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[Ireth Telemnar]

Refuge from Refuge
Fall 59th, 514 A.V.
Location: Zeltiva

There was no doubt that Ellemyer was Ireth's daughter.

There was water in her veins.

Even now as they made their way along the coast, the sea rocked the merchant ship in such a way that Ireth was at peace, and her child slept blissfully in her mother's arms. Ire stood near the port side of the ship, looking out over the water with soft eyes. Above her head, gulls wheeled and called, stealing fish from the more sagely pelicans whilst avoiding other marauding gulls. Ellemyer didn't like to be taken below deck, she would bawl and cry ceaselessly no matter what Ireth tried.

Not that the busker had been expecting to get much sleep. The turmoil of emotions within her was like that of a Nykan street brawl, anger and sorrow and worry and fear and wonder all fought within her as she watched the waters. A tap on the shoulder spooked her from her thoughts, and she turned to face one of the merchant's sailors, a large but soft-spoken half-human. The jolt awoke little Elle, who wiggled a bit, but chose not to cry.

"Pardon the fright, miss. De cap'n wanted me to let ye know that we'd be makin' landfall come dusk."

The thought of wandering about a strange city at night concerned Ireth's adopted Nykan mindset. After nearly a year in the night-fearing city, Ireth couldn't remember the last time she had been outside cover after the fall of darkness.

Shaking her head to clear her scared mind, she smiled at the sailor. "Thank you." Zeltiva wasn't Nyka. The Aperture wasn't in Zeltiva, and neither were the hellish creatures that had inhabited it.

"Ye alright?" The sailor implored, his eyes watching the busker carefully.

"Not used to being outside at night is all." Like she'd been doing for seasons now, she avoided mentioning her true home city, "I come from Nyka, where we don't go outside after dark for fear for our lives."

Elle wriggled again and cooed, causing the sailor's face to soften further. He met the gaze of the baby, and let a weathered finger graze the blanket where it covered Ellemyer's leg. "Ye'll be alright, miss. Zeltiva has some good people in 'er. Find the World's End Grotto, that'll be the best place for ye to stay."

Ireth nodded and both the travelers turned their attention momentarily to the baby in Ire's arms. Ireth had swaddled the girl in a blanket to keep her warm against the cool ocean air.

"Would... Would you show me the way? I need some help with my trunk. I'll pay you?"

The sailor chuckled. "As ye wish miss. Just know that it'll be a while after we make port for me to be able te do so, I have te help the rest o' de crew unload the cargo. Ye'll have to wait for me to get done."

Ireth shrugged. "I'll wait. I'd much rather not have to wander the city alone at night and then have to send someone to retrieve my things later on. Might as well get it over now than trouble you all tomorrow."

"Ye're no trouble ma'am..." Someone shouted for the sailor.

"If ye let the wench distract ye one more time there'll be complications boy!"

The sailor grimaced and stalked off, leaving the busker to turn back toward the mesmerizing waves, her child cooing gently in her arms.

The merchant's vessel didn't make the best time, but it had been the only accommodations that Ireth had been able to make in as short of notice as she did. Ire shivered. She missed Toan. He'd been her best friend, the closest thing she had to family since Savio had left her. Surely, surely he was going to be happier in Sunberth. He needed to be there as much as she didn't need to be there. None of that affected the fact that she now missed his wit and serene smile.

~ ~ ~

The lights of Zeltiva danced on the water of the bay as the sun set behind the city. It was a beautiful sight, Ireth had to admit. And she couldn't have been more thankful that the docks didn't reek of garbage and sewage the way that the Sunberthian docks had. The air was clean, the buildings looked solid against the sky as opposed to the staggering wooden structures that had dominated the Sunberth horizon. A couple of men from the city had met the ship when the sailors anchored at the docks. The young man that had spoken to Ireth earlier had brought her trunk above deck and set it out of the way of the rest of the crew. So that's where Ireth sat, out of the way, as she stared at the unfamiliar city and breastfed little Elle while the crew unloaded the merchant's cargo. The air was cooling with the nightfall, reminding the busker that winter was approaching faster than she was ready for. Here she was, in a new city, with no safenet, lost and alone, just before winter. She glanced down at Ellemyer, nearly crying. Elle deserved so much better....

