Hazel
*It wasn't often that Niles had too many out-of-town deliveries, but when they came around, he tended to enjoy them more often than not. It wasn't too long ago - perhaps ten or thirteen years - that he thought he would spend his life in one singular town, never venturing out to a place like A'shona. He checked his brown leather bag over again to make sure the book was securely wrapped in place, not in danger of wrinkling or folding before it was first opened. It was bad business to have a damaged product to deliver. 

As he stepped from the wayshrine, his face was met with a warm breeze that could only have come from living south of the mountains - though the sight of the town, with its thatched roofs and stone walls, occasional shingles, and the constant bustle of the market brought back memories indeed. It was quieter in Gantrick, he remembered, for there were less people to fill the air with noise. He heard someone call for eggs in the distance amongst the jumble of conversation - and the sunlight of the late morning was doubtless warming the manure he faintly smelled in the distance.

Some people hated the smell, but for him, it was a reminder of home - one that he didn't often encounter.

A casual walk through the square took him to the marketplace, where he had heard the far-off yell for eggs - and his eyes skipped from place to place, casing the area and making sure that he was on the right streets. Through the crowd of people he walked, happy to hear the bartering and arguing that meant the city was living and breathing. Signposts gradually pointed him towards his destination - a small house past the mill road, beyond the gate and well into the heart of A'shona.*

_ _
*His daggers rested inside his jacket, and though a friendly smile was affixed to the face of the golden-haired courier, he knew that nothing was more dangerous than an out-of-town delivery at times. If an enemy had found him out and wished to get him someplace vulnerable, the cost was only a few silver coins.

A few minutes later, he found himself walking steadily on a cobblestone road, his gray cloak firmly around his shoulders, enjoying the sunshine. He never really disliked the heat, despite the way he was dressed - it spoke to the gecko in him, he supposed. Heat meant sun, and sun meant comfort. Much different than the freezing winters of Gantrick had been. Niles was a lean man, with a long, angular face that seemed to be ever-smiling - but this time, it was true.

Blue-gray eyes darted from house to house, searching for the right signposts for the address...*
Robert
Siora: *The cobblestone road that would lead to his destination would slowly start to become less and less the stones being covered more in dirt and grass as it showed the path was old and less kept up as the rest of the roads around the town. The road would start to go more into an outer area with trees and what sounded like a stream close by. It was a peaceful walk to the cottage, the birds singing as the grass would blow softly in the breeze. As Niles was getting closer to the off path home he would see in the distance a small cottage. The cottage was built on a foundation of stones off the ground by five feet, no doubt under that stone area was a small root cellar. The cottage itself was made up of logs that had been intricately cut and stacked to make up the two stories of the house, it than framed around the windows and edges with a darker wood to set off the bleached out colored logs used for making up the home. It was small, no doubt being all one room for the main area and small upstairs for more storing and a bed to be in. 

It was surrounded by trees and as they got closer could hear the stream more clearly. The person who had built this home had no doubt built it by the stream for easy access to the water as it didn't seem they had a well close by to draw water from. The place almost felt like it was more connected to nature than other places closer to the town. Maybe this is something that this person wanted was to be away from others. It sure seemed almost like they were a bit of a recluse with how far out there were from the town.*

*On the small porch there would be some chimes hanging above the door, they would be made out of wood and carved with introcate lines. Made to ward off evil spirits from entering the home and the area around the cottage. The person living in the cottage was a bit superstical on wanting to keep the evil away from their home, mostly because they feared that they might become a fairy that would do more harm to others if around them for too long. Though they still were searching for their purpuse in life and for now they thought that as finding maybe who their father was if they were luck.*
Hazel
*As the cobblestones began to thin, Niles's mood improved further. The manure he'd smelled in the distance was more pungent here as he made his way to the outskirts of A'shona city. In such a place as Thyseer, the very countryside was alive with magic. Everything was intensified, a sign of its taint with fey magic. The half-frozen countryside of Slydenn was much different than this warm paradise, but still, one farm could hardly be too different from another. Both places required water and sun and tending for crops to grow, no matter what they might be. It was hard work, but rewarding.

