Shuffling Along (Open)

[Jayneth]

NoteThis is a completely open thread! If anybody *wants* to get to know me or are just looking for a traveling companion or if a mod is bored, feel free to jump in!!

24th Day of Summer, 510 AV

The morning had worn on for some time now without much in the way of an event transpiring to break the monotony of simply riding along a halfway worn path. Jayneth was traveling toward the big city of Syliras, the mecca of life in this region, and a place he was uncertain he would enjoy. Though not nervous, passing through the city gates was an event the copper skinned man was not getting excited about. Thinking about it momentarily, excitement would be exactly the sort of thing he would be interested in finding about now.

That was a deception even to his own mind, honestly. Jayneth really was just looking for anything to come about, whether it be a dog to chase, a bird to watch, or a person to meet. In many regards he was an easy going person. What came across his path did not overly concern him and what truly defined his personality is that what he ended up doing with them was also completely of no concern of his at the moment. Through his life thus far, he never had any preconceived intentions or motivations that came to mind more than a couple of bells beforehand. It said much toward his amusement of general chaos in the world that surrounded him and Jayneth genuinely hoped Rhysol approved.

His horse, worn from the travels they shared, even seemed bored at the scenery and smells he encountered. Walking, sauntering along with his head down, the fully brown Zavian held his head low and obedient while his rider, dressed in casual dark colors as well with his black hair resting down his back, endured the ride with a matching dull energy. "You hungry, lad?" Jayneth asked of his horse, knowing the answer was of course a "yes" but also knowing there was not a lot left to give him. Maybe the next stranger encountered would feel pity and feel the both of them, or maybe Jayneth would take it by force. Regardless, the two travelers just wanted something to captivate them and help pass the time.

[Kelpie]

If Jayneth had stopped to listen carefully, there would have been a muffled yet distinct sound of hooves clopping on a down-trodden path. There was, in that regard, a woman cloaked in a navy blue cloak, with a hood covering her head to disguise most of her appearance. Still the glow of her alabaster skin was prevalent then, although her eyes were a dull and almost lifeless brown. She had come a long ways from the road that wound through the Wildlands, with an ominous purpose.

Jayneth would not be wise to assume this woman to be just a mere damsel. There was a maliciousness in her that oozed from her very pores. The sounds of clinking metal underneath her robes were testament to this. Onwards she carried on, however, pressing the sharp edges of her heel against the belly of her steed, until she noticed the half-blood sauntering on the path ahead of her.

She slowed her horse to a halt, then, smirking underneath the shadow of her hood, slim hands placed discreetly on her hips. "Greetings, traveler." Her voice was soft and deceiving, "What brings you to these woods? Are you traveling alone, really?" A smile danced on her lips as she circled Jayneth, sizing him up, calculating in her mind just how much this man would be worth in the hands of professionals.

[Jayneth]

Moving along, the same way as they had been for quite an unimaginable amount of time at this point, it was the mount whose ears perked first to the sounds of one of his own kind approaching. Raises its head, the brown Zavian is what alerted the man sitting atop his back that something might be in the area. Taking this cue, and cursing himself quietly that he had been so captivated by the deserted path not to notice the riding coming toward them, Jayneth sat up straight and narrowed his eyes to try to take in as much information about the newcomer as possible before an interaction may occur.

The rider was hooded, which was unsurprising, and yielded no outward physical characteristics discerning her from any other traveler along the way. This is was something Jayneth himself took pride in--the fact that he was unremarkable by those who passed him and even by most who interacted with him. When the rider neared and brought the horse to a stop, her voice immediately identified her as female. This fact was nothing that would change the situation in the half-blood's eyes, however. He had seen women do incredibly evil things, just like men, and as far as he was concerned they were an equal sex to be wary of. Knowing that otherwise the two were alone, or at least hoping he had not missed any other presence in the area, Jayneth began the interaction with no ulterior motives but to break the monotony of the ride thus far.

As she circled and spoke, Jayneth made an obvious motion to look behind him and to the sides. The move was almost comical as it looked as if he were about to fall from the saddle, but he exaggerated the motion as he scanned all about them before replying, "Forgive me if I'm wrong, but aren't you traveling these woods alone as well?" He meant the question jovially enough, the irony that she seemed to be calling out his own strength in numbers when his were even when compared to hers, at least on the surface, brought a returning smile to his own lips. "It seems neither of are alone now, however. And I'm just moving down this path through these woods. What about you? You seemed to be in a awful hurry before, but you stop to exchange greetings." The last bit was a statement, but meant as an addition to his own inquiry of her travels. There was something about her that struck out as interesting, but it was not quite yet that he could figure out what it was.

[Kelpie]

A crystal clear laugh emanated from the woman’s lips at his response. Pulling back her hood, a cascade of raven locks fell over her shoulders, framing a deceivingly lovely oval face and deep brown eyes. She had halted her horse the second Jayneth began to speak, tapping lightly at the hilt on her side almost absently. “Oh but who’s to say that there are no men of mine hiding in the shadows, stranger. What you see is not what is always true.” Her eyes roamed over his body once more, the small curve of her lips an indicator that she was, indeed pleased.

