Ink and Tongue

No one is in the Inn yet, October, but I think everyone is headed that way. Right now, everyone is camping and/or sleeping.

Embertongue

I watched Isabella as she stood and went to sit by a tree. I was tempted to leave her there and return to my thoughts (Dustfinger was alive! And he had spoken highly of me?) but I knew she would freeze that far from the fire. Or one of the wild animals that lived out here would sniff her out.

I stood and arched my back inwards, listening as it cracked quietly, then straightened and walked over. She stared at me as I sat next to her, coaxing a small flame into existence in the palm of my hand.

"You'll die out here away from the fire," I told her. "If what you say is true, and you are from another world, you need to be careful. Especially if you don't know the dangers of this place."

"Dustfinger told me some of them," she responded. She didn't seem too distressed that I had followed her. I thought I detected a faint hint of relief in her voice, but that could've just been my imagination.

"He did?" I asked, feigning surprise. "Did he tell you how to calm an angry fire-elf? Do you know what happens when they touch you? Do you know what you have to put on yourself to stop those effects?"

She stared at me a second before shaking her head slowly. "No, he didn't mention any of those things, except for the second one. They'll burn through your skin if they stay on you long enough."

I nodded. "Yes, Dustfinger may have told you the dangers, but he probably didn't tell you how to avoid them, or remedy them. Figures. He never was very good with details."

She laughed softly. "No, he wasn't, was he?"

I smiled in reply and we sapsed into silence once more, the fire crackling and spitting angirly at me in my hand for making it come out on such a cold night with no wood to feed it. I whispered a quiet apology to it in its language. Then I turned to Isabella.

"You should get some sleep, I'll keep watch. Don't worry, neither Zilo or I mean you any harm. You have my honest word on that. You can even ask Zilo, my honest word counts for something."

Isabella

I yawned slightly as he spoke, suddenly realizing just how tired I was. Leaning back against the tree, I closed my eyes. Ember moved his hand so the fire was closer to me.

My body slid slightly, until my head was resting lightly on Ember's warm shoulder. I was far too tired by this time to move it; besides, he made a nice pillow.

I felt him stiffen slightly as I moved, and his breathing changed. Curious, I wanted to ask him if I should move, but before I could even begin to form the proper thought process, I had fallen asleep.

Jason

He sauntered through the inn, nodding in greeting to those he knew - Motley Folk and regulars alike - before sitting himself down at the bar and smiling across at the innkeeper, "A bottle of your best, Firoki. We're to have a show tonight."

The man raised an eyebrow, "A bottle of my best what?"

Jason shrugged, "When've you known me to mind about those minor details?"

Firoki's smile broadened, "I thought so. A bottle of anything that can pass for ale, then." He reached under the counter and grabbed something at random, sliding the clay jug across the counter to Jason. After a sniff at the drink to make sure it wasn't stale, Jason took a long draught from it, finding, to his dismay, that his nose wasn't as good as he'd assumed.

He grimaced, "Perhaps one of my more foolhardy decisions. Let's hope my judge of character doesn't prove as lacking tonight." He turned in his seat, eyes flicking over the crowd before settling on one woman in particular, who'd removed herself from the others, "Ah. One of those types." He said with a wink at the barman, "They all have a tale to tell, more often than not one worth hearing." Without waiting for a response from his friend, Jason stood up and crossed the room, sitting down opposite the woman and offering her a grin, "Evening miss."

Cyril Miles

Slowly, cautiously the boy settled down with one of the blankets as his sister began to read aloud from a leather-bound book. She had picked the volume at random, reaching deep into the chest and she opened it somewhere near the end.

"Wind and rain lashed at the ground, turning the grass and mud of the field to a death-zone as Sir Polonius Hawk and his men gathered for the final charge. They were out-numbered. Metal scraped as swords were withdrawn from their sheaths and the horses snorted as they slipped on the slick mud. Polonius was grim, his sword held firmly in his hand as he looked to his friends and companions, the men who rode bravely at his side, men who might find their death that day." The girl paused for breath and her brother asked:

"How old was this man?"

Cyril frowned, thinking back, his heart heavy with grief as he was forced to recall just how many good, honourable men were killed that day. His hand shook slightly and despite his better judgement, he took a swig of whiskey.

"He was nineteen during this battle," Cyril said. "It was his first in command and he chose to fight when better men would have fled..."

"That doesn't make sense," the boy scoffed. "How would fleeing have been better?"

"Had he retreated, good men might have lived to fight another day," Cyril said darkly.

