Gambling, gambling, gambling. The stakes had been impossibly high and he had finally lost. Now it was time to pay the price, the highest price. Paying a price for a man he did not know. To the law enforcing body, it was a case of obvious right and wrong.
They didn't know that they weren't hanging the man who deserved it.
After Windsor had woken up after passing out from exerting so much energy from that incident a month or so ago, he had been himself coughing and sputtering, feeling as if he had just gotten beaten half to death. A flood of guards had come in. There was a great deal of shouting and commotion, the general consensus of a conspiracy. The guard captain remained asleep but quite alive, and the healer had said one thing;
"I housed her. It is my fault."
From that moment on, his mentor and best friend was an enemy to the government. He had been taken away, quickly and roughly. Windsor had been ignored after the general commotion that he was alive. The whole thing had taken a long while to be digested by the legal system and there was a fair amount of uncertainty about it. One day, Windsor had been informed that it had emerged as a hanging. From then on, he felt like the most low dirt there was. It was all his fault. He was able to visit his friend once, only for a few minutes and with a guard standing nearby, listening.
"Oh Azaldi," he had said miserably, "Why would you do this? It's not your fault. You have a wife! You could have lived happily." Azaldi said to him, "You can't have your cake and eat it too, nor can you have your perfect life and truly live."
'Why does everything he say have to sound so cryptic? This is horrible. It's all my fault.'
Azaldi only ever said things when he really meant them, and only when they needed to be said most. Rarely was a word spoken in simple conversation. Windsor felt miserable, sorry for himself and everyone else involved. He thought of Tiraris as well. What had become of her? Was she alright? He had no way of knowing. Not a way. He hoped she was doing well, much better than him, as he stood by helplessly, watching the hangman take his friend up to the place in which he would die. Azaldi remained strangely calm, while Windsor stood and tried to make himself not look as depressed as he truly was for fear of being accused of sympathizing with an enemy of the government. 'Why me, why him?', Windsor thought sadly.
Tiraris weaved her way in and out of the throngs of people gathered in the square. Public executions had never brought her any amusement. 'All this show and ceremony for something I do with less time and energy.'
She pulled her cloak tighter around her ensuring that the hood hid her recognizable hair. It had been a month since she had been injured and saved. Her side from time to time gave her ghost pains but other than that she was fully functioning again. She had managed to escape the guards that night and smuggle herself into, of all places, Arca. There she had collected her payment and been able some more suitable clothes befitting her station.
She wondered if Winston was here today. 'He said his home was in Arca, or did I imagine that?' Some of her memories of that week with the healers were foggy and distorted by the pain she had experienced. Focused in her thoughts she was not watching where she was going and ran into another person. She quickly apologized stopping in shock when she saw just past the stranger a very miserable looking Windsor. "Dyre."
Moving out of his line of sight, Tiraris looked to see what Windsor was mooning over. 'Probably found a girl and she rejected him.' Following his gaze she saw it was directed to the execution platform. A closer look revealed the prisoner to be, 'the healer! Oh poor Dyre, he truly looked up to him.'
Moving closer to the platform she listened intently as the healer's crimes were read off. 'He is sentenced to die because of me.' Her heartstrings twanged as guilt took over. 'If I help him I endanger myself. It is unfortunate that he must die. My debt was to Windsor and that has been paid.' She began to walk away when she saw a woman sobbing. "My husband!" she wept leaning on another woman.
'That is right, he has a family. It was his home I was hidden in. I owe him my life as much as I owe Windsor. The debt must be repaid.' Swiftly she began to assess her options. She could not run in brashly. This would take cunning and a perfect execution. There was no room for error.
Scaling one of the building's walls, she pulled herself onto an upper level corridor. From there she had a perfect view of the entire square. Looking into the crowd she spotted Windsor again. 'Wish me luck Dyre!' With all her strength she threw her dagger slicing the noose just as the floor dropped out from under the healer's feet.
Windsor heard a voice say a name, not his, but got some strange feeling it was intended for him. He almost glanced around, but decided not to. He was too depressed to care for much at that time.
The healer, meanwhile, stood on the platform and awaited his end. How crazy the world was. He was being killed for a crime he didn't commit. Ha! It all seemed terribly ridiculous as he stood on the platform. The only regret he truly had was the pain he would cause his wife when he was gone. It hurt him deeply to see her sobbing from within the crowd. Though he knew they both believed in a better place to go beyond the world they lived in, it didn't seem right, none of it, in the end. In his mind, he thought that at least he would die in a cause that saved a life.
With no last thought in particular, he dropped down through the floor.
However, there was no noose.
Falling with a thump on the ground, he got up and realized that he had been saved. Tossing the broken ropes aside, he dashed into the crowd at full speed, ducking and disappearing into an alley with all the speed and agility of a man, well, on a death sentence.
The crowd was in a noisy uproar and people were everywhere, going this way and that, ending up hindering the guards from moving faster. He took a man's hat on his way to escape, the man turning but seeing nothing when he tried to find out where it had gone. The healer slipped further and further away from the crowded part of the city. Having been a thief a long time ago, he still knew a thing or two about hiding and running away.
Windsor, while the healer escaped, could not see where the man had gone. A spark of utter relief flickered within him, but he was lost as to what had happened. Who in the world had just done that? Who could have done that? What?
He hurried through the crowd, trying to figure out what was going on. The uproar was loud and the people were all blocking the way for him to see anything. He walked around, scanning the crowd this way and that. He was so relieved that his friend wasn't dead that he almost completely ignored the truth that the man would have to hide for quite a long time.
'It is not over yet.' Tiraris watched the crowd, losing Windsor in the chaos. 'He is no longer my concern,' she thought trying to find Azaldi. Seeing him grab a passerby's hat and flee to the alley she swiftly began to follow. Guards were closing in on him and she needed to get to him first. 'I am not letting my efforts go to waste,' she thought as gained speed.
She moved about on the upper levels trying to get ahead of Azaldi. Seeing her chance she jumped to an opposite building and dropped down into an alley. As the healer ran by she grabbed him and slammed him against the wall. Her hand came up to clasp over his mouth and she quietly shh'd him. She listened as the running footsteps came closer, pressing her body firmly against the healer's. "Not a sound," she whispered in his ear as she adjusted their pose to resemble that of a lover's embrace.
When the guards saw them and continued on she grabbed his hand and dragged him through the streets. They had to stop twice more before they made it to the relative safety of her current residence. Once inside she removed her hood, revealing her face and red hair. "It seems I left some loose ends last we met."
Azaldi sharply breathed in as he was shoved against a wall, frowning slightly. However, his eyes opened wider in surprise when he saw who the person was in front of him. The woman from a month ago? Ironic. He stayed quiet as always as he went along with the act, watching the guards go past out of the corner of his eye.
He was led through the streets and eventually found himself in her house. He glanced around himself, wondering what was going to happen next. As she spoke, he looked at her, his dark eyes studying her cautiously but deciding to trust her. He nodded slowly. He sat down, assuming a thoughtful pose. He studied the ring on his hand, sighing deeply.
While the two of them were in the house, Windsor was still amongst the crowd outside, trying to find where to go. The healer's wife bumped into him and they spoke to each other with a glance. Where was he? What had happened? He led her to his house and they discussed what had just happened.
"I need to go," she addressed Azaldi, "and you need to stay here." She watched as he fingered his ring. "I am going to get you out of here, but you have to trust me, as I once trusted you. You will be safe here until I get back." She gave him one last look before hurrying back out into the streets.
She walked unhurriedly to the square, even stopping a guard to ask if they had found the despicable criminal yet. Arriving back at the beginning again she spied the two people she was looking for. 'How convenient for me that they are together. Saves me the trouble of tracking them down.'
