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Road smirked. Eaon's attitude was strangely enlightening. "I don't know where you're from, but magic is a very rare force in this country. Travelling mages have to be in and out within weeks or days, unless they're willing to pledge absolute devotion to his Majesty and the royal family. It makes the King all the more powerful."

Road paused, and reflected on his match with the Talon's Falcon. "To be honest, I never expected Karea to have any magical abilities, especially at that level. The Black Talon likely has more of her type. If Hawk already has a dozen or so elites under his command, then he's already a serious threat to the kingdom. Whatever he's planning to buy will secure his victory." The trickster sighed. "Magical assistance of this level...Never would have guessed it could slip by the border.

"Even if we did have magic, I doubt either of us can defeat the next soldier. Not in this condition." Road glanced at his left hand. Feeling was slowly returning. It was a shame he couldn't fiddle with his cards. "He has us beat this round. I can't stop him from collecting his payment. So, to prepare, I'm thinking of heading to the capital."

"This is a strange country indeed. Where I'm from it's odd for a town not to have a mage or two." Eaon paused to watch Mary finish bandaging his leg. "I will head to the capital as well. I want to be as far away from the Talon as possible untill I can figure out more about them."

"Oh man I'm starved!"

Mark checked his pocket and his body bent forward with a sigh. The life of a poor traveling doctor is indeed a harsh one. Standing up, Mark Crimson could easily have been 6"2'. His hair was short and spiked naturally. It was named (self proclaimed), "the hair that defies the laws of physics". It wielded a strong auburn color that matched with the blond and almost gold iris. His frame was solid and, for the areas that were revealed, his skin was smooth without scars or blemish. On his body he wore robe like clothing that possibly originated from some monk or priest costume. More accurately, the robe was worn over a tight black t-shirt and long white pants.

There were less people roaming the streets at this time as most of them were either at home eating with their family or out in restaurants. Mark's mouth watered but without money, he only had so many options to choose from.

"A job. I'll need a job."

Mark searched around. Turn left here. Walk a bit more. Turn right here. Walk a bit more. Then something caught his eyes. It was a pub. Surely pubs would have some information to benefit his situation. He stepped in and, to his surprise, people were scarce. There was only the manager and a girl, Melody, studying incantations to herself.

"And here I thought pubs were supposed to be filled with people talking about everything from the recent wars to rumors of the next door neighbor... A drink please. Whatever you can get me for this much money."

Mark sat down at the bar's counter. "This much money" was really not a lot. But to be able to sit in, he could talk to the pub and possibly the girl for some information. It was a gamble, a risk, a traveler’s instinct.

With a fustrated sigh, the girl lowered her head. Her hair was the color of ginger and thick such that it covered her embarrassed face. Seeing the damsel in distress, Marked smiled a gentle smile - different from his carefree attitude - before switching immediately back.

"You're right lady..."

His face twisted into one of peculiar curiosity as though waiting for her to finish the sentence by giving her name. Then, after a pause, he continued.

"Food would indeed do my body justice. What can you get me for these coins you just accepted?"

Mark waited once more for her answer before continuing.

"By the way m'lady, is there anything interesting that happened in town lately?"

Road looked up. “Really? Well, since we’re going on the same road, we might as well travel together,” he suggested, still thinking Eaon did not trust him. Perhaps he can truly befriend the bounty hunter, when some of their worries disappear for a moment. Road sincerely wished for an ally.

“Road, you can take your hand out now,” Mary said.

“Hm? Oh.” The trickster removed his hand from the water and shook it vigorously. He wiped it on his pants. “How much longer will Eaon take?”

“It shouldn’t be much longer. But, I should warn you, heading to the capital on that leg might prove difficult.”

“We could always borrow a horse from the stables.” Road glanced at his right arm. He didn’t need Mary to tell him he couldn’t move it for at least a handful of days. With any luck, the scythe gave normal wounds and not a horrendous curse. He couldn’t do without his main hand for too long.

“Well, I’ll just wait for Eaon to finish up,” Road said, and stepped outside of the healing house.

"Don't tell anybody I gave ya alla this, alright?"

Melody disappeared behind the doorway and soon returned with a bowl of good food. Mark's eyes transformed into great smile and held his palms together with his head slightly bowed as though to say "eternally grateful" without actually saying the words aloud. Even if he was not to tell anyone, the least he could do was to say thanks. Food that fills the stomach good food indeed.

*note: not picky with food

"Nothing too interesting - none that I know of,"

She leaned her figure forward on the counter while resting her chin casually on the hand of her right arm. With every few bites, Mark's golden eyes shuffled focus between his food and her forest colored eyes as though he might look deep inside. But before that would happen, he would switch back to his food, nourishing his famished stomach.

"Though I do wonder what has become of that Road character,"
"Road? An acquaintance of yours?"

"What's your name?"

After dispelling the previous topic, Melody leaned her form slightly forward pressing on the counter. She breeched their distance and with her gaze charmed for the truth. Her voice was the accomplice as it sounded ever so soft. Mark's eyes widened slightly at the unexpected guesture. His face turned pink and his eyes averted from hers and onto one of the decorations on the wall.

