Beginnings in Zaphis

Dhadaeryn opened his eyes reluctantly. He didn't want to wake up, not yet, but the light was bugging him. He sat up and looked around, the window was open and a young girl was sitting by it.

"Hello Evysa." he said, and she jumped slightly. Her long, flowing brown hair contrasted highly against her pale skin. The first thing that stood out, as always, were her blue eyes. Often, this is the first thing people notice in the face of a Fae due to their contrast from normal eyes. Her iris covered most of her eyes as they adjusted to the brief change in light, the pupil enlarging and quickly contracting. Rather pretty, Fae eyes. The next feature would be the ears, pointed and sleek. Evysa's were a bit more round than some Fae, but still had that distinct point. She had a slim build, equivalent to that of a teenager. Most would think that she were no older than seventeen.

Dhadaeryn knew, however, that she was well in her forties. She's been a friend of his since she moved to Zaphis and become adopted by a noble family. She nodded acknowledgement.

"Hello, Dhadaeryn. Would you like to play another game?" she asked, her voice sounding magical and light. He thought for a couple of seconds, and then nodded.

She came close to beating him once.

Only once.

Evysa wasn't easily goaded, manipulated, or directed. This is why most of their games were spent in so much silence. Both of them needed constant concentration, and both of them knew that the other was just a strong-willed as their own self. They played for about two hours, give or take one, before they both agreed to stop.

Dhadaeryn had won all of the games.

Evysa was putting the game up as Dhadaeryn stared out of the window. He could stay here, of course. Evysa wouldn't mind, and neither would her adoptive parents. They had both brought this up, but Dhadaeryn knew that he needed to set himself forward. After-all, if he did this, his father would reinstate him as a Prince, and he would be able to live the life he wanted to in the first place.

It was pretty much a game to him.

Dhadaeryn's goal is to win as many games as he can.

"Thank you again, Evysa. I'll return someday. While I'm gone, you should brush up on your tactics." he said, a slight hint of his confidence portrayed in his childish, yet subtle voice. It wasn't like the voice of a child that were loud and obnoxious. Evysa frowned, her pupils dilating. A Fae gift of sight. She was taking in more detail and color exposure by increasing the size of her pupils, but she needed to be careful that she didn't burn out her retinas. They quickly returned to their normal size and she sighed. She walked over to him and gave him a hug.

He returned it.

"Stay safe, friend. You were the first human to actually accept me." she said, and they break from the hug. "I'll walk with you for a short time." she continued. He didn't really want to go, did he? They moved through the building, down the stairs, and out into the open air.

The first thing they saw was a big muscular ape.

Oh, sorry.

That's a person.

Lost. He was lost. This was his first time ever seeing such a large city let alone trying to navigate one. He had been wandering around for a couple of hours now. He refused to ask for help from anyone. He would only lower himself to that if it was an emergency. He overheard people talking. It seemed like they were lost too. Emphasis on was. They continued to their destination after looking at a pillar with bits protruding from the top of it. He looked at it trying to figure out what it meant. It had large arrows after a series of characters. Of course I would only need to read now. He stared at the sign for a couple of minutes. The guards were looking at him, watching him, along with all of the other people around. They seemed to be dressed oddly. How would that protect them from an ambush? He needed to leave before he cause trouble again.

Dweknel turned around and saw a boy and a girl woman. He was starting to get hungry and needed to take care of business then get out of the city if he was going to set up camp. He had to do it. He had to lower himself. He took a deep breath and walked towards them. The wind was picking up. "H-Hey, what does that sign say? Actually can you just tell me where I can find a decent doctor around here?" 

Just as he had finished speaking a gust of wind blew by them which was accompanied by darker clouds over the horizon. It would be a while before they were anywhere near them but the weather would probably change within eight hours. Another, more powerful, gust of wind blew past. His hood flew off, raveling his long black hair with a couple of white strands mixed in. His cloak had also opened revealing everything he was carrying. The multiple throwing blades attached to his chest, bone dagger on his hip, large great sword on his back, and more importantly the pieces of armor that were strapped onto him. Even with all of this the scars on his arms were visible. It was just enough to keep him protected while still allowing him to move freely. Shit, cover blown. He pulled the cloak closed again, leaving the hood down.

He continued hoping he didn't scare them. "I'm from Wyrmenhiem and am still learning how to read." he said while using his index finger to scratch his face. 

He didn't like the look the two were giving him. It felt like they were judging him, and judging him hard. The boy's stare specifically bothered him. His body was getting hot. Wait. Why am I nervous?  I'm a warrior not a teacher. It's only natural I don't know how to read. He took a deep breath and decided to continue how he would with people back home. "Look I don really know my way 'round here so if one or both of ya could show me where a doctor is I'd owe ya one."

Eliana peered around the corner of the building she was hiding behind. She could watch as a group of people groaned as they had lost a "culprit" who had stole their merchant goods. She chuckled a bit, holding the bag over her back with a smug look on her face. "Easy enough." She grumbled, taking an apple out from the bag and biting into it. It tasted a bit bitter, even though being a red apple and not a green one. She dropped the apple, not bothering to finish it, after all it wasn't really in her possessions, and started to walk away from the building.

The fae hummed to herself a bit of a tune just to clear her mind of what she just did. It was best of her to do this just to clear her own conscience of how much wrong she occasionally did. Not that it had bothered her to much just to steal from people, since this was something she had done since she was a young girl. As she walked, her pigtails bounced a bit with her, giving her once powerful and demanding stance a very cute and not-so-intimidating appearance. Of course, her powerful appearance was also undermined by a one-piece black outfit without leggings and knee-high boots which were both black.

Eliana looked forward a bit, seeing a group of people. A boy, another fae, and a really tall guy. She scoffed a bit, thinking about how much loots the trio could possibly have, but soon shook the thought away. She already had a bag on her back, and she wouldn't need to take anymore until she ran out of stuff, or got bored with it. She shrugged and continued to walk, ignoring the group of people.

Goldy sat on the edge of a small house's roof, her thin legs dangling over the edge and swinging quietly. She played with one of her gloves as her golden eyes locked onto her unsuspecting target.

Eliana Revinder, wanted dead or alive. More coin if she dies.

