"No! Its not you at all." Kest smiled gently at Veragwen, though his thoughts turned to himself. What provoked that? Surely he wasn't so immoral as to really desire that. At least, not so soon. He masked his discomfort in his thoughts, not wanting her to think he thought of her as anything less than the gold hearted beauty she was.

"In that case," the young man held his arm out to Veragwen, "we should take advantage of the rest of the evening. None of these stalls will serve the same foods or drinks tomorrow, so we should try it all." Kest smiled, he really wanted to show her a good time. Maybe play some games.. then again, it was getting late. She and the others have been on guard this entire night, she might not want to do anything tonight. "We could always wait until tomorrow if you are feeling tired."

Kest looked around. Most of the stalls and games had already started packing up. Maybe they would have to wait until the next day. Still, whatever she wanted to do, he was more than happy to stay with her until she herself turned in for the night.

Veragwen smiled as she took his hand, "Oh? I don't see you this way around other girls..." she said, nudging and giving him a wink. "I guess it must be me. But I'm only teasing you, Kest." She looked up at the sky, "Yes, it is getting late. But I wouldn't mind walking around with you for a bit before we turn in."

Rez was placidly relaxing on the travois amused by the distance he was actually making compared to mergirl's machine. "Guess I was right about it being as powerful as a handful of seahorses." He thought to himself. However his mood of amusement swiftly changed to that of concern the moment he saw the mergirl's UFO rocket off into the distance. His horse seemed to slow down almost as if it was reading its master's next move. With this pause he got off as he struggled to keep a laugh down while packing up the travois.

Now mounted he looked into the sky with the setting sun to the contrails left behind. He figured if he followed the trail fast enough he'd find wreck and mergirl. It would be a damn shame to lose a potential asset, ally, or whatever you'd call it so quickly. However it was far from being so simple as he thought. There was the wind which was fragmenting the trails on top of it getting dark. Also his neck was starting to hurt from the angle he was holding his head to both look up and straight at the same time.

And with some time later Rez was riding back to the outskirts of town. It was getting too dark to seriously pursue any further. He hoped she'd be alright which seemed likely. After all she made it this far in-land which meant she either was more skilled with that contraption than she let on or she had was blessed with providence. By the time he returned to town it was already night and any activities from the festival earlier in the day was long gone.

He thought to himself, "Finding a place to sleep is gonna be a pain with all these tourists, then there's also the fact that they're probably gonna the prices up to make a big profit off all of us. There's no way I'm gonna get gouged." So instead Rez took it upon himself to scour around the outskirts for refuse which he'd then light with some chunks of dried horse horse he carried with him as tinder. That being done he laid on his bedroll by the fire and slept.

Jerus looked over at the girl and ran the measurements through his head, mentally adjusting the blade and hilt lengths as well as thinking of adjustments to the guard that would provide protection from those dirty cheats that try to slide their blade down the length of yours and get your hand. "Money's of no concern, Lord Armond. However, I am going to need you to bring her by so I can confirm some blade requirements. Fortunately, I've already got the permission of the local black smith to use his foundry and test weapons when I need and to run some guard ideas I've had by the pair of you." Looking at the time, Jerus chuckled and bowed to the Lord. "Tell you what, soon as you're both up in the morning, come by the black smith's. I'll be up before the sun and have some sketches for you to review. For now, I've got to head to bed. Have a good rest of the evening Lord Armond."

Turning, his sword slapping against his back, he jogged back to the black smith's and slipped into their house, laying on the bed prepared for him in the living room area after removing his weapons and boots. He looked forward to the next day, he always enjoyed working his craft.

Other girls? What other girls?
Did he really hang around women that often? A better question, and one that made him smile, why exactly did she know that?
"Of course its you, no other women is like you." But what did he mean by that? He has felt this awkward before. Why did he feel so attached to Veragwen? He'd only just met her a week ago, what made her so special? These thoughts gripped him until she gave him a light shove, breaking him free.

He remembered that he had bought a bunch of food already. Though, unsupervised, he imagined everything was already gone. He spied a stall that had was getting ready to break down. "Come on, lets get something to eat!" Kest pulled Veragwen along gently by the arm. "You must be famished."
The stall was filled to the brim with colorful dishes both sweet and savory. He looked at Vera, "You can pick out whatever you want, my lady, I'll pay for it." He himself chose a large piece of cake layered with cream cheese and chocolate and topped with a cinnamon frosting.

