Spirits of the Earth

((ooc: After A simple escort? (//http://www.spiritsoftheearth.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=39&t=9653&start=0)))

"Thank you both very much," she said with a bow. Her reddish-brown hair toppled over her shoulder in a single plait. As she stood, she allowed it to stay there.

"No need to thank us dear. You made the ride quite enjoyable."
"Are you sure you don't want us to take you farther?"

Her eyes went from one elderly person to the next. The couple always managed to bring a smile to her face. Now, even her smile couldn't hide the mix of emotions inside of her. She wanted to stay, tucked away in their farm on the edge of Connlaoth, but she knew she couldn't stay. They'd truly been the best company she'd had in days. She didn't want to be a burden. Hazel eyes scanned the distant town that had always been her home. She looked toward the south after, towards a new life of adventure and wonder. And magic. She almost wanted to take them up on their offer. Heck, she almost wanted to  them to drive her back to the city. It passed quickly though as she regained control of her thoughts. A little fear never killed anybody. What was the worse that could happen?

She looked back at the graying pair. "No, this is fine. Really." They looked about as convinced as she felt, which wasn't much at all. She waved her hands in front of her, as if to disperse the uneasy feeling. "Truly! If you take me any farther, I won't be able to get my barrings. Out there's a whole world I want to see. if I don't start doing things myself, I won't last too long." There, that was a good excuse. She felt strongly about that. Even though it wasn't the main reason, it would serve for now.

The couple hunched over man looked at his wife. "She has a good point, Martha."

His wife, on the other hand was tearing up. The teen wasn't sure how she felt about that. Without warning, the woman put her in a smothering hug. "Oh Kaylin! I've only known you for two days and I feel like loosing my little girl again."

Kaylin tried her best to return the hug, but was only able to provide a somewhat decent pat on her back through the pain. How in the world could such a thin woman contain that much strength. When Martha was done, Kaylin took a big breath of air. "I'll miss you, too. Both of you." She gave Karl a hug before giving Martha a proper one. Thankfully it didn't hurt as much as the last one.

With a final wave, she departed the two. They had told her repeatedly to stay on the path, stay on the path. She walked along the dirt road heading toward the distant mountains. If she'd left right away, she would've made three days progress by now, now she was little more than half a day away from the edge of town. Maybe staying on the path wasn't that bad an idea as she had a tendency to get side tracked. Her eyes wandered around the lush landscape. What fun was staying on a predetermined path? Carefully she hopped onto the grass. "Ha!" She let out in triumph. It didn't take long for her to start wandering farther away from it. Eventually she heard the sound of water and decided to follow it.

She was brought to a gentle river hidden by the trees. It wasn't terribly wide, and probably not insanely deep. Maybe it was really a stream. Regardless, it was wondrous. Kaylin rushed towards the waters edge, kneeling so that she might feel it with her hands. This was the first time she'd seen water so natural. It was enchanting. She was so engaged with it that she was unaware of being watched by four sets of eyes.

Since he'd spoken with Connie and left the Inn there, he'd felt he'd been closing in on Kaylin. It'd been a long time since he'd been on a horse for this amount of time riding cross-country. It eerily reminded him of the days after he'd left his master and his training. Usually he would've been quicker to shove the thoughts aside.

Takuma's traveling had only paused when both he and the horse needed to rest. So far he was disappointed that he hadn't seen anything that look like men sent by Vaulca. Though, if he had to guess he'd say they'd already found Kaylin. A morbid thought, but it was the likely thing.

The horse's hooves clomped lazily down the road at a brisk jaunt as it passed a farm. He glanced over the rows of crops for only a moment, before looking ahead. Only a minute past the farm, following the path, he rounded a thicket of trees, his eyes catching sight of someone not far off in the distance. Stopping the horse immediately, Takuma watched, catching a glimpse of the figure hopping from the path and into the grass on the side. He lost sight.

The glimpse of long red hair told the bodyguard enough. Dismounting, he kept hold of the reins of the horse, walking down the path and to where he'd watched the girl leave the path and into the forest. Stopping at the edge of the trees, he placed the horse's reins around one of the low-hanging branches, but not tied securely enough that it could not break free if something spooked it. After he tied the reins, he looked about the trees for a few moments, listening intently for sounds of others.

He doubted they hadn't found Kaylin, so he would have to assume they were skilled. He couldn't afford to underestimate them now. Placing a hand to his belt, the message scroll was still tucked into his belt and he followed Kaylin's tracks into the forest, his spear held under his arm in it's usual passive position.

He could hear water ahead, turning from Kaylin's tracks, he moved further downstream of it through the trees, quiet and cautious while he kept himself hidden behind the line of trees. He lowered the spear to the ground as he settled himself for a moment. He could clearly see Kaylin by the water, but he wasn't watching for her. This was a good spot for an ambush as any. Away from the path so no commoners to intervene, trees for cover until the last moment. He wasn't far away, but he was close enough to intercept. No doubt these men were hidden as well as him, he'd have to wait for them to make their move.

Those dark green eyes were just as watchful as the others.

Completely opposite the side Takuma was concealed in, two figures stood hidden in their surroundings. Their dark clothes blended well into the thick trees of their area, but they wouldn't be hidden from well trained eyes. One man wore a hood that covered his face. His arms were folded one over the other, but that was all that could be made out from this distance. That, and the fact that he looked built to the extreme. He towered a head over another figure who seemed to be conversing with him. The other man had auburn hair, and was of smaller build. The clothes he wore seemed fit for travel. More than that would be hard to decipher at this distance. The larger man gave a solid nod of his head before turning, heading deeper into the trees. The remaining man turned his grey eyes toward Takuma before leaning against a tree. He didn't seem phased in the least that the spearman was there. Mildly intrigued, but not much more than that. He even had the nerve to smile and wave at man with a spear.

By the water, Kaylin was still oblivious. There were things in and on the water, aside from a few fish of course. It was really spellbinding. The thought of magic made her recoil her hand. Lifting it, Kaylin shook off the excess water. My whole life's ahead of me. Here I am thinking about being at sea, i don't even know what to call this water.... No way i'm going back now though, she thought silently. She was unaware of the danger around her. People have told her the world was dangerous. The most she had seen up close was a chicken being beheaded and a stray kitten being abducted. She's heard stories of things that her mind could only fathom. Despite how much she knew of the world, everything wasn't exactly as she pictured it.

The man hidden in the trees and waving at Takuma made a sudden gesture of his hand. It was a signal. After a brief moment, a man with a sword dropped from above the trees to attack Takuma. He also wore dark clothes and had a fiery mass of hair. His skin was darker than most in Connlaoth though. Adelan most likely. Though young, he had a fierce determination laced with pride. His attacks were silent, swift, and continuous. One good blow looked as though he would have to result into different tactics. He tried to stay out of the clearing and try to force Takuma to withdraw back ward. His attacks at this time weren't meant to hurt, but to push him back.

This was something Kaylin defiantly would notice. Before she could look in that direction though, she heard a whistle from someone approaching the river. There was a gentle smile on his lips and his eyes were closed. The auburn haired man waved to Kaylin in greeting. "Ahoy there! Water's fascinating isn't it." The man said. He looked to be in his early twenties. With his eyes closed, it was hard to see the mans true intentions.

 "Indeed," Kaylin said quietly. She was cautious, but not afraid. it was only one person after all. The She stood up, pushing her braid to its rightful place at her back. "Is this your land?" Her question went unanswered. The man kept walking towards her. This put her on edge. People usually spoke when they asked a simple question. The sounds in the surrounding land reached her ears, but she didn't want to let the man out of her sight. Her own eyes narrowed as her hands balled into fists. "Alright. Somehow I doubt you're here for small talk. What is it you want?" Still nothing. Everything stood on end. She took a step back before falling into a make shift fighting stance. "Don't make me hurt you," She said with force, despite her uncertainty. At no other time was it so painfully obvious how much she was a terrible liar.

A deep rumble came to his throat. The man stopped, tilting his head up in a light laugh. it made her skin crawl, how casual it was. He suddenly stopped, grey eyes peering at her like a predator. he paid no mind to how his friend in the woods was fairing. He had his eyes on the prize. "Now now, no need for that deary."

((ooc: please feel free to have the npc attacking Takuma react and attack how'd you like.))

