Weary Be Thy Travelers (NAS)

[November]

Oblivion: King and Country

It was late in the day, the sun reddening as it's light cut through the canopy of trees that enveloped the track of mud and grass, a path that had been slowly worn into the land by many a traveler and trader before her. The sound of the cart rumbled constantly along to the melodic beat of hooves that pulled it along, joined with grunts and snorts of the animal the toed, the musical pattern of the birds in evening and the noise of the river the path followed. Along side the cart and it's horse, painted a dog, who happily trotted with it and his owner at a steady pace.

November and Theron, along with their animal companions, had left from the capital of Arca early that morning after a weekend spent in the large city. Where they had met. Admittedly, Nova wasn't used to this kind of company. For years it had simply been her, Paint, Archie, and maybe the occasional traveler who needed a quick ride to a stop they both shared as the night encroached. It did feel strange to her, having a human presence next to her where she wasn't used to it. Not that she really minded at all, it was just something old to her. Traveling along and in a caravan was much different to a small group.

But he had needed to get away, the Prince, and if he had enough trust left in him to approach her and ask to come with her in such a short time, then she supposed there wasn't much to fear from him. She supposed that he had never really known much trust, and so trusting a strangers seemed to make more sense to him than anyone he'd ever met. Maybe on this journey of theirs, he might find himself drawn to something, a calling, in his life. If she could help him find what he was looking for, it would be all the pay she'd ever need. But for now, there was a pay.

Now that the sun was beginning to set after a long day of travel, Nova was beginning to spy the riverside for an area fit to camp at. The sky seemed clear, so she was sure enough of dry weather, and the wind was still save for an acute breeze. "So, ready to pull over and stretch those legs?" Nova looked over and commented, breaking the silence with a smile. "Don't worry, the first day out is the longest; I try to cover as much ground as I can on the first days travel, so I can stop more during the rest of the days." She chuckled to herself, hoping that he hadn't been put off of this whole idea. Not that he could really go anywhere without her and her transportation at this point. "If you see something that looks like a clearing on the riverside, just shout and point it out, anywhere flatish really will do"

[Nascent]

With the countryside all around them and the faint but consistent rattle and clatter of the wagon steadily moving onwards, Theron felt a million miles away from where his journey had begun. It had only been days really... but out here, with the sunset painting the world in steadily more ruddy hues, he could almost convince himself that everything he had endured in the d'Metreon Barony had been from another life, suffered by another person. He felt... free.

"I didn't mind, really -- it feels good to travel." He gave her a faint smile. "Not something I've had much opportunity to do until now. I confess, I'm starting to envy you and this life you have."

At her prompting he scanned the way up ahead, judging the terrain and the bend of the river. For a while there wasn't much ground worth camping -- either there was too much brush, large rocks, or just the elevation oft he land making the riverside unsuitable, but at length he spied an area that looked good. "What do you think of there?" He leaned forward -- almost falling off as one of the wagon's wheels went over a rock, much to his embarrassment -- and pointed ahead to where a gap in the trees revealed a nearly ideal locale. The potential campsite was a wide swath of mostly wild grass with a tree stump set in the middle and the trunk of the fallen tree sitting halfway out into the river. As they got a bit closer the remnants of a long-cold campfire ringed in small stones could be seen as well, set up near the stump. "Looks like someone may have camped here recently. Quite convenient, hm?"

[November]

"Convenient is good. Mostly. Sometimes..." A concentrated look seemed to form on her face as she though about what that really meant. Of course convenient was good! But it was also suspicious. However, she doubted the claim that a campfire would really be all the suspicious. It seemed one of very few areas along the river that was suitable to camp at, so of course there was going to be some evidence of previous settlers. They just happened to be close behind. "Either way, good spotting!" November seemed to fumble around in her pockets for a few moments, regaining the concentrated look as she held the reigns between her teeth. Not the safest thing by any means, but stranger still would be the moment she pulled out a coin and threw it at Theron, trying to get her hands back on the job as fast as possible, which hit him with no little force in the head. "Payment for good eyes!" She stated, as she eyed the camp spot, readying Paint to come off of the track.

