A Shepherd Is Needed|Acoia

[sparepart11]

all right Izzy, this is what you would call a bad start. Luckily first impressions happened a bit earlier.

To answer her question he lifted the sleeve on his shirt, it was good the armor was light and built for throwing a javelin, or else he would have a piece of armor covering his shoulder. He tried to show her the shape of his water mark so she could see for herself that he isn't a storm.

To emphasize this he took out a simple rag he held onto as a handkerchief and touched his sign and dampened it a bit.

"I served in Cascata's army in Ronduin. I know, maybe you don't think of us as the best fighters, but that is because our city tends to avoid the big fights. Ya don't really hear bad things about us either right?"

[Kender Bard]

Alexandria seemed much more at ease once she'd seen he wasn't a Storm and a Water instead. She regarded him more calmly. "I went to Ronduin once, a lifetime ago."

Arthur returned then, holding two packs of supplies. "I hope this is satisfactory."

[sparepart11]

"Well, perhaps you can go back again one day. The city accepts all those with a peaceful heart."

Isadore grabbed both bags from Arthur, weighing them in his hands to see how hard it would be to carry both. He nodded, mostly to himself, thinking he should be able to handle it.

"Thank you very much brother, I trust the followers of Efil to give us everything we need," He held one out towards Alexandria, "Do you want to look over whats in here? I'll carry it for you during the trip of course."

[Kender Bard]

Alexandria shook her head. She didn't care. She didn't even know what was 'needed'. "It's been so long since I last traveled," she stated. "Like I said... A lifetime ago." She gave him an almost sleepy gaze as she asked, lightly, "What were you, a lifetime ago? A dozen, hundred years ago..." She still hadn't come completely out of her last 'fit'.

[sparepart11]

Isadore threw the pack over his shoulder, at least packing was relatively easy. He says a silent prayer that the rest of the journey would be as well.

"Well, a dozen years ago I was still trying to figure out what I was supposed to be. I suppose I was even less sure a hunnert years ago, eh?"

Hardly prophetic, but it was a satisfactory answer he thought. He always seemed to be looking for an answer to his purpose, without ever actually finding it. As he was ready to head out the journey a thought crossed his mind.

"Actually, our talk reminds me. 'Ow about we visit Ronduin? I feel better traveling on a boat anyway."

[Kender Bard]

"To be sure is to be a fool," Alexandria answered with a touch of satisfaction, not at herself, but at him. She listened to his request and nodded, shrugging a little. It was all the same to her. "Okay," she said simply.

[sparepart11]

"Well, it looks like we are off then. I'll keep an eye out for a place to camp along the way. Chances are night will fall before the ferryman is ready to take us across the river."

Something is seriously bothering Izzy about this girl, he would like to speak with her a bit more when there aren't so many other ears around. Nothing seemed to be wrong, and when you are transporting someone who is supposed to have her head tampered with sometimes nothing seeming wrong is as wrong as it gets... or something.

[Kender Bard]

The priests saw off Alexandria, pausing to give her and Izzy blessings of Efil. Before long, they were on the road leading away from Acoia and relatively alone.

"It smells cold," Alexandria sighed as a breeze kicked up. She inhaled deeply of it. "It should never snow here. Snow is death."

[sparepart11]

Isadore rolled what the girl just said in his head, trying to come up with something more optimistic. He thought of the spring, how the water can help grow plants but that only happens when the snow is gone.

So he responded the best he could, "Yup. That's why we want to get through fast. Hopefully the ferryman doesn't mind brackish water."

He begins heading West, the land neighbors on either side of Acoia are none too pleasant. This traverse would be more then a bit dangerous if it weren't for a river crossing. He waits until they are a little ways from the force city before he speaks again.

"Mind if I ask ya somethin'? About our destination at least?"

[Kender Bard]

"Ask what you want," Alexandria answered him. She was looking down at the ground, not at her feet but at the remains of grass alongside the road. Every now and then she'd lift her head and look all around with a mixture of wonderment and wariness.

[sparepart11]

Isadore scratches his chin, trying to figure out the right way to say it. It shouldn't be this hard, it isn't as though this is a wholly personal question.

"Ah'm sure you know where we are goin' and why. Was wondering if you, personally, feel it can help you. Not quite sure how this sounds to you, but I can't help but wonder..."

He might be needing this trip as much as she did, asking a crazy person whether or not they are crazy. It just bothers him to think she needs this treatment done to her, and digging though a persons head just seems unnatural. At first he thought her problem was fear, a refusal to go outside, but she follows him easy enough. And if musing to oneself is crazy then they will have to start throwing poets behind bars.

[Kender Bard]

Alexandria gave Isadore a strange look. "I don't know," she said after a long pause. "Yes? No? It doesn't matter. I was told to go and so I'll go. I'm not beaten or bound or mistreated but I feel better being told what to do. If the priests had told me to go to Athrug, I would have gone." Her voice softened. "I'm very, very good at doing what I'm told."

[sparepart11]

That response was disconcerting, especially that part at the end. Then again, knowing a bit of her back story it isn't totally unexpected. It does help him believe that she could use a little help though, while she doesn't need a reworking a bit of independence can't be a bad idea.

"Well, um, there is no time limit on this from what I hear. At least, as long as I don't die of old age," he laughs weakly to show that was indeed a joke, "if you think of something you would like to do on the way give me a shout. Ah'm always listening."

It isn't his job to fix her, in fact he could think of fewer people less qualified then himself. However, he figures a soft hand is needed from here on out. Hell, if she tells him how annoying he is being that is probably a step in the right direction.

[Kender Bard]

Alexandria frowned as she considered that a bit, and then shook her head. "There's nothing here on the outside for me. If we were in Ilyamen... maybe. But we're not and I really ought to behave and go straight to Sensatia, yes..."

[sparepart11]

To Ilyamen it is then, he won't announce it aloud though. Perhaps if they stumble across the city it will be a pleasant surprise. Plus, this doesn't give the lady a chance to argue. Plus, they need to go West one way or another, it won't hurt to make sure Ilyamen is 'on the way.'

"Right then. Let us move towards our destination. Waters will be cold and brackish this time of year, I worry about how far North the ferryman will want to travel on them."

That should be enough to assuage her if they don't end up in Ronduin. At least he hopes, he doesn't know just how off her game that the Mind signed woman is. He will tell whoever transports them to just go straight West across the river.