Crimson Shadows

[Winters-Feather]

Maar smirked in approval as Tirarirs leaped for her horse and skillfully pulled herself up on the saddle.
"Still mine," she replied with a wild grin.
As they approached the knights that rode before them, Maar blew black powder into the faces of the two that were on her side.
"That one's yours!" she shouted at her pupil. One of her knights tried to wildly swing his blade to kill the fae, but Maar ducked, the steel barely gazing her hair.  Maar grinned. Despite being heavily armored, the knights still had weak spots on their necks. She threw one of her knives towards the knight closest to her throat. He screamed as she ripped it out before falling limp. With some difficulty, Maar clumsily tossed his body in his companion's direction, spooking his horse. An arrow shot through the air, landing in her saddle.
"Really?!" Maar shouted, a little disappointed.

Maar tugged the reigns and allowed the knight's companion to continue chasing her as she brought her horse by Tiraris'.
"How are you doing?" she bantered cheerfully as she watched the knight chase her. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a shadow pass through the tree tops.
The archer. Maar giggled to herself.
I'll deal with you soon, she thought. Just then, the knight stopped chasing the two of them, wiping the grin off of Maar's face.
Wha..?
"Tiraris, look out!" she yelped as she covered her face with the inside of her arm. The knight had thrown an egg full of blinding powder that was similar to her own, but it had more than that. Tiny, tiny pieces of iron were sprinkled in it, and Maar bit her lip as some of it bit what was exposed of her skin.

[GoblinFae]

"Oh joy," Tiraris growled, rolling her eyes at her companion's mirth and order. While the pixie resorted to tricks to bring the knights down, the assassin relied purely on her battle-sharpened skills to knock the man from his horse before effectively beheading him in one fell stroke.

Blood spattered everywhere moments before her annoying teacher came over to pester and banter once more. She whipped around in the saddle to glare at Maar moments before the ill-timed shout of warning was sounded. Tiraris turned right into the egg's exploding path.

A howl of pain bellowed out through the forest as her face took the brunt of the attack full-force, blinding her and cutting her face. Her left hand came up to prevent further attack and to cover her closed, unseeing eyes while the right swung up like a snake to slash blindly at her foe.

A second scream of pain disrupted the once peaceful forest, giving the assassin a feeling of satisfaction. If she had not killed her opponent than she had at least wounded him. The sound of arrows whistling diminished that feeling though, causing her to call out to her companion.

"Maar! End this!"

[Winters-Feather]

Maar didn't scream. She hissed and cursed as her concourses danced. She could feel her glamour slip, but she held onto it tightly as the tiny pieces cut and burn what little of her skin was exposed. At the nape of her neck, she could feel the whizz of an arrow pass. It missed, but it was dangerously close.
I have to take out the archer, she thought. Tiraris' orders were highly unnecessary in Maar's opinion. They both knew what each had to do.

Maar used the cover of the chaos to latch herself onto a tree and scramble up its branches with the skill of hundreds of years of practice. The archers were distracted with the deadly little creature and tried to shoot her. When the one in the tree she was in realized this tacit was not going to work, he drew out a long knife, readying himself for close combat.
"Over here!" Maar teased as she lept up from behind him. Before he had a chance to react, the fae stabbed him in the spleen.  Normally she would draw out the battle, if not by seconds, but these were desperate times. She mockingly shushed his moaning, as a mother or lover might, as she looted his quiver and bow.
"Where are your friends?" she muttered.
As if to answer her question, she saw a glint of light flash behind her as the sun's rays caught the light of a notched arrow.
"No friends allowed!" Maar scowled as she aimed in its direction and fired.

OOC:... if this needs editing let me know im  kinda in a half asleep mode XD

[GoblinFae]

Reeling in pain, Tiraris fought to maintain her seat atop the agitated horse. She gritted her teeth and tried to force the pain away as she trained her ears to listen for every little sound in her vicinity. The man she had swiped at was still breathing and that meant she still had a threat to eliminate.

