the devil's in the details.

she had been minding her business, hadn’t even spared the man a glance because it wasn’t her place. sure she was making sure everyone was settling in right and nothing was out of place just so that nathaniel did not have to worry too much. but the man had mentioned the forest and the spider most of all, she remembered the stories and the rumors and while no one outright denied the species if they came into topic it was mostly to mess with the minds of tourists. but sybil, she believed in all of this. she spoke to the dead, of course giant spiders weren’t too far off on what could be real. “usually, we stay away from them and they stay away from us.” she said wearily, unsure but wanting to know what this man was going on about as her gaze went to his wound.

“Seems smart.” Levi muses out loud to her comment, allowing a tired sigh to escape his lips. “Wish we woulda’, wasn’t planned though, part o' me I think thought it was just a story, guess tha’s kinda m' own fault.” His head in hanging low his voice even lower, eventually he looks up to her.  “Have ya’ ever seen one?” He raises a brow, he supposed he just wanted to vent, it wasn’t her problem though and he feels back for making it so. “Forgive me, please. I shouldn’t ramble o’ about such things.” Another sigh, it tumbles out effortlessly he wanted to forget just as much as he wanted to remember it all.

there is something about the man, maybe the way he sneers almost instinctively and this is the problem with men —- with soldiers, assassins or bodyguards, whatever the term may be. they are so conditioned to fall into a fighting stance if the moment calls for it. derrek doesn’t even remember what he was like before becoming a knight. was he a kind person? did he smile? did he ever rebel? or was he always the one to blindingly follow someone because they were someone who ‘saved’ them from a worse place? now more than ever he wishes octavius had never showed an interest in him. derrek shrugs, gives the man what resembled a grin if it weren’t for the sharp edges and the way it shows more teeth than strictly necessary. its more threat without the words. “it’s your face,” he stage whispers, leaning in with what hopes is menace. “it annoys the shit out of me.” it’s a lie, he’s never seen the man before today. doesn’t even know his name. he bristles at the word mate —  he isn’t friends with anyone, he made sure of that when he drew anya and lucien away. his hands move before he has a chance to really think things through. at least the man will be able to give as good as he gets, derrek thinks as his hands connect with the man’s chest and he gives a push. “then walk away.”

The other man grins, it’s sharp and cuts at Levi like a knife already digging into his sensibilities, did the man think this a game? Did he take Levi for a fool who could be walked all over like this. Fuck, such a small amount of time talking to the other man, or mostly a lack thereof, their body language spoke for both of them; telling each other that this would only end in the mangling of arms throwing punches and bruised egos and skin no doubt. Then the man actually has the nerve to speak again, doesn’t take Levi’s warning; maybe everyone was right, maybe Ironhaven soldiers had been the worst regardless of who their king was or wasn’t. “Jackass—  a right fuckin’ jackass is what ya’ are.” Levi seethes out the words when the other steps in close, steps in menacingly mocking his face, he doesn’t know what to say beyond that, he’s at a lose for words and is only left to see red. Then before he knows it he’s being pushed, being told to ‘walk away’ as if he can now, as if he has it in him to be the better man, perhaps he does, he thinks maybe he can will himself to walk away if he tries hard enough. So that’s what he does, he turns himself around and has to bite back saying another word, has to keep his tongue in cheek and ball up his fists. That isn’t enough though...                                                         “Fuck it,” and with that the bounty hunter pivots around, leaning back in throwing the first punch; letting his knuckles cascade against the mans skin, against his jawline, gods Levi almost feels guilty for hoping it breaks.

    involuntarily, her eyes narrow. she doesn’t mean to treat him so suspiciously, but it’s better to be safe than sorry. still, she gives a small shrug. “ i suppose you’re not wrong. ” in truth, the sentiment is nice. she nods in agreement to his words.     then, wistfully, she adds, “ it’d be nice to be missed. ” the likeness of her being mourned is slim. she had no friends in teshayra, only people who secretly wished she were gone. she has no friends in zenan, only people who would never know her the secrets she hid. “ yeah, ” she murmurs, her gaze lowering to the bird, “ let’s go bury this little guy. ”

