Banished Pt. 19

"Your hair is beautiful," I said, and Astrid stared up at me.

"Is it? My people find it unsightly and unusual," she said, and I frowned.

"It's one of the most beautiful features I've seen on a Kobalt woman," I said, and she bit her lip a little.

"Is this flattery, Nathan?"

I shook my head, and Astrid studied me with a slightly uncertain look.

Then she placed a hand against my chest, and took a deep breath.

"It is the custom of my people that the acedent are to be treated with caution... yet there are times when I fear for you; as if you require my protection," she said, and I tilted my head at her.

Acedent?

Was that their term for psychopaths, perhaps?

I wasn't certain, but her sentiment reminded me of the way my grandmother always treated me.

Not as a threat... but as one susceptible to harm.

She leaned up to kiss me, and I placed a hand against her cheek, caressing her face a little, and as she broke away, I smiled.

Many of the Kobalt women were exceptionally pretty, but even amongst them, Astrid stood out.

She seemed to read my thoughts, however, blushing a little, and as the hue of green on her cheeks fluttered outward in ripples, she shuddered a little in my arms.

"This is no time for repose, Nathan," she said, and I let out a sigh as I reluctantly withdrew my hand from her cheek.

"We made contact with the, uh wolf-folk; what was it that were they called again?"

"Children of Accalia, or Accalians," she offered, and I nodded. "I saw a vision of them," she added, and I studied her.

"Really?"

She nodded.

"Their destiny, and ours, it seems, are intertwined," she said, and I nodded.

"Well, it seems we're already on the right path, then," I said. "Would you accompany me to speak to them?"

"I believe I must," she said, and at her direction, we headed through the door and outside.

"More refugees have come in since the spider attacks, haven't they?"

Astrid nodded, her brow creasing with worry.

"They flock to us for protection," she said.

"Can we sustain their numbers?" I asked, and she nodded.

"We gain as many contributors as those that require our support," she explained, and I nodded.

"And the space to house them is sufficient?"

"Yes. There is also a matter which may be of interest," she added. "The cluster which fell to the monstrosity has been offered to us by what remains of the ruling branch."

"Hmm. That was the one furthest from us, though. Wasn't it?"

Astrid nodded.

"The distance is significant, but perhaps we can make use of this space in the future. As outposts between our eventual settlement and Palancar."

"Will you handle the matter?" I asked, and Astrid nodded.

"I require only your blessing," she replied, and I nodded, taking her hand and giving it a squeeze.

"You have it," I said, and she smiled.

"Well, lookie here. All the Goddesses in the world just aren't enough for this one, huh?"

Astrid quickly slipped her hand out of mine as Molly greeted us, shooting me a teasing smile, and I rubbed the back of my head nervously.

"I will quickly prepare for the journey," Astrid said, bowing to me then Molly, before heading outside.

"Did you get a chance to talk to Evie?" I asked, and she nodded.

"The injuries to the hunters weren't all that bad, it seems. But she's been teaching Samantha how to accelerate healing in exchange for lessons about anatomy."

"Hmm. That works out well. Sheila has been learning too, right?" I asked, and Molly nodded.

"Yeah, but she's in more of a beginner class with Ryker, I think."

Guess the medical skill must be harder to develop than I thought.

I wonder if Alchemy would have been easier?

I made a mental note to ask Jordan about it at the next opportunity.

As we got outside, Astrid gestured to me that she was ready, and as I took a look around, I decided to take Nolan and Blair with me as well.

"We moving out already?" Nolan asked, and I shook my head.

"We're meeting up with Francesca and Bianca," I said. "Casey will catch up to us with the others, and then we'll make a plan for how to proceed."

Nolan nodded, and after gathering up the supplies prepared for us, we made the short trek over to where the Accalians were now camped out.

When we got to the camp, however, I was greeted by the sight of Bianca happily petting the younger Accalian boy, while Lucia stared over her with a disapproving look.

As soon as she spotted me, she ran over.

"Naythan~! Byaka didn't listen. Take away her arbata!" she complained, and as I picked her up, I chuckled.

"Don't worry. We'll make certain she's properly punished for this," I said, shooting Bianca a sharp look, and she quickly stepped away from the boy, and grinned awkwardly.

"He basically begged me to do it," she explained, and the boy let out a sigh before returning to his group.

