Outrunning Memories.

Outrunning Memories.
Date of Scene:	18 March 2013
Location:	Bare Desert near Fluorgis.
Synopsis:	Katyna learns that while one can't outrun her past. But what will her past do when it catches up to her?
Cast of Characters:	Katyna, Ramza Beoulve

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Ramza Beoulve has posed:
It was twilight in the desert. The sun had nearly finished its descent over the Western Horizon. As a place of extremes, the land was caught somewhere between sweltering heat and biting cold.

The Braves had reached the oasis several hours previous, and the more diligent members of the company had already finished setting up camp. Each tent pitched seemed to reflect something of their residents' personality. Some were entirely practical. Others were gaudily decorated. Some were pitched haphazardly, while others were setup with the utmost care to ward off the worst of the cold.

A campfire setup by Sheryl, the designated cook for the evening. While it was a signal to any who might lurk in the rolling dunes, they had set watch of their own, the ever-reticent Theodore lurked in the brush.

The company had become more and more frustrated by their young leader as of late. It had become a habit for him to take solitary walks. Worse yet, he rarely informed the other officers when he was doing so. Trudging through the sands out of the oasis proper, the youngest Beoulve had encountered a low rock formation, and it was there that he found the repose he sought.

He was still wearing his armor, and a cowled cloak, but he must have looked the very picture of a feckless youth all the same, as he sat upon it, palms behind him, staring at dim celestial bodies that had begun to twinkle in the heavens.

Katyna has posed:
Having betrayed the Shadow Lords only a few days ago, and likewise having revealed her true intentions to VALKYRI, Katyna had fled Traverse Town and the hordes of heartless that continued to track her down.

Finally, she had fled to the deserts outside Fluorgis, having shaken off their trail if only for a little while. Now however, she is cold, tired and hungry, and desperate for food and shelter. But, where could a young traitor and thief find help or even allies in such a place?

That's when she spies the campfire and the travellers up ahead. Ooh..Warmth. Light..Possibly food? Ooh! Perhaps, just perhaps they might welcome a stranger, a kid like herself? She is not dressed in her armour today and of course her dark armour had vanished when she broke her contract with the Shadow Lods.

Now she just appears as a starved orphan teen in her red tunic and black leggings as she slowly nears the campsite, passing right by Ramza on her way and in her exhaustion, barely even noticing him..

Ramza Beoulve has posed:
The young man may have looked entirely heedless, but the crunching of boots upon desert sand was a sound one can hardly miss in the stillness of the arid wastes at night.

Looking sidelong, he smiled cordially at the young teen who was traipsing in the direction of his camp. "Fair evening to you M'lady. Fain forgive my boldness, but few cross the desert without some sort of company. Why play the part of itinerant wanderer?"

Sliding off the rock formation, he would walk right up to her. His demeanor was entirely unthreatening, as he unclasps his cloak, and holds it out to her. "Please take it, I could scarce refuse my hospitality to any weary soul seeking succor."

Whether she takes it or not, he would follow up with a simple greeting. "My name is Ramza Beoulve. Might I have the pleasure of your acquaintance, M'lady?"

Katyna has posed:
Kat glances up quickly, nervously towards Ramza as he speaks..Grr...Vigilance, Katyna! How could you have missed that!? But of course, she's been exhausted, hungry, on the run for days now..

She is quite relieved to see that this young man does not recognize her, nor is he out for her head, apparently. In fact, he seems somehow..Familiar, and that causes her to smile and relax visibly.

"Umm...I..Err..." she hesitates to reveal the truth, and she chuckles nervously, rubbing the back of her neck. "Eheheh..I guess I was lookin' for something, and I got..Lost!" he offers his cloak and she glances at it at surprise. "Ooh, you're sure? Umm..Thanks!" she wraps it tightly about her starved body, already feeling the cold creeping into her bones. She's about to head towards the camp, when the young man offers his name - and she freezes.

Ramza..She knows that name. Is he....? But after having shown her kindness, she's not about to turn him in. "Umm..I've heard your name before. Youngest child of the Beoulve family, right?"

