Easy come... Easy go...

[JJ York]

Mykel hadn't slept particularly well during the night but it hadn't mattered, he had enjoyed another night with Amelie and let his mind wander to safer pastures as the early morn rolled inward. They had remained in the tavern for far too long now, Mykel was itching to get moving on the King's road. It was never safe enough to simply stay in one place for too long, even the most comfortable of surroundings became dangerous after awhile. Sticking in civilized areas wasn't something that Mykel was accustom to. His breathing matched Amelie's slowly as she began to stur from her slumber, Mykel kissed her forehead and shuffled out of the bed. The candles that had lit up the room the night before had melted away and his armor laid precariously on the floor beside him. Just the thought of his valuables being so out in the open sent a shiver up his spine.

"Amelie..." he whispered, rubbing her arm to wake her "Amelie, we must get going, I don't wish to waste any daylight". Mykel wanted to venture northward and it would take weeks to break through the various armies lines that snaked through Westeros' lands. His companion would have to learn that when the sun rose, their feet must move quickly, winter was coming and so were the long hours of sunlight. They could stop at Riverrun on their way, the Tully held no disregard for him and even if Robb Stark were in attendance, dealing with such oldern matters such as Mykel's would be the last of his regard. After all he wasn't banished from Riverrun or Winterfell, it was only implied he wouldn't be welcome. That would be fine if Amelie could have a decent night's sleep, Mykel had little problem sleeping in the various woodlands a few hours from the stone walls.

"Remember your shoes... and your arrow. I will need your womanly charm before we leave, Please try to convince the Landlady to cook some of the game for our travels, we may need it now the bow is falling apart" explained Mykel as he took his time strapping together his garments, Amelie rose from the bed and helped him with the more problematic strappings. What was normally a thirty minute task took only ten from her help, it gave him a smile and showed him that she could be useful in many different manners than fighting. In time she would grow more adept, he only hoped that a roving brigand of Lannister soldiers or bandits would not cross their path. Mykel felt stronger, more confident and able when all of his gear was in place. His new steel longsword hung loosely around his belt, his two curved dirks hidden inside his armor and various canteens full of herbs laced around his shoulder. He had even procured some milk of the poppy on his travels, for those who might need its blurring effects.

Mykel was about to ask Amelie if she had any reservations regarding their journey but feared it would leech her confidence on the matter, despite all of the prior days activities, she seemed relatively enthusiastic about traveling with him. Even with Westeros' current plight, there were a few rare beautiful things to see behind the closed doors of Storm's End. He began to think about various wonders he could show her on the road but he put his main thoughts into making their trip safe first. Whether Amelie knew it or not, his victory against the three bandits on the road was very lucky, he was sure he wouldn't be able to repeat such heroics once again. Trained or untrained, numbers meant much in battle, especially with the fatigue of a nights walk upon one's shoulders. It was why his victory against the Targaryen's was legendary in many Baratheon's eyes, even Stannis, for the odds were so grossly stacked against him.

"Start thinking of subjects we can speak about on the road, trust me, it will get boring after awhile. Some have called me a madman for talking to myself on the long road" laughed Mykel as he opened the door, blocking the view so that others in the tavern in passing could not gaze upon her naked beauty "I will meet you outside"

Mykel descended the stairs and exited the tavern, only to find the landlord chipping away furiously at the carpentry. It couldn't hurt to say goodbye to the old man, this family were one he would remember fondly in the future. The sun was intense already which was a shock, it was going to be a scorching day which would suit Amelie well. Most of her life would of been in the long summer and she'd be more used to the heat than the festering cold that awaited. After drying his brow, Mykel walked over towards the Landlord who waved at him specifically to talk to him.

"I trust you are leaving Wanderer, Here, take a look at this bow" said the Landlord, who handed Stryker a finely crafted wooden bow that was of a light color. It weighed well but would show up in the wilderness like a sore thumb, nevertheless it would fire a decent arrow. Mykel took one of his arrows and fired it at the floor, the string itself was strung tight and the wooden carvings were surprisingly strong, with Mykel's ability he could use it like a longbow, yet it's compact nature was useful. He kicked himself for not having the coin and attempted to hand it back to him.

