Fantasy Of Ashes and Snow

[Juju]

Solirus​

Despite being the one to offer him food, Brinne was a little surprised when Suriel actually accepted it. She knew he had to eat at some point, but it felt almost like some secret ritual that up until now she was excluded from. Granted, she had only known him for little over a day at this point, but she would be lying if she said she wasn't dying to know what he looked like under the helmet.

Brinne was polite enough not to bring it up, but secretly she had thought of different theories as to why he hid behind the helm. Was it a hideous scar? With the unknown battles he must have been in, there was no way he didn't have at least one. Maybe his whole face was riddled with plague? Maybe he didn't have a face at all and was using the helm as a substitute?

Whatever she had imagined him to look like, it was not what was revealed. He looked far from sick, in fact he looked healthier than most peasants despite having lived in squalor for who knows how long. If someone told her he was a noble, she would have believed them. She was right about the scar though, but it was almost too perfect to be considered one. Like some strange birthmark, it wreathed around one of his eyes, which to her surprise were the glowing pinpricks she had thought to be magic illusion. The hue was striking, and had an almost ethereal beauty in the dying light.

Brinne stared at him in stunned silence as he took the tart from her hand and turned away. She thought that her curiosity would be sated when he finally revealed his face, but she only found herself feeling sad. Suriel looked strangely nervous about it all, even turning away from her to eat the pastry. Whatever his reason for hiding his face, it must bring him some sort of emotional pain. She wondered for a moment if it was the same reason he hid his wings in cloth.

Trying to make him feel more comfortable, Brinne made a show of turning her gaze away from Suriel and towards the river, "It's good, right? You can thank Priscilla's great, great, great-grandmother for that one! Oh, Pricilla's the baker, by the way. She told me her brother is a town guard, and that she was really glad you drove the bandits away! Actually, a lot of people told me that. It took forever to get out of town."

Brinne smiled as she propped her head onto her hand, watching the water flow through the nearby stream, "You know, everyone was grateful for what you did back there, but it... well, I don't know. You don't seem that happy about it, I guess?"

The memory of bandit screams and clotted blood intruded upon her thoughts, somewhat ruining her appetite. She lowered the fruit she had been munching on and added, "Well, not that I blame you or anything. I'm still not sure how to feel about yesterday, either."

 

[Solirus]

Juju ​

Suriel kept eating, listening to Brinne talk, from how she sounded she was clearly facing away from him, perhaps as an attempt of kindness. Suriel didn't know how to feel about that and simply kept eating until the tart was gone. Once finished, Suriel quickly put his helmet back on, its walls protecting him from the howling wind granting him a certain comfort.

Still looking away from Brinne and into the darkness of the forest, Suriel responded, "I don't deserve their gratitude."

There was a moment where the only noise to be heard was the flowing river. "I am a bad man, Brinne. I have done and still do bad things. Even if motivated by good intentions, those things are still bad. I will not stop being and doing bad, but I will never do something horrible again." After that Suriel remained quiet, he felt as if he wanted to say more, but he seemed to restrain himself.

 

[Juju]

Solirus​

Brinne glanced back at him. So this is what it was all about? Guilt was an insidious illness of the mind, and just by the way Suriel spoke about the past, Brinne could tell that it haunted him more than any shade. It made her wonder what he had done, but she didn't even think to ask him. This was not a matter of manners or even seeming polite. Like ripping out a barbed arrow, she knew all too well just how painful it was to recount the mistakes of the past. The bloodier, the worse.

Things were shifting into place. The horrible hut, the panicked retreat away from the villagers. All at once, she began to better understand the man beneath the armour, even if it was merely a glimpse. She wondered if other people might feel afraid, wondering what sort of atrocities he might have committed in the past to garner such a view of himself. Maybe in the past, or a different life perhaps, she might have been filled with concern or fear. Maybe she really was twisted, but the confession only gave her a softly growing sense of trust. Strangely, hearing his struggle with morality made her feel a little closer to him.

Sh broke the silence, "Well... understanding that you did something wrong is the first step of being good, isn't it? I mean, if you were really a bad person, you wouldn't care, right?"

Brinne split the fruit she was holding open between her fingers, revealing the black seed nestled within its fleshy heart. She plucked it out and dropped it onto the ground, burying it beneath the loose soil. The two split halves of fruit disappeared in her hands, joining a glow of green magic she cradled in her cupped hands. It illuminated her face as she tipped it out, letting it flow where the seed had been buried. Motes of magic soaked into the soil and disappeared.

