Lupe
*The day was warm, the sun was shining, and Prince Astalios of Alynthi was hunting in the woods. It had been a particularly fun few days - his father's advice to try hobbies other than jousting, as tourneys were more of an event than a hobby, was certainly paying off. It wasn't constant blood-pumping action, like the heat of battle, but it was at least a pleasure. Careful and meticulous, that was how he needed to be. It was also a good opportunity to practice his magic, and as he held out his hand, his plain steel dagger floated over his palm, ready to be propelled at a target. It was easier for him than using a bow, and required fine control.

Prince Astalios himself was a rather sturdily built man in dull gray plate armor that didn't make much sound as he moved. It was surprisingly fluid as it encased him in steel protection. He wore a simple crown upon his head made of pure gold, and on his right hand, there was a signet ring of the same pure gold that depicted a warrior with one sword raised above his head, the other in his hand.

His eyes and hair were brown, and his ears were slightly pointed, owing to his heritage as a half-elf. His jaw and nose were strong and masculine, and as he walked through the forest, he was accompanied by two leather-jerkined archers whose bows were over their backs and whose quivers were full. Their clothing displayed the royal livery of Alynthi, and they accompanied the prince as guards.

His eyes searched through the trees for a target, and he finally found it - a quail, picked out from the bushes nearby. One breath in, one breath out - and he propelled the dagger towards the bird as quickly as an arrow shot from a bow, his magic doing the work of the bowstring...*
David
After her run in with the shapeshifter who's name she never caught so many moons ago, Roesia had moved her camp from the edge of the Whitethorn river to deeper into the heart of the forest. On the back of her trusty Clydesdale, Angus, the young half-elf was simply out looking for some lunch. She hadn't made very much coin as of late and would have to bag a stag or two at some point in the near future, but for now her main goal was her own stomach rather than other's. After a short walk on Angus' back, Roesia had finally decided to dismount, her feet gently pressing into the moist earth beneath her boots. It was an absolutely beautiful day, and even with the sun shining its brightest the trees gave plenty of shade and cover to keep her cool and comfortable.

Trudging through the undergrowth, Roesia lifted a hand from her bow and wrapped her fingers around the small amulet she wore across her neck. Before she summoned her familiar however, a noise caused her to freeze and halt summoning her bird companion. Quickly crouching down low, the half-elf's ears pricked ever so slightly. Being- well, what she was on the inside at least, allowed for so ever so slightly enhanced hearing, vision and strangely enough, smell. Scanning through the bush she was currently behind, her eyes finally set on a plump quail making its way out of the thicket across from her. Without hesitation, Roesia primed an arrow in her bow and waited for the perfect moment to release it.

With a slow and gentle breath, the ranger gently allowed the arrow to sail from its quiver, and she was entirely certain she had hit it. Nevertheless, it flung back in an oddly diagonal direction, only causing her to tilt her head as she stood and revealed herself from behind the bushes. Roesia quietly scanned her surroundings, and her heart nearly stopped as she saw not two, but three men on horseback across the clearing from her. Dressed in what could easily be mistaken for a thieves garment, she tensed up, but

Quickly removed the hood on her head to ensure she meant no harm. 

Given she was half-blind, the young half-half understandably become extremely anxious, her one good eye and crystal blue eye widening with alert. Her other eye was dull and grey, making it blatently obvious she couldn't see out of it. Nevertheless, she relaxed her arms to show her bow was indeed not pulled back in any way and called out to the men; "Apologies! I hadn't realized more were hunting around here." Without another word, Roesia moved to recover the quail she had shot, but as she neared she realized her arrow was not the only weapon to strike the fat bird.
Lupe
"Well met." *He raised a hand in salute to the hooded woman that had nailed the same quail that he had thought to take himself. She seemed friendly enough, and it was a good sign that she had removed her hood. Regardless, the two rangers accompanying him took their bows off their backs and nocked arows as a precaution, though they did not fire or raise their bows to any target.* "It was a wonderful shot. I did not think anyone else was hunting here either, or I would not have tried to take your quail."

