A Dog with No Master

[Ramiel Corus]

Perhaps he should have taken some time to consider. 

Perhaps he should have rested before launching himself from one tragedy into the next. 

Perhaps he was insane for continuing as he did. 

There were many possibilities, but none of them seemed particularly important to Ramiel. He had a path, a goal, and he was going to pursue it. Nemeris wanted him to join the army? Then he was damned well going to do it. He had no qualms about becoming loyal to Aralore--from what he'd heard on his travels, it was a worthwhile place to live, especially for someone starting with nothing. He was certainly starting with nothing. The clothes on his back, an axe, and a mission. 

If anything, he was calmly wondering what the rest of his path would look like. The life of a soldier seemed simple enough, assuming the leadership was decent. Nemeris hadn't exactly explained, so he was going in blind on that one. Still, after serving under a snake and a traitor, even the most abrasive of leaders would be welcome, so long as they were honest.

The military building certainly lived up to its name; the place was sturdy and practical, and it appeared to have been through some wear and tear even in the short time that people had been settled on this island. He entered it and looked around, not seeing anyone right away. He didn't want to walk around and explore as a foreigner in a military building so he stayed put and kept his hands clearly in view. He was considering walking in farther when he saw a light haired woman exit one of the other rooms. 

"Excuse me. Can you direct a new recruit?"

Naeva Northam

[Naeva Northam]

Training had just ended and the infantrymen were gathering up their weapons, cleaning up the equipment, and slowly filing out. Naeva was doing the same, helping with putting equipment away, while she continued barking out several orders, commented on how some of the soldiers did.

As things were dying down, Naeva began undoing some of her leather armor she used so she could allow the other men to strike her. She heard the voice from behind her and quickly turned to see the older man who looked horribly worn and beaten down. Her brows lowered and slightly furrowed as she regarded the man, tilting her head as she looked at him curiously. "I... uh..." Yes, of course, she could direct a new recruit-- he literally had walked up to the right person, but his appearance caught her a bit by surprise. She had never seen him before and she wasn't certain if she should worry. Perhaps suspect him as a dangerous threat, someone from Saelis? She cleared her throat. "And who are you?" The tone of her voice was rather steady and strong as if she took no shit from anyone.

If the man did not know her, he most likely would think she was just a random soldier who was taking her time finishing up while everyone else was leaving. But she did not look around for backup as most may have. The man looked strong and as he could perhaps take her down and break her, but Naeva was confident in her own abilities and strength or agility. She realized she hadn't answered his question yet. "Sorry--Yes, I can help you... What are you good at? Do you have experience?" Of course, he had the experience, look at him... It was a stupid question, but Naeva didn't typically assume things. "...There are several divisions you could join... Infantry, Rangers, Cavalry, Navy...archers? Guards..." She looked him over once again and if she had to guess he was an infantryman. Or a guard, perhaps.

[Ramiel Corus]

Ramiel watched her size him up with a wry smile. He must look like a madman...well, he may be a madman. But she took it well, he thought. She didn't just throw him out, which was more than he probably had any right to expect. Actually, she took charge of the situation quickly enough he started to assume she must be some kind of officer. She was clearly wearing armor from training, and the way she carried herself told him that she could hold her own. That was new, but he didn't mind. He happened to know at least one very strong woman, and he had no doubts a determined woman could do whatever they put their mind to.

He actually chuckled at her string of questions. Good. She wasn't wasting any time, and she wasn't planning to just take on someone who had no idea what they were doing. He was feeling positively cheerful, now that he had a goal to hold to. Nemeris would probably feel nauseous if she had any idea how pleased he was.

"Let's see. My name is Ramiel Corus. I'm from Saryndale, or at least, I was." Perhaps he should have left that bit out. He grimaced. "I was a guard there for quite some time, but I'd prefer something different. Infantry, maybe." He gestured to the axe over his shoulder. "My specialty is axes, but I'm decent with a sword and bow in a pinch." He shrugged. "I'll do whatever needs doing, really. I made a promise that if I was going to stay here, I'd make myself useful."