She dusted off hands and offered Suriel a patient, understanding smile. It seemed she herself was a little hesitant to break the silence, but she did so anyway. Gently, she added, "I um... Lady Nereis told me something a long time ago that might help you. I don't think she realized it, but it's one of the best things she ever said to me. She told me, 'few beings are truly evil, and even they are not necessarily beyond redemption. Change is inherent in life. So long as something lives, it can grow'."

Two little leaves pushed their way up through the soil from where Brinne had planted the seed. It was only a tiny sproutling, but Brinne looked proudly at it nonetheless. She added, "I don't think it's too late for you, Suriel. Not yet."

 

[Solirus]

Juju ​

As the sun drew closer to withdrawing from the horizon, darkness slowly crept back in. Brinne was too caring... far too caring for her own good, he had to show her how wrong she was before she got herself hurt, but Suriel acted against that, it was up to Brinne to figure that out herself.

Nereis's quote rang in his ears, the way it was phrased was just like something she would say and something she would so clearly believe too. He could remember now, those times that they argued about the meaning of a potted plant or the dust at the top of the shelf. Perhaps she had been teasing him all that time, but perhaps she was just pushing him, testing his minds and ideals on the seemingly rudimentary.

"Maybe... but there is no redemption for me, only a miserable end regardless of the journey." There was another moment of silence as the sun fully set, "I shall now rest, you should do the same, we'll continue moving as early as possible."

 

[Juju]

Solirus​

Suriel's words seemed to upset Brinne, but she didn't press the matter. Perhaps a change in subject was in order. She packed everything into her bag and then stood up, dusting herself off with a long sigh, "About that time of day, huh? Time really flies when you're having fun! I can't believe how much ground we covered today! If we keep up this pace we'll get to your compass in no time!"

Brinne stretched out her arms and let out a tired yawn, "Well, I'd better get some sleep if you want to wake up at the crack of dawn like last time. Seriously, I don't know how you do it. It's like harvest season is every day for you. Ack..."

She grumbled something about needing sleep as she shuffled through the dark clearing in search of the mossy patch she had gushed about earlier. Without any light to guide her sight, she ended up stumbling over some sticks and nearly tripped. She let out a surprised yelp, but before she could fall to the ground her form shifted into that of a wolf. Brinne landed on white paws, and with better eyes she orientated herself towards the patch and began to claw at it, tail wagging, until it was a fluffy nest. With a happy whine, Wolf-Brinne flopped down into her moss bed and then shifted back.

"Have a good night, Suriel!" she called out through the darkness.

---

The Detour​

The two set off at sunrise, after Brinne was coaxed yet again from sleep. There was no raccoon this time, but she seemed to be very reluctant to leave her mossy bedding. The only motivation that seemed to stir her was the impending need to find Nereis, and Brinne's grumbling tummy. She ate a large breakfast, and as Suriel had doubtlessly seen, the girl had quite a healthy appetite for someone of her size.

The weather was fair, with only a slight breeze to keep them cool from the summer sun. Fluffy white clouds shifted in the skies above, and birds flitted through the trees. Brinne filled the day with chatter once again, showing Suriel more plants and even collecting a few that she mentioned could make nice tea. It was unclear how she would make tea without a campfire, but it seemed to be some indirect plea to have one the following night. Much to her disappointment, Suriel was just as adamant not to have a fire the next night. Once again she objected, and once again she gave up after Suriel's bristled demeanour.

Two days passed by peacefully on the road, but by the middle of their third the peace was somewhat disturbed. It began with a symbol carved into the bark of a tree. Had Brinne not gotten off the path to inspect a wildflower, she might not have seen it at all. She didn't mention it to Suriel, but he would immediately notice that she wasn't talking as much after she returned to the path, as if suddenly self-conscious of the noise she was making. She was clearly nervous, but if Suriel asked about it, she would brush it off as general nerves regarding the journey ahead.

Less than an hour later, the two came across a crossroads under some sort of road blockade that limited access to the western path. Horses and carts were stationed to the side, the latter bearing a symbol of a monster skull skewered by a sword and two crossed arrows*. A few armoured men and women stood in the middle of the blockade. One was talking to a man driving a vegetable cart, apparently settling some disagreement. While the cart driver's voice was less clear, the guard's voice was loud enough for all to hear.

"The path to Hillsfar has been hereby restricted from civilian access by order of the crown." the guard said, holding up a sheet of parchment bearing a royal seal. "The town and surrounding locale is currently under investigation after reports of cultist activity. Those who do not obey shall be subject to the crown's justice."

