Graced

"Here kitty, kitty. Where is little miss disappear?" Kitty? Since when is she called kitty. Elle dropped down from the roof and instantly all four guards turned to her. The one that had called her kitty grinned and shifted his sword. "Don't call me kitty, ever again," She said, her gold eye and her purple eye darting to each of the guards. THey all rushed toward her and in an instant she was gone. No flash, no poof, just gone. Some of them faltered but one of them kept charging forward. Elle drew her dagger and ducked low, letting the first one sail over her. She thrust her dagger up at the right time, and it embedded itself in his chest. He fell over dead and she yanked her dagger out. They all looked around confused, and she slipped over to another guard. She sliced his throat and skipped out of the way as another guard swung blindly at where he thought she was. Elle snickered and kicked him to the ground. Pummeling him in different directions, disorientating him. Eventually the final guard caught on and she pranced out of the way, not before slicing the man's throat which she was kicking.

The final guard looked around worried. Elle slowly walked toward him, her dagger outstretched. She pressed the cold dagger to his throat and leaned in, becoming visible again. Her eyes glittered like jewels and the man stiffened. "I think maybe I won't kill you, so you can tell King Sanguinarius that you failed," she whispered in his ear. She smiled and pushed the man forward. He stumbled to the ground and quickly got up, dashing off in the opposite direction. "Run along!" she cooed, smiling at her work. She tucked her dagger back into her leather boot and searched the guards sent to kill her. She picked up one of the swords, lightweight, sharp, small, and with a pretty looking gem embezzled into the hilt. Must be a royal sword. She took it and its sheath and fastened it to her belt. She robbed them of their food and provisions and continued along. She won that round of hide-and-seek

Lelani walked into a saloon. A tan brown hood covering her raven hair and hiding her one gold one green eyes. Her cloak covering her honey-brown skin. She got a few looks as she entered and a few whispers. They thought she was a thief. They were right for the most part. Theives were common around here, Gracelings weren't. She kept her hood pulled over her eyes. Thankfully the cloth was thin so she could see clear through it. She sat down at the bar. "What can I get you, Miss?" asked the Bartender. She was a old woman, with pale skin and sunken eyes. "Water." Lelani said, her voice silk smooth even though she was powerful thirsty. Her voice caught the attention of a few men that sat at a table near the bar. Her shapely body had drawn their attention when she entered but her voice seemed to peak their interest farther. One walked up to her and leaned his elbow against the bar.
"My My, With a body like your's, your face must be stunning."
"Drop Dead, Troll." was Lelani reply.
The man friends laughed at his rejection and it seemed it was another person's turn. another one walked up to her but he sat down at the bar.
"I apologize for my friend, He's an idiot." He said.
"If you think I'm falling for my friends a moron routine then you are just as stupid as he is." was Lelani reply. The man didn't seem to get the hint. "Oh, Don't be like that. I just want to get to know you..." He said and slid his finger across her arm. She quickly, grabbed the nearest fork and stabbed it into his hand. He screamed out and the whole bar turned to look. It was then his friends charged at her. She spun in the stool and narrowed her eyes. Without leaving her seat, she kicked one man in the side of the neck and with the crook of her foot and launched him into another man. The man whom she called a troll, pulled a knife. She grabbed him by the arm, twisted it, snatched the knife and slammed into his shoulder. She pushed him away as another grabbed her hood, She turned and cracked him in the face with her elbow. He crumpled to the ground while still gripping her hood. He pulled her hood down and everyone gasped.
"It's a Graceling!" Someone said. "No, It's worse, It's the Bandit, Lelani the Quick."
Lelani sighed. That was her que to go because she had a large bounty on her head. It was then most of the men at the bar stood up. She huffed, she couldn't fight them all. She stood up, shook out her hair and scanned for an escape route. She smiled. The rafters. She looked at the group of men slowly approaching her and backflipped on to the bar. She hadn't even known her water had arrived. She knocked it back quickly, wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and ran down the lentgh of the bar. She leapt up, dove over many hands that expected to catch her and landed on an empty table. The table top wobbled as she regained her balance, she jumped again but this time towards a wall, she kicked off the wall to gained more height and she grabbed on to the rafters. She grinned as she pulled herself up and stood on the top of them. The men all shouted at once, save for the ones she'd knocked out. She looked up and noticed a small hole in the ceiling. She knew it was big enough for her to squeeze through so she did. "Damn, Graceling!" She heard someone call as she slipped through the hole and on to the roof. She slid down the back and pulled up her hood and disappeared into the forest.

Strange places, towns were. Why cluster all together? What use does it bring than to strike awkward conversing between neighbors, and hostile groups parading around like they own the place. Why not live in separate areas and just connect them by roads, and have one business area in the middle? Rather than have houses pushed together, spread them apart, give some breathing room. She absolutely hated living in a town. She always just wanted to melt away, disappear. She chuckled to herself. And disappear she did. Take the town looming ahead for example. it was a town filled with gangs and twisted men. There was a saloon and everything. Just now, she could see what appeared to be a bandit walk into the saloon. Like she cared.

Elle twirled her dagger in her hand casually. She had several daggers, but only the sword she had nicked from the guards was visible (other than the knife she was twirling in her hand). She kept one dagger in each boot, both concealed be a flap that both hid the knives, and stopped them in place, so if someone were to tip her boot upside down and give it a shake, it wouldn't fall out. She had one attached to her belt in the front, and one attached in the back, hidden away behind the coarse leather. She had one strapped to each thigh, concealed under her stretchy cotton pants. They were about down to her knee, and were a certain kind of fabric that let in air when hot, and kept in heat when cold. She had one on each of her sides, the handle hidden by the straps on her leather tight vest. She also had a tiny needle hidden in her necklace, that is dipped in poison. In her hair is her most prized knives, two very thin, short knives that were surprisingly sturdy and razor sharp. They actually acted as pins, holding her hair in place. Lastly, was the dagger she was swinging now, which also was secured to her belt normally, to give the impression that she doesn't have as many concealed weapons as she does. The only piece of clothing that wasn't concealing a weapon was her cloak type thing, which was basically a cape with a hood and strings to tie to hold it in place.

Suddenly, ruckus coming from the saloon sparked her attention, and she stopped swinging her blade, and instead gripped it tightly. She pulled her hood over her head to conceal her eyes, but then thought she should just turn invisible anyway. She did, and tucked her dagger away, deciding on taking up the daggers from her boot, one in each hand. Quietly she crept to the door of the saloon and walked in, in time to hear a man say "I just want to get to know you." to the bandit she now discovered was a girl, a woman to be exact. Suddenly, the girl was twirling and hitting, attacking the man and his little posse. She turned visible again, seeing it really did not matter as long as her was up for now. She leaned against a wooden support and raised her eyebrows as the hood was taken off of the girl. There was no mistaking the green eye and the gold eye. A Graceling. She smiled as the entire saloon practically screamed 'Graceling'. The girl escaped through the roof and Elle snorted. Graced with speed? or perhaps agility? she had heard stories about this Graceling, as reports of Elle herself flew around the land.

Suddenly, Elle was startled back to reality as her hood was yanked off her head. She turned to see the man who was originally talking to the Graceling. "She's one of them! She's a Gracleing too!" he shouted. Several men drew swords, others intimidated her by balling their fists. Elle just laughed and stood there emotionless, her purple eye gleaming. The two daggers in her hands were dangerously poised, and she smirked. "Yes, I am, glad you noticed. Now, I will be going on my way. I don't want trouble. I really wouldn't want to slaughter innocent people who just want me for the reward." She gave a wicked grin and some lowered their weapons in fear, hearing stories about such Gracelings. Others held them higher, and some even laughed, clearly not intimidated. Her eyes darted around the group, and the man in front of her roared, charging toward her. Soon, others joined in and were surrounding her. Elle just raised an eyebrow. "fine, have it your way." With that, she thrust her daggers forward, killing the man who first charged. She turned invisible, and men looked around bewildered. She shoved her way through the crowd and exited the saloon, already wiping the blood from her daggers. The man deserved what he got.

Alex walked down the deserted street slowly, hands in his pockets as he took long, seemingly uncaring strides. Looking up he barely noticed the sound of footsteps behind him. It was the silent crunch of boot landing on a fine gravel. A sound others might of missed, however Alex gave no sign he heard anything. Instead he merely slipped around the corner into a narrow ally between two buildings. By the time he had walked half its length a figure stepped out on the other side, blocking the path forward. Alex came to a stop, not needing to look too know there was another approaching behind him. ALex's eyes narrowed behind the white mask that protected his face.

"Did my sister send you?" He asked with a voice barely above a whisper, the question echoed through the empty ally. In silence the figure moved towards him. The soft sound of metal scraping leather came from behind, a sword being drawn. At the same time the man in front of Alex pulled a crossbow from behind his back, bringing it to bear. The bolt fired but Alex was already in motion, he twisted around catching the wrist of the man wielding the blade and reversing their positions with a quick spin just as the bolt slammed into where Alex had been standing before. Embedding itself deep into the second man's throat, the tip barely protruding out the other side. Alex let the man fall to the ground after ripping the sword from the deadman's grip.

Bringing the sword to bear Alex examined the last man. "Whats your name?" He asked, in response the man pulled out a new bolt and began loading the crossbow again. Alex however was swiftly moving towards him, the sword gleaming as he reached the man and pushed the crossbow away, then hooking the man's left leg and sending him to the ground. Finally Alex leveled the blade at the man's throat. "Tell my sister, to send more next time." He began walking away when the man called out. "Funny, you can't take my life...but you can murder your entire fa..." he was cutoff as the blade was slammed down through his chest and into his heart. Alex left the blade in the man's torso and walked away quietly. disappearing through the winding backallys.

Lelani was jumped from tree to tree when she heard screaming coming from the saloon she'd just escaped from. "He's dead!" a woman cried and Lelani huffed. She swored she'd only knocked them all out. She wasn't a killer. Not anymore anyway.
She turned around and saw a hooded girl leave the scene. Lelani narrowed her eyes. She couldn't see who the girl was then suddenly she didn't see the girl at all. "A Graceling?" She said to herself and looked around for any sign of the Graceling girl. She saw none and headed back toward the woods.

She took to the trees until she found her way near the city. She hopped out the trees and walked casual down the streets, sticking to the backalleys. She frowned when she heard the very distinct sound of a blade being plunged into flesh. She froze as she saw a boy. He had the face of one who just took a life. She sported that look before. "Kinda messy, Don't you think?" She said, knowing she had nowhere else to go but the way he was coming from. She figured she should make her presence known. No use in scaring the lad into doing something foolish.

Alex stopped in mid step at the voice. It would seem someone had managed to sneak up on him after all. He tilted his head and looked over his shoulder at her. The girl was tall, slightly taller than him. He guessed she was around nineteen or twenty years of age, with the look of someone who had her fair share of experiences. At first glance he saw no weapons, but under the cloak it was hard to tell much of anything. Much to his regret he had removed the mask earlier and now held it in his left hand so she had already seen his smooth face, oddly devoid of scars that was often mistaken for someone younger and with less experience than he had in certain matters. He considered donning the mask but instead slid it beneath his coat.

“Anytime a life is taken it’s a messy business.” He said calmly, he had no weapon, but he noticed no signs of harm meant on this girl’s behalf. So either there meeting was random, or his sister was training better goons. His blue eyes examined her hood, pulled just low enough to cover the eyes. Not altogether odd but something about her put him on edge. Holding his hands at his sides, showing he had no weapons he said in a smooth yet deep voice; “You’ve seen my face, now show me yours, and we can have a proper conversation.”

A small smirk tugged at Lelani's lips and she held up hands. To show she had no weapons. It's was all that fair because he empty hands were her weapons. "Fair enough." She said. She pulled down her hood and shook out her hair. Making sure he could see her eyes. He wasn't a Graceling as far as she could tell. There was something...different about him. He had blue eyes but he felt like a Graceling.
"There, Now you've seen my face." She said trying to predict his next move. Sizing him up, she figured he wouldn't scream Graceling and try to take her in for the bounty. It was a hefty sum of money but he seem not to be in the market for bounty hunting. He seemed to be on a mission. "You seem like you're running from something." She said tilting her head some. "A trail of bodies, is probably sending the wrong message." She said, only guessing at what his intentions were.

Elle figured it would be best to get out of town. Now that they knew a Graceling was here, they would be sending bounty hunters after her. Like they could catch her. She snort and headed off down the path invisible. Motion caught her eye and she looked around, finally resulting in looking up in the branches above. She searched the greenery and finally found a figure. It was the girl Graceling from before. The girl leaped gracefully from the tree and walked right past her. Elle contemplated a course of action, and then decided on following her, curious.

They came upon an alleyway, and she peered in, watching a man, about 19 or 20, slash a knife through another man. The Graceling girl entered the alleyway. Interesting. She must be brave. For all she knew that could be a Graceling that could kill her. Elle followed closely behind and slid in between the two, still invisible, resting against the wall. She pulled her hood up and listened to the conversation. The man seemed like a Graceling, but his eyes were a normal color. She had never known a Graceling without two different color eyes. The conversation progressed further, and Elle finally decided to show herself. Turning visible again, her hood still pulled down to cover her eyes, she smiled.

"Yes, a wrong message indeed."

As she pulled down her hood he noted the differently colored eyes. A graceling, it would seem. That made her a threat to him in many ways. Though her intentions seemed innocent enough. She was confident to have shown her eyes so easily, confident that he wouldn’t try anything, or that she could stop him if he did. Either way he seemed to visibly relax a little, it was a false movement, but one he had much practice with.
“Some things are…”. He was cut off by another voice

"Yes, a wrong message indeed."

Alex glanced at the new comer; apparently he was slipping up, now two had surprised him in less than five minutes. “Unavoidable.” He finished with a sigh. The new girl also wore a hood, he quickly perceived she was likely a Graceling too. Glancing around he made note of a ladder leading up to a nearby roof, a means of escape if need be. “Friend of yours?” He asked the first girl while gesturing to the second. He decided not to mention that he was a graceling as well, he would wait and see if they figured it out themselves.

“That remains to be seen.” Lelani replied. Rolling her eyes at her own pun. She’d tensed up into a fighting stance, something she did often when she was startled and it was never a good idea to be the one to startle her. She’d noticed the boy scanning for escape routes. Aside from scaling the walls, there one only two ways out. The way she came and the way she wanted to go. “So, I heard you finished off those morons in the saloon?” She said to the girl. She was fairly certain the girl could be a serious threat. She could disappear after all.

Elle saw the tensed reactions of the two, and she almost laughed. "Easy there. I don't mean to fight you," she said, pulling her hood back, revealing her eyes. Her purple eye gleamed like a jewel, the color of her necklace. Her gold eye sparkled and darted to and fro. "I'm simply curious." she turned to the man, who was searching for escape routes. There was just something about him... The thought of him being a Graceling tickled at the back of her mind, but she pushed it away. The eyes would be different colors. Wouldn't they? She held her hands up as a sign to prove her point. They if they were to threaten her, she could probably reach behind her and grab the knives disguised as hair pins. Plus there were the ones hidden at the sides, under the vest, or...yeah, ok putting her hands up was practically useless, but it showed she meant no harm.

“So, I heard you finished off those morons in the saloon?”

She looked over to the girl. "Only the one that deserved it." She recalled what had happened. "I am impressed by how you got out. All I saw was you hopping down from the roof." She let her hands drop casually. "My name is Elle. Some people call me Gone, though. Or Goner. Sometimes even invisible. This morning, somebody, for whatever reason, called me Kitty. Call me whatever you want, heck I don't care. But my real name is Elle." she said.

"I've been called a great many things, Kitten being one of them. Didn't end well for the one choose that name but Lelani, will suffice. Perhaps, you've heard of me? My reputation has precided me in these parts as of late. Lelani the Quick " Lelani gave a dramatic bow to the Graceling girl- Elle. Elle was well equipt. Her body language practically screamed -Well Armed-. However, She didnt seem to want the bounty on her or simply didn't know of it. Either way, she wasn't a threat right now. "What about you, Sugar. You've got a name, I'm sure." She said looking to the boy. He wasn't a threat to her right now but she'd keep on her toes. Just in case.

Alex watched the exchange of words silently, as the new arrival Elli pulled down her hood his hunch proved true. She was a graceling, and he refused to fall into a false sense of safety by her show of being unarmed. The first girl introduced herself as Lelani the quick and ye remembered why she seemed familiar, he had seen a couple wanted posters of her around town. An interesting change in matters. Lelani gave a bow, then inquired as to his name. He thought about lying but saw no point in making the effort.

"Ah yes, it would he terrible manners not to introduce myself as well; my name is, Alexander Crises the third. Son of the late Alexander the second and the jewel of Zaric, Mary Crises." He used his full noble name, or rather his once noble name. Before everything had happened. This would be his way of discovering if either of the two worked for his sister, by paying attention to their subtle body language and how they reacted to the name, if at all. "However you ladies, may call me Alex. Now forgive me for being the, killjoy of this little get together but this area of town i fear will soon be bustling with activity and that leads to attention i think we would all rather avoid yes?"

Lelani narrowed her eyes. A Rogue Royal... She thought. He didn't look as though he suffered much. He had smooth skin but untrusting eyes. He had to be Rogue. She looked around the group. Two Graceling Girls and A Rogue Royal. If anyone caught them all together, they'd be richer then the Kings themselves. "I concer," She said to Alexander after he said they should leave. "however that brings me to my original point. Perhaps you should dispose of the body." She said with a tilted head and a wave of her finger toward the body.

