Ssarak Dyreackthanose and Lyn
Ssarak walked with Lyn at his side, holding her hand gently. In his mind, he went through what arguments he might make for allowing Lyn to stay with them, which was not entirely easy, considering that he did not even want Lyn to join them. He would much rather return her to the safety of the college, but as he and Meirin discussed, that was simply not a viable option. He could always take the tough approach by making it clear that the majority of his guards would refuse to leave Lyn behind, and pointing out that it would be suicide to go on without them. Ssarak did have the advantage of leverage in that case, but he would much prefer to keep his argument civil. Unlike Alaira, he had no intentions of burning bridges without looking for another option first. It was his hope that the caravan master had some level of sympathy within him, and that Lyn could help to bring it out.
Taking a seat in the annoyingly small chair across from the caravan master, who was drinking alone, Ssarak lifted up Lyn into his lap. "How are you feeling? The events at the bridge were stressful, near traumatic, almost. My friend is speaking with Alaira regarding her actions as the moment, so I am hoping we will not have a repeat of the incident." He explained to start the conversation.
The caravan master just grunted when Ssarak arrived. When Lyn came along, he continued to look into his mug. "Look... I know why you're here... And I think I made myself clear before... The roads are already dangerous enough with these talks of demons and bandits, and that pyrominiac harlot ain't make this trip any safer. Last thing I want weighing on our minds is the safety of this little girl." The caravan master refused to look at Ssarak or Lyn and continued to drink from his mug until it was empty, in which he simply began to drink from another mug he had near him.
Ssarak gave an understanding nod to the caravan master. "I understand your concerns, as I share them myself. I know what dangers we may face on the road, as we have likely only experienced a taste of what this land may throw at us. Unfortunately, I fear our options are limited. She would be safest at the college, but with the bridge out, I do not know if any of us could take her back alone. My friend healed me as best as she could, but my wings are still in no condition to carry the both of us all the way back. She was able to hide well enough in the carriage to avoid detection from all of us, so as long as we protect it, we can protect you and her simultaneously. And to leave her here...it would certainly be a death sentence for her." He explained, glancing down to Lyn with a worried expression that seemed completely genuine.
As he was awaiting the caravan master's response, he decided to give a telepathic message to Lyn. "I wouldn't be worried about his attitude, he has been through a lot. He nearly died back at the bridge, so I think it shook him up. You are a wonderful little girl, and I think he will come to like you. Why don't you give him a smile? See if you can help cheer him up." He suggested with a slightly cheerful "tone." While Lyn was not Human, her face and body was close enough that the caravan master might view her with the same kind of sympathy. After all, she was a toddler who was small, seemingly defenseless, and, by Human standards, quite cute. Just to be sure he could judge the caravan master's reaction properly, Ssarak also reached into his mind to sift through his drunken thoughts.
Lyn had been idly toying with her bear after Ssarak had lifted her into his lap, her feet careful not to smack into his leg. It wasn't until his words edged into her head that she instinctively looked at him, more out of habit then need when someone talked to her either in her head or out of it. She noted his suggested and seemed eager to help. So Lyn shifted in her seat, her eyes fixed upon the man to flash him a genuine smile that seemed to make her cheeks dimple.
"Nsh... No, it's too dangerous for a kid like her... Roads ain't safe for anyone, not even her..." That is what the caravan master said. But as Ssarak looked into his thoughts, the caravan master was trying to drown a different image in his head.
It was another caravan, but with a larger group, a better wagon, and it was a bright and shining day. The caravan master was sitting at the front of the wagon, but beside her was a young woman. In his mind, the woman flickered between three images; one of a young girl around Lyn's age, another of an older young woman, perhaps around her teenage year. Another was a much older woman, more around the caravan master's age. And despite how each of the three images changed by their ages, they all shared a similar apperance about them. A daughter or wife perhaps? The alcohol was doing it's job to make it hard for both the caravan master to remember and for Ssarak to get a clear imagine, but the implications still remained.