Ramza Beoulve has posed:
Ramza's cordial smile became one that seemed a touch sheepish, almost outright embarassed. He didn't recognize her, but he recognized that few outside of Ivalice wouldn't know that. "My goodness, I wasn't expecting to encounter one of Ivalice's errant children. And yes, I'm certain M'lady. You have more need of it."

While it seemed unlikely that she just wandered into a desert aimlessly and got lost, he didn't press her on the subject. Instead he gestured towards the camp. "You're welcome in our camp, if you need shelter and repast for the night. Though I recommend you don't chance Sheryl's cooking."

He'd reach to his belt, and pull off a good hunk of hard tack, offering it over to her. "Its bland, but edible, and I promise it won't vex your stomach."

He'd start walking over to the camp. His smile becoming one of good cheer as he walked alongside her. "I don't believe I ever caught your name."

Katyna has posed:
Katyna smiles a bit more wildly, already liking this guy. His name was pretty well known in Ivalice, not only as one of the great noble houses of Ivalice, but because of his more recent heretical ways. But..Katyna wasn't exactly a zealot like some people, although lately, she was trying to find some comfort in a faith that her former master had encouraged her to do.

She smiles and nods again, walking alongside him back to the camp. "Thanks! That's really generous of you! Are you sure it's ok? I mean..Do you really trust a total stranger to eat at camp with you?"

He asks for her name, and she smiles sheepishly. Right, that! "My name is Katyna. Nice to meet you, Ser Ramza. Soo what are y'all doing out here in the middle of the night?"

Ramza Beoulve has posed:
Ramza grins at her. "Why not? Have I aught to fear of you? If so, then please try to have the courtesy to inform me before the ambush starts. Few do."

He'd nod as she gives him her name. "Its a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

He toyed with telling her a lie, but he decided the truth would be harmless. "We're heading for Fluorgis. I thought perhaps that I might look for a broker of information willing to deal with a man like myself."

As they continued to get closer to the Oasis, his expression seemed a touch more somber, but at the same time flustered. His situation seemed to be a source of great frustration to him. "The accusations, M'lady.. You have naught to fear from me, for those who put the mark on my head speak false with their flitting forked tongues."

Katyna has posed:
"Ehh..." Her smile fades a bit at that. "I guess...Recently, I've let a lot of people down. People who trusted me, so..." The girl pouts a bit, seeming terribly sad. "But I assure you, it's all behind me now! I swear by Faram's name, that I am alone, and I mean you no harm!"

Kat flashes a warm smile at him, "Thanks for trusting me though! You probably no by now that there..." And there he says it, the mark on his head. "Ahh.." she bites her lip, slowing down a little as she peers over at the nearby camp, shifting uncomfortably.

"I see...Dont worry, I'm no zealot. Ser Kasrillen tried to get me to join the church, but I guess I was just too impatient to stay in one place long enough to learn the teachings of Ajora. Annd..Given my own situation, I'm in no position to judge others!"

She peers curiously at him however, "I...I think I've seen you around somewhere before though..You trained at Gariland Academy before, didnt' you?"

Ramza Beoulve has posed:
Ramza Beoulve would give her a friendly pat upon the shoulder as she relates her troubles. "We all let people who trust us down on occasion, M'lady. But if they are your friends, then you will win them back eventually." He'd actually frown a touch himself. Images of Delita came unbidden to his mind.

As she relates her story, he'd falter half a step, before stopping entirely. "Ser Kasrillen? He was an instructor of mine at Gariland."

He'd meet her gaze then, peering at her facial features with a look of sheer bewilderment. After a time, recognition dawns upon him. "Kityana. Is that you?"

He'd actually laugh lightheartedly a moment later. "It is you! You've grown so much! What have you been doing all this time?"

He'd clasp a hand upon each of her shoulders, looking extraordinarily cheerful. While his memories of her were mostly of a mischievous scamp that followed around Ser Kasrillen and was overly fond of pranks, they were still all good memories. "Come, come. You'll be our guest of honor tonight. Faram must be in a gracious mood to send you our way."

