The Cerulean Brigade, Chapter 2: I Think Faze Just Became the Main Character

[Astral Harmony]

Aishel pulled Faze off the ground, smirking while she dusted him off. "Is that how you greet every girl you meet?" she joked. "I'm glad I know who you are because my attack would've been somewhat worse."
"Probably not in my case," Chizuru remarked. "I'm not sure how I'd react to something like that."

[Tarrin]

Tyrrine stood watching in abstract shock, The way these people could treat each other was in the least weird, "Well children will be children" He whispered to his wolven companions.

Speaking to the group for the first time "I...I shall meet you all on the towns outskirts, It is a bit...Crowded here for me" With than he turned and started to make his way out of town to await the group of slackers, ruffians and drunkards.

[PyrosNine]

"I've felt worse...ouch." Faze said with a sigh as he picked up his spear from the ground.

"Let's just keep going. And let's not mention this to the others or to the king. I don't need to be labeled as yet another perverted master."

Faze started to keep walking down the road. Knowing of course that his recent attack had probably disturbed the rythm of his traveling companions, Faze decided to avert their minds with conversation.

"So...have any of you been to Relent before? Or any where near it? It would be flawed of me to think that others are not as well traveled as myself."

[Lumaes]

The windows were flung open, a gleeful gale whistling through the upstairs room.
Nine plates, nine place settings – each in a different pattern of sea foam greens and blues. The witch smiles to herself, it was a most fortuitous number, she had a mind not to set out anything more, it would ruin the synergy. She laughs melodically, her simple, unwired dress fluttering about her as she flits gaily through the windswept room.
She had already dispatched a letter to Lady Mauve, she did so hope that her elderly friend would attend; she knew she could trust Indigo to be formidable enough to overcome the largely unmannered people she had invited.

Mr Lainsbury would be attending, however unfortunate she thought that was, it would have been terribly rude not to have invited him after he had so graciously allowed her to play host tonight. Still, he was a terrible bore and one could not look at him without wanting to clap and shout just to see if he would scuttle away into a hole in the wall.

The table laid out to her delight and the dishes of fruit and edible flowers already waiting in the cool-room downstairs Pinchette could turn her attentions to what to wear tonight, it must be something truly lovely, so as to lend dignity to the occasion. A lovely frock had saved more than one party from dissolving into an ill-mannered brawl.

As she explored the brightly coloured realm that was her travelling outfits she immersed in silk, taffeta and fine wool as she set about the task. As she made her selections, choosing this material here, and those sleeves with that set of gloves she allowed her mind wander to the second task she had set Lun.

The second task was for the manservant to see what information he could discover about those she had invited to join her tonight. Lun was well-suited to this job, unlike many of his other tasks, as he was a warm and likable fellow and people seemed more than willing to engage him in chit-chat and rumour. She looked forward to attempting to sort out fact from fiction when he arrived home.

[Astral Harmony]

Aishel folded her arms behind her head. "Yet another perverted master, huh? Come to think of it, my swordsmanship teacher was that way, too. He had a good way with words. Heck, even I was drawn to him until Tsubasa peeked in on one of the training sessions. It took all the strength I could muster at the time to keep her from removing his head from his shoulders with her cutting wires."
"He was lucky to have you on his side that time." Chizuru said. "To this day, I don't think that man has a child or apprentice to run his training camp after his death. He's probably looking for a woman to call his own permanently now."
"Lucky for him, not for the women in Hristol." Aishel winked. "I'll bet my weight in gold that he's been trying to get my mother every day since Tsubasa had me continue my training under Kirie at the kingdom capital."

[PyrosNine]

As they went on, Faze listened to Aishel and Chizuru talk of their homelifes, of their youth in Duvashnia, and of their relationship with a swordsmaster who sets the bad example for all other weaponmasters.

He couldn't help but feel some slight deja vu over the names, but eh, once you've traveled across a continent all names seem to sound alike. Faze decided to interrupt their conversing to bring up something.

"At this pace we shall get to Jovian shrine shortly. If you have any qualms about arriving at Relent at night, or need rest, food or have unfinished business with any deity you worship, we may rest there. It is a traveler's rest stop. Of course, if you wish we may continue of course. I mean not to say that you wouldn't mind a rest, or that you would mind one just because..."

Faze sighed. "Err...nevermind."

Best to stop while he was ahead.

[Astral Harmony]

Aishel thought about it. "Well, I would like to get off my feet if only for a moment. Too much standing around today just isn't good for me."
"Food." Chizuru said simply.
If that was any indication, Aishel and Chizuru were definitely up for a small break.

[PyrosNine]

The jovian shrine was a rest stop set up between Relent and the Castletown for wheat carrying farmers to market. Contrary to popular belief, it preexisted the current residing shrine by 20 years. The reason for this being (aside from the belief that a rest stop anywhere on the road deserves to be a shrine) was that a wandering jovian priest came upon the shrine while spreading his religion to the Farmers of Relent.

The Jovian religion is based upon the sayings: "It is good for man to eat, drink, and be merry." As well as "Life's a party, then you die." As well as, "Memento Mori" Essentially, the crux of their mission to liven the world's spirits, with well...spirits. They drive to bring food to those in famine, drink to those in draught, and merryness to those in the gloom. Naturally, poor farmers fit all three of those examples, and the priest was coming to the castle town to get money from the aristocracy to build a pub for the poor farmers. (His selling point was, if there was a nice way to end a day's work, they would work faster to get to that end.)