But than the scene changed. The horse-drawn wagon are mvoing faster now. The caravan master glances behind him for barely a second, but in that second it felt as though hours went by. Images of horsemen, demonfied to be something much more horrible. The female next to the caravan master shrieks in three different voices. What came next became more blurry as the caravan master continued to drown the memories in ale, but it appeared that the caravan master was moving closer and closer to a large pit. A ravine. There is a bridge, but it looks far too narrow for even the wagon. It is. The caravan master and the female next to him are forced to dismount and run across the bridge. It looks decepitvly short, but as the caravan master tried to run across, the brdige grew longer and longer. By the time he reached the end, he was alone. There was no noise. He turned around, looking on the otherside of the bridge. There is nothing but darkness. He shouts, but no sound comes out. The images began to blur as the alcohol continues to take it's effects, and the scenes change.
The caravan master sits by a fire with a little girl in his lap. He appears to be reading a book, but instead of words there are images which move on their own, acting out the story. And in that story is the caravan master with the older girl, both on horses riding alongside each other. They seem to be talking, and as they move onto a new area it changes to the same caravan master talking to an older woman sitting on a wagon. It looks much like the one the group has been hired to guard. The caravan master looks grim, but the woman looks smug. She rides off on the wagon as the caravan master looks on. His face is gone, replaced by a blank visage before the entire memory turns to black.
"... Maybe she's a good little girl, but danger don't care who she is, and I don't care either. She can't come, not while I still run this operation..." The caravan master's speech is heavidly slurred and repetative. He has more or less been repeating the same message over and over, and isn't even drinking anymore. He just looks solemnly at a spot on the table, sipping what little of his ale remains in his mug. It looks like he's about to fall asleep.
While the caravan master's words were blunt and stubborn, his thoughts were far more interesting. With the alcohol in his system, the story they told was hazy, and not entirely complete, but it had clear implications. It was not that he did not care; indeed, it seemed that he cared a great deal. What Ssarak saw in the man's mind was not enough for him to know for certain what he wsa remembering, but it carried with it no small amount of pain. It was enough for Ssarak to realize that the caravan master did have genuine fear for Lyn's life, a fact that was quite useful in crafting his response. Ssarak just needed to convince him that leaving her here meant leaving her to die.
"I just...want her to be safe." Ssarak said, lowering his gaze and showing the same amount of sadness as the caravan master was feeling. He was exaggerating his emotions, but it wasn't entirely baseless, as he was drawing on the genuine fear he felt for Lyn's life. "The dangers we may face do not discriminate...but at least we could be there with her. While Alaira's recklessness may not have shown it, we are each skilled warriors. With us, she would be far from defenseless. Her name is Lyn; her kind matures quickly, but she was born only a few months ago. Her body looks a few years in age, but she has only the experience of an infant. Here, in this place, she has no one, no cheritable soul among the strangers. The only interest she has gathered was from the con artists outside attempting to scam her out of the coins she carried. She cannot survive here, as much as I wish she could. She cannot find food nor water on her own. To leave her here.." He said, pausing for just a moment to raise up his head and look at the caravan master while tightening his grip on Lyn just enough to be noticed. "...would be to leave her to death."
Lyn noticed the grip the Esyire had and again, her head tilted upward and looked at him. She seemed tensed. Her body ridged and saddened while she lifted one hand from her toy to place it on his arm as if saying it was alright. 'Everything alright?' It was simple and heartfelt, she didn't want anyone upset because of her. She didn't want that for anyone. Not her mother, father or even those she just met. Her head turned to the Caravan master and seemed to plead him for an answer to why Ssarak was upset.
The caravan master seemed to be asleep, though Ssarak's words simply struck him closer to his heart that the man would care to admit. "Neh... No... Too young... Not... This isn't the life for her..." The man mumbled weakly. In all honesty he likely didn't catch everything that Ssarak was saying. But his mistake was looking up. He was going to stare Ssarak in the eyes and try to make it clear to him that he had the final say, but instead of looking at the dragon, he saw Lyn. Thoughts flooded his minds as tears began to form.
The caravan master leaned forward, his face laying on the cold wooden table. He was sniffing and snorting, with his bread catching most of the snot. It was a fairly disgusting sight. "My little girl... This isn't the life for her I said, too dangerous I said, but no one listens! They think they're invincible in this world but they aren't! Stupid, stupid girl, she had so much... So much to give to the world..."
