The Journey (EvaRose & Rage)

Jyade nodded, picking up her bow and quiver, wrapping each diagonally around her shoulder and back so they wouldn't fall off. She just hoped that the tunnel didn't open up to a point in the canyon where they would fall a few feet if they weren't careful. She slung the cloak around her shoulders once again and took Hunin into her arms before going to stand beside him at the tunnel entrance. After he crashed into the wall like that, enough of it fell so that they could walk through it. "Let's get going then," she said softly. She held Hunin tightly against her chest, gently stroking the beast's head as he slept.

She turned and started to make her way into the tunnel, looking around carefully so that she could see where she was going. It was pretty easy right now, with the moonlight shining down into the tunnel to light their way. "I guess we ought to stop in the next city we reach. It'll sure be nice to sleep in a bed after this." She knew that what she said probably sounded weird to him, after she made a point of letting him know that she needn't any sleep. The truth was, she just didn't have to sleep every day like full blooded humans. She slept once or twice every week, so that her energy didn't diminish.

The elf made her way down the tunnel slowly, having seen him dragging his feet along the cave floor before. Sleeping in a bed, and getting a new pair of boots, sounded nice to her. Of course, going into a city meant that she'd probably be shunned. The last time she was past the canyon, though it was a bit further away than the next city, people didn't look at her strangely because of her ears. She knew now that elves went to cities close to their homeland, and that was why her parents told her to get past the canyon. "Have you ever seen a dragon?" The question, really, came from nowhere. She only saw two in her entire life, a baby and its parent, but after that she seemed to always be where they weren't. Most people would call that a blessing, but she didn't. She wanted to see one again.
 
Haine grumbled in slight pain, steadily making his way down the darkened tunnel. His condition wasn't perfect, but he was able to keep himself standing and moving. His joints would occasionally groan in protest, and he suddenly became aware of how heavy the armor he wore really was. Biting his lip, he trudged on ahead. Every now and then he'd step into a puddle, or he'd narrowly avoid a large stalactite protruding off from the ceiling. Why was this tunnel here anyway? Did the gryphons have something to do with it, or was this made by someone or something? Either way, he was sure it opened up somewhere. The breeze that was coming through the tunnel's wide throat told him so.

"Sleep in a bed?" Haine grumbled in slight laughter. "I haven't slept in a bed in a long time. Usually, it's either been outside or on a pile of rocks." The journeys that he had been through hadn't been easy, and there hadn't been any inns that he could have used. So after countless times, he had managed to become an expert on makeshift beds. He wasn't particularly thrilled about that.

Haine glanced back at her, thinking about her dragon questions. That really did come out of nowhere... did it mean anything or did she just suddenly want to know? Either way, he figured he should answer. He looked back forward and pressed on, his hands gripping the walls to help keep him steady. "Once," Haine replied, diving into the depths of his memory. "It was a while ago during the war, and before I became a knight. I was off star-gazing with one of my buddies when we saw one flying around its home in the mountains... we were only able to see it because of the northern lights, but by god we could hear its roar." Haine smiled at the memory. "I don't think I could ever see something that amazing ever again."
 
Jyade was quiet as she listened to his story, taking in his words as she thought about her own encounter. It did seem that dragons were rare in the land. She heard some tales of dragons destroying cities, raiding places for food or treasure sometimes. She always figured that they were making it all up, or that dragons actually liked doing stuff like that. "Hmm." She pulled the cloak tighter around her shoulder, holding Hunin in her one arm. "I saw two one time, a baby and its parent. They attacked the city I was in and I was able to escape." She didn't want to say that she killed someone, even if that man deserved to be killed. "It was so big, it knocked down houses with its tail."

She breathed in deeply, taking in fresh air as it entered the tunnel. She wasn't about to questions its existence. She was just grateful that it was there when they needed it, and hoped that it led as far away from the gryphons as possible. The elf slowed down when she saw the tunnel widen, looking out at nothing by sky. The closer she got though, the more apparent it became that there was a way down. There were at the entrance to the tunnel, which was possibly once a nesting area for gryphons. It was a steep slope down, enough for them to slide down if they wanted to, though the little hill had a few rocks on it. "It's a way down," she said softly. She wasn't too eager to get down that way, but he would have an easier time because of his armor, she had no doubt about that.

Once one looked beyond the hill though, they could see that they were out of the canyon. It wasn't the normal path through, but they made it out without getting harmed and it didn't take as long as it usually would to get through. It looked like the moon was sinking though, which meant that the sun would be up soon. "At least we made it through without killing each other," she muttered under her breath, trying to push back her childish behavior and emotions again.
 