A royal? Interesting. She hadn't heard the name before, but at the back of her mind it seemed familiar, just as Lelani's name had. Instantly she knew why, both were wanted, as she was. This group sure would attract a lot of attention. "Yes, agreed. The bodies should be disposed of." Even if somebody did come this way, blocking them off, she could turn invisible, but she would feel terrible for just leaving them there. Then again, Lelani managed to get out of that saloon. She could probably find a way out. As for Alex, well she was still a little perplexed. She still had it in her mind that he was a Graceling, but that didn't seem possible. "Standing here is making me uneasy." She pulled her hood up and walked to the end of the alleyway, peering out. All she saw was a group of kids skipping down the road. She turned and went to the other side. She saw a group of royal guards, and she slid back into the shadows. They were most likely looking for one, or all of them. She peeked out again, and the group was heading this way. Another group was further down, and a third was near the first group. She wouldn't be able to take on this many at once. Ok, maybe she could, but she had never tried, and there was about 20 there. Maybe more. They needed to get out of her. She slid back to the others. "We need to get out of here, now," she whispered.

Neither of them recognized him directly it would seem, in which case he did feel a little at ease. The voices he heard from the streets nearby put him back on edge though. Alex's attention came to the ladder again, it was in the shadow of the wall. Unnoticeable to most. While on one hand he agreed that the body was unneeded attention, he had his own reasons for leaving it. "The body stays, it has a message to deliver."Sliding his mask out he slipped it on and dashed to the ladder, taking it three pegs at a time. Halfway up he stopped and looked down.

"Watch the fourth and eighth rung, they will break under weight." His voice was slightly muffled under the mask but the words still easily understandable. Reaching the top of the ladder he stepped onto the rooftop which had high walls and a low roof, blocking him from sight of the streets. Alex traced a path along the roofs in his mind, noting which ones were closest and safest to traverse. He took in every detail, the loose planks on the third building to the left, the wet footing on the slope of the building on the right. In seconds he mapped out a successful route to a nearby warehouse he had been taking refuge in. His head poked back over the edge, looking down at them

“Well come on if you like, it’s safer than your other two options Ladies.”

Lelani tensed as she heard the military footfalls of oncoming guards. She watched as Alex climbed the ladder and Elle disappear.
"Well come on if you like, It's safer than your other two options, Ladies." Alex said from the roof. Lelani rolled her eyes. She looked at the opposite wall. She gave a small smirk and ran towards it as if it were an exit. Then as she reached it, she jumped up and kicked off of it with one leg and then kicked off of the other wall with the other. She repeated that until she reached the top, she latched on to the ledge climbed over. She gave Alex a quick smirk. "I think that mask is ridiculous, I just want you to know that." She said pulling up her hood.

Elle smiled to herself as Lelani completely ignored the ladder altogether. She pulled her hood up and took to the ladder, making sure not to use the fourth and eighth rung. Startled, she quickly turned invisible as a group of four started down the alleyway. She pulled herself onto the top of the roof and turned visible, so Lelani and Alex knew she was there. She yanked her hood up, as stray away pieces of blonde hair peeked out. Now, she was wishing she had a bow and arrow. If she did, she might be able to take down the guards from the roof. However, she did not. Mostly because she was only good at close combat, and she also had very little training with a bow and arrow. Sure, she might be able to hit the target, but other than that, she was to great. She turned to Lelani and Alex as she heard Lelani's comment about Alex's mask. "Yes, that mask is practically screaming 'I'm suspicious! Come over here and capture or kill me!'" she said, pulling her two daggers from her boots out, in case any trouble were to arise from the guards.

Alex moved slightly to the side when Lelani landed gracefully. so, her skill is agility. his thoughts whispered. At her comment he only chuckled quietly. He leaned back over just in time to see Elle disappear, as two guards rounded the corner. Alex quickly stepped back from the ledge, out of view. A second later she reappeared in front of him, he raised an eyebrow briefly.

"Yes, that mask is practically screaming 'I'm suspicious! Come over here and capture or kill me!'" She said before drawing two knifes. He turned and started walking across the roof, looking partially over his shoulder as he did. "This mask has a much more practical purpose than looking good, it carries the insignia of this kingdoms royal family. It is called a Caras, a mask used by royalty when they wish or need to walk the streets while hiding there identity. It's painted with a series of marks that when examined closely make the insignia. Most basic guards are trained to recognize the seal allowing the user to get through checkpoints and escape trouble with ease. Though the mask will not fool the more veteran soldiers since it is a counterfeit, it might however keep us from using those two bloody tools of yours if a standered patrol happens upon us." He reached the edge of the building as he finished.

Alex knew the use of the mask because of his noble blood, he in fact had his own Caras stowed away safely, along with ones carrying the seals of the other six kingdoms. With some hesitation to insure his measurements were right he jumped to the next roof, it was a little lower than the first allowing him to cover the distance with relative ease, landing on one knee. Not as graceful as Lel would likely do, but it got the job done. He didn't check to see if they were following, instead he started moving to the trapdoor on the roof, it would lead down into a store which had a back exit.

Lelani face was etched with boredom as she took notice of the two guards. She blinked when Elle appeared in front of her. This girl was something else. Quick for the Kill. That's what they used to say about Lelani. but that was in the past.
She listened as Alex started glin on about his mask. She rolled her eyes. "I stopped listening after 'looking good'." She lied although she really couldn't care less. It was a little dramatic for her taste and that was saying alot.

She watched him jump sloppily to the next roof. " Amateur..." She said to herself and she gave a short run and simply jumped over to the roof and landed softly, bending at the knees so that she would break her ankles and so that it wouldn't make too much noise. "Leave it to the Graced. You'll hurt yourself, Fair Prince." She teased, with a pat to his shoulder.

Elle tucked her two daggers back into her boots. She gave a few steps backward before running forward and launching herself off the roof. She was coming in to hard, so she tucked her legs in. She hit the roof on her side, rolling, and then hoping up without only a scratch on her knee. She handled that pretty well. Almost gracefully. Of course she would probably never get it down like Lelani just had, but at least she didn't make a full of herself.

"Leave it to the Graced. You'll hurt yourself, Fair Prince."

Elle gave a silent laugh. "Yes, Prince Alex, where do we go to now?" She asked, making a big dramatic gesture with her hands for him to first. She peered over the edge of the roof, about ten guards marching back in forth. Then it made her think. Where were they going? Just out of town? Or always on the move? Always in hiding? She shrugged and looked at the line of roofs ahead of them.

"Leave it to the Graced. You'll hurt yourself, Fair Prince."Her voice came from behind, along with a following pat to his shoulder. For just a second he could see it so clearly, the easy twist which would catch her wrist and break it, followed by three quick jabs to the elbow, ribs then throat, finished by a quick knee to the face as she doubled over. He shook off the thought, controlling his temper. He looked at her from the corner of his eyes.

"You assume too much. I am neither fair, nor a prince..and as for leaving it to the graced..." he let the sentence hang and turned back to the trap door. It was colored the same shade as the roof, likely sealed shut by paint long ago, however the paint had begun to ware, its bond had become weak. Making it a simple obstacle to overcome.

"Yes, Prince Alex, where do we go to now?" Elle said, with some dramatic gesture he only half saw. Alex gripped the trap door on one end and pulled. It made a groan as the old paint ripped away and the creaky door came free. Afterwords Alex stopped and listened for any guards who might have heard it. Content they were still under the radar he stood and pointed towards it. "Downward my dear." He said somewhat sarcastically, then giving a wink he lowered himself into the closed shop.

Elle rolled her eyes and hopped in after him. The area was dimly lit by the light coming in from the trapdoor, and as far as she could tell, it was a shop of some sort. She walked to a bookshelf and slid her finger along the surface of the shelf, picking up a thick layer of dust along the way. Her hand ran into a spider web and she pulled it back. "Ew," she said, brushing her hand off and walking to the door. She pressed her ear to it, and she could hear the steady thump of the guards walking along the street. She swiped more cobwebs out of the way and looked for windows or doors. "There a back door somewhere?" she whispered, peering around Alex. His comment about the Graced further supported her suspicions. He wasn't just a royal. She looked at his eyes again, the light glinting off of them. Maybe one was a slightly different shade than the other. Or maybe it was a different thing, like size, or...she caught herself staring and didn't want to be rude. He wasn't just a royal. A Graceling? Maybe. But not just a royal.

Lelani noticed how he quickly sized her up. Something she did often. A tug came at the egde of her lips but faded when he spoke. She rolled her eyes. He was definitely Graced. Agile, no but most certianly Graced and he wasn't much for a joke. She jumped through the trap door with a spin, bending at the knees again. She stood up and looked around. She flicked her nose after dust from her landing invaded it. She listened to the guards and huffed. There was no way she was leaving now...She'd have to wait until the night. Which was probably best. She looked over her company. "So, Since we clearing aren't leaving here right away..." She gestured to the sound of marching soliders. "What is your Graced ability, Alex. It certainly isn't agility." She said looking around. She ran her fingers of a dust covered shelf and turned up her nose. "Oh a sense of humor..." She muttered dusting her hands off. She turned to him and smiled ryely.

Alex was moving from wall to wall, sliding along it with his hands. He caught Elle staring at him briefly, she seemed to realize she was staring and turned away. Cute girl, she must be trying to figure me out, either that or planning to slit my throat. His mask hid a small smile, continuing to move along the wall he heard the other girl drop down. No doubt exerting more acrobatic stunts. Alex felt she was a little to much into show boating, he was somewhat surprised she had lasted this long. He stopped and pulled away a large cobweb from the wall, finding what he was looking for finally.

What is your Graced ability, Alex. It certainly isn't agility. Lelani asked somewhat knowingly. Briefly he considered what to tell her. He leaned against the wall silent for a moment, listening outside. Waiting for a specific sound. The truth would be easiest, but where was the fun in that? "Hmm? oh, you couldn't tell? Its my charming good looks and fetish for flexible women. So you should be really careful around me, someone might get hurt." He said with a sly smirk hidden behind his mask. From outside there was the sound of music, Alex pulled his cloak tight around him and checked to make sure his mask was tight. "When we get out there, stay close and take your hoods off, you'll blend better." His eyes flickered from one of them to the other as the music got louder, horns began playing and the sound of a crowd cheering came from outside. He shoved his elbow against the door he leaned on and it gave way just as the sound of a fire dancer manipulating flames was heard. Alex walked backwards into a cluttered crowd that was cheering and dancing around a large moving carnival complete with fire breathers, music players, and all kinds of somewhat gruesome folk.

"Cute." Lelani responded. Maybe he did have a sense of humor after all. She flinched at the sound of music. Not a very a good memory when music was involved. "A Carnival...Of course." She muttered and peeked out the window. She pulled down her hood and frowned turning away when she saw her likiness posted up on a wall. She looked around and saw a bejeweled eyepatch hanging on a kiosk that sold different bejeweled baubles and accessories. She plucked it from the kiosk without so much as a clink from the other trinkets. She slipped it over her gold eye and flipped out her hair over it. It was a small disguise but it was better then nothing. She looked around for something else to where. She spotted the fire dancers tent and rolled her eyes. Never again. She thought and realized she'd rather be caught and flogged before she wore that again. She looked at Alex and Elle, grinning. "How do I look?" She gestured dramatically at her eyepatch.

Elle watched with fascination as her searched along the wall for something. Gifted with sight? Touch? Either way, he was graced. She watched as he elbowed open a door. Nice. But pulling her hood down was not a good idea. Her eyes were way too different. Purple and gold? that would not work well. She watched as Lelani snatched an eyepatch and covered her gold eye. She wouldn't be able to do that because she would still have a strange colored eye. "Nice, sort of like a pirate, but good enough. I'm just going to turn invisible because my eyes are to much of an odd color. They would attract to much attention." With that she turned invisible, looked around to see if there were any guards. There were one or two positioned in the alleyways, but other than that, it was all clear. She leaned in towards Alex and gently tapped his shoulder, so as not to startle him. "And take that ridiculous mask off, your going to attract to much attention to yourself, and Lelani." she said, before leaning away and drawn a slender knife from her belt, just in case, still invisible. Maybe she was a little paranoid, but that came from years of being tracked.

He snickerd at the eye patch as the crowd swarmed around them. When Elli told him to take off the mask he waved his arm around, pointihg to the diffrent performers in exotic and fasanating clothing. "Have you ever seen a carnaval? Masks are a reguler part of the act." He said in a light voice. He began moving through the crowd, walking fast but smoothly.

"Carnavals are the one event any grace can blend in, i spotted two already. Both performing, thats why your eyes wont matter." His voice drifted back. He passed between a pair of jugglers, one male and one female. Alex stopped for a second and whispered into the females ear, then resumed moveing. The girl, no older than 19 moved torwards a pair of guards and distracted them long enough for Alex to slip by, hopefully with his new 'friends' right behind. The carnavill and crowd was further along the street now, putting him on the edge of it, heading torwards a boarded up building.

"Yes, That would be lovely, If Wanted Posters of me weren't plastered all over the village walls." Lelani said and watched Alex simply speak to a girl and she walked over to the guard's. There was that tug at her lips again. Lelani slipped by and fell into step with him. "It's Persuasion...That's your Graced ability. You are an interesting Graceling, aren't you, Mr. Alex?" She said, now very curious. She wanted to examine his eyes but she couldn't see them under his mask. She shook her head and kept moving.

Elle bit her lip, considering the idea of turning visible, but decided against it. She was impressed at how Alex managed to get a girl to distract a guard. She thought over his grace. "No, its not persuasion, I don't think. Maybe vision? Wisdom? persuasion maybe," she said, at a whisper, because of the couple that walked by at that moment. She walked ahead of them, and then turned around, to walk backward, attempting to look at Alex's eyes again. They were pretty obscured by the mask, but she could see them without him knowing. They were both blue, a nice color. She narrowed her eyes in concentration. It looked as if one was just one shade darker. But maybe she was imagining things. Her thoughts, however, were disrupted as she backed into a child. The child looked behind, but obviously didn't see her. She quietly backed away, falling back into step on the other side of Alex.

"It's Persuasion...That's your Graced ability. You are an interesting Graceling, aren't you, Mr. Alex?" Lelani said from one side of Alex. He glanced at her briefly then pulled a key from one of his inner jacket pockets out and used it on the door. It opened with a groan into a dirty and empty warehouse that was dimly lit with a few candles. Providing just enough light to make out a makeshift bed of hay, a rotting table that looked like it could barely support the weight of a few plates, and an medium sized iron chest that was locked tight wit a oddly shaped keyhole. He walked in and draped his coat over a nearby chair. Turning Alex held the door open for the two. “Good guess, but no. Why ever would you think such a thing?” He paused for a moment

“Feel free to make yourselves at home, it is not much but it is safe and that is more important than comfort.” He looked at them both in turn. Wondering what cause fate had in store for the three of them, a chance meeting like this must be more than just coincidence. He reviewed them all in his head, a agile acrobat, a invisible women, and a reflexive royal rogue.
How intresting...

Lelani walked through the door, "It's better then my gyspy tent in the woods..." She said looking around with quite curiosity then frowned some.
"Isn't it obvious, You just waltzed up to the girl and got her to do your bidding but if that's not it, then what is it?" She said. "The suspense is pounding." She said and removed her cloak and eyepatch, revealing her slender arms, what which had thin raised lines going across. One in particular was thick and started from her shoulder and disappear under her cloth turtle neck shirt and reappeared on the other shoulder. She tossed her cloak on to the same chair he did as if she'd lived here forever. He did said make yourself at home. She combed back her hair with her fingers moving the hair from her face. Her Graceling eyes large and bright even in the dull light.

Elle stepped into the room last, turning visible. Taking in its full "glory". "This your place?" she asked, taking off her hooded cape and throwing it onto the pile. She gave the hay bed a small kick and looked around, running a finger along an iron chest, picking up a thin layer of dust. "better than that abandoned store, I guess." She took out her small knives that held her hair in place and shook her hair out. She tucked the knives into a pocket in her belt and sat down on the hay bed. She looked around and saw the lines on Lelani's skin. 'What are those from?" she asked, sizing Lelani up. They were an odd bunch.

Camryn, also known as Vee, was sitting in front of her mirror in her personal tent after a dance performance and was tiredly removing the makeup from her face as a calico cat strolled in. Vee looked over at the cat and smiled "Hey there Melody." she heard the reply in her head 'Hi! How've you been?' Vee finished removing the makeup and stood up to get soome of her normal every day clothes from a bag "Good, you?" Melody circled happily 'I've been great!' Vee nodded "Alright, well, would you mind exiting my tent and waiting for me outside?" 'Sure!' Melody slipped back out and Vee changed out of the dance dress and into the normal clothes. She sighed in relief to be out of the dress, walked outside, left her jacket behind and closed her tent door. She started walking down a quiet street when Melody almost tripped her "Jeez Melody, I've already told you not to do that!" Vee lightly laughed and shook her head. 'Sorry. Oh, have you caught any mice, I mean eaten recently?' Vee shook her head "No, Not really hungry anyway." Vee and Melody were walking past a boarded up building and heard voices coming from within. Vee stood there debating whether to let her curiosity take over and go check it out or not.