Was she suspicious of something, of him? He supposed he couldn’t blame her, this day and age it was better safe than sorry, he often forgets to be suspicious of people himself, perhaps one day it’ll be his downfall; his death. Still he’d meant no harm, he hopes that much seems obvious eventually. “Ya’ defiantly.” He says hushed as if he doesn’t have anyone to mourn him, in truth even if he doesn’t know it she had lost far more than he ever had, it wouldn’t hang as heavy on his shoulders in this moment as it did hers. He walks towards a patch of dirt, seemed as good a place as any, knelling down he points to the spot, “This seem alright?” He questions, “I can start diggin’, suppose it’s gotta’ be deep so animals don’t dig him up.” What a grotesque thought, such was the way of life though.

She could hear the emptiness in his voice and decided that giant bloodthirsty spiders weren’t her favorite topic of conversation. What could anyone say at this point to provide some sort of comfort or reassurance about the massive beasts living just beyond the treeline? “And I’m Khailee Fell,” the brunette replied, holding out a hand for him to take in greeting. “Are you from here?” Khai asked, gesturing with one hand back in the direction of the Bearorian castle.

She had a pretty name Levi muses, not out loud of course because he isn’t that foolish but he thinks it all the same. “It’s a pleasure Lady Fell,” She looked like she could be a lady after all, far better dressed than he was at the very least. He shakes his head after taking the extended hand, greeting her back. “M’ from  Dracborough, miss tha’ place terribly if m’ honest, don’t usually get ta’ stay there very long anyway though I guess, with m’ job.” and he usually was far too honest for his own good. “N’ I take it ya’ ain’t from here either?” He tilts his head innocently enough.

She smiled weakly “I am…and he really is brave…honestly he is the best man I know.” She said softly “And now he is having so many problems and is all my fault.” Bryn’s life was surely much easier before they saw each other again, sure, he was a stable boy but he didn’t have nearly as many problems as he had now. “I’m happy that you’re his friend, it seems to are a very good one and he needs good friends right now.”

“Then what’s stopping ya’ both from being together?” Levi asks, so much for minding his place, he doesn’t ask because of noisiness however but out of concern. Bryn was one of the best men he knew too, it’s only natural he cares, she thought him brave did she not, she apparently hadn’t been completely against the kiss if there wasn’t more of a scene and honestly Levi really just wants to know what’s stopping it all from happening. “His problems will go away if he lets em’, n’ ain’t your falt n’ it ain’t his, problems happen, he woulda’ found diffrent problems without ya’ m’ sure, tha’s how life works, so don’t blame yourself fa’ tha’.” At the end of the day he doesn’t think it’s anyone's fault, even if it’s a situation he wishes wasn’t happening for Bryn’s sake.  “Ya’ both just need ta’ get o’ tha’ same page before ya’ both end up dead or alone.” His voice is matter of fact, sometimes Levi can be smart he thinks, have something good worth saying. Maybe she wouldn’t want his advice, maybe Bryn wouldn’t either but he didn’t want to see the man die, even if it was for love. “Either love each other o' leave each other, cause if reputation is what’s holdin’ ya’ll up it’s out tha’ window at this point after tha’ ball.” Levi couldn’t protect him all the time and he can’t help but worry what might of happened if he hadn’t been there, doesn’t want to think about that though.  “He has plenty more tha’ me m’ sure, still I can’t be around fa’ him, fa’ever as much as I wish I could, he needs more tha' friends miss, he needs answers. Bad o’ good, he needs ta’ know what tha’ rest o’ his life is gonna be like...this, o’ something better. I think you deserve to answer tha’ fa’ yourself ta’.”

