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5
Dallas sat in the dark, picking the ashes of his dying fire. In the distance, he could just make out Tsar Peter's palace
4
Several days of travel, alone, in the cold weather had left their mark on his spirits and his gear. Most of all, on his hopes of ever seeing Dragonrider again.
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He took from his pack a letter she had given him, to take with him. It was much too dark to read her words but he'd memorized them so, in his mind's-eye, he could see her gentle-yet-firm script on the crinkled paper just the same.
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He pressed the letter to his lips, wondering if this would be the best he could expect for a kiss goodbye. Though now faint, he could still barely smell her perfume on the letter.
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He cast a glance at the palace, wondering if it was time to finally get on with things and try to sneak in to accomplish his task her; one that would likely fail and result in his death. He began to fold the letter back up.
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With a blood-curdling scream, a man suddenly emerged from almost-dead fire. He fell on his hands and knees, steam and smoke rising off his body.
Terrified at the man's abrupt appearance, Dallas shouted and fell backwards. Cursing himself for dropping Dragonrider's letter in the snow, he reached for one of his swords; hoping he'd be at least capable of defending himself if the man attacked.
But the attack didn't come. The man continued to kneel and cough, gasping for breaths between.
"I wasn't told," the man choked, "when I learned that trick, that it would hurt so much."
"Who...?" Dallas gaped, jumping to his feet.
"But, then, perhaps a burning building wasn't," the man coughed again, "the site my teachers had in mind when we discussed discorporation. Seemed about as good a location as any, though, I'd think. On account of the flames, you see."
Dallas, pointed one of his swords at the strange man. "Tell me who you are and what you're doing here, or..."
"Oh, shut your mouth. I'll tell you what I'm going to tell you when I'm good and ready," the man shook his head, took a deep breath, and sighed. "Nobody has any manners, these days. Help me up, will you?"
Dallas' first impulse was to comply and he started to reach out to the man, but then hesitated. Something about the man told him not to get too close, that asking for help was nothing more than a ruse to get him to drop his guard.
The man grinned up at him and laughed. "Clever lad, aren't you? That's good. I could have disarmed you and snapped your neck in a second. However, I mean you no harm. Mind if I stand up, get comfortable? This has not been a good day for me," the man considered, "You either, I'd say. You're a long way from home, kid. Use some company for a while?"
Dallas sighed and stepped back, sheathing his sword. "Whatever." He began searching the snow for Dragonrider's letter.
The man stood and turned his head oddly, his neck popping. "What're you looking for?"
"A letter. I dropped it when you...surprised me."
"Oh, sorry about that. I didn't have much choice in the matter, to be honest. Otherwise, I would've picked a more private spot. So, this letter?"
"From my..." he hesitated, not exactly sure what to consider his relationship with her; or even why he was answering this man's questions to begin with!
The man laughed. "Let me guess, it's complicated. Usually is. Need some help?"
"No, I got it," Dallas picked the letter up out of the snow, frowning. By the fire's light, though, he could tell the letter hadn't been badly damaged by the snow: it was too cold. He finished folding the letter and stuffed it into a pocket on the inside of his coat.
"So, we've got a Byzantine boy way up here in Bulgaria; well-armed and carrying a letter from his sweetheart for courage. What's your game, boy?"
Dallas began drawing a sword again.
The man pointed at Dallas' campfire and a ray of flame erupted from his fingertip. The flames flared to life for a few moments before dying down again. "If I wanted to fight, I would've started a while ago. Ease up, I'm just making conversation."
"My mission is my own, and none of your business, then." Dallas said.
"Son, you're an Byzantine soldier in my homeland. Everything you do here is my business. For the most part, I couldn't care less about your mission, but I have to feel secure about the safety of the people I care about. Now, tell me what you're up to or I'll be sure to have every guard within ten miles on their way here within moments."
Dallas sighed. The man was probably bluffing but, at this point, there didn't see much of a point in taking the chance. "I have been sent by my Empress to set free a man Tsar Peter has locked in his dungeons. A soothsayer of some sort."
"You mean TwoBitWriter?" the man laughed. "So Peter finally tossed that charlatan down in the slam, did he? About time!"
