Arrival in the Night

[Riley Lambert]

Riley smiled and chuckled in regards to her horse.

"It would be a honor to still be able to be in your company my lady. Perhaps your horse may wish to go to the stables after you have arranged a room for yourself. I'm sure you both could use a meal as well as rest".

[Ailena]

A soft and rather silent laugh escaped her as she nodded to what he said.

"Well then, my lord, we are both rather fortunate for I feel just as fortunate as you do yourself by knowing that I do not need to part with your company just yet. If you would then, good sir, lead the way," she told him, her tone becoming more relaxed.

"And I'd also like you to know this, Sir Lambert, I shall never forget your kindness, and promise to repay it in due time." Upon speaking these words, the girls' blue eyes fell upon those of Riley to double the sincerity of her words.

[Riley Lambert]

Riley nodded and smiled.

"Such kindness and friendship is never forgotten my lady".

He bowed his head and then began to walk in the direction of the tavern.

[Ailena]

Ailena bowed her head gently in agreement to what he said. And, although he probably could not see it, a small smile appeared on her features for a brief second. Then, just as the shadows that fell on the man and woman as they walked along the road, the smile was masked by some dark memory erasing any trace that it was ever there.

After walking for a while in silence, Ailena's eyes fell upon her companion, hoping to rekindle the conversation.

"So how long have you dwelt in this fair Kingdom, great sir?" This was only a few of the many questions that Ailena wanted to ask Riley. Still, the more personal ones she kept to herself, since she, more then anyone, knew the weight those carried. If he wanted her to know more about himself, she was sure that he would tell her.

[Riley Lambert]

Riley looked up and smiled warmly once more.

"I've only yet arrived in this kingdom, but my father has been allies with the kingdom for a long while. He told me everything he knew about this kingdom and in doing so struck my curiousity in coming here to serve the king".

[Ailena]

"Oh," Ailena asked without thinking, "and does your father have a powerful hold in this kingdom? For I'd expect him to be of high rank to be able to influence the king thus." Yet, somehow, her voice carried an undecipherable ring in it with every pronunciation of father.

[Riley Lambert]

Riley looked at her.

"My father is the Lord in the country I come from. He rules it, but he does not prefer to bear the title of king, although the people insist on him to do so. He and my mother with their army of friends saved the kingdom from the evil of a man namd Dolf, but perhaps thats a sunject for another day. So why have you come here my lady?"

[Ailena]

What Riley said struck a cord somewhere deep in Ailena's being. Apparently the man she was walking with was no simple soldier, but a Lord, a prince in a far away land. Shouldn't she then refer to him with more respect then she had been doing as of late?

"For goodness sake's, my Lord, do not refer to me as a lady. I have so such bearing, unlike yourself, Lord Lambert," she retorted gently, giving him a graceful curtsy while lowering her head obediently to the ground. Deep inside, she knew that her companion did not wish such treatment, so she carried the entire display with a lighthearted air, but with respect all the same. Ailena forced herself, though, to refrain from turning to her old ways, her serving ways until so instructed. For, if Riley wanted her to treat him as a Lord, then she would definitely know how to do so.

Straightening, Ailena tried to remember what his last question was. And, once she did, her nervous habit of biting her lip came out as she wondered how to answer. The easiest way would be the whole hearted truth, but then any respect that Riley could have had for her would be lost. She knew that, being a lord, there was a chance for him to not understand her. In either case, she needed to answer something.

"I... I came from a city called Malderel, in the kingdom of Delsteled." True "In a way, I came here looking for a better life from the one I lived before." True "I also left because I knew that the mistakes I committed upon leaving would hinder me from ever returning." Also true Now the question of whether Riley would want her to elaborate remained. Actually, the question was whether Ailena would find the strength to answer.

[Riley Lambert]

Riley chuckled to her respectful lighthearted honor.

"Please, I remain as a friend and a warrior, nothing more. I would prefer to earn the title of lord rather then have it by blood".

He listened to her and sensed she was telling him the basics as to why. He wanted to know, but wondered if he should. He did not wish to strike a nerve and have her offended.

"Do you care to tell me exactly why is it you felt you needed to come and for what mistakes..Please tell me for my judgement of you shall not change".

[Ailena]

"Earn the title you shall, sir Lambert. Your manner and disposition will bring it to you sooner then you might expect," she whispered to him with a small smile, for she meant every word that she said.

"As for your judgment, I do not rightfully know. There are some things, some actions, that not many would forgive. I count myself among those people, and am lying to myself as I do so, for I have double crossed my self in my past."

