Regali Way, Iera Verona, Evera, Oseada:

While in the past Regali Way may have seen better days, those days had long since passed. The wide roads were now cracked and broken, the lush boulevard trees chopped up by either vandals, hooligans or the just plain desperate. Tall buildings that once housed large businesses cast foreboding shadows along the cobblestone streets, long abandoned. In stark contrast was the odd mansion that seemed randomly placed along the street, with its barred entrances and windows.

Very few people were on the streets - a beggar or two seated in front of a mansion, and a small group of boys breaking windows in one particularly shadowy turn on the street.

Atop a high roof Tienna peered down at the street below. The girl was wearing a dark navy shirt and pants, both heavily inkstained, but no shoes.

She pushed a stray lock of hair out of her eyes and peered up and down the Way. Stupid beggars. No person in the right mind would wander here.

********

A blonde young man in black clothes proceeded slowly along the street, obviously on full guard. Asher hadn't slept for days, and it showed. He was dressed in generic black peasant clothing, since he wasn't sure if priests were welcome here. He glanced at buildings occasionally and scanned every face he passed.

The little urchin leaned out a little more, watching the mainlander. He had the whole peasant thing together, but something about him bothered her. She scratched at her nose with a dry pen nib - he was still interesting to watch, just because he wasn't from the island.

A beggar woman held up a tin cup at the man, rattling it as he passed. "Alms?" she asked.

The priest looked at the woman for a moment and then retrieved a coin without barely moving his hand and tossed it into her cup. He studied her for a moment before deciding she didn't look suspicious and continuing on his way.

This place is horrible. I wonder what happened here...it's a small wonder that he decided to flee to this island. Asher looked around uneasily with the feeling that he was being watched. Of course, that could be just all the beggars around.

Stupid mainlander, the girl thought to herself as she got up and started walking along the roof, parallel to the road below. Her hands tucked into pockets and she looked as though she was totally at ease walking on a surface that had a sheer drop five storeys down only inches from her feet.

She decided that the mainlander needed directions. "Hey, mainlander!"

Asher looked up at the figure on the roof and stepped back for a better view. "Yes?" His hand went instinctively to the dagger in his sleeve before he realized he was being silly. The girl didn't appear to be anything more than a street urchin.

"Did the ferry men cheat you of your gold? The island of tourists is several miles north and east of here!"

Although this was yelled in a very undignified fashion, how she spoke it was off. Her accent obviously had hints of fine breeding, and it was spoken in the clear tone of the aristocrats, not the poor grammar that one would expect of a street rat.

"I know where the tourists usually go, thanks," said Asher. He turned to leave, shrugging the girl off as just another jeering urchin. He paused for a moment and turned back to her, his eyes narrowing.

That's not a common street rat. They're not like that.

"Oh?" The girl seemed mildly amused, not knowing what the man was thinking. "If you have forgotten, the harbour would be back the way you had gone. If you hurry, you may be able to board the final boat of the day."

Definitely not your usual street child. "I just came from the harbor. But the advice is appreciated." Asher gave her a distant smile. "If you weren't up there I'd give you a few coins. You look like you're in need of some money," he shouted.

"I am not stupid, mainlander," the girl called back. "You resemble a watchperson, even in your peasant garb. Should I come within arm's reach of you, you will apprehend me for some crime or another."

"Watchperson?" Asher almost laughed. "They call them coppers where I come from." Still, she was more perceptive than he'd thought, though he probably gave it away by his mannerisms. It wasn't really a problem for him, as people generally steered clear of him that way. "A little paranoid, aren't you?"

"Should I not? Mainlanders do not come to..." The girl paused for a brief moment, looking disgusted, before continuing: "Evera for no trifling reason."

"Depends on your definition of a trifling reason," called back the priest. He noted her expression and pondered getting out of sight and then climbing to the rooftops to find her again. He'd seen a lot of street children, thieves, and urchins, and none of them talked like that.

"One that is minor and not worth extreme effort," quoted the girl.

Asher shrugged at her and continued down the streets, listening for footsteps on the rooftops. He'd bump into passerby occasionally as an excuse to turn back for a brief moment to see if she was still watching him. She wasn't.

He ducked into an alleyway and looked for hidden muggers before tossing his staff onto a low rooftop and climbing up quickly. After a moment's thought he buckled the staff into a strap on his back and started to climb to the highest rooftop, using gutters and windowsills as if he'd been doing this his entire life. His foot slipped on a window once, and there was another moment of brief fear as footsteps inside led to the window, but the climb went smoothly otherwise.

The priest reached the roof without much effort and jumped up, pushing blonde hair out of his eyes and walking along the roof silently. He jumped across gaps between buildings occasionally until he reached the rooftop where the girl still stood.

