Take Back the Crown


Because of Yaroslav's heavy bearing, Thora had beaten him to the caravans by a long shot. When they returned, the number of wounded grew. Svetlana explained what happened before entering the caravan with the thief and the princess. Phaedra looked like she would be steering the wagon his grandmother was usually in charge of.


"Would you like to ride with me?" He offered Thora, thinking perhaps a nymph and a desert didn't mix well. At least it was better than the ocean in this case.
​



 
Thora thought about the offer for a moment before finally agreeing. She would have loved to ridden her horse, but she didn't want to tucker the poor thing out too much (especially since it was helping pull a wagon). She nodded and gave him a warm smile before climbing on with him. Hopefully the little bit of shade from a covered wagon would help make this trek bearable.


@Lo Alyssa
 
Bo was heartbroken to see that Ayda had been severely wounded, but he stayed put, watching from afar. He didn't want to get in the way, especially since he knew there was little he could do to help. While it looked like she would make it, seeing both Hjalmar and Ayda laying in the wagons, completely incapacitated, gave him a more solemn expression. This was only the beginning of their trip... he could hope for things to better or easier, but he knew that that wouldn't be so. He made the decision to think upon the seriousness of their mission again as they trekked across the hot desert, but for the time being, he needed to prepare Santo for the journey.


He walked over to his horse, and checked all of the gear he had strapped to his saddle. He was thankful that he hadn't taken his bow out in the fight. Instead, it remained safely hooked to his saddle. It looked like everything else he'd been carrying was still on Santo. But he wasn't sure how easy it would be for her to carry him through the desert. While he'd known before that he was heavy, hearing it actually from her (or... Oceana) changed his perspective. It would be difficult enough for her to walk through the sand and carry his weight... so he figured he'd do as he usually did, and hop off and on as their travelled. Either way, he would be completely exposed to the sun, and likely, soaking it in. He was happy that he didn't wear any heavy armor (or any armor at all, for that matter), but he did wish he wasn't wearing black. It would only make the heat worse.


He stood beside the wagons, holding the lead to Santo's reigns, ready to depart once everyone hopped on their horses or into the wagons. It looked like everyone was making their way over, even if it was slow. He didn't look forward to travelling under the bright and hot sun, but it was necessary for them to get the first jewel of the crown (which, he hoped they would find).
 
Foxrun was thankful the new mage had stumbled upon them. And that the others soon came to the poor girls aid. They were all going to be exhausted, and they had no time to properly rest and heal. So this desert journey was definitely something he knew they wouldn't look forward to. With a heavy sigh, he watched the others flock around this Ayda, some to heal her, some to comfort, all concerned. He acknowledged the thanks from the little spitfire, Valeiah. Before turning to thank Lilith himself. "I would not have been able to bring her back. I feared physically moving her would have done more harm to her injuries." He admitted grimly "thank you for coming. She needed you." He then offered a grin "the name's Foxrun, since we haven't swapped introductions yet." Then his curiosity peeked "I saw your incantations in that battle. I don't recognize the tactics?" It was clear how badly this bugged him "I literally can't even get a reading to determine what it is. And you handle it remarkably well." This was his way of complimenting her skills, as well as trying to further understand them


@QueenSaiko @Danika @Queen of Fantasy
 

Lilith watched Ayda in fear of her life, but her fear diminished when Svetlana stepped in to help her. She was going to be okay, and Lilith was thankful for that. She was about to go to the caravans, when the familiar face from before approached her and thanked her. She grinned and rubbed the back of her neck, tiredly. "Of course physically moving her would have caused the plank to move and cause more discomfort and injury. That's why I handled it with magic." She responded. "And you are very welcome. I doubt anyone would ever have need for me again." She sighed, as Jinx limped back to Lilith, with large eyes. "The name is Lilith." She replied, picking up the cat and petting her wet fur. "Thank you. It's actually spells that I learned from studying for years." She deliberately left out the part of experimentation's. "Many magicians like to just use their magic from birth to fight. I wished for a little bit more power and control." She nodded. "With words like this..." She prepared to give an example, by clearing her throat and focusing on her cat. "remedium." She whispered. Her cat looked up at her with pain in her eyes, but that soon changed in a second. She seemed to be a bit more happy and was not limping anymore. "I can almost do anything." She smiled at Foxrun.