"It is a fine bow, over time the wood will wear well instead of splitting... You could have been a smithy" responded Mykel "Shame, i do not have the coin or i would buy it". The Landlord put up his hands and refused to take it back "No Wanderer, you taught my boys to hunt, consider this a gift for the road ahead. I hope to see you again, What will happen with the lady you arrived with?"

"She is coming with me... are you sure? You could sell this for very decent coin..." Mykel wasn't going to push the notion any further, the Landlord nodded in approval and shook his hand "Thank you, truly"

[Penelope Jones]

As Mykel roused Amelie, she woke with a smile. A smile that her days would once again be filled with adventure, and perhaps a happiness that she now shared with her companion. With her smile on her lips, she listened to the instructions she was given and helped Mykel into his armour. Would all days be like this? Up at the crack of dawn to leave their warm beds in search of new adventure? Would they even have beds? All these thoughts plagued Amelie as she bid goodbye to Mykel. It wouldn’t be long until they began another journey together and the thoughts of adventure left a swarm of butterflies nesting in her belly. She knew she wasn’t overly prepared for the road ahead but Mykel knew what he was doing and she believed he would not let her come to harm. Steeling herself a look in the mirror, Amelie almost slapped the silly smile from her own face.

”The road is not a place for love to blossom Amelie, it will not be filled with warm moments and tender caresses,” she paused mid pep talk to begin cleaning her face and tying her hair back in a high ponytail, its long white tresses spilling past her shoulders still. ”You need to be strong, to be brave. To be the companion Mykel needs and deserves,” she eyed herself thoughtfully as she splashed some basin water on her face to cool her down. Yes, she would take her own advice and forget her fanciful dreams of adventure. She had already witnessed what life was like on the road when Mykel slaughtered three men to keep her safe. What was to say that wouldn’t be the case in the future?

Dressing in her clothes from days earlier, she smiled sadly at how much she would actually miss Bess the landlady. Her clothes had been delivered late the evening before, folded and left outside of her room. Pulling on the shirt and trousers, Amelie was pleased to find they fit a little more snugly. Perhaps the landlady was gifted with the talent to use a darning needle aswell. Pulling on her boots, Amelie feet protested against the constricting leather. She was used to open sandals or no shoes at all and all that walking they had done to reach the tavern had left her feet swollen and cut in places which were still tender. Ignoring the pain, she laced the shoes without problem. Standing up to inspect herself, she could barely contain the pride of her appearance. Gone was the little whore that was paid by men. Standing in front of Amelie now was the true Amelie, someone worth something. With a small after thought she realised she looked exactly how she had always pictured Glamour to look with her fierce instinct and cruel nature. Her alter ego was just that, an alter ego, but she couldn’t help wishing she was really part of Amelie.

Tucking the lone arrow into her boot, Amelie spent a moment smoothing the sheets and opening the windows. She wanted to make things as easy as possible for Bess when they left and that included no cleaning up after them. Satisfied that the room was in order, Amelie made her way down the corridor without bumping into anyone. She hoped this wouldn’t be the last time she stayed here, she had such fond memories. Arriving at the bottom of the stairs, she almost bumped into Bess who was carrying a rather heavy pot towards the carving area.

“Need a hand Bess?” Amelie asked politely, her hand reaching out to carry the burden.
“Don’t worry about me child, I’m well used to it by now,” she grinned a toothy grin towards Amelie as she carried the pot with ease. Placing it on the floor, she pulled what seemed to be some joints of meat from the steaming water. “I take it your off with Mykel then child?” Bess asked without a glance towards Amelie, her expert hands wielding a cleaver that sliced the meat nicely. When Amelie replied with a simple yes, she swore she saw Bess smirk. “I knew you were different, no way would he leave you behind child. You’re two opposites you are but yer what ye need,” she laughed warmly as she bundled some meat into a cloth wrap and placed it then inside a worn leather satchel. On top of that she placed a few slices of thick bread. It seemed like she was packing a picnic to Amelie.

Turning to Amelie she handed her a tankard of water and the leather satchel and took a moment to even hug the girl. “I don’t understand -,” Amelie began as Bess cut her off. “This is a parting gift for you and Mykel child, watch each other on that road and visit next time you’re passing through, I did enjoy having a girl around,” she beamed as she released Amelie from the hug. “Now off you go, he’s waiting outside for you,”.