The trickle of a stream met his ears, and around the banks sprouted a small copse of trees. The home that sat next to it, presumably his destination, was a simple log cabin with a stone foundation. Unconnected to any of the surrounding farmland, but still a cozy place to live if one had a way to make their living. Immediately, the eye for detail of its inhabitants was on full display - the carvings on the chimes, the dark stain around the windows. Two stories was a rather large house for a solitary dwelling, but who was he to judge? All he'd been paid for was the book delivery. Three silver pieces, his out-of-town rate. It was the same as urgent deliveries, and usually worked out to be cheap enough that people considered it.

The porch seemed well-made, he thought - and the chimes were well-fashioned, too. If this was a woodworker's home, he could have believed it. A few carpenters he knew chose to maintain houses out near the farms they serviced. It would have made a good deal of sense - but as Kalev often said, the mind of a spy must be open to information and closed to assumptions. He made his way to the door, knocking the dust off his boots on the small cobbled path to the porch along the way, and raised his knuckled to it. A quick few raps on the door made for a good alarm, in his estimation.*

_ _
"Ethan Pedron, courier service." *He called into the house as he stepped back from the door, seemingly at ease. His left hand lingered near a hidden dagger, ready to grasp it should he need to - just in case. Niles was a lean man, with a weathered face that seemed to be forever smiling. His hair was the color of golden straw and fell to his ears. Crinkled eyes of a cloudy gray-blue peered around the shop, finding most of it as it had been. He wore tough, simple work pants of beige cloth, and worn-out boots of brown leather. Under the gray peddler's cloak was a dusty brown tunic.*
Rebecca
*Siora would be busy bustling around her cottage, though it might look big at being a two story it really wasn't big at all. It was small and the second story really was more just a loft like area that had a window looking out if you so wanted to. Siora wasn't very craftly or so she thought but had spend a long time building the small cottage to her liking and with the things that made her feel safe. Moving out of the towns was a big step for her but one she was glad to have made since she felt a connection to nature once again. As long as she didn't find a hunter around her place hunting just for fun, she seemed to be fine with the people around her.

At hearing someone knocking she would look at the door, leaning back and tilting her head to let her good ear be close to the door to make sure she had heard a knock and to keep from spilling her arms full of things she had been moving around. Yelling out to the door once she realized someone was there. "Give me just a moment! I will be right there, I am just a bit fu-" At that moment there would be a loud crash in the house as Siora would drop all of the things in her arms as she had tripped on the edge of the rug she had, a sling of curses coming out next as she would was cursing out the rug and a few other things.*

*It would take a bit more before the door would open up, a disheveled woman would be standing in the doorway, though they were only around 4'5". It became obvious quickly that they were a fairy with the wings behind them, but they also had some other blood in them with the taller side. Though the strangest part was the tattoo looking marks on their skin, it was not fully normal for a fairy but was not normal for any other type either. Siora would push her hair out of her face as she looked up at the person in front of her. "Ah! Uh hello, do you need something? Sorry for taking so long to get to the door. Also, if you wouldn't mind speaking a bit louder when you talk. I can only hear partially." Once her hair was out of her face there as a distinct scar running from her ice blue eye to her ear on her left side.*
Hazel
*A crash from inside, a yell. The inhabitant of the two-story cabin seemed a bit clumsier than the exterior would suggest. Perhaps they'd paid for it, but he supposed that was irrelevant. A woman's voice from the inside. A little off key. Cursing. A commoner's accent. If this was an act, it was certainly quite convincing. A female commoner, perhaps with some skill at crafts, definitely quite attentive to appearances. Perhaps not attentive to their balance, if the clatter from inside was to be believed. 

A few moments passed, and Niles simply enjoyed the sunshine, retrieving the book from the brown leather bag and dusting off the covering it had been wrapped in. Best to have the package ready for delivery when the door was opened. As the hinges swung and the inside was revealed, he quickly assessed the woman that appeared in front of him. Short, much too short to be an elf. Hair knocked about around her face. Wings askew. A half-fairy, then, for she was much too tall to be a full one. The tattoos were of some interest - not too many people chose to mark their skin unless they were status symbols. Many who could not afford to choose had theirs marked as slave branding.

