Member
((as usual indents are changes in writers))
"I hope I'm not interrupting anything between you two. Oh my, It looks your friend is quite popular with the other customers!"
“Ah, It’s fine lass, she’s busy so I shouldn’t hold her up from her work,” Allard replied with a hardy chuckle of his own.
"If you're not fast enough I'm afraid one of the other two will snatch her away from you... Or I may even do it myself!"
Allard reddened as the woman approached and whispered in his ear. He was not expecting that at all. He had a broad, sheepish smile as he laughed a bit uncomfortably and scratching the back of his head. “Oh, no! I’m not looking for that, I knew her when she was young, she…” his face seemed to drop a bit as the subject of his family came back around to him, “She was one of my daughter’s good friends...” His face seemed to brighten back up again, but a very trained eye could probably notice it was only a facade. “Besides, I haven’t been home in years, can’t just arrive and start making a ruckus on anyone’s behalf. Look at her, she can and probably has been able ta handle herself for a while now.”
Nailah watched as the man replied her. That was deffinitely not the answer she was expecting. Maybe others wouldn't notice that his change of expression was merely a facade, but Nailah was experienced in understanding emotions and things like that. That man had a broken heart and wounded mind.
"Oh, I didn't know about that. I'm sorry." Nailah said, straightening her posture and looking at the man with a worried expression.
"Would it be ok if I asked you what happened?" Nailah asked.
"I will understand if you prefer to not talk about it." She continued, waiting for the giant man's reply. Trying to hide and suppressing one's own emotions wasn't a good idea. It didn't matter how strong one thought they were, sooner or later, that would corrode his heart and mind, making him nothing but a mere shell of his former self.
"Its uh...that obvious, huh?" Allard said in a low tone, his face returning to that solemn one from a moment ago. He turnd his tankard, which seemed rather small for him, around in his hand and looked back over to the beautiful young woman before him. "I'm not sure ya would want ta hear my tale, lass. It doesn't make fur a good drinking' story, I'll tell ya that much. My name is Adelhard Baldewin, ya can call me Allard."
"Oh, don't worry, It's not that obvious. I just know when people are trying to hide something. You can call... female intuition if you want..." Nailah said with a giggle.
"I'm Nailah, just Nailah." she said, with a warm smile as he said that it wasn't a pretty story for her to hear.
"Every tale deserves to be heard, be it a sad or a happy one." she said, looking to the giant man, whom now wasn't trying to hide his true feelings.
"As a Priestess from the Cult of the fallen Goddess, mending and healing broken hearts and minds are something we know how to do very well. So you can tell me everything you want to say, ok? How you feel, what do you think... I'm here to hear you." Nailah said, resting her head on one of her hands, as if waiting for him to start telling her his tale.
Allard sighed heavily. He had never heard of any Cult of the Fallen Goddess, but maybe talking with someone would help. He looked up from his drink and into Nailah's eyes, the years of his struggles written on his face. They were strong, yet tired eyes, though fire still burned within them. He nodded to her. "It was eleven years ago, I used ta farm tha fields a few miles from here. I had a family here....a wife and two children. One, a strong lad following in my footsteps, and tha other, a gentle daughter, beautiful as her mother and twice a spoiled," he said with a faint chuckle. "My whole world on a small plot of land.... It was an honest living.... but it didn't last."
Allard leaned back as he rubbed his face, hand stopping over his mouth as his eyes stared off into the distance, recalling what happened. He closed his eyes for a moment before continuing. "There was a raid... I found out later that it was tha Therosi looking for slaves. The other farmers didn't last even a second. I held my ground as long as I could, trying ta protect my family, but I couldn't kill them all. They had strong magic, and there were just too many.... I couldn't protect my family." He was silent for a moment as he gathered himself so he could go on. "My son and my wife didn't make it. My daughter was taken from me. They believed she would be valuable. My left arm was destroyed and my wings were left paralyzed, but after fighting them off fur so long, they ended up selling me ta tha Fotians ta be a gladiator in their damned arena." There was another pause as he took a drink of his ale. "I was trapped in there for eleven long years fighting many other people in the same situation I was in. Many of us just trying to survive, and let the other live if there was some way to. Then one day, I had a new challenger, it was supposed to be some big event, but it was just a ploy by an angered noble ta earn some justification ta execute me. When tha gates opened, I was instantly stunned. After all these years, I was reunited with my daughter, Hildebrand. And she was my arena opponent. I couldn't imagine what hell they put my sweet girl through, but she looked broken, I will never forget that. I refused to fight, which was an executable offence, but for me, not her...." Allard's grip tightened on his daughter's sword unconsciously, "When he gave the order for the archers to fire, that bastard fired at my daughter....I wasn't fast enough to stop them all."
