Bassas

[Kirsui]

There was a light skip in her steps as Tearia approached the town of Bassas. She came from the mountains, which might have seemed like an odd direction to come from - especially considering the way she was dressed. The wind could get cold up there, and yet she wasn't wearing anything to protect her from the cold.

The young woman was humming to herself as she walked down the mountain path, glancing below to see how busy it was in the town. She saw some people, and quickly located the building that she assumed to be the local inn - at least it must have been if the amount of people going in and out meant anything.

With a grin on her face she continued walking, still humming her tune while wondering what today would bring.

[blaqknoise]

Vukasin stood on top of a large stone and looked out into the distance. He was headed for Bassas and now that he had a good view, he saw that it wasn't far. He would probably be there in 15 minutes if he walked as a human.

He hated going into towns, he really did. He wasn't sure why, but he didn't like being around a lot of people. It just made him nervous and uncomfortable. He didn't have any other choice though. He had been having trouble with hunting lately, as there were very few things to kill all of a sudden. The only way for him to get food now was to go into town and buy some.

He lept off the rock and changed into his human form as he landed.

"Just in and then out." He told himself as he began walking towards the town.

[Kirsui]

Tearia was pleasantly surprised that it hadn't taken her as long to walk down the mountain path as she had assumed, and she was now wandering the streets and looking around curiously. Mostly people didn't pay attention to her, but she did notice a few that stared at her strange choice of clothing and the swords strapped to her back.

Not that she cared, as long as it was just a few odd looks that she got.

She was getting closer to the inn now. While she usually would go in one of those, this time she thought to wait before entering. It seemed to be a busy day in there, and she wasn't all too fond of the crowd right now.

A small smile was tugging her lips when she noticed an older woman standing behind a table next to the inn. She was selling something, and though Tearia wasn't particularly too fond of buying anything she was offering, she figured it would give her good enough excuse to wander closer to the inn - and the people going in and coming out. She wanted to hear what the local rumours were like, and so she walked to the old woman and pretended to be interested of what she was selling.

[blaqknoise]

As Vukasin entered the town, he realized how busy it was. He had gotten himself prepared for the big crowd as he was walking though, so he would be fine.

As he walked he saw merchant booths set up everywhere. Some were selling cloth and other materials, others sold weapons and armor. He didn't see any that were selling food though, aside from veggies and fruit, which he didn't want. If he wanted fruit that much he could just pick them off trees.

As he walked more, he saw that there was an inn. An inn would have food for sure, so he started making his way over. As he got closer he could see that there was an older woman near the inn selling her own food. He figured that he could probably get a better deal on food there than at the inn, which he needed because he didn't have much money.

Just as he was walking, it seemed someone else was interested in what the old woman was selling as well. He walked up to them and stood to the right of the other customer, trying not to draw any attention to himself.

[Kirsui]

"Did ya know, they say there's lots'a dragons around nowadays."
"Ye, it's the new king, ya know. He's got them lizards on his side."
"I hear he had one of them eat princess Cainaru."
"Who ever told ya that lied. I hear she got murdered by assassins."
"Nay, it was a dragon, the person I heard it from saw it himself!"
"Maybe he needs his eyes checked..."

Tearia almost burst into laughter as she listened to this particular discussion. By far this "being eaten by a dragon" was the most ridiculous rumour she had heard regarding the change of leadership in New Westminster. She would have gladly heard more, but the two men entered the inn and were now out of earshot.

She smiled at the old woman when she asked what she'd like.
"Oh, I'll take that bread, please."

[blaqknoise]

"Oh, I'll take that bread, please."

The other customers' voice sounded familiar to Vukasin for some reason. He didn't know many people, and when he looked over the person she didn't look like anyone he knew, so he dismissed the thought.

The old woman then turned to him and asked the same thing she asked the other girl.

"How much are you selling that for?" He asked pointing at one of the larger slabs of meat.

When he was told the price he looked through his small bag of coins to see if he had the required amount. After counting his coins, he found that he didn't have enough, and was just a few coins short. Disappointed, he asked her for one of the smaller pieces instead.

[Kirsui]

Tearia paid her bread, thanking the old woman. It wasn't until the woman turned to address someone right beside her that she realized she wasn't as alone as she had thought.

"How much are you selling that for?"

She was startled at the familiar voice and turned to look at the man beside her. She examined his features for a moment, taking the chance to do so unnoticed while he was counting his money. A small smile broke on her face when she realized why his voice seemed so familiar. Then the man seemed to come to the conclusion that he couldn't afford what he wanted.

"I'll pay that for you", she said softly, watching him with that small smile of her still on her face.

[blaqknoise]

"I'll pay that for you"

"Oh, no thanks, you don't need to do that. This smaller one will be fine for now I think."

He paid the woman and took the meat. When he turned around he saw that the girl was still looking at him and smiling. He looked at her face and noticed a scar-like marking on her left eye. Now he knew why he recognized her voice.

"Tearia!?" He asked excitedly.

[Kirsui]

"Tearia!?"

Her smile grew into a grin when he finally recognized her.
"Been a while, Vukasin."

Her eyes narrowed slightly, and she gave a small laugh.
"You haven't changed much since the last time I saw you. And I surely wasn't expecting to see you here of all places."

[blaqknoise]

"Been a while, Vukasin. You haven't changed much since the last time I saw you. And I surely wasn't expecting to see you here of all places."

"Well I don't have much choice," He replied, "I haven't had much luck with hunting my own food for the past few days. I decided it was time to give up and buy something instead."

