She listnened and watched as a few others spoke and snickered at the comment that the warrior has made about Secru. She took notice of the servant girl and smiled respectfully as she took her cup of tea. She had seemed very plain, but no more plain that herself and she liked that in a girl. The servant girl carried herself with a certrain grace and she liked that she hadn't let being part of a lower class bring her spirits down. Perhaps if she stayed around long enough she and the servant could become friends.Suddenly, she found her eyes resting on the babbling fool, and found herself smiling. She tossed the flask back to him before she replied to the room. "That was a long time ago indeed Valatar. I was but nine. And I spent many years in a cell to think over my decision and to speak truth I never thought what I had done was wrong. My name is Ira Malus. Born into the theives world, I am now well known as the Mistress of the Wood, I serve no one currently but am always up for working for the highest bidder. Unless you are Yugile. Then you can shove it where the sun dont shine after I put your head on a pike and dance around it naked." She said the last bit with a jesting smirk on her face curious as to how Secru would react to the image he had just put in his mind. "My appologies for being so crude, but I am not fond of those pompus baboons who call themselves leaders." She took another sip of the tea then answered the question posed by Valatar. "I am here because I was invited after following the man who just slaughtered a whole raiding party of mine. And now, I am interested in why these other two are here."

Leo nodded once as Valatar said that his position as a mercenary would possibly pose a threat against this humble household, understanding completely why the wizard and his friends had to be cautious around him. He finished the tea that the girl had brought out, gingerly setting the cup back down on the table before once again retreating from the table, finding comfort against the wall by a small window.

"The highest bid has already been made," Leo stated,

Fior's life.

"And seeing as it seems I have found the right wizard, my services are now yours 'till my contract is complete. I am no threat to you." He explained, looking at the wizard with a solid dark stare. He knew that words alone would not be enough to assure them that his contract was to help them, but he wanted the wizard to at least trust him enough to let him stick around. The council had told him that finding Valatar would be the key to locating the princess and then safely returning her to them. It would also lead him to the hardest decision he would ever make. Leo did not lie when he said that he was no threat to Valatar, though he was the person that would end up betraying them all to save himself - and still possibly lose Fior in the process. It was cowardly for a warrior to betray comrades to save themselves, and it was the exact reason that the guild disliked the news of himself and Fior becoming engaged. They knew something like this would happen, and they had been proven right. Now he had to prove that he could be stuck in the worst situation and still end up the victor. All he had to do was figure out a way to save Fior and the Princess at the same time. No pressure.

Gorred felt a grin cross his lips as he read over the scribes shoulder. His wanted poster seemed more than enough to rally a few people to his cause, but more importantly make it impossible for the princess to walk into her main land as if nothing changed. He stopped every so often to stroke his beard in all of its ill maintained coarseness, for a moment he thought he felt some of his lunch still remaining in his beard and quickly turned away giving it a good shake out only to realize nothing was there. From his lack of personal grooming and over abundance of embarrassment he walked away from the room thinking about his next course of action.

He walked a single step in his proud walk, head up leaned back slightly, never looking at his feet but making his presence known to everyone from the sound of his footsteps. Gorred was a leader, but before that a proud solider his walk was meant to impress those around him showing that clear 'better than you' ego and mind set. As he walked he could hear a younger man screaming to a point he couldn't be understood. As Gorred followed the voice he was becoming more and more familiar with what was being said. Each word flashing back a memory from when he first took the strides to be a solider. He looked at himself now and realized that it was the best decision he made in his personal life. Gorred followed the voice long enough from him to get the them before standing in the distance behind the instructor. At this point in Gorred's life chain of command meant nothing to him because he was at the top of that chain, but that also meant he was lacks where he should be stern.

From the distance the boys spotted Gorred and instantly snapped into full attention against what the instructor was telling them to do. His face boiled red like a lobster, his vein in his forehead in clear view from his anger that he couldn't control a few boys. In his rage he casually walked over to the boys and picked two of the dozen or two by their neck's squeezing as he lifted them. Neither of them completely off the ground but enough for them to barely be touching. Gorred took a moment to take in the situation not sure if he should step in or not. In reality it was his fault for them getting into this mess, but at the same time he didn't approach them so there was no reason for them to stand at an attention. Gorred though off instinct as he neared.

