Rachel
```The Necromancer cackled as I raised my blade to him in defiance. 

"Foolish Hunter! You stand against a master of the arcane most foul and his hoard of reborn warriors. Once you are slain you will join me in my exit from this crypt as my-"

My dagger flew through the air as it struck the prattling fool in the neck. The time he spent droning on was time he spent too full of himself to notice the hand not holding my blade was reaching inside of my coat. As the blood poured out of him as he gasped and clawed at his throat, his undead beside him fell one by one. 

It was as though his own mana burst from his body like an overripe grape ready to burst-```

Dragomira paused as she examined her newest sentence she had written. There was something that just felt off the moment she put pen to parchment. She examined it again, her finger gliding underneath each word as she stopped midway. Letting out a scoff, leaning back in her seat and pressing her free hand to her forehead.

"Gods damnit, I used the same word twice in that sentence."

She grumbled. Grabbing at her brush to wipe away what she had written so she could start anew. As she reached across the table, her hand brushed against one of the many glasses that she had emptied on the table beside her. At least 15 beers in total that was hoping would fuel her creativity barely gave her the slightest buzz to speak of. She wondered if she should call the barkeep again, maybe number 16 would do the trick, before resigning to the fact her Dwarven biology seems to have won this battle today.

Dragomira Hemlock, adventurer, monster hunter and acclaimed author, found herself at a table in one of the many taverns in Varilon. This one known as The Grove. Not the Hidden Grove or The Kings Grove or The Smiling Grove or any fancy name you'd expect. Just, The Grove. She assumed it was in reference to the neighboring Greenheart Forest or after the goddess herself. But for now, it was a decent place to drink, pass the time and work

On her newest novel. 

And good gods was she struggling.

Out of all the places though, this was certainly the strangest place to be working on something like this. After all, she was a long way from Lazaroth. And there were likely better places to focus on your craft than at a crowded place like this. Well that was because she wasn't here entirely to work on her writing. That was merely a pastime. 

For Dragomira's true purpose of being here is to watch. Observe. Examine the people all around her within the so called "Capital of the World". For what none knew when they saw the scar covered Dwarf with her blade as long as herself resting against the table. Dragomira was a trained killer. An assassin in The Sisterhood. The daggers hidden under her coat were for more than tossing at arrogant mages. She was far more nimble than one would expect from a Dwarf with enough strength left to pummel an man into unconsciousness with her fists alone. Beneath all the bodies of monsters and villains she stands upon there are a good few hundred people who were unlucky enough to earn her orders ire. Were any of them innocent? Who's to say. She's simply the weapon her Sisterhood uses to enact its work.

Was that why she was here? In Alynthi? Was she about to add another body to that pile? This time, no.

Dragomira was a Sister. But more specifically, a Watcher. She'd been a Sister since she was an infant and had trained to become one her whole life. She was skilled, clever and dangerous. This placed her pretty high up in the order, specifically that of a Watcher. A Sister who specalizes in recruiting new women into the order. To scout out talented killers. Or at least any with the potential of such.

So here she was, in the tavern of Alythni. Occasionally glancing around for anything interesting before turning her attention back to her writing.

And unforetunately, she was so far quite unimpressed.
Amada
*The shadows on the street have grown long, dragged through the earth by the sun's lowering. A muddled, thick veil of emotion had befallen Aylera as she wandered the city. Her thoughts felt like pelting rain after her little adventure through the exterior gardens of the Temple of the Gods. No amount of prayer or attempts at meditation could seem to clear her mind. Cool air touched the nape of her neck as a breeze caught in her hair, sending a shiver down her spine and causing gooseskin to appear across her forearms. She couldn't stop thinking of Varis, of her choices, of everything the outside world has shown her and very well could be without her knowledge. The sins of her world, the sins of her own self, seemed glaringly obvious in the remaining daylight. With a sigh, she admitted utter defeat and swung open the door to a nearby tavern.*

*Such places were more than just foreign to the wood-elven woman, she had outright avoided them- until now, apparently. Oh, how far she had fallen to wind up here, of all places. It reminded her so deeply of Varis, of her brother left behind, poisoning himself slowly. They had disagreed, yet she found herself sitting in his shoes, entering a place full of the poison he depended on. The paladin's hazel eyes quickly flicked from patron to patron, feeling as if they were glazed over in her haze of incomprehensible feelings. She chose to sit in a more secluded section, strategically placed underneath a window through which she could watch the sunset along the outer edges of the city. With her gear comfortably removed, she sunk into her seat, running her fingers through the mess of windswept braids attached to her head. The soft clamor of adornments glancing off one another was comforting, albeit not quite enough to truly quell the thunderstorm of her mind.*

*What was she doing? How disgraceful, to even consider drinking the same poison that corrupted Varis's mind, the same poison that had nearly taken her to meet her end. Honestly, Aylera felt the confines of her limited scope more than even when she had just left the House. It was madness, she felt utterly mad. There was no sense- at least none logical enough to justify her actions beyond simply 'feeling pulled to it'. However, this was no divine intervention, and Alynthi would have to look away from her sins once more. With a heavy sigh, Aylera sat up straighter as she ordered herself a refreshment. She would repent in the morning, with a new dawn to mark her theoretical regret. To her, it seemed as if nothing else could result in today's actions- even allowing herself to think this way seemed sinful.*

*Perhaps it was, perhaps it wasn't, Aylera couldn't deal with the philosophy of it all now. She'd had quite her share already. In truth, it wasn't a sin to drink, nor was Alynthi very picky about her devotion so long as her subjects followed the core principles of faith. It was Aylera who had made her own mission one of 'purity'. This was her own doing Instead, she pulled a few strips of leather from their place wrapped around the wood of her covered spear. Her quick hands began to weave them, to try to occupy herself from her own mind in any way conceivable. It was not until then that she allowed her eyes to better peruse the patrons of the tavern. She blinked against the glare of late daylight filtering in from the window, surveying the much darker interior. It was quite... Average, she presumed. Townsfolk and locals scattered here and there, going about their business as usual, travelers and salesmen kicking up their feet after a long day. It was quite busy, a hum of conversation and life hanging in the air, a breathing buzz of electricity in an otherwise desolate place.*

*It was then that she noticed a dwarf. They seemed to be more uncommon now, despite what the House had taught her of their strength during her training. Perhaps she was misled, who knows, it seems her education failed her at almost every step when it came to navigating the world outside the woods. Admittedly, it wasn't supposed to support that kind of lifestyle. Either way, this dwarven woman caught her eye. If not for her build, then it was for the empty cups that rested beside her. She knew that dwarves could outdrink almost anyone- but it was still rather shocking to see.*

*Aylera had to force herself to stop staring at the stranger and turn her eyes back to her own matters, there was no use being rude in these places. She'd already be sinful enough, no need to make any potential for conflict along with it. Once she was served, the chestnut-haired elf closed her eyes, praying over her meal to at least somewhat make up for the disparity of her actions.*
Rachel
A key trait among the most skilled daughters of the order aside from their mobility and penchant for murder was their skills at perception. Anyone determined enough to take a dagger and sink it into the back of their unsuspecting target. But if that target was a sister, they would have been sighted, expected and eventually dealt with before they even had the chance to get that close. Suffice to say, Dragomira was no exception to this. Her attention was constantly being drawn to the table, to the room around her, to the table again, before examining the room once more. There wasn't too much of note. Plenty of people seemed to make up the establishment. Mostly traders, craftsmen, a traveler or two. All of them seemed to be enjoying each others company. Dragomira seemed to be the only one who seemed to be sitting alone. 

Unfortunately, in terms of potential recruits this place was lacking. To her left she could hear bits and pieces of a conversation between a couple of Tieflings. She could see the bags that they brought in with them. The lighter skin tone beneath their sleave compared to their arms. Travelers from Khisfire, no doubt. Talking about their new life in Alythni. Opening up a bakery. The kind of happy ending you'd hear in a fairy tale. Even if they had the makings of an assassin Dragomira knew she wouldn't be able to convince them. Although given 

To her right she could hear a discussion involving an older half human of some kind. Talking about troubles with her tailor's shop. Just from a glance Dragomira could see the bags under her eyes. The impressions on her hands from long hours on the loom. The occasional prick of a sewing needle against the tip of the finger. An unfortunate circumstance, but it's seldom the ones living happy lives who live the life she does. Though this woman was sadly far too old. She knew she couldn't make an offer to this tailor, but made sure to write down what she heard. After all, she needed work and Dragomira's coat had a te

Ar she never got around to patching.

It wouldn't be long after that observation that the Dwarf glanced at a Wood Elf stepping inside. A quick glance up and back down just so she couldn't be caught staring, but that half second was enough. Tall, at least taller than her, which most people were. Skin a slight tone dark but she could tell that most of that was on account of time in the sun. She was dressed in standard attire, a short sleaved tunic with a color not too eye catching. Though from the angle she was sat at she couldn't see over the table next to her to tell what she wore below the waist. One of the woes that come with being short. At first she expected this to be yet another native of the city. A tradesman of sorts? 

But then she spotted her hair. A deep chestnut color that went down past her shoulders onto her back. Making room for her long, pointed ears which seemed to be covered in decorative earrings, piercings, and whatever else. It was this that caught the Dwarves attention. That detail that most people wouldn't think twice about. 

Those braids weren't a standard tie that she'd seen from the people of this city who simply want to get their hair out of their face. They were decorative, intricate. No commoner would spend that much time on their appearance. And no person of wealth would wear the clothes of the common man with the effort they put in. And the earrings. The slits of sunlight that peaked in through the windows shone onto them as they glistened. Another sign that this was likely an uncommon person who just walked through those doors. Couldn't be a noble, none would be caught dead in a place like this. And if they were trying to hide they weren't dumb enough to wear only a quarter of their fineries.

Dragomira took another glance up after a few seconds to examine to stranger only to find them staring right back at her. Not maliciously or in surprise. Well... She could see there was a little bit of surprise on the woman's face. She couldn't help but let out a faint chuckle as the prolonged staring made her come to her conclusion. The stranger was checking her out. A bit funny how they were staring each other down but for two different reasons. She'd probably tell Baldwin about this when she got back to Lazaroth. She could tease him about how well she's been doing after they broke up.

The Stranger might come to the same conclusion as Dragomira looked her up and down, her gaze focusing on the arms. She could see the outlines of muscles, not too different from her own. A laborer? Not likely, what kind could afford those gems? Learned how to braid her hair so ornately? The only other option was a warrior of some sort. The kind who wielded a weapon of some sort to do battle. 

A knight? Wouldn't leave their castle for a place like this. A mercenary? They'd be at home in a place like this. If the stare off wasn't enough of a sign, Dragomira could tell she seemed very out of place here. So that begged the question. What kind of warrior who isn't a noble or sellsword would is there who seemed to have value for ceremony and decorating themselves?

*"Paladin."*

She whispered under her breath with a wide grin. Her Sister training allowing her to piece together the stranger's nature from the moment they walked in the door. Satisfied, she gave her a sly smile and a wink before returning her focus onto her book. She wondered what a Paladin could be doing in a place like this. After all, she was clearly out of her depth. Like something heavy was on her mind. Maybe she'd approach her. After all, a Paladin must have plenty of interesting tales to tell. Material for her book so she could get over this writers block she's been chipping away at. She doubted she'd be able to convince her to leave her order to become an assassin, so hopefully this could serve as a nice distraction.

But for now, she continued to write, wait, and subtly watch this woman to see what she would do next.
Amada
*The wink sent a wave of shivers up the wood-elf's spine. Aylera wished desperately that it wouldn't show, but her face suddenly felt hot, cheeks burning with... Embarrassment? The dark-haired woman couldn't even make sense of her own heart fluttering from getting so flustered. She was caught, she was* ***Very*** *Caught. It took everything in her conscious power to keep from hiding her face or doing some other action that would blatantly give her flusteredness away. The dwarven woman was very interesting to look at, a new face in a new world- and a nice one it was, she had to admit.*

*It was as if the stranger had seen straight through her- perhaps they got the wrong impression... Ah. Nothing she could do about it now, was there? It only seemed to make her vendetta of sin worse, more tempting, more disgusting. At this point, she yearned for the release of anything but her sober mind, however terrified she was at the prospect. The whole point of this place was to rest the mind, no? To drink and let one's cares melt into the outside world of nothingness.*

*The food, at least, was good. It was the heavy sort of meal that would end up making her sick if she ate it too often- but after a day of worrying away, it seemed more comforting than usual. After a minute of satiating her stomach, her eyes flicked back to the dwarven woman. Her light features contrasted the dark interior, seemingly spotlighted by the last dregs of daylight outside. The stranger looked strong, probably stronger than her if one were to take into account the obvious difference in stature. Accented by her clothes, the obvious warrior of sorts seemed to have more than enough experience in whatever her craft was. Aylera couldn't help but catch a glimpse at her scars left exposed, she seemed to have quite the collection. Biting her bottom lip absentmindedly, she forced her eyes back down to her plate, finger cautiously circling the edge of her drink.*
.

*Amber-colored mead shimmered as she lifted the vessel to her lips. To her immediate relief, Aylera only tasted the subtle sweetness of the beverage. The mere thought of accepting the drink, let alone consuming it had almost scared her half to death. She was admittedly quite proud of the fact that she'd consumed any at all, despite the inherent revulsion so deeply ingrained into her. Varis would be proud, and that left her feeling a little better. The gentle fire of the alcohol reaching her stomach reminded her of its sinfulness, yet she took another sip, attempting to take her mind off of it. She should drink slowly- it's not like she had any kind of tolerance. At least now if something happened to make her blush again she had an excuse.*

*And naturally, such things would undoubtedly come again as she found her eyes wandering toward the golden-eyed stranger. Leaning back in her seat after a moment of observation, Aylera pulled her eyes back once more and instead occupied herself by adjusting one of the small charms woven into her hair. She was writing. How interesting of a hobby for someone who was clearly dedicated to the battlefield. Another sip seemed to begin the process of relaxing her spine which felt rigid in its posture. Would this stranger think her woes silly? Most likely, judging by her appearance alone. Her scars and demeanor indicated that she was wise to how the world actually operated, far beyond Aylera's own minuscule scope of knowledge by comparison. Turning to the window, she allowed the last light to wash over her face as she drank. By the time she was done with it, the streams of golden-hued sunset had hidden behind nearby buildings and cast the tavern into its true state, lit by candles and fires alone.*

*Once her hands were free of food and drink, the alcohol settled into her senses. It was honestly negligible, and probably wouldn't have been able to make one with any tolerance blink. Yet, she felt the vague buzz of impairment gently pushing against her mind. Finally. Gods, finally. She was free of the burden that was all that she worried. Softly praising the gods for creating this magical substance and saving her from herself, Aylera took a moment before ordering her next toxic potion. Taking her spear and a pocket knife, she began to carve symbols along the wooden length. It had various leather wrappings along it, little decorations the woman had added when she felt as if she had all the time in the world to do so. In the end, it was nothing special. The spear was humble in its origins but worked well, and was made from wood of the Greenheart. Never had she ever needed to, but it comforted Aylera to know that if she did have to defend herself, the action would be blessed by the Mother.*

*Her carvings were simple, small rune-like images or short proverbs in elvish. It felt good to whittle away in this state. Her lack of meditation due to her racing thoughts wore on her more than she had known. As she worked, her lips moved too. When she was alone in the forest, speaking to one's self was understandable- expected even when there was no one to judge. However here, it took a bit of effort to keep herself at a volume that was no louder than a faint whisper. She could bless these carvings during her ceremony tomorrow- oh yes, it would have to be a ceremony now that she was considering having more to drink. Her carving paused as she looked at her work, running her fingertips over the freshly cut images to clear any extra dust or shavings.*
Rachel
Dragomira wasn't a mage. Unlike the Elves of these lands she wasn't among the blessed to be casting spells and weaving the winds of magic for their own ends. But for a brief moment she understood the satisfaction behind sending a bolt of fire from her hand as she could practically see the impact of her little gesture to the paladin as though she cast a spell upon her. She hid her amusement, turning her attention back to her writing before she continued this little battle of psychological warfare she seemed to have started.

She skimmed over her words as she tapped the end of her pen against the corner of her mouth. She'd touch up on the part she was stuck on later. The antagonist was just slain. She was sure she got that point across at least.

