With the Knights of Duros’ constant vigilance and focus in King’s Valley being on the strange happenstances, they’ve been stretched a bit too thin to deal with some of the other issues in the valley itself. According to the leadership, one of the tribal leaders of the Borderland Dvoryanin was recently kidnapped by a roving band of Red Riders, and assistance from adventurers or new recruits is necessary to retrieve them. Falling into both of those categories, Astrid decides to take up the call, but she needs a partner.

When she went to Leandros’ estate, she expected him to be the one joining her. Instead, she left with Shael, someone Astrid recognizes as being one of Zarius’ people, and for some reason, Shael seemed a little intent on going to handle this with her in Leandros’ place. Astrid has a lot of questions, and now that she and Shael are in the air and bound for the encampment, it’s time to ask them.

On the back of her gigantic white drake, Astrid looks over at Shael and calls over the wind, “So uh, if ya don’t mind me askin’, what the heck were ya doin’ at Leandros’ place? Bit far from Darkveil, ain’t it?” The half-dwarf is only somewhat sure that Zarius and Leandros have met, but she has no idea if they had a friendship or not through their connection in the Fighter’s Guild and if Shael’s presence at the estate is even connected to that. Still, it seems a little odd that this girl would be there. It’s not like Astrid is jealous or anything. Lee invited her over whenever she wanted, too. It’s not like he wouldn’t extend the invitation to others either. It’s too bad he’s been busy at home preparing for the baby. He missed out on some cool stuff! Maybe he was giving Shael tips on mounted combat...

---

Quest Details:

SPOILER: Click to show

Quest Name: Ride ‘til Sunset
Participants: Two or more
Location: King's Valley
Post Requirements: 8 posts per person, 250 words per post
Reward: +50 security to your home region, Choice of 1 Unique crafting material
Description: A well known and established noble has been kidnapped while traveling or moving through the region. A band of Red Riders have been acting up for some reason, with reports of the entire gang's activity building up. Something has caused them to stir, and for some reason they are kidnapping notable individuals. The Crown has put out a call to capable adventurers, asking for help in recovering the noble from the Red Riders.

This quest takes place in a small Red Rider camp where the prisoner is being held. You may roleplay as the one who was kidnapped, or as someone attempting to rescue. The camp is filled with four Master level Riders, one Exalted Rider, and two guard animals of your choice. The camp must be neutralized and the notable individual rescued.

Shael has spent quite a bit of time at Leandros' over the past few weeks. Being around the knight, his wards, and his wife has helped her unwind a bit, which has been a nice change of pace compared to dealing with all the situation that is Darkveil. Both the knight and his wife have been a good influence to be around with how calm and positive they are. Though sitting around the dinner table with them and Leandros' wards did make her stomach turn with dredged up memories she still isn't ready to deal with just yet. 

Just goes to show that no matter how far you run, the past always catches up with you eventually. 

That sentiment is proven all the more true when Astrid arrives with news of the Red Riders getting up to no good again. 

Gods dammit. 

It's been over a year since she was forced to abandon the Dvoryanin, and they've done jack shit to reach out to her or check to see if she's even still alive after the incident near Thunderhoof. They probably don't care. They probably were relieved. Good riddance and all that. So she should just let the Knights of Duros handle things. She doesn't need to get involved.

Yet here she is, riding on the back of her drake next to the runtiest noble to ever exist on their way to mount a rescue.

Maybe Leandros has been too much of a good influence on her after all.

Playing hero is such a pain. 

Oh well, she had her own score to settle with the Red Riders, and she couldn't exactly count on anyone else going out of their way to help her with that whole personal mess. This situation just so happens to work out in her favor even if she would have preferred to just keep running from her problems. 

Speaking of which, Astrid isn't about to let their flight be all quiet. 

Kids. Ugh. 

Shael sighs. "I needed a break from all the doom and gloom. People over there are too uptight and intense."

It's not a lie, but it's hardly the whole truth. She doesn't exactly want to rant to a kid about everything has happened over the past year. At least not yet.

"Leandros was nice enough to offer me a place to crash for a little bit while I figure shit out." 