"Stand ready." Gorred bellowed during his approach. The man dropped the two boys with a look that couldn't be phrased any other way that 'oh shit'.He snapped around trying to act as though the situation never happened. "Good afternoon Sir. What brings you out here at this time?" the man's voice was the only thing unconvincing of him. Posture perfect facial expression flawless, but his voice screamed fear without meaning too.

Gorred did his best to ignore the man's fear but couldn't help himself his voice that of a mother that watched her son take a cookie form the cookie jar, "Do you normally punish them for taking the time to show respect to someone above them?" Gorred's eyes looked over the boys looking for the slightest hint of the instructors misguided ways, he saw none, nothing but fear of showing what they wanted to tell. But was it fear of saying anything, or the repercussions after the fact that mad them show no signs to the abuse that seemed clear.

"Sir I train them the same way we all have been trained, they were not -" Gorred chimed in before the man had a chance to finish. "When we were trained our people were getting killed, our woman raped, children to slavery. There was no time to do things by the book, no time to wait for them to mature. We turned boys into men over night, because that is what the country needed. What the land desired for the only thing that it asks form us. Protection. But you have single-handedly pushed into there brains that brutality is the only way. That showing respect to someone WELL above you is a bad thing. And you personally have shown me that you don't respect me. And for that because you believe in the old way so damn much allows me to fight from that respect back. You have a half hour to get ready, unless you would rather not have a weapon so you have a fighting chance."

Gorred knew full well all that he did in that single rant. He beat the man's ego, intelligence, and honor in the same stroke and to make matter's worse he pulled out a honor bound tradition that is rarely used in or outside the military. In the corner of his eye he saw a boy reach for his practice sword that was behind them. Weighted oak with a grease finish on all sides but the blunt end where a blade was. On the blade was a poison that caused mild paralysis of the skin through absorption, this was to give a realistic effect to the damage weapons would do with well maintained weapons rendering the limb useless in a matter of seconds for nearly an hour, a great accidental find. Not only did it encourage them to avoid getting hit but also to fight through the pain, fore they didn't wear protection during training.

The same boy that reached for his training sword grabbed another student's and walked to both Gorred and the instructor placing the wooden toys about a foot away from them each, before returning back to his post in line as though nothing happened. A smile trickled again on Gorred's face, "It seems someone trained the boys in honor, you must be sitting in for someone else if they know that much." A snicker came from the background as more and more people started to show up seeing Gorred at the training grounds. It wasn't a common occurrence and to have him yelling at a solider was even less common. Though not everyone agreed with Gorred's actions, they knew he would do anything to preserve his country, the people in it, and above all Honor.

Listel could sense something in Leo's voice that sounded like he was confused and unsure of something. She was slightly unsure about him but for the most part he seemed to be legit an all around good guy. Now the guy who had come to the door in the first place she didn't know if his foolishness was an act but she found him quite amusing. The girl just seemed to be in the wrong place at the wrong time and insisted that Secru had done some sort of wrong to her. Now she didn't see how Secru could be who he was looking for, but just because someone seems foolish didn't make them any less deadly.

But she knew Valatar was not easily swayed and would make sure everything was legit with this motley crew. He was always careful about who they associated with and never let anyone to close. "Valatar if I could speak to you for a moment in private", she said with a gentle smile as she placed her hand on his shoulder. Trying to guide him back into the room with the princess, closing the door behind them. She got close to him and whispered into his ear, "It is very hard for me to believe that this group was sent here to help us", she looked at him with deep concern. "Have I just become so un-trusting of everyone", she said with a sigh as she looked down at the floor, "We have to take into consideration right now that they aren't who is who, I beleive that we might be able to use that to our advantage. But we must figure out something before dusk", she looked up at him once again and sighed.

Aveline turned when Listel appeared in the back room where she'd later retreated in order to let them talk, she'd already began packing a small pack of items. When they'd entered and shut the door behind them Aveline moved the pack out of sight and turned to face to fully face them. Listel seemed uneasy still with the people in the next room and proceeded to whisper to Valatar.
Aveline slowly sank down to sit upon the stool that was behind her and listened. She then chose the moment Listel was done speaking to add in. "Valatar, if they remain here longer we'll need to make sure that no one gains curiosity about my covering my hair when nightfall rises. If they are here to help us, then we be grateful for it, but if not, we've a hand of enemies to defeat or get as far away from them as we can.
While you continue to find out the reasons of why they are here, I'll prepare our things in case, quietly of course. I'm not getting any bad aura from them, but some also seem as uneasy as we do. The Secru seems full of himself." she chuckled and sliding off the stool began preparing her things again. Most would be left behind once they were gone, things they'd not need that the next inhabitant would make use of.

