Falst waved his hand, obviously wanting to wait for the stew. Thomas couldn't blame him. Just a minute after he put them back in his bag, Aranida came out with a pot, bowls, and spoons, balancing them expertly.

"Alright boys," she called out. "Dinner is served", and she placed them on the ground with a smile. It was the second time that day he had seen her smile. It was starting to become a regular occurrence.

After she placed them on the ground, they all just sat there. Thomas expected them to get up and get food the second the pot left her hands and, not wanting to get caught in the stampede, he stayed back.

Falst finally got up, and put the pot on the fire, and passed out the bowls and spoons. He then sat back down, and another staring contest began. Thomas rolled his eyes.

He reached into the pot for the ladle, and then reached for Falst's bowl. He filled it up with the delicious smelling stew, and passed it back. He then did the same to Bahaa's, then finally to his own bowl.

Thomas looked up at Aranida. "Thank you very much. Please thank Avia as well."

Taking a moment to himself Nadev stepped out of the dining area to face the coming night of the desert. It had felt like ages since he had been in his own Kingdom, he wished to savor these moment of peace alone as the new moon of the cycle would soon begin to rise not far in the distance. Closing his eyes softly he inhaled before the interruption of a crying courier bird took his attention. Opening his eyes and fixating his lenses upon the creature he gently placed two fingers in his mouth and whistled, answering the fowls call for it's intended recipient. Swooping down the bird perched itself upon Nadev's outstretched arm, and after a few moments he removed a scroll from the birds leg. "A message, sealed by the Court Bishop himself.." releasing the bird Nadev inspected the letter, pondering over it's content as he reached the end. "So the King intends to come to us, and by morning.. Something urgent most be happening back in the capital." relaxing himself Nadev finely shredded the letter, leaving it's unremarkable remains to mix with the sand.


______


After finding nothing to his interests Lucien prepared to find his lodging and 'rest' for the evening, but was prematurely interrupted by a not so far off gunshot. Instinctively Lucien followed the noise, rushing down the village streets towards the edge of civilization where he believed the sound to have originated. Alone in the desert he observed a figure moving about, he felt something odd about the whole scenario, and the creature he was now watching seemed different than a normal person. Moving onwards he slowly approached the figure, making no efforts to hide himself he fully intended to meet whatever caused the ruckus.

Bahaa received the soup gratefully and smiled.

"Thank you for the food," he spoke to a higher being after he sat down.

With that he tentatively took a taste of the farm stew. It wasn't particularly special in any way. It was rather thin to be honest, just water and vegetables to flavour it. Not even the meat had time to soften. Perhaps if he had known better, he would have marveled at how simple leeks and onions could mask the stink of meat. Not to mention the difference in texture as though the vegetables were added earlier they had a slight firmness that the young piglet's meat did not.

He ate silently but quickly. An urchin wasted no time with food. Eat it or leave it to be eaten.

---

It seemed unreasonable to try and change the world overnight so that he may live a longer life but there was no helping it if God was displeased with them.

"Well then, you should retire for the evening. I am bringing you to a special place tomorrow before dawn can break. It is my final wish, and perhaps if I may boast, my final gamble."

With that he left her in the room. It was hers though she probably didn't know it.

Qalim too was also curious about the bombing and though he could have asked the local investigators, he himself held an honourary title as befitting a Keeper. There was no one to stop him, legally, from taking a closer look. Though before he could he saw two figures off in the distance. The direction was of Phoenicia. One was atop a mount, a camel most likely and another figure which seemed familiar but in the darkening day he could not see too well. A spy amidst his entourage? Or just a harmless chat between two men? Who knew.

Falst reluctantly took the bowl Thomas held out to him. The man thanked Aranida for the food, and told her to give his regards to Avia as well. How trite. The recruit mused. He had never been particularly adept at expressing gratitude himself. He'd never had anyone to thank.
The broth was little more than water with a few vegetables and a bit of pork, though that was more than sufficient for the thief. He began eating, savoring the unmistakable taste of a home cooked meal, something he hadn't had in far too long. As was his habit, he ate methodically, enjoying the portions for as long as he could make them last.

OOC: Sorryyy super busy weekend

Aranida nodded having complete her task and left the men to eat, raising her hand casually as a silent wave goodbye. She walked back into the kitchen and found Ildan holding Avia's shoulders. There was an open, and she personally thought, tense air in the room, though she knew it wasn't directed at Avia. She quietly sat down on one of the chairs and began to examine her various trick bullets that were in compartments along her belt.

((In lieu of Whim))
Ildan and Avia sat in their seats and took their bowls of stew. Avia ate quietly, but Ildan did not touch his food. He peered over to Aranida, to Avia and then back.
"Why does she no longer feel like what she used to feel like? What happened while she was gone?" He questioned, riled up over the loss of the child and Avia's disappearance.
Avia postponed eating her stew and shot a worried glance over to Aranida. It was time to tell the truth, Ildan needed to know, but the question was not directed to her so she kept her mouth shut.
____________
Holan noticed a man approaching him and made no run away. His camel continued trodding along the sand and he tipped his hat to the stranger. His eyes were wide open, bloodshot from the drugs, and he grinned in a manner that gave off a vibe of mental instability. He holstered the revolver and pulled the camel to a stop.
"Hello."

