Rebellion: Rebirth » Places

         Pemberly

Kaida returned to the shop with the water. She set it down next to Saoul who had wiped his face, but had only managed to make the mess... messier. She smiled up at him before she got up and went to lean against the wall of his shop. She rested one hand on the hilt of her sword. Kaida wondered how old the lycan was, he looked young, but she too looked young and she had lived for quite some time.

"How old are you, Saoul? And happy birthday," she said softly after reaching up and brushing some silky strands of her hair from her face. It felt nice to speak to someone who shared her craft. In fact, she hadn't really spoken to anyone since the loss of her father. Talking to the attractive looking lycan was... calming.

Longbourne

Durion was back in his house, waxing the string of his bow when the commotion started. It wasn't loud, but there were whispers from the other elves, someone had entered the forests of Longbourne and they were unsure of the persons intentions. He finished his bowstring quickly and then strapped on the quiver to his back. Once outside he made his way towards the edge of the city to see what was going on.

In a matter of moments, a silver fox came trotting into the city. As Durion watched, the fox blurred, the form seemed to disintegrate before reconstructing and blurring back into view. The woman stood there watching the elves as they watched her. Deep blue hair flicked across her face and shoulders from the soft breeze that shifted through the city. Her bright eyes narrowed in on Durion. He wasn't sure he liked the look on her face.

"Do you need help?" one of the elves called.

Her gaze shot to the man then back to Durion, she never answered his question, instead she imposed her own, "I'm here on behalf of Prince Lucian. I seek his sister and I have been led here. Where is she?"

There was an underlying threat to her tone that didn't sit well with Durion. He watched her warily, moving his bow in front of himself, preparing to knock an arrow and fire if needed. The woman noticed his movement and she bent down into a defensive position. Her lips pulled back, showing the sharpened teeth of a shape shifter. This isn't good...

         Calahad nodded at the half-elf, his eyes closing with a 'Hmm'.

"What do you tast- I mean what do you want to go there for? They are treacherous people. If they feel you are an enemy, they will destroy everyone who knew you. I don't think your partner is safe here. But then again, you are a champion. I'm sure you have thought of that." lurked forward the sweet, charming voice of the elves.

The statement made the lumbering human to stop in his tracks, pressing his gloved hand to his broad chin. "I was fearful of that. Perhaps, I wished to deny it, but in my heart, I knew that was most likely the situation..." He said, with a half-sigh, half-groan. "Nevertheless, t'is my duty to my kingdom - my people. I feel the fire in my chest, needing to fulfill this duty: No matter how dangerous, or how haphazardly I proceed, I must not falter. Truly, I had hoped that this not the case. However, seeing how it is, it is most likely...." He stopped, opening his eyes, looking up into the tree limbs above him, sheltering the pair from direct sunlight. "Most likely that I go to my grave - a tongue-shriller that all the music calls me. But I lived happily. I can die with honor, and pass flawlessly into the afterlife." He stated with a nod, before looking down onto the elf. He'd not mention his one regret- leaving Keile.

"And as for Keile... I am solemnly aware of that. Yet, which shall I do? Take her with me into the blaze, or let it creep towards her?" he said, his gaze gloaming to the ground. "What say you, Stephen? What is your oppinion upon that matter? Shall we go back, and let her join us? Would she be safer where I myself could protect her?" He asked, looking questioningly at the half-elf. He was really waiting to speak about this topic, before saying anything more...

         Velyssira listened intently to everything that her Lord told her. He spoke quickly, but clearly. His first order was for her to keep silent on what was going on. Perhaps she had been the only one who had noticed the sudden commotion. Her falcon eyes narrowed slightly to show her own concern and irritation at the situation. The night shift had been hers.

"My Lord, please forgive me. The night shift was mine. I accept any punishment you see fitting for my allowing this to happen," she fluttered her wings in agitation, "I will help you find your sister."

The shifter took off from the saddle, shooting straight up into the sky. She pushed her wings to fly faster, her head cocked off to one side so her eye could inspect the ground beneath her. She changed her direction to fly back to the castle where she circled around the living area of the royal family. Her eyes sharpened as best she could in order to spot the footprints that Lord Lucian had told her about. She caught sight of the footprints leading away from the castle in large strides. Velyssira didn't like the look of them at all. Her heart clenched. Lord Lucian had said something about the possibility of the culprit being someone who already had access to the palace and the rooms.

