Chapter 2: Discovery

[SeverineHalo]

Severine smiled to himself, seeing that the elves were being friendly, and the four of them was having a good time. its been awhile since Severine has felt this good.

"So," said Severine to the two elves. "What brought u two around Sharadon forest?"

"Once again, the lone soldier walks off into the sunset..." -Anonymous

[Eryk Aisean]

Eryk jolted upright.  His eyes flashed around him, his hand automatically straying towards the nearby scabbard containing one of his shortswords.  He felt sweat trickle down his forehead and a strange buzzing was in his ears.  His ears were burning, his face flushed.

Not again...

He lay back down, allowing his still blind eyes to adjust to the darkness that enveloped him.  Nothing had changed.  He was still in the alley that he had been in the night before.  His two swords were next to him, within easy reach, and he felt his daggers safely in their places at various points on his body.  His bow and quiver were leaning up against the crumbling brick wall on his left, his extra pack on his right.

There was a soft whinny.  Willy looked up at his friend and rider with deep, soft eyes and snorted.  The beautiful horse pawed at the ground nervously and tossed its head.

Eryk stood up slowly and walked over to his horse.  He put a hand affectionately on Willy's muzzle, rubbing it as he had done so many times before.  Willy gave a slight push and Eryk nodded.  He slung his back over the horse and strapped on the two ornate scabbards that held his prized heirlooms and weapons.  He shouldered his bow, pausing only to scan the ground around him, making sure everything was in order.  It was, so he climbed atop his mount.

Before Eryk could spur his horse forward, Willy set of at a slow pace, his head bobbing slightly.  The pair strode out of the narrow alley that had been their home for the past few days and onto the main street.

Quickly, Eryk glanced around, making sure there were no guards.  Twice since he had been in this town he had been warned of the curfew, but he had shrugged it off as only one so young can.  There were no other bodies, so Eryk pushed Willy's flanks with soft leather boots.  The horse and its luggage sprang forward, bursting into a gallop as he rounded a corner.

The windows of the Sheren Inn glowed with life and light, and Eryk felt a sudden pang of hunger.

Perhaps I should stop...

Judging by the moon, it was close to midnight.  He slowed Willy as they neared the Inn, Eryk's keen eyes scoping out the area.  With a swift and smooth move, he dismounted and led Willy to the stables.

As he brushed his companion down, he hummed softly.  The song was not one he had ever heard, but rather a random composition of notes and rhythms that Eryk spouted randomly.  He chuckled as he left Willy, patting the horse once more before he entered the tavern.

Immediatly, the sound of quiet talking and the clinking of glasses filled his ears.  The smell of alcohol and foot assaulted his nostrils as he strode through the tables.  He looked around him.  Most of the patrons were soldiers or guards of the city.  Not unusual.  One table was different.  Two humans, a male and female were seated with two elves, once again of different genders.

Interesting...

Being in such close proximity with other people made Eryk grin widely, and he blushed slightly as he did so.  Making his way to an unnocupied table, he sat down, pulling out a small money bag and withdrawing coins from it.  He put them on the table, idly spinning one as he waited for service.  Soon, a waitress came to his table.

"Can I help you sir?"

"Actually yes," he said pleasantly.  "I'd like a drink and a room for the night, if it's not too much trouble."

He picked up the coins and handed them to the outstretched palm of the woman.

"Not at all sir," she replied, counting the coins with a practiced eye.

As he waited for her return, Eryk's eyes rested upon the strange group sitting at the next table over.  He didn't mean to stare, and when he realized he was doing so, he quickly averted his eyes.

The waitress returned with a small bronze key and a glass of yellowish liquid.

"Thank you."

She nodded and left, leaving Eryk to his drink.

Mind, heart and body cannot be conquered.

[Elraralia Horfiwiel]

"Wait a moment.." Elraralia said to the waiter, as she opened up the purse on her belt, and digging up the last of her few coins, put them on the table, and motioning to Phiona said

"I'll have whatever it is that she's having, it looks delicious..." and with a nod the waitress hurried off to wherever it was she was going.  Taking a look around, she noticed that most of the people in the bar looked to be gaurds of the place, non of them civilians.  

"I guess they were serious when they said that there was a curfew...odd to have one for the whole town..." she said turning back to Phiona  "This whole town seems a bit odd"

Taking another look around, she spotted a man in one of the far corners of the bar, who didn't seem to be from around here, as he wasn't in a guards uniform.

"What brought me here?  Wanderings, it was where I was at the time, if that makes any sense" she answered to Severine, realizing that it probably didn't make much sense, but she was too tired and hungry to care.  

Just then she began to feel the hairs on the backl of her neck prickle,and turning around, she saw the man in the back of the tavern hasitly look away.

"That man wouldn't be a friend of yours...would he?" she asked the other three.

