Drest paused to catch his breath, watching the mist cloud stream away from his nose and mouth and disappear after a few moments. This was it, his first real trip on his own. Sure, there was the process of actually getting to the northern area, accomplished by paying passage on a boat in Serendipity and gradually working his way north on a variety of other ships. Sometimes he had paid for the trip, sometimes he had worked for his passage - either way, it had brought him to Hyoite without too much trouble. The young man had traveled with others heading north, but now he was on his own, a day's walk west of the village of Hyoite for which the reason was named.
He wasn't cold, although the temperatures were quite possibly the coldest he had ever experienced. Careful focus and breath regulation allowed him to use fire magic to warm his body, keeping him nice and warm. Hopefully he could do the same thing when it was freezing cold, but for now, the fire magic was comfortable. Shifting the pack on his back and checking to make sure the harness to the sledge he was pulling wasn't tangled, he set off again across the barren landscape. He had been informed that there was a temporary village near here where he could trade for further supplies and get and idea of what to do next, but first the young man had to find it. A faint trail was his only guide, but he was getting tired and would have to stop soon and make camp, despite the fact that the sun was still high in the sky. "Can't be lost. Just can't be." he muttered stubbornly to himself, focusing on the trail at his feet. The settlement was close by, he knew it...he was just walking slow due to the unfamiliar territory that's all, and it was taking him longer to reach it than directed. He wasn't lost at all!
She stood very still, meticulously examining the end of the muddy hoof-print trail she had been following for the past hour. Even in the summer the tundra's temperatures were cold enough to freeze the earth and snow, making tracking a nasty challenge. 'Left or right Zurna?' she thought swiveling her head slowly in each direction.
Listening closely she detected the faint sound of snow crunching to her right. Looking in that direction she noted a bulky shape moving behind one of the snowbanks. 'It's an easy 200 yards. I can hit that.'
Swiftly and silently she assumed an archer's stance, notching a green feathered arrow into place. "Remember to breathe," she quoted under breath. Then, with the exhale, she let the bow sing, her arrow flying straight and true.
Of course that would be the moment the figure would step into view revealing not an elk, but a person. Her heart leaped into her throat as she took off in a dead run towards the figure. "Look out!" she screamed. 'Reason number fifty-six why I hate summer.'
In. Out. In. Out. Drest kept his breathing steady as he picked a path across the half-frozen ground, trying to choose a route that wouldn't yield too many bumps while keeping him close to the faint trail he was following. As such, he had his head down, figuring that he would easily hear any predators coming before they attacked. He had figured wrong. "Look out!" a shrill cry caught his attention, and the young man barely had time to register that he was being attacked before his instincts took over, his body dropping straight to the ground. He lay motionless for a moment, slowly piecing together that someone had apparently shot an arrow at him, then yelled at him to look out. Wait. That made no sense.
Surging to his feet, Drest threw back his hood and faced his attacker, ripping off one thick mitt and summoning a fireball the size of his fist which hovered above his bare palm. "What in Kaldar are you doing?!" he roared in Common, focusing completely on his attacker. No, he didn't really want to use his magic, but a little intimidation might prevent a full-out brawl if he was smart about it.
Running up to the enraged figure she began to apologize profusely. "Oh Ansgar, are you alright? I didn't mean to, honest. Are you hurt? Did I hit you? I'm so sorry I thought you were the elk I've been tracking. I meant no harm," she rambled.
The fireball in the man's hand never even registered as a threat to her. Zurna was too busy apologizing in earnest to see his aggression. Feeling guilty, she began to run her hands along his arms and chest checking for injury.
"I'm so sorry," she moaned as she began to cry great hiccuping sobs. "I'm such a fool! I could have killed you. Please forgive me," she begged before starting the round of apologies all over again.
Drest stiffened as the would-be attacker rushed up to him, half-expecting a blade to appear in their hand. But no, they were...apologizing? And wait, his attacker was a girl?! He had seen a few female hunters in the main village, but hadn't thought much of them at the time. "Uh...Well, if it was an accident..." he mumbled, honestly having no idea what he was trying to say. The fact that she had mistaken him for an elk was both somewhat funny and rather angering, but the young man was too confused to make much of it. His fireball fizzled out as the girl began to run her hands over him, bare hand dropping limply to his side.
"I'm fine, I think." he muttered, trying to make sense of the bizarre situation he found himself in. "H-Hey! I said I'm fine!" Drest yelped as the girl began to sob and apologize at the same time, pulling away from her slightly. Was it because he had gotten angry that she was crying? Or was she just overly emotional? More confused than ever, the red-head stared at the huntress for a few moments, then frowned.
"Hey now, stop that. I'm fine, see?" he said loudly over her crying, wiggling out of the sledge harness and pack before doing a slow circle for her she she could see for herself. "Besides, it'll take more than an arrow to finish me off." he boasted, tugging his mitt back on and facing her again. "And...it was an accident, so I guess I forgive you." he added, looking away over the tundra. He didn't really like saying that, but she had asked for forgiveness. Maybe now she would stop that pointless crying.
Zurna sniffled one last time as she wiped the quickly freezing tears from her face. "I really am sorry," she repeated more calmly. "It's just I'm excellent shot and I haven't..." she paused nervously licking her lips. "I haven't made a mistake like that in a long time. If you hadn't moved," she informed him, bowing her head, "you would be dead."
For a moment she paused in reflection, her face haunted by the past. "Where are my manners? I'm Zurna Nali," she stated cheerily with a twinkle in her eye. "After surviving being shot at, I think you deserve a drink. If you can stand my company, I would be willing to provide you with one." Then with a laugh she added, "I promise not to shoot you, again."
