Mission Impossible [closed]

[Amerylis]

"No worries. Not the first time I've been slapped like that. First time in a long time, but certainly not the first time."

Amerylis grinned. "I'm sorry to hear that." She chuckled, switching her weight from one knee to the other. She

"Oh, um... still sore, I'm afraid," She accepted his hand and got to her feet. She brushed off her knees and but a hand on his shoulder. She whispered the healing words agian. " It would have worked better without all those clothes but..." She stopped and shook her head. She could not help but smile at how that came out.

"Nevermind. I hope that did the job." She said crossing her arms. She walked back over to Arsen and tied her arrows and bows down.

[Gildor]

Again, Gildor didn't even have to so much as ask to be healed. Although he was grateful to be relieved of the pain, he was growing a little annoyed by the lack of communication. He wasn't one to accept assistance so lightly, and appreciated it more when people asked him whether or not he needed help first. The answer was usually a swift 'no' even if he did need it, but still... he usually gave in after about five minutes or less.

"It would have worked better without all those clothes on, but oh well," Amerylis said lightly, much to Gildor's (and his dirty mind's) surprise. He raised an index finger and opened his mouth to ask if she were implying something, but before any sound could come out, Amerylis interrupted. "Nevermind. I hope that did the job," she said as she placed his staff back in his hand. She then crossed her arms, and walked back towards her horse, leaving him standing there with his mouth still slightly open.

Tricky as a barmaid with her words... yet as clueless as a farm-girl. Or so she seems...

He untied the sling from around his neck and gingerly stretched his arm and shoulder. Once satisfied with the lack of pain, he tossed the bandage and his cloak over his how healed shoulder, picked up his staff, and made his way over to where Amerylis waiting, already mounted on her horse.

The sun had just about fully risen, and the first hot rays of daylight were beginning to bear down on the land. The idea of the heat to come made Gildor wish they had left at night, and he couldn't help reminding himself that if he hadn't accepted Amerylis's, Kaala's, and Mirror's company, he could have been halfway out of Surda by now. He could only hope they wouldn't slow him down once they finally got going.

By the time they reached their small camp on the edge of the capital again, the ground was already beginning to get warm from the sun. He wondered if Kaala and Mirror were awake yet, hoping they were and packed already. The urge to get out of this forsaken desert was beginning to grip him once more.

[Amerylis]

Amerylis let Arsen walk alongside Gildor, assuming he wouldn't enjoy riding with her. She looked back and noticed Avalon flying behind them. She stroked Arsen's neck gently and looked down at Gildor.

Amerylis turned the corner to their camp.She dismounted Arsen and picketed him. She sat by the fire and placed the stew back on. "Care for any? There is no carrots left. Seems when you left my bags open Arsen took them." She said with an amused tone. She poked at the fire gently, then took her bow and quiver from her back and placed them beside her.

Amerylis stirred the stew a bit then got out a bowl and poured herself some. "I meant to thank you for teaching Avalon. She seems to listen to you more than me. I suppose that is fine. Just so long as she comes back with me..." She said grinning. "When we part..." She added, her grin disappearing.


****************************************************
Farid leaned against the bar. He looked down into his drink and then back at Cirtholtheil. He drank a bit of his whiskey, it seemed that someone had drank all the mead last night. He leaned closer to his drink and mumbled the scrying charm. Suddenly, in his drink his sister appeared with Arsen. The site made him gasp. Not because it had work ,though that was a large feat for him, but because of what he saw behind her.

She was in the street just in front of the bar. The sign "The Dragon Wing" was clearly visible. The sign that ,the owner had bragged, came from a ship that had evaded the Imperial ships and made it past the great whirlpool.

He grabbed Citholthiel's hand and pulled her up out of her seat. "My sister..." He mumble in answer to her questioning gaze. He wrapped his fingers in her's and exited the bar turning into the hot street. He saw a small bird go behind the bar. "Avalon?" He said questioningly.

He followed the bird and peered into the camp that lay behind the tavern. He examined the camp and it's inhabitants, but remained carefully hidden. The day that Amerylis left hadden't been a pleasent one.

