Grrrr the Gur
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- Posted: Wed, 13 Aug 2014 00:06:08 +0000
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Gur Drikrtend
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Gur Drikrtend
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They were following the Jaimen, intending to discover the whereabouts of the camp holding the missing children. Gur wanted to scout the Jaimen camp, but avoid another fiasco like the one at the farmhouse at any cost, so keeping a fair amount of distance from the people they were tracking seemed prudent. As a result, they were about a mile back, counting on tracks and Chi's nose rather than getting close enough to see the Jaimen directly. That way, they couldn't be spotted in return.
And then s**t happened. At a bend in the road, three people walked out of the brush to bar their way.
Gur contemplated the three individuals. He was sure the Jaimen were far enough ahead that, even if they heard the sounds of combat, they could not return in time to assist anyone. And he doubted they would be able to pick up the sounds at that distance. These three were on their own. Chi and he against three people with no crossbows… he liked those odds. With Sker and her new found ability with Chi's gauntlets... well, that was just icing on the cake. And yet…
Aganath, a trained warhorse, sensed a confrontation brewing and was trembling in anticipation of trampling the three to death. Gur held the reins tightly, holding Aganath back. There was something wrong with this entire setup. If these people where working with the Jaimen, they would have alerted the group Gur and Chi were following and combined forces. And there was something else, he realized, a complete lack of fear. Even ignoring that they were facing mounted adversaries, most people in Zhu confronted with Chi and her horns reacted with terror and distain. These three seemed to be taking it in stride. Gur studied them a bit closer.
The one closest was a small man in a green sleeveless shirt, matching capri's, brown boots and green gloves. He was caring a quarterstaff, a very unusual weapon, particularly for someone so short. Hazel eyes that Gur found disturbingly attractive watched calmly and professionally, studying his and Chi’s faces instead of their hands, watching for the signs of intent that would precede action. Someone trained in combat. But it was also a passive look, ready to respond, but not to initiate. Waiting for Gur or Chi to do something threatening, or for an order, which Gur presumed would come from the second man.
The second man was stranger, but not because of his appearance. Black hair, blue eyes, and very young… Gur put him south of 20… wearing two swords with oversized hand guards, unusual and clearly custom made. Some kind of metal armor greaves on his legs, but nothing on his upper body, which was also a bit usual. He was moving in a way that said he wore the swords and greaves constantly. The man walked forward lightly on his feet, and Gur guessed he was a master swordsman. He seemed confident facing Gur, which seemed odd given the man had to know he was at a tremendous disadvantage to someone on horseback. But he seemed uncomfortable every time he glanced at Chi, something Gur would have expected from anyone in Zhu, except Gur had the distinct impression it wasn’t the horns that made the man uncomfortable. Gur would have sworn the man blushed slightly every time his eyes wandered over Chi’s body. The thing that was truly strange, however, was that Gur sensed this man was a magic user, a wizard of some kind. What was he doing in Zhu?
The third man stood back from the first two in a way that seemed subservient. Blond hair, blue eyes, medium height, he looked fit but only had a couple of daggers for weapons. His eyes were downcast, avoiding confrontation. A manservant, perhaps? But then Gur noticed that those downcast eyes were moving, looking from point to point on the ground, and Gur glanced down and picked out the dull brown color of several four pronged spikes deliberately designed to blend into the dirt and to always have a point facing up. Caltrops, anti-horse devices, were scattered in front of the three. If he and Chi charged in, chances were that a horse would step on one and go down, taking the rider with it.
He and Chi dismounted at the same time, perfectly synchronized. Gur wondered idly if Chi had noticed the caltrops or if it was the bond, but it didn’t matter. Even off horseback, he was expecting this to be a one sided fight. It was also a fight Gur didn’t really need, so he let the black armor, which he’d been keeping suppressed, form around him, hoping it would be at least a little intimidating. Instead, the second man’s grin widened. “Nice effect” he said.
“Thank you” said Gur, sighing inwardly. No simple way out. “I’m Gur Drikrtend, and this,” and Gur motioned toward Chi, “is my wife Chikara Nakamushi.”
