Marissa slumped down against the embankment of the dry creek bed with a sigh.  She looked over at her friends and noted that every one of them had dropped off into a deep sleep almost immediately.  Except one.  Saeyll had somehow managed to coax the book from Harrod's safekeeping so she could study it.  The singer looked almost frail compared to Marissa and the stockier young woman didn't know how she kept going.  With a shake of her head, Marissa pulled out the various implements needed to tend to her blade.  Her cinnamon-brown eyes looked over at the pretty singer.

"You should probably get some sleep, too," she said quietly.  It always amazed people that her voice could be so soft and quiet, coming as it did from such a ... hardy housing.  "Gods alone know what's going to come at us, tonight."

Saeyll peered up from the large open tome in her lap, loose strands of dark hair adding to the shadows of fatigue lining her face. She studied Marissa with momentary indecision. The woman appeared a bit worn yet determined, strangely at ease despite all the horrific circumstances of the past days. Propped against the embankment, handling the harsh sword as if it were no more than a plowshare, it was hard to believe she was just a farmer - which was why Saeyll was under no such impression. Marissa had faced wolves and monsters. Surely she was strong enough to face one or two small concerns.

"I've been thinking about that." Rising carefully Saeyll stepped lithely over the slumbering forms to sit beside the champion of the Four Rivers. The book rested closed upon her knees as she stared at it, her voice low. "The creatures you took..." She paused then began again. "The creatures who stole this book planned to sell it, correct? Which means those ork-kind," the term was said with odd deliberateness, "may not be the only ones after it. Did they mention a specific buyer or delivery point?"

"Actually, they thought they were stealin' a chest that had money in it," Marissa clarified.  "They were running from someone named Vokom.  Goin' south to 'land of winter sun,' or something.  Don't know why they stole it, or much else, really.  One group of 'em wanted to ransom Risos for gold and safe passage,but the other group wanted to eat him and scatter," she sighed, shuddering a little at the thought. 

"We don't know where Vokom got the book, but Garrick's dad and the other elders thought it best if we brought it to the elves, since we can't really figure it out what it's for and can only read the one page and all."  She paused, looked over her blade, then turned it over to start on the other side.  "So... how do you know Lucas?" she asked, suddenly changing the subject.  Her soft voice remained calm, but it was plain she was suspicious about that bit of information.

Saeyll's mouth was open with a ready question about those elves when Marissa caught her with the inevitable and inconvenient question. She did not immediately answer, her lips closing with a nervous twist. The truth was a bit awkward.

"I flatter myself to call Lucas and I friends." She smiled wanly with the admission and breifly met Marissa's eyes before gazing skyward, her head resting against an exposed tree root. "It would perhaps be more accurate to say that he endured my intrusion upon his time with Grom. We studied together. Or rather Grom tutored us both." She glanced sidelong at Marissa. "Lucas has mentioned Grom, hasn't he?"

"Yeah," the young warrior answered with a nod.  "I knew he was learnin' magic.  He even shot one of those kobolds with magical bolts," she added with soft chuckle.  "I think it surprised him 'bout as much as it did the kobold.  So yeah, he's mentioned Grom.  But he didn't mention you, specifically.  Just that Grom had another student,"she shrugged.  Frown lines creased the space between her brows and she gave the sword one last, furious wipe before re-sheathing it.  "So, was it really him that sent you after us, or was it Grom?"

"I'm sure Lucas would have asked," Saeyll explained in a rush. "He was there. Grom just happened to ask a bit more... verbally. Lucas probably even went to see Grom so early in the morning for precisely that reason. He would have known I was visiting and probably suggested the idea to Grom." It was clear she was covering, but not herself. "They probably had it all planned before my arrival, those two being as clever as they are. And Lucas was very helpful in describing the events of the pass and laying out what he knew of your plans and destination today." She left out the coaxing required on Grom's part. "He's so intelligent and persistent. And brave in a way few are." Pausing for breath she looked meaningfully at Marissa. "I'm sure he would have come if..." She faltered at the finish.  While she spoke, Marissa's eyebrows rose higher and higher.  A small smile flicked at the corner of her mouth for a brief second.
 
And then it was Saeyll's turn to change the subject.

