Camping In the Empire ((Quetzal and Timmir))

[Brenton]

The plains passed below the hooves of the white stallion that led the group of people. All around the skies were darkening and the sun was setting low over the horizon until it was just dark orange across the skyline. Brenton looked up and searched until he came across a small grove of trees where he knew there was a clearing perfect for camping. The elfin king turned the horse slightly and rode into the trees, followed by the others. He reigned in the stallion and jumped off, landing next to what was obviously meant to be a camp site. Brenton tied the horse to a tree and made sure it could get to the pond next to the trees.

[Quetzal]

((Since you've posted this in Dras-Leona, I'm assuming they're a couple of dozen miles away and this is just the end of their first day))

A smaller brown mare named Hazel followed Brenton's horse, keeping up with the small group of guards and other people wanting to head for Ellesmera for whatever reason. This horse was one of the Varden's, a very average animal but none the less with stamina and speed enough to reach the city of the elves. On her back sat Isrydia, who was currently tired from travel, and a week-old dragon hatchling, who was draped over Isrydia's shoulder, dozing and fanning himself gently with his wings. The low, fiery sun cast glimmers of orange on his icy blue scales. He had tried to run alongside the horses occasionally, but he was too small and weak to be able to keep up with them for any length of time without stumbling or falling behind.

Isrydia had spent the day watching the world go past and talking, mostly to the elven guards, making light conversation and getting to know them better. Her interest had also been caught when she realised she was able to touch the mind of the horse she was riding. Before her dragon had hatched, she had been unable to reach out to anything with her mind without help, and before today she had only tried to contact the dragon. Now she found she was able to feel the minds of other living things nearby within a short distance, although her bond with the dragon stretched much further than this range. Her horse, being the nearest thing to her so always in range, was her main target. The creature had been surprised to be contacted, but grew more comfortable as she got used to having another mind contacting hers. Isrydia found her mind smaller and somehow cozy in comparison to the hatchling's, whose was complex and vast. The horse's thoughts were more fuzzy, too, less precise as they dealt more with instinct and wants rather than thinking about the wider world and other people.

When Brenton dismounted and tied up his horse, Isrydia did the same, smiling as her horse's mind became filled with relief at being able to rest, mingle with a vague wish to walk and run. The hatchling stirred on her shoulder and glided to the ground, stumbling when he reached it. She quickly set up her tent, a very basic thing which was pretty much just a sheet of material stretched over some strong wooden sticks. It was not that comfortable, but it kept out bugs that might bite, kept of the rain and kept in heat to warm up the tent during the cold nights. The new Rider sat cross-legged outside, still in her leather armour, watching her hatching's poor attempts at flying. He was taking running leaps, flapping his wings frantically. The most he was ever able to do was to keep himself at the top of the leap for at best a second before slowly creeping back to the ground, although he could still use his wings to glide once he jumped into the air, not that he could jump very high.

[Timmir]

Trelik looked up to the skies as he rode through the fields. The day was slowly coming to an end and he would probably have to make camp soon, but he had to check on something first.

How are you holding up up there?

Everything perfectly fine up here.

Well that's good. You may want to start thinking about coming down soon. It's getting dark and we don't want you to tire yourself out.

I know. I'll come down once... Neldral thought stopped suddenly, causing Trelik some worry.

Neldral? Is everything alright up there.

Sorry about that. I think I see someone setting up a camp up ahead.

Can you tell anything else?[/i]

Not really. There seems to be quite few people in the camp though.

Have any of them saw you?[/i]

Trelik thought for a second before he had an idea. I'm going to see if I can get a closer eye on it. See if they are friendly or if they have any valuables or not. How far away from me is it exactly and can you see any type of cover for me to hide behind?

It's not to far. You could probably walk there. Just keep going the way your going and you should see it soon. As for cover, there are a few trees and a pond nearby.

Trelik nodded. Okay then, I think I can work with that. Just try your best to keep hidden, okay?

You be careful down there and don't do anything rash.