"Miss? Ye alright?" Ire looked up into the face of the young sailor and wiped her eyes.

"Yes, yes... Did you need something?"

"We're done unloadin' the cargo. Would ye like to go now?"

"Yes, please. After I pay the captain." The sailor took up Ireth's trunk and Ire payed her dues to the merchant captain. He accepted her money with a stoic glance and watched as the pair left the ship.

[Ricky Maze]

Winter was coming. This much proved certain as the chill in the air reminded Ricky of what they were to expect, it served as that time of the year where everybody needed warm clothes, and layers were a definitive bonus when the winds brought with them the ever chilling Bonesnapper. Alas that was all to be prepared for in a matter of due time seeing as how the season was only half way over, so far Ricky still had a birthday celebration to plan out before the end and he was by all means excited to think about putting it together. So far he'd counted all the way up to three hundred and thirty-eight days and the struggle to remember the count had been quite real, on and off he's almost forgotten which days were which until he spent a mental moment thinking on it. Yet now was a time where his thoughts weren't so welcome to be engaged with, as his patrol route today was just the one place that quickly felt the coldest to be in.

Sure the air wasn't actually cold but there was a chill that hung about it that definitely didn't go unnoticed, yet with the warmth of his azure uniform to provide a generative heat source, he wasn't prone to feel so easily cool with little wind to brush over his figure and carry the bubble of warmth he generated away. The Wave Guard walked about with hands in the pockets of his jacket as he walked tall, the former pride he once held in his duties worn away as he mainly just focused on the job at hand. Patrolling the docks wasn't all too easy nowadays because sailors and newcomers alike flocked to and from here, just as people came to the city there were those that were getting ready to leave here as well. There was one particular woman that had arrived from the ship that just birthed at the port, one that mainly caught his interest as she carried with her an infant child wrapped around in a blanket.

She had the help of a sailor to carry her packed belongings, while her face definitely bore that of a fragile smile. This woman. The moment he laid eyes on her he found himself caught up in something, a whirlwind of odd feelings aroused in his entire being as his mark suddenly tingled. She was troubled and that was already clear in her body language, yet when he could finally see in her face when her and the sailor were coming in his direction, her very eyes looked to have a somber hope about them. The light no doubt dimmed because of circumstances she kept hidden, which in turn led the guard to act upon a sudden impulse. She needed help and he was more than willing, but there was also more to it then this. For some reason the fact he could literally tell she had a troubled mind called out to his gift, for it was the will of Priskil that desired to banish all forms of darkness with her light of hope. And besides she was a mother, and she could not afford to remain strong forever.

Therefore for her and the sake of her child, Ricky would help her out and see to it her troubles were put at ease. "Ahoy sailor! Quite kind o' ya t' help de lass 'ere, but ye can lemme take over here." He greeted and offered with a humble grin as the pair came to a stop, the sailor looked a bit apprehensive at first as the last thing he suspected was for a Wave Guard to be so interested in helping her.

"Aye, ye sure sir? I can' help git her t' where she needs t' go t'." He reasoned as he regained the same grip he'd loosen during the walk here, Ricky gave a respectful nod as he insisted that he'd help out the woman instead.

"Leave t' me mate, ye no doubt 'ave work t' catch up on. Me shift is 'bout over anyways, ain't gonna hurt t' help welcome a lass t' our fair city." With that noted the sailor accepted and handed the trunk over to Ricky, convinced that the Wave Guard's argument was well enough proper to accept the new charge. Thus with the trunk now in Ricky's possession he bid the woman a soft farewell, and turned around to return to his own duties back at the ship they'd departed from. "Fergive me lass if Oi'd chased yer escort off, but Oi just couldn't help but feel inclined t' lend ya a hand. Ye look like ye've had a lot t' t'ink about over de course o' de trip." He spoke soft and sincere with a small polite smile directed down to her, the trunk raised to rest atop his shoulder as his left hand helped anchored it there. Sure enough one she could very well see that one of the digits on his left hand was missing, while Ricky of course payed no mind that it could've very well been noticeable. "Ye're headin' t' de Grotto den? Oi'll be happy t' escort ya dere." He turned to take the lead as he proceeded to guide her along, the smile still present as he hoped to learn what exactly troubled the young lady.

