His High Horse (Lagritz and Korin)

[Korin]

((OOC: Eh... very pun-ish title.))

A dark stallion made it's way across the ground outside the city at a run. Perched on it's back was the figure of a young man. He was built as muscular as one would expect for someone who had trained with weapons most of his life. He wore a dark, crimson cloak that flapped behind him as did his pale blond hair.

This was Prince Korin, the eldest son of King Radimir and heir to the throne of Alagaesia so long as no one overthrew his father. But Korin's father was a tyrant and a force calling themselves the Varden had risen against them, though with little support from anyone else as of yet. Thus it looked as though Korin would follow in his father's footsteps, and it appeared a very literal meaning of the words since the son was as bad as if not worse than the father.

The boy was out riding now, the only real time he could ever get out of the city without an entourage. Technically he was supposed to have one now, but he was rebellious and had left them behind in his dust.

[Lagritz]

Lagritz crawled through the tall grass. He was looking for something to hunt. He usually only moved about at night, since he was deep within human lands, and they generally didn't take too kindly to his kin. However, it was difficult to find sustenance at nighttime, and the last few days he had been unsuccessful in doing so.

Your hunger is going to be the death of you, one way or the other, he thought to himself. Lagritz's heart stopped as he felt the vibration of hoof beats underneath him. Humans, here? He risked a peek above the grass, but immediately regretted it. It was closer than he expected.

[Korin]

Korin was glancing in the direction of the urgal when it stuck it's head up. If he'd been looking another way Lagritz would have had the good luck to not be noticed by the Alagaesian prince. Luck wasn't with him though.

Korin turned the direction of his storm-cloud stallion and came to a halt in front of the urgal. "What are you doing here filth?" he sneered. If he wasn't on the horse he probably wouldn't have been so bold. He didn't even consider the idea that this was not a smart move. Korin wasn't really knowing for thinking, just for doing as he wished because he always got his way, spoiled brat he was.

[Lagritz]

Lagritz got to his feet, now that he knew he had been seen. This human was talking in a manner that suggested it was dipleased with him. He knew some of language the humans spoke, but could not translate in his head fast enough. Lagritz wasn't positive if it was male or female, but he was pretty sure it was male.

"I do not wish to cause trouble. I am merely traveling. But be warned, I will not hesitate to defend myself." He had tried to use the human tongue, but was not sure if he was successful. Lagritz began thinking of ways in which he could remove or tangle to give him an advantage.

[Korin]

The urgal's attempt at speaking was almost laughable. His accent was horribly thick with whatever language their filth had. Korin could hardly understand the mesh of syllables it spoke. However, despite not being the brightest in the land, Korin was not dumb enough to get of his horse or to physically confront this beast.

Speaking slowly, almost comically drawing the words out, Korin said, "I asked what someone of your ilk was doing here, so close to the human capital. If you didn't understand me before. And don't think I'm dumb enough to confront you. Unlike your kind I don't need to fight to prove my worth. I have enough power to get whatever I might want." Okay, so that was probably the dumbest thing he could say. He'd practically told the urgal he was the crown prince.

((Wow.... I didn't think I could make him be quite that much of an ass.))

[Lagritz]

The human spoke slower this time, which was helpful, but did not seem any nicer because of it. At least this time Lagritz was able to make out the general concept of what he said. I'm really that close to the human capital? He was aware that he did not know his way around outside of The Spine, but he still was surprised that he had gotten himself to such a dangerous location.

Lagritz decided he would try to communicate once again. This time he would keep it simple so the human could understand. Also speaking extremely slowly, Lagritz said, "Traveling. Lost." Hopefully this puny person could comprehend him this time.

[Korin]

The urgal also spoke more slowly this time, and this time Korin was able to understand him. With a cold laugh he said, "Lost is right. I didn't think I'd ever see one of you this close to the capital city." His cold grey eyes started down, just barely down, on the urgal from his seat on his horse.