Don't worry. They won't even know I'm there. With that thought, Trelik got off his horse and tied it off to a nearby tree. If it was within walking distance, then there was no need to cause unwanted attention by bringing the horse any further. Once the horse was taken care of, he began walking off towards the direction of the camp.

((Sorry about the poor quality post. Had a hard time figuring this out.))

[Brenton]

((It's alright since everyone has a dying muse right now.))

My lord, there appears to be some disturbance in the area, almost as if another dragon is nearby. The guard stepped forward and spoke to his king as he dipped his head and waited for a reply. He was about the youngest elfin guard but he was also the most trusted in times like these. I know there are dragons around. In case you forgot, we have two new dragons with us right now. They are probably causing the strange disturbances. Brenton unstrapped Undbitr from his belt and laid it on the ground where he could see it. Then he grabbed his supplies and with some magic he dug a small hollow for Grazael to sleep in. Around that he built a tent and set up a small campfire. Brisingr! Adurna Risa! The second part of the spell was directed toward another hollow but this time a deeply hollowed out boulder. When the boulder was overflowing with pure water, Brenton nodded and turned his attention to the fire.

The king grabbed a bag from his saddle and a pot from there. Quickly he started by cutting the meat with a hunting dagger he kept on him as well. Then he chopped some vegetables and threw all of that into the pot when the water began to boil. Sitting there, Brenton stirred the stew and added some seasonings. In the bag was a couple of loaves of bread as well as two wheels of cheese and some more supplies for this meal again. So is there anything you want to cover tonight, Isrydia? I'm sure either I or one of my guards can aid you in magic or we could help you if you want to spar.

[Quetzal]

Isrydia and the hatchling were both completely oblivious to the presence of Trelik and Neldral. If the hatchling had been successful in his attempts to fly, he may well have caught sight of the dragon from higher up, but the slightly larger than cat-sized dragon was not yet strong enough to grasp the knack of flying properly. His wings just needed to be a little bigger, his magic a little stronger to be able to hold him in the air, and he knew he would manage it. Until then, he could only practice to build up strength. It would probably not be much longer until he could fly short distances at low heights.

Isrydia watched hungrily as Brenton prepared a stew, the smell of it wafting around her as it warmed up. After such a long day, she was starving. "I think I'm all right, thanks, Brenton. We're both pretty tired and I'd rather save our strength," she replied. Above, the sky was darkening, stars beginning to glimmer. The trees around them guarded great dark pools of shadow as the sun sunk lower and lower. Isrydia was not so bothered by whatever was out there, as the fire and number of people would deter any wild animals, and bandits would likely not try and mess with two Riders and a group of strong fighters and elves. She stared up at the sky, watching the familiar constellations slowly fade into view.

[Timmir]

As Trelik continued to walk, he soon began to see the camp on the horizon. Not wanting to take any chances, Trelik crouched down and slowed his approach. There was no telling who was setting up the camp and he did not want them to know of his presence before he decided to reveal it. Fortunately for him, night was slowly fading in, helping to obscure him from any unwanted attention.

As Trelik came closer to the camp, he began making out figures moving about within it. He continued to move slowly closer to camp in order to get a better look. Once he saw what they were though, he quickly took cover behind a tree.

Elves! What are elves doing all the way out here? Trelik wondered as he slyly peeked out from behind the tree to see if anyone had saw him yet.

[Brenton]

Brenton grabbed a bowl and ladled out some stew, careful to not spill any. When it was full he handed the bowl to Isrydia and smiled at her before grabbing a spoon and giving it to her as well. By this point Grazael was already awake and running around with his head down and his wing spread in hopes of flying. The wind caught his wings enough for him to occasionally catch flight for a while before falling to the ground. The guards were already spanning out but for some reason it wasn't a good sign. Brenton shrugged it off and spoke to Isrydia. Okay if you want to do anything later or tomorrow then just ask.

