Wild Roads Continued..
((OOC NOTE BEFORE YOU READ: This post is an rp that took place, some of it is revised to Elix’s point of view and all of it should be revised by the end of this week so that way it’s cleaned up into book format. <3 ))
As Elixandria followed Spade through those woods she couldn't help but sink into her saddle more. The woman was exhausted and beyond hungry due to it being days since she stopped. Even the stallion she had stolen looked beyond ready to fall over yet he still kept moving forward. After a few moments the silence was broken by Spade's voice calling back to her, "Elixir, there's a clearing up ahead. Would be good for a camp and it's in the deep brush."Â
He was almost yelling which caused Elix to tense and attempt to push her horse forward so that she rode along side him now. "I don't think yelling is the best thing when we might be being followed.." She said calmly, looking at him now from under that hood. However it didn't last for long as her horse slowed back to the slower pace, causing them to fall behind. The woman however was acting as though she was fine for the most part.
Spade chuckled at her as he flipped his horse around to walk backwards like some skilled horseman who just had to show off, "There's not been any activity in this acre of land. The road is vacant and is only used on nights when there is shipments coming." He then looked to the horse then back to her, "You need to give her a days rest, Elixir." To which Elix opened her mouth to say something before she closed it once again. Spade had then reached up to pull back his own hood, exposing his face. The man was beyond handsome and most women would swoon by now by his devilish looks, but not Elix, she was better than that and knew his type all to well.
"If you keep slumping over like that you're going to fall.. I know exhaustion when I see it and you're not the only one like I just said." Spade continued with his quipping like a parent which annoyed Elix, she hated people caring about her especially someone she just met. Soon enough Spade reached over to pat her horse on the neck before turning his own to walk forward again. Once again her careful eyes watched him from under her hood, what the hell was his motive? She questioned herself just as he spoke once again, "Tell me Elixir, do you have any idea how to hunt?" Curiosity licking at his words.
Soon enough Elix nodded to him, "I do... however it has been awhile." Her voice was light yet curious as to why he would even ask her the question. Those ice blue hues of hers still just watching him as he didn't respond and only nodded with his back facing them. After a long moment of silence she spoke up again, "Why is it that you wished to ride with a strange woman like myself anyway? You don't even know what hides under this hood and cloak. We both know imagination doesn't truly give you any idea either." A smirk then crossed her lips, barely visible under the crest of the hood that hid her face. If she was going to be stuck with the man for a day or two she might as well try to be somewhat civil.
Without turning to look at her Spade exhaled slowly though his nostrils, "Why is it that you agreed to ride with a strange man like myself anyway?" He inquired, mimicking her question which just caused Elix to smirk a little bit more. Spade then turned to look at her as he noticed a hint of her curved lip from under her hood however he didn't say anything about it as he instead flashed her a dashing grin. "A party of two is better than one if you really want to know. We're going the same direction, avoiding roads and guards alike. Perhaps we even have the same goals."
Spade was interesting that was obvious as Elixandria let a few thoughts dance about her mind from under that hood, 'If he keeps that up.. we might have a problem..' she thought before speaking up to respond to the man, "This is true... and as for the same goals I would like to think we might.. but I suppose a new friend won't kill me. At least not yet." She too now grinned at him before letting it fade, her gaze now looking at the crest of her hood now as she thought before continuing, "If you are lucky.. I might show my face by the end of this evening." Once again that playful grin had slipped it's way onto her lips. 'If I'm going to be stuck with him I might as well have fun fucking with him I suppose.' She thought.
Once again Spade had his gaze forward as she responded however her words had caught his interest, "It's like you're implying I'd do such a heinous act." He quipped back teasingly before turning to look over at her again with an upraised brow, "Oh? If I'm lucky, now what shall I do to get your luck?" He asked before looking forward towards the clearing motioning toward it before Elix could respond, "I have a tent set up there already, you may use it. I'll watch over your horse and take the watch tonight. There was more activity towards the north this morning. If you don't let her rest, she'll collapse while you ride her. Tonight you and her rest." He was muttering but Elix could understand him thanks to her keen hearing as he looked back over at her, "Before you ride each other to exhaustion and death. Sleep with whatever blade you have if you don't trust me."
"I don't need to sleep with a blade dear sir.. believe me I could handle you without one." Elixandria was smirking once again however his remark had annoyed her, covering her annoyance she simply replied with, "As for luck well... we will see if lady luck is on your side, Spade."
As they entered the clearing Elix just hopped off of her horse, choosing to lead him instead, "By the way... he's a stallion but I like how you assume my horse is just like myself." She quipped with her hooded head looking towards the man. As she moved her cloak flew back a little in the breeze exposing some of what hid beneath it. Dark leather clung tightly to her athletic frame, blades rested upon her hips as her belt had various pouches and vials hanging from it. Knives stuck into different slots in her leather vest so she always had access to them. It was as though the woman was ready to take on her own war.
