Take Back the Crown

Oceana smoothly moved into step beside Svetlana.


"Thank you..." She said, slightly bewildered by the Mage's sudden kindness but grateful.


As they approached the stables, the elf tried to picture what meeting the Sphinx would be like; Beautiful. Mighty. Terrifying.


 She prayed to all the elven gods that Valeiah nor Alo or their sibling vitriol would get them eaten.


She prayed profusely.


Coming up to the horses, they made small chuffing sounds at the sight of her and their master and she walked faster.


Beasts of any kind often gave her comfort, whether it be domestic horse or prowling wolf.


There was something about horses though. They reminded her of deer, in a way. Deer reminded her of home.


Their regality and grace was something the elves strived to embody. And so they deserved a regal death.


Oceana knew that if one of these creatures, these horses, were injured under her care she would not forgive herself. 


She shook off the thought.


The rich smell of hay and horses wafted lazily in the desert breeze and the elf breathed it in.


Looking upon them all, the hunter decided upon a black mare with white spots, a single braid in her dark mane.


She stepped over to her, eyes shining, and put out her hand for the horse to smell it. The mare regarded her with large wet eyes.


"Hello my lovely one." She murmured in her mother tongue.


She felt her lips curve up of their own accord as the horse pushed her nose into the proffered hand.


"May we travel together on this day?"


The horse chuffed derisively, seemingly exasperated but willing.


'More likely, I will travel and you will ride.' Her baleful eyes seemed to say.


Oceana's laugh rang out softly, like a silver lute echoing in the dusty air.


"I don't deny it." She said to the horse smirking.


'It doesn't surprise me that Yaro and his grandmother would keep such strong-willed creatures.' She thought to herself, still smiling.


"I am Oceana."


The horse whinnied softly, eyes blinking in a surprisingly demure fashion. Still with a slightly exasperated huff at the end.


Nevertheless, the horse was glad to be chosen and Oceana felt glad as well.


With a huff of effort, the elf woman saddled her mount and led her out to wait for the others.


As she stood there, the elf stroked her horse's neck and when they met eyes she smiled brightly.


"Dahlia is a beautiful name." She murmured, smiling a wide, dazzling smile.


Dahlia the horse blinked once, long lashes dipping shyly over her large grey eyes and pawed the sandy earth.


Oceana laughed again, feeling light.


Feeling happy.


@Lo Alyssa
 
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"Because I don't feel like going back. I don't want to. Nobody in there needs me, except to protect and heal that little girl." Valeiah spat.


"I didn't... Mind telling you about it... I see you as my friend. But I feel uncomfortable that everyone decided to listen on and give me their opinions, like it matters to them what I decide to do. It's not like they care about me. They just..." She sighed. "They just want to use me for my powers." She spoke in a softer tone of voice now, instead of speaking so violently. "It's the only reason they asked me to stay and come along..."


@GalacticRam
 
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"I don't even know how you became part of this group actually." He stated as he came to that realization. "And I'm sure, maybe at first everybody became part of the group because they needed them for something. I mean, didn't the majority of the group answer the call to help at a tavern? I could have sworn I overheard someone mention that?" He then paused, trying to get back to the point instead of rambling on as usual. "I really don't think they keep you around just for healing. As you said, at first that's why they recruited you maybe. But I think they still care. That's why they butted into the conversation. They care about what seeking out that revenge will do to you. It isn't that they want to control you, or use you. They just have different ways of showing their concern." He stared at her after he finished, hoping he hadn't droned on for too long and lost her attention. 


@Danika
 
"I probably had the worst entrance out of everyone." Valeiah snorted. "I threatened to slit the prince's throat." She said. "I have now been threatened by that big oaf Yaroslav twice. With more times to come, I suppose..." She trailed off. "I guess that could be true... I don't know why they would show concern to me, though, when they barely even know me."


@GalacticRam
 
"You did that?!" he had heard her of course, but stated it out of complete shock. "Well, you've also helped protect that same Prince since then. As well as some of the others. As for the last part..." He shrugged "I've been here in less time and known you even shorter than them, but I'm here." He grinned again "and you consider me a friend." He threw in that part with a laugh. "I guess time doesn't mean much when thrown into these types of situations?" Really he wasn't sure what connected them all so strongly either. Especially since they all seemed to try snapping each other's heads off half the time.


