Carantathraiel

Wanderers

Ruli turned to glance at her over his shoulder, his brow furrowed. "Why are you asking?" he wondered. "Is traveling and your super strength all you can do?" He asked in return.
They left the cave and stepped into the bright forest, the sun high above them. It was nearly midday. Ruli directed them into the thicket of trees, where their shadows cast long blankets on the ground. "Bit of a personal question. But no, its not all I can do. However, don't get your knickers in a bunch. I don't do anything else. Haven't in a long time."

He stopped beneath a particularly tall pine tree, glancing down at his feet. He hated wearing shoes. These boots were uncomfortable and obviously ill-fitting, but he saw no point in purchasing a new pair. It would be wasted coin. But that argument could be saved for later. Straightening, he held out his hand. "Ready?"

Wanderers

Ruli blinked as she demanded he wake her when they were ready and departed. Bossy, that one. His eyes followed her as she left, only to be drawn back to Envy when the giant chuckled.
"What's so funny?" He asked.
"She is." Envy replied. "She's taking on the world out of guilt, because she had a small, unintentional hand in Ziad's destruction. Doesn't that sound familiar?"
"Envy." Ruli said, rubbing his face. "I didn't have a 'small, unintentional hand' in it. I opened the door and let it in."
"And you let Kire in, too." Envy pointed out, and Ruli hissed in disagreement. "You brought her here, somehow knowing she would help. Its time you began to work to put things right, as well. No more hiding in shadows."

Two hours later, Ruli stood over Kire in the chamber littered in chaotic piles of straw and blankets. He nudged her calf with his foot, his eyes on the sword she always kept close with caution. "Wake up." He insisted. "We're going."
Immediately, as she stirred, he stepped back. Years of living with the inevitably grumpy morning elf, he took no chances on a foreign woman with a sword.
He was wearing his same clothing, worn, earthy tones, but he'd managed to find a pair of boots that were clearly far too small for him. He stood on the leather heel, his own protruding and hanging over the edge. Once he saw she was honestly awake and not at risk for drifting off again, he turned and left the chamber, heading toward the cave entrance and beyond.

"I went back and forth a few times so I know where to go. It'll tkae a while for us to get there, though. Its a long way." He said over his shoulder.

Wanderers

Ruli watched her talk, listening to her plan out their strategy in a way that reminded him very much of the old Zeke. Planning out the day, preparing for fatigue, strategizing the best use of their efforts and what to grab and when. Something told Ruli that, in another life, she and Zeke would have been fast friends.

As she continued and mentioned the farmland outside of Ziad, he looked away from her. Envy, too, looked sad for a moment before he grinned. "You are not mistaken." He said gently.
"It is in the works. Little Ziad is clearing a bit of ground, but the issue has been getting seeds or keeping them from dying. Years of desert life has confused us on how to make plants grow in shade. We have a small supply of root vegetables, but not much more." He turned toward Ruli, who nodded, still not looking back toward Kire.
"I'll add 'seeds' to the list." He promised, and Envy looked back toward Kire, satisfied.
"Surprisingly, its been Bolym who has been most helpful with the garden." The Kartaian explained. "But he is uncomfortable near the tent city. And they're uncomfortable with him." The elf clicked his tongue.

"We've alot to do, and a long way to go." He acknowledged. "But, you're help is making it infinitely easier."

Wanderers

"I had put consideration into that, as well." Envy said. Ruli nodded, as if to silently say 'of course you have'. "I think lumber and building supplies. Wood. Nails. Hammer. We could begin with making cots, more chairs, tables. And axe, even, or saw, and we could cut down a few trees here. Maybe when we find ourselves able to move one day, we could pull it all apart and rebuild where we wind up."