Ailena's gaze moved from Riley to the darkness ahead of them. She saw things then, things that had plagued her mind for the entire week of her travels. She wondered if just speaking them would make them leave her mind, or if it would place a beacon on her path for those horrors to follow in real life.

"Riley," she began as softly as she could, not realizing that she had mentioned his first name. For doing such an act was so disrespectful she would have been surely beaten for it, had she not been in Avaren.

"If I explain my past to you, then I might soften the degree of my sins. However, my past is not one may would rather hear, and it's a long retelling. Thus, I ask of you now to pick one of the two, and I shall tell you open heartedly." Of this too, she meant every word.

[Riley Lambert]

Riley looked at her, a smile of warmth on his lips. He nodded and then knew the question.

"What is the full extent as to why you came here? And I must tell you, we all have our mistakes. You would be surprised of a few I have, but I am to listen to you, my lady. To me, you are my companion and a lady, therefore I shall show you the respect as I believe you deserve".

[Ailena]

"The full extent?" she repeated with a sigh. "As you wish." Still, it took Ailena a few minutes to gather her thoughts together. She remembered listening to bards her father had invited to their estate so frequently when she was but a child. She then had enjoyed listening to their captivating stories. Now that she was too tell her own, she knew that it would be quite different.

"I was born to a respected merchant and his wife, the oldest daughter from a long line of spice merchants. Our family was wealthy enough, and it was a happy life, mostly."

"After a few years, though, my father plunged into debts he could not repay. When I was seventeen, father took drastic measures to get back on his feet. Without us knowing, my father sold our servants, many of our belongings and my mother and myself as slaves to the Lord of Maldered. It was to that man that my father owed so much money. Of course, my mother and myself did not know where we were heading until the gates of that manor shut behind us."

"As his property, we were forced to serve him. If we didn't...we were beaten, tortured back into servitude," on those words, Ailena's hand brushed a few of the scars lining her wrists and upper arms. The memories were now flashing by in her eyes as she spoke. Seeing what came after that, her eyes welled up with tears. "The worst part, though, was what he did to those serfs, those who lived on his land and didn't serve him directly."

"I once saw a man come to the manor begging for more time to give the lord his share of his crop. Apparently it had been a bad year. Instead of listening, the Lord... he... ordered his men to kill him on the spot. Then, he had the entire house, with the man's family, burned to the ground. Every week you'd hear of a servant getting killed for one thing or another."

Ailena's voice then began to pick up cords of anger, self hate as she continued. "I had decided to put a stop to such violence. Seeing as I had stable duty once, I found one of our old horses, those that the Lord received from our father, and escaped from the Manor. I asked for knights, warriors, others from other cities. I asked for them to free the innocents that were being tortured. Still, no one listened as they did not dare defy the Lord's rule."

"Upon my return, I found out that my mother, and our loyal servants had been tortured once the Lord found out of my escape. He wanted to know where I was. Apparently, no one returned from that interrogation. Thus, I left that day, escaped knowing that if I stayed I would be killed. I stole that horse, and left the city with seven knights in my pursuit. For seven days I ran, arriving here this night. I'm not sure if he continued the search, but if this king finds out that there is a thief, and a murderer living in his kingdom, he's sure to send me back."

Ailena had, by that time, stopped walking all together and faced Riley in the dark. Her features were those of stone, hard and cold as well as frightened. Revisiting those memories had caused her hands to grow cold and hear head to spin. Waiting to hear what he would say, Ailena found herself falling against her horse, the strength having ebbed from her body.

[Riley Lambert]

Riley listened intently and then looked to her when she was finished.

"My lady Aliena..You have no need to run anymore I assure you. This king, he will not send you back for you had a purpose in your actions. If you blame yourself for those he tortured and perhaps killed while you seeked help, do not do so anymore. Their blood is not on your hands, but that lord's. If he does perhaps come for you, I shall stand with you and stop him. I will make sure that your past shall not come back to you to trouble you no more. I give you my word and honor that you are safe and that you will live happily as you are here and have my friendship".

[Ailena]

"Thank you," she replied, although somehow she knew that her past would take its time on letting her go. "You're most kind. And I do hope that what you say is true, that this king is by far more just then my Lord ever was."

And although speaking about her escape had taken a large weight off of her chest, Ailena knew that it would take time to fully heal, for her to fully forgive herself.

Looking down on the road before them, Ailena leaned on her horse for support as Riley led them through the tangled streets of the town.

[Riley Lambert]

(Please excuse my delay)

Riley smiled to her and nodded.

"And if you feel the need to talk, I am willing to listen or help you".