Solo [The Orphanage] Broken.

[Orion Michaels]

40th of Fall, 514 AV
The Orphanage, Sunset Quarters
Late Evening

NoteThis thread is like 4 years old - at the time it was written there was a prompt from the then ST about children being kidnapped from the Sunset Quarters Orphanage. Some people did the rescue thread, this is the actual kidnapping.

Gentle flames flickered from a brazier, illuminating the area around an old oaken table. In the middle of the night, two people sat in the dim light of orphanage's mess hall. A middle aged, but still beautiful Isur sat on an aged chair, a soft smile touching her lips. A cloak was pulled around her shoulders, hiding the stout, muscly frame from the view of any observing. A half full glass of an amber liquid set before her. Her index finger slowly trailed the rim of the cup as she spoke softly, deep in conversation with the man sitting across from her.

Orion was relaxed, sitting forward in his chair and enjoying one of the few stress free moments he'd been able to have since coming to Sunberth. Jillene's insistence on honesty and commitment to something bigger than herself made her approachable, something he hadn't expected to find. With a bottle of some unknown drink he'd found in the doctor's office, the two strangers were becoming more well acquainted; even if it were an indirect interrogation by the Isur. She guarded her past, but was quite curious about that of her new employee's.

"Syliras, you said?"

"Yeah, born and raised. My accent always seems to turn heads here. Not really enjoying the attention it brings, but not much I can do about it." It had been a long day of work, but before he had been able to turn in for the day, Jillene had asked him to meet her after the children were put up in bed. He had wondered for a moment if she were going to fire him already, but instead they were having a drink.

"Do ya miss it? I'm sure it's quite the shift from what you're used to." Another question. She seemed to be full of them.

"Sometimes. I.." The doctor paused a moment, chewing on the words he wished to share. "I've got a lot of good memories there, but I couldn't stay. If I could be there now, I'd pass," he admitted with a shrug. He was somewhat jaded from his experiences in the so called city of peace. "It will always be home, I suppose."

"So you were in Sunberth before?"

"Yeah. It's been several years now. I've got a bit of family in the area; though I'm not terribly close." He brought the cup to his lips, taking a sip of the alcohol. A soft, pleased sigh came forth as the burning of alcohol trailed its way down his throat. He hadn't been able to relax with a drink in some time. Even the previous night's had come somewhat of desperation. "Wasn't my brightest move, I'll tell you that." The cup was gently placed on the surface of the table, next to where his sword was placed, blue eyes trailing up to Jillene's face. He'd met a few Isur in Syliras - their reputation as skilled smiths were more than deserved - but never before had he sat down and spoken with one. He'd heard they were gruff, and Jillene did nothing to counter that perception. Still, she was genuine, and that was something Orion could appreciate.

She nodded. "Haven't heard of many coming here by choice. Why did you come? Looking to get yerself killed?" The Isur woman offered a smirk to the guard.

Orion chuckled. "At the time, I don't think I would have minded. I guess you could say I was a bit self destructive at the time. Did some stupid things that I regret. As it stands, I'd likely have found myself dead if I had acted up in Syliras, so in a roundabout way it may have saved my life." He resisted the urge to shudder, terrible memories trying to resurface.

"What were ya running from?"

A blunt, straightforward question, just as he'd expect from the Isur. She didn't dance around things she wanted to know. "I'd rather not," the ex-squire admitted. "It was a long time ago." Jillene didn't want trouble, after all. Unfortunately, he was irresistible to trouble. Lyla, the reason he was here then, the reason he was there currently, could be anywhere. The phantom pains, remnants of the hurt she inflicted upon him still tormented him. All he could do was pray that he didn't bring the children into his dramatics. Enough had already had lives upended by Orion and his misfortune.

Jillene gave a slight shrug. "Aye, I can respect that. The past makes up who you are, though. A person can change, but they always have those memories, good or bad." She took another drink, milky white eyes seemingly studying Orion through the clouded vision.

"What about you, Jillene? I'm surprised to see an Isur here."

"Kids needed taken care of, so here I am. There's so many of them that someone like me was what the hooligans were in want of. 'Specially after the fire."

"You know that's not what I meant."

