Call Him Night [Night & Alice (Alcibie)]

[Alcibie]

Living in an abbey in Ilia was a used to be safe. Alice was left at the abbey by the caravan her parents had assisted, but her parents had never come for her. Instead she grew up under the tutelage St. Elimine Church. Father Reeves was an old bishop, who believed that there was good in everyone and that everyone deserves help.

Some of the Villagers blamed his kind heart for why the bandits chose their village to raid. The leader kept away from the village just sending his men out to raid the village and report back. There were some men who could fight, but no one really wanted their loved ones to die at the hand of the ruffians.

“Alice!” Father Reeves called out, and Alice ran away from the window and back over to the pulpit.

“Yes, Father?” Alice spoke softly and smiled gratefully.

“What have I told you?” Father Reeves began to start waving his finger at her. “I do not want you by the windows. Have you moved all the books to the basement?”

“Yes, Father.” Alice smiled and moved to his side. “All the books have been store away.”

“Well then take these and put them down to the basement.” Father Reeves spoke patting a crate of letters.

“Of course, Father, may I ask what they are?” Alice asked peering into the box filled with papers.

“Memories, now go,” Father Reeves spoke while making a shooing motion.

[Night]

The large doors to the church opened up wide enough for three men to step in. The one in the middle was the oldest, with gray streaks in his black hair, with a long scar going down in a diagonal line from his forehead to his left eye, then to his lips and finally his chin, cutting through his shaggy beard. He sported an axe on his hip and a bow on his back. The two men at his side were much younger. The one to his left was a red head and also carried an axe, though of a notably cheaper quality and smaller size than the older man. The one to his right had black hair, and unlike the other two, he had a blade strapped across his back.

"Well, well, look who it is!" The middle man stated, his voice echoing through the empty church. "Still kicking I see, Father! I thought for sure you'd be pushing up daisies before I saw you next!" Despite the mans choice of words, friendliness shone in his voice. "Word is that you've been having bandit problems, Father. Any proof to that?" he asked.

[Alcibie]

The old bishop at the altar froze and looked towards the church doors. Relief flooded over his face as he walked forward towards the armed men.

“Still as young and reckless as ever I see…you’re picking up babies to bring with you now are you?” Father Reeves chuckled. He was much older than the other man, his hair being completely white with very little brown left. He tapped his staff against the ground as he walked using it more as a walking stick than a healing staff. “Out of the two of us though, you expected me to be dead? I live a nice quiet life running a small church. You on the other hand run all about Ilia saving people and battling crooks.”

“Father?” Alice asked looking uneasy around all the weaponry.

“Oh Alice, meet my old friend. Balbos, meet Alice I’ve been raising her. Balbos is a mercenary, and a good man.” Father Reeves spoke patting Alice on the head and Balbos on his arm.

“Pleasure to meet you Sir, I hope St. Elimine grants you her protection.” Alice smiled to the burly man and bowed.

[Night]

Balbos laughed. "Ahh, you've got me there, Father, you've got me there!" he admitted. Looking at Alice, he nodded. "Nice to meet you, Miss." Looking to the two young men at either side, he gave each a light sock to the stomache, just enough to make them jump. "Show some respect, boys, yer in the presence of a lady!"

"Hello, Sister." the two young men greeted in perfect unison.

"That's better!" Balbos looked back at Reeves and rolled his eyes. "Sorry, Father, these two aren't half bad in a fight, but they haven't got the tact of a pig. The red headed fellow here is Leeroy."

"Leeroy Jenkins." Leeroy corrected.

Oh shut it, Leeroy, no one cares." Balbos rolled his eyes. "The boy insists that he be introduced by his full name, for some stupid reason or another." he explained. "And this here, well..." Balbos clapped the dark haired man on the shoulder. "Don't know his name, really. Found him passed out on the road a few years back, can't remember a thing. We just call him Night."

Night nodded. "Good to meet you, Father."

"The rest of the boys are outside. Just a couple of archers you ain't met and that old Sacaen horserider, really, but it'll be enough. Now, why don't you buy an old friend a drink and tell me just whats going on?"

[Alcibie]

Alice almost jumped herself when Balbos struck out at his men. She looked at the ground and blinked as the two young men introduced themselves. She tried not to smile at Balbos’s speech. He did not seem like the normal type of mercenary.

Father Reeves shot her a look and Alice tried not to roll her eyes. She may be a sister, but if Father Reeves had his say she would be taking over the church soon enough. He was a little thoroughly motivated to get her educated and eventually ordained in St. Elimine’s name.

“I am sure the locals will be happy to give you as much drink as you want.” Father Reeves chuckled, he knew that these men were basically saving the entire village and would get shown the proper respect they deserve and probably more than their just rewards. They were going to save families, not just people.

“You’re going to the tavern Father?” Alice squeaked. Her eyes grew wide as she stared at the old Father. He never went to the tavern unless it was to drag someone out of it. He spoke often of the evils of alcohol and how it could poison the heart against goodness.

“Oh Alice, you stay here, and put those letters away.” Father Reeves spoke pointing his finger at her, again, making shooing motions with his arms. Alice blinked owlishly and moved to get the boxes. Obviously Father Reeves was just going to talk to his old friend, he would not do anything rash.

