The Paladin and his Castle (Alice/ Butorega)

[Alice Crowley]

Traveling for days now, she was going from rumor to rumor looking for the man named Butorega. From what she had learned so far, the man she is after use to be a bandit of great power until he decided to turn his ways and became a strong Paladin. Stopping at a trader outpost, she would begin to ask around to find out where this man was. She needed to know if her cousin was alright or if he had fallen during battle. Walking up to one of the traders, she would ask him. "Hey merchant, I seek some information. Got a moment?" Eyeing her up, the man nodded his head and walked over to her and said. "IF information you seek, then this first question is for free my lady of the sword." Rolling her eyes, she could tell that the man was flirting with her. "I seek the man called Butorega, do you know where this man is?" The merchant began to think and then snapped his fingers.

"The man you seek has a castle north of here past Littlerock. It's in the center of a clearing that is surrounded by a forest that many of fallen. He was here the other day looking for supplies for his new fort that he was given. If you ask me, I find it shady that somebody gave him a fort for next to nothing. It's said that the fort is ancient and use to house the Dragon known as the Fiery Death. Even if it's old, a fort like that was built tough." Nodding her head, she thanked him and pulled out the map that she carried with her. Seeing where this clearing was, she made her travels towards that area of Bern. 'This better be worth my while or I'm going to slaughter everyone that Lied to me. Starting with that merchant.'

A day and a half worth of traveling, she crossed the forest and came to the clearing. Hopping over the stream, she went to the Castle where it's gates were closed. An archer that was rather young shouted from the battlements. "What are you doing here Traveler? If you don't responde I will lay you full of arrows." Raising her brow, she rested her arm on the hilt of her sword that glistend with the lowering sun before shouting back, making sure everyone over the walls heard her. "My name is Alice, I'm here seeking the one known as Butorega and if you dare try to shoot an arrow at me, I will make my way up to you and make an example of you first to show that I'm not fooling around. Now get your leader for me, Now!"

Taking the warning seriously, he ran down the staircase and went for Butorega. Wherever he was, the archer was having a hard time finding him. Running through all the hallways and rooms, the archer began shouting for Butorega to get his attention. Still standing outside, Alice would cross her arms and began to tap her foot while she waited. Waiting wasn't one of her favorite things to do since time was essential to finding Victor in time. That's if he was still alive and well.

[Butorega]

"See Row", spoke Butorega as he rode up to the stream. "This is what I am talking about. I told you they would get into some trouble while we were gone." Row did not even bother to answer. He was tired from their return trip. The fighting at the village had taken a lot out of him and the road was not the most soothing of places to be.

"Well I guess I will go deal with it", spoke Row. However Butorega stopped him by raising his halberd.

"That woman is too far beyond you skill Row", spoke Butorega. Butorega was not a genius like his cousin, but when it came to matters of combat he had a good sense. He could tell by the way she was standing and how she held her sword she was no novice. The woman was a swordmaster and far beyond what Row could handle. The greenhorn was about to pick off more than he could chew. "Besides we don't even know if she is hostile", spoke Butorega. The paladin whipped his reigns a bit letting the horse know to move forward. Wallace hopped the stream and came up to Alice from behind.

"Do you have any business here", spoke Butorega as he stared down at the maiden from atop his black steed.

[Alice Crowley]

Tilting her head a bit, she heard horses. Now fully turning around, she had a horse head right infront of her and a Paladin sitting ontop of it. Gently raising her one hand, she would gently run her hand across the horses head and would reply back towards the question. "It depends on who's asking the question now, if you'r the leader of this castle then I would say yes. If you were not, then I would say bugger off. But since it seems that you hold power over the rest, I would take it that your Butorega. Am I right?" Her dark blue eyes looked up at him as she had a smile across her face. With one hand gently petting the horse and the other resting on her sword still, she would wait for what was to come next.

"I'm looking for a man, I know you fought beside him. His name is Victor Crowley. I've been looking for him for many days now with only paper and leeds to go running for to try and find him. So, when was it you last saw him?" Her tone of her voice went from a bit jolly to Cold in a split second. Her hand slided down the horses snout as the sound of a bow's string pulled back behind her, ontop of the battlement. Without turning her head, she would say outloud. "If he lets go of that string, I will kill him."

[Butorega]

"Yes I am Butorega", spoke the paladin. "If you are looking to avenge one of your dead relatives I would suggest that you do better things with your life. Attacking me is not going to bring them back, nor would it gain you the satisfaction that you seek. It will only end with your early grave", spoke Butorega. It was not the first time someone had hawked him down out of revenge and he was sure it would not be the last time.

When Alice began to speak of victor Butorega removed his halberd. It was obvious to him now that she was not a vengeance seeker, or at least not towards him. Butorega heard the sound of the bow being pulled back. This was not the time for that thought Butorega, but he was happy that they could at least defend the place. Butorega lifted his hand to show Aart that she was not an enemy. The boy put up his bow.

"First off", spoke Butorega as he dismounted his horse. "If you are going to try and get information out of somebody don't threaten there men." A bit about the whole situation reminded Butorega of him self. In the past he once threaten his employers wife with an axe to the face. Though Butorega understood her reason he could not just let her do as she wished. This was his castle and his piece of Bern. If he just let a random stranger walk over him then he might as well not claim it. "Second", spoke Butorega getting back into his grove. "I am going to have to ask you what do you plan on doing with the information. I don't make it a habit of giving out information on people I have fought beside. If you are looking for vengeance then I suggest you walk away right now and take the advice I gave to you at the beginning of our conversation." Butorega stared into her eyes. He looked for any sign of malice."

[Alice Crowley]

She watched and listend. 'Hmmm, interesting. He dares to get off his mount to approach me. He's either a risk taker or he doesn't think of me as much of a threat' As he moved closer to her, he would see her hand was now gripping the handle to her curved sword. Shaking her head as if to let him know now to get any closer to her. She didn't like people just to burst her personal bubble. "I'm not threatening, I'm just giving a mild and friendly Warning. And as for the information. *sighs a moment* Victor is a long lost relative of mine. We never met in person. My name is Alice Crowley of Bern. Ex-Arena fighter now, I've been looking for my cousin for a good long time now and would like to find him as soon as possible. First my father past, then his parents past away. So as you can tell Butorega, I'm not in the best of moods since I've went to Hawks ridge where I found a piece of his journal on the ground with you and your twin's name and location of the town. As well as this Lisa girl."

Not blinking, she would stare back at Butorega with stone cold blue eyes of her's. Not blinking at all, she stood there like a statue waiting to see what would happen next. Either a fight, he invites her in or he gives her the information and telling her to leave. Either or, she wasn't going to be caught off guard.