[Naeva Northam]

Saryndale. Why did that sound so familiar to her? There was perhaps a moment of brief recognition or confusion, but Naeva said nothing in response. She only listened to him as he explained how he was no longer from Saryndale and that he had experienced as a guard. But when he mentioned the Infantry, Naeva couldn't help but smirk faintly. She nodded in understanding and offered the man a brief smile, "so you are planning on staying, then?"

Despite him wishing to try something different than his guarding experience, it was at least an added bonus should he be needed as a guard. At times, especially during events, the Infantry was the first to step in to become additional guards if needed.

Her eyes wandered behind him to the ax. Yes, Infantry would do him well, she thought. Or rather, he would do well for the Infantry? Or both? Though she did not want to jump to conclusions just yet. Anyone could carry around an ax and say they knew how to use it. But, if she were to judge, she would guess the man had the experience with the ax. "You said you made a promise? To yourself? To someone else? Do you know someone here?" She asked him curiously. "What brought you here?"

She felt she needed to ask these questions, at least to rule out that he could potentially be from Saelis.  "Sorry..."  She laughed slightly at herself, knowing she was asking him for quite a bit.

Naeva wiped the sweat from her brow with the sleeve of her tunic. She gave the man a look of confidence before she questioned him, her voice even-toned, showing very little emotion. "What are your thoughts on having a female commander?"   The question was asked in such a way that she wasn't indicating that she were the commander she spoke of, but maybe more so a rhetorical question.  Yes, maybe it was a test. Although she would never turn away someone who wished to join the Infantry, she wanted to know what she would be dealing with more than anything. And if someone was dead set against having a female commander, she could perhaps pursue them to go into a different division.

[Ramiel Corus]

"So you are planning on staying, then?"

"I am," he replied easily, unbothered by that question. It was the next, the one about his promise that made his smile more a grimace for a moment. "I came here in search of..." he hesitated slightly, wondering if pulling her into things would cause both of them more trouble. "Someone important to me, from my past. I'd prefer not to name them if it's not absolutely necessary. They're a very private person." He chuckled quietly at his own description of Nemeris. He was putting it mildly. To say that she was violently reclusive was probably more accurate, at this point. But she hadn't always been. The memory of their former home sobered him slightly, and he stood a bit straighter.

"The questions are to be expected, no apology needed," he assured the blonde. He had expected worse, frankly. Not many foreigners showed up in a military encampment asking to join up, and if the Aralorians weren't suspicious after all they'd been through, they'd be shooting themselves in the foot.

"As for serving women.." This time he grinned, almost wolfish as he gave her the biggest smile yet. She'd probably recognize that there was quite a story behind it. Maybe he'd tell her, some day. It all depended on how things went. "Believe me, I have no trouble following a strong woman. I've been doing it half my life, and I don't plan to stop any time soon." The grin vanished soon after, however, and his expression darkened for a brief moment before settling on vaguely skeptical. No, he didn't have any problem following a woman. Just so long as he never had to follow a traitorous snake ever again. Perhaps he'd better make that clear up front.

"My only requirement is that I follow someone honest. I'm sick and tired of being lied to." He raised an eyebrow at her and crossed his arms over his chest. "You feel confident in this place, and your queen, yes? No second guessing or nagging doubts? I realize that's quite a question, but I can't afford not to know."

[Naeva Northam]

Her brows furrowed in curiosity as he seemingly did not wish to give away whoever it was that he had come here for. They were a private person. Naeva nodded in response, not about to press him for the information. It wasn't any of her business unless he was here to bother or harm said person, though she gathered he had no intention of doing so. Call it intuition or something.

She smiled very faintly at his dismissal of her apology. "We were at war a year ago... It has been difficult trusting foreigners as of late." She gave him an uneasy smile and eyed him suspiciously for a moment. The man before her did not seem like he could be from Saelis. She had seen a lot of those men, and he did not resemble them. However, that could not mean that he was undercover. A spy, perhaps-- Wishing to join their army to learn their strategies and plans. The thought made her uneasy and she looked him over again, "where did you say you were from?"

