Paladin the path begins

Tar’vid tossed the delinquent onto the snow covered ground, beside one of the men he had disarmed, the straw-haired man clutching at his hand where Tar’vid had relieved him of several fingers and the club he’d wielded.

The rough looking man stroked his beard, making to grab his club once more.

“Leave the weapon and go, I’ll pretend you were never here” Tar’vid told the delinquent calmly, as the man still made for his weapon clumsily.

It was then that the fallen man noticed his mewling friends, one with several fingers missing, the other clutching at his left leg where Tar’vid had severed his hamstring. Another lay silent in a pool of blood where his throat had been opened from collar to cheek. Tar’vid had regretted killing him, but three opponents at once would have been a difficult prospect.

“What are you!?” stammered the man, backing away on all fours.

“Either a warning or your executioner... your choice” Tar’vid replied, hefting his blade menacingly.

The man wasted no time in running deeper into the camp as quickly as possible. Tar’vid let out a short breath, going over to the two wounded men and healing the wounds he’d inflicted as best he could. Wiping away a trickle of blood from his nose afterwards, he could heal multiple times an hour to a lesser extent now, and with the doctors help they were making great strides towards clearing the camp of people, though he knew hundreds had died already and many more still would.

“Tar’vid, is it really you?” came a tearful voice from behind him, he turned immediately, recognising the beautiful sound of Luna’s voice.

As soon as the owl had called him not twenty minutes ago, Tar’vid had gone to the open window of the gatehouse. The owl nodded downwards and looking down into the camp he had followed its gaze, towards two people walking away from the roadside. He hadn’t been sure why, but his instincts told him to follow them. Tar’mine’s spirit animal had always been present at pivotal times in his life, and so it had only been a short time later when he had come upon the trio of armed men, who had thought to try and rob him... and failed.

“I had nearly lost hope I would ever see you again,” he said to her, dropping his blade and embracing her, trying to hold back tears of joy.

“I thought I would die here in this god’s forsaken place before I saw you again,” she said happily, kissing him.

A man coughed from behind her and Tar’vid felt a pang of jealousy seeing a man emerge from the tent behind her.

“Forgive me sir, but does your timely arrival signal the end of our time in this hellish place?” the man asked him brazenly, his voice sounding exotic. Tar’vid instantly felt he needed to be on guard with him.

“For her yes, I only have permission for two returns” Tar’vid replied coldly, feeling Luna’s gaze on him.

“We can’t just leave him here Tar’vid, what if they come back for him?” Luna pleaded, making him feel uncomfortable. Who was this man, had she moved on from him already?.

“I can’t push this Luna, it’s only because of my help they’re granting you entry at all” he replied, frustrated at her attitude.

“Do not worry for me, I am a most... resourceful person. Besides, I may revert to my more... nefarious ways whilst you are away. But do not worry, we shall all meet again... take care of her Tar’vid, she is a most dear friend” Tarquin said, interrupting Luna.

“I don’t need taking care of, but I appreciate the sentiment Tarquin. Until we meet again then” she said to him, kindly hugging him and kissing his cheek.

“Indeed” he replied, drifting off into the camp.

Whilst Luna watched Tarquin leave Tar’vid retrieved Torgard, sheathing the blade after wiping the blood off with one of the dead men’s cloaks.

“It’s time we left this place,” he said to Luna, walking up beside her.

“I couldn’t agree more” she replied, taking his hand in hers.

They walked back to the town in silence, there was no need for words. He was just happy to have her back.

Passing through the gateway was surprisingly painless, as they were waved through without hassle. They walked through the busy streets of Fernhaven, Luna stopping at several street vendors for food as he took her to his home near the temple. Bruhnel had offered him quarters in his compound, but he felt better staying near the temple, though he did do the odd job for Bruhnel he was sure the man found him a bit too honest for most of his work. Had his moral code allowed for it, he was sure Bruhnel would make him a very wealthy man. Luna commented several times on how much warmer it was inside the city, wondering if the town’s mayor employed magic users to keep the temperature bearable. Tar’vid pushed open the door of his small two storey home, letting Luna enter first. She sat in an armchair by the stone fireplace as he started a fire to warm her.

“That feels nice,” she said with a slight shiver.

Tar’vid kissed her forehead gently, kneeling down beside her.

“I’m going to try and get a few more people inside before night falls and they close the gates,” he told her, Luna only nodded gently in response as she started drifting off to sleep.

Tar’vid took a thick blanket from a small chest and tucked it around her. He placed a log on the fire and closed the door gently behind him as he left. The sun was beginning to set, turning the sky a bright orange as he passed by the temple, waving to Red Knight and garnering a nod back in acknowledgement. His path took him through the streets once more, though in only the short time that had passed the vendors had packed up and the crowds thinned out.

The guards on the doctor’s makeshift surgery let him pass with only a cursory glance and as he entered one of the camp’s population was leaving, a guard either side of him.

“He was clear Tar’vid, though like several others he had an arrest warrant... banditry they said. Must have caught more of them in two weeks than they have all year” Doctor Ferrow said to him, leaning back in his chair as he waited for what must be the last patient of the day.

