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A small smile lit Manga's face. "Tkal would say you're interesting and insist on watching you craft things until he lost interest." She ate some more before continuing. "Blacksmithing... a useful skill. Unfortunately, that is not one I have. I was never much good with metal or wood." She was alright with clay or stone, but that was only for art.

"Draw, paint, cook, haggle... I can do a bit of sculpture, but I am not as experienced at it..." Manga thought for a few moments before adding, "Not being found when I don't want to be."

Manga heard Sebastian, but didn't comment. She nodded to Aila's question. "Much better, thank you." She glanced towards the window, thoughtful. "... It's been a long time since I've been on a farm. I'd forgotten how peaceful it is." She was much more used to the cities and villages.

Manga woke with a start as she had for several days, sweat dripping from her hair. Sighing, she got dressed and fixed the mask on her face, throwing her long coat over shoulders. As she stepped out onto the porch, the sound of yelling reached her ears. She frowned, turning her attention to the front gate. "... Did you hear that?" This wasn't just a phantom sound from her dream, was it?

Manga frowned, but not because of the nickname. She could've sworn... She stepped off the porch and took a few steps towards the gate when two small figures ran through it. She didn't say a word to Sebastian; she took off towards the pair. As she got closer, she confirmed what her eyes had originally concluded: they were children. Two Skh'et girls. As one tripped and dragged the other down with her, the artist rushed forward and caught them. "Are you alright?"

Emmalyn looked up at the masked woman, then over her shoulder at the horsemen on the horizon. She frantically tugged on her twin's sleeve. The men were going to catch them!

Tkal had just pulled back his hair to put it up when someone walked in. When he looked over, his eyes widened and he dropped the handful of hair. In a flash, he was standing on the far side of the table he'd previously been laid on, teal locks once again free and giving him a wild look. His eyes were almost hidden by the long bangs, and the bandages that hid his wounds were visible. "You're..." It had been almost two decades, but he remembered that face--and all of the other faces that had accompanied him on that first airship ride. His hand had automatically went to cover the exposed slave brand on his shoulder, though he couldn't hide the extensive network of scars covering his body. Why was he here? Why was there someone from his bloody past here?

Manga sighed. "You're really going to fight them with that?" Well, to each their own. She pulled off her mask and shoved it into Sebastian's free hand. "You'll want that. I'll be back." Manga then ushered the girls inside.

Tkal rolled his eyes. "I'm no dog--" He was cut off by the artist and the two girls she'd herded inside. "Help them." He sighed, scratching his head. "But it's unfun." The halfling almost instantly regretted speaking, as the unmasked information broker was staring at him with that look of hers. "Slavers never are. Please help them." He sighed and nodded, trotting out at a more casual pace at first. But the closer he got to his allies, the faster he became. By the time he reached them, the horsemen were in range. Tkal launched himself into the air, a kick landing squarely on a target as he descended. He jumped from the saddle he landed on and leapt at another attacker.

When Tkal left, Manga turned her attention to the two girls. "Are you two alright?" she asked gently.

Emmalyn wordlessly nodded, clutching her sister as she stared up at this strange woman. "What are your names?" She hesitated before squeaking out a reply. "Emmalyn... and Madilyn... Leowes." She cringed when the woman's expression changed. But then the woman smiled. "It's nice to meet you both. I'm Manga. The man with the red hair you passed is named Sebastian Leowes. Do you know him?" A shake of the head. "That's alright. You're much younger than he is." She smiled at them. "It's going to be alright. No one's going to hurt you here." A sound caused her to frown, though. She wordlessly pointed towards the table, and Emmalyn caught the hint. She scurried underneath it with her twin, huddled there with Maddie. Manga got to her feet, searching her surroundings. Had someone gotten past Tkal and the others, or was it just Aila?

Tkal spun around and looked like he was going to attack Sebastian too, but froze, his eyes locked on the mask. He forced himself to calm and take a look at his surroundings. "1, 2... 3, 4..." He frowned. "Wasn't there a fifth?" He scratched his head, turning to Sebastian. "Does the house have a back door?"