“We can’t win, Navyri. Why don’t you see that?” Warren jetted a hand through his hair, anxiety starting to creep up on him as she made it more and more obvious that she refused to leave. What was even more infuriating was how quickly she was becoming incoherent. She was shifting on her feet much more than usual, correcting her balance as she swayed slightly. Words that were normally sharp, precises, and sensible were slurred and spelled confusion. Even her accent was coming out, one that Warren hadn’t noticed until this very moment.
“You’re drunk.” He reaffirmed, reaching out again to hold her steady only to have her pulled away from him, explaining her plans. “What are you saying, woman?” This was a mess of a conversation…
“My better judgement keeps you alive.” Was his retort, but the frustration he felt slowly began to melt as his eyes followed hers, watching her reactions, the way her voice lowered, even her touch on his skin as she extended her hands to encase his wrists. What was she doing?
To say he wasn’t captivated by the woman in the very moment would be a lie. The bounty hunter wanted to shrug her off, but he was charmed by her voice into remaining fixed where he was. Did she really not understand the odds here? Or the simple fact that he was protecting her very life?
“You’ve never had someone care about your wellbeing, have you..?” He asked shortly after she’d called for Lianna, not even phased by the absurdity of it. “The fact that you run head first into problems is answer enough, but why do you fight so hard to push away those who might give a shit about where you end up? My better judgment will always tell you no because your reckless decisions lead you into situations where you could get killed and I’m trying to prevent that from happening.”
It was at this point Lianna decided to poke her head out just before exiting the doors to the Tavern, “I’ve been listening,” She admitted outright. “I already promised the people we would stay and help—” At this point, Warren let out an audible groan of frustration, turning his back on the two as he began to pace.
“Why would you do something like that? There is nothing for them here..!” He gestured around the area. “Look at what those thieves did! They’ve destroyed this village, ransacked it! What is there to rebuild but a graveyard?! We need to tell them to leave.”
“Warren, they won’t go. Some of them have lived here all their lives. This is all they know..!”
“I don’t care, if they are able to walk, they need to go.”
Lianna balled her fists, “It’s not as easy for others to dig their lives up as it is for you, Kade. People have roots, homes where generations of their lines have existed and to ask someone to leave it behind when there is something that could be done about the situation is heartless!”
He paused, turning to her with an expression as though she’d physically struck him. “So that’s what you think? I’m heartless for taking you from your home?”
“I didn’t mean—”
Raising a hand to silence her, he said not another word as he walked past the two and back into the tavern. If Warren was to do battle tonight, he needed time alone to think and pray because, by the Gods, did he need both desperately right about now…
By the time they had finished preparing, Warren had scouted a structure with only one access point in it, that being the door that was both the entrance and exit. With the help of Navyri, he devised a plan to secure Lianna and the other women and children in the adjacent building to keep them out of harm’s way during the battle.
It was simple really, Navyri would act as the bait for the returning bandits by “leading” them to where the rest of the villagers were. Once inside the house, she would use her gift to subdue them while Warren lit the fire that would ultimately result in their demise. Of course, that would be after he dragged her outside and locked the door.
Nightfall had come while they waited for the return of the bandits. Warren had hidden the horses down a ways and was seated on a porch with his head bent over and hands clasped together in prayer.
Word Count: 749
“You’re drunk.” He reaffirmed, reaching out again to hold her steady only to have her pulled away from him, explaining her plans. “What are you saying, woman?” This was a mess of a conversation…
“My better judgement keeps you alive.” Was his retort, but the frustration he felt slowly began to melt as his eyes followed hers, watching her reactions, the way her voice lowered, even her touch on his skin as she extended her hands to encase his wrists. What was she doing?
To say he wasn’t captivated by the woman in the very moment would be a lie. The bounty hunter wanted to shrug her off, but he was charmed by her voice into remaining fixed where he was. Did she really not understand the odds here? Or the simple fact that he was protecting her very life?
“You’ve never had someone care about your wellbeing, have you..?” He asked shortly after she’d called for Lianna, not even phased by the absurdity of it. “The fact that you run head first into problems is answer enough, but why do you fight so hard to push away those who might give a shit about where you end up? My better judgment will always tell you no because your reckless decisions lead you into situations where you could get killed and I’m trying to prevent that from happening.”
It was at this point Lianna decided to poke her head out just before exiting the doors to the Tavern, “I’ve been listening,” She admitted outright. “I already promised the people we would stay and help—” At this point, Warren let out an audible groan of frustration, turning his back on the two as he began to pace.
“Why would you do something like that? There is nothing for them here..!” He gestured around the area. “Look at what those thieves did! They’ve destroyed this village, ransacked it! What is there to rebuild but a graveyard?! We need to tell them to leave.”
“Warren, they won’t go. Some of them have lived here all their lives. This is all they know..!”
“I don’t care, if they are able to walk, they need to go.”
Lianna balled her fists, “It’s not as easy for others to dig their lives up as it is for you, Kade. People have roots, homes where generations of their lines have existed and to ask someone to leave it behind when there is something that could be done about the situation is heartless!”
He paused, turning to her with an expression as though she’d physically struck him. “So that’s what you think? I’m heartless for taking you from your home?”
“I didn’t mean—”
Raising a hand to silence her, he said not another word as he walked past the two and back into the tavern. If Warren was to do battle tonight, he needed time alone to think and pray because, by the Gods, did he need both desperately right about now…
By the time they had finished preparing, Warren had scouted a structure with only one access point in it, that being the door that was both the entrance and exit. With the help of Navyri, he devised a plan to secure Lianna and the other women and children in the adjacent building to keep them out of harm’s way during the battle.
It was simple really, Navyri would act as the bait for the returning bandits by “leading” them to where the rest of the villagers were. Once inside the house, she would use her gift to subdue them while Warren lit the fire that would ultimately result in their demise. Of course, that would be after he dragged her outside and locked the door.
Nightfall had come while they waited for the return of the bandits. Warren had hidden the horses down a ways and was seated on a porch with his head bent over and hands clasped together in prayer.
Word Count: 749