```I stepped over the decaying husks of the cruel mage who now joined them in death. I had no intention of leaving my dagger in a place like this after it had done such an effective job in shutting that fool up for good. The scent of death was stronger the closer I got, holding my hand over my mouth all the while to keep from gagging. The lengths I was willing to go for such a thing.

Fortunately, I didn't need to lean down as I grabbed the blade by the handle and pulled it with a powerful tug. Wiping the blood on my pant leg, I smirked in satisfaction that this wretch wouldn't be able to harm another with his foul magics. Before turning to face-```

Another pause as she examined the flow of what she was writing. There was something that just didn't sit right with her. But what? Was it the beginning of the chapter? No, she made sure to make her arrival into the tomb interesting enough by solving the cypher which kept it sealed. The fight? Well, it wasn't much of a fight. But that shouldn't detract the satisfaction of it. Everything was written down as it happened when she did this herself. She even added a monologue for him to have to draw further engagement-

"Okay maybe not 100% factual... But still mostly factual should be good enough. When I wrote about Baldwin I had to make him seem more interesting than a dull stone-"

Her eyes widened as it finally hit her. The writing was fine, but her story just felt so empty. There was Dragomira herself, who was plenty interesting and made sure to make her readers know that. There were plenty of villains and monsters for her to fight. But aside from a few background characters that get less than a paragraph of attention, that was it. Ever since her and Baldwin went their separate ways it had just been so dreadfully isolating.

The solution seemed obvious, add a character. She was already willing to stretch the truth a little, why not add someone else to the story to make good banter? To be in awe at Dragomira's deeds? The readers would love that!

