HERE we go . a g a i n ]]open[[

[Nerys Lamia]

|| ♥ || ♥ || &hearts || ♥ || ♥ || ♥ || &hearts ||

Heels clicked against the ground as heads turned to face the stranger, striding down the street, back hunched slightly with off-colored eyes scanning the cobblestone city streets. This was Terre de Conte. More specifically, this was the City of Venus, capital of Terre de Conte. She must have been an odd sight for the ordinary people of this city. But she was sure that they all knew what she was, if not who.

A snow white shirt hung over her shoulders with bell-shaped sleeves falling past the reach of her slender fingers. A strip of magenta cloth layered over a leather waist cincher, tight around her slim frame, which led to a long, full gray skirt. The right side of her skirt had been pulled up by a pin - wielding the crest of the Lunarian royal family - to reveal a snow white ruffled skirt underneath.

Despite her travels, the white cloth had remained perfectly white without so much as a trace of the dust that must inevitably have been encountered on the roads. Nerys sighed gently, fully aware of the mixed gazes: some were curious, some were fearful, and most were angry. It was like this everywhere. Even without her 'outrageous' dress, the colors of her eyes would have cast suspicion on her as all Lunarian-born witches had two differently colored eyes.

A small white nightingale rested on her slim shoulders. What are you looking for? The voice did not resonate in her head, it shook her body to its core, vibrating throughout her soul like the heavy beat of a drum.

"Trouble," Nerys said simply, as though it were the most natural response in the world. Well, she hadn't been entirely truthful. She wasn't looking for trouble. She was looking for the proper opportunity to cause trouble.

There was a reason she was here.

She immediately found her answer. A woman dashed through the crowds, pushing past Nerys without a glance, pursued a few moments later by another woman. Nerys smiled mischievously, what she hoped was mischievously at any rate, and brought up her hand.

The bird took off from her shoulder, hovering around the woman's fair head, as a faint blue glow pulsated from its white feathers. Slowly, Nerys's fingers open and with a quick snap, they were closed in a tight fist.

The first person running slammed against the air, falling backwards and sprawling across the ground as a crowd gathered. A triumphant grin spread across her lips: she must have been helping the second person to do something to the first. It was a small start, a small bit of mischief. But it was a start. Or, it would have been had the second woman not snatched a change purse off the ground before coming up the blonde. "Thank you so much for stopping that thief...."

Utterly defeated, Nerys let out a miserable sigh as her hand dropped to her side.

[Zdena Kilvorion]

She was utterly miserable. All those eyes. Those piercing, inquisitive eyes. They were all focused on her. Well, not exactly on her. Lizaveta knew that such a journey would draw unwanted attention. Which, to her, could be any form of attention.

The large, clunky suit of armor trudged down the street, as the citizens of Venus took a pause in their busy day to stare, dumbfounded at the "pair". Liza was extremely thankful that she wore the helmet and could hide her face and just how uncomfortable she actually was.

"Yes! This is the finest example of Volisovian engineering! Fear not, good people! I am an emissary from the city of Volisov and the fine company, known as Rom Royal Industrial!" Zolner's echoey voice bellowed, causing Liza to cringe even more. He simply HAD to make sure that every knew the two had arrived. "Why, hello there, madam! You are looking very lovely today!"

And of course, with almost any woman who turned a gaze towards the two, Zolner would try his hand at flirting. Lizaveta sighed to herself as they continued their march. But, it seemed they weren't the only sight to see, today.

"Could it be trouble?" the suit asked.

"I don't know..." Liza replied meekly, "But, let's avoid it nonetheless..."

"Never! A knight of Volisov, must steel their courage! Come! Let's investigate! There may be a pretty lady in trouble!"

Enthusiastically, the bulky suit of armor marched right up towards the crowd, "Now...what's going on here?" Zolner asked.