"They all died then?" the girl asked in a slightly timid voice. She passed the book to Cyril and pulled her blanket around her, looking at him expectantly. Cyril shook his head and climbed over, into the back of the cart to sit with them. He did not need to read the words from the book. He had told this story many times and lived it, just that once, a long time ago.

"Three men survived and they were to become The Benevolent Queen's honour guard. All of them fought bravely, swords clashing, men screaming as they were cut through. Polonius took a wound to his side and parried a blow that would have sliced his head from his shoulders. His hand was raw from clutching at the hilt and his body sweated and chaffed against the mail he wore. At his side, men fell, downed by razor sharp blades of axes, swords; spiked maces splintering their flesh. Polonius and two others sat astride their horses, forming a triangle, protecting each other's backs. There were eight survivors on the other side, all injured, all as weary and full of battle rage as our three heroes." The final word was bitter in Cyril's mouth but spoken eagerly and respectfully. His tongue had learned to tell of Sir Hawk's accomplishments with awe but his heart could not condone the horror of those deaths.

"So they killed the eight, became honour guards and lived happily ever after, never seeing any real battle again," the boy said scornfully.

"What's your name, lad?" Cyril asked.

"It's Cameron," his sister replied for him, "and I'm Cara."

"Well Cameron. Cara. Indeed one of the men still lives, guarding the queen and her... descendants with his life. But the other two died young, both the victims of Fire-Raiser assassinations." Cyril brightened and closed the book with a soft thud. "But those are both very long stories and if we're to be moving by dawn, we must sleep." Cyril placed the book back into the chest and climbed back over the side of the cart and into the driver's seat.

Raven

When he heard the muffled conversation far down the dark road ahead of him, Raven slowed to a trot, before making for the cover of the scrub that lined the road.

He dismounted his horse, leading Elaine through the night-shrouded brush in an effort to circumvent whatever travellers he had been about to happen upon on the road. Voices meant at least two people, and since he was in the act of fleeing, an encounter in any form wasn't going to be the safer option.

Through the foliage he could make out the forms of a few people making ready to sleep in their wagon. It probably would have been no danger to pass them by, but, again, he was fleeing, and risks simply weren't warranted.

When he had passed them by what he judged was a safe distance, he remounted his horse; letting Elaine take him to what he hoped was a safe distance before he set up his own camp.

It was well into the night by the time he lay down in the cold, cold grass. He left Elain untethered, as she was as well trained as any warhorse and would be safer if left free.

After checking that his staff was within easy reach, Raven drifted off to sleep, dreaming of a world where he could stop running.

Baylanna

I tried to smile, I wasn't good with comunitcating with others it just wasn't my place. He was polite which didn't really happen that often. There probably was a catch there always was a catch.

"Hello." I said softly, the rest of my face covered by my white hood.

"What's brings you here?" He asked, he was smiling.

"That's kind of personal don't you think?" I turned my head to one side, one of my arms reaching for a sword on my side.

Kiara

It was a lonely night but Kiara was determined that tomorrow would be the day. Tomorrow she would find the end of this trail of information and be one step closer to finding her father.

Wind tugged at her white-blond locks, pulling her forwards as Lotus, her chestnut horse, trotted along the path. She held the reigns with ease and was seated side saddle though her legs were covered with loose fitting, practical trousers instead of the skirts of a dress.

The night grew older and colder and with a sigh, Kiara dismounted and fastened Lotus to a tree. She shivered. Very rarely did Kiara spend her nights outside but in the last few years, she had learnt a little of making fires and sleeping below trees. Kiara led Lotus a short way from the road and tied the reigns to a low branch as she began to search for kindling.

Cold pierced through Kiara's clothing and she began to wish that she'd stayed at the last village. She wiped a frustrated tear from her eye and rubbed the sticks together with soft, tender hands unused to work and frozen with cold.

"Please work," Kiara whispered. "Please work this time." She rubbed and rubbed the sticks but to no avail and with a torn sob, she pulled her coat about her and curled up. "I hope you're worth it old man. I hope you're worth another night in the cold," she whispered. If the nights get much colder, if winter advances much further, I will have to travel more slowly again, Kiara decided reluctantly.

Embertongue

I stiffened as Isabella's head touched my shoulder and her breathing slowed. After a minute passed and she didn't move, I twisted my head around and saw that she was already asleep, leaning against me. She began to shiver again as the extinguished the fire and picked her up, carrying her back over to the others.

