'fuck,' Neidr scanned the bottom of the valley from the top of a tree,

'reinforcments.' Down below, Liam, Lizzy, and stoneface were chit-chatting to one another. Neidr couldn't quite make out what they were saying, but stoneface seemed pretty chatty. Neidr shrugged his shoulders, it didn't matter. He would follow them regardless. stoneface began to chant, and her glove began to shine. Soon after, fire engulfed the dead body in the field. An argument broke out after that, but it wasn't long-lived. Stoneface ignored their protesting and walked away. Liam and Lizzy were left there seemingly at a loss, but in the end they followed stoneface.

'Is she the leader?' Liam slowly followed them, keeping his distance the best he could. He could barely survive a fight against one magician. Three of them were beyond a death sentence. Neidr wasn't the best tracker, but he made due. Liam and Lizzy loved to chat, so they covered up the sound of his movement pretty well.

When Neidr finally set his eyes on the camp, he was overjoyed. He watched the trio enter, and then walked around to come in from a different direction. Nobody paid him any notice when he walked into the camp. With thousands of new faces, it was impossible to keep track of them all. As he trekked through the camp, Neidr asked a couple of question to anyone who seemed available. Unfortunately, their answers weren't too helpful. No one knew where to go, or what to do. Neither did they know where he could get medical aid. All he got from his efforts was an earache, hearing about the saintess of the camp and all the troubles that 'poor soul' had. Most prevalent of her issues? She had a good roommate, but the school replaced her with a bitter grinch of a woman. That newcomer had even assaulted the saintess. At this point, they would often grit their teeth and spit on the ground with disdain.

Neidr looked around the camp, and saw a stone house. That should be where the leadership resided. If he wanted any good answers, that's where he should go. Neidr squeezed his way through the camp, when he got to his destination, he knew he'd come to the right place. It was surrounded by supplicaters. Neidr walked up to the front door, knocked thrice, and sat down on the ground. He closed his eyes and began to meditate. It wouldn't help to show desperation if he had no problem. Patience was key.

Strangely enough, the door opened ten minutes after he knocked. Stoneface's gaze remained the same, but this time it was trained on him. Neidr was nonplussed and a tad worried. If she can't control her face muscles, won't she have a hard time getting a boyfriend?

'Eh, If she got a girlfriend, that might be less difficult.' Neidr shook his head to disperse his pity for this developmentally challenged girl.

Her voice sounded out,

"Are you the one who saved the fool?"[Azalea] Neidr didn't move, he just stared at her.

'Who the hell is the fool?'[Neidr] stoneface didn't let up though, she continued to look at Neidr, expecting him to answer. Unfortunately, Neidr was kinda limited to yes or no answers. Her question did not constitute either response. Annoyed, Neidr shut his eyes and continued to meditate.

"Ah, Apologies, I've forgotten my courtesy. I am Azalea Cerns, a duke's daughter."[Azalea] Neidr opened his eyes a looked at the girl. Her words seemed nice, but they established hierarchy immediately. A more apt translation might be,

'My rank his higher than yours, continue to ignore me at your own peril.' Neidr stood up, and gave the girl a bow, she returned a curtsy. Neidr simply removed his bandana and showed her the wound of his face. Stonface nodded and said,

"Ah, it is understandable if you are unable to communicate. Please come in, I have some magical devices that will help in your healing. In return, answer some questions for me."[Azalea]

Neidr nodded, but stoneface had already turned around and walked inside. Apparently, she was confident. Neidr followed, stoneface gestured for him to sit down at one of the tables, and he complied. He took the rag out of his mouth and she got to work.

'motherfucker have you ever heard of anesthetic you fucking witch?'

Needless to say, Azalea's medical 'device' was fire and her method was cauterization. At this point, Neidr was pretty sure this wench just wanted to get a rise out of him, and he would not let her have her fun!

'Neidr clenched his fists and his teeth. Really, anything clenchible was clenched. Neidr stayed silent for the whole operation. It took everything he had not to leap out of the chair.

"On the battlefield, this is the most effective method to stem bleeding quickly."[Azalea] Neidr looked at her with half closed eyes and began to wonder if this woman thought a peaceful campground constituted a battleground.

"You should be able to speak now, but if I were you, would keep your mouth shut and wait for it to heal of its own. You show strength, what prestigious house were you raised from? "[Azalea]

Neidr unceremoniously felt the inside of his mouth. It seemed that she wasn't too bad at this. Neidr took his hand out and wiped it on his pants.

"I'll follow the lady's advice. Apologies for not keeping with etiquette at the moment. Circumstances have prevented me. As for my house, the lady thinks too highly of me. I am but a son of a count from the countryside."[Neidr]

"Oh, then, I would like to make a deal."[Azalea]

"Pray tell."[Neidr]

"My sister, Elizabeth Cerns, is gallivanting in a place she doesn't belong, and is in cahoots with a fool. I am worried that she will put herself in danger, unfortunately I can't always protect her. If you could keep tabs on them for me and inform me of their movements, then I'll be sure to help you out."[Azalea]

"My lady, how far do sounds travel in the wind?"[Neidr] stoneface drew her eyebrows together almost imperceptibly, then they relaxed, and even raised slightly. She said,

"Nary a step away from here."[Azalea]

"There is no need to come up with stories. I will report what she does to you, I don't need a specific reimbursement. I will ask you a favor from time to time. If my favor is too much, then you can always find another spy. If you don't help me out..."[Neidr]

"I can always find another spy."[Azalea] Neidr smiled and said,

"Indeed."[Neidr] stoneface put her hand forward and said,

"To a successful trade."[Azalea] Neidr took her hand and they shook. As she turned around, Neidr stopped her,

"I want my first favor."[Neidr] stoneface turned around and said,

"You haven't even started yet, aren't you being greedy?"[Azalea]

"Elizabeth Cerns fought and bullied a common woman named Arrieta. She forced her to sleep on the floor, stole her belongings and threatened to throw her into a pit of fire."[Neidr] stoneface's eyebrows drew together noticeably.

"You expect me to believe that? You think you can take advantage of me by making up something? I am no fool. I know my sister."[Azalea]

Neidr drummed his fingers on the table and said,

"Yes, you do. You know her so well, because you're watching her. If I were to run away to a magic academy to be away from my family... If I were to notice that my old roommate was suddenly transferred out and replaced by a poor peasant that had everything to gain from being a spy... I just might try to force her out too. There are some things we must fight for, no?"[Neidr]

Neidr had learned through the gossip in the camp that Elizabeth's previous roommate was moved away quick and in a hurry. It was big news because something like this hadn't happened too often. As for why it was done? Neidr had no idea. The rest was simply conjecture. Neidr knew that a duke's daughter really ought not be in a peasant's testing ground. Plus, it seemed that stoneface was having a dispute with this girl that all the peasants in the camp praised to high heaven.

Regardless, stoneface's eyes trained on Neidr, and she asked,

"What do you want?"[Azalea]