Noble Heart (Closed)

[Riviera]

Riviera pulled down her hood to cover more of her face from the sun as she rode her horse across this small village's dusty street. After finding some lead about her brother whereabouts, the Etrurian noble headed further into the Eastern Bern. This area had been Ilia or pro-Ilia force's territory before the rebellion had ended with the Ilia military withdrawing back to their homeland. It was quite convenient for Riviera that the war had ended. While it certainly didn't make the land safer, at least travelers could freely roaming the land of Bern now. It was harder before because both forces had put tight security around their borders. Some problem rose up in this post-war time as if telling that peace was still a faraway goal.

The blonde mage stopped her steed when a ruckus caught her attention. Three men who carried weapons came out from a tavern, yelling and cursing loudly to the people inside the building. "Thugs..." Riviera whispered to herself. She had heard rumors that many mercenaries had lost their jobs after the rebellion had ended and they had caused some havoc in may villages in Bern. These people might be one of those ruthless mercenaries. Maybe they couldn't adapt to losing their income and the services from villagers they had gotten before. Keeping her distance from the dangerous men, she waited until they went quite far from the place before she followed her curiosity and peeked into the tavern. What a mess. Tables and chairs were flipped or broken and the bar was wrecked, many broken bottles and glasses lying on the messy floor. A group of the villagers were inside, including women and children, and half of them were beaten and covered in bruises.

Riviera left her horse outside, tied the reins into a pillar, and then carefully stepped into the tavern. 

"Those bandits will suck us dry!" One of the villagers shouted in frustration.

"I can't believe they got mad just because wouldn't provide them with supplies anymore!!" Another angry yell followed.

It wasn't her intention to overhear the conversation but something inside Riviera made her unable to leave this place. This people was probably victims to extortion. It was quite common that mercenaries that protected or fought for the village would be rewarded with free supplies, but since the war had ended it was only be natural that the free foods and drinks would stop coming. Unfortunately, some mercenaries didn't take it well and resorted to...violence. Leaning against the wall, she listened attentively when the villagers were having a serious discussion. 

Riviera's frowned when she heard that the group of mercenaries had continued demanding more supplies from this village. The villagers were even threatened that the mercenaries would take what they wanted by force if their "request" wasn't obeyed. "Oh St Elimine, it seems I have arrived in very dangerous place." Riviera had good heart but she lacked self-sacrifice traits like those brave heroes. The girl was smart and she understood exactly what she could and couldn't do. Besides, she didn't see a reason to risk her life for this. She would go out there and leave this village before the worst could happen. At least that was the plan until...

One mercenary entered the tavern, walking lazily while resting his sword on his right shoulder. Riviera realized that he was one of those men who had left earlier when he passed her. "I forgot something.." He muttered as he walked into the villagers who quickly dispersed to clear the path between the mercenary and the bar. "Boss will kill me if I don't bring him some money..." he said as he reached out and pulled a pouch of gold coins from the drawer.  "Don't take that! My father worked hard to get those coins. Please we need that money for my sick sister!" A young lad, seeming still in his teen, ran after the mercenary and tried to snatch the pouch from his grip. He was shaking from fear but still mustered all his courage to stand up against this injustice. Of course, it didn't come easy and both men struggled for the money. Things became bad quickly when the young man's elbow accidentally hit the mercenary's face which sent him slamming into the bar. Surprised and scared gasps quickly filled the room as everyone knew what the consequence for the young man's action would be.

It didn't take long for the battle-hardened mercenary to beat the young man mercilessly. He beat him until the poor youngster lay on the floor, bloodied and knocked out after many beatings he had received. No one helped him. Everyone didn't have courage to risk themselves. "You stupid lad. You dare to hit my handsome face... I am going break all the bones in your body..." The angry mercenary raised his fist and prepared to hit the gravely injured young man again. However, before he could continue this cruel slaughter, a fireball flew across the room and missed the mercenary's head by a few inches, hitting the wall next to him.

"Stop whatever you are going to do to him! Put down your hand or I will burn your ugly face!"

Everyone inside the tavern turned to the voice and saw a hooded girl standing on a table with one arm stretched toward the bully.

"Oh father...I have done something foolish, haven't I?" Riviera thought. The mage's expression was calm but she was very scared inside her heart.

[Aria]

Aria arrived in this small town a few days ago. Chewy was outside quietly eating some sort of animal. Probably a deer or some other sort of venison meat that she had hunted in the woods. Aria herself was in the tavern. She was in her dark grey tunic and skin tight leather pants. She had an apron on. Her mix and matched armor was upstairs in her room. It had been buffed and polished earlier in the morning. She had no need for it while waiting tables. Her hair was pulled back into a low hanging braid. She was a nice sight for many wary travelers. She sung and entertained guests in the evening hours for some extra coin. She needed it. Feeding and sheltering a large wyvern like Chewy wasn't cheap.

She was busy taking a few orders when a mercenary came in and caused a commotion. He tried to take gold from the barman. The tavern owner's young son tried to stop him. Aria was about to intervene. She couldn't let the man simply take the tavern owner's gold. That gold was part of her pay. She wasn't about to let that happen. But it seemed that she was beaten to the punch, a woman launched a fire ball towards the brute. The hooded figure was brave but also foolish. Aria sighed softly. She was going to do something foolish herself. She approached the bar and used the metal serving tray as a weapon. She slammed it upwards so that the coin purse flew upwards then caught it with her hands. She then threw the bag into her chest and grabbed a broom. She held it in the same manner she would her lance and glared at the mercenary.

