Looking for a preist|Haven | Ilyamen

[Northen Light36]

Amaro heads through the streets of Ilyamen, keeping a sharp eye out for pickpockets. As a result, he catches a glimpse of a familiar ribbon-bound ponytail and a flash of ginger fur. "Acqua!" he growls, crossing his arms over his chest. "Out here. Now."

In the side ally she'd ducked into, Acqua shoots Vortai a rueful look. "Think he'll decide he imagined it if we don't come out?" she asks doubtfully.

[Northen Light36]

(Done via IM)
Vortai looks over his shoulder and just smiles to himself, unable to hold back the amusement the immediate situation causes him. Its not like he expected to be able to hide way too far into this journey. He didn't want to either, it would be easier just to travel then to constantly find hiding places.

"If it weren't for your trademark accessories I would just show myself and bluff for you. But I don't think I could pass it off well enough as it stands."

Acqua grinned mischieviously, despite the situation. "I don't know... Put a ribbon in your hair and you might pass," she teases.

"Acqua!" Amaro calls, tapping his foot. "I said now."

Vortai didn't stop smiling himself, his brother might be impatient but he is really in no hurry. The mission might be to help Saph, but the only reason he took off is because Amaro was involved. That and because of Acqua's visit, which might have overall been the tripping point.

"I guess you caught me. I must warn you I look damn good in tights."

He was wondering whether or not Acqua would show themselves or if they would keep joking with one another until he came to them. Either way he didn't shake at all, it wasn't like the situation was world ending. All in all, he probably found himself having more fun then he probably should be.

Acqua snickers, but she's not going to piss Amaro off by making him come after her. She slips out of the alley and gives Amaro a perfectly innocent look. "Hi Amaro. What a supprise to see you here."

"Oh I bet it is," Amaro growls, looking though he's torn between boxing Acqua's ears and strangling her. "I told you not to follow me."

"I didn't," Acqua replies. "I followed Vortai." Amaro grinds his teeth visibly.

[Northen Light36]

Vortai has to hold in his laughter or else he would just make Amaro mad. Annoying the man was fine but there was a fine line that he wasn't going to cross. He crossed his arms and followed Acqua out of the alleyway in a slow, casual pace.

"I am a terrible person you know. She was so good at following me that she had to beg me to start leading the way. I'm just that good at making plans I guess."

Vortai realized a while ago that he was beyond worrying like he used to. At this point before he took his job looking after the princess he would have grabbed Acqua's wrist and fled if at all possible. Perhaps he was recently able to get a better look at life.

Amaro sighes in frustation and gives both Vortai and Acqua a smack over their ears. "You two will be the death of me. I suppose you won't go home if I tell you to?"

"I won't," Acqua replies, glancing at Vortai to see what he'd say.

Well, this was quite a time for Acqua to finally be allowing him to make his own decision. Of course he wasn't turning back now, knowing everything he did and being dragged in as deep as he already was. He does vaguely remember trying to tell her to go back home in the beginning of it all.

"I don't really have a choice, its better I be the death of you then you two ending up getting yourself killed. Besides, I'm on vacation might as well spend it with the family."

He really didn't know what all the danger was yet, Amaro has been a mercenary for years and Acqua has never been so adament about protecting him on regular jobs. At least nowhere near this much. Saph was a friend too, he didn't like this but he had a feeling that everything would end up getting a lot more hectic before it is all over with.

Amaro sighes and shakes his head. "Fine, you're both old enough to decide what you want to do," he sighes. "But if I'm going to let you come with me, I want your word that you'll follow my lead."

"I promise," Acqua replies. Amaro nods and looks at Vortai for his promise.

Vortai smirked a bit, "I promise bro, all I have been doing is following leads up until I got here anyway." His weapons were all ready, along with all the training he had recieved up until this point. His resolve was like iron even if his words betrayed that at the moment. Things weren't bad yet and he had no reason to try and make them worse because of something biting at him

"Fine," Amaro sighes, then scowls at Acqua. "And when you get bored, and you WILL get bored, I won't hear any complaints, Acqua." Acqua nods.

"I won't complain," she replies. Amaro nods then looks over his brother and sister.

"When did you two last eat?"

Vortai thought about it, he had come prepared as his military duties have taught him to. He was pretty sure he made it a point to share with Acqua too in order to make sure she didn't use her usual method of procuring food while out of the house.

