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Fantasy A World Untamed

Chickadee shivered as the cold burst of wind flooded them. Sure, it got cold where she lived, but this was a bit excessive. She wrapped her arms around herself and unconsciously began to slow down. Chickadee watched as one of the twins raced off after the mean lady then looked at the other one when he addressed her.


She frowned more deeply than she thought she ever had as the realization dawned on her that he was right. But...she still did not like that the woman might just keep pointing out that she was useless and a burden. It sounded like what her parents said whenever she did not do something exactly the way they wanted her to. This was a different situation though, wasn't it.


Chickadee was about to speak when the man decided to prove his point she guessed ran off into the trees. The girl stopped in her tracks and hugged herself even tighter.
 
A Questionably Clean 'Healer' Hut- Jenna the Blushing Heroine


Jenna didn't mean to look at Seurn and Ludovic again as they spoke, but she couldn't help herself. It was a natural reaction to do so overpowered her nerves. What a mistake! The former was in such close proximity on the bed that a simple glance made her mind panic and race into various directions of girlish imagination. Even as injured as he was, his musculature and golden hair was like that out of a fairy tale. Had she ever been quite so close to anyone nearing his age and attractiveness? No. Ludovic was just as perplexing but in an entirely different manner; his muscles bulged and rippled with each movement and the bare chest made a chaste glance still delve into fantastical thoughts. Guardians! No wonder all her tales had the princesses bashful and hesitant to speak! Her cheeks remained a vibrant shade of scarlet that refused to fade despite considerable effort to suppress her hormones and glee.


It was damn near impossible to focus on their queries, but she finally managed to do so. There was some comfort to be taken in that she had a fur covering her torso and that neither asked any personal questions. "No no, don't be silly," she finally started, not realizing she was calling one of her two protectors daft unintentionally, "of course earth is also called earth. We call the entire planet Earth. The continent we lived on- the land surrounded by water- is called North America. Earth has several continents. I lived in a country called The United States of America. It's... a long way from here, I imagine." Her exuberant tone slowly faded over the course of her few sentences. Elation at being tossed into a story she dreamed of all her life was dampened by realizations. Her friends were nowhere to be found and could either be left behind or, should the story run more true, be tossed to the corners of this new land and out of her reach. If time had not paused in their world the Anderson family would be absolutely besides themselves with grief. Their eldest daughter had just been consumed by a storm and lost, had she not? Would they report her missing or simply presume her dead? What would her siblings do in her absence? Would this single cataclysmic event ruin the lives of her relatives as they struggled to cope with the loss? Even if she wished to, would it ever be possible to go back?


"I have parents," she stated simply with moisture slowly accumulating at the edges of her eyes. "I have a younger brother and sister too. I was at a friend's party- my first real party ever- and a storm struck the building. It ripped off the roof and my friends and I..." She couldn't blame them for what they asked. It was only natural to try to determine where this foreigner came from. Perhaps they silently questioned her intentions and motives as well (that did happen in books). The vivid recollection of her peers being tossed around in the sky like rag dolls, of screaming and flying debris, of watching helplessly as they were knocked unconscious and ripped away... a few tears finally appeared but Jenna quickly brushed them away. It was not pride that made her gather together herself but misplaced practicality. She had been brought here for a reason- all this duress and sacrifice had to be because she had an important part to play in this new realm.


"This land I'm in now- what's it called? I must have been brought here for a reason... there is something terrible about to happen or already happening, isn't there?" Jenna belatedly noticed that her features were not quite so hot when glances were stolen at her two new comrades; in fact, she barely noticed their dashing looks behind the lingering wet blurriness in her eyes.


@Killigrew
 
Thane, peeing his pants


The bloody tiger pounced before Thane had the chance to contemplate the meaning of the bird man's statement. Partially deep in thoughts and partially caught off guard, he couldn't understand what he was seeing until a he registered a shockingly hot sensation on his arm. The arrow the bird man had let loose was all that had saved his life, but the beast's claws still ripped 4 shallow cuts accross his bicep through the fibre of his suit.


Thane clutched his arm and let out a suprise squeal before stumbling backward, falling on his rear end and scooched frantically for the safety of the bow in the bird man's hands. His mind temporarily overran by fear and confusion (once more), all he could see was the snarling tiger in front of him. His thoughts ran in all directions while his eyes were locked on the sharp teeth dripping saliva. Was this even supposed to happen? He swore he had read somewhere that tigers' habitat is among high grassland, not in the forest. But of course, logic meant little at that point, considering the cirling thing was right in his face.


Fight? FIGHT? Was that "guy" insane or what? He couldn't win against that thing even if he tried. He could probably lodge it with some arrows had he got a bow and arrows in his hands, but he doubt that would bring the beast down before it rips him to a mangled pulp. Furthermore, he was NOT willing to try, even if his odd was good.


Even knowing it was just pure animal instinct that would do him no good with the current situation, Thane couldn't make himself to move, or even look away. His legs felt wobbly and as heavy as lead. His mind spun with unused adrenalin and anticipation, flinching several times as the tiger fainted attacks. He wanted to run, he screamed at himself to run, but his damn legs just would not move. Thane traced every movement of the tiger with his eyes, afraid to even breath.


It was just not fair. He had read loads of survival guides and instructions books, but nothing could have prepared him for the real thing. Sitting in a room thinking logically was easy, he had even came up with solutions himself that would work out better than the provided instructions, but the maddening pressure of real danger almost crushed his ability to think.


Slowly, he managed to push himself up on one knee and leg, crouching in a position he found easier to react. His voice came out hoarse and a little high-pitched, his eyes never leaving the circling danger. "First, I have no idea what you were talking about. Second, if you have any trick up your metaphorical sleeves, please use it now." His voice cracked with the last words.
 
Serriah, Upolo, Warehouse Questioning Criminals


Serriah followed Lazarus out of the building, though she used the door instead of the window. Taking notice of the arrows in the door and after exiting the ground at which shattered under her Master’s weight. Sometimes it amazed her that his weight was so great. She often wondered with such a fleshy body as her own, is her age would ever reach as high as Lazarus’ but with a quick snap back to reality she continued up on the building to the man that had just tried to kill her.


“Bastards!! I won't tell you shit!” and he turned, back to trying to hobble away before her master grabbed him by his hair and yanked his head back. Cracks could be heard as the motion decompressed the man’s spine, not breaking it but coming damn close.


“Ahh!!...Ahhhhhh..!!!” the man cried under the strain of Lazarus’ grasp. Somehow, he muster up the strength to spit in her masters face. Looking down, Serriah saw where the arrow was lodged in his leg. Reaching down, she pulled the shaft back, tearing flesh and when it was back in his she twisted it fast, then slowly.


The man screamed in pain. “B*tch!!! God Damned B*tch!!! Ima kill you!!!” This was not the answers her master was looking for. Tearing the Arrow out, she then stabbed it in his shoulder twisting it vigorously as she pulled and pushed it, tearing precious flesh as she did so.


Torture was clearly getting them no where. She stopped. “Fine, make you a deal. Tell us what we want to know and you can go free.” A smirk on her face as her voice was shallow, as if being sarcastic, “Truth will set you free, and you can go back to what ever sewer you came from and live out the rest of your life. Or... He will just snap your back and leave you to die of exposure. Unable to call for help, to crawl or even move. You can shit on yourself until you finally breathe your last breath. Times a wasting, make a choice.”


Standing up from behind the man, she had been out of view of him the whole time. Serriah eagerly awaited the man’s answer. Whether he believed her or not, Lazarus would be his Executioner. There were no deals for scum like him.
 