"Sir. You need to leave."

[Riviera]

The mercenary was caught of guard by the two woman. Even in his wildest imagination he could never guess that he would be opposed by a mage and...a waitress? Surely this woman wasn't a common waitress. From his wealth of experience, he could tell that the way she handled the broom was similar to holding a lance. "You two don't know what you are butting into. You make a huge mistake." He was full of opening. The man was clearly underestimating both Riviera and Aria, putting both hands in his pockets. Well, a broom posed very little threat, he thought, staring at Aria. And it wouldn't be his first time fighting a mage so he didn't fear Riviera. What he needed to do was dodging the first attack and any mage would become defenseless. "Surely you don't plan to sweep my face with that thing, do you?" he mocked the wyvern rider. His hand slowly moved toward his sword as he kept his eyes at both women.

"The lady is right. Leave this place..." A red-haired middle-aged man entered the tavern with an axe in his hand. He was accompanied by two men carrying pitchfork and hoe. Just by him entering the room filled the villagers with hope. "Are you ordering me, Duke?" the mercenary spoke with irritated tone. " No, I am ASKING you to leave..." The man called duke replied with composed but determined expression, bravely glaring to the better-armed mercenary. The tension rose as the mercenary stood still and looked between the women and Duke. He then lowered his hand and said, "Fine, but I expect you to not stand in our way tomorrow. Don't forget. My boss will be collecting our "fee" at tomorrow afternoon." The mercenary seemed to decide not to turn this situation into a fight, which was a good choice considering how outnumbered he was. He headed to the exit but stopped a bit for throwing glares and remembering Aria and Riviera's faces.

When the troublemaker finally left, the villagers relaxed and felt less tense. It was the same with Riviera. She could finally convince herself that the danger was over. Riviera took a deep breath as well, still feeling a bit suffocated by the fear and nervousness within her. The Etrurian girl hopped off the table and pulled her hood, revealing her face for the first time. Some villagers put up surprised expression because they didn't expect that the brave mage's identity would be a teenage girl.

The man called Duke approached Riviera and pat her head, which made the mage uncomfortable and annoyed. He then went to Aria and sighed. "If only we have more people with backbone like yours in our village. Not that I can't blame them. Those mercenaries are quite ruthless, after all. I don't remember seeing you two. Travelers, perhaps? Anyway, I must thank you two in behalf of the whole villagers. That's my duty as the head of the village," he said as he bowed respectfully in front of Aria. He then looked at the wounded boy, who was being treated by his parents and some women, and shook his head while carrying a sad look in his eyes. "Alright folks! Return to your home and rest. I and my two sons are going to take care of this mess so don't worry. Just go..." he announced. The villagers quietly and obediently followed his order afterwards.

"Maybe it wasn't my place to intervene into this village's problem but...what just happened?" Riviera said as she approached Duke and Aria, moving next to the blue-haired rider. "Was it a extortion? Or worse...a pillaging?" It would be much wiser to leave this place and let these people take care of their own problem but Riviera's curiosity got better of her logic. Although she often heard many cases like what had just happened, this was the first time she experienced it directly. What were those militias or military soldiers doing? If they were doing their job properly then those crude mercenaries wouldn't be able to run amok uncontrolled.

Duke looked at both woman and said, "I see that you two are unaware. You must be pretty new here. While I love to entertain two pretty women with some stories but I prefer to have this conversation while seated and maybe with some tea?" He said as he stroked his beard. Duke made a hand gesture toward the nearby table that was still intact, pulling two chairs and aligning them near the table. "After you..." he said.

Riviera considered not to take his offer but once again she found her curiosity winning. With uncertain expression, the blonde girl seated in one of the chairs and took a glance at Aria from the corner of her eyes.

[Aria]

Yep. I intend to sweep your ass right outta here. Aria didn't actually say it. She just kept staring at him. She knew how to defend herself with a lance. A broom was no different. It was a long wooden rod with a weight on top. Sure it wasn't a spear but the weight was enough for her to deflect the sword blow. It would be enough to hit a man in the knees, elbow, face, wherever. With repeated hits it would be enough to drive this man away. She was ready for him.

Before she could do anything though the man was stopped by another individual. Three individuals as a matter of fact. A big brawny dude and what she presumed to be two farmers. The brute realized he was out manned and decided to leave. He had intentions to return tomorrow and collect his fee. Aria scoffed at him. She was happy to see him go. Once the danger had passed, the rider sighed. She put the broom back in its place and reached down her bust for the coin purse. She pulled it out and tossed if back to the tavern owner.

"Find a better place for that will you." The pouch of coins was very warm. Aria could see the blush on the tavern owner who caught it. The man named Duke complemented Aria for her bravery.

"I've seen wyvern dung with more class and honor then that brute." She responded then went back to work. She helped the two men who came with Duke in fixing the tables. She grabbed the broom again and started sweeping as if nothing happened. A lifetime among wyverns had given Aria a bit or resistance to intimidations. The wyvern academy had also hardened her resolve against all manner of brutes and bastards. Heck Chewy was more intimidating then that guy and Chewy was a sweetheart. She glanced over at the hooded woman. The girl had removed her cloak and Aria was pleasantly surprised to see a pretty face. It seemed that Duke wanted to talk to them about something.