“But why speak of such things, am I right?” She extended a hand in greeting, “I am Sonya, and I suppose I must decline your offer to exchange particular reasons for traveling the roads alone. Privacy in my regard is always best I should say. Where were you headed? Perhaps I could help you find your way, or if you so wished,” she grinned, sharp canines glinting under the rays of the sun, “an escort.”

[Jayneth]

The laugh pleased Jayneth and his own smile widened. It was good fun, of course, but there was an undertone of something sinister there. It should have turned his mind into a quick alert, and not to say it didn't, but the follower of Rhysol became slightly more interested in this acquaintance as he thought he picked up on slightly darker motives.

Mention of the possibility of others, and the particular way she termed that possibility as her men certainly complicated the matter. Jayneth would not have been surprised, but he was certainly hoping not to have to deal with a gang of other chaos lovers. Though with a common goal those whose morals do not meet the same standards as "civilized" people can work well together, Jayneth did not yet know this woman well enough to have any sort of idea of her own intentions.

"You're all too right, miss. Our eyes often deceive our minds, which can lead us all into trouble!" When saying "all" he motioned toward the woods as if he were certain others were spying from a concealed position, even though she did mention privacy as she continued to speak. When the woman introduced herself and extended her hand, the man was careful to keep a steady hold of the reins with his one hand while keeping his balance on his mount before offering his own to shake. "Well met, Sonya. I am Jayneth and I was heading toward the big city."

He chose not to reply directly to her talk of privacy. Instead, he opted to discuss the prospect of an escort. "Sonya, your offer is kind and your smile sweet, but it seemed to me you were heading the opposite way. The company would be more than welcome but I wouldn't want to take you away from your pressing task." Jayneth tried to give a smile just as lovely, but the way the word "escort" came off prevented him the pleasure. There was something to this one, now it was a matter of figuring out what that something was.

[Kelpie]

Oh he was handsome, quite handsome. There was a certain level of pedigree Sonya placed certain men she encountered on the roads. She would judge them from the get-go, determining primarily if they would be a good investment to catch. Here now stood an individual that peeked her interest, and it clearly reflected in her far more enthusiastic yet subtly devious tone. “Indeed, it would.” She noticed his gesture toward the trees resulting in a soft chuckle from herself. Oh, he caught on quite well. “A pleasure, Jayneth.”

Jayneth felt that Sonya’s hand was unnaturally cold, with a structure that implied just a hint of pressure and it would shatter in mere chimes. Still, the look in her eyes suggested otherwise. Drawing her hand away after the quick shake, she pulled the cloak over to wipe her skin off quickly; an ingrained action that assumed she was particularly uncomfortable with physical contact. A glance up to meet his gaze and she smiled sweetly once more.

“Why you’re quite the observant one aren’t you?” She cooed, “I have no set destination, dear Jayneth. I am quite the wanderer in that aspect. If you so choose, often I find myself quite lonely out in the wilds. A little company doesn’t hurt anyone, no?” With that said, Sonya kicked at her steed’s side once more, forcing a leap forward and a roundabout where she began a slow trod ahead of Jayneth. “Come now, let us exchange words as we move.”

[Jayneth]

Well this was going better than it could have. At one point Jayneth was certain this encounter was stacked against him and now it seemed the odds were somehow overcome. Though not entirely surprised at his apparent accuracy in judgement, it was nice to see that Sonya was alone. It was either that or this entire facade was a well-oiled plan and one he would appreciate even if turned out for the worse.

Sonya's hand was cold and, what was more puzzling, she wiped her hand afterward as if Jayneth had gotten something on her. Though she did not make the action something to focus on and it seemed to have happened without much thought on her end, the man made a note to consider what may have occurred in her life previously to ingrain such a habit. Until then, the reasoning she offered seemed to somewhat match his own. This was an unexpected change in the course and he stayed weary of what this woman may still be hiding.

Turning his own Zavian and happy that she was taking the lead, Jayneth took the moment to seriously scan the surrounding woods. Being honest to himself, he really could not determine if she was truly deceiving him or not. After scanning to the sides and glancing once behind him, he supposed having a bit of conversation while they traveled could not hurt. "You intrigue me, Sonya," he started, being honest. He could not quite figure this one out. "What is it that you do, anyway?"

As of yet, Jayneth had not decided what sort of outcome he wanted from meeting this person. Those were typically decisions he made after feeling he knew the entire situation well enough and when a feeling grew within his mind or stomach. So far, he was still trying to decide who it really was that he had just met and if possible, he wanted to learn what her motives and goals were. It made it just that much more enjoyable to disrupt them when he knew how much they meant to somebody.

[Kelpie]

Perhaps their little trek would just turn out to be mindless and unappealing, or perhaps there would be some exciting twist unforeseen and shockingly pleasant. Either way, Sonya knew just exactly her decision on this matter, for the stance she took upon her horse was brimming with elegance and self-confidence. The arrogant, narcissistic part of her she hid quite well with soft words laced with sugary-sweetness. “I’m a rather intriguing person, I suppose,” she answered briskly, another charming smile dancing on her lips, “I am a mercenary. Due to my…mixed heritage, I suppose you could say most people shun me, but it’s all fine and dandy.”