[Night]

Balbos laughed and clapped the older man on the back. "Don't worry, Miss. I'll make sure the Father doesn't stray off the good path." he promised. "Night! Be a gentleman and help the Sister." He ordered. "Leeroy, get yer hide back to the camp and tell th'boys to come on into town and rent up some rooms."

Leeroy and Night made funny salutes, and Leeroy all but ran out of the church. "Now, Father, about that drink..." Balbos chuckled, walking outside with Reeves.

Night found himself alone in the church with the purple-haired sister. "Umm...Hello. My names... well, erm... Just call me Night, I guess. Everyone else does." Night muttered just loud enough to be heard, scratching the back of his head. He wasn't very good with girls. He wasn't some fool that became some stuttering clod whenever one was around, mind you. He'd met one too many Ilian tavern wenches to be like that. But girls still made him feel awkward, especially when it was just him and the girl.

"So..." He started off, picking up a few of the boxes. They weren't very heavy at all. "Where do I put these?" He asked.

[Alcibie]

Alice looked down and straighten her robes self consciously. She knew the old men had probably left Night there to watch her, but she was not offended by the gesture just a little ill at ease. She had basically been left with a body guard who was picking up her boxes.

“Oh, um,” Alice grabbed another box and started up towards the pulpit. “Back here is the Father’s Chamber and this…” She spoke as she knelt down and pulled at the floor, “is the cellar or the basement. We usually only keep the older books down here, but since the bandits showed up we have been moving all the valuable books down here. The town’s people wanted their letters safe too in case….well in case the bandits decided to torch the town.”

Alice shifted uncomfortably and set the box by the opening and dropped down the ladder. She rustled around for a few second then light burst from where she lit a torch on the wall. Then she appeared from the hole in the ground taking the box under one arm when she got to the top. “Um…you may want to bring them down one at a time so you don’t fall off the ladder…” Alice said before descending back down the ladder.

[Night]

Night nodded. "Right. Okay." Setting down the boxes, he picked one back up, tucked it under his arm, and started down the latter after Alice. Reaching the bottom, he set the box back down, then looked back up. It wasn't hard, but it looked like it'd take more time than it should.

"I have an idea." He voiced up, looking at Alice. "Why don't you climb up and drop boxes down to me?" he suggested. "They aren't very heavy, shouldn't hurt me any. It'll save a lot of time, at least."

[Alcibie]

Alice looked at him and blinked, “Oh, okay, I’ll go back up then.” Honestly, she and Father Reeves had tried that once, but the old man was far too old to be catching or accurately dropping. She pulled herself back up to ground level and carried the few remaining boxes over to the hole.

“Um…are you ready Night?” Alice asked looking down to the mercenary waiting at the bottom. She fidgeted again and picked at her robes.

[Night]

"Yeah, sure." Night called back up, arms stretched out. "Just try not to drop it on my head, okay? I've got enough problems up there as it is." he tried to joke. "Your name is...Alice, right?" he asked. "Sorry, I'm sort of bad with names."

[Alcibie]

“I, why? No I would never, I, Oh St. Elimine.” Alice sputtered at Night’s words. “I have taken an oath not to do others harm and to always help when I can. I will avoid causing you further damage.” Alice took the first box and leaned over the edge dropping it after she caught Night’s eye.

“Yes, my name is Alice, my parents are mercenaries too.” Alice blurted out, her face coloring. “I mean they were, well they probably are still. I mean they’ve got to be.” Alice shook her head and pulled the next box closer to her.

[Night]

Night caught the box with a bit of a grunt. Okay, a little harder than he expected, but still doable. Setting the box down, he held out his arms for another one. "Whoa, whoa, calm down Sister! It was just a joke!" he assured her. Wow, she freaked out easy, didn't she?

"Anyways, I'm ready for that next box!"

[Alcibie]

“Hold on…” Alice lowered the next box down and then let it go.

“Night…what’s it like not knowing who you are?” Alice could not stop herself from asking. Was it anything like not knowing where you came from? Was it like never knowing your parents? Was it worse? What would it feel like to wake up one day and know no one? Why anyone would be laden with such a burden was beyond her.

[Night]

Night caught the box with a grunt, and set it down. "...I dunno how to explain it." he replied. "It's a little strange. You just wake up one day. You can talk, walk, all that stuff, but you don't know anything. It's like your a complete stranger to yourself. It was scary at first. I don't know what I would have done if Balbos hadn't found me." Night said as he ascended the ladder back into the church proper.

[Alcibie]

“I’m trying to imagine, but I can’t. I mean, I grew up here, but I cannot imagine trading all these memories even if it meant seeing my parents again. Would I still be religious? Would I want to heal people? I cannot imagine myself any different from the way I am now.” Alice shook her head. Sealing the entrance to the basement after Night stepped onto the main floor.

“My…I apologize I know everyone must ask you about it but you just amaze me. I do not think I am strong enough. I can never see myself leaving this place. It is home, but your life must be so exciting. Living as a Mercenary, it must be grand.” Alice looked a little star struck as she rustled with the dirt on her ropes.