Checking the Town Square (private for Rebel, Asi, [Percha] and Morgan)

The wheels of the chariot rolled on the paved road silently, the carved bronze of the vehicle shining up under the sun rays, making the chiselled battle-scenes at the side glisten up.
Two black warhorses were pulling it, their heavy hooves hitting the pavement noisily.

Victory was standing firmly in her chariot, the thick reigns held steadily in her hands. Her wrists were wrapped in buckled leather bracers, contrasting with her white skin.
The Valkyrie was dressed, as usual, in steampunk clothes: a leather corset held together by several leather straps, a short, cream-colored lace skirt and a pair of classic black trousers. Her shoes were made of leather as well and set with metallic spikes and gears -- perfect for trampling on enemies. 
On her head was a helmet: it looked like a late Celtic helmet except it was set with gears and delicate steampunk glasses to protect her eyes from the wind when she was galloping.

Her chestnut-colored curls were bound together in a complex style and braided with three blue feathers, gushing down her back. Around her shoulder blades, she had attached her Airship Pirate Ax, and at her belt hung her sword, the same golden sword with the wings-shaped, platinum-inlaid guard.

The Valkyrie's spears were fastened to the chariot, two-meters-long lances with sharp bronze tips that measured twenty centimeters. 
Carrying her large round shield in one hand, Victory looked around the Square, checking there was no trouble.
She had recently come back from a raid against outlaws, but it hadn't satisfied her. She was thirsty for the battles, the combats, the gushing of blood and the smooth bow her sword traced in the air before coming down abruptly on a soldier's neck, severing it neatly. 
Yes, Valkyries were made for war, and Victory wasn't an exception. 
On the one hand, she longed for peace, but on the other hand, she knew she would soon get bored by it. She would have to satisfy hunger for blood and battlefields with little, unimportant outlaws. What a perspective...

The young lady shouldered one of her spears with the hand holding her shield, looking around.
Today, she hadn't taken any knights with her, even though she was one of the Captains of Knights. For once, she wanted to do things alone. 
Normally, every citizen in their right mind wouldn't dare to cause trouble when a Valkyrie was present, but as usual, she was there to enforce the law...

Liz made no sounds as she walked along the shadows into town, not caring to go through the border guards and getting herself checked into the kingdom. As far as anyone knew, she hasn't even left her apartment for two months, but they would be deadly wrong. Liz was a vampire, pure and simple and longed for the crimson liquid she desired, and needed to live. Blood.

She could still taste the blood of the handsome hunter she had murdered in the forest upon her tongue and lips, licking them absentmindedly as she hid her fangs well. She didnt need anyone giving her a second glance, the knights and the guards were the last thing she wanted. She contained what remained of the hunter in her bag, chunks of meat and his remaining blood in her canteen.

Stealthily she crept into the square when she paused, something made her pause. Then she saw it. The captain of the knights, in her brutal, yet awesome image was checking on the square! Liz noticed she was alone, but knew it was too risky to try something. She didnt need the action, the hounds of a guard had almost gotten to her at a fort outside the kingdom. She pulled her hat low, it's long brim covering her face as she walked across the square.

She wore simple clothing, fluke that of a hunter, her twin sai visible on her belt, and an ax across her back. She also had the ex-hunters sword, dangling in the soft light. She was almost to her apartment now...almost home....

OOC: after this rp, maybe your character could meet my other one

OOC: Sure!

BIC:

As she strode through the Square, Victory caught several respectful, even scared glances. It may be true that she looked very combative -- but she had met worse. They should see her when she was fully dressed for war: with her complete metal armor, daggers, spears, disks with sharp edges and rotary knives.

She made her horses suddenly stop; a child was running on the street. His mother ran after him to protect him, but there was no need: Victory didn't care. They didn't look like hiding law-breaker.

Her green, cyan-streaked gaze swept across the small Square, looking out for suspect-looking individuals. She noted none; every one of them looked strictly normal. However, she knew how to get below the superficial appearance and read one's mind. She just had to stare into the eyes of a person, and she would know what she wanted to know. Besides, her steam punk glasses didn't only protect her eyes from the wind...

Letting the citizen stride past, she ordered her black warhorses to resume their pace. Shaking their dark manes, they obeyed. Now she was in the middle of the crowd, she put her glasses on her head, the goggles on her eyes. The world seem to stretch and to distort in a soup of colors, then, it stabilized, and she could see like through a veil. 

