The Roads

Lavia sighed as she held the reigns, the horse trotted along the road rather comfortably despite it's massive load. The wheels of the carriage behind her rolled easily upon the rough dirt that seemed more trailed than the seemingly abandoned roads closer to Lament. The freedom seemed lack luster knowing that she was heading into a war, the world had seemed a lot more welcoming back when she was confined. She found herself traveling now with her undead captor who hid away in the shade of the carriage with their supplies.

She wished to simply open the doors and let the sunshine do away with him, though that would not be a satisfying end to the man who had treated her like a child fussing about when she was starved. That and her vow to kill him with her own hands, in combat. She figured now that she was at full strength she should be equal to him, he was but a year in his new strength while she was twenty. There shouldn't be too much of a difference in strength, she even slain a few vampires before kin and her were captured. Lavia looked back at the red wood carriage, hoping he'd feel her rage at him through the wood.

"What is it Lavia?" A voice came from within the wood box, she leaned away from it. Could he see her from within? Was it coincidence?

"How did you know I was staring towards you?" She asked inquisitively, focusing her attention back on the trail.

"I didn't, I could just hear your heart racing. It's annoying, keeps me from resting." Gawain said in an annoyance, as if her rage was nothing but a mere nuisance.

She growled, with that sort of hearing sneaking up on them could be nothing short of impossible. "Apologies, didn't mean to keep your highness from sleeping."

"His highness is fine, what's got you so agitated?" The voice seemed closer, he must have moved to the wall nearest to her from within.

"You." She snapped.

"Hm?" Was all she heard.

"You keep me for a year and release me to head into war for my people against yours. Do you know no loyalty? You accept my vow to kill you and live about as if no danger will befall you. It angers me that you do not take neither my people plight or I seriously." She yelled out, banging a fist against the side of the carriage.

"If you attacked me, you'd either end up dead or crippled. No help to your people like that. I'm no longer human, I'd be discovered as a vampire immediately amongst them and hunted down like a dog. I can't even be sure that my own family wouldn't turn their backs on me." His voice seemed to have trailed off, as if he was trying to compose himself. "So I rather not wish to face them, the battlefield is the one place I won't find them." He said sighing, a soft hit resonated from within the carriage, he must have leaned his head against it's walls.

"I crave battle, my blood boils for it instead of blood. So I choose to fight in this war, had it been between dwarves, elves, chaos or darkness. I would have chosen whichever keeps me away from my family and I'll keep the war away from them. I'll wait until they die of old age before roaming freely, I have a lot more time now." He finished, his words sounded soft, saddened.

"Your time won't be too long. I'll make sure of that." She whispered under her breath, she figured he heard her but he said nothing in response.

The traveling had finally reached the border of Kyros, now she was seeing a few refugees carrying bags as if they tried to take their homes with them. She curled her tail back under the cloak, adjusting her cap to be sure her horns were hidden as they road closer to their horse and cart. It was a large family, two parents with five sleeping kids. The father looked over to Lavia and have her a bow of his head.

"It seems were aren't the only ones fleeing Redwind, Gabby." He said to the woman while gesturing to Lavia, he was an old looking man, beard tainted with gray, brown eyes, wrinkles and a large mole on his nose.

"Aye" The woman turned to face Lavia, she wore a hood over her head, so her features were hidden till that moment. She was a young redhead, blue eyes and fair skin, pretty she appeared for human standards. "Another lady, goodness, do you travel alone it's dangerous." The woman said concerned.

Lavia kept her head from facing them head on, she didn't wish to fake a smile to these less than her but remained polite. "No, I got a le- man in the back. He sleeps, been riding for a few days."

"A few days? Do you not come from Redwind?" The man said with a raise of the brow.

"Afraid not." She paused for a moment "A small village from the west, we wanted to see the country. What occurred in Redwind?"

"Oh lass" He said shaking his head.

"You've picked a hell of a time to elope dear." The woman said with a hint of sadness. "Redwind has been plagued, crops disappearing and so have people." She seemed more fearful as she spoke "There have been talks"

"Gabby, don't fill her head with nonsense." The man interrupted.

"Ben, it's not nonsense!" She shouted back, some of the children stirred but none woke. "I've seen em, rats the size of men. It was dark but I could have sworn, they moved so fast, I couldn't see them well. I'm sure of what I saw!" She said erratically. "Then all that was left in the field was my husband's corpse" She sobbed

"Gabby calm yourself." Ben said as he rubbed get back, the woman continued to cry as she leaned into him.

"Thank you father" She said in a whimper.

Lavia listened, it sounded like nonsense. She's never heard of rats of that size and in this world there was little that seemed so unreal, but for something like this to just suddenly happen it seemed too much like myth. The woman looked back onto the road "Where are you all heading?"

"To Bluewaters the city north of Greyjoy, I hear they both started moving into the further eastern lands away from these dangers." Ben said, she could hear a shift in the carriage but it didn't distract Lavia from her rage, further east was Ishgard. She did her best not to glance at them, for she feared she might attack them.

"It's a pity what we're doing to the dravians" Gabby said raising her head back up. "It doesn't feel right what we're doing to them"

"Aye, but it's safer lands. That's why we have to go, we know not what devils reign in Kyros now." He said in a soft tone.

Lavia looked at them for a moment, the people were kind and afraid. They didn't wish for a war but yet were too cowardly to oppose it because they knew their troubles would end. It was pitiful, no pride, they didn't care about their beliefs. Her people would never run from their lands, they wouldn't punish another race for their weakness.

Still a little bit of admiration was dealt as she could see these humans doing their best to hold onto their fleeting lives, however short they may be.

"It seems we'll be traveling besides them for a while, be nice." She heard a faint voice said, she knew who it was and simply clicked her tongue while keeping ahead on the road.