"Aye, but it's the answer you're getting. Like you said, Orion, anything before was a long time ago. Making sure the little ones are taken care of and ready as best they can be for Sunberth. That's what matters now." She downed the rest of her drink. "I expect you to take some of that to heart. You might be in the city searching for someone, trying to scrape up money, but if you slack on your duties and take advantage of the trust I'm puttin' in ya regarding these kids, I'll put you out on your ass so hard you'll be needin' those medical skills yer so boastful of."

Orion shook his head, unable to hide the grin from his face. "If I were here for money alone, I'd just work as a doctor." If he could not take care of Emily and Liam, at least he could try and make life in Sunberth a little better. As long as nothing caught him off guard, he would have enough saved up come Spring to buy supplies and acquire passage on his way to Ravok, if that was the prudent course of action. "I've seen what the gangs in the city do. I don't want any of these children involved in it."

She smirked. "Noble, aren't we?"

Orion sighed. "No, it's nothing like that. I'm not here to play hero, either. It's just not a good life. You should know that."

She did, but she wouldn't share just how well she knew it. Both souls had histories that they'd rather keep to themselves. "Yeah, I guess I do." She pushed herself to her feet. "Just make sure you don't lose that attitude, Orion. We need good people here. They need good people. Still don't know if you are one, but I'm hopin' you are." The Isur woman began to make her way from the mess hall. "I'm gonna go make sure those kids aren't trying to pull anything."

"Have a good night then, Jillene. I'm going to go make sure everything is settled in the office. Might do some medical checkups tomorrow if you don't have anything specific you need of me." He rose to his feet, finishing his drink and putting the stopper in the bottle of alcohol. "I'll take care of the fire, don't worry about it."

"I'm fine with that. Good night, Orion." Jillene disappeared into the darkness.

[Orion Michaels]

The squire sat silently at the table, somewhat lost in thought. He'd planned to stay up later that night, make sure nothing happened, whether from the children or by thugs who were overstepping their bounds. There was little to be found in the Sunset Quarters, but everyone was scraping for what they could. Add the food shortage he'd stumbled into and desperation was likely to be found at a high.

Tomorrow was going to be a long day, of that he was sure. There were more than six dozen orphans being housed by his rough count, and that number always seemed to grow. Few wanted to . If he was going to get through all of them, he was going to have to start early and be at it for a few days. "I'll start with the youngest and then go up, I think. Girls, then boys," he mused quietly aloud, hoping that none of the children had any serious problems. He'd checked in the office more than a few times and was less than pleased by the meager supplies he had. Bandages, a few salves, but nothing to treat any serious injury. As long as they kept it to bruises, cuts, sprains, and the occasional break, he could manage. Anything more and he'd be scavenging for makeshift tools. What worried him more was sickness. He had nothing to help with any illness or disease - any child found to be with something contagious would need to be isolated as quickly as possible. The cramped living quarters would make it likely to spread.

With a sigh, he downed the rest of the mug, placing it softly back on the table. Orion wasn't sure how much time had passed as he planned for the next day. The darkness all looked the same. Dim firelight provided the only illumination, beyond the faint hint of starlight through filmy windows. Beyond the inevitable pitter-patter of children moving about when they should be sleeping, it had been calm. All good things, of course, come to an end.

Orion's head turned toward the sound of creaking floorboards. expecting to see a child sneaking about the shadows. The silhouette he observed was not that of a child. It was far too large, and the eyes he saw in the darkness were tired and dangerous. The glint of steel, caught by the dancing flames of the brazier alerted him to the danger he faced.

The man lunged towards the table, a dented, worn longsword lashing out at the ex-squire. In one fluid motion, he pushed himself up from his chair, grabbing his sword with his left hand while his right hand gripped the edge of the table. He lowered into a squatted position and drove up, tipping the table over and onto his attacker.

The man was taken aback by the maneuver, retreating a few steps back to avoid being pinned. "You don't want to do this," warned the attacker, "it won't e-"

As the table flipped over, Orion retrieved the obsidian and crimson dagger from his belt, flinging it with an overarm toss at his foe. The man was caught off guard by the sudden attack. He yelled out in pain as the dagger sunk into his shoulder. Orion immediately closed the distance, loosing his blade from his sheathe with a flick of his wrist. He transitioned the sword from his left to his right and brought his elbow back, twisting his torso as he did so. His left foot planted just before the rogue, and Orion then unleashed a powerful thrust of his weapon, his body rotating from right to left to deliver a powerful attack.

