RE Team O - Albert / Bella 1

Albert sat on a log, sketching the landscape in front of him. He was quite glad to be free of his chores for the day, his workload almost tripled overnight thanks to the hag. He chuckled to himself in amusement, he didn't expect the witch to be that annoyed at him over a few words, this party would be fun that's for sure. He sighed as he accidently made a mistake and reached for an eraser.

Stepping along he treeline, Bella wandered aimlessly, in theory trying to get a feel for the lay of the land from ground level, but in actuality just bored of the inactivity around camp since they got there. Spotting someone ahead, she ducked down, sneaking quietly upon her target, an impish smile on her face. It looked like he was reaching for something...

Albert doesn't notice the woman hiding in the brush and erases some of his marks away, brushing away the shavings with his hand. He looks intently at one of the birds flying around, paying close attention to it.

Stepping closer, Bella noticed he was... working on something? A plan of some sort? Perhaps a tactic? Or...? She leaned over his shoulder a little, looking down at the work in his lap, her silver hair swinging down to partially obscure her features. "What cha got there?"

The man jumps and yelps a bit, scaring the bird away. He clutches at his heart before the adrenaline goes away. He looks at the smiling woman and frowns a bit, unamused at this.
"Madame, may I suggest not scaring one of my constitution...unless you are looking for an unamusing way for me to die...well to me I suppose. You might get a delight at my permanently startled face. As for what I am doing, it's a simple sketch of the enviroment, I er...fancy myself as an amateur naturalist."
The landscape he drew was pretty well done, the sketch looked almost like the treescape in front of him.

Bella skipped back a couple steps with a laugh, enjoying the look on the man's face. She recognized him now, he was one of the people she'd been sent to work with. She had thought he was a local farmer or something, at first... "Hehe, I'm sorry, guess I probably shouldn't kill you now, before we actually go anywhere. I'll try not to accidentally do it in the future."

She  smiled, and looked over his sketch, then back over the treeline in front of them. "Oh, I suppose you are good! I've never been much of an artist, my sister says it's cause I'm no good at sittin still..."

He smiles and laughs good naturedly, the bird wasn't so uncommon to sour his mood. Besides, why worry about the past? What is done is done. On top of that he didn't want to sour an ally's perception of him from the get-go...he learned the repercussions of that the hard way.
"Yes, I'd prefer it if you didn't kill me so unceremoniously. I'm not one to cower at the thought of death but I'm sure I'd be the but of many a joke if I were to pass that way. And sketching is not terribly difficult, when I was a boy I was taught in the arts-after all what else is a noble to do? I found it a nice way to break up the otherwise horrible monotony of the day to day life. It soon became habit to sketch most things I come across that I find interesting, to preserve how something was at one point."

"Oh wow, yeah, they'd never let you live it down if you died that way. We'll have to find something more fitting for you, then!"

Grinning like she just did Albert a favor, Bella came over and crouched down next to his log, looking around at the expanse in front of them.

"Hmm... I guess I drew some when I was a kid, like with charcoal and sticks and stuff? Been too busy training and missions and stuff to do it lately, though I suppose I can draw a map alright.  Do most nobles like you have real boring days?"

He shakes his head and flips through his sketch book. Several detailed sketches of wings, a snake and a riverside with a woman in a dress all pass by.
"Not really. Most nobles devote themselves to something to break up the day to day life. Courtly love, affairs, the arts, gossip. It's all so...vapid, I never took to it as well as my brother did and I feel like I am a better man for it. Of course we don't need to worry about hunger or illness as much so it's a trade that most of my kind gladly appreciate. To me I read the vast libraries my mansion had to try and know the outside world. I wasn't allowed to leave my estate you see, I was too weak, the world too dangerous."

Bella politely looked over the sketches, nodding or making appreciative noises as each was revealed. She liked the snake, in particular. "I can't say I know much about courtly life, though I've had to pass as one once or twice. That was fun, you shoulda seen the look on their eyes afterwards."

