Spirits of the Earth

OOC: Tags to @KingTyrant ! I hope this intro works for you~

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Miss Evelyn Heraea Gray had a trying day; bills to write, bills to pay. Although her recent exertion was more costly than she'd like, she knew she had the money and wanted to front the bills and be done with it. It was times like these, as she was handing off the money to some sell-servant, if every land in Le'reanna were like this one. She paused to consider why she was even here- a foreign woman, too pale of skin and hair that she stuck out like a sore thumb.

Stepping out onto her balcony, she found herself clutching onto the black sheer shawl that had been dangling uselessly at her arms for hours. Now it proved useful, and she hugged it tigther as she stepped out towards the railing. Her eyes searched upwards, towards the sea of stars that sparkled over the desert. There was such beauty in the world that she knew if she had ever considered leaving Essyrn, she'd truly miss sights such as this.

All things considered, she supposed she was better off here than in the nonsensical civil war bloodying the landscape of Connlaoth. Her family talked so vehemently about it she could only feel the same. Truth be told, she knew nothing about Connlaoth outside of her parent's stories, and though she wondered about her 'home land', she wondered if her, or any of her children (supposing she considered such a venture), would they desire to return north when the war was through?

The war will never end, or so her father claimed. He would know best. He had been in the army, and all his father's before him. And they had all fought for the same thing. She had to wonder what that was like. Tiring.

She stifled a yawn. Tiring... yes... she supposed bills weren't the worst she could do. Idly, she let her eyes linger across the horizon. Everything was so dark and quiet. Her home, though modest, was no where as grand as the one she lived in in the city of Essyrn, however, it was a newer home on the less desirable section. It was at least more secluded, even if it bordered more wild lands than tame.

Sometimes she preferred the rustling of reeds at night to the jerky guffaws at night echoing in the big city. Yes, it was certainly a lot more dangerous, but her lot- she decided, was quite pretty. She paused a moment to stare down at her lands, the majority making up a long see of flowing reeds that eventually tapered into swamp lands before the Niafi river devoured them. In the flood season, her home was all but surrounded in waters. But she remained in the city of Essyrn itself at those times.

And she knew the dry season was coming to an end. The Niafi already seemed to be swelling, an with it a change of winds.


She moved away from this balcony and returned inside her home, picking up the candle from her study and moving out into the hall. She was to retire for the evening, but something out of place in her parlor had her entering it and setting it right. She knew her new hired servant was supposed to clean this room of her wine glasses from earlier, but there they were, still lined up against the window.

Sighing, she made her way over to them, but something else caught her attention-
something outside. She couldn't quite make out what it was. The candle limited her night vision. So she took the snuffer  and cupped it over the flame. White limbs of smoke curled out from beneath it as she leaned forward, trying to see what it was out on this side of the desert.

Not many traveled through this side of the desert- there was, after all, not much between here and the plains further north. But as her eyes adjusted, she could have sworn she saw a man.

Sand... Miles and miles of sand. Tri was an idiot for attempting to cross the dry, unforgiving desert by day. He walked until his feet bled and blistered, his mouth and throat feeling like dry cotton as the scorching heat began to make him feel dizzy. He could have rented a horse, or bought a canteen of water with what little money he had obtained while raiding bandit camps... But no. He needed to save the coin for a rainy day. As he walked, his vision blurring as no civilization was yet in sight, he truly had only himself to blame.

As night fell upon the desert, it was relief from the utter misery he had endured whilst traveling. Less heat, no bright, burning sun beating down on his head, and even a beautiful expanse of stars to look at as he neared what seemed to be the inevitable end. He wore what seemed to be a thin, white cloak around his head and body, another white cloth covering his nose and mouth. Sandstorms were awfully common in the desert, so it was always nice to have something to protect your face. The last thing he needed was to be dehydrated, exhausted, and blind. He also couldn't imagine suffocating on sand being a very pleasant way to die.

Even though night had come, offering him relief as cool gusts of wind washed over his already overheated body, it still took him forever to hike up over a steep dune with his aching, mangled feet. He resorted to a pitiful crawl, grunting as he strained himself to go on. Just a few more miles... Keep going until it kills you, dammit... His mind told him. His heart seemed to skip a beat at what he saw as he reached the top of the dune, joy overtaking him. A huge body of water, glistening as the light of the moon hit it, each current visible as Tri's eyes trained to it and only it. As he admired the sight, only a few minutes later did he notice Essyrn in the distance, the massive city sticking out like a sore thumb in this very dead land...

As his eyes gazed upon everything with both gratefulness and wonder, that's when the toll of his journey finally caught up with his body. His blistered, gashed-up feet gave out as he dropped to his knees, his eyes rolling into the back of his skull as he quickly lost all consciousness. No water for three days... No sleep... Almost all fluid drained from his body after the deadly trek through the sands... The dehydration and exhaustion was just too much. He flopped onto his chest and face, tumbling down the hill in a clumsy barrel roll as his cloak remained around him, hiding his identity still from anyone who might've seen him.

When he hit the bottom of the hill, there was no other movement. He remained still, not dead, but close to it. He was running out of time.

Even from the window she could tell it was a person, and after a moment, her heart leaped as she watched him tumble down the dune. He was still a ways away from her property, but knowing full well she was probably the only one awake to see him (and only soul around that would care), she called out to her servant Thresha, and soon the pair were moving swiftly in the night.

With a lantern now in hand, and a small cart pulled by the slave, they made it to the man's side without much complication. Sure the sands were bumpy and the cart, light and tumbling awkwardly on the way over, but as Evelyn soon was to find out- a man's life was at stake. And as she dropped beside the body and checked for a pulse and breath, she knew by the weak reply they hadn't much time.

"Dehydration,' she murmured, then turned to Thresha. "Help me load him into the cart."
The man was heavy, and from what she could tell, didn't appear to be anyone of significance, or anyone threatening. She'd worry if he had weapons later at her home. Now the two women had to act quickly, and as they both pulled the man back to her home on the Niafi river bank, she made sure to stop at the river where long swaying palm trees and reeds danced in the night winds.  She took water, soaked a clothe and rested it to his brow, then instructed Thresha to collect more water and bring it inside to her guest parlor, that is where she decided the man would rest. It wouldn't due to find out later he might be a man of means and she was tended to him int he servants quarter, so once he was brought inside, she cleaned the man up of what sands she could and peeled back his clothing and began resting clothes of cool water all along his hot skin.

He looked like a damn burned pig. The poor thing. He didn't seem Essyrni enough to be able to evade the sun's unyielding heat- or, he was just in the sun for that long.

'A fool,' she wondered idly, brushing a wet hand through his hair. But what sort of fool would try to cross the river to get into Essyrn? He appeared not to be a tribesman from the plain. Perhaps he was Adelan? She'd have to wait for him to awake to see.

Tri shot up from the surface of the water, thrashing around and trying his hardest to stay afloat as he coughed and gasped for air. He looked around, the sky full of embers and smoke as thunder struck overhead. In the distance, he could see them well. The towering monsters, with skin as shiny and bright as pure gold. Their roars were loud and clear, all of them lumbering through the deep ocean with no problem whatsoever, as they seemed to touch the sky with their height.

Tri turned, his eyes widening as he saw a sinking ship, engulfed in flames, with pieces of wood laying everywhere. He swam to one, clinging on for dear life. Just moments later, the hull of the ship cracked apart as one of the giants came up through the water. Tri nearly fell off the piece of wood he was laying against as the waves from the giant swept over him, looking up at the unbelievably tall creature. He saw the thing lift its massive foot, Tri screaming as it was brought down on top of him.

He shot awake, gasping and panting for breath as he reached for his sword. It wasn't on him... Come to think of it, nothing was. He patted his body, feeling only hot skin as he tried finding his only means of defense. It took only seconds for reality to hit, the man realizing that he wasn't in an ocean whatsoever. He wasn't even in the desert he had found himself in just hours before. He was... In a room. A rather cool room, out of the heat of the sun. His throat didn't feel nearly as dry as before, and his strength seemed somewhat returned. He didn't exactly know what was going on, but he didn't protest, that was for certain.

He laid back down, wincing. His body must've been aching from that fall he took down the dunes. That's when the sting of his feet began to make itself known. He grunted, gritting his teeth in realization that he wouldn't be doing much walking for awhile. It was a miracle that he was able to sleep through all this pain... Though it wasn't necessarily a good thing. He had never slept peacefully in his life, obscure dreams always coming to confuse him and even give him a good scare every now and then. It was worse than any kind of physical pain. It was emotional pain. Mental pain.

He stared up at the ceiling, figuring that whoever undressed him and laid him out to rest didn't want him doing too much moving around. In retrospect, that was probably a good idea. He took deep breaths, trying to ignore his battered feet, aching torso, and sunkissed skin as he closed his eyes. Of course, he wasn't able to fall back asleep. He had far too many questions, plus, he wanted to meet the good samaritan that saved his life. Besides... Why would he want to sleep to begin with?

Over hearing the commotion, Thresha poked her head into the room. She was startled as she watched the man now awake, and gave a soft cry before dashing down the hall. Tri wouldn't be left alone for long, before a tall woman appeared, lithe in build and fumbling to clutch a long, silken robe around her body. Her make up was still well done, though partially smudged due to her disturbed slumber, and her bright blonde hair was in a disheveled mess of curls that clung about her face. Upon seeing the man was in fact, awake, her green eyes widened as she rushed to his side.

"You're awake!" And she turned from him and snapped her fingers. "Thresha! Be quick and bring us a pitcher of water!" Then she turned back to the man, smiling inspite of herself. It was relief really as she sighed at the sight of him. "I wasn't sure if you'd even wake up. Someone should have warned you how unforgiving the desert is."

