Amy
**Noble politics were the least of House Eillemar's concerns back then. The gradually declining state of Silnaria, the fact that indentured servitude and beastkin slavery was at its peak injustice, was their issue, and Clan Aesilnari batted no eye, they kept the practice alive without falter. In the end, Thorne's family was seized for their differentiated belief when it came to laboring. Although she had not been to Silnaria in many years, Thorne was sure the imperial house was still reigning over all with an iron fist, and one day she hoped to put an end to them. That day would not arrive any time soon however.**

"That they were..." **She replied softly, seeking to move on from that topic at last. As Frund dismounted, Thorne pulled on the reins making her steed turn around.** "Here, you may smell like a freshly bathed maiden after, but it should mask the aroma of death." **From her bag, the elf produced a small pouch, she tossed directly at Frund for him to catch. Inside, was an abundance of fragrant leaves, aromatic flower petals, and a small thumb-sized chunk of soap she'd been saving.** "I will be back in fifteen minutes to take you to Frundsberg, there we'll find the garrison and get ourselves situated. Be wary, there could be foes lurking for all we know."

**Kicking the side of her mare, it entered a brisk trot forward and away from the waterhole, Thorne up top re-equipped her cowl and mask, sauntering off to give the perimeter a brief patrol.** "Cha, kut!"
Esther
**He catches it quickly, his reflexes honed after a decade of mercenary work. He replies before she leaves fully** "Thank you!" **He then turns back to the water hole, strips off his clothing and armor and takes the fancy top layer of clothing into the water with him. He uses the aromatics and soap sparingly, as to make sure that Thorne will still have plenty left - and as he scrubs himself down, he takes a moment to let some of those tears he's been holding back out. He manages to stifle a scream in place for a despair filled moan. Quickly though he manages to compose himself - a man of war sees many deaths, and he's no stranger to tragedy and he has a mission to accomplish - he will not be accomplishing it crying in a pond.**

**He quickly finishes washing himself, and begins to work on his clothing as well - rubbing out the mud and blood staining the water near him a brownish red. He uses the aromatics on the clothing rather then himself since he wagers that it'll last longer and make the clothing look finer. Once finished, he walks out of the water and to his travel satchel grabbing his Zweihander and unwrapping one layer of linen sheet from it - using it to dry off his body before he gets dressed in the clothing that isn't currently wet. He also takes some time to wipe off his breast plate, but is careful to not use water since that can cause rust - which is the last thing he needs right now. With all said and done he looks incredibly clean now, and far more handsome - though he looks less regal with only tights on. He didn't wash his feathered hat at least, so there's that. Now, he waits for Thornes return - it only took him about ten minutes to accomplish all of this, including getting dressed and re-equipping his gear.**
Amy
**It would be another five minutes before the thrumming of hoofbeats broke the still air around the pond, coming through the trees and brush was Thorne again, atop her beautiful purebred palfrey, fully equipped like before. As it turns out, she really did mean fifteen minutes, honesty meant alot to her, brute or not.** "Hey, you look..." **The elf regarded Frund with soft red eyes, warned by a smile beneath her mask. He looked genuinely better than before, certainly in better spirits and... Somewhat attractive. If it weren't for his quizzical garb, she may have commented further.** "...Better. I hope the aromatics worked, man stench is especially potent." **She remarked with a single chuckle, beckoning him over to the horse.**

"Time to go Frund. We have a long way to go."
Esther
**He walks in confident strides up to the horse, and without aid manages to swing himself up and onto the saddle. Hugging the horses body with his legs he states** "Indeed! Let's get going." **Once they get moved and back onto the road, Frundsberg would start up another conversation** 
"I apologize for my withdrawal from conversation earlier. Now that I am in much better spirits I will elaborate further on questions you asked earlier; No, I was not a scribe - rather I was a mercenary sergeant for the Dekoratsknechts. Past tense because the company has since disbanded. My audacious dress was the dress of all sergeants within the company, and I wear it to this day. And the aromatics which you lent me, for which I am grateful, were used mostly on my finery - rather then myself. When we stop I will hand you back the sack you gave unto me to wash myself with - much still remains, including the soap." 
**He smells nicer, but the aromatics indeed seem to have been used on his finery - she can smell the flowers coming from his satchel where the damp clothing was placed. After he finishes talking he scans the area, specifically the forestry that flanks either side of the road - looking for banditry.**
Amy
**Frund's willingness to initiate the dialogue between them was much appreciated, since Thorne is typically one that enjoyed speaking at length with her associates, or even strangers such as him. Although their conversation had a chance to turn towards the macabre elements before again, it seemed meaningful now that they were both in a better mood. Thorne tapped her mare, indicating an increase in their pace–it entered a steady jog. The elf waited her turn to speak, absorbing Frund's particulars with interest, as she too was willing to divulge information if it meant they weren't in silence.**

"Dekoratsknechts. I may have heard of them before, but no time recently." **Thorne admitted in perfect pronunciation, as expected of a former noble, she was articulate and capable of all forms of vernacular, and she understood dialects as well.** "It's unfortunate they have disbanded. We need them now more than ever, the skirmishes at the three Mentian borders are grueling, and will only get worse as each monarch makes vain attempts at reclaiming their indubitably entitled land. I'm sure you're also aware of the troubling affray that's leaving Siui, Tiai and Ombu a constant mess. Wood elves, Steppe and Macen taking each other's lives so willingly, and with malice aforethought, all over control... No doubt, these nefarious warbands have affected quaint villages like yours in the worst of ways and for that I cannot begin to express my sorrow."

