Sword and Sovereignty {IC} {M} {MidKnight & Hannelorian}

[MidKnight]

At first look, she thought about taking her to the closest city; Drepei but since observing the roads with the bandits roaming endlessly. They wouldn't make it past by mid day. She looked to the other way, which was far less dangerous. She looked at the woman wearing the common clothing, though when she smelled the odor, Rei lowered her head while wearing the hat, hiding the disgust. But she noticed something, the formal dress smelled much nicer and since it was gone. She looked to one of her armpits and gives a small smell and grew disgust. 'Maybe it is me.' She thought to herself.

She looked at Alienor through the hat, "We can get to one of villages on the way before dusk." She turned around faced towards the road that lead the Empire Capital. "We can get fresh clothes, food, a bed...a bath." She blushed but she kept it hidden. "There is a bridge we have to cross first." She dug into her bag and pulled out a loaf of bread, she breaks it in half and offers it to Alienor. "It'll be a long walk, so I suggest you eat something now." She takes a bite of her own bread and started walking down the path of the hill to the road.

They walked past the bodies on the road and already flies were buzzing around the bodies. The others didn't bother recovering their fallen brethren, taking their priorities higher by finding the princess. She ignored the dead men and continued walking. Hours had passed, Rei would take a water bag from her satchel and drink a small amount, she offered Alienor the water bag as well to keep her hydrated on the walk. By Mid Day, Rei spotted the bridge but also seen people standing by the entrance. She quickly waved Alienor to follow her and touched her lips to keep quiet. Sneaking through the trees and tall grass, Rei removed her hat to keep them from being spotted. She stopped, looking across the road and sees four bandits standing at the entrance of the bridge. One archer, one spearman and two swordsman. She thought about how the tactics would work, she can easily dispatch the swordsmen, then quick haste with the spearman but the archer was keeping his distance from the others.

She held onto the sheath of her sword while her other hand reached for the handle. Slowly pulling the blade but stopped suddenly when she realized she wasn't alone. She looked over her shoulder and sees Alienor. Rei looks at her face and could see the terrified look like she had when she cut down the bandits last night. Realizing this woman has gone through a lot of terrible experience from blood shed, watching her people being slaughtered like animals. All this within hours and yet she understands the pain she had gone through. Rei takes a deep breathe and exhales slowly while sheathing her sword and looking down.

She looked at the bandits once more and realized something about these men. "These are different bandits." She said, "Those men belong to a different group, their territory is on the other side of this bridge." She searched her bag and pulled out the bag of coins. "I'm gonna assume they want a toll but their prices...I don't know how much they want." She looked Alienor, "I could pay them off or I could kill them...I'm leaving this choice to you." Rei looked at Alienor in the eyes, waiting for her decision.

[Hannelorian]

War had unintended consequences. Most of the able bodied men, and some of the women too were sent to the front, or to train as soldiers to ultimately be sent to the front and fight the war in the name of the King, of Alienor's father. A war that raged on with no end in sight as both sides continued to pour resources into the conflict to stave off devastation and defeat. The army that once patrolled the King's road, and indeed other smaller roads and villages and towns throughout the country side were left unguarded, vulnerable to attack and that is exactly what had happened. Drepei of course continued to hold on to her retinue of armed guards ensuring those who lived in the splendor of the capitol knew nothing of the real toll the war took on the country as a whole.

Whatever was produced in the villages was collected and sent to the capitol, leaving more than enough for their own survival, however bandits and rogues and other undesirables saw to that, helping themselves upon threat of death to the resources that remained with no one to protect them, no one save the occasional brave town hero who would stand up and ultimately be cut down. Even rarer but still worse were the towns where multiples resisted, and those towns would be burned to the ground for their defiance.

Alienor walked blindly while sipping on water when offered, taking small bits of bread when she felt the need for something to eat. Her mind simply wandering and contemplating her new found reality. The world was a dark place, a place filled with agony and suffering and she had only seen a portion of it. Did those first group of bandits know her identity? Who were they taking her too? What was the price offered for the Princess? What would have become of her? And if bandits could even strike down the royal guard, who else were they attacking and to what end? The Princess had heard the pleas of her people as they came to Court and argued their cases before the King. A man who would spare whatever he could to assist, no matter how little it might have truly been.