Ramiel had served or followed a strong woman for most of his life, and that had sparked a bit of interest in the commander as she gave him another curious glance. Naeva's lips parted to speak, but he was already giving his requests. She watched and listened to him as he questioned her. When he fell silent, Naeva stared at him for the briefest of a moment as she thought of her answers. His question was a heavy one and could easily be a question that a spy would ask. "The war has done a number on Aralore," she repeated quietly. "We have all been doing our best with what we have left." She sighed, "though, yes, I feel confident with our land, the people, and our queen. She had sacrificed a lot for us." Her head tilted to the side as she studied him. "How did you know we serve a queen and not a king?" The person he had been seeking could have told him, or he could have asked around, listened, or maybe he had mistaken her question about following a female leader as their ruler and not as a commander-- but still, she wanted to catch him on the spot to see if he would falter at all in his answer.

"No one likes to be lied to..." Her statement almost insinuating that she would not tolerate him lying to her. She honestly didn't feel like wasting her time either.

[Ramiel Corus]

Ah, apparently he'd reminded her that foreigners were still a danger. He didn't bristle under her returning suspicion--he kept his expression purposefully steady and relaxed. There was no reason to get defensive since he was completely innocent. "Saryndale," he repeated. "A kingdom not involved in this conflict--fortunately for your queen. May she never meet the wretch who claims to be king there." His disgust was clear in the way his lip curled at the mention of the "king" of Saryndale.

"As for the queen, she's got quite a reputation on the other islands. I spent some time in Tresteria, where she made some mixed impressions. The majority of commoners seem to think she's got a good head on her shoulders, though. Something about her having been through a great deal, and being more resilient than some men. A few were even talking of moving here, to get a new start." He shrugged. "But gossip in another country is one thing, and actually living here is another. That's why I asked what you thought."

He seemed to consider for a moment, starting to realize he was going to have to give the full story at least once. He wasn't eager to admit his failure to a stranger, but he'd do it if it meant he could follow through on his promise to Nemeris. He sighed and rubbed his forehead with one hand, careless of his wounds as ever. He should have thought of that sooner. Fuck.

"I get the impression that someone is going to need the whole story, but it's a long and unpleasant one." He gave the blonde a bitter grin. "Are you the person I need to be telling it to? If so, then I'll buy you a drink at whatever tavern you prefer and tell you the whole sordid tale."

[Naeva Northam]

Naeva eyed him curiously when Ramiel spoke of it being fortunate for their queen that Saryndale was not involved in their conflict. Others may have taken that as a clear threat, but with the tone in his voice and seeming distaste of his king, Naeva figured he hadn't meant it as a threat against them or Queen Alexandria.

She remained quiet as Ramiel spoke, explaining how he had heard about their queen, and what rumors spread around in the other islands. The slightest of a smile tugged at her lips. "Aye... What they say is true. The queen is stronger than any man I've ever met. She cares for her people and her kingdom. Everyone is given a fair chance here...I would not be the commander of an Infantry on any other land, my lord." She tilted her head to her shoulder, a slight smirk on her face as if she had been holding onto a secret from him this whole time. Maybe she was, but she hadn't really withheld anything from him, it was up to him to interpret her questioning on whether or not he could handle taking orders from a woman. It seemed as if he had interpreted that as her speaking of their queen.

Despite being proud of her accomplishments, Naeva never boasted or bragged or held herself higher than anyone else. She worked hard to get where she was, and she had to prove herself, maybe even harder than any man might have because she had been born a female but raised and trained as a male soldier rather than how a typical lady was raised.

Naeva studied the man for a moment, watching as he seemingly forgot about the wound on his forehead. A wound that looked as if it might need attention sooner rather than later. But before she could comment, he was offering to buy her a drink and to tell her his story. She raised a brow at him and shrugged a shoulder, "I suppose if you want to be part of my infantry, then yes, I am the person you should be telling it to." She smirked and turned away from him for a moment to put the last sword back on the rack. Turning her attention back to him, she looked him over once again before she spoke. "Hmm. Maybe we should get you cleaned and fixed up first? You can start telling me on our walk to the infirmary, yeah?" She placed a gentle hand on his shoulder and squeezed it lightly, reassuring him that he was in good company, and she'd not judge him (too harshly) for whatever his story was, whatever he had been through. Not unless he became a threat to her or to Aralore.

[Ramiel Corus]

Ramiel's surprise was clear for a moment before he burst into a loud, deep laugh. He had suspected she was more than just an ordinary soldier just from the way she'd questioned him, but he hadn't expected to be talking to his own future commander the entire time. Not only that, but the way she'd slipped it in was a well-timed dramatic moment. "I should have realized sooner! But that suits me just fine."