"Really? I heard that dragon attacks are rare..." Haine grunted, kicking aside a few stray stones with one step. "People say that they usually keep to themselves. Either the dragon had a special reason, like it was defending its child, or someone in the village did something to it." Haine stumbled slightly, but he managed to catch himself. The sooner they got out of this cramped little tunnel, the better. They stopped hearing the gryphons a while back, so he guessed that meant they were in the clear. The air started tasty fresher and fresher, the breeze growing stronger with every step to the end of the tunnel. In a few moments, the bright morning sun from the outside seeped through, and Haine had to shield his blue eyes from its aggressive rays.

He looked down at the slope and frowned, "It's definitely not a fun way to fall." He crouched, taking a closer look. There really wasn't a better way to descend other than sliding, and he couldn't see a better place to climb down. He weighed his options before looking over at her and back down the steep slope. He had armor, and she didn't. He would definitely take less damage than she would, and it wouldn't be fair for her to have to descend it on her own. He found a solution... but he was sure that she wouldn't like it.

"Okay," he held out his armored hand to her, looking down at the rocky slope. "Only way down is to slide. Seeing that I'm the only one with thick enough armor on his ass to get down safely, let me hold you on the way down." He looked away, finding his request quite awkward... just a while ago they wanted to kill each other, and now he was practically asking to embrace her to slide down a hill.
 
Jyade reacted before she even thought about it, instantly shying away from his outstretched hand. So much for burying her childish behavior and emotions in the far reaches of her mind yet again. She looked away from his hand and down the slope, trying to think about any other options. The wind flew hard up the hill, as if wanting to push them back and keep them from reaching their destination. If it wasn't for the gryphon in her arms, she would've just ran down like a fool. Then again, without her boots to protect her feet, there was no doubt that she'd get a few cuts in her foot, and, worse, a rock or pebble could get lodged into one of those cuts. Maybe she could withstand a few cuts and bruises on the rest of her body, but a sore foot was something she'd rather go without.

A soft sigh escaped the elf's parted lips as she turned to look at him, obviously not pleased with this. "Fine, fine. Just don't look." With that said, she removed his cloak from her shoulders and started to wrap Hunin in it. The gryphons beak was the only thing sticking out, as he had to breath. She did these type of things without thinking really. She always felt the need to protect young creatures, even little lizards that other women usually found gross. It was like she wanted to protect them from harm, the way she wasn't protected when she was little. That was why she cared about the little girl. No innocent deserved to be harmed. "Okay." She held the covered Hunin against her chest, making sure that the tears were covered. With that done, the elf set her hand in her knight's. "You know I won't forgive you if you drop me, right?" She was serious right now, looked him in the eyes to make sure he understood. She was sure he did, but she felt the need to look tough right now.
 
"Right." Haine nodded, "just hold tight. And hold my sword, too." His sword would be too long on his back, and he gently handed over to her. He then suddenly pulled her in, holding her in his hands as if she was a princess or a bride at a wedding. He acted fast, knowing that the sooner they get through this, the better for her. He immediately jumped down, sliding down the steep cliff wall in a city position, his legs outstretched to the front. His body kicked up a thick cloud of dust and dirt behind him, filling the air with its musty presence. He was able to turn a little bit by tilting, but every once in a while he would hit a nasty rock, and he could feel the dirt filling in the crevices of his armor. They were going fast, the wind whipping over his silver hair and sending up small particles into his eyes.

When they finally hit the bottom, Haine managed to transfer all the energy into a small run, keeping himself and her from falling. When he finally stopped, he set her back down right away, taking a step away from her so that she got her space. He wasn't sure how she took it, but he didn't want her too feel uncomfortable for too long... there still was a chance the gryphons could come out from the canyon and surprise them, so it was best to keep on moving. He slowly took his sword back, strapping it to its rightful place on his back.

"You alright?" He asked, taking a quick glance from left to right. He couldn't hear or see anything, so all was good at the moment.
 
Jyade gasped softly when he picked her up, her cheeks flushing red from embarrassment when she realized how he was holding her. She wasn't mad at him though, she just felt embarrassed. Her eyes closed tightly when he started to slide down the hill, her hair blowing in the wind as they slid down. She clung to his sword, making sure not to drop it or Hunin. It wasn't until he set her down that she opened her eyes, blinking slowly as she moved shakily on her feet. "F-fine. Legs are a shaky though." She didn't think about the way he held her for a few seconds, and when she did, the elf couldn't even look at him.

