Eiyuu Kishi Den

Zira shrugged again. "It's an usual sight for most of anyone I'm with," she replied, then stepped up to the side of his mount. "Now, how 'bout you give me a hand up in the saddle?"

"Feisty one aren't you milady?" Valerios said as he moved his horse and than reached out with a gauntleted hand, pulling her up with him as good as he could.
"It seems you'll be carrying two for a while Snowflake" he said to the white horse.
Somehow the prospect of travelling with this Dark Elf was both exhilirating and daunting. As if he had an odd case of precognition. But he dismissed the feeling. Attractive female company that was helpful on top was always welcome, Dark Elf or not. He was far to pragmatic to be overly picky over that kind of thing.

Zira took his hand and hauled herself up into the saddle. Tossing a leg over Snowflake's back, she sat high on the cantle of Valerios's saddle, though the slope if it forced her against his back. Placing her hands on his armored shoulders to be less intimate, she settled in. "Let's be off then, hmm?"

He nodded "Go on Snowflake" he said and the white horse continued on.
As he held the reighs of his horse, they moved on.
"Tell me my lady... if i may be so bold to ask... how come you are so far from your kind?" he asked. "Let alone how come you got here? I doubt most people react like me to your skintone and pointy ears" his remark had a slight joking edge but in essence his question was certainly serious.

As Zira leaned against his back, getting as comfortable as she could manage in her position, she explained; "My mother insisted on leaving Marmo when I was young, and we moved to a community outside of Raiden made up of other dark elves who had abandoned Falaris and Marmo." She paused for a moment between responses to his questions. "I became a mercenary at the advisement of a friend after some of my future plans fell through, and so I do my best to get hired where I can and travel the island."

"Never heard of Dark Elves that took on a more 'human-friendly' lifestyle" he said.
"Unless you count that nasty alliance of the Dark Emperor" he smiled "Though i prefer your approach of course.
"Well you helped me out. You can stick around as long as you want. Company is pleasant during long travels" he said "And my credentials should usually make sure employers won't be too inclined to sent you of on a xenophobic basis" they reached a small river and passed over the little wooden bridge.
"If i may inquire milady. What exactly are your 'talents'?" he asked.

Zira grinned mischievously. "Things that you humans can't do," she replied. She didn't really want to give out some long-winded list of talents. Besides, she rather enjoyed surprising people, it gave her ego a good stroking.

"Why do i suspect milady is being... naughty?" he said with a mildly amused tone.
But he didn't press further.
As they continued for several hours, a village came into sight. Passing through it seemed oddly abandoned.
Valerios's expression shifted to stern and the blonde knight looked around wearily.
"Odd... where is everyone?".

"Left over from the war?" Zira suggested immediately. There had been so many causalities in the war with the Marmo that there were numerous abandoned villages through eastern Valis and Kanon. However, as the dark elf looked at the buildings, she realized that it looked recently abandoned. Her brows furrowed. "Or perhaps a bandit raid?"

"Hmmm no. There is no sign of the damage that came and comes from plunder" he said.
"No scorched wood, no cuts, no broken doors and lingering utensils... it's as if everyone tidied up and just 'stepped away' leaving town"
The young Knight's gauntleted hand went to the large hilt of his sword.
"Shall we take a look around m'lady?" he asked, leaving the choice up to her.

"Hmm... I suppose," Zira replied. She really had no where to go. Perhaps exploring this village could provide her with something interesting to make it worthwhile. The dark elf slipped out of the saddle from behind Valerios and landed lightly on the dusty street. "Though there are any number of possibilities that a village could be abandoned," Zira mused, casting a glance around the village as she waited for Valerios to join her on the ground.

"Yes... a plague for one" he said as he dismounted.
"Easy Snowflake... easy" he said, patting the side of his horse's neck.
He glanced about slowly, his long blonde hair sliding over his upper back.
"Hmmm..." nearby abandoned tools, ploughs and objects lay as if dropped on the stop.
"I suppose we could have a little shoutingcontest milady" it was unclear wether he was joking or insinuating they should draw attention. Noticing the village inn which was there for travellers, he moved over there.
"Well... let's take a look in there first" Valerios said.

"If it were a plague, there would be higher spiritual activity from the deaths of so many. It's also likely that the local lord would order the village burned," Zira mused on his initial suggestion. The dark elf's gaze traveled around the village again until it fell on the inn Valerios pointed out. "Very well then," she responded, then strode forward, crossing the village square.

"M'lady... is perceptive" he complimented her as they entered the inn.
He looked around. All seemed empty. Food and drink stood on the tables untouched. On one table lay dice. "Two sixes and a five, not bad" he said dryly.
He glanced at Zira. "Almost looks like people just 'dissapeared' on the spot" he said "Surely a trick m'lady" he said.

With the inn empty, she tossed back her hood again. There was no need to hide if no one was here. At his suggestion, Zira paused a moment to open her mind to the local spirits, but they didn't seem especially disturbed by any magical incursion. "I can't say," she replied. Glancing across the common room at the empty tables, Zira then picked up a roll left on one of the plates. The bread was completely stale. The dark elf crushed it in her gloved hand, finding that it was stale to the core. As she brushed the crumbs off her hand, she offered; "I would assume that it happened two or three days ago."