The execution grounds are bare, on the right stands a series of small dirt cells built with stone walls and heavy metal bars which aim to keep prisoners from escaping. To the left, a minuscule camp-site with a stone pit for the fire. Everything surrounds and highlights the center of attention, a grand wooden platform. Atop the wooden platform resides worn ropes, a crank to drop the flooring beneath the broken barrels and a daunting, rusted guillotine. Followed by a bloodied block of stone... an executioner's block and a large wooden stake residing in the ground. These were unusual grounds, most would have a specific method but Hayle is every executioner's dream, it contained gallows to hang, a guillotine to behead, a block to bludgeon and even a stake to burn...
Any and all executions in such a remote place would prove painful and inefficient. The resulting suffering may have very well been deemed fitting for a traitor. Florian recalls a rather horrific tale she heard from one of the priests; the tale of a criminal who had a blunt blade dropped on his neck twenty seven times. Only partially severing his neck and had to return the next morning to finish his execution.
Florian spots the wagon, along four large and burly knights who hop off. They begin their inspection of the grounds, two carry supplies towards the camp-site and the other two haul the shackled prison towards the dirt cells.
Florian squints her eyes trying to see the prisoners, and when she is sure...with confidence she can say it is Rhetta and Khio. They bear a striking resemblance to their pictures.
Rhetta often holds a stoic expression in spite of softer features. Kindness could be found in her eyes. The same light hazel eyes which proves physical indication of her family. She didn't care for things that were troublesome. The sentiment extends to her clothing and hair, always being kept neat without unnecessary adornment. Rhetta usually kept her beige-brown hair somewhat short.
As for Khio the first impression is intimidating to most, Florian included. Khio has sharp eyes of a striking turquoise color, ash purple hair messily pulled into a half up style and out of her face. She possesses a daunting physique when compared to conventional women. Scars scattered over her arms and sharp, beast like teeth that accentuated her devious smirk. Her reputation as the beast knight preceded her in tales and appearance.
Florian feels relief at finding them, yet is accompanied with an unsettling feeling. The severity of the situation at hand, two people she needed to find are now branded as traitors and to be executed by the next morning.
Florian considers how to go about helping them, preferably she would like to free them without the high probability of being skewered by the knights. Based on how they talk and act, it's easy to see them as rude and ill tempered people.
One of the knights harshly pulls the chains to lead the prisoners along. They are forced to walk with every tug of the chains, a knight sticks his foot out in front of Rhetta who steps over it.
The action catches the person behind Rhetta and Khio trips. Falling face first into the dirt and without pause or a moment of consideration, her chains are pulled. The force pulls Khio to her feet and the annoyed knight casts an angered look towards her "Move along!" he spits
Even having bore witness to his companions' deeds, he turns a blind eye and blames Khio for her inability to watch where she walked. The man responsible cackles and Khio glares at him. An ice cold and threatening stare that startled the knight causing him to choke on that wretched cackle. His face turns red from embarrassment at the strange noise he emitted.
Safe and sound in her hiding spot, the threatening eyes that Khio cast were enough to make Florian shudder. It's not only due to the outward appearance but an inkling of ominous power that sat behind those indifferent eyes. The gaze held danger and a sense of familiarity that Florian desperately tried to remember. A feeling she had only felt once before from someone she met in the temple.
'She couldn't possibly be? Could she...' Florian thought, the realization of which painted those knights in a particular fashion of an unsuspecting mouse resting in the jaws of the predator who will devour it.
'I wonder if that's how she puts beasts into submission...?'
Having been so caught up, observing with fear and awe. Florian moved to see Rhetta's reaction to the situation and when she did so, Florian's heart dropped. Rhetta is staring right at her, it should not be possible when there were trees and other obstructions between them. None of the knights or even Khio had sensed Florian's presence.
Rhetta is known for her instincts, even more so for her near prophetic strategies and knowing how a battle will turn out. Day after day she spent most of her time in an office, and no one could argue that Rhetta's skills still remained sharp. If not more so due to those malicious gazes in the snake pit that is the imperial place.
Rhetta turns her eyes away from Florian and faces the front, prompted by the tugging on her chains. The two are roughly shoved into the cramped, dirty cell and the gate is bolted closed and locked. Khio stands, grabbing the gate and rattling it. She hated the feeling of confinement and the sense of panic it brought.
The man who tripped her earlier steps close to the gate, close enough for Khio to smell his breath. His eyes are indifferent and he reaches up to Khio's neck, tearing her necklace away.
"I'll be keeping this." he hums smugly
"Give that back!" Khio retaliates trying to grab him when he pulls away from arm reach continuing to taunt her.
