Naveen

Briefly my eyes flickered to the cabin before I motioned with my head to the treeline and out of sight of the cabin. Leading her by the hand until we reached the woods and had privacy I finally turned to look at her. "I must apologize Rina...I let pride and fear best me. We are partners are we not? Exclusive ones at that. Where you go I go, and I go you go. I came to be with you no matter how far we must go."

Rina:

I took my hand out of his. “Talon, you are not bound to me. I can offer you nothing more than what I have already said.” I answered, uncomfortable with his words and wishing to formalize it. “I will do what I can for your people, regardless of your presence or lack of, but I know not of how much that will be. I have nothing else to offer.” I tried to guard my emotions, but I simply was not as experienced as he was. I was fearful, but I could not let go of my own pride.

“If you chose to accompany me, it must be for the sake of your people, not for me. I think that if it is otherwise, you might come to resent me. This is not going to be easy, not for either of us.” I could very well be talking him out of it, but I couldn't stop myself.

I searched her face her formality bringing me up short for a moment. Then my face cleared and with ears drooping a tiny bit I nodded. "For my people then." I promised softly.

Rina:

I searched his face for a moment before dropping my eyes. “Thank you for coming.” I said softly after the stretch of silence only filled by the bugs in the woods.

I only nodded, words escaping me. When the silence stretched out I turned my eyes away from her until eventually I asked softly, "Shall we go back?"

Rina:

“Yes.” I said with a little frown. I had said the wrong thing, I knew it, but I did not think there was another way around it.

The rest of the evening was a bit tense. I still preferred to stand guard outside alone. I could not bare for the others to see my anxiety show, and I was in no position to hide it at the time. Talon's arival had done something to ease it though.

Finally I relinquished the position to Dorian while I went inside to sleep. It didn't last long. I was awake when the first hints of sunrise were out.

I stayed near Wren and Maleen, keeping an eye on Rina but prefering to let her handle her stress and anxiety on her own. I let my presence be known to her so she didn't feel alone but I didn't expect her to want to be around me at the moment. I stayed on watch through out the night, sitting under the stars and moon through out the night. Not once did I unpack anything letting me be ready to go as the light of the sun began to chase away the nightly shadows.

Rina:

I got up softly so as not to Wake up the girls. I looked over, expecting to see Wren curled up with Maleen, but I saw only the angel sleeping alone. I hurried to get dressed and leave the room. In the den, Maleen was working by candle light.

“Oh,” She murmured when she saw me. She glanced toward the window with the soft light filtering in. “I didn't realize how much time passed by. I was trying to finish this,” She held up a small clay circle. I moved to sit next to her.

“What is it?” I asked, looking over the materials splayed over the table; bits of plants, dirt, a couple open spell books. “Its a charm for Talon. I'm sorry, I couldn't think of anything that would be useful to you...” I assured her that I didn't need anything, and suggested that we go find Talon outside so that she could give him her gift.

Talon:

I settled my pack down beside a tree then grabbing up one of my blades I worked slowly through a vigerous series of movements that strained my entire body and worked up a sweat within a few moves. I kept an ear trained on the house so I could be ready when I heard them getting ready.

Maleen:

We went to Talon outside and Rina hung back while I approached him. “Morning,” I murmured, standing before him. “I have something for you. It wont change your appearance, but it is the best I cn do...” I held out the green clay charm to him tied with a leather thong so it could be worn around the neck.

I paused in my motions when they approached, chest heaving as I panted. "What does it do?" I planted my blade into the earth below as I gently took up the clay charm from Maleen.

Maleen:

“It will direct the eye away from you, make you less noticeable unless you draw attention to yourself. It wont make you invisible, but people will be less likely to focus on you, or even think about you unless you draw attention to yourself. It won't have any effect of those seeking you out though, it wouldn't work on friends or people you know well. I thought it might be helpful to you. I can't make you look like a human, but I can make people not notice that you aren't.” I explained to him.

My gaze softened as I gazed at the gift. "A chance to not be noticed for what I am among humans...I'll gladly take it..." I murmured quietly before slipping it around my neck. "Thank you for this Maleen. It means more than you know."

Maleen:

I smiled, happy with my work. “I wish I could do more. If I was closer I could alter your appearance. But that is a spell that has to me maintained.” I told him before stepping forward and taking his hand. “Don't think less of yourself for what you are. It's not you, it's them, don't forget that while you're there.” I said softly, looking up at him with reflective green eyes.

"Sometimes I wonder..." I murmured more to myself than her before smiling softly. "Thank you again for this and for your kind words." I bowed my head to her as I gave her touch a gentle squeeze.

Rina:

I stepped forward once they were done. “We should leave soon, I would like to arrive before anone else, to prepare.” I said to Talon.

"I can be ready in a few moments." I promised with a bow of my head. "How many of us are going?"

Rina:

“Just the two of us. There will be more to meet s on the road.” I informed him. The other guard was not well enough to come with us and be of any use. “I'll be ready shortly.” I told him and went back inside to retrieve my pack.

I said my goodbyes and was ready to go by the time the sun appeared on the horizon.

Talon:

I took my time while she was away to cool off then shouldered my pack. "Look after Wren and Dorian would you Maleen? They can't get on without you."

Maleen:

“Of course I will.” I told him, giving him a hug and a kiss on the cheek. “Stay safe, and keep her safe.” I said softly before going back inside.

Rina:

I lead my saddled horse around to meet Talon. “Are you ready?” I asked him, tension in my shoulders.

"One is harder than the other.". I called to her before checking on my horse. When I spotted Rina I pulled myself up into the saddle and nodded. "I'm ready."

Rina:

We rode mostly in silence until we met up with the rest of the guard who would had me over to the queen. The whole trip didn't take more than an hour.

The queen and her men would not arrive until midday, but I went to get ready nonetheless not that I would not be riding. I snick away and cleaned myself up with a wet rag. I brushed and braided my hair, then pulled on the only dress I brought. Brain had thought to order one for me, that way I looked more like a princess, but I declined. I chose instead to wear a dress that one of the elvin ladies had given me while I had stayed in the mountains.

It was full length with a wide neck line. The fabric was a moss green color which brought out the green tint in my gray eyes. It was a beautiful dress, completely unlike the fashion of court. It's only embellishments were embroidered with colored thread, while the dressed of court were brightly colorful, with beads and jewels, and big voluminous skirts.

I wore the dress as a statement to the queen that I was not one to conform, and to Talon to show my alliance and my friendship toward him and his people.

I waited off to the side, sitting on a stump with my great sword across my knees. I kept my eyes moving even as my heart hammered in my chest. Humans. I had come go hate the term until I had Meg Rina. My Alliance with Brian and his rebels had been an effort to get close, bring down the kingdom and perhaps route out the next one as well. But one woman had changed all that and for her I was willing to go back.

Rina:

I approached Talon when I was finished preparing. I felt self conscious in the dress and was worried he might take it differently than I meant. “Are you nervous?” I asked him softly, coming up behind him.

"Yes. I am nervous and afraid. But I'm doing this for my people and for myself. I will be rea-". I turned and cut off as I saw her in the dress. " Beautiful...". I murmured in elvish.