On a whim she steered the horse sharply in the man's direction, reveling in his cry of surprise and the sound of his sudden retreat. If she was not mistaken the fool had made a dive right into a bramble bush.

"Oh did the wittle birdie get caught in the brambles?" the assassin cooed cruelly. "Let mommy come cut you out." Isilotsë sang as the struggling man's life was ended in a flash of steel that spewed dark blood out into the air.

Yet, even as she ended the man's life, Tiraris could feel her own pain steadily becoming too much to bear. Her head spun and her ears rang with sensation overload. The poisonous iron was sending her in a frightening downward spiral that could very well end her life if she did not attend to it and soon.

[Winters-Feather]

Maar sat in the tree for a moment, admiring the carnage. Her body ached and stung from the iron, the pain dulling the pleasure of victory only slightly. She carefully climbed down the tree, her head a little woozy.
"Ah, that was fun," she said with much satisfaction before throwing up. The fae wrinkled her nose at the pile.
"Except that," she muttered, wiping the filth and blood from her face.

Maar fought to keep her glamour from fading away. She had been through worse, before, and damned if her 'cover' slipped again! Her eyes wandered towards the belt of the corpse at her feet. His clothes were made of silk, no doubt the man kept in his company a coin or two.
"Just a moment, Tiraris," she sang, her fingers already working on lifting purses.

---

Maar weighed her find. She reckoned she could live comfortably for at least a month. The fae walked through the forest, feeling some of her magic returning to her. She had not realized how stiffing being in those knights' presence had been- she felt as if she could breathe again. It did not take her long to follow Tiraris' path.
"You're badly injured," Maar observed as she approached her student. She offered a knowing, but not unkindly grin.
"Should I take the reigns?" she asked, a little amused by Tiraris' current vulnerability, completely ignoring her own.

[GoblinFae]

Unable to shoot the withering glare towards Maar that she wanted to, Tiraris simply grunted. Her hands balled into bloodless fists as she gripped what was left of the tattered reigns Maar had been so kind as to destroy. For several moments she struggled between pride and pain as she fumbled with calling upon her magical core.

Alas though it was bankrupt and bled nearly dry with trying to sustain her lifeforce long enough for someone else to intervene. Groaning with dread and pain alike, the assassin blindly reached out for where her current teacher sat astride.

"Help," Tiraris hissed through gritted teeth, despising herself for needing another's assistance especially that of the flightless fairy.

[Winters-Feather]

"As you wish," Maar replied.
She carefully climbed onto the saddle behind Tir. She wrinkled her nose, being so uncomfortably close to Tir's sword.
"You need a healer," the fae said in a quiet voice. She could feel Tiraris' magic struggling, and the woman didn't have much time left to live. Though She would not admit to it, Maar was filled with the strong desire to save her companion and student. Maar dug her heels into the saddle.
"I know these woods," she said in her sing song voice. "The village isn't too far away."
Her voice deepend as the guise transformed into a wiry and shaved man with flowing blue hair that reached his broad, suntanned shoulders. His face was similiar to Awari's true face, except that his features were more angular and his jaw stronger. He donned light leather armor and simple breeches and a tunic, though all of Maar's weapons and pouches remained visible. The fae pulled out a skin full of water and pulled out the top with their teeth.
"Drink," she ordered, holding it up to Tiraris' teeth.

Maar gritted her teeth, her wounds stinging. She didn't know how long she had been riding, but her head started to spin. She gripped onto Tiraris tighter, pressing a hand to an open wound, letting the blood stain her gloves. She announced every mile to her companion until finally after what seemed an hour or two- Maar couldn't tell, she hadn't been paying attention to the sun- they arrived upon the gates of a village. The door laid on the other side of a bridge. They were greeted by two men with spears and shields. On the other side of the bridge stood three bored teenage boys, though the wounded woman on the horse quickly regained their interest. They gawked at the odd and bloodied couple.
The guards held up their spears at Maar with suspicion.
"Who are you," one asked. "What happened to her?"

