Jadmai in the City ~ Time unknown

[Ashari]

When Jadmai pounced on the lifeless corpse there was a loud crunching sound. He had broken the ribs of the motionless whip master and as he stepped from the body he could see that some of the viscous red-black had been pushed out in the process, and spilled out into the carpetted floor. It was somewhat more convincing now, enough so that the shock of what the person finding would see might override the true anatomical lackings that should accompany such a wound.

The adhiel wasn't much covered in the red liquid, only some of the splatter had dotted the hem of his pants, but these were dark in color anyway, so the splotches were barely noticeable. Only as the light passed over it and highlighted the spots that were moist would Jadmai be able to see it.

Not that it much mattered, he had no one as an audience aside from the already decaying body before him, and he sure wasn't going to complain. Upstairs Parmina was still trying to make her way to the bedroom when Jad caught up to her and picked her up. Her entire body was tense, but she didn't protest to being carried. Her short stature and slight build made her light and easy to lift. There was no sound of footsteps of the apparently missing guard, and the hallway was almost ominously silent as it had been before. Once inside the safety of the room of Anasis Parmina seemed to relax, but even the slight movement of lowering her shoulders pained her.

As her feet once again touched against the cool and glossy surface of the pool-like floor she shivered at the crisp chill of the laquer. "Take off my robe?" Althought not a particularly shy woman when it came to her body she felt somewhat uneasy undressing infront of her rescuer. Most of the men who saw her in the nude had a very specific purpose in mind, with Jadmai this wasn't the case, or atleast she didn't think it was. "How is laying on my back going to help?" She asked him while she reached to the soft tie that held her flimsy robe in place.

[Jadmai]

"Yes, take off your robe. And never mind and just lay on your stomache." He added as a second thought.

He went into the washroom and shed his clothes, he didn't want to be in armor when they would surely check his room. So he would change back into the clothes that Parmina had brought him earlier.

Coming out to the wounded servant he would just sigh. "We just need to wrap you up tightly, like a big bandage. That's why I thought laying on your back would help."

He then wordlessly used the lighter layers of the bedding to cover Parmina, and wrapped them about her tightly.

He then turned her on her side, laying against her back, he grabbed her and prepared to squeeze.

"Not going to lie, this is probably going to hurt badly." He then began to squeeze her.

If she made any protests he would try to ingnore them as he used his own chest torso and arms like a light vice.

"I don't really have anything to do but hold you until, either you feel better, or someone comes here. So..." He paused trying to think. "This sounds like this happens every now and then, and who do you see about it? Plus, if you have any miracle ideas on how to get me out of here alive, I open to suggestions at this point."

[Ashari]

Parmina quickly stripped. The light robe was already sticking to her drying blood. Water filled her eyes as she peeled off the dampened item of clothing and layed down on her stomach on the bed. As Jadmai wrapped the soft linens around her she clenched her jaw and held her breath. His strong grip around her body made her cry out at first as her lungs expelled what air was caught in them. Stifling the sound she took in another breath and held it again. Her whole body was shaking with the pain.

"No.. never this bad." She said, concerning her wounds. "Usually not like this." Parmina felt as if she might be ill. Her head was spinning and she was glad for the low light of the nighttime room. "Maybe they won't know it was you... what happened to your guard?" She asked tentatively.

[Jadmai]

"Never this bad, huh?" He asked more to himself than to her. "Who can help you? I know very little about healing, except for what has been done to me. Besides hopefully slowing, and maybe stopping the bleeding, I can't do anything else. I don't really have anything to dress the wounds with either."

Jadmai layed there still squeezing Parmina, but letting up a little so that she could take a break from the pain, but something had to be done. He started to think about his guard.

"I can't say what happened to him. I woke up, got dressed, and opened the door and he was gone. Seems strange to me. Your leader put him there, I can't imagine him going against the orders. He was following them even though he was unhappy about them. His disappearance seems a little too timely."

Jadmai sighed slightly, as he laced his fingers together again. "Maybe, they won't know it's me, but I am sure they will have some suspicions. I'm certain not to be above them, compounded by my guard being gone. Was he a welcomed guest?"