[Nerys Lamia]

|| ♥ || ♥ || &hearts || ♥ || ♥ || ♥ || &hearts ||

Clunking, clanging...something heavy and metallic was making its way toward the commotion, at the heart of which stood blonde-haired, fair-skinned Nerys Lamia. Formerly hated witch of Lunaria. Current hero.

She was entirely too wrapped up in her thoughts for the sounds to register in her ambivalent mind. On the one side, she was ecstatic at having been helpful. On the other hand, she had once again failed miserably as a Lunarian.

The woman pleaded in silence for her peoples' forgiveness.

A breath shivered through her soul as Al sighed, reaching the edges of her tolerance.

A metallic, echoing voice rang through the crowd and Nerys was tossed from her thoughts, blinking back the sudden surprise. She glanced at the source of the sound, the reflection of the sun blinding her for a moment. This time, when she blinked rapidly, it was to stop her pained tears.

Her off-colored eyes slowly adjusted. Ah, that's what it was a suit of armor. She turned away.

And quickly turned back. That was unlike any sort of armor she had seen before. Al landed on the young witch's slim shoulders and buried herself in a nest of hair. "That thing has a soul..." Eyebrows raised quizzically. Nerys didn't doubt her familiar's judgment, but it was rare to see Al so unsettled. Not that she couldn't understand the reasoning.

A suit of armor with a soul was disconcerting, even to a witch. "Failure...." she responded as the crowd made way for the hulking piece of metal. And now, Nerys could see the figure of a girl inside. Short hair cropped close to a youthful face. Despite the shivering nightingale taking residence in her blonde hair, Nerys stepped forward curiously. This was clearly not Lunarian magic, and she was interested....

"Are you alright?" she asked the girl inhabiting the suit of armor before bobbing her head in acknowledgment of the armor himself. Nerys had, at least, assumed it was male from that deep, tinny voice she had heard before.

[Zdena Kilvorion]

Silence. The crowd that had gathered did not know what to make of this newcomer. For a few moments, Zolner and Liza engaged in a quiet staring contest with the crowd before one of the principal parties involved in the incident stepped forward and made an inquiry.

"M-me?" both Zolner and Lizaveta replied in unison, clearly confused with the question. The woman almost seemed to be addressing the both of them. And this was a reaction they had not expected.

"Well....yes!" Zolner replied, cheerfully.

"I-I...suppose." Came the quieter voice, that was sounded muffled from the confines of the armor.

"And yourself, madam?" Zolner returned the question, having quickly regained his composure. The crowd, meanwhile, was starting to have second thoughts about gather with such....a bizarre creature in their presence. Slowly, they began to disperse.

[Sablerose]

Do I have to wear this?

You are a Crown Princess in your own right, Calla. But you are the one that insisted on leaving without waiting for a baggage train.

Calla sighed loudly, both mentally and aloud. The latter sounded a bit muffled from under the fur-lined hood of her cloak. Her horse, Nightwind, seemed just as tired as she was, and even Greystreak's mental voice was tinged with a sense of exhaustion. They had been on the road for ten days, and all of them had been pushing themselves to make good time.

Then, with less than a day's ride from the City of Venus, Greystreak had insisted on stopping and having her put on the finery that she had been carrying in a saddlebag (prudently magicked so that it would not wrinkle) that would identify her pedigree, along with the papers she carried. His argument was that the guards would laugh at her, if not chase her off, if she approached the gates of the castle in her usual worn leathers and Druid gear and claimed to be the Princess of Laurelmoon.

Instead, she wore soft leathers, dyed a pine green, a silk cloak of slightly darker green, trimmed with sable around the hood and dark brown leather riding boots. Nightwind had been brushed within an inch of his life, and, as much as he had liked it, the black gelding had liked even more that their journey was almost over with. Greystreak, though, had also been brushed and combed, and Calla had gotten a bit of revenge early on, as she listened to him grumble mentally about why did he have to go through the same treatment as Nightwind.