Maar could have rolled her eyes. They had little time for interviews.  Instead, the fae summoned tears to their eyes. 
"Please, you must let us into the village," she pleaded in a man's voice, her tone urgent. "We were attacked. We lost a horse. Can't you see she is in dire need of aid? Where might I find a healer?"
The guards took another look at their tattered clothes and wounds, grimancing.
"Dangerous parts, these are," one muttered, waving for the boys to open the gates.
"Please," Maar choked. "Don't let her expire."
At the guards hesitation, Maar summoned tears to her eyes.
"Please," the fae choked. "Don't let her expire."
The guards exchanged glances before ordering their companions and squires to open the guards.

Maar broke out into a grateful grin, clutching the tattered reigns.
"There's a hospital connected to the temple," one said.
Maar didn't thank them. Instead, she nodded at the guards with the air of gratitude with a hopeful grin as she rode through the streets of the village.  Finding the temple wasn't hard- it was a series of tall and airy buildings , built with white brick.  Maar rode to the front steps of the hospital, with fresh faced novices in clean robes and tunics walking to and forth. One screamed at the sight of the riders. Someone shouted a name- Maar wasn't quite paying attention, their head spinning.  Two strong and tall lads came, holding out their arms to help lower Tiraris off of the horse.
"Careful, she's dangerous," Maar said in half jest as she slipped out of the saddle and stumbled onto cobblestone.

[GoblinFae]

"You think?" she hissed, wishing she could roll her eyes at Maar. With fumbling hands the assassin accepted the waterskin and did her best to drink from it. Unfortunately a great deal of the cooling liquid was splashed down her front and across her horse's mane who neighed and shook its head in displeasure.

Distantly Tiraris could hear Maar speaking to her, yet she knew she was fading. By the time they reached the village, the assassin was only remaining astride the horse through the Fae's help. It possible to think her dead even until two pairs of unfamiliar hands reached up to try and remove her from the horse did what little fight was left in her begin to show.

The assassin struggled to be released, delirious with pain, she had no idea that the hands trying to help her were not those trying to harm her. "Traitor!" her broken voice hoarsely howled at Maar even as the fiery woman tried to kick out at her teacher. "Foul demons! Unhand me!"

The pair continued to struggle with her even as she hurled insult after insult at all involved.

[Winters-Feather]

Maar chuckled as Tiraris struggled. The fae took in deep breaths, staring at the boots  their imagination constructed.
Those damn Mordecai, she thought, examining her burnt arm.
A young woman approached Maar nervously, though with mild interest. Her eyes were freckled lilac and her hair was a color to match, though it was dyed- the roots were blonde. Maar thought the color made her pale skin looked washed out.
"Sir," she said in a light voice. "You can't go inside the hospital with weapons."
"Oh," responded Maar with a frown. The fae handed the quiver, arrows, and knives to the girl. 
"Your arm, sir," the girl said. "
Confused, the fae looked at her arm. The glamour had slipped, exposing her burn.

"I'll be with my companion," the fae insisted. "Fetch me Ironsbane potion, if you can spare."
The girl curtsied and ran off.
Maar summoned a boy to take the horse to the stables.
"Take good care of him," she warned the boy, sternly before taking slow and shaky steps into the hospital.

She followed behind the men who carried Tiraris down the long hall. Maar was thankful for the lack of steel. The hospital was pristine. Hardly anything decorated the walls but paintings of the gods and saints. As they lied Tiraris in a feathery bed, Maar collapsed in a chair at the foot of the bed to give the healers room. Her head was swimming. Rest was needed, but Maar was anxious. She wasn't certain that the Mordecai were off their backs. It was paranoia, perhaps, but things were becoming more complex than she had originally anticipated.

She watched as a priestess was ushered in. She laid a hand on Tiraris' forehead and an open wound and began chanting a healing spell before calling for medicine and herbs. Amist the chaos, the girl came back with a small bottle full of a transparent pink liquid which Maar gulped down. The burn still hurt, but her head swum less and felt heavy more.
"How is she faring? "Maar asked.

