Just Passing By

[Vega]

8th Trial of Saun during Arc 717

"U'frek's skid marks, it's 'ot, innit? Vega said with a grin. It was, there was no doubting it, the Saun heat was close to unbearable, and the young woman was wearing a light dress and a wide brimmed straw hat with pretty flowers on it. The dress was the orange one she'd bought in Rharne and she was leading the horse he'd helped her to choose. She'd got off the boat a few breaks before, thank all the Immortals, and she'd asked around. Finally, she'd spoken to someone who knew of a young man in a hat who was camping just outside town, in between here and the Tower. Vega had got directions, thanked the sailor in question and gone on her way.

Then, just outside the town itself, which looked pretty interesting it had to be said with it's weirdly shaped and mis-matched housing, she had spotted the unmistakeable sight of Arlo. He was walking to his camp, she guessed, and was just a short way ahead of her. Xiur's nuts, but he'd gotten taller, he looked almost like an adult man, she thought with a smile as she watched him. Then, she'd caught up to him.

In fairness, Vega half suspected that he knew she was there. Or maybe he didn't, but either way, she fell in step next to him and beamed a grin at him. "Wotcha. I figured you probably wasn't managin' all alone, an' I promised your mum I'd look out for you." Vega nudged him with her elbow, the closest to a hug he'd get from her. "Plus, my familiar's this way, I'm sure of it."

Her eyes, bright vivid green flecked through with gold, watched him and as much as she tried her best to be cool, calm and sophisticated, her grin was wide and she looked as delighted to see him as she was. Of course, she'd never admit to such and so instead, she asked the second thing on her mind. "What's for lunch, Arlo? I'm bloody starving." That was something she could, and would admit very happily. "I missed yer cookin', I tell you."

She glanced at him and sighed. "You got tall." Vega gave him a gentle, especially for her, shove. "Did you miss me?"

[Arlo Creede]

Arlo knew that Vega was there behind him, long before she'd said a word. It wasn't that he was omniscient, or whatever that word was, whatever it really meant. No, it was because Lyova, who was sunning in the brim of his hat, had spotted the redhead and excitedly told him. His little unseen friend made it awful hard for anyone to come up on him unaware, be they friend or foe. And when Lyova told him, Arlo grinned to himself and kept walking, strolling, waiting for Vega to announce herself.

He'd gone into town to visit the market, and his knapsack was filled with all sorts of finds, including what he'd have for his next couple of meals. Sometimes, strangers or vaguely familiar faces wandered by and sat for a spell, or even shared a meal. But for the most part lately, he'd been alone in his camp. Just him, Peg and Lyova. It hadn't been unusual when he'd first set out from home. But lately, the lack of company hadn't been quite as appealing as it once had. And she was good company. Far better than he was willing to admit. He'd missed and worried about her, and wasn't prepared to admit that either.

"It's a dry heat though, that's the thing," Arlo called back with another grin, without looking back himself. He wasn't even sure what it meant, except that he'd heard old men and women complaining about the heat in the market, and observing that it was at least a dry heat, and not nearly as bad as the alternative. All of which the young man found to be befuddling at best, and suggestive of advanced senility at worst. Hot was hot.

When she shouldered up next to him, he grinned, adjusted his hat and bumped her shoulder with his. It was their way, Immortals forbid any great shows of affection, but he couldn't have been happier to see her. "She seemed awful fond of you, my ma," he said. "More likely, she sent you along so I could keep you out of trouble." As for her familiar, it was maybe one of the first times she'd referred to it in such a way. "Can't say for sure about bright colored birds," he uttered, remembering the visions of what her familiar must be. "But I've seen plenty of other strange things around here. Rabbits that can fly, for one."

"Lyova says hello," he said as they neared his camp, walking side by side. "and of course you miss my cooking. You're a lousy cook. I'm surprised you're not skin and bones by now. You do brickwork with that porridge of yours. That horse doing alright for you?" he asked, gesturing towards the creature she was tugging along behind her. "I might have," the young man added with another grin when Vega asked if he'd missed her. She'd know, because she knew him, that he spoke the truth. "And how do you know I've gotten taller? Maybe it's you that's gotten shorter. Shorty," he teased as they reached the edge of his camp.

