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[Dallen]

Day 32, Winter 513
Holding three large pieces of paper, rolled up, Dallen trudged up into the pass, determined to get a good view of the city. Re-adjusting the sharpened sticks of charcoal in his breast pocket, Dallen pulled the lapels his bright maroon overcoat over his pale grey shirt. Dark crimson wide-brimmed hat low over his face, he appeared as a small spot of blood in the snow-covered pass. Walking at a determined pace, Dallen finally made it to a small grove of trees, which he was surprised to see a tent, and it appeared to be occupied. Shrugging it off, Dallen found a suitable stump and sat on it, long coat smoothing out under him. Pulling out a smoothed, wooden plank, and unrolled a paper. Pulling out one of the sharper charcoal sticks, Dallen began by sketching the mountains and hills, cold breath forming a light mist around his head. The unrolling of the paper sounded crisper in the cold air. Sighing, Dallen shook his head. It was quieter up here, in the pass. Maybe he should come up here more often... it was harder to find a muse in the city, what with all of the noise and clutter.... Calling out to the man who occupied the tent, Dallen wondered if the man would stab him in the back, saying, "Hello, sir, and if you are there, please don't kill me, and good day! I just wish to draw in peace."

[Yuri Lehrer]

Yuri had just awoken from a rather peaceful slumber and was in the process of getting changed into his clothes and armour, pulling on the belt and scabbard, checking his blade for signs of rust when he heard someone shout out "Hello, sir, and if you are there, please don't kill me, and good day! I just wish to draw in peace." Curious as to who might be out in the mountains so early in the morning, Yuri thought about possible courses of action to take Well, whomever it is... they are drawing so they are likely to be unarmed, a slightly foolish mistake up on the mountains, but one which happens to everyone. I should find out who is there to put my mind at ease.

Finishing the inspection of his blade and replacing it in the scabbard, Yuri tested the straps on his armour to make sure it was tight enough, drew a breath and called out "OK, first of all, good day to you, secondly... because you are here to draw, I shall leave you be. Thirdly, if you came up here unarmed it was a mistake, there are all sorts of creatures willing to do you harm." Saying a quick prayer to Dira and facing the entrance to his tent, Yuri stood slowly and opened his tent, rays of cool sunlight bathing his face and slightly blinding him, breaths making mist in front of his eyes.

When his eyes had adjusted after a few moments, Yuri happened to be looking at the person who had called out before, a man with icy blue eyes and ear length sandal blonde hair, sitting on a stump focussing on some paper while sketching something. Yuri didn't mind the man being there, just as long as he didn't get any closer, lest he get cut by what he was about to do. Drawing his sword, Yuri began practicing a series of sword strikes or 'Kata' as he had come to know it, like he did every morning, to free up his muscles and wake himself up.

[Dallen]

"OK, first of all, good day to you, secondly... because you are here to draw, I shall leave you be. Thirdly, if you came up here unarmed it was a mistake, there are all sorts of creatures willing to do you harm."

Looking up briefly, Dallen held open his overcoat, revealing a steel dagger, which had a sap-hardened, weighted pommel. "I appreciate your concern, but I'll be fine." Looking back to his drawing, he began to define the shadows of the outer ring of mountains and hills, turning his charcoal stick sideways, shading lightly. When he had finished with the mountains, he looked up at the man, who seemed to be doing some sort of exercise with his sword. Curiosity burning past his cold demeanor, Dallen asked, "So, what brings you up here, into the pass above Zeltiva? Like the cold of winter, or just being alone?"
Turning back to the city, he began to define the harbor, lightly sketching the outline of the beach. "And judging by those exercises, you'd be some sort of fighter or mercenary, right?" Dallen's focus was on the drawing, but if the mercenary said anything, Dallen would definitely hear. The man's voice seemed honorable and matter-of-fact, so Dallen THOUGHT he could trust him. Who knows, he could turn out to be a murderer, Dallen thought.

