"So. You have multiple oaths, I take it?"
The remainder of their ride through Thanalan had been spent in silence. As the sun dipped slowly beyond the horizon, the buzzing of flies was replaced by a chorus of crickets and toads. There was a pleasing calm about it at first, but as they drew closer to the borders with the forest the cries of nightlife turned more sinister. Coatleque sensed the unease in his voice and slowed her pace to fall back next to Dheres.
"No, only the one. I assume you are referring to my friend last night?"
"Well, ah... no. I mean you... have sort of... an oath with Lord Taeros. On top of your oath to the Sultana."
The boy seemed to have difficulty in bringing his thoughts to words. She watched him struggle in amusement, keeping her mount's pace even with his. "Ahh, that," she replied evenly. "Not so much an oath as a... promise."
"Is a promise not an oath?"
"A promise? It is... well, it is complicated. Yes, I suppose it is an oath of sorts. It is just not as serious a thing."
Night was well underway by the time they reached camp Tranquil. The darkened sky meant they could not see the storm clouds which had been approaching, but white flashes over the treetops had heralded an impending storm. Dheres stopped them in the middle of the camp. He looked quite pale in the torchlight. Begging her pardon, he dismounted and wandered away from Coatleque to be sick over the edge of the plateau. The paladin also dismounted and collected both birds to stand patiently by the aetherite. There she was recognized yet again by the most unexpected of faces.
Lord Darius Vontraus was a merchant based out of Ishgard. He had come southward on business and was slowly making is way back home, stopping at various markets to conduct his business. Coatleque had only met him once, and briefly, at dinner with Jameson and Edda at their apartment in the city. Jameson had decided to rent a cabin in the mountains from him, for use on his honeymoon. Irksome as dinner conversations could go. It was surprising to see him here of all times, but even more surprising that he recognized her.
They chatted briefly about why she was now here. "Lord Algincourt, you say? Now there is a name I have not heard in a while." Lord Vontraus turned to regard the boy who was now returning from his bout of nausea. His color had not improved. "My, it's not anything serious is it? I could call for a conjurer." He asked while leaning towards the paladin.
Coatleque shook her head and crossed her arms. "No, nothing like that. My lord was attacked and injured in Thanalan. He has been tended but still needs rest."
"Attacked?! By whom?"
"Would that I knew. Hired blades looking to make quick coin. Sent by whom, I could not say."
Dheres, in the meantime, looked perhaps worse than before. It was decided they could press on no further this night. By the good graces of Lord Vontraus, a tent was provided for them in the camp. Coatleque saw Lord Algincourt safely inside and allowed him some privacy to rest, at least for the first half of the night. She had intended to stand guard just outside. Darius took the opportunity himself to ramble on to her about how he had met his wife.
It was in these rare moments that she felt some measure of thankfulness for her time spent in the pillowhouse. She was able to nod along and feign as much interest as necessary to keep the old man happy. That is until he began to imply there was something between her and her ward.
"Shall I be preparing another honeymoon cabin?" He asked with a small grin.
"No, thank you. I shall not be needing such."
"Ah" Darius glanced back to the tent behind them. "Well, have you thought about it?"
"... more than you know." She muttered quietly.
"Oh my." He gazed at her with new understanding. "He fences with the other hand, eh?"
"What?" She gave him an odd look, clearly not getting his meaning.
"You know. He's... light in his gaiters?"
"... who are you talking about?"
"Who else?" He gestured back towards the tent.
"Wh.. oh. OH! No, no, no - that is out of the question. I am simply escorting the young lord to safety. And besides that, my affections belong to another."
By chance they were then interrupted by what appeared to be a travelling alchemist. Lord Vontraus took it upon himself to inquire about healing salves and poultices for the sick man sleeping in his tent. The alchemist seemed off to Coatleque, though, smelling of dirt and staggering off balance at random. When Darius offered to let her examine the boy, the paladin objected firmly.
"I assure you, he only needs rest."
"Aww - chill, bro! It's all natural!" The odd little woman staggered again.
"So is my blade, yet I do not recommend falling on it. I would rather he not be disturbed."
The alchemist rolled her eyes. "Here." She tossed something to the paladin. A small wrapped square that smelt of chocolate. Coatleque caught it and turned it over a few times in her hands. "I think this was supposed to come to you. I feel it." She pocketed it then, not quite sure how to react. "Only eat half, okay? You can't take too much cosmic truth at once."
She staggered off then, leaving the two standing dumbfounded outside the tent. Lord Vontraus shook himself out of the trance first as he realized the time of night. He ensured the pair would be alright until the morning and Coatleque insisted he had done more than enough already. With one final promise of dinner invitations so she could meet his wife, he departed to continue his business.
