The Unease in the Air (M)

[Draconian]

"It wasn't a cat when you threw it at me," she started, "It was a sick ornament my parents made to commemorate my first pet." Adalia smiled slightly at his reaction when she prodded him about the crest, it was what she was anticipating and she was glad she called it. Maybe he wasn't as foolish as he seemed. Which was entertaining now but seemed bad in the long run.   Finally Adalia jumped and stared down at the cat, confused and she quickly ran her hands down it's back.

"I don't know what to do, Daisy!" Adalia quietly hissed at the cat, who just sort of looked grumpy. The cat, having decided that since it couldn't get what it wanted from Adalia climbed up on the table and meandered her way over to Quinlan, parking its still fluffy butt between his clasped hands and his body. "Yeah, go ask him, he got you into this mess, too."

Taking the opportunity of not having the 'enchanted cat' in her arms she flagged down a barmaid and quietly asked her a few questions, passing over a jewel from a necklace she'd found in Quinlans coat and nodding her thanks before the woman wandered away, giving the pair and their cat another long confused look. Magic was one thing, ugly ratty stuffed cats were another.

[Lion]

[I don't know if it matters to you, but I totally picture Daisy as a British Shorthair, but y'know missing hair patches here and there.]

Quinlan froze to have the cat come to him, and he made a disgusted face to have it get comfortable right in his comfort zone!  "Go!  No!  Daisy, scram!"  But the cat astutely did not and instead curled up, getting comfortable and purring, rubbing her furry face against his cheek.  "Ew, I got some fur in my mouth," he said, spitting off to the side.

As the cat neared, the crest began to glow once again and Quinlan jumped a little.  This time he did have the sense to pull it from beneath his shirt and revealed it to her.  "Ow!  It's really warm to the touch!" he hissed and leaned forward enough to let her examine it, but did not take it off.

[Draconian]

[I love it =D Looks like a Daisy to me.]

Adalia reached for the crest, ignoring Quin's whining - For a grown man he did a lot of it. Her fingers brushed over it and she frowned at it before she looked at him "Yup, it's magical," She dead panned. Not sure what he wanted her to examine on it. It was glowing. It was warm. It was super close to the Once Dead Cat. She shook her head then, "I don't know, Quin." She said softly and curled her fingers, her hands balling into fists.

"This is why you should just give that to me." She stated finally, "I'll pay you. Please." her voice lowered and she leaned closer, her voice quiet in case people were trying to listen, "Can you imagine what trouble will happen if your client wants that to bring people back to life. You're a mage, surely you can understand how disastrous this crest could be in the wrong hands." There must have been a reason it was just sitting in her house, out of sight out of mind maybe. Except not really in this case.

[Lion]

Quinlan snatched the crest back and stuffed it in his shirt.  He scowled at her, knitting his brows together.  "It's Quinlan.  And no I'm not giving it to you.  What the buyer wants with it, ain't any of my affair. I'm just getting paid for a job. Everything else is inconsequential."

He shook his head and even bothered to stroke the dead cat that took to sipping out of his watered down glass of brandy.  "If you intend still to follow me, then go for it.  But I'm not giving it---"

That's when the saw the front door swing open and three very angry looking men stepping though it.  And the man behind them quickly was scanning the room for Quinlan.  The blood mage immediately recognized him, thankfully before he was seen and Quinlan ducked low as he slid his ass out of the seat.

"Well nice talking to ya!  Gotta go!"

[Draconian]

Stubborn.

Adalia rolled her eyes and she shrugged her shoulders in defeat. Sorta. She was still allowed to follow him, which would make it easier since he wouldn't be trying to hide. Like he was now? Adalia frowned when Quinlan started to run away. Her mouth dropped open and she looked to where he'd been gazing before he decided to book it.

"Where..." Adalia got up and followed taking a few steps before turning around to pick up the cat, tucking Daisy under her arm while she followed. After all she was still wearing his coat. "Hang on!" She whisper-yelled at Quinlan while he tried to scoot, she grabbed his hand and tugged him along beside her, their backs to the door. Adalia used the movement of a bar maid to hide most of their movements towards the back of the building and a second door.

