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.

[Watervoir]

Ѵeȴɩus Kɩɾʈɑ
ɳoble

Medayo's words tugged at a corner of his interest. He paused, giving her a sideways glance whose meaning blurred between fascination and pride. She was a true servant indeed. His mind wandered over to what the others might have thought about their exchange but it did not dwell on it. He knew very well that Medayo would give everything and anything for him. Was he grateful for it? Perhaps, but all in all he saw it more as a right than a privilege. In other words, it was only expected for an Alinari to serve him. Even Medayo's loyalty, much greater than that of any other member of her family, was destined, even if he had once upon a time made a few small leaps to win her trust. It was all very much a game for him too, and in his view, Caden and Medayo consisted a winning hand.

It was a shame though that one of his cards was not in his current disposal. It certainly would have offered him a stronger sense of security had Caden been around. The tanned woman's heated glares in his direction did seem to drive up the temperature in his area a few degrees, but then again, it only made him feel more at home. He gave her question a brief consideration accompanied by a glance to direction the lightning had struck, before pitching in after Nesa. "It's as ordinary as seeing someone like you or me around these parts." The question to the woman's origins was just barely there, although he already believed he had the answer. The corner of his lips perked in a small smirk, he quirked his head at her, half in query of her attitude. Nesa was right that there was no way he could refuse entertaining the little bundle of rage before him. This woman was barely contained like a hot kettle. It was a sight to behold, and he could only guess at what drove the woman's sour disposition.

It was then that a strange feeling sunk into his feet and being. His legs felt lighter. A soft wind picked at some strands of his hair. His eyes widened but before his mind could formulate any response to the event, he was in the air. His movements were no longer his to command, and he was at a temporary loss as to what to think. However, he soon accepted this twist of fate with a teaspoon of scepticism that it was really happening and a tablespoon of wonder at where the journey would take him.

The scene at Cliffrock barely gave him pause, but his stomach tugged at him at the glimpse of Northenwood, childish memories from long ago bubbling to the forefront of his mind. The feeling soon passed once he was again whisked away. Over cold plains and towards mountain ranges he never thought before to have existed. The cityscape was gone in a flash, and he truly wished they could have dwelled there for a moment longer. When they were approaching the dark skinned boy, he threw up his arms to shield his eyes from the gold glare, and just when he thought he was as good as a pancake, he was on solid ground again. He didn't even have to drop his arms; it seemed they had never left his side.

He blinked, giving his senses a quiet moment to sink back into reality. His attention was then hastily grabbed by an invisible force. It was like the biggest craving he ever had, and he couldn't deny that he'd had many. Once again, the moment escaped him, and at last it felt as though he had been returned full control of himself. As a precautionary check, he reached a hand forward and gave it a few flexes, and moved his toes from within his boots. It seemed his body was in working order.

He looked up when Willa announced her leave. He almost forgot that he was not alone. "There she goes too. And I was only about to ask her for another demonstration too. I miss the days when people can't leave without my say." This demonstration, in fact, was a request for another view of the spring. He was inclined to believe that seeing it's going ons might somehow shed some light on the situation. If the lightning had been any indication, the area of focus was definitely not at the caravan.

He turned his crimson eyes towards the newcomers and smiled in the way of a gracious host. "Ah, and before you ask, no that vision is not an ordinary occurrence. So what brings you to this neck of the woods? And we're having a party later tonight, by the by. Perhaps you would be interested in partaking in the festivities?"

[Leelee_Mraz]

Willa Odette Wilafax

"I am not fat!"

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

Willa wobbled slightly . The connection to the water had held so much of her focus. She currently felt horrible. She held her head and was considering wondering back to her empty wagon, when a great wind seemed to have swept her up and away. As she seemed to fly high above the caravan and what she thought must be the world, she wondered if she had passed out and if this were just a dream. She shivered as her eyes befell a terrain unlike anything that she had ever seen. It was an icy land in blues and whites. It was beautiful and made even more beautiful by the boy that seemed to greet them there.

Willa was terribly confused by the whole thing, even more so when she was suddenly back at the caravan. She looked around at the others. This couldn’t be a dream. WIlla never had people join her in her dreams. The pregnant woman could not seem to get her bearing back. She was suddenly overcome by nausea and a cramping in her stomach and despite being back on solid ground, everything was still moving. Willa managed to make it over to a small patch of bushes before vomiting heavily on the ground. She groaned. She did feel slightly better, even if the world for Willa was still spinning.

