rp: main topic Craethiel Kingdom

[Akira]

LOCATION: Deadrin's Blacksmith, Selil Marketplace

Honestly, it was a relief to hear Deadrin's proposition, it meant that there was a way for me to get the relic fixed after all, and not only that, but if there really were such valiable materials hidden within the forest, then I could maybe even live in Selil by acquiring said materials and selling them, plus going on expeditions through the woods would increase my chances of finding new hellish relics, there were a few problems however, I didn't know how to navigate through the forest since I had arrived in Selil not long ago and I wouldn't be able to recognize the Kraerhil among the other materials in the area, since I never saw it before, plus I didn't know how to extract it without damaging it, after all, I was a fighter, not a miner.

"Well, I won't have any problems fighting the mosnters, but..." I placed one hand on the back of my head and chuckled a bit nervously "I don't think I can find the material you want by myself, I mean... I arrived in Selil not too long ago, so I don't know much about this place and even less about the forest..." that said I immediatly began to think on a possible solution *You are pathetic you know that? we got a golden opportunity here you keep bitching about location problems...* said Odium interrupting my line of thought *Shut up dammit! I am trying to came up with a solution here and you are not helping!* luckly for me I actually came up with a idea "Hey uh... do you think that you or maybe one of your apprentices could came with me?" I wasn't really confident in the idea, after all you had just said it was a dangerous place, but my options were limited anyway "I mean, think about it" I placed my hand back in my pocket "even if I did know the area and all the reference points you gave me, wouldn't make sense to bring someone with knowledge about the material we are looking for? not to mention that I don't know what is the best way to extract said material too..." I used the best arguments I could to try to convince Deadrin, since I would need help with my quest

[Aura]

23 hours ago, Neptune said:

Location: Along with Ageon River, North of Rosayia Forest.

Rowan frowned slightly in thought, “I’m not entirely sure how those creatures come into existence…” He said, looking down at the light scratch on her arm. He took her arm and raised it slightly so that he could look at it. It didn’t seem serious, and as far as he was aware they didn’t create new ones by scratching people so other than maybe hurting a little, Natia was fine. Even so, he reached into his pocket and took out a fine silk handkerchief which he tied around her arm to cover the wound. He then kissed it, giving her a smile before letting her arm fall and continuing to speak, “I’m not that knowledgeable on monsters, other than how to evade them, but that is experience I have gained from traversing the forest and as you know, I don’t exactly have a conventional manner in which I travel. You would be better off asking a monster hunter. I mean, I guess a necromancer is responsible? But… I’m not entirely sure how common they are. I don’t actually encounter them that often and they are more common in areas where battles take place which...” His expression darkened, “Considering the fact that the Kingdom is currently facing invasion from the Black Ones… that doesn’t bode well.” He said, before sighing deeply. It made him wonder if that was why it was on the edge of the forest like that, instead of further in. It could sense the scent of war, death and destruction on the wind and it was responding as such.

Baellator snorted, shaking his head slightly in an uncomfortable manner as his trotting slowed down to a brisk walk as he looked over his shoulder at them with his dark eyes. A shadow passed over them and Rowan glanced up to see that it was a hawk, lazily flying on the wind. Rowan then looked behind them at the receding trees before he turned and looked at the Ageon River which was sluggishly moving past them. He turned golden eyes to the front again before saying, “We’ll likely stop for some food soon. We should make it to Ryn’tur by tomorrow afternoon we go at a relaxed pace. It’s across the river, so we’ll need to find the ford that will allow us to cross.” 

3

Natia hadn't thought much of the scratch itself, so much as how bad it could have been. However, feeling how tenderly Rowan cared for the wound made her blush. She supposed it was better to keep the scratch from bleeding and to avoid infection. Besides, having Rowan's handkerchief around her arm only made her feel that much closer to him. She wasn't sure if babying her like this was such a good idea in the long run, but at the moment, it did help her to feel more safe and secure. "Thank you..." She spoke, softly, cutting herself off at the end with a subtle blush. She had caught herself before saying 'sir,' which, while not necessarily inappropriate, seemed a bit out of place... the two of them were equals, after all. She was only inferior at the moment because of her lack of powers. She had almost grown too accustomed to relying on Rowan. But he made her feel so... nice... Even without her power, he somehow made her feel like she wasn't worthless, even though she really didn't contribute much aside from conversation. 

She figured she had a general idea of just what those ghouls were. There were probably a few details she had wrong, but mostly, she just wanted to forget about the experience altogether. Still, what Rowan said send another chill through her body. "The... black ones...?" She asked worriedly. "Y-you're telling me there are still horrible monsters out there that could attack us at any moment...? And they're so plentiful that it's drawing a creature like that away from the forest!?" The fear on her face was undeniable. "R-Rowan, I'm tired, I'm scared, I-I can't take much more of this..." She clung to him tighter, burying her face into his chest. "I hate being afraid of the wildlife... I just want to be somewhere where I can make friends with the local animals, like Bellator here, I hate feeling the urge to run from every rustling bush! Why is everything so cruel here? I don't understand...!"

[Solaire]

Location: Along the river Adil, Ildgara

 

Liva's expression brightened up Rayvenne’s response, as she felt a lot more comfortable with Rayvenne’s company, as she was obviously a talented fighter. She'd seen some bad things happen to others on the way to other places, so every opportunity she got to travel with someone, she liked to take it, as it made her travels a lot easier. Upon hearing her question, if she had a steed, the woman blushed a light red and shook her head. "I do not have one, no. I usually just travel on foot." She looked down for a moment, her blush increasing a tad bit as she looked back. "I would appreciate if you could allow me to ride with you. I know it's a hindrance, but I'm not too positive if I could keep up with you on foot." Sitting up more straight, Liva started to put back the book she was reading in her bag, as she had no more use of it at the moment.  

[Neptune]

Location: Along with Ageon River, North of Rosayia Forest.

At Natia’s panicked words, Rowan lifted a hand and ran his fingers through her soft hair, relying on his balance to keep them on Baellator which was made easier by the fact that the huge creature was walking at a sedate walk. He hugged her tightly, petting her lightly to try and calm her down, “Shh. Calm down, Natia. The rest of Craethiel isn’t as bad as the forest. Not every bush is hiding something nasty. Afterall, I stepped out of a bush for you didn’t I?” He asked, his tone amused as he thought about how he had stepped out of a bush to first greet her. He then told her, “Don’t worry. I’m here for you, and I’ll look after after you. You’re safe with us.” He continued petting her head, before wondering if he should elaborate on The Black Ones. His knowledge on them might be a bit more than what a normal merchant might have and if he spoke too much about them, it might cause Natia to ask questions he wasn’t comfortable with answering. Really, the only one of the two that was in real danger from The Black Ones was him. If they knew he was wandering around on his own, they would hunt him down with no mercy. With Natia, they would likely capture her as a sex slave, if they were even interested in doing so. They might not, and their concentration on him might allow her to escape. Finally he said, “As for The Black Ones… they’re a group of a people we call Mako’demeri. They… look a little similar to wolf anthros, but they’re not nice people. You shouldn’t worry about them, though. I’m pretty good at sneaking around, and I can get around them without being noticed.” At least, he hoped that he could.

Baellator snorted softly, flicking his tail as he looked rather unconcerned. If there was anything nasty nearby, Rowan was sure the Aelda wouldn’t look so relaxed. The huge creature stepped past what appeared to be a bush thicket, but when Rowan glanced at it he could see a small break that lead into a small clearing that would be rather hidden. He pulled his hand from Natia’s hair and patted Baellator on the side, before telling him, “Let’s go in there.” His ears twitched, but he couldn’t hear anything out of the ordinary. The Aelda turned and stepped into the break in the thicket before stopping in the small clearing as he looked around curiously. He then leaned his head down and nibbled at some of the grass. Rowan leaned to the side slightly, looking down at Natia, “Let’s sit down and have something to eat. You should feel better afterwards, alright?” He said, giving her a kind smile.