Katyna has posed:
Katyna looks very sad all of a sudden, when Ramza speaks of friends forgiving friends. Or somesuch thing. "I..Dunno, the friends that I let down..Eh..I did terrible things to them. But, it was only after the fact, when I saw how much pain they were in, that I realized my folly but I wonder if it's already been too late. The things I did..The damage I caused..."

The girl hangs her head, staring down at her clenched fists. To carry such a heavy burden at her age..What could she have possibly done that would cause her so much sorrow?

She glances up at him again when he mentions Ser Kasrillen, face suddenly beaming, as if her expression had quickly taken a U-turn. "Oooh, You ARE a student of his!" That seems to cheer her up a bit. "Yeah, he was fond of you, you were one of his top students. You should now..He never stopped believing in you, even when they claimed you as a heretic. He still believed there was good in you, regardless of what others said.."

Then he utters her real name and she flushes a little, laughing a bit nervously. "Eheh...I dont really go by that name anymore.." Whatever her reasons, she doesnt elaborate, at least not without prodding, although she does seem hopeful when he calls her a guest of honor.

How could she possibly turn down food? "Ooooh really? Yay!!" And she quickens her pace, flopping down in front of the campfire tiredly. How long had this girl been travelling before reaching this point? How much longer might she have lasted, had she not run into these friendly folk?

Ramza Beoulve has posed:
Ramza's expression would sober somewhat as she describes some generalities of what she did. "Regret is a terrible thing, M'lady. If you believe that it has changed you, then it will. All you can do is work towards regaining their trust. And if you never do, then you will still be better for the attempt."

He'd continue to walk with her, as she spoke of her mentor. When she finished, he'd nod. "He was a good man. Few knights of his calling divorce faith from reason, so I'm humbled by his faith in me. Whatever happened to Ser Kasrillen?"

He'd smile cheerfully at her. When he spoke next, she could tell that he was teasing her a touch, perhaps because of her blush. "Why not? 'Tis a beautiful name, much like your smile. If it were up to me, you'd make both plain to the world, all the time."

When they arrived in camp, some of the other Braves would come out to introduce themselves. Some she might recognize from Gariland, if she considered the matter enough. Lavian and Alicia were both cordial to her, Theodore would only nod her head. Adela would mutter something about strangers being nothing but trouble. Sheryl would offer her a pot of soup, while the rest of the company would try to warn her away from it with frantic pantomiming behind her. Marlowe wouldn't even get out a single word before a serious woman named Helena dragged him away by the ear. Through the wincing in pain, he'd offer her lewd winks, and blown kisses. In the distance he could see Helena warning him of the consequences of irritating Ramza's guest. The others were already asleep in her tent and didn't emerge to greet her.

Ramza would sit himself down nearby her, smiling. "You can have my tent for the night. I'll take the final watch."

The entirety of the Braves that were awake would all stare at Ramza in bewildered amazement. Some of them would wander off in pairs, and Katyna had the sense that they were gossiping on the subject.

Katyna has posed:
Katyna sighs tiredly as she hugs her knees to her chest, enjoying the warmth of the campfire against her cold skin, hungrily sniffing the air that is heavy with the scent of some delicious cooked camp food. Ahhh, this is the life. Reminds her of the good old days with Razan....

She's only barely aware of Ramza's words as she nods her head a bit tiredly. "Ehh...I'm sure i did the right thing though, in the end..Even if it came at such a steep price. Still, I hope you're right. I hope my friends will forgive me some day. Afterall, I did it for them.."

Subconsciously, she reaches for the rosary around her neck, rubbing it softly between her fingers as she murmurs a common Ajoran prayer to ease her worries. "Mmmhmm..Kasrillen was the best. But...He...Lost his life in the end, to heartless. Once they atacked Garliand, he did his best to defend me and the others, but he died for his efforts.."