As I glanced at the group, however, I suddenly realized that there seemed to be a few Accalians gathered around in a circle, and as I got closer, I realized that Francesca was giving them a demonstration of the grappling move she'd used to take down Iduma in their fight.

As soon as she caught sight of me, however, she quickly brought the lesson to a halt, and came over to my side.

"Thank god. I was running out of parlor tricks to keep them occupied," she said, and I chuckled at her.

"Really? Kind of looked like you were running a pretty nice combat workshop over there," I teased, and she frowned.

"Fighting and teaching how to fight are like the only things I'm good for."

"There are other things you're good for," I teased, and Francesca blushed a little at the suggestion. "I'm sure that 'Iduma' would be happy to learn that as well."

Francesca let out a groan, as she followed me back to where our team was gathered.

"So, did you get any scouting info out of them?" I asked, and she nodded.

"Yeah. I think we struck gold here, actually. You remember that crossing that Ethan mentioned, to get across the river?"

I nodded.

"Uh-huh..."

"Well, there's a fortress on the crossing itself. One of the only places where you can get from this side of the forest to the other side too. Apparently when Iduma and his people were crossing, he saw otherworlders settling in there."

"Do you know of this place?" I asked Astrid, and the girl nodded. "Do you think you can tell me what direction it is from here?"

Astrid looked around, getting her bearings, and as she indicated the direction, I nodded.

"That's the same direction that I'm detecting Cameron's presence in," I said, as I sat down and gave the matter some thought.

"So, we have to siege an actual fort?" Nolan asked, and I frowned.

"That might not be practical. Maybe we could find a way in, and take it from the inside."

"Sounds like you need a spy," Bianca cut in, smirking at me, and Lucia quickly nodded.

"Lucia better spy! Lucia smaller, harder to spot!"

I chuckled, patting her on the head and ruffling her hair a bit, which prompted Bianca to glare at her.

"Heeey, that's supposed to be our thing~," Bianca whined, and Francesca bit her lip nervously, while Lucia smirked at Bianca to her chagrin.

"Okay. We'll settle down here for a bit while Casey and the others catch up," I said, and Francesca raised an eyebrow at this.

"Casey? She's coming on this mission?" she asked, and I nodded.

"We'll need all of our best minds working on this if we're gonna succeed," I said, and Francesca frowned.

"A word?" she asked, and I nodded, moving with her a little way from the group.

"What is it?" I asked, and Francesca bit her lip nervously.

"I don't think you operate at your best when Casey is around. She contradicts you too much, and you let her get away with it more often than you should."

I frowned.

"Casey has helped me to execute some pretty crazy plans that have gotten us through the toughest times," I reasoned, and she frowned.

"I know; that's her strength. But do you really trust that she'll make the right call in the thick of battle? And Nate; do you honestly think she decided to come because it would improve our chances? Because part of me thinks she just wants to watch over you and keep you in check."

"Look; I understand your concerns, and I agree with most of them. But I trust Casey. And I'm choosing to put my trust in her here, okay?"

Francesca let out a sigh, then nodded.

"I trust you, Nate. Not her. If you're giving her a chance, I will; I'm just letting you know how I feel about it. I hope you aren't mad-" but I cut her off.

"I'm definitely not mad. Hearing you speak your mind all assertively and whatnot... it's kinda sexy," I said, and Francesca blushed.

She stole a quick look at the group, before pulling me along with her, and as soon as we were out of sight, she dove in and began to hungrily kiss me.

We kissed for about a minute before she broke away from me, grabbing me by the scruff of my breastplate as she did.

"When we get back from this mission; I want my promised nights," she said, her tone firm, and it made me smile.

"Now there's my little lioness," I said, ruffling her hair, and she grinned.

"Just make sure your girlfriend doesn't see you doing that," she warned, but as she sauntered away, she paused, a slightly shaken look on her face, before she turned, and headed off.

As I rounded the tree, I spotted Nolan, and quickly guessed that he'd at least heard the last of our exchange.

"Is everything okay?" I asked, and he studied me for a bit, before shaking his head.

"What is Cameron to you, exactly?" he asked, and I took a deep breath.

"A lot of things," I answered, "and I'm not sure if she'd appreciate me divulging the nature of our relationship without consulting her."

Nolan scoffed.

"I've been her best friend for almost eight years," he countered, and I nodded.

