Kei hadn't expected Jamie's move and stared up at him surprised, but smiling. He was beginning to lije Jamie more and more. He would have loved to continue, but knew that if he pushed his injured hand, he might not be able to use it again. He had to have it looked at. He had no intentions of loosing it. He lay a moment to catch his breath before he spoke.

"I would love to spar with you again, but I must forfeit for now. I gladly await another chance to have a go again," he said grinning. Jamie was truly a great warrior and was very passionate with his work. He had more fun fighting him than his father. He was definatly glad to have this man by his side.

Caradoc had watched the fight with a white face. One wrong move and he would have an injured son and pride lost. What would Jaime do if Kei lost to him? Would he help or say his son wasn't worthy? What if Kei beat him? Would he take insult. He almost didn't catch what happened when Kei was thrown to the ground. His grip tightened on his belt as he watched. Kei lost, and accepted defeat! He looked down and shook his head disappointed.

My head was pounding as I opened my eyes. Where the hell was I? I glanced around; my back was resting on a pillowed seat, and I was in a small room. I tried to sit up and fell back down in defeat. Now that I had had a better look, this wasn’t a typical room. In fact, this wasn’t a room at all. There was a seat adjacent to mine and large rounded windows.

I pounded on the door screaming, “What the hell is wrong with you morons!” Why did they take me here? This wasn’t the castle! “Who takes an injured person into a damn carriage?”

The door flew open, sending me headfirst onto the hard gravel next to a pair of large boots. I lifted to view the rest of his features. He was at least a few inches taller than I was with broad shoulders and a serious face to match. Next to him was a person even scrawnier than myself. I brushed the stray bangs from my face, feeling the newly wrapped bandage, and wiped the dirt from my knickers. The men were waiting for me to say something. Were they testing me?

“Do I, honestly, need to tell you what to do next? Are you aware of whom I am?” I said with undeserved authority.

The scrawny one’s eyes widened in what appeared to be horror. “Oh, goodness, sir,” he yelped. “My sincerest apologies for not recognizing you. You have grown much, sir, and I did not recognize you for--”

“No I haven’t,” I said oddly. He obviously thought that I was someone of actual importance, and I needed to keep him in his current state of fear. I needed to see exactly how powerful he thought I was, so I demanded, “Polish my shoes!”

Bewilderment surged through his features. “But, sir?” he questioned. My toes wiggled a little too freely; I wasn’t wearing any shoes.

“Well then, massage my feet!” I snapped. Obediently, he bent down. I had to force back my pleased smile, when the guard cocked his eyebrow. “I can’t believe how insolent you so called “workers” have been treated against me.” I wasn’t sure if my last statement even made since, but I continued, “The people whom I am supposed to trust, whom were even hired for said purpose and pledged sole loyalty, have utterly disappointed me. Here I am and for years have been striving to improve the world in which we live, and you fools are incapable of carrying my injured body to a proper place to receive aid. I don’t think that I have ever been betrayed more by someone’s sheer uselessness. There is but one thought that drifts through my mind as I think of you two, but one label that appears appropriate.” I was at a complete loss of words near the conclusion of my short rant, and I stepped back into the carriage, grasping the door with my left palm. “You buttheads,” I said while slamming the door.

Ah, I was finally alone again, left to contemplate what on earth just happened. Honestly, I had no clue and that was mostly my own faullt, but I needed to figure out soon.

Jaime nodded and stabbed his sword into the dirt just a couple inches from his own foot, a grin to match Kei's on his face.. He turned and looked for Erick, but the man was already gone. Looking back at Kei, he made no move to help him up. Instead, Jaime motioned toward the injured hand. "It's best you lay back and wait for my war adviser to return, perhaps remove that gauntlet if you can. Unless he's gone daft and taken to wandering, Erick's off fetching my household healer. She'll set you to rights in no time." Jaime turned his head to look for the returning man, but snapped his gaze back with a jolt of remembrance. "To clarify, although she's a woman, she is indeed a healer of the highest caliber. I know some hold the notion that a woman cannot treat a serious wound, but I do not. Elza has treated all my serious wounds and I'm still here. You'll be in good hands."

Hearing footsteps from one of the halls leading to the courtyard, Jaime glanced toward it. Erick was walking by her side, making Elza seem youthful in comparison. In truth she was nearing forty years of age, although she looked nothing over thirty. Where the war adviser was a grizzled old man with a look of nobility clinging to him, the healer was a very plain and homely woman who could have been any farmer's wife. She was perhaps the only common born person Jaime would trust with his life; and in fact he had on multiple occasions. Erick resumed his place near Caradoc while Elza made straight for Kei. Jaime gave him a last friendly nod before walking over to the two older men. Seeing the look of abject disappointment the Lakai lord wore, his face fell into an annoyed frown. He stopped a couple feet in front of Caradoc, facing him with crossed arms.

