The Stolen Child II
Conner nodded and as he began to pass an opening a guard hopped out with a crossbow and thinking quickly Conner slapped his hand aside. However, the crossbow went off and Vex watched the dart fly to the far end of the warehouse and the crate it struck exploded then the next one. It was a chain reaction and it was working back towards them. Now the question was could they both get into the grate before the explosion caught up to them.
"GO NOW!" Vex shout and lunged forward burying one of her throwing daggers into the man's throat and shoving his body aside. She grabbed Conner and shoved him down into the hole. "GO!" She shouted as she was right behind him, grabbing the guards body and leaving him at the entrance to hopefully absorb some of the blast.
Instinctively as he fell Conner twisted his body and fell on his back holding Xeph close to his chest, he began to chant and brought a bubble of silence around them and Vex who landed upon him. Xeph fussed, but the sound of the explosion above them didn't register in any of their ears, Conner was face to face with Vex and spoke slowly so she would understand him. "Once the wave is past we need to get out of here." he intoned to her, the silence bubble would follow along for a little while until they could get away from warehouse.
"Then get up and go! Call upon your brother at first chance. All of Illian will be after us after this!" Vex scowled at the Ravenwood heir. She was mostly unhappy because it was all managing to work out somehow. He was actually capable of doing some stuff and being useful. Though she did regret letting him go for the child instead of herself. But that was past, and now they had to get out of the sewers and call for Darryl Ravenwood to rescue both boys. If necessary she would find her own way home. She paused a moment in her thoughts and reiterated a fact to herself. She would fin her own way back. To the Ravenwoods. But now they needed to move, she wanted them up and moving right after the wave, Conner wasn't the only one who could use magic to protect himself.
Conner got to his feet and they hurried from the sewers, most of the city had seen the explosion of the warehouse and most of the wharf and a crowd was forming. They ducked down a couple alleyways before stopping to catch their breath, COnner laid Xeph on a barrell and gave him a good once over for injuries then on to check Vex before himself. "Darryl, I..err, we have Xeph come and take him home brother." Conner said out loud figuring that the audible pop of the house psion would be along shortly. A few minutes passed and still nothing happened, he looked at Vex, "Did he give you a time frame or meeting place to pick us up?" Gathering his nephew up Conner headed away from the warehouse but also not in the direction of the Guildhouse, he was heading north to the higher docks.
"I was given a single forte-night for the mission in total, I have less then a weeks time left." Vex said though she was pondering the implications of the call not being heard. "You have a spell that let's you speak to others over distances right? Use that. There might be something blocking scions powers. If the magic fails. We will charter a ships passage if we must." Vex said, though they might have to disguise themselves or even hide the child, once they were away from Illian they could call for Darryl again.
Conner did not stop, "I need time to gather the ingredients for the spell, and why charter a boat when I have one docked in this direction dear Vex?" Xeph was happily hidden from view under his uncle's cloak, but every so often Vex could see his little tail sway back and forth underneath the fabric. "Once on board we will set sail for home and then I will figure out why Darryl has not answered me."
"Then let us head to the ship now. I will disguise myself and get whatever things you'll need for your spell and other supplies. It'll be too dangerous for you to leave the ship or let yourself or the child be seen." Vex said keeping pace easily, for now she pulled Conner's cloak over just a tad more. Trying to keep the child's tail invisible. Though it moved the damned thing so much it was going to be impossible just about.
Conner heard footsteps and quickly moved them off the street into a shadowy area, four members of the Guild hurried past heading for the warehouse. He held a finger to his lips to keep Vex from calling out to them, it was apparent he still refused to trust a member of the Guild. Xeph however, took the opportunity to snag hold of Vex's collar and try pulling himself into her arms from Uncle Conner's. A few minutes later when he knew the coast was clear the continued on for the ship.
Vex had no plans to work further with the Guild. Their plan was to head for the ship at the docks and get Conner and the child stowed below decks while she went about to get what she needed for him to cast his spell. However Xeph was fussing so much that Vex rolled her eyes and with a grunt deftly plucked the child from Conner and tucked him neatly under her own cloak. She basically held him like she had seen Conner doing and scowled a little at both Conner and the child but never broke her stride. She understood the Ravenwood's dislike of the Guild though she wasn't certain why they were so against it. She would not be going back to them at least in Illian for a while.
It took a little while dodging everyone in Illian from city watch, to Guild and even the guards who survived the blast on the Wharf but finally Conner's ship came into view. Xeph had wrapped his tail around Vex's wrist and promptly fell asleep in her arms, his little thumb tucked into his mouth and a rumbling purr or snore Vex was unsure which. Conner greeted the captain and they headed into the cabin and secured the door, "Well, one problem down and one or two to go." He removed his gear and hung up the cloak then offered to take Xeph back to let Vex do the same, he would need a little while to find the spell in his book and get the list ready for Vex. Part of him wanted to order the ship to set sail with all due haste, but not all hands were aboard and he didn't want to draw suspicion by leaving any man behind.
"Get started on your list. We have until the rest of the men return to the ship and the cargo is loaded. Don't dally." Vex said blushing softly. The blush had started when the child began purring and simply continued. It didn't however make her tone any less commanding. She laid the child down on the bed in the cabin and made a barrier out of blankets to hopefully keep the child in one place on the bunk. Then she tried to disengage his tail and grip. So that he wouldn't wake.
