The Morning After

[Vavrinec]

Vavrin accepted the goblet from Nihael and listened to his toast. Her eyebrows raised slightly at the mention of an interesting partnership. Raising her own glass, she responded, "To future lucrative endevours, and a mutually beneficial alliance." Smirking, she gently clinked her goblet to his and raised the goblet to her lips, tasting the full-bodied wine.

She went over and sat on the bandit leader's cot. Swirling the contents of her goblet idly, she took another sip. "We should probably get back to our wagon, and the twins. They might think something happened to us along the way..."

[Nihael]

"Onyxia said she didn't feel like waiting around for us to get drunk, so she decided to drop our things off at the wagon and go hunting after that. I arleady told her to tell the Twins how things were going here and that we would be along in a bit, just after we finish completely sweeping the camp." Nihael smiled as he took another sip of wine, feeling it wash down his throat. "It seems our friends here managed to loot some fine households."

[Vavrinec]

"Did you. Well, that puts my mind to rest. The last thing I want to do is worry the twins," she said, half teasing. "Though I do not intend on getting drunk." She took another sip from her goblet and glanced around the tent. She guessed that it was in the early evening. How long they had been gone, she wasnt for sure. The twins were probably asleep or sparring.

It was true that the bandits had gathered some fine wares. "I wonder which towns they hit, or how many travellers they had gotten to. They really stocked up on money and swords. Not to mention some decent wine." She brought her legs up on the cot and leaned on one elbow, holding her almost-empty goblet in her free hand, and gazed at the Rider.

[dannylam4]

Yin jumped up as the scent of smoke reached his nose. Bow staff in hand, he stood in an offencive position, looking around to see where the fire was coming from and who was starting it. A large fire roared somewhere on the battlefield, between the wagon and small thing of trees. He approached quietly and swiftly, but was relieved when he saw Yang standing by the large fire. Smoke rose quickly and in large, thick clouds. The smell was odd and was not that of burning wood. Yin's eyes focused behind the smokey haze and saw the burning bodies of the bandits in the fire.

Had a nice rest, brother? Yang asked Yin, not turning around. He turned and threw a few more dead bodies over his shoulder and carried to the fire, chucking them in.

Nothing like the smell of roasted bandits in the morning, brother, Yin commented. He turned and dragged a few bandits into a small pile, not having much strength to carry them the entire way. Yang took care of the rest after the piles were made.

They have still not yet returned? Yin asked, dropping a body by the fire. Yang shook his head.

The dragon arrived shortly before you awoke, saying they were fine. Though they may question the thing of smoke if they look over here. Yang chucked the bodies into the fire as it roared and sent more smoke into the air. After a few minutes, Yin was finished putting the bodies into piles.

I'm not use to having blood on my clothes... Yin commented as he looked down on his bloody shirt. Tell the others I'll be by the stream cleaning this off if they arrive. Yang nodded as Yin walked away.

[Nihael]

Nihael picked up the wineskin and sat down next to Vavrin on the cot. "Would you care for a refill?" he said with a smile and a wink. "Getting drunk might be a good way to pay back the Twins for their previous behaviour, although I would fear for what might happen if you were left alone with them in such a state." he said, only half-kidding.

"I am surprised that they were able to operate long enough to become this prosperous. The situation smells like a payment to me. If they had robbed anyone rich enough of possess goods such as these, I would have thought they would have been dealt with by now. Not to ruin the mood with my conspiracy theories."

[Vavrinec]

"Not at all. I do suppose it seems like payment. Whatever they were doing, it has been going on for a while now. Most likely doing someone else's dirtywork." With that, she shrugged a bit and emptied her goblet.

Vavrin wondered if the Rider was trying to get her drunk. Maybe not all out drunk, just a little tipsy. She could think of all sorts of reasons for that, though it wouldnt make sense if he suspected the twins harboured ill intentions. Either way, she figured she'd play along a little while longer. Holding her goblet out to be refilled, she glanced at him curiously and replied, "Ah, and just what do you think they would do?"

[Nihael]

Refilling her goblet and his own, he loked back up her, noticing the curious look on her face, "I doubt that they would do anything *wrong* per say, but knowing them, they might decide to have some *fun*. But really, your guess is as good as mine. Although if I was enebriated, Onyxia is probably the only person I would want taking care of me. She would give me hell for being dumb enough to get myself into such a situation, but I can guarantee I wouldn't wake up with any weird drawings o my person, and she would keep out such people who would do that, away from me."

"I do believe this is the longest we have had a conversation without being interrupted by something unpleasant..."

[Vavrinec]

Vavrin furrowed her eyebrows slightly. "Mhm..." Raising the goblet to her lips again, she took a fairly large sip. "Good thing I can handle my wine. Besides, Yin & Yang wouldnt try anything with myself being enebriated that they wouldnt ordinarily try when I am sober. I trust them, even though you do not." She sat up, brushing her hair aside and swirling the wine in her goblet. She watched it, the colour of it being a tad fainter than that of her own eyes.