Good, she had calmed down. Drest didn't know what he would have done if she had kept on crying - he really wasn't good around females, especially hysterical ones. "Then it's a good thing I moved, 'cause I'd hate to be dead." he replied with a faint smile, stooping to pick his pack off the snowy ground and putting it on without the weight tipping him over. "I'm Drest Teine, of Serendipity." he responded, glancing up from buckling the sledge harness back on. She probably had no idea where that was, but he stated his home country anyway. It showed just how far he had come.
"Yeah, I think I definitely deserve a drink after that." he echoed, facing her fully and finally taking a closer look at Zurna. She was pretty, he supposed, although it was hard to tell with all the clothing she wore. Drest smirked at her last comment, asking, "So there's a village nearby, then? I was told there was a temporary one in this area. Or is it just a camp you've made?" Drink or no drink, finding out exactly where he was was important if he was going to make it on his own.
"A pleasure to make your acquaintance Drest. You are an awful long way from home. I hope it is not due to misfortune. So many people come here to escape old lives. You never know who you will meet next in the tundra," she said knowingly.
"I wouldn't exactly call it village. My family and I live together in a close-knit circuit of tents. That way when the men or women leave there is always someone to look after the children. I guess most people mistake us for a village because of how many of us there. I can't really explain it; you'll just have to see for yourself."
Zurna paused to look at him. He wasn't really that much bigger in size than her. 'If he plans to stay in Sionad, he's going to want to toughen up. Although, I bet he is not all that he seems to be.' Her gaze finally rested on his hands. "Aren't you cold?" she queried. 'He's insane! I know Serendipity is a lot warmer than here. But that's ridiculous'
"Here, I can lend you my wrap until we get home," she added removing her hood and beginning to unwind her outermost wrap. "I'm not going to waste a good drink on someone who's going to be half frozen to death by the time he gets it," she teased.
"Nope, I came here due to choice, not misfortune. My family is in pretty good standing, I think." he replied honestly. The Teine line he was a part of had two successful (or at least loyal) soldiers to its name, as well as priest. Getting out from under the shadow of his family was one of the reasons why he left - the main reason, if he was perfectly honest with himself. But dwelling on the past wasn't why he was here.
"I see..." he muttered. So was it one large family? That would be a big family then, if the tents were numerous enough to resemble a village. Drest tipped his head sideways in puzzlement as Zurna stared at him, trying to figure out what was wrong. Did he look that odd to her, with his pale skin and red hair?
"Uh...Oh, no, no. I'm fine. I'm not cold at all!" he exclaimed, waving his hands dismissively. He had thought he had worn lots of clothes, but apparently not. "Watch this." Tugging off a mitt - which apparently wasn't thick enough - the young man held his palm face up and focused for a moment. A small fireball bloomed not far above his bare skin, crackling and flickering in the cool air. "I'm a fire mage, see? I can use fire magic to keep my body warm, even in a place like this. So I won't freeze on you before I get that drink." he explained with a smile, watching Zurna closely to see what her reaction might be.
Zurna began to laugh, readjusting her hood. "Very well then." Watching the fire in his hand she said, "I guess the fire mage comes from your fae ancestors. I have heard legends that Serieans are long-distant descendents of the fae. Then again, you hear so many tales up this far north you can never tell what is the truth or not. Come, we should get started home. If we hurry we can make it in time for lunch. It's about a half mile that way," she informed him, pointing back in the direction she had come from. "If we're lucky I may even catch that elk after all," she impishly smiled.
Retrieving her errant arrow, she put it away and began to trudge back up the way she came, eyes open for the missing elk. "Is it too soon to be asking why you have come to the tundra? I wouldn't exactly describe it as the most exciting of places or the most beautiful for that matter. I'm sure your homeland has much more culture than mine. Oh," she sighed, "what I would give to see it!"
Flicking the fireball out with a turn of his wrist, Drest checked everything a final time and started to walk in the indicated direction, falling into a steady pace that would allow him to talk without slowing down too much. "That legend happens to be true, from everything I've head." he confirmed with a nod. "My family, or at least my father's side, is descended from fae of some sort, and we get our magic from them. That's where my gold eyes come from too." It seemed to him that most people with fae ancestry had odd eye colours, but he didn't have any real proof that was true. To him, gold or silver eyes were just a fact of life.
Elk...he had never had elk, but it sounded good. Lunch sounded wonderful as well, considering he hadn't eaten since breakfast hours ago and he had been on the move since then. Drest's expression darkened at the question of why he was there, but he answered quietly after a few moments. "I had to get away from everything - from my family, from society, from all of it. I want to make some sort of name for myself without any help from my family's reputation or connections, and I couldn't do that back home. I want to live life my own way, you know?"
Drest glanced over at Zurna in surprise at the longing in her voice, then looked away, considering a reply. "I'm sure Serendipity has a lot more culture than your people, and I know my home is more populated than here. You may say that this place isn't exciting, but to me it is." He gestured to the snowbanks all around them, continuing, "I've never seen so much snow before I came here. And we don't have elk at home, either. But if you really want to see my homeland...maybe I can take you sometime." The young man was half-joking, since he didn't really believe Zurna would leave her family behind to see the world like he was doing.
She smiled as he fell into step with her and told her the legends were true. Zurna had loved stories of different lands since her childhood. Not much had changed since then.
Her smile faded as she listened to him talk of his family. "I do know," she commiserated, "Probably better than you think. I am the youngest of my siblings and the only daughter. There is sixty years difference between my eldest brother and I. A lot of expectations come to those who are the youngest. Why can't you be like your brothers? or We only want to protect you. It's always the same. It's why I was out hunting today. Sometimes it's necessary to just escape from it all. Although, you're braver than I, I worry too much about disappointing my family to actually leave." Then with conviction and pride she added, "But, one day I will."