(( OOC: Okay, I'll have him attack the way you described until/if you make a post to change it. ))

Remaining against the tree, he listened intently to the surroundings. Hearing only the running water and Kaylin's movements. His eyes scanned the the trees, before movement caught his eye on the opposite side of the stream. Two of them were speaking but he was much too far to hear them. When the larger of the two head into the trees, he had to assume that was the superior of the two. Either he was retreating or finding a new vantage point, but with his exit Takuma knew something was about to happen. Dark green eyes only stared down the man with the auburn hair, giving no different reaction when he smiled or waved.

Arrogant, but that was fine, their mission was over and he could tell the fool to hike it back to wherever he came from. Kaylin was still oblivious to the imminent. Seeing the man make a quick motion with his hand, Takuma assumed that was the initiation, and he stood in preparation to intervene. The moment he'd tried to step out from the trees, he'd already been beset by an attacker. There was no time for words or barely a reaction, the enemy had the element of surprise. Not having the time to unsheath his spear, Takuma rolled to the side away from the tree first, moving the shaft of his spear up and quickly began to deflect the sequence of attacks that were thrown at him, the sound of the blade making small thuds from the impacts on the flexible shaft of the wooden spear would bounce across the clearing.

Hearing the whistle, Takuma took the time to parry another attack with counter-force to throw his opponent's balance off and lunging backwards to look towards Kaylin for long enough to see the man with the auburn hair. This was getting ugly quick, and Takuma didn't know where the larger man had sneaked off to. The one attacking him was meant to suppress him so that the other could do... something. Nothing good, he knew. Takuma swiped his hand across the end of the spear, the metal sheath clattering to the ground. No, he was going to make sure the girl knew something was wrong.

The swordsman had recovered and was back on the attack, blocking his path still. Takuma gave out a battle cry, an unusual sound of fury from such a calm man echoing across the clearing and through the trees as he charged the swordsman. The problem for the swordsman is that Takuma's spear had more range, was heavier, and was more suitable for gathering momentum. The first few strikes were light, but Takuma was quickly flowing his momentum forward with his spear swings, the blade flicking out at the swordsman's arms and legs with intent to produce small cuts and at least slow his opponent's attacks. Regardless, after Takuma had at least driven the swordsman back some, he dodged away and tried to gain some ground towards Kaylin to be within range of protecting her. These men were above the level of a bunch of thugs, and he needed to stop this quick.

Before the swordsman could catch up to him, Takuma's freehand went to his belt, pulling the scroll-case out and yelling at both the swordsman and the man with the auburn hair. "This paper is from your employer. Your assignment is aborted, back down." His voice was clear, but there was a hint of fury in the spearman's words. A bead of sweat ran down his forehead, already having broken a sweat dealing with the surprise attacker. He was roughly fifteen feet from Kaylin and was still slowly shifting back towards her, but was keeping his spear towards the swordsman. He didn't know if they'd submit or not.

Seeing Kaylin in a fighting stance almost made him smile and frown at the same time. She wasn't a coward, but these weren't the people for her to stand up against, the girl was out of her league.

The battle cry raised all red flags all around her. Kaylin chanced a quick glance to see a man with black hair fighting a swords man. It was a short lived look at the auburn haired man took a closer step to her. He was already less than 10 feet from her. Thankfully the man stopped when she looked at him again. "Stay Back and state your business!" Fear fueled her anger. Not knowing what was going on only intensified the reaction. The smile returned to the mans face, sliding his hands into his pockets before he looked behind her. She heard a set of footsteps, one coming at her fast. She managed to pivot herself so that all three people were in range of sight.

The man with a spear stopped a decent distance away from her. The other person chasing him looked to be in his late teens, had the brightest red hair she'd seen, and had many small, deep cuts that were slowing his movements down. The man had his weapon facing the one with the sword. Kaylin listened to his words, wondered if all of this could really be happening. Was this someone elses life she was watching?

Kaylin was stilled by the man's silent fury. If she was those other guys, she knew she'd take the hint and save her life. The others didn't seem to follow her mindset though. "Employer?" The auburn haired man asked in confusion. His eyes opened to take in the message tube before he went into a fit of humorous laughter. The red-haired young man stilled his own labored breaths to put his free hand on the hilt of another sword on his back. His whole focus came to be on the taller man with dark green eyes. The pleasant laughter became darker as the brief moment went on. Finally auburn-hair stopped, delivering Takuma a cocky glare. "The only person I answer to is Commander Wayde. Since I don't think he's magically transformed into a tasteless bum recently, maybe you should be off to fetch him if you'd like results," The sinister look returned to his features. Lin felt her legs moving her closer to Takuma, ever so slowly. "Hope you don't mind if the party continues without you." The bright, red haired grip tightened on his weapons. The first man delivered another chuckle. "Actually you're right, Agito. It wouldn't be much of a party if he left.... Finish him!"

The man with red hair drew his sword in a flash, resolve settled in his eye. It might've been clear that he never expected for a fight to go this far, that the young man though trained to take a life in combat, had never actually done so, nor even faced such an opponent that could possibly take his. He didn't want to fight, but what choice did he have now? Steeling himself, he charged for Takuma. Before within range of the spear, he dove to the side, hoping to confuse his opponent. At the sight of new battle, Kaylin's plan get-closer-to-the-least-crazed-person quickly transformed into operation Get-The-Hell-Away! Without second thought, she headed for a safer spot. She ended up closer to the water, but turned so she could see everyone. This was fine with gray-eyes as he was more focused on watching the fight. Kaylin kept backing up, wishing she had thought to bring a weapon to protect herself with before leaving that farm. An axe, a pitchfork, hell even a shovel would've been better than nothing. There had to be something she could use. Soon, she was stepping on something solid before her boots hit something hard. Kaylin glanced down. Rocks! That was better than nothing. Looking around, she found the heaviest one she could carry without strain.

The auburn haired man continued to watch the battle, a deep frown on his face. Agito was no match for the man. It didn't matter that he wanted to succeed, it was the fact that he wasn't that had to be dealt with. If only there was a way to tilt the battle in their favor. It might be too late for such measures, but he had to try something. He started to lift his arm, getting ready to initiate another signal. Before he gained much movement something smacked into the back of his shoulder. Hard. He let out a grunt laced with surprise, pain, and anger. He spun around, reaching to grab whoever it was behind him. The only thing he caught was a red braid. He snarled down at the medium rock dropped near his foot as Kaylin tried to reduce the pain of his grip. She had snuck up behind him in hopes to get a surprise blow. It was a surprise alright. She didn't mean to slip on the grass and land a hit, and avoid a blow all in one mistake. He hulled her up from the base of her braid from her crouched position.

"Ooo, I can not iterate how lucky you are that I can't hurt you. I'm certainly not in the mood to entertain you, deary. First we're ordered not to have standard fun with you, then you try to insult me with your lowly moves. Make one wrong move and I might have to rethink orders." There was a glint in the distance, unbeknown to either of the two. It was small, light reflecting off an arrow. It seemed to be pointing in the general direction of the four in the clearing. The exact target wouldn't be known until it made its mark.

((ooc: ^_^ You know the drill. Feel free to KO or injure more the npcs.))

So these weren't the men sent by Vaulca. Unfortunate, but it was a definite possibility in the beginning. Takuma took a deep breath and slowly relaxed his body more, he was outnumbered here and had to watch from more than one direction. But when Kaylin had slowly been stepping closer, he'd only glance back at her momentarily, his focus returning to the younger swordsman when he'd drawn the sword from his back.

He couldn't afford to draw this out anymore. When Agito charged him, Takuma let the wild-haired boy's momentum build, he'd already read his body language in the past couple minutes, this was over. When the strike came after the dive, he swept the blade to the side with a parry from the spear blade, throwing the boy off balance for only a moment. After that, it moved in much of a blur, letting the swordsman's momentum carry him past Takuma and his whole weight shifting at once in a pivot and turn. The dull end of the spear would strike the swordsman on the back of the head, making an audible crack as he quite nearly broke the spear shaft over the swordsman's head, listening to his body tumble to the ground. The one fluid movement that left Agito unconscious had taken place in only about the space of a second.

The blow wasn't lethal, but was enough to knock the man out for a few minutes. Turning, Takuma looked to see the man with the auburn-hair holding Kaylin by a braid. "The first time I warned you as a man with a document." He stepped towards the man with the auburn-hair, dark green eyes becoming a bit more ruthless. "Now you're being given your last chance by a warrior with a weapon. Let her go." This was going to be his last time trying to resolve things peacefully. He'd have to incapacitate him as well, and anyone else who got in his way, after this.