"You definitely are something, I have to admit."

Tienna spun around, right side facing towards the man as she mentally berated herself for not watching the 'copper'. Her right hand, the one immediately visible, was empty, but behind her back (and out of direct sight) her left hand gripped her pen tightly.

She took a step backwards, her left foot half on the edge of the flat rooftop. Her good humour had vanished and her eyes narrowed. She mentally debated about running, but it was not like this man had any quarrel with her...right?

"Calm down." Asher smiled at the girl, but he mentally calculated the chances of her having a knife behind her back. She probably did: her stance and expression gave it away. "I hope you're not thinking about any nasty surprises. It's hard to have a shouting conversation. And I'm not about to arrest you for anything. I don't have the authority." He folded his arms casually, one hand on his own knife.

Tienna didn't relax. "So why are you here?"

"Literally? Because you're really bad at pretending to be a street rat. If you're trying at all." Asher nodded towards the street below. "I deal with a lot of them, and you aren't one."

Tienna gave the man an annoyed look, straightening her posture. "So...I am now expected to be fulfilling some role? You are well aware that being in this state today is not a willing choice, no?"

"I suspected." Asher shrugged. "You're perceptive enough to be a street rat, which is probably why you're still alive. You hungry?"

Tienna weighed the options. A free meal off of the mainlander? There had to be a catch.

"Why would you be concerned for my health?" Tienna asked.

"I'm not," said Asher honestly. "I'm just curious about you, that's all."

"Of course," Tienna said unconvincingly. Well, at least he was honest. Somewhat. "And in return I would have to..."

"Not to lie on every word that comes out of your mouth. Not asking you to tell the truth, that would take a while, but don't bother making up a false identity in ten seconds." Asher unbuckled his staff and leaned on it, tilting his head to one side. "I can tell, it helps neither of us, and you're getting a free meal anyway."

Tienna rocked back and forth on her feet, hands in pockets. What sort of questions was he going to ask her? After all, she easily fit into the "I was fine until the uprising, then ended up here" category.

"Fine then," she said. Stupid mainlander. Why would he be so concerned?

The priest smiled at her again. "Good, then." He motioned towards a few windowsills and low awnings on the building's wall below. "Ladies first."

Tienna shook her head and jutted out her chin. "What, do you expect me to walk on the streets? Only people who wish to be assaulted or have no money do that."

"You can find worse people on the rooftops," said Asher conversationally. "Assassins, for instance. But lead the way."

Hey, if he could get up onto the roofs, he should have no problem traversing them, right?

Tienna approached Asher and studied the next roof over - old gray tile, slightly peaked, but no problem. Tienna hopped over and started a brisk trot over the peak to the next roof.

Asher gauged the distance and then jumped over to the roof, following the girl. He was used to traveling like this, though usually chasing someone. They traveled from rooftop to rooftop, the girl walking faster and faster. He slipped once but kept his balance and caught up with her again.

After a few minutes of this the girl stopped and started to climb down the side of one building without a word. The priest followed her, glancing down occasionally to judge the distance. He finally jumped to the ground and she nodded towards a noisy door nearby with a crooked and unreadable sign over it.

The two cautiously entered the tavern and Asher glanced around for any suspicious figures. He gave up, since almost everyone was suspicious-looking.

It was a somewhat standard tavern, considering that the standards had been falling for several years. Lots of shifty types, a bar and bartender, but the food was good if you didn't have a lot. Tienna had frequented this place often for a meal, but usually left rather than ate in.

"So, where do you want to sit?" asked the girl, hands still in pockets.

Asher motioned to a table and pulled up a chair, sitting down so his back was to the wall. "Here's good. And your hands out where I can see them, please."

Tienna sat opposite from the man, crossing her legs. She held up her hands, showing only faded inkstains on the palms.

Asher pulled out his money purse and counted the money in it. "Order some food. Whatever you'd like. I'm not hungry."

The sight of money didn't bother the girl in the least. She wondered if she should go for a full meal, as the offer was standing, but decided against it. After all, she did have the money for her own.

Tienna stuck out her hand and flagged down a server. "This and this," she said, pointing.

The server gave an odd look at the street rat's choices - a small glass of red wine and a dish of candied pear slices - but wrote it down and left.

"A name?" Asher glanced at her choices and then turned back to her, leaning against the wall, his staff in his lap. "I guess there's no point in asking for your name, because you're not going to give me that."

"I'm not s'posed to speak to strangers," Tienna said, eyes wide in a decent impression of an innocent child. "What's yours?"

"Neither am I, though I do it all the time," said Asher politely. "As for a name, does it really matter? You probably know a lot about me already, hmm?"