“Mikahail Whitelaw, and these are my servants, Rei and Kuklo” answered the swordsman.
Chi grinned… showing off her fangs, which probably wasn’t the best idea… and sniffed. Then she looked at the man named Rei and said “you smell nice,” which probably also wasn’t the best idea, because Rei looked a little discomforted by that, for reasons Gur didn’t understand.
“We are not looking for trouble” said Gur, trying to send shushing sounds through the bond to Chi, who was having none of it.
“But trouble has been looking for you. Or at least, we have.” Mikahail shrugged. “Same difference.” And then he put one finger to his chin and looked thoughtful. “And, you know, I’d say if you weren’t looking for trouble, maybe wandering through Zhu, being a wizard, which maybe you could have hidden, and hauling along,” and he waved toward Chi, “whatever that is, which you couldn’t, maybe not the best idea. Gur felt a spike of anger from Chi.
Gur thought about that for a moment. Sure, getting Chi through Zhu was a bit of a problem, but that wasn't the same as three people who had been deliberately waiting for them, and knew where to wait. And yet, it hadn't been an ambush. These three could have been in the brush with crossbows if they just wanted to put Gur and Chi down. "May I ask why you're looking for us and how you found us?"
Mika replied "I'm looking to discharge an obligation before I move on to other things." That meant pretty much nothing to Gur, but he wondered for a moment if these three where from Fang, collecting some bounty or repaying some debt to Reginald. Then he rejected that out of hand; if they had been, they would know exactly what Gur and Chi looked like and there would have been no warning. No, these three were unsure about Gur and Chi, had wanted confirmation they were wizards, or magical in Chi's case, before they attacked. And Gur had gone right ahead and sealed it with the materializing black armor. But he did have to give them points for taking the time to check; most people in Zhu would have assumed anyone they didn't know was guilty. Maybe people they did know. Friends, even; the fear of magic ran deep in most people in Zhu. Mika continued "Kuklo, here, came up with the plan to intercept you."
The third man nodded. "It was not difficult. You asked so many questions about the military camp's location, one rider on a black horse, one rider hanging far back as if they were afraid to be seen clearly. It was an obvious conclusion that if we waited along the road to the camp, you would be by. Really, a herd of elephants would have been less noticeable."
Gur winced and he didn't have to look to know Chi's eyes had narrowed and her nostrils had flared. "I promised I'd kill the next man who called me an elephant" said Chi. "But in your case, I'm going to make an exception. I'm going to kill you because I don't like you instead." Gur winced again. The chances of finding a peaceful solution to this encounter were dimming by the second.
Mika frowned at Chi for a moment, and Gur saw that strange blush come to his cheeks again. Mika quickly turned his attention back to Gur. "So, are you Coven? Fang or Granate?”
“Damn, more people that know about the super-secret covens” said Sker in disbelief. “What, did this become common household talk recently and I didn’t hear about it? Is ‘Honey, I mucked out the cow pens, fed the horses, and heard a juicy tidbit about the High Preist of Fang being a snake worshiper’ dinner conversation at farm houses nowadays?”
“Sker, I’m trying to concentrate, please” said Gur, and saw a momentary flicker of doubt in Mikahail’s eyes, who of course could not hear Sker at all. “Sorry, just an expression” said Gur. “We were forced through Zhu on our way to house Granate, but we are not of either coven” he continued.
Mikahail went back to grinning, and Gur saw something else in those eyes, some flame dancing back behind the eyeballs, bright and intense and a little mad. Sker saw the same thing, and she said "Gur, Chi, I don't like this. This guy seems a tad short of a full deck." But her voice had a strange, choppy quality to it. And then she said "Cra...ot...gain.". And was gone.
Great timing.
Gur tried to continue as if nothing had happened. “We do not mean any harm to Zhu. We want to pass through as quickly and harmlessly as possible.”
Mikahail actually laughed at that one. “Oh, blowing up a few soldiers and cannons doesn’t count? That’s harmless?” He shrugged and drew his swords. “Not that it matters. If you were coven, I would have kept you alive a little longer to ask some questions, but the end result would have been the same. Wizards in Zhu carry a death sentence. Consider me to be yours.”