Tri rubbed his eyes, leaning on one of his elbows as he sighed. "I... Was." He admitted shyly, hating to reveal how stupid he had been for attempting such a journey. He looked up at her, his eyes widened in surprise. A young, beautiful woman... Looking to be some form of nobility, too. He couldn't say he wasn't shocked. He expected his savior to be some hardened, rugged farmer or a nobleman's slave. But here, he had the complete opposite.

"What do I owe you, for saving my life?" He asked. His voice was quiet and calm, almost a whisper as he spoke. He looked into her eyes, genuinely prepared to pay for any trouble he had given her. The incident in the desert was his fault, and she had to waste her precious time to drag him into the shade and get him hydrated again. He looked back at the door, eagerly waiting for Thresha to come back with some cool, refreshing water.

He glanced down at his arms, which were now crossed over his stomach as he thought deeply about his life-threatening mistake out there. It wasn't the first one he had made, but hanging onto a dragon's tail mid-flight in order to slay the beast was very different from walking through the desert for three days straight. One was reckless, but with the objective of saving lives, the other was simply suicide. "My... Name is Tri, by the way."

"Owe me?" Evelyn made a face. "Don't be ridiculous, not all Essyrnis are so barbaric and rude to ask for payment in compensation for helping another's life!" But she realized she was rambling as she went on and shook her head. "Lucky for you..." she went on with a small smirk, "My blood isn't Essyrni, but my parents had come from the North."

Thresha had returned by now and was eager to offer the water to Tri.

"Here... drink this."

And she paused to observe him, taking in his name before offering her own.

"Most call me Lady Gray, but due to the circumstances, I'm sure it's appropriate you can call me Evelyn." And though she knew it was polite to allow someone rest after such an endeavor, she couldn't help but find herself asking, "How is it that you've found yourself in such a poor predicament?" The answer had, in fact, kept her up wondering most of the night.

She certainly wasn't modest about her social status... He was glad he wouldn't need to constantly refer to this woman as, 'Lady Gray,' though. He had always thought such noble titles were awkward, mostly due to the fact that he was as far from being a noble as you could get. He was also thankful that this lady wasn't forcing him to pay. Mostly because he had nearly no money to offer.

Tri immediately snatched the pitcher away from Thresha's hands, shaking in joy as he downed almost the entire pitcher like a rabid dog, the water pouring from the sides of his mouth slightly. He didn't care what the women thought of his actions... His mouth and throat were still dry, and he hadn't seen or drank water for three days straight. You bet your ass he was going to savour its cool, soothing temperature. When he set the pitcher down, he panted, looking over Evelyn and raising a brow to her question. Oh boy... Story time.

"I... Had an item stolen from me." He answered simply, looking down at his lap. "Bandits in Serendipity... They looked to be Essyrni, but I wasn't sure. I tracked them down near the border in an old dwarven mining outpost. I didn't come looking for blood, but they gave it to me... I must've cut through at least a dozen before I met the ringleader of the bunch. But I was too late... The imbecile sold the item in question to a caravan headed straight for Essyrn. He warned me that I would die in the desert... Of course I didn't listen..." He explained, sighing and shaking his head.

He looked back up at Evelyn, a certain fire of determination burning in his eyes. "My things... Where are they? Especially my sword." He asked, fists clenched as he looked around. "I need to find that caravan... Take back what belongs to me." He hissed, his tone revealing that this item of his had substantial importance to him. After all, why else would he risk his life getting the thing back?

Not offended or surprised by the way the man drank, she waited for him to have his fill, and silently gestured for Thresha to refill the water as she sat there and listened. She raised her brows when he confessed it was of his own stupidity that brought him here, and she eyed him over and had to wonder if that was really true.

"So your true reason to venture so precariously was revenge?" she clenched her jaw at the statement, and thought over his demands for his weapons. "Your things are safe. It was your health we were more concerned about. Please, you still need to rest. Your body is in no condition for you to go off on another journey that you are not prepared."

Thresha had returned with the water, and offered more to Tri.

"I might be off some assistance to you, but I won't waste my time, or resources, to give it to a man who will through himself back under the horse. Just rest." And she studied him with a cool gaze before adding, "Are you hungry? We have fish, plenty of it. I could have Thresha here prepare you some."

Tri blinked up at her, his eyes wide. "N-No!" He said suddenly, not wanting her to get the wrong idea. "Revenge... Wasn't my aim. I just want to get back what belongs to me. It is important." He murmured, sighing. This woman saved his life. He didn't need to betray her trust this early. For all he knew, he would need a lot of assistance in finding the caravan carrying the item he spoke of, and a noblewoman just might be the person he needed. Well... It truly all depended on what profession she was involved in.

His thoughts ceased as she offered him food. He looked off to the side, trying not to overstay his welcome by eating everything she owned. Still... His grumbling stomach was a definite distraction. "Perhaps... A bite to eat wouldn't hurt." He looked back up at her. He rubbed his eyes, the stinging of his red skin nearly driving him mad with annoyance. He looked up at her once more, a brow raised. "Are you a diplomat? Wealthy merchant?"

"I'm.... a merchant, yes," she told him with a small smile then gestured to Thresha. "Prepare some fish, and see what vegetables we can offer as well. And breads."

The woman bowed deeply to Evelyn before departing. It was here Evelyn adjusted her sari and looked the man over.
"Would you like to clean up some while the fish is being prepared?"
He looked like he could use a good bath.

Tri gave a sigh, throwing his sore legs over the side of the bed. He hesitated for a little while, honestly not wanting to stand again for awhile. However, what Evelyn said was tempting. He was covered in sweat and sand, his hair plastered to the sides of his head, oily and unkempt. He desperately needed to bathe, there was no doubt about that. He dropped onto his feet slowly, struggling to put pressure on them without gritting his teeth in discomfort. His muscles were on fire.

"I... Still don't understand... Why are you helping me? Do I have some importance to you that I don't know about?" Tri asked, putting a nearby towel around his waist before beginning the slow walk towards the door. When he reached it, he opened it up slowly, the hinges creaking. Even with just this much effort, he was already tired out, and needed to lean against the frame for support. He felt pathetic... And he just knew deep down that she felt the same just watching him stumble around like a baby taking its first steps.

"Are you questioning your Help?" she asked, brows raised. "Really, if you could do me one favor, it would be to not question me over everything I do," she went on with a huff. "I get enough of that here for being of foreign blood," she went on, detestfully and sighed again, moving towards his side. "You needn't move. Perhaps after you eat and rest a while you can bathe... For now, I could offer you a wash clothe and pale. Then you can at least wash your face to feel.... a little more human." She couldn't say she knew what he had gone through, she herself was not that stupid. She offered her arm. "Here, let me help you to the settee."

Tri stared at her for a few seconds, shaking his head slightly. He decided to take her help without question from now on, seeing as she expressed her hatred of it openly. Taking her arm, he slowly limped back to the settee with her, gently sitting down as they reached it. He sighed, running a hand through his filthy, red hair. Although, currently it looked to be more of a light brown, discolored by dust and sand. "A rag would be nice... This sand is rather uncomfortable."

"... I thought you didn't look quite like an Essyrni." He stated suddenly, crossing his arms as he looked around the room. His eyes landed on her. "I'm guessing you're of either Serenian blood, or Connlaothian blood." He told her, then looked away. He didn't want to seem more rude than he had already been. And come to think of it, he had been quite rude for questioning her motives so much. He should've just shut up and been thankful. Perhaps some small talk would heal up those blemishes?

"I say Serenian because your skin looks practically flawless... However, that hair color would point to you being Connlaothian. Pure blonde. Breathtaking, really..." He murmured. He had stopped himself from continuing. This is how he stopped being rude? By flirting with someone of obviously higher power than him? Bold move... Still, it had to be better than everything he had said before. "As beautiful as Essyrn is,-" Wow... Essyrn? Beautiful? This desert wasteland? Sure... "-I can't see why else you would want to live here. Was the work in your homeland not cutting it? Or... Was it the war going on with the mages?"

The question was one he again had put out without thinking. Assuming she even was Connlaothian, it was one that could've potentially brought up awful memories. Despite not being in the war himself, he had met many who lost their homes, fortune, and families from the useless conflict. This woman had been so generous as to offer him her food and water. Why would he want to do that to her? "You... Don't have to answer that question. I'm sorry." He frowned, closing his eyes. For one day, Tri... Stop being an idiot. He thought.

She made sure he was safely sitting before allowing him to have his space. That was one custom she was still not used to here- personal 'space' didn't seem to be that much of a 'thing' here, where as her parents were rather fond of keeping their space. Although while she observed the man, he went on to say quite a lot of things, the flirting of which caused a single brow to rise. And then his words kept continuing.

She held out the basin of water and wash clothe for him.

"How about you take this time to rest and wash your face. Then later... " she went on with a sigh. "We can talk about politics, the desert and why you're being tended to by some foreign woman."

It was irritating, but not exactly on the level she'd expect it to. She had her share of those oogling her for being foreign, but mostly the stares were with critical eyes that were nonplused with her blonde hair from the north. She rose to allow the man some time to himself, though she did not doubt he was probably hungry for conversation as he was for food. A lot of men sputtered nonsense, she found, when they were hungry or delirious from the desert. She paused as she approached the hall and cast him a small smile.

"You guessed right." She paused a moment, just staring. "My parents were both Connlaothian."
Her eyes lingered but a moment more before she turned to step out into the hall.

Tri watched her leave, sighing slightly in hopes that he hadn't already overstayed his welcome. Dragging the washcloth down his dirty arms, he closed his eyes, the cool sensations causing his burning skin to relax as cool air wafted over the now damp surface. He continued to his chest, neck, shoulders, and face, the rag turning brown as he wiped away the dust and sand. He dipped it back into the pale, bringing it above his head and wringing the water out, his crimson hair showing much better as it was somewhat cleaned.

