BYRON:VIGIL

The darkness of the night settled poorly at Trails End, a small ramshackle community that clung to life outside the walls of the great city, a poor country cousin to the regal bustling courtesan that is Korvosa. In times past Byron could hide in the dark, enjoying the anonymity that the night bestowed, but not now, the dark held shadows, traps in which those that pursued them could lurk. If it was just him he'd roll the dice, fight his way out, what ever or whoever stood in front of him he would just knock it or them down, but not now, things had changed! People were relying on him, people he cared for so he couldn't fuck up.

Byron stood vigil in one of a number of dwellings that Grau Soldado a veteran soldier of the Korvosan guard and friend to the Flowers,  had made available to the refugees fleeing from the murderous streets and burning ruins of Old Korvosa. Byron, Trevor, Devlin, Greta and over forty others escaped with them. They effected their escape on a boat The Eels End  which was never meant to truly take to water and had barely managed to see them across the Jaggere river. Soldado alerted to the presence of approaching hull quickly greeted, welcomed and organised the bedraggled and terrified passengers of the sinking tub. 

 "Soldado, we have some with the bloody Veil,"  Trevor said.

 "Fear not there are buildings along here you can use to house your sick and take shelter," Soldado replied.

 That simple example of acceptance was such an act of bravery that was not lost on Byron on this night of violence, survival and terror. Those words were like a balm, no questions, no refusal just compassion. Those who had the least were offering the most this night, shelter, safety as well as risking their lives for if any were to spy the wreck making its desperate flight to safety, it would no doubt attract attention. Indeed this point was not lost on Grau who urgently ushered all into the relative safety of a number of empty buildings back from road, " You must hurry, " he continued, "The Maidens will have noticed."

 No sooner had they made the safety of the buildings that the sound of horses could be heard. The armoured warriors surrounded the Korvosan soldier who quickly and adeptly directed them to the forest as a possible avenue of escape for those fleeing the ship. The Maidens horses thundered off into the night their progress illuminated by the burning light of Old Korvosa being reduced to ashes in an inferno of fire and mayhem.
That was some while ago and still the Maidens hadn't returned and Byron was on edge maintaining a careful vigil on the path the Maidens had taken. He knew Trevor was keeping a similar watch in the building opposite with Portia popping between the two making as many people comfortable as possible.

 The deadly and harrowing trek through the ravaged streets of Old Korvosa and their desperate escape from Eels End had taken its toll. Many were on their last legs, and most had simply collapsed where they stood and slept. 
Greta held Byron and would simply not let go, terror and fear fuelling the young girls grip. She cried for Gina, for Devlin and finally began to fall asleep. He placed her on a sleeping pallet next to Devlin who herself slept fitfully, the Bloody Veil taking its toll on the older woman he regarded as the closest thing he had to a mother. Two of the most important people in his life lay before him extremely ill and terrified and there was nothing he could do. Byron moved through the rooms of the dwelling they were hiding in ensuring that everyone was well. A gentle hand here, a quiet word there was all he could offer to Rose, Alice and all the other girls of Ruby's. Portia herself looked tired as she moved between the pallets, this nights actions clearly etched on her face.

 "Portia you slept?" Byron enquired .

 "Not yet, you?" The red headed woman countered.

Byron shook his head, I'll sleep when the Maidens have returned and gone. "

 "Will they come here?" Portia asked a note of fear apparent in her voice .

 "No they should steer clear but we should be careful. As little noise as possible and rest assured I'll die before I let them hurt anyone here ," and as Byron made to leave he stopped and pulled the woman close into a gentle hug.

 "Thank you Portia, I don't know what we'd have done without yo

u." And with that the big barbarian left the red haired woman a little confused, scared and breathless as she returned to her nursing duties. 
 Byron made his way back to the door and the front shuttered window of the house they were hiding in. Decca joined him there both watching the main thoroughfare leading out of Trails End and into the woods.

 "Rone you need to sleep, I'll keep watch," rumbled the  heavily tattooed man.  His dock side drawl evidence enough that he spent his time around the port of Old Korvosa and the fisherman and sailors that worked there. Decca was an imposing sight with his body heavily tattooed even his face was inked, with the right side of his face covered in a deep blue tattooed stripe, the left with flowers now faded with time.

 " No I'll take this watch at least until the Maidens have come and gone. " Byron looked at Decca , in younger years his first real adversary, a nemesis and rival but now after a lifetime of hard living, of fighting and watching each others backs bonds of deep trust and friendship had grown. Nothing was ever said between the two men just the knowledge they could count on each other.

 "You sleep, you took some bad knocks at Eels End," Byron commanded, " I'll wake you for your watch. "

Decca knew it was pointless to argue with the muscled giant whilst he was in this dark mood. Years of dealing with the younger tempestuous barbarian had taught Decca well his friends moods, indeed sometimes those lessons had been quite painful and Decca's right hand instinctively rubbed his left shoulder. Byron noticed the move and both men smiled at what the gesture implied.

