"To avoid any further confusion," he began, swallowing dryly, "I would like to ask your name so I better know how to address you," the elf said. "Magnar Thorsen, commander of Queen Leona's royal guard," the giant gestured, placing a hand on his chest and giving a curt nod in greeting.
"Well, Ser Thorsen, I'll get straight to the point, though I think it would be best if I gave you my message away from this much exposure," Gwili said, a tone of worry ringing in his voice. Thorsen raised an eyebrow, but gave a confident wave for his guardsmen to allow the elf to pass. "It's alright, men. I'll take him from here," Thorsen said.
Either he's an idiot, or he's confident enough in his skills to where he knows he could take me down if he needed to, Gwili thought, remembering his training from long before he became an outcast.
The pair walked down a few halls, moving away from prying eyes and ears into a private meeting room adorned with a large wooden table, chairs, and a small chandelier that hung overhead, dimly lighting the room. A painting of the late King Truls adorned the wall, though it looked like it hadn't been cleaned in decades.
"So, what is this message you have for us?" Thorsen asked, getting straight to the point. He sat on the chair at the head of the table, and gestured for Gwili to sit at the side. "Ser Thorsen, I come bearing some rather strange news, though I hope that I have reached the right ears in time," the elf began. Thorsen's brow raised questioningly, but he gestured for the elf to continue.
"With absolute transparency, I am a bandit. Well, more specifically, I'm an outcast, but that's a story for another day. I can sense the mana within you, and know that you are also something of that ilk, so there is no point in either of us lying," Gwili said plainly, as if laying out cards on a gambler's table.
"A good observation, but get to the point," Thorsen said, drawing conclusions of his own, but not saying anything. "A few weeks ago, my bandit crew and I… took care of a large caravan that was moving through the Pass. When we were searching their belongings, we came across this note that didn't make much sense to me at the time," Gwili said, producing the note he and Wyrran had found in the cart and handing it to the commander. Thorsen's eyes scanned the words quickly, working their way down the page, as Gwili continued his explanation.
"I hadn't given it much thought, but then just the other night, a group of mysterious figures just crossed over the Rhydian Pass. I'm not sure where they came from, and I can all but confirm they are human," the elf began, eyeing the giant seriously.
"It was difficult to determine at first, but the way their bandage-like clothes forced their appearances to shimmer in the moonlight, I could tell that there was something different about them," he continued. Thorsen interlocked his fingers, and set his elbows on the table. "Please, continue," his thick accent grumbled.
"Over the last two days, I've followed their tracks through towns and other such places, and they have not stopped once. Which, from my experience, means one of two things: Either these figures are fueled by hatred, or the training they've been subjected to is harsher than anything either of us have been through," Gwili concluded, leaning forward and resting his forearms on the table.
Thorsen sat pensively for a few moments, as if considering the validity of his words. "You say these figures were shimmering, but I'm not sure what you mean by that," he said after a few moments. "It was like their clothes forcefully averted one's gaze, blending their forms into the background," Gwili said, a slight shiver running down his spine.
"I don't know what to make of it, at least nothing I can think of would be a certainty, anyway," Thorsen said gravely, furrowing his brow. "Damn it. Is there anything we can do to prepare?" Gwili asked, genuinely confused. "Nothing you need to concern yourself with, but I will see to it that you are properly compensated for the information," Thorsen said, getting up from his chair. Gwili, unsure of what else to do, followed the giant out the door.
I can't miss an opportunity like this, he thought.
"Ser Thorsen," he called out after him. "What is it, Gwili? Do you have more information you wish to share?" the giant asked. "Yes. W-well, no, but I can help you fight them," the elf said, nearly begging to be included. "We have plenty of guards who can handle such things. What makes you think you'll be useful?" Thorsen asked without trying to sound condescending, but more out of practicality and pragmatism than anything else.
"I know what they look like, and if their clothes were anything to go off of, I'd say I could potentially know their tactics as well," Gwili said, a smirk rolling across his face as he presented an old amulet, weathered and worn. Thorsen looked at it with mild surprise, but shook his head, deciding it might be best not to say anything.