She looked down at Hunin to see that he was awake, blinking back at her before chirping softly. "Again, thank you," she said softly. The elf looked around until she finally saw it, a city that didn't look too far away. "Well, it doesn't look like we have to go that much farther. I'm sure you want to take that armor off now." She moved Hunin from her and started to unwrap the baby gryphon. She couldn't hear screeching gryphons or beating wings, which meant that they weren't giving chase. It would be hard for them to do anyway, given that they didn't see the two escape. Once she unwrapped him, Jyade bent down to place Hunin on the ground. She wrapped the cloak around her shoulders once again, covering the tears in her top.

The area ahead wasn't a forest and wasn't the plains either. It was a bit in between, with a river running through the middle of it and trees around the area, though there were more by the water of course. They city was next to the river, a bridge built across it so that people could make their way to the other side easily. Beyond it was a more forested area, a place she knew all too well. It was the forest she spent years in with fairies aiding her, feeding her and clothing her until she was ready to return to the world of the humans yet again. She turned around and started to walk in the direction of the city, Hunin following at her heels energetically and happily. "I have to buy more boots," she said softly.
 
Haine nodded, "That's good." He rubbed at his back legs, his muscles a bit stiff from the sliding. He cracked his knuckles and peered into the distance, finding the city that she had spotted. He had been there twice before, and he was quite familiar with the locals. Not too long ago they had some problems with trolls and orcs that he helped them get out of. He was sent on a journey by the king to oversee a military camp not too far from there, and Haine had sidetracked a bit to help them. He winced, a memory of the troll's club slamming into his torso that caused him to touch his abs in a painful remembrance. If it wasn't for his strength and armor, he was sure that he would have thrown up all of his organs.

"I don't really like taking off my armor," Haine stated plainly, "but it'd be nice to bathe and clean it a little. Let's stop at the river before entering the city." Haine suddenly felt a slight pain tingling from the three scars over his left eye, reaching up a hand to rub at them again. It was a small annoyance that occurred from time to time, but it wasn't anything to worry about. Soon it was over, and Haine started after the elf. He watched her, the cloak doing a good job of hiding her body... he suddenly had an idea.

"Don't be alarmed," He stated, "I'm going to do something real quick." He walked up to her from behind, grabbing a part of his cloak and draped it over her head like a hood, hiding her ears completely. Now, if someone looked at her from any angle, she'd like just like a human. "There," he nodded, "that should do nicely. I don't like the idea of hiding what you are, but many of the people I know in the city are pretty discriminate against elves. This will help us enter the city and... well..." Haine scratched the side of his head awkwardly. "Well.. I-I think that... um.. it'd be great if, well, people started treating you nicely. Because, um, I hate discrimination and... I-I think you deserve some kindess, so... Anyways, let's go!" Haine pressed on, walking on ahead of her feeling like an embarrassed idiot.
 
"I'm not some frightened child," she said, trying to defend herself as much as she could, "not when I can see everything at least." Jyade blinked a few times when he put the cloak over her head, already knowing what was on his mind. At least, she thought she did. She truly was surprised by what he said. It the way he said it that got to her though, stumbling over his words again like a shy child. It was... cute. Her cheeks flushed a light shade of red as she walked after him, looking down at her bare feet. She couldn't bare to utter a word of thanks this time, knowing that he actually cared was a bit much for the elf. Any words that she wanted to say got caught in her throat, and she soon gave up on her quest to say anything at all. Hunin walked behind her, looking from one to the other, as if he knew that something was a bit different. It was like the little animal could sense something. Even he stayed quiet, not chirping as they trekked across the land.

There was a bit of cover out there so the wind didn't blow nearly as hard as it did at the tunnel entrance. It made her think of an phrase: 'the eye of the storm.' That's where they were it seemed, in a calm area surrounded by chaos and madness. Once they left it, the elf was sure there would be one fight after the next. It would be some time before they reached another city, which meant that the land in between was free for monsters, bandits, and the like to roam in.

Once they were halfway between the city and the hill, Jyade looked up to peer past the city and to the forest beyond. "If they did shun me anyway, I'd just go to the forest. There used to be fairies there, a few years ago. They might not be anymore, but I want to find out anyway." She paused for a moment, quickly thinking things over. They did have to get to the girl as soon as possible, but how far could they really get with him looking like he needed rest after going an an entire day without sleeping? Even she felt the need to lay down on a comfy bed, close her eyes, and allow herself to dream for once. "How about we stay for today and tomorrow? Just to rest up? I need some arrows and to get my sword sharpened anyway, as well as some boots. You, even I think you need some rest." Her words were careful and thought out. She knew her want to see the fairies was selfish, but she couldn't help it. It was like when somebody found themselves near their parents and wanted to see them before leaving the area they lived in again. Hunin chirped softly beside her, as if he agreed with her.
 