@Danika
 
Bo smiled sweetly, although not missing the saddness briefly pass over her face. "Yes! A very important one. And wow, that's crazy that, comparitively, you found us so soon. You probably left your home about the same time we started this quest then." He paused, his eyes landing on the horses coming into view. But more specifically, his horse, Santo. With an excited skip in his step, he sped up a little ahead of Cass, wrapping his arms around the neck of his steed and petting her mane happily. She appeared well cared for, and responded with a friendly whinny in return. 


With a wide smile Bo turned around to Cass, still petting Santo's face. "This is my horse, Santo." He turned to the horse and patted her head fondly. However, now whenever he thought of Santo he remembered what Oceana said his horse said... which in itself was a strange thought, but he supposed horses could have intelligent thoughts too. He almost wanted to ask Oceana to help him talk to Santo, but he felt that might not go so well. For one, she probably wouldn't take him seriously. And two - while Oceana seemed visibly less angry and upset than last night, she still probably wouldn't want to talk to him... with him being a human and all. His smile momentarily faded a little, and he let out a small sigh. "I think there may be a horse among all of these -" he said, gesturing to the many among him, tied to several poles. "- that you'll get to choose from to ride. That is, if you don't ride in the wagons. I'm not entirely sure..." He began to speak more to himself, mumbling. "I'm really not the one planning anything..." He rubbed the back of his neck briefly, shrugging.


He began to explain, "That's more Svetlana and Lucasta's thing. It was the princess who brought us all together of course, but Svetlana's aid has been invaluable." 


@Abberakelaran (no worries!! It's totally fine~)
 
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      Svetlana saddled her own horse, and glanced over at the elf, "Ah." She smiled, "She is a strong one, she is. But I do believe she has some mule in her, it would be the only thing that could explain her stubbornness." The old woman laughed, "Aye, then you should have no problem with her."



 


      Yaroslav chuckled, "Nay, there is nothing strange with seeking comfort." He insisted, putting a hand on the princess' shoulder, "And I think you are right. I am sure you are just as anxious to get moving as my grandmother, and that's saying something."


      He walked towards the stables with the princess and Hjalmar slid off the box he had been sitting on, having strapped his crossbow securely on his back, to follow. Yaroslav returned to his war horse, the Clydesdale named Claire. Peculiar name for a war horse... He smiled at her, patted her neck, and stroked her mane. He gave her a pack on the snout before pulling the saddle off a rack. Claire would probably be the only living creature that the bearman ever showered in such affections.





      Hjalmar was no expert on horses, nor was he very good with animals. So he wasn't sure which horse to choose, or if some belonged to particular persons. He sighed, and walked down the stable hall a little further, eventually coming by a stall with a horse that caught his eye. It was a Frisian, with a shiny black coat. If he remembered correctly, this one was called Bjorn. The thief smiled and walked up to him, whispering reassurances to him under his breath. Eventually, albeit hesitantly, the horse walked up to the boy. He snorted at the boy's touch, but deep down, Bjorn enjoyed the attention. He was one of the caravan horses. He was used to pulling heavy weight instead of riding fast and free. He was more than willing to carry a light load, a light price, in order to experience that again.
 
Cass smiled as she watched Bo go to what must be his own horse. The horse was clearly as happy to see Bo as Bo was to see the horse. When he talked about a horse for her she shook her head and said, "I will not likely be needing one. On that note I should likely go speak to Svetlana, thank you for the conversation. We should talk more later." With that she turned away and walked to Svetlana and said, "Hello again, I never did ask where we are headed. Somewhere in the desert I presume, but I also never asked the purpose of this journey, besides unseating the tyrant of course. Obviously there is not time for detail right now but I was hoping you could tell me a bit of where we are going right now?"

@Lo Alyssa @soundofmind


(Sorry I have had a really busy day ;-;. It's 130 am now and I wrote this on phone so I can't spoiler this, and the post might be a bit rough. I'll handle that tommorrow)
 
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"For sure!" Bo smiled, giving a thumbs up as he turned back to Santo. He gave her a few more pats on the head before he grabbed her saddle, reigns, and whatnot, and began to saddle her up. 


