In Light and Darkness [Goblin]

[Juno]

"Oh. Well, thank you," she told him sincerely, flashing a grateful smile in the dark as she took a quick turn about the main room to be sure she'd gotten everything important for her time away. Once satisfied she secured her bag upon her shoulder and joined him at the door.

Maddie frowned slightly for seeing how he'd taken the extra bags for himself and had left nothing for her to scoop up on her way out. "Thank you for all your help. Let me know when you need a rest from those and I'll take them. Let's get going." She took a deep breath before stepping out into the cold night air and heading eagerly for the road they would follow south.

[GoblinFae]

"You have everything then?" Lorcan asked, glancing first at her and her things then to the door she had exited from. "It would be rather unfortunate if we had to double back for an errant cloak or scarf." He shrugged sheepishly in apology. "I have to ask, my brother is the unforgettable case of the one who always has to forget individually three things before making ten steps out the door, not of course that you are anything like my brother that is." The man flushed and fidgeted, adjusting the sacks on his shoulder as if they were falling when they were perfectly situated to begin with.

[Juno]

"Oh my, that must be frustrating," she laughed, smiling fondly at the image she had in her mind of some younger version of him being so terribly forgetful. "I swear I'm not that bad. If I've forgotten anything it was not important enough to get a thought from me before. I should be warm enough with what I have, thank you. And if I'm not...I'm sure my mother will lend me some things once we arrive," she reasoned to herself. "Though it should be a bit warmer in the south anyway."

Maddie noticed his fidgeting and mistook it for discomfort, thinking he might have been too prideful to say anything about it. "Let me take some of that, will you?" she offered again, pausing with an outstretched hand with the hope he might let her carry some if he was too burdened by it. "It won't do for you to struggle while I walk along with hardly anything, Mister Dempsey," she teased.

[GoblinFae]

Lorcan shuffled his feet, moving out onto the path in front of the door and away from her outstretched hand. "I just wouldn't wish you to suffer during our journey. The road is not a very forgiving residence no matter how temporary it is. As for the packs, you needn't worry. I've carried much more before, this is hardly anything in comparison. You're carrying plenty Ma'am. Should you however feel the need to alleviate your load, you need only say and I will do my best to assist."

[Juno]

"You shouldn't spoil me, Mister Dempsey, but I wouldn't burden you with it," she told him truthfully, lowering her hand at his apparent uneasiness at the idea of her carrying a fair share. She continued forward towards the main road and silently vowed to herself to keep an eye out for him having any trouble with it. She would snatch it up eventually, she was sure he had to tire of it eventually.

"Will you be seeing any sights while we're down?" she wondered conversationally. "I'm sure you'll have a bit of free time. Unless you must remain at my side at all times." Maddie frowned slightly at the thought, not wishing to bore him with her family matters if he wanted to take advantage of the time away from home as well.

[GoblinFae]

He was careful with his answer. Lorcan did not wish to upset the young woman yet, the truth of the matter this would be no holiday for him. He had been ordered to observe and watch her, to escort her to and from her home, before reporting back on any trouble that had occurred.

"Ah you needn't worry about me, Ma'am. This will be a nice break from the monotony of city life. I won't interfere with your family time. You needn't concern yourself with that. Just think of me as a shadow that comes and goes as the days go on. Now then, I assume you know the way otherwise we're in for a rather interesting journey because I sure don't," he laughed a bit nervously, hoping to keep the conversation light.

[Juno]

His answer did not cause her any alarm, the young woman naive in her expectations of what it had meant and reading far too much into it to give it a story all on her own. She would try not to pry in his private affairs if she could help it, making a mental note to not disturb him if he wandered away while they were visiting.

She liked his laugh, though, the sound quite rare to her ears thus far. Maddie blushed a bit and nodded in agreement, much as she wished she could find some excuse to get lost with him.  She gestured out towards the road confidently as she led him. "Yes, I think I do. Mostly, at least. It's been quite some time since we last visited him. He usually comes to us, see, if he's got leave. But it's important he stays near his soldiers now and it isn't much time anyway. We've nothing else to do besides the shop, but he doesn't know about- Ah, please don't mention it to him," she begged of him, unsure if she would survive the trip if he knew his daughter was a convicted mage from anyone but her mother.

"I'm not sure if she'll tell him... Or when, but we'll probably need to make a story for you so he doesn't suspect," she giggled. "Perhaps I find your lost soul along the way and help you back to civilization? No, you're much too fine for that, he'd probably know your uniform." She frowned, her brows creasing slightly as she gave it some thought.

[GoblinFae]

Lorcan winced slightly as she spoke of her father and then of his own role in her current circumstances. "With all due respect Ma'am is it truly wise to lie to your father? Even bending the truth would simply draw more attention to myself than is necessary. You mentioned soldiers, is your father a part of the army as well? Is he a Mordecai?"