[Quetzal]

Isrydia took the bowl and dug the sthingy into the stew, savouring the taste of the warm food. Any food at that point would have been welcome. As uncomfortable as the hunger and weariness could be, traveling was something she enjoyed and it felt good to be on the road again, this time with a clear purpose ahead. She watched as both elven and human guards spanned out, a few chatting, some looking more serious. The further away they got from a town, the less likely they were to encounter anyone, so since they would need to stop by villages on the way for supplies, they would have to be on full alert until they reached the desert, especially since some jealous elf might decide that Brenton wasn't fit to be the new king after all.

The hatchling had managed to find himself a little further away from the others, and stopped his flying as he heard something. He sniffed. Something in the air smelled off, something that wasn't the plants. He froze, listening intently, sapphire eyes scanning the area closely. Aside from the usual rustle of leaves in the wind, he could not hear anything amiss. The smell had probably been a deer or rabbit or something. Regardless of what had made the noise, he did not want to stray too far from the protection of his Rider when he knew he was too small to defend himself yet, so began walking and gliding back towards her.

[Timmir]

That's quite a few guards out and about. What are they protecting? Trelik wondered as he watched the guards patrols closely. Something or someone important must be within the camp if there were this many guards out and about. Though who or what this person or thing is remained unknown to him. He soon found his curiosity (and greed) telling him to move forward to figure out what was at the camp, while his common sense told him to back away while they still were unaware of his presence.

Trelik slowly snuck closer to the tent, taking care to keep to the shadows and stay out of the guards sight. As he did so, he overheard a couple of the human guards talking amongst themselves.

"Rrrrg... It's getting cold out."

"You better get use to it while you can. The desert at night can be as freezing as it is sweltering during the day."

"Do you think the elves will want us to go that far with them?"

"I don't know, but our orders are clear. We must defend the elf king with our lives until our services are no longer needed and we are dismissed. Whether that'll be til we leave empire territory or until we arrive at Ellesméra I can not say. Just be honored we have received such an order in the first place. Not many get the chance to work with the elves in such a way."

Elf King? Could that be who they are guarding? Trelik wondered as he kept snuck past the two guards. It did explain why there were so many guards, but why would the king of the elves be all the way out here. Shouldn't he be ruling his people safe and sound in his neat little elvish kingdom?

[Brenton]

Brenton was about to grab his own food when he heard something from a guard about fifteen yards from him. There are tracks here that weren't here just a few minutes ago. Are you sure the camp is safe? The elfin king stood up and rested his hand upon the hilt of the sword on the ground. It was within easy reach and that meant that he could draw it in need of a weapon. There were in fact other tracks and he could now sense a different mind in the group that he didn't recognize. So the king drew Undbitr and swung the blade experimentally before whistling softly a three note sequence. Four guards appeared next to Brenton and he told them of the intruder. Instantly they all drew their blades and slipped outward until they could see the entire camp. One of them walked toward the tent but Brenton shook his head and slowly walked to the shadowy area behind the tent. He had Undbitr drawn and at the ready as he walked over toward the one place he believed to have the intruder.

[Quetzal]

At the alert from the guard returning from patrol, Isrydia's gaze returned to earth from the stars. The hatchling had reached her by that point, and jumped into her lap to curl up happily. She did not disturb him by standing up when Brenton did. "Are you sure they're a threat? I mean, who's gonna be stupid enough to attack a group of elven guards, even if they didn't see the two Riders, one of whom being the king of the elves?" she pointed out, wanting to assume the best in the stranger, if they even existed. She tried to find him or her with her mind, but whoever they were, they were either too far away or were guarding their mind so were undetectable. Probably both, knowing her limits.

Should anyone near them, she would be ready. If they really did mean them harm, they were either an idiot or someone very skilled, someone who could well be able to guard their mind well enough to give Brenton the slip and sneak past. He may have been going off to defend the camp, but in doing so he had led more guards off, leaving the camp defended only by her and a couple of other guards. Could drawing him away have been the intruder's plan all along? Her own sword, Nettle, was strapped to her belt. She could attack if they meant harm, although she was starting to feel as though Nettle was perhaps too inadequate now. It was a very basic, simple weapon she had taken with her when she first left her home a little over a year ago. While it served her well, it was barely average and paled compared to the Rider's blades. There were not any Rider's blades left, or if there were they were closely guarded by the Empire, and no new ones could be made by the elf who made the previous blades, but there would be others who could make very good blades in their own style.