The Valkyrie didn't notice anything special: humans, elves, dwarves, traders, hunters... Nothing unusual.
She passed a hooded silhouette, and the silhouette pulled her hood lower onto her face as she came past. 
That made her tick. Swiftly taking one of  her spears out of the straps that held them to the chariot, she stopped her horses and held the lance out in order to block the silhouette's way. 

"Who are you?" she asked in an imperative manner.

Liz cursed in her head, she was as good as gone now as she examined the leader of the guards lance, blocking her free way home. She turned, looking out from under her cloak and staring at the girls horses. She knew better than to look into her eyes, she had fallen for that trick once. However she knew she couldn't stay silent forever and at last she spoke.

"Me? I am a hunter, a small one trying to make a living" she said evenly, glancing across the square for anything she could use in case a fight pursued. She knew she ont had a slight chance of getting away from victory. She knew her little act wouldn't put herself out of the guards thoughts totally so she continued. "I have just returned from my hunt, and have need to smoke my catch" she said, hoping victory would trust her statements, but she was ne'er sure. Maybe the guard could smell the faint scent of ale, or the blood upon her arms, but as long as she didnt see under the hood...

The uneasy glance the girl shot under her hood clearly indicated Victory that she wasn't clean. She looked like someone who was calculating her fleeing path with mathematical precision, deciding of the best ways to escape quickly... She definitely was guilty of something, and it took Victory less than a second to realize it.

"A hunter?" she asked, moving closer. "And what do you hunt?"

As she moved closer, she could distinguish her odor. Victory's scent wasn't perfect, but there was something about the fragrance of this girl that galvanized her in a combative way. Flashes of thoughts popped up in her mind: clashing of swords, yells of pain, crushing of skulls and cutting into limbs.... War.... Battles... All this made her suddenly more attentive, more acute to her surroundings, as if she was in the middle of a fight and every detail could be saving or fatal.
Why was she thinking that?
She suddenly knew the answer.

What had drawn those memories was, she recognized, the metallic scent of blood. It was weak, but undoubtedly there. Victory had smelled it enough in her lives to recognize it when it was present.

However, a detail disturbed her. She knew animal blood, but that blood was different. What exactly had this girl hunted during her trip? And what did she do with it?

All this was very suspect, and the Valkyrie turned her horses in order to definitely block the girl's way. The heavy hooves banged on the paves with loud noises, and the large black heads shook, making their manes fly about and their muscled necks shine, as she stopped the horses again.
Clamping the reigns in her right hand, she directed her spear's edge to the chin of the young lady.

"Show me your hunt," she ordered, stepping closer in her chariot. "Oh, and perhaps you would be so kind as to give me your name."

Names were important, she could track someone she knew the name of as easily as a wolf could track his prey when having got his scent. Perhaps the girl wouldn't give her her real name... but Victory would find out quite soon. She wouldn't be fooled by a lie.

After a long day of working and two sudden deaths, I needed a small break. And what a better way than go to the woods for a relaxing and quiet walk? As I walked through the town swuare to head outside the town, I noticed a chariot, probably a warrior's one. The owner, a woman, was talking to another one, who was wearing a hood. But, they didn't smell, they didn't look like normal humans. Something in their moves and their scent gave away who they really were. Monsters, obviously. I could  smell the blood around the one with the hood and I growled."Vampires". I quickly walked towards them and glared at her. "What's going on here? You are making a scene, please, do it somewhere else. You scare the people here, our town isn't used to things like that...like you" I told them, as calmly as I could

A new person arrived, and bumped into the conversation. Obviously, he had been listening to them and had now decided to join for whatever reason.
It was a High Elf, she immediately saw, with charcoal-black, silky hair and green eyes. Even though his pointed ears were hidden by his dark streaks, his lilting voice classed him as belonging to the elven race. 
However, Victory wasn't intimidated, no, on the contrary: she was negatively surprised he had the nerve to tell her what to do.

"I beg your pardon?" she said, her cyan-streaked green eyes widening slightly. 

She didn't move nor did she attempt to make a move. Staying in her chariot, the Valkyrie remained in her position, holding the reigns in one hand and with the other, her spear, put threateningly against the girl's cheek.

"I am Commander of Knights, Sir," she said in a slightly sarcastic voice. "It is my duty to inspect and to find law-breaking citizen. This one particularly drew my attention, and I can tell she is guilty. Now, if you would please let me do my job.... Thank you."

She turned her back on him.