Instead of asking around for more information, Brinne kept to herself. Nervously, she glanced down at the compass in hand. Its spindly arrow pointed directly down the path the guards were blocking, but she didn't seem to mention anything. She placed the compass back into her pocket and shifted uncomfortably, holding her staff a little closer.

"We should take a detour around." She suggested, without looking at Suriel. "I'm sure it won't take too long before the path loops back."

*you can choose if Suriel is aware of this guild or not, but they are known as The Black Watch. A group of warriors/hunters devoted to slaying monsters, witches, cultists and any other supernatural entity deemed as agents of evil. The order was established after the great war as a means to prevent monsters and cults from growing to critical levels as they once did.

 

[Solirus]

Juju ​

In the following days Brinne continued to pester him with dumps of knowledge relating to local fauna and the nature, at that point it had become like wind to him only ever responding when she talked about something else. She also remained wanting to start a campfire, needing to stop her every time, eh wouldn't understand, not truly, not yet, but it was good that she listened to him. Yet something occasionally felt off with Brinne, in the stream of information, there was an abrupt and almost alarming silence which Suriel questioned. Her apparent reason was her nerves getting to her. There was something she was hiding, but so was he, he thus decided he would not pry.

Eventually, they arrived at a crossroads which blockaded by a group of warriors bearing a mark which he did not recognize. Suriel however guessed they must've worked for a guild of sorts hunting monsters. It was normal for a guild's symbol to represent their field of expertise whether it be craftsmen or hunters.

However, the current predicament was tricky, the compass pointed to Hilsfar, a name Suriel had passing memory of, not exactly remembering why. Yet if the compass pointed there, then it left them little choice but to go forth. Brinne however, the social one, seemed nervous to confront them. Something was wrong, very wrong, he couldn't pinpoint what it was. Perhaps she was nervous she would be labeled a cult member from her horns?

"The way is barred for civilians, but they are looking for cultists, if we tried avoiding them that would make us suspicious. Let us talk to them first, learn what we can." Suriel suggested, waiting for Brinne's response.

 

[Juju]

Solirus​

For the first time in the journey, Brinne was the antisocial one. The gift of gab she had been blessed with seemed to have suddenly run out. Apprehensively, she glanced between the stationed watchmen and then Suriel, her eyes almost pleading. "Do we... do we really? I guess you're right in that it would be suspicious."

She must have realized that her own hesitation was becoming suspicious, so she made a pitiful effort to hide the fear in a forced smile, "I suppose it can't hurt, r-right? Ehe..."

Slowly, she dragged her heels as they approached. She let Suriel take the lead on this one and kept very close to him, shrinking back as if subconsciously trying to hide behind him. Contrary to her agreement in asking questions, she was completely silent. It would seem that Suriel would have to be the one talking if he wanted questions to be asked.

The guard, a tall man wearing heavy plate, turned his attention to the two travellers approaching. In the same manner he talked with the cart driver, he addressed them. "The road to Hilsfar is closed due to reports of cultist activity. It's off limits to all citizens by order of the crown. Anyone who denies this order shall be subject to the crown's justice. I suggest you take the detour to Lordshaven or wait in the encampment until the investigation is complete."

Lordshaven would ring familiar in Suriel's memory. Now that he was closer to the parchment, he would also recognize the symbol pressed into the wax as the royal sigil of the ruling family. He probably recognized it from war banners that once flew with the symbol of a king seated upon a rearing steed, a white hunting hawk soaring above his head. It would seem that the wilderness they had passed into, as well as the town of Hilsfar, was part of their kingdom. This supposed territory was larger than Suriel would remember, as at the time of Lordshaven's occupation and liberation during the war, it had been one of the smaller kingdoms in the region. If he remembered correctly, the city wouldn't be that far away from here.

Brinne stood silent and stiff beside Suriel, her eyes anxiously watching the sheathed sword hanging from the watchman's hip. She seemed completely fixated on it, her eyes locked onto it with intense vigilance. It was almost as if she was anticipating something.

 

[Solirus]

​

Juju ​

Brinne once more showed to be the anti-social one in this scenario, concerning, but Suriel could perhaps still talk. "Hail" Suriel greeted the guard, raising his right hand up to greet him. From what he could remember, greeting someone with their dominant hand was a customary thing, as that was the hand used to wield weapons. Showing he held nothing in his right hand and attempting not to conceal it showed at face value that he meant no harm.

"Would the path through Lordshaven lead to Hilsfar too?" Suriel simply asked, keeping it simple and not divulging too much knowledge unless asked directly.