Veragwen thought a moment on his words as they walked, "Hmmm....I guess I've never thought about it much, but I suppose you're right. I'm a pretty unique girl, aren't I? I've always considered myself to be pretty plain, but I guess I don't know many girls that can do what I do...." she smiled up at him, "Thank you, Kest. And I hope you know that you're special too! Mara is lucky to have you as a brother....I've always wondered what it would be like to have a sibling. You two are so close...I'm a little envious." she shook her head, "Sorry. This isn't really the time or the place for this kind of talk, is it?"

Vera looked over all the foods of the stall that Kest had picked out, realizing she hadn't really eaten dinner yet, "Dessert for dinner it is, I suppose." she chuckled, picking out a giant iced cinnamon bun. She let Kest pay since he offered, and took the fork the chef gave her, "Thank you."

After Kest settled things with the chef, Vera led them over to a bench to sit down and eat. She looked up at the sky as she took her first bite, a bit of icing sticking to the side of her mouth, "The sky is lovely tonight, isn't it, Kest?"

Kest smiled softly. Truly one of a kind. For a long while, he simply watched her. No speaking or anything, only listening. Just her, her cinnamon bun, and the night. She was so beautiful under the crimson glow of the lanterns, but she shined just as magnificently in the full sun. He noticed Veragwen had smeared a bit of icing on her cheek and moistened his thumb. As he had done so many times before with Mara, he wiped away the sweet glaze and licked it off his skin.
I bet her lips are even sweeter, like sun ripened fruit fresh from the garden.

Again? What was with him? Maybe he was thinking these things because he was tired? That had to be it. It had been a long day and now, an equally long night. He figured he should probably say something to her. "To be honest, when I found out my mother was pregnant, I felt like I had been betrayed. My mother had been with another man that wasn't my father and it felt so wrong. Sure, my father was dead, but it still hurt. After Mara was born, it was even harder to accept her as family. Not that she was half mermaid, but because my mother had chosen to give herself to a mer. I guess, as a kid, its still hard to get over the racial differences. he looked down at his half eaten cake. It was the first time he had ever admitted to not always accepting his sister. It also felt wrong. "It wasn't until I saw how differently she was treated by other people that I became protective of her. For the longest time, I resented her. I thought my mother was choosing her over me. What a silly notion. I knew she loved us equally. I want to protect Mara, but I'm not getting any younger. I would like to settle down and start my own life, but I worry for her."

Kest realized that he had rambled for a while and laughed nervously. He remained quiet for a while, unsure of what he wanted to say. "It is beautiful tonight." He wanted to tell her that it was nothing compared to her, but he feared he might be trying too hard. It was best to enjoy the serene calm of this night while it lasted. He wrapped his arm around her shoulder and rested his head on hers and gazed out into the star field above them.

After some time has passed, Kest realized it had gotten very late. He looked at Veragwen and smiled. "We should get you home. Its a long week for the guard and you will need all the rest you can get." His face flushed a little red and he stammered, "I-I'd like.. I mean.. would you like me to, err, I could escort you to your h-house? If you don't mind, that is!" Why was he getting all bothered about walking her home? It wasn't THAT big a deal. Right?

Vera blushed as he wiped the icing off her cheek with a thumb, "Thank you...It's a bit messy, isn't it?" she chuckled.

She wasn't sure what to say to that. "I see... It seems hard to imagine.... But perhaps that is EXACTLY why you two are so close? It must've been hard to build up that trust from what you felt before. And because it was so hard you two became that much closer. Don't you agree? A relationshio built on work and hardship will almost always be stronger." she smiled at him, "Well, hopefully you won't have to worry as much with us both protecting her now, right?" Veragwen laid her head on his shoulder, and huddled close to him, as they watched the stars.

She had to admit this was a very different feeling from what she was used to. Rarely did people treat her as a woman. It was nice. She sighed and pushed away a little, "I suppose so. And I'd be happy if you came with me, Kest." she smiled at him, "Do you and Mara have a place to stay? I suppose so, since she hurried off already. If not you're welcome to stay at my house. It's not the largest, but it's cozy. Also free!"

