Thalia assumed he wasn't going to answer after a while so she laid down on her back. She kept her legs together to make sure she did not flash anyone. When he spoke her eyes darts to him. Thalia pushed herself back up into a sitting position by pressing her hands against the ground. She smiled at him a bit amused when he finished speaking. She guessed a dream could be a secret. "That dream sounds interesting, maybe it does mean you are his descendant," she paused as a laugh escaped her lips, "I guess I should keep you close in case that white demon appears again. Of all the rooms if the castle he could have entered he came into mine." She shook her head at the thought and slowly laid back down.

She rubbed her eyes and zapped herself slightly. She felt tired and she sensed her body was too. It was sore too from her practicing on how to use a sword the night before, but she really did not want to sleep. She wouldn't let herself if she could. Thalia rubbed the back of her neck as she bit her lip. She didn't want to ask anyone to teach her anything, but she knew she had to. Who knew when she would actually have to fight someone with a sword? Hand-to-hand combat would be a bad idea to try to defend herself against a sword. She knew there would be much more fighting involved on their quest.

"Do you want to teach me how to use a sword in your spare and our free time?" she questioned as she looked at the stars.

Locien eyed her statement carefully and then observed her rubbing her head and felt something, odd. He couldn't put his finger on it but it definitely came from her. He kept that to himself as he accidentally observed her curves. He shook his head to snap out of a moment of reverie.

"Curse it! Why are the royals the beautiful ones...?" he thought as he began pondering and observing the others. Marek fell asleep by the campfire whilst Helena and Cildur went to their own tents. He pondered almost everything else he learned the past two days but he shrugged.

He then heard Thalia ask her a question about the sword. "Teach you? Well..I guess we can try to squeeze that in. I have to make some practice swords, so that way we don't cut each other to ribbons. We will do beginner's sparring when they are ready."

Locien sighed as he lay down. "Have a good sleep Thalia. Tomorrow we can talk about various other things..." He drifted off to sleep mid sentence.

Thalia looked at Locien when he spoke and she nodded in response to him. When she noticed he had fallen asleep she closed her eyes. She didn’t get to sleep as she kept herself awake so she stayed mostly in the state of just falling asleep during most of the night. Thalia finally sat up when she noticed the sun had began to rise. She stood up and left to lean against a tree. Once she watched the sunrise she left to the river to quickly clean up. After she went back to camp and greeted her siblings as she saw they awoke and had began to get ready to leave.

"Locien, Marek, wake up. We will be on our way soon. We have time to make up for thanks to someone..." Helena said loudly to wake them up if they were still slumbering. She eyed Marek when she said someone.

Locien was already up and was packing his things, whilst Marek yawned and sat up. "What? I didn't make you guys lose track of time when your sister throw darts at me. However you're probably right." Marek got up and looked at the others, "I will show you the way to your destination now."

---

Several hours into walking again lead them through a less travelled path that Marek knew of. The 'shortcut' he seemed to be vocal about would make up for the lost time they had. Cildur looked unconvinced. Locien however didn't pay either of them mind as he was walking and making training swords at the same time.

The group seemed quiet but slowly but surely Locien began to hum a tune, too keep the traveling lively, and to keep everyone's spirits up.

Thalia was pulled out of her daze when she heard humming. She glanced at Locien. She had't even had been paying attention to her surroundings anymore because as she had been walking she was half asleep. The only thing she bothered to do was glance at Helena now and then to make sure she was okay. Helena was just reading and following alongside Cildur. Thalia looked at Marek as she listened to Locien hum. I hope he knows where he is going. I think I would have rather taken the long way because at least we had some idea on how long that would take... She stretched slowly and rubbed her tired eyes before she pulled some grapes out of her bag. She ate them slowly and took a sip of water from her black leather canteen. After a while she couldn't help, but hum along to Locien's tune. Seconds later she listened as her siblings joined in.

"How much further Marek?" Helena asked after what seem to be another hour.

"With any luck in the next minute, we've been close to the border for five minutes." Marek stated. "Why you guys are searching for allies in the Kingdom of Serinkas I don't know. And we've crossed the border! No need for applause."

Locien lightly chuckled at that statement. "Alright. Get us near the road, once we do that we won't worry for any bandits or worse." He finished with his two wooden swords and he slung them across his back with a rope. Marek rolled his eyes at Locien's statement.

"Just do as he says Ranger." Cildur said in a slightly annoyed tone. "We can all be safer knowing that our first leg of this journey is safely through."