Coming upon the rest stop, where the less than merry merchants lay down their burdens, he realized if any place needed a pub, this was the place. And considering the large amount of land, and the importance of the road, money would be easy to get for it. Especially if it was labeled as a religious shrine... So work started on the pub. But as it was built, helping hands were found who also desired there to be more to their travels to the Castletown.

The miniscule well, shady trees, and horse hitches were built over with a large wooden building, full of tables, a bar, and even a second floor for more accomodating hungry guests and management. Then another large building was added and connected, this one held rooms and beds for weary travelers. And finally, the shrine itself was made. It was made of stone, and held on it the proverbial sayings and history of both the shrine and important events in history the priest thought relevant. A stable was in the works, but it wouldn't be built at least for another year, due to some infighting in the church. (Other groups wanted hot springs, and despite the fact that hot springs were a natural feature not found in the region, there was a harebrained scheme to use a giant kettle...nevermind.)

Needless to say it was certainly a comforting sight in the middle of nowhere, and Faze and co came upon it while there was still a faint red glow in the sky.

"Here we are. What do you think? Had a hand in building it myself, you know. Also, if anyone asks, I had no hand in building it whatsoever and I do not look like the guy the Carpenter foreman's wife attempted to run away with, and then later kill."

[Tarrin]

Tyrrine caught up with the traveling Faze and co, He didn't enter the shrine but instead looked around the countryside, He could remember when all this was forest, Lush and thick with vegetation.

He could look across the area now void of animals and know where one of the Fox families had placed their den, These people always were upseting to him, They didn't live with nature they destroyed it.
Pushing the thoughts from his mind Tyrrine listened to the conversation amongst the group, Why didn't the statement of Faze and someone elses wife shock him?

Tyrrine stood at the back of the group now, His wolven companions now sent home to their pack, The city was behind him and he could feel the force of nature infusing him, The grass under his feet the wind in his hair, Yes this was an aceptible area to be.
"If you are staying here i shall head a little further up the path, A grove of old oaks sit there. I shall meet you all there in the morn" He looked at each of the travelers before he turned to leave.

[PyrosNine]

Faze checked the wolf boy with a glance, and turned to Aishiel.

"Who's that again?" Faze muttered under his breath. "Should I know him?'

[Astral Harmony]

Aishel had already removed her boots and was massaging her feet, after telling Chizuru at least three times that she could do it herself. "Actually, he didn't tell me his name. I was pretty much set on calling him Beastmaster or something."
Chizuru had gone off to devour her fair share of the available food, and had come back with some items for Aishel to try out.
"Hey, this is pretty damn good. What is it?"
A small sweat drop appeared on Chizuru's hair. "Actually, I don't think you'd be able to keep it down if I told you."
"I'm an officer of the Roaring Chimera Division of the Duvashnian Knighthood, Chizuru. I've been to many places and I've eaten many questionable delicacies. You could tell me that it's cooked human flesh and I could stomach it."
Chizuru walked up to Aishel and whispered in her left ear. Aishel looked at the half eaten item on a skewer. "Really? Well, then I think I've actually had this before. Just not prepared in this way. Pretty good stuff."

[Arhra]

"How does this one look?" Sulme asked Dragon, moving in a slow twirl.

Dragon looked at Sulme's attire with a professional eye. She wore a silvery gown, leaving her pale arms bare. The silken fabric clung to her slender form, flowing over her body in a shimmering cascade. It seemed to ripple as she moved - the effect of a number of little strips of the fabric shifting and revealing the deep blue that would otherwise be hidden beneath. A belt of pale gold was clasped around her waist, similar bracelets on her arms. Her hair was adorned by a gossamer web, the silver filgree inset with tiny amethyst stones. A pendant was nestled at the base of her neck, normally hidden by her robes.

Several seconds of careful consideration later, Dragon replied. "Yes, I think you should wear that one tonight. The colour suits you and the others just don't compare."

While Sulme had been initially puzzled about Dragon's suggestion to attend Pinchette's dinner party, he could be very persuasive when he put his mind to it. Sequestered away from prying eyes, Sulme had been finding something appropriate to wear with his assistance. This arduous task done, she looked at Dragon appraisingly.

"I suppose we'd better decide what to do about your appearance now then."

Striking a pose of mock dignity, Dragon repily loftily, "Dragons need no ornamentation. We have the splendor of our scales, the glorious expanse of our wings and a greatness of stature." His expression turned sly. "Although if you want a more impressive escort, I suppose you could always see about improving my stature."

"I would hate to remove your favourite perceived deficency. You'd have to find something else to complain about." Sulme replied in an identically teasing tone. It was quite a different picture from her remote behaviour at the castle.

"Its not my fault you're too much of a miser with your mana to sustain a decent sized dragon." Dragon grumbled half heartedly.

Sulme rapped him lightly on the shoulder in response then leaned in, one arm going around his neck. "I have an idea or two for tonight. You should take a bath too."

And so it was that Sulme arrived that night, riding sidesaddle on Dragon's back to spare her dress for the trip there. She wore a cloak of midnight blue over it, the wind had a biting chill to it in the open this night. Dragon's rainment was not concealed. He wore simple jewelry of gold - a torc and metal bands about his legs and tail, lustrous against his dark scales. He also gleamed, scales carefully polished to a fine finish. With an ease born of long practice, the unusual pair ignored any gawkers on the way there.

