Eula
"As much as I would like to be able to give some judgement on them, I believe... Well, that not much is known about them, and what little I know happens to be that they know very little. They are not creatures of inherent evil, I should think, and not of inherent good. They simply *Are*, drifting purposeless through the world. Not many of them can communicate well." *He had no further answer in terms of concrete evidence for her, though he wished he might have been able to help. Instead, he simply held the reins of the warhorse he owned and patted him on the nose gently as they led their horses through the market and to the outer gate.*

"I cannot say, however, that they are *Safe* To be around, either. Neutral can just as often be evil as it can good, and the one may outweigh the other in terms of impact on one's perception of a being. People tend to remember the evil more often." *It was evident, perhaps, by the cast of his expression, that he was not solely talking about the Scathis. There were many threats in the world, the possibilities of diplomatic treaties souring and nights of ballroom dancing ending in failure only two of the myriad of options.

It was true that he had not found a suitable noblewoman to begin courting yet, as well as that he had been on a diplomatic to Lazaroth that had ended with a success which felt in some ways like a defeat - it had been the surrender to politeness and the atmosphere of the room that he had been received in. Perhaps he would get the chance to dictate the terms from sunny Alynthi as well, but there was a danger of pushing it too far. The terms of the agreement would likely be hashed out... But there was nothing to be done until the treaty terms came back and one month had passed.*

"In any case... Well, it shall be at least a manageable situation here. Scathis are not world-threatening. Just strange."
Martin
As the two stopped at the gate and their conversation of Scathis neared its end, Roesia couldn't help but feel dissatisfied with it. Now she wished to find Sevi and learn more, but the creature was likely long, long gone. Roesia would likely never see Sevi again, unless it called the Greenheart home too. The frown on her face said it all, but it was one of a yearning to learn more. With a sigh, she supposed it would have to be left alone for now. There was no more she could do. "Strange indeed. Sevi was just- yeah. Strange." Roesia smiled fondly of her short time with the Scathis creature, but shrugged it off. There was a hunt to be had,, after all. Eyeing the prince, Roesia ran her hand along Angus's cheek. "If you're up for a challenge, I planned on hunting on the outskirts of the forest."

Looking out onto the path into the Greenheart, a slight smile grew on Roesia's lips. "I doubt I need to tell you of course, but there are vast meadows between here and the Great Chasm, right along the edge of the forest. Not a day ago I witnessed a herd of elk migrating that way. Perhaps we could catch them out in the open." Walking to her horse companion's side, Roesia climbed up into his saddle before looking back to Astalios. Leaning onto the horn of Angus's elaborately decorated saddle, perhaps the prince would notice obviously fine and likely expensive craftsmanship of the leather. *After all, the saddle used to belong to her noble father.*

"Ever hunted an elk, your highness?" There was a hint of playfulness in Roesia's voice and eyes, almost as if she doubted he ever had. Truth be told, Roesia found it likely, but she still wished to jest with the prince regardless.
Eula
"You should regard yourself as somewhat lucky, Miss Vuldrey. You've sighted a rare creature, and might be one of the first to do so in generations. Your name could be inscribed on history if you wished for it to be. A few colleagues of mine might like to read your firsthand account, actually..." *He frowned to himself, making a mental note to get her recollection of the incident in writing to take back to the Alchemical Association. He might not have known a piece of information, but the Association's libraries were full of scientific logs of various kinds, and considering her experience, perhaps he might sour a few tempers at the next meeting of the association if he left this out.*

"Would you mind writing down everything you remember about it and sending me a letter of the transcript? I'll have copies made, and then send those to the International Alchemical Association. Clearly, you are not suffering from some sort of illusion, so it's good testimony, and though it's non-verifiable, it corroborates well, I think, with other accounts. With a little luck, we may be able to expand our general knowledge of the creatures further. If you do decide to write one, please leave out no detail - its posture, how it moved, et cetera. All can be extrapolated from with the proper information." *He asked, somewhat apologetic to be rambling on about his scientific organization when they were supposed to be out hunting.

And speaking of hunting...

She had mounted her horse. It was time for him to do so as well. He swung a leg over Tempest, his eyes taking the well-crafted saddle on Angus's back for normal after so many years outside of court life and in the field. He supposed this was what people normally had.* "I believe the herd of elk should be worth a try, Miss Vuldrey. Regrettably..." *A smile cracked across his face.*

"I believe you witnessed my first real hunting trip back when we fought those wolves. I have not hunted elk, ever."
Martin
As the prince suggested Roesia write a recollection of her time with Sevi there was a look of panic on her face. Stopping Angus in his tracks with a slight sudden jerk, the horse himself seemed surprised at her reaction, and subsequently reacted to her panic through a heavy stomp to the ground. The mention of her name being inscribed in history is what set her off, but for more reason than one. Firstly, Roesia had completely forgotten she had originally gave the prince a false name, that being Roesia *Vuldrey* Instead of her true name 'Vuldratrada'. That of course would not look well for the huntress should she share the truth with him. Her name was quite unique as it was, and while there was a very good chance Astalios had never heard of her family given they were nobles from Findara, others reading her name in a retelling of a Scathis sighting, they'd likely ask questions.