Xeph scrunched up his face, but did not wake up letting Vex get free of his grasp and she could finally remove her armor while waiting for Conner. He was sitting at the table and already had his spell book open, while nowhere near as complete as his grandmothers the book had some very unique spells that only bards could cast. One of the things that appealed to him about being a bard was the chance to learn a great many skills while he might never master any of them it gave him the chance to be self sufficient. "The men have at least one more day and as far as cargo, the captain has taken on a great many things all headed for Andor. I felt it best to keep up all appearances while I was here looking for Xeph, at least I would not add to the problems facing the family. Although, I never thought they would send you here to try catching up to me." Vex was a good partner in crime and the idea occurred to him, "Vex I know my family hired you to watch over me, but since we've been working so well together how about we call this a 'partnership' instead of 'bodyguarding'
?"
"No. From my understanding of the Ravenwood mentality, if I don't keep a distinction between us you may become sentimental and risk yourself for my life. That is the opposite of my job. My job is to keep you safe by any means, even sacrificing my life for it. You are important. You are to be kept safe from physical harm. Ravenwood men are sappy and sentimentally attached, without strict rules Ravenwood's tend to go wild and destroy everything." Vex said, again her training showing through. It seemed most of the time Vex had very little personality and mostly just had training to rely on for... everything. Once she had finished removing her armor she turned to regard Conner. "It was a good thing you tried to do. Foolish but handled relatively well in the end. However next time I would appreciate you just taking me with you. It would speed things up in the long run." She said almost like an after thought. She then filled a basin with water and began to clean any singed area's and clear the soot off of herself wherever it had soiled her. Her very short hair she just shook out and ran her fingers through.
Conner scoffed, "Vex you understand but don't quite get what it means to be a Ravenwood. My father violated a decades old agreement to stay out of Sildea because that is where my mother was. When chaos and evil rears it's head it generally calls my family to rise to fight against it despite the odds and to defeat it." This chase to rescue Xeph defined for him more than ever the true meaning of his family, to stand for others and fight because he was able to. Looking up he smiled, "Vex, you missed a spot on your neck. No, over, no the other..oh forget it let me." he said getting up and taking the rag from her and scrubbing the stubborn spot of soot from her neck. "I did apologize about not bringing you with me, I just figured you'd insist following some sort of hostage rescue book and it would slow me down."
"Well yes generally the capture of the kidnapper is normal protocal. But there's really no normal protocol when it comes to wizards or the Ravenwood's. I've read the books on your parents. The only redeeming factor of your family is that they always saved the day and the mass populations. If it wasn't for that they would have been jailed many times over. Especially your mother. I've heard of the things she did up in the old frontier, Put a woman's head on a pike! even if it was a werewolf, that's callous." Vex said shivering from his scrubbing, goosebumps rising on her arms. As soon as she deemed him finished she turned and took the wrag from his grasp. "Finish your list! I must go and claim your ingredients!" She said scowling harder then ever at him, she stepped away from him as well to dry her neck. Rubbing harder than strictly necessary.
With a slight chuckle Conner responded to her remark about the frontier, "Everyone does some things in youth they aren't proud of." After she snatched the rag from him, he became curious about Vex. "Have you ever had a real friend? I mean someone you can depend on to watch your back or come to the rescue when things are dark?" Conner's face was one of concern, everyone in the family had someone to rely upon even outside of the house. The more he looked at Vex the more he thought they needed to be friends instead of a business relationship. His list was almost ready, but he wanted answers first so he began to draw while waiting for her answer.
"Her youth? She's still young. Her brother is almost mid aged. Alehial Ravenwood is still very young." Vex said clearly unhappy about this topic the young Ravenwood Heir had chosen. "I have contacts, superiors and cadets at the headquarters. If the mission is deemed too dangerous I will be assigned a partner, if necessary. Otherwise I've been trained to handle most situations and to be able to survive. I am a Blade. It is my duty." Vex said putting the towel and wrag down to dry. She knew what he was getting at. He was trying to figure out her social life and family life. Of which she had neither. Why he was concerned about it she wasn't quite certain. For the time being his protection was her life.
"Wait so you've no idea whatever about friendship, family anything outside The Blades? And here I thought the prickly demeanor was because of rumors about me. That is a load off my mind now that you're inexperienced." The minute he finished the word he remembered why once his father told him speaking was sometimes overrated. "I mean err..your difficulty with the children and such...." he tried to cover his words and hoped Vex didn't take offense or too much offense.
"..." Vex had turned to look at Conner and the more he spoke the more neutral her face become and the longer and harder her stare also became. Not only was he rude... ill mannered and a brat who was seriously spoiled... he was stupid as well. "The List." She spoke and her words were practically icy at best. It was clear she was completely finished speaking with him. And after such an almost successful rescue operation too.
Inwardly Conner groaned and handed Vex the list and groaned a second time, his notes on the bottom written in code would probably get him murdered by his bodyguard. On the lucky side, only two people in all the world knew that code and one was his sister. Still he had plenty of questions about Vex and sooner or later he would figure them out.
"I will return with the ingredients." Vex said pulling on a different shirt, one of much better quality than the one she had worn for the rescue mission. She also pulled out a sash that made her look more feminen, and dabbed some liberal make up on. She looked like a woman from one of the dessert lands now. Her darker skin clearly paid a heavy advantage in disguises for her. Though her skin wasn't so dark that she couldn't pass for a lighter skinned person as well. It all depended on how she dressed and acted and whether or not she used makeup. But she grabbed a cloak and pulled it over her shoulders. "My Master needs to communicate with his contacts in the home country. I will return with the supplies he needs." Vex said her accent and the way she stood different then her usual forms. She strutted out of the door her hips swaying as if she had been walking on sand and danced her whole life.
The Stolen Child IV
Stumble!