[GoblinFae]

The fight drained from Tiraris as she finally became too weak to do anything else but hang limply in their arms even as they divested her of her numerous weapons. She was barely conscious by the time the healer came to heal her wounds. Once the woman had she immediately fell into a healing sleep.

Her wound and eyes were firmly yet carefully bandaged as the woman finally answered the guised Fae. "She'll live, although you're lucky you were able to come here. Without our treatment she would not have lived. As it is she will need a great deal of rest and I must warn you, it is too early to tell but her sight may be forever damaged. May I ask what happened?"

[Winters-Feather]

"Even with your spells it won't be enough?" Maar asked bluntly.
"I do not know," the priestess replied bowing her head.  Maar nodded. She had seen it happen before. This case was no different. Besides, it changed nothing.
"We were attacked,"  Maar replied simply. When she sensed this wasn't enough, she  scratched her beard.
"By a group of men wanting to kill us," the fae continued.
The priestess nodded wisely.
"The Connloath borders are a dangerous to be in this hour," she signed. "Many are escaping..."
The priestess stopped when she noticed that Maar was ignoring her and instead examining her burnt arm, pulling the fabric back. 
"Let me," the priestess insisted and took the fae's arms in  her own. Once again she recited a spell. Maar flinched as her skin began to peel and regrow anew, flakes of iron dropping out.

"You're very skilled," Maar praised with a coy grin.
The priestress smiled shyly.
"Thank you, sir," she blushed.
Maar's grin only grew wider.
You owe me a favor, she thought, though she didn't say so aloud. She'd let the woman find out, eventually. Even if it took years until she needed it.
The priestess smiled, enchanted, though it fell when her hands went down to Maar's gloves. She got up nervously.

"I'll go get a novice to fetch you some food, right away," she said, rising to her feet slowly. 
"Yes," Maar agreed. The  fae was famished, having her breakfast rudely cut short.
Left alone with her student, she looked backed at Tiraris, her posture easing a bit.
"We'll pick  things up again when you're better," she said in her male guise, cheerfully.

[GoblinFae]

Tiraris woke once during the night, feeling lost and confused. Her hands struggled to yank off the confining blankets but quickly gave up when she found herself too weak to care. With her eyes bandaged though she could not see and felt more vulnerable than ever.

It was only when she allowed her breath to calm enough that she was able to listen and find she was not the only one there. Through dry lips she quietly called out, hoping that the one beside her bed was in fact Maar.

"You there, Pixie?"

[Winters-Feather]

The priestesses and their novices made sure their "blue knight," after Maar's hair, was fed and watered. The air of mystery the knight and his near fallen lady attracted  some pairs of eyes, but Maar only flashed them a handsome smile  and answered questions vaguely, almost as in riddles. The fae did not stay by Tiraris' side the entirety of the day. After supping, she slept for a few hours before deciding to use the time to explore the temple. The halls were heavy with the scent of incense, almost dulling the senses. She asked politely about the history of the place where she saw fit, though the fae was careful to watch at corners were assassins might lurk. Finding none but too restless to sleep, Maar spent the rest of the night by Tiraris' side as a watch dog.
This is boring, she thought, lighting biting her tongue. Any stray rumors of the bodies had  not reached her ears, not yet. She had been so certain that some news would have arrived, but perhaps not in the hospital wing.


At the weak voice, Maar grinned.
"I see you've still the strength to toss barbs," she responded just as quietly in her man-voice. "Fae are wiser and more elite than your pixies, girl."
She supposed she ought to be nice instead of arguing with a stubborn woman.
"Do you need the bucket? Or watered wine?"

[GoblinFae]

The blind assassin flinched horribly at the sound of the unfamiliar voice. She had been too out of it to remember that Maar had changed forms and therefore did not recognize her companion even as she sat disguised right beside her.

Her lips curled in disgust at the gentle offerings even as she struggled to get her bearings. Something was knocked off the bedside table though as her hand flailed and knocked it over. With a groan, Tiraris gave up and turned her head in the direction of the unknown "man."

