Giang

[Professor Inky]

Color Me Fubar

Professor Inky

"Lead the way, Aes Sedai," Ethin said with a slight nod for her to take the lead. Any other day he would be the guide but he didn't know his way around yet. He made a mental note to scout around the camp before nightfall.

Sure enough, several Tinkers were finishing up their meal, and one smiled as Kiae and her Warder approached.
"I thought we would see you in time for food," the older woman said, gray hair tied back in a knot. "Sit down and help yourself, there's still plenty left."
"Thank you, Tasha," Kiae replied, taking a seat. She handed Ethin a bowl of his own before taking some of the food from the pot - it seemed like a stew of sorts.

Ethin smiled and nodded, "Thank you, Aes Sedai." He made sure to have a firm grip on the bowl before digging in. He was famished. Within seconds the stew was gone and he was wiping some of the stew from his chin like a little boy.  

[Professor Inky]

x_Matrim_Cauthon_x

Melthin coughed and tried to regain his cool and calculating aura about him, having yet to do so in the search. "I do tend to worry when my beloved is missing from her bedroll when I awake. I see that the cloak I made suits you well." He noticed her hair and almost laughed, hardly holding it in as his mind reeled at the simple thing the had made her leave the tent in the first place. I forgot to borrow a brush from someone. I'll have to pic one up so that I can keep her in my sights, that is if she isn't unshielded by then. He tugged at his shirt and straightened himself out more to at least look presentable. "Its still early in the morning, why don't we see if we can pilfer some morning stew and whatnot. I'm sure they will oblige. After all I have been nothing but kind to them since the moment I arrived. Afterwards we should have a talk with Kiae about dispelling the shield on you and then a planning session to plot our next course out of our current delema."

"Of course. You would know best since you are my ever-vigilant Warder," Esole said with a broad grin. She looped her arm through Melthin's and walked with him towards what she assumed was the cookfire. As she had thought, it was. Several Tinkers, Kiae, and Ethin were still eating. An icy dagger stabbed at her insides when she saw Kiae but she suppressed the urge to lash out by tightening her grip on Melthin's arm.

She wasn't sure who to speak to so she looked up questionly at Melthin, hoping he'd know how to acquire them a meal.  

[Color Me Fubar]

Professor Inky

Ethin smiled and nodded, "Thank you, Aes Sedai." He made sure to have a firm grip on the bowl before digging in. He was famished. Within seconds the stew was gone and he was wiping some of the stew from his chin like a little boy.

"I thought you might be hungry. Have as much as you want, there's always plenty to go around," Kiae began, but paused when she saw Melthin and Esole out of the corner of her eye. "Your Aes Sedai seems to have found me. The fact she's not lunging with a dagger in her hand might be a good sign," she said dryly, deciding to ignore them at the moment to avoid provocation.  

[x_Matrim_Cauthon_x]

Professor Inky

"Of course. You would know best since you are my ever-vigilant Warder," Esole said with a broad grin. She looped her arm through Melthin's and walked with him towards what she assumed was the cookfire. As she had thought, it was. Several Tinkers, Kiae, and Ethin were still eating. An icy dagger stabbed at her insides when she saw Kiae but she suppressed the urge to lash out by tightening her grip on Melthin's arm.

She wasn't sure who to speak to so she looked up questionly at Melthin, hoping he'd know how to acquire them a meal.

((Can we drop the quoting since we are technically all together now?..With the exception of Cobain ofcourse.))

"Indeed." Melthin said to Kiae, making it sound like something that disinterested him. As he felt Esole squeeze his arm, he smiled and returned the squeeze to try and calm her as well as reassure her. Just stay calm, one way or another we will have you back to normal.He smiled as he bowed to the woman who had given Kiae her bowl. "Good morning to you Miss. Might it be too troublesome to join you all for the morning meal?" I must make sure to watch my manners today. I must be as nice as a kitten.

His mind was still a little foggy from grogginess of a rushed awakening, yet his mind was awake enough to ponder how he was to bring about the conversation. To talk of it during the meal would be too rude. Such matters must be settled in private away from her defenses. Ethin and Cobain might opt to keep Esole shielded on behalf of Kiae's whims. He gave a mental groan as he didn't like how long he calculated it would take. Patience. I must have patience.  

[Professor Inky]

Ethin chose to ignore Kiae's rude comment about Esole. He knew it was hard for her since Esole had tried to attack her but she was still his Aes Sedai which meant he still had loyalties to her as well.

Silently, Ethin retrieved another bowl for Esole and poured in a good portion of stew. He handed it to her with a smile and was glad when she took it without complaint. He had been worried she would hold a grudge against him for seemingly siding with Kiae although that was not truly the case. Ethin's hopes were that Kiae would restore the One Power back to Esole. He felt at a loss without have that little bundle of feelings that belonged to her in his head. But at the same time, he had a duty to his other Aes Sedai who had no Warder but him protecting her so he could not abandon her because he cared about her well being.

"Keep your calm or you will stay shielded," he whispered while sparing a glance for Kiae. He squeezed Esole's arm gently before refilling his own bowl and resuming his place beside Kiae.  

[Professor Inky]

Esole bit her tongue as Ethin went back to Kiae. She was saddened at his choice in whom he placed his loyalties but there was nothing she could do about it. And it was not so bad because she knew that if she had great need of him, Ethin would come to her as long as it did not place Kiae in danger. "I wouldn't mind her being in a bit of danger though," she thought with a grim smile. Kiae's seemingly offhand comment had offended her without a doubt but she refused to let any outward response show. She would show Kiae that she was above her.