[Ashari]

"We take care of ourselves." Parmina murmered reluctantly. "Life in the palace is generally good, it's just sometimes..." Her voice trailed off. She could feel Jadmai's heart beating through his chest as he thought. The rapid thudding reverberated through her shoulders.

"Maybe he wandered off while you were asleep?" The slave girl questioned. "It doesn't matter now." She shifted beneath his strong arms. "I should go. No one knows you were involved, they will know I was supposed to be there." Parmina wriggled out of his grasp and sat up to face him, wrapping the sheet around her disrobed figure, the soft linen clung to her curves. "If I go, then they will catch me, but you will be safe." Her dark eyes, rimmed with thick lashes, lifted upwards to his.

"The Rafao called him an inconvenience, but not so much as to have him killed..." Parmina was a bit of a confidant to the leader, in the same fashion as the members of the famed Red Rose Guild of the Citadel. "He wouldn't have taken the chances of killing a dignitary of Terra Incognita. He has been trading with them, he wouldn't do it, even if he was only of minor importance in the scheme of things."

"But, if I go, then you will be fine, Master Jadmai. You've saved my life, I am now indebted to you."

[Jadmai]

"Right..." Was all Jadmai said about not wanting to have the man killed. He was already feeling manipulated, so he was rather hesistant to believe what Parmina said, even if she thought she was telling the truth.

"If you think you must go, then by all means do so. But, I can readily assure you that getting yourself killed, would by no means pay the debt back. It would make what I did, meaningless, if you were to just go and get killed anyways."

Sighing, rather sure that this type of indebtness was rather ingrained in her, he simply got up and walked to the door. "He's a mess, I don't see how anyone could think that you would have the strenght to do such a thing." He whispered. "You should be careful, and remember what I said about your debt."

[Ashari]

Parmina was kind of surprised Jadmai was just going to let her walk off to her death with so little to say. Her brows knotted into the center of her forhead as she listened to the hesitation in his voice. "Right? What do you mean 'right...'?" She imitated the inflection of his tone.

"It isn't like I want to be killed or anything, I just have a better chance of talking my way out of it than you do, so I was just saying..." Her voice had picked up in speed as her nerves were teetering toward the brink.

As Jadmai stood up and walked to the door Parmina's eyes lowered to the floor. He's kicking me out... A sick feeling overcame her. My life was fine, living well, even if I am a slave, and now I've got a dead body to attempt to explain. "I'll go then." Parmina swallowed hard, her head spinning both with the blood loss and the way her world had been changed. Standing from the bed she wrapped the sheet around her tightly and walked over to the door. Reaching the threshold she pulled it open slightly and then opened it fully to walk outside. The soft sound of her feet hitting the floor went down the hallway and to the stairs where he soon lost the sound.

Jad was left to his own devices in his tower room. Parmina had left the bloodied robe in his room, and it sat in a crumpled mass on the floor near the bed.

[Jadmai]

Jadmai stood in silence for a bit after Parmina left, and shook his head. "Arguing with a slave like I was married."

He then looked down at the bloody sheet. Great, now what I supposed to do with that. The dark elf just picked it up, and crumpled it laying it back on the bed.

Shaking his head at the whole situation he decided he would much rather be outside of his room right now than inside, not knowing who was coming up the stairs to him.

Waiting a few burns after Parmina left he would step outside his door, leaving it open, and sit on the steps, and lean against the wall. His loose fitting clothes were quite comfortable, and he felt strange as he tucked his knees to his chest, that the comfort of his clothes was the foremost thing on his mind.

[Ashari]

Outside the hallway was empty, a cool ocean breeze blew across the sands as dusk feel. Quickly and silently Jadmai's guard came up the stairs, and once he reached the top flight he nearly jumped out of skin at seeing the dark adhiel sitting outside his door. "What in the name of Uphuron are you doing out of your room?!" His tunic and armor looked dishevelled. He was by no means the upright and proper looking guard he had been earlier. A crimson flush had come into his cheeks, perhaps from the jog up the stairs.