The horse slowed as they turned out into the clearing, flattening the grass under wheel as they transferred from the road. There was plenty of room for the cart and the four inhabitants, and she personally couldn't wait to get down from the throne of the cart. The movement of the water, and the wind in the trees was an amazingly pleasing sound. It wouldn't be hard to sleep for either of them. She hoped.

Gently, the cart came to a halt along the riverbank, Archibald took a joy in rolling about in the cool grass; his paws needed it. "You want to get the bedrolls from the back of the cart while I get Paint freed up?" Nova climbed down from the cart, and pulled both of her legs behind her one at a time to get the blood going again. Luckily for her, it normally wasn't too bad, but years of spending whole days sat down does help. "Unfortunately, I think you're stuck with the older roll for now. Didn't see any in Arca for some reason. Hope you don't mind. We'll get one off of someone in the next town..." She added, moving towards Paint to remove her harnesses, and detach her from a hard days work.

[Nascent]

"Convenient is good. Mostly. Sometimes..."

As she said it with that focused expression, Theron's mind caught up to what she was thinking. No doubt experience on the road had made her far more attuned to the reality of travel than he was. The thought that this could be some kind of trap, or at least a sign of something unsavory, hung in his mind and refused to let go. It was only getting hit by the coin she threw that snapped him from his semi-trance, and the fumbling to try and catch the falling money yet further withdrew him. It just about slipped out of reach, ready to fall between the boards and under the wheels... but, narrowly, he got it under control. The whole scene must've seemed quite comical -- he found himself with an embarrassed blush and was in no small way relieved when the wagon came to a stop.

"I don't mind." Truth be, he was happy just to have a bedroll. The nights he'd spent fleeing the barony had been unpleasant in the extreme, full of fitful dozes and continually second guessing the noises of the wilds around him. A bedroll, no matter how old, would be a world of difference from tying himself up in tree branches, nestling into hollows, or trying to get comfortable amongst a crop of bushes. Hopping down and quickly stretching, he made his way around to the back of the cart. There was quite a lot back there -- supplies, merchandise, and other assorted bundles that he was sure Nova had a use in mind for. "Where do you keep them?"

[November]

Nova caught that red flush on the young Princes face from his struggle to catch the coin she'd thrown at him, and she resisted the urge to laugh as he made his way to the back of the cart, and she to Paint. As she began to take out the bridle, she heard Theron call from the back of the cart "Where do you keep them?" And she remembered that she never really gave him a good tour of the cart, as Archie plodded off to accompany Theron. Not knowing where things were may be a problem if he was to be of any help to her. She decided that for now it could wait. Maybe tomorrow she would show him where things were. "They're right at the front...back...thing, should be under a little shelf, where the seat is at the front of the cart is. It tends to be drier there!" She called back down the cart, as she undid the girth of the harness around Paints ribs, and detaching it from the bridle.

Undoing the rest, Nova led Paint to the trees, and with a long length of rope, attached a tired Paint to a tree in the shade, where she began to nibble happily on the fresh green grass. Casually, Nova lifted up a hoof, Paint seemingly not bothered, checking the shoes. Another concentrated look came over her face. "Looks like I should have gotten you re-shoed at Arca...Better hope the local blacksmith at the next town can do something for you, hey girl?" Nova patted Paint, and the horse grunted and shook it's neck in response. Standing up straight, Nova stretched her back, and turned towards the cart, seeing only Archie, paws up on the back, head hidden behind the cloth that covered the back entrance to the cart, tail wagging. "Can you find everything alright?" She began to walk up to the cart, hoping he hadn't run away with anything valuable.

Archie was pretty happy where he was, so she assumed that wasn't the case, but you could never be too careful, she supposed. She waited outside the cart, surveying the area. It was a good spot, as was pointed out by the fact this place was used well. The unmoved ring of stones seemed something like a picnic area, an area free for public use. But it didn't shake that 'years on the road' feeling of uncertainty. By the time they have a fire going, and were safely in their beds, she'd feel better. Maybe.

[Nascent]

'Front back thing'; Theron couldn't help but quietly chuckle at that. Not because he thought November was silly for saying it, but... more-so out of a quiet sense of amazement at how free the way she lived, worked, and thought was. That little bit of imprecise language, strangely enough, gave him more hope for this journey and his future than her throwing dozens of coins his way. There was a carefreeness about Nova that he envied... and hoped one day he'd be able to find in himself, too.