Alex walked over to the table and placed his mask on it, taking a moment to straiten his hair. Turning he looked at Lelani, his blue eyes glinting in the candlelight. Giving a half smile which seemed to lighten his face up a little he said. "the girl was all to happy to help, once i mentioned that I was traveling with two graced ones. She was a grace ling too you see, i told you they were common at carnivals." He took a metal cup off the table and poured some water from a brown pitcher nearby into it. "As for my Grace, you both assume I am in fact a graceling. Although surely by now you have noticed my eyes are normal. Furthermore, I have no incentive to tell you anything about me so why bother asking?" He countered.

As she took off her cloak Alex noticed her body was slender even more than he believed it was, built for her grace no doubt. He also noticed the marks, looking at them with some interest. Scar tissue perhaps? he thought to himself. He was about to inquire about them when Elle did first. 'What are those from?" She asked, Alex took a sip of water and maintained a indifferent look on his face.

Lelani simply smiled. She looked over her scars and shrugged. "Occupational Hazard." She said, which wasn't a complete lie, the small ones were from being a bandit but There was way more to the big one then that but she was intitled to her secrets.

Elle nodded in understanding. Both Alex and Lelani not exposes to much made sense, for she wouldn't want people prying into her life either. She had said all she needed to say herself. She didn't mind saying her grace because it was pretty obvious if you saw it. The rest of her life? She doesn't quite remember. She is hunted. That is basically all she knows. Her father died before she was born and her mother died giving birth to her. She was on her own. Somebody raised her, but she didn't know who because by the time she could actually remember things, he had died also.

A sound outside the door caught her interest. She crept over to the door and turned invisible. She peeked out between two wooden boards through a window to see a girl. A girl with a cat. And by the looks of it, she was a graceling too. Elle turned back to the others. "We've got company," she whispered, motioning to the door.

Melody meowed and scampered over to the door 'I could go in and check it out for you!' Vee folded her arms and looked at the cat at the door, half whispering "No! You are my friend. If there are hunters in there they might use you to lure me in." the cat started pattering down the street 'Alright, well I have to go.' Vee waved to the cat "Seeya." she looked back at the building and finally decided on something. She walked over to a boarded up window and peeked through a crack. She saw one of the girls and the guy she helped by distracting the guards. "Huh, wasn't expecting that." She wondered where the other girl was.

Lelani eyebrow popped to the top of her forehead. It was the Graceling Alex persuaded, peeking through the window. The girl was making it very obvious. With a huff, Lelani stormed outside, grabbed the girl by the arm-keeping her grip tight but not hard enough to hurt- and yanked her inside, shutting the door behind them. She covered the girls mouth so just in case she screamed. "Let's not peak the guards curiosity, Ay, Dancer girl." She whispered harshly. It was then a group of guard marched by outside. Lelani gestured to the door with a look that read 'See.'

Alex turned his attention to the girl outside, the one from the carnival he quickly noticed. Apparently she was being nosy. The girl's mouth was moving but Alex could see nor hear anyone else with her. He briefly toyed with the idea that she was being used as bait but discarded, instead he turned his attention to her animal. A beautiful cat, it seemed attached to the girl almost. He was about to say something when Lelani raced out and yanked the girl inside. "Let's not peak the guards curiosity, Ay, Dancer girl." She said as two guards passed by.

Alex moved up behind Lelani, placing a hand on her shoulder. "I would suggest moving your hand, you already likely scared her half to death, no need to suffocate her as well." He said in a calm but stern voice. Then turned his attention to the girl. "Hello again, you really should be more careful about where you place your eyes. My new, friends, for lack of a better term tend to act first and ask questions later." His voice took on a gentle note. Yet his eyes were intent and focused.

Elle backed up and turned visible again, narrowing her eyes. "You're the Graceling that helped us by distracting the guards." She was then silenced as she too, heard the footsteps of guards walking past. She spoke again, but as a whisper "Why were you spying on us? Or just curious? What is your Grace?" She crept over to the door and peeked out again, seeing the guards marching away into the distance.

When the door was closed, Vee folded her arms and gave Lelani a growl she had picked up from some wolves "If anything was to 'peak the guards curiosity' it would be a stranger yanking a dancer into a supposedly abandoned building so suddenly. Not a normally curious carnival dancer peeking through a boarded up window. Plus, I met some of those guards at the carnival. They wouldn't have been suspicious about me being up to anything unless I was actually acting suspicious." she jumped when Elle turned visible "Woah! Uh, yeah that was me. I was curious because I heard voices. And my Grace..." she paused, not sure if she should tell strangers but decided to anyway. "I can talk to and control animals. Though I've only controlled animals a few times. I'm guessing yours is hiding aka invisibility, right?" she looked over at Alex and sloghtly smiled "Hi. And, yeah, I can see that." she looked around. "Not bad. It's cozy and doesn't have any music that can get stuck in your head and give you a headache."

Lelani threw up her hands. "Well, In my experience, Guards, Graceling Dancers and anything secluded was a bad combination but since you know them so well..." She said and plopped in a seat. "And I said 'curiousity' not 'suspicion' there is a big difference." She pointed out, suddenly aware of the large scar across her back. She fought away the dark memory.

Not bad. It's cozy and doesn't have any music that can get stuck in your head and give you a headache." the girl said. Alex smiled a little. "Yes, it does help to have a little peace and quiet in your hideouts." Since her grace was animal related the cat must have been her companion, he wondered if the cat had noticed her being pulled in when it was walking away.

"Now if we can all calm down a little, perhaps we can figure out a way to help one another, you have all seen my face, and my hideout yet i can't simply kill the three of you." His tone of voice gave the impression that he had actually given the thought consideration. "Yet none of us trust each other to the point of letting our guard down, so lets start with the basics. I'm Alex, that is Lelani" He pointed at her. "and she is Elle." he indicated Elle. Then turning back to the girl he asked. "You would be?"

Ignoring Alex's tone Vee introduced herself "Camryn Venturous Jones. You can call me anything really but I prefer Vee." She noticed for the first time that Alex's eyes were both blue but he seemed to be a Graceling. Despite her curiosity she pulled her eyes away from his "It's nice to meet you all. Well, more like learn your names because I pretty much already met you." she smiled but then looked back at Alex "Oh, and you owe me. You know the only way I could distract them? I had to ask the guards to dance. Otherwise they would have ignored me." she folded arms once again with an uncomfortable look from thinking about when she had danced with the guards.

Lelani gave a quick wave when Alex introduced her. She laughed a bit when Vee mentioned dancing for the guards. "See...Now could you imagine them seeing you peeking through here. Nothing good could've come from that." She said matter-of-factly. "But why listen to me..." She added under her breath. She crossed a leg over the other and kicked the top one. "Graced with Agility by the way." Now typically she wasn't such a pest but the thing with guard put her in a sour mood.

Elle gave a chuckle at Vee's surprise whenever she turned visible. "Yes, I guess you have assumed my Grace," she said, i response to the introduction Vee gave. Then she puzzled over Alex's comment about his hideout, and killing them. The thought was peculiar. "I think it would be rather hard to kill me, Alex," she said with a raise of her eyebrows. He was cocky. But interesting that he would be able to even think about killing all three of them. His Grace must be something. Mind reading? Nah. She then curiously looked to see if he was looking at her, reading her thoughts. He was turned away, so instead, she thought maybe she would be able to get his attention. She stared at him, her gaze practically boring holes into his skin. Alex! Can you hear me? she thought, staring intently at him.

"A pleasure to meet you Camryn." He tipped his head slightly. "As for that favor, I shall keep it in mind." He turned and moved towards the iron chest.

"I think it would be rather hard to kill me, Alex," Elle said from behind him he shrugged his shoulders and kneeled, pulling a key from his pocket he unlocked the chest. As he opened it he saw Elle's reflection in the steel, she seemed to be staring at him again. Blatantly this time. Opening the chest he fumbled inside it, moving some vials and coins out of the way and grabbing a small velvet bag. "Not if you stare at everyone that way, seems like it would be easy to sneak up on you." He said in a slightly accusing tone before closing the chest and turning around, the velvet bag still in one hand.

"A pleasure to meet you too, Alex." Vee replied and noticed how properly he spoke and, reminding her of a very creepy man from one time in the carnival, shuddered. She watched as Alex fumbled through the items and eyed the velvet bag with curiosity. She sat on the floor even though she saw a few chairs around. As she sat down Vee realized that Alex had callen her Camryn and shot him a look for a split second, thinking of sending a few mice up his legs to go up to his head and nibble on his hair. She slightly laughed at the image that had formed in her head but brushed the thought aside because it had just been a name.

Kayla Sandor walked through the carnival enjoying the exotic sights and sounds, having spent a great deal of the last few weeks away from civilisation it was refreshing to be around the sounds and smells of the city. She wouldn't want to live there as it was too noisy and crowded but for a short time it was nice to be around people. Of course she had to keep the hood low so that her eyes were not visible but it was still nice to be around people again. Kayla's life was a solitary one by necessity as her Grace meant she always had to be on her guard and with her gold and silver eyes she wasn't able to blend in with others. Most of the time she was happy enough with her own company but occasionally like then she felt the need to be around others and pretend she was a normal person. The other reason she was there was that she had run low on funds and needed to make some money in order to live. She often found carnivals and other events like this one was the ideal place as she could use her Grace without drawing the wrong kind of attention. People expected to see the unexpected at a carnival and as long as she made it look harder than it really was people usually accepted her as simply being skilled.

She stopped when she reached the archery contest and was pleased to find there was plenty of others lined up to compete. The more there were the bigger the prize money was and Kayla intended to win that prize. She quickly signed up for the contest and took her place in front of her designated target. She quickly and efficiently strung her bow and ensured it was still limber and had not been damaged in the recent bad weather they had had. Satisfied it was still in good condition she fastened a brace around her wrist and then stood waiting for the others to be ready. She kept her hood up of course ignoring the few strange looks she received. Finally the others competing were ready and the contest began. The first few rounds went by quickly with Kayla easily hitting the centre of the target. She wasn't worried about looking too skilled in the first rounds as it was expected that they were the easier ones and any skilled archer worth their salt would not find them particularly challenging. As the contestants slowly reduced in number and the rounds grew more challenging Kayla began to hesitate over her shots trying to make it look harder than it was.

But she noticed the man beside her making each shot easily and with a start she recognised him, he was the man who had accosted her on the road a few days previously. Though skilled as she was at long range when things got up close and personal Kayla was average at best. The man had managed to to disarm her and take her money and her favourite bow which she saw he was using then. She had been reduced to using her spare that she kept for emergencies which was in no way the equal of the one the man now held. Normally Kayla was a calm, measured person who deliberately stayed in the shadows and avoided drawing attention but right then seeing the man holding her bow caused anger to rush through her. As if sensing her angry gaze the man glanced her way and his eyes widened clearly recognising her, he smiled slowly, maliciously and Kayla glared at him. She would not allow him to win this contest not with her bow and she certainly was not going to allow him to leave the carnival without punishment for attacking her.

No longer thinking about being careful Kayla brought her full skills to bear on the contest, firing fluidly and quickly hardly needing to aim between shots. Dimly she heard people gasp around her as her arrows found her mark each and every time some landing in the centre of a previous arrow she had fired. The man scowled clearly recognising that he could not compete with her but trying anyway. But inevitably she was the last one standing and accordingly won the contest. Finally lowering her bow she turned to glare again at the man beside her and saw that he was no longer there. He had obviously decided to leave before she could confront him. She realised with foreboding that everyone was staring at her. She stood frozen unsure whether to run or try and brazen things out.

Elle blushed a little. Yes staring at someone would be an easy target to be sneaked up upon. She gave a smile and looked away. Clearly his grace wasn't mind reading. She frowned, puzzling over it. She shook off her thoughts and noticed that Alex had pulled out a velvet bag. Interesting. Something in a velvet bag was always interesting, or else it wouldn't be in velvet, right? "What's in the bag?" she asked giving Vee a quizzical look, as she noticed her giving Alex an odd look. They really were an odd bunch. Three Graceling girls and a royal. A Graceling royal, yes. strange.

"This, my dear is...a little insurance, an act of faith on your parts. " Alex replied crypticly. Walking over to the table he collected four glasses an filled them each halfway with water. From the bag he pulled a pinchfull of silvery dust, lightly sprinkling it into each of the four glasses. While he worked he watched thete expressions in the reflection of the cups.

After stirring the dust into the water he tied the small velvet bag shut andvslid it into his back pocket. Then turning he handed each of them a glass then returning to the table. He held his glass up. "To new friends, and new relationships." He tgrew the glass back and downed the contents in one gulp, suppresing a shutter at the horrible and strong taste. Then placed the cup down too see who else drank.

Vee picked up a glass and sniffed the air above it only catching a hint of something strong. She glanced at the water and back at Alex, wandering what the silvery dust was. She raised the glass, only smiled and nodding once before she downed the liquid in a few gulps. She almost shuddered at the taste as she put it back down on the table.

Lelani arched an eyebrow. She had suffered the 'shakes' from making her body immune to most poisons. She grabbed a glass and sniffed. It wasn't anything she recognized. "Here, Here." She said and raised the glass. She wasn't sure if it was a unknown poison he was immune to but if she didn't drink it. She'd have another problem. She decided to take a sip. If it was poison she'd take it in small portions.

Elle raised her eye brows. As she was handed the drink. Oooooh, so many options to consider. Well, first Alex had drank it, so I am to assume that it is fine. But for all I know, he slipped something else into my glass. So really, the question would be, do I trust him? Well, he has been rather strange, not even full out saying he is a Graceling. Not to mention his eyes aren't different colors, which means he's some different sort of Graceling, normal, or managed to change his eye color. The whole act just says: suspicious. Not to mention the mask. I personal don't trust him, if he isn't trustworthy enough of us. And another thing arises, what if this is a poison, and eve though Alex did drink it, he may be immune to it. She was not immune to poisons herself.

Then again, the consequences for not drinking it could be bad. But then again, she could probably fight Alex off, and manage to escape by turning invisible, and fighting poison off is close to impossible. Both ways weren't looking pretty. It wasn't as if she intended to rat Alex out either, or kill him for that matter. She just didn't like the chances. There were to many of them. She closed her eyes briefly. "I can not take this. No. It is not that I don't view us as 'friends' but last time I drank something somebody handed to me, I woke up the next morning inside a prison cell. Luckily, I escaped, but I really don't want a repeat." Her hand twitched, ready to grab her knives in case trouble were to arise.

Alex watched Vee and Lelani drink there glasses. He knew that his time was closing now, his vision was starting to blur, soon theirs would too. Taking a deep breath he had to force his thoughts clear before he spoke, the words coming out only slightly different than normal. "The drink has been infused..." he tapered off for a second, his resistance to the drug had forced him to take a double dose to get the full effect. "Infused with a extremely rare, extremely expensive sedative not natural to this part of the world. It will insure that we all can get a good nights rest without worrying about each other in the slightest." He wavered on his feet for a moment and placed a hand on the table to steady himself.

"It also has been rumored to grant the drinker dreams that are occasionally visions of the future." He turned to Elle, the only one who hadn't drank. "Since the three of us have already drank, and since one sip is enough to knock us out for hours on end you must also drink. Or...." He hazed again, it was willpower that kept him standing at this point, by now the others would be feeling a blurriness on there vision. "We might have to take a course of action I would rather avoid. I'll make it easy for you, drink and when we wake up....if you so choose, you can leave unopposed, the same goes for you two." He hoped she would drink, otherwise he would have to perform a last second action he rather liked to avoid. His eyes were honest, because for once he was telling the truth. If he measured the doses right he would wake up early tomorrow morning, they would wake up shortly after. Each free to go there own way should they choose to.

Elle held the drink out, still wary. Based on what Alex said, this wouldn't harm her, but then again, why would he give everyone a sedative? Either way, it was quite amusing to watch all three of them practically fall to the ground, passed out. And why shouldn't she drink it? Because she was cautious. That is why. To many times have I made mistakes. And sure, this might be one of them. Carefully stepping over the bodies, she set the glass on the table. Yeah. She wasn't going to drink it. It might be one of the biggest mistakes she's made. But she didn't quite understand it. Sure, sleep was good. And visions of the future? Pretty darn awesome. But why? Especially if he would let us go our separate ways when we wake up? And what is this other course of action he would take? What is so wrong with not drinking it? But if she wasn't, she had better get the hell out of here right now. She opened the pouch in her belt, looking for money. Enough to buy a horse. Perfect.

Shuffling around for some paper and a pencil, she found a scrap on the ground and a pencil in the chest. She started to write.

Dear Alex,
Unfortunately, I did not drink it. Maybe I am paranoid, maybe I don't trust you. Either way, I decided not to drink it. However, that doesn't mean you shouldn't trust me. I have no intentions of exposing that you are a Graceling, or where you are, or any of that. Really I just don't care. You didn't pry into my life, so I won't pry into yours. If you really have to find me, good luck trying. I play a wicked game of hide and seek.
-Elle-


Elle sighed, and then placed the paper next to the glass. She gathered up her things, and slinging her hooded cape around her, she walked to the door. Giving one last glance to the sleeping bodies, she pulled her hood up and slipped out the door. She slipped through an alley and searched for a stable. Spotting one at the end of the street, she quickly walked toward it. She bought a beautiful white horse and saddle to go with it. It's name was Winter. Slinging her leg over it's back, she hopped up onto it. She trotted out onto the road and headed toward Randa City. "Ride Winter. And we might get there before nightfall," she whispered to the horse, before giving it a gentle kick.

