Re: Hunting Through Keliac - 119 4A

[Kara Winters]

"We're so close to the border, maybe we fly part way and then walk the rest of the way back?" Lin suggested, "Then we're far enough away from here specially but then we can take our time and travel back."

That might be a good compromise, though she wondered what that would make for their travel plans in the future.

[Nara-pyon]

"There is that," Kyrie mused softly.

"Probably the safest," Daeron agreed.

"Or are non-Light Elves as discriminated against in the east as they are here in the west of the country?" Lancaeriel asked. "I must admit, the ... reactions we've seen to those who are not Light Elven here, along with the stories we've heard ..."

"Perhaps I could help you to navigate some of the towns in the east," Makaela spoke up. She leaned forward slightly, touching her fingertips together lightly. "I was born in the east of Keliac, about fifteen miles from the Eausin border. It may be a bit awkward, but I would not mind seeing some of my old friends. I have not seen any of them since before Erlan and I ...."

She trailed off, her brow furrowing slightly, then took a deep breath and continued. "At any rate, it will be nice to introduce them to Takari."

"Tehlmar would have to be disguised, at the very least," Takari commented, smiling bemusedly at her husband. She reached up and tousled his hair affectionately. "I love the way you look, dear, but Mother's visits with her friends will go much more smoothly if they aren't trying to avoid us all."

"That being said, I recommend that we rest for the night before going anywhere," Kyrie added. "That was by far the most difficulty I have ever had with a group, and I'm sure the rest of you feel the same."

[Kara Winters]

Lin nodded in agreement, "It would be nice to rest."

Then maybe after rest she could really think about where they were traveling to next.

"I'll make dinner," Miyuki offered.

Since most of their group seemed quite tired indeed.

Holly nodded, "And I'll help. You should all rest, and I'll make breakfast in the morning. I think we still have flour and plenty of fruit in storage."

[Nara-pyon]

"Then we're agreed?" Kyrie asked, looking around at everyone.

"I would be happy to help with dinner," Takari offered. "I think I've had enough rest for now."

She had slept for nearly four hours, after all.

"You help your husband get your room in order," Daenis smiled at the young woman. "Come with me and I'll show you where the blankets are. And if there is anything else that you need, do not hesitate to let someone know."

Takari, Tehlmar and Makaela went with Daenis to the storage room while the others went off to do what they were going to do, whether it was rest, prepare dinner, or whatever it might be.

[Kara Winters]

Miyuki made fried rice from whatever veggie and small bits of meat leftover she could find. It was the kind of dish that was good when there was a lot of leftover stuff. Granted it helped that Miyuki still had rice, she tried to only use it when the occasion called for it.

The veggies were diced small along with the meat before being tossed into the largest pan she could find and getting the stove as hot as she could make it.

Holly helped with desert by making lemon cake to finish. It was the nice thing about living in tropical environments, there was a lot of citrus fruits around. Though the last batch of lemons they had were sweeter than the average lemon Holly was familiar, making her think this was like the Meyer lemons back in Gaia.

"You know..." Holly commented as the two set the table, "I don't remember the last time I had either of these dishes..."

"Rice dishes are rare, we just happened to have been in a town that had rice," Miyuki replied, "I wished I brought more bags, but I already brought a lot along with rice flour when we were there."

[Nara-pyon]

At this point, Rose came to join Holly and Miyuki.

"Smells good," she commented with a smile as she came into the room. "Need a hand setting the table? Or shall I start rounding everyone up?"

[Kara Winters]

"How about you round everyone up?" Miyuki took Holly up on that offer, "We're almost done setting the table anyways."

Holly nodded, "It's only two dishes, nothing fancy."

[Nara-pyon]

"Sure," Rose grinned. "Though honestly, what we need is a dinner bell. You know, like they had on the big plantations back home."

Still, she wasn't going to complain.

"Back in a bit!" she said cheerfully; and she headed out to collect everyone.

[Kara Winters]

"Hmmm...." Miyuki thought about it, "The problem is, each room is in a space on it's own so it's not like you can connect a bell throughout the whole tent."

Holly looked over at Miyuki, "You'll figure something out, I'm sure."

"What I really want to do, is to get small handheld mirrors so everyone can communicate with each other," Miyuki replied happily.

"Except if you communicate using small handheld mirrors, if it's in a pocket or bag, the person isn't going to realize that anyone is trying to contact them," Holly gently remind Miyuki.

"True... I'll need to think on this more."

[Nara-pyon]

"Cell phones," Kaito announced as he came into the dining room. He had been close enough to hear part of the conversation as he entered. He grinned at the two of them. "I know, no cell towers. But seriously. Some kind of communication rune in every room that will make some kind of sound when it's time to collect everyone together for dinner or a powwow or something. Or an item that can be connected to each of the runes."

His yellow eyes gleamed. "Talk to Lancaeriel about it. She would have the know-how. Shiro probably would too, but he'd probably kick my butt for suggesting he do more with magic. Of course," he added, sidling up to Holly and speaking in a persuasive tone, "if you were the one to suggest it to him ..."

[Kara Winters]

Holly reached out and whamped Kaito upside the head, "Enough of that now. Be nice to your brother."

Honestly, it was hard to believe they were twins. Kaito always acted like the little brother of the two.

Miyuki chuckled, "You asked for that one."

[Nara-pyon]

Kaito was more surprised than hurt by the smack, but that didn't stop him from yelping, "Ow! Hey!" in protest.

It was the first time Holly had hit him, and that surprised him more than anything else.