"I know; and I understand that, but I do care about her a lot," I began, and Nolan scoffed again.

"Then who's this girlfriend?"

"Francesca was just teasing," I replied, and he shook his head.

"Spoken like a true dirtbag. Look, I've heard about this hypnotic suggestion skill, and I know you can copy it; and no matter what it takes, I'm gonna free Cameron from your clutches," he explained. "Now, I couldn't care less about these 'tokens' you handed out, but I'm willing to play nice for Cameron's sake until we get her back. But when we do; how about you stick to your girlfriends, and stay the fuck away from her?"

"I'll leave that decision up to her, if you don't mind," I said, but as I moved to go past him, Nolan stopped me, putting a hand up against my chest.

"I won't ask nicely again, Nathan," he said, but I quickly flicked his hand away.

"I don't care how you ask; Cameron can make up her own mind, and if you're worried about my hypnosis skill, then work on learning how to counter it, maybe," I said, as I turned and walked away.

As I approached the rest of the group, I headed to where Astrid was.

"Do want to talk to him?" I asked, gesturing to the leader of the Accalian group, and she nodded.

I gestured to Francesca, and she came over to join us as we headed over.

"Iduma," I said, but as the man laid eyes upon Astrid, he immediately bowed.

"I did not anticipate that a princess of Palancar would be present this day," he began, but Astrid shook her head.

"You are mistaken. I am no princess, nor of Palancar," she clarified, and he shook his head.

"My apologies," he replied, but I quickly noted that his eyes seemed to flick between me and Astrid.

Astrid moved to speak:

"You have come a long way from your people's lands, Accalian. Is this forest of interest to you?"

Iduma glanced at me, and I nodded.

"It seems one of the monsters from Irileth's domain fled into his lands," I explained, and she frowned.

"Then, you came here seeking one capable of slaying it? You came here seeking a hero?" she asked, and the man nodded.

"I sensed that your liege might be one such individual, hence my challenge to his party; but it seems I was bested by one who yet answers to him," he said, gesturing to Francesca.

I bit my lip.

"There were many warriors that might have defeated you between here and your home. The forest was crawling with them," I suggested. "Why did you come specifically to us?"

"My mission was one of desperation. Had I been defeated by a lesser mortal, I would have fought to my last breath and perished rather than submit my clan to their will."

I eyed Astrid, and she nodded.

"His words can be trusted, Nathan. An Accalian's heart would explode before they plot against their liege; even in thought," she explained, and I rubbed my chin.

"So, we can rely on their scouting information, then?"

Astrid nodded; her expression thoughtful.

"Still... I'm not sure how useful they will be on this mission," I said, and Iduma frowned.

"Give my oplítis a chance, Athánatos; they are fierce and worthy of your distinction."

I shook my head dubiously.

"We're heading into battle with others like us. With one even mightier than I am. How would your warriors serve me in the face of such opposition?" I asked, and Iduma stood firm, his head held high and a fist over his heart.

"We will lay down our very lives in your service, Athánatos."

I shook my head at him.

"This is the problem. You would throw lives away to prove a point that I neither care for, nor can benefit from. Have your people rest here for three days, then when this matter is settled, we will accompany you to your land and see to your monster problem," I said, and Iduma stared after me.

For a moment, he shot a pleading look to Francesca, and as she stepped forward, my gaze turned to her.

"What if we give them a conditional chance?" Francesca asked, and I bit my lip.

"Conditional?"

She nodded.

"We keep on their five best warriors, and Iduma will lead them, ensuring their survival," she said. "If they survive, we accept them into our service."

"And if they die?"

"Then we'll release Iduma from his pledge and send him home empty handed," she said.

I turned my attention to Iduma.

"What do you think of those terms?" I asked, and he nodded quickly, bowing his head to Francesca.

"I accept the conditions," he said, and I nodded, dismissing him.

"Can his warriors stay behind at our grove?" I asked Astrid, and she frowned.

"It would be ill received, and lead inevitably to conflict," she answered.

"Nate; what about our old campgrounds?" Francesca asked. "They would have access to a stream, and we left behind some lumber there, didn't we? They could make camp there until we come back."

I turned to Astrid, who nodded.

"This is acceptable," she answered, and I shot her a thankful nod, before pulling Francesca aside.

"Vouching for the wolf-pups?" I teased, and Francesca fiddled her thumbs nervously.

