[Traveler]

Traveler watched the pair trying to discern what was making him uneasy, wary. Too, many things had happened in too short a time. Carriac and Traveler had joined up with a group to help some beings find their way home. They had left to find provisions and returned to find their group had apparently left without them. The two of them had run into this mysterious girl was a fire starter and didn't know it. They had been attacked and several assailants had been killed. There was no doubt at least two of them were after Mara. The two in the street didn't seem to be after her. It was quite unusual that they would have been trying to kill Carriac during an apparent kidnapping. What were they after? For all he knew they were after him. For that matter what, had made Mara's kidnappers want her for.

It was time to get some answers to his questions. He was going to have to go to the undesirables in town to get the answers he was looking for. They were the one that usually knew everything that was going down, only problem was he didn't know where to start. He was as unfamiliar with this city and its inner workings as he was... well unfamiliar with his own memories.

They had purchased enough food to last the three of them a while and had started walking towards another booth when he decided it was safe enough for him to join them. He hoped they would have enough sense to not take notice of him when he rejoined them that remained to be seen, though. The girl didn't seem to be too quick on the uptake.

He started moving across the street to join them as they were leaving a stall. Carriac seemed to have purchased an item and was showing it to Mara when traveler walked up behind them, seemed to bump into Carriac and said in a hushed voice, "Don't turn around and don't look surprised." Seeing that they were not going to give him away he said, "Go on and find her some clothes. I'll watch from a distance and we can meet up again at the Inn. So far so good. No followers." Out loud he said, "'Scuse me sir, I wasn't watching where I was going." and moved off to another stall selling some exotic spices and herbs.

Looking through what the shopkeeper's wares he smelled something familiar he remembered the pouch at his side and its contents. Reaching down he pulled a few things out and had a peculiar discussion with the owner about some of the items and their uses. Apparently he had the ingredients in his pouch used for medicinal purposes, a few spell ingredients, and some items the clerk knew nothing of. The clerk had offered him some money for one of the items, but Traveler refused.

~So I must be able to do some minor healing and spell weaving. That may come in handy if I can remember what to do!~

The pair had move to a shop selling ale and cheap wine and purchased something to wash the pies down with and had move on to a Dress shop. He would wait till they left and follow them at a discrete distance until they arrived back at the Inn.

[Mara]

Mara listened to Carriac as he spoke about the thin wire that he was playing with, telling her that he was making something for Traveler. She followed him until he stopped at a leather booth, listening while the Merchant launched into her sales pitch. Why was it that everyone here had a sales pitch. She remembered going to market squares like this when she was little, but they were deep in a forest, where the houses were up in the trees, but the wares were down on the ground, covered by the very branches that made the canopy of the forest. No one bothered to talk, only to listen as the bartered the price of their wares, but only after the customer picked out what they wanted.

"A strange business, calling out ones wares when they are in plain sight for everyone to see. Simpler to just let everyone judge for themselves." But her words seem to fall on deaf ears as she watched Carriac barter over a glove.

One glove!

Not a pair of gloves like those that were sitting out in plain sight, no he had to pick out one that was missing its mate. She stared at the single glove, her brow furrowed in thought at the sudden madness that must have struck Carriac, or the merchant had placed a spell on him, thinking he had found a bargain. But she was not to worried, after seeing what he did with her clothes, but there was still that hint of doubt.

"Oh yes! I can see that traveler will be quite pleased," as she rolled her eyes while thinking, "I can see Traveler putting up you in the healers hall, with the rest of the loons." But she didn't say that. She just thought those words aloud, before spotting Traveler walking up.

"Speaking of the skin flint," and she started to say something to Traveler, when he spoke.

"Don't turn around and don't look surprised." Seeing that they were not going to give him away he said, "Go on and find her some clothes. I'll watch from a distance and we can meet up again at the Inn. So far so good. No followers." Out loud he said, "'Scuse me sir, I wasn't watching where I was going," and moved off to another stall selling some exotic spices and herbs.

Mara blinked and shook her head, before looking up at Carriac. "I think he's a little touched, don't you?" She smiled and ran her arm around Carriac's before he lead her away, past the small booths, and down the main part of town, where a few tailor shops lined the cobblestone street. She started looking through the windows, pressing her face so tight against the glass that she scared a few patrons when they spotted her. One merchant came out with a broom, ready to chase her away but turned and high tailed it back into the shop after seeing Carriac standing over her. At last they came to a small shop, sitting on the corner all alone.