The rest of the ride had been slow going, so that the trio maintained their best appearance in spite of the road dust. It had worked, but they were all so tensed up that it had taken more effort to keep from breaking Nightwind into a gallop just to have a literal change of pace.

Now, as they came to Venus through the surrounding market area, she felt more self-conscious than she could ever remember being before. Still, the crowds did part for her, though how much of it was for the finery she wore or the wolf that trotted beside her horse, she could not say.

Calla, hold a moment. Greystreak came to an immediate stop, sniffing the air.

Calla drew Nightwind to a halt as well, as she frowned. Problems?

To be honest, I'm not sure. I'm picking up a number of scents, some of which are more than a little confusing. I can also hear some kind of commotion ahead. His ears shifted forward. Seems there was a thief ahead. Someone stopped him or her, but...

But what? Calla asked anxiously after Greystreak said nothing more for several seconds.

Oh, this is rich! Seems that the thief was stopped by someone who appears to be a Lunarian. And, if the mutterings of the crowd are to be believed, she's wearing a pin with their royal crest.

That makes no sense. I though that they had closed off their borders, coming and going, even to their own people. Calla frowned. Besides, why would she be stopping a thief? I would think that she'd be more likely to aid the thief, just to thumb her nose at the authorities.

Greystreak offered a mental shrug. I can't say. But it seems that the guard was thanking her for stopping the thief. I can't speak for her motives, though. I would...now what?

This time, Calla did not need Greystreak's ears to detect the stomping of metal feet and see the parting of the crowd as a large, bulky metal form marched in the same direction as the crowd gathered around the Lunarian.

Should we? Calla asked in an amused tone.

No, we should not! Calla, we should head on to the Castle and present ourselves to the guards there. I don't know about you, but I'm road-weary and would like nothing better than to lay down before a nice fire.

Calla slid off Nightwind's back and wrapped his reins around one leather-gloved hand. "All the more reason to make sure this isn't something that those guards need to know about." Then, she began to lead Nightwind through the crowd.

Calla, there's already a guard there, Greystreak reminded her with a groan. We are not in Laurelmoon or Crescent for that matter. We do not have any authority here.

Calla spotted the large metal figure and a woman she could easily identify as a Lunarian. She stayed just in hearing range of the crowd and was comforted to feel Greystreak next to her leg. He might not have liked her walking off, but he would not have abandoned her.

"That's...an odd suit of armor," she said.

Might I suggest that you wait before doing anything else? Everything about this situation is odd.

[Nerys Lamia]

|| ♥ || ♥ || &hearts || ♥ || ♥ || ♥ || &hearts ||

She had been referring to the petite figure of a girl residing inside the suit of armor. However, a cheerful smile flitted over her lips, never reaching her eyes, at the armor's cheerfulness at having been addressed. She noted Al's shivering figure out of the corner of her eyes. Yes, it must be lonely having people not recognize you as a thinking, speaking creature.

"Speak for yourself..." Al's words snapped bitterly.

"I'm just looking for a good place to make trouble. Do you know where I can find one?" she asked sincerely.

The nightingale ruffled her feathers and something vaguely resembling a snort echoed through Nerys's soul. It was a rather unpleasant feeling and she shot a sharp glance in her familiar's direction. But a moment later, the bird's head snapped up as she glanced at something unseen. "What is it?" Nerys asked curiously.

"Don't talk to me in public, you look like you're crazy." With that, Al took off from the young woman's shoulder, hovering inches above her blonde head. "There's something else...there's some sort of familiar..."

Immediately, the witch's expression brightened. "You mean there's another Lunarian?" she asked excitedly, off-colored eyes scanning the crowd for another set of mismatched eyes like her own. She saw it, a large wolf - rare even among Lunarians - but she didn't see the contrasting eyes characteristic of her people.

There was no Lunarian. It was only herself.

Immediately, her expression fell into a serene smile that reached no further than her pink lips before she turned to the girl in the suit of armor again. "I was curious about that as well. I've never seen armor such as this before. You had to use some sort of magic to do it, right? What did you use?" she asked, firing questions rapidly in the excitement that reached neither her even voice nor her light eyes.

