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.

[BallDrogo]

Wilhelm Oxton

"Wandering Sage"



His ears perked up at the sound of that voice. A familiar tone and accent made the hairs on his neck rise up, sending him to alert mode. “No,” he thought to himself. He set his bottle down on the counter, turning around to face the purple haired woman who had called out to him. “Not here, no. Not now,” he muttered to himself, fearing that this was just a hallucination. He had to know. This couldn’t just be another apparition of a sleep deprived mind. He shook his head, reaching out his hand and placing a hand on her face.

Physical touch. His hand didn’t go through this purple haired woman, it stopped, feeling her face. He glared at her, clenching his fists. “Whatever trickery this is, I demand that it stops. Illusionist or witch, drop your disguise,” he growled, sitting up and shuffling himself out. Upon exiting the bar, he placed his head into his hands, digging his fingers into his temples.

In the past, he had hallucinations of her. Kai Sauveterre was her name. She had been a student of his for a short period of time, until the plague had hit. They were separated during evacuation. He had to retrieve a few documents, telling her that he would be back in a moment for her.

She wasn’t there upon his return. Gone and disappeared and he presumed she was dead. Haunted by his mistakes, he found solace in the bottom of a bottle.

Who was that he had encountered in there? A witch? Illusionist? A Child of the Light that had tracked him down somehow? Had his hallucinations become more real in the passing time? No, that was a real person who had taken her face. No mere phantom that had been conjured, but a real life person.

He continued down the streets, ducking into an alley to regain his bearings. His heart rate was starting to decrease to a steady beat, but if whoever had taken on Kai’s face was who he thought it could have been, he knew he didn’t have much time. They were here for a fight. The bounty on his head had come to be claimed. This upstart little illusionist had the courage to approach him in public as an intimidation technique. Get him worried and have him flee. From there, track him to an isolated area and disposed of him.

Whoever this was, he was sure they would pay for this infraction with the highest price. He may have become a salty sage in his increased age, but back when he was younger, his skill with magic was highly respected. A mere scholar, but his free time had been spent perfecting his magic.

Whoever this was had better brought their best, if not, they would find out just how unfriendly the earth could be. That, whatever it was, that had claimed her face, would find themselves buried. He descended further into the alley, but not before marking the wall where he had rested. If, whoever that was was willing to follow, Wilhelm would be ready to do battle.

[Manuscripts and Pince-Nez]

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

Ymir knelt in front of the makeshift altar in his room, inspecting the stones he placed from the side to make sure they were properly aligned to the candle hanging above them. The candle had to be white and covered in lavender oil for this to work. He was fortunate that he arrived just a day before the festival started. Ymir thought it a cute tradition; he had fun walking around the people as they were still setting everything up. He enjoyed the looks he got; looking obviously exotic while dressed in Sharhazadian silk and cotton and all the little charms he wore making people able to hear him before seeing him.


Compared to Sharhazad, with its’ rich marketplaces and luxurious hammams, Cantarta was a bit of a, well, a dump. He remembered the look on his relatives’ faces as he told them his next destination. Everyone had been expecting him going back home and then, upon hearing that he was on paid leave from work, they insisted he’d stay, telling him how they would take him to see all the other cities in the desert, visit his extended family.

“Stay.” He reprimanded the rose leaves placed around the candle that threatened to fly off in the wind. He closed the window, deciding that the innkeeper would probably not be too mad if the scent of flowers lingered in the room.
He took the two swan feather he had prepared earlier and crossed them over the stones. He started praying.

Although Sharhazad had been nice, and he was definitely all the more spoiled after his lovely time there, Ymir remembered that he still preferred the life he grew up in. The southern swamplands were a vicious beast to anyone but his people, and the mazelike streets of the cities suited him better than Sharhazad’s organized districts.

As he prayed, he felt that his journey would be a fruitful one. He already heard that a peculiar blue caravan had arrived into the city recently. Ymir wouldn’t be a bard worth his money id he didn’t know about that particular legend on wheels. He smirked, the candle flame flickered and the man was assaulted by a heavy scent of lavender; his eyes rolled slowly back into his head as he murmured the last of his chant. A feeling of peace overwhelmed him and he felt a strong and sudden nostalgia which pulled at his heart like fingers on strings. As always, it took him some time to calm down, during which he rehearsed his dancing. The exercise warmed up his muscles and cleared his head enough to be able to go into public.


It was livelier downstairs. People had already started the pre-festival drinking and most seemed to be in high spirits. Ymir sat in a stool in the corner of the room, playing something neutral. He was planning on leaving soon, so it was best not to give the people a taste of the show he could make. Still, that didn’t stop him from dressing up. A lot of people found it strange that he preferred wearing long skirts when performing, as he did now. The cloth was a deep red and it fanned out at the bottom, dragging behind him. He had tied his hair back and put little beads in that twinkled in the candle light. Back home, his attire would not be strange much and he never had problems dressed like this in Sharhazad. Ymir imagined people just didn’t understand his art.

It was promising to be a boring evening, despite his confidence of the opposite earlier on. The most interesting thing by far was the rugged looking man that showed up and proceeded to drown an entire bottle of hard liquor, as if it was but water. His jaw went slack for a second at the sheer determination of the drinker as his fingers moved faster, timing his rhythm to the man’s gulps. He heard the other men softly thumping their glasses to the table, following his lead. He skillfully used the rise in atmosphere to divert the song into a more cheerful melody, taking attention away from the drinking man as easily as he could direct it.

Every town had its’ local drunk. Ymir felt compassion, having spent many nights where his music was their only comfort. He wondered what his issue was.

He didn’t have time to think too deeply on that, as the next person who showed up stole the show-as she was wont to do. Ymir continued playing as the gaze of the whole room was turned to the newly arrived beauty. The bard stealthily turned in his seat as the woman called out, making sure she didn’t notice him. He smirked, his dark eyes following her as she walked to the drinking man.

‘Oh…?’

What followed was a strange sight, with the man looking as if he saw a ghost and touching her face. Ymir found the scene strange, charged with tension. He picked up the pace of his song and slowly stood up as the man seemed to clench his fists.


Ymir kept his back straight, relaxed the arms still holding and playing at the guitar, and bent his knees slightly while keeping the feet around shoulder-width apart. His hip moved up suddenly, causing the small coins he’d sewn onto the skirt to jingle. He did this again and again, slowly at first, as he made a couple of steps towards the bar punctuated by a heavy thud of his foot at appropriate intervals to the music. The man exited the inn around then, and Ymir picked up his pace, aggressively playing and shimmying his hips in time to the music until he was close enough to the woman. Lifting his left leg high, he slammed it hard down onto the counter in front of the woman, making a glass jump.

He gave her a sly grin.

“Still making men run away from you screaming I see, hmm, Kai?” Ymir turned to the rest of the guests.

“Gentlemen, now I know this festival will be a good one! We’ve been blessed by an exquisite beauty and no less talented dancer, if I may say so! A drink to her!” He signaled the bartender, pointing at him and Kai.

Taking two pints of beer, he turned to Kai and handed her one.

“That was quite a scene; I don’t take kindly to people stealing my show.” The light teasing came easy to him and he expected the same, if not more, from the dancer he briefly met in Sharhazad once.

