The shadows of night slowly withdrew from the small traveler’s town as morning dawned and the sun rose. The sunlight crept shyly through the cracks of their windows and across the finished wood of the Crusader’s Lodge. The Inn was already awake. Stable boys moved about, tending to the horses, the Inn Keeper checked his charges, the kitchen boys fetched water for their clients breakfasts and coal for the morning’s fire. It was morning in Helis and the quiet sounds of morning chores being done greeted the Crusader’s guests as they awoke.
One shadowy figure appeared at the front entrance of the Lodge’s large wooden doors. The bloody light of the sunrise highlighted the contours of his handsomely pale face. He spared not moment of worry for the rising sun. Unlike weaker creatures of the night, it’s rays held no fear in him. Pushing open the doors, he entered the tavern.
The figure was immediately accosted by the Inn Keeper, who barred his passage with his bulk.
Sivart being the warrior he was, was up at the crack of dawn. Fixing his bedroll into his pack, and his armor to his body, he watched Eloren in her sleep,
How beautiful she is, I wish that I could find out what her secret is...
Eloren's soft breathing was interrupted by a whispered sigh as she drifted out of her slumber. She froze suddenly, and, as if aware of Sivart's attention, opened one eye and allowed a smile to creep accross her features. Sitting up slowly, she yawned and stretched, her movements almost catlike. "Good morning, Swordsman. I trust you slept well?" She swung her legs over the side of the bed and began to run her fingers through her long black hair in attempt to tame her tresses.
"I did, for as well as a warrior can anyway," Sivart said. "So where do we go from here?"
Eloren shrugged and stiffled another yawn before rising to her feet and pulling on her boots. "The Druid said Lathiron. So west, I assume." She answered as she pushed her weapons from under the bed with the toe of one of her boots.
Orielle had slept terribly, hardly getting any rest throughout the night. She finally fell into a deep slumber right before dawn, and therefore slept late. She remained asleep while others woke, replacing the sleep she had missed during the night.
Lerectius' greying head peeked into Orrielle's room and a frown crossed his face. Walking forward tentitively, he placed a hand on her shoulder, meaning to wake her.
Orrielle stirred slightly, feeling the touch, but she wanted to sleep. She kept her eyes closed and tried to sleep again, ignoring the druid.
"
Calya.." The Druid whispered. An odd warmth spread through Orrielle. For a moment, it was almost uncomfortable, but then it brought calm and rest. It revived her and it gave of her the feeling of awareness that accompanied awakening. She would no longer need for sleep.
Orrielle blinked, and smiled. "Thank you, sir. When are we leaving?"
Lerectius gave Orrielle a large, kindly smile. It made him look slightly off balance, but happily so. "As soon as we can drag the others out of bed and find those annoying vampires." He turned away, starting to exit her room, and waves his staff around as he ranted on about how they were so annoying and probably off seducing some stable boy then having him for breakfast and falling asleep.
Orrielle smiled. "I believe the swordsman and his companion are awake. The vampires should be done feeding; they did that during the night. We have only to find them."
Turning back to her, her lifted both of his grey eyebrows. "You believe, hm?" He appeared thoughtful. "We'll have to watch out for that one." He said to his staff as he again began to walk down the hall. Stopping, he banged on Sivart and Eloren's door with the butt of his staff. "GOOD MORNING."
"I was following Nathaniel's presence throughout the night. I know he was feeding. As for the other one, I believe he was smart enough to obey Nathanil. Yes, I trust them," Orrielle replied.
The Druid's eyebrows rose even higher on his wrinkled forehead, if such was possible. He stopped banging on their door and turned back to Orrielle. "You can do that, little miss?" He was referring to both following Nathaniel's presence and trusting vampires. He was growing fond of this elf.
"To an extent," Orrielle responded. "The vampire has great strenght. Greater than my own- but not by much."
Wiggling his eyebrows, as if he found grave amusment in all of this, Lerectius nodded. "I'm sure he does. He has great arrogance too. Bet he couldn't see something honest if it was inches from his nose. And you, little lady," He looked over at her, "shouldn't underestimate your own powers. His is deception. What is yours?" he didn't really expect her to answer that question.
"Me? I fight against deception. I search for truth in people, and in some cases use it against them- if they are an enemy." Orrielle knew he didn't expect her to answer the question. She felt like surprising him.
