As he rode back to the caravan, Thomas thought about the man. It probably wasn't the best to have blown up at him. Not a very good way to start off a journey either. He shrugged it off. He had better things to do than worry about hurting Falst's feelings.

Thomas sat next to Bess. One of the two men that had been ordering the man around earlier had come up to him, and said that they were to set up camp. After feeding Bess, he sat against her side, not having a tent to set up. He reached into his pack, and pulled out a silver belt buckle.

He wiped tears from his eyes. Like it or not, Falst had dredged up feelings he had buried for years. "You know, Bess, my father wore this the day he died. No matter how many times I tried, I could never get the blood off of it." It was almost symbolic, just like no matter how many times he tried to get rid of his past, it always stayed, staining his record. He put it back, deep in the pouch, so that it wouldn't get damaged.

He decided to walk around, and see what was going on around the camp. "Stay here, okay Bess? I'll be right back." The hose neighed, seemingly understanding him, and went to sleep.

Avia returned a small smile to Aranida, hiding her abdominal pain. However, the hand clutching on her stomach clearly illustrated the stress of movement on her body.

"I'm feeling fine, sister. Ildan will be mad for the next several days, he has a bad temper," she replied, taking Aranida's hand. "Come in, I should show you the cottage."

Avia opened the wooden door and revealed the interior of the cottage. The entrance consisted of a short hallway that led into a large central room. To the left of the entryway was a small setup for cooking with a rectangular table beside it. To the right of the entryway were several sleeping quarters. Most of the house was sparsely decorated, but there were a few trinkets laying around. There was an easel stored in the corner of the central space with several paintings on the walls around the room.

"There isn't much, it was built several years ago and we never expected too much company besides family. There should be enough rooms to have one for men and one for women."

Nadev let out a subtle laugh before stepping to the head of his group to confront Abdullah.

"Before we go for the night, I would advise you to think twice about speaking of Neo-Potaks so gracefully. You people misunderstand what their true intentions are."

With a shake of his hand Nadev dismissed his men to participate in the feast, all but Lucien moved with the group, he isolated himself from the group to inspect the explosion.

OOC: Been on a train until after midnight. At work. And then school. So yeah. Also, what is the city called where Aranida and co come from?

Aranida was pleased to know that Avia was feeling fine, and followed her into the cottage. It was tiny in comparison to her own estate back in the city but this place seemed so much bigger. There were no long empty halls filled with the portraits of ancestors she would never know besides their feats or their names. There were no servants bowing and grovelling before her as she walked through each room. It was quiet. It was peaceful. It was warm. She immediately fell in love with the cottage.

"I am truly grateful for your hospitality, Avia" spoke Aranida sincerely, "Do not worry about having to accommodate too many of us, as of now only Recruit Barder, and the child Bahaa shall be staying with me. The rest have made camp away from your cottage so not to draw any unwanted attention to your farmland."

Falst, or recruit Barder as the commander had taken to calling him, listened to the exchange between Avia and Aranida silently and without interest. The "mission" had been uneventful so far, and he was fine with that. As long as he was compensated, he was content. He gathered from the conversation that the cottage had only two bedrooms, which meant he would likely end up lodging with the disgruntled gentleman. He wasn't sure if Aranida would trust him enough to let him sleep in the same room as Bahaa, though. He had seen the child around, usually training with Aranida. When he wasn't practicing or eating, he was usually holed up in one of the caravans. Come to think of it, he was surprised the commander trusted him enough to even let him sleep in the same cottage as her and Avia. He certainly wasn't making it any easier for her to put faith in him. He decided to dismiss thought, lest it cause him concern. The group entered the cottage, Falst bringing up the rear.

"I am truly grateful for your hospitality, Avia" Aranida said to their benefactor. "Do not worry about having to accommodate too many of us, as of now only Recruit Barder, and the child Bahaa shall be staying with me. The rest have made camp away from your cottage so not to draw any unwanted attention to your farmland."

"There isn't much" The woman replied. "It was built several years ago and we never expected too much company besides family. There should be enough rooms to have one for men and one for women."

Most would probably describe the place as quaint, but to Falst, it was more luxurious than anywhere he'd slept in months, possibly years. The place had a very homely, welcoming feel. The decorations were scant but in good taste. And he knew a thing or two about taste. The paintings on the walls particularly caught his interest. Thought they were nearly professional in quality, the easel in the corner hinted that the artist was none other than the man named Ildan.

"This is a very lovely home you have here." He uttered unwittingly, instantly regretting it.

