Desert Sun|Naurorod

[Kender Bard]

Lya wilted in the heat of the desert.. she generally did. But this time she'd prepared a little better and was at least not in any pain. Merely discomfort. She cradled Luminous close to the front of her saddle and shielded her with her wings.

"Mama, hot," Lumi complained, leaning limply against her mother.

[Northen Light36]

Shadow glances at his wife and daughter in concern. "We'll find a place to rest soon," he promises them. Unlike the rest of his family, Shadow seems to brighten even more as they travel through the desert. Now he raises himself in the saddle, looking around carefully.

"Who's th-Shadow!" calles Ashra as the scout steps out of the sanddunes. "I thought I heard horses. What are you doing here?" She frowns slightly. "Honoured Leader wasn't expecting you, was he? We heard nothing."

"No, no," Shadow laughs. "This was a spur of the moment trip. How far are we from Fira?" Now Ashra looks slightly appologectic.

"You're still a long way off, Shadow," she replies. "The clan moved only a few days ago. They're on the other side of the volcano." Shadow grimaces, but nods.

"Thank you." Ashra glances at Shadow, then at Lya and Lumi and smiles.

"I'll tell you what, why don't you three come camp with us tonight? And I'll send one of the scouts to Fira with you?"

[Kender Bard]

"That would be most appreciative," Lya said with meaning as she straightened up as well. "Say thank you, dearest."

"Thank you," Lumi mumbled out.

[Northen Light36]

"You're welcome," Ashra replies with a soft laugh, leading the royal runaways back to where she and the scouts have set up their camp.

There's a noticable difference in the attitudes of the Fires from when Lya's visited in the past. With all three royals dressed like commoners, the fires seem to completely forget the rank of their visitors, at least in Shadow's case.

The king is teased and tormented mercilessly, just as if he were another scout, and it's clear Shadow's loving every moment - happily giving back all he's dealt. Lya's treated with more then the usual polite friendliness too, although there's a feeling of hesitance and 'testing the newcomer's limits' about the scouts attitude to Lya.

Lumi, however, is treated with the same fondness as Shadow and spoilt as rotten as the scouts can manage. After a bit Ashra takes a seat beside Lya, laughing as Shadow and some of the scouts challenge either other to a spear throwing contest.

"He's wasted in Maelstrom," she mutters.

[Kender Bard]

Lya looks a bit hurt at the comment before she better understands what Ashra meant. "Maybe," Lya concedes. "But he and I both have our duties to do. He's not completely wasted though. My people love him for what he's done for the Winds and regardless of what the Storms feel, he does have some admirers amongst them as well and he handles the people well."

[Northen Light36]

"Oh I know he's a good King," Ashra agrees. "And he'd probably be happy among the Winds, but his own people are such a strain on him... The clans might not tend to take in outsiders, but for him.. Fira would take him in in a second." Ashra snorts. "Forces know, he and Damien are closer then most brothers I know."

[Kender Bard]

"At least the worst of the rabble have gone to Ekaitz," Lya said carefully. "All that remains are the confused and the concerned." She laughed quietly. "Very confused. They come to us for everything."

[Northen Light36]

"Well, isn't that what you have other people around you for?" Ashra asks. "I mean, I know Honoured Leader doesn't deal with all the little things that happen. That's what the clans have Elders for. And Ann is taking on a lot of the smaller jobs lately as well. I know the Kingdom doesn't have Elders and your Heir's too little to help... But surely there's someone who can weed out the silly problems before they get to you?"

[Kender Bard]

"Aye, usually we would have advisers of a sort to help us," Lya agreed. "But Tuono is dead and Flash is overworked as well. In Talen'sul I have Laura, Saph, and the Council. Shadow sorely needs to set something similar up."

[Northen Light36]

"Well if you can't talk him into doing it, then drop a word to Honoured Leader," Ashra chuckles. "I doubt there's anything he couldn't get Shadow to do."

[Kender Bard]

Lya smiled a little. "It's not a matter of want. It's a matter of finding people we trust. We cannot take Talen'sul men for obvious reasons, but it's so hard to shift through the Maelstrom nobility that remains for someone of worthiness."

[Northen Light36]

"I see," Ashra replies, not at all certain she does. "No wonder you two are taking a rest here then." She smiles wryly, reaching out to tickle Luminous. "Life is so much simpler here, aside from the occassional spat between Elders or when the rest of the world comes barging in." Ashra laughs and adds, "It never ceases to amuse me when the Fires are labelled barbaric or savages. We might live more simply then the rest of the world, but we don't have half as many problems."

[Kender Bard]

"Most people would benefit from your lifestyle, at least in some form of imitation," Lya agreed. Personally should miss all her nice things but she wouldn't mind a simpler way of life too.

Luminous just giggled, grabbing Ashra's finger and observing the dark skin. Abruptly, she asked, "Where Ann?"

[Northen Light36]

"Forces only know," Ashra mutters under her breath, then smiles at Lumi. "I think she's at home, Luminous," she tells the little princess. "You'll see her when your daddy goes to see Damien, all right?"

[Kender Bard]

"Okie," Lumi said simply, and went back to playing with the sand, spreading it around to smooth the surface and then making shapes with her fingertip.

Lya, growing drowsy from the heat and the ride, started to nod off.