In the Wake of Giants

Janine’s assumptions were proven to be true after her story had ended. She just felt this pressure in the room; her mom seemed to be staring with a silence she’d rarely witnessed, but she sensed Raban’s anger to be rising within his calm demeanor. She shook nervously - something that she did when people were angry around her - and even flinched a little when he angrily growled in his throat. She dipped her head even lower than before; something about the growl made her nervous. But she didn’t know what to say to him to calm him down. Then again, she supposed that he had the right to be mad, considering how he was her friend, and he had the right to be worried about people he cared about.

She glanced up at Raban and saw his body react to her words. She’d never seen Raban do that out of anger. As much as she wanted to reassure or to calm Raban, Janine didn’t know what or how to do so. So she just kept quiet, and made sure to not make any noise. But when Raban actually got up out of his seat and walked to the fireplace, the young woman tilted her head slightly. What was he doing? She watched as the older man stared at the vial of the deadly mixture, hoping that he wasn’t feeling any physical effects while being so close to the mixture.

He spoke up after a while, which startled her a little. His voice broke the thick silence of the room, which was a miracle within itself, she was sure that her mom would’ve reacted in a fearsome rage, demanding things and scolding her and all that stuff. But she was quiet. He spoke again, asking for forgiveness, but not understanding why exactly. Perhaps he just wasn’t used to feeling such strong emotions with news like this? She could understand that.

But then he went over to her and went down on his knees. Janine blinked in shock; she didn’t expect the man to suddenly get so close to her like this. To make her even more stunned, he grabbed for her hands, making her gasp softly as she looked at his face. And Janine listened to Raban as he explained the only two relationships he’d been with his entire life. She was so happy to be Raban’s best friend, and she smiled a little at the sentiment…. But then, he mentioned his inner thoughts regarding Greaves and what he’d done to her, and she frowned again, her head tilting the other way as she looked down. So Raban had the desire to kill him? She couldn’t say she was surprised. She would've looked at him as if he were crazy if he didn’t say that he wanted to kill him. She couldn’t quite explain it, but something about Greaves just wanted her to push him off a cliff. There shouldn’t be people that dark and sinister walking about the streets.

“N-no…. You’re not alone. The thoughts had crossed my mind before. A part of me doesn’t want to see myself doing anything like that…. But another part of me can. But I don't want to think I could go through with it,” Janine nervously said as she lowered her head down to break eye contact. The conversation was much more intense than she anticipated. She tended to break eye contact when she felt so much pressure on her. But Raban tapped her chin to grab her attention again, which quickly did, and he took her hand again. What did he want her to promise? She didn’t like the sound of his request.

“Wh-what? What do you want me to promise?” Janine softly asked.
 
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He gave a rueful smile that was also afraid and bitter at the same time. He was not used to this level of feeling or response but there it was unwilling to go ignored. "I'm not sure I could go through with such a thing either... but this.... This isn't right. You have every right to a chance at life without fear, without those dictating your life or your future for you." His head dipped again, trying to word it out, knowing he didn't deserve that fate either but he had long accepted it as a possibility even if he was afraid of it. He wasn't good with the unknown.

Raban spoke again and her stutter told him she was wary but at least she was looking at him. He needed to her to acknowledge this and to realise just how important to them both it was. He knew what they knew about each other was a burden, a risk the other was willing to share. What he wasn't keen on was her suffering a similar fate that could potentially be avoided even if his own secret came to light.

He gave a pause knowing what he needed from her was a hard ask but he didn't ask it lightly. Not only did he worry for her, he worried for the fate of her mother too. It was not something he could tempt fate to let happen if what he suspected about how far the Hunter was willing to go to to root out the wolf was true. The torture Janine had received would only be the start.

"If what I am is found out, made to be revealed, I need you to deny all knowledge of it. We're friends, yes, that's to be expected of those who fight and train together but if they reveal what I am, you deny what you know of me. You feign ignorance and you act like the others will do, understand?" his eyes searched hers intensely as he gauged her reaction, knowing that she may not realise how far the danger extended.

"Greaves is playing dangerous hands. What he did to you proves that, it shows he more than suspects one of the Order. He asked for a high standing knight to go in that wretched chair, he knew that would likely bring me out. If he's as good as he makes himself out to be, he would have noticed despite my control. I think it may have prompted his visit to you even with or without the paw prints. Common sense should have said that your prints could not be from a lycanthrope... your paws are bigger than mine but for some reason he thinks it's to do with the wolf and not what you are, or the dragon. He's suspecting you for all the wrong indicators, especially if he tossed that to you," he gestured to the vial.

"What we do know is that he's trying to use you for leverage, that much is clear to me. I dread not think of what could come to pass if he realises or if he's in league with whoever's tried to get you to show your true nature but I don't want you to run that risk. If he's willing to use you to root me out, then he'll have no qualms about using others to root out what you are if that is true. For the moment, it seems he's concerned only about a werewolf."

He didn't want to alarm Tina or Janine about what he aluded to but equally it was an event that they would have to anticipate. He needed that to be acknowledged, to be understood. If they did reveal that that they knew what he was, even unwittingly or unwillingly, then it would not only secure his fate but their own as well.

Raban was not fool enough to hope that Greaves hadn't questioned people. He was staying in the very same abode where Raban was staying and had stayed for the longest time in Amastad. His landlords, depsite their good intentions, were not smart enough to realise how much loose lips could land him in the stink. He suspected that had been behind the chief reason to ask for a high standing knight to have sat in that chair and not called any singular person out by random.

"He's playing a 'nails in the coffin' game, Janine. If that's how it plays out... I'll meet that when it comes. But if they learn what you are... it's worse. Humanity fears demons more than my kind no matter what the truth of it all may be, do you understand why I'm asking this of you?"

He was afraid she wouldn't, that she would throw it out of hand even with his reasonings, his anticipations of what Greaves was up to in his werewolf hunt. Raban did not fear Greaves himself nor that fight if or when it came to it. He had always known the security of his secret was always precarious. There were too many unknowns with him, especially on those moons where he had no self control over his actions. Peopled talked, gossiped, spun yarns... that was how humanity operated. What he did fear was what could happen to those he cared about and with Janine's own secret, it made it all the more worrisome. Greaves' focus was on the wolf and that's where Raban preferred to keep it.
 
The tension in the room was enough to make Janine to just crawl in a corner and hide away from the world. Under a rock. In a tree. Somewhere - anywhere. She didn’t expect to have this conversation, nor did she want it. She wished that Greaves never came here. She wished he never attacked her. She wished he wasn’t so smart.

But he was smart. He was in here. He was in Amastad. And he attacked her. In her own hospital bed. She was scared of him, and neither Raban or herself liked it. The threat he posed was too real. Too dangerous. Too risky. Janine knew that, in this moment, Raban was going through emotions that she knew he wasn’t used to. To be honest, she wasn’t used to these intense emotions either. She often pushed down the majority of them to prevent any unwanted demonic reactions. But with Raban and her mother around, she felt safe in a sense. Like she could be herself. She subconsciously let out a soft hiss at the silence again, something she didn’t feel like consciously correcting at the time. What he had to say was more important.

When Raban finally said his request, her lips parted with a soft gasp as her eyes widened a little. Deny his secret? She recoiled slightly - why was he asking this of her? Wouldn’t he want someone to be by his side? They could fight together! She looked down at their hands, their intertwined hands, and shook them slightly. She didn’t say anything, but her actions said most of what she felt. She didn’t want to deny Raban like that. She felt as if she was betraying him somehow, like she was just turning him over to Death’s hand. And what if Greaves volunteered her to deal the final blow? Like how he volunteered Raban to go into the chair through Keigal? If he was shown to be that cunning within one day of introducing himself, what else could he do in the future? She wouldn't let Raban lose to this man! She looked over to the vial Raban had gestured to, and whimpered a little. So, she was being used? Despite her shock, she felt anger rising out of the idea that she was nothing but a pawn in a deadly game. She didn’t like the idea of being used.

She never heard of that term - ‘nail in the coffin’..... But even so, she could still infer what it meant. She wouldn't let him! No way would she let that horrible man play this game of life and death, and just smile at their demise! Raban could not expect her to just let it happen! She shook more violently, unsure of when or how to respond. But she soon shook her head.

