Solo Long Awaited Delivery, Well Worth The Wait

[Kaie]

47th of Fall, 513 AV
5th Bell

Eternity. How long is eternity? The distance travelling between Syliras and Ravok, that's how long. And Kaie had traveled the whole of it. Journeyed through the woods, dealing with numerous issues by fault of her own but more often her poor companion, Jervis. Leaving him behind with the Nykan slavers under mutual employment with herself, promising her safe passage undetected if paid collateral, was undeniably immoral. Though if that were true, why had she felt so relieved when he was gone? Shouldn't she have felt some sort of remorse rather than an uplifting of her spirit? Maybe when they had told her of the basic needs of survival, they accidentally left out the elements of peace and quiet. Without all that mental drain all the time, she was free to continue without further delays. Exhaustion did have it's way of setting in though. Even hunting and gathering became an arduous task, finding water quite another. There were days she'd ride along, ass sore from unfamiliarity to life on a saddle, wondering if it was all worth while. For all the scornful reputation Ravok had, never had Kaie been so glad to see the lake city.

Her ebony mount snorted in the crisp air, a dark beast among a world of color. It's breath swirled up in thin wisps of white fog like her own. Quickly was she realizing her dressing habits were severely falling out of good habit. She'd need to start investing in a warm jacket at the least. Winter was coming, and something told her she was hardly prepared. Kaie was starting to wonder if goose flesh counted as an extra layer over her skin. The cold was nothing like the kind that haunted the nights of the jungle. This was the sort that went straight to the bones and played no games about it. She'd heard horror stories of frostbite and amputated limbs. She was in no way about to join the party. Yet she still had plenty of time to worry about all that. For now she had to focus on the task at hand.

Rocking back and forth atop the natural ride of her mount, Kaie withdrew a rolled up piece of parchment from the thin saddle bag. She unraveled the paper hastily to read the curvy, professional letters on the page. Eyes squinting at the words she had barely made out the first time, she searched for the instructions again. Finally she found them.

Ms. Kaie,

I bid you not approach the city considering your current condition and various other reasons I'm sure you'll find out for yourself about Ravok. Instead I request you head northwest along the forest. You'll see my private stables soon enough as they literally flank the outskirts of the city. Ride right through and give them my name. My employees will receive you with utmost politeness and offer you well deserved hospitality. Please do take it and wait for my arrival. We can discuss the nature of your reward then.

Warm regards,
Remis


Kaie glanced up from the page to the world ahead. In the distance she could see the entrance, but not even she was stupid enough to come so close. There were stories of slavery and mistreatment by nonhumans stupid enough to enter. In fact she had freed a caravan of slaves near Syliras coming from Ravok. Granted, they were only liberated from one set of masters to be sold by another. Nonetheless, Kaie knew the risks and there was no sense in throwing away all her time and spent resources to be captured and enslaved. She had an agenda and a coin purse to fill.

[Kaie]

She rolled up the paper lazily, not really bothering how crinkled it had become since she received it. The words were still legible and it was their message that truly mattered in the long run. Carefully she reached down and slipped the parchment back into her mount's saddlebag, doing her best to keep her balance. Already she had misjudged the nature of a horse and landed flat on her back. To relive that experience through sheer idiocy was undesirable to say the least. So once she was again settled, Kaie gripped the reigns with a new sense of direction and clicked her tongue along the roof of her mouth quietly. At the same time she flicked the reigns and tapped her horse's sides with her heels. On command her nameless companion rode forth steadily through the woods.

Just like she was suggested, the Myrian woman directed her horse (or tried to) northeast past the entrance of the city. Dark hooves navigated the leaf ridden earth carefully. Looking below she saw nothing but the boldness of the season. Reds, yellows, and oranges littered the floor as densely as it did the trees. The world was an explosion of transition as fall become more and more intensified in response to winter's advance. It seemed that with every few steps, another set of leaves would flutter down past them harmlessly. Just floating and flitting in the wind as gravity tore them down. It was too bad such pretty things were absolutely atrocious at limiting sound...

With her cloak billowing in the soft whirlwind of leaves, Kaie eventually passed the city gates and traveled down the outside of the city. Within a few minutes of gentle walking, her muddy brown eyes settled on the silhouette of what appeared to be some sort of structure ahead. Kaie studied the thing as they neared warily. The closer they came, the easier it was to see it seemed to match the description of their location. It was a decent sized establishment. The door was tall and wide for at least three horses to stand evenly with plenty of space, one beside the other. Flanking its sides and running back into the woods ran a neatly built fence. It was a ruddy brown color, but nice all the same.