"I know she is guilty, a guilty vampire, I might add. Probably right after a good meal. And I don't disagree, it is your job and you should do it, just not here. These people aren't used to that. I'm sure you know what may happen if you get into a fight. And it won't be good for anyone. Also, some of them are sick. And, as a healer, I know the guilt for their deaths if something happens won't feel good and won't go away. So, please, arrest her and go have your little....conversation somewhere else" I replied politely

"Your duty is not to tell me what to do, Elf," she said with a streak of annoyance. "Your cheek is close to insolence, you know that? You are not to put my actions into question."

She looked into his green eyes, although perfectly aware of the girl's presence.

"I am doing it here," she continued," so after I am done with her, I can look for other suspects. They often hide in crowds and they do it well -- what is a better place to hide a tree than a forest? So now, please let me finish this."

The Valkyrie turned back to her suspect, when suddenly, she remembered something the Elf had just told her, and it made her freeze.

A vampire?

"Hey, you!" she called, spinning around to look at the Elf. "Come back please. What did you say about this girl? A vampire?"

Victory looked closer.

"How do you know and how can you be sure?"

"You called me an Elf. You should already know the answer to your question. And, just because you are stubborn and deny to see what's best for all, doesn't mean I'll let you put all those innocent lifes in danger!" I said, this time anger making its presence known behind my calm words

Liz knew it wasn't good for her at all now, they had discovered her species and she had only three options in her book left. Run, Fight, Or beg for mercy. Running was out of the question, victory had a chariot, and several huge lances. Fighting? It was two against one and again, victory had the upper hand. Liz smiled as she came upon the third option. "What you say is true" she finally spoke.

"I am a vampire, as well as a hunter, a hunter of all. I recently did kill a human, but my reason was pure. Surely you would let me tell my story before you sentence me? Hmmm?" She asked, unhooking her sai blades, sword, and ax and laying them down. "I am not going to fight an uneven hand, but at least I will not run like a common criminal" she smirked.

At this point her chances of survival weren't much, but it was her best option. Completely unarmed, except her fangs, she was vulnerable to both of the other beings. "Perhaps somewhere else is better to question me than the middle of the square"

Victory looked at the Elf, and cocked her head up.

"What is best for all? Would you perhaps prefer me to let her go? Would that be best for all? Besides, who are you even to tell me what's best for all? I'm an experienced military and enforcer of the law. Who are you? A healer, right? Then you should go back to your hospital or apothecary, for you have neither my experience nor my knowledge as far as those matters are concerned -- in consequence, your opinion is not needed."

She stopped, gazing harder at him. Even though she regretted her harsh words, she had to do it. She could not afford people questioning her authority in the middle of the Square; she would appear weak and unworthy of her position.

"And I'm not starting a fight in this Square, now am I?" she said in a lower voice. "How can you say I'm putting their lives into danger while I'm trying to save them and give them security, huh?"

The Valkyrie looked at him with a glint of contempt superiority in her eyes, then turned her back on him.

However, the vampire's reaction destabilized her. Normally, she should've fled, or fought, or try some escape... But she? She was practically making herself a prisoner by lying down her weapons.

As she pulled her hood back, Victory could see her blood-red eyes and sharp fangs distinctively, and both glistened up in the sunlight that filtered through the clouds. The girl had the same cruel beauty most of the vampires shared, and possessed unnaturally pale skin that seemed to glow in the shadows of the buildings, like a white lily's petals.

Victory jumped out of her chariot and collected the vampire's weapons, then attached them securely in her vehicle so they wouldn't fall off, and would be difficult to take back.

"There's no need to tell me what to do, vampire," she said as she walked up to her with a rope, binding her wrists together. "You come and go into my chariot. I'm taking you to the next casern, where we can talk in all tranquility, without (she shot the Elf a short glance) any disturbance. Jump in."

At the warrior's last action,I couldn't help but laugh."You really do think just some rope will keep a vampire in place? That's the funniest thing I've ever heard in the past 100 years! And anyway. I understand the vampire is wise enough to not attempt something risky. But you never know what's in their minds. So please, just be extra carefull when you two are around people. Also, for me not being "experienced in war"? Girl, I've seen things you'd never believe happened. Maybe indeed a healer telling you what to do is indeed stupid, yes. I don't know yet. But, with that mind, character and attitude, I don't think you'll be in that position for a long time. And it's not a threat, just a warning from a person who lives not just inbetween but with humans and knows their oppinions and respects their wishes" I told her once again, calmer than before but still quite angered

Victory attached the rope to the chariot, and bound it better with silver chains. Then the Elf laughed out.
Her eyes narrowing, she turned around to listen to what he said. Then, with a brisk movement, she gave him a push with her spear. It wasn't intended to do much harm, and it probably didn't hurt the Elf much, it was just to make him clearly understand he had to get back into his place.