"Fairies?" Haine asked, looking over his shoulder. He finally got out of his child-like flustered state, and the heat that dyed his cheeks red had completely left. "I've met a fairy, once." He chuckled, recalling the silly little memory. "All the little thing wanted to do was play. It was back when I was in the war and marching with the army. For... some reason, the fairy decided that I was to be her little playmate." Haine smiled, "I'd wake up some mornings and she'd have strung my socks up high into a tree, or she'd somehow draw pictures over my face..." He stopped, as if remembering something bad and decided to change the subjects. Here he was, sharing a bit of his past with her... things that he would usually never talk about. "Anyways, if there were any fairies in that forest I'd like to meet them."

They pressed on, with Haine occasionally glancing left and right. Their path seemed quite peaceful, and his instincts were telling him that they were completely safe. The ache in his body was completely gone, and was instead replaced by an exhausted feeling that coursed over his muscles. A small break by the river would do nicely, and he remembered that people often went to the river to do just that. When they emerged from the light forested area, the river was just a small ways away. It was rather large, and if they followed it down south they would end up right into the ocean.

Haine eagerly made his way down, but stopped at the top of the hill that ran into the water. He pulled at the ties on his strap and his sword and sheathe dropped softly into the grass. "Now the difficult part..." He grumbled to himself, moving to unhook his armor. His shoulder pauldrons fell first, dropping like boulders onto the ground, indenting the earth with their weight. His gauntlets fell next, also slamming into the ground with the velocity like a stomp of a troll. Finally, his cuirass hit the ground, with the last remaining thing on his torso being a long-sleeved chainmail shirt. He lifted it off of his head and dropped it onto the ground.

His upper body was covered in numerous scars, and it looked as if a lot of them still haven't quite healed yet. He had arrowhead scars, slash scars, and long clawmarks that ran diagonally across his back that looked they came from a gryphon. He had a few stitches here and there, but nothing looked opened up and bleeding. His was significantly less bulky without his armor but he was chiseled, the muscles on his back bustling with his breathing.

"Sorry..." He scratched the back of his head in nervousness, "I'm... kinda sensitive about this horrid body of mine. I don't like showing this to people... especially women. Most would probably run at this sight of me..." He chuckled, but he didn't sound happy. His tone had saddened, and he kept his back to her so she didn't have to see the rest of his banged up torso.
 
Jyade sat down at the top of the hill when he stopped, moving away instantly when he started to drop his armor. Hunin darted over to her, moving to the far side of her and away from Haine. She watched as each bit of armor fell to the ground, most pieces leaving dents in the ground. She looked until he took the chain mail off, not because she thought he looked horrendous with all the scars and stitches, but because she thought it'd be best to look away and give him some privacy.

She listened to what he said, looking over to see what he was talking about. With all the armor he had on, she never would've thought that his body would be riddled with scars. The elf got up without really thinking and walked over to him, looking at his back before reaching up to poke at the back of his head. "Not every woman is going to run at the sight of you. I'm surprised that they already don't with all that armor you have on and all. I'm surprised you don't scare children with all that stuff on actually." She looked at his back and reached down, tracing one of the gryphon scars with a finger. He obviously had been attacked by gryphons before, just like he said. "You should find somebody who actually loves you then freak her out with all the scars and whatnot. If she actually loves you then you'll know. It's the perfect way to find yourself a woman who will be a loving wife someday, if you want to get married and have a family anyway."

She turned away from him and walked over to Hunin, picking up the gryphon before strolling down to the edge of the river. She sat down on the embankment and placed the baby gryphon on the ground beside her. She wasn't about to fish though, knowing that they were close to a city where the people most likely had fish to sell. She wanted to be lazy for once and just buy food instead of hunting for it. Her legs hung over the side of the embankment, her feet enveloped by the cold, lapping water. She liked the way it felt when the water rushed in between her toes, cleaning them until there was no longer any dirt between them. She didn't look back at him, knowing that if she did then she would see his bare chest. He didn't give her permission to, and she didn't really want to. She already took enough steps forward, telling him about her past, letting him hold her, and now she didn't think she could move forward anymore.
 