“No!” Janine suddenly blurted out. “I can’t just let you face that fate alone. We’re in this together, and -”

“Janine!” her mother sternly shouted. Janine suddenly stopped herself to look at her mother, who was looking at the two with a concerned gaze. Tears ran down her face, unsure of how to calmly think about a future that was all too possible. A future without Raban. He was her first and only true friend. She wasn't sure how she'd be able to be her old self without him around. But she thought about what would happen if she was to fight with Raban. Her actions would affect her mother. If she was to reveal her other form, then people would question her mother’s knowledge. And then all three of them would perish. Then what was the point?

And without a doubt, Janine knew that she would ask her mother to deny knowing about her demon heritage. To deny knowing that her own daughter was half-demon. Just so she could live. She looked to her mother with a sniff, and then to Raban again. She knew that she’d ask Raban to do the same thing. As much as she’d despised to admit it, she knew she’d ask the same thing Raban was asking her, if she was discovered before him.

The same damn one. Like she was now. She sniffled as her lips quivered before she spoke again.

“I…. I... Would you do the same for me? If I was found out somehow before you? You can’t ask me this without you doing the same. I want you to live just as much as you do for me,” Janine said with a soft whimper.
 
He heard her gasp and his heart began to flummox and sink. He knew and understood why she would not be open to his wish but he knew that eventually she would realised that truth and why he had requested it of her. She was intelligent in more ways she seemed to realised of herself and he knew she had great potential. He just wish she could see it as he did.

Raban knew he had never placed such trust in another so deeply than he had for Janine before in his life. He hoped she would see that he didn't ask this lightly, that he would not have asked so lightly if he didn't wish to have kept that trust, that friendship. Her fingers tighened and shook against his own Raban knew she was protective of him and he was of her for the same reasons and he knew she was disinclined to hear him outr because of that but he hoped. There was always hope.

He had to wait, to be patient. She would understand in time even if she did not see it now. She was shaking more violently and he did nothing to stop her. She had to ride that out. Experience told him that much even if he was in unchartered terrortory in the realms of friendship.

Raba's head dipped as she protested and tilted as Janine's mother finally entered her own voice into the mix. He hoped of all that were in this room right now that Tina saw and understand why he had asked this of Janine. Nothing was more powerful than a mother's love for their child.

His hands held Janine's more tightly in the seconds and minutes afterwards, scared she would continue to disagree, to protest such an ask but she had to understand why. Greaves would ruin everything if she revealed too much and it wasn't just them who were at risk. Her mother would suffer as would Cadfael's memory if they learned just what kind of werewolf Raban was. You couldn't have mentored and allowed a boy to squire without knowing what they were.

It was then she spoke and he looked back up to her and his heart siezed ast her whikper. He did not like hurting her like this but it was just too important in the longer run of things. She asked the same of him and he shifted slightly.

"With all my heart," he nodded, it was a strange question to asndwer that with, he knew but sometimes you had to do and say very strange things in life in order fo you and your loved ones to survive. "We are what we are. Cadfael and your mother know this too well and they have protected us all their lives. I can't in good conscious allow them to suffer just as much as I can't allow you to suffer."

Raban was glad her head won out over her heart. It was the sounder plan, it was just a more painful road to progess. If he was found out, he had no qualms about what could lie in store for him but it was a fate he had long accepted no matter he feared death. He rose and kissed her head before looking back at her, "It will be difficult, but it's the only way if there's any chance of getting out of this."

He stood fully and glanced towards the vial again. It was a sour note to the holiday but he knew Greaves wouldn't hold back for the sake of customs. They could not afford to grow complacent. Not now. The tension of the situation was still thick in the air and he felt incredibly awkward about it all. He knew he still had to fulfill his promise on explaining what had happened that fateful day to Janine but for some rason, it didn't feel entirely right to do it now.

Raban looked back at Janine, "It eases my heart to know you understand this..."

He trailed off when he felt something press or trying to press into his mind and after a moment, felt a family preence wdge itsel fback to its old spot within his mind.

"Missed me?"
"Always"
"Allow me to catch up on what I've missed, eh?"
"'course."

He looked between the two women and nodded, clearing his throat slightly, "I'll, uh, take my leave for the moment. I, uh, there's something I need to do. I'll see you later?"

He nodded before he moved to head out, pausing to glance at Tina brielfy and then back at Janine with a reassuring smile that was also laced with open gratitude towards her before he left.
 
Janine nodded when Raban said he’d do the same. She wanted to stand by Raban, but she still had her mother to watch over. Her mother was someone she loved so much. She feared what would become of her if her mother was killed because of her hardheadedness. She’d most likely end herself. The thought made Janine shudder. But she had gotten her answer.

“Okay, Raban. So long as you will do the same. I will… Try to do it Raban…. But it doesn’t mean I’ll like it,” Janine softly responded. Her frame froze when Raban kissed her head, completely unexpecting of the sudden and intimate form of affection. At least from him. Unexpected, but not unwelcome. After the shock, it somewhat comforted her, knowing he cared so much for her, just as she did for him. The young woman lifted her head as Raban rose to his feet, her teary eyes following his frame as he turned towards the vial of the deadly concoction.

This was not how she wanted to celebrate this holiday. She knew her conversation would leave a bitter taste in everyone’s mouths, but this was more bitter and sour than she ever expected. She didn’t want to be forced to make promises, and she didn’t expect for her to make him promise, though she wasn’t sure if it was so forced. He responded so quickly, without any hesitation. When he spoke again, Janine was wiping her eyes. She didn’t want to understand, not so easily. She wished she didn’t have to make such hard decisions. Not at the expense of anybody’s lives. He spoke once more, saying that he had to make his leave. Her heart pounded with a mixture of sadness and anger - she just had to talk about Greaves. The thought of ending the man’s life brushed through her thoughts, but she kept them at bay. For now.

“Okay…. Bye,” Janine sadly said between sniffles as she continued to wipe her eyes. Her mother got up slowly and made her way towards her daughter, looking towards Raban with a nod. Janine looked up to Raban as he made one more glance at her, then made his leave.

Janine’s mother walked over to her daughter, kneeling down to comfort her. Janine couldn’t help but to let out some more sobs, hugging her mother as she cried on her shoulder.

“Why?! Why did he have me promise? How can he have me just let him be alone like that!” Janine cried.

“Because he wants the same thing I want - for you to live. And he won’t be alone. He’ll have you there with him. You can’t let your emotions block you from seeing what’s important, Janine” her mother softly said.

“But he is important! He’s important to me. I don’t know what I’ll do without him,” Janine said with a small whine.

Her mother was silent for a moment. She gave a deep inhale before letting out an exhale. “If you feel this strongly about it, why did you agree?”

Janine paused and looked up to her mother. “I…. When you called my name, I looked at you. And I saw that I wasn’t the only one that I wanted to live. I…. I forgot about you for a moment. I’m so sorry. I would never -”

No. You didn’t forget about me. You just found someone else that you were willing to fight for. You don’t have just me and you to think about anymore. You now have another in your heart, and you’re torn between who you want to save. It’s what good people do, Janine. It just proves that you have a big heart,” her mother said with a tight hug. But her tone then got serious.

“But Raban’s in danger now. You’re in danger, and that essentially puts your whole livelihood in danger. Who do you care for?” Janine’s mother asked. Janine looked up with confusion. What was this question?

“I don’t understand what you -”

“Who do you care for? The question is simple,” her mother said again.

“That’s obvious Mom - I care for you and Raban and Venus.” Janine said.

Her mother nodded. “Yes, you do. But you forgot to say yourself. You have to understand that fighting against the enemy means that you have to preserve your body, mind and spirit. Especially when the enemy is as cunning as this Hunter. I may not know everything, and you don’t either, but you have to remember that lives are at stake here. Everyone that you know is in danger - and if you want to see this through, you have to live, Janine. If you die, then all of Raban’s efforts and my efforts would be in vain. Do you want that? To die so that our desires would be in vain?” Tina asked with a tone of voice that Janine didn’t want to argue against. Her wish for her friend to live was so strong that she was willing to die for him. But dying would mean that all of the efforts of those that she cared for would be wasted. Especially if it was due to recklessness She didn’t want that to happen. And she couldn’t bring herself to be the reason that her mother gets killed. She wouldn’t be able to bear it. And besides, if she got herself killed, she wouldn’t be able to enjoy living with her best friend and mother.

Janine sniffed and nodded her head. Raban was still her greatest concern in this dangerous moment of their lives. But her mother still had to be considered. She was her mother after all. And her own survival was important as well. There was no use for her to go on and die. Nobody would benefit from it. While she hated the reasons, she understood a little better on why Raban asked her to do what he asked - and he didn’t like asking either. The resolve made her a little better. Determination filled her - she had to be smart in order to survive. But she also wanted to look out for any opportunity that would allow Raban to live. But the time had not come yet. She hoped and prayed that it wouldn’t, but she also had to prepare for anything.