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Alli Vorona, Bron (having the least hard time of the Earthlings as it were c; )


It was not only the grand announcement that sold it, but the appearance of an 'elf' that solidified the case. This is a movie set! she squealed within her own head. And the best part, they were all staying in character. It had been so convincing! Heck, if she hadn't seen the actor playing the elf, she'd have totally bought the village act! Even the wallflowers, who were all coming out to greet her, were staying in character. Man, they acted so naturally! Red was practically teeming with energy. There were so many actors, so many people! She decided on the spot that this was her new favorite place. Right next to her other favorite places, which was home. And yard at school, and the back of the library, and the...


Oh, right, the elf was speaking to her, "Well, you see, it started with this huge storm! Actually, technically, it starts with the par- which, we were there because-"


A woman with long, pretty hair caught her attention, another new person! This actress was playing the healer, and it seemed she was actually a set aid on top of that! She stayed perfectly in character, oh look at the way she kept the stoic expression while the elf played with an easy smile. It was so well done, so much like real life!


"Yes ma'am!" Red saluted happily, following her obediently, greeting each new person she passed on the way to Asa's aid area, wherever that was. "Hi! Nice to meet you! I'm Alli!" She must have repeated that, or a variation of that, dozens of times before reaching Asa's aid space.


"Everyone here is so friendly!" She beamed to Asa, "I love it here!" she declared. She wanted to ask questions about the kind of movie and all that, but they were staying in character so nicely, she'd be loathe to be the reason they broke out of it. So dedicated, she thought, her eyes bouncing off every object in the room, not staying on a single thing for more than a second. Wait till dad hears about this! Oh, right, dad! Alli unbuttoned her pocket and grabbed the piece of technology that would surely... Awwwhhh whaaaat, she pouted at the phone. Still no signal. Maybe it was just acting up? After all it had been through a storm and had survived! Perhaps it just needed a quick reset. Alli held the power button then looked back up at Asa, "Oh! I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be rude there," she quickly put her phone out of sight.
 



  • When the girl was escorted away to be treated, Hilde turned to her fellow governor who simply decided to appear out of the blue. If she ever had a reason to keep her guard up in the council, it would be Kronos. Camori isn't a threat, he is a simpleton with simple goals in mind, however difficult those goals are. She could easily read the Avis Vir like an open book and predict exactly what he was going to do. The elf was a different story all together.


    There was absolutely no way Kronos could have climbed the ladder to leadership so quickly. Even though he is an elf, and elves live longer by a good 20 or 50 years, he was still an outsider when he came to Ituro. The fact that he was an outsider yet still quickly became a leader was quite the alarming development for Hilde. A development she decided to simply ignore. Even if the conniving knife-ear would actually become ruler of Ituro, he still couldn't stand in the way of her goal.


    She will see Sernn burn one way or another but not on her own. She already had a catalyst in motion to secure the Camori's support for her campaign against Sernn. All she had to do was show him what those barbarians were capable of and how they would be quite the threat to Ituro and the people, Cyrus would be helping with that, dear submissive and broken cousin Cyrus. Convincing Kronos on the other hand was another problem, she just couldn't put her finger on what it was the spear-ear really wants in life. Still even if she does not gain the support of the elves she could still fight Sernn, as long as those elves don't point their knife-ears at her.


    Well, all issues are to be addressed in the proper time and there was no need to get confrontational with the elf just yet.


    "A pleasure to see you here, Kronos. Might I ask what brought you and yours out here to humble Bron? Ah, but let us talk on the way...you do intend to see how the loud outsider is don't you?"


 
Kronos, Village of Bron


Kronos opened his mouth to give the human governor the short version of what had brought him here, but at the last second a more interesting story came to mind. A smile played on his lips. "I wanted some time to think of the events of our meeting this morning. I figured that a ride on Melorose would give me a new outlook on the issue of war with Sernn, I also figured that Iso might want some air too," Kronos added remembering that he needed a reason for his younger brother to be with him as well. "May it be instinct or the quite path, I found myself here. And to my surprise, here you are, and with a mysterious girl nonetheless. Why are you here with a mysterious girl, might I ask?" Kronos could almost laugh, would his mother and father be proud? They would never tell the truth about anything they did. Always going on with their white lies and small deceives so people would never know what they were truly up to. But the thing was, Kronos wasn't up to anything. He was just curious.


Kronos turned his head to the girl, Alli was her name as he quickly found out by how loudly she boasted it to anyone who would listen. A name was precious information. Giving it out to the wrong person could have you killed. Just who was this girl anyway. "She sure is enthusiastic isn't she. By the way she's acting one might think that she has never been in contact with people. Kronos studied the girl as they entered Asa's home. Where had she come from? what brought here here? What did she want? And most important, who was she? So many question, Kronos was sure by the end of all this he would have all of them answered.


Iso, Asa's house


Iso sat on the large mat that covered the area of the house where Asa did her healing. He watched as the old woman mixed her herbs and compounds, creating something Iso neither knew what was called or what it did. It made Iso remember the first time he had come to Ituro With Kronos. They were both hungry and hurt and Asa had treated their wounds and fed them. She had also kicked them out the very next day.


"Everyone here is so friendly!" Alli beamed to Asa, "I love it here!"


"Don't get too comfy," Asa said with little emotion as she spread her mixture on Alli's cuts with an angled brush. She then placed a strip of cloth to each cut holding it in place for a few seconds to make sure it stuck before moving on to the next.


"Don't let Asa get to you," Kronos cut in. "She detest everyone. Even one as pretty as yourself."


"Destruction follows you, I can sense it." Asa told Alli without looking up from her work. "And the two of you as well. I would prefer if the effects didn't touch my village."


"I swear, everyone she heals, she says that to," Kronos sighed which earned him a cold glare from Asa. "That look will always make my heart skip a beat Asa."


Iso frowned. This was getting boring. And then just like that, it wasn't anymore. "Is it a weapon?" the young elf asked getting up and entering Alli's space. The object she held flashed light and with closer inspection, Iso could see words written on it. "I've never seen any weapon like that before." He gasped, excitement written all over his face. "Are you from the gated nation!? Is that why you're so wired!?"
 
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xBoldan - Inside Hyr’s Border - Zaria L’instxxxxxxx




It didn’t take long for one of the twins to catch up to Zaria. When she noticed that it was Arcden, she assumed that Greyden would take responsibility for the human girl. She felt her fist clench tighter as her thoughts wandered towards the note. She barely heard Arc over the wind, but she understood his signs well enough. She held her unoccupied hand over her hair, to keep it from whipping about her face when the next wind circled them. The change from hot to cold usually made the border quite windy.


She was happy Arcden was willing to travel as fast as need be. He was always dependable, she thought. When she noticed his own lavender hair twirling about his face, she wondered if he found it as annoying as she did. She would have asked, had it not been that the question seemed to be more of something she would ask a lady rather than ask a man. She pulled up the fist with the note and shoved it into a pocket inside her cloak. Her pace slowed slightly, and she figured that Greyden would catch up soon enough. She glanced up at Arcden again before sighing and narrowing her eyes as she looked ahead. She needed to get her mind off the note, to calm herself.




”Would you ever consider being something other than what you are now?”

she started.

”A blacksmith maybe? I could arrange for something of the sort. Though, I know you and your brother enjoy your occupation at present, but if you ever wanted something different,”

she trailed off and kept her gaze ahead of her. Thinking about it for a moment, she doubted that Arcden would want to change much. She thought of the scars on his body and frowned slightly. He was always protecting his brother, and even her when the time called for it.