"The bird is yours. It was certainly taken with more skill than my shot." *He smiled at the half-elf. Those battle scars looked like claw marks, and one eye was ruined. It seemed that this woman was accustomed to roughing it, from the looks of her garb and her demeanor. He wondered what kind of experiences she'd had in these woods - whether she liked hunting in general. After all, he had only just started to get the hang of the hobby. He could feel the metal in her weapons - steel, and good steel, made up her arrowheads and other accoutrements. Brass buckles. A few copper and tin coins. It was as he might have expected, but seeing what people held was always a nice experience - gave you a little more information about their personality, even if they thought otherwise.

He dismounted from horseback and started towards her, raising his arms as he motioned for the dagger to return to him. It zipped back out of the quail and into his palm, where he sheathed it at his side. His warhammer remained upon his horse, and there was no further weaponry he seemed to carry. With a closer look, his plate armor seemed to bend and flex around him like a second skin, accounting for the lack of clinking noise when he moved, though his footsteps themselves were not quiet.* "I'm surprised that we picked the same target, however. Coincidences such as these happen once in a blue moon. I'm Prince Astalios. Your name is...?"
David
While she was tensed even more at the sight of the guards pulling their bows at, she realized quickly that the man getting off of his horse must have been a royal or noble. While she was amazed with how the dagger flung from the bird and straight back toward the well-dressed man approaching her, she was soon shocked when he complimented her and announced his name and title; a *Prince* No less. Without hesitation, Roesia gave a nearly perfect curtsy, and while she was still slightly behind the bush she was using for cover, it didn't make her any less courteous to a man with such a status. Looking up as he walked closer and closer, she stood straight once more with a scoff.

"Oh- m'lord, the bird is yours if its to your liking. I'm Roesia, Roesia Vu- Vuldrey. It's a honor to meet you."

Roesia caught herself before she spoke her actual last name with a cough. She herself was from a noble background, her family the Vuldratrada's were located in Hyburn. Her two noble parents were still very much alive, and for all she knew there was a missing person's bounty on her head. It had been many, *Many* Years since she had even thought of or heard from her parents since she had been afflicted with lycanthropy, and rather than return home to potentially be killed for the beast within her, she remained in the woods, a loner to hunt and live as she please rather than be suffocated by corsets and royal balls.

"It does seem to be quite the coincidence, m'lord. I didn't take the Prince of Alynthi to be a hunter, especially with such a difficult weapon to throw and hit a target with." Realizing what she had said, Roesia sheepishly walked out from the bush and let out a sigh like laugh, hoping the prince would look over her assumptions of his royal status.
Lupe
"No, no, I insist. You've earned it." *He returned her curtsey with a bow of the head, a sign of respect, 
 though the fact that the curtsey was more polished than it should have been went over his head. He wasn't one for politics. He bent down to pick up the quail and handed it to her himself, intending to go off and hunt somewhere else after this woman got her fill. There were always other quails, other places to go afterwards. This woman might not have the same opportunity, he thought, and it would be cruel to rob her of her prize. It was well shot.*

"It is my divine will, and as such is beyond contention." *He joked afterward, a smile crinkling the corners of his eyes. Her accent seemed to be that of a commoner, and the way she said 'm'lord' as opposed to 'my lord' kept any suspicion of nobility out of his mind. For now, she was simply a good archer who had the misfortune to aim at the same quail.*

"Well, ma'am, to tell you the truth, I'm *Not* Much of a hunter. At least, not until recently - I was getting a bit restless, and my father suggested a hunt, which leads into the next small secret... I didn't actually throw the dagger. It was magic." *He chuckled.* "I'm sorry if that gave you the illusion of my skill, but I happen to be a somewhat decent transmutation mage. I can propel metal back and forth rather easily - and I thought, well, why bring a bow if I can use my magic as a bowstring? If I actually tried to throw it, I'm sure the result would be much, much worse."

*She seemed pleasant enough, and the laugh she gave was enough of a contrast with the courtesans he met on a daily basis that he wasn't used to dealing with this particular situation. It was a breath of fresh air - perhaps hunting really was a good hobby to pick up.*

"I assume, though, that your hunting experience is greater than mine - if you don't mind me asking, what is your favorite part about it?"
Adam
*Up in a nearby tree, two eyes were watching the pair of individuals. Richard was balancing in a nearby tree, and he has his bow in his hands, an arrow knocked. He in particular kept an eye on the prince. The locals new better than to flaunt their wealth in this part of the woods, but he rarely bothered them anyways. 

