Ьȴʊє Ͻ a r a v a n 🚙 🚙 🚙 (new thread!)

Favorite Character Poll Round 10!

Lucien Balthazar Mchale - Vicious hunter of humans and dragons.	27.3%	[ 3 ]
Vasul Calim Shahrad - Crown Prince of Shahrazad and righteous eagle among a flock of vultures.	9.1%	[ 1 ]
Lorelei 'Ellie' Katerini - Knight Errant and Defender of Justice who will kick your butt!	18.2%	[ 2 ]
Inyri Ven - Sharp-minded beauty and budding lady of wares.	18.2%	[ 2 ]
Eriol Epheis - Mysterious man with an eye for the prize.	27.3%	[ 3 ]
Total Votes:			[ 11 ]

This poll closed on November 27, 2014.
No longer accepting new votes.

[anais nighteyed]

x

xxxxxxx

xxxxxxxxKemun Eldstra

They set off into the market, and Kemun tended to the last of her errands with three new acquaintances in tow. Much to the merchant’s delight, she happened upon a stall that had smoking pipes on display – all hand-carved from wood, they were. She picked one with a fairly simplistic design that was carved from a dark, nearly black wood that was prized in her homeland and beyond – it’s familiarity was a comfort in the foreign town. It was not Mirnhetian in its design, but she did not mind. It was a piece of home nevertheless.

She went on to purchase two full sets of clothes for the green-haired foundling child that sat astride her horse, working with the woman who sold them to decipher the child’s size. It was a difficult situation, given the child’s state. But as muddied as she was, she could not go on without anything save the ill-fitting cloak that hung from her shoulders. They were forced to make their best guess. Kemun wagered that even if the clothes were loose on Thalia she would soon grow into them, and that put her worries to rest.

Several more purchases were made to replenish the merchant’s dwindling stores of edibles. They, as with Thalia’s new clothes, were tucked with care into Hruka’s saddlebag with care. Not only was the great horse unhindered by the added weight he carried, but also he seemed entirely oblivious to it.

The woman in their company, Kai, appeared familiar with one of the peddlers that managed a stall in the market. A brief and banter-filled conversation ensued between the two, and at its end, the fellow gave them a reduced price for their purchases. A wondrous stroke of luck, really, and Kemun was glad for it. She was often frugal with her savings, and the discount was a comfort after spending as much as she had on Thalia’s new clothes.

When they left the clamor of the market and came upon the caravan again, Kemun was taken by surprise when Kai and Orien promptly recognized one another. Left a little rattled by their display of emotion and not knowing what to make of it, she quietly departed to give them privacy, leading Hruka away by the reins. Once she found her wagon amongst the others, she quickly set to work. Thalia was helped off the horse’s back and into the washbasin Kemun brought out from her wagon. The child was given a bath coaxed into her new clothes.

The merchant herself changed into a fresh robe, casting her sullied clothing into the washbasin. When they were clean, she hung them from a clothesline. Her purchases from the day were organized and tucked neatly into her wagon. Hruka was stripped of his saddle, brushed down, and provided with a barrel of oats. He received a sugar cube for the patience he displayed that day.

Kemun remained even after her traveling companions had departed for the tavern, too focused on seeing her chores to their end. When she finally finished, the camp was dark and quiet. Having overheard the talks of where the caravan would dine for the night, she bid goodbye to Hruka and departed with Thalia. She made her way through the town with Thalia at her side, and she struggled to locate the tavern in question in the maze of unfamiliar streets. She felt a pang of relief when she finally found it, drawn to the lull of familiar voices emanating from within. Her eyes were downcast when she slipped into the establishment, and she gently ushered Thalia to the table where members of the caravan were seated.

[Aeroden Eternium]

Eriol Epheis



“Thank you for the offer Miss, but I assure you I'll be quite fine on my own.”

Eriol spoke with as much force as he dared. The Miss in question was dressed in her festival finest, and despite her dainty appearance, doing quite well at cutting off the circulation in his right arm. The combined flush of body heat, rouge, and alcohol coloured her rather more than rosy cheeks, though they still paled in comparison to her pouting lips. She huffed with indignation as he attempted to gently remove her yet again. The young lady hanging on his left arm, with several degrees more poise, but no less vice-like, snuck a dismissive tongue at her presumed rival. The girl glanced back at Eriol, who gazed ahead coldly. To his relief, she extracted herself. A painful tingling sensation snaked up his arm as he tried to shake the feeling back into it.

"Well, you'll know where to find me if you get bored of that hussy." She slurred, and blew a coy kiss at him as she pranced off to find another victim. The other girl seemed to take little to no offense at the insult, seemingly pleased at having walked off with the prize. Eriol sighed. He had managed to shake off no less than five flirtatious young women on the way from the Blue Caravan to dinner. This young lady (Gisele, if he remembered correctly) was by far the most difficult. As tenacious as she was pretty, she had managed to keep her hold on him from beginning to end, through all the dipping, dodging, and clawing through the crowds that he had been forced to perform, and short of forcibly removing her, he was not seeing too many solutions.

But if there was an advantage to having her nearby, it kept most of the vultures merely circling. His finely tuned bounty hunter senses had been on red alert for some while now, and when he looked out of the corner of his eye, there was a constant gaggle of fresh, bright-eyed maidens waiting in the wings. Occasionally he would hear some hushed giggling from behind him.

It made him feel rather like a piece of steak before a pack of starving wolves.

Regret was building up inside him for his act of kindness earlier now. He had encountered Gisele fending off some unsavoury suitors. Eriol's chivalrous spirit came to her rescue, and she had attached herself to him, for safety. On any other day, perhaps he would not have minded her company so, but unfortunately, she was not the sole witness to his act of gallantry, nor the only hopeful girl of marriageable age in the crowd. Perhaps, if his face was obscured, and his words more uncouth, he may have avoided this. He could not help but think that perhaps Aria had the right idea with a veil now. Rather than spending the evening taking a relaxing stroll and enjoying the festivities, he had spent it running from women.

He approached the tavern, being no closer to getting rid of Gisele than before, though she didn't seem enthused at the idea of entering. THen he spotted her, the vision of pregnant perfection, waiting nervously outside. She was a stranger to him, but Eriol muttered his thanks to the gods for sending this divine gift to him. Affecting the tone of a loving spouse he called to her.