“But meeting again is a happy coincidence. What brings you to this thriving metropolis?”

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

playing

[Aeroden Eternium]

Vaino Toivonen
(Goblin Merchant)

Time stood still for awhile,
Your hand was holding mine.


Vaino poked his head outside the carriage, bursting into the brightest of smiles at the mention of T'len's name, the tone of Kemun's voice escaping him. "Yes, yes I am that same Vaino." He bobbed his head up and down with all the enthusiasm of a child with a new toy. As the frightening ax-woman judged him no threat, Kuu stood down, grooming himself and generally ignoring everyone in the vicinity. Vaino motioned to embrace his sister-in-law in what he believed to be a heartfelt reunion, only to stand awkwardly by the door with his arms half raised when his jubilation sputtered at Kemun's clearly displeased expression. The pregnant girl chose that exact moment to burst into tears, before a man that Vaino noticed may have had one too few a limb decided to plant himself beside her with a most magnificent stumble.

Maybe now was not the right time for a heartfelt embrace.

Now was the time to meet the local circus. Also to contemplate his life choices. Vaino frowned for a split second and returned to his usual sunny disposition. Contemplation was for the old and decrepit. He wasn't one to live with regrets, though most of that life was made up of poorly thought-out decisions. Hey, this would probably make a fine story, perhaps an oral epic, to be added to the annals of his people. Provided he ever located them, of course.

And it was like the exalted Mother herself heard his prayers. Two strangers joined their merry band, a man and a woman. He had the look of naive, pure soul, but it was the woman who grabbed his attention. Specifically, her eyes (although the rest of her was quite as lovely). Bright, beautiful, and unmistakably purple.

Toivonen eyes.

He almost leapt out of the carriage then. Before he could shimmy his way over and assault her with questions, yet more people arrived. They all greeted each other with a familiarity Vaino guessed was forged through hardships on the road, and he tried to follow the slinging of names and exchanges of news between them all. If he was to live among them, it would be best to familiarize himself with them as soon as possible.

There were simply too many people trying to straighten out the situation with each other for him to straighten out himself. After a brief attempt at listening to them, Vaino retreated to the unoccupied side of the pregnant weeper, resigned to acquaint himself with everyone another day. Now, comforting women, he liked to think he was better at that. He didn't know much of her except that she was distressed, and she was young. And there tended to be two things that young ladies universally liked.

"Sorry for frightening you. I didn't mean to. And I'm sure-" Vaino gave a meaningful glance at the legless wonder, "-he didn't either. See, he says his leg is alright. Nothing to worry about." He threw one arm around her in a comforting manner, gently rubbing her back. With his free hand, from somewhere within the folds of his boxes, he produced a small lacquered one filled with small, colourful candies, offering it to her.

[jadeshaw88]

I hear you calling to me
See you but you can't see me...
Ari nodded when the boy mentioned Lenti and Cantara. Despite the fact that he was most certainly simple, she was rather enjoying the conversation. She didn't get a chance to actually socialize beyond her readings and her dealings with the silly shop girl. Though she had found that people talked to her more when she wasn't part of the caravan. No one wanted to enter her stuffy wagon to talk to her and she didn't like being veiled to go out to visit them. That was one thing she wasn't looking forward to.

"Lenti is smaller, as far as I can tell, and quite unpleasant besides." She told him with a huff. "They were rude even before the mage got involved and that only seemed to make it worse." Of course, Ari found most people unpleasant but she had, so far, had no complaints with Cantara...other than Bedford. Most of the people were friendly enough, though some did tend to get nasty if she didn't read what they wanted her to read but she felt that that was true of everyone. No one wanted to hear bad news.

She was quite taken aback when the boy suggested that she might actually miss Velius. Despite the fact that she had been thinking that not five minutes before, she was suddenly irritated that anyone would insinuate such at thing. She felt her face heat and she was grateful for the veil that would hide her blush. She mentally took back any nice thought she had ever had about the dullard. She hoped that whatever danger he was in for would be slow and painful. She hoped that he had night terrors for years. She hoped that...

Ari forced herself to calm down a little bit. It wasn't fair to him. It was a valid question. But still..."I miss the Caravan." She snapped sharply. "If he happens to be there, so be it. The only reason I ask is because I happened to..." He didn't know that she was a seer, did he? She didn't remember mentioning it and, even if she had, he was slow enough to have forgotten by now. The fact that she couldn't explain why she had asked about Velius to begin with only made her angrier. "I was simply trying to find out whether or not I would have the misfortune of dealing with his presence upon arrival at the caravan." She said sourly, sure that she hadn't fooled anyone, including the moron.

She huffed for a little bit longer but then she started to look for something in the boy's life that would give them something else to talk about. Then, clearing her throat. "So how are your brothers? Are they well?" Perhaps it would throw him off enough that he would disregard her anger. It tended to spook people who didn't know what she was when she randomly started saying things about their personal lives. Most of Cantara knew who she was by now but she didn't expect the simpleton to know or to care enough to remember.

"That is unfortunate. Travel is really quite rewarding despite the danger." She told him and then she paused when he spoke of the caravan. "Ah yes, that sounds right! If you see a wagon with a sign with an eye on it hanging from the door, that is mine." Ari suddenly had butterflies in her stomach, as she fished at the cord around her neck and pulled her key from her decolletage. She felt like she was either going to cry or laugh or jump around like a giddy idiot at any moment. She was finally home!! Goddess, she was home! "I have the key here." She said as she held it out for him, her voice shaky with emotion.

...We never said our goodbyes
So dark and lonely your eyes

[Leelee_Mraz]

Whitnee looked down at the small pile of wood that he had collected, glancing over his shoulder at the door to his wagon. He still felt violated. He felt it so much that it had slipped his mind that Phedre had mentioned there were people in need of medical care. The thought snapped back to him just as he was locating his flint from a side compartment. He looked up and went back inside the wagon briefly to grab his bag. He sighed heavily and closed the wagon before heading to where he thought he had glance a gathering in passing.

Whitnee approached the group and stopped in front of Willa. He looked at her and smiled. “ Why...aren’t you coming along nicely?” He said looking her over. “ Are you hurt, WIlla?” He asked giving a curt nod to the stranger who had found a seat next to her. The woman scowled at him. They had never really gotten along. She curled her feet away from him. “ No. Go away.” She wailed at him. Whitnee nodded. “Very well.” He said nodding and moving on to Lucien. “On to you. Let’s take a look.” he said taking a knee next to him. Whitnee, glanced up at him from looking at his leg. “ Wanna tell me how this happened?” He said, not really caring much if he explained or not, but offering a smile that suggested his curiosity.


Whitnee began to dig into his bag and grind of a serious off dried leaves and powders. Then then sat that aside to let it set for a moment before getting out a small knife and beginning free his leg from the dirty bandages. He hummed as he worked,looking up to give a friendly wave at all the others present.He cleared his throat and began to rattle off the standard doctor questions. " Are you nauseous at all? Do you still have feeling in the leg?" He said reaching up to take his pulse at the neck. Whitnee hued as he patiently waited to fell the slight bump of flowing blood. He cleared his throat scrunching his face in annoyance as he shifted to take his wrist. After a moment he turned to look at the man, to be sure he was still conscious. Whitnee blinked at him holding his gaze. This was highly irregular... He cleared his throat and adjusted his vest. He gave Lucien another thoughtful gaze before letting his expression standardize . Perhaps he should just focus on the leg. he went back to releasing the bandages around the missing leg, after giving his head a nervous scratch.