The second lie was less of a lie and more of a secret; he did not know what she truly was. Roesia never wished to see her parents again, for what would they think of her now? A lowly hunter fending for herself and cursed with Lycanthropy no less. That would mean more would know of her affliction. What if they hunted her down? Or worse, Astalios was forced to do so. No werewolf would go unharmed in his kingdom, whether he believed them to be as vicious as the stories or not. "No." Roesia began firmly, the panicked look in her eyes not seeming to leave, but with a sigh she simply had to remember that this was a prince, not a fellow commoner as she. "I- I am sorry, your highness. I did not mean to offend. What I meant was I'd prefer if my name was not shared in any retelling of my story of seeing Sevi."
.

Not wishing for Astalios to pry, she continued. "I also fear for Sevi. What if people read such a retelling and believe them to be a malevolent creature, one that would harm others? Whether I write how kind and naïve Sevi was you know how people are with things they do not understand. Fear always comes first, your highness." Hoping he'd fall for yet another one of her redirections, Roesia felt a pit forming in her stomach. These lies and secrets from the prince no less needed to cease. Not only for the safety of herself but Roesia had come to trust and see the prince as a good friend. Friends didn't lie, nor keep secrets such as hers. Closing her eyes tightly, the huntress clicked her tongue to get Angus moving. Their conversation would simply continue on the road to their destination.

Roesia hoped and prayed Astalios would not ask why she was so scared to have her name shared, but he wasn't stupid by any means. Perhaps he'd not mention it out of kindness, but there was still that pit in the ranger's stomach.
Eula
*Now, that was truly unusual. There was certainly something she had to hide, then, and some secret that she was keeping about herself. The way she had been startled so suddenly, and the jerk of stopping her horse in his tracks, left Astalios a few paces ahead of her, and he slowed Tempest with a gentle pull of the reins to match pace with her until she caught back up. A frown crossed his face as he surveyed the situation, recalling several facts to mind. 

One, she had seemed nervous while they had met. Originally he had assumed there might be a trap, and perhaps that was still true. She didn't have a good reason to be afraid, given the information she had told him, and while he didn't know much about her, he had been willing to act in good faith until this point. However, the clear fear coming into their reunion was a key that perhaps the status quo had changed.

Two, she was terrified of their encounter being recorded. She had exhibited such a visceral reaction to the prospect of her name being mentioned in a scientific article that he was beginning to suspect she was a fugitive - though from what or where, he had no idea. It could have been any place with any meaning. Though with fugitives, there was always an inciting incident. What had been the occasion? Where had she come from?

His eyes traveled up and down her equipment, finally noting the exceptional craftsmanship of the saddle for what it was - far too expensive for a plain commoner or huntswoman. This meant it was either stolen, given as a gift, or... Perhaps, a possession from another life. It seemed old. And a saddle was a strange thing to steal. Perhaps it was a gift, then, or a carryover.*

_ _
"I believe, Miss Vuldrey..." *His voice hardened as his expression shifted into full wariness, eyes darting around her person to check the locations of various weapons. He did not yet turn the spearlike spike on his back to mercury, as they were not in open combat, but was ready to do so. She still had steel arrowheads, and that alone was enough to give him a small edge.*

"That you might perhaps consider that fear generally comes from the lack of knowledge. Adding to the depth of knowledge on any given subject is always a way to diminish the bad reputation of certain animals - such as spiders, for example. They are quite helpful in reducing mosquito populations. But we have no such depth of knowledge on Scathis."

"And perhaps another example comes to mind - I have no depth of knowledge, I realize, about you. Until this point, I have believed you to be a worthy and honest person, with whom I have had many delightful conversations. But this... Leads me to believe that something is being hidden. You must realize that as a prince, I have many political enemies who would very much like me to venture on a hunting trip and die in mysterious circumstances. Now, I am not accusing you of anything, but... I must know more about why your name must be scrubbed from records. It is doable, Miss Vuldrey, given the right reasons, but I wish to remain... Fully alive."
Martin
Roesia's heart began to pound as the expression on Astalios's face shifted. She wanted to run, run far away and go into hiding once more. The cold and snow never bothered her much, perhaps Gantrick? So may thoughts began to race in the poor girl's head up until her eyes met the prince's. How strong, kind and stern they were, now looking at Roesia as if she were a fugitive. In truth, she had done nothing wrong. But she couldn't pull herself to tell the prince her true story. Listening quietly, the huntresses eyes darted away from the prince's for she simply couldn't look him in the eye. Hearing Astalios mention people would wish him harm, the half-elf's eyes widened out of sheer disbelief.