“My dear, sweet wife, I hope I have not kept you waiting over long. It is a fine night, but I worry for you with your condition. Shall we?” He made a point of emphasizing her very round, very pronounced belly. Gisele's grip slackened, and Eriol took the opportunity to free himself. He waved the poor, shocked girl a casual farewell, before approaching his "wife", and placing a gentle arm around her. He leaned in, whispering to her, forming the picture of intimacy.

“I apologize, but please allow me to escort you inside.”

[Watervoir]

Ѵeȴɩus Kɩɾʈɑ
ɳoble

Velius and Aria's return to the caravan was uneventful in comparison with their most recent adventure. This time, it boiled down to Velius getting sidetracked every now and then to admire the wares they passed by. At times it was a Shahrazadian ornament to be hung about the neck. Other times it was an outfit of woven silk originating from the forests of the Northenwood. Velius commented on some of them too, sharing with Aria his knowledge on the associated areas. The noble was rather enjoying himself, in particular, the return to his body. The bounce in his step was observably a little bouncier than ever before.

Somehow, despite the sidetracking and one minor detour, they made it to the caravan. The sky overhead was transitioning into the late evening. "How queer. There's no one here," Velius remarked, to the blind seer's benefit, as they arrived to a very desolate caravan. Not even Caden, his faithful bodyguard. It was disturbing to say the least. Velius had not expected to be without his guard for so long. The noble was aware of the Caden's sixth sense. Normally, the guard would have come running upon sensing his charge was in the vicinity. This would especially have been the case since Velius had recently went missing.

"Do you suppose they all became ghosts?" he proposed to Aria with a cheeky grin. It was a silly thought, of course, but the seer would understand where his wise crack was coming from, having seen his past.

He turned, and locate a familiar face amongst the quiet caravan."Hello, my good doctor!" Velius called after Whitnee as he approached him, Aria in tow. "Fancy seeing the good doctor in these parts." He recalled his last memory of Whitnee was but earlier in the day, when they were separated by a collapse in the Cantartan tunnel network. It appeared Whitnee had eluded his captors' grasp, much as Velius had done, albeit not entirely intentionally. It felt almost insulting, that there would be others besides himself that were slippery enough to evade capture.

"Now, what are you up to, and were there not more with you? Where are our friends?" he asked with a grin. The friends being Draaz, plus the two other bandits -- their kidnappers. Velius peered over and then on either side of Whitnee, as if he would find them hiding behind the man. Of course, he had no expectation of seeing Draaz hanging out, having left him at a tavern not long before. But he was genuinely curious as to how the doctor had managed to shake off the bandit kidnappers.

[Leelee_Mraz]

Whitnee turned his back on his horses, who had already all but forgotten him and began to mosey toward the end of the line of great blue wagons. Had they all always been blue? Had the majority of the corps thought him dead and painted his wagon with the purpose for reuse? He hadn’t thought about it that way, but he still preferred the carefully selected paint that he had chosen. He might have liked the blues, had they had been his idea. He took a deep breath enjoying the moment of quiet in sweet freedom. He was refreshed and out of captivity. He was still charmed at the way it had all worked out. No blood or further injury. How lucky was he that everyone had managed to remain so sensible. Bandits or not, Whitnee was mostly excited to get back to work. Before his kidnapping he had been in a full debate about whether or not to stay with the caravan. The people in it were nice enough, but were his services best utilized travelling with this group? True, he was travelling either way. Not to say that he was getting attached, but would the possible attachment to this group serve as a negative distraction from his work?

"Hello, my good doctor!"

Whitnee turned and gave the couple approaching him a curious look before smiling outright ( although briefly) at the recognition that it was Velius. “ Well Hello, Velius.” He said before observing and then nodding to the woman with him, who seemed vaguely familiar. “ I am glad to see you unmaimed from the from the tunnel collapse. Good man. “ He said with a slight fondness before looking around at the emptiness of the caravan’s camp. Or did me mean...? He chuckled. “ If by friends you mean the lovely Miss Nasrin and her company, I couldn’t tell you. We were deposited here. The whole kidnapping bit sort of just dissolved away....” He shrugged it off. “ If you mean the our...” Whitnee paused and coughed into her hands to offer a quick correction. “ ...the members of the caravan, They are out. Shopping and the like. We are all supposed to supper together at a tavern nearby. “ He said looking around. “ Well. It really has cleared out then?” He said with a small hum. He looked again to Aria and nodded cordially. “ Hello there, Miss. Forgive me if I don’t remember your name. Was it you that rescued Velius?” He said mostly teasing but also genuinely about his escape. He wasn’t sure whether he wanted to know more about the tunnel or the bandits. He mulled it over for a moment and then looked at them. “Are you in need of medical attention, Velius?” He said prepared to go back to his wagon for his back. “And are you going to join the company for dinner. I am sure that they would be thrilled to have you back. “

[ChinchiIIin]

Sinaan

Despite being in a group of people Sinann found herself quite nervous as they moved back into town. It was difficult not to be really with what she had gone through getting to this point. Even though she was with people she was certain would defend her if the need arose she could not quite shake the nerves as she found herself glancing around still. Surely the guards had searched the town thoroughly and moved on, thinking she had continued to run instead of dare to stay where she could be caught. Despite what she told herself though she still kept her hair covered somewhat; better safe than sorry.

During their walk towards the tavern she looked towards the other Oronian woman, smiling somewhat as she did. “Forgive my manners earlier, I forgot to introduce myself,” she said a bit apologetically, “My name is Sinann. It is nice to meet another Oronian who is... not property. I believe I heard Orien call you Kai, is that your name? Because it is a pleasure to meet you regardless.” She chose her words carefully, not wanting to give up too information still, though she doubted the other would do anything to jeopardize her new freedom.

The tavern was rather large, not that she was accustomed to such places at all. Her former masters had always kept her only in the finest places considering their own noble status. So the boisterous atmosphere of this place was definitely not something she was used to seeing. But the jovial atmosphere helped her relax a bit, a smile even forming as she looked around at so many different people who had gathered in the area set aside for the caravan. She looked to Orien and smiled even more as they took their seats. “This place is so interesting, I've never been in a tavern before but I never imagined it would be like this,” she said, looking back around at the others again, her 'sheltered' upbringing showing through some at the fascination showing on her face.