[Yuri Lehrer]

Mostly focussed in his Kata, Yuri noticed a slight movement and gave it a moment of his attention, the man had opended his coat to reveal a dagger, before both individuals refocussed on their tasks, yuri on his Kata, the other man on his drawing. Trying to include as many different strokes of the blade as possible, while making feel fluid is what Yuri had come to define his task as, thinking about each strike before performing it Bring the sword down, cut to the right, raise to block, twist and bring the sword overhead and repeat. after finishing his Kata, Yuri sheathed his sword and heard the man ask him a couple of questions "So, what brings you up here, into the pass above Zeltiva? Like the cold of winter, or just being alone? And judging by those exercises, you'd be some sort of fighter or mercenary, right?" in a conversational tone.

Considering his options, Yuri ended up deciding that there was no harm in talking to this person, as civilly as he could, Yuri knelt in the light snow and grass opposite the artist and answered in a friendly tone "As for your first question, I suppose you could say it is a bit of both, although I do like the peace and serenity being out here brings, it also provides an ample space for me to train with my sword, also yes I am a Mercenary, although I do try to be as honourable as I can, my name is Yuri by the way, what about yourself, why are you out here on the mountains?"

[Quiarinox]

Often, Quiarinox found herself too preoccupied to abandon the resources of the city for the quiet of the mountainous wildlands she worked with best. On one of those days, she kept her crafting toolkit attached to her pack, where it looked like simply another attachment for provisions, and sought out plants she thought she could wrestle something from. In this climate, however, especially at this time of year, the Ethaefal stuck in the scarred form of her human seeming found little of what she could use. Roots were abundant, certainly, as the tough trees spotting the mountains bore them in abundance, but she didn't recognise any of these trees from what they had in Kalea, let alone recognise if they had the properties she sought. Her mood was souring as she trekked deeper, her eyes sparking with frustration and the breath fogging before her doing nothing but hindering her sight with every breath. It was so frustrating! She was so frustrated! And then, almost as if the stars aligned particularly, her fortune changed; the woman stumbled into the small encampment and froze in shock, grasping the handle of a folded fan immediately. A dainty weapon like this had no place in the world, but here it was: discreet and feminine and altogether harmless in appearance. There was no danger here from her, she wanted to portray with her stance as she tried to figure out the scene before her. What was an artist doing with a weapon-bearing brute? Her mind made the obvious conclusion, as she had interrupted their discussion, by assigning the armed man as a bodyguard to the artist. "Well... Hello, there," the girl said, offering a trembling sort of curtsy and a half step back, both out of playing her act and preparing to run.

[Dallen]

"As for your first question, I suppose you could say it is a bit of both, although I do like the peace and serenity being out here brings, it also provides an ample space for me to train with my sword, also yes I am a Mercenary, although I do try to be as honourable as I can, my name is Yuri by the way, what about yourself, why are you out here on the mountains?" When Yuri asked Dallen this, Dallen had finished with the beach, and started to sketch the Denvali Quarter, which was up against the mountain. "Ah, it's good to hear that there's still honor in the world, and my name is Dallen." Holding up his sketch briefly, he pointed his charcoal stick at the city before returning to his drawing. "Well, I, for one, haven't gotten a good drawing of this fine city done, so I'm up here to draw."
"Well... Hello, there,"
Dallen glanced but briefly at the girl's trembling curtsy before snorting. As he continued to draw, he said sarcastically, "Well, Yuri, looks like we've got quite the party here, break out the keg and the mugs, it's time to get drunk." Pulling out a sausage from his coat pocket, the movement revealed his dagger to the new arrival. "I'll provide the food!"

[Yuri Lehrer]

Shifting his weight slightly, to make his present stance more comfortable, Yuri listened to the Artist as he replied to his question "Ah, it's good to hear that there's still honor in the world, and my name is Dallen." before he held up his drawing and pointing one of his drawing impliments at the city before returning to his drawing and continuing with his reply "Well, I, for one, haven't gotten a good drawing of this fine city done, so I'm up here to draw." Yuri thought to himself briefly Well, considering this place does have a good view of the city, I suppose one could get a reasonable sketch or map drawn up, if in solitude.

Yuri's train of thought was interupted when another voice entered their conversation "Well... Hello there." Looking around to find the source of the voice, Yuri's eyes eventually fell on the person who had entered the clearing, a human female, attempting a curtsy, trembling slightly. Dallen snorted and made a rather sarcastic comment about a party and getting drunk, while he was saying this Yuri ignored him, stood up and moved towards his supply of fire wood, grabbed a few sticks and logs, and lit a fire in the middle of the clearing.