@GalacticRam
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Bo's eyes darted to the cat on the woman's shoulders. He casually noted that he should probably not get near her, unless he wanted his eyes to puff up and to break out in hives. That wouldn't be pretty. It wasn't anything against the woman, really. Sure, she did look rather ghastly, but it wasn't his desire to really avoid any of the people in his group. It was just precautionary. He also became acutely aware - almost paranoid, at the moment - of any cat hair he could find anywhere. Allergies are a pain. But at least the reactions were avoidable.



@Queen of Fantasy (sort of, not really, but eh, she's mentioned)
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"Alright everyone!" Svetlana poked her head out from within the caravan after checking on Hjalmar. Her voice was raspy from exhausting too much energy. "We need to get a move on! Once I build up my strength, I can shield us from the sun, lessening its effect on us. But for now, we will all have to bear with it." She returned to Hjalmar so she could once again focus on tending his cluttered mind.


Yaroslav helped Thora on board, glad he would have some company. He then took the lead, knowing which direction they needed to go. He nodded to Phaedra in thanks for taking his grandmothers job. Steering was a fairly simple task, but the hard wooden benches bruised your butt as the caravan bumped along, which was always rather unpleasant.


@TeeKay @plasticlizard022




(@ pretty much everybody because we'll all be moving. I'll do a time skip once everyone has wrapped up their interactions!)
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Phaedra had seen Ayda as she was getting ready to climb up on to the front of the caravan and she stopped dead in her tracks, becoming sickly pale (for a blue woman) at the sight. This is what she had feared. Seeing the grave injuries, even as they were quickly being tended to by Svetlana, made her feel sick to her stomach. It wasn't the sight of blood or anything of the sort as Phaedra was certainly not the squeamish type. She had seen her fair share of gruesome scenes growing up in the mountains. She saw the bodies of climbers, adventurers, and thrill seekers alike who met their ends in various horrific ways: crushed by falling rock, falling to their deaths and sprawled out in unnatural positions, frozen corpses abandoned in the snowy moor...

No. What made her feel so ill was the overwhelming feeling of guilt. It was bad enough seeing the damage done to the ship and the exhaustion and the pain visible on everyone's faces. The bumps, the scrapes, the bruises and scratches - they were all incredibly lucky. Ayda had pulled the short straw and Phaedra felt she was the one to blame. If only she had not been so reckless, maybe their landing would have been smoother and maybe... Well, she was at fault, despite knowing that she had done this for the whole. Phaedra foolishly hadn't thought that it would be at any cost beyond her own life.

Though Ayda grated on Phaedra's nerves, she never, ever would have wished to see her like this. This was absolutely atrocious and she felt personally responsible.

She stood frozen for a time, staring at the young woman be tended to and be hovered around. Even Oceana had softened considerably in response to Ayda's grave wounds. Breaking away from the scene, she pulled herself up on to the front of the caravan and gripped the reins, feeling her nails pierce her skin.

Stupid. Idiot. How could you do that.

She took a deep breath, then slowly exhaled.

Do better. You thought that was your best? No. You failed to keep everyone safe like you said. Do better.​
 
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Though Svetlana was focusing on Hjalmar with her magic, she was a perceptive woman even without her supernatural abilities. Phaedra's body language said it all. She stopped her work for a moment and scooched closer to the sylph, leaning against the bench with her arm. She placed her other hand on the sylphs, looking at her with sincere eyes, "Do not blame yourself." She said slowly in order to get the message across, "Had you not done what you did, all of us would be in Ayda's position right now at the bottom of the ocean, defeated, Algoran's only hope... lost... You were amazing, and you saved us all." She gripped her small hands a little harder, "There will be heavy prices to pay on this journey, my child. Some will be unavoidable. But we all signed up realizing that, all of us chose this path." She smiled, "And personally, if I were to die, I would want to die fighting for a better future... a better future for those who survived."


She let go of the sylph, rubbing her arm as a way to encourage her before returning to her task. She hoped her words had helped relieve her if only in the slightest.