“Thank you Bess, I will visit again,” Amelie replied taking the landlady’s hand in hers for a brief moment. She wasn’t sure why but she felt like she would tear at the good bye, perhaps it was because she was so kind to Amelie after the trauma at the camp. Or perhaps she was a reminder that Amelie was truly without a mother or even a mother figure. Whatever it was, Amelie quickly put a smile on her face and made her way out the door without glancing back.

Outside the sun was beginning to climb, the heat from the sun’s rays covered Amelie’s body in a blanket of warmth which she enjoyed for a moment before she remembered it would surely become a lot hotter throughout the day. And a lot more uncomfortable. She clutched the items to her more closely as she thought of the long road ahead with no coin and no food. They would just have to make what they had last, she told herself.

Spotting Mykel practicing with a bow on the side of the road, Amelie upped her pace until she reached him. “That looks new,” she stated with a nod towards the bow. “Perhaps fortune is favouring us today,” she grinned as she showed him her spoils for the day.

[JJ York]

While Mykel had taken his leave from the Landlord and trudged down the road, he was still in easy visible distance to the tavern. He was just far enough to test the strength of his new bow, just looking at the fine craftsmanship made him smile before sliding an arrow in place for a test run. His first thoughts were that the string was wound slightly too tightly, it would be hard to actually get a reading on his target before his arm's aching or the arrow gaining too much velocity. It was a good bow for sure but it wasn't as perfect as he had expected it to be. Regardless, having the ability to hunt gave him and Amelie a huge chance of surviving their trip. She had already tasted freshly killed meat, if Amelie had a problem eating an animal carcass than the hunger would convince her to take the plunge.

He heard Amelie's slight footsteps approach him but he could not turn to greet her initially, he attempted another arrow and pulled the string as far as it would go before releasing it into the soft earth. Finally he turned to face her, Amelie held a make shift satchel in front of her full of various scraps of meat inside, what warmed his heart was the fresh bread. It would provide them with true substance to begin their trip, and would last well as the hours rolled onward. He was genuinely surprised to receive such an amount of food, it seemed that Amelie's skills in people pleasing would help long into the future.

"Nicely done..." smiled Mykel, although the owners of the tavern were nice to him on his first visit, he certainly hadn't left with as much as they had obtained now. Although he hadn't chosen to admit it to his new companion, he truly feared for their ability to procure these things in the future road. Mykel took the satchel, tore a small piece of bread and handed it to Amelie, finally placing the contents in various pouches along his waist.

"The Landlord was nice enough to construct the bow for me... us. I cannot begin to tell you the value of it, not in coin but to our success on the road" explained Mykel as he handed her the bow "It will do you good to carry something of some weight, so that one day you can pull the string with conviction and confidence". As much as Mykel treated Amelie with deep respect and care, he did not wish to baby her. She had some talents, hidden or otherwise that she would have to use to make both of their lives easier.

For some strange reason, unknown to him, Mykel leaned in and kissed her once as he handed her the bow. Immediately afterward he felt out of place, as if he had misstep on a mossy stone and lost his footing. His eyes wandered a little before standing tall once again, subtly nudging Amelie to take the first step on the road "The first step of this road will be yours Amelie, your days as a Wanderer begin now...".

Mykel remembered when he had first stepped foot outside of King's Landing, less than an hour from his banishment from Storm's End by Robert Baratheon himself. It was refreshing to just have one direction to go without any sort of complications. He wondered if Amelie felt the same way, or just a feeling of anxiety of what horrors could occur on their trip. He had warned her, possibly too much, there was good to see in Westeros. Mykel didn't battle on a daily basis, he often traveled from hold to hold without any drama.

"How do you feel? I hope the heat lets up, a whole day like this and you will not like how i smell" said Mykel, beginning his stride behind her, feeling reinvigorated by the open road in front of them. He took one last look at the tavern, turned his head and kept his pace.

[Penelope Jones]

Amelie felt a swell of pride inside of her as Mykel praised her for the gifts she had gotten from the landlady. She wasn’t used to being so useful, especially in situations of such importance. Hiding her gleeful smile, she looked away rather shyly, unsure of his praise. He had a way about him that made it seem like every moment was important, every step was a step towards something amazing. It filled Amelie with a sense of something that must only be pride, which was something she hadn’t felt in abundance before. She always felt useless at her house, of course she was useful for certain tasks but no one ever trusted her with important tasks. His faith in her skills made her beam with pride.