 

[Juju]

Solirus​

If the guard held any suspicion towards either of them, he didn't show it. In fact, he just seemed tired. Perhaps he had been pressed with too many concerned citizens than he was prepared to handle during his Watchman training. He gave a small sigh, as if he had just been given the hundredth variation of the same question.

"Aye, the Lord's Path rejoins with the western trail farther on, just past the Whitewind Falls. The western trail is this one, in case you didn't know. Just the other day I had a cheesemonger argue with me over that for an hour. Point is, whatever bloody name this path has, it's the one that passes through Hilsfar." he explained pointedly as he rolled up the sealed scroll and stuffed it back into a lacquered wooden case tied to his belt.

With a stern glance at Suriel he added, "And before you ask, the other side of town has a blockade as well. Just in case you think you're being cheeky."

It was at this point he seemed to notice the scared girl who was gawking at the sword on his hip. He sounded gruff, but not uncaring, "You alright lass? Don't be afraid, the sword ain't for you. We of The Black Watch are here for the cultists and their beasties. Don't you worry your pretty little heart. I daresay we'll have this mess sorted out in less than a week. Have some of our best and brightest on the hunt, we does."

The man gave a proud chuckle. Brinne tried to smile with him, but it only ended up producing a small grimace. She tore her eyes away from the sword and nodded stiffly, her voice crackling a little, "Y-yeah... thanks."

 

[Solirus]

Juju ​

"I see" Suriel responded, he couldn't be sure if his compass was directly on Hilsfar or through it, one of the weaknesses of a compass, it showed only direction, but lacked magnitude, "Blessed day to you." Suriel regarded the guard before turning to face Brinne.

"Let us go." He said before making his way to the other path. If the compass was truly in Hilsfar, then their journey to Lordshaven would confirm or deny it. Suriel secretly hoped that the direction of the compass would point to the location being past the city, so they wouldn't have to deal with authorities.

 

[Juju]

Solirus​

"Hm, and to you as well." The guard responded in kind to Suriel's kind wishes. He bid them farewell and didn't pay them much notice afterwards.

Brinne seemed overeager to leave the blockade behind, walking in front of Suriel with quick and hurried steps. She practically fled it in all but speed. Her shoulders were tensed up, and her staff was held tightly against her chest. As the distance grew between herself and the blockade, Suriel could practically see the anxiousness fading somewhat as her posture loosened. Since she walked in front of him, he couldn't see her face, which almost seemed to be a deliberate choice.

The silence drew on, but this time Brinne seemed to catch onto it quicker. She tried to fill the tension by speaking up in her usual manner, but she couldn't quite keep the disquiet out of her voice, "So um... Lordshaven? I don't think I've been there before. Is it far?"

 

[Solirus]

Juju ​

Suriel didn't mind Brinne walking in front of him, in their travels she was already all over the place moving from bush to tree, and rock to critter. In this instance however it felt forced, or rather, discrete, she was hiding something. Ironic that he'd think about that while wearing a helmet.

"I don't know" Suriel bluntly stated, "Or perhaps I don't remember. Nevertheless, keep an eye on the compass, it'll decide if we follow through." If the arrow of the compass hardly turned, then they could ignore the investigation, but if it did, then their destination would be clear.

 

[Juju]

Solirus​

“Yeah, I'll keep an eye on it!” Brinne mumbled, even though she hadn't pulled out the compass since the blockade. She was just following the path at this rate, not really paying much attention to what was in front of her.

It was for this exact reason why she jumped from fright whenever a voice called out to the two of them from beside the road.

“Travelling to Lordshaven, eh?” spoke the voice, belonging to a middle-aged man with a long moustache and two twinkling, beady eyes.

It was the man who owned the cart full of oyster barrels. He was down off of his wagon, adjusting the leather harness around the draft horse pulling it. Only his head stuck out above the beast's dappled brown hide, which he gave a loving pat before making his way around the cart. He dusted off his hands and placed them on his toned waist. "Word is that the roads just aren't as safe as they used to, what with this nasty cult business. Say, I'm also heading to Lordshaven. Why don't the two of you hitch a ride with me, hmm? Tulip here can give your feet a break."

The man's offer was generous, though there was obviously more to it than just charity. Just one look could tell you that the man was well-muscled but no fighter, despite his angle of providing mutual protection. He clearly noticed Suriel's fine armour as a symbol of at least some familiarity in combat and, reading between the lines, it seemed that in exchange for transport the man intended to use Suriel as some sort of protection.

"I am tired..." Brinne muttered, still sounding a bit hazy.