[Manuscripts and Pince-Nez]

Slow down;It's a science
He's been waiting
To bring you down

Ymir kept a pleasant, neutral face as they traversed the stalls. Truth be told, he hadn’t expected to meet up with Kai, her face was quite the surprise, although one would be hard pressed to find a twitch of surprise on the gleeman’s face. What turned the evening even more curious was the addition of two more women. Some would say that Ymir was a lucky man.
Like smoke from a pipe, he patiently followed them, letting his eyes turn to a sight every now and then. He was still enough alike to his countryfolk to be distracted by a shiny thing or a pretty glass bauble.

“Relatively safe , I like the sound of that. Once it gets ‘too safe’, is when you need to worry.” Ymir spewed,the words not making sense even to him.
“And, seeing as someone—“he shot an amused look Kai’s way” —seems to be a bit hungry, food sounds like a great idea.”

And so he continued following them in their errands, occasionally stopping to inspect or browse a thing for himself. Once or twice he reached to grab a shawl and to drape it upon Kai’s odd colored head of hair, before shaking his own head in a no. It was becoming obvious that Ymir seemed to prefer draping fabrics and was looking to get more people included in his draping fashion cult.
The sounds of far off festivities—he could hear someone playing a dancing tune and the sound of merry dancing—lulled his mind into a trance. Ymir’s expression slackened into something unreadable and too neutral, only broken by the nudge Kai sent his way as they slowly approached the Blue Caravan.

His dark eyes observed it, all the way from the wheels to the blue roofs and the various signs pronouncing wares and trades. He could see how some would find it homely. It must be quite a sight, to traverse the desert and to spot this blue ant-trail on the horizon. Ymir liked the image of it. He supposed he would find it beautiful. Now, however, the blueness was overwhelmed by the colors and sounds of the festival, not as pure.

With an intent to share his opinions, Ymir turned to Kai, and nearly got his hand ripped off by the speedy tackle of a boy. Ymir’s reaction to that was to simply raise an eyebrow. It wasn’t rare that a performer would enchant a person more than usual while playing and to gain an enthusiastic follower thanks to that.
He was about to intervene, set this young fellow straight, when he realized that they seemed to know each other.

The things that ensued happened very fast, and Ymir was quietly observing their unfolding in his place by the side, standing as still and dark as a wraith. That is, until Kai’s injuries got revealed, at which point he knelt beside the woman in an attempt to gain a better look. He had assumed her pride would not let them be seen before, and Ymir had respected that, but now, he couldn’t help himself when she was literally sobbing from the pain. He might have a herb or two, or a prayer, but none of those would give instant relief. Of course, Kai could probably stand to wait, had she not exhausted her energy by now.

Salvation came in the form of another Oronian. And just like that—bam! Hand on skin, pretty lights, Kai all better. Oh magic, how quaint.
Magic was supposed to be forbidden, right? Well, if none of them spread the gossip, neither would he.
With his questions about her well-being answered, Ymir nodded, stepping aside and leaving the trio to have their privacy. Having lost sight of Kemun during all this, Ymir didn’t have a better thing to do than stand around and think. Not always the best idea for him.

He fiddled with one of his necklaces, letting the cool material of the hanging stone rub against the skin of his fingers. He let the sounds of chatter of the group slowly quiet down into the background and picked up sounds from the background to the foreground. Somewhere a child was screaming, a girl was splashing a drink at an unsuccessful suitor and someone else was asking for directions. Sound magic, the wonders of.

The return of Kai could not have been more fortunate, as Ymir saw a familiar crown of yellow hair approach the carvan, with a fellow in tow. He could smell the feathers on her, even so far away. His eyes narrowed, feeling annoyance rise in his chest like an ugly thing.
He glided with the small group, not very talkative for a change, merely making a side comment or two. He did, however , stop to introduce himself with a short bow, arms splaying wide in the imitation of a bird and a sly smirk as he said his name.
Finally in the tavern, Ymir took a seat next to his friend and let his eyes wash over the other present travelers.

“So what did you imagine it would look like?” Ymir asked Sinan, looking at her over the rim of his cup. Ymir looked as if he were at home in the tavern, draped in his seat with his free arms dangling over the back of it like a lazy snake.

“I’ve seen my fair share of taverns. There’s one in Shahrazad that has the side wall covered in green and blue glass, so when the sunlight hits it, it’s like you’re underneath the ocean!” He grinned, making vaguely excited motions with his hand.
“Or one that hasn’t got any seats like these—just a mass of soft pillows thrown in heaps which you can lie on and drink. It gets a it messy at times, so you can’t really eat there anymore.” He smirked, “I’ve also been to one that was missing half its doors because the patrons would get rowdy and throw each other out. After a while, doors stopped being a good investment, you know?”

Snake eyed
With a sly smile
He can hold you
And shake you child

[Leelee_Mraz]

Willa was just taking a cautious step away from the building. The tiniest of steps, almost too tiny to notice. She had been convincing herself that the lady must have been wrong about the paper. I mean...just look at the people going in there. They all looked better off than her and surely they were a great deal smarter. She remembered the now seemingly distant words of the farmer. Stupid people belong outside with the animals. Willa knew that included her because they called her that more than they did her own name. She was about to execute another confused step , playing with tendril of her long, and slightly wild brown hair. When she was approached by a very beautiful man. She blinked at him. “Um” She said lifting the arm that he didn't take to scratch her head. She stiffened up, completely unsure what was happening. She peaked at a now scowling woman on the other side of the man. The man leaned in close and Willa was so concerned that he might be trying to bite her that she almost didn’t comprehend what he wanted. Oh Yes. Inside. She cast a nervous glance at the door and then nodded. She held up the note as if it were her only defense and extended it to him. “ I have this.” She said trying to be confident, but sounding more confused than anything.

Eriol took the note, and chuckled after a quick scan. He couldn’t ask for a more contrived coincidence. He threw the retreating Gisele a backwards glance before he spoke again.
“I believe we are both in the right place. My name is Eriol, and may our days in the Blue Caravan be long and happy.”
He opened the door, and offered her his hand, ushering her into the tavern.

She looked back at the woman as they walked away from her and into the building and thought about what he had said to her. Wife? She thought vacantly for a moment. She scratched at her head bit more. Is that really all Niles had to do? She looked at Eriol. Did she even know him? There were a lot of people around the caravan and Willa didn't quite know all of the faces. Plus she had been told not to look smarter people in the eye, which she thought pretty much included everyone. Because of this she only had a few faces locked down. She knew the voices though. She stopped for a bit once they were inside and blurted out the first of many questions in her head. “ Are we married?”