@TeeKay
​
 
Valeiah took the chance to wade in the water a little bit. With the desert coming up, who knew how long it would be until she would get into water again. She even took out her braids to rinse off her hair. That was a mess. It was wildly poofy. Alo saw her hair and laughed at her.
 

Listening to each word that left Svetlana's lips without turning to face her - her eyes were focused on the journey ahead - Phaedra slowly began to relax, suddenly realizing how tense she was. She couldn't help but let out a heavy sigh, nodding her agreement to Svetlana's words. The older woman was correct in that she should not blame herself. Did it stop her from doing so? Maybe on the surface, but somewhere deep in the dark corners of her busy mind, there was still that ugly, nagging voice that shouted from the depths: "You did this!"

Another shouted "Why do you care?"

"Yes. You're right, Svetlana. Still, I will do better. If I only had more control..." Her voice was quiet, contemplative. Another sigh escaped her lips. All this self loathing was getting her nowhere and she knew nobody had the time to hear it. There were people literally dying here and here she was, selfishly whining about her feelings. "I apologize. I see the value of your words. I will keep them close to my heart. Thank you."

She was plagued by the conflicting nature of her hybrid blood - it felt painfully necessary to shrug off these emotions and these people, feeling restricted by them, but she also was compelled to wade deep into them and feel every ounce of pain and pleasure that emotions brought on. Unable to be completely care and worry free like her magical kin, but also struggling to fully relate to the mortals around her. Well - not totally struggling, in this case. She seemed to be conveying herself eloquently enough, even if she did feel like she were about to split into two. Phaedra was grateful for the recognition of her troubles, at the very least. Svetlana was the motherly figure she never had.

Grimly, she wondered who would be the next to be gravely injured and briefly imagined Svetlana's body, battered and broken similarly to Ayda. She was correct that the journey would be treacherous and would be only become more and more difficult. Would she be ready to face this reality when it really came down to it?

With these dark thoughts now floating at the surface of her mind, she steeled her heart, gripping the reins in her hands securely.

You'll know when you get there.

@Lo Alyssa


(even though Svetlana went back to what she was doing.. 'cause Phae-bae spoke back to her.)
​
 

Yaroslav led the company across the shifting sands, it was difficult work considering the sun was mercilessly beating down on them, and the terrain was hard on the wagons, especially on the horses.


He encouraged himself by remembering that the canyons were easier to cross, they were flatter and harder, though more difficult to navigate. But he supposed deserts weren't easy to navigate either, it was only because of the landmarks in the distance that it was easy in this particular case.


They traveled for hours, the burning sun crossing the sky and eventually touching the horizon as it began to set. The coolness of the desert night began to kick in, but not quite yet in full, so the temperature was finally bearable, not too hot and not too cold.


They were close enough to the canyons that Yaroslav decided to press on until they reached the pass. The two canyon columns towered over them now, some plant life could be seen within the maze. The shuffling of sand as the horses struggled to push through the desert turned into clip clops bouncing off the walls. The canyons would provide extra shade for tomorrow's journey, that was for sure.


Still having some light in the sky, Yaroslav continued on through the canyons despite knowing everyone was tired and wanted to rest. They battled a storm last night, and then walked under a brutal sun all day. But they were so close now, and he wanted to press on until the moon rose.


While he contemplated this, something caught the corner of his eye. Something gleamed in the sliver of sunlight hovering above them. He raised his hand to halt the company, his bright eyes remaining focused on the object.


He hopped off the bench, not taking the time to stretch from his stiffness, and heavily walked toward the withered bush, kicking up dust from the ground. He kneeled down and picked it up. His eyebrow raised questioningly. It was a brass wheel, from a machine of some sort.


"What did you find!?" Svetlana called, leaning out of the wagon.


Instead of answering, Yaroslav brought the strange item over to her, placing it in her hand so she could better examine it.


"Ah," she muttered, turning it over, "This is dwarf-make... We must be in scavenger territory."


"That is what I was thinking." Yaro added, "This could bode ill for us, grandmother."


"Or well." She retorted, "It really just depends on the clan... Let us hope these ones are friendly." She stuffed the wheel in her pocket, and turned to address the group.