Her voice wavers on those words; Clearly it still affected her deeply. "But, I will never forget him, and..Perhaps one day I can live up to his expectations, as you did.." In her tired state, Kat barely has the energy to smart talk back at the other folk surrounding the fire, and simply smiles and nods tiredly at them - quite uncharacteristic of the usually sassy, talkative young knight.

Finally she glances back at Ramza, tilting her head, eyeing him curiously, "What about you, do you have regrets? About what happened to make you a 'heretic' in their eyes?"


But she cant help but blush a little at his compliments, and then he offers her tent and she flushes. "Ehh...Really? You sure about that?"

Ramza Beoulve has posed:
Ramza would nod to her as she relates her attempt at redemption. "We've all done things that we wish we could take back, M'lady. I lost a year of my life shedding blood, when I now regret every drop that was spilled.No matter what ills you have wrought, I feel you're virtuous at your core. If you were wicked, then you would not care that you made others suffer. They may not forgive you in the end, but if you can one day look yourself in the mirror, and be proud of the person you've become, then noone can ask more of you than that."

The young man's expression would become somber as she relates Kasrillen's passing. "Then he died as gallantly as he lived. I will pray for the repose of his soul. His sacrifice was not in vain, for I know that Ser Kasrillen would be proud of you."

He'd smile, and place a hand upon her shoulder reassuringly. "You're trying, aren't you? I know you won't shame him, if you mean to make up for what you've done."

As she spoke of regrets, he'd stare up at the stars. "I regret that I did not see the plight of the commonfolk as soon as I should have. I regret that I did not see the machinations of my eldest brother sooner, as so many have suffered for my blindness. I regret that I could not save poor Tietra, nor prevent my best friend from walking down a dark path. I regret that I trusted the Church, and in doing so unwittingly delivered Princess Ovelia Atkascha to them as a pawn. Do I regret the actions that caused the Church to name me a heretic?"

He'd tear his gaze away from the sky, peering once more into her eyes. "/No./ Not even for a second. I cannot stand idly by while innocents suffer and die on the whims of a select few."

As she blushed, he'd nod to her. There was nothing flirtatious or lecherous in his expression. Perhaps he was being slightly chivalrous, or perhaps he was just being friendly. "I insist. You need the rest more than I, Kityana."

Katyna has posed:
Katyna smiles a bit and nods, encouraged by his words of wisdm. "Thanks, I'm sure you're right. Maybe someday they can forgive me..And.Maybe someday they'll forgive yo too..."

She glances thoughtfully up at the increasingly darkening sky as she says that, pondering, remembering Kasrillen and her broken promise to him. "Yeah..He was a good man...I miss him all the time, but I know he's watching over me. He left me this rosary, afterall.."

She beams again, "Thanks! Hey Ramza? Why did you do it, all that stuff that led you to become a heretic? You dont regret your actions, so it must have been important, your reasons for betraying the church right?" Yegads, is she ever blunt!

Still, she's starting to yawn, maybe she'll fall asleep before things get too uncomfortable or personal for Ramza..

Ramza Beoulve has posed:
As she speaks of forgiveness, Ramza would give her a wry smile. "I hope they shall forgive you M'lady, but I don't want to be forgiven. Vindication is far more difficult to obtain, but it is the only recourse for me."

He'd nod to her as she speaks of Ser Kasrillen, his smile becoming the reassuring sort. "I know he is, M'lady, could he do aught else? For how I remember you flitting about him, you must have been like a daughter to him in spirit, if not by blood."

He pauses, some of the cheer fading from his expression as she asks /why/ he did it. "I'm accused of murder and heresy, M'lady. After I deserted the military, I became a sellsword for a time. One of the first jobs I was hired for was to protect her royal highness Princess Ovelia Atkascha. My brother Dycedarg sought to have her killed, to make Prince Orinus the sole heir to the throne. We thought perhaps that if we took her to the Church for sanctuary, that she would be safe. We were wrong. The highest ranking church officials were the puppeteers of a plot to ignite a war in Ivalice, and then to fan the flames. They do this so that Ivalice might be ruined, then remade in their own image. Cardinal Delacroix, the man I'm accused of murdering was a vile man who was using a trade company in the city of Goug to exploit the innocent whilst searching for the Zodiac Stones of legend. I confronted him, only to discover that he'd already sent the Princess to Duke Goltanna, thereby legitimizing Goltanna's side in the coming civil war. The Cardinal asked me to join him, and I refused. With my refusal, he invoked the power of one of the Zodiac Stones, and became a Lucavi of legend. My company was forced to destroy him."

