Gentle Smiles, Sharp Fangs (Peregrine x Baddamobs)

[Peregrine]

Lady Mariellen de Manitan took a slow, deep breath as she stared at the exterior of the work center. Unlike the seedy, tavern-like buildings she'd read about in novels—but never, of course, been to in person—this building was well maintained.

It was a given, Mariellen decided after a few moments of contemplation. After all, this building had been constructed in the heart of Tura Im, the capital city of the Verian Empire. Any building constructed within the heart of the empire would be required to maintain exacting visual standards, in order to uphold the dignity of its nation.

What was more, the Porcelain Rose Trading Company, which owned and ran this work center, was of incredible repute. If not, they would never have been contracted to supply workers for the High Temple, and Mari would never have heard their name, or known of this location.

And it was clear that Porcelain Rose had spared no expense to ensure their reputation was observable at a glance. Large windows of clear, thick glass covered the front walls, letting in the early morning light through a filigree of a rosy metal that was embedded in the center of the glass, shaped into floral patterns. The entire building had been white-washed with a warm white that made it seem both clean and inviting, while the shutters had been painted in a variety of bright colors that matched the nearby buildings.

And, clearly, the effect worked. People were coming and going from the building regularly, some dressed in the neat fabric of city clothes, others in rougher work clothes of laborers. It was nothing compared to the bustle that Mari had seen at the temple, but it was still a commendable sight. It was clear that this was a place both laborers and employers regularly utilized.

Continuing to study the entryway with a subtle fascination, it took Mari several moments to realize that she'd become the target of several groups of stares. The young woman immediately flushed slightly, but the shame and uncertainty only caused her to hesitate further.

She stood out too much. Mari had tried her best to dress and act in a way that would allow her to blend in, and she'd been quite satisfied when she had stood in front of the mirror this morning, robed in her simplest and most practical dress.

She'd thought, as a nearly pure human woman with nothing but her thigh-length, pine green hair as a distinguishing feature, she wouldn't stand out all that much.

It was only now, as she stood amongst the hustle and bustle of the city, that she understood exactly how superficial her thoughts had been. Spending most of her life in the depths of the temple, she'd forgotten that it wasn't physical traits that made someone stand out. After all, Veria was a very progressive nation, and had long since embraced the integration of monsters and humanity. At this very moment, a lizard-taur was walking out of the building alongside a brown-skinned man with short deer antlers, the lizard's scaly tail holding the door open for his friend. Both were dressed in coarse, beige work clothes, and seemed in perfect harmony with each other.

What was more, as Mari watched the four-legged lizard man walk away down the street, she didn't feel like he stood out at all, despite being head and shoulders among the rest of the crowd, his tail swaying widely behind him.

No, it was Mari who stood out. Mari, in her 'simple' autumn silk dress, hemmed with golden floral embroidery, white sleeves draping elegantly down to her knees. Mari, her fair face dusted with powder, lips painted a soft pink, large green eyes rimmed with dark brown eye-liner. Mari, who stood there with the perfect posture that had been trained into her bones, yet was still forced to look around constantly just to make sure she wasn't taking a wrong step.

She'd never felt so wildly out of her depths.

She felt her hands trembling slightly, and balled them into fists, taking a shaky breath in an attempt to steady herself. Gradually, as her hands stopped trembling, she tucked them against her chest, bowing her head in prayer.

"Oh Mother Above, guide your Child as I set out on this journey. I fear myself too weak and senseless to handle alone this noble task you have set me. But I will not falter, Mother. I believe in your vision, even if I do not believe in myself. I will not falter, for I know You are with me."

Lifting her head once more, Mariellen steeled her heart, and a glow of confidence returned to her eyes. She began to stride towards the door of the work center.

 

[Baddamobs]

"But I could have sworn I asked for all details on the payment, and there was no mention about this 'risk assessment cost' that you speak of."

Ciava's long furred ears, already low on her head, pressed down even further down, almost resting fully against the crown of her skull.

"I cannot apologise enough, my lord, for the mishap. It is a clause that is not often brought up, and something the Porcelain Rose is almost embarrassed it must still observe. You were likely not informed because it so rarely appears in our line of work, but…" Ciave bowed her head meekly down, long and roughly cut hair falling like a veil over her face. "I really cannot return to my employers without the full payment; even a single missing coin could cost me my job!"

The Cat-sìth maintained that pose, her body seemingly shaking from nerves. Behind the veil of hair, however, her gold eyes carefully tracked the old merchant's movements. While she could only see his lower half, that was enough: the tilt of his waist suggested he was looking about, clearly unsure, and his cloven hooves were half pacing in place, clearly eager to be on with his business. Most likely, his mind was running through the oh so tragic story of Ciava's 'sister' that she had been careful to bring up along the road. Even if he had doubts about the nature of the payment, his consciousness was probably wrestling with itself at this very moment…

"Bah, I've not the time for this." The merchant grumbled, reaching into his purse and carefully counting out a handful of coins. Ciava ensured that her smile was full and bright as she straightened, and layered on a few gratitude filled words of thanks before the merchant finally strode off, slipping into the marching tide of other travellers that marched up and down Tura Im's main thoroughfare Ciava stood there for a few moments more, expression still the beaming smile of a young soul saved, eyes carefully watching the merchant's form slowing disappear into the crowd. Only when she was sure he was fully out of sight, did her expression shift. Wide smile relaxed, settling slowly into a lazy grin.

She gently jostled the coins in her hand, delighting in the soft sound as they slid across each other.

Another job well done; the Porcelain Rose's client had been delivered safely to the capital in good time, no major dangers…and she reckoned she could find a better use for these pieces of gold than their original owner besides. Ciava enjoyed the weight of the money in her hands for a moment longer, before carefully tucking it into one of the many pockets hiding in the depths of her coat. Then, turning on her heel, Ciava marched off into the tight tunnels and paths that made up Tura Im's back streets.

Like any less-travelled road, the various alleys and hidden ways of the capital could be considered risker than the city's well watched central avenues, but Ciava was not too concerned. She knew the paths well enough to keep a good pace, lithely clambering over various fences and low walls with an agility that Cat-sìth were known for, and made good time as she moved through the districts. She was technically supposed to report to the work centre immediately upon entering the capital, but there was one stop she wanted to make before she had to suffer through dry paper work.

Ciava steadily slid her way through a half-crumbled wall, stepping into an open square hidden away in the depths of one of the more crowded and less maintained residential districts. Well, square was a little generous; there would have been barely enough room for two carts to rest abreast because of how closed in the houses were, and that was before one took into account the handful of tarps and makeshift tents that were squeezed into the space.

Ciava carefully made her way through the cluster, ensuring she didn't disturb either the ramshackle tents or their wary looking occupants, who relaxed a little upon seeing it was Ciava stepping into their midst and not a stranger. She waved a silent greeting to a few, but kept on a straight course to the tent at the very centre, one that looked a little more permeant than the others, though no more opulent.

"Don't think you can sssteal your way any closer, Little Kitten." A voice, croaky with age, came from the tent before Ciava even had a chance to announce herself. "I haven't gone deaf enough for that yet."

Ciava smiled as she ducked her way into the tent, saying,

"I suppose my time on the road has made me a lumber foot, if an old serpent like yourself can hear my ever so careful approach."

"Haaa, I would recognise your sssteps from a yard and a half yet, Kitten." The voice's owner, chuckled, uncoiling herself from her place in the centre of the tent. She was an old Lamia, pale human skin wrinkled from both age and hardship, and her long tail lacking in the smooth and blemish free scales that she would have processed in her youth, now flaky and covered in only half shed skin. While she still had the sharp and defined features the snake-folk were well known for, her eyes were a pale and milky white, and her gaze only hovered over roughly where Ciava stood, never fully connecting with her.

Ciava kept up her cool countenance for only a second longer, before simply chuckling.

"It's good to see you, Grandma Oola."

Stepping across the warn carpets and half ripped pillows that made the floor of the tent, Ciava folded her legs beneath her and took a seat, gently guiding the old snake's hand until it rested over her own, Oola's scarred and marked riddled fingers drifting across Ciava's knuckles. As always Ciava told her of the road and what she had seen, and Oola in turn told Ciava of the various goings on and rumours that inevitably spread about. Idle gossip mostly, but Ciava never complained.

It was in a lull of this exchange, when Ciava finally reached into her pocket. As soon the sound of gently clinking coins filled the tent, Oola frowned.

"…Now Kitten, you know-"

"You don't need nor want my coin, I know. And that I'm a damnable brat for always trying to press it into your hand." Ciava shook her head. "But I saw how the others looked on the way in; just because I've moved out of the square doesn't mean I can't tell when food is scarer than usual for the rest of it. Besides, I owe you a debt I can never hope to truly repay."

There was a long moment of silence, Oola's expression still and resolute like granite. Ciava didn't shift, barely dared to breath. The moment was only broken when there was a sudden coughing from the tent neighbouring Oola's, a dry hacking sound sounded as unpleasant on the ear as it probably felt to the one suffering through it. The sound seemed to bring a great wariness to Oola's features, and her shoulders dipped.

"…I sssuppose we are in no position to refuse. Though, I pray that you aren't fool enough to be giving more than you can afford, Kitten?"

"I am a fool in many regards, Grandma." Ciava pressed the coins into the old snake's hands, a sardonic smile playing across her lips. "But at the very least I know my coin."

She stayed for a little longer, until she was sure that her employers would not tolerate her report being any later. Finally, Ciava pushed herself to her feet, promising she would be back soon, and started towards the tent's exit.

"Ensssure you take care of yourself in the coming days, Kitten." Oola said, a rather sudden tension filling her stance. "There's an ill wind in the air. Make sure you aren't caught up in it."

"I…I will try to not get into any more trouble than usual." Ciava, unsure of what to make of the warning, tried to jest on her way out, but found herself oddly perturbed on the whole trek to the work centre.

When she finally slinked into her place of employment, entering through the rear door, she got the earful she had expected for being so late in reporting. The Porcelain Rose Trading Company prided itself on being such a long running and reputable business, and part of that was that they expected anyone under their employee to hold themselves to certain standards. Ciava, thinking of the extra coins she had just lifted off of one of the Rose's own clients, had promised that she would ensure to not let any 'bad habits' appear in her work efforts in the future.

Her handler, a bear beast woman, had looked distantly sceptical at that little oath. However, she had simply sighed, before looking Ciava straight in the eye.

"In any case, if you're feeling up for more work, we could do with a hand around the centre. We're getting so many requests lately that even you should be able help pick up some of the slack around here."

"Pah, you wound me," Ciava affected an insulted look across her features, even as she leaned back in her chair. "Both by the implication I am not always the absolute picture of helpfulness…and the idea that I would be willing to go straight back to work instead of taking some time to enjoy my hard-earned wage."

"You do as you will. All I'm saying is, there's work to be done and more coin to be made, if you can stomach it."

