[i][b][center][color=a187be]Annabeth Gulch[/color][/center][/b][/i]

[color=a187be]"Ah. Oh..."[/color] Annabeth felt a bit embarrassed rambling on like that. More so once Keri revealed what she was doing and how serious it really was. Annabeth looked at the little wooden carving that Keri said was from her brother. A tear fell from Annabeth's eye. She realized that she had nothing left from her brother or father. No trinket or memento, not even a home to go back to. Only memories and what they taught her. Wiping away the tears before they got too heavy Annabeth handed Keri back her necklace. [color=a187be]"I... Um... No, not really. I don't have anymore questions. But I do understand, Keri. How it feels that is. Like I said, I'll help you out, so just ask me and I'll do anything for you."[/color]

Annabeth and Keri later grabbed some lunch at the mess hall. There were plenty of students milling about, but the two girls got their food quickly. Annabeth had a simple meal of tomato soup with bread, while Keri had her Blood Root tea. It had the taste and consistency of blood, but without that hint of the living it was, at best, a placebo. But it would serve it's purpose to keep Keri's true hunger at bay, if only for a few more hours. Annabeth couldn't really bring herself to say much as her thoughts drifted back to her brothers and father. Her youngest brother and father died after bandits attacked their farm house, and her elder brother, Rendar, had already left to train at the college. In fact, Annabeth had come to the college looking for him, but never found him. She remembered that she was going to search for him, but the college and it's people... They ended up filling that void of family that she was going to seek her brother for. People she could turn to and rely on during stressful times, and people she could be with during happier days. Annabeth wondered what had become of her brother. She hoped that he did not end up like Keri's family.

Eventually Annabeth was full of soup and bread, and she waited for Keri to finish. Once they were Annabeth was ready to head to the forge and help Keri with ehr task, though not without a friendly warning. [color=a187be]"We should try not to take too long. Tyrael has been in an awful mood lately, and I don't want him catching us in his forge if he's angry. Well, he's always angry I suppose. But let's not make it worse?"[/color] Annabeth said, unaware of Keri's own relationship to the demonomancy teacher. Annabeth just didn't want to get into trouble.