Setting her down as close to the fire as I dared, I covered her with my blanket and moved over to the closest tree, leaning my back against it and sighing. The others were all asleep, even the tiny marten, who normally would've been up and chasing lizards and small birds at this time of night. Zilo was snoring softly, his mouth halfway open and smiling as if he were having a pleasant dream.

A tiny spark of fire danced across my hand, weaving in and out between my fingers as I watched it glowing brightly in the dark of night. The other fire was growing smaller and would soon have to be fed more wood or else it would be extinguished completely.

I yawned and settled in for another long night.

Shadow Princess:

She opened her eyes slowly to find all we asleep. She got to her feet and went for the woods. She needed to talk to Firoki. She needed to get to the inn and settle there. If the fire raisers were to find her here they'd kill the three that lay around the fire and kidnap her. She didn't need to cause more trouble than she'd already done tonight. After all she shouldn't have done the fire dragon. It could have killed her. She was ready to try again and she needed to go. A branch cracked under her foot and she froze. She looked back slowly and found the others fine. They were resting quite well.

She turned back and ran for it. She heard pursuing foot falls and she didn't look back to see who it was. In minutes her shoulder was grabbed and she was janked back. She fell and the boy, Zilo didn't expect it. He went down with her. "Wha'd you take?" He demanded. His face was hard.

"Nothing," She said. He's face showed he didn't believe her. "Get off me and I'll show you." He pulled himself to his feet and she pulled the cloak from herself. She was still wearing her motley folk dress. She looked down on herself as his mouth dropped open. He didn't realize she was with the montley folk. "I can't take anything. I don't have any place to hide it. Believe me. I probable would have made a lot more noise. I suck at taking things..." She tailed off. It had something to do with being younger and at the castle. She couldn't say it to the boy in front of her.

She looked around and shivered. She shouldn't have done this. She pulled the cloak back. "What are you a dancer for the motley folk?" He asked. He still sounded disbelieving. She huffed out a breath seeing it turn white in the cold. She quickly mumbled out an invite to the fire and it burst in her open hand. His mouth fell open again.

"Okay. I must go. Return to your sleep. I must go." She turned.

"Wait. Where are you going?" He was quite curious about things.

"I'm heading to the inn. I can not stay out in the night too long. You shall see me tomorrow. Now go." She waved him away. He was reluctant at first but obeyed.

*I have posted something in the descution thread. Please read it.*

*Grace*

The rest of the fire-eaters who were traveling with me decided to stay behind for awhile, while I traveled ahead to watch for dangers. The Inn wasn't too far from the Calla Lily Cavern, where our tents were set up. It was only about four hours straight of walking. And I had a horse.

Jonah and I decided to stop at the next chunk of civilization to get food for me and the horse. The ride was about an hour and change, and the food was quick to eat, so we were barely stalled.

The rest of the ride was filled with plans for my 'feature performance', and Jonah's excited chatter. I barely heard a word he said.

The early evening cold was pretty bitter, and, though we were all dressed warmly, by the third hour our toes and noses were numb. So it was just our luck that we passed a woman and a young girl by a small house along the path.

"Miss!" The woman waved back and forth, trying to get my attention. I dismounted the horse and walked over to her.

She was very pretty, I noticed, and her smile was stunning. "Miss, it is quite cold, and I wouldn't want you to freeze. Would you care for lodging here?"

"I'm headed for the Inn of Strolling Players. Can you tell me how far that is from here?"

"Why, Miss, it's only half a mile around that bend down there. Not far at all."

I smiled at her kindness. "It is so nice of you to offer this, but I must go. My friends would worry."

"Well, then, be on your way. Good luck."

We were off and in high spirits. Before long, we were in front of the Inn. I sighed in relief, and headed inside.

Jason

His eyes sparkled a little as she reached for her sword, the action only causing him to grin a little more, "Now really, miss. I mean you no harm, nor do any of the people in this room. However, starting a fight like that could well ruin tonight's atmosphere - there will be a performance by the Motley Folk tonight, and a fight would simply sour it."

He hoped she caught the veiled meaning of his words - that drawing her sword would turn most of the tavern against her. He spread his arms a little, welcomingly, "Besides, I haven't even given you a reason for such...antagonism yet. I just noticed that you weren't talking to anyone, and no one should be allowed to do that in a tavern. It never leads anywhere good." She seemed shock at the amount of useless information he seemed capable of spouting, so he finished, "But I didn't come here to talk about myself, I wanted to here whatever story you had to tell." He smiled, "I'm Jason."