She glanced over at him and said, "You are right. I do think this is our first normal conversation since I met you." She took another sip, though she kept her gaze.

[Nihael]

As he gazed into Vavrin's eyes, Nihael found himself seemingly falling into a swirling vortex of red and gold, slightly disoriented he broke eye-contact and slowly slid closer and reached across her to put the wineskin back on the counter. Finding himself in a rather close proximity to her, he quickly pulled his hand back across, accidentally brushing against her thigh. Starting to get a bit uncomfortable with his positioning, he attempted to reposition himself, not accounting the sag of the cot and ending up with his knee resting against hers. Attempting to act as though he had not realized it, he took a sip from his goblet. "How long have you been working for Galbatorix?" he queried, hoping to focus somewhere else.

[Vavrinec]

Vavrin kept her gaze as the Rider, only to have him break it as he set aside the wineskin. She thought she felt his hand graze her upper thigh, but quickly set aside the thought with another short sip of wine. She tapped the glass with her fingertips, staring again into the lingering fluid.

The Rider shifted a bit more as the cot bent under thier collective weight, and this time she was sure she felt his knee touch hers. Her eyes swiftly darted to his just as he took another sip from his goblet. Unsure of how to feel about the sudden closeness, her feelings ranged from mild annoyance to indifference to intruige. Her pale face portrayed no emotion, a talent she had learned to master long ago. She merely blinked and replied, "I became a Shade at 19. So I have been serving Galbatorix for three years. Why do you ask?" She took the last sip from her goblet, licking her bottom lip as she savored the flavour. She sustained eye contact as she set aside the empty goblet.

[Nihael]

Emptying his goblet with a quick swig, he settled it back into his palms, slowly rolling it between them, feeling the cool surface spreading condensation, slicking his hands slightly. "I like to know a little bit about my 'associates' when I work with them. Just so I know what to expect from them. I am sure you have probably a basic knowledge of myself as you sought me out for the job, I would like to have the playing field a bit more even. How di..." he trailed of as he felt the tent start to flap around him and hearing a sharp THWAP as the wind flicked a fold in and out of the cloth. A normal person would have mistaken it for a violent wind kicking up, but knowing better, he guessed it was Onyxia coming to speed their departure. His thoughts were confirmed when he heard a slight thud outside the tent as the wind stopped as suddenly as it started.

What has been taking you so long?

Personal matters.

You have been trying to woo the Shade

I have not been trying to 'woo' her, and I am not a child for you to check up on.

Yes but you have a knack for getting into trouble without me. Anyway, we need to be getting a move on, unless you have forgotten when you became smitten with the thought of being alone with 'her'.

I had not forgotten. He growled back in his mind.

"Although I would love to continue our conversation, Onyxia makes a good point that we should be heading off now. Maybe we could continue it at another time?" Grudgingly he got up off the cot and extended a hand out to Vavrin to help her up, using it as a small gauge of what she was thinking.

[Vavrinec]

"Maybe." She stood up on her own and swept past the Rider, ducking out of the tent to be greeted by Onyxia. Cool, fresh air whipped her face as the dragon moved her wings. It was good to be out in the open again. She hadnt realized how late in the day, or, early in the evening it actually was. Vavrin took the lead, walking back to the wagon, not speaking until they returned.

Upon arriving at the wagon, she saw a massive plume of thick smoke. Her eagerness to have returned was quickly blindsided by puzzlement of the smoke. She took a few more strides, and she became aware of a distinctive scent. The smell of burning flesh and death was almost overpowering. She saw Yang who was feeding the fire with the deceased bodies of the bandits, his back towards her. "We have returned." Vavrin's eyes burned from the rancid smoke. "Lovely." She turned away and found that the supplies had made it to the wagon safely, and were in once piece. Circling the wagon, she moved away from the stench and the smoke that was so strong.

Nihael and Onyxia had arrived shortly after she did, and seemed to be in conversation by the trees.

[dannylam4]

Yang tossed the last body into the fire as Vavrin arrived. He watched as Vavrin walk behind the wagon and then turned back to the fire. Yin is at the stream, he informed her as he wiped off the soot off his face. He has requested that you help him dry his clothes with your magic so we won't have to wait all day.

Yang's horse walked towards him and bit down on his arm gently. Yang brushed his hair and led the horse back to the wagon, grabbing an apple for the horse to feed on. Midnight, Moonlight, and Indy did well during the battle. They managed to stomp a few bodies into the ground. Took me a few minutes to pull the bodies out. Yang grabbed a bag from the wagon and tossed it at Vavrin. If you plan on accepting Yin's request, please take this to him.

[Vavrinec]

Vavrin caught the bag in her arms. She didnt even think twice about it. "I accept. I'll deliver this to him." She turned on her heel and headed towards the stream. Ugh...Anything to get away from that rotten smell. Must walk faster! She began to walk casually, her boots scraping the ground beneath her.