Secru's eyes hardened slightly at the words of the one called Leo. The spirits do not babble as much as you, indeed. "I suppose I must bow to your expertise on that, sir," he said, blandly. "No doubt you can call such spirits from the vasty deep. Mind you, so can anyone - whether or not they obey, of course, is another matter." He said little as the other members of the band put there cases, and the reasons why they were there, taking good care not to answer the question himself. His mind was turning over the problem of the servant-girl. More and more he realized, she was far more than what she seemed.

And the wizard worried him, too.

Hiding his concern, he turned back to his stalker, who he had now learned was called "Ira Malus" - it suited her. "Well, you've come a long way since you were nine," he laughed. "It's obvious you're no thief now - given the SILENT way you move and the EFFICIENCY of your stalking skills- " he spread his hands. "You might make something of the naked dancing though, I hear there's always a call for such things."

He picked up his flask, shook it, and saw it was empty.

So - no liquor. And now the almost-pretty servant girl had left the room. And at least one of the party seemed determined to bait him. For the millionth time he cursed the village leader for beguiling him upon this ridiculous assignment. He got up from the table, recovered his sword, and buckled it on. That felt better.

And - whatever Leo might have thought of him - he was, after all, a member of the Black Knights - one of the few guilds that actually carried respect in his native province. If we do have a dangerous duty to perform, he thought, we've been selected with care. And that's something.

It seemed he really didn't have a say in the matter as he was dragged out of the room, away with Listel and the Princess, or in this case a random servant girl. He listened to what both of them had to say. Why was he in the middle of this? He would rather walk back into the other room and slaughter the three guests, then just leave, and he had half the mind to do so as he looked over towards the door.

He could, wave his hands and cause the next room to light on fire, and then they leave through one of the back doors. But he sighed instead, turning his attention back to the women. "Look, I'm not exactly sure what to do right now. Three people randomly show up, two happen to be looking exactly for me. No letter in hand, nothing. For all I know they're assassins, or spies. If I had half the mind to do it, I would've tried to kill all three of them, and we would be leaving right about now. That spell only has a few more hours left on it before it wears off, and I won't be able to cast anything else until I've rested." Whispering, he looked towards the door again. "On the other hand, these may just be your champions, my lady. It's your call to make, not mine. I will follow through with which ever choice you make." He said as his eyes darted from the door, back to the princess.

That was when the aura around him started getting darker, that sixth sense feeling as if something horrible was nearby, it was a presence that filled both of the rooms, and it all lead up to these shallow words, "If you make the wrong choice, and they are assassins, they will fail, and I will skin them alive, slowly, and leave them hanging from pikes in the Yugile's court yard."

He had half the mind to utter, out loud, "The calm before the storm."

Aveline sighed when Valatar stated he wished to just skin them all or burn them all alive and she, Listel and himself escape out the back. Shaking her head Aveline looked at the two companions who'd kept her alive this far."Valatar, you knew it would come to this, if they are the enemy then dispatch them quickly but only if they prove it. If they be friend then we'll trust them to get us back into the Kingdom and assist me in gaining my throne back. But we must leave tonight, I fear more is to come if we stay here and it wont be good. I know without a doubt you can keep me safe, you and Listel, but the force that comes I'm afraid will drain you and leave you weak and unable to continue. We go."
the final words spoken she motioned to the door."I'll go finish getting ready and Listel you must gather our horses. I'll ride with Valatar since to them I'm no more than the servant girl, let them believe it. When we've ridden for a few hours then we can camp, I'll do everything I can during the night to keep my hair hidden. Now go both of you." she wasn't trying to sound pushy, but her gut was telling her they had to leave and soon.
She backed away from the group and frantically began packing the most important things for Valatar and for Listel. Setting them by the back door so when Listel brought the horses they could load them up and be on their way. She gathered a few scarves that would hide her hair well from prying eyes during the night when Valatar's magic would not work and stuffed them into a pack. When she was finished she exited the room and began gathering up the tea cups, she remained calm although her nerves were rattled. When she finished clearing the table she stood back and waited until Valatar announced their decision.

