FIN [Tale] Caught up and Put out [Warren/Gaddok]

[Elf Princess Flannery]

RP between
Warren and Gaddok

ღ ❧


setting: North Tale, Isd, morning

 

[Elf Princess Flannery]

Warren woke up stiff from trying to sleep in the small bed. It was just a problem he had to deal with because of his height. He stretched and heard his back crack a few times. He got ready and made his way down to the dining area of the inn. He picked up some bread and tea and took it outside to get some fresh air as he ate.

He noticed something amiss across the road. The healer that he had seen the day before had some visitors. There was a group of hunters, all wind, asking the healer something. They looked fed up and the men looked serious. Warren's stomach sank when the healer pointed to the Inn. He knew who they were.

The men were from the village, his mother's village. They were here to take him, or kill him, he didn't want to find out. Warren ducked and made his way around the building to get out of sight. His heart had leaped into his throat and was pounding wildly. He was being hunted, he was beginning to see how the sermal might have felt. It made him feel like an animal, and in this moment he was still weak and injured. He had to flee.

Warren looked about for a way out. There was a cart coming down the road and he didn't hesitate to take the opportunity to jump in.

akuma_kessaku

 

[akuma_kessaku]

It had been a long night's haul on the road, something Gaddok had grown accustomed to. He didn't bother to stop and rest, the sooner he got out of Tale the better, in his opinion. Grasping for his flask in the slit of his vest, Gaddok drank deeply of its contents and breathed a sigh of relief as he neared the final village on his way out of this forsaken country, Isd.

Sticking to the outskirts of the village, Gaddok cut behind the inn to avoid most of the traffic, when something most peculiar happened...

The cart bounced suddenly as some extra weight sprang in the back. Half snapped up, and in no condition to handle the intruder's antics Gaddok peered over his shoulder and nonchalantly murmured, "Sword's n' back so y'got my weapon. I have no cargo to rob, n' left all my coin back in Yera, so unless you're looking to get to Zena you'd best jump off now... cuz I ain't got time to wrestle your a** out of here."

as he examined the blurred lump in the back of his cart he managed to focus long enough to make out brown hair, monstrously large form, and piercing blue eyes, "For the love of Chi... We gotta quit runnin' into each other like this~" Gaddok Mused, a childish grin curving his lips. Knowing Warren was likely avoiding the capture of some creature, Gaddok cracked the reins on his Quhar and urged it into a brisk trot, "Cover up 'n' try to keep still, I gotta hide out 'n the mountains we can use." he called over the clatter of the cart. Pulling a hard left on the reins, Gaddok Directed his Quhar west toward the mountain chain along the Tale/Sauti border.  

[Elf Princess Flannery]

Wow that could not have gone better if I had planned it.
Warren had a wide grin on his face when he looked up to see the driver. He couldn't believe it was Gaddok! He had so many questions, but he kept low as to not draw the hunter's attention. He grit his teeth when he saw one of them look at him and point. Two of them chased them briefly before giving up. There was no way they could keep up with the cart. He let out a sigh of relief.

"Gaddok!" He crawled up to sit behind him in the cart. "What are you doing out here?" Warren couldn't hold back his laughter. The situation had turned around so quickly he could not have predicted.

akuma_kessaku

 

[akuma_kessaku]

"Saving The day, Apparently~" He chuckled while offering the flask, "I reeeeally don't need any more of this... I'm only drinking it to keep from feeling too much self-pity." the words turned to ash as they fell from his mouth; such a bitter taste. He hated pity of any sort and the fact he felt so sorely as of late, was understandable, given his circumstances... but he wanted a way forward, wanted to heal, and the best way to do that at the moment was to be distracted!

After evading their pursuers, Gaddok slowed the quhar down to its usual nonchalant pace and let out a heavy sigh, "Well, It has been a while, my friend, What have you been up to since we last met?" He had high hopes Warren has seen better days than himself, but due to the predicament, they were fleeing it was likely not the case.

elf princess flannery

 

[Elf Princess Flannery]

It sounded like Gaddok had been going through a difficult time too. He reeked of booze. When Warren took the flask it was pretty light. He raised an eyebrow. So long as he can keep the cart straight...