Lerectius' golden eyes danced with something that approached pride. "Truth. Honesty. Both good things to fight for, but a hard power to wield." He patted her shoulder with his aging, yet strong, hand. The folds of his ivory cloak fell as he moved, obscuring his body shape.
Orrielle inclined her head. "Tis true. I have practiced long and hard, and still am. My goal is to master the art. I am sufficient, although not perfect."
"Bah," Lerectius exclaimed, throwing up his hand in a floury gesture. "Masters and Mistresses are simply those who pretend to know what they are doing." He nodded as he if he made perfect sense. "Magic is an art, and art is an illusion, my dear." He grew still and his kindly smile returned. "Perfection is impossible."
Hearing the knocking Sivart started,"Yea, yea, we're up, we're up!" Sivart said said as he finished packing his things. "Traveling, I had better wear my leather armor," he said to himself as he started taking off his plate armor and putting it in his pack, sure to Eloren's suprise, he was sure that it fit easily into it with no apparant change to its shape or size.
Eloren watched Sivart curiously out of the corner of her eye as she reattached her armbraces with practiced dexterity. They were on in a few brief seconds, apparently much quicker to put on then to take off. Despite that the spikes on the arm armor were sharp, she didn't catch her fingers on any of them. Bending over, she lifted her weapons belt from the ground and secured it about her waist. Her hand rested on the hilt of her shortsword as she moved towards the door, glancing back at Sivart over her shoulder. "Ready?"
Orrielle laughed. "Yes, I suppose you're right. Although, I never said I
would perfect it. I just said that was my goal. I will try as hard as I can to succeed in the impossible."
"Yea, let's go," Sivart said as he finished putting his plate armor into his bag of holding, and shouldering it as he stood dressed in the leather armor he always wore under his plate. "Much better for travel," he said to himself.
Eloren glanced at his bag. "How do you fit all that armor in that bag?" She asked curiously as they walked together down the hall, towards the stairs and the tavern at their base.
"Wise girl!" Lerectius beamed as he descended the stairs with less than elven grace. Yet, despite his actions, there was something in his eyes that implied that he was more than he seemed.
Orrielle smiled, and gracefully followed him. "Not as wise as some," she responded.
Nathaniel, who had successfully evaded the Inn Keeper, watched the odd pair descend the stairs. His perfectly sculpted, yet pale, face was impassive, but the way that he held his body lent him an air of arrogant impatience. One hand rested casually against the wall, and the other was idly fingering a small ring that rested in his palm.
Orrielle smiled. "It appears we will not have to wait at all," she said. "Good morning, Nathaniel. I trust your night went well?"
Nathaniel returned Orrielle's smile with one of his own. It was but a quirk of his lips, that seemed slightly less pale than they had the night before. Or was that just a trick of the morning's light. "My night went wonderfully, my dear lady." he answered smoothly, not moving from where he stood.
"It was a little trinket I picked up on my last tame...uh adventure. A bag of holding comes in handy when you want two kinds of armor." Sivart said to Eloren with a smile. "How are we going to travel with vamps if they burn in the sun, anyway?" he asked pictureing himself carrying a coffin across the land.
Eloren' s brow furrowed delicately and she glanced over at Sivart. Her eyes were highlitghted by the bloody light of the newly risen sun as it shone through the windows to their left. "Your last .. taming?" She asked, quickly looking away from him and stepping down the stairs, deliberately missing the last four steps and landing lightly at the base. Lifting her face and pushing her ebony tresses out of her eyes, she quickly took acount of everyone in the room. De'Marko was the only one who was not present.
"Lady Eloren, you are awake!" cried Orrielle. "And Sivart the Swordsman as well. Soon, then, we shall set off. I believe we now only need to wait for Van De'Marko."
Eloren straightened and nonchalantly dropped her cloak on the nearest bar stool. "After Lerectius made his rounds?" she grinned, "No shit." Settling herself on the stool, she spun around to face them. "Good morning, Lerectius, Orrielle," she inclined her head with respect that she did not feel, "Nathaniel." She added, noticing the unmoving figure in the shadows. Her attention went immediately to the ring in his hands and her smile disappeared.