Aranida ate silently for the air in the room was uncomfortably tense. In fact, Ildan had not even touched his food. He seemed troubled. Finally, he spoke:

"Why does she no longer feel like what she used to feel like? What happened while she was gone?" Aranida paused momentarily, then took another sip of her soup. She sighed. Her mistakes seemed like they were always going to haunt her.

"While your wife was staying with me, she wanted to see more of the city. However, while she was out" she stopped speaking not wanting to speak the bitter words that she knew would only further stir Ildan against her "...she was kidnapped by a criminal and taken to the slaver district. It was frightening, and as soon as I discovered what had happened to her I marched over there with my troops and tore the place down looking for her. The criminal however, seemed to have a change of heart and he gave her up and fled. I know it is all my fault, and that your wife seems to have gone through so much while visiting that city of mine, but I am truly sorry I was not able to protect her."

As Aranida explained the event to Ildan, he dropped his forehead into his palms and dug his fingers into his scalp, sighing as an expression of worry took over his face. What else happened to her when the woman was not around was what bothered him the most. He could not blame her, she obviously also did not have the ability to hold Avia back from doing what she wanted. She was strong like her people, but his fear of her frailty was growing ever stronger. He lifted his head back up to Aranida, staring her down with eyes of worry that echoed his pain and anguish.

"What happened to my child?" he questioned in a hushed voice.

Her face darkened further as the mentioning of the child had arisen. Aranida had thought that Avia had already discussed this with her husband. She combed her fingers through her hair and sighed. "The man who had set free Avia was later assassinated the same day by someone who I do not know, and fear may be linked to the genocide of your people. Soon after we departed for your lands, the assassin struck again." she put her spoon down onto the table and clenched her hand into a fist. The turmoil and frustration seemed to bubble up within her again as she relived her failures and her fears. "I should have done a more thorough search of the city" she looked down at the table, not feeling worthy to look at Ildan in the eye "I was so caught up in leaving for this mission...the assassin attacked Avia and stabbed her in the abdomen, killing the child." She shook her head and gritted her teeth "Even then, I couldn't catch him. I wanted to but Avia was of much greater priority." She looked up at Avia and reached for her hand across the table "Once again, dear friend, I am sorry for failing you so many times"

Simply being around the stranger gave the air around Lucien a stagnant state and now having the ability to see the man face to face slowly changed the still air to thick ice.
"You seem out of place, both physically and in mind. What ails your mind to have looning about in the desert." His words were harsh but were spoken coldly, as if to lack a threatening tone.

Ildan furrowed his brow and then immediately rubbed it smooth again. He pushed out his chair, stood up and left for his bedroom without a word. He left his bowl half empty, a few strands of heat still rising from the stew. Avia reached out and called for him, but he ignored her and she slumped back into her seat.

"Maybe he'll feel better tomorrow," she muttered, dropping her head in dismay.

After a short pause to think about it, she returned her attention to the stew, wishing she had not said anything.
_________

Holan flashed a smile to the man and leaned forward over the camel's neck, raising his arms in a shrug.

"I'm here to get away from my job. Might as well see something I've never seen before," he gazed over at the city of white and then back to the man. "You know what I mean?"

Staring voidly the stranger's words left no visible impact upon Lucien. His eyes remained fixed on the vagrant's visage, and for a moments time only the twilight changed about them as the dry desert air of the area matured, or perhaps de-evolved to a stony, frigid, cold. The silence about the two only added to the deathly atmosphere creating crashing waves of unknown, blank perturbation between them until finally a weapon was drawn. With almost God-like speed Lucien's arm reached across his figure towards the brand fastened upon his left flank, and within a single arcing, drawing motion, bade his blade upwards through the exposed neck of the mounted individual.

"It's nothing" spoke Aranida reassuringly "If anything it could've been worse. It's my fault you lost your child, and it's going to take some time for him to grow accustomed to the loss of something so precious" She got up from the table, "Perhaps it is time we all turned in?"

Avia nodded at Aranida's prospect and pushed her chair from the table. Picking up the bowls from the table, she walked over to a window and emptied them of the remaining contents. She returned them to a counter in the kitchen to be washed another day.

Tired, she yawned and faced Aranida again. With a smile she said goodnight to her and left for her room. Ildan was already sitting on the bed when Avia entered, still in his funk. Inching towards him, she wrapped her arms around his body and nuzzled her head against his. Ildan lifted his head and a small smile replaced the scowl that was plastered on his face earlier.
_________

Holan leaned away and fell from the camel, the sand cushioning his body as he plunged into it. His body would have been shaking if he wasn't relaxed from the drugs. Flicking out his revolver, he fired a couple shots at the stranger, forgetting about the effect of the drugs. He cringed in pain as he fired and pulled himself from the sands.

Aranida smiled and nodded as Avia got up from the table to go to bed. She herself was tired, having traveled for many days. She welcomed a night in a warm bed, especially after such a comforting and filling meal. It reminded her of the meals she had at home made by Greya. It made her heart pang for her home. However she had a mission to complete. Hopefully tomorrow they would be able to continue onwards. She climbed into the bed that had been prepared for her and went to sleep.