A few bits earlier, Peg had raised her head, taking a break from grazing a particularly green and tender patch of grass. The mare watched the pair approaching, her nostril's flaring as she took note of the scent drifting in on a hot breeze, her ears pricked forward with interest. And then she let out a high pitched whinny when she recognized Vega. "Looks like she missed you too," he said, finally dropping his sack into the back of his cart and heading over to bring the coals back to life. "It's a long way from Rharne. Anything interesting happen along the way?" he asked.

[Vega]

"It's a dry heat? What does that even mean? It's not rainin' or thundering? You didn't get less weird, we're all glad to know" Thank goodness, as far as Vega was concerned. She'd missed the little fellow and the look on his face told her more than he'd ever admit. Which was fair enough, Immortals forbid anyone ever thought that she cared in any way about him, either. He was her irritating little wart of a travelling companion, and no one would ever get her to admit any different. Still, her grin was very genuine when they bumped shoulders.

"Hey, Lyova. Has himself been behaving? What's news?" Vega grinned at the brim of Arlo's hat which was where, if she understood it correctly, Lyova spent a lot of her time. At Arlo's suggestion that his mother had liked her Vega grinned. "She was just glad that you're hanging around with a grown up." She frowned slightly as he spoke about a flying rabbit. "Really? Is it as weird here as you heard?"

As for his assessment of her cooking, Vega's response was clear, simple and probably more than a little predictable. "Shurrup, I'm not that bad." She was, she knew, and she grinned at him as they got back into camp. "Hey, Peg, how're you? I've missed you, I really 'ave."

As he asked about Rharne, she gave a slight shrug. "Yeah, I ran into my father an my cousins. It was good." There were things that had happened and she'd tell him about it, although the rather potted version. "Come on, get some food on, I'll set my tent up an' I'll tell you. I brought a few things, alcohol mostly."

Vega would then go about the task of getting her tent set up, after she'd tethered Storm, her horse and she hummed to herself as she did. "So, I''ve got a letter from your Ma, an' I promised her you'd write now and then. More often than before. At all." She grinned as she said it, but there was no doubt that his mother would like it if he wrote more.

"I told my father about Desnind, got to show him the diaries and stuff." It had been emotional, there was no doubting it. "So, come on, tell me what's your news and feed me, I beg you."

[Arlo Creede]

Though Vega wasn't able to hear or see, in response to her question, the excitable Lyova launched herself off of Arlo's hat and swirled around the young woman, chattering in her high pitched way. A tickle would pass through Vega's shoulder or cheek now at then, as if the little fairy was passing right through her. Lucky for Arlo, he could filter what his little friend said, pick and choose to reveal just what he'd done and experienced since they'd parted ways in Rharne. "There are some stories we don't share in mixed comp'ny Lyova," he grumbled and then shrugged, grinned again while he'd gotten the fire readied for their meal.

"Set your tent up under that tree if you want, opposite mine," he told Vega as she began unpacking her things. "It's damned hot, all the time and it stays shady there most of the trial." Which seemed to make a very large difference when it came time to retire for nights that in reality, never really came at all during Saun. He suspected there was more to the story than she was saying. The time she spent with her father and cousins. But it wasn't like Arlo to ask or pry. He knew that she'd tell him eventually if she pleased, or she'd opt to keep it all to herself. "Be patient," he said and laughed when she complained about being hungry. "I've got something that won't take long at all."

He'd brought back a number of things from the market. Fish in particular, that needed to be fresh from the sea to be at its best. And in no time at all, Arlo had a couple of thick tuna steaks on to cook in a pan, drizzled with peanut oil and encrusted with toasted sesame seed. Cooked to a perfect medium rare and nice and pink inside. It was fish with a nice bite to it, a good meaty texture that many other types of fish didn't have. Easy to overcook, but delicious when properly prepared. In no time at all, Vega would have a plate off away from the fire, since it was hot out. A tuna steak served on a bed of spinach sauteed in peanut oil and seasoned with salt and paprika, and some thin sliced sweet potatoes sauteed in butter, with nice, browned crispy edges. "I've learned a few tricks on the way," he told her.