"I like this shop. Can we go in?"

The shop was small, with a large window that stuck out from the front wall, and it held a number of mannequins, some dressed, while other were not. The shop looked old, as did some of the things in the window, that had yellowed with age, but Mara saw the the fine detail and the almost invisible stitching. A master tailor worked here, or use too. There was only way she was going to find out.

Stepping into the door, she heard a bell ring overhead. Looking up, she saw no such bell, but she heard a voice calling out in the dimly light shop.

"I'll be with you momontarlary. Please! Have a look around, and if there is anything you see, take it and place the coin on the counter."

Mara looked up at Carriac and smiled. "An honest soul is he not. I'm beginning to like this shop." Pulling him in, she pointed at the number of racks of clothes, and the many colored cloaks and robes that hung from the walls.

"Since you are here, I'll let you pick out my clothes. And I will model them for you, if you like." A shy smile crossed her face as her eyes shifted from their forest green to red, and back again.

"Where would you like to start," she asked as she started to pull her top up and over her head.

"I could use a little help here..." while she struggled to pull her top up, but it would not budge from the back.

"I said help, not hold it down silly..." and she noticed that Carriac was acting a bit uncomfortable, as he blushed a crimson red. Looking down, she noticed that the shirt was resting below her breasts, and she had to giggle.

"I said I would model the close for you. Do you not wish to see?"

That was a silly question...

[Carriac]

The stout elf wasn't embarrassed for himself. Heavens know that he had seen his fair share of elf flesh in his day, though not since he had grown to such un-elfly proportions. Rather, he reddened in the face as he saw the leering faces of some less than savory townsmen pressed panting against the shop window.

He pulled a dress from a nearby rack and held it up to her, making sure to shield her from the view of the street.

"You can start with this," he said, noticing the dress for the first time. It was a brilliant pink in color and would look terrible against Mara's complexion. He sighed as he saw the doubtful look in the girl's eyes. "I know, it's not your color. Humor me. I'll find you something more suitable."

This said, Carriac ushered Mara towards the dressing rooms. "And keep your current clothing ON. They're undergarments, dear, they're supposed to stay where they are. Especially in public."

When she was safely installed in the dressing room, Carriac returned to the window, glaring at the peeping toms with such menace that they left the storefront in a rush. He then proceeded to pull outfits from the display floor that were more suited to his ward. He collected a large variety, but was particularly partial to a loose cotton blouse. The sleeves were long and the cuffs flared at the wrists with a lovely lace. The same lace was found at the neck. He matched this with a slim set of forest green trousers designed to hug the hips and leg, then widen at the ankle. The russet overvest he chose was made of a supple suede, delicately fringed at the seams. He spotted a matching pair of low boots on a separate display and he snatched them up just as Mara emerged from the dressing room.

The dress WAS extremely flattering to her figure, but as he suspected the color was completely wrong. The pink washed out her face, making her look ill - almost corpse-like. Carriac shuddered and shoved the load of clothing into her arms.

"Try on as many as you like," he said, "But I think you'll find that THIS outfit suits you best."

He then hustled Mara back into the dressing room and settled himself into a sumptuously cushioned chair to await the outcome of the venture.

[Mara]

Mara gave Carriac a strange look, her face looked like she had bitten into something sour when he held up a pink dress and pushed her towards a small room with a door that was cut to short. It showed her feet, and her head, but the rest of her body was covered by the door.

"He wishes me to try this thing on," she thought as she held the dress in front of her and looked at a mirror that was stuck to the far wall. With a deep sigh, she pulled the dagger from her hip and stuck it into the wall, before slipping the dress over her head and pulled it down around her slender frame. The dress was comfortable, fitting her curves like a second skin.

But the color.

She turned to the left, and then right, as she adjusted the dress before stepping out of the room, her arms across her chest and a pouting look crossing her face. But before she could protest, Carriac handed her more clothes and turned her, pushing her back into the room once again. But this time she smiled, because she saw the look on his face when she stepped out.

"It would have been fine, if it wasn't pink," she called over the door, before pulling the dress back off and placing it over the door. Slipping into the blouse first, she ran her hands along the fabric and across her chest, feeling the softness of the threads on her skin. Pulling the pants up next, she found them to fit just right, but they hung across her hips, and not around her waist, but she didn't mind, once she got a good look in the mirror.

