"How're you holding up?" I ask Einervaene as she tries her hardest to keep looking back to where we had just stopped so briefly. A sign of particular importance is all alone back there, one with such welcome news. Her home is so close by.
"I... I... I can't believe it's actually happening..." she struggles to answer, shifting between what seems to be either unwelcome tears or a smile.
I return one, even though she cannot see and gently nudge her shoulder, "If life would have it, I am pretty sure I can tell which of the settlements I saw earlier belongs to your family."
"Can you describe it to me?" she asks quietly as she turns my way, her cleaner-than-usual bandages being a good sign regarding her injuries.
"A large place, with a square base made of cobbleore, right next to a serene, clear water lake that is otherwise clearly a moat. Even with all the little gardens around its edges. Lots of floors, lots of angled roofs that run off like horns of their own. It seemed like there was a small, mostly internal dock within the lower walls as well, by the lake." I try to explain as I do what I can with my one good eye.
"And the banners...? The flags?"
"I can't see any, I'm afraid..." I tell her, knowing full well that this is a concerning thing. If the flags are down, the lord or lady of the residence is not present within its walls. Hopefully, it is a simple trip Eratheen has found herself on, rather than anything more concerning. I spot a group walking down the road after they emerge from one of the carefully arranged forests away from us.
"Oh, mind the wagon, Dear." a mother tells her son as I slow down.
"Excuse me, is that the Bosphama residence that way?" I ask, somewhat spooking the group with our injuries and wounds.
"Uh... Yes, yes that is The Lady Bosphama's home... Is there something going on the way you have come?"
"No, there are no problems, we just had some issues travelling through a wet area during a bad storm." I explain, somewhat calming the woman before she goes on her hurried way. Quick, motherly-aggressive pats on the back moving the children ahead as we get going again.
"It is nice to hear someone's words confirm it. It's been so long since I last saw this place that I was starting to doubt my memories..." Einervaene remarks quietly as I put an arm in front as we go through a dip in the road.
"I understand there is a lot of happiness in you right now, Einervaene, but, prepare yourself just in case." I caution her as we get past the point I have to look after her physically.
"I feel as if the only thing I need to prepare for is the chance to be happy... To have all of this finally off of my shoulders and mind. I am more than prepared to be miserable some more." she melancholics as she attempts to look the way her home is. With a little help from me, she gets it right and she can't help but 'stare' that way without pause.
"I guess there is some luck to Eratheen not being home, we can get you all healed up before she sees you again. That way, you both can lay eyes on each other and I won't get beaten into mince meat for allowing the injuries to happen!" I joke as well as I can, though, I only get a slightly bemused huff from her.
"It's not your fault I am blind, Brewbrt. A spear in the dead of night is not something you can blame people for." she tries to explain but I shake my head at it, even though she cannot see me do so. A sigh follows it up.
"I fought through each and every one of them to keep you safe, Einervaene. I should've been wise enough to keep my magic actively searching for potential threats rather than assuming the weather would keep it all away."
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She puts a hand against me after patting me to find a good spot.
"Brewbrt, no one in their right mind would slight you for such assumptions. We never even had an idea that there was anyone after us, let alone men like that."
I sneer at myself, "You were chased out of your home in such a way as to arrive at my home in filthy rags... The idea someone would try and kill you to further their own ends should have been the first thing on my mind."
"We are alive, Brewbrt, we are alive. Once we enter my home, my real home... We can put all of this behind us. The staff there will be more than able to supply us with the magic we need to begin the process of healing in a meaningful manner."
"Alive and at the edge of our seats..." I grumble as I take the moment to survey our surroundings for anyone with the arms or magic to attack us. However, a skilled fighter will always approach with misdirection. Even the Valkinvar for all their power and experience treat all witches as equals until someone exhibits desperation on their face. And, as our attackers showed, you do not need to be more powerful to hurt those who are...
There are so many complexities to battle and what we barely got out of so recently has left us both more vulnerable than ever. Thankfully, the roads are quiet, except for a convoy of some kind further ahead, leaving the Bosphama keep. I frown as I recall the kind of design these mechanically simple vehicles have, the guards escorting them as well.
The Senate.
"Change of plans, Einervaene, there are people we are going to be speaking to first..." I mutter as I begin the process of changing our direction so we can intercept and block these politicians. Having just left Einervaene's home, they can certainly tell us quite a bit.
"I don't understand."
"The Eusorochii Senate happen to be leaving your home right now."
"The Senate...?" she repeats as she looks down to the floor of the wagon, her fingers pushing up against each other.
"Any idea why? You are probably the one who knows the most here."
"I... I don't know the specifics, but, if they're here and my clan's familial banner is down all over the keep..." she says, increasingly growing fearful as her body turns recklessly restless.
"Einervaene, stay seated, you are in no condition to be hurrying out there." I tell her, placing my hand on the fidgeting woman as her body is stuck wanting to rise but not doing so.
"Please, hurry up, Brewbrt! Please!" she begs as she uses my hand to find my arm and then me. She rushes up close and although her eyes are hidden behind increasingly wet bandages, I know what she is trying to say with her eyes. Bringing her in close with one arm, I rub one of hers with my hand.
"We are bound to intercept them, Einervaene, I can already see one of their guards riding up in the hopes of stopping us." I say, making it clear in my tone that I have no intention of obeying the law for this one precious moment.
"Be careful..."
"With how close we are to your home, Einervaene, we may be able to make it clear who you are. They'll have no proper reason to hold this against us, then." I say, hoping that this is indeed how things work around here. Even with all this time on the continent, I have little idea as to how the nuances of the law work. Stay out of trouble has thus far been how we've approached this land.
"In the name of the Senate, halt!" a guard goes as his strong-muscled mount barrels down the road towards us.
"In the name of the Bosphama Lady-Heir, I say the opposite!" I snap back as I have our animal halt once it reaches the opposing width of the wall.
"Move yourselves out of the way of the Senators or we will be forced to run you into an early grave!" the guard snaps again as more of his fellows ride out to join him. I huff in bemusement and rise, letting the noise of my armour do most of the talking as I drop down onto the road with a booming crash. They grip their weapons and the coaches further back start to slow down, with one of the politicians sticking his head out.
"Get that man out of our way!" he snaps.
"Last I checked, Senators, the Lady-Heir of the Bosphama holds more authority here than you do." I nearly spit, confusing the men enough to make more of them peak out from their coaches. One senator even steps out and starts to walk our way, a relatively young man compared to the rest here.
"What did you say?" the man asks as he keeps both his senatorial posture and his eyes meeting mine.
"Why is the Senate so close to my home!?" Einervaene demands to know as she struggles to rise to her feet amidst the inability to see.
"What is the meaning of this?" the Senator asks as he steps closer. I move aside and tilt my head her way.
"You best get to explaining why Einervaene here will not be seeing her mother by night's arrival." I order with a low tone as the Senator's raised hand stops the guards from acting.
"One of you, ride for the Bosphama keep, bring the Housekeeper back with you." the Senator tells one of his men before his eyes settle uncertainly on Einervaene.