Aria glanced over at the tavern owner and his wife. She shrugged lightly and went to get the tea Duke requested. The rider quickly prepared a batch of tea and served it to both folks. She took a seat and listened to Duke talk.

[Riviera]

Duke looked at both women, taking a little sip of his tea, before he took a deep breath and started talking. "That man is a member of a mercenary band that was hired and assigned to this village by the Ilia forces before the rebellion ended. Our relation was quite good and profitable, actually. They bought supplies like ale and food from us and we also benefited from their protection." Duke spoke with a smile, seemingly remembering some nice memories. "However, the war suddenly ended with the Ilians pulling back to their country. While it might be a good thing for us Bernese citizens, it also left many the mercenaries in this village unemployed. Losing their income so suddenly has made them angry and unstable indeed..."

Some people who still stayed in the tavern, including the barkeep and Duke's sons, shared grim expression when they overheard Duke's story. It seemed they had gone through harsh time dealing with those mercenaries. "Well, the leader of this mercenary group, a man called Katar, demanded us to provide enough supplies for their trip to Ilia. Without paying, of course..." Duke said, looking a bit angry.

Riviera certainly wasn't calm after she heard such story although she could suppress her emotion well this time and kept a composed expression. She looked down and thought. This was a war. This difficult situation was the first of her. She knew that innocent people often became unfortunate casualties but experiencing it firsthand was completely different from simply knowing it. With her status and luxurious life, she didn't need to deal with this kind of situation. Also, Etruria, Riviera's homeland, was almost safe from banditry because the country was prosperous and its Inquisition Army continuously eradicated crimes and heretics in the country.

"You should request help from the Bern army. There should be some garrison nearby that can drive the mercenaries away," Riviera said, hoping that Duke would reply with relieving answer. However, the man only shrugged and shook his head. "They will be late. We have sent someone to inform the nearest base, which sadly quite far from here. Also, the road to this village is quite treacherous for them to ride fast. The mercenaries will probably come here tomorrow morning while our reinforcement will arrive at the afternoon at best. The worst case? We will get no help at all." Duke's words made Riviera slumping against her chair. So this village couldn't be saved. Unless a group of strong fighter magically appeared and defended the village then the mercenaries would likely leave carrying all the village's food. "So it's inevitable, isn't it?" Riviera remarked, looking bothered by the hard truth.

Duke closed his eyes and stroked his beard. The man the opened his eyes and made an eye gesture toward the axe in his side. "We have weapons. Well, just axes for cutting wood, pitchforks for farming, and maybe some rusty swords but we can protect ourselves. Losing our supplies will mean death to us. There's no way we can endure the coming winter without those supplies," the man said it strongly, although he couldn't completely hide the doubt in his eyes. Riviera had learned to read people from her training so she could easily tell that Duke didn't believe they would success repel the mercenaries tomorrow.


"How many are the mercenaries? And how many people in your side?" Riviera asked, worried that another bad news would come. "They are around 40-50 mercenaries I guess. Maybe more..." Duke replied. "And we have like...50 men who can somehow fight. Farmers, hunters, tailors, lumberjacks..." The man sounded a bit sarcastic when he announced the defenders. He was aware that it would be a very unbalanced battle and obviously wasn't pleased with it. "That's foolish. You will lose..." Riviera remarked. She wasn't being cold with that comment. The Etrurian mage simply couldn't stop herself from telling the man an obvious fact. She had studied warfare as part of her education and training to inherit her father's position so she could easily tell that a group of farmers and lumberjacks wouldn't be a match for hardened mercenaries.

Duke snickered after listening to Riviera's comment and turned to Aria. "What do you think, miss? Do you agree with this lady...Sorry, I just realize that I don't know your names. What should I call you?" he asked both women.

"I am Riviera Mayfield. You can just call me Riviera." The blonde mage replied. 

[Cen]

The traveler had arrived in town halfway between dusk and dawn the night before the ruckus in the tavern, with enough coin in his pocket to pay for either a room at the inn or a stall for his horse Thunder for the night in a stable. Either way, he'd have just too few coppers for the other, which meant he had a choice. However, it was one easily made, Thunder couldn't spend the night in the inn, but Cen could very easily sleep next to the massive horse in the widest of the stalls. So, after a good half a day of rest, Cen shot up, brown and yellow hay clinging to his hair and back.

As the tall Cornwellian rose from the stable floor, his horse, one of, if not the, largest in Elibe, let out a whinny so heavy that it could only be produced by the horse's massive lungs and vocal chords. It was one Cen had heard many times, and he believed it was Thunder's way of laughing at him. Looking down at his shirt, he saw a thick stalk of hay sticking to the color, and quickly brushed it off before running his hands through his thick lime hair, realizing what about him was likely to look so silly to his huge beast. As he made his way to the stall on shaky legs, they were always wobbly when he didn't sleep on a bed, he gave the horse's thick left shoulder a sturdy pat, and said, "Mornin' big fella."

As he made his way out of the stable, Cen shook his head while running his hands through his hair, trying to pick out the last of the straw from it. He stopped just before opening the door, and rolled his shirt over his head, and started to pick the pieces of yellow and brown from it. When he was satisfied he stuck it back on, and opened the broad door with a soft push with his right foot. However, the former squire quickly turned around, and hurried back to Thunder's stall. Once there, he leaned his tall frame over the stall door, and scooped his sword belt and purse off the ground. Then, turning, he made his way out the stable door, this time knowing he hadn't forgotten anything.