"I acknowledge that I haven't seen them, at least not personally, and would be an idiot to throw away that kind of information and knowledge you hold," he said pensively. "Can I trust you? Not as an outcast, but as a former synner with the hopes of restoring his name?" he asked.
The bastard saw right through me, Gwili thought with a nervous smile growing at the corner of his mouth.
"You can. I have no reason to betray you, after all. Like you said: I want my life back, and I'm not about to fuck that up a second time," the elf replied, a determined look on his face. Thorsen nodded and gestured for him to follow behind him, turning away without a word.
Those… things. I wonder what they're actually capable of. He seemed to know little about them, and I've never heard of them before, but since the countries have long been at war, techniques, interaction, and exposure with other such groups has been extremely limited. To be fair, I've never cared much for things, other than myself, that go bump in the night, but the look on his face when he said it… Gwili thought, trying to draw any sort of conclusion he could.
"You said you might even know their tactics, correct?" Thorsen asked as they proceeded down halls Gwili noted the details of. "I'm sure they'll have shit I've never seen before, but what I can do is shed some light on what they might be capable of," the elf said, reaching out to touch a bust of a face he couldn't recognize.
"Would you help me, then?" Thorsen asked. "With what, exactly, Ser Thorsen?" Gwili asked without hiding his confusion. "With training them," the giant said, opening a door that led to a training ground where Marte, Neko, Leona and a few other soldiers were training.
I just came to deliver a warning, but this is turning out better than I ever could've expected, the elf thought.
"Thorsen!" Leona called out, beckoning him over to her. She was in a light leather jerkin, her midnight hair tied up in a close-fitting braid and brandishing a wooden short-sword. Neko and Marte were also in similar training attire, though theirs looked much worse for wear than the queens, naturally.
"Your majesty, I apologize for interrupting your training," Thorsen said, bowing low. Gwili, who hadn't realized who the giant was talking to, quickly followed suit.
Did he just say your majesty? The elf thought as he stared at the ground by his feet.
"Arise, Commander," she beckoned him with a gesture. "And who might this be?" she asked, noticing the elf who, until now, had been dwarfed by the size of the commander. "Gwili Gwynn, your majesty. A humble elf of Caegwen," he said, not daring to look up at her.
"Oh, I didn't know King Phrys had sent an envoy! Are you here with a message about my lo-... I mean, Bernar and Thoma?" she asked, stammering her recovery.
How the fuck does she know Bernar? That… that handsome son of a bitch has done it again, hasn't he? Gwili thought.
"No, your majesty, though I did see them along the Pass as they crossed into Caegwen not even two weeks ago," he said, a wry grin he was unable to hide showing on his face. "Oh, I see," she said dejectedly. "In any case, what brings you here, Gwili?" she asked in a friendly tone.
"I wish I were the bearer of good news, but as I've discussed with Ser Thorsen here, your majesty: I think someone has snuck into the castle and is out for blood," the elf said in a grave tone as a serious expression began to darken his face.
Her eyes hardened, her knuckles turning white as gripped the sword tightly. "I'm no stranger to attempts on my life. It's why I'm currently out here training, in the event of a next one," she said, twirling her sword and ending it with a sharp swing, bringing it to a halt down at her right side.
"I suggested that, with him being the only one who has actually seen them, and since he has some experience in the matter, that he train those of you here in counter-stealth tactics," Thorsen said, noticing the air change throughout the course of their conversation. Leona eyed her commander curiously. "Do you trust him, commander?" she asked, her tone serious and expectant. "I do, your majesty," Thorsen replied with a nod.
"Well, then. No point in dallying around any longer, is there? Marte, Neko, come here," Leona said, calling the two others to join the group. The pair trotted over quickly, but as soon as Marte caught Gwili's gaze, she blushed, hoping he hadn't noticed.
It's been a long time since anyone has blushed looking at me, he thought, smiling warmly at her.