[Couronne] Horsing around

[Arkash]

The 27th of Glade, 4622

It had been relatively quiet around the estate since Arkash's return. There were no ruminations that he knew of from the new selection of staff, with whom Arkash had made the effort to get well acquainted.

Relatively speaking, the latest Valran were quite impressive. The new menu was much broader than the last time around, and with much more depth to strength in its bones, it was almost hard to resist... Almost.

It wasn't like his time in Fort Valrazan though, no. He couldn't simply pluck the staff aside and expect not to be caught; it would only hurt the Veir of the house in the end. No, Arkash was on his best behavior day in and day out. He didn't once assume his True form; he lived as a human of unsuspecting features. Everything he ate came from the streets, and never once did he show any glimmer of purpose or interest outside of his pursuits in Necromancy. He was, after all, playing the role of Veir Socorro's doctor.

That was to say Arkash had been on his best behavior up until the past couple of days. A mule had been wandering about the estate with no good reason, or so he'd found. It was first the smell that drew him in, as the stink of wild animal clung to just about every stretch of fabric it wandered by and buried itself in every minuscule crack and splinter in the woodwork and wallpaper that littered the structure. Then it was the trot of its feet on the tiled and wooden floors, the shift of wooden beams in the ceilings beneath its weight.

The braying and the flies it drew to the estate were obnoxious, but Arkash found the strength to focus on his work regardless. It wasn't there all the time, but when it appeared, Arkash found no shortage of stress. There was something deeply upsetting about seeing an animal wandering the halls, especially when no one else seemed to realize it was there, no one else with a sense of smell as impeccable as his own.

Arkash couldn't simply kill the beast, he imagined. There must have been a reason that the Veir was keeping it around, the Rathor reasoned. But even if he couldn't kill or be rid of the beast, he could make its presence work for him.

Dressed in rather fine, yet casual attire, Arkash made his way through the estate with his sense of smell to guide him. One hand rested its thumb in the rim of his pocket while the other carried the brass handle of a large, black leather bag. Cautious brown eyes trailed the way as Arkash stepped without sound, adjusted his vest as it rested beneath his tailcoat, and looked over his shoulder to ensure he'd not been seen heading in that direction of the estate.

A brief exhale saw him expel some of the cumbersome heat from his lungs as he proceeded into the halls.

The beast's scent was laid like a trail, and he followed where it had been with great accuracy. Occasionally, he'd happen upon the scuff of a hoofmark in the flooring as if to assure him that he was headed in the right direction. Up a flight of stairs and through the proceeding hall, Arkash stopped at the door of one of the rooms. The smell of the mule seemed to have lingered there for some time; it was dense, almost tangible in the air as told by the burn of his eyes.

Arkash looked over his shoulder again as he tested the handle of the door. There was a single beating heart within the room, running at about the pace he'd expect for a creature of that size. Cautiously, he watched the halls as he let himself in, then quietly shut the door with his back to the room. A deep exhale saw him visibly relax as he rolled his shoulders and set the bag down. Casually, he removed the stuffy tailcoat and draped it over his arm before he recollected the bag from the floor.

Fully, he expected to see a mule as he turned to face the source of the beating heart, but instead, he was greeted by the visage of what looked like a human, sitting at a desk with his finger on a piece of paper. Bewilderment claimed his eyes, as though reality itself had lied to him. "...You're not a mule?" Arkash began with a tilt of his head, some semblance of a question in his tone.

No, it was not. It was the boy he'd seen lingering of late, but not quite spoken to outside of passing greetings.

"Er, sorry... I thought this room was empty," the disguised rathor offered with a slight bow. "Well... No, that's a lie. I thought that donkey was in here," he continued with a brief scoff of a laugh. "Have you seen it?" Came the question midstride in his pleasantries. Arkash's brown eyes fixed on the boy's features at the delivery as if to measure him.

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[Vivian]

Vivian sat at the desk, staring down at the squiggles in the paper. It was a sheet that was supposed to show him the symbolic key to the alphabet he already knew. So A was this weird tent looking thing. B was a pair of testicles on the side. C was just an unclosed O. How was any of this supposed to make sense? He was supposed to write his name over and over again. V-I-V-I-A-N.

How in the gods’ names did that make Vivian? Alright he could see the VIV bit, since the V made a “vuh” sound and I was “eyh”. So but how did IAN make “ee-uhn”? Shouldn’t it have been V-I-V-Y-U-N? Where did the I and A come into play and why did they make a weird noise together versus alone? Why were the symbols the same? He rubbed at the bridge of his nose.