[Leelee_Mraz]

Willa Odette Wilafax

"I am not fat!"

" Oh that?.......is just....a...watermelon I stole..."

Willa, in all her misery, tried her best to calm down as Lucien seemed to be perfectly fine with not having a leg. “ Oh...Okay...” She blubbered in his direction. She took deep breaths, blinking heavily trying to stop the tears. “I’m not doing it on purpose. I promise.” She said when he asked her what was wrong. “ Well...My back hurts and I’m hungry. And I am dirity. And i am all mixed up , because of the things. It was scary and Calliope is dead, I think. And I am going to get in trouble because I am crying too much.” The last bit caused a whole new wave of sadness to expel from her. She was going to get in trouble. They were going to make her leave. She had to stop. She jumped as another man that she had not met, plopped down beside her.

Then the doctor came by. She blinked. She did not like him. She grunted in the midst of her tears and shrunk away as he questioned her. “ No. Go Away.” She said crossing her arms and then turning to the newcomer.She jumped clear of the ground when he put his arm over her, putting hand over her heart as he slowly came to the realization that he was not hurting her or intending to hurt her. “I’m Sorry!” She yelled just in case. “ I’ll stop!” She said hiccuping. She now had the hiccups. She blinked as he held out a box to her. She was confused and it showed on her face. The feeling did bring the tears to a stop. She took the box carefully and opened it slowly, scratching her head with her free hand. She looked down at the candies. She blinked down. They smelled sweet. Like sugar. Willa didn't recognize them. She made a soft curious noise and wiped at the tears streaming down her dirty face. Were they rocks?

Willa poked at them gently and then took one in her hand, before looking back at Vaino. Her stomach gurgled loudly at the smell of them. Almost instinctively, she popped it into her mouth. She blinked and widened her eyes. She looked back down at the box and took a small fingerful to shove into her mouth.

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

[jadeshaw88]

Lord Luther Brendis Highwind

Third Son of Duke Alaric Chlodwig Highwind II of Haelica

Watching Inyri being drunk was completely adorable and Luther knew that he was going to be fighting a losing battle to keep from laughing. It was important that he try for her sake though. He didn't want her to get mad at him and he was fully aware of what it was like to be in her shoes. She couldn't help that she wasn't making sense and she had done all of this for him. He was very grateful. Plus, the fact that she called him her king stirred something within him that shouldn't be stirred...not now.

His lips twitched when she stumbled over what she wanted to say. Basically she had stated the same statement in three different ways and was somehow embarrassed by the way she had said it. At least, that's what Luther thought her blush was about. He didn't have time to decipher her meaning though as she stumbled backward and then forward. He reacted quickly and moved forward as if to catch her but he was too late, she had fallen forward onto her knees. He sighed, glad that she had at least managed to stay upright instead of falling on her face.

He wasn't expecting her tears when they came and he knelt beside her, suddenly very concerned rather than amused. "Inyri..." He managed before she told him why she was upset. He let out a small breathy laugh, ducking his head in relief. Then he looked up at her, smiling. "Alright, let me help you." He told her as he took her hands and gently helped her to her feet. "There you are. Now lean on me for support. I won't let you fall again." He took one of her hands and kissed her knuckles. "I am your servant, my queen."

He was looking deep into her eyes, still bent over her hand when a booming voice came from beside them. Luther released his gaze, thought he kept hold of her hand, and straightened with a smile. He was slightly irritated that their moment was interrupted but it was probably for the best. "I was hoping that we would see you again." He told the giant as he looked at him.

He thought about what the big man had said. Hmm...He could easily keep Inyri from falling...or at least he thought so... but that would limit his movement and, should they be attacked for whatever reason, he would be less able to defend her. He smiled again. "Yes, I think that that would be most welcome." He told the man. "I am Lord Luther Brendis Highwind II, by the way, though you can just call me Luther, and this is Lady Inyri Ven." He motioned to the drunkard beside him with an amused twinkle in his eye. "We are probably going to look for food and water for her and then head to the caravan so she can...rest for a moment." He said carefully so as not to upset her.

[Watervoir]

xxxx
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
xxx
xxxxCaden AlinarixxxxGuard
______________________________________________________________


Caden didn’t understand it.

Velius, Caden’s charge, had to be here. The bodyguard could recognize the noble’s presence a mile away and would never in a million years mistake his presence. But it was not long after his charge’s presence had lured Caden so hastily away from the Blue Caravan, with Tobias in tow, and into Cantarta proper, did Velius’s presence just… vanish.

How could this be?

Ronove cackled at the man, and crossed her arms over her chest, “Even with me here, you are merely human, do not forget that.” she smirked, - “You’re tired….you couldn’t even find a rock right now…” she taunted.

Her words made Caden scowl. He felt it, now that she mentioned it. His shoulders felt heavy, and there was a growing pain in the back of his skull. A dull headache. He considered perhaps that Ronove did something to him to emphasize her point, that perhaps she was the one who had set this weight on his back that made every one of his movements feel sluggish. But he had to admit that his lack of rest and running about in the dungeon from the dragon had exhausted him to a point that was beyond anything ever before. Only his determination to finally find Velius kept him awake and moving.

“Or...perhaps your lord has died. IF you had just accepted my help sooner…” she suggested, examining the back of her nails.

“Well you don’t exactly make yourself look very trustworthy…” Caden retorted under his breath. At first, he cared about his appearances. He fussed over holding back on arguing against Ronove so as not to look crazy. Talking to the air, and glaring into space. Even if Tobias didn’t think he was finally off his rocker, the townsfolk certainly would have. But as the grouchiness from the sleep deprivation sank deeper and deeper, Caden was finding it difficult to care. “And I haven’t exactly had pleasant encounters with your kind.” It all started with the Mage, back at Lenti, and the shadows. Then it was the shadows again while they were in Cantarta, in the castle. “Aren’t you supposed to be looking for Velius? Cut the talk and focus on your job.”

Ronove grunted and folded her arms over her chest in a very dramatic manner. Not that everything the woman did wasn’t already awfully dramatic, and sometimes just for show. Her eyes narrowed, and she brought up her hand like a claw, her nails very long, which added to the point, and then did some mimicking of an angry cat. “Rude.” She exclaimed, afterwards and then her physical appearance poofed into that ashen blood colour, like her soul from before, but as smoke.

“But as you wish….” she tongued, the scent of a smile in her voice.

Caden sighed. He supposed that he shouldn’t be so hard on her. After all it wasn’t her fault that her people captured them, threw them in a dungeon, and left them there to be dragon fodder. Ronove did help them get out of there, to her credit, and possibly going against her own people… the demons.

He shook the thought out of his mind and refocused on his current task at hand. The guard glanced over his shoulder. His seat was opened to a view of the wagon interior, where he had left Tobias. The bandit boy was on a fresh dose of Anthaumica to keep his magic powers at bay, and his wrists and ankles were knotted ever still so he wouldn’t be able to pull a fast one.