"You should move on soon. I'd hate to know what my father would do if he found you." The words were spoken in a falsely kind tone. Korin actually would love to see how this creature was handled by his father, the man he idolized. He was almost tempted to see if he could keep the brute here until his entourage showed up.

[Lagritz]

The person on the horse spoke again. This time is sounded as if he were telling lagritz he should leave. Lagritz was all to happy to comply.

"Me. Leave," was all that he said. Then he backed away from the ban on the horse and began walking away. He never fully took his eye off of the strange person for fear that he would be attacked the moment he did. Close to the human capital was no place for an urgal to be. He just had to hope that the humans wouldn't hunt him down, now that they knew he was in the area.

[Korin]

Korin turned and started his horse back to the city. He didn't get very far though. An arrow flew from the bow of a concealed archer, one Korin didn't even get a chance to see. He leaped from his horse as it fell, fear in his blue-green eyes. The shrill sound of the horse screaming in his ears.

He bolted into a sitting position in time to see someone running towards him as a burlap bag went over his head from behind. A muffled shout was all that could be heard of him calling for help as he was picked up and carried. He couldn't see a thing aside from the darkness inside his bag and the voices weren't understandable right now as they were speaking too quietly for him to hear. His only thoughts were ones wishing he hadn't been arrogant enough to ride off without guards. This wouldn't have happened then.

He was hoisted onto what felt like the back of a horse, which began moving thought it was impossible to tell which direction. His hands and feet had been bound. Korin, crown prince of Alagaesia, had been kidnapped.

((I might make the person responsible for Korin's kidnapping into an NPC. You'll see who it is in a while.))

[Lagritz]

Lagritz watched from a crouching position in the tall grass. There was a slight chance that he hadn't been seen by the people attacking the human he talked to earlier. If they decided to come after him too, there was little chance he could hold them off and escape.

Once they had the person bound up well, they put him on the back of a horse and began to move away. What should I do? Lagritz thought to himself. Obviously the person who was kidnapped was of little concern to him, but he was not sure if he could let a kidnapping happen right in front of him either. Kidnapping was a coward's victory.

That settled it. Lagritz would follow the trail left by the kidnappers at a very safe distance. He would decide later if he was going to do anything about it.

[Korin]

((Different colors are different voices.))

The party of travelers stopped for the night eventually. Korin was unceremoniously tossed onto the ground where they could keep an eye on him. He could hear them as they spoke, the sounds only slightly muffled by the burlap around his head.

"We'll need to remove the bag so he can eat. Lord Anundr said to bring him, but not to harm him."

"Technically starving him isn't harming him."

"We'll still get in trouble for it."

"Just remove the bag and blindfold him so he can't see us. That way if he escapes he can't reveal who we are to his father."

"He'd better not escape either. We have to be extra careful with him or Lord Anundr will have all our heads."

"I say kidnapping him is far more trouble than it's worth."

"You keep your mouth shut. I'm the leader here not you. You certainly didn't have to come."

There was silence for a while as Korin was left to his thoughts and the four, there were at least four, kidnappers set about setting up the camp. Lord Anundr? Why is uncle Anundr having me kidnapped? It didn't make any sense to Korin. At least now he had some idea of where they were headed though. His uncle was the Lord of Teirm, but that also indicated he had a long journey ahead of him in these conditions.

Again he cursed his own foolish arrogance. He'd thought he didn't need the guards his father constantly sent with him, thought that he could protect himself. Look where that had gotten him.

[Lagritz]

It was nearly the middle of the night before Lagritz was able to catch up with the kidnappers. It was hard to travel at night and track someone at the same time. At least he was able to collect a few edible plants along the way so that he would not die of starvation.

If only he had been born a kull, he could have run after their horses and had no problem keeping up. But there was nothing he could do about who he was born as so he might as well not complain. At least he wasn't born a tiny little dwarf deep under a mountain. Lagritz let out a quiet chuckle at the absurdity of the thought.

Lagritz found a nice spot to sit down and rest. He would have to get up early in order to follow the kidnappers again. At least he did not have to worry about running into too many other humans while following this group.