A Sentence of Solitude

[Lion]

He hadn't expected Alison to show up beside him.  He didn't interrupt her sudden interception.  And the caravan master certainly looked surprised.  And probably not at all pleased with the action.  However, he kept his lips shut, and kept his arms crossed as a show of his displeasure.

He gave a grunt, one Christer was sure was going to follow a large wad of saliva catapulting from his mouth.  But instead he shook his head.  "Just don't make no trouble.  And you're with this one.  On guard duty.  We could always use more eyes to keep folks safe."

The caravan master stomped off away from him.  Christer unleashed a deep breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding in.

"At least he didn't as you to scrub his boots," Christer said, nudging her side gently.

[Zero]

For the longest moment Alison worried that her only partially feigned display of helpless desperation wouldn't move the grumpy caravan master even an inch. It was a relief when he left with only instructions not to cause trouble and to join Christer on guard duty.

She blinked over at her master owlishly as he nudged her and attempted some humor on the situation. "Yes, but you're still doing extra work for me. I'm sorry Master, I tried."

[Lion]

"It's okay, Allison," Christer sighed and looked to her.  Honestly he hadn't really known what to expect when it came to having her...as attached to him as she now seemed.  Christer felt a jolt go through him, nobody ever bothered to speak up for him before, even if it was someone that now deemed herself is servant.  That aside, he thanked her anyway in a gentle squeeze on the arm.

"The Caravan Master is kind've a cranky old man. He would have conned me into working guard duty one way or another.  I guess I really should pull my weight around here.  Still, though, thanks for trying.  At least I won't be alone."

He smiled at her and gestured for her to go back into the tent.  The caravans usually didn't stop for long, not more than a few hours.  But it seemed, having come this far, an overnight stay wasn't going to hurt.  They still had a long ways to go.

[Zero]

The Caravan Master could be as cranky as he liked, as long as he didn't direct it towards her! Alison frowned softly, but it melted into a slight smile as she turned to look up at Christer as he thanked her. Victor never thanked her for anything. Of course she could never do anything good enough or right as far as he'd been concerned.

"At least we won't have to tip-toe around him forever." Surely once they were further into the country where the main roads could guide you they'd leave the caravan behind. Although what they'd do after that, she couldn't really say.

Sighing as she thought about it, Alison ducked back into the tent as her master had wanted. What would they do?

[Lion]

Night fell gradually and when the time came for his patrol, Christer was ready. Maybe he looked ridiculous in his get up, but he couldn't help it.  He was a knight, a respected warrior, or so he told himself when he tied his sword belt around his waist.  He supposed if Alison was going to be helping him, she couldn't very well stand watch with him unarmed. So he gave her his dagger, and tied the belt securely around her waist.

"You ready? It's going to be an all nighter," he said, gently prodding her side with his elbow.  "Here you can take my cloak, it will get fairly chill."  He wrapped the woolen cloak around her shoulders and threw the hood over her head just for good measure.

[Zero]

Things were very quiet once back inside the tent. Alison was too tired to ask questions, and didn't want to irritate her master by talking too much anyway. Since they would have to spend the night guarding the caravan she took the time until nightfall to sleep while she could.

When it was time to go she got up without complaint, watching Christer get ready and mostly just waiting. What could she even do to prepare for guarding anything? She really doubted she'd prove much of a guard, but if it kept her master out of trouble, then it was just what she would have to do.

Even if she blushed and fidgeted nervously as the dagger was belted around her waist.

"Ready." Alison's voice squeaked softly. She doubted very much that she was ready but there wasn't much else for it. Surely they'd just walk around a bit and be bored, right? Her pale cheeks flushed again as the cloak was wrapped around her, hiding under the hood thankfully as it was pulled over her. "But won't you be cold?"

[Lion]

"I'll be okay," he said.  "I'll be next to you. So it shouldn't be too bad."  He tried to smile, but even that felt forced.  Truth be told he didn't quite like being on guard duty. He deserved his sleep just like everyone else, so why couldn't the caravan master find someone else more willing for the task.  But...he would carry his own crucifix if necessary.  Alison herself didn't deserve it either.

"I'm sorry," he said, finding himself apologizing. "You didn't have to do this...  You still don't.  I mean...would you like to go back inside instead? You deserve rest."