"Har! I know a traveller when I see one," The man gave a wink and offered a hand and a smile, "Forgot to mention, the name's Roderick. I'm a merchant from Eastriver."

"Brinne." the girl replied as she shook his hand, seeming a lot more comfortable now.

"Say, I heard that there's a festival to be held in Lordshaven. It's a pretty big deal there. Only happens once every three years, coinciding with the special flowers that bloom. People from all over the region travel here just to see them. They're truly a sight to behold." He scratched his chin, a pleased look on his face, "but if you ask me, it's the night market and the festivities that really draws people in. Nothing like good food and wine while watching the fireworks."

Suriel wouldn't remember any notable flowers blooming in or around Lordshaven the last time he had been there. Of course, the last time would have been different for many other reasons. It must have been long after the war that these flowers came to be, as well as the festival celebrating them.

"A firework show?!" Brinne had perked up like a wilted flower in spring, her sullen demeanour replaced by bubbling energy. She was smiling again, her eyes shining with joy. They turned to Suriel, who could guess what she was about to say before she did, "Suriel! We have to go see them! Can we? Can we please?!"

It was unclear if the merchant had mentioned the festival just to get Brinne on board -- and by extension, Suriel -- but if he had, then it had certainly gone as planned.

 

[Solirus]

​

Juju ​

As they walked, Suriel had noted an odd scent approaching them, that of a fresh ocean breeze. The lack of ocean made the smell odd enough to spot the merchant with barrels of oysters approaching. The man seemed to recognize the path they took, directly towards Lordshaven, additionally mentioning the lack of safety brought by the looming cult.

Next, however, he seemed willing to offer them both a ride, introducing himself as Roderick, a man from Eastriver. Suriel didn't recognize the name of the place, he frankly couldn't even remember most of the places he'd been in, but from the sound of it, the name appeared more as a fishing hamlet. Folk from those places always seemed to be nice, but never so toned and big. Suriel wondered what sort of oysters the man was fishing to end up with a body like that.

Suriel would only be able to catch the final parts describing the festival held at the town. Then there was Brinne's apparent eagerness, such a detour could be time-consuming, but so was the investigation and the ramifications of breaking past the guards. Slowly, however, realized what Brinne had said, worry washed over his body as the merchant appeared aware yet rather confused, "Brinne don't use that name on me, remember to call me Talaran." It was the first name that came to his head, and though it was awkward, hopefully Brinne wouldn't mind it if he simply accepted the visit to the festival. "Regardless, we can go to the festival, feel free to hitch a ride, I'll travel on foot besides you" Suriel stated, ready to jog or run at the pace of Roderick's cart.

 

[Juju]

Solirus​

If Suriel was trying to make things discreet, Brinne ruined it by a clearly shocked and worried look. Still, she played along to the best of her ability without question, "I... uh, what did I call you? Thal-Thalaran? I totally just said my... my pet's name again, didn't I?!"

She gave an awkward laugh in an effort to cover up, which only fed into the suspiciousness of her words. A part of herself died a little when the first excuse that came to mind was a pet of all things. In the back of her mind, she could almost hear Lady Nereis howling with laughter.

Just why was Suriel suddenly obscuring his name? All she hoped was that he wasn't on a wanted list in this region. Once again, she was reminded of how little she actually knew about Suriel, aside from his friendship with Lady Nereis. If anything, the relation to Nereis made her a little more concerned for Suriel's possible wanted status. The archdruid had admitted to several 'pranks' in passing stories over tea that had left Brinne in utter disbelief. While her eccentric master had thought them to be hilarious, some kings and other government officials might consider her whimsical chaos to be worthy of fines or worse.

Brinne's wide eyes flicked between Roderick, who didn't seem to care about her sudden anxiety, and Suriel who she couldn't discern anything beneath his helm. She was completely on edge until the moment he agreed. Brinne's mood did a complete 180 degree spin, swapping to utter joy. With a whoop of glee, Brinne did a happy little hop, "Yes, yes, yes!! Oh, this will be so much fun! I always wanted to see fireworks!"

"They truly are something, little miss. I know a good spot to view 'em too, if you're interested." Said Roderick, stepping onto his cart. The sheer weight of the muscular man caused the whole structure to shift.

"Oh yes please!" Buzzing with excitement, Brinne skipped over and jumped onto the cart. Once on board, she stretched out her arms and legs with a happy sigh, "Ah... this is nice. Thank you so much, Roderick, and especially you too, Tulip. You're a very strong girl. I wish I could be a strong horse like you. Deer are so scrawny and have so many details that are hard to get right... ugh."