Spade chuckled with a nod as he pushed his horse into a light trot, "You have me all wrong dearie." He mused quietly as he glanced toward her with a flirtatious wink even though he meant nothing by it. Soon enough he too dismounted his steed however his horse kept going to where it clearly was used to. "Wasn't an assumption, Elixir." He uttered turning around to pull a blade from his holster before he crouched down to dig it into the earth. Digging out a piece of flint that he had dug in previously under a rock.
"It's easier to call a stallion, mare, or any type of animal by her." His gaze looked up at her through his lashes as he continued, "Your foe can think of you as weak and unable by what you ride. Not many are versed with that type of horse you ride. Call him a her, and they'll assume you can't ride a quick horse." A devilish grin curled over his lips as he returned his gaze to the flint just as he flicked on his blade to ignite a small spark. Giving it another try, the spark turned into a small fire. He then reached over to grab some twigs and smaller wood that he must of gathered earlier in the day before he met her. Soon enough a small fire was created.
"Don't worry.. I won't bed you. I'll stay out here in the open while you rest fully. That's our deal. I ride with you and give you aid of my hawk, and you have to rest fully nightly. Sound good to you?" His gaze remained on the fire now.
Elixandria couldn't help the grin that crossed her lips as she was flattered, 'bed her' this man really thought she was worried about that. She rolled her eyes under her hood before replying with a witty response, "You wouldn't want to even if you saw me dear so I wasn't expecting that at all. I just worry you might try to rob me or something." She shrugged, her hand moving up to grab her hood as a breeze blew through. Keeping everything in place now so her face was hidden away.
Spade snorted hearing that she worried about him robbing her, "I have enough money to get me by, what you have doesn't interest me." He retorted as he glanced over at her as she walked up to the camp and released her steed. The horse then put his head down to graze as Elix looked around the camp before choosing to just sit on a stump with her arms resting on her knees.
Fatigue was taking over as well as a little bit of hunger but this didn't stop her from speaking, "You mentioned hunting earlier.. I can and I will if I needed but I'll be honest with you, food is the last thing on my mind." Her gaze still wondered about the camp before eventually settling onto the flames as they danced about. They had been riding all day and the sun had just started to set, Elix's thoughts just continued to nag at her before she finally spoke up, "So.. why the name Spade? You a gambler of sorts?" Curiosity licking at her words as they escaped those lips of hers.
Spade watched her as she sat on the stump and slowly moved to hug her knees, "I have a few fish I've caught early this morning and two rabbits. You look like you're starving, better you eat than having you fall of your horse." He quickly added, reaching over for some more wood. He placed the chunks over the fire and watched as the flames danced around the logs. Â
Once he saw the flames were larger he stood up from the crouching position that he was in to go fetch a container that was beside the tent. When he opened it the aroma of the dead fish and dead rabbit that he had hung there in the air. Taking them all out he moved back towards the fire and placed them down on a flat bedded rock. His eyes swept across the ground wondering where he last put up the iron rods. Sighing, he put both hands over his hips and glanced towards the left once more to find them hanging on a branch just a little ways away from his stallion.
Grumbling, he moved towards the branch and ripped off both the iron rods as well as two clasps that were held together and moved back to the fire. Sticking in each rod, he drove them in between a small opening on the rocks where they'd stay steady. Spade... He mused silently flaring his nostrils. "Aye.. it's where I get my currency from. The next city.. where you wish to go. It's where I'm going to hit next. A few of my friends are there already scouting the area and getting a good glance at the guard activity."
Spade glanced over at her again through his lashes, "If you want to avoid guard patrols, make good with them and they'll give you their schedules freely. If not, they'll make you pay a hefty fine."
Elixir watched his every move carefully for a few moments before she just moved to stand. Stretching for a moment before walking over to her steed to simply stroke his neck as he ate the grass. "Gambling is good money although dangerous.. but I suppose you could be like me. Traveling and killing for gold so that way others end up wanting your head." She smirked now as she continued, "It's really the only reason why I won't show you my face."
She thought over his comment for a moment about avoiding the guard before she nodded to him, "Aye, I shall do that once I get into the city. I've never been this far north before. So I'm fresh blood to the land as most would call it." She shrugged at him as she continued to just pet the horse.
Spade glanced down to the fire to avoid the flicker of color in his eyes. A low amused chuckle escaped him as he nodded, "Dangerous? I see it as a funny way to con the bastards. Not everyone can gamble well." Lifting his gaze he glanced up at her as she tended to her horse. "You think I'd turn you in? I con nobles for a living. They're not so hospitable once they find out." Turning his attention towards the rabbits again, he took his blade and skinned one of them quickly and clasped it on the iron rod so it would cook.
"Fresh blood..." he muttered to himself. Cocking his head to the left as he chuckled lightly giving her a sly look with a smirk creeping back onto his lips, "Suppose I'll show you around then, fresh blood."
To be continued..
@kanekuran