He finished strapping on her saddle and slipped the reigns over her face. "You ready for the journey ahead?" He whispered quietly into her ear, looking around to make sure that Cass was gone, and no one was around. Santo nudged his hand, asking to be pet.


He continued, as if that was an answer, petting her nose. "I'm... excited? It should be fun. In a weird... stressful, life-threatening sort of way." 


Santo only huffed and nudged his shoulder insistently. Bo laughed weakly, pushing her away playfully.  "Hey, stop that!! Haha."


She shook her head and he shook his, grinning, and pulled a pastry out of his pocket. "This one's ok to eat I think. Horses can eat apple, right?" Santo only stared at the food. "Here's a little piece."


He ripped it in half, giving her half and eating the other half.


@  not really anybody I guess pfff


(this is just ?? Idk)
 

Phaedra had been strangely quiet even after regrouping with the others, going as far as to quietly acknowledge Hjalmar and virtually ignore him afterwards in her thoughtful daze after seeing the newcomer. Though she had been recharged after the events of the day before, there was still something off tickling in the back of her mind. She breezed through breakfast, her appetite not nearly as voracious as the night before, although she was fully aware as that this would be the last large meal in a long while she would have the pleasure in indulging in. Phaedra played the part of the wallflower well despite her strange appearance, falling back and observing and listening to others - gathering information this way rather than her usual upfront manner. Maybe Phaedra was simply more introspective than others were led to believe? In particular, she watched Dorian, Hjalmar, and Cassandra, curious but remaining cautious for the time being. At this time - though she thought herself ready to speak to the others - Phaedra still battled with the thought that she was travelling with strangers and that, despite her best efforts and the words of others, this may not be where she really belonged.


 


She floated quietly along, keeping towards the rear as they - led by Svetlana - reached the stables. The Sylph was genuinely unsure as to what to do with the horses. She had never even ridden one before. Awkwardly, she patted one's nose and looked to the others to see what they were doing with their own. A ball of anxiety welled up in her stomach as the animal nudged her with its nose and she - though she was floating - jumped back. It eyed her quizzically while she simply stared at it, wide-eyed and unsure. What body language should she look out for? Was she nearly bitten? Did it like being patted? Did she do it wrong? Did she have to bribe it with food first? Was there some sort of intricate bonding dance she had to perform before riding the creature? The others seemed to know what they were doing, but Phaedra was completely at a loss.


 


(@anybody. This child doesn't know what to do with anything other than birds lololol - anybody can help her?)
 
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"Are you afraid of horses? You shouldn't be, they are rather peaceful animals." Kacel'la said as she walked past Phaedra to pet the animal the sylph had jumped away from. "How are you doing today?" The elf asked the sylph.


@TeeKay
 
      "We're heading out to meet a merchant— a guide to lead us through the canyon pass... more like canyon maze." She muttered under her breath, "He will be leading us to a pyramid, to obtain a missing piece to the crown of Algoran, the only thing strong enough to defeat Kvacht." The woman explained as she got up on her horse with a grunt, "That's why we're here, and why we're traveling. Our sole mission is to find these pieces... This piece, I know, will be protected by a sphinx. As I'm sure all the other missing pieces will most likely be protected by similarly powerful beasts and beings." The woman led her horse out of the stall, "But enough with the chat, we're so close! And I for one am very anxious to get my hands on it, the first stepping stone to dethroning the daemon king."


      With that, she gathered the others and led them out of the stables. Some walked, like Cassandra, but most chose to ride. The witch felt a certain guilt for driving the horses through the hot weather she was sure to come, but obviously not so much that she would continue on foot.


      She approached the arch that signified the exit from the clearing, but only knew it was the place to meet because of the two small figures waiting underneath it. It was the two dwarves, Olaf and Bor, sitting upon the backs of oversized Rams.


      "Alright, gentlemen." Svetlana called to them, "Lead us away!"


      "Aye!" Olaf, the red headed dwarf called (at least... I think he's red headed if I'm remembering correctly). When Svetlana got closer, the dwarf leaned in slightly and whispered in a hushed tone, "And please..." He pleaded, "If Bor asks to use explosives for any reason at all, say no." He emphasized that last part, and the old woman heartily laughed, "I'll keep it in mind."


