Let's Not Be Too Hasty

After their little ‘soiree’ in the training grounds, Ra had sent the boy home. The outcome of the evening had been interesting, to say the least, and Ra had many things to now think over. But he was also somewhat curious of the woman the boy had been talking too. It wasn’t in his nature to follow women around – well, within reason-, it wasn’t in his nature to notice the beauty of women or to even think of them in any other way than sources of information.

But he had decided to follow her. Not because he found her attractive, not because he thought she was of interest to him but because he had let the boy talk to her and had not pursued conversation himself. So, here he was, sitting on a rooftop watching her get caught in a street by another man. Interesting. But the woman was armed. He was not prepared to step in just yet. No. The darker side of him did not care about this woman, and wanted to see what she would do… of course, he had sisters, so he wasn’t liable to let it go to far…

~~

@tristacapitani

Oh she was foolish. Why bear arms at a man who was clearly there to hurt? Surely she must realise that her fear and her action would only anger the man further. But the anger was good. It clued Ra in, this man was not a trained fighter- not a man who had been taught in any noble house at least.

Nobles were taught to wield swords or bows or staves, but to do it with calm. To find a tranquil place in one’s mind was the best way for one to succeed in they fighters ring; it was the first lesson any master taught. So the rage that drove this beast into his attack meant that Ra could happily intervene. After all, it would do him no favours to be seen attacking another man, of another house. Even if she was a woman in need of help – he did not go out of his way to involve himself in politics.

Bent on the roof he watched eyes not blinking as they moved over the sight below.

Ra wet his lips, feeling his jaw tense as her knife forced itself to the gentle place between the man’s legs. Well, whatever intention he may have with those was quickly removed. It wasn’t a nice sight to be witness towards, and he let his tongue run over the lower of his slender lips. She could fight- of course he had seen her with her bow earlier that evening – and then she had not missed – but then her target had not been moving and there had not been fear of repercussion. Nothing, not even a master, could teach a noble how to combat that fear – no noble really believed their master would kill them. Well, save Ra’s. Four times he had been put on his death bed, from poison and wound, four times he had fought himself through it. He knew the calm place and that calm place also quelled his fears.

Ra was unmoving until the assailant knocked the woman down to the ground. Well now, that wouldn’t do. Ra wasn’t a hero, he wasn’t a knight- but he wasn’t a beast either.

Dropping, silently from his perch, he descended the wall with ease. And as he dropped to the ground he rolled over his shoulders, keeping low and within the shadows. This man was good at hiding, he was even better at silence. Still leaning over the woman, his target was none the wiser to the fact he was being watched. From his boot Ra drew a blade. Long, thin, like a needle, the blade was rounded not flat like a sword or dagger. It had no hilt, or pommel, but two sharp edges where the cylindrical metal was cut into sharpened points.

Two steps, one two, and he was on the man. Stepping behind him. His arm came up, as he moved like a dancer, moved like lightening without the thunder and pressed the blade into the soft skin at the side of the man’s exposed neck. The blade went in, deep, and Ra heard the satisfied gurgle sound, then he withdrew the sharp pin. It was a silent kill, the kill of an assassin that left very little in the way of clues to this man’s death. He caught the man, as he swayed, lowering the body to the ground – leaning it against a wall in a slumped position.

Then, stepping over the dead man, he went to girl on the ground. Ra bent to her side, tucked his pin back into the soft leather of his boot, and touched his fingers to her throat to find a pulse. Was she dead?

~~

@tristacapitani

There was already a nasty blackness forming on her temple, where the redness from the blow was beginning to give way to something of a terrible bruise. She would smart, when she woke up, her head would likely ache for days to come and she would look as if she had taken argument with a beast for the great roundness of the mark. His dark eyes danced over the dappled skin there as he withdrew his touch from her throat.

Well, she had a pulse. She wasn’t dead.

As far as he was concerned that was the end of his problem. Ra had no love for the Capitani name, after all, and the boy had fed him all of the information he had gleaned at the archer range before Franz had sent him home. Curious of the woman he may have been, sure enough to follow her, but she was not in his care and he had no really alliance to her.

He straightened a little, his knee wet from the ground where he had been bent and marked his black on black uniform. Slowly, he wet his lips, a habit he was inclined to do when he was thinking. His brother would rescue a damsel in distress, his sister would scold him until she was blue in the face and he had died from the sharpened edge of her tongue- those thoughts made it clear to him that he could not leave the woman lying in the street; ’goodness knows what sort of trouble may become of her, led prone like that.’ He could practically hear Alexandrine in his mind.