So his news? "I spent too much time on a boat," he told her. "But this place is strange and fascinating. I haven't begun to explore it yet. There's an island littered with shrines to the immortals, even the originals. There's ice caves, and the volcano. There's a jungle somewhere around here," he added with a curious frown. Then pointing off into the near distance, he added, "You see that tower? I've been watching it. A light comes on when it's dark, there near the top. But things are delivered by wagon, except the workers never go inside. Anyone that's gone in, hasn't come out again. Nobody can say exactly why or how long it's been like that."

[Vega]

"Oh! I've missed you!" Vega grinned in delight as she felt Lyova's touch on her. "It's good to see you, or not see you but you know what I mean. An' what do you mean, in mixed company? I'm not company shurrup. What's happened that you're not telling?" Vega raised an eyebrow. "Was it a girl, Lyova? I can feel you when you touch my cheek. Cheek for yes, shoulder for no? Or come to that, I can pop and we can 'ave a chat tonight, if you like?" With a grin at Arlo, Vega couldn't quite help herself.

However, she set up her tent where he'd told her and when he told her to be patient, Vega grinned at him. Unusually for her, her eyes had not changed colour at all since she got into camp. "I 'aven't eaten properly since you abandoned me," She was teasing him, there was no doubt, especially since she had insisted on having to split up for a while, and as he finally handed her the food, Vega looked at him in total amazement. "Xiur's perky cold nips, Arlo, you're not lying. You got better." She was quiet, except for the odd exclamation of delight as she ate. If there were any, she'd have seconds.

He talked about the place and Vega listened as flecks of orange appeared in her eyes. "That sounds jus' like our kind of place." She grinned at him and then looked vaguely serious, "I'm sorry I didn't come with you. It's jus' I knew I had to go see my Papa." Arlo's mother had been so pleased to see him and it had set Vega to thinking, then she'd realised that she had to. "He was worried about me, it was the right thing to do."

Vega glanced up at Arlo and her eyes had shifted to a swirling lilac. "It's crazy, Arlo. He looked older. But yeah, he's mod'rately convinced that he needs to meet you. See what yer intentions are, like. I told him. I did." Vega grinned suddenly, "though, I didn't start out thinkin' he was serious, so when he asked what your intentions are, I told him it was to wander round finding out stuff an' 'aving fun. Then, I realised what he was thinkin' so did some damage control." Some. Not loads. Or not loads of successful damage control, she considered. Her father was more or less convinced and he'd made her promise that if she got married, she'd tell him. "He'd like to meet you, though. I think he more or less b'lieves me. It's jus', well, I'm his only child an' he's protective I guess." Was now the time to mention that he was here on Scalvoris for a while? Possibly not.

"My uncle died. Him an' Pappa were the two grown ups on the boat, y'know? So, yeah. There's jus' Pappa now an' my cousins. Three of 'em." Having been on the ship, her accent was undoubtedly broader and she looked different. She'd spent that time and she realised that she fitted in just fine. A season was all it had been, but Vega had learned a lot of things. "I don't get seasick any more. Funny, innit? It was in my head." Leaning back, she looked at Arlo and gave a grin. "Alrigh', so. Ice caves, volcano, funny island, tower, jungle." Ticking them off on her fingers she looked up at him, her eyes back to the same green and gold they had been previously. "Where're we gonna start?"

[Arlo Creede]

"The nice thing about Lyova," Arlo said while Vega set up her tent, near his own, "is that she doesn't...can't tell stories out of school." Or couldn't in the waking world anyway because no one but him could actually hear her. But turned loose in Emea to do as she pleased? He wasn't as sure of that as he'd like to be. And in spite of her being a gift from Jesine, a companion, a protector, a teacher, she had a very strong will of her own. So if Lyova actually agreed to that chat and only needed Arlo to interpret for her? He didn't exactly say so.