But what? Who? Dragomira didn't want to have to craft a whole person out of thin air. It would kill her authenticity if she told everyone a person who wasn't even real was with her during these events. No, she'd have to base it off of something real. Someone real. But who could she use as inspiration for someone willing to aid her against an awakening necromancer in a dusty old tomb? Who would even be willing to do that.

Her eyes went wide as she near shot up from her seat to see the paladin from before carving symbols into the spear she had carried. 

*Perfect*

The Dwarf closed her book, tucking it right underneath her arm as she stepped onto the tavern floor. She left her blade right where it lay, confident none would try to steal a weapon so large. Her plan was simple. Talk to the paladin, get to know her and once she learned enough make a character out of her. Simple! Depending on how it went she might even ask for her permission before doing so.

Her movements were smooth and silent as she walked passed the crowd. After being trained in stealth for so long she stopped noticing when she went into "Stealth mode" And just kind of defaulted to that. Lurking behind taller folk, tables, pillars and just about everything you can imagine until she was right to the side of the stranger at the blind spot just past the periphery. She raised herself up on her toes as she leaned to the side, trying to get a look at what she was inscribing.

"Is that your kill count?"

A macabre question from the assassin as she finally stepped into view, examining the weapon. Her voice was softer than one you'd expect from her. Like a whisper, just audible enough for you to hear but only if you strain your ears to hear amidst all the commotion.

"Plenty impressive if it is. I try and settle for a tally myself if I had to track it but those little glyphs are nice. Pretty even."
Amada
*Surprise seemed to ring in her ears as Aylera looked up to see the dwarven woman before her. As one attuned to the sounds of the forest, anything successful in creeping up on her resulted in a jolt. The drink, unfamiliar surroundings, or perhaps an innate skill of this person, it didn't matter why she was surprised. Her lips parted, and a sound halted before it escaped. It was the whisper that had made her hesitant to react. The voice was... Unexpected, even though she couldn't have assumed it to have belonged to the dwarf. Sparks seemed to ripple up her spine- despite her best efforts not to let it show. The paladin attempted to hide her quickened heartbeat by clearing her throat. Successful or not, she sat up to better address the stranger, taking a moment to even register what was said.*

"No...", *A wry laugh filled the momentary silence, mimicking the stranger's intonation. She sheathed the pocket knife, pocketing it.* "No, they are not. They are blessings, or will be once they have been properly atoned. Thank you, though I should make a note to not be a part of your... Tally".

*Aylera's accent shone through as she spoke. As much as she practiced this language, it seems that her education had yet again failed to clear another discrepancy when it came to navigating the world outside the woods. As much as she was aware of it, she cared not to be sensitive toward it, so long as she could communicate at all. That much was a blessing, given the rather clunky nature of the common tongue. It felt clumsy on the tongue, much dissimilar to elvish which seemed to flow like a gentle stream through the heart of the wood. Either way, she didn't mean to be rude, but she couldn't help being startled.*
.

*Now that the stranger was much closer in proximity, Aylera took a better look at her face. Those golden eyes seemed to pierce straight through her as if they peered straight into her mind. Their color seemed to flicker as they reflected the dance of light emanating from a nearby fireplace. It was difficult to break the eye contact, but the elf did nonetheless, moving her eyes back to her spear. She laid it down on the table gently, both in respect for the warrior and her indirect mention of bloodshed. It still had its sheath attached, but there was no sense in being clumsy in a matter so much as this. At least her tolerance to alcohol had held enough as to not take her senses completely away from her. Gods, she still hadn't recovered from the initial shock. They really crept up on her- and although she blamed it mostly on sensory distortion, a small part of her felt uneasy.*

*That being said, this stranger was, at least, not an unwelcome sight. What was she? A sellsword of sorts? It seemed likely, given every bit of context available. She made a conscious effort to breathe deeply as she offered the spear to the stranger, to better observe the markings. As much as she felt wary, sense also told her that this woman meant no harm. Curiosity was one thing that the elf could not deny, as she too had made a fool of herself earlier simply for the sake of it. She wondered if that foolishness had continued- but chose to push that thought back as she spoke.*

"I can't say it's a very extravagant weapon, but it is blessed and true in the end. You seem to be one who would know of these things."

*The scars of the stranger caught Aylera's attention next. They appeared to tell a plentiful number of tales, a varying collection of depth and healing. If she hadn't thought better of it, she'd have asked about them outright. Instead, she motioned to a vacant seat across from her end of the small, circular table.*

"Care to join me?"

*Hands now free, she sat back and folded them carefully in her lap. Although her posture remained somewhat rigid, she made a conscious effort to relax herself. Much like her other interactions with others, it took time for her to relax, which would be natural if not for this particular stranger's effect on her. Her unease remained, although she could not classify exactly what the fluttering in her chest had meant. Either way, there was no threat present, and no reason to be on edge, she reasoned with herself.*
Rachel
The assassin felt a twinge of guilt at how startled the paladin seemed to be at her sudden emergence. Of course, getting the drop on her wasn't her intention, but she managed to accomplish it all the same. Seeing someone with their back turned toward her just brought out the cutthroat in her. At the very least she was able to tell that this alarm was a temporary thing. Dragomira knew a fair number of people who would respond to such a surprise with a blade aimed at her neck. All out of reflex as well, of course. 

"Huh..."

She muttered in response to the paladin's explanation on the markings in question. One that likely made more sense than putting that much effort to document a life you had taken. Though, Dragomira had been guilty of including characters based off of her marks when she was low on ideas for her writing. An activity that got her quite the dressing down from the Keepers. She had to stay in Lazaroth for a solid month before she was able to start traveling again. A pity, she always found the place terribly boring.

Dragomira took a step to the side to get a better look at the weapon in question. She hadn't known much about paladin's aside from the basics. Holy magics, fight evil, ceremony and god worship. The whole deal. But she expected the spear itself to look a bit more... Luxurious? Gouache, even. But to her surprise the spear was simply just that. A spear. Certainly not a bad spear. The wood it was crafted from seemed to be holding well. The tip was sharpened to a fine point. She could imagine the heft a weapon like that might have. She could probably have a go at it if she wanted to. But it certainly didn't scream "Weapon of a warrior tasked by the gods to slay evil" Like she expected. It was... Quiet and lethal. Like her.

She nodded in response to the paladin who seemed to agree with her on that matter. A little chuckle at her saying Dragomira "Knew a thing or two about such weaponry". She held up both hands for a moment in mocking surrender as though she had been caught.

"Heh, you're a real charm. You got me. Blessings are a bit beyond me I'm afraid, but I don't think there's a weapon in this world I haven't had a go with in all 6 decades I've been alive"

Dragomira happily accepted the offer as she pulled out her seat. She placed her book onto the side of the table. A heavy thing well over a few couple hundred pages. The coat that she had let hand over her shoulders would slide off as she let it rest on the back of her chair. Her arms all the way from the fingertips to her shoulders were bare, revealing even more scars of slashes and stabs across her well defined arms. A sign that she wasn't bluffing when she spoke of her weapon experience.

The Dwarf gave a little hope as she sat down in her chair and pulled up her seat. 

"Dragomira Hemlock. Author, Traveler, and best Monster Hunter on this side of Greenheart."

She began. Resting her elbow on the table and letting her head rest in the palm of her hand.

"Caught you staring a couple times since you walked in. I'm willing to go out on a limb and guess you're a fan of my work?"
Amada
*A slight smile touched Aylera's lips as Dragomira spoke, that kind of dry humor felt few and far between in her past- save for Varis. She appreciated it, though it was probably nothing out of the ordinary for her new acquaintance. If anything, she felt more vindicated in a few of the squabbles over proper conduct she had gotten into with her tutors over 30 years ago. It was a breath of fresh air. Her education had formed her into what felt like a statue of emotional availability. Frozen in the perfect position, carefully shaped by her entire education. Only Varis had seen her speak with any bite in her tone, and thank the gods too, for she knew the consequences for an 'outburst'. Truthfully, she had taken too much comfort in her stiffness. With that realization, combined with the other woman's demeanor, the elf allowed herself to break her posture, crossing her legs at the knee.*

*A book? Yet another surprise, it seemed. Its thickness reflected the apparent strength of the owner. What a curious object for a warrior of this sort to carry. But, admittedly, it was her bare arms that took Aylera's eyes back. Her assumption was correct, naturally. This was more than she had expected, though. She must be quite strong to be so defined- what was she doing? Luckily for the paladin, she blinked herself out of her daze in a moment, flicking her attention back up to the dwarf as she introduced herself.*

*It took incredible amounts of willpower for Aylera not to choke on her own breath as she was caught* ***Again***. *Dragomira's assumption comforted her- even if it was wrong. As much as she would have loved to hide herself behind the excuse of being a nervous fan, it couldn't be further from the truth- at least, about being a fan. In an attempt to allow herself freedom of speech, she let out a chuckle before shaking her head gently.*

"While I cannot deny my actions, I must admit it is not for that reason," *She wasn't quite able to make eye contact as she admitted it.* "I'm afraid you just caught my eye, Ms. Hemlock. Quite the name for quite the face, no?".