He decided he liked her. He wondered if she knew Nemeris--he got the feeling the two women would be even more a force to be reckoned with if they acted as a team. The thought was equal parts amusing and slightly terrifying. Heaven help him if he got on either one of their bad sides. Or...well, he was already on Nemeris's, if he believed her words. But she'd left him an opening...so he at least had a chance.

"I definitely do want to be a part of your infantry," he was already answering when she commented on needing him cleaned and fixed up. The possessive attached to it didn't even bother him--it showed she took pride in her troops. But the fact that she wanted him to get taken care of at an infirmary really did startle him--he'd forgotten all about how much of a mess he was. The aches and pains were nearly a part of him, at this point. He chuckled and nodded.

"It's a deal, but first..." He shrugged out from under her hand on his shoulder and offered his hand to shake instead. "Ramiel Corus, ma'am, your new soldier. Pleasure to meet you..." He gestured with his other hand as if he were waiting to be passed something, wanting her name as well. Once she gave it, he'd shake her hand firmly, then gesture for her to lead the way wherever they were going.

"So, I've promised you a story, but I'll also ask that we keep the other person involved out of things after I've explained. I'm not sure how much she's told the others here, and I'm not eager to upset her any more than I already have. You'll understand why soon enough." He gave her a grin that was more of a grimace.

"I'll start the way all good stories do: Once upon a time, there was a kingdom called Saryndale. In that kingdom, a wise man was king, and he had two children: a son, James, and a daughter, Nemeris." He glanced at Naeva to see if she recognized the name, but didn't stop talking. "He raised them both as best he could, and while Nemeris grew up to be a strong, clever woman, her brother was a gutless and scheming coward. The king had his daughter marry a good man, my best friend and almost brother, Nicholas. The two of them would rule after the king passed away. It was all well and normal for the eldest child to take the throne and run the country. That is, until James turned Nicholas against the king, and the two of them committed murder."

"None of us had any idea it was murder, at the time. Not a one. So life went on, and Nemeris was queen as she was always meant to be. And then Nicholas, her husband, died too. The whole kingdom fell into an uproar, and James pointed the finger at Nemeris. I didn't like it, but I believed him. We all believed it." The guilt was clear in his voice. "It's no excuse. I should have known. But I was raised to serve the king, and so I did, even though I didn't like him. Didn't trust him from the day we met, but I listened to him on this..." He shook his head. They were nearing a new building, now, and he quieted for a moment as he waited to be told what to do. He'd continue the story again once they were alone. He didn't want to spread Nemeris's name to anyone but Naeva.

[Naeva Northam]

Ramiel's laughter caught her by surprise and she briefly wondered if he was laughing at her or the fact that he thought it was funny she was a commander. Naeva's eyes narrowed defensively until he spoke again, making it fairly obvious that he had caught on and was surprised. She wasn't sure if she should be offended by his surprise or indifferent to it. Naeva knew it was not a common thing for a woman to command a military division, the Infantry no less.

As he admitted to wanting to be part of her division, Naeva gave him a reassuring smile and nod. She couldn't say no, especially given the fact that there may be another war approaching in the near future. Aralore could use all the help they could get. She gave him her hand and firmly gripped his, shaking it, "Naeva Northam. It's a pleasure to meet you as well." One he let go of her hand and gestured her to lead the way, she nodded and turned, leading him out of the military building and outside. The walk was long enough to listen to his story.

"My lips are sealed." She pressed her lips together as if indicating she'd not speak a word of his story to anyone. Naeva held a seriousness for confidentiality with her men. If anyone spoke with her, they could trust it would go no further than her unless absolutely necessary.

She listened to his story, a look of recognition and confusion displayed across her features as Ramiel mentioned Nemeris. While she barely knew much about the woman personally, she knew of her and her reputation on Aralore. Something told her she was about to learn things about her that she most likely never would have if it were not for Ramiel telling her these things now.

The story was rather interesting and she never imagined that Nemeris would have been a queen of another land. She wondered why she would not have fought to go back but imagined it was complicated. Naeva frowned as Ramiel continued the story. When he paused, she looked ahead and saw the infirmary building. "It's just this way." She pointed out and led him to the building.