"He has a great deal of admiration for you, you know." The word had been chosen delicately, but Saeyll could not entirely disguise the connotation, her eyes watching Marissa closely.

The other young woman didn't bother hiding her reaction.  She flinched.  Hard.  "Yeah.  I know.  Now," she said flatly.  "Though when I asked him about it, he shied away and ran off for home and I didn't see him before we left," she added the last softly.  "And no... he wouldn't have come," she added, looking at the singer levelly.  "He said he was going to stay with his family to help them when we were all at the inn discussin' it.  So, please stop with the half-truths.  If anyone other than Grom knew Lucas, it's me.  He's been my friend since we were fifteen.  I know a lot of his faults and a lot of his strengths, even if he doesn't believe he's got the last bit."

Saeyll nodded, almost sympathetically, and gazed forward. Not entirely indifferent to the nuances of their relationship she nevertheless resisted prying further. She would simply be patient: patient and observant.

Marissa shifted against the dirt wall.  "So, why are you here, Saeyll?  You're a pretty girl, a good singer and dancer.  Why the heck are you traipsin' after us when you said you'll do no harm, an' yet you knew what we were headin' straight into the teeth of danger and fightin'?"  Shifting the subject back around was much more comfortable than discussing Lucas and the rebellious thoughts and emotions that came about after their last conversation.

The gloom of disappointment fluttered across Saeyll's face but was immediately brightened by a smile, as though the answer were obvious. "I came because Grom asked me to. Well, ask may be too lenient." She grinned conspiratorially, knowing her mentor did not care for gossip, especially where he was concerned. "Gromwell is not one for asking. But we do for others what they cannot do for themselves and for friends we do even what they can. Grom prefers his own company and comfort to travel and so would not come, yet he felt someone with scholastic advantage should examine the article." Here she lifted the book, turned it upside down, over and around with her fingertips, as one might handle an unexpected and peculiar gift. Her nose quirked, perplexed. "Regrettably he was vague with the specifics. I suspect he may have simply wanted a break from my chattering. He and Lucas are both rather more taciturn."

She put the book down again and met Marissa's gaze. "No more half-truths," she agreed bluntly. "I have studied the same magics as Lucas. That does not mean that I will do the same as he. I have come to help, but I will do no harm nor would I ask any of you to do injury in my defense. I appreciate what Ash and Harrod, all of you, did atop that cliff. I owe you my life and I respect your choice even if I do not make that same choice. To say that I would rather die than inflict harm isn't true - I'd rather not die - but a violent path is not one I take willfully. A blade solves nothing. Our problems are not diminished because our enemies are fewer. These people sought the book. Now they have cause to seek vengeance and they will kill me as readily as they will kill you. I know that." She smiled defiantly. "But I gave my word to Grom that I would see this book safely delivered. So I shall."

Marissa thought a long time about all Saeyll said.  She wasn't stupid, but Saeyll's way of speaking and verbage took a moment for her to process into understanding.  "All right," she said finally.  "I don't really understand your choice, there.  'Cause frankly if I'da made that same choice when the wolves came, could be there'd be no more Erralds out at the farm.  But here's somethin' to think on, Saeyll," she said, meeting the singer's gaze once more.

"I'll accept your choice not to do any harm, but if you're gonna be travelin' with us, you gotta understand that so long as we know you're not gonna do anything to hurt even the Orcks, then we are doin' harm in your name... to protect you from both the Orcks and your vow or whatever.  We'll put you behind us, circle around you or send you runnin' if need be.  Sometimes.... sometimes you gotta fight, or die.  Like you, I'd rather not die, just yet.  You may not have a lot of ... luxury for doin' no harm if you stick with us past deliverin' the book," she said in her quiet way. "Easy to say you won't do any harm when there's no danger to yourself or your friends or family," she shrugged.  She wasn't sure she got her point across, or maybe she did only in a much more blunt manner than she may have wanted.  She wasn't scholarly and therefore didn't have a lot of big words and fancy phrases to use.  She shook her head slightly and sighed.

"Sorry.  I didn't want that to sound mean or anything or that we don't want you around."  Her words were sincere, her eyes spoke her apology more eloquently than her words did.

