Creed of the Blades

[Chloriosus]

Set in the country of Faerun, this medieval tale of good, evil, and everything in between tells of the pact formed by a rogue and a worker in the king's palace.

[mainehorse]

Cassius wrenches her left arm free from the grip of one of the guards attempting to escort her down to the dungeons. Pulling it back, she clocks him right in the nose, forcing him to stumble backwards slightly from the force. Another quickly steps forward to attempt to restrain her. They had already wrestled her sword from her grip earlier, but that didn't take away her ability to fight back. Many of the guards here were ones she had trained with, and even supervised during her time as a soldier. But now they looked at her as though she was some kind of monster, with wide, almost fearful eyes as they tried to restrain her. "Let me go" she snarls angrily at the guard still attempting to hold onto her as she trashed against his grip.

[Chloriosus]

Farjon walked wearily down the long and narrow stairway of a tower, staring at each step as he carefully navigated his way down them. The gray stone was very wet and slippery, apparently some cleaning made had spilled a water bucket down them earlier in a lazy attempt to clean them. Farjon shook his head. Why would someone just cheat their job like that? He was on his way to one of the headmasters to see if they would finally let him train as an archer or knight, anything really, for Farjon was rather desperate at this point. So far all his inquiries had fallen upon deaf ears, nobody wanted to train him, he was either too old, or too slight, or just not "the man for the job". It rather irked Farjon that people judged so much appearance wise, yet for his second chances sake, he had curbed his outspoken tongue up to this point. He was on his way to try again, when he heard quite a lot of scuffling and struggling noises coming up the winding stairs from the dungeons. His natural curiosity awakened, he quickened his pace. Such scenarios happened often, but the ones whose stories circled around in the servants' common room somehow always happened when he was out on errands. He rushed all the way down the stairs, and looked on the unfolding scenario from behind a cold stone wall.

[mainehorse]

"Stay back, this one's dangerous." One of the soldiers mutters, spotting Farjon looking out from behind the stone wall out of the corner of his eye as he attempts to shove Cassius down to the floor so that they could tie her wrists behind her back. Though to his dismay, the former soldier turned rouge wrenched her other arm free, dodging out of the way. She knew the majority of them, giving her an understanding of their strengths and weaknesses, and that was going to make it harder for them to gain the upper hand against her. Especially since they all knew that Cass wasn't one to go down without a fight. And boy could she put a fight. Their best bet was switching out regularly until they tired her out and she didn't have the energy to fight back any longer. Then they could throw her in a cell. Though if they took too long then there was the chance she could slip away. This would be far from the first time that happened if it did. She had been wanted for some time now, but kept giving them the slip.

[Chloriosus]

Farjon watched the unraveling events, and could feel his eyes widen. He pressed them closer together, trying to look like this was an everyday occurrence to him. He had worked here a for a while now, but this was the first time he witnessed a fight like this first hand. The fight this woman put up surprising. It was evident that this was not the first time something like this had happened. Farjon studied her face intently, or at least tried to, for gaurds were piling up thicker than the fog that rose from the river in winter. He recognized her from several wanted posters that he passed daily on his various routes, and his attention was ignited some more. The reward was over 7,000 Kopelecks, which was a sum well over at least two years' wages. Farjon's first instinct was to disdain this fight. It was unfair, for there were at least seven guards to one rogue. The his second instinct of justice kicked in. If they were so intent on KEEPING her here in the dungeons, then they most likely had a very good reason to do so, for if she wasn't that valuable, then they would most certainly not risk neck and limb trying to take her down. Farjon knew most people were incompetent, and ussually only went so far in doing things as their personal comfort zone would allow. Doubts also began to form in his mind. He wanted to be a fighter, to learn, but he knew exactly that if he joined in a fight like that hed be applesauce in seconds.

