Kouhai Babysitter

[Nyx]

Did your wishes get ruined? Have those thoughts been suppressed? Has that hope been severed? Will my thoughts not reach you? Who is reflected in your eyes? And then there were none!

Dao

The blonde girl took a breath of fresh air. The wind was on her face, as the carriage was moving with decent speed. Ah, it felt so good to be out and about, and right now she didn't care where she ended up to be fair. The girl had wandered some parts of Plegia, and couldn't find that stupid heir still. She hadn't gone to where he had been seen last yet, because that would be too easy. Nyx wanted a challenge you see, being a fifty year old manakete guarding a human house got boring. All her needs were met, all of her requirements taken care of... what a boring existence. Why had she let herself get wrapped up in something like that? Oh yes, a debt she owed and would never repay.

What stupidity, as the child seeming girl was happily on the top of the carriage, the entourage none the wiser to her presence. Yes, indeed, this noble child was going to another place. Ylisse, they called it? Well wherever, she wanted to go see it. The girl had snuck onto the top of the carriage by climbing it when everyone was in their inn last night, and after lying down on the top, where there was a convenient groove for beauty, she was invisible. She had slept there, and woke when the carriage stirred, and moved along. The knights riding around the thing didn't look at the top of course, and she just lay there, staring at the sky and napping on and off. That was most of the road of course.

Until the carriage shook and then suddenly the horses let out a braying cry, and the carriage flipped over, throwing them all into chaos. The knights (cavaliers she could hear the voice of her human teacher scold) were scrambling to extract the princess. With a groan, the Manakete extracted herself, they didn't even know she was here. Well, keyword, herself, as a rough arm grabbed her, and then pulled her tightly to their chest. Her ears were still ringing, she must have hit her head, so the conversation was murky to her, as her crimson eyes washed over the knights. Ah... they looked surprised. Funny, she didn't think that she was that surprising honestly.

Now if she transformed, that would be a good idea, as she noticed her stone was still with her. Good. She hoped they wouldn't try to take it, because the child would have no problem transforming then and there. There was the fact that her wings resembled jewels, so they might try to rip those off too. Again, she would strike. Luckily for her, her stone looked bland compared to her other form, an irony not lost on her. She had to thank that right now, as it would be hard to keep them off her wings. But her attention turned to the situation unfolding right before her. The bandits wanted the knights to give up...? That's what it looked like, as one came back and whispered something. They then retreated, and the roaring noise in her ears died down a bit enough to hear...

(C) ELLIE @ GANGNAM STYLE

[Dao]

There was something death defying about attacks that weren't grounded. They were flashy beyond all comparison and in regards to plain practically, there were a plethora of moves that could have easily been a better choice for the situation. Still, despite it all, it was certainly a move that carried with it quite the attention catcher. Regardless of that fact though, the Feroxi absolutely despised doing it and had made it a point to not use it as an actual move unless there was a very good reason to do so. The current situation was a very good example as to why he needed there to be a good reason to do so. In a chase, coming in from the flank in an initial manuever while on the horse often came with the risk of being heard. Seeing as these men at least seemed to be somewhat trained in their duties, they were bound to respond in a timely manner.

A timely manner it was, as the small cavalry unit that Dao had been with had announced themselves for everyone to see. The dust cloud behind them being the most obvious sign. And so the cavalry unit of both the Bandits and the guards faced off, each one's attention focused quite well on the each other. With the attention certainly affixed on them, the rider that had been commanding the steed that Dao had perched himself on whipped the reigns to turn that lone horse to the side. With his own set of legs, muscled that had been coiled exploded outward in order to launch the young man like a bullet towards the incoming officer.

High above the ground, with no direction to go but forward, this was one of the parts that Dao absolutely loathed. Yet he was used to this nonetheless, hours of practice put into it, and in turn that dedication had been paid in the form of a beheaded Cavalier. The sword and the force put into the outward swing was more than enough to cleanly slice through the unprotected neck of his opponent. With the stunt however, the other officers had slowed their charge in order to watch. Almost as if they were mystified with the act, their reactions had been dulled long enough for Dao to have enough time to land into a roll before bringing up his sword once more.

Cutting the reigns of the closest rider to him and rushing forward towards the carriage, the young man had proceeded to tangle himself in with the coach. A quick thrust, a slick dislodging, and the carriage found itself toppling over with the helpful efforts of the other raiders. This had been the main cause of the disturbance and the rest of the events that had followed had been further pushed by his fellow bandits. As he hopped off to upright himself, the iron sword in his hands dimly glinting in the tiring sunset's light, the young man came to the sight of the brigands more or less encircling about the contingency of Cavaliers that had been moving with the now downed carriage.