Thomas made his way around the camp, thoroughly bored with it. He finally found himself at the cottage, a little distance from the little group in front of it. He watched as they went in, with Falst at the back. It surprised him that she let him in with them. Either she suddenly developed a trust in him, or wanted him close, to keep an eye on him.

Thomas walked up to the cottage, and entered. As he looked around, he saw the woman from earlier showing Aranida around. He smiled. She looked happier than he had seen her the entire trip, which wasn't much. He made a point to stay out of her way after he joined.

He saw Falst looking around. He could see that he was impressed with it as well. It had a lived in feel, almost a welcoming aura around it. He then heard Falst speak.

"This is a very lovely home you have here." Thomas then saw a strange look cross his face, almost as if he said it without meaning to.

"Yes, it really is quite nice." He said, startling Falst.

OOC: kiki, thai asked earlier and i actually did not state it. we were talking earlier and I think we decided on something like Chorrol.

Tyr sat back and watched the others timidly celebrate. Sera looked around the cafe cautiously, afraid of reactionary violence. She was now legitimately growing afraid of the surface and in the back of her mind she was beginning to desire to return home. Even though she was interested in trying more surface food, she did not touch the treats laying before them. She stood up and walked close to Qalim.

"Qalim, I need to talk to you privately," she whispered into his ear. "It's important."

Tyr took up a cup of coffee with his good arm and took several sips. He enjoyed the flavor and raised his head to the old man sitting nearby.

"What roast is this?" He questioned. "It's better than I expected."
-----------
Holan was riding a camel, nearing Filistine. Shining like majestic robes of white under the beating sun, he grinned as he held the dagger in his hands. He uttered the name, Sahrani, as if it were the name of a dreaded beast ten times the might of himself. However, he knew that he could kill the scythe this time around. They were of equal prowess, he was here to decide who was greater. By now he had all but forgotten the bounty of the yellow eyes. The drugs could wait until after the Sahrani Scythe was slain.

Sliding the knife back into a sheath on his belt, he covered his body with his cloak and tilted his wide-brimmed hat over his face to cover it from the sun. He prepped his revolver and after holstering it again, he lit a spliff. The energy he felt after each ignite was an overwhelming surge, as if his body literally became magic itself. His fingers wriggled as he thought of the chance to slay once more for his own enjoyment instead of for pay. What was the reason he started all those years ago? Was this it? Was this the feeling he so desired to feel once again? The one that evaded him finally returned, and he felt the ecstasy.

The robes of white shined greater than all the meteors that could ever fall from the night sky.
Filistine was in his grasp.
______________
Glancing back at the others inside the house, Avia sighed. She did not want to share her home with undesirables, especially those she hardly knew. Even though she hated Bahaa, she trusted the child would not do anything sketchy, being far too timid and engrossed in his journal. However, something about the child bothered her. Not how he acted, but how she acted toward him. Would she have been a good mother if she could not even forgive Bahaa's naivete? Even Aranida, who was just as hardhearted as herself, had the ability to treat Bahaa appropriately. Was there something wrong with her; was she unfit to be a mother at all when the time came?

"I can stand Bahaa, but I don't even know who this man is? All I know he's a washed up vagabond who appeared while I was incapacitated and I really cannot trust him in what should really be my sanctuary at this time."

Abdullah merely handed Nadev a cup of the finest brew in response.

"Perhaps if you drink enough, you'll see that we are a sarcastic people. Let the Neo-Potak roam, we'll still have our noses in our books when the world ends."

After which he sauntered off to have a seat before the other yellow eye traveling with Qalim asked him about the brew.

"Ah yes, that is our most finest roast from Jenogh. With the way the genocide is going, we may be in a shortage soon so enjoy it while it lasts brother."

---

As most everyone was at the feast, nobody cared about the lone figure plumbing through the wreckage of the day's bombing.

Lucien saw nothing out of the ordinary in the wrecked coffee house. A bit of the wall and shelf remained. The cleanup crew had been meticulous in their work. That didn't mean it was all clean though. There was the odd splash of blood here and there and some small mounds of pebble-sized debris. It had gotten dark and the crew had probably joined the feast soon after.

There was something stuck between the wall and the shelf though. A small lining of what seemed to be white clay. Underneath the shelf was a small bit of rope and a small metal rod the size of his pinkie attached to it.

---

Though his wound had healed, Qalim still hobbled a bit as he walked the Messenger to a private room.

"What is it?"

