Anger Management

With Aurones at the helm they all walked out into of the tent into a large crowd of people drinking, eating and dancing. Many of the residential tents around had the entrances opened wide. In them under small oil lamps people played many different games, told grand heroism of their people to the intently listening children, even some woman dressed in orange garbs read peoples futures and in some the few who could read well enough read educational or historical books to full grown men, who listened much like the children in the other tents intently as they smoked small grey clouds into the air above them, admittedly those tents, of which there a lot fewer than the other ones were mostly closed, trying to have a more relaxed mood no doubt. Though even with all their efforts to create a celebrative mood, colorful banners and marquees, the many different sweet and hearty foods, the beer and song being only the most obvious ones, everyone had a melancholy depressing their celebration.

Quickly some people who had to help with giving to people drink and food greeted the almost dozen dignitaries with cups of wine and tablets which had arrangements of biscuits and pastries. For them to be on such a harsh journey they were extraordinarily regal in their food. Thinking back to the crowded graveyard Theodor concluded that between now and then they had overcome many troubles. Despite their fate they prevailed and fought for a better day, for the privilege to have a home to party in. It made him respect these Elves, as much as he couldn't yet grasp such pains. Being given a drink Theodor held back. Knowing what these people had to go through thanks to the actions by humans he felt out of place. Besides himself he could see Rebtoch much more cheerful than he expected grab a larger cup of beer and Lembrandt leaving away from the group towards a kind of wagon. It was large and was more like a small shed on wheels. 

Theodor was never the biggest party goer, so he went after Lembrandt, who in turn grew quickly aware of his pursuer. He stretched tall by a small window and layed the old book he still carried with him on the window sill.

"So?" he asked Theodor, "Got a plan to safe her, or are you simply hoping the vampire will be as foolish as our majesty with you?". Theodor kind of already expected him to ask directly, even if him calling his king foolish was unexpectedly honest. These people had to have a way more relaxed attitude when it comes to royalty than one suspect of people culturally stuck in the medieval times. "I have an idea, but nothing concrete yet. Do you think the Orcs that attacked us were his underlings?" inquired Theodor, which Lembrandt confirmed. It was clear to both though that those four beasts weren't the only creatures that vampire commanded. On the question of the location of the vampire lord he received only a conceded nod, which Theodor interpreted as their way to deny.

"So no idea?" Theodor asked further to which Lembrandt let his shoulder sink and confirm that they had no clue.

"After awaking here I climbed up a stone ledge and saw a ruined castle in the valley." Theodor informed him, but Lembrandt didnt even let him wonder if that was the place.

"Vampire Lord's are extremely egotistical beings. They wouldn't accept a ruin to even house their direct underlings, much less himself." he told Theodor.

While considering that road block began Theodor to wonder how the king could even promise him that his people would simply convert to his goddess, especially if the head priestess was in their midst again. Now Lembrandt had to think over his answer to his question.

"Unlike a being like you we mortals can't exactly do what is upstanding. We have to be opportunists and will believe in the deity from which we can get the best life, otherwise we'd put our families in danger. As much as we adore our goddess Loressa, we cannot put the entirety of our people on the line to uphold the believe into her. The king will give you the chance to proof yourself and considering that his instinct has not disappointed till now, I think most will be willing to follow his hunch.". Now Theodor looked to his feet and considered how the Ashenfolk saw greater beings and valued believe. Lembrandt also thought about how a greater being would see faith and consider such open words now. He could beat himself up. How insulting his peoples morals about believe must seem and he had just informed a prophet of that? Sadly this tendency to over share was something he could never really grasp control of. Theodor now asked if Lembrandt would also follow the hunch. A question which surprised Lembrandt. He found it weird that Theodor didn't inquire more about his peoples relationship to their gods.

"Well, yes I suppose? If you successfully return with the head priestess I would see no other way to coexist with a being as mighty as you. And I for one trust his majesty, even as aloof as he sometimes seems." He admitted smiling.

"But now excuse me please, I need to continue my research." he excused himself into his wagon, which Theodor accepted. He decided to go around the outskirts of the tent city. As much as he'd love to taste the sweets and listen to the stories he knew that his presence alone would be too disturbing to the people.

