Prompt Love is Blind: The Road Less Traveled

[bees?]

Art by: S. J. Hao
For Euphemia (Lucie) and Hawkflesh (Frank)
​

The village had long been abandoned. Whatever happened to the people who once lived there must have happened quickly -- tattered clothes still hung out on laundry lines, food rotted next to charred firepits. Gardens overgrew their fences and mixed with the underbrush of the forest, and shutters half off their hinges creaked in the wind along with the foliage overhead.

Locals to the area knew not to use the road that went past the abandoned village, an old superstition that kept them safe. But the two distant travelers that walked through the place now, had not been fairly warned. To them, the path was easy and the weather was gentle, and passing by the unhallowed place was the most practical way from here to there.

From within one of the empty houses, a sound could barely be heard. It was a rustling of debris, and a faint mewling. A kitten, motherless, shivered in the damp. It took big, brave steps towards the footsteps of the coming travelers. But all on its own, the small creature would not make it far.

 

[Hawkflesh]

It gave Hawkflesh the creeps this place. Worse than the mystery of what happened here or who used to live in this village was the unnatural sense that at one point someone had lived there and now they were gone.
The emptiness of the place screamed at him as he made his way through it towards the small square which was only marked by the law-stone at the centre upon which the given code of these people was written. Their values, their voices, from beyond wherever but unreadable with all the moss and vines growing over it now.

Shaking out the shiver that ran up his spine he decided to hot foot it out before...

Before two things happened upon him.

The first was what he saw, two figures on horseback heading his way, both armed and armoured sporting personal heraldry.
Knights of some sort. One with a bow and the other without but with a sword.

"Oh Gods Below what now?"
Just as he was done grumbling to himself the cry happened. It was a cat, no, a kitten, not a wild thing, not wild enough at least and not near grown enough to fend for itself. Small and frail it cowered into the light of the doorway and pleaded again.

Hawkflesh felt his heart go out to it. No creature should be left to die so but he had to face these two first.
One of them looked familiar as they approached.

"Euphemia?"
His voice held his surprise at seeing her as his mouth went slack.

@Euphemia Martell

 

[Euphemia Martell]

Effie and Syr Barton were traveling around the southern reach of the lands that the Knights often would patrol, helping keep the small folk safe. Her horse followed slightly behind Barton, trained to follow to help make it easier for her to ride. She didn't have to keep up her shroud sight for the whole ride as she could trust that she would end up where she needed to be.

The two knights chatted quietly as they rode down the road. It had been largely empty since they had taken the last fork. "There are some buildings ahead. Perhaps we can purchase dinner there tonight." Barton said speaking. Though as they drew closer, it became more and more apparent that there was not going to be any food found at this abandoned town.

She had activated her shroud sight as they drew closer, Barton's concern over the urgency with which it appeared the town had been abandoned. Such little details were beyond her magic sight, even if it had gotten stronger since her time in the hand-infested forest. The little sad mew from one of the buildings caught her ears, only for her to turn her head as she heard her name. The voice was familiar even if the aura around the figure wasn't. She'd never really gotten a chance to observe Hawkflesh in the shroud the last time they had met.

"Hawkflesh?"

"You know him Effie?" Barton as, bow already in hand, arrow notched but not drawn.

"Aye, we've . . . met before." She said with a nod. Though she wasn't sure how exactly to explain how they met originally. Effie, stopped her horse, swinging off the saddle.

"I'll go set up camp, if you want to catch up." Barton offered reaching down to take the reigns from her hand.

"Thank you." She said, handing over the leather straps before moving over to Hawkflesh. Her steps sure and solid. None of the dependance on a staff like before. Without the glaring brightness of the oversaturation of shroud, she could see to some extent quite clearly. Enough to not have a need for additional supports. "It's a pleasure to meet you outside that strange place." She said with her soft smile.

 

[Hawkflesh]

"Yes well, anywhere is better than there, as I like to say."

Hawkflesh had never uttered that sentence to another soul in his near century of life.

"You look well. When we, eh, separated after the, you know, I wondered if you'd be alright. I, assume you were sent straight back to home, presumably. That looked to be where you came from, at least."