[mainehorse]

"She can't keep this up forever. Carson, Michael, switch out." The captain barked orders from the side lines of the fight. It was pathetic in his eyes, some one these men easily weighed double what this woman did. And they outnumbered her by several men. Yet they were struggling to keep her contained. One of them even had a broken nose from where she had struck him. The fight wears on for quite some time, Cassius repeatedly lashing out at the guards trying to restrain her. Until finally, injured and having pushed past the point of exhaustion, one of the soldiers manages to knock her to the ground. It hadn't been a fair fight by any means. She had been unarmed, and vastly outnumbered, and yet she had still put up one Demons of a fight. "Darn you, let me go" she growls as the captain steps forward. Even battered and exhausted as she was, she still hadn't lost her will to fight. She trashed against the captain's grip as he moves to drag her to an empty cell. Though she didn't have the energy to overpower him at this point. But she wasn't going to give up.

[Chloriosus]

Farjon shook his head to get some of his hair out of his face. He watched the guards shove the thrashing fighter into a cell. "That has got to hurt." he told himself, but as to weather he meant the guards or their prey remains unclear. It was at this moment that he remembered that he had wanted to inquire about being taken in to training that day. If he tarried any longer he would miss the commander. He glanced back at the scene once more and then quietly and unnoticed began back up the perilous stairs, skipping them except when passing the seperate stories so as not to appear unfit for whatever he was signing up for. As he passed the seventh storing he noticed the retreating back of one of the commanders down the hallway. He took a deep breath and then silently ran up to him, slowing his speed to that of the commanders. "Good day sir.", he said politely, folding his hands behind his back determinedly. The commander wheeled about to face the much shorter Farjon. "You again.", he said with some dignified annoyance. He was a large stout man with a small amount of patience or empathy for such a large man. Farjon smiled slightly. "Yes, its me again.", he said, breathing out slightly. The commander looked about to make sure nobody was watching them, then turned his full frame towards Farjon. "What is it you want?" Farjon smiled again and straightened his back, subtly trying to look a bit taller. "Well sir, I was wondering if you happened to be willing to let me into training, for the calvary, perhaps. I have a good eye and a steady hand, and I think I would ecxell at it." The commander raised an eyebrow. "Would you, now." He looked Farjon up and down. "I believe so.", Farjon spoke firmly. The commander looked him up and down before speaking again. "Well I don't." He turned and began on his way.

[mainehorse]

"Monster." One of the guards spats, digging his heel into Cassius' side for a moment to keep her down long enough that he could slam the cell door shut and lock it. Though it was only a moment later that the rouge was back on her feet. She reached through the bars and grabbed hold of the soldier's shirt to prevent him from leaving. "Oh I'm the monster am I?" She growls, her grip surprisingly tight after all that had occurred. The others were leaving him to her mercy, figuring there was only so much she could do through the bars of a cell. "What does that make the lot of you then? We used to be friends Carson. We trained together, spent years working to become soldiers. But you were always too blind to see what was right in front of your face, weren't you?" She hisses before shoving him away through the bars. "Go, tell your precious king you captured me. I know you all want to see this 'monster' dead, don't you" she mutters as Carson scrambles away from her cell, booking it out of the dungeons.

[Chloriosus]

Farjon Stalked stiff legged and disheartened down the stairs again. Did I say disheartened? No, he was not dishearten. In fact, he was way more set on attaining an important position than he had been five scant minutes ago. His mind seethed as he thought of what the commander had said to him. "Your a thin one, small and scant, ye won't last a louses breath in any form of combat. Last word." Oh he would show him. Not just him, everybody. He would prove his loyalty to the king, the kingdom, and if he were to be completely honest, his biggest reason at the moment was to spite that commander. He retreated to the kitchen and calmed down. This was bad, he was overreacting. Something that would never help him out of any situation. All he had to do was to prove himself. Maybe catch a rogue. But how would he go about doing that? His moral instincts told him this was a wrong reason for hunting people. He was diverted from his train of thought when Dilly, one of the maids walked into the kitchen. She nodded at him shortly in greeting."Farjon will you go down to the dungeons to make sure all sells are locked? I know it my night but I've got two sick kids at home." Farjon was about to agree but Dilly threw the keys at him. "Thank you.", she said untying her apron and heading out of the kitchen without awaiting a response. Farjon pressed his lips together angrily and shook his head slightly, then with a designated sigh he shoved the various keys into his pocket and began on his way down.