Poking the fire to make sure it stayed aflame, Yuri looked back to the Woman who had entered the clearing and tried to initiate a conversation with her in as friendly a tone as he could manage "Hi there, you must be quite cold after trekking up here into the mountains, please come and sit by the fire. My name is Yuri, by the way, what's yours? And if I might be so bold as to ask, why are you up in the mountains in the first place?

[Quiarinox]

"Time to get drunk?" Well, that was certainly a different type of greeting. Her eyes narrowed and she glanced away from the speaker. Her history with people armed readily was small and rife with a mixture of love and fear. He was no Ebon, however, and she disregarded him for but the moment to eye the artist with interest. In her line of work, artists were not worth much unless she got her hands on their visual pieces before they went out into the public. In terms of her hobby, she always enjoyed another artist's work... even if the artist was a human, and her eye picked him out as ameteur. She could be so judgemental, and all she needed was a look to deem a person as useful or useless. However, she did not let her thoughts appear on her face. Rather, she straightened herself, maintained her distance even while nearing just so much more slightly, and wrinkling her nose at the prospect of eating and drinking. It was a necessity, bearing a form like this during the day as she was, but she still found food and eating a habit she could hardly tolerate. She was a wary woman when in this form, and when she absorbed his invitation, common sense told her to not accept the offer. She shook her head quickly, at least denying him openly. "Hello, Yuri. I am Rina," she had murmured. Her eyes, a dark shade of green, glanced at his companion as she relocated herself. "That is a little too bold for my taste, actually. I'd prefer to keep my business to myself." Her usually condescending tone had snuck into her words before she caught it, faltered in her steps, and stopped. "Why do you ask?"

[Dallen]

Dallen was a little thrown by this haughty little thing, he had to admit. The way her eyes flashed when she repeated what he said was a little unnerving. It seems that the act is not to appear small and trembling, but simply not cold and proud. Dallen, interested by now, set the board, with the drawing of the city upon it, upon the ground, making sure that none of the light dusty snow got onto it.

"That is a little too bold for my taste, actually. I'd prefer to keep my business to myself." Before trailing away into a 'normal' voice, the woman's tone was that of a condescending matriarch, and when she realized this, broke off. "Why do you ask?"

Pointing at her, Dallen said, "Well, my dear Rina, I do believe Yuri's just trying to be polite. After all, not many people come up here. Are you up here for the view, or do you live here, like Yuri? There, I said it. Yuri, sometimes you have to be blunt with people, and this is one of those times. It's the only way to deal with a cagey little thing like her."

[Yuri Lehrer]

When Yuri asked the woman what she was doing up in the mountains he never would have guessed what happened next. firstly, she backed up slightly and said "Hello, Yuri. I am Rina," then continued in a rather condescending tone stating "That is a little too bold for my taste, actually. I'd prefer to keep my business to myself." Rina seemed to notice her tone and caught herself, stopped for a brief moment the continued once more, but in what Yuri perceived as a 'normal' tone, and asked Yuri why he had asked what she was doing up in the mountains in the first place.

Before Yuri had a chance to respond however, Dallen cut in by pointing at Rina then saying "Well, my dear Rina, I do believe Yuri's just trying to be polite. After all, not many people come up here. Are you up here for the view, or do you live here, like Yuri?" Yuri just looked at Dallen, wondering why he had interrupted a conversation that was underway without permission before Dallen continued "There, I said it. Yuri, sometimes you have to be blunt with people, and this is one of those times. It's the only way to deal with a cagey little thing like her." By the time Dallen had finished, Yuri was wearing a slightly shocked expression on his face.

Sighing and rubbing his eyes, Yuri just looked at the two of them then spoke because he was now able to in a calm tone "Dallen, I believe that I was the one being spoken to, so your interruption was unwelcome... In future please at least say 'excuse me' before butting in, and Rina to answer your question myself yes I was asking to be polite, but if you want to sit by the fire and warm up, my offer stands, even if you are going to warm yourself up and continue to wherever you were heading." After finishing his input to the conversation, Yuri simply thought to himself This looks like it just got interesting.