The prince however was a different situation. He didn't realize the royalty, but the armor, the armed goons, the crown on his head, it was clear this arrogant fool though his crown gave him protection. Not out here. He continued to watch, waiting for him to no doubt antagonize the poor local, to make demands and then burn down her village when they could not be met. But this conversation seemed different. He seemed, almost cordial, not like the self-important Buffoons he usually robbed. He would watch and wait, listening to the distant sound of their voices on the wind.*
David
Despite his status, Astalios seemed like a genuine being in Roesia's eyes; well, eye. A smile formed on her lips at his words and she took the quail with a gentle sigh of relief. To be completely honest, she wasn't looking forward to the possibility of her lunch being snagged, but she knew that was sometimes the simple way of the forest and hunting within it. With a silent prayer to the God of Nature & Animals Galedrial, she hooked the bird to her side to avoid holding a dead animal in the prince's face. At the mention of his magic being what had killed the bird, she raised an eyebrow, the look on her face similar to that of a jokingly disappointed parent.

"Well, you aren't the only one who uses magic to hunt." Roesia gently wrapped her hands around the amulet on her neck once more, and a faint purple glow began to pour out from between her fingers. Within a few seconds, a large falcon appeared on the half-elf's shoulder and it was nearly completely see-through. Completely purple and glowing faintly, the falcon tilted it's head and cocked it every which way as it quietly chirped to itself. Roesia then released her hand from the amulet and held her free hand beneath the falcon, expressing her words with her hands as she spoke. "This is Hera. She's a familiar I use to scan the ground with a bird's eye view. I may be blind in one eye, but while I use her powers of sight I can see just as good as she can."

As the prince then asked her about how her experience with hunting was, she frowned a bit in thought. How could she put it into words? As an archer, the world nearly stopped as an arrow left her bowstring. Time slowed down almost completely as she savored in the rush of a fresh kill- but was that the wolf within her, or actually her? Unsure how to answer without sounding like a lunatic, she gave a much simpler one. "Galedrial watches over me and allows me to hunt each and every day. Being watched over by such a powerful being is all I need, truthfully, m'lord.

That and venison is delicious." Roesia let out a gentle and much more relaxed laugh, unaware that other eyes were on her and the prince.
Lupe
*The sigh of relief confirmed in his mind that he had done the right thing by giving her the kill. After all, he could simply return to any town and be fed, whereas from the way she looked at it, she might have needed to eat it for dinner. He was not in the habit of depriving his subjects of food, and there was no exception here. He kept in his own sigh of relief, and instead simply smiled at the use of magic that she was weaving in front of his eyes.*

"She's a wonderful bird. Unfortunately, I'm not much of a falconer, so take my word with a grain of salt, but there's a good intelligence about most familiars that I tend to find quite entertaining." *Her blindness wasn't a subject he thought he was going to her her espouse, but it was true that sometimes, magic could make up for a disability or two. There was much in the world of magic that he had not explored - nay, **Could** Not explore at all. It was a fact of life, he supposed, just like this woman's blindness.*

"May Galedrial watch over us all." *He smiled. Inwardly, he wondered if she might think him insane for his connection to Anthron. War was not something most people courted - and the joy he felt in combat was certainly not normal to espouse. Everyone felt it, he thought, but none spoke of it. His connection, though... There was something about the way he felt that made him think of what to do to control himself. Hunting happened to be one way to exercise that competitive urge without actually fighting...*

"As for venison being delicious, on that count I can agree wholeheartedly. I remember we had a whole venison roast on the table, seasoned well with wine and cranberries. It's still one of my favorite meals, but I do seldom get to taste it. In that case, hunting might satisfy my stomach as well as my head for restless activity, don't you think?" *He asked, thinking back to a banquet long ago. He was a grown man now, twenty-eight years of age, but when he was a child, he had so loved them.*
David
With a gentle nod, the falcon upon Roesia's shoulders completely disappeared and the amulet around her neck stopped glowing. She cast her eyes upward a bit, given he had a good few inches on her. His talk of familiars caused a small smile to form which only grew with his prayer to Galedrial. Though she supposed a prince should be an active follower of each and every god, even if he chose to worship some more than others. Roesia mainly prayed to Galedrial given her closeness with his domain, but after each kill she'd not only think him but the Goddess of Life and God of Death, Viviana and Ygdramen respectively. Each allowed her to take the life of her prey, which meant thanks was in order each and every time. 