"Aye, was good meetin' ya as well." Caelyn was thoroughly enjoying herself for the first time since she could remember. It left her with a sad feeling knowing the night was drawing to an end. "Um, as for the friends question, you ARE it. Maybe I can catch you up on the story a bit tomorrow?" She added with a sad smile. The question hadn't been lost on her. God, he must think I am pathetic. I'm so busy worrying about my own missions, that I haven't allowed myself that luxury. I can't get too close to anyone. The final thought made her eyes begin to moisten and she quickly blinked it away.

"Anyways, it's time I be gettin' to bed. I have to get up early and be lookin' for someone tomorrow. Hopefully, after I'm done I can be seein' you again." After that she ran off to give herself some time to think. She wandered around town looking at the booths closing up. Caelyn saw a woman and man that must have been getting to know each other because, there was an awful lot of blushing. How cute. It made her smile. The woman was dressed in a guards uniform and look distinguished, and the man looked smitten. As Caelyn passed, she nodded and said, "Beautiful night we are havin' aye?" She smiled and slowed down enough for a one line answer and walked off to her room. She had a big day ahead of her and wanted to make sure she had plenty of rest, but not before she did some routine attacks with her bardiche.

"Only a little." The taste of the cinnamon icing still lingered on Kest's tongue, and he smiled, "Its not as sweet as you though."

Before they could start walking, a young woman passed them by and offered a simple greeting, Kest turned from Veragwen for a moment and said, "It is indeed, goodnight ma'am."
He looked back to his princess and hooked his arm around hers and together they started walking. He left her take the lead, as he didn't really know where she lived. Two birds with one stone! Tomorrow he could get up early and bring her some flowers. That is, if he woke before her. It was unlikely.

"Marmalade was always strong, I think I just grew to admire her. She never backed down from the bullies that picked on her or anything. One time, she was getting really badly beaten by some older kids, so I stepped in and protected her. She hated it, but after that, I went everywhere with her." He paused and looked down, "After our mother passed away, it became all the more important to keep her out of trouble, so we went on the road. She took it much harder, because she was closer to our mother than I was. I made a vow that day to always be there for her, but she is her own person now. I have to hope she will keep herself out of trouble."

As if to disperse the topic, Kest shook his head and smiled at Veragwen. It must be hard for her to be alone all the time. That takes its own toll.
To her statement, he couldn't help but throw his head back and laugh. She really was sweeter than the icing on her bun. "I can't thank you enough for the offer, Vera. Had we not purchased a home, we would love to take you up on your offer."
Perhaps I could stay the night anyway. he pushed the thought away quicker than it had entered his mind. It was not what he wanted. Not yet anyway.
"Perhaps you and Mara could spend some time together. I have no idea what women do in their spare time. All my sister does is practice with her scythe.."

When they finally made it to the lovely Veragwen's home, Kest became suddenly nervous. This was the time that the man would give the woman a goodnight kiss. Should he do it? He wanted to. What if she pulled away though. Maybe a small one on the cheek. Yeah. That would be good.
"I had a great evening with you. I wish we could have spent more time together." he grinned, thinking of how he could possibly surprise her tomorrow. Then he blushed and looked her in the eye, as he leaned forward to kiss her cheek.

Once they had said their goodnights, Kest walked to his home slowly, trying to savor his night. It didn't last long as his house was surprisingly close to Veragwen's. He walked in and checked on Mara. Sound asleep in her bed. He gave her a quick kiss on the forehead and went to his own room. After he changed, sleep came upon him quickly. He, of course, dreamed of his warrior princess.

Veragwen had never thought of herself as sweet. Kind, sure. But sweet? "Oh, I doubt that. Considering I've never heard someone call me that... Are you quite sure?" she chuckled.

She sighed, "You two have had it rather rough, haven't you?" she said as they walked, "It's a shame that people resort to such things out of jealousy or hate for someone or something. Many of them even go to great lengths to cause another suffering. I'm sorry you had to deal with that. You and Mara deserved better than that. I pray nothing like that happens here in Seles...." she was pretty sure it did, though on a very minor level. Kids were kids after all. "Please, know that you come to me for help anytime. I'd be happy to do whatever I can for you."

Vera rose an eyebrow at his laugh, then let it fall, "I see. I'll have to visit sometime." she nodded, "Mara and I aren't that much different, then. Most of time is spent training with my sword or learing how I can help more. I know a little bit of almost everything now so I can help whoever I can."

