Back from a long weekend away (Chase)

[Chase Caldera]

Chase walked through the woods back to where he thought Tristan should be. True he didn't remember exactly how to get back but he had a good sense of direction. as Chase got closer he realized that there were a lot more bandits then he had originally fought. He came across several bodies and one person who had been hurt but had still tried to kill Chase. Chase shot him before the man had a chance to draw his sword.

Chase was walking more carefully as he heard sounds of fighting hoping that he wouldn't get ambushed. Arriving at the clearing he saw Tristan finish off a man with a stick, Chase had to admit Tristan was good at fighting even if he wasn't the brightest star in the sky.

He was about to call out to him when he noticed another man in the bushes behind Tristan. Chances were Tristan couldn't see him from where he stood.

Chase lifted up the crossbow he had taken from the second archer and slowly winched up the bolt. He hoped he could hit the man from the distance they were at. After all Chase wasn't exactly the best archer and rarely used a crossbow.

He shot the bolt and watched it soar into the man's right shoulder. Well It wasn't the best shot but Chase could see the poison going into affect as the man started to twitch and writhe.

Walking out into the clearing towards Tristan he called out "So is that all of them or did you hog all the fun parts? On another note I don't suppose you know why so man,y if not well trained then at least well equipped, bandits are attacking us?"

[Sir Tristan de Braose]

Tristan relished the chance to compose himself and catch his breath whilst he scanned his surroundings with eager eyes. It didn't look as though there were anymore surprise visits from unwanted guests but still it was always best to be on your guard. Tristan lowered his sword and wiped the blood from his hands onto his clothes whilst still keeping his wits about him for anymore attacks if they were to be launched on him. He drew in a deep breath and exhaled a large lungful of air in relief; from where he was standing it looked like it was all over. He began to look over all the bodies now, distingushing who were casualities and who happened to be dead. If any of them were to recover he didn't fancy going for round number two.

Tristan was about to bend down and check the guy's pulse but he saw Chase up ahead of him. He was about to call him over and ask for help with checking out the wounded but he became alarmed when Chase began to aim the crossbow at the area around him. Were there more of them? Tristan made little effort to dodge the arrow as it passed cleanly past him, embedding itself into the shoulder of his attacker from behind. How had he missed that? He watched on as the man dropped to his knee's, holding the bleeding wound on his shoulder and beginning to froth at the mouth. The poison began making its way around his body and within several long minutes he was dead. Or paralysed, it was hard to tell.

"So is that all of them or did you hog all the fun parts? On another note I don't suppose you know why so many if not well trained then at least well equipped, bandits are attacking us?"

Tristan immersed himself in quiet contemplation; he wasn't quite sure if this attack had been deliberate or purely co-incidental. Maybe the two just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time but maybe it had been more calculated than that? He knew these so called bandits were much more well trained than he would have thought as most outlaws living in the forest didn't carry around poison darts and be that well-established. Tristan shrugged his shoulders, sending his eyes down to the lifeless body down by his feet.

"I don't know. I don't think there are anymore but we should be careful anyway." Tristan said, before pausing and picking his sentence back up again. "And what do you think? Do you believe these people to be bandits? Personally I think they are some low-lives who just happened to stumble across us and in their blind attempt at a mugging they didn't bank on how well we would fight back." He said, bending down and searching the guy's pockets. Tristan pulled out a bulging bag of shining golden coins and jangled them about in his hands. "Looks like they got to someone else before they found us" he said, wondering what else these men had managed to obtain.

[Chase Caldera]

Chase waited as Tristan thought about his questions for awhile before answering. Apparently Tristan had no clue of whether it was supposed to be an attack on them or just a random robbing. Chase himself wasn't sure. True they both had enemies but at least Chase's enemies wouldn't have known he was here. Although the same couldn't be said about Tristan.

Tristan stooped down to search through one of the bandits pockets. Pulling out a bag full of gold coins he commented that the bandits must have recently robbed someone else. Chase wondered at this. Normally when robbers robbed someone they usually fled the area as soon as possible to avoid the soldiers that would inevitably com. Apparently these ones were idiots who had stayed in the same area. Unless of course this was where they had fled.

There wasn't enough information Chase decided and thus it would be pointless to continue ruminating on it. He stooped down to join Tristan in searching the men. Perhaps they would find something useful.

[Sir Tristan de Braose]

Tristan chucked the bursting bag of money on the floor for he had no use for it. He had a steady and constant cash flow coming from his uncle and even then he was rather reluctant to accept it. He had preferred to make money on his own and achieve his knighthood without the help of his family but they were far too eager and interested in his development to actually leave him alone to do it for himself. But for now he had kept them quiet in visiting them and plus he had made his mother happy. He had spent all weekend doing the household jobs she had yet to get around to asking for help with. However good his father was, he never busied himself helping his wife as he blieved his time could be spent doing something of more use.