Placing two heavily callous hands on the Bears shoulders Decca gave him a gentle shake, "Wake me if you need me you moody fucking bastard!"  Decca retreated to a dark corner and was soon sleeping leaving Byron to his watch.

For a time all was silent and Byron could just spy Trevor keeping a similar look out from the building just next door. 

Had it only been a night and a day since they entered Old Korvosa, leaving the others behind. The actions of the clerics, the authorities and enforced by the Grey Maidens which had essentially condemned his family to a death sentence. His anger was immediate, his instant reaction was to hit, to force the cleric to reverse the spell that effectively walled up Old Korvosa. He foolishly remembered amongst the madness ordering the armour clad woman who was telling him to stand down to remove her helmet, that she had no power over him despite her being backed up by a small platoon of similarly clad warriors .

Byron could feel the rage build up and all sense leaving him. Even now that moment fuelled his rage, an anger that could have cost him his life. And that had sparked a mad desperate plan to get back to Old Korvosa, to some how save the old town, that their presence could some how make a difference to the madness engulfing that quarter of King Eodreds city. And it all began just over a single cycle of the Korvosan prayer bells. 

The flames from across the river still illuminated Trails End, the hell-ish inferno of a city burning casting a beguiling warming ochre-ish glow like the bonfires on a Founding Festival night. Seeing that inferno reminded him that his home of the last two years Ruby's Rest was a blackened skeleton of ash and burnt timbers. Everything gone. Similarly the Cracked Weasel may have been destroyed in the ongoing conflagration  brought about by the 'Emperors Rule. ' 

The girls cry brought Byron back to the present as Greta called out in her sleep. With a final glance out the window the warrior made his way over to check on his young charge.
 "Ssh little one, sleep and all will be better in the morning light," coaxed the big man hoping the words might help no matter that he didn't believe them himself.

 " Where's Gina, " asked the beautiful sleepy little girl? 

 "You'll see her in the morning," replied Byron hoping his words would help reassure his young charge.

 "Will she take me to Miss Coppers tomorrow," Greta asked as she sank back into a fitful doze. 

 "We'll see, sleep now." For a moment Byron just stood there , he hadn't checked on Miss Cooper, that omission may have cost her life. For a moment his carelessness left him rigid, stunned, how could he have not sought out the dutiful old teacher? To think of her at the mercy of the murderous Clownface was almost unbearable and in the dark of this night he took that responsibility onto himself. 

Movement drew him back to the moment as at the foot of Greta's bed the tiny drake moved cuddling up close to the little half orc girl. The silvery skinned beast had formed an intense close bond with the girl and despite his gruff demeanour was distraught that she was suffering from the Bloody Veil, even blamed himself for not protecting her.

 "I couldn't protect her boss," was the creatures pitiful heartfelt self recriminating plea. The silly beast, as if he could stop it. And now he just wouldn't leave her bed acting as her guard dog and companion. He gentle stroked the Drakes eye ridges as both girl and creature succumbed to sleep.
 And what of Gina, he had no idea where the warrior woman was, she herself would be equally distraught at the sight of Old Korvosa in flames.  Had she tried to get back to Ruby's herself?  If she had would she have survived? Though formidable with a heavy spear or Partisan could she have won through the madness of the past day if she had slipped back into the Narrows? Maybe the Grey Maidens would have guessed her intent and stopped her?

 "Damn this night gets worse, more questions than I have answers," the  barbarian muttered to himself as he resumed this nights vigil. 
Hard to tell how much time slipped by but eventually Portia came up to Byron saying that she needed to go and see the orphans and other refugees in the next dwelling.

 "You need to sleep." 

 " I will once I've checked those staying with Trevor, " came Portia's patient reply. 

 "I'll see you over, Decca! " Byron nudged the sleeping man with his foot. The tattooed man stirred.
 "You've got watch."

 "Right." He stirred a little more.

 " Decca, " snapped Byron!

 "I'm up, I've got you Bear." The tattooed man climbed to his feet a little unsteady.  "Bear, Mistress Portia I'll hold the fort." Byron just gave a nod of acknowledgement whilst Portia gave the man a warm  smile.

They exited the ram-shackled building that had become their temporary sanctuary. Closing the heavy door both Byron and Portia moved through the night quickly making their way to the building opposite, a similarly run down building housing the rest of the Eels End survivors. The door was opened to admit them and they were quickly ushered inside the dark building.

 "K.B." 

 " Trev. " 

As the two warriors taciturnaly acknowledged each other  Captain Perith quickly closed and bolted the door.

 "Captain Perith," Byron nodded.

 " Mr Byron sir. "

 "Just Byron," replied the barbarian, " you saved my life so many times during the Wyndon rear-guard that it seems appropriate. "

 "Yes sir....Byron," Perith stammered a little uncomfortable with the barbarians informality. 