Ciava frowned, but her mind invariably drifted back to the sorry lot still stuck in the square, and in the end mutely nodded.

That was how Ciava found herself in the work centre's main lobby, mostly stuck with busywork. There was always small mountains of paperwork and contracts to look at and organise, and always with a request or complaint that needed directing here or there. If she was being honest, however, she was merely bidding her time. She had already turned down some of the offers of work made to herself, work that was long-term or would require her to move from the capital for an extended period of time. She was tempted by a few that would be more in line with her usual work of guiding, but even declined those. No, she could feel in her bones that a greater opportunity would present itself, if she was just patient…

There was a sudden sound, of the latches in the door clicking and moving into the place, that caused her ears to perk. Moving slowly, twisting to look over her shoulder, Ciava spied towards the door.

It took her a moment to place the person that stood framed in the light of the doorway. A young woman, though with uncertain heritage; she could have passed as a full-blooded human, but it was more likely her non-human traits were just more well-hidden than others. Dark sea-green hair framed a face that Ciava would shamelessly admit was quite pretty, but the Caith Sith was more focused on the girl's clothes. Not only were they of a fine make, but more importantly they were absolutely spotless, clean as the day they were weaved no doubt. To put it in another way, they certainly gave off the impression of some kind of young noble out and about for the very first time.

Ciava felt her fangs click together into a grin. She could almost hear the coins dropping into her hand already.

Moving quickly, Ciava cut across the room, intercepting the centre's usual greeter and all but shunted him to one side, coming to a stop right before the newcomer.

"Hello and welcome to our humble work centre, courtesy of the Porcelain Rose Trading Company." Ciava inclined herself into slight bow, ignore the burning hole the centre's normal greeter was trying to glare into the back of her head. "My name is Ciava – please, allow me to help you in whatever way you need today."

 

[Peregrine]

The inside of the work center was full of energy, but also possessed a level of orderliness that made that very energy feel controlled and directed, rather than chaotic. The work center's lobby was massive, wider and deeper than Mari would have expected from the exterior. Waist high poles draped with red fabric created snaking lines over the space, filled with people who waited for their turn at various reception booths, which had been positioned near doors that led further into the building. From a glance, she could see how different types of people had collected into different lines, quickly making it apparent that each desk was intended to serve a separate purpose.

Feeling slightly lost, wondering where exactly she was supposed to stand to find someone for her own request, Mari abruptly found herself making eye contact with a man who was standing next to the door. He was tall and lean, dressed in a neatly pressed outfit made up of a mixture of white and brown fabrics, accented in the rose gold that was the exact same shade as the Porcelain Rose's own logo. There was a mature, steady air about him that reminded Mari of her own butler. She froze slightly in place, momentarily feeling like a child caught with her hand in a cookie jar.

An instant later she calmed herself, fully walking into the building and approaching the man with as much confidence as she could muster. The fact that he, too, was approaching her made Mari feel all the more confident that this was a correct decision.

However, the little bit of control she'd managed to grasp over the situation was abruptly shattered when a dark blur came racing in from the side, slipping around the man's figure to a position squarely in front of Mari herself. An instant later, and Mari found herself the recipient of a warm welcome to the work center from a black haired woman, pointed cat's ears flicking on top of her head.

Mari hummed slightly, momentarily off-put by the young cat-woman's overenthusiastic greeting. However, she was far too well trained in maintaining her composure under any circumstances to let anything but that faint noise give away her feelings, and even then it could be easily interpreted as something contemplative rather than uncertain. It did buy her a couple of second's grace to try and understand these new circumstances.

She couldn't miss the disgruntled expression of the man behind this new arrival. His slightly mottled blue skin—a trace of amphibian ancestry, as best as Mari could determine at a glance—gave a level of fierceness to his glare that made it all the more clear that this woman's behavior was out of the norm. Mari's eyes instantly turned back towards the cat-woman, but her survey was instantly interrupted by what Mari could only describe as a deep artistic appreciation for the woman in front of her.

In Mari's eyes, she looked like she'd just walked out of a painting. Fine boned features that gracefully donned a diamond-shaped face, her smile the perfect mix of sweetness, enthusiasm, and professionality. Her black hair and rich, dark skin only reinforced Mari's impression of her as the bistre wash painting of a master, yellow eyes as vivid as the golden-hued sapphires that donned one of her mother's favorite necklaces. It was impossible for Mari not to form a good impression of her.

What was more, her smile calmed Mari's frazzled nerves, allowing her to once more focus on exactly why she was here. It didn't matter who helped her or why. She should simply chalk this up to some sort of inter-department competition, and move on.

"I am here to submit an escort request, under fairly special circumstances," Mari began. Even though she was speaking to the woman in front of her, Mari lifted her eyes to the man in the back, clearly not excluding him from the conversation. She was more than used to multiple people competing for her attention, and making sure that all of them felt welcome and cared for.

"This is an urgent issue, and a rather personal one. I have heard of the Porcelain Rose's good repute, but if you do not handle private, short-notice requests, please let me know now, so that I don't waste all of our time."

Oh, dear Mother Above, please let them handle this type of request. If they didn't, Mari had absolutely no idea where to go next.

 

[Baddamobs]

"You have certainly come to the right place in that case, miss!" Ciava said, while internally feeling a rush of triumphant. Once again, her intuition had led her straight to a golden opportunity. "Escort and protection work is one of the many services we are happy to provide to our esteemed clientele. Why, I myself-"

"What my colleague means is," the centre's usual greeter, an older gentleman that was perhaps dangerously aware of Ciava's habits, finally stepped forward. Shooting a single annoyed look at the glowering cat, he turned back to the young woman at the door and inclined his head down respectfully. "We would be happy to show you to the proper booth where you might be able to put in a request, miss. While the viability of the request will depend heavily on the availability of our agents and the nature of the commission itself, it is not uncommon for the Porcelain Rose to take short-notice inquiries. If you would follow me."

Thusly the trio sent off across the centre's central path, snaking between groups that stood huddled in quiet conversation and occasionally having to slip past a particularly long line or two. Ciava kept to the back of the group, taking the opportunity to size up their mysterious new patron. Her initial theory, that this young woman was some kind of heir or ward of a noble and wealthy line, seemed to be gaining more and more evidence. When the green-haired woman had spoken, her speech had carried the smooth and practiced tone that only someone with a fairly educated background could manage, something Ciava had become familiar with when helping to guide the centre's more well-off clients. Hell, even the way the girl walked gave a hint to the theory; straight backed and with her strides having almost a measured quality to them. Ciava thought of herself as fairly graceful and lithe, but even she felt clumsy just walking next to the girl.

Ciava also, quietly even in her own mind, admitted the girl did have something of a presence about her. It was the fact that the young woman could have passed as one of those fairy tale princesses: her features all sharp and pleasing to the eye, a healthy glow to her clear skin, and a certain focus and intelligence in her emerald-green eyes. She was, to be blunt, impressive to simply behold.

Each fact solidified Ciava's initial thought – this young noble and her request was a shining chance to make some serious coin. She couldn't risk letting this job fall to anyone else.

Eventually, they stepped up to one of the booths set towards the back of the hall, the line blessedly short. By the time they were nearing the window, the last patron ahead of them had stepped off to one side to look over a sheaf of parchment, allowing them to approach the tired-eyed clerk. Ciava stepped forward at that point (once more cutting off the old greeter much to his agitation), saying

"What lucky timing! We have a new patron here, seeking to make a request for an escort. The young miss has made it clear she needs something expedient, and for this matter to be kept strictly private."

Ciava gave the clerk a meaningful look, and the clerk in turn seemed to weigh her next action carefully. While there were plenty of perfectly benign reasons a monied client would ask for a matter to be handled with some privacy, it would not be the first time the Porcelain Rose had found itself playing host to a noble caught in something serious. This matter could be private just because the young miss was going on a trip and didn't want her parents to be aware of it, or she could be caught in a scandal that threatened to upheave an entire line of the nobility.

Naturally, Ciava wasn't too concerned which it was; she just needed to make sure the request wasn't lost beyond her reach behind two miles of bureaucratic protocol.

"…If it's something private, might be best if she went straight to the boss." The clerk eventually nodded, exactly as Ciava had hopped.

"Hmm, well someone will need to show her to our dear leader's office, in that case." Ciava said, turning to the green-haired woman. "If it would please you, miss, allow me to show you the way."

Off to the side the old greeter let out a long-suffering sigh, but simply looked to their new client, deferring to her judgement.

 

[Peregrine]

The cat woman's enthusiastic reply caused a wave of relief to flood through Mari, and she couldn't help but smile sweetly in the dark-haired woman's direction. The other man's interruption did nothing to damper Mari's mood. She was on the right path.

And Mari followed along comfortably behind the man's back as he guided her through the work center. As they walked, she curiously surveyed the waiting people. Most of them were clearly here to take on day labor.

On the other hand, the line for submitting requests was all but empty. For a moment Mari frowned to herself, worried about the lacking number of people. However, a moment later the impulsive worry faded away.

After all, most of the day's requests were recurring. She knew full well that the temple didn't send someone to the work center every day to list requests. People who came to issue requests were instead looking for one-off hires.

Like Mari herself.

She gave another professional smile to the woman behind the desk, even as she began repeating her requirements in the back of her head. She was prepared to list them as soon as the request came.

However, things once again took a turn for the unexpected, as the dark-haired cat-woman stepped forward once more. Mari's emotions went through another abrupt rollercoaster.

First, relief. After all, keeping this matter quick and quiet would do a lot to help Mari avoid detection.

Second, panic.

The mention of the boss caused Mari's heart to abruptly thud, tension rolling through her stomach like a clenched fist.

Director Martine.

While she didn't exactly qualify as a family friend, she was someone who had worked at the Temple in her youth. Later, she'd gotten hired by the Porcelain Rose, and become the outreach coordinator for the High Temple at the same time.

Nowadays she handled higher matters, but she would still address any special concerns the temple might have. Things like hiring a nanny for the Pope's young granddaughter, for instance.

Suddenly realizing that everyone was looking at her, Mari bit the inside of her lip, desperately trying to recall what had just been said.

"I… yes," she eventually agreed, not entirely sure what she was agreeing to.

Fortunately, it seemed an agreeable response, as the cat-woman immediately began to lead her forward. They slipped around the side of the reception desk, its attendant offering Mari a slightly awkward wave as the two of them disappeared.

The noise of the lobby immediately fell away as soon as the door closed. The hallway was narrow but brightly lit and well decorated, continuing to hold to the standard of the Porcelain Rose. Countless doors littered the side.

Worried about which of those doors hid the work center's boss, Mari came to a halt almost the instant the door clicked closed behind them. She didn't dare walk forward.

"Excuse me, miss..." Realizing that she didn't know her guide's name, Mari could only trail off awkwardly, before boldly continuing forward with what she had been about to say. "If possible, it would be more convenient for me if this did not become an... official request."