He wasn't paying that much attention to her as his mind troubled by something that had haunted him ever since they left Phoenicia. Oh he'll listen to her worries, but that was only because she trusted him, and perhaps do what he could for her. Tomorrow, he was going to pay a visit to the local scouts and guides. No he should be listening to the messenger. But that assassin from Phoenicia was still stuck in his mind. It couldn't be anyone else could it? That attire, that experience and tactics. He who killed first for pleasure, the psychotic gunman, Holan Solhorse.

Qalim lightly stroked his right arm whilst looking away.

---

Bahaa who, like all children, were smarter than they looked and could read the very hostility in the air as Avia talked. She didn't want him and the new man in the army in her home. Summoning up his bottled up courage he spoke.

"I can sleep outside with Recruit Barder miss Avia. I can keep him company miss Lady Aranida. We are children of the street, sleep under the stars is our friend."

He lightly tugged at Barder's sleeve as if asking him to agree.

OOC: Leave it to you guys to dump Doctor's post on me.

Falst's musings were cut short as Avia spoke. "I can stand Bahaa, but I don't even know who this man is? All I know he's a washed up vagabond who appeared while I was incapacitated and I really cannot trust him in what should really be my sanctuary at this time." She spoke in hushed tones, but Falst could make out what she was saying. Avia was understandably skeptical, and he couldn't blame her. He would be as well. He decided to let the conversation continue until they concluded what to do with him.
However, the child spoke for him.

"I can sleep outside with Recruit Barder miss Avia. I can keep him company miss Lady Aranida. We are children of the street, sleep under the stars is our friend."

The boy tugged at his sleeve, as if pleading for him to go along with it. He had guts, Falst had to admit. He was willing to sleep outside the walls of a safe and comfortable haven with a stranger he knew nothing about, just to make Avia feel more secure. Falst decided that he wouldn't mind sleeping outside if it made the woman feel better, but Bahaa should probably stay in. If what was going on was an issue of trust, then Aranida would simply be trading one bad spot for another if she left the boy alone with Falst. Before he could speak, however, another voice filled the relatively small room.

"Yes, it really is quite nice." It was Thomas, responding to Falst's earlier speculations. The man stood in the doorway, his presence startling everyone in the room.

Is this man an idiot? Falst pondered. Aranida's gonna have his head!

He turned to the commander, awaiting her response.

Aranida understood Avia's reasoning as to not trust Recruit Barder in her home, had she actually thought about it earlier she would've done the same thing if it were her own home. The man was a thief, and she didn't put it past him that he would attempt to snatch something while they were all asleep. Before she had the chance to speak however, the child Bahaa spoke up:

"I can sleep outside with Recruit Barder miss Avia. I can keep him company miss Lady Aranida. We are children of the street, sleep under the stars is our friend."

She immediately wanted to stop the boy from leaving after he spoke. He was her responsibility, and wanted him to stay by her side to ensure that nothing happened to the child. However he seemed determined to leave the house, and seemed a bit troubled as well, without any further argument she watched as the boy tugged Falst to the door of the house. Her eyes widened incredulously as the other recruit, whom she trusted even less than Falst, stood in the doorway idly complimenting the house. She looked at Avia, then back at the man, then back to Avia and then her eyes rested on him with a fierce glare that she thought would sear through his skull. She smiled apologetically towards Avia and pushed all of them out of the house.

"What are you doing here?!" she asked Thomas angrily, but before she could answer she interrupted him "Wait no, don't answer that. I don't care. You should be making camp with the rest of the Dragon Guard! Following orders is imperative if you intend to last as one of the Dragon Guard. You can't just go wherever you want, whenever you want. What if some of the Jenogh bandits had seen you on your way here. You would have not only jeopardized the mission but also put the lives of Avia, and her husband in danger!" she sighed heavily.

"Alright then. You will not be going back to the camp. You will be staying here with Recruit Falst and Bahaa." she knelt in front of Bahaa "Bahaa, you will be in charge, ok? Make sure these two do not do anything stupid, or suspicious. If they do, yell for me and I will come as soon as I can." She got up and straightened out her uniform "Alright, each of you have a blanket and various supplies that should last you through the night. Bahaa, you will take my extra blanket for yourself." She whipped around to face Thomas and Falst "I do not want anymore surprises from either of you. Do not draw attention to yourselves, and listen to Bahaa." She pulled her fingers through her hair and exhaled. "Alright then, goodnight."