She listened as he praised her homeland. "I guess that is just something we will have to agree to disagree on. Live your whole life here and you would see, this is all there is," she said looking out towards the horizon. "That is a kind offer Drest, perhaps one day I will take you up on it," she stated smiling at him softly.
It was then that just past him, a mere fifty paces from them was the elusive elk. "If you keep quiet and hold still, there just might be elk on the fire tonight," she whispered. With all the practiced ease of an experienced hunter she notched the bow, preparing to fire.
"I'm the youngest of three brothers, although the middle son is adopted." he replied as they trekked along through the tundra. "Did you just say sixty?!" he asked in astonishment, slowly to a near halt as he stared at Zurna. That was a massively long time - he was old enough to be her father at least, if not her grandfather. "Well, er...there's not that big a gap between Mael and I - just seventeen years. But sixty...that's incredible. If he adding was right, that would put her eldest brother as being older than his father.
"None of my family took it badly when i told them I was leaving. If they were disappointed in me, they didn't show it." At least, nothing of that sort came through in the letters he had received from Mael and Morcant, and while his father had been surprised, he had understood. Drest didn't really miss them, not now. There was too big of an age gap between him and his brothers to feel really close to them, and his father had often been away while he was growing up. Seeing her confidence, he nodded. "You'll get away, someday."
"I guess we each see our homeland as plain and un-changing. I know I saw Serendipity that way, even though it had a whole range of features, from mountains in the north to river-plains farther south and the ocean to the east." he added after a long look around at the landscape he was standing in. It was different here, which was exactly why he had come.
The young man froze as Zurna spoke, realizing that the elk must be directly behind him. He debated trying to kneel and let the huntress take a clean shot, but she appeared to have a good shot already so he stood still. It was slightly unnerving, having a bow and arrow pointed a little ways out from his head, but he doubted the girl was lying about her prey just so she could shoot him. She seemed too sincere for that kind of lying.
Just before Zurna fired, the ever-present biting wind changed directions, sending her once downwind scent, upwind towards the elk. Startled the large creature looked up and bellowed in fear upon seeing the humans. It was this moment that Zurna shot. Unfortunately, the elk chose that same moment to flee and the arrow missed it's intended target. Instead of an instantaneous death, the creature was struck in the flank and fell, bellowing in pain.
"Blastich!" she cursed, realizing her mistake. She swiftly moved over to the flailing beast. "If you want to get close mind its head and feet. He'll knock you clean of your feet if you don't," she warned Drest, not really paying attention to what he was doing. "Besa, besa," she crooned to the hurting animal. "Shh, all will be righted friend." She stared it in the eye, fighting back tears of anger as she did so. Carefully she straddled the elk's middle. It bleated at her and thrashed its head. She smiled sadly, running her hand over its furry cheek and towards its antlers. Meanwhile, her right hand reached behind her for her dagger. Effortlessly she yanked its head up and slit its throat, giving it the humane death she had failed to do with her arrow.
"I'm sorry friend that I made you suffer," she whispered, closing its eyes. "Two misses in one day, this certainly is not my day." She moved to the side of the creature and pressed her forehead to the snowy ground uttering a quick prayer of thanks.
"Well," she said rising and looking at Drest, "hopefully that's the last of the excitement for today. I would hate to see what a third shot would do. First you and now this. My luck I'll end up shooting myself. Not that that is an invitation," she added eyes raised to the sky.
"My home is just beyond that snowbank. If you can help me lift this, I will be able to carry it there." Picking up the creature was always the hardest part for her. In her defense the things was bigger than she was. "All we have to do is get it on my back and I can take it from there. I would rather not have to drag it. It's disrespectful to the kill."
Due to having his back to the elk, Drest didn't realize they had been started until the creature let out a bellow of fear, startling him and making him jump slightly. Luckily, his sudden movement didn't distract Zurna, and she fired smoothly. Turning once it seemed fit to do so, the young man stared at the elk, noticing the similarity between it and a male deer. Unfortunately, it seemed badly wounded and in a great deal of anger, so the mage stood well back as Zurna approached. He did smirk at her curse, but sobered as it became clear what she was going to do. There wasn't much he could do to help - most of the magic he knew resulted in a far bloodier death than she probably wanted, and he wasn't familiar enough with killing a wild animal to assist in the deed.
He looked at the ground while the girl paid her respects, feeling awkward. Drest occasionally prayed to the gods, but he wasn't a firm believer like his older brother. Hopefully nothing bad would result from that, but only time would tell. "I'd say you're just having an off day, since I doubt the gods are that angry with you. Bad days happen to everyone." he said rather dismissively, moving to hoist part of the elk carcass off the snowy ground. "Who knows, maybe a third shot would hit its target dead on." he added with a faint smile. The young man would have offered his sledge to transport the elk, but since dragging apparently was disrespectful, he kept his mouth shut and helped Zurna lift the elk onto her back. At least they were nearly at her home - that drink was looking better by the minute.
Zurna smiled at his comment about the gods. "I do not really blame them, it is more out of habit than actual belief, at least in this case. Out here we have each of us with our own religion. A Sheppard does not pray to the same gods as the Fisherman. It is just the way it is out here. We have a few set gods that we all acknowledge, but beyond that it's your own beliefs. My own family has barely any religion save myself and my Connlaothian sister-in-law. Although for her it is more," she moved her hands like she was cutting something, "structured I guess. She says the way I pray is appalling and disrespectful." Conspiratorially she leaned closer to him and whispered "there are days I pray to Angsar just to anger her. She just gets on my nerves so much."
