Time: Morning Location: Myriamor-Bed and Breakfast Interactions: Slick@FunnyGuy, and a pixie Mentions: Princess Mikazuki@Tae, Uzul@dragonpiece, Kuroi @hide on mana, and that private party he was ‘pose to spy on discreetly Equipment: The clothes on his back and a pouch of amas.
Leaf grinned as Slick approved of his table choice, but continued to try and focus as much as he could on his eavesdropping mission. It wasn’t easy work, the place was filled with idle chatter and noise and the bits he could make out of the conversation didn’t exactly sound like important information. They were talking about fruit, which was boring, resting, also boring, fragrances and herbs, about the most boring thing he could think of talking about, and then he heard what sounded like Princess Mikazuki, which he must have heard wrong because that didn’t make a lot of sense. And then something that sounded like they were going to make some sort of deal?
It was fairly confusing and then the server strode by and Slick was asking about the food. Leaf didn’t entirely understand the question because he was listening to several different voices and it was all getting a bit mixed up in his head. So then he just focused on Slick and the server as they discussed the ‘private party.’ Leaf’s feline eyes widened at the mention of Bounty Hunters and suddenly a lot about Slick was making more sense. That was the mysterious work he was up to, this guy was a bonafide member of the Bounty Hunter’s Guild! Now that was a cool job, one with a code sure, but beyond that, you got to pick your jobs and how you did them. Freedom with a paycheck and unlimited adventure.
“Ham and eggs.” Leaf answered when it was his turn to order, having not actually looked at anything on the menu for the day he went with a safe choice. Once the server was off he was about to ask Slick all about bounty hunting but they were interrupted by a vaguely familiar lupine demihuman who was disappointed that Slick was here with a feline rather than a vulpine. Now it took Leaf a moment to figure out what all was going on because who in their right mind would think a fox was better company than a cat? He also noted the orc that followed her, because well he was huge and hard to miss.
Then the mysterious wolf woman mentioned the name Kuroi and things made a bit more sense. Leaf knew that name, he’d seen that vulpine battle his way to glorious victory in dealing tournaments over in Roshmi. Kuroi Usagi was not a name easily forgotten, and if Roshmi’s Grand Champion was Slick’s sidekick then the guy had to be one hell of a badass bounty hunter. So while he was starstruck at the mention of Kuroi’s name, the lupine woman had already finished scolding Slick and headed into the room with the group they were spying on. Then everything slide into place; Kuroi was from Roshmi, and Slick was bodyguarding someone important, and the reason that lupine look a little familiar was that he had just been in the presence of Princess Mikazuki, and there hadn’t been a thing wrong with his ears earlier.
Now Slick hadn’t mentioned an orc earlier, but it seemed that the orc who called himself Uzul was working with them as well. Leaf supposed it might be the sort of thing that one would keep secret as orcs tended to put folks on edge but Uzul had far better manners than he’d ever seen from an orc. As far as orcs went this one seemed like he had an interesting story to tell but he headed off with the princess, wishing he and Slick well on their date. Which actually would be a decent cover for the whole spy mission but Leaf was sure their cover was entirely blown now and the spy mission was over. Even so, he had just been in the presence of a princess, found out Slick was a bounty hunter, and might even get to meet Kuroi Usagi in the near future.
For a second he felt so high on excitement alone that Leaf got a bit woozy until he remembered that the woman, no princess, he reminded himself, had been disappointed to see him with Slick. Then he felt a bit nauseous because while sure he was nothing when compared to a champ like Kuroi, he really wished he could’ve made a better first impression on an actual princess. Or at least managed to speak rather than just sit there with a dumb look on his face. If he hadn’t already ruined his chance to make a good impression and get himself that job Slick had mentioned, the appearance of a small, speedy, pixie pretty much sealed the deal.
Just as Leaf pieced together what was going on, the pixie appeared, fluttering about, crashing about onto the table where Slick and he sat. Leaf couldn’t help himself, and as he watched the tiny creature fly about the table shouting in her tiny high-pitched voice his paws shot out controlled by feline instinct alone. Like a cat enthralled with a laser pointer, his entire attention focused on the pixie as he tried to catch her between his paws. It didn’t seem like the pixie noticed, as his paws crashed into the table just after the pixie had rolled away and jumped up again. So Leaf jumped to his feet, knocked the chair over, and moved to cup his paws around the pixie as she hovered in front of Slick.