She walked up to the pair placing herself with her back to Windsor and her face to the woman. "I am sorry for your loss madam," she said leaning forward and embarrassing the sobbing woman. In the brief hug she whispered that she knew the location of her husband but she must follow her quickly. "Come with me dear, you look like you could use a nice hot cup of tea." The healer's wife glanced at Windsor before nodding her head and following Tiraris.
Tiraris walked on a few steps before stopping and facing Windsor. She was careful to keep her face hidden within the hood. "Are you coming boy? Or are you just going to leave your poor mother to suffer and grieve alone?" she called to him.
Windsor was surprised to see someone come up and talking to the healer's wife. Perhaps it was a friend of hers. He had no idea what was going on behind the scenes. Windsor gave her a look of sympathy as she was leaving with the other woman.
As he was addressed he stood straighter, nodded and hurried to catch up with them. While they were walking, he was mostly silent with an occasional comforting word to the healer's wife. They continued along and they eventually reached the house and he held the door courteously for them and then allowed himself in, closing the door firmly behind him.
What he saw within surprised him greatly; rather, who he saw. He said, quietly, "What are you doing here?"
Azaldi looked up, startled to see him there, then caught sight of his wife. He stood immediately and embraced his wife, whispering something to her so only she could hear. Windsor looked away from them, looking curiously at the woman who brought them in. Who was she?
Tiraris smiled as she watched the husband and wife embrace. She turned away, making a pretense to search through her dresser drawers for something. She wanted to give them as much time as she could. She did not know when they would be able to see each other again. She hoped that she would be able ensure it as soon.
She glanced over to Windsor catching him watching her movements. Pulling out a map she walked over to the couple. "Forgive me but time is limited. If I am to get you out of here, I need to be prepared to leave tonight. Do you have family Azaldi? Anywhere you can go? A family member in another province perhaps? Know that I will do everything in my power to get you to safety." She lowered her voice adding, "I owe you that much."
They stayed joined in an embrace until she began to speak, in which Azaldi remained to have his arm around his wife protectively, as if something would come in any moment and sweep her away from him. Both looked at the map carefully. His wife pointed out a spot on the map. It wasn't close to the border but wasn't extremely far either. "We've gone to see them a few times before; on the river, in Jadenshine." Her voice was still full of uncertainty and the thickness given on by the crying earlier.
Windsor looked at the map, keeping a distance as to not disturb their conversation but close enough to see what it was. He didn't hear her murmured comment, or at least didn't understand it.
Tiraris nodded her head already beginning to think of scenarios and solutions. "I assume you two wish be together in the end. But, first you will have to separate once more. It will be a very temperate thing if I can help it. Madam as you are no fugitive of the law I suggest you pack up and head on ahead by usual roads. No one will think anything of your distress and shame. Azaldi and I will travel behind and meet you there. It will take us some more time but will be no more dangerous than it is for you. Have no worries, I will get your husband back home safe to you." Tiraris was trying her best to reassure the healer's wife. Inside she knew the chances of them actually surviving were very slim.
"It is getting late now. You both should go home before the guards stop you and start asking questions." She said addressing the two visitors. She let the couple have their space and say their temporary goodbyes as she made her way awkwardly over to Windsor. "Take good care of her, son. She is going to need your support and reassurance. But, all will be well," Tiraris told him. She made sure to keep her voice neutral and her face hidden in shadow. 'I never thought it would be this hard to see him again.'
Azaldi went on to say his goodbye to his wife. It was strange for him; he had just said his goodbyes to his wife a few days ago in preparation for what he had thought would be his death, and now he had to say goodbye again. It was overwhelming to have to part again for the both of them, but as they looked into each other's eyes they knew that they would see each other again and be happy, in a home, someday. They wouldn't be on the run forever.
Windsor studied the hooded woman for a moment, not seeking to know her identity anymore. He thought it was none of his business, having no idea that he actually knew her. "Thank you. I will take care of her as well as I can." He looked off into space. "Not that long ago, I had to do something similar..." He mumbled something and glanced at the curtained window, as if he could see through it and see the person he spoke of. "I wonder where she is now...", he mused.
Her lips twitched slightly as she heard him speak of her and her situation. "Life has a way of paying us back for the things we do," she said as the pair exited the room. 'I am right here Dyre,' she thought ironically. 'I am going to fix this, just you wait and see. I may have messed up last time but, I will not let that happen again. You can count on me for this. That is my promise to you "dear heart."'
Before she shut the door she offhandedly added, "one day that woman will pay you back just as she promised you she would." She then closed the door and locked it. Dropping her hood she walked over to Alzaldi and knelt before his seated form.
"I know I told your wife that we would leave tonight but that was more for her nerves than the actual truth. We cannot leave until tomorrow night. I do not have any time otherwise. I am sorry." She truly was. She did not like lying not even for a good reason. 'Lies always come back and bite you in the ass.'
"Alzaldi," she said softly placing her hand on his knee. "What happened after I left? How did Windsor take my leaving? Please, I need to know."
Windsor didn't reply to her comment, but simply nodded and continued along in silence. Perhaps she was right. He gently led the healer's wife, Zahira, out of the house and to the destination at a steady pace.
After Zahira had left, Azaldi turned his attention to Tiraris. His eyes weren't suspicious anymore. His expression was softer now, kinder. He took a moment before replying.
"Shortly after you left, he awoke. Guards burst in and almost took him away. I blamed it upon myself to prevent him from getting hurt. He spoke to me while I was in my cell, I got an idea of his feelings about it. He was upset and distraught about my execution, mostly, but I knew he was upset about you a lot as well. He...admires you, thinks you are strong and intelligent. He misses you and thinks you think lowly of him."
His voice was soft, a bit rough from its lack of use.
Tiraris nodded her in understanding, "Thank you for telling me." She rose from her position and moved over to the room's only chair, preparing to sleep in it. "You should get some rest. We do not know when the next time we will be able to sleep," she said pointing to the bed he was sitting on. "Good night!" She blew out the candle and curled up in the chair.
Her mind with the things Azaldi said. 'Oh Dyre if you only knew. I think very highly of you. You risked your life for me several times over. You protected me even when you knew who and what I was, what I am. You put up with my tantrums and my stubbornness. How can I think lowly of you?'
Suddenly a thought popped into her head. "He loves you, you know. He views you like a father. Your sacrifice had a much bigger impact on him then you give him credit for," she spoke aloud in the dark. She listened to the silence for a while before whispering another good night. 'If there is a god, please help me save this man. I owe him that.'
Azaldi made himself comfortable on the bed, understanding what she meant. Hiding away was never easy. He knew that, he had once had to hide away before, but that was a story for another day.
For once, Azaldi had not thought of it that way. In most situations, he thought about every person's angle of it, musing about their thoughts and what they felt about it. He hadn't thought about Windsor seeing him like a father. Perhaps the thought had occurred to him that it would be that way, but it had never stuck. As he had said himself, the things most precious to a person always seemed to be what one never noticed on their own. He was proud to have Windsor as an apprentice and a friend. They were family not by blood but with heart.
He drifted off to sleep, dreaming of running endlessly.
Tiraris woke early the next morning. Her rest had not be fulfilling; she was still exhausted and now was sore for efforts. 'That is what you get for sleeping in a chair!' her mind screamed as she popped her back into alignment. Azaldi was still asleep so she decided to go out and get some supplies. She would discuss travel when she got back.
It was market day and she could not be happier for the way things were turning out. She had been able to get all the provisions they would be needing as well as some gossip and rumors about the new patrols being set up in search of Azaldi.
Just as she was leaving the square she ran into Zahira and Windsor. 'Just when things go well. She is going to make a scene if she is not careful.' Zahira was very shocked to see the young woman after being told they would be leaving that night. "I thought you were leaving last night," she said worriedly.
"No worries Zahira dear. My mother insisted we stay one more night. I really must be going though, my brother is waiting for me just outside the city gates and you know how he gets," Tiraris lied quickly. 'Please buy it Zahira. You only make my life more difficult if you insist on things.'