Looking up, Zurna smiled to see her home just beyond the snowbank. As she came over the hill she turned to Drest to catch his reaction. About thirty tents were circled around the largest of them all. Every one of them with their own pillar of smoke rising into the frigid air. To her this was home. For one of the first times in many years, her entire immediate family was gathered in one place. The nieces and nephews and their families were off in their own family gatherings. It was just her brothers, their wives, their young unmarried children, and her parents. In the distance she saw her brothers exiting their tents to greet her. "Welcome to my home, Drest!"
Drest listened with mild interest about the religious system of the region, nodding occasionally to show that he was paying attention. Morcant would probably find this incredibly fascinating, but not him. He smirked at her comment about praying to Angsar just to annoy a relative. "Good for you. I suggest you keep it up. From what I understand, Serendipity religion isn't as structured as the Connlaothian one, but we do have a loose structure." he stated, eyes narrowing in thought.
"My homeland's gods and goddesses are a mix of old rural ones and newer ones people came up with when cities became more popular. People pray to whatever deity they choose depending on where they live. My older brother Morcant would know more - he's a priest to Han'vash, God of Creation and Destruction. I guess my eldest brother and father pray as well, but I'm not to familiar with the warrior gods outside of Kia." Despite the fact that she was carrying a full-grown elk on her back, Zurna still managed to get to the top of the hill before him. Puffing slightly, he reached her a few moments later, grateful for the chance to catch his breath. And then he saw the settlement.
"Wow." was all Drest could think to say at first. he hadn't expected a settlement so large. No wonder people had mistaken it for a small village. Realizing he was gawking, the young man blinked and made a poor attempt as acting cool. "This is pretty impressive, Zurna. Your family is huge." His expression warmed slightly as he turned to look at her. "Thanks for taking me here." He might not have been able to find it on his own.
She smiled at his awe and praise. "Thank you," she said humbly bowing her head. "It has been my privilege to journey with you here." Up ahead the snow crunched and crackled under the running feet of her youthful brothers. The youngest set of triplets-Ville, Washint, and Xalam-reached her first closely followed by the youngest of the twenty-five boys, Yotar.
Zurna gently placed her burden on the ground before standing and handing a short hunting knife to Yotar, "Your turn to clean it, squirt," she laughed before being tightly embraced by the identical boys.
"Looks like good hunting, sister!" they said in unison before pointing and laughing at each other.
"How long did you practice that for?" Zurna queried.
She then joined them in the reply, "I don't know what you are talking about it!"
The exchange was a game they had played since they were little. The triplets had always had a tendency for doing things together.
"Zurna," called Yotar from the ground. "Were you cold? You spilled the blood."
"I had an accident. In fact I am being very rude." She turned towards Drest. "This fine fellow is owed a drink. I seem to have nearly shot him. Boys, this is Drest. Drest these are some of my brothers." She pointed to each and named them. "I'll go get you that drink," she said beginning to walk away.
"So.....,"
"What are you doing with-"
"-our sister," the trio asked in sequence with arms crossed. On the ground Yotar just shook his head, listening intently to the coming response.
Drest nodded at Zurna's words, hearing them but being more focused on the rapid approach of a bunch of males - her older brothers, he supposed. He stood back slightly from them as they embraced and greeted each other, reflecting on the differences between his family and hers. Sure, his older brothers would be happy to see him if he ever returned, but he doubted there would be any of the joking this family clearly enjoyed. So he stood silently by until he was introduced. "Hey there." he said firmly, nodding to each of her brothers in turn. Now it was time to prove himself.
Drawing himself up to his full height and hoping he didn't look too much like a southern fool with his laden pack and sledge, he faced the triplets and stared them in the eye. "She found me wandering out on the tundra." he started. "I'm a traveler, and I was heading for this place when I lost my way a little. Zurna found me and agreed to guide me here." There, simple and honest. Hopefully that would be enough to dispel any naughty thoughts the brothers may be thinking about him. If not, well, he was ready to explain himself further if need be.
"Nice try buddy," the middle triplet said. Together the three stepped closer to Drest, moving to corner him.
"He's about as good a liar as Z," the leftmost one, Washinit, said.
"You see, Drest, Zurna never misses a shot. For her to say she almost shot you, either means you were wearing a pair of antlers on your head or she's lying," Xalam added. "Since I do not see any antlers, that must mean she is lying. Care to try again?"
Behind them, Yotar snickered. "Explain why the throat is slit then?" he piped up, challenging his brothers. While he had no qualms about making the stranger uncomfortable, he refused to believe his sister was truly incapable of fallibility.
The trio shared a brief moment of silent exchanges before nodding in unison and diving back in. Vile led them in verbal defense. "You know sister, Yotar. She is always preforming some obscure ritual. She is far more devout than the rest of us. Who knows what she gets up to these days.
"Now," he said turning back to Drest. You were saying?" In the distance, Zurna exited the main family tent. In her hands she carried a large full waterskin. Her steps quickened as she noticed her brothers circling Drest.
'I leave them alone for but a moment and already they circle about him like wolves.'
Drest remained unimpressed as the three surrounded him. Yeah, they may have been taller and more fit than him, but he had dealt with guys like this before. He wasn't intimidated at all by them. And besides, he had an advantage they didn't. At least, he didn't think they knew any magic. Time to find out. "I think you should stop thinking of your sister as infallible." he shot back in return, tugging off his mitts. No, he wasn't preparing for a fist-fight, unless one of the triplets wanted to start one. He just didn't want to singe his mitts.