The hatchling sat up now, alert, tense. Maybe it hadn't been a deer he had heard before after all. He scrambled up to Isrydia's shoulder as she stood up, growling at shadows. She sent him a soothing thought. "No-one's going to go attacking a few elves, a Rider, two dragons, and the king of the elves, are they? If there is anyone, they're probably just passing by, and might not even care to stop and chat. If they do, they could be friendly," she whispered to him, more to reassure herself than him. He stopped his high pitched growls, but still stood tall, neck and wings stretched out, to try and make himself as big as possible. She walked, him looking all around from her shoulder, slowly away from Brenton and the camp, trying to see in the darkness. Her eyes were adjusted to the light of the fire, however, so it was hard to see anything at all. She kept an eye on the camp to make sure no-one tried to sneak in, the remaining couple of guards likewise staring away from her into the trees, trying to spy an intruder. Her hand was ready to shoot to Nettle's hilt as she grew more nervous, distinctly aware that it would take a little while for a guard to come to her aid should anything bad happen.

[Timmir]

A curse silently left Trelik's lips as heard the guard report about the tracks. How in the world could he have made a rookie mistake like that? Now the guards are on high alert searching the area for any intruders, and they didn't exactly seem to be in the 'Ask questions first, kill people later' type of mood. Trelik could see one such guard (at least Trelik thinks he's a guard) with his sword drawn slowly making his way to Trelik's position, causing Trelik to slowly back away from the man, trying to remain unseen.

Come on Trelik. Think a way to get out of this mess. Trelik looked around at his current position as the guards continued their search. He knew he was only on borrowed time now until someone finds him, whether it be through magical assistance or not. He needed to quickly think of someway to get out of this mess and maybe even profit from it.

Then an idea hit him. One that was so crazy and idiotic that it could possible work. At least it would buy him some time, but he will have to time it right. Maybe even make a few more mistakes to ensure that it'll work.

With that thought in mind, Trelik quickly snuck over to a nearby tree and picked up a twig. He then placed it methodically on the ground, before stepping on it. He winced at the sharp snapping sound the twig made, hoping it would draw at least one of the guards in and that they won't try to strike him down the first chance they get.

[Brenton]

Brenton watched as two of the guards walked slowly toward the sound of the twig snapping, already drawing their blades and casting worried glances over toward him. Yet that didn't bother the elfin king because at the moment he was busy doing something else, something that just might save some lives if this person was as good as Brenton was thinking. The half elf whispered words in the Ancient Language that both amplified his voice and lit up the campsite like it would be in the mid day sunlight. All shadows disappeared and Brenton spoke loudly. Boy, I know you may think you're clever sneaking into a camp and evading the guards but if I find anything missing then I will cut you down this very second. Now come over here and talk to me and my comrades. With a brief motion of his head, two guards were next to the thief and two more were behind him with their sword points at his back.

[Brenton]

Brenton watched as two of the guards walked slowly toward the sound of the twig snapping, already drawing their blades and casting worried glances over toward him. Yet that didn't bother the elfin king because at the moment he was busy doing something else, something that just might save some lives if this person was as good as Brenton was thinking. The half elf whispered words in the Ancient Language that both amplified his voice and lit up the campsite like it would be in the mid day sunlight. All shadows disappeared and Brenton spoke loudly. Boy, I know you may think you're clever sneaking into a camp and evading the guards but if I find anything missing then I will cut you down this very second. Now come over here and talk to me and my comrades. With a brief motion of his head, two guards were next to the thief and two more were behind him with their sword points at his back.