Zahira nodded and then handed Tiraris a loaf of bread. "For your journey. I know how much your brother likes fruit bread."
"Many thanks Zahira. I will see that he gets it," Tiraris said as she backed away slowly. "Good day to you, to you both," she called acknowledging Windsor's presence briefly as she bowed her head, bidding farewell.
That night had been hard for the both of them. Windsor stayed with Zahira, not wanting her to feel lonely on her own in the house she had always shared with someone. She and him knew each other well enough, from when he was apprenticing from the healer. She was always kind to him when he came to visit. It seemed, though most unbeknownst to him, that debts were being settled by almost everyone at the time in one way or another, with earnings one held in heart rather than hand.
In the morning, Zahira insisted they go to the city and see him. Taking pity on her due to the fact that she had almost lost her husband and had been suffering as much if not more than himself, he decided to go. He figured nothing ill could come of it, after all.
Zahira nodded, accepting the lie. It was okay if they were delayed a little in her mind. She had made the bread the past evening.
Windsor watched her leave, feeling like the woman seemed so familiar. He wanted to call out to her, but soon she was dissolved within the crowd and she was gone. He walked back to the house with Zahira, discouraged.
Soon, he tired of sitting around and decided to go on and see what the others were up to. Zahira stayed at the house while he went along, pushing through crowds to get to the house he wanted to enter. He walked in, not concerned about interrupting anything but still quiet and looked at the other room.
What he saw startled him; a woman with a head of red hair talking to Azaldi about something quietly. That hair. It couldn't be. It wouldn't be. If it was...
"Hello?", he said, staring at the woman and walking in further.
Tiraris had made it back to the room without anymore run-ins or problems. When she got back Azaldi was awake and sitting quietly waiting for her. "Zahira gave us some bread," she said holding up the loaf trying to smile. He nodded taking it from her and set it down beside him. He just watched her as she went about arranging things "just so."
"You better eat. You are going to need your strength for tonight." He nodded back to her sullenly. Feeling pity she moved over to him bringing the map with her. She placed it on the floor between them and then took the bread in her hands. She broke it into pieces giving half to Azaldi and keeping the other half for herself. As they ate she explained the route she had planned for them.
Tiraris heard the quiet intruder and tensed. She kept speaking but moved her hand from the map to the hilt of her sword. The move would have been hidden from the intruder by her cloak. Whoever it was would never see it coming.
It was Azaldi's hand on her own that stopped her. Looking up at him she understood his look of warning as he looked from behind her to her shoulder. She let go of the hilt slowly, standing and raising her hood back up, hiding her crimson locks from sight once more. She sighed when she saw who it was standing there. 'I cannot say that I am really surprised he showed up. He always did have a knack for rushing into things rashly.'
"What are you doing here boy? Are you trying to get us all killed? You cold have been followed. There could be guards waiting right outside this door ready to slaughter us the minute we step out. Use your head!"
'Please leave Dyre. Do not get mixed up in this again. It was bad enough last time. I cannot protect you both. My debt to you has been paid.'
For the moment before she had started to speak, he kept staring at her hair. It was a tone of red that rivaled a cut gem in its sheen; hadn't he seen it before? He must have. As his mind searched for an answer, she turned and spoke.
Windsor hadn't expected a warm welcome, but he flinched slightly at her tone of voice. Soon enough, though, he was studying her carefully, for a moment thinking he knew her. But of course he didn't; he wouldn't know anyone like that. Of course not.
"I was careful to make sure I wasn't followed. I thought I had due cause to speak with you; I wanted to know, and Zahira wants to know, why we didn't leave last night. Don't blame me for being a bit wary, I've had my share of close encounters of the unfortunate kind lately."
"Security is always tighter the first night, despite the chaos that ensues after an escape. The guards already believe him to be gone. They continue with their patrols on the off chance that he returns or that the citizens become frightened about a criminal on the loose. Furthermore, I did not wish to upset and worry Zahira by telling her we were staying. I know what I am doing boy, trust me."
Irritation was falling off Tiraris in waves. If she was not careful and Windsor continued to protest she would lose control and cause something to explode. 'Because explosions are perfectly discrete in the stealth business.'
Tiraris let out a slow, calming breath, staring him down. She crossed her arms and widened her stance. Her entire body was a wall of strength and resistance. She was not about to take no for answer. Tiraris was going to have her way if she had anything to say about it. "You should leave now. The less you know, the safer we all are. I would hate for your friend to die because your petty heroics. I have no qualms about abandoning him in the face of adversary," she warned. The fact that her words instilled deep lines of guilt in her gut went unsaid. 'Would I really do that? Let us hope we do not find out.'
Windsor nodded, only slightly calmed by her words. He was pleased to hear that she was, or at least seemed to be, thinking of the healer's wife when she was making her decisions. Windsor felt as if Azaldi and Zahira were family to him. He never would want a thing to happen to either of them. As she ended another sentence with 'boy', he felt himself become slightly irritated but quickly calmed himself, convincing himself that it wasn't worth anything to be irritable.
He could tell the cloaked woman was irritated by his presence quite a bit. At her words, his eyes narrowed and he stood straighter as well, taking a couple steps forward but still giving her plenty of space. He glared at her harshly.
"I don't know who you are, or who you think you are, but if you call yourself an ally of Azaldi, you won't abandon him in the 'face of adversary'," he spat the last sentence, "You would stand firm in protecting him until you could no more. I, but a doctor, managed to protect someone in a tiny room. I did so until I almost got myself killed in the process. You had better exhibit the same faithfulness."
Windsor turned sharply and left the building. Azaldi sighed.
Tiraris was glad for the hood hiding her face. Windsor's impassioned speech only served to bring her amusement. 'How right you are Dyre. But, I have no loyalties to anyone anymore. Fear not, I will keep our savior safe just as you once kept me protected.'
The corners of her mouth twitched upward as the irate healer stormed out. 'Farewell Windsor. May this last meeting of ours be the end of your troubles and beginning of good fortune. I shall miss you, Dyre. But, not enough to darken your doorstep with my troubles again. Fare thee well.'
"I think now is as good a time as any to leave," she informed Azaldi. "I would hate for him to change his mind and come back." Striding over to the map, she efficiently rolled it back up and cleaned up the last of her things. Slinging her bag across her shoulder she motioned Azaldi into silence and blew out the lamp.
Opening the door and deeming it safe, she nodded to him to follow. Outside the tavern and through the darkened streets they made their way. There were a few close calls but nothing to write home about. Tiraris' quick thinking and Azaldi's silence were a blessing. Several times they were forced to back track in order to not get caught. 'If we can cut across the square and approach by the west gate we should have a better chance of escape. We will just need to be careful as we head north. It is out of our way but may be well worth it the effort.'
Tirairs looked her fugitive companion over calculatively. 'He will never make it across the square my way,' she thought thinking of how she had climbed to the rooftops to save him. She mentally kicked herself, scowling outwardly as she observed the changing of the guard. 'We cannot just run across the square, but we cannot just sit either.'
It was then that she noticed how the shadows fell around the gallows. 'If we can get under there, we might just make it. It is a risk.' Thinking it over, she gave a jerk of her head and signaled Azaldi as to her plan. 'One. Two. Three. Four,' she counted, pacing how long it would take the guards to be out of danger of seeing them.
"On five," she mouthed, holding up her hand. Slowly she lowered her fingers one by one before bolting off towards the gallows. Quietly she dropped, rolling herself under the execution structure. Tensed she tried to see if they had made it undetected.
The first parts of the journey to escape the city had been trials within themselves. It was very fortunate that he was with an assassin who knew her way around the city; however, it wasn't so fortunate that Windsor was still within the city. Azaldi was worried that he would catch sight of the two of them and somehow give them away as they dashed this way and that. It was hard enough to begin with. No matter how much Windsor admired him and what a solid sense of duty he had, the other man was still a boy to him and easily managed to get them both in trouble.