He laid back after he finished scrubbing himself don, now just more tired than he was sore. Fearing another nightmare, he closed his eyes, quickly opening them as he tried to evade sleep. The process repeated itself many times, the man finally giving in as he drifted off. It didn't really matter whether he woke up in a panicked state once again or not... With some sleep, he'd be back on his feet again in no time. Back on his feet just in time to find what he needed in Essyrn and get out safely.

In a similar fashion to before, Tri woke with a gasp, nearly falling out of the settee as his head shot back and forth. Calming down in realization of where he was, he sighed in relief. He was back in the comfy little room, feeling rejuvenated from his rest as he stood slowly. His feet seemed to be fairing a lot better... They still hurt to walk on, but he was less fatigued now. His muscles pulsated with pain as he stumbled to the door, opening it slowly as he looked around at the new location. Now... To find Evelyn. Or her servant.

Thresha had been moving down the hall around the same time Tri was opening the door. SHe paused in momentary alarm, a cup of tea in her hand. Her eyes widened.
"Oh! I shall get Lady Gray!" And promptly she rushed past him down the hall. She disappeared around a bend, and a moment later, Evelyn's head poked out around the bend. She was heading his way now, securing a black silken robe around her form as by now, it was nightfall again and it looked as if she might have just woken.

"I see you're awake," she went on, her stride becoming more casual as she approached. "Are you sure you're strong enough to stand?" She tilted her head to examine him, but he did seem a lot better than he had been the day before.

Tri raised a brow as Thresha charged around the bend, shrugging slightly. He leaned against the wall, not entirely used to being back on his feet just yet. He was getting there, but only very slowly. Eventually, he stood up straight, not using the wall for support anymore as he slowly made his way down the absurdly long hallway. He winced with every step, eventually getting used to the pressure on his feet as he turned his head to look out the window.

Pitch blackness. He had slept until nightfall? He must have been more fatigued than he realized. Even then, he was still pretty groggy. As Evelyn, or 'Lady Gray' rounded the corner, he started to feel bad. The poor woman was in a deep sleep, being forced to wake up for his sorry ass... He sighed slightly. "Just getting used to being on solid ground again... Other than that, I'll live." He told her, rubbing one of his shoulders.

She sighed and afforded him a brief, small smile.
"Good, I'd hate for my efforts to go in vain. So how are you feeling now, rather than just simply 'alive'? Thresha can fetch you water for that bath now, or prepare you some food. Or a drink. Or all three, but perhaps not all at the same time."

Tri glanced out the window yet again, huffing. He thought over his options. Did he look and smell filthy? Yes. Could his stomach be heard all the way to Adela? Yes. Was his throat still drier than the desert itself? Yes. Oh boy... It looked like he would be picking that strenuous third option. He shook his head, hating to have her work herself to death to make sure he was alright.

"I... Um... I hate to say it, but I'm in need of all three, unfortunately." He told her, looking into her eyes with a genuine apologetic look. He stood up straight, beginning to walk past her down the hall, still rather weakly with an apparent limp. Still trying to get used to walking on an actual floor again. "We... Can just start with the bath. At least get me back to looking civilized." He joked.

She huffed as well and moved to catch him by his arm.
"You haven't looked civilized in days, I'm sure the bath can wait and your stomach will thank you for choosing a meal and drink first." She gestured to Thresha who was already making haste towards the kitchen.

"However, I have an idea that should help keep your mind from what plagues you and hopefully makes you feel a bit more civilized." As she lead him along she paused in the front of a hall door and pushed it open. Inside were walls lined with books.

"If you're a reader, there's a plethora of books from all over the continent here. Or if you'd prefer, I could select something of interest and read for you."

Tri watched her walk down the hall past him, raising a brow as he hesitated to follow. She started to seem more and more like a mother as time went on. He closed his eyes momentarily, shaking his head as he walked behind her towards wherever they were going. He had been without food for a long time before... Honestly, his thought process was set on the idea that a bath would finally calm his nerves. But if she insisted that some fancy, high society, wealthy merchant meal was more important, so be it. He wasn't about to argue with her hospitality.

"What plagues me isn't exactly something you can cure overnight. I'm not even sure if it is cureable. I... I'm not even sure what's plaguing me to begin with..." He sighed, looking off to the side as she opened the door. That's when Tri smelled that distinct, library-esc smell. A study? Or perhaps it was actually a library. In whatever case, the shelves of neatly-assorted, antique reads were tempting, to say the least. Books revolving around ancient legends surrounding Le'ranna, magical studies, historical records, philosophy, informational books regarding wildlife, and even books on famous warriors, such as the Dragonriders of Adela.

Running his fingers over the spines of the books on one shelf, he admired the asthetic of the room, as well as how much knowledge there was here to absorb. Taking a moment to let it all sink in, he finally turned to her. "Do you... Own any books from Serendipity? Specifically... Serenian wars?" He asked, frowning and narrowing his eyes. Ah... Serendipity. His homeland. He didn't find himself straying near those lands too much anymore. As enchanting and culturally expansive as they were, his nightmares only seemed to thrive more any time he found himself sleeping in a bed within the Serenian borders.

Le'ranna was a mysterious land with many conflicts and events lost to time, or erased by the frequent tears in time caused by magic of all kinds. But to him, Serendipity was the most mysterious by far. Perhaps this was because all of his investigations pointed to the land being the source of his lost memories... The bits and pieces of a torn-up scrapbook that were his own dreams. The visions of the burning seas, golden giants, lost loved ones and uphill battles... Serendipity always seemed to be the source. It hurt, knowing that his own home was probably keeping his life hidden from him.

She gave him a side long look before reaching past him to the shelf over top of their heads. She pulled down three books, two of a decent size and skinny one.
"Perhaps one of these on the history of Serendipity may suffice?" she asked, offering out the books.

He looked down at the books she offered him, analyzing them for a moment. The skinnier book looked a lot older, the hard cover peeling apart slightly, the pages torn in certain places and stained with age and various drinks. The other one looked a lot newer, the hard cover untouched and the pages looking practically new. Either she didn't really like the skinnier book, or it was just a much older variant. That would explain why the second book was larger. More history usually meant more content within a history book.

He took the larger book from her, finding a seat and opening it to the index. He traced his finger down the page, looking through every section in hopes of finding something that would jog his memory. He stopped as he noticed the subheading, 'Birth of the Goldtouched Colossi.' He narrowed his eyes in deep thought, flipping to the section and beginning his read. "So... How long have you lived in Essyrn? And... Why Essyrn, of all places?" He asked, curious and wanting to know more about her.

"Over half my life, and it was my parents decision. They wanted to leave Connlaoth and decided to go as South as here. And I've lived here ever since. I can say I feel quite agreeable to this place. There is a warmth to these sands."

Tri narrowed his eyes, looking over the pages with deep interest. He took in all the information he could regarding a race of long-extinct giants, whom of which were known to be very aggressive and troublesome to Serendipity... But as he read, his hope of piecing his past together getting stronger, the section just... Ended. He sighed heavily, closing the book and shaking his head in disappointment. A few artist's renditions of the giants and information regarding their home and behavior wasn't enough to lead him in the right direction... He would need much more. The only problem, was that this book she lent him came to a dead end. The closest thing he had to understanding his purpose was out there, trapped in the rolling dunes on a thief's caravan to gods know where.

As he pondered how he would retrieve his stolen item, the book's disappointment and his growing hopelessness, he barely heard Evelyn's response. Looking up, he gave a nod. "Ah... So you have your parents to thank for all of this?" He looked around the nicely-sized library, imagining the rest of her home and how big it could be. "Warmth to these sands... Yeah. I'd know that much." He joked, feeling like a few laughs were in order. He still felt the sting of his sunburn, shaking his head at the thought of making the same trek again. His eyes caught sight of the towel around his waist, causing him to chuckle. "Um... I don't mean to be a burden, I know you'd like to sleep, but... May I have my clothes back?" He smirked, looking up at her and raising a brow.

It was only then she realized his dress. Not many who were not Essyrni borne would care if they walked about in a towel (especially after what he had endured). But then again, the Essyrni generally did not wear layers of clothing, and most of the lower class sometimes wore nothing at all.

"Your clothes are being tended to, but I could lend you a robe." She looked him over and tried to gauge his size as she added, "I can't guarantee the fit but it's a rather flexible style of robe and of the latest Essyrni fashion."

Tri found himself snickering at her remark regarding Essyrni fashion. "Even if it was a potato sack that barely fit, I'd be fine with it, Ms. Gray." He told her, casting his friendliest of smiles. He set the books to the side, standing and stretching out his back. "After you... Fetch the robe, I'll leave you be." He promised, looking off to the side. "I'll... Stay here. Read as much as I can. Knowledge is always worth the time." He added, looking back at her.

Tri didn't read very much, being that he was almost always on the road. But when he did, he enjoyed it. His favorites were always the historical books... Those romance stories and crime dramas never really seemed to spark with him. It was most likely due to the fact that he just preferred reality to made-up dribble. "You can go back to bed... And I suppose Thresha can retrieve me when dinner is ready, yeah?" He walked to a random bookshelf in the nonfiction section, tracing his finger over the spines.

She stared at him, but held her tongue about his comments on dress, then further still on her need to remain. Perhaps he didn't realize how much more of an inconvenience that would be- considering his state, and also his relation to her as an absolute stranger.

"I don't think I could simply go back to sleep," she went on, smiling carefully towards him then away, eyes wondering towards the book shelves. "Though if you aim to keep quiet company with my books I would not rob you of it."

Tri picked out a few books on Essyrni culture, most of them very slim and mainly containing things such as manners and traditions. If he was going to be staying here for awhile, he'd need to know how to talk to others and what and what not to do in general.

