Chasing Shadows (Skull612)

[EmmaliaChan]

She was grateful the interruption finally pushed Lyall to get a move on. The moldy dampness of the cells constantly reminding her of her brush with imprisonment, coupled with the anxiety of not yet being availed of that danger, was driving her mad. He disposed of the hefty guardsman with ease, earning a little giggle - this time, a genuine one - from Miri as he was unceremoniously plopped on the very floor he'd chucked her onto. Served him right. Her head still hurt from being led by the hair. Though she shared no comment on his remarks, she couldn't help but ponder his stance a bit. As a Captain, it seemed the guardsmen should be his allies, yet here he was, picking up a stray cat and brazenly defying them. Caught red handed as she was, there was no arguing her guilt here as a no-good thief. This entire situation was just bizarre.

"Of course, of course!" She replied, dismissively waving her hand at the notion. Her pockets were heavy with the goods she'd already obtained, having snatched the medallion and the ugly rock claiming to be magical. Naturally, too, it was Lyall himself she'd chosen for her next target. "Stealing wouldn't be very squire-ly of me, would it?" The raven-haired woman fully intended to behave herself. At least, until it was time to rob her rescuer blind and flee Taba for good. There was nothing keeping her there. At least... Not anymore.

A deep breath of the fresh air rejuvenated her right down to her soul. The familiar scents and stinks that raised her washed her in a wave of lonely nostalgia following her determination to abandon her old life. She followed behind as he traversed the tight crowds, slick as a shadow and avoiding drawing attention. Her golden eyes watched as he carefully chose from the basket of fruit, surprised when a glitteringly red apple was tossed her way. Before taking a bite, the ravenous woman couldn't help but admire it. The vibrant color, symmetrical shape, and delicate leaves popping out from the stem was nothing like what she'd occasionally snag from the sickly, abandoned fruit trees of the Ancillaries. It also was nothing like the cheap produce she'd get there when she had the coin for it. Upper City markets were on another level in terms of quality.

Happily taking hungry bites of her little prize, they soon had the eyes of a merchant trying to sell gaudy, overpriced merchandise. Lyall didn't bite, and the seller wasted no time trying to pawn it on the next lady to walk by.
Wait. That necklace looked familiar... Well, the deviant couldn't miss this prime opportunity for shenanigans. Miri, still wearing her Esme persona, sidled up to the lady genuinely interested in the piece. "Oh no, no, no, ma'am," Her apple waggled around determinedly in the air. "You deserve better," Before anyone could react, she added, "This isn't even real!" The jeweler's look of protest hurriedly changed to horror as she plucked the centerpiece 'gemstone' from the necklace, revealing its shoddy glued in backing, and dropped it to the ground, the distinctive shatter revealing it to be but shiny, colored glass.

Leaving the salesman to no doubt get slapped by the wealthy mistress he'd tried to gain the money of, she pranced back to Lyall with glee, taking a triumphant bite from the fruit he'd given her, and giving him a expectant look that denoted her eagerness to get a move on.

[Skull612]

It brought Lyall just a bit of satisfaction to see Esme enjoy her apple so, perhaps moreso than himself even. She consumed with the unmistakably voracious appetite of one who'd been through hard times. Probably with lengthy times between of going without. She may not have wanted to speak of it when he'd pressed her, but he knew better all the same. A fortunate thing then, that he'd caught that rabbit just a short ways out of town. He'd use his supplies to make a hearty stew tonight for the girl, that he would.

Of course, gaudy jewelry did him no good, so his short exchange with the eccentric vender was quickly shrugged off. The man had already found better, less careful prey. Truly, what need was there for hell, when the devils here are vast and plenty? Ah well, the wheels of commerce had to be greased to keep spinning he supposed. That'd be the end of it, he believed, and had even turned to continue his way through town, before a commotion from behind found him pause. The source, Esme, cheery as ever. Some immediate concerns came to mind, as he watched the young thief input herself between the vender and his new target. Though inwardly he decided to simply watch and see how things played out.

