ACT COMPLETE Angelcynn: The Myrcian Conflict - Act 2

[Nanami Touko]

Cass took a quick step away as he addressed her again, sizing him up and nodding as she realized she could take him. What did Adele warn me about, they always ask the small questions first? If he makes a move I'll start swinging! "I brought it with me from the castle. I don't get out a lot." That was fair enough. "Why?"

[Dandragon]

"Castle?" Wait a minute...Isn't that daughter of the current king of Wyke? What did Niko her name was... "Say...Aren't you Princess Cassandra?"

[Nanami Touko]

Well this felt like a definite warning flag, taking another step back, fists up. "Touch me, you lowlife, and I will put you straight into the ground! I am, and I'll have none of your advances! I was a fool to think Niko set the example for all of your ilk." Cass frowned, furrowing brows at Serge, ready to sock him one if it came to that. What did Hogan say as well, between the legs? I've no idea why, but if it works, it works!

[Dandragon]

Serge put his hands up. "Woah! Woah! Calm yourself! I'm with the Reliants, I Swear! With Niko and Doug!" He REALLY did not want to fight her, especially if she was indeed the daughter of the current king. That would get him executed faster than an arrow hits its target. Plus, he probably would get beaten up anyways.

[Nanami Touko]

"Oh." Cass let her guard down right quick. She'd said Niko's name, but not Doug, nor the mercenary group, so he had to have known them to pick up on the other two. "Well... Alright then. I did suppose you looked about as well kept as they did. Good, that's sorted. Enjoy your time on the town, I have an axe to go and find." Looking back at the map, she headed off, wondering which store it was... There was one without a name and one called the Rusty Cutlass... Well, that had a weapon in its title, so it was probably the real one? Might as well try it out~

[Shin]

The Rusty Cutlass

Thankfully, Cass had managed to avoid any trouble in the dark alleys, in part due to her escort. It was nothing like the main city square or the castle, even in broad daylight they were dimly lit and it was probably better than she didn't know what was running around her ankles, or what the various puddles on the ground were. One of the buildings had a sign on its wall sporting the words "The Rusty Cutlass". She'd reached her destination.

The interior wasn't much better than the alley it was in, a single lantern illuminated the room, the shadows of the items on display flickering against the wall. Serge could recognise the man at the counter, a large brute with an ugly face - it was one of the patrons of the Codger. Thankfully it wasn't one that he'd picked a fight with, but he could see the man smirk as he set his eyes on Serge.

"Welcome to the Rusty Cutlass, droogs." he growled, tapping his fingers on the counter. "If there be something you want to kupet, just let me known an' pass the cutter. There be two rules, no askin' for deng, an' no millcients. Don't be eggiwegs about it."

[Nanami Touko]

[spoiler=A small walk]Serge gave another heavy sigh of relief. Before he knew it, Cassandra had already begun walking in a different direction. "Hey, uh...W-wait a minute!" Serge yelled. "Can I...tag along? I have no idea where I'm going in this city. I admit it. I am completely lost. And besides, don't you...usually have someone come with you for protection purposes?" Of course, he figured that this girl could protect herself with her fists alone, unless she met someone stupid enough to hit her back.

She didn't quite have to ask her what he wanted, he'd made that pretty clear. Normally she'd say no, but if he was new to the Reliants, he probably didn't know the city that well. "I do not need protection; Father gave me permission to visit the town all on my own. But... I suppose, as crown Princess, it would be wrong to allow a citizen related to my friends to simply wander without a clue to where they were going. We're off, then. I'm headed to... This place," she said, pointing it out on the map for Serge, for just a moment, before turning around and heading off. She had an axe to purchase!

"Ah...Thank you for letting me come along." Serge bowed his head politely before running up to Cass to walk beside her.

It had taken a while, but they had finally gotten to Cass's destination. 'The Rusty Cutlass.' Now, there would normally be nothing wrong with a place such as this. A place to purchase weapons to protect yourself with. However...it had been located in a certain part of Hull that Serge recognized as the place where the 'Dank Codger' had been. In other words, this was the rougher part of the city. A place where nobles had no business being. And yet...