"Yeah might wanna rephrase that...." Marek slowly said as he stopped. He was staring at a meadow with a village built on it. Near the road more in front of them was a banner. "Bandits, probably an Orc and Human made gang... They've obviously gained enough forces to take over that village. Who wants to bet they're friends of whoever might be your enemies?"

"Nothing Marek. Because that whole gang will be dead." Locien's face turned from merry to gravely angered. "Cildur, follow me. Marek, Help Helena and Thalia. We gotta sneak towards the village and liberate it. No arguments. The villagers are obviously still there otherwise the bandits wouldn't be out in broad daylight."

"I hope you have a plan Kestal." Cildur stated.

"Yes and no. We might have to improvise if things go south." Locien said softly. His mind was racing however. Thinking of ways to fight every last bandit in the village.

Thalia went to the front and looked at what Marek was staring at. Then she looked at Locien. She listened to his directions and her eyes widen. Was he crazy? He was crazy. Thalia looked at her sword, but just ended up pulling out six darts like the last time, but these darts had poison that would kill. She moved darts so she had two darts between each finger on her left hand. Thalia took her sword out and held it steady in her right hand. Let's see how well I do actually fighting someone.

“Marek, keep Helena safe and I will keep my brother safe and Locien safe. I am going to follow them since Locien has half a plan it seems,” she whispered before she followed Cildur and Locien. Helena glared at Marek as she took her dagger out and put her book away.

“Taking your shortcut was a wonderful idea, you better make sure no one in our group ends up dead,” she said as she watched the meadow.

"Hey, why are you speaking as if I had something to do with this?? How was I supposed to know bandits were gonna come your way??" Marek stated in an annoyed tone as he pulls out a bow. "If any come our away I'll fix em."

----

"I see them. Three men, five Orcs." Cildur stated when they managed to reach a good hiding spot near the town. "One of the orcs seems to be the leader."

"Good to know." Locien stated as he saw Thalia near them and his eyes turned into a panicked look slightly but shook it off. "The Leader has thick armor, but some of the men and orcs don't. You throw your darts at them, I'll deal with the Leader, Cildur you deal with the runaways."

"Right. Let's get done with it. Thalia, throw swift." Cildur stated as Locien started to climb up a building almost alarming one of the onlookers as he made it to the roof and unsheathed his sword. The moment Thalia threw the darts, Locien leapt at the Leader and started his attack.

The few moments of slicing and fighting the Orc were almost shocking for Locien, to the point when the weapons locked. "Is this some kind of Joke? Drow don't attack Orcs in broad daylight!!"

"I do. I am Locien Kestal, The Drow of Kreanor." Locien stated with a long hard glare.

"Ha! You look more like those northeastern Drow, you stupid knife eared fool! Those 'civilized' freaks who are no better then orcs or Drow. But their last known raid wiped out major players in their society. So there's some guarantee that you're just a rogue!" The leader shouted. "I'll kill you here!!"

Whilst Locien was struggling with the leader Cildur was fighting two bandits at once. "Locien!! Need a hand over here!"

Helena rolled her eyes at Marek before her eyes followed the rest of the group.

----

“I know brother, I always do,” Thalia replied. She waited until Locien was on the roof before she threw her darts swiftly. She watched as Locien and Cildur fought. When she heard her brother tell Locien he needed a hand she ran over. Thalia put her sword away as she ran up to one of the bandits and kicked their feet from under them. The bandit looked at her in surprise and in that moment she kicked his weapon out of her hand.

Though the bandit quickly recovered and they began to fight hand-to-hand. Thalia was finally able to immobilize the bandit when she kneed him in the crotch with all of her force. He crumpled to the ground. She swiftly took her sword out and knocked him out with its handle. She saw her brother had handled the other bandit so he was fine for now.

Her eyes landed on Locien who still seem to be struggling. She licked the fresh cut on her bottom lip, it stung, but she ignored the pain. Thalia quickly picked up some medium sized stones and quickly climbed onto the roof of a house. From the roof she began to throw the stones at the leader. If she could distract the leader enough maybe Locien would be able to defeat him. She had just run out of stones when she sensed someone was behind her. Another bandit, she jumped back as he swung a sword at her.