Azaldi's studied her as he was studied. He supposed she was thinking about what their next move would be and what he could manage to do. Though the healer was no assassin by any means, he was quiet and stealthy. That was what counted at the time.
He tensed as she began counting, understanding her plans now. He found it a bit ironic that he was escaping by using the same thing that had almost been his end. By no means did he want to return to the gallows, but he knew he would be returning there nonetheless if he didn't escape. He joined her when she bolted, barely making it in safely and letting out a very soft breath of relief when he was under the structure.
'Not over yet,' she thought, glancing over at Azaldi as he sighed. 'We still have to get out from under here.' All was quiet; they had not yet been discovered. The guard remained in their stations and would for many more hours to come. 'We cannot sit here all night. Hmm.'
Mahogany eyes peered out from beneath the gallows towards their intended destination then outwards at possible complications. 'We need a distraction. We'll never make it otherwise. I cannot just sit here like this. We are good as dead this way.'
Tiraris tapped Azaldi on the shoulder, placing a finger to her lips. 'You,' she pointed at him. 'Run there when I give the signal.' She motioned her intentions, pointing quickly to the intended alley followed by pointing at herself. She nodded at him, trying to determine if he understood. 'I will go around. Wait for me. We will meet there.'
She took a steeling breath, before rolling out of from under the gallows and throwing a rock at the furthest soldier. As the soldiers came after her she led them on a chase away from the gallows. 'Run!' her mind screamed to Azaldi, hoping that he saw this as his chance.
A small smile curved his lips for a moment as she put a finger to her lips. As if he'd do something else but stay quiet always! It was strange that he would be smiling under the gallows, he thought, but he had always found humour in irony.
Azaldi nodded as she signaled to him what he was to do. The motions were very straightforward fortunately. Her and him would run to the alley, but at different times. He figured this would take just as much stealth as before, so he readied himself for another quick dash. As she shot out from beneath the gallows, he drew in a sharp breath as she threw a rock at one of the guards. This was her diversion? Not exactly stealthy as he had thought. Well, it did serve its purpose. He dashed from under the structure and into the alleyway as quietly as possible.
He pressed himself against a the alleyway wall, the soldiers already having passed, and waited for Tiraris to meet him there. However, he heard a guard still running towards the alleyway and cursed to himself. What was he going to do? He clearly wasn't going to remain there like he was, obviously standing there in the open. The pack! The light pack he was carrying, it still had the hat in it he had stolen yesterday. He donned it in a moment's notice and dropped to the ground, cloak around his shoulders, now sitting against the wall and with his hands on his face in an attempt to appear distraught about something.
The guard slowed his pace, saying as he went past, "Keep your eyes open, sir. There's some bad people on the loose."
Without knowing his statement was wasted on the person in question the guard regained his pace and hurried to join the others. Azaldi realized how lucky he was to get a very distracted guard that was trying to catch up rather than an inquisitive one. He hoped with all his might that Tiraris would come back to get him and wouldn't get caught.
Tiraris ran and ran. It felt good to be burning off energy and tension. When she grew tired of this game and felt that Azaldi had had enough time, she kicked off two close-set walls and leaped onto the rooftops. "After him," the guards shouted. "Don't let him get away!"
She laughed, a haunting sound on the wind as she ran. Circling back, she dropped down from the rooftops and landed beside Azaldi at the rendevous point. "No time to be laying about," she hissed. Tiraris jerked him up by his arm and dragged him further down the alley and towards the gate. 'We are getting closer now. We should be out of here soon.'
As she walked, Tiraris failed to notice the familiarity of the area she was in. Had she paid attention to more than just the task at hand, she would have realized that she was close to Azaldi's house. A short distance away from them was where it all began, where Tiraris healed, where Windsor hid her, where Azaldi was arrested; it was all so close and she was blind to recognize it.
Azaldi suddenly was being dragged away towards the gate, but he didn't protest. Why would he protest at being carried closer to leave this dreaded city? Before the event, he had not minded, if not liked, Arca, but this point he had an intense dislike of the city. He would most likely never return to it once he had escaped. The castle at the far part of the city had once looked beautiful, but now its turrets and high walls made him think of nothing but the gallows he had just escaped from.
While Tiraris was blind to the familiarity of their surroundings, Azaldi realized where they were. They were near his home. It was interesting that they were passing by the settlement right outside of Arca. He figured it was the last time he would see it with his own eyes and bid it farewell in his mind, wishing he could have had the opportunity to at least say a simple goodbye to some of his friends there. He had lived there for so long, many years, with his wife. They had raised a child there, who was now off on his own. It was where he had taught Windsor the things he knew about healing. It had been a very memorable place to live and he would miss it.
Too caught up in his nostalgic thoughts, he failed to notice that Windsor had spotted them running past.
---
Windsor had been walking back to the house to talk with Zahira when he spotted two figures; undoubtedly the woman and Azaldi, running into the forest, and heard guards nearby in pursuit. He quickly joined in on the run, not thinking about the gargantuan idiocy of this decision before taking off into the forest right behind them. The guards, fortunately, split up into two groups to go in different directions; one on a path leading away from the city and another into the forest.
Azaldi heard someone behind him and turned, extremely displeased to see that Windsor was right behind them, but quite relieved to see that it wasn't a guard following. Though, on the subject of guards, there was a group following them right at the moment.
Assessing the situation as they ran, he knew that it was at least fortunate that they were looking for one or two people, not three, as only Tiraris threw the rock at the guard and started the chase. Also, they seemed to assume that Tiraris was male and either him or some other man, judging by the fact that they had shouted much farther away, 'After him!'. These could be used to their advantage. It was excellent that the guards had been delayed and not yet saw Windsor either.
Azaldi tapped Tiraris on the arm, gesturing in a direction he wanted to go, and roughly lead Windsor along the same way. It was fortunate that Windsor hadn't brought his very obvious white coat he wore often but rather a dark cloak with a hood.
Azaldi knew the guards were coming quickly and knew they had to act fast. It was an outlandish and rather theatrical idea, but it was an idea nonetheless. He crouched to the ground and quickly gave Windsor his cloak, taking Windsor's and donning it with the hood up. He gestured for Windsor to sit beside him and Azaldi gestured to Tiraris frantically. What he conveyed was 'act worried and sad. You'll see what I mean.'
Azaldi lay on his side, pretending to be hurt and doing a nice job of it, while Windsor caught on and began to pretend to heal him. His hood was down; it was best for him to appear like he wasn't trying to hide. He quietly said something to Azaldi who didn't reply. He had absolutely no idea if this would work. At least the cloaks were very common in colour and style...
Glancing over her shoulder, Tiraris caught sight of Windsor and nearly had a conniption. 'Foolish boy! Do you have a death wish?' She ignored him trying to focus on keeping Azaldi alive and safe. The tap on the arm had her looking over at her companion. 'Aye, I hear them,' she thought listening to the guards stomping around behind them. She curtly nodded her head, allowing the fugitive to take the lead.
Feeling cornered, Tiraris was just about to draw her sword when Azaldi began motioning about and switched cloaks with the unwelcome tag-along. She raised a brow in skepticism but followed along, dropping to her knees before the "dying man."
She glared angrily at Windsor as the guards approached. "Are you sure you are doing that right, healer?" she spat out. "If he dies, I swear...Fool! You're going to kill him," she cried out hysterically, slapping Windsor hard upside the head.
"Have you seen two men? There are fugitives on the loose," one of the guards barked at her. Tiraris shook her head. "How could I? I have been too focused on this idiot of a healer trying to heal my father. You better leave. If he has any more distractions I know my father will die. Please," she begged. "He is all I have. I cannot live without him." Falling forward, Tiraris folded over top of Azaldi, wrapping her arms around her head. "I am going to kill him," she whispered harshly.