“Well, it’s a lot less doomy an’ gloomy without all the ash,'' Astrid says pointedly. “Though folks kinda have a right ta feel down after the whole Vulcadreaus thin’ happened. Seems like… some thin’s are lookin’ up. Rebuildin’ ain’t goin’ too badly. But… lots a’ folks lost people they cared about, so… what’s the word? Melancoughy? Melantrolly? Ah, whatever. They got a right ta feel gloomy.”

While she speaks, Astrid absentmindedly fidgets with the metal pieces connecting to make the palm of her left hand. She lost Zarius. A lot of people did. Through it, Astrid has oddly made better or new connections with other people, some strange side effect of shared grief, it seems. Losing Vikram was particularly rough because of the part she played in it, but people managed to stay generally optimistic about it because he died in a way that let him be himself in the end. Zarius didn’t get that. And no one is ever going to get closure if they can’t collectively find a way to drag his soul back from whatever depths it’s disappeared to. At least sharing that feeling, that lacking feeling, has created a greater sense of connection with others even if it’s followed by a potentially useless sense of hope.

“Ah, so, how are you doin’...after all a’ that?” she asks, looking over to Shael again and settling her hands on the saddle. “Why’d ya decide ta come with me? An' don't say 'cause Leandros made ya, 'cause he didn't.”

Shael scoffs. "Just cause the sky's brighter doesn't mean those shady folks are any less shady." 

If anything, the light has just exposed the bloody surfaces while the knives responsible for them slink deeper into the shadows. Crimes that happened in broad daylight are still happening, they're just more careful about being seen now. The Legion and the Stablemen caught everyone who was being sloppy, but they would still have a lot of work ahead of them to catch those who erred on the side of caution even before the Vulcadreaus incident. 

"Can't say I agree, most of them are just preying on each other like packs of starving jackals."

Even without the Legion and Stablemen getting involved, the Ashen Fathers are more than capable of eating one another alive should any weakness appear. Any chance at exploiting their rival's misfortune is something they cannot ignore. As such, many backstabbings have occurred with Ashen Fathers trying to point the authorities towards their competition, not matter how small, and away from themselves. 

Have there been innocents caught in the crossfire? Of course, how could there not have been? Those who had fallen under one family's protection were seen as allies instead of victims of extortion, blackmail, and violence. Shops that had no choice but to cooperate with local gangs in order to just stay in business found themselves caught in a losing battle between the invading authorities and the local ones. Shael even saw some families torn apart by the near indiscriminate arrests justified as weeding out any remaining cultists. It was all just lip service, a convenient excuse for the capitol to finally bring the hammer down on the blight that is Darkveil. 

She can't really blame them, not after her own personal experiences with the criminal underbelly that thrives there. 

"Darkveil isn't my home, so I don't really give a shit about it," she says bitterly. "I don't even think the people who do live there actually care about it. They care more about saving their own skins. It sucks for the folks who aren't criminals, but the rest of them got what was coming to them. So what if bad things happen to bad people? Karma's a bi-." 

Shael catches herself before she uses more colorful cursing in front of a child. Leandros would probably think less of her if she didn't start watching her tongue, and for what it's worth, she does kinda care about what the knight thinks since he sheltered her, gave her advice, and saved her life from a fucking dragon.

She sighs and rubs the back of her neck. 

"Cause I gotta. I have unfinished business with the Red Riders, so this just works out to finally bury it. Then I can go wherever the hell I want again and quit working under those assholes."

Okay, so the whole not swearing in front of children thing is going to take some more practice. 

Maybe Astrid hasn’t spent time in the parts of Darkveil Shael seems used to, or maybe she’s just been too oblivious to things happening in the city. Either way, the half-dwarf struggles to see things exactly in the same way as Shael. Part of that might just be a difference in personality. It’s easy to get caught up in negativity if you let yourself fall prey to it, but for Astrid, hope has been a staple of her personality diet, and she doesn’t want to drown in cynicism. Rather than argue, she just shrugs a little.

It does come as a surprise to Astrid to hear that Shael doesn’t live in Darkveil – or, at least, it isn’t home. “Oh, I thought that’s where ya were from given that ya work with Zarius an’ all,” she says with a curious tune. This is quickly answered, however, at least in some part, when Shael mentions her unfinished business and means of freedom. Astrid tilts her head, looking over at the other girl on the drake with some obvious confusion in her expression. “What, like ya don’t like workin’ fer Zarius an’ his family?” she asks. Admittedly, Astrid knows very little about Zarius’ line of work, but she hasn’t given it much thought. All she knows is that there is something spooky afoot with Anselm that gives her reason to be cautious, especially with Cyran and Del having spent so long away from Darkveil after The Incident.

