The Rolling Hills

[Moositiky]

Above her blonde hair, cumulonimbus clouds towered over the grassy plains buried under freshly felled snow. Yet, high above, the cirrus clouds danced like ribbons in the glory of a new day, and a bright sun. Even as it ducked under the clouds, the breeze coming in from their backs, the north, was not as cold as when their day had began. Around her, birch and elder trees stood naked, showing their fragile, frozen, branches. Behind them, a new cart trail, along with the hoofprints of two horses, snaked along the hills that they had been treading through for days now. The few grasses that dared peek out of the snow had claimed an icy exterior, as the dew froze on the grasses. In the light of the sun, this scene could take your breath away.

  Yet, Princess Emillia Aspeln could see none of this beauty, for she was blind.

  Groug, the heafty man that her father appointed as her guard, told her in his low voice that they would be within the city limits within a day. He told her also that overyonder that he thought he had glimpsed a stone wall, yet he did not know for certain. As he told her what he saw, she settled back, content. She had had eyes that were not her own her entire life, and she had grown used to it. Underneath her seat, she could feel the horses heavy trod.

  Yes, it would not be long now, she assumed. She would greet the court and the prince, tell them nasty things about herself, even though they weren\'t true, and return home to her dear father, happily rejected. She had felt lonely from the first minute they were out of the city gates, and that weight grew on her heart to this day. She would only be light and cheerful once again only when she felt her fathers strong grip, and his heartbeat against her chest.

  Groug told her that they were closer then he thought, and they were less then an hour away from the gates. She put on a smile, though it was not for the upcoming event.

I will see you soon, Father.

[Reaver]

Valdis sat lightly on a stump, finished carving held out delicately on her hand. She had been working on it for several days now, blisters starting to rise on her fingers. She was happy to finally put her knife away, but couldn\'t help but marvel at her work. She wasn\'t a professional, but she had been carving since she could first hold a knife. The soldiers that raised her in her early years had given the knife to her as a joke, but she had put it to good use.

A small pile of shavings lay at her feet, the finishing touches she had added to the carving since the wood had dried. It was a simple method she used. She\'d cut the block to size, soak it in water awhile, carve the shape while the grain was soft and then add the finishing touches on the dry, smoother grains. A little rubbing with a gritty rock and she\'d have something to sell in the market. Although, she had plenty of coin for the time being. Perhaps she\'d give it away, to spread her works more. Something to build her reputation.

Setting the silvery-white bird on her lap, she stretched her legs, feeling the muscles tighten and her joints crack. It had been a long night of walking, enjoying the sounds and tracking smaller animals. A brief stop now to carve, and now she\'d have to head back to the city. Or, she could keep walking. She wouldn\'t be missed, not for a few days. She really did want to see what Magnus was up to...

Perking up at the sound of the cart, she watched as the two horses and their burden came into view admist the scattered trees and loping hills.  She kept her seat, but watched with curiousity as the cart drew nearer. They might pass without a word. They might stop to speak to her. Either way she had never actually stopped to watch a new arrival to Oberon. A returning merchant, perhaps? No, the cart didn\'t seem heavily ladden. A merchant typically returned with as much as they left with.

[Moositiky]

Groug had had sharp eyes from the minute he had opened his eyes. One of his earliest memories, when he was walking with his mother while she collected herbs for tea later that day. It had been the end of the summertime, and Mother had said that the roots of the Applerut tree were ripening to a crispness that would provide the two of them a sweet treat. Walking along the dirt path through the forest, she had described to him the shape, color, and smell the bush should have given off. They had walked for hours, but other then a few false alarms, they had just about given up. Sighing, he had looked around for a stone to toss. Low and behold, as he kneeled down to pick up a small one, he glanced over a bush, some thirty yards away, that resembled the bush they were looking for.

  Seeing the woman on one of the hills, partly hidden by the snow covered hills, was no trouble for him.

  He leaned over to his young charge, the Princess Emillia, and whispered quickly in her ear, "A woman gained my sight just now. I must ask her for directions, but do not make yourself noticed. Stay here." She gave a quick nod, sitting still.

  Jumping off of the carriage, he whispered in the horses ears, and began the trudge over the glistening white hills. When he came within hearing distance of the woman, a petite one dressed in red, he called out with hands cupped around his mouth,

"Ho there, young lass! Which way is it to the Oberon Castle?"

[Reaver]

Valdis smiled, getting to her feet. "Y\'just need be t\'traveling between the hills a way more. Not t\'being too far now, I can guide you if ye\'d like. She also shifted the sword on her hip to be further from her grasp, since she didn\'t want to frighten the man. He seemed strong enough but blades tended to intimidate. She didn\'t expect that he would accept her company. Most travellers feared everyone between their home and their destination, or were simply paranoid.

She wasn\'t familiar enough with the region, or the outlying regions to know if he was a distant traveler or simply lost. The only reason she knew where the castle was, was because she memorized the trails she used as she went and tracked the sun\'s progress.

It made her wish she had studied the accents of the language more, so she could figure out where he was from. She didn\'t have the slightest clue.