It was intricate, but that told little other than the fact that someone valued the marks. A valued slave was still a slave. The scar might have lent some credence to that assumption, as well - there was a long mark, trailing from eye to ear. He was surprised she had hung onto life, from the location alone - the ear was scarred over, and that meant that the blade had bitten deep into her face. Not enough to crack her skull. Torture was a possibility.*

"Oh, uh- I'll try to speak up." *A false fumble was a good way to assure people you had made some slipups. He cleared his throat, spoke a bit too loud.* "My name's Ethan Pedron! I'm a courier from Ardunon - I have a book for you! *On The Nature of Fairies and Their Magick*, by Callum Elenya!"

_ _
*The calculations occurring behind the smiling eyes of Niles Haran went unspoken as he brandished the package, ever polite. There was no pause given as he covered his tracks with business - his mouth moved almost automatically as he made his estimations. Kalev had hammered it into him in training, before his face was changed.*

"Is this the right address!?"
Rebecca
*Siora would laugh a bit at him speaking a bit louder than needed. A lot of people did that when around her as they always mistook her lack of full hearing to being she could hardly hear unless you were yelling at her. Though she didn't take it as offensive or anything, she simply found it funny and usually would tease someone about it.* "I think you got the volume a little loud, we don't won't to get me deaf now. Yes, you are at the correct address. That's the book I ordered. I'm trying to figure out about my father, got to be answers about the fairy type to get some idea. My mother was never much help for me learning about him. I figure than maybe if I learn about different fairies I can see which kind he is. It's all kind of exciting I suppose to see if you can solve the mystery." 

*Siora would smile at him a bit, she didn't much care about how her scars looked. At one time she'd tried to hide them, act more like a good fairy and all that but she'd learned it was better to be herself as long as she stayed away from ones who decided to hurt the nature around her. Than she usually was needing to hide a dead body or make it look as if an animal attack had happened. Though luckily that only happened a few times.* " Oh, uh since you come such a long way from the town would you like something to drink or eat? Also I can tell your thinking I look a bit different from a normal fairy and such. And no I was not a slave. Close once but not one of those, these are more... A mystery to myself as to others." *She would point to the tattoos as even she didn't understand how her scars had turned into the tattoos and how they glow at night. She wondered if it was something to do with her father as her mother never had such fairy magic. Though of course her mother always said she was just blessed by the moon goddess so who knows what the real answer was. Wouldn't really find it out here.*

*Siora would tilt her head a bit as she would look at him. She'd lived out here long enough to get a read of others to some extent, not saying she was great at it but she could tell he kept his guard up even though he acted like a simple delivery man.*
Hazel
"...Sorry, ma'am, I didn't realize." *His head dipped for a moment in embarrassment that bled through a little into reality. It wasn't the worst conjecture that the ear damage would have led to a need for greater volume, but so be it. At least it was the right address - she seemed to need the book, so he handed it over to her carefully, making sure the book wasn't damaged in transit.*

"That'll be three Findaran silver, or the equivalent." *He replied politely. He hadn't asked a single question beyond the address, but the information she was spouting seemed so voluminous and so readily given that she must have been asked a fair few times before - or else, she was providing a cover story very clumsily. Either she was a horrific spy or socially awkward. She'd grown up without a father, had no idea how she'd been tattooed? He supposed these were her mysteries to unravel, and he had no part of them - but a drink of water on the long road would be rather nice. It had been a while since A'shona, and a refill of his waterskin would be rather nice.*

"If you wouldn't mind, ma'am, I could do with a cup of water and some for the road." *He nodded in acceptance, a friendly smile still in place as she looked up at him. That glance he knew - it was scrutiny. He was beginning to think there was something to her beyond those tattoos that might be worth investigating. If this was a trap, he had to know - and perhaps he could capture her for questioning, if he made it out of this log cabin alive. He stepped forward into the cabin, ducking his head at the door.