He paused, surprised at the question. He would have thought it was quite obvious that it was a ploy to rid him of Gisele. Was she simple, perhaps? Or maybe she never learned the meaning of the word. Eriol shook his head and continued moving through the throng towards a table that was marked for them, settling her into one before responding.

“We are not. Why would you think that?” He hoped he was not poking at a sore spot.

Willa just looked at him and shrugged. “I don't know.” she mumbled shyly. “you said we were and you...look like you know what you are talking about.” she looked him over a little. “you know...being fancy and all....” she said shrugging again. She looked around the space nervously. “ You sure I'm supposed to be in here?” she said scratching her head again. Then she caught sight of Kemun and Thalia already seated. "Hi!" She said a little to loudly happy to see someone that she knew a little better. It get helped her a little comfortable to see her there. She eyed the strange child with her and waved shyly.

Eriol glanced down at his clothes, frowning. He did make an effort to dress like his job, and you’d think after a couple weeks on the road, he would look more rugged. He delicately straightened a noticeable crease in his tunic.

“Marriage is a little more complicated than that. Or at least it is where I come from.” Eriol didn’t want to make any assumptions about her, but her mannerisms, the way she spoke, and now that he thought about it, illiteracy all indicated she grew up poor, probably in some rustic far-flung village. It wasn’t entirely outside the realm of possibility that a couple could be considered married just by announcing it to their neighbors. But at the same time she seemed uncertain of the concept itself. He stared at her protruding belly for as long as his refined politeness would allow him. If his guess on her background was correct, such close-knit rural communities would make it difficult to hide her condition, and it was generally frowned upon, unless she was already married. But as far as he had noticed, she wore no ring.

“You’re with the Blue Caravan, right? Everyone should be meeting up here.” He reassured her before he continued to explain. “Getting married means choosing to share your life with someone. One other person, someone you love so much you can’t bear to be apart from them.” He opted to remain quiet on the topic of dynastic and arranged marriages. If she was ignorant on the topic, than he wanted her to learn to center the image of marriage on love.

“Of course, there’s also the legal side of marriage, but it’s much less interesting. And usually the couple will wear rings on their fourth finger, to symbolize their married state, and their attachment to each other.” Eriol tapped the band on his left hand to show her his own ring.

Willa looked at him with a confused expression for a while, trying to make sense of his words. After a moment of trying to form a question, one came out in a single word. “Love?” Willa had heard the word before. It always gave her a confused feeling when she did. She rubbed at her slightly dirt stained forehead. Chose? She nodded slowly, but the look on her face did not match understanding. Maybe Niles chose her. She made an attempt to shrug it off. It was making her head hurt to think of . She looked at his ring. “So...you are married?” She said looking at his hand. “That is shiny. “ She said simply. She looked around the building again. Her stomach letting out a loud noise at the smell of food in the distance. She grew slightly dizzy and wobbled a bit. “ I used to have something shiny.” She said softly rubbing at her head as the headache grew worse.” It had my name. I think. I think it said Willa.” She said taking a deep breath.

Eriol nodded. “I was.” He twisted the ring around in his hand, the elaborate etchings catching the glint of firelight. His voice grew soft and wistful as he brushed his fingertips over the cool metal. “This was her mother’s ring too. Her grandfather made it….but I’ve gotten off topic. You and the little one must be hungry.” Eriol flagged a waitress down, motioning for her to bring some food. He wondered, as they waited, if that ‘something shiny’ was a ring, or if that was simply her catch-all term for jewelry. He was willing to bet Arthur that she probably wouldn’t be able to tell an brooch from a barrette. ‘Used to’ carried with it an ominous tone.

“What happened to the shiny object, Willa? Was it a ring? Did it look like mine.?”

WIlla shook her head.” No. It was...It think it went on your neck. It was taken by the mean people who broke up Nessa’s party. “ She said with a sigh. “ I...needed it.” She said looking at him as he waved at a lady nearby. She nodded. “ I ate before. It was sweet, but it made me feel funny. I was gonna try and look for berries , but I got tired and then....I woke up and there was a dress and a note...” She looked at him. “What are we doing here?” She rubbing at her head. “Last time I was inside...I think I got in trouble and there was a fire....” She swayed again at the smell of warm food. Her stomach rumbled again. She widened her eyes. “Um...that was the baby. I think.” She said giving side glance. “ It moves now. “ She added factually. “It’s supposed to.” She added in a whisper.

There was a pregnant pause as Eriol puzzled over Willa’s words. He was throwing out increasingly ludicrous scenarios trying to piece her story together. Perhaps it was his wordly experiences of the seedy underworld that led him to be predisposed to thinking that she was robbed, assaulted, drugged (not necessarily in that order) and the perpetrator had mistakenly dropped the note to meet here. Or perhaps it was the complete lack of context in her speech that led to a spike of panic in his mind.

He cleared his throat, somewhat relieved that she had left the conversation hanging on the subject of her baby.

“My sister assured me that moving means the baby will be strong and healthy.” He flashed her a smile. “How many months now?”


Willa looked at him. It was clear that his question confused him.” Umm..” She looked down at her hands. “ I don’t know...” She scratched at her head, but since joining with the caravan she had lost much of her concept of time. She couldn’t even remember what the weather was like the day that she had left. Maybe she wasn’t understanding the question. “Wait..how many months what?” She said trying again. Was he talking about the baby? Willa forgot about how uncomfortable she got when talking about the baby. Her hands suddenly felt very fidgety.
She moved to change the subject. “Um.You have sister? It is little or bigger?”

Eriol shook his head at her confusion. “Don’t worry about it, it’s not important.” It was fairly obvious she was due any day now. He grimaced at the mention of his sister. Of all the people she chose to ask about. He was fond of his sister, but thoughts of her invariably invoked a sense of anxiety. They hadn’t parted on the best of terms, though the same could be said for most of his family members. He sighed.

“She’s older. And she likes to act it. Why do you ask? Do you have any siblings?”

Willa shook her head quickly. She scratched her head at his question. She gave a side glance as she spoke awkwardly. “ I was..just wondering... if you were older. If you were there when she came...but she is a bigger sister...” She shrugged. Alas, one of the bigger mysteries of her pregnancy would remain a mystery for now. She looked at him, hand on her forehead where her headache was now growing. “How do you act older?”

