The woods were damp and cold that morning. He had expected as much, but it bothered him all the same. Even here, so close to the beating heart of commerce, at the edge of the place where all things were attainable, he couldn't have comfort. Part of him knew that they were just as unpleasant to everyone else, that this was not his burden to bear alone. It didn't make it any more bearable.
"Great thinking, Seth'. It's the capital of trade, you can find anything in Bisanthium!" Though none were around to hear his words, the very trees overhead bent at the impudence in the child's voice. Sighing, Sethos looked down at the patch of dead earth on which he stood. It was always dead underfoot.
Yesteday
"Whaddya want, kid?" inquired the previously un-bothered guard, regarding the pale urchin.
"Just to know what happened here, Oh Mighty Lordship," Sethos snidely answered. The guard considered smacking the upstart youth there on the spot, but shortly reconcidered; something stayed his hand. Moreso than compassion, he simply could not bring himself to touch the boy.
"There was a fight, kid, whaddas it look like? What, you think th' bartender did this?"
"I heard some guards died last night. And some important people, too."
"If you was smart, you'd stop askin' so many questions."
There was a brief moment of silence. Sethos pulled back his hood and looked the guard squarely in the eye. For a moment, even that jaded old man felt his gorge rising.
"L-Look, kid. I'm feelin' nice t'day. Get outta here now an' I won't tell anyone 'bout what you said." Though he tried to sound authoritative, the watchman sounded more like he was begging. After a short moment, Seth turned his eyes to the west. Before he could bring those unnatural pink eyes up to bear down on the guard again, the older fellow spoke.
"Look, noone knows alla what happ'ned. One a' them had wings, up and flew outta here...One stole a horse, rode inta th' forests t' the South a' town..." He turned his eyes skyward, and made a sour face. "Now really, go on, git!"
Sethos walked away without words, drawing up the hood of his cloak. The guard immediately set about forgetting that the child existed.
Today
Finding whoever it was that had bested those guards was more a matter of luck now than skill. After wandering through the evening without rest, it occured to Seth' that his search wasn't very likely to bear fruit. It didn't seem right, going to these places without Dredge waiting right outside the gates, without something to fall back on if things took a turn for the worse...but he couldn't get him back from the Temple without going to places like this. Just another tormenting quandry he'd have to deal with.
As he was contemplating what misery was his, a sound caught his ear. Two people, a man and a woman, but their voices were faint, and he no tracker...In a more rational state of mind, he'd likely have waited for a better opportunity to survey the situation. As things were now, the prospect of finding anyone was a whole lot more appealing than the prospect of finding no one.
Perhaps my luck has changed, he mused to himself as he careless trod upon the crackling forest floor what withered and died beneath his step. For a moment, a smile almost hit his face. He felt better knowing that he'd have some resolution, for good or ill.
All the same, the forest was cold and damp.
(( I don't know what everyone has in store for their own storylines, but I'd really rather graft myself on to one [assuming it doesn't cause any trouble] than drift about and RP all by myself...This post is an attempt to interract with the characters of TNtickle and Cassandra. If you don't think that this character would be healthy for your storyarch, feel free to ignore him; the woods are big, he could have heard anyone. Otherwise, I think his current quest and their stories would blend nicely. ))