For a second he grinned, fairly confident he had caught the insect-like creature until he realized that he probably looked like a foolish kitten in front of Slick the Badass Bounty Hunter and the High Princess of Roshmi City, and everyone else in their vicinity. Leaf’s only hope of salvation now was for the earth to open up a maw to swallow him whole. Unfortunately, that seemed unlikely.
“I, uh, think I caught it?” He said slightly embarrassed as he slowly pulled his cupped hands away from Slick’s face, careful not to smush the pixie or let it out. He used his foot to kick the chair back upright, showing a bit more grace than he had a moment ago. “I guess we should go give it back to them?” Leaf added, although he was pretty sure he was about to be fired from the job he didn't really have anyway.
Time: Morning Location: River Port Interactions: Rue@Potter & a gang of ne’er-do-wells Mentions: Arn @Omni5876 Equipment: 1 hunting knife, a flask of alcohol, a backpack, small tent, blanket, waterskin, rope, fire starting kit, lightmaker, cooking pot, a bar of soap, some drugs; skaula (8 grams) and zemak (a bit less than an ounce), rolling papers, and 191 amas.
Bowyn matched Rue’s pace, hanging close to her side and following her lead towards the Surfside Cafe. For now, he at least found the silence between them easy and comfortable, almost like the way things used to be, rather than an awkward chasm that seemed impossible to cross. The few brief moments of silence that felt like peace were shattered by the abrasive voice of an orc. Bowyn stopped abruptly, almost at the same moment Rue had, and took another step to place himself just a bit ahead of Rue. He felt the sensation of the cold chill that traveled from his core down to the tips of his fingers, a sudden readiness for a fight as he starred the trio down.
A crimson-haired elf whose entire demeanor changed on a dime when she noticed they were being watched, flanked by two others, clearly lackeys. The orc, loaded with sharpened steel and a massive frame built for brutality, whose voice had boomed down the hallway and a feline demihuman who wore a gaze so hard and cold it rivaled his own. Everything about them set him on edge, scratched at the part of his brain that warned of danger. Although Rue and he differed so wildly on how easily they extended trust, in this instance they seemed to be on the same page as she soon gripped his hand only to let go moments later. Had she felt how cold he was? Realized how incapable he was of providing anything warm and comforting to anyone, even someone who mattered? It seemed likely because right now all his hands wanted to do was bring destruction to the threat that stood in front of them.
But the encounter with the trio was brief, and the crimson-haired elf soon led her lackeys away. Bowyn would not forget the way she had studied the two of them, the unnerving amount of control she held over the orc, and the aura of danger they carried with them. He tried to shake tension from his shoulders, flex the cold out of his stiff fingers which sent loose bits of frost from his skin as he did so. He slowly exhaled a breath he hadn’t realized he had been holding in and nodded at Rue.
“Huge, but a head full of rocks and a face only a mother could love.” Bowyn said with a forced grin. “You got good instincts though, something's not right about them. Probably smart to avoid the blacksmith today.” He added as he continued towards the Surfside Cafe. He tried to find the same peaceful silence they had before but it was gone now and Bowyn felt too tense for it anyhow. “I guess, after breakfast, you’ll want to look for Arn, right?” He asked, keeping his tone carefully neutral, trying to hide his hostility towards the dwarf. He didn’t want to provoke another fight with Rue, so if she was still set on traveling with Arn he was just going to have to fake civility and keep a close eye on Arn.
Time: Morning Location: Myriamor-Bed and Breakfast Interactions: Slick@FunnyGuy Equipment: The clothes on his back and a pouch of amas.
Leaf followed Slick’s lead and starred into the window of a bed and breakfast as he tried to catch what the other man was looking at. He quickly spotted the elf in green, a rather regal-looking creature who carried an imposing air of grace. He committed the face of the elf to his memory, just in case she managed to give them the slip. He listened carefully as Slick spoke and nodded as he understood the task presented to him.