As he made his way to the towns tavern, hoping to spend the rest of his coin on something to eat or perhaps drink, he fastened his belt around his waist. He'd almost reached the tavern when a young woman, maybe a year younger than him approached him from his left, in almost the instant he perceived her, she was right beside him and already launching into conversation. "Excuse me, are you a mercenary? I saw your sword and it made me wonder."

Before Cen could deny that he was a sword for hire, another woman, probably in her forties approached almost as quickly as the younger had. "Alba! I turn away for five seconds and you decide to come and flirt with a stranger, and a mercenary of all men? I shudder to think what your late father would think!" The younger woman, Alba apparently, immediately flew into a rage, throwing her arms into the air, and twisting her reddening face as she answered her mother, "Mother, who I choose to speak to is my business. I'm not a child!" Before the mother could shout back, the tall rider broke in quickly addressing the mother, "Ma'am Ah'm not a mercenary. And I didn't have any amorous intentions walkin' to the inn." He flashed a small smile. "Ah promise." At that, a bit of red actually appeared in the older woman's cheeks, and she quickly said, "Well, I'm sorry we bothered you. Have a nice day sir." She then grabbed her daughter's arm perhaps a bit too firmly, and dragged the young woman away despite her resistance to be lead like a child.

After that, Cen made his way to the tavern without incident, his stomach grumbling an instant before he open the door. The former squire quickly made his way to the bar, and emptied his purse. He had three coppers. It was apparently enough for a plate of bread, and some burnt beef. Cen told the barkeep that sounded swell. At that, he turned and looked around the emptying tavern. The only group that really seemed to be left also seemed quite tense. He might have picked the wrong tavern to eat dinner in. He couldn't make out much of what they were saying, but it seemed important.

[Aria]

Aria sat and listened to the situation of the village. She had her eyes closed and tried to imagine the people. Roughly forty mercenaries vs roughly forty regular villagers. Mercenaries whom were angry the war ended and their profits vanished. Mercenaries turned bullies. She sighed. She hated bullies. This wasn't an uncommon situation. And it seemed to be something that was happening no matter what village She went to. She knew the army was just starting to pick itself up and put itself together after the rebellion. There was a high chance they weren't going to send anyone at all. She started to calculate the odds in her head. The sky haired rider shook her head. 24 hours wasn't much time to prepare for an onslaught. The number of farmers and common people might be less since she was certain there would be some who would be leaving town tonight. The odds weren't good. Every part of her was screaming to leave town and leave this nameless village to its fate.

The woman introduced herself as Riviera. Aria found it to be a nice name. She was about to speak her own name when the bell for the door chimed. A green haired young man arrived and took a seat.

“Excuse me.” The sky haired rider was still on the job. She got up and went to tend to the man. He had a few copper coins. That money was good for some bread and burnt meat. That wouldn't do. Aria fished out a coin from her pockets and used it to pay for a bowl of soup. The soup wasn't much. Beef broth, some barley rice, and a few herbs. She set it down along with the rest of the knights meal.

“Soup's on me. Enjoy it while you can.” She smiled softly. She walked towards the read and stuck her head out the window. Chewy had finished eating. The remains of the animal were in a neat bloody pile next to her. The wyvern had eaten most of the animal save for a few bones and entrails. The crows would have their fill of that. Chewy was curled up into herself and sleeping the meal away. She smiled at the sight.

“Ya big lummox.” She whisphered to herself. Aria tucked her head back in and went to her seat.

“So.. roughly forty or so individuals who can maybe kinda sorta fight vs mercenaries whom lived for combat. Oh, and an army that may or may not show up. Was there any confirmation that the messenger made it through? Do we know him or her to be honest? Or did the mercenaries find em?” She glanced at Duke.

“To fight would mean death for the village to not fight would also mean death.” She frowned. She let her finger tips dance around her own warm mug of tea.

“Perhaps the best course of action is a tactical retreat. Try to evacuate as many citizens as possible. Supplies are replaceable in time, lives are not.” It sounded cowardly. But it was logical.

“Or are the mercenaries controlling the roads? By the way my name is Aria.”

[Kelvin H. Calderon]

Given the rushed nature of their journey, Zach and Kelvin had been riding hard for almost two days now, with only minimal breaks to make sure their horses wouldn’t expire. Now, however, their supplies has all but run out, forcing them to stop and restock. The town they had found was out of the way, virtually unaffected by the war, or so it seemed. As Zach was the far better negotiator, Kelvin had elected to let him handle the supplies while he went to get an idea of what life was like in the town. He had only recently become general and a member of the council and he needed to know how he could best serve the people of Bern. As he strolled aimlessly from the stable where he had tied up Kashmir, Kelvin couldn’t help but notice how empty the streets were. There wasn’t another person in sight. No street vendor peddling his wares, or children playing in the streets. Not even a stray dog chasing after birds. It all seemed very uneasy, as if a thick blanket of fear lay over the town. Kelvin frowned, conflicted over what he should do. There was clearly something wrong in this town and it was his duty to figure out what it was, but he was on a tight schedule. He had duties he needed to attend to now, and he wasn’t sure how long he could put them off. Rounding a corner lost in thought, he found himself running face first into the first person he had seen all day. He was armed, armored, and quite angry.