As Astalios spoke of royal feasts with venison roast, Roesia could feel her stomach turn into a knot. Not because she was starving for food or anything, but she knew similar feasts all too well. At least, she did. Memories of running around the manor, being chased by dining staff for stealing forks to pretend they were sword; she didn't even realize she had begun to drift off into her own memories, all the while staring into the prince. Shaking her head a bit, she shrugged. "I can't say I've ever experienced such a thing, m'lord." 'Liar', Roesia thought to herself, but she couldn't afford to be found by her parents.

The half-half was old enough now that she wouldn't be forced to come home. Her worries now were how disappointed her parents would be in her for never coming home. They would surely found out about her lycanthropy, be it by Roesia speaking the truth or her changing and them witnessing it. Nevertheless, no matter how much her parents loved and missed her, lycanthropy was an extremely misunderstood and rightfully feared affliction with no cure past the first blood moon or 'change'. Roesia didn't exactly remember hers, but the aftermath was still tattooed into her mind forever. Snapping out of it once more,

She continued, "Hunting is a great pastime and an even better way to learn patience and understand the world outside of castle walls, if you don't find my words out of place m'lord."
Lupe
"I realize that being party to a royal banquet requires nobility, but sometimes, I do wish that feasting was a part of every person's life. It is a wonderful experience to be at one - there with the fire in the hearth roaring, children chasing each other around tables. I'm ashamed to say that I once turned my uncle's purse from gold to lead during one of these feasts - and unfortunately, only one mage in the castle would dare to do such a thing. Unique talent notwithstanding." *Astalios grinned ear to ear.* "It was always a favorite trick of mine - turning golden or silver or copper coins to lead, making them appear fake. A firestarter, to be sure - but it was good mischief as a small boy."

*This Roesia seemed to be very good company. Even with her falcon gone, he supposed that she knew some kind of nature magic - he could not summon a familiar, nor could he even conjure the iron that he most often used for his magical reagents. There was no spell of change that he could cast to make his horse Tempest bound to him, but the gray stallion was enough of a friend to him that he perhaps didn't need to.*

"Of course, I don't mind a few words spoken from the heart." *He waved it away.* "You're right, of course, but I've had my fair share of life outside the castle walls. I became part of a unit of soldiers for a few years, lived as a rank and file man at arms. We went searching for bandits, all did the same drudgery. I was technically the superior of even our generals, but I thought it would be fit for me to learn discipline and self-control while acting as a private rather than an officer. After those years, I got my training as an officer in earnest, and it may seem wrong, but the experience is very different. Loyalty is a strange thing. You can keep your troops well-supplied, and they will love you, but they need to know the hierarchy is in place. An officer's duty is to keep order, and it was much different than being the friend of the men."
David
Shifting her weight to one hip, Roesia listened while idly running her hands through the leaves in a nearby bush. Not out of boredom, nothing more than a simple idle motion while they talked. Before she knew it, Roesia found herself taking in some of the prince's features. Like any other royal, she rightfully expected him to be quite the looker, and she wasn't disappointed to say the least. But what mattered more than his good or bad looks was his heart, which was drawing the ranger in to know more about him. She knew, most likely better than any other 'commoner' Astalios had met that there was more to royalty and nobility than gold, power and politics. They were people, just like the poor, the evil, the normal. They just happened to be born into better lives.

Hearing how mischievous the prince seemed to be at a young age reminded Roesia only of herself as a young half-elf, which brought a noticeably nostalgic yet sad look to her face. As the prince continued, she nodded in a silent surprise. It explained why he was so well-mannered if not for his upbringing that was. "I suppose that would have taught you quite a lot, and explains why you're such a gentleman, m'lord." Roesia smiled up at Astalios before turned her head to look off into the forest. "That reminds me-" Lifting two fingers to her mouth, Roesia let out a shrill whistle and before too long a large black and white horse came galloping to her nearby with only a saddle on its back and a few bags on either side. Astalios's guards were quickly be relieved, as there was no rider on the back of this horse.

