Ashley was already on her horse about to walk away when the girl yelled wait it spooked her horse just a little bit and it also spooked her. "hm the roads are pretty bad and it would be nice to have some company… sure i will ride with you but first you have to give me your name and no lies." she says not really willing to leave without some help. the girl comes back with clothing and it was kind of sad to see that but ashley was also glad.
"Az!" Azoni yelled, yanking on her boots and re-buckling her belt. It wasn't a lie; not really. Everyone Azoni had ever met called her Az. Even her stuffy as hell etiquette teacher called her Az, even though it had been a journey to get her there. She untied her horse and heaved herself onto the saddle, patting its ears comfortingly when it seemed understandably spooked by her yelling. "What's your name?"
"hello Az, i am guessing that is short for something but that's good. my name is ash and it is short for a different name." not giving all but close enough. she made sure that she was comfortable enough and started to walk at a slow pace. most people would have told her she was not going to make it far for a princess but she had a good feeling about this trip.
"Nice to meet you Ash!" Azoni cheered, urging her horse to walk faster. Once she was confident she could keep pace with her newfound partner, she tried to strike up a polite conversation. Something not too touchy but also interesting. Unfortunately, nothing came to mind, so she defaulted to her normal 'I'm quietly trying to scope out who you are' question. "What are you going to do once you get to Donington?"
"i will be heading farther then Donington but when i get there i am planning on helping anybody i can and get away from a forced marriage." that was probably i little to much information but it was some of the truth and he was glad to get it off her back. "how bout you what are you going to do or are you like me running from something that you don't want?"ashley is curious in what this girl has to say
"Same as you! Mom was going to force me into a marriage with someone I fucking hate so I just kinda ran away. She's deluding herself if she thinks I'm ever going to be forced into a marriage I don't want." Azoni scowled at the thought. She wasn't even sure she wanted to get married, and mom was deluding herself if she thought she could force Azoni into anything. "I'm not sure if I'm going to stay in Donington or move on. Hell, I don't even know if I'm going to go home again. Do you know what you're doing?"
"if i may ask what is this someones name?"she thought about it it seemed like there was a chance…no that wouldn't be right would it? "i don't think i will come home for a while but i will stay away until i can figure out a plan at least that is my plan so far. it's not a good one but whatever screw it." it was easy to talk to this person that she just met. "i also hate this person that my mother is forcing me to marry." i say not actually meaning to say it out loud.
(my parents might turn off the wifi so if i don't answer i will try to get to you as soon as possible)
(All good, thanks for keeping this up!)
Azoni laughed. "Guess we really are in the same boat, huh? No luck, no plans, and running away from marriages we hate. Maybe girls like us were meant to stick together." She carefully avoided the first question, knowing there was no way in hell Ash wouldn't remember the name of the queen ruling the kingdom she'd be marrying into. She half wanted to gallop off right now to avoid running her mouth any more, but something held her back. She really didn't want to ditch Ash, and… fuck it, she was starting to have a bit of a crush on her.
ashley looks over at this girl next to her. "what is your mother like?" not even realizing that she had not answered the first question but not really caring much."yeah maybe we are supposed stick together." she says with a slight smile on her face. she made her horse go a little bit faster wanting something to do.
(your welcome.)
Azoni sped her horse up as well, noticing that they had left the forest far behind. It looked like they were really out on the open road now, which meant the risk of an attack was getting higher by the second. "Mom's… well, she's my mom, you know? She's nice, I guess, but also really strict and crazy protective over me even though she's never taken the time to really know me and I just wish she'd give me some space. What about you? What's your mom like?"
ashley noticed that they were out of the forest. she kept her attention to the road but new her surroundings well. "my mother is strict and makes me look like i don't know what is going on in and out of the…house." she almost said castle but then realized that the other will no her right away."she never lets me have some freedom and that is why i run once and awhile." she finishes with a sigh of breath.
Azoni winced in sympathy. "Yeah, I'm the same. Mom's always tried to force me to be her heir." Oh shit, that definitely sounded suspicious! "Um! To her business I mean! She's always forcing me to be the heir to her business and I've just never been able to do what she wants. To be honest, I really want to be a knight. I'm just as strong as any of them, and I swear I'm twice as dedicated, but she won't let me. So… I sneak out. I run away." She shrugged, posture immediately shifting into something more serious when she saw a flash of movement from the corner of her eye.