**There was much, much more to elaborate on about the continent's political and militant affairs, but Thorne decided to let Frund give his input, but not before clarifying her own intentions.**
.

"I've been helping out my people; Elves, wherever and whenever I can, although I insist on disarming or imprisoning rather than needless slaying, my kin can't be bothered to care. That, and the Mentian conflict... I want to start a small band of my own, and grow into a retinue like the Dekoratsknechts were. We would fight for justice and righteous authority where we could, but repel villainy where it needed repelling." **At last, the elf took a breather, having explained so much.** "I believe it's your turn, sorry... I have a lot to say. I haven't even gotten to my intentions back in Silnaria."
Esther
**He strokes his beard in silent contemplation as he takes in what Thorne has to say about ongoing geopolitical events, before admitting** "After the dissolution of the company I had not kept up with geopolitical news. Though it doesn't surprise me that war has sparked once more - it's ever present in this day and age afterall. Indeed, such is the nature of cyclical warfare - raise levies, fight, dissolve levies, former soldiers raid conquered territories and return home. I doubt however that my village was any such case - being that the place was razed to the ground. Prisoners are expensive and deadly mind you - they can easily come back to stab you in the back, but I commend your moral backbone where men such as myself would just kill if there was no pragmatic reason for keeping them as prisoners. I warn you Thorne, such heroism and good intentions does not get you very far in the mercenary company world. You may be able to perform such compassionate acts as an individual but once you form a company you will be participating in wars where there is no clear moral justification - just gold and silver. However, it is not my place to discourage or block you from pursuing your desires for justice and good!"
**He silently nods after finishing, tightening his grip on the horse before mentioning** "Oh, and the reason I needed aid in mounting your horse is because we Dekoratsknecht do not use cavalry - we in fact had a general distaste for them. Horses kick up dust and we often had to march behind such horses... It was never too pleasant on the eyes or mouth." **He laughs at the end of his statement before resuming his silence, awaiting Thornes response.**
Amy
**Alas, their viewpoints had to differ somewhere, no relationship was perfect, however the way in which one managed their differences meant more than the ideologies themselves. Keeping things unhallowed was very important for bolstering camaraderies, Thorne firmly believed; if they could remain civilized with their expressions, she was more than willing to continue in that track. Now, she regarded his belief with no disdain. All was fair. Little did Frund know that Thorne's moral compass was not as pure as she made it out to be...** "I believe I concur with your analogy on mercy. There are indeed times where it is practical, and times where it could lead to one's untimely demise. However... There are...*Other*..."

**The lady reached an impasse in her speech, having trouble finding the appropriate words to correspond with her point, she stifled any further stuttering and decided to drop formalities, divulging plainly, and blunt.** "...For me, it depends on a multitude of factors. Some fighters give their lives for their beliefs, or their birthright to perish for their monarch, or their cause. Some fighters are compelled to follow a particular course of action or be met with dire consequences. But these principles can be rather difficult to consistently follow in a spur of the moment. I wouldn't want to kill a slave who is forced to fight in the stead of their lord, rather than liberate them from their plight. I believe there are alliances to be made within most enemies."

**Of course Thorne also had to imagine things from Frund's perspective at the moment. It seemed he was an avid practitioner of the law of retaliation; an eye for an eye, as they say. Or perhaps there was a deeper meaning she had yet to learn.** "I've been told I am softer than most, because I'm a woman. We're meant to be dainty little wallflowers, aren't we?...No, we are just as capable of weighing in on one's decided fate as any inquisitor of strife."
Esther
**If he could shrug he definitely would, but that is difficult to accomplish on horseback without jeopardizing ones balance. So instead he replies with haste** "Morality rarely informs the actions of a soldier-for-hire. I'm uncertain if that was how they operated within the Silnarian empire, but within the Kingdoms of Mentia we tend to base our actions off our pay - indeed, pay is how every soldier for hire is motivated. The only time a moral compass would inform me in my actions during hire is for things where payment was not applicable, such in the looting of sieged cities or towns. Depending on the nature of the siege and the city in question, looting may take the form of kicking down doors and grabbing valuables, likewise it may be as simple as walking into someones home and "Asking" For a meal. I've done the latter countless times, the only thing I tend to walk away with is fine garments or, even finer wine." **He laughs once more at the last part, but like before quickly silences himself once he realizes he's making too much noise - which prompts him to check all possible sight lines for possible enemies. He does however continue with this**
"My company rarely took women on as soldiers, but that's mostly because the women in the company were the wives or sisters of the soldier themselves. Besides, it is a rarity to find a properly beefy woman for combat duty - though we did have a couple, none of them ever ended up in my unit. I do have to say that they wore the same finery we did and it looked quite nice on a few of them indeed!" **He looks ahead of Thorne, towards the snaking pathway towards Frundsberg trying to gauge how much longer the ride will be, before returning to his previous position.**