Raul
Scarlett Prynne
In a city that will be determined eventually

*An interesting response,* She mused. *Chivalrous and yet... Not.* She winced a little and favored her right ankle as he picked her up and set her back on her feet, swaying a little as if she might fall again. She used that as an excuse to rest her hands on his chest as she gazed up at him from beneath her lashes, her emerald eyes searching his face. 

She smiled playfully at him once she had steadied herself and replied coyly, "I find myself in vulnerable, compromising positions quite frequently, though seldom with anyone as strong as you." She gave him a playful little wink and then lightly pushed herself off of his chest so that she was standing, though she still favored her right foot. 

As she dusted herself off, she continued, "Thank you for your help, sir. Would... Well, it seems that I've sprained my ankle. Would you be willing to help me carry my belongings to my carriage? I would have done it myself, but with this ankle..." She trailed off and looked up at him once more, hoping that he would agree, though she hadn't mentioned any payment for his work.
Hassan
General Wendy Margir
The Inn

Wendy remained still and silent as Taichar gingerly gathered his things, ignoring Galen's impatient shifting from foot to foot. The rest of the mini-platoon were just a few paces away, now, the horses nodding their heads in anticipation of being on the move, again. Even as Galen grabbed the reins to her horse and brought him to her side, Wendy's gaze remained fixed on Taichar's eyes.

_You could have run away, the second I told you that you would be bait,_ she thought as she considered his face. The fury from the night before was gone. For that, she was thankful. The woman winced, inwardly, considering the words she'd spoken to even get him to that point. Had he forgiven her, so soon? Even after digging a jab into a wound, bitter still? 

Carefully, Wendy grabbed one of the rabbit strips, pulling her eyes away from Taichar's for a moment to examine it. It looked more appetizing than any of the food her and her men had stored away. Feeling her men watching, their gazes nothing short of wary, Wendy took a small bite. She chewed, blinking as she began savoring the flavor on her tongue. It was well-infused into the meat, and the additional salts and spices served to enhance everything brilliantly.

The woman swallowed, nodding a few times. She then looked up toward Taichar again, holding the strip of meat closer to her chest.

"Thank you," She said. Though, her tone was not that of someone showing a simple gratitude for a bite to eat. Her thanks reached further than that. _Thank you, for staying with me,_ she wished she could say. Her pride wouldn't allow it, though.

"Ma'am, we should be going," Galen finally said. The rest of the platoon had already mounted their horses.

Wendy turned her head, seeing her horse there. She reached up a hand to rub its nose, making it whinny and blow out an affectionate little snort. 

"Right. Let's go, then," Wendy said, tucking the strip of meat away in her cloak and turning to mount her horse.
Ellen
Taichar-Yu
The Inn

Taichar-Yu was not a man of grudges. His story would set the most reknowned of knights to boiling and frothing at the flesh, but he was calm in his reserve and his nerve unwavering. There was too much unrealized potential in places and people to be so angry all the time. His brows shifted as he thought on it; he thought people like that were normaly? Everyone where he had came from had the same calm temper, but then again, they knew not the horrors of war beyond the occasional skirmish with a rivaling clan over territory or playing 'soldiers' with one another, their tiny bows and meek quivers looked intimidating when they were so young. Now it was a reality. 

Like a field basking in the warmth of the midday sun, his face bloomed vibrantly as he watched her eyes speckle in amazement at his curing abilities. He wasn't a good cook in terms of elegancy, but he was very good at keeping things simple and comforting in a savory sort of way. He smiled in appreciation and nodded. He completely missed the tone in her voice and just felt happy to be able to share his craft with someone. His rolled tent and provisions set his horse's back to curving, but the hearty beast was like no other and it bore the weight well. Taichar saddled up and followed the rest. 

If it was possible, he would have felt the connection of heat that Wendy placing the meat against her chest left. He watched with amused eyes as she tucked it into her cloak, it was warming enough to make him feel like he potentially belonged here.
Darrell
Calder Alaric
In a city that will be determined eventually

*She thinks she's hot stuff, doesn't she? Bat a few eyelashes and suddenly the world is at her feet. Maybe a lesson in humility will do her some good.*
"Fine. Point me in the right direction and I'll see what I can do. As long as you don't consider your house as part of your belongings."
*So she has a carriage but no one to move her possessions? Surely someone who can hire or buy one can also afford extra manpower.*

Seemingly unconsciously, Calder stroked his axe again. If he showed himself to be an easy target, no doubt he'd need to spill blood to get away. It'd be best to get this over with, and quickly, so that as little attention is brought to him and his apparent partner.
Raul
Scarlett Prynne
In a city that will be determined eventually

She smiled brightly when he agreed to carry her trunk for her, delighted that the ruse had worked. Men were *So* Easy. Perhaps she could scrounge up a bit to pay him for his troubles, though she really couldn't offer him much. Money was tight with no clients to service at the moment, and she was already starting to dip into her savings; she would need that to establish herself elsewhere and to ride out the plague!

"Thank you so much!" She replied warmly. "It's just a trunk, as I really don't have much. But I have it all packed up and just needed to bring it back, until silly old me fell! I'm just so clumsy sometimes." She continued rambling as she led him in the direction of her house. She favored her left foot for a few steps, then remembered it was supposed to be her right foot that was injured and quickly corrected the situation.
Ellen
Taichar-Yu
Witherlands Mountain Pass

Silence fell upon the land between the occasional crunching of snow under a hoof. Horse after horse lumbered along, Taichar's eyes vigilant as he scanned the snow. He had the continual feeling something bad was about to happen that presently stayed in the center of his chest. His eyes were affixed from the snow, then to Wendy and back. He was boring serious eyes into the back of her head until he heard it.

An avalanche. 

Crumbling rocks and fragments of ice cascaded down the sides of the steep ravine they were lodged in. Taichar turned and began riding back in the opposite direction with no further notice. He had seen this happen too many times to get himself stuck in such a dire situation and before he knew it the world was blanketed in white, erupting from behind him like a fog machine. Whirling frost bit at his face and he breathed in the shards of ethereal glass, coughing and sputtering as he rode blindly on.

`Wendy and her platoon was gone. Taichar vanished into the smoke of the frosted flame, going back into solitude.`