After a short silence, him scanning each page of one of the books as he walked back to his seat, his gaze shot up towards her and he gave a nod. "Very well... I'm not going to tell you what to do in your own home." He said, his expression unreadable as he sat back down.

She had taken a seat as well, and taken to a drink for herself as she studied him in silence. He was an interesting specimen to be sure, then again, it wasn't every day Lady Gray tended to men barely surviving the desert. Even still she couldn't help but feel sorry for him, and also being immensely intrigued.

The thief that stole from him should be sought out and reprimanded, but she also knew she, as a woman, (and of foreign blood) had limited resources, people she could trust, and any true power outside of her own money. However, she also knew had he stumbled onto another man's property, chances were they'd take him in as a slave rather than cleaning him up to get him back onto his feet and back to the life he had nearly foolishly lost when he rushed off into the desert.

Tri and her seemed to sit in complete silence for hours on end, Tri reading the books from cover-to-cover and studying up in any way he could. All while staying awkwardly silent and not looking over in her direction whatsoever. The rest of the night seemed to drag on for awhile, Thresha preparing a bath for the man, who accepted without hesitation, as well as a meal, which was welcomed with open arms after being practically starved in the desert.

After all of this was done, Tri was fitted into a robe that was slightly too tight, hugging his toned upper body in an uncomfortable fashion. Still... It beat walking around in little more than a small towel. Once his hair dried, the sand, dust, and sweat washed out completely, it glowed a brilliant crimson under the moonlight shining through the windows. He was definitely Serenian, there was no doubt about that much. He was then given a room to sleep in. It wasn't anything fancy, holding little more than a bed, a nightstand, and a wardrobe, but again, it would work. Tri was thankful that this woman was willing to help him at all.

He honestly felt spoiled, in all of this confusion. The meal, which was beyond amazing, the cool bath which soothed his burning skin nicely, the robe, the room, it all was just too much. This woman had her own duties, her own life to live, and instead of saving his life and tossing him out, she went above and beyond. Not only was it too much, it was just confusing. She had no idea who he was, where he came from, or anything. He was just some guy she found in the desert. Although, one thing was definitely clear. She was an upper class woman. Someone far more powerful and influential than him. Wasting her time on what most upper-class people would consider a peasant was a ludicrous notion, but here he was, being treated as a valued guest in Evelyn Gray's home.

After a good night's rest, Tri was back on his feet first thing in the morning, no longer suffering from aches and pains in his legs, the burns on his skin no longer bothering him as badly. Sure, there were blisters on his heels and the skin on his shoulders and face had begun to peel slightly, but after being treated so well the night before, he actually felt a lot more like he did before he crossed the desert. As soon as his clothes were ready, he didn't hesitate to go retrieve them, utterly sick of the uncomfortable robe.

Lifting up his shirt and pants, checking them to make sure they were completely clean, he slipped them on, as well as his belt, shoes, and lastly, his red gauntlets. Placing them on his arms and tightening them into place with the straps, he smirked, finally feeling like himself again as he took his tattered cape, bearing the Serenian insignia and tied it around the spikes on his shoulders. It was good to finally be in his everyday attire again. Even with a robe or towel, he felt naked without it. He picked up his sword, still in its scabbard, placing it on his back gently. He gave his arms one last stretch before turning, looking around for Evelyn. Not only did he have thanks to give, but he also had directions to ask for. He needed to know his way around Essyrn, if he was going to get back what belonged to him.

It seemed just as things were becoming peaceful, a squabble had to rear it's ugly head. And at the forefront of such sudden commotion was that of a man's booming voice and all of his Essyrnian arrogance that came with it.  Thresha had been the unfortunate slave to answer the front door, and was no match to keep Merchant Prince Na'hana out.

He was a large man, both in belly, height and shoulder girth, with skin as smooth and strong as ebony and bright eyes that pierced like that of a lion's. He forced his way into the home, demanding to speak with Lady Gray who, Thresha kept insisting, was indisposed at the moment for her morning bath.

Tri wasn't the only one needing a good, relaxing bath after the night's events. Evelyn was more than exhausted at playing the sudden role as rescuer and hostess. She wanted nothing more than a nice long, cool refreshing bath, her blonde hair pinned on top of her head and the rest of her completely submersed in the bath from shoulders down, with only her knees poking up in the middle.

The bath was quite luckily on the other end of the expansive manor home, situated in a quaint corner on the balcony that looked over the reeded back yard. Her eyes had been closed as she lay there, seeming none the wiser as Prince Na'hana was barging his way ever closer to her bed room.

Perhaps she had fallen asleep, she couldn't really tell, but when the sudden heavy pounding of foot steps, than the familiar charge of Prince Na'hana, she jerked up suddenly in the bath to see the hulking man standing in the door to her balcony and blocking her only exit.

She poised against the bath tub, keeping herself seated in such a way she wouldn't compromise more exposure to his eyes than necessary.

"Prince Na'hana, I do believe you weren't invited into my home."

"Invitation? I don't need one. I've come for the money you owe me, and I am a hasty man in settling my debts."

This made her sit up even straighter, brow furrowing as she peered at the cowering form of Thresha behind Na'hana then back to him.

"By the Gods, what are you going on about? I paid you last week."

But the way the man's eyes blazed had him stomping his boot quite heavily into the stone balcony floor.

"YOU PAID TOO LITTLE!" he boomed. "WE SPECIFICALLY AGREED ON THE AMOUNT AND THE INTEREST!"

"And you were paid both, Prince Na'hana," Evelyn went on very coolly, calmly, but not without her own power backing her voice. "You yourself signed the parchment and melted your own wax insignia on it as well."

"You little white rat, I received no such compensation!" he boomed.

"We agreed on five percent-"

"IT WAS FIFTEEN!" the man bellowed. "And now more so since you have come to make me a fool!"

Now Evelyn was more annoyed than scared as she sat up, barely caring she was naked in the bath now. "Prince Na'hana, if it was fifteen you should not have signed the agreement and should have corrected me when I agreed to five."

And that's when he started spewing insults at her in his native tongue, most of which she understood, and it made her frown.

"Allow me to collect myself so we can discuss this like civilized people-"
But as she moved to step out of the bath and reach for her towel, Prince Na'hana had already turned around and fetched Thresha by the hand.

"Her! I'll take this slave as my own to pay for your insolence!"

By then, Evelyn had nearly tripped out of the bath.

"You will do no such thing!" She roared, barely able to press the towel around her to keep her modest as she approached the prince, just as he was grabbing onto poor Thresha's wrist. And her own wrist went to Na'hana's.

That seemed to do it, as the man let out a roar, shoved Thresha aside and turned to grab Lady Gray by the wrist.
"Then I shall have you instead, you pink skinned pig of a woman!" And before Evelyn knew what was even going on, she was thrown over the prince's shoulder like a sack of potatoes and Na'hana was storming with her in tow down the hall.

Tri, unable to find Evelyn anywhere in the manor, decided to leave a message for Thresha to deliver to her when she arrived from...  Well, wherever she was currently. He then paused, blinking as he saw the fattest, ugliest Essyrni storming down the hall, Thresha in hot pursuit right behind him. Tri was curious, but he figured it wasn't his place to spy on whatever was happening. He simply made a slow walk towards the nearest seat, not wanting to run off without saying his goodbyes. As he awkwardly sat, crossing his arms and staring at the ceiling, he kept overhearing angry shouts, most of which came from the fat, ugly Essyrni. From what he could hear... It had something to do with money. A rotten business exchange, perhaps?

When the screaming escalated to its very worst, Tri finally stood and headed off towards Evelyn's bedroom, thinking that he at least needed to break up the fighting before it got ugly, or keep it from getting even worse. However, when he rounded the corner and got halfway down the long hallway that led to the other side of the manor, he didn't expect to see the Essyrni man hoisting a scantily-clad Evelyn on his shoulder and bolting straight towards him. Naturally, the swordsman backed up slightly, taken back by the odd sight. Instinct took over, Tri immediately reaching for the hilt of his sword as he sensed his new acquaintance was in danger.

Narrowing his eyes at the scene, Tri covered as much of the hallway as he could with his agile form, now in a fighting stance as he slowly drew the bastard sword off his back. Whoever this guy was, he obviously wasn't just some cranky neighbor that came to exchange insults. He and Evelyn must've had some bad history, or something. Surprising, considering how polite and sophisticated the lady was. It was hard for him to believe that anyone, even someone as big and ill-tempered as this man could have any issue with her. Then again, it was still a fact that he knew very little about her whatsoever.

He opened his mouth, pointing the sharp blade at the Essyrni in hopes of making him stop dead in his tracks. Usually big, scary swords seemed to do the trick in making angry people calm down a little. Still, he didn't want to have to hurt anyone unless it was necessary. Or... Perhaps he just didn't want to ruin Evelyn's home by shedding blood everywhere. "Put the lady down... I'd hate to have to carve somebody up because they can't discuss business like a civilized human being." He said out loud, making his intentions well-known. "Put her down, and you and I can talk. Man to man."

Na'hana came to a sudden halt and Evelyn nearly twisted off his shoulder and out of her towel. With a gasp, she peered over to see the stranger from the desert- whom was unrecognizable at first, what with his cleaned up look and attire, and a massive sword to boot. But before she could even utter a word, Na'hana was growling.

"Out of my way! This doesn't concern you, foreign pig."

Foreign pig? Tri was slightly insulted by this. He had been called worse before by much more intimidating men, but it was the 'pig' part that really set him off. He may not have been the most formal man, but he at least had enough manners to be above that of a pig. Besides, the dude was fat enough to be a pig himself! Sighing internally, he took a step forwards.

"Intriguing argument. But I'm going to have to respectfully decline." He stated, spinning the massive sword. The light from the window glistened against the magnificent blade, the reflection enough to blind somebody as Tri did his best to resolve the situation so blood wouldn't have to be shed. Even if he had to intimidate to do so. "Now... I'll ask one more time as nicely as I can. Let her go, before I cleave off your grubby little hands." He said, a low growl to his voice.