He was thinking, he added after he'd handed her a plate and he sat down beside her to eat, that they might consider getting some dark cloth to drape over their tents until Saun was over and done with. "There's no dusk, no nightfall, no stars to sleep under. Makes it hard to sleep. And I didn't abandon you," he reminded her as he cut into his salmon steak and was pleased to discover the cook was just as intended. "You ran me off. But I've learned a few things since then. I figure, next time I cross paths with Cassion, I might impress him with a good meal."

She didn't need to explain anything to him however. Of course she needed to see her father, just as he'd needed to visit his mother in Rharne. They knew without saying it. Knew a lot of things without saying them, and it was part of the reason they got on so well. "Course he got older," he told her with a grin, and bumped her with his shoulder. "I got taller, you got shorter. Others get older." But her father wanted to meet him? "Why though?"

Why would her father want to meet him? But Arlo suspected he knew why. She was a daughter, and while he could only guess, it was natural that fathers would worry about the men who their daughters spent time with. "And why'd you go and tell him that for?" It wasn't what she'd actually told her father though, but the way it was interpreted. And if her father's concerns were on her mind, and worried her, then Arlo was inclined to help her put the man's worries at ease. Or hopefully at least, not cause him to worry all the more. "I wouldn't mind," he said. He'd meet the man if she wanted. After all, she'd seen him back in Rharne or somewhere along the way hadn't she? It could be seasons or even arcs before the meeting took place.

He was sorry to hear about her uncle, he told her, even as he added a second helping of tuna and potatoes to her plate. But of course that meant, should they ever meet, there wouldn't just be her father but cousins too? Instead of pondering that too thoroughly, he grinned and shook his head when she told him about her seasickness. "Well I've always thought there were some funny things going on in your head," he teased, and put his emptied plate down.

So where to start? "Well, it seems there are more mysteries to solve in this place than there are knowns. But it's hot." Jungles, so far as Arlo understood them, must be miserable in Saun with the heat literally dripping off the branches. The tower didn't appear to be going anywhere anytime soon and they had plenty of time. "What about the ice caves?" he suggested. "The cold would be relief. And I've got a map," he added, explaining that he'd met someone who's husband had been there before them.

[Vega]

Vega shot Arlo a grin of pure, unadulterated mischief. "That's only true cos Lyova can't communicate with anyone else in the wakin' world. In the dreamin', though? Different kettle of fish that is, Arlo. Different kettle of fish. So come on then, better that it comes from you, innit?" What had been going on with Arlo, Vega wondered. Was it a girl? In truth it disturbed her to think that, because he'd gotten so tall and looked like a grown up. There were certain types of women who would be more than happy to prey on that, take advantage of him. No, she didn't like that idea one little bit.

Dark covering on the tents? Vega nodded, thoughtfully. "Or, we could wear eye masks. Dark coverin' might make it even hotter, mightent it?" So she considered, anyhow, but frankly, she'd try anything. "It's what we do aboard the ship. If you've been awake through the night, an' you're sleeping on deck." Which happened more often than seemed entirely necessary to her, if she was honest, but her father knew what he was doing she had to admit. And the other thing that she had to admit was that, should they run into Cassion again, he'd more than likely be impressed with Arlo's cooking. Vega could not resist, though, when she nodded and said, "True that. I wonder 'ow I'll be able to impress 'im?" She beamed as she said it.

"I told him that 'cos it's truthful? Would you rather I'd lied about you?" He was an adventurer, a seeker after fun. He found stuff out, wandered around and had a good time. Granted, her father had not been spectacularly impressed, but that was all well and good. He'd meet him though? Vega smiled and nodded. "Thanks, Arlo. I could ask 'em to come see the camp, if you like? Or we can go to the boat, but you don't like them." Ever so casually, just in case he spotted that she hadn't mentioned he was here before she got him to agree. All was good in the world.