She chuckled at memores. "I gotta say though, staying cooped up in libraries all day sounds... dreadfully borin. I'd much rather be out here, you know? Sleeping on the ground isn't so hot, but it's better then being inside all the time. I get antsy if I haven't been in the sky in a while..."

He laughed at the notion of Bella in a noblewoman's place
"You posing as a noblewoman? Forgive me if I'm wrong but I'm having a tough time seeing that. I can't see you sitting still in a large dress. And I agree for some part, I do enjoy reading a nice book but encountering something in a book is much more different than being outside. And I have to ask, how is flight? I have never encountered a pegisi or wyvern outside of this army before, save for the occasional Penwyvern mount when they would come to bargain."

Bella gave him a flat look, then pulled off her hat and tossed her silvery hair back with flourish. Dipping her head down, she blinked up at him through her eyelashes, giving him a sultry look for a moment, before laughing it off. "Oh, no, you totally got that right. I'm rubbish at sitting and cross stitch, but I do like the dancing. Besides, you'd be suprised what sort of things you can fit under those huge skirts."

Sighing happily, she rocked back on her boots, looking up towards the puffy clouds above. "Oh, flying is a dream. Just me and Impulse and the whole dome of the sky above. It's like... swimming, except you've got nothing holding you back. Well, except for the falling of course, but even that's a rush until Impulse has to catch me. I guess I could take you up sometime, if you want. I promise not to drop you much."

He laughed at the noblewoman guise, she would have fooled even Albert.
"I take back my statement, you would have fooled even the most observant noble. As for the flying, I'd love to...but please don't tell Cheyenne, she can get rather protective of me. It is her job I suppose, but I do like having some time away from her."

She grinned, her expression turning mischivious. "Hehehe, what mommy doesn't know won't hurt her. We could go up right now if you want, Impulse is... over there, somewhere."
She waved vaguely to the left. "I think she found something to eat, I probably should take her up anyway to work off her meal once she's done."

He smirked at her grin, though also remained cautious at the same time, hoping she wouldn't try a prank at his expence in the air.
"Yes, well I'd be honored to join you in the air. Say the word and I will join you."

Nodding with a big grin on her face, Bella popped back on her feet, calling out. "Come here, dear!"

A large rustle, then the wyvern's dark mass cleared the trees then dropped down next to her, a couple spots of fresh blood on her muzzle. Bella crooned at her, taking a moment to pull a cloth out of the saddle bag to clean her mount's snout, before plucking her hat off and plopping it onto the wyvern's head. The hat settled there, two unnoticed holes sliding down over a couple of her head crests to hold the hat in place.

Putting a foot on the stirrup, Bella turned, holding a hand out to Albert. "Ready for boarding, captain!"

He takes your hand and mounts the wyvern as well.
"Yes, well let's take to the skys then. Shall we?"

Turning around easily on her mount's back, she takes a moment to make sure he's holding the straps correctly, before neatly spinning on her heel on dropping down. Barely bothering to hold on herself, she clenches her legs, causing Impulse to rise at the signal. With a quick double tap of her palm, the wyvern vaults off the ground, and with two enormus wing flaps is off and up.

"Hold on tight, here we go!"

He laughs as the wyvern takes flight, holding on to Bella.
"This is wonderful! The wind hitting my face feels-ACK!"
He chokes a bit before recovering.
"I swallowed a bug..."

She laughs over her shoulder. "Just chew in self defense! I've got goggles in my bag if you want them, I use them if I'm up for a long time, the wind can dry your eyes out..."

She guides Impulse up higher in big slow circles, looking out over the trees and field.

He laughs a bit and nods.
"Yes, I'd rather enjoy those goggles. Everything on the bottom looks very small, like everything is a toy! I'd sketch this if I wasn't afraid of my notes ripping of due to the wind."