With Archie more or less at his heels Theron pulled himself up into the back of the cart and, careful not to step on anything, began making his way towards the frontward edge of the cart. It was hard not to get distracted -- everywhere he looked there was some interesting bit of merchandise or keepsake, some piece of travel gear he'd never seen before. He'd really have to get Nova to tell him a bit more about her business and the life of a traveler at some point.

"Can you find everything alright?"

"...I think so." He spotted the shelf and bedrolls, though they were wedged in amongst other things. Seemed Nova had a talent for packing up tight. "Should have them out in a minute."

Whether it was because Archie was crowding in around him trying to see what he was doing or due to boxed-up goods wedged in tight, the bedrolls seemed only willing to come out halfway. Theron scowled in annoyance, trying to pull and tug at them from a handful of different angles. It looked like it should be easy -- why were they like this?! Something in the cart shifted at the same moment he yanked hard on the bedrolls and the young d'Metreon was suddenly flying back, bedrolls in hand but feet entirely off balance... and in narrow confines there was only one way that could end.

Nova would easily hear the ruckus of his unhappy landing from where she was, and see as Archie bolted out of the back of the wagon in a rush to hover around her feet. Moments later Theron partially emerged, pride clearly wounded... and head clearly wearing a small black cooking pot.

"...Got them."

[November]

She watched on, curiously worried, as Archie retreated towards her. She didn't move, though. She was occupied in her thought 'Please don't tell me he'll be like this all the time...". Mostly, she was worried about her things. She had them to sell, not to break. The reason she could eat food and keep Archie. He would be fine. He'd come all the way from the D'Metreon Barony without being killed or maimed, so he was tough enough to endure most of the collection. She wasn't sure if that worked the other way, however. Until he appeared from within, that was. From then it was clear that what was in that cart was far more of a danger to him than he was to it.

"AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH, OH MY GOD, REALLY?" Laughter bellowed from the small woman as the Prince stumbled ungraciously from the cart wearing an unfashionable cooking pot on his head. Probably to hide the dire flush of red that had most likely set in on his cheeks. At this point she didn't care much for his wounded pride, or for his possibly wounded head. All that mattered at the moment was getting enough oxygen into her lungs that she could continue to laugh at the mans expense. November did stop laughing for maybe a full minute, and when she did stop, it was hard for her to contain her laughter for any amount of time she had to look at it. "I didn't realize you were a man for cooking, eheh, but, hehe, that'll have to wait."

November took the black iron pot off of Therons head, just to see his sun-burnt red face below. "You alright?" She asked, placing the pot on the carts outcropping. "You almost killed me!" Then she punched him in the arm; not playfully, but not enough to really hurt "Though I suggest you refrain from taunting my crockery to the point where it attacks you again."

[Nascent]

It wasn't the ringing headache that hurt the most or, strangely, his injured pride. As Theron grimaced in the aftermath of his misadventure the chief thought going through his mind was that he'd made himself look like an idiot in front of November. It wasn't a notion helped any by her raucous laughing and the firm punch she delivered to his shoulder afterwards. He still held the bedrolls under his arm as he tried in vain to recover a measure of composure.

"I... will be sure to refrain, yes. I'm fine..." The young noble hefted the pair of bedrolls a bit more, getting a surer grip. "And... sorry for 'almost killing' you."

He'd been trained to fight, to survive, to win even in very risky and hostile situations; to be bested by a misstep and an iron pot was beyond embarrassing, but for it to happen in front of his traveling partner was simply ignominious beyond belief. He could only imagine what she must've thought at that point -- that she'd taken on a clueless, hapless dimwit from a backwater corner of Darken Vei, most likely. Theron silently insisted he'd be on the lookout for ways to redeem himself in her eyes; he didn't want Nova to think he was just a burden, much less an incompetent one.

"...So how do we go about doing this? I can't say I've ever set up a proper camp site before. I'm guessing we'll want some wood for the fire before it gets any darker?"