"You know...this may not be the greatest option we got in terms of weapon stores. You SURE this is the right place, Princess?"

Cass had gotten more than a few leers on her way to the store, but Serge was there, and if he was a part of the Reliants then he was reliable! So no one had pestered them, at least not yet. And really, what place did he have questioning her decision to come here? She wished to find a weapon and this was definitely a shop! "I'm definitely sure! The other one on the map didn't even have a name~ This has to be the place. You're a mercenary, aren't you? If a princess can handle this then buck up! Stand straight, chest out! Try to at least act manly." Without any hesitation, Cass pushed aside the door and entered.

Droogs, eh... Alright, maybe Cassandra had made a mistake, mostly because this part of town seemed more run down than anything she'd seen before. But she wanted a weapon! Badly. And she knew there was probably no chance she'd be affording anything special with what she had left over if she went to any upstanding armory. Maybe her mind had brought her here on purpose... Either way, they were here, and they had haggling to do! Maybe. Had to sort out prices first. But, how to talk to him? She figured speaking like she would at the castle would do her no favors, but there was no way her few nights at the lucky goose, snuck out, would give her enough experience to twist her tongue into their rather foul impediments. Maybe just casual... Hmm.

"Aye, g'day," she responded, walking over to the weapons racks and looking everything over. There weren't any axes, but there was one hefty looking mace that she figured she could swing around all the same. Was it in perfect condition? She was no blacksmith, so there wasn't a way to tell... Well, best to get this over with. "I'm lookin' fer somethin' strong so I can bash a few 'eads in. No swords; too flimsy, too weak, I ain't about that knightly look. Yer mace looks pretty tough, but how much you gonna charge me for it? I'm not poor, but I ain't exactly rolling in gold, y'know?" That would have to do. She knew how to talk like a country bumpkin, mostly due to how much time she'd spent around Angus, and a lot of the people under Tobias' rule. Maybe it would come in handy? Maybe she'd get laughed at. It still felt better than putting on graces and speaking like a stuck up hen.

[Dandragon]

Serge did his best not to laugh. While it wasn't exactly incomprehensible, it was still funny to see a noble talk like this. Still, he thought it best to stay silent and look intimidating. This was no place for a princess, least of all the princess of the continent.

[Shin]

So rusty it hurts

The store owner put his hand to his face, groaning at the monstrosity that was this woman with an atrocious manner of speaking. "Yer be talking gloopy, yer groody nazz. If yer want the mace, yer be paying the cutter. It be eight hundred with no cheepoka. Yer be dressed fancy but yeh talk like an eggiweg. If yer got the cutter, yer be dobby, but if yer don't be sammy, I ain't gonna platch about it."

A few other men were in the store, none of them particularly upstanding. They gave Cass funny looks, laughing among themselves. A small rat-like man seemed particularly interested in Serge, but whenever the mercenary looked at him, he'd look away innocently.

[Nanami Touko]

Well, that was embarrassing. With a slight reddening on her face, she sighed, dropping the act. "Fine. I'll drop the ridiculous act. I've got seven hundred and fifty gold. Serge, can you spare me fifty?" she asked, looking back at him, and trying to ignore the other giggling morons in the building. "Since I assume you aren't willing to sell for under that,' she said with a small glance back at the owner. She was sure Serge had something that small on him, really. How could a mercenary walk around town with no gold on his person?

[Dandragon]

Serge had felt the glance of a small man hit his back several times now, but whenever he looked back, the man was always looking in some other direction. But Serge wasn't stupid. He knew he was eyeing him up, but had no real reason to confront the man. He well remembered the last time he went to pick a fight with someone, and the scolding he got for it. No, if there was going to be a fight, the small man was going to make the first move. And Serge would be waiting.