The ice caves? Vega nodded. "That sounds sensible. Best time of arc to go somewhere freezin' cold, is Saun. An' a map? Steady. So, when d'ya wanna do that? Lets 'ave a peek at that map?" Whenever he wanted to go, she said, she was more than happy to. Pulling a bottle from out of her bag, she poured some into her cup and then handed it to him for a drink. Either from the bottle or in his own cup, she raised hers and grinned. "It's good to see you again, Arlo Creede," she said and then, before she took a drink, admitted. "I missed you. But only a little bit."

[Arlo Creede]

"Better for who?" Arlo shot back with a grin Vega's way when she pressed about what he'd been up to since they'd parted ways. "Suffice to say I've kept myself occupied, and there are things a man likes to keep for himself." Did it mean there'd been a girl, or a woman? It was possible and in fact it was likely that he'd dabbled in passing. Arlo wasn't blind or lacking in the impulses of other men, young, middle or old. It was just as likely however that his refusal to share the details about how he'd spent his time, was a way of fashioning his boundaries where he wanted them, with an option to move them around later. And if he was honest, with Vega, there were more complicated reasons mixed up with the rest.

Eye masks to block out the sun at night? Furrowing his brow in thought, Arlo seemed to agree as he nodded once and glanced the way of his tent, and Vega's "That's probably a good idea," he said. The way dark clothing seemed to soak up the heat at mid-trial, dark coverings on their tents would probably act in much the same way, leaving them to sleep inside what would amount to an oven. He shot a glance at her when she mentioned Cassion, and without so much as saying so, referenced the kiss that he'd witnessed some seasons ago. If he was honest, he had mixed feelings about that. Some of them he couldn't quite identify just yet. Or wasn't willing to at any rate. Still, he grinned and shrugged. "Well, I can be sure to serve him a good meal by getting plenty of practice in the meanwhile. Trying new things, different techniques."

"Practice," he emphasized. "Maybe you ought to do that too. Who will you practice on who's willing to give you an honest opinion?" Naturally Arlo didn't realize the implication of what he said, until he'd already said it. Therefore, he moved quickly along. "I wouldn't expect you to lie," he added quickly. "But your father was bound to assume things 'cause he doesn't know me at all." Then again, his own mother had probably assumed things too, even if she'd kept them mostly to herself at the time. And then he realized just what she was saying. "He's here? In Scalvoris?" Would he have agreed if he'd known that? Maybe. But definitely not as quickly as he had. "That was sneaky, underhanded Vega," he said. He was teasing, as much as he was serious.

"I don't mind the boat though, as long as we're not setting sail," he said. So the meeting place so far as he was concerned, would be the man's own lair. But for now, he dug into his pack that he'd dropped on the ground, and fished out the map he'd been given. This one, of the ice caves in particular. "No time like the present I guess. Next trial?" he suggested. "Oh, and I forgot to tell you I signed up for a class at the university." Something that in truth, he'd never anticipated doing before now.

"History of the immortals, the originals. I thought it might be good to know more about them and their backgrounds, since I'm worshiping one...and a half. After I earn my letter you can call me the traveling scholar," he laughed. And she'd missed him? Only a little bit? He'd missed her too, but much more than he'd anticipated he would. That was a curious revelation in itself. But he wouldn't be sharing that one either. "I'm glad you're here. It seems right and natural. Even if sometimes you're sneaky, troublesome and too nosy for anyone's good."

[Vega]

"An' when you grow up into an actual man, you can do," she retorted when he said there were things a man liked to keep to himself. "Till then, me an' Lyova can 'ave a chat. It's alright, you've got no secrets, do ya?" She waggled her eyebrows and added, "cos you won't have, soon." But whilst she couldn't disagree that he'd got better at cooking and that practice was a good thing, when he spoke about her getting practice in and wondered who she might know who'd be both willing and willing to give her an honest opinion, Vega guffawed. Her laugh was genuine and good-natured and she shook her head. "No one, mate. It's all good, I'm gonna die 'avin' kissed one fella, but at least it was an Immortal, eh?" Sometimes, she thought, Arlo spoke without even beginning to think about thinking but she didn't mind. Looking at him, really looking at him, Vega saw just how much Arlo had grown. He was nearly, or maybe already, the man she was teasing him about not yet being.