It didn’t keep the bandit boy from complaining about his poor living environment though, and soon the group found themselves in a tidy room at a tavern by the name of the Purple Diamond. Caden was not enthusiastic about needlessly satisfying the whims of the boy, who could very well qualify as a freeloader now, but Ronove had been right and Caden had to recover his strength if he wanted to successfully locate Velius.

...Is that what happened?

Caden remembered that he had set the boy up in one of the beds, and secured him tightly by the wrists and ankles so he wouldn’t be able to run off. “Don’t you even try,” he had told him. Or at least that was from what he had remembered.

The guard’s eyes snapped open. Rays from the window streamed in, and from their tint and angle, Caden judged that it was now later in the afternoon. The sheer curtain fluttered lightly in the wind. There was a mess of rope cut where the bandit boy had rested earlier. That same rope that was used to tie up the boy's hands and feet, earlier. Only four hours ago.

Ronove stood next to him, arms crossed over her chest, ”About time you stopped puking….” she said, as if scolding a dog for ripping up paperwork. She walked over to him and sat on the bed next to him to feel his head. She almost could have been motherly in doing this, if she weren’t well, the least motherly thing in the whole damn world.

”Fever’s broke...That’s good I guess.” she shrugged, ”How are you feeling? Dehydrated? hungry….I’ve never seen so much puke in my life…I tried very hard, my dear, to heal you before the other one ran, but nothing I did worked. Some things are incurable, and without knowing it’s contents I couldn’t very much create a cure, unfortunately.”

Caden was listening. He opened his mouth to speak but was only able to manage out a groan. One last sickening taste of vomit lurched out from his mouth. Thank goodness it was just air, this time. His stomach felt tight, as if it had been pounded together, then squeezed like an orange for juice, and then pounded together again.

”It was honestly disgusting…” she crossed her legs off the bed. ”Then, you passed out….And I couldn’t do anything because you couldn’t barely talk without clutching your stomach and groaning. I did what I could with the puke, though.” she motioned around the room, ”Yours and that foul boy…I couldn’t have it getting on me, or worse, accidentally stepping in it.”

”Honestly, darling, I thought you might actually die….That almost made me sad for you….to die in a pool of your own bile….And such a handsome boy, too.” She let out a sigh, and then looked at him.

No longer being a fan of lying flat on his face, Caden groped around a bit to get his bearings and found that he was on a bed. Of course. He was up on a bed, elevated, and that was why he could view the empty bed across from him in the first place. Ronove must have put him there, because he had no recollection of relocating himself. Not that he had much recollection of anything from the past few hours, anyway. He had been unconscious for the most of it.

There was only one thing, really, because of the shock of it and what it lead up to.

He pushed himself up into a sitting position over the edge of his bed. He ran the knuckle of his thumb over his lips, thinking back. How was it that Toby had gotten away, again?

”SERIOUSLY…” Ronove started, ”WHY? Did you swallow that stuff?” she frowned, ”Do you swallow everything that’s put into your mouth?”

Caden scowled. A wheeze escaped him, trapping him in for a moment before he could finally reply. “Rude,” he said to her, and then swiped the knuckle of a thumb over his lips. A lingering thought. A memory. He looked to the ground, where a single empty vial laid on its side innocently. It previously housed a clear substance, of which had been planted firmly into the guard’s stomach no less than four hours before. Innocuous as it appeared, its contents, Caden had learned, was far from it. Of course, since he did not have his powers available to use, not to mention Caden was not an easy person to outwit, the boy had to use more... creative methods to escape Caden. “I didn’t simply swallow it,” he explained, and made a sort of precise, communicative hand gesture as he did so, the way a public speaker might when they were trying to make a point.

”Well you didn’t spit it out….I mean….I understand being surprised…” She smirked, ”I take it you’re not kissed too often….?”

“Not part of my job description,” he answered flatly, and pursed his lips. He remembered now. The bandit boy was sick, or so he had claimed, and Caden had rushed up to help him. He couldn’t afford to lose his trade object, not when he was so close to his quarry. The boy had indicated at his pocket and then to his mouth, and so of course Caden would oblige to feeding the boy what he had assumed was his medication. But then Tobias made a motion to headbutt him, and the next thing Caden knew, something that had been previously in Tobias’s mouth was going down Caden’s own throat... “He stuck his tongue down my mouth, you try to “spit it out” when someone does that to you. You’re a demon, besides, what would you know about kissing?”

Ronove smirked, ”Well...I could show you,” she said and moved closer. She placed her hand on his chest and smirked at him. “I’m told I’m a great teacher.”

Her actions pushed him back towards the bed a little and drew out a bit of a nervous chuckle from Caden. This wasn’t quite what he had in mind when he said that. “Whoaaa, hey slow down there.” It was easier to ignore her advances when they were in the dungeons and running for their lives. But unlike before, he didn’t feel annoyed or angry at her for approaching. It was almost comforting, the thought of being embraced, and although Ronove was beast-like, she was more like a grotesque work of art. But he had work to do, still. And he couldn’t simply shake off the fact that Ronove was a demon. In his head. Was this not how even some of the greatest-minded folk were lured to their dooms in stories?

He was thankful though, in part, for Ronove’s assistance. Gods knew he would have been lying on his puke at the moment if not for it.

She was surprised at his lack of a no, or a ‘get the hell off of me, woman..’ She leaned a little closer and gripped his shirt a little, playfully, ”Come now, Caden, darling...” She had that sweet scent like peaches. ”A little fun never hurts anyone. Looks to me you could use some loosening up,” she purred.

Caden chuckled, thinking that her words sounded like something Velius had once said to him. As he looked into her eyes, his hands inched behind her and up, almost hesitantly, and when they reached her shoulders he wrapped his fingers around them. He closed his eyes and inhaled her fruity scent.

Ronove chuckled, ”Eager boy….” she leaned close, noses touching. Her voice was melty like caramel on a sundae. She pressed her lips to his, surprisingly warm and soft.

At least, that was what would have happened, had Caden not put a hand between their lips at the most critical moment. “Psyche.” He then flipped her over and pinned her to the bed. “You're supposed to be my helper, not my lover,” he said with a hint of a smirk. He hovered over her, his bangs hanging down towards her.

Ronove looked up at him from her new cushy position on the bed and smiled, cunningly, ”I am whatever you need me to be….master...helper...lover...gone, if you wish.” She ran a leg against the inside of his leg, tauntingly. “But we both know that’s not what you wish….”

Caden smiled. “Well what I wish… Is to find Velius.” He rolled off her and off the bed. “I want you gone after you help me find him.” He collected the vial which was previously home to a potion of incurable stomach disease off the ground and headed for the rest room.

Ronove sat up on the bed and crossed her legs. She stared at him, “Find him you shall….but…don’t be so certain finding him won’t just make you more desperate for my help…”

Caden rinsed out the vial and its cork with the water by the wash basin. That one he would keep, because vials came in handy. He checked himself once in the mirror before dropping into a seat in a stool and working up a lather with the shaving soap and what remained of the water. "When I find him, our relationship is finished. And I'll find a way to get you out of me, because you're not really so easy to get rid of, are you?" He had been hopeful when she said that she could be "gone, if he wished", but he was not so sure that was how that pact worked.

