Picnic Disrupted|Neo'Anar, New Anarlina

[Kender Bard]

Morrigan rummaged around the basket of food and goodies she'd made, smiling slightly.

A fellow priestess friend of hers, sitting nearby, quirked a brow. "Going for a picnic?"

"Maybe," Morrigan murmured. "I was thinking of it, certainly."

The priestess waggled her brows. "With anyone in particular?" At Morrigan's silent blush and shake of the head, the priestess laughed. "Quick to deny! Perhaps you're off to see that amelor lord you stare at longer than you should?"

Morrigan hastily pushed her hand against the priestess's mouth, smothering the amused giggles. Blushing even brighter, she hissed, "Roxanne, please. Zira is just a friend." She removed her hand.

"You like him," Roxanne crooned teasingly.

"I think he's very handsome, but I think that of several of our brothers of the cloth as well," Morrigan replied simply. "But no, I didn't make any plans to meet with Zira. I didn't make any plans at all; this is spur of the moment." She regarded the other woman thoughtfully. "Do you want to come with me?"

"No," Roxanne answered, waving off the notion. "I have work to finish here."

Morrigan sighed and looked all around. "Does anyone else here want to go on a picnic?" she asked hopefully.

[Devon]

Eros had been in the area and with no one to dust or anything to do, he decided he'd join her. "Sure, I could used a bite to eat," he told her. "Hope you don't mind me joining you?"

[Kender Bard]

Morrigan looked at Eros in surprise. She'd mostly been addressing her fellow priests, the people she knew and was comfortable with. She hadn't expected a complete stranger to pipe up.

"Well, I don't think so," she replied slowly. "Though forgive me, I don't know who you are. Perhaps an introduction first would be better?" He didn't seem sad, so there was a chance he wasn't here for the typical services of the Taedeans. She wondered what had possessed him to come to her wing. Curiosity?

[Devon]

"Eros Cassanova," he told her. "A priest of Love with little else to do today other than browse through the temple," Eros explained to her.

He smiled at Morrigan, a nice calm look on his face. "I actually don't spend too much time around the Taedans, I sort of came here on a whim today."

[Kender Bard]

A Lover probably poses no threat, she thought, relaxing. At least he wasn't a Soahcian. "Well, all right," she agreed cautiously. "I thought we could go a little ways beyond Neo'Anar towards the south. There's some nice places out there for a picnic."

[Devon]

Eros not wanting to be caught as Soahc's crow, kept his affiliation with the Soachian temple a secret. "Oh I've been there before. That's a very nice area, especially around this season," he agreed. "I'll carry the basket for you if you'd like?"

[Kender Bard]

"Ah... Well, okay," she agreed with a tiny smile, handing the basket over. "I hope you don't mind the walk. I don't own a horse nor do I have much coin to spare on renting one."

[Devon]

Eros shuffled the basket in his hand and prepared for the walk. "It isn't a problem, priests and priestesses aren't exactly known for their deep coin purses," he answered with a small smile.

"Besides, a little stroll never hurt anyone."

[Kender Bard]

"No indeed," Morrigan agreed with a faint smile and set off for the long walk with him. "What brought you to serve Love in the temple, if you don't mind me asking?"

[Devon]

"I grew up in the temples," Eros answered. "Back in Contrasta my mother was a devote follower, so much so that she became a priestess and since I grew up around Love all of my life I followed suit. I did have a little phase in my life where I rebelled, but who didn't?"

Eros glanced at Morrigan and asked her the same, "So what brought you to Taed if you don't mind me asking you?"

[Kender Bard]

"The peaceful nature of the priesthood and the messages of love and equality," Morrigan answered, not about to tell the story of her lost sign to a stranger. "Taed is such a loving Force, and also greatly misunderstood by those who fear death or have come to be 'hurt' by it in some way, as if Taed has an agenda to wound mortal hearts." She shook her head disbelievingly at that.

The rest of the way was filled with idle chatter, a comparison of their duties in the temple and touching off on a variety of interests and the like. By the time it was late noon, they'd reached a quiet little clearing off the southern roads.

"This seems like a good spot, doesn't it?" Morrigan inquired. The land was relatively flat and already a bright spring green from the new grass and plants. There were some gentle hills that rose and dipped all around them. Morrigan had selected a nook tucked against a semi-circle of these small hills.

[Devon]

"I'd say it is," Eros said setting the basket down. "And my feet would agree as well," he chuckled, sitting down next to the basket. "You know I always heard such dreadful stories about Taedians, but you're very nice," Eros told her, a smile on his face so she could see he was only kidding.

[Kender Bard]

Morrigan smiled faintly. "Even if you may just be joking, I wouldn't be surprised if you had heard stories. Many people have." She curled up beside the basket and lifted the lid, pulling out the cloth wrapped sandwiches and offering him one. "And priests aren't immune to prejudice. I have to admit I'm a little wary of Soahcians." She grimaced. "They're just so... wild and unrestrained. It's the point, I know, but it's a little frightening."

[Devon]

"They get a poor misconception from most, just like Taedians," Eros replied, taking a nibble off the sandwich she had given him. Making sure his mouth was empty before he spoke again, he said, "I believe all the Forces play a part, even chaos seems to have an order to it. We just may not understand what that is."

[Kender Bard]

"Oh I wouldn't dare discount the importance of Soahc or his children in the world," Morrigan said quickly. "But just because they have a role doesn't mean they don't give me pause."