The illusionist dismounted on the street outside, walking through the wrought iron gates with Dragon in tow. Out of the wind, she let her cloak open as she looked around. Little lanterns lit up the house's garden like a faerie glade - a definate sign of luxury inside the cramped walls of the city. Their host was there to meet them.

[Astral Harmony]

After some light eating, Aishel and Chizuru decided to spar together. Chizuru was armed with a pair of tonfas, while Aishel used a large sword. One could easily see how they were made for battle by looking at how they fought. Aishel fought offensively, relying heavily on her strength and her equipment to press her assault. Chizuru fought defensively, using her tonfas mostly to block and deflect Aishel's swings. One would think it'd be easy for Chizuru to sneak some blows in, but apparently Aishel's powerful strikes forced her to rely on both tonfas to prevent from getting cut.
"So, Master Faze." Aishel said between breaths. "When do you think we'll reach Relent? Tomorrow? Maybe the day after?"
"Chance!" Chizuru chimed in, and went through some pretty slick motions. Catching the blade, Chizuru aligned it with the ground, then ran up it onto Aishel's head, kicking off to get behind her. Aishel stumbled forward and Chizuru closed in to bash her from behind, but Aishel was a little faster than Chizuru expected and a broad swing made Chizuru leap back.
"Damn, that was a little embarrassing." Aishel commented.
"You guard pretty well, Miss Aishel. It took me quite a while to see an opening like that."
"Still, you win that one. You could have just as easily hit me in the back of the neck with one of those things and knocked me out. Let's try again."

[PyrosNine]

"Well, this place is a bit less than a halfway point, and if we went on and traveled through the night without stopping again we should reach relent the day after tommorow at late noon. If we were to stay the night, we would arrive in the morning of three days past." Faze replied, watching them spar with his back against the wall. "The pros and cons of going through the night are naturally the speed with which we get there, the cons being a bit tired before fighting the bandits, that and they'd be out more in force on the roads at night. If were were to rest here and travel through the day we'd get there well rested and without threats on the road, yet we'd miss a day in which we could act."

"Whichever one you want will suit me fine, I don't think the Bandits are just going to up and leave if we don't hurry, and I have no qualms about fighting a bandit army after long day of walking." Faze rubbed his spear's grip as he said this, admiring still the sharpened blade on the tip.

[Astral Harmony]

Aishel and Chizuru ended their battle to focus on the strategy. "I would like to get there as soon as possible, but I don't think it'd do us any good to hurry. We should have a talk with the village elder once we get there. If anyone has a clue what we might be up against, it's him. Chizuru and anyone else good at scouting can help us map out a plan of attack."
"So should I go ahead of us?"
Aishel considered it for a moment. "Nah. What the elder may have to say plus what you find out by spying on the enemy won't take long. If we're quick enough, we can probably wipe out the bandit chiefs the same night we get there. If the bandits do start work at night, we can slip through their lines pretty easily if they're spread out."
Chizuru stretched. "Well, if we're not leaving until tomorrow, I vote that we should go have a bath!"
Aishel sniffed her right arm. "I don't smell...too bad."
"Eating, sleeping, and bathing! These're important practices for women and you shouldn't skip out on a chance to bathe, Miss Aishel." Chizuru grabbed Aishel by the arm and started dragging her away. "C'mon, I'll wash your back for you."
"I can wash my own damn back. Lemme go!" Aishel struggled, but Chizuru had a firm grip. The Duvashnian officer sighed as the Guardian pulled her out of sight.

[Tarrin]

Tyrrine had reached the grove, The soft wind whispered thru the branches.
Night was apon the country and the animals that thrived at that time were out.

The moon full and bright sent shadows from every tree, Nights like these were always what he lived for, Nature in it's glory majestic and mysterious, Just how his mother had shown him it could be over one hundred years ago.
A smile touched Tyrrines lips, Thoughts of his mother were always happy memories, One day soon he would have to visit her again.

Walking towards the largest oak he ran a hand over it's rough trunk "My friend will you allow me to sleep" a Whisper drifted down from the leaves and the trunk seamed to grow a opening "Thankyou Please tell me when a group of people come" After discribing the group he walked into the opening and it sealed behind him.

[PyrosNine]

Faze watched the two head to the baths. "Yep...it really is looking just like I thought...""

Faze sniffed himself. Come to think of it, he could probably use a bath as well. He stilled smelled like a alcohol and horse manure. He wasn't sure where the horsemanure smell came from, but it did seem strong enough for him to be....sitting in it.

With a sigh, Faze got up and headed towards the Men's baths.