      Olaf and Bor led the group through the passing, and it showed they knew where they were going with all the twists and turns they took to get to their destination. Eventually they came upon a small shack, it looked like a resting stop of some sort to find protection from the elements. There were two figures in the distance, which Svetlana assumed were their mountain guide and... she didn't actually think there would be a second person. Perhaps an assistant? Or... something else? One of them was a darkskinned male, and the other appeared to be a darkskinned she-elf. She waved at them, and they returned the gesture.


      "I see you took your time, Olaf!" The man called over the distance, "Did you take yet another potty break!?"


      Olaf flushed at his commentary, "No!" He defended himself. It wasn't his fault he had a horrible digestive system.


      "I'm guessing that's Ashlar?" She inquired at the dwarf, ignoring the embarrassment he was surely feeling. The dwarf nodded, "And who is that other person?" Svetlana asked.


      Olaf squinted, "Ah! That would be Agitha— or Aggie. She's been traveling with Ashlar for a couple weeks now, I think."

 
Dorian noticed that when the group left, Kacel'la quickly jogged way in another direction, her bag slung over her shoulder. The familiar grinned, knowing where the elf was heading.


'Wanna bet that Kitten will be long waiting for us when we finally reach the pyramid?' Dorian asked his mage.


'Okay. There's no way she can be there. We are going to be following a guide.' Garrett grinned.


'You'll regret saying that.' 


(I can't find if I can change text color, so I guess now telepathy is in italics and between ' ' )
 
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Agitha was stroking the nose of her dappled grey mare that she had been with for the past few weeks, talking to it like a long lost friend. 


"Your'e such a good girl." she cooed as she gave the velvety pink nose a peck,"Yes yes." she whispered, wrapping her arms around the massive equine's muzzle.'


The woman had been out on the road for quite awhile, traveling with her new friend and companion Ashlar and grown close to the grey horse. 


Looking up as she saw Ashlar wave at the corner of her eye, she gave a small wave towards the specks of people off in the distance,"Who are they? " she asked quietly, taking ahold of the reins of her horse as she took a step closer to the beast.
 
      "I have absolutely no idea." Ashlar whispered in response, though, he was intent on finding out.


      When they were finally close enough to dismount, the man stepped forward, "Olaf! You didn't tell me you were bringing anybody with you." He folded his arms with a smile, scanning the company intensely, "They're definitely not dwarves." He observed, "I see a manner of men, elves, oh! And some fayfolk too. I'm going to assume that they're not here to help carry your merchandise back, considering it's only one measly bag at that." He handed Olaf the sack of goods, who promptly set it on his ram, "So, why are they here, may I ask?"


      Bor, the brown haired singe tipped dwarf whose skin was covered in soot from working with explosives, tossed Ashlar a small bag of gold coins. Presumably payment for the goods, "They dropped in so to speak, and now they need a guide—"


      "Through the canyon pass." Svetlana interrupted, "I am willing to pay 500 perks for your assistance." She smiled, knowing most merchants listened to the jingling of coins instead of words.


      Ashlar pondered for a moment, "Well, I suppose I could take a break from savenging long enough to help you." He finally said, "Where are you trying to get to? The exit?" He asked, all ears for this expedition.


      "No." The old woman chuckled, "We want to go further in, towards where we believe a pyramid full of treasure lies." She lied about searching for the missing piece of the crown, after all, one could never be too careful. And she had no idea who this Ashlar character was.


      "The Bánnlik? Aye, that's doable." He nodded, "But I'm afraid it's an empty pursuit if it's treasure you're after. That pyramid has no valuables in it whatsoever, believe me I've checked." Then he gazed at the witch, "All except for the sunstone Kaorii is protecting."


      Svetlana's brows furrowed at the names he used, assuming the Bánnlik was the name of the pyramid itself, and Kaorii... that could be no other then the Sphinx. But what caught her attention most of all was his mentioning of the stone, not just insinuating it, he called it by it's actual specified name, "How do you know-"


      "Word travels fast." He  interrupted, "I've heard all about the wandering witch and her merry band of misfitted cohorts." He laughed, "You can try and keep it a secret, but just about every town is buzzing with gossip about the princess and her daring search for the long lost crown of Algoran." He said, gesturing at the fair haired Lucasta whose white hair and bearing all together just screamed nobility, "I am a scholar, even a historian to a certain degree. I've traveled all over this land, much like you fellow merchant, and I have seen much and heard much."