Janine hugged her mother tight before she kissed her cheek. “Thanks Mom.”

“No problem. What do you want to do now?” Janine’s mother asked as they backed away from one another’s embraces. Janine wiped her eyes once again before going up onto her feet.

“I’m feeling tired. All this crying and worrying is emotionally draining. Can I go lay down?” Janine asked.

“Sure, baby. Go on now. See you when you wake up,” her mother said as Janine grabbed the vial from atop the fireplace. Janine went upstairs to her own room, and stored the vial in a dresser. She didn’t know why she kept it; perhaps she didn’t want to attract unwanted attention from anybody of the Order. She laid down and sighed, the fatigue in her body easily pulling her to sleep. What a wonderful Sweetfall’s this year.

~~~~~~~~~~~​

A couple of hours later, Janine had woken up from her slumber. Cheers and shouts and festive noises entered her ears, and the young woman slowly tossed and turned with a growing irritation. It was a few minutes of failed attempts to sleep before she gave up with sleep and sat up. She growled softly, her mind in a haze from the pull of sleep, and dragged herself out the bed. The more she listened, the more she heard more clearly - the sounds of people celebrating Sweetfall’s Day. Ugh. The way this day was shaping up to be very shitty. She felt like going outside and telling everyone to shut up and go back inside their homes. But the thought made Janine sad again. She couldn’t let her own personal problems affect how the holiday as a whole affected her. But… It was so hard to be happy at all. Too many things were weighing hard on her mind.

Janine’s stomach growled as she smelled the food that flowed outside. Hungry. Made sense. All she ate so far was a piece of a cookie. She didn’t even eat it all. With a small frown, Janine went back downstairs to see what her mother was up to. Barely halfway down, she heard the woman humming to herself. Curiously, Janine went slowly, seeing what her mother was doing. When she was able to see, all that was before her was the sight of her mother rocking in the chair while humming to herself. She had a cookie in one hand, and a small painting of her husband in the other.

“Oh my dear Janine. She’s going through some things. I had always known she’d find a friend one day, but to feel this strongly for him…. She’s like you in so many ways. I wondered if you had felt for me due to you actually loving me, or because of your blood…. But maybe it was both. I knew that Janine would feel such intense feelings for anybody she’d manage to bond with, but she showed me that her bonds were deeper than what I assumed. I wish you can see her, darling,” Janine’s mother said with a nostalgic sigh. Janine tilted her head at the monologue her mother spoke. Was she talking to herself? To her father? She was so into the little conversation that she didn’t realize where she was on the steps. Her foot slipped to the next step, startling both Janine and her own mother.

“Janine! What are you doing there?” her mother asked.

“Oh… Sorry mom. I just woke up. Just wanted to see what you were doing,” Janine said as she stepped down the rest of the stairs. Janine sighed as she walked to the chair across from her mom. Her demeanor was sullen, but she was trying to not be so… negative looking. But her mother was quick to catch the look on Janine’s face.

“Oh, I was just talking to your father. Telling him how alike you two are. Look, I know today wasn’t how you wanted it to be. I was happy that Raban was here too, you know. But you had more important things to take care of.”

“But I ruined Sweetfall’s Day for all of us. I wanted us to eat cookies while we talked about more fun things. Now I don’t even want to eat anything,” Janine said as she leaned back in her chair. At the mention of food, Janine’s stomach growled. She sighed as she listened to the cheering outside, and frowned angrily at how everyone was having fun outside.

“Janine…. Go eat something. You can still celebrate Sweetfall’s Day honey. You can’t let yourself be down. Sweetfall’s is supposed to be a day to remind ourselves about who we love - and then we’re supposed to cherish it. Not to let negative emotions get the better of us, Janine.” her mother said as she rocked in the chair. Janine scoffed and shook her head.

“So? I ain’t got anything to be all happy go lucky about.”

“You don’t?”

“No, I don’t.”

“So you have nothing to celebrate? No new bonds to be happy about?” her mother probed once more.

Janie looked to her mom and tilted her head. “What do you mean?”

“Come now Janine. You have a lot to celebrate. You just want to sulk. I understand that your mood has soured over the last several hours, but the holiday isn’t over. And you should go out and have fun. Just forget your troubles for today. You need to relax. And if you won’t do it for you to relax, think about it as preparing yourself for more stress,” her mother said with a small shrug.

“Mom! Why would I think about it like that?” Janine asked.

“I don’t know. But I do know that it would do you good to go out and celebrate it. Celebrate your strong friendship with Raban. Both of you need to get your mind off of the terrors of the world. Even you two need to have a break. Sounds interesting to you?” Janine’s mother asked.

Janine did think about it. She did have a reason to celebrate….. And sulking sucked, especially when you could stack all the negative things super quick. She nodded softly - maybe going out to celebrate her own version of Sweetfall’s day would be a way to relax. But how? How would she and Raban celebrate it? She wanted Raban to get his mind off of his future battles, just as she needed to forget about the dangers of Amastad. And she was able to eat while she was at it. The more Janine thought about it, the more excited she got. Then she got an idea. A picnic! She’d be able to sit down and talk to Raban at their leisure, and be able to finally eat alone! But she had to think of a place to make a picnic, without prying eyes on all sides. And away from the annoying music that made her ears want to close off from the rest of the world.

“Really Mom? I can go off and celebrate Sweetfall’s Day? What about you?” Janine said.

“I can finally get some sleep here. It’s warm, and I won’t be making dinner until later. I want to rest my eyes for a while,” the woman said as she rocked back and forth. Janine smiled and went to kiss her mom on the cheek.

“Thank you so much, Mom.”

“You’re welcome.”

Janine immediately raced to her room to grab at some coins to spend. She was going to take Raban on a picnic, and she was going to get fresh food for them to eat. Well, mostly food. Definitely going to pack sweets for her picnic - and quite a bit of it too. She went outside to saddle up Venus and rode off towards the inn where Raban stayed at. She had to ask him before it was too late in the day.
 
Raban felt bad for how he had left knowing how he had pretty much added to sour the mood and left a pain behind but he hadn't wanted to leave it for later and for something else to happen before it was too late to do so. He could not have lived with himself if he hadn't asked her and he hoped she had realised or would come to realise the extent of it. It was a hard thing to explain.

He untied the reins of the horse he was 'borrowing' for the time being and walked towards where he saw Chestnut to be. She seemed to be on the outskirts of the city so once again, Raban had to deal with the throng of people celebrating Sweetfall's Day. It left him with a bitter taste to the mouth. He had hoped for a somewhat decent day... Not what it had turned out to be like in the end.

"Oh... Hellfire and brimstone... it's THAT day...?"
"Yup"
"Of all days to finally get back into form and it chooses today?! Why did it have to be today? Couldn't have chosen tomorrow, no, had to be today. A day full of twitterpated idiots with breeches beyond their means... euwch! Meat sacks! Twitterpated meat sacks!"

Raban could both hear and taste her dislike for the holiday and he snorted aloud at the correlation he gained from her reaction to the whole event. It was just too amusing that for a short space of time, it lifted the dour mood he had been steadily progressing into. He knew what his plan for the rest of the day was at least.

"What? What's so flaming funny, Little Wolf?"
"You sound exactly like Janine, that's all.
"Well, she's got sense then. Good for her! Don't tell me you're getting sappy about the whole thing too!?"
"Me? Sappy?"
"Hmph,"

Raban shook his head as he wormed his way about the city, avoiding any signs that told him that Greaves was around. He was not in the mood to be bumping into him today of all days. That would really upend the beehive and he wasn't ready for it. He avoided skirting into too many of the other knights as well.

He walked the rest of the way in silence, the horse behind him following with no apparent personality of its own. It was too bad really, it was a nice enough horse but he had yet to see what Chestnut had been dumped into. With any luck it was something similar to what he had become used to. The smaller girth of the stallion he was leading had caught him out several times.

When he eventually reached her, he found her stood with a man who looked to be in his latter years but had clearly been either in the horse trade or had been a farmer. The man stood with an utter surety even as one hand shook somewhat, the other holding reins that Chestnut was holstered by.

She was certainly more befitting of the more human name that he had given her and that she had accepted. She bore a deep sorrel coat with a creamy coloured mane, tail and feathers around her hooves. The neck was shorter than the Shire she was in before but it was thick and the whole build in general was sturdy. She pawed the ground slightly and tossed her head earning a rebuke from the old man. There was still care in the man's inflections and Raban read confused too.

"A fine horse you have there, sir,"
"Eh? Oh. She was till she started actin' up, Sir. Won't obey me at all now. Can't get anything done."
"Oh? I'm sorry to hear that... Are you looking to replace her then?"
"Aye, I can't handle 'er if she gonna stay like this sir, but seems you've already got yourself a horse."