Ronove smirked, “YOU Are ADORABLE!” she said, simply and stood up without moving, as if the air lifted her to her feet. She stepped over to him, and leaned toward him again, “You talk big, Caden, but deep down you’re still just a boy...looking for something to make himself whole, again. I won’t be easy to get rid of, because you will want me to stay…And you convince yourself that you do not wish for a lover, but I have seen your heart…” she pressed her finger to his chest, right where his heart beat, “I see how hungry you are for something more.” she said sensually.

There was a silence for a moment following her words. In fact, there was barely any sound at all while Ronove had been speaking her bold claims. Then, when he finally had enough, Caden drove his shaving knife into Ronove’s gut, into her flesh. “You think you’re so funny?” he said, barely louder than a whisper, in a voice that was nearly uncharacteristic, but it definitely still belonged to Caden. It was flat. Cold. Deadly. It was not the sort of tone anyone who had met him recently would have ever heard him speak.

Ronove gave him nothing very visceral with which to puff himself up further. She smiled, like a proud parent and looked from the knife to Caden in silence.

Caden twisted the knife in place. It would have surely aggravated the injury with any regular human. “I may want a lover, but it won’t be you, Ronove, Demon sixty-five… You talk too much nonsense.” He pulled out the knife and wiped it against a washcloth. It came out clean, no surprise there. There had not even been any fluctuation in presence for Caden to sense, which usually accompanied an injury. “Watch your tongue… Or one day that won’t simply be a shaving knife. And on that day I may not only be able to actually hurt you, but I will be able to destroy you.” He stood and went to check himself in the mirror. Clean as a whistle.

Ronove smiled and followed behind him and rested her chin on his shoulder as he looked into the mirror. “Caden, darling, I only wish to help you….and if it is not me you desire, then so be it. She will be yours...I can make it so. I can make everything you desire so.” Her words were sweet as honey.

In the mirror though, where her face should have been sitting on his shoulder, was the face of someone else entirely. Green skin gave way to a fair complexion and soft peachy lips. Gilded hair cascaded down Caden’s arm, draping in a way that was almost romantic. Eyes that sparkled like bright yellow amber and honey stared back at him both kind and ferocious. Her arms reached around his waist, in a delicate hug, one finger missing from the lot of 10. She smiled, the smile of someone who’d suffered much, but laughed often; someone who fought like a bear, but moved like a queen; lonely but never quite alone and in a league all her own.

Caden glared at the face of Phedre that was staring back him. He pushed off her arms that embraced him so dearly and, while his hands were still locked around her wrists, turned around to look directly into those gorgeous but fake replica eyes of Phedre's. "Dream. On." The gall of Ronove. He hated it. Loathed it, that she would use Phedre's existence like that. "Phedre's respectable, but I don't like her that way," he denied flatly. But we're his words the actual truth?

He exited the small chamber and gathered his effects. Knives slotted back into their sheaths on his belts, which were then strapped back on his hips and over his chest. Dagger then slotted back into place, then the gauntlets put back on. Last was a cloak, worn down and barely warm enough for the mountain climate. He would have to purchase something warmer should he choose to follow the caravan north later. With that, he left his room and made his way down and out of the tavern and to the streets. He hoped that Ronove would not follow, but he knew he could not escape her. Not now. Not yet.

______________________________________________________________
x x

[Ronove narrative and dialogue credited to Nletzsche]

[Manuscripts and Pince-Nez]

██ The bones of beasts and the bones of kings become dust in the wake of the hymn

✿

“Do you have anything with birds?”

It was an uncommonly known fact that the bird-worshiping folk of Valkuur have, over the years appeared to have taken several characteristics of their deities, in the oddest sense. True, there has been several people who claimed that, due to prolonged exposure to temple birds, their bones had gone hollow and some who had taken it as a highest fashion statement to cut their nails in the shape of talons, which they would later on adorn with jewelry and expensive paints. The most common attribute was, however, their affinity for all things shiny.

Phedre had originally planned to go search for food, having been hungry ever since that small room where they had cookies. Cookies were not an adequate diet for a warrior, and Phedre had never developed a sweet tooth, sadly. But moving through the streets which were filling up with more people by the minute, her eye was caught by the glitter of charms and trinkets of a small shop. Full of childish curiosity, she postponed the food for later and walked in.

“Listen lady, this is a festival of flowers- we don’t do birds now, sorry.”

Phedre looked at him oddly, as if surprised that there could ever be a lack of birds anywhere, and put down the magnolia charm she had been studying.

“I see. Goodbye.”

“Wait, let me check again! I can’t let a lady as pretty as you go around unadorned!”

The man disappeared behind the counter and Phedre took the time to inspect the rest of the shop, not taking the compliment to heart. It was true that most of the jewelry laid out had flower motifs. She held a several necklaces to her neck and found them strange on her.
When she was little, she would raid her mother’s jewelry box with friends and play dress up, sometimes adorning the horses in expensive gems and charms. Even as a soldier, decorating oneself was seen as a normal thing. A knight had to be seen, had to strike fear with both their might as well as beauty. Still, during the last couple of years she had declined every gift of jewelry to her that came from…well.


“Right, I have this one! I think it would go well with your eyes.” The shopkeeper said happily, returning just as Phedre was putting down another necklace.

“I got it from some foreigner; apparently it’s from some place way up east! If I’m not mistaken, this is a hawk wing, right?” He held out a brooch shaped like a hawk wing cradling a small topaz in its centre.

“Yes, it is. But that’s for a man.”

“Really? Well, it’s the only one I’ve got, and good luck finding anything else of this sort during festival season.”

Phedre decided she didn’t really care- the brooch was very pretty and just the right size to try turning it into a charm.

She made her way to the food stalls soon after, following the delicious scents and the gathering crowd. Stopping a random person, she asked for the time and noticed that hardly any had passed since she departed. The others would hopefully get some time to relax as well, and she counted that they would all have dinner together. They had all been through a lot and some bonding was in order.

Her thoughts were interrupted most savagely by the delicious smell of all kinds of roasted meats. She followed her nose to what appeared to be a designated eating area. The merry chatter of people was even louder here than in the streets and Phedre could see families sitting together and enjoying themselves, couples sharing food and friends talking over ale. It made her feel nostalgic. She always visited festivals back home. For a moment, she felt a bone deep longing for the vine gardens of her home city and the way they would arrange the lights between the leaves, her friend’s excited face as she happily talked and stole olives from her plate; or her parents smiling as she would interrupt their date by bringing out half of their regiment, everyone bowing deep to her mother and respectfully asking her to join them for a game of darts.
She shook her head and glared at the ground, deciding that nostalgia would not ruin an already bleak day. She would stuff her mixed feelings with food and wait until someone she knew walked by.


Phedre eyed the meat; searching for the spiciest she could find and ended up taking several smaller cuts. After some thought, she picked up a bun filled with something sweet, thinking she might end up liking it. With her new and delicious food, she found herself a bench to sit on that had a good vantage point.

A lady carrying an astounding amount of flowers in several baskets was walking around, handing flowers to the people sitting alone. Phedre wondered what sort of tradition that was and reached for her bag as the woman approached her.