[mainehorse]

Cassius was pacing her cell like a caged animal might. She was bleeding from several gashes inflicted during the brutal fight with the guards, many of whom she used to call friends. Some of the gashes would need stitches, but still she was in better shape than some of the guards. She had broken the nose of of them, and another's jaw. No doubt they'd both be in the infirmary right now. But of course, nobody cared to see if the wanted rouge needed medical attention. Not that she'd submit to it. She'd find a way to stich her own wounds shut before she allowed any of them anywhere near her. Her mismatched gaze snaps over to the stairwell as she hears footsteps coming down the stairs. Eventually, she could see the same younger man who had been watching the fight from behind a wall. What could he possibly be doing down here. She could hear the jingle of keys in his pocket, so that was why he was down here. Of course it was. She didn't have any qualms with him, but should one of her old friends come down here, she wouldn't take kindly to that.

[Chloriosus]

Farjon stared into the dim lit dungeon until his dark eyes became used to the darkness. Many of the prisoners were sleeping, and Farjon had no intention of waking any of them, since too often had he taken the brunt of their anger at the guards and higher ups. Slowly, carefully, stepping silently, a task he had learned to do from a young age, he checked each lock. They were all locked, all of them. As he passed a cell that was holding a very brawny candidate, he paused in front it, eyeing the ruddy man quietly. He appeared to be sleeping, but something didn’t seem quite right… Farjons feeling was right. In a flash, the man jumped up, crossed the cell and stuck his hand out of the bars attempting to get a chokehold on Farjon. Farjon dodged and backed away. “Good night to you too, sir.”, he said hiding the shaking in his voice well. “I’m sorry if I’ve woken you up.” Then he continued walking, though his steps slowed slightly. This particular job drained most of his usually optimistic self. He knew the people here had a reason to be there, but he couldn’t always help but feel bad for most of them, stuck in here his away from the daylight, often for months, others for years. Lastly, he approached the cell of the rogue brought in today. He wasn’t scared walking up to her cell, he knew even if she was awake she couldn’t do anything to him, yet he did feel a little on edge approaching it. He walked up and silently checked the lock, barely looking up.

[mainehorse]

"What's the matter? Scared?" Cassius asks quietly. Her mismatched gaze peered out at him from the darkness of her cell. He was refusing to look up, seemingly fixated on the lock. Did he believe the rumors? So many people seemed to paint her as something larger than life, as some kind of monster. She wasn't some sort of heartless monster though. Perhaps she wasn't the friendliest of faces. But provided you didn't attack her first, she wouldn't hurt an innocent. But provoke her and she would meet the threat with burning fury. Those soldiers who had been her former friends had really made her blood boil. How dare they call her a monster when they were the ones turning a blind eye to the real monster?

[Chloriosus]

Farjon looked up quickly. He had thought she was sleeping. He pocketed his keys, and then looked her in th eyes. “I’m not scared.”, he said, still keeping his voice low so that he didn’t wake the others. “Do I look scared?”, he questioned. If he really looked as if he were someone who was nervous, then there was small wonder the commander hadn’t wanted to take him. Thinking about the commander awakened part of Farjons rage again, but he took a breath and surprised it, his face blanking of all expression.

[mainehorse]

"Well pardon me for asking. Just a moment ago you wouldn't even meet my gaze. As though I'm some kind of monster." Cassius says, reaching up with one arm to wipe away the blood that was slowly trickling it's way down her face. That cut wasn't the worst of her now fresh injuries. She was aching all over, yet she still managed to stand tall. She wasn't about to lose the spark that kept her fighting. She couldn't afford to.

[Chloriosus]

“I don’t consider you a monster.”, Farjon retorted. “But let’s say I would have looked at you from the beginning. Then you might have said I’m staring at you for that same reason. Often than naught people get more upset if you look at them than when you don’t. I have borne first hand witness of that.” He almost smirked grimly at the last statement, then eyed the rogue with interest, sizing up her wounds. “This has happened before?”, he asked nonchalantly, easily distinguishing her older scars from the new ones. “It sure looks like it.”