As soon as she could flag someone down, Naeva grabbed hold of them and spoke calmly, yet with authority. "My soldier here needs some tending to, please?" The woman nodded and motioned for Ramiel to sit before she went off to retrieve some supplies.

"Do you wish me to stay with you?" It wasn't often Naeva would offer her company, but the man was in the middle of telling her a story, and he most likely did not know much of Aralore and she wondered if he even had a place to stay, or if he'd be staying with Nemeris (not knowing she had turned him away, of course).

[Ramiel Corus]

Ramiel followed her into the infirmary, looking around curiously. The general environment was familiar--beds, jars of unfamiliar medicine, and other tools were laid out here and there, but the place was relatively empty. He supposed that was just as well--a full infirmary wasn't exactly a good omen. And honestly, he'd prefer less ears for his story. 

He took a seat as he was directed and smiled, just barely, when Naeva offered to stay. "If you have time, yes. There's more to tell." 

"She was nearly executed. I'm not sure how he changed his mind, but James decided to exile her instead. Out of fear, perhaps, of what her spirit might do to him. He was sure she was a witch."

"The years after she left grew worse and worse. James was a terrible ruler, all greed and no heart. The people suffered. Even Nemeris's own son was twisted by his uncle's guidance. I did what I could to make sure he heard the same things that her father had taught her, Nicholas, and me. I couldn't tell you which way he would fall, now. But I did my job. I protected him, and I protected the king."

"I protected him until I heard from his own lips what he had done." Ramiel's face twisted, full of disgust. "The snake had killed his own father, and my best friend, and for what? A kingdom he's running into the ground? Not even a breath of remorse, only more greed. I was furious. Everything I had known for years was a lie. In my rage I was careless. I challenged James to his face, threatened to tell everyone. And he just laughed. He said no one would believe a word he said, and he was right."

"I went to Prince Christian and told him the truth--kingdom or no kingdom, whether I could right it or not, he needed to know. But before I could finish, I was arrested. They put me in the stocks before my execution, and forgot about me." He laughed once, a bitter sound. "That's the only reason I'm still alive. I smashed the stocks and ran." 

The healer returned, cleaning his forehead with some kind of bitter smelling liquid, but he was too deep into the story to stop, now. He would just leave out names. He kept his attention on Naeva as he spoke, curious how she would take all this. 

"I couldn't get the prince out, but I knew that his mother had been banished. I thought to find her, help her return to her home, to her birthright. This disaster... I could have changed it, stopped it. I had dozens of opportunities. But I let my commitment to the King, to the Law, blind me to everything else. The Queen turned me away, when I finally found her here. She hates me, and she has every right to do so. I failed her. Failed Saryndale. She won't return to that place, and she won't allow me to help her here. But..."

The hope was clear on his face, despite the tragedy of his story. "She did leave me an opening. She said Aralore had need of soldiers. If I survive this war, she'll speak with me again. It's a slim chance...but it's more than I had right to ask." He shrugged. "More than that, this is a good place, worth defending. I suspect I would have wound up here on my own, even if she hadn't sent me. Fighting is what I know, after all."

[Naeva Northam]

Naeva gave Ramiel a reassuring smile when he agreed that he wished for her to stay with him so he could finish his story. She leaned against the nearby wall and folded her arms over her chest. ready to hear whatever else he wished to tell her.

As he went on with the story, Naeva couldn't help but feel bad for hearing it. Mostly because these were things about Nemeris that she probably would have never learned. She was learning things about the woman she never would have suspected. She was of royalty? She had a son? She had lost everything and it was no wonder why the woman was so cold and distant.

She frowned as the story went on. She couldn't imagine going through all of what Ramiel had... Or Nemeris had. But there was a small twinge of worry that filled her when he admitted to having escaped the stocks. Would they come after him and look for him? They had not come after Nemeris all this time- not that she had heard.

Nemeris had turned him away, and although she understood why the woman would, she still felt bad for Ramiel. He had come all this way in hopes of making amends and righting things, only to be turned away. Yet, instead of feeling defeated, he had hope and was offering his services to help in some other way. It was admirable.