Putting the bow over her shoulder, she felt the weight of it. While it wasn’t an enormously heavy object, it was an object that would weigh on her over time she was sure and made a mental note to switch shoulders often. Mykel presented it as much as a gift, even with a kiss upon her lips. The moment surprised her so much, she stood frozen for a moment before he pulled back from her. It seemed the moment had taken him by just as much surprise as his mind seemed to pull him back to the present. Touching her lips thoughtfully with the tips of her fingers, Amelie felt something else blossom inside of her, something akin to fondness with a hint of arousal.

“I shall take my walk with you Mykel, side to side as wanderers,” she gestured with a wide smile to the road ahead of them as she began with one foot in front of the other. Within a pace, Mykel was next to Amelie, walking in tandem with her. Her footing sounded loud and ungraceful next to his silent moves. The gravel crunched beneath her feet and she felt the familiar hot spots of a few days ago begin to protest once more at the rough road and shoes. She was glad however to have the shoes, at least she didn’t have to do this walk barefooted.

“Murphy’s law dear Mykel, the sun will continue to beat on us and you will continue to sweat,” she laughed as she felt the warm rays blanket her body. “You don’t smell too awful just yet,” she jested, her shoulder nudging his playfully. “I feel like a new day has been granted by the gods,” she began as she filled her lungs with the deep rich scent of the wild roads. “It smells so wonderful here, don’t you think?” she asked, barely able to contain her happiness. “I truly feel like the day is blessed Mykel, we’ve set off on the right foot this morning and I feel it shall only get better,” she laughed at her prediction as she picked up her pace, weaving in and out of the grassy plains on either side of the road.

She couldn’t imagine how crazy she must have looked as she hurried along to various foliage, be it a tree or a flower. She resisted each urge to pluck a flower from its bed, sure that she would be annoying Mykel soon enough with her childish glee. While they had trekked through the forest to get to the tavern, it was under extreme circumstances and harsh conditions. This time, Amelie was able to look on their adventure with fresh eyes. At the thought of their last trek, Amelie drew up short and fell back in pace with Mykel.

“Do you think they would be looking for me by now? No one has ever escaped the whore house,” she confessed her fears in a small voice. “Master Peter was not one to be crossed,” she added more of a thought to herself. “If they find me by sheer accident or on purpose, I fear for my sanity,” she whispered. “You have shown me many, many things these past few days Mykel,” she offered, putting her hand in his and giving it an easy squeeze. “I have seen more of Storms End than I knew existed. I have the freedom to do as I wish, to be with whom I wish,” she sighed happily as the memories brought a smile to her lips. “In case I haven’t mentioned it before, thank you,” she smiled honestly. She didn’t know how to put it into words just how much his freedom had given her. She knew she could leave him if she wanted to, she knew he wouldn’t harm her or pretend to again and she knew without a doubt that she would never have the life she had before as long as he was around to protect her. “The greatest gift I could have ever gotten was my freedom,” she smiled, coming to her happy conclusion.

Letting Mykels warm hand go, she walked further ahead once more, zigzagging their path as she went from one treasure to another, like she was seeing the world for the first time.

[JJ York]

As Amelie verbally described her feelings of freedom, her body language doubled the notion. She wayed from side to side, sometimes stopping for moments to take a look at a part of the landscape and then catching up to her protector. Mykel enjoyed watching her movements, her random smiles as she wavered beside him. While Mykel walked directly in the center of the road, due mostly to his compulsive nature, Amelie's footsteps never seemed to grace a cohesive path. At the beginning of their journey it annoyed him slightly but as time wore on, along with the various gasps of greatness that exited her lips, he started to smile as she did. It gave him a refreshed insight to the wonders he walked past on so many occassions, giving him a reason to stop himself and view the king's road in all it's glory.

