to stand between the pair then, keeping her back to the woman so as not to be recognized.
The boy drew himself up from his position atop his own mount. "I am," he replied forthrightly. "But few are supposed to know. What is your business? If my father sent you, I should ask you to turn and go. I am not to return to his side for... a while yet." The man she was looking for was in fact no man at all. A boy, just coming of age by his appearance. He had an odd look to him. While his name was certainly Elezen, he was Midlander himself - though with much more fair features than one would expect. Though he was clearly young, a long scar already graced his cheek along the right side.
"Nay, not your father - a concerned friend. I would urge you to come with me if possible. There are those nearby who seek to do you harm."
"Then show me your face if you are truly a friend,... friend. You are the first to bring me news of them."
She hesitated as if to protest outing herself in public already. She had only just found her target and did not want to risk any recognition. Trust would be required, however, if he was to even agree to go with her. So she lifted her cowl without pulling it back and gave the boy full view of her face, her eyes, her hair. "I mean you no harm, Ser."
He blinked. "Lady... er, Ser Crofte!?" Her lip twitched then as she stared into his eyes. "You do not remember me? We met ever so briefly at the Starlight Ball! You were with Lord Taeros." He paused, smiled, tilted his head as if to invoke the memory. "I was a year younger, and with longer hair."
Coatleque gave a low sigh and yanked her hood off then. There was no sense hiding now that she was recognized. The handmaiden behind her fidgeted again before sliding down from her bird a little clumsily. She maintained a watchful silence from the side through her thick-framed spectacles. The knight glanced to her with her own sense of caution. She did not entirely trust Belaire, but doubted the girl would stand in her way.
She bowed low and respectfully to Dheres. "Forgive me, my lord. I met many faces that night and had plenty of distraction later. I do believe you though I do not recall your face specifically. If you know me, you know that I can be trusted." Her head rose with a slight curl to her lips. "At least I would hope."
The boy chuckled at her display. "That is fine. Well, if a Sultansworn tells me I am in danger, then I will believe her! But tell me of this."
Coatleque took a step down from the pair then to offer them some distance. "Three men I saw briefly at Scorpions Crossing. They inquired about you. Armed - all of them."
"Why would they wish me harm? If they are highwaymen, I would be honored to fight them at your side, Ser Crofte!" The boy's confidence was clear, though she noted he had no sword by his side. One armed Sultansworn protecting two civilians against three hired mercenaries did not make for good odds in her mind.
"If I knew that, I would have stopped them before now." She replied. "As it is, I am alone. They struck me as hired mercenaries and heavily armed. No, we must flee in the opposite direction." She gestured towards the Baazar, a plan of escape already forming in her mind. "They would think you are trapped here against the sea."
"What of Belaire?!" He protested.
"Bring her with if you like! Your safety is paramount. We will not be returning to Ul'dah."
"A lady's safety is paramount!" He protested again.
Coatleque paused in her decent and turned back. She had not expected such a sense of honor from any young lordling of Thanalan. Her head bowed in deference. "I misspoke, mi'lord. Forgive me." She turned back down the stair again as if to begin leading them away only to be greeted by another man approaching. A familiar face to her, for she had seen him at the Crossing. Stepping backwards, Coatleque drew close to Dheres and pulled lightly upon his leg from where he still sat atop his mount. With a low voice she whispered, "Be wary, my lord, for this man is on of them..."
Still at full flight, it was by mere chance she spotted the pair of chocobos off the road towards the old lighthouse. She pulled the reins hard after a double-take which prompted a loud wark and dust cloud as the bird skidded sideways. Two riders were standing just up the stairs before the doors. One male, one female by the look of their clothes from a distance. They noticed her quickly and the man waved an arm and hand high over his head to flag her down. "Hello there rider!" he called out.