      Svetlana eyebrows raised and she smiled, mildly impressed by his knowledge. So he was the attentive type of merchant, just like her, "Well then, I suppose that just leaves us with one question. Is your knowledge good enough to get us safely through the pass?" She asked, insinuating that he was hired whether he liked it or not.


      "Hopefully." He smiled, mounting his own black horse, "Well, Aggie. It looks like we're going on another adventure, eh?" He looked at the dark elf who was quietly standing next to him. He then turned to the witch, "Now, I'm compelled to warn you about the crawlers." He said in a more serious tone, "Where we're headed, the sands and canyons are infested with them. Nasty little- well, actually quite large things." He grimaced, it was one of the downsides of the canyons... besides the heat... and the sand... and the lack of water... and food...


      "I'm sure my company here will be perfectly capable of holding their own against a few bugs." Svetlana said confidently. Ashlar simply nodded, he could tell it was true just by looking at them. He just didn't want to be held accountable for any fatal mishaps they could quite possibly encounter along the way. "How long will it take us to get there?" Svetlana asked as she followed Ashlar down a narrow path.


      "Probably a day and a half. If we travel until the sun sets today, we can make camp, get up early in the morning and we should get there around noon, I'd say... that is... if we aren't interrupted or attacked." He added, "So let's hope for the best, shall we?" The witch nodded.


      Ashlar led the group through all sorts of twists and turns in the maze of canyons, some were wide, and some were narrow. Sometimes they had to go through single file, the passage was so small. When the sun finally started setting in the distance and was no longer in the line of sight, being hidden by the tall canyons, Ashlar halted their company.


      "It gets quite cold here at night, especially when camping outside. And the canyons can get quite windy because of their structure, which only makes it colder down here." He explained while dismounting his horse, "So we should get a fire going now, finally get some warm food in our bellies... perhaps get better aquatinted with each other." He tied his horse to one of the many large barren trees on the canyon walls.


      Everyone followed suit, feeding and watering their steeds, breaking out the blankets and supplies, starting a fire and preparing some food. There would be no tents tonight, too cold for that. Their best option was to stay huddled around the fire, wrapped up in a nice cozy blanket.


      Passing around bowls full of steaming soup, Svetlana glanced around, surprised at how quiet her kids were on the journey. Usually they'd be bickering and loud, one way or another. She wondered if it was the... heated discussion they had the night before, "You better eat my food." She said, breaking the silence, "I did not cook this much for the crawlers to enjoy!"


@Abberakelaran @Tater @OlKaJa77 @L1d1ja @TeeKay @soundofmind @GlytchMeister @Queen of Fantasy @Rydellius @Danika @GalacticRam (I didn't proof read this, so forgive any types uGHHH)
 
After a long day of travel, Bo was more than ready to eat. He let out a scoff-like laugh in response, smiling ove rat Svetlana. 


"You don't have to worry about the food being eaten," he said, pointing at her with his spoon. "I can always eat." He smiled to himself as he sat down.


@Lo Alyssa (short but idk aaa)
 
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Oceana had donned her cloak, the  dark fur on the collar hot and itchy against her neck.


Her face was shadowed by the hood, the tattoos on her face seeming to writhe when she squinted to look across the dusty canyons.


Lizards basking in the sun skittered away at their approach and Oceana smiled at them in admiration. She greatly adored reptiles and their adaptability. And many other creatures for that matter.


They met up with their guides and took off again abruptly.


The forest elf was slightly surprised at seeing a dark elf with the merchant but was not at all surprised that word had travelled about their quest.


She snorted in amusement.


"Of course everyone would know." She mumbled to herself.


This would make their quest both easier and harder no doubt.


When they finally had made camp the sun had set, a nip in the air travelled through the shadowed night.


Oceana was suddenly glad for her furred cloak.


Retrieving a bowl of soup from the old mage, she sat near the fire and took out a book of yellowing parchment.


Aquamarine eyes flicked back and forth in the firelight as they read the looping script on the page.


