Grayell slipped a hand onto her shoulder and gave her a reassuring smile.
"Well... we have a choice to make. We lose more life if we take the land. We may lose our lives if we take the sea to save time. We have a decision to make, but we have time to make it.
We'll figure it out Marg. We may find a caravan we can hitch a ride with. I hope you like camels..."
He couldn't help but smile then. She reminded him of a camel. Sometimes. Ornery bloody animals.
She gave a small disgusted sound and rolled her eyes in answer, then turned back to the shaman.
We understand. We'll get that flower for you, one way or the other. Excellent. You are a credit to your people. Both where you are descended, and Wistvale itself. We still stay here until you return, if there are no objections.
Grayell looked at her as he walked, noting the almost anxious expression. He nodded and looked ahead once more, cresting the hill with a stretch of his legs. He paused for a moment, looked down over Wistvale before he began the slow trudge down in the dark.
"I only know a few things about shamans. Half of them know more than I do. The other half are full of shit. Half that know their shit, speak in half truth and riddles. The other half, they simply lie.
And one more thing. I'm rather good at cutting them in half.
How's that for numbers?"
He gave a short chuckle and a cheeky look, trying to at least cheer her up in the here and now. This quest was going to be murderous and well... having been there or not, he'd rather see her not dreading it as much as he no was.
She looked up at him, smile slowly growing at his "math." Finally she let out a mock-frustrated sigh and shook her head, walking past him and slapping his arm with the back of her hand as she passed.
Looks like you've got it all figured out, sir.
She sighed and opened the shutters on the lantern again.
Grayell didn't look to her, his was winding his way down the hill, dropping off rocks and scanning the country side as he was want to do.
"Well to get to the port, we'll be on the road. Another one of those long, arduous treks where something unintentionally dramatic happens and we pull together like best buddies, only to get drunk and pick each other apart later on.
Yeesh... how long has it been?"
He laughed aloud then at least and headed in a bee line for the stables, now the hill was cleared.
Grayell stifled a mutter and glared at her... then grin as he took looked forward. Outside the stables were two horses, already prepped for the road. He knew where they were headed and they needed nothing before they left the harbour. Better to procure it there rather than burden the horses.
"Yep. Unless there's something you need that I won't have in there. You live in that turtle shell of yours but I threw in some normal clothes all the same. Your ass will thank you later."
He tossed a coin to the stable hand and studied the horse a moment, stroking it's neck.
She didn't mind wearing whatever Gray had had at hand.
No, got everything I want with me. Though I must question your constant need to get me out of my armor. Though, I might get a nice tan with all the sun. She patted the horse once, as if in courtesy, then seemed to forget it existed.
You've at least seen the rocks outside the Sands, right?
He chuckled as he swung up onto the horse with practiced ease and then looked down to her with a smirk.
"Number 1. You're going to be on horseback on the road, not riding cavalry style into battle. Then you're going to either be on a ship or dealing with the desert. That armour of yours is going to make you very sore or bake you. Maybe you should consider some lighter armour for this one. I don't recall you getting hit all that often anyways."
It was a compliment and he meant it that way. He didn't think for a second she needed that much protection. She was too damned capable with her hammer.
"Number two... nope."
He tugged the reigns and laughed then, cracking on the leather and heading toward the high roads.
Grayell cast a look back over his shoulder as he picked up some pace to break away from the town, then slowed once they'd cleared the forest and hills and were on the open road. He slowed to fall in beside her, easily rocking side to side.
"We're mad you know. Heading out at night. But we'll beat the heat I guess. Still, we don't want to sleep during the day. How about we make a couple of hours and then camp for the night?"
She nodded, concentrating on trying to control the horse.
I think you'll find you're mad. We should have just went back to town. Or back to whatever treehouse you live in. Left in the morning. But no, I have to trust you for everything.