Veragwen stopped in front of her house. It was moderately sized and quite simple, but it was also elegant. Much like Vera. She had a small garden where she grew crops as well as various flowerbeds. She smiled at him, "I did too. I'm sure we'll get to spend more time together tomorrow." As Kest came in for a kiss, she moved her head to the side to catch his lips instead. She kissed him for a moment before giving him a hug. "Goodnight Kest. I'll see you tomorrow. Sleep well." she smiled at him, blushing slightly before turning into her house. She changed into some comfortable clothes and went right to sleep as soon as she laid down.

"We would be glad to come by and see what you come up with, until then, Jerus, may you have a pleasant rest." Armond said as the male departed. He turned to Murasame and looked around, noticing the town had become silent now, and the stands were all dismantled for the night. He figured it was pretty late, "Come, Murasame, I think it best we returned to our own lodgings and retired for the evening." he said, motioning for her to follow him. She stood from where she was sitting and to his side, the pair walking back to the cabin the townspeople had given them to stay in for the festival. Once inside, the pair went to their own rooms and prepared for bed. It wasn't much longer after that, that the lights in the cabin went out, indicating the occupants had finally gone to bed.

---

An hour after everyone had gone to sleep, there was a light tapping on the closed gate, in which the guards opened silently. "Are they all asleep?" a voice outside the gates asked. The guard nodded and motioned for them to come in, "Yes, everyone's asleep. You shouldn't have any problems setting things up from in here now." the guard replied. The individual nodded and at least three dozen hooded black figures entered the town through the gate, all headed to where the statue was in the center of it, coming to a stop in front of another black hooded figure. The one who had led the others inside spoke, "Oh Great Prophet, show us, your faithful followers, where to set these devices." he said. The figure motioned for him to come closer, whispering into his ear before producing something from inside the robes. The object appeared very ancient, and clearly not made by human hands, it also had many engravings on it. Were one to look closely, they would find the object to be of Wingly Origin. The orb rose from the hand of this person and began to move on it's own, going higher and higher until it rested atop the statue, starting to change it's shape. It now took on the form of spider, it's eyes becoming targeting lasers, each one locking onto the most optimal places to set the devices.

The leader turned to the others, "You have your marked targets, now go, and make sure they are concealed well enough so they cannot be found!" he said. The man turned back to the other person, handing them what they had asked for, one of the devices meant to explode. Afterwards, the man ran off to set his own devices up, leaving the person alone to do as they wished. The Prophet looked around, as if deciding where to place the device. It was clear that this particular device was not part of what was going on around the town, there seemed to be another use for it. The Prophet moved right to where they believed was a good place, taking their time to set the parameters of the device's detonation sequence, finally setting it up in a concealed spot. They returned to the statue, looking over at the followers that had finished assembling, nodding to the leader. The spider returned to it's original form, the orb floating back down into The Prophet's waiting hand, which in turn returned it to the interior of the robe. The leader stood, "Our work here this night is finished, and our Prophet, Blitz, is pleased with our efforts. Now, we shall disperse back into the shadows, until we are needed once more. Long live The Prophet." he said. He bowed to Blitz before leading the others out of Seles through the gate, the guards closing it, the second guard looking to where Blitz once stood, only to find nothing.

Veragwen awoke the next morning a bit concerned. She hadn't slept well due to a nightmare. She couldn't remember much of it, but it was jarring. She held a hand to her head, as it was throbbing. After a moment she got out of bed and grabbed a tonic her father taught her a as a child to help with aches and pains like this. After she went about cooking up a quick breakfast. Vera was a decent cook. She wouldn't go making a profession out of it, but she could do it pretty well. She wondered if Kest liked a woman that could cook for him....Probably, since most men do. Then again Kest wasn't most men. She wondered if he would cook for her instead. Then decided that they would probably just split it.

After she finished, she put extra care into making herself fresh and pretty for Kest. Taking a long scented bath so she smelled nice and brushing her long, curly hair more times than usual. Vera had some makeup, but she tended not to use it. Did Kest like a little makeup? He was already enarmoured with her, so perhaps he was more of a natural guy. She wanted to look her best for him, though. She changed into her guards clothes, and put on a little bit of blush, and a little bit of a colorless, glossy substance on her lips that her father had made. If Kest didn't like it she could always wipe it off. She was also worried that nightmare she had might be marring her beauty for him.

