[sylvanSpider]

Arabella took the trinkets in her hands, turning them about and looking at the faces briefly before pocketing it. She could sense the magic from it, though she wouldn't have been able to put a name onto it. She chose to not ask too many questions for the sake of her own sanity and, more likely, her physical safety. “Well, I'll take them with gratefulness then, Wisp. Thank you,” she said turning her eyes up to Wisp's. “The name sounds almost angelic. I trust this is the demon that is your patron, then?” She wanted to ask more, but resisted knowing what happened last time.

The halfling swallowed, looked down, and fiddled with her hands, “I...I do not intend to pursue anyone any longer. You see, my own baggage has provided some harsh lessons on my own part.” Arabella sighed and leaned back resting her weight on locked wrists stretched behind her. An almost wistful smile appeared on the halfling's face in an attempt to hide the fact that she felt like Wisp's words had hit her like the ammunition from Christoval's blunderbuss on his back. It was true that Dead Waltz was nice to look at, but her sights saw something other than the amount of flesh she chose to show. The woman was genuinely kind, genuinely saw the world in a unique light void of the cynicism that manifest so wholly in Percival and Wisp. “I'm too old to be thinking about anything of that sort anyway,” she said finally. Her eyes stayed locked on a patch of ground to keep her from casting another wistful glance Waltz's way, “I want to hurt her no more than I want to hurt myself. It is best I keep it to nothing but glances. Thank you for the advice.”

“Well,” Kastivi said with a grin that could only say that she was actually enjoying the conversation, “I suppose I can't say very much about land. I left my rented land when I was still very young. Nothing tied me there in particular save for my family and...well...we see how that turned out.” She gave a casual little shrug. She had other things to fight for. What was land when she got to see all of the Kingdoms and all of their glory? All the mountains, and rivers? Forests and dales, being an adventurer, they were all hers. No, she fought for the good of people, for those beside her. Hell, she hadn't even heard from the actual Daughters of Ash for forever and a day – all of their missions Arabella gave them. They seemed to be completely free and out from under the noses of those even higher in their own Sisterhood. “Waltz, I'm not sure that I could have you!” she said laughing, “You'd break me!”

Percival adjusted his hat, his fingers itching to grab his book to take notes. But no, it was best to save that for when one is not mid-conversation. That sort of behavior was rude, he had to tell himself, and certain societal expectations were to be met even in the middle of nowhere. His life would be dependent on theirs in the future and it was best to establish decent relations. Granted, that was sort of ruined with the good-two-shoes knight, but he was naught but an apprentice anyway. He'd care more about what he thought when he had a title to speak of. For now, he couldn't even be called a squire, so he would protect him while not actually caring what he thought of him. The knight would learn eventually, and after seeing enough, would grow to carry a flask of his own. There was no way one could maintain an attitude like that while learning to see the world for what it is.

No, the book would remained safely situated in his satchel and his stands would still be itching for something to do. “Well, I suppose those wander-lusty spirits are even better modes of information than ravens, however well they mimic our voices,” he said, simply. “You must have a lot more knowledge on the area than most. I can see how having a dark mage is useful in a group of adventurers.”

Percival again latched onto his hat with a hand as the warhound took off. He did not envy the apprentice, but he was thoroughly entertained. “Makes for useful training. You don't have to carry around weights like our halfling friend does.”

Kastivi gulped, hearing the demonic tongue and having just seen what was going to subsequently happen to her, was already poised to start running. Arabella was going to enjoy this entirely too much. She didn't even answer before she took off in Christoval's direction.

She was quite fast, if you happened to ask the smiling Arabella.