*Her foot bounced slightly as she caught the attention of the barkeep, signaling for a drink. Afterward, she worked up the nerve to return her gaze to the warrior. So she had been right about this woman's line of work, though not the entirety of it. An author, how fascinating. She'd admittedly not read much outside her home- and she didn't read much then either. Aylera much preferred the entertainment of the outside world, but Varis had managed to get her to read every now and then. Perhaps now she had some studying to do.*

*Feigning a proper curtsey, she spoke again,*"Aylera Mialar. One may say I am a traveler as well. I serve the great Mother Alynthi, and previously the House of Elk". *Loosely crossing her arms, her position was officially distasteful to her educators, how freeing.* "Care for a drink?"
Rachel
Dragomira gave a short laugh at the answer that Aylera had given her. She could tell by her wandering eyes that she wasn't lying. Of course, lack of eyes contact is a classic sign of deception. The inflection of her words made it seem like the paladin was obligated to give a straight forward, honest answer but really wasn't willing to look her in the eyes as she admitted to checking her out. She placed her hand on her chest as she gave a mocking gasp.

"How unbecoming of you, lady paladin. I hadn't expected you to say something so forward"

She slyly joked. Snickering to herself before finally leaning back in her chair after she had her fun.

"I appreciate the honesty but you certainly aren't the first to stare at me from across the room. Certainly won't be the last either. But at least you're trying to be sweet about it. At least, I hope you are. But I like your face too, by the by, especially the way you style your hair with those braids. First thing I noticed when you walked through those doors. Must be a pain to keep that maintained though."

Dragomira replied while politely dodging the remark about her last name. Not that her new company was being rude. If it came up again she'd give some remark about it. However, despite her willingness to be named after a poison, she's still an assassin. Can't have anyone put two and two together. And besides, she thought her last name was really really cool so what can you do? At the very least, she was willing to tease the paladin a little bit more.

"Lady Timber, hmm? Never bothered much with the gods myself. The whole distance thing between us really makes me lose interest and I've been just fine without them. Sounds like its working out for you though!"

She gave a quick shake of her head as the discussion continued.

"Thanks but I'll pass. Doubt there's anything in this place that'll give me too much of a buzz and it tastes like rotten grain and mud. Didn't expect one of the goddesses soldiers to be in here of all places. No offense but I expected you to be communing with nature and wrestling bears. This doesn't seem much your scene"
Amada
*Aylera pursed her lips. Allowing herself to behave in such a manner was quite something- fresh enough to require a bit more liquid courage to attempt to be rid of the remaining unease that had settled deep in her bones. Her cheeks darkened once more at the mention of her appearance, the butterflies in her stomach fluttering yet again. She wondered if the feeling would ever subside with Dragomira around. Either way, she needed to get used to it, it seemed.*

"I see no reason to lie- but I would hate to make myself seem... Too bold". *She absently reached for one of the charms interwoven into her hair at the mention of it.* "Thank you, they do take time, yes. I do enjoy it though, the process allows for meditation. That being said, I believe it's apparent that I have too much time on my hands currently". 

*Never bothering with the gods? How entirely foreign to her. She understood the logic behind the dwarf's reasoning, but Aylera still couldn't fathom a life devoid of divinity. That being said, she attempted to bite back her immediate inclination to steer their dialogue into one of faith. Instead, she simply dipped her head in agreement.*

*She accepted another drink from the barkeep as they continued their conversation.* "No offense taken. I believe I'm just as surprised as you are". *Taking a sip, Dragomira's description of the liquid filling her cup was about accurate. Aylera had accidentally eaten enough mud and drank enough herbal medicines to taste the resemblance. Still, it did its job, even as the bitter tang of it left her mouth feeling sour.* "It is very much not my scene, no, but I am trying to... Diversify my interests. I intend to leave the forest for a long while, so I figured I'd better get in some experiences in a more convenient location before I thrust myself into entirely new territory entirely unprepared for how the world works".

*Aylera had almost forgotten the sheer stamina of Dwarves. It made sense, though. Now- in terms of wrestling bears, the old tradition was deemed passé. After all, with the disagreement between Aylnthi and Dasvaz up north, the old territory of the creatures was infringed upon- much the same as her ancestors.*

"I'll have you know, bear wrestling is no longer a practice- too much unnecessary bloodshed from both parties" *She teased back- although her accent muddled with the intonation of it all.* "And as much as I'd assume hunters and creatives such as yourself would preoccupy yourselves with a drink in your off hours, I must say I'd expect you somewhere more... Tasteful". *She looked about the tavern, its dingy windows creaking with the wind, cobwebs filling corners. It wasn't a bad place, just obviously not one of much renown. With a more relaxed sigh, she took another drink and set the cup on the table, forcing her shoulders down from their rigid position.* "I have spent my formative years in the heart of the wild, I do believe it's time for a change of scenery. I'd expect that you feel similarly, given your many travels".

*Eyeing the book, Aylera followed her comment with intrigue,* "You must have countless tales, given your work. I wonder if there is much left in the world that you have yet to experience. Do you ever find yourself bored? Or do you keep yourself occupied to avoid it?"
Rachel
"Is that right?"

Dragomira questioned. A faint look of surprise on her face being told that bear wrestling was a very real thing. Or at the very least it was at one point. Her mention of it was her trying to be funny. Now she couldn't help imagining Aylera tossing one over her shoulder before slamming it down on the ground with all her force. She didn't seem to have much of a build for it. Maybe that's just one of the gifts her goddess gives her. Was it strength in general though or just a burst of strength specifically when fighting against a bear? The forest was the realm of the Fey, right? They've always been the oddly specific sort.

The Dwarf would snap her out of this thought before she got too in depth at her companies bear wrestling capabilities. Again leaning her elbow against the table to rest her head in her hand.

"Guess that's good news for the local wildlife then."

She joked as the discussion continued.

"Tasteful? I like to think places like these suit hunters. It's like being in the wild, constantly having to keep your senses sharp to spot broken glass on the ground or finding the one table in this place that doesn't look like it's on its literal last legs. Sustaining yourself on stale ale and that little bowl of almonds at the bar."

The hunter mused. Placing her hand over her mouth to keep her from laughing too loud at her own joke. Even then, her voice was quiet enough that such laughter came out as a faint giggle.

"Kidding, of course. I'm here for... Inspiration, I guess"

She answered. At the moment she enjoyed the paladin's company. Aylera seemed to fit the mold of what she expected a paladin to be like. Polite, sociable, just missing the mention of 'heroism and honor' before plunging a blade into some villains throat. Though in this case, Dragomira was well aware that she was one of those villains. She's never had a contract to take the life of one she thought undeserving. After all, if someone paid to have you killed you must have been quite the bastard. But there really isn't a nice way to say *"Oh well I'm not here for the drinks, I'm actually an assassin who's been killing people since I was 10 and am just here to find women down on their luck hoping to make them killers too. Hope we can still be pals".* As far as she was concerned, she was just a monster hunter who dabbled in writing. That was the version of her the world would accept her as.

"Guess we're both trying our luck at new places. You trying to get out your comfort zone while I'm trying to find a new one. But I've been stuck with the worst case of writers block and there isn't anything cheap ale can do to fix it."

The assassin lamented before noticing Alyera's eyes falling upon her book. A grin lining the corners of her mouth as she leaned in her seat, letting both arms rest upon the table.

"The worlds a big place, you know. Plenty to keep me from getting bored and this place never stops being interesting. Well... Not the place we're in now, it's painfully dull. But you're right, I've got plenty of stories and I'm sure you do too. How about we ditch this place to find somewhere more... What was that word you use? Tasteful. Somewhere nice where we can tell each other stories till the sun goes down. I'd leave to hear the ins and outs of what being a paladin like yourself is like"
Amada
*Aylera couldn't help but smile at even the idea of surprise on Dragomira's face. She seemed like the type who wasn't surprised often, and it was amusing to see what was truly unknown to others. The elf nodded, it was good for the wildlife- in fact, she had many thoughts of how creatures in the woods were perceived by those outside, but she'd keep those to herself. This conversation was much too interesting to be dampened by something so boring in comparison.*

"It seems then we share the same thought, albeit in different directions. I see that inspiration in its many forms tends to follow a pattern".

*The grin of the dwarf did not subside the butterflies in her stomach that had only just been slightly calmed. Her suggestion too did nothing to aid in that. Not that Aylera was opposed- quite the opposite in honesty, this place had quite the distinct scent. But the mention of getting to know the life of a paladin, well- she wasn't sure it would be of much interest. At that moment, she felt as if she'd be quite the bore she'd hoped not to be. Even so, what was she to do? Deny such a request? Never. If anything, perhaps it was a way to enlighten another to the ways of divinity- albeit that she had no intention of converting anyone. Still, she had had just enough of this place, and the offer was more than acceptable.*

"I appreciate the interest in my life- I cannot say that it is all very fantastic, though. I must warn you, a vast majority of it has been spent in preparation for the present. And, well, I haven't gotten very far as of now".