((Feel free to time skip if necessary. (it double posted so I decided to write something))))

((Ok, when it comes to this guy, you have to write in your posts what you are thinking. I don't want to have to make up what you are thinking, is basically it.))
John slowly retrieved the sword from it's sheath. "Do you really want to play this?" he asked, shifting it in his hands, eyeing the men in front of him. Who does he think he is?We can take him. John smiled. Sure, they could take him. I should just lunge right now, catching him off guard. John smiled as the man lunged forward. John swung his sword forward, sticking the man in the chest. A surprised look crossed the man's face. The other two were just as easy, their thoughts giving them away. John escaped without a scratch. Oh yeah...did I forget something? I can read minds.

Vee blinked her eyes when her vision started to blur and she watched as Alex became unsteady and Lelani drink the liquid. She started feeling drowsy and what Alex was saying became muffled. She unsteadily, yet carefully, sat down on the floor so that when she passed out, which she assumed would happen, she wouldn't drop and hit her head on the floor. She then layed down near the wall that she had been standing near, opened her eyes one more time before she fell asleep, and saw Elle writing on a piece of paper. A few seconds later she fell asleep thinking of what might happen when they woke up.

Lelani grew livid. Poison's she could handle but a sedative? There was no becoming immune to those. She stood up, dropping her glass, and was about to thoroughly tell Alex off when her vision blurred. She fell back into her chair. "Sneaky son of a...." She was cut short by the overwhelming fatigue she felt. She was going to kill him when she woke up. If she woke up.Her head dropped and her body went limp. She was down for the count.

Alex phased in and out, he saw the look on Elle's face and knew she wouldent drink. What a shame, ahh well the plan will work with two I suppose. he barely had time to think before hitting the ground, out cold. However, it was anything but a peacefull sleep....

Alex stormed through the castle gates, his sword firmly in hand. The city was burning around him, crowds rioted on the street. Two guards tried to stop him but they were ended with a quick and lethal blow. Entering the inner courtyard he made for the dinning hall, where he pushed the doors open as hard as he could, letting snow drift into the filled room, covering the table and sending chills down the spines of everyone attending. They stared at him, his family...or what used to be his family. "Father!" he called at the top of his lungs, thrice more he called out the name before the man at the head of the table answered. Clearly a king the man was dressed in royal garbs and other formal attire, when he spoke a deep voice echoed off the walls.

"You are not welcome here, leave now." Alex only stared at him with the look of evil in his eye. His response was bitter, a trait unbecoming of the man. "I do not speak of you...your 'highness'. I call for my real father, the one who caused all of this."......The memory faded into darkness and was replaced with a new sight, it was Alex again. This time older and dressed in his current attire. He wore a mask yet this time he was not walking across a courtyard, he was being escorted in chains. Escorted directly towards an executioner's axe. Alex was forced down onto his knees, his mask ripped off before the attending crowed. The executioner raised the axe and swung downward...

Alex awoke in a cold sweat, daylight shone through the gaps in the windows. He quickly noticed that none of the others were awake, standing up groggily he retrieved Elle's note and disposed of it. Getting dressed he through on his cloak and mask and left, leaving a note of his own.

Dear the both of you.
I have left you untouched and unharmed, feel free to use this safe house anytime you like, the drug you drank will also allow you to enter this and any other of my safe houses safely. They can be distinguished by a crescent moon under the handle of the door. A word to the wise: if you bring someone else into one, don't leave them alone because they will no longer be safe guarded by your presence and i can't be held responsible for what happens then. Finally I leave you with the hope that we meet again, this time under a banner of complete trust. See you soon girls, especially you Camryn..after all i do still owe you a dance.

Lelani awoke with a start. She looked around herself and realized she was safe. She smoothed back her hair and sighed. "Just a dream..." She said and realized where she was then grimly remember Alex's warning about that junk she drank. If that was a vision she was in for a grim day. She stood up, and read Alex's note. "Saying that would have sufficed!" She raised her voice just in case he was close. She grabbed her cloak and eyepatch. She realized she liked the way she looked with it on. She slid up her hood and exited the safe house. "I'm still going to kick his arse..."

After a few miles of walking she heard the sound of clashing swords near where she camped.
"...I can read minds." Was the last thing she heard as a graceling boy finished off some men. She simply walked by. They never bother to get rid of the bodies... she thought as she walked passed without a word.

Elle

The early morning light welcomed her as she set off in a new direction; Drowden City. It was a two days ride from where she was, but she was well rested and fed, and her new horse was also. Though she didn't think much of Alex, the "other course of action" seemed pretty serious, and she wanted to get as far away as she could. For all she knew he was on his way to find her right now. SHe sighed. And for all she knew that liquid could have been perfectly normal. She shifted in the saddle. Just don't even think about it.

John

They never bother to get rid of the bodies. The thought pricked in his mind and he looked over to find a girl. His eyes narrowed. She looked familiar.... He shook the thought off but then consciously remembered that his eyes could be seen. Oh, what the hell. Like it matters. ok it matters...but not that much. He sheathed his sword, and without turning around he said, "Who said I wasn't?" He turned to face her, raising an eyebrow. He piled up the dead bodies and shoved them in the corner of the dank alley, and pulled out some matches, striking one and flicking it onto the pile. He walked over to her and folded his arms. "And who is they?" he asked.

Lelani arched an eyebrow at the boy. He did say he could read minds so she wasn't surprised. "Well, Good." She said and watched him burn the bodies. "Men. Usually but you seem to know to clean up after yourself." She said and flipped up her eyepatch, making it clear that she was a Graceling.

Vee woke to the sound of a door closing with a slightly foggy mind. She got up and tiredly walked over to the note on the table and read theoug it, seeing she was alone in the safe house. She laughed as she got to the end. "I didn't exactly say he owed me a dance." She threw the note away and wlked out the door as she shook her head and smiled. She then ran off toward where the carnival was the day before, which was a few miles away, and saw they were taking it down. Ducking into her tent, she grabbed her jacket which was really the last thing of hers in the tent. After leaving note that said 'I QUIT' on her vanity she ran back out to see Melody, her feline friend, trotting toward her again. She heard the cats thought. 'Where have you been? I came back at 11:00 p.m. yesterday but you weren't there!' Vee smiled. "I met some other Gracelings. It was really quite interesting." she stuck her hands in her pockets and walked past several alleys. As she walked she thought. 'Within two days I met three other Gracelings, was drugged with a sedative, and quit the carnival. Wow.' She stopped dead in her tracks when she saw Lelani talking to another guy that had one black eye and one red eye. She looked down at Melody who was, at the time, stalking a mouse and thought. 'Should I turn around or...' She was hesitant.

Alex approched a small tavern called the Boiling Dragon. He had covered half the city since he left the safe house, and almost felt safe for a time being....until he saw his sisters mask. It was only a glimpse amongst a large crowd but it was mroe than enough. The game was afoot again, and he had no choice but to move.

Walking into the bar it grew silent upon his arrival. what few people were there stared at him, it was th ebarkeep that talked first. "Whenever i see that mask of yours it means trouble Alex." he said in a gruff voice. Alex moved torwards the bar and sat down, most everyone else had resumed what they were doing but a small group of three people still watched him. "I may not be the only mask you see tonight old friend." The barkeep held up a hand to stop him, then suptly nodded to the three men. "Be careful what you say old boy, some ears are less tolerant than mine..." Alex nodded, he had said all he needed too. The barkeep handed ALex a small envelope and went to go serve another drink.

Alex left the bar, the paper folded up and in his pocket. He was almost out of the street when he heard the footsteps, six different pairs of shoes hitting the ground. They were moving towards him briskly. Spinning on his heel he examined the three of them."Oy, I heard of someone with a mask before...supposed to be worth some money eh boys?" The one in the middle said, much to the other two's enjoyment. Alex didn't respond, instead he waited for them to make the first move.

They never got the chance....

John

He should know I'm a Graceling. Graceling, eh? John watched as a couple seconds later she lifted up her eyepatch. He opened his mouth to respond, but was stopped short by another thought that entered his mind. One red, one black. Must be a Graceling Lelani is talking to. Should I turn around, or... He looked over to find another Graceling. Jeez, how many were there around here? Well Whatever. "It is nice meet you Lelani," he said, giving a subtle bow. "I think you can assume I am a Graceling, and I think you already know what my Grace is. Oh, and can you tell your friend over there that I don't bite?" He said, nodding his head toward the Graceling who was walking by.

Elle

Elle squinted her eyes, seeing a town up ahead. It wasn't Drowden, but the town of Gred. A small town, but it had what she needed. She hopped off her horse, sorry that it had to carry her weight for so long. Not that she weighed that much, she just felt bad. Walking alongside holding its reins, she continued on toward the town. A thundering escaped into her hearing. She turned to look. A group of at least 10, 15 men on horses were thundering toward her. And worse, their arrows were nocked on her. She closed her eyes. Think. Think. Think. She can hide herself, but not the horse. She looked around for something to conceal her, but they were in flatlands. The only thing she could see was a pile of craggily rocks. The group would see her lead the horse over there.

Well crap... She made a last minute decision and unhooked her pack from the horse. She let go of the rains. She patted the horse. "go, run free." It whinnied and shook its head before running off towards the whiles. There goes my horse. The stampeding group of men on horses where nearing, only a few yards away. In an instant she was invisible. They scampered to a stop. "She's gone!" the leader shouted. Another one spoke up; "No, she's the one that disappears, search the area!" Elle swore under her breath and sprinted over to the craggily rocks, listening to the footsteps that shuffled around. Was this a group from Alex? Was this the actions he was taking? She shook her head and stood out in the open and continued down the road, laughing as they continued searching. If it was Alex, or if it was a king, they would have to try harder.

Lelani fought the urge to flinch when he spoke her name. A tug came at the corner of her lips. She turned around to find Vee. "Come now, Don't be shy, Dancer girl." She said waving her over. "He claims he doesn't bite..."she called and turned back to the boy. "You know my name, Sugar. I think you should atleast tell me yours." She said trying to keep her thoughts to herself. You do realize your invading my personal space...it's rather rude... She added in her mind.

John

You do realize your invading my personal space...it's rather rude The thought entered his mind, and he smiled. "You know, I can't really help it. it's like you are talking to me, sure I might be able to plug my ears, but its sort of hard to do that when it comes to the mind. Sometimes I just drone the thoughts out." He paused to decide wether or not to tell her his name, and for that matter, his real one. Like it mattered though, unless she was a Graceling out to kill her. But he would know that, and based on her thoughts, she was just curious about him. "And your attempts to keep your thoughts to yourself isn't working very well. My name is John. John Treader. You can call me Reader though, if you want."

Elle

The town of Gred was a small town. One little inn, the bottom floor being a bar, One dingy little store, one tiny stable, and a couple houses scattered here and there. She didn't have any money left, not after buying that horse, but she could probably pickpocket, especially with her Grace. Doing exactly that, she robbed the small store, not taking all the money, just enough to get what she needed. Pulling her hood up, she walked into the bar, and ordered a drink. She wondered what Alex was doing right now.

Alex

Taking a step back Alex watched there movements, it would be any second now. One of them would act. Then he saw it, the haunting form behind them, he tried to warn them but was too late. one began approaching, but wavered on his feet. He hadn't noticed it, it would have seemed like a bug bite. The man tried to take another step but began moaning in agony and fell to the ground in spasms. The other two took steps back in fear but ended up falling, soon to join the first in pain. It only lasted seconds, painful seconds before they stopped moving completely, there skin was pale as the moon. Life had fled there body's. Then She stepped from the shadow of a nearby building, her long fingernails slightly tinted with blood. Much like Alex she too wore a mask, a brilliant piece of art. A dark grin danced across her ghostly face and she watched him with one Blue and one green eye. Both as cold as a mid winter night. Alex had to calm his heart's frantic beating before he could speak. "Hello...sister."

Saria

Saria bent down, tracing one hand down the face of the first of the three. It was a gentle touch, it traced the lines of his face gently. On the back of his neck there was a slight scratch, hardly more than a scrape. She slid one finger over it, pulling away some of the small amount of blood. Standing up slowly she licked the blood off her finger with a pleasant look on her face. As she let the hand fall back to her side she smiled again. "Hello Dear brother, I must say I'm rather ashamed at they way you acted with them. There was a time you would have murdered them all as if they were your own family." Her voice was sweet but deadly.

Vee rolled her eyes "Please just stop calling me 'Dancer Girl.' Especially because that life ended a few minutes ago." She walked forward and watched as Melody disappeared after the mouse into a back alley, thinking 'That silly cat. Barely has a sliver of an attention span.' Looking back at the Graceling boy, she gave a small smile. "Hey, I'm Vee." She sniffed the air and shuddered as she caught the scent of burning bodies and thought 'Not the greatest memories.'

(I hope you don't mind but I'm adding another character. I'll submit a CS in a bit.)

Lelani gave him a half smile. "Nothing gets pass you, does it, Reader." She said. "So I suppose you already know I am very uncomfortable with this but since it can't be-" It was then she heard a shrill scream. "Willow," She gasped and took off in the direction of the woods. Make yourself useful, Sugar
She said in her mind, as she approached a large tent. The tent shifted violently as men clamoured inside and a girl screamed. Lelani rushed inside. "Where is she?" said a large man with thick leather body armor.His men looted the tent, grabbed jewels, exotic carpets , pillows and blankets and weapons. the leader held a knife to a small girl, with one blue eye and one amber eye. The girl had warm but light brown skin that was ashen at the sight of the man's knife. "I-i don't know." the girl lied. "Liar!" The man shouted and swung the knife at the girl. Lelani slid under the man's legs and caught the man's knife with her hands. The blade bit into her palms ad she fought the urge to wince. "Run, Willow!" She called out and pushed the man backwards. The girl started for the exit only to be cut off by the other men. They grabbed the girl and The Leader took a step back, holding the knife to the girl's throat. Lelani stood strong, her palm bleeding onto the ground.
"Lelani the Quick." The leader said. "Yes."
"And Willow the Small." He said and Lelani huffed. "Get on with it, Mate, you're boring me." She said, with her usual snark. "Oh?" he said and the egde the tip of the blade into Willow's throat. Lelani closed her eyes. Willow bit back a squeal as a thin line of blood slid down her neck. "Entertained?" He asked and Lelani scoffed. "Hardly." She said and the leader rushed forward and grabbed her by the throat, pushing her against on of the support beams "I wonder how bored you'll be if Me and My Men had a go at you. Will make the girl watch as I make you scream ." He said slid the blade up her leg. "I suppose you raping women is the only way you'll get any. What a sad life you lead..." She said under her grip. He tightened his grip. "You think you're so clever, don't you, Quick."
"I-indeed I do, Thanks for asking."
"Take the girl outside. Do what you want with her." He ordered Lelani flinched then. The men dragged Willow backward screaming Lelani's name.

"Alright! What do you want?" She said and the men stopped. "Quick...no.."
"Quiet, Willow, grown ups are talking." Lelani said.
"Well, At first, I was justing going to kill you but I figure I'll have some fun with you first." He said scanning her body. "Let the girl go, and you can do what you want with me." She said. The Leader looked her in the eyes. "You're not lying." He said. "No, I'm not...Let her go." She said and the Leader laughed he turned to his men and nodded for the exit. "You heard her. let the girl go, guard the door." He looked at Lelani hungrily. "We don't want to be interrupted, do we?" He said. Lelani rolled her eyes. "Quick..."
"Willow, Go, Now. Find the windows that are painted red and black. You should be safe there..." She said without looking at her. "What?"
"Just do it..."

With that, The men took Willow outside and guarded the door.
"Go, Kid. You don't want to hear this."

Willow wrapped her arms around herself and started walking then when she heard a slap and Lelani grunt, she began to run. She ran until she ran smack into a man about Lelani's age. She fell on her back. She propped herself up on her elbows and looked up at the man. He had one black eye and one red one.
Find the windows painted red and black...you should be safe there. she heard Lelani's voice in her head. "Red and Black windows..." It was then she remembered a book that Lelani read to her once. It mentioned eyes were like windows. "She meant you." She whispered. "Mister. Lelani told me I'd be safe with you but..."Tears started forming in her eyes. "Their going to..." She couldn't finish, she just grabbed on the man's waist and cried. She was so scared for Lelani that she was trembling.

John

John was about to introduce himself to Vee when suddenly Lelani darted off Make yourself useful, Sugar. He picked up on the other thoughts surrounding that and immediately ran after her. Unfortunately, he wasn't particularly fast, and Lelani was far ahead of him. He picked up on some of the thoughts, but they were discombobulated with distance. When he finally caught up, she found a girl running out of a tent. Running directly at him, into him. He raised an eyebrow as the girl looked up at him with one blue eye and one amber eye. Another Graceling. How many were there around here? Find the windows painted red and black...you should be safe there.. He listened to her thought process. So Lelani sent her. And Lelani was in trouble. He looked around. he needed to stick the child somewhere before he went in and played hero. He looked around. There were a couple crates in an alleyway. "Go wait by those crates, if somebody who you don't trust comes out of that tent, hide behind them. Got it? Stay over there." He said, pushing the child, Willow in that direction.