The knight froze when he felt her touch his back, but he did nothing to stop her. It felt... rather nice that she wasn't looking away in disgust. Haine chuckled, but was also a bit touched by what she had said. "A loving wife, huh? Sounds like a dream to me." He made his way down to the bank of the river, his legs still clad in armor. He didn't want to get all naked out in the open, and in case of an attack he wanted to at least have some protection on. It was one of his weird little preferences, but it made perfect sense to him. Haine's metal boots touched the water, feeling the chill of the water freeze up his armor. His armor was lightly enchanted so that water couldn't seep through the little cracks to make it heavier from the inside... it didn't with dirt or dust though, but he'd clean all that in his spare time.

"What about you?" Haine asked, bending down to dip his head into the water. He pulled it out and took in a refreshed breath, looking over to seer her. "Don't you want to start up a family of your own? Eventually settle down with a husband or something?" He cupped his hands into the cool water, lifting it to pour down his head. His silver hair glistened in the sunlight, his icy blue eyes looking down at his swirled reflection in the water. The scars that littered his body made him frown, and he decided to get his bath done as quickly as possible.

With his upperbody completely clean and wet, Haine lightly trudged out of the water. His hair stuck to his face from the water, and he shook his head like a dog to get a bit of the water out from his locks.
 
Jyade looked at Haine when he asked her the question, though she looked away just as quickly. She began to kick her feet around in the water, trying her best not to think about his question. She wished that she never brought this up in the first place. "I'm too tired to think about something like that, Haine." She was lying though. She just couldn't think about something like that if she wanted to go to sleep and have nice dreams, either that or no dreams at all. "How long will it take for you to put your armor back on? I want to get to the city as soon as possible." She was still thinking about his question though. She wanted to have a family of her own, but how could she unless she married another elf? Humans hated her, and the elves that could be found conveniently were in the one place she didn't want to go.

The elf got to her feet, looking down the river in the direction of the ocean. Hunin moved around at her feet, rubbing against her legs the way a cat would if it was hungry, or sweet, enough. The wind blew against her back, making the cloak press against her back, her hair not moving since it was covered with the huge cloak. She reached around to take her quiver off her back, looking at the bags that were tied to the back of it before taking one off. They would have to pay to stay at an inn after all. "Do you need any coin so that you can get a room?"
 
Haine frowned when he heard her response. Her tone had changed a little, and he had a sudden realization: she was a human-elf hybrid, so she would face discrimination from both sides which would make starting a family difficult... the way she said it made him think that there was something a little more to what she said, but it wasn't something he should dig into at the moment. They might possibly talk later, but for now they would have to respect each other's pasts to work together to find the king's daughter.

Haine slipped on his chainmail shirt before putting his armor back on piece by piece. The heavy metal plates were a bit difficult to latch on, and it took a few moments to get one secure enough to clamp onto his body. When he was finally finished, he strapped his sword to its rightful place onto his back. "I have enough to pay for my room at the inn," he stated, stretching out his limbs in the warm sunlight, "I did a little something for the owners a bit ago, so I think I can get us a bit of a discount as well." He lightly shook his coin pouch, hearing the money clang around. Satisfied, he gave Jyade a nod as a silent approval to get going.

With the city being built next to the river, the people were thriving. The city was a center of shipping and receiving goods, and merchants came from all around to sell their wares. Haine and Jyade were getting back onto the path to cross the bridge, merging with numerous groups of travelers moving into the city. "This is more than likely the last good city that we'll be in," Haine stated, "so if there's anything that we don't have, we should probably get it here."
 
"Well, I do need a new pair of boots," she muttered. Jyade looked around at the rest of the people going into the city, bending down to pick up Hunin before moving closer to Haine. If the gryphon could fly then she would've had him fly to the other side of the city and wait for them to come that way. Unfortunately, he couldn't, and she was getting looks because she happened to be holding a baby gryphon in her arms. She clung to the cloak with one hand, making sure that her ears were covered for once. She never would've done it before, since she thought that it was like she wasn't proud of her heritage. Being a mixture of elf and human had its ups and downs, though her human blood gave her nothing special the way her elven heritage did.

"Haine, do you think I should try to hide Hunin? Or, so you think they'll let me keep him. He's not that loud." She looked at Hunin, determined to keep the gryphon with her or sleep out in the forest if it came to that. The elf darted her gaze from the gryphon in her arms, looking at the different groups of people moving around the two of them. Unconsciously, she moved closer to her companion, seeing the way that people were looking at her. It wasn't because of her ears though, but because of the fact that there was a gryphon in her arms. It was kind of strange really. They weren't looking at her with hatred, but surprise in their eyes. She had to look down at her feet after some time, unable to look at them any longer. This was strange and weird, it really was. Strangely enough, she still didn't like it.
 