Vivian would have much rather been hanging out with Bara or sucking off Veir Socorro than doing this sort of shit. At the very least he was clean. His clothes were neat, and Veir Socorro had promised him new ones. Assuming the man had the time to take him shopping. Ah well, that was laughably easy to keep interesting. Put on a few lacy things that left very little to the imagination and he could keep Veir Socorro occupied for hours.

Someone opened the door, as though drawn there by his thoughts. Vivian’s eyes flicked up but he stayed motionless. There was a man with his back to the door but no one Vivian recognized. Vivian smirked. Alright, just as he’d been hoping for a distraction. He stood up slowly, quietly, and raked his fingers through his hair. He looked suitably alluring as the man turned to him, and Vivian gave him a come-hither look under his long lashes.

Mule? Vivian blinked. Did he mean Bara?

He laughed, coming out from behind the desk to perch on it, folding one of his long legs over the other. “Why would Bara be upstairs?” He giggled. “He’s outside on the lawn, he knows better than to come inside. He wouldn’t fit anyway.”

He frowned slightly. “Mule, not donkey. Of course I’ve seen him. He’s mine.” He said carefully. “Veir Socorro said I could keep him here.” He didn’t want this one to get any ideas about Bara. Bara was his best friend in the world. He’d sooner leave this comfortable room with its comfortable bed and running water before he’d see the gentle creature hurt. “What could you possibly want with him?”

[Arkash]

The pale human was thankfully unoffended by his intrusion, Arkash found. If anything, the boy was apparently grateful for the distraction… From whatever it was he was doing with his eyes.

The laugh that was returned also indicated that this one wasn’t offended by Arkash’s accidental comparison to a mule. In return, Arkash breathed a sigh of relief.

“Bara…” Arkash rolled off his tongue. “Wait, what?” At that, the guised Rathor quickly stepped over to the window at the back end of the room and peered out at the lawn. There it was, the mule that had been haunting him. Arkash’s features were away from the boy while he stared on at the beast, but the tension in his clenched fist around the brass handle of his bag was notable.

“Um, no.” Arkash said quite sternly as he turned to face the then perched boy. “I’ve seen that mule in here, just standing around- There’s even hoofmarks just down the hall, so I know I’m not imagining things.” It really was quite the unique predicament; no one else had a sense of smell as strong as Arkash’s, and none of the Valran he’d spoken to had even seen the beast. But try as he might to reinforce reality with his words alone, he might have only sounded like a raving madman.

When the boy’s tone changed, however, so did Arkash’s demeanor. His eyes widened at the revelation that it was, in fact, his mule, and not a donkey. He did catch himself, but there was a clear moment of panic in his composure. Behind his eyes, scenarios ran wild before the boy had even asked his question. What was a good reason for him to be carrying a necromancer’s kit around while looking for the mule?

“Oh, nothing…! Well, nothing bad, that is. I was just going to have a look for any parasites or illness in case the poor thing was… Suffering…” continued the doctor with a sort of consideration to the press of his brow, and a lift of his bag for emphasis. “I’m actually pretty good with animals, you know. I raised a Wrogon from a piglet once,” he added as if to add to the image that he was a qualified veterinarian. “Of course if you’re not comfortable with that I can leave it alone, it’s really no bother” he continued with a trail and a gesture of his open hand.

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[Vivian]

Vivian studied the man in front of him as he leaned to look out the window. He seemed shocked and confused that Bara was outside, bewildered almost. If he was associated with Veir Socorro there was a good chance that the Veir hadn’t told this man about his Malformation. Good. Vivian didn’t like others spilling his secrets, and he was an unregistered mage. He eyed the man’s dress, and the way he clutched his bag. That wasn’t a normal doctor’s bag. He bet anything that he was looking for Bara for…less than savory reasons. To keep his friend safe he had to figure out exactly what those were.

He smiled patiently. “Bara can’t fit through the door. It’s impossible for you to have seen him. He’s staked out on the lawn for a reason.” He reasoned. Hopefully that would see fit to convince the man he hadn’t seen Vivian wandering around in mule form. Hm. He would have to clean those hoof marks next time, lest he anger the servants by scuffing the floor. He was already behind the eight ball with them by breaking a toilet and flooding a bathroom.

