The lashing of the Demoness could be heard deep within the bolthold. It stirred the bandits within into a frenzy. Some figured with the numbers they held, they could fight back. That running away through a hidden escape route would do them no good. All their work would be lost, their home taken, and of course- what is to stop the Demoness from still hunting them?
As the men bickered over such notions, eating away their precious time and robbing them a chance for action. Temu, their leader would try to bring back a sense of order. But it would be pointless, the bandits were too divided. Many did not educate them on the trouble the Demoness could bring. Seeing her as a witch but nothing more. Though still their fault, they were not entirely to blame. As Temu would refrain the passing of the knowledge to his men so that it would not hinder their work. Many of the crew would true to remain within themselves, and only a select would opt to enter the nearing towns. So a lot of what they knew would come from their own. But it would be Ro and a few others that would report back on information needed when planning their jobs, so Temu was not entirely blinded.
“ I know we took a bit of cloth in all, but I didn’t guess she would stir up like this. She’s more temperamental than I thought.” Ro would utter his thoughts to Temu as they pulled to the side to be on their own. In the frenzy of the moment, they needed to make a plan on what to do now.
It was then that Temu’s expression turned. During the dispute among his men, he tried to keep a stoic visage, almost appearing indifferent to the dangers outside. This was all to serve the purpose of calm, to sooth the crews fears as if all will be ok.
But the look of fear and remorse that poured out from expression alerted Ro, who was now fully worried. It never occured to him that there might be something he did not know.
“ She might have been able to over look the goods…..but things got..sloppy. The towns folk were more adept in fighting than we first thought. Figured being protected by a witch meant they were soft but many of them knew their way in a fight. And that’s when things just got messed up….on our way out— the only way we didn’t get caught there…..well, we had to cut our way out and it might be coming back to bite us….sooner than we thought too. I was fixing to have a plan but it’s over now….”
A range of emotions would cycle Ro’s face. Confusion, irritation, anger; but he settled on betrayal and disgust. Taking lives was a part of the work, he was not distressed about that. But it was the cost to their own that he was fuming on.
498_1274+50%wcr due to dress, ring, companion.
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Curtain Call
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