Runner
Tent of the Lord Commander
Fewer things pissed Runner off more than rich entitled assholes. A list of such things that did manage to do that would have to include, but was not limited to: scummy business people, studying ledgers, starvation, her stupid hands, her stupid father, and insanely sweet berries.
When she heard that this dick wanted to hire them after already putting them in his debt and forcing them to work for him for several weeks of relatively unpaid labor, her first instinct was to tell him to shove it up his royal ass.
Instead of that happening, however, three sets of hands slapped themselves over Runner's mouth. Selm's(Keldani nationalist), Yule's(mage opportunist), and Ina's(this one she didn't quite get) hands all held Runner's foul opinions from escaping her maw.
Am I really that easy to read? She thought.
"What exactly do you have in mind for this… work?" Yule asked, after a stern look at Runner.
Sure, this was likely the chance of a lifetime. Duh. She just didn't like how it came around. This guy was so obviously a scheming asshat trying to recruit them to do his dirty business. He has a literal army of trained people to work for him. Why in all the hells would he need five strange weirdos? That question made her uneasy.
What value did he see in her?
Completely ignoring Runner's potential outburst, the prince answered Yule's question. "An assortment of work, but I assure you, it is all for the benefit of Keldanis' people. I cannot tell you all of what it will be at this time, but some of it will include exploration of certain spaces, subjugation of certain creatures, and transportation of certain artifacts."
"And we will get paid lots of money for it all?" Ina asked, hopeful.
"Naturally. I compensate my private mercenaries well for their time and discretion. Especially for thier discretion."
Runner managed to wriggle herself away from the hands holding her quiet. "So why the fuck do you need us? Eshah, I am sure there are tons of adventurer's or willing volunteers who want to get into your good graces and would happily go stab someone for you. Remember, we don't like you. I especially don't like you. Why, then, would we want to help you?"
"An excellent question. As it were, I am counting on the fact that you do not trust nor like me. You will find that that will be the cornerstone of this relationship. Mutual distrust for one another."
Selm balked at the reasoning. "But… your highness, why would we want to distrust one such as yourself? I-I mean-"
"I want you to question my every word, Selm. Too many people in positions of wealth and power go about their careers without someone to tell them 'no, this is wrong'. You should understand my sentiment more than any of the people in this tent."
The dwarven woman flinched, suddenly looking ashamed and at her feet. Runner saw her bite her lip to keep it from wobbling. Struck a nerve, that one did, Runner noted. The story behind that would be interesting at least. Hearing it may be worth putting up with the stuck up woman for a moment longer.
"I may not be the crown prince, but I will be damned if I do not do nothing short of my absolute best for my country. There are things I cannot ask soldiers to do, nor would I want to. Instead, I would ask for your cooperation and your insight. During my employ, you have every right to refuse a task in the case that you find it not aligning with the best interests of Keldanis. Your allegiances do not all lie with Keldanis, and that, too, is good. A diverse pool of thought from all across Western Rumeris is what I seek, and one that you could provide. Provide me with evidence, questions, and even just opinions on the matter. On my name, I swear that I will listen. Perhaps you may even convince me my actions were misguided or simply wrong."
The prince left a gap in his speech long enough for silence to creep among them. It was clear everyone was lost in their thoughts, or just plain lost in Ina's case.
Runner didn't buy it. It all sounded too damn convenient. Too shady. Too… ugh. Runner didn't want to buy it. But… her gut feeling, which has often not led her wrong, told her that at least part of his story was honest and true. Behind all of his nice and confusing words lay a single, undeniable truth: he wanted to help the people of Keldanis. His people.
Frankly, Runner didn't give two shits whether or not Keldanis and its people were happy. Or she wouldn't, if it weren't the last place she could live out the rest of her life when she was uncursed.
She supposed she could try to go to Veyas, but that was a trip back through her homeland, and she narrowly escaped from there as it was. She doubted she could find a route to anywhere else on Rumeris anytime soon, either. Keldanis was it for her.
Dammit. Now I have to care, she griped to herself. She thought she wouldn't have to do that anymore.
"Wait, fuck no! I have somewhere to be as soon as you let me leave this cage!" Runner exclaimed. She nearly got sidetracked again, just like in Scolton.
"I am sure wherever you must be can wait, after all, we are being asked to work with royalty!" Selm scoffed, seeming offended that Runner would even consider denying her this opportunity.
"You can work for him all you want, little miss silver spoon, but I have somewhere to be," Runner retorted, hackles on the rise.
"Unfortunately, I ask that for my secrecy, it is either all of you working with me or none of you. All of your skills are required, too; thus, when I call, it must be to the group. Where is it, pray tell, you need to so desperately get to?" Prince Tymet asked.
Runner felt every set of eyes in the tent swivel her way. Selm rolled her eyes and looked exasperated while Yule, Ina, and Eldrig looked inquisitive. Baz and the prince made her nervous. The way they looked at her made her think that they already had some speculations.
They didn't know, right? How could they?
As if Runner had swallowed a weight and was cast into the sea, a sinking feeling took hold of her. Her outrage fully crawled back into the den it rested in, leaving room for only uneasiness and fear.
All of a sudden she was very alone, despite not being the only one there.
"Well… uhm. I have to be on my way, that's where. None of your damn business!" She needn't get laughed at again for recounting the rumor she had heard from that old drunk in the next cell over. She needn't get her hopes crushed by more people who didn't believe in fey-spinnings.