"I was being nice!" he pouted. "He listens to you! I mean, you helped convince him to learn how to disguise people, and look how useful that was!"

He had used it to disguise Mailon so that he could deliver the message from Makaela to Mara's mansion, which had been a brilliant idea.

[Kara Winters]

"Because it was necessary," Holly replied firmly, "You know how he feels about it. You need to respect that."

Honestly, she understood it was holding Shiro back, but he was already amazing at everything else that it was unnecessary to push him like that.

[Nara-pyon]

"Pfft, whatever." Kaito rolled his eyes. "What ever happened to facing fears? Taking control? Seriously, especially while we're here, we live in a world of magic. Or maybe Gaia has more. I don't know, actually. There are differences. I mean, here it's mostly - in fact, almost entirely - innate magic, but in Gaia, it's really both, pretty even, I'd say. But that's not the point, the point is-"

"-that you have no idea when to stop," Shiro interrupted his brother as he came into the dining room. "You're rambling. Not sure why, exactly."

Pushing his hands into his pockets, Shiro looked towards Holly and Miyuki. "Anything left that I can help with?"

[Kara Winters]

"We just finished setting the table," Holly assured Shiro, "So just feel free to take a seat."

She hoped Kaito wouldn't tell Shiro why he was rambling because it wouldn't end well.

[Nara-pyon]

"Thanks," Shiro smiled at Holly; and without hesitating, he did as she had suggested.

Kaito, who was behind Shiro now and out of his sight, waved to get Holly's attention and then jerked his thumb towards his brother again. Ask him! he mouthed, nodding encouragingly.

Some of the others began to file in as well and sit.

[Kara Winters]

Holly tried her best not to sigh, honestly if it meant so much to Kaito he should be the one to tell Shiro. She figured there had to be a good reason why Kaito kept pushing it to the point of being annoying.

It wasn't like there was an immediate important reason for Shiro to learn magic right now.

She ignored him and got everyone a drink as they all filtered in.

"I made fried rice," Miyuki explained to everyone, "And Holly made lemon cake."

[Nara-pyon]

Lashrael's eyes lit up at the mention of lemon cake, and as she sat down, she couldn't help but ask, "With guava sauce?"

"Sometimes you can be rather single-minded," Jassin chuckled at his wife as he took a seat next to her.

She pouted at him. "I have my favourites, just like anyone else. I can guarantee that if we were having coffee you would be asking for some cupuaçu to put in it." Her brown eyes sparkled brightly. "Do you dare deny it?"

He chuckled. "I suppose not."

Wren sighed as she came in and sat down. "You have no idea how good it feels to be back with good people again," she commented, looking around at everyone.

[Kara Winters]

Holly smiled sheepishly and shook her head, "Icing glaze with lemon zest, that is some of the lemon rind stirred in for flavour. I actually don't know hwo to make guava sauce and this variation is based off of the recipe from back home."

At least they had sugar for that, though Holly had to grind it down further in order to even make icing so perhaps making guava sauce would have been easier if she knew how to.

Miyuki glanced over at Wren, "Glad at being yourself again?"

Though she had a feeling that wasn't what Wren had been referring to.

[Nara-pyon]

"Maybe I'll have to teach you then," Lashrael grinned. "Though I'm sure this will also be good."

She would be the first to admit that she was really enjoying having such different food all the time.

Wren nodded. "Yes. Good to be myself. Not to have to watch what I say or how I act. I mean, aside from the usual royal proprieties," she added with a sigh. "But honestly, it's good to know that the people I'm with care about other people and aren't going to kill anyone who gets in the way of their own gains."

"Where's Khetal?" Kyrie asked, looking around with a frown as she sat close to Wren and Miyuki.

Wren shook her head and shrugged. "He'll be here shortly. Went to get something."

"Then may I make a suggestion?" Kyrie smiled placatingly. "Wait for him before starting more conversations. You're still a bit edgy."

[Kara Winters]

"Let's start passing out the fried rice in the meantime," Miyuki suggested, "With so many of us here, we might as well get started now."

Otherwise it'll take a long time to pass it around, even with it being in two separate serving bowls because there was that much stuff in order to feed everyone.

[Nara-pyon]

The others trickled in, a few at a time, and once Khetal came in and sat next to Wren, Wren relaxed and was easier to talk to. Most of the group was still tired, but they were congenial enough though the meal, and even the newcomers managed to become engaged in conversation with some of their new companions. After the meal was over, Lancaeriel double-checked that the security runes were active before everyone went to bed for the night.

When morning came, Kyrie packed up the tent and flew with Uruloki to the eastern area of the country, where she once more set up the tent to let out those who wished to walk again.

"We should be safe now," she told them when they were gathered in the foyer. "We're more than a week's travel from where we were yesterday."

"Thank the Valar," Wren muttered under her breath.

[Kara Winters]

Eron nodded in agreement, "It'll be nice to be back normal traveling pace again."

At least normal for them, and it was nice to be able to get out more. Those that didn't fight hadn't left the tent that often, or if at all during the whole thing.

"So which way?" Miyuki asked.

[Nara-pyon]

"That depends on our destination," Kyrie smiled. She, like most of the others, was in a far better mood than the day before. Really, Wren was the only one who still wasn't back to normal.

She turned to Makaela. "You proposed we visit your old friends. Where are we going?"

Makaela smiled. "Saldalien."

"Then we head due east for a day and a half," Kyrie grinned, "and after a quick hop over a river, we are there."

[Kara Winters]

"A quick hop over a river?" Lin asked in amusement.

She wondered if they would actually have to cross the river.

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