"Now this is more to my liking," and she turned and spun around and around, giggling and running her hands down her legs and across her backside. "Sweet..."

Throwing the overvest on next, she buttoned the three small buttons up and noticed that the vest caused her breasts to become fuller and well formed. Giggling and blushing, she unbuttoned two of the top buttons of her blouse, and adjusted her collar. Running her hands down her side, she smiled and stepped out, bare footed.

"Well? What do you think? Doesn't this look better than that silly dress you gave me the first time?" Pulling her hands up behind the back of her neck, she started to do a little dance, swinging her hips to the left and right as she circled Carriac with a gleam in her eye and a hint of a smile on her lips. Laughing, she grabbed Caracas's shirt and bending down, kissed him on the cheek.

"Thank you," she cooed before standing back up, running back to the room and grabbing her boots and the dagger from the wall. From a rack nearby, she pulled a thin pair of white ankle socks down and studied them before being satisfied that they would do. Throwing herself into Caracas lap, while giggling, she brushed the bottoms of her feet off, before slipping the cotton socks on, then slipping her boots over her feet.

"Oh, these are so soft and comfy. I just love everything you picked out," and she jumped up, spinning on her tip toes before falling into Carriac's open arms. "Sorry," she laughed before jumping up once again, spinning on her tip toes, before giving him a big hug, her head resting on his chest.

"I don't know how to repay you for such kindness towards me," and she looked up, biting her lip, "but I will find a way," and Mara reached down and took Carriac's hand in hers and started kissing the palm of his hand.

Placing his hand on her cheek, Mara smiled, her eyes flashing from green to red, then back again. "We had better find Traveler, before he stumbles into more trouble." With a heavy sigh, she placed Carriac's hand to her left chest and giggled.

"Can you feel my heartbeat," as she slowly slid his hand down, before giggling. "You're blushing...That's so sweet," and she kissed him on the cheek once again, before pulling him out of the chair, and up to the counter.

"We found something. Can you tell us how much you wish for these things?" She heard someone shuffling things in the back room, before a voice called out through the darkness.

"What ever you think it's worth my dear. I am not here to make money, but to please the eyes of others. Take what you need and leave the coins on the counter. I'll be up soon to collect them."

Mara glanced up at Carriac and sighed. "He's a very honest soul. And the clothes are wonderful, so pay him as you wish. I know that you will do the right thing," and she turned and headed towards the door, pulling Travelers cloak across her arm.

"When ever your ready..."

[Carriac]

Carriac _DID_ blush this time. Mara's action were very unlike most that he got from women these days and he was surprised at the way he reacted to her flirtatious attentions. He sighed as he heaved his bulk out of the chair and shuffled to the counter.

The girl was certainly an enigma. One moment she was truly frightened, needing a steady hand to lean on. The next she was teasing him with the insinuations of forthcoming feminine pleasures, as if he were her - what was the term - sugar daddy. Not that he wouldn't enjoy such a thing�.

Carriac stopped the thought and rebuked himself. It had been quite some time since he was tempted by such things. Mara was a beautiful woman, but he would not think of her in such terms, and not only because he had appointed himself her ward. He mustn't think otherwise. He could not afford to.

He dropped a generous sum of money on the counter and walked to the door to take the effervescent female on his arm once again.

"Come, my dear. I'm sure Traveler is waiting for us back at the Inn."

They then left the now thinning crowds of the market and made their way steadily back towards the Dragon's Inn.

[Traveler]

Traveler watched the pair from a distance and his concern about the girl grew. She was at one moment shy, the next forward, and then next frightfully in control. She seemed to know how to play with a man's emotions to get what she wanted. Trouble was that Carriac seemed to be too enthralled with her guise of hapless maiden to notice. Hopefully he could see his way clear of the distraction and see reason when it was presented to him. More that likely he would not and Traveler would be left to defend the group until Mara could come to grips with the reality of what she truly was.