[Gildor]

The first thing Gildor did when they re-entered camp was poke Mirror in the neck lightly with the end of his staff. The great dragon grumbled deeply and shifted a bit, but didn't wake up. His Rider was being just as stubborn to face the morning. Perhaps Kaala's prolonged slumber had something to do with all the mead she drank last night. No doubt she was a lightweight when it came to drinking, judging by the way she had stumbled out of the bar last night, prepared a quick dinner, and crashed. Mirror was probably still asleep because of his connection with her. As he stuffed his cloak back into his travel satchel, Gildor wondered if that connection would cause them to both have a hangover when they finally woke up. Growing eager to leave, he had half the mind to kick Kaala out of bed already...

"Hm? Oh, no, I'm fine," he answered when Amerylis asked him if he cared for any stew. The lack of carrots in it was tempting, but he'd rather live off his own supplies for now. Besides, he still had more than half a pomegranate to finish. "Sorry about your carrots, though. I'll replace them for you if you wish."

He sat down a little farther away from the warm fire while he waited for Amerylis to finish her breakfast and for Kaala and Mirror to wake. "I meant to thank you for teaching Avalon," she said from across the campfire, "She seems to listen to you more than me. I suppose that is fine, just so long as she comes back with me... When we part..." Her voice had suddenly dropped to a lower tone when she spoke the last short sentence, but Gildor took no notice to it.

"O'course," he said with a shrug, "I was just having a bit of fun with her is all. I used to train birds of prey for the Varden in Farthen Dûr, before I became a spy."

As if on cue, Avalon speedily soared back towards the camp, coming from the edge of town this time. Having anticipated her arrival, Gildor held his leather-covered forearm arm up for her, where she fluttered to a soft landing. She screeched and chirped lightly, bobbing her head and shuffling her feathers excitedly.

"Good girl," he told her softly, and moved his arm closer so he could stroke her feathers with his free hand. "We're being watched," he then murmured as nonchalantly as he could.

[Cirtolthiel]

Cirtolthiel had been enjoying their visit at the bar. It was a relief to get out and about - and now they could finally leave Surda, if they wanted. Which, Cirtolthiel did quite badly.

She watched Farid murmur "Dream stare" into his whiskey. But before she could peer over his shoulder, he gasped and Cirtolthiel jumped in surprise.

"What? What is it?" she inquired. But Farid didn't answer, and simply grabbed her hand while muttering something about his sister. Hm, I didn't know he had a sister... she thought. She quickly slung her things over her shoulder and paused to throw a few coins onto the bar for their drinks.

Farid lead her out of the bar. Cirtolthiel squinted, trying to accustom her eyes to the sudden bright daylight. She glanced down an alley, where Farid was facing. A bird flitted out of sight.

"Avalon? Farid wondered. Cirtolthiel looked at him.

"Someone you know?" she asked, thinking he was talking about a person. But she was answered when they trailed the bird closely. They came to a campsite, where a dragon and three elves were stationed. She heard Farid whisper into her ear about staying hidden. Nodding, she became as motionless as the ground.

She watched the bird, Avalon, fly to an elf with gray hair and blank eyes. He stoked her feathers, and said quietly, "We're being watched." Cirtolthiel hardly heard him.

Brushing across Farid's conciousness, she asked, Do you know these people? But her eyes did not wander from the group.

[Kaala]

Kaala groaned as Gildor began prodding her, trying desperately to ignore him. She rolled over with a muttered curse and pulled her blanket over her head, acting all the world like a human teenager.

"Sorry about your carrots, though. I'll replace them for you if you wish."

Kaala’s ears perked up at the sound of conversation. She began to rise and folded her blanket with a sigh. Turning she poked Mirror in the side and jerked his head, using his horns. She watched as he gave a grumbling snort and lumbered to his feet, thoughts running rampant about his dream. She almost snickered as she caught a brief mental image of Mirror chasing what looked to be Gildor. With muffled laughter she gather her belongings, throwing them in with Amerylis’ and Gildor’s.

"I meant to thank you for teaching Avalon," she said from across the campfire, "She seems to listen to you more than me. I suppose that is fine, just so long as she comes back with me... When we part...

Kaala looked confused for a moment, raising an eyebrow. She shook her head as they hadn’t seemed to notice she was up yet.

"O'course," he said with a shrug, "I was just having a bit of fun with her is all. I used to train birds of prey for the Varden in Farthen Dûr, before I became a spy."

Kaala walked up behind the two, silent as she listened to their conversation. Apparently there was nothing more to be said as Avalon came speeding into the camp, landing quite readily on Gildor’s waiting hand. Kaala took notice of the fact that she seemed agitated, something unusual about the small but near-fearless falcon.

