Lost and (Almost) Alone [Tag to Shizzy]

[Anonymous]

So then there was 'lost', and then there was 'lost in the desert with your horse dead and no water and leagues of sand stretching out all around you'. There were different levels of desperation involved, and Vetch was becoming intimately acquainted with all of them. It was a situation she'd have preferred to read about in a book, rather than experiencing it firsthand.

The thing is, she reflected morosely, I'm not even all that surprised anymore. Rubbish like this always happens to me when I leave home.

That settled it. The next time High Lord Dominic Killdaire wanted a message delivered to some nowhere little town in the middle of the desert, he could go there himself. Or make some other hapless lackey do it, Vetch didn't care.

Sweat trickled down her neck, making tiny little inroads through the solid layer of sand and dust that had settled on her skin. Vetch scowled, tugging the hood of her desert-weight robes lower over her eyes. It didn't help any.

Godsdamned thrice-cursed deserts. Vetch staggered to a halt on the leeward side of a random sand dune, flopping down on her arse to pant for breath.

[Anonymous]

Why did people always insist on bringing horses into the desert? He had no problem with horses really, they were fine animals, but they were meant to live in the desert, they weren't meant to survive in it. You needed a good camel for that. Standing in front of a dead horse with no rider on it sort of said a lot. The buzzards circled overhead, they were having the time of their life up there waiting for the carcass to become available to them. It wasn't as if he was going to bury it of course...he saw no need for that...and of course, there was the big problem of the wind and the sand going to bury it soon enough. The buzzards could enjoy their meal.

Back onto his camel, grabbing up the reigns of the beast and plodding onward. He wore light desert clothes of a creamy sort of colour, baggy pants, long sleeves, strips of cloth wrapped around his hands into gloves, and a wrap around his head that gave him protection from the harsh sand and sun. Despite it covering most of his face, save for his soft brown eyes (Or eye, since he had a strange eye patch over his right eye.) "Come on you beast, let's go find the little lost mouse." He growled quietly to his camel as he squeezed the ribs of the animal with his legs lightly. The beast let out a slight groan but started to walk forward, he just chuckled. It was always like this, a bit of a whiny beast, but it wasn't as if he was hurting it or anything.

It just like to complain a lot.

The rider of the dead horse wasn't as far away as he expected them to be...but then again, there were still tracks in the desert, the wind had yet to cover the trail. Still, the person didn't seem like they were having too much fun in their predicament. The person staggered and flopped backward onto a sand dune, and he pressed the camel forward. Once in range, he grabbed a water skin from the saddle bag and hopped off the camel's back. He approached the woman, shaking his head in amazement. Some people.

"Up you get miss, your knight in light cloth has come." He tossed the water skin at her feed, standing over her and blocking the sun from shining down on her. Poor thing must be absolutely thirsty and lost. He reached up to the special wrap around his face and pulled it  apart so she could see his face better. It probably was good to note that he only wore one boot, the other was a talon, that looked like a predator's birds claw, though it was made of black rock and gold metal. He was definitely something strange now wasn't he?

"Can I ask what the hell you were thinking, going into the desert on a horse?"

[Anonymous]

She hadn't been wandering around long enough to start getting heatstroke, but it was the only explanation for how someone managed to catch her unawares in the middle of a desert.

Vetch jumped in surprise, twisting around in time to see a robed nomad toss a water skin at her. It landed at her feet with a sullen slosh as she stared up at the stranger in stupefaction. When he pulled the wrap away from his face she saw her savior wore a strange eye patch--and then her gaze traveled downwards, to the single bird talon that took place of one of his legs.

Right, then. Vetch had officially succumbed to the heat. If she hadn't, then--well, it wasn't a very bright idea to go around gawping at people who had just saved your life. Best not to look a gift horse (heh) in the mouth. Leg. Talon.