He turned and ran for the tent, unsheathing his sword. Fifteen minutes of knowing this girl and was already having to save her. He flicked the flap aside and looked around, picking up on all the thoughts, slashing one of the guards as he instantly thought of lunging at him. The other guard backed up, holding the sword defensively, moving in between him and Lelani.

Willow ran and hid in the trees like he said. She closed her eyes and her skin shifted into the tree bark. She closed her eyes and completely disappeared.


Lelani was on the ground. Her shirt was torn and her face was bloody and swollen. The Leader rose from a pile of junk equally as bloody and swollen. She stood up dizzly. She spat out blood. She held her shirt closed with one hand and taunted him"Come...on then." She said as her vision blurred. It was then Reader appeared. "She found you. Good." She said and grabbed the guard that moved between them. With renew strength, she hopped up on his shoulders and used her knees to snap his neck. She hopped off of him before he fell to the ground. It was then the leader stood up and rushed her. She landed on her back and he grabbed her around her neck, throttling her. She tried swinging at him but she couldn't reach. It was then she found a pan and cracked him over the head with it. He was stunned. She took the opportunity to steal his knife and force it into the skin under his jaw. The Leader fell dead. She pushed him off of her and stood up. She walked over to him and raised a finger. "Please don't let me hit the ground." She said and fell foward unconscious.

Alex.

Alex reached up and pulled off his mask, examining his sister with his sharp blue eyes. Slowly he began walking in a circle around her, never taking his eyes from hers yet using his Grace to examine the surroundings. "So, your here alone. Seems odd that your group of henchmen are not with you." He noted a small balcony just peaking out above Saria,It was old, worn out and to high to reach. A baleful of hay was stacked against the wall of a nearby shop, to his right a wagon with a horse attached was sitting outside the bar. Someones ride it would seem. In the back of the wagon were crates of tobacco and other spices. A torch lit up the sign that identified the inn, it was just low enough to reach. Alex formulated a plan, a series of chain reactions and anticipated outcomes. All this he did in just a few blinks of the eye. "So what happens now sister?" He asked as if defeated.

Saria

Saria turned to watch Alex circle her, her calm stature betrayed her excitement underneath. She had finally caught him, he could run nowhere. If he tried her men would stop him, it was so easy now. Years of chasing for this moment, the moment she would get to kill him. The thought electrified her very soul. One hand drifted behind her back while the other put her fingers to her lips. "Shhhh Dear brother." she said in a near whisper. Reaching up she removed her own mask, looking upon him with her mixed eyes. She took a few steps forward, reaching a hand up to lightly touch his face. "Now, now it ends. make peace with your gods brother, you'll be meeting them soon. With that the hand behind her back gripped a short knife and brought it forward. Stabbing directly towards his heart.

((Not to be selfish or snooty, but the Graced power of Willow is a little to close to the graced power of Elle's. If you want, you could use a graced power from the list of characters, or come up with another on your own...))
Reader held his arms outstretched before she even spoke, grabbing her with steady arms before she fell, listening as her thoughts went blank. She was a mess. He stuck his head out the tent. "Willow, you can come back in now," he said, before ducking back in. He picked Lelani up fully, in a cradle like hold, and then placed her down on a soft place of blankets. He rummaged around for bandages, cloth, something. He found A roll of bandages and went back to Lelani to inspect the damage. It was sort of awkward, barely knowing her and all, but she seemed nice. Quickly buttoning her shirt for her, he unrolled some of the bandages. He pressed the cloth to her face, wiping away the blood. He tended to her wounds as best as he could, he wasn't one to heal people. When he was done, he decided that he should just let her rest. He sat down beside her, occasionally applying new bandages.

((Sorry for the drastic plot changer. Pretend that I never got to far with Elle, in fact, she only got just outside the city. The thing is, Elle isn't getting to much happening. Alright? Got it? Good.))

Elle

Twisting the hand severely, the knife fell to the ground. She jumped back, and turned visible. "Sibling rivalry?" She asked, raising an eyebrow at the two startled people in front of her. "You owe me one, Alex," She said, before turning invisible and taking out her two daggers. Things were most likely going to get ugly. She tightened her grip on the knives. Something was off about the girl, and then she noticed it. The eyes. One green, one blue. A Graceling. What was her grace? Elle breathed in. She was about to leave town, hit the highroad, buy a horse, but sleep took her, and she had to stay the night. She woke up, ready to go, and she someone with a mask...Alex. She decided to follow. Turns out it was a good idea.

Vee was running right behind the other Graceling thinking 'Huh, this is kinda like running with the animals in the wilderness.' She smiled at the memories and added in her mind 'Except this time, I'm running off to help a Graceling that I barely know... I wonder what this guy's Grace is.' When the girl was sent to hide, she sent the girl what she hoped was a comforting look and raced into the tent just in time to see Lelani blackout. Her eyes widened at Lelani's condition. "Oh great, Lelani."

((Well, she can't disappear. She can just blend in with her surroundings and it only works if she touches the objects. Perhaps She and Elle could bound with that. But I'll change it if still want me to))

Willow stood up and followed the man at Lelani's unconscious body. She dropped to her knees beside her. She watched him clean her wounds and looked up at him. "She might not thank you when she wakes up so...Thank you." she said and looking at him but mostly his eyes. "I'm Willow." She said in a small voice.

John

John spoke without turning. "She will be ok. She just needs rest, and time to heal. And you my friend," he continued, cutting willow's apology off, "Are very welcome, I am John. As for you, Vee, would you mind watching her to see if she wakes up, while I go wash off," he finishes, motioning to his blood soaked jacket. Getting to his feet he pushes aside the flap and searched for a river, following the thoughts and memories tucked away in some of the people he passed by. Finding the river, he took off his shirt and splashed it with water, scrubbing off the blood, and then trickling some into his hair, too. It was sad, this girl he had rescued. The fact that he rescued her without barely knowing her. But she was also brave to, for sacrificing her health for the sake of the child named Willow. Very brave. But also irrational, and ignorant like a child.

Saria.

She cried out in pain for a brief second as someone twisted her hand so hard she dropped the knife. Anger crossed her face as someone new appeared from thin air. "You owe me one, Alex." Taking a step back Saria snarled at the girl as she disappeared again. "Friend of yours Dear brother?" She straitened her hair with one hand, regaining her composure and slowly walking backwards. I won't be denied my prize, not after so long! Saria thought and spun, hurling two daggers. One towards where the girl was standing second before, one directly towards her brother's throat.

Alex

Alex was taken back to a different time when Saria touched his face. A time when they were children, the whole village shunned him. Claiming he wasn't a legitimate heir, but his sister, his younger sister had always defended him. Stood up for him. Now, now things had changed so much. Pulling himself out of the past he knew she was reaching for a dagger, he was ready for it. Then was surprised when Elle appeared from thin air, she caught the dagger hand and twisted it so the dagger dropped. Jumping back she told him he owed her one and disappeared again. He was about to speak when his sister sent two knives out, he saw it coming. The way she was moving gave him the perfect chance to anticipate it. He stepped to the right, the dagger flew past, slicing through the cord that tied the horse to the carriage. Time seemed to crawl to a halt for Alex, he reacted swiftly running towards the carriage as it began rolling towards the pile of hay. He used it as a stepping stool and pushed off, hitting the wall and grabbing the torch from the sign. Pushing himself off the wall he threw the torch in mid air,it landed on the hay which instantly caught fire, Alex hit the ground on a roll. Right next to the horse. As he hopped on it the carriage hit the stack of burning hay, and the Tabasco soon caught fire, increasing the amount of smoke bellowing out by a massive amount. It obstructed vision and began burning Alex's eyes, he spurred the horse towards where he saw Elle, reaching down he was grateful to feel her arm. He grabbed her and threw her onto the horse. "Get ready to jump!" He called back to her as the horse neared the low balcony. He hoped it could support both there weights before falling. For this to work she had to trust him, he was using memory to calculate when they would be close enough. He maneuvered so that he was standing on the now galloping horse. "Now jump!" He yelled and jumped off the horse with his arms out, one hand caught the balcony luckily. He hoped Elle had jumped too, he had one hand hanging low for her to grasp if she did. The smoke was getting worse, Alex had no idea of where his sister was, but he could feel the balcony start to wobble.

Vee nodded to John "Yeah, I'll watch her." She looked back over at Willow and smiled kindly. "Hi, are you okay?" She scanned the girl for any visible wounds from where she kneeled at Lelani's side. "I'm Vee by the way." Rolling up a nearby blanket, Vee carefully propped Lelani's head onto it as a pillow and looked over the wounds that John had bandaged.

Willow smiled at John and watched him walk away. She looked at Vee and smiled. "I'm okay, thank you." She said with a nod. She still felt the bit from the blade the Leader cut into her neck. Willow looked down at Lelani. " I just I should apologize for her now too. If you met her you probably due an apology." She said, looking from Vee to Lelani.
"Ah! By the Lands, my head hurts." Lelani groaned, lifting her hand to her head.
Willow smiled. "Quick! You're okay!" She said and threw herself over onto her. " Ah! Willow!" Lelani flinched but hugged her anyway. Willow sat up. " Sorry." Lelani sat up and gave her a light swat at the top of her head. "I thought I told you to stop apologizing for everything..." she said but was smiling some. Willow pursed her lips and crossed her arms. " Well one of us has to." She said. Lelani snickered. "Touche." Lelani looked over at Vee. " Dancer girl, Hello." She said, knowing she didn't want her to call her that. She really didn't care though.

Elle

She saw the knife being thrown, saw it flying blade over handle, flying strait toward her, but she was not fast enough. She dodged out of the way, but not before it grazed her arm. It should be nothing, just a nick, but searing pain was spreading through her. Before she can react she was hauled onto a horse and told to jump when told. Jump? Why on earth would she jump from a moving horse? Either way, whenever she heard the words jump, she thrust herself into the air, grappling for something to hold onto, all the while feeling this pain spread like....like poison. Oh god, she was poisoned! She finally felt something, a hand, and she grabbed it, being pulled onto the balcony. "Alex," she hissed through gritted teeth, "My arm. My arm, the knife, it got it!" there was no mistaking it. It was poison, and her vision was already blurring.

John

He walked back to the tent, finally clean. Maybe Lelani would be up. And, nearing the tent, her thoughts rang through. Opening up the flap he greeted them with a grin. "Ah, sleeping beauty is up I see," he said, grabbing the role of bandages and making his way toward her, gently pressing a wad to a persistent gash on her cheek. "It would be best if we got out of here. At least out of this tent. I don't want more of them coming here looking for you." Absently, he started shoving necessities into a pack in the pile of junk.

Willow smiled while Lelani rolled her eyes. "I suppose I should thank you." She said as he pressed a cloth to her face. She closed off her mind but she knew he probably heard how sweet it was for him to stick around. "Although you were to take the girl and run the other way." Lelani said and Willow nugded her. She sucked in a breath. "Little girl. I wear matching set broken ribs...do you mean being a little more gentle?"
"Well..." Willow waved her hand at John. Lelani grunted. Willow was just about the only person in the world that could get Lelani to do anything but at the same time Lelano would to just about everything for Willow. "You're not cute." She lied and Willow giggled. Lelani stood up gingerly, favoring her ribcage. "They'll always come looking for me. I'm just that lovable." She said and took a shuttered breath. "Thank you, John. I owe you one." Willow gasped. "Yes, I said it but we're alive, alright. Come off it." She said and Willow looked away with a smile. Lelani grabbed pack from him "Let me." She said and helped him fill the pack.

Vee rolled her eys, not saying anything about Lelani calling her 'Dancer girl.' She had already gotten some medical and food items in another, smaller, pack and thought absent mindedly 'Might be moving around more often now that I quit the carnival.' She looked around at the others as she grabbed a guard's sword and clipped it to her own belt. "I know this is totally random but I've met up to five Gracelings in less than two days. That's more than I expected in two weeks or months." She leaned and half whispered in Willow's ear with a small, amused small "Does she really not say things that very often?"

John

John smiled to himself as the three girl's thoughts petered back in forth in an interesting bandy. He raised his eyebrows toward Vee "Dancer Girl?" He asked, listening to the story unravel in her mind. He nodded. He also snatched the pack back from Lelani "Allow me," he said, shoving the role of bandages in the pack as if to prove his point. It was rather odd, meeting three Gracelings in one day. He rewinded backward a bit. Vee had said, or at least thought five. Who were the other two? Two names sparked inside her, and also in Lelani, almost like a whisper, a thought that still lingered. "Who is Elle and Alex?" he asked, pausing his work.

Not knowing what John's Grace was, Vee looked at him with a curious look. "Two other Gracelings Lelani and I both slightly know. How'd you know the names? Is your Grace mindreading or something like that?" She smiled and inspected her newly aquired sword.

Willow nodded to Vee. "Always..." she giggled.

Lelani sighed when he took the
bag back but she was grateful. Her ribs were killing her.
"Willow. Get your favorites. We're going to have to burn the rest." Lelani said and Willow stood up and shuffled around the tent, collecting small trinkets.
"Oh, I was looking for this?" She gasped. Lelani turned to her. It was a small bejewled dagger they'd taken from a convey in the Hills.
"Ah yes, Well strap it on. We may need it." She said and frowned when John mentioned Alex and Elle.
"Well, Elle is a cute but scary girl with the nasty little habit of disappearing and Alex is a rogue royal who likes to drug people...I plan on kicking his arse when I see him again..." Willow's eyes widen.
"Oh, Come on, That's not the worse thing you heard me say." She said sucking her teeth. Then I thought struck her.
"You never asked what our Graceling powers were? I suppose you already know though?"
Willow cocked her head confused. Lelani looked over at her.
"Oh, He's a mind reader, darling." She said and Willow nodded. She was actually dying to show him her Grace. Willow liked John. He was nice not like the other men that wanted to hurt Lelani. He acutally helped. Willow stayed quiet though.

Alex

Alex pulled Elle up with relief when she grabbed his arm, the balcony shuttered and they just made it onto the nearest roof when it collapsed, hopefully wounding his sister. Laying on his back ALex had the urge to stay there but knew he couldn't, he had heard what Elle said about her arm. They needed to get somewhere safe. Standing up he grabbed her arm and examined it...the poison was spreading quickly. Soon she would be immobilized. "Elle" he tried his best to keep a calm voice but only half succeeded. "I know what pain your feeling right now, but we have to move. Saria has expert trackers and it won't take them long to find us unless we can make it back to the safe house." He held out his hand, ready to be her leaning post if need be. If they weren't gone soon, his escape attempt would be for nothing, because next time his sister wouldn't miss.

Saria.
Too late, it was when Saria realized what had happened, her stupid brother had used his damn grace! She had overlooked it, let her thirst for pain cloud her mind. Now she was bent over, retching in the horrible smoke. Someone grabbed her and hauled her out of it just as she heard a large crash from where she had been standing. Whoever it was let go of her and she fell to her knees, trying to rub the tears from her eyes. "Next time you should bring us with you." a gruff voice said from behind. Now that her eyes had cleared up Saria was just able to make out Herk, one of her men. He almost seemed to be gloating. She walked up to him while straitening her hair, well aware that everyone else was watching. she traced one finger down his neck "And you saved me.." Her voice was horse from smoke but th elook in her eyes was one of temptation, as her finger reached his collar bone she scratched him, and as his body went rigged she gestured to Kreco, her tracker. "Find them, the both of them." She ordered as Herk fell down in spasms behind her.

Elle

Elle helped scramble onto the roof, wincing as the pain in her arm seared, as Alex pulled her up. Her arm felt like someone set it on fire, and she was having a hard time moving it. The pain was itching into her legs, her other arm to, as if she was being burned alive. She stumbled after Alex. Safe house. Just get to the safe house. Oh she was regretting following Alex. Sure enough the poison, or whatever it was, made her other arm burn like fire, rendering it useless. She tripped up, the pain spreading. "Alex..." she mumbled, stumbling again. They had to get to the safe house. Then she can writhe and die an agonizing painful death. Suddenly, the pain in her legs were to much. No...just got to keep running. Ignore....pain. "Alex!" She yelped before falling, tripping, head over heals, plummeting towards the edge of the roof. Oh please catch me, she thought, before the pain completely overwhelmed her. She hadn't blacked out, but she couldn't feel anything expect pain, burning pain.

John

"Ah, Lelani speaks the truth, Camryn, I am in fact a mind reader." He finished packing up his bag and slung it over his shoulder, raising his eyebrows at Willow. I like John. He was nice not like the other men that wanted to hurt Lelani. He acutally helped. "Helping is one of the many things I do," he said, taking one last once-over of the tent, snatching up a bag of money. "Hope you don't mind, but I think we might be needing this to buy ourselves a horse. Horses to be exact. Most likely two. Two on each. Or three, but we don't need four."

