Bad Company (1/2)

Writers: Estelle, Eimi, Bree
Date Posted: 18th September 2005

Characters: Verora, Meijah, Jerandra
Description: Jerandra encounters Meijah and Verora
Location: Garnet Valley Hold
Date: month 8, day 3 of Turn 3

Jerandra had learned from her previous attempt to break free of the bandits she'd been living with for so many months. This time, she took little of value with her, and went on foot, giving them no reason to pursue her. By the time they learnt about the price on her head, she hoped, she'd be long gone, and it pleased her greatly to imagine the expressions on their faces when they realised they'd lost a reward of a thousand marks or more.

She missed not having the runnerbeast, though. All day she trudged through thick forest, intent on putting as much distance as possible between herself and Voltar's men as possible. As the sun began to set, however, hunger became a more pressing concern. If she wanted to eat well this evening, she could either hunt - or she could find some traveller's camp and...ensure that they no longer had any need of dinner. If she remembered rightly, there were some promising caves in the area that were often used by runners and people journeying in small groups.

Truth to tell, she _had_ stolen one item from a bandit too stupid to notice - a long knife. It was crudely made and nowhere near as good as the knife she thought of as her own, but she dared not take that one back from Voltar. One day, she'd take it from his cooling corpse...but first she needed to regain her Hold.

It was the mouth-watering smell of roasting wherry that drew her, though it took her a while to find the small campfire, which was well hidden. She made out two figures beside it - a man and a woman. That was not ideal - one would have been better - but with the element of surprise she could kill the man and dispatch the woman quickly afterwards. Holding her breath, she crept closer, taking care not to tread on dry twigs or leaves.

Even if she had announced her presence with snapping twigs or rustling leaves, it was clear that the woman huddled next to the fire was not in any condition to notice. Her clothing was dirty and tattered, the cloak wrapped around her shoulders was even worse condition. She stared at the fire numbly, not even looking around when the man walked close enough to brush against her.

Jerandra studied them, a faint line appearing on her brow. They did not seem like ordinary travellers - the woman looked so bedraggled that she had to be holdless, while the man was just...dangerous. If she had to guess, she'd say the man had been cast out of his hold for some crime and the woman had been foolish enough to follow him.

That meant they'd have few useful possessions with them - and perhaps they might be of more value to her alive than dead. Holdless people might not have heard of the price on her head. Though she was reluctant to admit it, she had a long road before her to reach Amethyst Cliff and her chances of survival would be better if she had the protection of companions. Besides, killing the man was chancy...he might kill her instead, and she had no wish to die before her journey had even begun.

She backed away a few paces and then approached, this time making sure she made enough of a noise to be heard before she stepped into the circle of firelight.

"Greetings. I'm travelling alone - may I share your fire?"

"Stop right there and do not come any closer." Meijah had heard her less than stealthy approach and had already reached for his knife. Though only one woman came into view, his eyes shifted automatically to the surrounding woods warily. One woman travelling alone at night? It was too suspicious. It was a trap. "Show me your hands."

Well, she'd been right that they weren't simple travellers. Jerandra held out her hands, palms up, with a faintly mocking smile. "Perhaps I'm behind the times. Is this the kind of courteous welcome one can expect on the road nowadays?"

A ragged laugh came from the woman huddled in front of the fire. "You have come to the wrong place for courtesy."

Meijah gave Verora a warning glance before looking back at the woman. "One must be careful in these times. The roads are full of bandits, and thieves.
Tricksters come in all shapes and sizes."

"Indeed they do," Jerandra replied with a faintly mocking smile. "It's wise to be cautious - but as you can see, I am alone. May I join you? I have food - and your companion looks as though she needs some."

"You can sit there," Meijah said, pointing with his knife to the space next to Verora. "You can feed her if you like, but I have to warn you - she has a voracious appetite." He decided it would be best to keep his distance.
Something about the woman told him he should be on his guard. A woman in the wilds, especially one seemingly alone and with no fear, was not to be taken lightly. It could still be a trap. Let Verora spring it. She was expendable.

Verora gave Meijah a nasty look but shifted aside, more than willing to make room if it meant getting food. Meijah enjoyed letting her go hungry just to remind her that without him, she'd be helpless.

Jerandra sat down beside her, careful to keep one eye on the man as she did so. He looked as though he could use the knife he held and could therefore be useful to her, but she would have to be wary with him. The woman was pathetic, but her damaged spirit would be all the easier to break.

"You must be famished, after long days on the road," she said with flawless sympathy, opening the bag she carried and taking out the bread rolls that were all she'd been able to steal from the bandits without being noticed.
For now, she'd let them believe that she had more in the hope of getting a share of their meal. "Let me share what I have with you."

"And how is it that you have found yourself all alone on the road tonight?
Where are your people?" Meijah asked as he studied the woman.

"I'm going home." An uncharacteristic smile came to Jerandra's face as she contemplated the truth of that statement. "My home is Amethyst Cliff Hold, and I am its rightful Lady."

The thought that the woman could be quite mad crossed Meijah's mind, but she did match the description that had been passed around every guard barracks on the Southern Continent. "I think there are some who would disagree with you... Lady Jerandra." Suddenly he threw his head back and laughed a deep hearty laugh. Putting his knife away, he managed to say between chuckles, "You're... in good company with... that one there!"

Jerandra looked momentarily annoyed at being compared with the ragged wretch next to her. "Why - what has _she_ done?"

Meijah was still chuckling as he said, "Go ahead, Verora. Tell the _Lady_
what you've done."

Verora pulled herself upright, squaring her shoulders. She'd had plenty of time to regret her actions, but she'd shown enough weakness to the woman at her side already. Still, she couldn't quite keep her voice from quavering as she replied. "I killed Lord Aswic and his steward."

Last updated on the September 19th 2005

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Bad Company (1/2)