Mother Above, those were words she had never imagined herself saying. She sounded like a criminal. What would this beauty in front of her think of such a request? Maybe she'd turn her into the guards right away, on suspicion of where exactly this request originated from. That would be a short and miserable end to this particular escapade, something Mari absolutely couldn't bear to see.

Yet, if she met Director Martine, news would reach her family within the hour, and there would be temple guards after her before night fell. At least, if she got the guards called on her, she could try and convince her grandmother that it had just been a game she was playing. She hadn't thought it would go so far, she was sorry for wasting everyone's time. Please forgive her.

That would give her more of a window to try again than if she was directly caught on the way to her destination.

Besides, Mari considered, her eyes locked on the cat-woman as she tried to gauge the woman's reaction to her statement. This young woman had seemed more than willing to help Mari bend the rules a little bit due to it being a 'private' matter.

As though a faint echo in the back of her mind, Mari suddenly heard the cat-woman's voice from only a few minutes ago.

'Why, I myself…'

Perhaps it wouldn't be all that hard for Mari to avoid this dilemma.

"Do you… perhaps have recommendations for a skilled, discreet escort who might be willing to… take a month off from the work center?"

Yep. She sounded like a criminal. She totally sounded like a criminal. Oh, Mother Above, please don't let this go bad.

How embarrassing.

 

[Baddamobs]

Ciava spent the short walk from the work centre's spacious main hall to the more cramped hallway with her mind racing. Mostly she focused on formulating how she intended to ensure this job didn't slip through her fingers; while directing the girl to the boss was an important step, it was only really meant to ensure that the requests didn't get bogged down in the official channels where it would become difficult for Ciava to 'volunteer' for it. Even if was handled discreetly, it was still going to be tricky for the cait to become the primary agent for it. Afterall, it was not exactly like Ciava and Director Martine were on affable terms…

"Excuse me, miss…"

Ears perking in attention, Ciava halted and turned on her heel, looking back to see the young noble hesitating just by the closed door. Ciava inclined her head to show she was listening, though in the back of her mind she felt a slight stab of worry. The other thing that sent the cait's mind whirling had been the green-haired woman's slight delay to answering if being brought to the Director was agreeable to her. There was suddenly a concern that Ciava might have over stepped her station when speaking for their new patron to the clerk. Even if only slight, it was such small insults that usually lost Ciava any favour from the wealthier clients, and resulted in being displaced from a job. To that end, the cait kept her mouth firmly closed as the young woman eventually said,

"If possible, it would be more convenient for me if this did not become an…official request."

Ciava had to expend a great deal of mental strength to keep her face neutral, gaze even and unassuming. Internally however, Ciava felt a sudden rush, like a wave of energy passed through her limbs, nearly causing her to jump in place.

While she had wondered if this request for 'privacy' had been relating to something juicy, this was starting to sound intriguing.

"Do you… perhaps have recommendations for a skilled, discreet escort who might be willing to… take a month off from the work centre?"

…Merciful Mother, was Ciava's ears working properly? Because if she wasn't somehow completely mishearing or misinterpreting things…

This was starting to sound like something downright criminal. Something downright illicit. Downright profitable.

Ciava turned about for a moment, raising a finger to tap the side of her chin as she pretended to give the matter some thought. Admittedly she mostly did it because there was no amount of effort or strength that Ciava could have exerted that kept a wide grin from stretching across her face. This couldn't be any better; if Ciava managed to secure this job completely under the table, ALL the payment would go directly to her, rather than just the commission price. It was everything she could have hoped for and more.

"Well," Ciava dragged the word out as she turned around, having managed to get her expression under control. "I suppose a few names jump to mind, but first, may I suggest a change in location? This is not the kind of conversation to have where those that might 'misinterpret' our conversation may accidentally overhear, hmm?"

Changing her route, Ciava lead the green haired woman through a few twisting corridors, pushing through several 'staff only' doors, until they eventually stepped out into a walled off space at the rear of the building, pale sunlight only just filtering through the gap between the buildings around them.

Ciava took a quick glance around, but was not surprised to find them alone; this rear entrance was only rarely used, and even them mostly only for folks looking for a smoke break.

"We should be fine here for a while. Well, now that we are suitably alone," Ciava look around, gold hued eyes seeming to shine out in the pale light as she grinned. "You may colour me suitably intrigued, miss. While I would NEVER act out of the parameters of my contract with the centre under normal circumstances…"

(There was a casual lie.)

"…You find me at a time where I am most palatable to offers. So, let me begin with this; my name is Ciava De'Narn, and I would be most pleased to hear the details of your offer of work. And perhaps the lady's name?"

 

[Peregrine]

Mari felt her heart seize as the cat woman stopped in place, but her face remained calm. Cool. Collected.

Yes, that was the atmosphere she wanted to project. Like she knew what she was doing, like she was intimately familiar with these kinds of conversations. And not like someone who was blindly grasping at straws, all the while hoping that her actions wouldn't bring everything crashing down around her head. Her guide might not be looking at her right now, but who knew when she would turn around.

And even though she knew it hadn't been more than a few instants since she'd asked her question, Mari couldn't help the urge to start backpedaling that was crawling up her throat. Had she made a mistake? Had her judgement been wrong? Should she start talking about how it was just a joke?

Her internal panic was cut short when the cat-woman finally turned around. Mari instantly began to study her face, trying to read any traces of emotion from it. And, if she had to pick, the woman seemed... contemplative. Her following words finally allowed Mari to once more swallow her panic. She hadn't made an incorrect decision.

Instead of directly replying, Mari simply nodded her head, willingly following as her guide turned in a different direction. She wasn't entirely sure she trusted herself to speak at the moment. But, at least she'd managed to avoid a meeting with Martine, which was the worst case scenario.

It wasn't until a minute or so later that it occurred to Mari she might need to worry about what it meant to get in contact with someone willing to accept requests under the table. If that kind of meeting went wrong... it could potentially lead to much worse results than Mari getting herself locked in the temple.

Suddenly feeling the way her hand seemed to be trembling in her sleeve, Mari balled her fingers into a tight fist.

No. She'd been chosen by the High Goddess. She had to believe in the Mother's providence, that, no matter what happened on this journey, it was the way things were meant to be.

There was no worse ending than getting locked up in the temple and being unable to complete her duty. Even dying would be better, for at least then the Blessing would be able to go to another person, who could continue the quest.

Hadn't she steeled her resolve before she'd snuck out? She couldn't let herself be shaken here.

It was only when the cat-woman stopped that Mari realized she'd been lead outside. Slowly, she began to survey the area, but her curiosity was interrupted by the sound of her guide's soft voice.

And, finally, Mari was able to put a name to the face that had so intrigued her only a few minutes ago. Ciava. It suited her beautifully.

"You may call me Mari," the green-haired woman began, feeling somewhat more calm now that she was almost back on script. "You'll have to excuse me for declining to give a family name, given the... nature of our current conversation."

More specifically, the name Manitan was one reserved exclusively for the direct lineage of the Temple. Nothing would give her away faster. She'd prepared an alias before starting on this adventure, but Mari couldn't help but feel slightly pleased with her ad-lib. It seemed far more appropriate given her current circumstances.

For the first time, her nervousness almost fully gave way to excitement. For this brief instant, she felt like one of the protagonists of her novels. The script she'd mentally prepared beforehand began to easily tumble out of her mouth.

"As for the request, I require someone to safely deliver both myself and a package to a village at the foot of the Sacred Heart Peak. However, I cannot be associated with this trip. That means every step of the process will rest on the shoulders of my escort. While this includes standard escort duties of route and local knowledge, it also extends to anything else needed to complete the journey, including the personal security of me and my package, transportation, food and shelter, and our physical comfort for the journey.

"I also expect this journey to be completed with some measure of secrecy and privacy, which means ideally only one or two escorts, but absolutely no more than four. It also means that I expect our path to avoid major trade routes or checkpoints."

It was only now that Mari realized exactly how easy it was to misinterpret her current request. She hadn't even thought about how most people would view such strict privacy concerns.

Perhaps this really had turned out for the best.

"So, Ciava," Mari continued, offering the dark-haired woman a sweet smile. "Do you know someone who can fulfill those requirements?"

 

[Baddamobs]

"'Mari,' hmm?" Ciava muttered to herself, letting the name roll off the end of her tongue. It was impossible to deduce if it was the girl's true name or an alias (as Ciava chiefly suspected), but in the end it seemed to suit this mysterious new client. Something about it seemed to fit the young girl, one way or another. "And of course, I understand completely; sometimes it's simply better if a name isn't thrown around too casually."

That was why Ciava had given a false family name, after all…

Next, Mari laid out the nature of her request. Ciava's ears perked as Mari spoke, and was attentive throughout, tail flicking behind her as her mind raced to dissect the clandestine request.

A package to a village at the foot of Sacred Heart Peak. Quite a singular task – while the sacred mountain was not an unheard-of destination, Ciava did wonder at what precisely needed to be delivered, and with such secrecy. Though, perhaps the most intriguing part was that whatever this packaged contained was too valuable to be simply entrusted to be guarded by a third party. Afterall, the fact that Mari supposedly needed to come along suggested that it was not something she entrusted others to care for properly, or to not simply disappear off with if they happened to peak at the contents.

Still, it was not something Ciava was TOO worried about. Mari was willing to pay good coin to keep whatever she was delivering a secret, and Ciava was all too happy to be paid to help facilitate that. Besides, every other part of the request was very much up the cait's alley.

"Well Miss Mari, to answer your question, I can think of no one better to fulfil your request than myself." Ciava lifted her arms up and bowed with an actress' grace. "You stand before a feline who knows every road that winds through our fair kingdom, knows every stop for nourishment and safety, and if familiar with all the paths that will allow a discerning traveller to slip by the most watched roads."

(Something of an exaggeration, of course, but Ciava was fairly certain she would only need a map and some time to reflect to begin mentally charting their route one way or another.)

Ciava let out a little chuckle of joy as she straightened, though the smile slowly slipped off her face as she cast her eyes over Mari. There was one matter that still needed to be straightened out before Ciava was ready to make this official, and it was not something one would rush to call pleasant. But by this point, Ciava was used to having to do that which was unpleasant but necessary.

"Though, just so we're both for sure on the same page, I feel like I have to make something clear before we both agree to this endeavour."

Ciava gave Mari an even look. The cait was almost hesitant to be continue; this Mari didn't seem like a bad sort despite the shifty nature of this deal, and was likely undeserving of the bluntness she was about to have directed at her. But no, Ciava couldn't put this off. Better to be upfront about these things, so there wouldn't be any surprises for ANYONE down the road should the worst come to pass.

"Despite the…unofficial nature of this request, I expect to be paid the full amount that a delivery such as this would cost." Ciava's eyes kept latched to Mari's, unwavering, her face shifting into a cold mask. "Not only that, but if at any point I suspect that you don't actually HAVE the coin to fill my coffers, I will be taking my leave of your employ, whether we're in the heart of civilisation or the middle of the wilderness, if you follow me."