Traveler watched the display the pair put on in the clothes shop from across the street in a shaded alleyway between a brothel and a warehouse. Seemed to be the appropriate place to be for watching such goings on as was happening in the store in front of him. There had been no sign of anyone following or watching the pair for some time now, but his feeling of unease remained. Surely there was more to the attack on the street that what they had seen. He needed to get the portly elf, Carriac, alone for a little talk. They also needed to find a place to break the news to the girl that she was at least a latent Fire-starter. That was something that needed to be done well away from the city. Luckily, he had the foresight to pick up a few supplies, Drink and Food, and inquired about a nice shady spot near the river. It would be a good excuse to have a lunch by the river well away from the normal folk around town.

As the pair left the store arm in arm he move to join them. The hairs on the back of his neck were standing in alarm as he neared the pair...

"OK, you two. I think it's best we leave town and make sure our stories are square before we meet the town guard. I have made some discreet inquiries about a place outside of town to discuss... ... things. Besides it's beside the river and sounds to be a lovely spot for some dinner. As the day is near over we can spend some time staring at the sunset and talking about what has happened and what we want to happen," this last was said with a wink towards Mara as a tactic to try to throw her off balance a little.

He stared hard at Carriac for a moment and said, "We have had little time to tell what we know of each other yet, It seems to have been such a long time since we met and yet it's not even been a full day yet. I'm sure there is much that needs to be told."

[Carriac]

Carriac was surprised when Traveler suddenly joined them, not because he hadn't heard the man's approach - his superior elven ears had picked up the swordsman's footsteps - but because he had fully expected to meet the man back at the Dragon's Inn. He listened to Traveler's words and thought the idea an excellent one.

"I fully agree. A picnic near the river is just what I need to clear my head a bit. What better place to reveal our life stories than on the banks of a rolling stream. Of course, since neither you nor Mara can remember much of anything about your lives I guess I'll have to do most of the talking."

The other two were unable to tell from Caracas's tone whether he was being sarcastic, or whether he was just stating things as they stood.

"Lead the way, dear Traveler, our supper awaits."

[Traveler]

Traveler nodded and began to lead them toward the river when Mara broke in. Asking something about what they were going to eat.

[Mara]

Mara's stomach was growling under her new garments and she gave Carriac a hopeful look, before asking Traveler, "Oh you bought some supplies? What did you get? We had a few meat pies, but they were gone before we hit the shops. I think Carriac ate most of them..." and she bowed her head, " because I'm still hungry." Her stomach protested by growling once again and she gave Traveler a shy smile while holding on to Carriac's arm.

[Traveler]

"Let's stop along the way and pick up some cheese and some more bread to make sure we have enough. 'Course, I'm not sure we can provide enough of anything to satisfy this girls unending hunger."

[Mara]

"Hey! That wasn't very nice. I'm not always hungry..." and she started to pout. "I'm just hungry right now, that's all. Can't a girl get hungry around here without being accused of something," she mumbled under her breath while pulling on Carriac's arm. "I'm still growing is all..." and she placed her head against Carriac's arm, giving it a gentle squeeze.

[Traveler]

Traveler back tracked into the market a little way to a food merchant and purchased the required items and then led the group out of the city a ways to a spot near the river. Their destination was a bend in the river where old trees threw their shade in a wide swath across the bank. There was a place near the bank that had thick grass growing that would be a perfect place to put a blanket and sit for a while. Traveler walked over to the grassy spot and pulled a blanket from the pack he now carried. He had purchased it along with some food, drink, and the blanket.

"I'm sorry, but we'll have to recline on the blanket. I didn't have enough room to carry pillows and be able to move quickly if need be. Let's all sit and relax a bit before we start. It always does me good to calm myself before I eat�I suppose it does anyway!"

[Mara]

The closer they came to the river, the more she wanted Carriac to hold her. There was something about all that water rushing by that made her nervous, and it showed in her eyes. "Do we have to sit so close to the water? Can I sit on the other side of the tree, away from the rivers edge? Would that be ok?"

The thought of food faded as she glanced over at the river, and she shivered, before dropping down by the tree, placing her back to it and looked away from the river. "I...I'll be fine here..." she said as her voice quivered. "D...Don't mind me. I can hear you from here," pulling Travelers cloak over her shoulders, as if to protect herself from the waters edge.

Pulling her knees up to her chest, she would glance back at Traveler and Carriac at times, smiling a nervous smile, before her eyes darted towards the water and back to the pair as they sat and talked, before looking away once again. "Traveler," she whispered over the sound of the water. "You didn't say if you liked my new outfit or not..." and she glanced back and locked her green eyes with his.

"Don't you like them...."

(to be continued...)