Carantathraiel

Wanderers

They had. Envy turned when he felt the shudder pass through his wards, the tickle at the nape of his neck. His blind eyes shifted toward the cavern entrance, ears straining.
"Ysa-"
"On it." She said at once, drawing her blades and rushing out. Her steps were quick, and the moment she felt the sun hit her skin she inhaled, bracing to Walk to the other side of the minute gorge, only pausing when she saw the two figures patiently waiting. Her fuchsia eyes fell to the shorter of the two, and her blades lowered, her plan to Walk forgotten in an instant.

"Well," Ysaryn smiled brightly. "Aren't you a sight for hard eyes." Sheathing her blades, she trounced down the slope with a bounce in her step, her long braid swinging. She wrapped her arms around Kire for a quick embrace. "Welcome back, Chieftess." Her language had much improved over the months, but beyond that, the elf had changed little. She stepped back, placing her hands on her hips, clothed in her usual dark leathers. Her eyes wandered over the tall one curiously. "Your own Kartaian, perhaps?" She smirked at Kire. "It is nice to meet you. Welcome. And come, come." Ysaryn waved her hand, beckoning them in.

Envy loitered in the main chamber, looking anxious until he heard Ysaryn's casual steps. The Kartaian was dressed in trousers of a dark brown, but his shirt was a brilliantly obnoxious lime green with dark green whorls of vine embroidered all over them. Perhaps the fabric had been intended for a blanket or a curtain, but the elf found it perfectly suitable to his sense of fashion.
"I know that scent." Envy said, inhaling a few times. "Is it really?"
"It is." Ysaryn sang, moving to stand beside him, tilting her chin upward.
Envy only extended his arms, beckoning Kire. "Welcome back, then, Kire." Envy smiled happily, wrapping his arms around her gently. "I had hoped you'd return, but I honestly hadn't expected it so soon." Another deep inhaled as Envy released Kire, his face pointing toward the second woman. Sea salt and ... what was that? Nettle leaf? "You've brought along a guest." He stated. "Welcome to ... well we don't really have a name for it. So, welcome to our home. Albeit temporarily. I'm Envy." He placed his hand over his chest and bent slightly forward.

Wanderers

Despite her hesitations, Envy held little. Once he heard Kire admit she was ehre to say good-bye, he pushed himself upright and reached out for her. A tight hug, a few warm words whispered to her, and and he released her. "Travel safely, and don't forget us." Envy said, his tired voice a few octaves lower than normal. "You will always be welcome."

The course of the next few weeks was not easy.

Hardly two weeks into earnest building in their new site, heavy rains came, pulling at the unsteady surface of the mountain until it slid downward, made too heavy by the weight of the water. The landslide devoured their lumbered logs and the entirety of their planned new home, but claimed no lives.
It did force them to hole up in the safety and comfort of the caves until the storms passed, and then another few days after as the rain-carried ailment forced many to lie in bed for a day or two, able to stomach little but broth and tea.

Abandoning the first hope for their home, Ruli returned to Cordon with Ysaryn, Zeke, and, to no ones pleasure, Princess Risa, who insisted on tagging along in order to reach out as her own emissary of Ziad. She met with the council, braced by the three, and after several long discussions, during which the very stubborn princess refused to accept 'no' in any form, they reached a tentative agreement. Agree to offer some finincial aid in the rebuilding of Ziad, and she would see to it that the 'elven filth' was removed.
That had been Ysaryn's idea, although she made no show of it while in the audience room with the councilmen, hands folded before her as she stood, stone-faced, between Ruli and Zeke. When asked, she expressed that they had struck up a deal with the Ziadi as a people, to agree to leave Cordon and become the many hands that would rebuild Ziad. They would be cared for and, when Ziad was self sufficient again, would be given enough supplies to make their way out again and find a new home.
Spend a few thousand coin to aid a neighbour in need, whose own citizens had saved their very city, and be rid of an issue with no backlash or blood on their hands.

They agreed.