While not exactly a lie per say, Ciava was somewhat exaggerating. Even if the girl had attempted to swindle her, Ciava probably wouldn't have the heart to abandon a young woman in some dangerous territory between towns. She would likely at least take the girl as far as the next place with a comfy bed and enough parchment to write for a retrieval by her no doubt wealthy relatives. But if Ciava had learned anything across her life of taking and accepting shady deals, you only chose to appear soft if you were specifically looking to get robbed. Even if Mari was just some noble's brat, Ciava couldn't afford to appear weak. Not again…

After a long moment, Ciava's mouth quirked up, showing off perhaps more than the necessary amount of teeth and fangs.

"But I'm sure that won't be an issue. If these terms are agreeable with you, we can make it official right here and now."

Ciava raised a gloved hand up, eyes never straying form Mari's.

Strangely, despite the looming buildings that hovered over the small rear-entrance of the centre, a chill wind managed to sneak it's way between the buildings to whisper over the two, ruffling green and black hair. Ciava's fingers twitched for a moment, and she finally break eye contact to look over her shoulder, almost spooked though she couldn't guess why. After a moment, she turned back, and more firmly thrust out her hand.

Ciava wasn't superstitious. She wouldn't let some 'omen,' from a blind snake deter her. Instead, she simply stood silently, awaiting Mari's answer.

 

[Peregrine]

In truth, Mariellen had not been expecting Ciava to volunteer herself for the job. However, rather than worry at whether or not the cait sidhe was capable of the task, the young lady instead felt a rush of relief at the revelation. It seemed that the notion of getting introduced to an unknown criminal, one that Mari would have to entrust her very life to, had been weighing on her far more heavily than she had expected.

Of course, that wasn't to say Ciava wasn't a stranger. Mari could all but guarantee she'd never met the woman before. And yet, from the moment they'd met at the door of the Porcelain Rose, Mari had found herself charmed by Ciava's confident appearance, professional attitude, and the way she was willing to take Mari seriously despite the oddity of their situation.

In truth, she couldn't even imagine a better escort. Someone trustworthy and skilled had all but fallen in front of her. Mari couldn't help but dip her head in momentary reverence for the foresight and guidance of the High Goddess. The Mother was truly watching and guiding her path, blessed be.

However, Ciava's abrupt change of tone caused Mari to lift her head. She couldn't help but feel her heart tighten in nervousness, wondering what condition she could possibly have missed. She'd done her best to mentally prepare herself for whatever could come out of her journey, but so much of this was an unknown to her.

However, the end result of it left her slightly stunned.

"Ah.. er, no. I mean, of course it's a given that there would be a down deposit for this."

Frankly, money had been the least of Mari's concerns when it came to this encounter. She hadn't expected Ciava to take it so seriously, and rushed to continue her reassurance.

"Especially considering you will have to make all arrangements for our departure," Mari rambled on. "And I do not want you to try and short-change our preparations. I trust fifteen thousand panam should suffice for that?"

It took all Mari's mental strength not to wince as soon as that last sentence left her mouth. In her eagerness to seal the deal, she had momentarily forgotten one of the critical rules of bargaining. Never show your bottom line.

Of course, she'd never actually dealt with merchants directly, but she knew that wasn't how bargaining worked. In any situation where the price of something was not set, the party who knew more about the worth of something would win the negotiation.

Mari could only hope that her slip-up wouldn't cost her too much. She'd prepared fifty thousand panam for this leg of the trip, which equated to a day's worth of donations at the temple. Considering how long it would take them to reach the mountain Mari could only hope she was not radically short-changing her escort, but her journey was going to be long. She didn't dare spend too much of her money up front, lest it not suffice to carry her throughout the entire journey.

Smiling somewhat awkwardly, Mari extended her hand for a shake, hoping that Ciava wouldn't press her for more. "Well. Deal?"

 

[Baddamobs]

"FIFTEEN-!?"

Ciava slammed her mouth closed with such force that she very nearly bit through her tongue.

Everything about Ciava had suddenly jumped to stand on end as Mari, with the casual air of one trying to figure out what could be afforded for lunch, just offered to pay more money than Ciava had ever dreamed of owning. Ciava's furred ears were stood like twin arches on her head, her eyes wide, and her tail had suddenly snapped rigid behind her from shock.

Some practical, rational, part of Ciava attempted to steer control of her thoughts, trying to frantically point out this must be some kind of scam or mistake. Every OTHER part of Ciava was suddenly imagining standing under a glistening rain of coins and money, wealth beyond counting hers to keep. With that kind of coinage, she could probably help Oola and all the others and still have enough left over to keep her pockets healthy and full.

Ciava only realised she was standing perfectly still, staring at Mari in complete silence when she suddenly recalled she needed to actually breathe.

"…A-ah, yes, that should…suffice." Ciava cleared her throat several times, trying desperately to not show how much her hands were shaking as she reached up to brush her hair from her still wide eyes. "Y-yes, I should be able to work with that.

This was usually the part of Ciava's routine wherein she revealed some supposed 'problem' that only some extra pay would solve (Their usual stable of horses were all called for and thus needed to go to a different supplier, her usual provider for provisions had suddenly upped their prices, and so on), but honestly she couldn't even begin to think of a false obstacle plausible enough. With that kind of money, she could have probably organised a small expedition complete with a full baggage train, let alone just what they would need for the two of them.

Forcing some calm thought to filter through her, Ciava tried once more to gauge Mari, and once again failed. She wondered if the casual display of wealth was a kind of power move; making it clear that Mari wouldn't even care if she was over-charged as money was no object to her. And yet, if that was the case, Ciava was certain she would have seen some flash of that superiority that seemed to rest as a default in the scornful eyes of the lords and merchants that visited the centre. Mari's deep green eyes didn't have anything like that in them. In all honesty, Ciava couldn't place WHAT was in Mari's eyes, a fact that unsettled her.

Still, a little uncertainty had never stopped Ciava from lucrative opportunities in the past. Thus, somewhat more hesitatingly than she would have normally liked, Ciava reached out and grasped Mari's hand. Ciava smiled as she gave a firm shake, and once again endeavoured to ignore that strange swirl of icy wind that seemed to flow over them in that moment.

"Deal, and one I gladly accept. Now, for the actual logistics of this journey-"

The sudden harsh noise of metal sliding roughly against metal cut through the air, Ciava twisting around to see the barn-sized door of the centre's back door being pushed slowly open. What was usually used to unload wagons and carts instead opened just enough to one person to just about slip through the crack, heaving a sigh of relief both from releasing the door and seemingly to be back in the dull cloud-swallowed sunlight. One of the centre's workers on their break, so preoccupied with pulling a worn wooden pipe from a pocket that it actually took them a moment to look up and see Mari and the now frozen cait.

"…Ciava? What the hell are you up to?" The worker, a near ancient minotaur woman judging by her curling horns and tall stature, frowned. Her tone didn't hide her suspicion, and the way she muttered Ciava's name suggested she was already guessing the worse. As she probably should, to be fair.

Ciava herself didn't answer immediately, instead just standing stock still. Her mind raced, trying to hone in on a plausible excuse for this clandestine meeting. Something that she would do behind her work's back, but something that wouldn't cause anyone to look too deeply into the matter…

"…Ahh, all well, you caught me." Ciava shrugged helplessly, suddenly all smiles. Then, with as much as a casual air as she could project, Ciava's hand suddenly reached across Mari's back and landed squarely on her waist. Pull the girl sharply flush against her (more to silence any noises of surprise), Ciava beamed as she leant her head to brush up against Mari's, cooing, "I just couldn't spend another moment away from my dear paramour, and asked her to meet me at work. A person needs food to fill their belly to get through the day, but I need my better half to fill my heart for the same thing, you see."

Ciava, as subtly as she could, turn her eye to watch her work colleague even as she continued to brush the side of her face against Mari's head. The minotaur's eyes narrowed but, exactly as intended, she just let out a vaguely exasperated noise.

"Look, what you do on your own time is up to you, but please think of everyone who has to work here, AND how much you must be bothering ya girl." The minotaur grunted, suspicion fading from her as she set about lighting up her pipe. "We come back here to relax, not get an eyeful of you two being mushy, and I doubt she thinks this is the most romantic spot."

"Pfft, just because you've forgotten how young hearts yearn for each other doesn't mean we should have to restrain ourselves." Ciava sniffed, then (feeling a little indulgent in the moment), she practically wrapped herself around Mari and stuck out her tongue cheekily. "Besides, I think my dear heart likes me being a little needy…"

The minotaur made an exaggerated gagging noise as she shook her head, and Ciava chuckled as she leant in to Mari's ear. Rather than sweet nothings, however, she lowly breathed;

"Meet me by southern most gate at the seventh bell; come with only what you intend to carry for the entire trip…also, sorry about this…"

So saying, Ciava pecked Mari on the cheek before finally extracting herself from the other woman's body, stretching out with a grin as she did.

"Well, I feel suitably refreshed! Best be getting back to it. Take care, my sweet, and know that every second I spend apart from you is an eternity."

The minotaur huffed as Ciava dipped into a bow so extravagant it would have made even the most pompous noble blush. The horned woman rather bluntly stated,

"You want my advice, lass," the minotaur gave Mari a look. "Reconsider your options; Ciava's a lot of trouble, and I'm sure a pretty girl like you could do better."

Ciava didn't bother to hide her pout at that. Even if it was only about a fake relationship she had only just made up a second ago, that still stung her pride a little.

 

[Peregrine]

Even if Mari had not been closely studying Ciava's face, trying to gather even a hint of how the cait sidhe was feeling about her slip-up, it would have been impossible for Mari to miss her reaction. Barring the hastily cut off shout, the cat woman suddenly looked as though she'd been frozen in place, her entire body going stiff.

How many times since she'd left the Temple this morning had Mari felt like her emotions were strapped to the back of a sparrow, suddenly darting off to the side before she even had time to fully stabilize herself? Yet here it went again, as the young woman felt panic surge within her once more, balling her fists up behind her back as she hoped that she hadn't committed some unforgivable affront out of pure ignorance.

Was there some process or necessary step she didn't know about when it came to under-the-table deals? Was there something wrong with the number fifteen itself? What could possibly have happened?

At the very least, the countless shocks and uncertainties that had plagued her so often in this short period of time gave her slightly more confidence in dealing with it. There was nothing for her to do but swallow her panic. Swallow it, and wait to see if things worked out, or if they utterly fell apart.

And, after a few more dreadful, breathless moments, it... worked out. Mari couldn't help but smile sweetly in relief at Ciava's words of agreement, and things quickly began to fall into place. Mari thought that perhaps the situation had finally reached the perfect, pleasant conclusion as Ciava's fingers closed around her own in a warm shake.