"Good girl," he told her softly, and moved his arm closer so he could stroke her feathers with his free hand. "We're being watched," he then murmured as nonchalantly as he could.

Kaala walked calmly over to her bags, and grabbed her rapiers. With a simple move that had become more than reflex she had them belted to her sides. She rested her hands on their hilts, praying they wouldn’t be needed. She scanned the area, eyes taking in the little details. She blinked as she spotted a quick flash of movement. She walked back to the two and whispered, “There.” She nodded to a small area just off to the side of them. She turned without another word and walked back to the fire, tossing more wood into the sputtering flames.

[Amerylis]

"We're being watched."

Amerylis nodded. From somewhere behind her Kaala began stirring. "I heard them coming from the bar." She said placing a hand on her bow. She pulled the arrow that Avalon had dropped hours before closer to her. Whoever was behind her watching couldn't see her doing so. She lifted her bow to her lap and notched it quietly.

With lightning speed she flipped over, on knee on the ground with the other foot placed beside it, then released the arrow. It buzzed through the air. Just as she had expected, her pursuers turned, their cloak billowing after them. The arrow snagged the cloak and nailed it to the wall of the tavern.

Amerylis grinned and stood triumphantly. She notched another arrow. "Amerylis wait!" Said one of the pursuers. Their voice sounded so familiar, like a far off memory. Then it click. "Farid!" She half squealed. She ran towards the voice and pulled him around the corner. He was dragging a taller, older elf after him. but none of that caught Amerylis's eye. What did though, was that she was a female. "Who is she?" She asked, forgetting her manners.

***************************************************

Farid turned as he saw Amerylis flip over, but not to run, to block Cirtolthiel. He felt the arrow tug at his cloak. He smiled apologetically. "FARID!" he heard from somewhere behind him. In an instant he was facing Amerylis. She pulled him around the corner, and since his hand was still in Cirtolthiel's, she came too.

Amerylis' expression turned from happy to confused then angry. "Who is she?" Farid followed her eye, and they didn't meet his or Cirtolthiel's. They went directly to their joined hands. "This is Cirtolthiel.


OOC: Keep in mind that Gildor and Kaala don't know that he is her brother. They kbnow she HAS one but not that he is it. He could be an ex-lover or a friend. They don't know... Only Farid, Amerylis, and Cirt do.

[Cirtolthiel]

Cirtolthiel was watching the group intently. First, one of the female elves stood up and found her rapiers, keeping her hands close to them. Cirtolthiel could have sworn she looked over their way.

"Farid..." she whispered, suddenly uncomfortable. The other femlae elf disappeared for a moment. Cirtolthiel squinted, trying to see.

Before Cirtolthiel knew it, the girl had flipped around and shot an arrow. Cirtolthiel's eyes widened in shock.

"NO!" she screamed. The arrow barely missed her head and struck Farid's cloak, pinning him to the tavern's wall. He had found Cirtolthiel's hand again, dragging her toward him. The girl bent over to string another arrow.

"Amerylis, wait!" Farid cried helplessly. The girl looked up in surprise.

"Farid!" she squealed. She sprinted over and wrenched him around the corner they had hidden by. Cirtolthiel was once again dragged by his hand. She stumbled and looked at the elf, feeling somewhat clueless.

The girl's face hardened. She gave Cirtolthiel an icy stare. Cirtolthiel gulped and watched as her gazed dropped to their interlocked hands.

"Who is she?" she demanded, turning to Farid. Cirtolthiel quickly let go of Farid's hand. She wasn't exactly sure why; this girl had to be his sister.

"This is Cirtolthiel," Farid told his sister calmly. Cirtolthiel glanced at him, then back at his sister.

"A-ahh yes," she said quickly, still shaken from the close call. She smiled at the girl, cheeks turning a little pink. She touched her lips and recited the traditional greeting."My name is Cirtolthiel Eruwaedhiel, from Ellesméra. I am a messenger for the Varden. I've been travelling with Farid for the past...two days." She nodded and smiled again.

((OOC: EEEK I thought I had modified it, not double-posted. -_- sorry about that. The first one has been deleted.))