As she spoke, Al flew cautiously toward the wolf, investigating the strange creature. It was certainly a familiar, but one very much unlike herself.

[Sablerose]

Greystreak sat down as the small bird approached. His tongue sat out, slightly to one side in what amounted to a wolfish smile. Calla scratched the top of his head absently, as she tried to listen to the conversation between the Lunarian and whoever was inside the armor, though she did not miss the approach of the white-feathered nightingale.

A pet or a familiar? she asked as it came before the wolf.

A familiar would be my guess. Druids are far from the only spellcasters that receive our wisdom. Some of the others actually listen to said wisdom, too.

Ha-bloody-ha. Despite her dry tone, Calla realized that Greystreak was teasing.

For the most part, anyway.

Druidic familiars can communicate with each other, but not necessarily with all other types of familiars, he stated, giving the bird a sharp look. However, let's just see if my talents are up to the task. Calla heard a mental 'clearing of the throat' just before the wolf began. Greetings. I am Greystreak, familiar to the Druid Sablerose. What is your name, and who is your Ward? It was more habit than anything else that had made the wolf use Calla's Druid name, rather than her birth name, in the introduction. Nevertheless, given the amount of finery she wore, it was doubtful she would be mistaken for a mere Druid, even if she would have been far more comfortable dressed as such.

[Nerys Lamia]

|| ♥ || ♥ || &hearts || ♥ || ♥ || ♥ || &hearts ||

"This thing is certainly a familiar. I can feel it trying to talk with me, but our souls are incompatible." Al's voice echoed in Nerys's soul.

The young woman turned to face the mysterious newcomers as the crowd, quickly having lost interest in the Lunarian who left her shoulders bare in the middle of the winter, dispersed. A small frown fell over her features as she strode toward the stranger whose red hair flashed like fire in the light.

"It isn't Lunarian, right?"

The miniscule white bird chirped in annoyance. "Clearly. Have I told you that you have wonderful skills of observation?"

Nerys was unsure of whether the statement was sarcastic and chose to assume that it was a sincere compliment. "Thank you," she said cheerfully as a frustrated sigh echoed through her body. The ghost of a smile at the edges of her lips, she curtsied toward the strange wolf, not sure of who its companion was. "Al told me you tried to talk to her. Sorry, but she can't hear anyone else..."

Alstroemeria perched, disgruntled, on the young witch's shoulder. "If you say it like that, you're going to ruin my self-esteem." That was doubtful.

"Are you Lunarian?"

"Didn't we just go over this?" Al interjected loudly. Nerys winced as the voice reverberated through her soul. She waited for an apology and was instead met with an annoyed wing directly in her face. She supposed she deserved that...somehow.

[Sablerose]

It was a little disconcerting meeting the woman's bi-colored eyes, though Calla had met a few Lunarians in the past, usually at her father's court. Their reputation as troublemakers and pranksters, especially to visitors to their country, proceeded them.

However, there was something about this particular woman's eyes that was a bit disturbing, and Calla could not put her finger on what bothered her. But she did not want to judge her too soon. She had, after all, apparently tried to stop a robbery, intentionally or otherwise. The circumstances of her being her might be odd, but these were odd times.

What stood out to Calla, though, was the woman's questioning multiple times of whether she was Lunarian. The lack of the heterochromic eyes was the most obvious indicator of Calla's origins, or, to be specific, where she was not from. Yet there was an aspect about the question, a silent desperation, that made softened Calla's initial resistance about how to answer.

After seeing the girl's familiar give her a very visible slap of wing in her face, Calla said. "No, no. I am is Princess Calla Valerian of Laurelmoon. I'm also known as the Druid Sablerose, which I prefer, to be honest." She smiled warmly. "I know that you are Lunarian, and if Greystreak" -she nodded down to the wolf- "is correct, you're also of their royal family." She kept her voice relatively low. Whatever her heroic deed, she was still of a race that few trusted. Attracting unnecessary attention to her rank was not going to make her time her easier, Calla suspected. "Are you here to court Princess Anactoria, if I might ask?"