'Thank the gods they don't have dogs' was Azaldi's thought as the guards ran up to the group of three. He grunted, feigning pain and sounding quite convincing. He disliked dogs more than anything, perhaps even more than the guards that were running up.
Windsor, on the other hand, was 'healing' Azaldi, a whitish glow around his hand that was pressed near his mentor. He wanted to have a fit of his own. Thank whatever was keeping them safe that the assassin had killed the guard captain that time.
Having a small flashback of being attacked by the guard captain, he winced, almost feeling the fist hitting him in the stomach again. At least this time he wasn't seriously being yelled at. And at least this time he wasn't going to get-
Abruptly the thought stopped as he was slapped very hard by his companion. Well, knock on wood; He did get hit. Windsor inhaled sharply as he was struck and touched a hand to his face for a moment before sullenly looking up at the guard who had spoken. Azaldi sighed deeply.
The guard decided to take no more time chatting with a distraught woman in the forest and said quickly, "If you see anyone, tell the guard immediately. We must be off." They jogged away, and the guard who had been speaking looked at one of his companions incredulously. They said briefly to each other in hushed tones as they left,
"One moment we're chasing around a deadly criminal and the next we're chatting with a sobbing woman with a dying father on the side of the road. Since when is the job this exciting in a day, Lucas?"
The other man shrugged with equal disbelief. By this time they had gone off into the woods.
Windsor made sure they were gone before he took his hand away from Azaldi and rubbed his face, not looking at the woman they were with. He could swear so much that she reminded him of someone, but he couldn't place it.
As soon as the guards were gone, Tiraris swung around and slapped Windsor across the face as hard as she could. "You imbecile!" she screeched. "How could you be so stupid? Following us? You almost got us killed! Is that what you want? After your friend and mentor here, put his life on the line for you, after he was willing to die for you, you try and get him killed anyway."
Tiraris was beyond furious, she was enraged. "Now, I cannot even trust you to go back on your own. You will just manage to get caught and get us all killed. Congratulations, you are now stuck with traveling with us and if I hear one complaint out of you, I will run you through without hesitation. Am I understood?"
Not waiting for an answer, she stomped off to try and cool down a bit. 'So close to leaving and you have to go and ruin things Dyre. How can you be stupid? It would be unfortunate if Azaldi died. It would not matter if I died. But, you...it would be horrific if you did. Think all of the lives you have yet to save. Think of the woman who will be the keeper of your heart. Foolish boy! Thoughtless Dyre!'
Windsor, having just recovered from the last slap, wasn't expecting another. His head whipped to the side. All the could manage to do was look very startled and kept that wide-eyed look as he was reprimanded, wincing at her words, partly because he knew they were true.
He simply nodded to signal he understood. He understood quite well. He simply sat, frozen, as she walked off. This was partly because he was still shocked from the harsh yelling he had just received, and partly because he had realized who the woman reminded him so much of.
Azaldi sighed again and put a hand on Windsor's shoulder. The man's move had been idiotic, but it had helped them hide from the guards. The healer was a man to forgive and see the silver lining to things. The healer moved them off the spot they were on to a place nearby, not quite as conspicuous, but close enough so Tiraris could find them easily.
Tiraris returned soon enough, not wishing to chance fate a second time. Nodding curtly to the pair she led them to the west gate and to safety. The whole time she refused to look at them and blatantly went out of her way to prove how furious she was with Windsor, letting branches swing back to hit him, helping Azaldi but not him were just the beginning.
In her mind she was spitting venom at him. 'Foolish! Stupid! Useless! Brash! What good are you? Nothing but a hindrance! Protecting one person is hard enough now I have to keep three of us alive? I swear Dyre, if you live through this I am going to kill you myself!'
Windsor didn't say a word as they traveled, knowing better as he dodged branches and pushed on without any help from his 'friends'. He kept the same expression, confused and thoughtful, as they continued on.
The doctor could almost feel the burning insults shooting at him, though he didn't dare speak a word. He was just wondering if his speculations as to her identity were true.
Azaldi sighed again.
"We stop here," she tersely informed them, dropping her bag in a nice copse of trees. "We will spend the night here and begin moving on at first light. It will be touch and go from here. We may be clear of the city but we are at the most dangerous point. They expect us to be gone. They may have sent messengers ahead to warn other territories. We must be vigilant," she added the last bit, glaring over at Windsor.
"Whatever you do, keep conversation to a minimum and in a whisper." Reaching into her pack she pulled out a thick blanket and threw the bundle at the young healer. "No fires," she said by way of explanation. Tiraris placed herself bedroll against one of the tall trees and sat, leaning against the trunk. 'Another sleepless night. Oh joy!'
Azaldi, carrying bedding with him, used his own while Windsor curled himself up in the blanket, sighing. Well, it had been a long day for all of them. At least they were getting some sleep. Though it took a while to fall asleep, Windsor managed.
About half an hour before the designated time, Azaldi was awake, watching the treetops for the sun to rise. Already he missed his wife. Zahira...he hoped she would be able to meet up with them soon. He worried about what could happen to her as he sat leaning against the tree.
Tiraris had sat there unmoving the entire night. Feet flat on the ground, elbows on knees, nose on interlaced hands, she was the perfect picture of a warrior statue. She had spent the entire night contemplating possible routes and complications for the journey ahead.
She did not stir until Azaldi showed signs of waking. Even then it was only her eyes that moved as she allowed them to refocus. 'We should get moving. If he is up and I am up then might as well wake Windsor up.' A cruel smile tugged at her lips as she slowly unfurled herself and rose to her feet.
Bobbing her head slightly as she passed Azaldi, Tiraris crept up on the sleeping tag-along. Reaching down, she viciously ripped her blanket off the sleeping man. "Wake up," she barked, nudging him lightly in the ribs with the toe of her boot. Folding the blanket back up, she went about packing up what few things she had. "Time to move."
Surprisingly to him, Azaldi had slept soundly. He supposed it was due to the amount of running around they had done yesterday, not to mention the stress. It bothered him that Zahira wasn't with them. After so many years of having her as his wife, the separation seemed very strange. He couldn't help but worry for her safety.
Azaldi watched Tiraris advance towards Windsor and could guess what was going to happen. 'Another day I know will be long from the beginning,' he thought. Though, as the woman crept towards the other man, he couldn't help but be a bit amused.
Windsor let out a yelp as the blanket was torn from him and thought for a moment that a guard had just found them, but looked up to see none other than the woman who was traveling with them nudging him with her boot, then packing things. He frowned and threw her a cowardly glare that was purposely made when she wasn't looking, putting his things together as well. At least he had been bright enough to bring something with him.
Yanking the straps of her sack into submission, Tiraris gathered the group together. "Last night we had to go a bit out of our way to get out of the city. We are going to have to circle back, which means coming very close to civilization yet again. There is no other way around and we cannot afford any mistakes. If you," she began rounding on Windsor now and getting in his face, "so much as make a sound! I swear to the gods I will kill you myself."
She angrily jabbed him in the chest. "I have had enough of your putting my life in danger. I will not get myself killed for you. If you want to die, do it on your own time." Tiraris glared up into his different colored eyes and slowly felt her anger dissipate. Keeping her face neutral she turned to the group's elder. "Ready?" she asked a bit more kindly. "The sooner we move, the better chance we have of not getting caught.
Windsor was reluctant to get within a few feet of the woman that they traveled with, feeling the frustration pouring off of her. Back near the city, she said? While Azaldi didn't want to enter the city again for quite a while and would be happy to leave it behind, Windsor would miss it while he traveled far off. Though at the thought of encountering guards Windsor almost blanched. Ever since he had almost died as a result of one of their visits he had disliked them quite a bit.
He shrank back as the woman glared at him. How could he not? She was probably the most intimidating person he knew at this point. He said nothing in reply, fitting for the situation. He donned his glasses wearily as they began to head off.
Azaldi nodded. As they started to head off Windsor said cautiously, "Excuse me, but what is your name? For manner's sake I should know at least." Little did he know that he did in fact know her name.