The girl gave him an annoyed look. "You have blond hair and carry a staff. If that is all there is to you, then you must be quite thin for a character."

"You did guess my job. That's not too hard, though." He closed one eye. "A name would be nice. I'll give you mine, if you'd like, since it won't mean anything to you."

The server returned first with the glass of wine, a dark red fluid in a clouded wine glass. Tienna frowned - it wasn't even a proper red wine glass, it was in a fluted one.

And it was filthy. What was she, some bum on the street?

...Oh. Right.

She gave the other man a critical look. "Tienna," she finally said. The truth thing was still at the back of her mind.

"Asher," said the priest simply. "So, Tienna, I'll have to ask you a few questions. But not about you, so don't get antsy just yet."

Tienna sipped at the glass. Bleh. Nothing great about this stuff - weak body, no spice or flavour, nothing at all.

Tienna leaned forward, resting her chin in a palm with her elbow on the table.

"I guess not many merchants come around here these days, am I right?" asked Asher conversationally. "Place seems to be in a bit of trouble."

"That is correct," Tienna replied. "Anyone with a fair amount of money relocated to Oseada - the main island. Only the extremely wealthy try to stay, but I do not believe it will last much longer."

"Extremely wealthy? Anyone like that on this island?" asked Asher curiously.

Blind as a bat. "There were mansions on the streets, could you not tell?" Tienna asked. "They would be the buildings with bars over the windows."

"Yes, I noticed," said Asher. Well, she doesn't know much about the police habit of asking stupid questions. "Anyone really significant?"

Tienna took a minute to think over the list of nobles on the island. "There are some, but none of true importance," she finally said.

Asher decided she wasn't going to talk any more on that subject. "So, merchants are rare. Would you notice if any...strange ones came around here?"

"The only strange ones would be the mainlanders that were clearly misinformed of which island they were visiting," said Tienna.

"Mainlanders. Seen many mainlanders around here lately? Aside from me, that is." The priest closed his eyes in brief prayer before looking at Tienna again.

Tienna shook her head. "If this mainlander that you are interested in had anything of value, he or she has probably been robbed or killed. Or both," she added as an afterthought.

"Oh, he didn't have anything of value, really," said Asher, biting his lip. "He took away plenty of that, though..."

Tienna wondered if she should be writing all this down. After all, it would make a good story, and the last royalty payment was starting to wind down.

Nah. Too overused. She waited for the next question. Well, that and her candied pears.

"So, Tienna, why is it that you have ink all over your hands? Just curious, of course."

Asher waved down a server and ordered some stew, declaring that he was hungry after all. "Hope the food doesn't cost too much here."

"Because ink stains."

"And why would a beggar girl be around ink so much?" inquired the priest carefully.

The candied pears arrived. Tienna wiped off a fork - wht did they use to wash their silverware, mud? - before snapping off a piece and eating it.

Now this was good. She'd have to remember to return here for the pears.

"I thought," Tienna said after swallowing, "that we had established the fact that I am not a standard street rat. I do assume that your use of this term includes the meaning of 'beggar girl', of which which I assure you I am not."

"Then what are you?" asked Asher cautiously. He was aware that he was treading on dangerous ground.

Tienna finished the other half of her pear slice as she decided on the words.

"Another victim of the rebellion," Tienna said simply.

"You're not a common shopkeeper's daughter," observed Asher. "You don't talk like one."

Well. He has ears, like a bat. Perhaps I should start calling him Batman.

"So?" Tienna asked. "Shall I speak like one, if that suits this conversing more?"

"Never mind." Asher's stew arrived, and he said a brief prayer to Nanoven before starting on it. "Tell me more about this rebellion."

"There is nothing spectacular about it," Tienna said, snapping another pear in half. She scooped one half up and ate it before continuing.

"The rebellion occurred six years ago, after hearing rumours from the mainland of anti-Nanoven rebellions occurring there. The ruling class - the government and the aristocrats - were all pro-Nanoven, if not devout. But these rumours eventually formed the rebel group. It overthrew the government and..." Tienna paused, reflecting over her choice of words. "Ended aristocratic family lines."

Asher nodded slowly. Anti-Nanoven...so I guess I'd better be careful around here. I can handle myself, but... "So they're against Nanoven now?" He wondered why the administration in Burind hadn't taken proactive action.

Tienna nodded back in response.

"The government and aristocracy were replaced with new anti-Nanoven people. At first the people thought the reform would bring good changes. But in my opinion the country has been left in a worse state than before. Before the steep taxes would have been spent on public works, but now the government must use the money to fight off the new rebels, the anti-ANTI-Nanovenites, if you must call them.

