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Scarlet Ruse

Chapter Nine: Celebrations and Ceremony

I stayed out there in the cold of the mountainous ramparts till the sun broke over the horizon and turned the gloomy moonlit snow into a brilliant sheet of cascading white; broken by the peeking blackened stone of the Teeth. To think I had started my young life as an art student in Volthume, dropping out mostly due to money issues, but mainly cause I found drawing the opulent White City to be boring. Now I stood here, cold, tired, unwanted and ridiculed, gazing out over such a breathtaking scene; irony, how it stung. The pain of my arm wound was now dull enough to ignore fully, the wound was still not fully healed yet though. To think it had only taken Sva'll a single night to fly us over the Narrow Kings Sea, granted the narrowest part; but still. Flight, the 'future of the world' as the Icarins would caw and coo incessantly, I still hated the idea of this plan. I could just walk away, disappear, let Kaiber and that fool Emet to die on there dumb plan for information. War was coming that much was certain, but something Hazel had said that night was sticking to me; frozen and cold I finally moved inside as the Sun's rays struck my skin.

I trudged into the main structure, I wouldn't know what to call it; I'm sure it had a name, I was tired, cold, sore and battered all over. Yet Emet stood there over some crude table carved from a single huge chunk of wood, a detailed map of Sval Blaud carved into its face. He was in some sort of discussion with that wolf from yesterday; whose fur now seemed darker, perhaps it was just the snowfall that made it appear lighter. Kaiber and his little family were nowhere to be seen, not that I cared and Hazel was most likely lurking around somewhere like the pesky eavesdropping shadow he was.

I had just about slinked off by Emet when he turned his head my way, I just wanted to sleep, find some place to curl up and just forget all the crap around me.

“And where have you been"? He grunted at me, as if he needed to know, I half turned to him with clear bags under my heavy eyes. At least his voice wasn't thick with disgust or accusation, but I still saw it in his eyes.

“Why do you care, I'm a spy aren't I"? I replied, my voice was flat and clearly void of effort, though emet cocked a brow anyways, lips furrowed as if trying to ascertain if I was being serious.

“...I take it you don't care to join in on planning then" he muttered as he turned back to the war table before him. I was surprised he even supplied the notion of inviting me to join in on his suicide mission planning. Never the less I trudged up to the table, keeping a good foot and then some between me and Emet as he spoke.

“So Greyson, you were saying…"? He said, notioning to the wolf across the table from him. Said wolf, spent a moment staring down at the map before him, probably knowing every rock and tree like the back of his hand.

“Well, If your target is Gillian that means crossing the Frozen Sea, unfortunately we're on the end of Winter, which means the Sea is thawing. So your best bet is to sled down to the Pass, sail around Ujiks Cove and along the cliffs at Joras Run. That way you can just sail over and land at Phalanx just north of the Volga River border." the big wolf said, tracing his finger along the route as he spoke, I followed along silently, making notes on the stupidity of the whole thing. Why not just have Sva'll fly us all there? 'Cause its to far' or whatever the excuse would be.

“Why not just go North to the Tundra Sea and sail all the way to the Mouanth and the Black Mountain"? I interjected with a tired and sore voice, both Emet and the wolf, Greyson looked up at me as if I had just asked one of the stupidest questions possible. I could care less, or at least I would have some time ago, but now I was doubting myself. I was just a novice Assassin afterall, maybe I could stand to learn something if I was a little less brash.

“Firstly it's a time consuming journey just to get to the North Tundra Sea and after that we'd have to go through the Frostmoore Sea which is home to the Bask Tribe, who are violent raiders. And the Ice that far up never melts, so the Sea is a maze of icebergs and ambush spots, only the foolish go through there." Greyson stated with crossed arms, his tone was calm and almost mentor like. But it did the job, I didn't respond, I just gave a tired nod of understanding and then the two of them went back to planning; I watched.

“Well… I have to go to Far Point, I need to meet with 'you know who' about a Doppler Charm for the Assassin. Hmm, Scarlet, you'll have to come with me, assuming you're actually in on this plan. We can take Sva'll whilst Greyson here takes the supplies and Kaiber down to the shore, we'll meet up again at Joras Run before crossing the Frozen Sea." Emet said, with definitive confidence, motioning and pointing to the war table map; tracing the route with his finger. Greyson followed with his bluish steely eyes before nodding and looking up.