There were tears in his eyes, and as he held them back he cleared his throat as it felt there was a lump he couldn't get rid of. "I'm sorry," he apologized as he rubbed his eyes. "I lost myself in a mad rage, killing anyone or anything in my way ta killing that noble. When that dead was done, I deliriously tried ta escape with my daughter back home, but ended up in Vrondi. Hilde, didn't make it." He took a deep breath, collecting himself once more. "She was strong, and became a warrior, so I took her blade and engraved her name on it," He stood up and drew her blade and laid it on the table, it was large like a regular person's greatsword, but for Allard, it was as nimble as a saber. "In my family, and in many others, a family has a sword that is passed from generation ta generation. Tha names of their wielders inscribed on the blade when they pass. Once the last name is set, the name is copied to a new blade, forged the same way, and the process starts anew. The old blade is hung in the family tomb, a record of sorts. This is now hers, she has started her own path, as many women don't carry the blade, but she was more than worthy." He then drew his own massive weapon, the weight being nearly impossible for anyone to wield. It could only be described as a giant paddle made of steel and sharpened on one side. It had many names on it, and it was completely full. If one was fast to read, there was a fresh inscription, looking to be done by hand that filled what could only be seen as the last space on the sword reading, 'Adelhard' Allard set the blade down as well, shaking the room even though he was careful with it. "With this blade, I swear I will make them all pay. Every last one. Maybe then my spirit can be at ease...." He sat down and looked over to Nailah. "It is foolish, I suppose... But I can't let what they have done go unanswered."
Nailah listened carefully to Allard's story. Just as he said, it really wasn't a good drinking tale. The world wasn't very kind with Allard. If having his wings ruined, his left arm destroyed wasn't enough, he had to lose his lands, his wife and his son, was sold to the fotians to fight on the arenas, forced to fight against his own daughter, only to loose her shortly after...
Allard was already only a shell of his former self. For Allard, he had already died a long time ago, when he lost his life at the farm... The biggest proof of that was his name written on his own sword. The only thing keeping him going is the wish for vengeance. It wasn't surprising when she saw that giant man, who looked like a fortress on the exterior, clear his throat, holding back his own tears.
Gently putting her hand on his cheeks, she pulled him closer, making him rest his head on her chest.
"Don't hold your tears, Adelhard. It is ok to cry... You went through a lot, didn't you?" Nailah said, gently running her fingers through his hair. Not like a lover, but like a mother would.
"It doesn't matter how strong you are, how brave or even how foolish you are... Everyone cries, even gods do. Being honest with one's feelings, wishes and desires... There is nothing wrong about that. Being honest with one's own feelings won't make you weaker..." Nailah continued.
"I won't say that wanting to avenge your dead family is a wrong thing, because the one who did that to you certainly deserves it, but you need to do something first, Allard. Cry. Mourn your dead family, cry for as long as you need to, don't try to carry the world upon your shoulders, at least not alone." she continued, her voice with a melodic tone as Allard could feel her hot skin, warming his own.
Allard was taken aback, to say the least. Its felt like ages since someone has held him in their embrace, it almost felt foreign, like something from a hazy memory. He was stunned by how forward she was and her caring for someone she had only met but moments ago. His body shuddered, some tears did fall here and there, but he held himself from making a loud show of it. Whether it was of pride, habit, or just keeping it all in because he was in public and didn't want to look weak despite what she told him, he wasn't altogether sure. Most likely all of the above. "I've never told anyone about my past," he admitted to her looking up into her eyes, his strong jaw locked as he took a deep wavering breath through his nose. "Eleven years, not a soul. Nobody left for me ta take my troubles to. Yet you," He gently pulled away from her, "You came ta me... a total stranger." He honestly didn't understand why she seemed to feel so strongly about his feelings, why she wanted to hear his story, or why fate has brought her to him, but he wasn't against it, and he almost felt compelled to do as she asked. "I need ta do something I should have done as soon as I came here.....Would you accompany me?"