"i know what you mean like i train with the knights but it doesn't mean i can't actually join." she says giving up on trying to hide who she is."do you ever get so angry that you want to hurt someone so much?" that is ashley everyday but she won't say that out loud. she saw the movement and shifted and made her horse go into a a fast walk. making sure that the girl was still with her.
Azoni laughed, but it sounded strained. She checked behind her for the movement and found nothing, which left her disturbed. It hadn't been a wild animal or innocent traveler, they wouldn't care if they were seen or not. She sped her horse up to keep pace with Ashley. "All the time! Last night I was three seconds away from throwing hands with the kitchen boys because they wouldn't let me leave the house. And I can't believe you get to train with the knights! You're lucky as hell, my mom barely lets me go outside so I had to get my brother to teach me. And he sucks ass at swordplay."
ashley is still on alert from what couldn't have been an animal. she laughs at what Az said about her brother. it is nice to talk to somebody other then the horse she was on and her pet wolf that was fallowing them….THE WOLF!"um don't freak out but i do have a pet wolf and it is fallowing is." she says with concern and a shy smile. she looks at Az wondering what she will think about her pet.
Azoni shot Ashely a shocked look, eyes comically wide with surprise. "You have a pet WHAT!?" Maybe the wolf was what had been following them? No, that made no sense. A pet wouldn't care about being seen any more than a wild animal would.
ashley new this might happen but she thought it would be worse."i have a pet wolf." she says calmly,"i told him to stay hidden but looks like he got hungry" she looks over her shoulder trying to see if the wolf is going hunting or maybe the wolf was trying to signal to her that something bad was happening. she whistled and she heard a shuffle of bushes move.
Azoni tensed up, turning on her horse to get a better view of the rustling bushes. Despite her surprise, she didn't really mind that Ash had a pet wolf. Sure, it was surprising and a little out of left field, but Ash seemed to trust her pet and she seemed trustworthy. "So he's the thing following us, then? Not some bandit or something?'
"you might want to keep an eye out though." she says while nodding looking around then her wolf jumps out of the bushes and comes running towards them with fear in his eyes. the horses jump and shiver. there was something other then her wolf out there and it scared him and the horses and now ashley was scared."you might want to get in front of me or help me see what is in that bush over there." she points to a bunch of bushes.
Azoni nodded, rubbing a hand on her horse's neck soothingly when seemed spooked by the wolf. Once she was sure she had her horse under control, she had it walk over to the bush. Immediately a group of men in loose black robes burst from the surrounding foliage, swarming around her and sending her horse into a panic. It whinnied loudly and t bucked, sending Azoni tumbling out of the saddle, completely at the mercy of the bandits.
ashley drew her sword hidden in her back and the dagger from her boot. she jumped from her horse and went to Az who was being surrounded by bandits. she hit one with the butt of her sword and he went tumbling to the ground. she looked around and whistled to the horse and her wolf needing help because there was more then she thought though she probably could beet them.
Azoni used the bandit's momentary confusion at Ash's attack to push herself to her feet, immediately decking the nearest bandit right in the jaw. He fell backward with a satisfying thud, giving Azoni enough time to pull out her dagger and use her magic to harden her fist into iron. She jumped onto the next guy, slashing his unarmored chest and sending him stumbling backwards. "You okay?" She asked Ash.
ashley nodded her reply. still dealing with one more dude. she hit him in the side of his face nocking him over. "we should get going before some of them wakes up." she says while making sure they were all knocked cold they were. she pets her wolf for doing a good job. then looks over at Az,"are you okay?" concern is in her voice.
Azoni dusted herself off, wincing when her left hand came away bloody. One of the bandits had managed to cut her in the side and while the wound was shallow, it was bleeding like hell. She angled her bloody hip away from Ash, hoping she wouldn't notice the injury. "Yeah, I'm fine! Those guys were pretty weak, no harm done."
ashley noticed when the girl winced but didn't mention it. "hell yeah they were they probably have been out here for a while." she was still trying to figure out Az but it would have to wait."do you need any help with that injury you have there?" she says giving up on trying not to stare.