“Here.” She handed her a couple of coppers and the lady looked at her strangely before emptying half the contents of a basked next to her and making her way with barely a glance.
“Wait,what!?” Phedre stared after the woman, and looked at the small hill of flowers that found their way into her possession. Looking back up, the woman was busy attending to other people and Phedre decided to let it go.
She spent some time eating and making flowers crowns, several of which she gave to a couple of little girls that had decided to watch and give comments on her technique.

It was around then, after shooing away the last giggling child that she noticed a familiar face in the crowd. Phedre almost dropped the bun she was holding as she narrowed her eyes, not believing what she saw. She felt her stomach drop as she recognized Caden and her face twisted into a look of confusion and hope. Phedre hadn’t really expected to see the man again, had almost written him off after not seeing him back at the caravan upon her return. It was the way things went. Now she fought a smile as she grabbed the last remaining flower crown and, with quite an impressive speed for someone in a dress, ran up to the man that had already started turned his back and jumped at him, slamming the delicate flower crown on his head.

“What lousy reflexes!” She grinned widely at him, stepping around so the man got a view-full of her grinning face. “Still, your face is a good one to see.” She smiled at him, but her eyes widened once she gave him a once-over look

“You’ve lost weight…” Phedre looked him in the eyes again, her concern visibly growing. “You look exhausted! Here!” She all but showed the sweet bun into his hands and laid a gentle, yet firm hand on his shoulder, intending to lead him to the bench where she had been sitting.

Mighty kingdoms rise, but they all will fall

no more than a breath on the wind██

[NlETZSCHE]

≼≽≼Yggdrasil "Draaz" Søren Freud≽≼≽
(Igg-Druh-S-ill "Droz" Sh-roun Frew-oid)
≽≼≽≼≽≼≽≼≽≼≽≼≽≼≽≼≽≼≽≼≽≼≽≼≽≼≽≼≽≼≽≼≽≼≽≼≽≼≽≼≽

╚══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝
♦Extrovert♠ Cryptic♥ Dangerous♣
╚═════════════════════════════════════════════╝
Shady Priest
╚══════════════════════════╝

≼≽≼Far too risky To feed you with bare arms.≽≼≽

≼≽≼Wait your turn, you're greedy I hear you.≽≼≽

═════════════════ ═ ═ ═ ═ ═══════════════

Draaz agreed that a hot meal sounded wonderful but departed once her friend showed up with his friends. He kindly excused himself with a gentle bow and then found himself at the door of his wagon. At least he assumed it was his wagon. It was hard to tell, because of the blueness of it. But, he'd hung a wind chime in a window, that he recognized. He was proud to see it still there, but had some reservations bout whether or not he should keep it up. It was so plainly Artemist. He decided that would be the best for him to do and did that promptly after entering his wagon.

He thought a bath would be nice, but he'd found a basin the night before, and decided that, that was enough. What he really wanted was a clean change of clothes, of which he had plenty. He had even kept some of Jon's old clothes since he was afraid he might return and be mad that he'd gotten rid of everything else. They didn't suit him, so he had no intention of wearing them himself. He doubted though, that if they were still here, that the man was coming back.

He laid the chime on the small table he had, as well as his Artem with it's missing sapphire. It had been through a lot the past few days. Now it was covered in his blood as well as the blood of someone else. He stared at it, thoughtfully as he thought back to the kind man it's blood belonged to. It wasn't often that he thought about his adopted father. It wasn't often that he liked to, because it dredged up all sorts of terrible memories. Memories he was quick to forget.

He changed into a white cotton tunic that was somewhat long. The full length went to about his knees, and tied at the collar. It was very comfortable. The length opened on the sides and it was a tad shorter in the front than the back, reaching mid thigh. His pants were low harem pants, made of a dark satin that was light and airy. Very comfortable, but warm as well. He grabbed a coat, thicker than most of the things he owned that matched the length of his shirt. It was magical being in clean clothes again.

He decided to leave the brunt of his necklaces, save for a few, and his rings save for the most valuable ones, and hid the rest away in a chest he'd had with him. It remained locked at all times ,and the key rested around his neck, silver, nothing too fancy. The box looked rather common, as well. It was fairly small, but filled with enough of a fortune to keep him going for years. He hid the chest well, where it had been hidden before. Again, he was shocked and proud that it had not been found or taken.

He lit an incense, did an actual prayer, not for show, and not to the mother, then left his wagon. His shoes were the only thing he hadn't bothered changing. His hair was brushed out and left long. He decided not to tie it up, which made the different lengths of his bangs and side bangs so obvious. His Onyx hair looked quite healthy despite the amount of stress he'd put it through.

He wondered after he stepped out, where Phedre might have gone as he looked around the caravan, his eyes catching glances of no one but strangers. He wondered where Caden might be, or Nesa or Rachelle. But he didn't have to look much further. He noticed the wings first, and bright smile occurred on his face.

He was travelling with someone new, and approached the caravan slowly, but there was no mistaking him. It was Rachelle, in the flesh. He'd gone away after they'd gotten to cantarta. Draaz promised him no one would care if he stayed in the room with them, but Rachelle felt uncomfortable. Draaz was also a little wary of how cantartans would act, as well because of how they loathed magic. He didn't want that so they agreed to separate a while. He hadn't expected to find the caravan in so little time.

He stepped towards him with his smile and his new attire, which he imagined were much friendlier to Rachelle's nose than than the iron blood soaked ones from before. He would NEVER get that blood out.

"Heey." He said, stopping in front of him, "Glad to see you well." he was very glad to see him well, and that nothing more terrible had befallen him, like their last separation when he was stolen by slavers.

He took his hands in his and smiled at him, "You look well. Did you rest easy?" he moved his head a little around Rachelle's wings at his new friend. "And who might this be?" his smile was warm, and inviting.

[Edited×1]

═════════════════ ═ ═ ═ ═ ═══════════════


≼≽≼How can I protect myself from you?≽≼≽

≼≽≼Trust is for fools!≽≼≽

[NlETZSCHE]

Lucien Balthazar Mchale
(Arumel Graves)
Bounty Hunter
XXXXXXxxxXXXxxXXXXXXXXXXXXReckless ರೃ Potty mouthed ರೃ Mal-tempered

XXXX"Everything is full of [bullshit]!! Life is full of bullshit. People are full of bullshit. Hope is bullshit. It's my job to find the bullshit and crush it like a bug, like an ant, like a butterfly. Yeah, that sounds good. Hope is like a butterfly, it hides in the flowers, and flutters around like a pretty colourful beacon. But seriously...what good are they? So fragile! If you rip off their wings, hope is lost and with nowhere to go, it quickly dies."

"There's no [hope], Lucien?"

"No, But there is [survival]."

Lucien held up his hands in a reassuring gesture, "What? noo...no one's getting in trouble..." He cooed lowly with a bit of unease, " Uh...by all means...cry away..." He frowned, "I'd cry too..." he smiled, as if that'd help. His inexperience with people clawed at his back.

Then the doctor and the other kid came over (of whom he agreed to let examine him almost instantly), Vaino successfully got her to calm down while the doctor checked his pulse and ruminated over his rushed bandaging. He was glad that he gave her something to eat. He wished he had something to eat. He'd lost his things a while back.

