Private Tales An Answer After Dark

[Crux]

"Overwhelming... Yeah, I suppose it is." Crux grumbled, recalling the first time he'd gotten lost between the layered walls of the city. "There's people who've lived here for years who still get lost. I was one of them, for a long while."

As they neared the massive city, one could begin to make out the layered walls that separated its several districts. On the farthest side, opposite the gate they neared, stood the imposing Allirian Keep, acting as a benchmark for the impressive and innovative architecture that slowly dwindled to more modest structures the farther east one looked

"We'll be passing through the slums first." He cautioned Ria as they approached the gate to the marshy outskirts of the city. "Not too crowded, but keep your eyes open and your limbs in the carts. If the pickpockets don't get you, the muck of the marsh will."

The Shallows weren't actually all that bad, even had a fair few shops worth visiting. Even so, there was no telling what the abrasive folk living here might do to earn the ire of the shifter beside him. Last thing he needed was another corpse to add to the count.

Or maybe it was this frustrating new protective streak he was dealing with, wanting to shield her from harm. Gah, should have just had them walk the slums.

Illyria

 

[Illyria]

Illyria hid her bag well, keeping herself seated beside him as the wagon rolled through the slums. At least, she suspected that was where they were now, having no real clue at all what the term meant. It looked grand still to her eyes, as homes, businesses, alleyways, everything making up this place was largely more populated than anything she had seen in her years.

"Oh, look! A cat!" Illyria's soft voice came out in a delightful observation as an orange tabby cat darted across the path of the wagon, her green eyed gaze following it's path until it was gone from eyesight. A small smile spread across her lips, and she took to watching the people going about their day as they travelled through. Smells, sounds, and sight, there was a lot going on, but she took a more curiosity stance.

If she had been walking through this crowd, she would experience the overwhelming aspects of it, but sitting higher up than most stood, she was more comfortable to observe this new experience.

Crux

 

[Crux]

He'd never seen somebody marvel at a place considered by many to be the armpit of the city; Illyria gazed in awe and wonder of the slums as if they were the glimmering gilded streets of Dornoch's innermost gardens. Crux supposed it made sense, though. Before now, that settlement by the portal stone had been the biggest mark of civilization she'd experienced.

It was almost cute, the way she sat straight as an arrow and took it all in, like an attentive student in class. Perhaps The Shallows were an ideal setting for her; not too crowded and robust, with a hint of familiarity in the sparser nature of the buildings.

Looking down at his hands, wrapped tightly around the reins, Crux grimaces once more at another tug in his chest. Every time he felt it, the knowledge of what it was grew.

That didn't mean he was any more used to it.

"Ria..." Crux brought the wagon to a slow stop, looking over in her general direction, but avoiding direct eye contact, wary of the warmth her gaze brought to his chest. "It gets much more crowded from here. Maybe we should stop here for a while, let you stretch your legs?"

It wasn't as though she couldn't take care of herself, and if anybody did try anything... Well, it wouldn't be the first conniving bastard he'd had to bury in the muck.

"Come on, I need to check something anyways."

Illyria