The Gates of Ebou Dar [super late at night]
It was pouring, because of course it would be bloody pouring, when Mat and his group arrived at the gate leading out of town.
He glanced over to Selucia--Tuon's so'jihn--and made certain that she saw the knife he had laid casually across the rolled tapestry laying across Pips' shoulders.
The rolled tapestry that contained the Daughter of the Bloody Nine Moons. Mat hated everything. He could barely hear the thunder over the sound of the dice pounding in his head.
"I'm Lord Mat Cauthon," he announced, proffering a completely forged document at the nearest guard, "from Tarasin Palace. I've been given leave to take these two sul'dam and their damane out of town."
The man looked dubious. "I've heard of you, Lord Mat," he said, "though by a different name. Why would Tylin's Toy be granted the honor of escorting sul'dam?"
Blood and ashes.
Mat gave the man a winning smile, then glanced towards Merlin. A distraction would be bloody wonderful right now.
Merlin
There was no conveniently place chandelier, Mat! What did you expect of him?
Merlin shot him a look back before looking for something to catch fire. Like, oh, that poor man's boots. He hoped Mat appreciated this.
Mat Cauthon
Mat did, especially when the man did a most amusing dance, shouting in surprise.
The two sul'dam taking cover from the rain inside the outpost poked their heads out to see what the disturbance was.
Merlin
"Oh no," Merlin said, only fooling possibly Arthur before he knew about all the magic powers. "How did that happen?"
Arthur Pendragon
"Yes, that's most unfortunate," Arthur said, trying to be subtle instead of sending an amused look in Merlin's direction. "Best let the poor man cope with that."
He was good at being stone-faced. Mostly.
He was better at utilizing the distraction to get a move on.
Mat Cauthon
"Strange things sometimes happen," Mat added blandly, trying to inch Pips around the melee.
Two blocks behind him, a warehouse burst into flame. His eyes swung towards Merlin and Arthur, the silent "also you?" question in his eyes.
Merlin
Merlin very slowly shook his head, staring back in something like horror. He could probably manage that if he really tried.
Or had a dragon.
Mat Cauthon
Well, if this was Beslan's distraction, it was a good one, Mat decided as he moved Pips out of the way of the guards who were pointing at the building. It was no easy trick to keep a building on fire in a downpour like this one.
He just hoped it didn't have anything explosive in it. He'd been in Cairhien when the Illuminators Guild's headquarters had gone up in smoke (and some really nice fireworks, looking back) and didn't wish to repeat that particular experience.
He was gesturing with his non-knife wielding hand to get them around the guards and the sul'dam when the entire sky seemed to explode with lightning.
"Blood and ashes," he cursed, staring straight up like a country oaf. Windfinders didn't mess around, apparently, when they were trying to be set free. That was a lot of channeling being tossed around.
Merlin
Which meant that the world pretty much went to hell all around them as whatever the hell that was started to hit the buildings nearby. Because it wasn't an epic event without blowing that special effects budget.
At least there were no troll costumes.
"Can we run now?" Merlin asked, hand raised to show the audience he was doing something as though to shield them from the debris. It actually seemed to work as bits bounced off some sort of conjured up shield with a small spark of light.
Mat Cauthon
"Light, yes," Mat replied, reaching out to smack the flank of the horse nearest his--Joline Sedai, he thought, but with her cloak up he couldn't be sure--and looking to make sure the rest of them followed her.
Arthur Pendragon
"Excellent plan," Arthur affirmed, urging Tarrento who would probably be another horse by the time they got to their destination his horse into a much faster trot.
He still bore a grudge against Fandom, but it was going to be much, much safer in comparison to this place. He wasn't sure if he'd have managed to hold out a year and a half in Ebou Dar.
Mat Cauthon
With a final "bloody everything," Mat tore through the gates of Ebou Dar, firmly intending to never come near the city again.
In any version of his memories.
[OOC: And that's three of three for Mat getting the hell out of Ebou Dar, finally. Many thanks to bigdamndestiny and bitch_prince for playing along. Based, like the rest of them, on Winter's Heart by Robert Jordan. NFB, NFI, OMGWTFBBQ, etc.]