"Well, not to long ago if you mean any old meal, if you mean well I've been living off rations the last few days. Either way we are dwindling though."

Math still wasn't his best subject, he always found himself counting out too much or too little when he packed. Reading was getting better, something he was proud of, but he knew he had a long way to go until he could call himself normal academically.

Amaro grimaces. "I'm going to teach you both how to hunt when this is over," he tells them. "For now, follow me and I'll buy you a meal." Acqua grins.

"Thanks Amaro. You're the best."

"I'm soft, that's what I am," Amaro mutters, leading the way to an inn and ordering a meal for all three of them.

Vortai had never thought he had trouble with killing things, but then again it was probably the finding things in the first place he needed help with. In either case he would sit down and enjoy this meal as best he could, crackers have never quite been his thing. He was still nagged, wondering where all this would end up, wondering why he couldn't shake the feeling that this wouldn't stay as fun as it started.

"I'm working on it, I won't get better at everything overnight. I still need to train hand to hand, and I was thinking of getting lessons on warhammers... because as you can see I don't carry enough metal on me already."

Amaro laughs at that. "War hammers, hmm? Might want to consider a bow too," he replies. "A long distance weapon is useful."

Acqua ignores the weapons talk, more interrested in eatting her food. Eventually though, she asks, "Why'd you come to Ilyamen?"

"I got word that the last person to see Calder is here," Amaro replies. "I trust you two can mind your manners around a priest."

Vortai again assumes his half-grin, both because of Amaro's interest and the thing about manners. At least things are starting out on the right foot and every journey begins with a single step. At least thats what the books he's read says, and thats not something he forgets easily.

"If I have gotten to be the best at anything in the last few months is pretending to be good around important people."

This goes for the King and Queen, their advisors, their guests, and any other assortment of people that happen to cross his path. He has learned quite well the differences between noble and subject, and knows exactly how to cater to their ego. If there is one thing he is truly grateful for around Lumi its that he doesn't have to pretend to be someone else.

"It's your sister I'm more worried about," Amaro replies. "Anyone ever tell you about when Acqua back talked King Shadow?"

"He pissed me off," Acqua mutters defensively.

Vortai thought to himself 'and did I ever tell you of the time she broke into the palace just to get me to follow you somewhere.' However, he felt for everyones temper he should leave that part out of any story he tells. He gets the point though, his sister does tend to find trouble if for the simple fact that its there.

"Well, he isn't the most pleasent of people to have to do buisiness with all the time. I wish to say his wife is better but the way Lya has been acting a deep seeded fear in me keeps saying I will be looking after Queen Luminous sooner rather then later."

He only wishes that he were joking, he can't count on his two hands how many times someone has yelled at the royalty for some law or action or breath or drowsy glance they didn't like out of them. Its hard to put his finger on it too, but Lya seems to be acting differently from when he first met her as well. All this doesn't add up to a stable future in the Kingdom.

Amaro raises an eyebrow. "Trouble in paradise, hmm?" he asks, then puts a hand on Vortai's shoulder soothingly. "I wouldn't worry too much. Nobles like to complain, but rarely do anything."

Vortai grinned a little, it wasn't too much of a problem what happens with those two. There is a reason he specified that it was princess Luminous that he was swearing his life to, and it was things just like this. Plus he does have Aideen, his paradise is completely safe whether the king and queen self destruct or not.

"Things are fine, Luminous will be fine and I'll make sure of that. Of course then it will be people like you worrying about the fact that the Kingdom's future is in this street rats hands."

Though, the reason he took the job the way he did was so he could do something important without getting any fame. He didn't need people knowing his name, if they barely knew his face from court visits that would be great. It was the fact that he was doing something with his life that was important.

"Better the street rats then the nobles," Acqua replies. "You don't see these sort of problems in the Guild now, do you?"

Vortai coughs when she brings up the guild, he left it for a reason. Well, as much as anyone can truly leave the guild at least, he was wondering when they would try to bite him back.

"The guild... sis, don't you think there is any particular reason I felt so compelled to join you on this journey? Outside of the possible risk to Amaro, I do trust in my brother's ability."

To keep her from looking for help from a guild member, he had been subconciously trying to pull her away from that place whenever he gets an opprotunity. He doesn't at all care that she steals, she is the best at it and truly applauds that fact. Its why he looked up to her for all those years, but at the same time he wished it didn't all go through them.