He only noticed the glint in the distance when he was attempting to look past the auburn-haired man to Kaylin. It could have been any piece of metal glinting, but whether it be an arrow, armor or a sword, he couldn't tell from this distance. The sooner Takuma could get Kaylin from the stream and back on the path, the better.

The man turned his glare from Kaylin to Takuma. This mission was to be an easy one. Grab the girl, get the reward. Now he was down one co-worker, and had to explain to his boss why the girl looked mildly roughed up. Why did things have to be difficult? The look in Takuma's eyes was intense. The man's own eyes tried to scrounge up more anger to cover his withering courage.

Usually in when  caught between a rock and a hard place, a witty remark could be used to get out of danger. Sometimes a mean one, sometimes a nice one, sometimes a bunch of jibberish. Kaylin was having problems coming up with said remarks as she was now beginning to understand that she wasn't just a listening to some story. This was
The grip on her hair hurt regardless of how much she tried to prevent it. Soon it just started to agitate herself as well. Pulling and hitting didn't work, Kaylin resulted to words while trying to think of something else she could do. "You should do what he says before you really regret it," she said with a mix of emotions. Looking around, she also noticed the glint in the distance. Fear sneaked up her again. The stories where something like that happened never ended up according to plan.

"Nobody asked you!" The man yelled, grip tightening before her shoved her aside with one arm. Kaylin gave a cry of pain as the man effortlessly tossed her. As soon as he did this, something shot out from the trees heading straight for the auburn haired man. Swiftly it made it's way to the grey-eyes torso. The turn of his body had it collide with his shoulder though. He made no sound at the impact, but seem obviously surprised. Kaylin pushed herself up as best as she could what was going on, thankful that the place she landed in was free of large rocks. Blood poured down the mans arm from where an arrow was deeply embedded into his flesh. His eyes glanced to the wooded lands briefly before he let out an enraged yell. He pulled the arrow head from his arm as he focused on Takuma. The pain fueled his insanity as he blindly rushed toward his opponent armed with only the arrow in his hand. It was a poor, desperate attack made by a man who knew it would be best to have battled the man than to retreat licking his wounds.

As soon as Kaylin was thrown down, Takuma lifted the head of the spear, preparing to attack. But at that moment, he also watched as the man with the auburn hair was struck by the arrow. An archer and no cover except for the trees, this spelled trouble. Looking to Kaylin, Takuma spoke. "Can you walk?" His question to her was interrupted soon by the man becoming enraged and charging him.

The spearman stepped forward quickly, planting the blunt end of the spear into the silt using it as a source to push more force through his hips as he brought a leg up, kicking square at the man charging him. Takuma wasn't using his opponent's momentum against them this time, just meeting the man's rush with a solid strike at the middle of his chest to knock the wind out of him. Hopefully that would leave the man helpless, he didn't want to have to give him more injuries to deal with on top of the puncture from the arrow. Moving past the man, if Kaylin was able to walk, he'd simply move to grab her by the wrist and try to begin pulling her back towards the path and away from the stream. He kept his body between her and the archer, in case his shot had been aimed for her. He didn't bother saying anything else at the moment, listening intently to his surroundings while he tried to at least get Kaylin away from the more immediate dangers.

Apart from  mild ache in her arms and where she landed, Kaylin was fine. Though dazed by the events, she was able to give the man with a spear a nod before the other man attacked. Takuma settled it fine, and Kaylin stood up ready to haul it out of there. She made no protest when he took her wrist and directed them in the right direction. It was better than letting her head off in some random direction and having the whole situation repeat itself.

She needed no prompting to keep it moving . Though she didn't doubt the mans skill, she couldn't help but scan the area, looking over her shoulders and listening to sounds. There was no other movement in the trees, no strange glinting either. While they were walking, Kaylin couldn't help but feel off balance. Everything seemed surreal. "This was all just a really weird dream, right?" She said lightly, her gaze finally settled on the mans spear.

Once they got back into the trees, he'd pass the head of his spear over where he'd dropped the spear sheath. He skillfully turned the spear head and shoved it into the metal sheath. He choked up on the handle of the spear, carrying it with more ease while he still held onto Kaylin's wrist gently, hearing her question, but his mind on other things.

He gave an answer, his voice mostly distance while he watched their surroundings. "No." Once they were on the path and walking they could talk more, but for now it was important they got away from the woods. He didn't know where the larger man was at, if the archer was following, nor if they were one and the same. If they reached the road without incident, he'd release her wrist, and plant the dull end of his spear into the dirt path for a moment.

Takuma rubbed a hand over the scar on his face, thoughtful. He'd lost the document during the fight and wasn't about to go back looking for it. That might come back to bite him if he ran into Vaulca's men, but he'd cross that bridge when he came to it. For now, he figured she probably had a few questions, his eyes turning from the thick woods and to the girl.

Hearing his answer changed her composition. Kaylin's eyes slid away from the Spear and went to survey the surrounding area again. Her head turned at every branch snapped, bird call, gust of wind and leaf that fell earned a glance from her. Now at least the caution was not of fear, but growing intrigue. It was almost as if she was seeing the world for the first time.

Kaylin looked at her wrist and the hand surrounding it. Her eyes wandered up to the sleeve of her shirt. It had a few traces of dirt, but nothing compared to her front, and especially not her right side. Grass stains could be clearly seen on her right side. Here was a dull ache on her hip where she slid, but it was easy to ignore. Only her imagination could figure out how bad her hair looked now. She went to adjust it to at least comfortably lay against her head, but a pain in her wrist kept her from following though. Slowly she tried to move it, but had to wince. Instead she flexed the fingers. "I can't believe that really happened," she said to herself. Once the pain was too much to bear, she closed her fist and put it near her heart. She must've landed on it somehow as well. The sleeve looked a lot more disheveled than the other. There would be quite a few bruises she'll see this time tomorrow.

Her eyes slid shut at seeing the road not much farther ahead. It was before the dirt road that she realized she was shaking. Her head was bent, many loose strands curtaining her face. When she felt her other wrist being released, she pulled it close to herself as well. "This..." Her voice cracked before she could say anymore. "This is..." Without warning her arms shot up into the air. "The Best Day of My Life!! Ouch!" They didn't stay up there long before she brought her right arm quickly back down. Clearly her shoulder wasn't sharing her excitement. Perhaps it was for the best though as it brought her attention to the man with his spear in the ground.

"Hey," Kaylin began in a less ear piercing tone. There was no keeping the smile that appeared once she made eye contact with him. "Thanks for helping me out. I've never heard of anything as fantastic as that was! Who are you anyways?"

Takuma looked down the road, having noticed that Kaylin had collected a few minor wounds herself, maybe a sprain or two at the most, but she didn't look be in enough pain to suggest anything broken. However, when her arms shot into the air, and she exclaimed her excitement, he stared at her quietly for a moment.

He knew youngsters were resilient, but he did not expect her to bounce back from being attacked this quickly. Lifting the spear tip off the path, the spear head pointed towards the air, and he kept the polearm settled against his arm and in it's passive state. His eyes only watched her for a moment when she spoke, before he turned, waving his hand for her to follow. They had walking to do, they could talk while they covered ground.

He wasn't sure how to answer her, to her that might have been fantastic, but it was different for Takuma. Battle was ugly and he could have permanently injured the swordsman with how hard he struck him. He wasn't happy with how things had turned out back there, but answered her all the same. "My name is Takuma Takiro..." He paused, looking back at her. "I'm your bodyguard until you reach where ever it is that you're headed, Kaylin." He faced back forward. His voice was calmer now, not stern or angry like he'd been back at the stream. Takuma's voice sounded more natural when he wasn't angry, it suited him better.

Kaylin fell into pace behind and to the side of him. She kept her eyes on him as waited for a response. She had patience for details, more than enough for the one who saved her life. In the time being, she took the moment to study his features. He looked to be a respectable person. His posture was straight, his clothes were good for travel and swift movement. It was clear he was a strong individual, don't someone anyone in their right mind would mess with out of the blue. That conclusion could be made even without his thick arm-guards and spear.