It unnerved her a little, that the young lad she'd met those seasons ago had somehow flipped, somewhere, into being a grown-up.

"Well, he can assume what he likes, why's it matter?" Vega frowned slightly, looking at Arlo with confusion on her face. "Since when do you care what anyone assumes about you? Your ma made the same assumption, it's a'right, innit? An' yeah, he is." On Scalvoris, that was. Her eyes were a mixture of colours, three or four of them flecked together in each iris as she spoke, though she grinned. Sneaky and underhanded? She couldn't deny that and so she didn't. "He doesn't think anythin's goin' on, Arlo, I've told him clear. He wouldn't want to meet you if he did, he'd be insistin' and he'd have found you before me." Sometimes, he was too prone to worry. Besides, she'd been clear enough with her father, albeit eventually.

But thoughts of her father flew from her mind as he handed her the map and she looked at it. "This looks fascinating, Arlo, can we..." Vega stopped and looked at him with a raised eyebrow and flecks of gold in her eyes. "The University? Well, Aelig's balls, Arlo, that's great! I mean, you've got to be some clever to do that." Vega could not deny just how impressed she was with that news. Yet, somehow, it made her feel a little sad. He was changing, there was no doubt about it. He was taller, maybe as tall as her now she wasn't sure. Physically, he'd filled out and looked different and he'd learned some amazing cooking. Then, this news about him attending the university and whatever secrets he wasn't telling her. But, if he was changing then any sadness she felt about that was a selfish thing, Vega knew, and the truth of it was that, for him? "Arlo, that's great new, an' impressive too. Well done, I'm real proud of you."

So, the ice caves? The next trial? She grinned and nodded. Taking a drink from her cup, she smiled when he said he was glad she was here. But sneaky, troublesome and too nosy for anyone's good? Vega grinned and raised her cup again, "Aye. So what's new there, then? Never change, that's me. So, 'ow're we gettin' to these Ice Caves? Like, where are they in relation to here?" The map was of the place itself but quite where that place was, she had no idea.

[Pash Raj'oriq]

Thread Rewards

Vega

Skill Knowledge:
➳ Detection: Spotting a familiar face in a new place
➳ Fieldcraft: Identifying where to put a tent
➳ Fieldcraft: Not putting dark coverings on tents in hot weather
➳ Psychology: Seasickness can be in your head.
➳ Storytelling: What has happened since last I saw you

Other Knowledge:
N/A

Loot: N/A
Injuries: N/A
Fame: N/A
Devotion: N/A

Points: 15 | These points cannot be used for magic.

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Arlo

Skill Knowledge:
➳ Cooking: Tuna steaks
➳ Cooking: Using hot stones appropriately for outdoor cooking
➳ Detection: Lyova helps to spot others for you.
➳ Etiquette: Meeting a girls' parents can be awkward.
➳ Fieldcraft: Preparing meals quickly in a camp
➳ Fieldcraft: Identifying where to put a tent
➳ Storytelling: What has happened since last I saw you
➳ Storytelling: Spooky descriptions of unusual places

Other Knowledge:
N/A

Loot: N/A
Injuries: N/A
Fame: N/A
Devotion: N/A

Points: 15 | These points cannot be used for magic.

— ⟡ ⟡ ⟡ —

Comments:
I should stop reading any threads involving Arlo and cooking before lunch time. I’ve got an hour to go and now I’m hungry. Thanks! Haha. It was lovely to read you two catching up after a bit of time has passed between you two. I already know you’re back to your usual adventuring in another thread. Teehee.

Let me know if you see anything I missed or have questions by sending me a PM!

— ⟡ ⟡ ⟡ —

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