Some hours passed and although he could sense Amelie's pace slowing, she never asked to slow down or take a brake. It was a harsh speed he was setting for her but he was pleasantly surprised to see her enthusiasm. He didn't know when they would find another settlement, some of the ones he had remembered had been wiped off the face of Westeros as two... three armies smashed together with terrible force. Luckily, Mykel knew Stannis well and he was a predictable man. A battle was to ensue at King's Landing and their path winded carefully around it like a snake.

"Do you see that comet in the sky?" asked Mykel as he pointed upward, it was hard to miss. The red ball off mass had been a signal for whatever any intellictual type wanted it to be. Some stated it was for the new King Joffrey, others said it was for the 'Red' god and Stannis, the newly dubbed Lord of Light. Mykel decided he was going to make his own signal, as it had become the local creed of everyone on a quest "What do you think it is? Had you heard the stories?"

"I think that comet is for us Amelie, telling us that we are heading on the right path... Everyone is claiming it as their own, why not us?" he smiled warmly, still keeping his movement while peeping upwards to the bright scorch in the sky. Although the upwards view was a clear blue, the comet still lit brightly and evidentally in the air. It faced their path, sometimes at least, and it would hopefully give them some midnight light when the evening drew onward. Mykel knew that any omen on the path was welcoming, especially as the hours drew onward.

However, despite plenty of hours passing them, the fiery orb of sunlight remained above them and that meant that they had over half the hours of sunlight left. Mykel had already grew parched and the feeling of cool water from his canteen was a refreshing one. He felt the liquid pass through his throat and all the way down into the pit of his stomach. He passed it over to Amelie, who at first missed his intent, he jabbed her with a little force to get her attention. There was a slight worry that her items would begin to wear upon her strength, he remembered that she had to grow stronger and this was the only way how.

It was only then that he heard something in the near distance, echoes of what seemed like a repetitive plea for help. At first Mykel was immediatly worried and clicked his teeth to order Amelie to stop. While Mykel was all for helping fair stranger on the path, he had heard of tricks like this before. Unsuspecting helpers would run in with nothing but charity in their thoughts, only to find a group of vile brigands waiting to kill them and pinch their wares. Mykel had much more than himself to keep alive now.

"Shhh..." whispered Mykel as he took Amelie's hand and took her into the nearby forestry "This may not be as it seems, could be a trap, you must stay quiet. Pass me the bow". As Mykel took the bow, He drew a spare iron tipped arrow from his rattled quiver and kept it readied just in case.

[Penelope Jones]

Amelie listened thoughtfully as Mykel became philosophical about the omen in the sky. Of course she had heard the stories growing up, her Mother told them sometimes by the fire. She believed it was an omen that the dragons were back, but then again, her mother did drink a lot so Amelie didnt put much stock into those words. She did however believe like Mykel that the omen was for their journey. She had predicted at the start of the morning that this day was theirs, it was their moment, the first day of their hopefully long adventure.

They had passed so much of the day in quietness that Amelie felt it almost strange how Mykels voice pierced the quietness of the day. It was so peaceful in the countryside compared to the bustle of the whore house and its patrons. "I have heard the stories, as many children do in the whore house. We have nothing else to pass our time as children," she smiled with a little melancholy as she remembered the long stretches in the evening outside in the courtyard with the women tasked at taking care of the younger ones.

"Our stories mainly told of Dragons and Taergarians but it was mostly from the old coots that no one wanted to bed anymore," she laughed. "So with that in mind, I feel I agree with your assessment dear Mykel, I do believe this fire omen is for us as there is a fire that grows every moment in the pit of my stomach. A fire, a thirst, a need for adventure that you my friend, now get to foster," she laughed once more, it was a tall order for any man to keep a woman satisfied let alone quench her need for adventure.

Feeling him nudge her, she took the canteen with a need. She hadnt realised how parched she was until she began talking and using her voice. They had been walking for quite some time and she hated to admit to herself, but her feet felt slick with either blood from the small cuts or perhaps it was sweat that trickled down her body. The sun was still high enough in the sky that she felt it was watching her, sending the heat to her to make her sweat and glisten. She was lucky enough to gain some shade in the form of tree's but nothing could stop the pinkness that now clung to her normally pale skin where it was exposed.

