Runaway dragon – Chapter 4

A day has passed them by along the streets of Kambaresa. Well, specifically in the quarters which they’ve killed the time that Eyren has been hoping to recuperate for, even if she can’t tell how swiftly that will transpire. Amid these hours, Eyren has used most of it staying and sleeping on the floor on an extra piece of pelt by Nivra’s room. Although there has been some discussion and then reading her book in solitude, Eyren has had space to consider her previous actions and whether she can still get behind them. She will confess that she has come to the notion that the first real conversation they engaged in wasn’t one she’s wholly satisfied with, for she wonders whether she was too dismissive. This lady has to have withstood quite an ordeal tackling this eastern lord and his many goons in the midst of her capture, and Eyren certainly has sympathy for her. At the same time, Eyren is altogether conscious of that she can’t truthfully consent to Nivra’s point of view with the Resistance. Her custom does not correspond with that of their breed of organization and even if she resonates with the conclusion that nobles shouldn’t hold that severe power in the realm, getting assimilated into the rebel ranks would only hamper Eyren’s abilities and path. She’s a loner, a nonconformist, a traveler of the less perceived pathways in society. She does not believe her efforts are best used in taking down this lord or that, but to protect and guide people away from the danger which lurks in the shadows.

For the time being, the two of them have begun leaguing their exploits in order to plumb Kambaresa for how to most efficiently get out of it. When having asked how Nivra docked here in the first place, she relayed that she’d bought a trip with a caravan which had trekked the whole way from western Rhasgolmah, the central-eastern province and neighbor of Ahterilio. She had been wishful regarding that she could lay low for a couple of weeks inside the walls of the city, but as she got underway, only two days later, she started noting a volume of surplus Ahterilonans around, more than should’ve been imaginable. It seemed clear to her that her location and route had been exposed, and the answer had to be that she was either betrayed or stalked. And honestly, Eyren wouldn’t find that staggering in the least, for when it comes to bounty hunters of the highest class, they tend to be painfully painstaking.

A number of hours latterly, the duo has moved around and get to scope out the district of the city, hoping to attain fresh knowledge that they can exploit. Nivra is standing with her hood up within an alley, obscured by the shadows, while she holds for Eyren to make a terse round about the region. Soon enough, she’s taken back and wanders into the walkway with a nod.
“Yo. Got a sitrep, then?”, wonders the Ahterilonan.

Being back in her wanderer’s gear, including the armor pieces, sword and shield across her body, Eyren tilts into a wall and shrugs, dipping her eyes sideways to ensure she doesn’t regard anyone shadowing her.
“It doesn’t look bad, I would say. Not any increased guards that differ from the other entrance per se, but it remains tight. They’re not significantly more vigilant or anything, though.”

“Well…that’s a relief. Anything curious in the surroundings?”

“Yeah, like you figured earlier, that slot is definitely being monitored.”

Nivra’s brow sinks a tad.
“Oh yeah? Weirdos in the shadows or what?”

“Believe I could see a handful of outsiders who’re watching both of the exits, yes. Can’t declare they’re all Ahterilonan, nor can I grant a precise number, but it’s unmistakable that they’re surveying for…something. If you asked my professional opinion, I’d tell you they’re lurking for you making an attempt to slip out of either outlet, since there’s no other approach. Well, unless you’d like to climb the walls.”

“Heh, I’m not crap at acrobatics, but I wouldn’t go and get that crazy, no.” Taking in a breath and nervously flickering her vision around them, which she’s inclined to run with whenever they’re outside, she sighs curtly. “Then again, I saw this coming. Suspected people would watch for me no matter how or where I hoofed it. You don’t worm yer way outta Ennius’ claws free of his bootlickers sniffing your ass and being ready to toss a rope ’round your neck.”

“This holds for all people of power, I would think.”

“Yeah, maybe…” She shakes her head. “Just…dunno how I’ll deal with that shit. Especially in here.”

“There are more than a few options, actually, which I can devise. One of them is tracking down a trader who’s leaving elsewhere. There’s dozens of them coming and going pretty consistently and they might take you out for the right price.”