Though unnerved about the blade, it infuriated him this man dare make commands towards him.

"Who are you to demand such a thing, swordman?" Na'hana growled and fought his hold on the wriggling Evelyn.

"Let go go, Na'hana or else-" But a second later, the big man was howling as Evelyn chomped her teeth fiercely into his skin. She'd never heard him howl so loud  in her life, but it was enough of a motive for him to, quite literally, throw Evelyn off his form, to where she collided most painfully into the nearest wall before crumpling to the ground.

"The Woman Bit me!" he shrieked, holding the throbbing wound while reaching for his own blade. "You'll pay for that one, Woman!"

Tri opened his mouth to speak, his brows raising as Evelyn uttered her own command at the Essyrni. Na'hana... Interesting name. Well, at least he now had something to call the man. But just as quickly as she ordered him to drop her, her teeth sank deep into the flesh of his arm, almost enough to draw blood. Tri jumped in surprise at this, hearing the blood-curdling scream of Na'hana which caused his ears to ring. As he tossed her to the side, causing her body to hit the wall, he ran at Na'hana as soon as he spotted the man's blade.

As he ran, his eyes kept drifting over towards Evelyn, who was curled painfully in her little ball after being tossed like a sack of potatoes. She was by no means a frail woman, but she was dwarfed by the massive size of Na'hana. There was a good chance she was seriously hurt, but she would be hurt even worse if he managed to get to her with the lethal blade. That was a risk that Tri couldn't take, so instead of focusing on her, he went straight for Na'hana.

Tri skidded to a halt in front of Na'hana, who seemed to be distracted by Evelyn's form laying on the floor. Crouching low, he thrusted the sword forwards in an attempt to disarm the blade from Na'hana's hand before taking the butt-end of his sword and ramming it up towards the man's jaw. He kept from slashing at Na'hana's body, still not wanting to kill anyone. After his first two lightning-quick movements, Tri grasped the flat edge of his sword before pinning the sharp blade against Na'hanna's neck, shoving him into the wall.

"Leave. Now." He ordered, beginning to press the blade into his skin. "While your throat is still in one piece."

Irate, but not entirely stupid, Na'hana took a step back.
"Fine," and his eyes went over to Evelyn's crumpled form. "I wouldn't wish to stay in such company any longer than I'd want to share bread with fleas." He narrowed his gaze on Tri, angrily, but warily as well, as he moved to by pass his sword, hoping the swordman would keep his word and not cut him while he was trying to make his retreat. And while he did it, he committed the man's face to memory, so that he could remind himself later who he ought to have killed.

Tri watched Na'hana leave, making sure he didn't come back for more. Once he heard the front door open and close, he raced over to Evelyn, quickly helping her up off the ground. He had his sword back in its scabbard, now more focused on making sure his host wasn't severely injured than the risk of Na'hana coming back and sneaking up on him. "Are you alright? Where does it hurt?" He asked, feeling around her side and arm. He was no healer, but he could at least figure out what to do for a bruise or cut, if she had anything of the sort.

He sighed heavily. Wonderful... This had to happen just as Tri was preparing to set out. Now he had to worry about Evelyn, and this new Na'hana character, who was for sure livid that he didn't get away with Evelyn or Thresha because of his interference. He finally noticed Thresha standing idly by, and narrowed his eyes. "You. Thresha. Lead me to her room. She needs to lay somewhere softer than a cold, hard floor..." He ordered. Thresha wasn't his servant, but Evelyn obviously wasn't in any shape to toss around orders. Hell, just moments ago she was slammed into a wall at full speed.

As he gave Thresha the order and was led to Evelyn's private chambers, somewhere he probably shouldn't have been, he gently laid her down. Feeling around the same area as before, where he saw her collide with the wall, he repeated his question from earlier. "Evelyn, I'll ask once more. Where does it hurt?" He questioned, obviously feeling as if he owed something to the woman that saved his life. He looked at Thresha. "Do we have any ice? Something to numb whatever wounds she may have?" It was a rather stupid question, seeing that they were out in the desert, where most water would evaporate on contact with the hot sand, but there had to be something he could do for her...

Evelyn could barely respond when Tri asked how she was doing. She was dizzy and weak, and it felt as though her entire being ached. Being carried afforded her some time to sober, and once placed in her bed, she reflected back to what occurred.

She stared up at the ceiling now, lips flat in thought. She heard what he said, but at first didn't answer. Than she groaned as she attempted to move, and winced and adjusted to a position that wasn't entirely stabbing her and forcing her to go without breath.

Here, with her body half turned, she studied Tri and eventually gave him a tired smile.

"It... all hurts, but I think I'll live." She closed her eyes and drew in a slow and wavering breath. "Thank you.... I know you think you must owe me... but... I know coming to my aid was dangerous and I thank you for being there."

She smiled again, her eyes wavering with tears from the pain. It hurt to talk. She supposed she'd have to rest that off. She had been thrown rather powerfully into the side of her great stone building. Sighing, she closed her eyes, not caring or even aware she was barely without clothes.

"IF you need to leave, I will not keep you. I can rest. Thresha can tend to me."

No kidding it was dangerous... From the look of things, Tri was willing to assume that Evelyn knew that guy personally. And considering her social status, it was safe to say that Na'hana was on her level as far as wealth and power was concerned. Men like that knew people. People that could do serious harm to Tri if they were ordered to. As long as he stayed here, the entire manor had a huge target painted over it. More specifically, over him. But that didn't mean that his host wouldn't be caught in the crossfire of that encounter.

Giving her a smile as she assured him that she would be ok, he pulled up a chair and sat at her bedside. "I'm not leaving, Evelyn. I can't leave. Not now, at least." He said softly, crossing his arms over his lap. He looked towards her door with a slightly worried sigh, looking back at her and narrowing his eyes. "I want you to explain to me who that man was. Why was he trying to whisk you away? I need an explanation." He told her, glancing back-and-forth between her and the door every now and then, as if expecting for the fat Essyrni to return at any moment.

Evelyn sighed.
"If you must know, he was a business partner. He was upset over payment, despite what was agreed upon." She sighed. "I know the man is quick to temper, but he is a good business man. Thats why it surprised me he even bothered to come around here."

Tri crossed his arms, listening to her with a heavy sigh. "Perhaps he is a good business man. I don't have the luxury of knowing him." His words were laced with sarcasm, finding it somewhat hard to believe that Na'hana had any admirable qualities about him. Placing a hand on her arm, which was still coated in cold steel, he gave another reassuring smile.

"If he returns, I'll be here to make sure he can't carry off another half-naked woman ever again." He joked, patting her arm slightly. With that, he stood, looking towards Thresha for a moment before back at Evelyn. "In the meantime, I'll assist Thresha with anything you need. Until you recover, that is." He immediately remembered a certain Connlaothian who could probably tend to Evelyn's injuries and get her back on her feet sooner. He would need to write a message to her soon.

Evelyn gave him a tired smile.
"You don't have to help Thresha. She handles her duties well and might take offense to you... cutting in on her turf."

Tri rolled his eyes at Evelyn's stubbornness, but it was with a smile. He wasn't annoyed by the woman's insistence that he didn't help her. In fact, it was a trait that he could admire. Her selfless behavior was rarely seen amongst people of such high class. "Very well. As you wish, Evelyn." He told her softly, kneeling. "I have a letter to go write. For a healer, handling some operations on the Connlaothian border. Something about assisting the wounded mages coming back from the battlefield. I'm sure she wouldn't mind taking a trip here to come and check you out. Make sure nothing's too seriously injured. Besides... I'm sure finding work out here is a lot safer than being so close to a warzone."

With that, he stood, walking from the room and leaving her in peace. As he walked down the long hallway from her room, he instinctively kept a tight grip on his sword hilt. He had played with fire just moments ago, and only time would tell when Na'hana would be sending someone to deal with him. It wasn't something too nerve-racking, but it was still an intimidating thought nonetheless. He searched around for Evelyn's study, or anywhere he could sit down and write his letter, trying to forget about Na'hana for a moment and worry about getting Neyan out here to work her magic. ... Literally.

Once he found what he presumed to be her study, he was in awe. Much like the library, there was a shelf full of books, a fireplace with a rocking chair... Elegant Essyrni tapestries covering the walls, oh... And a desk with an ink well, a quill, and a clean sheet of paper sitting next to an unlit candle. She wouldn't mind if he used this little setup just for the moment, would she? He hoped not. Sitting in the chair, he lit the candle with a match before waving it through the air to extinguish the tiny flame. He dabbed the white quill in the pitch-black ink, pressing it down onto the paper as he began to write his letter. Tri's handwriting wasn't the best, but it was at least readable. In his mind, that was good enough. It wasn't like he was writing to a king, right?

Once he finished, he walked outside of Evelyn's home, placing the letter in a tiny box right by the door. If Tri was correct, a courier would be there to pick it up and deliver it later on. Until then, he needed to find something to do. What better than train? It's what he usually did when there was nothing else to do. Walking to her backyard, he unsheathed his sword from its scabbard before beginning to practice his stances and techniques.

Hours passed, and it was eventually dawn, the sky a bright pink as the sun ascended over the sandy dunes. Tri had been out for hours, still performing advanced dodges and movements, spinning his sword around expertly as day approached quickly. No sound could be heard at all besides him and the crickets. That was... Until he heard a crack behind him in one of the bushes. Stopping everything, he turned sharply and narrowed his eyes at the sound. Sword still at the ready, he approached the bush with heavy caution. He reached his hand out, pushing the branches to the side to see what it was that had made the sound.