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

[Leelee_Mraz]

Whitnee did not break stride until he was back at the caravan. Upon his arrival, he took a brief pause to locate his wagon, having lost his bearing in the mystical encounter. During his pause he looked over, noticing the group that had formerly been gathering around the bucket. It was then he noticed that tight in his fist he still held the key that lived around his neck. He stuffed the key back in his shirt and headed to his wagon with a huff.


He went inside and instantly began to search for his bottle of brandy. He groaned when he discovered it, empty. He didn't bother to look for another. He knew for a fact that he was out. This was a testimate to exactly how drunk he had been the night before. Generally even at his most inebriated he could properly ration his liquor. The doctor plopped down on his bed face first and grumpily closed his eyes. He felt raw and exposed and he hated it. Every single second of it. He glared at the empty bottle, kicking it lazily, watching it roll away out of the corner of his eye.

[Sypher-Anthem]

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX╔═══════════════════╗
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXE l i j a h X A u r e l i s
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX╚═══════════════════╝

Why don't you let me Be
Leave me Alone
You start a fire Inside
That I could never Control
You wanna see a Reaction?

Elijah would only lock eyes with the shopkeeper for a moment before she started out through the maze of stopped caravans. Nasrin who would exit right after seemed to finally be worried about something mutually unusual, storm-less lightning strikes. When she asked him again had he seen exactly what came down, it reminded him of his youth as a farmer when approaching lightning strikes in the distance was a sign of rain and thus welcomed, now it was just another concern to take into account. He would would nod sincerely in agreement to quitting the area completely if this was something of natural occurrence. With all the greenery that existed around in certain areas you would think as they traveled they would have noticed evidence of lightning strikes before, but this was a first. Following after his companion in pursuit of the merchant the two would come across a small camp fire group and the elusive caravan clerk.

"Meddie!" The male would greet the gypsy like women with what he could only assume was a nickname. Elijah could take from this that at the very least she was closer to him then to the other two females who were in their company. "You've made friends!...It's certainly something new but it would appear that it has yet to kill anyone. Perhaps its purpose is to herald visitors," He would finish as he turned his attention to them. 'Doubtful. Maybe its whenever anyone new comes into contact with this group that random bolts find themselves careening towards the ground.' Elijah thought as he shifted his weight back and rested his right hand on the hilt of his sword at his waist. Not for it to be taken as a threat but an unconscious habit of the green eyed male when with unfamiliar company. Glancing over at Nasrin to see visually what she took of their new troop but what he saw unnerved him. While she was usually straightforward she did make an effort to seem as casual or normal with others as possible so that tensions didn't rise, but in that instant she had let it all show. She could dislike others as she had while in there very own group with Maria, but the look she was giving the red eyed male of this group was of disgust and discontent at his very being. Wasting no time Elijah shifted his eyes back to see who else had caught on to her lapse in character and while no one brought it up right away it was clear that since there eyes never left the two that they'd more than likely seen it.

“Pray tell, was that lightning an ordinary occurrence?” Nasrin would speak up. Elijah though glanced back over to Nasrin only to see that her expression was that of inquisition again. That was how he expected it to be from the start but something about the male in front of them now was enough to flare Nasrin's anger in an instant, not that it was something he could look into now but he would ask of its origins later.

“Not that we know of. We've been in this area for a while and this is the first we have seen of it.” A girl further behind the first male spoke. She had brown hair and from her way of speaking didn't seem as eccentric as the male of her party. It was good to know that it was not a common thing as they had first thought, but ominous that it happened just as they were arriving. Meddie, as the red eyed male named her, was quick to disassociate herself from Nasrin and himself, not that he blamed her. She as well as the others had no clue what their intentions were and even if it meant coming off as rude it was smart to air on the side of caution. The male would also make a comment on the regularity of that type of even and in it hint that his and Nasrin's origins weren't that far apart. 'Is that why she was so turned up when she got a good look at this guy? It doesn't seem like she knows him directly but still its obvious now that its related to where ever they're from.

