She smiled softly as the man moved away from her, retrieving the promised beer. She leaned against the chair back and watched him, a light cough issuing from her, one of the only sounds she could make from her useless throat. She brought a thin hand to her covered mouth as a form of formality. As he came back she again smiled, a few strands of aqua sliding in front of her purple-blue orbs. She listened as he confessed, her eyes never swaying from his own, her gaze light, not harsh. She didn't judge him for the deaths he had caused, it was not her place. She simply sat in silence, allowing his words to flow into her ears and enlighten her about his personality.

True, he had snuffed out the life of others, but she still enjoyed his company and he seemed level-headed. It seemed as if he could be trusted, and he was different. Syhoitta enjoyed people that were considered odd or misplaced; perhaps that is why she was so comfortable having been outcast from her own people. And, likewise, just perhaps, why she wasn't upset or worried about being engulfed by this group of wanted persons. No, quite the opposite, she was highly comfortable.

Her thoughts shifted at that point as Edward brought out the shiny object that had made the loud sound earlier. She narrowed her eyes at it, slowly a single brow perking to change her expression. She raised a hand ran it a few inches above the actual weapon, almost feeling it without truly doing so. She jolted her hand back as he began to clean it, watching him with honest interest as he opened it and prodded it an such. Her interest was quickly switched to unsurity when he offered her the thing.

She looked from him to the object, and back again, her form leaning away. She shook her head, a few more long locks of hair tumbling before her gaze as she continued to eye them both.

Edward smiled as she leaned back. "It can't hurt you." he said softly, he took out his powder horn and bullet, "This is what it shoots." he showed her the lead ball as he poured some powder into the barrel. He wraped the ball in paper and slid it down the barrel with the small pushrod that was fixed to the bottom of the barrel. "This is the hammer." He pulled it back, "you put primer there. And that is the trigger." He uncocked the hammer. He deliberatly left the primer out.

He knew that it took a lot to get used to a gun, after that first unexpected shot some people would forever fear them. He knew people who would die befor they touched a gun, their fear was so great. "This weapon will never harm you." he said, picking up the pistol by the barrel so that the buisness end faced himself. "It is my protector, and you have no reason to fear it. In my hands it will protect you, and I will not alow it, or its like, to bring you harm."

He offered her the grip to feel its weight, which was heavier than most people expected it to be. He wanted her to understand that it was not some evil thing, no more than a sword is evil. It was a fearsome weapon, true, but the actions of the shooter marked it as good or evil, and Edward refused for his weapon to be used for evil.

"Go ahead, you can do no harm with it...right now it can't even make a sound more than you can snaping your fingers."

Vera nodded as Theg questioned him further. “I apologize for my rambling.” He motioned to e bench outside the shop and sat down. “I’m traveling with you and Kinta for a few reasons. First of all, I believe Kinta may be the only one who may be able to help me. Secondly, I feel safe. I’m not saying I need a couple of bodyguards, by all means I can look after myself, but being with this group gives me the feeling of hospitality. After a short while, Kinta accepted me. I don’t know why, possibly because he understands me. That’s a feeling I’m not entirely used to. The only family I have is a brother, and I’ve been searching for him since I was 16. So to be a part of a group that doesn’t judge you and doesn’t want to kill you is a comforting feeling. I hope you understand.”

Vera loosened up, letting his abdomen slide lower on the bench, so that his back was arched. “I don’t know why, but I have a feeling that this group will help me find myself again.”

She was truly interested as he began to manuever the weapon around, both eyebrows raising as she watched. She wasn't scared that it was going to hurt her... no, she was scared she would do something wrong and hurt someone. As he broke down the mechanism and explained how to load it and how it worked, she felt that, if needed, there was the possibility she could fire the thing herself.

She bite her bottom lip as he offered her the back end of the weapon; it was odd looking, one side of her lip poking out a bit against the satin that hid her lower visage. Gently, cautiously, she rose both hands, cupping them together to allow him to carefully place it within both hands. As he did so she visibly tensed, waiting for her touch to make something horrible happen, but when nothing did, she released a long sigh.