She wondered if he would ever want to stay still. There were possibly plenty of enemies out there. The more she thought on it, the more it seemed it would be difficult for him or his twin to stay steady in any one place. The wind blew again and she pulled a piece of string out of her cloak. She tied her hair back and looked over at Arcden. She raised up another sting, a silent question for whether he wanted to do the same or not.



https://www.rpnation.com/profile/5169-syrenrei/@Syrenrei

https://www.rpnation.com/profile/5169-syrenrei/
 
THE Road Between Upolo and Hyr- A Dubious Duo


Greyden smirked from his hiding place. It was no doubt a humbling experience- being alone, in a foreign land, with no refuge or even appropriate clothing. He did not envy her predicament thought it could have been much worse; the teenager could have landed in a pack of ruffians that would have delighted in her relatively helpless nature. Boldan had lurking dangers that cared not about pride and showed no mercy. The assassin wasn't the best as staying his blade and words when he was in over his proverbial head, but age and experience had slowly an awareness of his limitations. With a predatory grace he slipped out of the foliage near Chickadee's back left, stalking back onto the road with a wide grin.


"Think of it as practice for me. We're on a mission to rescue a young lady like yourself and I'll likely need to carry her home from the north back down this road to our south. We'll also both be warmer if we share my cloak. I'll wager a guess those strange breeches of yours are empty of Boldan coin," he said with a motion to the heavy wool garment that was draped over his shoulders. It was a persuasive and compelling argument, he hoped. Regardless of whether she chose to ride on his back or be carried in his arms there would be strain on his person. Typically they only lugged around corpses or unconscious bodies that needed to placed elsewhere. The half-elf became less certain of his plans the more that he dwelt on them but at least his twin was enjoying some alone time with the elven 'maiden' of his dreams. "What do you think would be most comfortable for you- my back or my arms?" Greyden gestured and mimicked the methods of carrying just in case there was a culture barrier between them larger than expected.


It was then, standing beside her, that Greyden realized that his height (which crossed the threshold of six feet) might be a tad intimidating and he tried to do a subtle slouch to make her feel slightly more at ease. It was a touch silly- she had every right to fear him. He was an accomplished assassin that could just as easily dismember her as carry on a light-hearted conversation. but it did no good to have her marinating in fear when he meant no harm. Unless of course she proved to be evil. It'd be sad to see such a cute little thing turn out to be malevolent... and inconvenient seeing as he was about to carry her miles upon miles.


@pastel stitchings


Arcden quietly watched as she slowed her pace to a more comfortable speed and buried the note within the depths of her cloak. The distant look and sigh were indicative that the news scribbled on parchment still weighed on her and that the conversation that followed was a distraction. He was uncertain if the topic was chosen because of the missive or just randomly, but he shrugged his shoulders slightly as thoughts rolled off the broad musculature. "We have both considered it, but such dreams are futile. This is what we excel at and there are few that would have us in their towns. It is better to shape the world for our benefit than stagnate in a place we are unwelcome. Should Greyden elect to marry like your sister, however, it may become necessary for a change of profession." It might strike her as absurd that the self-proclaimed womanizer, part-time alcoholic, and insistent over-spender would make a family before the calm, pragmatic individual before her. Arcden did not divulge the reason for this belief, instead letting her question it inwardly or ask it bluntly. It was quite possible she would not like the evasion or answer that awaited her.


With a polite wave of his hand he declined the string- having his hair whirl around was a little challenging, but it was not hindering his mobility. The feeling of wind rippling through the lavender tresses was a breath of freedom and refreshing no matter how cold it grew. Once he settled down for bed or was thrust into combat he would worry about making certain that his hair was not impeding. "The same could be said of you," he stated quietly after a long pause in conversation. His expression remained pensive and somber. "If you wished to disappear from the eyes and ears of Iesti we would aid you without question. You would blend in more easily with the population than we would." A touch of sadness seeped into the usually unfeeling words, painting them with expression that never reached his visage. It was difficult to speak of a future with Zaria as at some juncture they would inevitably part. His rational nature encouraged him to be supportive and understanding, yet there was selfishness beating in his steadied heart. Every man, no matter how removed they pretended to be from such affairs, coveted at some point in their lives.


After all these years of silence, he had mastered denying actions another might have taken. Shoulders lifted slightly and his features turned northward briefly. Greyden should be along shortly if she preferred to be in the company of both men rather than being alone with him.


@Auren
 
Chickadee jumped when she heard Greyden speak and turned to face him quickly. She seemed to be on the verge of a breakdown and was holding her bag with her book in it tightly. Chickadee kept herself generally contained, keeping her eyes closed and herself from shaking...too much. Some of the shaking was from being cold too.


The girl sighed softly, giving in. "It would be less...awkward if I rode on your back," she told him. Sure, being in his arms would be more comfortable, but that would just be weird for them both. Perhaps mostly her, saying that she still considered them to be complete strangers. Chickadee watched him bend down and couldn't help but feel a little more comfortable. Having to tilt her head up constantly was uncomfortable and just plainly inconvenient. And plus being smaller than everybody else did make her feel weak, not to mention she could clearly see that those people could easily kill her if they really wanted to. It was nice to see one of them try to do a simple nice gesture. He seemed to be the only actually nice one actually.
 
xBoldan - Inside Hyr’s Border - Zaria L’instxxxxxxx




Zaria watched Arcden for a moment, her eyes glancing over his features as if she was searching for something.

”And what if the marriage was of you instead of your brother?”

she asked. He might be more stoic, a mystery that her sister had tried to romanticize in their letters. She had ignored her sister’s wilms. Arcden had always seemed to hold responsibility of the whole group, and she could see how he would keep that on his shoulders until it was ripped from him.




”You seem much more qualified in trying to settle and provide for a family,”

she thought aloud,

”You already treat Grey as such. He’s much like a child you have to babysit at times.”

She tapped a finger to her lips as she thought, and was almost startled with Arcden’s next statement. She looked at him for a moment, her eyes narrowing with concern for his show of emotion. It was rare if it ever happened, and even rarer when she was around to see it. Her head tilted slightly and she watched the tendrils of hair fly about his face. He was far more patient than her with the nuisance.




”I could disappear, yes. Though, I only exist in Iesti records, and word of mouth. With a few letters and assistance, I would disappear even from the two of you,”

she said slowly before she turned her gaze toward the sky. A flash of anger lit behind her eyes before she continued.

”Such a skill matters little to some in politics,”

she muttered. She was quiet for a moment before turning back to Arcden with a small smile.

”I couldn't hide from the you twins long though. If you wanted to find me, you would.”


Then, she watched Arcden for a moment. She had only thought of the twins as the twins. She finally could tell the difference between the two by sight after her first year, but she never looked at them for more than that. She thought back to her sister’s letters, how her sister complained of her being too naive. You are with men, she had said. Two very handsome

men.

Zaria had thought her sister was being silly. They were comrades. Men or not, they weren’t going to endanger their agreement, but finally seeing the muscles and man elf’s frame for what it was, much like how she would observe a client, she finally understood what her sister had meant.


Her gaze went toward his hair again and she shook her head.

”How can you stand that?”

she motioned to his hair before looking ahead of them. Men or not, they were still her partners and friends.






https://www.rpnation.com/profile/5169-syrenrei/@Syrenrei

https://www.rpnation.com/profile/5169-syrenrei/
 
Same Damn Road, Same Day- Arcden and Greyden





Greyden smiled, not testing her patience by gloating, and knelt down so it would be easier for his new friend to climb on. He'd patiently wait until she was straddling his waist and her arms were around his neck before he'd wrap his own beneath her legs. It felt slightly reminiscent of the childhood he once longed for. Taking in a deep breath he rose to his feet and interlocked his fingers to make her 'carriage' as comfortable for both of them as possible. "Hold on tight- we're going to move a little faster than you're used to," he offered as advice. He shifted his weight from left to right a few times to get used to the addition of her person. Clearly she wasn't from Boldan if she let an Iesti half-elf cart her down a path towards Hyr. It was almost an picture of absurdity: a full-blooded female Iesti elf, a diminutive teenage girl without a single weapon to her name, two Iesti half-elves spurned by their society... chasing a criminal and his captive into the frigid mountains of the north. If the tribes did not laugh them off the foothills by the mere sight of them it would be considered a success in his mind.