"Ah, so that's what you're after, huh? Ok, just a sec..." She leans over to what looks like most certainly a dangerous angle, holding onto the wyvern's side with just her legs as she digs around in the saddle bag with her hands. A few long moments later, she exclaims in triumph, holding the goggles up and pulling herself up using the saddle strap.

"Here you go! And... lets see... how about this?" She kicks with one foot, and Impulse stops, hovering in place, the wind dying down as they stop moving and start to bob slightly up and down on the spot.

"Ah, here we go! Yes, I believe I can work with this...thank you Bella."
He takes out his skech book and starts drawing the scenery.
"So you are a fellow dark mage, yes? Where did you learn?"

Now that they're at a comfortable hovering height, she turns sidesaddle, leaning comfortable on Impulse's long neck, almost like a couch. "Oh... uh... I dunno, actually. I've always had a knack for it. When I was a kid I used to play with shadows and stuff, I don't think I realized other kids couldn't do it. Luciano got us some teachers once he realized we could cast, they'd stay for a while then move on. That's where I got my hat! One of them gave it to me when she left."

She points proudly to the old beat up witches hat still perched on Impulse's head.

"If I may ask, what powers your magic? Some dark mages for example use self harm, other people use emotions, even more call on spirits."

Bella blinks at Albert, looking a little confused. "Oh... huh... I never thought of it like that. Well... I don't think it's spirits or nothin, I just like... working with it, you know? It's like a friend who doesn't like to listen, and you sorta have to wrestle it into place before it slips away from you. Other magic is... like... too docile, or something. It just does what you tell it to do, when you ask it. Boring."

She sighs dramaticlly, leaning on her elbow. "I've never been able to figure out Light magic though. Bethany makes it look easy, just whipping it around with her fingertips tips, but it always seems... I don't know... too proud and uptight to work with."

He waves a hand, dismissing it.
"Tried light magic, I could use at one point but got bored. More based on order, so boring! Me, I prefer the chaotic nature of dark magic. It gives freedom that other magics can't contain. It's the difference between an orchestra and an impromptu music session."

Bella nods happily. "Yeah, yeah! With Beth, if she doesn't get her spells right the first time, she'll sit down and, like, practice until she can do it in her sleep. She's always drilling me to work at my spellcraft more. Me, I don't care so much HOW it comes out, just that the guy I'm pointing at is splattered all over the wall when it's done. That drives her nuts, though; she prefers zapping a hole in someone then leaving a big mess." She rolls her eyes

"Yes, although there is a certain satisfaction in precision I enjoy the effects of dark magic on the human body. In fact that is in part what powers my dark magic, curiosity on how they will act to my magics."

"Oh? You mean you're not part of a secret nobleman death cult or something? Disecting people with magic and putting them back together again? Aren't you all suppose to be into weird stuff that like?" She laughed and pulled a canteen out of her bag to sip some water.

He laughed as well as he sketched the world below.
"Sadly no, if only there was a nobleman death cult, then things would be intresting. Although if anyone woud be would be House Tō. House Jolaripa is more intrested in the things of wealth than knowledge."

Bella shrugs, looking out over the landscape that he's sketching, comparing it to his book. "I don't know that much about the Houses, I guess. We've worked with House Penwyvern fairly often, I suppose. They never invite us to parties or anything, though."

The landscape looks very similar, there are a few differences due to things moving around but it looks pretty good regardless.
"It only makes sense, after all no one shows their spy ring at parties. The only ones that do is my house and that's to give the impression that we have more, which we do. I would offer to take you to one as a guest as thanks for this but I'm not under the best relations with my family at the moment. Perhaps if mother steps down and my brother will take lead of the household...maybe."

Bella chuckled and turned, guiding Impulse into a diffrent positon. "Woah there friend, we just met and you're already talking about taking me to a ball? What if this is just an excuse for me to slip into your house and something neferious? Trusting so easily..."