He bit his lip, not entirely certain if he wanted to continue the conversation. There was a threshold for his discomfort when discussing family, and it would seem Willa had just crossed it.

“I am older too. I have two brothers as well, one younger, but we’re too close in age for me to remember his birth, if that is what you wanted to ask. My sister, she likes to be a leader. She likes being in charge, having people look up to her. When she was a child, my family treated her like she was very important, and she got used to it. I make it sound like it’s a bad thing, but my sister is also mature, and responsible, and has her life very together. Meanwhile I….”

Eriol was happily cut off from an awkward sentence by the timely arrival of piping hot food. He took the opportunity to direct Willa and her hunger towards it. “Oh my, does it look excellent.”

Willa looked at the food with wide eyes. She then looked at Kemun. The smells did something in her head and suddenly she felt all mixed up. She looked at Kemun her lip wobbling slightly. She had never been allowed to have food like this. It was...warm. "I can...have some?" She said looking at Kemun. She was afraid that if she touched it it would somehow disappear.

[jadeshaw88]

Although the sun was setting by the time they left the witch’s wagon, Ari had thought it wise to replace her veil, doing what she could to salvage her hairdo in the process. She trusted that Velius would not leave her stranded after going through so much trouble to find her...and, if nothing else, because she knew too much about him now for him to just leave her to her own devices. It was strange to go from knowing almost nothing about the man to knowing pretty much everything. She also understood much about his personality now, though she felt she had known quite a bit about it even before the vision.

Which is why it struck her as strange that he was so chipper and talkative as they made their way back to the caravan. Even his footsteps seemed lighter as if he were practically skipping…as if a gigantic weight had been lifted from his shoulders and she wondered if it was because someone finally knew all of his secrets. Even those closest to him didn't know everything and for good reason… at least in Caden’s case. She had worried that her seeing everything would make him more wary of her but it seemed to have had the opposite effect based on his actions in Medayo’s wagon and his mood since. She wasn't delusional enough to think that it had just been her exceptional kissing skills that had gotten him in such a carefree mood, though she supposed that hadn't hurt either.

Whatever it was, she was enjoying his company and listened attentively as he talked about the different things he found in the marketplace. Part of her knew that she should be worried about the caravan leaving her…them… but she wasn't. Velius was resourceful and she was sure that he would find a way to catch up with the caravan if it did depart before they got there.

She was glad, when they finally reached it, that she hadn't worried since it was still there. She wasn't concerned with the lack of people either since it had been pretty empty when they had been there before.

The seer’s lips twitched into a smirk and she rolled her eyes at the ghost joke. Given Velius’ recent state and that of several other members of the caravan in Bethryl, it wasn't an entirely unreasonable suggestion, despite the fact that it was meant as a joke. “The members of this caravan need to learn to stay in their bodies.” She paused. “Their own bodies.”

Her head still throbbed painfully so she was happy when Velius mentioned a doctor and seemingly struck up a conversation with one. The voice sounded familiar but she couldn't decide whether she had met the man or not. Either way,
“My name is Aria” she said when it was time for an introduction, deciding to leave her full name and her profession unknown. “I think both of us could use a once over, if you don't mind. Then I would love to go to said tavern, I'm starving and a certain oaf dragged me off before I had a chance to order a much needed drink.”

[Agent Of Dreams]

Inyri’s inebriated state combined with her general tiredness overcame her as soon as she had lain down in the wagon. Though she had caught a few hours sleep back in Luther’s room earlier, the alcohol had only magnified the tiredness that remained. Her dreams were, thankfully, peaceful, and when she finally awoke, she felt better then she had in what felt like forever. She had not changed out of her clothes when she had fallen asleep, and when she awoke, she found her hair to be in quite a state. Flustered, and with no brush, she did her hair up in a simple braid. She found herself to be hungry, very much so, and with that in mind, she finally opened the door to the wagon, and stepped outside.

She noticed two things once she exited. For one, it was almost night time. The sun hung low in the sky, tinting the sky a pleasant orange color. The sounds of the festival seemed to have become, if anything, even louder. This did not surprise her. Inyri had been a part of many festivals that became more boisterous after dark. But there was something wrong. Perhaps it was the chill that was seeping into the air as night fell, but she remembered how eager Luther had been to leave the town, and the thought that there might be something wrong did not escape her. Still though, so long as the caravan decided to remain here, there was little she could do help this. She knew that, should she choose to leave without them, that Luther would come with her and protect her. But she also knew the area that they needed to travel through was heavily frequented by bandits. While a well guarded could pass through easily enough, the two of them would most certainly present a much more inviting target.

The second thing she noticed, and it brought a slight smile to her face, was that Luther was standing outside the wagon, presumably standing guard while she slept. A small laugh escaped her as she stepped out of the wagon and onto the dirt road that the caravan waited in. ”I do hope you haven’t been waiting for me this whole time, dear Luther. It would seem as if it has been quite a while since I fell asleep.” she said. She looked around, noticing that there were few members of the caravan left. There had been a dinner planned, she remembered, for later that day. Assuming that was where everyone had gone off too, she held out her arm for Luther to take hold of. ”I find myself to be quite hungry, Luther. Would you please show me where this dinner is supposed to be?” she said.

It seemed, unfortunately, that they arrived late. The rest of the caravan had already taken their seats at the table and were chatting away merrily. Inyri took a seat in one of the two available spots, next to a white haired woman, who she remembered being called Kemun. She remembered her as being one of the women who had been trapped in the magical forest before that boy had come along. It seemed as if the food had yet to arrive, so Inyri decided to strike up a conversation with the woman. ”Hello, I don’t think we’ve been properly introduced. My name is Inyri Ven.” she said, affecting a small bow. She looked over at the green haired little girl that sat next Kemun. ”Is this your daughter miss?” she asked, giving the little girl a friendly smile.


___________________________________________________________

Location: Caravan -> Tavern
Company: Luther, Kemun, Thalia
Health: 100%

[Watervoir]

Ѵeȴɩus Kɩɾʈɑ
ɳoble

Velius's ears clung to Whitnee's recount. The noble nodded where appropriate. "I did mean the one with the bananas for a head, but the caravan was next. You're a smart one there, predicting my questions," Velius commended, in his weird way. "Peculiar it is that they seem to be no longer interested in any potential reward. I tell you, it's not easy to hold down a man like me, but it is surprising that they would not continue to try. I would say my life is worth a hundred or two gold coins, at the least, and this is me speaking humbly.

