Bladecrest

[Shura]

Iris nodded slightly happy they were getting some kind of help with their issue. She didn't mind sticking around with Elias, just not in this way where if they strayed to far apart they would be crippled in pain. Iris perked up at the mention of going back to their room and remembered there being a bath. She smiled slightly at the thought of getting to soak in the hot water if only for a little while. She got up along side Elias "Thank you for your help." She said before they were off on their own once more.

 

[Gobbo]

The elf stood and bowed, smiling. "Of course. Elias is a dear friend to our tribe, we owe him quite a lot." he explained, handing Eli three bottles of wine and two glasses. He smiled a bit and turned to leave, following her.


"Trial by blood, huh?" he said, frowning a bit as he walked with her. "Hopefully it won't be enough to kill either one of us..."

 

[Shura]

Iris looked over feeling a bit worried now at the mention of death. "D-do you really thing its possible one of us could die from it?"

 

[Gobbo]

"It depends on the age of the magic, and how it was cast. Sometimes only a drop is needed..." he said, opening the door to their small cabin. "Though, the inscription leads me to believe that it won't be much. 'Bound by blood'... Perhaps a blood exchange?" he wondered, sitting down at the table as he poured them both full glasses of wine.

 

[Shura]

Iris sighed softly as she shuffled over to her bag and grabbed her travel clothes "Blood exchange? Doesnt sound... too safe..." she muttered. "I mean were two different species wouldn't that kind of thing cause some adverse reaction?" She muttered unsurly before shrugging. "I know next to nothing about magic so maybe I'm wrong... I'm going to bath before relaxing though" She informed before making her way over to the wash room.

 

[Gobbo]

Eli shrugged, taking his glass and a bottle over to sit next to the wall of the washroom. "I don't know... I mean, we are two different species, I just hope it would be fine. You don't have that much magical ability, so I don't see an issue there." he said, sitting on the floor and leaning against the wall. He was outside the washroom, but close enough to still talk to her through the door.

 

[Shura]

Iris sighed softly as she closed the door and shed her clothes as the tub started to be filled. Her ears twitched as she listened to Elias think aloud as she got into the the tub moaning softly as she stretched out and settled in the heated waters. She sighed resting her head against the tub "So it should be safe then?" She questioned raising her voice a bit. "I mean... if that's even the real way to get these things off." She added holding her arm up to look at the band around her arm. It was pretty with elegant engraving but saw it as something that just imprisoned her.

 

[Gobbo]

Eli's ears perked up when he heard her moan, his face turning red. He gulped down some wine, sighing. "It should be safe... I hope. I know we can't just cut these things off, they'd probably end up hurting us worse than last time." he said with a sigh.


"This is the best lead we have so far. We should at least see it through. At least we have a few days to finally rest. We've been running around too much lately."

 

[Shura]

"A small rest would help a lot..." she sighed softly, her muscles were hurting more than ever, the time spend in the last town had been spend sneaking around the town and learning about the guards. They didn't really rest. Iris thought a moment before speaking up again. "Elias... how do you know these elves? Your friend said that they owed you what did he mean?"

 

[Gobbo]

Eli finished his glass, pouring another. Elven wine was one of his weaknesses. "Oh, that... Well, that's a long story. I suppose we have some time, though..." he said, sipping at the wine. "Before I begin, would you want a glass of wine in there? I won't look, I promise."

 

[Shura]

Iris blinked as the wine was offered and frowned slightly she would like some but wasn't sure he wouldn't look. Then again it wasn't guaranteed that he wouldn't look. Other thing was she wasn't sure wine and a full bath would mix well if she started to get sleepy from the wine. "I'll have some when I get out."

 

[Gobbo]

"Alright." he said, thinking for a moment. "Well... A long time ago, back when I first started travelling I found these elves. They were dying, their life crystal was taken. I found who took it, and stole it back." he said, sipping at the wine.


"Once their crystal was returned, they flourished. Since then, I've been a lifelong friend of these elves. To repay me, they allow me to come by any time I wish."

 

[Shura]

Iris smiled slightly hearing his story. "That was very kind of you. It's also really good to have made friends with a whole race that could turn use to pincutions with one wrong move..." she sighed.