[Ripp Dide]

Ripp shrugged, "Oh, I was actually in search of Crestus.  He had asked me to help guard the caravan.  We've know each other for awhile first met him back when I was still a sea captainn.  Apparently he had been expecting a good deal of trouble which proved right."

"That man wouldn't be a friend of yours...would he?"

The elf looked quickly back to see the man to which Elra was pointing.  Shaking his head Ripp replied, "Nope, can't say I know the lad."

"I am prepared to meet my maker, but, is my maker prepared to meet me?"

[Penrith the Crazed]

A couple of the guards turned towards him, and gave him a puzzled look, which he couldn't see, becuase of the helmets.
"What are you talking about?" One of them asked.
"I, well, I ummm...heard a noise..." Penrith said, getting concerned. He'd surely be killed if they found him out.
"A noise? What kind of noise? you know what, you sound different..." The guard said, in a questioning tone. Penrith was getting very nervous, he voice was starting to quiver, and he was doing his best to cover it up.
"A suspicious one." He gulped silently. "Like a slight scream... Just let me go check it out." The guard seemed suspicious of Penrith, but decided to let him in.

The gates slowly open with a few slight creaks.
"Thank you," Penrith said, nodding to the man. He walked inside and the gates closed after him.
"Now to find a place to change out of these clothes..." Penrith thought to himself. As he was walking around the town, he saw a few people walk into a tavern, and decided he could go there. He noticed nobody was around, so he quickly took off the guards clothes right in the street, and put them off to the side, near a house. He quickly ran to the tavern and stepped in.

When he was in, he noticed it was mostly guards, with a few people that weren't guards sitting at a table.
"Uh, oh..." He thought to himself, as he walked to a nearby table and sat down. "Not good, not good at all..."

[Tema el Corrido]

The young elf walked down the dark and dusty road.  Chewing thoughtfully on a piece of sweet fruit.  “You shouldn't have taken the shortcut.” A small voice uttered.  She chewed a bit more before swallowing.  “We still got to place we can, just took a bit longer.” And she resumed eating her apple.  “Sure, in the middle of the night.” The brownie said indignantly.

By the time she reached the gate she had eaten her fruit gone.  Maybe she could get some in the inn.  By the looks of it she almost thought they were guarding a fortress.  ”Halt who goes there?” A strong gruff voice rang out.  The torches shined off the guard’s armor in the most eerie way.  “Excuse me, but could I enter for the night.” She asked politely.  “No.” A flat sound was all the guard grunted back. “Why not?” She inquired.  “Curfew.” He was not in any way wanting to talk to the elf.
“What for?” She asked again.  “None your business.” He said harshly.  Tema thought he was very mean. “You big bully, would you really turn me out at night?” She retorted.  The guard looked at he a bit shocked, when you recovered he looked about.  “All right I’ll let you get to the inn, but make it quick.”  He said as he opened the gate.  “Thank you very much!” And she gave a small bow.  He only grunted in return, as he just wanted her to leave.

She ran quickly through the streets.  How odd that they were all empty.  Not even the small pests stirred this night.  The village was so small, yet even small towns had night noises.  Then the noise of people talking filled her ears.  This had to be the inn.  

She slipped in quietly, and made her way to the bar.  There was a group of people there; they seemed so out of place among the guards that filled the rest of the building.

“Excuse me, could you perhaps get me some fruit or dried meat?” She said as she pulled out a few silver coins.   The bar keep took the coins without a word except “aye.”  She sat down, but couldn’t help listening o the other conversations...

Your suppose to be dead!
Im not?
Life is an Adventure!

[SeverineHalo]

Severine took a sip of the juice that he was drinking, and looked over at a weird looking elf girl who was wearing bright colors. He has seen elves coming in and out of Uderza, but he has never seen someone of the nature of the girl he was looking at.

Interesting, thought Severine, and took another sip feeling amused.

"Once again, the lone soldier walks off into the sunset..." -Anonymous

[Phiona Whitefire]

Phiona glanced over her shoulder at the man, then looked back at Elraralia and shrugged.  She turned back to her drink and took a healthy swig of ale.

"Fear not that thy life shall come to an end, but rather fear that it shall never have a beginning."    -John Henry Cardinal Newman (1801 - 1890)

[Tierria Selig]

"Tierria, looks like it's your home. I'll see you later."

"Severine...thanks for walking me home. It was really kind of you..."

"Heh...Tierria, I walk you home nearly every night. What's so special about now?"

"Ah...it's nothing. Just happy that you're keeping me safe that's all..."

"Are you sure 'Ria? You've been acting a little odd lately. You know you can tell me anything..."

I know Sevy...I know...it's just that this is one of those things I must go over with myself before telling anyone..."

"Okay. Well, when you're ready...I'll be there..."

Really?"

"Of course. I'll always be there for you...no matter what the odds are...that's what friends do for one another right?"