The sky overhead began to cloud over in mere chimes. Slowly the wilderness about them faded to a grisly gray overlay, reflecting the imminent downpour. This abrupt change in the weather did not faze Sonya, however, as she continued to speak. “Tell, me Jayneth, are you afraid of poison? There are many rather devious people roaming Mizahar, you must be pretty careful, are you not?” She looked over to him, expecting a quick response, and indeed she willed it of him. Those dark, penetrating eyes were far more powerful in the stare she gave him.

Two chimes had passed by until a droplet of water against the skin of her hand caught the woman’s attention. She glanced up just as another drop splashed on the pale stretch of her cheek. Then another. “Ah, but what bad fortune we have. Perhaps we should make camp here, Jayneth? I would much rather not soil my clothes in the rain.” Directing her horse to a large, looming tree to the left, she then un-mounted and began rummaging through the large sack tied to the creature’s rump. “Well come on, don’t want you getting drenched either, help me set this up.”

[Jayneth]

The conversation was somewhat settling and for a brief moment Jayneth was reminded that at the start of the day he had no clue how his fate would progress. The thought made him smile as that fact is the sort of idea that the man strove to embody on a daily basis. He would rather his destiny be determined by Rhysol if it had to be pre-determined at all, but the half-Chaktawe enjoyed not knowing how the day would end for both himself and those he met.

When Sonya mentioned her mercenary profession, Jayneth was happy and disgusted. The fact that she most likely shared some of the skills that he had developed or wanted to made her an interesting companion, but the fact that she lived within the rules of payments and services bothered him. Being motivated by wealth was not intriguing or inspiring at all and almost in that instant Jayneth realized that once again, his ideals were not matched in someone he has met. Mentioned poisons, however, once again drew the full attention of the man.

"To be honest, I'm very interested in poison. Like you, I'm not one known for being celebrated or praised by others and I would think learning of poisons would be a fascinating endeavor." Why not be honest? Though knowing her profession and her talk of poison made him not be able to trust Sonya one bit, Jayneth found no reason to lie to somebody he had only just met. Having knowledge of how poisons work and how he could use them to his own amusement would indeed be something he thought could surely be of use. "Why is it that you ask?" The question came as Jayneth thought back to his handshake with the woman and how odd her hand had felt. Perhaps he would learn more this day than he intended.

The rain felt good on his skin and Jayneth enjoyed the sudden change in ambiance. When Sonya pulled her steed over and started working out supplies for camping, the half blood sat mounted still and started scanning the area. As the woman mentioned, there are many devious creatures roaming around and though Sonya was not excluded from that group, Jayneth decided his odds were better if she was all he had to worry about. Turning his attention back to the woman, he watched her while thinking about setting up his own tent instead. Ultimately deciding he would rather keep his enemies close, if indeed she developed into an enemy, he dismounted and secured his brown horse before slowly making his way over toward her.

"Do you know this area well, Sonya? You were riding awfully quick when I met you so I must ask if this is a reasonably safe area to stay." It was conversation more than inquisition but a reasonable question to ask. He offered his help in getting settled for camp as they spoke.

[Kelpie]

The woman made it quite apparent she was hard at work setting up the small tent to shelter them from the rain. But there was something, a flicker of excitement in her eyes as she turned her back to him, strong hands grasping at the materials to tie them together, or simply to dig them into the dirt made soft and pliable under the now constant battering of the rain. There was no sense of anxiousness brewing under her skin, nothing to give her intentions away, yet her face did not turn to look at him as she spoke. “Oh, I’m glad you’re so enthusiastic with it…” The words came slowly, silkily, a hint of a resolute woman with set ideals.

Slowly she stood from her position when she heard the familiar sound of a man dismounting his steed. A curve of her lips indicated she was quite pleased things were going just the way she expected. The weather had given her the opportunity of a lifetime, and she praised Rhysol for the good fortune to allow her services to him be proven. “You are very fascinating, Jayneth, I must say. So observational. I’m pleased I was able to meet you on the road, but I’m afraid…”

Here her lips parted in a grin, the sentence unfinished. Her hand moved to a concealed whip coiled tightly against the belt on her waist. In a fraction of a chime, she unhooked it, turned and in one fluid strike had Jayneth’s neck in a constricted grip. “You’re quite the badgering type. I can see you seek new experiences, or perhaps, you’re just one to pry.” She laughed then, jerking her hand back with so much force, it would have knocked Jayneth off his feet and flat on the muddy ground.

“I am indeed, Sonya, Jayneth, but you've proven to be gullible. What a shame. Haven’t you ever been taught to never trust strangers?” She moved around then, a heeled boot placed firmly on one of his arms, the other on his back. “I am not a mercenary, young man, but I am something that many travelers fear on these roads. If you would be so kind as to not make a fuss and just come with me, I won’t have to hurt you too much, after all, that would deduct from my payment.”