Location: Daedrin’s Blacksmith, Selil Marketplace. 

The more this man spoke, the more Daedrin found him to be interesting. He nodded his head slightly when the man mentioned that he had not long arrived in Selil. That wasn’t surprising news to Daedrin; people were coming and going from the Capital all the time. He was even less surprised when the man said that he wasn’t familiar with the forest, either. Any sane man avoided the forest at all costs. Unfortunately, it was the only location where Kraerhil could be obtained. His eyebrows rose slightly at Izanagi’s suggestion. He straightened slightly, amusement flashing in his blood red eyes as he gripped the handle of the weapon in his hands. He looked to the side slightly, “William? Could you please take this weapon and put it in the back? Put it into the safe, and don’t touch it.” He said. A moment later, William came over and took the weapon that Izanagi had given him before disappearing into the back. 

Daedrin turned back to his quest and said, “I would not feel comfortable in sending any of my apprentices with you. None of them would be able to safely traverse the forest with you. So that leaves only me…” He trailed off before he gave the man a slight smirk, “I haven’t been on a good adventure in a while. My apprentices know how to take care of things while I am gone, and I am quite adept at being able to find the metal ore. As for extraction… that’s usually quite easy, as long as you have a pickaxe. Do you have a horse? The trip will be a lot quicker if you had one, and it will make carrying the ore easier.” He said. Having a horse would also mean that Daedrin might be able to have even more of the material back with him which would allow the supply to last even longer. He could easily repair the man’s sword when they returned from their trip.

Location: Along the river Adil, Ildgara.

Rayvenne let out a sigh through her nose at the answer. She watched the woman as she blushed, clearly embarrassed by the answer she was forced to give. Rayvenne wasn’t judging her for it. A lot of people couldn’t afford to buy a horse, especially one as well bred as Maedoc. Walking was the travelling method of most people in Craethiel. It was slow, but it did work and got someone from one place to another. Rayvenne shooed Raeghan off of her knee, causing the large raven to flutter up and land on a thick branch of a tree as he turned his blood red gaze down to the two woman beneath him. Rayvenne then stood up and said, “Maedoc can easily carry the two of us. He’s a good, strong horse.” She moved over to the black stallion and began to check the saddle to make sure that it was on tightly.

“We should be able to to make it in a few days, at a good travelling pace.” Rayvenne then said, keeping her tone neutral. When she had finished checking the saddle over, she patted Maedoc on the neck before she turned and looked back at Liva with dark, intense eyes as she narrowed them slightly. After a moment she asked, “Have you ever ridden a horse before?” If the woman didn’t have a steed close by, then Rayvenne realised that she might not have ever ridden one. Rayvenne was hoping that she was going to be lucky, and Liva had indeed rode a horse before, which would make this entire situation move along a lot smoother. If not, then Rayvenne was going to need to teach her which was not good, since Rayvenne was hardly a patient teacher.

[Akira]

Location: Deadrin's Blacksmith, Selil Marketplace 

As William showed up once again to take the broken sword I couldn't help but think it was interesting to know that Deadrin had something like a safe in a blacksmith shop. During my time traveling through the world I had visited a few different blacksmiths as well, but none of them had safes inside *Huh, do you think he uses that safe to store any weapon that needs repair or only a few selected ones?* I asked Odium *I don't know, it could also be his personal safe of something... why do you ask? do you want to steal it?* the demon responded in a surprisingly casual tone *Of course not! I am many things, but a thief is not one of them. I am just curious okay?* Truth to be told, I was always the type of guy who just likes to look around the places I find myself in, I didn't know why though.

It was a bit surprising to know that I was about to head on a quest with Deadrin himself, since I was pretty sure that he would send one of his students with me, but I wasn't going to complain, even though I was pretty sure I could take care of myself and whoever else was coming with me. It also got my attention when he said that it had been a while since the last time he went on a adventure "Oh, you are the adventurous type of person eh?" I commented in response. 

My father did teach me how to ride a horse before he went to fight in the war when I was a child, even though it was a long time ago I still remembered the basics, however, I didn't have a horse "Hmm, yeah I guess that makes sense, but unfortunately I don't have a horse..." I responded rubbing the back of my head again

[Neptune]

Location: Daedrin’s Blacksmith, Selil Marketplace. 

Daedrin nodded his head slightly when Izanagi asked if he was the adventurous type of person, “Yes. Sometimes it irritates my wife to no end.” He said with an amused tilt of his lips although really, his wife Erikavana was as much of an adventurer as he was. If not, then neither of them would be here in the first place. If anything, she would be more upset that he was going without her, but she had her own job to do and wouldn’t be able to get the next few days off. That was one of the advantages of owning his own business. He could take breaks whenever he wanted to. The last break he had been on, hadn’t really been a break. It had been an unpleasant experience for both him and Erikavana. But, he didn’t want to dwell on it especially since this adventure was sure to be a lot more fun. Although his definition of fun, and someone else's were entirely different. 

Daedrin put a hand on his hip, expecting that answer to his question regarding the horse. He gave a slow nod of his head, “That’s alright, I know where we can get horses. I have one of my own, and my wife has one but I won’t take her without permission.” He said, dismissing the problem with a flick of the fingers. He then closely looked at Izanagi and asked, “Do you have a silver plated weapon? Most of the monsters in the forest are vulnerable to such a weapon. It’s unwise to go into the forest without one. If you don’t, I have some spares that you can borrow. I make weapons for monster hunters, so they are more than able for the job.” He offered.

[Akira]

LOCATION: Deadrin's Blacksmith, Selil Marketplace

Hearing about Deadrin's wife getting angry at him for going on dangerous adventures caused me to crack a slight smile chuckle a bit "I can only imagine why..." I commented in a playful and sarcastic tone, despite the fact that I have never been in a relationship myself, for some reason I found rather funny to think one someone arguing with his wife for reasons like 'you are too adventurous', ironically enough I was pretty sure that this is sort of problem that I would have to face almost constantly if I was in a relationship myself, that is of course if I ever find someone crazy enough to marry the embodiment of the deadly sin of wrath...

It was good news to hear that there was a horse I could use, then again I couldn't help but think that taking care of the horses in addition to ourselves could be a bit problematic, so taking extra caution was very important, which is precisaly why I decided to accept Deadrin's offer and take a silver sword with me. Usually, I would refuse to take anything that I consider unnecessary, since my Hell's Chain and the Evil One were more than enough to take care of damn near everything I had faced so far, however, those were not normal circunstances "That sounds like really good idea! Is there a big sized katana among those silver plated weapons you mentioned? I don't mean to be demanding, but it is the type of weapon that I am most used to..." I said in a humble tone

[Neptune]

Location: Daedrin’s Blacksmith, Selil Marketplace. 

At Izanagi’s request, Daedrin frowned slightly as he looked at the array of weapons that were hanging from the walls, “It’s possible… but I can’t promise anything. Katana-like weapons are not common in Craethiel since the usual weapon of choice is a Longsword or a Sabre. There isn’t anything here on the shop floor, but I’ll go look in storage.” Daedrin said, looking back at the man, “I’ll be back in a few minutes.” He said before turning and heading into the backroom of the smithy. He then went into another room, which had stores upon stores of weapons, as well as the safe where William had stowed away the weapon he was to repair later. He sharp eyes slowly moved around the weapons, narrowing slightly as he tried to see if he could spot what the man wanted. He went over to a storage box and opened it up to see a large storage of swords which he began to shift through. This box had unusual weapons inside, since monster hunters often had unusual requests so Daedrin hoped to find something inside. After minutes of carefully shifting through, his eyebrows rose as he found what he was looking for. He pulled out the weapon and looked the scabbard over before he pulled the blade out and gave it a visual inspection. It was still in very good condition, but then again he got his apprentices to clean these weapons often. He slid the blade back home before he made his way onto the main smithy floor with a slight smile on the corner of his lips,

“You’re in luck, Izanagi. I actually had one.” Daedrin said as he came over to the man and held out the weapon, “It doesn’t require any maintaining. I keep my weapons in perfect condition.” He added, as that was one of the prides of his smithy. He didn’t produce sub-par products, thus this weapon would serve Izanagi well if he knew how to use it correctly. He then said, “I’ll have to swing by home, as that’s where my weapons are. As well as my horse. I also should leave a note or something for my wife, or she might think I’ve run away.” He said with a grin. He didn’t really need to leave a note, since he could tell her telepathically. However it was merely part of the cover, as most humans did not have access to those kinds of abilities. Especially telepathy that could easily reach across the country, let alone the city.