Nivra rolls her head a smidgen, seeming hesitant.
“I’ve considered that, but it’s not as smooth as I’d like. Plus, it’s how I got in here, and got found out. There’re no assurances it won’t end the same way.”

“True. They’ll likely spot you again, I guess. Not to mention, if one person is willing to take your coins to abet you, they’ll definitely accept it from the people looking for you.”

“No arguments here.”

“Another would be that you bribe the guards to do the same. They’ll keep the best solutions for a swift getaway and might even provide a sense of secrecy, being that they work for the person who owns the city.”

“Eh, that’s…not impossible, but pretty unfeasible. I’m not rich on coins, y’know.”

With a faint snort, Eyren produces a comfortless smile.
“We’re in the same boat, then. Which is the whole point behind the bounty being of interest to me at all.”

“That’s…fair enough, yeah. Even if it wasn’t the best for me to have more hunters…”

“A third is that you and I avoid outward influences and concoct some form of escape strategy. Like a distraction that could prop up your breakout.”

Upon this proposition, Nivra is no better enthused and even looks growingly skeptical.
“What, just…run? I mean, unless we’re super-duper fast, don’t reckon we’d get very far on our legs. These people prolly have mounts to chase after us with.”

“Well, so do I. Didn’t come to this metropolis on my own. I have an animal companion waiting for me in the stables.”

This is perchance the very first moment where Nivra comes off as quite intrigued, setting a hand at her hip and slanting her head.
“Oh, you do? Seriously?”

“Mhm. She’s a raptor, one of my closest comrades, you might say. Been raising her since she was a hatchling.”

“Ooh, right right. That’s pretty good news, since raptors are helluva nippy kinda beast…
She a good runner?”

With a snort, a smirk and a self-assured crossing of her arms, Eyren acts keen to speak more on this topic.
“Only one of the fastest in the continent. More than that, my Razz is exceedingly clever and adaptive, and I practically only fight with her at my side. If anyone in these realms can get you out of this snare, it’s she and I.”

Nivra’s tail appears to jiggle with an ounce of enthusiasm and her lips crack into a smile.
“I’d fancy seeing that very much. In spite of that, there’s one lil’ quandary still…the distraction won’t be a cakewalk, will it?”

“Ah, yes, that…is a toughie I haven’t unriddled right this second. We’ll have to map it out as we go.” While they’re stood there keeping themselves both enthralled by the chat and the thoughts of future endeavors to seal the deal of this partnership, Eyren hasn’t altogether lost sight of the surroundings and what goes on in various corners. It’s then that she captures an entity in the nook of her sight, which she can’t disregard through and through. Keeping her mind levelled at it for another half a minute, she finds that it’s best to make Nivra sentient of it. “Fair warning, and I don’t want you to make any sudden moves, but…I get this impression that we’re being watched.”

Furrowing her brow while she stares at the warrior, Nivra lowers her visage a tad and showcases that she also is comparatively sensitive to how to acquit herself in order to figure out the movements in the terrain. She allows for one arm to scratch the other and peer about over the roads, pretending that she’s spying for the weather and what there could be above the rooftops, while simultaneously foraging for standout shades in the alleyways. Another several seconds pass, and she breathes out from her nose.
“…shit. You’re right, I tracked the same thing.”

“We can’t be sure it’s someone who’s after you specifically, but…”

“But let’s assume as much, yeah. What now? Back to the inn?”

“Not yet. Let’s try exiting the opposite direction and then hold. If they come after us, we confront whoever it is. If it’s a nuisance, we get rid of them somehow.”

“Got it. Don’t like a fight in the city where it’s open, but…your way is sound. You lead, I’ll match your moves.”