"Tell me more of where you come from, Miss Chickadee. It will help pass this long day of travel," he assured. He checked once more to make sure she was secure before starting down the road in long strides. It was was remarkably different than carrying a backpack but he was sincere in his proclamation it'd be good practice for carrying the lady they were on a mission to rescue. If nothing else he would learn how to properly pace himself and discover how to steel his resolve and hormones from carrying a female. This knightly endeavor might be better suited to a man with a hankering for his own gender. Focusing his thoughts on the less appealing figure of his brother awaiting his arrival, he sped towards their destination. They'd meet Arcden and Zaria soon enough- and hopefully they were in a better mood after some flirting.


@pastel stitchings


Arcden answered Zaria quickly, though not for lack of consideration on the matter- he had anticipated an inquiry of why he didn't settle down. The twins' mother had asked herself a few times before arriving at the answer herself- that he was the sort of man to fixate on one person, wholly and without reservation, and none other would be adequate. Though he shielded himself with duties, both moral and brotherly, it was his own intensity and singular thought that kept him so steadily affixed to his lifestyle. "Our parents intend to let us chose our spouse, if any. While several woman may suit Greyden, there is only one woman whom I'd marry." He did not elaborate or explain further. The astute woman could deduce that the object of his concealed affections did not return them, did not know of them, or did not care for the joining of hands, vows, and lives. At present all could be assumed correct.


"He's a child so I may be an adult; he is a fool so I may be wise; he speaks so I will not need to. For all his faults, he is only this way because it suits us both. He appeases me many times more than either of us admit; he too has a desire to protect, but will stay his hand if I need to be the shield. In return I stay my tongue occasionally so he may converse freely. Greyden is the more suitable parent; he has more warmth and social graces than I may ever accumulate." A mystique was all well and good, as well as an aura of confidence that demanded respect- but Arcden's nature meant rare emotive expressions. Would a child cause him to flourish and let loose a smile that would make his brother's pale in comparison- or would his lack of outward approval cripple their development? Was it possible for a meaningful relationship to exist without substantial change in his demeanor?


So lost in inward criticism was the half-elf that he barely heard her commentary about her ability to disappear- and her belief that the assassins could easily find her. He doubted the veracity of the statement but did not call attention to it. There was enough gravity in the discussion he need not visit the notion of helping her escape Iesti- not this night. For a small time longer he wished to continue this journey of three with the comfort of friendship. No, he would not cause such an arrangement to degrade right this moment.


"It feels... freeing. If I can not fly on the wind at least my hair can do so," he said cryptically. Self-realization struck at how incredibly poetic and aloof it sounded. "I am often consumed by inner thoughts and do not notice the smaller strands," he added. A little annoyance paled compared to the battles that raged in the depths of his heart and soul during longer sprints. Occasionally he lost himself in space devoid of any conscious thought, but he was not eager to admit same aloud. "Does it bother you?"


@Auren
 
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Chickadee climbed onto his back. It was definitely weird to do that. Her parents had not even let her do that when she was younger. But, she had seen other people, so she knew what to do. The small girl tightened her arms around his neck, but not enough to choke him. This was the weirdest, and most stressful, day of her life. And it was quickly becoming cold. She probably was not as cold as she could be though, so that was something to be thankful about. Chickadee sighed tiredly and rested her head against the man's back.


When the man spoke again, she blinked. "Oh...well...I come a kind of small town..." she started, trying to think about more. "I just finished high school..." she continued, then noticed he might not know what that was. "Which is like...lessons to get people ready for life with history lessons, writing, mathematics, science, and other things. I was planning on going onto college to be a writer...a journalist to be exact," she explained. "And then this all happened," Chickadee told him.


As she spok, she began to play with the thought that this all was still just a weird dream. Maybe because of all the stress of being practically thrown into college and into the real world, when she might have passed out for some reason, her brain made up a strange world that she had been dropped into where she was completely clueless about what to do and how to act, like perhaps the adult world. And perhaps that mean lady was like a representation of her parents that were never satisfied with anything she did. Even though that might be a pretty good explanation, that didn't explain everything else going on, like the pain still in her head.
 
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Thane, a whole lot of nope


He had never felt so embarassed in his life. Justifiably embarassed, but embarassed all the same. It was frustrating how everything could just totally slip out of his control in a blink, leaving him entirely defenseless, his life not in his own but some stranger's hands. Or talons in this case. When he had realised he was craving excitement, this hadn't been what he got in mind, not with all of his dignity out the window at the first sight of danger, leaving him nothing less of crying for home. He felt alive alright, and near scared out of his mind, which he had just gotten back.


The smart-ass retorts already forming themselves in his mind, but Thane held his tounge. He knew nothing of this alien place, and he was smart enough not to lash out at the only help he seemed to have for his own failure. And it was his own failure. He had gotten slow, arrogant, and most of all, allowing himself to see only the problem in front of him, not the hidden ones. His parents had taught him better than that, and although their lessons were business-related, the general principles were sound and appliable in even situations such as his current one.


His ears burning, Thane stood up awkwardly, an expression of resignation on his face. He had come to term with his helplessness, and being angry, which was the first thing he should be feeling, would not make it any easier on him. He didn't even bothered to correct the bird-man, figuring that if he was being called a spy and not gotten killed already, there would be no trouble keeping it that way instead of changing things by trying to explain this guy what he believed to be the truth.


"Thane Solcier. Now would you please get me the hell outta this place?"
 
CAMORI


"Impatient are we? I suppose anyone in your shoes would be, here you are trapped in the great Iturian jungle with not a blade to your name. Yet there would be those among you who would pounce at this opportunity. A ruler of Ituro right before your eyes in a very isolated environment, quite tempting no?"


Camori wanted to ascertain the goals of this spy sent to his territory. Just what was the boy after? Surely it was not after his own life as he had given the boy several chances at it. Perhaps they are simply gathering intelligence about the Ederra incident two years ago, if so Franca Stenhardt may have more of a brain that people credit her. Ituro is, after all, the main threat to Sernn and vice versa. Nonetheless, he would get answers from the boy when they reach Ostrava. He did promise to send the boy on his way back to Sernn but he said nothing about harming the boy when they reach Ostrava.


"Do not worry, I'll keep you safe. If we make good time, we'll be at Ostrava before sundown. If not, well, I'm sure you have heightened hearing or can see in the dark."


shitpostisshit
 
xBoldan - Inside Hyr’s Border - Zaria L’instxxxxxxx




Zaria nodded and looked to the clouds looming above. Perhaps he already had a woman back in Iesti. The way he spoke, did make it seem that it was possible. She tilted her head slightly in thought, wondering what kind of woman would attract the attentions of a such a duty-filled man. Finally, she came to the conclusion that he would let her know if he felt it was important. Maybe they had a long-distance type of relationship, and while she never saw Arcden send letters, she assumed he wouldn’t make it obvious.




“I don’t think you should limit yourself like you are, Arc. Warmth or not, children love their parents regardless. You’d be a good father, I’d think,”

she put a finger to her lips again, wanting to carve on her totem so that she could think. With them moving, carving was near impossible. She’d have a lot to ponder that night though.




“Bother me?”

Her lips curled into a small smile.