Until the door to their little courtyard suddenly rattled open with a metallic shriek that caused a reflexive shiver to run it's way up Mari's spine. She glanced curiously towards the door, wondering who was coming in, until she suddenly felt the tension in Ciava's fingers.

It took a split second of confusion—where Mari found herself wondering what could have upset her escort so much—before she suddenly remembered. This wasn't an above-board deal, and the old, bull-horned woman who had just entered the courtyard was already squinting at Ciava, traces of suspicion filling her eyes. If the work center knew Ciava was doing unofficial work, would everything Mari thought had finally settle into place fall apart again?

This was the very first step in her journey, and it should have been the easiest. If it was this hard to find an escort for the first leg of her trip without getting caught by her family, how hard was the rest of her quest going to be?

As her thoughts continued to swirl, wondering how the Goddess would see her out of this next catastrophe, Mari felt a sudden, abrupt tug from her side.

And then her mind went blank.

Mariellen, Lady of the Temple, could think about absolutely nothing other than the hand the was suddenly wrapped around her waist, the shoulder that had pressed up against her arm, the head the was now nestled up against the crook of her neck.

No one had ever, ever, touched her like that.

With any trace of rational thought fleeing like seeds on the wind, Mari had nothing to rely on but her instinctual training, the behavior that had been drummed into her to such a level that she couldn't even escape it in her sleep.

'Stand proper, clasp your hands, smile. Keep your eyes forward, head up. Never let that posture falter in front of the believers, regardless of what happens.'

Ciava didn't let go. If anything, she snuggled herself up even closer to Mari, as though hoping the two could somehow become one. Gradually, however, Mari's sense was coming back to her. She only managed to catch the tail end of the conversation between the two work center employees, anything from before erased from her memory like it had been swallowed up by white clouds.

'Not the most romantic spot.'

Torn somewhere between indignation at the utter invasion of her personal space, satisfied with Ciava's quick thinking at diffusing the situation, and lost at a strange, warm feeling that felt like feathers tickling at her heart, Mari, at the very least, didn't pull away from Ciava's clingy embrace. Instead, she focused on the smile she was wearing, shaping it into something a bit warmer and a bit less professional. That wasn't the kind of face someone should be wearing if they were with... someone significant.

Mari felt her face growing slowly hot, and didn't hesitate to bashfully lower her eyes at Ciava's teasing, only for her gaze to land on the cait's elegant fingers, which were wrapped tight around her waist, half vanishing into the golden embroidery that framed her skirt. An instant later, and she felt a breath of warm air tickling the edge of her ear, sending shivers shooting across her body.

Mari trembled slightly, and almost missed Ciava's words. Still, she locked the important ones in her mind. Southern gate. Seventh bell. She nodded, almost imperceptibly.

And then, just like that, Ciava slipped away from Mari, causing the young woman to once again shiver slightly as the cold air that had accompanied the minotaur woman's entrance brushed against the spots that had, up until only a moment ago, been wrapped in Ciava's warm body heat.

"Take care," she replied softly to Ciava's parting words, head still dipped slightly. "I'll see you again soon."

It was only then, as Ciava disappeared from the room, leaving nothing behind but the ghostly sensation of her skin against Mari's own, that the young woman suddenly solved a mystery that had absolutely no place coming to mind at that moment.

Stiffness. Frozen in place. After that last experience, Mari now knew exactly what it meant when Ciava had briefly turned into a wooden sculpture after Mari had offered her pay.

It was shock.

Complete, utter, unadulterated shock, to the point that it made it impossible to move, to think, to even breathe.

As she muttered a few words she couldn't even remember to the minoutar lady who was still watching her with sympathetic eyes, an even stranger thought came to Mari's mind.

Had she perhaps offered too much?

---

It hadn't taken much work for Mari to shake off the minotaur woman, who seemed more interested in getting back to work without anyone noticing her break than really digging all that much into Ciava's supposed paramour. However, without any form of distraction to guide her mind, and nothing but hours separating her and her departure from Tura Im, Mari found herself growing restless and anxious once more.

How long would it take before the Temple realized her absence wasn't a simple cold and the desire for a bit of alone time? Surely they would respect her enough to give her a day, but what if they didn't?

What exactly was she supposed to do with herself while she waited? It wasn't as though she could go back home, she'd only barely managed to sneak out the first time, and that had taken a solid week's worth of planning in and of itself. But would she find herself in over her head if she dared to wander too recklessly?

Keeping herself to the main streets, Mari made her way slowly south, some of her worry fading away as she felt a building enthusiasm grow in watching people come and go. This wasn't the first time she'd been out in the city, but it certainly was the first time she'd been out as anything resembling a 'normal person'. Normally she was accompanied by an entire retinue of guards, her own person clearly marked with the Temple's distinctive robes.

Now people bustled around her, generally respectful but far from giving her the space and reverence she normally received. People chatted, laughed, bargained, shouted. It was lively and beautiful.

And it was only when Mari handed over one panam in exchange for a rich, slow cooked venison stew wrapped in a fluffy flat bread that Mari realized the sudden interruption—and her own scatter-brained reaction—meant that she hadn't actually handed over any of the money to Ciava.
Recalling the other woman's serious face as she'd spoken about what would happen if Mari couldn't pay, the green-haired woman was momentarily tempted to turn back to the work center. Uncertainty kept her in place. Would Ciava even still be there? Or wouldn't she be off preparing for the start of their trip? It would be impossible for her to find the cait in such a large city, no matter how hard she looked.

In the end, Mari slowly ate her delicious, slightly messy wrap, before boldly licking her fingers clean of the hearty, nutty sauce that had dripped out from the bread. And then she spent the rest of the day playing tourist as she continued working her way south from the center of the capital city, simply enjoying everything the city had to offer.

It wasn't until the sky had started to grow darker, the horizons stained with the shifting light that appeared before the start of sunset that Mari finally reached the plaza in front of the southern gate. She seated herself down on a bench near the edge of the plaza. With the transition towards evening the streets were rapidly growing more empty, while the street lamps that contained a tiny fragment of light stone began to glow one by one.

The spring wind had started to grow notably cold as the sun grew closer to the horizon. Fortunately, Mari estimated that she was only fifteen minutes away from the seventh bell. There would still be enough light for them to make a short distance from the city before the sky truly began to grow dark.

...Assuming, that was, that Ciava had actually finished her preparations.

Mother Above, she hoped a jacket was included in that.

 

[Baddamobs]

Ciava spent the intervening time between the officiation of the deal between her and Mari and the ringing in of the seventh bell somewhat in a rush.

First and foremost, she had spent some time kicking about the centre, filling in on the odd jobs as she had promised. Not really to win back any favour with her handler or fellow employees; by this point Ciava's less than ideal reputation spoke for itself. However, she had to present the idea that she was still interested in getting paid for her work, and not that she had just scored the opportunity of a lifetime. That, and swipe some clerical supplies from the offices for the next step.

As soon as she could make a good enough excuse to slip out of the building, Ciava didn't have to spend too long finding her next target; some of the urchins from Oola's square, hanging around one of their unnumerable haunts. After many shouts of 'Big Sis Civi' and finally buying them the sweets she had promised nearly a month ago (curse their perfect memories for anything tasty), Ciava passed a hastily scrawled note and a single shiny panam in the kids' hands. The task she gave was simple – wait two days, then deliver the note to the centre. The note hadn't had too much thought put into it: something a family emergency that had come up suddenly, and that Ciava had to rush home back east, and she was ever so sorry she couldn't have told them in person, and so on and so on. Ciava didn't really know if the note would be believed, but in some ways she wasn't worried. The centre would probably be glad to have a break from her skulking around in any case.

Next came the actually important business. She hurried through the alleys and back streets until she arrived home…or, well, at least the place she lived. It was a small space, a single room hole in the wall that was shoved rather inelegantly between two houses in the district that modest families found themselves in. It was cramped and barely had space for even what meagre possessions Ciava owned, but the important part was that it was an address actually recognised by the officials of the city. Oola had actually been the one to insist that Ciava move out of the square and get herself setup in a space that wasn't in Tura Im's slum district – despite Ciava's many protests, Oola had been right that Porcelain Rose looked more fondly on their agents have a local place of residency, and it had probably been the one saving grace that had allowed Ciava to secure a position in the centre.

Thoughts of the old snake caused Ciava to pause for a moment, freezing as she ducked into her house. She had only just got back to Tura Im and she was already leaving again, once again disappearing after only a handful of words to Oola. While Ciava was never one to spend too much time in the city before setting out on another job, there had been an errant hope flickering and fluttering somewhere at the back of her mind of finding an excuse to visit the square again. Images of buying Oola some of that warm doughy bread she pretended not to like passed through her mind, and of curling up to rest in the midst of the old snake's expansive tail, and to simple…feel like she was home.

A single, transient moment of doubt, like a blazing torch briefly dimming before growing back to full blaze.

"There'll be time enough for that later." Ciava muttered, snapping back to motion. There would be all the time in the world for her to spend with Oola if she returned to the city after a few months, pockets loaded with more money than she would be able to spend at once. She couldn't let this moment slip past her.

She started a silent mantra, beating it into the base of her mind until it left a permeant print.

'Keep your focus on the money.'

Speaking of which, Ciava crossed the room swiftly, bending down to drag her sleeping cot out of the corner. With a few careful tugs and pulls, she lifted off the false wall panel that hid her stash, quickly grabbing the hefty bag that as stuffed within. It contained everything she would need for the next; enough cash to buy what they would need for travelling, some personal supplies just in case…and maybe a few mementos she hadn't yet learned to let go of yet.

Next, and what took the majority of time, was securing their travelling arrangements. Being the capital of a thriving empire, there were plenty of places to secure transportation supplies and animals in and around Tura Im. The trick, however, was securing goods of actually passable quality, and animals that didn't cost more than they were actually worth. Under normal circumstances, Ciava might have needed a day or two to prod and inquire at the contacts that she had gathered from her time in the work centre, just find someone that would be able to give her what she needed without draining a majority of the travelling budget.

However, in perhaps the purest example of how much money helps grease the wheels of progress, that wasn't a concern in this instance. For once in what felt like her entire life, she had more than enough money to simply beeline straight to the suppliers that wealthier traders used and slam a whole sack of coins down.

By the time she was done, Ciava was the proud renter to a sturdy covered wagon, enough persevered foodstuff to last the whole trip, and two well bred horses to pull it all. The wagon was hardy and would keep the worst of the coming winter chill off, though Ciava hoped Mari would be prepared to sleep on common bedrolls for most of the journey; while practical, a wagon wasn't exactly the most comfortable thing to sleep in.

Still, for Ciava, it felt vaguely triumphant to ride out of the stable yard with her new acquisitions. She sat a little smugly as she steered the wagon through the quickly emptying streets and avenues of Tura Im, what few people who were out and about at this evening hour having to make way for her.