"Anyway, I would dare say I slipped from capture of my own devices. We can give Aria a smidge of credit for giving me an opening." Indeed, if not for Aria and the others making a scene before Nasrin, Velius might not have been able to slip after the ghostly figure as he had.

After Aria and Whitnee exchanged introductions, the doctor's question of the dinner had Velius grinning. "Will I go? The real question is will YOU?" He laughed and clapped Whitnee's upper arm. "You're rather the workaholic. Unmarry yourself from your work and your horses for a night and we will go together."

"I feel fine. Let's not dwaddle for too long." Velius's mind had wandered to Caden and on whether or not he would make an appearance at this supper. Could the guard have been out searching for Velius? They must both have been in town now, and it couldn't have been so much trouble for the guard to locate Velius. Shahrazad had never been a trouble for him, and this town was only a quarter of the size. He would have to go to this supper to track down Caden and have a nice chat. It had been far too long.

He spread his arms before him, palms up."What do you say?"

[Watervoir]

Kℵigℋt and Sℯℵtiℵℯℓ

Caden was indeed pushing his limits. As someone who was typically very in tune with his body’s function, all to better serve his role as bodyguard, he could keenly sense his focus wavering from time to time. He steeled his resolve to hide his struggle, which was proving difficult even for him. He was grateful for Phedre’s company to help keep his spirits up through this troubling time.

The bodyguard responded to Phedre’s question by first pulling out the initial sweater she had retrieved for him. He spread it out on the fabric mound on which she had been resting her head. On top of that, he laid another one, and a second on top of that. They were similar in fabric and cutting to Phedre’s first suggestion, as far as he could tell. That would serve as his back up.

“Hmm,” She pressed a finger to her lips and leaned forward to examine the shirts, clearly prolonging the suspension by waiting to reveal her opinion. “Wow, Caden.” She said brightly, putting her hands on her hips, “Seems like someone paid attention. You do know a thing or two about fabrics, after all.” A playful smirk pulled at her lips, “Or you just watched closely.”

Caden smirked. “Or I had a good teacher.” Lastly, he laid out one final garment, similar in knit as well but it was embroidered, made to stand out against the rest. It was in a smaller size. “Velius’s, this one,” he muttered as explanation to the lady knight.

A gentle look came upon Phedre as she studied the garment and then Caden in return. “I think it’s really sweet how you take care of your charge.” Maybe the subject would be improper, but curiosity took the best of her. As she called the shop assistant to settle payments, she asked Caden aside. “So, how long have you been working for Velius? You two were together since I stumbled into the caravan.”

The payment being settled, she waited for Caden to pack up his loot so they could venture forth. He did so as he answered thoughtfully, “Hmm… quite a while, now. I would say almost a decade. I’ve known him for much longer than that though. I’ve known him since he was born.” He handed his goods for the merchant to bundle up for him with hemp twine. Caden paid the fellow his dues. “My family has been serving his for ages.“ Multiple noble households had dedicated guards. His was but one of three serving the Kirtas.

“So, you would be like brothers?” Phedre asked, parting herself from the small shop and standing next to Caden. Yellow eyes examined his handsome face, then widened. “Or lovers?” It was a possibility, since they were so close, feelings could eventually develop—feelings that passed the bounds of camaraderie and brotherhood.Still, she rather hoped they didn’t go that far in their closeness, for reasons entirely selfish.

Caden’s brows knitted together in puzzlement as he gave Phedre a bewildered look. “What? What are you talking about? ...Is this some kind of joke?” He took a few seconds to try to gauge if her degree of seriousness but then shook his head and gave up. He let out a chuckle. “We’re not that sort of close. Our relationship is strictly professional,” he affirmed. “So, brothers.” His mind was doing flips trying to reassess the situation and her words. What would make her think that sort of thing? Had he ever been going too far?

Phedre started to lead the way down the shop-constructed alley. Walking down the road, filled with many sights and scents, her hand reached out and wrapped itself around Caden’s arm. She didn’t offer an explanation for this, save a mischievous smile. “That’s good,” she said, her eyes turning to meet his, “It would be improper of you to take me out for a dance then.”

Caden felt his cheeks flush as she said that, but he said nothing, hoping to not draw her attention to it.

Through the chattering crowd, soft music crawled its way through to meet the walking couple, intertwined with the rhythmic sound of laughter. Phedre tugged at Caden’s hand softly, her eyes playful, but hopeful as well. “Come on, Caden. I missed you, won’t you dance a bit with me?”

Caden pursed his lips at that, and glanced away for a second, too taken aback to know what to say. He hadn’t expected Phedre to say something like that. He didn’t really think she felt that way about him. Or perhaps he did. Because he couldn’t deny that he felt somewhat the same.

Ugh… Screw it.

“I can’t imagine how someone like you can’t have a boyfriend already…” he teased, breaking out briefly from his usual professionalism. He gripped her wayward hand, interlacing his fingers among hers, save for the one missing, and then pulled up their locked hands to eye level. “I’ll dance with you… if you tell me the story behind this missing finger,” he said with a smirk.

Phedre was pleasantly surprised by her fellow guard’s sudden move. She looked into his pretty eyes and then back at their interlaced fingers. Her lips curled into a wry smile at the man's request. She could lie, yes, but that would be a disservice to Caden and Phedre had a feeling that the man would know. Somehow.

“Being a merchant, Caden? If you find me being lone so odd, then why this?” She was teasing him lightly. Caden couldn’t have known how the question about her finger pulled at her. “Well,“ She said, leaning her face a bit closer, her eyes twinkling with mischief and something like a challenge, “I bit it off.” She concluded. Her face grew a little tight, even in her smile, around her eyes and brows. “Well? Shall we?”

Caden’s eyes widened briefly at her reveal. Then, his brow knitted, perplexed he was, as countless questions surfaced to the shores of his mind. “Daring,” he said, audibly impressed. But he could tell from her aura that she was being honest. Yet, she was also guarded, for there was little reason for her to change the subject so swiftly had it been a casual tale. He was disappointed to not get to hear it, but he also sensed it might end up being a heavy matter. He could have pressed her, but he was presently in too good of a mood to be willing to risk it coming back down in one fell swoop. He opted to let her off the hook, if only for now. “Lead the way, Captain,” he offered with a smile.

