The Moral Equation

[Lanya Caliope]

Somewhere safe, you say? Well isn't that a nice idea. I wish I'd have thought of that before. Thank you for your contribution.

The bitter thoughts were a definitive sign of her exhaustion and pain. Despite everything, she was not bitter by nature, only cautious. With the anger melting away each passing second, she was having more and more trouble focusing. She was tired, hungry, thirsty, and oh, how her head throbbed. She didn't even bother taking note of the rest of her ailments; after being tackled to the street, her body was just one large bruise. Every movement reminded her that she still had ailments to heal.

She raised a hand to her head and swayed slightly when he left to find his horse, wincing as her body swayed. She refused to show such weakness in front of him again - he'd seen her unconcious more often than not by now, and the thought made her want to scream and run.

But she couldn't run. Idly she wondered if she'd be able to run properly again in the future with such an injury. The question depressed her enough that she chose to ignore it.

By the time he returned she'd dropped her hand and was scanning the nearby buildings for Flame. She still refused to call to her little bird, terrified that such a thing would be seen as the magic they so despised - even more terrified that her most cherished companion would be hurt. She couldn't find him and gave up; she would have faith that he was nearby, watching with small dark eyes.

She couldn't help but study the horse as the captain approached. She was fascinated by the muscles she could see shifting underneath its skin. She'd seen plenty of horses before but only ever ridden once. The thought that she would soon be mounted on this creature, too high up to feel the ground, made her almost nauseous. Though it could've been the hunger gnawing at her once more.

She steeled herself and looked at him to answer. She was tired of being helpless and scared; this was just an animal. An animated and living tool. She would do fine.

"No. I've only been on one...twice."

Not ridden, oh no. Merely been on one. And both times in your arms, she added to herself with a light sigh.

[Camulous Smithson]

When Camulous asked if she could ride, he was asking if her injuries would prevent her from doing so, not if she knew how. He couldn't fathom someone not being able to ride a horse. Not anyone who had grown up a decent life in Marn, anyway. She was a strange girl indeed. No wonder she was getting into trouble.

He walked the horse up to her and it immediately leaned its head forward like it was going to sniff her or bite her or something, but the captain yanked it back and it once again got the message rather quickly. It was not a stupid beast, just a friendly one. It seemed brighter than most, and eyeballed her like it was just as interested in her as she was in it. Camulous ignored it and didn't seem like the kind of guy who liked animals.

"The hard part will be getting on with your leg hurt... Stand up here." One hand on the reigns, he moved the horse to a good position and motioned Lanya to stand on the steps leading up to Justice Hall to make things easier. He patted the saddle's pommel with his hand. "Hold here."

Assuming she was going to listen to him if she wanted his help, he offered to help her as much as he could. He sure wasn't going to carry her again.

"Then put your foot here and pull yourself over."

[Lanya Caliope]

She watched his hands carefully as she envisioned what he was trying to say. A large part of her was tempted to tell him to go to hell and storm away...but she just couldn't bother with fighting and wouldn't say such things besides. At least he wasn't quite manhandling her any longer. She took the small comfort she could find.

It was pure luck that the leg that wasn't injured was the one she needed to bend. Hesitant and unsure of her strength, she took the pommel in one hand and rested her other against the end of the saddle. She lifted her good leg, putting all of her weight against the injured knee - something which was painful enough to make her wince despite her best efforts. She took a deep breath...and then tried to mount the horse.

With his help it only took one try - but mostly because once she'd started, to realized that failing would mean either coming down hard against her injured leg or flat-out falling. Stubborn and determined to not add another bruise to her collection, she swung her leg up and over, grunting as she pulled herself into place and letting her legs dangle over either side.

At this point, she looked down. Before stark terror could claim her she closed her eyes and gripped the pommel with both hands, too tense to actually start shaking.

"Now what?" Her voice only reflected a tiny bit of the tension which made her muscles rigid. All that she could think of was how painful it would be to fall off of the horse.

[Camulous Smithson]

The horse behaved itself in the face of an uncertain and inexperienced rider. It, and Camulous, both waited patiently. Camulous offered some assistance when she pulled herself over, but she didn't need any. Once she was mounted, the captain gave the reigns a light tug and they started walking. It was quite bumpy.

"Now we find someplace nobody will find you..." About to say more, he stopped himself and glanced around. There was nobody, but that meant little. He only hoped that the scryers wouldn't be used to track her again. They were not always reliable, and it would take time for them, and Dennison, to trace her. By then, he hoped, he would have Dennison behind bars again.

He led Lanya down the road and turned north toward the hospital. He knew someone who might help, and hopefully knew a thing or two more about the scryers than he did.

[Lanya Caliope]

The bitterness rose once more and she nearly snapped out "What do you care?" It was a near thing, but she was distracted by her grip on the pommel. Her knuckles were white due to her fear of falling, and despite the horse's care for its rider each jerk made her various aches flare up.

Not to mention the knee.

She tried to focus on what he'd said rather than her nervousness. Why was he doing this? She was hesitant to believe that he was helping her in some way. It made no sense. After everything that had happened - after the way he had treated her - why was he doing this now?

And what about Lucian? She was just leaving him, riding away on this man's white horse while her friend remained trapped and alone inside the building. The thought made her heart hurt and tears start to well; she took several deep breaths to calm herself. She could do nothing to help Lucian now. She would need to remember him later, when she wasn't so hurt or helpless.

She prayed they didn't treat him to the same kindness as Wolfhound. Lucian was intelligent, clever, and fearless. All qualities which could either make or break his chances. She hoped he would realize that antagonizing them would lead to his death. She hadn't even tried and she'd been about to die.

But she hadn't.

Now she turned her thoughts and gaze to the captain once more. What was his reasoning? She couldn't help but be baffled. He'd delivered her into their hands and was now not only removing her from them but trying to make sure she wouldn't be found. Protecting her. It made no sense; what was the point?

She couldn't stand her thoughts, and the silence was making it harder to ignore her fear.

"Why are you doing this?" Not helping her, oh no. She refused to believe such a thing. What was the gain? What was his motive?

[Camulous Smithson]

Why are you doing this?

"Because you're innocent."

It was as simple and matter-of-fact as that. He didn't understand why she was confused, but put it down to the havoc of her situation, the pain, confusion, and loss of her friend.

He saw her instruments playing themselves back at the tavern days ago, but it didn't matter anymore. The convulsions of Marnian political justice sucked her in and spat her out again. The instruments could have been playing for any number of reasons. He had no way of knowing whether it was her magic or someone else's. Nor did he care. He'd done his job.

That was as much as the captain could offer. He didn't want to talk. He didn't enjoy talking, and didn't want company. His eyes remained on their destination, which he could already see from where they were.

((continued here: http://www.tharshaddin.com/rp/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=1490 ))