When he looked back at her to speak his name, she took everything in. Takuma Takiro... she thought again in her mind. Forgetting it would not be an option. She'd search her database of stories to see if his name or appearance matched anything else. His hair was black, which was uncommon to Kaylin. It was fascinating how dark his green eyes were in comparison to his hair. She saw how his eyes seemed steeled. Most likely from a life of strife and hardship. She wondered what exactly happened to give his eyes such an appearance. The lack of mirth in the recent adventure toned down her own excitement. She also caught a glimpse of his scar before he turned his head back to look forward. It went jaggedly from below his eye to his jaw. Her ears perked up at his stating who he was.

"Bodyguard?" Kaylin hesitated in taking another step. A bird called loudly behind her, startling her into keeping up. This time, she came to be in stride with Takuma. "How do you know my name? I never hired a bodyguard, let alone pay for one. So, who did?" She went through a list of possible people. She knew suggesting info often distorted the truth, so she never named anyone aloud.

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In the clearing by the stream, gray eyes slowly blinked open. There was someone standing over him. Long white hair spilled from around an open hood was all he needed to see. "Marona, you vengeful bitch! Once the Commander finds out about this-!!!" His words caught in his throat as the woman slammed her foot into the mans wound.

"He'll what? Yell at me for harming his trusty worker who failed him?" The woman carefully applied her own weight as the heel from her pumps sunk deeper into him. She wanted him to feel every bit of pain. "You weren't supposed to touch her. When Wayde speaks an instruction, we follow it. Understood?"

"Sister...," Agito spoke from behind her. The woman turned he head before walking over to him. The auburn haired man couldn't suppress a small groan in protest. The swords man looked defeated in more ways than one, but she spoke nothing of it. In his hand, he held the message Takuma was trying to ward them off with. She stopped once close enough to lift the tube with her hand. Even though she was his sister, he couldn't help but straighten up at being this close to her. The bow hung over her shoulder, and the quiver of deadly arrows on her hip. The woman studied the tube carefully before handing it back to the man. "Take this to the Commander. He may find use for it."

After receiving his nod of confirmation, Marona turned to look at the auburn haired man. "Lyron, get up. We have work to do." She scanned the forest before making her way opposite where Takuma and Kaylin went.All of them were out of the clearing, only a patch of blood marking that any one was there to begin with.

If Takuma had to throw out a guess, he figured that had better chance of meeting enemies in the Kilanthro mountains than finding anymore in Sirantil valley. Then again, those who pursued Kaylin might have been strong in numbers, and if that was the case, they could just chase Takuma and Kaylin until the two of them finally got exhausted.

Depending on how many different parties Takuma had to deal with on this assignment, he began to get the picture he might not come out of this unscathed. He was brought out of his thoughts by Kaylin's voice, his eyes continuing to watch forward, however. He unfortunately couldn't tell Kaylin who sent him and why, he'd given Vaulca his word that their discussion was to remain in secrecy.

"I can't answer that right now." He dismissed her questions. It was going to be difficult to protect Kaylin if he wasn't honest with her, there'd be some trust lost there but he couldn't be forward with everything. He'd just have to let his actions speak louder than his words and keep her out of harm, hopefully that much would keep his intentions clear throughout the journey. When she walked in stride with him, Takuma only glanced to her, seeing how roughed up she was again.

"It was brave of you to try and stand up to that man, but you should've ran. He could've hurt you a lot worse." He hadn't pegged her for the courageous type when he'd first seen her, but the girl was definitely stronger than one might think.

"Hmm," Kaylin said after Takuma claimed he couldn't say. There was no trace of it being a lie of any sort. She thought about digging into it more, but this wasn't the time to harp about it. She looked forward, brows furrowed in determined thought. "Bet it was Connie," the red-head said to herself. "Or maybe Cassie. No way Mel could afford it... I don't know if I should be insulted or grateful."

She was going to explain again how grateful she was for his help, but remembering her friends made her miss them. She'd never thought about it before, but returning to Connlaoth, especially Reajh, was out of the question for a long time. Who knew if Vaulca would change his mind, or even if her own family would start to care and send someone after her. Maybe stalling at the edge had given false thought that she was truly farther than where she really was.

Takuma's words brought her back to the here and now. Being called brave by a warrior such as him made her unconsciously puff up with pride. "This is nothing compared to other injuries you've come across." She gave a small smile before looking up at the man. "I'll heal eventually. Not that I don't see your point," she added. It didn't seem right to let his words go to deaf ears.

It was strange that she was fairly comfortable around Takuma after meeting him such a short while ago. Besides he  had kicked the ass of of to people she doubt she really had a chance against. Vaulca was around the same age, as far as she knew, and she couldn't stand being alone with him. Takuma gave off a different air, his actions practically benevolent, and the look in his eyes were completely different than her ex-employer. She suppressed a shudder at the thought, giving a brief look over her shoulder. "Just who were those people anyways? Did they have some score to settle with you, or are all bandits like that?" She looked at Takuma for an answer.

The girl was right, he'd seen worse than what she had. But he hadn't noticed how desensitized he'd become to it until he'd seen the kid get roughed up by the man with the auburn hair. Though, that train of of thought lead him to dark corners his mind hadn't visited for many years, and he wouldn't follow it now.

He didn't find another reason to speak until Kaylin asked him about the previous attackers. Takuma couldn't tell if they were simply bandits, but due to one of them being fairly young he wasn't completely settled on it being a military organization, but maybe rather hired thugs or hired assassins or mercenaries even. The two he'd fought had coordination that didn't fit with lowly thugs, but either had a lot of conviction or stupidity the way they pressed their attack so strongly.

There were too many possibilities to consider unless he ran into them again, which he wasn't exactly hoping for. Only after a few moments of thinking, Takuma shrugged, his tone not sounding entirely certain. "They weren't there for me. But if I had to guess, I'd say a bunch of hired mercenaries. Bandits aren't out of the question.. but I don't often hear of bandits being as coordinated as them." The two likely had a score to settle with Takuma now after he'd given them a bit of a beating, but he'd rather hoped they had taken the hint and dropped the assignment.

Takuma's eyes lifting to the sky, looking at the position of the sun for a few moments. They had six hours, maybe a little less, until it'd be nightfall. The dirt path they were on didn't show much signs of being anything but rural, so the chances of finding an Inn wasn't likely until they got closer to a village. He'd just have to wait and see what the next few hours would bring them.

She nodded with understanding as her eyes turned forward. "That makes sense. You sure know you stuff. Hope whoever hired you paid you well. The only things I've got are songs and stories. And a comb. And a really cool map to Serendipity - that where I'm headed off to. I think." She reached over her shoulder to feel for her pack, but found none. Slightly confused about this, she figured it must've slipped lower. She tried searching under her shoulder. "Here lemme show-" Her fingers fell on her now frizzy braid. Under that was the small of her back. Nothing else was there. Maybe it was left in the fight, but she didn't remember loosing it.

Shocking realization dawned on her face. "Oh no," she began, giving a frustrated groan as she pressed the heel of her hand against her forehead. "I left my pack in Kurt's cart!" Her eyes looked at the road behind them. Smoke from their home could be seen in the distance, but that was all she could make out from such a distance. "They must be back at the farm now...." She stood there, judging time in both hand. It might take an hour or two to back track. By the time it was dark they would be about the same distance as now.

Turning determined eyes to Takuma, it was clear Kaylin had made up her mind. "We should go back to that farm. Not only for my map and stuff. It would be good to get provisions, and maybe a cart or something to ride. We'll cover more ground that way. And," Kaylin said, holding up a dramatic finger, "It might throw anyone else off that we're not keeping to schedule." She hoped he agreed. There were other, simple reasons she wanted to go back. A warm meal, bath, and maybe even Martha could fix her hair in the mean time. She was hoping the reasons she gave would be enough to have him agree. Part of her told her to go one anyways if he said no, the other half knew she wouldn't go against his advice, especially since she owed him.

He only smiled some at the compliment, but watched her begin to search her person for the map she thought she had. Watching Kaylin come to her realization, Takuma was quiet in his own contemplation. It'd give him a chance to go back and try and find his horse. On the way out of the forest, he hadn't seen it along the road, and having the horse would definitely help for getting through the mountain passes.

His eyes settled back on Kaylin when she began to speak, eye brows raising marginally when she held a finger up for dramatic effect. It didn't take Takuma long to answer. "You're right, we will need everything we can get to cross the mountains..." There was a brief pause in his reply, before he continued, raising a hand to itch at the bottom end of his scar near his jaw. "However, if I see anyone following us to the farm we'll have to leave. We wouldn't want to bring any trouble with us."