Before the male could speak up though as to another reason for the phenomenon or maybe if anyone had been closer to it, he would feel a light breeze from no particular direction, but from right underneath him. The gust would pick up just as a sense of weightlessness would strike the green eyed raider and in a moment he found himself miles about the mountainous terrain they'd been traversing days before. The scenes that flashed before him as he sailed at the winds whim, were vivid and left him thinking that these were places he'd either been or was destined to go at some point. That was when The scene would carry him through the streets of a market somewhere up north where it seemed the people were less concerned with war and more so with warmth. Another change would have him moving through a royal hall and atop what he could only assume was the throne was a young man, not even old enough to be away from his parents. He seemed broken down or at the very least burdened by the responsibilities of his new station. Though it seemed much longer than it actually was, Elijah was soon back in control of him self, his body back in his position before his mind left on that journey. Still though it was like stranger and stranger things were happening the longer he found himself wandering these foreign lands.

"There she goes too. And I was only about to ask her for another demonstration too. I miss the days when people can't leave without my say.The male would say as one of the girls, apparently sick from the vision that had been shown to all of them, made for a place to rest. Elijah also made note of the way he worded it as a possible hint to the males position among the caravan goers."Ah, and before you ask, no that vision is not an ordinary occurrence. So what brings you to this neck of the woods? And we're having a party later tonight, by the way. Perhaps you would be interested in partaking in the festivities?"

"Simple travelers is all. We thought to hunt up a meal before finding a suitable place for camp when we stumbled upon this line caravans. Never thought I'd see so many people up in this area, let alone carriages on this terrain. As for the party...If its okay with my companion here I wouldn't mind showing up, if at the very least to look at and trade wares." Elijah would speak up to his questions. He would also try and simplify the way he spoke as to seem more folk'like just like the traveling parties he preyed upon. Not that he was educated by any means but he was from further south and while it was still present in his voice he didn't want it to seem like he had to much to sense. People seemed to relax more around people they think they can take advantage of, or so he noticed.


Location:The caravan clearing
Mood: What are we walking in to now?
Company:Nasrin, Medayo, Velius, Nesa



╠ ◘ ✠ ◘ ╣"Good people only exist in times of peace. In times of chaos, there is no good or evil; Just survival."╠ ◘ ✠ ◘ ╣



Come on and cut me Down
You've gone as far as I'll Go
Now you're crossing the Line
And I am letting you Know
Well here's your Reaction!

[anais nighteyed]

x

artwork by Midori Foo, from Book of Picturesxxx

xxxxxxxxＮａｓｒｉｎ Ａｉｄｚｉａｍ

She waited for the man to provide her with an answer, her eyes fixed intently on his face. To her he was merely a snake coiled in the grass and she scrutinized him accordingly, trying to decipher what sort of person he was. She had her suspicions. The filth of that place clung to him like a soot smudge, just as it clung to her. That city left marks on all it touched. As for her taint, it was not so evident. It was not as plain as this man’s features, but she would never be rid of it. Nothing could cleanse her.

The answer to her question first came from a girl in their company. Nasrin was taken off guard. For a moment her encounter with the Shahrazadian had made her forget those around them, but the girl’s voice pulled Nasrin from her reverie. Her focus strayed from the fellow, and she glanced reluctantly at the others gathered near the fire. It didn’t go beyond her notice that a woman among them was heavy with child; she looked distressed. Nasrin promptly averted her gaze, somewhat disturbed by the sight. She sighed through her nose.

When the man did speak, his words aroused interest. Her eyes gleamed with mirth in a way that suggested she found his answer to be humorous. He was a cunning one, she wouldn’t deny that. As he smirked at her she thought he seemed very sure of himself, and she began to feel a flicker of dislike. Nasrin, in turn, offered a tight smile. He knew she was a stranger to these lands, but what more did he know? Her expression was bordering on amiable as she silently dared him to acknowledge her identity aloud for all these people to hear. She half-wanted him to know her face, to give her ample reason to cut his throat. But if she acted rash, she knew it would inevitably come with consequences. Everything came with a price. Then again, he couldn’t be blamed for the trespasses of his people.

As she considered this, a strange sensation began to envelope her like a cloak. Her skin prickled, and she could only describe it as a feeling of lightness. When she was overcome, she looked down to find she was drifting away from the ground. Then she was spirited away by the wind as if she was nothing more than a scrap of cloth. Distant landscapes appeared before them, one after another. She glimpsed white lands and great forests that she could only assume were encrusted with ice. Snow was still a great mystery to her. She had never seen it with her own eyes, and she could only picture it with what she gathered from the mouths of others. It did not sound pleasant.