[Akira]

Location: Deadrin's Blacksmith, Selil Marketplace

I simply nodded in response to Deadrin's affirmation, while I was patiently waiting for the blacksmith's return I thought about his previous comment: 'katana-like weapons are not common in Craethiel', that reminded me of just how far I was from my hometown *We've come a long way huh?* I was mostly thinking to myself, but Odium was able to hear it too *Thinking about your hometown? I thought you wanted to get as from that place as possible...* the demon commented *Well... yeah, but I also want to find a place where I can settle down and be myself. Without having to worry about people finding out about my... our secret* Odium simply didn't reply and without even noticing I was kinda looking down, lost in thought.

When the man came back I turned my attention back to him once again and smiled slightly upon hearing that he actually had the weapon I asked. After taking the weapon in my hand and unsheating it I couldn't help but notice that both Deadrin and the rumors I heard about him before were correct, the sword was incredible, well polished, balanced and sharp "Wow... I have to admit Deadrin, this weapon is incredibly well made" I said keeping my gaze at the shiny blade in my hand. Once I heard you saying you had to go home I quickly sheated the katana again and turned my attention back to you "No problem, want me to go with you? I can wait outside until you are ready"

[Neptune]

Location: Daedrin’s Blacksmith, Selil Marketplace. 

Daedrin smiled at the complement and inclined his head slightly, “Thank you. I take pride in my work.” He said softly with a very slight smile curving at the corners of his lips. One of the best ways to get on Daedrin’s good side was to compliment his work. He couldn’t help it, it was a slither of vanity that he had inherited from his father, a man that was just as proud of his work as Daedrin was. He let out a soft breath through his nose when the man asked to come with him. He lifted one of his shoulders in a barely perceivable shrug, “You are welcome to come with if you wish. And I do not mind you coming into my home. In fact it might be a good idea to have something to eat before we leave, especially if you haven’t eaten.” He said, stepping around the man and opening the door and leaving the shop. 

“Come on.” He encouraged Izanagi to follow him. While most blacksmiths in the city tended to live in their shop, Daedrin have a separate house with his wife in the upper district. Both of them earnt enough money to warrant such a luxury. He was the best blacksmith in the city and she worked the gardens of the Keza’marakian Palace, a very high paying job that also came with a lot of perks. Thus neither of them felt the need to skimp out on a cheat house, as they were intending on living there for a very long time. He wasn’t ashamed to invite a complete stranger into their home. He was well able to protect their property from thievery. Besides, the two entertained guests a lot in their home, a result of their high status which meant that appearances had to be maintained. On a personal level, Daedrin was hardly a sociable fellow. Again, he followed his father there. He would much prefer the company of a single person to the company of several dozen people, flapping their mouths as empty and vacuous sounds emitted from them as their smiled fakely and laughed at the perfect moments, the sound flat and stale. It made Daedrin’s skin crawl, and just thinking about it, he had to resist the urge to let out a growl of distaste. He tried to shake it from his mind and focus on what he was currently doing. Thus far, Izanagi seemed much better company than hundreds of people he had met before.

Edited August 29, 2018 by Neptune
Forgot formatting.

[Akira]

LOCATION: Deadrin's Blacksmith, Selil Marketplace

I honestly didn't know exactly how to react to Deadrin's invitation, it was very tempting since I found myself very curious about the man and eating something before beginning our quest inside the dangerous forest sounded like a really good idea, however, dealing with people in general wasn't my strong suit, especially considering that I had just met the blacksmith and the last thing I wanted was to disrespect or bother him somehow, that said, Deadrin also proved to be a really nice and kind person so I decided to go with him, promissing myself to do best to not do anything dumb.

"Alright then..." I said in a humble tone once again as I stepped outside the door and allowed the man to lead the way to his house. While we were walking I was thinking on possible conversation subjects, again, socialization never was something really easy for me, but at that point I felt like it was at the very least worth trying a bit. Finding a good subject to talk about was giving me more truble than I thought it would, I simply couldn't find something stimulant enough *Why are you so nervous? it's not like you are going the meet a king or anything* commented Odium in a slighly mocking tone *I know, I know, but still...* it was then that I had the idea to ask about the only thing I knew Deadrin really liked: his shop. "So, Deadrin" I began "how long has it been since you opened your shop?"

Edited August 30, 2018 by Akira

[Aura]

On 8/25/2018 at 11:49 PM, Neptune said:

Location: Along with Ageon River, North of Rosayia Forest.

At Natia’s panicked words, Rowan lifted a hand and ran his fingers through her soft hair, relying on his balance to keep them on Baellator which was made easier by the fact that the huge creature was walking at a sedate walk. He hugged her tightly, petting her lightly to try and calm her down, “Shh. Calm down, Natia. The rest of Craethiel isn’t as bad as the forest. Not every bush is hiding something nasty. Afterall, I stepped out of a bush for you didn’t I?” He asked, his tone amused as he thought about how he had stepped out of a bush to first greet her. He then told her, “Don’t worry. I’m here for you, and I’ll look after after you. You’re safe with us.” He continued petting her head, before wondering if he should elaborate on The Black Ones. His knowledge on them might be a bit more than what a normal merchant might have and if he spoke too much about them, it might cause Natia to ask questions he wasn’t comfortable with answering. Really, the only one of the two that was in real danger from The Black Ones was him. If they knew he was wandering around on his own, they would hunt him down with no mercy. With Natia, they would likely capture her as a sex slave, if they were even interested in doing so. They might not, and their concentration on him might allow her to escape. Finally he said, “As for The Black Ones… they’re a group of a people we call Mako’demeri. They… look a little similar to wolf anthros, but they’re not nice people. You shouldn’t worry about them, though. I’m pretty good at sneaking around, and I can get around them without being noticed.” At least, he hoped that he could.

Baellator snorted softly, flicking his tail as he looked rather unconcerned. If there was anything nasty nearby, Rowan was sure the Aelda wouldn’t look so relaxed. The huge creature stepped past what appeared to be a bush thicket, but when Rowan glanced at it he could see a small break that lead into a small clearing that would be rather hidden. He pulled his hand from Natia’s hair and patted Baellator on the side, before telling him, “Let’s go in there.” His ears twitched, but he couldn’t hear anything out of the ordinary. The Aelda turned and stepped into the break in the thicket before stopping in the small clearing as he looked around curiously. He then leaned his head down and nibbled at some of the grass. Rowan leaned to the side slightly, looking down at Natia, “Let’s sit down and have something to eat. You should feel better afterwards, alright?” He said, giving her a kind smile.

12

Location: Along the Ageon River, North of Rosayia Forest

Rowan's attempt at calming her really helped Natia to relax. Feeling his fingers in her hair, knowing she'd seen the worst, and that Rowan and Baellator would protect her. It was all so much. She'd never asked for any of it and yet this man had offered his life and limb for her safety. It was the exact opposite she'd expected someone like him to be. She'd always grown up knowing outsiders were horrible people driven only by greed and selfishness, who would slowly destroy the natural beauty of their home and then migrate somewhere else after devouring all of the land's resources. But Rowan showed a different side. A gentle, calming one. No matter how panicked she was, he would help her to relax, even if that meant staying up all night to keep watch for Howlers... 