Alienor had witnessed as her father's heart broke unable to protect his people. Was that what made this so easy? The idea that if she simply consented all of this could come to an end? The soldiers would be free to return to their homes, their towns, to keep them safe from the very real threats that faced them each and every day. Not the threat of an enemy nation that was so far from home those who remained could not conceive of what it meant, not truly.

Alienor now had a choice when confronted with the next group of bandits. Something that now had not surprised her, though left her shaken. So much blood had been spilled and what good had it done? "Killing anyone is a last resort. Not the first choice." Alienor held on to her morals where she could, no matter how impractical they may be out in the world, in the countryside, away from home. This was who she was, ultimately kind. She reached into the pocket of the coat she now donned and felt around, eventually pulling a bracelet of precious gemstones from her pocket. A trinket that was worth far more than anything most common folk had ever seen.

Stepping forward silently toward Rei, she placed the piece in the girl's hand and nodded her head. "Bargaining." She mouthed slowly. "Found in the wreckage of the Royal carriage." Once more she mouthed the words as clearly as she could all the while attempting to be as silent as humanly possible.

[MidKnight]

Rei watched as Alienor placed a bracelet covered with jewelry in her hand. She looked at it carefully and her fingers rubbed over one of the precious gemstone. She remembered seeing nobles had always worn these kind of items, fancy clothing, exotic perfumes, expensive jewelry. The people she protected as a Elite Guard, she also remembered being bribed a few times with such trinkets such as these and she had no choice to follow her duty. She looked at Alienor once before placing the bracelet in her bag and gives a nod for her to follow.

Stepping out of the tall grass, the bandits had gone high alert and noticed their presence. As the two approached the bandits, one of them spoke high for Rei and Alienor to hear, "Stop where ya are." The voice was rough, deep. "This bridge is closed unless you can pay the toll to cross."

Rei had her hat lowered to hide her eyes, she was looking at the ground. "What's the price to cross a bridge now days?" She asked loudly for the leader to hear.

The leader rubbed his chin and smirked. "Two silver coins." He replied.

Rei reached for her bag and searched around. She pulled her bag of coins and looked around inside and gives a soft chuckle. "I don't have any silver coins, I mean...look at us." She expressed her arms to herself and to Alienor. "We haven't bathed in...weeks nor had a decent meal in days." Rei revealed her eyes and showed how pity they looked. "We're just simple folk traveling across countries, begging for coin and looking for shelter."

The leader didn't changed his expression nor seemed concern. "Can't say I envy you, with the war going on around here." Then he turned his attention to Alienor, "What's with your friend? Is she shy or something?"

"It's hard to get coin as it is to be honest." She said with a chuckle. When he asked about Alienor, she placed her hand on the sheath of her sword. "She doesn't speak...well...anymore." She looked at Alienor, "The last town we were at was attacked and we barely escaped a burning building with our lives. The smoke and fire took away her voice...she use to sing beautifully. That's how we been getting our coin, now that's gone...well...we managed to scrape by somehow." She looked at her coin bag and pulled out a few copper coins. "How about we pay five copper coins, each from us?" She asked as she held out the coins.

The leader exhales sharply with his head lowered and shook slowly. "Just go." He said while stepping to the side, "Let'em through." He said to the others who stood down from their guard.

Rei looked a little shocked to see her tactic worked, with a smile on her face and she gives a small bow. "Wow, thank you so much, you are very generous sir!"

"Yea yea, get goin before I change my mind."

After crossing the bridge and walking out of the bandits sight. Rei stopped on the road and kept her head lowered. "I would like you to think on about bribing someone with something like this." She revealed the bracelet, she turned around and looked at Alienor in the eyes. "Odds out here with something like this could get you killed, or worse." She placed the bracelet in her bag. "The way we are dressed would show that either we are thieves or someone hiding something."

She looked towards the road further up ahead and could see the next town. It was still far away but they could reach before the sun had set. "Besides, we could sell this for a few more coins. If they have a board in house, we could sleep on soft beds instead of the ground dirt like last night...maybe a decent meal to eat." Crossing her arms over her chest, keeping silent for a moment until she spoke again. "We want to keep a low profile if we're trying to get to the Celestial Empire Capitol City, it is not easy to get there with a group of bandits that want to search high and low for you." She stepped to the side while looking at Alienor, "If the town has a stable, we could use these gems to buy a few good horses." She slowly moved towards the woman and stood in front of her while keeping her arms crossed. "Also...is there anything else you failed to mention to me? Now would be the time to say."