[Ireth Telemnar]

As she watched her sailor friend walk away, Ireth felt as though she were watching her very last tie to Toan snap in two. The Zeltivan before her was older than she, with a strong presence, in a rugged sort of way.

He wore a worn uniform, making her draw the conclusion that he was part of the city's militia or military guard. It suited him, and he wore it with pride. When he raised his hand to settle her little trunk on his shoulder, the fact that he was missing a digit was obvious in the dimming daylight. And there was a pretty gold-colored mark beneath one of his ears, the gnosis of the loving goddess Cheva. So he was married.

Ellemyer wriggled in Ireth's arms, gurgling. The busker looked down and tucked the blanket around her daughter tightly, the nighttime air cooling with the setting of the sun. "No no, you're fine. I really appreciate it, I haven't the foggiest idea where to go or what to do. I just need a place for the night, that World's End Grotto? The sailor mentioned it as well, said it was where I could take shelter."

The soldier's voice was soft and deep, soothing to Ireth's frustrated and scared mind. She hated being alone, she hated having to ask for help, and she hated putting her daughter through the dangers of being homeless. For all she knew, this man could be harboring ill intentions for her. Or he simply had a kind heart, and wanted to help a stranger in distress. Just as Savio had.

'Stop thinking about Savio...'

Ireth walked with the man, a step behind and to the right of his path, so she was out of the way of his stride but close enough to follow without losing him in the streets.

The pair left behind the openness of the docks for the darkness of the streets, the stone buildings tall against the night sky, golden window light gleaming out to light the cobblestone streets. The stonework of the buildings threw Ireth off at first because there were some buildings that were made out of blocks of different stone. It was like the city was built out of a rainbow of stones, unlike her Nyka, where all the buildings were made out of the same rose-colored granite. And though the streets weren't filled with people, there were still plenty out after the sunset, both men and women were dressed warmly against the cooled breezes. A couple of drunkards stumbled near Ire, but she sidestepped them and increased her pace to keep up with her guidesman.

The soldier had appeared to be concerned about her, according to him it was written all over her face. Ireth was quiet for a time, simply walking and watching and listening to the sounds of this unfamiliar city around her. There was no obvious danger, no Aperture creatures lurking behind the shadowy corners waiting to feed upon the nightmares and souls of the cityfolk. It was strangely peaceful, though Ireth decided it best not to let her guard down just yet. She tucked her daughter closer to her bosom and walked on.

"Sir? Would you tell me about your city?" she needed to break the silence, to see if this man was going to be a reliable asset in this strange city. If he could help her around, she would forever be greatful. "I know very little, other than it's rather quiet and a valuable port. I come from Nyka, where the people are boisterous and the streets are near chaos. Is this city like that?"

[Ricky Maze]

Ricky allowed himself a small chuckle to escape as he felt an ironic sense of ease in the mother's tone, the way her soft spoken voice carried out made him wonder where in Mizahar she actually came from. She seemed delicate like a flower and yet even so she looked to be strong, had to be if she were a lonely mother with but a child to bring along with her. That kind of strength and courage could empower others and provide in them the inspiration to carry on, which made all the more reason why Ricky believed this woman could set an example as one of those people, the few that have the ability to inspire hope in the world. "Aye, its de best place fer ye t' rest. Yew an' yer lil' babe will be safe." He assured her with a warm gentle smile still present, he then led the way onward for her to follow as they headed on towards the World's End Grotto.