“Erm, not that ya gotta spill yer guts ta me if ya don’t wanna,” Astrid adds. “Shouldn’t no one keep ya from doin’ what ya wanna do, so if dealin’ with these Red Doofuses is gonna help ya, then I don’t mind knockin’ a few skulls together.”

"No." Shael is quick to correct Astrid. "I was with the Dvoryanin before getting caught up in that jerk's schemes."

She's still be with them if it wasn't for Zarius and Caedes sticking their noses in where they didn't belong. Just the thought of everything that happened that day makes her huff in annoyance. 

"Hell no. Working for them wasn't my choice. They botched up a race I was in and basically kidnapped me. I've only been working for them 'cause I don't have anywhere else to go and the Red Riders know better than to mess with the Ashen Fathers." 

What Astrid does or doesn't know about the Ashen Fathers, or if she would even make the connection between them and Zarius' family isn't something Shael immediately assumes or expands on. The Ashen Fathers are made up of those who have been very good at hiding their faces and keeping out of the eyes of the authority. To those outside the Ash Lands, they might as well be the boogieman or local folklore. To those living in the Ash Lands they are the true leaders of the region, pulling all the strings from backstage while their puppets like Count Mallock take the spotlight. Zarius is an unusual exception with his fame - or infamy - being far more public than most people in their line of would ever want. It's a double-edged sword, and for better or worse, his absence from the public eye this past year has not gone completely unnoticed. 

Shael ruminates for a bit on Astrid's words. She definitely isn't too keen on dumping all her personal crap on a child as much as she is one to rant. There is a bit of worry lurking in the back of her mind though about this confrontation with the Red Riders. They're a big group. They're a powerful group. Out of all the horse tribes the Red Riders have the most infamy in King's Valley for a reason. Two children are hardly a threat to them in the grand scheme of things, and it's not like the Red Riders to go easy on folks just cause they're kids. This altercation could go very badly very quickly if they weren't careful. Of course, being careful is not one of Shael's strong suits.

Moreso than the worry though, there's a bit of anxiety biting at her like a gnat. She hasn't seen any of the Dvoryanin since fleeing King's Valley. She didn't even send them a letter explaining what happened. Her showing up after almost a year with no word probably wouldn't be a happy reunion, especially given the circumstances. Still, this is something she knows she can't just ignore.

"Appreciate it...just feels like I owe them at least this much since they took me and Indra in." 

“Ohhhhh,” Astrid says, now understanding that Shael has a personal stake in the rescue of the kidnapped leader. That actually makes a lot of sense to her now. Of course, she’d want to help! This totally worked out, didn’t it?

Except then Shael mentions being kidnapped, and Astrid’s expression of understanding quickly twists into one that’s confused. Kidnapped?? Ashen Fathers?? Admittedly, Astrid knows very little of the politics of the Ash Lands or any of those involved with it since she’s been much more focused on the politics of her own home region, which are already complicated enough given how much she dislikes Baan and how the refugees in Hearthside are being harassed by the raiders so often.

“Huh… That’s…” Astrid can’t really find the words to respond.

Still, Zarius isn’t a kidnapper, that seems so silly. He’s had plenty of opportunities to kidnap Astrid if that were true, and he certainly never made any attempt to do that. Nowadays, that would be nigh impossible, but before she learned magic, it would have been pretty easy. Heck, she probably would have let herself be kidnapped if it meant food and shelter.

But no, he’s not a kidnapper. No way. Maybe it’s just a misunderstanding. It isn’t her place to try to change Shael’s mind about a dead guy that may or may not be able to come back to life. As far as Astrid is concerned, Zarius and his family have helped her a lot, so she has no reason not to trust them… Even if Anslem does cause her some concern and is the reason she kind of trauma dumped on Cyran not so long ago. Oops.