[Hannelorian]

Rei and the leader of the bandit haggled over the cost of crossing the bridge. Alienor stood silently with a neutral expression on her face beneath the hood she wore while looking ever so slightly downward, allowing the tip of the hood to cast a shadow over her face. It was funny to hear about oneself, how she was a singer who had lost her voice as a result of war. It all molded and flowed into a nice convenient story. But it was just that, a story, an elaborate or not-so-elaborate lie. But what truly plagued Alienor the most was the notion that this was someone's story.

There were people out there who had lost their homes, their families, their friends, their villages, who had nothing left and were at the mercy of the roads or the long journey to the capitol where some relief could be provided. Someone out there had to sing for their supper as it were and that thought alone was incredibly painful to Alienor. Her lie was someone elses' truth, and that was a difficult thought to come to terms with. But it too seemed the war had taken a toll even upon the bandits who took mercy upon the two and without so much as a further request or acceptance of the offer of copper pieces let the two cross the bridge unchecked and unharmed.

"Are you lecturing me on how to bribe someone?" Alienor asked rather quietly, she wasn't exactly upset with the notion, but she didn't love being told to think on it either. "If I had gold, silver, or even copper coinage on my person I would be the first to offer it in lieu of... what I had." Alienor had nothing else on her, save her own jewels, her finest silk garments now laying off somewhere in the dirty ruined and of precious little value in its current state. And then came the accusation, which in honesty, Alienor knew was absolutely fair.

She paused for a moment and contemplated her response. "You really... have no idea do you?" Alienor was both surprised and entirely not surprised by the fact that Rei had not recognized her. In one way, those in Drepei would all know her by face, even in the halls of the Imperial Capitol, her face was known. But out here, perhaps it was for the best that she was unknown. Perhaps in the larger villages she might be recognized. The Princess often toured the country on behalf of her father, or alongside her father, mother and brother, visiting schools, town halls, hospitals and the like.

"I am no thief, but I am hiding something." Alienor confessed and went through great pains trying to decide whether or not she should finally tell the truth. "My name is Alienor Archambeau. Princess Alienor of the Dawn, eldest daughter of King Eldric of the Meridian Kingdom. Younger sister to Crown Prince Martinus of the Dusk." Alienor did not look at Rei, she simply kept her gaze down as her words were soft. "It is imperative that my identity remain a secret. Please, I beg of you."

[MidKnight]

Rei stood there, looking at Alienor with a blank expression. It was silent between the two of them but only for a moment until Rei finally spoke. "Well, you're definitely not a thief but you make one hell of a liar." She took a look at her garments. "And the way you're dress will tell people your also crazy." She folded her arms and takes in a deep breath. "But if people know that name around here, we can't use your first name...let's see." She pondered for a moment. "Allie." She simply put. "It could be short for something, Alienor, Alina." She reached inside her bag and pulled out the bracelet, she examined it carefully while muttering numbers to herself. "Four sapphires, four rubies, four emeralds...and one diamond." She broke the bracelet apart and kept the gemstone separately. She looked at the diamond and gently rubs her fingers over the surface. She looked at Alienor and extends her arm out with the stone in her hand. "Here you go Allie, keep it for an emergency situation." After handing Alienor the gem, she placed the rest in her bag and looked at the town. "Now I wished you didn't told me the truth, guess I'll have to teach you how to lie." Then she started walking to the town while motioning her hand in the air, "Come on....Allie."

It took a few more hours for the two to arrive at the town, walking past the fenced entrance that looked welcoming. A few people walking around, although the commerce area looked more lively than anywhere else. Rei spotted the horse stable not too far away from the entrance, the horses appeared to be good in shape and well fed. "We'll see about purchasing some horses in the morning but for now let's see if we can find a clothing shop and a room to stay in." She walked to the commerce area and found quite a large number of people, buying, selling or trading. She spotted the tailor shop and looked at Alienor "Well...there's the tailor." She reached for the gems in her bag and pulled a few out. "Here, see if you can get some fresh clean clothes...I can't tell if the smell is coming from you or me." She looked, her cheeks warmed up to a reddish color. "I'll find a Inn or something, I'll come find you." She walked away and looked around at some of the stalls, she approached one and asked the seller about a room.

