The man had seemingly followed her from Scorpions Crossing on foot. He trotted to the bottom of the stairs and looked as if he could collapse any moment. Doubling over and leaning on his knees to regain his breath he stammered, "Lord Dheres!," followed by more heavy panting. "Thank the gods I found you! Get away from that woman" One hand was lifted from a knee to point accusingly at Coatleque who had not yet replaced her hood.
"What is your name, ser. For I know this woman well. Her honor is unimpeachable." came the reply. The young lordling sat tall on his mount as the man slowly approached. The young woman he was with seemed to cower away as this was very much more intrigue than she was ever used to. Coatleque slowly stepped around the bird to place herself between the man and her charge, reaching her hand across her midriff into her cloak to grasp at something.
"Alfonso, Lord Dheres! Your father sent me!" He staggered up two more stairs closer to them before doubling over again. The man may have ran the entire distance.
"With what news?"
"Yes... what news does Lord Algincourt bring?" Coatleque echoed as she peered at the newcomer.
"Beggin' yer pardon, but my news is for Lord Dheres!"
The man continued to press upon them, and despite the knight's warnings the boy eventually dismounted. "Please stop your quibbling. I am certain we can all find a reasonable arrangement. This is Ser Crofte of the Sultansworn. Do not let her cloaked visage frighten you." She groaned inwardly as her name was once again spoken aloud - and to a clear threat this time. Her grip tightened within her robe, her body tensed as the man drew closer to the now ground-level young lord.
"Lord Dheres, there's news. Family news."
"Is it my father?"
"No, milord. Yer brother."
"Marcoul? Was he wounded? Tell me!"
A glance was thrown again from Alfonso to the other two bystanders. The girl, Belaire, remained huddled by her chocobo at the top of the steps. Coatleque remained a step away from the boy and looked as if ready to spring at any moment. "Milord, he's dead. I'm to bring you back right away. We've been tryin to locate you for five days."
Such news was a shock to perhaps all present, but none more so than young Dheres who's eyes began to swell. He stumbled forward past the two in a daze while mumbling quietly to himself. "Marcoul... not Marcoul. He was sweet, gentle. He loved poetry, was not reckless like Jeremaine." Belaire finally descended the stairs and rushed to him as she also pushed past the knight and the messenger. Her hand reached for his shoulder. "I'm so sorry," she whispered.
Coatleque watched the two for a moment before trying to resume her post between Dheres and this stranger. Alfonse stopped her with a hand. "Ain't no funny business while Alfonse is about. Who sent you, eh?" She complied out of respect. A curl came to her lips.
"That is for him to know." She scanned the road nervously before pushing past the messenger. The man eyed her annoyedly but made no move to draw his blade. "Mi'lord, we must speak before you return home."
Belaire continued her consolations of the young lord. His immediate grief began to subside as the realization of his position took hold. "I'm... I'm the heir." His head jerked upwards suddenly. He spun on his heels to face her and Coatleque both. "This will shame my father, surely. We were to return to Ishgard. The Algincourts. We are three generations removed from setting foot in that hallowed city. After Jerem... was killed, Marcoul was groomed to succeed. Our return under Halianarte's banner was to be..." His words trailed off.
"I am sure you'll do well!" Belaire offered in him in all sincerity. He swallowed hard and shook his head. "I am not Elezen. I cannot produce an Algincourt heir. Father adopted me for a kindness. A debt he owed my honorable mother. Now this is all he has?"
The paladin kept silent, allowing the boy to reflect on his loss while she exchanged distrustful glances with the so-called messenger. As if the man could tell what she was thinking he turned back to young Algincourt to once more attempt at persuading him over to his side. "Your lord father would urgently like to see you safe and sound." He eyed Coatleque suspiciously.
Dheres looked over to them at that point and gestured to Belaire before drawing close to the paladin. Leaning in, he noted "Ser Crofte, you asked a word?"