“Erm, sorry,” she says simply since she really can’t think of anything else to say that might just straight up invalidate Shael’s feelings. So far, Astrid doesn’t really get the sense that the two of them could be friends, but maybe this adventure will change that. After all, Astrid isn’t opposed to making new friends. “Well, if that did happen, an’ this is gonna help ya move forward, then we’ll take care of it!” A bit of optimism never hurt anyone. In theory.

“I know how it feel ta wanna repay someone that took care a’ ya,” she continues. “Sometimes, ain’t really a good way ta do it. Though I s’pose this might be one. I dunno, best thin’ I can do fer me da is try me best not ta get hurt. A bunch a’ big knuckleheads ain’t all that scary compared ta the rest a’ the stuff the world can throw at us. Besides, maybe we can just talk ta them. I ain’t all that good at just sneakin’ in, an’ I don’t think they wanna get a lot a’ their guys eaten by a couple a’ drakes.”

Looking over at Shael, Astrid asks, “Do ya know anyone in the Red Riders we could talk to before we just go in drakes blazin’? Otherwise, I ain't afraid a' walkin' in an announcin' meself. I’ll electrocute the crap outta them if they try anythin'. Won’t be able ta do nothin’ ta Little Miss Stormstone!” Her grin brims with confidence. She’s fought gods and dragons and dangerous criminals. Some burly guys on horses don’t mean anything to her.

Shael gives Astrid a bit of a sour look. "'If that did happen'?" she repeats Astrid's words back at her. "You don't believe me," she accuses but then huffs and looks back ahead. "The guy's dead yet still has you all wrapped around his fingers." 

Gods.

That's so irritating.

The guy is so clearly shady as fuck so why do so many people think he's a nice guy? Astrid's just a kid, but come on, she can't be the only person who has a problem with the manipulative fellblood. Of course not, she knows she's not. Lots of folks have issues with him, but most of them are also shady jerks. How all these 'good' people are a-okay with associating with a criminal like him just does not make sense to her. Hells, even Leandros who has heard her story and complaints still hasn't condemned Zarius' actions. It's messed up, but since Zarius is dead it's not like anyone else can confront him about it anyway. 

She huffs again. 

"I doubt they'll be in a talking mood. They're all jerks and meatheads. If you want to try talking just make sure you're ready for a smackdown at any moment."

The Red Riders weren't the type to listen to reason or negotiate. They're too powerful and set in their ways. While Astrid might be a noble and be strong in combat, none of that necessarily matters to the Red Riders. They'd only bat an eye if they arrived with an entire army backing them. Two teens and a pair of drakes are hardly a threat in their minds. 

But maybe they can use that to their advantage. 

How exactly, she has no clue. She's not the strategist type. 

"If things go bad, we should just cut and run." While others might think Shael's words are pretty cowardly, she doesn't really care. You can't do shit if you're dead, so it's always better to stay alive. She also just doesn't want Astrid possibly dying weighing on her conscious. 

It quickly becomes apparent to Astrid that her attempts to be gentle were actually the wrong words to use entirely. “If”? Why did she say it like that? Is it because she thinks there was probably a misunderstanding? Even if that were the case, it’s not her place to tell someone that their anger at their experience isn’t justified. There are two sides to every story, and you can’t play both sides. Her brow furrows.

“I… Sorry,” she says quietly while thinking on the matter.

They fly in relative silence for a few moments before Shael huffs and mentions that they won’t be in the mood for talking. Bandits and ruffians rarely are, and that’s mostly because they don’t tend to be particularly good at it. “Well, think about what we got ta offer, I s’pose. We wanna rescue the leader guy, an’ ya wanna clear thin’s up with ‘em, aye? If that ain’t enough, we knock skulls. Or run. I got an easy way ta get us out, so don’t worry so much about it. Just say whatever ya need ta say ta ‘em.”

In time, they can see the camp, and it’s crawling with burly guys and horses. It reminds Astrid of the Clasp outposts. Yeah, this will be fine, probably. When they see the drakes on the horizon, they scramble, ready for a fight, and Astrid flies low, shouting at them, “OI, WE AIN’T HERE FER A FIGHT, SO DON’T START ONE OR THIS WILL BE A LOT MESSIER FER YOU THAN ME! Anyway, we're landin' just over there, an' we just wanna chat real quick, 'kay?”^[1] She points to a place where she intends to land Big Frizole, and for some godsforsaken reason, the entire camp below just... chills out and starts waving??