"I know where we can stay the night if you're willing to follow me," she paused, "I'll also help you stay hidden from whatever trouble was trying to find you in there, I saw your face."

[Lion]

"I don't want to stay hidden!  I want to get the hell out of this," Quinlan hissed.  "Now you either move with me, or you stay behind, but I'm not waiting-"

"You fucking shite!  I knew I'd find you here!"  The man yelled out and boots were soon barreling through the tavern.

"Fuuuuuck!"  Quinlan moved like a lightning bolt and he felt Adalia yanked along behind him since she still gripped his hand.  He just pulled her with him, bolting for the back door.

[Draconian]

Adalia rolled her eyes, leave it to a man to not listen to her and instead resort to panicking. Of course she jumped when there was a yell and she briefly looked over her shoulder to look at the person who probably wanted to kill Quin and mount his body like a trophy. Maybe the crest would bring his stuffed body back to life as some oddly cuddly version of himself. Adalia frowned at the though while being yanked along.

They left through the back door, back out into the rain and she gave a violent shiver at her feet being wet - again - and being out in the rain - again. "Come this way," and she proceeded to drag him around, knowing the city like the back of her hand. Or something else equally literal. Splashing through puddles and going through alley's and down deserted wet streets, Adalia's legs were covered with what was hopefully mud and they were in front of a familiar looking house again. It was her home.

"Get inside, Quin, it's safe, it's warm and they would never think to look for you in that house."  Her breath was short and her cheeks were flushed from the running and the cold. "Everyone is still asleep, no one has lit any lights."

[Lion]

"That slippery son of a bitch!"

"Where did he go!?"

"I saw him go that way!  And the bitch that was holding some cat!"

Quinlan knew that if he didn't have Adalia hanging onto his arm, he could skedaddle out of Arca in no time flat.  But as it were, she was determined to remain an unwanted growth and he could gripe about it internally all he wanted.

"Back here again!?" he hissed, skidding to a halt, at the sight of her house.  But with the sound of those men chasing after them so close buy - because honestly they were faster than they looked - he didn't give it a second thought before running along back into her home.

[Draconian]

Adalia quickly followed and she made sure to keep close behind him. She put the lock on the door just in case and quickly grabbed Quin's hand again, dragging him through the house, leaving a trail of water and mud behind her. "How far away from Arca is this fellow you're selling that to?" She began, talking softly so she didn't wake anyone up.

"And why are those men chasing you, do you owe them money?" Finally she pulled him into a room and shut the door, locking it as well. It was obviously a bedroom, not so obviously her bedroom. Adalia removed his jacket and handed it back to him before she went to the bed and stuck her arm under it, pulling out a pre-packed back pack and another smaller empty one obviously to contain food. "Just let me get changed and then we can get Atras, unless you have a horse?"

[Lion]

Quinlan was in too much of a panic to focus clearly, and his natural inclination to not give away information was averted.  He panted from the running, body too hot to worry about shivering, and shook his head, running his hands through his red hair and trying to catch his breath.

"Far.  Honestly, didn't really say.  Said I'd get signaled when I reached some squat town called Rat's End in the middle of the damn Draconi Forest," he said, leaning over his legs a little and stretching out his back.  Throwing his coat back over his shoulders, Quinlan fixed his burned sleeve, as best he could at any rate and fixed his daggers back into the contraptions that let them spring out when needed.

Quinlan moved around the room, sniffing a decanter and surreptitiously pocketing a small watch.  This one went into his pants when his back was to her and he turned without a hitch.  "I don't have any horse," he said with a shrug.  "Horses are sometimes more of a handful than they're worth.  That and I haven't had a chance to get to a stable.  Favris and his gang are too fat to keep up with me anyway."

And not too soon did he saw that and he heard the sounds of those very men snooping around the premises.

"Hurry up will ya!"

[Draconian]

Hurry she did. With little ceremony and even less shame, Adalia went to a dresser, grabbed a shirt and pants, whipped off the soaking dirty nightgown and quickly changed. The shirt went on first and she hopped back towards her backpack while tugging on the pants, tucking her feet into boots and grabbing a cloak before taking the backpack. Her gauntlets lay forgotten on top of the dresser.