Natia listened to Rowan's obviously basic explanation of the Black Ones. It was clear he wasn't exactly comfortable talking to her about it, which was fine. She trusted him enough to know that he wouldn't betray her suddenly by withholding important information. Last time he told her a group was no good, he was referring to those horrible Howlers. She certainly didn't have the guts to question his judgment again. Natia nodded as he offered for the two of them to sit down and eat inside the thicket. She was thankful for the opportunity to rest without having to worry about being stalked for once. Last time they'd rested, Rowan barely got a wink of sleep. She looked up at him, a bit concerned. "Rowan, you hardly got any sleep at all last night, did you? I want you to catch up on some sleep before we get moving again. You're no use to either of us if you exhaust yourself." She tried to remain logical as she spoke to him. In reality, she just didn't want Rowan to be tired. She knew he said he'd be fine, but she knew from experience that can mean any number of things... She gently took his hand and smiled up at him slightly. "Please?"

[Neptune]

Location: Along with Ageon River, North of Rosayia Forest.

Rowan blinked at her, and opened his mouth to refuse her but then snapped his jaw close with a slight frown when she came out with her ‘please’. He found himself unable to refuse her wish, and he sighed, “I can try, but I’m not promising anything. But I will try and get at least an hours nap…” He trailed off thoughtfully. He wouldn’t need anymore than that to refresh him until nighttime, and it would keep him going. He reached up and rubbed at one eye as it itched and burned, telling him with unspoken words to get some sleep. He would do as Natia asked of him, especially since he couldn’t refuse that sweet little ‘please’ that made him pause. It was obvious that she cared enough to be concerned, and that thought made him smile. She was just so sweet and kind, he couldn’t help but to like her for it and it only made him want to protect her more, and hold her closer against him. Especially due to that kiss she had given him earlier. The thought of that kiss made him smile somewhat, as he still wanted to talk to her about it, and he would take no evading, but wondered if he should wait until that night before doing that, where Baellator wasn’t going to be standing there watching the two of them if it came to anything.

Still with a slight grin on his lips, he shifted on Baellator’s back, bringing his left leg up to rest on the Aelda’s broad back. Being careful not to nudge Natia, he slid down and dropped down onto the ground in a drop greater than he was expecting. He stumbled back a couple of steps before stopping and stretching out his long legs, “Damn. I’m feeling pretty stiff.” He said with a slight wince as the stretching muscles sent a twinge of pain through his leg. After a couple of moments, he stepped closer to Baellator and held out his arms, “Come on, I’ll help you down. You might hurt yourself if you try and get down yourself.” He told her with a smile. Indeed, with how tiny she was, he was worried that she could sprain her ankle or, even worse, break her leg in trying to dismount the huge animal and he couldn’t stand the thought of her being in pain.

Location: Daedrin’s Blacksmith, Selil Marketplace. 

Daedrin rather enjoyed the silence between the two of them as they stepped through the Market Square. It was quite comfortable, and he was glad that Izanagi wasn’t going to bother him with empty, useless questions that were only intended to fill up the silence. He hated small, useless and empty talk. Idle chatter that had no rhyme or purpose. Despite his long life, he had never gotten over that distaste for useless talk, and prefered to limit conversations to ones that were fruitful. He saw no point in someone talking to him about the current weather when all he needed to do was to look outside of the window in order to check it out, unless there was something unusual happening. Unfortunately, some of his customers insisted on chatting to him about such menial matters that he simply did not care enough about. He found it frustrating to no end, but Erikavana had taught him ways to curb his frustration, grit his teeth and bare with it.

Daedrin was so deep in his thoughts that he didn’t realise for a few moments that Izanagi had spoken his name. He twitched his head, looking at the man as his eyes narrowed slightly as he focused on him. He then frowned a little at the question before sighing through his nose at the man's curiosity. He needed to be careful when answering these kinds of questions, to avoid giving too much away. It was a common question he had, and it was one he could answer truthfully without having to use half-truths or lies, “Five years ago.” He replied, directly answering the question without expanding on it. He was quite a literal, direct person that didn’t tend to go off on tangents. If someone asked a direct question like that, he tended to answer in a very direct manner.

[Akira]

Location: Deadrin's Blacksmith, Selil marketplace

I was a bit surprised at first by how direct Deadrin's answer had been, but I couldn't really complain, after all, I was also a pretty straight forward guy most of the time *Wow, talk about going straight to the point eh?* commented Odium *Yeah, but that's a good thing, from my point of view anyway...* I thought while focusing my eyes on the world around me, trying to create landmarks to help me remember the area, just in case I need to go through same trajectory alone *Hmm? what do you mean?* at that point Odium was already beginning to understand that I had another reason to make the previous question *I can now tell that Deadrin is not the type of guy who keeps rambling useless information or details, which is good, beca-* *Because you are also the type of guy who likes to cut to the chase, heh, interesting...* said the demon interrupting me *By the way, how do you think it take us to arrive at his house?* Odium was already starting to lose his patience *Geez, calm down will you? we left the shop not long ago* not to mention that I didn't want to bombard the man with unnecessary questions, I would simply follow him until wr arrive at our destination, should it take too long, I will ask him about it

[Neptune]

Location: Daedrin’s Blacksmith, Selil Marketplace. 

Daedrin was glad that the man didn’t continue asking questions, especially ones that served no purpose. He found himself liking Izanagi more and more, because the man seemed to realise he didn’t like unnecessary talking, and respected it. It made him relax even more, because he was the only person around here other than his wife, that understood that. He stole a glance at the man just as they stepped into the upper district and moved past one large houses but it was not far until Daedrin turned and approached a house that had a rather neat front garden, filled with well cared for flowers and bushes. It was clear that whomever cared for it, loved the garden a great deal. He opened up the front gate, holding it open for Izanagi before he went up to the front door of the large house while slipping a metal key from his pocket and unlocking the large metal lock. He opened the door, stepping inside as he said over his shoulder, “Welcome to my home, Izanagi.” 

Just as he said that, a large wolf-like canine bounded up to him, its tail wagging furiously as its pink tongue hung out the side of his mouth. Daedrin leaned down and ruffled the canine’s head, “Hello, Wolfy.” He said, his tone affectionate before he straightened, “Don’t worry about Wolfy. He won’t hurt you.” He said before moving further into the neat foyer. There were a couple of potted plants sitting beside the door, but the foyer was otherwise bare other than a wooden table sitting against the side. The only thing on it, was a wooden carving of a tree roughly thirty centimetres tall, and so well carved it looked as if it was a real tree. Daedrin ignored this and stepped through a door that lead into the living room with Wolfy following at his heels. It had two hand-made sofas that were heavily cushioned, as well as two deeply cushioned chairs that were sitting next to the fireplace with a low table between them. He then went through another door on the other side of the living room which lead into the kitchen which had a small dining room table within it, “We can eat in here.” He said to Izanagi, jerking his head towards the table.

[Aura]

On 8/30/2018 at 3:58 PM, Neptune said:

Location: Along with Ageon River, North of Rosayia Forest.

Rowan blinked at her, and opened his mouth to refuse her but then snapped his jaw close with a slight frown when she came out with her ‘please’. He found himself unable to refuse her wish, and he sighed, “I can try, but I’m not promising anything. But I will try and get at least an hours nap…” He trailed off thoughtfully. He wouldn’t need anymore than that to refresh him until nighttime, and it would keep him going. He reached up and rubbed at one eye as it itched and burned, telling him with unspoken words to get some sleep. He would do as Natia asked of him, especially since he couldn’t refuse that sweet little ‘please’ that made him pause. It was obvious that she cared enough to be concerned, and that thought made him smile. She was just so sweet and kind, he couldn’t help but to like her for it and it only made him want to protect her more, and hold her closer against him. Especially due to that kiss she had given him earlier. The thought of that kiss made him smile somewhat, as he still wanted to talk to her about it, and he would take no evading, but wondered if he should wait until that night before doing that, where Baellator wasn’t going to be standing there watching the two of them if it came to anything.