The coin was passed along to Zeke, who was the only one they decided among themselves that could be trusted with it. Ysaryn was set to follow Princess Risa around, do her immense dislike, as a handservant, rather than a slave. Ysaryn was pretty enough to be worthy of her company, Risa declared, but she allowed no one to pay her any mind, negative or no. Anyone who tried to sneer at the elf got a verbal lashing, the Princess's demanding attention and service with a flash of her signet ring to the point that word spread and the elf could all but roam without harassment; so long as she was exactly three feet behind and one step to the left of the Princess.

Ruli, left to his own devices in Cordon, roamed the ports and taverns, shaking hands, meeting patrons and travelers, using conversation to inquire into suitable places in which to move. When he heard a tale he enjoyed, he'd use his magic as slyly as he could manage in order to find the location. Every morning he traveled to two or three locations, all over the continent, marking each of them on maps that he purchased from the city.
Zeke helped him; it was the only sort of communication they shared that was not dripping with tension. Zeke would point out potential trade routes, neighbours that they'd get along with or quarrel with, resources within certain distances that would aid them. A few times, Zeke agreed to go with Ruli to see the locations himself and get a better sense with which to judge. Ruli endured it all in patient silence.

Two months in, they began to take Envy along, their list narrowed down enough that they included the Kartaian to help them further. Ruli connected their minds with magic enough to allow Envy to see what he did, Zeke's voice listing all the pros and cons of each location. When Envy, at last, stood on packed sand, face turned up toward the moonlit sky, and grinned from ear to ear, they knew they'd found it.

Wanderers

Ysaryn watched him drink, smiling as if she'd smack him if he didn't, regardless of the soft expression in her eyes. "You not free before." She pointed out before taking a sip from her own cup. "Now, yes. And you to help." As she'd seen Kire do, she reached up to ruffle his hair, though it was almost more of a pet, as the elf was unfamiliar with the gesture of a tousle.
Straightening, Ysaryn raised her cup. "Take small sleep after. Wake up good." She instructed before she wandered away through the caves.

Ruli twitched an eyebrow as she made to sit beside him. "Decent. Company was strange." He answered he question. "He won't sleep much longer." Ruli jerked his chin toward Envy. He'd twitched once or twice already, sleep slowly leaving the Kartaian's massive body.
As Kire thanked him, Ruli glanced her way once more, listening to her whispers, then to her extended hand. He hadn't realized it at the time, but yesterday, she'd taken his offered hand instead of gripping his sleeve. He'd been too tired, too sore to realize its significance, and had, later, wondered if she'd simply forgotten that she didn't trust him enough to touch him.
But this. Ruli's eyes wandered over her hand. This was trust.

He took her hand, shaking it gently.

"You're welcome." He said. "Thank you for ... " Trusting me? Not dying? Helping me put an end to her? "-letting me tag along."
Envy growled softly, not far from the sound Kire had made when she'd first woken. "You both smell like bad wine and sweet mead." The elf complained.
Ruli's lips twitched again. "Good morning to you, too." He greeted. There was a lot of rustling as Envy twisted in place enough to face them, his red eyes slits as he peered at them.

Wanderers

Ysaryn woke silently when Kire began swearing, the tired smirk that tugged at her lips expressing that she understood Kire's swearing without being able to really understand them. She watched Kire rise, the elf remaining where she was, body sore, head aching, and no desire to rise just yet. She listened, half-dozing, as Kire washed, only opening her eyes again when Kire spoke. So soon? She couldn't object, no doubt Kire wanted to see her family. "No thanks." Ysaryn yawned, slowly pushing herself upright, rubbing the sleep from her eyes and the dirt from her hair. She pulled at her strands, her delicate fingers removing a small beetle, which she settled on the dirt and nudged until it scurried away. "Come more. We all happy for you face."