The young lady smiled and gives her directions. Before she walked away, she looked at what she was selling. The vendor had a large selection of hand made accessories; rings, necklaces, bracelets. She found a necklace with a lock, she looked closely and examined it. Clicking on the side the lock opened and nothing was inside. "That's a good piece to have." the young lady said as she watched Rei. Thinking about how she gave the Diamond to Alienor, this small trinket could be another way to hide something valuable. "A good piece for a good price." She reached inside the bag and hands over a emerald stone piece.

The vendor raised her eyebrow a little and shrugs at the stone. "Eh, I could always trade that for coin, although I do prefer coin but next time." She smiled and winked at Rei. "Thank you for your business."

Rei placed the necklace in her bag as she followed the directions the vendor had given her. It took her a moment to find the name of the place; The Blue Snail Inn. At first, she thought she wouldn't be able to find it until she found a sign hanging by a building that showed a Snail. "You gotta be kidding me." She mumbled to herself and sees the local Tavern. "Well, now to see Allie...hopefully she got something less flashy."

[Hannelorian]

"Well, you're definitely not a thief but you make one hell of a liar." Those word that Rei had spoken rang out loud and clear in Alienor's mind. They were painful. Did Rei think she was lying? Was it so hard to believe she was who she said, or was it simply because it all seemed so hard to believe? A part of her knew she should have withheld the truth. To tell her own story was a foolish thing, but now she felt almost made a mockery of. What was she doing? Why was she trusting this... this... girl who had shown nothing but a penchant for murder? Mercy only when commanded. It hardly seemed or felt fair.

As the pair reached the town Alienor, or Allie as she was now to be known was instructed to buy new clothes. "It is you... that smells." Alienor quickly and decidedly pointed out. Perhaps because her feelings had been hurt, perhaps because she wished further to deny the reality of her situation. But with things with which to barter, it would at least make for an interesting trip to the clothing maker. Slowly but surely Alienor made her way to the shop and slipped inside, pulling the hood down from her head, the shop keeper looked at Alienor and seemed nonplussed. Perhaps because of her appearance, how dirty and grubby she had been, perhaps because she somehow seemed familiar to the young man. A man whose family had been making and repairing clothes for generations.

"Can I help you... um... miss?" The man asked which instinctively caused Alienor to turn her head and nod it ever so softly. "Yes. That would be lovely." Being called 'miss' was something of surprise. It was a far cry from "Royal Highness" or "ma'am" but it felt somehow... more authentic. She had no need for all of that here, at least not at the moment. "I'm looking for something simple." Alienor explained and smiled softly, warmly. It was of course her who was in the greatest need and was indeed at the young man's mercy.

"I know... I look a terrible fright. The roads... are not what they used to be." Alienor explained as she cast her gaze downward upon herself, a small chuckle escaping her rather pale lips.

"That they aren't, not for awhile now anyway." The man replied as he set to work pulling a few garments already made based on what he eyed up as the woman's rough measurements. "You seem... no, nevermind." He caught himself on his words and shook his head and presented the woman with a few options and motioned to a place for the woman to change. Alienor once in the privacy of a very small room dimly light only by candle took a look at the garments. They were quality, though very basic in nature. It would be an adjustment to the fine custom silks she had been accustomed to.

Casting aside the stolen clothing Alienor put on a simple blue dress, a standard color of the realm. It felt as though it were comprised of cotton, it fit her rather nicely and possessed rather practical shorter sleeves. To accompany it was something of an apron, a practical garb and it served to keep the dress rather clean. Alienor was not made for this kind of work. Carefully she raised her hands to her head and fiddled with the last remnants of the pins and things in her hair and opted to use a small ribbon to secure it into a messy bun, a look she had seen the maids and housekeepers donning when they set to work on rougher tasks.