“Watch where the hell you’re going!” the man shouted, giving Kelvin a shove. He pushed past him continuing on his way.

“Teach him a lesson,” a voice whispered in his ear, and in an instant, he reacted. Normally, Kelvin carried the lance he had used for years. The lance he had bought in Lycia and had carried throughout the Rebellion. Since becoming a general, however, he had taken to carrying the lance he had found in Macendew. It carried with it a certain…. aura that he felt communicated his position to those who saw him. And now, as a voice had whispered a command in his ear, he found himself pointing the lance at the man. A strange power shot up his arm and into his head. His senses swam with new sensations. Feelings, anger mostly, flowed out of Kelvin and into the man. The stranger shivered and stared around frantically, before screaming and fleeing as fast as he could.

And like that it was over. The lance was at his side again. He was in control again. He felt different, but only slightly. Kelvin shook it off, dismissing it as anger of the moment. He needed something to drink, and spotted an inn just up the road. Stepping through the door, he realized that it was mostly empty, save for a lone man in armor and a small group of people conversing. He froze in the entrance, not sure if he should enter. “Oh, I… I’m not interrupting anything, am I?”

[Riviera]

Riviera wouldn't have noticed someone entering the tavern if Aria hadn't gone and served Cen some warm meal. Maybe not best kind of meal but definitely something nice. The blonde mage asked herself why she hadn't been given any food by the kind waitress but quickly got rid of the silly thought and focused to the more important matter, the man himself. He certainly looked like someone who knew a few things about fighting. His armor and weapons spoke for him. He might be a knight, a wandering fighter, or possibly just some guy with nice armor. Riviera realized one thing...he wasn't a member of the evil mercenaries. Her conjecture came from observing Duke's and the people's reaction to Cen entering the tavern, they barely seemed disturbed by his presence so he was probably not someone bad or dangerous.

While Duke realized that Riviera was distracted away from the conversation, he replied to Aria with a short laughter. "Can't say for sure whether the brutes found him or not but a pigeon carried a reply from the military base just a few hours ago. The good news is they are mobilizing...and the bad news is they need to wait their forces come back from a mission first and they will probably arrive tomorrow. Well, it's something. Better than nothing, at least..." Duke looked a bit worried but his eyes reflected his hopes that reinforcement would definitely come. "So Aria...leaving the village isn't something we will do. Besides, you are right about them controlling the road. They are watching us carefully." Duke shrugged and shook his head.

When Kelvin entered, Riviera was among the firsts to realize his presence. His eyes widened when she looked, and realized, at the hero of the rebellion. While the blonde lady wasn't a Bernese, she could easily recognize someone who had played important role in rebellion and had gained fame for his great contribution. Of course Riviera wasn't a girl who would fall easily to a knight's charm and become his fangirl but she was still amazed, and surprised, just by seeing him here. "No, not really. In fact, your timing can't be any better although I must say that I am surprised to see someone with your status here." The calm reply came from Rivieral, who tried her best to keep her composure. 

More expressive reaction came from Duke and the others, especially Duke, who stood up and quickly approached Kelvin. "Don't tell me...Are you our reinforcement? Do you come here with an army?" he asked, stuttering.

[Aria]

So that was the situation, the army was mobilizing, and they would be here tomorrow. What good is the army if they march to here and find the citizenry dead. She thought to herself. And it was confirmed that the mercenaries were also watching the roads. What was surprising was that even with their vigilance they let the green clad man, Riviera, and herself enter town to begin with. If they truly wanted to set an example they would have made a blockade and prevent all travel to and fro. The green clad man looked like a knight. Aria arrived here with Chewy and both of them were in full armor. Aria glanced up at the stranger who walked in and announced his presence. The brown haired man’s clothes and armor gave him away as some sort of military general. Another one.. hmm.. poor job watching the roads then… maybe it only military looking people being let in?

“Oh.. I'm not interrupting anything am I?” Aria mentally sighed. It was hard juggling a tense meeting with waitress work.

“No sir. Take a seat wherever you like, I'll take your order shortly.” She spoke to him. The rider got up, dusted off her apron, and took her place behind the bar once more. Rivera seemed to recognize the sir as someone of high rank and station. Duke was quick to ask if this man was part of the army, if he was part of the reinforcement. Aria somehow doubted that. This man just looked like some other soldier wanting a drink and meal. She fumbled through the drawers for a note pad and pencil.

[Ilheod]

Castle Bern, Two days Prior.


"Your positive you don't want an escort sir? At-least a few of us, if not a detachment? Seth, Horst, Immen and I could easily suffice. It's still not entirely safe out there. Small pockets of rogue mercenaries. Bandits are starting to crop up again. You know all this to be true sir!"

The rough tone in his voice was clearly laden with a fairly well hidden hint of concern. It was enforced by the nodding of the three aforementioned men who stood behind the Third in Command of the nightwings, Alexander. His protests had been insistent. He did not seem likely to yield in this matter, yet neither did the crimson haired Bernese Commander he spoke to.

Either he was getting a bit too soft in his old age, or Ilheod was growing overly fond of his unit for them to be able to almost sway him. He however dismissed the concerns ultimately, waving a hand and laughing as he took a few steps away from his men and turned to further tend his wyvern. The aging commander's tone indicated just how worried he was about such notions.

"Bah! I think I'm old enough to handle a few highway men. Besides, I'm just delivering a damned message. I'm not tryin' to hunt down brigands or the like. I don't need an entire damned guard detail."