 

[Gobbo]

"Well, I had a lapse of conscience. I was thinking I'd get paid, but when I saw their plight, and how close to death they were... I had to help." he explained.


"They won't turn me into a pincushion if I announce myself beforehand. Otherwise, they're not exceptionally friendly with anyone. I think you're the only neko they've had in this part of the world that didn't want to kill them, to be honest."

 

[Shura]

Iris ears twitched slightly not really knowing of any hostility of her race and elves. "Wait... why do you say that?" she questioned. "I mean... why would they think I would want to kill them?"

 

[Gobbo]

Eli shook his head, sipping at more wine. "Oh, not you in particular... Elves and Nekos have never really got on very well. Wars, brutal massacres, that sort of thing." he explained with a small shrug. "Since you were with me, they didn't think of you as a threat. At least, if you were, I wouldn't have brought you along into their territory. Trust me, you're safe here."

 

[Shura]

"Wars? Hm... I never knew..." she muttered. "Things were kind of isolated in Bladecrest... I only ever learned about civilized nekos and how they fit into society. I knew there were more feral clans who lived close to nature but never learned much about them..." she said starting to realize just how sheltered and ignorant of the world she was.

 

[Gobbo]

"Well, that's not surprising... I figured your father wouldn't want you to know about your heritage." he explained with a shrug. "You know, you remind me a lot of the ones in the feral tribes up north. You didn't belong locked up in that cage..." he said, finishing his glass. "You know, if you don't come out soon, I might just drink all this wine without you. You don't want to drunk-sit a desert elf, that's for sure." he said with a laugh.

 

[Shura]

Iris chuckled softly "Alright, Alright." She replied. The waters had been getting cool which prompted her to finish her bath and get out of the waters before her skin started to prune. She Dried off and dressed in to the clothes before before quickly washing out her travel clothing and cloak setting it off to the side to try before leaving the bathroom. She noticed half the bottle was already gone and shook her head. "You're quick." She chuckled before sitting near him and accepting an offered glass.

 

[Gobbo]

"It's Elven wine, I can't really help it." he said with a little smirk. "We've got two more bottles of it, so don't worry. I'm not going to drink it all, it would probably put me in a coma. It's deceptively strong for how sweet it tastes." he said with a little grin. There was hardly any alcohol burn at all, and the taste was sweet and cool.


"To be honest, I almost mistook you for a prisoner of the northern tribes. Your markings are amazingly similar."

 

[Shura]

Iris's ears perked up as she took another long sip from her cup. "Northern tribes? It's possible my family could have originated there..." she muttered softly. "There are many species of neko, mine is commonly referred to as a tiger Neko." She muttered. "My markings have always been more prominent compared to my family though... theirs tend to be faded or fewer. Legend says a tiger looses its stripes as it becomes more tame." She chuckled before taking another sip.

 

[Gobbo]

Eli sipped at his drink with a little smile. "It's possible, that's for sure. Perhaps we could go and see about the northern tribes at some point. If you wanted to, of course..." he offered, pouring himself another cup and topping hers off, finishing the first bottle. He was already decently buzzed, and laughed at her mention of the legend.


"I don't think anyone could mistake you for being tame... For being stuck in that cage your whole life, you didn't end up losing any of your stripes. I doubt you ever will, nothing wrong with that, of course."

 

[Shura]

Iris smirked slightly before taking another sip. "Going to the northern tribes sounds interesting..." she muttered starting to feel the warm buzz of the wine. "Good to know... I am very proud of my stripes."she smirked. "Never really liked covering them up like my family did, they tried way too hard to be more human..."

 

[Gobbo]

"Why anyone would want to do that is beyond me... Being who you are isn't some mark of shame to try and hide." he said with a shrug, opening up the second bottle of wine. By the looks of it, he fully intended to have all three empty by the end of the night.


"It would be like me trying to lop off my ears to fit in. It's ridiculous. I think your stripes are quite attractive." he suddenly blurted out, his face going red when he realized what he had said. He gulped quickly at his wine, trying to compose himself.

 

[Shura]

Iris took another sip from her glass before blushing brightly at the compliment not really expecting it. The last thing she ever expected to be complimented on was her stripes. "Uh... thanks..." she muttered before taking another long sip. "To be fair your makings are quite interesting as well." she pointed out remembering the tattoos which marked his skin