"We will be doing things a little differently now!" She said, hardly needing to enunciate as her voice was projected off the rusty colored walls "We are about to head into possible enemy territory. We still have sunlight left, so we must push on, but..." She looked at Yaro and then her eyes scanned the crowd, smiling as she picked, "Bo! I would like you to go with Yaroslav and scout ahead. Take the higher ground, and let us know if you see dangers above, below, ahead, or behind."
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@soundofmind (and everybody else)
​
 
Thora hadn't moved from her seat on the cart. The hot sun had given her a bit of a headache but she couldn't complain. Even the lifeless deserts were better than the rocky seas. The cool of the evening and of the shaded canyons cooled her tanned skin. She took note of the few plants growing between the rubble; she had never been so happy to see weeds before.


After Yaro and his grandmother pointed out the potential danger, the nymph drew her bow and sat it on her lap. Her fingers reached for her sling to count her arrows. She was disappointed to find only two arrows; she had forgotten that she had used so many early and those she hadn't used were lost when the ship washed ashore. Even so, she knew she could do a tiny bit of damage with those two arrows and she prepared herself just in case some dwarfs slipped past Yaro and Bo.
 
Oceana watched Ayda like a hawk, making sure to make her as comfortable as possible and that there were no further complications.


She was grateful when the shade of the canyon hid them from the sun and she let her fingers brush the taller stalks of the desert weeds.


Overhearing the talk about dwarven metal, she itched to see it and hold it and examine its brilliance. Everyone knew the genius of the dwarve-works.


But she held herself; the human lying her head in the elf's lap was more precious and she couldn't leave her undefended.


Drawing her hunting knife, she held it in her healing right hand, finally able to get some movement with it.


With no magic, there was nothing to divert the natural overflow of Beatha elves had; this meant Oceana healed quicker and was faster and stronger than other elves.


Looking down at Ayda, She still wondered if the gods had given her a fair trade.
 
Foxrun had listened to the mage explain her abilities, vaguely, but it was better than nothing. He appreciated the bit of information she did give him, however, his want to know more ate away at him. He aimed to ask more questions, but then they were instructed to get ready to leave. He would have to ask another time, if possible.


The there was so. Much. Sand. He could taste it in his mouth at this point, gritty and dry. Like everything around them. The sun wasn't his problem, as much as the endless sand dunes. So once they reached the canyon, he was thankful to see something different. Then he heard the warning about dwarves. Of all the creatures, he had yet to meat a dwarf. It would be interesting but....not if they are a potential threat. Their territory? And all of them in such a fragile state? They would be at a definite disadvantage. He scowled at the thought, before stretching and leaning out of the wagon to watch the other two warriors as they went ahead.


@Queen of Fantasy @Lo Alyssa
 
The desert wasn't really his favorite place to be. It was dry, hot, and everything looked just about the same. Even so, he found it to be a breath of fresh air in comparison to the trip on the water (and not just because it had gone so poorly - apart from the fact that they all seemed to be alive for the most part). So he traveled alongside everyone with a thankful heart, still however, feeling the weariness he was witnessing in everyone else. It wasn't that he could sense it on a spiritual level or anything, but there was a clear decline in the overall group morale that could easily be read on their faces, and in their body language. While he wasn't about to get on a podium and deliver any sort of motivational speech, for his own sake, he thought again, upon the reasons why they - why he was there. For his own sake, he needed to remind his heart (to strengthen it, to encourage it) of the true importance of this mission. We're doing this for a good reason. It has little to do with nationalism or any patriotism in connection to the the Algoran kingdom. It's not just about the princess and her family regaining her honor - even though it is a respectable reason. No, this is about the hope of a better future. At the risk of sounding unrealistically altruistic, he landed on that conclusion. Sure, he didn't know how it was all going to work out, but... he wanted to hope that it would (even as painful as hope could be). He... he had to hope that it would work out. If he didn't... then he had nothing to hope in, and without hope... what did he have?


Things will get better. Even if they do so without me. I want to know that I died trying - helping to get us there.


