"I'm traveling on foot. I can take my time." She smile a bit. "Gives me time to think."

"Woah, woah now there missy, my intentions weren't to provoke you," he said, nonetheless slipping down from the tree.

"It's givin' me splinters anyway," he muttered, as he landed on the ground with a firm thud. He glanced up in her direction again, smiling generously. "Not to bother you again, but you wouldn't have a sword I could... borrow?"

As frightening as the girl with the sword looked, he feared more another encounter with that man... weaponless.

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<center>
"The piano is able to communicate the subtlest universal truths by means of wood, metal and vibrating air."

Annalett nodded again, and smiled.
"So were to you come from?"

~~~~~~~

Penfire watched the girl and the man in the tree from a distance. His black horse shook his head, making the beaded mane chink, and stomped a feathered hoof in irritation. Penfire patted his steed's neck, hoping he would calm down, but the stallion didn't. He wanted to get moving again so much, he gave a shrill nicker.
"Become still and orderly, my stout stallion," Penfire comanded in a not-so-hushed voice...

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(}--{)Imagination Inspires Ideas -Zandain(}--{)
Married Cloud Strife 9/17/08

"I was born in a town called Danit." Tricia told Annalett. "But like I said, I haven't been there for 15 years."

"Really? Thats awfully far from here.(is that okay?) And I'll give you a tour of the town if you'd like," Annalett said...

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(}--{)Imagination Inspires Ideas -Zandain(}--{)
Married Cloud Strife 9/17/08

((Fine, Thats what i was thinking.))

"Yes it is very far, and I would love to have a tour." Tricia replied.

"Well, the store we were just in was the town's antuiqe store. The owner's son goes off all the time to find some more interesting goods. Like that dagger, and this amulet I just got. Next door is the local saloon, and next to that is 'The Copper Hoof Inn'... my father's Inn. On the other side of the street are the smithies, and armories. The liveries and houses are the next two streets over. The town square is near the southern part of the town. It's by a field, and that's where the rockets are going to be shot off at," Annalett explained...

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(}--{)Imagination Inspires Ideas -Zandain(}--{)
Married Cloud Strife 9/17/08

Elarinya raised her gaze as she felt the woman’s eyes fall upon her again. She knew that should an altercation arise, she would be the only one who would be a match for her. She could see it in the woman’s tenseness-she was a fighter indeed. Elarinya turned her gaze away again. Despite her long training under Calanon, she had never learned the secrets of the shard she bore. She had been too fearful to ask and he had never told her. Perhaps his silence was a means to protect her, perhaps he did not want her to know the truth, but whatever the reason, it was now to late. Elarinya sighed as she sipped her ale once more. She had received word that the attackers that burned her village were on the prowl again and she chose to pursue them, against Calanon’s desires. Nevertheless, he let her go. He knew that she could hold her own in a fight, yet he worried for her. Despite her skills, she had never truly been tested in battle and he knew that war was unforgiving to both the young and naïve. Now as she sat alone, she wondered about her own skill. Perhaps she should never have left. But what is by doing nothing, she lost the one best chance to avenge her family? Elarinya continued to sip her ale in silence, momentarily glancing at the woman across from her once more.

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AWESOME set by the AMAZING Lembas!!!

"Wow, this is really more then my village ever had. We had a store, and Town hall which was also the church, and houses." Tricia said in a way that proved she didn't miss Danit at all.

"hm... you don't seem to miss Danit. Anyway, yes, it's a big town. Lots of people live heard because is next to the main trade rode, and has fertile soil and good hunting grounds. C'mon, the Inn's this way. Lets see if I can talk my dad into leting you stay in a room for free while you're passing by," Annalett said...

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(}--{)Imagination Inspires Ideas -Zandain(}--{)
Married Cloud Strife 9/17/08

Braad tossed his last forkful of hay onto the pile in the barn, and stood the pitchfork against the barn wall. He arched his back, stretching sore muscles, and stood up again.

As he walked out of the barn, he decided he needed a drink to clear his throat of dust. Strolling down the town street, he saw a tavern and ducked in. He sat down at the bar and ordered an ale.

Looking around the room, he raked his fingers through his hair, leaving grey streaks in it. He noticed two women sitting at a booth across from each other. They both seemed rather tense. Braad frowned a bit- they apparently weren't good friends.

At that moment, though, his ale arrived, drawing his attention away from the women.

"Why? Someone trying to kill you?" she asnwered with a not quite so nice smile. A small dagger thudded a few inches from his feet and she jumped down. "Pick it up...i'l retrive it when whoever it is kills you." she said with a look, that made it obviouse she was going to watch this, even if that ment following him around.