They land with no issues.

---

1. Bardic Virtuoso - Perfect Charm [post 1/3]

"It's fine." 

It's not. But she's not gonna take it out on some kid she just met. Not like Astrid has anything to do with anything that happened anyway. Not to mention they have more pressing matters to deal with just on the horizon. 

"Those don't sound like things that work in our favor. We want things from them and don't have anything to barter with. I doubt negotiating is even on the table knowing them."

Hells, for all she knows they won't even get a chance to say a damn thing. They might get shot out of the sky on sight. Can't trust raiders to parlay or play fair. Though she's not planning on playing fair either. If they have to dive in, snatch the hostage, and fly off, that's fine by her. She knows how to run away. She's good at it. Then again, that kind of approach might just make the raiders do something more violent in response. If only this one time, for their sakes, she probably can't get away with running. 

She takes a deep breath through her nose.

"Saying what I want to say to them is what got me in this mess in the first place." 

Hearing the admission aloud and from her own mouth doesn't feel good. It's easier to blame someone else, but at some point you have to face the consequences of your own actions. You can't run forever. 

Arriving at the camp, Shael is on high alert. This is it. This is what she's been putting off for months out of fear or what the riders would do to her, or worse, to Indra. Maybe they'll get lucky. Maybe these members won't recognize her or forgot about that whole incident. Gods, she's never felt this nervous before, she doesn't even notice how her nails dig into the palms of her hands from gripping the reins so tight. 

She nearly leaps right off Indra's back as Astrid suddenly shouts down at the riders. The young adventurer's challenge was not at all what Shael expected and her mouth hangs open in shock. 

They're so dead. 

They're so very dead. 

...

Or not. She glances at the riders only to see the riders...waving??? What in Ginma's fuzzy horse ass is going on??? There's no time for an explanation as Astrid goes to land. Shael clenches her jaw but encourages Indra to follow before she dismounts onto the ground. 

She ducks over to Astrid and whispers so the riders don't overhear her. 

"Hey, hey, this has to be a trap. They're waving. They don't wave."

It's the only logical explanation.

Astrid looks over at Shael, staring at her but really just kind of watching her, studying her. Then she shrugs as if this is a simple thing to correct. “If sayin’ the wrong thin’ got ya into yer situation, then apologizin’ is the first step ta gettin’ out of it.” Things seem easy when your own neck and livelihood isn’t on the line, but then again, this is the same kid that dared someone to be her parent as a joke, and it worked. “Worst thin’ that can happen is they stay mad at ya. Or… Well, they already kidnapped someone, so that ain’t good, but the other stuff won’t change much fer ya.”

Sliding off of Big Frizole once he lands, the giant drake looms over the small child protectively, eyeing the raiders in the camp as if they are all snacks because to him, they can and will be at a moment’s notice. Astrid’s declaration seems to have made no effect on him because, well, he already wants to protect her, and Shael, for all her complaining, might feel oddly compelled to do the same as Astrid flashes a devious smile at her. “Don’t worry about it, I bought us some time. Sometimes ya just gotta work yer charm on folks.”

With a wink, Astrid flounces toward the camp full of big, burly riders who see this small child approaching her and think that she is a precious bean who must be protected. “Hiya fellas!” she says, giving a short wave.

One especially large man in red armor steps forward. “Ginma’s ass, look at you! What’re you doing out here, kid? This is dangerous territory, you know. And with those drakes? That can’t be safe!”

“Don’t worry about the drakes. We’re here ta make nice,” Astrid says confidently. “Me partner here has some stuff ta say, an’ she’s real nervous, so be nice ta her, ‘kay? She ain’t a danger ta me at all.” She turns and waves Shael closer. "Make it quick. Don't wanna waste their time!" The tone she uses puts emphasis on the urgency. She can't keep them all swooning forever.

The raider looks past her to see Shael, and his expression sours.

---

Bardic Virtuoso - Perfect Charm [post 2/3]

Astrid's reassurance doesn't inspire a whole lot of faith in the gloomy teen, but in a way Shael does kinda appreciate the optimism. It's better than a stinking, heaping pile of pessimism to be sure. 

"Huh?" Is all Shael can say in response.