"Be extra careful? Elf, you know who you are talking to, right? You better be careful what you say!"

Then, he told her 'Girl, I've seen things you'd never believe happened', and Victory boiled over. 

"What?" she yelled, then her voice dropped down to a dangerous whisper. "You call me a girl? You are condescending to me? I thought you would know what a Valkyrie is, Elf. Valkyries are post-divine creatures, know what this means? I have been more than a human once. I have been more than you Elves. And you should've bowed to me back then."

She got a bit closer and looked directly into his eyes, her chin raised and her brows frowned.

"I have two lives behind me, two lives full of battles and wars and blood baths. I am probably older in this life than you are: I am over 300 years old -- And you call me a GIRL? You say YOU, who look barely older than 100 years old, have seen things I wouldn't believe? Who are you to tell me that? How many battles have you been in? 10? 13? Hah! Your war experience is nothing compared to mine!"

She shook her hair in incredulous laughter.

"Oh, I'm not gonna hold my position for long? And I should believe a healer? I think I might first ask my superiors whether they went to keep me or not, don't you think? Because they can judge best, they have seen me a bit longer than a handful of minutes, unlike you. And I have been in this position for a hundred and fifty years."

Victory took a step back, indicating the conversation was finished, but nonetheless, she pointed a finger at the Elf.

"I could lock you up for that, you self-sufficient adolescent. One more word, and I take you with the vampire and put you in the stocks for several hours. That should cool you down."

Now, the Valkyrie definitely turned her back on him and took the vampire's arm. She checked she was attached with both ropes and silver, so she couldn't escape (besides, the silver was probably already starting to burn her, as it did for most vampires), then, she shook her reins and the large black warhorses started to move, their hooves thudding on the ground. Victory quickened their pace without making them get faster than a trot, and ordered them to turn in the next street, without any last look for the Elf.
However, Victory was perfectly aware of the vampire's presence and her every movement. She still hadn't got her name, and she knew it would make a huge difference if she knew it.

"How are you called?" she asked in a harsh voice as they turned at the angle of a street.

Liz smirked, as much as she hated the law and the amazing police and military force that this Valkyrie governed, she had to admit she was a well organized leader. She obeyed Victory's orders, jumping in behind the officer. She felt the ropes that bound her wrists and knew she could escape unless than a minute, but she also knew that it would be a fatal move. She made notice that her weapons were secured, though she had no plans of escape.

She couldn't help but give a small smile that she had made the unexpected move, startling the enforcer of the law. As Victory began to move her chariot to the closest Casern, Liz thought about the time she could've getting in prison. Perhaps she could take her case to the king, or someone high on the royal scale... She was wondering if she had any hope of survival, being completely at the mercy of a Valkyrie. Then she remembered a question Victory had asked, not five minutes ago.

"You asked my name, correct?" She said, over the sound of the wheels and horses. "My name is Elizevath" she said, using the alternate pronunciation of her name, not to throw her off, but to simply have a criminal file under that name in this kingdom. Her dark red hair contrasted against her pale skin, and her eyes were red from her recent meal. She also noted that her canteen and packages of meat had been removed, not that she minded. Where she was most likely heading (the noose she thought) she would only get one or two more meals. Even in her best case scenario, she wouldn't have the good eating of a fresh human corpse. Hell, she wouldn't get much meat at all!

She awaited her next orders, which she would follow without hesitation. She knew her place, though she didn't particularly like it, she was not to make a scene, nor attempt a fight. Although on even ground, both young ladies fully armed, Liz would give Victory a run for her money. The thing that had made Liz surrender though, was not the odds, nor the intimidating stature of the warrior, but the children that ran throughout the square.

Having grown up in the slums of France, her mother a prostitute, she had a horrible childhood herself, and didn't want other younglings, no matter what species, to have such a bad memory constantly blocking their mind. They deserved to watch that crime did not pay, that monsters were around them, and that they could depend on the guards and the royalty. She sighed half-heartedly, thinking back to when she had her mother to protect her. She wished her hands were not binded by the strong rope so that she could hold her mothers ring that rested on a cord strung around the young vampires neck.