She smiled up at Melthin, hoping he was not the jealous type. Ethin was always very friendly yet formal at the same time. It had angered a great deal of her lovers in the past who had thought there was something between her and her Warder but there never was.

"Once you get yourself a bowl, come sit with me over there," Esole said softly as she patted his arm before sitting on a nearby log. She fought the urge to quickly devour her food for it was not very ladylike. She slowly and gracefully at her stew as she surveyed everyone around her.  

[Color Me Fubar]

At a glance from Kiae, the rest of the Tinkers suddenly departed, sensing there was business the Aes Sedai and Warders needed to complete. "At least we don't have to worry about them spying on us, they're too afraid to do that," she thought in amusement. She realized her comment was a bit rude, but she had the feeling she earned the right to be a bit rude for now.

"I hope you slept good. Tinkers are famous for their hospitality, and while some find the wagons cramped, I always liked the privacy they gave me," Kiae said lightly, nodding towards Esole. "We can find somewhere to bath later, if you haven't already," she added.  

[Professor Inky]

Esole flashed Kiae a slight smile, trying her best to remain civil with the woman who had taken from her what seemed to be all the joys of life. "I slept very well. Thank you for asking," she said in a neutral tone, the best she could muster for the moment. "And yes, a wash would be very nice. It's been a while," she said, her cheeks flushing slightly from that fact.  

[Color Me Fubar]

(May as well start the fun.)

Kiae began to reply that the Tinkers would be more than happy to help them with a bath, but suddenly froze as a jolt ran through her body. "Something is...wrong," she managed, her lips barely moving.  

[x_Matrim_Cauthon_x]

Melthin sighed as he noticed he was not given a bowl and that all the tinkers had left. How rude and here I thought we would all be having a nice morning meal. I'll just have to run on empty for a while longer. Even in his hungry state, he noted the exchange between Ethin and Esole and gave a small frown. Trying to gain favor with her again? How quaint.

Melthin gave Kiae an odd glance and looked to the surrounding area. "What is it Kiae Sedai? You seem a little flustered. Was the stew really that bad?" She's worried about something. Have one of the darkfriends returned? Perhaps they don't know that she sensed them. Blood and ashes, And I'm nowhere near the puppet to weave it to my defense. I could try to scan the surrounding area for a corpse but it would only alert the one waiting and give them the chance to strike me down. Why am I so useless! He took position next to Esole, adjusting his glasses and peering carefully to the outside.  

[Color Me Fubar]

(We're killing Cobain off, so no heroics. The channeling Darkfriend they met before came back, killed Cobain, and ran off because it was a warning and he didn't want to start a confrontation. Inkers and I settled on it.)

She shook her head, beginning tremble from the shock of what she felt through the Bond. The blood drained from her face and even her lips were pale as she stumbled to her feet. "I need to go," she whispered, barely managing to walk as she made her way towards the edge of the treeline, away from the Tinker camp.  

[Professor Inky]

Ethin was caught off guard by the sudden loss of the tiny bundle of emotions in his head. "Melthin is here and well.. So it must be Cobain!" he thought. He then noticed Kiae's departure and spared a glance at Esole, who seemed well protected by the Asha'man Warder, and ran after Kiae. She was very unsteady and gently grabbed her arm and forced it over his shoulders as he grabbed her waist to steady her. He had to hunch over to avoid any discomfort in her arm from his superior height.

"What has happened? Has he.. died?" he asked incredulously. His eyes were ever vigilant - surveying their surroundings for signs of any approaching threat. He made sure his grip on Kiae's hand over his shoulder was loose so that he would be able to quickly unsheathe his sword if the need arose. "Perhaps you should stay with the others so I may scout the surroundings. You do not appear to be well enough to be on your own," he said in a calm yet firm tone. It was not meant to be a suggestion but her knew that she was in a fragile state. The loss of one's Warder was devastating.  

[Professor Inky]

(Would it be best to assume that Esole could not sense Cobain's death since the Bond would be through Kiae's Bond with Ethin who could barely even sense it himself?)

Esole stood, dropping her bowl and its remaining contents. "Something is not right. She would never lose her composure over stew," she thought aloud. "Melthin, you should scout the area for anything that does not seem right. I will follow Kiae and Ethin and hopefully talk her into removing the shield so that I may defend myself," she commanded.

Without waiting for a response, she was off sprinting after the two, leaving Melthin where he stood. She caught up to them quickly and was suprised to find Ethin supporting Kiae. "Something definitely is wrong," she whispered to herself.

A few feet behind, she called out to them, "Ethin, Kiae. What has happened? Where are you going?"  

[Color Me Fubar]

(Yeah, that makes sense. Since Esole has no direct Bond with Cobain, it wouldn't really affect her in any way.)

Kiae felt the loss of the already-weak emotions a split-second before Ethin; it was well he was already supporting her, as she sagged even further at the sensation. The shock was so great she couldn't even manage tears. Everything was numb, as if she felt it through a curtain of silence.

"This way," she ordered after another moment, drawing on Ethin's strength through the Bond to keep going. She forced Ethin to keep going, determined not to be left behind for something like this. They came across the body a few feet into the trees - it was horribly mangled and torn apart. She quickly closed her eyes, trying to forget what she had just seen.  

[Professor Inky]

Ethin gripped her even tighter, his other hand gently squeezing her hand on his shoulder in an attempt to console her. He was determined to keep together. Since Cobain was gone, Ethin was the only one left close to Kiae that he knew of. He had to be her rock.

Ethin noticed a fallen tree nearby and led Kiae over to it and sat her down on it. He rubbed her back and chose to not say anything as he was not sure what to say. Silence seemed best until she got over the initial shock. He pointedly kept his hand around hers, hoping his strength with somehow transfer from him to her.