"Oh... This one's on loan from the Order till I can replace my old horse. Dragon took her," Raban replied. That was the truth in the least.

"Oh, a Knight, sir? I didn't realise!"
"That's quite all right... What are you asking for her?" he asked, running a hand over Chestnut's now sorrel face.
"Enough at least to replace her for, or trade,"

"You better pay up! He stinks of fart!"
"Classy,"

Raban smiled before he nodded, "Well, if you'll let me take her from you, I'm quite happy to pay,"
"That'd be good and kind of you to do so, Sir. I'd be honoured, maybe she'll learn some manners,"
Raban chuckled before he gave the man what he asked for and a little more on top. The amount would ensure the man was well compensated for the loss of a work horse. The man seemed surprised and thank ed him profused before leaving.

"Perhaps he thinks you'll change your mind," Chestnut snorted as Raban held her lead rein. Raban eyed her over and nodded, the back of the Punch she was stuck in was more suited to what he was accustomed to and he rather liked the colour more.
"Quit eyeing me. It's weird,"

Raban grinned before he began the trip back. First to drop off the stallion at the stables where it seemed happier, before he headed back to his usual place of abode. He had grabbed a spare saddle and bridle that would fit her along the way. He eyed the stables and was relieved when he noticed a lack of an underfed white horse there. It meant its vile owner was out and he could see to his spartan filled room. He didn't tend to keep a lot of personal belongings. They had a habit of tying you down and revealing a little too much.

"Rather you stayed here. Dragon talked, huh? Did he mention me? Did he like my stunning good looks?"
"I think you rather confused the hell out of him," he mused to her as he took a horsebrush and began brushing through the sorrel coat. Chestnut helped herself to hay to munch on. "Janine gave him more to worry about though,"

"I bet... Plucky thing, and your mind tells me worse with what she's said,"
"Yeah..." he mused, frowning slightly but he was happier he no longer felt that void he had been having to deal with for all this time.

"I'm worried, Chestnut. This one is nothing like the one's before."
"You did the right thing, Little Wolf. Even if she fails to see it. She will. Eventually." Chestnut seemed so confident in that. Far more than he was, but he supposed he was a little clouded with concern of how much it had cost and hurt her.
 
Venus snorted happily as she was led down the streets of Amastad. Janine smiled a little at how happy her horse was as she was able to stretch her legs out, but the whole idea of being outside during Sweetfall’s Day still made her a bit sour in spirit. She scoffed as drunken men and women sung their songs and showed blatant displays of affection. Some in which - to her - were more too blatant than others. She led Venus down the less crowded streets, leaving the brunt of the festivities.

She sniffed the air casually, trying to find where Raban would be. Wait. He wouldn’t be outside. He disliked the holiday as much as she did. So he would be in his lodge wouldn’t he? Did she know where he lived? She couldn’t recall. Oh shoot. Looks like she’d have to find him the hard way. Without being obvious, Janine tracked her comrade down via smell and common sense. She remembered little bits and pieces of what Raban said, tying in clue and physical signs that might’ve told where he would be staying.

After quite a bit of searching, Janine’s mood and spirit soured even more. She couldn’t find him, and people were beginning to notice her presence despite their open blissfulness among each other. She disliked all the eyes on her, and she just had about enough of it. She was about to turn back home until she smelled the faintest scent of that horrid man: Greaves. Panic rose within the young woman, and her eyes searched frantically for the skinny body frame of the Hunter. She couldn’t afford to see him - what would he say? What would he do? Her mind swirled with random fear, even though her mind wasn’t giving out any warning signals. But she ignored that particular fact. Her hands began jerking the reigns around, making Venus snort and stomp randomly around the street. She had to get away, but there were too many people. Then she caught a familiar scent.

“Huh? Rab-”

“Hey! Watch out!” a random man shouted. Venus rose up with a whinny, making Janine flinch and tense up as she tried to hang onto her back. But Venus had risen back too far, and threw the woman off her back to land on the ground right next to the feet of a man grooming his horse.

“Ow! Fucking hell,” Janine cried out as multiple people stood witness to her accident. Significant pain surged through her hip as she tried to get up - and of course it was the injured side that gets all the gritty dirt and stones. Multiple people looked to her and began chuckling. Janine's breathing got labored as she became even more angry, sour, and now embarrassed. Tears of anger, pain and embarrassment threatened to form in her eyes. No, that’s it. She was going to have to concede defeat. Sweetfall’s Day was just going to be a day she always disliked. No matter what, it was just going to suck for her. That was going to be her reality from now on.
 
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He nodded, he just hoped she did and that she would deny ever knowing anything personal about him. They were walking on thin ice with this Greaves around, the man would use anything to achieve his prize. Raban was sure that prize was his head on a spike and Raban had no intention on that being part of his death scenario if he could help it. However, he was not fool enough to envision the way of his death. Life was rarely that kind to the fragile, mortal kin of this world. His mind was buzzing with questions and scenarios of how things would turn out for him, for Janine, for them all. Raban knew they could not afford to grow complacent nor could they not hope to antipate eventualities. Raban knew that eventually someone that would not be a friend to Raban would learn of what he was. It was always a distinct possibility for him as it would be for Janine. She had to realise and understand that.

Brushing through the sorrel coat of Chestnut's new body was something that in turn helped to ease his anxieties. Allowed him for a moment to forget his worries and just exist in a bubble of temporary contentment. In reality, it slowed his heartrate enough to allow him to calm down and find a modicum of peace.

The Punch was a lot shorter in the leg than the Shire in which she had previously inhabited. The Punch made up for it in the body however so she was not that much shorter than before. She was a little less broad in the back but much broader than a standard riding or harness horse. So, Raban was happy that he wasn't going to have to relearn that all over again. It was surprising what you got used to in life.

"You're not rid of me that easy," she snorted and when he was close enough, she butted his head gently with her mouth
"I know," he smiled, "Just going to take some getting used to. I'm used to a black coat, not sorrel,"
"Eh, call it an upgrade."

He chuckled aloud at that. He had missed her terribly and her humour moreso. She had such a plain but fresh way of looking at the world around her. Raban paused as he heard something and then the shout of a man nearby in the road nearby. He didn't really think much off it and carried on with grooming the sorrel coat of the Punch that Chestnut now resided in. It was only when he felt something plant itself next to his feet that he stopped to look. He looked down and blinked as he recognised Janine lying in the hay, stone and dirt. A plethora of emotion rose to the surface again and Chestnut snorted, her head turning on a stout neck to peer at the woman.

Raban watched as she tried to get up and as people stared and laughed at her from the street. He snorted and shook his head at them before he went to help her to her feet. "Easy does it," he breathed, and used the back of a hand to lightly brush off what hay and dirt stuck to her. It was typical of people who didn't often ride to laugh at those that feel from horseback but Raban knew it was no laughing matter. It was an easy way to die or break a bone. Falling beneath the heaving charge of many sets of hooves was one of the nastiest ways that Raban knew of to die. It was either blissfully quick or agonisingly slow. Very rarely did one survive.

"How are you feeling? Anything broken?" he asked, making sure she was fine, his face lit with concern before he was satisfied she wasn't going to crumble on him. Once he was sure, he moved to fetch venus before some sneak thief thought it was a good idea. He doubted it would get such a person far. Venus was too strong minded and spirited for that to be an option.

"Easy girl, easy... there we go..." he murmured, bringing the mare to the safety of the yard out of the way of mainstream traffic. After a few moments, it returned to normal and the flirting calls of men and women soon resumed.

"Damned fools..." he muttered before looking back at Janine. He didn't think he'd be seeing her again quite so soon. It had been a few hours since he'd soured the mood earlier that day.

"Are you all right?"
 
Janine growled softly and sniffed as Raban helped her stand up - she strained to get up on her feet a few times. Her side sent another wave of pain as she finally stood upright - or as upright as she could at the moment. Laughed at once more. It sent a wave of anger through her, but she had to keep herself calm right now. No need to draw any attention to herself. “I’m…. Fine I guess,” Janine said with a huff. Janine took a few moments to assess and ignore the pain within her wounds. Her hand lightly rubbed the still healing injury before she looked up to Raban.

She paused and blinked a few times. Her mind just went blank for a few seconds, then went to the conversation she had with him a few hours before. Her eyes got misty again, but she held them back, the sheer reason being that she was in public. She couldn’t afford to cry in front of everyone else. Nobody else. She took a big breath, wiping the tears before they fully formed, and looked back up to the taller man.

“I…. I’m happy you’re out here. I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to catch you…. Um….”