"Where am I? And where is my," she swallowed the foul taste in her mouth as she spat out the last word, "companion?"

[Winters-Feather]

"And there goes the wine," Maar said.
She picked up the jug, saving what little left there was in it.
The fae chuckled to herself as she searched for a rag.
Tiraris clearly had no clue who she was at the moment. Though Maar felt pity for the assassin, she was bored, and this could prove to be a fun game.
Maar decided to play the part. She found one on a chair and dropped it to the ground, using her boot to mop it around.
"You're in a hospital on the temple grounds dedicated to Naus, goddess of medicine, healing, and protector of new mothers," said Maar as she worked, pouring some wine into a goblet.
"Relax and drink," she said in the man's voice soothingly, cupping the  back of Tir's head with one hand while raising the glass with the other.
"Ah, yes. Her. Isn't she but a child?," Maar asked innocently. "Or is she perhaps your sister? The priestesses are taking care of her, do not worry. You speak of her with such contempt!"

[GoblinFae]

She tried her best to listen and remember where she was but there was great fuzziness going on in her brain making it hard for her to focus on much of anything at that moment. Tiraris was quickly brought back to herself with the first helpful touch of the man's hand. The assassin yanked her head away violently, refusing to drink whatever unknown concoction was being offered to her.

"No!" she cried vehemently before collecting herself. "No I will not have any of that thank you," Tiraris restated dismissively. "As for my companion she is what she is," came her cryptic response. "I speak of her no differently than I speak of anyone else although I do not see how my nature of speech is any of your business or concern."

[Winters-Feather]

Maar chuckled at Tiraris' cryptic attitude.
She's protecting me, she thought, almost flattered.
"Very well, I won't inquire anymore about that matter," she promised. "Though whoever she is, I'm here because she wanted someone to keep watch for you."
Truth in every word, just concealed. The fae placed the goblet in Tiraris' hands again.
"But I will have you drink, Miss. It's watered down wine. It'll only do you good," she insisted as she bent at the waist to help the woman.

Maar wondered just how much she could get away with. Tiraris obviously did not know that Maar was the man disguised before her. Maar wondered just how much she could ask and get away with.
"How do you feel, Miss?" she asked, "You were badly injured, and all your energies were slipping away. I can sense magic in things. Even though you were weak, I could tell you had strong magic in you. Mage or otherwise, though... ?"

[GoblinFae]

Tiraris hummed in response thinking something very different than the man was suggesting. Stubbornly she attempted to push the goblet away from herself still shaking her head in protest. "I will not if it is all the same. I would not push my look with wine. I am fuzzy-headed enough. Wine would only make it worse."

Her head turned to offer the man a blind glare through her bandages. Tiraris was ever the sensitive one when it came to talk concerning her curse of magic. To have it brought up by a complete stranger was infuriating.

"Otherwise. What is it you do here exactly?"

[Winters-Feather]

"As you say," Maar said soothingly, placing the goblet down.
"Then please lie down."
She went back to her chair and sat down. Tiraris' question did not daunt the fae. e
"Why, I study. Tonight, it is my duty to keep company," Maar replied. She did study the halls of the temple that day.
"I, too, was born with magic," Maar continued, lowering her voice in thought. "I like to think I can sometimes use it for good. I"m quite knowledgeable about curses, as it happens. Maybe we can find some way to cure you. The Goddess heals those who seek, so they say."

[GoblinFae]

"There is no goddess nor god nor heavenly being that could or would end that which I am forced to call my birthright" the assassin spat bitterly. "You who hide behind walls and musty old books know nothing of a world filled with cruelty that preys upon the weak and the helpless, massacring innocence in its wake.

"There is no good that comes of destruction. Leave your musings for yourself. I may be blind but that does not make me a captive audience. Once my body is healed I shall leave while the rest of me shall remain as it always has. Do not presume to know of what you speak," Tiraris growled venomously. "You know nothing!"