[Gildor]

Now that both Kaala and Mirror were up with Amerylis, Gildor sat back and waited for them to handle the situation. He just... didn't expect that they would handle it so violently. Was that the sound of rapiers being readily sheathed? And was that an arrow being knocked? When he wasn't drunk and acting on impulse, Gildor was a complete pacifist and tended to avoid combat as if it were plague. Surely these two wouldn't be so rash as to start shooting at the people watching them without first identifying them?

The sound of an arrow being shot in the direction of the tavern proved him wrong. With an inward sigh, he threw up a basic ward around himself and a few mental barriers incase things got out of hand. He could only hope this wouldn't prolong their stay in Surda even further.

"Amerylis, wait!"

Oh? Did they know each other?

"Farid!"

Apparently they did. Wonderful. More people to keep them here longer. They hadn't even begun traveling yet, and Gildor was already regretting allowing others to join him on his punishment mission. Just thinking of how far he could have gone by now was enough to make him want to kick himself.

"Who is she?"

Gildor's ear pricked at the sound of that little exclamation. He continued petting Avalon lazily, smirking lightly to himself. He suddenly felt a bit sorry for the lad she was talking to. Oh, the countless times he'd found himself in that situation... though it was usually between a couple of bargirls or prostitutes, not Elvish ladies. He made no effort to get up and join them yet. For now, he was content with stroking the falcon on his forearm and listening to the conversation, curious to find out how the boy would pull himself out of his seemingly messy little situation.

[Amerylis]

"No!"

A cruel smirk played across her face. "Do you think I would actually shoot my little brother... Or for that matter... a messenger girl." She took the arrow out of the wood and pulled her brother to the fire. She set the arrow down and smiled to Gildor. At least he wouldn't be the only guy, aside from Mirror. Something told her that wasn't a good thing.

"You two. Sit eat." She said grinning at the thought of Gildor embarrassing her brother infront of this new girl.

"My name is Cirtolthiel Eruwaedhiel, from Ellesméra. I am a messenger for the Varden. I've been travelling with Farid for the past...two days." Amerylis nodded and sighed.

"I have to go pack up on provisions." She said. She mounted Arsen, and looked down at Cirtolthiel. How did my baby brother end up with her. She looked down into her eyes and clicked her tounge. "Take care of him Gildor... Kaala..."She stopped.

Watch her. She finished reaching Kaala with her mind.

****************************************************

Farid grabbed Cirtoltheil's hand and sat down beside Gildor and grabbed a bowl from Amerylis's bag. He looked over at Gildor. Then to Avalon on his forearm. He was suprised that she would sit there for him. The falcon never cared for Farid much.

"So how did you two come across my sister?" He asked filling a bowl for Cirtolthiel. He held back a gasp as he looked to Gildor's eyes. At fisrt he thought the man to be drunk, with his half closed eyes. He ran a hand along the tiny arrowhead.

"She always was hotheaded." He said with a smirk. "Good thing she's a good shot."

[Cirtolthiel]

"Do you think I would actually shoot my little brother... Or for that matter... a messenger girl." Amerylis said scathingly. Cirtolthiel was taken aback.

How about some manners, for a start, she thought angrily, but showed no emotion on her face. Cirtolthiel took a breath and looked her in the eye. "Oh, really now? I'm pretty sure you didn't know who we were before your dear brother called out," Cirtolthiel said coolly. "And I'm also quite sure I saw you about to shoot another arrow..." she smirked.

This girl doesn't even look that old, Cirtolthiel thought. I'm probably at least 50 years older than her... The three of them went to their camp. Cirtolthiel observed the other elves she had seen before: the male elf with blank eyes and gray hair, and the other female. She sent them both smiles, then realized that the male was blind. Cirtolthiel cleared her throat. "Hello, everyone," she said pleasantly. She glanced back at Farid.

"You two. Sit, eat. I have to go pack up on provisions."

Cirtolthiel sat down by the fire, Farid sitting next to her. He attempted to hold her hand, but she quickly folded her hands on her lap and game him a little glare. "Not now..." she muttered. Cirtolthiel politely accepted some stew and began to eat.

Take care of him Gildor... Kaala..." Amerylis stopped. Cirtolthiel glanced up, chewing slowly. She quickly looked away and gazed into the depths of the fire and listened to Farid make conversation.

[Gildor]

Without Gildor's or Kaala's consent, Amerylis lead the two newcomers to their campsite and invited them to sit down and eat. If he hadn't been feeling so eager to get out of Surda, he wouldn't have minded... but he had a sinking feeling these two were going to be sticking with them for some time to come. The idea was not putting him in a particularly good mood... and the fact that Amerylis was just leaving them while she went off to shop was not helping.