She followed Kire inside, gaze surfing over Gavin as he stared, red-eyed and wild-haired. Her playful grin vanished. "Gavine." She greeted. "I make tea. Will clear you head. Yes?" She offered, a token of attempted peace between them as she took the kettle full of water and placed it over the hearth.
When the water steamed pleasantly, Ysaryn pulled her pouch of herbs, frowning at it when she found it significantly lighter, but pinched a serving into two cups before adding the prepared water. The stink of it filled the kitchen at once. Taking both cups, the elf crouched before Gavin.
"You save two Chieftess." The elf stated, matter-of-fact. "You do well." She stated again before offering him the cup.

Envy's chamber was quiet; though occupied. While the Kartaian slumbered peacefully, Ruli lay nestled against the wall, a spare shirt bunched behind his head as a pillow. His eyes were open, and as red and bleary as Gavin's. His eyes snapped to Kire as soon as she strolled in, and he simply held a finger against his lips to keep her from speaking too loudly.

Wanderers

Ysaryn watched Gavin leave with the same feline gaze, shifting it to Kire only when she purred under her fingers. Her eyebrows rose when Kire expressed her scent, and Ysaryn smiled in honest approval. "That is a scent I am honoured to carry." The elf purred in her tongue, the delight on her tongue enough to translate without words.

As Kire asked about telling her something, Ysaryn nodded, her fingers still exploring the blonde's soft hair. Her confession, drunken or not, was steeped in a quiet shame. Ysaryn didn't blink or falter, her fingers still moving. Ysaryn pursed her lips, trying to find the words to speak in their shared language, knowing Kire needed to hear words.
"Do not know a Chief to only want rodyn. Power. Responsibilitui." She said gently in her drunken tongue. "Chief who do, who only see throne, not good. Good chief want else." Gently, she pinched Kire's hair between her thumb and index finger and tugged lightly. "What do Kirai want? No Chief? Then ... Limb adan? Fish man? Mother?" Her wicked smile overcame her lips, though it was coated in care. "You stay? Live here?"

Wanderers

Ysaryn let out a musical laugh that made Ruli and Rab both turn their heads, neither entirely familiar with the sound of laughter as of late, one far more unfamiliar than the other.
She took the last drink of her wine, offering to fill Ruli and Rab's cups as well. Both declined, and she refilled her own.
When Kire called for the toast, Ruli poured a little of mead from the cask into his and Rab's cups, quietly explaining what a toast was whe Rab pointed questioningly.

She toasted to the future of his people, and Ruli obliged in raising his glass, Rab raising his beside him unknowingly. Then Ysaryn did, when the toast was turned on her. "And to yours, Empress." Ruli answered. "May you reclaim your throne and pursuit a life you want." He toasted, drinking. Rab copied him, looking quite lost, still. Ysaryn grinned as Kire cradled her head, scooting towards her to run her thin fingers through Kire's hair. She muttered soothingly, almost motherly. Something she'd learned from the few times she'd seen her mother act in such a way.

"I'm going to bed." Ruli said, setting his glass down and rising to his feet. "Rab? You're staying?"
Rab's eyes scanned the two women and Gavin, looking curious, but tired. The latter won over, and he shook his head and rose as well. "Goodnight, ladies. Gavin." Ruli said, following Rab into the caves to find an empty bedroll.
Ysaryn's eyes watched them both with cat-like stillness, her fingers still tracing over Kire's scalp.

Wanderers

More raised eyebrows. Pirates? This woman did lead an interesting life, Ruli thought. He wasn't sure how she found the time with being an empress and all, but then he recalled that she'd been dethroned. By Gavin's family. Ruli took a glance to him as he exclaimed about Kire's age.

"Not all of us can portal in from some ... where..." Ruli realized that nearly everyone here could portal from one place to another, with the exception of Rab. At least so far. And with his heritage there was a good chance he could. He shook his head. "Well, not all of us can go world to world."

Ysaryn tilted her head toward Gavin and muttered a question. When Ruli didn't bother to translate, she sighed. "You old, also? Like Kirai?"

But Ruli's eyes were on Kire, the way her hand moved across the sky like she could smear the stars in it. He wondered what it was like to be able to jump worlds, to leave your place in the world and see things you could rarely share. Things you could tell stories about but few would believe. If she dreaded each jump, or instead the return home. If she got restless when home for too long, eager to leave once more and give her heart an adventure.
Dangerous adventures.