As she began to protest about perhaps taking a break, she saw Mykel visibly stiffen and grab her hand and move towards the shaded forest. She felt her heart begin to pound a little faster as her eyes darted a glance around for danger for she knew he didnt simply want a rest. He was in a protector mode right now and it was confirmed when he took the bow from her and mounted an arrow to it. It was then that she heard what Mykel had moments ago, she felt her cheeks flush with her incompetence, she was distracted by the road travelled and her thoughts rather than tuning her hearing for danger as Mykel had mastered.

"Mykel.." she whispered, her eyes wide and fearful as she kept close to him but careful not to hold onto him. The voices sounded close to them, but not close enough that they would discover the two. She feared he was right and that it was a trap, an ambush. And what created another fear in her was whether or not she feared the danger posed to both Mykel and herself or whether she feared seeing Mykel butcher more people like their last time on the road. Eventhough the bandits deserved their fate, it was still something she had never witnessed before, she would remember it forever.

"What if its a genuine plea Mykel?" she whispered as she clung to the hope that perhaps some people were innocent and that violence may be avoided.

[JJ York]

"What if its a genuine plea Mykel?"

The voice was male, it was heard to figure what age. His voice had become hoarse through constant screaming, crackling under some sounds under the strain. It was a passionate plea for help, that much was certain, but it wasn't hard to fake distress especially on the King's Road. Mykel frowned slightly and looked back at Amelie, her face stricken with worry and her body coiled like a spring. It pleased him to see her this way, alert and ready for any problem that may face them.

"I am not sure... Can you..." Mykel cut himself off before asking if she could cover his advance with a bow, her accuracy was not work banking his life in an attempt to safely confront the cries of desperation. By the echoes that surrounded the woodland, he expected the distress to be almost within their view, only the thick brush of the trees had hidden their advance thus far. Despite his general morale outlook, Mykel decided to keep his gut instinct to himself. It may seem harsh to his new companion that his first reaction would be to leave the man where he was and move onward. While cruel, Mykel knew of a trick that resembled a crying merchant that would lead to many wanderer's demise. He did not wish to fall to the same fate.

While humming a sound of contemplation, the cries wore him much quicker than he expected. With every shriek his guard lowered to the point he was willing to indulge Amelie of her desire to play the saviour. Maybe she wished to return the good nature Mykel had shown her at Storm's End or even more shockingly, she was one of the few people left on Westeros with a decent heart.

"Very well, you must be brave. For it is you who must speak to the man. Be aware this could be a trap but i will cover you with bow and arrow. Do not let him know i am here... at least for now" explained Mykel as he looked deep in her eyes. It was the only plausible way to combat this issue safely, Mykel hoped he was being far too careful than the situation dictated, but he held his breath for that particular moment.

[Penelope Jones]

Amelie was pleased to see that Mykel was coming round to the idea of helping the stricken traveler. Amelie was always soft to the sorrows of others and she found herself almost close to tears as the cries became louder. She watched patiently as Mykel mulled over some plans to himself, she felt herself shift from foot to foot with anticipation. She wasnt very well traveled, so she didnt understand why Mykel wouldnt just go to help the person but she trusted his judgement completely.

“Me?...Me?” she almost stuttered as Mykel revealed his plan, she felt her eyes widen in disbelief. Surely he wouldnt use her as bait? Although, she did feel deep inside this was the only logical step seeing as Mykels aim was much better than hers.

“You promise your aim wont waver? Should this turn to a trap, it will be comforting to know you'll protect me,” she whispered, as she began to gather her senses to walk towards the cries. She reached down to feel the lump in her boot from the arrow Mykel had given her, it would at least give her some sort of safety should she need it.

She didnt wait for an answer from Mykel, instead she placed a small kiss to his cheek. She knew he would protect her with everything, she had just been voicing the small cry of protest from deep inside. Standing up straight, she took her first purposeful steps out of the shade and out towards the cries of the traveler.

Once she was passed the closeted area, her gaze swept the area in front of her, it seemed to be a clearing with an over turned caravan with a sole man sitting among the debris. He seemed to be injured as he had blood splattered across his clothes. He looked quite straggled, his clothes were torn and he was disheveled looking.

“Sir,” Amelie called loudly. “Are you well?” she asked as she approached cautiously. The mans gaze swung around to face Amelie, his eyes taking quick evaluation of her small frame and her assets. She didnt feel uncomfortable under his gaze but she knew he was assessing her attractiveness, she was used to it from years of it.