"You are not wrong," Saeyll conceded thoughtfully. "I have never been imperiled before today. During the attack, with that man-dog... that was not me holding to my principles. That was me terrified," she confessed. "I don't know how the rest of you were so composed." Perhaps when one had lost so much in circumstances as tragic and violent as Marissa, one gained that composure.  That thought unnerved Saeyll a little. She admitted she did not want such fortitude if it came at such a painful price.

"I'm sorry about your family," she said fiercely. "I do not think it was wrong, what you did. I know that's contradictory but," she fell momentarily silent. "I sometimes wonder if it's so impossible that opposing viewpoints could both be right." Would that make things less complicated? "I'm grateful you'll respect my beliefs. You may not mind my presence." Her smile became a grimace, wrinkling her nose and squinting one eye. She anticipated the others may not be so accommodating. "And Ash has been very kind and considerate."

"Is she a little touched?" Saeyll asked abruptly. It was not the girl's joviality in the face of danger, her tumble from the treetops, or her leap from the cliff that prompted the question. It was her oblivious disregard for decency beside the river.

At the singer's question, Marissa smothered a loud laugh behind her hand.  "Sometimes I've thought so.  But no... I don't not really.  She's just too used to bein' one of the guys, you know?  She does some crazy stuff, sometimes, but after swinging down those ropes, I can see why she does some of it," she grinned.  "It was kinda fun.  I don't know her that well.  Garrick and Harrod know her better on account of them living in town.  But she is fun to be around and she's helped keep our spirits up, that's for sure."

Saeyll could not help but laugh too. "Yes, she certainly seems irrepressible. Do you know the others well?" she asked, peeking at the slumbering sprawl of young men. It had not occurred to Saeyll until the events at the riverbank that she would be spending a few nights in the woods in the company of men, at least one of whom her mother would term a rakehell, without a proper chaperone. "Do you... trust them?"

Russet-colored brows knit together in confusion.  "Trust 'em?  How..." she paused as Saeyll's meaning sunk in.  It hadn't really occurred to her either that there would be nights sleeping alongside young men.  A deep blush stole up her whole face.  "Oh," she said softly, biting her lower lip.  The conversation she had had with Garrick in the smith the night before they left town came back in minute detail in her memory.

"I trust that they've all been raised right," she finally said, her eyes drifting over her companions.  "They're not gonna do anything we don't want 'em to do," she said nodding firmly, confident in that belief.  "But, I think we'll all be too damned exhausted while we're runnin' to be busy tryin' to do anything else but survive, ya know?"  Then she grinned, eyes twinkling.  "'Sides, if they did forget their upbringin', Ash and I won't hesitate to knock 'em down a peg or two and they know it."

"I have no doubts you could." Saeyll smirked, feeling better for the conversation and not just where social decorum was concerned. "Thanks," she said. "Now, let's see if  this thing really is worth so much fuss." She had never cast openly but she had performed upon the stage enough to feel comfortable with an audience, even an audience of one. Positioning the book on the ground she held her arm straight above it with the tips of her thumb and middle finger touching, her wrist cocked as though conducting, and in a single gesture drew her hand across the prostrate pages.

The other young woman watched in rapt, open fascination.  They'd been too busy fighting for her to notice how Lucas cast his spell and so far as she knew, all Harrod did was pray in order to heal.  She didn't know if he could do anything else.

"обнаружить магию." The clash of foreign syllables were harsh yet beautiful, strangely lyrical; an ancient song on youthful lips. Saeyll felt the rush of casting and a tremor, as one feels music, in her bones. It moved from her fingertips up her arm and into her core. This book was magic. Old magic. Deep magic. Loud magic, so loud she was overcome, her body teetering. She threw Marissa a droopy-lidded look, her speech slurred as though she'd indulged too freely in the fermented cider. "Oh," she said surprised, falling forward, her head upon the book, and lay still.

Marissa blinked, surprised.  Then she moved quickly to see if the singer were hurt... or dead.  She stifled a giggle when she heard a soft snore come from the dark-haired beauty.  Carefully, she removed the book and set it aside.  Then, she settled Saeyll more comfortably on the ground, covering her with a light blanket.  Then, she cast another look around at her companions and for the hundredth time wondered just how deep they'd gotten themselves and just how far from home they'd travel.