As Kire explained how there was a chance, yes, that Gavin could age much slower and live longer, Ruli recalled that she'd died, only brought back with Gavin's administrations. The news had made him feel cold. That she died here, away from her family. She'd made such a casual joke about it, but he could read the sadness in her face.
At least she was going home tomorrow. To display that she'd survived, and they'd all be little more than another story.

He came back into the conversation as Ysaryn as she asked about the average life span, deciding that hers and Kire's time breathing the air would be about the same. "Except, yes, Kirai much old to me." Ysaryn said brokenly with a crooked grin to the empress. She raised her thin fingers, bending them as she counted in her head. "Three tens. Much old." Her fingers wiggled at Kire's face playfully.

Wanderers

Ruli raised his eyebrows again, watchign cautiously, as Kire complimented both himself and Ysaryn in the same breath. Ysaryn leaned away again, grin still carved into her face. While she didn't know what Kire was thinking about, she looked deeply pleased about the blush that bloomed across Kire's skin so soon after her words. No matter that the language wasn't shared, the body had its own, did it not?

But then Ysaryn blinked and shrugged her shoulder, flicking her hand in a graceful motion that sent her braid over her arm. She spoke in a huff of a question.
"Yeah," Ruli agreed. "What's wrong with being a thief?" He wondered. "Nothing wrong with taking what others don't need, especially if you do."
Ysaryn immediately got a look on her face that said that was not always the reason she thieved. Her eyebrows rose, her eyes shifted to the distance. Ruli caught the expression and arched an eyebrow before he looked back to Kire. "Envy said he would take care of him. So he'll be taken care of. He's one of us orphans now."

Wanderers

Ruli only glanced to Kire when she asked about what Ysaryn had said, his eyebrows raising slightly. "Complimented me." he said vaguely, not really willing to pass along that she'd complimented his fighting, more specifically.
As she moved on to mention the signatures, he listened, intrigued, as she listed their different signatures. Gavin, coriander, sure. Envy, tobacco and flowers. And when she got to Ysaryn, a few pieces began to click into place about her personality and began to make sense. Letting them flirt, Ruli went back to conversing with Rab, who was suddenly very interested in the women.

Ysaryn, suddenly grinning from ear to ear, chuckled. She met Kire's gaze as she spoke softly, lilting, her eyes wandering Kire's face.
"Tell em you don't need a translation." Ruli pleaded softly, glancing sidelong at her.

Wanderers

Ruli listened as Gavin explained what he would be doing now, the healing studies, and to be a representative between the two. He nodded in his unnecessary approval, only remembering to translate when Ysaryn rounded her head toward him, looking at him with heavy eyelids.
Gavin's explanation about about Ysaryn and what he remembered, he had less of a simple time translating. Especially because Ysaryn hadn't torn her gaze from him, her jeweled eyes set on his mouth. His teeth. Ruli shifted slightly, turning away from her stare, so he may more easily address the others.

"Barely learning, and already saved an empress." Ruli said, grinning to Gavin, though it vanished when Kire made the comment on his hair. "You're really not one to talk." He quipped at her. Her words about the images she'd seen while dead, and the return comments about things she saw after his magic caressed her head making him frown.
That sort of drunk indeed. Ruli smirked at Gavin, lowering his head. Cinnammon. Ruli wondered about that, one of the few spices he'd ever allowed on his pastries growing up. He wondered if that had anything to do with his signature.

"I don't understand what you mean about seeing things. Your mind shouldn't be filling in gaps with anything that isn't there." He repeated, then he noticed Ysaryn was still staring at him. "What?"
She gave him that wolfish grin. "You are a very good fighter. A warrior."
Ruli's expression cleared as he grew more guarded. "Thank you." He overlooked her, looking back toward Kire. "What do other signatures smell like? Envy's? Ysaryn's? Have you tried to see if your mind fills in blanks with Envy's magic?"