Some brigands were dead, many riders were too. The raid, it seemed, had mostly been successful. The only thing they needed now was to extract the Princess that had been riding within the carriage and it seemed that the girl everyone seemed to be congregating on was said royalty. Silently ghosting himself towards the side of where the friendlies were, Dao found himself just veering himself off somewhere near the leader of this particular expedition. Standing at an imposing height, a somewhat calculative mind hidden beyond a face of brutish proportions, the half dressed fur wearing leather armoured tower of a male hefted his axe over his shoulder and crudely pointed over to the red eyed girl.

"Aye. Just gee' aus da lass y'and we be fine. Ya dun won m're of yee men dead, d'yee?" Heavily accented, or maybe just playing it out, Dao was never really interested about it. Fingers lining the handle of his weapon still, the weapon slid across the small of his back, the young feroxi made sure to at least keep an eye out on everyone else. It'd be mighty stupid to just think the guardians would simply take this as is. Hell, they'd probably just sacrifice all but 2 of themselves to try and make their way out of here.

[Nyx]

Did your wishes get ruined? Have those thoughts been suppressed? Has that hope been severed? Will my thoughts not reach you? Who is reflected in your eyes? And then there were none!

Dao

Ah. She was being held hostage... and the knights looked confused. The blonde let out a small laugh and then tilted her head back, as she shook it in mirth. Oh lovely! They thought her the noble or whatever in the carriage, and she debated a moment to transform and show them just how wrong they had been. But the girl's mirth slowly died, as one of the knights looked like he was going to try and get her out too. The girl's red eyes moved to said knight, and for just a single moment, she let the slit in her gaze be visible. The man paled, and then the knights just bit their lips, looking quite... concerned over her. Good, good, act the part, that's right.

The knights seemed to protest, but the man that had wanted to save her, the leader, threw his hand out, and clenched his fist. ''Fine.'' he declared, looking as if it went against his very code. Suitably, the knights started an uproar, but they remained. So the bandits were free to take her, their prize. And take they did, the wreckage left behind like a bad memory. The child waited however, until after they were about a decent walk, as she tilted her head back and laughed again. ''Woah, I didn't expect you guys to be /that/ stupid. You realize they don't even know me right? That whispering knight? Probs told'em the princess was safe or whatever you were looking for.'' she told them then.

Well, it was going to be fun, to see what cards would fall out then, as the blonde Manakete just let that arrogant smile touch her lips. See, sometimes plans fall apart because of an unexpected event. The ornaments on her back shifted as she moved her body, letting them tingle. Well she half-expected them to try and plunder them, but maybe this revelation would spur them to wait a moment, at least until she got her bearings or something. Hopefully she wouldn't get fobbed off or treated like a kid, because that might piss her off, but eh, she expected it. After all, she looked like such a little child, a ten year old at best, so they probably wouldn't believe her words.

Well it would take time to check and come back anyways, as the blonde watched, crimson eyes taking in every scrap of information she could. It wasn't her show to run, but she would certainly enjoy it's story for the current moment.

(C) ELLIE @ GANGNAM STYLE

[Dao]

Dao found it just the least bit baffling to see a team of Knights just hand over their precious royalty over. To him, they either were the crappiest team in regards to loyalty or that they probably had some kind of plan in regards to saving the kid that was being sent over to his side of the battle field. His eyes narrowed, judging them, but no matter what he tried to look for, everything fell into place. From the looks to the actions to just everything--the knights themselves seemed like they couldn't allow such a catastrophe to happen. Shaking his head, the Feroxi male slid his weapon back to the sheathe that rested behind his back yet didn't quite locked it into place. He wouldn't let go of his weapon either until they were securely out of harm's way.

The exchange followed quite easily, the Cavalier giving the girl up without much of a resistance and the Bandit Leader of the time being happily offered himself to take her off their hands. It was smooth, with the captain of the knights even stopping the other officers from doing anything rash. Bounding the 'princess' with quite some tough rope in an intricate pattern that one wouldn't expect from someone as brutish looking as the man, the brigade had left the ground of confrontation with laughter echoing from their very throats. At least, that was how they were before they were notified of their horrible blunder.

The moment that the girl had began to laugh, the Bandit Leader and Dao had their faces scrunch up into something distasteful. The others simply waited for the explanation to finish. Half way through the girl's rather haughty revelation, the Bandit Leader had already began to ready the horses again with his best riders. Dao had just been about to throw himself over the back of one of the occupied horses to help in the chase but had been delegated to keeping watch over the girl just in case this was a massive bluff. Grunting out loud, obviously dissatisfied with the development, the black haired Feroxi relented.