"Who said the ball would be hosted at my house? And you obviously haven't heard about the bodyguards my House employs. In any regard it would give something interesting, I do find most of the things that happen at those balls quite dull."

"Oh, but you have those big fancy dresses, and all that lovely food, and the intresting conversation, and those important people..." She smirked as she trailed off. "Ok, yeah, like half of that sounds dreadful, actually."

He laughed and went to drawing.
"Yes, but they are a prime place to gather information on how the other nobles are doing. Affairs, health, wealth, all flaunted for everyone to see. A place for the vapid to be as vapid as they want to be."

"Ah, I suppose you're right. Beth is a little better at that sort of thing then me, she blends in better with a crowd. Normally I'm the one who wants to bring a battle axe slipping into my garters, or something. I don't know why our father wants in on that whole scene so badly, to be honest, but he says it's for the best, so I suppose it must be." She blew out her breath, puffing her hair up.

"Most commoners want to be noble, or to come into wealth at least. They think it will give them happiness. Me, I do like my privileged upbringing but not at the cost of freedom. I believe that there is a balance that must be obtained in all things, most of my people neglect the practical things in favor of the finer things in life."

"Sounds like a diffrent world, just having servants do everything for you. I mean, I guess we have some servants around the place, sometimes, but that's normally just cause they're being punished or working off a debt or something." She shrugged.

"So if you're so sick and noble and stuff, what are you doing out here, slumming it with the rest of us?"

"Bit of perspective change. I er...almost drowned-long story. While I was sinking I thought about all the things I wanted to do-seeing new lands, recording new animals, experiencing new cultures. Then I thought about what was in my future. Same thing day in, day out, marry a woman whose head is about as empty as the sky, probally be on the bad end of an affair, produce an heir, use him as my mother used me and the cycle goes on. I wanted to live my life on my terms and not on my mother's."

"You almost drowned, huh? That's never seemed like a fun way to go, to me. You just flail around a lot and nothing you can do. At least with fire you can try to put it out, or run away, or something..." She shook her head, thinking back on memories.

"Still, you know you could well end up with an arrow to the eye, or a sword to the gut, or kicked by a horse or something out here, right? Might not even see it coming, if they know what they're doing. Just... BAM! Out like a light. Is that better then bedding down with some brainless busty bimbo?"

He laughed.
"When you put it like that it sounds like I'm crazy...but I suppose most men wouldn't balk at the life I have lived. It's more about control, marriage was only part of the problem I had. All my life I only had control in some areas, most of my life I was used as a pawn for my family. If I die while pursuing the freedom I seek...well I almost have died three times, for me to die on the fourth would be rather auspicious."

Beth scratches her head. "You know, I don't know if I have an exact number like that. I suppose we probably will end up dying in our line of work sooner or later, but I've never been worried about it. I feel like it probably won't be any time soon, but who knows. I don't know if we have the freedom you're talking about just cause we're commoners, though; I mean, we still have to get food and train and do jobs for the Company and stuff."

"Freedom is based on ones life, not on one's standing. Plenty of people who are noble are free to choose, plenty of commoners are bound to their land. If you are free to go down a separate path, that is freedom. I do not know much about your Company so I cannot say. "

"It's fun! I mean... sometimes it is. It's our mercenary Company, the Silver Blades. We go around and, uh... help people fight. And... other stuff. As needed. That's why we're here; the Prince or someone contacted our father and asked for his two best operatives, so that's us! We're pretty good at our jobs, he seemed to want us to make a good impression with the Prince, so i guess we can't screw this up." She chuckled

"It seems like the Prince gathered a bunch of random people at a glance doesn't it? It's rather funny to see all the contrasting people around."

"Do you really think so? I guess I thought we were all mercenaries or something... but... I guess you're not one, huh? I guess there must be a reason for each of us to be here though, this Prince seems like a pretty smart guy." She shrugged, clearly not thinking the politics of this situation through.

"If I had to guess...either my mother volunteered me as punishment, our new king mistook me for my brother, or he actually wanted to recruit Cheyenne."

