Elizabeth sighed. Essentially, they'd been told they were all going to die, seemingly a recurring theme from Cross. Still, he, and his daughter, had given them [i]some[/i] information. She didn't much like the thought of dealing with roaming cannibals or packs of wolves, but the implication behind the mysterious creatures Cross had mentioned made her nervous. The woman quietly hoped that they would manage to avoid the giants altogether if at all possible. She had seen all she needed to of the lord's bodyguards to be certain such creatures would be a problem. Obviously, the ones in the Wastes, if there were any, wouldn't be as well armed or armored, but a mountain of muscle and savagery was the last thing she wanted to run into in the middle of nowhere. Her thoughts were interrupted as Sage spoke up. She was right, if they were going to work together, it would help to know at least names. The conversation went around the table, with each member of the party introducing themselves. The dog-girl seemed quite excited, though Elizabeth still was a bit perplexed by her, that confusion only growing when she brought up some fighting style. Elizabeth quietly chalked this up as a form of magic, something to watch out for. Four swords, who had now revealed his name as Al, had continued on in his typical fashion. Lexine replied last, only giving her name and support. As she finished talking, Elizabeth sat up in her chair, clearing her throat. "My name is Elizabeth Tosli. I agree, it would be best for us to set out at dawn." The woman rose from her seat, leaving a half-eaten plate. "In the meantime, I suppose it would be best to enjoy the last bit of civilization we have left."




   Noah had been happily munching away at his meal while listening to Cross. The information didn't frighten him, in fact, he only grew more excited as the dangers began to stack against them. After the lord had finished, everyone began introducing themselves. Noah finished off a roll before replying cheerfully. "I'm Noah, Noah Kass. I hope we can all become friends." The boy smiled for a moment before turning to Haruka. "The Fist Through Which the Sun Breaks? What is that?" He pasued for a moment, trying to find the best way to ask his next question. "And... um... Your ears. Have you always been like that?" He spoke a bit sheepishly. After all, he'd never met someone with dog ears, and he wasn't certain if the girl was subconscious about them. He also found himself shocked that a person could eat pine bark, much less threes pounds of it.




   Elizabeth nodded to Noah, letting him know she was leaving for the time being. She doubted he was in any serious danger in the castle, at least for the moment. The woman crossed the floor, her cane clinking softly against the marble as she made her way to the door. The great iron gateway opened with a creak, and she felt the cold Grisian wind blow whip across her face. It was mid afternoon, though the sun seemed to set early in Gris. She wondered how much daylight they had left as she walked out into the courtyard. The marketplace was something worth looking into. Even if Cross was supplying them, there might be a few particulars worth looking for.