Goldy scoffed quietly to herself, a dark red smirk crossing her face. What an outfit. She watched as Eliana bit into one of her stolen apples and tossed it to the ground. The fae then began walking away from the scene she created, bag draped over her shoulder.

"Time to go." She whispered to herself, dropping down onto the ground below. She strutted briskly after the thief, sticking to the side of the road. She had to time this right and get Eliana somewhere separated. There were too many kids around here. She sighed, fists clenched at her sides. Gogogo, don't lose her! She picked up her pace to keep up with the fae's long strides, her dark braid trailing behind her.

She needed to make her group in Nueven proud. They sent her here on her first solo bounty to test if she should be included in bigger missions now or if they should wait until she was older. Goldy wanted nothing more than to be included in high-risk missions. She loved the thrill - the adrenaline - that ran through her veins at moments like this. She needed to prove herself.

So, she would try her hardest to rid the world of Eliana Revinder.

Goldy followed Eliana past a group of three. Ahead of them, the streets were empty. She smiled, glancing over her shoulder at the small boy. He wouldn't see. She pressed the small buttons at the wrist of her gloves and long blades slid out from under her loose sleeves.

She was right behind the fae, now. She reached forward and grabbed onto her arm with a death grip and flung her silently around the corner with as much strength as she could muster. Eliana was much larger than she was. Hopefully this wouldn't give her trouble. Goldy pinned the fae against the side of a building and pressed her right blade against her slender neck, though she did nothing to harm her yet.

"Any last words, thief?" Her voice was nothing more than a whisper. Her gold eyes were locked onto the fae's large green ones.

Dhadaeryn's mind was pulling at three different things at the time, and so was Evysa's. Dhadaeryn looked to the man in front of him. He wasn't as barbaric as he looked, that's for sure.

"Sorry, sir. Could you spare a moment?" Dhadaeryn asked, "I'll give you your information just as soon as something is dealt with. You won't have to go far."

His eyes twitched to the oddly dressed Fae girl first. She obviously just thought about stealing from the lot, but changed her mind. He examined everything about her. The Fae were really interesting, and this one was... Well, he could never say she's not pretty, at least. So this was the infamous Eliana Revinder? Evysa would apprehend her later. Dhadaeryn looked to the girl Evysa was watching, and his breath caught.

He tried to keep tabs on many people he thought interesting, and this was one of them. A bounty hunter known by the name of Goldy. She was closing in quickly, and Evysa knew exactly what was about to happen. Dhadaeryn watched it unfold.

Evysa pulled out a glove and put it on her right hand. She then picked up a pebble and held it in a throwing position. Then when they were around the corner. Evysa threw it the opposite way, and suddenly the gloves gave a soft glow as the pebble gained a high amount of speed. It ricocheted off of the wall and right past the corner they just went in before ricocheting again.

The pebble was aimed for the blade, but it missed and hit Goldy's wrist instead. It would be a rather painful experience but no permanent damage. Maybe a bruise and a shock that will cause her to scratch Eliana. She opened her mouth and spoke loudly so that all could hear.

"Welcome, Eliana Revinder! Welcome, my obvious bounty hunter. My name is Evysa. Unfortunately, if you want to collect your bounty you will have to do so when you leave." she said as she calmly walked over, a sharp, flat rock in her hand. She held her arms to her side, but the magic that she used didn't rely on throwing the stones, and if there was to be a problem, she'd deal with.

The next one would be thrown to kill.

Once Dhadaeryn ascertained that the situation would be under control, he returned to the person in front of him.

"Most of the nobility have common first aid knowledge, however if you need some rather skilled ones, the closest one is in the house that I have left from." he said. "I understand that Wyrmenheim has a different structure in terms of hierarchy and morals. Take note that weapons are frowned upon within this city, especially in the sector of nobility. Offensive magic is too, but it's harder to spot most of the time. Other than that, be kind and you shouldn't have any problems."

The two didn't seem to prioritize him, understandable. Dweknel did however notice a soft glow coming from the hand of the woman in front of him. Damn Fae and their magic. The boy finally spoke telling him what he needed to know along with other needless information that Dwek didn't care about. As he walked towards the house he stared at the Fae. If you're going to attack someone either kill them first or let your presence be known. Before he walked into the house he put his hand up signalling that he was thankful.

When he got inside he got to business. He revealed his arms and began to unravel the bandages on his right hand. A couple noticed him and walked towards him. Once his hand was free from its bandage-y prison he tossed a coin purse at the two. It was payment. He showed them the back of his hand as he spoke "Is there anyway to get rid of this scar here without..." he flipped his hand over showing his palm "getting rid of this one?" They examined it for a while before telling him it was impossible to get rid of one without losing the other. Shit. He didn't bother taking back the coin he gave them and left.

When he exited to house the two where still standing there. "I owe ya, hit me up if you need anything" he said to the boy as he walked by. It wouldn't be that hard to find him if he needed something. Dwek always caused trouble wherever he went, whether it was intentional or not. He walked down a street and saw two people. One seemed to be in slight pain and the other looked alright. However, the situation looked a bit too sketchy. Oh boy time to be a good Samaritan. Kid did say that if i was kind I would't get into trouble.

He walked towards a scantily-clad Fae with a rather large rucksack with her. He walked to the side of her extending his arm out and slinging her over his shoulder like a rag doll. "You look like you know your way around this place. Walnuts, where can I get em?" He glanced over his shoulder before giving a thumbs up to the three behind him. He had the look of a child that was just praised for helping his mother. Before he began to look forward again he noticed that everyone look a little...shocked?

Did I fuck up? People around here are weird...

Eliana felt the blade nearly slit her throat, a bit of a scratch is all she could really feel as the pebble hit the bounty hunter's wrist causing her to want to wrap her hands around her own neck to protect herself from possible death. That could've very easily been the death of her, really, had it not been for the other fae, she thought.

Suddenly she was lifted into the air and over a person's shoulder, she held in a scream of being kidnapped, and possibly arrested for 'stealing'- which they couldnt possible have any evidence of, could they? The person who had picked her up, and slung her over their shoulders, was rather big, causing her to conclude of who this possibly could be.

