Holier Than Thou

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad guided Atul a little further from the others, whose eyes were following them curiously. He'd worked for the ever-stoic and decisive (to a fault) Sinead for so long, that he sometimes forgot Atul was a fairly new ruler who was learning a lot of things as he went. He could try to tell the man what to do, but this was his kingdom, and he knew it best. Vlad decided to just give him all the information he had. "Tenele is extremely strong where diplomacy and boundaries are concerned. But I'm concerned this may be deeper than just taking advantage of sick people's loyalties. The buzzards up there, overhead?" He gestured toward the birds. "They showed up before the sickness did. And Arken already claims to be studying a cure. For an isolated illness in a single village that isn't theirs. Something reeks about all of this. Then again, I did just immolate myself in ladies' perfume."

[Emora Deen]

Atul nodded. "I was wondering what that smell was..." He let out a heavy sigh. "So its safe to assume that Arken has orchestrated this... Which means we have absolutely no idea what they've concocted or how far they plan to take it. We may get our best answers by going back to the capital. I want to leave my men here, and a smaller group of us head back. I need to leave some symbol that I'm not abandoning these people.

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad gritted his teeth. "You could leave me. I can care for them without contracting disease. I can...sanitize myself properly between patients. If you can get a doctor to advise me and supplies out here, I can do the work without risking their safety."

[Emora Deen]

Atul glanced to the city and then to Vlad. He shook his head. "I may need you in the capital. If you think its best if you stay, then stay... At this moment I don't know what's best. I'm not good at this, not went my attention is being divided. I have to tread on careful ground here, Vlad. If you think you should stay, then stay. I'll have a doctor sent here, but it will be two days before they can arrive. Maybe it would be best if you went back with me, and then brought the doctor back with you.... Do you think Tenele's healing would be any use... Or is it too much a risk that she could contract the illness?"

[Soran Nightblade]

"I think that until you can get your men and supplies out here, Arken is the local hero. If we don't look like we can do a better job, our help won't mean anything to them, and Arken can undermine you. I say go back to the Capitol, now. Don't divide your attention. Go, get everything you can, and return with it. If there are answers about the nature of the disease, we may find them in our kind Arken brothers' fleet.

[Emora Deen]

Atul nodded. "Then we'll leave," he agreed, heading back towards camp. He bit his bottom lip before asking. "Tenele, is there anything you want me to tell her? Do you want me to bring her back with me?"

"Get ready to move out! I need a group of five men to head back to Ringuard with me. Ready a horse for the High Lord's daughter, too."

[Soran Nightblade]

"She can have mine," Vlad said. No reason to doom the animal.

"As for Tenele, let her choose. But warn her that if she comes here, I may be as protective as I wish."

[Emora Deen]

Atul smiled. "I will tell her," he told Vlad, patting the man on the back. "See if you can find out anymore from them. I'll see you soon." The King headed off to join the group getting ready to head back to the capital.

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad watched the convoy start to leave. He regretted, just a little, not accepting Atul's lighthearted invitation into his tent the night before. It hadn't appealed much to him, when the person he actually wanted wasn't part of it. He hardly needed such luxuries, he told himself. But he'd grown accustomed to Tenele's heat next to him at night, and it was frustrating to be kept from it. The loss of Atul's company was an additional annoyance.

He brushed soot from his renewed skin and turned back toward the city gates, not interested in watching them leave.

[Emora Deen]

Espha dressed quickly in some of Atul's clothing, but as they were getting ready to leave she turned to look back at the city. "Forgive me, your majesty," the young woman muttered. "I have to stay. This is my city. I need to be as much help as I can. My father wanted me to tell you what had happened, and I have... May I stay?"

Atul blinked at her, looking back at Vlad and then up at the vultures hovering menacingly overhead. "Yes, you may stay. Please, try not to go into the city. We do not need you sick along with the others. Let Ambassador Dracul enter the city, if anyone must. I will ride as quickly as possible to get home. It will be four days, I pray we make it back in time. Go." With that Atul kicked his horse, and he, along with for of his guards, rode off into the desert.

Espha nodded and turned, running through the sand back towards Vlad.

"I'm staying," Espha told Vlad. "What can I do to help?"

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad frowned as she ran back toward him. "Like hell you are. Get back on my horse," he ordered, spinning her by the shoulders and trying to guide her back toward the caravan that was already leaving.

[Emora Deen]

"I was told I could stay, so I'm staying," Espha told him, digging her heals into the dirt. It really did no good trying to fight Vlad's strength. "You need all the help you can get."

* * *

Stalker snarled at the Arken men, brushing closer to Tenele. "Why are they in the city walls?" she demanded of the advisers. The leader apparent to the Arken's smirked at her displeasure.

"The advisers got together and decided that you were being to personal with your views. Arken's have always been welcom-"

"Arken's do not do things out of kindness," Tenele hissed, not caring whether they could hear her or not. "They destroy. They burn villages, rape women, torture, murder. Everything encompassing evil and hatred follows these men and you are letting them into your city without your King's permission and while he is gone."

"As I stated earlier, The Queen's Maiden has a personal hatred for us. War is a gruesome place, but the past should not hinder humanitarian efforts," the Arken mused. "I appreciate the council seeing it from my point of view and allowing us entrance."

Tenele's teeth clenched painfully tight.

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad frowned as the horses disappeared in the distance. If he really wanted to, he could pick the fool woman up and run. But he wasn't in the greatest of moods, and having a human clinging around him didn't improve it any. "Fine, dig your own grave if you insist," he snorted, turning back toward the city.

[Emora Deen]

"If I have to!" the young woman called, folding her arms. "Are you going back into the city?!"

* * *

Tenele stormed out of the throne room, Stalker trailing behind her. Even out in the hall she couldn't escape Arkens. Now, that Atul's advisers had given them permission to enter the city, they seemed to be everywhere.

"Down boy," Tenele muttered to Stalker, stroking her hand over the top of his head. He seemed to sense her tenseness and snapped at anything that came close. She was surrounded by her enemy, and because she was standing representative of Atul's kingdom... and because the Arkens would use the slightest bit of aggression she used as a way to have her locked up or executed. She was forced to be tolerant of monsters.

[Soran Nightblade]

"Yes. I have work to do," Vlad muttered.