His thoughts were interrupted by Cassandra asking him for money. A bit backwards, he thought, but began feeling around in his pockets. He pulled out what little gold he had left. 27 gold...It wasn't enough. He looked back at the owner. He could sell some of his gear, but this thieving rat would just take all of it for the mace. He looked back at Cassandra. Could she even use that thing? "...Excuse us for a moment." He pulled Cass aside to a corner where we was sure no one could hear them whisper to each other. "...Right. How badly do you want this thing? Because while I don't have the gold right now, I can make him hold it for use, have us go to the vendor and sell my vulnerary, come back and buy it for you." He felt like he was talking to a young child who really wanted some popular toy that was far too expensive to be remotely worth their time. Either way they could leave this place, maybe even find a better deal for it. A deal that didn't involve him selling something that could keep him alive for the sake of this seemingly spoiled princess.

Edited April 7, 2016 by Dandragon

[Shin]

The store owner smiled cruelly. "I don't know, eggiweg. Somebody might want to kupit the mace before you get yer cutter. Maybe a little more might secure it for yer." It was clear this man was out to make money, whatever the method. It wasn't like any of the country merchants, this man was scum and he knew it. "There be a problem, eggiweg? It might even be more expensive when yer get back."

The rat-man slowly approached Serge, passing his a small pouch in his grubby hand. "''ere you go, guv'nr. Don't worry about the cutter, I saw yer stand up to Dank Dave in the Codger, last week. It's not easy, but yer got more courage than I ever had."

As charming as the gesture was, the man smelled pretty bad, his matted hair slick with a layer of grease. If the man hadn't been walking and talking, it would have been easy to assume that he'd died and been left to rot for a while.

Serge gets 50 gold from Rat Man!

[Dandragon]

Serge had been expecting that this man wanted a fight, however he was left with the 50 gold needed to pay for the mace. The Rat Man smelled and looked horrible, he had to hold his breath for a bit. But still, he had been given money for his...'bravado' at the Dank Codger. Serge had no hat to tip, so he simply nodded his head and said "Thank you kindly." He then went back over to the counter with Cassandra. "Right. We got the money." He put the small pouch of 50 gold on the counter and waiting for the princess to put the rest there.

[Shin]

The store owner grumbled, taking their money and passing them the mace. "Happy to do business with yer." he groaned, looking darkly at the rat man. "If there be nothing else, then beat it, eggiwegs. Otherwise I'll start chargin' yer rent."

Looking rather intimidated, the rat man made for the door, giving Serge a quick wave before hurrying outside.

Cass bought the Mace! Kinda!

[Nanami Touko]

Cass had expected the tone from the owner, but not for Serge to pull her aside like that. "Excuse me--" and he had the GALL to address her like a child! About to shout off at him for his attitude, a small man approached them both. Apparently Serge had done something brave, but she didn't quite care, all she cared about right now was-- "Oh. Th-Thank you." The act sort of shocked her out of her rage, which was then renewed when Serge pulled her back over to the counter and slapped his gold down. She scowled at Serge and put her own gold down, the owner handing her the mace more than disgruntled over it. She took it, without any hesitation, and then grabbed Serge's wrist, dragging him out the door faster than he'd pulled anything.

"Excuse. Me." She scowled daggers straight into his skull. "You do NOT get to drag me around a run down store like that and treat me like a child when all I had asked for was if you had gold in your pockets. I understand how these sales go, and I also understand he was attempting to swindle us. You're lucky that fellow handed you that gold, as sketchy as he looked, and that settled well-- BUT, working for Niko or not, if you ever pull me around like I am an infant again, I will see you barred from working in Hull, mark my words. Are we clear?"

[Dandragon]

"Crystal. Now...We should probably leave the area..." He said taking one last look at the store. He did not want to ever return to this place. Though, in the back of his mind, he had a had feeling he might have to. Still, everything had gone through almost perfectly, with him only getting threatened instead of actually punished. "So...you lead the way, Princess."

Edited April 7, 2016 by Dandragon

[Nanami Touko]

She sighed. It was somewhat unfortunate when people listened to clearly to her, but at the very least it meant he wouldn't do it again. He'd better not do it again. "Fine. If you have no more business in town, I'm heading back to the castle. If you're staying, you can keep the map; I can make it back on my own. What are you going to do, then?"

[Dandragon]

Serge scratched his head. "Probably report back to Niko that I have possibly been banned from one more place in this part of town. Then...I really don't know. Maybe train. Maybe wander around and get myself acquainted with the city a bit more. Or I just head back to Duke Herman's place." He shrugged. "So...I guess this is where we go our separate ways."