"Walnuts where can I get 'em?", Eliana hesitated at his question, just giving a blank stare into space and just pondering her own situation. W-walnuts? She looked to the floor now, trying to clear her thoughts quickly to muster up an answer for the brute of a gentleman. Just... walnuts? She frowned and glared at the man now.

What an odd request, considering she could've easily just died by Goldy's hand, or maybe even by his! Then, perhaps she should he grateful to him? She shook her head, her pigtails shaking with her. Now was not the time to ponder like a moron.

"I..." She hesitated to answer him at all. "I would be lying, if I said I didn't, but I can't name any off the top of my tongue." She said in a false tone, much different than her usual. It seemed much more innocent, less hostile or threatening than that of a theif. "I'm sorry." She apologised weakly, hoping that he and the others would buy her facade.

But, if she wanted them to buy her facade, she would most likely have to sell it!

"I was just heading to the marketcenter to sell my own goods in that bag." Eliana lied, her eyes darting quickly to the left, then straight forward again. However, the bag was already strewn across the ground. Various foodgoods were stuffed inside, including apples, peaches and other various fruits. She would hope that this lie would help her a bit, at least give her some wiggle room to get out of the given situation.

Something hit her wrist and she gasped sharply, stifling a screech as pain traveled up her arm. The blade moved forward, scratching Eliana's neck. She glared in the direction of the flying object. Around... the corner?

"Welcome, Eliana Revinder! Welcome, my obvious bounty hunter. My name is Evysa. Unfortunately, if you want to collect your bounty you will have to do so when you leave." Goldy lowered her blades to her sides, her eyebrows furrowed in frustration. A woman came into view. It was the fae girl they had just passed. IknewIshould'vewaitedalittlelongerUGH

Her eyes flickered to the fae girl's hands. She was holding something. From what Goldy could tell, "Evysa" was a pretty good shot. She weighed her options.

Finally she smirked and once more pressed the buttons on her gloves. The blades slid back into place. "No fun." She whispered, glowering at Evysa. Just as she went to look back at Eliana, a large man was lifting her over his shoulder. "W-wait!" She started, her face suddenly overcome in horror.

Ughthisisn'tgoinggoodWHY

"You look like you know your way around this place. Walnuts, where can I get em?" He asked her.

Seriously?

"I would be lying, if I said I didn't, but I can't name any off the top of my tongue. I'm sorry." Her voice had changed. Goldy's fists clenched. You better not try anyth-

"I was just heading to the market-center to sell my own goods in that bag."

Goldy's jaw dropped in disbelief. "Y-y..." She huffed, crossing her arms. She was about to go and try that assassination once more.

Dhadaeryn watched him go past before rejoining Evysa. Then the entire thing happened before him, and he thought for a second. This is interesting.

Walnuts, good source of protein.

Town doesn't sell them.

Evysa was the first to open her mouth in response to Eliana.

"Don't lie to us. You can't fool me or Dhadaeryn. Anyway, hand over the bags or I will be forced to separate them from your hand, and I might just take a finger or two." she said. Dhadaeryn knew that was an empty threat, but it was so well said that he doubted they would question it.

Granted, she would still take the bag by force if needed.

"The town doesn't sell Walnuts..." he said, and his mind raced. He was already formulating a plot.

A barbarian, a bounty hunter, a thief, and himself.

Perfect.

"Though, Evysa, I don't think you really need to bug them." he said, and Evysa raised her eyebrow. What was he thinking?

Oh god.

Dhadaeryn, please.

"Eliana, I have an interesting proposal for you. Actually, I have an interesting proposal for all of you. Eliana, you see that big castle there?" he asked. "Well, there is no way you can get into it... Spend a while with me, and I can get you in."

"Dhadaeryn." Evysa started, but he continued.

"Goldy." he continued, "Yes, I know everything I can about you. You are a bounty hunter, yes? Come with me, and your abilities will really be put to the test." Wait. There's something more. "Yes, there is gold involved at the end."

"Dhadaeryn, please." Evysa began again. She ope--

"Wyrmenheim." he said, looking to the big guy. There was something off about him. He didn't fit into the average Wyrmenheim stereotype, but that's because the stereotype was overly exaggerated. "Have you thought about returning?" he asked. This was a shaky question, and he felt that it was leading to a bad ending on the big guys part. He needed something, anything to grab on.

This wasn't a man traveling for fun.

He wanted to prove something.

"Have you ever thought about returning, but with honor? With the strength that you don't just desire, but you need?"

This was harder in real life situations than in games.

Oh how much he hoped he was on the right track.

Even two out of three would be fine.

Evysa looked nervous, and her weapon was ready.

She had two rocks now, both of them sharp as a blade.

One to disable the primary nerve in an arm, the other to kill.

Of course, hitting the Brachial Plexus would be an easy task for Evysa.

Hitting the jugular is, of course, easier.

Physically, not psychologically.

Things were getting kind of weird. This kid was preaching as though he was royalty. There was also all of these odd accusations towards Dwek as though he knew what he was talking about. He didn't care about returning home with "honor" or becoming stronger. All he wanted to do was survive. He wanted to live long enough to get himself out of the sticky situation he was in. That's when he remember his hand.

He dropped this "Eliana" person on the ground, not gently either, and pulled his arms back into his cloak. Need to be more careful, especially with bounty hunters around. Not that this oe seems like it could do much right now. "Might wana to get to know someone before assuming ya know their story" his eyes changed from their normal and soft orange to a shade that mimicked fire itself. He stared at the kid before bandaging his hand again and moving towards a shop. They didn't have his precious walnuts but they had a miscellaneous ones. It would have to do. While he was there he also picked up a pretty simple book so that he could continue learning how to read. 

He walked out and looked at everyone again. "If ya want me to do something ask. I don't have time to waste with trashy speeches."

The clouds were moving faster than he thought. His eyes faded back into their normal orange. If things didn't wrap up quickly he'd have to rent a room at an inn or something. That was the last thing he wanted to do. He closed his right eye and let out a small yawn before waiting for a response.