Vivian’s face brightened into a smile when the man mentioned treatment. Oh really? He thought he was going to sell him with that stuttered line? Vivian had seen more convincing performances by crippled streetwalkers. He gave the man the sweetest, most genuine smile he could manage and took him by the arm. “In that case it’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Vivian. Why don’t we go down and take a look at him, since you’re ready with your bag and all.” He said, batting his eyes innocently at him.

Vivian made to lead the man downstairs and out the back door to the lawn, where Bara was chewing on clover contentedly. The draft mule pricked up his ears as Vivian approached, and Vivian rubbed his nose lovingly. He looked at Arkash. Now, to get a look inside that case…and be ready with a draft kick of his own if he intended anything evil.

[Arkash]

Arkash shook his head with a distinct frown. “I will show you to the hoofprints; I’m not imagining things,” he pressed again quite sternly. Adamant, Arkash held his position on the presence of the mule without so much as an inch to budge.

To his surprise, however, the boy seemed to buy Arkash’s story. He couldn’t help but grin internally at his mastery of deception; people were so easy to fool. “It’s nice to meet you too, Vivian.” He spoke with a courteous bow, and returned to the sort of regal hold he carried himself with. His posture was important in body language, he recognized. And with how much first impressions mattered, Arkash was certain to practice his best.

“Wait… Now?” Arkash asked with a hint of hesitation when the boy offered to stop by the Mule right that second. He didn’t have an excuse not to, after all, he’d gone looking for the beast with his kit in tow. “Right, yes, that would be grand…” He spoke with a brief smile that immediately dropped to frustration and annoyance the moment the boy turned his back.

Through the halls, Arkash followed the human without much to say. Even when he passed the hoofmarks on the floor, he said nothing of them. Instead, Arkash focused squarely on the scuff to reinforce his own reality; the beast had DEFINITELY been upstairs.

Once they were outside, Arkash squinted to the harsh sunlight, and lifted the hand of his coated arm to block the sun before he set his bag down on the patio and began to re-dress in his coat. Once that was done, he adjusted his cuffs, collected his bag, then straightened his vest and cleared his throat before he resumed his approach to the beast. His fine shoes weren’t spared the dew of the grass or the filth that laid beneath.

Arkash had considered his limited knowledge on animal husbandry on his approach, but didn’t share his thoughts with the boy. There were a few universal traits he could look for, but anything much more than surface-level examination wasn’t going to work.

The disguised Rath cleared his throat, then set his bag on the ground once he was within a few feet of the Mule.

His lips parted a little, and he began to breathe through his mouth as his eye watered slightly.

Kneeling down, Arkash opened his back and drew a pair of gloves from its contents. Inside was a mortar and pestle, some sort of syringe gun with a milky white paste in the attached glass vial, a series of small, handheld hook-like sickles, some sort of pen instrument, a golden needle, some tub of unknown contents, a pair of tongs, and some sort of bladed stick. It certainly didn’t look like a regular doctor’s kit.

Arkash merely pulled his gloves on while the boy had a look at the contents of his bag, and briefly glanced up at him from where he stayed crouched until he had everything he needed.

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[Vivian]

"I never said you were mad." Vivian said patiently. The stranger was right. Vivian had been using the form indoors, but only as far as practicing what the Veir had taught him about using pieces of his form. He had to admit, he looked rather fetching with just the bottom legs of the mule, especially when he tuned the form a bit to blend into his human one. He was quickly learning that Malformity could be an art form much like his cosmetics, and the more he messed with it the more he could get good at it. Also...in the privacy of his own room, he'd discovered he didn't mind having a prick the size of the average arm. Again, something he could use in his line of work if it ever came up. There were already legends about satyrs and men with the bottom halves of goats. Paying a little extra to play with a real one would be intriguing to some of his less savory clients. Either way, he had to remember to clean the floors; those big feet picked up everything.

Vivian watched Arkash carefully once they were outside. The sunlight seemed to bother him, and Vivian tilted his head. That was odd. He was getting the same feeling off of this man that he got off the Veir; that something was terribly off with him. He couldn't put his finger on what, but this entire household seemed to collect the strange and unusual. Maybe that was why Vivian was here. He clicked his tongue to Bara while his companion was re-arranging himself and smiled when the mule's head picked up. Bara whicker-squealed at him, his long ears flopping a bit as he made his way over to Vivian. Vivian rubbed his soft nose, patting his neck for a moment. The mule was certainly happier here than he ever had been at the stable. Sweet grass and thistle alongside his normal ration of oats and hay was doing him good, and the servants would no doubt appreciate the dung for the garden.

