Private Tales Upriver

[Neremyn Virvyre]

"Mmm..." He offered to the Princess's question and to Rayth's, answering all with a single response. He didn't pay the other man quite as much attention. Not immediately, anyway. Instead he pondered on what had changed. First and foremost, Kermode had worn multiple hats while parading about as stuffed toy in Eislyn's bag. Not only was he an osmotic protector, brought to life by any aggressive magical attacks, but he had also retained some modicum of life through the injection of ambient magics. In this case, the use by Eislyn.​

​

That natural and passive property made him a xenophon of sorts, communicating back with the other piece. In that regard, Ere was the other piece. But the communication had been muffled, had been difficult to make out. Sure, Ere knew magic had been used near the bear. But who had done it, to what extent, and to what intent were still entirely unclear. On his travels, he had hedged his bets on context filling out the gaps.​

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"Dangerous place to be without convoy. Though perhaps not as dangerous as one might think. Where is the one that broke me out from the Spur?" He looked around, verdant gaze cutting a long swath through the woods. His eyes constricted unnaturally and his nostrils flared as he scanned the area around them. He couldn't seem to find him or really anyone that he recalled from her retinue.​

​

"Tell me what has happened, why you are hiding in the woods when a village is nearby." His question was to both people. She was a Princess and by that right, was afforded certain privileges ordained by territorial reciprocity of monarchs and ruling classes. Though that likely evaporated with such a close proximity to Bhathairk.​

 

[Rayth Keirn]

Where is the one that broke me out from the Spur?

Rayth lifted his head towards Eislyn, expecting her to fill in as much of the story as she wanted. She had said she trusted this man and that was enough for him. Trust came in different levels. If she implicitly trusted this slightly odd elf then she might not leave out any parts of their tale, but it was her decision to make.

"I think there might be some story to fill me in on as well," he added, smiling and turning a twig around on the ground with his toe. A bit of story telling around a fire was a pleasant break from the never ending chase they had been on.

Of course their story had to start where they met. How Eislyn would choose to phrase that was of particular interest, not that he let it show.

 

[Eislyn Gray]

Eislyn's gaze narrowed slightly on Rayth. She was partly surprised he hadn't taken it upon himself to confess how they'd first met. She could imagine an awkward clear of his throat and perhaps a sparkle of mirth mixed with shame in his eyes. The young woman sunk into the seat offered by the tree-stump that Ere had occupied earlier.

Palms held out to the warmth of that fire. It felt like a luxury. For a moment, she didn't answer either of the men, letting her verdant gaze get lost in the swirling of crackling amber and honey. Fingers flexed in the air. Gaze panned up to Ere's first.

"He's not here. He's back in the town we came from, covering my," eyes shifted to Rayth, before going back to settle on Ere's, "our escape." Eislyn counted Geoffrey like family and she hoped the man was still alive. Still. She didn't see how he could be from where she and Rayth had fled from the inn. There had been too many of the duke's men.

"Not long after I left you, Ere, I was employed to negotiate an end to a war brewing at the mouth of the great river, North of here. Apparently, the Duke of Weselton, who I thought was an ally with my father, put out a job to capture me and delay my negotiations."

Ere would be able to connect the dots as to why the duke would do that. He would gain a port city, adding power and money to his name. He was making his own vie for royalty.

Throat cleared delicately, deciding not to go into the details of how she met Rayth. "I was taken captive by the crew of the Paragon on the river. We found out later that the duke had put a second job out and sent a crew of assassins to end my life."

It was a double-cross.

"Apparently, the crew of the Paragon didn't like that and helped me to escape," a sideways glance at Rayth before settling her gaze back on the fire. "Rayth and I have been running ever since. The duke's army is not far from here. Going home is no longer an option for me." Eyes flickered to Ere's face.

There were still a lot of gaps of the story to fill. But she hoped they could do so in the comfort of an inn.

"I'm sure you have a lot more questions." She knew Rayth did too. She hadn't filled him in on how she'd met Ere. Not too much information at once was probably a good idea.

"We...need help, Ere." Fingers fidgeted with the iron bangle on her wrist. An unspoken and obvious question lingered in the air between them.

Would Ere help them?