[November]

While, so far, Theron had only really been a clumsy mess of nerves and falling cooking pots, she didn't altogether think that was what he was like. He'd escaped one of the roughest places all on his own, and had all limbs and senses in tact to show it. Maybe when she put him to something practical he might show some ethic. "...So how do we go about doing this? I can't say I've ever set up a proper camp site before. I'm guessing we'll want some wood for the fire before it gets any darker?" She raised an eyebrow at him. "Really?" She queried. There was a pause. "...Alright then, just put those down to the side now they're out. I have plenty of wood in stocks, but I suppose someone better teach you something" November clambered into the back of the cart, emerging soon after with a hulking woodaxe over her shoulder and a bundle of logs under the other "I trust they at least taught you to swing something?" She glanced at him in passing as she strode over towards the base of the tree, long disconnected from it's body.

Coming to a halt, Nova discarded all but one log to the side, placing one in the middle of the tree stump. She rotated her shoulders, warming up her muscles before she did anything hefty. She told him to keep back somewhat; flying splinters were nasty, and she'd see what it could do to an eye. "Like anything, it's best to let the tool do it's job. Hence why I don't look like a lumberjack. Remember, gravity loves you." With that, the small girl swung the ax downwards to cleave the dried wood in two almost even parts. Wood was fussy, on a good day. "It's not to hard, really. Just don't put so much force into it that you get it stuck into the stump. I'll just laugh at you again. Do the rest." With a grin she held out the handle of the ax to the young man. There was no doubt he was accustomed to sword wielding, but that wasn't the kind of force you want. He'd go flying forward, probably hit himself on the back of the ax handle and break his nose. She'd still laugh, but that was really in neither parties interests.

She wasn't going to show him how to fell a whole tree. The sun was setting, and she'd have to go a fair way to find a tree in the forest suitable enough for their use, let alone cut it down, break it up, and carry it back. In her fingers she played with a blunt flint-stone nervously as she watched. She hoped he'd clear up whatever was making him so clumsy. Their meeting at the market showed he was capable. Maybe this was just getting to him; he'd never done this before, he lived in the Barony, for crying out loud. He didn't even know he could trust her. November sighed, rested a gloved hand on a furry animal.

Before he'd finished, Nova had seemingly slipped off, and come back. "Hey." Her voice rang out once, the panting of Archie a constant drone. "Look, you don't need to do any of this. I have wood, the fire pit doesn't need drying out either..." When Theron turned around, he'd see something a bit odd. The bedrolls were out and set neatly on either side of the fire pit, and November stood there, with two long poles. "Let's do some fishing, hm? It's nice evening. Better enjoy it while we can." And the bright-eyed trader simply smiled.

[Nascent]

Ah, something he could succeed at! Confidence flowed back into the young noble as he felt the heft of the wood axe in his hand, the familiar weight and bearing of a weapon. Even if his "foe" was just a log of wood, this was at least something Theron could readily relate to. Bedrolls stuck under shelves might have the power to confound him and cooking pots might leap out of nowhere like cast iron assassins... but chopping wood? That he could do.

Following Nova's example with a grateful smile on, Theron set to work. After the first few tries it came naturally; log after log fell to his chops, and with the exception of one or two pieces where the wood was calloused by a knot everything went smoothly. Even those proved simple once he noticed how the wood split when force was applied, where the lines of division were and how best to use them. He was just getting into a flow, achieving that pleasantly state of tunnel focus that only methodical, enjoyable work brings when he heard her voice calling for his attention. At some point while his attention was elsewhere she'd set up the bedrolls and pulled out... were those fishing rods? He blinked, stood upright after laying aside the last chopped pieces, and leaned the axe against the tree stump.

"Fishing, is it?" He eyed the poles curiously, like a child seeing a key or a candle for the first time. "Something else I haven't tried before... we're barely out of Arca and I'm learning all these fascinating new things." He chuckled at himself a bit, then gave her a soft smile. "Sorry, I must sound naive. Lead on, m'lady."

[November]

She remembered being like him when she had started her venture into the world, bright eyed, willing, and fresh-faced. It was odd, seeing the same in a man of her age, like a new breath of life joined him when he left the City behind. At first she looked almost a little shocked at him, but her feature quickly settled into a smile like his. November held out one of the rods to Theron. "It didn't seem right throwing you work right away. It's only your first day of freedom, so you might as well enjoy it before we get too off the beaten track." She picked up a small wooden fishing box, and headed towards the river, near where the fallen tree breached the waters of the river. The river was moving with speed, but it was not rapid or wild. It was tamed.

