Sands of Time

[MacabreFox]

The priestess in blue smiled kindly at Hugh, a smile that was filled with wisdom. She touched Hugh's cheek with her hand, and they were surprisingly soft. "Irimara knows all things, dear Hugh. Robeline you and your friend may proceed to the inner chambers." With that, the priestess turned away from Hugh and walked away, heading the direction from which she came.

Looking to Hugh, Robeline could see the sunlight filtering in from the entrance. His white hair seemed to be aglow in the light. Her gaze was gentle, yet full of remorse as she looked at him. Rising to her feet, Robeline made a small comment, "The Goddess never ceases to amaze me. Come Hugh, follow me deeper into this temple." With that, Robeline set off, heading straight along the tiled floor. The tiles in the floor were actually a large picture, the mosaic tiles were skillfully inlaid into the floor. Looking at it from ground level, one could not immediately tell what the image was of. What if one focused long enough, they could see the sea within the picture. Her bone breast-plate made little noise, which seemed to fill the hall as she moved due to the eerie silence. As she proceeded along the hall, the room began to open up gradually, the walls eventually disappeared and columns replaced them; allowing snippets of what lay beyond to be seen. There were walled gardens, growing with vines, small rooms with sundials, and so forth.

Finally Robeline approached the inner chamber room. Here, a large statue of a woman stood, holding a vase that emptied water into the small streams that ran along the walls. Robeline stopped as she looked up at the statue. "This is the statue of our Goddess. She holds the vase to symbolize the life that she pours forth into the world." After a long pause, Robeline looked about the room and saw many people kneeling before the statue of Irimara, praying to her, silently whispering in their own tongues. She saw a group of people praying before the statue. Her eyes scanned them until she saw someone that didn't seem to quite fit...That was their guide.
"There Hugh, that man is a guide. Let's go talk to him."

[CaptainQ]

Hugh flinched slightly at the touch of her hand being that his personal practice limits all physical contact to just mere finger tips. Still, he kept his smile figuring that obviously his and their practices of worship arn't exactly the same.
...just as long as... that's all."oh, thank you." Hugh gave a slight dip of his head to the priestess in blue as she announced that they were allowed to go in.
Hugh then looked to Robeline, his shoulders a little higher with confidence and his gaze just teeming with excitement, his stoic and somber resolve was showing a bit of sunshine again and so Hugh was deemed worthy to go where possibly no other of his religion has gone before and he looked on rather contently.

He remembered to follow Robeline closely even if he did look down at the mosaic picture under his feet for a while, trying to figure out what the heck he was beholding but alas he didn't have enough time as he still needed to stick to Robeline. Yet again he followed her to another marvel, the walls seemed to give way to uncover a precious garden around a magnificent statue of a woman.
"well..! .. would you look'at that.." Hugh again found himself entrapped by the beauty of what he's come to know as the different and foreign.
Suddenly, Robeline threw Hugh out of his heavily intrigued gaze that was brought on by the chanting at the mention of a guide. " huh? what? who?" He shook his head and rubbed his face some, turning his head to track Robeline's movements towards said guide.
"hey..!" He said finally and reluctantly moved up to this man among women. ( well, not including himself!) " uhh.. excuse me? Sir?" Hugh started out with a raised hand to try and grab his attention, "I think we're looking for help? Sir?"

[MacabreFox]

The man turned to look at Hugh, he was a fierce looking man with a wild beard, a turban and an immense belly. "What is it you want boy? He addresed Hugh.
Robeline stepped in, "Sir, we're looking for a guide."
"Harumph. G'luck finding one missy. No guide dares ventures out anymore. You're gonna have to go on foot. Roads be dangerous, pestilence and orcs. Something like that I hear..."
Robeline frowned at the man, she turned around to face Hugh. I guess its you and me now. C'mon. We shall go find a meal for now." Robeline grumbled, disappointed in the news. With that she turned vnd headed for the exit, the same way they entered. Now, she had to deliver Hugh back to his land.

On the temple steps, Robeline caught eye of someone....him.
"Hello Robeline." It was Rhys Fairfeather in all of his golden locks and bronzed armour glory.
"...Rhys..." Her eyes widened in terror.