Nathaniel’s only response to Eloren’s greeting was the brief, intense attention of his gaze as it flickered over her. It was enough to make anyone feel judged, or useless like cattle or pawns. "What I would like to know," his cultured voice cut through the silence like a knife, "is how Lady Orrielle knows De’Marko’s given name." He pushed himself away from the wall and took two steps closer to the group that had gathered at the base of the staircase, his unique grace accentuated by the morning light that he stepped into. The raw sunlight did not faze him. "More mind games?" his cool voice carried to them.
Orrielle blushed. "I... overheard him," she said. She looked with interest at him, standing in the sunlight. Most vampires couldn't stand the sun.
Nathaniel's features did not differ in the slightest, yet it was acutely clear that he was cynically skeptical and mildly amused by her excuse. "I am sure." He commented, unconvinced.
Orrielle inclined her head, acknowledging his skepticism. "Tis true," she said. "I overheard him." She din't add that it was not aloud that she had heard him, but when he was speaking to another, as she had searched his mind.
Lerectius joined Eloren at the bar and ordered some bread, being accosted by a new, younger and rather clueless looking barmaid. "Breakfast anyone?!?!" He interrupted, leaning his staff upright against the bar, he abandonned it to his bread which he ate without the offered butter or jam.
Sivart mentally kicked himself for letting his true identy slip, and to the one he was suposed to try keeping it from. He knew what he had to do, he had to tell her the truth. "I will explain later on the road," Sivart said to Eloren as he took a seat next to her taking his loaf of bread and nibbling it.
De'Marko finally made his way down stairs to meet the others that awaited his arival. "Morning all. Sorry for my late arival. If I dont get enough sleep. Im a real basterd to be around." He gave a slight grin ajusting his cloak, And looking out side seeing the sun shine down pretty bright. "So how are we vampires makeing the travel threw the day."
Eloren glared defiantly at Nathaniel, lifting her chin slightly. Some of that purturbed resentment lingered in her eyes as she turned her crimson gaze on De'Marko. "Well, How'd you get here?" She answered his question with a question of her own. "That'd be a place to start. You can't stand sunlight at all?" Reaching down to grab her cloak, Eloren added, "Oh, and good morning De'Marko."
"I have heard of some Vamps being able to withstand the sun, but they must be very scary in their power." Sivart said as he took a swig of his water. "So I assume that we have some very scary Vamps in our party."
Orrielle looked bemusedly at De'Marko. "Scary indeed," she said softly.
Nathaniel looked disgusted at Sivart's terminology. "Maybe you'll remember just how scary next time you decide to call us us
vamps" he spat out the word, his voice cold. "Most of my kindred can survive the sunlight. Only the weakest can't. And you claimed to know us?" he sneered. "
Human".
"Okay, I have
seen Vampires in sunlight first hand. And you may wish to hold your toung before you judge me, Nathaniel." Sivart said sending him a flash of a red dragon from his memory banks, assuming he would catch it like a ball.
Orrielle looked from man to vampire. "Arguing will get us no where," she said sharply. "If we are to be allies, we might as well try to get along."
Nathaniel caught the mental image that Sivart had thrown at him. It caused his demure to lighten fractionaly, the storm that had been brewing in his near black eyes receding only to be replaced by a more thoughtful (and equaly dangerous) smile. How the human had earned that trait, he did not know, but he would find out. And so would Eloren. "The elf is right." He said, his words almost seeming agreeable. He tossed the ring onto the bar next to Eloren's hand, then turned his back on them and moved to exit the bar.
"I suppose this means we are to be leaving," Orrielle stated. She began to follow the vampire.
Lerectius swung his staff in a graceful arch, placing it in Orrielle's path. "Not if you haven't eaten, little miss." He informed her chidingly. He lifted his aged body heavily off the chair and extended a peice of the bread and a chunk of cheese to the elf. "You Children aren't going
anywhere without me." He reminded her, incase she turned down his offer of food.
Nathaniel's figure eclipsed the light shinning through the doorway as he exited. An unusual amount of light was lacking from that room for that short moment of darkness, taking all warmth with it and breathing frigidly onto the back of their necks. Then he dissapeared through the door.
Eloren's eye followed the ring as it landed by her hand, pulling away from the inanimate object as if it would burn her.