Phedre smirked, deciding to put all feelings connected to the brief talk of her past aside for the moment. She was glad Caden didn’t pry, not that he could have made her talk if she didn’t want to. Still, the consideration was very well received, as was the title he called her by. “How did you know I was one?” She asked, lowering the hand that still held firmly onto his and swaying it lightly back and forth.

“We shall make a tactical advancement, Officer.” She leaned into him a bit, using her free hand to point out the way ahead, “First, a strong push right ahead, making a turn at the hat stall, then at the spices. We follow the music, and the giggling lads.”

Amber eyes blinked at Caden, “Let me just…” and she tucked a lock of hair from his face, making brief skin contact against his brow with her fingers. “Right, handsome as ever.”

Caden grinned. “Yes, ma’am.” And with that he took them back out of the alley and followed the road as Phedre had directed.

The path opened up to another square, smaller than the one with the markets, but still sizable. Bundles of musicians were bundled up in groups, all of them contributing to one great chorus. Some even danced with with the throngs while they played. A chain of people linked by their hands was moving through the crowd as well, and on each of their faces were full of merriment and cheer. They performed a certain pattern of steps as they progressed. It would have been easy to join them. A page advanced towards them and collected their purchases to hold for a fee while they enjoyed themselves.

Phedre, it seemed, was not much impressed by the snake like dancing of the people. Her face took on an amused pout as she observed them for a bit, before turning more more mischievous as she looked at Caden. “This looks a bit too slow for my tastes.” She said, putting a hand to her hip.

Too slow? Caden gave Phedre an inquisitive glance. The townsfolk were certainly not winning any awards with their fun, but it looked lively enough. He was curious about what Phedre had in mind.

“How about we make it a bit more exciting?” Phedre asked, and pulled Caden into the mass with her, holding him by the hand. With a big smile on her face, she led his hand to rest on her waist and grabbed the other one in her own. “Alright, do you know how to dance? The idea of this is to start out slow, but we keep going faster and faster. It’s great fun, believe me!” Her feet started to move slowly, as she gently ushered Caden into the steps until he would be able to memorize them. “Have you ever danced, Caden?”

His eyes followed the movement of her feet as he stood still for a moment to watch. “Well… Can’t say I train for it per se, so… no. And I train pretty regularly,” he said with a chuckle. There were a few steps he had learned in the past for certain missions, but they were nothing really like this. It had always been the slower kind.

Her steps were against an invisible rhythm that didn’t quite match the music that was coming into their ears. When he thought he got the hang of it, he started mirroring Phedre’s movements. It didn’t take long. Caden had the coordination, and Phedre was a good teacher. A nearby fidler caught sight of them. With a broad grin, he motioned at his friends and promptly played a transitional ditty that led to a melody whose beat followed the pair’s movements. Apparently it had been time for a new song. The snake broke up and the crowd melted into smaller dance groups to better follow along with the tempo.

“See?” Phedre called out to Caden, laughing with unconcealed mirth as they danced to the faster tune. ”Just gotta set a pace, and everything is livelier now!” She pulled Caden suddenly closer to herself, pulling his arm by the hand and above her head, then twirled. The rich, embroidered cloth fanned out, spreading into a mass of gilded flowers and feathers. The necklace Caden had given her jingled happily at the sudden forceful movement.

“We can dance better than any of them, come on Caden!”

Caden grinned and followed Phedre’s direction. He was picking up her foreign dance steps quickly. Some watched on, trying to understand the movements so they can best mimic them. Soon, more and more were joining into the fray. Others stayed at the sidelines, cheering on the crowd. Cheering the pair on, to be precise, who everyone seemed to acknowledge were leading the dance.

Some from the crowd were egging the pair onto the stage at the center of the square. It was merely an elevated wooden platform, used by the townsfolk on more regular days to make announcements like those on the weather.

”Shall we? I’m not one to disappoint,” Caden claimed.

“The people have chosen, and you got my attention, soldier,” Phedre joked, smirking at the man.

It was his turn to lead, and he did so, pulling her to the foot of the steps up the stage. Without missing a beat, he lifted her bridal style, spinning from the momentum, and ascended the steps before setting her back down on her feet. He locked eyes with her, trying to assess how she was feeling.

Phedre had let out a surprised laugh as she felt Caden’s arms lift her. She had expected the man to be strong, since he had to wield his weapons tirelessly somehow, but the feeling of his strong muscles was still somewhat surprising. The bold move was obviously appreciated by the knight, who grinned widely at him. Phedre fixed a flyaway lock of her hair, before letting that same hand brush back Caden’s locks. Satisfied, she reached forwards and gave him a peck on the nose, using the small kiss as a distraction to grab him into a dance again.

Caden visibly jerked back from surprise at the peck, but on his face was a smile. He was charmed. This certainly wasn’t the first time he had pulled that maneuver he did with Phedre, whether it was a dance or not. But this was the first time it he was doing it genuinely, and he was pleasantly enjoying it. He took Phedre’s hands gently and began to lift them up.

While that merriment was brewing and the townsfolk were busy replicating Caden and Phedre’s dancing, a disturbance was moving through the crowd. A figure of a man, making a way for himself by the liberal use of his elbows and two ‘guards’.

“Oi, mate!” Came a familiar voice, directed at Caden.

[anais nighteyed]

x

xxxxxxx

xxxxxxxxKemun Eldstra

Kemun’s gaze was downcast, and she quietly studied the swirling wood grain pattern of the table where she was seated. She did not believe the table was hewn from lumber of the north, but its origins did not really matter. It was a finely crafted thing all the same. The lilting murmur of many voices speaking at once filled the tavern, and several were familiar. Though she was in safe and friendly company, she was content with silence.

Listening idly to the words spoken nearby caravaners, she did not engage them. She did not pay attention to who these words belonged to, only dwelling briefly on the bits and snatches of conversations she heard. Someone among them had never set foot in a tavern before today, and Kemun could believe that – she hadn’t spent much time in them herself in her travels.

Over the noise of the tavern she heard a voice call out, and her eyes lifted. Willa had entered the establishment, accompanied by Eriol, and Kemun raised a hand in greeting before allowing it to fall back into her lap. She believed the other voices in the tavern would drown out her own. As Willa eyed Thalia, Kemun stole a glance at the grass-haired child who was seated nearby. Minding children was not a thing she was accustomed to, but she assured herself it would be a short-lived affair before they located the girl’s family.

