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Darian

She threads her fingers through his and looks up at him. "Aye, and if it be more, we handle. Want no problem for others."

Daxia
with the Gang at the Dragonstooth Inn

"Dazi think Darian, Cesare, Longtooth not be Dazi biggest problem, ever," she said, grinning. "Dazi with sword be Dazi big problem in Jvrillian town, yah? Celi not like towns maybe problem, Romana talk talk talk maybe problem. Hope not." She shrugged, and said, "Dazi not worry about what not problem. Just watch, make sure talk with Celi, Romana so no problem happen. Ignore silly Jvrillian words. Be nice." Daxia looked around the Inn's common room. "Very nice inn. Would like stay in Bordertown be boring, not interesting like Cragside." She shook her head before looking back at Darian and Cesare. "Dazi not like Cragside. Miss talk with Dandy, train with Barris, but not miss Cragside."

Kadri:

". . there are things I miss at Craigside."

CELI

Celi had no issues with the possible room-mates they had lined out for her. Bekkah and Romana. They seemed sweet and pleasant enough.

She tried approaching Bekkah to see how she felt about having Celi as a room-mate.

"I always wake up right before sunrise," she explained, "whether I am inside a structure, or out of doors. My body seems to know when such things are about to occur. I would be happy to awaken either or both of you whenever you wish, before, during or after sunrise. Or not at all, if you prefer to sleep until the cows are milked and brakfast is served."

Bekkah

"I'm a pretty lights sleeper so I'll probably wake up as well, but if not, I like a nice sunrise. It's a good time for my prayers to my Lady."

Cesare

He keeps his voice down, to just those next to him which includes Daxia and Darian.

"Would be a good idea to keep quiet here. Seems we have attracted attention already and with the possible interest from other regions in several of our number - Cami, Romana and the Cragside interest - we should not linger too long or be too memorable - certainly not in our direction of travel out of here. Leaving by one road and crossing back to another once out of sight could be a wise precaution."

He shrugs. It is a suggestion.

"Might be good to earn some coin here though. We cannot continue to travel without adding funds to the pot."

Mikal

Approaching Daxia to talk about the town he arrives just at the end of Cesare's comment. "I've got something I need to do here. May take a couple of days. I'd suggest we sell the trinkets and equipment we recovered from the glade and turn it into coin. It should be enough to pay our way for some time."

Darian

The hunter still had extra pelts and now two hides. She nods more at both Cesare's and Mikal's words. "Skins sell too. If stay more days, can hunt, bring meat to inn, sell skin."

Daxia
with the Gang at the Dragonstooth Inn

Daxia shrugged. "Jvrillian town. Jvrillian like poke fun at Dayalan. Think no worry there, Cesare. Dazi ignore, Dazi joke back, Dazi not make problem with Jvrillian. But... hmmmm... friends from Cragside? Yah, we not stay long. Leave together, leave separate... no matter. They know we group."

She nodded at Mikal's approach. "Yah, Dazi like investigate Temple ruins. Bekkah need visit Lady Kay. Darian sell skins. Earn coins good, but Dazi best skills not needed in Jvrillian town, yah? But reading, writing can do." She grinned at Mikal. "Some people get paper need reading, want sent answer same way. Yah, yah... crazy people. But coin for Dazi." She looked to Kadri. "Maybe Kadri best to sell item? Experience with Dama Samara helpful there?" she asked.

Kadri shrugs.

"I can but try. See if the merchants here are like merchants there. Worth a shot, anyway."

Daxia
with the Gang at the Dragonstooth Inn

"Dazi happier if merchant here not too much like merchant there, yah? More honest, less..." She lowered her voice. "...thief-like, yah?"

Then Daxia looked at Mikal. "We have rooms? Ok, dinner next!" She glanced around. "Move this table, that table together... we all fit." Finally she looked at Romana, who was still smelling the wonderful scents in the air, and chuckled. "Romana Romana Romana, come sit with us. We will find out what the cinnamon smell goes with, yes?"

Mikal

He nods. "Yes. Dinner and some ale. The Smith and Sword Priest can wait til morning. Probably not open now anyway."

Celi

Celi nodded and said, "Then I assure you both that every morning, you will be awakened to enjoy the sunrise, and the rest of the day as you see fit.

"I also am generally awakened by the slightest out-of-the-ordinary sound or movement, so I will also do my best to see that you both shall be safe in your bed."

Cesare

Things are settling down and all seem to be very much in accord. He is hoping to really enjoy their short stay here. Squeezing Darian's hand, his thoughts wander to their room upstairs and he wants to be there rather than eating if he is really honest but he has the discipline to wait.. a little while at least.

"Food and an ale sound good to me."

He moves to the table, ready to sit down by Darian.

Bekkah

She found she was both hungry and thirsty. She sat down opposite the lovebirds so that there was room on either side of her if Dazi wanted to sit by her.

Darian

"Food and ale, aye," she agrees as she walks with Cesare though she casts a glance in the direction of the indicated room.

Longtooth sprawls at her feet as usual but makes room long enough for Cesare to sit next to her.

"What plan morrow?" she asks as the others join them.

And near Dazi and, if she does set there, ROmana, is where Kadri finally alights.

Mikal

He calls over a serving girl and answers Darian. "I need to go visit a weaponsmith and see a Sword Priest in the morning. I'd suggest someone visit the market and see if they can sell the gear and equipment we recovered from the glade and turn it into coin. It'll be more useful, and lighter to carry."