Greystreak seemed willing to remain silent for the moment, and Calla suspected that it was allow the Laurelian Princess a chance to make the woman's acquaintance with her own abilities.

[Nerys Lamia]

|| ♥ || ♥ || &hearts || ♥ || ♥ || ♥ || &hearts ||

Nerys was slightly surprised by the wolf's familiar. A tanned, freckled woman with red air. She had the taught body of someone who was physically fit, something the young witch had always found admirable. But mostly, she was disappointed: her eyes were the same. Before she could stop it, the same disappointed smile to which she had become so accustomed spread itself across her lips.

"I'm sorry I bothered you, then. I've never met a druid before, do you all have familiars?" she asked, her curiosity still tinged with the bitter edges of disappointment. She had never been very good at hiding herself. One of the other ways in which she was a bad witch.

Greystreak? The blonde woman tilted her head slightly to the side in confusion before glancing quickly down at the wolf. Her gaze needn't travel far. That must have been the name of the druid princess's - Sablerose's - familiar. Al fluttered down from Nerys's shoulder, landing neatly on the ground before hopping toward the large wolf. It was an odd sight which ordinarily Nerys would have found almost laughable.

However, she was sure that her own familiar had sensed her disappointment. Otherwise, Al would have said something by now. They had been traveling for so long - fellow Lunarians were hard to come by. She should have known better than to have gotten her hopes up. Yes, the eyes should have been an indication. But she had gotten too excited.

This was why she had always been told to stop acting so foolishly.

"Then Greystreak is correct," she said, bobbing her head in the wolf's direction before slowly bending her knee in a curtsy. As she straightened up, she smiled again, the smile never reaching her disappointed eyes. "I'm Nerys Lamia, and yes, I'm a member of the Lunarian royal family..." That she was next in line from the throne wasn't something she felt the need to add.

If Sablerose didn't know, Nerys wasn't going to inform her. And if she did...well, then Nerys didn't need to inform.

Suddenly, her eyes opened wide as she stepped back in surprise, the druid's question finally registering in her thought-filled mind. "Does that mean that Princess Anactoria is getting married?" she exclaimed, far louder than intended as she blushed faintly from embarrassment.

[Sablerose]

Calla winced, though she tried to cover it well enough, at Nerys' question, the volume of which drew the amused stares of more than a couple of passersby.

]Might I suggest taking this conversation inside, my Princesses?Greystreak projected to both women. Calla always found that particular talent of his had its uses, especially since to her knowledge (and Greystreak's willingness to remind her as frequently as possible) he was the only Druid familiar capable to speaking mentally to other than fellow druidical familiars. To one of the taverns, perhaps? There, things can be explained with a bit more privacy.

"And to be honest, I could use a bit of refreshment. Grey and I have been on the road since early this morning." Calla patted Nightwind's nose, and the gelding huffed warm breath into her hair. "Yes, and you could get a bit of rest, as well, Nightwind." Turning back to Nerys, she asked "So, as one Princess to another, care to join me? The drinks are on me."

[Nerys Lamia]

|| ♥ || ♥ || &hearts || ♥ || ♥ || ♥ || &hearts ||

This voice didn't reverberate through her soul as Al's did and she was clearly disconcerted by the echo in her mind. Her familiar shuddered, flapping her wings frantically as she made her way quickly to the witch's side. "This feels strange.... I don't like it...."

Yes, it was strange. It was clear, however, that the voice that was speaking to her was not connected through her soul. It felt different, it grated and scratched, an intruder in her body. But Nerys would not complain and she showed no signs of discomfort. Al had always lacked the same composure as, once again, she ended up buried in the nest of blonde hair pulled over the side of the young woman's shoulder.