 

[Neremyn Virvyre]

He kept quiet as she explained, only adding an occasional thoughtful nod or mmm when it seemed appropriate. It was a long story, told in clear abbreviated format with certain details missing. Like how exactly this Rayth, who had not been formally introduced, made it into the mix. Or what the current state of this Duke of Weselton, whose motivations were also unclear so long as they deviated from the simplicity of simply seeking power for powers sake.​

​

"Many more questions and not nearly enough time." He stated quite firmly, though he was inwardly surprised to see her so quickly thrown from the yolk of her former residence. It seemed when they last spoke, that was the one reagent that was missing from the equation. Or in more chemically inclined notion, a rate limiting factor. "Though if your claim regarding the Duke's army is true, which I don't doubt, they are doing a fairly impressive job at avoiding my interception."​

​

Ere knocked his tongue as Kermode was suddenly on his shoulder. The Indian Pipe fungus had been squarely planted in Druids pauldron and was spitting out from the upended gills, stem tearing through the woolen cloak to reveal the plated pine armor beneath. The druid held out his hand as the fire pulled back, flicking and dancing angrily. The tips of his fingers grew red, like pokers in the fire, and an almost imperceptible wind passed by the small encampment. ​

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"Hen oen, ninnau éigean taedh a'taeghane..." He whispered and the bear nodded. Flinging out his hand, he flicked the bear out in to the woods. Before he landed, Kermode had grown to three times his original size and resembled more closely a realistic bear with realistic proportions. He bounced and scampered up a tree, taking to the branches above and disappearing in the canopy.​

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"Well if help is what you need, we won't find it on the stumps. Come on and..." He lifted a hand towards the sky. "Might do well to cover your mouth and nose. These spores will have quite the profound disorientating effect on the uninitiated." That was druid speak for the effect of the spores, regarded as medicaments in some worlds for traumatic memory treatment. In this case, it would help them move by any roaming bands without notice. "Consider it a practical application for the fog of war."​

 

[Rayth Keirn]

For someone who had been kept from magic by her family she seemed to have become quote steeped in it. Her powers were fierce once that bracelet came off and apparently she was friends with a druid. A very strange druid.

What Rayth noticed was that he spoke with confidence, despite what sounded to his ears like riddles. They needed a touch of power and a bit of confidence right now.

"The army is behind us, moving the other way," Rayth explained. "But their men are..."

Rsyth stopped abruptly and covered his hand and mouth. He frowned questioningly at the druid.

Spores? What did he mean by spores? This was starting to feel like a dream that had taken a dark turn. Perhaps, he thought to himself, he had fallen asleep on his horse.

 

[Eislyn Gray]

"Your interception?" That rewarded a blonde brow quirked in the druid's direction. Then silent fascination as Kermode quickly changed and Ere did what he did best.

Continued to draw her attention and curiosity by the ease and the natural ability he had for magic. Eislyn didn't doubt that the use of magic would never cease to amaze her. When something had been forbidden for so long, it only made sense that the princess would find herself in awe every time it was used. And used almost as naturally as breathing. It only reminded her how out of control her own magic was.

And right now, only Rayth knew and was a witness to her abilities. And Geelyn. She knew Ere suspected but...she'd never openly admitted it. It hadn't been safe then. But things were a little different now.

She found herself still watching where Kermode scampered up, half listening to the warning Ere wisely offered.

Inhale.

Inhale. Inhale.

"We have horses in the clearing through that path. But only two." Head turned as she saw Rayth covering his nose and face. Confused verdants traveled to Ere as she stood.

"What did you say?"

Breath. Breath.

Hmmm.

Were the trees around her...glowing? She blinked trying to focus on Ere as his form began to twist and waver.

 

[Neremyn Virvyre]

His gaze narrowed and even with the briefest passing of time, he knew that Eislyn had not only not been paying attention, but she was also quite sensitive to this specific brand of spore. ​

It was always a mix bag when the spore of the psilocybe, of the family hymenogastraceae, was involved in altering the status of the afflicted. For some, it was nothing more than a passing fancy and the sudden inclination for persistent yet mild bouts of yawning. For others, it was a matter of seeing wild spirits roaming ethereal planes and hearing the whispering of arguing deities. For the henchman patrolling the surrounding area, he was hoping for something in the middle.​

Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out two similarly sized handkerchiefs and handed them off to the exhausted travelers. ​

"Breath through the cloth...don't eat it." He looked towards Eislyn in particular, as if this was the beginning of a cautionary tale. Nothing followed and he swiftly jumped to the next topic. "I can walk. So long as you can ride."​

It may become necessary for Rayth to ride with Eislyn should she continue to neglect proper safe breathing techniques. They would cross that bridge as soon as Ere got a good look at the horses. No doubt they were as tired as their riders.​

 

[Rayth Keirn]

"I...what...huh..."