In truth he did not know much about the details of how it all worked. When you escaped you were back where you were before it took you. At least he had always been. Perhaps others were not so fortunate. Shifting from one foot to the other he remembered his ankle and decided not to bring it up. It was well healed in the time between then and now.

Then a though happened to him as he watched the man she was with leave.
"You haven't spoken of it to anyone have you?"

Another thing he did not quite understand, it seemed to effect people if they knew about it. More people in the know could, summon it for lack of a better word. Though he had no proof of it, just that was how it appeared to work, other forces could be at play.

Seeing her again made him nervous, he had never met anyone else who escaped that place before. It was like seeing someone from a nightmare in real life.

@Euphemia Martell

 

[Euphemia Martell]

She couldn't say he was wrong, but she also hadn't felt good about leaving the place still there. Even if logically it had been the best solution at the time. "Yes, just right back into my bed. As if I'd never left." She watched as his shroud form shifted back and forth on his feet. She let out a short laugh at his question.

"I'm not so sure if anyone would believe me if I talked about a haunted forest full of crawling hands that transported me from my bed. They'd only think it was a nightmare." Not that it wasn't in it's own way. A waking nightmare really.

"I did ask some of the more shroud knowledgeable members of my order about if they knew anything about shroud created lands or placed born of the shroud. I got a lot of talk about how the whole world is full of the shroud." She clicked her tongue against her teeth as she glanced in the direction that her fellow knight had gone to set up their camp.

"I intend to keep searching for information. Anything that might could mean we destroy the place for good." It felt silly to say. He seemed to be doing his damnedest to avoid the place, to stop from going back and here she was searching for answers and a way back.

Her thoughts were interrupted as a soft mew sounded by her ankle. Only now just remembering the kitten from the doorway of the abandoned house. The small thing looked up as if it's entire hope rested on them and she lowered herself slowly so as not to scare it, pulling a bit of jerked meat from a pouch at her side. Tearing off a tiny piece she held it out. Probably not the best meal for the tiny creature, but she didn't have anything else on her. It didn't seem to mind much as it took the treat and chewed hungrily at it.​

 

[Hawkflesh]

"Good, that's good."
A thin hand roamed his head for something to do. This particular kind of awkward had never graced him before, he'd pulled people out before but never met any of them after the fact. It was a relief to have the question of whether they would be alright afterwards answered.

"Yeah well, maybe that's for the best, you don't want to be driven from home like a raving madman, haha!"
Try as he might he could not keep the bitterness of that particular memory from his voice.
"Ahem!"

Before he could tell her he thought that actively looking for that place was simply an elegant method of suicide the kitten interrupted them. It was a welcome distraction from his least favourite topic.
He joined Euphemia by honkering down and watched her. She could clearly see now, of course, she was using the Shroud to do it. Inept as he was about the how's of the Shroud Hawkflesh knew well enough it's applications, generally anything was possible as long as it was not too ambitious and even then theoretically all one needed was time and knowledge and the ability to Weave.

"You can see her, can't you?"
Less a question than it sounded Hawkflesh could not help but ask even though he knew well the reality. His thin hand reached out slowly presenting his knuckle as she struggled with the tough dried meat.
"That won't do. She needs something softer, her teeth are too weak."
The poor little thing would fit in his pocket with room to spare.

@Euphemia Martell

 

[Euphemia Martell]

"In a way." She answered. It was always hard to explain how exactly she saw with her shroud. It wasn't the way that others saw after all. "I could . . . show you if you'd like." She offered. Now that they weren't being chased by hands and that the shroud around them wasn't so thick. It made it easier to see, made it easier to distinguish things. One of the good things that had come from that escapade, she was now a bit stronger in her site. The faintest of outlines in object that she once thought impossible to see. Rocks and steel now filling some of the space that had just been a void in her vision.

"I don't exactly have many more options." Effie said with a raise of her eyebrows. It wasn't exactly easy to carry milk around. "Though perhaps shooting a bird and roasting it over the fire would give her something a bit easier to chew." She paused. "How do you know it's a she anyways."​

 

[Hawkflesh]

It was an unusual offer but he was curious all the same.
"Alright, do you need to take my hand or anything?"