Leo's eyes hardened as Secru seemed to be sarcastic in reply to his earlier comment about the spirits, not appreciating the man's tone in the slightest. This man knew nothing of him and had no place to make comments about his knowledge of the spirits. His demeanour seemed to darken as he looked at the man, not having wanted to mention Fior, but felt the need to prove to this man that he was speaking from fact.
"Nobody asked you to bow, it was a request for you to hush for a while so the rest of us could think without your voice ringing in the air." He replied, "And considering my bride-to-be delved into the spirit world daily to bring those in the living world comforting news about their recently deceased loved ones, I think I can safely say that I have more knowledge in the area than most warriors."

He glanced at Ira as Secru continued his path of annoyance her way, still unamused by his words. Could he do nothing better than to pick holes into things he knew nothing about? Did he not realise that he was not making the best first impressions - which were of course the ones that lasted longest.
"Your ego and disrespectful manner towards others will get you into deep water, sir." he added, turning his gaze back to the man as he unfolded his arms and indicated to Ira with his armour-free hand, "especially when you disrespect a woman who looks more than capable of killing anyone that insults her."

Leo did hate those who disrespected women, even more so now that he had Fior.

Your ego and disrespectful manner towards others will get you into deep water, sir

"They frequently do," replied Secru, blandly. "People are always threatening to kill me. For some reason, the few who carry out their threat seem to get a sudden influx of charity, and obligingly let me win the subsequent fight. They seem to fling themselves on my sword - most generous of them." Secru looked around for anything alcoholic that might have been in the room, and cursed inwardly. Nothing. "As for the malefic maiden over there, you might be interested in knowing that she set her followers on me, and when I killed them in self-defense, stalked me silently, and then attacked me. In most polite circles, that's grounds for a certain amount of disrespect." Belatedly, Leo's words about his bride-to-be sunk past Secru's ego, and their meaning triggered certain responses in his mind. "Your betrothed speaks with spirits?" There was genuine interest in his voice, and the drawl had vanished. "Is her name perhaps K'ria-zhe? Fior? Or perhaps Reesak?" He recalled the shaman of his village, certain demonstrations of spirit-walking that he, Secru, had never been able to emulate. And the shaman had mentioned those three names as those he had met.

He sat back, eagerly awaiting Leo's response. The chances of the knight's betrothed being any of these was slim, he knew... but it would be an omen that he couldn't ignore.

"I didn't set them on you. You just happened to be on our raid route. Not my fault." Ira replied snidely. Then she stretched, "I do apologize but I am afraid I must be going back to my camp for now. I am sure you have enough tackers here to hunt me down if you need me." She nodded to everyone. "I fear my men are plotting to over throw me anyways and I need to smack them into line. Best of luck to all of you though. And as for you Mr. Secru." Ira stepped to him and brought her nose a mere hairs width away from his and whispered, "thanks for the drink. Feel free to drop by any time to offer another." Then she kissed him firmly just to show her appreciation. Pulling back she made her way to the door. "Its been a pleasure meeting you all." Then she stepped out sprinted into the forest and out of sight.

Listel nodded in respect to her princess, and went to do as she had been requested. She went back out to the room and tried to ignore the group of suspects as far as she was concerned. She didn't want to alert them to the the plan that they had, she knew they would have to stop in the village to pick up supplies on their way out Listel hated doing things on the fly as such but they didn't have a choice. She first brushed down the horses which they enjoyed she spoke in the elven tongue as she did and told them the plan that they had and what was needed of them. Then they were soon ready to go with their blankets, saddles and bridles. "We will leave soon my friends be ready to make haste", she said to the horses. She looked back at the house it had been nice while it lasted. She reined the horses just outside the home and waited for Valatar and the princess.

Leo glanced between Ira and Secru as they seemed to quickly converse over what happened in the forest for them to meet, before Ira suddenly announced her leave. His brow rose slightly as she kissed Secru before disappearing into the forest, what an odd relationship.

With her gone, Leo returned his attention to Secru, hearing the names that the man listed - genuinely interested to hear if his betrothed was any of the following. He was surprised to hear Fior's name, the shock only coming across in his features enough to show that he recognised one of the names. He dragged himself together very quickly, stern face returning to mask all emotion as he folded his arms once again.
"So you know Fior?" He questioned, wondering where they might have met each other. It certainly wasn't while he had been with her, Leo would've certainly remembered meeting a man of his demeanour before. Perhaps he had visited her at one point to hear news of a deceased loved one; which made the most sense to him as that was Fior's job. It was even possible that he had tried to woo his bride-to-be before Leo had even met her, the thought of this making Leo's mood darken slightly as he imagined the man trying to impress Fior like he had done with Ira. Thankfully, if this had happened, Fior had the sense to send Secru on his way and wait for Leo to appear.