"I see no reason for you to look so displeased. Your son acquitted himself well in battle. That he held his own against me is a great achievement of itself, for one of his age. That he nearly won at the end is nothing but momentous. Leave your disappointment and be proud that Kei is a skilled fighter; should he train well and gain more experience, he's likely to end up as good or a better swordsman than myself at my age." A smile reappeared on his face, an amused counterpoint to the look of shock that was on Erick's face should any see both at once. "Once Elza finishes her work, we can talk specifics of our alliance."

And so I've cast the fate of the Feron family... Jaime thought. For good or ill, I'm in league with challengers to the throne. May the gods see us to victory.


[OOC: Feel free to have Elza do and say whatever. I don't have a personality or anything in mind for her, so go crazy. Or just have her fix you up and be done with it, I don't care.]

((alright.))

Kei nodded to Jaime and once he left Elza had arrived. She knelt down beside him and gentle took of his gauntlet and looked at the deep cut in his wrist. She cleaned the would with water and lathered it in ointment before she wrapped it tightly. She gave him a sweet smile before she left. Kei stood up and went back to his sword which he placed in his scabbard and walked over to his father and Jamie. His smile had diminished slightly and he resumed his calm and expresionless mask.

He glanced at his father and saw the disappointment before it vanished. His father wanted him to win. He turned away from him and glared at the ground. His father managed to soil his enjoyment with just a look.

Caradoc quickly covered his disappointment when Jamie spoke to him. The lord had no right to tell him how to treat his own son. He kept his mouth shut about it and meerely smiled at him. "I am glad to have your alliance Lord Feron. It means a great deal." He inclined his head to him.

Jaime bowed his head in return, a quick gesture rather than a fully respectful one. He had caught the resentful tone in Caradoc's voice, likely an indication that he didn't like being told what to do. But that didn't matter for the moment, only something to note and remember later. "Indeed. And I am glad to have a clear course of action now, rather than waiting for war to break out. 'Twas a pleasant twist of fate that got me involved before any open fighting." Jaime saw out of the corner of his eye that Kei was bandaged up and waiting. "Now, let us return to my study. I'm sure my scribe is dying to draw up our alliance agreement."

And with that Jaime turned and headed back for his study, with the same arrogant bearing of confident leadership. He had a slight limp from the kick he had taken to the shin, but masked it well. Upon reaching the study, the doors were opened by the guards and he went in. The scribe was indeed sitting at the side of the desk with a stack of papers, books, and writing tools. Jaime went around him and sat in his chair, waiting for the Lakai's to sit before beginning the discussion. There wouldn't be much to go over, but it wouldn't do to leave it an informal arrangement. Jaime was no fool to leave open the possibility of betrayal, unless it was himself as the betrayer. Luckily for the Lakai family, he happened to agree with their pure blood ideals and so wouldn't even leave himself that opportunity. Although he had no inkling of their plan, Jaime was committed to helping the Lakai family gain the throne, by sword and blood if need be.

Both Kei and Caradoc nodded to Jamie and followed behind. Kei hated to admit that his hand was stinging like a nest of hornets had attacked that one area. He clentched and unclentched his hand to relief some of the pressure in it. If he hadn't been wearing the gauntlet and did that move, his wrist would have been cut clean off, not to mention a side injury. He kept his hand tightly against his side so his father wouldn't see his weakness as they walked.

When they reached the study, they sat down and ready to finish the agreement. Kei was releaved that they had Lord Feron on their side. If they didn't, they would no doubt be at the king's mercy and he didn't think that his sincere plea for forgivness or loyalty would blow well to the king. He had a quick image of himself facing the rope and held in a shudder. He needed to keep such thoughts away or it would poison his mind. He quietly waited for Jaime to begin.

Keniko had watch the fight with great joy, she could see that Kei's skills had improve greatly since the last time they spar. Although she hated to admit it, she was impress with Jaime's skills and wonder how she would compare with him in battle. She had more experience than Kei and she master in the rare art of the three swords fighting style, one that she had learn during her travels before the Lakai family had accepted her as their bodyguard.

She looked over at Caradoc and she could clearly read the disappointment in his eyes. "It must be good to have Lord Feron's alliance, now we are a step closer to taking our rightful place on the throne." she said quietly, hoping to make Caraoc feel better. As she spoke she kept a close eye on Kei and his surroundings.

Iggey didn't know he brought back a visitor.

Urza noticed that the carriage was holding a very sloppy soldier-- a perfect target to start with. He knew he had to get to the bottom of the villagers losing their money to a certain greedy noble. Under the cover of the blind spots of the driver, he lightly pounced on the back of the carriage and hid himself underneath. Granted, it was a very bumpy ride, but the person inside finally got out to belittle his lower ranked soldiers. Figures the nobles wouldn't be wise when it came to picking officers. After he got back in, Urza leaned back his head to see the two guards-- one more built than the other. He quietly dropped down, rolled to his side away from the soldiers, and got up in a crouched position. Next, he wrapped around the back and crept up slowly towards the built soldier. Each soft step brought him more and more adrenaline, until...