*She laughed, though it wasn't really very funny as she thought about it. If only Varis were there- that man could've entertained anyone for hours, especially if they were a writer. Perhaps she could speak of him, but the pit that formed in her stomach at the thought of him made her doubt she'd be able to without making the entire interaction much too personal. On that note, she attempted to finish the last of the drink in one go, barely managing to get through it without choking. Aylera covered her mouth as she used her thumb to wipe the excess off the edge of her lips, its bitterness overriding her senses.*

"Now," *The sour aftertaste seemed to burn a hole in her esophagus for a moment, requiring her to pause.* "Where do you suppose we would find something more 'tasteful'? I can only really say that I am familiar with the Greenheart, I clearly know not where the best places are to have a conversation in this city". *Gesturing to their surroundings as she spoke, her eyes flicked back to the barkeep, whom she promptly paid.* "I've only wandered, and visited the temple, of course".

*What stories did she have to tell? She could speak of the House- but if anything got published besmirching the greatness of the society she'd be even more looked down upon than she already was. That is, assuming Dragomira even wanted to publish anything involving her. What an ego-minded thought. Perhaps she could speak of ancestry? Or her interesting interaction with the Doctor back at the temple? Maybe of her dabbles in acrobatic combat- though that would require a demonstration, and with the alcohol in her system, perhaps it would be better not to attempt a back handspring. Aylera just hoped that the drinks would continue to allow her to feel more free. By the Mother, she could use a break from the overwhelming whirl of thoughts that once again invaded her mind.*

*Silently sending a prayer to the heavens, Aylera readied herself to leave. She picked up her spear once more, swiftly making herself sure that the weapon was sheathed properly to not somehow inadvertently cause safety concerns. Huh, for once, she felt rather safe in the company of a stranger. Was that a blessing or a bad omen? Her instincts felt muddy after the alcohol settled in her stomach. Dragomira seemed only to be a curious writer, as much as her huntress background should concern the elf. Nothing about her seemed to speak ill of her intentions, whatever they may be at their core. At least this alone would make for a good tale to tell later on. Again, she silently recounted a quick devotional- just to be sure.*
Rachel
Dragomira was positively delighted at Aylera accepting her offer. It was a wonderful excuse to step out of this boring tavern and hit the streets of the biggest city in Alythni. The matter of finding new sisters would be a task she was willing to put on hold for right now. It was clear that Alythni proper wasn't the prime hunting ground for Lucidien's newest and deadliest murderesses. The kingdom was prosperous, no great cataclysm or uprising threatening its borders. Even the rise of horrific monsters and roving highwaymen were becoming a thing of the past. Wonderful news for the people who call this place home. But to Dragomira, it just made her feel as though this place was dreadfully boring. Still, at the very least it had its little joys.

"Oh don't put yourself down like that. I doubt Alythni's going to mind if you talk about yourself like the evil slaying badass of a paladin you are. I'm sure we could make a whole novel about your exploits"

The assassin stated as she got up from her seat. Grabbing her coat she had placed onto her chair and tossing it over her shoulders. Letting it rest rather than fitting her arms through the sleeves. Reaching into her pack she pulled out a small handful of coins which she placed onto the table for when the barkeep eventually comes round to clean up after them. There was far more coin there for what Aylera had eaten and drank, but most of it was for the copious amount of drinks that Dragomira had earlier, as well as a little extra for her new companion. She didn't mind, after all she wasn't short on coin thanks to her latest hunt. And if she runs out, that'll simply be extra motivation to find the biggest monster she can find and kill it as quick as she can.

She turned to the Elf with a gesture for her to follow. 

"I know a spot. Someplace quiet where nobody's going to bother us."

The Dwarf began to explain as she spoke to Aylera with her eyes facing her rather than where she was going. Despite this, she was able to easily step around the collection of patrons standing between them and the exit all the while talking about this spot she was going to take her to.

"Now it's going to be a bit of a travel. Not anywhere crazy, it's in the city. But I hope you're willing to do some crawling in tight spaces. I think you've got the build for it."

The sun had near completed its descent by the time the two stepped outside the tavern. The streets had begun to clear and lights of all sorts were being lit outside the homes to keep back the arrival of the pitch black. The Dwarf took a deep breath before she took of into a run. Not so much of a sprint, mind you. But certainly not a leisurely stroll. More akin to the excited spot between running and walking you'd commonly see on overenergetic children. Though growing up hasn't seemed to slowed Dragomira down one bit.

"C'mon! It's right down this way!"

She spoke in the same hushed tone. It was odd. A woman like her and she still wasn't willing to raise her voice under any circumstance. It seemed her actions spoke much louder than anything she had to say. This paladin would have to navigate their way through the Alynthi streets if she doesn't want to be left behind.
Amada
*Cheeks burning yet again, all Aylera could do was smile slightly as she secured her cloak around her shoulders. The well worn broach holding it in place over her shoulders was engraved the symbol of Alynthi, made of a sturdy steel alloy. She quickly tossed her hair out from under the fabric so it could rest safely against her skin. It was only a matter of moments before they were on the move, just enough time for her ready her own pack. Now it seemed, the real fun would begin.*

*Gods, Dragomira was quick. Normally, Aylera would have kept up without batting an eye, but with the alcohol in her system it seemed a bit more challenging. To combat the slowness of her mind, the elf kept her eyed pinned on the dwarf as they wove their way to the exit. It was impressive, how her new friend was able to navigate around others so easily. She must have quite the experience in crowded places- but there was no time to ponder that further. Aylera's mind was all too busy keeping pace with both movement and the other woman's words. To them, she simply gave her a diffinitave nod, following her outside into the fresh twilight air.*

*The coolness of the incoming night breathed the familiar sense of sobriety back into her. Aylera had only just processed what she was actually told by the time the two began to move quickly. Crawling in tight spaces? Where in the world was she following this woman? Her gut twisted slightly, but she paid it no mind. It wasn't too late to change course, but the overwhelming sense of curiosity seemed to take over her 'better judgement'. She was a free woman after all, and her goddess was not opposed to any of her actions. Dragomira was right, though she was the first to ever call her 'badass'. Tonight was one of many firsts.*

*Aylera's legs felt stiff for a good minute before her muscles found their pacing. She managed to find her jog at Dragomira's pace, following close behind and slightly to her left. As they moved, she slung her spear into a slot on her pack, swiftly strapping it into place with the ease of years of muscle memory. Her eyes darted around, taking in the sight of the city at night, drinking in its ambient noise of citizens going about their business, noisy pubs and restaurants, carriages rumbling on the cobblestone streets. It was far from familiar, but all the more befitting of her surroundings. People of all walks of life seemed to be about, whether returning from a long day's work or going out for a night on the town. She could only imagine where the dwarf was taking her. It seemed she'd just have to wait to find out, though her eyes flickered between the dwarf and in the direction she led her.*

*Once their pace was even, Aylera's breath caught up to her. Keeping her voice low like her friend, she got herself closer to speak. Luckily, her training had allowed her to have a clear tone even while sprinting.* "Hah, it seems you have quite the surprise in store." *The stars began to peek out from behind the clouds above, twinkling in a notably more gentle way than back in the woods. Must be all the artificial lights. She caught a glimpse of the moon, which still shone brightly above, rising higher in the sky with every passing minute. The elf made a mental note to ask her friend about how the stars looked around the world.*
Rachel
Dragomira was half expecting Aylera to have trouble keeping up. She wasn't trying to lose her in the city, gods no, she was quite excited for what she had to show her. But she was expecting her to struggle a bit. The streets were emptier than usual but still populated enough to run the risk of knocking someone over. Dragomira had no worry about that. In the same way Aylera was accustomed to the forest and woodlands, Dragomira navigated the urban sprawl of civilization like she had been living in these cities all her life. She expected Aylera would follow at a distance. Not wanting to run the risk of bothering someone. Paladin behavior if there ever was one.

But to the Dwarves surprise, she could hear the sound of clattering jewelry behind her before she heard her companion now right next to her. A grin of delight reached the corners of her face at the sight of her.

"Yeah! That's the spirit!"

She cheered, pointing forward upon the upcoming ledge. A cliff about 20 feet down. It wasn't anything too dangerous with railing built on the ledges to keep people from falling and a staircase near the edge to allow safe passage down. It was quite the beautiful spot. A common place for travelers, couples and anyone who wanted a grand view over the lower city and its landscape. This was clearly the spot she had in mind, right?

Though that thought would be quickly dashed by the indication that Dragomira was not slowing down in the slightest. Not even as she neared the edge. Not even taking a moment to glance at the safe way down.

"You ever hear the expression about taking a leap of faith?"

The hunter asked as she side stepped a couple leaning against the railing before leaping atop the metal bars.

"Meet you at the bottom!"