"What a small world."

Secru rubbed his cheek thoughtfully at ira's parting kiss. Few things in life took him by surprise, but this one had. It only added to his regret that she wasn't staying. He turned his attention back to Leo.

"Fior? No, I have never met the lady in question. Miaua D'aslya, the Shaman of my village mentioned her name, as a Caller of high ability and higher integrity, and I have no reason to doubt his word. If she is your betrothed then - " he stopped. He'd been meaning to say something insulting, but realized that it could only alienate the knight further, to no good purpose. "Then I congratulate you. It's obvious that you have virtues over and above what you choose to reveal."

He looked longingly at the door, through which the peasant girl had vanished. Partly in regret - for she'd been pleasant to look upon - but more through suspicion. They'd already been greeted with a throwing spell. What more were they planning, between them?

'Necessary risks would have to be taken.' He thought, 'However, if it works, we might find out if they're working for our enemies.' Waiting until Listel was safely away, and the Princess was in the other room. He sighed heavily and remained alone in the room for quite sometime longer, the likelihood of his plan actually working was at the greatest, as this part of the house was facing the forest, easy for an attack, and one that he would simulate, keeping a smug smile on his face.

His smile briefly lasted as he whirled his hands around each other, forming a small ball of pure energy, similar to what he had done with the crossbow. He then took a couple of steps back from the wall, and tossed it. "They're here! Get out of the h---!" He began to shout, though was cut off, as the small ball slammed into the wall facing the forest. Immediately after the ball hit the wall, it sent out an explosion that shook the very foundation of the house. Sending shards of glass, and splintered wood in virtually every direction. Valatar barely had the time to react, as something sharp tore into his left shoulder, piercing through the leader armor as it did. This had caused him to recoil to the left, falling down, however, hardly having time to notice the wound, he pushed himself back quickly as a beam fell and landed near where he was. 'Not exactly what I wanted, but it works.' He thought, forcing himself to his feet, and pushing the door behind him open further.

Shortly after the door was pushed open further, the living room area began filling with smoke, and the sound of crackling fire could be heard, and seen, as Valatar stumbled out of the room. "Let's go." He shouted, making his way to the front door, clutching his shoulder.

At the second the explosion hit, Secru dived for the floor, his chair skittering across the room. Instinctively, he rolled away from the center of the blast, fetching up against the far wall. He could see the roof shift as the flimsy dwelling threatened to collapse entirely. He felt the thump as a large chunk of the thatched roof landed on him, driving the wind from him. sandwiching him between it and the floor. An expression, in his native Kallian tongue, that translated literally as "suck a dog's cock" escaped his lips. Not the most poetic of observations, but he had been taken by surprise.

"Leo! Those women. The one who served us, and the elf-maiden," he screamed, trying to keep the panic from his voice. "In the back room," he began crawling towards the rear part of the hovel, swimming through debris and detritus. One leg trailed uselessly behind him, where a beam had fallen on it. It didn't hurt enough to be broken, but he knew right now he could crawl or roll faster than he could walk. "Come on. We have to get them clear, before the entire place collapses."

Leo had no time to dwell on the relief he felt as he heard that Secru had never met Fior, or to be surprised that she was recognised as a figure of great spiritual power; as the explosion shook the shack. Leo's initial instinct was to raise his armoured arm above him as the roof threatened to collapse on him, rubble from the walls was thrown into him, sharp edges from the scattered pieces tearing at his clothes and skin a little, though he had taken harder hits and let no sign of any trauma shine through his appearance. He lowered his arm as the wizard quickly made his way through the room to the door, announcing their leave and nodded once in response as the wizard pushed through the door out to the forest.

His attention was turned Secru as his name was called, followed by a cry about the ladies of the house and how they needed rescue before the building collapsed. He gritted his teeth as he noticed the man crawling through the debris, his wounded leg obviously causing him some trouble in his mobility.
"The elven woman went outside before this!" Leo growled as he clambered through the rubble towards where Secru was, taking moments here and there to shift fallen beams out of his path growls of effort rumbling through the building as he shifted the lumber. Leo was honestly surprised that Secru hadn't noticed the woman leave.