"Yes, a word alone please. About why I am here."
Dheres nodded. "Very well." He gestured to follow and the two climbed back up to where the mounts had been left. In low voices they conversed so as not to be heard by the messenger. There she explained why she had come, who had sent her, and the perceived danger the lad was in. "My lord Taeros sent me to find you. While I am sorry for your loss, truly, you must understand my suspicions. I was told your life is in danger and was to find you before your father did. I must urge you not to return to him."
The boy was not entirely convinced of her words. She did believe his own father wished him ill, after all. "Why would father harm me? I am now his only... I mean, it has been difficult at times. Our relation. I have not always lived up to his ... expectations. Try as I may, I see in his eyes that I am not his son. Not the way my brothers are." His voice lowered as if some realization just occurred. "Oh gods," he whispered.
"As I said, he may be your greatest danger now. Lord Taeros awaits you in Ishgard, and if you must tarry then I insist I stay by your side now that you have announced my involvement to all present." She gestured to the girl and the man who had been left standing awkwardly at the bottom of the stair.
"That father would harm me is absurd! And why should I not say who you are? Why do you travel cloaked, Ser Crofte?"
"Because discretion was requested of me!" She hissed at him, now clearly displeased. "And I do not intend to fail my lord!".
Dheres paused to take in her words before gesturing for her to follow. They descended the stairs with him leading the mounts to the pair who awaited, voices raised back to normal levels once more. "I suggest a compromise." Dheres began. "Ser Alfonse, I regret to inform you that I will not be accompanying you. I will accompany Ser Crofte who will personally escort me to my father. I assure you I will reach his hall safely. You are dismissed."
The man began to protest but was cut off by a hand wave from the young lord. He turned away quite visibly upset and began trudging back towards the crossing, uttering curses and muttering to himself until he was out of earshot. That is when Dheres turned back to Belaire with a request to see the birds returned to the stables. Coatleque watched them momentarily from a short distance before turning away to give them a respectful bit of privacy.
Once farewells had been said, Dheres stood beside the knight to signal he was ready to depart. Assuring her his fathers estate was not too far away, they set out. The sun hanging low upon the horizon.
"What is your name, ser. For I know this woman well. Her honor is unimpeachable." came the reply. The young lordling sat tall on his mount as the man slowly approached. The young woman he was with seemed to cower away as this was very much more intrigue than she was ever used to. Coatleque slowly stepped around the bird to place herself between the man and her charge, reaching her hand across her midriff into her cloak to grasp at something.
"Alfonso, Lord Dheres! Your father sent me!" He staggered up two more stairs closer to them before doubling over again. The man may have ran the entire distance.
"With what news?"
"Yes... what news does Lord Algincourt bring?" Coatleque echoed as she peered at the newcomer.
"Beggin' yer pardon, but my news is for Lord Dheres!"
The man continued to press upon them, and despite the knight's warnings the boy eventually dismounted. "Please stop your quibbling. I am certain we can all find a reasonable arrangement. This is Ser Crofte of the Sultansworn. Do not let her cloaked visage frighten you." She groaned inwardly as her name was once again spoken aloud - and to a clear threat this time. Her grip tightened within her robe, her body tensed as the man drew closer to the now ground-level young lord.
"Lord Dheres, there's news. Family news."
"Is it my father?"
"No, milord. Yer brother."
"Marcoul? Was he wounded? Tell me!"
A glance was thrown again from Alfonso to the other two bystanders. The girl, Belaire, remained huddled by her chocobo at the top of the steps. Coatleque remained a step away from the boy and looked as if ready to spring at any moment. "Milord, he's dead. I'm to bring you back right away. We've been tryin to locate you for five days."
Such news was a shock to perhaps all present, but none more so than young Dheres who's eyes began to swell. He stumbled forward past the two in a daze while mumbling quietly to himself. "Marcoul... not Marcoul. He was sweet, gentle. He loved poetry, was not reckless like Jeremaine." Belaire finally descended the stairs and rushed to him as she also pushed past the knight and the messenger. Her hand reached for his shoulder. "I'm so sorry," she whispered.