Instead, the witch gave a small laugh. "So this is what another familiar sounds like? I've never heard it before. Nice to meet you, Greystreak," she added, remembering her manners at the last moment as she directed another curtsy in the wolf's direction, rather than at his partner.

Yes, she was sure it was male, if only from the voice. It reminded her of a rough growl, reverberating uncomfortably in her mind even after the words had stopped. Like a strong aftertaste.

"I would be delighted to join you, but I can't bother you and let you pay for my--" she paused mid-sentence. That was right, shamelessly allowing someone to pay for her, despite the tug of Nerys's conscience, would be a bother. Feeling very accomplished and satisfied with herself, a small smile formed on the blonde's lips. "I'll...I'll be sure to find...the most expensive thing..." she said nervously.

She really didn't like being a nuisance and putting someone who was kind enough to offer out of her way. But finding something incredibly expensive would be rude and annoying. Baby steps.

Although Al puffed up proudly, her feelings were mixed as well. "That was completely unconvincing. I guess this is all that I can expect from someone like you." Yes, that was all that could be expected. Al was trying to help, Nerys understood that. But the fact still remained that being an inconvenience to anyone troubled them both.

Nerys shook the thought aside, or tried to. "The inn where I've been staying has this old, adorable tavern! Do you want to go there? Or do you...want to go...to a rougher part of town..." All that could be said of her was that she was trying her best.

[Sablerose]

"Actually, if you don't mind, let me use your inn room to change out of this." She tugged with distaste at the fabric of her top. "I'd rather not get spilled drink or food on it." She grinned mischievously. "As for where to eat, I'm flexible. If you have someplace already in mind, that is."

Calla...

She knew the tone. Grey was about to start another lecture about being responsible. But this time, she cut him off, though gently. Look, she's obviously lonely, Grey. Did you hear the desperation in her voice when she asked if I was a Lunarian? Remember, they aren't letting anyone in or out of the country. So then why is she here? Lunarians already have a rather bad reputation, so imagine how she has been treated, even if she is a Princess.

Besides, I can take care of myself, as you well know.

It's not you taking care of yourself that bothers me, my dear. It's us having to take care of her if she decides to revert to type.

Always so suspicious, you old wolf.

Yes, and that is how you have gotten the ability to call me an 'old wolf'. Greystreak sighed quietly, which was reflected physically with a loud huff of breath. Fine. Maybe I can get a good hunk of meat. This 'old wolf' doesn't hunt as well as he used to.

Which Calla knew was a baldfaced lie, but she was not going to chide him. "If you don't mind, I'll also leave Nightwind at your inn, while we eat," she said, rubbing the horse nose again. "He can guard my belongings, as well." The gelding made a decent guard, but she also had several protective spells on her saddlebags. Calla had no fear of her belongings being stolen in the interim. "So whenever you're ready, lead on."

[Nerys Lamia]

|| ♥ || ♥ || &hearts || ♥ || ♥ || ♥ || &hearts ||

"I don't mind at all," Nerys responded but although her voice and her smile were cheerful, her smile had once again failed to reach her eyes. "It's the least I can do when you were kind enough to offer to pay for me...."

Again, she seemed to pause. No, that wasn't right. She was supposed to inconvenience others, right? She was supposed to be a bother. She needed to prove herself, or at least to start proving herself. She could be a good witch. "I mean...uh...you'll need to pay me back for the favor...whenever you can. If it isn't too much trouble."

"And once again, I restate my previous comment: that was so convincing."

Nerys didn't need the reminder. She didn't want to be rude. But she was supposed to be. She was tired of being such a bad person. So why was it so hard to be good?

"The tavern isn't very far," she said as Al took off from her shoulder, leading the way down the street. It really wasn't far. No twists and turns: a few minutes' walk down the main, cobblestone-d street until they were confronted by a rather old-looking building of stone. The protruding wooden sign read "Silver Dragon Tavern" in faded ink.