Upon quick observation, the trunk of the tree seemed strong enough; too thick and old to have been dampened through and made soft by the river yet. She sat down at the bank, placing both the rod and the box to the side of her, and began to take off her boots from her aching feet. The water would do her good, without a doubt. Rolling up her pants to above her knee, she climbed up on the trunk with ease after grabbing her things again, and with a bounce in her step almost, confident in her stepping atop the fallen tree. "You're not going to avoid getting your feet wet, so I'd indulge yourself if I were you!" The raven-haired merchant chirped back, as she made her way out over the river setting down the box carefully, and waiting for the Runaway Prince to join her.

She simply hoped his clumsiness wouldn't send him into the river, saving a Prince from a river wasn't on the top of her to do list, while it would undoubtedly be funny.

[Nascent]

There was a moment of hesitation before he took his boots off and followed her lead. The grass felt strange on his bare skin... different, but good. Despite his traveling partner's worries Theron easily leapt up onto the tree trunk and balanced, walking towards her with fishing rod in hand. In no time he was sitting alongside her, feet dipping into the flowing waters. It was cold at first but not shockingly so, and soon he found the 'indulgence' she'd been talking about. The current was steady and the constant sensation had a relaxing effect... he had barely dared hope that life away from the Barony would have simple pleasures like this, and now he was finding that the world had so, so much more to offer than he'd expected.

"Okay, so," Theron examined his fishing rod, then looked down into the river. "What do I do first?"

[November]

With her feet in the water, and the quiet in the air, Nova drifted into a peaceful state as Theron failed to fall into the water, and sit besides her, unsure of what to do next. Despite the question, November almost seemed unresponsive until she slowly shook herself out of her calm stasis to help her clueless Prince. "To be honest, there isn't much to it-" The raven-haired women started, carefully opening the small box besides her, the fishing rod laid across her lap, revealing unappealing, dried grubs. "While it's good to catch things, easy dinner, obviously, I don't really expect to catch things." Taking one of the grubs and the hook of her fishing rod, she pierced the bait. She then un-clipped the wheel on which the string of the rod spun itself around, allowing the hook to fly further away into the river, when she lifted the poll over her shoulder and flung it back with force.

"It's just calming. I can think." The words fell from her mouth with a pure but subtle emotion. She didn't look at him, she didn't really look at anything, this as her life, and had been for a long time. But she still seemed enamored with it, in love with this fairy tale she was living, though it was much more hard work than your average fairy tale. Perhaps that hard work was the dream. The independence of it, the ruggedness of it, though long and mostly lonely, to travel and see all sorts of things and people. It was also strange to November, to have another person with her. Paint chewing on the land, and Archie wandering the area. While she didn't feel alone, it was hard to remember Theron was really there at all.

When Nova realized fully that Theron was still there, and actually there, she came out of her stasis and sighed contently. "I hope you don't mind silence. Not used to, you know...other people being here." And she smiled to herself at that funny notion. Maybe she would become grateful for Theron's more permanent presence.   

[Nascent]

Her quiet seemed almost meditative, a spell had whisked mind away from body somehow with just the faintest breeze to mark its passage. At first he thought perhaps she was listening for something... that fishing, like hunting game, had certain subtle cues that only an experienced hand and a keen ear could discern. And so he, too, listened. The river lapped at their feet with its watery caress; the air stirred the woods around them with gentle breeze, and nature was only interrupted by the playful explorations of an impossibly fluffy dog and the contented grazing of a hard-working horse. When after several long moments he heard nothing that suggested 'fish' to his inexperienced ears the brown-haired noble, doing his best to be careful and quiet, followed her earlier example in baiting and tossing the line. To his satisfaction it barely made a 'plop' as the hook met water, hopefully leaving November to her serene contemplations.

When she spoke, her words echoed with the same odd mixture of gratitude and a desire not to be awkward that he felt within himself. He started to reply, to assure her that he didn't mind... then paused.

There was a better way to say it, he realized.

