She stood by the hearth, gazing into the fire with glassy eyes. "You called me maddening once, do you remember? That we were dangerous together..." Her voice trailed off as he approached. "That was no lie. You were maddening - still are." His own gaze hardened. "That doesn't change reality."
The pair met again the next morning in the lobby of the Bobbing Cork. Coatleque had once more shown her discipline and rose earlier to retrieve their mounts, secure their supplies, and settle pending accounts with the clerk. Miss Holbrook, however, seemed to have been up all night and was now draped over the front desk moaning. "Aelleueuein... C'mooon. Toast. Two eggs, medium. Toast, diagonal..." By Coatleque's count there were near twenty empty glasses on the table when they had left the woman the previous night.
Dheres made his way down the stairs with a wide smile plastered to his face. "I feel a thousand times better!" He exclaimed. Coatleque turned to face him and as the distance between them closed even she noticed the change in his health. Whether it was the whiskey last night or the chance to sleep in a real bed again she could neither tell nor cared. They were on the last leg of this journey now, and she was eager to finish.
"Good. You should, for how long you slept. How is your head today?" She remarked.
"It is much better. I feel like a new man! Who knew alcohol cured headaches? So, how many days through Coerthas?"
His own eagerness to be off was a refreshing change she thought. Soon he would be safely in Jameson's hands and she could return to her own duty. "That will depend on the weather," she began. "One if we are lucky and do not stop for rest."
"Well, we'd best get going!"
They bid farewell to the poor woman doubled over the counter in that chipper, energetic way that is oh so annoying to those who've drunk more than they should the previous night, and were met with a weak wave of a hand. Coatleque allowed Dheres to exit first and they were soon mounted, ready to depart. "We will be heading over the mountain pass. I hope you do not mind the cold."
"Pah, the desert is cold enough at night. I fear nothing."
The paladin smirked knowingly. "We shall see."
It was nearly three bells later and a continuous uphill climb through the mountain road that they crossed what was considered the Gridanian-Ishgard border. Trees had long ago yielded the land to barren rock, and humidity to cold, dry air. By luck the only snow needing dealt with was the steadily deepening drifts on and along the road. Coalteque pulled her cloak tight around her and stopped their march at the sound of chattering teeth behind her. "G-G-Gods it's-s blood-dy COLD." She reeled her mount to the side and twisted to see him.
"Do you require more coverings, my lord?"
"D-do you h-h-have a cloak?"
Her mouth twitched and she reeled the mount around again. Looking over her shoulder she called back. "I have the one I am wearing. Come, if we reach the Observatory I have additional supplies there." She gazed skyward and closed her eyes as if considering, or perhaps counting. "Yes, everyone should be away." she murmured.
"Away? From what?"
"You will see."
The sun held with them, or at least what could be called the sun through the sea of perpetual grey above, and the outpost of the Observatory was reached in near record time. She had not come so far to watch her ward freeze to death after all. Pulling her mount to the side of the road, she quickly dismounted by the side of the local inn. It was almost noontime by her count, and the rest of the squad should be out scouting. Dheres watched her indecisively until she began climbing the stairs straight to a room. He then dismounted and quickly followed suit, eager to be someplace warmer even if temporary.
The inn room itself was more an inn floor. Six beds occupied half the room. A table and chairs the other half, with a large hearth. Various crates of supplies, food, and clothing were stacked against the walls. Banners bearing the Scales of Ul'dah were draped over the chairs. Across the table was sprawled a large map of Coerthas held down by various bottles and mugs. Points of interest were drawn and marked all across its surface. It was clear that someone, or perhaps multiple someones, had been staying here for some time now. Someones who had vested interest in the region.
Someone who was still present, it seemed. A woman stood by the hearth to keep warm. She and Coatleque exchanged glances before the paladin continued on her way, striding across the room to start rummaging through the supplies. "Coatleque? Did I miss something?" She asked?
"I did not expect anyone here, Sharla. I apologize. Er... meet Lord Algincourt." She continued her search without looking back, and assumed the boy had followed her inside.
Sharla turned then to see the stranger who had followed her colleague inside. "Lord Algincourt, aye? A pleasure. Sharla Blackheart, at yer service."
"Blackheart? I hope that's not literal." Dheres replied.
"Once upon a time perhaps." Sharla grinned. "Not so much these days."
Coatleque rejoined them by the table then. A bundle of cloth was pinned beneath one arm. "Of course not. Sharla is a friend of mine. We serve the same master, as it were." With that she handed the cloak over to Dheres.
"What's with th' robes an' all?"
"Discretion. We've been running from Thanalan for the past three suns. Assassins are after the boy. I am taking him to the city for safety."
"Assassins? Like we need more o' those running' around th' place."
"With luck they did not follow us."
"Hmmm, I don't much count on luck these days."
Coalteque tapped her chin and gazed at the woman. Dheres donned his cloak and already seemed warmer for it. He rejoined the other two as Coalteque's hand lowered. "Actually, Sharla, I have an idea. Grab what you need and meet us outside." She turned on her heels before any answer was given and headed for the door.