Bo's head shot up at the sound of Svetlana's voice echoing through the canyon, and he was pulled out of his thoughts. His eyes widened slightly as he was called out to help scout, but he nodded obediently. If Hjalmar wasn't out for the count, he knew he probably wouldn't be the first choice to go scouting, but he was pleased nonetheless, to be chosen (knowing it was necessary, but also feeling a bit of happiness that he was trusted with the task).


"Will do!" He responded, smiling, then hopping off his horse to rush off to join Yaroslav. He quickly slung his bow and quiver over his back, and passed his horse off to be tethered to one of the wagons, as he presumed they would go ahead on foot (lord knew, he could use it to get the circulation in his legs going again, since he had been sitting for a while). He joined up with Yaroslav, at his side. He decided to come ready to do whatever was needed - I'm here to serve - and at the moment, that looked like scouting.


He gave Yaro a small, confident grin, and a nod. He was ready when Yaro was.


@Lo Alyssa
 
Valeiah was just about ready to faint. Alo was sitting on his horse with that same blank expression. Whenever Valeiah asked if she could ride Mapiya, he just laughed at her.... and stayed on the horse. So, at this point, she was ready to faint and punch Alo in the mouth.
 
Dorian despised the desert. He hated the heat, yes, bit what he hated even more was the absence of shadows and the monotony of the seemingly endless sandy dunes. He was completely out of his element, which frayed at his nerves, even though the smile on his face never wavered.


'I can hear your complaining in my mind. Please stop bitching about the sand.' Garrett glared at him.


'I will bitch about heat.


I will bitch about cold.


I will bitch about sunshine,


and about growing old.


I will bitch about everything,


inside and out.


You will find there is nothing


I can’t bitch about' He recited and grinned when Garrett looked at him with something closer to despair. Dorian did have to remind himself that laughing now would most likely just make him look crazy in the eyes of others.


He was truly happy when they entered the canyon. Finally something different.


"I could help scout." He suggested at Svetlana's words. "It's often my job to look around unseen."


@Lo Alyssa
 

Phaedra concentrated on the path Yaroslav's caravan carved into the sand, trailing behind a close, but reasonable, distance. The bright, hot sun - which had previously been a most welcome sight - beating down on them from above was certainly uncomfortable, but it wasn't anything that would affect Phaedra. She was more thankful than ever that the innate cool breeze that surrounded her wasn't affected by her lack of mana as it significantly lessened the torrid heat of the desert. It didn't mean that she wouldn't later suffer from sunburn on her delicate, pale skin, however.

She found herself bored, traveling on her sands with absolutely nothing to directly observe. Phaedra was positively exhausted, sure, but as long as she was awake, she needed something to do. It didn't help that their voyage was dead silent, likely because of the two grim reminders of the constantly threat of death resting in the caravans they pulled. Her mind craved stimulation and distraction, beginning to create games in her mind, like betting on how long it would take before Valeiah pummeled her older brother into submission for the rights to ride their horse. Phaedra was almost disappointed to never see that happen before they finally reached the canyon.

At the command to stop the caravans, she gently pulled hers to a stop a short distance behind Yaroslav's, curious to know what could possibly be gleaming within the dusty canyon. She had to admit that she was more than relieved to see that it wasn't not a trap, though the mention of scavengers put her slightly on edge, especially in the vulnerable state she was in now. Phaedra was thankful now for the fact that her staff was tucked neatly within one of the caravans, out of sight and therefore, one less thing to draw attention to them. It was admittedly hard to keep a low profile with a large, obviously precious gem lodged into a finely carved ivory and wooden staff.

Taking that thought a step further, she was also grateful that the princess had the crown hidden safely away within her pack. Even if its sockets were devoid of the magic gemstones, it was still a marvelous bit of craftsmanship and would catch anyone's eye. The value of such a thing is hard to deny.

She had nothing to contribute at that moment, seeing Yaroslav and Bo getting ready to depart for a brief scouting mission, but she did see the exhausted Valeiah. Phaedra was blown away by the young woman's stubbornness, impressed by how adamantly she wanted to ride Mapiya that she would have made the whole trip by foot alongside her brother. She waved at Valeiah and patted the spot next to her on the caravan bench.

"Here. We may be stopped for a while. Would you like a seat?"