Out of nowhere, a man dove out of the bush at him, wearing a thin, black tunic and headwrap, wielding a deadly, curved dagger. As he jumped out at Tri, he gave a loud battle-cry, Tri ducking while tossing him over his head. The attacker landed on his back with a 'thud,' grunting in slight pain as he stood once more, the attacker raced back at Tri, dagger pulled back as he aimed for a second strike. Tri parried the dagger, thrusting his sword at his abdomen, which was side-stepped skillfully. The two stood at a standstill, the attacker chuckling as he removed his headwrap. Behind the fabric was a weasel-like face with a goatee and golden-brown skin, his teeth crooked and half-rotten. Tri at first thought this guy to be one of Na'hana's men, but as soon as his face was revealed, Tri's eyes widened.

This man was one of the ones from the caravan of thieves... The same caravan that took his precious scroll. "My boss informed me that the little rat we took that fancy scroll from was in Essyrn... You're either really brave, or really stupid." He said, grinning. More men dressed exactly alike appeared from the darkness. "I want what belongs to me, thief. No amount of intimidation is going to scare me out of getting it back." Tri replied with a snarl, hands tightening around the hilt at the sight of reinforcements. "Well, then I regret to inform you that your scroll is gone. We sold it to a fella named Na'hana for quite a bargain as soon as we arrived back in the country. And what do you know? We received intel that earlier today, a bastard with red arms and red hair roughed him up! It all comes full-circle, doesn't it?" All the thieves chuckled.

Tri was boiling. Now he had a reason to go after Na'hana first, instead of the other way around. But there was a good chance that he wouldn't get to do that, seeing how the odds were stacked against him here. "I'll kill Na'hana and get that scroll back. But first, I'm gonna kill you." Tri proclaimed. The man hissed. "Bring it on, foreigner!" With this, Tri let out a shout as he charged at him, all the other thieves diving in as well.

Evelyn made a face at his decision.
"I should hope I heal up well before such a friend could travel here," either way, she was too exhausted to protest. "Let me rest." And it didn't take long for sleep to take her.

Even still, it was difficult for her to remain asleep. She always had to watch her back, due to her northern ancestry, so after a time she couldn't remain in bed she took a walk around the halls, stopping when she noted a candle was lit in her study. She spied Tri leaning over her desk and penning something on her paper.

She simply smirked and moved away as quiet as a mouse. She eventually found Thresha, who went about to make her tea. She told her to serve one to Tri and one to herself, but when Thresha moved to the study to give him his tea, he wasn't there. She had noticed he went outside, and left him to his own devices, doing the same when she returned to Evelyn's room to see her bent over, having fallen back asleep and only drinking a quarter of her cup of tea.

Silently she cleaned then retired herself, peering out just once to where their guest was still practicing. She was impressed at his dedication, and felt a bit better with this man around. Being Evelyn's servant meant she herself was often times subjected to the same ridicule as Evelyn.

But just when the night passed without excitement, it seemed the new day would greet them with the excitement built up over the night.

The fighting is what woke her up, having her whirled out of bed and throw on a hastily tied robe. She peered out her window to see not just one man, but many surrounding Tri as his form danced away from lethal strikes. It was something to see, all of his red and sweat glistening in the pink of the rising sun. But now was hardly a time to admire the fight, because her guest was in very real danger, and it could be her fault, no less!

Rushing down the hall, she hurried to the back opening and scooped up the first thing she could think of to grab as a weapon-
it was a rather heavy candelabra from the table, a weight in which even she was not certain it would be easy to wield.

She supposed it wouldn't matter, for it was heavy enough and as she snuck up behind the attacking men- one that was about to throw a knife at Tri's head was suddenly met with the sickening crunch of his own skull being crushed beneath the dense weight of the candelabra. 

And now the men turned to see her.

"Kill the Red Man and capture The woman!" And soon the men were splitting into groups, one quickly surrounding her and the other, pulling out all the weapons they got and began to relentlessly swing at Tri.

Tri narrowed his eyes when he heard the candelabrum strike skull, turning to see Evelyn standing there. "Evelyn, no!" He shouted out to her, but before he could do anything, he was being attacked by a large group of the thieves, the other group charging at his host. Blocking the daggers, swords, and any other weapon swung his way, he finally found an opening by digging his blade into the sand and swinging it upwards into their eyes, effectively blinding them.

He turned his back to the men, who screamed in rage as they clawed at their eyes, the gem on the hilt of his sword glowing as he swung through the air, defying all logic as reality itself was split. Through the green, wavy slice that floated through mid-air, a black void full of stars could be seen, but just barely. Diving through the cut, it closed behind him, leaving him unseen. Just feet away, behind Evelyn, another slice was formed by Tri's blade, the man springing forth and driving his sword through an attacker's chest.

As the assailant fell, Tri turned to Evelyn and gave the kind of growl that a father would give to a reckless child. He turned back to the attackers, who stood in shock. They immediately snapped out of it, yowling before rushing straight at Tri. He dodged one slash of a dagger before cutting through the attacker's chest, parrying the second man's mace before slicing his throat. Fighting his way through an additional three men, it didn't take long for the others to retreat, screaming in fear. Panting, Tri sheathed his sword before turning to her.

He glared at her, but not out of hatred. He was worried about her. Concerned. She had thrown herself right into the line of fire, inches away from the blades of very dangerous men. "Are you alright? You could've been killed."

Hear heart was beating a mile a minute and her entire being, flushed and clammy from sweat. She frowned at his glare, but did not shy away from his reproach. Her reply came simply.
"So could you."
She hadn't realized how hard she had been grasping the candelabra until she finally let it drop from her hand, having to nearly pry it out as she winced and stretched her fingers.

She drew in a breath, to try to steel her nerves, but she still felt shaky after all was said and done.
"And I'm fine." She tucked back a curl of hair. "Really." But when she saw some blood on his form, she gasped and stepped closer.
"You're hurt..."

Stubborn and headstrong. That was something that Tri had begun to accept with Evelyn. So when his light scolding was taken with a defiant attitude, he simply sighed and shook his head. He wasn't going to argue with her too much. There was no use. Especially since he had more pressing matters to attend to. Such as the location of his scroll, and what Na'hana's punishment would be for stealing it. "The bastard that tried whisking you away has something that belongs to be. I'm afraid just a bit more blood will need to be spilt before the day ends." He growled.

He paused when she pointed out a wound he didn't even know he had. A frown on his face, he looked down at his ribs, near his side, where his grey top had begun to turn a dark red, the fabric sliced as his blood had begun to drip into a puddle at his feet. It was then that he winced, grabbing at the wound at uttering a swear. When she came close, he lifted a hand, halting her approach. "It's... A scratch. I'm fine..." He growled, hating the idea of being bed-ridden any longer.

"I can't waste any daylight... I need to find him..." He started walking towards the door, only to have a surge of pain cross his body, forcing him to one knee as he began to feel dizzy. What the Hell was going on? How deep had that blade pierced him? Either way, it was clear that he had lost far more than just a pint of blood. Looking up at the door, he struggled to keep his eyes open as he fought off unconsciousness. He glanced back at Evelyn, grunting as he tried standing. She'd helped him enough... He would stitch himself up, if he had to.

Evelyn was at his side the moment he was on his knee. He'd feel her touch on his arm, and she was looking down at him, worry wrought on her face.

"Tri.. please. You need the wound dressed... It would be foolish to rush after those men now in your condition."

In any other case, Tri would protest and go back to his feet, but when it came down to it, she was right. He was bleeding badly, being on his feet just made him nauseous, and she had medical supplies that she could apply much better than he could. Knowing his expertise, he'd probably just sloppily stitch the cut up and move on. Unfortunately, that probably wouldn't do it.

Giving a defeated sigh, he closed his eyes and gave a nod, holding out his hand to her. "Help me inside... Please." He requested, gritting his teeth in pain as he was already attempting to stand. But just like that, there was already a knock on Evelyn's door. Tri lifted his gaze, already knowing exactly who that was. 

Evelyn huffed.
"More visitors at such an hour?" She saw Thresha moving towards the door and called after her. "Do not answer! Let them return come morning if they have business here!"

Tri, still panting and holding his side as hard as he could, gave a sigh of relief. Whoever that was here visiting would definitely get a surprise at the sight of the bleeding man, as well as the bodies that now cluttered Evelyn's yard, but they couldn't have come at a better time. Tri glanced at Evelyn as she gave Thresha the order to ignore the knock at the door, prepared to protest. That was... Until the person at the door did it first.

"Hellooo! I was given a letter! Tri said it was urgent!" A feminine, high-pitched voice called, beating on the door even harder. "Let me in! I'm not bad, I swear! I just wanna heeelp!" She added, Tri glancing at Evelyn as he gave a grunt of pain. "You remember that healer I mentioned? Well... She's early." He explained, mustering all of his strength to stand, only to fall against the frame of her back door. Huffing exhaustedly, he nodded to the door. "Thresha... Let her in. Before I lose consciousness."

Evelyn's heart nearly fell out of her and she turned to Thresha to command, "Do as he says!"
Thresha was swift to the door, unlatching the series of locks before opening it and peering out at the woman at the door.

"My mistress says please do come in," and she lowered her head and Evelyn stayed beside Tri, keeping a hold of him but an eye on the door.

Almost as soon as the door was opened, a small female in pure, white robes bolted through, her short, platinum blonde hair flowing behind her as she made her way to the backyard in mere seconds. She paused, looking around at the bodies that lay around her. As her grey eyes fell on Tri, they widened, quickly running over and tackling him into the ground. The man in question gave a grunt of pain, gritting his teeth as the young woman practically straddled his chest.