He would pause then, to gauge her reaction. "The accusation of murder is a false one, because all that I slew was an Archdemon, not a man. And the charge of heresy? It was trumped up by the highest church officials in order to see me hunted down and slain for my opposition to them."

As she starts to look more weary, he'd gesture for her to go to sleep. "Let us not dwell on grim subjects for now. Try to get some rest, M'lady. We can speak more on the matter in the morning."

Once she went into his tent, he'd settle himself into sitting on the underbrush of the camp's perimeter, taking watch for the final shift.

Katyna has posed:
"Aah, his daughter, eh? HEheheh..." She continues to chuckle nervously as if she found that idea strange. But in a way, she WAS like a daughter to him. But then, she was also like a daughter to Lord Fessner, the feared Shadow Lord. Heh, but then Shadow LOrds were more or less like demons, weren't they? How would Ramza feel about that?

She bites her lip, looking away quietly as she tries to process all this information, as well as Ramza's story. Honestly, she was a commoner herself and didnt know much about the politics surrounding Ivalice. It was really quite confusing to her, the lengths people went to to get power, and she just sighs and nods as she looks back at him.

"Wow, that sounds..Complex..And Cardinal Delacroix was a Lucavi? Eeeh...." This talk of Zodiac stones does catch her attention however, eyes widenned in awe and wonder at his tale. "Umm..So what are these Zodiac stones anyway? They sound vaguely familiar from some fairytale, but..."

Kat just shakes her head stubbornly when he tells her to get some sleep. Sure, she's yawning, but she wants to learn more! "Aww c'mon, please? Tell me a story!"

Ramza Beoulve has posed:
Ramza would sit up from his position in the brush, chuckling. "Is it still story time, M'lady? Fain forgive my manners, it must have slipped my mind."

He'd motion for Theodore to retake Watch for a time, which the man did without complaint. The young man crossed his arms as he returned, looking up at the stars in a sort of introspective manner. "It is said that Auracite once emblazoned with the Houses of the Night Sky were used by the Zodiac Braves of auld. The legend states that they used them to defeat the Archdemons, known as the Lucavi, which were summoned by an arrogant King in Mullonde in a campaign to bring all of the seven Kingdoms under his rule. I know naught about whether this tale is true."

He'd look at Katyna then, a somber frown upon his lips, as he mulled over what to say next. "The Church taught us all that Saint Ajora once did the same, that he brought to bear the Zodiac Stones against a demon summoned by the King of Limberry. But this is not so. Not long ago, I was given a tome which contained a true account of his life, suppressed by the Church. It was annotated by a man who was once second in line to become the next High Confessor. Within it, I learned that Ajora Glabados was not a godly man. At the time the most influential religion was known as Pharism, whom worshipped something akin to what we know Faram to be. Ajora Glabados was a revolutionary and a spy, employed by the Holy Ydoran Empire to weaken a rival state by spreading misinformation, sowing disorder, and collecting information of his own through his followers. Ajora Glabados was collecting the Auracite, that much is certain, but he never confronted and defeated any demon. One of Ajora's disciples, Germonique, was also a spy, though he was sent to gather evidence that the man truly meant ill for the world. Germonique could only speculate on his reasons, but he feared that he was desirous of them for the power they would grant him. In the end, Ajora Glabados was captured, tried, and executed for his crimes at Mullonde, once the seat of Pharism."

He was playing now with the edge of one of his leather gloves. "He was no child of the gods, but there was certainly /power/ in him. I suspect that it was the Lucavi that gave it unto him. When he perished, a great deluge struck Mullonde from the sea, destroying it almost utterly. His followers capitalized upon the event, using it as proof that he was some holy figure, and in time they usurped all other faiths in Ivalice."

