The Erstwhiles

Wounds

Night falls and the streets of Yarl are blanketed by a soft fog, dust. Its faint street lamps grew even dimmer. People have shut their homes and put wax in the nooks of windows and doors, a normal occurrence for them this season. Lidded chimneys adorn every roof, small shafts under houses and buildings are dug allowing their inhabitants to breathe, they're connected to a larger one that pushes air to them, said chimney providing exhaust. A simple yet intricate solution to the pains of living near a turbulent desert.

"What are you two twats doing? I'm going to get splayed lungs breathing dust!" Rosh says as he frantically shuts the door of the balcony. He patted himself off and hung his goggles back to his neck.

                        "I didn't know it had a door," Kaja explains, now marveling at how the doors were hidden as it was pulled out from the walls earlier.

"You two aren't from here are ye?" a brow raises from Rosh who is now leaning on the stone table, his eyes raising accusation. "Aside from you lots' skin I say you are plunderers or worse grave robbers." added Rosh as he taps himself a cup of water, eyeing the room.

A cynical thought came to Lyra of how they took the belongings of the soldiers, and looted their ship; it tickles her how there's some truth to what he says. "That is so not true, we are looking for a person inside the tower!" her voice trying to persuade her own guilt, her inner self cringing.

                     "I don't judge, If anything I admire pirates like you, you've plenty of coin and a life of adventure ainit'?" Rosh set his cup down and sat on a stool "So where is the ship?"

"We have horses ready, and uh... you need to be blindfolded so that you won't see our secret spot" Lyra presents a piece of leather strap and the payment along with it, Lyra hoping for Rosh to hush with the sight of coin. "You have to trust us for this to work, are you ready?"

A hesitant silence befalls them and mainly Rosh contemplating whether he takes the sketchy offer out of desperation or maintain his hard and mundane job which only afforded him much tire.

 "Ugh... I can't believe I'm agreeing to this but fifty lits is three months work for me," He spins and turns his back to Lyra in defeat, promptly did she blind him.

                            "When we're on the horse you have to cling on as hard as you can cause he's really really fast," She added locking, the blindfold in place. She looks back at Kaja sending him a nod.

"You really are bloody serious in having me come blind, who in their right head puts an actual lock on a blindfold, might as well gouge mine eyes out miss," Rosh says as he touches the back of his head where the lock clings uncomfortably its weight and rigid edges well felt. "You better not let me fall down the stairs!" he added.

                             "Actually we already have the horse right here for your convenience." Lyra beckons Kaja to close in and motioning him to hunch down, She equips him with the makeshift barding Kaja prepared earlier, attached to it were their bags and supplies. "I'll be in front of you and I'll tie our waists to the bridle so we don't fall okay?" Lyra said reassuringly, she slung onto her Kaja's rifle and slid her pistol into her coat's inner lining.

"This is the single, most stupidest thing I've gotten myself into... even more stupid than you bringing up a horse by stairs," Rosh adds as he is clumsily ushered by Lyra atop Kaja. "Unless your horse had a sheep for a sire, I don't believe they're this hairy, that or I am sat on a fucking sheep." he quips, Kaja's snout furled into a grimace visibly annoyed yet inaudible.