Nimble hands brought a spoonful of soup to tattooed lips as Oceana continued to read and she flipped the page with the hand occupied by the book.


The night was quiet and the elf dared not break her silence; half of her was afraid she might say something the others thought inflammatory, and the other half was spiteful enough to wish for an excuse to break the peace on purpose.


So instead she just continued to read up on Desert Flora: Toxic or Remedial.


And if anyone decided to bother her, perhaps her reaction would be surprisingly mild.


(@ anyone)
 
Valeiah had been sitting silently by the side of the horse named after her mother. She hadn't spoke the entire journey to where they were, and she wasn't planning on it. She figured the best way to not get killed and to easily slip away when she needed to was to make everyone forget she was there. She wasn't even eating, she was just sitting and examining the rock she usually had tied around her neck. She's taken it off her mother's cold, dead carcass. The thought that she had a stone ripped off of a lifeless body made her sick.


She threw it.


About .5 seconds after she threw the stone, she regretted it. It hadn't only been a way to remember her mother, but also her little brother. Her baby brother that passed when he was five from a horrible sickness. He had given it to her before he got ill. She jumped up and started scavenging through the sand frantically for it, tears welling in her eyes as she did so.


(@ anyone I suppose??)
 
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      Hjalmar was hanging back from the campfire, just wandering, exploring the canyon walls and watching the strange lizards and bugs crawl around. Or perhaps he was watching for something else. He wasn't going to lie to himself, in all honesty he was scared. Rolo made it fairly clear that Ingvar was angry, and when his boss was angry, somebody paid for it with blood. The thief had this sneaking suspicion that it was going to be him.


      He was deep in thought, but snapped out of it when he heard a small click noise sound behind him, and a frantic Valeiah following it. He guess she had dropped something, or thrown something. He sighed.


      Having the keen eyes he did, he spotted a glint not too far from her. He picked it up gently and strode towards her, his hand outstretched. What seemed to be a rock of some sort (it probably had sentimental value), was resting in his hand. He waited for her to take it, assuming it belonged to her, "Look..." He muttered softly, "I'm sorry about earlier. It wasn't really my place to tell you what to do. I guess... I've danced to that song before and I just didn't want you making the same mistakes I did." He admitted.

 
Valeiah violently grabbed it out of his hand. "Yeah. You shouldn't have eavesdropped, it's not your profession. That was something for Foxrun to hear." She snapped.


@Lo Alyssa


Alo had seen her take the stone from him. "Valeiah, did you throw that?" He seemed hurt. He was trying to keep his voice down. "Yes, obviously. And I felt bad about it." Valeiah responded.


"Give it to me. You obviously can't handle keeping mother's necklace with you." Alo said. Valeiah frowned. "No! It's mine."


"Valeiah! Give it!" Alo stuck his hand out. "You're not the only person who lost someone here! Everyone has. Stop acting like this! You're being dramatic." He said it sternly.


"You don't get it, Alo! You weren't as close to mom as I was!" She yelled at him. She was ignoring the fact that everyone could hear them.


"Maybe not with mom, but I was with Yona! And my wife, and my two kids, if you haven't forgotten!" Alo took the necklace from her clenched hand. "I'll give this back to you when you stop acting like a revenge crazy child!" And with that he was storming away from her.
 
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Nameen accepted the soup from Svetlana, graciously embracing the meal after the long and difficult day.  She had managed to make it throughout the warmest hours of the desert with her hooded cloak over her head, keeping to the shadows cast by the canyons.  Even then, she would admit to feeling a little off after the tough hike, but not as sick as the day before.  This improvement didn't change her mood however, or the permanent sour expression set on her face.  


The instant the sky showed signs of darkening and the scorching air began to cool, Nameen had pulled off the cloak and welcomed the coming chill.   Her persona lightened as pink and orange painted the sky overhead as the sun set.  Shortly after, they had began to make camp as night took over.


Taking the warm soup bowl with both hands, Nameen turned her focus to finding a place to sit.  The group was obviously weary, since everyone seemed to be eating in silence.  The little chatter that could be heard was exchanged in low whispers.  