Giving her a slight smile, he spoke. "I have twelve siblings, and I'm the youngest. Not having one or more of them about or lurking nearby is... a new feeling for me, one that I'm still getting used to. I went through a time when I was young that I would do almost anything for a few moments of quiet isolation -- run off into the woods, hide in a cupboard or up in the rafters, anything. There was this one gap between the walls I discovered quite by accident, almost like a tunnel running through the stonework. When I knew something bad was going to happen I'd sneak away into it and hide there for hours, for as long as I could bear it."

"Then Malachi found it, and blocked off the entrance with an oak storage chest while I was still inside." The young swordsman's gaze turned down, seeming to stare at the fishing pole. "The angle was all wrong for leverage; by the time I pushed it aside and crawled out my hands and knees were scraped bloody. I'd let my guard down and been caught in a trap of my own making, and Malachi never made so much as a sound that I heard. Silence became ominous after that, the prelude to something nasty, someone sneaking up on me. Half the time I was right; the other half I was just scared. Either way, they won."

"Now..." A slight smile crested, breaking like sunlight over the gloom of his expression moments before. Theron looked up, taking in the sky overheard. With sunset growing closer the sky was becoming a riot of colors, wispy plumes of cloud overhead picking up a wildfire of yellow, orange, crimson, and purple hues.

"Now I've left that far behind me, with your help. Silence can be mine again. I don't have to fear it. I don't have to fear them." His gaze turned towards her. "I owe you everything, November. Everything. And honestly..." He looked back at the river, ever flowing calm and steady. "... I think I could get used to quiet moments like this. Part of me thinks I probably need it."

He smiled nervously at her. "And the company's rather nice as well. Thanks."

[November]

Nova listened to Theron, though all the while seeming very absent. As he spoke about himself and his siblings, as many of them as there were, Nova at least began to understand that in the Barony there was really not much in the way of life, even for the heirs. Maybe the place was grabbing at as man straws to keep it's power as many believed. That dark, dank, silent place that Nova had seen and been to, and always left with great ease. At least Theron wouldn't take a disliking to her view of the Barony. Theron was her good excuse never to go back.

When he had finished Nova thought on what he had said for a few moments, re-adjusting herself on the fallen tree. "You have a lot on your mind, huh?" She breathed a sigh, mellow and not telling of any negative emotion towards him or his story. "Maybe I can help you reclaim all these things they took from you." The raven haired woman stared onward at her fishing rod, the sound of the river slowly overtaking her senses. Then she chuckled. "When we get to Selevea I hope you don't mind facing the noise again. We have to plan the trade routes over the weekend, so it get's a bit crazy."

[Nascent]

Her offer to help him reclaim what he'd lost growing up in the Barony, while it didn't exactly take him by surprise, was generous and kind beyond his expectations. November was a good person at heart, that much was clear; the runaway noble counted himself exceptionally lucky to have found someone like her to help him start this new and hopefully better chapter of his life. Inwardly he knew that even already he owed her far more than the traveling money and work help... thought how to repay such kindness, that he wasn't sure of.

Her mention of Selevea and trade routes brought his mind back to the practical realities of their journey together. It wouldn't all be camping by riverside and relaxing sunset fishing -- she was a merchant trader and had an active business going on, one that he realized he still didn't know a whole lot about. Now that he considered it, aside from Archie and Paint she appeared to be operating solo and successfully at that, something of a contrast to the merchant caravans with groups of people operating together that they'd seen leaving Arca.

"I should be fine, I think. I've heard of Selevea -- read about it, mostly -- so it should be interesting actually seeing it for myself." He paused for a second. "So... have you always worked alone? Or are you meeting up with a group in Sel--"

And that was when he noticed the tugging on his line. Theron's attentions had been on Nova and their conversation to such an extent that he hadn't picked up on the movement of his fishing line at all -- at least until something under the water had begun dragging it hard to one side, threatening to tangle his line with hers. His eyes went wide for a second, unsure of how to react, then training and reason kicked his mind into gear simultaneously and he quickly reached for the reel. "I -- I've got something!" He exclaimed in disbelief. The fish began to zig and zag as it felt the line go taut -- he didn't want to let it escape or snag Nova's line, but how much pressure was too much?! His own inexperience suddenly slapped him across the face and he turned to the raven-haired merchant with nervous, excited desperation in his eyes.