“i don’t see you tough soldiers quaking in your boots over house spiders though.” there’s a point being made, evidently, but if she can play the devil’s advocate against any military men, it’s practically impossible to resist. not that she cares much for spiders to begin with, but still. cassia sighs, shooting him as sympathetic a look as she can muster in the moment. “it definitely would have. but i didn’t go knocking on their door,” it’s always a safe bet to just stay home, she’s learned. “so i’m hopeful they won’t come knocking on mine, you know? i’m sure we’ll all be fine, it will be fine.”

“O’ m’ not a soldier,” He comments back, blinking halfway in thought his tone thick with the essence of a laugh about to come on, he often got mistaken for one though and it probably didn’t help now the way he was talking, nor him getting roped into momentarily becoming one to deal with giant spiders.  “Just kinda ended up tha’ way fa’ the day. M’ a bounty hunter fa’ tha’ crown, Dracborough specifically.” Levi adds before finally giving way the a small chuckle, if he hadn’t been decent at his job he probably would have made a fine solider however but he’d always been better at tracking people down. It’s a wonder he wasn’t part bloodhound.  “Admittedly I don’t care fa’ house spiders either but they don’t make m' shake just shudder.” Another chuckle escapes him at this notion, he’s thankful for the look she gives him, it’s nice enough. “Neither did I, I thought anyway, suppose it’s kinda m' fault though, shoulda’ saw it commin’, what with folks here sayin’ those woods are riddled with them.” Next time his Queen gets an idea to go into forests filled with massive spiders he’ll make note to ask if that’s changeable.  “Mhm but thank ya’, It’s nice to hear that honestly.” Hearing that she thought they’d be fine, mostly because it was almost like when his parents used to tell him things would be okay even when he didn’t believe them, he could believe her though, he thinks; despite her being a stranger. She seemed like she had a level head on her shoulders, more so than him at least.

He’d gotten another bounty, something easy he tells himself, something that will have him back in no time, he just needs something to get his mind off of the guilt; off of the memories of spiders and everything else that came with them. Yeah that’s right, Levi assures himself, he’ll be back before anyone can even miss him, they would probably all be better off without him though, look what staying as long as he did got them all anyway...

cesar’s eyes rolled, and he let out a groan - this time not in pain, but in frustration, or perhaps in a resigned humor. “what are you now, a nurse?” he grumbled, but he made no further attempt to dissuade the idea from levi’s mind. he nodded, his throat loosening up from around a lump he hadn’t realized was there. of course, levi wouldn’t know why he was quite so dedicated, quite so loyal. he would only assume that cesar had some deeper love for his country than he did. “glad to hear it. you did good, levi. take pride in that.” he wanted to ask more, to go through what he thought would be the appropriate steps. but it would be unfair on the man. it was not his responsibility. he offered a smile. “you’re smarter than you get credit for, laroux.” his eyes narrowed. he knew a lie when he heard one - or at least he thought he did. “you are in the infirmary. might as well get it looked at.”

“Ah with these hands? Naw’ mate they’ve done ta’ much tha' didn’t involve savin’ people I think, by now anyway.” Levi chuckles dispute the dark humor, to be honest though he did like to think that maybe in a round about way going after the bounties he did, sort of saved people that could be hurt in the future; at any rate he didn’t think he could ever be a nurse. When Cesar tells him he did good that only serves to make him sheepish, he gives way to a slightly strangled laugh born out of awkwardness. He appreciates the sentiment though, he just didn’t rightfully expect it, he licks at his lips and shifts in his spot, “Thank ya’, I jus’ did what ya’ told me ta’ was all though.” And then did what the queen had told him to do, Levi would believe though that he’d of done these things all the same though, if only because it was right and if only because they are his friends. “I was pretty great out there though, wasn’t I.” He adds, playfully more than gloating honestly, in the end he only shrugs. Yet again the man is taken back by the others words, Levi was no stranger to kindness, at the end of the day while he’d had people looked down on him he’d had just as many people be amused by him or like him all the same. Still it always managed to surprise him, to humble him in it’s own way. “Awh come o' now, you’re telling m' I don’t get credit fa’ being smart?” He acts as if he’s actually hurt by this, he isn’t and he’s aware of it unfortunately.  “Mhm but thank ya’ Cesar tha’ uh...means a lot...” Now as for the infirmary he figures if it will ease the other mans mind he might as well consider it, he gives a wave of a hand and relents. “Alright but only cause I don’t wanna become like a spider o' somethin’. Heard a story as a kid about a guy getting bit by one n’ boy was he never tha’ same.” Levi snorts, recalling such childish notions from tall tales his father had told him as a child, it was no wonder his imagine had always stayed the same.