He was, at the very least, not alone. Accompanied by three fighters, two other spear wielding Cavaliers, and two Archers that all had been part of the back up squad, the young man at least had people who could help him out in regards to looking after the kid. Letting one of the heavier built Fighters handle the roped girl, Dao clicked his tongue against hist teeth with irritation as he unlatched the lock on his blade. The archer among them however had different plans and decided to enjoy himself.

It wasn't like the others would care after all.

Flipping his ratty brown hair backwards, slicking it in such a way that just screamed disgusting, the unhygienic male bent down to look at the potentially fake and real princess at point blank. "Well, well, well~! Look'it here, you be a real beaut ar'n'cha? You'd fetch a purty coin in the mark't!" His grimy hand found itself rubbing against the royal's cheek. "You don't lurk like dem Ylissean dogs though. Mei'bs sum'won fr'm Valm?"

[Nyx]

Did your wishes get ruined? Have those thoughts been suppressed? Has that hope been severed? Will my thoughts not reach you? Who is reflected in your eyes? And then there were none!

Dao

Ah, of course. The Leader seemed to leave, as the blonde haired girl just let the smile touch her. Yes of course she had made them all hesitate, but they still didn't go for the jewels on her back, as she was left with quite a sizable force. Well no matter, she would be alright in the end, as the girl simply stared with her red eyes as she was handed off to a brute, a fighter that seemed to not really care for the terms of gentleness. But one of the archers, one of ... two, seemed to be approaching. Slicking his hair in the manner of those that thought themselves important, the girl was almost amused that he was coming towards her. Oh? Did he have the intention to play with her?

Of course, his hand rubbed against her cheek, and then the girl just smiled, bright and innocent. ''Are you going to play with me mister? Nobody in Plegia plays with me anymore, they're too scared.'' she said, voice and tone innocent, as if different from earlier. Bright red eyes had focused on the one she knew would be part of the game, and tilted her head the other way, away from his hand. How many of them would play for her, she wondered? Her eyes sought out the rest of the forces, and she noted the youngest male there. Ah, perhaps he was forced, just doing this out of necessity? No... the way he had almost gone off made him smarter then them.

But it didn't worry Nyx you see, because the girl had never been worried. Her attention came back to the archer, as she smiled. ''If you want to play a game, it's really hard with these ropes and being dragged along like this! If I promise to be a good girl and not run or scream, will you let me go?'' she said. A suggestion, one that they probably wouldn't go for, but regardless she ahd to try. Although she was honest in her words. She wasn't going to scream or run. Flying didn't count as running, and secondly she wanted to see how fun these bandits could be, as she then made a worried face as if thinking of something.

''What if the knights are spread out even more in the woods? I think they said something about an second squad moving covertly? I don't remember much...'' she said. Of course, seeds of discord and perhaps even false information, but she doubted that any of them would see how strange these words were compared to earlier. Most of them were on tension, but her red gaze slid to the young boy, her eyes watching. She figured he would figure it out, but would he let his fellow bandits clue in, or just let them spread thin even more? After all, it's not like they were useful, like him she could tell. But she wondered how far he would let her stretch this.

She just wanted a bit alone with him, away from the rest of them, and was quite glad the leader had left her in his charge. Perhaps she could angle it to stay that way, as the knights would be speeding with their charge away, but they weren't the only ones in the area, as the girl almost wanted to laugh. There had been another group following them... and probably they would all encounter at this rate, she assumed. Now, she would keep herself in one piece of course, but she wanted to keep the cute boy near her nice and safe too. After all, she was a protector of sorts, and she quite liked this little one for some reason or another.

(C) ELLIE @ GANGNAM STYLE

[Dao]

The archer had snickered, brazenly showing off his teeth of golds and yellows to the seemingly youthful female. Oh how dearly did he like those who played against his tune. It certainly made things that much more exciting. His hand trailed higher for a moment, manic eyes burning the image of the girl into his mind with perverse glee, before letting them fall down to her chin. His thumb found itself trailing towards her throat when words of a third party heading their way were given. Oh the archer then and there would have wanted nothing more than to crush the girl's throat. He was sure that such a feat would take no more than a moment. It was interrupted however when one of the Fighters, the other one who had yet to really do anything, had timely pulled the Archer by the collar of his apparel.