Exhausted from a sleepless night and tense about the journey ahead, Tiraris could not control her frustration. Whipping around she had a dagger at Windsor's throat faster than he could probably think. "What did I say about talking?" she hissed out. Strands of russet hair swayed with her movement, peaking out of her hood before falling back in.
"I did not ask you to come. In fact I specifically remember telling you not to. I do not want to hear you. I do not want to see you. I do not even want to have to know you exist. You are danger to us all. Unless you have something useful to say, hold your tongue. Before you do that, make sure whatever you want to say is worth risking your life over. This is my last warning, next one will be my blade in your belly."
Her heart beat fiercely in her chest. 'Gods above, what am I doing? I almost killed Dyre. He cannot know who I am. We do not need these kinds of complications. Why are you testing me so? I gave my word and I upheld it. I cannot protect him, the price has already been paid. I will not do this twice. I am not gracious.'
Windsor stood as tense as one could possibly be as the cold metal of the woman's blade lay next to his throat in the instant it took him to blink. Windsor, fittingly, did not reply to her statement.
He continued to stare at her wordlessly, his gaze cold as he let out a sharp breath. Regardless of the fact that she was saving Azaldi's life, she had a knife at his throat, which in his eyes was obviously casting her in a bad light. He would most definitely follow her order, of course, due to the circumstances. Of course he would be thanking her at the end but right now that wasn't on his mind.
Azaldi was silent as usual, and at this point was quite content with being so.
A thick suffocating silence descended on the group. The more time that passed the more irritable Tiraris got. Unfairly, she would glare at Windsor for every little sound he made, the rustling of the leaves, the breaking of twigs, simply breathing. It was all driving her insane. She was not used to this kind of worrying and stressing.
All her life she had worked alone. To suddenly have to care for others was trying. To have her heart also emotionally tied to them was killing her. Once in a while she had gotten a job that meant protecting someone. If she failed the job it had been disappointing but nothing more. To fail this, to get them killed, would be the death of her. She could not bear the idea of seeing the healers who had saved her and risked their lives for hers, killed for their good deeds.
She could not say for sure why she was so desperate to protect them. Perhaps the product of their help was so recent. In the past she would have paid the debt and then been on her way. Her lingering and continued protection was a new concept for her. 'Why? Surely honor is not that important. His helping me or not, the debt was repaid. I should have killed him already. He is too much of a hazard. He already showed th- that he would risk everything to protect a dying murderer. Give him credit, he saved your life. Debt or not debt, he did that of his own freewill expecting nothing in return. Then he was a fool!'
The sound of crashing foliage behind her only served to enrage her further. 'Damn it Dyre! Must you be so loud? Are you trying to get us killed on purpose?' Face set in a mask of fury she whipped around to yell at Windsor but, was surprised when the sounds were actually come from left of him rather than from him. Concerned now, her hand went to her blade. 'Now what?' she thought just as the sounds closed in on them.
The tension in the air was almost tangible. If Azaldi had borrowed Tiraris's sword, he bet he could have cut through it himself. As uncomfortable as it was, it was better than conflict between the two or constant arguing. He admired the fact that the woman was doing this for them, as honour was hard to come by in any place at the time, especially among those who didn't agree with the law.
Set deep in thought as he walked along, Windsor was very startled to have the woman whip around and almost, at least as it seemed, to be ready to maim him. He wondered, baffled, what he had done to anger her so.
It was then that the noises became clear.
Azaldi nearly leaped out of the way as a group on horses loudly crashed through the foliage and came to an abrupt halt in front of them. Windsor also jerked back, startled. The commotion quieted somewhat in a few moments.There had been chattering amongst them that stopped as the apparent leader of the group held up his hand, eying the group of three that they had stumbled upon. By the looks of them, one could assume they were bandits or thieves of some sort. They didn't appear to have class in any sense of the term, and by their dress and current state of uncleanliness seemed to want to flaunt that fact.
The leader, a man of perhaps thirty with a set of battered toughened-leather armor and a large horse spotted with mud spoke in a gravelly voice.
"Well, what's we have 'ere? I says we found profit!" The other members of the group laughed as he grinned at the small group with crooked and yellowed teeth. "You guys tradesmen? Got coins, gold? We want somethin' from ya, think like a toll bridge, yeah? Give it here!"
The trio were quickly surrounded. Tiraris gripped her sword hilt firmly, restraining herself from killing the thieves instantly. "Move along boys, you are barking up the wrong tree," she warned. "We are as much tradesmen as you are. Your kind of business is not welcome here. Kindly move on before I separate your head from your shoulders."
Tiraris kept still, shoulders set, ready to spring. 'Gods above, do not let Dyre do something stupid. I refuse to help him if he does.' Yet, despite her thoughts, her heart spoke otherwise. 'You will fight until your last breath for him if you have to. You will tell them limb from limb with your bare hands if they so much as breathe on him. Do not deceive yourself!'
The leader apparently didn't take the hint that he should be on his way and simply crossed his arms for a moment, pretending to ponder what he should do next. "Huh...well, whatever you say, woman. I say you're a liar, you must 'ave somethin'." The stupidity of his decision was likely to be revealed soon, not that he had a clue.
A few feet away, with a grin that was none too appealing, a bandit behind Windsor grabbed him by the shoulder roughly, about to say something, but was cut off abruptly as Windsor whipped around and slammed a fist to the side of the bandit's face. Azaldi seemed quite surprised, as did the bandit, as did Windsor. Windsor backed up, having been let go of, and blanched as pain radiated through his hand. Quickly he used his powers to numb it, needing to fix it later.
Magic crackled along her skin in warning of just how close she was to losing it. The moment that one of them attacked Windsor, Tiraris was in motion. Her sword sang as she released it from its home at her side. Lean muscles began their choreographed dance, carrying the female assassin through a series of complicated thrusts and parries that began to cut down the enemy.
The buzzing in her ears grew louder as she approached the leader. Her heart thudded steadily in her chest like the drum of battle march. She let off a cruel laugh, slowly raising her head. "I warned you to leave. I told you we did not want your business. Now you must pay for my services, with your life." Moving quickly she swung the sword in his direction, spooking the horse.
All hell broke loose as Tiraris began to fight. Caught unawares, there wasn't much that one of the bandits could do before his arm was cut clean open. All of the bandits were moving around, yelling, fighting, getting attacked, being cut down. There was nothing but chaos. A few of them managed to run away, galloping off on their frightened horses. Azaldi stayed away from the conflict as did Windsor, both of them keeping their distance behind a cluster of foliage. Windsor set about healing his hand with Azaldi's assistance. Both of them supposed there was nothing they could do to help, neither were warriors and the best they could do was to stay out of the way and ensure their own safety.
When the assassin reached the leader, he snarled and managed to avoid the blow, taking out a sword of his own. Just as they were about to fight, yet more people came onto the scene.
This time, there was a group of guards who had been chasing the bandits. Only one had a horse, and the others seemed exhausted, which explained how long it took for them to arrive. The leader of the soldiers shouted, "Who are all of you? What's happened here? Don't you attack that bandit, woman, I've chased him far and wide to do that myself."
The arrival of the second band of men distracted Tiraris long enough to allow the bandit leader to slash at her throat. Barely dodging it, she came away with a shallow cut at the neck and shoulder juncture. She grunted, glaring at the captain of the guard.
"You want him? You can have him?" she spat. "I do not have time for his kind of filth." Backing away, she switched sword hands and placed her hand over her bleeding wound. 'Or for yours. Where in seven bells are those two? I did not sign on for this!'
She turned away from the two feuding groups, no longer interested in their squabbling. 'Windsor why do I feel like you had something to do with all this?' Tiraris pulled her hood lower over her face, inconspiculously searching for the missing pair of healers. 'You two better not get yourselves caught!'
