On a silver Royce platter

[Grimm]

Crunching ground and grunting horses kept the rhythm of the carriage in a tempered harmony as it made is way along the path. The dirt not quite frozen this time of the year, proved to be a fine travel path as the group made its way along. The carriage decorated in royal blue and silver, the crest of house Royce emblazed on the side matching the colors and showing this was a cart to stay clear of. To expand on that point, the two Justiciar acting as driver and guards were alert and on point. The clatter of the armored horses could be heard a fair distance out to act as a warning…. Or alarm.
A bump in the road jostled the passenger in side, as well as the red headed fae riding on the back of the coach, nose deep in her most recent find. The sudden jolt almost had the tattered journal fly from her hands, as she exclaimed “Shenani-nuts!”
Rook clutched the book close as she composed herself. The laughter from the prisoner inside drawing a glare of ire from Rook to the back of the coach. As well the Two justiciar looked at each other in slight amusement at the seemingly random words that came from their newest college. Garret, the larger of the two and more senior Justiciar shrugged at Tress, his companion and accomplished member of the order. She had been with the order for two years compared to his eight, but achieved much and was well on her way to proving so much more.

“Sorry! We will do better to call them out or avoid them in the future,” he called back at what he believed to be more swearing. They were making good time, but they needed to do better. While both of them were able fighters in their own right, they didn’t dare risk losing this cargo. Kalen Inkwell pulled the strings to get this passenger to (Insert prison name here) and even got them a military escort for the last half, they only needed to get to (Insert town name here). Rumors and reports were mixed as to what had happened. They knew the man inside was not to be taken lightly, even though he had slept most of the trip and stayed mostly to himself. Only they occasional murmur as he seemed to be speaking to himself. Each time it sounded like half of a conversation but Garret payed little heed to it. The prisoner had been shackled in a set of magical dampeners, his belongings in a chest on the top of the carriage being jostled about.
Tress handed the reigns over to Garrett, turning as she steadied herself on the bench. She looked around the area. Crowded trees and foliage on either side of the path as far as could be seen. They had been travelling for well over three days now. (Insert town name here) was within the hour.

“Get some rest, I can handle the last bit. Word is that Captain Veras himself will be there to see us through to the end. Apparently, whoever this “Grimm” is, Capt. Veras wants to make sure he gets what’s due to him!” He shook his head. He and Tress were not exactly what anyone would consider lightweights when it came to battle, but both Inkwell and Captain Veras both insisted on the precautions. Tress nodded in agreement as she stretched along the top of the cart, laying in the makeshift bed they had been taking turns using as the trip progressed. She rested her head near the back of the cart and asked “So what is really bringing you all this way out here?” Rook looked up from her book, and took a moment to consider her words before pointing at herself, “Order, Treasure! Secrets!” She gestured towards the cart “Kumquat” she sighed slightly defeated.
“Kumquat can hear you, and still has feelings you know.” The voice inside stated indignantly. Also, I have been meaning to ask. If this is supposed to be a SECRET escort, why are we on the main road? Seems a little too obvious. If you ask me, we should have turned to the south road two big bumps and a bush ago.”
“I am not sure if you have noticed, but we are well prepared for anyone who would dare make an attempt on a royal stage coach.” Tress responded.

“Really? Didn’t stop my associate from “acquiring” a… strikingly…” there brief pause “Hold on, is this the cart from Requiem?” there was a tone of excitement in His voice.
“Indeed. It seems you have inadvertently provided the means for this trip to take place well ahead of time. Its almost like you were digging your hole from the start.” Garret added to the talk.
“Hardly.” There was the sound of something shuffling from inside
“We already searched the cart; all weapons and non-essential items were removed.” Said Garret
“How would you ever consider scotch “non-essential”?!” came the outraged reply “what kind of sick things did they put your through in the Order?” This brought a laugh from both Garret and Tess as the troupe continued to its destination.
Garret suddenly turned his head to regard the passenger, “How did you know there was a trail to the south back there? Those windows and door are sealed shut.”
“Please, I know this road better than you know your companion. I run more product on this side of Astrel then you have studied in the last decade. You think for an instant I can’t read the paths better than most maps?” the ire filled boast caught the three somewhat off guard, and had them looking around a little closer. “I am telling you, get off this road before something bad happens” came the caution from the passenger.
“That’s enough out of you” Tress knocked on the wall to hush their captive. Rook looked up to take note of her surroundings and regard the Justiciar, the woman was more at ease then she would have liked, considering how information had been dealt while at the capital, she believed Grimm’s business associates would be coming, hard and for blood, and the fact that they were going down a path Grimm knew this well didn’t sit well with her.
“Look, the next bump is more of a dip, and if you hit that at this pace my personal items and your friend are likely to go flying, you are about to hit a clearing to the north, take that, add a few min to the travel and let’s get there without losing any dignity.” Pleaded the man.
Rook knocked on the wall and called “Banana?”
“Aye, a bunch of bananas that will peal and split if we are not careful” came the reply.
“….Does he always have such odd ways of communicating?” Tress asked Rook.
“Only if you are going to keep entertaining him.” Garret called, though as he did, he regarded the opening to the north fast approaching, and shook his head. He was warned about taking any so-called advice from the one they were transporting. On they went at a hurried pace, the sooner they arrived, the sooner Captain Veras would take control and Garret could relax. As they rounded the bend Garret noticed the uneven ground ahead, but hardly what he would consider a hazard or even a dip, he shook his head and relaxed a little.
He didn’t notice the group taking aim.
A massive ballista bolt ripped through the cart. Clipping Garrets arm, maiming it horribly as it flew by, creating a window both front and rear of the cart as it blasted through. Cries of pain, alarm and “I TOLD YOU SO” came as the attackers set on the cart. Garret wrapped the reigns around his remaining good arm and set the horses to a frantic pace. Around the bend they could see the edge of the tree line, and the town beyond, Tress brought her staff to bear and pointed it at the pursers “Freeze!” Roots of barbed ice snagged the nearest assailant fast bringing her to such a sudden stop. The leg bent and cracked. Three pursuers kept coming, throwing missiles at the cart. Rook and Tress took cover, bolts and small daggers flying past, and sticking fast to the surroundings.
“Duck!” Rook shouted as yet another assailant fell on them from above, Tress turned to guard but Rook fired her magic first. An emerald and blue bolt flew from her, catching the helpless assailant in the chest, reversing him ten feet back up into the air as the carriage sped by, leaving him to fall on his face.
“I am not one to judge, but it sounds like you are panicking out there, this your first time being pursued?” mocked the man chained to the floor inside the ransacked cart.
Rook looked inside the carriage to regard the jostled prisoner “Suggestion: SHUSH!”
“Hang on!” Garret called as they hit yet another big dip in the path, the coach clattered and bounced hard to the left, lifting the whole right side off the ground. Another bolt flew, this time from the side slamming hard into the frame of the coach, splintering and ripping away a portion of the roof and sending the chest, and Tress, flying. Rook Jumped from the tipping vehicle as Garret locked in, bracing as best he could with his ruined arm. The cart slid in the dirt as the horses kept pulling against the shift in weight, but even the fine craftsmen of the royal cariage gave way to the assault and the horses broke free, running all out from the sight of the crash.

[Author]

Posts