A small beige spider winked into existence on the roof, outside of her line of sight. Summoning his familiar was as easy as breathing, but more importantly, the eyes of the ogre spider were excellent, and Squint turned his gaze outward to scan the tree line, trying to spot any enemy operatives in the area. His vision fed into Niles's own, letting him experience both worlds in one as he continued into the house.*

_ _
"...Is there anywhere I can hang my cloak?" *He asked, standing on the doormat inside.* "It's nice to have it off, sometimes - especially as the weather warms up."
Rebecca
*Siora would take the book as she would smile, running her hand lightly over the cover as she always loved the feel of a new book just as much as the feel from a worn out one. She was always studying something to try and find out her own mysteries but she'd yet to figure out a single one. Though she didn't let it keep her down as it wouldn't help her any to dwell on her failures so far. 

"There's no need to apologize, it happens a lot. At this point it's just funny to me, though could also be just because I hang out in this area by myself a lot soooo could just be I'm a bit crazy." *She would shrug as she stepped into her home as he walked in.* "I will get the three Findaran silver, just will be a moment as I have to get them out of my jar. You can hang your cloak on the hook just to your right. The furniture is a bit on the short side but you are welcome to sit till I get some water for you and the payment."

*Siora would walk into her kitchen area not far on the other side of her cottage. The place was all one room besides a small divider for changing and washing up, though it was still close to the fireplace to have an easy way to get warm water. The kitchen was not much, a row of shelves and a small counter for cooking. It all just kind of quent in its look. She would flare out her wings to fly up to her top shelf to get a jar, it having her money in it. Usually not being smart to show where you keep such a thing but she didn't always think ahead at such things. Once coming back to the ground she would take out the amount needed and than get some water from a jug she had on the counter. Getting two cups filled so she had one as well before coming over to her table.* "Okay here is the payment and your water. I can refill your waterskin or bring the jug over if you want to fill it up instead."
Hazel
*There was a time when Niles would never have checked for anyone around the house, but now there was no place he did not go where he didn't believe he was being followed. The spider's vision swept one way and the other, taking in the sights of the idyllic river bend. Nothing visible. But nothing visible did not mean there was nothing invisible. The spider's eyes fell to the ground, looking for strange clumps of grass pressed down by an invisible footstep, shrubs brushed aside or sat upon by invisible bodies. Yet all around there was quiet save for the birds. 

Those he scrutinized next - as a shifter himself, Niles knew never to trust animals. His gecko form had allowed him to eavesdrop on one too many conversations for him to be comfortable seeing birds fluttering around, and the spider's eyes scoped each of them out, making sure they weren't lingering or watching the house...

Maybe it was because she was a bit crazy, she said. Internally, Niles agreed immediately, but there was no way that the courier would have said as much to a patron. Certainly not before getting paid, or before getting a bit of water. No use biting the hand that fed you. He hung the cloak with a grateful nod and a smile, turning to a small but well-built chair to seat himself. The interior was a bit cramped for a shifter, but seemed just fine for someone as short as her - she was never going to be pressed for head room, he supposed.*

"Thanks." *He took the money in one hand, counting it out and weighing it briefly before placing it back into the brown leather bag he had carried in, then rising from his seat to fill up his waterskin.* "I'll fill it myself, don't worry about bringing it over." *He assured her, moving to the jug not only as a favor, but to observe the contents - unusual smells could be indicators of poison, even if the water was otherwise clear...*
Rebecca
"Well that's fine. I collect the water from the rains or sometimes from the stream out back if I didn't get enough rain water for drinking. I think rain water always tastes better. Though could just be the secluse in me." *She would set down the glasses of water before looking over at his cloak, she wondered a bit on where he'd gotten in as it seemed to still be together pretty well even though looking worn-out some.* "Oh would you like something to eat? I been having some vegetable soup simmering over the fire for a while so it would be about done if you would like some."

