Luminosity

Tombs and Blades (Swords of the Cutlass Coast) (Lum & Poo)

It felt like an odd time to be asked on another date. And there was little point trying to argue it was anything else. Their flirtatiousness may have been joking for the elf's sake, but it came naturally enough to both of them, unless Markus was a particularly skilled actor, which Valerie did not believe to be the case. Honestly, she couldn't tell if the distraction from the thought of risking her life later in the day was welcome, or if she'd be better off putting it aside. Her childhood instructor in swordplay came to mind, urging her to focus on the matter of life and death at her hands, and not on anything else. At the time it had been her brothers and friends watching, but she could just as easily hear him now, warning her not to let her wild heart get in the way of what she had to do to survive.

"I had fun, too," she said, smiling back, though she withdrew her arm from his, hooking her thumbs under her belt instead. She hesitated for a moment. "I'd... yes, I'd love to do it again, once this is dealt with."

She found she couldn't stop herself, but she wasn't really sure why she wanted to. Was it poor timing? Valerie wasn't sure if there was ever going to be good timing, at least not as her old life stood. Markus was no proper match for a trueborn noble girl, likely no one out here was. But then, Valerie was not in that life anymore, and it was yet unclear when or even if she could return. And for the moment she was still trying to learn how to navigate this new life.

For the moment, she could focus on supplying herself. Her rucksack was a little light, with not enough food for more than a few days on the road. Come to think of it, she didn't really know what she'd need for being in the wild a prolonged time, having never taken a contract that required it.

Tombs and Blades (Swords of the Cutlass Coast) (Lum & Poo)

Valerie reached up to squeeze Markus's hand with her own when he placed it on her shoulder, and offered him a small, closed-lip smile in thanks. She took the encouragement to heart, starting to believe her own words about how they could handle the job with little trouble. At the very least, they didn't have to depart right now. She was eager to fill her belly and get as good a night of rest as she could.

It was no private bath, the likes of which she'd had access to in her childhood home, but washing herself of the dirt, sweat, grime, and blood of the day was incredibly relieving. It was something she'd noticed more and more since leaving home behind: what she had at her disposal from town to town was very much inferior, but her appreciation for each bit of it, from the food to the drinks to the chances to wash to the company she came across, was far greater. Risking her life had a way of magnifying the value of the little things.

She found Markus's note quickly after she awoke, slid under the base of her door. The nervousness began to coil back into her belly as she dressed herself and strapped on her gear, but she didn't dwell on it, focusing instead on the smallest of things. Making sure her boots were tightened properly, checking her range of motion after tying on her breastplate, losing herself in the pattern on the sash around her waist. She buckled on her swordbelt, tied up her hair, and headed out the door.

A quick breakfast from the inn was all she felt she needed to get going, and when she was out in the cool morning air she headed north as directed, finding her way towards the little town's marketplace. She did indeed catch the end of the conversation Markus was having with Eloryen, noting his lack of faith in their chances, among his other comments, before the elf cut himself off.

"Have any interest in the fair maiden's sword?" she asked, though only half serious. "She just sharpened it this morning, and she wouldn't mind introducing you." She didn't mind the joking name. After all, she still carried more of the noble girl's appearance than Markus did of his former life, if indeed he'd ever been that way. And she'd been called far worse on some of her first contracts by men with intentions that were actually dreadful.

She took Markus's arm, and smiled back at the elf as they departed. "Don't be jealous of the coin we collect on our return, now."

Tombs and Blades (Swords of the Cutlass Coast) (Lum & Poo)

Grabbing her things, Valerie followed Markus on his way out of the tavern, though she made sure to catch the attention of the waitress and make sure she knew they were returning for the food they ordered, and that they'd pay for it as well. She was quite hungry after all. Buckling her sword-belt back around her hips, she exited the tavern into the cool evening air, noting that few enough seemed interested in whatever had just been pinned to the board.

She stood close beside Markus so she could read the notice along with him. Honestly, she'd underestimated the funds the little town was willing to give out for work, as the reward for the job seemed quite generous to her. Perhaps that was because of the very high risk involved. Still, payment wasn't Valerie's biggest concern when sizing up a contract. Hillglen needed something like this to better plan a response to the incursions, and someone had to be willing to go out and do it.

"Well I'm not going to let you go alone," she answered, quickly enough, and steadily too. They'd already proven beneficial to each other in the previous scrap, and Valerie was hardly going to allow a friend of hers to take a risk like this on his own. She glanced back at the contract, noting the rewards for trophies from specific races. Ogres and Giants were almost certainly more than she could handle, as even single orcs were often serious threats to her, but Valerie was thinking positively. The job didn't actually require any killing in the description.

She took a deep breath to steady herself, and exhaled. "If we're careful, we can avoid most conflicts. Only strike when we have to, and make sure we do so on our terms. Hopefully we don't have to take many risks, and we can make it back in one piece." Of course, she was no expert on orcs or the other savage races, and navigating their territory in of itself was a great risk. They would only have themselves and each other to rely on, but Valerie was not easily deterred.