Pouting a little about her struggles in druid training, Brinne glanced at Suriel. "Eh, you're not going to take a break, Sur... Talaran, Sir?"

She stumbled a little, but quickly recovered by converting the first half of Suriel's name into an honorary prefix. He did look like a knight, after all.

The wagon began to move, pulled by the steady hooves of the draft horse Tulip. Now that Roderick had his back to them, Brinne decided it would be a good time to ask Suriel for the reasoning behind all this fuss. She made exaggerated gestures towards him, trying to get him to come closer so she could whisper.

 

[Solirus]

Juju ​

Suriel watched Brinne jump into the cart alongside Roderick, whose sheer mass made the entire thing tilt. While Brinne showed excitement for the show, Suriel was more wary, they weren't supposed to be travelling for fun, they'd set out to save someone important to the both of them. If Nereis was part of the expedition, she would've already gotten into trouble, maybe dragged the both of them into a completely unrelated adventure within another one.

He'd only even accepted this visit to the festival for the purpose of waiting out the investigation and to make her more agreeable to the use of his name.

"No, I will not" Suriel responded to Brinne who was still stumbling to use his fabricated name. However, afterward she gestured for him to get closer noticing the merchant was rather unaware. She quietly questioned and wondered why the sudden change in name, "I'm worried someone will recognize me, it's..." Suriel whispered, hesitating before continuing, "Look it's better if you don't know why and even better if they don't know who I am."

 

[Juju]

Solirus​

"What's that supposed to mean!?" Brinne whisper-shouted, her concern only heightening at Suriel's attempt to explain the situation they found themselves in.

She glanced back at Roderick, now peacefully humming a tune to himself. If Suriel was so concerned about his name, why was it that the oyster merchant hadn't even flinched at it? She slowly turned back around, her fingers knitting together as she tried to keep her voice down despite the secret hanging over her head. Her cheeks puffed out slightly, wondering if it was hypocritical to even press the matter.

"Can you at least tell me what sort of people you don't want to let your name slip around? Is it the city guard? Nobles? Everyone!?" she whispered again, trying to imagine Suriel and Nereis getting up to no good with one of her master's 'pranks'. Try as she might, she couldn't imagine Suriel participating in such a lighthearted spree of chaos. He didn't seem to do a lot of lighthearted things, honestly. As much as she liked Suriel, sometimes it was hard to imagine anyone so gloomy being a friend of her master.

"And is it just this city?" she added.

 

[Solirus]

Juju ​

Even behind the helmet, it was clear Suriel was annoyed to a certain extent, his patience being thoroughly tested. "Everyone, everywhere, don't use my name unless it's in private." Whatever the reason for such behavior and mood, was certainly a sensitive subject for Suriel, one which he did not take lightly in the slightest.

 

[Juju]

Solirus​

“Everywhere?” Brinne echoed. At first her face showed nothing but utter bewilderment, but then it twisted into horror.

It occured to her that she had used Suriel's name with everyone in Northshire. The colour drained from her face and she felt the cold rush of guilt through her veins.

Brinne clapped both hands over her mouth, staring wide-eyed at Suriel for a few moments. He might even have assumed the news scared her into silence, at least until she began to profusely apologize in shrill whispers.

“Oh no. I'm so, so sorry… I used it in front of everyone in Northshire. I didn't know.” She lowered her hands, balling them up into fists that she held against her chest like some shield, “Is it going to be ok?”

Her curiosity and concern had not been sated, but Suriel's tone was a dead giveaway that this was not a topic he intended to continue. Just like the campfire business. In the end she would just have to trust him, and trust Nereis. There was no way her master would be friends with some deranged mass murderer or something.

 

[Solirus]

Juju ​

"Everywhere" Suriel repeated to make sure Brinne understood. Next however, she was worried how she'd used the name so liberally during her time in Nortshire, however Suriel didn't appear as concerned, his tone a serious but more gentle, "It'll be fine, just be careful and mindful of the name." Suriel finally backing off and moving to the side of the cart to see how far Lordshaven was.

 

[Juju]

Solirus​

Brinne nodded her head, taking Suriel's request seriously. "Right. Got it."

She wasn't sure what the reasoning behind it was, and she doubted she would ever, but so long as it didn't interfere with their quest he was entitled to his secrets. Part of her wondered if she would press the matter more if she hadn't been keeping her own secrets, as if by agreeing to keep his he would somehow not question her own. It was a silly thought, and one that made her feel almost a little guilty, but she tried to banish it from her mind.