The metal and wood was dense, making it heavier than it seemed. She moved her hands up and down testing it's weight. Slowly she brought her fingers around the hilt, oddly holding the weapon as if she were to use it, although with the positioning of her hands, if she were to fire it would probably slip from her grip and pop her in the face.

She perked an eyebrow and looked from the weapon to Edward, as if asking for confirmation that she had the basic idea down.

"There you two are," said Kinta as he finally found Theg and Vera. He looked at them noticing the lack of armour on Theg's side, he realised that they hadn't gotten to the armoury yet. Sighing loudly, he motioned for them to get up. "Come on, no-one is gonna get anything done out here. Particularly you," he said, looking sharply at Vera, "should know better than that. If you don't know what I'm talking about, it looks like there'll be a long explanation waiting for you."

Edward nodded, "It is suprising how natural it is to hold one." he smiled slightly, "but it is also suprising how difficult it is to control." The way she was holding the gun she would have a hard time hitting the wall infront of her. It took practice to be able to squeeze the trigger with out moving the barrel up and down, and even more to control the recoil. Edward had seen more than enough people smash their heads as a result of unexpected recoil. No doubt the elf would have to use both hands to be able to have any control over the weapon.

"Perhaps one day, I will teach you. But for now there are less violent things that can be attended to." He took the pistol and put it away. He knew very well that there would be plenty of time for the workings of war and violence in the days to come. Right now he wanted to enjoy what peace could be found, and it had been his luck to be paired with a beautiful, interesting, elf-maiden. It was luck he could drink to, which he did.

"Do you drink, Syhoitta?" It was the first time he had said her name, he realized. He thought it was a very good name.

She pointed at herself; She? Drink? Oh dear...

Unconsciously she lifted a hand to the teal fabric that ventured from her nose to beneath her chin, covering tightly her useless lips. Her fingers dangled over the upper hem, running across her cheek, over the bridge of her nose, and then over the secondary cheek. Slowly her fingers dropped and she slid them over her hidden lips, feeling them below the satin. She had never taken off her cover in public; she had always allowed those around her to bask in her defect, to realize that she hid her lips because no sound could ever be uttered from them. She wanted the world to know... because she hoped by showing it that one day she could accept it.

It was sheer fear that suddenly gripped her, the idea of someone seeing her unmasked, it sent a chill up her long spine. She gathered herself quickly and looked at Edward, she didn't want to be rude, but at the same time was uncomfortable with displaying herself to him.

But, truthfully, if she were to be travelling with these men, would she also not be eating with them? That would require the removal of the cloth as well, obviously. Or she could just starve herself into nothingness... but that wasn't practical.

Beyond this, however, was the problem that... well, she had always wondered what it was like to drink a form of alcohol...but never had.

So, her final decision as to whether or not she drank was left up to Edward: she gave him a simple shrug and the look of pure innocence upon her visage, and allowed him to decide.

((Just a quick FYI guys, I've got exams til Nov 18, so I may not post as frequently. You can develop the story in your own ways while I'm doing so, but I won't advance the main plot thread too much until then. For those who are curious, search for Victorian Certificate of Education in Wikipedia, and that'll tell you what's expected of me. For those who aren't that curious, basically these exams determine my entire future education such as Uni and whatnot.))

Edward got another mug from the bartender and set it in front of Syhoitta. "Now, the trick is to get past the first few drinks." He said, "No one likes the first one, that’s for sure."

He took another swig, he was by no means a heavy drinker, but he was no teetotaler either. He could easily hold his own in a drinking contest, but he preferred not to get himself drunk. In his line of business, drunk was not a good thing to be.

"Don't over do it, cause you'll regret it when you wake up." He smiled, he would do his best to keep an eye on how she was doing, some people could drink all day, and some would be drunk off a mug half the size of his. Not to mention he had never had the pleasure of experiencing a drunk elf, so he didn't know what to expect exactly.