As he reached Secru, he took the man by the collar of his shirt and pulled him to his feet, removing the scythe from his back and standing it next to Secru.
"You are injured, if you stay in here to look for the servant girl you'll end up trapped in here too. Make yourself useful and check Valatar's wounds, and keep an eye out for attackers. Use this as your crutch for now." He told the man as he forced Secru to take his scythe, "I'll find the girl."

With that Leo let go of Secru's shirt, expecting Secru to do as he was told as he waded through the rubble towards the spot where he remembered the girl being last.
"Fair Servant!" Leo called into the ruined building, "Can you hear me?! Call to me if you can!" He cried, remembering having seen her collecting the tea cups from the room they were in. He continued to shift his way through the path of destruction as he searched for the girl.

Valatar's little idea was put into affect and Aveline found herself in the back room when the explosions went off, without the others really knowing and their attention drawn to Valatar she'd slipped back into the room and gathered up the things she'd packed. Shoving a few piled up things near the back wall she reached up taking hold of a small latch and turned it until the door that had been hidden there and slipped out. What the men hadn't known was Valatar had done this as a test, it was to see who would attack and who would help.
After she set their things out for Listel to grab Aveline moved on to the next plan and returned inside. She hoped Valatar knew what he was doing because if either one of the men turned on her. Slowly she moved to the door that separated the main room from the back room and thrust it open. The place was falling apart around them, she heard a crackling sound as some of the roof came down in front of her causing her to leap back, and to authenticate the act she screamed. She began the damsel in distress act and started calling out when she heard one of them calling out to her.
"Over here....hurry." Realizing it'd be hard for them to believe she escaped unscathed from this disaster she grabbed a small part of the ceiling that fell and ran her hands along it, the dirt that came off she smudged on her face and tore a small hole in her dress to make it look as if she'd struggled to get out. Ruffling up her hair a little Aveline called."Valatar where are you?" as she saw the form of the man coming closer.
"Help." she glanced around and grabbed ahold of the door frame and slipped a panicked expression on her face. If this worked it would prove one of two things for these men. Either they were good and would live, or they were joined with the Yugile and would die.

Leo's attention was grasped by the scream of the girl he was looking for, now moving towards the back of the house which was most affected by the attack. Smoke lay in a thick cloud inside the building as everything burned, Leo's form covered in soot as well as the minor cuts from rubble hitting him. He coughed hoarsely into his ragged cloak, still wading through the ruins towards the girl. He found her clinging to the door frame, looking panic-stricken... though there seemed to be no wounds on her person - for which Leo was thankful.
"I'm here..." He rasped as he clambered over a pile of roofing that was blocking him from her. A burning beam that supported the wall crumbled at the bottom, threatening to hit the girl as it collapsed into the rest of the ruins. Before it fell on her though, Leo acted as her shield, standing between the girl and the burning beam, his un-armoured arm taking the hit from it in an attempt to protect the girl - burning his forearm. Embers dispersed from the burning beam, hitting his face and scorching his cheek before he could toss the beam aside and cover his face.

Leo hissed through gritted teeth as his was burnt, though made no more complaints about his pain.
"Time to go," He stated as he moved closer towards the girl, stretching his ragged cloak out so that it was shielding the girl as well as himself before guiding her out of the building as quickly as he could. He hoped Secru had done as he was told and left the building as he and the girl reached the outside, Leo removing his ragged cloak from the girl and turning his gaze to the forest, looking through the trees for any sign of the attackers Valatar had said were here.

"You fool of a knight," screamed Secru, attempting to struggle to his feet, and collapsing again in agony. "If the elven girl's gone out there - " He sighed. If they were under attack by the Yugile, the last place the elven woman - or the wizard, for that matter - should have been, was out in the open alone! He had to admit, he admired the knight's bravery - going into the back of the dwelling, where he risked being crushed by a falling beam, to save the servant woman. In Kelinia, such bravery was expected - any child who showed cowardice faced a worse ass-tanning than anything he or she might have shrunk from. But for an outsider, it was rare bravery indeed. It was a pity the knight's tactical acumen didn't match his courage.

He watched the wizard blunder through the living area, and a brief thought that he couldn't quite catch ran through his brain. Shut up, shut UP, he screamed at his own pain, dragging himself upright on the third try. Even hobbling with the aid of Leo's scythe would be painful, but to run - as he did now - sent waves of excruciating pain so deep into him that he felt as if an army of evil demons were racking his body in some mythic hell. Vomit rose in his throat.

