Mags

"Hmmm, let's go outside, the fresh air will be good for nerves." Allen nodded, he seemed content to follow them. In fact, he didn't seem particular tense about the test at all, just mildly curious. The servant he had addressed earlier handed it back to him dully.

His eyes narrowed. "Like I said," July insisted, "She's here early, I thought we'd be in another city by the time she caught up with us! And I'm well aware Jolane isn't safe around me, thank you for the reminder." He started up the stairs again, but then stopped and turned. "I have to go hide--I know it seems cowardly, but it's better this way. If August get's hurt will you help him for me? I'll watch from in here but I won't be able to get there very quickly if something goes wrong." --------------------------------- August and Septembers duel had been put on hold. He was standing by the tree line, sword gripped tightly in his left hand, breathing slowly. Unscathed accept for a few small cuts on his other arm. September was inspecting her own blade, which had snapped off around a third up. She seemed mildly surprised that he'd managed to do it, even though she'd seen him pull this trick before. Perhaps September assumed he was getting weaker. August waited for her to re-arm herself, out of respect for their long deceased friendship. With a bored sigh, she tossed the broken sword hilt aside, despite the fact that the hilt was inlayed with innumerable precious gems. Her assistant had put his pen and notepad aside to hold out a back-up to her. She unsheathed it with out looking at him, and advanced on August once again. ---------------------------------- One of the three soldiers in green approached them, clearly bored with watching swordplay. "Hey there! This isn't the place for sweet little things like you." He approached them, standing arrogantly with a hand resting on his sword hilt.

Allen nodded. "That's a good idea." "I already have any supplies I was going to use, so I'd be up for that," Nera added.

Callum watched his group from a few paces away, clearly not ecstatic at having to work with others. He didn't stop them or react as Sleeper and Alvar began arguing. "Excuse me?" Lerren was there, standing next to Sleeper and Alvar. "Your can't order servants around here, your not there boss." He looked offended. "As for any potions or poisons for the test, you must acquire them yourselves, if you get hired, then you will be supplied by the state." "If your going to fight, please do it outside in a space where no one will get hurt, Duke Ehlu won't be held accountable for any casualties. Feel free to duel, if that's what you want, but please note that your every action is being recorded for the inspection and judgement of Lady Genuhk." He made a few notes in on a notepad he was holding. ------ Nera hopped off her chair, and went over to Eublech, Heartache, and Reivoki. @Ancient Elantrian @Just_a_Fan @BrechioSwordMouse. "Umm do we want to do anything before the test begins?" "We should make a plan," Allen said, approaching the group. He was a tall, strong looking half elvish man with a bow slung over his shoulder. "That will be difficult seeing as we don't know what the challenge is," Nera replied.

The pair continued to clash. The 3 soldiers in green eyed Arke and Niamh, but didn't approach them. They seemed happy to let September and August have their duel, but they would step in if things broke into chaos. The sounds of the fight continued to ring through the crisp air. They no longer spoke, both too focused on the fight. Like a practiced dance, where one waited for the other to slip up.

"Well it was sort of . . . a very important secret and August said I shouldn't tell anyone. I . . . was going to tell you but then everything happened so fast." He replied awkwardly. "I figured that we would be on our separate paths before she caught up to us."

He was halfway up the stairs when she caught up to him. He froze, thinking. "Umm . . ." He really needed to get away someplace he could hide, he didn't have time to explain everything. "T-there's this person that we're running from, and she might have just caught up so I need to . . ." Their blades had just clashed together, August ducking aside elegantly so they didn't lock. September let him return out of her range. She circled slowly, moving in a smooth, inhuman way. "You've been gone so long, everyone misses you--even March." August let out a dry chuckle. "I highly doubt March would ever miss me." "That's the point!" She dashed in, swinging at his chest, but he slid out of the way in time to miss it. "Even March want's you back." "Well, I'm more then happy to leave him disappointed." August swung at her side, but she brought her blade over in time to block, the impact let out a loud crack that echoed through the empty village.