Cold iron pierced the man's abdomen, cutting through cloth, skin, and flesh thanks to the finely honed point. Recalling his knightly training, Orion wrapped his left arm beneath his foe's arm and around to his shoulder. He then leaned back slightly, his own weight driving forward and propelling the blade while his enemy's weight helped slide him down on the weapon. The blade protruded from the man's back, leaving him with nothing but desperate gasps where a threatening tone had existed five ticks before.

Orion straightened his body, pulling his weapon free from the now dying man. He then retrieved his dagger, looking down at the fearful eyes, but Orion felt no compassion or pity. The man would have killed him sooner than Orion could have blinked. The only kindness he could give this man was a swift death. Orion reared back and delivered a sweeping slash that met the man's neck, sending to meet with Dira.

What was that about? Orion had begun to kneel down and search the man when a voice cried out.

"You two, get him! We've gotta hurry!"

Two more figures approached him from the shadows, leaving the guard's fortunes overturned. A loud thud on the floor above him did little to raise his spirits. He was in for the fight of his life.

[Orion Michaels]

Orion's eyes darted back and forth between his two assailants. Both advanced upon him cautiously, giving wide berth around him and the table. While the physician had caught the first attacker off guard, he would find no such luck against his newest foes. He wished to fall back upon his training, let instinct take over and allow his blade to speak for him. Unfortunately, the warrior's history did nothing to prepare him for the difficult task of facing two enemies. Unimaginable time had been spent in the training grounds, learning the ins and out of long sword combat, but each time he had squared off against a singular opponent, which left him uncertain how to proceed.

Sweat began to appear upon the blue eyed man's brow, nerves countering him in each attempt to remain calm. With short, deliberate steps, Orion retreated, careful to keep his weight centered on the balls of his feet as he attempted to deny the men their goal of flanking him, but the dining area offered him little in the way of maneuverability. It was not until the two men were nearly upon him, and his back rested against a wall that Orion realized the error of his ways.

Of the two men, one was clearly larger, brawnier, and stronger, which only served to make the mace he wielded all the more menacing. A sneer had crept upon the man's lips as cold brown eyes bore down on Orion. It was unnerving, something which the physician was unaccustomed too as an imposing figure in his own right. The man's grip tightened around his weapon, flickering candlelight faintly illuminating his furrowed brow and intense gaze. It was unnerving - a feeling which Orion was used to imposing on others. Despite the obvious threat, a glint of steel from a sword was far more dangerous to the guard's well-being.

The first swing of the mace came in a powerful cross-body swing and smashed into the wall beside Orion's head, the force generating a breeze that screamed of its threat. A grunt escaped the larger man's mouth as his weapon chipped stone from the ancient walls of the orphanage. Orion recoiled, turning his body away from the dangerous weapon, but he found himself introduced to the dangerous blade of the other bandit.

Searing pain raced up his left forearm, the sword carving a superficial cut with a flick of the bandit's wrist.

"Fuck!"

Orion pushed the pain aside enough to duck under a second swing from the mace, wincing as the weapon again crashed right by his head – only leaving him a moment of respite before the sword was coming down on him once more.

He threw his sword arm up, the cold steel sword clashing with dazzling sparks against the inferior iron blade of his foe. From his partially crouched position, Orion drove himself up and through the kidnapper and for a tick felt satisfaction as he heard the clattering of a weapon on the ground – right before they hit the ground and a wildly thrown elbow found his face just beneath his eye.

Orion let out a groan and rolled off to the side, putting the fallen bandit – who was now scrambling to his feet – between him and the larger of the ruffians. More importantly, he wasn't trapped against the wall. That did little to soothe his face and the rapid swelling that formed around his eye. He had to do something or...

With a grimace, he pulled himself to his feet, staring down the bandits through his impaired vision. "What do you want?" Orion said, his voice a low growl. "Leave me and the kids alone and get out of here. You know this place is off limits."

"You're just in the way, petcher. Lie down and die like a good boy. I slit your throat like you did me mate's there."

Uncertain eyes glanced back and forth between the two assailants as he tried to compose a plan of attack. He found himself retreating again, unsure of just how he was going to survive.

Time to think was precious; a lunging bandit and the screams of the older children coming from the floor above forced Orion into action.