[Quetzal]

Isrydia was so tensed with anticipation, she jumped at the sudden loud snap breaking the silence, the hatchling on her shoulder squealing with annoyance at the disturbance to his perch. She looked around warily. "What do you think? Could it have been a diversion, and do they really mean us harm? Should we investigate?"  Isrydia spoke to the dragon with her mind, not daring to speak aloud for fear of making her presence more obvious. The hatchling did not fully understand words, but she hoped that if she spoke to him as she would any person, he would gradually pick it up. He understood her meaning, and shot her a thought of fear and doubt. He did not want to get mixed up in any trouble. He also sent an image of Brenton with his sword drawn; the elven king would probably be able to fend off an intruder.

Another shock came as the campsite was suddenly bathed in bright light, almost like sunlight but clearly created by magic. The hatchling shielded his eyes with his wings, while Isrydia's arms shot up to cover her eyes. Just when her eyes had become adjusted to the darkness, the area was swamped with light. Temporarily blinded, she squinted and stumbled in the direction Brenton had left. They must be in trouble for them to use a spell that pretty much just said 'here we are, come and get us' to both any people hiding around and any dragons flying above. Her eyes slowly began to make out the shapes, finding Brenton and the guards easier now there were no shadows. Black spots speckled her vision, everything blurred and too bright even as she squinted and shielded her face.

As she drew nearer, she noticed the guards were poking their swords at a man about her age, perhaps a bit older, to restrain him. She did not recognize him, so assumed this was the intruder. The hatchling on her shoulder hissed, the hissing turning into as deep a growl as the little thing could muster, needle like teeth bared. Due to his size, the overall effect was not very threatening, but the message was clear. Isrydia could see Brenton was happily rushing into capturing this man, and frowned. "Brenton, wait," she said, stepping towards the stranger. "He could be a friend. Or he could be completely innocent, just passing by to become very confused by all this. Let's not be too hasty to jump to conclusions, OK?" she warned him, not wanting anyone to be hurt. With a sinking feeling she became aware that the hatchling was a big giveaway as to her identity as a Rider, something which may have best been kept a secret for now as it would automatically make her a more attractive target for any bounty hunters or thieves.

[Timmir]

Trelik flinched as he found himself quickly surrounded by guards and bathed in a very bright light. Keep cool Trelik. He mentally reminded himself as he stood up with both of his hands raised to show everyone that he is unarmed before stepping out in the open.

"You may want to listen your friend there. I mean you and your group no harm. If anything has gone missing then I can assure you that I had nothing to do with it. Now I would advise you to please shut this light out before you bring any unwanted attention to us. Who knows what eyes are lurking in the wilds these days?" Trelik said calmly to the elf as he kept his hands up and his palms open, not wanting to spark any unnecessary violence.

[Brenton]

By this point, Brenton had already told one of his more magic trained guards to search the area mentally for any other people or creatures who were not connected to the original group. When the guy spoke up Brenton laughed because he knew this guy wasn't innocent in any way but he motioned for the guards to ease up a fractional bit in their duties. King Brenton, your majesty, there is another being out in the wild somewhere with a mind strong enough to withstand me and two of my allies in magic. If I had to say so then I would say the being has no intention of harming us if we do not harm our newest captive but I believe you want to speak with him yourself. The entire conversation was completed mentally and Brenton looked up into the sky before quickly looking at the new guy. Call your dragon down here to see what happens so that they will know we mean you no harm if you speak the truth. Brenton didn't like the thought of letting this intruder go without thorough inspection but it was true that they had no proof of what he was doing.

[Quetzal]

The gedwey ignasia clearly visible on Trelik's raised palm made Isrydia realise he too must be a Rider, but before she could tell Brenton, he asked him to call his dragon. How did he know, unless he too had seen the silver mark on the man's hand. No doubt the dragon hadn't shielded its mind enough. This changed a lot, meaning they would have to be more careful; the man's dragon was not with him, so would be older and stronger than their dragons. Should they attack the intruder, the dragon would retaliate, which could land them in a lot of trouble. The hatchling, however, did not recognise this danger, instead being delighted to have the chance to meet another of his species.

Isrydia was growing more wary, and stayed close to Trelik, carefully considering what Brenton was likely to do next. She had seen him in sudden bursts of anger, committing violent acts on the Varden's soldiers without thinking about the consequences. As such, she was nervous something along those lines would happen again, this time getting him into even more serious trouble. She did not say anything for the time being, worried she would speak the wrong words. Instead, she watched the two carefully, ready to step in if it looked like a fight would break out.