Still with a slight grin on his lips, he shifted on Baellator’s back, bringing his left leg up to rest on the Aelda’s broad back. Being careful not to nudge Natia, he slid down and dropped down onto the ground in a drop greater than he was expecting. He stumbled back a couple of steps before stopping and stretching out his long legs, “Damn. I’m feeling pretty stiff.” He said with a slight wince as the stretching muscles sent a twinge of pain through his leg. After a couple of moments, he stepped closer to Baellator and held out his arms, “Come on, I’ll help you down. You might hurt yourself if you try and get down yourself.” He told her with a smile. Indeed, with how tiny she was, he was worried that she could sprain her ankle or, even worse, break her leg in trying to dismount the huge animal and he couldn’t stand the thought of her being in pain.

Rowan's response was enough to satisfy Natia. She noticed him leap down off the horse and was a bit surprised by how far he fell before landing. She watched him stumble a bit with some concern. Poking her head over the side of the horse, careful not to fall off herself. She was glad to see that he hadn't hurt himself and just smiled when she saw him stretch his arms out to catch her. She didn't hesitate to leap off of the horse and into Rowan's arms. As before, her body was really light so she would be easy for him to catch. When she landed right in his arms, she wrapped her own arms around his neck and her legs around his chest with a childlike giggle, burying her head under his chin and snuggling up to him. She couldn't explain the happiness she felt in his arms, but he just filled her with a sense of joy that she'd never experienced in her life. It was a feeling she'd only ever felt in dreams. Those dreams that drove her to so desperately seek out another tribe. 

Natia smiled up at him, her face just inches away from his. At this point, she didn't feel embarrassed to be so close to him. It just felt so natural. This was exactly where she belonged. "Don't forget to get your rest! You promised!" She teased slightly, knowing full well that Rowan didn't seem particularly comfortable with the idea of falling asleep. "Don't worry, we're not in the forest anymore and if I see anything moving at all, I'll be sure to wake you, okay?" She reassured him in an effort to ease whatever reservations he may have about the idea. "I'll be okay." 

[Akira]

Location: Deadrin's house, Selil 

As Deadrin and I continued to walk through Selil I was getting more and more amused by all the houses in that particular area, they were all considerably big, from my point of view anyway, since the only place I ever called home was a small and modest cottage in my hometown, however, the biggest surprise was when Deadrin stopped in front of the house with a large and beautiful garden, the plants and their colors were diverse and yet they combined incredibly well, I stood still for a second there, with my gaze stuck at the garden containing plants that I had never seen before *Wow, this is just beautiful...* I thought before hearing Deadrin welcoming me into his house.

Once the door was opened I heard the sound of something approaching and rather fast, seeing the wolf-like creature heading in our direction I instinctively placed my right hand at the handle of the silver plated katana and got in a combat position, however, when I saw that the creature wasn't a threat I relaxed again, I didn't want to to hurt the creature or anything, in fact, logically speaking it wouldn't make sense to keep a hostile creature inside your own house, but I didn't have time to think on any of that, it was only a refex.

I simply followed Deadrin through the house, it didn't take me much time to realize that the place was wonderful, however, I couldn't help but begin to ask myself just how much was the man earning, since he could afford to live in such a big house, finally, we arrived at the kitchen and Deadrin told me we could eat there *R-right...* I nervously responded before sitting at one of chairs around the table, I was having a hard time hiding my nervousness because it had been a really long time since I had been someone's guess

 

[Neptune]

Location: Along with Ageon River, North of Rosayia Forest.

Rowan easily caught her in his arms, still surprised by how light she was. His lips curved in a smile as she wrapped her arms and legs around him as she snuggled up to him. It felt so natural and he wanted to stay like this for the rest of the day. He shifted his arms, holding onto her underneath her arse. Not only was it more comfortable for him, but he liked holding her so intimately. He couldn’t resist nuzzling his cheek against the top of her soft head, amazed that her hair was so soft despite not bathing for a couple of days. His golden eyes watched her as she shifted to smile up at him, their faces just inches apart from one another. He could really see how beautiful her eyes were, and he found them captivating. His gaze then shifted down to her lips, almost missing what she was saying as he was too fascinated in watching them. He smiled at her, “Don’t worry, I’ll try and nap. It would be easier if you were cuddling with me though.” He suddenly looked at Baellator and addressed the huge Aelda, “You can keep a lookout, can’t you?” He asked, to which Baellator bobbed his head up and down in an affirmative. 

Rowan returned his attention back to Natia with a mischievous smile, “There we go. So I can have you cuddle with me.” He said, before surprising even himself by giving her a lick on the cheek. For his people, it was a sign of great affection, usually done between lovers. The action had been so automatic for him, that he didn’t think about it until afterwards. He gave her a grin, “Sorry if that felt weird. My people do it to those they care about.” He admitted, wanting to hold her closer and feeling the urge to do more, and yet ready to let her down if she expressed any dissatisfaction with what he had done. Instead, he watched for her reaction before he decided on his next move, his stomach twisting almost painfully. He could feel his heart beginning to race slightly, and he was worried that she could hear it from where she was sitting. He was feeling nervous, and he was secretly wishing that her reaction was favourable because he was beginning to like her a lot. It was rare that he liked someone outside of his own species so much, but he couldn’t seem to resist her charms.

Location: Daedrin’s Blacksmith, Selil Marketplace. 

Daedrin glanced at Izanagi as the man sat down at the table. He noticed that the man looked quite nervous, but he decided not to make it an issue. He sometimes found that by pointing out to someone that they were nervous, it only made the situation worse not to mention awkward and the last thing Daedrin wanted, was to deal with an awkward situation. So instead, he concentrated on dealing with food so that they could eat. He opened up a cupboard, pulling down a round object that was wrapped in an oil soaked cloth. He opened it up, to reveal a pork pie that Erikavana had made the previous day. He took down a sharp knife and easily cut it in two. He would have served a stew, however that was usually set off to cook in the morning and he had not expected to be home for dinner. So instead, he decided half of a pork pie, plus a wedge of cheese would suffice in the meantime. Once he had cut off a wedge of cheese, putting the items on a wooden platter, he came over to the table and put one down in front of his guest, “I would offer you something better, but we did not set off any stew or soup this morning.” He said, putting his plate down as well before he sat down in his usual chair which, unlike the others, was cushioned for comfort.

Wolfy came up to them, sniffing at Izanagi’s leg as his tail wagged, clearly curious about their new guest. After a few moments he walked over to Daedrin and sat down next to him, placing his head in the mans lap. Daedrin absently stroked the canine’s head in a gesture of great affection before he reached forwards and broke off a piece of cheese which he put into his mouth and started eating. As he was eating, he almost ignored Izanagi as he was thinking over things they needed to take with them. The trip was going to take a few days, at minimum and thus they needed to take enough supplies with them to last. Taking bread, dried meats and cheese would be good stable foods. As well as taking dried or salted vegetables which could last a while in the saddlebags which would make a good stew, especially with the meats and the bread. Daedrin knew enough about the forest as to what natural plants could supplement their diet as well as what herbs would be useful in not only seasoning, but also if either of them got injured although he was more concerned for Izanagi than he was himself on that score. So medical supplies would be a good idea, especially with the fact that they were sure to come across trouble. Then of course he needed to bring the basic survival kit which would allow them to light a fire, as well as bedrolls in which to sleep in. It had been a while since he had been on an adventure, and to say that he wasn’t looking forward to it would be lying.

