Roy
"Oh, it is an honour to employ you, my lady!"
*The merchant would delight between belaboured slaps of his reigns, his humble donkeys protesting quietly as they hobbled down the forested path - the solemn gates of Salvainia looming above the canopy. He was a small, ruddy gentleman of Macen descent, draped in expensive robes and accessories. His cart was decidedly less adorned, only the cargo glittering in any form.*
"Heh, ya' don't need to be so formal, mister. You might've heard my name, but I ain't nothin' more than a merc."
*His hired guard chuckled with a smirk on her pale face, her crimson eyes flicking up to the tree cover above. She reclined in the space just behind the driver's seat of the wagon, gripping her katana loosely as her wakizashi tapped against her hip. Her tatami maille hugged her curves tight, the small pauldrons covered by a black cloth scarf.*
"Oh, you are far too humble, dear lady! No tradesman worth his salt would pass up this opportunity. I am entirely secure today, and I have you to thank for it!"
*The gentleman's lavish praise, unfortunately, was not from gratitude alone - clear from the edge in his voice and the creeping speed of his cart. Though Taito was indeed a reputable bodyguard, the rumours of her origins had spread even to the Salvainian lands...*
Joleen
*Hikari had only just been out of town, returning from another little job with a few more coins in their pocket and a spring in their step. Life really was starting to look up a little, wasn't it? After leaving their precious little New Sunlight, getting a sense of actually just... Living life as they were meant to and advancing the career they'd always wanted, they'd felt like that insurmountable hill they'd created for themselves through the congealed blood of their own self flagellation was beginning to disappear at long last...*

*...And it only got better after seeing a caravan with another Keguntan resident as the guards... Perhaps normally Hikari would've passed it by, but well... Samurai. Those arrogant, pesky bastards who believed themselves above the local populace because they could wield a sword real well, and for all their "Honour" Were the first to stab backs and plot against their kin when it was needed.*

*Showing up a samurai sounded amazing.*

*Appearing to continue to walk, before dipping into an alleyway to cast a quick facial disguise on themselves and remove their vulpine features, checking their clothes so that it was nothing like their usual gear... Thank the gods it was nothing remarkable, easily forgotten stuff... And concealing their Keguntan weaponry with various wraps and/or under their clothes, only leaving the Shotel they'd come to love, they decided to watch the caravan further and gauge the situation.*
Roy
"My lady, I ask this not to be rude... But..."
*The merchant began with a waver in his voice, Taito's expression hardening at this change in tone - her eyes turning full crimson for a moment as she watched him a moment. Will he ask? Will he dare ask? Few have, even while dead drunk, about the rumours of vampirism. Whether it was in her first years in Ramul Ta, still wild and bloodthirsty as she preyed on whoever was weak enough to fall under her, or more recently. But she was older now, wiser... Wise enough to know when someone was stalking them. Odd stares were normal, but a few sets of eyes had been far more interested in their cargo. Not that she blamed them, the squat fool had exposed his treasures on purpose. The samurai knew not who, but expected someone to make a move.*
Joleen
*But... What?*

*Never mind. If they wanted anything out of this caravan, they'd need to act fast or else the merchant would be gone in a blink. They could hitch a ride, somehow... A few more naive sorts were all too willing to allow anyone to hitchhike and it would be a good plan... But Hikari didn't like the idea of actually hurting anyone that badly. This was merely a show of skill, perhaps an act of petty spite. Nothing of real value would be taken, just enough to flex their abilities. It wasn't a real robbery to them, and nothing that they actually fancied putting people to knife point over. Besides... What kind of trained shinobi resorts to such brutish tactics?*

*Ah, damn. Here's to hoping the good old charming route works. Northerners like Hikari were known to have a natural allure to them that subtly encouraged folks to work in their favour... Hikari gave themselves their Northerner heritage back before removing the hood and adjusting their clothes to look more trustworthy, walking towards the caravan and waving.*

"Hi! Excuse me!"

*A Keguntan lilt was slathered over their tone: weathered over time thanks to Hikari's lengthy stay in Salvania, but unmistakably there.*

"Sir, I am terribly sorry, but you wouldn't happen to be travelling anywhere close to the town of Rawathi, would you? Apologies, it's just that I need to visit a friend of mine there, and renting a horse for an entire week would be a big ask, and costly..."

*Hikari made a big show of being some poor, hard-done-by girl who had been through **Unknown** Issues and was in a bit of a bad spot right now. The lie was a little farfetched (the town doesn't exist, "Visiting friends" Isn't the most convincing of lies, so on and so forth) but hey... The man was obviously not the most worldly what with his show of money. As long as he was convinced, ~~or perhaps was a bit of an Oriate lover,~~ who gives a damn about the guard? He called the shots.*