Eiyuu Kishi Den

Thalia had gone up and down several streets on the west side, asking about Nat and offering the description Amara provided at every inn she passed. The city of Adan was a common stop for travelers, so the city had an abundance of inns. As she realized this, Thalia was beginning to feel overwhelmed, but with a prayer to Marfa, she centered herself again and continued her search. However, she had little luck. No one seemed to have seen Nat so far.

The priestess finished her survey of one street traveling north to south when she came to one of the main streets, which led to the west gate of the city, mostly taken by travelers from Shinning Hill. This was the road that separated her search area from Amara's. The search had gone on for a few hours, and it was growing near to lunch time. Her stomach growled at her and she wrapped her arms around her waist, as if to muffle the sound. No one was close enough to hear though. At the next inn, she should probably get something to eat, but for now, Thalia had to sit and rest on some crates stacked next to a building. She wished she would have brought some water as well, that would calm her stomach until the next inn.

OOC: Tags to Amara.

Amara searched most of the streets on the south side, but had gotten weaken and dizzy as she came upon the last street. The mage had asked everyone on the streets and in the inns about Nat, but the only thing she had gotten out of her search was either the wrong person or nothing at all. The girl tried to keep herself happy, but failed miserably as she continued her search.

Finally, after a few more hours, the girl ended back up on the main rode. The mage walked down the street, tired and exhausted as she finally stop. Tears was quickly filling Amara’s eyes as she tried to wipe them away. “My stomach,” the girl said as she went to the side of the rode and sat. The girl gently touch her stomach and stared at it. Why was it hurting so much? Why isn’t Thalia’s blessings working? Amara shake her head, regretting every sleeping with Nat and leaving her family. The mage wished, silently as she cried, that all the bad she did would just go away.

This wasn’t the first time she cried like this, it was actually the fourth. She tried not think about the bad, but it would always get to her. Amara wiped away her tears and looked up at the sky, saying a small pray to Falis as she stared at the clouds. After a few minutes of talking to her god like he was right in front of her, the girl got up and started down the street again. The pain was still there, but not as much.

The mage continued walking until she saw Thalia, sitting on crate and look a bit tired. The girl tried to smiled as she walked over to the priestess. "Thalia, are you okay? Have you finish your search?" The girl asked as she titl her head. Her eyes still read and pofy from crying.

Thalia lifted her head to see Amara across the street and crossing to meet her. She was a little surprised that their searches had brought them back together so soon. As Amara approached, Thalia could see her red-rimmed and puffy eyes; apparently the search wasn't going too well for her. "No, I haven't found anything, I was just taking a break," Thalia replied. "Are you alright?"

Amara frozed up when she heard the question, but after three seconds, the girl laugh nervously and smile. "Yes, I am alright. Come, lets get something to drink... and eat," she said with a joyful smile.

Thalia didn't believe her for a second, but she didn't pry anymore for now. Her stomach growled again, and she wrapped her arms over it again. "Excuse me," she said politely. The priestess stood up and brushed off her robes. "I was just about to go find a place to eat lunch," she replied to Amara. Taking Amara's hand in hers, as a sign of much-needed support for the young mother-to-be, Thalia led her down the next street she had yet to search and began to look for an inn.

After walking a couple blocks, a sign hanging over the street caught their attention. A painting on the wood relief showed a battered sword, identifying the inn as The Old Sword Inn. Thalia pointed out the sign and turned to Amara. "Want to eat here?" she asked.

Inside the inn, high elf Lien sat patiently at a table in the far corner, sipping a cup of tea. The morning had been filled with preparations for the journey to find Seri, though they had wasted more time than she wanted, Lien was accepting of the circumstances. She spent some time communing with the spirits this morning to learn that Seri was in the east, leaving the desert. She couldn't imagine the hard time the high elf had trekking through the desert while pregnant. After all, a pregnant woman's body temperature was higher than normal, often making excess heat even worse for them. Not to mention the dry environment. Seri, whatever possessed you to cross that accursed wasteland? the midwife wondered.

Aside from the search, Lien's new traveling companions needed to update their supplies and prepare for what would be a long walk. There was talk of getting horses, but the cost of buying them and affording their upkeep was more than the small group was willing to spend. Instead, they decided to charter a carriage to Lesmoa, then Roid, but after reaching the holy city, how they continued on was a different story.

As Lien waited for Azala and Mia, she noticed a pair of human women through the front windows who caught her interest. One wore the robes of a Marfa priestess while the other was quite pregnant.

With her traveling back packed, Bella hopped downstairs, leaving Midau behind upstairs. She was in good spirits, despite what the rest of her companions were feeling; Midau was reminded of painful past memories by the presence of Lien, Azala had become rather stoic with the news of his pregnant ex-lover, Mia was concerned with supporting her friend, and Lien, though she restrained her emotions, was likely discomforted by Midau and Azala, as well as worried for Seri. Bella felt for Midau, but hardly knowing the rest, she wasn't really concerned for their emotional wellbeing. The least the little grassrunner woman could do was support Midau as he faced his past. As for herself though, she was happy to be back on the road, and looking forward to the chance to speak to the high elf about the spirits and her homeland a little. She was quite impressed with the way Lien had found Seri's location half-way across the island from Sylph.