He looked pained as he questioned her, trying to remain neutral while feeling torn between wanting to help and wanting to remain honest and true. "I can promise you that I will not bring my presence up with your father if that is your desire but I am afraid that I cannot agree to lie to such extents Ma'am. He could vary well be one of my superiors. I will do my best to not disrupt your visit with your family but I am afraid I have duties I must attend to while I am with you. If it were me though I would just tell him the truth. If your father is anything like my own was he would appreciate that more than lies upon lies upon an unfortunate truth."

[Juno]

"It's a little more complicated than that, though, isn't it?" she lamented. "I just don't think he'd be happy to know how I've...changed since he last saw me. Not that I changed all that much as a person, just... I'm something unknown to him even though he knows me." Maddie felt a bit sad knowing she had the potential of unintentionally dragging his name through the mud because of her. It wasn't something she was entirely comfortable with, but she did see logic in his words.

"Maybe. I'll have to think on it. I don't want you in any trouble," she assured him with a sad smile as she tilted her head to look up at him. "You've been so kind to me, after all." She felt guilty, not even realizing that it was entirely possible her father was some superior of sorts to him. He had certainly served in the military longer than either of them had been alive, but it hadn't dawned on her for she knew nothing of the true hierarchy and where Mordecai stood within it.

"He is part of the army, but I won't ask much of you, I promise. It's more that I will need some reason to give for you being with me. Would it ever be possible for you to allow me to see him alone? Perhaps if he doesn't see us together at first he wouldn't suspect anything unusual," she thought out loud, thinking the idea outside of the realm of possibility anyway if Lorcan would abide by his orders and not bend to allow her such a thing. She moved to one side of the road as she heard the distant sound of hoofbeats that eventually reached them as a rider passed by without a look at the pair of humans. His mount came close enough that she felt the hot breath of the stallion and turned her head away from the dirt that was kicked up by the horse's hooves on the loose ground. "Rude," she muttered.

[GoblinFae]

He sighed and lowered his eyes. The whole situation was a challenge and Lorcan found himself almost regretting getting involved and not staying his distance as was his duty. If he had kept his tongue then he would not feel so compelled to help and aid her. He hardly even knew the woman and yet he found himself wishing to put his own honor on the line just to help her with her father.

Lorcan shook his head slightly, mentally cursing himself for what he was about to do but knowing in his heart it was the right thing. "Perhaps Ma'am you might tell him part of the truth. I escorted you as it was unwise for you to go alone with your mother already having gone ahead."

The Mordecai was interrupted from saying more as a horse and rider came barreling down the road towards him. Acting on instinct alone, Lorcan immediately latched onto the young woman and pulled her close to his chest to protect her from harm. Even as the danger passed he remained with his arms around her back and her head tucked under his chin before realizing what he had done. "Forgive me," he whispered, feeling extremely flustered as he gently let her go.

[Juno]

Maddie had thought moving aside would be enough, but she was shocked that he felt the need to do more than that. The young woman stilled in his arms, breathing in short breaths as she tried not to be so aware of the sudden warmth of his body or the safety in a steady heartbeat. She worried for the burden it caused him to come to her "rescue" as well, assuming that he was silently struggling with the belongings he carried for both himself and for them to share.

"No need," she answered just as quietly, feeling so small beside him while still being fairly close. "Thank you," she offered nervously, not wanting to assume anything out loud about his intentions. She had already come to a personal opinion that had her heart pounding hard enough for her to clasp a hand to her chest to try and will it to slow down. He saved me. He must thnk of me a little, she thought.

Once her head had cleared enough to remember their conversation she turned slowly to right herself in the correct direction and reluctantly begin their journey once more. "That's a thoughtful excuse, but how did we meet?" she pointed out, wincing at the memory of knowing the Mordecai for the first time at the lowest point of her life thus far. "I'm sure my father might assume certain things about you...and about us if I told him that," she added, blushing slightly because she knew that women of her status did not receive personal escorts out of the goodness of a man's heart if he had no intentions after her.

[GoblinFae]

"We met in town," he supplied with a shrug. "It is the truth after all." He looked to the side, feeling uneasy but as if he had to ask. "Ma'am forgive me for this if it's considered rude but I have to, is your father truly so awful that lying is preferable to the truth? Would he...would he hurt you Ma'am?" Lorcan stared at her fiercely in concern. If she answered in the affirmative or gave any indication through deception that it was the truth then he would not stand for it. Mage or not she was a person and and that came first above all else. He would defend her any other mage in such a situation to the death against their mother, father, or any other person in the country.

[Juno]

"In a way, I suppose," Maddie agreed, though the circumstances didn't seem so simple and innocent to her despite the location. She listened attentively, uncertain why he seemed so nervous to be bringing something up to her, but she couldn't help but flush with shame at the mere thought. Truthfully she did not know how her father would react, but she could hope it wouldn't be entirely negative.