 "Going into the desert on a horse?" She blinked in puzzlement, then spotted the grumpy-looking camel standing a distance away. A self-deprecating grin spread across her face and she shook her head ruefully, managing a rusty chuckle despite the sandpaper roughness of her throat. "Why didn't I think of that? A camel, for gods' sake!"

Snatching the water skin up from the ground, Vetch hauled herself to her feet. Uncorking the sloshing container, she raised it once in thanks to her strange rescuer before tipping her head back and taking a long draught. She observed him discreetly as she drank, noting the sandy blond color of his hair (what was visible, under the wraps) and the gentle brown color of his one good eye.

"You saved my life. My thanks," she said, hoarsely, after capping the water skin and handing it back to the stranger. She gave him a rare smile, whole face brightening as she offered one broad, gloved hand to shake. "Vetch Smithsdale. I'm Serenian; we haven't a clue what to do in the desert. I'm just lucky you  came along when you did."

[Anonymous]

He hadn't thought he'd been particularly quiet in his ways, but it appeared that he had managed to sneak up on her. No doubt she had been suffering from some sort of hallucination or perhaps heat stroke. She stared at him like he was some sort of mirage, and he had met many people that actually thought that sort of thing about him. One said he was a palm tree and they were in an oasis of some kind. Nothing but desert though, the nearest oasis being almost five leagues away. Heh, it was almost funny.

He could see her taking him in, and he would admit...with the large talon like leg, the eye patch...he could understand how some people might think that he was a mirage of some kind. It was hard to convince people he wasn't, because...well most mirages and hallucinations would try to convince you they were real.

"It's a very good question why you didn't." Only people who wanted to end up dying went on a horse, and she didn't look particularly suicidal. He only had to wonder then what she was thinking. It must not have been anything smart if she plodded on into the desert on a horse.

Still, at least he had gotten to the poor girl in time.

The man just pushed the water skin back into her hands. "You keep that for now." He told her with a smirk. He had plenty more anyway, because...well he lived in the desert, he knew the importance of water really. He looked down to her hand for a moment, then raised his and shook hers. He tried to be gentle, but it was a golem part as well, so his handshake was just a little firmer than most people. "Gallius. Gallius Tinderlot. I was Serenian...now I live here, coming along to rescue those who aren't prepared for the desert." He told her with a wink before letting go of her hand and gesturing her to follow. "Come, you can ride the camel...I'll take you to a nearby oasis. Can I ask what you're doing out here so unprepared?"

[Anonymous]

Vetch grimaced and tossed the hem of her long cloak over her shoulder, revealing a battered messenger bag strapped at her side. "I'm currently the army's errand girl," she explained, letting him draw his own conclusions about which army she was talking about.

Nothing in the traveling outfit she'd worn--loose, light trousers, practical tunic, gloves and cloth-wrapped boots--gave any indication as to which city or province she'd come from; a necessary precaution. This Gallius may have saved her life--and damn her eyes, but something about him made her trust him, chicken leg or no--but it was better for both of them if High Lord Killdaire's enemies had no inkling as to where she'd been. Vetch hadn't survived this long by blabbing her whole life's story and mission to the first life-saving stranger she met.

Still...

"I don't suppose you've heard of the town of Po, have you?" she asked apologetically, wandering over to the irascible [strike:19x21nle]beast[/strike:19x21nle] camel and eyeing it warily. Thrice-cursed thing must have been at least four hands taller than the top of her head. It was impossible to clamber up into the saddle without the pommel of her sheathed longsword jamming into her ribs. She'd have to be pulled or lifted up.

She scratched her head and stared at the camel. The camel glared back.

[Anonymous]

When she tossed her cloak over her shoulder (Which was a terrible thing to wear in the desert) to show the messenger back he focused on it for a second. He knew what THAT was from. He'd worn one a time or two in his time, and didn't particularly like it. However, he was glad that she hadn't been sent to nab him up and return him. Actually, the fact that she didn't seem to know his name was quite a good sign. Still, the messenger bags were standard, and hadn't really changed over the years...but he could tell that the insignia was on the inside flap, to hide it from people.