As these scenes appeared before them, Nasrin did not understand what she was seeing. It was oddly vivid for a dream and she suspected there was some sort of intent behind the visions, but it was all very likely that there was a less than otherworldly explanation. Either she was seeing a trick of the light, or she had finally gone well and truly mad. They drifted through a city of ice before they were taken through and window and eventually into a chamber, where a boy met them. They came startlingly close to him before Nasrin suddenly found she could hear the hearty crackling of the fire again.

The dream had come to an abrupt end. She wavered unsteadily on her feet, teetering before falling on her backside. Her forehead crinkled in confusion as she became aware of an inexplicable need. “What devilry was that?” The Shahrahzadian man was quick to confirm that such an thing was anything but ordinary, and in the same breath he extended an invitation to some event planned later that day. “Hunting,” she answered plainly, to answer his question. Then she eyed him, puzzled by his sudden hospitality. She could only guess at what motivated him. Perhaps it was the bounty on her head. As Elijah offered an explanation for their presence in the woods, she stole a second glance at the pregnant woman. She was retching in the brush. “I might,” Nasrin conceded, rising to her feet. “What do you call this gathering of wagons? Has it always attracted the extraordinary?”

[artfreek]

~~~~Nesa Cormec~~~~


Nesa turned to Willa when she said she heard her talk about Oliver. She was curious at how this worked. She took a few steps and looked into the bucket. She watched as the the figure form and glanced back to the woods. Could she get to him if he needed it? She looked back at the bucket, her body tensing. She glanced at Willa as she grew anxious. The picture was blurring then the connection was broken. Nesa glanced up at Velius then quickly back at Willa as she sat and then stood again. Her hands hovered next to the pregnant woman not sure if she should help.

She was about to steady her When she suddenly became light. She began floating and glanced down to make sure was wasn't leaving her body again, but she didn't see it below her. Then she was moving across lands to somewhere cold then a castle. There was a boy there. His eyes were heavy with sadness and Nesa's heart constricted at the sight. She reached out to give comfort as she fell into his eyes. Then they were back at the caravan and Nesa longed to be in the land of ice instead.

Then the feeling faded. Her concern turned to Willa as she moved to the bushes. She held the poor girl's hair as she heaved into the grass. She listened to Velius, slightly surprised at his invitation to the newcomers. Then she held back a snort as Nasrin talked about attracting the extraordinary. They seemed to be very skilled in that area.

Nesa turned her attention back to Willa. She letting go of the girl's hair when she finished. “Better?” She asked resisting the instinct to rub her back. “Would you light some water or something?” She said crouching by Willa.

[Watervoir]

xxxx
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
xxx
xxxxCaden AlinarixxxxGuard
______________________________________________________________


While the supernatural exchange continued, Caden had remained where he was, and tracking in his mind the changes in presences within the area. He was caught off guard by the feeling of something reaching out towards the two women, and then towards Oliver. It was too strange, not to mention a little self-deflating as it would seem he was not the only one to be able to reach out with magic. But it did nothing to stopper the alarms in his mind. He needed to move, to get away from this abnormal force, but the threat of being discovered kept him rooted in place. Perhaps this thing was searching with his eyes and not something completely magical.

He was soon proven to be wrong. He felt it coming at him like a probe. Suddenly, it was beside him, and giving him a tap on the shoulder. Immediately, he rolled to the side. It was in that moment that he heard and felt a force that had been hurled in his direction. The smell of smoke became thick in the air and was a severe warning.

Caden remained put, holding still to try and catch the woman's words in between the ringing in his ears. He was ready to step out, but then new voices joined the fray. It was so that he remained in the shadows, only daring to move to change his position once again by creeping around the clearing in the direction where he came from. He once he was halfway back to Aiden and Rachelle. He kept on his toes in anticipation of another probe or fireball heading in his direction, and keeping an ear open for the conversation between those by the spring.

"Hold it righ'-"

He stopped, his face a contortion between surprise and disgust. But he was distracted when he felt the probing magic coming at him again, however even with the quickest of reflexes there was no time to fight or escape. There was no hiding his startle as he was whisked away. The Cliffrock outback and the Northenwood forests struck a familiar cord, but the ice beyond was a foreign sight. His brows knitted together and he concerned himself more with the type of magic at work than the passing scenery. It was definitely unlike anything he had ever seen before, but it wasn't to say it felt particularly powerful. No. What he would compare it to would be the aged oil paintings that hung on the walls of the Kirta household, the portraits that were faded slightly but whose faces still held their piercing gazes. This magic was very focused and particular in its objective.