The young man Amerylis had addressed as Farid sat down beside him while the messenger girl with him, Miss Cirtolthiel, seated herself a little farther away. She was clearly of elvish decent, judging not only by her exotic name and melodic voice, but by the way she walked into camp. Her footsteps were so light against the ground, he could barely feel any vibrations from them. Farid, however, was a more confusing case. His voice was crisp and musical, so there was definitely some elf in him... but his gate was as cumbersome as any human's. He must have been a halfling.

"So how did you two come across my sister?" he asked as he filled a couple of bowls with Amerylis's stew. So they were related. It made sense in some ways. For instance, they were both quick to try and start a conversation. He didn't mind it as much from Amerylis, but her brother hadn't even bothered to tell him, Kaala, or Mirror his or his companion's names.

Gildor carefully transfered Avalon to his left shoulder, where she perched quietly to rest after flying all morning. "So when did formal introductions go out of style?" he responded with smartly a minute later, dodging Farid's question at the same time. With that he turned his attention to Cirtolthiel, flashing a pearly smile in her general direction.

"Name's Gildor. Gildor Maeglin of House Helyanwë," he said pleasantly, and extended his right arm in front of Farid to offer her a handshake rather than the traditional Elvish greeting. "Liked by some, loved by none, hated by many, envied by most, and wanted by plenty. How do you do?"

[Amerylis]

"So when did formal introductions go out of style?"

Farid looked at Gildor with a pleasant smile."Plea-" Then Gildor looked past him and to Cirtolthiel. He flashed her a broad smile, and suddenly Farid's smile faded.

"Name's Gildor. Gildor Maeglin of House Helyanwë. Liked by some, loved by none, hated by many, envied by most, and wanted by plenty. How do you do?"

"Farid. Of a House that is unknown." He said the remnance of his smirk fading. "You seem quiet confident in yourself." He noted with a smirk.

He turned to Cirtolthiel. "I hope you don't judge my sister by her actions moments ago. It isn't like her do to something so rash. Nor is it like her to be so rude." He looked down into his stew thoughtfully. What has gotten into her? He asked himself. he picked up his spoon and ate some of the stew.

[Cirtolthiel]

Cirtolthiel slowly swirled her sthingy in her stew. She was listening, which was her signature reaction to when she was in a group of people she hardly knew. Not only that, but Cirtolthiel had always been the quiet, reserved type anyways. She glanced up and saw the male elf grin a brilliant smile at her. She smiled a little but looked back down to her stew, thinking.

"So when did formal introductions go out of style?" the elf asked Farid. Cirtolthiel looked up, interested.

"Name's Gildor. Gildor Maeglin of House Helyanwë," Gildor said pleasantly. He leaned over to shake hands with her rather than Farid. Surprised a litte, she slowly reached out and shook it, taking notice of the firm grip.

"Careful of the fire there," she murmured.

"Liked by some, loved by none, hated by many, envied by most, and wanted by plenty. How do you do?" Gildor went on. Cirtolthiel laughed a little.

"Nice to meet you, Gildor. And that was quite clever. And I'm just doing well, thank you. And you?" Cirtolthiel replied, smiling. He wasn't like any elf she had ever met in her life. Very informal, comfortable around others...not so...uptight.

"Farid. Of a House that is unknown. You seem quiet confident in yourself." Farid was saying. She glanced at him and saw him smirk.

"And my name is Cirtolthiel, from the House of Eruwaedhiel," she added. She smiled at Farid reassuringly, enjoying herself. He turned to her, his face troubled.

"I hope you don't judge my sister by her actions moments ago. It isn't like her do to something so rash. Nor is it like her to be so rude."

Cirtolthiel's eyes twinkled. "Of course I won't, Farid. First impressions are hard to forget, though..." she trailed off, her smile gently vanishing.

[Gildor]

Gildor's ear twitched when Cirtolthiel murmured for him to be mindful of the campfire. After shaking her hand and exchanging names and pleasantries, he laughed lightly at her kind but unneeded consideration.

"O'course, love," he said airily, "And you be careful of the ground spider crawling about an arm's length away from your right side there." He placed a hand on the ground and fell silent. "Judging by the way it's crawling, it doesn't seem like the poisonous type," he told her a second later, then added with a knowing grin, "But you can never be too careful, eh?"