Generating a small fireball, he began to toss it from hand to hand, ignoring the brothers. "I admit, she's a great shot, but she's only human. People miss sometimes." he commented. "Lucky she did, because if she never missed like you claim, she would have been bringing a dead body back to camp instead of a dead elk." Drest glanced up at one of them and smirked, adding. "I doubt I'm as tasty as that elk, anyway."
Zurna arrived for Drest's tail-end of the argument and was therefore able to stop her brothers from continuing their current intimidation efforts. "I'd be careful if I were you with statements like that. These three will eat just about anything, and I mean anything."
Shouldering her way through the boys, she was able to finally reach her guest and hand him the wineskin. Zurna pulled it back right before Drest was able to grasp it. "I warn you, this is very strong and very smooth. I advise you to drink it fast and only drink a little bit of it. Believe me, you wouldn't want to look like those idiots," she teased, jutting her thumb behind her. "Unfortunately, their condition is permanent. But still, I would hate for you to suffer that even temporarily. There is no knowing how short a time period it takes before you are stuck that way for life."
Smiling, she at last handed him the skin and not a minute too soon. In retaliation for her earlier jibes, the triplets tackled her to the ground and began to mock-wrestle about. Despite the odds, Zurna did hold her own, especially when the boys began to turn on each other. Wiggling her way out of it, the boys oblivious continued rolling about.
"Well now that you have met the craziest members of my family, how would you like to come inside by the fire and meet the eldest?" Zurna pointed back towards the large main tent. "As soon as Yotar is finished cleaning up the elk we can begin cooking. It won't take long before we eat, you are more than welcome to join us if you are hungry," she invited him warmly.
"Good thing you missed, then." Drest replied with a light smirk, letting the fireball sputter out. The mitts remained off since his hands were still plenty warm, and it would be easier to hold the wineskin that way. He took in Zurna's instructions with a silent nod, smiling faintly at the glares her brothers were shooting her once the insults started. His family would never joke around like this, so it was fun to be around people who did. "Short and fast. Got it." he said, accepting the wineskin with a wider smile.
Backing off a little as a mock-fight broke out, Drest raised the wineskin to his lips and took a very short sip. Even with swallowing quickly, the drink burned in his mouth, taking his breath away and making him cough a little. Yep, it was indeed strong. Nonetheless, he took another drink, telling himself he would get used to the taste. Hopefully. He had earned this, after all.
"Sure." he agreed with a nod. The triplets were nice and all, but some more normal people would definitely be welcome. "Just tell me where I can put my stuff and I'll come in." The tent looked huge, but bringing his sledge and pack inside was probably a rude thing to do.
"Ah, don't worry about that. We have a place we keep our packs and things. I'll show you where you can put your stuff before we head in," she told him already leading him towards the large family tent. Sure enough as they approached an overhang to the left made itself more visible. Underneath it a few other packs could be seen. For the most part it remained pretty empty. "Most of my brothers are still out on the fishing boats," was her explanation for the space.
Zurna dumped her warm wrap off once she was inside. Her eyes adjusted quickly revealing the large family fire in the center of the tent. The spacious tent had several sections to it where different family members were congregating. The elders were currently sitting to one side, the women mending nets and the men smoking their pipes and talking of the past.
She was just about to introduce her guest to her family a pair of twin squeals came at her from the left. "Aunt Z!" Aliyah and Cara raced over to their aunt. Zurna laughed, hugging each close. "Who's he?" Aliyah asked pointing at the stranger. The more wary one, Cara, hid behind her twin, nervously peaking out.
"This is my new friend Drest. Say hello girls." Cara stuck her hand out waved it slightly and then quickly retracted it, still refusing to come out of hiding. "I'm Aliyah!" the other twin said brightly, "and that's my sister Cara. She's a baby though so don't 'spect to be talkin' to 'er." From the girls deteriorated from excited politeness into squabbling.
Zurna just rolled her eyes. "They're Yotar's little ones. Cara is shy and Aliyah constantly teases her for it. We get some but not many visitors here." She shrugged as if to say, what can you do. "My mother and father," she pointed out, "Minali and Trafford. And of course my grumpy eldest brothers Atenteben and Birbyn?." She turned away and in turn introduced her family to Drest.
"Welcome young man," Minali greeted, a smile crinkling her weathered face. "I hope you will be able to stay and share our hearth for a meal. It is too cold to just pass through so quickly. Winter is quickly approaching you know. Autumn is too quick a season here," she jested, the family chuckling along knowingly.
Drest followed Zurna towards the family tent, taking it in with interest. It was nothing like the home he had grown up in, but he supposed it suited this family's lifestyle. "I see." he muttered, taking in the empty space with a glance. Choosing a spot where his things would be out of the way but hopefully still accessible should more people come, he maneuvered his sledge into the space and balanced his pack carefully on top of it. "Ahhh, much better..." he breathed, stretching his arms about his head and rolling his shoulders.
Entering the tend behind the young woman, Drest took in the scene, glancing curiously around at everything. When the twins approached, he gave them both a hesitant nod of greeting. "Nice to meet you both." he responded politely. Ah, sibling fights. Another rarity in his household.
He nodded and murmured a greeting to each person he was introduced to, doing his best to be polite and not show his nervousness. "Thank you for allowing me into your home." he responded, giving Minali a warm smile. "I would love to stay and enjoy a meal with your family." Stepping back, he took another quick drink from the wineskin, doing his best not to wince as the taste hit. He smiled at the comment about a quick fall, knowing that if he was surprised by the weather now, he would be shocked once winter hit.
Zurna smiled to herself at the way Drest treated her family and picked up Cara to tickle her, much to the young one's displeasure. Putting the girl down again, she was just in time to notice the stranger's partaking of the wineskin again. "Careful with that," she quietly warned. "You don't want to be getting sick."