"What should I do?"

[November]

Before the young ex-prince could even finish what he was saying, they were both caught off-guard by the unlikely event of catching a fish whilst fishing. It seemed there wasn't an end to the list of things Theron couldn't do. At least, she supposed, this gave her a chance to teach him something at the very least when he did ask what to do. She could help him both reclaim what he had lost, and claim things that were new to him as well. He would be skilled and self-reliant by the time she was done with him. By the time he decided to leave her company for a calling he might find with his new freedom.

The fish was still snagging on the other end of the line, disappearing beneath the blue water, stained from the lowering sun. The raven haired girl laughed at the brown haired boy in all his silly worry, a face of what looked to be sheer terror at some points. 

"Don't be too rough with the rod, or you'll break it, and then you'll owe me..." November started, using her own rod to demonstrate. She let it fall forward, and then motioned reeling in the thread while you could. "You're not trying to pull the fish out for the time being, just tiring it out is all, then it'll be pushed for luck trying to get away when you do pull it up." Then she pulled her rod back, and then repeated. "Hopefully it's just a small thing, then I won't have to leave you here all night; fish are surprisingly strong." November let Theron find a rhythm, fighting with the end of the line best he could. Maybe it would be sufficient enough a fish to constitute as dinner. She readied another coin, just in case. When she was sure he had a good thing going, she answered his questions.

November thought back, a smiled a softy, nostalgic smile. "No, I haven't always been alone." She started slowly, whimsical, almost longingly. "I started out when I was 16 for various reasons. I traveled with a caravan of about 7 or 8 carts, so about 16 of us. I was learning then. I knew all of them, of course. They frequented where I lived and I'd always been interested in the Nomadic lifestyle. Trading, seeing the world, having it in your hands, at your whim..." She drifted off slightly "But anyway, after I'd raised enough funds for myself I got good ol' Paint back there, and my trusty cart. I was 18 when I set off, completely alone just me, Archie, and Paint. It's been 2 years since then." November took a deep breath and sat up, having hunched over in thoughts while talking. "And yes, we will be meeting some people I know. None of who I traveled with though. Selevea isn't a huge gathering, really. That would be the Essyrn meet. If you know anything about Essyrn, you know why we all meet there. The community of traders is huge, but you know everyone. You've got a small army to fall back on if you're ever wronged, I'll tell you that much." Again, the young trader chuckled at her memories. She relaxed, and thought for a moment.

"How long have you been away from the Barony, anyway?"

[Nascent]

So it was a game of endurance, then... as Nova explained it Theron's eyes lit with understanding. He could do this. A slight smile emerged as he began, in his mind at least, to lay steady siege to the swimmer's escape -- in reality his efforts were almost certainly novice and unsophisticated, but at least he now had the right idea. No strong sharp movements; when the fish swam left he slowly added pull to the right, when it tried to swim with the current he slowed its progress until the line loosened a bit, when his line again got too close to Nova's he steadily applied more and more resistance until the fish decided to turn around.

With one side of his mind attending to the "battle", the other harkened an ear to the young merchant. He was impressed by her; in a mere two years she'd saved up enough to strike out on her own, and while the runaway noble only had a passing understanding of trade and economics he guessed, especially given that she'd had ongoing enterprise for two years on her own, that Nova must be quite good at what she did. He wondered for a moment what her methods were before putting it out of his mind -- he'd surely find out sooner or later, and what's more the fish was getting erratic and frustrated in its movements.

"I've heard tell of Essyrn, read about it as well. That's quite a long ways to go, through desert wasteland nonetheless. I imagine it's an investment simply getting there." He looked to her for some confirmation of his assumption before answering her question.

"I... it hasn't been very long, no. A month at most, I'd guess." He chuckled grimly. "A good week of it spent wandering in the woods, making due with dried foodstuffs and sleeping in trees, until at last I found the road leading out of the Barony. Finding my way to Arca was more than just a small relief, let me assure you."

The fish seemed to abandon the struggle, and for just a moment Theron thought he had it. Then it was suddenly swimming hard again; it was anyone's game yet.