“Miss, thank you for coming to my aid! I seem to be...,” he paused as he gestured around him. “I was attacked and my wares stolen, bandits!” he almost yelled as he threw some of the crates around him in a haphazard manner. “I've been yelling for hours miss, do you have some water I may have by chance?” he pleaded.

Frozen in silence, Amelie took a moment before taking a hesitant step towards the man. “I do have water that I can spare, not much I'm afraid,” she offered as an apology as she got closer to the man.

“Oh Miss, you are like an angel sent from the gods, I feared I would die here in the sunlight,” he smiled as he wiped sweat and blood from his brow. His greedy hands reached out eagerly as Amelie approached and he almost snatched the canteen of water from her giving hands. She stepped back a few paces as she watched him gulp the water down eagerly, letting is over flow and drip from his mouth in his greedy frenzy. All too soon, it was over and the canteen was empty, he double checked by turning it upside down. It was then his face turned grim.
“There was barely enough there to wet my whistle!” he yelled angrily as he shot the canteen back at Amelie where it hit her on her shoulder hard enough to make her stumble.

[JJ York]

A bead of sweat ran down his brow and onto his drawn bow string, it wasn't enough to make his aim waver or reset his draw. Amelie walked gingerly and with much caution as she confronted the man, the shrieks of help soon turned into cries of hysteria. Mykel could understand the mans track of thought, fearing for ones life one moment and then gazing upon a beautiful caring woman the next. Such stories were only in the tales of the exotic and false conquests of drunken patrons. Regardless, the wanderer kept his aim steady despite the highly wound string forcing him to compensate time to time.

“I've been yelling for hours miss, do you have some water I may have by chance?”

The man's voice was especially loud for one who had been struggling to keep up his calls of distress earlier, Mykel knew there would be at least one other person involved in this fracas. Then he spotted it quickly, a group of leaves juttered out of the wind's movement to his right. Mykel adjusted his feet and caught sight of a younger man, dirty and straggly haired with a sword in hand. He ventured slowly forward in a crouched position much like an amateur hunter. After spotting the young hunter's eyes light up at the sight of Mykel's female companion, Mykel took his shot without further hesitation.

The iron tipped arrow ejected from his bow and flew with a powerful trajectory towards Mykel's target. With a slight dip under a brush and sliding between a small gap between two large trees, Mykel heard a powerful thud and a satisfying grunt of pain. He took a moment to listen for further movement but there were none, and by the actions of the elderly man by Amelie's side, he must have expected his back up to enter by now.

Quietly and carefully, Stryker raced towards the impact point. Nothing more could be considered a direct hit, the arrow had pierced the lad through the eye but lacked the punch to create an exit wound. Because of this, the young one still breathed and heaved in his final moments. Mykel did not wish to show Amelie the extent of his work, at least not yet, he quickly slit the hunter's neck with is dirk and made his way back onto the road.

“There was barely enough there to wet my whistle!”

"And what a waste of water you turned out to be" spat Mykel as he came into view, cleaning his dirk from a picked patch of leaves and returning it back home within its holster "Tell me, what were you planning on doing with my companion after your colleague had captured her?"

The old man's eyes wavered suddenly, his facial expression changed as Mykel flanked Amelie. He looked right then left, right again and left again. Finally his eyes sunk to the floor and rose with desperation. For a moment his hand seemed to try and trace something under the wreckage but that soon stopped as soon as Mykel tapped the hilt of his sword to warn him. Then followed a brief silence, Mykel had very little else to add and Amelie seemed dissapointed in what had transpired.

"There are more, they'll find you!" warned the 'damsel in distress'. Mykel smiled back in return "I would believe you if your eyes didn't lie, your eyes fail you as much as your set up here". "So what will you do to me eh? EH!? This is the King's Road, i demand a trial!"

The man has sunk to a new low in Mykel's book, he took out his sword slowly and scraped it against the handle to scare the man further. Then he placed the sword in Amelie's hand, taking a moment to hold it with her so she could adapt to it's weight "She will make the decision" he nodded in approval "Plead your case, i have seen this woman gut a man far brutally than i ever could, so i'd make a decent appeal"

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