"We can do this," she said as she nodded. It was mostly for her own sake.

Tombs and Blades (Swords of the Cutlass Coast) (Lum & Poo)

Valerie didn't disagree with being called reckless. It was hardly the first time she'd been called such. The leniency she was shown in childhood, combined with the training she was given and her natural talent, had turned her into a young woman who was perhaps overly eager to put those skills to use. Ruling over lands had never been in her future, as what could be passed down would go to her older brothers, and to be honest she'd always despised the idea of simply starting and managing a family for a life. Thus she preferred the word adventurous even if reckless was sometimes more accurate. What other way allowed her to see the world, utilize her abilities, and do so with a clear conscience?

It was dangerous, yes, and she'd almost lost her life that very day. But she didn't, thanks to Markus, and as a result she had a chance to learn from her mistake, and improve until she could handle more and more.

When the waitress came by, Valerie declined the extra ale, having not yet finished her first, and knowing she certainly wouldn't require a second. She did order for a salad, at least, hoping to eat something fresh before she was on the road again. She glanced out the window and thought over his question for a moment.

"I was going to go back south," she admitted. "I figured there were be more chances for contracts there. But after the fight, I think I'd actually rather see if there's something that can be done here." Perhaps that was the reckless side of her speaking again. Any job here would have a near guarantee of danger, given the orc presence. "It seems like a good place here, and one that could use the help."

Tombs and Blades (Swords of the Cutlass Coast) (Lum & Poo)

"It's been very freeing so far, at least for me," Valerie said, leaning her head momentarily against the palm of her hand. "Even if we're bound by contracts, we can still choose what we want to do. That's often more than minor nobility are offered." The nobility were all sworn to someone, typically the king or other ruler, just as their soldiers and the rest were sworn to them. Very few were given the choice of what they wanted to take from life. But for the moment it seemed Valerie had escaped from that. It was as Markus said: using their own skills to make something of themselves, not title or birthright required.

She wasn't altogether surprised Markus was a bastard. They often had more reason than most nobles to leave home behind, especially if the family saw them as some kind of threat. She wondered if that was entailed in the "shit" that Markus spoke of. She certainly wasn't going to press him for details yet. It was understandable not to want to reveal everything to a stranger, even if he and Valerie were no longer such. But his birth didn't change her impression of him.

"The Winter family is second only to the King's in my homeland, Ardennia," she explained, after taking a long drink. "I'm full-blooded Winter, the third child of four, and the only daughter. I was sparring in the yard long before I ever learned to dance." She grinned. A different kind of dancing, she supposed. Her brothers rarely went easy on her. "I didn't dislike the life, to be honest. I traveled often in our lands, visiting and helping the people. My parents were quite lenient with me, never tried to marry me off for an alliance or anything." She nearly shuddered at the thought.

"I left because of a war our King instigated. He became greedy and eyed the lands to the north, looking to expand. My family could not oppose him without bringing war to our own lands, but... I refused to follow when called. My father's relations with the King were strong enough that my opposition was overlooked, but I couldn't be allowed to stay within the borders." She shrugged. "So I guess that makes me an exile. I don't know if I made the right choice, but I feel like I'm making a difference where I travel, even if it's just a small one."

Tombs and Blades (Swords of the Cutlass Coast) (Lum & Poo)

Orc Ire and Dragon Fire. Valerie had already had her fill of one for the day, that was for sure. Perhaps the Dragon Fire referred to the drink. She certainly hoped so; a dragon being thrown into her day would probably be too much to survive. In all, the mood inside the place was lighter than Valerie had expected, and it brought a small smile to her face as she sank into the cushioned chair. Only leaving her home behind could truly make her understand the value of a good cushion. Her current chair was a little flattened from overuse, but it certainly beat the back of a wagon.

It was a rather unique place, as far as venues for her first dates had gone. Was this a date? Her gut said no, it wasn't, she and Markus were just fellow mercenaries that had survived a hard fight together, but the fact that he was off buying her drink made her feel like it was. Whatever it was, Valerie felt like she'd missed out on establishments such as this when she was younger. High-class taverns were overrated.

"Mm," she said after taking a drink, "I have to admit I expected much worse." The ale was excellent in all honesty, and Valerie felt the warmth of it snaking down into her belly. It was strong, but not overly so. She wasn't embarrassingly lightweight, but heavy drinking was not among her talents.

She grinned somewhat sheepishly at Markus. "Not the best I've looked going for a drink. I think there's still some blood on me, honestly..." She glanced down at her breastplate, which she hadn't bothered removing. "But I suppose everyone here is a little beat up."

Valerie reached behind her, untying the knot her hair was in and letting it fall past her shoulders. It was a bit of a mess, but she ran a hand through it and ruffled it behind her, trying to get it in some sense of order. "So, you said you've some noble blood? I wouldn't have guessed, actually, but I mean that in the best way possible." Nobles tended to have certain qualities that left them feeling elevated above the rest. Valerie was still trying to stamp out some of those qualities in herself, but it was a work in progress.