He glanced over to Selucia--Tuon's so'jihn--and made certain that she saw the knife he had laid casually across the rolled tapestry laying across Pips' shoulders.
The rolled tapestry that contained the Daughter of the Bloody Nine Moons. Mat hated everything. He could barely hear the thunder over the sound of the dice pounding in his head.
"I'm Lord Mat Cauthon," he announced, proffering a completely forged document at the nearest guard, "from Tarasin Palace. I've been given leave to take these two sul'dam and their damane out of town."
The man looked dubious. "I've heard of you, Lord Mat," he said, "though by a different name. Why would Tylin's Toy be granted the honor of escorting sul'dam?"
Blood and ashes.
Mat gave the man a winning smile, then glanced towards Merlin. A distraction would be bloody wonderful right now.
Merlin
There was no conveniently place chandelier, Mat! What did you expect of him?
Merlin shot him a look back before looking for something to catch fire. Like, oh, that poor man's boots. He hoped Mat appreciated this.
Mat Cauthon
Mat did, especially when the man did a most amusing dance, shouting in surprise.
The two sul'dam taking cover from the rain inside the outpost poked their heads out to see what the disturbance was.
Merlin
"Oh no," Merlin said, only fooling possibly Arthur before he knew about all the magic powers. "How did that happen?"
Arthur Pendragon
"Yes, that's most unfortunate," Arthur said, trying to be subtle instead of sending an amused look in Merlin's direction. "Best let the poor man cope with that."
He was good at being stone-faced. Mostly.
He was better at utilizing the distraction to get a move on.
Mat Cauthon
"Strange things sometimes happen," Mat added blandly, trying to inch Pips around the melee.
Two blocks behind him, a warehouse burst into flame. His eyes swung towards Merlin and Arthur, the silent "also you?" question in his eyes.
Merlin
Merlin very slowly shook his head, staring back in something like horror. He could probably manage that if he really tried.
Or had a dragon.
Mat Cauthon
Well, if this was Beslan's distraction, it was a good one, Mat decided as he moved Pips out of the way of the guards who were pointing at the building. It was no easy trick to keep a building on fire in a downpour like this one.
He just hoped it didn't have anything explosive in it. He'd been in Cairhien when the Illuminators Guild's headquarters had gone up in smoke (and some really nice fireworks, looking back) and didn't wish to repeat that particular experience.
He was gesturing with his non-knife wielding hand to get them around the guards and the sul'dam when the entire sky seemed to explode with lightning.
"Blood and ashes," he cursed, staring straight up like a country oaf. Windfinders didn't mess around, apparently, when they were trying to be set free. That was a lot of channeling being tossed around.
Merlin
Which meant that the world pretty much went to hell all around them as whatever the hell that was started to hit the buildings nearby. Because it wasn't an epic event without blowing that special effects budget.
At least there were no troll costumes.
"Can we run now?" Merlin asked, hand raised to show the audience he was doing something as though to shield them from the debris. It actually seemed to work as bits bounced off some sort of conjured up shield with a small spark of light.
Mat Cauthon
"Light, yes," Mat replied, reaching out to smack the flank of the horse nearest his--Joline Sedai, he thought, but with her cloak up he couldn't be sure--and looking to make sure the rest of them followed her.
Arthur Pendragon
"Excellent plan," Arthur affirmed, urging Tarrento who would probably be another horse by the time they got to their destination his horse into a much faster trot.
He still bore a grudge against Fandom, but it was going to be much, much safer in comparison to this place. He wasn't sure if he'd have managed to hold out a year and a half in Ebou Dar.
Mat Cauthon
With a final "bloody everything," Mat tore through the gates of Ebou Dar, firmly intending to never come near the city again.
In any version of his memories.
[OOC: And that's three of three for Mat getting the hell out of Ebou Dar, finally. Many thanks to bigdamndestiny and bitch_prince for playing along. Based, like the rest of them, on Winter's Heart by Robert Jordan. NFB, NFI, OMGWTFBBQ, etc.]