Welcome to Gaia! ::

"Oof!" came the small cry of a young woman, as she tripped over an exposed root. Being fatigued from her travels, and having a slight tendency to daydream, it was hard to stay focused on her surroundings. She took a moment to heave a sigh into the dirt and grass, then slowly got back to her feet, using the nearby tree for support.

Though she was now specked with dirt, she was a pretty thing. A healthy, fair complexion, large eyes of azure blue, and light blonde hair. A red shawl was wrapped around her torso with a white tunic beneath it. Dark slacks covered her legs, and knee-high leather boots protected her feet. A red beret, lopped to the right, sat on her head. Her appearance alone suggested someone that cared more for style than proper travel wear, but a pair of short swords at her waist implied that she was a combatant of some degree.

The lady dusted herself off, gave a huff, then kept walking. Getting lost was no fun. As she was having second thoughts about her little adventure, thinking that perhaps she should try to turn around and navigate her way back, a light up ahead caught her eye. A campfire, perhaps? She quickened her pace, though taking glances at the ground in case of more exposed roots. After a few moments, she came across something ten times better than a simple fire - a building! The girl's face lit up with glee. She hurried to the front door, and rapped on it thrice. "Pleeease let someone be there, it has lights on and everything!"

((Edit: Uh, I forgot Phaedra was actually standing at the door - pardon that inconsistency.))

Warmth, rest, food and water - in the middle of nowhere, these comforts were a godsend. Though the woman, presumably the owner of the building, was admittedly frightening in more ways than one, the girl felt like she would trust a bear right now. It was hard to think properly when the scent of freshly brewed tea danced within her nostrils, and when her legs ached for the reprieve of a squashy chair. "... Anything. All of it sounds nice." She said in a quiet voice. The spike of adrenaline that rushed her to the doorstep was already wearing off it seemed.

The young woman staggered forward, eyes wide and hungry at the sight of so many delights. When she sunk down into the chair, a long sigh of relief passed her pink lips. She closed her eyelids for a moment, but forced them open once more, in fear of falling asleep on the spot. She managed to get herself into a more proper sitting position, then began spreading some butter over one of the biscuits. "Uhh. That's a lot of long questions." She said with a tired smile. "Is there one you want me to start with?"

That was a bit more manageable. The girl took a large bite of the biscuit first, and the satisfaction was very evident on her face as she chewed and swallowed."My name is Laria. I come from a place called Aether, and from a small town called Alem." She took another bite, and washed it down with a sip of tea. "Most people can't tell I'm from another place - what gave it away?" Laria asked. She took in the hostess' appearance. She was only noticing now that the woman's dress was rather... minimal. Still, aside from the tint of her skin, Laria didn't feel that out of place.

The woman had a very interesting way of speaking, in a foreign way that brought a smile to Laria's bright cheeks. She reached for another biscuit while the hostess spoke, and was applying some honey this time. The swordsman's movements slowed slightly as the lady's questions began to deepen, however. Laria sensed more concern in the owner's voice, perhaps suspicion... perhaps even hostility? The young lady tried to keep her composure as she took a bite. "I'm an adventurer, or I guess I am now at least. I'm involved in something... bigger, that I don't really understand. I don't really know how I got here, er, in the 'Between' I mean. I remember entering a forest, thinking it would be a shortcut, but then I got lost. I kept walking, and after a while I was so tired that it was hard to think." Laria blinked once, aware of how heavy her eyelids felt. "Then I saw the light here and... that's it, really. Did I do something bad?" She asked, with a sudden sense of worry.

((Ahh, yeah. Hope you're getting some R&R.))

Laria's body tensed as the hostess suddenly began to shift before her very eyes. She had no idea what this meant - should the young lady be running right now? But, thankfully, it seemed there was nothing to fear. A breath of relief escaped Laria when the woman put her fears to rest. "That's good to hear." The worry drained away from the swordsman's features, and she once again had the look of a simple, tired traveler. She finished off her biscuit, then took a sip of her tea. One really does appreciate the simple things, after enduring hardship. "Your sanctuary is very pleasant - I love the look of it. You say you were born here, so was it a family member that created it?" In the back of her mind she was curious as to how finding one's self hopelessly lost guided people to this place, but she figured it best to take this one question at a time.