“No. It doesn’t affect me.”

Zaria glanced behind them and put a hand on her hip as she continued to walk.

“Where are we going to take the girl? We can’t leave her in Hyr, but she’s useless as far as the team goes. Unless she’s an excellent cook,”

she narrowed her eyes and then her thoughts traveled to the message. Her anger that had faded flared back and she sighed again.




”The spy master is stepping down, and they are looking for a new replacement,”

she paused. Her eyes narrowed to thin slits.

”I wasn’t on the list,”

she said through gritted teeth. Her hard gaze met Arcden’s and she gave a very cruel grin.

”My visit back will be a very interesting one,”

she said. Then, she turned her gaze back in front of them, flexing her hand in her anger as she tried to cool herself.




@Syrenrei
 
Owens

​



Noise. People. Imperfections. It felt like a crime for him to exist here with these people. It wasn’t that he hardly knew them. It was because he, Daniel Owens, obsessed with perfection and clean results, was among them, carefree souls that had not one single damn about themselves. He didn’t want to rain all over their parade, and neither did he want them tainting his pearl white record. Perhaps, the only reason why he was here was because Meredith Hall was. No—there was no ‘perhaps’ about it. He was only here because she was. As she left his side to mingle with her schoolmates, Owens hung back, determined not to be caught up with the energy that the recently graduated young ladies and gentlemen exuded off their pores. He recalled his graduation. It was a formal thing. No high end celebration like this. Merely a cake, a rather delicious one, his mother and father greeting him as he arrived home. They ate dinner, the cake, and he went to search for a university to enter. Straight as an arrow, the path that lay in front of him was. Owens rubbed the back of his neck and shuffled his feet as he moved to get a drink, slipping past some of the students as he did, casting his eyes off Mereth for once. Her father wasn’t here to watch over her. He needed to show that man that only he, Daniel Owens, was his equal in caring for the star among the moons that spread out around her.


The red liquid flowed into the plastic cup. Owens gave it a sniff, identifying the drink. A regular fruit punch. Watered down slightly by the melting ice they shovelled into the dispenser but a drink nonetheless. He took a sip, letting the cold drink swirl around his mouth, allowing him to get a good taste of it. Meagre tasting. As meagre as the company that gathered about his shining bright star. He swallowed, then raised the cup again. Out of some contrived coincidence, the drink went down the wrong chute, and Owens snorted, and succumbed to a choking fit. Grasping at his throat, he coughed and hacked, a blunt stab at his neck each time he did. Caught up with his coughing, he hadn’t noticed the dark storm gathering near the party. He only looked up at the first cry by one of the party-goers. A dark vortex opened up ahead of them, swallowing all that had gathered. He, too, felt the gravity pulling him into the spinning tornado. He could feel his feet slowly sliding across the floor, his shirt tugging him towards the hole, urging him forwards into the dark dimension. He could have ran. He could have escaped. He could have just sprinted off in the other direction, hopped into his car, rang up the police and drove home. The others could go to bloody heck for all he cared.


But one word rang out in his mind.


Meredith


The eyes of a hawk that belonged to the bespectacled young man found his dear one within a second, being dragged into the vortex with the others. His mind switched off right there and then, as his eyes lay upon her. He broke into a sprint, right towards the vortex. As he neared the vortex, he could feel himself disassembling, torn apart, cell by cell, molecule by molecule, electricity running through his whole self. To hell with that. To hell with everything else. “MEREDITH!” With an ear piercing cry, he leapt forwards, his hand grasping around her arm. There was a loud sound, a rush of wind, a roar of thunder, and high pitched shrieks, and the world around him began to fall apart, exploding into colours that no human eye had seen before, then descended into darkness.


-------------------------------


He sat up. His throat still felt as if someone had carved their initials and a heart on it. His hand came up, massaging his Adam’s apple, as he shuffled to his feet. Like a man just woken up from his sleep, he had to blink a few times, before gaining full control of his body. Even then, balance seemed a little precarious. Meredith was there with him, safe. That was a relief. What worried him, though, was the foreign land that he was in. Sand surrounded them, a lone and cold wilderness stretched out towards the horizon. He would have to assess this problem later. It’d be better to check on Meredith now. He moved towards her, the sand not impeding his effortless gliding in any way. “Mereth, are you…fine?” That seemed normal. It seemed normal. He hoped it didn’t sound too intrusive. The lack of synonyms with ‘okay’ and ‘fine’ that didn’t make him sound like a surgeon asking on their patient’s current status was disturbingly low.


Meredith Hall


???

​



There was one sensation, and only one. A fiery pressure clamped around her arm steadied her mind, worked as a compass for her thoughts.


The fire spread. Working out through her cold body, instilling a kind of life that reached her chest, and pulled forth a breath. Air. The taste of sand. Salt clouded past her tongue, grit crunched against her colliding teeth.





“Mereth, are you… fine?”





There was no afterlife. She wasn't dead.


Mereth opened her eyes.


Sand was all around her, a harsh, crumbly blanket for one side. She slowly sat up, spitting, one hand slowly brushing the dusty bits off.


The world was bright, even harsh. But even stranger still was the change in landscape. There was sand everywhere, making rivulets, hills, and waves, and no trace of life. Dry dust was billowing out on the horizon, and the sun beat down, merciless and scalding.


It was clear that they were nowhere near home.


"Hmm..." She heard her voice, made gravelly by her dry throat. "Huuuuummm..."


Her revolving head came to a slow halt as she found Daniel's face. Coughs bubbled in her throat, bile rising with it, but she kept the spasms behind closed lips, not moving her eyes from Daniel’s once the contact was made. There wasn’t a scratch on him.


They were alone, somehow. And in an impossible place. “This is… a desert. Probably. ...Weird. I don’t understand how we ended up here from the storm...” She whispered. An attempt was made to move to a standing position and cut short by her legs. Pins and needles sharpened harsh against her skin, and retired muscles enforced their desire to remain bent. So Mereth remained kneeled.


Her hand went for her back pocket, pulling from it the cellphone lodged there. No signal, the screen was cracked, and the GPS location was frayed. The battery was about half, no less. And by the looks of it, Google Maps wouldn’t work either.





“So…” She began, turning the screen towards Daniel. “What should we do..?” 



Ludovic of Hyr


Healer's Shack

​



It was too difficult to understand what on Boldan this woman was trying to say. Ludovic gave up after the first two sentences, allowing Seurn and his ingratiating nods to take over the flow of response to the girl's blathering.


Ludovic had already come to his conclusions, and nothing the girl had said confirmed or denied any of them. Earth may be the spirits’ word for heaven. This girl could be human, and mad, yet blessed by the spirits. In either case, no course of action or attitude faced change.


"So... let me try to understand this." Seurn spoke slowly after the girl had finished. "You're saying you aren't from Boldan. You aren't from Hyr, here, Sternn, Ituro, or even Iesti? That’s a little… unbelievable."


Seurn tilted his head, trying to force eye contact with the girl. Ludo knew the gesture well; Seurn was enacting a gentle interrogation. “Tell me about your world, then. What’s it like there? Does everyone dress like you? What gods do you follow? More importantly, why would you come here?”


The door burst open before any answer could be given. In strode the mayor, his position clear by the fancy, bejewelled hat and amulet, his face fiery with a look of impatient indignation. “Has the healer been drinking?!” He bellowed. There were scraps of food around the collar of his robe. He must have been pulled away from a meal by that terrified healer.


“No, sir.” Ludo said, rising. At his full height, he stood a full foot higher than the man. “He did not drink in my presence.”