"Everyone is split on whose fault it is. With the pro-Nanovens in power, life was expensive but enjoyable. But some claim that the new government would succeed if the anti-anti-Nanoven rebels would simply leave the government alone."

Tienna ate a pear slice, giving Asher time to absorb all this.

Asher listened with interest, occasionally eating spoonfuls of the stew. The taste wasn't spectacular, and he wasn't particularly hungry. What he really wanted now was sleep: he hadn't slept for a week now, and he'd spent most of the journey from Kinlay to Iera Verona running after something or another. His quarry was determined not to get caught, and he'd succeeded for several chases around Kinlay, a trip across Burind's countryside, and a rather eventful ship ride. If he had to chase him to one more place, he'd collapse from exhaustion.

It had to end in Iera Verona.

"So, how's the political climate on the main island? I didn't go there."

"Quiet if you reside in the rural areas, like the majority of the populace," Tienna said. "But in the Iera - the island capital - I have heard that the conditions there are not much of an improvement than over here."

The server came to the table and tersely asked for the money. Asher counted out a few coins and tossed them to the man.

"That's not enough," snapped the waiter. "It's ten more than that for the stew and the pears."

"That's nice. On the menu here it says five, not fifteen. Do you like changing your menu mid-meal?" replied Asher.

"We change it for mainlanders. Pay up."

"I can't pay for that. And I wouldn't if I had the money. The menu says five, I'm paying five." Asher went back to his stew.

The waiter glared at him and then went back into the kitchen, apparently looking for someone.

Tienna watched the interchange mildly as she sipped down the rest of her wine - it wasn't very good, but she wasn't going to throw it out. Sensing that an early exit may be in order, she found her handkerchief and a piece of paper and started wrapping up the rest of her pears.

Asher stood up, taking his staff. "I think we're done with this place for now." He glanced over to the kitchen to make sure nobody was storming out looking for him yet. "I have to admit your island has horrible service. Taverns, ferries, and otherwise. In Kinlay we're rude, but not quite this bad."

There was a sound of a door slamming open and two waiters, a portly cook, and a burly-looking man whose job was indeterminate started to make their way over to the table. None of them looked very happy.

Tienna stiffened, every muscle tensed as she prepared to flee. She certainly didn't want to be caught defending a mainlander, despite the food and information exchange.

On the other hand, bolting through a semi-crowded bar would make it look like she was guilty of some crime - which, of course, she had NOT. (For once.)

So Tienna was stuck. "Well, you are the mainlander. Foreigners are not taken too kindly anywhere on the islands." With a bit of luck they wouldn't pick on her.

"Think yer lucky, do you, mainlander?" said the burly man, stopping in front of the table and smirking at Asher. The other three stood on both sides of him, looking confident in their superior muscle and numbers. "Think you're not gonna pay?"

"Lucky...no, not really. And I paid. Ask your friend the waiter." Asher looked up at the man, gripping his staff. "I don't want trouble. I'm only going to pay the menu price, and even if I wanted to pay more, I don't have more money. Leave us."

"No more money, eh? Well, that's too bad, 'cause you'd better find some more money, pretty-boy, before that luck o' yours runs out." The man leaned over the table and the other three stepped closer with "don't even think about running" looks.

"I'm still not feeling very lucky," said Asher levelly, starting to edge around the side of the table. The cook exchanged glances with one of the waiters and then moved to block his path.

"That's because you ain't!" A fleeting exchange of glances again and the man's hand shot out to grab Asher's collar.

It stopped a few inches away, the flat of a blade resting on the back of the hand. "I told you to leave us." Asher's eyes flickered to the man's utterly shocked expression. "Unless you want me to slash your wrists--amazing how many suicides I've seen like that, and don't worry, it usually doesn't kill, but it hurts like a bastard."

Tienna looked nervous as the men closed in. She fumbled for a weapon, then rolled her eyes when she couldn't find her belt knife and instead grabbed a sharp pen.

Which meant that she could be getting blood all over her good pens. Drat.

She did gain a new sense of interest in Asher though. After all, the 'copper' did use a knife to fight.

But at the moment, Tienna decided that fleeing time was now: she shot off the chair like greased lightning towards the back door.

I hope you didn't expect her to do anything else, said a sarcastic little voice in Asher's head. He shut it out and focused on the man in front of him, who had withdrawn his hand and was in a fighting stance. "Leave me alone," he repeated, holding the knife in front of him.

One of the taller waiters stepped in front of Tienna and grabbed her arm roughly. "Not so fast, girl."

Tienna promptly stabbed the man's hand with her pen.

The waiter shouted and kicked blindly at the girl, clutching his injured hand. Asher's attention was temporarily diverted as his gaze darted over to them for a brief moment. The moment was enough for the burly man to lunge over the table and shove the priest backward, sending him against the wall.