"You know of him?"
"Oh, yes. He served for a time under...the previous Tsar. Never took much stock in his 'prophecies,' much to vague for the tastes of the time, I fear. When war's afoot generals prefer succint and useful divinations, not the hocus-pocus mumbo-jumbo TwoBit spouts. Honestly, so far as I'm concerned, if Curly wants him she can have his worthless behind."
"Um, thank you?" Dallas said.
"So, you're planning on breaking into the palace and smuggling him out. Any ideas on how you're going to do that?"
"I've got a couple, been working on it."
"Right. Well, I'm sure you're better at that sort of thing than most. From your outfit and gear, I'd say you're some sort of sneak or assassin. Swordsage, maybe? Meh."
They looked at each other in silence for a few moments, measuring each other up.
"Well, just as well. You have a name, kid?" the man asked.
"Dallas-dakota. You?"
"I'm known as the Ghost Warlock. Out of curiosity, what's your lady-friend's name? Or, boyfriend if that's your pleasure. Makes no difference to me."
"Her name is Dragonrider. She is my Empress' most skilled general and a great beauty. Her curls are..."
Ghost interrupted him. "Oh, yeah? About this tall?" Ghost indicated with a hand, "I don't suppose you last saw her in Edirne, or thereabouts?"
"Adrianople," Dallas muttered, a bit taken aback. "But..."
Ghost interrupted again. "I think we've met. Nice girl, I guess, not as skilled with a sword as she thinks she is. Not that she's a pushover, just that..."
Dallas had his swords drawn faster than he would've normally thought possible. Pointing the blades at Ghost, he growled. "What do you mean by this, tell me quickly, or..." Dallas trailed off.
Ghost held his hands up, as if surrendering. "Woah, there! Relax! She's alive, fine for the most part. I sent a message with her back to Curly. I might've saved her life, even. The friends I was travelling with at the time were none to happy about Byzantine troops on Bulgarian soil. Who knows what they'd have done if I hadn't found her first." Ghost lied.
"You didn't hurt her?"
"We fought, yes, I'll admit. But nothing serious. She's probably sitting comfy back in Constantinople, enjoying the pleasures of Curly's court again as we speak. Well, comparative pleasures, anyway. I'm sure she's staying faithful in your long absense, even though a girl like her has needs." Ghost smirked.
Dallas sighed again and sheathed his weapons, refusing to be baited. "I find it difficult to believe a man such as you has any friends."
"Touche."
They stared at each other in silence again. Ghost's smile continued to grow as Dallas held his gaze.
"Look, I'll tell you what, kid," Ghost said finally. "Let me see what I can do to help you get that bum TwoBit out of there and get you back on your way to Constantinople and your sweetheart. It's the least I can do after all of this."
"Why, in Empress Curly's name, should I trust you?"
"Good question. I suppose you don't really have any reason to. Not much I can say that'll give you reason to, either. After all, I could be lying about anything I say to you. But, on the other hand, what reason would I have to do so? I'll tell this: I'm not one of Tsar Peter's favorite people, and I'm not too fond of him, either. Anything I can do to stick a bit of a thorn in his side is a small pleasure for me. Hold off on trying to get inside for 24 hours, give it another day, and I'll see what I can do to help. At worst, it'll be another day before you can see your darling again. On the other hand, it'll be another day you can continue to draw breath and daydream about your lovely Ms. Dragonrider."
"Your argument isn't very compelling."
"Well, then, look at it this way: if I wanted you captured the guards could've been here by now. If I want you dead, I just think incendiary thoughts and my hands burst into flame, a few moments later and you'd never be the same. I admit that I'm probably a bit of a bastard, but if I meant you harm I would've wrapped things up by now."
Dallas considered. "I suppose I could wait another day."
"Glad to hear it!" Ghost extended a hand.
Dallas reached out and they shook hands, almost cordially.
"Now, sit right back and your troubles melt away," Ghost said, grinning.
With that, Ghost walked off into the night. Dallas couldn't help but think he'd just made the biggest mistake of his life.
Re: Shippingitp IV: Flattery Will Get You EVERYWHERE
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