Hunting Beatrix of the Briar

Vira arrived only minutes later, with two burly male servants carrying similar food packages. Strapped to her back was a battle axe, and this time she was dressed sensibly in riding leathers. She wore a fur cloak with a high collar to protect her neck from the chilly wind, a scarf, and gloves, her dark hair wound into a bun.

She kissed Maekar lightly in greeting. "Let me get these strapped to Aegerys and I'll meet you outside the Pit."    

The ivory dragon shot into the air moments after his dark clutchmate. They circled for a moment as Vira shouted out to Maekar. "I didn't find out exactly where she is," she called. "But two poachers caught in the kingswood say they saw her two months ago. They're in the dungeons, but I think it's better we fly to the woods."

Aegerys landed with a thump right beside Cyrax, stirring up dust. The dragons were in closer proximity now than most dragons were willing to be, but Cyrax and Aegerys were the exact same age, born together on Dragonstone nigh on a century ago, blooded in war together. Even then, Aegerys rocketed into the darkening sky as soon as Vira removed his saddle and harness, ever the elusive loner.



"Aye," Vira said, hefting her riding equipment onto a rock and laying her axe and shield against the rock. "I have some ideas for where we can start looking on the morrow."

"Even the woods have ears," she said. "We'll speak of it on the morrow." Vira had not packed a tent either, preferring to bring just a pallet and a thick fur.

Vira cleared up their campfire, cleaning away the remains of their breakfast and storing their bedrolls away. The dragon Aegerys had returned from his night time wanderings, and was now resting lazily in the clearing, clearly enjoying the bright sunshine. "I think our belongings should be safe," she said, glancing at Aegerys.

"There are villages on the edge the Kingswood, and I'm good at talking with the small folk," she said. "You head north, and I'll head the other way. As we flew over here yesterday, I saw plumes of smoke rising from a hamlet not far away. I'll head there."

"Sundown," she agreed, kissing him back playfully. She watched him while he mounted Cyrax, and then gave him a last smile and started north, heading towards the village. Vira preferred this discreet, low profile way of investigating. As a commoner, she could do more by bringing out her peasant side than she could with Aegerys - something Maekar couldn't quite replicate, both due to his aristocratic manners and his famous face.

She liked the solitude of her morning walk through the woods, though admittedly she was sore from her exertions with Maekar, and walked more slowly than she normally would. After a while she reached the village.

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Around sundown, Vira returned to the camp site, a little disheartened by a difficult day, where she had made little headway. Aegerys was awaiting her, wings folded. His eyes glowed gently as Vira caressed his long neck and cleaned his scales. When she was done, the dragon lowered his head to the ground, to rest.

Maekar wasn't back yet, so she washed herself in the stream, and then prepared the camp site for the evening - rolling out their bedrolls, lighting a fire, and made a soup over it, consisting of ground beef, corn, onions, carrots and salt and pepper. She sat on a flat rock and stirred the contents of the little iron pot in a meditative silence.

Before breaking their fast that morning, Maekar and Vira agreed that they would spend the day hunting together. Vira decided that they should seek out woodsmen. The forest was controlled mostly by the King, some of it by other lords, and all the industries associated with the woodlands was strictly controlled. The woodsmen were responsible for the harvesting of timber, wood, and underwood for the lords and the King, and in a great royal forest like this, Vira was sure the woodsmen would have small holdings and licenses to graze animals within the woods to help subsidize their living. Vira had known a few woodsmen growing up - one of them had taught her how to wield her axe, and she had first used an axe to help split logs.

"Let's go south this time and look for woodsmen's cottages," she told Maekar. "They see much, both in the forest and in the villages. All the tradesmen who get their raw materials from the forest - cartwrights, bowers, miners - know them too, and other townsfolk. And I'll disguise both of us, so we look more common. Or, at least, I will," she added, taking him in with a smile. Maekar's resemblance to the Conqueror made him an attractive partner in bed, but drew unwanted attention at times like this.  

Vira wanted to make him wear his cloak, but the fabric was too rich. Instead, she made him carry her shield, which was scratched and had no arms unlike his, darkened his teeth with ashes from the fire. "Sorry, dear," she said sympathetically as she rubbed it on. "This way, we can explain your sword away by making you look like a brigand or an outlaw with a stolen shield and sword - exactly the type of person I think Beatrix would want to meet. And for other reasons, I'm sure," she gave him a wink.

"And lost your eye and hand in the process," Vira replied, admiring the crossbar. "Your accent is a problem though, sweetling. Try to make your vowels a little more broad. Like how I speak sometimes." She blushed. "And drop your H's, and don't enunciate so clearly."

She giggled as he kissed her neck. "That may be for the best," she replied. "I'll just say you're my mute friend who speaks in grunts. A grunting, one-eyed brigand, why wouldn't the Septa love that?"

She kissed him, despite his blackened teeth. "I should stop doing that," she said, with little conviction. "Come, let's start walking before I give in and keep you here all morning." She led the way, sure-footed and quiet, into the forest.