Acqua blinks and looks at Vortai in curious confusion. "Because I'm your sister and you love me?" she guesses with a grin.

Amaro, guessing where Vortai's going with this, gives his brother a subtle nod of approval.

It might be best that he doesn't come right out and say it, at least he thought so. So he would leave his little hinting alone at that, this was a day to enjoy even if it was to Amaro's chagrin. If he really thought about it he and his brother were quite alike in enough ways its frightening.

"You're right I love you, and count your blessings I love trouble as much as the next person. I must admit I have had more fun then I expected tagging along in this adventure."

Maybe he was still too weak to confront her, but he was all right with that. He was all right with a lot more these days after he realized he didn't need his cowl anymore. He still uses it, but purely for professional purposes.

Acqua grins and turns back to her meal. When Acqua's full enough to start slipping scraps to Faith, Amaro gets to his feet. "Well let's go find our priest, then," he tells the pair, leading the way to the room he was told was Christian's and knocking on the door.

[Devon]

Christian is sitting at his desk in his room when his door is knocked on. "Come in," he calls out simply. He wasn't expecting visitors and he didn't think Darin and Pandora would be back so soon, so he was wondering who it was that was his door right now.

[Northen Light36]

Amaro opens the door and steps inside. "Good evening," he begins. "Would you happen to be Christian, high preist of Tead?" Amaro's deliberately keeping his hands where they can be seen, away from his weapons. Suddenly the merc's greatful that Acqua followed him as the girl slips into the room. After all, no assassin is likely to bring his kid sister along on a job.

[Devon]

Christian looks up at Amaro and Acqua, seemingly not concerned that strangers with weapons had entered his room. "Yes I am he. What is it that the two of you want? Not many know I'm even here so one of those who do must have told you." The last part he said more to rationalize the thought for himself.

[Northen Light36]

"My name is Amaro," Amaro introduces himself. "This is my little sister, Acqua and my brother, Vortai, is in the hall. We were hired to find Saph Calder. I believe he was... working... for you recently?"

[Devon]

"Has something happened to him?" Christian asks with obvious concern. "Last time I saw him was in Lhach Linnod, he was supposed to be helping me, apparently he had a force given vision. Anyway, I sent him to Maelstrom to send a message to the temple for me. That is the last time I saw him."

[Northen Light36]

Amaro frowns. "I'm afraid something might have," he admits. "As far as I can find out, you were the last person to see Saph. His wife hasn't heard from him since he left to help you. Is there anything else you can tell me? Anything at all? Even what he was wearing and carrying when you last saw him would help."

[Devon]

"He had a letter I wrote for him to give to the head of the Maelstrom Taed temple." Christian shakes his head and begins to look agitated at the mention of Saph's wife. "If I had of known something would happen to him I would have made him stay with me. Damnit! I thought it would be safer for him to not travel with a marked man such as myself."

[Northen Light36]

Amaro nods thoughtfully, but it's Acqua who speaks up. "It's not your fault, sir. You couldn't know something would happen."

"Do you know if Saph delivered the letter or not?" Amaro asks. "If you don't, we'll head to Maelstrom and look around there."

[Devon]

"I never received word from Maelstrom. So I can only assume he didn't make it there." Christian answers the question and leans back into his chair with a sigh. "If there is any other way I can be of help please let me know."

[Northen Light36]

"No, I think we have enough to go on," Amaro replies. "Thank you for your help. At least you've narrowed down our search area a little." With a nod of farewell, Amaro leads Acqua out of the room and turns to Vortai. "Well it looks like we're going to Maelstrom."

[adris]

Vortai can't help but smile and laugh a little, as it wasn't like that wasn't where he started this whole escapade. He knew that this was a serious affair but he simply couldn't help himself at the moment though. But it was just then that an idea came into his head.

"I haven't heard from Sir Saph either, and I'm always prowling the throne room. I think that is what Lord Shadow has been so worried about these past few days too."

He added a 'here's hoping we find a lead' to himself afterwards. This was getting worse then he imagined at the beginning, thinking this would be a search and protect mission. Those he has gotten good at, protecting because it is his job, and search because Lumi is want to wander from time to time.

[Northen Light36]

"Shadow," Amaro growls, then shakes his head and sighes. "That reminds me, when we have a free moment, I need to talk to both of you about something." Acqua frowns slightly, her expression concercerned and serious, but she just nods and follows Amaro out of the inn.

(I'm going to make a post in Maelstrom for us.)