It’s terrible, but Hadrian has a difficult time not laughing when the shock of the situation wears off and the knowledge that he hasn’t actually harmed anyone settles in. But he doesn’t laugh, not when the guy looks like someone who probably wouldn’t miss if he decided that Hadrian had meant him harm and he wanted to do something about it. “Sorry, sorry.” The man is calmer now, so Hadrian lets out a small laugh. “Never so much as touched one of these in my life.” He shrugs, knowing he’s going to elicit the question of why he was suddenly using one now in that case, and he knows he doesn’t have a good answer for that. “In my defense, I didn’t think anyone would be out here. Kinda strange to be skulking about out here, don’t you think?”

“It shows,” He retorts back, it’s not rude so much as it is realistic, the man very well probably should have had someone giving him pointers on it and not alone; perhaps then this whole almost killing him could have been avoided, he muses. “What’s got ya’ startin’ now, tryin' ta’ show off o’ somethin’?” He raises a brow, chuckling slightly now that he’s done reeling from his near death experience.  “S’ one o’ tha’ reasons I picked up a blade when I was younger is all, men usually only wanna fight for money, honor or love so,” Levi shrugs, either way he doesn’t think he cares much he’s just curious what the reason for his death might of been. “Sulking? I wasn’t sulking, I was walking.” He’d only kind of sulked ever so slightly before the arrow came whizzing at him and that had been because of his thoughts beyond that...well he’d merely been walking.

until very recently, it would not have occurred to lucien to worry about spiders. he still wasn’t sure he was sold on such a fear. he listened to the advice the man had to offer regardless. hardly a month had gone by, lately, without something happening. if spiders joined the ranks of things that happened to him, or to people close to him… or, he tacked on, to ironhaven… well, he might as well remember to stab them in the abdomen. “you survived it,” he said. “but how many were there? and how many of you?”

“Ya’ thankfully.” He affirms although him being here already sort of did that by itself he thinks after the fact. The bounty hunter thinks back though, to everything. “A couple I’d gather, can’t recall completely since there was alot o’ chaos...but tha’ guards n’ knights were busy trying ta’ get folks away, so just one man fighting them off till I came back ta’ help...things nearly killed him, if there were more they mighta’.” His tone is somber as if he’s still lost in some thought about it all, “He’s tough as nails though so, we all got lucky; came close ta’ gettin’ tha’ queen though...” Levi has to wonder if he hadn’t of reacted fast enough, if she hadn’t of reacted fast enough and if Cesar hadn’t of been there what might of happened, nothing good probably. “I just hope they stay in tha’ forest, don’t have ta’ deal with spiders anyplace else n’ I’d like ta’ keep it tha’ way.”

cesar couldn’t help himself: he sent the man a scathing look, and shook his head. “walking round won’t stop me healing. i’ve lived through worse. hells, i’ve done a lot more when i could’ve been dying.” he knows he’s going to stay, despite his words. maybe the rest will allow him to ignore everything, the doubts and the pains and the hatred of his sister. he shot levi another look, daring him to object, then leaned back into his pillows. even that pressure on the bruised mess of his back was torturous. he rolled his eyes. “that’s not the point.” was all he could grumble. staring pointedly towards a window. “did she go back to the castle?” it would be all too ironic if he’d done what he did only for the queen to get lost, or to die along her way. he allowed a small chuckle for the man’s insistence, but that was all. “well now you’ve said it. forget it, and never say it again.” he retorted, and looked back at the man as he worried at his arm. “you had it cleaned? who knows what poisons those beasts might’ve had on them, and all.”