"No! No Astalios I would never hurt you, I swear." Calling out the prince's name wasn't something Roesia had ever done. Far too formal for anyone of her standing. Would she lie again? Hide even more from him? Perhaps if he was too suspicious he'd simply have her brought back to the castle for some form of interrogation. Maybe she'd be placed in a circle of truth. Hearing the prince ask why she fears her name to be publicly shared, Roesia began to panic once more. What could she tell him? Maybe if she just told him the truth that she was simply running from her family and no more he'd believe it. It would save her from sharing about her Lycanthropy, that she had killed four Findaran knights only days after she had first turned... No, she was a fugitive. And a murderer.
.

"I-" Roesia began, but before long a sigh was heaved from her chest as her head hung a but on her shoulders. Running a tense hand through Angus's hair, he could feel her stress and worry, leaving the Clydesdale just as worried as his rider. Calming her companion, Roesia looked back up into the prince's eyes, her own now filled a slightly calmer look. "I am- not a simple huntress, your highness. My name is Roesia yes, but not Vuldrey. It is Vuldratrada." Her true name was one that would link her to a noble family in Findara. One known for their trade in banking and investments. Quite the wealthy family indeed, though it remained to be seen if the prince would know the name. "I ran away from my family long ago, only to-" Pausing, Roesia now had to decide; lie again, or tell the truth?

"I wished to roam the world, my parents disapproved. They have been looking for me since then, which is why I wish to keep my name from any headline or article, scientific or not." There was a look of pure defeat in her eyes, one of disappointment. For more reasons than one. She had lied yet again to her friend, and now he knew of her last name. Silence fell between the prince and huntress, and Roesia twiddled with Angus's hair anxiously. How would Astalios take her words? To be true, or to be false?
Eula
*He kept his eyes fixed on hers, noting the change in expression both times she considered the prospect of wishing him some sort of harm. Surprise, he suspected, and nothing more than that - in which case, she did in fact have a secret, but not a dangerous one to him, at least. She was worried for her own safety, and not that of anyone else's. She was clearly under quite a bit of stress, but that was regrettably a necessity in situations such as these. There were times when one had to put personal inclinations aside and drive at the point until the issue was resolved. They seemed to be on the right track, however.

As her explanations of her origins unfolded, he kept Tempest steady, and listened with a mind ready to grasp every fleeting detail, match it to what he had known already. It was evident that she had run from her family. That explained the saddle - not stolen, but a keepsake from a past life. Some tragedy had occurred, judging by her pause in the middle. Wished to roam the world. But she said she lived in the Greenheart, which... Well, he supposed the massive forest was a good place to hide out, even if it was not an exotic travel destination.

After some deliberation, his concern softened, and he briskly snapped the reins as he faced forwards once again.* "I see. In that case, Miss Vuldrey, I can leave your name out of any accounts, change the perspective of origin, and not mention anything but the location and the occupation of the finder. You will not have to worry about your family's pursuit of you."

*That was final enough, he supposed. She hadn't broken any laws to speak of, simply had a complicated family history. In this day and age, who didn't? But she was willful enough to run away and strong enough to survive in the Greenheart despite her experiences growing up in a noble family. It spoke measures about her character.* "But if you would humor me, it really is quite important for the Association that I get some anonymous account of it."
Martin
The moment the prince turned around, tears began to form in Roesia's face. *Close.* It was entirely too close. Quickly brisking them away and ensuring she kept her composure, the huntress kept up with the prince and stayed at his side. "I am sorry, your highness. I should have been truthful from the beginning but- I was fearful." Disappointment in herself began to swell in Roesia's heart, as she was still lying. Nevertheless, she hoped this would be the last time they'd speak on the matter. Knowing he still wished to have an account of Sevi, Roesia nodded with a faint smile. "I would never wish to harm the pursuit of science, your grace. I would be happy to give the Association any information they'd need, though yes- I'd prefer my name be left from it."

Silence began to fill the air between Roesia and Astalios, as awkward as any silence after a disruption of a good day. The only sound between them as they headed down the path of the Greenheart was the stomping of Angus and Tempest's hooves in the dirt and the ambience of the forest that now surrounded them. The guilt that had swept the typically sweet and outgoing Roesia away seemed to follow over her head like a thunder storm, her conscience in the back of her head screaming at her to be truthful. No more lies. Frowning the thoughts away, around a dozen or so minutes into their trip into the wilderness, Roesia turned to the prince to break the silence once and for all. "You said you've never hunted elk before. They're magnificent creatures."

_ _
"I'm sure you've heard legends of the golden harts? As big as a wagon and fiercely protective of their home. I myself have never seen one but I hope to one day." A fond smile fell upon Roesia's face as she thought of the mythical beast, then she continued. "May say they offer boons and luck to those lucky enough to witness them. Almost like a unicorn I suppose." Perhaps the change of topic would bring the Astalios that Roesia loved to spend time with back, and perhaps leave their quarrel behind them.