Her mind began to drift when Willa’s voice tugged her away from her thoughts again, and Kemun looked up distractedly when addressed. She blinked at the other woman, taken aback by the sight of her trembling lip. “Well, yes,” the merchant replied tentatively, fearing Willa might cry. “Yes, I believe so. I don’t see why not.”

It was then that another woman who had chosen to occupy an open seat at the table drew her attention away, striking up a conversation as she settled beside her. “Oh, how do you do,” Kemun answered, shifting in her seat. “No, I don’t believe we have. I did tend to you the day of that storm, but we didn’t have a chance for introductions. I’m Kemun.” Inyri’s gaze ventured to Thalia, and Kemun’s eyes followed accordingly. Her brow crinkled in confusion when she was asked, for the second time that day, if the child hers. She was beginning to wonder if there was some resemblance, but she knew it could not have been in their hair. “No, there is no blood relation. At least… I do not think so. Do we look alike?”

[Leelee_Mraz]

Whitnee gave a polite and friendly nod to the woman when she introduced herself. He nodded and thought about going back to grab his bag. He paused and looked the two of them over. Neither of them looked like there was anything vital going on. Perhaps a preventive measure. He waved at the two and nodded toward his wagon.”Come along. My wonder tea couldn’t hurt. “ Whitnee chuckled lightly at Velius. “ I am sure that you escaped with with fine skill and great cunning. I was merely dropped off.” He said walking back to his wagon and poking the fire that was beginning to die.” I can’t imagine how you got this poor girl wrapped up in your chaos, but now that i think of it... it does seem so very...you..” He smiled as the fire sprang back to life and he put his kette over the low flames. He then went to a compartment on the outside of his wagon and grabbed a small bag and dumped the contents into the water. He motioned for them to take a seat on one of his logs “Yes. Ms. Aria. A warm healthy meal is just what one needs after a kidnapping.” He said with a nod before approaching Velius and circling him. He rubbed his hands together slowly, preparing incase touching was needed.

The man looked to be in pretty great shape, for coming off of a kidnapping. He noticed something small in his posture and reached out to feel his spine. He gave a small verbal warning before he did so. A little off, but with the sleeping conditions that they had been given had not be ideal. Whitnee however did not give warning this time as he took took Velius by the shoulder and did a sort of swift twist and push, causing a popping sound that at first might have felt like it should hurt, but a general relief and comfort in his body would have followed instead. “ There we go. “ he said sunnily. “ All set my friend.”


He moved to his bag and dug slightly for a small vial and a swab. He approached Aria and examined her posture.” Mind if I give you a quick alignment?” He said waiting for her consent before taking her shoulder and back and treating her in the same fashion as Velius. “There.” He moved to the kettle and poured them both tea and handed one to each of them. The serving was small due to the potency f the medicine. “ A special brew of my own, will help with any pain and promote general digestive wellness. “ he said cheerfully, working putting him in a good mood. “ The taste isn’t bad, very earthy but not foul. I am actually rather fond of it with milk.” he said with a nod. Whitnee issued another soft verbal warning as he dipped the swab and began to treat the large visible cut on her forehead. “This will tingle and feel a bit cold. It disinfects and soothes for smooth healing.” He said treating her carefully. “This one may still scar. Have a cream that may help. If you would like. Some are fond of their scars.”He then stood up and looked at her. “ Is there anything else bothering you?” He said going to take the kettle of the fire and adjusting the rocks for fire safety. “ if not, we can be off to supper.” He said turning to the the group to decide.

[Leelee_Mraz]

Willa Odette Wilafax

Willa continued her track of tasting and going back for more of things that she enjoyed. She looked up when new people joined the table and offered shy waves. She found herself getting slightly more comfortable with strangers. There was less and less of a flutter in her chest when she saw an unfamiliar face. It was starting to settle in that maybe Niles would never find her. Sure, she was stupid and deserved to be hit. But it sure felt nice not being hit for a while. Most of her bruises had healed up and the only pain that she really felt anymore was her back. She was pretty sure that pain had to do with the baby. Though, with the baby she was never too sure. She looked around curious and quiet as she gnawed absently on a turkey leg balled in her fist. It was strange traveling with the Caravan. Nobody here had hit her at all. She looked around at the faces that surrounded her and tried to remember some of the names. The initial fervor of her hunger had quelled and she could now focus on something other than just the food.

She knew Kemun. That was the only one whose name she had retained. Other than Velius, but he had been gone for a while. She knew who they were, the faces, but the names had yet to stick yet. Perhaps because she could not see how learning their names would do any good. She figured that it was only a matter of time before they told her to go away and took their wagon back. It was not like anyone was unkind to her, but she wasn’t going anything to help. At the farm, not working had major consequences. Willa smiled and gave a more energetic wave as Velius joined the table. He was back. That was good. She liked Velius. He took a deep breath and let herself relax into her chair, growing tired of her turkey leg and trading it for a roll on her plate. She took a bite and a deep breath and found that she was kind of tired. She seemed to get sleepy so much now. She looked at her plate and then around the table. Nobody seemed to have quite as much food on theirs as hers. As she chewed on her roll, she began to realize that she may not be able to eat it all. She pouted. It had been so long since she had felt full. But she hated that she was going to waste food. She silently worried about this for a moment, but was interrupted by a happening with the baby.

It was a flutter. But this was not like the flutters that she had felt before. This one was long and stronger than the rest. He caused her to stop her chewing, and her face to grow pale. The long flutter was followed by little kicks then another long flutter of movement from the baby. This time she dropped her roll and her arm instinctively shot out to grab something. This something happened to Eriol’s am, which she proceeded to squeeze digging her nails into his arm. To those drinking liquids at the table they would see them rise from their cups briefly, before dropping back down with a plop and some mess depending fullness of the cups. Willa released Eriol after a second and sat still as she could. At one point she even closed her eyes. She had no normal expectation of pregnancy. If this was normal, it was news to her. She was clearly terrified, but tried to avoid eye contact as to not make a scene. She was still unaware consciously of the grabbing and liquid jump. She took a slow breath, and sat pale a motionless on chair as she waited to the movements to settle. It was only a matter of seconds, but for Willa it felt like hours.

"You put that hand on my belly.....you are not getting it back."