It was hard to convey what she wanted to say to him in public. No it wasn’t on a pedestal, and no it wasn’t in front of the whole square, but still, she was outside. Most barriers of privacy were taken down on Sweetfall’s Day for some reason. She disliked her privacy being taken away. But she wanted to hurry up and ask the question before she lost her nerve.

“Our conversation made me think… And Mom helped me out. But I was thinking about what you said. I… Wasn’t willing to hear what you wanted to say at the moment…. I still kinda don’t…. But as I was on my way here, I was thinking about why I was so…. Resistant.” Janine took a couple of nervous breaths. Even though most people were distracted by their own festivities, she was still nervous overall. Hurry up and say it before you back out!

“We both are going through a bit of an adjustment. We’ve never had friends before, and we've been through a lot together as Knights….. And as friends,” Janine said as she looked in Raban’s eyes. “Our emotions are heightened - at least I know mine are. I sometimes don’t know what to do with myself,” Janine sheepishly said as she rubbed the back of her head. “And they aren’t anything to shy away from. But they’re a bit overwhelming to bottle in aren’t they?” Janine partially asked in the rhetorical sense. She felt that she was dragging her narrative along too long. But damn it if she was not nervous as all hell.

“Um…. I was also thinking about what you said earlier today…. When you stood up against Ashley and her posse. You said that I didn’t have to celebrate Sweetfall’s Day like everyone else. And that I could do it my way. And you’re right - I will do it my own way. And I’m going to do it today.... I’m going on a picnic… We’re going on a picnic,” Janine said, hoping Raban caught her pronoun change. She gave a small smile as her brain suddenly popped up with all sorts of ideas and rumors and places she could take him. Her small smile soon became a small grin, and she chuckled a bit as her confidence suddenly rose.

“We don’t have to celebrate like everyone else, cause we aren’t like everyone else. But we still have something to celebrate - our friendship. And we can use today as an outlet to do so. We can let ourselves express how we feel about everything, without the prying eyes of the world. Without the searching eyes of lurking danger,” Janine said with a tilted head and slightly narrowed eyes. Her smile thinned out into a small snarl for a second before her eyes widened again and her smile returned. “We can enjoy being ourselves. As we see each other. At least I hope that we’ve shown more of ourselves to one another…. I want to think so,” Janine spoke with hopefulness.
 
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With Venus out of the way of traffic fair and in decent reach of helping herself to hay if she wished for it, he moved back to join his friend. Sometimes, just eatng helped to ease one's anxieties for teh distraction it presented. Raban knew it rang true for animals just as much as it did for people.

He looked her over just to be sure. He could not smell fresh blood at least, so there was that positive to consder but he was curious as to why she had come rifing out during a holiday he knew her to hate. She looked like she had something to say but was hesitating. He was a bit used to that by now and he stood patiently in front of her and next to Chestnut.

"Here it comes. The soliloquy of the century!" Chestnut said bluntly causing Raban to frown slightly
"Oh, shut up. It's not easy for her, you know that. She had to face a lot of hard truths lately. I don't blame her. Hush, I'm trying to listen," Raban replied mentally whilst looking at Janine. Chestnut just snorted aloud and tossed her head.

He was glad their conversation, although sour and somewhat depressing after a fashion, held something with her. It was not an easy conversation, nor one he wanted to repeat. He disliked the fact what he had presented had hurt her principles in some ways but it had to be done. He knew he would have reached the same conclusion if the time was wound back to that moment. There was no doubt in him on that front.

"She's either trying to tell you something or talk herself out of something," Chestnut chimed in, she was always a rebel, never liking rules much and took every moment to bend them. Raban ignored her knowing that if Janine wanted to tell him something, then she would. She had clearly not ridden here on a mere whim. Whatever it was that she had to express seemed important and he was patient enough to wait and hear it out.

His head dipped slightly with acknowledgement of her words. Friendship was not something he was familiar was and it was something that he was learning a lot about along the way. It wasn't something you could just learn out of a textbook. She spoke true of a lot of things; friendsjip, emotions and she was right in that there were times that he sometimes didn't understand what an amotion meant or how to deal with it. Especially when he came out of turns that he couldn't control. He chuckled softly and nodded with agreement but he did not feel as if he needed to show agreement beyond the chuckle he produced. IT was something they both knew and felt.

She spoke of those who had tried to bully her before and he thought back to that moment. Chestnut lifted her head, peering at Janine with curious brown eyes and Raban knew Chestnut cursed on missing out on that moment. He couldn't blame her, she would have loved the chance at being able to nip at one of them to 'teach them a lesson' but in a way he was glad she couldn't... it wouldn't have helped.

"Pshaw.. sure it could have,"
"Don't get salty,"

His brain skipped over what Janine said at first before both demon and mind corrected him. He raised his brows in what could only be transcribed as surprise at the words of 'we' and 'picnic'. Raban wasn't sure what a picnic entirely entaile. He had never had one before. He wasn't really sure a day's worth of riding and stopping to eat counted as one nor camping.

"Seems you're going to find out soon enough. She's plotting," Chestnut said the last word in a sing-song fashion, her words laced with a smile that came through her inflections. Raban hoped it was not as bad as the connotations of 'plotting' were liable to induce but he wasn't going to stop the idea of it. Whatever a 'picnic' was... In some ways, he was very curious about what people did for picnics. He had no idea. It wasn't something he had read about either. Till recently, he had always given his time to the Order, Chestnut or when he had to take care of himself. With his circle of friendship growing, he had become a lot more sociable and open to new things.

She was smiling and she looked and sounded confident as she spoke. He almost laughed when she gave to a snarling expression in reference to lurking dangers as if it made comedy of the threats that had presented themselves in Amastad of late. He let a silence pass after she was finished speaking before he nodded.

"I'm glad you've had time to think, time to at least keep an open mind. That is a very hard thing for anyone to do... Even if you're not entirely willing to hear, you being here means you're willing to try and that's just as important. Thank you," he nodded, it was important to him that she do what he had asked but he equally could not have made it any sort of order. It was a request she could have ignored entirely. She still could. However, she was willing to try and that meant so much more to him.

"I'm glad that caught resonance, and you're not wrong. That is worth celebrating, I can't and won't deny that at all." Raban smiled back at her and nodded. He was proud of her and he was happy to smile to show it. His expression was warm and content in response to what she said and after a moment of having replied, he gave a momentary frown of open awkwardness.

"However, you're going to have to show me what a picnic is, I'm afraid."

Chestnut snorted at that with open amusement, tossing her head again.
 
Raban responded to her little speech, and was happy to know that he was able to agree with her. And the fact that he was able to understand how hard it still was for her to completely come to terms with everything that was said. But she wanted to forget about that for the day. Janine nodded her head in response to his thanks, but tilted her head the other way when he stated that he didn’t know what a picnic was. Her eyes lit up with amazement and bemusement, as well as a hint of mischievousness. How intriguing it was for him to know about things other people wouldn’t know, but then not know some of the simpler things that the common folk knew plenty about. She knew why, but still. With this in mind, he couldn’t help the hissing chuckle that flowed out her mouth.

“You still amaze me Raban. A picnic is when two or more people go off and share food and enjoy each other’s company and the scenery. If it’s a family picnic, then there are sure to be games. Don’t worry, we’ll get into the details of our own picnic later. I still have to gather the stuff for it…. I wasn’t sure if you were even going to say yes. But since you have, I better go get stuff packed!” Janine said with a newfound wave of excitement. She went to go grab Venus and got up on the saddle. “Not sure if you’re comfortable in those clothes, but as long as you have something that you don’t mind getting dirty or wet in, then we’re fine!” Janine said with a smile. “Not sure if you’ve eaten or not, but please refrain. That’s the whole idea of a picnic of course! Oh, and one more thing,” Janine said as she began to turn Venus down the opposite way. The mischievous gleam in her eyes intensified as she gave a toothy smirk.

“We’ll be spending our day in the forest. Try not to worry while I gather our things, but you’re free to gather things that you’ll think will be important to take, considering the area,” Janine said as she raised her hands to slap Venus’ reins. “I just don’t want our horses to take a large load. Well, I’ll be as swift as I can. Expect me to be back here within the hour. Hopefully less. Later!”Janine said as she rode off into the crowded streets of Amastad.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~​