She mentally shook herself, needing to concentrate on the task at hand. However, she still berated herself for missing something so essential. Diving, she followed the tracks, lowering herself to the ground and flying quickly over the trail. Her eyes followed them as best she could. Her wings were beginning to tire as she'd flown quite a ways away from the castle. Still on the trail she knew she couldn't stay in the form of the falcon for much longer. She slowed her body and began shifting back to her human form. It hurt to get back into human form having been in the falcon one for quite a while.

Velyssira didn't waste any time and continued on foot following the trail. She went through thin trees, up a hill and stopped at the ridge. The trail continued on down the other side of the hill. She knelt down, her eyes narrowing as she looked into the small village where she was sure the tracks continued on. There was only a handful of houses down below her. The girl couldn't be too far. Velyssira sat a while longer. She couldn't shift into any other form at that moment, but she couldn't just sit and do nothing either. She had two choices. Go into the town herself and find the Lord's sister, or go back and find the Lord to tell him what she'd found.

After a moment she stood. Finding the girl was priority. Who knew what would happen to her if she was gone too long. Velyssira started down the hill.

         Kraven's Crossing

Calahad Rojo

Calahad was just about to leave his stand-still, ready to leave his hometown behind. His first step strode forth, taking his breath with him. But just as his second step was to take flight, he heard voice behind him, inquiring him in the airiest of tones.

"Separation is always painful. It's the fallacy of all beings. May you return to your daughter safely. Where are you going, if I may ask?"

The tone of the man was - soft. Almost sultry, like the whispering of a defiant thief, yet soothing, like a consoling parent. Smooth. It wasn't had to place the voice in the throat of an elf. The lumbering man would turn around, raising an eyebrow at his inquisition-er. "Aye - parting to which I shant forget soon. My mind shall linger on this place for many nights." He admitted, looking down upon his elven guest. "And nay - though Keile is not my daughter, she is but the size, hm?" He said with a chortle. Calahad had to acknowledge that he towered over his wife - making her look like a child.

He let out a bright chuckle yet again.

The broad human smiled lightly down on the elf, propping a hand upon his own hip. "Greetings, my friend. I'm Calahad Rojo, Champion of Vediore. And I stride North - I seek out the kingdom of Netherfield, and I seek council with their king." He said, adding spite to the voice of the last words. He hated to think of these creatures as civil, but at the same time, he could not pass judgement. For all he knew, they could have been! "I am going to travel to the North, until I hit the trade road connecting Longbourne and Thorton Lacey. From there, I shall proceed using the trade routes. I expect to be there within a few weeks time, perhaps sooner, if I can find someone with a steed for sale along the way." He confessed to the elf. He hardly knew the elf - yet he had just given him his entire plan. He must've been quite confident in his lack of secrecy.

"And who might you be, friend?" He said looking over the elf again.

         The heat of the fire caused beads of sweat to form along her brow. She turned the blade that she was heating in the fire, watching it closely before pulling it from the red hot coals. With one hand she held the weapon steadily on the anvil, with the other she raised her hammer. In a swift, smooth motion she brought the hammer down to the bright red steel. Sparks showered the area. Turning the blade she hit it again in the same spot. Kaida continued with the same motion for several minutes, then thrust the blade back into the fire.

She never looked up from her work, diligently lost in the rhythm of steel against steel. It was an order from one of the local men that she worked on. In the last couple of weeks she had been getting more and more work, requests for new weapons or repairs to old ones. Not that she minded the work, in fact she welcomed it. It gave her something to do rather then be left to her own thoughts which tended to brood on her lost father. She was just curious as to why she had the sudden boom in business. It wasn't like there was war brewing. However, the feeling that something was about to happen wouldn't leave her mind. It pricked at the back of her thoughts, made the hair stand on her neck. Deep inside, her wolf instinct was pulling, telling her to prepare herself for whatever was going to happen.

Turning, she tossed the heated blade into a large bail of water. Steam filled her open shop. It was the third blade that she'd worked on since she'd gotten up that day. The only thing left to do with them was sharpen them, wipe them down and add the final touches to both blade and handle. Kaida took one from the water bail, the steel was cooled enough for her to put it to the sharpening wheel. Her body relaxed to the sound of steel grinding. She only looked up once from her work to see if anyone had come into the open shop. Lycan's like herself busied the street outside. She returned to her work.