The whore studied the other man as he set up his kit, and frowned. That didn't look like a doctor's kit. That didn't look like a doctor's kit at all. Vivian had seen his share of veterinarians; he'd had to fuck a few when Bara had gotten choke one year, or needed his feet trimmed. The damn mule had cost him quite a bit when he'd stepped on a stone and gotten a sore foot, which Vivian had to dutifully pack for the better part of a week. Veterinarians had bandages, and used their hands. Not sharp instruments. He didn't like the look of the pointy thing filled with milky liquid, or the sickles. He eyed Arkash. He wasn't a doctor, and he wasn't looking for Bara out of any concern for the mule's health...that much was certain.

Vivian was wary of offending him too strongly though. If the Veir was anything to go by, his associates wouldn't be weak. "I figure we could start by checking his feet and teeth." Vivian said carefully. Things that Arkash wouldn't need any instruments for, and while Bara was messing with him in the awkward position it took to get the mule's heavy feet up, he could take a better look at that kit.

[Arkash]

Arkash’s positioning was quite deliberate; he’d placed himself some distance from the mule and stayed crouched while he donned his gloves so that his hands were between his head, the animal, and the boy. By extension, he was a smaller target, and the placement of his feet on the grass granted stability. Arkash might not have openly shown his awareness of the younger man’s prying eyes, but it was still there beneath the surface.

In case the boy had taken offense to a Necromancer examining his mule, Arkash was ready. As it happened, the human didn’t recognize his tools, nor his intent by extension. Alas, it seemed he’d actually have to examine the beast – and not in the way he’d wanted.

With a deep exhale, Arkash pressed into his knees and lifted his light frame to stand upright. “I know how to do my job,” Arkash said simply at the younger man’s instructions. It was hard to conceal the irritation that bled through his tone.

Again, Arkash drew a deep breath through his mouth and closed the rest of the gap with the beast. Examining the mouth was no different than the Wrogon at home, but without the addition of tusks to worry about. He stood to the left of the beast and gently pried the mouth open with his thumbs. Quickly, but gently, Arkash seized the mule’s tongue between his finger and thumb, and pulled it out to the side. There, the creature’s mouth stayed open, and its yellowed teeth were on display. Meanwhile, his keen ears listened to the boy’s movements behind him, inhuman in their strength.

The Rath squinted a little, then nodded. “Well the teeth are good and healthy… There’s a little bit of tartar buildup, but nothing some toothpaste won’t fix,” Arkash explained as he let the tongue go, briefly met the beast’s eyes, then frowned.

“As for the hooves…” Arkash began as he bent down at the knees to squat and squinted at the hoof. They looked fine, he supposed. Was he meant to look at the underside too? Probably. With a sigh, he inched forward a little, took hold of the beast’s leg and tried to lift it… But failed. Arkash’s brows furrowed, and he reflexively pressed his knee to the damp grass for better stability. He tried again with a little more force, but found the weight of such a thing to be beyond what any human of his stature would reasonably be able to lift.

He'd made a mistake. What was he doing? There had to be some other way to lift the mule’s leg, right?

It didn’t matter, the younger man had no doubt seen Veterinarians in action before; the mule appeared to be well cared for.

So, he put on a show. His teeth bared, his eyes shut tight, and his arms shook with a display of strain. He added an elongated grunt for extra effect as he leaned back, and offered the display of trying his best to lift the hoof from his awkward position, then gave up after a few seconds and let the tension go. “Ulen’s wrath… What are you feeding this thing?” Arkash spoke between his labored breaths… Then began to laugh from the diaphragm, deep, forceful, almost manic in its composition.

What in Bel was he doing?

He began to remove his gloves as he stood, the last breaths of his laugh trailed off as he turned to face the younger man, smile maintained. “…I’m not a vet,” he confessed with an exasperated sigh. “But you already knew that from looking in my bag, didn’t you?”

…

“My name is Caro Caedimire, and I am a Necromancer.”

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[Vivian]

Oh, this was about to get good.