The caravan master became a blubbering, sobbing wreck. His mind was unfocused, but filled with bittersweet memories of his time with the girls from his previous thoughts. By the time he regained a semblance of coherancy, he was still protesting against the idea of bringing Lyn, but it was weak and repetative. "She can't come, I can't protect her, she needs to stay somewhere where it's safe and she won't have to worry about bandits or monsters or crazy bitches or getting hungry and being poor!"
The caravan master's words were confirming the pain Ssarak saw in his thoughts. For a moment, he looked down at Lyn once more and gave her another telepathic message. "I think he lost someone close to him in the past, so it makes him worried. It isn't that he doesn't like you, just that he wants you to be safe. I just need to show him that you will be safest with us."
Lyn blinked and shifted her toy to her shoulder, her eyes looked to the other man with eyes that seemed to sense the compassion. She in reality was at a loss to how to make it clear she wasn't as helpless as some might think. While she lacked the experience, her mother ensured she knew how to handle the dagger should she need it. Uncle Tyrael even ensure it was able to hold demons at bay by paralyzing them enough for her to retreat and run to safety. Quietly she listened to the pair continue.
Ssarak looked back up to the caravan master with a sympathetic expression. "I could not agree more. I would want nothing more than to return her to the college where she can be well-protected, where she will not face the dangers of the road, but there is no way for us to bring her back, not at this point. And leaving her here would be like dropping her on the side of the road for scavengers and opportunists to prey upon. As much as I hate it, as much as I wish there were another way, we are the only ones who will protect her. And no matter what we are going to be facing...I think we are her best chance. I have been trained as a warrior since the day I was hatched. My friend Meirin was raised by warrior monks from a monestary in this land, and I saw personally Darius' skill during the demon attack at the college months ago. Even Alaira, as reckless as she may be, is completely dedicated to protecting Lyn's life. Never have I seen someone so comitted to the safety of one not of their own blood. Had she known Lyn was in the carriage, nothing in Tien could have compelled her to leave its side. Bringing her with us...it is not the perfect plan, but it is the best we have."
The caravan master simply laid on the table. He seemed very tired and was easing in and out of consciencness. He wasn't in any state of mind to make a concrete decision, and he knew it. He wanted to keep saying no and trusting his gut, but his own heart couldn't stand to leave Lyn to the wolves. But he simply wasn't sure what to make of the situation. After a few minutes of snoring, the caravan master stood up. He began to walk away, stumbling. "I'll... Talking this... In the morning..." With great difficulty the caravan master headed back to his room. His thoughts were clouded and murky with memories of the past, but digging a bit deeper, the caravan master was already thinking of arrangements to fit Lyn in the wagon.
Lyn watched the man rise and walk away. Her toy cling tightly to her shoulder and her hands rested within her lap, her feet perfectly still during the last part. She twisted to look at Ssarak. 'Did I break him more?'
Ssarak would have liked to get a more definite answer from the caravan master, but it was clear that he was in no shape to continue their conversation, so he let him go without protest. Besides, his thoughts, as muddled as they were, revealed a bit more than his words. Upon hearing Lyn's thought, he looked down with a reassuring smile. "No, you did nothing to harm him. I believe it was his drink; he will be better tomorrow. Or...mostly better. I think he will be happy to have you along."
Since the caravan master was no longer present, Ssarak released his hold on Lyn so that she was free to get down from his lap if she so chose, though he did not force her to do so. "You were very helpful, Lyn. Just seeing you was enough to help him realize why you should come along. There are some things I would like to tell you, though, about where we are going. It is not very safe at all, which is why he didn't want you to come. I think you will be safer with us than alone, but I would like to help teach you what to do to be as safe as you can be, okay?"
'Like mommy did when I got my dagger.' Lyn's head instinctively tilted down to glance at her weapon, still fastened in her belt, safe and secure. She turned back to Ssarak and then nodded. 'Okay. What do I need to do?'