She walked over to the pot hanging over the fire and stirred it a few times while peering within. "Ah good, dinner should be ready soon. Just waiting on the meat now." The young woman sent a pleased smile in Drest's direction before sitting down on a pile of furs near the fire. "Why don't you come sit down. We could talk a bit while we wait," she motioned to him and patted the spot beside her. The moment she was down though the twins converged on her, each fighting for her lap until they were comfortably settled. "So Drest, where were you headed off to when I found you? Anywhere in particular?"
Drest grunted in response and decided to simply hold onto the wineskin for now. Zurna was right, there was no sense in making himself sick. He could always have water or some other drink if he go thirsty. he awkwardly shuffled after her as she moved to check the pot, still looking curiously around the tent. Some of her family members were examining him as well, but he supposed that was natural - how often did they see a red-haired and golden-eyed young man out here? Probably not too often.
Grateful for something to focus on, the young mage quick settled beside Zurna, giving the twins a hesitant smile. "I was actually headed for this camp when you found me." he admitted, switching his attention to the young woman. "I had heard this would be a good place to stock up on supplies and get a rest before heading out onto the tundra." No, he wasn't about to admit he had gotten slightly lost along the way. He had just taken an alternate route, that's all.
"I'm an adventurer, you see, and I came to Hyoite with the intent to explore as much as I could. I want to see the world, and I figured coming here first was a good place to start." Drest said with a touch of pride in his voice. His father and older brothers had never left Serendipity, so travelling was one way to prove he was just as good as they were.
"Ah I see," she replied softly. "Although, if you wanted to see the world, I don't know why you wanted to start here. You've seen this, you've seen it all." Zurna motioned to the doorway that led back outside. "I'm sure somewhere like, oh I don't know, Essyrn would have more beauty and culture to it than Hyoite. There is nothing to do here but freeze."
Cara giggled before hiding her face once she realized she had drawn attention to herself. Zurna smiled softly and petted her hair. Aliyah on the other hand was blatantly staring at Drest. Her large child's eyes trying to almost see through him as she took in his strange hair and eyes.
Standing up the girl looked him intensely in the face before declaring quite loudly for all to hear, "you're weird!" Her aunt's head shot up to stare in both disapproval and shock. "Oy! Pint-size, settle down."
"But, Aunt Sir, he is! Look at him his eyes are all shiny."
"Aliyah, don't be rude," the other twin joined in. "I think he's pretty." Blushing heavily, she smiled at Drest shyly.
Drest shrugged and didn't reply at once. He had his own reasons for coming here first - it was far away from his family, and his fire magic would prove to be an advantage here. So what if it was cold and barren. He'd had enough of trees and tall buildings for now. "It's different here. I want to experience new stuff, not the same thing wrapped in a different culture." he muttered at last, more to himself than his audience.
Aliyah's stare did catch his attention, however, and he stared right back at her. Clearly, she wasn't afraid of or bothered by him, unlike her sister and relatives. Which was good, he supposed, depending on what she did with her life. Her comments made him smile, and he shook his head towards the aunt who spoke. "No, it's alright. I'm not insulted." It was a natural reaction after all. A faint blush appeared on his face at the sister's words, and he sat back and coughed to cover his embarrassment. That he hadn't been expecting. The young man shot a quick glance at Zurna to see if she had reacted at all to either statement, then stared at the wineskin in his hand for a moment.
Recovering slightly, he looked up and smiled at the twins. "Gold eyes run in my family." he explained. "My father and eldest brother have them too. My hair colour comes from Mother's side of the family, though."
Zurna did not like her niece's discriminatory comment one bit. It reminded her too much of the girl's mother, a woman who had countless times discussed her distaste for Zurna and others based on appearance and status. However, her heart was gladdened by Cara's sweet chastising of her own twin sister.
The young woman ran her fingers through the child's hair and hugged her close. "I agree Cara," she softly stated as she looked Drest in the eye. "He is pretty." From her place, Aliyah squawked and began to throw a temper tantrum. One look from Zurna though sent her to her bedroll on the other end of the tent.
"I'm sorry about that. You should not be treated so poorly by a child no less for being different. Her poor behavior is learned from her mother, who in many ways is just as much a child as she." The woman shook her head and sighed. "They just don't really understand I guess. I'm sorry."
Cara slipped out of her aunt's lap and to the surprise of the woman firmly plopped herself in Drest's. "If your brother's and daddy have shiny eyes like you Mister Dwessed, what color eyes does your mommy have? Are they pretty too?" she asked in her child's voice, looking up at the man in awe.
The normally painfully shy girl seemed right at home cuddled up with the stranger. While the rest of the family did not seem to notice or really be concerned with it as they continued their business, Zurna could not help the smile that was twitching at the corner of her lips. "What magical power is this that possess kind stranger that you have taken our little mouse and made her into a lion? I have never seen Cara leave my side when with strangers, let alone sit in their lap and willingly start a conversation. You are amazing indeed!"
Drest's cheeks went red again at Zurna's comment, unable to break eye contact until she looked away to deal with Aliyah. She thought he was pretty! That was...well, it was unexpected yet wonderful to hear. Realizing that the young woman was speaking again, the mage quickly focused his attention on her. "It's fine, really. I'll probably be getting lots of comments like that when I travel to other places." He paused a frowned slightly, thinking. "As you said, it was something she learned from her mother, so she really doesn't know any better. I can't be upset at her for that."