"It has been awhile." he echoed, "Well, I trained with Lon for a long time. My grandfather tried to prevent me from being so close to him and mom but I didn't let it stop me." He looked at the flask and contemplated if he wanted any.

"I'm finally a guard now. Somehow I think it is only the beginning, I still feel under prepared." His body was still cut up and he was wearing bandages. It was likely no amount of training could have prepared him to fight that sermal. And nothing could have prepared him for the gruesome loss of his mother.

akuma_kessaku

 

[akuma_kessaku]

Tying off the reins, Gaddok turned his attention to his friend, "A guard, huh?" He echoed while envisioning the pair; Warren and his gauntlet, "Seems like a perfect fit. With your physique and Lon whipping you into shape, you'll be great..." He trailed off at the thought of his mentor.

'Lon.' Gaddok tried to shake the thought from his mind. 'Chi's mercy, what he would do to me if I showed up in Dernd...'

His chest tightened again, and though he would roll his shoulders and arch his back, his chest striving to breathe air into his lungs... It was in vain. Grappling for the reins Gaddok halted the cart and stepping down he used the cart as leverage while hurling the contents of his stomach to the earth. Coughing, he raked his fingers through his hair and tried to right himself. He couldn't even blame the alcohol; not as the primary culprit anyway. Inhaling deeply through his nose, he sat up straight and tried to calm himself. His body broke out in a cold sweat as his breathing rapidly increased.

This wouldn't defeat him, he had to get to the merchant's den; had to get Warren safe. Pulling himself back into the driver's seat he held his breath as long as his body would allow, then breathed deeply, 'In through the nose, out through the mouth,' he coached himself for one rep then urged the Quhar on, "I-I... Apologize for that." Gaddok murmured, as he tried to steel his mind against himself, "I vaguely remember discussing your family situation back in Iory... Your grandfather sounds like a real a**..." He was trying to be normal, trying to forget it happened, trying to just transition and slide back into the way things were, but Gaddok hadn't even held a sword with the intent of using it in years; everything had changed.

Elf Princess flannery

 

[Elf Princess Flannery]

Warren shook his head and gave him a sympathetic look. "Look I can drive if you need to rest.." He grabbed the canteen that was strapped to his belt and offered it to Gaddok.
"Nitoh is more than just an a**. He is the reason I am still being chased. The hunters followed me from Dernd" His face was a mixture of sadness and disappointment.
Warren's voice got dark and angry. "He was the one that convinced my mother and the others around him that I am the dread sermal. Now they think I killed her!" He threw up his arms in frustration, then rested his head in his hand. "This nonsense has ruined my life, and now they can't even see the real threat!" He didn't even care what they thought, or what Nitoh thought, but it mattered to him what his mother thought. He was tired of trying to plea to a community that had never held interest in supporting him.

akuma_kessaku

 

[akuma_kessaku]

Gaddok tipped the canteen above his mouth. This was a much more refreshing beverage for the moment. "I really don't have to direct much. There's a good chance the Quahr knows where he's going better than I do. He's one of three in rotation on this route... Been traveling from Tale to Sauti for years." He explained while turning back to face Warren.

"The Dread Sermal..." Gaddok murmured, "That old coot is still telling that story?" It was hard to believe. He recalled being cornered by Nitoh in his youth and told the story while his father met with fellow merchants at the inn. It terrified him as a youngling, to think such a monstrous creature could be running about, but what made the story truly terrifying was the man telling it; he believed in it wholeheartedly. Of course, his mother reassured him it was just a tale, but could you imagine living with that?