[Akira]

Location: Deadrin's house, Selil 

While Deadrin was busy dealing with the food related stuff, I took a few deep breaths to calm myself down *I still don't understand why you are so nervous...* at that point Odium was genuinely curious about my nervousness, after all, he had already seen me fight against many different monsters in the past, yet, when it comes to socializing with people... *I just don't want to screw up you know? this guy has been really nice to me, so the last thing I want is to be impolite or disrespectful* Odium simply chuckled sarcastically in response *It is kind of ironic don't you think? you've literally fought against all kinds of monsters in our journey to this city and you have a demon fused to your soul, but suddenly you found one person who is willing to treat you nicely and BAM! nervousness* before I could have replied, my attention was turned to Deadrin placing a plate with food in front of me "Don't worry about it, the food seems to be really good anyway" I wasn't lying, both the cheese and the pie seemed to be really tasty and I was right, upon taking a first bite of pie I could feel how well seasoned it was, the meat was pretty soft too, which was something that I personally really liked. While I was eating, doing my best to keep myself under control instead of simply wolfing it all down, I noticed Deadrin's affection for the dog, which was something really nice to see, but it did make me feel a little bad for almost withdrawing my sword against the animal

 

 

[Aura]

On 9/1/2018 at 7:15 PM, Neptune said:

Location: Along with Ageon River, North of Rosayia Forest.

Rowan easily caught her in his arms, still surprised by how light she was. His lips curved in a smile as she wrapped her arms and legs around him as she snuggled up to him. It felt so natural and he wanted to stay like this for the rest of the day. He shifted his arms, holding onto her underneath her arse. Not only was it more comfortable for him, but he liked holding her so intimately. He couldn’t resist nuzzling his cheek against the top of her soft head, amazed that her hair was so soft despite not bathing for a couple of days. His golden eyes watched her as she shifted to smile up at him, their faces just inches apart from one another. He could really see how beautiful her eyes were, and he found them captivating. His gaze then shifted down to her lips, almost missing what she was saying as he was too fascinated in watching them. He smiled at her, “Don’t worry, I’ll try and nap. It would be easier if you were cuddling with me though.” He suddenly looked at Baellator and addressed the huge Aelda, “You can keep a lookout, can’t you?” He asked, to which Baellator bobbed his head up and down in an affirmative. 

Rowan returned his attention back to Natia with a mischievous smile, “There we go. So I can have you cuddle with me.” He said, before surprising even himself by giving her a lick on the cheek. For his people, it was a sign of great affection, usually done between lovers. The action had been so automatic for him, that he didn’t think about it until afterwards. He gave her a grin, “Sorry if that felt weird. My people do it to those they care about.” He admitted, wanting to hold her closer and feeling the urge to do more, and yet ready to let her down if she expressed any dissatisfaction with what he had done. Instead, he watched for her reaction before he decided on his next move, his stomach twisting almost painfully. He could feel his heart beginning to race slightly, and he was worried that she could hear it from where she was sitting. He was feeling nervous, and he was secretly wishing that her reaction was favourable because he was beginning to like her a lot. It was rare that he liked someone outside of his own species so much, but he couldn’t seem to resist her charms.

7

The warmth of Rowan's body made her heart flutter as Natia fell into his gentle embrace. She wasn't worried for a second that she might fall and when her faith was proven true, she only giggled and nuzzled closer to him. She continued to gaze into his glistening golden eyes and, for a moment, she could feel their hearts beating in synch. When he made the comment about cuddling, there was no way she could respond except with a nod. How could she deny such a wonderful request? "Of course." She responded with the same blush still glowing across her nose. It was then that she felt Rowan's tongue against her cheek. It was a bit odd and out of nowhere, but it didn't feel unnatural at all. It felt to her no different than being licked by a forest critter. It was amusing and make her giggle, she found it to be quite cute. As soon as Rowan explained it, though, she blushed deeper and could immediately feel the sexual tension in the air begin to rise again. She just stared into his eyes again in total silence for a few seconds. Again, she could feel his heartbeat and its intensity. It was clear exactly how true his feelings were. Once again, she found their hearts begin to match tempo and the corners of her lips curled into an embarrassed smile. "There's something we do with people we care about a lot, too..." Her voice was surprisingly calm as she spoke. She didn't stutter or trip over her words at all like she had expected. She gently placed her hand on Rowan's cheek and then reached up to kiss his lips, pressing her whole body firmly against his once again. Maybe it was sinful, maybe it was something she shouldn't do, but everything just lined up so perfectly to give her this opportunity. This was right. It had to be. She'd never felt better in her entire life. WIth her lips pressed against his, she knew she was right where she belonged. She pulled back after a few seconds of kissing and just gazed lovingly into his eyes.

Edited September 3, 2018 by Aura

[Solaire]

Location: Along the river Adil, Ildgara.

Liva watched with a relieved look, seeing as how Rayvenne allowed her to ride along. Walking along wouldn't be a very smart thing to do, and it would've most likely ended in her having to walk by herself the whole journey since she was sure Rayvenne would not put up with having to wait every few moments. Upon hearing Rayvenne's next question, Liva looked a tad bit nervous. She had ridden along on a couple of horses before, but she was not too experienced with them. She hoped this wouldn't bother the woman too much as she uttered, "W-Well I haven't ridden along on that many, only a couple. I think I know how to ride along decently well, though." She slowly started to gather a couple things back in her bag, as she liked to get prepared for anything as soon as possible.

[Neptune]

Location: Along with Ageon River, North of Rosayia Forest.

When Natia didn’t respond at first, Rowan found himself unconsciously holding his breath. The fact that she made no immediate negative reaction seemed to be favourable to him and yet he couldn’t help the nervous twisting of his stomach. To distract himself from his anxious waiting, he observed just how prettily she blushed. The red colour seemed to blossom over her cheeks like a shyly opening rose, enhancing her beauty and making the white of her hair more intense almost like roses among the lilies. He then saw her lips turn in an embarrassed smile, almost causing Rowan to melt from how sweet it was. It made him want to wish to keep making her smile like that as much as possible. His ears twitched as she spoke, her voice soft and calm as if she was sure about what she was saying and felt no hesitation or regret. Rowan’s heart skipped a beat when Natia leaned forwards and pressed her soft lips against his. He almost didn’t kiss back at first, so distracted by how soft and light her lips felt. He was aware of the soft skin of her hand pressing against her cheek, but his entire focus was on her soft lips pressing perfectly against his as if they were always meant to lock together. When she pulled back, Rowan’s eyes were locked on hers, seeing the intense emotions within those beautiful amethyst depths. His lips curved in a loving smile as it became clear where this was heading.

Before he could say, or even do anything, he heard a loud snort from Baellator. He looked at the Aelda, who tossed his head as the huge creature rolled his eyes. Baellator then turned and walked off, giving the two of them some privacy, causing Rowan to chuckle slightly as he refocused on the small woman in his arms, “I guess he’s going to stand guard outside the bushes for a while then.” He said with a grin which melted away when he gazed back into her eyes, “I’m not complaining, are you?” He asked, silently asking just how far she wanted to go. He needed to know, because he didn’t know if he could stop once he started. Not with someone like her, who had managed to captivate him like a mesmerising flame within the dark forest. He knew that if she let him start, he was not going to stop until she had been completely ravished. His hands were itching to touch her all over, to become intimate with every perfection and flaw of her body and to make her moan in pleasured release. To make her feel good, like no one had ever done so before. Rowan was not one to believe in love at first sight, but his belief seemed to be suspended for Natia.

Location: Daedrin’s Blacksmith, Selil Marketplace. 

Daedrin remained silent while eating, as he didn’t particularly like talking when eating. He especially found it rude, as well as disgusting, when someone spoke with their mouth full of food. The only time he did tolerate it, is if there was a matter of urgency. Thus, until he had the last morsel of meat between his long fingers, he had not uttered a single word. Instead, he leaned back, holding the piece of meat to Wolfy who gently took it from him, his tail wagging furiously. Daedrin smiled as he scratched behind the wolf-like canines ear. Wolfy raised a paw, placing it on Daedrin’s knee as Wolfy licked at the hand petting him. Daedrin chuckled softly, giving the canine a harder ruffle through his thick fur before he gently pushed Wolfy off. He stood up, picking up his wooden platter as he did so. He broke his usual rule to say, “While you’re finishing your food, I will get food supplies together.”