They were getting smarter.

"Po? You're an awful long way from Po darlin' " Gallius gave a rough laugh as he thought about where Po was from their location. A few days at least. She obviously hadn't gotten a very good map now had she? No matter, he knew where to go. She sidled over to his camel, which just glared at her. Why he kept the beast around? Well it was surly, which he liked. It had attitude, and though it hated doing anything but drinking from an oasis and lounging around in the shade. If you pushed the camel though, he'd do what Gallius wanted.

"Scole, be polite now. Let the lady get on, she's much much lighter than I am." The camel gave out a long sort of moan before getting down on its knees so that Vetch could get onto Scole's back. "Scole is a bit stubborn but very intelligent...you get used to him." Gallius explained as he patted the creature on the head, which let out a light pleased noise.

[Anonymous]

Slowly, and with great trepidation, Vetch swung herself into the saddle. The camel--Scole--snorted, clearly unimpressed, and twitched its ears.

Right, then.

Vetch turned to Gallius, her expression dubious. "So? How do you drive him?" Camels were all...bumpy and angular, in ways that horses were definitely not. She felt unaccountably dwarfed by the sheer awkward height of the damn thing.

[Anonymous]

It was rather amusing to watch Vetch as she tried to climb onto him. He laughed at Scole's reaction which was an unimpressive snort from the camel. He did so enjoy the strange personality of the beast, it was always welcome when it was just the two of them scouring through the desert. Scole didn't know what they were looking for, and really...Gallius didn't either.

"Well, first...you have to stand up." Gallius clicked his tongue three times and the camel gave a groan as he stood up onto his feet. "Then, just like a horse really, you want him to go forward you either give the reigns a little movement, or squeeze your legs...then drive him like a horse, turning the reigns in whatever direction you want him to go." Camels after all, weren't incredibly difficult creatures, they were quite smart and this one had been well trained.

Of course, training him had been a different matter...but she wouldn't have to go through that. "Though, I'll take care of the reigns for now, and I'll lead us to the oasis first." With that, he took the reigns and gave it a little movement, and the beast began to walk, with Gallius beside it. He obviously had no problem with this, which was probably a good thing. "So an army messenger...must be fun, and to be sent into the desert to find Po? Whose toes did you have to stand on to get this assignment?"

[Anonymous]

Vetch grimaced. "Let it never be said that commanding officers have no sense of humor," she groused. "Mine certainly does. He heard me complaining about how we never went anywhere interesting and tapped me to play mail-girl the next time he needed a letter delivered." It was the truth, delivered on a oblique level: High Lord Killdaire certainly counted as a commanding officer, and he did have a very...twisted...sense of what was funny and what was not.

Underneath her, the camel let out a martyred grumble. Vetch gave him an inquisitive poke and was awarded with an ear flick. She glanced at Gallius's broad back, asymmetrically weighted on one side. "What about you, eh? You said you were Serenian."

The desert stretched out before them, no end in sight. It looked like they had a while to go before they reached the oasis.

[Anonymous]

"Isn't that the truth?" Gallius laughed bitterly, shaking his head just thinking about his old commanding officers. They thought that they were the smartest of the smartest, that they were always funny, even with their punishments. He couldn't blame the commanding officers for their particular ways, after all, they had been treated that way as soldiers...only fair that they get to do the same when they become officers. "Sounds like you should have kept your mouth shut. Probably will make you think next time though." He knew that he learned rather fast after being made to carry water for six days straight.

"Aye, was Serenian. Essyrian now." Gallius' response was short and sweet, he waved his hand dismissively, not really wanting to go into that. After all, he was a deserter, and she was in the military. That usually meant a sword through his gut, and he wasn't too fond of that.