"It's gonna burn like fire." He gave a final warning before he let her try the drink.

She eyed the drink with curiosity, her thin arms raising up, bending at the elbows to allowing her hands to slink around her neck. As she slipped them beneath her hair, the locks moved, creating a wave down the length of her tresses, the ends flipping out as the motion came to it. Carefully she began undoing the knot, pulling hard at the hem of the fabric. Slowly, the teal cloth came loose in front; the imprint of her lips upon it disappearing as it slightly dropped from against her face.

She kept her amythest orbs upon Edward as she drew her hands forward, the satin mask revealing what had been hidden from public view since she was a child. She clasped her hands together in her lap, the teal satin folded messily within her grasp. She blushed deeply as she averted her gaze to the table before her, fearful of Edward's thoughts as he took in her visage.

Did he realize what he was seeing? Did he understand that, by taking off that simple covering, she was metaphorically and emotionally naked before him? Did he know that he was the only person, over one hundred years, that had seen her complete face? Did he comprehend how this made her feel?

She glanced up at him, the radiance of the candlelight upon her newly uncovered face creating an odd glow upon her skin. Her visage was perfectly smooth, untouched by nature or by others. Her jaw, though not overly strong, was there, creating a symmetrical face shape, unhampered by oddities or disfiguration. Her nose was, in some aspects, perhaps slightly too small for her face, but was straight and regal, giving her a wonderful line of symmetry down the length of her face.

But the most prominent aspect now visible upon her visage was her mouth. Heart-shaped, slender and smooth, her lips were not chaped or chafed, as most young working women's are. The tender pink of the flesh differed greatly from the almost porcelian like nature of her skin; it was as if she had natural lipstick or gloss on. She smiled, a lovely set of white teeth behind the plumpness before them.

And then she blushed, once again. Her slender fingers gently wrapped about the mug, drawing it to her; she heard his warnings, heard his thoughts upon this drink. She knew what it could do to others, she had worked within the tavern long enough to have seen the interesting and oftentimes ridiculous effects it could have upon someone. She used both hands to lift the glass to her lips, the mug, for some reason, almost seeming to drown her with how large it was compared to her thin frame. She took a small sip of the liquid, allowing it to settle in her mouth for a split second before swallowing.

She had figured it would taste bad -- as Edward had said -- and that it would burn -- also as Edward had said -- but hadn't expected it to be exactly how it was. Her eyes widened exceedingly, a hand flying up to her lips to cover them as she offered a slight cough. She slammed her eyes shut and shook her head drastically as the tears filled the lower rim of her orbs. She took a moment to gather herself, a smile creeping across her mouth. She finally opened her eyes, the tears still there as she began to laugh... or at least she seemed to laugh. Her form gently shook as with laughter, her eyes danced with happiness and an easy-goingness, her smile was wide, her posture relaxed... but no sound came from her. It was odd to see... such mirth unaccompanied with the tell tale sound.

She rose the mug in a quick motion, toasting Edward, and took another small drink, desperately trying to keep the tears from coming.

Edward chuckled under his breath. If she didn't like it she sure was determend to change her mind, or at least to finish the drink. He made a mental note that perhaps one would be enough for today.

He raised his mug when she toasted, took a drink. He let the familiar sensastions flow threw him. What had started as a harsh burning upon his first drink, was now a bitter comfort, still burning, but welcome. The taste was aquired, over the years he had come to enjoy the taste.

He sat back and enjoyed what could very well be the last few moments of peace and comfort that they would be able to enjoy for some time. He knew that they could not stay long in this town, the events of the day would see to that. He decided to wait for Kinta instead of seeking him out.

"To peace and comfort, where ever they may be found." He said, raising his glass again.

She drank down the second sip, scrunching her nose and closing her eyes. It was still so hot, but she was determined to continue on as long as Edward was.

Slowly she opened her eyes, the purple brightening her complexion immediately. She watched him toast, and followed suit, nodding eagerly to agree with him. She drank once more, taking in a bit more than she had previously, her throat coated in the hot and bitter taste of the drink. She let the liquid completely consume her for a moment, the warmth and taste, and she allowed herself to smile, a simple, relaxed happiness enveloping her.