At first there seemed to be nothing but silence for a bit, silence that left Ricky to wonder what the woman's mind had wandered upon. Did she find Zeltiva strange? Was it intimidating for her to walk the streets? He felt himself engage in the series of questions that wanted him to find answers, and yet he also didn't wish to impose such a series of questions on the newcomer. Just because she was a newly arrived foreigner didn't mean he could hound her about her thoughts, especially when it served better to make sure she felt at ease rather than bother her about it. Still though he felt part of him tugging for a way to make her feel better, for some reason he had the notion that she had a number of things on her mind, demoralizing her and in turn leading her to feel disheartened about her situation; whatever it may be.

Then finally she was the one to speak first, the silence broken as she asked about Zeltiva. That right there brought a bit of enlightenment to Ricky, as it proved she was actually rather curious about his own homeland. When she revealed that she'd come from Nyka, slight surprise mixed with mild amusement formed in his expression. "Aye, ye come from Nyka den? Been dere me self so Oi know what ye mean, it is a rat'er loud and hectic city. 'ere t'ough ye needn't worry 'bout such a t'ing." He gave her a friendly look as he eased the tension in his shoulder a bit, the trunk's weight shifting to a less comfortable but more tolerable position during the process. "Zeltiva's a very peaceful city really, it seeks enlightenment and entertainment t'rough knowledge an' intellectual pursuits. We 're a hardy lot too t'anks t' de environment, de city don't 'ave anyt'in but mountains t' surround its borders."

He remembered the key detail about Nyka and how that nighttime was a bad time to be outside, since the Aperture was supposedly filled with all sorts of nasty creatures. "An' don't worry. No monsters 're capable o' dwellin' in de city wit'out bein' caught, in fact de only dangerous place t' be at is de East Street. T'ere ye'll find crooks an' de poorer folk, so always be wary when ye 're walks take ye t'rough t'ere. De Wave Guard look out fer de city, an' we do all we can t' protect Zeltiva. So anytime ye find yer self in trouble, all ye need t' do is find me o' another guard in uniform." He looked down at the child that cooed in her arms, a quiet and soft laugh quelled within his chest as he suddenly experienced deja vu. There were many nights where Telion held Martin in quite a similar manner, and there were probably the same amount of nights where he even did the same. He expected that the lady no doubt had a lot on her mind, as it wasn't hard for him to imagine being in a similar situation.

A new place you've never been to with no faces that would be familiar, the thought of going through that with nobody but his son easily unnerved him. How could he determine what's safe after all, there were many scenarios that could be pictured out in his mind, and in this woman's case that could easily be the same thing she was going through at this particular moment. "Oh, Oi'm Ricky by de way. Ricky Maze is de official name, but Oi defer t' Ricky honestly. Ain't no need t' be polite an' call me sir either." He encouraged with a friendly grin cast down to the girl, as he took her introduction to memory as well. "Rest assured lass ye won't find any trouble 'ere, Zeltiva's a good place an' Oi 'ave no doubt ye'll love it 'ere. Just one t'ing Oi've t' warn ya about," He trailed off a bit as he looked upward towards the peak of the mountains, "It gets awfully cold 'ere an' de winters 're bad in t'eir own way. Best t'ing Oi'd do is invest in some very warm clothes before we're hit, since cold weat'er seems t' be on de way already."

Somehow he already felt like winter was going to be a long season, somehow each and every one of them has been, especially over the past few years after his return from the journey he made back in 510 AV. Still that didn't keep him from bearing a lighthearted grin as he walked next to the woman, a corner of his mouth peaked up as he watched the infant in her arms a couple more ticks. "Precious lil' t'ing isn't it. Oi've got me a son at home that's almost a year ol'." He wondered about the baby and what its gender could've been, the odds of it being a boy or girl stood at fifty-fifty and with the baby wrapped in a green blanket, it proved difficult to tell whether or not it was one or the other. "How long has it been since yer child was born?" He inquired respectfully as he looked ahead to see how much longer, they had covered quite a good amount of distance so far so the walk would probably end soon.

[Ireth Telemnar]

As her companion spoke, the pride so very evident in his voice, Ireth grew more at ease. She took his words to heart, and smiled brightly whenever he gave his name. Ricky Maze, of Zeltiva's famous Wave Guard. Quite a title, but the man and his posture held true to their worth.