What is with this kid? Wait, no, no, wait. She's heading towards the camp like its no big deal. That's not safe! Shael hurriedly follows after Astrid, sticking to her like glue. She's got to protect the child after all!

Indra seems a bit conflicted. Loyal as she is to Shael, she's also compelled to now want to protect Astrid...but there's something else causing turmoil in the drake. Fear. Something in that camp doesn't smell right, doesn't feel right, but the drake can't communicate that to the girls as they head right up to it and strike up a conversation with the Red Rider standing guard. 

What....what is happening right now??

The way the Red Riders are acting towards Astrid is totally unexpected and has Shael's jaw agape so much that her chin might as well be in the dirt right now. She has half a mind to grab Astrid and run back to the drakes. This whole situation is not safe in the slightest and could turn volatile any moment now. But Astrid just keeps chatting up the Red Rider...and promptly throws Shael under the wagon wheel. 

She locks eyes with the Red Rider and sees the scowl spread across his face. 

"Uh..." It's rare Shael finds herself at a loss for words. This wasn't how she expected this to all go. They haven't even confirmed where the kidnapped individual is. What was she supposed to say to keep them at bay? What even could be said at this point. 

"You...you guys shouldn't bother with the Dvoryanin, they don't have anything valuable to you and just mind their own business." 

The Red Rider crosses his arms over his chest. "Someone's gotta pay for your stunt back in Thunderhoof." 

"What? Is that what this is about?? That wasn't even my fault!" 

"Tell it to the boss. Maybe he'll be feeling merciful and not flay you alive." 

Shael looks a bit distraught and frustrated. She knew the Red Riders didn't put up with double-crossers, but it's been over a year since that incident when Caedes and Zarius botched a fixed race the Red Riders had big money on. She can't believe that they've held onto a grudge for some lost money for that long. 

Okay, so Shael sure did make an attempt, didn’t she? Astrid watches the other girl basically flail about and realizes that yeah, maybe this wasn’t the best plan. Shael is clearly not very good at bluffing, and admittedly, Astrid doesn’t know anything about Shael’s combat abilities which is why she was trying to avoid a fight the whole time. Running away isn’t Astrid’s style, but fighting too many goons all at once is just asking for trouble.

Better make this quick.

“Pay like money or pay like revenge?” Astrid asks. “I don’t know anythin’ about whatever happened between ya, but if money’s the issue, I can help resolve it fer ya so this can all be water under the bridge!”

A deep voice grumbles from behind the line of Red Riders. “It isn’t about the money, it’s about the principle,” says a large Fellblood man who looms above even some of the largest of the Red Riders walks through his men who part like a sea. His skin is a deep ruddy hue as if stained by the blood of a thousand victims slain in raids. His armor, rather than all red, is a beautiful opalescent white with gold and red accents. Or perhaps the red accents are also just bloodstains.

Looking down at the two teenage girls who have waltzed into his camp, the man’s black eyes seem like soulless voids. His black horns curve along his skull and up into vicious points that give his shadow the silhouette of a devil. Scars across his face and notched into his helmet indicate he took a mighty blow that might down a normal man but he shrugged it off instead.

Now, he heard Astrid, and he looks at her with a peculiar expression as if studying her to see exactly what kind of menace this half-blood is looking to be. Then his eyes cut to Shael, and a wicked smile parts his lips and reveals his teeth. Shael might know this individual as one of the leaders of the Red Riders. A warrior of his own might, he proved he needed no accolades of heritage to run this clan. This is Nil’Van’Basz, a true beast of a man who could wrestle a fully grown drake and has done so for the fun of it.

“Shael,” he says, a sickly sweet tune in his gravely voice. “How good to see you again. You know better than to come here expecting mercy from me, don’t you? We don't take lightly to cowards around here, especially not now. But, you came back, so I'm willing to make you an offer. We can make this easy. I’ll take a trade. Your head for the Dvoryanin’s.”

Astrid's not so sure these guys will be on her side much longer.

---

Perfect Charm [post 3/3]

The appearance of one of the Red Rider's top dogs makes Shael's blood run like ice water through her veins. It's like being back in Frost Gale in those frozen halls all over again. Tall shadows looming over her with glares and scowls. Gods she hates that feeling. 