Adalia grabbed Quinlans hand again and tugged him out of her room and slammed the door. Surely it would wake a few people and they would investigate and discover the less than savory people chasing them. Him. The thief fellow. They weren't chasing her at all. With his hand still in hers she ran for the kitchen, that door being the closest to the stable. "Well no mageknight is without her horse and we'll get there much faster, meaning you get money much faster. The stables are over there, once we're at Atras we'll be fine." Also, like any hells was she gonna walk to Draconi forest.

Sure enough, the doorway to the kitchen was lit up from the hallway and there were murmurs before a startled gasp and something about how the lady was missing. Or something. Nothing serious or anything. More lights went on as more people woke up.

Daisy, being apparently forgotten stood at their feet, pressing her body against Quinlan's leg to get his attention because clearly they hadn't giving her enough pets in the past ten minutes.

[Lion]

Quinlan shoved the cat away with his boot.  A none too gentle shove either.  Daisy wasn't very happy about that, and hissed in response, trying again with the other leg that didn't nudge her off.  And then she meowed loudly.

Quinlan froze and scowled at the cat.  "You little turd!" he hissed and snatched the cat up by the scruff, more hair coming off, as the help was awakened.

"Lady Adalia!  Lady Adalia!  Where have you gone!?" cried one of the live-in maids.

Quinlan stuffed the dead cat in his jacket and ran after Adalia toward the stables.  There was too much at stake now to worry about answering stinking questions right now.  Now he just wanted to get the hell out of here!  Quinlan followed behind the mageknight - that word still lingering somewhere in the back of his mind.

"There he is!  Get that fucker!"  And already Favris' men were running toward the stables, about to rout them.

[Draconian]

"Shit!" Adalia cursed, making for the stables. There would be no time for a saddle and Adalia hoped beyond all hopes that Quinlan knew how to get on a horse. The rain was still pouring and she shifted her backpack before she gave a sharp long whistle and entering the stables, there were six stalls, three on each side and Adalia quickly opened Atras's who gave a huff and stared at her. Quickly she climbed the stall wall and reached up into the rafters, picking up another pack which contained a fancy looking sword and various other items used in camping. That got thrown over her other shoulder.

The goons were now in the stable and Adalia moved out of Atras's stall, holding the sword out. The blade glowed red and she took calm even breaths. "Get on the horse and hold on!" she barked at Quinlan while she got closer to the group chasing him. She could let them have him. The thought occurred to her. She could give this boy over and just take the crest from his still warm body after they beat him up. Or something. Either way, getting the crest wouldn't involve going anywhere.

"This one is mine," Adalia barked at the group, talking about Quinlan "I've got plans for him, come get him back later."

[Lion]

Favris skidded to a halt when he saw the glowing sword in front of him. His men followed suit.  Quinlan rolled his eyes a little. Of course! Mageknight = glowing sword. Like a fairy tale with bloodthirsty ruffians and undead cats.  Daisy had to get a piece of the action too and hissed at Favris and his men.

"Fucking bitch. You best get out of the way before you get hurt!" He wasn't going to waste any time as he barreled toward her. But Quinlan kicked the horse into action and Areas screamed aloud, bolting from the stable and out into the torrential rain.  Quinlan clung to Adalia's for dear life but he managed to stay on, Daisy squashed in his jacket between them.

[Draconian]

There was a twitch of her eyebrow when Quin kicked Atras into high gear and ran out of the stable into the pouring ran. Adalia soon followed, again being chased by the goons. Sort of. Probably intending to hurt her to get to the horse and the person on the horse. If Atras hadn't been so well trained she would have worried about being left behind.

Adalia waved the sword and slashed at one of the men, the tip of it ripping through the mans shirt. He was left with it on fire, the momentary panic and surprise of suddenly being on fire gave her the window she needed and she took off at a run, the sword slowly cooling down. Once she left the stable the rain still hissed and sizzled when it hit the blade, steam rising.

