Wolf RPG

The soldier was an interesting man. Arsenio imagined that he would enjoy the reports that he would relay to the silvered wolf. It was good fortune that smiled upon him, plentiful blessings from the Gods that had allowed him to find work – good work – in foreign lands. The Greek was pleased and as he crossed the mesa in search of the queen, he wondered when their borders would be invaded by snapping teeth and howls of war.

Until that time arrived, he had been assigned as a guard over the woman @Satsu. Germanicus had been quite detailed in his desires. Arsenio would not leave the queen’s side, no harm would reach her, anywhere she traveled she would find she had duty-bound company at her side. He liked the simplicity of it, at least on the surface. The Greek understood that there were larger things at play.

Evening had fallen, but the misthofóros was bound to his work. He prowled the mesa in search of Satsu so that he could take his place at her side. The ice of his eyes touched anything that moved.

following the attack by nyra, the arrival by merrick, and so much being up in the air for the woman, satsu had kept to the catacombs. if not within her own private quarters then the wellspring with tamar attending, or another of the more spacious rooms beneath the earth with help from jawahir to organize things; much as she loathed the coyote, satsu could not do everything herself.

she had stepped out for a breath of fresh air, telling tamar to stay behind - she would only be a moment - when something red like the mesa stone, moving rapidly, caught in her eye. it was not a man she knew; but he moved as if he knew the landscape well, and he had the cut of a man who belonged among the stone.

satsu was too surprised to be frightened. she continued to watch as his shape grew larger and he tread closer, up and around one of the ridgelines of the mesa, until he was standing with the sun at his back, a black shape haloed in red. it was then that she shrank back to the shadow of the halloway, saying nothing.

The light spilled across the mesa, remnants of burning orange that signaled evening. Ahead of where he traveled, the Greek caught the movements of – yes, a wolf. The figure appeared to be a slight thing, concealed in the natural landscape as though they belonged. Arsenio quickened his pace, a brisk trot that bounced the bright auburn hairs along his back and shoulders. The movements were easy, confident, he was completely unafraid even in their foreign lands.

Ah, Arsenio barked out to the figure, please, I seek vasílissa Sátsou. He’d closed the distance between them but left a small stretch of space so that he might catch his breath and speak to the shape hidden in the stretching shadows. Close enough to see a glitter of blue from the wolf’s eyes, but not to make out a figure or to tell if this was man or woman.

It is alright. Eímai o Arsénio, the man introduced.

it was too late, he had spotted her.

perhaps the shine of redsun against her gilded shoulders, too quick even for her to prevent. the shadows swept overhead but when the man spoke, satsu was drawn out from them again. he was dazzling; in every way that germanicus had been imposing, but softer too, almost boyish. the red of his coat was like nothing she had ever seen before.

his voice was different, too. strong, confident, lilting; it brought to mind a memory of midsummer, while her brothers pretended to fish at the river, laughing and splashing instead. yes, he was very much like them - and so satsu was at once disarmed.

i am satsu, she said softly, lacking the chill that had been slowly encasing her the past few days. ushiyo satsu, of akashingo. why do you seek me? this was most curious. he did not look like anyone she had met before, nor was he injured, but - there was the faint mark of a familiar scent upon him, which in that moment satsu had forgotten belonged to the auxilliary, she was so distracted.

The woman – yes, it was a woman – spoke and Arsenio halted immediately in his tracks. The misthofóros bowed his head low and lifted it, grinning toothily. Tyche had touched him, he was certain, for he had found the queen and she was a quiet, lovely thing to behold. The soldier had not lied, the queen of Akashingo was a fine creature, even obscured by the shadows that had almost swept the mesa entirely.

Polý kalá! It was clear that he was pleased, for the auburn figure had become loose, tail swinging. The bold blue of his eyes did not leave the woman’s features. He had heard her question but did not possess the tact to inform her of his assignment. At least, he did not think he could speak as charmingly as the soldier had. Arsenio knew that it did not matter, not really. He would watch over the queen until his assignment was called to an end.