The frown quickly disappeared when Cara settled in his lap, caused Drest to freeze in shock for a moment. What was he supposed to do now? He had never really interacted with children much growing up, so had never learned how to act around them. Thankfully, the child's question saved him from doing anything embarrassing. "Um...blue. Blue like the sky." he answered, smiling sadly down at her. The memory of his mother's sparkling blue eyes and ready smile was a bittersweet one, but there was no need to tell Cara that. "And yes, they are very pretty. Just like yours!" he added, tapping the girl gently on the nose with a finger.
Relaxing enough to hold Cara in a loose embrace, Drest smiled back at Zurna. "That is a question I'd also like answer to!" he joked in return. He was just as surprised that the girl was so comfortable with him, someone she hadn't enough known half an hour. Still, it was rather nice to have a child on his lap like this, even if it was a rather strange feeling to experience.
The little girl flushed and giggled in joy as she curled up in Drest's lap. "Did you hear that, Aunt Z?" she whispered loudly. "He said I have pretty eyes!" The child laughed again, covering her face with her hands shyly while Zurna just smiled and shook her head. "Aye, I heard."
Looking up to Drest she shrugged. "A mystery it will have to remain. I see no harm in it though. If she bothers you just let me know and I can take her. I don't want her to become burdensome." Even as she said it the woman reached to take the girl as if thinking better of it.
She was interrupted though as Cara peeked out. "Z what color are my eyes?" The woman looked down and raised a brow. "Well how can I tell if you hide them? Or are they so pretty that only pretty people can see them?"
"Only pretty people can."
"Oh I see. Well Alyiah's are brown so I suppose yours are too."
"Brown!" the girl squawked, dropping her hands. "Like the swamp? What's pretty about that?" She scowled and crossed her arms over her chest. "I don't love you anymore," Cara declared, turning her head to the side. "Mister Dwessed is better." Zurna had to fight to laugh as she clapped a hand over her mouth and watched for Drest's reaction to her little niece.
Drest couldn't keep the smile that spread across his face hidden, despite his best efforts to hide it. Cara seemed like a joy, and he was pleased that she had opened up to him. Puzzled, but pleased. "Don't worry about it, I'm fine." the young man replied, shooing Zurna away with a wave of his hand, "Sorry, we're fine." he corrected, glancing down at the girl in his lap and smiling at her.
Less than a minute later, he was trembling with the effort to contain his laughter. Yes, he was probably causing the girl on his lap to worry about him, but the conversation between Cara and 'Aunt Z' had been both adorable and hilarious. Zurna's own reaction wasn't helping him calm down. His conversations at home had never been like this, even when Mother was alive. So Drest was finding it hard to keep a straight face. "Now...now..." he gasped, coughing a few times to catch his breath and prevent himself from laughing. "There's plenty of pretty things that are brown!" he eventually managed to say, grinning down at Cara.
"That elk that your aunt killed is brown. The soil in the land where I come from is brown as well, and lots of different crops are grown in it. Also..." he paused, thinking. "I know there are some pretty gemstones that are brown. So if you don't like to compare your eyes to the colour of the swamps, why don't you compare it to something else in this land that is brown? There must be lots of things that are that colour, right?" he asked, looking over at Zurna for some clarification. She knew the area better than himself, after all.
Cara scowled and slouched in Drest's lap. "Just because brown is useful doesn't make it pretty! All brown things are stupid and ugly." The child continued to pout even as her youngest aunt pursed her lips in thought. "Well," Zurna began, "I can think of one thing that you love that is brown."
The young girl looked up suspiciously. "I doubts it." Zurna smiled and raised her brow in challenge as she reached into a crate beside her. "Oh then I suppose you won't be wanting any then. More for me I guess," the woman replied as she unwrapped a block of brown chocolate.
Small eyes widened as a tiny mouth opened in awe. "Chocolate!" she squealed, bouncing up and down in her seat. "Would you like some Cara?" The child looked around as if to see if anyone was watching and then bobbed her head excitedly. "Well don't tell your parents I gave it to you."
Zurna broke off a large piece for the child and handed it to her. What surprised her though was how the child then paused in thought, before taking Drest's hand and placing the favorite treat in it. "There," she softly exclaimed, "now Mister Dwessed and I are besties!" The child beamed up at the man, never seeing the way her aunt's face smiled in awe at the innocent declaration.
Well, he had tried, although apparently he wasn't knowledgeable enough about the world to convince a small child. Biting back a scowl at his failure, Drest instead focused on Zurna, half-curious to see what she had in mind. What brown thing did Cara love so much?
His eyes widened a moment later at the sight of chocolate. How did that get all the way up here? He had assumed it was only a southern treat, unknown to people in the far north. Clearly, he had been wrong. Realizing that his mouth was hanging open, the young man shut it with a snap and flushed. He must look like a fool right now. Thankfully, the child on his lap chose that moment to place a piece of the delightful treat in his palm, giving him a distraction.
"Oh...Thank you, Cara!" he replied softly, touched by her kindness. Nibbling on the chocolate, he noticed Zurna's smile and returned it. Her neice was truly a joy, and she should be proud to be Cara's aunt.
A cool burst of air flooded the tent, making the flames dance as Yotar at last entered the tent with some of the butchered meat. The moment Cara saw him she was out of Drest's lap and flying towards the tall man. "Papa!" she squealed as Aliyah moved to join her.
Zurna turned, sending an ugly glare at the child currently in time-out. "Aliyah Sonet! You march right back to your bedroll. You have not been excused for your behavior earlier. Until you can behave as a polite young lady and apologize to Drest, you will not be joining the rest of the family."
The youngest adult brother of the family raised one brow in question as he scooped Cara up onto his hip and dropped the meat into the boiling pot with a thunk. "And what has she done that warrants such a fierce scowl from you, sister mine? You look about ready to rip my head off the shoulders it stands on!"