She held her sword in her hand and did her best to counter the attacks, but she was barely blocking his blade with hers. She was quick enough, but being on a roof gave her limited space to run. Thalia let out an unwanted shriek when the bandit’s sword grazed her left forearm. A thin bright line of blood appeared. I am useless with this sword if I can’t attack. I can’t exactly jump from the roof either and everyone is too busy to help.

Thalia ran to the edge of the roof, she was corner. Thalia conducted enough lighting in her hand just in times as she grabbed the bandit’s wrist when he swung for her throat. Thalia looked away when she saw his eyes roll back and him fall to his knees. His grip on the sword loosen and it felt. Thalia felt no pulse coming from his wrist any longer. She took a deep breath before she climbed down from the roof.

Locien noticed Thalia helping and nodded, and several moments later he kicked the Orc away and prepared to strike. He heard Thalia shrieked and stopped and turned to look, giving the leader ample time to charge at The Drow and deliver a harsh blow to his head. The Amulet around Locien's neck suddenly began to glow green as Locien snaps back towards the Orc, with eyes just as glowing from the amulet as he struck the Orc with a similar blow.

The Leader growled and swung his weapon at Locien but the Orc suddenly backs away in fear, missing an arm and a weapon as Locien walks towards him in a bestial way. He grips the Leader's weapon and yells in a primal rage before throwing it, causing the leader's head to become the weapon's new sheathe. The Orc stumbled before falling over. Both the glowing in eyes and amulet stopped after that. Locien backs up in fear. "It...happened again...my rage..." He said in horror before heading towards a large tree on the outskirts of the village, forgetting his sword in the process as Cildur looked slightly shocked.

"Never before has that type of power been seen in this lifetime..." Cildur stated in his shock as Marek and Helena rushed to regroup with the others. "Well, the village is safe, so let's have the villagers know, and then we will rent a few rooms here for the night."

"As you say sir." Marek stated as he shoots Cildur's fallen opponent to make sure he's dead.

"Locien shall join us when he knows he's truly calm and not like that." Cildur also replied. "And he was already dead."

"He was twitching." Marek replied.

Thalia climbed down from the building just as she saw Locien walk towards a large tree. He looked shocked. She wondered what was wrong, but she just sank down against the house. Thalia placed her hand over heart as she felt her rapid heart beat. She took in a few deep breaths. I over did it with the lightening and not sleeping does not help. I will have to sleep tonight to make sure I don't pass out during the rest of our journey. After a few minutes when she felt her heartbeat slowed down a bit she stood and walked over to Locien. She sat down across from him and leaned against another tree. She closed her eyes. Thalia felt slightly light headed and she felt herself beginning to warm up.

“Are you okay Locien? What’s wrong?” she asked as she sucked on her lower lip. She placed her right hand over the cut across her left forearm.

Locien was close to losing himself again when he heard Thalia near him. He turned to look at her and noted she was holding her arm. She was injured in a few spots. Locien said nothing for several long seconds. Then finally he began to speak. "I lost control of myself during the last few moments. I for a few moments almost felt so, so....Primeval." He stated. "And you look like you got banged up a bit too."

Locien turned and was breathing in an almost exhausted way. Seeing the effects of the amulet not only scared him, but he felt as if he exposed a part of himself that shouldn't come out. "How bad is the cut on your arm?" He asked, trying to change the subject.

Thalia watched him for a while before she finally spoke. She noticed he was trying to change the subject and she decided to let him. "It isn't that bad, he really just grazed me so I should be left with no scar. Though I never been cut before so this is a first and I am just holding it as it hurts less than way. The cut on my lip hurts the most I would say though," she said with a shrug. She opened her eyes before she slowly got up and sat across from Locien. She placed her free hand on his knee. "Take slow deep breaths, try to think of something pleasant. We did just save this village," she said.

Locien almost jumped in surprise, nearly almost hitting his head before he did. "She...she touched me. An elf outside my Foster Father...touched me. And nothing bad happened?" he thought almost frantically. He slowly breathed to get his mind back to almost working condition.

He simply placed one of his hands on hers as he nodded. "Thank you, I needed that." Was all he said as he got up. He looked towards the village inn and then at Thalia. "We shouldn't worry your siblings." He said as he walked back towards the village, grabbing his discarded sword and sheathing it.

His hand shook a bit, remembering how Thalia just simply reached out and touched him. The odd feeling of having an elf touch him wasn't new to him, but this time, Thalia's felt oddly warm. He shook his head to try and get the strange thoughts from his head, he was on a mission. He would be their friend but he was sure to try and not do anything to Cildur's siblings as far as pursue a relationship! Cildur might fight him!!