When he finished, Naeva pushed off the wall and let her hands rest on her hips, letting out a long breath of a sigh. "That's quite the story, Mr. Corus."
She forced a smile and watched as the healer continued working on him. When she was finished, gave her instruction to Ramiel and left, Naeva finally spoke again. "Well... we would appreciate your help and defense." She smiled politely at him.

"When did you arrive here? Do you have a place to stay?"
She suspected not but didn't want to assume.

[Ramiel Corus]

Ramiel waited patiently for the healer to finish her work--binding his head with a clean bandage and giving him some to change it to the next day. He felt a twinge of guilt at not showing her the rest of his injuries--the cut across his back, the state of his hands beneath the dirt, and probably more that he had forgotten--but he decided that they weren't urgent. If they caused trouble, he'd do something about it later.

He rose to his feet and stretched slowly, cataloging his aches and pains. Yes, he was alright, for now. Her questions surprised him, although maybe he should have been used to it by now. He scratched the back of his head nervously, giving her a small, embarrassed smile. "Well, That would be this morning...and no, I don't yet. I've probably got enough coin for one night in the inn, back in the town, but that's about it. I didn't plan much besides finding Nemeris, if I'm being honest. I wasn't sure I'd even make it this far."

That was the honest truth. He was a man with a one-track mind; his goal had been to find Nemeris and make amends, and that was all he had thought about for weeks. Now that he was past it, he'd had to set a new goal. Apparently, that was "survive the war." Simple enough, in theory. But likely not so much in practice. Still, he'd do what he could to help the people of Aralore defend their home. And if he died in the process, so be it. At least his death would be honorable where his life had not been.

[Naeva Northam]

Naeva raised a brow as he admitted that he had arrived this morning. The fact that he had wasted no time in seeking out Nemeris and then found his way to the military building all before the afternoon. At least it showed dedication and Naeva could appreciate that, especially if he were to be one of her soldiers.

She was quick to shake her head as he spoke of finding an inn and once he was done explaining his lack of a plan, Naeva breathed a small laugh out her nose. "So you are the type to rush into battle without a strategy, then? We may need to work on that..."
She smirked and gave him an authoritative glance, though there was some humor in her expression and tone.

"We have some barracks you could stay at back at the military building. It's not much, but it would be better than an inn... And we can get you cleaned up and fed, yeah?" She could only imagine how hungry he must be if he hadn't taken the time to eat or rest. From the looks of him, she imagined he hadn't slept much either.

Although she lived with her father, there had been times where she spent an evening or two in the military building instead. Call it dedication to her work and her soldiers, perhaps. "And the beds are quite comfortable." She looked him over and breathed another laugh, "gods know you could probably use some sleep, hm?"

She motioned towards the door and would lead him out of the building. "Is there anything else you may need, Mr. Corus?  Clean clothes, perhaps?"  She looked him over for a brief moment and smirked faintly with a knowing expression.  

[Ramiel Corus]

Ramiel grimaced as she pegged him as the type to rush in without a plan. He wished he could argue with that, but, was she wrong? He'd challenged James immediately, run straight to Christian to tell him the truth, fled the island immediately after getting free, and then made up his plan as he went along, the only sure thing being his absolute need to find Nemeris. So, no. He had no way to fight back--she was absolutely right. He charged in as soon as he had a goal: all brute force and commitment without much finesse.

As for her suggesting the barracks, that was a relief. He was reluctant to ask for any aid--it was a man's responsibility to handle his own needs, after all, not take from others. But she seemed to have evaluated everything he needed already, and had solutions for all of them. As she listed things, his eyebrows lifted higher and higher with each item. He almost groaned out loud at the idea of sleeping in a decent bed, and he finally wound up laughing after the suggestion of clean clothes. She was a sharp one, that was for sure. She'd gotten everything right about him so far without breaking a sweat. He'd just have to hope she also recognized he was an honest man and a skilled fighter (even if his larger strategy might be lacking).

"Clearly I've made a stellar impression," he teased, running his hand through his hair and grinning as if he were being suave "A man who's injured, exhausted, half-starved, and dressed like a beggar. What an addition to the infantry!" He chuckled and returned to his normal posture. "All of that sounds like the answer to a prayer I didn't even have the energy to make. But only if it's no trouble to you or the army itself. I don't want to take more than what's fair."