“I-I'm not expecting mercy. I did nothing wrong. I was doing my job and these two shady ass Ash Landers showed up and sabotaged things. I didn't even run away, they used some weird magic to control me and my drake.”

The man looks utterly smug and unconvinced, though it's not because he doesn't believe Shael’s words. He knows them to be true by the subtle thrumming of his insight rune hidden beneath his armor.

“I'm not interested in excuses.”

Shael grits her teeth. If she didn't come up with something quick then they will have to make a run for it. 

Dammit, if Zarius wasn't dead she could throw him under the wagon wheels and get the Red Riders on his tail instead of her heels. Jerk ass just had to inconvenience her even in death.

She could try to sell out Caedes to them but what good would that do when the changeling was slipperier than an eel. They'd never corner him and then just be more pissed off on her for sending them on a wild goose chase.

There had to be some way out of this mess. She did know some pretty good information about Darkveil's underbelly and the big players in it…but would the Red Riders give a shit about that stuff? Only one way to find out.

“Look, this isn't my fault and if you want to pick a fight with someone it shouldn't be with the Dvoryanin, they didn't have anything to do with your blink horse getting stolen. The jerk who messed with your race is tied to the Ashen Fathers and they're in deep trouble with the Stablemen after the whole volcano exploding thing. You'd get more out of going after them than me or the Dvoryanin.”

“The Ashen Fathers?” The man scoffs. “Of course you'd have fled to a bunch of cowards like yourself.”

“I didn't! I didn't run!”

Indra is starting to get riled up as the shouting continues. A few of the Red Riders are likewise getting impatient and start collecting armaments and ropes in case a fight against the beasts is imminent.

“My head isn't worth anything to anyone, it'd just be making a mess to kill me.”

The man shrugs. "Little blood never deterred me before. Besides, we had a deal. You broke it. Business is business, plain and simple." 

Shael bites her bottom lip. "If it's not about money then what about bragging rights? What other Red Rider can say they took down a powerhouse criminal syndicate?"

Nil'Van'Basz raises his eyebrow. "This again? There's no point in us picking a fight with the Ashen Fathers. They're pathetic losers."

"Pathetic losers who dared to tamper with your race. You really want to be known as the guys who got the wool pulled over their eyes and did nothing? Sounds pretty cowardly to me."

There's a flash of movement and Shael is quickly hoisted clear off her feet and into the air above Astrid's head. She chokes as the giant red fellblood's hand crushes her windpipe as he holds her aloft. "Watch that tongue, girl. Else I'll rip it from your mouth and let you choke on your own blood."

Shale kicks feebly and tries to pry his fingers free of her neck to no avail. Suddenly she's dropped and lands on her ass coughing and holding her neck.

"Hmph." The man's eyes then land on Astrid. "You her friend or something?"

Ashen Fathers? Zarius? Shael has said some pretty wild things about Zarius, but is he seriously involved with…? Well, was he seriously involved with them? That might actually make a lot of sense, but there’s no time to think about it as Shael gets hoisted into the air and promptly dropped back on her ass. In a quick motion, Astrid summons up her war hammer^[1] and takes a more defensive stance.

“Oi, oi! We ain’t come here ta pick a fight! We just want the old man back!” she shouts, staring the giant Fellblood dead in the eyes with all the determination in the world. With her having drawn a weapon and taken up the defensive, the remaining Red Riders also shift their stances. No longer is this a little girl here to make a stink, she’s potentially a threat, especially with Big Frizole lowering his head and letting out a warning growl as Indra gets more aggressive.

Basz scoffs, a sly smirk pulling at the corner of his mouth. “With that hammer, it sure looks like you want to pick a fight.”

“Shael’s here ‘cause I were stupid enough ta think ya had more than one braincell in yer head that ain’t focused on violence. If ya want a fight, I’ll give it ta ya, but a bunch a’ big knuckleheads like you hidin’ behind kidnappin’ someone don’t scare me,” Astrid says. “I ain’t know nothin’ about this race or the Ashen Fathers or nothin’. Now I’m gonna ask ya one more time nicely. Can we have the old man an’ get out a’ yer hair?^[2] Leave everyone with nary a bruise, an’ I’ll give ya gold if that’s what ya want.”

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1. Spellblade - Always There
2. Bardic Virtuoso - Charming Grace