Orrielle frowned. "Children. did you say? I do hope I am mature enough to be considered more than a child. I am older than you might think." Then she smiled. "But yes, breakfast would be nice. What's on the menu?"
"As am I, darling elf." Lerectius answered, seeing her frown. He laid a hand on her shoulder and guided over a table, a bit away from Eloren. "In my eyes, you are all Children of the Elements. As was I, once." He smiled, "It is a Druid thing." he added before handing her his staff and calling the young and confused waitress over to them.
"This beautiful young lady would like to know what's on the menu." Lerectius informed the new barmaid, then craned his neck and whispered conspirational
y into her ear. "Or not so young, but let this old man have his delusions." He winked.
Eloren looked around herself, her gaze focusing on Nathaniel’s turned back. Snatching the ring, she tucked it safely away in a secret compartment of her wide leather belt. She pursed her full lips, the gesture drawing attention to the curve of her fine cheekbones and jaw line. Because she had no wish to stay here any longer, she rose to her feet, leaving the remnants of her half eaten breakfast on the bar. Plucking her cloak from the ground, she donned it and walked quickly after Nathaniel.
Just before her slender frame passed through the doorway, Eloren turned back and called to Sivart. "Coming, Swordsman?" She sent him a smile. Despite her bitter frustration with Nathaniel, she found herself growing fond of the Swordsman. She knew that he was hiding something, just as he knew that she too was hiding something.
Seeing his charge get up, Sivart followed suit. Except he stashed his leftover bread in his pack. He had been left hungry too many times to let food slip away. As he exited the inn, Sivart set the morning sun wash over his body, Ahhh, the beggining of a new adventure, I love it
Orrielle smiled at the druid's antics. "Seeing as half of our party has left, we should eat quickly, so we can catch up again." She sat gracefully at the bar, readjusting her dress.
Lerectius nodded enthusiasticaly and ordered some bread and fruit for the elven maiden. "Methinks you are right, mi'lady. We should be going before the Sun rises to high in the sky." He sat down on the bar stool next to her and tapped his foot to his own personal, eratic rythm as he waited for the seemingly clueless barmaid to return with Orrielle's breakfast.
When Eloren had exited the Lodge, she squinted into the glare of the morning sunlight and quickly located Nathaniel. Setting her jaw, she followed him. Her smooth footsteps brought her up behind him quickly, and she extended a hand, meaning to catch him by the shoulder and turn him to face her.
Nathaniel had heard Eloren's breathing, though he had not heard her footsteps, before she was even within five paces of him. Before she could settle her grasp on his shoulder, he had caught her wrist in the firm grip of his pale hand and pulled her around so she stood before him. It twisted her arm painfully. "Can I help you?" He asked pleasantly.
Eloren winced at the pain, but twisted her wrist free from his hold on her. The spikes on her black iron armbraces tore at the bare skin of his fingers and drew forth warm red blood. The black haired woman stepped back a pace and lowered her arms to her sides, not wishing to further provoke him. "Why did you give it back?" She demanded.
Sivart seeing his charge's face wince, made him instantly alert. He began to walk at Nathaniel, ready to take his head off with one swipe of his sword...but he heard her question and decided to let things play out while he could keep an eye on the vampire, and his charge, hands ready to tear him limb from limb. ally or not.
Orrielle followed them outside, and saw Sivart prepare to attack. "Sivart," she said, coming up behind him. "You do not trust him." It was a statement, not a question. "Do not worry; he will not hurt your charge."
"Sorry, old reflexes. When you have been in situations like I have, you tend to be jumpy," Sivart said taking his hand off of his sword. He could never fully trust a Vampire again after what happened in his past.
Nathaniel didn't even flinch when she drew blood. He knew that the wound would heal quickly, and he had both recieved and inflicted more damage in the past. He made her no answer but to smile indifferently.
Eloren's lips reflected his smile, her own eyes veiled with equal indifference. She placed a hand on his shoulder and stepped in closer to him. "Why did you give it back, Nathaniel?" She repeated, forcing her voice to remain even. Her confusion angered her.
The smile on Nathaniel's lips widened only fractionaly as she drew nearer to him. He could hear her heartbeat, he could smell it, sense it, feel it and see it in the rise and fall of her breast and on the creamy skin of her neck. He bowed his head and whispered softly into her ear, knowing that she would realize keenly exactly how much danger she was in, "Watch yourself, Eloren."