Both the guards and the bandit could care less what Tiraris was doing, as they were much too busy quarreling amongst themselves. From what one could gather from their conversation prior to fighting, the bandit seemed to have killed one of the guards a while back and there was some revenge going on.
Azaldi and Windsor noticed the guards' appearance, staying where they were to avoid becoming noticed. As Tiraris began to search for them, Azaldi eventually took notice, and as she walked by, he rustled the bushes a tad to catch her attention. The guards and the bandit were quite a bit too busy fighting, shouting, and running about to notice.
Tiraris rolled her eyes at the men's antics. 'Could they be any more stupid. I bet if I danced around naked screaming at the top of my lungs they still would not notice what is right in front of them. Well, they might notice the naked part.'
A faint rustling in the bushes to her left, had her perking her head up as she honed in on the sound. 'Ah, so there you two are. A lot of help you are!' Nodding her head slightly, she signaled that she understood. 'Guess this means I can just waltz on out of here. Lucky day,' her mind sarcastically bit out.
Still putting pressure on her wound, Tiraris motioned to Azaldi to move ahead. Not waiting to see if he understand, she made her way past the healers' hiding spot and deeper into the small forest. 'Follow. Do not get caught. Come on! Do not make me go back. Gods above this smarts!'
Waiting a small distance away from the other groups of men, she impatiently tapped her foot. Despite appearances, Tiraris was keeping a wary eye on both the soldiers and her companions' hiding place. At any sign of trouble she was prepared to step in. But, for now she would stay out of the line of sight and wait.
Azaldi was glad that she had seen his signal and that there was no need to do anything else. He couldn't help but admire how honourable she was, helping him even when Windsor had made his unwanted appearance and with all this bandit business. Perhaps she just was the sort of person who couldn't live without finishing what she had started; whatever the case, they were there and the situation was still dangerous. He thanked the gods for the quarrel between the guards and bandit that distracted them.
Windsor was pulled along by Azaldi as he recognized her signal, and he gave the younger healer a motion to be quiet. He barely needed the reminder, still a bit shocked from the scolding he had gotten earlier for only asking the woman's name. How disagreeable.
They quickly caught up to where Tiraris was standing, and the two waited for further instruction, making sure to stay quiet and hidden.
Pressing a finger to her lips, she deftly led them out of sight and sound of the arguing parties. Deeming them far enough away, she whipped around and grabbed Windsor by the neck and shoved him up against a tree. "You idiot! You are too loud. The bandits found us because of all the flailing and thrashing about you do, and the guards found us because of them. This is exactly the reason I did not want you to come along and even more the reason why I cannot trust you to go back! I cannot fathom why I ever came back to check on you Dyre!"
Tiraris' red eyes widened as she realized what she let slip. 'Do not catch that Windsor, do not catch that!' Her panicking caused the blood of her neck wound to bleed freely again as her heart raced. She looked down, watching the sticky red liquid stain the collar of her shirt. Forgetting about her previous frustration, she released the healer and moved her hand back to her neck.
Windsor was so startled by the sudden movement that he jumped quite a bit before he was shoved against the tree, barely holding back from making a small yelp. His eyes were wide as the woman hissed at him all the things he had done wrong. His enchanted glasses were crooked and slipped a bit on his face, revealing his true eye colours as she finished up with her harsh scolding.
The doctor simply stared at her as she used the strange word choice that he had definitely heard before from someone. Someone who he had helped in the past a bit ago. Someone who could most definitely be her. Hadn't he seen a lock of red hair back in the house? That unmistakable colour, plus now this? It must be. Who else would she be, willing to help them like this? The last thing that woman had done before she left was scream at him. Of course she wouldn't come back...would she?
Windsor stared at the woman, adjusting his glasses back into place before saying, "I apologize. I will keep what you've said in mind and try to be as quiet as possible from now on." He said this softly, but didn't betray any of his speculations as to her identity in his tone. Shifting, he pulled out a bandage out of his pack he carried with him and held it towards her.
Tiraris snatched the bandages from him, but then hesitated as she realized a potential problem. 'How am I going to wrap this without taking my hood off? I cannot let him see who I am. If he does, it could ruin everything. It is better if he thinks that I left and abandoned them, no attachment, no ties, no emotions.'
She grumbled as she struggled to do the wrappings through the hood and around her hair. Casting pleading looks towards Azaldi, Tiraris wished that Windsor was not standing so close to her and the elder healer so far. 'If I only I had not stayed up all night. I could be more awake and capable of healing this instead of struggling with bandages like a fool.'
Azaldi was oblivious to her looks, as he was looking off into the forest warily. It had been engrained into his mind that he must be cautious. Always watching for something. When he had become a healer so long ago in that small town, he had thought he had left hiding and running behind in the past. Now he could almost feel the hounds biting at his ankles.
Windsor, meanwhile, watched her struggle with the bandages and thought to himself about his earlier speculations. Was it true? Was she truly the woman he had saved before? Regardless, she was struggling with the bandages and needed the hood to come off anyway, so he decided that was the ideal thing to do. He hoped that she wouldn't lash at him for doing so; after all, her nerves already seemed very frayed.
With a quick motion of his hand he grabbed the hood and pulled it downward, revealing her face. He studied her, keeping emotion off of his features. "As I had thought.", he said, very quietly. Azaldi turned around and glanced around himself, not entirely sure what to do.
She inhaled sharply, giving Windsor a fleeting look of betrayal before a mask of cold indifference was slammed up into place. 'Why Windsor? Why could you not let it go, let it be? You were safer not knowing. I cannot protect you now, nor can I trust you with my safety. You are now a liability. I can no longer trust your ignorance should you get caught. You know too much. Foolish Dyre! I warned you to let me go, that saving me and protecting me could be your death. Whether you meant to or not, you have just signed your own death sentence. Are you prepared for it?'
Cold, unfeeling eyes glared at the foolish healer. Tiraris' only response was to harshly utter six telling words. "You should not have done that." Turning on heel, the injured woman placed herself in front of her fugitive travel companion and with her back facing Windsor. Silently pleading, or perhaps commanding, she handed over the bandages and moved her hair away from the slash wound.
The indifferent mask she hid behind, dropped in that moment, leaving Tiraris emotionally vulnerable. Her features softened as her eyes filled with unshed tears. Windor's perceived betrayal cut her deeply. This merciless assassin had found kindness and hope in others through him, or so she had thought. To have her past experiences proven right again, crushed her and only served to harden her heart once more. Yet, even as Tiraris clenched her eyes and fists, calling upon her anger, she was unable to stop the course of one lone tear that escaped her crimson eye.
Windsor was tired of everything. He was tired of running, tired of chasing, tired of protecting. He was tired of fighting, of betrayal, of lies. After she had turned her back on him and faced Azaldi, it began to show on his face. For a moment, he looked much older, weary and run down. It occurred to him then that he would have rather not gotten involved in any of this mess in the first place, and for a moment an irritated thought flew past that he regretted as soon as it appeared; 'I wish I would have left her there, she was never any of my business anyway.' As he walked off into the forest to a spot nearby, he hoped he hadn't meant it.
He hadn't seen the action as a betrayal; put simply, he had been sick and tired of not knowing who he was traveling with, especially when he had had to put blind trust in someone he didn't think he knew. Now, he wasn't sure if he wanted to trust her, either. In the back of his mind all he wanted to do was go home and forget that anything had happened.
He remembered the time when they had just sat and talked when she was in his house; he had assumed that Tiraris had hated him ever since the incident with the guards. In fact, Windsor was completely oblivious to the fact that she liked him at all in any way. He assumed that she just had been being nice to him before so he would let her out of the house; he assumed that now she had some guilt related to leaving Azaldi to be hanged, but at the very least disliked him anyway. That is why the flash of betrayal in her eyes surprised him; it hadn't ever crossed his mind that she may see it that way. Now, at this point in time, he assumed that she would hate him to the end of time and that there was absolutely nothing he could do about it. After all, in his eyes, all he had done was cause her a mountain of trouble and somehow she would have gone off better without him. Windsor held no ill will against her and wished absently that they would have gotten to talk more, just in a normal conversation. The thought left a deep hollow in his chest, an opportunity lost that would never come back again.