III
The pair met again the next morning in the lobby of the Bobbing Cork. Coatleque had once more shown her discipline and rose earlier to retrieve their mounts, secure their supplies, and settle pending accounts with the clerk. Miss Holbrook, however, seemed to have been up all night and was now draped over the front desk moaning. "Aelleueuein... C'mooon. Toast. Two eggs, medium. Toast, diagonal..." By Coatleque's count there were near twenty empty glasses on the table when they had left the woman the previous night.
Dheres made his way down the stairs with a wide smile plastered to his face. "I feel a thousand times better!" He exclaimed. Coatleque turned to face him and as the distance between them closed even she noticed the change in his health. Whether it was the whiskey last night or the chance to sleep in a real bed again she could neither tell nor cared. They were on the last leg of this journey now, and she was eager to finish.
"Good. You should, for how long you slept. How is your head today?" She remarked.
"It is much better. I feel like a new man! Who knew alcohol cured headaches? So, how many days through Coerthas?"
His own eagerness to be off was a refreshing change she thought. Soon he would be safely in Jameson's hands and she could return to her own duty. "That will depend on the weather," she began. "One if we are lucky and do not stop for rest."
"Well, we'd best get going!"
They bid farewell to the poor woman doubled over the counter in that chipper, energetic way that is oh so annoying to those who've drunk more than they should the previous night, and were met with a weak wave of a hand. Coatleque allowed Dheres to exit first and they were soon mounted, ready to depart. "We will be heading over the mountain pass. I hope you do not mind the cold."
"Pah, the desert is cold enough at night. I fear nothing."
The paladin smirked knowingly. "We shall see."
It was nearly three bells later and a continuous uphill climb through the mountain road that they crossed what was considered the Gridanian-Ishgard border. Trees had long ago yielded the land to barren rock, and humidity to cold, dry air. By luck the only snow needing dealt with was the steadily deepening drifts on and along the road. Coalteque pulled her cloak tight around her and stopped their march at the sound of chattering teeth behind her. "G-G-Gods it's-s blood-dy COLD." She reeled her mount to the side and twisted to see him.
"Do you require more coverings, my lord?"
"D-do you h-h-have a cloak?"
Her mouth twitched and she reeled the mount around again. Looking over her shoulder she called back. "I have the one I am wearing. Come, if we reach the Observatory I have additional supplies there." She gazed skyward and closed her eyes as if considering, or perhaps counting. "Yes, everyone should be away." she murmured.
"Away? From what?"
"You will see."
The sun held with them, or at least what could be called the sun through the sea of perpetual grey above, and the outpost of the Observatory was reached in near record time. She had not come so far to watch her ward freeze to death after all. Pulling her mount to the side of the road, she quickly dismounted by the side of the local inn. It was almost noontime by her count, and the rest of the squad should be out scouting. Dheres watched her indecisively until she began climbing the stairs straight to a room. He then dismounted and quickly followed suit, eager to be someplace warmer even if temporary.
The inn room itself was more an inn floor. Six beds occupied half the room. A table and chairs the other half, with a large hearth. Various crates of supplies, food, and clothing were stacked against the walls. Banners bearing the Scales of Ul'dah were draped over the chairs. Across the table was sprawled a large map of Coerthas held down by various bottles and mugs. Points of interest were drawn and marked all across its surface. It was clear that someone, or perhaps multiple someones, had been staying here for some time now. Someones who had vested interest in the region.
Someone who was still present, it seemed. A woman stood by the hearth to keep warm. She and Coatleque exchanged glances before the paladin continued on her way, striding across the room to start rummaging through the supplies. "Coatleque? Did I miss something?" She asked?
"I did not expect anyone here, Sharla. I apologize. Er... meet Lord Algincourt." She continued her search without looking back, and assumed the boy had followed her inside.
Sharla turned then to see the stranger who had followed her colleague inside. "Lord Algincourt, aye? A pleasure. Sharla Blackheart, at yer service."
"Blackheart? I hope that's not literal." Dheres replied.
"Once upon a time perhaps." Sharla grinned. "Not so much these days."
Coatleque rejoined them by the table then. A bundle of cloth was pinned beneath one arm. "Of course not. Sharla is a friend of mine. We serve the same master, as it were." With that she handed the cloak over to Dheres.
"What's with th' robes an' all?"
"Discretion. We've been running from Thanalan for the past three suns. Assassins are after the boy. I am taking him to the city for safety."
"Assassins? Like we need more o' those running' around th' place."
"With luck they did not follow us."
"Hmmm, I don't much count on luck these days."
Coalteque tapped her chin and gazed at the woman. Dheres donned his cloak and already seemed warmer for it. He rejoined the other two as Coalteque's hand lowered. "Actually, Sharla, I have an idea. Grab what you need and meet us outside." She turned on her heels before any answer was given and headed for the door.