[Zero]

"I'm not sure that I'll help much with keeping warm." Even as she said it Alison pulled the cloak a little tighter about herself. Her pale skin was usually cool to the touch. The cold didn't bother her quite as much as it used to, but warmth had left her a long time ago. It probably had to do with her cold vampire master.

She shook her head, peering up at him from beneath the hood. "I don't deserve rest any more than you do. It's my fault you got stuck with guard duty."

[Lion]

There wasn't any fighting to be done about who should do what, and it was high time Christer accepted his fate. Going about the fire, he crossed his arms over his chest and sighed, small puffs of white emerging from his lips as the night cooled considerably.

"When you say things like that? What do you mean?" he asked. "I mean when  you say you don't deserve such things?  Or take the blame when you shouldn't? Frankly, it piques my curiosity."

[Zero]

Alison trailed behind him, rather unsure about what else to do except stay close to his side. With her old master abandoning her she still felt very lost and was desperately clinging to her only lifeline. Christer had saved her life, and as far as she was concerned, was now her master. She'd been a slave and servant for so long she didn't know what else she could possibly be except more of the same.

"I don't understand the question?" Her breath produced a fine mist as well, and she kept her head tucked down, not looking up at him. "I don't deserve anything, and I am to blame. If not for me you would have gotten your firewood and the caravan master would not be annoyed with you."

[Lion]

"Now that is an untruth," Christer shrugged. "For all you know, I could have gotten the firewood, brought it back, and the caravan master would have still been annoyed with me. You don't decide how he feels, he's just a grumpy old man that probably tries to masturbate to no avail. And I'm just the current object of his wrath. All we can ever do is whatever we can to make things easier for others."

He smiled at her, amused a little by her incredulity. "You have nothing to do with that. And you deserve, if anything, kindness. Because you have treated me that way with nothing but."

[Zero]

Alison couldn't stop the grimace that crossed her face at the very mention of the grumpy master trying and failing to masturbate. What a very unpleasant image to poke into her mind! No, she very much did not want to think about that.

"I've treated you with kindness?" Had she? Honestly she wasn't sure if she had been kind to him. Christer was the one that had given her a taste of his own blood just so she could live. She, a stranger that meant, or should mean, nothing to him. "You are the kind one, Ma- Christer. Nobody has been so kind to me since...almost before I can remember. Since I was stolen from my family, for certain."

[Lion]

"Then let us agree on our mutual kindness and let that rest," he murmured, smiling gently at her. "So, as your....erm, interim master, I command you to....uh, stop feeling sorry for yourself."

He blushed, embarrassed that he even tried to say that and shrugged.  "It's a surprisingly quiet night.  Or maybe I'm just easily distracted.  Say, did you notice anything strange?  Or is that bush moving far across the camp?"

He pointed to a plant-like shape to a tent far from the fire, a dim thing with sprigs of branches and flowers over it, sliding across the ground.

[Zero]

Was it feeling sorry for herself if she truly felt as if she deserved every bad thing that happened to her? Alison sighed and hugged herself subtly. "I'll...try?"

It was a strange request, but everything was strange to her right now. After so long with her old master nothing felt quite right, even if things looked as if they would be better going forward. Christer was a kind man and would not be an abusive or cruel master. He didn't seem to really want to be a master at all, he just didn't want her to die.

"A bush is moving?" Alison peer across camp at the flowers and leaves sliding over the ground. That really was strange. She gave a soft whimper and half hid behind him, grabbing his shirt lightly. "Yes, I see it."

[Lion]

Christer hoped it was just a trick of the light. The darkness had a way of making the mind see that which wasn't really there. As much as he wanted to believe it, a cold sensation slipped into his gut. And he knew that it was his duty to investigate what it was exactly.  He reached behind and gently clutched her hands.  "It's fine I'm sure.  I'll...go look."

She had a dagger, she'd be okay!  He assured himself of this and freed her from his grasp, carefully crouching forward and wandering toward the shifting bush.  It seemed rather benign and he took a torch with him just to get a better look.  It seemed that way and he waved back to her.

"It's just a bush," he murmured.  And that was when a humanoid figure burst from hiding and swung their blade rightward.  Christer was momentarily caught off guard the edge of the blade catching the torch and making him reel backwards.