A piece of gravel cracked.

A swift left chop to his inner shoulder left him incapacitated to bring chaos to these lands of order. The other tried to pull his sword out, but Urza was already using his right hand to plunge his knife into his heart, covering the screams of pain with his left hand.

"Drive us to where you were, coachman." Out of absolute fear, he obeyed.

Urza swung open the door and lunged dagger-first into the carriage and sat across from the lazy soldier, still pointing the dagger at him.

"Hello."

The dagger said the rest of the usual threats of alerting anyone.

Jaime waited for everyone to settle themselves before speaking. "So, I believe these are the terms so far. For my military aid in the Lakai bid for the throne, you give me good crop land and the place of war adviser to the king should we be successful. Unless there is something I'm forgetting, all that's needful is to give an exact measure of land and draw up the agreement." He sat back and waited for their reply.

Caradoc glared at Keniko and her response. "I didn't hire you for your speech. I hired you for your blade. Do not speak unless spoken to," he glared. He was in no mood for someone to be disrepectful to him. His son had already done that infront of Lord Feron and he wouldn't have it from those below him.

Once everyone was seated and Jamie finished his speech, both Kei and Caradoc nodded. "I will draw it up on the map for you to see the full extent of your new land," Kei glanced at his father but said nothing.

Keniko was taken back by Caradoc words but he was right, they had hired her to protect them, not to speak. She bowed her head slightly and listen to the men discuss their agreements.

(short post...sorry. XD)

"That would be marvelous. Scribe?" Jaime hadn't learned this man's name either. The last had been a fool, fired for being too slow a week past. The scribe came forward with a map and drawing supplies, the map showing the whole of Khalrian with major cities and geological features marked in. He set it before Caradoc with a bow before taking his seat once more, working on a draft of the alliance agreement. Jaime motioned toward the map with a slight smile. "Whatever you think is fair will do, I'm sure. And afterward we can discuss the specifics of your plan to claim the throne."

I cringed against the wall behind me, my back conforming to the curve. I must not be as clear-headed as I thought, for all I saw was some scruffy guy with a blade pointing at me. I blinked a few times. “No this is real,” I thought.

I relaxed. “You really do need to consider the source of your threats.” My infuriated superiors, especially my dad with a frying pan, were far more terrifying than this shenanigan. This was beginning to get incredibly annoying. “What on earth do you want from me?” I grumbled. “My head hurts, well rather badly, if you are too imbecilic to notice the damn wrappings. I had plans to fall asleep faster than shit through a goose, so please quickly tell me why you have cursed me with your filthy presence.”

I peered down. “Ah, shit,” I mumbled, “Seriously, lower that damn thing already. I’m not looking to get into a fight.”

The blade persisted on lingering, eager for action. The soldier's words recoiled from Urza's, "Seriously, I'll be the one asking questions. Who are you, where were you, and what were you doing there?" With just enough compassion, he added, "Be truthful, and there may be hope for you." His agitation was obvious against this man, but he nonetheless had to start somewhere if he was going to find this crook of a noble. Looking at Urza, his eye contact was cold and penetrating, as if the slightest body movement could be taken the wrong way. Not even the vicious quaking of the carriage could break it.

I rolled my eyes. He had no idea the concept of negotiation. “I’m not answering any of your blasted questions like this!” I laughed. “Who I am is none of your business as well as my previous location and reasoning.” I smirked. “However, I am a bit curious as to why I concern you.” I folded my arms behind my head. “What do you see in me, my friend?” I paused. “Who do you think I am?”

I held my hand in the lacuna between the blade and my body, clenching and releasing my fists. “I am afraid that you’ll find forcing information out of me impossible. I’m much more likely to desert than to fight; I simply see no point in risking injury in such a silly way.” I leaned in closer and held out my hand. “I think that we can both get what we want if you pretend to be civilized for a few minutes, preferable whilst not attacking a rather weak coachman. Again, intimidation will give way to little here.” I watched the blade closely in my peripheral vision, monitoring his heartbeat.

He swung the dagger down and brought it between their faces and said in a more casual tone, "For starters, I see a failure of a soldier sitting in front of me. As for what I asked, I wanted to know because we're going there. To break inside. If you want, you can dive out the moving carriage yourself, because I don't need you. However, I can get you what you want if you help me."

Urza referenced to the outward hand, "This isn't a business deal. This is a service to the people." Albeit, you seem to not care with your laughter... If he keeps this charade up anymore I'll carve that smirk off his face!