“I found her Aldus, the saints led me to her” Tar’vid told him happily, pulling up a chair near Ferrow’s desk.

Aldus leant forward, looking at him with pity.

“You know I don’t buy into Gods and the like Tar’vid, but after meeting you I’m beginning to change my mind,” he said with a smile.

“Well, religion or not, I’m glad I decided to help you” Tar’vid replied.

Aldus sat back in his chair once more. The last patient came and went, the laborious task of checking for signs of plague eating up nearly an hour. They had to be even more thorough than usual now, with the symptoms taking longer to present in the cold weather.

“Well Tar’vid, I think that’s all for today. Shall we pick up again in the morning?” Aldus asked, pulling on his thick coat.

“I have business at the temple in the morning, so perhaps I can help later in the afternoon” Tar’vid replied.

The high priestess had told him several days ago that when Luna arrived, she wanted to see her with all haste. At the time he had thought it near impossible for her to be at Fernhaven... and had hoped she wasn’t outside the walls. But as usual it seemed the high priestess knew far more than she let on, perhaps she had a direct connection to the saints.

“Can’t be helped I suppose, if you see any of the other doctors... please ask them if they could spare a few hours. It’s not well paid I know, but these people need all the help they can get” Aldus sighed, walking over to the door.

“I’ll do what I can Aldus” Tar’vid replied, though he knew none of the others would help. Winter was the time when people wanted cures for colds and such, a doctor was in high demand and commanded high fees, especially in a rich town like Fernhaven.

They parted ways at the corner of Market Junction, Tar’vid quietly entering his home a short time later.

He could see Luna still slept by the glow of firelight and he slowly walked over to his writing desk. Using a prayer the high priestess had taught him he carefully ignited a candle. Sitting at his desk he picked up a letter he’d read over a hundred times already, yet he looked over it once more regardless. It was unsigned and told him in no uncertain terms that after the winter thaw, agents were going to be dispatched for him. He was sure the letter was from Deadra and he felt saddened to be leaving a place where work was plentiful and more importantly, where he had friends. Luna stirred in her sleep but didn’t wake. Her breathing returning to normal. He put the letter to the flame, letting it burn to ashes in the fireplace. Tar’vid blew out the candle and lay on his bed, though he had no desire to sleep. Hearing an owls cry from outside his window he wondered what tomorrow had in store for them both.

Tar’vid woke in darkness, as usual, the fire had become mere embers in the night and he placed a handful of kindling on them to reignite the flames.

“What time is it?” Luna asked with a yawn, stretching out her arms and knocking the blanket to the floor.

“It’s still early, you should rest. The high priestess wants to see you as soon as possible, maybe we can go after breakfast” he said to her. He knew what the priestess wanted, but perhaps Luna wouldn’t want to go.

“That sounds nice, I’ve always wanted to know more about you and your order Tar’vid,” she said stifling another yawn, soon she had drifted off to sleep again.

He milled about the house a time, getting out a dress he’d bought for Luna almost a week ago. He’d hoped he could give it to her when they met again, he just hadn’t imagined it would be so soon.

He thought about it again and put the dress back into the closet, it was designed for summer and thinking about things it would be too cold for her to wear now. The green dress had cost him a small fortune and perhaps it would be best as a present anyway. Tar’vid pulled out a pair of britches and a shirt, finding a thick coat hanging on the back of the door.

“Is there by any chance a bath here?” Luna asked as nicely as he’d ever heard when she woke once more.

“I have a tin tub, but I won’t be able to get the water very warm” he replied, remembering Bruhnel having one drawn one evening, it had taken five servants nearly an hour to prepare.

“That’s fine, I just need to wash off weeks of dirt,” she said to him, standing up and starting to unstrap her armour, placing each piece neatly by the chair.

Tar’vid pulled the tub over to the water pump and began to lever water in, the water drawn was from the sea so was no good for drinking, but for bathing and cleaning it was fine. He half filled the tub and chanted his newly learned prayer, he only allowed a sliver of power into himself, the water slowly starting to heat up. Luna squatted down beside him naked and kissed him, placing her hand in the water.

“That’s enough, I don’t want you bursting a blood vessel after all,” she said with a laugh, lowering herself in slowly.

Luna let out a soft sigh as she leant back against the tub’s side and closed her eyes. Tar’vid took a bar of tallow from the side table and started to rub the block around Luna’s shoulders. She smiled and took his hand in hers as she manoeuvred him around her body slowly.

“I’ve missed this, it felt like my life wasn’t complete until only a month ago. Do you know what I mean” she asked him, opening her eyes to look into his own.

“I know exactly what you mean, with you here now my life also feels complete. Only a week ago I was told I had made the order proud. At this moment, I couldn’t be happier” he replied contentedly.

“Oh I think you could be,” she said to him wickedly.

Just as he was getting her meaning she splashed water over his shirt and trousers.

“Oh no, you’re all wet now, whatever shall you do?” she teased.

Tar’vid removed his wet clothing and climbed into the tub with her, causing the water to spill onto the floor.

“Whatever indeed” he replied kissing her.