Visus Imperium

[Lion]

Roland ignored her outburst for now and rolled his shoulders, gesturing for them to follow.  Soon they were on the other side of the camp, making way between soldiers that waived their blades in unison, poised behind shields and standing in position, to others tending to their equipment and making short work of what they had. 

Far off the patrol was skinning the deer they had found making short work of the meat.  The smell of food certainly made Roland hungry, and there was enough to be shared.

Soon they made it to where Alyssa was sewing the last of Brutus' leg up and she gave the dog a small piece of jerky from her hand.  He seemed much calmer than when they first met, although he uttered a soft whimper when he saw Amelia and Kay, wagging his tail with gentle thumps on the ground.

[DragonSong]

Without a word, Mia shouldered her way past the two men and knelt in front of her dog, looking him over quickly before she cupped his muzzle and scratched his ears, murmuring quietly. Brutus licked her nose happily, pressing closer.

Kay hung back, wary.

[Lion]

"He's doing well," Roland explained as the dog clearly was happy to be around Mia and seeing Kay again. He didn't want to get over excited though, and Alyssa stood back, saying nothing.  Clearly anything she might have to add wouldn't be well received.

"Let him rest, he'll be along shortly. I apologize for what happened.  Please, just bear with us.  I'm sure you two will want something to eat?"

[DragonSong]

Seeing as Mia was absorbed in checking over her dog more thoroughly, Kay glanced at the man and nodded slowly.

"Yes. We...wouldn't say no to food."

[Lion]

"Then come along. Miss, Brutus will be fine," Roland said. Oh but there was no use in trying to get her attention. Her brother clearly was the reasonable one. "Follow me. That deer we caught can feed us plenty. And chances are there were others that got some too."

[DragonSong]

"Mia." Kay leaned down and touched his sister's shoulder, pulling her to her feet. His twin's eyes snapped to his and he saw how afraid she was, how hard she was fighting to hide it.

"Sir." He looked to Roland. "When can we go home?"

[Lion]

"Home?" Roland repeated, his expression hardening. "That remains to be seen. We have much to talk about, young man. For now, let's eat. I'd like to talk about your magic.  You're a mage, aren't you?"

[DragonSong]

Both twins stiffened and a vicious growl ripped from Brutus's throat as he sensed his mistress's tension.

In a moment Mia had planted herself in front of her brother, eyes flashing and lip curled. "Touch him and you'll be dead before you hit the ground," she hissed.

Kay grabbed for her arm, squeezing a little harder than was strictly necessary. "Mia, hush! You're only going to make things worse." his magic buzzed uncomfortably close to the surface of his skin.

[Lion]

Roland didn't have to defend himself to this whelp. But she didn't seem to understand what was happening.

"I have no interest in killing a potential prospect," he said. "You will stay here until I deem it safe for you to leave. Try to leave and you will be piked. Try and start conflict with my soldiers, and you will be hanged, We will do what we can to keep things respectable and extend our hospitality because I have you here as my guests. But even my patience has its limits."

[DragonSong]

Mia scoffed. "That makes us prisoners, not guests," she spat. Kay's grip on her arm tightened, but she refused to budge from her protective stance.

[Lion]

"However you choose to see it is your business," Roland sighed, and turned away from her. "Follow me if you're hungry. That venison isn't going to eat itself."

[DragonSong]

"Just breathe," Kay murmured before his sister could speak. She growled under her breath and jerked her arm away from him, but followed in silence.

[Lion]

The deer was being skinned and cut and cooked.  And while they had been talking a place was made for them by the fire and Roland took his seat on a log, and he took a tin plate and passed it across from him so that Mia and Kay each got a serving of beans, bread, and roasted venison.

He settled with his own food and while the rest of his soldiers quietly prayed before digging in, he simply stabbed the meat, cut it and scarfed it down.

[DragonSong]

Obviously still wary, the twins took the offered plates and hovered, standing, before Kay finally started to pick at the food. Mia sniffed as though checking for poison, then cautiously took a bite.

[Lion]

"Enjoying the meal?" he asked with a nudge of his head to Kay.  "Or thinking we put tin shrapnel in it to kill you slow and painfully?"

[DragonSong]

The mage just raised one eyebrow. "Can you blame me?"

Mia snorted, fisting her hand in Brutus's fur as she picked at the food.

[Lion]

"Not at all. But I guess I should have made it clear if we wanted you dead, we would have left you in the forest.  Please, try to relax," Roland said. He looked to Brutus and gave the dog a piece of his meat, which the dog promptly gobbled up.

[DragonSong]

Mia frowned. Her war hound knew better than to take food from strangers. He must be really off from the attack.

Kay laid a hand on her back soothingly, but kept quiet, eyes flicking around constantly as he picked at his food.

Relaxing didn't much seem like it was in the card.

[Lion]

"I have offered you food and housing for the duration of your stay because I'd like to get to know you better. You two seem like intelligent individuals.  And should be raised right more or less.  So Kay, I'm curious. What kind of mage are you?  What are your abilities?"

[DragonSong]

The twins stiffened again and Brutus growled, sensing the tension. Kay stared at the man, hard.

"Forgive me, sir, but I think I'm going to need a bit more to go on so far as trust is concerned before I talk about that," he said evenly, eyes cold.

Mia leaned into his side subtly, eyes down but shoulders set and wary.