"No wonder nobles travel by carriage all the time, this is fantastic." Ciava chortled to herself, before sobering. She looked up at the darkening sky, putting it somewhere at around only half an hour before the appointed meeting time. Meaning there wasn't enough lee-way for her to make her way to Oola before having to depart again.

Ciava sighed, keeping her course. The old snake would understand. This was something Ciava was doing this for the both of them.

The seventh bell was just about ringing as Ciava pulled into the plaza before the southern gate. It didn't take long to spot Mari sat on one of the many benches, thanks to the quickly dwindling number of people in the space. Pulling the horses to a stop before Mari, Ciava hopped off and bowed down in one smooth motion, gesturing to the wagon.

"A fine evening to you, Miss Mari! As you can see, your…err, 'chariot,' awaits. Toss your package and whatever else into the back, and we shall make a start on what promises to be a smooth journey."

 

[Peregrine]

Mari heard the sound of wagon wheels only a few short moments before the seventh bell started ringing. It reverberated deeply through the plaza, carried through open air, funneled echoing through Tura Im's streets. The sound of the bell almost caused tears to form in Mari's eyes, although she quickly blinked them away a second later.

That bell had accompanied her through her entire life. She'd begun every morning to the sound of its chime, ended every day to its warm toll.

Mari had thought she'd mentally prepared herself for her quest. She'd sat in her warm, safe quarters, imagining every possible outcome, and had proclaimed herself resolved. She was committed to the quest the Goddess had set her on, body, mind, and soul. She would not turn back.

And yet, it felt so much more real now than it ever had when she'd sat in front of a notebook in her room, making plans on a page she'd burn later that evening.

Now, the once familiar peal of the clocktower bell sounded almost like a death knoll, heralding her journey into uncertainty.

She was leaving Tura Im. After the first leg of her journey, Mariellen would be leaving Veria altogether. And she would not be returning until she'd completed every step of her journey. Simply by the size of the world, there was no question it would take years to complete.

By the will of the Goddess, she hoped she would see it completed.

As the last bell fell silent, Mari heard wagon wheels coming to a halt in front of her, the cheerful clip of horse hooves, their faint, snorting breath, and, finally, the dapper voice of her new escort.

She'd timed her arrival so well that Mari couldn't help but idly wonder if she'd planned it for that exact moment.

Standing from where she'd been seated only a moment before, Mari smiled as she studied the carriage. The covered wagon was made of a pale, sturdy looking wood with bright, reddish trim. A clean, white tarp covered the top. Up front, two bay horses, one clearly darker than the other but still beautifully matching, were tied together in leather harnesses, pawing lightly at the ground as though eager to show off their energy and strength.

"Vekan Drafts," Mari commented lightly, using the moment to approach them and lightly run her fingers over their sturdy, muscular bodies. "You have a good eye for horses."

As Mari touched the horses again, she couldn't help but smile lightly. The horses were warm under her fingers, and soothed her nervous heart slightly. Surely they'd act as reliable beasts of burden for the duration of their journey. Feeling reassured, she turned towards Ciava once more.

"I have brought nothing. As I said in the explanation of our arrangement, you are responsible for everything we need to complete our journey. Consider your ability to fulfill that request my first test of your suitability for the position as my escort. As for the package..." Mari paused slightly, tapping a pouch at the hem of her skirt.

Unlike its weighty appearance and the clear divine inscriptions that surrounded its rim, it contained nothing but a paperweight filched from her mother's desk. "It shall never leave my person. There is no need for you to worry about it."

Taking a deep breath, Mari strode over to the other side of the wagon, before lifting herself up into the seat next to Ciava. After taking a couple of moments to tidy up the hem of her skirt, Mari nodded.

"Let us be on or way."

She wouldn't look backwards. She wouldn't.

She wouldn't.

 

[Baddamobs]

Ciava blinked as Mari both correctly identified the breed of horse that would be pulling their wagon and ran a gentle hand over their withers. It was not so unexpected that she would recognise the type of horses present; Vekans' strong and powerful builds made them popular for both practical physical work and to pull the carriages of the rich and powerful, thus many could identify them on sight even in the heart of the capital. The real point of curiosity for Ciava was the genuine tenderness that Mari displayed as she patted them down, a slight smile spreading its way across her face. Most nobles were happy enough to have the horses pulling their carriages and spoke of them highly, but few deigned to show any actual affection to the creatures. As Ciava silently regarded Mari (and quietly acknowledged that the small smile on the girl's face made her already pretty features light up), she wondered not for the first time who exactly this fledging noble-born was. However, as Mari turned back to the cait and reiterated that the logistics of their journey was entirely in the feline's hands, Ciava snapped back to focus.

"Of course, of course," Ciava bowed herself lower, even as she twisted her neck around to try and scan the noble up and down. "I merely meant that, if you have retrieved any keepsakes or baubles that you wished to take on this journey, then there was more than enough room in the back. Afterall, some of my clients won't step a single foot beyond the threshold of their homes without a lucky charm or two, haha."

While her tone was light, Ciava was quickly making note of several things. The most prominent one was that Mari hadn't changed and was no in possession of any additional bags or items. That meant that she really had come to the centre with everything that she intended to carry with her, perhaps prepared to leave the city as soon as she secured a contract. Which also meant that it was unlikely she had bothered to return to her home or the place she was staying in the intervening hours since their deal had been struck. Ciava wasn't entirely sure what to make of that piece of information, but she filed it away into the back of her mind. It, however, was quickly drowned out as Mari's hands drifted down to the enigmatic article that this whole journey centred around.

Ciava's eyes traced over the pouch, tail flicking with involuntary eagerness behind her as she tried to discern just what secrets could be hidden within. The pouch was not large, but the carefully made symbols and inscriptions on its rim spoke of a certain importance. What realm-shattering secret could be tuck away into such a tiny space? Ciava was no fool; sometimes the most dangerous things in the world could fit into the palm of one's hand. Afterall, kingdoms could be made and destroyed by a few humble slips of paper, and small artefacts had the power to change the world just by their existence. With that in mind, that just left the singular question…what could it possibly be?

Shaking her head, Ciava simply clambered back up onto the wagon's driving seat. It wasn't her business, no matter how much her curiosity ticked in the back of her mind, reminding her every few seconds of the great annoyance that some juicy secret lay so close and yet so impossibly out of reach. As long as she received her pay at the end of this, it could be a particularly funny joke made at the expense of the Mother Goddess' church for all she cared. Better that she kept her mind on the task at hand.

As they got themselves settled, Mari spoke again;

"Let us be on our way."

Initially Ciava simply made a small noise of acknowledgment, taking a moment to ensure the reigns sat right in her hands. But she took a moment to spy at Mari from the corner of her eye. Maybe it was just quickly approaching dark, or the slight nerves one always had at the start of a long trip, but Ciava could have sworn that an odd 'tension' radiated out from Mari. It was nothing largely noticeable; Mari sat with all the calm and resolve of a lady at court. Just that something in the focus of her gaze seemed oddly…resolute.

After a moment, Ciava set the horses in motion, the creak and clack of the wagon's sturdy wheels against the cobblestone echoing out in the quiet of the square. Keeping her focus on guiding the horses through the narrow streets until they re-joined the capital's main thoroughfare, Ciava silently shrugged to herself. She didn't need to understand Mari's mind, just ensure that they both made it to the other side of this journey in one piece. In some ways the less she knew, the better.

At this time of the day, they were probably the most heavily ladened travellers heading towards the city's gate; most of the larger wagon trains and merchants would have left earlier in the day, so only stragglers that had seen their departures delayed would be sharing the path with them. While the capital never truly slept and the gate would see traffic all the way through the night, it didn't surprise Ciava when they largely had Tura Im's roads to themselves save for occasional marching patrol or wandering night-owl (sometimes literally).

Thanks to this fact, their path to the southernmost gate went unimpeded. However, judging by the cluster of city guardsmen standing in the middle of the gate's path, their luck was about to take a dip downward.

Ciava bit out a curse under her breath. She had hoped that they would have been able to slip out of the city before regular inspections commenced for the evening. Not because she expected any trouble, mind you; it was just a bit galling to have some nosey guard go poking around in goods she had literally just finished acquiring. Indeed, it made something of a nice change that she for once actually didn't have some kind of contraband that could be discovered hidden on her person…

Briefly, Ciava's eyes flicked down to the pouch on Mari's side. She would have to pray that it was both small and humble looking enough to slide under the guard's notice. They were more worried about larger articles and it was rare for them to insist on travellers to empty their pockets under normal circumstances, but…

Despite her internal worries, Ciava dutifully pulled the wagon to a stop as they approached the gate, the wagon rattling to a halt right before a man with a more decorated uniform than his fellows.

"I hope this evening finds you well, citizens of Tura Im." The lead watchman, some kind of lizardman with a tongue that flicked out from between his fangs, said with a dry tone that suggested he had gone through this particular speech too many times. "For the safety and security of our fair city's people, we-"

"Have to check to make sure we're not transporting anything untoward or could be a danger, yes yes." Ciava grunted, narrowing her gaze at the equally unimpressed gate captain. "We're well aware of the procedure, sir, but we're on a tight schedule, so dispense with the pleasantries, please."

The captain looked on the cusp of biting out something, and in all honestly Ciava had been expecting it, before he looked over to Mari. There wasn't any recognition in his gaze, but clearly the sight of Mari's more impressive clothes and bearing made his check himself; even an angry guardsman would think twice before impeding a noble born longer than he had to. Instead, he merely silently gestured to his comrades, and they went through the motions of checking around the wagon. Ciava allowed herself to sit a little more smugly in her seat. She could get used to this kind of thing.

The guards were clearly used to their task, as they each split up to search a separate part of the wagon with a speed and efficiently that only came from endless repetition. One ducked to look underneath, another clambered into the covered back to glance through their provisions, and one even checked to make sure nothing was hidden in the horses' harnesses. One set about checking the sides of the seat Mari and Ciava was sat on, a much older gentleman with a thick set of facial hair and long drooping ears that suggested some kind of canine linage. As he set about knocking a wrinkled hand against the seat to check for hidden compartments, Ciava tried to pretend that her hackles weren't rising by pure instinct.

Damned dogs.

He had just let out a pleased hum of a job well done, when the elderly dog happened to glance up at Mari. His watery eyes seemed to freeze for a moment, bushy brows creasing together as he squinted at the girl. The concentration on his face suggested that the gears in his head were trying to grind back into action, like he was trying to recall something he had long forgotten.

Ciava felt her pupils narrow into thin slits, and more out of an excuse to display the smoldering animosity in her core, leaned across in her seat.

"Oi, I don't think ya should be ogling a girl young enough to be your grandkid, old-timer." Ciava grouched, glaring at the old man as her tone dipped several layers back into her old 'gutter speak' for effect. The canine guard flinched back, blinking rapidly like he was just coming back into himself.