“I’ll use every sharp sense Zidur has blessed me with. I won’t let ya down.” Leaf spoke with his head held high and a toothy grin as Slick went to find someplace to tie up his horse. Leaf felt an overwhelming confidence as he entered the bed and breakfast. The air held the warming scent of breakfast, and a day when breakfast happened twice could only hold good things.
Leaf carefully picked a table for Slick and himself, a good spot to keep both eye and ear on the other group but out of the way enough to avoid notice. He couldn’t wrap his head around how it would be rude to simply join the other group, having always been the sort that would welcome the company of a stranger especially at mealtime which really was the best time to make new friends. But that was elves for you, all stiff and proper with long confusing rules of decorum, he wondered how they managed to keep all those rules in those heads of theirs.
What Leaf did understand was that Slick was a bodyguard, teamed up with another who was a skilled assassin, therefore it only made sense that whoever he was guarding was someone important. This group they were here to spy on consisted of not only the elf in green, but five others, and it seemed wise of Slick to want to scope them out before his employer met with them. This wouldn’t have been a plan he’d have come up with and he liked the idea of learning from Slick. In fact, being a bodyguard sounded like a great gig; it offered adventure with a side of danger and worthy cause. All he had to do was show Slick he was worth keeping around and he might even get his paw through the door.
He kept his keen ears open and alert as he pretended to look over the menu at the table, waiting for Slick. Occasionally he would look up and glance around, as if he was waiting for someone, and made sure his gaze did not linger on the table of elves. Then as he pretended to read the menu he made mental notes of what he had noticed of the group. The menu itself was not distracting, as Leaf couldn’t actually read a word of it, so he used it as a prop to look as innocuous as possible.
Time: Morning Location: Myriamor Interactions: Slick@FunnyGuy Equipment: The clothes on his back and a pouch of amas.
Leaf listened as Slick spoke, his ears alert with excitement and tail all a twitching as the man told him all about what he was doing in Myiarmor. It was hard to imagine the guy needed more excitement; out here guarding a beautiful lady, a real-life damsel in distress, and getting paid for it. Paid enough to purchase a fine horse and a top-shelf crossbow. This man was not just some wandering adventurer, he was like a great hero from the old stories, and he even had a sketchy assassin-type sidekick. The idea of killing folks, sneaking around, and snapping necks sat a little uneasy with Leaf. Although, he supposed one could be a good assassin, killing bad guys and all, the way Slick described it sounded so cold.
But Slick offered for him to tag along. It wasn’t exactly an offer one could turn down, an honest job helping out some beautiful damsels. So even though Slicks neck-snapping sidekick set him on edge, he trusted Slick. Slick had agreed with him about the lioness, which told Leaf that the man had honor, and a good spirit, and that was enough for Leaf. The young cat didn’t care for the lack of direction he currently had, he needed a purpose, and although this one sounded like quick work and tame, in comparison to what he was used to, it was a start. A journey starts with the first step, and this could be a step in the right direction. So Leaf clapped his hands once in excitement and nodded at Slick.
“You can absolutely count me in. Excitement and beautiful damsels in need of assistance, who could turn that down? Say this elf you’re looking for, ya got anything of hers? I don’t want to brag, nah who am I kidding, I love to brag, and I am an excellent tracker. One sniff of her scent and I could have her found in no time at all.” Leaf offered, making no effort to hide his enthusiasm in the least.
Time: Morning Location: Myriamor-near Sturdy Stables Interactions: Slick@FunnyGuy Equipment: The clothes on his back and a pouch of amas.
Leaf watched as Slick trotted out atop the horse he’d come to purchase. Even he could admit the horse had a very fine coat and the beast certainly did look like it could run. Maybe another time he could challenge the horse to race, but his mind was far too heavy now for a race to be more than just a fleeting thought. He noticed the horse looked more or less content, and while he was no expert on the subject, he guessed the horse probably was content. Slick was fond of the horse, he’d keep it well fed, let it run, and keep it safe. Leaf doubted prey-like animals cared too much beyond that. Not like a cat, to a cat, freedom was everything.