She sighed and strapped on her sword belt and shield and went outside to tend to her gardens. Nothing heavy, mostly just checking on them and giving them some water. After that she headed deeper into town to to her duty as a guardswoman. This early people were probably still getting ready for the day, so Veragwen offered to help them set up.

----

Elayna sat on her stage waiting for preperations for the day to finish. It was too dark for her to dance. She wore a different dress today. Again matching the day. She spotted the "Guard Captian", Veragwen. She noticed the woman had put on a little makeup for her new boyfriend. "Aw, look how cute~" she said, "Trying to be all pretty for your new man, but you really don't need it, darling. You're beautiful just as you are."

Vera blushed and smiled back, "Not as much as you, Lady Elayne. You've also got those curves, and you carry yourself so elegantly. A stick like me could never....entertain people like you do. Sometimes I wish I was more like you."

Elayna waved her hand dismissively, as she returned to her set, "Oh, what nonsense. I certainly wouldn't call you a stick. You're just the right amount of curviness and slenderness. And you could dance if you tried!" she said with a wink. "Come by sometime if you like."

Most of the people who were up early were already on their way to the festival, either to be among the first to try the delicacies of the day or the day's games or help set up. However, Jerus was not among them, the sound of metal on metal ringing through the air as he worked the forge, hammering a sword blade into shape. The owner was taking the day off to go to the festival, so Jerus was able to work without getting in anyone's way and without anyone getting in his, which was nice.

He'd already gotten out all the rapiers that the owner had and set them out for testing and review when Armond and his lady friend arrived and so while he waited, he killed the time by working on a few swords that he'd designed in his spare time, all with fairly unorthodox blade and guard designs. The one he hammered at now was serrated on both edges versus the regular smooth sharp edge that lead to a clean cut. He didn't see many practical uses for it, perhaps sawing through small trees, but using them on people wasn't something he'd use it for if he didn't have to. Finishing hammering it, he cooled it and began work on the guard, a four pronged one that would allow for an easier time disarming an opponent that tries to lock your blades. If the pair worked, he could see it being used against hardened leather if used in a fight, but it was impractical against armor.

DAMN!
Kest ran about his house, half dressed, half eating, half all around panicking. He had overslept! His sister sat at the table, drinking a glass of water with an amused expression on her face. She had been awake for a couple hours now.
"Why didn't you wake me?!" he stopped in front of her, shaking his fist at her with one hand and holding his pants up with the other.
"You looked so cute dreaming, I couldn't bring myself to do it." she teased, "Were you dreaming about Veragwen again? She certainly is a spicy number!" Kest made a face at Mara and sat down to eat the rest of his breakfast. The mergirl giggled at her brother as she watched him struggle to put a shirt on between bites of egg, potato, and bacon.

Now properly dressed and groomed, Kest bid his sister goodbye and walked out of the house. He needed to get a gift of some kind for Vera. Flowers were great, but she was more special than a bouquet of fancy flowers that anyone could get. Plus, as a fighting woman, would she even like that sort of thing? What a puzzle! He would have to think real hard about this gift. It was his first one to her and it HAD to be special.
What to get her...
He was going to give up and go giftless when he saw it out of the corner of his eye. Yes... this was perfect!

The merchant in the store looked surprised when Kest entered the store, and even more so when he picked up the item he had intended to purchase.
"That is not something I would have expected a man to be interested in... is it for a girl?" He smiled as he placed it on the counter. "I see, she is a very lucky lady, that has an interesting story behind it..."

Item paid for, Kest pocketed it. It was a little larger than he had anticipated and barely fit, but in the end, he was able to successfully stuff it in. Now to find his lovely warrior goddess.
It didn't take long for him to find her. He had assumed she would be in the square, helping set up tonights part of the festival. He watched her from afar for a moment. Did she...? She looked different.

"Hey, Veragwen!" Kest called as he approached her. As he got closer, he could see she indeed looked different. "Are... is that makeup?"

Veragwen looked around as she heard Kest's voice. She was carrying a crate at the moment. She smiled at him and set it down where the owner wanted it. Then gave Kest a big hug. <3 "Good morning, my love! Did you sleep well?" She then blushed, and rubbed her arm, "I....yes. I wanted to look nice for you, but I'm not all that good with makeup. I bet I just look silly. You don't like it do you? I should go wash it off, huh?" she said, slightly embarassed she had considered putting on makeup to begin with.