The young man would sigh, raking a hand through his unkempt blonde hair. "I don't know anything about the truth of the Zodiac Stones except that they are conduits to these Archdemons. Those that are desirous of power will in time be tempted by them, consumed, and possessed. While I had two in my possession for a time, they never spoke to me. They never offered anything unto me. Perhaps it is because they knew that I do not desire what they have to offer. I can only speculate on the reasons for it."

He'd glance at her, and after a time he would chuckly darkly. Though she could tell from his eyes that he still seemed disturbed by the subject. "And I suppose that I am now in fact guilty of heresy but only if one considers the teachings of the Church infallible. I do not, not after seeing the true depths of depravity in some of their leadership, and reading what I have read. Most of the faithful like Ser Kasrillen, or Ser Senra that I have encountered are genuinely good people. They seek to minister to the souls of the faithful, and do good unto others. They just don't know aught of their leadership, and what sort of men they truly are."

Katyna has posed:
There was a good reason why Kat never paid attention to Ser Kasrillen's stories and lectures. She has a terribly short attention span. Some of this story is actually interesting however, and in her tired state she actually pays attention to most of it.

"Ooh..REally? Saint AJora was a fake? But..Why would the church still endorse him, even after they were the ones to put him to death? That makes no sense..And are you saying the Zodiac braves were really just demons then? Soo....What is the church's true purpose then, to track down Zodiac stones and become more powerful? What exactly do these stones do, anyways? Turn people into Lucavi?"

She shudders at the thought, even though she is attracted to so much power. Annd for all her exhaustion, Kat's just full of questions tonight. "I wonder, where these stones are now?"

Ramza Beoulve has posed:
Ramza would smile patiently, before clarifying. He attributed any lack of understanding entirely to her exhaustion. "The predecessor faith of the Church of Glabados, Pharism, put him to death. Ajora Glabados was a very charismatic revolutionary, with many followers that did not know that he was naught but a spy. When he died, and Mullonde was destroyed, they attributed it to him being a holy figure. They founded the Church of Glabados at that point, and usurped Pharism, the previous faith."

He'd walk over to her, sitting down beside her. "To gather the stones for the power that it will grant them. I know little else. Were Ivalice still whole, they would be using the war to weaken both Duke Larg and Goltanna, while simultaneously inciting the commoners to revolt against them. The nobility would be made a pale shadow of what it once was, and the Church would come forward with the Zodiac Stones of legend as mediators of the conflict. In the end, all nobility and royalty would be naught but puppets, while the Church would hold true power."

He'd pause, tilting his head to look at her. "But there must be more to it. Their plans have have been adapted to this new world we find ourselves in. If the Lucavi have control of the Church, I cannot believe that conquest is all that they desire. All I know is that I have to find the stones before they do, to reclaim the stones that they have, and see them destroyed or hidden away far from their clutches. As for where they are? I only know of two, which I once had, and two others which they possess."

Katyna has posed:
Katyna sighs, "That's...Terrible. A church, a faith based mostly on lies. But surely there are still some good people left in the church? Sounds like you've met Faruja, right? Even though he's a bit overzealous, he really IS a good person. I just hope he's not caught up in all these lies too. I wonder what he'd do, if he found you? Would he turn you in?"

These stones continue to intrigue her. "Why hide 'em or destroy them? Why not use their power in others ways, to make you stronger so you dont have to keep hiding from the church? You could use 'em to destroy the church, or at least destroy the evil within the church..Right?"

Ramza Beoulve has posed:
Ramza Beoulve would actually grin a little at the mention of Faruja. "Ser Senra /is/ a good man. There are many good men in that church. We once treated at the same table, ate waffles together, spoke of his hardships and his friends. I prayed for him and his friend, whom was ill at the time. I only told one lie to him during our entire encounter, and that was my name. The next time we met, he knew exactly whom I was. He was so drunk that he couldn't even stand, but if he could, then he would have tried to either kill me, or arrest me. You see Kityana, men of faith usually allow it to overshadow their reason far too easily. One needs to weigh a matter by faith and reason both, and come to the proper conclusion. I think that if Ser Senra did, then we would be the best of friends. As it stands, I still like him, but I know that so long as he blindly follows the commands of those in power, then he will always be their pawn. And all of their pawns seek to destroy me."