His slow thought was nothing to do with spores. He was exhausted to the point that this surreal situation was starting to seem like a dream.

He took a cloth and held it over his mouth. Little flecks fell. Only visible as a cloud until the early morning light caught some of them directly.

"I need a few hours of sleep," he admitted. What are the spores for? Eislyn are you alright?"

He placed a hand against her elbow softly. Something seemed to be slightly off with the way she gazed upwards. It could easily have just been that she was as tired as he was.

 

[Eislyn Gray]

Head tilted to the side. Eyes narrowed on Ere as she stared at him for a long time. Reaching out, she missed the cloth the first time, fingers swiping through air. But got it the second. Bringing it up to her face, she smelled it like it was a flower. Somehow her feet kept walking.

Definitely didn't smell edible.

Head snapped to the side at Rayth as he appeared by her side. He glowed a bit too. Wide-eyes blinked slowly at him. Head nodded and then shook. Their horses were grazing on grass up ahead.

"I feel strange," she admitted quietly on the verge of wanting to laugh or to cry. She wasn't sure. She still gripped the handkerchief in one hand - untied around her face.

 

[Rayth Keirn]

Rayth took a gentle hold of her arm now, even as he swayed himself. That lack of balance had nothing to do with the spores, it was pure exhaustion.

Eislyn continued on towards the horses and Rayth could hear the rustling above him. Part of him wanted to still believe this was all a waking dream. A bear totem that became a real bear that did magic at the behest of an elven druid. Even after the week that he had been put through it seemed too much.

"We can...ride and stick to the woods," he suggested. "If there are no soldiers at the next town we can get food and a fire and a roof."

 

[Neremyn Virvyre]

He didn't respond to the comment laid out by the Princess. He didn't respond to Rayth's commentary either. Instead, he seemed to be silently searching as he moved: prodding a row of fungi with the tip of his boot, scratching at the plated bark of a nearby pine tree, and occasionally stopping to sniff the air. The destiny and companionship between the two travelers, now beguiled by exhaustion and spores alike, was not something he was inclined to interrupt.​

​

But once he saw the horses, his attention changed and he approached quickly. One was smaller, covered in a decadent shade of brown that was complimented by a spritz of white across its snout. "This one must be for the princess..." The druid spoke as he approached, placing his hand against the horses muzzle. It seemed to lean into his hand as he whispered quietly. "Which means you took the ginger over here..." The auburn horse, approaching ruddy, flicked it's man and snorted.​

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Ere nodded as if silently confirmed. Then his hand rested outward, gesturing to the two horses.​

​

"It's good you picked a pony over a destrier. Less print, less noise. The next town is a few furlongs away, it shouldn't be long."​

 

[Eislyn Gray]

Verdants tried to focus on the Druid. And then on the swashbuckler. A familiar memory played along the ede of her senses. Other horses during a time closer to the Spine. The danger of wolves not present in this moment. At least, not the kind that would cause them harm.

Perhaps it was the spores but she was beginning to feel what she’d lost so quickly. Even if she’d never wanted it that much. Even if she’d felt like it had been a different kind of prison. The fortress. Her home. Her tyrant of a father, still her father.

The young woman tried to keep the moisture from building in her eyes. Be strong. Back straight. Don’t show emotion.

Hard to when the world wobbled and swayed. When she was beyond the point of exhaustion. Later, she wouldn’t be able to recall how she’d gotten on the horse. Or who had kept her from tipping off the saddle. The next thing she knew, hooves sounded on cobblestone instead of pine straw and dirt.

 

[Rayth Keirn]

Rayth was not so astute as to have chosen wisely with the horses. That was sheer luck. Most of his life was now spent at sea on the Paragon, or it had been.

You didn't fall off your ship when you fell asleep. He really wanted to get some rest and move beyond what was now starting to feel like a truly bizarre waking dream. Eislyn kept nearly drifting off beside him and the thought of her falling under her pony's hooves kept him alert enough.

