Post by Salvatore Deliambre on Jan 25, 2015 20:59:47 GMT -5
Earlier in the morning, Tory and Tristan ventured away from the Gardiner keep in pursuit of a space to practice where they were not bound by observers, wanting to talk as much as to cross practice blades. Each had something to teach the other; as both had a tendency to rise before dawn, they had no wish to disturb those still slumbering with an inordinate amount of noise. The thicket on the far side of the gardens provided an ideal distance for their pursuits that morning and the two knights spent several hours in the perfecting of their craft with protective details assigned to several of the knights in lieu of them.
As the two finished their training, broke their fast and conducted their private discussion, the sun steadily climbed higher in the sky to fill the air with summer's warmth. Realizing the hour was waning and equally cognizant of his need for a bath, Tory hauled himself to his feet. The time had come to return to the keep and prepare themselves for their evening's duty. Offering a hand to his friend and brother knight, he drew Tristan up and gathered his belongings to begin the walk back.
The men moved quietly as per their training, enjoying the peace of the day until his well-trained ears caught the sounds of others in the vicinity. Pausing, Tory raised a hand to halt Tristan, indicating the presence of voices. True, the tones suggested the sources were feminine but in light of recent circumstances, they could not prove too cautious. Despite being armed with a wooden blade, he had a dagger with him should it be needed. Moving forwards, he indicated that Tristan should circle around slightly so they could scout before venturing towards the clearing that held the voices.
As the trees thinned, Tory took note that the clearing held some sort of small body of water thanks to the unmistakable sounds of splashing. Chances were slimmer now that whomever lurked within the area was any sort of threat, but he would check to be sure. Coming closer, he stepped on a branch, letting out a loud crack that sounded like a shot. Cursing under his breath, he grimaced and decided to duck behind the expansive trunk of a tree, leaving Tristan to continue his scouting.
Tristan Deschênes