"Wizard. Stand!" he hissed, his face and body soaked with sweat. "If the Yugile are out there -" He pushed his way in front of the wizard. The door was closed, and with his ankle too weak to bear his weight he knew a shoulder-charge was out of the question. In a comic, ungainly movement, he flung himself backwards, using his own ass as a battering ram. The one consolation was that the pain couldn't get any worse.

"Let me lead," he moaned, barely able to form words through his pain. He held the scythe in his left hand, the sword in his right. "Let me hold them as best I can, while you run. It's not bravery or nobility, by the way - I can barely move anyway. No sense us both - what the - ?!!!!"

His jaw dropped, as he saw the area outside the hovel. Where he'd expected to see a mass of Yugile, armed to the teeth with all the panoply of war he saw...

Their own horses, and an empty clearing.

Aveline looked as Leo appeared from the building smoke and in raspy tone claimed he was there to rescue her. Suddenly some of the roof broke free and was aimed to hit her. Before she could move Leo was there shielding her beam as it came crashing down hitting the floor and sending a few pieces everywhere. Her eyes caught the small patches of his cheek and face that were scorched upon impact with the beam.
She winced some when he hissed in pain and then slipped the cloak about her to shield her from anymore falling debris as he urged her towards the from. When they reached the front door and ran out he pulled the cloak away revealing her beneath it. Coughing some from the smoke Aveline softly thanked Leo for rescuing her before she ran to Valatar and stood beside him, her eyes roamed over Secru and how his face was etched in confusion over the events that just occurred.
She knew Valatar wouldn't mind if she explained what had just happened since the confusion written on their faces begged for an answer. She stood before Valatar now as she cleared her throat to gather the men's attention. "Gentleman, you've demonstrated valor in proving currently that you are not a member of the Yugile. This was merely a test to see who could be trusted since you weren't giving any indication otherwise. You've passed the first test, but I'm afraid you still have a long way to go in proving your with the Princess. Once you've proven it you will in fact be taken to where the Princess is really hiding.
But for now gentlemen Valatar would ask that we vacate this area and begin the journey forward, after your healed of course." Aveline glanced at the sky, already it was beginning to grow late, the sun was near leaving the sky as night began to settle. Suddenly she grew nervous and made sure her own cloak was on, it was a little smudged by the fire, but otherwise fine.
Moving over to Secru first since he couldn't walk she pulled out a small silver pillbox and opened it exposing a variety of colored pills. Removing a green one she handed it to Secru. "Take this and hold it under your tongue, once it's dissolved your leg will be healed." Then moving over to Leo she took the same box and removed a orange pill and handed it to him."Do the same and the scorches will fade in seconds." closing up the box she put it away and moved over to Valatar's horse and helped herself up onto the beasts back scooting forward to give Valatar enough room to join her. Listel would be here soon on her own horse and the rest of the supplies.

Ivelios swam the the sky like a fish in the seas. The beast between his thighs; frightful and powerful, gargantuan in size the saurian creature flapped its large, leathery wings expelling huge gusts of wind needed to keep it aloft. The creature itself was of myth and legends, few knew they were even still alive but Ivelios had been born in service to these reptilian entities. It was not a forced arrangement, it was not a form of slavery. It was more that they were bonded like a human's version of a soul mate than simply bondage. What the dragon felt,what it saw he could see and he could feel. It was a painstaking and painful process and one not overlooked. The power of these creatures was such that any mage, human, elven or otherwise, any great sage often referred to them for their knowledge. They were gate keepers of a bygone era. They lived longer than any elf of know creature that walked the realms without the unmistakeable stench of death upon them.

Easily spotting the fire from above, the silver dragon folded its wings back and dove straight for it. This jarring motion, would stir Ivelios' eyes to open at first very slowly but as he took in the sight of the ground approaching quickly, his eyes shot wide open. The wyrmling gold dragon that clung to his back and shoulders, now sank its claws into the lustrous metal along them as it held on for dear life like he were holding stead fast to the harness that was on the much larger dragon. The female saurian landed with such an impact, it would have rattled the modestly built building in which Aveline and the others were coming out of. Sending shock waves like miniature earth quakes as the full weight of its massive body compressed several trees upon landing. Lothirlondonis' curiosity grew when she sauntered over to the burning establishment a poked her head inside, blotting out Aveline's view of the sky above her. With teeth the size of short swords, a skin that was like polished scaled armor that was entirely resilient to most forms of attack, and a feathery crest that ran the length of her long, statuesque neck to her imposing bod--would almost seem as though she were smiling at Aveline as Lothirlondonis tilted her head trying to get a better look at the human girl before her.