[Timmir]

((Wait a second... Didn't I mention the fact that Trelik was wearing gloves. *reads through past posts* *facepalms* Of course I forget to mention that -_- Oh well... The show must go on.))

"Dragon?" Trelik asked questioningly, trying to figure out how the elf knew. Trelik then noticed that he had just revealed the mark on his hand. "Ahh... Yeah, that'll explain it." Mentally cursing himself for being so absentminded, he quickly tried to think of a way out of his current situation, but he couldn't see any without it ending in tears. All he could do for now is do what the elf commanded.

Neldral, how far away are you from my position?

Not to far, I'm actually flying overhead of you right now. What's going on down there and why is there that light?

Well... To tell the truth, I kind of gave myself up in an attempt to try to learn about the elves in this camp, and in my haste I forgot one important thing. Neldral could sense Trelik's embarrassment at the situation he put himself in.

You forgot to cover the mark on your hand.

Yeah...

For a self proclaimed 'Expert Thief', you seem to get caught alot.

Hey, I've just ran into a string of bad luck is all. Besides, like I already said, I gave myself up this time, and, perhaps more importantly, I wasn't planning on stealing anything from them.

Sure, you say that now...

Who's side are you on?

Hey, I'm just joking with you.

Yeah, here I am in a life or death situation with an impatient looking elf who's probably contemplating how exactly he wants to cover the ground with my blood, and you are joking around.

Well, what do you want me to do?

Come down to the ground. Slowly and carefully though. I think I trust this elf as much as he can trust me. And stay in the air if you are able. We may need to make quick getaway if things goes south.

When don't things go south? Neldral noted harshly I'll try my best to get down as safely as I can, but I don't know if I'll be able to keep afloat in extended flight. My wings are starting to ache from flying all day and I'm growing ever more tired as we speak.

If you need to land, then go ahead and do so. Just be careful.

I shouldn't be the one your worried about. I may not exactly be the strongest among dragons, but I still am able to take out more then my fair share of men before they take me down.[/i]

That may be so, but I would prefer to avoid that for as long as possible.

Of course, but I'm warning you now. If anyone so much as looks like they are going to harm you, I'm not afraid to have them for a late night snack.

Trelik gave an exasperated sigh. "And now that image is stuck in my head." Trelik said under his breath as he imagined Neldral flying off and eating the elf leader in front of him. Speaking about...

"He's on his way, but I would advise that you and your men lower your weapons. He's not exactly happy about the situation I've decided to bring myself in and I have no want for any unnecessary confrontations." Trelik said to the lead elf. A roar could then be heard as Neldral slowly landed nearby the scene, analyzing the scene as he did so.

[Brenton]

Grazael, having seen the larger dragon flying over head, squeaked in joy but then realized that his rider wasn't too happy about the situation. So the dragon hatchling scurried over and hid behind Brenton's legs with his too long tail sticking out as he looked between the elf's legs with interest and fear. I don't think I would be telling someone who is stronger than you what to do. Now calmly tell your dragon to land and remain docile, out loud, or I may be forced to use any means necessary to get information from you. To be honest, the elf king didn't like this situation any more than the newest rider but he slipped Undbitr into the sheathe and motioned for the guards to all put their weapons away. All of them did except one particularly young man who didn't think that Brenton knew what he was doing. Instead of doing as told, the human guard took off at a sprint toward the captive and Brenton was forced to act.

The speed meant for only elves and riders was doubled in Brenton as he seemed to see time slow down and he dashed across the space between him and the guard. Quickly he wrapped his arms around the young man's neck and tightened until the guard fell asleep. When the man was asleep and clearly not in any danger of hurting the captive, Brenton watched as another guard moved his comrade and then looked at the captive. Now that my guard has been taken care of, my name is Brenton and I would love to know why you are in our camp trying to avoid detection. Brenton released the energy and the sky darkened back to its normal light.