*Siora would seem to not mind having a stranger in her house as she just went about sort of doing what she was before he had came with her package. Take it over to a shelf of books as she set it down with the collection of fairy books she had. It was probably not something she would find in any book on what explained her tattoos or how she was a bit different from other fairies. She would need to go somewhere else and have either someone know more or have tests done to find out more. Though she never had any thoughts of finding it out from someone else. For her the small forest area was her home and where she felt safe, though to feel safe she wouldn't be finding answers.*

"I hope you don't mind me asking but how long have you been a carrier? And what species are you? You don't have to answer any of that I just am curious as I don't meet many others out here. It's just me out here. Sometimes I think no one would notice if I was kidnapped or killed. Though that's just my thinking." *She would shrug as she went over to her pot of soup and would taste it to see if it was about finished. Smiling at it tasting perfect to her.*
Hazel
*Rainwater, she said. It was hard not to think she was a bit wordy with her explanations - a habit that put him on edge still, as if there was more she was not telling. Talk, talk, talk - every word could be a smokescreen, meant to distract from the real truth. His mind was running in circles, trying to pay close attention to the way she spoke. Was there some sort of code?

He filled the waterskin, verifying that there was nothing visually different about it - but he thought better of staying for the soup. There was too much going on in this little cottage for his comfort. The way she carried on, the questions she was asking - it all added up to a bit more than a simple woman living in the woods, trying to find out about her past. There were too many suspicious phrases, words that didn't fall out of her mouth quite right.*

"I think I'm all right, ma'am - wouldn't want to get indigestion on the road." *He patted his stomach with a friendly smile. Best to get the answers out before he headed back to the city - letters to deliver and packages to haul. A drink or two, as well as a night of surveillance, were in order. Squint's vision returned nothing, yet again - and the spider winked out of existence, returning to the ether from which he had come.*

"...I've been a courier about six years now, ma'am, but isn't that last one a bit of a strange question?" *He asked, cocking an eyebrow. 'Sometimes I think no one would notice if I was kidnapped or killed' was a WEIRD thing to say, and even if she wasn't an enemy spy, he would have been out of that house in a jiffy regardless. There was no reason to stay when someone started speculating about their death in front of you.*

"I think it's best if I head out." *He picked his way over to his cloak and bag once more, throwing it around his shoulders with a polite smile, bowing his head in thanks.* "But I appreciate the water, ma'am. Enjoy your book, and if you need anything delivered, don't hesitate to order again."
Rebecca
*Siora would look at him and notice a bit she was talking too much. She would tend to do that when she was in a comfortable environment and with this being her home she was. She shook her head at her being a rambler, it tended to make people stray away from her a lot when she got like that since it wasn't exactly what you would expect with someone being a recluse in the forest.*

"I don't blame you, you probably have a lot more packages to deliver and don't want to deliver any of them late if can help it. It sounds like you had a pretty good amount of experience in the job of a carrier. I'm sure you find yourself in many of new places. Would no doubt give you a chance to see more of places than just staying in one area." *Siora would look at him before looking back at her soup, being embarrassed she said such a thing.* "I'm sorry about that, I tend to ramble... My mother always said I never really knew when to be quite when I was in an area I felt comfortable in. A bit why I moved out here I suppose, less people have to hear me just go one way than the other way with a conversation."

*She would look back at him at hearing him grabbing his cloak* "I hope you have a safe travel to your next destination. I will enjoy the book, I haven't found what I'm looking for yet but it might be in this book." *She would smile as she was trying to keep her own hopes up that just maybe this book would have the answers but didn't really believe it herself* "I doubt I will be getting any new books after this one, not unless some new fairy book comes out. I read every single one I can find by now, this was the last one. Guess if I don't find any answers here I guess I will just have to give up trying to figure it out." *Siora would shrug as she would get her pot off the fire and set it down to cool* "Either way I wish you the best of luck and safety on your travels as a carrier."
Hazel
"Well, if you ever think you're staying in one place too much, consider that wayshrines make it easy to go anywhere in the world. If you really want to visit someplace, you can." *He rolled his neck, stepping over the threshold and out of the house with a wave as she went on about her search for answers. At this point, his patience had worn thin - and then worn through. Nothing was going to get him out of the house fast enough.*

"Have a good day, ma'am." *He called over his shoulder as he set off down the path, seriously considering a drink as he made his way back to Findara...*