I sighed and shook my head as I turned to leave

The chariot wheeled its weight up the principal street, then Victory turned right into a beautiful, gothic-styled colonnade of white marble. Here, the paving stones were more even, making the wheels roll smoothly and noiselessly.

She turned right again, under a big oak, then reached one of the barracks. It was a rectangular stone-and-wood building, with little windows and a defense line around it. Victory passed it without effort, since she was one of the Captains, and led her chariot into the square courtyard in the middle. A handful of knights were practicing swordsmanship while a dozen others exercised their skills with bows and arrows. Two were having a mounted fight, their horses rearing from time to time.

Victory threw the reins of her chariot to one of the present squires, who led it off.

The Valkyrie pulled on the rope, making Elizabeth join her, and went into the building. They passed through the beautiful arch that was the entrance and stepped into a big hall where squires and knights were training and chatting. As they saw their captain, all of them stood up, the rumble of conversation fading away, and sat back the moment she went out threw a side door, resuming their discussions. 
Victory had to lead the vampire through a series of rooms, staircases and corridors until she found an appropriate room near the dungeons.
She locked it up, sat Elizabeth on a chair and tied her there with silver chains. Once that was done, she took another chair and sat in front of her.

"Name, age, profession." she started.

Liz smiled, sitting there in the dim room as she examined the lady across from her. She had obeyed every order, startling several of the people she and the captain passed. She sat in the slightly uncomfortable chair, her arms and ankles secured by silver chains. Although the precious metal burned her slightly, she ignored the pain and looked directly at her, straight into the Valkyries eyes.

"My name is Elizabeth Parker." She said plainly "I prefer to be called Liz, Captain Victory, if you don't mind" she said, as if talking to a friend instead of a superior officer that could order her execution in seconds. She waited a few moments for Victory to record it or whatever she did.

"I am twenty one years old, appearance is seventeen" she said simply, looking at her nails, admiring the black paint she had put on them, glee mind slightly. She glanced up from her nails to Victory and continued.

"Occupation? Well, obviously I'm a vampire so part is I feed off blood from mammals, and certain other species. Though I think you mean officially, and the answer to that is a hunter, but I'm also a part time maid at a bar outside of the main kingdom." She neglected to name her previous job, or where she came from. She remained silent as she looked straight at the officer of the law, waiting for her next round of questions. She remained silent, understanding the silent order of 'don't speak unless spoken too'.

Victory didn't really appreciate her frank look, but made her comment. However, when she called her 'Captain Victory', she didn't let it pass.

"You may not call me by my first name, vampire," she said knife-sharp voice. "I am Captain Warlockhowl to you."

She leaned back, listening to her talking. Finally, she spoke again.

"What mammals exactly do you feed blood off?" she asked. "And don't bother lying. I recognize a lie when I hear one."

"I understand Captain Warlockhowl" she said immediately, looking straight at her as she said so. She listened to her question, then answered.

"First, I would just like to say this isn't my first time being questioned, I know the drill. Second, I eat any mammal I can get my hands on, save the platypus, and perhaps a few species of unicorns" she said, not making a single lie as she spoke. "I also eat every bird known to man, except Phoenix, they aren't the easiest things to eat." She said, looking directly at Victory.

"And before you ask something else, I would like to ask; may I perhaps have a glass of water? I don't care what condition it is in, as long as it is not fresh spring water from Tara"

"I can therefore deduce you already killed human beings for your meals," Victory stated. "Am I right?"

Then she went to the door and called one of the two guards, telling him to bring a cup of water. Taking her place back, she watched the vampire closely, studying her red eyes, her hair, the extreme paleness of her skin and the shine of her fangs.

"You shall have the water," she said with a smirk.

When the guard came back in, she took the cup from him and went to Elizabeth. Tilting her head back, she made a few droplets roll down into her mouth, then took the goblet away.

"Next question: how many humans have you killed?"

Liz nodded, admitting that she had eaten human beings before drinking the water victory had poured into her mouth. There was something in the water for sure, Liz tasted it was not water alone. However, that didnt bother her as she looked directly at the valkrie.

"Inside the kingdom walls? Only two, though outside the number is in it's thirties" she said, not including any of the people she killed in France, or before she was a vampire. She didnt really think that was needed. However, she wasnt sure and watched the officer carefully

OOC:Can IO rejoin with Ileana?She is stuck in an empty topic and I'd like it if I could rp with her a little