He moved away from the table, putting the wooden platter down in the bucket that served as their sink. He didn’t bother washing it, as that was usually done by their servant who should be in later that day to prepare the evening meal. With Wolfy trotting at his heels, he disappeared into the pantry, closing the door behind him as he needed to reach the food packs that were hidden behind it. Wolfy sat on the floor, watching with calm golden eyes as Daedrin packed away bread, cheeses, dried meats as well as dried vegetables. 

“You know, Erikavana isn’t going to be happy that you’re going off on an adventure.” A deep voice suddenly said, spoken quietly. Daedrin paused in putting a couple of bowls into the bag, looking over his shoulder at Wolfy. One of his eyebrows rose before he turned back to what he was doing, “I’ll explain it to her. It’s not as if I’m in much danger.” He replied, keeping his voice soft to avoid Izanagi from hearing him. He heard a chuckle, but Wolfy didn’t make any other comment as he knew he would be further ignored by Daedrin. Once the blacksmith had everything, he double checked the saddle bag before pausing as he reached out with his mind towards his wife, keeping his mind carefully shielded from anyone who could sense such things. He informed her of what he was doing, and promised to be back within a few days. After a few moments he looked at Wolfy and said, “You’re right. She’s not happy. But it’s not as if I’m doing much until Mother arrives. And we have no idea where Father is, so we can’t track down his side of things.”

“Mmm.” Wolfy said as he stood up, “You are pretty much idling.” He agreed but fell silent as Daedrin picked up the bags and left the pantry again. Wolfy followed behind him, tail wagging slightly as he moved over to a wooden bowl that had some water in it. He began to lap it up, not paying either of the men any attention. Daedrin put the saddlebags on a wooden table that served as a food preparation area, “I’ve packed enough supplies to last a week or so. That will give us any leeway just in case something happens.” He said.

Location: Along the river Adil, Ildgara.

Rayvenne couldn’t help but feel relieved at the woman’s answer. The last thing she wanted, was to be saddled with a completely green rider. Some experience was better than none at all. Her dark eyes travelled up to Raeghan, silently ordering him to go and scout ahead like he usually did when she travelled. That had saved her arse numerous times, as he could always alert her to danger before it arrived and give her enough time to either prepare for it, or find a way around it if it was avoidable. The Raven let out a loud cawing sound before he launched himself from the tree he was sitting in, the flapping of his wings the only sound in the silent air. Rayvenne watched him go with an unreadable expression before she turned to look at Liva who was packing her things away, “Feel free to put your bag on the saddle.” She said before she placed her left foot on the stirrup and grabbed hold of the saddle. She then pushed herself up, swinging her right leg over to settle herself on Maedoc’s back. The huge stallion snorted, clearly pleased that they were going to be on their way again. She nudged Maedoc closer to Liva and said, “If you need help getting up, let me know.”

[Aura]

On 9/14/2018 at 11:23 AM, Neptune said:

Location: Along with Ageon River, North of Rosayia Forest.

When Natia didn’t respond at first, Rowan found himself unconsciously holding his breath. The fact that she made no immediate negative reaction seemed to be favourable to him and yet he couldn’t help the nervous twisting of his stomach. To distract himself from his anxious waiting, he observed just how prettily she blushed. The red colour seemed to blossom over her cheeks like a shyly opening rose, enhancing her beauty and making the white of her hair more intense almost like roses among the lilies. He then saw her lips turn in an embarrassed smile, almost causing Rowan to melt from how sweet it was. It made him want to wish to keep making her smile like that as much as possible. His ears twitched as she spoke, her voice soft and calm as if she was sure about what she was saying and felt no hesitation or regret. Rowan’s heart skipped a beat when Natia leaned forwards and pressed her soft lips against his. He almost didn’t kiss back at first, so distracted by how soft and light her lips felt. He was aware of the soft skin of her hand pressing against her cheek, but his entire focus was on her soft lips pressing perfectly against his as if they were always meant to lock together. When she pulled back, Rowan’s eyes were locked on hers, seeing the intense emotions within those beautiful amethyst depths. His lips curved in a loving smile as it became clear where this was heading.

Before he could say, or even do anything, he heard a loud snort from Baellator. He looked at the Aelda, who tossed his head as the huge creature rolled his eyes. Baellator then turned and walked off, giving the two of them some privacy, causing Rowan to chuckle slightly as he refocused on the small woman in his arms, “I guess he’s going to stand guard outside the bushes for a while then.” He said with a grin which melted away when he gazed back into her eyes, “I’m not complaining, are you?” He asked, silently asking just how far she wanted to go. He needed to know, because he didn’t know if he could stop once he started. Not with someone like her, who had managed to captivate him like a mesmerising flame within the dark forest. He knew that if she let him start, he was not going to stop until she had been completely ravished. His hands were itching to touch her all over, to become intimate with every perfection and flaw of her body and to make her moan in pleasured release. To make her feel good, like no one had ever done so before. Rowan was not one to believe in love at first sight, but his belief seemed to be suspended for Natia.

10

Rowan's lips just felt.. right... His lips gave the same level of protection to hers as his arms gave to her body. They gently encapsulated hers and yet it didn't feel threatening at all. She almost didn't want to pull back, but she knew the two couldn't just stand there. Rowan needed his rest. As she pulled back, though, she found herself lost once again in the treasure trove of his golden eyes as they stared back into hers. Her face was even brighter red than before, but she couldn't help but just giggle with slight embarrassment, especially as she heard Baellator snort and walk away. She just shook her head in response to Rowan's question, but she couldn't help but feel a bit concerned about what direction this was going. She could feel it in the air, he wanted her in more ways than one. The scary part, to her, was that she wasn't totally against it. She bit her lips. Were they going to have sex tonight? Was she ready for such a commitment? She had no doubts about her feelings for Rowan, or his feelings for her, yet...

Natia slowly clenched her arm. "C-come on, you're exhausted. You need some rest." She pulled on Rowan's arm to lead him into the small clearing of trees and gently sat him down. She wanted to avoid the question of whether or not she would be okay with having sex as much as possible. She couldn't lie to Rowan, but she also didn't want to disappoint him. He had risked her life for him, after all. Perhaps her virginity would be a suitable reward... She blushed and poked her fingers together as she thought it through. What if she was punished for such a great sin and never got her powers back, even after her collar would be removed? She looked back up at Rowan. He's been so patient with her, even without her powers, and she's been able to make him so happy... 

She bit her lip. She wanted to be of use to him, she didn't just want to be baggage. But she may never get the collar off in the first place... it's not even a guarantee that these people she's being brought to would be able to help her. This wasn't a decision she could make lightly. She would have to take more time to ponder it. "Would you like me to get the food out?"

[Akira]

On 9/14/2018 at 1:23 PM, Neptune said:

 Location: Daedrin’s Blacksmith, Selil Marketplace. 

Daedrin remained silent while eating, as he didn’t particularly like talking when eating. He especially found it rude, as well as disgusting, when someone spoke with their mouth full of food. The only time he did tolerate it, is if there was a matter of urgency. Thus, until he had the last morsel of meat between his long fingers, he had not uttered a single word. Instead, he leaned back, holding the piece of meat to Wolfy who gently took it from him, his tail wagging furiously. Daedrin smiled as he scratched behind the wolf-like canines ear. Wolfy raised a paw, placing it on Daedrin’s knee as Wolfy licked at the hand petting him. Daedrin chuckled softly, giving the canine a harder ruffle through his thick fur before he gently pushed Wolfy off. He stood up, picking up his wooden platter as he did so. He broke his usual rule to say, “While you’re finishing your food, I will get food supplies together.”

He moved away from the table, putting the wooden platter down in the bucket that served as their sink. He didn’t bother washing it, as that was usually done by their servant who should be in later that day to prepare the evening meal. With Wolfy trotting at his heels, he disappeared into the pantry, closing the door behind him as he needed to reach the food packs that were hidden behind it. Wolfy sat on the floor, watching with calm golden eyes as Daedrin packed away bread, cheeses, dried meats as well as dried vegetables. 