He awoke. In the silence and tugging feeling that followed, he thought upon what he saw. It wanted to lead them to a place, Pilantos, a land of bare ice and cold. A place he never thought he'd see, because no one he'd serve would ever go to a place would nothing in it. It suited Caden just fine though; it was hard enough to get him to grind his teeth together and step foot in the freezing cold of Northenwood.

But now there was reason to go, this unyielding need that his senses told him the others felt with him. Were they to go there and burn in the fire along with the boy? Caden didn't like the feeling of this.

It was then he remembered Aiden, and his heroic and in his opinion reckless attempt at distraction. When he directed his attention at the man, he found him on the floor. Not good.

He decided to step out of the clearing, entering in a similar fashion as Kemun had. He took in everyone's faces before speaking. "Hey," he greeted the merchant woman. "What are you doing way out here? Looking for Phedre?" It crossed his mind that Phedre was the recruiter for the hunt earlier that day, and he didn't exclude the possibility that she could have convinced Kemun to join the cause.

He then turned his eyes to Oliver. "I've been looking for you. Who are your friends?" He the looked at the woman who had fired the fireball, before shifting his gaze to fall on the other woman. The first woman was not just a weed in his mind, but she was also a monster in appearance. From his brief glance he almost mistook her for a Northenwood native, but her ears were a clear contradiction. He was wide open and in the danger zone now. He'd have to be on his toes for any magic but... She couldn't dare blast him out of nowhere with so many strangers in the clearing to watch her do so, right?

"And... What's up with him?" he asked next as he set his eyes on Aiden, the look in his eyes foreign, as though he didn't already know him.

______________________________________________________________
x x

[Dayum We Roll Hard]

___________________________________________________________
_____________________________
_______


Chapter 9: A Birthday To Remember

The message from the spring's inhabitants brought a heavy weight to their hearts, but it did nothing to hamper the spirit of these brave men and women. The newcomers from the spring were brought to the caravan and briefly introduced to the remainder of the party before the hunting party fled once more into the forests, hungry for better success this time around.

It would be granted to them. This time, there were no more lightning strikes, no more unexplained visions or desires. They hunted in peace, and where there was peace, there was unsuspecting prey.

Eggs, berries, rabbit, and deer were gathered. Those by the campfire attended to a roasting boar, courtesy of Phedre and Caden, while others prepared soups and other dishes, many of them Aiden's creations. Lanterns now hung on sticks stuck into the soil to mark out a makeshift stage, and wagons and horses were relocated to form a larger area adequate for dancing, in preparation for highlights of the night's celebrations: a talent show and a dance session.

The sun was now grazing on the peaks of strong pines. A splash of pink and gold painted the skies. It was a sign, a gateway of sorts to the glorious night to come. Food abounded and the activities were arranged. It was so that finally, Nesa's party would begin.


<<TIMESKIP TO NIGHTFALL>>

[Leelee_Mraz]

Willa Odette Wilafax

"I am not fat!"

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

The hues of dusk cast lightly over a pair of wide eyes as she peeked around the corner of a wagon at the set up for the festivities. She had never been to a party before. She really didn't intend to go. Willa felt out of her league with these people. She had nothing to wear to a party, she wasn’t even sure what to wear to a party. It wouldn’t make much difference if she did. She only had the one dress she wore and it was in great need of washing and rumpled from the deep nap she had taken after Nesa settled her down in her wagon. Nesa was really kind. Willa thought that she liked her quite a bit. The woman looked down at her stomach as it began growl. She was smelling things that not only could she not identify, but nor could she locate. it smelled wonderful and her mouth was watering.

She peered further and wondered briefly what in the world those little light were for. She whined slightly as her stomach gave her a loud gurggle. “ Stop it.” She fussed at her belly. The baby shifted again inside of her. A soft tickling from within. Her heartbeat picked up too. “ You too.” She said softly, putting a hesitant hand on her belly. Touching it felt so strange. She couldn't understand how it had gotten there. But it was there now. She wondered was it was doing in there. Willa pondered for a moment and then dropped her hands and continued to peek timidly at the party.

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

[ChinchiIIin]

Dae'elis Baequirretyn

