Oriana had never smelt a stinkbomb before, but she was fairly certain that was what it was. The Prancing Pony had clouded up with some sort of gas that morning, and everyone in their right minds (there were a few drunken fools who did not) scrambled to get out of the inn for fresh air. Oriana was rather pleased that her door was near the exit way, but she hadn’t found Shem in all the bustling out. If she had tried to wait, Oriana was sure that she might have started to smell, and certainly, someone would have run over her. The other guests of the inn (aside from the drunken ones) were not so keen on staying in the inn at all. So Oriana exited the Prancing Pony and figured that she would wait for her friend outside, hopefully able to find him in all the madness.

The sun was just beginning to rise on the city, and Oriana couldn’t imagine why someone would throw something like that into the inn… until she stepped into the city. When they had arrived, only a day before, the city had been busy, but this was different. Something felt wrong about the city… and it reminded her vaguely of Maloren, though that city was always chaotic. This city had legions of men to keep the order, so what was going on? Confusion and terror marked citizens faces as they called about for loved ones. It wasn’t just the Prancing Pony that had been disturbed, and Oriana thought that that was smoke rising from a building in the distance. She tried to look around for Shem, a little bit lost in the crowd already, though she was still near to the Prancing Pony. She wasn’t afraid, at least not yet, but she wouldn’t mind having Shem by her side. As naïve as he was, he had at least braved other cities before. Oriana had only Maloren (as horrendous of a city as that was) and the outskirts of ports under her belt.

But now that she looked around, she wasn’t so sure that she was going to find Shem after all. A steady stream of people kept coming out of the inn, and she still hadn’t seen him exit. She grew a little worried and frowned as she continued scanning the crowd. Was he all right?

Shem was knocked out of her thoughts as someone ran into her. Screaming and chaos ensued as a few of the Kingsguard came through the crowds… but they did not restore any order. Instead, it seemed to Oriana, they were the ones creating it. The crowd surged, and she found herself being pushed rather helplessly away from the inn, as much as she tried to slip through people back to it. She would never find Shem if she was torn away from the Prancing Pony. Gods, Oriana didn’t think she would ever find the inn again, much less her friend. She muttered a few curses under her breath and tried to get by a woman yelling out the names of her children.

Lucan had nearly recovered from his lashings not a week and a half past. All that was left now, were scars and slightly tender skin. He had dressed early that morning, deciding that in three days he would go and enter the king's guard. Wearing his usual dark pants, leather boots and belt, with a deep blue tunic and a dark coat with deep blue plain embroidery he went to get his knives. He put them all in their little hiding spots and walked out the door.

The day was nice, few clouds, the sun shining, and a slight breeze. He felt an uneasiness about the city that day but could not figure out why. The breeze shifted and it brought a horrid smell to his nose. One word came to mind. Stinkbomb. The riots had been getting worse and worse and the guards were working like chickens running around with their head's cut off. Nobody knew what was going on, but the city was beginning to tear itself apart.

Lucan walked around a town square and there was the Prancing Pony engulfed in a cloud of horrid stench. Lucan saw people coming out of the doors as fast as they could. Then he saw someone he did not expect to see. He remembered the flaming red hair back from Maloren. "It couldn't be... could it? he wondered to himself. He tried to get to the other side of the street but found the masses of people thought otherwise.

So Lucan went down the alleyway to his left to go around. He went into a jog so he had a better chance of not losing her. He heard people calling for loved ones. Nobody was in any real danger, after all it was just a stench. Only thing hurt was ego... and belongings.

He came back onto the street he had left. He looked back towards the inn, but no flaming red hair. He looked the other way and saw her being pushed away by the flow of the crowd. He hurried in her direction. Her head turned away from him, he looked to his left. A clear alleyway. He took her by the arm and pulled her out of the heavy stream of traffic.

"We meet again Oriana Lark." he said with a slight bow and a smile with a wink.

((OOC: Gah! I love your signature!

I’m expecting this to be a rather short, crappy post. Just worked for 5 ½ hours, and it’s 11:20 PM, so I’m kind of tired.))

Oriana wasn’t sure at first if someone was tugging at her arm or not, since being moved with the crowd had involved a lot of contact with other people, but when she was pulled into an alleyway by the elbow, she was sure of it. Her forehead creased in a frown, frustrated enough with the crowd to yell at whoever it was who had dragged her aside. She needed to find Shem or she would never find him. The city was big enough that Oriana was sure she could get lost in it, and Shem too, even if he had been to more cities than she had. “Hey…” she started with a huff, turning to look at the offender, when she realized that the face of this person was familiar. And it wasn’t Shem.

Lucan Issod looked, at first glance, to be a very cold, sharp man, at least to Oriana’s opinion. He had gray eyes and definite features, though oddly enough, he wasn’t all that cold personality-wise. In fact, he’d given Oriana a good purse-full of money that she was still living off of.