Alienor emerged a few moments later, with the provided flat shoes upon her feet made of a sturdy leather like material and smiled. "These will do perfectly." She expressed and bowed her head in a sign of gratitude. The man himself smiled brightly at seeing his own creature upon a human and was quite pleased. "They do seem to suit you... I was going to say so earlier but... you seem so familiar to me. Have we met?" The tailor asked rather kindly, his head cocked to the side as though he were a curious animal of sorts.

"I'm afraid not. Well, we have met now." Alienor corrected with a broad smile as she reached to the designated bit of jewels she had and covered the cost of the clothing. "I do hope this will be sufficient means of payment." The man looked down at the jewels and then up at Alienor and nodded slowly. "Yes. It is... certainly." He too would have preferred coin but still... there was something so mysterious about the woman, he couldn't help but feel compelled to give her whatever it was she desired. When the business was concluded Alienor slipped out to meet Rei.

The shopkeeper when left to think for a moment snapped his fingers having thought of it. "She looks just like the Princess Alienor... but that... no. Impossible." He laughed to himself and went about his business.

[MidKnight]

Well look at you Allie, looking very elegant in ordinary clothing." She folded her arms as she leans against one of the pillars by the entrance. "At least you could have waited to change after a nice hot bath at the Tavern, come." She nodded her head while leaving the shop.

Before taking her leave, Rei quickly grabbed something in her size and handed a emerald to the shop keeper. While walking to the Tavern, Rei looked around once more to observe more of her surroundings. The village indeed was a small but acted as a town with trade and commerce. There were several entrances to the town, some were closed. As the two walked into the Tavern, she looked around. People drinking after a hard days work, a large pint of mead in their hands as they laughed. A bard was singing away for coin and entertainment.

Rei approached to the bar and sees the bartender cleaning a large cup. The bar keep looks at the two and sighs softly. "What can I get ya two?" He asked.

"What's the price for a bed, a hot bath, food and drink?" Rei asked.

The bar keep looks at Rei, noticing she was still wearing her raggedy clothing and then to Alienor who looks more civilized in proper appearances. "If ya got the coin, two silver coins, each."

"That is a bit steep." Rei says to herself as she digs in her bag and pulled out one emerald. "Would this cover the cost?" She asked as she slide the gemstone on the counter.

The bar keep looks at the stone then at the two, he picks up the stone and gives a through examination by both appearances and a bite with his teeth. "A real piece that is." He said as he looked at Rei and then at Alienor. "Two beds I take it?" He turns around and grabs a set of keys from a drawer. He looked at the number on the ring. "Room ten is up the stairs, bath is down the stairs, dinner will be served shorty...would you like our finest wine?" He asked.

"I'll take Mead please." She looks over her shoulder, "Tea?" She asked Alienor curiously. At first, she wanted to asked Alienor if drinking Mead was below her statues. Most of the nobles in this land apparently love their expensive wine. Rei however, was still learning about this country and it's neighbor at war. Rei was so use to being around her friends as they drink their fill and wake up in their barracks, somehow making it to their beds without being thrown in jail.

"I'll have those delivered to your room then." The bar keep said. "Oh and next time, coin please. If you need to sell anymore stones, there is a jewelry salesman just down the road, he'll give you a good price on any stone you bring to him."

Rei nods her head, "Thank you, I'll take a look into that." She looked at Alienor and nodded once more. "Come now sister, we better get off our weary feet and rest up for as long as we can." She smiled as she walked up the stairs to their room. Rei reached for the keys she had and tried to open the door, at first it felt like the key was stuck and she tried to jiggle it. The lock was resisting or possibly stuck. "Kuso!" She mumbled as she hits the door and the lock turns. "There." She says with delight. Once the door opened, she walked in and immediately placed her sword on a bed on the right side. "That one is mine." She said, claiming it quickly. "While we wait for dinner, I'm assuming you want the bath?" She turned and looked at Alienor.

[Hannelorian]

To Alienor's mind it seemed as if there was little to nothing that she could do correctly. Of course Alienor could have simply made the purchase and taken it back. But after seeing if the clothing fit, she wished to waste no more valuable time in changing back into grubby clothing that had not been hers. Sweat, slightly blood stained, worn. It was revolting, but never the less the point had been made. She should have waited.