Once again, Al took her place on Nerys's shoulder as the witch led the way inside. A small bell chimed as the door swung open and a young boy wrapped his arms unexpectedly around the young woman. A round middle-aged woman with a white cloth around her head chuckled at the sight, as did some other familiar faces seated around the tavern. "How'd your mischief-making go today, Miss Nerys?" the woman asked, still chuckling.

The witch sighed dejectedly, remembering her earlier failure, as she affectionately ruffled the boy's hair. "It went horribly. I stopped a thief."

Laughter echoed around the room. "Again?" someone shouted. Nerys hunched her shoulders in despair. "Maybe you'll cause some trouble next time!" someone added in encouragement. But it was too late, the damage was done. She had been reminded so bluntly that she was a failure as a witch. She had been trying for days to do something mischievous, and every time she had come back having helped at least one person in the process.

The boy released his grip, satisfied as he ran off and disappeared behind a door. Nerys, finally free, motioned for Sablerose to follow as she weaved through people and tables and up the stairs. Second floor. Third door on the right. She turned the key and opened the door to reveal a small room decorated with only a small single bed, an old wooden dresser, and a neat hand-made rug strewn across the wooden floor. A large window allowed for the day's light to illuminate the room and a door on the wall opposite the bed led to a private washroom but was otherwise closed.

[Sablerose]

The stroll over to the inn was not without its tense moments. Between being seen with a Lunarian princess who had a white nightingale familiar, they both traveled with a Laurelian princess/Druid (who was decked out in a way so that no one had their doubts of her origins), who walked a midnight black horse and who had a sizable wolf walking next to her. Heads turned, whispers floated back and forth, and people laid odds on whether Nerys was under some sort of arrest. By the time the quintet arrived at the inn, Sablerose had heard just about enough of the rumormongering to nearly spoil her appetite.

She had Nightwind settled and told him to 'guard, though she took one of the saddlebags with her. Then, she had followed Nerys in and was startled to find that the woman had somehow made several acquaintances in her time in Venus, however long that had been.

She was also surprised to find just how alone Nerys was, despite these people.

But through the conversation, brief as it was, Sablerose had come to realize that the young woman was different from what she had come to expect of her countrymen. She wanted to do mischief but somehow fate tended to twist her acts into something closer to ones of heroic efforts.

But one man's tricks were another man's good deeds, and, and as she slipped into the washroom, Sablerose wondered if there wasn't a way to let Nerys do both. She changed in silence, while Greystreak lay down outside the door. She was not particularly shy about changing around him, but he had a rather human-like view of letting a young woman have her privacy around a male, even if the male was a wolf.

"You know, Nerys, I was thinking," she called from the washroom. She had just gotten her much more comfortable leather shirt over her head as she decided to try something. "You mentioned something about going to the shadier areas of town. Now, as a Princess of Laurelmoon, it would be improper for me to do so." She could feel the mental nod from the wolf familiar. "However, as a Druid, it would be wise for me to learn more about this city."

Now, wait a bloody minute, Calla!

"Actually, now that I think about it, it might even be wise investigate such areas as a Princess. After all, I'm here in part as an ambassador. I should find out about even the darker aspects of Venus, to ensure that I have a more full understanding of the city when reporting back."

She slipped into her well-worn leather pants, and she could hear Grey's mental sputtering. "And, if we so happen to come across acts of villainy that need to be stopped, well, I can't officially interfere, but a girl has to defend herself. And if a method of defense helps make fools of the criminals in the process, well, I certainly would get a good laugh out of it."

Oddly enough, Greystreak's attempts at protesting stopped as he considered what his Ward was suggesting. You know, it might just work. If she goes for it.

"Of course, all that is up to you, Nerys. I don't want it said that I talked you into doing something that you weren't comfortable with." She stepped out of the room, feeling much more comfortable in her Druid clothing. "I'm not the type that likes to see trouble caused, though I don't mind a bit of chaos done in the name of justice. So, what do you say?"