And didn’t want.

"We meet again Oriana Lark." He gave a small bow and winked at her. She crossed her arms, smiling despite herself. “So we do,” she said, digging at her belt for the purse. Oriana stuffed it into his hands quickly, not going to allow protest. “I think these would be yours,” she said dryly, having spent a minimal amount traveling, though it was a good deal lighter than it had been before. It might have been foolish, to give all that back, since she had no source of income at the moment, but she would find her own way. She didn’t want his money.

“How is it that you ended up in this?” she gestured to the beginnings of the riot, glancing back again to see if she could see Shem anywhere. No sign of him… and judging by the way the crowd was still moving, she didn’t think that she would find him just yet. It hadn’t done her much good to try.

“So we do,” as she said while digging in her purse. He tilted his head in curiosity wondering what she was looking for. He was half surprised to see her pull out the very same purse he had given to her the last time they had met. “I think these would be yours,” she added. He smiled with a nod. "I am in no need of it. I'm trying to turn over a new leaf so to speak. Give it to a shelter, they need it more than I... especially in the current days." he said.

“How is it that you ended up in this?” she asked. He smiled and shrugged. "The whole city is in an uproar. Fires in the soldier fortress, brawling in the square. Some dead, many wounded. This city is tearing itself apart." he said with a serious look on his face. "I'm actually going to join the guard in a couple of days. When my back finishes healing." he added.

"These days aren't safe. In someways it is not as bad as Maloren, but in others it is much worse. Things here escalade, when one faction shows force, so does the other. It was like the balance was on the edge of a knife. Just waiting to be tilted. It finally has." he said quietly yet loud enough to hear. He saw her looking behind him at the inn.

He turned and smiled as he put two and two together. "So, who are you looking for?" he asked. "I offer my services as a guide. I do know my way around the city." he said with a smile. "All I do around this woman is bloody smile! What's wrong with me? he wondered.

“I am in no need of it,” he said. She sniffed briskly – like she had been. Well… it had been useful to get out of Maloren with. She hadn’t had funding for that… but still. “I’m trying to turn over a new leaf so to speak. Give it to a shelter, they need it more than I…especially in the current days.” She raised her eyebrows skeptically. Oriana didn’t know much about those in shelters. If she could work in Maloren for their money, so could they. Her generosity extended to family and friends, and usually, unless she saw the people she was helping, that was about it. She intended to slip it into his belt later, though that might not go as easily as planned, as he had been a thief and she was not. Stealth was not Oriana’s strong point.

“The whole city is in an uproar. Fires in the soldier fortress, brawling in the square. Some dead, many wounded. The city is tearing itself apart,” he explained, giving her a smile. “Sounds like Maloren,” she muttered. Minus the soldiers. “I’m actually going to join the guard in a couple of days.” Her eyebrows shot up again. That really was turning a new leaf – from thief to soldier. Oriana wondered what had sparked this change. She was about to ask, but Lucan continued. “ When my back finishes healing.” She frowned. “Finishes healing? From what?” she questioned him.

But then he noticed her looking around him for Shem. “So, who are you looking for?” he asked her. “I offer my services as a guide. I do know my way around the city.” Oriana blinked. “Oh, my… friend, Shem Adare,” she explained. “He traveled with me from Maloren, but I didn’t find him when I left the inn. I don’t know if I’ll be able to find him again if we get too far separated.” She shrugged. “But I don’t think we’d have much luck looking for him in that crowd,” she added, gesturing to the people scattering about. She smiled back at him.

“Finishes healing? From what?” she questioned him. Lucan smiled. "I had to face justice. Men died for their lack of duty. I fought with those guards. But I had to. I wasn't going to let them hurt an innocent." he looked up at her. "Like I said, i'm trying to turn over a new leaf." he said. He watched the crowd as they filled out of the inn.

“Oh, my… friend, Shem Adare,” she explained. “He traveled with me from Maloren, but I didn’t find him when I left the inn. I don’t know if I’ll be able to find him again if we get too far separated.” She shrugged. “But I don’t think we’d have much luck looking for him in that crowd,”

Lucan nodded in agreement. "There are shelters set up all over now. Some closer to the Keep. There are guards there and a fortified position. All of the shelters will eventually assimilate into that one. Best chance of finding your friend, would probably to look there." he said with a smile.

"That is if you wouldn't mind me being a guide once more." he said with another one of his smiles. The kind that gave hope, the kind that showed his determination. Lucan winked at her and took her hand as she nodded. He started to take them out of the mess, and into a back alley.

It was clearer then in the main street. He looked around, his mental map in his head. He determined the right path they should take and he started on. "Keep close, don't want to lose you right now. Right now, this city is worse than Maloren... on a bad day." he said behind him.