Max had been on the trail of something for a few days now. He wasn't sure what he was chasing or if he was even chasing anything anymore h just knew the direction to go for some reason. He laughed to himself "Don't you know i'm tracking fate." He had eaten some and in his pack was enough smoked meat to last a small group soliders a few days and continued on. He tracked until he saw the city.


Max sees the smoke inside the city and wonders why there is so much smoke unless... He had been following this trail for a few days and it lead him here and now was his chance. He knocks a barbed arrow and takes off in the direction of the smoke and was about to come out into the opening when the giant silver dragon came down he stayed hidden until the time he saw her. And it was her finally he had found her and know he could take his rightful place by her side. It seemed to perfect the beast and the lady and the shining arrow being himself. He stepped out the woods his bow ready an arrow knocked. "Princess are you alright?"

"Well, it works," admitted Secru. "What is this thing? Some kind of-" he stopped short. He'd been on the verge of saying "magic" but thought better of it. Just where a servant girl got hold of such things, he had no idea. He sensed there was more to this household drudge than she was letting on, and his instinct told him the less he let on he knew, the better. "Some kind of herbal peparation?" he substituted. He turned to Leo. "Yours is a prttier colour, Knight. Did it work as well as the one she gave me? Well, warfare would definitely become an easier game if- wha-a-a-" he stopped short, gazing in awe and shock as the leathery saurian landed. "By the tits of the goddess - er..." his normal poetic means of expression had deserted him. He drew his sword, and set off at a run, grateful that no trace of pain remained. He stopped and looked back. "Well come on, Knight. By Leviathan's turds, do you see that thing?"

He stopped, looked up. HIs mouth dropped open. HIs eyes became the size of saucers.

"There's a rider!!!"

He glanced at the servant girl, back up at the rider. "What means this?" he said, trying to inject a note of brave invincibity into his voice and failing utterly. His gaze shot from the girl, to Leo, back to the rider. "You up there - give me an explanation sir." He ground his teeth, experiencing an emotion utterly new to him, and (this surprised him) not nearly as unpleasant as he had always tought it would be. That of fear. He adopted his fiercest expression. "Don't make me come up there!"

Aveline found that the two seemed dazed and confused by all that had happened but had not shown any signs of trying to capture anyone or side with the Yugile. This could prove useful when and if the time presented itself that she reveal who she really was. For now though she settled on the idea they could be trusted. Before Aveline could say more her eyes widened in shock and she took a step back in case the Saurian accidentally stepped where she was stood and crushed her. With nothing to steady herself on when the Saurian moved towards the burnt down hut to inspect it she bent her knees to keep from falling over until the Dragon stopped moving.
Aveline's eyes followed the beast in curious measures all the while wondering what had brought it here, was it the ash that would be produced from the fire? some Dragons enjoyed ash. Not able to take her eyes off the Dragon Aveline watched it as it came closer, her own heart beating loudly in her ears as the beast lowered it's head to look at her. Gulping back her fears she knew the Dragon would see her for who she really was, and if she so chose would and could also crack the spell and expose her to all. She gritted her teeth in hopes the dragon would know she needed the spell to remain a while longer in order to begin their journey. But suddenly Secru was upon them shouting and making enough noise to bring a brigade around.
Her eyes were fixated still on the dragon her hand motioning for Secru to quiet down lest he agitate the beast into striking out. Secru then demanded the rider present themselves or else he'd go up there while Aveline's attention was now drawn to another who had called out for the Princess. She glanced around and eyed Valatar who'd chosen this moment to remain quiet.
Everything was going wrong, if they didn't get moving she could not fulfill her destiny, could not save her people. Stepping away from the Dragon she moved closer to the only one she felt safe around and shouted. "Alright.....enough all of you. Announce yourself rider of the Saurian...and you rider." she pointed at the Max,"Who are you and how do you know the Princess.
State your purpose or no one will see the Princess." She was beginning to get a headache and if things didn't pan out she'd go it alone with only Valatar as her companion. "Secru, let the rider dismount before you bombard him with questions." she was a little irked and simply wanted to get this over with so they could move on.