“Well..” Disgruntled was the man, but only for a moment. He straightened and tried to move around the barbarian without touching him. But the narrow space between the wall and the bed proved impassable by such technique. After the mayor’s strange, hesitant dance was done, he rocked back on his heels, eyes kept on the girl. “Then who is this woman! Who gave her leave to enter into my town?”


“She’s injured. And we three are only planning on staying for the night.” Ludo said calmly. He knew his stature intimidated the man, and took advantage of this, taking forward a step to push the mayor back. “We will be gone and out of your hair by dawn’s first light.”


“Yes… well, she’s… I heard!” The mayor raised an aggressive finger. As if on second’s thought, he hesitated. Then the fat man leaned in close, voice lowered to a stealthy whisper. “A witch…!”


"I’ll take care of it.” Ludo assured him.


“You’d better… This town can’t take any more misfortune… we NEED the gods to smile on us, you know…” He said, half-mumbling. “The townsfolk will raise a ruckus, I mean it, a ruckus, if they hear of this. Know this… know this.” He took one more terrified glance at the girl on the bed before shuffling himself out of the small shack.


“Yes. Goodnight, mayor.” Ludo said, closing the door behind him. With an exhausted sigh, he dropped down on the stool again, and it creaked under his weight as he leaned forward.


“It was past his bedtime.” Seurn quipped, bumping his shoulder against Jenna’s. “Don’t worry about it.”


“Anyhow... In the meantime, tell us more about earth. We’ve… at least five hours before we ought steal a horse or two.”


@Syrenrei
 
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Hyr Road of Never-Ending- Greyden & Arcden


Greyden could feel some of the tension depart from Chicakdee's person and voice as she spoke of her world. It was a little folly of him to accept her explanation so simply, but he had no mind to argue where the freakish wind snatched her from. He was a practical man who knew that finding a place she could live comfortably was more important than visiting the past. Perhaps she would have some sort of trade skill or knowledge that would prove of some value in Boldan? None of the trio would be comfortable baby-sitting the woman indefinitely. By human standards she was of ripe marrying age- though no Hyr native would accept someone without bulging pride and muscles. "Some of the wealthy of our country send their children to schools, though not to study the same things. It is very popular to become an apprentice instead." He paused then, taking a small leap over some uneven terrain. His pace decelerated slightly as he considered it might be best to let his brother and lady friend have a few more moments of privacy. It was dubious the overly repressed assassin was making any ground except that which moved beneath his feet.


"A writer? Maybe the storm brought you here to record your story. You could scribe tales of your world or you could write about this adventure for when you return home." It might be a conduit for to relieve stress- as much as could be considering the circumstances. If she was a total loon (as also seemed possible) it would definitely make it easier to see if she had to put into words her insanity. The only trouble with this idea was that Greyden himself didn't have a spare empty journal in case of a foreigner-dropping-from-the-sky crisis struck. Clucking his tongue at himself, he realized Zaria was right- taking care of this girl would be expensive. The necessities for travel with an added person were not as negligible as he fervently wished they were.


@pastel stitchings


Arcden gave a small smile of melancholy at Zaria. No matter how close they were physically at this moment, their thoughts could not be farther apart. While he thought of himself as unable to settle with anyone, as no one was the elven lady beside him, she clearly imagined a pleasing consort for Arcden that did no exist. The realm of her conjuration no doubt had him on a different path than 'corpse creation,' with a dutiful wife, and bright energetic children who would be pleased with his silent approval. Reality was much more harsh than the whimsical dreams of his sibling and companion. Women might at first be enchanted by his mysterious stoicism; they fancied that they could break through the quiet exterior and discover a gem hidden beneath. Fairy tales told of the tall, quiet, confident princes who would be changed by the romantic adoration of the princess. While there was certainly was something hidden behind the barrier of silence, it was not nearly so beautiful.


"If you had been chosen to replace him, would you have needed to stay in Iesti?" Arcden asked the question rather rhetorically. What spy master could effectively coordinate spies from distant lands and a moving 'home base?' It might be a slight to her professional merits and achievements, but Arcden was glad she was not selected. There was a chance that the new spy master would allow her to continue roaming the lands with the twins. Had she been chained to Iesti their partnership would have ended. Even all the patience of Arcden could not endure the corruption and stagnation of vice that persisted in their home county. They would no longer subject themselves to unjust bigotry in the hopes that one day people would pronounce their name without spittle of contempt and disapproval. What if the new spy master demanded her return? Would Zaria chose her patriotism over loyalty to them?


Greyden's words echoed in his ears. The earnest expression was more compelling now that he thought of all that awaited them in the future. It had seemed they would always be traveling just as this and that was something that Arcden could be content with. But what if the change in power heralded her being torn from their company? What if the marriage of her sister would bring with it a proposal for Zaria herself? No matter how opposed she was to either, the stones were being placed in a careful row. Eventually these things would come to pass. Fate itself was showing Arcden that without intervention that Zaria was traipsing down a path that would eventually separate from him. Rolling his shoulders, his brows knitted and he contemplated the merit of his continued suppression.


"Is that what you want? To become a spy master in Iesti? To marry like your sister?" His voice was free of judgment. If anything the undertone of yearning was encouraging. Arcden was sympathetic- more than he usually allowed himself to be. In the back of his mind he felt a certain responsibility. Her continued friendship with the brothers no doubt put a stain on her reputation in the eyes of others. It would be their fault, however minimally, if she met resistance in achieving that which she rightly deserved. As frustrating and unjust as it was, ignoring the impact would do them no good.


@Auren 
Healer Hut of Sexy- Jenna the Delusional


Jenna had tried to brace herself for the trials she knew all heroines must endure. There was skepticism in Seurn's voice despite the kind eyes and Ludovic looked exasperated. No matter how she steeled her resolve it still injured her ego to be doubted as she was now. Never before had anyone even insinuated that she was a liar- partially because she prided herself on honesty. Sure, she occasionally spent a little too much time explaining how life was perfectly imitating art (usually a novel) and confused the names in similiar situations. An emotional pang reverberated in her chest before she willed it away stubbornly. If this was a test she intended to succeed. How many were granted an opportunity to influence a foreign land flourishing under an unknown sun, with all sorts of mythical races (she knew they had to be there), and nefarious kings (another assumption)? Biting her lip she gently dismissed Seurn's comment that this was such an unlikely scenario.


"When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth," she whispered mostly to herself as the mayor burst in with his impossible attire. Eyes enlarged at the lavish attired that was almost comically reminiscent of fantasy stories conjured in her mind. Her amusement was quickly stifled by the man's fear and accusations. Villagers rioting over her? Fear crept into the edges of her face that mirrored that which the town's ruler had just expressed. A sinking feeling washed through briefly as Jenna felt increasingly that something was wrong. Was she cursed as she was brought here? Had the magic that whisked her here disfigured or changed her in an unnatural way? Usually a heroine from another realm was summoned to help with a plague of the land, but it was not unheard of for they to also be hunted for some reason.


There was something Ludovic and Serun weren't telling her. It was something important. What could she do? If she demanded answers out of her guardians prematurely it might fracture their growing trust in her. No one liked the whiny priestess that was deposited somewhere whimsical and then spent all her time crying and bemoaning things. There would need to be a chapter or episode for each of the pair in which she spent some quality time with them. Predictably they would go through some conflict and resolution that would blossom into a wonderful relationship- perhaps even a romantic one. Seurn was no doubt the pure-hearted knight sort that would win her over with his charismatic smile and earnest desire to serve justice. Ludovic would be the man that flew into action, either a rebellious or sporty type she figured... or maybe he was that strong silent type that would just ooze masculine appeal until all the ladies swooned. It was a little too early to tell yet. Her eyes glimmered with barely contained glee.