"I'm sorry, handsome I got caught up in conversation and left you stranded." As her horse, Angus, approached she and the prince, the half-elf reached her hand up and pat his tense and muscular neck before unhooking the quail from herself and rather on to Angus's saddle.

Turning back to the prince, she gestured toward her large horse, who seemed to be reaching his head out toward the prince rather rudely. "This is Angus. Though, he seems a bit testy since I left him for a bit too long." Roesia playfully pushed his head away before looking back to the prince once more. "If you'll have me, m'lord, I'd be happy to tag along with your hunt. Its the least I can do for allowing me to keep the quail."
Lupe
"Well, I wouldn't be much of a nobleman if I wasn't doing my best to be noble." *He shrugged his shoulders at her compliment. He was quite used to empty ones, being at court for so long, but it was rare that someone with a loose tongue like hers gave a compliment in earnest to him. Mostly because loose tongues were a rare thing in the world of court, and gossip was the only thing that traveled farther and faster than arrows through the air. Certainly not honest compliments. Perhaps flattery.

There was something about that expression of hers - she seemed sad? Wistful, perhaps that was a better word. It was a wistful look. He wondered why, but it would have been impolite to ask. Manners were for good conversation, and not prying into personal business was a key component of being well-mannered. Many courtesans would know how to ask such a question in a polite way, but to him, it was as good as lost.*

"What a beautiful horse." *He noted as his eyes trailed the well-looked-after animal. It had no fancy saddle, but it was clearly a friend to her as much as Tempest was to him. His own destrier was a massive warhorse, but he was about equal in size with the Clydesdale. To call her horse with a whistle was a trick he hadn't thought of. Perhaps it would be a good battlefield command, but the horse was unlikely to hear the whistle in the confusion of a war... At any rate, it was worth trying out later, when he wasn't liable to make a fool of himself in public.*

"If you'd like to help me with a few pointers, I certainly wouldn't mind if you accompany us. This is Jerrod, and this is Michael. Both of them are royal rangers who have accompanied me on my hunt so far - and to be safe, I hope you won't mind if you're searched for hidden weapons? You're an enchanting conversationalist, of course, but so are many assassins." *He asked apologetically. The two rangers gave a nod each as they were introduced, and Jerrod nodded firmly as the prospect of searching bags was brought up.*
Adam
*Richard looked on deep in thought. It was clear the local trusted the Noble, and he was treating her well. But at the same time he was a noble. He hated the crown on his head and the guards at his side. But at the same time if he was a good man, he didn't want to kill him just for his coin. But many would. Could he let a good man die? He would sit in the tree for several painful minutes before deciding to act. If he turned out like the rest, he could kill him later.*

*He climbed down slowly and surely, using his very limited illusion magic to mask the sound of his footsteps, as he would slink silently closer. Eventually he would stand within easy bowshot. He would put the arrow back in the quiver, before stepping out into the open.*

"It is unwise to flaunt your wealth so openly, especially in these parts of the woods." *He would stand stone still as he said this, his green cloak concealing his features. "Many would kill for such a prize. Your worried about hidden weapons, but a man in a bush need not conceal his bow if he is plenty hidden."
Lupe
*As he came within bowshot, Astalios felt the introduction of new metal - arrowheads. He turned to face the ranger long before Richard revealed himself, and simply waited for his revelation. There was not much use trying to hide from him when one had weapons of any good worth on them - Steel, bronze, iron, silver - all of them were under the domain of the prince's limited magic. But at that magic, he excelled.*

"I see I've found more than one new companion out hunting today." *Astalios's voice hardened as his rangers raised bows to both Richard and Roesia, pointing the arrows squarely at them.* "You believe you were hidden, but I can assure you that you were mistaken. If you would like to try to take the prize, fire." 

