A Quest...

[SuthernCumfort]

"Erowyn It is sir. You do seem a bit uneasy here among the crowds. Are you perchant in some trouble and wish it begone?" she tipped him her sinister smile. She gave not another word as she drank deeply from the mug of ale in her hands.

She longed to feel the wind as it ran over her face running in the night woods, yet was bound here by a quest she had no reason to be on. But, for her own demises, she found that she was elated to say the least. She smiled again, allowing her eyes to cover every inch of the male body beside her, not hiding her amusement nor interest.

"You Lee is it? You part in this little journey, what is it?" curiousity was a downfall of Erowyn yet, she generally wanted to know those she would be accompanying.

 

[amchentai]

Lee shock his head. "No.. I simple am not use to being around this many people very offen." He said, it was true he helped his family out most of the time, and only was around many people while he trained, or a very rare party or gathering.

"Lee, Yes... " He looked at her and thought for a moment. "I don't really know yet... Something inside me tells me I should, like a whisper or ghost talking to you in your sleep." He took another sip, Lee was not a heavy drinker much unlike his father. "I am a Warrior, I guess I'm here to take on the many monsters or band theifs we would run across in our travels." He Said and took another sip. "What about you? Why do you adventure with us?" He asked.

 

[SuthernCumfort]

What could she say? What dare she say? Erowyn took the last long sip from her mug and slammed it to the table. Something drew here out of hiding and here of all places. She studied his expression before choosing her words.

"I came here, for no reason, and every reason. Drawn? Summoned? I know not. I unlike you, am trouble in the flesh and it does follow me wherever I tend to travel. Yet, I find myself here, now, taking it to do this deed wherever it takes me" again she met his gaze and again she lingered over his body.

She thought she would not be in need of male company, but, longing seemed to flow from her like water. She only hoped it was subtle no matter how brash she was.

 

[amchentai]

Lee smiled. "maybe the answer to why your here will be found along the way?" He said. He sipped at his drink again, the others still had not all gathed here yet, and night fall would be soon.

"Or maybe you know the answer but don't know it yet.." He laughed a little. "My grand father always said that to me.. "You know the answer but just don't know it yet.." He smiled as he stood at the bar.

 

[DJ_Wordplay]

Cassus and his new fan club were making their way through the castle and too the barracks when he happened to spy the girl from the hall in one of the gardens. It was the girl who'd been made a Captain along with him. Cassus thought long and hard about his decision to go drinking with the soldiers he just met and, for the first time in a very long while, his sense got the better of him.

"Beggin' yer pardon boys, but I believe I'm going to have to sit this one out." Cassus said stopping. He could scarcely believe it himself. He was passing up drinks.

"What?" The men could barely believe it. "But we have this fool of a captain, thinks he's the greatest darts player ever. We were thinking you could take a little money from him, teach him a little humility."

Cassus sighed. He was passing up drink and gambling. Still, the whole reason he'd come to Valentia was to change his ways. Getting drunk, gambling and, in all likelihood, starting a brawl seemed to be contrary to that idea.

"No boys. Have a pint fer me and save one should I change my mind" Cassus' grin was broad as he said this. The men were disappointed but Cassus' change of heart was not going to dissuade them from their own drinking. They shuffled off and left Cassus to wander off to the garden he'd spotted earlier. The girl was leaning against a tree.

Cassus looked at her a moment. She was young, that much was sure, and pretty. But Cassus saw a great deal else when looking at her. She clearly felt a need to prove herself, a desire to show her capabilities. There was something restless, something fierce. She seemed an alright sort, anyway.

"So, Nia." Cassus said loudly, rousing her from whatever thoughts she may have been having. "Quite an impressive collection of talents ye've acquired in your years there. Well schooled with a sword and a bow, well traveled, well read."

The girl seemed slightly embarrassed as he recounted her speech to the Queen.

"But what I was most impressed with were the letters of recommendation from your village elders. I asked me own village elder for a letter like that once. All he said was 'Stop shagging me daughter and stealing me livestock' "

Cassus let his words hang for a second as Nia looked at him with a bit of a smile.

"Or I've got that bit reversed, I never can remember"

 

[Britwitch]

"So, Nia."
Her initial reaction was to reach for the handle of her sword, eyes narrowed and alert flying up towards the source of the voice that had pierced her thoughts, jerking her sharply back to reality. She relaxed visibly when she recognised her fellow captain, Cassus, her hand moving back from her weapon to rest in her lap.

"Quite an impressive collection of talents ye've acquired in your years there. Well schooled with a sword and a bow, well traveled, well read." Nia felt her cheeks flushing with warmth as she lowered her eyes shyly. All that she had said to the young Queen and that was being repeated to her now was the truth, but it felt awkward to hear it put in such a way. She didn't feel herself impressive, far from it.