"I dunno. Something about them appeals to me; like their warrior spirit or something. They kind of remind me of the hunters from Kleiner Hein; you know?"

"Well, their fate will be in Iduma's hands. There isn't room on this mission for you to be babysitting them," I warned, and she nodded.

"I know," she said, as we returned to the main group.

We waited around for about an hour, when Casey and the rest of the group finally caught up to us, led by none other than Gunter.

"Gunter! Are you coming along on this trip?" I asked, and the boy seemed to panic.

But the look on his face was nothing compared to the sheer terror in his eyes as soon as he caught sight of Lucia.

"Auslander," the boy said, whispering to me, "I fear that one."

"Relax," I said. "She's not gonna hurt you."

But Gunter's fears did not seem assuaged in the slightest.

"It is known by our people, Auslander; she carries the taint of the monstrosity who slew her seed-bearer. Do not trust or turn the back to her dagger."

I chuckled at him, but suddenly it occurred to me that I very rarely ever saw Lucia interact with any of her kind, save for Ryker, Gisela, and Astrid.

And they only really interacted with her at my request.

While Casey and the others sorted out supplies and everything else, I decided to take the matter up with Astrid.

"Tainted by the spirit? It is nonsense," Astrid said, an annoyed expression on her face as she eyed Gunter.

"Have you heard anything like that?" I asked. "Lucia hardly seems to interact with any other Kobalt," I explained, and Astrid studied me.

"You proclaimed her a godling; your own charge," she said. "Do you desire to relinquish your claim?"

I quickly shook my head.

"I just don't want her to be lonely. Or an outcast," I explained, and Astrid nodded.

"I see. Though do understand that her connection to the Gods set her apart from ordinary Kobalt. Not many will easily treat her with simple pleasantries."

I nodded, biting my lip as I did.

"Just... keep an ear out for rumors, okay? I don't want anyone treating her like she's some kind of monster."

Astrid nodded as Casey moved to join us.

"Nate. Let's have a strategy meeting so we can get the ball rolling," she said, and I nodded.

"Gather everyone up."

I picked out a fairly open area beside a large tree trunk, and cleared away some of the grass and leaves underfoot so that we could do some map drawing when needed while Casey rounded up everyone else.

As the group settled down and all eyes were on me, I cleared my throat.

"Okay! Thus far, this is the information that we have. West of here is a river, which runs a bit like this," I began, drawing a river which ran east to west, before turning south. "Thanks to our new friends, the Accalians," I continued, gesturing to Iduma and his followers, "we know that there is a fortress somewhere along this river."

"The fortress stands here, Athánatos," Iduma offered, indicating to a spot just south of the river's bend, and I shot him a thankful nod.

"My connection to Cameron indicates-"

"Wait, your what?"

The interruption came from Nolan, and I frowned.

"Cameron pledged herself to me before leaving, so that I would be able to find her," I explained, and Nolan scowled.

I ignored the reaction, however, and continued:

"As I was saying, my connection indicates that Cameron's location is in roughly the same direction as where this fort is, and given that Ethan seems to have gathered a force of otherworlders here, this is most likely where she's being kept."

"Oh~," Bianca said, rubbing her hands together in anticipation. "Storming a fort, huh?"

I shook my head at her.

"We don't know what the defenses will be like by the time we get there, and there are other complications to consider. For one, Ethan seems to have scattered otherworlders across this open expanse of forest," I explained, gesturing to the area between our location and the forest headed west towards the river.

Casey stood up at this point.

"Our scouts actually have some info on this," she began. "From what we can tell, the otherworlders under Ethan have taken up this region," she explained, pointing to what appeared to me to be the area between the guildhall, and the river to the north and west of it.

"So, he's baiting us into making our way through an open expanse of forest, all the while being hunted, and to a fort which may be significantly protected?" Molly asked. "Awesome."

Her tone was a bit sarcastic, and I bit my lip nervously.

"What's the plan?" Jordan asked, looking between me and Casey.

"We have a bit of an element of surprise," I offered. "This trek would ordinarily take two days given the obstacles provided."

"And we're leaving a day early," Francesca said, and I nodded.

"All it takes is one messenger running back to their base to take that advantage away, though," Nolan countered, and I nodded.

"Not just that. If Ethan extracted pledges from all of them, then we only have as long as it takes him to notice the missing presences."