[CRACKFIC] Noble is the Head...11

[makingamochrie.livejournal.com]

Calmed down a little. Wrote two pages, so I guess I'll share em.  Remember. Crack.

Title:  Noble is the Head...11
Pairing:  None.  Continues to be Cae safe
Rating: PG
Disclaimer:  Crack, pure and utter.

Ryan reentered the tavern some two hours later, his chestplate sprinkled lightly with dried blood.  It was evident his mission had been successful.  As he’d ridden back to the town, he’d cursed himself repeatedly for his initial reaction to Colin.  The man simply hadn’t recognized Tamarin.  Few did.  The man, among other things, was a master of disguise.  To verbally stripe him for simple ignorance when he himself had sent him off on his own was inexcusable, and he was going to have a great deal of making up to do. 

 

Looking around the much less crowded bar, however, he couldn’t spot Colin anywhere.  He did, though, spy Greg sipping at what must have been well more than his first mug of brew since he was noticeably wobbling on his stool. 

 

Striding over to the drunken thief, he put a hand on his shoulder, nearly sending the smaller man into orbit and causing him to spill the remaining contents of his mug all over himself in the process.  He turned, eyes wide.  “Lord?” he asked, shocked mostly sober by the unexpected clutch.

 

“Have you seen Colin?”

 

Greg grimaced.  “Yeah.  Couple hours ago. He left.”

 

“Left where?  Where’d he go?”

 

“Have no idea,” Greg said, not quite shrugging.  “He just said he was leaving and to tell you not to waste your time trying to find him.  Something about having caused enough trouble.”

 

Ryan’s grip tightened appreciably, causing Greg to wince.  “And you didn’t try to stop him??”

 

Greg scowled.  “’Course I did!  He wouldn’t listen.  He was in a fucking state, I know that.”  He shook his head.  “He even took my horse.”

 

“Damnit!!” Ryan roared, causing several of the drunken patrons to turn his way and stare before turning back to whatever they were doing before the exclamation.  He tilted his head down close to Greg’s ear so his words wouldn’t be overheard or missed by his intended listener.  “Go to the Red Chair.  Get laid if you want, but make sure you don’t leave without Drew.  Come back here when you’re both done and I’ll meet you here.  We’ll leave as soon as I get back.”

 

“You’re going after him?”

 

“I have to,” Ryan replied, grim-voiced.

 

“But your…quest or whatever the fuck it is you have to do?  Colin said you won’t have time.”

 

“I’ll make time.  Just do as I ask and I’ll see you in a few hours.”

 

Then he turned and left.

 

*******

 

Spurring Acham back the way they’d come, Ryan took a second to examine the area.  Directly ahead was the smaller of the two mountain ranges he would have to cross on his quest.  Snow already whitened the grey rock at least halfway down, and if he didn’t make a move soon, the pathways through would be blocked until Spring, at least.  And his bones told him that another snowstorm was moving in.  Very soon.

 

He look east and west along the lowlands fronting the range.  The ground was covered with tough, springy weeds and rocks, giving him nothing to go on as to Colin’s direction.  It came into his mind that the man was left-handed, and with nothing more than a guess, he turned his stallion to the left and began to gallop along the lowland grasses, sharp eyes peering almost everywhere at once, trying to pick up a trail he could follow. 

 

None sprang up before him.

 

“I’ll continue to the woods,” he told himself, “then turn around.  He’s around here somewhere. I know he is.  He’s no horseman and he’s lost.  I’ll find him.”

 

And find him he did, right at the edge of a deep, dark wood.  The stolen colt was munching tender shoots placidly while Colin sat on a slightly raised hillock, knees drawn up, arms laid straight across them, head hanging between.  He didn’t even bother to look up when Ryan loudly approached.

 

“Apparently, this forest is ‘haunted’, too,” he said, voice muffled.  “Damn horse won’t step one foot inside it.”

 

“That’s only because it’s too dark and he doesn’t want to risk getting hurt.”

 

“Oh.”

 

Swinging off Acham, Ryan strode toward Colin and squatted before the man, carefully not touching him.  “Colin, I’m sorry.  I never should have yelled at you like that.  There’s no way you could have known who you were talking to.  Please…come back with me.”

 

Colin’s head slowly rose.  His eyes were large and haunted.  “No,” he said softly.

 

“Colin, please….”

 

Colin shook his head slowly, deliberately.  “No.  This has gone far enough.  You made a mistake not killing me in the first place, and I made a mistake letting you.  Because of those two mistakes, I’m the sword hanging over your head, and I won’t be that any longer.”  He sighed.  “Go do what you have to do.  I hope you make it.  I really do.”