"Tri!? Oh my gosh, oh my gosh... Um... Oh! Yeah! Yeah! I'm a healer! I know what to do!" She yipped. Tri groaned, eyes closed tight as he struggled to breath, the overly-excitable female crushing his ribcage. "That's good to hear... Could you do it sooner, rather than later...?" He wheezed out. She bobbed her head frantically, jumping up and trying to lift him up, her small stature making it quite difficult. "Um... Some help?" She glanced at Evelyn, biting her lip.

Once they were back inside, Neyan helped to lay Tri on the bed he was given the first night he was there. Quickly yanking up his shirt, she shifted through her satchel for some herbs. Pulling out a vial of yellowish-green mush, she spread some on the cut, causing the swordsman to grunt in pain. "Sorry, Tri... Enari pulp stings a little bit... But it'll keep it from getting infected!" She promised. After spreading it around (and mostly inside) the wound, she put the vial away. Grinning at Evelyn, she stretched out her fingers. "Now this, this is the fun part."

Taking a deep, long breath, inhaling and exhaling slowly, she pressed both hands against Tri's cut, slowly dividing them into a diamond shape with her thumbs and index fingers. The outline of the space in her hands glowed a pale yellow, the girl leaving them there for a long time. Suddenly, she began roughly pounding both hands against the wound in different symbols that she created with her fingers, the light surrounding her hands growing in brightness with every new symbol she formed. She then began thrusting her fingers in different spots around the wound, which left behind glowing, yellow circles.

The healer stepped back, the circles moving through his skin and feeding into the wound, which illuminated, and mended itself back to new. There was not even a scar present. Crossing her arms proudly, she smirked. Tri gave a sigh of relief. "Thank you, Neyan... I feel... Much better." He said between breaths. She gave a cute little salute. "What kinda doctor would I be if I didn't heal my patients?" She giggled. Turning to Evelyn, she held out a slightly blood-stained hand. "Neyan Addyanna! And you are...?" She tilted her head.

Impressed was an understatement as Evelyn watched with wide green eyes as the small woman set to work. Magic, she knew existed, surely, but rarely did she see much of it first hand. She herself lacked any talents in that respect; so she may have looked child like herself as she observed.

The moment the colorful fan fare of lights vanished and the wound was perfectly wiped away, she released a breath she hadn't known she had been holding and almost didn't hear the smaller girl speak up. Blinking, Evelyn bowed her head and replied, "Evelyn, Lady Evelyn Heraea Gray. It's a pleasure to meet you and I can't thank you enough for your prompt response."
She shot a look over to Tri. "It happened so fast... and he lost so much blood."

Neyan's face seemed to light up as Evelyn introduced herself, as if the woman had given her the greatest of compliments. "Ooh! Lady Evelyn He-ra-ra Gray!?" She repeated the title, unable to realize how badly she butchered it. "So fancy! I wish I could be called, 'Lady Neyan Addyanna!'" She giggled, frowning over at Tri as she mentioned how much blood he had lost.

"Yeah... I noticed. He may want to stay off his feet for a little while..." She said, Tri sitting up with furrowed brows. "No! I'm done being bedridden! I have duties of my own!" He snarled. Neyan held her hands up. "Hey, I'm just trying to give you advice! It wouldn't be doctorly if I just said, 'Oh yeah, go out on more adventures! It's not like you just lost over a pint of blood, or anything!'" She argued, pouting at him. Tri sighed. "Very well..."

Neyan looked between Evelyn and Tri for a long time, finally asking the burning question she had been keeping at bay for some time. "What... Happened here, anyways?" Tri gave an exhausted huff, shaking his head as he stared at the ceiling. "Just a bunch of thugs... Sent by some fat, greedy bastard who took what isn't his..." He gritted his teeth as he spoke. Neyan rubbed the bridge of her nose, knowing immediately what he was talking about.

"Tri... That scroll? Still, with that scroll?" She looked up, her eyes full of concern, rather than the expected anger, or disappointment. "You're obsessed with that thing... It's almost gotten you killed twice now!" Surely, Tri must've told her about his trek through the desert. Sitting up, the swordsman hung his legs off the edge of the bed, resting his head in his hands. He was still quite woozy from blood-loss.

"You don't understand... That scroll means everything... My past, so fragmented and blurred... Everything is there, just barely out of my grasp. I need to know what happened to me, Neyan. I need to know who in the living Hell Tri Greysteel even is." He told her, looking over his shoulder. It hadn't even occured to him that his amnesia was entirely new to Evelyn. Neyan, giving a soft smile to Tri, clasped her hands together in her lap.

"Tri... You don't need to piece everything together perfectly to know who you are... I know. You're kind-hearted... A hero. Selfless... You have an identity-" She spoke soft, encouraging words to him. Tri turned sharply. "It's not enough!!! I see these dreams, these dreams of war! Fire! Death, all around! Faces without names! Children, Neyan! Children! The present isn't enough! I've searched too long to forget the past! Can't you see!?" His intense words were enough to silence the young healer, who just nodded slowly, a frown on her face.

Neyan was a little energetically overwhelming for the more reserved Lady Gray, but it didn't mean she disliked her. She was child like, and that had it's own charm to it. Perhaps if Evelyn ever married, she'd have a child so eager with questions and kind with concern. The idea made her smile.

But as the situation turned back to Tri, she couldn't deny she too felt he was a heroic man. More often than not he came to her aid and had prompted her to reply the same. But as things began to come out more clearly of Tri's situation, she began to realize just how little of this stranger she truly knew.

He had been only there for a short time, but it felt so much longer- and it would, especially when you're life was on the line on so many short occasions! It was only then that she realized her lips had fallen open and quietly she closed them and continued to observe. She could piece together well enough what he was suffering from, though memory loss was not something she personally had to ever deal with.

However, not knowing identity, or having it established (especially to oneself) was something she could relate to on every level. THough obviously a woman of means, it was a constant struggle for her to prove it here, being of pale skin; someone from the North. Every day she had to state her business, her rank and reflaunt her money. Her whole social standing was tiring.

But this was home, and she was as stubborn as the people here. It's perhaps why she never left (that and she never wanted to deal with the cruelty her family fled from from the North). Little did she know things could be not much different here. After all, one's life being at stake so often...
And so many wolves ready to tear you down as if you were an easy target.

"Your friend is right. You should rest. You'll only push yourself past your limit, then where will you be? All that you seek can't come to you if you've tired yourself to your grave. Here, you two talk, I will help Thresha get us some sweet bread and tea," and she moved towards the door.

Tri clenched his fists, prepared to lash out at Evelyn next. However, he calmed himself, letting their words really sink in before he did anything rash. "Very well... I'll rest." He said, albeit, with a slight grumble to his voice. Neyan beamed happily at this, glad that her friend was choosing to think logically. She knew better than anyone when it came to his lack of self-care. He had a genuine knack for getting himself seriously hurt whenever doing his heroic deeds and such.

She beamed even moreso when Evelyn mentioned sweet bread and tea. "Ooh! Sugar in my tea, please! Lots of sugar!" She exclaimed. Tri weakly chuckled. "You really don't need anymore sugar than you already have in your system, Neyan..." He teased. She puffed out her cheeks a bit, the swordsman holding up a hand. "Ah, Evelyn... Ginger tea, please. Or mint. Either's fine." He requested.

Well... Perhaps being off his feet once again wouldn't be all too bad. After all... Evelyn had a lovely home. It was nice and cool, as opposed to the hot, unforgiving sands of the desert, and the rest of Essyrn, for that matter. Yes... She definitely lived lavishly. Tri hated the thought of taking up this woman's living space, and basically mooching off of her for a place to lay his head, but he tried paying those thoughts no attention.

He was a vagabond. A wanderer with no profession, no home, no family. In his few days in these desert lands, he had been on the edge of death twice. Well... Tri had been on the edge of death many times before, but these instances were different. Both times that he had been in grave danger, so had Evelyn. Who had been there to save her? Well, him. One could argue that he had caused her peril, but regardless, she owed him in some way or another. Similarly, he owed her.

They both had something to pay for all the danger that had sprung up as of his arrival, really. As the sun hung high in the sky as a sign of afternoon arriving, the dry, infertile soil of her backyard seemed to emit waves of pure, unrelenting heat, which multiple dead bodies laid in the midst of, their blood pooling and even cauterizing slightly around them. He could help clean that mess up... It was the least he could do, in his current state.

"... How were the mages fighting back in Connlaoth?" He asked Neyan quietly, trying to spring up some form of conversation, eyes still focused on the light that flooded in through the windows. She turned towards him, lips pursed as a slight Hmm? resonated in her throat. "Oh! Um... A lot of them were hurt. Pretty bad, too... But they were all super nice! They had lots of war stories to share, and one even said I had a nice ass! I still don't know what he meant... I didn't have a donkey with me. Whatever! It was still super fun!"

Tri chuckled a bit, glancing back at her for a moment before closing his eyes and shaking his head. She was far too innocent for her own good... She had a big heart, though. It showed, too. Few would be caught dead providing healing in the middle of a war zone. Especially someone with as little battle experience as her.

Evelyn had taken the time to help Thresha this time around, which was strange, even for her, but not entirely out of character. When nervous, she often times helped her help, finding it easier to cope by distracting herself when she needed it. so she returned with their drinks just in time to catch the conversation. She kept quiet, however, curious as well to the northern war. It was the whole reason she was here, after all. Had Connlaoth not had become so.. volatile.. Perhaps she'd be living a whole other life all together. As it were, her family planned to live comfortably in this land so far south that it was easy to tell where she had come from for her skin was like that of snow- a natural aspect of which no true Essyrni would have seen, lest he or she be a world traveler.

She hadn't taken up a cup of tea for herself, and was startled when everyone was served and Thresha asked her if she'd want one of her own. She gave a small smile but shook her head.
"Tea will keep me awake and I think I could use some good rest this night."