"But what I was most impressed with were the letters of recommendation from your village elders. I asked me own village elder for a letter like that once. All he said was 'Stop shagging me daughter and stealing me livestock' "
Nia's eyes moved back to his, her lips curving in a slight, but unstoppable, smile.
"Or I've got that bit reversed, I never can remember"
"The letters were my fathers suggestion...and brought at his insistence..." Nia replied after laughing at his words, shifting along the bench slightly to allow room for the tall man to sit should he wish.

"He thought they might help stand me in good stead with her majesty...given that my age doesn't easily lend itself to a position of authority..." Her eyes twinkled slightly as she added in an almost teasing tone. "I am sure that even you, Cassus Kingkiller, believe me little more than a child...do you not? After all, being skilled with a sword in such a small village as the one I call home can be nothing compared to the skill of those that live, and die, by the blade everyday..."

"I am young and I know that for as much as I have learned, I still have much to discover..." Nia's gaze shifted back up to the slowly changing sky above, continuing in an almost inaudible voice. "Perhaps I shall discover more than just crystals on this quest...

 

[DJ_Wordplay]

"He thought they might help stand me in good stead with her majesty...given that my age doesn't easily lend itself to a position of authority..." Her eyes twinkled slightly as she added in an almost teasing tone. "I am sure that even you, Cassus Kingkiller, believe me little more than a child...do you not? After all, being skilled with a sword in such a small village as the one I call home can be nothing compared to the skill of those that live, and die, by the blade everyday..."

Cassus couldn't help but chuckle as she returned his joking with some of her own. She definitely seemed an alright sort.

"I am young and I know that for as much as I have learned, I still have much to discover..." Nia's gaze shifted back up to the slowly changing sky above, continuing in an almost inaudible voice. "Perhaps I shall discover more than just crystals on this quest...

Cassus allowed his gaze to drift along with hers looking at the darkening sky. He could tell by the way she spoke that as skilled as she may have been, she was very much unexperienced in the actual ways of war. Cassus had no idea what would be required of them to find these crystals but if it they were as important as they were being made out to be, he knew that there would be many obstacles in their way.

"You're young, aye" Cassus said. "But you're not a wee bairn by any stretch. By the time I was your age I'd been fighting in wars for 3 years abouts. I was not a Kingkiller yet, a Viscount wounder maybe, but I'd looked death in the eye and spit in his bony face."

"You'll have to do the same, lass. It's no fun and not everyone does it and returns to tell drinking stories about it. But you...." Cassus words drifted off as he looked at her again "You're something special. It's plain as day. There's a reason you're First Captain of this quest. You just need to discover what that is."

Cassus smiled again at her. He couldn't help it. He was feeling a kinship developing with the young girl. Probably not for the best of the Quest's sake if he was feeling overly protective to any of the members of it.

"Just for all of our sakes, try to find it with as much haste as you can."

 

[Britwitch]

"You're young, aye...But you're not a wee bairn by any stretch. By the time I was your age I'd been fighting in wars for 3 years abouts. I was not a Kingkiller yet, a Viscount wounder maybe, but I'd looked death in the eye and spit in his bony face."
Nia let her eyes wander to the face beside her own. She couldn't imagine how horrific the true horrors of war must be. Growing up in the tavern, the most terrifying thing she'd had to deal with was trying to convince some of the regular patrons after a day's revelry that closing time meant time to stop drinking.

"You'll have to do the same, lass. It's no fun and not everyone does it and returns to tell drinking stories about it. But you....You're something special. It's plain as day. There's a reason you're First Captain of this quest. You just need to discover what that is."
Nia's cheeks flushed once again and she found herself staring down at the soft leather of her boots.
"Just for all of our sakes, try to find it with as much haste as you can."
"I shall try..." Nia grinned. "I promise..." She lifted her head, brushing several errant curls back from her face in the process. "...And don't forget, Master Cassus...you are a captain the same as I...that means if I am special...then you are too..." She added genuinely.

There was a gentleness to his tone and a playfulness in his words that belied his size and obvious strength. She felt at ease and more comfortable than she believed she would be in a relative stranger's prescence.
Nia shivered as a cool breeze moved through the garden, gently shaking the branches above, sending down a fresh wave of the delicately fragranced flowers fluttering to the ground. The sky above was almost at the deep dark blue of nighttime and Nia pulled her cloak a little tighter around her, casting another smile at Cassus.

"Well...will my fellow captain permit me to buy him an ale...? I think the time has come to move towards a fire, I'm sure there'll be plenty of nights to be spent outside before this quest is finished..." Nia's tone was bright as she stood, her eyes glancing towards the inn.

 

[DJ_Wordplay]

"I shall try..." Nia grinned. "I promise..." She lifted her head, brushing several errant curls back from her face in the process. "...And don't forget, Master Cassus...you are a captain the same as I...that means if I am special...then you are too..." She added genuinely.