“I’m thinkin’, what sort of cat would I be if I looked at something I knew wasn’t right and did nothin’? Then I think, those stables don’t have much in the way of security, and I’ve got just the skills to do something about it. So, as much as I’d hate to lose a hand, or end up in a cage myself, it’d be worse to know that l left that creature there to be some fool’s pet.” Leaf spoke in a quieter voice as he looked on away from Slick and Champ and back towards the stables. And maybe it was unwise to speak his thoughts so freely in front of a relative stranger, and he wasn’t entirely sure why he did so. Maybe he wanted someone to agree with him, confirm that it was the right thing. Or maybe he wanted someone to talk him out of trouble. Leaf wasn’t entirely sure which he wanted to hear.
“But maybe this isn’t a conversation to be had in the daylight. So what are you up to, with your shiny crossbow and brand new horse? Got a great adventure planned?” He asked, not so subtly changing the subject, a stranger was not the person to springboard dangerous ideas with and he knew he needed to stop searching for outside approval.
Time: Morning Location: River Port-headed to the Surfside Cafe Interactions: Rue@Potter Mentions: Arn @Omni5876 Equipment: 1 hunting knife, a flask of alcohol, a backpack, small tent, blanket, waterskin, rope, fire starting kit, lightmaker, cooking pot, a bar of soap, some drugs; skaula (8 grams) and zemak (a bit less than an ounce), rolling papers, and 191 amas.
Bowyn felt Rue’s gentle hand rest upon his shoulder as she spoke, accepting his apology. Even though her words were warm and comforting, to hear her say he’d been right filled him with a sense of dread. Dread that he’d made Rue doubt herself, or think that she was wrong to want the world to be a better, kinder, place than what it was. He’d had that once, or something like it, a sense of faith in people, a way to see the world as it could be, hope for better things to come. It was hard to imagine ever being like that, ever thinking that way. How do you put into words how hollow that loss felt, how much worse it was than physical pain and missing wings? There was the tightening of fear in his chest as he worried that staying with Rue might mean he’d be the terrible thing that smothered her light.
Then the conversation was back on the more tolerable subject of breakfast. The Surfside Cafe, perfect, right next to the vile flock of seagulls that shriek for scraps. But Bowyn kept that thought to himself because Rue lit up with excitement as she talked about eating by the sea. He couldn’t ruin that, and even with the sun that shone too strongly here, and the seagulls and the ever crashing waves of the sea were all too loud, it was still breakfast and it was with Rue. So before he answered he thought about hot food and Rue until the idea became appealing enough that he answered back with sincerity.
“That sounds wonderful.” Bowyn paused then, slowly beginning to suspect why it was that he felt such a distance between them. Distance from Rue, his oldest friend, someone he’d once shared every dream and fear with, without any reservations. So he focused on relaxing some, let the zemak guide him towards something more peaceful, reminding himself that Rue already knew he was all sorts of messed up and she was still here anyway. So despite the fear that clawed at him, all he wanted was to close some of that distance, to be closer to the light that was Rue.
"And for the record, I was never ‘right on the amas,’ not even a little. The way you look at the world, Rue, that’s a beautiful thing. Not your fault the rest of the world can’t meet your expectations. So you go right on and trust whoever your heart wants and I’ll be here watching your back. Once this war’s over, it’s gonna people like you who help make the world be what it outta be.” Bowyn said, confident in every word. And he meant it, even if it meant continuing to pal around with a dwarf he couldn’t trust, even if it meant more people he wouldn’t trust, because he could, at least, trust Rue.
Time: Morning Location: Myriamor Interactions: Slick@FunnyGuy Equipment: The clothes on his back and a pouch of amas.
Leaf tried to picture himself furless, tailless, earless, and without any natural defenses. The mental image itself was enough to give him a shudder. The idea of an elf with a rounded ears was a much less shocking mental picture but nothing like what he’d imagined humans looking like when he’d heard all the old tales about them. Nah, Leaf had always thought of them being built like an orc, some kind of creature with fists that could smash through boulders, and with magic that made elves and fairies look dull by comparison. He knew they lacked fur or scales, knew that they weren’t built like Avalia’s predators, but in the old stories they were larger than life characters.