And with that Dragomira turned to face the Paladin, still grinning wide as she placed two fingers to the side of her forehead before leaping off of the ledge herself. Not even looking to see what was down there. Was she okay? Was she hurt? There wasn't any sounds you'd expect from a bad fall. Aylera would have to reach the bottom to investigate herself.
Amada
*The busy night somehow hadn't deterred her energy, but the presence of Dragomira seemed to exacerbate it. The starry night above swam slightly as she kept up with the dwarf. Maybe the energy was just the alcohol- it didn't matter though. For once, the paladin was having fun without allowing the guilt of possible debauchery to consume her. Freedom pulsed through her, with the familiar rush of adrenaline sharpening her senses against the drink's dullness. Unable to think better- which was for the best, Aylera grinned back.*

*However, seeing the ledge rapidly approach, the more familiar sense of caution caught her attention back to reality. She barely had time to listen to the dwarf's words before she could understand what they meant. Luckily for Aylera, her longer legs allowed her to stay nearby even as she instinctively slowed as they reached the railing. Giving the couple a wider breadth of space, she audibly gasped as Dragomira fell. Immediately, she had to rush forward, leaning with an excess of energy over the rail to catch a glimpse of the other woman. Still, she was too slow, and darkness swallowed her before she could see anything but the flutter of a jacket catching air as it fell.*

*Aylera bit her tongue hard. Listening harder, there was no audible confirmation of the landing- and there should have been by now if it were to be harmful, right? She'd seen plenty fall out of trees, more than her fair share of injuries on the training field. But that was quite the fall- high enough to cause more than a fair share of damage if one were to land in any sort of compromising position. Still... If she hadn't heard anything, maybe it was okay? Aylera herself had fallen out of plenty of trees and been completely fine- aside from a broken wrist. She was trained in plenty of healing spells- she'd be fine if this were the case, no? It was only... A few feet higher than her worst fall, granted that time she hadn't used proper protocol to survive such a fall.*

*That's right, she knew how to fall- both from experience and training. She'd be fine if she believed, right? The elven woman didn't question her newfound friend's antics, she had seemed so impeccably confident, after all. Perhaps it was naivete, but she chose her course of action.*

*With a deep breath, she prayed aloud. Climbing up the railing, she turned her eyes up to the stars. The prayer was loud enough to be heard from nearby, but not below. Her stomach roiled with complaint, but she chose to pay it no mind. She clasped her hands together tightly, balancing on the thin rail as she finished the elvish words. Despite her 'better' judgment once more, she decided to trust. She trusted her goddess to protect her, she trusted her abilities, she even trusted a stranger... Just this once. Hopefully, now Dragomira had moved out of the way lest the two unfortunately collide in this daring mess.*

*With that, Aylera let gravity take her. The swell of air beneath her billowing out her cloak above her, even carrying the heaviness of her hair above her head. She was truly a free woman now.*
Rachel
Down. Down. Down into the dark Aylera descended. For those few short seconds she was airborne she would feel the wind rushing past her as though she were cutting through it like a blade through leather. It was in this space that the mind worked at lightning speed as it seemed the world slowed around the body. Awaiting whatever fate was awaiting it at the bottom. What was at the bottom? Was it really worth it when there was a staircase right next to her? Just to follow Dragomira into this unknown descent? A woman that she had just met? However she was feeling about this. Whatever thoughts raced through her mind. The paladin would feel the impact. 

It was the familiar sensation of fabric they would feel brush against her hands and neck as she felt herself drop. All the momentum she had built from falling leaving her as she somewhat bounced in place for a moment. The next drop followed with a loud tear beneath her and her landing onto the ground. At it turned out, she had landed onto a large piece of fabric placed over a stall in the lower market to keep the products from getting wet from rain or damaged by fallen debris. Of course, with the full weight of Aylera and Dragomira now placed upon it it couldn't withstand the weight and now had a large person sized hole in it.

Dragomira, who had already gotten herself up to her feet could be heard snickering in the darkness. Taking Aylera's hand in an effort to help her stand. At least, the best she could given her size.

"Hells bells, I didn't think you'd actually do it! You really are wild"