"Be aware that the town is divided into four areas. Three merchant families run the town, along with the Jvrillians. Family Marrennenn in the southeast, Family Emeraldsson in the northeast, Family Hysthanian in the northwest, and the Jvrillians hold the southwest. The family manor-houses are located in the center of each area. We might want to at least stay out of the Marrennenn area."

Kadri:

". . can you tell me anything of these merchant families?:

Dean

has not spent much time in taverns and inns. Mostly what he knows of them is what he saw at home, and that was nothing like what he see's now. Back in Talesan's Village, the "inn" was mostly someone's home. And people were charged for a spot to bed down and a bowl of whatever was for dinner that night. Drinking took place in front of people's houses, or out behind the barn underneath a comfortable tree - friends meeting to reflect on the day and relax.

He has never heard people treat strangers so shabbily and his eyes fairly left their sockets at the madness of yelling things at Daxia. The men in this town apparently had no use for their lives, as if they kept this up, they would lose them. Apparently, though, they had not abandoned all sensibilities as when they saw Lady Bekkah, their foolishness turned directly to politeness, as would be expected of sane men.

Dean tries not to gawk at the finery of this place. Tries to look as he thinks a protective Squire should look. Slightly menacing...slightly proud...slightly...slightly...what is that smell?

The smell of food is really wonderful and Dean really, really likes cinnamon pasties. His Mater used to make the best ones. His nose leads him to place at the table and he sits, grinning, waiting expectantly.

Daxia
with the Gang at the Dragonstooth Inn

Daxia noted Dean's discomfort at the words the Jvrillians had been tossing at her. "Don't be concerned about their taunts, Squire," she said quietly to him. "Jvrillians mock Dayalans. Smart Dayalans ignore them, or laugh about it, turning it into a big joke. I am who I am; they are who they are. Nothing can change that. I am too hungry and thirsty for jokes right now, so it is simple enough to ignore them." She sat beside her sister and patted the chair on her other side. "Romana... sit sit sit," she said with a grin.

While Kadri conferred with Mikal about the merchant families, Daxia turned to Darian and said, "I want to visit the Dayalan Temple ruins south of town. No doubt everything of material value has been removed," she said, looking around at all the honey-colored marble in the common room. "But it would still be a holy place to be quietly with Dayala." She turned to her sister.

"I would be happy to walk you over to Lady Kay's hospice in the morning, if you'd like, Bekkah."

Bekkah

She gave Dazi a bright smile.

"I'd like that. I'd offer to accompany you as well, but a visit to Lady Kay could prove to be a full day affair. Perhaps someone else will go with you. You promise me, you will not go alone, yes?"

Daxia
with the Gang at the Dragonstooth Inn

Daxia rolled her eyes at her sister. "Yah, Bekkah. Dazi promise," she said in the same sing song voice she used when she was seven, and then grinned before looking around the table. "Perhaps Dean or Celi or Camelia would like to enjoy the day and watch me poke through the ruins of a building that was destroyed before this Age ever began." She glanced at the dark-haired girl to her other side. "Our Romana will still be tightly wrapped in her blankets at that hour, I'm sure," she said, edging closer to the girl, making very sure not to actually touch her.

"A real bed tonight... that will be a nice treat, won't it, Romana?"

Celi

Of all the things Celi did *Not* want to do, spending a day at someone else's temple of worship ranked right up there with wood ticks and being flayed alive. Her own rituals were simple and direct; anyone who worshiped what she did, was actually *in* the only true temple, though rumor had it there were some more formalized venues elsewhere.

Ah, always elsewhere.

"What is this decrepit location you wish to ... ah, poke through?"

The Heartwood
Bordertown
Restday, The Twentieth Day of the Month of Crown of Ice, 2623

Daxia, Mikal, Darian, Cesare, Bekkah, Celi, Kadri, Dean, Camelia and Romana

The barkeep, ensconced behind his fine and fancy bar, nodded as the discussions were completed.

"Thank you, guv'nor. I'll have the lasses go and fit them out and they'll be ready. And your timing could nae be better; Midwinter's coming and we'll be sure to be full right soon.

"Just ask the lasses if'n you need a meal. Landis, he brought in a pair of bucks this morn, all dressed and blooded, so the venison is thick and fresh tonight."

There was a pause, however, as the small group repaired to their evening's table.

A Romana-ish pause.

The slender woman canted her head, as if she had caught a phrase, a handful of words floating across the commons.

There is a quick spin, her tunics and cloaks flaring dramatically as she returned to the bar. There, there a soft whispered conversation commenced. And from her side she untied a pouch and with a child's flourish emptied its contents on the countertop.

The barkeep ... and the patrons about, their eyes went wide.

As well as the barmaid's.

Th objects shespilled out wer an odd collection. Polished stones, odd shaped coins, a sculpted gold wagon wheel the size of her palm ... and a whole lot of sparklies. Blue and red and green and clear, they glittered in the lamp light.

She looked to the barkeep, innocent and expectant.

He looked, blinked, a bit unbelievingly. About to reach, he paused, and then his gaze fell upon Darian and Longtooth, upon Daxia, and finally upon Mikal, the Jvrillian.

With a duck of his head he nodded and selected one blue gem from the chaotic pile.

Romana smiled back as she swept her belongings back into her pouch and happily sashayed back to the small group, sitting down on a chair with a playful bounce.

From within her fur lined hood her eyes sparkled too now.

"Oh yesyesyes! Romanas now looking forwards to good sleep, long sleep, thanksthanks!"