He'd shake his head. "I hate the puppetmasters of their conspiracy all the more of it, to see them use men like Ser Senra as naught but a tool in their petty game."

Ramza would give Katyna a strange look. "At what cost, Kityana? They might grant me power, but my soul would be forfeit to a Lucavi. And if I were under the control of a Lucavi, then there would be no difference between me, and the Church's leadership. Even if I could control them without the loss of my soul, the end does not justify the means."

Katyna has posed:
Kat hehs. "I told ya, I got by Katyna now. Kityana was a silly little thief who wasn't strong enough to protect herself. That's why I changed my name, so I could distance myself from that 'kitten' and become a 'cat'. But.." She sighs and shrugs at mention of Faruja.

"Heh, Faru got drunk? Well..I suppose that means he'll be after you again then. Sounds like him alright. He's blinded by his devotion to the Glabados church. That's too bad. I guess I had the opportunity of seeing the world from both sides. I've seen the good and bad of the church, just as I've seen the side of the nobility and the commoners. My dad was a soldier in the war, see, but I suppose we were still poor after he died, even though we were once decently well off while he was alive.."

As for the cost of the power of the stones? She simply shrugs. "But maybe..If you could control it..." She sighs and shakes her head, answering her own question, "Oh, I get it. I suppose these stones are pretty much like the power of the darkness. I know about that all to well..Yearning for the power that the Shadow LOrds possess, only to realize it's just an evil poison that eats you up insides..Now.." HEr voice grows softer, quieter now, almost a whisper. "Now, I'm paying the price for my foolishness.."

Ramza Beoulve has posed:
The young man would smile at her. "And as I told you, I think that Kityana is a lovely name. But if you wish for me to call you Katyna, then I'll respect that."

He'd tap his chin. "Why are you so concerned about perception of strength and power anyhow, M'lady? I only seek enough strength to protect innocents from those who would exploit them. It is said that power corrupts, but that's an incomplete answer. My father had power, and was not corrupted by it. It is the /fear/ of losing power that corrupts."

He'd pat her on the shoulder idly. "You're a good person, Lady Katyna, but sometimes you speak as if you're terrified of what you once were. Terrified of being something that you believed didn't have strength and power. Why not be simply be yourself? I think if you freed yourself from this fear, that you would be far happier."

When she speaks of Faruja and her father, he'd nod, asking a few simple questions. "Did you love your Father? Did you blame him for his death leading you to the life of an orphan thief?"

Ramza would smile. "Ah, more talk of power again. It is not worth the risk, M'lady. My father once told me something, which has guided me through many difficult decisions. He said that, 'The day you stop feeling compassion for your enemies, is the day you become the enemy.' And I do not want to become like those that I fight against."

He'd pause for a time, as she speaks of the Shadow Lords, listening, and mulling over what she said. While he was certainly suspicious, he didn't tend to let that overshadow the good he saw in others. "Would you like to be different from that, M'lady? If so, consider travelling with us for a time. Maybe, just maybe I can offer you a higher calling than seeking power for its own sake. You don't have to be afraid of being weak again. You can just be yourself."

Katyna has posed:
"I....Dunno.." She sighs wistfully, leaning back on the ground to stare up at the nightsky. "Of course I loved my dad, and I'm sure he did everything he could to protect me. Mostly? I just blame myself. I blame myself for when I was not strong enough to help Ser Kasrillen fight the heartless. Instead, I cowered like a little kid, waiting for someone else to protect me. They..Took away my friend Razan too, and I couldn't protect him. And, they killed countless others that day, friends, acquaintances..Allies. And all I did was cower and hide, because I was just a kid..I wasn't strong enough to fight, to protect those I cared about..."