Nailah couldn't help but let out a satisfied smile, after all, that was what a priestess of the cult was supposed to do. That man, Allard, had already been through too much on his life on his own. He didn't knew how to be honest anymore, closing himself from the world and everyone. But he could still be changed.
"This is what we priestess of the Fallen Goddess do. We save not by preaching, punishing and judging others, but by understanding, sharing their pain, loving, caring about them and making them feel loved, desired..." Nailah said, with a warm smile.
"I don't know for how long I'll stay here on this town, nor do I know my next destination, but before I go, I would be happy if I could show at least one person how to live, how to be happy once more." Nailah said, agreeing in going with him.
Allard stood up from the table, retrieving his swords and leaving proper payment plus a little extra for Raquel's tip. "Alright then, it's not too far from here." When they left, he stopped by a store and bought a few candles. The destination they arrived to was the cemetery. A little ways in, they arrived a small stone building, In it were two swords, much like Allard's were hanging inside. "This is is the tomb of my ancestors. Many generations are inscribed on these blades.....Thank you for coming with me..." He took a deep breath looking at it as he took the candles and placed them in front of a plaque that had two names on it, 'Rosemary Baldewin' and 'Ferrin Baldewin'. While the swords bore the names of the families warriors, then were a multitude of plaques with his ancestors names on it similar to a regular cemetery. He took out an inscribing tool from his pouch and engraved 'Hildebrand Baldewin' in it as well, then left what looked to be a small pendent on top of it, a part of her belongings to symbolically say she was buried here. Along the edges of the building was written, 'Take this blade, when completely shrouded in the names of our warriors passed, and display it proudly in the tomb of our ancestors. Then go. Forge your own blade, and continue our legacy.' All ard drew his blades and sunk them both into the earth in front of him and knelt down to one knee. He lit the candles, in a long silence, but after a while his silence became grieving, finally letting out the pain he had felt all these years, away from the city with ears around every corner, and back in his homeland. His other knee came to the ground as his body leaned forward, elbows in the ground, face to the dirt. It felt right, his heart still heavy but it felt as if a burden had been lifted from his soul.
Before leaving, Nailah quickly searched the room for the waitress whom she had ordered her food. After finding her, she walked towards her as Allard was still leaving his payment.
"I will be already back, you can keep the hunter's stew warm and the drink ready." Nailah whispered, with a small wink towards the waitress before following Allard.
After stopping to buy some candles, they finally arrived at their destination, the graveyard. There, they entered a small stone building with two swords that resembled Allard's inside. After hearing his explanation, she gave a step back as he started the ritual he had just described to her. That was something very particular and Nailah knew it would be best if she let him do it in silence.
After he sank his swords on the earth, he knelt down, lighting the candles in a long silence. But after the silence, he leaned forward, his elbows on the ground and his face touching the ground, grieving. Nailah could feel that he was finally allowing himself to cry after so many years.
Walking towards him, Nailah stopped besides Allard, gently raising his face from the dirt, cleaning it the dirt from his face with her hands.
"Would you let me see your sword, Allard?" she asked, looking at him.
Allard slowly got off the ground and straightened himself out, rising back up to one knee. He nodded to her, and with a single hand he pulled the blade out from the dirt, and then just rested the tip of it against the ground so that she may see it, but he didn't try handing it to her, knowing it would be impossibly heavy, especially since the blade alone was nearly as tall as she was.
Nailah reached to the part where his name was engraved, touching it with her index and middle finger. After a brief moment, the scales on her fingers started heating up until her mere touch was able to make the surface of his sword incandescent. Slowly dragging her fingers where his name was, she erased the engraving, making the metal under her fingers as smooth as it was before.
"With this you're free from the shackles that bound you, Allard. You're not chained to your own past anymore. You've suffered enough." Nailah said, letting go of the sword.
"Whether you still want vengeance or not is up to you, but remember about what your family would have wanted for you. Honor their memory and your love for them by raising your head and continuing walking forwards. Live your life to the fullest, for your son and daughter, who lost their lives before it was their time, for your wife, whom loved you to the bottom of her heart and for yourself, who experienced that what no one should have to." Nailah continued, extending her hand to him, helping him to get up.
"Allow yourself to enjoy your own life once more, Allard. There is no need for suffering anymore." Nailah finished, with a kind smile.