The remainder of their ride through Thanalan had been spent in silence. As the sun dipped slowly beyond the horizon, the buzzing of flies was replaced by a chorus of crickets and toads. There was a pleasing calm about it at first, but as they drew closer to the borders with the forest the cries of nightlife turned more sinister. Coatleque sensed the unease in his voice and slowed her pace to fall back next to Dheres.
"No, only the one. I assume you are referring to my friend last night?"
"Well, ah... no. I mean you... have sort of... an oath with Lord Taeros. On top of your oath to the Sultana."
The boy seemed to have difficulty in bringing his thoughts to words. She watched him struggle in amusement, keeping her mount's pace even with his. "Ahh, that," she replied evenly. "Not so much an oath as a... promise."
"Is a promise not an oath?"
"A promise? It is... well, it is complicated. Yes, I suppose it is an oath of sorts. It is just not as serious a thing."
Night was well underway by the time they reached camp Tranquil. The darkened sky meant they could not see the storm clouds which had been approaching, but white flashes over the treetops had heralded an impending storm. Dheres stopped them in the middle of the camp. He looked quite pale in the torchlight. Begging her pardon, he dismounted and wandered away from Coatleque to be sick over the edge of the plateau. The paladin also dismounted and collected both birds to stand patiently by the aetherite. There she was recognized yet again by the most unexpected of faces.
Lord Darius Vontraus was a merchant based out of Ishgard. He had come southward on business and was slowly making is way back home, stopping at various markets to conduct his business. Coatleque had only met him once, and briefly, at dinner with Jameson and Edda at their apartment in the city. Jameson had decided to rent a cabin in the mountains from him, for use on his honeymoon. Irksome as dinner conversations could go. It was surprising to see him here of all times, but even more surprising that he recognized her.
They chatted briefly about why she was now here. "Lord Algincourt, you say? Now there is a name I have not heard in a while." Lord Vontraus turned to regard the boy who was now returning from his bout of nausea. His color had not improved. "My, it's not anything serious is it? I could call for a conjurer." He asked while leaning towards the paladin.
Coatleque shook her head and crossed her arms. "No, nothing like that. My lord was attacked and injured in Thanalan. He has been tended but still needs rest."
"Attacked?! By whom?"
"Would that I knew. Hired blades looking to make quick coin. Sent by whom, I could not say."
Dheres, in the meantime, looked perhaps worse than before. It was decided they could press on no further this night. By the good graces of Lord Vontraus, a tent was provided for them in the camp. Coatleque saw Lord Algincourt safely inside and allowed him some privacy to rest, at least for the first half of the night. She had intended to stand guard just outside. Darius took the opportunity himself to ramble on to her about how he had met his wife.
It was in these rare moments that she felt some measure of thankfulness for her time spent in the pillowhouse. She was able to nod along and feign as much interest as necessary to keep the old man happy. That is until he began to imply there was something between her and her ward.
"Shall I be preparing another honeymoon cabin?" He asked with a small grin.
"No, thank you. I shall not be needing such."
"Ah" Darius glanced back to the tent behind them. "Well, have you thought about it?"
"... more than you know." She muttered quietly.
"Oh my." He gazed at her with new understanding. "He fences with the other hand, eh?"
"What?" She gave him an odd look, clearly not getting his meaning.
"You know. He's... light in his gaiters?"
"... who are you talking about?"
"Who else?" He gestured back towards the tent.
"Wh.. oh. OH! No, no, no - that is out of the question. I am simply escorting the young lord to safety. And besides that, my affections belong to another."
By chance they were then interrupted by what appeared to be a travelling alchemist. Lord Vontraus took it upon himself to inquire about healing salves and poultices for the sick man sleeping in his tent. The alchemist seemed off to Coatleque, though, smelling of dirt and staggering off balance at random. When Darius offered to let her examine the boy, the paladin objected firmly.
"I assure you, he only needs rest."
"Aww - chill, bro! It's all natural!" The odd little woman staggered again.
"So is my blade, yet I do not recommend falling on it. I would rather he not be disturbed."
The alchemist rolled her eyes. "Here." She tossed something to the paladin. A small wrapped square that smelt of chocolate. Coatleque caught it and turned it over a few times in her hands. "I think this was supposed to come to you. I feel it." She pocketed it then, not quite sure how to react. "Only eat half, okay? You can't take too much cosmic truth at once."
She staggered off then, leaving the two standing dumbfounded outside the tent. Lord Vontraus shook himself out of the trance first as he realized the time of night. He ensured the pair would be alright until the morning and Coatleque insisted he had done more than enough already. With one final promise of dinner invitations so she could meet his wife, he departed to continue his business.