Nameen glanced around, her eye eventually falling on Oceana sitting and reading in solitude.  She was instantly curious, reading being a pastime she enjoyed, but also one that she wasn't able to appreciate too often.  Being on the road hadn't given her a lot of time for reading other than for research and not pleasure.  


Shrugging, Nameen made her way over to the elf maiden and set her folded cloak down on the ground near her.  She sat down on the fabric, and took a few sips of the soup before leaning over to her companion.  


"Do you have any more?" She asked shyly.  "Books I mean." 


@OlKaJa77
 
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Watching the men speak of payment and their plans of travel, her eyes darted between them with a curious notion. Turning to her travel companion, Aggie smiled and brushed the forelock of her horse away from it's eyes,"I can't wait." she replied simply. 


Mounting the mare, she adjusted herself and her dog companion, who was sleeping in a small bag that hung off the saddle.


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


Agitha tentatively sipped at her soup, allowing the warmth to fill her belly and core as she watched the shapes of the fire constantly change. Her dog had his own small bowl of soup in which he lapped at almost distastefully. He was a picky little thing after being used to the spoils of salted meats and steamed vegetables that Agitha gave him on the daily before their travels; traveling soup wasn't exactly in the interests of his tastes.


"A I do not like this at all." his voice echoed to her head, making Aggie close her eyes a tad.


"Do you want to starve?" the woman sipped at her soup, replying to her familiar through their bond.


There was a brief silence in her head as the corgi looked up at him with beady brown eyes, his little dog eyebrows furrowing,"This body does not."


"Then eat." Aggie shot a small glare to the animal, in which huffed and continued to lap up the meal.
 
      Hjalmar was hardly phased at her condescending response. He merely shrugged defensively.


      When Alo snatched the rock from her, Hjalmar couldn't help but instinctively snatch it back. It's wasn't that hard, considering quick snatching was his expertise, "Hey!" He barked, "Stealing is my job, not yours." He kept the stone tightly clenched in his fist, he didn't plan on giving it back, or letting him take it back for that matter. If there was anything Hjalmar was good at, it was taking things and keeping them. He took a few steps away from Alo, watching for any signs of resistance. If he made any sudden moves, the thief would be prepared to evade until he gave up on the pursuit.


      "Stealing keepsakes from family members is kind of messed up, friend." He smiled, "Go bug somebody else, eh? How about Oceana? I'm sure she'd just love dealing with you right now." He smiled, imagining the elf teaching him a lesson or two.


      "Go." He said a little more forcefully this time, he raised an eyebrow and glared as a warning. He hoped the puffy haired sot would take it and leave.

 
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Oceana didn't even look up as Nameen approached. She set the empty bowl aside from where it had been resting on her knee and dug around in her pack with her free hand.


She turned another page with the hand holding the book, parchment rasping softly.


"What do you prefer?" She asked Nameen in a surprisingly soft voice. "I have a novel or two. One is slightly romantic. And I have a few encyclopedias on fauna and flora from around the kingdom and one on metallurgy."


The elf's face was impassive as she turned another page.


"I also have a book of martial techniques on bow melee fighting."


The elf maiden half-turned to Nameen, the dark tattoos on her cheek blending into the dark fur on her cloak. Her hood was down and her hair looked like coaled embers in the firelight.


In one slender hand she held a book out between herself and the  albino woman. It was small and leather bound and looked well-loved.


"This one is my favorite." The elf admitted in a low voice; a part of her was mighty pleased to have a reading partner of sorts. And was embarrassed of it.


Then she pulled the book back towards her chest, looking down at the shadows playing on the sand in the firelight.


"But it's poetry. I doubt you would want to read that."


Shaking her head, the elf shook off her somber expression and managed her patent crooked smirk.


"So for a warrior like you I'm guessing... The bow techniques?"


She had put down the poetry book and held out a volume of thick parchment curiously bound in a light-wood cover. One corner was slightly charred and warbled as if it had accidentally caught fire before being put out hastily in water.


Oceana shook it at her, an insistent gesture to take it.


@Rydellius
 
"I'm sorry, but this doesn't really involve you. Is she your sister? No. I don't think so. I'm trying to protect it, since she's obviously so impulsive." Alo crossed his arms and didn't budge. Valeiah stared at the necklace. She just wanted it back.


@Lo Alyssa
 

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