He looked down at the meat he had bought. It was smaller than he wanted, and probably would only last him a day or two.

"I haven't seen you since we got split up. What brings you here?"

[Kirsui]

Tearia watched with faint amusement as Vukasin examined the meat he had bought. She shook her head and chuckled, turning at the old woman again.

"I'll take that meat as well", she said, pointing at slap of meat Vukasin had thought of buying.

"I haven't seen you since we got split up. What brings you here?"

She shrugged as a reply as she paid for the meat.
"I thought it was a nice distance from Kelast", she said.
"Not to mention that the mountains are rather conveniently cutting the way to Daishtan."

She then turned to Vukasin, offering him the meat she just bought.
"Here, by the way, I don't want you to starve now that we just met again."

[blaqknoise]

"I'll take that meat as well"

Vukasin felt bad that Tearia was buying him the meat he had been looking at before. She worked hard for that money, no doubt, and she was spending it on him now.

"I thought it was a nice distance from Kelast. Not to mention that the mountains are rather conveniently cutting the way to Daishtan."

"That's why I came here. I don't want to be anywhere near that place again."

"Here, by the way, I don't want you to starve now that we just met again."

"Thank you." Vukasin said as he took the meat. "I owe you one."

He put the meat under his arm, along with the piece he had bought himself.

"What are you going to do now?" He asked her.

[Kirsui]

"I owe you one."

Tearia laughed.
"Naw, not really. I don't really need the money, and I can always get more."

"What are you going to do now?"

She shrugged.
"Find some nice and quiet place where I can eat my bread", she said, cringing.
"You don't wanna know what I've been living off for the past... who knows how long."

She thanked the old woman for the bread and meat, then began to head away from the crowd flooding in and out of the in.

"You wanna come with me?" she asked Vukasin.
"I could use some company... And there's stuff to talk about that I'd rather not share with all these people around."

[blaqknoise]

"You don't wanna know what I've been living off for the past... who knows how long."

"I think I have an idea of it." Vukasin replied letting out a small chuckle.

"You wanna come with me? I could use some company... And there's stuff to talk about that I'd rather not share with all these people around."

"I do. I'd like to hear about how your "task" went."

[Kirsui]

"I do. I'd like to hear about how your "task" went."

"I'm sure you do", she replied, keeping an amused smile on her face as she led the way to the edge of the town. She figured it would be safer out in the small forest she had seen from the mountain path rather than in town with all those people around them.

It didn't take too long to locate a tree stump and a few smooth rocks, and she was glad. They weren't exactly in the forest, but close enough either way. She could still see the town from here, but it was safely out of earshot.

Over all, it was a perfect spot if one wanted to see if someone was approaching.

"Well then", she said, finally letting the amused smile drop from her face.

"The 'task'..."

She shook her head as she sat down on the stump.

"It could've gone better, but at least I got out in one piece."

[blaqknoise]

"Well then, the 'task'... It could've gone better, but at least I got out in one piece."

Vukasin was confused a bit. She looked fine, no scratches, cuts, bruises or anything.

"I heard you killed the "master". What went wrong?"

[Kirsui]

"I heard you killed the "master". What went wrong?"

"Well you see, getting in was rather simple", Tearia explained. "The idiot left his bedroom window wide open. Unfortunately, the knife I had snatched somewhere for that purpose wasn't very sharp, and the guy screamed like a little girl."

She sighed.
"Was messy, but I did get him to shut up eventually. Too bad it was kinda too late at that point when the guards came crashing in. All I could do was jump out of the window and change forms in mid-air, winging my way through the air as far from Kelast as possible."

She paused, thinking.
"I think I went as far as Ythus before I stopped... Kinda had to rethink my situation - and get some new clothes and stuff."

[blaqknoise]

"Well you see, getting in was rather simple", Tearia explained. "The idiot left his bedroom window wide open. Unfortunately, the knife I had snatched somewhere for that purpose wasn't very sharp, and the guy screamed like a little girl."

Vukasin imagined that scene in his head. The thought of that horrible man screaming out in pain brought a smile to his face.

"I wish I could have seen it."

"Was messy, but I did get him to shut up eventually. Too bad it was kinda too late at that point when the guards came crashing in. All I could do was jump out of the window and change forms in mid-air, winging my way through the air as far from Kelast as possible. I think I went as far as Ythus before I stopped... Kinda had to rethink my situation - and get some new clothes and stuff."

"Well, at least you're safe now. You seem a lot happier than the last time we spoke."

Vukasin thought about it for a moment, and he regretted his decision not to join her.

"I should have gone with you." He stated.

[Kirsui]

"Well, at least you're safe now. You seem a lot happier than the last time we spoke."

"Happier, perhaps", she admitted. "Safe... Only if I keep a low profile, which rather unfortunately can be fairly difficult in my profession."

"I should have gone with you."

She smiled softly.
"You wouldn't have survived the jump from the window..." she said quietly. "And the window was the only safe way in and out that I could think of, based on the time I spent in that building before the mines."

[blaqknoise]

"Happier, perhaps", she admitted. "Safe... Only if I keep a low profile, which rather unfortunately can be fairly difficult in my profession."

"Still doing the music thing, eh?"

"You wouldn't have survived the jump from the window... And the window was the only safe way in and out that I could think of, based on the time I spent in that building before the mines."

"Still, I wish I could have done something to help. It looks and sounds like you did fine without me though."

Vukasin was quiet for a moment as he pushed those thoughts and old memories aside.

"So when is your next performance? I used to love listening to you when we worked in the mine. It would be nice to hear you again."