[Astral Harmony]

The two girls undressed and proceeded into the bathing area, leaving only Aishel's longbow and quiver behind. The few other women in the bath were a little surprised when two naked strangers entered, one with a large sword and the other with dual tonfas.
And this is how Aishel and Chizuru got a good bit of private space in the bath. "Whew...this feels like heaven."
"Uh huh," Chizuru smiled. "Nothing feels better at this time of day than a good hot bath."
"Well, I'd feel a lot better in this bath if my body was like yours, Chizuru. It's hard to make friends when you're covered with scars and muscle."
Chizuru didn't have a response to that. So she started to wash Aishel's back. "Personally, I think the scars and muscles make you look natural. You don't want to be a girlish lady like Miss Pinchette, do you?"
"Well, I don't wanna be a bitch like Pinchette." Aishel said, then something came up. "Hey, Chizuru?"
"Yes, Miss Aishel?"
"All of the scars on my body. I can tell anyone a story about each and every one. I remember all of these events as though they only happened a week ago. All of them...except one."
Chizuru knew exactly which one Aishel was talking about. "Which one would that be?" Chizuru asked.
Aishel lifted a wet hand to her forehead. "The scar here," she said, running a finger along the diagonal scar. "I can tell a story about each and every scar on my body...except for this one. I don't know where the hell I got it and it continues to bug me sometimes."
"You got that one from a fall."
In a swift motion, Aishel rose from the water and had Chizuru by the shoulders. "You know about this scar?"
"Aishel, you're hurting me."
Aishel looked at her hands and released her friend. Chizuru backed up. "I'm sorry, Chizuru. If you know what this scar means, can you please tell me?"
"I...wasn't there at the time." Chizuru said, deciding to tell Aishel only a little for now. "During an advanced horse riding lesson, you were thrown off and you hit a partially embedded stone face first. That's what caused the scar."
Aishel's jaw hung slightly. "Damn. That was very klutzy of me. But how come I don't remember anything like that?"
Chizuru shrugged. "You were unconscious for a long while. Maybe you just blacked it out or something."
"Thank you for telling me about it, Chizuru. It's been on my mind a lot lately."
"So now you know about it now. That's it." Chizuru lied. That scar meant more than what event had caused it. Much, much more.
Aishel turned around and started walking back to her spot in the bath. "Phew. Well, that's a load off my mind. Now where's that cloth so I can wash your back?"
Chizuru felt relieved and was about to follow Aishel...until she saw a small twinkle in the trees beyond. "A pervert?" she said quietly. When a fast shape suddenly shot up from that position, Chizuru knew where it was going and reached out to Aishel. "Miss Aishel, up there!"
"Huh?" Aishel looked up quickly. Seeing what was coming at her, she quickly leapt back, barely avoiding the incoming blade by inches. The attacker barely made a splash where he landed. The only noise that could be heard were the screams of the other girls who fled the bath in a frenzy.
Neither could tell who the attacker was. He was all cloaked in black from head to toe. "Ninja?" Chizuru breathed, seeing the stance and katana.
The girls quickly picked up their weapons. "So, this is someone from the lands you come from, huh Chizuru?"
"Yes. That or he was trained in the arts that originate there. Regardless, please be very careful, Miss Aishel."
Chizuru wondered if this had anything to do with Tsubasa's warnings. Could this be an assassin sent out to kill Aishel? If it was, then that bastard was moving a lot faster than even Tsubasa or Mika would've predicted. It did confirm what he intended to do regarding Aishel, though. Chizuru wasn't about to let this guy kill them.
"What's the worry? It's us two versus him. Now let's show this guy how we treat men who come into the women's bath."

[Skyshot]

Okay Wise-Guy. Remarkable deduction. They pay you for that?"Oh, ye meant was what day of the month it is. Not sure about that one, lass. Ask someone else.

"In any case, see you tonight." Hunpher increased his walking speed a bit, careful to keep his fake limp, and made his way back home.

Home, of course, being the Clinicke. When he had purchased it, it was simply called the clinic, but he had immediately added the -ke on the end. He had felt the prior removal of the -ke was too new-fangled, like something younger folks did to stand out. Hunpher, naturally, was a traditionalist if anything.

He had closed up shop when he left, hoping no severely injured people would desperately need his services. He unlocked the door, casually walked in, hunted down his stock signs, and selected the one he needed. He scanned the front door.

Hunpher Gorwick, physician
Open most daylight hours
(Some night hours if it's urgent)
Come in, sit down, and shut up. I'll attend to you when I'm good and ready.
No exorcisms (see your local priest), no fat people wanting to magically be thin (see Gedd of Tunlan), and no wannabe apprentices.
Yes, I charge money.
If you are ugly or smell, I may charge extra.

Hunpher slapped the "Closed indefinitely" sign over it all, locked the door, and went out. First order of business was to see one of his old war comrades. Leandro of all people should know where that lady's house was. Hunpher wished she had simply said something, like her name or where her house was, but he'd have to find it the hard way.

[PyrosNine]

Faze was shocked to suddenly hear multiple screams coming from the Women's bath. Naturally, the hot springs hadn't been put in, so a simple bathing house was present, but what was truly shocking was the sheer amount of female voices heard. From the sounds of it, there seemed to be quite alot of them, which was shocking considering how small the Men's bath was. It only meant one thing. The women got a bigger bath....

Faze sighed. Whatever caused the commotion was probably just some perverted smuck who peeked into the bath, or just was wanting some more space and luxury in his bath. Faze could only guess that the women had actual soap and scented oils in there.

If Faze wasn't so calm and knowledgeable, he'd have jumped over there to protect the woman from the degenerate, but if he did they'd only lump him with the degenerate and hurt him as well.* Aishiel and Chizuru were on that side anyway, and they didn't seem to be slouches at combat. He'd just leave it to them, and enjoy his bath. However cramped it may be...