Cold winters. Ireth hoped that she had enough blankets to keep her daughter warm with the onslaught of the cold season. "I've winter clothes. We have freezing winters in Nyka, though I love the snow. It's beautiful... I appreciate the warning though," she prayed she didn't sound conceited. "Any little bit of help I can get here I'll appreciate. I don't really know what I'm doing here."

When he brought up his son, Ireth's heart lifted higher. There was a glimmer in his eye, the glimmer of an immensely proud parent, that Ireth hoped she possessed when it came to speaking about Ellemyer. The fact that he too had a child made Ire feel that much more connected to the man, even though their situations were so vastly different.

"This past summer, actually. Just last season... Seems like it's been forever though, she's my everything. She'll be a season old in a few days actually, come the 63rd. Her name is Ellemyer. Oh, and my name is Ireth Telemnar, of Nyka."

'Well, not anymore... Who knows? Maybe we'll go back one day. Only Lord Rhysol knows. But until then, mayhaps Zeltiva won't be so bad. It certainly seems good. Though anything might appear good after Sunberth.'

Had it not been for Ricky, Ireth would have been hopelessly lost in the maze of this city. Given the hour of day, the busker couldn't have been more thankful that someone with insight of Zeltiva was able to show her the way to this inn. She'd probably have been wandering for hours without a guide. On top of that, she suspected that little Ellemyer was going to want to be fed soon, and Ire didn't dare attempt to feed her in the public eye of an unfamiliar city. Just to be on the safe side.

"I don't know how long I'll stay here. Through the Winter I suppose, but I don't know about after that. I left my home under... unfortunate circumstances." Her shoulder burned, a phantom itch mirroring where Toan's brand had been on his body. "I'd like to go back. But something tells me I won't be able to for a while.... Maybe Ellemyer is better off here..."

Into Ireth's view came a building that stood out from the rest. It was built out of massive rocks and stones, all seemingly hewn together with random avail, as opposed to the precision that most of the other Zeltivian buildings were made out of. There was a stable off to one side, made with the same strange rocks that the main building was constructed with. A young conifer stood near the door, perhaps to offer shade at certain times of the day. It was a quaint building, with a homey feeling, and a sign swung freely from the roof proclaiming this to be the World's End Grotto.

A small sigh of relief passed through Ireth's lips, and none sooner had it than Ellemyer started cooing again, looking up at her mother with those haunting eyes, asking to be fed. "In a bit, little one. Be patient." The baby giggled and cooed again. Ire looked to Ricky. "Just in time, I suppose. Do you have to be anywhere soon? I'd really like to continue our conversation." Perhaps they had a place where the two could sit and talk without Ricky having to continue to be burdened under Ireth's luggage. Though she supposed she shouldn't mind too much if he had to be off, he'd done a lot to assist her as it was.

[Ricky Maze]

As she told him that she had in fact brought with her a set of winter clothes he gave a respectful nod, a small chuckle contained as he silently hoped that they were thick enough to withstand the wicked chill that would reign over their city next season. Winters were by far very cold and when they were bad enough they felt frigid, with that and possible food shortages to worry about the season itself already felt it was going to be a harsh one. Except Zeltiva should be fine as far as food was concerned, with rations brought from outside the city would make do after all. That's what made the people here such a hardy lot, they were capable of living in these types of conditions and in turn grow strong from it. There were certainly places far worse off though, Sunberth being one of them granted he'd only visited there just once. To think that this young lady came from there briefly, it made him wonder just why exactly she left Nyka just to head to that kind of dump.

"Well Oi hope ye find whatever it is ye 're lookin' for 'ere, Zeltiva has a lot t' offer so yer bound t' run int' it sooner or later. In de meantime Oi'll be glad t' help ya out any way Oi can lass." He assured her in an attempt to both comfort and encourage her, she did look to be a gentle soul after all and Ricky wanted her to feel at ease here, Zeltiva could just as well be her home as any other place she wanted to settle down in after all. His expression changed to a look of interested awe as he received word of when her child had been born, a little baby girl named Ellemyer that had just been born in the summer. It always amazed him to think of times when a child was brought into the world, that single quiet moment where a miracle took place once the birth of a baby had passed. He remembered good and well how proud he felt when he first saw Martin, he practically had to choke back tears when that happened, because almost nothing could compare to how whole he felt to hold his baby boy for the first time.