He tugged at the plated collar guard that encircled his neck. He still wasn't used to the formal armor they'd given him when he'd been promoted to his current rank. Adorned in blackened heavy platemail, with a faint series of silver designs upon it of twin wyverns with tails connected at the tip and flying in ascending opposite directions, it struck a rather distinguishing image. The right side, his dominant side, also had a fin like additional raised plate near the shoulder that served as even further protection to his vitals within his neck when ever thrusting his weapon forwards. There was a light golden trim around the edge of his armors plated sections. Upon his right shoulder pauldron there was a barely visible dark blue design of the nightwings's insignia.

Truly, he looked the part of a Dragon General. Which was still an odd notion for him to entirely wrap his head around. Dragon General. A life's aspirations of dreams fully realized. Sure, the reality of his dream coming to fruition was difficult to comprehend, but the responsibility on his shoulders sure wasn't. Commanding entire armies was no small feat. A feat that would only grow after his message was delivered. It was a paper of notification, for one of the only others to share his rank within the Bernese army.

Armored hands latched upon the leather reigns of his wyvern as he turned to look at the gathered four men, one foot lifting to press against the top of his companion's knee in preparation to climb atop the great beast. His verdite hued eye rested upon the young Wyvern knight before him as he spoke up.

"Head to Fort Redoran. Gather the lads, and then round up a fair few of Durand's unit. Prioritize volunteers. If you can get at-least thirty, don't ask for more. They are stationed south of Larguz if memory serves. After I've concluded my business. Lad's, Dismissed!"

Without hearing any further protest, he stepped up atop the wyvern and tugged at the reigns simultaneously. A great shriek breached the sky as the scaled beast ascended in a few brief wing-beats His helmet fastened on after a moment while he raced into the skies.

---

It'd been a bit more difficult tracking Kelvin down. He was lucky, in hindsight, that his bright green armor and noted traveling companion stuck out so much. That being the case, once he'd arrived in what was likely Kelvin's current location he was almost relieved to have his feet on the ground. Flying was where he lived, but his body got so, so sore from being locked in that same poise. He was also, admittedly, out of place feeling by slowly trailing the monstrous wyvern behind him through the rural town while adorned in armor beyond ornate. Though his helmet was likely of no use at that point, and limited his already narrow vision with his crimson eye covered by an eye-patch, but he simply couldn't be bothered with how sore his elbows were from being locked in the same position.

Abrupt shouting caught his attention. He was two streets over, but he started walking to the side street with Astraeus being led behind him. With a sheathed blade at his hip, and his silver infused lance protruding skywards and tethered to his back, he had almost nothing to worry about. Once he'd finally turned the corner, the dirt crusting his armored boots and small clusters of dirt crumbling beneath his step all the while, he saw a man frantically running away. In the brief lapse of time he had before he looked to find the source, the fringes of his vision through his non-obscured eye caught a glimpse of nothing but a veritable wall of green moving into the building. That had to be him. If not, it'd make for a curious sight to see who beyond kelvin would wear so much green. After all, that had to be a rarity, right?

[Riviera]

Riviera was a woman of logic. Just by observing the green knight, she was able to understand that his presence here was simply a coincidence. Besides, she hardly doubted a high-ranked officer would personally lead a reinforcement. The blonde girl stood up and put up her hood, pulling it until most of her head was hidden. "Don't get your hopes up. He is probably just looking for a drink. In fact, if the grand reinforcement has really come, do you think the villagers in the street outside will give such silent welcome?" Riviera didn't hesitate to destroy the faint ray of hopes and spoke bluntly to remind them not to become stupidly wishful. She was somewhat amazed by how this people had failed to see such simple thing. Had fear conquered their mind so much? These people, even Duke, seemed unable to keep cool head.

"I see... You have a point, girl..." Duke said, hand falling to the side and shoulders slumped. The man seemed to lose a bit of his spirit when Riviera's words brought him back to reality.

Riviera headed to the exit. She wanted to leave this place as soon as possible. Cold as it might be...she didn't want end up killed in unnecessary conflict. She shuddered when she imagined what the worst possible outcome might befall this village but playing a hero wasn't a wise option. No, she didn't see a logical and smart reason to offer her help...but why her heart was in so much pain for every step she took toward the exit? Maybe the same reason why she had recklessly thrown that fireball in the first place. Riviera's heart denied her logic. The most wise choice she could think of might not be the best choice at all. As the blonde mage passed Kelvin, she turned at him and said, "Sir, these people need help. Please do your duty as their protector..." she said to the Dragon General, bowing slightly. Using the term "protector" might be too sweet, most generals didn't play that role well and ended up as warmonger, but Riviera did hope that Kelvin would turn out as a good general.

As Riviera left the tavern, she found out that a fair number of villagers had gathered nearby. Most of them was probably attracted by Kelvin's presence and some probably came because they knew the mercenaries had just made a commotion in tavern. Realizing that his fellow was out there, Duke came out and addressed them. "Alright folks...Return to your home. We are going to have  a talk toni-..." However, the man's words were devoured by the commotion.

"We should run to the forest! Maybe they will let us by"

"Are you idiot? They will find and kill us! We should just submit and hope for mercy!!"

"That's not an option. We must fight while wait for help!"