Kaie halted her mount at the edge of the woods cautiously. She stared at the place, as if believing it might be a risk to enter. To move from the dim, dangerous woods into civilization again. As if such a place was a curse (which arguably, it was). Yet all she saw was both risk and reward. Risk, because she could be completely off course, at the wrong stable, and enslaved like the idiots in the cage she saw only a season ago. Reward, because she had traveled so far and finally her destination, with all its economic promises, potentially sat right before her eyes.

With a shake of her head and a decision firmly made in her mind, the woman spurred her horse forth. Slowly but confidently, Kaie rode toward the opening of the stables until she was inside the dimly lit building. Still she couldn't help but let one hand drop from the reigns to grasp the hilt of her sword...

[Kaie]

The steady clip-clopping of hooves was heard from somewhere inside the barn, causing a bit of anxiety in the savage. She was walking blindly into this place within the protection of the city just beside it. She was practically in Ravok. Upon entering the dim stable, she was greeted with the snuffs and stomping of horses in their stalls. At the far end of the barn, a slouching figure was leading a little colt in from the pasture. Kaie turned her head, glancing about the place in search of other employees. The last thing she needed was to be sneaked up on after all. When she saw none she returned to eye the incoming man.

That's when a stall door was hurled open just beside her. The sudden noise caused Kaie to jump just as well as her ebony mount in surprise. She almost tore her gladius from its prison right then in there, jumped off the horse, and slayed the man standing in the door way. Logic got the better of her though.

"I'm here on Remis's orders," Kaie claimed confidently from her position high above the man. His expression was blank and hunched, an older man it looked. His hair was graying at the roots just a bit. For some reason she almost wanted to pin him as a Ravokian slave, which wouldn't have surprised her in the least. Regardless, he did not answer her words though they were in Common. Was it doubt? The woman retrieved the letter from the saddlebag once again and unraveled it, handing it toward the man who took it slowly. He unrolled it and scanned it without bothering to truly read. She figured he might've been looking just to see the way the words looked. To be sure that it was Remis's handwriting. Apparently it was adequate before he stuffed the paper into his loose hanging cloak, nodding at her.

"We have been expecting you. Leave your horse. I will show you a place to rest," The man grumbled kindly to her and closed the open door behind him. He made a gesture with his hands, beckoning her to come off the saddle. Not wanting to look like an idiot, Kaie did her best to appear professional. Considering how horrible she was with the whole saddle deal, her dismount wasn't anything noteworthy. She leaned to one side and carefully removed her foot from the stirrup. Then she stood up, balancing on the other leg and brought the free leg over the horse's back. Finally she removed her tight hold on the reigns and clasped the saddle itself. Only then did she slide down with no choice but to put her back to the man. And...Was he chuckling at her? If he had she sure held it back when she turned to face him.

Like a ghost the man with the colt strolled down toward the black beast. The nameless horse who had become her constant companion along the way stomped its feet, snorting out a thick white fog. He then shook his mane and flicked his tail. Instinctively the Myrian reached a hand out to pat his shoulder. Then he was gone, led away by the other slave to be groomed, cared for, and placed in a stall. Delivery complete.

"Follow. Darian will bring your things when he takes the saddle off the horse. Don't worry, your things are safe, He assured her and hobbled down the stable walk. Kaie followed him with a quirked brow, feeling like he has read her own thoughts. He stopped at the end of stable, turning to where a set up stairs sat. The two climbed the creaky expanse until they reached the top. Up there sat a small cot, a round table complete with chairs, a trough of water, and an assortment of blankets and clothing. Upon the table sat a few fruit and pastries, causing a grumble from her stomach. How long had it been since she'd been offered any civilized amenities? Too long. Perhaps working for Remis wasn't such a bad choice after all. She'd have to thank her host whenever he decided to arrive.

"Remis should be around this afternoon. We are instructed to tend to your needs, so if there's anything we can do, just ask Darian or myself."

"Thank you. Wait, what is your name?" She asked just as the man turned for the stairs.

"Here I am called Renley."

Renley then left her alone to the attic. She'd wait several hours, sleeping, eating, and washing herself before Remis finally showed up.

[Kaie]

It was several chimes before Remis showed up. In fact the weary traveler had time to bathe, wash her clothes, have a meal, and sleep off any lingering soreness before the man arrived. When he did make his way to his out-of-city property, though, Kaie decided it was well worth the wait.