"I will tell you everything," she finally said with exuberance. Too much exuberance. It was the level of exuberance one could expect from a professor about to spend the next three hours explaining the nuances of their favorite details of their favorite study in their favorite subject. The two men might realize their mistake in asking for so much information, for challenging her to make them believe in her world. "There are seven continents, first of all- Antartica, North America, South America, Africa, Asia, Europe, and Australia. Oh my, that's a lot more A's than I realized. Do you think it's a conspiracy- favoritism to the letter A? That would a rather absurd conspiracy don't you think? Australia is its own country, and Antartica doesn't have a country, but the rest have several countries. I live in North America and in a country called the United States of America that has fifty regions called states. To the north of our country is Canada and they have lots of moose and bacon and syrup. Our southern border is the country of Mexico. Everyone goes to vacation in Cancun down there, but I've never been. Do you go on vacations here? I suppose you really don't have summer vacation from school." Jenna laughed lightly to herself, took a short breath, and continued. It was fascinating how much she could prattle on and on without surfacing for air. "Most of my ancestors came from countries in Europe. I've always wanted to go to Europe but they speak a lot of different languages there that I don't know. In our country we speak English almost exclusively but in Europe they have so many more! Portugese in Portugal, Spanish in Spain, French in France, Italian in Italy, German in Germany- though most countries learn English so I'd probably be able to visit without too much trouble. England, Scotland, and Ireland all speak English of course. Oh! I'd love to visit the Netherlands too although it might be a bit cold...." For ten minutes of their life they were bombarded by words that held no value or meaning. Jenna felt compelled to name as many countries as she could and her vague opinion on them. Either she was amazing at creating absurd names on a whim or she was truly speaking of a diverse place from which she came.


As she appeared to finish her geography lesson summary and readied to launch into another topic, they had a brief respite in which to interrupt. Heavens help them if they didn't take it.


@Killigrew
 
Chickadee listened to the man and sighed. She could tell that he was doubting what she had told him. It did not surprise her too much. Why would he? She listened to him speak. Apprentices? So, if she were to be stuck there for the rest of her life, she would have no skills to get a good job. Either she would die of starvation or sickness, or be killed. Obviously, Chickadee was done looking on the bright side of things. There was no bright side to be seen. Eventually, these people would probably just leave her someplace and she would be alone. Probably soon too. Then what? Where would she go from there?


As Greyden spoke again she was brought out of her thoughts. She blinked and shook her head. "No...I don't think I could do that..." she said. "Not here, or back home. If I'm stuck here I don't want to remind myself of home constantly. If I did that back home my parents would think I'm crazy. And if not that, they will just get mad at me for not pursuing a more "professional career". They are already upset with my choices now. If I ever go back they will probably just think I ran away and will simply ground me..." she explained. Chickadee seemed to grow more upset as she spoke.
 
xBoldan - Inside Hyr’s Border - Zaria L’instxxxxxxx




"A central location would make the dealings easier, so I would suppose that I would need to stay in Iesti."

she said thoughtfully.

"Though, it isn't a necessity."

She traveled in silence, giving Arcden his thoughts as she had her own. Her anger had simmered, but she glanced behind them for Greyden, curious what was taking him so long to catch up. Then, her gaze went to Arcden at his question.


She looked at Arcden for a long moment after his question, thinking.

"I would like to be in a position of power, yes. I'd rather have that position before I consider marriage. Unlike my sister, I don't romance the relationships involved with men. Though, I've never actually had the kind of experience my sister had. Being the youngest, I must obtain power by my own means, or marriage someone of political power. In my attempt to gain ranks, I've pushed aside any suitors,"

she said, becoming formal. If her rank changed, so would her relations with the twins. She did like traveling with them, loved the danger even. It was something that a spymaster wouldn't bother doing, getting his hands wet so to speak.


With so few with control over Iesti, the politicians did like to have their colleagues closer, even if it was only to throw around their influence. Her gaze traveled over the land around them, and she stopped walking. Iesti wasn't nearly as colorful as the world outside. She looked up toward the sun, marking the time in her mind as she thought. The world of Iesti was dark compared to what one could see under the sun. She could understand the want to be outside of the country's walls. Even if the twins wanted out because of how Iesti treated halflings, she could see how they would have other reasons. They had a place outside of Iesti. They may have been placed into their roles, but, she thought as she turned back to Arcden, they didn't seem to mind the business.


Zaria glanced back towards where Greyden should be walking, and continued walking down the trail.

"I'm not sure I can return to living quietly in Iesti,"

she sighed after a long moment. She was well qualified to be in a high position in Iesti, but she had grown to like the constant movement, the uncertainty of the next day. She didn't expect Arcden to say much, but she always found it comforting to talk to him. His brother always tried to babble about some nonsense, while giving little or no thought to what he was saying. At least she knew that in Arcden's silence, there was thought.


There was a pinch in her armor again, and she adjusted a strap. If Arcden couldn't fix her armor that night, she would have to have it fixed in Iesti. She wasn't looking forward to that sort of development. The blacksmiths were known for outrageous prices because of their expertise. She pulled her cloak in tighter as another gust hit her.




@Syrenrei
 

Ludovic of Hyr


Healer's hut

​



"Thank you!" Seurn cut in loudly. "Thank you, I get it. Thank you."


Ludovic uncovered his ears. It seemed the coast was clear.


"I really don't need to ask any more questions." Seurn looked nauseated at the very thought of sitting through more incomprehensible explosions of words. "So let's just... get moving." He raised himself up slowly in the bed, stopping once midway to groan, holding his side as he made for his boots.


Ludo shook his head. "No, Seurn. Do not move more often than you ought. For now, stay there," He said, and his head tilted towards Jenna. "The both of you."


He pushed open the hut's creaking, weathered slab of wood that functioned as a door by the rope ties to the roof. It was a swinging thing, and only good for smacking the person behind you than offer any real privacy.


A surveyal of the village revealed just what they'd thought; a gathering of fellows, stout and tall, brought wood to the center of the town, and were utterly consumed with the task. In the middle of it, a group of men attempted to make one big log stand up, and, for lack of balance, the tall thing kept falling over on other people. A few lives were nearly lost in the incompetence.


No matter. The confusion served Ludo well. He made for their stables, and found therein two very sickly looking horses; their skeleton all exposed and their fur very dry for malnourishment. It was likely these two wouldn't much be missed. Taking them by the reins, he slipped them around the back of the village, their braying voices unheard by the empty hutts and homes. He tied them at the gate and circled around, clinging to the border fence, making his way back to the healer's hut.


He pushed open the door and recklessly marched inside.


"It's a free path to the village gate. Two horses await there. You both go on ahead; I'll follow after."





@Syrenrei
 
Hyr Road, slightly more north than 1 post ago- Arcden & Greyden


"I'm sorry to hear they don't encourage you, but everyone should do what they are good at. You can always scribe your adventures here and leave the tome behind as a record if you return home. I don't read much, but isn't that why people write down historical accounts? To show various perspectives?" He winked over his shoulder at her, a few errant strands of violet sliding over his features as he did so. When not dedicating himself to a mischievous cause, Greyden was a surprisingly empathetic and reassuring person... who just happened to be an assassin. His profession would be revealed sooner or later. While he was not ashamed of his accomplishments and skills, it was bound to make the already frightened teenager just a little more skittish. Most had a vision of he and his peers slaughtering others for the sheer fun of it- rarely did they contemplate that it was simply 'work' that wasn't freely given. Greyden tried to think it flattering that others occasionally became paranoid and skittish in his presence- it meant they viewed him as proficient.