The last he'd eaten was the day before at an Inn along the way, but that likely wouldn't last him through the mountains. Thin oxygen and he didn't know how thick the snow would be at this time of the year, he'd only ever crossed in the summer when it wasn't so heavy. But he was less concerned about his own health than Kaylin's. It was too bad he hadn't had the time to prepare before the assignment, but that couldn't be helped. He would wait to see if Kaylin would agree to his condition, he didn't want to pull others into their mess if he could avoid it.

Kaylin's determination faltered for a moment at the mention of harm coming to the older couple. Those thugs wouldn't go out of their way to harm innocent people, would they? All the stories she heard in taverns and inns were of valiant battle, not wrecking havoc on a couple of seniors. Though she never heard of it, she didn't write it off. The fact that she wasn't sure of it only emphasized her want to keep it from happening. She shook her head to try to get rid of the thought of harm coming to the pair. "Me neither. I agree. We should pack something light and leave if that's the case."

It seemed to take less time getting back to the farm than leaving from it. Time always flew when you had someone to talk to. For the first bit she spoke about the farm owners. Martha Hopkins was a study woman who tended to fawn over the good qualities of people she's just met, and be sternly loving with those she knew. Karl, her husband, was slimmer than her, and starting to hunch over. Regardless, the man loved to get work done fast so he could spend most of the day taking care of the animals. Overall, they were a nice pair. "...I'm sure they planned for my bag to stay on that cart. Wouldn't be surprised if there was a big feast waiting for us," Kaylin said with a matter-of-fact tone.

Though the red head could fill a gap in conversation with ease, she knew there were times when silence was best, and necessary. If she saw Takuma was focused on something in there surroundings, she'd bring the topic to an end, unless inquired about it more. At times sounds caught her own attention, she'd keep an eye out for anything. There were several periods when she let the wonder of nature capture her. No words could express  it, so she kept the feeling to herself. It was good to be outside on her own for a change.

Aside from occasionally trying to pry who sent Takuma after her, she asked a few questions about him. How long was had he been a body guard? How long did it take to study with the spear? Where was his home and how was it like? Most of it seemed like a prelude to questions he might be asked at dinner, but she had pointed out that Hopkins never asked too many personal questions. Of course, she'd reply to any question he asked as best as she could. Eventually, the decent home came into view. Acres of farmland surrounding it.

He was correct in his assumption that she'd agree, forming a small smile on his face for a brief moment, before he'd begin walking back towards the farm. Takuma was usually dividing some of his attention to their surroundings while on the path, but he never seemed to focused to not listen to what she had to say. Takuma was a fairly quiet unless a question was specifically asked of him, so it was a bit one-sided at some times in the conversation.

He was simply content with listening more than talking. When she did ask questions about him, he was usually a bit more withdrawn about it. Most adults had an agenda when trying to learn about him or what he did, but Kaylin seemed fairly innocent in her intentions and he'd reply, giving her a bit more information about him. "I've been a bodyguard for a little more than a decade now, started around when I was eighteen, actually." It'd taken him a lot longer to become good with the spear and even today he was still learning. "I became an apprentice of Master Takiro-..." He paused a moment, his memory a bit fuzzy, it'd been a long time since he'd actually thought about his Master, even. "-around when I was eight. I.. left when I was about sixteen."

That left a two year gap between his leaving the training of his master and becoming a bodyguard, but he didn't mention it. "I used to live in Adela, but moved to Connlaoth. I usually don't have too much trouble finding business here, either." He didn't state the last part with much satisfaction. He liked helping people, it was considered a sin by his master to not use the skills he was born with to help the people around him, but it didn't bring him much happiness in the end. He would continued walking, seeing the farm coming into view more.

"So you said you had stories and songs? Were you interested in becoming a bard of some sort?" While they approached the farm, he'd soon hear something breaking twigs not far off the path. Who or what it was didn't seem to be very stealthy, he didn't call for silence, so he moved off the path some, soon finding his horse wandering around and eating grass. He gave a sigh, and walked to it, grabbing it by the reins and leading it back onto the path, it following reluctantly. "Well at least I found you."

Before too long, they'd reached the farm and Takuma would only look to Kaylin. "Hm. Lead the way. They know you much better than I." He gave a light smirk, holding the horse loosely by the reins, who seemed disinterested until they got further off the path and closer to the grass that grew off to the side of it. By now Takuma's mindset wasn't too different from the horse's. Food wouldn't be so bad after not having eaten anything since yesterday.

Kaylin was certainly interested in hearing what Takuma had to say. "Eight years? Wow..." She marveled over how much dedication that took. "You must've enjoyed it. When I was eight, the only thing I thought about was playing with frogs and terrorizing my brothers," She said before wondering if she could ever have that much focus to study one thing for so long.

At hearing mention of Adela her ears perked up even more is possible. Distant places she'd only hear in stories, were now something she could go and see. The thought of it caused butterflies in her stomach. Their sudden flutter caused her to not ask questions about it right away. Soon Takuma asked his own question. She tapped her chin in thought with her finger. "You know, I've never really thought about it before. Being a bard would take a lot more practice. I don't know any instrument yet, but..." she paused to come up with more reasons it couldn't happen. A smile came to her lips as she thought about how much she really did enjoy them. "...I really do love them. It's part of the reason I was thinking of being a pirate."

That's right, the first job she thought about was being a pirate. Not the pillaging kind, but the idea of going to distant lands and learning about them seemed to intrigue her a great deal. Kaylin let out a laugh of genuine happiness. It was the loudest outburst she'd made the past few hours, but in a good way. Her mirthful eyes went to the sky. "My whole life i've only had fluffy dresses, getting married, and noble business to look forward to. Nothing I looked forward to, that's for sure. Now that I'm away from it all, the possibilities are endless. Or will be at least. Never say never, so it just might be what I settle into. Who knows what the future will bring."

When Takuma brought out a hose, Kaylin was taken a back. Though she had ridden in carts, this was really the first time she really saw a horse up close. It was a big, powerful, beautiful animal. She made sure Takuma was in between herself and the majestic creature. Occasionally she'd steal glances at it. Soon they were near the farm. "Sure, no problem," Kaylin said as she took the lead. As they wandered down the path, Kaylin was quiet with looking at the area they walked though. Also, she wanted to be extra careful no one was following them. There were animals grazing in the distance, fields of wheat, and the distinct smell of delicious food cooking. Those smells were either coming from a smoke shed or the modest home they were heading toward off the main road.

She was somewhat surprised to see Martha sitting on the porch, head in her hands, watching them with a smile. Kaylin couldn't help but react with her own. She wanted to quicken her pace to the woman, but didn't want to agitate her bruised side with it. Instead, she raised her good arm in a modest wave. "Ahoy there!!" She shouted, the woman was still a goodly distance away.

Martha cupped her hands to project her own voice. "It took you long enough to come back! Brought friends this time?" She said as she stood up.

"Yes!" Kaylin said as she gestured to the spear man. "He saved my life! Wait til you hear the story!"

"I'm sure we'll here all about it. Come on in after getting the horse situated," Martha said, gesturing to a stable  not terribly far from the house. The woman waved and departed into the house.

Kaylin turned to smile up at Takuma. "Let's get going. She won't let us eat until after this one's taken care of." She lead the way to the stables, secretly hoping there was some time she could freshen up before eating. The more she thought about the food though, the more she thought of letting that dream die. Food was sounding awfully good about now.

((OOc: Feel free to place things where you'd like, and time things how you'd like here. You can RP the Hopkins to if you'd like as well.))

Listening to what she said, he began to get a better picture of Kaylin. Her life she'd left behind her in Connlaoth must have been very suffocating for her if she had always been seeking adventure and excitement. Tugging on the horse, he would lead it towards the stables.

Upon reaching the stables he would place the horse in one of the stalls, making sure it had some food and water for the night and having removed it's tack, before leaving the stables. Heading back towards the house with Kaylin, hoping she figured she'd be the one telling the stories. He hadn't told a story in all his life and wasn't dying to start now.

Almost back to the house, Takuma would feel a rogue breeze brush past him and caused the hairs on the back of his neck to stand on end. He stopped still for a moment, peering deep into the fields of crops and searching for a sign of any movement or life. He would find nothing, but the feeling didn't leave him. Still, he hadn't seen or heard anything. Continuing into the house, he would hold the door open and let Kaylin lead inside, only having caught a glimpse of the elderly woman so far.