Willow smiled up at John. She wasn't quite sure about how she felt about the mind reading but she'd let it go. "Um, Where are we going?" She asked and Lelani grabbed up a royal blue cloak, with a swish she tied it around her neck. "Elsewhere." She said and grabbed a small green cloak for Willow. Willow sighed. They were always going 'elsewhere'. She wished they could settle somewhere permanently. Lelani tied the cloak around Willow and stood up as John took a bag of coins. "Those are assorted coins. Be Careful which ones you use." She warned as Willow took her hand. "What?" Lelani asked her and Willow gave her a knowing look. She was terrified of horses. Lelani knelled down to her. " I told you you have nothing to be worried about. Horses are only as bad as the people that ride them." She whispered to her. Willow nodded taking a deep breath. She hated horses only because she was taken from her family, thrown over a horse with her hands and feet bound by some royal who needed childern for some strange experiment. It weren't for Lelani robbing the convoy, Willow would be...elsewhere. "Besides you won't be riding alone." Lelani said smoothing down Willow's hair. Willow then looked at John. "Can I ride with you?" She asked softly. Lelani smiled. It seems you've got an admirer. She thought to John, knowing he could hear her. "I guess you'll be riding with me, Dancer Girl" She said to Vee with a wink.

Vee blinked twice when John called her 'Camryn' and shook her head with a small smile "I'm probably never going to get used to this. But we'll see." When she heard they'd be getting horses she thought to John. 'If you haven't already found out what my Grace is soon, you'll most likely find out when we get to the stables.' She smiled when Willow asked to ride with John and looked at Lelani. "Yeah, I guess so." She grabbed her small bag and, after attaching a loop of rope to it, hung on her right shoulder.

Alex was slowing his pace to match Elle's, he knew how the poison would be causing her unbearable pain. He had felt it firsthand many a time before. "Alex!" she yelled his name and time slowed down for him, he saw her catch her foot on a piece of brick while moving, then began falling towards the edge of the roof. Speeding up he reached out and caught her arm, then reversed her momentum back towards him. Carefully he lowered her so she was resting on his knee, he could see the poison spreading, and then noticed something in her eyes…it was familiar, but he couldn’t quite place his finger on it. Looking at the poison again he pulled the velvet bag out of his pocket, she would have no choice now. It was the only thing that could stop the spread long enough for him to get them back to the safe house. He pulled a pinch full out and held it over her mouth. “Elle, you have to take this, if you refuse to this time, I swear by the gods i’ll force it down you’re throat!” His voice was full of concern and a hint of desperation; he owed her his life, so he would save hers…no matter the cost.

Elle

The pain. The pain was all she could think about, all she could feel, all she could do. Words tumbled toward her and she understood most of them through the pain that occupied her mind. Something in her mind clicked, and she recognized the velvet bag. It was that powder. Was he trying to poison her too? She pushed the thought away, the pain replacing it. I had trusted him when he told me to jump. I could trust him now. She slowly opened her mouth, wincing as the pain multiplied as she moved, letting him drop the powder in. Immediately, the pain seemed to ebb away, replaced with exhaustion. Lulling sleep took her and her eyes closed.

John

John pulled on his scarlet robe and pulled the hood up over his head. He lead the way out the tent, giving Lelani a smile, reading her thoughts, and turning to Willow. "of course you can ride with me," He said. He glanced around and slipped through an alleyway, peering down the street for a stable. Spotting one farther off he turned to the others and gave a motion with his head to come. When they reached the stable, a bored looking man answered them. Oh great, a customer.I hope they are rich. By the looks of it, I don't think so. Looks like they aren't going to pay much. I'll just sell them a grungy horse. Old Wheezer over there is perfect. John raised an eyebrow, and pulled his hood back enough so he could see his eyes. The man's eyes widened. "You will not be selling me 'Old Wheezer'. I want a good horse, a fast one." He turned to Camryn. "Do your thing, pick us out a good horse," He said, raising his eyebrows.

Willow smiled up at John and Lelani. She walked with them to the stable quietly. Amazingly able to keep pace with their long strides. Sometimes she hated being so small. When they stopped in front of a bored looking man, she clung to John's robe and peeked her head from around him to get a good look at the man. I bet he never expected a group of Gracelings to walk in... She thought and that was when Lelani snickered. "I bet you never expected a group of Gracelings to walk in, Didja?" She teased and Willow smiled and rolled her eyes.

Alex returned the bag to his pocket, she had drifted into sleep, and the poison was going slower now. With Elle asleep she was using less of her body's resources , allowing it to focus on fighting the spread. Along with the anti venom in the powder, it was useful for many things, but was temporary. Now Alex had to haul them both too the safe house. He managed to lift Elle onto his shoulders and began moving again. It was harder but he managed to get off the roof and now moved along the back alleys. Almost there... Just a little further and...Alex encountered the safe house door, he was tired. Having carried her for almost an hour. Luckily his sister hadn't made another appearance, her tracker didn't move fast enough. No doubt someone would die for the failure.

Kicking open the door he layed Elle down on the pile of hay and dragged his chest over, quickly opening it and pulling out vials. He began taking different vials, all filled with colorful and exotic liquids and pouring drops of them into a small cup. He had collected the mix of liquids from his travails, always finding some exotic concoction that he liked. It was his sister that forced him into Alchemy, even as kids she urged him to study it. Saying that it would be useful one day. Since then it had become a sort of hobby, an incredibly useful hobby when his sister started hunting him. He had managed to create a cure for her poison, it had saved him on many occasions. It didn't work on everyone though. Often he had to reformulate the cure to work on someone new, he wouldn't have the time now. He would have to hope that what worked on him would work on her, though it was unlikely.

Pulling out a small needle he poured a drop from the cup on it. Then, starting a small fire in what seemed to be a fire place, he burned the needle in the hot coals, effectively lacing the needle with the liquid. Now came the worst part, walking back over to Elle he opened her eye, and stuck the needle into the pupil gently, holding it there just long enough to ensure the cure had been released. Taking the needle out he sat down and waited, if it worked she would suffer minor discomfort in her eye, but it would be well worth seeing the light of day again.

Vee smiled at John. "Will do." She started walking down the line of horses, having short and silent conversations with them. A few mintes later she went back to the group. "Okay, so, I'd suggest the Criollo mare with the sooty buckskin coat on the left side in the back and the Arabian stallion with the sabino coat that is seven stalls away on the right. If you're planning on three then the best for the third would be the palomino Thoroughbred mare three stalls away on the right. They don't mind if yo name them because they were never really named by their parents or the owners that they had been bred by them." She smiled and waited for them to chose.

((Hey, I did a minor rule change: Basically saying you can swear without censoring it, as long as you keep it to a minimum. Why? Because censoring things loses the effect, and saying dang instead of damn is stupid, and heck instead of hell is also stupid.))

Elle

"She is a Graceling! We have to get rid of her." a woman said. "Shh, they will hear. We must do something. If the Crises found out..." The scowl on the woman's face depened. "Don't speak of them. We did what we had to do, know can't we get rid of her?" The woman hissed. The man looked toward her door, where she peered out invisible. "No, they would know. We must raise her as our own." Elle peered from one adult to the other. Who were they getting rid of? her three year old mind wasn't comprehending. The woman took in a deep breath. "Elle must never know." The man nodded. "Agreed." Elle appeared just then. "What mustn't I know," she asked. The woman gasped and shot her a glare. The dream started to flicker going of course, distorting into evil, the woman and man charging to her. The woman grasped at her eye, then stabbed it. Elle screamed out in pain. This wasn't real... But she could feel it. Literally feel it.

"What the hell is wrong with my eye?" She opened one slowly, then the other that hurt. She blinked a couple times before the world came into focus. She went to site up, but instantly felt like death, aching pain washing over her. What had happened? The last thing she remembered was a knife soaring toward her. She looked around. She was in the safe house, and so was Alex. Alex? Memory slowly washed over her. The poison...but that should mean..... She stopped thinking. She felt to miserable to think. But at least she was alive....

John

Gracelings! And that one was talking about the Old Wheezer! Can he read my thoughts? John raised his eyebrows and nodded to the stable man. "We will take all three." He searched though the bag of coins. "Will this be enough?" He asked, holding out some money. No it is not bloody enough! Those are my finest horses! I suppose I can't argue though. "yes..." he managed to finally say, snatching the money. John walked to the Arabian horse. He could read animal minds, but not as well, and they didn't have the same thought process.

"Izzat. It means honor. That is what he shall be named." He said. Izzat. Funny eyes talk. Izzat name. Izzat mean honor. Izzat Arab name. I Arabian horse. Funny eyes nice. I Izzat. John nodded, attaching his pack to the horse and then walking to the palomino horse. "Forsythia, that will be her name. It is a type of yellow flower, to match her golden coat." Like the last, the horse seemed to fawn over the name, probably glad to have one. He came to the Criollo horse. "And this one will be Maple," he finally decided. Checking to see if everybody is ready, he walked over to Izzat, climbing up and offering Willow a hand.

Willow smiled up at John and took his hand. She was nervous. The horse was so big and she was so small. She pulled herself up and threw her leg up and over the horse. She felt a little dizzy from the height difference.
"Easy, Willow." Lelani said with a pat to her leg. "I'm okay." She said, her already light voice, smaller. "Don't you're in good hands, Right, Johnny boy?" She said to John with one of her signature half smiles. "Pick a horse, Dancer Girl." She told Vee with a quick glance to her.

Alex

Alex had drifted into a blissfully dreamless sleep of his own. However, he awakened at the first sound of her voice.
"What the hell is wrong with my eye?" He quickly opened his own and looked at Elle, she was trying to sit up. Uttering a sigh of relief he got up and checked her wound, the poison had receded. She was cleansed of it, he had hoped the cure would work but had never imagined it would work this well. “You should not exert anymore energy than you must Elle, you are still recovering from the effects of my sister’s poison.” Alex puzzled over it, why had it worked so well? Unless, unlikely as it was, they could be related by blood. No, impossible. Yet looking closely he began to recognize something, something about her face gave him a familiar feeling.

"You're eye will be a little irritated but it was a requirement of saving you're life." He grabbed a cup of water and held it out to her. "Drink, but drink slowly." He would help her recover, when she was well rested and able to function he would ask his questions, and attempt to unwind this tangle of mystery.



Saria.
Her tracker had led them to the safe house. She couldn't help but utter a grim laugh, it would seem he had managed to beat her again. She turned to leave when her new second in command spoke up. "Why don't we go in, or even wait out here for him to come out?" He asked naively. She merely waved the question away. "The game is over for now, he won. We must abide by the rules of the hunt." She got on her horse and rode off, along with the others. Despite her twisted feelings, Saria did have honor, she followed a code, the code of the hunt. It was one few, including her fresh second in command, understood.

Vee walked the other two horses out and brushed down their coats. When she finished brushing down Forsythia the horse spoke to her again. 'So, who are you going to choose Dancer Girl?' Vee shook her head with a smile and looked back at Lelani. "I think you and Forsythia would do well together nicely. She just picked up your nickname for me. I think she has the same personality too." She turned to Maple and patted the horse's neck. "It's you and me then, Maple." The horse nodded and shifted on her hooves. Vee swiftly climbed onto Maple's back and waited for the others to be ready.

Elle

With the comment of not exerting energy, she laid back down. Just sitting up made her feel like crap, and exactly what had happened was slowly being revealed. She remembered the knife hitting her, and then Alex pulling her onto a horse.....then they jumped. And were on a roof. Everything from there was just a blur. Based on what Alec was saying, the blade must have been poison dipped or something. So then why was she alive now? She wasn't immune to any poisons...a sad thing really but she never had the need. She must have been given an antidote of some sort.

She rubbed her eye. Sometimes it would shift and blur out of focus, and then when she blinked it would focus again. Not to mention it felt like somebody had rubbed sand all in her eye. Groggily she took the glass of water and took a sip. Water helped, she wanted to gulp it all down, but Alex said not to. She was beginning to trust him. Probably the only person she has ever trusted. Once somebody practically saves your life, it's pretty hard not to trust them. But then again, she had trusted...them....but they tried to kill her. She shook the thought away. The past is the past.


John

John hoisted Willow up onto the horse and watched as the other two mounted their own. He nodded to them and led Izzat to the door. "Thank you," he said to the owner of the stable. Thank you? Thank you! I will report this to the king, four Gracelings on the loose with horses. John gave him a backwards glance. "I wouldn't do that if I were you. Or else I would know." He gave the owner a threatening glare. Even if there would be guards coming after them, he probably wouldn't do anything to the owner. he honestly didn't care, but the owner had to know that they would. The Owner's eyes widened and John gave a sly grin before leading the way out the door.

Alex sat back down, Elle was resting, which was good. Her silence was also well, it gave him time to reflect on certain matters. He knew by now his sister had moved on, she would be waiting in the next town over, waiting for the game to start again. Her twisted sense of the hunt was something that Alex understood, he had played this game all through his childhood. She would hunt him through the town, starting at the gates, to win he had to make it to his room in the castle. It was a real game then, now it was his entire life. Constantly running, his goal to move from safehouse too safehouse, creating new ones when necessary. The running had to stop, and he had an idea of how to make it. Alex's eyes drifted to Elle again, now his sister would be after her too. Odds are she would want answers, and for once he would try too tell the truth. It was the least he could do for dragging her into his personal war.

"If you're feeling up to it, I'm sure you have questions." His voice was an invitation.

Elle

Elle pulled herself into a sitting position slowly, leaning against some hay. She was feeling a little better now, so sitting up was ok. "Yes, I do have questions." She rubbed her eye again, blinking. Everything was very confusing. She took in a deep breath before jumping into her list of questions. "Are you graced? What is your Grace? What is this safe house thing? Who was that girl back there? Why did you say she was your sister? Why did you do to my eye? And why did I have a dream that actually happened 12 years ago?" She finished. There were so many questions in her head, but she didn't want to overwhelm Alex. Maybe she already had.

Lelani smiled at the horse. "Well good." She said and boarded Forsythia. The horse trotted behind John and Willow. Willow looked by her and smiled at Lelani. Lelani smiled and nodded forward so she wouldn't fall. Willow nodded and turned back. She looked ahead and noticed something off into the distance. A figure. "What's that?" She asked John.

Being Graced, Lilly-Ella was never really able to stay in one spot very long. Even if she was kind to the people around her, they were afraid and eventually someone reported her and she was forced to disappear. For the past few days Lilly had been staying in a particularly quaint little village, but last night she decided she was pushing her luck and decided to leave. She was now walking along the same trail she left the village on, the same path she had been walking for nearly nine hours, a risky thing to do, but she would see anyone far before they would see her. She wasn't particularly tired, she had done a lot of walking away in her life and her stamina was pretty impressive. It didn't hurt that she wasn't having to run. For the past few minutes she had been watching four Graced in the distance. They were riding horseback toward her now, but it took them a minute to figure her out.. She waved once she was sure they had spotted her.

Vee caught up with the other three and rested her bag on her back to be more comfortable. She caught sight of the figure in the distance that Willow had mentioned and curiously tilted her head. She mumbled. "Wonder what that is." Keeping pace with the other two horses, Vee patted Maple's neck as she glanced at the figure again and gave a small, uncertain, wave in reply.

John

John looked off into the distance with the others. He wasn't picking up any thoughts, but that was because the figure is to far away. He squinted and watched as the figure waved. "I don't know what that is. Let's find out," He said, before leading them in that direction. He gave a slight wave back to the figure.

Alex held up a hand. so many questions, fired off with speed faster than even his reflexes. "Youre certainly feeling better." He stood and poured himself a glass of water, drinking it slowly while taking her questions into consideration. Then sat back down and took a deep breath. "Ok, to answer you're first question; yes. I am graced, it is a less noticeable grace than most. I can perceive things with more accuracy than most, allowing me to anticipate things before they happen." He balanced the cup in his hand, then tossed it strait up. "It also gives me." As the cup fell back down he hit it, sending it flying into the wall, where it bounced off and hit the roof, then flew towards the pitcher of water. Knocking it over the side of the table where it spun and landed upright, all the water still inside. "Enhanced reflexes." He leaned his head back against the wall. "Thats why I was able to escape my sister back there. To arrive here, at a safe house. The key to this safe house is that I had it protected by a graceling a while back, anyone who steps in here without my permission, or my presence, is stripped of their grace until they leave." He stood up and walked to the door. "Thats enough for now, you need rest and I have an errand to attend too, we will talk more when I return." He opened it and slipped out.

Lilly-Ella

As the Graced approached her, she could see confusion clear on their faces. Quickly they were mere yards apart. She said nothing, but winked one eye at a time, left, then right, then left again. This was trick her mother had taught her to bring notice to her eyes. She knew other Graced would be able to identify her as graced right away, but she refused to drop the habit once her mom died.

Elle

Elle sighed and accepted the fact that he wouldn't tell her more. She watched as Alex slipped out the door and left. She didn't realize how tired she was until she was fast asleep, lying against the hay.

John

Graced, four of them. I am Graced too! Graced with sight, and I will do my usual winks to show them John sighed. Another Graceling? Damn. How many were there around here? And how many people were searching for them? They had to get out of her, now. "Pleased to meet you,..." Lilly-Ella, the thought rose from her. "Lilly-Ella. We are heading out of town, feel free to join us, for now I trust you." he offered, sensing no intentions to harm them coming from Lilly-Ella.

Lilly-Ella

Lilly thought it was rather strange to come across such a group of Gracelings, she was sure they had attracted attention, but she didn't question it. Around other Gracelings she was safe, the same way a horse wants to stay in it's herd. "I wouldn't mind joining you, actually," but then she thought, "If you're going to be heading at any sort of pace, I should probably get myself a mount though," she gave an inquisitorial look to the man who had spoken to her. She gave another warm smile to the others, then looked past them to the stable in the distance.