[CaptainQ]

"Oh-" Hugh stiffened his back at the clearer sight of the gruffy, pigg bellied, fire eyed man. "Um.." Hugh's Adam's apple did a jump as he gulped at the grim, slightly hostile news. Why is this guy here anyway? He looks so out of place amoung the ethnic angelic women.
"Well- uh" Hugh tracked Robeline's movements again as she exited and like a puppy he followed. Just as he was walking down the steps a new voice interrupted his ears, he peeked out from beyond Robeline's shoulders like a child and moved to her side. It seemed like she knew the bronze decorated man, Rhys? Why does that sound familiar?
Being polite and figuring that he could shift the focus off of Robeline, Hugh held out his hand to the newcomer, " Good day sir Rhys! I'm Hugh Laurie of the Nordic church."

[MacabreFox]

Rhys looked at Hugh, his eyes were an intense blue-green. "Good day to you, Hugh Laurie of the Nordic Church. I am, Rhys Fairfeather the Royal Captain of Adularia, the land of the Elves." A smirk spread across his chiseled face, "I see you have met the former Captain of The Royal Guard, Lady Robeline Anovyne-Faeral." He knew that Hugh didn't know this fact about Robeline. Hardly anyone did. She had left her homeland a century ago. Robeline crossed her arms over her chest and narrowed her eyes dangerously.

"Hugh...step back." Robeline murmured to him as she placed herself directly in front of Rhys. "Rhys, I have taken upon the mission to return Hugh Laurie back to his homeland. You can at least spare me the humility in such a public place. Will you respect the Royal Code of Honour?" Robeline tested. She knew that Rhys was a very Code oriented man. However...he was after Robeline. He had to bring her to trial to face her misdeed in front of the Royal Court. Rhys' hand slowly moved to the hilt of his sword, it was bound with worn leather wrappings.

"Robeline Anovyne-Faeral...Hugh Laurie, do you know of the crime that your companion has committed? Do you not question as to why an elf is in the middle of the desert away from her kin?" He began to draw out his sword, his eyes locked upon Robeline's.

"Do not bring Hugh into this. I shall ask you again, will you honour the Code, Rhys Fairfeather?" Robeline's voice had grown dark and dangerous. She would hurt Rhys just take to Hugh back his land.

[CaptainQ]

"Huh? Royal captain of who?" Hugh's eyes widened with only some surprise and a lot of impression. " what? No, you've never said anything like..-" and then the atmosphere became hostile, Robeline, Hugh's only hope had told him to stand back. "Oh... Um.." He did as he was told and hid behind Robeline's defensive demeanor. In an instant He was rendered child like in his helplessness in the conversation between obvious frenemies. But as Rhys began to become physically hostile, Hugh felt his chest puff upwards in involuntary primitive reaction. "Woaah fella.. You gotta listen here, and you listen good.."
Just as he changed drastically out of no-where before entering the gracious temple of Irimarah, Hugh's voice became low, single toned and filled with tension. Hugh's perrywinkled eyes strangely held a pricing gaze as he slowly emerged from Robeline's shadow. " I don't appreciate your hostility and frankly, I do not care for your slandering either! The only judgement I call just can only come from the ultimate, and you are far from that." Hugh didnt take his stave with him, but again he did not care. "Now GIT!"

[MacabreFox]

"She committed the ultimate crime! She killed the Princess, and the Princess' unborn child!" Rhys lashed out at Hugh with his words, "She is a murderer and must be brought before trial!" Rhys ranted madly as Robeline sized him up.

"Rhys Fairfeather! I give you my word that I will go to the trial...after I return Hugh to his homeland. I have made a vow before your arrival. Allow me to do so, so that I may at least commit one honourable act before I return to Valandil." She seemed to have swayed him, for he sheathed his weapon and nodded.

"Very well, Robeline, I shall accompany you though, on your journey to see to it that you do not escape." Rhys said and looked to Hugh and said darkly, "I hope you sleep well next to a child killer, Hugh Laurie." With that, he turned and walked down the steps. Leaving the both of them to think about what just occured.

Full of shame and hurt, Robeline turned to face Hugh, she was actually surprised that he had spoken up like that. "Hugh...that was very impressive...and I'm sorry that you had to witness that as well. My deepest condolences." She lifted her eyes to his and then asked, "Are you hungry? If so, then we could go and fetch something to eat, before we get the horses for tomorrow."