Another sharp whistle and she started to run along the stone wall, adjusting her packs as she ran. The men were out in the rain and yelling again and Adalia could only imagine the poor thief's reaction when the horse suddenly turned around and ran back towards the goons. Seeing Atras down the way, Adalia grinned widely and called out.

It was like from a book, Adalia hopped from the top of the stone wall and landed on Atras behind Quinlan. The lack of a saddle made it awkward and Adalia held on tight with her legs, her arm going around Quinlan to tangle one of her hands in the horses mane. The other held the sword out, still too hot to be put anywhere else.  She made sure to tug him to make him do a sharp turn. It was a close call, they were at Atras' heels but he kicked up mud and water while he ran. Poor horse was content with being fat, too.

For now they just had to get away, authorities would be here soon. The lady was missing out of the house and there were people in the stables (sorta ). The lights were all on. This totally wasn't an excuse to go away. Oh no. Never. Adalia was a lady.

[Lion]

Old habits died hard, and the old adage was true.  Of a sort. 

Adalia jumping behind him clearly startled Quinlan, but he managed to hold onto the horse's mane and he kept his hold strong.  He'd ridden barebacked before, on a farm somewhere in a place somewhere he once called home.  His body remembered how to ride, well somewhat.  He could at least keep himself from falling off and was content to let Adalia do the steering she was so content to do from the back.

For now, however, those goons were out of sight.  And the city gates were much much closer.  "Fucking hell," he panted, mouth already dry and heart racing with adrenaline.  The thrill had set his blood aflame with that rush, and a grin was splattered across his face.  Clearly he was enjoying himself despite nearly getting killed, and nearly slipping from the horse's back.

But he reasserted his grip and Atras moved delicately down the road.

[Draconian]

The sword had cooled from the rain and she reached back putting it into its home on the other backpack she had collected. Atras made for the city gates and she finally slowed him down when they passed through. The horse was panting heavily, his breath hot in the cool night air. So was hers. As soon as they started to slow down Adalia burst out into laughter, her forehead pressed against Quinlans back while she pressed her hand to the undead cat in his coat.

Again she was soaked through, the cloak she'd brought forgotten in her pack. She took deep breaths and let them out slowly, trying to calm herself down. "Well. I think we lost them." Adalia paused for a moment before she removed her head from his back and leaned to look up at him over his shoulder. "You're welcome, Quin." A bright grin before she winkled her nose and tried to blink the rain from her eyes.

[Lion]

To say the least, Daisy was miserable and showed it in her sheer incessant whiny brow.  Quinlan glared at the cat and even hissed at it and lurked indignantly.  But being alive, for now, was a welcome relief.  "What are you barking about?" he griped at Adalia's behind him, her laughter somehow killing his buzz.  The adrenaline was seeping away anyway.

Now it was back to being cold and wet. At least he still had the crest around his neck and now it was time to make for Rat's End. With no food, no water other than what they could fill from the rain and no shelter. Oh what a fantastic start to a miserable journey.

[Draconian]

Adalia was still good. Still grinning.

"What are you whining about?" She shot back, giving her eyes a roll. What a spoil sport. They were off - not on foot - and it was the middle of the night. Dawn was in a few hours, there were a few places to stop along the road, villages, small towns.

So maybe this was something she'd been wanting to do for a long time and now she had an out that didn't put the blame on her. There was a moment and she paused, "Were my tits so unimpressive you didn't even notice them?" She leaned again to look up at him genuinely curious, she'd been expecting some sort of reaction. She'd been naked. Nothing!

[Lion]

Quinlan was caught off guard and he looked behind him and blinked owlishly at her.  "What is that supposed to mean!?" he asked, though her intention was obvious.  Oh, if this were any other time, and he was a little drunk maybe he would've had a mind to appreciate them!

"I don't really have time for that," he mumbled, more disappointed in himself than anything else.  But you couldn't make breadsticks without flour, water, and yeast, and now really wasn't the time for baking.

"Hey y'know where the nearest town is?  I don't need to die of a cold and have my corpse reanimated as some kind've less amazing version of myself," he griped a little.  At least he was more miserable from the cold than from these circumstances.  It was better than being skinned by Favris' stupid men.