"N-no, that ain't it, my apologies." The guard rapidly bowed his head, taking a few steps from the wagon. He hesitantly looked back up at Mari, his eyes still confused. "It's just…why do I feel like I've seen you somewhere before, lass? Or maybe, someone related to ya?"

 

[Peregrine]

As Mari listened to the clack of the wagon's wheels across the paved street, echoing loudly in the muffled silence of Tura Im's evening. Mari leaned back slightly, resting herself against the back of the wagon's seat, taking a slow, deep breath. She was on her way. It was hard to guess what waited ahead of her, but whatever it was, she'd come to face it soon enough.

Very soon, the walls guarding the southern gate came into sight, and Mari straightened up once more, glancing at the short line of people, and the guards that were checking them over. Gradually, faint concerns began to build in her mind once more. They… would let her out, wouldn't they?

It was impossible for her to miss the faint sound of curses that slipped through Ciava's lips a moment later. Mari found herself letting out a slow, controlled breath, trying to stifle the feel of her stomach once more dropping out from under her. She'd assumed that this roller-coaster was finally over, now that she had boarded the wagon and was on her way out of the city. Yet maybe this would be a perpetual feeling from now on, accompanying her endlessly through the duration of this journey. Mother Above, she hoped not.

What finally steadied her somewhat was the thought that all of her panic and concern throughout the day had proved completely unnecessary thus far. Despite all of her concerns, Ciava was here helping her. Surely… Surely everything would go the way the Goddess intended.

That was why Mari focused on keeping herself sitting prim and proper, making sure she looked comfortable and at ease with the entire process, as though there was nothing that could possibly go wrong. It was amazing how much giving that kind of impression could change the way people would interpret a situation.

And it was good that all of her attention was focused on that act, because it kept her from flinching the moment the old guard made eye contact with her. His eyes were filled with confusion blended with recognition, and for one moment Mari was absolutely certain he knew who she was.

Honestly, it wouldn't be that surprising. It wasn't as though Mari had spent her whole life hidden away.

As a matter of fact, it was closer to the exact opposite. Her grandmother had known from the moment Mari was born that she was blessed by the Mother Goddess. As early as she could remember Mariellen had been helping the gentle woman in her duties as a Pope, learning how to lead worship to the Goddess, pray for blessings, and interpret the responses they received.

She'd been joining ceremonies in the High Temple since she was old enough to sit still through the entire ceremony, and had begun to help lead worship when she was able to properly remember her responsibilities. A decade and a half later, and she was a regular presence in the temple's ceremonies.

And although Tura Im's nobility were the ones who most regularly visited the High Temple, instead of its general citizenry, no one was forbidden from entering the worship hall. All one had to do was wait in line for their turn.

Of course, as the capital of the Verian Empire and the religious heart of human communities world-wide, throngs of tourists visited the temple on a daily basis. All of them hoped to participate in worship or meet the Pope. This meant that few of Tura Im's locals would actually bother trying to enter the temple on a regular basis, preferring instead to visit one of the numerous smaller churches that were scattered across the city.

That's why it hadn't really occurred to Mari that she might come face-to-face with someone who would recognize her at a glance. After all, she wasn't a public figure in the same manner as the Empress or the Crown Prince.

Now, she was berating herself for her naivete.

How was she going to deal with this situation? There was absolutely no reason the Pope's granddaughter should be leaving the city, especially not under such questionable escort.

Fortunately, Ciava's biting comment caused the guard to flinch, and Mari found herself freed from eye contact. It was only a couple of seconds, but it gave her a moment to start running through the available options. What could she say that wouldn't further arouse his suspicion, but wouldn't also indirectly point him to the right answer?

Under his probing gaze, Mari laughed slightly, an indulgent smile crossing her face. "I get that a lot," she said with a laugh. "It's the hair!"

She tugged gently at a lock near her forehead, before tucking it back behind her ear. "My hair's quite similar to that young priestess at the High Temple. You have no idea how many people on the street ask if I can give them a blessing. I rarely have the heart to turn them down when they're so hopeful."

Well, it would have to do on short notice. The guard seemed… somewhat convinced? Mari had to bite her tongue slightly to resist the urge to keep rambling. Any more than this, and it might end up just as suspicious as if she'd rejected him outright.

Fortunately, at that exact moment, Mari heard a guard from the back of the wagon giving the all clear shout, and the guard standing to Ciava's side waved them forward. As though sensing Mari's desperation, the two horses danced slightly in place, before pulling the wagon forward once more.

Mari smiled at the old guard once more, before turning her head forward. "We're… on the way for real this time, right?"

She hadn't actually meant to say that out loud, but her eyes turned in Ciava's direction. The bright riot of colors that had filled the sky when she'd been waiting in the plaza had already vanished into dull greyness, only the very horizon now tinged with amber light. Her gaze turned towards the dark sky in the east, where the Sacred Mountain waited, before she looked at Ciava once more.

 

[Baddamobs]

Ciava only half listened to Mari's explanation; she was expending most of her focus on glaring at the guard-dog like she hoped her eyes would suddenly gain the power to make him back away with a harsh gaze alone. However, what part of her that was actively listening thought Mari's answer reasonable enough. Afterall, it was easy for some folk to get fixated on little coincidences like that, and they end up thinking something as innocent as a similar shade of hair means someone is distantly related to high-ranking clergy, and thus someone worth bothering for blessings.

Not that Ciava would really know a lot about those kind of things – both the decorated clergy and blessings in general. Even after she had moved to the capital, away from the frontier towns where you were lucky if the church didn't have a draft, she only ever attended the masses held in the humbler sites, chosen more for their ease of distance. Afterall, despite how much she always insisted she could make the trip herself, the old snake Ciava always escorted would grow weary from even shorter journeys. Because of this, Ciava knew little of the leaders of the church, and she had no qualms to that; whatever relationship she had to the Mother Goddess, she didn't need an old crone in fancy hat telling her the particulars. Though she had little doubt this old timer was just the opposite – the kind of inner-city resident that waited for hours at a time to just to glimpse priestesses of the decorated cathedrals that made up Tura Im's centre, and end up getting confused with some noble born traveller because of it.

Luckily for all involved, the old dog seemed to eventually accept Mari's answer, even if he continued to frown down at his boots as the wagon pulled away, seeming to try and mull it over. Ciava herself just gave a mock salute to the gate captain as he waved them through, which earned her an unimpressed glare. The horses, clearly eager to be out of the confines of the city and into the open spaces beyond the gate, impatiently trotted forward, and soon looming walls were replaced with the ever-expanding horizon, and the closed in streets replaced with the gentle sigh of the evening wind rolling across the wide fields.

Ciava drew in a breath, sighing a little happily as she settled back on her seat. While she would have perhaps liked to have spent more time with her companions in the capital, she couldn't fully deny that there was something about travelling down the open road that agreed with her. The air tasted sweeter on the crackled and cobbled main roads that snaked their way to and from Tura Im like veins to an organ, and the way the border of the world seemed to go on forever made Ciava's heart glad. Like there was always more of the world to discover. More opportunities to be made…

"We're… on the way for real this time, right?"

Ciava blinked, turning her gaze to look at the girl sat beside her. Even with all of her experience at reading the faces of her various employers, Mari's expression was one that Ciava couldn't quite place. Anxious in a way, but coloured by something that the feline didn't have a name for. In the end, after a few seconds of silence, Ciava decided that Mari was just speaking from nerves. Afterall, she was likely more used to travelling with more comfort and dignity, and definitely not being inspected by patrolmen like she was some thief in the night. To that end, Ciava affected an easy shrug.

"Ha, yep, that should be the last annoyance we have to deal with for a while at least." Ciava gestured with a motion of a hand to behind them, to the gate they were slowly putting distance to. "Now we are well and truly on our way, Miss Mari. Nothing before us now but the open road."

Their route would, happily, start off fairly scenic. Already the darkest patches of the firmament were beginning to twinkle with stars, pinpricks of light shining through the gaps in the grey clouds to mark the reaches of the sky and illuminating the worn grey stone that made up the major roads. On each side of them stretched fields with either with a farmstead's growing yield, or the well-trodden and chewed grass that made up an animal's paddock. The fresh smell of the countryside drifted over them, and seemed to make their horses snort with some happiness, perhaps fondly recalling their own time grazing in these very quadrants. More distantly, the road before them twisted and turned gently to follow the curve of the land, taking them past the occasional dirt path that wound messily to the few farmsteads that sat isolated amongst the fields, their windows already dark. Trees were sparse here, with only a few thick leaved trees to mark the borders of some fields where fences had not been used, though more tangled growths sat still like shadowed sentinels just on the edge of the horizon. And while darkness and a few higher rises and hills blocked a clear line of sight at the moment, they would later also be travelling alongside the clear waters of Goddess' Glass (or more colloquially, 'The Glass'). If the full breathed of a journey could be judged by it's first steps, then Ciava had no doubt theirs at least would be one full of treats for the eye.

Thinking about their journey, however, did put Ciava's mind also on the matter of its practicalities. Namely, that the darkness was growing thicker around them; already the green grass of the field was fading into a strange mesh of waving shadows, and it was only by the grace of the pale and sun-bleached stones of the road that they could pick their way with any confidence.

"We won't push too far tonight. We should wait until we can just about around the bend of The Glass, then stop and wait for first light. While I'm sure our dear Vekans would happily march until dawn and then march for a couple of hours more, all the speed and endurance in the world won't afford them much if they twist a leg in the dark." Ciava laughed grimly, before hesitating. She had been on the cusp of making a joke that they might as well have delayed their exit and slept in the comforts of their own beds and simply struck out tomorrow, before recalling the serious tone that Mari had used back in the work centre. Their exit being swift had been a condition of their contract, and though the reasons for it were yet shrouded, even Ciava wasn't foolish enough to poke her employer about the matter. Better to seem as compliant and uncurious as she trying to make herself be.

"Err…Have you been down to the shore of Goddess' Glass much, Miss Mari? Just talking about it made me recall all the times during summer, the days being too hot for anything else, when me and a couple of the kids from the square would head down to dunk our feet in the water and skip stones. Would have gone swimming too, if the ferry and other boats weren't always so busy, haha."

Even as she rambled on, Ciava felt her smile turn tight, almost to a grimace. She had meant to just fill the silence with idle small talk, but in all honesty, she wasn't exactly sure what to talk about. At this stage of a job, she'd normally be buttering up her employers, asking all about their business that were all too happy to boast on. A secret mission with a mysterious client, however, left Ciava little to talk about but herself.

Not her favourite topic of conversation…

 

[Peregrine]

Nothing before them but the open road, indeed. Mari's eyes roamed across the fields and pastures, the stone road seeming to stretch on before them until it touched the horizon. The world in front of her seemed so incredibly vast, but Mari had seen the map that decorated her grandmother's study. She knew what lay before her was nothing more than a tiny spec on the map. Even the beautiful Glass Lake, Kanna Eri, that was large enough to transform the far shore into nothing more than faint haze in the distance, was but a tiny cat scratch compared to the wider world.