The knife left his hand and buried itself in his attacker's upper arm. Asher hit the wall painfully and slumped there for a moment, using his staff to get up. "Last chance. Get out of my way," he said weakly.

Tienna yelled as the kick sent her to the floor and rolled her back into a table leg, stunning her temporarily.

She checked Asher's situation. Generally, it didn't look good for the mainlander.

"Well, since its quality has already been compromised..." Tienna pitched the stabbing pen at the man's arm, throwing it much like how one would throw a dagger or knife.

The waiter cursed as the pen hit his arm and he took a moment to pull it out, kicking a fallen pan at Tienna. It caused him to lose his balance and fall back into a surprised table of patrons, causing a commotion which he didn't get up from.

A short distance away the burly man grinned and kicked Asher's table on its side, spilling everything on it. "Game's up, mainlander," he said, advancing on the blond priest.

Asher swung his staff at the man, who jumped out of the way of what he anticipated as a blunt blow a bit too late. There was the beginning of a shocked yell cut short by a ripping sound recognizable to anyone who spent too much time on the shadier side of life. Blood spurted briefly into the air before the man went down heavily.

The remaining waiter and the cook looked confused for a moment. Asher used the time to push them both aside and run to Tienna. His staff looked innocuous except for the spray of blood on its end. "You all right?"

Tienna instantly threw her arms up to block the flying pan, wincing at the sound it made.

She slowly got up and stretched a bit. Nothing lasting, unlike the apparent blood on Asher's staff.

"Given the circumstances, yes, I am fine," Tienna said. "Where is my pen?"

"Broken in half over by the waiter." Asher nodded towards the commotion around the unconscious waiter and the utter chaos near the dead man. "I think we'd better leave now. Their hired thug's dead and I don't think they're all that fond of me right now."

He inspected his staff for damage. It wasn't scratched in the least, nor did it have the look of something that had just bashed someone's head in. "I'll have to get the blood off later before it crusts."

Tienna grimaced. What a waste. Next time she would have to remember to bring a knife.

"Fine then." She walked out the back door.

Asher tapped the shoulder of a scared-looking waiter. "Excuse me," he said abruptly, "but I'm sorry for the mess. I'd pay you back if I had money." He turned and followed Tienna outside.

Once they were both a good distance from the tavern, he turned to her. "Is this normal around here?"

Tienna raised an eyebrow. "Which part?"

She counted on her fingers. "The grimey tavern - very normal. The food - surprising, but not entirely unexpected. The overcharging of mainlanders - an outdated and unwise, but very traditional practice. The fight scene - " Tienna paused in thought. "That would be the first time I have seen a mainlander kill someone over a meal."

"Actually, you didn't see a mainlander kill someone over a meal," said Asher levelly. "You saw a mainlander kill someone out of self-defense. There is a bit of a difference there. And I've seen worse taverns, but not ones that like changing their menu prices mid-meal."

He leaned against a wall and watched the street. I really need sleep...

Tienna raised an eyebrow. If mainlander 'coppers' were allowed to kill people out of self-defense, then the mainland had a very abused justice system.

She shook her head. "Go home, mainlander," she said. "Whatever quarry you sought is likely no longer here. Although you may have to wait until tomorrow for your departure - even I would not risk a night run of the ferry. Too many thief and assassin types."

"He's here." Asher seemed strangely confident in this. "I know it. He's still here...he's not going to run for much longer."

Tienna raised her eyebrow again. What a strange person, obsessing over this chase. Did not he have a life or something?

Tienna shrugged. "Suit yourself," she said, springing away straight up a wall via window sills and jutting stones. And hopefully that would be the last she would see of him.

********

It was raining when Asher woke up in a gutter at the back of an alley. It wasn't as if he had anywhere else to sleep, now that all his money was gone. Wasted on a strange girl's odd tastes in food. At least it was sleep, even if it was interrupted by several muggers seeking to kill and rob him, who quickly discovered he really didn't have anything worth robbing.

He stood up and wrung rainwater out of his hair. I'd give anything right now for my priest's coat, but they aren't friendly to us over here. He had to look into that Tienna girl, but he had other priorities right now.

After a few minutes of getting rainwater out of his hair and clothing he cautiously walked out of the alley and approached a beggar woman under an awning. It was still the middle of the night. "Excuse me, but where's the nearest inexpensive inn?"

The beggar woman eyed the mainlander strangely. He came all the way across the sea to find a cheap inn?

She pointed a gnarled finger. "Down the street, turn left at Odina Lane," she said, her speech heavy with the local islander accent. "Can't miss it. Named Nightingale Inn. But not much different than sleeping in the alley, 'cept for not having rain fall on you."