Ssarak had saw the dagger before, though it made him uncomfortable to think that she might actually have to use it at some point. At her age, it would be much better for her to remain hidden should danger arise. However, if Mar had felt it was safe for her to wield a weapon, he was not going to say otherwise. "Well, if we run into danger, the first thing you will want to do is stay hidden. I think it will not be too many years before you grow to be big and strong, but right now, you are still pretty small. But, that means you are just that much better at hiding, I think. You were able to hide in the carriage very well before. Actually, do you remember how you got in there?" He asked, taking a moment to satisfy a curious thought which had been on his mind.
Lyn listened intently up until the point Ssarak asked about how she got in there. Then her head tilted down and legs shifted in the same way guilty child did when they wanted to hide something they knew better then to. Her eyes averted while her hands pulled her toy to her small body. Her arms wrapped about it, hugging it tightly, as inside she struggled with what she should say. A big part of her didn't want Lucilia to be in trouble but she knew it was wrong to tell a lie. Even her mom had taught her that.
So she decided to change the question with another. However she knew it was only possible to delay it and if he insisted, Lyn knew she would have to tell him the truth. 'I can hide well but where?'
[i]"Well, the place you hid before seems like a good spot. We didn't actually find you until you got out by yourself." Ssarak answered, though it was not hard for him to notice that her answer wasn't quite as enthusiastic as before. Young children were really not the best of liars, and had plenty enough experience with them to catch her hesitation. "So, how did you end up where you were hiding? You can tell me. Nothing can change what has already happened, it will just help me understand it better."
Lyn bit her lip slightly, her eyes fixed on her toy being played with between her hands. Finally, after several moments, she set her bear on the table and answered. 'Lucilia helped me. She asked what I wanted and I showed her. Mommy and daddy were leaving which meant I had to stay at the college alone. Ponders can be fun but I hate bothering him and I was left behind. The other adults are too busy to always play with me. I just didn't want to be alone again and mommy's been sad lately, I didn't think she would've let me come along if I asked.'
Her shoulders slouched slightly while she seemed to sigh. She didn't like being alone and while the first several times her mom stayed behind, it wasn't the case this time. Her eyes held a slight pleading to them as she added more. 'Please, you won't tell anyone or tell mommy what I said, will you? I didn't mean to get Lucilia in trouble...'
Ssarak couldn't help but to feel angry upon hearing Lyn's explanation. If it was true, then Lucilia had willingly endangered her life, and the lives of the others on their mission, for no reason other than that she did not want to bother with keeping her entertained for a while. It was grossly irresponsible to a degree that Ssarak simply did not expect for a teacher at the college. Still, he maintained his composure, as there was no reason to concern Lyn with the issue, not at this point. "I wouldn't worry about Lucilia. I don't think anything I could say would ever get her in trouble. She is a very important person at the college. Still, I am going to talk to her about it, at least. She should not have put you on that wagon; it was way too dangerous. She should have found another way to help you stay happy. There are a lot of good people at the college, and she did not have to put you into danger. Anyway, like I said, nothing about that can be changed now. We just have to focus on keeping you safe. The dagger your mother gave you, how much do you know about it? What do you already know how to do with it?" He asked.
Lyn gave Ssarak an unsure look, then relaxed. 'Mommy wouldn't have given it to me unless she said I can use it. I know it's not something fun and that if I'm not careful, I can hurt someone. Uncle Tyrael said it was good against demons. Said if I managed to cut them, it would give me time to get away and find mommy or him. Daddy I need to hold it down and then slice...'
She paused a moment, her mind thinking it better to show then just tell. Her hand lowered and reached for it, gently and carefully pulled it free from its shealth. She placed it flat on the table to show the part that was sharpest. 'I use that part to cut if I have to, then I'm to put it in my shealth or keep it away from my body while I run away. I know daddy suggested I hit the area around the here,' she pointed to the blood rich veins of her thighs.
'Mommy also told me, if I have to then use my fangs.' Lyn's finger pointed to her fangs which had grown longer and sharper, If Ssarak looked closer, he note some murky clear fluid that seemed to drip upon her small finger causing her to wipe it away on her pants.
Ssarak nodded along with Lyn's explanation. Considering that her parents were Mar and Althalus, he wasn't surprised with the extent they had taught her to defend herself. He wasn't precisely sure in what manner the dagger was meant to be "good against demons," but if it was from Tyrael, then perhaps it had some kind of magic within it which would allow it to harm them more severely. If her fangs were anything like those of a venomous snake, however, they might actually be her most deadly tools. With many venomous creatures, anything from an infant to an adult had the same strength of venom.