((OOC: You can control, I tend to rush too much. >:P ))

Kaylin had stayed at the entrance of the stables while Takuma tended to horse. An area for pigs were there, so she busied herself with them. She had only been into the stable once, and that was to grab something. She liked watching horses from the distance, but being up close was another matter. Kaylin tossed it up to only being around smaller animals really. Didn't explain the reason why she was fine when horses were attached to carts. Before she could ponder it more, Takuma had finished. She lead the way back, mind on how nice it would be to have one last home cooked meal before their long journey.

Salt potatoes, corn, roasted chicken, an assortment of greens, maybe pie for desert, or cake, or her favorite, ice cream. She never noticed Takuma pausing in the breeze. On familiar ground, she unfortunately lost the thought to be cautious still. A great waft of food came just as they stepped inside. "Thank. You," She said aloud. It was originally meant for Takuma for the door, but it could've been to the older pair for the food, or  even Takuma for agreeing to come back. Kaylin stood briefly just taking in the sweet smell. "Man I never realized how hungry I was until now." Tidying up could certainly wait.

"Good timing dears, it's just about finished," Martha said from the direction of the kitchen. Not much longer after, the sturdy woman bustled across the hall with a large pot of something steamy. Her bright eyes fell on the two, taking in Takuma's towering form and spear, and also Kaylin disheveled state. Martha paused at seeing this. "What on earth did you get yourself into?" She said with a motherly frown. As steam was getting in her eyes, she decided to keep it moving toward the dining room, before she left the hall, she started speaking. "Tell us at the table. You don't have to tidy yourself up all the way, yet, but make sure you wash your hands!"

Karl came down the staircase that was opposite the main door. If he was surprised to see a spear man in his house, he never showed it. He did have a somewhat angry look to him. "Greetings," was all he said before making his way toward the dining room table. He also paused before continuing into the other room. "I've set up some rooms for you upstairs."

"Thank you Karl," Kaylin said. Once he was gone, she tilted her head toward Takuma. Her good hand came up to block sound from escaping out the other side. "He gets grumpy when he's hungry. They normally eat a lot earlier." Straightening up, she gave Takuma a smile. "Treat this place as home, or you'll get scolded." Upstairs was the place she preferred to carefully wash her hands. After undoing her braid and giving her hair a quick finger comb, she did just that. There would be plenty of time for Takuma to explore his room, and look around. She did a quick survey of her own room, right next to Takuma's before heading for the stairs. "Meet you down there when you're ready." She was excited to see what foods there were. It seemed to be a wider selection than she thought.

Takuma had been around horses as often as he had dogs, and that's what they were to him. A big dog, capable of every bit of thought and emotion like that of a dog, and could learn to be as loyal as one too. Takuma didn't know if Kaylin had ever rode a horse before, but it might come into play in some point down the road.

He figured he'd ask when they got on the road the next day. He would prefer she be a bit comfortable on horseback should they need to get to or away from somewhere fast. Takuma's hand released the door as he followed Kaylin inside, smelling the food and forming a smile. He listened to the old couple and Kaylin, mostly looking over the house some. Cozy, would be the best word he could use to describe it.

When it was said that rooms had been prepared for them, he would take the time to at least put his spear up in his room and get his hands washed. He placed the spear next to his bed, on the floor and parallel with the bed. He certainly couldn't have the thing with him during dinner, it was mostly useless indoors anyways. Removing his leather armguards he place them on the bed as well, flexing his hands some and enjoying the freedom once again.

Takuma got his hands washed and cleaned before heading back downstairs, wondering how he was going to pay the couple back for their generous hospitality. He could see why Kaylin had stuck around with them for a while.

"This is heaven," Kaylin said, paused at the door way. There was a small feast of food. The dining table was a short rectangular on which could fit 8 people at the most. The food was set up in the middle, a place for each person at each side of the table. Soups, bread, beef, and all that she thought of before. It was all food that could be taken with them, or dried out and taken with them on their journey. Kaylin was too hungry to think that far ahead.

Karl was also paused, but over the steaming food. "It's hot as hell," the aged man said. He looked as if he'd devour the whole serving bowl, but quickly he settled into his seat as Martha walked in. "Go ahead Kaylin, take a seat," the woman said. Kaylin happily obliged. "You too, dear," Martha said to Takuma when he arrived. "Help yourself before Karl eats it all." Everyone could help themselves.

"Thank you for the food, both of you," Kaylin said as she fixed her plate and got settled. "There has to be someway I can repay you for everything."

Martha fixed her with a warm smile only the aged possessed. "You know payment isn't needed. Your tales are enough to entertain us." Her gray eyes turned to Takuma, "My name is Martha. This one over here is Karl," she gestured to Karl who gave his own nod of acknowledgment. There was enough pause for Takuma to introduce himself, but if he didn't want to, there was no pressure. "I'm not sure what happened out there, but thank you for helping Kaylin. How exactly did it all happen?" Her eyes fell back on Kaylin who happily obliged after a few bites of delicious food. She explained what happened, how a strange man approached her and Takuma fought through someone to get within a close enough range of her. The attackers wouldn't give up, so Takuma had to put them out of commission. She explained every sound, movement, and word with excitement. Her voice fluctuated in pitch and tone. Even with the limited room for gestures she had, the story seemed intriguing.

"...and then I realized I forgot my stuff, so we decided to come back," She stated in an exaggerated, dull voice before picking up her fork.

"My goodness," Martha said in awe. "I never knew we had any troublesome people around here. I don't know what would've happened if you hadn't been there, Takuma."

((OOC: btw, you can move things along as you'd like. I figure morning can come about in two posts or so. I tend to take things slow XP Let me know how the pace is so far. I like the postings! Helps me get a better grip on Kay'))

Takuma entered after Kaylin, quietly taking a seat at the table. Looking out over the sundry of foods before him, he didn't know where to start. But Takuma wasn't much of a glutton, once he'd eaten enough to satisfy his appetite he simply couldn't eat anymore. But, before he would pick out a dish to try out first, he would listen to Martha introduce herself and Karl. He would give a bow of his head, replying. "I am Takuma. I cannot thank you enough for allowing me to stay for the night."

Which was true, allowing an armed stranger to stay in their home was trusting, but he supposed that since Kaylin trusted him, that made it easier for them to trust him. Takuma was few on his words however, his plate seemed to have a variety of different foods. It looked like a salad at first with the vegetables he picked out but also some bread and beef along the side.

He ate quietly while listening to Kaylin's account of what had happened. Her voice and her movements made it sound grand and dramatic. Battle was anything but glamorous, but he wouldn't comment on it. His only addition to the story was a small nod at the end to confirm they'd came back for some of her things. When Martha spoke, Takuma would be almost finished with his plate, replying back to her when his mouth didn't have food in it.

"I don't think you'll have to worry about them." He didn't know what would've happened either, they didn't seem to want to out-right kill Kaylin, but there was worse things than death out there. Regardless, she would be safe as long as he was around.

Kaylin's plate had barely been touched, but she was making quick work of it now. She glanced at Martha, who nodded her head in agreement with Takuma. "We haven't had a problem for the last few decades. Which is nice considering we've been here for 46 years."

"Hopefully not another 46," Karl said. He was about to reach for seconds, but at the look his wife gave him a change of mind, briefly stretching instead. "I'd like to travel myself before my legs give out on me."

"Retirements just around the corner," Martha chimed in. "I'm sure we'll be able to find decent folk who can manage the farm eventually." Her eyes looked around the table before settling on Takuma. "How about you Takuma? Ever thought of settling on a farm?" She asked with amusement. Settling on a farm was something not many young people looked to as glamorous. Her gaze became more inquisitive. "What is it that you do anyways, besides helping out others against the occasional bandit? Your skill with a spear seems amazing."

Takuma managed to stifle a chucke at Karl's quip, keeping his eyes on Martha as he soon finished his plate. It only took him a moment to think over Martha's question. Searching for a new line of work did nag at him from time to time. The violence he saw in his career and the aggression is attracted didn't suit his nature. "It's crossed my mind before. I woman I once knew told me she thought I'd be happy with nothing but a plot of land and some plants to look after. However, there's far too much strife in the land these days for me to put away my spear." In his decade of being a bodyguard, he very rarely didn't have another job waiting for him around the corner, which was disappointing.