He figured that would give her a basic idea of how aware he was of their surroundings despite his blindness. Occasional assistance was appreciated, but too much usually got on his nerves quickly.

"So, the Houses of Unknown and Eruwaedhiel, is it?" he asked a moment later, changing the subject back. "Now I was very sheltered whilst growing up in Ellesméra, but I do remember hearing of the Eruwaedhiel family. Very old, very noble House, if my memory holds well. Very loyal to the Queen..." He trailed off there, looking as though an important thought came just to him...

Cirtolthiel had mentioned she was a messenger girl to Amerylis. It didn't take a genius to put two and two together. If her lineage was still anything like it was approximately one-hundred-and-sixty-nine years ago when he left the Elvish capital, then that meant Cirtolthiel was the Queen's own personal messenger girl. Being a spy, Gildor could barely stop himself from wondering what kinds of juicy war details the Elves were currently keeping from the Varden... details Cirtothiel might be aware of.

Perhaps he would try to uncover a few later. Right now he was too anxious to get going.

"Bet you didn't know you were traveling in the presence of someone with such thick blood, eh Halfling?" he said jokingly and elbowed Farid in the ribs perhaps a little harder than he meant to. He then picked up his staff and stood up to stretch without even hinting as to how he figured out Farid's ancestry.

Gildor casually poked the campfire twice with the end of his staff, then waved a long nailed hand over the smokey tips of the flames. The fire died before his hand reached his side again. The air around them cooled comfortably.

"Hmph. Not even near noon, and it's already getting so bloody hot," he grumbled, though not too bitterly.

[Cirtolthiel]

Cirtolthiel finished her stew and put her bowl aside, joining in on the conversation. It was rare when she did this, but she already felt rather comfortable. But things would probably change when Amerylis came back. That is, if she was in the same mood as when she left to pack.

"And you be careful of the ground spider crawling about an arm's length away from your right side there," Gildor warned cheerfully. Cirtolthiel jumped and saw the harmless white garden spider. "Judging by the way it's crawling, it doesn't seem like the poisonous type."

"Yes, it's just a little garden spider. Can you really tell from the vibrations if it's poisonous or not?" she asked, awed. She found this quite intriguing and it put a whole new aspect of characterizing things to her - of course, she had felt fluctuations from living things before, but they were just general things. Cirtolthiel zoned out for a few minutes, thinking deeply. Gildor's mention of her name brought her back to reality, though.

Remembering the spider, Cirtolthiel brought her foot up to squash it down. But she stopped herself, remembering something an instructor had told her during her training - No need to cause unnecessary suffering. That is the reason why we elves are vegetarians. Cirtolthiel remembered it was the answer to her question about the way of the elven diet, why they weren't like humans and ate meat. "Such a humanly thing to do," she muttered, and set her foot aside and let the spider be.

"So, the Houses of Unknown and Eruwaedhiel, is it?" he asked a moment later, changing the subject back. "Now I was very sheltered whilst growing up in Ellesméra, but I do remember hearing of the Eruwaedhiel family. Very old, very noble House, if my memory holds well. Very loyal to the Queen..."

Cirtolthiel nodded. "Yes, that would be our...erm...reputation, anyways," she said, tossing her hair back and letting her bangs fall over her eye. She watched with interest as Gildor's facial expression caught on to a realization. Of what, she had no clue. She brushed the spider of her boot and continued quickly, "And I think I have heard of your family too, Gildor. Probably my father mentioned it one day."

"Bet you didn't know you were traveling in the presence of someone with such thick blood, eh Halfling?" Gildor joked. Cirtolthiel felt Farid stiffen slightly beside her as Gildor basically rammed him in the ribs. Cirtolthiel stifled her laughter as Gildor went to poke the fire. "Hmph. Not even near noon, and it's already getting so bloody hot."

Cirtolthiel sighed in agreement. "You're telling me! I absolutely cannot wait to get out of here and back to Du Weldenvarden," she said, suddenly switching to the ancient language for more effect. "Though," she added, "It'll take a while..."

[Gildor]

"Yes, it's just a little garden spider," Cirtothiel commented, much to Gildor's delight at being correct. "Can you really tell from the vibrations if it's poisonous or not?" she then asked, sounding quite interested.