"I'm not sure how special. I'm just an old archer who hasn't quite found a home for the arrows in my quiver just yet."

The two smiled at each other as the cold Valentian winds swirled around them. Cassus liked that he could bring a smile to the girl's face even on the eve of what was sure to be a journey most perilous.


"Well...will my fellow captain permit me to buy him an ale...? I think the time has come to move towards a fire, I'm sure there'll be plenty of nights to be spent outside before this quest is finished..."

"Oh, you Valentian types. Trying to corrupt a poor lad from the hills with your drinking and general mischief. I was warned about this." Cassus said in a joking manner. "But in the spirit of comradeship, I suppose I will subvert my usual manner and let you buy me a pint."

Nia nodded her approval and the two began to walk towards the inn. Nia spoke of her travels and her knowledge of history, Cassus told her of his exploits in the service of his king, embellished for dramatic effect. Eventually they made their way to the inn, a quiet but cozy spot and took a table that was near to the roaring fire. Cassus ordered their drinks from a busty serving girl who, he would swear, was giving him a flirtatious eye before meeting Nia with two pints in hand.

"So what do you make of this Dedra then? We don't hear much of Valentian affairs where I've been recently?"

 

[Britwitch]

"Oh, you Valentian types. Trying to corrupt a poor lad from the hills with your drinking and general mischief. I was warned about this...But in the spirit of comradeship, I suppose I will subvert my usual manner and let you buy me a pint."
Nia laughed and rolled her eyes ever so slightly. The slightly ruddy complexion of his cheeks belied the truth that he was no stranger to a pint of ale.
They walked and talked, sharing tales of their experiences prior to answering the call to the quest.

The Inn was modest but more than comfortable, a quiet hum of discussion filling the slightly smoky air. In one corner a group of old men were deep in a discussion about something that seemed of vital importance given their serious expressions. In another, two burly men were engaged in a game of cards. Nia sighed slightly, sinking into a comfortable chair beside the fire, it felt familiar. It felt like her home.

"So what do you make of this Dedra then? We don't hear much of Valentian affairs where I've been recently?" Cassus' question drew her attention away from her daydreams of home as he sat with her. Nia raised her tankard towards him in a modest toast before sipping at the slightly bitter contents.
"To be honest, I couldn't say...I've heard of him...there are few in the south who have not heard of him. They speak of him as if it was he himself who sacked the walled city at Astria..." She frowned slightly, taking another mouthful of ale.

"I think I shall have to wait until I've spent time with him before I can truly say what I think of him..." She replied after a moment or two's thought. "If the Queen has chosen him for the Quest then she must see something within him that she feels we need...aside from his knowledge of course..." Nia let her eyes drift across the room before she focused them on Cassus.
"And what of the rest of our fellow travellers...? What do think of her majesty's selection...?" She asked mischievously.

 

[DJ_Wordplay]

"I think I shall have to wait until I've spent time with him before I can truly say what I think of him..." She replied after a moment or two's thought. "If the Queen has chosen him for the Quest then she must see something within him that she feels we need...aside from his knowledge of course..." Nia let her eyes drift across the room before she focused them on Cassus.
"And what of the rest of our fellow travellers...? What do think of her majesty's selection...?" She asked mischievously.

Cassus had been distracted by the flirtatious eyes of the barmaid. He'd heard what Nia said but he still had to turn his head when she'd finished asking the question.

"Well, they seem alright. Tough to really say as I still don't have the slightest clue where we'll be goin' or what we'll be doin'. It seems like most of us can handle a blade or a bow, which should be alright if we come up against any bad business."

"Not a lot of scholars or magic though, which seems to be a little disappointing." Cassus furrowed his brow. True, he didn't understand much of magic or scholarly pursuits but if they face some sort of danger that didn't involve hitting something then they might be facing more than they could handle. Cassus again caught the eye of the barmaid.

"And I'm very relieved to see that I'm, by far, the best looking lad on the entire voyage. Should any secrets need to be seduced out of fair maidens in far away castles, I think it's a task best suited to me." Cassus said.

"What do you know about these crystals, anyway? Any idea where we'll have to go, what we'll have to do?"

 

[poohlive]

By the time Dedra stepped into the bar he already felt tired. His joints ached and the bones within his flesh groaned with every step. He felt chilled clean through, despite the warmth of his cloak.

He asked for a bottle of wine. An entire bottle, and a glass that he could have. A couple of coins rattled down to the counter as he sat next to the fire. He leaned back against the wooden bench, sitting alone.

His large pupils caught the fires hungry flames, dripping as if from oiled pools of darkness. He seemed to stare at the fire as if it were important, something might happen at any moment and looking at this fire was somehow helpful.

He only paused once, when he felt eyes on him. He turned, seeing several of his adventurers. He almost smiled, nodded, emptied his glass and then poured himself another.