"Eliana, you see that big castle there?" Eliana turned her attention to the aformentioned castle shown by the kid. As she looked to it, the corners of her mouth tilted upwards in a weak smile. How could she not see it? It was very impressive, very large. Something she looked for in anything, really. And in this case, go big or go home wouldnt have mattered. That house wouldve been huge. Her eyes locked on it, now, glued with awe on how much she could have in that castle. It was, atleast to her, a very stunning sight for herself to see and think about. "Well, there is no way you can get into it..." Eliana's heart shattered.

W-why that little brat!" She grumbled in her head, turning to face him even though being a bit restricted by the person who had been holding her over their shoulder. How rude of him to even dare say such a thing! Sure it was true, and even if she had tried with all her might she would never be able to be apart of the castle, but still. The very thought of him saying such a thing still hurt a bit. "...Spend a while with me, and I can get you in." She shook her head a bit. She didnt have time to babysit some stupid kid who just randomly offered her a castle. She hardly even had any business with children anyways, even though this kid wasnt too young. There was always something kids were good for, though. They sold for high prices on the blackmarket.

This thought alone caused Eliana to shake her head slowly, in attempts to dismiss the idea of selling a human. His offer on the castle wasn't that bad either, so she would probably be better off just sticking with that proposal. Until, he started telling the others their proposals.

In between the times, though, that he had spoken to each member of the group, the other fae would try to intervene him. Eliana squinted her eyes a bit in distaste. How annoying cpuld a broad get? Ech. She raised a brow as she thought this, noticing how she continued to try. As the boy finished speaking, suddenly the fae had two stones in her hand, and was very clearly nervous. Eliana chuckled a bit once realizing this, and seeing how much fun she could have with this problematic territory. That is, she could've have fun until the Wyremheim guy dropped her from his shoulder and to the ground, hittng her tail bone.

She gave an annoyed glance at him, hearing him say something, then turned to the boy. Whatever they were talking about, she hadn't really cared much either way. Eliana got to her feet and brushed off the dust on her boots and turned around, remembering that earlier the other fae had asked her about the sack of fruits that she had dropped. Did she already forget? Eliana smiled weakly, noticing the bag of goodies still spilled out where she originally had dropped them. If nobody remembered, she would have good stuff to eat and sell- if not, she would just have to go back to the market and take some more stuff. A bit of a vicious cycle, if you ask her, but hey, a girl has to get money some how.

"Eliana, I have an interesting proposal for you. Actually, I have an interesting proposal for all of you." Goldy raised a brow, still fuming a little. What could a kid like him propose? "Eliana, you see that big castle there? Well, there is no way you can get into it... Spend a while with me, and I can get you in."

Huh? She scoffed. /You/ can get someone into the castle?

"Dhadaeryn." Evysa spoke his name and Goldy's stomach dropped. Dhadaeryn? As in, one of the princes of Fedonia? She was suddenly staring wide-eyed at him. Areyoureallyinvitingathiefintoyourcastle!?

"Goldy. Yes, I know everything I can about you."

"Aw, a fan?"

"You are a bounty hunter, yes? Come with me, and your abilities will really be put to the test." Goldy smirked, her eyes amused. Like she wanted to follow around a prince just to- "Yes, there is gold involved at the end."

Oh, gold? From Fedonian royalty? That's a promising amount... She tilted her head to the side, uncrossing her arms. She didn't understand why she was giving it any thought. She should have already walked away. "Just how much gold are we talking?" It would have to be a lot for me to consider anything.

If I do agree to this, not only will I not complete the bounty I was assigned, but I'm going to have to work with... her... Her smile disappeared as she glanced at Eliana. Her eyes then drifted to the big guy. Then back to Dhadaeryn. Shoot. She shifted her weight to one foot and raised a gloved hand to rub the scar on her nose. Maybe I can get another bounty. Try again.

She glanced backwards toward the road. Should she just go?

As they each reacted, his heart swelled with joy. He expected the Wyrmenheim man to react in two ways, and he would have preferred the other, but this one wasn't too bad either. Anyway, if he wanted to bring change to Wyrmenheim, he would be useless for anything other than information. What kind of information, though?

Perfect.

"Walnuts, right? I have a question for you, sir, but let me answer these two first." he said, and he looked to Eliana. He had read her body movements, and he knew that she wanted in, but she also had a moment of faltering and thought. Obviously she had thought of doing something different. Judging by how she acted, it was something against her morals. Under these circumstances, it would be something to make a profit.

"You thought of selling me, didn't you." he asked, though it was more of a statement, his eyes having a slight glint to them. "I shall tell you that if you were to sell me, you would have more than just a bounty hunter after you. Anyway, don't sell what you stole, we'll take it with us. That is, if you're in?" The question.

He then looked to Goldy. Gold, a bounty hunters favorite.

"Every two months of our time traveling will get you an amount equal to Eliana's bounty." he told her. That's a hefty amount considering Eliana's bounty.

A really hefty amount.

Nothing compared to Fedonia's royal bank.

Even if they traveled for ten years, the impact to their currency would be minimal. However, why would she take on a difficult task if the bounty is right in front of her?

"You can't collect your bounty inside of Fedonia, and we both know that Eliana has her way of escaping. The moment she makes a profit, she will be gone, and this time she will know to watch her back. It might take you three months to catch up with her again, it might even take you longer."

The final nail for the both of them.

"Do this, and I'll secure your spot in bounty hunting, and you won't even need to go after Eliana again, who, by the way, will have a clean record once we split. If you refuse and she comes with me, you will be unable to collect the bounty." now, she and Eliana had reason to come.

Eliana could start a new life of crime and also have a little fun in the castle, and Goldy will become a fully-fledged Bounty Hunter with a large amount of gold.

Meanwhile, Evysa had her eyes shut after Dhadaeryn first started speaking again, and she was turning a darker shade of red every second that he spoke.

Then she snapped.

"Dhadaeryn!" she barked, and he jumped slightly, having forgotten she was there. "For once, I have to agree with your father. This is NOT how a prince should act!" she said. As she said this she pulled him by the scruff of his shirt and started to walk away, dragging him inside. He didn't struggle because there was no point. If he didn't listen she would disable him with expertise most Fae lack. Hand-to-hand combat.

"Let him go." said a booming voice. Dhadaeryn and Evysa stopped and looked to the voice.

It was his father.