It took a long walk until he reached the grave yard again. Out of boredom he decided to read the inscriptions in some of the wooden boards which served as grave stones. Unsurprisingly, the written words were nothing more than gibberish to him. Thinking back to the tents with the adult men being read to, he at least wouldn't need to feel ashamed about his illiterateness. Learning to read and write was certainly on his to-do list though. He found it frankly annoying to be hindered like that. In the middle of the circular build yard there was a pedestal made of roughly cut rock with a finely chiseled figure. It reminded him of a crying nun, her hands stretched from her sides with a sorrowful face. On the right side of her he sat down on the pedestal. Slowly he let his self control go, to relax for once.

"Fuck. This whole situation is laughable." He said to himself. Unbeknownst to him he had a listener besides the dear nun.

"Tell me about it. Not only did they leave that fucking piece of shit alive, but now they're just celebrating to up our moral. Pathetic." a young feminine voice said from behind him. For a moment Theodor sat up shocked, thinking the figure was actually able to talk.

"Is there someone?" he asked sheepishly, to which a grey arm appeared from behind the figure, "Yeah here bud. What? Did you think the old lady out of the sudden talked?" She asked amused and yet still angry. Theodor sighed in relieve.

"Sorry I listened in. But this is normally my place to blow of lava." she apologized unapologetically. "No worries, just don't look who I am. You knowing who I am would embarrass me a lot." he requested.

"Fair. I'd also be embarrassed if you'd know who I am. But it's such a fucking joke isn't it? I saw when they brought that human in. Hoped they'd tear him four ways in the middle of town. Or maybe slowly drown him in the lake. That's where that barbarian spotted me when I was getting some water. The way he ran at me, I'm sure he only had the worst intentions! Makes me sick to even just think of it." She ranted. If she always talked like this to herself, or got invigorated from her faceless audience, Theodor did not know.

"You really despise humans, don't you?" Theodor said to which her answer was a prompt and swift "Naturally! Totally and utterly. If I could destroy all their town and cities, as they did with our's, I would. Nothing will ever right their crimes against us. What? Do you not despise them?" Theodor thought quickly.

"My family was very lucky and we all made it, so my grudge is not as great. Not that that makes what they did to us just okay." he replied to which she scuffed.

"Well lucky you, I lost my mother and younger sister to those beasts. I honestly don't see such a difference to the beasts from this dark continent. Maybe them being able to feint sympathy makes them even worse? And now... ugh Fuck! Shit! Curses! Now there's one inexplicably here, alive and well inside these walls! Probably plotting to open our gates to the monsters outside. Or poisoning our well? If I had the chance I'd stab him with my knife instantly." To her mentioning her knife Theodor grabbed the side of his hip. There he had fastened Lembrandt's sword. Shock and horror overcame him when he remembered letting it behind besides his seat in the regal tent.

"But you know what's just as dumb?" The bundle of anger and killing intent asked him, to which he gave a sheepish "What?".

"This dumb 'celebration' of course! What are we celebrating, huh?! Wow, we aren't starving to death. Not on account of his highness, that's for sure. All the friends and family we left behind, argh FUCK!" she screamed out, stomping her feet. After a moment of silence Theodor could hear her again, this time sounding dejected she asked him

"Do you think we'll ever be reunited with them, with my mother and sister?" gone now was the revengeful Fury, who gave way for a deeply hurt girl who lost most of what she thought made her. Theodor pondered her feelings for a moment. He felt sorry for the girl and he made a promise to the king anyway. It didn't matter if she liked the reason for the reunification, or did it? Of course not he thought.

"I'm sure of it. It may take time but they will find their way to us. We just have to stay vigilant, so they can return to a build home." he comforted her, which created a approving but quiet sob from the other side of the figure.

"You know what? We should do this more often. In three days one hari after dawn, Okay?" she now said, recomposed. "Yeah, I'd love to." he answered. He couldn't exactly deny her.

"Great, I'll go first then." she ended their conversation, leaving the graveyard on the left side with quick steps. Theodor slowly sat up. He was so much in thought he did not notice how his hand was rigidly clenched around the right ankle of the figure. Only question he now had was how long exactly a 'hari' lasts.