“A solid plan, I take it you want your Mate to stay here"? He asked Emet, my brow cocked instantly and I watched as Emets face furrowed to a look I hadn't seen before and one I could not easily describe. Strangely he didn't respond straight away, rather he paused, looking, I don't know, somber I guess.

“She isn't my partner, but yes, Naiomy and her daughter will stay here under your watchful eye, that is all I ask of you… Keep them safe." he said a moment later, my eyes narrowed a moment, a thought crossed my mind and it was one that woke me up some, my tired body suddenly feeling a little less so as Emet nodded to the wolf, then turned and made off outside. I didn't follow instantly but after a moment or two of silent thought I pursued the disgraced Paladin with a single question to ask him.

He'd said that he'd fancied Kaibers Mother a long time ago when he was younger himself, from what I know of men, when their younger they tend to be more; foolish.

“...Your Kaibers Father, aren't you…"? I asked after a moment, falling in step beside him as he made for the stables. But as soon as I asked that question he stopped mid stride and went still; nothing save his eyes moved. They stared off into some blank space far away, quivering; I stood there waiting for lightning to smite me to cinders, but Emets body instead relaxed, slackened actually and he let out a deep breath that hung visible in the frosty air.

“...Yes...He's my Son...Naiomy and I, we...please, do not tell him...I need to do it myself, when the time is right…" Emet said, his voice was heavy and almost quivering itself, I could see he was struggling with the emotional weight and I suddenly understood why. Why he was so quick to agree with Kaiber, why he was so attached to the Lizard and his family, because he was family to. He looked at me for a moment, just a single quick moment with pleading eyes, not that of a Paladin, but those of a desperate Father. I didn't say anything, I just nodded quietly and then we spent an awkward moment in silence.

“...you should get some sleep, rest up, we'll be leaving first thing in the morning…" He said with long pauses before he silently trudged off into the stables. I had nowhere better to be so I followed, if only in hope to find somewhere quiet to sleep for a few hours.

I eventually found myself laid back on a bed of dry straw and hay in one of the empty stalls near or next to Sva'll; at that point I didn't much care where I slept. Yet my mind wouldn't let me, for some reason that revelation just stuck itself in my head. I could hear myself thinking about it, but it wasn't of my own volition, I don't know why but after a few moments or so I sat up. Puzzle pieces started to fall together in my head, painting a picture I wasn't familiar with just yet. All I knew is I had one thing to do before I could actually sleep soundly; or at all for that matter.

Kaibers belongings were in Sva'lls stall just next to me, stowed away in the saddlebags and what not. All I was looking for were a few small scales that'd rubbed off or molted or whatever, I was done being played and backed into corners, done with being blackmailed and desperate. It didn't take me long to find what I was skulking about for, a few lose opaque teal scales stubbornly stuck to the clasp of that silly little cloak of his. I pocketed them as swift as I could, wrapping them securely in a silk cloth and making sure no one saw me.

But I wasn't done just yet, now I had to find that little spy Hazel, even in my sleep deprived state I knew just were to look. The cellars under the Stables held the finest and strongest Volka, a strong clear alcohol known for its absurd kick. Sure enough there Hazel was hung from the arched stone ribs that reinforced the ceilings.

“Miss Scarlet, loitering about are we? Looking for someone perhaps"? He asked with that ever exotic accent of his. I made a quick round of the Cellar, to make sure no one was within earshot of us, once I was certain It was clear I dug the silk cloth from my satchel.

“There's a hermit up at Far Point, Emet and I are going there to get a doppler charm, I need...want, you to fly over there before we arrive and deliver a message. And some ingredients." I said, speaking in a quiet tone, just enough for Hazel alone to hear, his ears flutered and he remained quiet, I had nothing to pay him, nothing to give him in return for this, I was hopping, praying that he'd help me.

He half turned to me, that long trident like tongue of his snaking out as his lips curled back into a devious smile.

“So, what's the message~"?