Sariah

Sariah teleported into the courtyard of the Mines with an accompanying flash of magical energy. The people around looked up briefly, but seeing it was just another adventurer returning from the depths they quickly resumed their trading over the various items that were on sale.

Looking around she was briefly confused until she realised that she had appeared slightly more North then was usual for a teleport home in Miasma. Shrugging her shoulders at magic's fickleness, she moved away from the vast cold stone building that comprised the Dei Vigilare guildhouse.

She paused as she walked along its face towards the heart of the Mines' marketplace. Running her hand over the cool, rough exterior of the stone wall she uttered a soft prayer to Bethseline, unheard by any but her in the courtyard bustle.

Turning away, she started to move south, deeper into the market. Seeing the family crest of the Aiglenoirs, and the large gathering of well equipped adventurers, she decided to skirt around them. She had got a lot better over the last few months, the hunted look in her eyes had faded somewhat, and she no longer jumped so much when strangers were around, but there were still occasions and situations she prefered to avoid.

She had Khyrim to thank for those improvements - he had seen her through the worst of her time in Bereny - given her a chance to restart her life... Stopping briefly by the side of a stall selling apples, her eyes drifted as she rememberd a tavern a long way away.... but such a short time ago....in a village aptly named Sorrow...

Shaking her head to clear the memories, she smiled at the woman behind the stand, before turning and moving away again. She wasn't sure why she had returned to the courtyard she realised.....perhaps it was the fact that she'd been stood on her own deep in the dungeon with only a magic trader and goblins for company for the last three weeks.

She knew that Imoen was surely back there already, and she had supposed to wait for her there....but there was definitely something that she had to do...

Reaching the busiest section of the courtyard, Sariah was forced to twist and step out of peoples way. She was surprised at how many people were still in the courtyard what with all the worries about Drax and the death of the King. Slowly, the steps she was taking began to become more complex, and she used the crowd's imposed movements on her, and began twisting and spinning round, growing ever more complex. Gradually, as her steps became more insistent, people moved out of the way, giving her the room to move, and as her arms came out, and the beat began to flow, the dance began.....

Dropping into the final challenging, seductive strut that seemed to be a
trademark of Sariah's Kyrian dancing style, the crowd that had gathered
around her in the courtyard began to cheer and wolf whistle. Breathing hard
from the exertion, she blushed and moved away towards the relative quiet of
the Silent Pond guildhouse.

Gathering up her pack from where it had been discarded and forgotten in her
love of the dance, she noticed the enthralled messenger boy holding a folded
slip of parchment loosly in his left hand just a short distance away.

Looking around, she saw no one else paying him any attention, and realised
that he was indeed staring straight at her. Shouldering her pack, she
approached him, wondering who could have had interest enough to have written
to her, of all people.

'Can I help you...?' she him as she walked over.

'Mmm mm mmessage for you Miss!' He just about stammered out, pushing the
parchment into her hand.

Slipping him a gold coin for his time, Sariah turned away, unfolding the
thick edges of the letter, wondering who it could be from. Not many people
knew she was in the mines....at least she thought not many did. Quickly,
she looked up and nervously swept her gaze over the people in the
courtyard.

It had all settled down again to the normal trading, people haggling over
weapons, arguing over what was best to take into the dungeon. Nothing
unusual around anywhere...that is as long as you didn't count the many
adventurers who braved all sorts of dangers and risks in the dungeon every
day unusual

Returning her gaxe to the letter she opened the crinkled parchment. Her
heart lept with joy as she recognised Khyrim's writing inside. Swiftly
reading what he had to say, she sighed slightly, before a shy smile crept
onto her face.

Poor Khyrim - he never had any luck with teleports. Her smile broadened as
she remembered the time he had used a teleport home scroll, and for some
reason teleported to the courtyard perfectly..... apart from the smoking
boots and backpack that he had left behind.

She was glad she had returned to the courtyard now. She felt refreshed
after the dance, as if it had freed or released something inside of her.
And now she knew where Khyrim was. It had been too long since she had seen
him, and now it turns out he was in the courtyard after all this! He had
only been one teleport scroll away.

Safely stowing the letter she hurried off through the market stalls, her
glance flicking from face to face as she searched for him. If she could
catch him before he re-entered the dungeon again, she may be able to join
him and her other friends from the Silent Pond, and travel together to the
stairs.

She longed for some company again. It was strange she thought that she
should wish to avoid solitude so readily. She had spent so long either
being afraid or being alone that it was almost an alien feeling to her.....

Lengthing her stride, she moved off into the crowds...