"I think it'll be fine." Haine nodded, "it is weird carrying a baby gryphon around, but since I'm part of the Imperial Knights they'll think this is for some important military purpose. Just look like you have business going on, and I'll pretend to be your bodyguard." He also made an unconscious movement towards her, their arms occasionally brushing each other side by side. The people gave them weird looks but nobody said anything. The guards saluted him each time they walked by, eyeing the strange gryphon that the knight's strange companion was wearing. The disguise was working rather brilliantly, and a few of the people even smiled and tilted their hats at her. Haine couldn't help but smile, relishing this moment.

"The Inn is right in the center of town. It's run by a guy named Burle." Haine informed, his icy blue eyes glancing left to right. "Be very careful when you're near him. He runs a popular "escort" house and is always on the lookout for women to take in. But if he notices you're part elf..." Haine frowned, "he'll try to come after you right away. He has a thing for what he calls 'exotic merchandise'. I hate the guy, but he's helped me out the few times I've been through here. When he talks to you, just smile and nod. I'll keep that slime off of you." Haine growled out that last sentence, clenching his fist. He really hated men like Burle... but if it wasn't for his assisstance, Haine may not be alive.
 
She glanced up every now and then, seeing people tilt their hat at her or some of the men look at her strangely because of her short skirt. She still didn't care about what people said when it came to whar she wore or what she did. What he said about the man though, in unnerved her. It unnerved her more than the fact that their arms brushed every now and again. Jyade nodded at what he said, knowing now that she would have to keep the cloak over her ears for some time. For once, she was glad that he was around. It'd been a while since she came this way, and she wouldn't of known any of this, or probably of made it through the canyon either.

"Okay, I will," she said softly. "Thanks." It still felt weird, thanking someone for saying something nice or doing something nice for her. The elf held Hunin carefully in her arms, glad that the gryphon was being quiet for once. He kept turning every now and again to watch colorful things that went by, but other than that he didn't move and he didn't chirp. "Do you know the way to a fisherman's? I still have to feed him." She looked up to watch as people tilted their hats at her or saluted the knight, not sure how to feel about it. It was different, sure, but she already knew what they'd think if they saw her ears. She started to scratch the back of the gryphon's head lightly, looking ahead of herself to watch where she stepped.
 
"There's a marketplace in the center of town," Haine informed her, giving a nod to a guard that passed him by. "It's actually on the way to the inn, so I don't mind stopping by for a short while to feed the gryphon." The city wasn't as half as big as the Imperial City, but that didn't make it a small city. It was a thriving community of trading, and was one of the wealthiest cities around. Its streets were paved with white stones, its buildings strong and made from the finest wood and brick. It had its own private military force, but if needed it could hire mercenaries in a heartbeat. Crime was low, but that didn't mean that there weren't corrupt operations going about.

The marketplace was bustling like crazy, and the people who were there looked like they've been from all around the world. Strange jewelry and merchandise were seen from stall to stall, and exotic weapon stands were pulling in quite the crowd of warriors. Haine took a glimpse at the weapons, a bit curious what they had to offer. But since he was happy with his sword, he didn't really feel like buying anything new.

Some of the people were looking rather dangerous and criminal. There seemed to be quite a gathering of mercenaries, and it was more than Haine remembered. He was wondering what was going, not sure what threat the city had to face. He then spotted the fish stand not too far off and pointed at it, walking with Jyade. "That's the best one in town," Haine nodded, "it's expensive, but the fish are fresh and healthy."
 
She couldn't help but look at the weapons when they walked past them, though she wasn't at all interested in buying one. None of them were the type she liked, and her sword was still in topnotch condition. Still though, she needed to get more arrows or thinking about making some on her own. She wasn't the best when it came to making arrows though, the ones she made always seemed to swerve because of the way she shaped it. Hunin chirped suddenly when he saw the fish, smelling it at the same time and eager to swallow one. He was hungry since he just ate the night before, and everything had to eat at least once a day.

The gryphon began to move around in her arms, turning a bit so that he could get a good look at rhe fish. The elf girl was looking at the gathering group of mercenaries, a bit too curious about what they were doing there. She was so used to going where everyone else was, it was hard not to move to the crowd and find out what they were there for. Unfortunately, there were quite a few mercenaries whose faces she recognized. Going near them, especially with the cloak over her ears and a knight near her, would make them ask questions and then others would hear. After hearing about this... Burle person, she wasn't too eager to take the cloak off.