"Wine." Alienor corrected both Rei and the barkeep. Tea was not strong enough to calm her nerves. In some ways wine reminded Alienor of home, that being something of a speciality of her homeland, particularly in the countryside surrounding the capitol. The warmth of the sweet and savory liquid coating her throat and sinking to her belly would do her good. It was comforting, or perhaps it was simply the thing that was enough to numb the senses. So much death still so fresh on her mind. So many questions about Rei. Everything seemed a blur... and there had been no time to ask much, there had been too much to process.

When Alienor stepped into the room she smiled softly. Though it was certainly more modest than she had been expecting, the sight of an actual bed was a welcome one. In typical fashion Rei acted boldly and claimed what she wished as her own. There was something oddly refreshing about watching someone so entirely care free simply act without much thought. To be that free was something of a luxury Alienor seriously doubted that she would ever experience for herself. Such was her lot in life.

"Yes... I'll take a bath." Alienor nodded her head and slowly left the room to head back downstairs toward the bath. In the dimly lit room there were several tubs, each separated with faded but still functional folding screens, the tubs were elevated on blocks of sorts, and beneath a novel system had been created through which a very low flame could be tended to keep the bath warm. Another way of thinking of it, human soup, had occurred to Alienor.

In the privacy behind the screens Alienor noted the location of the towels set aside, and slowly removed and folded her garb before slipping into the warm waters of the tub and relaxing as she dirt was slowly scrubbed from her body by her own hand. In the warm water Alienor didn't need to think, merely sink beneath the surface and let her aching and weary muscles relax as her hair floated upward around her. She couldn't have been long, though the minutes felt like a blessed and peaceful eternity. When she had finished she slipped out quietly and down the small steps to slip into the old robe and towel and quickly made her way back to the room where at least the wine and mead were waiting.

"Thank the Gods." Alienor said as she strode over toward the large mug of the liquid and raised it to her lips. "Alright it's time for you to tell the truth. Who are you really?" Alienor asked as she lowered her gaze at Rei.

[MidKnight]

Rei watched Alienor leave the room and as soon as the door closed. Rei gives a soft sigh and walked over to the bed. She placed her hand on the bed and gives a hard push, the softness gives her a smile. Grabbing her bag and reached inside, she pulled out a whetstone, grabbing her sword out of the sheath and the pitcher of water that came with the room. She soaked the whetstone and begun sharpening her blade on the table. Slow, even strokes, listening to the sound of the sword being sharpened eased her mind.

She heard the door knock and a woman's voice calling out. "Room Service!" Rei gets up and placed her sword back in the sheath and on the bed. Walking to the door and opens it, the service lady allowed herself in. "Oooh thank the Gods you're still here otherwise you would've missed out on supper! Going on without a meal for the night can be troublesome. I'll just set this down over here."

Rei watched her as she settled a trey of food and drinks on the table. She tried to say a few words but the lady continued cutting her words. "Thank you I--"

"Oooh no need to thank me darling, you just make sure you eat everything on this plate so you can keep being healthy and strong. Although I don't approve the drinks however but whatever raises the spirits. Here we go, you got your bowl of mash potatoes with gravy, cooked chicken, eat it while it's tender, greens beans, bread, cheese, some fruits; apples, grapes, oh and some slice cooked ham!" The lady looked at Rei, "Well don't stand there, get to eatin!" She smiled before taking her leave, "Leave the plates in the room, ya don't have to worry about taking them back to the kitchen, that be my job."

Rei only watched the woman leave as she nibbles on a piece of cooked chicken. "Interesting woman." She said to herself. She walked over to the window and looks outside and hears the door open again.

"Thank the Gods."

Her mind immediately thought of the service lady, only to see Alienor fresh and clean from the bathing room, drinking the cup of wine. She takes another bite of the chicken in her hand before hearing her question. Who was she? Does she tell Alienor the truth? Would she lie to keep herself hidden? But then what would she be hiding?

She looked at Alienor as she held the cup in her hands, thinking of an answer for her to say. Until she smelled something else in the room. She realized it was herself. "I'm the person who's gonna take a bath next." She finished eating the chicken in her hand and steps away from the window. She walked over to her bed and reached inside the bag and pulled out a dagger. "I trust you know how to use one of these?" She asked as she walked over and placed the dagger in her hand. "They're basically made for slashing but if used right, you can stab your enemies in certain places." She held onto Alienors hand while having her hold the dagger.