Baylanna-Baliee

He smiled, he still hadn't seen my face yet, which was one of the ups. I didn't mean that I was ugly or aynthing but everyone thought I was dead. EVERYONE. If I revealed myself everyone would know about me, the king would send his best men to come and kill me and I would have just came here for no reason but to get myself killed. I didn't trust anyone but I could at least be friendly.

"Baliee." I said. I finally had enough courage to smile. My hand rested at my sides no longer gripping my sword. I finally gripped the top of my hood, and I pulled it down. Jason's eyes went into shock as he saw me.

"As in Baylanna? No offence but your suppose to be.... dead." He said a little shaken.

"You don't say. But your the only who knows I'm here. Don't tell anyone else and keep your bloody voice down." I said to him.

"Why have you come back?" He asked, not rudely he didn't know me I didn't know him. I guess I was a ledgend in this place.

"Is the king still alive?" I asked staring up at him.

"Yes." He said still staring. I'm guess it was because the left side of my face was covered with markings.

"I... need to find him." I said.

*Grace*

I stood on my tiptoes as I watched Julianna blow fire-kisses, Randall set his nails on fire, and Joel give himself a fire-mohawk.

Jonah could sense my tension. "It'll be okay. You're amazing. Everyone will be wowed."

Blazefinger came onto the stage just then. "And now, our best, and feature, performer. You may have seen her before. Her flexibility will astound you, and her skill with fire seems like a hallucination."

I rolled my eyes.

"Presenting... The Girl of Grace!"

I stepped onto the stage.

Isabella

I was startled awake at the sound of footsteps. Zilo was up, and running after the other woman who had joined us.

"Ember," I whispered quickly, getting up and hurrying over to where he slept. I was afraid to wake him, but more afraid of what was going on with Zilo and the Shadow Princess. "Ember, wake up," I shook him slightly.

"Hmm...?" he looked at me, a hint of irritation in his deep blue eyes. "What is it?"

"That girl, the Shadow Princess, just ran off, and Zilo followed her..." I replied. He nodded, keeping his eyes on me. Silently, I wondered if he was upset with me for waking him, or if he thought I was being stupid.

Shadow Princess:

She stepped into the inn with a smile to the man beside the door. He nodded and she continued on her way to the bar. She sat down quietly on the stole and waited for the innkeeper to notice her. "Why, if it isn't our mysterious guest of all the performers." He gave a smile of teasing.

"Hello Firoki. I'm not here preform tonight though. I have to talk to you." She leaned over the counter and looked him in the eyes. He nodded solemnly and then changed to tactics as she looked at the performer on stage. She had beauty and skill. Probable a bit better than her but not as aggressive.

"Come on. We'll talk but only if you preform." She turned back to him, her eyes piercing. "Oh come and give us a show. Once more." His smile grew with mistchiff. She huffed with annoyance as she looked to a far corner of inn. A girl and a boy. The boy looked almost stupefied. She gave a smile and looked back to Firoki.

"Fine. But you must agree to your word and spread the word of the invite." She slid the white paper over the counter. He looked down on it for a second and gave a nod. When he looked up she was already heading for the stage.

"Great performance...." She looked up at the younger girl as she headed off stage with a smile of pleasure. She saw her and gave another smile.

"Grace. Everyone calls me Grace." The princess nodded with a smile.

"I guess it's my turn." She said as the girl with black hair continued on her way to a little glass man. How interesting.

She stepped onto the stage and pulled off her cloak. She shivered once and saw the line of fire eaters that were waiting for her to get it over with. She gave a smile and ran her hand in the air so she saw it as her hand going over there heads. A flame emanated just above their heads and the most of the crowd gasped with an awkward aw. The flam flared as the performers looked up and their playing with their fire was over as they cried and ducked down.

Giving a smile she lifted a hand the flames turned into ribbons as they danced through the room. "Grace. Have a go and jump in." She glanced at the girl and her brown eyes lit up with excitement and she walked slowly out into an open space between the crowded tables. She began her dance and the ribbons found their way to encircle her and after a short dance they broke from her as she continued her dance. They flew to the candles and with one quick burst the candles flamed and went out. All of them.

Most gasped as they lost sight but ribbons of fire came again and started to flicker as they encircled the girl of Grace ad she continued her dance. She was illuminated in the oddest way but it was entertaining. After Grace finished she stopped and looked towards the stage. Shadow summoned the fire to circle around the guests. The women from the corner pulled her hood up quickly as she could as the fire circled them. And with one quick flick from Shadow the fire obeyed and the candles flickered back on. Everyone broke into applaud and turned to either Grace or Shadow. She gave a smile and thought, There's your help for getting to the top. Hope I helped. She left the stage and sat down at an empty table.