Ruli nodded again. "We can do that. There's bound to be a trader who will offer a bulk deal." He glanced toward Kire, when she mentioned how to dress, then quickly looked away. Like hell he was going to tell a woman how to dress.
Envy, however, tilted his head in thought. "Another question for Ysaryn, but I can't imagine you would do more than elicit challenges from any drunks."
"The heavier you are, the harder it will be to travel." Ruli decided to comment. "Especially with the supplies. Unless you travel on your own, and weight doesn't effect you. Then I just have to bare in mind how much I carry."
"There is that, yes." Envy agreed. "Its why Ysaryn and Zeke can only bring so much. She can't travel with much weight. And Zeke is not a small man."
Ruli was quiet, thinking. "I don't think dress or pants matters. But I don't see us arriving and jumping into combat. The sword alone should be fine." He pointed out, glancing sidelong at Kire. "Dress how you want. Ysaryn goes back and forth in leathers, from what I've seen."

Wanderers

Ruli arched an eyebrow before looking to Envy, who grinned at Kire. "Clever." He said, extending his hand to take the pouch from her, sliding his fingers inside to grab one. He felt the size, the faces, weighing it in his palm. "I think these will serve you nicely. I don't suggest taking the hole pouch, though." He put the coin back and returned it to Kire. "No more than a dozen should serve you well, and hide them well on your person. I have no doubt Cordon is full of thieves."

When she mentioned Zeke, and Ysaryn wanting to speak to him, Envy nodded once more. "Yes. I had considered that. Another reason I have asked for Ruli to accompany you was so he can learn of other cities to visit. Maybe Ysaryn and Zeke can continue traveling together in a city where their arrangement can be different."
"But they'll still want to kill one another, no?" Ruli asked.
The Kartaian shrugged. "Perhaps. But I think that, without the stress of their play-acting, they could get along. Ysaryn gets along with everyone else well enough. I think if she relaxed, so would he. So if you wouldn't mind keeping your mind open for me. For them."
Ruli nodded, but pressed his lips thin.

Wanderers

The two of them were in Envy's chamber, taking advantage of the privacy the sound ward offered. They both hushed as Kire walked through it, though only Ruli's head turned toward her. Envy furrowed his brow, smelling the tea on her first, before he realized it was not the pink-haired elf, but Kire.
"Good morning." He greeted.

Ruli only grunted at her in greeting.

"I have spoken to Ruli about my request of the two of you. He has agreed, though he'll need to accompany Ysaryn first, just to get a feel for where to go."
Nodding, Ruli decided to speak. "Once we're there, I intend to ask around for places to move the refugees. Sailors tend to know a lot of different cities. There's bound to be one that can accommodate everyone."
That everyone included Envy was the part of that that would cause trouble. The whole continent didn't fear Kartaians, but men as a whole had a tendency to be racist. He turned to speak to Kire. "Going with her to the city won't take long. I could be ready as early as lunchtime."
"We don't have much for coin, only what Zeke and Yasryn managed to obtain while out. So you won't be able to do much beside gather supplies, I'm afraid." He admitted apologetically.
"We'll manage, Envy." Ruli said tiredly.

Wanderers

While she had almost blushed at Kire's compliment on disarming, or at least her skin's version of a blush, Ysaryn nodded seriously to her remark on Zeke. He needed out. To feel useful. To be around people who didn't see the soldier who had fallen to the enemy without losing everything.

"I will speak to Envy, too, then." Ysaryn said. "See for ideas. It was nice to get out and have purpose, even if not ultimately for my people. It was helping his people." She grinned. "Maybe you take him to Cordon? Let him be free man. To drink and eat." Ysaryn suggested indifferently.
She went quiet for a moment, wondering what else Envy would have the man do that would keep him busy without keeping him here all the time. When the kettle whistled, she poured some of the steaming water into her cup. "You want? Maybe not mine. Other herbs for tea, maybe?" She offered.

"I need to get Bolym. He is very angry about bruises, and won't hesitate to take it out on Zeck." Ysaryn raised her foul-smelling teacup. "Enjoy you talk to Envy and Rulitus. Maybe I tell him how to make your new look?" She added teasingly before she shuffled away into the main chamber to hunt down her bodyguard

Wanderers

Ysaryn's eyes narrowed as Kire touched her, her answer oddly ... comforting. To not focus on the past and instead on her goal was what helped drive her. A better life. Freedom.
That Kire was shit at fishing was somehow not surprising. Ysaryn could only picture her trying to stab fish with the sword she never let out of her sight.