[Moositiky]

He considered his options, not letting the sword on her hip out of his sight. He could have a guide, while making a danger to the Princess. He didn\'t know if the guards of the guard tower in Oberon City would let him through even with a Princess. He wasn\'t gifted in the art of the customs here. Maybe females wearing swords off on their own on the outskirts of the city were common here? Then again, he could leave her and create the possibility of being rejected from the gate.

  Waving his hand to the cart, he said gruffly, "Then ye be comin\' with us, lassie. Hop on the cart over theres, but be leave\'n the sword in the back!" He walked towards the cart, quick on his feet. He climbed aboard to find the Princess the same as when he had left her. He told her quickly the situation. She nodded, and put on a small smile. He saw her relax a bit, and unpatiently waited to get moving. The sun in the sky was waning, and he didn\'t want to spend another night in the cold.

[Reaver]

Valdis flashed her most innocent smile as she unbuckled her belt and dropped the sword in the back of the cart. She wasn\'t sure where she should sit, so she scrambled up and sat at the edge. The bird carving she wrapped in a cloth and tied off with strong, before dropping into her pack. She had waited until the last possible moment before putting it away, hoping for some remark from the man. She never let an opportunity to make a few coins go easily.

"It isn\'t t\'being far. Oh, and t\'name\'s Valdis Ragnhild." Valdis held out her hand to shake, hoping it was a custom he followed. It seemed normal to her now that she was living in Oberon, but again, she had no clue where he was from. Or the girl, for that matter.

[Moositiky]

Not knowing what to do, he grasped her hand within his own, quite large ones. Following his own customs, he slapped her on the back, sending her into a coughing fit. Embarrassed, he coughed into his hand, said "sorry" softly, and grabbed the reins, waking the horses of their daydream. He glanced over at her, trying to notice anything malicious about her.

[Reaver]

Valdis laughed, a deep, rich laugh. "Y\'caught me off guard lad. But that\'s a real greetin\', just like we be givin\' in the North." Stretching, she worked a few knots out of her legs from sitting for so long, and did her best to get comfortable. "Where do y\'be hailin\' from?"

She was genuinly surprised at recieving a greeting they used so frequiently in the North. It was a pleasant reminder of home. However, she was surprised he didn\'t offer his name. Either shy or very cautious. The deal with the sword hinted more at caution.

[Moositiky]

"Me and me young charge here hail from the far north. Haroouj, that\'s our fine ol\' home." He tried to keep a light manner with the girl, but his overwhelming caution put at least some hold on his liveleness. He noticed her accent now; familiar, but not quite Harooujvian.

  A bit more intrested in her ancestry, now, he asked her, "Your accent\'s a Northern accent tu\' be sure. What part of th\' North did your fin\' face be a commin\' from?"

[Reaver]

"Not so sure where I was t\'being born, but raised in Norway." Valdis wondered when the next time she\'d see Norway would be. Even Denmark was a friendly sight. "Not much a home t\'me, but I be thinkin\' o\'it often." She smiled, a sad but warm smile. Home was where her feet took her. Right now it was wherever Magnus went. She had to mother him for as long as she could, but once he was settled she knew she\'d still want to travel.

"\'fraid I didn\'t be catchin\' your names. If y\'don\'t mind me askin\'." She purred, pursing her lips to affect the best charms she could. It wasn\'t often that she was so friendly, but she was feeling the lack of real conversations now that she wasn\'t constantly surrounded by warriors to trade stories with.

[Moositiky]

Emillia couldn\'t stand not talking to this girl. Psh, and Groug thought she was dangerous! She leaned foward what she thought was enough to get her head around Groug\'s beer gut and into Vladis\' view. She turned her head in what direction she thought would be facing the woman. Putting on her best smile, she said sweetly, "I\'m Princess Emillia. This is my guard, Groug."


  Oh, thanks a lot, Princess! Revealing yourself?? He was on full alert right now. He had thought this woman was a thief, a mercenary, something evil, and her Royal Tuckuss just gave herself away! He stood up stock still now, muscles clentched, not letting his eyes off the womans hands. His knuckles, grasping the reins, where white.

[Reaver]

"Please t\'meet you, although y\'guard seem t\'being pretty upset. He just not like t\'pretty ladies?" Valdis purred, mischievous smile stealing over her lips. She said it to Emillia, but winked at Groug. It was in good humor and she was sure the Northerner could defend himself against a joke. Although she wasn\'t exactly familiar with Haroouj. Perhaps she had just given him the greatest insult ever, and he had no sense of humor. Maybe it was just true. Either way, she had second thoughts about having said anything the moments after it was done with.

Still smiling, and trying to wave the whole situation down as friendly, she spoke again. "If you aren\'t t\'being merchants, why the long travel?" She didn\'t bother asking if they were merchants, it seemed too unlikely. "If your t\'being afraid I\'ll lead y\'astray and be knifing you for y\'goods, quite your fussing. Oberon Castle is t\'being righ\' ahead, and I\'ll gladly answer any questions you might be havin\' o\'er one little \'ol lady, myself."