Janine led her horse down the crowded and crowded streets of a Sweetfall’s Amastad as she continued to use the roads with less people on them. She had money, and the ideas were flowing so rapidly in her head, she had to slow herself down. There were a couple of places in the forest that she had desired to visit again. But she was a bit worried - she hadn’t visited said places in a long while…. What if she forgot the way to go…? Then she’d ruined the day for both of them. Not to mention being lost in a forest like that would be a death sentence!

…

Stop it! She had to calm down. Yes it’d been a while, but she still knew her way around a forest when she had to. She just had to trust in her sense of direction, her memory and her instincts. It wasn’t that long ago. But she did remember a place where it was traditionally mentioned and talked about during the springtime. But nobody talked about when it was around Sweetfall’s Day. Or in autumn in general. No matter, it would be wonderful to revisit the place again.

The woman was so excited she could burst, but she didn’t show it to other people. She went to the shops she needed to go to, purchased what she needed to pay for, and put them into a nice sized basket. She needed space for the things she was going to put in the basket. She was almost done, but she needed to go back home to tell her mother of the events that were going to take place. Of course the woman was excited for her, and wished her luck with her day. But before she left to meet Raban, she rummaged through some stuff and gave Janine an old blanket. The design didn’t look new, but it looked as if it was taken care of. Her mother explained that this blanket was one that she and her husband used to go on their first picnic. Her father apparently didn’t know what they were either, and her mother took it upon herself to show him. Janine chuckled to herself - it was exactly how Raban was when she mentioned it herself.

After the small talk, the mother and daughter exchange kisses and hugs, and Janine leaves the house. If everything went according to planned, then the day would be something worth looking back into, hopefully. She put on her coat and situated her sword strap over her shoulder just before mounting Venus. Venus snorted softly, and Janine patted her neck. “Yes, I know. I haven’t prepared you for such a journey as of late, but I’m sure you’ll appreciate the exercise. Don’t worry. We’ll be fine. And when we’re done, you can have a treat tomorrow,” Janine said as she gently slapped the reins to urge Venus forward.

Sure enough, Janine managed to get everything she needed for the picnic. She’d gone to a picnic a couple of times, and those were with her mother. She wanted to help Janie explore the forest without getting lost. The picnic was just a nice relaxing way to enjoy nature, instead of walking all over it.

Though it may have just been those few times, Janine wasn’t an expert, but she sure as hell wasn’t completely new to the idea. But that’s what made the idea so damn satisfying in her head. Soon, Janine got to the lodge that Raban was staying at. She didn’t see him outside, and she saw the reddish-brown horse he was brushing, so he assumed that he was riding this one now. She wasn’t sure exactly how to summon him, but she felt herself losing a bit of confidence and gaining a lot of hesitation, so she sighed and got off Venus to tie her rope to the stands. With a nervous sigh, she slowly went up to the new horse to prevent the chance of spooking her. Perhaps to calm herself down.

“Hey there girl. You look very nice. Are you Raban’s horse now?” Janine said as she went over to stroke the horse’s shoulder. “Hehe, he’s done trying to ride smaller horses. I don’t blame him; he almost fell over earlier today while riding the other horse he had. Almost looked like a cat trying to get out of a bucket of water,” Janine said with a snicker. She pulled out a sugar cube from a pouch on Venus’ saddle and offered it to the sorrel coated horse. “I like the color of your coat, but I do miss the shining black of his first one…” Janine said with a small and guilty sigh. She wondered how Raban was doing without Chestnut for so long. “She was…. Brave. Stubborn. And that’s just what I saw!” Janine looked down, realizing she was stalling. She couldn’t be wasting her day like this! Not after she made him go with her! She sighed and patted the horse’s shoulder again, turning her body towards the door. “Well…. I better stop stalling. I’m just nervous is all.”
 
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She seemed happy with his response at least and he was glad for that. He didn't like seeing her upset or knowing he had been a cause to that unhappiness. If there was a chance to turn the day around and make it more of a positive, then he was all for that. Negativity could do a brain the world of damage, he thought so he welcomed the outing even if it was going to be entirely new and alien to him.

He smiled and nodded, somewhat embarassed that he had no idea but then if you were never exposed to such things, how were you have experienced them before. You could read about it, sure, but that would still only be theory and quite often, as he had learned, theory in practice and theory in reality were somewhat seperated entities.

"If i ever did have, I don't remember doing it... my childhood was more work than play..." he replied, lowering his head somewhat in memory and ruefulness. He watched as she spoke and he nodded, lifting his head slightly as she moutned back up again. Janine listed off things and dos and donts and it left Raban bemusedly staring back up at her.

"She's certainly quite bossy of you today"
"Uh... pretty sure I deserve that... Given what I asked of earlier this morning. That didn't go down well..."
"Yes, but she has to understand why."
"I think she's beginning to..."

He smiled at Janine and nodded, "I'll make sure I have all of what I need and I promise I won't eat,"

It was then he caught the smirk and he raised his brows wondering what that meant before she told him. The forest? He wasn't sure how much of a good idea that was but she seemed to be thick with her plan making and he didn't want to spoil the mood further. He felt he had done enough of that today as it was. He nodded absently picking the horsebrush from where he had left it on Chestnut's back.

"I'll be ready for you," he promised. he was entirely perplexed as he watched her ride off, waving a hand upwards in gesture of a 'later' in return.

------------------------------------​

Raban had finished grooming and making sure that Chestnut's replacement tack was back in order along with the necessary items he needed to have in his saddlebags. People often tended to comment he cared more for his horse than for himself and that might be true to some extent but they didn't realise the whole truth either. Once Chestnut was done, he then saw to himself taking the chance to freshen up and get back to his usual clean shaven outlook.

He made sure he got a back ready as he waited for her to return. He didn't sense any signs of his fellow lodger's return that was also a plus but he made sure that anything incriminating that he did have on him was safely hidden away or ready to take away with him. He wasn't too sure how much time had passed but he rested for what time he had left after making his own preparations and it was Chestnut who let him know she had arrived.

Chestnut turned her head at the sound of the arrival and tossed her head somewhat with a snort as she watched Janine approach her. Her ears twitched and then face the woman as she spoke and Chestnut snickered aloud, feeling Raban's heated embarassment from his room. She was offered a cube and for once didn't 'throw a face' at it, tucking it under her lip. Sometimes there were little treats for horses she could admit to liking. She peered at Janine as she nattered on, picking up on the tone and threw her tail over her rump in response. She seemed to be talking for the sake of talking and Chestnut was growing bored.

"Would you get your butt down here... She's waffling in my ears like a stray puppy,"

She heard him snicker in reply but she knew not to expect a response. She could tell he was moving now as Janine spoke again. Chestnut settled for blowing air at Janine's face before munching on her sugar cube.

Raban hitched the strap to his bag higher up the shoulder as he ventured down the stairs and opened the door just in time to see Janine at the door. He smied at her, "All ready, then?"
 
Janine jumped a little when the door opened right as she was going to go through it. Backing up a few inches, she gave a sheepish chuckle and rubbed the back of her head. “Oh! Hello! Yup, all ready.” Janine said with a smile. She turned around and went to Venus, untying her before straddling her saddle and preparing to ride off. At this moment, the crowds were getting more and more… Festive. People were beginning to be more frivolous with their celebrating, kissing and brushing against each other and declarations and whatnot. It made Janine snort softly in irritation before she went off.

The two rode their horses down the streets of Amstad, avoiding people and airborne decorations and stray animals and whatever else was outside. But eventually, the obstacles had thinned out, until they were outside the walls of the city. Janine looked back for a moment, staring at the city as she slowly gained more and more distance. She shook her head with a sneer. Now began the journey to forgetfulness. Time to focus on the task at hand. She looked forward with a smile at all she had in her head. But yet, despite how much she wanted to get done, she also knew that things could happen on their own. She could only control so much before things did their own thing. She just hoped only good things would happen.

Venus snorted softly and jerked her head up and down as she trotted into the forest. A lot of things happened in here that she seemed to recall. Janine of course didn’t know exactly what the reason was, so she shushed her horse as best as she could. “Calm down Venus. Everything will be alright. Today will be a good day,” Janine said as she took a glance into the forest. It was a little dark, but that was no surprise. Her head tilted to the side with her own curious thoughts. She then looked to Raban and his new horse.