Those were only a few of many shouts that coming afterward. Like an orchestra, many different opinions came out and overwhelmed Duke's voice. It seemed the villagers hadn't agreed in how to deal with the mercenaries' threat. Some seek safety and some seek more dangerous option. It might be worse than not having an option at all. Duke tried his best to calm the villagers but he seemed to be having hard time.

Riviera froze in the spot when she saw the look on these people's eyes. It was very unnerving how she knew those look too well. Those were eyes of someone who had been conquered by anger, hate, fear, or maybe even despair when exploited by someone stronger than them. And where she had seen those? As much as she hated to admit it, the Etrurian mage had ever been the cause of such injustice when she had helped her father's work. Nobility could be unfair thing sometimes. Her family high position in the society had sometimes led to acts of suppressing people from lower-birth. Riviera had accompanied her father in some occurrences when her father had gone to confiscate the land from people who owed money to him or someone who had "lost" to him in the game of nobles. She had ever been in stronger position...arguably in the evil side...and caused suffering to other people. Her hand covering her mouth as the noble tried hard to held back the urge to vomit. The girl felt disgusted by how little she could go against her father in those times. She had simply obeyed every words the man had said.

A lightning bolt shot out of Riviera's hand and rose to the sky. The sound of lightning silenced the commotion and gained everyone's attention. "Pathetic...this is why I hate commoners..." Riviera muttered in disgust. Gritting her teeth, she walked to the center of the crowd, everyone's gaze directed at her. "What you hope to accomplish by those diverse opinions, people? Fight or run? Hide or submit? It makes no difference. You are still going to get robbed of your treasures...and maybe your lives as well. There are no hope for you..." Some people seemed to be angered by Riviera' words. They couldn't simply accept a young girl ridiculing them as she pleased. The prideful Etrurian paid no attention to it and continued. "Have you all missed the most important point? The mercenaries will surely leave when the army arrive tomorrow. They won't foolishly battle the Bern army over a few crates of supplies." Riviera paused, giving time for the people to ponder her words. She hadn't noticed it but the commotion was stopped by her. The girl's confidence and strong attitude could make people forget how young she actually was.

"Defend your home. Keep your treasures safe. Only the weak allow someone to rob them without doing anything. The mercenaries will come tomorrow, right? So you just need to ENDURE until the help come. You are lucky tonight...a Dragon General has come to assist you getting through this difficult time," Riviera said as she gestured at the door of tavern, hoping Kelvin would make grand entrance at the right moment. But it wasn't a theater so the mage didn't bother to wait until it actually happened and continued her speech. "So stand up and show that you can't be picked...that you aren't weak. That's all I want to say..." And with that she was finished. It was a little unfair to throw all the responsibilities to Kelvin but he was a knight and a commander of an army so Riviera thought he needed to be ready for this.

Duke clapped, which soon followed by some others, and then he said, "Well well...isn't that something? You hear her, folks? We need to defend ourselves and we must be united to do that." The man seemed to be more spirited than before. Some villagers seemed to have the flame within their hearts lit up too. Duke turned to Riviera and asked, "You will help us too, right?"

Riviera surprised, brows furrowed, as she crossed her arms. "I...I can't refuse with these people looking at me with hopeful eyes," she thought. For some reason, she regretted for making that speech which unfortunately had make her the center of attention. Her gaze searched for Aria, Cen, and Kelvin as she hoped they would say something.

[Aria]

Aria managed to find a pencil with a suitable point. She looked up at the patrons in the inn. The green haired man she gave soup too hadn't said anything yet. The green armored man who just walked in hadn't done much either. He only just arrived and Riviera and Duke were already hounding him with questions. Aria frowned softly. She didn't like the whole direction this was going. At least Riviera was smart enough to figure this lone man was just a solider looking for a drink. And now they were pleading with him to do his duty for the people.

"How about y'all stop bombarding him with questions and let him sit down." She spoke out loud. A waitress had to ensure the patrons were content.

"I's been a long day for everyone, duty, status, or whatever, man's entitled to a little bit of R&R before listening to people's problems." She spoke with some annoyance in her voice. She didn't like it when people were bothered. She was actually more annoyed with herself. She knew deep down, by tomorrow morning, she was going to be armored up and ready to fight for the people of this little nameless village. Considering the numbers of the mercenaries, the fact she pissed one of them off, the numbers of the villagers, and the limited fighting experience between them, there was a large chance she was going to end up dead tomorrow. At least death would be considered a mercy. She'd knew of folks whom had been rescued from slavery. She just hoped if the worst came to worse that Chewy would at least escape.

There was some commotion outside. A group of villagers whom were discussing what they were going to do. Duke had to leave to help quell the masses. Aria seemed to give some sort of speech that helped put some fire in their souls. Aria thought it to be nice. But, while Riviera was looking back for some support. Aria didn't look back at her. Instead she found herself staring at the bar table, vigorously wiping a mug clean with a rag.

Outside the establishment, Chewy perked up. The reddish wyvern smelled the distinctive scent of another wyvern nearby. She couldn't see it. But, she assumed it to be at the opposite side of the inn. The reddish wyvern looked over at what was once it's meal. The animal she had been feeding on was nothing more then a pile of blood and bones. She didn't need to worry about the other wyvern stealing her meal. She let out a soft grunt through her nose. She was curious to find out who the new wyvern was. She wanted to know if the other wyvern was friendly or playful. But, she knew Aria wouldn't like it if she wandered off. She let out a soft growl and stretched her wings. The noises caused by them might draw the attention of the other wyvern.