Coatleque watched the two for a moment before trying to resume her post between Dheres and this stranger. Alfonse stopped her with a hand. "Ain't no funny business while Alfonse is about. Who sent you, eh?" She complied out of respect. A curl came to her lips.
"That is for him to know." She scanned the road nervously before pushing past the messenger. The man eyed her annoyedly but made no move to draw his blade. "Mi'lord, we must speak before you return home."
Belaire continued her consolations of the young lord. His immediate grief began to subside as the realization of his position took hold. "I'm... I'm the heir." His head jerked upwards suddenly. He spun on his heels to face her and Coatleque both. "This will shame my father, surely. We were to return to Ishgard. The Algincourts. We are three generations removed from setting foot in that hallowed city. After Jerem... was killed, Marcoul was groomed to succeed. Our return under Halianarte's banner was to be..." His words trailed off.
"I am sure you'll do well!" Belaire offered in him in all sincerity. He swallowed hard and shook his head. "I am not Elezen. I cannot produce an Algincourt heir. Father adopted me for a kindness. A debt he owed my honorable mother. Now this is all he has?"
The paladin kept silent, allowing the boy to reflect on his loss while she exchanged distrustful glances with the so-called messenger. As if the man could tell what she was thinking he turned back to young Algincourt to once more attempt at persuading him over to his side. "Your lord father would urgently like to see you safe and sound." He eyed Coatleque suspiciously.
Dheres looked over to them at that point and gestured to Belaire before drawing close to the paladin. Leaning in, he noted "Ser Crofte, you asked a word?"
"Yes, a word alone please. About why I am here."
Dheres nodded. "Very well." He gestured to follow and the two climbed back up to where the mounts had been left. In low voices they conversed so as not to be heard by the messenger. There she explained why she had come, who had sent her, and the perceived danger the lad was in. "My lord Taeros sent me to find you. While I am sorry for your loss, truly, you must understand my suspicions. I was told your life is in danger and was to find you before your father did. I must urge you not to return to him."
The boy was not entirely convinced of her words. She did believe his own father wished him ill, after all. "Why would father harm me? I am now his only... I mean, it has been difficult at times. Our relation. I have not always lived up to his ... expectations. Try as I may, I see in his eyes that I am not his son. Not the way my brothers are." His voice lowered as if some realization just occurred. "Oh gods," he whispered.
"As I said, he may be your greatest danger now. Lord Taeros awaits you in Ishgard, and if you must tarry then I insist I stay by your side now that you have announced my involvement to all present." She gestured to the girl and the man who had been left standing awkwardly at the bottom of the stair.
"That father would harm me is absurd! And why should I not say who you are? Why do you travel cloaked, Ser Crofte?"
"Because discretion was requested of me!" She hissed at him, now clearly displeased. "And I do not intend to fail my lord!".
Dheres paused to take in her words before gesturing for her to follow. They descended the stairs with him leading the mounts to the pair who awaited, voices raised back to normal levels once more. "I suggest a compromise." Dheres began. "Ser Alfonse, I regret to inform you that I will not be accompanying you. I will accompany Ser Crofte who will personally escort me to my father. I assure you I will reach his hall safely. You are dismissed."
The man began to protest but was cut off by a hand wave from the young lord. He turned away quite visibly upset and began trudging back towards the crossing, uttering curses and muttering to himself until he was out of earshot. That is when Dheres turned back to Belaire with a request to see the birds returned to the stables. Coatleque watched them momentarily from a short distance before turning away to give them a respectful bit of privacy.
Once farewells had been said, Dheres stood beside the knight to signal he was ready to depart. Assuring her his fathers estate was not too far away, they set out. The sun hanging low upon the horizon.
