![Posted Image](http://imgc.allpostersimages.com/images/P-473-488-90/21/2150/423CD00Z/posters/michael-busselle-village-of-lods-on-the-river-doubs-franche-comte-france.jpg)
Thallominas 12th, 10012 XA
Late Morning | Slightly Cloudy Skies | Mild Temperature
Dramatis Personae (possibly subject to change, including Alvanon):
Ionia Essytia
Ionia's Clerk (Trent?)
Kiel Taskel
Alain-Gaston Moreaux
Clara Moreaux
Festus Bache
♪
For what must have been the third time of the morning, Alain withheld the urge to groan. There was simply no way he would make it through this day sane, as he listened to the very same babbling he remembered from over a month ago. He couldn't help but wonder when he might actually want to listen to it again, but couldn't find such a time. Alain was sure that to lock Kiel in a single room alone for centuries would undoubtedly be the worst punishment for the man; Being locked in a room alone with him for those centuries, however, would be perhaps the cruelest form of torture he could imagine.
Alain wasn't sure why, until a short lived consideration, but a group had been selected to go to Calcia after a request for aid came from the small village. Calcia was a small village located on the River Cora, not entirely remote, but enough so that it tended to not attract the wrong kind of attention under normal circumstances. After all of Elysia shook under a massive quake, however, people some politely named "opportunists" began to increase ever annoyingly in activity. Most smaller city-states were having enough trouble keeping order in their own areas, yet Alexandria stayed strong, partially due to it's nature as a portal nexus. Calcia itself being on a river with a fair amount of farmland managed to draw said opportunists to the area, unfortunately. Being a good vacation area didn't help them, either, although rumour had it that the village had ruffians doing the stealing themselves for attention.
As for why the specific group had been chosen, Alain had to think that through. First off, there were, in fact, two Red Wardens deployed to the area, which didn't just seem to be an asinine concept, it flat out was. Both Red Wardens were considerably famous, one of which a member of The Vanguard, as it was now called. The group was famous for keeping peace with another realm that was known to be harsh, but most were hardly trained soldiers. The other Red Warden was an Aurumus Dracovarian named Festus, who not only managed to keep peace while The Vanguard was active, but also captured several gangs that were notorious for robbing honest warehouses of supplies.
Despite that, a contingency of guards would've been a better choice against lawless bandits. There was, of course, the noisy Dracovarian from the League of Protectors, who'd also been a member of The Vanguard, but Alain had to wonder if the Alexandrian Guard just wanted to be rid of him for a time. Last, but certainly not least, the infamous Clara Moreaux, a supposed contingency by herself, by reputation, who also happened to be Alain's wife. Or just another problem. Ultimately, they were all just sent out to spread order simply by existence. After all, no one in their right mind in the entire region would cause trouble when so many famous—or infamous—people had gathered.
Alain had to admit he felt the same as the Alexandrian Guard, if his suspicions were true, even if Clara seemed to greatly enjoy the company—or eye candy. Kiel's good looks were another admission that Alain had to give way.
Currently, though, Festus was dealing with the city mayor, and as he was certainly more than capable of handling any transactions and inquiry, the other three of their cheery band were left with a meeting place both Festus and Clara seemed familiar with—The Riverside Apothecary. Overall, the place had stood against the quake nicely, though Alain noticed a few telltale signs of some pricey repairs. For one, a windowsill's shaped was slightly off, likely replaced and refitted with new glass recently. Alain noted that the roof above the door, patched once or twice before the quake already, had certainly seen even more work afterward as old wounds reopened, so to speak. Alain, ignoring the chatter behind him, turned the door handle.
A head raised as soon as the door opened.
“Hey there, how can I help you?” a voice asked, though Alain could barely hear the voice as Kiel and Clara got excited over...something. He could've sworn Clara mentioning tea.
Alain quickly realized that the owner of the voice was a store clerk. The clerk had wide dark eyes, brown hair, and a finely shaped nose, and as soon as Alain saw him—her, he wasn't sure, he found himself at the dilemma of possibly offending the clerk. Deciding it didn't matter either way, in usual arrogant fashion of an aged Dracovarian, Alain made his choice.
"Three orders of tea, lass. One with an extra bit of sugar would be great."