She looked away, sighing softly as she started for the fish stand. Her feet were getting dirty again, much to her annoyance. She was too tired to go out and buy boots though, wanting to fall asleep as soon as possible. She looked at some of the smaller fish, the bigger ones being a bit too large for the chick to ingest. He was stil moving around though, trying to grab at a fish. The man at the stand watched him, laughing a bit whenever the gryphon snapped. "Are you trying to train it for the king?" He asked all of a sudden. Jyade looked up at him and he motioned to the Haine.

She nodded quickly. "Yes, as long as he grows up eating fish, I think he'll become a loyal pet." The man nodded. "Can I have this salmon right here?"

"Yes, that'll be ten coin." He looked a bit surprised when she got her own bag of coins and paid him. She gave him a look, making him falter a bit. "Sorry, I just thought the knight would pay."

"He's broke, unfortunately." She picked up the salmon and brought it to Hunin, watching as he opened his mouth and quickly gobbled it up. She was starting to enjoy this a bit, having a bit of fun. "Shall we get going now, sir Haine?" She was smiling a bit as she turned to him, trying not to laugh.
 
Haine couldn't help but give out a little wince. He wasn't... broke necessarily. Well, he could buy food for the road, but... forget it. Haine was pretty much dead broke, and being a knight didn't exactly give him a good source of income. He scratched the back of his head and followed her, giving the trader a smile and a nod. "A broke knight, huh?" he frowned, "I like to think of it as... living without the need for money and using my own resources. Damn, maybe I should have picked the life of a mercenary." He joked lightly to himself, chuckling. Well, he really wasn't a knight for the money in the first place. He led Jyade down the marketplace, glancing left and right in caution.

"Those mercenaries were making me nervous," Haine stated, finding another group of them not too far away. "Some are loners, but most of them are organized in a guild together. I've fought with them and against them a few times... they're berserk, and have skill. Whatever they're here for, it's definitely not anything good."

Haine stopped, peering up at a large brick building that sat deadset in the middle of the city. Music was ringing out of its windows and 'service girls' were winking and flirting with the male customers. Business looked like it was going well, but it wasn't the kind of business Haine liked to be affiliated with. "Remember what I said about Burle," Haine glared, "and don't let anything he says get to you."
 
"Mercenaries have enough money to survive at least," she said softly. "You knights have the pleasure of going on nothing at all, since the people love you so much." Jyade held Hunin in her arms as the gryphon began to fall asleep, following Haine and listening to his words. She was trying to keep an open mind about all of this, especially since he was speaking about people like herself. When she glanced at some of rhe mercenaries though, she couldn't help but agree with him. She met a few like her, who were just trying to get by and had no real skills besides fighting. There were some though who did it for no reason. Some were about as bloodthirsty as beast, going into battle because they loved the thought of harming others. It was a sickening fact, but it was a fact nonetheless.

Jyade looked around as they continued through the city, remembering a few things from when she was younger, but not much. And she definitely didn't remember the brick building in the middle of the city. She felt a cold shiver run down her spine, the brightness in them leaving and being replaced by that emptiness that was there before. "That's easy for you to say," she muttered, deciding that it was the final thing she'd say until she was in a room and felt... as safe as she could feel in this type of place. She moved a bit closer to the knight, knowing that ahe would have to trust him and rely on him, again, for the time being. She was starting to rely too much on him for her taste, but there were rimes when it had to be done. "Do I really have to smile?"
 
Haine frowned, adjusting the sword on his back. "Just lightly. And try not to meet his eyes... like I said, if he thinks you're a worthy candidate, he'll try to snatch you up. Attacking him wouldn't be a good idea, either. He may not be a fighter, but he has good security. Even if we beat them, we would have the whole city on us. Remember to lay low, and let me do the talking." He started forward and then suddenly stopped. "Oh... and you probably won't like this, but don't leave my side. If he knows you're alone and he wants to recruit you, he won't hesitate to try." The more Haine talked about him the more Haine started to hate him more. Burle was completely corrupted.

As soon as they approached the Inn, they recieved immediate attention. A few of the working girls made some passes at Haine, winking and beckoning him to come and talk to them. Haine fought back his flushes and gave them simple waves, telling them that he was on important business from the Imperial City. He stayed close to Jyade knowing that she would be less likely to be approached if there was an Imperial Knight that was seen traveling with her. He opened the door for Jyade and went in immediately after she did.