To her credit, Esme stuck by her promise. Granted she apparently had good reason to keep her dextrous hands off the merchants wares, with the revelation that the necklace, in particular it's gem, was naught but a shoddy rip off. That particular avaricious peddler, a conman? Nooo, surely not. The pure audacity of it! He amused himself with that sarcastic thought, whilst the majority of the crowd around took their own takes from the scene. In particular, the flustered noblewoman, who'd been so keen to being taken in by the merchants whims a moment before. Lyall didn't even need to see it, hearing the crisp sound of her furious smack strike true, just as Esme bounded back over to him, looking generally pleased with herself.

He recognized her muted worry though, they had best continue moving before more guards were called to the scene. "Well now, good job back there Esme. Already getting in your good deed of the day eh? Must be rubbing off on ya." He jests, praising her nonetheless for her sharp eyes. Leave it to an accomplished thief to know what to look for in forged gems. He reaches out and ruffles her hair warmly, before wrapping that same arm around her shoulder to usher her on through the city. Merchants who witnessed the display no longer seemed so eager to call out and halt their progress, a welcome occurrence considering his squire's desire to leave as soon as possible. The rest of the travel went by fairly uneventfully from market to residential streets. Once, a patrol of guards passed the pair by, no second glances their way told Lyall the guard in the cell had yet to be discovered fortunately. He pulled Esme a bit closer as they passed, all the same.

Soon enough, they found themselves on the road out of town, bustling city giving birth to a wide meadow of brilliantly yellow flowers. In the distance, the treeline marked the start of a nearby forest, and that would be their destination for the moment. Taking one last look back his old hometown, the elder knight presses onward, seeing an old friend waiting faithfully in the distance. She trots down the path towards them, snorting impatiently, but pressing her snout to Lyall's face upon meeting him. He laughs in turn, patting his trusty steed and wrapping his arms around her joyfully. "Oh come now, I wasn't gone THAT long, no need for all that. Here, we've a new companion." Taking her by the reins, he brings his horse before Esme, a beautiful black steed, a full head or two taller than the knight himself. Her massive hooves were all covered by thick tufts of fur, certainly a horse geared towards the often strenuous needs of a knight. The beast gives her a curious sniff, seeming to acknowledge Lyall's words. "This pretty gal here is Saoirse, you girls be nice to each other now, y'hear? Camp's not too far from here, let's keep at it."

[EmmaliaChan]

The sly thief giggled mischievously. "Ah yes, yes, definitely rubbing off on me," The thwap of skin hitting skin as the lady showed her disdain had been incredibly satisfying. Knowing the look on the noble's face as that of a woman enamored with a shiny bauble, Miri would've bet good coin that she would've bought it, too, which made it all the sweeter. "Couldn't possibly be that I switched the real piece out for a fake nearly a fortnight ago," 'Esme' said with a wink. Planting that counterfeit was likely her most successful team operation. "Serves the fool right for never noticing," It had been a brilliant plot, well worth the gamble of pilfering in Upper Taba, and she'd never liked that merchant, anyway - the shifty-eyed salesman was a smug jerk, even on the best of days.

After preening her ruffled locks back into their typical silky river, she leaned into the partial embrace and allowed Lyall to usher her along, the distraction pleasantly keeping criers at bay. Meanwhile, her hungry lips savored every last bite of the fruit she still carried, leaving behind nothing but the rigid core. It did little to sate her gnawing hunger, but it had made it bearable. In general, hunger as a concept had been becoming more bearable as of late, like a familiar shadow that followed her in both light and darkness.

The guards they passed seem none the wiser to her criminal status. The word 'surprising' would be an enormous understatement. Actually, so was the word 'grateful', both that she wasn't caught, and for the cover that a man of Lyall's rank provided. She wasn't stupid enough to think she'd have made it beyond those gates alone.