"We'll get to the oasis," He pressed on, not really giving her time to say anything about his previous statement. "Stay for an hour, for the heat to pass, then we'll head onward to Kaleesh, a small village...stay there for half the night and continue on from there. I'm thinking we'll go through the canyons, keep us out of the sun for the last leg of the journey...we'll get out of the canyon, and make it to Po after half a day." And to think, he didn't even need a map! He had one in his head, he knew the desert rather well, and knew the routes that would be most efficient. She was probably lucky to have met him...or...to have him come along and save her life.

[Anonymous]

Vetch nodded at Gallius's change of topic, expression neutral. She listened attentively as he described the journey to come, mentally calculating the length of her stay in the desert. There was no hurry--Lord Killdaire's message was by no means time-sensitive, even it had been important enough to send her bumbling into Moraki with a tired wreck of a horse and little more than the clothes on her back.

"Sounds good," she said, and swiped at her forehead with one gloved hand. "Phew. I'm still in shock you managed to find me in all this..." she gestured expansively, "sand. Stumbling across poor, lost souls your specialty?"

Her throat clogged up and she coughed, violently. This was the most she'd talked in years, ever since the accident. Funny, how she'd never have tried to make conversation with a stranger like this back home. Being saved from dehydration in the middle of a desert knocked one a little out of character, at times.

[Anonymous]

At least Vetch wasn't going to be nosey about things. He wouldn't simply turn her away of course, he wouldn't cast her from Scole and send her into the desert to die. He wasn't that kind of man, not anymore. He probably just wouldn't say anything to her after that...and it would be really strange to take a person through the desert and saying nothing.

Not...that he had much to say.

"It is actually." He turned his head to show his eye patch, tapping it with one clothe wrapped hand. "I can see...people in a way. It's hard to explain...I see their energy I suppose. I can see it over vast distances. You however...I was actually just out patrolling in boredom. Stumbled upon your dead horse." It was actually quite strange now that he thought about it...he hadn't meant to stumble upon anyone...he hadn't even used his eye patch and found her.

A little bit of serendipity wasn't it? Funny, considering where they were both originally from now wasn't it?

"Drink some more water now. You have to keep yourself hydrated Vetch. You've already lost quite a bite from how you're sweating, and you need to keep yourself hydrated...you'll also need..." He slowed his walking till he got a saddle bag and reached in side, pulling out a small white cube. "Lick this a few times then put it away in your pocket. It's salt. You lose a lot through sweating." He had almost forgot to offer her the salt, but luckily he remembered what she would need to get through this entire thing.

[Anonymous]

"See people's energy?" Vetch looked at the eyepatch with reserved curiosity, refraining from asking any more questions. She blinked in surprise at Gallius's explanation of her rescue and shook her head. "Talk about dumb luck."

When Gallius pulled back to Scole's side and reached out, Vetch tensed automatically. Years of training and caution learned living as a woman in a traditionally male occupation overrode thought, her body preparing for fight or flight at the tall nomad's sudden movement. One hand curled around the hilt of her longsword, not loosening until Gallius had rifled through the saddle bags and brought out...

Salt?

She relaxed and leaned over to claim the small cube, nodding her thanks. If Gallius had wanted to poison her he'd have done so hours ago, when he'd first handed her the water skin. A careful taste of the cube ascertained that it was, indeed, salt, and Vetch swiped her tongue across it a few more times before tucking it into her tunic's breast pocket.

"You're being awfully kind, taking me all the way to Po," she observed. "From what you've told me, it's a bit of out of your way." Fiddling with her gloves, she added, "If you're looking for payment, I can message my regiment for a reward once we reach the oasis. You don't have to feel obligated to do this, if you don't want."

Thing was, she kind of liked talking to Tinderlot. It was...nice. But she was burden, she could see as much. It was only fair to give him a way out of this tedious journey before it started.

Vetch looked down at her hands.

[Anonymous]

"Yeah, it's very helpful, allows me to do many other things." Oh the eyepatch was really an ingenious piece of technology that he had picked up. Well, had made for him thanks to a really nice mage. "Either that or Scole was following some scent." He looked to the camel who just grumbled before spitting at Gallius, who was quick to duck. "Alright beast, calm down."