The town wasn't a large one, no wall, not even a main gate. No scouts seemed to have tracked back after the pair and so far there was no sign of any baggage trains. There would be forced carrying supplies forward for the duke, but they wouldn't have received a message to look for Eislyn.

They arrived at a large inn with a stables attached. Rayth nearly stumbled getting down from his horse. He was not accustomed to riding through the day and he was aching and sore.

"Are you staying here too?" Rayth asked the druid as he offered Eislyn his hand. He realised that just having another ally to talk to, even if they spoke in riddles, brought him a measure of relief. It had started to feel as if they were truly alone in the world.

 

[Neremyn Virvyre]

It was an odd sort of town, displaced on all sides by thick forests of oak and aspens. Where the canopy opened up in patches, the small village declared itself with various thatch roofed buildings: a two story tavern, a holy temple, residential buildings, various vendor stands, and a patrol guard booth that was presently unmanned. The sunlight cut through the canopy, casting shadows and curtains in leaf shaped patterns across the slanted roofs and open fields of sedge and rush.​

​

Ere didn't immediately answer Rayth and when the answer came, it wasn't directed at the pirate. Or Eislyn. Instead, the druids emerald gaze moved to another figure that was approaching them from the recently opened doors of the tavern. Adroit hands moved to quickly secure the reins of each horse.​

​

"You a fookin' Orc, eh?" The man pointed towards Ere with a piece of unrecognizable meat, clinging to a charred bone. For arguments sake, the druid decided it was stag.​

​

"Uhh..." Ere stumbled, caught off guard by the question. "No. Without condition."​

"Without what?"​

"Uhh..."​

"Listen, I don't fookin' care. Orcs are not welcome in me tavern so if yous an orc, yous can piss off."​

​

The man grew impatient as Ere continued the conversation with utter silence and fairly explicit confusion. Brandishing the piece of meat, the large figure pointed a bony part towards his eye. It was only then that the druid noticed the sunken orbs, colored in dull gray. "I got the fookin' milky eye or whatever the doctors calls it. No medicaments for it. So if yous not an orc, say so. And we can let you in."​

​

"I am a Lythari."​

"A what?"​

"An elf." Ere quickly corrected himself. "I swear it."​

​

The man paused, crossing his arms over his broad chest. His forearms rested on a profoundly large stomach that was threatening the livelihood of the brass buttons, securing the auburn vest to the mans body. "A'right, elf. You and whatever the fook they are..." He pointed the meat towards the horses, not the riders. "Can come in. So longs as they ain't Orc. Can't fookin stand 'em. They break my ceramics and leave food everywhere. Pocks on 'em, I say."​

​

Ere looked towards Rayth and Eislyn, gesturing towards the tavern. ​

 

[Eislyn Gray]

Rayth’s fingers in her own brought a rough, flash of clarity to her mind. Legs wobbled beneath the princess. For a moment, she eyed the hay of the stables and wondered if she’d even make it to the rooms. She had half a mind to wave Ere and Rayth ahead.

Lips parted, ready to come to Ere’s aid but there was no need.

With the way the canopy of the trees shaded this village, things felt cooler here. A relief from traveling off the road. Trusting her legs enough, she released Rayth’s hand and stepped forward. Traveling with Ere would be safer, the least of which in that he’d change their group. Reports were probably out to watch for two humans traveling together. Not two humans and an elf. A lythari.

At the bar, she paid for two rooms. They were through a back kitchen door, another corridor, and facing the back of the building. She already knew they’d have a view of the trees hugging against the side of the building. Hand rested against the handle of one door. She hadn’t even thought about propriety. Who would share what room. Fatigue drove out any potential upcoming awkwardness.

She swayed against the door as it swung inward, turning toward Ere and Rayth, back sagging slightly against the rough wood panels.

”Rest then regroup?”

 

[Rayth Keirn]

It was, by some margin, one of the strangest exchanges he had ever seen. Rayth had thought to interject on the druid's behalf, but in the end had remained and confused and thoroughly exhausted observer. He could only think of the time that he had tried to explain to a half ogre of limited intelligence how to stow their cargo as an equivalent.

It was difficult to explain port and starboard to a creature that had yet to grasp left and right. At least Geelyn wasn't here to argue on the mannerisms of orcs

"Rest," Rayth said emphatically when they reached the rooms. He was tired enough that he took a whole step through the door after Eislyn before remembering himself. On the road he had become accustomed to sharing a bed with Eislyn in the small cottage they had found as a waypoint.