Edited April 7, 2016 by Dandragon

[Nanami Touko]

"I trust you won't get lost, then," she said, not handing him the map if he was also just heading back. "Good day." Well, the only good thing to have come out of that was that Serge had managed to spare her some gold to afford something decent from an awful shop. Maybe the other armory was the right one. Bunch of hoodlums and disgusting individuals. I didn't even know we had such awful people living Hull, goodness... How terrible. But I suppose every city must have their downtrodden peasants, hmm... Ah, well. No point worrying about it too much. Cass made her way back towards the castle, idly spinning the mace in her hand.

[Dandragon]

Serge was about to ask for the map, but Cass was already gone. He sighed. Welp...back to wandering the streets. Serge put his hands in his pockets and began walking, hoping to find his way back to Duke Herman's. Or at the very least out of this part of town. He had the nagging feeling that he should have gone with her, however...

Edited April 7, 2016 by Dandragon

[Ether]

"Good match, Angus." Adele replied, accepting the offered hand and giving it a firm shake, before looking over to the Captain and giving him a friendly smile, before leaning back to brace herself on a nearby post. Angus still managed to hit rather hard, after all.

"Good to see you again, Captain Hogan. I trust the recruits aren't getting slack, so long as you're still fit to train them." Adele noted, looking over again at Angus again as he mentioned finding an axe forged of bronze.

"I have a spare that you could use, Angus. I tend to aim for mortal blows when I can, and the edge is simply a tad too dull for my style of fighting. Better you use it than buy your own and see it gather dust in a convoy." Adele noted, unclipping the weapon from her belt, flipping it in her hand, and extending the handle towards the squire.

[Vestige]

With his report finally penned and sent off, Alain decided it was time to explore the city for what it was worth. He was going to be in Hull for at least a little while, so he figured he'd at least get to know the place. It was his first time here, after all. There were a few notable places he'd seen on the way to the castle, and a few places he'd heard of as well. The two most intriguing were the Grand Library, and the Mages' Guild. After some internal debating, he decided the Mages' Guild would be his best bet. He'd done enough reading and writing for the time being. Hopefully, the Mages' Guild would have something to impress him. He'd seen a fair bit at the college already, so his expectations for this 'guild' were rather low.

Alain sets off for the Mages' Guild

[Toogee]

"Where is this bathhouse? Surely one exists..."

Doug was performing his assigned duty, wandering around Castle Wyke on guard duty. It was a great way to get acquainted with where everything was. At the same time, he may as well look for places of interest. The only issue: he wasn't quite sure where he was at the moment. He could have sworn the main entrance was around the corner.

[Terrador]

Angus reaches for the axe, testing the edge on his thumb before offering thanks. "Fine piece, there! This'll definitely help. And ah--th'axe you've got, seems a tad worse for wear. D'you need somethin' to help pick up the slack?" The squire picks up his own piece, wiping a bit of grime off the handle before offering it. "Haft's a bit long, but an axe is an axe, eh?"

[scorri]

[spoiler=Niko/Cass Retro Fun]Niko glanced around nervously as he slowly walked through the garden. He didn't belong here, that much he knew. But the maid he'd encountered had told him the princess could be found here and he needed to ask her something. As he turned a corner along the path, he spotted Cass ahead. Approaching her, he bowed and then quietly asked, "Excuse me princess, might I have a moment of your time?"



Cass understood why her mother enjoyed spending time in the gardens. It gave her this wonderful relaxed feeling, away from voices, away from worries and troubles. It was a nice time, really. To spend a few hours thinking about whatever you wanted, the smell of the plants wafting through the air, keeping your nerves calm. So calm that Niko's disturbance didn't bother her in the slightest~

"Hmm?" He's that mercenary leader, right? "What is it I can do for you?" she asked, giving him a mostly blank stare, with a hint of curiosity.




"Ah well, you see, after the last battle... Well I realized that there might be a use for more of us knowing how to use staffs." Geeze Niko, stop stammering, and talk. "As I am skilled in the magical arts, I figured that I was a natural choice for helping keep those of our group safer. However, I have no training in that area. The healers in my mercenary group always told me I should learn, but I was always more interested in learning how to fight from my parents."