Ra was not as large as most men, at five-eight, he was the same size in his build as a tall and athletic woman might be. He was not made for fetching and carrying, that was for certain. Again his eyes went to her, then they glanced up and down the street. He could not call for help- his pride would not let him, nor did he wish for the guards to stumble upon the body that lay slumped against the near side wall. That would not be a welcoming sight for anyone.

Finally, with no other option presented to him, Ra felt forced to attempt to wake her. ”Lady Trista.” He man spoke, but when the darkness seemed to claim her too full, he touched her shoulder with a gentle shake. If that did not work he would be forced to take her face- the side that did not hold the bruise of course – with his palm. He truly hoped he could wake her, or he would be forced to leave her… ”Lady Trista, wake up- concussion is not a thing to sleep through.”

~~

@tristacapitani

”Thank you.”

Even in her most indecent hour she managed to be polite. How vulgar she was so, so droned into the prestige of pomposity. He withdrew a little, straightening once more when her eyes flickered open and she breathed the words to him. Her big, round eyes, looked up at him and he had no care for reading into them. Ra offered her a smile, but it was not a kind sort of smile, more it was just a relief that she was not going to be his problem for much longer.

As she tried to rise he shook his head. Bloody minded woman. And as she fell back into the ground he grumbled something similar to a curse under his breath. Ra was a silent man, strong and silent type. He had not spoken his first words until he was ten, and had been thought mute for much of his childhood. Truth was, he was much better at listening than he was speaking and only talked when he saw it truly fit. Even then his words were carefully considered.

What he said to her now, came out in a bark; ”You’ve just been hit over the head, and have been faint, of course you are not ready to stand on your own, woman.”

But that left him with one option, so, he rose from the ground and offered both his hands to her. He would help her to her feet, would even allow her to lean on him as she would likely need to do so. Until he could find them a carriage to have her taken home, he would do that much.

~~

@tristacapitani

”Trista.”

He just focused on helping her up, until she said;

"Though you already knew that, didn't you, Sir?"

”I have no idea what you mean, Trista.”

He wasn’t going to give into her that easily, anyway, she was probably concussed, and there was no telling what she would remember, or not remember when the morning came around.

Not aware if she had any medical knowledge or not, as he helped guide her, he spoke instruction to her; ”It would be best for you not to give way to sleep for this evening, do you have family here in the capital that can see to your staying awake all night?”

It was an awkward and slow movement, but Franz allowed it to be thus. He did not rush her, but took small steps as he held her by the elbow and lead her out of the street they were in onto the main one. His eyes darted left and right in search of a carriage that could escort them. But all he saw were two guards, who, misreading the situation a little, started towards them.

~~

@tristacapitani

Well at least he had a destination. Though it wasn’t one he already suspected. Ra had been inside their house, but he wasn’t going to tell her that. He had been there on one occasion to threaten a certain man who likely to hurt his sisters heart. Fortunately, no one had seen hide or heard from him since and Ra felt that he done well to protect his family on that occasion. Still, it was not in his interest to tell her that, or even let it appear as obvious on his features. Of course, it was common knowledge that the Lords and Ladies were houses in the Lavender Quarter, so it was of no surprise to him either.

As the two guards approached he found himself chuckling darkly at her words; ”Could our night get any better?”

But she seemed content to let him field it. And Ra had no intention of stopping to converse with the guards more than he needed too. He was polite, friendly even- playing the façade well as the two guards approached them and were clearly trying to get a handle on the situation.

”Evening sirs.”

”Whatever seems to have occurred here-“?

”My mistress is drunk.” He said, passively ”And as many women, and men, who cannot hold their drink, thinks her self invincible. ”My master, count of our house, bid me fetch her and return home. Perhaps you could assist us in enquiring a carriage?”

~~

@tristacapitani

”I am not drunk!”

Well. He had to give her a thought for acting along with his game but as she turned away to vomit a look of disgust came across his face. It had to be a side-effect of her blow to the head and suggested the excursion of moving and the knock itself was giving her sevre concussion. He would need to see her home, to simply put her in a carriage was not good enough. This irked at him, for he did not care for the woman in the slightest, and yet found himself caught in an act of chivalry. This was not like him, and he silently hoped that his sister never found out – she would be far too pleased with herself for scolding him mentally into this moment. For, it was thoughts of her scolding him or hanging him from a bell tower, that stop him from leaving the lady in the street to die.

The guards, seeing the state of the woman offered some assistance and a carriage was called for. They helped support the lady, and helped put her into the plush chairs of the wheeled transport. Ra, dutifully, thanked them and climbed in after her. Instructions were given to have the card take them to the house of the Capitani, but that was the farthest Ra would likely go. From there, one of her family was bound to take notice of her. She was, when she got there, no longer his problem.

~~

I'll swap Ra out for Alfie if you like in my next post

@tristacapitani