"That matters," said Asher distractedly. He shivered in the rain, almost welcoming the thought of the inn. "Nightingale Inn. Right. Thank you."

He started down the street, turning left at a road sign that was barely readable as 'Odina Lane' and continuing towards a somewhat noisy building.

Even in the early morning, the inn was busy. Mostly drunks still awake after a night of carousing and thieves getting drink after a hard night's work.

Despite the somewhat-pretty name and its decent exterior, Nightingale Inn was far below average, even after considering the low quality of the area in general. If the customers didn't speak for it, maybe the dank interior, poor service and lack of locks on the doors to the rooms.

That, and it overcharged mainlanders.

Asher looked around for the innkeeper--or at least the person who was probably the innkeeper--and approached the man, dripping water all over the floor. "Excuse me, sir? I'd like to know if someone's staying here...or checked in last night and left. I'm not paying for a room."

The innkeeper eyed the man. "No."

The priest hadn't expected much better. He smiled at the innkeeper and continued. "Tall, dark red hair, eyes dart here and there, huge scar from forehead to chin?" he said innocuously, watching for a flicker of recognition in the innkeeper's eyes.

"No."

The innokeeper was either deliberately not helping the mainlander or knew better than to squeal on a possible assassin. Or both. Or even better, he was telling the truth!

Asher didn't look fazed. He'd have to try a few more places, which he'd predicted in any case. "Very well, then. I--" He stopped and shrugged, turning to walk out of the door of the inn.

The innkeeper watched the mainlander leave.

"Seen any mainlanders like that?" he asked a customer at the bar, using the local Oseadan dialect.

"Nope. What sort of person would come to a place like this anyway?"

********

Asher trudged to a few more cheap inns, and none of them were particularly responsive. He wasn't sure if it was to avoid getting in trouble or to avoid helping a mainlander on purpose. It didn't matter, he was used to having to run around all over cities to find things and people. But after the morning light was clearly in the sky, the inn idea was a lost cause.

After a few brief conversations with islanders he arrived at the closest thing Iera Verona had to a functioning library. Obviously visitors didn't come there often, but he quickly found what he was looking for (no thanks to the library staff). About two hours later he stepped out into the afternoon sun again, now well aware of Evera's history.

From an abandoned building some distance away Tienna poked her head out, looking at the sky. No rain. However, everything still felt a little damp. Dampness meant wet roofs. Wet roofs meant dangerous paths and unreliable theft spots.

Only the most experienced tried to walk a wet roof, and Tienna wasn't anywhere near that level. So she forced herself to dress in decent clothes - a long-sleeved shirt of dull gray, navy pants and brown cloth shoes - and exited the building. Her purse was nearly empty, so she began to trot off down the street to the market.

Asher wrung his damp hair out again. His clothes were sticking to him, which was getting itchy and irritating. He was regretting not being more prepared for the rain and bringing a cloak or something, or a change of clothes. But he'd thought the mission wouldn't take long. He was wrong, apparently.

He headed in the direction of the marketplace for no particular reason, other than the hope that maybe lots of people gathered there. I must look really pathetic right now...

Tienna easily blended into the crowd, moving in and out like a minnow in water. Finally she found a door to a store, and with a quick knock she was admitted in.

Several minutes later Tienna left, grimacing. Her belt purse was now filled with silver, along with more silver hidden in who-knows-where (but not jingling, she wasn't an idiot). But she was running low on cash.

The girl stopped at a stall to buy some soup and salted fish for a meal, mulling over what to do.

The market stalls were interesting, filled with food that Asher had never seen before. Then again, he'd never been outside Burind, Casson, and Danover. He found himself stopping until the stallkeepers gave him odd glances. They didn't want anyone who couldn't pay hanging around, so he moved on with a sigh, keeping an eye out for any thieves (which wasn't that crucial: he didn't have anything worth stealing).

Tienna finished her soup, and over the rim she saw...

"Nanoven must be jesting with me." What were the odds that she would meet the mainlander here?

Well, not exactly meet him - Tienna quickly finished her meal and walked off in another direction, looking for another stupid idiot she could lynch.

Asher glanced at yet another stall. Its keeper glowered at him and told him in no unclear terms to buy something or get out of the way. He shrugged and smoothed his hair as best he could, continuing to wander through the market.

A movement caught his eye. He looked up and was startled for a moment. Out of all the coincidences... He started to make his way towards the street rat girl, hoping for answers to a few of his questions.

Tienna turned, her head swivelling to follow a sound. A pen slid into her hand as she abruptly turned and walked towards a back alley.