As Thresha served everyone, Neyan continued on about the war in the north. "Some told me they doubted it would ever end... They said I was wasting my time. Y'know, all these boys you're helping, they'll be dead tomorrow." She mimicked one of the men's voices, shaking her head and sighing. Tri listened to her with a frown, taking a sip of his tea, careful not to burn himself. "Neyan... I hate being the bearer of bad news... But what if they're right?" He asked, her eyes narrowing slightly.

However, her harsh glare at him quickly faded, and she smiled, looking out the window. "It's my home... I don't like seeing my home so... Different. Violent. I fight on the mage's side because I want to see a Connlaoth that isn't ashamed of people like me. I wanna be able to live there again... Doing what I do best without being judged." She explained simply, Tri just giving a small smirk and a nod. "I understand, Neyan." He gave a look at Evelyn, expecting her to understand Neyan's situation better than he ever could.

Evelyn was captivated by the stories up north, and when the conversation quieted she found herself wanting to learn more.
"Connlaoth.. It almost sounds like a fictional place, only one you'd read about in fairy tales or ancient lores." It was hard to even digest the expanse of the war itself. A decade already had passed and it was still going strong. But everyone knew about Connlaoth's reputation about war,a nd she heard too many times Essyrnis scoff and surmise that Connlaoth will kill itself with it's love for war. The more she pondered this, she began to wonder if their predictions were true.
"How.. often do you travel there? To Connlaoth I mean." It seemed like a whole other world away.

Neyan glanced at her, smiling a bit. "This was the first time I had been in... A year, or so. I don't like staying long... The people scare me... I've been threatened with death. And worse..." She looked off to the side, seeming uncomfortable to elaborate. "I feel like it's my duty to go... Help my people come closer to peace, and visit with family, as well." She told her. Neyan loved her family dearly... They had always supported her practicing of magic, and knowing they lived in a war-zone terrified her. She had to go simply to make sure they were still alive.

Tri crossed his arms, shaking his head slightly at Evelyn's comment regarding Connlaoth. "Sometimes I wish the damned place was a fairy tale." He said bluntly. He hated saying that in front of two Connlaothian women, especially someone as patriotic as Neyan. Still, he felt like it needed to be said. "They're a violent bunch. Serenians have a good reason not to trust industrial powerhouses who have no issue with mage genocide." He growled slightly. This stance wasn't surprising from Tri, a Serenian.

Serendipity was renowned for its magic-influenced culture, everything in the land run somewhat by the arcane. Wizards and sorcerers were treated like kings in Serendipity, rather than oddballs and freaks in the rest of Le'raana, or even like monsters in the aforementioned Connlaoth. It wasn't entirely out of line for Serendipity to be cautious about the northern kingdom. There was no telling if Connlaoth was going to bring its hatred of magic down south, when and if the war in the north was ever won.

Neyan seemed to pout at Tri, fists clenched around the fabric of her robe slightly. "Not all of us are bad, Tri... So many of us fight for change..." She whimpered, not exactly happy with his assessment of her homeland. Tri just closed his eyes, feeling bad for how naive she really was. "You think by waging war and killing them left and right, you'll cause change? More Connlaothian people fear your kind because of the war, Neyan." He looked towards her, expression stern. "I think it's time to simply lay down your weapons and end the conflict. It's accomplishing nothing."

Evelyn remained quiet as she listened to the pair. She couldn't say she approved of what Tri said to Neyan, and she could see the woman wilting at the judgement.

She placed a hand on Tri.
"You speak to her as if she alone can stop the conflict. War isn't that easy, and it's her life. It's her choice to make."

Tri blinked at Evelyn, pondering what he had said to his friend for a moment before giving a sigh, nodding. "Yes... I understand." He murmured, eyes closed. He opened them after a bit to look at Neyan. "I apologize... I should know better than to treat my political opinions as fact..." He said. Neyan just smiled, shaking her head. "It's ok! I'm not mad!" She said giddily.

Out of nowhere, she practically climbed over Tri to hug Evelyn, the man grunting as one of her knees dug its way into his groin. "Thank you, best friend!" She said to Evelyn, noticing how the woman had stood up for her. Tri tried moving her leg with his hand, to no avail. "Yes, it's wonderful, Ms. Grey is your friend... Now, please sit back down, before you sterilize me." He growled slightly. Her eyes went wide, and she sat down with a blush. "Sorry, sorry, Tri!"

The swordsman shook his head slightly, adjusting himself before turning to Evelyn and clearing his throat. "I'm... Well enough to go dispose of those bodies... Afterwards... I think I'd like to rest. You should too." He recommended to her, standing and holding his side a bit as he walked off. "Ah... Also. I'd like to take a trip into town tomorrow, if you don't mind accompanying me, Evelyn."

Neyan blinked. "Town? Why?" He shrugged. "See the sights. Do a bit of shopping. I wouldn't mind tasting some Essyrni wine, while I'm out." He wasn't about to tell his true reasons as to why he wanted to go out. In all reality, while he wouldn't mind taking a tour around town and having a drink or two, he mainly wanted to get information from the rabble regarding the fat bastard who stole his property. Somebody had to know something.

"Well, tomorrow is another day and it might be too early for you to travel into town. You're still hurt," Evelyn reminded. And the poor other girl just trampled all over his groin! She was trying not to laugh about it, but, it was quite a humorous moment in an other wise serious affair. Either way, that was quickly tucked away. She herself, after all, was still a bit blushing after the young girl decided to make her her friend and give her a peppy hug.

"Do you need help?" She wasn't sure she wanted to deal with dead bodies herself, but he had saved her life on more than on occasion and even though she was doing a lot on her part, she still felt like it would be rude of her not to offer her assistance. Who would have thought the woman would even ever have to handle the dead?

Tri shrugged off her worries, just smirking. "I had a scratch, I think I'll be ok. Besides, my doctor had me taken care of." He gestured towards Neyan. Needless to say, as much as Evelyn was probably right about him needing bedrest, he couldn't truly see reason, as his mind was clouded with redemption, no matter what cost that redemption came with. He was determined, in somewhat of a bad way.

As she mentioned helping out, Tri was tempted to make a snide remark about her remaining seated, as to not break a nail. As funny as the joke might've been, he decided to keep his offense of the noblewoman at a minimum. She had housed him... Regardless of how much danger it put him in, being caught between her and her rivals, he did appreciate it a good bit. After a moment, he nodded. "Very well... I guess a helping hand couldn't hurt."

Tri walked out into the burning sun, the bodies around him practically frying from the heat. As he made contact with one, sure enough, it was hot to the touch. He could feel the heat through his gauntlet, even. Tri was honestly amazed how hot Essyrn was, even for a dry, lifeless desert. "Perhaps you're worried that I'll see the slave-trade firsthand? I notice that to be quite the embarrassment for residents against that kind of practice." He raised a brow at her.

He didn't realize how touchy what he said truly was until he said it. At that point, though, it was too late. Hopefully Evelyn would realize his words as simple curiosity, and nothing to get too offended over. Besides, he didn't see too many slaves around Evelyn's property. He at least assumed that Thresha was paid for her duties.

Evelyn folded her hands across her chest and gave a sharp look towards Tri. Why was he suddenly chastising her lifestyle all of a sudden? There were dead bodies to attend to and both of their lives could still be in danger.

"I hardly find this an appropriate subject to speak of when there are dead bodies lying in my lawn." she swatted at a fly that buzzed across her face and swore in essyrni as she held up a hand to her nose. "I can not believe they're smelling already."

Sighing, she drew a clothe veil across her face, a light shield from the smell, but she had little else to ward it off. Even the scent of her perfume on it did little to help- but it was at least something.

"Got any bright ideas?" she was certainly out. It wasn't like this was on her list of things she was well at doing- or would have ever considered herself to do in all of her life. It was only then she turned to Thresha, who was timidly staying back near the house, but suggesting the cart to lug the bodies out of there.

Evelyn sighed and raked a hand through her curly blonde hair before casting a look Tri's way.
"We could load the bodies onto the back of my wagon- but we'd still have to figure out a place to dispose of them. And at night." There'd be too many eyes on them during the day. At night, less people would notice the color of their skin, or who they were, or where they were even going. And thankfully, not many traveled around this private section of the Niafi river delta.  She cleared her throat at the idea.

"I suppose we could put them in the river. Let the Niafi take them away." Assuming the bodies weren't cursed and wouldn't float onto an opposing shore line before making it out to sea. If anything, maybe the corpses would make good crocodile meat.

Tri gave her a frown, but nodded, respecting her wishes and silencing himself regarding anything to have to do with town. He picked up one of the bodies, not seeming to mind the smell too much. After all, Tri was surrounded by death on a regular basis. He then picked up another by its collar, simply dragging it against the ground behind him.

Hearing her comments about the smell, he simply shrugged, making a hmph noise. "Well... They've had time to cook out here. Unless you're a cannibal, the smell of medium-well human flesh isn't a pleasant one." He joked slightly, but the joke was delivered with such dryness that no one would be able to tell that it was a joke at all. He pondered what to do with the bodies even before she asked... They could always bury them the old fashioned way, but that would be time-consuming. And the sand wasn't a proper material for burying anything.

It was at that point that Thresha pointed out the cart, and he immediately got to taking the bodies there. One after the other, he piled them in, the stack very soon unstable and looking like it was at the verge of toppling over at any point. "I suppose disposing of them at night is the smartest idea... Wouldn't want to be caught by the wrong people with a wagon full of corpses." He rolled his eyes. An arrest was something he certainly did not need.

As she brought up the river, he looked at her with an exhausted expression. "It just may be the only way to get rid of dead bodies in a land mostly populated by sand..." He said, looking towards the sky. "Tonight, then... We head out tonight and finish this dirty work, and then come back and have a good night's rest. And hope some poor fisherman doesn't end up hooking one of these poor bastards." He said decidedly, patting the chest of the body that rested at the top of the pile.