Old York

“He’s a god's damned traitor and what he is is' ' Prince Aiden felt his neck muscles tighten as his Uncle screamed his obscenities again. He tried to to let himself be baited into responding as his Uncle attacked his friend and defender. He glanced at his father the king and was worried at what he saw there. “Father you know, that Jack would never betray us, something is afoot and we should be trying to figure out how we can be prepared for it” Aiden spoke in a calm voice. King Dom had his fingers steepled in front of him on his desk, and he hadn’t spoken in a few moments. “I’m not convinced either way Elisade'' the marquee, looked like he might turn purple with rage, but he didn’t interrupt the king. “We must look at this from all angles, Jack is practically family, what reason does he have to betray us?” They had recently gotten the report not only of the destruction of the labyrinth, but of the team sent to resupply the Ravens at their rendezvous. It had been particularly disturbing since very few people outside this room even knew of the mission. Elisade had immediately come to the conclusion that Jack had betrayed them and intended to use the Dragon to claim the kingdom. The king felt that part of that was the man's natural dislike for Jack, but he couldn’t quash the kernel of worry that he felt when he considered it. Jack was well known, and well liked among, not just his soldiers, but kingdom wide. “And why would he betray us?, betray me, uncle?” Aiden’s jaw clenched as he spoke “We all know you hate him for…” “enough!” barked the King. The king sighed and put his hands on his desk. “ But it is a reasonable question. Elisade'' Elisade tried to calm his anger as he spoke. “He clearly craves the crown brother, any man would wish to be king” at this the king raised his eyebrow. “Even you Elisade?” but Aiden spoke first. “I won’t hear any more of this, Jack would never betray us, I will send a bird out to the Wind Reach to send out some patrols to investigate” Aiden crossed the room in a huff, technically he shouldn’t leave until his father dismissed him, but he had had enough. As he exited the office, he bumped into Mary in the hall. “Oof” She exclaimed as she stumbled back. Aiden caught her before she could fall. “Are you alright my lady?” Mary smiled and his heart melted a little bit. “I was just walking by and I heard some yelling is everything okay?’ Aiden smiled “Nothing to worry about my lady, turns out my bodyguard Jack has been delayed on his trip” Mary’s face fell “Oh no is he okay?” Aidens stomach flipped and he pushed down the small pit of jealousy that had reared up. He too had heard the stories, but he didn’t believe a word of it. “Fine, he will be back soon hopefully, in fact I must go send a pigeon” Mary smiled and curtsied “I could join you if you’d like” Aiden smiled and held out his arm “I'd love that” As they walked toward the pigeon tower, the faint voices inside the king's office faded.

South of Wind Reach

Night had fallen and camp had been made. They had camped closer than normal to some ruins, rather than staying further out in the flatter desert. With the ruins close, and a small covered fire they should be practically invisible in the moon filled night. The ruins were very dangerous, but typically the creatures that called the ruins home, did not stray far from their lairs. The ruins were mankinds before the fall, but five hundred of years of radiation had turned them into hives of creatures that made the desert chimera look tame. Jack had never been in the ruins, but he had heard stories of giant chitin covered monsters with ten foot wingspans called cockroaches, even thinking about them made him shudder a bit. Jack had first watch and the others had already gone to their bed rolls. His back was to the fire, and he sat at the edge of the darkness. The moon was so large it seemed to take up half the sky. Jack marveled at the contours and valleys in the white lit body. Maybe one day mankind would make if off this ball of dirt to the stars, definitely not in his lifetime, but maybe someday. He wasn’t a sentimental sort of man, and even sometimes wondered if he was broken, but something about the vastness of space always made him feel. He’d been sitting here for two hours when he finally decided it was time to wake Sug for his watch. As Jack rose to his feet, a star shot across the sky. In children's tales that was when one would make a wish, his mind drifted Xyla, his body reacted to the six long furred body that flew through the night toward him. Had he been sitting he wouldn’t have had time to react, but he quickly dodged right as the one ton animal passed though where he had just been standing with its three inch claws out. “Fuck” Jack muttered to himself, It appeared they had camped to close to ruins afterall. He considered shouting to wake the Ravens but too much noise this close the ruins could draw more predators. He drew his eagles trying to block out the odd chattering noises the creature was making. He got a good look at it now, it stood on its hind quarters, ears pulled back, fangs glistening, and what looked like a childs bandit mask around its eyes. It was a Rakk, he had seen them before on a traders fur stands. Damn things were supposed to be scavengers, but they were still dangerous. Nothing living in the ruins wasn’t. It dropped to all fours and charged him again slashing out its claws. Jack sidestepped sweeping his eagles down in a slash against its back. He felt the resistance of the hit, but not the sink of going deep, damn things hide was tough. He looked down and also saw a scrape along his armor, clearly he hadn’t moved fast enough, but it looked like the claws would also have trouble with the composite of his armor. When the creature turned and charged again, he braced himself and took the charge head on. As the creature got within range he slammed his eagles down toward the back of its head, while bringing up his knee spike under its chin. He heard a squeak of pain, then the creature crashed into him taking him to the ground. His eagles flew from his hands and his arms were pinned under him. He struggled to breathe and realized he might have cracked a few ribs. This could be bad. But the Rakk also wasn't moving, just lying on top of him, slowly crushing him to death. Well what a glorious end for the fucking blood raven Jack thought to himself. In his bubble of self pity he didn’t hear the other Rakk until it stood to its full six foot height above his head. It unfolded its claws and hissed, the thing looked pissed. Jack realized he must have killed its mate. “Fuck” Jack muttered as the creature dropped its head toward his face fangs extended. Its fangs scratched along his face as the creature's head hit him and rolled away. Sug stood behind the creature with his buster at his side, having sliced clean through the damn things next. “And again I’m saving the famed commander’s life, the fabled hero, destroyer of..” Sug was interrupted by the fountain of blood that decided to spurt from the Rat's neck, covering them both in a red delush of ick. Sug had the good form to at least look chagrined as the blood covered commander glared at him. “Oops” said a red faced Sug as he went to help his very angry boss get out from under a thousand pounds of sticky fur.

Wind Reach

Duke Slavus cracked his hand across his son’s face leaving Drexx with a large scratch along his cheek from the Ducal ring. “Silence” Slavus screamed. “You will do as I say” Drexx reach his hand up and ran fingers over the scratch, pulling them away and seeing blood he scowled. “You will doom us all father, we live like kings here, and you would throw all that away on a whisper and a promise?” Slavus looked over at his son, then glanced at the man in white camo armor. He would never say it, but the man's unnatural calm unnerved him. He glanced up at the balcony, seeing his twenty crossbow men allowed him to relax again. Slavus smirked and shouted to his captain of the guard. “Send out the patrols the prince requested” then he turned to his son, his smirk moving to a smile “Fool, they have promised you the hand of the princess, why live like a king when you can be a king?”