And this wasn't Mari's first time outside Tura Im. She had traveled with her parents and grandmother on several diplomatic visits. She'd seen and crossed the ocean, water so vast that it could easily swallow up anything that entered its depths, had seen grand cities built into trees, fine temples delicately carved into red-stone cliffs. Yet, perhaps it was because she'd been sheltered by the presence of her family, but it had all seemed so easy then.

Now she was about to face that whole world, and all the dangers it contained, alone.

Ciava's voice suddenly snapped Mari out of her swirling thoughts, and the young woman flinched slightly. However, as she glanced over at the dark-skinned cait sidhe sitting next to her, a small smile tugged at the corners of Mari's lips.

Well, not completely alone.

"That's fine," Mari agreed easily, eyes drifting upwards to stare at the sky. No light was left except for the faintest tinge of color on the horizon, a color resting somewhere between yellow and grey. A moment later, her eyes turned toward the gibbous moon that hung suspended in the heavens. "We'll be sleeping under the eyes of the Goddess tonight."

When she was little, Mari had loved sleeping outside. She felt that removing the roof between her and the sky had brought her one step closer to the Mother. She'd plunder some blankets from a supply closet somewhere, before laying them out amongst the manicured flowers of the temple gardens. Sometimes, her grandmother would find her out there, and tell her stories that the Goddess had recorded among the stars.

The Goddess was watching their journey, Mari was sure. Her hands clasped gently.

"I could see the Glass from where I grew up, but I didn't often get the chance to head down to its shores." For her, venturing out of the temple required a full escort, and Mari had never wanted to disturb the people who would no doubt be impacted by the arrival of her and her retinue. Therefore, the only times she went down to the Glass was when her presence was required for some form of ritual, or when she intended to sail.

"Do you not have any siblings, Ciava?" Mari continued casually, trying to visualize a young Ciava playing near the water with her friends. "Or did they not want to play with you?"

 

[Baddamobs]

"Ha, no siblings worth speaking of, if you follow me, miss." Ciava grimaced, perhaps a bit too forcefully. Both her reply and her expression were meant to make the subject seem awkward for her; hopefully her client would feel her unwillingness, and presume it was just an uncomfortable family history (and not that Ciava was intentionally trying to avoid giving out information of herself). However, after a moment, the expression softened down to merely a glum looking smile. Despite her best efforts, the question had made Ciava recall the brother and sister she had at one point called her very best of friends. Back when the world had seemed simpler, and she had spent entire afternoons running with them through the untamed hills, their laughter echoing in her ears.

She had left them behind too, when home had stopped feeling like home.

Ciava hesitated, looking at Mari out of the corner of her eye. Ciava's hesitancy of sharing even a crumb of information on herself was ultimately a tactic born of sensibility; the less the various merchants and nobles she worked for knew of her true self, the better. Afterall, it would make it a lot harder to track her down if there ever came a day when she tried to swindle the wrong amount of gold from the wrong vengeful noble-born, and in general made lying to them simpler. However, nothing about this job had been very much like her regular efforts. She hadn't needed to craft some tragic story to help sell the idea she was a poor waif in need of extra money; Mari was already promising more than Ciava had or likely would ever see from any singular job again. And Mari was so secretive herself, at the very least about her mission.
The expression on Ciava's face shifted, just slightly, eyes darting down to look at the hands that fidgeted with the reins. While keeping up a false persona was something she had grown adept at, even enjoying at times, maybe it would be a nice change to let the mask slip just a little. If only to give her an excuse to reminisce about her old family, for a short while.

"…Maybe that's a little unfair of me. Yes, I had siblings – or I guess still have, somewhere. But life has taken us in different directions, both figuratively and literally. I, for one reason and another, ended up in the capital, while they stayed back with Ma and Pa. Maybe they're still out east, maybe they struck out themselves. Who can say, now?" Ciava was quiet for a moment, eyes scanning the horizon as if searching for something, before shaking her head. "Well, you know how families are; kind of come and go, when you reach a certain age. Apart from one member of the 'family,' I guess."

She turned her gaze upwards into the heavens, trying to follow where Mari's gaze had been. Stars were slowly beginning to blink into existence, the darkness of night seemingly being covetous with it's bounty of lights for the moment. As she looked, Ciava thought on what Mari had said just before, and let out an amused kind of huff of air.

"While I'm not gonna turn away any divine help we can get, I think we'd need to be particularly lucky to have dear old mum looking down on us. I'm sure that She's got miracles to work and prayers of more important folk to answer."

The Goddess was real, and She loved all of her children without reserve, even Ciava knew that much. However, Ciava also figured Her eyes couldn't be everywhere at once. There were probably more vital matters that she had to attend to, rather than keeping watch over two errant travellers creeping through the quickly darkening night, up to who knows what no good. At the very least, that was how Ciava justified a lot of her less scrupulous actions…

"…Though, feel free to ask Her for help, if you're inclined." Ciava sniffed, turning her eyes back to the road. She knew some people took that kind of thing more seriously than she did. "At this point, I'd take a warmer night over nothing."

 

[Peregrine]

"I see," Mari replied. Her voice and expression were both gentle despite Ciava's rather brusque response. After all, she'd always had to learn how to maintain a suitable appearance, regardless of the circumstances.

But somewhere deep inside, she couldn't help but feel slightly sorrowful that Ciava had rebuffed her question.

It should have only been natural. It wasn't as though their relationship had begun under normal circumstances. Mari had appeared to her with something that could easily have been an illegal request, and Ciava had chosen to help her despite that fact. It was only normal that the cait sidhe had no reason to trust her. The less Mari knew about her, the less chance there was for her to get in trouble if things somehow went wrong.

And yet... and yet... And yet Mari couldn't deny that she would have liked nothing more to get to know more about the woman that was now seated on the bench next to her. She wished they could just be honest with each other. Be friends.

And yet, this was the circumstances they'd found themselves in.

Oh, Goddess, Mari sighed slightly. What am I supposed to do?

The first star gleaming brightly over their heads seemed to wink slightly.

And a moment later, Ciava's voice began to echo around them in the encroaching darkness, seeming to carry the will of the Goddess herself. Mari listened attentively, her head bowed, eyes half closed.

"That must be... really hard. I can't really imagine what it must feel like to have life separate you from your family like that. I... "

And yet, hadn't the Goddess' revelation just done exactly that to her? She'd just left home, with the full knowledge that she wouldn't be returning for years. If at all. It could have been possible that this morning's vague, awkward breakfast—when she'd been preoccupied with escaping from the temple without them noticing and had only exchanged a few words—would be the last time in her life she might see her mother and grandmother.

Something briefly seemed to clench around her throat, choking off her voice for a moment. Mari's lips pressed tightly together, before she swallowed and smiled.

"Well, I don't have any siblings. I have a lot of cousins, but we don't really get along well. Not that we get along bad, it's more like we're kind strangers." They'd been rivals when she was young, but as Mari had grown up, the favor the Goddess showed her had quickly become apparent to all. At that point, her cousins had stopped competing with her, and instead began to treat her like some extension of her grandmother instead. They'd been courteous and polite, and Mari had simply come to expect that.

In some ways, the Goddess had indeed become her closest family member.

"I believe She is watching us," Mari said softly, before turning to Ciava and smiling brightly. "When we reach where we're spending the night, I'll try and call a sanctuary miracle for us! That will keep us warm and safe while we sleep."

 

[Baddamobs]

Ciava blinked at Mari's tone, almost taken aback. It wasn't at what she had said; many people prayed for health and safety at the break of nightfall even in the capital, but sheer certainty with how she said it. Mari had spoken like, even if not absolutely a guarantee, that her voice WOULD reach the Goddess and in turn there would be a good chance of it being answered. Like there wasn't a doubt in her mind of the fact, a truer show of faith then Ciava had seen from some of the priests of the Mother's churches.

Also, though Ciava was a bit slower to admit this to herself, Mari's face had suddenly lit up as she spoke. All the quiet grace and refined edges to her features seemed to briefly glow with happiness, making her already pleasing beauty all the more pronounced.

"I… well, if you think it will help." Ciava shrugged, though she couldn't entirely keep the scepticism out of her voice, nor did she do too much to hide the gentle shake of her head. Though, the latter action was more to shake her thoughts back into order. She had never had a problem with taking in the visage of a contractor that was pleasing to the eye before; there was often times very little else to do while on long journeys, and Ciava would shamelessly admit to have made a game of lightly flirting with a few in the past, though she was careful to never let it go beyond that. She was, however, unprepared for the fluster that seemed to have hit at Mari's open and honest smile. Ciava turned her attention back to the road, focusing on guiding their wagon in between berating herself; this job was an important one, and she couldn't afford a (very) pretty face distracting her.

For a while, the cait kept her eyes on the road. Ciava also pondered a little on what Mari had said before, about her having a lack of close siblings but an abundance of distant cousins. It wasn't really something Ciava could easily relate to; it had felt like, at every stage of her life, she had a 'family' of some sort that she was close to and could rely upon. Either her flesh and blood family or Oola's eclectic group that had become so important to her after she had arrived in the capital. In both cases, they had become something like a beacon that she had revolved around. Her life was full of friends, acquaintances and contacts, but at every step her thoughts and efforts never strayed far from providing for the ones she cared for most. It might have helped that in both cases the sense of belonging had become something vital to Ciava.

The idea that you could have a family, even distant family, that felt like strangers seemed like a very hard thing indeed for the cait. Maybe things were different for nobles and the like, but Ciava could still feel a wave of sympathy for Mari. But despite how much she turned the thought over in her head, she couldn't think of a way to give voice to them, and instead she sat in a somewhat uncertain silence.

After a while, Ciava tugged at the reigns, gently guiding their horses off the road and towards a small copse of trees that was crammed rather awkwardly on a small hill between two farmlands, turning to Mari as she did.

"Welp, here's a good as a place as any. Hopefully we'll be out of way enough that no one will be rushing us to vacate the area come daybreak. Though, we'll not exactly be lingering overlong in any case." As the wagon came to a rattling stop, Ciava hopped off, and went straight to removing the harnesses from the Vekans, and attending to them to prepare for the night. As she went, she said, "If you want to pray for safety or cover or what have you, now's the time. Also-…er…"

She hesitated a moment, and looked up at Mari with genuine sheepishness.

"Do you have any particular preferences for the sleeping arrangement? As in, shall make sure to give you enough privacy to get changed, or enough room to sleep in the back? After spending most of my life sharing rooms with siblings, I'll admit I've been told I am sometimes…quick to assume informality."

Ciava's mind briefly flashed back to one of her earliest jobs, when she had whipped off her shirt before her client, nearly giving the older lady-noble a heart attack. Despite her efforts the embarrassment of the memory showed quite clearly in her dropping ears, and tucked in tail.

"As, uh, my client, I will defer to your preferences."