Below the kitten was momentarily distracted by the motion and looked up at them. Which prompted Hawkflesh to reach for the jerky and picking it up tore a piece of it off with his teeth
"Well, got to make it suitable then."
He said between heavy chews before spitting it back out into his free hand and dropping the pulp back in front of the kitten who was screaming discontent at him but soon got to munching the meaty mush after a few tentative sniffs which handily brought him to his next answer.
"Smell, males have a muskier scent, even this young and she's been laying in her own waste. Probably keeping to where she knows."
Sparing a glance at the innards of the house he wondered what happened to the mother.

@Euphemia Martell

 

[Euphemia Martell]

TW: Animal Death
​

---

Her hand reached out to try and stop him before he'd put the piece of jerky that the kitten had been battling into his mouth, but was too late. "I had other jerky. You didn't have to chew on that piece." She said, her face twisting a bit as she considered the types of things that might have been on the ground he was now chewing on. For all they knew it could have been the blight that had caused this village to be left with nothing but the buildings and the eerily floating fabric left on lines and in windows.

Her offer of showing him how she saw forgotten in the moment, as she wrinkled her nose. "I have some soap in my saddlebag. We can warm some water and bath her a bit later." Standing, she moved toward the doorway intending to peek into the building. Where there was one kitten, there was a chance there could be more. It was rare that litters were only one. Her footsteps crunched along the path, the faint glow of the shroud that remained in the wood of the building guiding her enough.

She pressed a hand into the door that was just open enough for the kitten to slip through. A layer of dirt puffed up as the door disturbed it, but it hadn't been empty long enough for the small building to become dusty. There were what appeared to be two rooms, one that held the kitchen, a table and chairs, and a pair of rocking chairs. She imagined the other room would lead to a bedroom. The smell of rot and death seemed to hit her in the face and she pulled a handkerchief from her pocket and pressed it over her face as she stepped inside.

Everything was about how she might expect for an abandoned home. The details were hard to make out, just lumps in the shroud of various sizes and shapes, enough for her to guess their purpose. She wasn't looking for such information however, what she was hoping to find, to see was a faint glow of life. Yet, she didn't see anything. Feeling a bit disappointed, she turned to exit, but then the faint glow caught her eye and she moved toward it with sure steps. Another kitten, whether afraid or sicker than it's sister she couldn't tell. Reaching out a sure hand, Effie lifted it gently. Her fingers brushed against something that felt furry and yet stiff. The mother perhaps, her other hand reached out just to be sure, before standing and exiting the building.

"There was another. In worse shape, as far as I can gather. I think the mother is already gone." She said think, but she knew that to be the truth. She could have urged life back into it's stiff form, but it wouldn't be the the same soul. Nor did she particularly feel like raising the dead today and an undead cat mother wouldn't be useful in any case. "I should bring this one to Syr Barton." Her eyes turned off in the direction of where her companion had gone. "His skill lies with that of animals and their care." Hers did not lean in that way, nearly the opposite really.​

 

[Hawkflesh]

Hawkflesh looked at Euphemia with a mild concern. After their last experience he expected her to be sick of the sight of him, so to speak, not worry for him.
"That's good, she'll need more to get strong, poor little beast and I'm sure she'll be glad to be cleaned."
The kitten ignored him, consumed in her consuming of the pulp, as he watched Euphemia get up and make her way to the ruined house. When she disappeared inside it he sat back on the ground and rubbed his head.
Finding her again was remarkable, for more than one reason. He tried to think of the others, the other people he had gotten out the same way. A wave of relief hit him and tension left him that he did not know he was carrying until then.
The warm chill of relaxing muscles let him know that it was alright and he began to laugh. A dry and short noise that worked it's way into a tired wheeze.
"Fucking hands!"
He told the kitten who continued to ignore him.
By the time Euphemia had returned and informed him of the other one he was wiping his eyes.
"Oh, how dreadful."
His eyes cast upon the kitten again, done with the pulp and now sniffing about the earth, perhaps looking for more.
Thin hands reached out and picked her up with only the slightest mewling protest.
"So, you've got a little sibling and you didn't think to share?"
Scolding the tiny beast was perhaps a bit silly but he was in a good mood despite the grim circumstances of the kittens. He turned his attention to Euphemia again as he cradled the kitten, who was getting over her surprise and used to his warmth.
"Yes, that's a good call. Here's hoping he can help the poor thing. I'll fetch water and join you."
He had passed a well in the street before, he was willing to bet it still worked.

