All together|Skyheort, Talen'sul

[Kender Bard]

Talon pestered the two girls for as an accurate of a description as they could give, until Alethia started to ignore him to continue the story.
"What we found out was very surprising," Alethia admits. "Though in hindsight, I suppose it makes sense. Apparently, our father was a Storm type."
"We know!" Talon said cheerfully. "Isn't that great?" Alethia blinked at him and Amaro slowly.
"So I take it you found out things at Flux?"

[Northen Light36]

"Not all that much," replies Amaro. "Apparently your father came looking for you two and your mother at some point, but the priests didn't know who he was talking about and turned him away." Acqua snorts.
"I doubt they'd have let us out even if they did know," she mutters darkly. "It'd mean they'd have less people to watch kill each other over bread."

[Kender Bard]

"Where could he have gone?" Alethia asked sadly. That whoever their father was had been a good enough man to look for them around Flux spoke volumes about his character, in her book.
Talon just shrugged and said, "The priest guessed wherever he used to live. I would hazard that's my guess as well. So, most likely Maelstrom or Ilyamen."

[Northen Light36]

"I'd doubt he would head for Maelstrom," remarks Amaro. "A relationship between a Storm and a Water elemental would have been highly frowned on. Ilyamen might be a better choice of where to search."

[Kender Bard]

"Is Ilyamen safe from Clears?" Alethia asked wryly. Talon heaved a gusty sigh and nodded.
"Yes, as far as we know," he said. "I have a feeling they're going to be quite busy digesting Ronduin before setting out for anywhere else." Alethia winced at his words, right as they might be.
"When do we leave for Ilyamen then?" she inquired.

[Northen Light36]

Acqua looks torn. She's got no problems with heading to Ilyamen, but she would like to hang around Talen'sul long enough to at least say hello to Taurus. Noticing Acqua's expression, Amaro takes pity on her. "Why don't we take a day or two to relax before we set out? We've all been travelling hard lately."

[Kender Bard]

To Alethia's amazement, Talon seemed quite relieved as well as she shared the sentiment.
"What's gotten into you that my little wanderer doesn't wish to go traveling?" she asked him incredulously. Talon just reached over and cupped her cheek in his hand, staring hard and, with all seriousness. That was so unnerving it caused Alethia to shiver.
"Talen'sul is safe," Talon said firmly. "And there are things to take care of. I'm all for throwing myself into the arms of danger, but not you, or Acqua." He paused and regarded Amaro with smirk. "Maybe Amaro, but that's because I know he secretly likes it as much as me."

[Northen Light36]

Amaro just smirked back while Acqua looked mildly insulted. "I can look after myself, Talon," she points out. "I did it in Flux and I've done it for the last three years. I don't need you to keep me safe for danger." Amaro rolls his eyes.
"Yes, yes, Acqua. We know. You can and will do whatever you want to do," he replies dryly.

[Kender Bard]

"Maybe so," Talon conceded. "You're going to be my sister soon too, and that means I have an obligation to at least not throw you into dangerous situations, even if I can't stop you from getting into them yourself."

[Northen Light36]

Amaro glances at Talon, looking startled. "Talon, would you mind repeating that remark please?"
"He said that I'm going to be his sister soon too, and that means he has an obligation to at least not throw my into dangerous situations, even if he can't stop me from getting into them myself," replies Acqua in a would-be innocent tone if it wasn't for her mischeivous grin. "Old age affecting your hearing Amaro?" Amaro merely casts her an irritated look before turning back to Talon.
"I don't know whether to congratulate you or offer sympathy," he remarks dryly.

[Kender Bard]

Talon's grin stretches wider as he chuckles, "I'd say sympathy, old friend. Not only do I have a bratling to put up as a sister-in-law, but you know it won't be long until my lovely Alethia is going to be nagging."
"Yes, telling you to pick up all those artifacts off the floor," Alethia remarked with an amused look.

[Northen Light36]

"Just keep an eye on your pockets around your new little sister Talon," laughs Amaro. "I won't lend you any money if you lose it to her." Acqua snorts.
"Both of you boys are such easy targets it's barely worth it to borrow from either of you," she remarks.

[Kender Bard]

"I was thinking of moving the wedding up," Talon said mildly, but his eyes were locked on Alethia's quite securely. From the look on her face, it's obvious this isn't something they'd discussed.
"How soon?" she asks cautiously. Talon looks up at the ceiling and mutters, as if he were running mental calculations into his head.
"Oh, how about before we go to Ilyamen?"

[Northen Light36]

Acqua and Amaro exchange looks. "We'll leave you two alone to talk," Amaro comments and he and Acqua leave the common room. Amaro heading for bed, Acqua giving into curiousity and lurking near the doorway to listen in.

[Kender Bard]

Alethia stares at Talon, before saying, "Why so soon? Talon, you know I wanted to savor life how it is for as long as possible. It's inevitable that once we're married, that means we might be settling down soon."
"I know," Talon says gently. "I don't want to hang up my hiking boots just yet either. But, damnit, Alethia! Do you know how torn up I get thinking of the state of things and how there's a very real chance I might lose you to something worse than a bad accident? The accident I can deal with. Eventually, that hurt would go away because, well, it's just how I see things. But if you were captured by the Clears, I'd be in agony knowing you were at their mercy. They're horrible people, almost all of them. And I don't want to lose you before I've had a chance to marry you."
"Marriage is in the heart," Alethia argues. "We'd already agreed that a 'wedding' was just going to involve us, Amaro, Acqua and any nearby friends at the nearest shrine. It should be done out of readiness and peace, not desperation of a poor ending."
"I know," Talon sighs in an admission of defeat. "Maybe we should settle down though. After you find out what you want to learn of your family, we can go on a couple more outings to find somewhere you'd like to stay - anywhere, it doesn't even have to be a city. If you find some quaint little woods that just charms you, I'll build us a home with my very own hands. And we could still go adventuring now and then."
"Until we have kids to worry about," Alethia shot back. Talon didn't try to dispute that, and just stared at her with a sorrowful, begging expression; the kind of look that tangled up Alethia's thoughts until they were just a chaotic mess that she couldn't deal with. "I need some time to think. Goodnight, Talon." Before he could try to stop her, or even get another word in edgewise, she was out the door.