The man was staring at Evysa, and didn't even acknowledge that Dhadaeryn was really there. The moment Evysa let go, he turned away and continued walking. Dhadaeryn was speechless, but he quickly shook his head.

Well, that was embarrassing. He looked back to the big man.

"Do you know a man by the name of Dweknel? I've heard some rumors about him when I went to Wyrmenheim..." he said, and then he sighed. He should clarify, his tactics of Wyrmenheim information collecting did not work well. "I heard about him from somebody near the center. She seemed close to him, so I've been curious to find this person. Also, I happen to have a bag of walnuts with me, if you want them. They have a lovely taste and are a good source of protein."

He didn't know of many people from Wyrmenheim, however.

Well, he only knew three that were alive.

Dweknel, which he didn't have much information on; the woman he talked to, though she didn't speak much of herself either; and an unnamed man who apparently slaughtered a town savagely, he may have been an exile.

He listened closely. However, the kid trailed off and he stopped caring. Fucking just say what ya want upfront you little shit. He opened the book he had just bought and read about a paragraph. The process was painfully slow as he could only read smaller words. Though, he was making progress considering at a year ago he couldn't even do that.

He closed the book when the boy was looking at him again. 

"Do you know a man by the name of Dweknel?" 

Shit. He purposely let trinkets fall out of his sack and crouched down to pick them up. He scanned the surrounding area for guards as he did so. There weren't too many. He picked up the trinkets, pausing when he saw one made out of animal teeth. His expression changed for a second before he gently picked it up and put it on. It was a keepsake from his mother. 

"I heard about him from somebody near the center. She seemed close to him, so I've been curious to find this person. Also, I happen to have a bag of walnuts with me, if you want them. They have a lovely taste and are a good source of protein."

His eyes lit up again. Did he meet her? That means she's still doing alright. Her birthday was a couple days ago. She's getting older and I haven't seen her once since I left...I should try to see her sometime soon.

Dwek answered him. "Yeah thats me...this woman...was she doing alright?" He paused. His burning orange eyes were awaiting the kids answer. He wanted something, anything. He realized that he hadn't replied to everything and remember that his mother said it was considered an act of aggression in other areas to not answer completely. "As for the walnuts I don't eat them. I use them for...other things."

He stared at the kid awaiting the answer. That is, until he noticed the man behind him. You're not creepy at all are you pops. Wait. Is this the guy who is carrying the nuts?! A single strand of white hair blew by Dwek's face. He blew it away before his eyes focused on the horizon again. The clouds were in the same positions but it he could see that they were letting out rain. It was to be expected. Fedonia was transitioning from the wet season to its normal weather. Hopefully There was going to be dry wood around after he was able to leave the city.

His chest was aching and was getting a little damp. He was gonna need to find a place where he could change those bandages too.

"You thought of selling me, didn't you." Eliana's brows furrowed. How the hell did he-. Eliana's thoughts were interrupted as Dhadaeryn spoke up again. "I shall tell you that if you were to sell me, you would have more than just a bounty hunter after you." What he said was more than true. Kidnapping a child was illegal, and selling them to other person was definitely a crime. "Anyway, don't sell what you stole, we'll take it with us. That is, if you're in?"

She felt like she had a ton to think about and to consider. She wasn't going to sell all of the farmer's goods, since she needed stuff to eat, too, but there was a good opportunity if she went with them she would get as many riches and a castle. Then she continued to listen as he turned his own attention to Goldy.

"...we both know that Eliana has her way of escaping." Eliana smirked. She felt a bit proud of herself, glad that everyone would know that she does, indeed, of her way of escaping. Her own pride told her that she could get away whenever she wanted, and nobody could stop her. Hell, she already had once or twice today. She was the superior thief, huh? Heh, so I see I have some fans. She smiled, lifted her head up a bit as she walked over to the bag of goods, lifted them over her shoulder and stood up to watch everybody else. Well my 'fans' already know how easily I could get away- I might as well just run right no-

"...need to go after Eliana again, who, by the way, will have a clean record once we split..." Eliana's jaw dropped. "W-what?" She seemed to have been stuttering on her doubleyous today. "A clean record?" Her mouthed curved into a wide smile. Shit, that was the only thing it took. "Alright," She cleared her throat. "Count me in." She cheered quietly. If she had a clean record, she could easily restart her own life, especially in a castle. She could do whatever she wanted, she wouldn't even need to be a thief anymore! Though, she probably wouldn't have made her father proud, huh? She shook that thought away though, seeing how she had much more important means in her life now.

Then, Evysa had snapped. "For once, I have to agree with your father. This is NOT how a prince should act!" Eliana dropped her bag in shock for the sudden screech of the fae. Shit, a prince? She looked carefully at the boy, concerned for herself mostly, since she had basically gone right out to say she was a thief, not like it mattered anyways, everybody had already kno-

"Let him go." A booming voice interrupting. Why was everybody being so loud? She shook her head again, clearing her thoughts once more to get a straight view of the situation. She had glared at the large group of people, who were all clearly distracted by the various things that were happening. Eliana soon tuned out of the situation and looked to the bag on the ground and thought about her situation again.

Sure, if I go with them i'll have a clear name and probably a castle but- How should I know they aren't going to ditch me and send me to jail. Eliana took a glance to Goldy. She probably wont be loyal, either. She wants to kill me, after all. Am I really that important? She chuckled a bit at her own thoughts. Of course she was important, how could she have any doubt. If I don't go, I'll still have my bounties, but I can roam free and do whatever I want. With being hunted, of course, but still, consider that you wont be on a leash! She sighed a bit. I already said yes anyways. She crossed her arms over her chest and shifted her weight on one foot. No point of going back. Eliana nodded. It was settled with herself, she would go with them. I can't believe it took me this long to confirm what I was doing.

Goldy listened to Dhadaeryn as he sealed the deal for Eliana. Clean slate? Hmph. Is he really that desperate for a crew? What exactly was he planning on dragging them, anyways? Finally, she and the prince met eyes.

"Every two months of our time traveling will get you an amount equal to Eliana's bounty." He said. Sincere.

Her mouth twitched in surprise before opening slightly. Judging by that, I'd say this will be a long-ass journey...

...but that's a lot of gold...