"It sounds like you've been there, so I'm sure you have some idea why I had to get away. And," His eyes took on a hint of grim understanding. "It wouldn't be wise to go back anytime soon." He paused, choosing his words carefully. "There are dark times coming to the Barony -- I don't know when, but things will get worse there soon."

He went silent after that, drifting off into his own thoughts. The fish bobbed and weaved, but clearly was losing fight. Taking a slow breath and putting his thoughts aside, Theron looked over at Nova.

"So, any idea where you'll want to go after Selevea?"

[November]

Theron was doing pretty well. No snapped line, at least. He impressed her with his ability to tangle with the fish, and keep up their conversation. Not because he was a man, but because simply the first time you tango with a fish can be a bit nerving. You have no idea where that sucker is going. I suppose, in the Barony, he had to learn to multitask in some sense. "I've heard tell of Essyrn, read about it as well. That's quite a long ways to go, through desert wasteland nonetheless. I imagine it's an investment simply getting there." He replied to the Merchant. She shrugged, not un-enthusiastically at all. "It can be. My first time crossing it wasn't too bad; I was with the caravan. My first time alone was much more...treacherous." There was a brief pause, a moment of thought and re-visitation "It's not a relaxing trip, or a relaxing week there. It's stressful as all heck, and I wish I had time to explore the City, but alas, that's not how this works. Being a Merchant is a job, after all, not an excuse to sight-see. I'm sure you could look around while we're there, though."

After her long-winded reply, he continued their conversation further. So, it seemed, there was something he was good at after all. He could pay attention, keenly so. Hearing, however briefly, about his however short time on his trek from the Kingdom he fled, was interesting enough. It seemed November was travelling with a young man troubled. This wasn't a problem for her. It just made taking him on, and away from the place he had run from, more valuable an experience. He asked on what she planned to do after Selevea. "It's just a case of making my way around the route we plan. Selling and buying things, it's really not always exciting, all this. But it doesn't have to be." There was silence, for a short moment "Maybe while we're there we can take some time out to see if we can't find something to interest you. Try some things, see if anything help you chart your course." To Theron, it might sound if she were already planning when he would part from her.

Nova spent a few extra seconds in thought "What can you already do, by the way? If that's not too condescending a question?" If she were going to help him find his own path in this world then she better now start by bringing up things he had done before. If what he could already do interested him, he probably wouldn't be riding with her, or her furry companions. She gave him enough time to answer before noticing something. "I think you can go ahead and try to pull whatever is on the end of that rod out of the water now. Seem's pretty tired right now." Then, the raven haired Merchant simply smiled, an encouraging, almost hopeful smile.

[Nascent]

Hearing her describe her ventures to Essyrn, Theron felt he could almost get a sense of it -- a dangerous crossing, dry long and thirsty, only to engage in a flurry of activity and then leave again once the proverbial whirlind died down. It was a glimpse at a completely different side of her merchant life than he'd seen thus far... it almost sounded like a military campaign or tense policial posturing. He wondered briefly what it would be like to join her for it.

Mention of helping him 'chart his course' certainly got Theron's mind working. He had so little experience out in the broader world, and riding on the merchant girl's coattails would only be possible -- and for that matter, fair -- up to a point. He had to learn how to make his way out here... perhaps find a niche for himself, become sucessful in some yet-to-be chosen path the way she had at trade. "Well, I have a fair amount of training with the blade." The young swordsman began, following her cue and starting to reign in the catch. "My... family... prizes martial skills, so I know a good deal about how to fight. I was also taught all the basic scholarly skills: reading writing, mathematics. Other than that..." It was a direct question, true, but given he had yet to reach an understanding of how well, if at all, the lessons of his difficult youth would serve him out beyond the Barony's borders, he wasn't quite sure how to reply. He could play chess, discuss histories both politicial and military... beyond that, he really wasn't sure what he could 'do'.

And then the fish emerged from the water, flopping around with wearied desperation on the end of his line. Theron looked at it, blinking several times, watching the reflection of light on its scales and the thin trickle of crimson where the hook jutted from its cheek. Then, slowly, a smile. Theron turned to Nova. "And now I can fish, apparently." In that moment he couldn't help but feel pleased with himself.