“M’ sure you have n’ m’ sure it won’t, still, wouldn’t you rather a rest, if only for a bit longer, heavens knows ya’ might not get it if those things come back. Take it Cesar, trust me ta’ tell ya’ should we need ya’ if they do.” He doesn’t object though should the man get up, he’d let him, even if he didn’t want to Cesar was a grown man, even so he almost breaths a sigh of relief when he doesn’t; instead Cesar lays back down and he can’t help but be grateful the man is taking a rest after all. Levi wouldn’t let him down he thinks, he isn’t a solider of course but he doesn’t intend on trying to leave when he feels he might be most needed. Besides he’d felt so guilty over the whole ordeal that he doesn’t want to move from his friends sides at any rate. “She did, safe and sound, checked back up o' her first thing I did.” The queen was indeed safe and that is the only reason he hadn’t felt guilty enough to weigh himself down any worse than he was already. It was as if they were running through a list however, Cesar asking him what had been done while he’d only just started to recover; Levi answering, marking off the checks and balances as if he was actually good at that sort of thing. Had it been better circumstances the bounty hunter might of found it amusing in it’s own way, as it stands though he finds it hard to find any amusement out of this situation. “Alright, alright, but only cause I don’t want ya’ ta’ knock some sense into m' once healed up.” Levi’s lips twitch with a hint of another smile, he looks at his arm though when it’s mentioned once more, he’d cleaned it...well enough he thinks, it could have probably been better but he won’t mention that; he’s worried Cesar enough as it were. “I did, it’s all good to go.” He thumps at the bandaged wound as if to emphasis this, only to wince slightly as he does it; trying to play off such a silly stupid thing with a grin.

She remained quiet, letting his words fill the air around them. She looked out at the forest and wondered what could do more damage: Teshayran soldiers or giant spiders? Khai contemplated that for a moment and decided the soldiers were probably worse. She’d been through enough by now that the thought of a spider attack didn’t frighten her nearly as much as it would have a few months ago. “Well, I hope for your sake you don’t have to face them again.”

“Thank ya’.” He replies back but it’s devoid of much as he looks downward, still he is glad for her kindness all the same, he needed kindness in fact, now more than ever; mostly because he’d been blaming himself over the whole ordeal that started all of this, started his worries over the spiders. “I hope tha’ ta’.” He adds, looking back to her once more. "M’ Levi, Levi Laroux, by tha’ way.” Trying to offer her a smile right now seemed the best course of action, better than sitting here sulking at himself.

“Oh…” She said and she finally recognizes the man in front of her, he had been there the other night, she had been so focused on not wanting Bryn and Silas to fight, how angry Pollux was and how disappointed king Nathaniel was that she didn’t remember him all that well until now, he was Bryn’s friend and he was helped Bryn get out unharmed that night too. “Thing are…going…” She sighed “You’re Bryn’s friend aren’t you?”

Levi nods, he supposed the mood of ‘things are going’ about summed him up too, he relates more greatly than that than he wants to admit. “Aye, that’s relateable.” Things the past few days had been more like going through the motions of life, than actually living or enjoying it. Still he was glad to be there during his friends time of need. He could have just as easily been working on a bounty during all this, could have easily not been here at all; then what of his friends, of the people who needed him. It had been nice in it’s own way to take a break that had been less then a break, at least this he will tell himself. “Yup, that’s me, Bryn’s my mate alright.” Nodding in affirmation once more, he’d known the other man for years although time and space pulled them apart he still held their friendship dear to him. “And ya’ must be the love of his life if he’s willin’ ta’ do the things he’s done. Gotta say, man’s braver than me.” Levi thinks this women must be something special, that or their love had been.

           it’d been just a day since she’s seen levi after telling him to go after cesar. after, basically telling him to run into death. “yes, i suppose it has.” her voice echoes his with a somber tone. her eyes scan over his body, checking for any major injuries but coming up with none. “well, i’m glad that it’s all done and over now. thank you, levi. you’ve served me well.”

