Winter Wonderland }{ OPEN

[thanh]

Zhung wandered the virgin snow under his feet. He was wearing a thick coat and trousers he got from the northern part of this country. The air was so cold even his newly grown mustache was as stiff as cardboard. He crossed his arms over his chest, his feet crunched in the snow. This is the only thing he hates about this country...The weather changes. The landscape was wonderful, but the actual weather itself keeps changing it's mind to tick him off, badly. He lived in a small cabin near by, dragging along behind him was a dead deer, hooked on him with his meteor hammer's rope.

He arrived at the small log cabin, still dragging the dead deer. He chucked the rope, up, over a round beam going across and pulled on the rope, making the deer hang down. He then closed the door and started skinning the deer, hopefully, making something of the fur. Once he done skinning the deer he grabbed his hook blades and started hacking away at the deer meat. He gathered the meat, put sosme in storage and started cooking the rest in a stew, with some rice, beans, peas and cut up carrots, he got from Tamasha village.

[Elf Prince Tekkarro]

James trudged onward through the snow, griping his cloak around him tightly, his black leather body armor not able to retain even the smalest amoutn of warmth there might have been in his body before entering this accursed place. Snow clung to his long black hair, his eyes a sblue as the ice forming high in the limbs of the trees around him. He had only come to this land recently, and the more he learned of this place the mroe he wished that he had never ran away from his coutnry. He grasped the hilt of his sword, and it glowed warmly in his hand, and he smiled as hope fille dhim ocne more. He would not give up, he still had plenty of fight left in him, and there are bad parts to every country, and weather is one problem he most certainly could deal with. As he crested the top of a hill, a glow of warm fire appeared in the distance. He smiled and thought to himself, "Shelter, at last. FIre means people." He quickly sprinted towards the light. As he got nearer, he recognized the fire was coming from isnide a cabin, he stoppe dat the door, panting slightly, as he rose a frozen hand, knocking upon the humble abode in hopes of reaching its master...

[thanh]

He, like always had cooked too much stew for himself. He figured he'd save some for later until he heard the knocking of the door. He got up and wondered who it was. First thought he thought an assassin was trying to trick him into openning the door. Second thought was just a simple stranger- First thought worried him so he grabbed one hook blade and held it out, ready to slash. He moved slowly towards the door and placed his hand on the knob- He then looked out the window and saw it was just a simple traveller look for shelter. He lowered his blade and opened the door, "Yes?"

[Elf Prince Tekkarro]

James had waited patiently as the stranger opened his door to him, and he smiled kindly, bowing. "Hello kind sir," he began, "I apologize for intruding, but I am not from these parts, and I have been travelling for quite some time. PErhaps you would be kind enough to allow me into your home for a moment's reprieve?" He loked hopefully at the man and noticed the oddly curved blade in his hand. He looked back at the man and frowned" I didnt not mean to startle you sir."

[thanh]

The cold breeze of the night air blew into his house, taking out some candles and sent a shiver down Zhung's spine. "No worries, I'm not from these parts aswell, I just settled. I was also just having supper and I have made abit much. Maybe you'd like something?" Zhung said, soon to notice the man peering down at the blade he holds in his hand. "Oh, it's alright, mate." Zhung looked at his blade, which had a curve on the end, at the handle was a moon shaped blade only an inch or two away from his hand and behind the handle at the pommel was shorter blade from stabbing. "Come on in, my friend and make yourself at home," He looked at the warn out person. He then went over to a large bowl with a lid on it. He opened the lit and steam from a somewhat exotic smelling stew rose out.

[Elf Prince Tekkarro]

James smiled calmly and accepted the invitation, entering the house and quikly closing the door behind as to blok out any further cold winds. He inhaled deeply, as he smelt the rich aroma of a unique stew wafting through the room. He took off his cloak and hung it on the wall, also removing his word, still wrapped in leather cloth to hide its value, and set it down to show he meant no harm as well. He bowed deeply in thanks, and took a seat in the closest chair, a ozy wooden one and he stared at the strangr, trying to identify where he may have hailed from. "You are a foreigner as well eh? I am not familiar with your acent, where are you from?"