Was this even the kind of inn that would care about such things for an unwed couple? Would the druid protest?

Rayth decided it wasn't worth finding out and stumbled back and turned for the other door.

"I hope you don't snore," he said to the elf.

 

[Neremyn Virvyre]

Time, turmoil, and the need for survival had exhausted and focused the weary travelers. So much so, Ere thought, that they were approaching myopia in their view towards the future. One foot in front of the other, step by step, not looking towards where they went next. It was an adaptive approach, one that helped them cling to the moment without falling needlessly into despair. But it also meant they had forgotten certain contextual clues that would have forecasted the Elf's response to each of their various comments.​

​

"I...I don't snore." He let out as he watched the swashbuckler move into one of the rooms. Ere made no effort towards either room. Instead, his gaze drifted towards the crossbar window frame that gave view to the outside world. He, too, had been myopic in his approach from the portal stone. With Bhathairk forever looming in the distance, he had not taken his normal approach of wandering listlessly through the woods.​

​

"I am fine without it. You two rest and I will go find my bear." His circadian rhythm had not been twisted and tormented by unreasonable sleep schedules. He simply wouldn't sit still in a shut-in room, not when the woods and the sun could greet him in the same act. "We'll meet near the bar at sun down." Pulling up his hood, he drifted off back through the route that brought them to the rooms, aiming towards the kitchen.​

 

[Eislyn Gray]

Despite her fatigue or maybe because of it, she couldn't stop the slight twitch and upturn of her lips at Rayth's and Ere's exchange. She would not be a good negotiator now, unable to school her emotions. The desire to catch up further were driven from her mind as she blinked at both the men's backs.

Door clicked closed. Boots were pulled off. Without changing or bathing or bothering to pull the quilt down, the princess collapsed and starfished onto the bed. Compared to the last few nights in the sleeping roll on the cold, hard ground, this felt like heaven. Felt like something fit for royalty. Despite the small crack of sunlight coming in through the drawn blinds, once her eyes closed she was out.

A raid could happen in the tavern. She could be carried off over an orc's shoulder and she doubted any of it would wake her up. It wasn't until the light in her room shifted from a soft glow to a smoldering fire about to be put out did she finally stir. Just a little. Could also be due to the smell of fresh roasting vegetables wafting down the hall from the kitchen.

 

[Rayth Keirn]

"Your beer? Oh, your bear. The toy bear. Not a toy bear." Rayth was confused and muttering. He was also aware of it.

He gave a wave of one hand and wished them both good night. He wasn't even sure Eislyn heard him. Neremyn Virvyre was already half way down the corridor.

At least they weren't alone. He missed having another voice. He missed Bryn and Geelyn and the rest of the crew and not having so much responsibility to make the right decisions. Everything on the ship was so regimented, even in the worst chaos.

Rayth silently chastised himself as he moved to the bed. Everything felt so out of proportion when you couldn't think clearly and rationally. He left the sword and a dagger within arms reached and laid down.



The swashbuckler was down to the bar before Eislyn Gray . The sun wasn't all the way down yet and he decided that she could catch every bit of sleep she needed.

 

[Neremyn Virvyre]

"Mmm, no. No, I don't think so."​

"It's really not that bad." Ere gesticulated to the bartender with the pipe, formed out of clay. ​

"No, elf. No. Ghee, fish offal, snake skins, hemp? No sir, I don't think so." The cook crossed his broad arms over his chest, concealing a grease stained white tunic. He was tall and had the features of a smith and by the looks of the meat, required every bit of that muscle to get this establishments food into edible formats.​

"Its just mugwort."​

"Artemisia?" The man looked surprised as he leaned forward, giving a bit more interest in the smoking tool.​

"Well..." Ere responded, also surprised. "A learned enthusiast?"​

"Aye. I keep a botanical garden out back. You might have noticed." The cook stated, opening his hand for the pipe. Ere offered it with a smile.​

"I had noticed."​

​

The cook laughed and took a long smoke from the pipe. Exhaling the smoke towards the rafters, he nodded and smile, handing the pipe back over. "Ah, that is quite good. See most of my Artemisia is sold to the physician who cares for this village. He uses it for all sorts of things. Brews, tinctures, medicaments."​

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"Mmm." Ere stated, breathing in from the pipe and nodding in turn. "It has many uses. My tribe has used it for many many years. To soothe poor temperament."​

​

"Ah yes, I can understand that. Storms brew in every direction." The man planted two large wooden cups on the counter and nodded towards the swashbuckler. "Remind me to never bet against you, Master Elf."​

​

"Mmm. That's a young mans game." He replied, coyly, planting the pipe between his lips and carrying over the two cups to Rayth. "Less wobble to your step, I see."​

 

[Eislyn Gray]

The princess woke up disoriented. She’d slept in so many different places in the past few weeks, it was a wonder she didn’t wake up disoriented more often. A flare of magic ran through her and for a moment, the room lit with a supernatural glow.