*Having attempted this heroic feat before, Faze knew from experience.

(OOC: Any chance we could get some details on Pinchette's party? Or must this RP get the cleaver as well?)

[Astral Harmony]

In spite of the impressive first attack made by the mysterious ninja, Aishel and Chizuru didn't have any trouble handing this black-clad retard his own defeat.
"Yatta!" Chizuru cheered.
"We won." Aishel said, not sure what to think of their victory.
"I lost." The ninja said...and then came the overdramatic poses. "But don't think you won. You just got lucky is all-"

When one of his poses allowed him to look at the two girls he had attempted to kill, he could clearly see that they were trying very hard not to laugh. "Why are you laughing?!"
The girls couldn't contain the giggles anymore and soon their laughter could be heard outside.
"...Hi-...his voice..." Chizuru dropped her weapons in the water. "It's just too much!"
Aishel somehow managed to compose herself. "Seriously. My ribs haven't hurt this bad since that one time I was hit in the chest with a warhammer."

The ninja was, needless to say, furious. "Oh, you little bitches." He grumbled, and then came his proclaimation. "Now you're more than just some job! Now it's personal! You will regret this day you made fun of the great ninja master Juicy!"

And suddenly the laughter became uproarious. Even the women who had fled when Juicy first attacked had come back and they were having a good time, too. The "ninja" just stood there, letting the shame smash into him like a meteor storm. He put away his katana and pointed at Aishel. "I'll be back, so you better get ready. Things will be different next time!"

At least Juicy knew how to use a smoke bomb. Chizuru quickly looked around but turned up clueless. "If he comes back during a battle, the resulting laughter would make it hard to concentrate on the enemy."
Aishel smiled. "That is assuming that the enemy is immune to laughter themselves. Heck, if he brought his little performance to the frontlines, the Gillnor forces and whoever they're fighting might end up calling their war quits because the laughter took away all their fury."
Things were calming down, and now Aishel was washing Chizuru's back. "By the way, Chizuru. Is Juicy a-"
"No, that name isn't from where I come from." Chizuru interrupted. "But he certainly has a little skill when it comes to surprising people and escaping. Funny voice and name or whatever, we shouldn't underestimate him as much as we did this evening."
"Still, I wonder who would bother to have me assassinated in the first place? Sure, officers in the Roaring Chimera do make a lot of enemies, but I was expecting ambushes, not assassins, and especially not an assassin like that."
Chizuru didn't have anything to say about that and simply hoped that the situation would stay this easy for as long as possible.

[PhoenixFlame]

[font=courier new]"Oh, ye meant was what day of the month it is. Not sure about that one, lass. Ask someone else.

Raine cackled sarcastically at Hunpher's response. He had a since of humor, a good trait for a man pretending to be older than he looks.

"Very well then." She grinned wryly, "I'll see you tonight also." and turned to leave the reception room, and the castle proper.

And so it came to pass that later that day, after tacking a sign on the door of her house reading "Gone for business. Go away.", that Raine was somewhat confident that anyone attempted to break into her former dwelling would simply run off with all her meager belongings.

Of course, it didn't matter. If she did come back, the king would have already given her a randsom of gold so ridiculously large that a new house would simply be loose change. Either that, or she'd get a new job hunting down the poor thieves who stole her stuff.

Either way, there was free food to be had. Killing bandits on an empty stomach was certainly agaisnt regulations.

Quite some measurable time before Sulme, Raine arrived at Pinchette's mansion, dressed in slightly better-kempt attire than she normally was. This jacket was a lustorous black, unblemished by unsightly claw marks, with a similarly matching hat. A pair of long gloves also adorned the half-fiend's hands, to make her appear more humanoid. Unaccustomed to noblefare mannerisms, Raine simply waited at the gates to be invited inside.

[PyrosNine]

Faze lay in his bath, pondering how the others were doing. He'd been pretty sure they'd be okay when he heard the loud "Yatta", but after awhile a roar of laughter followed which he puzzled him.

But, he resisted the natural heroic urge to rush in and see if they were okay. Otherwise, he'd be the one who wasn't okay...

Faze figured at least he'd remove the temptation by getting out the baths and back to their room. He slipped out of the water and wrapped a towel about himself, and moseyed over to where he put his clothes.

It was just at this moment that a ninja bounded over the wall then ran through the bath until he slipped on a patch of water and crashed into Faze's tub, splashing water everywhere. Faze looked back at the poor sap as he lay there unconcious, shrugged, and proceeded to get dressed.

Of course, later he would probably figure that the ninja and the one who disturbed the ladies bath were one and the same, but Faze was one who didn't let anything disturb his bath routine.

[Astral Harmony]

Aishel and Chizuru retired to the room they shared.
The female knight plopped down on the bed and stretched her arms, legs, and stomach. "I expect the fighting to start as soon as early evening tomorrow. We should get to sleep as soon as we can. I want to be up and ready when Faze is."

Chizuru was a little weirded out. "You don't care about the assassin?"
"Why should I bother with it?" Aishel raised an index finger. "One, the guy...Juicy was clearly a moron. You should know this, you were in the fight with me."
Aishel's middle finger joined her index. "Two, we're performing a duty for the king of Gillnor. This leaves us no time to carry out personal investigations, even if it is an attempt on my life."
The ring finger then came up. "Three, it's not just us. Master Faze is here, and so is that weird person with the dogs. I mean, I don't want to put them in danger, but being in a threatening group like this will probably discourage these actions unless we separate from them."