--
Azaldi watched the tear fall down her face for a moment as he bandaged the wound carefully and used his magic to heal it carefully, a solemn look on his features. In a barely audible voice, he said, "Will you allow for me to say something to you?"
Her eyes shifted to look at the Azaldi even as she kept her head still. For a brief moment she did nothing else. Deep within, Tiraris could feel the urge to scream, to hurt, to kill. She did none of these things. Holding the elder's gaze, she finally gave in and bowed her head for him to continue.
'What will he say that you do not already know? Respect thy elders. He is a fool who almost got himself killed for you. He saved my life and has yet to betray me, he deserve my respect. And Dyre does not? I do not know that name anymore. The trust I had in that creature has been destroyed. You are such a fool Tiraris! Better a fool than dead.'
"I had thought honour was a lost virtue until you saved me from death." His voice remained very soft. He stepped away from her, finishing his healing. The cut was just a small irritation now.
"I do not need to know your name or what you do to know such things." He looked at her, lightly touching her shoulder with just his fingertips in a gesture of goodwill. He asked, quietly, "Now, what shall we do?" He seemed tired.
For a very short moment a look of acceptance and understanding crossed Tiraris' features before being drowned out by the cruel smile that marred her features. "Who said I did this out of honor? You are a fool old man. Honor is dead," she sneered.
She flinched her shoulder away from his touch. "Rest. You need to eat and I need to sleep." Dismissing him, Tiraris turned on her heel and went to seek out Windsor. She could still hear him and knew he was close by. 'Idiot boy, trying to get us all killed again!'
"Do you want to die?" she asked rounding on him. "No? Then get back to camp! We are in this mess together; we stick together. I saved your ass once, I am not doing it twice. I told you that at the first sign of trouble I was out of here. You are trouble enough as it is and I am still here. Take that however you want to. But, if you do not start marching now, I will drag you kicking and screaming all the way to our destination whether you like it or not."
Her eyes seemed on fire, as her head lowered and her long mahogany hair pooled around her shoulders. She held her ground, refusing to give in and let him win. 'I have come too far and done too much to let you ruin this. A debt is a debt. Whether I like it or not, it must be honored.'
Azaldi simply watched her walk away for a moment without another word and sat at the base of a large tree, taking some bread from his pack to eat.
While he had been by himself, all the gravity of the situation seemed to hit him again, seeming to flip his view of the situation. Perhaps it had just been temporary giddiness brought on by the fact that Azaldi had miraculously been saved from his sentence. Now, he seemed to finally see what he had done. What he had done. Everything was his fault. Everything. If the woman hated him, it was completely his fault. If Azaldi didn't look at him in the fond way he used to, then it was his fault. The guards were his fault, the bandits, god damned everything was his fault, and there wasn't a thing he could do about it.
As Tiraris approached, Windsor leaned away from her, his stare weary, as if he had been emptied of all the energy that had been in him before. His look was no longer observant or watchful, but dull, emotionless, and with no sign of anything else but how drained he seemed to be. Bowing his head he walked back to camp without a word. There were none of his usual words to say. There was nothing to say.
A defeated sigh escaped her as Tiraris watched the way Windsor trudged ahead. 'Men,' she thought rolling her eyes. 'Always looking like kicked puppies when you come close to injuring their precious pride.'
His martyred silence grated on her nerves. When they finally made it back to Azaldi, she lost it. Pitying him, she went over to her pack and pulled out some bread and dried fruit. Moving to stand in front of Windosr again, she gently took his hands in her own. Placing the precious food in his hands, she silently commanded him to eat.
"Stop this, Dyre. You are going to make me regret yelling at you," she tried teasing. "You did a good deed in saving my life. That is not easily cast aside. You saved my life and continued to protect me when you did not have to and should not have. But, you did anyway, and I am very grateful for that. We are all in this together, Dyre. Right? Right?"
Windsor was surprised by her actions. He had questions swimming through his mind, but didn't bother saying any of them; they weren't important enough, anyway. He listened to what she said, and started to feel a bit like the old healer again. So, he had been thinking incorrectly? She didn't dislike him as much as he had thought? It put part of the weight off of him. He glanced at the food in his hand and felt some of the troubles in his mind disappear, not for what it was but rather by the fact that it had been given to him at all.
"Right." He looked up, into her eyes for a moment, the corners of his mouth twitching upwards for a moment in a brief expression of being relieved from his empty feeling of before. "But..." He frowned. "I must apologize for all unnecessary the trouble I've caused you.Will you at least forgive me a bit?"
"Nope," she replied, settling down on the ground. "I do not just arbitrarily accept apologies. There has to actually be something to forgive for me to do such a magnanimous act. Next time, do something really horrible. If I do not kill you in the first ten years then we can talk about forgiveness."
Nodding to Azaldi, Tiraris settled down on a bed of roots and moss, pulling her cloak tightly around her. "We are going to rest here for a bit. Try not to do anything stupid." Giving one last listen for trouble, she allowed herself to settle back into a light doze. She would be ready should trouble come, but after restless and sleepless nights, Tiraris was in need of a restful sleep.
Windsor was surprised by her reply, and once he had recovered from his initial confusion he smiled a bit. She was likeable when she wasn't yelling at him and or pushing him around. He had to admit, though, there was always a reason for when she did that, and it usually ended up saving his life.
While Tiraris rested, Windsor walked over to Azaldi and gestured for him to move just a tad farther away so they could speak without disturbing the assassin's sleep. After all, she did deserve a rest from his antics.
As Azaldi listened, Windsor spoke to him about things that had happened, what his wife had been doing before he had left. Azaldi didn't say much of anything, as usual, but it calmed him to listen and it calmed Windsor to speak to him. Overall it was a good thing. Fortunately, there was no danger that appeared to them as they stayed there.
Dreams and nightmares rarely plagued Tiraris anymore. It was rare for her to sleep comfortably and long enough to enjoy one. Her midday rest was no exception and while her return to consciousness came quickly she remained still. The assassin was listening and observing.
Tiraris could still hear Windsor talk and a smirk twitched at the corners of her lips when she realized how nervous he sounded. 'I told you not to come with us!' Feeling a bit playful, she decided to play a small prank on the young healer. After all he had recently put her through he deserved a little scare and she some retribution.
Removing her cloak, she left it stuffed with her sack and climbed up the tree. From there she made quick work of moving from branch to branch and tree to tree until she was directly above and behind the two men. Silently she dropped down and grabbed the healer from behind, one hand securing him to her across his front while the other clasped firmly over his mouth. "Now tell me healer," the assassin gruffly spat out, "what stupid thing have you done now?"
The healer was completely oblivious to his companion moving about the trees, and continued to talk to Azaldi thoughtfully. Azaldi also didn't notice, though if he would he would be amused. They were not talking about very important things at the time ahe decided to 'attack' Windsor.
Windsor jumped quite a bit when she came down from the tree. Once she began to talk, he recognized her voice and with a face that showed he was trying not to smile said, "For starters I let my guard down and was attacked by an assassin who mysteriously appeared from the trees." Azaldi found this amusing as well.
Tiraris frowned and let him go, shoving him forward with her shoulder as she walked past him. "It would not be so mysterious if you paid have as much attention to your surroundings as you do your patients," she growled out. "You talk so loud, it is a wonder I got any rest."
She smiled faintly at Azaldi and inclined her head in greeting before glancing back to glare at Windsor. "You are ridiculous. You would all be dead if things were left to you. Thank the gods they were not!" Turning around to face him she glared darkly as she crossed her arms over her chest. "Are you really sure you are even capable of this? You are not going to get us all killed or worse, caught?"