“You know, Erikavana isn’t going to be happy that you’re going off on an adventure.” A deep voice suddenly said, spoken quietly. Daedrin paused in putting a couple of bowls into the bag, looking over his shoulder at Wolfy. One of his eyebrows rose before he turned back to what he was doing, “I’ll explain it to her. It’s not as if I’m in much danger.” He replied, keeping his voice soft to avoid Izanagi from hearing him. He heard a chuckle, but Wolfy didn’t make any other comment as he knew he would be further ignored by Daedrin. Once the blacksmith had everything, he double checked the saddle bag before pausing as he reached out with his mind towards his wife, keeping his mind carefully shielded from anyone who could sense such things. He informed her of what he was doing, and promised to be back within a few days. After a few moments he looked at Wolfy and said, “You’re right. She’s not happy. But it’s not as if I’m doing much until Mother arrives. And we have no idea where Father is, so we can’t track down his side of things.”

“Mmm.” Wolfy said as he stood up, “You are pretty much idling.” He agreed but fell silent as Daedrin picked up the bags and left the pantry again. Wolfy followed behind him, tail wagging slightly as he moved over to a wooden bowl that had some water in it. He began to lap it up, not paying either of the men any attention. Daedrin put the saddlebags on a wooden table that served as a food preparation area, “I’ve packed enough supplies to last a week or so. That will give us any leeway just in case something happens.” He said.

Location: Deadrin's Blacksmith, Selil Marketplace

I was still chewing and savoring my last bite from the meat pie when Deadrin mentioned that he was going to get a few supplies, I didn't want to speak while my mouth was still full, since that was something impolite to do and being impolite was the last thing I wanted to do at that situation, so I simply nodded in response and watched as the man placed his plate in bucket nearby and, with his dog as company, made his way inside was I assumed was the pantry, since it would only make sense to store this sort of supplies in there.

While Deadrin wasn't around I had finished dealing with the meat pie and proceeded to eat the slice of cheese that was remaining in my plate. Upon taking the first bite I quickly noticed that the flavor was a bit different from any cheese I had eaten before, not in a bad way though, the taste had a certain... depth to it and it was really good.

*That guy is hiding something*    commented Odium, luckily I don't need to use my mouth to think back a response to him, so kept eating *Well, is not like he is the only one doing so...* I responded taking another bite of the cheese *Don't act as if you are not at least curious about him. You saw it didn't you? when you used your Soul Eye, that guy has an incredible amount of energy within him. Don't you want to find out more about it?* overall, Odium didn't care much about other people, but the uncommon soul energy that we saw in Deadrin got his attention *Look, I am curious about it, I won't deny that, but at the same time I don't want to stick my nose on what is none of my business, specially considering the amount of power we saw in that guy, I don't want to get in his bad side...* 

Surprisingly enough, Odium gave up on arguing about that subject, with that out of the way, I took a final bite of the cheese and placed my place in the same bucket that Deadrin did, assuming that was the right thing to do, before sitting back again at the same chair I was and waiting for the man to return. Not long after, Deadrin returned with saddlebags and placed them over the table and saying it should be enough supplies for about a week, which was good, unexpected events where always a possibility "Well thought, it is always good to be prepared, if necessary I can hunt down creatures or fruits that are safe to eat" after all these years traveling around, I learned a few things

[Neptune]

Location: Along with Ageon River, North of Rosayia Forest.

Rowan noticed that she didn’t immediately answer his question, as a flicker of uncertainty went through her eyes. But she didn’t immediately reject his subtle suggestion, which meant that she was tempted by it at the very least. But he didn’t press the issue, because the last thing he wanted to do was pressure her into something she ultimately didn’t want. He knew well enough that most species were very closed up about sex, unlike his own. He had interacted with them enough, since his father often sent him out to be his representative because the old bastard was too fat and lazy to do it himself, a fact that the old King admitted freely. So Rowan knew that there were certain boundaries that one didn’t tend to cross, especially if Natia was as innocent about such things as he figured she was. He was brought from his thoughts when he felt Natia tug on his arm, telling him that he needed rest. He rolled his eyes slightly, the manner so similar to his dead mother that he couldn’t help a soft chuckle almost wistfully at the thought of his long dead mother. Someone who he had not thought of in a long time. Perhaps Natia was right, he was more tired than he realised. So he allowed her to pull him further into the clearing and to sit him down.

He tilted his head up at her, seeing the thoughtful look in her eyes as she bit her lip. That caused him to look away again, finding the action almost irresistible and it took his every ounce of effort not to pounce on her there and then. He cleared his throat slightly, “That might be a good idea. Some wood for a fire would be nice. It should be safe enough for one and a herbal tea sounds nice right now.” He said, picking up a dry branch from where it rested beside him. Easily, he snapped it in two with the use of his knee. He then inspected it, trying to keep his mind off of Natia, and saw that it was quite dry. It meant that the smoke wasn’t going to be too thick, which would be a good thing just in case there was anyone nearby. He didn’t really want random strangers to suddenly appear, especially slavers. They would take one look at Natia and try to go for her. His hand gripped the branch, angry at that thought. He threw the two pieces of branches down in front of him before glancing around and spotting another which he picked up and broke down to a more suitable size.

Location: Daedrin’s Blacksmith, Selil Marketplace. 

Daedrin nodded in acceptance of the man's word, “Good. I am also quite knowledgeable about herbs that can be useful for either food or medicine. I’ll just put this in the front hallway, then I’ll go and get the rest of the supplies like bedrolls. It would be easier if you waited with them. I shouldn’t be too long.” Daedrin said, picking up the saddlebags once again before he left the kitchen and made his way back to the front hall. He put the saddlebags down carefully, not even glancing at Izanagi as he walked off again, disappearing through a door into another hallway which had several doors. He opened one that went down into a cold stone basement. It was dark, but he could see perfectly and didn’t even bother with a candle. He went over to a number of crates that usually held the camping equipment, opening them up to inspect the items. A few of them were rather threadbare and clearly nibbled at by rats. However he was able to find a couple in good and clean condition, so he hoisted them up and carried them upstairs where he put them down in the hallway for the moment. He moved further down the corridor, before entering into an armory which was well stocked with a wide range of weapons and armour. There was even a full set of steel Knight armour, kept in a pristine condition, a gift from the Keza King. 

Daedrin was here for just one item, though. He moved over to a locked cabinet, slipping out a key from his pocket and unlocking it. He lifted the cabinet lid to reveal a sword resting on the velvety cushion inside. The blade was silvery in colour, but had a ripple pattern to it with darker pieces of metal, a common sign that it was Damascus. There was a subtle groove down the centre, indicating where the fuller of the blade was. It was a shade darker, looking stronger than the edge or point of the weapon. Within this groove where several elegant runes of Ancient Eldyrannthian, which he knew that no one but he and his wife could read. The cross guard was ornate looking, the silvery metal accented with intricate patterns of gold with a light purple crystal embedded in one side of the guard which hummed with a subtle power, while there was an Azure coloured crystal on the opposite side. The grip was wrapped in a black leather, looking strong and well looked after despite some obvious signs of use. The pommel of the sword was an orange crystal that was securely wrapped with a silvery metal that kept it firmly in place. Lying beside the sword, was a scabbard made from a brown leather. He wrapped his fingers around the grip of the sword and lifted the light blade up, feeling his connected with the crystals. He knew he shouldn’t be going out with this weapon, but he couldn’t help it. Izanagi was clearly used to strange, magical weapons and Daedrin doubted he would recognise an Eldyrannthian weapon if it smacked him in the face. Besides, the weapon had been a gift from his father, and he knew that it would be able to easily take care of the monsters inside of that damned forest. He picked up the scabbard before sliding the blade, which easily slid home, so that the strange blade was hidden from view. Daedrin tied the sword to his left hip before he left the armoury and went back to the front foyer, picking up the bedrolls as he did so, “That should be everything.” He said.