Eloren's breath caught in her throat. Cold fear shot through her and warning shivers danced on her skin when she felt his breath on her neck. She had walked into the arms of a Vampire. How much more stupid could she have been? She braced her other arm on his shoulder and shoved him away from herself. She opened her mouth to speak, but quickly closed it and gritted her teeth. He still had not answered her.
Nathaniel moved with her push, his hand snaking out to grab hold of her upper arm. Instead of stumbling back into the wall like she had intended, he pulled her with him and pinned her easily against the hard wood with only one arm. The other arm was free and he touched her face. His bloodied fingertips left a smooth trail of blood down her cheek and onto her lips. "Taste it," He said, his voice low, "the blood that you drew." When she began to tremble, he pulled his hand away and pushed her aside, releasing her. "If you did not have it," he finaly answered her, "What would the hunt be?"
Seeing what Nathaniel had done to Eloren, Sivart had to act. Walking up behind him, he grabbed Nathaniel's shoulder. "I thought I warned you...," Sivart said as he grabbed him and spun him around. "YOU DON'T MESS WITH A DRAGON TAMER!!!" Sivart roared as he threw Nathaniel behind him and put Eloren behind her.
Orriele's blood ran cold, her hand flying to her sword hilt. How could she have ever trusted the vampire? Every ounce of the trust had flooded out of her the instant his mouth had come near Eloren's ear. She watched Sivart lunge, but stayed where she was, waiting for Nathaniel to make a move. The second he gave any signs of hurting swordsman or lady, she would attack, with more speed and ferocity than any of them could expect.
Nathaniel stumbled one step, then caught his balance and straightened. He brushed off his cloak casually and his lips quirked. "Calm yourself, Sivart," he said sharply, "I did not harm your charge." His black eyes focused on Orrielle over Sivart's shoulder and saw that her hand had gone to her weapon. "Do not draw, darling." he breathed.His voice was low but she heard it as if he had stood only inches from her, "Shed no more blood."
It took great strength of will for Eloren to keep her feet in her weakened condition. Damn you, Nathaniel, she cursed, bloodsucking bastard. She stood, albeit leaning against the wall, and smiled. She parted her pretty lips and drew her tongue slowly across her lips, doing as Nathaniel bid if only to spite him. The taste of blood did not unnerve her. Not nearly as much as the power of his body and mind when he had held her pinned to the wall. Her trembling ceased and her bloodred gaze came to rest on Sivart.
"Swordsman," she said breathlessly, stepping forward and rested a restraining hand on his shoulder. "Leave him be. I provoked him, and besides," she smirked, "the bastard's mine."
Orrielle walked over to Eloren, noticing her weakened state. She gently laid a hand on the woman's shoulder, using magic to heal her. She still didn't trust the vampire, but removed her hand from her blade.
Eloren felt the elven maid’s magic wash over her, sending pleasant shudders down her spine and offering her strength. "Thank you," she murmured, lifting her head and straightening her cloaked shoulders. She shrugged off the other woman’s hand, but smiled gratefully, "I’m fine."
Orrielle nodded to Eloren. "I believe, then, now that we are all in agreement together, we should begin our journey."
Just as he saw her hand stray from the hilt of her weapon, Nathaniel saw Orrielle’s distrust. He could feel it, sense it in the quickening of her heartbeat. He laughed softly, How little they know. The Vampire moved past the three companions and spoke, not glancing at them, "Eloren knows that she deserves her own death. I have simply drawn it out far longer than she would have liked. You could kill me," he smiled easily, somehow managing to be charming, "but you need me for the time being."
The Vampire reached the stable and entered, "Do you have horses?".
Orrielle nodded. "I have a mare."
"Are you hurt, Eloren?" Sivart asked as he quickly looked her over. "Well my secret is out, and I knew those were dragon scale bracers to begin with. Now what do you think of your hired hand?" He said spreading his arms for her to get a better look at him.
