A scream rang out from the trees in the distance. So'kein looked to the others. They had all become distracted just prior to the sound. Akira's attention had been pulled away by an interesting stranger, who had rather abruptly approached and asked the woman to bear his children. [I]Strange.[/I] So'kein had thought of it. [I]This must be the latest custom of courtship.[/I] She guessed it wasn't too strange, considering her own rather direct proposal, but it hadn't been quite so...lewd. Perhaps the man was speaking to Akira in an innocent way. Or perhaps he thought she was a woman if ill repute, whose services could be easily hired. Though as beautiful as she was, at least in So'kein's own opinion--a woman of the beauty and grace true to her elven heritage--she didn't dress or act in any way like the sorts of women in brothels. Nope, this new guy was certainly just a strange one. Of course, what could be called [I]strange[/I] in this group?

Around the same time Akira had first approached, another new face had arrived with her. That man looked distant, but focused. He began some discussion with Marren and so So'kein was left to her own devices. She started counting. If Akira, and Captain Marren were here, plus two new faces...Maria had wandered off, and of course counting herself...

"Then what happened to dear Edward..?" She asked aloud into the silence as she accompanied the group wherever it was they had decided to go.