Tristan had busted his back fixing the leaky roof protecting the master bedroom of the manor, he had personally made a crate full of wooden rat traps to get rid of the rest infestation in the dungeons and he had also replaced all of the deteriorating metal framework that surrounded the castle dungeons; his hands bore the effects of his hard work. The sores and blisters were just beginning to disappear which was good, although they were beginning to become aggravated by the continous use of his sword he had bestowed upon his poor withered fingers. Tristan sighed as the stinging of the popping blisters began dispelling small amounts of liquid.

Only now was Tristan beginning to notice the time. He hadn't planned to stop for this 'short rest' for that long and now he was falling behind schedule. He wasn't technically allowed this trip home in the first place yet he had gone behind Prince Arthur's back to take a few days leave. "Arthur's going to kill me. I was meant to be back attending and on duty for last patrol hours ago, yet I'm sure he's noticed my disappearance by now." Tristan was slightly annoyed, knowing he was going to get punished for it. "I'm so going to get it in the neck" He moaned trying not to invisage the angry face of Arthur when he got back. "But as I'm going to get told off anyway, there's no rush to get back" He smiled, trying to see the lighter side of a bad situation.

[Chase Caldera]

Chase watched as Tristan rejected the gold. How foolish Chase thought to himself. It didn't matter how much you had gold never hurt. Not to mention there wasn't anywhere for the gold to go anyway. Would it be better for the gold to lie here? No. Obviously the only choice was to take the gold.

Chase picked up the bag as Tristan commented on how late he was. Looking around Chase noticed that it was indeed getting dark. "Well you better get back to your horse then. Hey try telling Arthur that you took out a band of bandits. I don't see why he would get mad that you were late because you didn't want to let them roam free. After all it was for the greater good. Anyway what can he do to you? If he threw you out of the army chances are your parents would start a war for the insult to your honer."

Chase found it amusing just how little damage nobles could do to each other. Especially when they had connections outside the realm. The wounds of the wars were still to fresh so all the kings had to tread carefully and humour each others whims. In reality the king didn't even have much power these days. It was the well connected people who could influence the nobles. Sometimes that was the king, others a powerful noble who liked to stay in the background.

"Anyway we better head back to the road." Chase said as he started towards the Kingsway.

[Sir Tristan de Braose]

Tristan had to agree with what Chase said. Surely Prince Arthur wouldn't be angry with him for the fact he and his accomplice had aided in ridding the town of yet another crew of rogue bandits, meaning the rest of the army didn't have to waste their precious time in eradicating them. But the fact he had left without warning or even without telling anyone was sure to outweight his good deeds but it wasn't like he could do anything right? Tristan wouldn't know what he would do if he was kicked out of the army; he didn't even want to think how disappointed or angry his parents would be of him. "Yeah, your right." Tristan mused, shrugging his shoulders slightly. "I'll just have to bring him round to my way of thinking"

In Tristan's eyes he deserved the short holiday, even if he had missed an important training session. He could always catch up though, he liked to think that he was streets ahead of everyone else which admittedly did feed his rather big ego. He grew slightly nervous and anxious of returning back to Camelot but shook off his looming anxieties and began a slow pace back to his horse. He was slightly surprised by the fact that she was still standing there, completely undeterred from what had just happened. She just stood, munching happily on grass oblivous to her surroundings. Even if it was reluctantly, he had to admit she was a very good cavalry horse.

Tristan made the decision he wouldn't ride her on the way back, rather save her energies for his training session tommorow. Even if he would take them longer he had to think of the condition the horse would be in by the time he returned her to the stables. "Walk on" He said softly, tugging on her reigns gently rather than going with the brute force attempt he had gone for before. Much to his surprise, she followed. Tristan turned his head to make sure that Chase was still there behind him, and he also made a menta note to bring a few soldiers over later to clean up the carnage.

"I must thank you for helping. I would have had a hard time taking them all down myself. Not that I couldn't have done it..." He said smiling, feeling quite uncomfortable as the words left his mouth as he wasn't really a guy who often said thanks. "So, whats it like being in the magicians guild? I have to say my knowledge on the subject isn't vast" He said, making conversation as he lead his horse further and further along the dusty track.

[Chase Caldera]

Chase walked towards the Kingsway. His feeling that Tristan agreed with him was proved as commented upon trying to convince Arthur of it.