His heart sank into his chest, "Killed.... Her?" Gaddok's eyes drifted as he placed himself in Warren's shoes. Losing his mother would literally destroy him... let alone imagine if he were accused of doing it. Gaddok's problems suddenly seemed so petty... so trivial. "I am so sorry for your loss..." he stammered still distracted by his fantasized nightmare, "Anyone who has taken the time to talk to you, would know that could never be true." his tone was very monotoned, somber, broken, "Nitoh has gone too far with this bullshit fable."

Elf princess flannery

 

[Elf Princess Flannery]

"Thanks for that, I know I couldn't be close to her because of him. I just wanted to show her I wasn't a monster." He jestured to himself. "But look at me! I am an enormous brute! Covered in scratches and cuts from breaking down her door, trying to save her from that sermal! All they can see is a monster, I just have terrible timing." He let out a heavy sigh.

"I chased the sermal as far as I could, but I lost to much blood. That is how I ended up in Isd. Someone had helped me get to a healer. She was terribly kind and didn't press me for answers. I couldn't thank her enough for that." his face looked almost hopeful for a moment before he slumped and apologized.

"I am sorry to dump all this on you, It's just the situation I am in. Sorry you got caught up in my mess." Warren just felt miserable. He never seemed to run into Gaddok on a good day, but Gaddok always had a way of making the day better. Even if it was just to have some one to confide in.

He wanted to stop sounding sad about himself, he turned the conversation back to Gaddok. "So how have your parents been? Is your mother well?"

akuma_kessaku

 

[akuma_kessaku]

Gaddok hid a smirk at his friend's dramatic gestures. The situation wasn't funny in the slightest but he found It fascinating how Warren was able to reason with his predicament; chalking his mother's death and the hunting party sent to kill him up to, bad timing. He must have an unimaginably strong mental fortitude to be taking this so well or the gravity of the situation hasn't caught up to him yet.
Either way, it gave Gaddok hope that these emotions would pass...

"Honestly, I'm grateful for the distraction... you may think you have awful timing, but it couldn't be better for me." He chuckled while trying to lighten the mood. "I haven't been home for a while, but last I heard she was well. We've been living in Zidel now." Gaddok snorted, "Though I'm rarely there I hate it, but it was a necessary for the sake of father's health, apparently." he answered with a dull tone as he shook his head. His father was a fragile nuisance in his eyes and the only reason he would lift a finger to help him was if his mother asked him to.

"He had a health scare not long after the war with Oba..." Gaddok explained, "It started with a cough, progressed to coughing fits that produced blood, then he was bedridden." Given the blood, he knew Remus wasn't faking it and understood he should have more sympathy for the situation, "I made the mistake of asking him if there was anything I could do... Next thing I know it I'm packing bags and loading caravans to begin our trek to Zidel."

elf princess flannery

 

[Elf Princess Flannery]

In all honesty Warren was not handling the situation well mentally. He had locked away his mother in his mind. The wound's were still too deep and fresh for him to evaluate his emotions on the matter. The fact that he was being chased was a distraction from it all. His motivation to hunt the sermal was to distract him from what actually happened. It was the only way he thought he could seek closure.

Even Gaddok was a welcome distraction. It was difficult for him to talk about what happened, so he tried to describe the events in as small a way as he could. He didn't want to have a breakdown, not after just finding Gaddok again. He instead tried to focus on his friend.

"I would agree, running into you was rather fortunate. I don't want to think about the mess I would be in if you hadn't happened to be there." It was no wonder he hadn't seen him around. Zidel was quite a ways away. "Zidel, wow I haven't even been to Zena. Sorry about your dad. Why has he kept you so far away from Tale?" Warren was under the impression his father traded in Sauti he wasn't sure what was in Zena, he didn't know much about it. If his attire was any sort of give away, Warren was not fond of snow.

akuma_kessaku

 

[akuma_kessaku]

"Don't be sorry for that whelp..." Gaddok muttered while wrapping the reins tighter around his hand, "It wasn't long after Zena we found a healer versed in whatever rare treatment he needed to begin healing. It was what brought us there... " his eyes glazed over as he turned his attention back on the road, "Remus had been working to expand his Sailscale industry. I had made a few stops with him to Zena, but he was spreading further south also." he rubbed his forehead in frustration, "Once he fell sick, however, he couldn't run his business and no matter how many times he asked me I told him I wouldn't run it for him..."