Dae sighed a bit as she readied herself to leave the wagon she had been taken to rest in earlier. Her mind trailed back over what had happened earlier and she frowned some. She was very careful in her use of magic, so why had her chest tightened so painfully to the point where she could not stand on her own? She was experienced enough at her age to know when she had to use magic and when she was using too much. It was a delicate balance that had taken her years to master. So why had an attack occurred despite her being well within the safety zone?

The only thing she could come up with was the beings and the vision they had caused. No sooner had it ended did the pain begin, ending her spell as the fires around her puffed out. She had been forced to a knee by it so caught off guard was she. She lifted a hand to her chest again, just as she had at the spring, remembering the pain of it well enough. Those beings in the mist... she frowned, her hand dropping to her side again. Her curiosity on what they might be had been overshadowed by her attack and the hurried escort back to the caravan.

Dae blinked a bit as she recalled the ones who had helped her, in particular the man with the scar. Though he himself had experienced some sort of negative side effect to the vision, he had also managed to get himself together enough to come over and help her back to safety where she could recover, though not before expressing his curiosity as to how she was able to use magic. If only he knew it was one of the few requests she could not bring herself to deny. Magic was at the very core of her being and the center of everything she did. All her life she had submersed herself in learning and mastering her art and she couldn't help but feel flattered when someone was curious to learn of it; though curiosity to learn anything was a noble thing in her opinion as she herself was on a quest for more knowledge outside of what her own elders could teach her.

And so, after reminding herself of the man's name and ensuring she was once again presentable, Dae lifted her staff from the wall of the wagon and moved to exit. Her footsteps were soft in the grass as she stepped down and out into the evening air. She had to pause and take in the sight of this most unusual caravan. Nearly all of the wagons were of a lovely blue color, and others were already seemingly turning blue over time. Such a strange thing had to be caused by some sort of spell; something she would be certain to look into were she allowed to stay. After the brief pause, she began to slowly make her way towards where the apparent festivities were beginning. The lack of any known religious holiday led the elf to believe it to be a birthday or anniversary celebration. Seeing as both were a more private matter, she kept to the edges of those present, merely observing as her eyes searched for Aiden among those present.

[WanderingMercenary]

---------------
Oliver Mendel
Merchant
---------------

When the hunting group returned to the caravan, Oliver retreated to his cart. He hadn't dared to blow the horn, for fear of what may come of it. He had had enough of the supernatural for one day, and Nesa's party was that night, and he didn't want to be the one to spoil it. So, he put it in his cart udnerneath some blankets for safe-keeping.

"Well, boy, you missed out on quite the day," Oliver said as he groomed his horse. He took his time, making sure to get every bit of the horses coat. It always reminded him of his younger days on his parents farm. Whenever anything stressful happened, he could always be found out in the stables, tending to animals.

As Oliver was putting the brush away, he stopped and looked at his cart. It seemed to be a different color than it was last week. More blue than the familiar faded brown of the old wood. When did that happen? he thought. He looked around at the other carts, and noticed that the newer additions to the caravan were slowly changing to the same blue as his. "That's certainly odd," he muttered, turning back to his cart. He pulled out his coat, and walked towards the stage.

"Evening Willa," he said, noticing the woman lingering. He took a deep breath, taking in the variety of aromas of dinner. "Smells like we're going to have quite the feast, don't you think so? Do you know what you're doing for the talent show?"

[Leelee_Mraz]

Willa Odette Wilafax

"I am not fat!"

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

Willa jumped and turned as the merchant greeted her. She blushed, her tummy bumping him as she turned to look at his face. She took a couple of steps backward and looked at him, then awkwardly on the ground. She nodded at his statement, the thought of it making her mouth water. “ It smells real good. “ She said looking toward the area for the party. She looked down at her hand and played with her fingers.

His next question confused her. She thought for a moment to see if she could figure it out and then meekly asked. “ W...what’s a talent show?” She said once again peeking toward the stage. She wasn’t planning on getting any closer. She wondered what the party was going to look like and hoped that she could see most of it from there. She was sure that she wasn’t invited. Her stomach gave a large growl. She awkwardly turned away from Oliver, as if blaming the sound on someone else.

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

[Watervoir]

Ѵeȴɩus Kɩɾʈɑ
ɳoble

It surprised Velius when Caden (and co.) had brought home new faces. He hadn't expected there to be more newcomers after the Thabufir woman and her escort, especially this far removed from civilization. The arrival of all the newcomers thrilled the noble greatly, so much so that he had to cancel his retreat to brush up on his swordsmanship to catch up with Caden instead about everything that had happened.