Lerectius marched out of the inn and let the door slam behind him. He had shoved the remnants of their breakfasts into a bag that he now carried slung over his shoulder. He had also bought them more food and water for the ride. The plains tended to get dry after midday. "Alrighty," he walked accross the lodge's yard to the stable doors. "You have a mare," he glanced at Orrielle, "You've got yerself a stallion," he poked Nathaniel in the shin with his staff, "what about you two??" He was talking to Eloren and Sivart.
Eloren shook her head slowly, a delicate frown spreading across her features. "I'm fine.." she repeated uncertainly. His words sent an innexplicable twinge through her and she forced her face to relax into emotionlessness. "Yes, they're dragon bracers... but I think no less of you." She smiled hesitantly and took his hand, leading him towards the stable and Lerectius. Something wasn't quite right, but she couldn't pinpoint it. Her back ached from something more than just being slammed against the hard wood wall.
Then she paused and arched an eyebrow. "Hired?" She asked him, keeping her voice lowered so that the others there might not overhear their conversation. "What sort of payment do you expect?"
"Actually, I have thrown that out. After meeting you, I could never accept any payment," Sivart said feeling himself turn red under his helm. Lerectius' question reached Sivart's ears, "No we do not have any rides, but im sure that I could buy one or two off some of the patrons."
Lerectius shook his head and bid them enter the stable with a sweep of his heavily robed arm. "There will be no need for that, my dear Swordsman," he informed them genialy, "I have extra mounts with me. To say the least; I was expecting company that haven't yet appeared. So until they do, the mounts are yours. And concidering we're leaving..." It appeared as if this thought had only just accured to him. "Oh well, their loss." He huffed a bit and walked in between the stalls, looking right and left to locate his mare and the two other horses he had brought along with him.
Orrielle quickly prepared her mount, and led it outside. She swiftly mounted, and waited for the rest of the strange group she had joined.
Lerectius found the two horses that he had been looking for and instructed the stable boy (who had been watching casually from the tack room door) to fetch them and prepare them for the long ride ahead. He then entered the farthest stall on the left and greeted the horse therein in hushed tones. His ancient hand stroked the horse’s neck fondly.
The stable boy appeared from the barn entrance followed by two horses. One was a black mare and the other was a dapple-gray gelding. He looked around cluelessly, then decided that the horses where probably for the dismounted couple. He lead the horses towards them then put the reins of the gray gelding into Sivart’s hands, then gave the black mare to Eloren. He looked as if he was about to say something, then decided against it and withdrew to the stable.
Sivart quickly alighted on his own horse. "Nathaniel, you ride infront of me." Sivart said darkly, "After what you pulled, you are on my list, and that list isnt very long for very long. If you catch my drift..."
Lerectius exited the stable, a large white stallion in tow. The creature was at least seventeen hands tall and wore no tack. It nickered and arched it’s neck proudly. Lerecitus chuckled and mounted swiftly and easily.
Orrielle's own mare shyed as it sensed the vampires. "Shh. It's okay," she whispered in her horse's ear, calming it with elven magic. It eyed Nathaniel warily, but stood still. She urged it forward a bit, pulling up alongside Sivart and Lerectius.
Nathaniel, who was in the stable, halted outside of his horse's stall. It was a powerful, dark bay mare. The horse was large, yet not clearly a draft animal. Her hooves were wreathed with beautiful black feathers and her well shapped face was decorated with a crips quite blaze. He petted the horse's black mane and opened the stall door, stepping in to quickly tend her before tacking up. He did not respect humans or their humanoid counterparts, but something about this mare always captured him.
He finished grooming her and tacked her up quickly, refusing the stableboy's offers to help him with a polite, yet cooly indifferent, smile. Nathaniel was the last to pass out of the arched entrance of the barn, though not the last to mount. He pulled himself into the saddle and gathered the black leather reins in his gloved hands. "Is that a threat I hear, Human?" He asked bemusedly, "I ride where I wish."
As the vampire left the shelter of the stable, Orrielle's mare shyed again. She had a harder time calming it this time, but finally the mare stood still. "Tis a beautiful mount you have," she said, indicating Nathaniel's mare.
"Thank you, mi'lady." Nathaniel leaned down to pat his mare's auburn neck. He didn't lend any attention to Orrielle's finicky mare. "Let's hope that we don't meet anything worse than me out there," He commented, his black eyes glinting, "or you might lose your mount. The elven bread horses are too jumpy for my taste." He smiled slowly, leaving his extended eyeteeth visible enough for Orrielle to catch his double meaning.