"Ireth Telemnar, dat's a nice name dere. Ellemyer is a great name s'well, me wife and Oi named our boy Martin." He couldn't help the chuckle then as he thought about the name as a whole, Martin Maze definitely had a nifty feel about it that just uplifted his spirit. However he could hear the sadness in her tone when she expressed that she couldn't return to her original home, a look of earnest brought upon her as he felt for the weary traveler. Poor lass. She don't 'ave a home t' go t' apparently, an' she's so uncertain about settlin' down 'ere. She needs somebody t' be 'ere fer 'er, someone dat'll always reassure her Zeltiva's just a good o' a place t' call home. He realized this but he didn't honestly believe he was the one to do it, at least not right away granted that the two of them had just met. Still she needed friends, people to meet and interact with while she settled in. If anything Ricky was capable of doing just that, and who knows; maybe Martin could gain himself a childhood friend in the process when the two children were older.

"Oi'd like t' t'ink she would be." He sounded as though he offered a humble suggestion, a friendly bit of reasoning to back up his assumption quick to follow. "Don't git me wrong, Nyka does 'ave its own perks, but Zeltiva would no doubt offer more fer Ell'myer. She can grow up an' git an education 'ere, become a proper lady fer de city. Oi t'ink dere's actually quite a lot o' potential in store fer her and fer ya, ye just gotta stick around an' learn what chances 're waitin' ya t' take 'em." He spoke with a bit of lighthearted enthusiasm, hopeful that she could see the intent behind his reasoning. He really did hope that she might see much good in coming to this city, because deep down he found himself believing she was someone special that just needed a fresh start. Then they happened to arrive at the sight of the Grotto which was her destination, a short quiet sight left his nostrils as they were about to reach the door. He looked down at her with a genuine soft gaze and chuckled, as he felt humbled by her desire to continue with conversation.

"Bah, only place left fer me t' go is back to head quarters an' den home. Ain't no need fer me t' hurry back so quickly." He held within him the positivity from earlier as he confirmed that he could stick around with her for a bit longer, honestly he hadn't really found himself finished with giving her a sense of hope yet. The mark on his right hand still tingled some as they reached the door, that same hand used to twist the knob and allow her to enter first. He would allow her to settle with renting a room from the clerk first, and then from there he would follow her to the door so that he may finish transporting her cargo.

[Ireth Telemnar]

It was late, a half bell past sunset, but the lobby of the World's End Grotto was alight with candles and laughter. Men and women sat in groups chatting and conversing as Zeltivans had since before the inn ever came into existance, oblivious to the worn Ravokian that had entered their midst. The room smelled of fish, but as far as Ire could tell that was something that was to be characteristic of this city, just like Ravok, Nyka, and Sunberth. A thought came to her mind and the busker realized that all the city's that she'd been to had, in one way or another, been on a large body of water, either her dear Lake Ravok or the Suven Sea. And, in that moment, Ireth decided to keep it that way. Water was something sacred to her in her own personal mind, a safe place, a home.

Ricky held open the door for the young mother and she walked into the light of the Grotto's flickering candles. A women greeted them, no more than a few years older than Ire herself. She recognized Ricky though.

"Hullo Mr. Maze! How be ye this evenin'? And who's this ye brought with ye, this ain't yer pretty Telion."

"Oh, no no," Ireth made quick to clarify, praying that she wasn't about to get this Guard in trouble with his wife. "My name is Ireth. I've just arrived in Zeltiva and," she motioned at Ricky, "he's helped me with my luggage from the voyage."

The young lady chuckled. "Worry not m'lady. I figured as much. Mr. Maze is a right proper gent, he'll help any lady, pretty or nah. What can I do ye for this evenin'?"