“Nah, I’m not buying it.” Leaf said shaking his head, wondering where Slick was getting his information from. “They at least gotta be big, I mean they’re the biggest, baddest, thing on a whole other world, they gotta be imposin’.” He added. Either Slick was playing a joke on him or…Or he’s seen a human up close. Wouldn’t that be something? He couldn’t tell with Slick, the man said everything with absolute confidence, but maybe really had met a human. What he did know was that humans had the dark elves scared, they were out offering bounties and making bold moves now that the light elves had humans working with them.
Leaf couldn’t ask Slick anymore about humans because the fairy that owned the stables was there selling the horse. So instead he wandered about a bit looking inside the different pens. A few of the oversized flightless birds squawked at him so he paid them little attention, only thinking about how fun they would be to chase. In addition to the big chickens, he saw a few other horses, camels, and some big sleepy lizards. Most of the pens were uninteresting, it wasn’t like he could chase any of them around, and they didn’t have anything he hadn’t seen before.
Until he came to a pen that housed a very sad-looking lioness. He locked eyes with the great cat who offered a soft, defeated, growl as a less than friendly greeting. Just ain’t right. He wished he had the amas to buy the freedom of the noble creature but he didn’t exactly have lion buying amas laying around.
“You oughta be ashamed of yourself, keeping a lion caged up like this. May Zidur and Bastet both curse you with a thousand plagues, you greedy oversized mosquito.” Leaf shouted from the lioness pen towards the very annoyed-looking fairy as he interrupted the sale between the fairy and Slick. “I’ll be outside.” He added with a glance at Slick. Leaf gave one last sympathetic glance towards the lioness before kicking up sand and dust as he stormed out of the stables.
Leaf suddenly had a new idea for what he was going to do today, he was gonna come back at nightfall and set that lion free. There was nothing right about keeping a wild predator penned up like a domesticated animal. Nothing right about that at all. He thought as he walked around outside, tail flicking with agitation, as he studied the outside of the stables. He figured it was an easy enough place to break into, he had plenty of practice with that. No, the real trouble would be afterward. Although Governor Nasah was a fair man, Leaf was well aware of his punishment for thieving and he wasn’t fond of the possibility of losing a hand. At least he had the rest of the day to think up a plan.
The more he thought about it, the more his heart began to pound with excitement. One last caper, not for greed or for his old man, but to free an innocent prisoner. The anticipation of the sneaking, climbing, jumping, running; the fun of it all, and the high of the success at getting away with it. He hated how much he missed it all. He didn’t miss hurting people or having pockets filled with amas, but the thrill, the danger, that was the spice his life was missing. Old instincts and muscles finely tuned for it all itched at the chance for another adventure.
Time: Morning Location: Myriamor Interactions: Slick@FunnyGuy Equipment: The clothes on his back and a pouch of amas.
Leaf nodded along, fascinated by the way the stranger who called himself Slick spoke. He wasn’t entirely sure he’d seen a horse that looked half as interesting as a revolving crossbow but then again horses never seemed to like him enough to let him get a close look. Most shifty prey animals always seemed to be on edge around him even after he’d had a good meal.
“Leaf on the Wind, or just Leaf if ya like.” He said introducing himself before happily bounding after Slick as he continued walking towards Sturdy Stables.
“Can’t say I’ve ever seen a horse look even half as nice as the ladies of the Love Longue up in Roshmi. Not that I spent a lot of time there, just uh, you know passing by the place. Then again horses don’t tend to like me much. Apparently, I spook ‘em.” Leaf offered a large toothy grin to show how ridiculous that fact was, but such an expression really only showed off his sharp teeth.
Slick had quickly turned the conversation towards the big war, asking why Myriamor seemed less concerned with it all. He’d figured the man for an elf as Leaf couldn’t spot any demihuman traits about him and he didn’t quite smell animal-like either. He also figured Slick must be new in town, maybe trying to stay out of the big mess of a war brewing between the elves.
“Up to? Not much of anything so far today. I went for a run, ate some breakfast, and now I'm talking to you. And as for the war, I can’t speak for the whole city but I guess I just figure the light elves got this handled. Never really seen a war before, occasionally some trouble with the orcs around here but Myriamor’s a pretty easy-going place.” Leaf said with a shrug. Dark elves were a nasty bunch but he’d never seen one this far south, he doubted anything that spent its time in the cold northern mountains would find the desert hospitable. He was more than confidant that the light elves would have the war won in no time, they did have humans on their side after all.