Gently she slipped from her chair and gripped the parchment she had been writing on to Kinta and reclaimed her seat, all in one smooth motion; her blue hair swaying seductively at her hips, her feminine boots clanking lightly upon the floorboards.

She wrote thoughtfully, her hands flowing easily across the yellowed parchment.

So, with so many people of similar yet different personalities and problems, what then will happen to us as we try to help Kinta? Do you think we will honestly be in any danger? I know that seems niave, but I need an expert opinion. I don't do well in combat...

Edward read what she wrote and smiled. No point in lieing.

"Oh, we will all have had our share of dangers by the end of this. Kinta and myself will be in danger no matter what happens now. Of course that may be true of all of us now that people have seen us together."

He paused, let the truth sink in. They were up to their necks now, even if it didn't seem that way. Edward knew all to well the events that were taking place elsewhere. He knew that men in their official robes were writing letters of warrent that would endow the holder with the rights and authority of a judge magistrate and a marshal, meaning they could interpret the law for them selves. He also knew that there would be marshals after them, official bounty hunters, like he had been. Professionals that had dedicated their lives to hunting down wanted men, traitors, and threats to the crown.

"Don't worry though, the ogre is a feirce fighter, and Kinta can surely hold his own. When the fighting comes, you leave it to us." Edward drank again, but this time it wasn't a toast, and it wasn't a drink of pleasure. This drink was ment to drown out the truth of what was to come. Even he needed that some times.

"We can't stay in town to much longer."

Theg stood up, looking between Kinta and Vera before finally stopping on Kinta, "We going," he said, "Just talking," he walked into the armory and up to the salesman, "You got anything for me?" he asked.

"As far as..?" the man questioned, looking Theg up and down

"Armor," Theg said, looking at his bandages, "Me got shot."

"I see," the man said, "What would you like?"

"Want it to block arrows good," he looked at the man, "Not too heavy though," he added with a frown.

"Okay, let's see," he said, looking around, "How about this?" he asked, pointing towards a model suit of armor.

"Too small,"

"It's just a model,"

"Oh. Well, I don't need a whole lot," he said, pulling the suit of armor apart despite the salesman's protests. Finally, he had armor that covered up most of his torso, his biceps, forearms, and hands. As well as armor on his hips, thighs, as well as boots. "This!" he exclaimed. The pieces were far enough between that they could fit on him as is.

"100 gold," he said.

"One minute," Theg said as he walked out of the shop to Kinta, "Need 100 gold," he frowned.

Syhoitta nodded fiercely, understanding every word he offered her. Kinta had explained the situation, but after hearing from a secondary person, she now truly realized the danger that she was now in -- for better or for worse. She sipped her drink thoughtfully, her mind so distracted she forgot the burning sensation down her throat.. she was slightly able to enjoy it. The more she drank the more relaxed she became, as if an inner warmth was releasing her tensions from the inside.

She hiccuped lightly, a frail fist covering her mouth immediately after the odd, squeaky sound errupted from her. She smiled and blushed, returning from her wandering thoughts to Edward, noting that she had finished a decent three-quarters of the liquor before her. She gently slid the mug away, intently wrapping the satin about her jaw and nose and tied it tight, her fingers missing the knot a few times, but after a moment she successfully replaced her mask.

She gripped her pencil and parchment, her slender wrist moving as she began to write once again. Her handwriting wasn't as uniform as before, in fact, it was more of chicken scratch.

Perhaps the alcohol was getting to her.

My biggest worry is keeping up with you all... I'm so fragil compared to you.. and how am I to communicate if we're off in some random forest and we've lost our parchment? I do believe I'm going to be the biggest mistake Kinta made... I'm such a liability.

She sighed, a soft overtone of sadness befalling her features before she continued on.

And when, by chance, are we to meet up with everyone? Like you said, we shouldn't stay here much longer... how long are we to wait?