Orrielle smiled back. "Perhaps it is not such a bad thing. This mare can sense any danger far away. It could be an asset."
"I’m sure it can be," Nathaniel answered, "if you plan on running away." He neck reined his horse towards the old town road that lead away from the Crusader’s Lodge. "Where did De’Marko get to?" He asked patiently.
"I believe I can control my own mare," said Orrielle coldly. "My horse will warn us of danger. Then we will be able to prepare to defend ourselves. I don't know where he is," she added more softly.
"It looks as if we may have to defend ourselves sooner than we would like..."Sivart said to Eloren under his breath, noting how Orrielle's horse was acting.
Orrielle overheard Sivart's comment. "Do not worry, swordsman. The greatest danger at the moment is sitting on a horse in front of me," she said, indicating Nathaniel.
"That's what I meant," Sivart said to Orrielle almost chuckling to himself.
Eloren did laugh, the sound was light and almost musical, holding little of the bitterness that she probably felt. "You give him too much credit, Sivart, I don't think his ego needs any help." She too mounted the black mare that had been presented to her. They matched quite perfectly, although the mare had startlingly depthless, yet colourless eyes.
"Where is that blasted DeMarko," Sivart swore to himself as he reared his mount around to look for the missing party member.
Orrielle also laughed. "Do not worry, swordsman. I believe I can handle him. And I agree with Eloren. He needs no more reason to believe himself more powerful than he is."
She said this with a twinkle in her eye.
"He is no match for some of the things that I have faced in some of my adventures. Believe me, there are things scarrier than him out there." Sivart said to his companions.
De'Marko was hideing in the shadows following them closely. He watched making sure that when he emerged it was the right time. It seemed that they wanted to know where he was so he slowly emerged from the shadows greating the others. He licked his lips slightly as he opened his mouth to speak. "Evening I am sorry for my absance. Is there any thing I can do to perhaps help." He raised his brow. Awaiting them to answer as he rested his hand gently on the hilt of his katana. He was ontop of his horse standing there watching and awaiting an answer.
Aravis looked at De'Marko. "I believe we are ready to go, as soon as you are," she said.
De'Marko grined. "I am ready when ever you are."
Nathaniel smirked only slightly, and kneed his powerful bay mare around. She pawed impatiently, arching her well-muscled neck and nickering softly. Nathaniel followed the mare’s movements easily and was not surprised as De’Marko moved out of the shadows. "It is about time that you join us." He said, not impatiently. His face was again a handsome mask of indifference. Turning his head slightly, he glanced at Sivart out of the corner of his eye, considering him coolly. "I don’t doubt that Swordsman."
Eloren nodded her head in agreement, her blood red gaze resting briefly on De’Marko, but it quickly came to rest on Lerectius. "Shall we?" She asked, gathering her reins into her bare, pale hands, feeling the horse’s mouth on the receiving end of the bit. She played gently with the black mare’s mouth and the horse arched it’s neck and lowered it’s head into a partial frame. Eloren smiled.
Lerectius quickly dismounted, smiling apologeticaly, hid his staff in the stable then remounted and moved his horse onto the path, leading them west and towards Lathiron.
Orrielle nudged er own horse forward, following them silently.
De'Marko would follow slowly behind not saying much to the others. As he some what kept to him self just keeping his mind open for Nathaniel if he needed to keep in touch with him. He had his long black clock draped around him makeing sure the sun didnt touch his skin to much he was used to the sun to some exstent. Even though he was still a little sensitive to its touch. A some what curiouse grin was on his face as he traveled with the others awaiting to see where they where headed and what other travelers they would meet.
"I usually say, 'Ladies first,' but given the cercumstances, Nathaniel get in front of me." Sivart ordered, nearly yelling. "Eloren, please ride behind me." he said in the exact opposite tone.
"Seeing as we won't get anywhere otherwise," Nathaniel murmured with annoyance as he pushed his horse forward, trotting after Lerectius. The ground shuddered under the shire mare's heavy hooffalls.
Continue in: Desert Lands As soon as I post there. It may be a day or two because of some inconveniences. My apologies.
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Ymladris
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Eisyden, travelling
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