Aranida left the men to their own devices, not wanting an answer nor waiting for explanations, she just wanted to go back to the peacefulness that was Avia's home. She re-entered the house, smiling apologetically again "I'm sorry about that Avia, while you were unconscious, they joined the Dragon Guard under....suspicious circumstances, so I like to know where they are at all times. Do you need any help preparing dinner? I know you're feeling stronger, but I don't want you to over exert yourself, my friend."

Thomas stood in the Doorway, his words silencing the talk. Aranida looked at him, then back at the woman, then back at him. She glared at him with such venom, that if looks could kill, he'd be a smoking hole in the ground.

He saw her give a apologetic smile to Avia, one that didn't fool him for a second. He knew he was screwed. She then pushed all of them out of the house.

"What are you doing here?!" she asked him, quite angry. He started to ask her why, exactly she was upset, but she stopped him. "Wait no, don't answer that. I don't care. You should be making camp with the rest of the Dragon Guard! Following orders is imperative if you intend to last as one of the Dragon Guard. You can't just go wherever you want, whenever you want. What if some of the Jenogh bandits had seen you on your way here. You would have not only jeopardized the mission but also put the lives of Avia, and her husband in danger!" she sighed, heavily, her anger already spent.

"Alright then. You will not be going back to the camp. You will be staying here with Recruit Falst and Bahaa." she knelt in front of Bahaa "Bahaa, you will be in charge, ok? Make sure these two do not do anything stupid, or suspicious. If they do, yell for me and I will come as soon as I can." She got up. "Alright, each of you have a blanket and various supplies that should last you through the night. Bahaa, you will take my extra blanket for yourself." She whipped around to face Thomas and Falst. Thomas braced himself, fully expecting a slap to the face.

"I do not want anymore surprises from either of you. Do not draw attention to yourselves, and listen to Bahaa." She pulled her fingers through her hair and exhaled. "Alright then, goodnight."

Aranida left, seemingly quite eager to get back to the house. As he turned away, he sighed. He wondered if he was really cut out for this. No matter where he went, he seemed to screw up any opportunity he got. He looked at Falst. "I know. Shut up."

He turned toward the boy that she left in charge, the boy that he had never even met. He reached into his holster, and pulled out his gun. "Do me a favor, will you? Just shoot me."

After the episode, Falst, Thomas and the boy were left alone outside the cottage. Things had gone better than expected. He glanced at Thomas, who looked back at him.

"I know. Shut up." He spat, clearly embarrassed.

He humored the man, sparing him the usual biting quip. He instead took out a few of the rations that had been provided to him. He decided he would eat a light supper, then sleep. He was beginning preparations to cook the food when Thomas spoke again.

"Do me a favor, will you? Just shoot me." Falst looked over to see the man holding his gun out toward Bahaa.

If he keeps pulling stunts like this, I'll be more than happy to do it for him. The thief reflected.

The gun was pointed at Bahaa. He wasn't sure why the man wanted to shoot himself. Instead, he saw this as an opportunity to try and use Qalim's teachings. Grasping the barrel with his left, he angled it away from himself and sent a weak punch to the arm joint. He didn't want to break the man's arm after all. With his right arm, he got a firm grip on the man's arm and pulled as hard as he could, aiming to drag the man over his hunched back, his right leg sweeping upwards as he pitched forward. It was a simple shoulder throw that Qalim had taught him.

OOC: *cough*

Falst watched with awe as the boy performed a soulder throw on Thomas for no apparent reason. Versed in unarmed combat himself, he noticed several things that could use improvement, but for a child of his age and experience, it was truly impressive to watch him toss a man twice his size over his back. He would make a point to stay on Bahaa's good side. He addressed the fallen man.
"Put that thing away." He laughed, amused at the Thomas's misfortune. "Or have you already forgotten that he's been tasked to immediately report suspicious behavior from either of us?"
Falst then turned to the boy, not sure what to call him.
"Impressive work, kid. Say, you said something earlier about being a "child of the street". I assume, then, that you know how to build a proper fire?"

Lucien approached the wreckage, carefully treading over the broken ground he stopped for a moment to admire the oblique irony he happen to stumble across. "Only in a blast zone can one such as I find a peaceful moment to myself." stealing away a few precious moments of day light Lucien's faded silver eyes continued to examine the wreckage eventually coming across a patch of clay. Moving towards it he rested his hand upon the wall before he turned his attention to the next oddity, the small rope and rode that hung from the wall. Gently slinging his gray cloak over his shoulder he cautiously gave the rope a tug.