As she came downstairs, she noticed the two women outside as well, but she wasn't interested in them. Instead, she turned toward the back table where Lien sat and silently joined the high elf. There was much she wanted to ask, but she was intimidated by the ageless elven woman...

Amara continued to smiled as the priestess led her down the street. The girl felt much more better since she found Thalia, but the pain was still there and the thoughts still bothered her. The girl was in deep thought when Thalia asked her the question, but as soon as the mage looked to where the priestess was pointing, she figured out what the question was, well, sort of.

The girl stared at the sign and nod. "Yes," she said as she smiled at the priestess. Amara walked into the inn and looked around. To her surprise, there was an elf and a child sitting to the back of the room. The girl nodded to them with a joyful look on her face and looked back at Thalia.

OOC: Good to see you back!

With a small smile and a nod, Thalia followed Amara inside and headed to the counter. She noticed the elven woman and a smaller child-like figure, whom she assumed was the elf's daughter. However, if she had been able to see Bella's figure through the chair, she would have realized that the girl was a grassrunner. After all, Thalia had just traveled with a female grassrunner mercenary a few weeks earlier.

"Excuse me sir," she said to the innkeeper. "We are looking for a half-elf named Nat. You wouldn't have happened to have a bard pass through with that name, have you?"

The innkeeper shrugged. "Can't say that I have," he replied, but he gave the two young women an accommodating smile. "Ye need anything else there priestess?"

"Actually, yes, we would like some lunch," Thalia replied with a warm smile.

"Anything in perticuler?" he asked, leaning on the counter.

After gathering their supplies, Mia and Azala came downstairs from their room to join up with the rest of their party. The female elven mercenary was short, but strong for an elf. Her pale hair and green eyes were traits of a light elf, but her skin was a dark tan that light elves couldn't achieve even if they tried. She had a few scars on her body and face, including a couple split eyebrows and a small chunk missing from her ear. She was dressed as a mercenary in leather with a pair of fighting daggers sheathed on a belt slung across her hips. Behind her followed the incredibly handsome common elf Azala, who seemed pensive. He was dressed in mostly elven style garb, with a broadsword slung across his back. His facial features and light green eyes were similar to Nat's--after all, that's where Nat got his good looks.

As Mia stepped into the common room and lifted her eyes from the stairs, she immediately saw the familiar Marfa priestess they had traveled with weeks before, along with a young pregnant woman. Oh boy, this can't be good, she thought, automatically assuming that there was a good chance the girl had been knocked up by her good friend Azala. "Priestess," Mia said with a gasp. "What brings you here?" The elven mercenary's eyes drifted down from Thalia's face to Amara's pregnant belly. Azala came to a stop behind her, but said nothing, waiting for a response to Mia's question. Apparently, the weight of Seri's pregnancy was enough to kill his desire for Thalia.

Amara stared at the priestess as she spoke. The girl's desire to eat was growing rather quickly, but this was a daily thing that happen when the girl tried to hold her hunger. The girl touched her stomach softly as a small growled came from it. The mage blushly as she rub her neck. "I would like some..." The girl stop as she Azala coming down the stairs with an elf. For a moment, he reminded her of Nat.

Thoughts slowly filled the girl's head as she stared at Azala. Why did he look so much like him? Why did she had to say yes to this inn? The girl quickly looked away from the elf, with a small hatred in her eyes as she watch the floor. "Basterd," she said softly as she blush and tried to collect her mind. Oh my... Why did I say that? If... If I am acting like this now, imagine what I will do when I see him. The girl thought as she looked back up at the elves. She smiled at them nervously and waited for Thalia to answer the woman's question.

"You," Thalia bristled at the sight of the handsome common elf. "Of all the inns in Lodoss..." she muttered, but Azala didn't give her quite the response she expected.

"Good to see you again, priestess," Azala said, a cold edge to his voice. He seemed a bit annoyed by her reaction to him. His eyes moved over to the girl with Thalia, his sharp ears having caught the word 'bastard'. She was pregnant, and he had a sinking feeling in his gut when he noticed it, but he had never seen this girl before. "Excuse me miss, but I don't believe I've ever caused you a slight to warrant being called a bastard," he said rather dryly.

Amara blush as she heard what the elf had said. Ohh, he heard me. The girl thought as her face became sad. "I am sorry sir, I did not mean to call you such a bad word," she told the man as she bowed a bit. "I am sorry, it is just that you reminded me of my lover," the girl said looking back up at him. "Oh! Do you know a man by the name of Nat? You two look like travels, so I guess you might have seen him," she said with a small smile and hope in her eyes as she watch the handsome elf.

Mia's eyes widened. "Nat?" she asked incredulously, then started laughing. "Ohohoh...he's real chip off the old block!" She looked up to Azala, but he obviously didn't find it as amusing.

"Shut up Mia," Azala said with a sigh. Mia immediately stopped, and suddenly adopted a regretful expression. Turning back to Amara, Azala spoke; "Nat is my son. I assume he must be the father of your child?"

Midau came down after getting his pack ready and slowed as he saw Azala and Mia talking to a priestess of Marfa and a pregnant woman. Midau couldn't help but grin and shake his head. The white haired dark elf moved over to Mia and Azala, but kept out of the conversation unless he was dragged into it. He kept his eyes out to see if he could see Bella amongst the crowd or whether she was still upstairs packing.