Turning in her seat, Brinne glanced towards Roderick, who was still humming cheerfully to himself. There was no way he would have heard their words, and yet he almost seemed to be minding his own business with the intent of giving them privacy. Brinne decided she would be the one to break the awkward silence they had collectively created.

"Hey, um, Roderick?" she started, a little sheepishly. As if she didn't want to bother the man.

"Yes, lass?" he said, halting his humming just long enough to respond.

"When's the festival start?"

Roderick gave a thoughtful hum, squinting his eyes into the distance, as if he could somehow see the distant city and its happenings. "Festivities should be just about starting now, I'd say. S'pose you mean the fireworks? That there is hard to say. Could be tonight, could be tomorrow night. All depends on when the first flower blooms. Once one opens, they all do. That's when they light up the sky."

A worried look passed over Brinne's face, "How far away is Lordshaven?"

Roderick gave a hearty laugh, "If the road is good, we'll be there early tomorrow. Could even get there tonight if the roads weren't a hazard and Tulip here was a few years younger. The old girl is tough, but I wouldn't want to push her."

"Ah I see. Thank you." Brinne said, shoulders sagging in disappointment. According to what Roderick had said, if she missed the show then it would be three more years until another one was held. She wasn't even certain if she would ever be back in this area.

Almost as if knowing what she was thinking, Roderick added, "Don't you fret now. Way the heat's been today, I reckon the flowers won't be a-bloomin tonight. Too dry."

Brinne brightened up instantly, a hopeful smile on her face. The excitement welled up, making her fidget in her seat. Once she had calmed down a little, she glanced over to Suriel. "That's perfect then! We can visit for the festival and set off afterwards, right? It will be really, really quick. I can travel extra fast afterwards. Wait, I will wake up earlier!"

The way she looked at him made it seem almost as if she was asking permission, or perhaps acceptance, of what was clearly a plan to do nothing but merrymaking. She seemed earnest though in her 'promise' to be more time-savvy in the future.

 

[Solirus]

Juju ​

Suriel continued besides the cart, listening to Brinne's conversation. Festivals were always unique based on the people's culture which was then determined by the environment that they lived in or had lived in. Yet for a festival to be born from a singe flower was odd to Suriel. He'd never heard of this flower before, yet frankly these lands had changed, perhaps for the better.

Brinne's voice brought his attention back from the mist of his mind, exclaiming her excitements and urge to travel quickly and even awake early to attend the festival and experience this show. It felt odd however that it seemed she needed his input. Suriel was to an extent Brinne's guardian and his opinion and input was important, "Sure." Suriel merely said, he didn't want to bring too much attention to the compass, but based on how Brinne was, eventually she might accidentally reveal it.

 

[Juju]

Solirus​

Brinne's expectant look towards Suriel ended in a happy laugh at his acceptance of her proposal, "Yes! Oh, this is going to be so much fun!"

And so the journey to Lordshaven continued. Back to her usual preppy self, Brinne chatted the day away with Roderick, asking about the upcoming festivities and about Roderick himself. She got to know a fair bit about the man, and his life as a travelling oyster merchant. This particular topic sparked the man's passion for fresh shellfish, and he was more than happy to answer all of Brinne's many questions regarding the ecology of oysters, both freshwater and marine. Despite one being a druid-in-training and the other a fisherman, the two had quite similar interest in the splendour of nature.

Perhaps Suriel would be unable to follow along, or perhaps he would be glad that he wasn't the target of Brinne's gabbing for once. As he probably could have seen coming, Brinne was more than happy to share with Roderick the reason for their travelling, but kept out the finer details such as the names of Nereis, Suriel and the location of the grove. At the curiosity of Roderick, she explained some of the training methods used by beginner druids, something Suriel would likely find quite menial after all his time spent with an archdruid.

The only unusual training he might have overheard was that apparently Nereis told her that one of the most important parts of her apprenticeship was the formation of positive memories around others. This, she went on to explain, was why she didn't feel guilty for delaying the search for her master in favour of attending a festival. Though she admitted to feeling a remorse that her master would not be there with her, she hoped to share the memories with her master once she found her. As usual, Brinne seemed completely sure that her mentor and idol would be fine.

✶✶✶ Nighttime...✶✶✶
​

When the sky turned into pinks and purples, the group decided to make camp for the night. At Suriel's request, Roderick was happy to forgo a campfire, stating; "Better for keeping the bandits away, eh?". He didn't seem that bothered, but Brinne on the other hand did. They had gone the entire day without so much as a single hint of danger, and yet as night approached, Brinne seemed to grow increasingly jumpy. Suriel would recall that in all the nights they spent camping, Brinne had shown no fear for the dark. Hell, on the first day of their meeting, she had slept alone out in an open clearing. Now, as they sat around the darkening camp, she kept careful watch of the shadows and jumped at the slightest of sounds.