"Why yes. Like fingerprints, everything has a signature feeling against the earth," he explained, "I simply know how to decipher one thing from the other and, with a little magic, can locate it's position. For example..." he stopped there and tapped his staff on the ground twice, sending out a faint tremor through the earth. There was something mixed in with the vibration as well... just a hint of magic, barely sensible. Whatever the tremor came across - rocks, insects, shrubs, the campfire, their packed bags, Kaala, Mirror, Farid, Cirtothiel - it rippled up and over once, then came back down to the ground in less than a matter of seconds. Avalon chirped from his shoulder when the tremor came back to him, and shuffled her wings in annoyance. She had been snoozing peacefully before.

"That was a bit exaggerated, but I wanted you all to feel it," Gildor said with a lazy wave of his hand, "Normally no one notices; not even other elves." He tapped the ground again at that, only this time there were no magic-mixed vibrations running through the ground. Well, none that were detectable anyway. Only Gildor seemed to feel something.

"I now know the exact layout of this campsite, down to the last detail," he stated with a confident smile and added "As well as the forms which you all take."

Had they been alone, he might have discreetly mentioned what a pleasing form he found Cirtothiel to have... but she seemed too distracted by the garden spider by her boot to notice anyway. She soon brought the subject back to their families.

"I think I have heard of your family too, Gildor. Probably my father mentioned it one day."

Now that surprised him. His family was rather small, and couldn't be traced back as far as most Elvish Houses... and the only thing they were known for was the eccentric characters they produced. The only reason a prominent member of the Eruwaedhiel family would mention someone of the Helyanwë House would be if they were in trouble with the Elvish government.

"What, was the Queen's Council trying to build an asylum just for my mother again?" he asked, quite seriously too. But before she could answer, he flicked a wrist and muttered a disheartened, "Bah, never mind," and turned away. He didn't say anything when Cirtothiel mentioned how much she wanted to get back to Ellesméra either. Although he inwardly missed his family, he had no intention of going home any time soon, even if his punishment mission required him to search for the last dragon egg there. He'd much rather comb through the treacherous Hadarac Desert for the egg than return to Du Weldenvarden.

[Amerylis]

Farid had no intention in joining in the conversation. He just leaned over the bowl and took more sips. Farid lost interest in the conversation and gazed over at the dragon and his rider. He looked back down at his stew and got lost in thought.

Suddenly he felt a little pain in his ribs. He was pulled out of his thoughts just in time to hear Gildor say, "Bet you didn't know you were traveling in the presence of someone with such thick blood, eh Halfling?"

Farid flushed from anger and embarrassment. His lineage was not something he liked to share. How Gildor had found out confused Farid. Maybe Cirtoltheil told him... He thought. But he doubted it. He continued to sip at his soup till it was all gone.

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It seemed that Amerylis had gotten lucky. Only a few streets down was the market. She quickly got their supplies that they had eaten last night and this morning, including the pomegranate that Gildor had eaten.

She rode back to the camp on Arsen, then picketed him and dismounted him. She strolled over to Gildor and handed him two pomegranates. "I believe this makes up for this morning. Don't know how they have them in. They aren't really from around here..." She said grinning at him.

She looked around at the others in the camp. Kaala seemed a bit sleepy still, as did her dragon. Farid seemed angry, and the other girl, Cirtolthiel, didn't seem to have any one emotion. Just content.

Amerylis swallowed her pride and walked to Cirtoltheil and bowed. She mumbled the beginning of the elvish greeting then straightened. "Do forgive me for my actions earlier. I was caught of guard by your presence with my brother. I was rude." She spoke in the ancient language.

She then bowed again and returned beside Gildor. "What did I miss?" She asked looking back to her brother. "It seems you have made my brother uncomfortable." She said grinning. "Congratulations. You have achieved something that many do not."

Before another conversation could start up Amerylis cleared her throat. "So. Can we finally get out of here?" She asked Gildor and Kaala.

[Cirtolthiel]

Cirtolthiel frowned concernedly at Farid when he did not answer to Gildor's joke. She sighed and blinked, thinking. She realized that since he was only half elven, it must bother him. Discreetly, she placed her hand on his shoulder comfortingly, but said nothing. Farid finished his soup, paying no attention to her.

Cirtolthiel whipped her hand out of sight when Amerylis entered the camp again. She heard Gildor ask her something, but Amerylis cut him off and muttered something to him while handing him some fruit. Cirtolthiel watched with round eyes, almost frightened. This girl walked with deep confidence.