When Allard stood up, it seemed like he was standing even taller than before, if one could imagine anyway. He held his sword up, light catching on the bare spot where his name used to be, a smile on his face as a hearty chuckle rumbled from his chest. "The only tears I will shed for my family after this day are those of joy when I get ta hold them once again." Allard Sheathed the sword and picked her up, embraced her though careful not to hurt her, lifting her off the ground. "I can't tell you how much this meant to me today, Nailah. I feel alive once again!" He set her down and pulled the other blade from the ground, sheathing it as well. "Please, I know it isn't much, but use my room to stay in tonight, I will just sleep outside. It's the least I could do."
Nailah couldn't help but let out a satisfied smile as Allard embraced her, lifting her off the groud. His expression was almost like if someone had just taken the world off his shoulders.
"I feel glad that I found someone who needed guidance." Nailah said after he thanked her.
"Although I must say... Normally, this is not something I do for anyone... Maybe it was really the goddess who guided me to you." Nailah said, with a smile and a thoughtful expression before she looked at him again.
"Hey! I could swear you were not as big a few moments ago... Was that thanks to me?" Nailah said after he put her down, looking at him with a slightly suggestive giggle as she slowly got back to her usual, naturally flirty personality.
"Thanks for your offer though, but I would feel guilty to just take your room like that and sending you to sleep outside!" Nailah continued.
"But don't worry, I plan to stay at that Inn at least for tonight. So if you miss me I'll be just a few steps away!" Nailah said, laughing. Whether she was joking or not with that statement is impossible to say.
"Should we go back? I am ve~ry hungry and there is a steaming hot hunter's stew waiting for me. Besides... I still want to see what that handsome knight and that hot amazonian woman will do regarding their little 'dispute' for your your friend's daughter!" Nailah said with a mischievous smirk.
"Aye, I must say I feel a great weight has been lifted, all thanks ta yur council. If ya ever need anything at all, don't hesitate ta ask, I'll do my best ta help." He seemed a little dismayed that he couldn't at least offer her something in return. "Ah, the night mountain air does a body good. I'd be fine."
"Oh-uh alright then, glad ta hear it!" Allard responded to her staying at the inn, turning a bit red with that sheepish grin from earlier. "It's probably a good time ta head back. As for Raquel, I'm not sure I nor her father want ta know how that will turn out," he said with a laugh as he followed her back to the inn.
After a short walk, they got in front of the inn again. Nailah could smell the food inside, reminding her that she hadn't eaten yet.
"You won't be satisfied until you can repay me somehow, won't you?" Nailah asked, looking to Allard with a chuckle.
"If you really insist, you could pay for my food!" Nailah said, laughing as she got inside the inn, sitting down in a table just as someone called her order.
"Ooh~ Lucky~ I was worried I would have to wait some more." She said, winking towards Allard.
"That's right," Allard replied about repaying her, "Though, as amazing as the stew is, I hardly think it equates to what you have done for me." He sat down with her, a serious look on his face, though not a sad one. "I have a proposition, if you would hear it. I joined this alliance so that I may one day confront those who attacked my family, And I do still plan ta do that one day. But, I owe you my life, of that I am certain. I also see that you travel alone, and although I am sure you are capable, let me offer you my protection. For saving my life, I wish ta protect yours."
"Having such a big and strong man just to protect me? I'm such a lucky girl~" Nailah said with a giggle.
"And... An Alliance, you say...?" Nailah asked, lifting an eyebrow after he told her his proposal.
"I suppose the Amazonian woman and the armored knight who stand out like sore thumbs are part of said alliance group, right?" Nailah asked with discreet laugh. She couldn't imagine both that armored oro and the tyro Amazonian woman on the same group.
"As I said before, I don't really have any destination... Hanging around with this alliance group of yours sure sounds really interesting!" Nailah said as her hunter's stew arrived together with a drink.
"Allright, I'll accept your proposal. I'll travel with you guys for a while. I'll be on your care~" Nailah said, slowly licking her lips after eating some of the stew.
"Mmmph~~" Nailah moaned with a satisfied expression.
"By the Goddess, this stew is amazing!" Nailah said with a giggle.
"Oh, and talking about the Amazonian woman... It looks she was just re-jec-ted~!" Nailah said, looking to the Tyro woman as she covered her mouth with her hand, giving her a provocative giggle and discreetly pointing towards the armored man, who just got out of the inn together with the waitress, which by the way, seemed to be pretty happy about that.