I am misthofóros for you. I will be the guard of the Queen Satsu. The – eh – soldier, he has given assignment. Queen Satsu is to have a guard until the war has ceased, Arsenio informed her, shrugging casually when he had finished and flashing her a proud twitch of his whiskers.

he spoke swiftly with words she did not know, boisterous like pharaoh in his better moods. in speaking of a soldier satsu was again perplexed for she did not think sabah had the capacity to find and control a man of this calibre, and so quickly, unless —
germanicus.
it surprised satsu beyond all measure to think that the auxilliary would do this for her; but it was wise, and he was a man of experience. perhaps he had sent this arsenio here to take his place.
the soldier, germanicus? she asked, seeking clarification.
akashingo was in need; satsu did not think she could say no to him, stunned as she was. ramesses might not take kindly to the sudden appearance of another man, either, but how pharaoh felt was of little concern to satsu while war loomed; besides, he had jawahir to occupy him.
come, then. i... suppose, you should be fed, and shown the lay of the land. i can show you to our stores for a bite, and find you somewhere to sleep, but if you are to stay here in service to akashingo then you must seek out my queen's guard; sabah, the guard captain, will need to meet you.
and if the man does not pass sabah's scrutiny, satsu would be sure to know.
she would like a word with germanicus too, should he find himself upon the han again, the woman thought next.

Yes, Germanikos – a soldier, greyed whiskers, Arsenio confirmed at her query.

This seemed to be an acceptable thing, for the queen seemed to open to the misthofóros after learning of the man who had given him the assignment. In fact, she offered to show him to their storerooms and to make sure that he filled himself with food. Arsenio would not decline her this offering, but she did not seem to understand that he was not a presence she could so easily rid herself of.

No, no, you will not need to find me a place for sleeping. I will sleep outside where you are to sleep. I will follow you to wherever you go. Sabah will be met, but Sabah did not hire me. My job is to guard you, then Arsenio smiled, an easy expression in spite of the words that followed his initial statement. I only wished for you to be aware, but you do not have to be if you would rather not know I am there. The auburn wolf shrugged his broad shoulders.

I will not say much, I am only there to protect. Arsenio watched her unfalteringly, waiting for her to guide him to the storeroom and the other areas of interest in Akashingo.

the correction was hard to hear. it did not sit right with satsu that germanicus had taken it upon himself to find a guard for her, sans consultation with pharaoh or herself. his beauty aside, he was bold and assuming, and had made his way to the heart of akashingo unhindered. it was disturbing to think of how easily he had slipped across the mesa - where was sabah? arsenio's appearance here only further proved that the mesa was unprotected.

fine, she answered. she did not like the way he had so inserted himself, but he was a warrior and she was only a girl, and satsu did not want to raise a fuss. there had been enough strife upon the mesa lately and she would not add to it.

i have a new maid who tends to me as well, who is always with me. her name is tamar. satsu explained this curtly, turning halfway to the door, not wanting to fully turn her eyes from this stranger. and my betrothed, ramesses, he will need to be made aware of this. i will talk to him. you are to wait in my quarters until i return - and already she thought, but he wants to be with me? always? - and you will wait, or you will leave.

with that said, satsu slipped beneath the henge of shadow and sought the corridor leading to her underground room, expecting the man to follow and do as he is told. there she would leave him as intended.

The lady queen did not like the words he had offered. Arsenio was not perturbed by how her words had turned curt, an order to a subordinate. But, was he? The auburn wolf did not believe that she was his ruler. He had been given access and work by Germanicus. 

Still, the Greek would not argue with her. He simply did not believe that she needed to know. Arsenio could follow without being seen. He knew the prowl of a hunter. It was not the first time he would trail another wolf's path. 

Yes, fine. 

Arsenio offered her a grin and nodded for her to lead them on. He would follow.