Vivian had expected him to give up from the off, but now he was actually trying to pretend like he was examining the mule! He smirked at Bara and mouthed an apology as the mule’s mouth was forced open and his…tongue grabbed? He put a hand over his own mouth to suppress a giggle. Equines didn’t need their teeth brushed. Their teeth were made out of a porous material named cementum, which was easily stained. They often needed their teeth floated, or the outer edges filed down, but brushing their teeth wasn’t necessary. Vivian may have had to suck a lot of cock to get Bara medical care, but he paid attention to the veterinarian’s spiels about health.

Toothpaste! He grinned and looked at Bara, who was shaking his head and working his tongue in and out of his mouth. He’d never had his tongue yanked about like that before. What had that man been doing? It was a good thing he was a good natured sort or he might have clipped the man’s fingers off. He certainly wasn’t going to help him with his feet, not without the proper cues.

Bara did reach around and nip sharply at the man’s rear end when he tried yanking on his leg. Vivian took a moment while the stranger was grunting and Bara was making protesting noises to examine the kit. It didn’t look magical in nature, nor particularly medical. It looked like a torturer’s kit. But what would a torturer want with a mule? Why hurt Bara?

Vivian needed more information. He watched as the man began laughing and stood up. “I knew you weren’t a vet the moment you tried to examine my friend like a man who’s never held a hoof pick in his life.” He said carefully. A necromancer? He’d never met one before. A raiser of the dead…he’d heard that they raided the graves of the poor, which was why cremation was becoming such a dubiously popular option in the slums.

“First of all, that is the worst fake name in a long line of fake names.” Vivian chuckled. If this man had lied to him about his vocation, and knowing the reputation of necromancers…he’d lie about his name too. Just in case Vivian went running to the Sunderers. Was this Degare’s big secret? He had a Necromancer on staff? Degare really didn’t know him that well if he thought Vivian would turn in a man for his magic alone.

“Oh, and by the way…” Vivian shooed him away from Bara for a moment. “…watch.”

The whore leaned into Bara’s powerful shoulder and squeezed his fingers down the tendon of the mule’s foreleg. Bara shifted his weight, and helpfully picked up the foot. Vivian cradled the heavy thing in his hands, and settled it between his thighs on top of his knees. “See?” He pulled a few stones out of Bara’s frog and patted the mule, letting his foot back down. “And mules don’t get tartar, their teeth wear down constantly unlike ours. They don’t have that pretty white enamel. Thus the yellowing. And uh…”

Vivian walked to the front of the mule and petted his nose. He slid his fingers into his mouth, behind his incisors, and used his other hand to lift the mule’s lip. He slid a hand inside the animal’s mouth, touching the outside of his molars near his cheeks. Smooth. He withdrew his now slimy hand and kissed the mule on the velvety lip, releasing him. “Easy when you know how. You’re checking the outside of his molars; they wear unevenly and can pierce their cheeks, causing injuries.”

Vivian wiped his hand on his jacket, and nodded at the kit. “I’m not about to turn you in; you’re a friend of Socorro’s and that’s his decision. But I’m going to have to ask you what you were going to do to my friend. He’s off limits. Understand me?” His tone was firmer. He was much more confident in his magic now, and that mule was the one friend he had on this earth.

He’d be damned if he was going to see him hurt. “Off with you now, handsome. Mommy’s talking.” He cooed to the mule, and patted his shoulder. Bara nickered at him, and moved off to go investigate some clover.

[Arkash]

Both his brows raised above the accepting smile that drew his lips, and he shrugged in surrender when the boy declared he knew Arkash wasn't a vet. So he'd been had, Arkash should have known better than to try and claim a trade that he had no idea how to perform.

When the human questioned his name, however, both his brows pressed. He'd have questioned Degare's choice in his alias if not for the fact that no one had suspected his humanoid form's name before. "...What do you mean?" Arkash asked while he considered how he might react to being told that Arkash was a fake name. "...My name really is Caro; I didn't make that much up," he assured with genuine repressed offense in his voice. It was entirely possible that the boy just expected everything he said to be a lie after he'd lied about his profession.

With ease, he stepped out of the way of the boy and crossed his arms below his frown, then watched as the younger man lifted the hoof of the beast. He blinked quickly with both brows raised in surprise. There must have been something about the way in which the boy squeezed the mule's leg, he surmised. On the tartar though, Arkash sighed pensively. "Well, that's good to know for when I next try to impersonate a vet," he said with a nod and closed his eyes while he continued to breathe through his mouth.