Asher elbowed his way through the crowd, bumping into a busy fish-seller who dropped a basket of eels and then proceeded to yell at the priest. He muttered an apology and helped pick up some of the eels before quickly getting up and following Tienna again.

A semi-blank look entered Tienna's eyes as she stopped and turned again, not noticing that another market-goer had nearly rammed into her. She took a few steps forward, then stopped again, now visibly frustrated by something.

She turned again and began to trot down the side of the street, her eyes now locked onto some sort of target. And once again she got distracted, grimacing as she suddenly stopped and turned her head again.

And abruptly vanished into a back alleyway with a yelp.

"What do we have here?"

Asher rounded a corner and watched Tienna carefully. Since I don't have anything better to do right now, heh. She looks distracted by something...wait, what the...? He frowned and suddenly broke into a jog towards the alley. That can't be good.

Something very sharp stabbed Tienna in her left shoulder as she was dragged backwards. She lashed out, but there's not much a street rat can do against someone who's bigger and stronger than her. She caught a glimpse of his face--a scar stretched from his forehead to his chin, and he had the eyes of a killer.

"Well, you're no ordinary commoner," rasped tha man as he dragged the gagged girl to the other end of the alley. "Hey, look what I've got."

"I thought you was going for a merchant?" asked an accomplice.

"She's got money, that's all that matters," said the first man as he casually tossed aside Tienna's pen. "Should be some merchant girl."

Tienna's eyes narrowed. She was not a merchant person, this thug had her bleeding in one of her better shirts, and she had just withdrawn this cash too! A second pen slid into her hand...

Asher leaned against the wall next to the alley, out of sight of whoever might be in it. He wasn't stupid: stepping into it would make him the only bright silhouette in the dark, which would be suicide. He settled for picking up a sizeable stone and throwing it into the alley, quickly flattening himself against the wall again. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt whatever you're doing in there."

"What the - "

Before the thugs could decide on whether to rob Tienna or investigate the interloper, aforementioned victim reacted.

Something black exploded from her clenched left hand, and two sprays shot straight at Tienna's captors. In an instant both her pinned to walls, covered in a fluid, webby substance.

Tienna dropped to the ground, gasping in pain as her left arm hit the floor. The fluid wavered, as though it would lose shape for a brief moment, before solidifying again.

Well, that was something Asher wasn't expecting. Whatever the hell that was, other than some squishy sounds, two brief yells, and the sound of two heavy objects hitting the wall. He briefly weighed his options--someone in there was probably a mage, and he had a good idea of who it was.

It wasn't like he dealt with mages often. There was a good reason for that. It was usually the captain's job, anyway.

Well, the captain isn't here, is he? He ventured a look into the alley and blinked at what he saw.

Tienna slowly sat up, keeping a tight grip on her pen. These Sparks were absolutely worthless - in the faint cacophony of everything else these two were literally inaudible - but Sparks nonetheless. Maybe Nanoven would be happy with them.

Tienna carefully transferred her pen to her right hand and pointed. A stream of ink shot at the accomplice's mouth, pulling away several agonizing seconds later with something dull gray.

Asher coughed. "Nice work on the muggers, but can I ask what the hell you're doing?" he said faintly.

The gray ball was brought to Tienna's hand as she began to snap, "What does it look - "

Tienna blinked, then turned her head. This day just keeps getting better and better.

Frantically she tried to figure out what to do. Run for it, but with her injured arm she had no natural advantage. Try to kill him, but her mind was already preoccupied with her attacker and Spark - she wouldn't be able to focus properly on another task.

Tienna got to her feet and automatically backed up several steps into the dead end. She was terrified at her indecision. Blood continued to bleed freely from the wound in her shoulder.

Asher noted the look on her face and shrugged, not taking his eyes off the girl. "I can take care of that arm if you'd like. It doesn't look good."

"No, I would not like you to take care of my arm, and I am aware that it does not look good," Tienna snapped as she pocketed the Spark. "I do not want your assistance."

The ink restraining the man began to drip away as Tienna tried to stay conscious, let alone stand. It didn't help when said captive began struggling, sensing freedom.

"You might not want help," conceded Asher, "but it looks like you need it. I'd buy you food if I had any money." He folded his arms and glanced at the captive man. "Mage, huh? You're powerful, I have to admit."

Tienna tried to shrug, but apparently it wasn't the best thing to do with a badly wounded shoulder that's drained a good portion of your blood. She passed out.

The ink holding the man dropped away and pooled on the ground. Now free, the thug attempted to flee by passing Asher and joining the market crowd.