A flowery meadow greeted them, comforting spring breezes wrapping around her like a swaddle cloth. Never having been beyond the walls, her eyes widened to absorb all the new things to see. Trees and grass and birds and road made of dirt instead of carved stones, no buildings but open land and natural hills and holes. Rodents, snakes, and bugs in their burrows below, unbeknownst to their weak human senses. Her legs screamed at her to run, not out of fear or to escape, but just to feel what this freedom could be like beneath her feet, no roads to guide her path, able to move in any direction at any time. It took every ounce of self-control she had not to bow to the childish desire to fling off her boots and frolic in the soft, plush grass rippling in the wind. It suddenly felt as though she had a life to live, a real existence beyond simply surviving - there was an entire world beyond Taba! How many other meadows could she run in? How many trees could she scale and peer out from the highest branches? Were there seas, lakes, and oceans she could swim in? What did an ocean look like, anyway?!

Then she had second cause to desire to run. An enormous black beast trotted up to them to visit Lyall. Just as the outside world was a new experience, so was interacting with a horse; 'Esme' had never had reason to ride one, and so never had, creating a terrifying unfamiliarity with them. These were massive creatures of pure muscle that weighed as much as ten men, had legs powerful enough to send a human flying with one kick, and spooked easier than water ran down healthy summer leaves. At Lyall's guidance, the creature drew closer and sniffed her, with Miri backing away as soon as a single tendril of snout hair grazed her. Her eyes darted suspiciously between her companion and his steed, not wanting to get too close, and hoping he would keep his animal friend at a solid distance while she followed behind.

[Skull612]

Ah, now that would explain a number of things. So it wasn't some unnaturally keen sense of jewels on Esme's part, but an extremely ironic coincidence. That would explain why the seller himself had appeared so surprised by the series of events. This revelation troubled Lyall deeply however. Not from some sense of knightly morality, oh no. The troubling part was, he found the situation so hilarious that it was incredibly difficult to maintain his stoic persona. We're he not trying to maintain a low profile, coupled alongside the desire to seem like a good role model for his new squire, he surely would have laughed heartily at the coincidence of it all. This girl, Esme, she would be the cause of some very interesting adventures in the future, he believed.

It was fortunate then, that things had progressed so smoothly afterwards, seeing the knight reunited with his faithful steed. But it wasn't Saiorse that first garnered Lyall's attention. One look was all it would take anyone, to recognize the look of childlike amusement and wonder on Esme's face. Like a caged bird feeling the freedom of of the endless expanse of sky for the first time. He caught himself staring, and shifted his gaze in short order. That was perhaps the first pure unguarded reaction he'd seen from her since their meeting. She must have spent the entirety of her life trapped inside Taba's walls, a city where poverty equated to a life spent surviving. That she could still have a look on her face of amazement like that…it made his decision to bring her along with him all the more worth it.

It would not be the only honest reaction he saw from her within that short span of time though, as he watched her regard his companion with more than a little trepidation. This, Lyall found reason to chuckle at. Here was a fierce, plucky, and generally bright young woman, no fear when attacking an armed guard. But sincerely wary of his horse. "Come now, Saoirse isn't some wild animal, no need to look so nervous. This girl and I have known each other for a good number of years, been through more than our fair share of battles as well. She won't spook so easily, you're quite alright Esme." Despite his reassurances, he does switch the rein over to his left hand, prompting the loyal beast to move to his other side so as to give Esme some distance from her. A squire would certainly have to be used to handling a horse, but he saw little need to press the issue so soon. Much, he imagined, was going to be new to the girl. Letting her figure things out and settle in at her own pace was fine for now.

Lyall leads the way once again, at first following the straight path that leads out of town. A well-worn road, dotted with other hooves tracks and the outlines of carriage wheels. Naturally Taba saw much business from merchants and nobles alike travelling to and fro. So of course to make camp the knight had chosen to veer well off the road in the end. "Always watch your step in the woods, you never know what sort of animal you might run afoul of." He warns, just before stepping off the weathered travelling path and into the treeline that bordered the road. Thankfully the woods weren't so dense, but the travel took several minutes longer nonetheless. But at last, the duo would reach the break in the trees that opened to Lyall's camp. Lyall steps into the clearing with Saoirse in tow, leaving her by a thick patch of grass before stepping into the midst of his modest camp. Likely he hadn't been the first to make base here, as the small fire pit and surrounding logs had been there on his arrival. Nearby, the short tent he'd set up stood. He motions to said tent as he turns back to Esme. "Tents all yours, if you'd like to rest up for a bit. I caught a hare earlier, I'll make us a nice little stew out of it, should be nice and filling." He smiles in a friendly manner as he removes the cloak that had obscured his identity in town. He certainly wasn't wearing as much armor as he was used to, but he looked well enough protected all the same, with a sword hung by his waist. Most notably however, was the brooch he wore on his chest. It shone brilliantly in the rays of light managing to pass through the surrounding trees. A vibrant sapphire adorned it's center, encapsulated by high quality silver with golden embellishments. It was both a dear present, and a sign of his rank, as the head of the knights.