To Cirtolthiel's surprise, Amerylis turned to her. She mumbled the Elven greeting, which Cirtolthiel did not reply to. In the ancient language, Amerylis continued, "Do forgive me for my actions earlier. I was caught off guard by your presence with my brother. I was rude."

Cirtolthiel gave her an kind smile. "I accept your apology. Everyone makes mistakes," she replied, careful to not make it sound annoyingly cliché. Amerylis bowed again and turned back to Gildor. "What did I miss?"

Cirtolthiel assumed that she was not part of this conversation. Amerylis turned around and grinned at Farid. "It seems you have made my brother uncomfortable. Congratulations. You have achieved something that many do not."

Apparently, she was joking. Cirtolthiel certainly didn't think it was funny. Must be a sibling thing, she decided.

"So. Can we finally get out of here?"

It wasn't like Cirtolthiel had any say to this, either. She quietly crossed her legs and stared at the ground.

[Kaala]

“Watch her.”

Kaala had done almost nothing while she waited for Amerylis to return. She stretched her arms over her head, keeping a close eye on the two newcomers. “I’m getting rather irritated at all the new people.” She told Mirror, her eyes flashing in the direction of the small group of people. She stood not even bothering to introduce herself.

"So how did you two come across my sister?"

She completely ignored the man as she grabbed another bowl, ladling herself a small portion of stew.

“So when did formal introductions go out of style?"

Kaala couldn’t help a light snort at Gildor’s words.

"Name's Gildor. Gildor Maeglin of House Helyanwë,"
"Liked by some, loved by none, hated by many, envied by most, and wanted by plenty. How do you do?"

She couldn’t help but shake her head at Gildor’s audacity, walking over to Mirror and leaning against his still warm side.

Farid. Of a House that is unknown." "You seem quiet confident in yourself."

She raised her eyebrow at Farid’s words. House unknown? Then with a start she remembered just who this guy was. Her memory took her back to the time she and Amerylis spent in the Spine, following the Empires troops to Carvahall.

"Nice to meet you, Gildor. And that was quite clever. And I'm just doing well, thank you. And you?"

She sneered at the elf maiden. She couldn’t see how everyone just seemed to fall over him. She took a good look at the two and noticed a look of utmost jealousy on Farid’s face.

"And my name is Cirtolthiel, from the House of Eruwaedhiel,"

Kaala gave a start as she heard the elf-lady’s heritage. “The House of Eruwaedhiel.” She rolled the name on her tounge. She tried to think back to her time spent in Ellesméra and shook her head. She just couldn’t remember where she had heard it before.

"So, the Houses of Unknown and Eruwaedhiel, is it?" he asked a moment later, changing the subject back. "Now I was very sheltered whilst growing up in Ellesméra, but I do remember hearing of the Eruwaedhiel family. Very old, very noble House, if my memory holds well. Very loyal to the Queen..."

Kaala cut her eyes to Cirtolthiel as Gildor explained the elf’s heritage. She shook her head as she muttered under her breath about her faulty memory. She went back, suddenly remember a conversation she had had with one of the younger male elves. She smiled a slightly wicked smile as she let her thoughts wander about exactly what she and the male had been doing before they had that conversation.

“Bet you didn't know you were traveling in the presence of someone with such thick blood, eh Halfling?"

Kaala just smirk at Gildor’s jab, beginning to eat her now edible stew.

Kaala tuned out the rest of the conversation, catching only bits and pieces of what was being said. After what seemed only a few minutes, Amerylis rode back into town, a bag of provisions over her shoulder. She watched her toss a pomegranate to Gildor and listened to Amerylis speak to Cirtolthiel in the ancient language. She fell out of the conversation once more and snapped to just in time to hear Amerylis ask if they could finally leave.

“I agree. We are restocked and the only thing left is for me to stop by a stable and pick up a horse. I will not be riding Mirror for awhile yet, I don’t want to be flying over Empire territory. Also, we need to make note of who all is going. As far as I know, it is still just Amerylis, Gildor, and I. That was the original plan. If that has changed, then I need to know so arrangements can be made.” She kept her voice cool, addressing the two newcomers with indifference. She just didn’t like the way Farid seemed to act. Also, it was not polite to act friendly with the Queen’s personal messenger.