 " It'll get easier captain. "

 "Yes...sir, I'm sure it will ." Perith continued and smiled as Portia quickly busied herself with the state of the Korvosan refugees.

 "How are things here," Porthia enquired?

 " Much the same Miss Portia , " came Trevor's well mannered reply. 

 "Hope we can get a cleric to help come morning light," replied the red haired woman, " or we'll start losing people. "

 With that Porthia began her rounds.

 "How's Madam Devlin and the child Greta," asked Trevor concern clearly evident in his voice?

 " Much the same, " Byron quickly replied, "Hopefully as Portia says we need a cleric before too long."

 " And we need to find Otto, " Trevor added.

 "And Gina, and whether or not the Flowers are untouched by this pestilence."

 " You think they might have succumbed to the Bloody Veil, " asked Trevor worry lines marking his brow and sounding in his voice.
 "No....but we'll find out come morning in a few hours," Byron responded to Trevor's concern. " I'm sure after tonight's event's they'll find us before too long. "

 "We just need to get through the night," Trevor opined.

 " The Grey Maidens," Byron observed?

 " They haven't returned yet, " Trevor noted, "we need to be ready."

 It was at this moment that the sound of horses hooves could be heard thundering down the way.

 " Trevor, Byron, come see. " Perith called the two warriors over as he looked through the gaps of the shuttered windows. Down the road they could clearly spy the Grey Maidens on horseback galloping towards Trails End. Trevor grabbed hold of his axe, Byron tensed and Captain Perith took his sword handle as they prepared to see what would befall them as the new military arm of Korvosa descended upon the small poor community of Trails End. As the Maidens thundered into the centre of this impoverished rural area many of the residents stepped out of their houses drawn to the noise and commotion at the centre of their locale, a mixture of fear and anxiety adding to the chaos of the night. 

Those looking through the darkened shuttered windows could clearly see the mayhem and panic caused by the armoured warriors and their horses. The cries of the residents, the whinnying of the horses, the stomping of their hooves, and the rattle and clanking of the armour and out of this maelstrom of noise stepped the figure of Grau Soldado. The captain of the Maidens nudged her horse forward to loom over the soldier who was on foot.

 "We found no sign of any survivors fleeing that ship, soldier," challenged the armoured Captain?

 " Apologies Captain that you found no sign of those fleeing the burning wreck, " answered the Korvosan soldier his voice holding steady as he faced down the Grey Maiden.  "Maybe under cover of darkness they managed to slip the net." 

The Captain regarded the lowly soldier, the ramshackle, decrepit collection of houses, shacks and huts as well as the desperate people of Trails End. 
 "Soldier I notice all your people out this night except from those two crumbling buildings." 

 Grau Soldado looks back to the shuttered properties that housed Byron, Trevor and all those who had fled the burning ship so many hours before.
 "Maybe we should look into those properties, soldier ....what say you," asked the Captain, getting down from her horse and started walking up to the buildings that housed those who were in hiding. 

 Grau quickly ran up to the armoured woman and said "Of course Captain you are more than welcome to enter and search those buildings. Let me get the door for you..."

 Those inside held there breath as the leader of the Maidens approached, and was then stopped by Grau who was offering to show them around.
"What's he doing," muttered Captain Perith to himself? 

 " Be ready, " Byron warned.

 "Shh," growled Trevor concentrating on the developing scene just a few feet away.

 "Thank you soldier," muttered the Captain.

 "Of course sir," Gray continued, "as I was saying let me show you around our triage and infirmary."

 " What! " The Grey Maidens hand stopped as she reached for the door.

 "Yes these buildings are where we care for those suffering with the Bloody Veil, many are so very ill but a visit from someone such as yourself will be a real positive for them, a sign that the authorities haven't forgotten them." And with that Soldado went to open the door , " After you. "
 "Ah soldier maybe we should leave these poor wretches, to their recovery," replied the Captain quickly back tracking from the dwellings.
 " If you're sure Captain, " Grau replied quickly closing the door and joined the hastily retreating female warrior.

Quickly mounting her horse, she looked down at the soldier of Trails End, " If you see any signs of any who fled the Eels End send word soldier, the Queen thanks you for your help. " 

 "Of course Captain, we all at Trails End are loyal servants to her majesty," replied Soldado as the Maidens quickly rode off towards Korvosa away from the plague invested community.

Byron and Trevor looked out of the door as Grau Soldado approached them. 

 "They've gone," the soldier reported to the barbarians, " you can rest up they won't be back. "
"I don't know how to thank you," said Byron, " you've given so much. "

 "Sleep and rest. Both of you. We'll post sentries to alert you if there's an issue." 
 " Many thanks Grau, " a relieved Trevor said to the soldier.

 "Yes many thanks," seconded Byron, " if you're taking the watch Grau I feel the need for sleep. " And with that Byron made his way back to his lodging, closing the door, told Decca to stand down and settled down next to Greta.

The nights vigil comes to an end and sleep quickly takes Byron