@Danika
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"The less people scouting, the less noticeable we are." He answered the familiar, "But... I do not doubt you can remain unseen... How about you take the right flank, we'll be up on the left. I suppose three pairs of eyes are better than two."


He turned toward the left face of the canyon, searching for an incline they could climb up. He waved to Bo when he found one, already clambering up the steep rocks. When they both reached the top, he could see Dorian had already found his way to the right flank. He signaled Svetlana and she took his seat next to Thora in the leading caravan. She whipped the reigns lightly, ushering the couple horses forward, the other horses pulling the caravan behind her followed instinctively.
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Yaroslav scanned the landscape, spotting more junk scattered on the dusty ground. There were definitely dwarves in this canyon. They were messy and careless, and very loud too, but were incredible geniuses. They invented steam work as well as fire triggers (machines that shot out fire balls), some even managed to create artificial power by using the forces of water, wind, coal and steam. His grandmother had dealings with them before, though he was a young tot at the time and hardly remembered what they looked like.

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@soundofmind


(I DO want them to talk some, but it wouldn't be in Yaro's nature to start a conversation, aGH)



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Hjalmar's eyes rolled under his eyelids as he dreamt of distant memories, times so long ago and worn away that they felt unreal. When they opened, he was in a dark lit room, the floor was hard under his head and damp to the touch. He could hear the faint trickle of water as it dropped from the ceiling. His vision blurred. This must be a dream.

​





Footsteps echoed off the walls in the small room as someone walked towards him. He could see their figure hover over him, but he could not make out their appearance. The apparition leaned closer, his vision cleared... it was Eimher, his mother. Her black hair fell over her shoulder to the floor next to his face, as she held her head close to his. Her coal-black irises staring into him, tears brimming on her eyelids. He wanted nothing more than to lift his hands and wipe the tears away, collapse into her embrace, or to tell her that he loved her. But he couldn't move, he couldn't speak, and he couldn't cry.

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Her eyes closed tightly, a drop fell from her eye onto his cheek. She put her forehead on his and muttered something, though he couldn't quite make out what. She lifted her head a little further so she could kiss his head. He lost her touch as he was pulled away from her, his magenta eyes flashed open. He looked up to see the thick cover of the wagon above him. The caravan was rocking back and forth... they must have moved on while he was asleep.

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Tears stained his cheeks, he lifted a sore arm to wipe them away. The second thing he noticed was the princess worriedly hovering over him, "I'm fine." He finally whispered hoarsely, he gripped his dry throat. It hurt to even talk, "... Could I have some water?" He asked, trying to prop himself up and failing at it. His body screamed every time he tried to move, and he felt horribly cold yet hot at the same time. He shivered uncontrollably, and goosebumps covered his skin, but his body felt like it was on fire.

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Lucasta blinked and stood to look around the caravan for a flask of water. rummaging for about five minutes, she finally pulled out a container full of water and brought it back to him, sitting beside him again. "You sure don't... Seem fine." She replied, helping him drink, since it was hard for him to even move. "Do you remember anything from what happened?" She asked.
 
Valeiah walked over to where Phaedra was. "Is that even a question? Of course. And I need to get away from Alo before I snap his arm." She huffed and sat by her.


@TeeKay
 
Thora rode alongside Svetlana, her fingers still tightly gripping her bow. The nymph had seen her fair share of races in her lifetime and dwarfs, well dwarfs, had their own special place. Most nymphs are notorious for being flirtatious with just about anything that walks on two legs and that doesn't exclude their masculine counterparts. Being a mountain dryad, Thora had met plenty of mountain dwarfs. They were brutish and ugly, but boy were they a lot of fun.


She smiled down at her hands as she remembered the bonfires she and her sisters would make to attract their dwarven neighbors. The short, bearded men were always so fun to flirt and tease with (especially when they got mad and their short legs weren't fast enough to catch the nimble nymphs). Even so, they lived in a symbiotic relationship for the beginning of her life. The nymphs allowed the dwarfs to mine from their mountain in return for parties and protection.