[thanh]

He took a large sthingy and pulled some stew from the pot and poured it in a bowl. He then handed it to the man along with a metal sthingy he also got from Tamasha. "I come from across the mountains, and deserts. A land from the far east or west, whatever you want to call it, it's all the same. I came from a small village of mixed peoples there. What about you, stranger. Where are you from? wait, first, what's your name" He asked as he got some more stew for himself, along with a drink. He then poured a second cup of cool milk for the stranger. He figured this man wasn't an assassin from home due to the accent he had.

[Elf Prince Tekkarro]

James gratefully took the stew and bowed his head, offering a silent prayer to The Eight. He listened intently at the man's wise yet vague answer, but accepted it for he wasn't too keen on anybody learning of his roots. He took the glass of milk as well, placing it beside him, and took a sthingyful of stew into his mouth, grateful for somethign warm for once in what seemed ages. AFter he swallowed, his eyes glazed over and he looked out the window. "I hail from the North, far into the Elven country, in the city of Glerindrel. You may have heard it called "The Crystal City."

[thanh]

He shook his head. "I've never heard of such place. The place I was raised in was slightly isolated place, in the jungles. There was a city fairly close to our village but the only time we'd go to it is for food. The rest of the time, the fighters would interrupt slave traders, anything the emporer would send out." Zhung looked around his cozy home. He was quite glad he managed to build it before the snow came. The only seasons back home where either or dry. Now, there's these...summer, fall, winter and spring which confused him quite abit. Oddly shaped blades, exotic weapons and some Valear made weapons where mounted on the walls like prizes that have been won, somewhere. "By the way, there's a spare room, down the hall way, if you'd like to stay, my friend."

[Elf Prince Tekkarro]

James smiled. THis man had been cut off from the kingdoms, and to be honest he was quite happy about it. This meant he had no chance of discovering his regal history. He listened intently to the man and nodded. "It seems nobody is very content with the Emperor these days my friend." he stated, taking another sthingyful of stew into his mouth, savoring the exotic flavor. He listened to the man's offer and hesitantly, accepted it. "I would be honored to stay in your humble abode my friend."

[thanh]

Zhung nodded at the man who accepted his humble request. "Okay," He went over to a clay water bottle and drank but nothing came out. he looked inside the bottle and said, "I think we may need some more water..." He went into the cellar and checked three barrels- all where empty, "Yep," He came back out of the cellar with two buckets, "Hey, want to help me get some water? We're out. We're going to go down to the stream, fill these buckets of water up with naturally filtered winter water and fill those three barrels down there, okay?"

[Elf Prince Tekkarro]

James cointued to eat, glancing around the man's home as he went down to check their water supply. As he came up, he delivered the bad news of being out of water. James laughed and stretched, putting his bowl down. "Guess it's back to the cold then?" he joked, throwing his cloak back aorund him, placing his sword on his waist as well, just in case. He grabbed a few buckets himself and nodded. "Well, let us be off then."

[thanh]

Zhung grabbed his two hook blades and hid them under his winter cloak. He two buckets and turned to the man, "Don't use snow- It's not as sanitized as you think. With the stream, it's naturally filtered for your own enjoyment." Zhung left the cabin and looked around- His face was blasted with cold air as it entered his room. Out in the distance was the howling of a wolf. The moon was bright, allowing light to shine their way to the stream and back and stars danced about, some brighter than others. Zhung looked over behind him, "Can you close the door on your way out? By the way, I ask you to help is because you might aswell do your share while you're here. Price for staying" He grinned.

He walked into the cold night, using the moons shine to guide him on his way to the stream. When Zhung got to the stream he filled both buckets and while heading back to the cabin he held his arms out to get some excersize while working to get the water back. When he got back filled a barrel, half way and went back to the stream.

[Elf Prince Tekkarro]

James followed closely behind the man, carrying his own load of buckets, filled to the brim with water, as they went on their way to fillt he remaining bucket. He was curious so he decided to finally bring up the question. "So, what brings you to this land anyway my friend?"

[thanh]

The question the man had asked made him stop and think for abit. Should he tell him the truth? or should he just make up something and try to go with it. The truth would reveal the assassins from the east but he doesn't trust this man. This man could be working for the assassins. He decided to tell the truth, "I'm running away from my own village, full of people, rebels mainly but where also mercs. We where trying to bring the emporer down by ambushing caravans, slave traders, and such, but the emporer hired many of the untrusted mercs to kill everyone else who would oppose his will. My family and I was one- I'm the only survivor. Now, they are hunting me down, to kill me. That's what brings me here."