Eiyuu Kishi Den

After a night's rest, Lianora and Niklas returned to the Mercenaries' Guild, prepared for a new journey. In the guild lobby, Lianora chose a table near the center of the room where they were neither too close to the door, but in plain sight for anyone coming to meet them.

Flora placed her hand over her mouth as she yawn. "Morning," she said softly as she walked pass Lianora's and Niklas' table. The girl walked over to a table by the door and sat in one of the chairs. She then looked outside and watch some people walk back and fort.

Lianora gave Flora a slight smile as the purple-haired girl walked by. She was somewhat surprised that Flora chose to sit elsewhere, as they would all soon be traveling together, but perhaps Flora was a bit unsure of mercenary etiquette. "Why don't you come join us?" Lianora called to Flora across the room with a smile.

Flora looked at Lianora and stared at the her as the words gather in her brain. Oh, she is talking to me. The girl thought as she relized what the priestes said. She smiled at her and nodded as she got up and walked over to the table. "Sorry about that, I was out of it," she told the priestess and her partner as she took a seat. She smiled at the two and rest her head on the table.

Veriss had spent the morning preparing for travel. She had purchased significant amounts of supplies, spending the rest of her meager living. Though she had given herself more time to meditate, she had instead spent that extra with her horse in the training courtyard. The horse was a work in progress, advice given to her by the old elf that taught her how to manage her condition. The horse was as much pack animal as it was companion, a constant reminder to be gentle and to care for something, even if it was without any emotion to back it. It wasn't perfect, but it did help keep her heartless mind away from less moral choices.

Returning to the main room, she ignored everyone, though there was no negative attitude in it. Veriss found a seat near Lianora and stared at a wall, more a statue than a human.

As Veriss joined them, Lianora felt a chill up her spine and gave a visible shiver. She wasn't someone who startled easily, but this woman just put her on edge. Trying to ignore the bad vibe, Lianora smiled at Flora. "You seem a bit tired," she said to Flora, trying to make small talk while they waited for the rest of their party; there were still the three solo men, and the mute boy and the centauress who had yet to appear.

"Yeah, I am," Flora told the priestess as she lifted her head off the table and looked at her. The lavender hair girl then watch Veriss for a few seconds and looked away. Odd... Very odd. The girl thought as she looked back at Lianora. "So, did you two sleep well?" She asked with a gentle smile.

Lianora couldn't restrain a smirk at that question, she and Niklas had certainly made sure they would sleep well. "Yes, we did," she replied. "So, I heard you're from Alecrast? What brings you to Lodoss?"

"Yea, I am," Flora said before she continued to talk. She thought things to through before answering the priestess' question. "I am just for an adventure," she told her with a small smile.

Lianora leaned forward, resting her elbow on the table and her chin on the back of her hand. The Myrii priestess in her was intrigued. "What drew you to adventure though?" she asked, a slight smirk on her lips. "Why leave the comforts of home to see the world instead of marrying some farmboy and raising his little brood like young women are supposed to?"

Flora blushed as she stared at the priestess. "Well, I rather wander the world before I start raising my own family," the girl said as she sigh. She was trying to avoid the first question, but it was just a simple sentence to say. The girl tilted her head and continued to watch the priestess.

Dissatisfied with Flora's answer, Lianora sighed and her sea-green eyes drifted across the table to Niklas, then even passing to Veriss. She briefly considered asking the woman some questions, but thought the better of it, she didn't imagine Veriss cared much for small talk. "Well, when are the rest of those boys going to show up!" she groaned, casting a frustrated glance out the windows behind her.

"Be patient," Veriss' deep voice said, even and harsh, even though it seemed like she didn't mean it. The knight reeked of the word, never asking for anything, never breaking a constant focus on something, though no one ever explained what. "They will come." Her voice was softer, as if she was trying to correct her first response.

~Niklas~

"Hmm, is that what young women are suppose to do?" The young swordsman asked in all seriousness. The one thing he had above all else was innocence. As Veriss spoke up, Niklas blinked a few times at her. "I guess i'll have to observe things a bit more, I guess some of the things that are aren't entirely what I was taught."

"Generally," Lianora replied to Niklas's first comment. He had been raised by a swordmaster mother though, and without a father, so that sort of tradition was not something he was familiar with. Lianora herself was born a bastard child, the daughter of a nobleman and his mistress. "But I suppose none of us prescribe to that tradition," she added with a grin. Who would marry Veriss though? she added silently. Her previous train of thought about parentage brought her back to Flora; "What about your family, Flora? Did you grow up in a traditional family with a mother and father?"