She sighs, closing her eyes, trying to find some comfort in the darkness. "I suppose, I always searched for power, to become stronger so I would never have to fear anyone again, and those I cared about wouldnt be hurt by me but..." But, she glances around nervously, considering Ramza's words, but somehow..Hesitant. "I....I dont know..There is something after me, as long as that's there, I'll be putting all of your lives in danger. I just..I need to think things through, and I cant hurt anymore people..."

With that, Katyna gets up after a while, glancing around nervously. "I'm sorry, you've been so kind but..I gotta keep on moving! Ser Ramza, I'm sure we'll meet again!" she smiles softly at him, but as she notices dark shadows out of the corner of her eye, she just knows they're out for her blood. "Good bye!!" and she runs off into the darkness.

Ramza Beoulve has posed:
Ramza Beoulve would give her a reassuring look. "What fault was that of yours? I wouldn't have been skilled enough either, at that age. I /know/ he wouldn't blame you for it. It is the role of parents to protect their children. To pass on their strength, knowledge, and love on to them. Would you do the same, as you are now? I truly doubt you would cower and hide while your friends, family, and innocents were slain. Nay, you're not a craven. And you can't blame yourself for once having been a child."

He'd shake his head. "But you have that power now, and yet you still seem terrified of being as you once were. You don't need to be. You can be what you want to be, not who you think you /must/ be in your fear."

He'd give her a patient look. "Perhaps we'd be in danger, but we're already in danger on a constant basis M'lady. Tomorrow I could walk into an ambush the Church's inquisitors have laid for me, and that would be the end. I don't fear whatever pursues you, all I know is that you need help facing whatever it is. That's all I need to know. That's all any in my company need to know."

When Katyna gets up, and starts to run, he'd get up and chase after her. On any other day she might have easily outrun Ramza, who was wearing heavier armor, but she was was weary, and it wasn't difficult for him to do so. When he catches her, he'd put a hand upon her shoulder. "Stay for the night. That's all I ask. Let yourself rest. Let myself and my company make certain that you have time to recover. In the morning, tell me more of what it is that troubles you. If you still don't want to remain with us, then I'll fully understand, but Kat."

He'd try to turn her around, if she'd let him, to look her in the eyes. "If you keep running alone, then you'll be running forever. Let us help you. We can get you to whatever friends have not disowned you. We can help you mount some sort of defense, or at least if you must run, then you wouldn't have to run alone."

Katyna has posed:
Katyna had only heard a few of Ramza's words as she turned and fled..But it's late, and she's still pretty exhausted. Kat's not a terribly fast runner either, and in her current state, it's not hard for Ramza to catch up to her. She might have fought back, but she's too tired at this point. Besides..Travelling with another outcast for a while..Might just prove useful.

Still in her current condition, she doesnt seem quite capable of thinking it through too thoroughly, and so she just sighs and nods tiredly at his offer. A moment later, and she flops tiredly onto the ground right there, falling into a deep exhausted sleep. With any luck, Ramza will be able to drag her back to the campsite which is not too far away.

Ramza Beoulve has posed:
The youngest son of the Beoulve family had encountered many awkward situations in his time. Had Katyna not flopped down on the ground first, he would have sweared that she'd fainted dead away from exhaustion, as it is, he's still left with the young woman sleeping on the ground in the middle of a frigid desert at night. His next breath escapes his lips as a sigh, as he looks up into the heavens.

Steeling himself, he'd bend over, and lift up Katyna into his arms. He nearly toppled over immediately from the added weight. His armor was heavy enough, and while Katyna was relatively light, it still wasn't the easiest task for him to carry her back over to his tent. Laying her down inside his bedroll, he'd cover her up with his blankets, before heading back outside.

And then he'd draw his Cinqueda from its scabbard, as something in the shadows hissed.

Katyna was mercifully probably too exhausted to hear several members of the Braves battle Heartless through the night. And yet not one managed to disturb her from her rest.

The next morning: Ramza would explain to Katyna that it was an uneventful night, while the rest of the Braves just /glared/ at him.