"I had to face justice. Men died for their lack of duty. I fought with those guards. But I had to. I wasn't going to let them hurt an innocent. Like I said, I'm trying to turn over a new leaf," explained Lucan. She frowned, not completely understanding. What men? What guards? She figured she could ask later, when they were in a safer place… The middle of a riot wasn’t exactly a good time to enquire into what Lucan had been doing for the past month or so, and why he was dealing with guards… Lucan, the former thief didn’t seem like one to deal with those types of people.

“There are shelters up all over now. Some closer to the Keep. There are guards there and a fortified position. All of the shelters will eventually assimilate into that one. Best chance of finding your friend, would probably be to look there.” He smiled at her again, and she shrugged, glancing back at the crowd. She wasn’t going to be able to find Shem in there… A wave of worry flashed over her, thinking about how scared Shem had been when those men had been after him. Gods, she didn’t like him being on his own. “That is if you wouldn’t mind me being a guide once more.” He broke through her thoughts again. She shook her head to show her agreement. She liked his smile.

Lucan grabbed her hand and started pulling her somewhere again. Oriana didn’t admit to herself that she felt a little guilty… One minute she liked Lucan’s smile, and the next she was off traveling the world with Shem. But it was exciting, despite those guilty feelings. “Keep close, don’t want to lose you right now. Right now, this city is worse than Maloren… on a bad day,” Lucan said back over his shoulder. She snorted, although as they went further into the city, she could see that he was right. Maloren was bad, but this wasn’t normal for the city, so it was almost worse. “Feels like home,” she said sarcastically.

She nearly had to yell for him to hear her. “Now what’s all this dealings with guards?” she asked him, trying not to get bumped around too much as they worked through the crowd.

As they ran through the streets trying to get to their desired destination he heard her voice. “Feels like home,” Lucan heard the sarcasm and smiled. He didn't need to answer. But he lead them on, through back alleys and nearly deserted streets. Smoke billowed from some houses, screams echoed the city.

Lucan gritted his teeth, he wanted to help them. But he had to get Oriana to safety first. He could not forgive himself if anything terrible happened to her. He continued to lead them on twisting through back roads and eventually onto a main street. But before that he heard her voice once more.

“Now what’s all this dealings with guards?” she asked him. He stopped in his tracks. The surrounding area was quiet... for now. They were both breathing heavily and turned. "We'll rest here for a while..." he said quietly. He sat down on a box in the alleyway. As she sat he looked at her, saw her hair, her eyes. "You really want to know?" he asked. She nodded.

He took a breath, remembering what transpired that day. He gave a weak smile before he spoke. He looked up at her and spoke. "I had snuck into the fortress hall. Got caught and the High Lord Commander spared me. I was under watch at all times but I proved to him and myself in a way that I was ... good." he said with yet another weak smile.

"On my last day of being kept within the watch of the guard, I saw four guards... pressing themselves upon a woman with her child. I wouldn't let it happen. It was wrong... I... stopped it. I disarmed two, the other two took their ... comrades and walked off. As punishment, those five... including the one guarding me who was apart of it, hanged. I took five lashes, for the violent act." he said finishing.

"I'm already healed, just need one more day to regain my full strength." he said with a smile, a true smile. "I think I'll join the guard then. Once..." he trailed off. "Your safe..." he said to himself. He saw her look at him. "Once we get to the shelter." he finished. He stood giving her a hand to help her up.

"It's time to go. We better hurry. The city is getting worse, we should hurry. Don't want to run into any unnecessary trouble now do we." he said with a smile and a wink. He took her hand once more and lead on. An hour later the walls of the fort came into view. He smiled at her, and led her in, into the shelter.

To Oriana’s surprise, when she asked him a question, he stopped. She blinked and realized that they had found a silent spot amidst the riot for the moment. “We’ll rest here for a while,” he said in a quieter voice than usual. He sat down on a box, and she sat on the curb of the road behind him. It wasn’t very dirty – and she was used to the streets in Maloren. At least Olencia had some form of upkeep. “You really want to know?” he asked her, and she gave him a nod back. Of course she wanted to know. Why would she ask something that she didn’t want to know? The smile he gave her wasn’t a strong one, and Oriana found herself growing more curious. This wasn’t the same man she had met in Maloren… in some ways anyway.

"I had snuck into the fortress hall. Got caught and the High Lord Commander spared me. I was under watch at all times but I proved to him and myself in a way that I was ... good. On my last day of being kept within the watch of the guard, I saw four guards... pressing themselves upon a woman with her child. I wouldn't let it happen. It was wrong... I... stopped it. I disarmed two, the other two took their ... comrades and walked off. As punishment, those five... including the one guarding me who was apart of it, hanged.” She blinked, surprised that anything had been done to them at all. In Maloren, she doubted anything would have been enforced. “I took five lashes, for the violent act." She nodded in understanding, having scars of her own to bear for punishments. "I'm already healed, just need one more day to regain my full strength." He smiled at her. Seems strong enough to me, she though