Speaking of lost things, he looked around for a desperate minute for a white fluffy coat of fur. His llama, Bay. She was still nowhere to be found, not even among the horses. If he managed to find who took her, they'd be dead....As soon as he found a new machete and goggles, and the most obvious, of course, a new leg.

He looked at his stump, it wasn't so bad, right below the knee. All he'd need is a leg piece to match his height, some springs, and a foot shaped object, some belts to attach it and he'd be standing again in no time. His mother's sister had lost a leg to an infection, and she fought better than some of his brothers did now, so he wasn't so worried about losing the appendage. He was just glad to be living and breathing. Even if he did have a strange burning sensation on his chest, probably a burn from the dragon, or a scratch from it's claws. He wondered if there was a way to incorporate the rock like dragon scales he'd snagged, into his build somewhere.

He noticed a look on Whitnee's face, that didn't sit well with him. "Somethin' the matter?" he asked, but Whitnee asked a barrage of questions in the answer's place, "Oh uhh...I don't think you'd believe me if I did tell ya what happened..." he said firstly, then more questions followed, "Uh...yeah...I can feel it...well...sorta..." he glanced sideways at Willa, "I mean, it's supposed to hurt like hell, but it doesn't....so..." He shrugged it off.

"Prolly just adrenaline..." He said. He was certain that would wear off eventually, which he wasn't wrong. Whatever strong magic that kept him standing and painless right now WOULD wear off, and his leg would feel the pain seven-fold, but right now...he was fine.

"Y'know....maybe we should get you somethin' more substantial, Shiela." He said to Willa as she snacked on the candy, "I could probably sniff ya out some grub." he said and smiled again.

He really shouldn't be sniffing out anything right now.
..

[Lucunda Somina]

Kai Sauveterre

Watching his hands from the corners of her eyes she steadied her own in preperation. She knew that acting defensively wouldn't be well suited in a tavern, even with the amount of drunken people that surrounded them. Her eyes scanned the back of his head, wondering if this man was really using her teacher's name,but she couldn't help the look of shock that fitted over her features as he turned and gazed at her. She took in his features, and her eyes widened, but she calmed her emotions in an instant.
“Not here, no. Not now,”

She smelled the words before she heard them but she did not look away. Coughing her eyes closed but opened to take in his features. No? No what?” Was he not using that name? Her eye brows quirked as he dodged her question but his words did not make sense, but he probably didn't have much left in this inebriated state. No sooner had she thought that she felt his touch, and in that moment she looked up at him and stared fixatedly as the memories came flooding back. She didn't want to believe it, and she did not want to reach out as she stared at his visage. Doubt surfaced as she took in his face but a sickening feeling coursed through her.

Why did she stare in such a stupor? It was only a mere touch, but as that touch turned into more words her eyes shifted from their pure shocked expression and into one of narrowed disgust. “Whatever trickery this is, I demand that it stops. Illusionist or witch, drop your disguise,” his words did not bite her, but made her anger grow and balling up her left fist she readied to punch him but yet the coward ran. Beneath her mauve cloak her hand stayed clenched and she stood there not bothering to look back and closed her eyes. For that moment in her disbelief and confusion she knew, deep down, that it was him. Even with her doubts she had a certantity and she understood the moment he said those words what type of lifestyle he had taken on. He too must have been hunted by them. She had her doubts but she never truly believed that he was dead, and to think that he could so easily think her dead made her furious to the point that beneath her cloak a power built up as she raised her clenched fist.

But before she could curse him out in her native tongue another sound drifted vaguely into her senses and with some effort she realized just what she was doing and came to her senses. She took a deep breath and exhaled, and opening her eyes once more she did not flinch at the familiar leg that presented itself before her. Instead she looked to the glass that quivvered and reaching out from beneath her cloack, grasped it with delicate fingers to stop its quivvering motions.

“Still making men run away from you screaming I see, hmm, Kai?” So he too had wandered into town. How lovely.

“And still spinning your tales I see,” she murmured out and allowed a grin to spread across her lips as she traveled her gaze up his leg and directly to his eyes. She listened to his music as her fingers danced upon the bottle and sliding it down to the bartender she turned around and to face him only to have him facing away.

Rolling her eyes at his introduction she dismissed her previous intentions, and a smile befitting of an exotic dancer spread across her lips as a chuckle escaped them. She could feel their eyes lingering upon her and she would let them size her up, but as her eyes looked upon the crowd they lingered upon the door way and wondered briefly if he would be alright by himself. But that anger grew with in her once more.

“That was quite a scene; I don’t take kindly to people stealing my show.” He never did and she doubted he never would, but it hadn't been her intention to do so. But that wouldn't stop her from teasing him back. A smile so sweet spread across her lips and narrowing her eyes playfully she said, “What show? That little bit of background music?” She rolled her eyes and laughed softly, “I know you could do better than that so I ended it prematurely.”

“But meeting again is a happy coincidence. What brings you to this thriving metropolis?” But her quips died down with that inquiry. Her previous encounters did come to mind but she soon dismissed it and looked unto the bard with a nod of agreement. “It is a pleasant surprise.” Violet eyes went distent and a smile spread across her lips as she whistfilly sighed out, “Me? I grew tired of where I last was and needed a change of scenery.And what festival wouldn't be complete with out my dancing?” She looked onto him as she faced the tavern and taking the mug of beer she cupped her hands around it and traced a finger along the rim of it.

“What of you Ymir? What brings you to Cantarta?” And drumming a beat against the mug she softly begun to hum a song.

☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲
♚𝐋𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: Inn
♘𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐲: Willhelm , Ymir
♚𝐎𝐮𝐭𝐟𝐢𝐭: Dancer,Necklace

☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲☲

[Agent Of Dreams]

Even while sitting on the ground, the world continued to spin slowly around her. She found the sensation very hard to understand, so even as she looked back at Luther, she closed her eyes, hoping that the spinning would stop. It was then that she felt a pair of strong hands take hers, and gently pull her to her feet. She opened her eyes, and looked up at him right as he kissed her knuckles and called her his queen. She giggled, and when her eyes met his, she looked into them. They were very attractive, silver-blue eyes, and for a moment, she found herself lost in them, even though she was clinging tightly to him for support. He was really quite a handsome man, and she thought she was quite lucky to have him here with her. She felt herself blushing deeply, and was quite certain it wasn’t just because of the alcohol. A smile crossed her lips as the gaze deepened, and she felt the overwhelming urge to move her face just a little closer to his, and kiss him.

However, the moment was ruined by a deep voice that interrupted them. The spell was broken, and the world returned back to its spinning self. Inyri opted to bury her face in his chest instead. Whatever had almost happened between them, it was gone. But again, perhaps not completely lost.

Once she realized Luther and this other man were talking, Inyri turned her head against his chest so she could see the new man. She still felt rather weak in the legs, so she was almost completely reliant on Luther holding her up to maintain her upright posture. She squinted at the man, trying to bring her blurry vision into better focus. It wasn’t helping that he kept rocking around. She almost snapped at him to stand still so she could see him, but she bit her tongue. Even though she was drunk, she knew something like that would be incredibly rude. Eventually, after staring at him for quite some time, she managed to bring him into focus. She knew she recognized him from somewhere, but she didn’t immediately remember from where. She crinkled her brow, trying very hard to remember where she had seen him before. And then, suddenly, it clicked, and she smiled at him.