Just as the sun began to bleed out and slide into the low hills of the horizon, July and August found the inn. It was a small place that looked like it was actively falling apart, but it'd be better than camping outside. With the help of a stable-boy, July tended to both horses in the place's stable. Stable is a strong word, it was more like a wooden lean-to, built onto the side of the building. The wind made a few loose boards in the roof rattle as July unbuckled his horse's saddle. The stable boy, a spindly young man with dull brown hair, worked on August's horse--August having gone inside to buy dinner and some rooms. July shivered and pulled his jacket collar up closer to his cheeks. It was on cold nights like this that he thought wearing his hair down and free would be warmer. But it had gotten so long now, and it would tangle the second he unbraided it. He didn't dare cut it. He nodded to the stable-boy, leaving the small shed when he was done with his horse. It was almost cold enough that he could see his breath. That was . . . strange, hadn't it been almost too hot to bear just that afternoon? July stopped out on the road. Building shadows took up more estate on the road as the sun grew lower. The small inn's windows left yellow holes on the dirt behind him. He rubbed his hands together to warm them, knuckles pink from the brisk air. He shook his head, chiding himself. There was no use in staring into shadows and concerning himself with small temperature changes. Boots sinking into the well-trodden mud that was the road in front of the inn, he swung the light door open and went inside. ------------------------------ August had bought a few rooms for July, Arke, and him, and was now sitting at a table in the tavern's tiny common room. A greying barmaid grimaced at her countertop as she scrubbed it in one corner. Similarly, August stared at the surface of his own table. He hadn't ordered anything, and the maid seemed perfectly happy to leave him alone. He hated to admit it, but he was tired. Well, he was always tired, but tonight he was particularly exhausted. His gaze traced the lines of his white gloved fingers on the dark brown wood. It started to blur a little. How old was this table? The surface was weathered and smooth, it had been dirtied and scrubbed and dirtied again a thousand times. Was it older than him? Sometimes nothing felt older then . . . July slid into the chair next to him, and August was brought back to reality. "Finished with the horses?" "Yep," He replied, "Their stable looks like it's about to fall in on itself, but other than that it's all good." August nodded, his gloves still bright in his tired eyes. "Are you okay?" July asked, leaning forward onto the table to get a better look at August's face. "You look really tired, Yua." August sighed and nodded, rubbing a hand over his eyes. "I'm fine." " . . . if you're sure." the younger man replied with uncertainty. July was clever, and it wasn't the first time August had lied to make things easier. "Of course." He insisted, hardening his voice to sound less tired. July nodded again and scooted his chair closer to August. He lay his head on August's shoulder the way he used to when they had both been much smaller. "Fratha . . . I like this place," July began, his voice small. "I know." August replied. "We could . . . "We could. But it would not end well." July's eyes searched the wooden table, but the evening had already proved that the smoothed surface held no answers. Suddenly his eyes filled with tears, and he looked younger than he really was. Less a man and more a child. "You're right, I know that you're right." "I don't like being right, y'know?" August whispered back. He put a hand on July's shoulder pulling him into a side hug. "I wish we could stop just as much as--" "He died because of me." The words burst out of July. "That innkeeper who had Jolane . . . I got people angry at him so we could escape but they . . ." "They killed him?" "They killed him because of me." "Leal . . ." "I want to stay," He hesitated, "I really, really like her Yua . . . but . . . more people will die, won't they?" August was silent. They both knew the answer. The door to the inn swung open, letting cold air rush through the entire building. A chill went up Augusts spine as he turned to see who was there, out of mild curiosity. A soldier entered and immediately locked eyes with him. August didn't recognize the man's face, but he did recognize his forest green tunic, and the diamond shape crest embroidered on the center. August gave the soldier a tired nod, and the man slipped back out the front door. September was here. Either she was waiting outside out of politeness, or entering such a rustic establishment was beneath her. It was always hard to tell. He stood, grabbing his jacket from the back of his chair. "What . . .?" July mumbled. He hadn't seen the soldier. "September is here." August replied quietly. July jolted, suddenly alert. "What do we do?" There was panic on the edge of his voice. "Wait in here, she doesn't know we're traveling together yet. Go find someplace to hide okay?" July nodded dumbly, eyes wide. Mechanically, he stood and moved up the creaky stairs to the inns second floor, where the rooms were. Not the best place to hide, but it was something. August shrugged on his jacket, taking time to do the buttons properly, and then pushed open the door. Night had fallen, there was a chill in the air. September stood on the dark road. 3 soldiers in green garb stood behind her. Her assistant stood off to the side, nervously bouncing on his feet. The yellow light from the taverns windows gleamed off of her pale hair. She stood confidently, her metallic white armor giving the impression that she was glowing in the dark. Like a goddess of war. "August! There you are." Her voice was powerful, but still soft and sweet. "You look terrible . . . did you cut your hair?" She grimaced like just the thought of it was offensive. Her own cream hair was braided back, but the braids almost reached her ankles. Like July's. "Yes, it's surprising bothersome when traveling." August replied smoothly as he closed the distance between them, leaving the doorstep behind. "That's a shame." Was all she had to reply with. There were many things they could say, but they'd already had every argument under the sun. They had done this before, and they would do this a thousand times again. A real gleam of sorrow seemed to creep into her dark green eyes. "I'm tired of this." "As am I." He retorted without sympathy. "It's serious this time, July has run off too! Your pretty ideals wore off on him and now he's going to get himself hurt. You and I both know he's too naive to last long out here." "Good for him, I say. It was about time he learned some responsibility." August kept himself hard, uncaring. That was the only way--she couldn't know July was actually here with him. She couldn't know August had helped July escape and had collaborated with him afterward. Her eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly. "The Shi-Matahn was stolen sometime before he left, you wouldn't happen to know anything about it?" "Not a thing." September studied him, searching for the truth. The fantastic thing about being respected was how easy it made being a liar. "Then we'll proceed." He nodded. She drew her sword. He drew his. @The Bookwyrm @TheRavenHasLanded @Spark of Hope @Through The Living Glass

August raised an unconvinced eyebrow. "It's a small village, surely you would spot it going about your day to day business . . ." "Your sense of scale is all messed up from living in massive cities your whole life," July butted in with a chuckle. August rolled his eyes. "Alright, alright, we'll find it ourselves." July gave a good-bye wave to Jolane as she went inside, and the pair of men walked off, leading their horses.

"Shall we go then?" Aki tucked his small pile of yen into his pocket and turned to explore the market. Undoubtedly, they'd be selling some kind of food somewhere.

"As in . . . there should be, but there is not?"

THAT IS ALSO GOOD YOU DO IT MY DUDE

NEVER CHANGE ELAN, NEVER CHANGE MY BOY

AHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAH YOU BEAUTIFUL SOUL

August sort through his satchel absent-mindedly pulling out his wallet. "There's an inn in this town right?" He asked Jolane's father. "If we're going to stay we'll need a place to sleep."

932-

930: Refuse to elaborate.