[EmmaliaChan]

His words soothed her anxiety; it made sense that the horse of a man who'd likely trained for horseback swordsmanship would be of even temperament. Looking through a less nervous lens, Miri appreciated the beauty of Saoirse. Shiny black hair and soft, wise eyes stared back, demonstrating no hostility or distaste towards her, fluffy tufts of fur giving her powerful body a touch of cuteness. Unsure of the general intelligence level of horses, the thief feared she might've hurt the animal's feelings by yanking away from their initial interaction, and so offered a gentle, apologetic pat on Saoirse's soft nose.

Her empathy didn't last long. 'Nope, still scary!' Immediately she returned to keeping her distance, squinting suspiciously for signs of aggression during much of their short hike to camp. There were no such signs visible, but this hardly quelled her nervousness. Horses were weird. Mysterious. Powerful. Not nearly as troublesome as dogs, though, with their sharp teeth, angry barking, and penchant for ruining her scores... And don't get her started on hissing, yowl-y, clawing cats! How such cute animals could be so viciously violent was truly nature's most heinous crime. Yet people kept them as pets? So weird.

These rambling thoughts were halted by their arrival at the edge of the woods and Lyall's words of warning. Only then was Miri aware that freedom had extended to her brain, too, as she had no idea how she'd gotten where her feet had carried her. This sort of train of thought occupying her so pervasively would've gotten her cut, killed, or captured by a fellow criminal in Taba's Ancillaries.

Trailing behind more conscientiously, her hands occasionally brushed against tree trunks, fingers tracing lines of bark as her eyes lingered on any leaves that had a different shape or color from those around it. The encroaching growth of moss at the base of trees was an interesting phenomenon, as well, but not as pressing as the pair of red beetles appearing to dance as they walked circles around each other on the giant leaf of some strange, cone-bearing plant.

Golden eyes observed every detail of the camp as he began to get comfortable, but none as thoroughly as she eyed up the gemstone adorning his chest. Its blue hue commanded her attention, contrasting metals intricately detailing what was assuredly a piece worth a lifetime of coin. Target spotted. Miri shook her head at his offer and plopped down on her knees next to the fire pit. "Not tired yet," Oversimplifying the impossibility of sleeping when her excitement level was so high, her cheeks tinted pink and her eye contact waned, her fingers suddenly enthralling as they awkwardly drew circles in the sand. "Could I... Help cook, maybe...?" Living without access to stoves or firepits meant hot meals were always prepared by someone else. Having a hand in her own meal... It was such a foreign concept. She just had to try, even if in a supporting role. Returning her determined gaze to his, she added, "Please?"

[Skull612]

Lyall sighs wearily, his sword belt the next item he sets aside, leaning it alongside the sturdy oak of a nearby tree. He'd found more than he expected in Taba, never would he have predicted he'd be returning to camp with a companion like Esme. But…still it was less than he'd like. The town held no answers for him. It was difficult not to be disappointed, though it was what he'd expected. Well, it wouldn't be much of an adventure if he found his goal right out the gate. The queen…was it her plot that saw the disappearance of the crowns rightful heir? The princess, his…no, he had to keep himself from dwelling on that now. He'd find her, sure as the night follows day. For now, it was more pressing he focus on Esme, much would be unnatural to her if this was truly her first time beyond the cities walls.