”Oohh, you’re the guy Luther beat in the log tosh.” she interjected into the conversation, her speech slurring at the end. ”My name is Inyri, and this han’some man is Luther” she said, looking back up at Luther, smile on her face once again, chin still against his chest. She hadn’t even really noticed what they had been talking about before. She looked back over at the giant man, the smile still on her face. ”We’re about to go find some food now, though, so good bye.” She looked back at Luther, but instead of smiling at him, a sudden thought made a concerned look appear on her face. Had she just been rude there, not inviting the man along? She had wanted to go with just Luther, but now that the other man was here, it might be rude not to invite him along. She wrapped her arms around Luthers waist, for better support, and looked back at the man.

”Ummm… I mean, you can come along with us if you want.” she looked back up at Luther. ”You wouldn’ min’ that, right?” she asked him.



___________________________________________________________

Location: Log Toss Field
Company: Luther, Mamello
Health: Absolutely drunk

[anais nighteyed]

x

xxxxxxx

xxxxxxxxKemun Eldstra

Kemun’s attention flitted anxiously from her brother-in-law to the now unoccupied wagon. She did not know what to make of this fellow who called himself Vaino. She knew him, but she had not returned his attempt at an embrace. She was relieved when he became distracted with comforting Willa. She wasn’t prepared for this familiar face nor the questions he would undoubtedly bring with him. The folk of the caravan were mostly strangers to her, and that was what she found appealing. She did not want questions. She did not want anything.

The merchant was fatigued from the misadventure that began beneath the great tree they sought shelter under, but that was not why she was fearful of this man. She did hope her lack of warmth in his presence would be dismissed because of these circumstances, but she knew the truth of it. Kemun did not know what she would do if he came to her wishing to speak of things passed. She raked her teeth over her lower lip, and for a moment she leaned against her horse as if suddenly weak.

Hruka barely registered her weight, but he seemed to sense that something was amiss. He shuffled his feet nervously, and she silently patted his side in reassurance. The caravan appeared to be in a state of ordered chaos, and she suspected it would take some effort to put things right again. She left her horse and went briskly to her wagon, ducking inside. Kemun passed her hands over her wares, tidying and straightening. She tucked her wedding portrait beneath her sleeping pallet, and then she withdrew several coins from an earthenware jar. When she reemerged from the dimly lit interior, she locked the door behind her.

Kemun’s gaze remained fixed on the ground when she took her horse by the reins and led him out of camp. She had considered staying to see to the needs of the other caravan folk, but now she was happy to be away from it. This was a much-needed reprieve, this town, and she would not make the mistake of being frugal again. She intended to gather as many provisions as her wagon could hold.

She passed through the town at an unhurried pace, cautiously skirting around clear pools of rainwater with sandaled feet. The wind stirred her hair, and she self-consciously drew the cowl of her cloak over her head. The streets were lively with festivities, and she took in these sights with great curiosity. She was not very familiar with the celebrations of foreign lands. Kemun found her way to the market and began to browse the stalls, eyeing wares appraisingly.

[Watervoir]

xxxx
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
xxx
xxxxCaden AlinarixxxxGuard
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The streets were packed, so Caden didn't make it very far nor get there very fast. Some made way for him because he was armed and looked like he meant business, but there was no way to cut through a slow carriage or struggling horse rider and so he felt like a leaf in still water at some points. It left his senses open to the seduction of the scents and sounds of the festival. Some perfumes here, a fresh sweet smelling juice there. Even when it was not the crowds that stalled him, eager entrepreneurs slowed him down with promises on the integrity and value of their vases, pots, pans, soaps. He caught the eye of a familiar merchant of weaponry, just someone who liked to pass through seedy dens of Dreywood and honest markets of Westerwood castle towns alike, and he gave the man a wave before decidedly making his way to the food stalls. It was certainly a different experience, deciding for himself where to go rather than follow and protect whoever was deciding the route.

It was nice though, and it reminded him of the annual festivals back home in Shahrazad, and less crowded at that. Probably fewer pick-pocketers too.

He grabbed a lamb kabob from a street vendor to snack on while he kept on the lookout for something more substantial but still easier on his stomach. Caden remained slightly on edge throughout the trip. It was a side effect of the bodyguard business. Crowds were the Holy Grail of the desperate, needy, and sometimes just plain vicious. Even if he himself were to lift something valuable from someone, he certainly would choose a crowd such as this one. But it was also a double edged sword, because the mess of bodies made it more difficult to identify just one with his sixth sense. Everyone sort of blurred into one another, and it was not helped by his famished and dulled state. Caden questioned his decision to leave the tavern as hastily as he did. Part of him wanted to go back out looking for Velius ASAP (and be rid of Ronove), but it came with the expense of missing out on a hearty meal at the tavern.

This was why it took him a half second longer to realize and confirm that someone was bolting towards him, and another to fully register who it was. Phedre already jumped him before all that was fully processed.

It led him to smile. "Hey there, that isn't fair. I let you jump me," he countered and released his grip on his dagger. It was ironic, to encounter in the flesh the very person he was being teased about only a quarter of an hour prior. Could Ronove have known that they were fated to meet? Caden's spirits couldn't help but be lifted in Phedre's presence, however. Not only was she formidable and a worthy ally, but she was also a person of pure cheer and joy. It was pleasant to be reunited. He hadn't seen the blond knight ever since their hunting trip in the mountain woods, where they caught a wild boar to roast at Nesa's birthday feast.

He reached his hand to feel at his head. "What's this?" he asked as he investigated Phedre's gift. He managed to trace it around in a circle and identified the bulbous shapes of the flowers. "Did you make this?" he asked, as he removed the flower crown from his head delicately to inspect it. He remembered watching her at the craft once before, except previously the crown was also embellished with feathers and beads. They had a chat, similar to what they were doing right now, only Caden was at better health at the time and had one fewer missing charges. It had been a dainty and festive evening at the time, like it was now.

As Phedre continued her assessment of him, Caden frowned. "I do feel famished," he admitted, and took the proffered bun gratefully and stole a bite. "It's delicious," he commented, although he wasn't sure if it tasted so great because he was so damn hungry or if it was because it was actually well made. Perhaps a bit of both. As Phedre led him to her camp out, his earlier question about the flower crown had become more or less answered. He looked at the remains of her crafting materials with interest. "Taking a break?" he asked her casually, before another thought surfaced. "Did you find the Caravan, by the way? It's stopped farther out in the city..." He thought perhaps she might have wanted to know where the caravan was, not having realized that she came from there. It had been a long time since he had seen her there. He wondered briefly on where she had went, but he didn't want to come off as interrogating to the woman.

"...Oh and... Nice outfit." In fact, Caden might not have recognized Phedre at all in her new apparel at first if he could not identify her by her presence. "Is it something of your culture? How many weapons do you have hidden under there?" he joked, gesturing at her robes. It was so easy to be casual around Phedre.

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