"I don't think he would hurt me, but I don't really know for sure. I've rarely seen him angry in all my life but I'm not really all that familiar with his opinion of...well what I am now," she explained, her head hung slightly in shame of what she was, of the scar she'd brought to her family as she saw it.

"But really I'd prefer he didn't know at all. Unless my mother thinks it's safe to tell him," she added. "It would just complicate things when he doesn't really need to know about it. He's rarely ever home anymore so it doesn't really concern him, does it?" Her words were truly a question, the young mage entirely uncertain if family would ever wish to know such a thing about one of their own. And did it really matter when she saw the man but a handful of times per year?

[GoblinFae]

Lorcan sighed and shook his head, conceding to her. "As you wish. It is not my business to tell what you to do or interfere. Forgive me for my nosiness. We should get moving again before it gets much darker. It would not be wise should there be any more late night riders in a hurry to return home." The Mordecai really did not agree with her. In his opinion if her father truly cared for her then he would not hate her or hurt her, be disappointed perhaps but a parent always would always love their child. He hated the idea of the deception especially when it came to another member of the military, a proverbial brother-in-arms as it were. "I'm sure it will all work out in the end," he attempted to console though with a half-smile.

[Juno]

She appreciated his concern, but she felt it wouldn't be helpful to follow his advice. She was anxious enough already wondering how she would explain to him that she had to be back sooner than he might have expected. Of course, she could use the shop as an excuse, but it was more lies still. Lies that, once piled too high, might be too much of a burden to carry.

"I'll give any others a piece of my mind. Don't you worry, Mister Dempsey," she told him confidently, falling into step with him once again. His encouragement was certainly welcome, though, the young woman lifting her eyes to him and smiling in thanks before nodding in acceptance. "I'm sure it will, but these things are just very...nerve wracking," she admitted. "And there's so much to be cautious of. I'm thinking of him as much as myself. I would assume soldiers hold a lot of the same opinions that the rest do. Still people, after all. I wouldn't blame them for thinking me less than dirt, but I don't want nasty things following my father once I'm gone."

[GoblinFae]

"I cannot directly speak for the soldiers under your father's care of course but I believe you may be surprised by the character of people Ma'am. While it is true you made a mistake and committed a crime in the eyes of the law it is likewise true that you are working to make up for it and to continue to be an upstanding citizen. Being a mage is no more a crime than being a Mordecai is. I'm sure with extra prayer and diligence on your part it will all be forgotten in no time. I may be wrong," Lorcan began, glancing at her from the side, "but you certainly do not seem the type to be a repeat offender. Just don't forget you're a person too and covered in the exact same dirt everyone else is."

[Juno]

Her crime was still a bit of a sore spot. Truly she felt she'd done nothing wrong. It had been the magic that had taken control, the magic that had ruined her. It was not her own creation or thought that had caused it to happen, to her knowledge. At least she felt calmer in his presence, the gift of the Mordecai keeping her safe more than shackled.

"It it worse because it is filth," she cringed, shivering in disgust as she pulled her cloak more tightly around herself. "A Mordecai is light and salvation. You are just as much a voice of justice as a hand of protection," she explained calmly, blushing at bit for her open admiration. "Or has the world twisted the meaning?"

[GoblinFae]

Lorcan made a sound of disgust that was easily reflected on his face. "You make us sound like gods. We're just the same as everyone else, nothing special. We're born same as mages with this inside of us. None of us choose it. A mage at least is given a challenge in life. I commend them for their inner strength to overcome. I'm sure that is why Angsar gifts them with it, He believes mages are capable and strong enough, stronger than the rest of us, to remain devout to Him. The rest of us," he shrugged distastefully, "we're just here for a free ride I suppose."

[Juno]

She'd never thought of it like that, but Maddie couldn't help but feel as though he was praising her specifically for what little "progress" she'd made. "I see a great deal more than that in you," she admitted shyly. "Your station does not require you to be kind or merciful, and yet you have been endlessly so to me. Your patience with me is appreciated."

Maddie smiled warmly, thankful for the cloak hood that shielded most of her face. It would not do for him to catch on just how fond she'd grown of him. She did not want their trip spoiled or delayed by any ill feelings he might have towards such a thing as a woman's crush.

[GoblinFae]

He flushed under her praise, completely unable to look at her. Instead Lorcan kept his gaze forward, his eyes never leaving the road though the way was dark and they should not be traveling much longer. Feeling something must be said though, he did manage to mumble out a few words though he hoped they were not as gruff sounding to her as they were to his burning ears. "It is not required of my station but it is of my humanity. Any other decent person would do the same. Your praise is misplaced I'm afraid. I've only done what anyone else would, Ma'am."