Bella chuckled. "Are you a twin too? Or is miss Cheyenne so good that he would want a fighter like her on the team? Does she have a repuation or something?"

He laughed as well, before it devolved into a slight coughing fit. He produces a small vial of medicine and downs it before replying.
"No, no. Her family has served mine for generations, each generation passing on what they have learned about infiltration, bodyguarding and servitude. Her line has a sort of fame among the nobility you see, for both loyalty and effectiveness."

Bella gave him a critical look for a moment, then handed him her canteen of water. "Don't you die on me now, I'd hate to have to report to her that I killed you while flying around behind her back. She sounds... formidable. I wonder if I could take her in a fight... I've had to do bodyguard work for father before, I don't know if I'd like to do it all the time..."

He takes a drink and coughs a bit before it fades away.
"Ah, I'm fine, I'm fine, my respiratory problems aren't lethal...I believe. Anyways, it's a hard job for Cheyenne, due to how I keep on getting into trouble. Knowledge without risk is very rare unfortunatly and I have almost gotten hurt more times than I can count!"

Bella nods, satisfied that the water was what he needed to cure him. "Ah, so it's kind of like me and Impulse here! She keeps an eye on my back in combat, and I watch her to make sure she doesn't try to eat an bear or something. Well, I mean... I guess it's not quite the same... You can't ride around on her back... probably?"

"Yes, I guess it is sort of like that. Although, Cheyenne doesn't benefit as much from our partnership as I do I suppose. How did you get Impulse by the way? I thought house Penwyvern had wyverns of this breed."

"I'm sure you could draw her a picture or something return, maybe she'd like that? As for Impulse... well, see, our father works with House Penwyvern fairly often. We're... sort of their go-to when they need something done... quietly. Anyway, he's got a Badlands wyvern himself, a huge hulking beast named Batterskull. He's getting a little older in age, so they gave father a new whelp cause we did a good job for them, but he didn't want to give up his own mount, so he gave her to me. I got to train her and watch her grow, and now she's my lovely Impulse. I don't think he asked Beth, but she's got her own Dawnstar anyway, so I guess she doesn't want a wyvern herself for some reason."

She scratched the wyven on her neck, making her croon a little under her touch.

"I mean, she already has a mount. Wouldn't you only favor one mount and neglect the other? On top of that wyverns do eat a large amount after all, it would be costly to have three wyverns to take care of all at the same time."

Bella laughed. "Wyverns are easy to feed, you just hit the bushes a little and let them catch anything that tries to run off. Nah, she's always been a bit particular about things like that, I think she just likes her own pegasus just cause it's not what our father uses."

"Does she have a problem with your father?"

"Maybe? She's always getting in trouble, arguing with him and stuff. I don't know, those two always seem disagree, I don't understand it. Like... she's always changing the plan on missions and stuff. I guess she's worried about loosing men, but eh, I don't really worry about that. As long as we get through it like planned, it seems to work out alright."

"Hm...why do you think that is? Do you think she thinks she can do a better job or is it something else?"

"I don't know, I guess you'd have to ask her yourself. I don't think she likes waste, we have a high attrition rate, but we're never lacking manpower since the Silver Blades pay well and we always get the job done. I don't really see a problem with that, though..." She shrugged.

"She's my sister, but sometimes I don't understand her myself on everything. Do you and miss Cheyenne get along well?"

"Yes, in fact we do. She has been my friend since childhood, after all for one to be your bodyguard you need to have a friendly relationship don't you think? Anyways, I make sure she drops all pleasantries and barriers around me, I am not a man who is averse to criticism but I tend to ignore my faults. It wasn't easy to get her that way though, it took a lot of undoing years of manners training but I'd have it no other way. I am rather...unusual around my servants, most people in my stature don't like their servants talking back to them, but I like knowledge of all kinds, even those that might hurt."

