With his spear hefted over his shoulder, Lucas set his horse cantering down the road with Falion riding close behind on his mare. They'd been trekking for several weeks through Dragonfire's sprawling grasslands with rolling hills ahead and rolling hills behind. Anyone who hadn't lived in these parts might call it bland and empty, save for a few patches of wildflowers but there was, of course, the River Tarandel. Here it ran almost parallel to the road, meandering this way and that, to and fro. The highway before seemed to flow in harmony alongside the river; wherever the Tarandel bent, the road did too. The checkpoint would not be far ahead now, only a couple of leagues. The Emperor had bumped up the border guard's numbers tenfold when the war began. Borders had been closed completely to civilians, in fact, yet Lucas doubted the patrols would deny passage to the son of a duke, especially one with a fat coinpurse at his belt . . .
Falion, on the other hand, had been experiencing the opposite of claustrophobia during the trip. Lucas could not find out why, but Falion seemed almost overwhelmed by the vast open space. Narrow eyes darted around the scenery, as if the elf expected some kind of grotesque monster to pop out of the hills at any moment. "You're jumping at shadows." Lucas told him over many a torch-lit night, but that hardly did anything to comfort him. Now, however, after the two climbed over the next hill, Falion's eyes locked onto a shape in the distance almost touching the horizon. It was very far indeed, but Lucas could just barely make out the shape of a horse standing by the river with a person sitting close by. "Is that a traveller?" Lucas asked. Almost nobody traveled these days, what with the fear of the war and all that. This was probably the only other soul he'd seen since leaving Castle Cainfold. "A woman." Falion said, squinting his eyes. "An elf, I think."
The pair rode down the road a bit further and Lucas found that he might start appreciating Falion's keen eyes. She was indeed an elf woman, and going by the bow and arrows, a hunter as well. That was also a bit strange, as there hadn't been any sign of game for miles around. Still, Lucas rode forward. "Afternoon." he said, cocking his head in greeting. As dangerous as the she-elf looked with that bow, he supposed there couldn't be any harm in courtesy. Besides, he'd been deprived of anybody to speak to except for Falion since leaving home (not that Falion hasn't been an interesting conversation partner, mind you.) He wondered if the wild elves were finally being dragged into this stupid war too.
@Haus Of Alaska
Falion, on the other hand, had been experiencing the opposite of claustrophobia during the trip. Lucas could not find out why, but Falion seemed almost overwhelmed by the vast open space. Narrow eyes darted around the scenery, as if the elf expected some kind of grotesque monster to pop out of the hills at any moment. "You're jumping at shadows." Lucas told him over many a torch-lit night, but that hardly did anything to comfort him. Now, however, after the two climbed over the next hill, Falion's eyes locked onto a shape in the distance almost touching the horizon. It was very far indeed, but Lucas could just barely make out the shape of a horse standing by the river with a person sitting close by. "Is that a traveller?" Lucas asked. Almost nobody traveled these days, what with the fear of the war and all that. This was probably the only other soul he'd seen since leaving Castle Cainfold. "A woman." Falion said, squinting his eyes. "An elf, I think."
The pair rode down the road a bit further and Lucas found that he might start appreciating Falion's keen eyes. She was indeed an elf woman, and going by the bow and arrows, a hunter as well. That was also a bit strange, as there hadn't been any sign of game for miles around. Still, Lucas rode forward. "Afternoon." he said, cocking his head in greeting. As dangerous as the she-elf looked with that bow, he supposed there couldn't be any harm in courtesy. Besides, he'd been deprived of anybody to speak to except for Falion since leaving home (not that Falion hasn't been an interesting conversation partner, mind you.) He wondered if the wild elves were finally being dragged into this stupid war too.
@Haus Of Alaska