“Strange. I never really say that today will be a ‘good day’. I kinda just prayed that it will be tolerable, and try to hide in the house all day,” Janine said with a small shrug of her shoulders. But she then gave a small smile as she subconsciously kept the basket between her legs still and safe. “But I think today will be a good day. At least, this half of the day. What do you think, Raban?” Janine asked.
 
"Hey", he smiled slightly as she seemed spooked, he guessed she hadn't realised just who his new horse was just yet. He wasn't going to tell her just yet. He wanted to see if she could figure it out for a while first and besides, Chestnut was pretty good at revealing herself when she wished. She liekd to have her little bits of sport where she could get it and Raban didn't want to deny her that too much.

Raban followed after her after closing the door, attaching his bag to the saddle at the back and his larger parcel alongside her body to the tack. He took the reins and lead Chestnut out though in truth he was not trully doing much of anything to lead her. Chestnut knew what was happening so she could make her own judgement calls. He placed a foot into the stirrup and hauled himself into the saddle, allowing himself to get accustomed as she moved to follow alongside Venus. He peered around and scratched his jawline, the public were getting a little more rowdy now.

After a time, they reached the outside of the city and Raban felt as though a weight lifted and continued to lift away the further they rode out. The forest might have had bad tidings for them but in that moment, he didn't care. He could handle what the forest threw at them. Recent events at Amastad had made him question a lot of things for the future and that realisation had left him with a lot of doubts.

He looked at Venus as the mare made protest and he supposed she knew where they were headed by now. Chestnut walked alongside with her usual fiery stubbornness, her hooves were confident in their stride. They couldn't be more seperate personalities. He smiled, it put him a little more at ease and his body language reflected that as he sat easily in the saddle despite being out of armour. He had brought his sword but he hoped he wouldn't come to need it.

Janine spoke as they rode and he glanced at her for a moment before he looked towards the forest, considering her question, "I've never had a friend to share a day like this before. Might have felt nervous or afraid about that once. Not today. I feel pretty good about it," he returned, looking back at her with a nod.

"A mark of moving on, I think,"
 
Janine slightly tilted her head at Raban’s answer. A mark of moving on? She was curious as to who that statement pertained to - her, the holiday itself or himself? Most likely himself. She smiled and nodded at him, satisfied that he felt that way. She personally didn’t want to bring her hopes up - she’d been stung by the circumstances a little too long for her to get super excited about today - don’t get her wrong, she was very excited for how today might turn out, but as for Sweetfall’s in general… She was still wary about it. She didn’t want to be the voice of skepticism during her own planned adventure though, so she didn't say anything negative to him.

“Yeah. Me too,” Janine simply said.

But as the two Knights traveled further into the forest, Janine took the time to sniff the air - it was cold, yes, but it was fresher than the air within the city’s walls. She sighed happily, taking in the scents of the wilderness - the pine trees, the bushes, the remaining flowers that were a bit more resilient towards the cold temperatures. Her mind swam with the excitement of running through these woods. She and Raban had too many negative events happen to them in the short time that they've known each other. Wolves and bears and dragons….. Dragons…. The thought reminded Janine of what Raban had told her in the hospital. Didn’t he say something about a dragon? She turned to him with a curious glint in her eye, though hesitant about bringing it up. Would the topic bring up another negative and sour mood within the two of them? She didn’t want to risk it, but she wanted to talk to him about it. Dragons excited her so much.

“Hey, Raban? I was just thinking. We’ve gone through a lot here huh? Bears and wolves and dragons….” Janine said with a small pause. “Hey, that reminds me…. You said something about… That dragon that we fought off. I remember something you said about it, but I can’t recall…. Would this be a bad time to talk about it? Or would you rather not talk about it today?” Janine asked politely.
 
Raban glanced at her and smiled, glad for that. He knew there was not a lot of positives of late. Amastad had become something of a dark centre that attracted just as much bad attention as the forest had. Raban did not deny he wasn't distinctly worried. Even now, the matter of Greaves and the eventual liklihood of his 'dark side' coming out in the open troubled him but he was also determined to enjoy today and not let that rule over him and his actions

The air was cooler and fresh, his spine straightening a little as he felt a cool breeze pass them by, ruffling his hair and brushing past his skin. It felt a little odd, he was not often out without his armour but it felt nice for a change. It oddly gave him a sense of freedom. He wasn't accustomed to that feeling just from a clothing choice but perhaps it was out of knowledge that he didn't have to go do duties today or tomorrow.

He enjoyed the ambience of the winds rustling through trees, birds singing little songs from the branches and the small waves from the grasses. It was all very soothing. Even Chestnut seemed to know better than to interrupt his internal enjoyment of the environment around them as they rode.

Janine spoke and he listened as she listed what had been in store for them in the past from the forest they were headed into. Small snippets of memories of events flashed before him as if they were happening all over again before she brought him out of it with a further question. He looked at her and shook his head, "As good a time as any to talk dragons, really."

It was painful for a number of reasons but he remembered it purposefully. There was a crazy significance about what had happened on that day and in the days since. He wasn't entirely sure how to express what had happened beyond what he originally had told her. He wasn't really sure how much she remembered.

"We learned we were a Knight short when we returned from riding out to it. Something, presumingly your venom, had slowed it down. It was paralysed. Couldn't risk the whole excursion so we headed back and Luxley had left. He had stayed to do what he thought was better than what Kiegel had commanded," he could still remember the arrogance and firm beleif in the man's voice as they argued shortly before Luxley's demise.

"I... Luxley... He wouldn't change his mind. H-he stood and argued and all the while that dragon was biding its time as it regained use of its body. I disliked him but... but it's not a pleasant way to die. He didn't stand a chance. That dragon could have done the same to me. I couldn't have changed in time to be free from that fate..."

He glanced as Chestnut snorted, tossing her head with bemusement.

"I think, if it were not for the fact I'm immortal... I would have shared Luxley's fate," he looked at Janine, Chestnut matching Venus' stride, leg for leg. "He knocked me down, his chin close and then...."

He sighed, he was still perplexed in parts about why that dragon had chosen to speak and spare him. He found himself being prompted and he nodded, "And then he spoke our tongue. As well as you and I speak it."
 
Raban began his story - or rather, continued it. She couldn’t recall much…. But she did remember being told that Raban and Keigal and the rest of the Knights rode out to pursue it. She didn’t believe that they would do that, but apparently they did. Janine nodded softly through the story, retaining the information and giving her own mental commentary. As expected, Janine physically reacted to the mentioning of her venom affecting the dragon. Venom…? When did…? Oh… She did bite the dragon. She bit it when it went after Venus - she closed her eyes and strained to remember herself being lifted up when the dragon lifted their hand, her memories slightly marred with uncertainty. But she could recall clamping her fang around its finger, which was what made the dragon give her the wounds she obtained.

So… She paralyzed the dragon. But she bit it for a long time. If she bit anything else for that long, it would’ve already been dead before it hit the ground. Dog, cat, horse…. Human. What did that mean? She’ll have to get back to that later. For now, she listened to Raban’s story.

When he finished, Janine’s eyes widened with shock and awe. The dragon had attacked and killed Luxley… How unfortunate for him. She disliked him a lot, but she wasn’t sure if he deserved to be eaten… alive. So that was what Raban meant when he said that Luxley had served the ultimate punishment for his arrogance and disobedience earlier that day…. She had laughed at the time, thinking that he was just suspended from his duties, or punished by Keigal…. Not dying at the claws of a vicious beast.

But the thing that gave her the most reaction was the last bit - the dragon actually speaking to Raban. Her eyes widened at the news - she remembered Raban telling her before, but she wasn’t able to expel any of her excitement, for fear of prying ears. But even then, the news was just as crazy and unbelievable now as it did then. She thought about it. The dragon actually spoke the human tongue? The human language? When? How? She thought that dragons only spoke their own ancient language. Why this one out of all the dragons? Why Raban? Why not kill him? Not that she wanted it - or him - to kill Raban…. She just figured that anybody that would so much as look at the beast in the eye would suffer a sure fate of death. That’s what she’d seen from the last several encounters. She frowned and shook her head.

“So much to talk about. So much information. So many questions…. The dragon talks… He can talk! Amazing. But how would it be able to talk so clearly? Surely with him being a loner he wouldn’t have any reason to talk at all, let alone to you with such clarity…. What did he sound like? What did he say?” Janine asked as she looked to Raban. But she saw how his face was troubled. Her smile faded a little, and concern painted her face a little. “Raban…. Something wrong?”
 