She blinked, startled. Verdants drifted down to her wrist, widening as she saw the iron bangle discarded on the quilt. She must have tossed and turned, somehow working it off. Fingers scrambled to shove it back on.

A low sign escaped her lips as she felt the dampening effects of the iron almost immediately. The glow on her skin faded. Legs swung out of bed and she began to get into more of presentable state. Idly, she wondered if meeting Ere in the woods had been just a dream.

 

[Rayth Keirn]

"Less wobble to your step, I see."

"Yes, sorry about that. Feeling a little more myself," Rayth replied, taking a cup. He hoped that Neremyn Virvyre had been talking to the chef about a hearty dinner.

"Was that talk of gambling I caught?" Rayth asked. Clearly it had perked his interest. On the long voyages across the northern coast there were few pursuits to keep the crew entertained. Cards and all manner of table games that could survive a rocking ship were well loved.

 

[Neremyn Virvyre]

Cupping the bowl of the pipe in his hand, Ere nodded. "It's to be expected, given the circumstances." He replied, eyeing the man with curiosity. What he found particularly curious in this situation was that, given the context of the conversation, it was gambling and not the contents of the pipe that interested Rayth.​

​

After all, mugwort was rumored to carry hallucinogenic properties coupled with the herbal remedies.​

​

"No no..." He waved the mouthpiece of the pipe around before taking a drink from the cup. "Just a phrase. He asked me about my companions and I informed him that we should be expecting you soon and the other, a bit later. I was speaking with him largely to gauge..." Ere looked over his shoulder to ensure no one was eavesdropping. "Whether his interest was friendly or more professional. I'm confident it was the former."​

​

He finally clamped the pipe between his lips and smoked, breathing in the taste of the mugwort that was surreptitiously gathered from the rear garden. "Why, does gambling interest you?"​

 

[Eislyn Gray]

Eislyn felt very much refreshed by the time she joined Ere and Rayth. Long, blonde golden hair was freshly brushed. She'd even washed her face. She couldn't help but sneak a longer look in silence at the pair. So different and yet, similar. Similar in that she was lucky to be able to rely on both of them. She could trust them.

She wore the same traveling clothes she'd had on in the woods. They were the items she'd bought with Rayth in the seaside town they'd just fled. Much less finer than her normal clothes. Better to not stand out more so than she already did.

Throat cleared delicately as she approached the pair, taking a seat at one of the small round tables in the tavern. Flickering candlelight swung from chandeliers above. She couldn't help the slight watering of her mouth as the smell from the kitchen pricked the tip of her nose.

"Please. Do not stop this path of conversation on my account." A single brow like sunshine rose at each man before her voice lowered. "Though. I would like to be reassured that you don't believe we're being followed, first."

 

[Rayth Keirn]

Rayth was left trying to work out if Neremyn Virvyre had been trying to flirt with the chef or work out if he was spying on them. A glance across at the cook and rayth decided it was probably the latter.

"Good morning, well, afternoon," he offered Eislyn with a warm smile before returning to the conversation.

"Because it's fun," Rayth replied with a shrug. "There is not a lot to do on a ship. Oh."

Rayth frowned as he tried to put together the events of the previous day.

"I don't think we were properly introduced. Perhaps I mean I was so tired it doesn't feel that way...

"Im Rayth," he said, lowering his voice and omitting his surname. "By trade second officer of a privateer ship. Spent most of my life at sea."

He offered his hand, keen to reset this meeting in a less surreal set of surroundings. This was a regular pub, with pipes and ale. No magical bear totem sprinkling...something down on them.

"I don't suppose anyone following us would have waited to act," Rayth replied. "As long as we don't introduce ourselves to any of their supply caravans we should be a safe distance from the army."