Willow smiled. "I like your name." She said in a small voice. "My name is Willow." She said her blue and amber eyes glistening in the sunlight. Lelani sighed. "Come on then, Lilly-Ella. I'm Lelani and you can ride with..."She pointed behind her.." Dancer Girl." She said with a mischievous grin. Willow sighed. "I'm sorry about about Quick, she's difficult -Wh-whoa!." She leaned over and to whisper to Lily-Ella but started sliding off the horse.

Lilly-Ella

Lilly couldn't help but smile and giggle, "It's nice to meet you guys." She mounted the horse Lelani had indicated. "So where we heading?" Lilly asked curiously.

Alex moved across the streets, his mask was back in place once again. Yet few noticed him, with his sister out of town Alex had few things to worry about. However he did need to pick up a few things before he could leave. So, after stopping by a few vendors he had gathered a variety of food, and a flask of Dragon's eye, powerful Ale. Now that he had gathered some supplies he headed for a small stable, a family he knew rather well owned it. Taking off his mask and Knocking on the door he had not to say a word when the old man opened it and smiled with delight. “Griff me boy, I was wondering when you would return, that ol’e mare of yours is been growin antsy.”

“She often does friend. May I see her?” The old man nodded his head quickly and took Alex out to the barn, where a beautiful brown mare with a sheen, golden mane was waiting. The horse was not bound or tethered in any way, but whinnied with pleasure when it saw Alex. He walked slowly up to her with one hand out, she nudged it with her nose and allowed him to walk closer. “It’s been a while old girl, sorry but my business took a little longer than I expected.” He began stroking her neck, it was clear the mare was we’ll taken care of, and extremely fit. Alex turned to the old man. “I need a favor, a second horse to carry supplies please?”

Alex rode back to the safehouse, towing the smaller horse behind by means of a rope. He tethered the small one when he got to the safehouse but merely placed a hand on the ear’s of the mare. Then turned and walked inside, to find Elle asleep. Alex bent down carefully and shook her gently. “Time to go.”

Elle's eyes snapped open, or at least one of them did. The other irritated one was crusted over. She jolted up right, mumbling words like "what? Who?" Instantly she regretted the jolting upright. She felt like crap and probably wasn't looking so hot either. She slowly pulled herself to a sitting position, and then standing, stumbling to the ground before managing to fully stand up. She felt better, but woke up more exhausted than she had been when she went to sleep. She was achey and hungry, not to mention jittery and shaky.

"Leaving so soon?" she said groggily, picking up her things and tucking them away. She downed the rest of her water and trudged over to Alex, dazedly blinking. The world seemed to be in slow motion, twisting and turning around her. She rubbed the sleep from her eye and slowly blinked it open.

*****

John steadied Willow as she slipped, placing her gently back onto the horse. Young one slip. Izzat be more careful. Izzat not let young fall. Izzat like young one. Izzat like funny eyes. Well at least the horse was enthusiastic. "We need to get out of dodge. there are to many guards crawling this place." With that her nervously looked around, before turning back to them. "I say we head to Lienid."

“Yes, the next town beckons.” He briefly examined her eye; it had begun healing already. “Sadly I couldn’t let you sleep longer. I have two horses outside; you can ride on the smaller of the two.” He grabbed his chest carefully, It was the only thing worth taking with him. Then opened the door, holding it for her to get out safely. Elle looked horrible, but today would be the worst of it. Alex wondered about her again, by all rights she should be dead right now yet lived. Now he was taking her with him, it was unanticipated but he felt somehow connected to Elle, although he couldn’t fathom why or how. All he knew was that she was an important part of the future, that’s what his instincts told him, and he had learned long ago to always trust his instincts.

Zachary stood looking at the Graced and their horses from a tree he was behind. He picked a tree that would hide him just barely, and because the tree wasn't so obviously huge, it wouldn't draw extra attention. He narrowed his eyes as he watched them, wondering where they'd go. Wondering if he should try and tag along and get on their good side. He didn't know if he'd fit though. He would typically surrender rather than use his ability and these people looked like the kind to try hard to get what they wanted. He decided against joining them, but it wouldn't be bad to stay near. They could potentially be allies someday. He decided to follow them from a distance, and them being on horseback meant he could tag far enough behind without getting noticed and still be able to track them.

((THIS IS SORT OF HELPFUL TO BOTH GROUPS: Ok, I don't think anomy is really sure where we are. So, I am going to say that we are in Freisan, a city in the lower area of the Middluns))
Elle climbed up onto her horse, having to attempt three times before clambering up. She noticed Alex looking at her funny, deep in thought. She narrowed her eyes in question before turning to situate her bags. She still had so many questions. For example, why were they leaving town? What was wrong with the safe house? She shrugged off her thoughts and relaxed. She'd be lucky if she didn't fall asleep and fall off the horse. "Lead the way," she said, taking up her reins.
*****
He was listening to the reactions of Leinid when another thought cropped in. He looked around confused, trying to find the source of the thought but could not find it. It was a man, a Graceling, contemplating joining them. He narrowed his eyes. I won't join them, but I will stay near. Far enough though, to track them Odd. Fine then, let him follow us, but the minute he tries to rob us, drug us, or kill us, he will snap his neck. He didn't bother to tell the others. Wouldn't want to worry them, especially Willow.

Lilly-Ella

Lilly rode along in silence for a while, watching the group and trying grasp the structure and figure them out. She had never been around other Gracelings, except for her mom. She wondered what their gifts were.. and how they found one another.. and what was happening and if anything was waiting for them at Lienid.. But she didn't ask any of this. She felt that they only invited her along because of a social obligation. She didn't want to be the annoying hindrance. She would prove herself to be a good risk. She would understand it all soon enough.

Willow smiled up at John after he caught her. She scratched her head. "Sorry..." She said sheepishly. Lelani chuckled some but then flinched when John mentioned Lienid. Her old home. "Really, Lienid? W-why when the-Middluns is so nice this time of year..."She said after the color nearly drained from her face.

Zachary continued to follow them. Whenever his steps made enough noise to draw attention, he'd duck and hide. Maybe they would prove worth joining anyway if he found something about them that he liked. But would they trust him or welcome him? Risk it or don't, he'd determine later. Lost in thought, he crept closer without realizing it. Too close. When a branch snapped under his feet and he had nothing big enough to duck behind, he realized he'd be caught. He dashed for a tree, even though it was too small to completely hide him.

Lelani's head whipped in the direction to the snapping branches. "Willow." she called and Willow nodded and tossed Lelani the dagger she'd saved in the tent. Lelani caught it without looking and dismounted the horse. She made her way quickly to the sound and when she noticed a man's vain attempted to hide she scoffed."Seriously," She grabbed him by the collar and hemmed him against the tree, thinking maybe he was a foolish guard. " You know, If you're gonna hide," She noticed his eyes and decided she wasn't going to slit his throat. " Then maybe hide somewhere where... Oh I don't know... you can't be seen?" She said and let him go.
( didn't mean to tag James)

"I hid somewhere better before. I'm actually pretty good at knowing where to hide and where not to. I just let my mind slip for a moment... You're all running right? Willow you said? If that's Willow and if only you all are currently in the area, that makes you Lelani, that man is John, and the others I'm not sure about yet." Zach said. He put his hands up innocently, as if in surrender. "So you're not going to kill me right?"

Lelani sighed. "Perfect. Willow, It seems we have a fan." She said and Willow frowned. They were wanted. Well, Lelani was wanted, Willow was usually just bait. Lelani arched an eyebrow when he asked if she was gonna kill him. " I'm debating..."
Willow shook her head. She wasn't sure what to do right now.

John smiled to himself. He wondered whenever the mysterious Graceling would be discovered. Sure enough, in a flash Lelani was yanking out from behind a tree by the collar. He snickered and hopped down from Izzat, giving him a pat. "Relax Lelani, he isn't going to kill us. If he was going to, I would have alerted you about four five mies ago." He turned to the man, Zach it was, based on his thoughts. "Might as well join the band of misfits Zach, we might," he gave a glance to Willow "be going to Leinid." He walked back over to his horse adjusting a bag that had been slipping the past mile. "You can ride with Lelani," he said with a smirk, tightening the strap and leaping back onto his horse.

Lelani whipped her head around and Willow giggled but was trying to keep steady on the horse. "This isn't funny..." She said and turned to Zachary, she pointed the dagger at him and said. " I will kill you if you tempted me." She said and in a huff she turned back to the horse. "You're," She said to John. "Are lucky I owe you..." She said and without some much as a pant, She hopped on to the horse.

Zach looked at Lelani. He stood for a moment, unsure if he should argue, then walked over and climbed on to the horse. He looked at Lelani for a moment. "I'm sorry if I shock you. The leather saddle should help prevent that, though. I don't really want to die either, by the way. I'm guessing John is your leader, then?" He spoke to Lelani at first, but then aimed the question at all of them.

Willow smacked her forehead. Oh, that's a good way to send her in a mood.. She thought to John as Lelani turned her head sharply, purposly smacking him with her hair. "Correction, Newbie, I am never lead." She said, grabbing the reins. "I lead." She said, flicked the reins. "Yah!" She cried, now in one of her moods. The horse whinnied and took off.

Alex secured his chest then adorned his mask, climbing on top the horse second lator. "Sorry for staring, we head to Lienid. It's a day ride, we'll stop at dusk to rest." He fed the horse a few sugar cubes and spurred it into a quick trot. Luckily the safehouse was on the outskirts of town so it was not long before they were along the main roads. As he was riding he contemplated there meeting, it was fate for sure but why? With any luck Sere in Lienid could give him some answers, provided he wasn't sour about there last...meeting. Alex was about to say more when he noticed a large group some distance ahead, though he was to far out to make out detales he thought there were four or five, with the majority focused on one and another riding away at a brisk speed. He considered going around but dismissed it, they were right in the path he and Elle needed to take. "Elle, you might go invisible, so that horse looks only like a pack horse. Trouble could be up ahead and you're in no condition to fight." He hoped the group was too busy to notice them just yet.

Vee had been quiet the whole time and riding along beside them, even when Lelani had dragged Zach from behind the tree into sight. She smiled when this happened and mumbled. "Deja vu." She shrugged when Zach asked a question as she was looking around for any animals to converse with seeing as the horses were quietly talking among eachother and she felt she did better with animals than she did with people. Being extremely quiet, more than was usual for her, Vee sent a small wave as if to say 'Hi' and closed her eyes as she breathed. She thought. 'Being free from the carnival sure is great... Wonder how great it'll be.'

Elle

Instantly Elle was on high alert, now invisible. She really didn't want trouble, not now. She couldn't see the images, but after blinking they slowly shifted into focus. She shifted her weight on the horse and groaned, whiting she could just sleep

John

John again shot another of his rare smiles before shaking his head to Zach. The thoughts swirling around Lelani were amusing. Just then, something caught his eye. He narrowed them in concentration. It was two horses, but he couldn't make out the figure that was riding one of them. He continued on, following after Lelani. It was only one person, after all.

"Hey! It's not like I meant any offense. I guess you could be like a pack and have an alpha male and female." He looked ahead at the horses and the figures they were quickly getting close to. "I don't want to ride this horse with you anymore. I'm only used to tamed creatures, but at least this poor horse is obedient." He smirked at his own joke, then leaned forward. "Slow down and let me off, please." He thought for a moment. "Never mind. I'll do it myself." He sent a small spark from a finger tip and into the thigh of the horse. The horse started hopping a bit, like it wanted to buck but couldn't because of something wrong with its muscle in its leg. It stopped and whinnied angrily and Zach hopped off. He walked toward the other two figures of horses and the one rider in the distance. As he approached and when he knew he was distinguishable, he raised his hands to show he had no weapons.

((Edited. I did mean the horses though. They would've been easier to see from a distance than the riders))

((Elle is invisible by the way))

Lelani was nearly thrown off the horse as Zachary zipped it. Fumming, she hopped down and gripped Zachary by the collar for the second time. Her jaw set. "Do you know what I would have done to you, had I'd been thrown from that horse?" She said through clenched teeth. She turned to see Alex. "Oh and you," She said bitterly, not sure who she should hit first. She decided it would be Alex. Zachary hadn't actually done anything other then be a target for her frustration. Willow sighed. "Quick, Please calm down." She pleaded. She wanted to hop down from the horse but when she looked down she realized just how high up she was. She closed her eyes and her body phased through the horse and she crawled from underneath it. She ran over to Lelani and grabbed her hands. "Quick, Please calm down." She pleaded and Lelani blew air from her nostrils. "But they...Fine." She said and followed her arms.

"It couldn't buck. I shocked its muscle into tightening up. It didn't have enough of a range of motion." Zach shrugged like the explanation was the most simple thing in the world. "Now, wouldn't it be convenient if we were all going to the same place? There is strength in numbers after all. These two could use the protection right? I don't think you're traveling alone with two horses." He said to Alex.

Lelani huffed. "No, It didn't buck, It stopped. Abruptly. I could not compensate for the sudden stop. It nearly sent me flying forward." She said clenching her fist. Willow sighed. "Please, Mister Zachary, Uh..." She waved for him to kneel down and held a hand over her mouth. "I'm sorry about her, Quick is in a bad mood since we're going to Leined. So um. Could you kinda um, be nice to her. Anytime, Lienid comes up she gets really moody. I don't know why?" She whispered.

"Well, it is impressive how much control over the anger she's showing now. Well, I was in Leined once. I think I overheard something about you while there. I can't remember what. Did you travel there before? I do a lot of traveling around to avoid unwanted attention." Zach had Lelani under his full attention for a moment until he remembered who all were there. He looked around to see how far away the others were still.

Willow sighed a bit. "They're a bounty on our heads. Mine is wanted Alive. Quick is wanted Dead or Alive. because a while back, I was taken, they wanted a bunch of kids for one of the kings, he was experimenting on them. Before we made it to the King. Quick attacked the convoy. She's a bandit. She killed most of them but not all. I got free but They took her, beat her real bad. I helped her get out and I've been with her every since and because of that, they want to capture us." Willow looked over at Lelani who was eying the rider like he was a target. "But she hated Lienid long before I came along. Only thing she told me was that she got a long scar on her back when she was young. Younger then me even." Willow sighed. She was worried about Lelani. "She can be real sweet, so will you be nice? I'll try to talk her down but..."Willow sighed again. She was begining to wonder who was the eleven year old. Her or Quick.

Alex sat idly by as the group argued amongst themselves. As he neared he noticed Lelani looking at him with, something worse than distaste. On , apparently named Zach directed a question towards him. "Oh I don't know, its often good to keep an ace up you're sleeve." He rubbed one side of his mask and nodded for Elle to show herself. "You're group seems to have grown...'Quick'." He said the ward with only a little sarcasm, then directed his attention to the ones he was unacquainted with. "A pleasure to meet you all, I'm Alex, this is Zena." He patted the horses head, it nodded happily. "Before we go any further I must ask, what happened after you lot left the safehouse?"

Zachary stepped aside but looked at Lelani. He figured he'd answer Willow with his actions rather than words. He walked over, giving Lelani a light poke on the arm to get her attention on him. "I didn't know you were so cool. A bandit. Did you ever... you know, kill anyone?" He asked. He wanted to distance himself a bit while the group talked, but he really wanted to hear her answer more.

John
There were so many thoughts flying around that it made him dizzy. He sort of understood the relation between Lelani and Alex, based on the thoughts. But another thought was flying around, and he couldn't figure out where it came from. Elle can probably show herself now. John turned, hearing Alex's thought. Elle? The one Lelani had thought about when they first met? His eyes narrowed, then recognition hit. Elle was on the horse, invisible. He remembered the name Elle on a wanted poster. Suddenly, Elle's thoughts seemed to fade out. John turned to Alex. "It does appear that Elle has fallen asleep. I don't think she can turn visible when unconscious. My name is John." He bowed slightly, before reading his thoughts further. Apparently something was nagging at the back of Alex's thoughts. Something having to do with Elle. And Alex was graced...Peculiar. The things you can learn when reading minds.

Vee waved at Alex. "Well hello again." She thought about his question about what happened after the safehouse. "Well... I woke up, read the letter, went back to the carnival, quit the carnival, was walking and talking to a friend named Melody which is a cat, walked by Lelani and John who were chatting, followed Lelani into a tent where, uh, I'll let her tell you what happened there but I met Willow there and, ugh, to much. I'm gonna let the others tell the rest." Smiling, she turned to the others.

Lelani scowled at Alex. "Funny..." She yelped when Zachary poked her. She gave him a look of pure shock. "Yes, I've killed plenty, You'll be next if you poke me again." She said and looked at Willow, who looked away. This was her doing. If she didn't know any better she'd think her grace was to Charm. It wasn't though, she phases through walls, she was just simply hard to resist. Willow smiled in thanks to Zachary and walked up to the horse and rider named Alex. "Hello, I'm Willow. Um, Sorry about Quick." She said as that seemed to be a reoccuring theme. "Oh, you mean, after you drugged me? I found him," She nodded toward John, "Got beaten within an inch of my life, while rescuing the small one, John here, saved my life," She gestured to Willow and John. "Meet up with Dancer Girl, meet Lily, Threaten to kill Lightning man over here so yea...The normal. How've you been?"
Willow palmed her forehead.