Aishel pulled her body onto the bed completely and closed her eyes. "Lastly, I'm way too tired to go chasing someone who could very well be miles away by now. I haven't slept since the last leg of my journey to Gillnor and the waiting didn't do me any good. Good night, Chizuru."
Chizuru looked out the nearby window and then joined Aishel in the single bed, staring up at the ceiling. "Sweet dreams, Miss Aishel."

[Lumaes]

As Pinchette swept her first guest through the heavy oaken doorway and along the warm, chocolate brown flooring of the house towards the tearoom her eyes flicked speculatively over the young sorceress’s attire for the evening. The draconic companion was drawn along in the wake of the two ladies as the hostess completed her contemplation.

This girl really did have lovely taste. A definite idiosyncrasy was found in the beautiful golden bandings, a touch which instantly warmed the pale Sulme to Pinchette’s heart. Even at the best parties the young women never accomplished anything more than appearing as pale illustrations lifted straight from the pages of the latest fashion catalogues. They lacked the spark of originality. The fabrics were well chosen as well, the blue leant her the air of some stray sprite or nymph; innocent. Blue, after all, was a very spiritual colour. The hairnet had given Pinchette pause, she would never have guessed that the girl would be clued in enough to realise the styles of the time, let alone so competently.

The tearoom was a small, wood panelled space decorated rather blandly with a few, commonly produced prints of landscapes. The only interesting thing in the room was the tea-set itself. The peculiar pot was fashioned in the shape of a lazy-eyed toad in a waistcoat. The cups and saucers imitated similarly batrachian designs. The cups being hollow bellied salamanders in a variety of evening wear. The reason for the set’s strangeness was that this, unlike the house and furnishings, belonged to Pinchette herself. It had been a gift from a particularly enamoured lodger with a talent for pottery.

Lady Mauve rose quickly from her settee, abandoning the ‘thrilling’ conversation she had been enduring from the squat, beetle-like man who was crouched in the corner, tea and toast completely untouched on the table in front of him. True to her name the elderly woman was wearing a webbed and netted evening gown in that soft, ephemeral shade.
A thin winding tattoo coiled around the base of her neck, its shape obscured by the furrowed skin.
She and Pinchette shared a warm smile, a subtle wink passed between the two and the Lady reached out gently to take the pale visitor’s hand as Pinchette turned, having passed of the guest she returned to the pale light cast by the garden lanterns.
Reclined gently on a wrought iron bench she waited for the next guest to start up the path.

[Skyshot]

It had taken a while for him to convince Leandro he was serious, but Hunpher had managed to work out with him the essential details about the crazy rich lady -- her name, location, various rumors, et cetera.

And so he set off, all his gear save his cane stuffed in his bag. He arrived shortly after Raine and immediately looked for a corner to slink into, if in fact one could do such a thing at such a place.

[PyrosNine]

Faze slipped into bed. He'd wanted to take drink or two at the bar, but part of him knew that it wouldn't be a good idea, especially when travelling with two ladies. It just wouldn't do to travel the rest of the way to Relent with a massive hangover, or at least just wake up in the morning outside lying in his own vomit.

But going without a drink was a bitter pill to swallow, for Faze was stuck to the bottle like fish are stuck to water. After a day of being slapped, used, or hunted down like a dog, it felt good to unwind with some alcohol and forget all his troubles.

Especially the ones yet to come when was drunk...

Faze sighed and rolled over. He'd just have to get a bottle before he left in the morning. For now, sleep.

[mauve]

Curua trotted down the street, his human boy walking dejectedly beside him. Truth be told, Curua wasn't overly pleased to have the lad around either, but he didn't want to risk being mistaken as a stray dog... again... and show up at Pinchette's doorway out of breath and looking like a hurricane had picked him up and vomited him out.

"Why are you even going to this woman's house?" the boy pouted, shoving his hands into his coat pockets. "What's a dog supposed to do at a dinner party, anyway?"

"Well now, that's what I'm aiming to find out, isn't it?" the hound replied calmly. "I'm interested to see how our kind lady hostess will handle the novelty of a four-legged dinner guest."

The boy snorted and kicked a small rock.

"If she's so proper, won't she object to you inviting me along?" the lad countered sourly. He really didn't want to be here.

"That's why I'm not inviting you," Curua answered, the faintest hints of a smile crossing his canine features. "You can sit outside with the common servants until I'm finished. Or, of course, you could walk home in the cold... Up to you, really."

The boy, incredibly annoyed, stopped dead in his tracks. Curua chuckled wickedly and trotted through the gates of what he assumed was Pinchette's manor. His long head turned back to look at the lad.

"Well, aren't you going to announce my arrival?" he called mockingly.

"I'm going home," grumbled the child. Curua let out a bark of laughter and set off to find the party.

[Astral Harmony]

Chizuru wasn't quite asleep yet. There was an observation that was too funny not to make.
Before she joined the Kimonos long ago, she dreamed of a big house and a loving husband and lots of healthy and wonderful children and pets. Her desires to become a beautiful housewife and doting mother haven't changed a bit, not since she became a kunoichi under Lady Shizuka, not since the Kimonos fled their castle in the far east, and not since they met the queen of these lands, which put them where they all are now.