"Runner. It's our business an' ye know it. Too tied in now for us to unravel," Baz countered. Ugh. The older half-orc was trustworthy, so at least he might not shun her for believing such an obvious lie, but the others… well, she barely knew them! Sure, Selm had saved her life… a couple of times now, but she was some highborn brat and would use every fancy word she had to call Runner an idiot. And Ina was adorable and too innocent for her own good, but surely even she would call Runner childish. Oh-so-intelligent Yule, whose plans usually went well, would tell her how the journey she was on was a doomed one. And-
Some liquid got in her eyes, making them blur. Whether it was Sweat or tears, she could not tell which. The prying eyes of those who would soon betray her had cut the feeling from her face. Everything felt numb. Everything but her stupid fucking hands. She needed to bolt, to run…
"Allow me to alleviate some of your concerns, Runner." Tymet's words drew her back from the anxious spiral that originated from her own tormented self-loathing. Like a knife through flesh, it cut its way to what little parts of her were still rational. "You need not work for me immediately. For the moment, I have no work ready, for I did not expect this meeting to occur so soon. When the time comes, I will reach out to you for your cooperation. I suspect that will be in a months time or so, perhaps later. Certainly no sooner."
The calm explanation, as much as she would be loath to admit, did soothe some of her fears. Some of them. Those rational bits in her were quick to latch onto anything that could drag her out of the momentary panic. Her anxious gaze glanced between each of her temporary companions, searching them for the moment when they too would discard her.
Come on, stupid, she berated herself, you just need to get rid of the curse, and then you are set for life. Get rid of these damn hands. Easy! Get one of the best opportunities in the realm!
Baz turned to the prince and asked another question that Runner didn't quite hear. It did turn all eyes away from her, which she was incredibly grateful for. She had to- she had to fix herself. To reason why she should stick around. She had to give herself just enough not to run away from it all. Again.
But I don't trust him. Remember, he shackled me before. He's a lying manipulator. I was done with those kinds of people, wasn't I? Yeah. Yeah! He is just going to use us and toss us aside. Probably kill us after doing his dirty work. I bet this asshole wants us to do illegal shit that he can't publically do. Eshah, I don't need him and his crummy deal to survive. I don't need any of them either! I can do this on my own!
Moments before Runner would have raised her head and snarled out her refusal, she caught the tail end of the prince's answer to Baz's question. It stopped her in her tracks fast. It was the promise of…
"How much money… again?" She tentatively asked.
"It depends on the job and its difficulty, but I assure you I can allocate enough funding so that you will be well satisfied. To give you a rough estimate… perhaps several thousand gold, or things of equivalent value, per job. Perhaps more."
Runner's spiral snapped shut at that. All those rational bits inside her messed up mind rejoiced, for there was nothing like the promise of coin to help a girl get a hold of herself. Thousands of gold… There was so much she could do with that. She could buy a nice cottage with lots of fields to lie in. She could afford to be fed and to feed others. She could pay her bounty off… maybe. She could give back the help some of the urchins gave her on her way here. She could…
By the Nine True, she was drooling.
All of her self-doubt now seemed so silly. It was one thing if some random shady guy said he would pay you tons of gold: naturally, you would think he was lying. But this guy, this prince, he could afford to do such a thing on a whim. If the stories were true, the riches of Keldanis were not to be underestimated. All of her companions seemed to realize this by the dawning looks of ambition that matched her own. If that didn't tie them together, then she didn't know what would.
Gold was good.
How simple-minded Runner must have seemed to the outside observer. The mere clinking of coins, not yet even paid, was enough to sway her path from caution and fear to one of ambition and hope. Greed was a powerful emotion, present in most of the mortal races. With wealth came many things: power, safety, opportunity, and more. Humans were no strangers to avarice, and Runner was no exception. It was laughably predictable, then, when the thief's eyes lit up at the thought of gold.
Runner cared not about the outside observer and what they thought. Her hands and her were rarely in agreement, but now was one of those such times. Hells, everything in her was telling her that this was her chance and that she should take it, not just her hands.
A nudge to her shoulder got her attention once more. An embarrassed flush spread across her face as she realized once more everyone was looking at her, expectant looks replacing the concerned ones from earlier.
"Well? Runner, what do you say? You are the deciding vote." It appeared that Selm and Yule had voted yay while Ina and Baz had voted nay.
"Eshah…" It was up to her to decide their fates, huh? Whether or not they would be forever tied together, working for a mysterious bastard prince and earning wagons full of gold. What a decision.
Runner wasn't used to making such important decisions. At least not for other people. Herself? Sure, she's said 'to the hells with it' and jumped off cliffs before. Literal cliffs and figurative ones. But for other people… that was a terrifying prospect.
What if this prince guy turns out to be super evil and uses them to bring about a reign of terror? Would all the responsibility fall on her?
Surely not, it was a group decision. Just because she is the deciding vote doesn't mean she all of a sudden is at fault. Right? Isn't that how group decisions work?
Eshah, she isn't good at this.
"You better not betray us," she finally said, her blue-gray eyes locked on the mysterious emerald depths that hid untold secrets.
"On my name, I swear it."
It was impossible for Runner to know at the time, but it truly was up to her to decide all of their fates.