...the guild would have a field day, and who knows what I could buy.

A small smile formed on her lips. She liked the sound of it, but it sounded like a mission that'd take way too long. Who knows what would happen with her relations with the guild? I mean, they probably won't mind I'm working with Fedonian royalty, but... they can be a little picky... Her gold eyes flicked towards Eliana. I could still kill her and complete my bounty. I am just sorta looking for experience at the moment, not gold...

"You can't collect your bounty inside of Fedonia, and we both know that Eliana has her way of escaping. The moment she makes a profit, she will be gone, and this time she will know to watch her back. It might take you three months to catch up with her again, it might even take you longer."

Good point. It had taken Goldy a month alone to get to Fedonia on foot, and about a week to follow Eliana's trail. Now that the fae knew Goldy was after her, she'd probably make her job hell. And, as he said, there was no killing her now.

"Do this, and I'll secure your spot in bounty hunting, and you won't even need to go after Eliana again, who, by the way, will have a clean record once we split. If you refuse and she comes with me, you will be unable to collect the bounty."

He'sgonnasecuremyspotinbountyhuntingANDgivemethegoldifIjustgowithhim!?

"Oh, you generous boy~!" Goldy said, her whole demeanor changing. A wide smile was on her face and she had her hands clasped beneath her chin, her knees bent. "I'm yours!" She suppressed the urge to run over and hug him. Sure, he and his fae took away her bounty, but now he was making up for it big time. She was soon glad she decided not to approach him.

"Dhadaeryn! For once, I have to agree with your father. This is NOT how a prince should act!" Evysa spouted, her face red. Goldy flinched a little, unsure why the fae had reacted like that. The fuming girl then grabbed onto his shirt and began to pull him inside when an unexpected guest intervened.

"Let him go." Hello, your majesty. Goldy's eyes froze upon him, feeling the sudden tension. Evysa let go, the king made his way past, and Dhadaeryn returned to setting up his plan.

Only when Dhadaeryn started talking to the big dude did Goldy decide to observe him in detail. Might as well, if the prince wanted him to come with her and Eliana. He was huge, intimidating, and sort of scary. From Wyrmenhiem? Don't be stereotypical. His hair and eyes were notable, as well. She had never seen anything like them and she found that she had to tear her eyes away so that she wouldn't be caught staring.

"Do you know a man by the name of Dweknel? I've heard some rumors about him when I went to Wyrmenheim... I heard about him from somebody near the center. She seemed close to him, so I've been curious to find this person. Also, I happen to have a bag of walnuts with me, if you want them. They have a lovely taste and are a good source of protein." She glanced from Dhadaeryn to the big guy again.

"Yeah thats me...this woman...was she doing alright?" There was a moment of awkward silence before he added "As for the walnuts I don't eat them. I use them for...other things."

What?

She looked back at Dhadaeryn, once more crossing her arms and shifting onto her right leg. She wanted to get going. Now that she was sold, she couldn't wait to begin. Sometimes she got a little to excited over missions, and now was one of those times. She tried not to make her impatience obvious.

Dhadaeryn was watching the man with most of his attention, but before that he did note the behavioral signals from Eliana and Goldy. Eliana was rather happy, but slightly indecisive. She probably didn't know about the fact that he was a prince until after Evysa decided to shout it out. Whatever, her mind should still be made soon. Goldy, however, was filled to the brim with excitement. Anymore, and you'd think she'd have set the ground beneath her feet on fire with it. Well, obvious for Dhadaeryn to see, but to others she would probably be moderately excited.

Maybe.

Lighting a candle or two.

Then the penny dropped, and he was in awe. It's one thing to find somebody with information on a subject of interest, but another thing to find the subject of interest. Evysa was slowly feeling herself becoming part of the background, but she stayed just in case somebody tried to step a toe across the line.

A toe-nail, even.

Dhadaeryn's eyes were peeling apart every aspect and detail he could find of the man who claimed to be Dweknel. After a couple of seconds he shook his head and started to speak.

"Yes, she was. She was by herself. Apparently she circled the center." he paused to give Dweknel a moment, and then started to speak again. "Dweknel, could you join us on our adventure? I don't have much to offer to you, specifically, other than a challenge. Unless there is something you can think of?"

He thought about the message.

He decided that he wouldn't say anything about it in front of everybody. He'd wait.

"Another thing, was there something wrong with the treatment that you were trying to acquire? The stop was quicker than one could get for injures, and you seemed to have bandages around your shoulder whenever your cloak flapped around, and I wouldn't say the wounds were healthy. I think I saw some blood, but it may have been the trick of light." he looked him over slightly, almost as though he were trying to see through the cloak. Before he continued with the other two, he would wait for Dweknel's response.

He eyed everyone up. He didn't know how well this ragtag team would do against some of the perils they would face on their journey. He didn't mind that much. As long as they weren't completely incompetent when it came to traversing the wilds they'd be pretty well off. He looked towards the kid as he spoke.

Dweknel felt a wave of relief. Knowing she was alright would keep his mind from wandering. So may questions...wonder how long he'll keep talkin. "Don't see why not, though, it's going to make it more of a challenge for you guys. As for payment...just gimmie an I.O.U along with those nuts."

Things were promising to become interesting if he stuck around. He heard him speak again. Something about his wounds on his chest. Damn, people outside of Wyrmenhiem worry about every single cut don't they. If I was in danger of bleeding out I wouldn't be walking around would I?

Just to make sure he didn't misjudge anything he stretched out his cloak and clothing/armor in order to look down at it. His chest was covered in bandages that he had applied a couple of days earlier. He noticed that he had been a bit too rambunctious. The wound, which spread from the top right of his chest down to just below his rib cage had reopened. Though he treated it by rubbing sap on it then later washing it with water and stitching it himself. I should prolly take it a bit easier.

He spoke again "I'm fine, they couldn't do what I wanted done so my business is done." He looked at Evysa. He didn't like how her posture was. He took his arms back into his cloak and unhooked some knives. He wouldn't be able to stop whatever magic she would throw but he might be able to change its course if he was fast enough. 

His eyes flickered for a moment and his vision blurred for a moment. He hadn't slept for a couple of days and the injury he had sustained wasn't helping. "Can we hurry things along here?" he said aloud. "Actually, take your time. When you're ready come find me on the outskirts of this place."

