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[bardische]

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[bardische]

Basch is rapidly of the same opinion. Not that he could have done a whole lot. The situation would have been tricky, given Ravus's past, Basch's position, and the delicate state of Dalmasca. Basch holds no ill-will toward him for leading the charge from a foreign nation, but he understands the political optics of it. He does not, however, realize the loss of the arm was another emotional wound Ravus holds.

Which is why, now, as he notices the asynchronous nature of limbs, the occasional stumble, all he reads it as is a cell too small, and another thing to consider in prison reform, should they get the chance. Or maybe it's a chance he needs to make.

So he matches pace, and doesn't draw attention to the increasing tripping. But when it gets bad enough, he calls his men to halt for a rest and a round of water and food.

"You'll ride in the wagon the next leg," he says. If the other protests, fine, but he saw that offering choice got them nowhere.

[disarming_prince]

In another situation Ravus happily would have protested. Eagerly would have even. Because that was just the nature of the man. But he was so tired now. So frustrated with the infirmity he could not yet compensate for. Thus, when the man proclaimed the next choice, Ravus just nodded.

He was far too tired.

“As you say. You do not wish me to slow you down I assume.”

[bardische]

"That would be a sound tactical reason." It's not his, but he's not going to give room to argue.

He offers an arm to Ravus to get up into the wagon, giving his men another hand signal. They'll take chocobo from here.

[disarming_prince]

Yes, it would be a sound tactical reason. But that doesn't mean that it's why Basch is doing it, and Ravus knows that.

"Yes, I would hate to delay you on your march to return me to those who slaughtered my mother," Ravus grumbles as he braces his whole right arm against Basch's offered one to step up into the carriage. "It would be horrible of me to consider doing so, would it not?"

[bardische]

Basch is deeply quiet at that. He knows it's not meant at him personally, it just...hits close to home. He's quiet through helping Ravus into the carriage -- glad the other takes his help -- and steps up after to make sure the other has access to water as needed. He doesn't bother trying to bind him; the carriage is surrounded, and not going fast enough to do major damage if the other leaves.

As he goes to return outside, he pauses. "I know my word means little, but if sparing you that reunion did not cost my country its safety, I would gladly release you."

[disarming_prince]

"You presume this course of action your queen has been fooled into will win your country any safety. Lady Lunafreya of Tenebrea believed that, were she to abide by the rules her conquerors laid down, she and her people would be safe. And surely we have all heard tell of what happened there."

But those oaths had not been given to her. They had been given to Ravus. Should he behave, should he do what they wish, his sister and his people would be safe. And so Ravus Leonis had been forged into a weapon, and the son of the Nox Fleuret line to be left to be forgotten.

[bardische]

He's quiet at that, pausing at the threshold, weighing if he should keep this to himself or not.

"My home country fell, while others who assimilated quietly kept their autonomy and the lives of their people. Dalmasca has tried to hold it's own on military might thus far. Too many are still dying, and we do not want a generation enmeshed in war. My queen is not a fool, and we will raise arms again if terms are not kept. But we have to try. No one else should go through what Landis or Tenebrea did. No one should have to grow up parentless with only the option of being a soldier."

Basch was a weapon too, or maybe a shield. He'd accepted his fate a long time ago. But he didn't wish it for the youth he trained, or the children he saw on so many streets.

[disarming_prince]

Yes, Ravus was aware of what this particular general was supposed to be like. Who he was supposed to be. What his history was.

"A man such as you, with the history you have, I would think you less willing to play their games. But I see you chose to be tamed by the hand of your new queen. You lack the fire to fight, to protect."

And with that disdainful comment, Ravus settles into his seat as best he can.

[bardische]

Ah well, nothing he hasn't heard before. He isn't the sort of man who needs to defend his pride, so he shrugs. "Perhaps you are right." And then he's gone, mountain a chocobo, and they increase their pace.

It's good riding, and they don't need to slow often. So they go until it's time to camp. He doesn't wake their hostage, though he does peel back the flap once or twice to check if he's awake, and sets food just inside.

He'll take watch, just like any of his men. It's near the end of his shift when the commotion starts, shouting behind him. They've got wards on the camp, of course, so he isn't worried so much as discerning.

Until an enchanted arrow, bright with mage fire, pierces too close to the wagon. That shouldn't have gotten through, and immediately he's calling orders, pressing fast to get to the wagon. They can't lose Ravus, and more important, Ravus is still partly bound, and secured in the caravan. If soemthing happens, he won't have a chance.

[disarming_prince]

Indeed, if something happens he won't have a chance. Ravus wouldn't even care, would he? Sure, fire is a bad way to go, but he had already shown his lack of care as to where his life went from here.

And then the door is being thrown open. Ravus raises an eyebrow.

"Very secure perimeter there."

[bardische]

"You can critique my leadership later. We need to move. Can you ride?"

He's already undoing Ravus's binds. He doesn't want to lose the man, but he wants him dead even less.

[disarming_prince]

"I assure you that I am more than capable of multitasking," Ravus assures the other man. He can critique and ride.