*With a flick of his hand, the studs in Richard's leather armor extracted themselves from his jerkin, his arrowheads melted into iron slag, and Astalios pulled the molten metal from his jerkin and quiver into an orb, floating in front of him.* 

"If you are friendly, then I have no quarrel with you, and I will return your weapons. But for the future, it is not wise to make assumptions. Every pond has a bigger fish." *He advised. His gaze turned to Roesia, and he wondered for a moment if this was a setup. There could be quite the advantage to working in two-man teams, and a distraction was always worth it.

It was commendable setup, if only the two of them had been more prepared. Any good assassin that had wanted to kill Astalios would have used nonmetallic ammunition, but even then, he had cast a contingency spell on his armor that he was quite proud of. Layers upon layers. It was one of the few things he was able to do - set conditions for his transmutation. If a projectile entered his space at speed, the armor would mold itself to deflect it. Similarly, without their knowledge, he had cast the same spell upon the coins in each of the rangers' pockets.*

"I do hope this isn't a combined effort."
David
With a voice behind her, Roesia quickly tightened the grip around her bow, but left her open back toward the prince. Her reaction would surely be enough of an answer. In fact, she was a bit surprised the thought had come to Astalios's mind, though she supposed it only made sense given they had just met. Feeling the hair on her neck stand up, Roesia knew the archer's that were with the prince would surely have their arrows primed at her own head, along with the strangers. She quickly relaxed her grip on her bow and shook her head, her back still to the prince and his men. "I can assure you I do not know this man; though I have a pretty good idea who he may be or be with.."

Having lived in the Greenheart Woods for so long, you get accustomed to the people who frequently visit it. One such was a mysterious man who attacked the more fortunate should they prove to have bad hearts and protect those who can't do so for themselves. A noble life to live indeed, which only led Roesia to wonder if this truly was the Wolf of the Greenheart Forest. *Funny name given her own affliction, she thought.* For now, Roesia stayed frozen, for she feared arrows may strike her from either side.
Adam
*He would maintain an impassive expression to the magic. A surprise to be sure, but his gear was still effective without the metal gear, mostly. A surprising plus of using homemade stone arrows for hunting. Nevertheless he would stand holding his bow. He wished he had his old flint knife, but what where the odds he would need that over his metal one? Enough apparently.*

"A nice trick, pity you didn't think to use it to hide your crown. The thieves in this Forest won't just hide in a tree, waiting to take a pot shot from a random tree. Well, some will." *He shrugged slightly at the less skilled of the tradesmen.* "More likely they will ambush with falling rocks, or dig pits with spikes, or snakes. That is just some of the nefarious means. They will use. On a different note, no I am not with her, she's just a hunter. As long as your men lower your weapons, there is no quarrel. You haven't earned my ire yet."
Lupe
"Why would I hide it?" *He asked, shrugging his shoulders as the orb rewound itself into the arrowheads and armor studs that he had taken from the cloaked man. He motioned to the two guards, who cautiously lowered their bows, and said nothing more.* "It is neither a crime to be who I am nor a crime to make myself known. At any rate, combating banditry is a duty of mine. Call it a way of seeing how much my services are needed in the area."

*The thought of fighting for his life was a rush to the head that Astalios quickly told himself he shouldn't experience. Getting excited over conflict was never a good thing, even when it was eliminating threats to the general populace. It was all very well and good to protect his subjects, but to like it too much was always a sign of his lack of self-control. He forced down the thoughts battering at his head, and let himself relax once more.*

"It's good to know that people must *Earn* Ire in this forest, then. Too often, it is simply given based on the size of the purse, and not the content of one's character." *He remarked as he cocked an eyebrow at Richard, whose petty remarks were quite beneath him at this point. There was no use in impressing upon him the precautions he had taken - in fact, that was probably counterintuitive if the man really **Was** Some sort of bandit.*

"I am glad that this is only a coincidental meeting, then. And of course, if you would like to join us, if Roesia doesn't mind, I don't believe the hunting trip is quite over, though the last few minutes of it have been rather eventful." *He extended the offer politely to the man in the green cloak, though his private thoughts burned with ire at the small barbs the man had snipped at him. As if he had the grounds to say 'pity', or make him aware of tricks he had learned long ago wearing a plain soldier's uniform.*