The Dancer and the Guard

[mithrarin]

The Markovich Traveling Performance Troupe had the unique distinction of being both wealthy enough to make any bandit or thief drool at the notion of taking a fraction of their revenues, and completely untouched by crime. It was, in fact, too big to touch: three dozen performers and twice the support staff didn't seem too threatening, but the score of mercenaries and soldiers hired to defend them did. To come away safely from a heist, brigands would need such numbers that planning, coordination, trust, and reward all became too difficult to easily arrange. And so the Markovich Troupe traveled in safety, its performers accustomed to luxury and hard work both, its staff proud, and many of its guards complacent.

They failed to realize that wealth came in many forms, and not all attackers were armies. If the dragon hadn't wanted to preserve as much property as possible, they'd have all been dead in an instant.

As flames split the air and the dragon's lizardlike minions stormed past the fallen guards at the camp's outskirts, Dust cut open the back of the tent with one sweep of his long sword. "If anyone is in here, get out! Now! It's lost!"

Comments

[mithrarin]

"Not sure how we would have escaped otherwise anyway. There were so many of them." And likely they could have followed more easily than they could have escaped. Chinatsu wasn't prepared to run through a forest, after all. "And I told you, I'll be fine. Already... starting to feel better. Can't let myself stiffen up is all."

[redmare]

Right. They should be thinking about now, not what happened earlier. That was all done. The group..their home..

"..What..do we do now..?" It was both a specific and general question. Where do they go from here? What do they even do now that their lifestyle was no more?

[mithrarin]

"We should... try to get to town," Dust said, working through the steps in his head. "Report the attack. It might mean more, it might be a prelude to something... At the least, it's safety for a bit. Food and shelter."

[redmare]

Sure, they had some provisions. But what about long-term? What were they-- She pauses at that.

"...You..know you don't have to stay with me, right?" He was hired by their leader, but the group was no more. He was no longer under their employment. There was no reason for him to stay.

[mithrarin]

"If there's a chance that what they really wanted was the people from the circus, then it's entirely possible they'll come after you again," Dust said, as if this was all the answer he needed to give. Of course he had to keep protecting her.

[redmare]

Chinatsu turns to look at him this time, confusion very apparent on her face. "Isn't that all the more reason not to?" Not that she could think of any reason as to why they'd go after their troupe specifically. Then again, there were probably a lot of things she wasn't aware of.

[mithrarin]

"...What, you think I'm just going to leave you to that?" Confusion and a little indignation had him straightening up, though the movement really was helping him feel better. "Besides, if they come after you again, I can make them regret it. Much better than I just did."

[redmare]

"Uh, I think you should?" Did this guy have a death wish? She was starting to question that now that she thought about what they just went through.

"You're..not going to get anything out of this. I can't pay you." It's not like she'd done anything for him either while they were in the circus.

[mithrarin]

"It was never about the money. That was convenient, but really, I took that job just to pass the time while I figured out what to do with myself." He smirked, though his wryness was all self-directed. "Either way, I'm not the sort of guy who can just walk away from you."

[redmare]

"This...isn't something you should take up because you're bored." But if he was going to be stubborn about it. "Tch. Do what you want then." She won't admit it, but she was relieved to know she wouldn't be alone.

[mithrarin]

"No, it's something you take up because it's right. So I think I will do what I want. Thanks for the permission."

Now his smile had grown full and amused. See? He was definitely feeling better.

[redmare]

Cheeky. But a smile was nice to see. Making light of things made it...easier.

They eventually do make it to a town, finding an inn they could afford. She needed to get supplies to deal with his injuries. "You better not move."

[mithrarin]

Only reluctantly had he even sat down on the bed, not one for inaction even when he ached. "Yeah, we're lucky. After all the trip here, one more motion would have done me in. Perfect timing."

[redmare]

Lucky, sure...Sadly they had to share the room. Couldn't exactly afford two separate ones. She couldn't be picky though, and she did owe the guy her life and all.

She'll return after a few minutes, with a bag of supplies as well as some food.

"Clothes. Off."

[mithrarin]

By the time she got back, Dust had laid back on the bed. Somehow his hat still managed to obscure his eyes, but the look of surprise was perfectly clear even if only half-visible.

"Uh, before we go through with all of that -- whatever you got works fine when applied to someone with fur, right?"

[redmare]

"........Hah? Why would it be any different?" It's not like his fur would keep her from getting to the wounds, right?

[mithrarin]

"If it's stuff you intend to put on the skin..."

But she wasn't going to let this go. Dust pushed himself upright again, slowly to ease the ache of his muscles and joints, then reached up to unfasten his cloak and slide it off his shoulders.

[redmare]

"Then we'll just rub it into the fur. Not like it's that thick." She sits on the edge of the bed, waiting for him. "Anything else that hurts? Or anything serious?"

[mithrarin]

"No. That much I'm sure of. No way I walked all the way here with anything serious. It's just bruising... I'll be fine."

More and more reluctantly, Dust unclasped his vest and leaned his arms back so it could slide off his shoulders. Then he paused, wondering if he could manage to get his shirt off without taking off his hat.

[redmare]

Still wouldn’t hurt to put something on it. She waits patiently, until she wasn’t so patient anymore. Her foot taps against the floor.

“In this lfie time.”

[mithrarin]

"You're only making me regret saving you because it's too late to take it back." Dust took off his hat, setting it aside. With his back to her, he wasn't precisely comfortable... but it could be worse. A moment later, he braced against the pain of stretching sore muscle and skin, then peeled his shirt off to toss it aside as well.

She didn't want more than that, right?

[redmare]

“Hey, I gave you a way out,” she counters before starting to apply the ointment onto her fingers. Though now she realizes she needs to brush through his fur first to actually find the bruises. She uses her clean hand, carefully running it through the fur on his back. It was broader than she realized.

The hat does catch her attention though. While they weren’t close, she did see him around often enough, and she was pretty sure he’s never taken it off before.

“Do you sleep with it too?”

[mithrarin]

The fur was surprisingly soft, a contrast to the solid muscle beneath it. In some ways, it wasn't unlike touching a wild animal, though he was still beneath her ministrations. Very still, holding himself against the pain that came from contact.

But he'd been telling the truth -- he'd come through that fall without any cuts or scrapes, thanks to his surprisingly tough clothing and his own general resilience. His skin, beneath the fur, was probably an array of awe-inspiring colors... but that wasn't easy to see at all.

"Yeah. I usually just sleep by the fire."

[redmare]

Seriously? He actually sleeps with the thing?

Admittedly, she hadn’t touched his kind before. Not that that was surprising considerig the varying races in their world. His fur was pleasant tothe touch. Mesmerising her enough that she forgot what she was actually looking for till she spotted a bruise.

Right. Sleeping arrangements. She couldn’t get them separate rooms due to lack of funds, and this one only had one bed.

“Yeah, well, I’m staying by the fire this time. You take the bed.” That was that.

[mithrarin]

"You're just acting tough," Dust said, not unkindly but so flat he was clearly not going to allow room for argument. "You can't tell me you don't hurt too. And I'm honestly more comfortable if I sleep sitting up. So... thanks for thinking of me. Really." That wasn't easy to say, but he had to say it. "But it makes more sense the other way around."