Though, he wasn't settled on the fact that his efforts were futile. He just had his work cut out for him and he wasn't one to abandon his duty and set his skills to the side to pursue what he enjoyed. There was conflict there, but he had his priorities. He would give her a smile at the compliment, replying. "I'm a freelance bodyguard. I learned how to hold a spear at a young age, and I guess I got better with time." He stood from the table and would give a small bow to Martha and Karl. "Again, thank you for the hospitality." He looked to Kaylin. "We'll be leaving around dawn tomorrow, make sure to get some rest." He would excuse himself from the table, heading back upstairs to the room that was prepared for him, wanting to get as much sleep as he could before he'd be back on the road.

The rest of Kaylin's night was pretty straight forward. As neither of the Hopkins allowed her to help put any food away, so Kay took it upon herself to get cleaned up. After managing to comb her hair with her left hand, she flopped back on her own bed, eyes turning out the window as if to watch the distant mountains. It was going to take a while to cross over. At least she had her map to help them pass by the best route and avoid the coldest weather. Who knew, maybe the stories she heard about a few secret spots weren't real. Maybe her altering the main maps weren't the best idea. Oh well, at least she had the actual map she based hers off of. From cross referencing everything various people told her though, there would be nothing to worry about.

A picture of the spear Takuma wielded came into her mind. Perhaps making this trip would've been better had she learned some type of defensive skill. Beyond those mountains was a world of magic. Getting there had been proven to be more dangerous than she first imagined. All of it was a half baked plan though. Escaping possible wedding plans was the only way to go about it. Maybe she could ask Takuma to teach her how to protect herself better. Her eyes closed with thoughts of her wielding weapons of legends, and she drifted into sleep.

Not long before Dawn, Kaylin rose. It had come too fast for her, but she had gotten good rest. After washing her face, she became wide awake and far less zombie like. Her wrist felt better, as did her shoulder. The side was still sore, but at least she could move without wincing. Making her way downstairs, she checked her pack to discover two additions: a small boomerang and a slingshot. They certainly were no weapons of legand, but they were better than nothing she supposed.

Both Karl and Martha would've been avail for either of the younger ones should they need anything. Karl would help Takuma if he needed any assistance with the horses. Martha was making the final preps for providing the two with food for the long trip. Also, she provided a quick breakfast for them to grab and go if they wished. Kaylin was inspecting the "weapons" (though Martha clearly explained that they were gifts to remind her of them) as she waited for Takuma to have them head out.

Takuma was up before dawn as well, standing out by the front porch. He was dressed in his normal clothes, the leather arm guards buckled tight. He held his spear much like it always was, stationary against his arm and passive. Something still didn't feel right for him, and could only blame the foreboding feeling on his instincts. Lifting his left hand, the bodyguard rubbed the sleep from his eyes and went about getting stuff prepared for the road ahead.

The horse was fed and brushed out before Takuma put the tack back on and lead him from the stables. Whether a cart was actually needed or if saddlebags would suffice, he'd have to see how many supplies the Hopkins had offered. Once they'd had breakfast and everything was in order, Takuma would give his thanks to the Hopkins for their generosity and a bow of respect before turning to start them off along the road.

They hadn't brought any trouble to the couple thankfully and they were much more prepared for the trip through the mountains. Glancing over at Kaylin, Takuma would ask her. "You ever rode a horse before?" The horse was a pinto, a mix of beige and a darker hazel. It could be called a paint horse because between the color transitions there was something of a mix of the two colors. It wasn't an incredibly fast horse, but it was well built and cared for, having plenty of stamina and endurance.

Kaylin peeked around Takuma to get a better look at the horse. Like before, she had let a few feet settle between herself and the horse. It was an amazing creature, and seemed well mannered. Kaylin shook her head. "The only thing I've ridden was a dog named Max when I was 3. One of my brother got Max to follow him around, jump over a hedge, and make me fall in a pond full of the most 'exotic' fish that got me yelled at by our parents. Needless to say, it wasn't a great experience. Since horses are like big dogs, I've never tried to ride one."

Her eyes never left the horse. It looked like a Mare, and had one of the most interesting coats she'd ever seen. "...But, there's a first time for everything. I'll have to get used to it one time or another." She glanced over at Takuma, " is it easier than it seems?"

((ooc: Bleh! So sorry for shortness.))

"Learning to balance and stay on the horse is simple. Getting the horse to follow your commands exactly is more difficult and takes time and experience." Takuma still held the horse by the reins, who occasionally could be heard chomping down on the bit in it's mouth. The bodyguard's eyes would turn from the path ahead and to the horse for a moment, before saying.

"I rode this horse to catch up to you. She's still young in her years and not very fast, but she's an adult and has been rode often and doesn't spook easily. A good trail horse." Takuma glanced back over to Kaylin. "You should give riding her a try, she'd only be walking. It would be better than your first time be when we actually have to use some speed."

((OOC: Hehe, it's fine. And caught a bug, might be a bit slow on posts next couple days. x_o ))

She was uncertain about trying to ride the horse. It was much, Much bigger than any dog, and could run for longer and faster. Her eyes closed and she shook her head to get rid of the fear. If she was going to have to be on her own, she'd have to learn basic things like riding a horse. Takuma had made yet another point. Now was as good a time as any. Kaylin's eyes opened, showing nothing but determination. She gave one solid nod, lifting her fist in front of her. "You're right. I gotta give it a shot, at some point at least."

Slowing a bit, Kaylin waited to get on the other side of the horse until it was safe for her to walk behind her. Tentatively she lifted a hand to pet the painted horse. To not let her nervousness be transferred to the horse, Kaylin thought it best to speak. "There's a good girl. Please don't throw me off your back..."  Kaylin kept talking to the horse with a mellow tone, letting her voice sooth herself and hopefully put the horse at ease. After she was comfortable, Lin fell into a peaceful silence. Her eyes moved around as thoughts came to her head.

"Hey Takuma, is there anything I can do to repay you for helping me out? It's a long trip to Serendipity. How in the world did the person who sent you pay you enough for it?" Her hazel eyes looked to the tall bodyguard. "When can you tell me who sent you anyways?"

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Marona stood stealthy in a tree on the mountain side. She told no one which one it was exactly. There had to be at least 20 other followers in her range of sight. With her enhanced vision, this was easily within a five mile radius. Most were hidden from the casual looker, but others were making rounds. They had to search for the girl, capture her, then return her to some noble or other. She didn't know details of who hired Commander Wayde, but she'd make damn sure her orders were accomplished. It was a simple role: Make sure no one harms the girl. Also, she was the reigning arbiter. Though the others listened to Lyron, if she had something to say, all would listen. She wasn't above cutting down friend, or foe to get the job done.

Speaking of which, the auburn haired man chose the base of her tree to relieve himself. She averted her eyes to scope for any danger. The young man muttered heated words all the while. It was easy to tell he was not happy with his wound, or whatever it meant to him. Marona knew the man knew where she was, generally at least. It was a bond shared between them, and her brother Agito. She fought the urge to tell Ly' to get back to work. Her eyes swept through the slanted trees on the mountain side. She could sense her younger brother making his way toward them, but he was still many miles out. Just a bit more than Kaylin and the man who helped her. There was a good reason to think some one was with him, but there wasn't any way for her to be sure just yet. She and the other followers waited for another chance to complete their mission.

((ooc: Hope you're felling better. Being sick bites sometimes))

When Kaylin had gotten to the side of the horse, he'd stopped walking to keep the horse still for her, to make it easier for her to pull herself atop the horse. He'd keep an eye on her to see if she needed help getting into the saddle. Usually he would simply grab the horn of the saddle, place a foot into the stirrup and pull himself up. But seeing someone do it was a bit different than doing it yourself and he'd lend a hand if she needed it.

When she'd looked to him and asked the questions, Takuma kept a serious face. "The only thing I'd ask of you is to pay it forward. And my client and the expenses they incur are still confidential, Kaylin." Whether he'd had to help her onto the horse or not, once she had her feet in the stirrups and was settled some, he would begin to to walk again, the horse following at it's slow pace next to him.

Takuma casually walked forward still, the reins of the horse in his hand while he lead it forward. For a moment he didn't feeling anything, but again he felt a cool breeze brush across his face, the soothing wind coming out of no where. As disarming as it felt, there had been no wind prior to that, and reflexively Takuma jerked his head back, a blur passing in front of the spearman's face.