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Made by Lembas

Elarinya looked up as the young man entered. She took note of him, wondering where his allegiance lay, as she wondered the allegiance of the woman who sat across from her. She continued to study him as he turned away. Why did I come here? she wondered. I haven't had a moment’s peace since I entered this village. Am I being just too suspicious, wondering if everyone is an enemy. Perhaps I should just let it go. No! she replied to own thoughts. The dark forces have many allies. Their towns are filled with their spies. As far as I am concerned, everyone is a foe until proven otherwise. With that she let her gaze fall from the man-there was no sense in starting a fight. Who knew who else may be watching, eyes that may be much unfriendly than the man who had entered and from the woman who sat across from her.

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AWESOME set by the AMAZING Lembas!!!

Penfire watched the girl hop down from a tree after dropping a dagger at the man's feet. Shrugging, he spurred his horse into a trot. The scene was getting boring. He rode by the two without a word, and on to the village. He scratched his slightly long beard, which also had beads dangling from it, as did the ends of his eyebrows.

He made his way into the town, getting stared at on his way, but he was used to it. Penfire dismounted at the local Inn, and tied his stallion at a hitching post before entering. Inside wwere many interesting characters. Two woman eyeing each other, and many men taking a break from a hard day's work. At the bar, Penfire ordered a room for himself, stabling for his horse, and a large drink of ale to wash away the weariness of traveling...

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(}--{)Imagination Inspires Ideas -Zandain(}--{)
Married Cloud Strife 9/17/08

Danae gave a start when the door to the tavern opened. A man who looked to be somewhere around her age walked in. She relaxed but only somewhat. He didn't look like any of her former pursuers, but she could never be sure. To be lax may get her captured or worse. She continued to peer at him with her large black eyes for another moment and then turned back to the woman sitting across from her.

After a few more moments of tense silence, Danae decided she could not take it any longer. "We could go on sitting here uncomfortably," she said, breaking the silence, "Or we could talk a bit." She hesitated a moment before adding, "I'm Danae." She didn't think it was such a big risk to give her name. Her pursuers hadn't known her by her name anyway. She didn't think that could give her away.

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I'm back!

He grinned generously in response, stooping to pick up the knife, but his eyes never leaving her.

"You wanna make a bet on that? I might just get me some well-earned money," he teased, turning to walk towards the village.

But over his shoulder he called, as he walked, "Thank for lending the tree." Maybe the rogue had a few manners left in him over all.

In this city there was only one inn, the local gathering place of drunkards and ne'erdowells. Merrick had one thought on his mind, and one alone- and couldn't spare time for drink, although with the recent escapade, he sure could use one. There was one, a fellow by the name of Braad, someone they had told him about.

"He's got one Merrick, he's got a shard. And not just a shard, THE shard. It's the center piece. It's the core. The heart of what once was..."

Merrick had only stared at Trojos when he said this. Stared and tried to understand.

"Kill him Merrick. Kill Braad."

Merrick was now being persued by these people that he once worked for, hunted down mercilessly. He knew so little of the plan, so little of what was going on here, the lives that were at stake. But he was intent on figuring it out, and the best way to do it was to find that man... Braad they had called him. But one cannot just find a man in a bar as if it was something you do every day, especially if you are Merrick. No, he would do things his own way.

One jump had him on a table, the eyes of every mothers son upon him. Good. He was getting attention already.

"Where is he!?!!?!?" he bellowed out, in as good as a drunken voice as he knew, "Where is that dastard, Braad?!"

People were looking about at one another suspiciously. He smiled inwardly. The lie was working.

"Come on and fight me like a man you sorry, low-down curse!"

Uh oh. Big problem. There also, with a huge ale in his hand, and a desperate look of murder in his eye- was the man who had earlier been pursuing Merrick. There's one well known way to keep from getting murdered in an inn- a good diversion that seems to work its charms every time on every man. The good old fashioned brawl.

Merrick leapt down from the table and punched an unsuspecting fellow in a chair, who in turn kicked Penfire, smashing a bottle on his shoulder. Within a few minutes, the place was sheer madness, men screaming and punching as if they had never had so much fun in their life. Merrick however, walked about stealthily saying... "Braad? Oh Braad?" and hoping someone answered.

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<center>
"The piano is able to communicate the subtlest universal truths by means of wood, metal and vibrating air."