"I can ride. My balance has not suffered enough to not handle a bird. But I will not be able to direct it as easily."

[bardische]

Well, at least he isn't too rattled, if he can quip.

Basch just nods, getting the binds off and offering an arm to help him up. He hadn't meant it as a jibe at balance, only a question of skill and and stamina.

"Your bird will follow mine. We go."

Except an arrow pierces the wagon's side, and immediately the heat of flame blooms.

[disarming_prince]

What is the point of being rattled? There's no value to it. He was battle hardened, so he was not going to be shaken by all of this.

He doesn't even flinch as the arrow lands so close to them. There is a little jolt of something around his hand which had already come to lay on Basch's skin. But it's gone just as fast. Ravus ignores it, ducks low, and tackles Basch right out through the open door of the wagon. There. That gets them outside with minimal burns. You're welcome.

rises from the dead on this one. it sure has been a month

[bardische]

He lets out a startled sound, when Ravus lays something on his skin, and stronger yet when he's tackled out.

He says nothing. Rolls the other man and gets to his own feet while offering a hand up, eyes searching.

The camp is ablaze. It's chaos, and hard to tell who is who. The chocobos are still penned. He'll free them, and they'll leave that way.

"This way," he says, taking Ravus's forearm. "You first. I'll steer." He frees the other chocobos, then gets to his knees, offering laced hands as a step onto the bird.

[disarming_prince]

Getting just short of dragged along to the birds is frustrating, but he supposes there's no point to arguing. And he even swallows his pride at having to get a hand up. Which is clearly kind of him. He mounts up and goes his best to tangle his hand into the reins to stabilize himself a bit more. Surely the man doesn't mean sharing a bird... Surely not.

[bardische]

He can't leave Ravus on his own, not as a prisoner and not when he doesn't know how stable the man's riding is. The latter matters more to him. It's hardly a beat before he swings up behind him, oblivious to their closeness outside putting a stabilizing arm around the other. He scans their attackers, but its fire and chaos, and so he clicks in his throat and kicks lightly, urging the chocobo on. There's a safe house east of here, and they can zigzag through some of the desert.

[disarming_prince]

Ravus is too dignified and proper of a man to yelp in shock over a man mounting up behind him. Wrapping himself around Ravus. Which is a reasonable thing to do when sharing a bird.

Which doesn't help with the fact that there is this strange tingling running over Ravus's skin. He hates it.

"Is this bird even any fast?"

[bardische]

"Faster than we are on foot," Basch grunts, attention on their weak flank and the trajectory of another fire spell. When Ravus does not take the reins, Basch reaches around to grasp them, clicking instructions to the bird while kicking its sides lightly.

The bird breaks into a canter, and Basch instinctively moves his thighs to stabilize the other, like he's a new recruit or a civilian.

[disarming_prince]

That's perhaps true, if the thing was carrying but one person. Who knows if that is true now.

"I still cannot fathom why you are so intent upon my safety," he grumbles as Basch gets the bird moving.

[bardische]

Basch has trained double. He's had to rescue too many people not to.

"You are my charge, and it is not your fault you are here," he says, once again missing that the acerbic tone is how Ravus deals with this situation.

[disarming_prince]

And Ravus, of course, was never expected to do rescue duties. So of course he wasn't trained to ride double.

"Is it not? I traded my life for hers," he says, his voice soft and pensive. If he had resisted... But alas, he had failed her.

[bardische]

"It matters not; you are my charge and I will protect you within my ability."

It was not worth arguing beyond that; he understood sacrificing one's life for someone else's, ad he would be a fool and a hypocrite to try to talk that down. But it did not affect his own duty.

"But I respect your commitment and your obligation. Still, are you not more use to her alive?"

Talking helps. It's a distraction. But he's scanning the horizon, expertly steering the bird in the direction of the safe house.

[disarming_prince]

"One cannot be of use to the dead by being alive," Ravus hisses out as they ride. "And my nation will never forgive me that fact. It is not the sons of the line that matter. It was always the daughters of the Nox Fleuret."

And there, he supposes, is that useless secret out in the air between them. Ravus was no mere general being demanded for a hostage exchange. He was a prince, and perhaps key to control being maintained over Tenebrae. No wonder he was so bitter about being turned over to the nation who had been the death of his mother. She had been no incidental lost in the war by accident, she had been actively executed. And his disdain for the Nilfheim superiors had a lot to do with the loss of a sister, not just a rightful queen.

[bardische]

His grip tightens in sympathy, even as he drives them away from the chaos.

“I am sorry for your loss.” He understood what it was to lose someone to war.

It takes him a moment, busy as he is, to link together the information Ravus has revealed. His own queen has lost family in politics for the throne. It makes his chest ache. He wants to intervene somehow, but — what is the cost when nations are at stake? and what does he know of politics. He is a soldier and nothing more.

Still he finds himself saying, “I am not sure my lady has your side of the story. You should speak with her. If it is advantageous to keep you in our country instead, she will be open to it.”