He frowned and paused for a few seconds before sighing and continuing. "But... I can't run from it anymore. I'm the leader of my mercenaries now and it's my job to keep them safe. Even if we get more healers, at the end of the day, I can potentially learn to heal and I owe it to my men and the ones we are protecting to use my abilities to their full strength. And, well, you are the only healer I know that I trust. I know that this is likely extremely presumptuous of me but... would you teach me how to heal?"



"It's nice to hear that you trust me~ I'd thought you weren't a fan of nobles-- forgive me if that's prying, you just seemed... Stiff, around myself, and Adele. Maybe I'm wrong. Either way, I wouldn't mind. They aren't the most complicated of magics, and since you already have the foundations of channeling learned, it's all about switching perspective." Cass stood and stretched her arms up, sighing as she brought them down.

"Sit yourself here for a moment, and I will return soon, hmm? I have to fetch some staves if we are to practice." Cassandra began to walk off, going to nab a few from one of the maids.


"No worries. I trust you as you have proven yourself to be trustworthy." He bowed and sat down on the offered bench, though he quietly muttered as Cass began to leave, "There's a difference between trusting and being comfortable around. Nobles are trouble for people like me..."


It only took Cassandra a few minutes to find and acquire some staves from a wandering maid, heading back over to where she'd left Niko. "Good, you made yourself comfortable~ Here," she said, handing him one. "Now... Hmm. This should work." She wandered over to one of the nearby flowers growing and drove her boot onto it, crushing the plant. It was fairly boorish, but something had to be hurt for them to practice. "Come over here, Niko. Now, I realize that make have looked silly, but we need something damaged. So unless you're willing to burn yourself with your magic, a flower will do. Now..."

She took her attention off of him and pointed her staff at the plant, focusing her magic into it and through it, all the way until it began to flow into the plant. The crushed flower began to straighten itself back up, returning to it's own, nearly perfect self. A few of the petals had fallen off, but like limbs, it was impossible for her to reattach something that had been lost.

"So. Here's the idea... With your magic, you're drawing from the forces of nature to command against your foes. You channel your own magic into them, they grant you the power through your tome, you toss fireballs, hmm? Well. Healing comes from within. You have to focus your own magic into the staff, and then channel that into your target. No getting help from nature anymore." She giggled, and stepped on the flower again.

"So, you give it a try. I'm sure that, without experience, even a beginner could fix a flower. It would take a few months for you to learn to do more than garden plants, but, I'm sure you could manage quite proficiently."




Niko didn't really know how to react when Cass stomped on the flower but he didn't really see any way to object to it. After all, she had a point. He did wince slightly as she stepped on it a second time, though it was more of an involuntary reaction than anything. He nodded and stepped up closer to the flower.

"So through the staff from inside me, huh?" He hesitated and then pointed the staff at the flower. Focusing, he tapped into the source of his magic. Alright, through the staff. Come on, you can do this. He felt the energy start to flow through the staff and enter into the flower. The flower started to bloom again, and just as it returned to a mostly healed state, Niko lost concentration and felt the energy slip out of the staff. "Bah. Almost had it. Well, sort of had it I guess. I can see what you mean though. It's similar to how I use my magic already but... different." He chuckled slightly at his stating the obvious, but nodded. "It would take me some practice for sure. But I do think I could pick it up if I work at it. Thank you for taking time out of your day and showing me this. I'm sure you have more important things you could be doing with your time than teaching a mercenary how to heal."



Cass watched Niko perform, making sure to top the flower off, before her mother gave her a chastising for using her plants as subjects. "Well, you're certainly a natural, Niko. I've been given staff training for the past seven years, and I can already tell you'd surpass me within one. You're far more of a mage than I'll ever be." It was a real compliment, with no jealousy behind it; Cassandra had never been one to be interested in magic, so watching someone who was born for the task do her trade-- it was inspiring and impressive.