"Its!  IT'S NOT A BUSH!" He howled, trying to pull his sword out.

[Zero]

Alison nodded her head numbly at his attempt to reassure that it everything was fine. Not that she felt like things were fine. Still, she gripped his hands tightly for a moment, but reluctantly let go when he crouched forward.

She felt like maybe she should be doing something, but what could she do? Terrified, she clutched the dagger Christer had buckled around her waist earlier and leaned forward. It felt super heavy. In reality it probably wasn't that heavy, but never in her life had she actually used a weapon on someone. The idea of hurting someone turned her stomach.

Too much of her life had been spent being hurt for her to be comfortable inflicting harm onto someone else.

That was one reason her heart jumped into her throat when Christer howled out that it wasn't a bush. Although the bigger worry was immediately his safety. What would she do if harm came to her brand new master? She couldn't live without him and didn't think she would find another kind soul to take a wretch like her in before she died.

"We're under attack!" Alison shouted as loud as her little lungs could manage. They'd been standing watch, so alerting everyone was what she should do!

That was the end of her knowledge of what she should do.

[Lion]

It was the end of her knowledge as to what she ought to do, but for Christer this was just the beginning. As he flailed backwards, he managed to pull his blade out in time to deflect another strike but it just gave his opponent time to press the attack.

Christer dropped the torch onto a tent beside him, and the cloth caught flame just the other caravaners began to rise from their slumbers. To his horror, this bush wasn't the only one that was odd outside their encampment. And others soon joined their assault, brush-clad bandits, pulling branches and leaves off their person, as they got to work slaying those that couldn't defend themselves.

Christer pulled out the blade and as the man came forward, he shoved the blade deep into his gut, screaming as he did so, more because he was terrified than in the rush of adrenaline.  And as the tent beside him caught fire, he looked up and around.  "ALISON!"

[Zero]

What terrible sounds! Metal scrapping against metal, and then screams as more and more attackers appeared, hacking at those not quick enough to rise from their beds.

Everything became chaotic so quickly, Alison could have sworn she had barely blinked before fire was rising from one of the tents. Where had Christer gone?

She had stumbled back and fallen to the ground, shuffling back along the ground trying to avoid notice as she shakily pulled the dagger from her belt and held it before her in a very pathetic show. One of the bandits caught sight of her, coming towards her with evil purpose. She heard her name being called. "MASTER!"

[Lion]

"ALISON!" Christer called out again, trying to avoid much of the chaos. It was nigh impossible and as he maneuvered around the side of the encampment, only there did he see another of the bandit's heading straight for her.  Except he didn't think he was going to reach her in time.

Christer pulled out a tent post, wrenching it from the ground and raised it over his head like javelin. It wasn't a spear, had nowhere near the accuracy, and even this wasn't something he was practiced in. But it was his closest chance.

And he flung the post out over his shoulder, the point flying forward like a massive arrow, and hitting the bandit in the neck, making his body flail over Alison's.

[Zero]

With all the other noise it was hard to hear, but she thought she heard her name again. Christer was calling for her, but he didn't sound close enough to help her. Alison thought that she might die here after all. She had tried so hard to survive since being abandoned, and just as things looked as if they might turn out okay, something like this had to happen.

Holding the dagger out in shaking hands, she closed her eyes tightly and waited to feel herself being hacked to pieces like the people she could still hear screaming.

Nothing stabbed her, but she did scream and open her eyes in shock when something heavy fell on her. It took a few moments for her to realize it was a person. A dead person. The man that had been about to attack her. She let out another strangled scream and began flailing desperately to try to wiggle out from under the body.

Blood was dripping all over her! It might have seemed weird to someone else, that it would freak her out so much considering she drank blood to survive, but that was only her master's blood, and only because she absolutely had to!

Somehow she managed to half shove the body off and squirm her way free, dragging herself through the bloody mud. She was still clutching the dagger tight in one hand as she looked around frantically for her master. Was he okay? Why hadn't she stayed right at his side? What if he left her? Christer had been kind to her so far, but she did not see why he might go out of his way or endanger himself for her sake.

"Master?!" Alison called out to him feebly as she stumbled to her feet again, heading towards Christer almost blindly as the fire, smoke, and utter chaos made her feel a little disoriented.