[Kelvin H. Calderon]

Whatever Kelvin had expected upon entering the town’s small tavern, he was certainly unprepared for the barrage of attention he received as soon as he walked through the door. While he had known that his new role as a Dragon General would put him in the spotlight, it had never occurred to him that people would recognize him simply from his appearance. Tales of the Verdant Knight, it seemed, were spreading like wildfire. As one of the locals pleaded for his aid, the weight of his position began to dawn on Kelvin, and the remark of a young, foreign girl solidified it. He was their protector, their general. If he showed any weakness or hesitation here, it would be a poor reflection of the rest of his career to come. Kelvin let out a long, tired breath and recentered himself. Turning back to the town, he called over his shoulder, “Hold that table for me. I’ll be right back.” As if the two had rehearsed it, the dragon general stepped out onto the street as the young girl gestured to him. Cheers echoed in the streets. It seemed a small crowd had gathered at the news of his arrival.

Kelvin waited patiently for the others to finish speaking before stepping up himself. “People of Bern, your pleas have not fallen on deaf ears! I am Kelvin Calderon, one of three Dragon Generals appointed by the Bernese Senate to guide this great nation into the future. I have seen the men who stalk your streets, robbing you of your livelihoods and then claiming to be your protectors. But you do not need them any longer! You are men and women of Bern! You stand above all the rest as pinnacles of strength and resolve! We will restore your sovereignty over your home and send these mercenary scum packing!” Kelvin punctuated his speech by jabbing a clenched fist into the air, which won him an uproar of cheers from the gathered people. He knew that words were not going to be enough to help these people, but it had reignited their spirits and lifted their morale. It was a step in the right direction. Kelvin lowered his hand, corralling the cheers down to a dull roar. “Go and gather the able-bodied men and women of the town. I will hold a meeting in the tavern in two hours time to discuss how we will rid this town of its menace. If you desire to voice any concerns or complaints to me, that will be the time to do it. To Bern be the glory!” The crowd echoed his chant and began to disperse. Kelvin took this as his chance to retreat back into the tavern. He slumped into a chair at one of the tables and began to remove his armor. Catching the eye of the woman who had offered him a table earlier, he called her over. “If it’s not too much trouble, I would love a warm cup of mead.”

[Aria]

Aria mentally sighed. She been doing that a lot lately. Sighing. So, this green clad general.. Kelvin.. is one of Bern's appointed dragon riders. Great… Great. She knew the rebellion had ended. She was there during their freedom speech. The royalty was abolished and government would change. Her memory of who, how, and what was a bit fuzzy. But, the military was to be handled by three generals. Although, they bore the name dragon generals, none of them rode actual dragons. She doubted Liam would humor them with the notion. She knew at least one general rode a wyvern, the supposed devil slayer himself. And now there was this Kelvin. So that was two people she kinda sorta knew, maybe? She didn’t know whom the third general was.

It seemed no matter what she did or where she went she couldn't escape the military. Her brother was a lieutenant in the newly re-composed army. Her father a retired military officer. A dragon rider was here in this little tavern in the middle of nowhere. She started to think… Perhaps, this was a sign of some sort. A sign from the divine that told her it was time to leave her little life of freedom and rejoin the army. Her thoughts trailed towards Liam and Little Julius. Perhaps, she should have continued to travel with him. If she did then she wouldn’t be here! She put the mug down and stared blankly at the table for a moment. The sky haired rider recalled that the military was a life of order, constraint, and loyalty. A life of order... Stability.. The more she thought about it the more she realized it might not be such a bad life. It would certainly help with Chewy. A life of fighting.. Dangers.. control..[/s] An image of a critically injured Chewy flashed in her mind. And just like that the thought of returning to a military life was bad.

The general had stood up and walked out to quell the masses. He ordered that every able bodied man and woman would meet at the tavern to formulate a plan. That meant that she had roughly two hours to prepare for what would be at least 50 or more people. Aria shot a glance at the tavern owner. This place was too small to hold all those folks. It could barely hold the small crowd that had gathered outside! No doubt the whole town would show up.. Either to complain, voice concerns, or just to catch a glance at this general.

“This.. is going to be one hell of an evening.” She spoke to them. They seemed to nod in agreement. Aria put the rag down and rubbed her temples. She was so not prepared to serve the entire town drinks. The general took a seat and eyed Aria. Oh right. Working. He had requested a mug of warm mead.

“One mug of mead coming up, sir.” She responded and went back behind the counter. She prepared the mug with the mead barrel that was closest to the fire. A wall separated the barrel from the fireplace, it ensured that the mead would be toasty, but not burnt. She returned to the man and gently set his drink on the table.

“You know sir, that crowd of able bodied folk you want to see here? Uh, they an't all gonna fit here. So, you're gonna have to assemble em outside.” She addressed him in a slightly firm tone of voice. Can’t be soft spoken about things that might relate to property damages or bodily harm. Aria wasn't quite sure why traces of her rancher accent was slipping into her speech. Perhaps, it was because she was in the company of a general. Maybe that was what subconsciously made her nervous? She really shouldn't be. This man was essentially a stranger. A stranger with a higher rank and position of power higher than she'll ever be. There was a strange sensation in her gut, like she had it suddenly pushed in. Why do I suddenly feel like i’m two feet tall?