Then again if she did that he could probably tell that she hadn't slept very well....oh well. It wasn't really a big deal. She didn't want to worry him by explaining the nightmare she had had. It was difficult to keep her mind off it, though. It felt so real, almost like....like a vision. But there was no way that would happen... Who would even consider it?

She shook her head, dispelling her thoughts and focused back on Kest, smiling at him, "So, what are your plans for today? I was sort of hoping to spend some more time with you and Mara, even if I am on duty...."

The morning sun had barely risen when Richard woke up. Never mind that he had a hard night of helping out-of-towners with their luggage for a temporary place to sleep in a nearby hotel, his farmer habits still made it hard for him to sleep past a certain time. The idea helped him save the few coins he had, but he still had to worry about things like food. He sighed regretfully. It wasn't as if he was able to sleep well anyway. There was so much on his mind that it was a miracle for him to shut his eyes, let alone sleep.

The past few days had been nothing less than a chaotic blur for him. The fight with the thugs was especially stuck in his mind. What would happen when someone went after him with a knife? Vera and Kest knew how to defend themselves, but he didn't even have anything to fight with. The closest thing to a weapon he had was a small hatchet which he couldn't figure out how to use in a fight. If he was caught in a situation like that again, there was no garuntee that he would survive. He couldn't go any longer without something to protect him. In his sudden realization, he sat up in bed with hus eyes wide open. "That does it," he said out loud to himself, "Today, I'm getting myself a weapon."

The sun had risen, the stalls were starting to fill again, and the weapons shop owner was just opening up when Richard arrived. He had been trying to decide what weapon was best for him ever since he got out of bed. A sword like Vera's or Kest's? A spear? An axe? There were so many choices that the decision was a little daunting, but, at the same time, even a little bit exciting. It was the first time in days that he felt in control of his own situation. His posture rose, his gait quickened, and a small smile crossed his face before he opened the door and entered the weapons shop.

"No! I like it." Kest replied quickly. It was a bit strange. He had never seen her use makeup before... and it was just for him? He was flattered. It wasn't a lie, she did look nice with it on. More like a woman, but it wasn't really something he was used to seeing on her. He noted that she looked a little troubled, but decided not to push it.
"You look beautiful no matter what you wear."

At the mention of his sister, Kest frowned. He was still upset that she hadn't woken him up earlier, but there was another reason he frowned. "Mara said she wasn't feeling well, so she wanted to stay home for today. I think the festival might have been too much for her." Before he could mention that the only plan he had today was to spend time with her, something caught his eye. It was the boy from last night. He wondered where he was going, and motioned for Veragwen to look also.

"We should follow him, just in case he gets into trouble.

Veragwen smiled at Kest, "Oh good! I'm glad. Perhaps tomorrow I'll pick out something ugly to wear to test that theory...perhaps a full suit of armor?" she said thoughtfully rubbing her chin. "Of course, then you might not be able to recognize me." Vera giggled.

She frowned at hearing Mara wasn't feeling well, "Oh, that's a shame. Perhaps later we could stop by and see her? I'm sure I've got something to help her feel better."

She looked towards where Kest pointed, and followed after him, "That's Richard and you're right. I told him I'd protect him anyway. Do you really think it's necessary to follow him, though? Couldn't we just go ask what he's up to and tag along? In any case I wonder what he's so excited about?"

Kest looked back at Veragwen and raised an eyebrow at her musings. A full suit of armor was ugly? Who decided this? He smiled after a moment, knowing she was just being silly. She would probably look bad ass in full armor. He kind of wanted to see it now. Though he wanted to make sure Richard was safe too.

"We follow, that way we can see if someone else is following him. Didn't he say that someone killed his father? They might return to finish him off. Kest had to agree that the boy did look rather cheerful. Considering the situation, it was probably safer for him to stay indoors.

After a short walk, the pair witnessed Richard enter the weapon shop. Perhaps something about the other night had told him he needed to learn to defend himself. Kest opened the door and held it for Veragwen. He watched her enter and smiled softly as he himself walked in.
"Hey kid, is this really the place you want to be?"