The pair would only have a few moments to celebrate their landing as a shout could be heard further on down the street.

```"Hey! Stop right there!"```

The stern voice of a member of the city watch called out to them as he began to march his way over. Dragomira, of course, had no intentions of staying any around for this. After all, they were almost there!

"It's not too far now, right down here"

The Dwarf quickly whispered before taking off running as she did before. Although, she was still holding onto Aylera's hand, though if the paladin had no intentions of keeping up she would easily slip through her grasp and continue. After all, she wasn't planning on sticking around after causing trouble. And if Aylera followed, she'd be guiding her the whole way.
Amada
*By the Mother- it felt as if her stomach jumped up into her throat as she hit the fabric. Aylera didn't have a moment to make a sound before they fell below. Her eyes were wide, a complete deer-in-the-headlights stare at Dragomira as she realized what had just happened. The elf's heart reverberated in her ears to the point that it was hard to make out any sound. Gods... She had no idea what she felt other than the rush of adrenaline surging through her veins. Her eyes flicked upwards at the hole. How had her new companion known about this? Well, it wasn't worth questioning now.*

*In the heat of emotion and hormonal wild, she returned her gaze to Dragomira, still wide-eyed, a heated grin crossing her face. It had been so long since she felt like this. Not since she and Varis would sneak off into the woods to escape from their lessons- and they had been children then. The sudden awareness of touch dragged her from her daze, and her ears with it.*

"Hah... It has been a while since I've done something like this".

*Her voice wavered slightly due to the rush, but her smile remained as she allowed herself to be assisted. Aylera's face felt hot, her ears burning slightly. With all of the excitement, she couldn't make any distinction of why she was red, though the feeling of physical contact with another person seemed to ring in her mind as well. However, that did not last long seeing as they now had company.*

*Eyes moving to the voice, it seemed her instinct from her childhood aligned with the dwarf's. The tug of tension between Dragomira's and her hands pulled her to action. Taking off together, a low lengthy murmur of elvish escaped Aylera's lips. It took a moment to recite the full saying of her old friend of a combination of spells, her free hand producing a single white rose. It was a known symbol of secrecy in only the most respectfully godly way, of course. With it, she finished the words and blew gently into the petals, which quickly evaporated into dust.*

*The two were covered in a veil of shadow, though they could see just fine. She thanked Alynthi for her neutrality as the two seemingly vanished into thin air. Their footsteps silenced, as did the jingling of the elf's adornments.*

"We should be left alone now."

*She continued to whisper, even though at their current rate there was at least enough distance between them and the guard that they wouldn't be heard. It was better safe than sorry though. The only rational part of her brain apparently left complained that she hadn't at least left some compensation for the damages. Perhaps she could leave some coin on their way back. That and an offering to the goddess would suffice, no?*

*As they continued, though, the elf became all the more aware of the physical contact happening between the two women. Did her heart skip a beat due to it or was it just the situation? She flicked her free hand to not bite her lip as they continued onward, dashing through the shadows. Their cloaking would last a good while, more than enough to get to their destination if it was nearby. She'd make sure they weren't followed later- although she had a sneaking suspicion that the dwarf she followed was no novice to this sort of activity. How fascinating, a hunter with such a keen sense of... Debauchery? That wasn't really the word she'd use aloud- but it seemed fitting anyway. 'Heaven and stars above,* ***Focus*** *Alyera', she reminded herself, returning her mind to the path, or lack thereof, in front of them.*
Rachel
Dragomira was far faster than one would expect from the average Dwarf. While she certainly had the strength fitting for her kind it was as though she used it with every step to launch herself off the ground as she ran. It was fortunate Aylera was able to keep speed with her. At this point, all the adrenaline coursing through her blood had her in a full on sprint. Rushing past any and every obstacle she came across with her new partner in crime in tow. The voice of the trailing guard was distant but consistent. Certainly not gaining pace but not losing ground either. She would have to get creative to escape.

But lucky for her, it seemed Aylera had a good few tricks up her sleave. One of which being a spell of white petals which danced in the cold nights air. Enveloping them both as they were empty of both sight and sound. The silent footsteps would be the first thing that Dragomira noticed as she slowly came to the stop. The guard rushing right past them under the assumption they were right down the street in the pitch black. A very handy spell. One which would have helped her in a fair number of circumstance in the past.

"Huh... Isn't this... Like cheating?"

She questioned in her hushed tone looking up at the paladin who's hand she still held. A look of faint concern on her face. Like Aylera had broken some social convention right next to her. Though that wouldn't last long before she broke out into the smile she had kept all night. 

"Kidding! That was pretty quick thinking. You really were my knight in shining... Tunic? You get the idea"

She mentioned before the two would take to the street again now under the cloak of darkness. Though, Dragomira still had a firm grasp of Aylera's hand as she had when they were sprinting. As before, she could slip her hand out if she preferred. But for whatever reason she hadn't let go even with the danger past. Though surprisingly, she would find the assassins hands to be surprisingly soft for what one would expect from a monster hunter. She could trace a few cuts and scars along her palms, but over all, there was a gentleness underneath all the bluster and roughness.

Regardless, it wouldn't be long until the pair stopped right in the middle of the street. Before them was nothing. Aside from a single manhole cover. One which Dragomira had crouched down next to. Pulling a dagger out from under her cloak to help pry it and reveal the hole leading underground.

How characteristic for a Dwarf.

"It's right down here. Trust me, it'll be worth it"

She stated before grabbing onto the ladder and sliding down into the dark once again.
Amada
*Heart hammering in her ears, Dragomira's pause caught her by surprise. The elf nearly tripped over her own two feet, narrowly catching herself with an awkward sidestep before straightening herself out. In the midst of halting her acceleration, she bit down on the inside of her cheek, and the familiar tang of blood filled her mouth. The woman had only just caught her breath when she was questioned. The air seemed to halt in her throat, threatening to choke her. She felt the heat of her cheeks radiate all over, and it felt as if her heart simply stopped seeing the expression her devious friend made. If the moment lasted any longer she felt as if she'd simply keel over and die of shame.*

*Luckily for her, that was not the case. Breath escaped her lungs in a sigh and she smiled back, looking away at the compliment to not bring back any semblance of the awkward bubble that had only just popped. She laughed slightly, her free hand reaching to adjust the hair at the nape of her neck.*

"It's an old trick- I was more rambunctious as a child".

*Still, she couldn't keep her eyes away for long, turning them back to the dwarf and the path ahead of them as they took off once more. Thank goodness for their height difference- honest-to-goddess, Dragomira was* ***Fast***. *As much as speed aligned with an ability to hunt well, she'd met plenty of strong individuals capable of, in her mind, taking down terrifyingly large beasts who were ungodly slow. Fast with truly shockingly soft hands. How odd? It was apparent the dwarven woman had quite the skillset, and even more unknown of a personality hiding under her gruff-seeming exterior.*

*Aylera kept her thoughts to herself as they continued onward. She watched carefully as Dragomira removed the cover, swallowing hard as a long-unfelt fear filled her stomach. Oh goddess no- no no no. As it turns out, Aylera was terribly afraid of large caves. Her brain screamed and she froze for the long moment it took for the dwarf to finish. Her voice caught in her throat as she reached after the dwarf.*

*Too late. The elf bit her lip hard to keep from cursing audibly. Her mind continued screaming at itself, half of her ready to outgrow the frankly idiotic phobia- who's to say they would even be going deep? It couldn't be worse than a basement. The other half of her wasn't having it. What if it was deep? What if it caved in? What if they suffocated? She'd die a horrible, disgraceful death not even able to look upon the great domain of Alynthi in her last moments.*

*Fuck it. Fuck this, fuck the fear. Thank the goddess for the silencing of the spell. Aylera prayed loudly, visibly trembling as she stood before the hole. Gods, she'd jump off the rail* ***Anytime*** *As opposed to this. Fuck it. She kept her unholy words in her mind and began making the descent, her knuckles turning white from gripping the ladder so tightly. It took everything in her power not to scream. Instead, she kept her mind and mouth occupied with devotion. At least her last words heard by the surface world of her goddess would be ones of devotion.*

*The anxiety grew ever stronger as she neared the bottom, her blessed ability to see in low lighting only brushing the surface of the turmoil that stirred within her. To be honest, she felt as if she could expel her bodily fluids at any moment. It was so much she felt as if she'd cry, shaking like a leaf. But she did it anyway. Why in Alynthi's name* ***Was*** *She doing this anyway? Over some friend she'd made at a seedy tavern that she shouldn't have been at in the first place? No. This was a trial of her own temperance, of her own adaptability and to see just how much she was truly capable of now that she was free. Yes. Freedom. Aylera would not lose herself any longer.*

*But by the gods, it felt like she could shit herself out of fear, despite her fighting against it.*
Rachel
The bottom of Dragomira's boots squeaked against the rusted metal ladder. Bits of metal clattering on the ground beneath her as she felt the ladder rattle and buckle from the velocity of her descent. She would fortunately be able to land with both feet on the ground before the ladder had the chance to tear itself free from the wall. It might even be sturdy enough for them both to be able to make it out of there when they were done. But for now, Dragomira now found herself in one of the largest underground networks in the world. The sewer system of the largest city in Lucidien. It was pitch black below aside from the faint light from the hole in which they had entered from. Though the scent of sewage and rot would make sight an unimportant sensation. For a river of filth and rot slowly made its way through these tunnels. Carrying all sorts of refuse and garbage to be carried far far away from the city by this tide of decay.

The Dwarf held her hand over her nose and mouth as she pressed her hand against the wall. The scent was terrible, but to her benefit it was what made these sewers her own. After all, who would brave a place like this when you could simply travel the streets above? This place was an assassins dream, it was nothing a nice long celebratory bath couldn't fix when she climbed out of this place. And thankfully, another perk of her upbringing was her reliance on her other senses. She remembered that pile of wooden scrap she left. Exactly 14 steps from the enterance. She counted each of them out before her foot clattered against the collection. Kneeling down, she ran her hand against the old wood until she found one of suitable size. Using a pair of daggers to try and make a suitable fire. Rotating the blade back and forth on her palms until a decent enough spark set the wood alight, providing her with a suitable torch.

By the time that Aylera had made her way down, Dragomira was already making her way back with their new light source.

"Welcome to the underground! North goes for a few miles until you make it to the exit hole where all this garbage is going to end up. We'll be walking south, shouldn't take more than a few minutes."

She explained, pointing in the direction that the pair will have to travel if they wish to reach this high quality spot Dragomira keeps talking about. At this point it seemed as though she were going to take her to another world with how much effort is needed to get there.

"Sorry about the scent down here. I've gotta extra cloth to use for a mask if you-"

She prepared to offer before the light fully illuminated Alyera. There were very few things you could sneak past Dragomira, and she knew signs of fear and worry all too well. The rapidly darting eyes, the rise and fall of her chest. It was clear that the brave paladin was not enjoying this place as much as she was.

*Oh... She hates it down here...*

She slowly came to realize. All Dragomira's life has been her own adventure where sometimes other people tag along for the ride. The only time she ever shared her experiences genuinely was with Baldwin, and they were so alike that she never even had to question her actions. Another reason why they never worked. But now she was with company that she was dragging along for her next adventure. This whole thing even started just because she wanted material for her next book. An adventure to put down into paper. The person involved didn't even cross her mind. But seeing them as they were now put that person right front and center.

*Gods I'm a piece of shit*

Dragomira let out a quiet huff buried under yet another chuckle as she looked around for a few moments. Contemplation as for what to do now.

"Hey uh... You know, actually we can get out of here right now if you want, actually. I guess I forgot how gross, ya know? We can get out of here and just call it a night if you want, ya know?"
Amada