“Plus the light elves got humans, and I heard they’re taller than orcs and can move entire mountains on a whim. I’m sure your side will send them crying back to Daka any day now, doncha think? Now whatcha gotta really worry about down here are orcs and giant spiders. Though the giant spiders are pretty tasty if ya cook ‘em up right.” Leaf continued talking about as fast as he walked.
Time: Morning Location: River Port Interactions: Rue@Potter Mentions: Equipment: 1 hunting knife, a flask of alcohol, a backpack, small tent, blanket, waterskin, rope, fire starting kit, lightmaker, cooking pot, a bar of soap, some drugs; skaula (8 grams) and zemak (a bit less than an ounce), rolling papers, and 191 amas.
One moment Bowyn was thinking of warm, flaky, honey-soaked bread and the next he felt a cold panic as the door clicked and began to open. He felt his chest tighten as Rue walked out and greeted him. He hadn’t quite figured out what he was going to say. At least she didn’t seem angry with him, not even frustrated, which only made him feel worse. Rue with a friendly smile and cheery greeting. He managed a smile at her joke as Rue suggested breakfast.
“Breakfast sounds great.” Bowyn nodded but again felt awkward tension seeping in. Rue was his oldest friend and yet she still felt so far away. And there were no dwarves or elves or anyone else around to explain why he still felt so unsettled. The blame only lay on him. He searched for what remained of his nerve before stuttering out his apology.
“So, yesterday, I’m sorry, ya know, for what I said. I don’t think you should change.” Bowyn spoke with his eyes studying the floor as they walked. He meant it, knowing that Rue trusted people so easily because she still all the things that were good in people and in the world. He would never wish for her to lose that, and he would never want her to be more like him. “I know I’m not really alright, not like who I was, but I am glad you’re still here. You are exceptional company.” Bowyn glanced at Rue for a second to try and catch a glimpse of what she was thinking before setting his eyes back towards the hallway.
Bowyn knew it was selfish to want Rue to stick around. This was a dangerous place and they were only headed further into danger from here, but it was nice to feel a little less alone.“So, uh, what's for breakfast." He added just in case he'd made the conversation too awkward.
Time: Morning Location: Myriamor Interactions: Slick@FunnyGuy Equipment: The clothes on his back and a pouch of amas.
Leaf stood, inconveniently, in the middle of where folks were walking, as he went about finishing off the stick of grilled meat that was his breakfast. He was just at the end of his meal when someone bumped into him causing him to drop the stick. The young demihuman gave a slight frown of disappointment as his last bite was quickly snatched up Star, who slammed a paw on the stick and, pulled the final piece of meat free from the stick and swallowed it.
“Welp, since I’m not blind I’m guessing I must be stupid.” He answered the man with a chuckle. “But my head never does much work before breakfast. And the cheetah there is well fed, no need to worry. Right Star? Say hello.” He added as he turned to look at the stranger. Star had other ideas, however, and the cheetah barely glanced at either of them before wandering off on her own, likely to find a nice spot in one of the shaded gardens for her post-breakfast nap.
Leaf took a lot of notice of the stranger, mainly the very neat hat the man wore and the shiny new crossbow slung across his back. The feline demihuman circled the man once, then continued to eye the repeating crossbow with wide excited eyes.
“Now that is a thing of beauty.” He added nodding his approval. His quick study of the man, made him think he might be some sort of hired muscle. Except the crossbow looked all shiny and new, which made him guess that maybe he was about to set off on a hunting trip or some type of grand adventure.
“No need for an apology. So where ya headed in such a hurry?” He asked, hoping for an exciting tale from the stranger.