A sigh of relief escaped Ire's lips. "A room." Ellemyer whined and struggled in her mother's arms. "A room for an indefinite amount of time. I think we'll have to stay here until after Winter, if that's alright?" The SafeHaven Inn in Nyka had had no problems with Ireth's seemingly permanent residence there for nearly three seasons, but it wouldn't be unheard of for an inn to ask for only temporary tenants, seeing as they might want to regularly allow new customers rooms.

The woman waved her hand sarcastically. "Not in the least, we're happy to have ye. Especially if you're clean, well behaved, and polite." She winked at Ireth. "My name is Serra Danalle, and I be the innkeep of this savvy establishment. We offer rooms and meals, a room bein' two silver mizas per night. How's that sound?"

The accumulation of finally having a decent bed to lay her head on and the fact that their journey might finally have come to an end made Ireth's legs start to shake. Her voice came out weak, but she thanked Serra as tears started to wet her eyes. "You have no idea how wonderful that sounds, thank you so much. I'm ever so grateful."

The proprietress patted Ireth kindly and turned away, retrieving a key from a rack where all the room keys hung and gesturing for Ireth and her guide to follow behind her. Serra led the two down a corridor and around a right corner. "Here ye are dear. First door after the corner. Hopefully it's acceptable." She unlocked the door and held it open for the busker and Ricky.

Ireth entered the room and her smile widened. The room was a little smaller than the one she'd inhabited at the SafeHaven, but it had all the same accommodations and was quite cozy. There were plain dressings on the bed, simple sheets, but Ireth could tell that they'd be little armor against the oncoming cold. Thank the Lord she'd brought all of her blankets from Nyka. Serra dropped the key on the bed whilst Ricky set her trunk upon the floor. Ire turned to them.

"Thank you so much Miss Serra, it's more than perfect. If you don't mind, I'll bring my first night's pay in a moment. Ricky, I appreciate your help. Do you mind if I have a moment?" Her two new acquaintances left the room and Ireth sat on the edge of the bed, nearly collapsing with Ellemyer in her arms.

"Oh little one. I don't think I've been this tired in a long, long while." She sat up and unswaddled her daughter. "Let's see, someone's hungry." She drew the blanket out from around Elle's body, allowing the baby the freedom to wriggle her arms and legs again. Elle giggled, waving her arms and legs around happily after having them bundled for so long. Ireth changed her daughter's diaper and put her to her teat, draping the blanket around her shoulders and dipping her room key into her pocket.

She fished a couple of silver coins from out her money purse and left the room, finding her companions in the Grotto's lobby. She knew that she must have looked like a wreck, but she smiled wearily at Ricky and Serra as she sat amongst them, adjusting herself so she didn't reveal herself too much nor jostle the child.

[Ricky Maze]

Ricky proceeded to follow her inside once she had entered and in turn trailed behind her all the way to the desk, an amusing greeting bidden to him as the lady behind the counter recognized him right away. The fact she mentioned Telion brought a chuckle from the father as Ireth seemed quick to correct this, her clarification good enough to bring a bit of mirth out from the giant next to her. Then of course he couldn't help but blush a bit at the compliment he received, given that he was pretty much a person of good nature by heart. "Bah, help comes t' t'ose who need it most. Oi'm always willin' t' do me part in helpin' folks out is all." He shrugged it off with a bit of reasoning, his humility present as he appeared a bit bashful of the act.

With the two to discuss the fact Ireth was here for a room he remained quiet for the most part but he held a simple friendly smile on his face nonetheless, a respectful look of sincerity found in his eyes as he understood the fact she soon found relief in a prospective room she could in fact rent. It pleased him to see that part of his task had been complete but his goal was far from accomplished, Ireth still needed a reason to hope as well as find courage in settling down here in Zeltiva. She needed positivity, optimism that could drive her forward. Those were just a couple key elements, things Ricky could provide her with his own gift, granted the optimism was more or less his own gift before the mark granted him further power. He didn't want to just overwhelm the poor girl with sudden confidence all of a sudden, but he made it his mission to see to it she at least been given the grace of hope. She deserved that much after all, especially since she appeared to come from such a far away place.