"I think their advice is good. Just be sure that you run away whenever you can. Try to find one of us to protect you. You should only try to fight back if you absolutely have no other choice, and then, it should only be so you can run away. There are a few things I would like to suggest about the dagger, though." Ssarak began as he grabbed the weapon from the table and pressed it against his steel breastplate. "If you absolutely have to use the dagger, and the person threatening you is wearing armor, then you have to be very careful about how you use it. If you try to stab it in most places, like right here, then it will never go through, no matter how hard you try. Even if it isn't thick metal armor like mine, it will be hard to cut through a lot of different things. Some of the most common armor people wear is actually just thick layers of cloth, a lot like the clothes you are wearing, but even that takes a really strong swing or stab to break through."
Ssarak moved the dagger away from the breastplate and instead hovered it over the inside of his elbow. "Just to be safe, even if you don't think they are wearing something strong, you should try to for places that are weaker. If you look here, there is a small spot that the metal plate doesn't cover so my arm can move. A lot of other kinds of armor have even bigger gaps in places like that. That is where you should go for with the dagger. Here, I'll show you the different spots to aim."[/i] He said as he began to go through each gap in his armor, such as his knees, neck, and so on. The way the plates of his armor overlapped gave hm quite a lot of coverage, but it was not possible for armor to have no gaps at all.
Lyn watched, her eyes sincere in their expression while she tried to absorbed everything Ssarak spoke of. Her head tilted and shifted, following her blade as he pointed to each new part. She was sure if she was strong enough or could reach the places he show when the moment came but she would try. Her toy seemed to absorb the information better in its silent way, the dark, beady eyes moved faster then her own head and seemed to quickly digest the details. 'Alright. I'll try, promise. Also...'
She paused for a moment, her mind seemed to feel slightly guilty before she added the rest. 'I'm sorry if I made anyone mad or sad.'
With a sympathetic expression, Ssarak gently placed his hand on Lyn's shoulder as he answered. "I can say that you have not done anything to upset anyone else. I will not lie and say that the fact you are here will not cause any problems at all, but that is not your fault. Lucilia should not have put you on that wagon. Even if you wanted to come, you had no way of knowing that it would be dangerous. Lucilia should have known better. Just like I said before, though, nothing can change what has already happened, and there is no point in worrying about things you cannot change. Now, how about I give you one last bit of advice? The dagger, I think it would be best if you keep it hidden so no one can see it easily. When someone sees a blade like that, they know it is a weapon, and they know it is dangerous. If someone sees that you have a weapon, then they will know you are dangerous. If they cannot see it, though, then they will think you are harmless, and they might not try to hurt you at first. I can help you find a way to carry it so it will be hidden." He suggested.
'Alright, but where can I hide?' Lyn asked, her body slowly edged off Ssarak's lap so the Esyire could reposition her dagger. Her toy had made its way to the table and now sat there, eyeing the student as if ready to attack him should something not seem right. It seemed somethings didn't matter much to the toy other then Lyn's safety. Lyn, however, shook her head at it and seemed to be trying to discourage something while she returned her attention to Ssarak.
"Hmm." Ssarak began as he looked over Lyn for a good place to conceal the weapon. There were a few options that might work, but one seemed notably simple. "Well, your turnic is rather long. Instead of wearing the belt for the scabbard outside, you could simply wear it underneath. If you practice, you could still draw it fairly quickly. That way, if someone threatens you and you cannot run away, they will not expect to have to defend themselves."
Lyn nodded as she lifted her arms to undo the belt, then handed it to Ssark. She then lifted her tunic and held it in place so the Esyire could fasten it about her slender hips where the leather rubbed slightly against her skin, which was really perfectly layered scale. It offered only a margin more protection then normal skin but hardly anything that made a difference worth noting. After it was placed seh shifted uncomfortably for a moment, not use to the leather's coldness against her body, then thanked him with a smile. 'Better?'
Ssarak smiled and nodded. "Better." He said, this time aloud. "Now, how about we simply relax for a while and stop worrying about such stressful topics."