"It is not your head I want to be relocating but that of your wife," Zurna growled back. "It seems your daughter has picked up a certain someone's vileness to that which does not fit the norm."
Yotar opened and closed his mouth in realization before turning his attention to Cara. "Is there a reason your fingers are sticky?" The little girl immediately pointed behind Zurna. "Aunt Z gave me some!"
A small growl of "traitor" sounded from the young woman's side of the tent before she turned mischievous eyes on the child. "Just you wait Cara. I'll get you for that for sure," she teased, wiggling her fingers at the girl as if to tickle her from all the way across the tent.
Cara squealed, jumping from her laughing father's arms to hide behind Drest. "Save me!" she begged, wrapping her arms around his neck and burying her face in the middle of his back. "She is going to torture me!"
Zurna in turn looked at Drest, a silent question of whether he would play along, written in her eyes. She motioned her head to the girl behind him as if to say "whose side are you on" even as she got to her knees to try and wrestle the child out from behind him.
Drest looked away from Cara as a brisk wind made him shiver, but the thought of fresh-cooked meat made him feel warm again. Food sounded like a great idea, considering that he hadn't eaten lunch and the long hours of walking across the tundra had tired him out. But the meat didn't appear to be cooked yet, so he still had to wait for his meal.
The young man looked at Aliyah as she moved back to the corner of the tent. She would have a long way to go to get rid of the attitude her mother had instilled in her, but she was still young. She could change.
Drest focused back on Cara and her father just as the young girl bolted from her father's arms to hide behind him. "Torture you, you say? In that case, I am honour-bound to protect you, my lady," meeting Zurna's gaze and smiling at her to show he would indeed play along. Spreading his arms, Drest stated, "You shall not lay a finger on this child, vile huntress!"
Zurna cocked a brow in challenge. "Is that so? And what makes you think you are man enough to stop me?" She moved close enough so that they were face to face with their knees touching. "Perhaps you are mistaken and I am the heroine and the two of you, the villains. What say you to that?"
Her eyes narrowed to thin slits even as a smirk tugged at the corner of her lips. A quick glance to the side caught Cara giggling and cowering behind Drest. "Get 'er Mister Dwessed! Kill the evil witch before she cooks us and eats us!"
The older woman gasped in mock hurt, her face a mask of shock. "Is this the thanks I get for feeding you chocolate, you little brat? Why that does it! Now I am going to get you," she declared, trying to reach past Drest to get at her squealing niece.
Drest didn't flinch as Zurna came face to face with him, instead allowing a smirk to appear on his face. "Do you accuse me of being evil simply because I have the ability to perform magic?" he asked softly in return, summoning a small fireball with a flick of his wrist. Careful to keep the ball of flame away from anything that might catch fire, he added, "Surely you must have heard the tales of heroic mages defeating evil with their power?"
Shifting in an attempt to block Zurna as she tried to reach past him, the young man used his free arm to shield Cara. "Nay, huntress! You shall not pass unless you defeat me first!" Drest knew better than to threaten to use magic against her, surrounded as he was by a family of hunters, but other methods weren't out of the question. It all depended on how Zurna chose to respond to his challenge.
"Defeat you? Well now I don't really think that's fair," Zurna pouted, sitting back on her heels. "I mean you don't even stand a chance!" Having received his approval of their forming game, the huntress promptly dived into her role and moved to tackle Drest.
From behind them Cara squealed, cheering on her potential savior even as Zurna continued to struggle to maintain the upper-hand. "You're not going to win this sir knight, not while I stand on home territory. Whatever shall you do now?"
"Ooph!" Drest gasped as the breath was knocked out of him by the tackle, the small fireball quickly extinguishing itself as he landed on his back on the floor. He had been expecting an attack, but nothing quite that powerful. The few seconds it took for him to recover gave Zurna the time she needed to gain the upper hand, but the young "hero" wasn't about to give up so easily.
"Fight, of course! Do not underestimate the strength of a hero!" he growled back, wigging to evade her grasp while at the same time reaching for her wrists in order to try and to re-gain his lost position.
Despite the act, Zurna could not keep herself from laughing as she was eventually overpowered, one wrist caught and the other fighting not to join it. "Some hero you are, I'm not caught you Sir Over-Confident! I shall not be beaten at my own game, the little one shall be mine mark my words!"
She struggled to regain her former advantage from the element of surprise but was finding that her own strength while great was quickly proving to be equal or lesser to that of her guest. "Try as you might, I shall not be beaten, mischief is afoot!" she squealed reaching with one hand to try and tickle his sides as Cara squealed and laughed behind the struggling pair.
Drest smirked as he was able to pin one of Zurna's wrists to the floor. "Over confident or not, I am a hero!" he boasted, repeatedly trying to grab her other wrist. He seemed to be the stronger one, despite her status as a hunter for her family, but he also knew that their positions could be reversed in an instant.
"Ah!" He couldn't help but yelp in surprise as the young woman started to tick him, then gritted his teeth against the laughter that threatened to follow. "V-Vile huntress!" he managed to growl, using his free hand to bat at her fingers. As he did so, his grip on Zurna's pinned hand loosened ever so slightly without him noticing since Drest was using all his willpower not to bust out laughing at the tickling.
"All heroes fall," she crowed the moment she was able to yank her other hand free. One leg slid under her to push of the ground in an attempt to roll them while her hands continued their tickling efforts with a vengeance. "No man has bested me! No man shall succeed now either," Zurna declared confidently.
"Renounce yourself, join me in torturing the princess and we shall be invincible!"