 

Ryan opened his mouth, then closed it again.  Colin was a freeman.  He’d done it himself.  He couldn’t really order him to do anything, not and have him feeling like a slave again. 

 

“Where will you go?” he asked, softly.

 

Smiling sadly, Colin spread his hands.  “It’s a big world.  I’ll bet there aren’t too many places who know who I am or what I was.  Maybe I’ll start fresh somewhere.  Who knows?”

 

“You’ve never really been away from the castle, though.  You could get lost very easily, or come across robbers, or barbarians and not be able to defend yourself.”

 

“I know.”  He smiled again.  “I figure I should have died the night I met you.  Since I didn’t, any time I’ve got after that is a bonus.  If I die, I die.”  He shrugged.  “At least I’ll do it free.”

 

Ryan sighed.  “If I let you go, I’ll always feel like I was the one who killed you.”

 

“And if you don’t, you’ll kill us both.”  Rising, Colin shook his head.  “Don’t think I’m trying to be a Martyr.  I wouldn’t make a good one.  I’m afraid of pain, and I’m scared of death.  Hell, I’m petrified right now, being out here, in the dark, all alone.  I’ve never had to depend on myself before, and I’m sure I’ll screw it up somehow.  Being the Fool is all I know, after all.  But…I need to do this.  For me.  You see?”

 

Ryan dropped his head.  “Yeah,” he whispered, resigned. 

 

“Thanks for caring, though.  It’s a good thing to feel at least once in your life.  I liked it.”

 

Tightening his jaw, Ryan reached into his bedroll, pulled something out and tossed it to Colin, who juggled, then grabbed hold of it.  His eyes widened.  “This is Greg’s!”

 

“It’s mine now,” Ryan replied, smirking.  “Or yours, should I say.”

 

“But…”

 

“Colin,” Ryan said around a barking laugh, “I’m the Crown Prince of this Kingdom.  If you think about it, every single coin in it belongs to me in the first place.  Or at least it will when I become King.  So just take it already, will you?  Believe me, Greg will have more than ample opportunity to steal more, where we’re going.  Just make sure you keep it hidden.”

 

Sighing, he stuffed the moneypouch into a secret lining of the coat that Ryan had given him earlier in the journey. 

 

Reaching back, Ryan pulled out his shortbow and quivers.  “Here.  You’re a better shot than me anyway.  And I prefer my sword.  At least this way, maybe you won’t starve to death before you find your first town.”

 

“Ryan, this is too much….”

 

“That’s my decision to make, don’t you think?  And here, take a blanket.”  He tossed it over, and Colin caught it.  “Don’t worry. It’s not the one that stinks.  I burned that fucker.”

 

“Thank you.”

 

Ryan nodded.  “I’d give you a map, but I don’t have one.  So….”  Standing, he stuck out his hand.  Colin eyed him, and tentatively extended his own.  Ryan took it in his warm, strong grip and shook.  “No matter what happens, I’m glad we met, Colin.  You’re a good man.  I wish you the best, and I hope we meet again.”

 

Colin smiled.  “If I’m still alive, I’ll make it to your Coronation.”

 

Ryan smirked and tipped him a wink before withdrawing his hand.  “See you.”

 

“You too,” Colin said, then watched sadly as the Prince leapt aboard his horse and galloped away.

 

******

TBC

Comments

[corliamat.livejournal.com]

:( Noooooooooooooooo! That sucks!!!

He's all on his own and he'll get got by goblins and bandits and...and things what go "rawr!"...Poor Colin :( And silly old Colin *Clips him round the ear for being stubborn*.

Glad you updated :) Majorly high end to my day.

[makingamochrie.livejournal.com]

Well, I'm not sure if I'm gonna have goblins in the thing (though really, what's a fantasy novel without a few goblins and an ogre or two?), but yeah, he's on his own for awhile. Consider it "Colin's Quest", though the next few updates, I think, will be revolving around the "real" Quest of Ryan with Greg and Drew.

Glad you enjoyed!

[the-empressar.livejournal.com]

Okie I like where the story is heading, and thanks for clearing up the fact that Colin is not a martyr...it makes sense. I just thought it was self-sacrificing of him to not to want Ryan in any danger, or any more so because Colin was with him. Even though Ryan makes it clear that he can handle it. I just like the notion of 'absense makes the heart grow fonder'which I hope will be explored. Looking forward to finding out what kind of adventure Colin will have on his own. Thank you for writing and taking care of us this evening!!

[makingamochrie.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you're still digging where it's headed. I'm not real sure where it's headed myself, but as long as the journey is at least sort of interesting, the destination will hopefully take care of itself.