"Ooh, so is she like... a bodyguard and butler? She don't mind serving you all the time? Surely she wants time off to go do her own thing, yeah? That's one perk of having a twin; I can always swap out when I wanna take a break, and a lot of the time they don't even notice if they're not watching closely haha."

"The stresses of her life do take a toll on her, if I feel she is getting too stressed I dismiss her to go get a drink or something to that regard. I normally try to do normal things and not study dangerous creatures but you know...sometimes mistakes happen. On one of those times without her I er...accidently insulted Morigan and I am still feeling the repercussions."

"Hmm... I get under Beth's skin sometimes, so I know how that feels. But dangerous stuff is so much more intresting! Why play with a rabbit when you could have a snake, instead?! But... wait... miss Morigan... did you know her before this? Like from your noble House? We just got here, you can't have made her angry already..." Bella sounded confused.

"No, I was fortunate enough to not have known her prior to when we got here. I may have insulted her mage craft while criticizing her potion making yesterday. Somehow I was for almost every chore today, I believe she chooses who does what."

"You know... I noticed that I hadn't had any tasks today, I figured since we were getting ready to go, we already had everything we needed. " She laughed. "I didn't realize it was cause you got volenteered for it! That's rich, if you want to do my camp chores from now on, that's fine with me. Miss Morigan sounds like a pretty level lady, if you ask me! hehehe..."

"Yeah, yeah, laugh it up. I just find it interesting that she was insulted by my worlds, I thought her to be thicker skinned. In that regard she isn't that far from the geezers who head the mage guilds."

"One does not insult the skills or methods of a lady, Albert. Especially not an old lady who's set in her ways!" She giggles a little more, before calming down some. "What was she actually doing, though? I mean, I've got the hat, but I never could figure out all those potions and stuff. It's like cooking, but even worse since if you screw it up it'll explode instead of just tasting bad."

"She was brewing a potion, I suggested that the way she was brewing was wrong but she wouldn't hear it. Potion making isn't so bad when you make your own medicines. Its rather similar, just with ingredients that can kill you if not properly prepared."

"Ah, well, hopefully she's not the sort to hold a grudge, or you might regret that come time for her to give you a vulnerary in the field or something... So you make stuff? Can you make something that makes me move faster or hit harder? That seems like it'd be pretty useful, actually!"

"Yes, although my potions are rather foul tasting. Not many people can stand the taste well in fact, a lot of my brew is made up of formerly toxic or bitter ingredients. I can stomach it due to the amount of medicines I have taken over the years."

"Ah, so you brew potions the same way I cook, it sounds. I can make food thats... mostly edible, but other people don't seem to like the taste, for some reason. My sister's grown used to it, but if something needs to be made for other people to eat, normally she's the one to do it. She's got this little book with recipies written in it, it's pretty neat! I tried it once, but I guess you gotta follow all the little numbers, and I didn't bother with that..."

"If your food tastes as bad as my potions, perhaps you can stomach it. You are free to try but the taste made one of our allies run out of my room in search of water so don't say I didn't warn you."

"Ahahah, well, if that's the case, we'll have to swap sometime, see what the other's creations taste like. I'll bet I could create something that you could stomach! A hearty meal is just the thing to take that sickness of yours away, I think!"

"Yes, we shall do that next time..."
He does some finishing lines on his drawing and holds it up, a almost perfect drawing of the view on the back of a wyvern with Bella in the front seat.
"Ah, done! I thank you for this experience, I will not forget it anytime soon."

She leans back to look it over, noting some of the features of the terrain below. "Hey, you'd make a pretty good map drawer, you know? Someone's gotta fly up and take notes of the terrain, and I can see better then Beth in the dark, so its usually me. Maybe I'll have to look you up next time!" Pulling Impulse around with her legs, she breaks the conversation to duck low to her mount, guiding them back down to drop them off just outside camp.

Behind some trees, so Cheyenne didn't see them, of course.

==FIN==