Lilly-Ella

Lilly gave a fluid wave and smiled brightly. How many Gracelings were there in this place anyway? She allowed them all to do the whole meet and greet before speaking up, politely. "Hey guys, I know it's kinda crazy but considering this place has guards crawling out from the woodwork, and multiple most-wanteds in our group, may I suggest we keep moving?" She shrugged, she didn't exactly know what was going on or how to be in a group, she was good at being solo, but it could only be for a reason that they'd all found each other. "Just a suggestion, I don't really mind either way." She would, hopefully, see a guard if it was tailing them.

Alex looked over at Elle, carefully checking to make sure she was secure, then examined the group. they were a motly band, with too many people he did not trust. Then the one who pointed out Elle, Alex was not quite sure about John's grace. Perhapse some kind of sight enhancement. With this many grace lings, its impossible to trust anyone. He then turned to Lelani. "I'm fine, Elle not so much. She needs to rest soon, lets try and make the treeline before the guards spot us like she said." He gestured to Lilly. He would ride a little further back then the rest, so as not to have elly fall of her horse. and to keep an eye on....them. His thoughts were directed at the new arrivals.

Lelani frowned a little. "Oh, John can read minds.Little Willow, Here, can phase through walls. Zachary can shoot lightning from his hands and I hadn't the faintist what Lily can do." She said with a shrug. She looked around. "My camp was comprised so I don't know where she'll get her rest. What happened?" She asked eying the empty spot that would be Elle.

Zach shook his head. "I wouldn't call it lightning. I haven't seen how strong it can be and I don't even know yet if it can be as strong at lightning. I'd go with static. I like the idea of heading for the tree line and resting. You can catch up or whatever, but I think you should take a lesson from Alex and Elly. Small groups are usually easier to hide." He kept looking at Lelani. He really wanted to ask her about killing people and how it felt. He had gotten pretty far for never having killed somebody, but he figured he couldn't go much longer.

Vee perked up at the idea of heading into the treeline. "I think we should. And yeah, smaller groups truly are easier to hide. Especially when the groups are Gracelings." She looked at the trees and back to the group. "Are we bringing the horses?"

Elle

Elle jolted upright, awaking, turning visible, but also nearly falling off her horse. The group of Gracelings before her startled her so much that she did fall off her horse, stumbling then pulling herself back up. She looked around there were six Gracelings, one was Lelani and the other was Vee, but there were four others she didn't know. Well, who the hell were all these people. One of the guys looked pretty evil, with his black and red eyes. With that thought, he gave her a strange look. What? COuld he read minds or something? He smiled to himself.
"Oh, John can read minds.Little Willow, Here, can phase through walls. Zachary can shoot lightning from his hands and I hadn't the faintist what Lily can do."
Elle looked over to John, her eyes widening. Oh.... John smiled again, and turned back to the rest of the group. "To the trees," he said.

John

John looked curiously to Alex. He didn't trust any of them here, well except Elle. I wonder why... "Alex, I trust everyone her. And I would know to trust them or not," he said, tapping his head. "Unless you don't trust me..."

Alex was unaware of Elle falling till she was hitting the ground. "Oh, John can read minds.Little Willow, Here, can phase through walls. Zachary can shoot lightning from his hands and I hadn't the faintist what Lily can do." "Elle" He put a hand out for her to grab if she needed help. "Are you.."

"Alex, I trust everyone her. And I would know to trust them or not Unless you don't trust me... His head turned John, the mind reader it would seem. he couldn't tell if he was lieing. Another glimpse at Elle he could tell she needed to rest badly. "Take the horses, leaving them will draw attention." Trust is earned, and if you know whats best you'll stay the hell out of my head. He thought with tremendous strength towards john. He would have to be careful with his thoughts from now on it would seem.

John

John smiled at Alex. He was defiantly not very trusting. "It isn't something that can be helped," he said before leading his horse into the trees. The girl, Elle, looked like she did need rest in a major way. he got flashes of what happened to her, but it was sort of like a jumbled puzzle. He could only read what people were thinking at that moment. Elle really did need sleep, because her thoughts were slowing down. "I didn't know people could fall asleep standing up," he said, motioning for Alex to catch her as her eyes drifted close. "She's a train wreck. I say we all camp in the woods," he said.

Alex quickly caught Elle as she swayed off her feet, then gently lifted her onto the horse again, useing one hand to keep her on while sizing up John. Mind reading was a powerful grace, and one that could ruin everything Alex was working for. Especally if this guy was not the...saint he appeared to be. "Agreed, lets move." He was careful to keep his thoughts controlled.

Zachary watched the exchange. "There is so much static between us right now, and I know static. Why don't we pretend we can trust each other even if we can't." It never occurred to him to hide his thoughts. He didn't really care. He looked at John. It wasn't that he trusted him but he didn't find him untrustworthy either. Maybe it was because John had assumed that since Zach didn't have any hostile thoughts toward them, he wasn't hostile. What if he was wrong? What if Zach had been leading guards after them, like a traitor? He flinched at his own thought, instinctively reaching for the long scar on his forearm, hidden by the sleeve of his jacket.

Lelani frowned as Elle went in ane out of consciousness. She looked around for a clearing in the woods. It was then she noticed Zachary reach for his arm. She knew what that was. She had plenty of them. She left it alone. Without warning, she took to the trees and searched for a place to camp.

Willow watched as Lelani scaled the trees. She felt surrounded by strangers. Without thinking she slid to John. Besides, Lelani, He was the only one she trusted.


Lelani found a clearing. Thick with soft moss and covered by the trees. She thought that might be best. She made way back to the group. "Come on, I found a good camp for her to rest." She said waving them along.

Lilly-Ella

The tension was practically tangible, hopefully after a night as a group they would all realize they were in the same boat together. At least, that's how she saw the situation. Then again, she'd been told more than once that she could be overly optimistic, and overly trusting. She would make the best of the situation anyway..

As they cut through the woods Lilly memorized the trees around them, she memorized any exits she might be forced to take if they were raided in the night. She could probably get away, she wasn't nearly as agile as Lelani, but her natural daintiness came with some advantages. This included out maneuvering most 25 stone, human guards. Once they made it to the clearing she sat down immediately.

"Guys, I know it sounds stupid but we've really got to lower the tension level. If we're all on edge anything can push us over, and who knows what could happen. Lienid is a few days ride. Longer if we have to avoid the main roads. Let's make this as comfortable as possible," she gave everyone a meaningful look, studying their expressions. "What if we go around, introduce ourselves, name our Grace, and name something we love, and something we hate. Would you guys be down for that?" She didn't expect much support, but if something did go wrong, and they had ignored her, she covered her conscious by trying.

((Um...Leinid is an island.....yeah.....the map.....))

(They still have to get from Middluns to the coast, via horse I'm assuming as that's what we're using now. I guess I could have written, "a few days ride/boat trip" but it just seemed like a mouthful.)

Zach shook his head. He didn't like the idea. "I vote no," he said. He sat down with his back against a tree at the edge of the clearing. He didn't like the idea of being out in the open and sitting in the clearing. With his back to the tree, he could look out over the clearing and into the trees beyond without worrying about checking behind himself. He wondered if anyone else didn't like the idea.

Lelani looked at Lily-Ella as if she'd grown two heads. "You're a chipper one, Aren't you, Love?" She said and shook her head. "Anyway, look. We all trust issues, addressing them is just going to waste time." She said and Willow looked up at her. She waved her down to her. Lelani knelt. "I like being with other Gracelings. Even if we can't trust them right away. It's better that we're with them right? And besides. They haven't threatened to turn us in, so that have to be trustworthy?" Willow whispered. Lelani rolled her eyes. She had a point to a certain degree. John saved her life. She owed him. She had nothing -so far- to fear from the girls of the group. Zachary's loyalities remained to be seen then there was Alex. He betrayed her trust once by drugging her. No matter that he intentions were good. He still did it.
Lelani sighed.
She stood up and looked at Lily-Ella. "I'm Lelani the Quick. I am Graced with Agility, I like Climbing and I hate Stupid People. but All that you could have guessed." She said and suddenly felt the need to just sit. She walked to the clearing and sat opposite Zachary. They were facing each other. Lelani smoothed back her hair removing it from her face. "So, I noticed you have a little secert etched on your skin." She said ruefully. "Don't worry, I have plenty of secrets."

Alex guided the horse after the group, reaching the small place destined to be camp for the night, he carefully took Elle off the horse and threw some blankets down from the pack it was carrying, then gently placed her on them. Taking care not to bump her head. Turning he looked at the others, altogether he could only trust two of them. Although after the drug, they most likely lost all faith in him, but at least he knew he wouldn’t be murdered in his sleep. "What if we go around, introduce ourselves, name our Grace, and name something we love, and something we hate. Would you guys be down for that?" one of the new girls offered. Alex was silent on the matter, instead just sliding one hand down the side of his mask, cleaning it of some dirt from earlier. The coast was a few days away, he wasn’t sure he could travel with a group this big, it would slow them down. Then again…Elle was in no shape to leave, and he couldn’t go without her. Not after what's happened. He was however careful not to think of what it was that happened, reminding himself to guard his thoughts amongst the biggest threat to him, John. If he discovered exactly what Alex had sealed deep within his mind, he had no doubt this group would deliver him to the guards with an apple in his mouth. Especially if they knew how valuable he really was. She would offer th... He cu the thought off abruptly. Looking at john from the corner of his eye.

John

John looked to Lelani, who had spoke first of her "introduction". Didn't seem like a bad idea...everyone probably knew his grace already. "I'm John Treader, I can read minds, I love breathing. Yeah. Breathing. W+If I wasn't breathing I would be dead, so I love breathing. And I hate people who try to hide things from me," he said, shooting Alex a glance, who was clearly trying cover something. What? He didn't know. But he could tell that Alex didn't want him to find out. He narrowed his brow in frustration, trying to understand Alex. The way he looked at Elle made John think that Alex might have a thing for her, but it wasn't like that...it was something else. Again, what? He didn't know.

"My name is Willow Troy, My Grace is that I can phase through any solid object." She said and pressed her hand against a tree, then suddenly, her hand moved through it. She smiled quickly and moved her hand. "I like Cooking and I hate being alone." She said and waited for the others to go,

Lilly-Ella

Lilly didn't smile, though she was pleased that people were actually going along with her idea. She liked to know the people around her, so this was a good first step. "I'm Lilly-Ella, and I have great eye site. It sounds silly, but it definately comes in handy. Anyway, I love nature, and I hate the fact that we have to be on the move all the time just for being Graced."

Before answering, Vee climbed up a tree and sat on a comfortable branch. "I'm Camryn Venturous Jones but most people call me Vee except for a few. My Grace is animal related so I can communicate with and control animals. I love being outdoors around wildlife and I hate being trapped." She swung her her legs and looked down at the others.

Zach nodded. He pulled up his sleeve, exposing a long, newer, scar. He stood up. "I am Zachary Guttern. My Grace is the manipulation and intensifying of static and electricity. I don't like having to run either, and I like..." He broke off. What did he like? He didn't like a lot of things. The way he was treated, what he'd done in his past, the fact that he knows quite a bit about other Gracelings as if they were his enemy. "I guess I like being one step ahead." He sat back down, curious on how much of Lelani's trust he had. He thought for a bit, then took off his jacket. He had a couple scars along his arms, but most were visible on his back as he lifted the back of his shirt to show her. "I have a lot, too." He told her. He settled back in to his jacket. "That's what I get. It's what I deserved."

Lelani shrugged. "Somehow I doubt that." She said, removed her cloak, revealing thin white scars on her arms and turned her back to him. "Since you showed me yours, I'll show you mine." She said threw her hair over her shoulder and lifted the back of her sleeveless turtleneck shirt. Scars danced up and down her bare back. Most thin and light overlapped one another but there was one very large and thick jagged scar that stretched from one arm, across her back, to the other. It looked as though it was burned and cut at the same time. She looked back at it never realizing until now how self-conscious she was about that scar. She pulled down her shirt. Her bravado lessened by that little reveal. "That's why I don't what to go to Leinid..." She said and sitting back against the tree facing him, feeling
peculiarly cold all of a sudden.

Zachary couldn't help but smile, glad she was equally open with him. "I got the one on my arm when I was caught. I escaped before being executed. If you really don't want to go, then explain it to them or go off on your own. You and Willow can travel together. You'll be safer if there's less of you in a group. I've been able to slip around because I've been alone." He told her.

Lelani sighed, rubbing the chills from her arms. "I would but," She looked at Willow. "She likes being with them all. Other Gracelings. I can't do that to her. She's already wanted because of me..." She said and sighed. She let her head lighty fall against the tree. "Why are you still here anyway?" She asked.

Zach shrugged. He honestly didn't know. "I guess I feel like I owe it to you all, to be your ally." He looked at the ground, then back up. "It's nice how much you care for Willow. Well, nice isn't the best word to describe it, but you know what I mean, right?" He asked. This must be nice for Willow, but big groups can be annoying, he thought.

Lelani shrugged at his comment about Willow Care isn't the proper word either, I love that kid to death... She laughed a little when what he said fully registered. "I threatened to kill on more then one occasion, What could you possibly owe me?" She asked him, with a suprised smile still on her face.

Alex patted down his horse, gently and it neighed happily. He listened to the stories people told, it seems a great many of them were rather open to sharing. Fools. They had no way of knowing who was trustworthy, unless you counted the mindreader, who consequently Alex did not trust. He could tell John knew he was hiding something, he also knew that John would likely be trying to figure out what. Sighing Alex turned around and looked at the others, sizing them each up in turn. Finally he pulled his mask off and placed it in the pack he had on the smaller horse. as a few showed there scars he let one hand drift to his own, right next to his heart, hidden beneath his shirt. This is one big boat to hell, and were all passengers. He thought towards John. Since thoughts are sacred, I'll hide what I damn well please. If you try to get at it, I'll kill you.. He sent John a look that was stone cold.

John
Since thoughts are sacred, I'll hide what I damn well please. If you try to get at it, I'll kill you.. John raised an eyebrow at Alex and looked him in the eye. You will have to try damn hard to kill me, he thought back. But then something odd happened. he could hear the though in Alex's mind. He narrowed his eyes in confusion. What had he just done? Speaking telepathically now? He tried it again, thinking really hard. But his thought did not show up in Alex's mind. John frowned then looked Alex in the eye again. Did you just hear that? He asked, smiling as the though appeared in Alex's mind. Holy shit he could speak telepathically. But only by looking people in the eye. He grinned. Cool. He also realized that he wasn't hearing anymore thoughts from anyone else. He furrowed his brow and looked into Someone's eyes, the thoughts filling back into his brain. Well that was odd..So now he can do something new, but his mind reading abilities have lessoned. At least he could control what minds he was reading.
-----
Elle

"We can't hide it forever. One of these days she's gonna hear us talking!" The woman looked from left to right, as if she could see Elle. The woman lowered her voice to a whisper. "He got away. The Crises boy. The girl didn't kill her. He is still alive! What if Elle met him? What if the drug doesn't work? His memory might come back. Hers to! We have to kill her. If she finds out.... It could be the end of us, and it could be then end of our deal. If Elle realized we switched them...." The woman finally fell silent. The man puzzled to himself for a moment. "yes, we must kill her." Elle slipped back into her room and gathered her things in a dizzy. Kill her? What were they talking about? She was fifteen at the time. She finished her packing and turned invisible, slipping out the door. She heard one last phrase. "It is, and remains to this day, that Alex Crises is her Elle's real brother."

Elle woke up with a jolt, eyes wide and her forehead sweating. Why hadn't she remembered this? Was it even real? The memories seemed to flood back to her, as if the dam holding back all her memories had finally burst. Why hadn't she remembered this before? They were talking of some sort of memory drug... She remembered now, the drug. It caused the person to forget things over time. That is why she didn't remember what was said about Alex, because it happened two years ago. She looked at Alex. He really didn't look much like her. Could they possibly be siblings? She froze. It was just a dream though, it couldn't be real. It can't be real. She is imagining things... She shook her head. No, Alex didn't look like her, not even the slightest. He wasn't her brother. She slumped against a tree log. Just a dream...

Zach sighed. "If I told you, I think we'd back right back to you threatening to kill me." He looked at his feet. Would I betray them if I was threatened to be executed again? Truth is, I probably would. But then, what makes me so much more worthy of survival? That's what isn't fair. I will be their ally. "Do you like Willow like a sister?" He asked Lelani. He didn't really know why, maybe to keep the conversation going.

Lelani laughed at his comment. It tickled her and she didn't know why. She looked up at him with a light smile when he mentioned Willow. yet another pivot... She thought but didn't think about why. She sighed. "I guess you could say that. Honestly, She just happen to be there. They kidnapped her like they kidn-" She stopped and sighed, "She's not my sister nor my daughter, She's just my kid."She said and yawned behind her hand.

"I know what you mean. Sorry if my topics seem random. I'm just sorting out what is worthy of being talked about. I figured you wouldn't really want to hear about me anyway." Zach smiled back at her. "Willow told me to try not to make you mad, but now that I'm starting to understand you, it doesn't seem impossible anymore." He partly meant the last part of it being impossible as a joke, but that was how he first felt. He'd expected her to be suspicious and angry towards him a lot.

Lelani rolled her eyes at his comment about himself. Then frowned a little when he told her what Willow said. Her face eased. "Oh she did, did she?" She shook her head. "It's probably a good thing to remember." She joked but then she realized something. "You complied? You certianly didn't have to, I probably -well I wouldn't have." She said with a curious frown.