It had been weeks since he and that dragon had talked but he could hear him and smell him just as if that dragon were here now as he recalled the memory. Her venom had been strong, perhaps she might have even killed it if she had bitten again or held on for longer but he sensed that draogn had been unable to move for some time. There were a lot of questions surrounding that moment. It was choosing to let him live, to not pester Amastad at least after winter in its choice to go and regain its strength, and yet promised it would kill his friend if he caught her scent on his patch again and that after winter, all bets were off.

It had said it did not do so well in the cold and Raban wondered if it had gone someplace warmer to spend the winter in. It would be logical. Chestnut's snort broke him out of his reverie before he glanced towards his friend, watching her take in all that he had said so far. She then spoke in a flurry of words and questions about the dragon.

Those were deep questions, reminding him just of what the dragon had threatened or rather promised. It seemed to stand in opposition of the day and what it was supposed to be about but she had asked him and he had promised he would tell her. He didn't want to go back on his word for a man who could not keep his word was one without principles or honour.

He nodded as she asked if he was all right, he had been quiet for too long, "Timeless. He sounded timeless, but he was also weak and, I think, frustrated. I can't blame him for that, he got a beating I'm sure he has not faced for some time before and then to be paralysed by your venom. Anger to be made so vulnerable..."

He paused for a moment before he continued, "He said he did not understand why we hadn't chosen to kill him. All but Luxley. He said he had underestimated Amastad's defenses, that we ha dmore than just Knights. He said that I was not like the rest, that I smelled of a predator and that he viewed me as a challenge and one of the good ones. I'm still not sure what he meant by that but it was clear from that point he did not intend to grant me the same fate as Luxley. A life for a life, I suppose?"

Raban scratched his recently shaven jawline, "You, on the other hand... he promised he'd kill you if he caught your scent on his turf again. I think you really did piss him off that day." He looked back at her troubled that the dragon could deliver on that promise without them entirely realising in time but they would have time before that. The dragon was too injured to risk facing such a deviled creature again.

"He then spoke about Chestnut before he gave her back to me. He then left. Kiegel wasn't too happy we can't go retrieve our dead," he mused aloud.

"I'm not sure what to make of it all,"
 
Raban answered Janine’s questions, and her eyes lit up with interest. Timeless…. His voice was timeless? What did that mean exactly? Oh how she wished she could hear him speak! The mention of her venom was brought up again, and Janine sighed as she looked down at the back of Venus’ head. But she kept her ears out to Raban still as he answered her. So the dragon seemed to be…. Puzzled? And tired, and frustrated. She remembered how angry the beast was when she kept thwarting his attacks. - when she first slashed at his leg, and again when she threw the sword at his shoulder. He was mighty angry at that moment.

She turned her head when Raban said that the dragon mentioned ‘more than just Knights’. What did that mean? Why was the dragon speaking so mysteriously…? Wait… Maybe he realized that Raban and herself weren’t just plain old humans….. What did that mean for them? Did that mean that the dragon wouldn’t hold back? That he’ll try harder to defeat the Knights? Or would that mean that he would just focus on the two of them? Janine frowned and shook her head a little. Too many questions swirled inside her head. None of them with definitive answers.

It wasn’t any better when she looked to Raban. The dragon spared his life. The dragon said that he smelled like a predator.... Did he smell the wolf in Raban? Did the dragon even know about werewolves? Did they know that shapeshifting was possible among humans? And what was this about a good challenge? Was the dragon bored?

“ I didn’t know that Luxley had died that day….. I didn’t realize that you had meant death as his means of punishment when we spoke earlier today. Luxley’s death wasn’t your fault - it’s his fault for not wanting to listen to reason. To not listen to you or Kiegal of all people. You can’t control the free will of a person. To control someone would be as close to tyranny as it gets. But why…?” Janine asked with a confused facial expression. She looked up to the treetops for a moment before looking back down to face Raban.


“I don’t like it…. I can barely keep my excitement about your discovery…. But there are too many unsettling questions surrounding this. Does this mean that the dragon knows about our kind? About werewolves? Does he even know they exist? What about demons? There’s no way he knows about that stuff. And he sounds bored… Why else would he call you a challenge? He wants to play games with you Raban! He wants to establish dominance, and he’s taking his sweet time with it.” Janine said with a huff.

She thought about his last few statements. “So the dragon isn’t very happy with me, eh? Well maybe he shouldn’t have tried to bust through a city wall and attack innocent little girls. Or Venus for that matter. I didn’t even bite him until then. Humph....” Janine said with indignance in her tone. How dare the dragon dislike her when he was in the wrong the whole time? She didn’t favor him all that much either. Maybe if he would stay in the forest, neither him nor her would have these problems.

“He has the gall to threaten me? Well if he wants me, then he can get me. If he can. What, he’s such a big and scary dragon that he expects others to just bow down to him, like some tyrant king?” Janine snarled. “And he basically threatened you too. But it seems to be more pissed off with me…. Maybe we should go after him. Hunt him down and kill him while he’s still weak. Perhaps Sir Kiegal was just too slow in his decision making for once. Maybe there was too much time given to him. Even the biggest dragon gets tired at some point,” Janine said as she looked to Raban.
 
Questions. Nothing but questions.

"And all questions have answers, little wolf"
"And answers oft bring more questions."

Raban had replayed the day over and over since from the point of his torture till he had gotten back to Kiegel after failing in his promise to retreive. There were a lot of people who stood to lose if the dragon returned again and yet they would not think twice about killing him or her if they learned of who and what they were.

"And yet you'll continue your service till the end. Really, you're either dumb or a slave to your Cadfael's ideology."

Raban's eyes closed for a moment, feeling the gait of Chestnut's walk flow through him. She had called him that before. He had called it duty. She called it slavery. He wasn't sure she understood his reasons and he doubted she really wanted to understand.

He heard her voice again and he opened his eyes as she spoke of Luxley. The pang of guilt, of annoyance, that returned again. He looked at Chestnut's withers. he knew it was not something he could have changed but he had hoped to. Even with a dumb arrogant fool as Luxley. Such men could fall so easily into either a world of law or of crime. But Luxley had sworn his oath and that had meant he could be trusted to at least do that much. He grew distracted when she trailed off and began spouting questions at him again.

More questions that defined more answers. He looked at her, his brow knitting. Dominance. Did that mean this dragon was toying with him and that was why he survived that day. That had been a strange play if that were the case and perhaps Janine was right. Perhaps he was playing games with him. He wasn't sure that dragons weren't entirely aware about demons as a whole. Maybe the dragons to this area just didn't have much experience with them.

"I don't know... Maybe," he breathed heavily, he was not entirely sure but then predators all differed. Some just wanted the kill and to feast quickly before others stole it. That was true of the wolf in the least. Others certainly did like to play with their food before they ate it. He was not sure this dragon was one of those. "I think he knows I'm not human though... Just, doesn't know what I am yet,"

She spoke of what he had said of the dragon making threats and that seemed to set her off on something. He listened with silence as she raged.

"She's not wrong. We could hunt"

"If it had died in battle... I don't know, Janine. We didn't know what was holding it down. I didn't really understand either until it told me. We could have had hours, we could have had a minute. The city we protect, sworn to serve; it could have kept the few remaining lives who are there to save it or it could have lost every fighting man and woman left. Kiegal had to make a call, and I respect that."

"Who knows how old that beast is, what its experienced, what its capable of... It hates humanity and no one knows why. Maybe we should but maybe... I just want a day or two that doesn't involve a dragon or anything else. After that, I think the bigger problem is Greaves. He's worse than that dragon, Janine. You know that."

He sighed and rubbed his face with both hands, letting go of the reins in the process. Chestnut kept walking to the same pace as Venus was, even matching the same stride of the legs in perfect unison. More and more these day he just wanted to sleep. So much was happening in a short amount of time. Dragons, hunters, wolves... the unknown entity that was after Janine. Making a new best friend that he had felt closer to than anyone before. That was what... a couple of months now?

He dropped his hands with a soft sigh, resting them in his lap not interested in maintaining a pretense of controlling a horse. He looked at her for a moment as they rode, "But, we could, if you want to"
 
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