Asher glanced between the two of them and then took off after the man, pushing his way through the crowd and grabbing the mugger's arm. "Stop right ther--"

He barely dodged the knife thrown at him. It clattered to the ground and the mugger used the opportunity to hurry into the crowd. The priest paused for a moment and then shrugged, turning back and walking to the alley. He hated giving up, but the Tienna girl didn't look to be in very good shape, and she might turn out to be worth looking into in the long run.

"You're in trouble, aren't you..." he muttered, kneeling down and taking his coat out of his backpack. He started to bind Tienna's shoulder with the red sleeve. Bloodstains are nasty, but I can get a new coat.

Tienna didn't do anything, as she was currently unconscious.

"Well, you are." Asher finished binding her shoulder with his coat sleeve and cut the sleeve from the rest of the coat with his knife. It was a good thing he didn't have to buy the coat, although those pears and wine had cost him most of his monthly salary. He picked the girl up and shouldered her with some difficulty, walking out of the alley and down the street.

********

Several hours later, somewhere between Oseada and Burind...

Tienna slowly became aware of the fact that she was lying on a bed. Definitely not hers. And that the bed was rocking.

"What in..."

Tienna was now very awake, swinging herself up to sit on the bed. The first things that came to her attention were that her arm was bound up and that she had been robbed. Of the Spark, her money, her papers, and her pens.

Insert some very shrill screaming here.

A few moments passed before a hurried conversation between two unfamiliar voices with Burind accents was audible outside her door.

"She's awake."

"Gee, what let you know?"

"A little bird. D'you think we oughta tell the priest?"

"I think he already knows."

"You gotta point there."

After spending some time venting her rage, Tienna considered her position.

She was on a boat. That mainlander probably got her here. As she didn't recognize the accents of the people from outside the door, Tienna decided that she was probably being taken away from Oseada.

Which was very, very far from 'okay' with her.

Tienna got up and began checking for anything that could be useful to her. She came up with the lone Spark that she had taken earlier.

"Well, now what?"

Footsteps traveled towards the door. They stopped outside and a grumpy-sounding man's voice spoke up. "The rat woke me up. Can I flog 'er?"

"No. Go back to sleep, I'll deal with her," said a familiar young man's voice.

"But the Cap'n has this rule--"

"The Captain's rule doesn't apply here. Go back to sleep."

Tienna sat down on the bed, legs crossed and back to the door. In front of her was the wall and the Spark. She had never asked Nanoven for something material before, and she doubted that it would work (especially with this Spark in particular), but what did she have to lose?

Tienna formed a triangle with her hands and set the Spark in the centre, then closed her eyes and started praying.

The door opened. "I don't know what you're up to, but not even you with your magic could crew this ship on your ow--oh. You're praying."

There was some embarrassed silence on Asher's part as he leaned against the doorframe, looking abashed.

The Spark flashed and vanished when Tienna turned around, distracted by Asher's arrival. Tienna looked back at where the Spark had been.

Nope. Nothing.

Tienna turned around, now very annoyed. Then very confused when she recognized Asher's attire.

"Ah. I have been kidnapped by a priest of Nanoven." She slumped forward, one elbow resting on her knee as her hand rifled through her hair. "If this day is going to get any worse, may you please be merciful and skip straight to the part where I get killed in some horrifically violent way?"

"I'm not kidnapping you, I'm placing you under investigative custody," said Asher, honest seriousness showing on every corner of his face. "And I thought you were a believer." He looked somewhat disappointed.

"I have been stabbed, I have been robbed of my personal belongings, I have been removed from my homeland without any inquiry of my own personal opinion nor a guarantee of a safe return," Tienna said, voice rising with visible anger. "And now I am told that it is all in Nanoven's name?!"

Tienna looked up at the ceiling of the room and yelled something in Oseadan that sounded very much like a plea.

"The stabbing was not my fault, and I did try to apprehend the mugger," explained Asher patiently as if talking to a tantrum-throwing child, "I will pay you back once I get enough money to, and it's investigative custody. Your shoulder was bad. That's my sleeve you're wearing right now."

"Do you want it back?" Tienna asked of the sleeve.

"Your shoulder would start bleeding again. So no, not really," he replied. "You hungry?"

"Is it coming from my money?"

"No, it's coming from the galley." Asher smoothed his hair with one hand. "Hope you like potatoes."

"Do I have a choice?" Tienna got up.

"Not really, unless you like cold mystery fish stew," said Asher. "I'll give you a hint. You don't."

Tienna shrugged, wincing at the strain on her shoulder. "Fine then."

"The galley's second door to the left. If any of the sailors bother you, let me know."

"Hmph."

And there Tienna stood.

Asher stepped out of the way and pointed down the hallway.

And Tienna went out and down the hall. She looked up at the aforementioned galley door and pushed it open, looking around.

Asher watched her and then turned around and walked up the stairs to the deck.