*The wood elf shook like a leaf the entire descent. It was quite the miracle the ladder held, with her rattling around like a ripe berry upon a weak stem. Aylera breathed through her mouth, avoiding the acrid stench emanating from below. Well... At least it wasn't a cave system. If it was attached to the city, it must have been engineered to withstand almost anything- and from what she knew of the natural world of the area, earthquakes weren't an issue. Her fear was silly, or at least that's what she told herself. At the very least, she refused to let it rule over her any longer.*

*Still, she couldn't shake it's innate powers over her. As Aylera stepped to the floor of the sewer, she knotted her hands together, watching Dragomira and her light make their way over. In an attempt to not appear so petrified, Aylera breathed deeply, though she still refused to use her nose. It wasn't so bad- aside from the sewage. Her eyes moved everywhere, as if she could access the structural integrity of the underground by staring at it hard enough. Again, it seemed alright, her desperate attempts at using logic to outweigh her fear were working enough to keep her rooted where she was. Biting down on her lower lip, her face contorted as she tried to muster a smile at Dragomira. She wasn't to blame, she had no idea Aylera had such a childish fear. The elf just wished it wasn't so obvious, but there wasn't much she could do about that now.*

*She watched the dwarf realize what was going on with her in what felt like slow motion. The heat of embarrassment burned her cheeks, closing her throat as she tried to speak. The absolute last thing she wanted was to be a disappointment and the moment her new companion suggested calling it off she found the courage in her to speak, though her voice wavered.*

"No, no! There's no need for that- I just- well, I'm working on overcoming a silly fear- do not fret about me, please". 
*Her hands frantically moved as if waving away the 'silly' fear from her head. It would not erase her trembling, nor would it fix the clamor of her mind, but she had decided to conquer it anyway. Stepping closer to Dragomira, she continued to wring her hands. Judgment was what she so wished to avoid. It was one thing coming from herself, or her goddess- but from her? That threatened to break the already delicate composure she had so carefully managed to obtain.*

"I- I want to go. Wherever it is- I'd like to. Please take me", *She stammered, but her words were coated in sincerity. If she were to make any headway in the world, she needed to prove to herself and her goddess that she was capable. Proving that to Dragomira would help too- and as much as she wasn't keen on being so vulnerable, her immediate trust was placed in her. There was no room to question motives or histories now, it was just them and these tunnels.*

*Her gaze met the other woman's pleading with her not to take pity. Not much else could be said to make the obvious less so, but she tried to write it off anyway.* "I just don't uh... Have much experience underground. Alynthi is very much a- uh- terrestrial goddess... You know?". *It was in these moments her accent shone harder than before. The common language was heavy on her tongue. She'd barely been out of the House for a few years, only making her way around actual other settlements for much less time. Aylera refused to let her inexperience rule over her- and there is only one way of remedying it. She* ***Had*** *To do this, if not for herself or her goddess then for the sake of her pride.*
Rachel
Dragomira was already making her first few steps back toward the ladder. Ready to leave this little escapade behind in favor of something far more suitable. Dragomira herself was among the few who would view a descent into worlds largest sewer tunnels as an adventure worth her time, after all. Before she could place her foot on the first rung of the ladder Aylera began to speak. Even in the dark she could see the frantic little waves she was making. The tremble in her voice was absolutely unmistakable to her ears. And a woman in her profession knew the sounds of fright all too well. But despite all that, she wanted to stay. 

Dragomira couldn't help but be surprised. For the woman who had spent 6 decades learning the ins and outs of people of all stripes she thought she had Aylera pinned. Nice enough, maybe even good in a fight. But held back with the same worries and anxieties she's seen time and time again from different people. Ironic from a paladin but nothing unexpected. After all, from what she could tell this woman really didn't seem to fit into the mold of a paladin all too well. At the very least on a surface level. But Aylera seemed to be different. There was no fooling the assassin, she could tell that she was nervous out of her mind. But she seemed willing to face it head on and combat it. She couldn't help but be more than just a little bit impressed. But mostly just thrilled they could keep going.

"Is that right?"

She mused as she stepped around Aylera once again. The grime covering the ground itself seemed to stick to the bottom of her boots but Dragomira still seemed to glide across the disgusting stone regardless just like she had been when above ground. The mischievous smirk barely visible in the flickering light as everything seemed to fall right back into proper place.

"You'll want to stick close to me then. Darker than night down here and you're sure to get lost or slip into the sludge down there if you aren't careful. I like you and all, but just know if you fall in that mess I'm not jumping in there after you. Nor should you for me in the rare chance I slip or something."

She explained as she pointed her torch down the tunnel. Brightening up the labyrinth that the two now found themselves inside of. 

*Up, right, left, forward, forward, down*

*Up, right, left, forward, forward, down*

*Up, right, left, forward, forward, down*

Dragomira repeated in her head a few times over making sure that her directions were spot on. It would be awfully embarrassing to talk and act like she's been only to get horribly horribly lost. She glanced back at Aylera, bringing her attention back to the fact she was trembling like a branch in a storm. She knew full well she'd say it was fine if she asked, even though it most certainly was not, but it would feel callous not to do something.

"Hey, don't focus on all this mess alright? I gotcha"

She extended out her hand to her companion. Both as a way to assuage her worries and to make sure she doesn't get separated. But that wouldn't be enough. Aylera needed a distraction. Something to take her mind off of all this down here. What better way then letting her indulge in a topic she was interested in.

"Hey. It's a bit of a walk to where we need to go. Why don't you tell me all about what life's like in that forest of yours? I try to keep cities as my stomping grounds and I know each major city like the back of my hand. Put me in a forest or, goddess forbid, a jungle, I'm not going to know which way is up or down.
Amada
*Dragomira now had an elf glued to her. Aylera didn't think twice about taking the other woman's hand, even with her trembling. Her words stuck in her mind- she had her. The elf spent her conscious energy trying not to fidget or squeeze too hard, her nerves feeling as if they were on fire with every step the two took in the sewers. Truth be told, her commentary on the idea of* ***Falling*** *In the already terrifying enough trenches of some of the elf's worst nightmares did not help- but she chose to continue. This was a choice. She needed to remember that, brand it into her mind, anything to work through this stupid fear. At least she wasn't alone, right? With her goddess feeling miles away at the surface world, she silently sang Alynthi's praises in the hopes that some stray roots or living beings could carry the message upwards.*

*The putrid substance beneath them squelched with each step, the eerie sounds filling the tunnels. Aylera grimaced at it, she'd enjoy a good bath after this, along with a cleansing ritual... Or several at this rate. Still, they persevered. As she came to a slightly more rational state of mind (though it was terribly fragile), the paladin suddenly remembered the powers she was so blissfully graced with. With that, she quietly muttered an incantation in elvish, flicking her free- still shaking hand up. With it, came three soft lights. They pulsed gently to life, casting a gentle warmth upon their decrepit surroundings. It wasn't much, nor would it last too long, but they were something to keep their eyes, and Aylera's nervous system, more relaxed. Truth be told, the idea of falling further had stuck in her mind, and this helped to ease that worry. An intrusive thought attempted to speak of the idea of being jump-scared in this already fragile state, but she thwarted it with the help of her dwarvish friend's words.*

*Dragomira's invitation to storytelling was a welcome distraction, though a detail in her phrasing stuck out.*

*If she was an acclaimed monster hunter- wouldn't she have to navigate the natural world relatively often? Perhaps not, it wasn't like Aylera knew much of life outside the Greenheart. Maybe monsters in cities were a problem she was wholly ignorant of, it wouldn't be the first time she was completely unaware of what was thought to be common knowledge. Maybe they lurked in places like this, it seemed evil enough- she stopped her line of thought there with a slight cringe. Changing her expression quickly, she gathered her remaining composure and poured it into her tone.*

"The Greenheart is massive, bigger than many imagine it to be... Though from what I know it is nothing in comparison to the Kandagulu," *Aylera began, her voice now only slightly wavering.* "It is dense all over, but the west differs from the east in terms of moisture. The western side is more... Classically picturesque. Great trees sit high above the rest of the canopy, intermixed with conifers and lower-level undergrowth. I found that many of the resident deer like to migrate in this area this time of year- plenty to feast on. The east, though, is more marsh-like. It's home to many sorts of water-loving creatures, very mossy". *The imagery of the place she'd called home for so long came to mind easily. Much the opposite of Dragomira, she knew the forest better than even some of her elven counterparts, what with her taste for undisturbed exploration.*

"You know, I wasn't actually born in that place. I hail from a forest much further west- I believe it lies in Dasvaz now, but I'm not really up to date on the politics of it all."
Rachel
Dragomira felt her arm tense as Aylera placed her hand in her own. It didn't take someone as keen as her to notice the trembling as she tried to keep her own arm steady. An image that certainly didn't fit what she expected from a paladin. To be so open in not just their fear, but in their emotions in general. In the short time they've known one another so far she's seen the joy in her eyes, the sadness in her mind, the thrumming of her heart. It was odd to be around someone who wears her heart so proudly on her cuff when you spend so much thought behind how you present yourself to others like it's a game of chess.

Dragomira was by far more outgoing than your standard sister. She says what she thinks but thinks immensely about what she says. If Aylera were to run into someone else that had met her they'd describe the base line of what you'd expect, but always with little discrepancies. For example, her aversion to the woods. A blatant lie, while Dragomira's ideal territory is with cities and bustling civilization, she has quite a fair amount of experience in all sorts of environments. And woodlands were quite high up there. 

However, Aylera didn't seem to question that fact as she began to describe the woods of her home while Dragomira entertained her with a facade of wonder. Dishonest? Sure. But it seemed to do wonders to calm her down. After all, what's the harm of a lie or two in a good yarn if it makes it more interesting?

"Dasvaz? Went up there myself a few years back, plan on keeping away from that place like the plague now that there's a full blown war up there."

The Dwarf held her torch high as they rounded the corner further into the sewers.

"No offense, of course. Guessing you left for good reason. Did the Greenheart draw you all the way to Alythni? Paladin training need you to commune with nature and the only place for it was the biggest forest in the world?"
Amada
*Keeping her eyes fixed on the path in front of them, Aylera simply nodded. Her bodily attention was consumed with keeping her composure, there was no space to do anything else. She wished her past was as simple as Dragomira questions, though she doubted the dwarf's was any simpler. The elf prayed every day that she'd wake up the next to be a better paladin, a better devotee, anything to make her choice feel less like a cry for help and more like a choice. It was, all of it was. Still, the residual imposter syndrome ate away at her stomach.*

"None taken, my reason for leaving was similar to yours. I wasn't particularly interested in getting roped into slavery". *Her tone was tart, distinctly sour against her taste buds. The lights that followed them pulsed gently, as if with heartbeats of their own, the fire's flickers following suit. Shadows cast alongside the walls of the grimy sewers unsettled Aylera's stomach.* "The House of Elk took me in as an apprentice, but I did not declare my route as a paladin until after my 30 years of training were done. They found it... Unusual. Not many choose to be a paladin, of all things."

*As much as she was an open book, the wood elf's feelings toward the entire situation were tumultuous, to say the least. She clicked her tongue, eyes fixated on their pattern of fixation between the tunnel ahead and the shadows of their motions.* "The Greenheart is wonderful, a truly divine place. Alynthi put everything a goddess could bless us with there, and I express nothing but gratitude for the forest. The House was much the same, save for a few... Notable distinctions between societies crafted by individuals and communities designed by the gods."

"I only left recently, you see"

*The tremors in her body slowly subsided as they continued onwards. Aylera was by no means relaxed, but the clamor of her mind seemed to change its tune. Now, she was too preoccupied with memories of the past to focus on her fear of her surroundings. Flashes of the crowns of trees towering above, the scent of fresh rain on moss, chatter of the youth, all filled her senses for a moment. With a sigh, she conjured a smile and broke her trance to look back at Dragomira, eyes flicking between the features of the other woman's face before returning to their place. Grateful that she had been spared pity and graced instead with curiosity, she asked a question of her own.* "What about you? Where is it you hail from?"