When the boy next spoke, he opened his eyes, then furrowed his brows with a tilt of his head. Turn him in? For necromancy? "...To the Halamire?" Arkash asked, somewhat confused. "Well you can, but if you could also give word to any other wealthy clients in need of a Necromancer's services as well, that would be helpful." Necromancy wasn't forbidden in Daravin, such world mages were well sought after for their ability to sculpt and alter the flesh of the vain noble. The service of making one's face and body more appealing and beautiful was highly sought after.

He watched with a raise of his brows as the boy shooed off the beast, then shrugged at his choice of words. "I'll tell you anyway, I feel no shame," Arkash explained. "I have... A keen interest in the Rathor," he said.

"Have you seen them? Those beast-men from the west?"

"They're uncommon here, but there's-" he hesitated. How much did he really want to say?

A deep exhale left his nose while he considered through his pursed lips. "-There's an amalgamation of Rathor in the North of Tyrclaid; it looks as though an entire village was sewn together and made to function like one organism," which was a far cry from an explanation of what he wished to do with the boy's mule. "I don't know who put them that way, but I have... Empathy enough to want to see it undone."

"I want to un-fuse them and rebuild them as individuals, but my knowledge of animal and Rathor anatomy is... Very limited. I was hoping to take a look inside your mule, see how all the insides linked together, take some notes, then close it back up. The notes would then be used as a vague reference for the restoration of that village," he explained as he brought his hands to rest behind his back above the tail of his coat.

"I didn't realize the mule was your friend, but I'll respect your boundaries," he bowed his head sincerely. "...In return, I'd like you to keep the existence of that village a secret; I don't really fancy drawing the aggression of the Necromancer responsible," he declared as he stepped over to his kit and bent at the knee to pick it up. On his way up, he brushed the dirt from his knee, then inspected his hand with a grimace.

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[Vivian]

“Why am I not surprised that blood magic is illegal but something that plays to noble vanity isn’t?” Vivian muttered under his breath. He wasn’t really inclined to believe this Caro, but hopefully he was going to be a little more genuine now. He could hear the restrained tone; he was offended that his name was being called into question. To be fair, any man lying about a vocation could lie about a name. Vivian didn’t trust people as a matter of principle, and he was swiftly learning that every Entente had an ulterior motive. He was only alive because Degare wanted his mark and occasionally to use his body. Whatever small crush he was developing on the Veir would be met with, at minimum, scorn.

“Well then, Caro it is. Sorry for doubting you.” Vivian apologized. “And I wouldn’t try and impersonate a veterinarian again. Bara’s a good sport but I know other studs that would have kicked you ten ways from Sunday for grabbing their tongues like that.” He smirked wryly. He watched as Bara trotted off with a small point of pride. For a stallion, the mule was extremely well-mannered. No doubt he hadn’t enjoyed the strange man handling but he wasn’t about to kick or bite with Vivian there. If Caro had tried anything without Vivian…well, the whore had left it up to the mule what he did with people who touched him without consent. Given that he’d heard stories of mules killing everything from wolves to mountain lions out of rage, it likely wouldn’t have gone well for the Necromancer.

Vivian listened to him speak of the Rathor. “I’ve heard of them. I’d honestly love to meet one, one day. The blend of animal and human is beautiful, and it’s close to what I do.” He said softly. As a Malformation mage, he was quite used to the idea of blending animal and man. His was temporary, and often used with the idea that he wouldn’t be truly himself while in that form. They lived it.

His smile faded when Caro told him of the village. Sewn together like one man? “What evil creature would do something like that? Sew innocent people together? However did you find them? How have they survived like that?” Vivian asked with a horrified fascination. It almost sounded like a malformation work; if mages like himself overstepped too far they became abominations unable to control their forms. They would shamble around mindless horrors forever.

“Of course I’ll help you.” Vivian wasn’t a heartless creature. If anything the plight of a village of Rathor tugged at his heart. When nobles played it was the peasants who suffered. He chewed his lip as he thought of what he could do to help. “…I can’t let you cut open Bara. But I do know of something that could help. I could either help you with my own magic, and we can hunt down that bastard Necromancer who did that to those poor people….or I know of a dumping ground for old cart horses that would work just as well.”

He followed Caro over and smirked at him brushing dirt off. A Necromancer, disliking dirt and blood? “I want to help. I won’t say anything about the village; who would I tell? Degare isn’t the most empathetic creature in the world, but it’s also not really his fault. Good thing he’s a good teacher and a good lay.” He said wryly.