"Yes...friends...friends who love and care for each other..."

"Exactly. I'll always care for you Tierria..."

"Yes...care for me...thank you Severine..."

Tierria awakened, still holding on to the Sword of Halo. She wasn't asleep for a long time, but all this thinking of her and Severine was causing her to dream about the past. If only things between them was different. Goingover to the window, Tierria stared at the moon, which hid itself behind the clouds. Only a part of it could be seen.

I wish I could be the moon at times...only showing myself when mostb are alseep...hiding myself behind the clouds...

Tierria sighed to herself, and spotted a soldier walking by himself in the streets. He was walking a bit odd...as if he didn't want to be noticed...

"How odd..."

"How do you heal a man's heart when you always end up wounding it?"

[Eryk Aisean]

Eryk blushed as the occupants of the table he had been watching looked at him in turn.  Slowly pushing the wood chair from under the table with a noise that was half squeak, half grind, he stood up slowly and made his way to his earlier point of interest.

"Er...well...I'm really sorry if it seemed like I was staring...or anything.  I was...um...intrigued.  I've never seen a party quite like this one."  He stumbled over his words, his embarrasment clear.  He fidgeted, his hands tracing the intricate runes and designs on the hilt of the swords at his waist.  "My name is Eryk Aisean."

Mind, heart and body cannot be conquered.

[SeverineHalo]

Severine stared at the man before him, who looked pretty umcomfortable in the situation he was in.

"Severine Halo." Severine had put out a hand. "You can come and join us if you like."

"Once again, the lone soldier walks off into the sunset..." -Anonymous

[Eryk Aisean]

Visibly relieved, Eryk extended his hand.  He looked over the other man.  A warrior.  Or traveler.  His eyes gave him away.  Eryk had always been a good judge when it came to character.

"Thank you," he said somewhat breathlessly.  He pulled up a chair and sat on it, his hands idle.  His eyes looked over each of his newfound...friends, if you could call them that.  There were two elves.  One a female, with red hair that reminded Eryk of the sun.  The other was bluish in color, and easy to look upon.  The other human was female, and by the looks, she was a fighter or soldier as well.  She also looked somewhat uncomfortable in her sorroundings, as her eyes occasionally darted around the room.

For some reason, he felt comfortable with them now that the ice had been broken, or at least cracked.  Unnatural for him.  Eryk almost never settled down so quickly.  Perhaps there was a future in these 4...

Mind, heart and body cannot be conquered.

[Penrith the Crazed]

Penrith tried to keep descreet, sitting alone at the table. He descided not to pull his hood up, as it might appear his hiding something and draw undue attention his way. He just casually glanced around the bar, and he waved off a waitress that came near. He was interested in why there were so many guards here, and so few non-guards, such as himself.

He watched the group that sat not to far from him, as it kept growing. People just kept going over there and striking up conversations. Penrith thought about it for awhile, but realized he too was staring, as the man that had just joined them apparently had been doing. He looked away from the group, and suddenly a thought hit him.

"Safety in numbers..." He thought to himself, mouthing the words and smiling. "I don't mind elves..." He thought of a way to approach, he didn't want to be too suspicious, or sound too needy for company.

[SeverineHalo]

After giving a quick glance at the man wearing a hood who was staring at their group, Severine turned back to Eryk. He certainly didn't seem like a mercenary who would be here, compared to the others of course.

"So Eryk," started Severine. "Are you working as a mercenary here against the bandits?"

"Once again, the lone soldier walks off into the sunset..." -Anonymous

[Phiona Whitefire]

As Severine started a conversation with the young man who'd joined them, Phiona stared down into her half-empty mug.  

Bandits.  At the mention of the word, a thought that had been niggling at the back of her mind all day finally thrust itself forward and she could no longer ignore it- the bandits were unorganized and did not fight like trained men- much like most bandits- but she'd never seen a band of thieves stand ground and fight unto the last man like that.  It was extemely odd.  It didn't occur to her earlier, but why would those men die trying to steal weapons?  Money?  Phiona did not think so.  So why die over... unless... they were trying to keep someone else from getting the weapons?!  

She looked up suddenly, the motion catching Severine's eye.  Glancing quickly around the room to make sure no village guard was near, she leaned in toward the center of the table and asked in a hushed voice, "Voltaire's cargo... was Sheren the destination, or is it all going to Klinsor?"  She looked around the table and everyone before continuing,  "I assumed this was just a resting point, but what if its all unloaded here?"

She tried not to appear agitated, though her finger tapped the table lightly, unconsciously, as she waited Severine's opinion...

"Fear not that thy life shall come to an end, but rather fear that it shall never have a beginning."    -John Henry Cardinal Newman (1801 - 1890)

Edited by: Phiona Whitefire at: 9/4/03 1:16

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