"Stab here." She pointed the dagger at her kidney area. "And pull as hard as you can this way." She motioned her hand following it towards her middle stomach. "It won't kill them instantly but it'll bled them faster and die within minutes." She lets go of Alienor's hand and steps back. "Also you can throw them if you have the accuracy." Rei reached her raggedy clothes and quickly swifts her hand towards the wall. Another dagger appeared on the wall next to wall lamp.

She grabbed her clothes and walked to the door. "Try not to kill anyone while I'm gone." She said over her shoulder and leaves the room.

In minutes, Rei was sitting in one of the tubs, allowing herself to be soaked in hot water. The blood and dirt washing off her body and her hair. She couldn't smell the foul odor anymore as she used the hygienic items nearby. She submerged herself in the water and listened to the muffled noise. The sound of ocean was near her home, she used to swim from time to time and deep dive to find oysters and crabs to eat. From a happy childhood memory to a sudden nightmare of war. She was on a boat, a war boat in a middle of a storm. Her people were fighting invader's and she was on board, she was wearing her armor dawned in black and gold.

"Kill them all!!! Earn glory for your house!" The captain yelled as she raised her sword and joins in the unison cheer. The invader's boarded her ship with curve swords. She deflected her foes attacks and slices through their weak points, but now and then she felt a sharp pain in her back from her enemies. She killed quite a large number and victory was about to be reached, she sees another ship ramming into theirs. Forcing her and quite a few of her fellow men to fall into the ocean.

When she emerges from the tub and breathes in fresh air. She stood there in the tub, letting the water trickle down. Her hair covered her back with the scars. Hers arms had quite a few as well but not as bad. She takes in a deep breath and gets out of the tub. After a while of drying off and putting on clean clothes. She walked up to the bar area and sees quite a large number of people gathering, mostly to drink. Though her eye catches a familiar bandit among the crowd. It was the one from the bridge, she quickly looks away while drying her hair with a towel and returned to the room. Once she entered, she didn't bother to tell Alienor about the bandit. "Let's...get some rest." She said before sitting on her own bed while holding onto the towel on her head.

[Hannelorian]

Alienor did not enjoy the little lesson regarding knife work. To her mind attempting to stab someone carried little grace, and was something anyone with enough sense could figure out. Armor and plating were designed for a reason, and as such stabbing someone could be quite difficult unless you knew were to strike. But even with the dagger at her side, she would endeavor not to use it. Such things seemed ugly, impolite even.

What truly bothered Alienor was the question that was avoided, dodged, given a non-answer in some cheeky way. She did not care for the games or the tricks and perhaps she wondered if she wouldn't be better off trying her own hand at survival. This little girl was beginning to irritate the Princess, a woman of class and status, a woman of means, and yet was only looked down upon, turned a nose up at. Had she disrespected this woman? Perhaps she had reacted too harshly to the murder of the marauders, but what had she done to deserve such treatment?

Was it the honesty? Yes, Alienor should have lied about her own identity but even in the face of adversity she was apparently owed no truth, only little games and toying ambitions. Honesty was repaid with deception. That was something that ate away at her mind as she sat neatly at the edge of the bed that she had been left with, once more having no choice in the matter. All of her agency it felt, had been stolen from her. By her father, by thieves and bandits and now by this girl without a true identity. It was beginning to grow tiresome.

And so in the absence of her minder, she took toward practice. Throwing the dagger through the air and attempting to embed it in the wall. At first she was met with failure, but with just enough repeated attempts she began to get the hang of it. It was all about the smooth motion of the throw, the release of the wrist at the perfect angle, and sure enough she began to be successful. Then of course was the matter of aim, that was something else to work on.

When Rei had finally returned from the bath, at first Alienor said nothing. It was when she was met with the comment about rest that Alienor turned her full attention to Rei. "No." She spoke the single word in truly commanding authority. Digging deep from within herself and allowing her anger to rise just enough to the surface she had given her reply. And with another smooth motion she had hurled the dagger through the air and sent it straight into the wall in front of her. "I don't think so." Alienor slowly rose to stand and glared rather harshly at Rei. "I've been honest with you. Now it would only be polite to be honest in kind. I asked you a question and you have not answered." Alienor folded her arms before her and sighed heavily. "Who the hell are you?"