Once they depart from this cranny and progress to an avenue along the antipodean end, Eyren twists her head barely adequate to glimpse at their posterior, where she distinguishes the faintest inkling of an outline. Someone is certainly moving in their wake and it can’t be for anything except to trail Nivra and somehow rein her in. What concerns Eyren isn’t just this more glaring figure, but what it could harbinger in the scenery. Is this person skirting their prey single-handed? A risky and bold maneuver should they not be absolutely assured that they can pull it off. Provided they’re not solo in the deed, on the other hand, then Eyren has to wrack her brain and faculties in order to puzzle out how many they’re dealing with and where they’ll be coming from.

Passing a corner, Eyren slides in against the wall and tugs Nivra with her onto the surface, motioning with a single finger over her lips for stillness and the dragon-horned lady bobs her head, bending her legs to hunker down, as if in an angle to pounce.
They don’t have to suspend their nerves for a protracted period, fortunately, for in roughly a minute’s span, they spot how the shape that they had noted on multiple points rounds the very same angle they had. This space they’ve went aboard isn’t one of the main arteries of the city anyhow, but specifically one of the backstreets, which doesn’t inevitably allude that it’s unwalked, but upon this existing minute, it’s thankfully unpopulated. It is lucky for the purpose of what Eyren had rigged up, for right as their poacher strides at them, she brandishes her sword, throws a hand up to the person’s chest and slams them straightaway into the nearest wall.

Studying the mien of the haul she’s caught, Eyren notices that it’s presumably a man marginally shorter than her, a dirty blonde, fair-skinned fellow in pretty unassuming garb, his facial features sharp, wearing a dark green cloak over beige and brown cloth and leather pieces. He keeps a bow across one shoulder and a dagger upon his belt, but she wouldn’t take him or his blue-eyed stare to be of the utmost disturbance to them. He seems decently fit, but not exactly a prime party of danger. And he definitely gets no more intimidating as Eyren hikes her sword to his throat, making him get a once-over of her, and a clearing of his throat.
“…well, that was certainly more practiced than I’d figured. Could’ve broken an arm, though.”

Scrunching up her brow, Eyren presses her weight further against him, not letting him attain even a centimeter of leeway.
“And if you make any sudden moves, it’ll be more than broken.”

Rising to her full height, Nivra fetches her glaive and aims the tip of it along the stones of the wall on his right, dragging it closer inchmeal.
“Might roast bits of your face on a spit too if you don’t act nice.”

“Whoa whoa”, he goes and in order to present himself as less fearsome than the miniature levels he has, he pulls up his hands. “No worth in threatening me, okay? I’m not your enemy, I swear.”

Hmm, that’s compelling in one capacity. Not the terms he deposes on them, but his accent. It conveys the impression of residing as northern to Eyren. Not her own province, but probably Geb’nijk, its northwestern partner.

“Is that right?”, asks Eyren. “Curious that you’d be following us then, isn’t it?”

“Touché, but I wasn’t on your trail to jump you, alright? Otherwise I wouldn’t have come here deprived of a weapon in my fingers.”

“Not walking armed isn’t exactly abnormal”, argues Nivra. “You’d have guards on your ass.”

“Maybe, but not in these bystreets, I wager. Anyhow, my real motive was to confirm something as to your identities.” He peeks from one woman to the other, but fastens it against Nivra. “Mainly as I’d expected just a single person.”

“And who’s that?”

“Why, you, needless to say, pranti Nivra”, he attests, applying a form of Geb’nijki honorific. “The tales I’d scooped up across my voyage towards the east had noticed a single runaway fugitive, who was to make for the west somewhere.” He then draws his blue perception fugaciously onto Eyren. “But it seems that has totaled into two at this minute.”

Nivra doesn’t appear any wiser nor calmer with this caveat, and she practically becomes a dram confused.
“O…okay, then.”

“It’s complicated”, states Eyren, “and probably a substance we ought not talk of out here.”

“I agree”, he offers, “but maybe talking is the best option available for all three of us? I mean you no harm, after all.”

“So you say, but I’m seriously lost on who in Mannaze ya even are”, Nivra tells him, all the while lowering her glaive.

“Then permit me to illuminate you: the name’s Osvij, an…information-seeker of a sort. I suspect you fancy breaking away from the confines of Kambaresa, yake? Let me lend you a hand with that.”