"Shit." The hunter's aim was good, he'd lead the target as his constant speed and pace, the effects of his target's gait on his movement, and he'd still missed. Patience was a useless virtue. The arrow had followed the wind current and even with the increased speed, it didn't outweigh the effect that his target's senses were a bit too honed for such long shot.

Daust was at a small rising in the forest, a rocky outcrop that overlooked the path the girl and his target traveled down. Of course, by now he was hidden behind the rocks. It'd been a long time since he'd gotten to fight with him, maybe he'd gotten too arrogant and complacent. Fat and slow. The voice rang in his head and spurned the assassin. He wouldn't be made a fool of.

"This is real then. It's really him. But who...?" Who was the girl? His daughter? A relative? They didn't look very similar. Nevertheless, it'd only take a few more experimental shots and maybe he'd get his answers. Could the girl defend herself? Was she a threat? She didn't look like it, not much like a fighter all, no. Today he was a hunter, and for the first time in a long time he'd found his perfect prey. Selecting a second black-feathered arrow from the quiver, he settled the arrow onto the string, raising the bow.

Another brief current of wind would stretch from the bowman as only the bow and arrowtip protruded around the rock, firing off a second shot off towards Kaylin's upper back. The arrow would be airborne for a few seconds, the shaft cutting through the air quickly. If Kaylin was so observant, she'd feel the tickle of the breeze on the back of her neck from the wind current directed at her upper back.

Takuma simply ignored the first arrow, his eyes searching in the direction the arrow had came from. If there was a good spot for the archer to post up at, it would've been on top of the rocks not too far off into the forest. "Kaylin-" He'd had the time to say her name, trying to get her attention when he'd seen the composite bow show from the rocks again. Once the arrow was airborne, it only took him a moment to see for which of them it was aimed for.

The spearman didn't need to take the time to unsheath his spear, moving his one arm in a blur with the polearm in his hand, thrusting the sheathed blade into the path of the arrow, a counter-measure in the event Kaylin hadn't moved herself to get out of it's path. Of course, by now the horse was beginning to get spooked a bit from all the movement and the arrows impacting near it.

Getting onto the saddle was a bit awkward. She pulled herself up the way she'd seen others do it: hand on the horn, foot in the stirrup, then up she went. Aside from the hesitation when she was first off the ground, Kaylin was able to mount up fairly quickly for it being her first time. With her other leg in the other stirrup, she settled in the saddle. Her first thought was that she didn't like it, but she knew she had to give it a chance. When the horse began moving, the feeling only increased. A gentle breeze appeared from almost no where. Perhaps it was the change in landscape. Looking around though, she didn't see any change really.

Whatever it was, Kaylin didn't like the feeling she was getting from up here. Without warning, something whizzed past the body guard's face. It was too fast to be a bird, or a bug. Her eyes went to where it was headed. The only thing she saw was a black feathered end to what only could be an arrow, deeply embedded into an unfortunate tree. "Takuma, what's going on?" Her words were more deliberate than anytime before. She would accept not knowing who sent her, but this was something she couldn't let go. Something wasn't right. Unease seemed to tingle up her neck, traveling right into the horse who was becoming more and more unsettled.

Kaylin's grip on the saddle tightened. There was a sudden breeze again, this time it almost seemed to be heading toward her. The horse made a jittery movement and Kaylin leaned to the side. Had the arrow gone through, sheer luck would've had it so that neither were injured. Thankfully nothing got so far. She looked back at Takuma who's sheathed blade was by her back. She looked at the deflected arrow. Panic started to work its way into her. The best cover for that was anger. Her narrowed eyes went toward where the wind and the arrow had come from. Though she was concern and fear were in her eyes, it wasn't really easy to see in her narrowed eyes. "What in the world? Bandits already?"

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Agito walked along side their Commander Wayde. Standing next to such a massive man made him feel even more inadequate since he lost the fight the previous day. Thankfully his head wasn't hurting as much. If it wasn't for his genes, he might not have woken up, let alone notice his sister right away. The teen was careful to watch his speed. His own skill got the best of him at times. The commander liked to be in front of all his men, at the forefront of battle he called it. Agito ached to scout ahead, or at least for the concealment of the denser trees in the forest. Wayde was like a tank when traveling. Slow and powerful, nothing got in his way. In battle he became something to recon with. It was almost as if he deliberately allowed his foes enough time to run before he got there.

There had to be at least twenty other men behind them. The Commander received the letter the spear-man had dropped. After reading it over, he simply rolled it back up and had Agito gather all of their their followers. Using his speed, Agito was able to relay the message to everyone, grab some shut eye, and watch everyone return as fast as they could. Unease crept up in him. He knew the direction his sister and her admirer were in thanks to their bond. Right now, it was telling him that things were not okay. Something was wrong, or at least might be. He'd stay quiet for a bit longer, but if he felt Marona pull for him to do anything specific, he would speak up. Though they were a few miles away from the start of the mountain, it wouldn't take him long to reach there.

"It's not bandits. This one's working alone." And with that, the spearman looped his fingers around the horn of the saddle, jumping and pulling himself onto the saddle at the same time, sitting directly behind Kaylin. "Just hold on, we have to get out of range." He'd say from behind her. His heels would give a gentle kick to the horse's flanks, making the mare stutter-step for but a moment before darting forward. The horse ran a little faster than a canter, the spearman holding the polearm off to the side of the horse and keeping his eyes towards the rocky outcropping for any signs of a third shot.

Takuma didn't seem too worried. The archer was at a long range, which gave him time to spot the arrows and react to them, since he knew where they were coming from. If the bowman had been closer, he'd been in a bit more dangerous position. Thankfully, that wasn't the case, and soon they'd at least be getting close to the base of the mountain. Hopefully they could lose anyone else who was following them in the mountains.

Daust watched as the arrow was deflected, bouncing off the metal sheath of the spear. He didn't ready another shot, but instead flopped to the side in a fit of giggles. How could his luck be any better? Not only had he found this one he'd been searching for so long, but also with a very distinct weakness. The bowman feared this would be too easy. His experimentation was over.

Sheltering the string of the composite bow against his arm, the assassin would tighten the quiver about his body before he dropped down the rocks, bouncing from ledge to ledge with a fluid momentum, before dropping to the forest floor. A scratching as he dropped through the floral canopy, and a small thud as his shoulder contacted the ground. His momentum sent him forward in a roll which propelled the wind mage onto his feet into a running start.

Small gusts of wind began to carry behind the bowman, giving only a gentle push at first, then sending debri into the air, scattering against the trunks of the forest. Soon the bowman was beginning to catch the speed of the horse, darting between the trees, but keeping his distance. He windwalked after his prey, the bow clutched tightly to his arm.

The hunt was on.

((OOC:Terribly sorry for the delay, Reo.))

The hand on the saddle startled her. A disturbed confusion came over her, but settled quickly once she realized it was Takuma. Kaylin's eyes returned to where the arrows had came from. There was no more sudden movements, no more arrows just then. She tried to think of how her death would be, but it never came to her. Perhaps it wasn't going to be possible today, or it was too horrifying to imagine. Laying her hands on the painted mare, Kaylin got a better feeling of the horse. Power exuded from the horse beneath her and Takuma behind her. It gave her shelter from her own fears and strength to focus on what was going on.

The horse was going faster than ever before. Much different than the steady walk originally planned. The ground would get more uneven as they approached the mountain. One wrong step could be the end of it for all three of them. Kaylin leaned closer to the horses neck, mindful not to get hit by it's movements. Amongst the sound of hooves she heard a string of soft sounds near by. They didn't alert her, but seemed to give her strength, comfort, and confidence. It went on for a moment before she realized they were her own words. She was actually speaking, but the words were nothing she could distinguish with all the sounds. Whatever that was about, Kaylin stopped as soon as she noticed it. She felt no need to question it, only a little bit more calm. The terror didn't grip her as it had before. Though the threat was still out there, she was just a bit more steady. Her horse seemed to be moving faster, and more sure, but that could just be her imagination.

She noticed Takuma handling his spear. He above all else needed to focus on the threat. There was no room for fear at this time. Kaylin turned her hear to speak to the bodyguard. "Tell me when and I'll drive!" She said loud enough for him to hear. She watched him for a moment to make sure he heard. She'd know if he wanted her to hold the reigns. No, she had never done it before, but the horse seemed to know what she was doing. How hard could it really be? Right now Kaylin felt as if she could take on the world. Right now, this moment, she wanted to live in that feeling. In the back of her mind she had a feeling it wouldn't last too long.