"Velius, you'll want to hear about this." It was not a difficult task getting Caden to tell him things; his guard was often eager enough and had the talents to ensure their privacy. The efficiency of their meetings was well-practiced. Within an hour, the noble had a very full picture of what had happened since parting ways with his personal bodyguard that morning. In return, his guard had all he needed to know about Velius's side of new people and magical findings, the latter of which was in other words primarily tidbits about the two women with water-based powers.

He passed the next few hours in utter boredom. Medayo had insisted on looking at his wound, slathering a magical cream of some sort, and replacing the dressing. He was sure his wound felt more tingly by the end of it than before, but he had to admit that the scent of the cream was refreshing. For something that he was sure could be smelled from a mile away, apple was a better choice than most anything else he could think of.

The downtime though was opportunity to think. But no matter where his thoughts were to wander, his mind would eventually gravitate back towards the visitors he'd encountered. "This majestic convoy has a long legacy," he remembered telling the woman with the tanned skin. "Its name doesn't do it justice, as simple as it is. Have you ever heard of the Blue Caravan?"

She was a different type of desert breed, evident by her golden hair, but nonetheless pleasing on the eyes. Velius had travelled Albrind afar but not locally, so he wasn't able to discern much from her appearance other than that her hair pinned her as a creature that was unlikely to be native to his city itself. Being a certain type of half-breed himself, to him, this woman was more exotic than Kemun.

His attention was not one-tracked however. As he idled about, seated at the steps of a parked wagon, his eyes followed the movement of someone he had yet to make acquaintance. He'd heard a lot about her, enough to recognize her on sight, which was not a difficult task to begin with. She ramped the allure of Northenwoodians up to ten with her ears sharp as knives. He was sure slavers would be all over her if she was not so adept with her magic.

"It's unusual to see a Northenwoodian princess leave her forest," he remarked when she came within earshot. The delivery did not make it sound like he was ready to be proven wrong, but the humour in his eyes let slip the fact that he didn't honestly believe she was from that area, and only said what he did to see her reaction.

[anais nighteyed]

x

artwork by Rain, from Midnight Inks Illustrationsxxx

xxxxxxxxＫｅｍｕｎ Ｅｌｄｓｔｒａ

When the hunting party resumed its search for sustenance, Kemun made the decision to accompany them. Her mind was far away, drifting back to the strange events that had transpired at the spring. The visions had been a shared experience but that did little to help her understand them. She often drew them back into her thoughts, trying to find answers among the sights she remembered. The face of the boy in the great hall troubled her yet. Unease gripped her. She was distracted, but she did lend her knowledge of foraging and tracking to aid the hunting party’s efforts. The excursion went without incident.

When they returned to the camp with a proud bounty from the forest she took part in the preparations for the later festivities, assisting with lighting the lanterns that were assembled around the stage area. After moving her horse and wagon she went to her fire and quickly tended to what work was left. After finishing Nesa’s gloves, she saw to the furs Oliver had given to her earlier in the day. She crafted a makeshift drying rack with wood gathered during the hunting excursion. Then she threaded twine through the edges of each pelt and strung them up, gingerly scraping the undersides with her knife.

Kemun was relieved when a newcomer to the caravan took on the task of preparing dishes for the birthday meal. She trusted that every appetite would be satisfied even if her soup ran out, and she added a few more spices to the pot before she decided she was satisfied with her handiwork. With that responsibility out of her hands, she retreated to her wagon to wait for the festivities to begin. She wrapped the gloves in a length of green cloth and tucked them away.

When daylight began to fade, she brought out her lantern and settled on the back steps of her wagon. She reached inside, pinching the wick between her fingers, and when it was lit she placed it beside her. Kemun watched as dusk began to descend. She reflected on the day’s events, feeling without purpose as the sky was stained by the sunset. In her hands was another object from the depths of her wagon. It was a flute carved from a faintly scented dark wood. Holding it brought her comfort, and she traced its contours with her fingers.

“If only you were here.” The merchant spoke into the quiet night, as if hoping her voice would draw someone into the glow of her lantern. “Your wagon is turning blue, the color of change. It is fitting. I cannot think it is coincidence,” she admitted. Kemun paused, as if waiting for a response. Then she looked down at the flute, studying it as she turned it over in her hands. Her eyes stung. “I am going to that place… but I fear it. I truly fear it. I am lost.”