The Shade hastened her long strides, walking between a few tall trees and scattered shrubs without a look back. The air ceased to reek of decay, instead it was cool and crisp. It was a far distance away, and secretly she was relieved. Within moments she could make out the clear stream. It babbled softly to her as she made her way closer. "I'm back, Yin... I understand you need clothes to be dried?" she called out. She held the bag to her chest as she waited for Yin to respond.

[dannylam4]

Yin's head shot out of the water as he heard Vavrin voice. Yes, Yang had told me you were coming, he said, looking down into the water. He began scrubbing his shirt with a rag, attempting to get the blood out. I hadn't expected you to come so quickly.

He raised his shirt into the air, dripping wet and several blood stains still obvious. He looked over at Vavrin and pointed to a pair of pants and his body length coat hanging on a tree. The coat will be the most dry, it's been there for quite some time. I put up hte pants a moment ago, so it'll still be wet. Looking back down, Yin attempted to scrub off the blood as he drifted back towards Vavrin. See anything you like?

Yin gave a frustrated grunt as he shoved the shirt back into the water and dove into the stream. The bandits must have had some interesting stuff that you enjoyed, no? he said, still talking through the mind while splashing around underwater.

[Vavrinec]

Vavrin watched Yin struggle with his shirt for a while, motionless. "I had nothing better to do. I needed to get away from the camp." She frowned slightly as she set the bag down and made her way to the tree where his pants and coat were hanging. "If you refer to the bandit's campsite, it was alright. Nothing too impressive."

Vavrin felt the coat to test its dryness. She moved on to the pants which were apparently soaked, small droplets falling from the ankles. She spoke with her back turned, saying "I brought back two wineskins. Also, numerous bags of coins in the trunk. Other than that, nothing which caught my attention." She held out her palm and waved it over the pants, no sooner had the words left her mouth and they were completly dry.

When she finished, she turned to face the stream. "You know, once blood has been allowed to set in, it is not easily removed." Vavrin adjusted her belt and sighed.

[dannylam4]

Yin emerged from the water and growled to himself, looking down at the shirt. He tossed it onto the grass and walked towards the surface, his waist still submerged.

"If you refer to the bandit's campsite, it was alright. Nothing too impressive," Vavrin said as she looked over his clothes.

Of course, what else would I mean? Yin said with a slight chuckle. He reached out and grabbed the pack from the ground that Vavrin had brought him, taking a long black towel out. He wrapped around his waist as he walked out of the stream. And with that greedy look on your face, I figured you had seen something... very impressive, as you said.

"You know, once blood has been allowed to set in, it is not easily removed."

Yin sighed and walked over to his soaked shirt. Blood is thicker then water, so I suppose it makes sense that water cannot remove blood. He held the shirt out to Vavrin, his other hand keeping his towel in place. Think you can do something about it?

[Vavrinec]

Raising both eyebrows, she remarked, "If I had seen something impressive, it certainly wasn't at the bandit camp. Anyway, the Rider seemed to enjoy the stash of weapons he found." She averted her eyes momentarily as Yin wrapped the towel around his waist. "It was mainly a bunch of small disheveled tents and one leader tent."

Yin approached her with the stained shirt in hand. She shamelessly took in his wet form, or at least that of which was visible. Not like she could help it, he was right in front of her. It was strangely intruiguing to her to see him in such a state. She took the shirt from his hand, and smiled thinly. "Of course I can do something about it."

She turned and set the shirt on the grass and knelt down. She hovered her palm over the blood-stained spots and effortlessly they disappeared as if a clock had been turned back. Laughing a bit as she recalled Yin grunting and fussing over it, it was a much simpler task for her to complete. She glanced over he shoulder saying, "I do suppose you want it dried?" She moved her hand over the spotless shirt and at once it was dried.

Picking it up from the ground, she handed it back. "You're welcome."

[dannylam4]

Yin walked over to a small bundle of clothes and swept it up into his arms. Thank you, he said, taking the shirt from Vavrin. He grabbed his other clothes and went behind a set of trees, hanging his towel as a type of curtain and dressing quickly. He snatched the towel from the branches and shoved it back into his pack. Nothing like a nice bath to start the morning. Though I believe it might just be afternoon now.

He looked into the sky, watching the position of the sun and then over at the slowly disappearing smoke. I believe Yang is done with the bodies. Shall we take our leave and finally get back onto our mission?

[Vavrinec]

"Yes, let's get back. I do hope that foul stench has left the camp." she said, not wanting to even think of it anymore. It almost made her shudder. "We should have made it to Yazuac by now..." she said in a low voice, beginging to walk back towards the wagon. To her, it had seemed like she'd been away for days. Vavrin's fingers tore away at nearby branches, snapping them in half.

"So, what did you and your brother do while I was away? Other than trying to send smoke signals and laundry." She kept walking, keeping her eyes ahead on the trail that was in front of her.