In spite of her dream, her direct contact with men has been very little to not at all.
"If I intend to one day be what I've always dreamt of being, why is it that I always wind up in bed with other women?"
Chizuru's humorous observation, one that made her want to laugh out loud. There was nothing sexual implied, except for that one time she had to rest near Rio.
"...Riven..."
Aishel stirred a little, which helped Chizuru calm herself. Once all this Gillnor/Duvashnia nonsense was over, she promised herself that she would make a real effort towards finding the one man she hasn't really been seeking up until now, though she also wondered why she cared so much now. She still thought of herself as just a kid, regardless of her current age and skills.

She also thought of Riven, the boy who has more or less been like a little brother to Aishel. Chizuru wasn't a good judge of character, but when several of the other girls easily pointed out that Riven was falling for Aishel big time, Chizuru knew it had to be the case.
"Come to think of it, Riven should have arrived at the castle early in the afternoon. I wonder if he's already started making the trip?"
"Go to sleep, Chizuru. We have a big day ahead of us."
Chizuru sat up and turned to Aishel, who still had her eyes closed. "You're not worried about him?"
Aishel's eyes opened slightly. "Of course I'm worried about him. But, like the assassin, what can we do about it? Master Faze and the others, not to mention the King of Gillnor, would be pretty confused if we just suddenly up and left to go see if he's okay."
Chizuru laid back down. "Yeah, I guess you're right."
-----
Riven knew that he had a major fault. He had a tendency to act out without really thinking on his instincts. He was exhausted, leaning on a tree to catch his breath in the dead of night.
"Aishel probably has a good earful for me when I find her. Either she'll reprimand me for abandoning any other tasks that my father might have for me, or she'll think I'm just plain deranged."
He was running on perseverance alone and he didn't even pack a lot of supplies and didn't bother to find a horse.
"Yeah, real smart, Riven. All you had to do was hear 'Aishel isn't here' and you instantly go out on a wild goose chase without so much as a shower."
He was ready to begin moving again. He took his first two steps when...something collided with him. Riven and the dark shape both fell down.
Before Riven could even voice the pain in his head, he heard an extremely...fruity voice.
"Hey, Little Handsome! Watch where you're going!"
"Oh, sorry!" Riven said quickly, and looking at the spot where the shape had fallen, Riven was surprised to find nothing there. Whoever that guy was, he was really fast. Riven was completely alone again. With a hand on his forehead to numb the pain of the collision, he started running again. Gillnor's capital city was still a long way away and if we wanted to get there by the day after tomorrow, he'd really have to hustle.

[Arhra]

Sulme had been ushered in by Pinchette, unclasping the silver clasp of her cloak and handed to the waiting Lun. The manservant neatly folded the deep blue fabric over one arm and bustled off to place it in the cloak room.

Dragon padded carefully behind, claws drawn in and walking lightly to avoid scarring the rich finish of the timber floor. He kept his wings tightly against his body, trying to avoid knocking into anything.

Sulme let the soothing rise and fall of Pinchette's voice flow over her as they walked. As she heard the sincerity of Pinchette's compliments and the welcoming tone, her lips twisted into a small smile. It was tentative and shy, but it was a smile nonetheless.

Reaching the tea room, Sulme's eyes eyes swept through the pair already there. Silver gaze passed right over the lord of the house, Lainsbury, but she lingered for a moment on the wrinkled face of Lady Mauve. There was some indomitable quality to her, hinting, like her tattoo did, that there was more to her than it appeared.

Pinchette departing, returning to the front door to await the other guests while the Lady rose from her seat and gently took Sulme's hand.

"My dear, how lovely you look." Lady Mauve said, "Please, take a seat. Would you care for some tea?" Sulme acquiesced, mumrering a yes as she folded into the soft embrace of the chair Lady Mauve indicated. Dragon moved to the corner behind her, turning once to safely tuck his tail away and then sitting on his haunches as neatly as an oversized housecat. He swung his neck out, looking at the odd tea set with some interest.

The Lady poured a cup of tea out of the teapot and, pausing to glance at Sulme with a guaging eye, added milk and three spoons of sugar. Sulme graciously accepted the cup on its little saucer, nestling it in her lap and taking in its unusual appearance. She turned the cup once widdershins as she stirred, looking at it from every side. Such objects spoke volumes of the one who owned them.

"Won't you introduce me to this guest?" Lainsbury lugubriously said, shifting in his heavy chair.

"Oh, where are my manners?" Lady Mauve said, "I haven't made any introductions." Her tone somehow suggested that she was displeased to be interrupted. "I am Lady Mauve and this fine gentleman," it was incredible how her words and her tone could mean two completely different things to the person she was talking to, "is Mr Lainsbury, who has so generously hosted this littlle dinner party here tonight."

Turning to face Lainsbury, she said, "This is Sulme, sorceress of the Tower Apparent," Sulme inclined her head regally in greeting, "and her protector." Dragon stopped his examination of the tea set and mimicked Sulme's action. Just at that moment, Hunpher entered, all eyes in the room turning to him.

OOC: I just thought I'd do a bit of cohesion there. Since Pinchette is greeting the guests, I assume she either didn't say anything of import or that Hunpher insisted on finding his own way in. Is it just me or is Pinchette ever so subtly ignoring/not noticing certain people lurking out in the shadows outside the gate?