With this he walked down an alley. He quickly turned around and walked back past the group. I would go the wrong way first.

Eliana's thoughts drifted heavily away from her new "team". Even though this journey was a promise for each of them, and her promise probably could've been much greater, she was far too excited for her own limits. Thinking about no longer having to run so far and so long just to get away from a bunch of market folk, no longer being called out by the authority and trying to be caught or killed, no longer being mocked by other thieves for having such a god awful outfit.

She let out a sigh of relief, ignoring the group of people she would have to follow. She wouldn't really have to do anything to help them anyways, would she? Even if she did have to help them, she never made that promise. She'll burn that bridge when she gets to it, though.

She then noticed prince-boy offer nut-guy to also join their party. She hadn't really listened for their names. He would also be a good member, but maybe just a bit out of place, huh? Then he told them to hurry along, no, take their time. Make up your mind, sheesh. She raised a brow as he started to walk down an ally. "Ech." She grumbled in regards to what he had said earlier, and watched him turn around and walk past them, watching him very carefully. "Go the wrong way, did you?" Eliana taunted a bit, not really sure about what her own motive was, but saying something snarky sure felt fitting for her.

Goldy listened to the conversation between Dweknel and Dhadaeryn halfheartedly. The heel of her boot on the ground as she did so. She couldn't stay still for too long. At one point, her eyes drifted to examine her surroundings. She saw that rain clouds were making their way to their position. Stragglers from the marketplace were cutting through the street that the posse was standing in, heading home to avoid the inevitable downpour.

I want-- She quickly cut her thoughts off. Couldn't let them finish. Couldn't think that way. She looked back towards the conversation. Dweknel appeared to be checking the countless bandages below his armor. Was that a flash of concern? Whatever sat beneath those bandages must not be pretty.

"Can we hurry things along here? Actually, take your time. When you're ready come find me on the outskirts of this place." Dweknel then made his way down the alley.

He must've said yes to Dhadaeryn's offer. Goldy had probably missed that part when she was distracted with her daydreams.

Dweknel suddenly came back through. "Go the wrong way, did you?" Eliana taunted. Goldy snickered, ignoring the rudeness in the fae's tone. When the giant man had made good distance from the group, Goldy turned towards the prince and his... bodyguard? Friend?

She flashed a brilliant smile and clasped her hands in front of her legs, leaning towards him. She was so ready to go on this adventure. What was it, anyways? Didn't matter--gold was gold, fun was fun, travel was travel. Were they ready? Was there still stuff to do? When would they start? It was only when she felt her mouth close that she realized she had asked those three questions aloud.

Dhadaeryn internally thought about this as Eliana decided to leave a snide comment. The danger in this was pretty high, and he put his mind at a bit of ease by playing a couple of games of chess in his mind behind closed eyes. Evysa was next to him now, thinking of what she should do. Well, more like what she could do. A man stopped next to Dhadaeryn and Evysa, and he cleared his throat. Dhadaeryn's eyes cracked open. One of the messengers for the General.

He looked disdainfully at Dhadaeryn with dark blue eyes, and as Dhadaeryn turned to him he noted Evysa's expression of anger. She didn't like how the man was looking at Dhadaeryn.

"Hello, kid."

"Hello, Adin."

The man's face distorted. Evysa's hand twitched, but nobody noticed. The messenger was bald, tall, and muscular. However, his muscles were lean and fit, and they would betray his true strength under a suit of armor. Dhadaeryn laughed about this constantly, though, because even though he was strong, he was never a good fighter.

Hence why he's a messenger.

Adin turned to Evysa and held out a parchment. It was full of color and...

"Military commands?!" Dhadaeryn spoke aloud, looking over to the paper. Adin went to object, but Evysa put up a finger and held the paper so that Dhadaeryn could see. His eyes were wide as the scanned the paper, and he then turned away and closed his eyes. Most would say that he is unable to believe what is happening, those that know him, however, would say that he is winning a game. Dhadaeryn was scanning every possible solution to this, but there were so many variables that he didn't understand, he would need the knowledge.

He turned to Evysa and gave her a hug, his back to Eliana, Adin, and Goldy. While he did this, he whispered instructions into her ear without pause. She closed her eyes as she took in the information, and when he finished they broke apart, hands held in the others.

"Stay safe, Dhadaeryn." she says, and their hands disconnect. Evysa then walks away, and Adin gives Dhadaeryn a final glare before parting.

He turned to the other two as he put a glove onto his left hand.

"Well, Basmotos and Frundonmire have declared war on Fedonia." he still couldn't believe it himself. Father and Jeidir had been good friends, too. Why would he go to war?

Unless...

No, that would be too much.

He couldn't just go to Basmotos, as he planned.

However, he needed answers.

"Have you ever wanted to go to Frundonmire?" he asked them.

It took Dwek a while to make his way out of the city. He thought back to the comment that was directed towards him earlier. Looks like the smurf is a bit annoying. He kept walking until he found a dirt road by a river. He followed it for a couple of miles before stopping. Zaphis was still pretty large as it could be seen though he had walked for a while. Where all cities like this?

He gathered wood and made a small fire by the river. He would have liked to to be larger but the wet season didn't really leave much dry wood. He pulled out his rucksack and opened it. Among the odds and ends he had in it was a small pot. He filled it halfway up with water and threw the nuts he had in there. With only a couple of walnuts it wouldn't be as dark as he'd like but it would have to do. Placing it on the fire he closed his eyes, still staying alert.

An hour or so had passed and he decided it was time to change his bandages. He took off his cloak and most of his clothes, leaving only his pants on. The horrid smell of the nuts and his own musk filled the air around him. He began to remove the bandages that were holding his body prisoner. As the bandages fell to the ground more and more scars were revealed along with the wound. It was obvious something with claws had done it, leaving three marks in his skin that stretched from the top right of his chest down to his sternum. it almost intersected with a very large, cross shaped scar near his pelvis. He placed his hand on it remembering how he had gotten it. He was caught in a daze. It had been a while since he had gotten it yet it was still so pronounced and was showing no signs of fading.