When they arrived at the road Tristan apparently decided to walk his horse as they continued towards Camelot. After thanking Chase for his help in the fight Tristan asked him about what it was like in the guild. Chase had to admit he was caught off guard by the question. What was life at the guild like? On one side it wasn't that different from real life, there was constant fighting and politics going on in the guild. On the other hand it was totally different, there was great studies going on about magic and its source.

"It is the same and yet very different from the rest of life" Was all Chase managed to come up with "What about you? How's the army treating you? Is it really any different from other armies?"

[Sir Tristan de Braose]

Tristan carried on his tight grip on the reigns and began to tighten as his horse began to walk slower and dig her hooves into the ground as she saw the sights of Camelot rapidly drifting into view. It seemed she had enjoyed this little weekend away as much as he had and she didn't want to return back into the stable to be worked and ridden. He dragged her slightly and shot back a stern look to remind her who was boss and she soon began walking like a textbook, star cavalry horse. Tristan listened as Chase described what it was like to be in the guild although he didn't let out a whole lot of information. Tristan had to admit he was curious; he didn't much like things he didnt know. The guild and any sort of magic was a strange area for him as he had little or mostly no knowledge on the subject.

"What about you? How's the army treating you? Is it really any different from other armies?"

Tristan had to think about that one for a second. Since coming to Camelot and joining the army that defended this town, he had accumulated a lot of fond memories. He loved the training; even if it was a lot of hard work and quite treacherous and most of all he loved the constant company and the comoradarie every member and recruit had going. He had to admit it was tough and incredibly hardgoining, yet he would have it no other way. He liked how his abilites were constantly being challenged and how his skills and strength were constantly pushed to their limits; it made him feel strong and as though he was fulfilling his purpose and potential.

"I love it in the army. I wasn't too happy at first to be posted and pushed along into Camelot but once I got over my stubborness and reluctance to be here I started to enjoy it. All my life I've only ever been to Cornwall and that's all I've ever known. It's quite refreshing to visit a place that's so new and far away from home; right now I'd have it no other way." He said, rather more enthuastically than he had initially intended to. "And it's right what they say about the army here, it is the best in the land. It's only because Prince Arthur is such a legendary fighter though without him the army wouldn't be half as good as it is" He confinded, perhaps realizing that he was perhaps letting out more than he should.

"Ah, nearly there. I can see the Castle turrets" The sights of the Castle could be seen now; the spirals and tops of the towers were gently poking out over the hills, they were nearly there.

[Chase Caldera]

Chase continued walking along the road watching the scenery go by waiting for Tristan to answer him. When Tristan did answer it wasn't anything Chase hadn't expected. Just saying that he found it difficult and yet still worth while. Although Chase was slightly surprised at the amount of credit Tristan gave to Prince Arthur. He had expected Tristan as royalty himself to not attribute everything to Arthur. Everywhere Chase went all he heard of the prince was good even though his father wasn't too popular. It was interesting someday Chase wanted to meet the prince and see if he stood up to his reputation.

The taller buildings of Camelot came into view. It wouldn't be long until they went their separate ways. Chase stayed quite until they had almost reached the gates. Then he turned to Tristan and said "Well it was interesting meeting you. Maybe we will run into each other again but we both really should get back. Don't want Arthur trying to cut off you head for arriving late do we" He joked He actually pretty much meant the part about meeting Tristan. Normally he didn't like meeting people but Tristan wasn't half bad. He held out his hand. "It was nice meeting you."

[Sir Tristan de Braose]

Tristan approached the gates into Camelot and realised both himself and Chase would be parting ways soon ready to carry on with their everyday lives. He didn't know if he was ever going to run into him again as Tristan never really came into contact with the guild that often and he never really got chance to venture outside the soldiers quarters unless he was training. Needless to say everything that had just happened, Tristan had quite enjoyed himself. He had caught up with a past family friend whilst being given the opportunity to exercise his fighting and combat techniques, yes it had been quite an enjoyable night and he hoped at some point he would get to be able to do it all again.

"Yeah, it's been nice catching up with you, I hope we'll meet again some time. If you ever need anything or want some help with whatever you've got going on just give me a shout! I'm sure I owe you for saving my life some point back there!" He said with a laugh, stopping his horse from her slow trot as he said his farewell to Chase. "And if you see me in the Stocks in a few days, feel free to stop by and chuck a few rotten tomatoes at me, I promise I won't mind" He joked, before turning away and leading his horse through the gates of Camelot.

Tristan dragged his horse past the other sniggering soldiers on patrol who eyed him suspciously and informed him wordlessly that he was going to be in some sort of trouble. He made a mental note to linger around in the stables for perhaps a lot longer than he should, buying himself some time to come up with a decent excuse or even managing to evade Prince Arthur until morning. Anything was worth a try but the evening had certainly been worthwhile.

~End~