Considering the amount of people who complained about the stench of her tea, Ysaryn only boiled the water in the pot, fishing into her pockets for a small satchel. She sprinkled a bit of the sour-smelling herbs into a clean cup and waited.
"You had ugly body when you came." Yaaryn said bluntly. "Ready to punch. Ready to bite. First goal in a tense meeting. Disarm the opponent." The elf grinned. "The compliment made you body relax. Yes, many men have your hair. But not many elf. Rare, for gold hair. Strange, as my hair is common."

She watched the kettle, enjoying the way the flames licked the sides of the metal, leaving whispers of char marks before they faded.
"You will not to help me find a home. You have much to do, Chieftess. It will be my job to find a home for my people." Her eyes went up to Kire's, her expression kind. "But you come visit. I will watch you stab fish."

Another one of her musical chuckles, then she frowned. "Tell me. I feel bad about Zeck. He is always ugly body. But in Cordon, almost, he was different. I fear now he is discouraged. I do not know why I care, but I do not know how to encourage, either."

Wanderers

Ysaryn bared her teeth in a grumble, before shoving more meat in her mouth. "Come to me." She said, turning to grab the empty kettle to take to the stream for water. She was quiet along the way, her eyes shadowed with thought. When they reached the water, she crouched again, the toes of her leather boots dipped into the stream as she submerged the kettle.

"Cordon, if they catch elf, we are stolen. And sold." She said darkly without looking up. "To go back, with Zeck, I have to pretend. We both do." She shifted her shoulders, as if the mere thought of pretending to be a slave made her skin crawl. "Last trip," Ysaryn hesitated, before looking to Kire. Her expression gave away that she was struggling with the translation. "We are okay? He almost laughed when I make comment. And we are overheard." She looked away again. The kettle was full, but she didn't rise yet, her eyes on the water.

"Men came. Asked what he was laughing to. To keep up our pretend, he had to act roughly. I should have just left him there. Gone home, or back here. But for a moment, he looked afraid. So I stayed. I had to accept it."

Ysaryn finally stood, hauling the kettle from the water, the overflow pouring over her feet as she turned to face Kire. Her eyes were intense, almost glowing even in the sunlight. "I was stolen before I left for Ziad. Before I learned to magic escape." The elf shook her head. "I swore I would never let men do that again. I wanted to kill them all. Even Zeck. So, I am glad you are taking over."

Wanderers

Ysaryn chuckled. Despite her appearance, it was a pleasant, feminine lilt. Following Kire, she eyed the woman with amusement, her fuschia eyes roaming. They slipped into the caves, the aroma of the recently cooked breakfast ideed tantilizing. Even Ysaryn flared her nostrils to fill her lungs with it.
"Mmm. Yes. I do like the sea. Lots of fish." She agreed. Ysaryn shoved a bit of the meat in her mouth and spoke with her cheeks stuffed. "He was awake earlier. Rulitus." Ysaryn nodded informatively. "Don't know about Envy, he is grumpier than Bolym if woken, so he sleeps." Another flash of her wicked grin, accompanied by small bits of her breakfast.

"Where do you live?" Ysaryn asked. "Ocean? Mountain? Desert?" She turned around, looking for the teapot and finding it empty. She'd fill it shortly for tea. "It would be nice to find a place for my people. Far from people who hate us. But I would like ocean. So much fish. So much colour."
"I think Envy would prefer mountain. Caves. But it is all he knows, yes? I think─"

She fell quiet, instantly bristling as Zekiel strolled in from the outside, making his way to the main cavern. Their eyes met, and both glared, but Zeke paused, his grey eyes wandering to her neck.
"Sorry about that." He muttered in passing.
Ysaryn only hissed at him, never taking her eyes off of him until he was gone again. Quietly, she muttered a string of curses under her breath, and resumed eating.
"Caves do not get much fresh air." Ysaryn said darkly. "Much is needed."