Shaking his head he headed towards the inn.

Thalia froze when she saw Locien’s reaction to her touch. Did I scare him? Wait no, maybe I just surprised him... “Welcome and yes we shouldn’t. We all have enough to worry about,” she said. She watched as he walked back towards the inn before she slowly stood up. Thalia took out her canteen and washed the blood off her hand before she cleaned the blood from the cut on her forearm and then her bottom lip. Once she finished she collected her darts. She watched as blood leaked out of each. Next she cleaned the blood from the darts with the last of her water before she put her canteen away. After she made sure to walk slowly as she wasn’t trying to increase her heartbeat anymore than needed. It took longer than she wanted, but she finally entered the inn. She carefully and slowly took in her surroundings.

The inn was busy as if the events that transpired, from the bandit invasion further on did not happen. Almost as if it was some morbid or wickedly sickening cycle of the farmers who lived there, and the evils that would take advantage of them. Locien noticed Cildur finalizing on rooms and Marek and Helena at a table with provisions of food and drink.

He walked over to the table and silently ate, trying hard to not focus on what he did to defeat the bandits. Cildur returned to the table and nodded to everyone. "Good news, we got rooms. Bad news, we only have four rooms. Someone has to bunk with another tonight. Tomorrow we will head to the capital city and meet with the Monarch there."

Locien only gave a small nod and drank from his pint and his eyes shot up at its taste. "Icefire brew!!!" he shouted in his thoughts happily as he proceeded to down the entire pint. He needed a bit of his favorite things to calm his nerves. And this surprise beverage was most welcome.

Thalia watched everyone around her for a while before she took a seat at the table. She looked up at her brother as he spoke. Thalia finished half her drink before she ate. Once she felt stuffed she finished her drink. She then took a dart out.

“I don’t mind rooming with anyone so I’ll spin a dart to see who has to room with me. If the tip points at you then you are stuck with me for the night. I believe that is the easiest and quickest way to decide. No ifs, ands, or buts about it,” she said. She placed the dart in the middle of the table and spun it. Thalia spun it too fast so it took a while before it finally slowed to a stop. When it stopped the tip pointed at Locien. She picked it up a few seconds after and put it away.

“I guess I will be rooming with Locien,” she said in her naturally calm tone. She took a room key from her brother and showed the number to Locien. “I will leave the door unlock. I am going to go now and laid down for a while,” she added. No one really had a chance to even speak, as she made sure to leave quickly. Thalia didn’t want to give anyone a chance protest, as she did not want to argue. Eating and drinking helped some, but she still felt warm and weak. At least she knew her siblings knew that there would no point in trying to argue with her or protest. She was too stubborn.

Once she entered the room she closed the door leaving it unlocked for Locien. She placed her bag under the bed. Next she changed into a short white sleeveless nightgown and sat at the edge of the bed. She braided her hair before she lay on her back and stared at the ceiling. She thought about the recent events that had happen today. Thalia fiddled with the key in her hand.

Marek snapped his fingers in disappointment when it wasn't pointing to him. Locien was a tad surprised at that but felt that Fate lent a slight hand. He simply ate the rest of his food and silently got up and nodded to the rest as bidding of a good night. He then headed outside towards the outskirts to do a silent meditation for a good long hour.

When the hour had passed, He returned to the Inn and to the room Thalia was in and opened the door silently. Upon walking in Locien noticed incidentally the absence of another bed and half wondered where he would sleep at. His eyes spied the chair as he walks towards it and turns around and sits down on it in preparation for sleep. He eyed the princess near him and nodded his head to know that where he was at was fine. "Hopefully she doesn't try and get me on there in protest of my own decision..." he thought.

Thalia was pulled out of her thoughts when the door opened. She held herself up with her elbows and watched as Locien walked towards a chair and sat down. She eyed him for a few seconds and a laugh escaped her lips. Now she fully sat up with her hands on the bed. Her gaze turned a bit serious when it landed on him. She cleared her throat softly before she licked her lips.

"Locien Kestal, I hope you do not plan on sleeping in that uncomfortable hard chair. You can come sleep in this comfortable bed with me, as there is plenty of space for the both of us. I refuse, I won't allow you to sleep in that chair. I don't bite or have any illness that can kill you so please come now. I really do not want to try to force you onto this bed. I will take some offense if you don't sleep with me and may not speak to you again," she said as she patted the spot beside her. She tucked a loose strain of hair behind her ear and crossed her arms. Thalia leaned against the dark brown wooden headboard. She stared him right in the eyes as she waited for him to move from the chair promptly. I hope he can tell I am not joking with him.