[PyrosNine]

While Pinchette had a lovely party, Faze got back up and out of bed.

He'd tried to hold off binging, truly he had, but it's call was most strong in the late hours of the night. He'd dreamt of many things, past and present, and they were so somber it was hard for him to be sober.

What drew Faze to the drink? Who knew? He'd come to this land with this binge drinking in hand as much as his spear.

Faze lurked down the halls and to the tavern, which was in it's midnight shift, and plopped himself down.

"Give me whatever you've got that can put a guy to sleep."

The barkeep rubbed a glass clean, paying Faze no mind. When the glass was suitably clean to his needs, he opened his mouth. "Well, considering this is a bar we've plenty of things that can put a girl to sleep (which I'm highly surprised you are not), but not so many for guys."

"Fine then. Just give me something." Faze said, impatient.

"Very well then. Here's a Lilac Lullaby." The barkeep mixed together a few choice liquids, poured in a few powders, and gave it a few stirs. He slid it down the bar, and Faze grabbed it with ease.

Faze sniffed it, licked it, then sipped it (As was his habit) and when it was to his satisfaction he drank it down in one gulp.

Faze looked up to the barkeep, looked down at the empty glass, and tried to say something. It was important to say 'tried' because at that moment the drink kicked in and Faze fell over asleep and lay sprawled on the floor.

The Barkeep sighed. "The good ol' Lilac Lullaby. Helps losers get a girl, makes rowdy drunkards quiet, and is theoretically the most potent cure for insomnia. Never fails."

Another patron at the bar looked down at Faze. "You sure that ain't a gal?"

"I'm positive. From the way he sat down, his voice, and the way he drank. Seems to be one of those "hero" types. They get like that sometimes."

"Any chance you could be wrong? I'm lonely, desperate, and drunk."

"You could check, but then I'll have lost all respect for you as a human being."

"Damn. I'll just wait till those beauties I peeked in on at the baths come to the bar."

"I'm not shocked at the least about that."

"Real nice lookin', too. Too bad some weird guy in black with a squeaky voice got in and scared 'em off. I oughta show him what for!"

"Yeah, you do that."

[_raising_down_]

Maritine bounced upon his horses saddle as it galloped down the wooded trail towards the Jovian shrine's tavern. The nights cool brisk air lashing against his face as he rode.
Word had been made of the king sending the selected few down this direction, Maritine had intended to figure out what all the hub-up was about before he dove head first into whatever the king had planned.

He trotted his horse up towards the tavern door and dismounted from it, spreading his legs in an awkward way. His inner-thighs were somewhat saddle sore from the ride to this shrine. Both he and his horse were exhausted and he planned to at least slow his pace if the travelers were not here. He had covered well over 50 miles in the last 3 or so hours.
He took the reigns of his horse and tied them to one of the hitches beside two other horses who he assumed belonged to some of the other patrons within the building. He pulled his hair out of the bun he'd put it in so it would stay out of his face as he rode, letting it fall to his shoulders. Short hair had always bothered him, he didn't know why exactly. It made him feel... Naked.

He walked into the bar, shifting his gaze around at the few people sitting around. They all seemed to be drunk, exhausted, or incapacitated. This made him laugh softly, he found alcohol pretty pointless. You drink it, get drunk, then what? He liked the taste of some of the drinks, he wouldn't drink them to get drunk though. Maritine took a seat at the bar next to a man who was passed out on the floor, with a glass in hand that wreaked of lilacs. The air in the tavern was heavy with it's smell now.

"Ahem...," Maritine cleared his throat, trying for the attention of the barkeep and focusing on the man who was passed out.
"Yeah? How can I help ya?" the bar keep said as he proceeded to clean a glass.
"I'm looking for a group of people sent by the king. I don't expect them to have told you of their reasons for coming this way but I don't suppose you may have seen anything hinting to this."
"Well... I can't say I've seen anything out of the ordinary," the keep said as he looked down at the man who was incapacitated from the drink he'd given him,"This guy is about as abnormal as things get around here."
"Was he travelling with anyone?"
"Well that would depend. Why exactly should I tell you this? Maybe you could help refresh my memory a little..." The keep looked at Maritine with a cocked eyebrow and rubbed his fingers together.
Maritine lolled his eyes and stuck a hand into the pack he'd had slung around his shoulder. He pulled out a few gold pieces and set them down onto the counter top. The keep looked at them earnestly and pocketed them almost as soon as they hit the bar.
"Yeah, he was travelling with someone," he said, leaning over the counter towards Maritine. Whispering his words so that if the man were to awake he couldn't hear him."Two women as a matter of fact. Rather young really, pretty good looking as well. They all stayed the night here. If you feel up to the wait you can stay here for them. I'd let you check in, but room rentals end at dusk."
"That is quite alright sera. I shall hold here untill they come by. I'm sure if these are the people I'm looking for, the women will come for this man. Or I can just speak with this man when he wakes." Maritine brushed some hair out of his face and pulled a earthen-brown color flask from his pack, uncorking it and taking a long gulp from it.
His trek across the land had finally started to pay off. Above all else, he wanted to know how the king knew of him and more so where to find him. He'd lived in the forests for mostly the whole of his stay in Gillnor, why would the king want to request Maritine among all people when there are hundreds of perfectly capable warriors at his disposal.