"Oh, that's right... I haven't introduced myself yet have I?"

His eyes peeked to see her staring face and that expression of inspection until his eyes finally met hers directly. He released a quick smile before flustering and averting her direct gaze once more.

"Mark Crimson, a traveling physician. I originally came here hoping to gather some information of potential jobs but... I guess I came in at the wrong time..."

Realizing his mistake Mark immediately tried to correct it.

"I didn't mean... I meant...eh... I meant..."

His face flustered as he became loss for speech. With good imagination and a sense for cartoon humor one might even see his face so red that it released steam above his head.

Eaon thanked the healer, as she finished his leg. He stood up, testing the strength of his leg, and found that Mary had done a good job. It was still sore, and painful to walk on, but she did a good enough job so that he wouldn't collapse on it.

Eaon stepped outside of the building to find, Road waiting for him. "I suggest we leave as soon as possible if we are to head to the capital." Eaon said to him, "I need to head back to my camp first, and then shall we meet at the tavern after both of us are prepared?"

"No worries, dahlin. But for now, I do have some chores to go about."

His eyes relaxed those his cheeks remained slightly rosey. His lips bent into a crescent smile and he watched her pick up the dishes. The pub remained empty save for the one customer that was himself. The tables were clean and the walls were decorated but her words were true. He won't be finding jobs or news of jobs here; not at this time of the day at least.

"Town hall? Alright, I shall head over then. Thanks for everything."

Mark was just about to leave when suddenly he paused, hesitated.

"Might I ask one more thing? Can you give me the directions to the town hall?"

Road nodded. "Are...you sure you don't want to get the horse first? Ah, well, suit yourself, I guess. Yeah, the tavern sounds good." The performer had intended to go to the inn anyway, if for no reason than to say his farewells to Melody. Still, with Jang having left him so abruptly, he began to doubt whether or not the barmaid actually cared about him. She could have been playing polite.

Right when he stepped inside, the trickster bumped into a man. Road faltered back, his hand on his head. "Oh, sorry! I didn't see you there," which was an odd statement considering how the man took up Road's entire vision. He was tall, but wore clothes that didn't suggest he was a ruffian. Then again, he was tall. After the recent battle, the performer didn't want to take chances.

"So, I'll just be getting out of your way now..."

Mark staggered slightly back when something or someone apparently bumped into him.

"Oh, sorry! I didn't see you there,"

The man 'had the sly eyes, the unnerving smirk and the rearrangeable voice'. Obersving carefully, Road had murky brown hair and those maroon eyes seemed speculative, concerned and untrusting. Mark's eyes averted down and on the other's frame hung a set of leather attire. 'Buckle straps entangled his torso,' while small daggers were sheathed in each intersection. Mark's eyes did not avert its gaze as he continued to analyze beyond just the exterier.

"So, I'll just be getting out of your way now..."
"hmmm, a deep wound from the forearm to the wrist, a small cut on the head and minor damage to the torsal. Wounds from a recent fight?"

Road paused. He was directly beside the man now, slightly worried at the man’s immediate observations. “Ah…Ahahaha!” the performer laughed. It was nothing to worry about; it had to be nothing to worry about. His left arm was behind his head now, a show of modest embarrassment. “You sure have a keen eye, good sir. I’ve been a little careless juggling lately, and wouldn’t you know it, the knife cuts straight down my arm.” He gestured as such, and then tapped his head. “Another dagger was soaring in the sky, but me in my pain forgot the blade, and swoosh, it barely missed its fatal blow. The torso was, uh, rather embarrassing of an accident, so pardon me for the refusal to share.”

In actuality, Road couldn’t think of a proper lie to describe stomach wound. Why he decided to lie at all about his recent damages was obscure. The paranoid possibility of a Talon eye did exist, but the trickster didn’t give himself the credit of being dangerous. Even so, he wanted the common ear to remain as clueless about the situation for as long as possible. An out-break could ruin everyone’s chance for survival.

"Ah, but regardless of the reason they do hurt do they not?"

Mark listened to his explanation but the reason of pain was not as interesting as the pain itself. He was a physician after all and one whose fundamental skills are founded on the utilization of light magic. Though even he knew it would be wise to keep his skills in the dark if possible lest some fiend of heart seeks to exploit it. Taking a gentleman's bow Crimson made his introduction.

"Reasons for pain do not matter so much to a doctor, only that you are hurt and that I can help you recover if you choose to let me. Mark Crimson, a traveling physician, at your service."

Road rose his hand and waved it about. To see a person bowing for him, even if it was only for courtesy, didn’t handle well with the trickster’s belief of being a low-life. “No, no, it’s not necessary. Thank you very much for the offer, but I just came out of a healing house,” Road said. He didn’t want to trouble the physician so soon after meeting him. Being perfectly honest, he didn’t think Mark would be able to do anything over Mary’s treatment.

“You two truly aren’t from here.”

“Hey,” he responded. He cocked his head to her side. “I’m not from that far away, Melody. Although, I am leaving Tylin for a while. I figured I oughta stop by for a drink before I go,” Road said, his subtle hint for a glass.