Besides, she was doing an awfully good job at making herself hard not to address. She wished…to help cook? It seemed important to her, and the gesture she made alongside the pink of her cheeks…it was the first he'd seen her appear so. 'Cute' for lack of a better word. He grins, it wasn't as though he'd have reason to turn her down. "Oh? Sure, I can probably show you a thing or two." He strides over towards the fire pit, beginning to roll up his sleeves along the way. He reaches down for a pail and passes it Esme's way. "There's a river, not too far through the brush in that direction. Fetch us some water, and I'll start prepping the hare. Oh…probably ought to go ahead and start the fire too." Offhandedly, he directs his attention to the pit at their side. A bundle of small logs sits just to the side, a few already piled in the center, a collection the knight had assembled earlier when making camp.

He holds his arm out, and Esme might very well beat witness to yet another unfamiliar sight. "Ignil." The knight snaps his finger, and a fantastical glow follows, as a trio of sparks fly from his hand. Glowing embers of brilliant orange streak through the air, converging upon the pile of wood. The instant the sparks make contact, a small flame alights. A warmth soon fills the immediate area, as a thin plume of smoke rises into the air. Satisfied with the dancing flames, Lyall turns to gather his food supplies, most importantly of which included the large hare he'd caught earlier. He'd give Esme the choice of watching or not, drawing a small hunting knife from behind his back as a signal that he was about to start dismantling the creature into stew components. "Hope you're decent at handling a knife, I'll have ya chop some other things with me when you get back, some vegetables, carrots, potatoes, all that good stuff." He calls to her, one last distraction before he begins his work.

[EmmaliaChan]

Miri stood unhesitatingly, scooping up the bucket and nearly darting off immediately, pausing her gusto after he mentioned getting their cooking station going. Another thing 'Esme' had never done? Start a campfire. Her expectation was rocks, a bit of metal, and maybe a handful of failed attempts prior to him blowing air onto the tiniest of infant flames, as that's how she'd heard it was done. More than her parted lips and wide eyes bargained for, however, was the snap of his fingers and the ensuing blaze obediently dancing atop his fingertip and setting his pile of sticks alight.

Though a hundred questions could've crossed her tongue, she had a task to complete! She darted off in the direction he'd gestured, missing his statements about vegetable prep and finding the stream with ease from the sound of its trickling flow. A few small, startled creatures scurried off into the underbrush during her hasty approach, Miri paying them no mind as she filled her bucket up to the brim and hurried back, looking proud as she clumsily set the heavy container beside Lyall despite the simpleness of her task.

By the time she'd returned, the rabbit was mostly prepped, and she set to task peeling and cutting potatoes. Her unpracticed hands made for ugly results, but with little waste, the hungry thief understanding the value of every edible bite of food. Any direction offered to her would be taken thoroughly to heart as she worked through each ingredient, eyes sharp with determination. Miri was taking her role as assistant chef seriously, but was very happy to do so; the very honest task of working for her food felt... Good. Not that she'd admit as much.

[Skull612]

For his part, Lyall had set about his task with experienced concentration, his blade keenly slicing through the rabbit until he was left with a suitably sized pile of meat. Eventually he had glanced up and noticed Esme gone in the middle of speaking to her, but he just got a laugh out of the revelation. He had obviously underestimated just how eager the girl was to assist him. Well, maybe she was just keen to learn how to cook for herself, that was probably the likelier option. Still, he found her eagerness rather…adorable.

She returned in a rush, the water in her pail sloshing about wildly as she placed it by his side. "Good work, next task peeling potatoes." Though simple in it's undertaking he still can't help but praise her for an accomplished task, not when she looked so pleased about it herself. "Guessing you haven't got to do much cooking for yourself throughout your life?" He tosses a spud her way while asking his question, then hands his knife off to her after an entirely unnecessary flourish. It made sense, cooking was a luxury most thieves probably couldn't afford.

While she began roughly chopping up potatoes, Lyall goes to fetch a decent sized pot from a bag containing his travel belongings. He affixes the metal tool atop the fire then fills it with water his squire had fetched. Shortly after, with a combined effort from the both of them, they had a hearty stew boiling away. The knight had already set out bowls for each of them, now to just wait until everything in the pot was rich with flavor and tender. While the broth simmered away, he directs his gaze to address Esme. He figured it as good a time as any to try and learn more about the girl. "You lived in the city your entire life? I grew up there too. In situations not unlike your own. I'm guessing, with how quickly you agreed to join me…you aren't…leaving anyone behind?" A hard question to ask, but she certainly hadn't made mention of any family.