When he followed them to the room and entered to drop off her belongings, he lowered the trunk in a spot where he deemed out of the way but accessible when she was ready. He'd taken to lean on the door frame afterwards with a sigh to follow, relief found in his form as his left shoulder felt worn out from the transport. When she had asked for a moment afterwards, Ricky gave her a polite nod with the smile still present on his face. "Sure, Oi'll be in de main hall when ye're ready." He noted as he shifted from his lean and turned to head on down the hall, when he and Serra arrived at one of the tables she had an intrigued look on her face while he took a seat.

"Always helpin' people you are, Telion has to be quite proud of that."

"She is fortunately." He cracked a grin with a bit of a chuckle, his humor further enlightened when the lady gave a soft smack on his shoulder. "Honestly t'ough she looked like she needed de help, s'why Oi wanted t' see 'er 'ere me self."

"Well its mighty kind of you Mr. Maze, you've a big heart y'know." She decided to humor him in turn which led a teasing snicker out of the guard, smiles then cast towards their returning acquaintance as she came towards them with a blanket over her shoulders. It was obvious what she was doing as every mother did it, Ricky even had the joy of watching it plenty of times with Telion when she nursed Martin. Ireth definitely had the look of exhaustion about her but there was also something else too, to Ricky it looked as though she were actually starting to find herself a bit comfortable after a long journey. "Well, why don't I go grab a bite for you two to eat. You two relax a while, I'll have somethin nice cooked up for you." She gestured with a gracious bow of courtesy, a smile cast to Ireth as she wandered off to head to the kitchen area of the inn, which pretty much left Ireth alone with Ricky save for the people found within the tavern already.

"Well now," He groaned through another tired sigh as he leaned back in his chair some, "all nice an' comfy fer de rest o' de evenin? Ye'll find de chance fer a lot o' opportunities come t'morrow when ye first wake, an' ye can always come lookin' fer me at de Wave Guard's Head Quarters should ye need anyt'in." He couldn't help but feel that always assuring her of things would reinforce more optimism, granted she had a child who was still quite young positivity definitely helped to her cause. "Really t'ough Oi'd love fer ya t' meet me wife an' son sometime, t'ey would love t' 'ave yew over fer company." He beamed a grin with a bit of enthusiasm that practically radiated from his body, hopeful that she might actually feel up to the idea of meeting his family someday. He thought it'd be great to see Martin meet another that was close to his age, though young Elle definitely had a bit more growing to do before she would be ready to play with the child.

"So tell me, 're ya nervous 'bout settlin' 'ere fer a bit or excited? Ye can be honest wit' me lass, nobody ain't gonna judge ya fer expressin' what ye feel 'ere. Quite de contrary really." He mused as he leaned forward with arms folded onto the surface of the table before him, it was then his mark would become present as his right hand resided atop his left elbow in that moment. He didn't really pay much mind in revealing it but the swirling mark that glowed on his hand could hardly be ignored, the fact he still waited for a better time to use it made him remember what his actual purpose in helping her was. Yet whether he needed it or not was uncertain, as she seemed to be a bit at ease already. For now he would take to enlighten both her and himself with conversation, and if she did seem to be in need of better encouragement, then he would definitely see what the power of his gift could do to help her cause.

[Perplexity]

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Ricky :

Skills:

• Land Navigation | +1 EXP
  Storytelling | +2 EXP
  Persuasion | +1 EXP

Lores:

• Nyka: A City of Boisterous Chaotic People
  Storytelling: The Wonders of Zeltiva

Comments :

Thank you for being a friendly greeter! That's the Zeltivan spirit!

[Dove Brown]

Don't forget to edit/delete your grade request. If you have any questions, comments or concerns regarding your grade, please do not hesitate to send me a PM.

 

Ireth Telemnar

Skills

• XP

Lores

• Lore:

Miscellaneous

• Mizas (+/-) | Amount
  
• Item Purchased (+/-) | Amount
  
• Item Sold (+/-) | Amount

Comments: PM me if you return