If Locien had paler skin, his face would turn red. "Uhh, you're sure?" Locien asked before sighing and walking over to the bed and plopped down on it. "As you wish."

He just kept his eyes upward towards the ceiling. As long as he didn't look at her or anything along those lines, he would be fine and without worry. Worry of Cildur and Helena prepared to kill or maim him in anyway. It was just as well. He had to try hard to keep any relationship from forming between him and anyone he was assigned to protect in this quest.

That and of course hopefully she knew what some consequences would be if Cildur thought anything went on.

Thalia looked down at Locien as he looked at the ceiling and gave him a friendly smile. "Thank you for coming, but you can look around, get comfortable. What is wrong? My siblings aren't going to kill you or anything for just sleeping in the same bed as me. It would be rude to let a friend sleep in a chair. I won't tell them if that would make you feel better or is something else wrong?" she asked. She gently went to grab his chin so she could turn his face to make him look at her.

Locien let her move his head to look at her. "Nothing is wrong, at least as far as worrying about your siblings being mad at me for being in the same bed as you." He said calmly as he shifted to try and get comfortable. "The fact remains though. It's been a rough day is all."

Locien simply tried to not say anything more lest he get chided for it as he silently took off his tunic to try and get more comfortable. His tattooed arm now in plain sight. It was stark white against his skin so it was visible for any who'd see the Elven and Drow decorations.

He simply sighed as he cracked his neck. He looked tired but his mind didn't want him to go to sleep. He had a feeling Thalia had a secret as far as magic goes. She just didn't want to say it. Then again, his inner rage tapping is also a form of magic. So he could understand possible discretion.

"They won't be mad at you, just told them I made you, they know how stubborn I am," she paused as she moved to the very edge of the bed to give Locien space so he could feel more comfortable. She used an elbow to hold herself up as she placed her chin in her hand and lay on her side. "Today was horrible...fighting was awful. I never killed anyone before today...that felt the worst...I didn't want to kill them..." A sigh escaped her lips. Since she was already looking at him she watched as he took his tunic off. Her eyes wandered up and down his tattooed arm. She moved her arm that held her up and laid her head on it instead. Now she lay on her side facing Locien as she used her arm as a pillow. Thalia's reached out her unoccupied arm and slowly traced his tattoos with her fingertips. "Did these hurt a lot?" she asked.

"Battles are never fun. It's a struggle to survive." Locien stated as he stretched his legs. He then suddenly gained the feeling of being touched again as he turned to look at her in a slightly surprised yet calm fashion.

"Getting the details just perfect was the painful part." He said, remarking his tattoos. "Designed to represent each deity of both sides of the Elven pantheon. The borders were more harder." He said with a slight chuckle. "Though it wasn't that big a deal." He shrugged. "Well I told you how mine were, now tell me yours." He flashed a small smirk, but didn't make a move to do what she did to his arm, since she was still tracing his arm and the touch was to him soft, and good for a strange reason.

Thalia smiled when he looked slightly surprised yet calm when she touched him. His reaction was amusing and interesting. She listened quietly as she adjusted her arm by bending it before she placed her head back onto it. She then went to stretch and gripped Locien’s arm as she almost fell off the bed. Thalia laughed nervously before she moved closer to Locien and loosened her grip on his arm. She kept her hand on his arm.

“Sorry, I guess I was too close to the edge for my own good. I hope you don’t mind I got closer. My tattoo? The outlining of the tattoo was painful, but I could handle it. Though, when it got filled I thought my heart was going to stop. I kept fading in and out of consciousness, I couldn't even think. I had to do my best not to-” she paused, she couldn’t tell Locien she had to do her best not to use her mastery of Lightening, “move, but it was worth it, it came out perfectly. My tattoo is just an ancient Elven symbol. I like ancient things, they always caught my interest I guess.”

She yawned and rubbed her eyes as they watered. Thalia moved to grab the blanket at their feet and lay on her back before she turned her head to face Locien. “What things did you want to discuss today? You mentioned it last night right before you fell asleep,” she said softly. She pulled the blanket slowly up to her waist. Thalia rested her hands just under her chest with her fingers laced together.