He could almost have grinned as she went for her long sword. Oh, she was definitely a soldier wasn't she? He remembered how it used to be...he remembered how things were in his training...when he used to act that way. It was really quite...funny. He could do basic sword training in his sleep really, he could probably still march in formation without even needing to look or think. She was a honed little soldier, and that was terrific to see. He didn't miss such things though, oh no...he did not miss them at all.

He didn't say anything though, other than explaining about the salt. He understood her reasoning, he could have gone for anything. He wasn't planning on it. After all, he was well prepared for the desert, why rescue her? Why not just let her die in the desert and rob her after that. No, attacking her now made no sense. He gave her water for one, which in the desert was more precious than gold. Why give her water and kill her?

"Out of my way?" He blinked as he looked over at her and laughed. "I wasn't going anywhere in particular Vetch, and I have everything I could possibly want out here. I didn't do this for a reward, so don't worry about it. If anyone in the military asks...a nomad saved you...no name." He really didn't want them to come looking for him. After all, they gave him all these fancy parts and wanted him to keep fighting...and he just left. Tired of it, he ran. He ran and ran and ran until he found himself in the desert.

"But...I'm just happy to help. I really am."

[Anonymous]

Vetch grinned. "Glad to hear it."

The rest of the things he mentioned she filed away in a big mental box labeled 'Strange Things About Gallius Tinderlot: To Be Investigated Later'. She could see how a chicken-legged, one-eyed nomad might not want to have a lot to do with society in general, but from what she'd observed Gallius had a more than passing acquaintance with the military--Serenity's military, if what he'd said about his past was true. An acquaintance that had ended badly.

It was something to ponder, during the long journey ahead of them. Vetch whistled a few cheery notes, then cursed and grabbed onto the saddle as the [strike:q7wztzd0]demon-creature[/strike:q7wztzd0] camel snorted and tried to buck her off.

[Anonymous]

Really, Gallius couldn't begin to wonder what Vetch's plans were at this time. What she really was. There was something about her that made him know that she was not...who she really seemed to be. She was in the military, she was however...something different. Not the normal military that he had invested his life in. This was completely different...however, he wasn't sure he cared. Actually he didn't care. She didn't know who he was for that matter, she didn't seem to even bat an eyelash when he told her who he was.

So...he couldn't find himself caring that she wasn't what she seemed.

Gallius sighed and patted Scole on the side of his neck. "Calm down brute! She's a friend. If you keep this up, I won't let you eat any cacti at the oasis." Gallius told the camel, who made a noise before stopping his bucking movements. "You have to be careful with Scole, he does respond to whistling...though I'm not sure what you whistled." He taught him a few commands with sharp whistles, getting the camel to follow, run, stay, sit, that sort of thing, but not 'start bucking wildly.' That he had not taught the camel because...why?

Gallius reached into the pocket of his robe and removed a small piece of salt, taking it out and licking it a few times, trying to stop himself from losing too much salt from the desert heat. The dunes seemed endless, but Gallius was quite sure of himself as he led Vetch and Scole through the desert. The sun's heat was quite strong, and Gallius made sure that Vetch and himself were hydrated properly, rationing the water properly as well as the salt.

It was hours later, and a quiet trip, with Scole being rather calm and relaxes, having only bucked a few more times, and moaned loudly a lot of the journey. After they crested one dune, Gallius seemed to go a little faster, as right in the middle of a small area not covered by dunes, a nice flat sandy place...was the oasis that he had spoke of. It looked lush, with even a few small desert trees surrounding it, but mostly...cacti. There even seemed to be a small pool of water in the middle of it. "There we are. I knew it was around here somewhere." Gallius remarked to himself as he began to saunter down toward the Oasis, holding onto the reigns of Scole, who was very happy to follow along.