[CaptainQ]

Hugh gave a large gulp and stared in shock at Rhys' sudden reaction and his announcement of membership. Really, Hugh shouldn't have been that surprised but he was. "...." Hugh didnt have a come back or a witty response for infanticide so his resolve and what little machismo he had conjured up out of thin air had disintegrated.

He didnt very much like the word 'child killer' or imagining himself to be sleeping next to one. By the time Rhys had about faced, Hugh's head was low and his eyes were down. Defeat was a tough pill to swallow.
But as Robeline came around to him, it was harder for Hugh to imagine that she would do something like that, surely she had to have been framed or-or something!

When she gave him eye contact, he desperately wanted to ask why but.. Decided to leave it be. It was her business and he didnt want to come across as accusatory.
"Oh, uh yeah.." He nodded to her, collecting himself as quickly as he could and putting on a smile for her.
But then he had to wonder..." Uhh... What.. Kind of food do they have out here?"

[MacabreFox]

Robeline smiled weakly, she had wanted to keep that part of herself from Hugh, it was...shameful..."Well, a lot of the food here is spicy, or sweet. A lot of it is salty because it comes into the city from the caravans. I know just the place to take you." Robeline walked slowly away from the temple, her shoulders heavy with burden. The temperature had dramatically increased while they had been inside the temple.

"I..I'm sorry for what happened Hugh. You must allow me to explain...I once lived with my kin a century ago. But I was to be tried for the death of our Princess Risalarda. She died at my hands by accident...Princess Risalarda had an affair with a servant boy although she was already bethrothed. Her womb began to grow with a child. In the dark of the night, the Princess came to me...At that time I was a reknowned healer in my land. She asked me to...abort the child from her womb. Being Captain of the Royal Guard, I had to obey her. To prevent her mockery, shame that she would face, I made a concoction for Princess Risalarda to take with her tea...." Here her voice caught in her throat, then proceeded, "I must have mixed a bit too much hensbane in....she died moments later...I don't want you think ill of me...but...I had to tell the truth to you." It pained her to tell Hugh this.

Robeline had stopped outside a sandstone building, a sign above identified it as the Oasis.

- - - Updated - - -

Robeline smiled weakly, she had wanted to keep that part of herself from Hugh, it was...shameful..."Well, a lot of the food here is spicy, or sweet. A lot of it is salty because it comes into the city from the caravans. I know just the place to take you." Robeline walked slowly away from the temple, her shoulders heavy with burden. The temperature had dramatically increased while they had been inside the temple.

"I..I'm sorry for what happened Hugh. You must allow me to explain...I once lived with my kin a century ago. But I was to be tried for the death of our Princess Risalarda. She died at my hands by accident...Princess Risalarda had an affair with a servant boy although she was already bethrothed. Her womb began to grow with a child. In the dark of the night, the Princess came to me...At that time I was a reknowned healer in my land. She asked me to...abort the child from her womb. Being Captain of the Royal Guard, I had to obey her. To prevent her mockery, shame that she would face, I made a concoction for Princess Risalarda to take with her tea...." Here her voice caught in her throat, then proceeded, "I must have mixed a bit too much hensbane in....she died moments later...I don't want you think ill of me...but...I had to tell the truth to you." It pained her to tell Hugh this.

Robeline had stopped outside a sandstone building, a sign above identified it as the Oasis.

[CaptainQ]

Hugh's mouth watered at the mention of salty and spicy, " spicy huh? I've never had spicy food before.." Hugh could just imagine the taste of the meat most of all. "Oh yeh? Okay.." Robeline said something about a place she had in mind and so hugh, the duckling followed closely behind Robeline. Yet, much to his fear Robeline had begun to give her explanation, but still Hugh lent an' ear and smiled by the time she was done. " I knew there was something more!" Hugh chuckled and scratched the back of his head, dampened with sweat. " that Rhys guy had me going! But something told me there was more, I don't know, call it a hunch." He was so glad though, feeling joyful enough to pat her on the shoulder. "Now that that's established, that food you were saying?"
Hugh felt the need to keep the optimism going, especially if Rhys were to be traveling with them, especially for the both of them.