Thora ran her finger across the new string on her bow as her smile slowly fell from her face. That was a very long time ago. The dwarfs fled the mountains when she was still young. She'd wait another six decades before she would meet another tribe of dwarfs and they were nothing as she remembered them. Independent and distrusting they shunned the nymph the moment she approached the group leaving her confused and alone.


A small sigh escaped her lips and she looked back up and around at the canyons. If this journey had taken place a semicentury ago then she would have been more than eager to run into some grumpy dwarfs. But now the nymph hoped that they would be lucky enough to slip through the canyon undetected. The dwarfs of her childhood no longer seemed to exist and she did not want to interact with the bitter individuals that took their place.


(wasn't really sure how to interact with anyone at this moment so I just kind of went on haha)
 
The elf desperately wished she could help scout, even with the sun's blinding rays she could see quite far; Even after a whole day of traveling, their ship was still visible as a tiny speck in the distance.


She dearly hoped this was because of her keen eyesight and not the desert's inhibition of their travel.


She had never met a dwarf before but had heard about their genius, and their ill-tempers and hoarding tendencies. She decided hiding her glinting daggers under the goods in the cart was safer than carrying them. Oceana felt uncomfortably unarmed.


Out of arrows and weighed down by her charge, and her own barely healed body, the elf decided to get out her last means of ranged defense: A strange, bulky multi-tool that contained a wrench, a spoon and, most importantly, a small slingshot.


Getting a small bag of bent metal bits from her pack, she put the multi tool in her lap, under her armor skirt, along with her hunting knife.


"A hunter is always prepared" she whispered to Ayda, as if she were awake, feeling slightly more confident in her weapon arsenal.


@QueenSaiko
 
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Bo had little trouble keeping up with Yaroslav, and actually found it rather easy to climb up the steep cliffs and rocky edges of the canyon. It was times like this when he was actually grateful for his long limbs, which made it easy to step over things and reach rocks above him to steady himself and pull himself up. When they reached the top, he, along with Yaroslav, took a close look at the canyon, his eyes looking down it, past the caravan of theirs down below. While he hadn't run into a dwarf clan, he had met a dwarf once before. Just one... and he wasn't much of a talker, but he was an interesting character. Quiet, brooding, a bit of a recluse (if his intuition told him anything, it had to do with him not being with his people, though he didn't know the reason, and he didn't ask). Come to think of it, he was a little like Yaroslav. ALBEIT the dwarf - his name was Ador, if he remembered correctly - was much smaller, and less... approachable?


IN other news, Bo wondered what they would do were they to actually spot or run into any dwarves. He personally had had enough fighting for one day, but if they had to, he would. He hoped they would be able to avoid it - or even better, not run into the dwarves. But that was looking less and less likely as he spotted more and more signs of life, or rather, inhabitance, since what he was seeing wasn't anything living, but just what looked like discarded pieces of various metalwork, mechanisms, or something (he didn't recognize what all of it was from). He continued to follow Yaroslav, keeping a sharp eye for anything suspicious or and potential threats (or even signs of the crowned jewel, but he didn't expect to see any just yet), until curiosity got the best of him. He didn't want to bother asking what they would do when they ran into dwarves, since he knew at this point, they were all just taking things one step at a time. In other words, he knew no one would really know until it happened. So instead, he decided to inquire about something else that had been on his mind for a while.


He could thank Svetlana's openness to share her and Yaroslav's life story for getting him thinking... about dragon magic. Having it running through his own veins, he wondered how it was different being dragon blessed. Did it feel more... natural? Less violent? He felt he himself was an enigma when it came to his own magic, and being around so many different magical people, he began to wonder how their magic worked. But... was asking about stuff like that weird? Did it make him look ignorant? Dense? Stupid, even? He frowned, suddenly becoming acutely aware of how different he was.


"...So, Yaro!" He cleared his throat, his mind scrambling for words. For whatever reason, he found himself nervous. "Why did you choose to join the princess? Like, uh, apart from being with Svetlana and stuff." What is wrong with me, like seriously, starting conversations isn't that hard. Look! You just did it. Good job. Keep paying attention to the canyon, though. Oh look, a rock.



@Lo Alyssa (aaa I'm sorry this is so long, wow Bo thinks a lot of nothing who's fault is that?,, mine)
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