With an arrogant grin he swings the necklace around carelessly and walks back to join his company. In total, only four knights were designated to guard Rhetta and Khio until the execution. They continue to sit around the fire, tearing away at pieces of meat and bread unaware of another person hiding in the bushes just on the outskirts of their camp.
Finally the sun fully sets, the only source of light comes from their fire. Two figures stand outside of the cell's gate. Two knights sit by the warm fire that crackles against the sounds of the forest.
Florian steadies herself and takes a deep breath, 'This is a bad idea.' she knows that her acting skills are... bad, for lack of a better word. Slipping off her shoes and hiding them in the forest is the first step. She steps in the dirt and mud a few times and pats her surroundings a bit until she finds a stick large enough to aid her as a walking stick. Florian swings it a few times. 'If worse comes to worst I suppose I could use this as a weapon.' she thinks, nodding to herself that it is a good idea.
Florian leans on her makeshift walking stick and hobbles towards the fire. In every sense of the word she looked unsteady on her feet and mildly deranged. Whether by luck or coincidence she tripped within view of the knights.
The two by the fire stood up, staring at the fallen individual dubiously. They draw their swords without asking a question and hold them over the strange girl. One of them takes a very hostile approach, he inches towards her with visible malicious intent in his eyes, thankfully the other knight stopped him.
"Ralph wait- look at what she's wearing, she's obviously from the temple."
"And?" the knight named Ralph spat back
Florian looks up towards them and musters a pitiful image of herself. "Any offerings for the temple?" she weakly asks
Disciples, especially those in training to become priests must leave the temple for a period of time to teach others about scriptures from the temple. Many choose to go to impoverished or war torn areas to provide blessings, healing and even prayers to ease both the living and deceased. With this in mind, finding a disciple wandering the forests of some remote village could actually be considered a common occurrence.
"Get lost!"
Ralph is stopped by his companion who shakes his head in subtle warning not to dismiss Florian so easily. Instead he helps Florian to her feet and softly places a few coins in her hand. Florian lights up with genuine gratitude at her newly acquired travel funds.
"Sorry for my friend here sister, please take this. If you happen to do blessings please remember me. My name is Clyde." he smiles warmly
"Thank you Sir Clyde, may the light of Kleminus guide and protect you, and may Saint Myleen grant you good health."
Snapping at the placid attitude of his comrade, Ralph grows angry "What are you doing dimwit!?"
"She's just collecting offerings for the temple!"
Florian keeps an uncomfortable smile throughout their little spat and admittedly grows increasingly more annoyed with every passing word from Ralph.
Ralph grabs Clyde in the spur of the moment and Florian acts surprised, but her genuine interest is piqued with the jingling of keys. She focuses in the middle of the two knights' scuffle and sees them carelessly dangling from the knights belt, completely unguarded. Florian 'tries' to calm down the two, she drops her walking stick and raises her hands to stop them. Ralph shoves her off and Florian topples over theatrically and lands with a loud thud.
'This bastard.' Florian thinks Clyde, the kinder knight of the two extends a hand and helps Florian to her feet again. She sniffs and tears trickle down her cheeks, eliciting a twinge of regret from Ralph. No matter how abrasive and off handed he could be, even pushing a woman and making her cry for no good reason was too much for him.
"I'm sorry I just tried to stop you so no one would get hurt... I just- my shoes and everything was stolen...I haven't even eaten for days." Florian sobs recounting her fictional past days as a living tragedy, Clyde grimaces and gives her a few more coins from his pouch.
"Buy yourself some shoes and food with this, I think you should be on your way now."
"Thank you" she sniffles
Florian bows, taking Clyde's advice and begins to trudge away from the camp. Without giving an apology Ralph feels a stabbing guilt and the idea of some form of bad luck arising from upsetting a potential priest doesn't sit well with him. With her back towards them she smiles thinking 'It was too easy.'
"Wait" Ralph states, Florian slightly panics thinking he may have realized what she did.
She glances towards him and surprisingly, Ralph awkwardly shoves some money into her hand without a comment or anything else. He shoos the wide eyed Florian before she could have muttered a thank you.
Florian leaves the immediate vicinity of the camp and heads further down the path, away and out of sight. She hums a happy tune and swings the keys on her fingers, tossing her heavier coin pouch that had many more coins than before. Florian pulls her satchel out from under the bush where she stashed it earlier.
"I'm going to eat stew with this" Florian chirps with her mouth watering at the prospect of a rich and savory meat stew.
Florian heads back to her same hiding spot, keeping the site within view. Finally with the keys in hand and a doable plan in mind. She plans to run in while the guards switch out or take a break and free them.
Settling into the bushes, she finds an odd comfort on the soft earthen ground. The ground cushioned by leaves, Florian watches and waits for the guards. Her head nods, eyes feeling heavy and the sense of urgency dwindling when Florian falls asleep.