@Euphemia Martell

 

[Euphemia Martell]

With the kittens in hand, Effie lead the way over to where Syr Barton had set up camp. A fire already burning brightly. "We found some little lost kittens." She said as she walked up. "The wilds is not my strong suit. I was hoping that you could take a look at the poor creatures. Especially this one." She asked handing over the weakened kitten that she'd found in the hut.

"This is Hawkflesh, a friend of mine." She said by way of explanation, leaving it at that as she crouched down beside Syr Barton.

The other knight looked over the small creature who seemed as if it was struggling with each breath. Syr Barton's face looking concerned at the state of the kitten that Effie had handed over. "If you'd get some water heating. We'll need to bathe them and mix together some medicine to help this one. I'll also need some star-weed and perhaps a squirrel or rabbit."

"I'll take care of it." She assured him, standing to go about the task of heating some water. Keeping a close eye on the pot to ensure that the water didn't heat too much.

 

[Hawkflesh]

"Syr!"
Hawkflesh gave a nod of acknowledgement to Syr Barton and placed his bucket of water to where Euphemia could use it. Her magic eyes seemed to work as well as his at least up close.

As he sat next to the fire and watched them both work he wondered about them. They were knights but not like he used to be. They held magic strong and appeared to, care.

"Where are you travelling from?"
He asked making conversation the kittens were being seen to so he could not assist. It was better to leave them to their work.

@Euphemia Martell

 

[Euphemia Martell]

Effie nodded her thanks as she took the water Hawkflesh had brought over. Dipping some out and into the kettle that she hung over the fire. With the extra water in the bucket, she could mix some of the cool water with the hot to get the right temperature. A much easier method than overheating and then waiting for the water to cool slightly.

"We're members of the Knights of Anatheaum, coming from Astenvale Monastery." She answered as she worked. Her hand reaching out searching for the stack of dead branches that she knew Barton would have stacked next to the fire for her ease. She tried not to use the magic sight when she didn't need. It could be a strain when used too much.

"And you?" It was hard to distinguish the details like his face or clothes, just general shapes. Perhaps such details such as distinguishing features would be something that she could build to. However, her other senses were still sharp. Hawkflesh had the smell of someone well traveled. Smells could linger on a person longer than they might realize, especially on clothing and supplies. The sharp smell of the far north, the heat of the sands, the salty smell of the sea, it was smells like that seemed to cling to a person and he had many such smells that twisted about him.​

 

[Hawkflesh]

It made his heart sink a bit to hear that and for just a moment his teeth grinded against each other threatening to lock his jaw.
"Really?"

Fucking Astenvale.
"I've never been."

Fucking dragons!
"But I'll visit someday."

Now was not the time to lock swords with a blind woman and her companion. Certainly he was admitting to himself that he was conflicted about his promise to kill any of the Knights of Anatheaum since Euphemia turned out to be one of them.


She did help him escape the hands after all.

"I'm from Rosewood on the western coast, just before the southern border."
He had not thought of it in a few months, not seriously. Remembering what his life has been in the Elf City was not unpleasant but it had never satisfied him.

"I used to be a Knight there myself actually."
He admitted smiling to himself.
"I heard there was trouble around Astenvale recently. Missing children or something."
Gods Below he really could not help himself. He had to poke the bear.

@Euphemia Martell

 

[Euphemia Martell]

Effie could hear the grinding of his teeth and her head tilted to the side in confusion, though Hawkflesh continued on as if it hadn't happened. A small moment not intended to be noticed and probably wouldn't have, if not for a lifetime of heightened senses thanks to her blindness.

"Rosewood sounds like a pretty place." She said instead. "Are there roses there? Or is that just the name of the city." She asked. Perhaps a silly question, but it kept the conversation going while they cared for he kitty.

Her eyebrows furrowed at the statement, missing children? She hadn't heard of any. "I must have missed that. I don't recall any missing children. The monastery often takes in orphans, but I don't recall any of the other knights or squires mentioning that some were missing."

She had to wonder if perhaps whatever Hawkflesh had been referring to happened on one of her other outings away from the monastery, but had been resolved so easily that no one thought to mention it.