He wanted to return to Tale, to Sathe, start a life, raise children... Be happy. His lips were pressed into a fine line as he tried to breathe through the vice like pain gripping his chest, "On my last night I spent under that roof, I had tea with my mother. She explained that my father's expansion plan was too ambitious... If they put the trade on hiatus while he recovered, we would be bankrupt, people would lose their jobs... it would take years to recover; if at all possible, and during that time they would suffer..." He snarled while attempting to swallow his rage, "She would suffer." Closing his eyes Gaddok held tight to the necklace gifted to him so many years ago. "So, I took over the business."

Whatever normalcy Gaddok achieved by speaking with his friend was killed in that moment. He loathed the life his father laid before him and if he didn't know better he'd say this was planned all along, but would his father really be that Sinister? for a company?? His father was a lowlife, but that would definitely mark an all-time low for him.

elf princess flannery

 

[Elf Princess Flannery]

Gaddok? A business man? It seemed an odd fit to Warren. He could relate, his father wanted him to herd aldabuk. Warren didn't need to point out why that idea was absurd. "That's rough, I can see why you did it though, for her." He wished he had something better to say. "Sometimes dad would have to sell more of his flock to have a better start next year." he paused on the thought, "Maybe you could do something like that? If you could sell part of the company to have enough money to help your mom and dad get better... I don't know if you have already thought of that or not. I don't know much about business."
The idea of his Gaddok's mother suffering hurt his heart a little bit. She was the sweetest lady and he knew she thought the world of her son.

akuma_kessaku

 

[akuma_kessaku]

"Warren, The conception of this goes back years now..." Gaddok cackled as they neared the cave at the base of the mountain; giving a wave of his hand to the archer keeping watch above the entrance. "It seems like only yesterday looking back on it now." He groaned while stepping off the cart and breaking into a stretch, "Selling off the company may have solved the problem temporarily, but that just wasn't good enough... it didn't even seem like an option; hell, I hadnt't even consider it." A smile twisted his lips as he looked back on how much simpler things could be if he had. He'd be in Tale, with Sathe, With a life... chasing around little ones of his own. Could it have really been so simple that he overlooked it?

He burst into a semi-manic fit of laughter, "Oh no! I played right into my father's hand like the good son I am~" His laughter twisting into rants of rage as entered the cave to reveal crates stacked along the inside, "My father was always short-sighted and steeped in tradition, "We're Sailscale merchants~" He mocked his father's words, "I expanded that further. We trade among merchants; creating somewhat of a guild, a code. I have routes in Zena, Sauti, Tale, Jauhar, and starting in Oba. There are two other caches like this one spread throughout Tendaji that holds extra stock, items we purchased in bulk, Items that aren't selling... You get the idea, right?" Gaddok placed his hands on his hips and waved the thought past him, "I won't bore you with the politics of the situation, all I'm saying is after that day I promised myself that I would never let my mother want for anything again. I also promised I would never let Sathe endure the life my mother had, the life of a Merchant's wife."

Gaddok settled as he looked to his feet, the knot in his chest tensed, "I finally got things in a good spot... I finally got a system worked out... And too much time had passed." tears streamed from his eyes as he began pacing around the room his voice turned to a whisper, "She's gone, Warren. She moved on..." The words sucked the air from his chest, left him reeling. He shouted, "I did everything to ensure they would want for nothing! I suffered so that the people I loved would never have to- Have to worry or..." his voice cracked as tears soaked his face as he collapsed to his knees, "I've lost myself Warren... in all of this. I'm not the man I was and what terrifies me most is I don't know if there is a way back." He stared off into nothing, his eyes hollow, "I can't even remember the last time I held a sword..."

Elf princess flannery