Time: Dawn Location: Roshmi City Interactions: Nabarra @nasty, Yuka @princess, Aiko @CitrusArms Equipment: Sword, bow and arrows, small knife, wayfinder, fire kit, a pouch with 217 amas
Orias answered Aiko’s question, sharing his chance meeting with the dark elf and Nabarra’s subsequent fight with a mysterious assailant on the rooftop. He shared with the demon a few details of his life, holding back just enough so that he was not thought of as a prince but rather a disgraced noble who left his home rather than further bring shame to his family. He shared his dream, why he’d come to live in Roshmi City, a hope for a fresh start and a simple and peaceful life far away from past sins. It was true enough that he felt his new ally would understand him without having to reveal his full identity. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust Aiko, but rather that Biren was now a name that did not belong to him, that prince was a title he could never earn back even if he wanted to. He’d done his family no good, nor his people, the only good that could’ve come from him being linked to the Biren family had passed when he had failed to die alongside the three other princes the night before. So he kept that secret guarded, but shared his fear for sisters whom he did not name, and mentioning only that they held significant roles within the Light Elf army.
They had done all they could for Nabarra and now her fate was left to the whims of the gods. Before he slept he said a prayer to Solaris to look out for the dark elf, to light her path back to health, and one for his sisters and his home, so that they would be kept safe and that the God of Light would aid them in war. Night gave way to morning and at first light, he repeated his prayers sending them towards the heavens as Solaris’s first rays broke the night sky.
At early dawn, he left the room and headed to the tavern below moving quietly so as not to wake anyone who still slumbered. Roshmi was a city that was always bursting with life and energy, even during the darkest parts of the night and the earliest hours of twilight. Today was different; few signs of life could be seen outside the windows of the tavern, the early crowd was slow to shuffle in, and even the air felt heavy today. The Twin-Headed Dragon was due to arrive in the city this very day, and despite the incompetence that King Kasai ruled with, a heavy tension accompanied the coming regime change.
From the handful of patrons that collected in the tavern for an early breakfast, he was able to catch bits and pieces of events from the night before. A young weasel-like demihuman shared what he had learned from his portable solar box of the battle the light elves had fought all through the night.
“All through the night, they fought, beatin’ back them damned dark elves with all the force of the Sun Elf army they did. Killed a big mess of ‘em. Course the light ‘uns lost a few too. Said they lost a good bunch of supplies too. But…I mean your folk ain’t gonna let ‘em win right? Your folk gonna set this all right, right?” The nervous weasel demihuman stared at Orais expecting an answer.
Elves lived long lives, other races knew that they also tended to confuse age and wisdom as being one and the same. So even without knowing a thing about him, here this young demihuman sat looking at Orias as if he had an answer. The truth was that he didn’t have an answer to anything much less this, but that wouldn’t help anyone. If the light elves were sure of an easy victory they wouldn’t have gone so far as to have summoned an alien race for assistance. But the truth wouldn’t help the weasel demihuman soothe his fears.
“You can count on it. The best of my folk are, no doubt, out there right now shaping those humans into elite warriors. I’m sure you’ve heard tales of what humans can do.“ Orias said, his face remaining stoic so as not to betray any hint of his own uncertainty. Their collective fates all hung on a creature of myth and story.
There was a relief in having not heard a mention of either sister, they likely were far from the front lines of battle. Had anything happened to them he held no doubts that it would be public knowledge, The Twin-Headed Dragon were fans of spectacle after all.
“Yeah, my dad always loved to tell the story of two sisters of fire who could summon a big ol’ phoenix to vanquish their foes.” The weasel’s eyes lit up with hope as he recalled the story.
"My grandmother told me one about a dashing lad who swept his enemies away with the force of a hurricane.” An elderly wolf woman spoke up and soon the handful of demihumans ate and shared tales of mythical humans and their mighty feats.
Orias picked at his plate of eggs and toast and hoped the stories held at least a bit of truth, that humans were enough to make difference in the war. Eventually, he turned back to the young weasel seated near him to offer some advice.
“Perhaps now is a good time though, to cut your trip in Roshmi short.” He suggested quietly.
“You know I have been meaning to visit my parents, they retired down in Myraimor, keep on tellin’ me how much they love that desert heat. Maybe I ought to trek down there.” The demihuman weasel replied in agreement.
Orias continued to spend his morning in the tavern below, chatting occasionally with those that had news to share. He was more willing to let Aiko have their rest if they chose to do so and waited for Yuka to return as she had promised the night before.
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