After voicing her concerns, or perhaps after Suriel noticed the poor girl's change in attitude, he offered to keep watch. Brinne made a fuss about it, only agreeing to it if she could have the first watch, saying that she couldn't sleep anyway. As brave of a face as she put up, the girl spent her watch frantically eyeing the edges of their camp. Since there was no light, she opted to take on the form of a wolf, hoping to make use of its sharper senses and more intimidating appearance. The latter of which she failed to do. She sat close to Suriel during the entirety of her watch, practically cowering near the sleeping man. Often, she would glance at him and contemplate waking him up, but thought better and returned to her watch.

It hadn't even occurred to her that this was the longest she had ever managed to maintain her wolf form without interruption, the triumph of which was lost in her fearful state. Her moonlit eyes only spared a glance at the stars, tracing the passage of time through their turn.

Finally, when it was her turn to retire, she padded up to Suriel and began to prod at him with a large white paw.

 

[Solirus]

Juju ​

When Brinne had approached Suriel, prodding him to wake up while still in her wolf form, she only saw two golden dots manifest from the darkness behind his helmet. Suriel wasted no time, quietly getting up from his rest. If he was tired, it couldn't be discerned through his helmet.

It was odd that Brinne was in her wolf form, had she possibly been attacked and was running away? No, she had no visible scars, and she wasn't tired in the slightest. She, however, was afraid. Afraid of what, Suriel wondered, it couldn't be from the darkness nor the wilderness. Something was off with her, she only started acting this way once during their travels and again during the blockade.

No, Suriel would not attempt to dig up her secrets, it wasn't his responsibility, but if it was so dangerous...

Suriel simply walked to a nearby boulder and sat on it, getting a slightly higher view to stand watch. If Brinne had not gone to rest now, Suriel would glance towards her, wordlessly telling her to rest already.

 

[Juju]

Solirus​

Strangely, Brinne did not leave the wolf-form as she usually did before rest. As a beast, her expression was harder to read, though her lowered ears and tail were dead giveaways of her encroaching fear. She was thankful that Suriel did not say anything as he got up and took his post as promised. As he sat on a nearby boulder, Brinne paced around their small campsite in an effort to find a suitable sleeping spot. She considered sleeping near the draft horse Tulip, something she had once done with the sheep back when she was a young girl, but Roderick was already snoring away while using the horse as a pillow.

Eventually, Wolf-Brinne settled for a patch of grass that was as far away from the treeline as possible. She laid down, head resting on paws, though her eyes still watched the treeline. After a while, her lupine eyes closed, only for a distant snap of a twig to put her back on full alert. Her horned head lifted, ears pinned forward and nose twitching for the scent. The midnight breeze brought her only the hint of a fox, and of a mouse it had caught.

Brinne glanced away from the treeline to find Suriel giving her a pointed look. It was immediately obvious what he was trying to say, but Brinne wasn't sure if she could comply. She gave a heavy sigh, her breath stirring the grass beneath her paws as she lowered her head again. It wasn't that she didn't trust him to protect her. If anything, he was the best fighter she had encountered and had full faith in his ability to deal with any threat they would encounter.

She wondered if that was part of the problem. While she would never admit it to him, fear would sometimes creep into the back of her mind when she remembered Suriel's abilities and imagined what it would be like if she became his target. Would she, if he knew? Her heart seized at the thought, adding yet another layer to her nightly fear.

Despite her troubled thoughts, Brinne was not immune to the call of sleep. She had no choice but to leave the watch with Suriel as exhaustion finally overcame her about an hour or so after Suriel took over. He would be able to tell when she finally drifted off by the fact that her wolf form vanished, leaving a girl sleeping in the grass. She looked peaceful, free of the fear that had plagued her in the waking world.

The night was cool and quiet, with nothing but the breeze, crickets and the occasional call of an owl. It was only after Brinne fell asleep that anything seemed to change it. Deep into the witching hour, the crickets abruptly halted their song and left a vacant silence. The only sound was that of the sighing leaves, shivering in the soft wind. That, too, also halted. From where Suriel sat, he could see nothing amiss, and yet he had the distinct sensation of being watched. It was an eerie feeling, one that permeated the camp and made the air seem unusually thick.