Tap, tap, tap.

The savage woman's eyes shot open like a predator recognizing the pitter patter of prey in the jungle. She listened again for the sound, that tap-tap-tapping upon the barn floor below her. It was a hollow sound. It resonated in a dignified sort of echo. Shoes. Footsteps of a confident person. They did not belong to a slave. They belonged to someone new. Someone with power. Someone with money.

Kaie sat up on her cot, rubbing her face with her hands. She shrugged her shoulders, once, twice, and then she was on her feet. She was sporting her regular attire, though this time it was far fresher. Again she rubbed the sleep from her eyes to appear more lively. The Myrian woman knew who her expected guest ought to be. Remis. Mysterious and ever vague, Remis. Right on cue she heard him stepping leisurely up the stairs whistling. Could the man be any less relaxed?

"Ah, good! Renley warned me you might be asleep but thankfully you're up! I take it you're Kaie of course? A strawberry blonde male exclaimed cheerfully, cupping his hands together in a pleased gesture. Oh, how he reeked of civilization. Of luxury, class, and professionalism. His dress was better than anything Kaie had seen while in Syliras. A true business man at its finest. From the way he smiled and dress to the way he moved his hands during speech, he radiated charisma. Could this be the real deal? He then extended his right hand in a typical shake to greet her. Such an odd custom.
"Yes. Kaie of the Cutthroat Shadows," She replied simply, reaching out to grasp his hand. Her own demeanor was neutral and she maintained the best image of professionalism on her part, too. Her guise was blank but there was a friendliness in her features. A faint smile here and a polite nod there. It wasn't too hard to pull off.

"Fantastic. I'm Remis as you might've guessed. Merchant extraordinaire. That's a joke, my friend, but I do like to think I'm quite good at what I do."

I sure hope so.

"Pleasure. Your men downstairs took the horse when I got here."
"Oh, yes! Yes! Of course! Well done at that. Glad to see you made the trip, I've made it a few times myself and it's certainly not a pleasant one. I trust my men were hospitable?"

Kaie seriously doubted that. He didn't look old enough to complete the trip more than twice despite how well put together he was. Remis didn't look a day over twenty-five, but that perfectly curled mustache seemed to add a year or two to that.

"Yes. Everything has been good. Thank you for allowing me stay," She added for good measure, trying to keep up with the civilized charade. When was he going to get to the petching point? Did Razkar ever let his employers dabble on this long?

"Fabulous. Now back to business. So you made it to the location in record time, horse and all. You seem capable of holding your home, or so my man in Syliras tells me?

"Right."

"Good then. For your long delivery, this is yours. Oh, and please do stick around. I'd like you to be up tomorrow so we can discuss the nature of our partnership further. I promised you work here for me, and I will honor such a promise. You've proven yourself, Ms. Kaie. I'd like to think I'd feel comfortable placing you in charge of watching over my investments," He began very matter of fact, grinning and curling the ends of his mustache almost giddy. "I have quite a few projects coming up there next few days and I'd like you a part of them. There'll be risk, but as always there will be further reward. What do you say, Ms. Kaie? May I count on your loyalty?" He finished, eyeing her expectantly and holding out a coin pouch in the open air. Kaie in turn extended her hand, noticing the weight of it. At least guessing at it. From what she could see, it was adequate.

As long as you don't send me on worthless missions like that again, yes. Though I bet you can tell I'm desperate for what you have to offer...

"I've traveled almost a season to deliver you a horse. I'm not sure there's anyone better to count on," Kaie responded steadily, and down came the bag of coins right into her hand. Then with a bow at his waist, Remis descended joyfully down the stairs. The tap-tap-tapping of his shoes rang through the barn again. And then he was gone. The glee Kaie felt as soon as her fingers wrapped around the pouch, however, remained.

Not such a waste of time after all then. Pleasure doing business with you already, Remis.

Receipt:Payment for delivering a valued horse from Syliras to Ravok.

[Abstract]

Grade Awarded!

Kaie

Skills

~ Riding - 3
~ Observation - 1

Lores

~ Distance Between Syliras and Ravok: Eternity
~ Renley: Ravokian Slave (?)
~ Remis: Offering More Jobs

Other

N/A

Notes

Remis really annoys me... seriously, he talks too much

I'm unsure on the horse payment... did you already have a price planned out? Can you PM me about the details, please, so we can get things worked out. Thanks!