"Not at all. Not at all, really... Ahhaha, it's a bit embarrassing, but... Well, I'm almost jealous of mercenaries like you." She sat herself back down and set aside the staff. "I've always heard tales of mercenaries working with bandits, working for coin no matter the cost, but you and Doug really changed my mind on that. And you've got all of this... This choice, to fight for who you want, when you want, for a price you negotiated all by yourself. It's exciting, really. Or it sounds exciting... I assume working nobles must put a damper on most of that fun for you, huh?" Her tone had finally settled back into the brash noise Niko had been used to while they were fighting.

"Sometimes I wish I could just... Drop all this and run off. Join a mercenary band and have real adventures. Wouldn't that be great? We could fight bandits, or defeat rampaging animals. Join the hunt for a criminal or help another noble house. And then crowd around a campfire and laugh about it all, telling stories with smiling faces... P-Perhaps I just, read too much." She sighed, and sat up. "Sorry for keeping you. If you had anything else to ask, you're free to."



Niko smiled sadly. "An adventure, huh? Funny how many times those adventures turn out more like nightmares..." He sighed. "It's true that working with nobles is hard, but that's often because working with nobles, royalty especially, raises the stakes. People do things they never dreamed they would do when royalty comes into play. They rebel against the rulers because maybe they could gain some of that power. They turn against a trusted companion for the promise of a better position. They..." They wipe out an entire mercenary band because they did something to annoy someone with power...

He sighed again and tried to smile a bit more sincerely. "I don't mean to discourage you. Not really. While I suspect you wouldn't actually run off, being a mercenary can often times be exactly as you imagined it. Comrades, good times, and living free. Perhaps you truly would be happier in that life than in your current one."



Well, that was fairly depressing to listen to. "Sounds like you've had an awful experience, Niko." She wasn't about to ask him what it was, because that felt far out of her bounds with how their relationship was, at the moment. There were certainly negatives, sure, but there was things wrong with living as a princess. Things that Cass really believed no one quite understood.

"I couldn't say; I've only lived my life. That said, if I ever do choose, let me come along with your group, hmm?" She smiled at him, giggling again. "Between you and Doug I think there'd be plenty to laugh at. That said... I guess I should ask, did you find working for Adele satisfactory? Nothing too far out there? The pay was proper?" It was something to know, not that she was sure Niko would give her an entirely straight answer.


Niko simply nodded to her comments about his life. The loss of the main force of the Reliants was still something he didn't want to touch on even with Doug, much less a princess. He did grin slightly at her request. "So long as you can promise that your father won't send men to drag you back and imprison us, you're welcome to travel with us whenever you want. As for Adele, she has been more than fair. She has honored the contract and more. She is a good employer."


"Well... Father might not be around long enough to enforce something like that. So as long as Owen doesn't mind it, which I doubt he would, I'm sure it'd be fine. I'd have to cut my hair, though, or wear a wig, or something. Pink isn't a very common hair color. I'm sure it's fairly recognizable throughout the land as belonging to Wykian royalty. Don't want your group getting into trouble over some spoiled princess wandering about with it!" She laughed openly, finally, loving her own description.

"Then let's see you all stick around, hmm? Since Adele's been so good to you. Wouldn't want to lose someone so respectable~" Cass leaned back on the bench and closed her eyes. "Thank you for changing my mind about you mercenaries~"


Niko grinned at the picture of Cass in a wig and then gave a slight shrug. "If you want to be a part of the Reliants and you won't get us in trouble for harboring a fleeing princess, you are always welcome to join."

He nodded. "I have no plans to leave at this time. I thank you for your kind words. It is good to see that we are appreciated by our employer and her companions, so I am glad that we have shown you some of what mercenaries, good mercenaries, can be like. I will no longer intrude on your time. I hope you enjoy the rest of your time relaxing out here and thank you once again for helping me."

Niko had headed out early that morning and had been spending some time outside the city practicing his magic. He needed to improve. That was the lesson he'd learned from their last job. He was just now returning back to the city. He hesitated, considering just returning to their rooms, but instead decided to head to the Grand Library. Maybe he could find something useful there. His talk with Sidney had brought back memories that he would rather leave buried, but maybe he could find some interesting information on Deira there that might lead him towards an answer about what had happened.