The inside was rather busy. Half of the Inn's first floor was a small tavern, with a few of the village drunks and working girls all communing around the tables. Haine pulled Jyade away to a counter, where a short man with long black hair resided. He looked to be in his 30s, and had some stubble on his chin. His eyes lit up as soon as he saw Haine and his companion. "Sir Haine!" Burle smiled, walking out from behind his counter to shake the hand of the tall warrior. "It's good to see you again, friend!" He then focused on Jyade, giving her a smile. "And who do we have here?..."
 
The man certainly didn't sound too friendly from the way that Haine was talking about him. She looked around the building as they neared it, holding the sleeping Hunin against her chest. Jyade looked away from the winking women, not sure how they could smile and wink at men like that. She had been young at the time sure, but even now she ccouldn't do something like that. The elf girl glanced over at Haine, looking away just as quickly. She wondered if he was actually the way he made himself out to be, and what he'd do if she wasn't around. She doubted every man really, but it wasn't long before she stopped thinking about that altogether. This was not the time to stop doubting him. And why should she when he was being so nice? Part of her wanted to say all men were lustful beings, and another part of her wanted to believe Haine was actually good. She wasn't sure which part was right.

When she walked inside, she just couldn't look around the building, not wanting to accidentally look at someone the wrong way and let them think a bit too highly of her. Jyade looked around the room once Haine started to walk her in another direction, looking at some of the people inside. If she saw any of the men looking at her, the elf would look away quickly. She didn't need any trouble, and it seemed that she was already enough trouble for Haine. He wasmbeing nice to her and all, and she thought that she was being a bit of a bother.

Her gaze finally darted back down to her feet once somebody said Haine's name, glancing at the man before looking down at her feet. She heard him and reached over to take hold of Haine's arm. She didn't know what to do really, she was really confused. "Jyade," she said, giving him a small smile, unable to smile the way the way she did earlier when it was just her and Haine, and looking at him, though she wouldn't look him in the eyes. "It's nice to meet you..." She trailed off a bit, since she didn't know his last name. She wasn't about to call him by his first.
 
It looked like Burle had something else to say to her, but Haine stopped the man in his tracks. "We're looking for a place to stay for the night," Haine stated, "we're both rather tired, Burle. Have any space available?" Haine moved so that he stood in front of Jyade, taking her out of Burle's view. He had no doubt that Burle was going to try and get a closer look at her, and that was unacceptable. His guards were placed around the room in case of a scuttle, but hopefully they wouldn't have to worry about a fight for the rest of the day .

Burle laughed and clapped his hand against Haine's arm. "Of course, mister knight! Anything for you, sir!" Burle dug into a pouch and took out a ke. However he handed it over to Jyade, a smile on his face. "Here you are, little lady. Why don't you let me see what's under that little hood of yours? Don't be shy!" Haine snatched the key from his hand and stepped in front of her, putting some distance between the two.

"She's like that for a reason, Burle." Haine stated, "she's with me on Imperial Business by order of the king himself." Burle looked very disappointed, a scowl starting to form with his eyes.

"Very well," Burle shrugged, "your room is second floor and at the end of the hall." Haine nodded and looked back at Jyade before making his way upstairs, feeling the eyes of the other patrons on them. It was very often that somehow turned down Burle, and Burle hated that. They were out of the fire for now, but Burle would be back.
 
Jyade didn't move from where she stood, her ears twitching a bit under the cloak as she listened to the two men talk. She was glad that he put the cloak over her hear like that, especially after the way Burle smiled at her. She knew the type of place she was in, and worse, it seemed that another person like the one from before wanted her for the same exact thing. Sleep? How could she possibly sleep soundly in a place like this?

As soon as the two were done with their little "chat," the elf followed Haine up the stairs. All through this, she clung to Hunin, holding the gryphon tightly against her chest as she followed Haine up the stairs. He didn't even chirp or stir though, still sleeping after he ate his fill of fish. She turned around slightly to look back at the other patrons, looking away quickly from them and to the back of Haine. It wasn't until they reached the top of the stairs that she opened her mouth to speak. "Thank you for doing this Haine," she said softly. "It's really nice of you."

Jyade looked at the back of his head for some time before looking down at her feet. She couldn’t look at him right now, finding that’s she didn’t think about hurting him. The thought of hurting him hadn’t come to mind since they got out of the cave, and it surprised her. In one day, this knight got her to stop thinking of him as some kind of buffoon and as somebody she could actually respect. It’d been a long time since the elf truly respected somebody for who they were.
 
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