Despite Zaria and Arcden's obvious disapproval of his visits to whore houses, he had on more than one occasion found common footing there. They understood the practical nature of their respective endeavors. A prostitute was no more willing to give 'freebies' to a nice gentleman than he was willing to give a 'freebie' murder because someone was especially malevolent. There was a wage to be earned and flying off the handle diminished their value. Give one person service on the house and everyone else will expect the same or try to haggle down prices.


"We're getting closer to them. Do me a favor, eh? Follow my lead to help those two get some time alone later tonight. I promise to be a perfect gentleman, you might just need to trust me a bit." He turned his head again to flash an impish grin before he sprinted the rest of the way towards Zaria and Greyden, arriving just as the latter of the pair finished speaking.


@pastel stitchings


Arcden listened quietly, his face impassive and not belying the turmoil that raged beneath the cover of flesh. Emotions swirled and surged as Zaria revealed her quest for power was not satiated and that her inclination towards marriage was only to further her advancement- not out of romantic notions. He understood her pragmatic attitude and truth be told he adored it privately. She displayed outbursts here and there but she always returned to reason as a basis for her decisions. Despite Greyden's urgings, he would not indulge himself in a confession. Even if Zaria was flattered or confused, she would return to firm footing and decide there was nothing to be gained from such a joining. Arcden was not wealthy nor did he hold any sort of prestige: the summary of his being and worth was before her right now, largely unchanged from an hour, day, or year prior. His swords had increased in value and could be sold for more than he had ever revealed to his brother and lady of his affections. A house would not entirely be out of the question. Still, she would be lessened politically and her journeys home would only be contentious.


"And now you see why it is unrealistic to think we could wed. Humans distrust us, even while they hire us, and Iesti women have the same ambitions you do," Arcden slowly stated, deliberately hiding all signs of the melancholy she had invoked. "But I believe that there is little that you can not achieve. Any suitor would be a fool not to wed you, even if your only desire was to use him to increase your rank." As always, Arcden's words were completely sincere as he stood waiting for his brother to arrive at their place on the road and for Zaria to compose herself from her thoughts. His cloak billowed around him dramatically as his eyes fixated on a distant point ahead. While genetics had failed to provide a suitable lineage for society, it had at least blessed him with strangely attractive looks. Greyden often joked that it was worth being shafted by Iesti because they were merely jealous of all the lavender. There was many an elf that turned heads with their allure and had prolific successes with seduction or charm; still, there some merit to it. Arcden quietly wondered if that was how Greyden would finally put an end to his romantic solitude- by bartering with appearance alone.


"Whatever you decide, we shall support you." His words were quiet yet firm, barely audible above the gust of wind that made Zaria shiver slightly. The implication was that the stoic twin now anticipated that they would eventually part ways despite his desire not to. The spy had done much for them, however, and they would sacrifice all but their lives to help her attain happiness in recompense.


@Auren
 
Chickadee was not looking at him when he winked. She was not really looking at anything really. Just staring at the ground, thinking. Maybe it would not be all bad of she was stuck there. More than likely the others were probably there too...or at least she hoped they were. If they were, she could possibly meet up with them. But where would they be? They could be on the other side of the world for all she knew! Even if she could not find them, at least her parents were not there. They would probably be nagging her for even going to the party when she should have waited at the house for her annoying aunt and her just as annoying son. She could not say that being there was more pleasant than being around them, but at least one of the people were being nice to her there.


The girl began listening when Greyden spoke again. She blinked. What? "What do you mean?" Chickadee asked him. Was not letting people have some time to theirselves as easy as just keeping away from them. All she wanted to do whem they stopped was sleep. Get ready to try walk by herself so she would not have to be carried again. It made her feel even more like a child than she already felt.
 
Healer Hut o' Shit- Jenna (still delusional)


Jenna's guardians seemed less pleased with her than she would have imagined. After her incredibly thorough and thoughtful explanation of the geography of Earth, she expected them to praise her and apologize for their doubting natures. This more difficult than anticipated. Real life meant an alarming lack of affection bars or other indicators of their demeanor. A smile might have been nice. Not a big one, just a small one of slowly warming approval and praise like any good guardian. With a small inward sigh, she tried to gather her optimism and strength like the heroine she was and let a smile spread across her features more easily. A change of scene might be welcome, even though she remained skeptical that either she or Seurn should be traveling.


Once Ludovic had entered the building, she flashed that naively charming grin to the man that shared her cot. The proximity and sight of him still made her flush from her jaw through her ears and to her scalp, but there was nothing to be done about the arrangement. In fact, she suspected this was another clever writing mechanism and ploy to make her feel a certain connection to her long-haired guardian. "He cares about you a lot, doesn't he? I don't have many close friends back home, not like you have Ludovic." Her words were bright and cheerful as if Jenna did not have a hole that had been gouged through her less than an hour prior and was in immense pain. Surely she should be, yet she prattled on aimlessly and with innocence that could not be imitated.


When the barbarian in question re-entered and asserted that there were two secured horses awaiting them, Jenna's expression faltered slightly. Well, horses were the steeds of fairy tales and the like- but she didn't know how to ride. Unlike lands of fantasy, she had an automobile for travel instead of equine creatures. Jenna sensed something... wrong. Why were they in a hurry to leave? Why was that mayor so upset and pointing his stubby little finger at her? Tendrils of dread clasped onto the edges of the teenager's mind, threatening to pull her down under its weight. "I don't know how to ride," she said more meekly than she would have liked.


"Why do want us to go ahead?" Jenna asked with concern now lacing her voice, eyes wide. It was unlikely he was going to get her to go quietly without either selling a fetching lie or divulging a nuance of truth. Rather than reacting merely out of self-preservation, however, she was more panicked about being left behind. Foreign land? She could handle that. Large strangers impaling her on arrival? Okay. Having two men that could easily be rapist murders take care of her? Sure. Being left behind in the wilderness of fantasy land without her guardians? NOPE. "What if you get left behind?" She didn't look quite emotional to cry, but being told they were ready to burn her at the stake or that Ludo might be endangering himself slightly to create a diversion might just tip her over.


Brave as she was, Jenna was still merely a high school junior being thrown from the comfort of a sheltered life to that of traveling warriors. There would be some... adjustments.


@Killigrew
 
xBoldan - Inside Hyr’s Border - Zaria L’instxxxxxxx






Zaria nodded, glancing to Arcden for a moment before returning to her silence. Maybe it would be difficult for him and his brother, but she still thought they could be as charming as any of the men that tried to approach her in Iesti. Iesti women may have craved power, but Zaria could think of plenty that liked the idea of romance. Her sister was one of them. She found it silly. No relations with another was easy, especially when in such close quarters. When she lived at her father's home, it wasn't uncommon for her and her sister to fight. She wasn't sure that she would marry for her rank, though she was sure her father would try to match her with various rich men.




She was about to thank Arcden when his brother arrived with the human. Her eyes narrowed a the two of them. The girl was riding on Greyden's back and they had lost too much time for her to be satisfied. Even if the girl did prove to have some use, Zaria did not like the idea of having to take up the slack.




Another gust of wind whipped past, and Zaria pulled her cloak in tight. She looked up at Greyden, a frown teasing the corners of her lips.

"We've lost a bit of time,"

she said as she walked. She just hoped the girl didn't try to jog with them. Zaria looked about them. Then, she pulled out a map, looking at it as she walked and sighing. The map wasn't the best of quality, but she could only hope they were only a few miles from a good spot to camp for the night.





https://www.rpnation.com/profile/5169-syrenrei/@Syrenrei

https://www.rpnation.com/profile/5169-syrenrei/

https://www.rpnation.com/profile/2374-pastel-stitchings/@pastel stitchings

https://www.rpnation.com/profile/2374-pastel-stitchings/
 
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