[EmmaliaChan]

"Nope!" Miri replied, eyes already focused on her task. She offered no more explanation for her lack of cooking skill, knowing it was self explanatory. City officials would not appreciate the fire hazard of cooking in unkempt, dilapidated houses or out in streets and alleyways. Her concentration made her reflexively bite her lower lip as she delicately sliced out a blackened spot on a potato, still being sure not to waste any. Her slow but steady progress eventually added up, their stew preparation completed and the pot boiling on the fire.

Though the watched pot certainly boiled, her growling stomach meant it felt like forever before it would be cooked, the little wooden bowls' emptiness feeling somehow like an insult to her impatient hunger. The dancing flames threw comforting warmth, however, soothing her soul and making waiting bearable as she took in the smell of burning wood and cooking meat.

At his question, she giggled, pulling one knee up to her chest as she sat. "I'm leaving my whole childhood behind, at least!" Delicate fingers ran through her long, dark tresses, idly sorting through the tangles. "Not surprised you had a similar experience if you grew up there. There's only two types in Taba," Her golden eyes closed gleefully with fake cheeriness, trying to cover her previous non-answer with a fake veil of chipper amusement. "The very rich!" She tilted her head in imitation of a haughty aristocrat. "Aaaaand... the very poor, " Miri had little, if any, desire to share her story with this stranger. . His fascinating magical abilities weren't nearly enough for her to desire to stick it out with this bizarre man with a hero complex. Ideally, come nightfall, she'd spirit herself away on the wind, hopefully one blue amulet richer, and they'd never cross paths again.

[Skull612]

Ah, right. The past couple of hours might have furthered the camaraderie Lyall felt towards his new squire a bit much. He was almost taken aback then, when Esme's answer to him was still entirely guarded. Oh, she played it well with a gleeful persona, but there was no mistaking the intent behind the non-answer she gave him. She didn't yet trust or desire to share such details. If it bothered the knight, he certainly let it show. Esme would need time to grow accustomed to him, no amount of prodding would change that. So, he hasn't any hesitation in matching her enthusiasm. "Not just Taba, that rings true for several folks, all around the kingdom. Take this, there was this time the knights were called to Liore, following the kidnapping of a nobleman's son…."

The knight filled the air with his nonsensical tale, while their stew bubbled away between them. He details a ridiculous series of events, between the knights he led, a bevy of commoners who'd turned to banditry, and an unlikely friendship between the lords son and an uncannily similar looking orphan boy. Turned out, the two had swapped places for the day, setting off a series of coincidences that ended up revealing the lords infidelity. "Really it still confounds me how he was never found out before." His tale ends, with his gaze returning to the campfire. He sniffs the cool evening air, the rich scent of the stew filling his nostrils. Yep, seemed done to him. [b]"Mmm, a fine aroma. Enough of those tales, you must be eager to partake in some real food. Here, tonight you eat your fill Esme." With a kindly smile, Lyall offers her a bowl, alongside first honors of serving.

Soon enough, he found himself enjoying a warm hearty meal, the heat lingering inside the stew staving off the chill of night as the day faded around them.

Satisfying, that's how he would describe it if prompted. And how long he'd gone without eating in the company of another like Esme. An enjoyable experience all around, to be sure. "Well, I don't know about you, but I'm of no inclination to carry on tonight. Let's rest and leave further travels to first light. As before, the tent is all yours. As for me…" The knight rises to his feet, the lingering flames flickering catching against his brooch resulting in a purplish hued glow extending towards Esme. Soft steps find purchase towards the same tree he'd approached earlier. "This fella here ought to be cover enough for me. I'm no stranger to sleeping in the elements besides, so I won't hear any complaints about it." To his word, he adjusts himself against the ground, his back leaning against the bark and his arms crossed just in front of him. Shortly after, the knights eyes close, as he drifts off to sleep for the night.