"Kid." Gruff, heavy, and rather morose in its tone. "Keep an eye on the other kid." It was just another repetition of the orders from earlier and though the older male had no real official power over the Myrmidon, Dao found himself grunting in acknowledgement. He may not liked being ordered, he probably never will, but he didn't feel up to blowing hot air either. Wordlessly, the other bandits had began to brandish their weapons and as if they were used to such things had prepared themselves to give the perimeter another sweep. They may have been bastards and pillagers but they did carry with them a spark of intelligence…or at least enough experience to know what to expect from such a situation. Even the Archer who had seemed so eager to have his fill of entertainment moved with just the slightest hints of a fuss.

Effectively, Dao was more or less left alone to look after the girl. Not quite guard her, he had no intentions of prioritising her life over his after all, but to at least make sure that she wouldn't be running away any time soon. Besides, the youngest Feroxi amongst the group had a gut feeling. Said gut feeling had more or less told him that the girl was enjoying herself doing this. As if everything was simply a game---doing whatever it was that she was interested in. Not that he cared, but it was something to keep in mind. Unsheathing his blade, the ring of an iron blade scraping against an iron scabbard echoing in their vicinity as the other bandits had began to leave the clearing, Dao then made to move towards the supposed hostage.

Muscles coiled, limbs ready, and his awareness of the situation spiking up the closer he got to the only other individual in the now abandoned clearing. Always making sure to keep the girl at slashing distance, Dao's own black eyes met his charge's own ruby red. His own narrowed as dread and discomfort began to creep into him. He wasn't unnerved, far from it, but simply keeping himself in such proximity to the hostage made his stomach turn in a different way than what fear would have done to it. Yet Dao continued still, his free hand grabbing the ropes that tied the girl's wrists against each other in the most hurtful manner possible before he went in and pulled at her.

Attempting to half lead half drag the girl to one of the closer trees, the young Feroxi found his lips moving faster than his mind cared to bother with.

"Why?"

[Nyx]

Did your wishes get ruined? Have those thoughts been suppressed? Has that hope been severed? Will my thoughts not reach you? Who is reflected in your eyes? And then there were none!

Dao

What a pervert. Not even she would eat this guy, how gross. But she didn't care, the girl finding herself flowing easily into his games, and yet playing her own all the same time. The manakete wasn't one easily tricked to say the least, she already knew what he wanted. Of course, she had seen that need to murder in the male's eyes, and well if he had tried, he'dve found her neck harder to strangle then he imagined. After all, a manakete wasn't defenseless, just weaponless. Giving him a smile, she watched them pick themselves up, and go into the forest. Well, if there was anyone in the forest, she just fucked them over. Not that she actually cared, it gave her objective nice and clear. The boy.

She watched him, with her red eyes. Watched as he thought, as he coiled, as they moved still. He wasn't gentle, but she could tell something was strange was with him. It was the smell you see. The other bandits had the smell of rotten flesh. He didn't, as he pulled her along, her steps easily falling in stride with him. He would find he didn't have to drag her, as then, unbidden, he questioned her. The girl let out a small laugh, before she tilted her head for a moment, a tree branch passing her face as they reached the trees. ''Very simple.'' she said then, giving a few moments of suspense to let her words sink in with the anticipation. ''You.''

''You're fascinating. Interesting. You're not like them. If not for you, I'dve killed all of them already, and escaped. But you caught my attention, and now I have you alone.'' she said, smiling. Of course, that was quite true actually. Nyx, the moment she had been captured, had been ready to just shift forms and murder them all and be done with it. Despite her damaged condition at the time, she had smelled them. But his scent, the one he gave to her, was different. Odd. She wanted to explore how one such as he, stuck with them, could smell as such. ''You don't smell like the rest of them. The leader even smells rotten to a degree, although much less. But you? You smell, not pure, but different. Clean? No, not quite... something is staining you, but you're not rotten.'' she said.

''I want to know why you smell like that. There's a reason. Something's there. I want to know.'' she simply said. Yes, indeed. She had played a game, a dangerous one, in order to get him alone, to ask him these things, alone. Many would have paled in the face of such a thing, or called her insane. But Nyx didn't truly care. In fact, she rejoiced at such a challenge, because it let her flex the manakete mind she often puts to sleep for the stupid Plegian family she serves. Part of her wanted to simply transform, grab this boy and fly off. To take him away from this place, these people, show him a new world. But that was not going to happen probably. So unbidden, almost like a parrot, she gave him the same question he had asked of her.

''Why.''

(C) ELLIE @ GANGNAM STYLE