Tombs and Blades (Swords of the Cutlass Coast) (Lum & Poo)

Valerie found herself unable to keep from smiling, mostly from the slight awkwardness Markus was displaying. He was handsome in a rugged mercenary way, but it was somewhat obvious that he wasn't really in practice when it came to these sorts of things. Was it a bit early in the day for drinks? Perhaps not, with the chaos of the fight and the subsequent quiet of the aftermath, Valerie had lost track of time a bit. Maybe it was a bit early for her, but then, she was a mercenary now, and probably needed to get used to it.

Come to think of it, she'd never really been asked to get a drink in this way, like the common people did it. It actually made her feel a bit awkward to think about it. It was always over-groomed courtiers in the throne room, presenting themselves before her and her father, always with the very visible strings attached, in the form of whatever benefit their family would bring the Winters from a pairing. All things considered, she found the simple approach much more appealing.

"Alright," she said, doing her best to make sure her tone was encouraging. "I'd like that. Lead the way."

Tombs and Blades (Swords of the Cutlass Coast) (Lum & Poo)

Valerie eased off of the wagon once they'd come to a halt, glad to have finally arrived. The mood in the village was not the cheeriest, what with the armed men on constant watch, and the brave souls living within the walls looking on at the battered mercenaries that came with the caravan. She had to admire their fortitude. Mercenaries accepted the dangers they walked into, and were paid well enough for it. These people simply had to live with such threats, with their only reward being survival.

"Your payment," Tobias said, when he'd worked through the mercenaries before Valerie and Markus. He handed both of them a small coin pouch, which Valerie quickly stowed away inside her rucksack. "Threw in a few extra silver for you two, seeing as we've a few who can't collect now. You more than earned it, it was a tough fight."

Valerie couldn't disagree with that. "I'm sorry about your hand. Glad we could help get the caravan through."

"Ah, could've been worse." He gave both of them a clap on the shoulder, and took his leave, moving on to the other mercenaries still awaiting payment. Valerie turns to Markus, exhaling heavily.

"Well, where to? We have some extra coin on our hands, it seems."

Tombs and Blades (Swords of the Cutlass Coast) (Lum & Poo)

An attempt to prove their worth... Valerie wasn't fond of casting judgement on those she wasn't familiar with, but everything Markus told her left her with the impression that the orcs had a very backward culture, savage even. The attack they'd just survived had no other purpose than to slay them and take their weapons from their corpses. Valerie doubted an orc would even find much use for a sword like hers. It was a colossal waste on both sides, but there likely wasn't any way to persuade them into stopping. Which left them with the unfortunate ultimatum of killing or being killed.

The bumps in the road gave Valerie small jarring pains, but she imagined her discomfort was nothing compared to those who had received more grievous injuries in the fight. She turned to see the sight of Hillglen approaching, with walls of stone and timber protecting the little outpost. As they approached, Valerie noticed a great deal of wear on the walls. Splits in the wood where arrows had once struck it, or even gashes left from an axe, evidence of an orc or some other creature trying to literally tear the defenses down.

"It looks like this outpost deals with these attacks often," she pointed out. One nearby section of wall had signs of recent repairs, with the stones in place there looking significantly less weathered than those surrounding it. "I wonder if anything can be done." Likely they just didn't have the manpower to do anything more than weather the assaults, but Valerie found herself curious if they even knew where the orcs were coming from beyond a general direction.

Tombs and Blades (Swords of the Cutlass Coast) (Lum & Poo)

Valerie half-heartedly smiled back at Eloryen, but the aftermath of the battle left her not in the mood to be flirted with. She understood it was just his way, though, and so refrained from getting any more annoyed with it. Perhaps it was just how he forced some sense of normalcy back into the scene. She didn't feel particularly lovely at the moment, either, what with the blood spattered on her (none of it her own, thankfully) now beginning to dry, bits of dirt in her hair from when she'd hit the ground twice, and the sheen of sweat worked up from the fight.

"Probably a good idea," she replied to Markus, when he suggested the wagon ride again. It definitely felt more inviting now. There was work to do first, though, and they soon set out finding injured that were not beyond saving, and carefully transporting them back to the caravan. Valerie regretted that she didn't have any sort of trained skills in healing, leaving her unable to help them any further. There appeared to be a few among the mercenaries with some medical knowledge, mundane or otherwise, and most of the wounded they pulled in appeared to have a pretty good chance of pulling through.

Still, there were others that had already passed on, and there was nothing to be done for them but to recover the bodies, and to see that their final wishes in the event of their deaths were fulfilled. Hopefully they could at least be transported back to family, or given their desired rites. As for the slain orcs, the bodies were left behind. If the other orcs wished to reclaim them, they could return later and do so at their will.

Once they were back on their wagon and moving again, Valerie took the opportunity to untie her breastplate and set it aside, carefully checking over her sternum and ribs for any fracture. It was tender to the touch, but as far as she could tell she was still entirely intact.

"Why did they attack?" she asked Markus, taking up her armor again and beginning to secure it. There was still a chance of danger, of course. "Doesn't seem like orcs would care much for spices and sea stone. Are they just that eager for our blood?"