Drawing the bird up alongside the bottom step, she dismounted and turned to wave back a signal that she was no threat. Her cloak was still drawn tight, her hood covering her fiery locks and pulled low in front of her eyes. The paladin wasted no time ascending the stair to meet them. "Hello." the man said again with some hint of caution. She could see the woman also fidgeting nervously to the side.
"Forgive me, my lord, lady. Would you happen to be the son of Lord Algincourt?" Coatleque glanced from one to the other before settling her gaze on the woman. Their eyes met briefly, then they both looked away. Her cowl was pulled down even further when she recognized Lady Mandercrown's handmaiden. Coatleque immediately moved to stand between the pair then, keeping her back to the woman so as not to be recognized.
The boy drew himself up from his position atop his own mount. "I am," he replied forthrightly. "But few are supposed to know. What is your business? If my father sent you, I should ask you to turn and go. I am not to return to his side for... a while yet." The man she was looking for was in fact no man at all. A boy, just coming of age by his appearance. He had an odd look to him. While his name was certainly Elezen, he was Midlander himself - though with much more fair features than one would expect. Though he was clearly young, a long scar already graced his cheek along the right side.
"Nay, not your father - a concerned friend. I would urge you to come with me if possible. There are those nearby who seek to do you harm."
"Then show me your face if you are truly a friend,... friend. You are the first to bring me news of them."
She hesitated as if to protest outing herself in public already. She had only just found her target and did not want to risk any recognition. Trust would be required, however, if he was to even agree to go with her. So she lifted her cowl without pulling it back and gave the boy full view of her face, her eyes, her hair. "I mean you no harm, Ser."
He blinked. "Lady... er, Ser Crofte!?" Her lip twitched then as she stared into his eyes. "You do not remember me? We met ever so briefly at the Starlight Ball! You were with Lord Taeros." He paused, smiled, tilted his head as if to invoke the memory. "I was a year younger, and with longer hair."
Coatleque gave a low sigh and yanked her hood off then. There was no sense hiding now that she was recognized. The handmaiden behind her fidgeted again before sliding down from her bird a little clumsily. She maintained a watchful silence from the side through her thick-framed spectacles. The knight glanced to her with her own sense of caution. She did not entirely trust Belaire, but doubted the girl would stand in her way.
She bowed low and respectfully to Dheres. "Forgive me, my lord. I met many faces that night and had plenty of distraction later. I do believe you though I do not recall your face specifically. If you know me, you know that I can be trusted." Her head rose with a slight curl to her lips. "At least I would hope."
The boy chuckled at her display. "That is fine. Well, if a Sultansworn tells me I am in danger, then I will believe her! But tell me of this."
Coatleque took a step down from the pair then to offer them some distance. "Three men I saw briefly at Scorpions Crossing. They inquired about you. Armed - all of them."
"Why would they wish me harm? If they are highwaymen, I would be honored to fight them at your side, Ser Crofte!" The boy's confidence was clear, though she noted he had no sword by his side. One armed Sultansworn protecting two civilians against three hired mercenaries did not make for good odds in her mind.
"If I knew that, I would have stopped them before now." She replied. "As it is, I am alone. They struck me as hired mercenaries and heavily armed. No, we must flee in the opposite direction." She gestured towards the Baazar, a plan of escape already forming in her mind. "They would think you are trapped here against the sea."
"What of Belaire?!" He protested.
"Bring her with if you like! Your safety is paramount. We will not be returning to Ul'dah."
"A lady's safety is paramount!" He protested again.
Coatleque paused in her decent and turned back. She had not expected such a sense of honor from any young lordling of Thanalan. Her head bowed in deference. "I misspoke, mi'lord. Forgive me." She turned back down the stair again as if to begin leading them away only to be greeted by another man approaching. A familiar face to her, for she had seen him at the Crossing. Stepping backwards, Coatleque drew close to Dheres and pulled lightly upon his leg from where he still sat atop his mount. With a low voice she whispered, "Be wary, my lord, for this man is on of them..."