SPLASH! In an instant he was pulled out of his trance and looked over at the river. There where some fish in it. His stomach growled at him, ordering him to feed it. He pulled out fresh bandages and wrapped himself up again before crafting a make-shift fishing rod. His body relaxed as he waited for a fish to bit down on his lure. They didn't, though, he didn't mind it. He spent the rest of his time thinking about the work ahead of him. Why did I agree to take this job? A kid, a bounty hunter, and a thief...fucking fantastic team. Then there was the other Fae. Is she coming with us? Well, on the bright side at least I'll be able to sleep a little better with a group.

Plop...plip plop. Ripples were forming in the water. He looked towards the sky and say the rain falling down. How long was he fishing for? He turned his head back towards Zaphis and noticed that the clouds had yet to reach the city.

Taking his time he got dressed and re-equip his things. He looked over at the pot. It was perfect. There were no longer any nuts or water. Just some thick, dark brown, sludge. 

Using his cloak her picked up the pot and moved to a near by stable. Just before he did this he knocked his bloodied bandages into the fire. 

Where are they?

A man appeared beside Dhadaeryn and Evysa and Goldy instantly straightened herself, smoothing out the ruffles on the front of her shirt. She analyzed him briefly before turning her full attention to the piece of parchment he was holding. What's that?

"Hello, kid."

"Hello, Adin."

There was a second of tension as the paper was handed over to Evysa. The words that came out of the prince's mouth as he looked over the page caught Goldy off guard. "Military commands?!"

"Military commands?" She echoed, raising a brow. Why is Fedonia sending military orders? Is there a conflict? Where? There was a moment of silence as Dhadaeryn studied the document further. Then, he embraced Evysa for a while. Goldy rubbed the scar on her nose, waiting for an explanation of any kind.

"Stay safe, Dhadaeryn." Evysa says as they break apart. She watched the fae go with curiosity. Where's she going? Adin then left too.

"H-h-"

"Well, Basmotos and Frundonmire have declared war on Fedonia." Her eyes snapped back to the prince, her eyebrows somewhat furrowed.

"Doesn't sound that good for you..." She muttered. Wonder what happened.

"Have you ever wanted to go to Frundonmire?"

Frundomir? The place with all the dwarves and the cold and the emptiness and the weird-smelling underground cities? Notparticularly

"Eh..." She said in response, kicking a small rock across the stone of the road. If it's where I gotta go, it's where I gotta go. She pulled a weak smile onto her face, trying to pretend she had just said 'yes.'

Eliana smirked with a fluster of pride, hearing Goldy snicker at her remark towards Dweknel. A bit of an ego booster it was, especially since it could also embarrass the massive man, but seeing that he didn't respond to her at all, it may not have bothered him. She took a sideways glance at the group now, slowly starting to bring her own attention towards the group.

A man had appeared near the prince and the other fae, and from what she could heard, his name was Adin? Such an odd name, She thought, not really paying too much attention outside of his looks and his name. Of course she would need to judge him first, and he seemed like a rather strong man. I should keep it to myself, though. She started to take a closer glance as the man handed over a parchment to the other fae, who she didn't really care for the name of, when suddenly-

"Military commands?!" Eliana looked with shock as Dhadaeryn exclaimed, Militaries were not much of a joke, and especially if they were being given to a prince- even if it wasn't directly to the prince. She muttered a bit under her breath, worried if she actually should stay with the group. Military Commands... I wonder what went wrong. She looked towards Goldy, then to Evysa, then back to the prince and the messenger.

Dhadaeryn and Evysa started to hug, and she could hear a slight whispering. She raised a brow and furrowed the other, tilting her head and leaning forward to try to hear when they broke apart and held hands. "Stay safe, Dhadaeryn." She moved went back to her normal posture and crossed her arms over each other. "I guess it was nothing." She whispered to herself, starting to disregard what had just happened. It could have very easily been just the two saying their goodbyes, but, why couldn't they say it aloud?

"Well, Basmotos and Frundonmire have declared war on Fedonia." Dhadaeryn said. Eliana hadn't thought to much on it, mostly because she didn't really care. She just roamed from city to city, capital to capital. If she wanted to, she could easily avoid any struggle by just going to Basmotos and stealing happily there. She still continued to listen, though, only because as a prince he would have trouble- and with any help from her, she could say he owes her much more than a stupid castle. Then, he spoke up again. "Have you ever wanted to go to Frundonmire?"

Eliana frowned with a disgusted look. Wanted to go to Frundonmire? She rolled her eyes and scoffed. Goldy had stated her own answer first. She gave a weak smile after saying 'Eh', and, honestly, Eh would've been a nice answer. Eliana shifted her weight over to her left leg and sighed loudly, trying to bring attention back to herself. "I've never wanted to go to Frundonmire before." She stated. "I've been there though, I might just be a bit of a nuisance if I go, you know. But..." She made a bit of a dramatic pause, as if she going along was the biggest deal. "I guess I'll go, if i have to." She smirked, making herself feel much more important than what she really was.

Dhadaeryn chuckled. Obviously, Frundonmire wasn't on their list of places to be; Who would want to go to an underground city, anyway? Well, they obviously have never gotten an in-depth explanation of the cities. Even the ruins are supposed to be quite marvelous.

Well, that might be just his opinion.

Dwarven architecture would be the first thing on his list of things to look at when in Frundonmire, and it definitely wouldn't be the last. He needed to gather as much information there as possible or he wouldn't be successful in what he planned.

Granted, not many people are ever successful at the things he plans. He's not like many people, however.

"We'll leave soon, but first I need to get a few things from around town. A lot of people owe me debts from previous games, and I think I should collect them. Eliana, come you with me?" he asked her for two reasons. One, he would need her in the debt collection. Two, he didn't want to leave Goldy and Eliana alone.

Well, he didn't want Eliana to piss off Goldy.

"Goldy, can you meet up with the big guy? If you can find him." a challenge, in a way. He'll find him later, but this will give Goldy something to put her impatience under control. He then turned away and started walking through the streets casually. The walk would take a few minutes, and there was no rush. After-all, war takes time, and at most it'll take a couple of months for this war to fully start.

At most, he needed a way to move quickly. He could get a couple of horses...