Levi gives way to a small polite bow, he’d of done it all over again without a second thought, honestly and truly there was no better choice he could make then to simply listen to her and Cesar. He hadn’t thought much on the outcome till now, on the fact he could be dead by his queens orders; he thinks it matters not. “I intend ta’ continue ta’ do so, Your Highness.” He admits, softly, continuing.  “M’ glad it’s done n’ over with ta’, n’ m’ glad your safe, truly.” Another pause, he thinks if only briefly on what he’d wanted to tell her at the ball, there hadn’t been a right time; doesn’t think there is now either. Maybe such words would fall to the waist side, it is silly after all. “I wanted ta’ thank ya’, by tha’ way, fa’ tha’ gift. Did me some good yesterday, all things considered.” Levi nods, if only to affirm that with himself, the blade had indeed held up and he’d been more than please by it. “Sorry if me givin’ ya’ a sword seemed a bit...strange. It was the traitors, called it Oathkeeper he did, kinda’ thought it fit was all.”

that raised lucien’s eyebrows. “you’ve seen them?” he crossed his arms over his chest, switching to looking less at the forest and more at the man. “what happened?” he imagined one could spend a lot of time wondering whether such creatures were real or not; he just hadn’t. but meeting someone who’d encountered one was no less intriguing because of it.

“Mhm.” Levi confirms, only it isn’t a happy confirmation, it is one born out of slight fears more than anything else. Levi is a stupidly brave man at times but nothing had prepared him for those creatures. “They almost got all o’ us down there. Bloody fuckin’ things. Smelled blood at any rate and I think they went savage.” He grows quiet recalling the execution, shaking it off he continues. “We got ta’ far into tha’ forest probably, shoulda been more focused o’ tha’.” He blames himself, even if it hadn’t been his fault. There had been knights there all the same, countless guards and yet the burden felt heavy on his shoulders, the blood he’d split did most likely attract them, did it not? “I think ya’ gotta go fa’ their abdomens if ya’ ever come across them, seems like a soft spot, o' their legs but those move so quick.”

“spiders do tend to live in forests.” cassia has never been much of a forest-dweller herself. if there are things, beings, that dwell there and wish not to be disturbed, then she’s not going to. the best way to stay out of danger, she’s found, is to simply stay at home. “and tough men do have tendencies to get caught up. if they’re anything like the small ones, you can just ward them off with peppermint oil.” tried and true— though she supposes the proportions might be trickier to work out. “or maybe if we leave them alone, they’ll leave us all the same. it doesn’t always have to end with someone being eaten.”

Levi rolls his eyes, it’s very childish and he regrets it rather quickly but it’s still an action he’d done all the same. “They tend ta’ live anyplace they want if house spiders are anythin' ta; go by.” The bounty hunter retorts back, he doesn’t think a forest is going to keep them warm and cozy forever now that they’ve been stirred, perhaps he should feel guilty in a way, he had been there had he not? Hadn’t really steered his queens idea on going there either, does that make him just as guilty; or none of them guilty...it wasn’t as if any of them expected that to happen. Still the more she speaks the more Levi finds that she is right, he also makes a mental note to get lots of peppermint oil on the low down because he’d not been aware of that deciding spider be gone factor. “Ya’...ya’ are right I suppose.” He confirms out loud, looking downwards for a moment, “It’s just, if ya’d o' seen them it mighta’ shaken ya’ up ta’. Leavin’ them alone seems best though, trust me I don’t plan o' goin’ back in there if I can help it.” That was for sure, he doesn’t think anything could make him step foot in there again.