"You are supposed to be in there until retrieved for your visit in the city. Wasn't that slave girl going to come up in a few marks or something?" He asked, but then he caught sight of the window and his face showed a sign of realization at the darkness outside.

"Alright, a deal. I won't tell anyone you left the confines of your room, if you don't tell anyone I wasn't at my post." His dark brown eyes were hoping the barter would be agreed upon. "Shake on it?" He asked, reaching out a hand, both to help Jad up and to seal the deal. Oh, by all the gods in the heavens...

[Jadmai]

Jadmai shrugged, "I'm not the one who is supposed to be keeping track of slaves around here."

He then took the mans hame and helped himself up, "I guess we can have an accord then." He said flatly.

Jadmai was about to turn into his room, but then acted as if he had an afterthought. "Oh, I was out here because I thought I heard something. Thought maybe you were in trouble or something. I assume there are those in the palace who are appalled by my prescense, to say the least. Even if they wouldn't say it aloud to anyone."

"If there something I can do? Your Rafao saved me from the vultures having a meal of broiled dark elf."

[Ashari]

"No, I suppose that isn't your job. Figured you'd keep track of a pretty one like her though." The guard seemed relieved at Jadmai's acceptance of the proposal. He casually shook the dark adhiel's hand, he had the strong grip of a warrior, but not so much as to crush someone's bones.

"Heard something, eh? Like what?" The guard wondered what would cause the adhiel alarm. "You are right, there are many who think your host is much to gracious, giving you a room offered to nobles of distant lands." He shrugged loosely. "I don't see the difference - dark adhiel, adhiel, human, gnome - they are all the same in my eyes. I was only miffed because I was supposed to have the next few days off."

"I thought you wanted to go see the city tonight?" He asked. "Should we go find Parmina?" The guard realized he had used her name, which he hadn't particularly meant to do. "Or not, if you don't want her type around."

[Jadmai]

A rather dark thought crossed his mind about how all the sudden Parmina was welcomed, but Jadmai let it pass.

"No, there is no need for the slave girl. I'm sure she is entertaining others. Besides you never pick up women when you have one clinging on you. Human woman...are they all that they are made out to be?" He said laughing as he backed into his dark room.

"I'm just going to change."

He left the door open and went to wear he left his own clothes, slowly putting on his britches and taking his time with his armor, he was running possible explanations through his mind.

The Rafao doesn't want me blabbing about a slaughter of elves.

"Dead men tell no tales." He said to himself.

Taking Parmina and the guard killing her, would make look like savage he was probably already seen as. Indeed, it was best for her not to come along.

Arming himself in his usual concealed fashion, he stepped out the door.

"I'm ready when you are."

[Ashari]

The guard seemed to relax as Jadmai took on a joking tone. "Well, the city women are, yeah. Fast and easy." He laughed as the adhiel backed into the room to change. Hanging back around the door he waited for his charge to reappear.

"Wow. You don't mess around with the gear." He said dimly as Jad stepped out of the room into the hall. Lifting his hand the guard casually ran it over his bald tanned skull.

"Well, I'm ready now." He said and then walked off, leading the adhiel toward the stairs and then down them. In a few burns they made their way into the open foyer. The ceiling above stretched for as far as the eyes could see as intricate drawings laced the walls and told the stories of past battles.

Torches now lit the walls instead of the open windows. The light of Uphuron had descended to the point that without candlelight this place might've been like Gulanadur. Several magical orbs, 'hanging' from the ceiling helped the illumination. They were like miniature suns casting down rays onto the milling priests and pages below.

Out of the cavernous hall the pair emerged into the great walkway across the moat. The Golden Path glittered above that of the regular planks for the palace residents not of great ancestry.

At dusk the city came alive in a different way than most. Those who lived in the sun all day were more than relieved as it began to dissapear. Almost all of the merchant stands were closed, except for those catering to the needs of slaves, who were just finishing their own day of work. The streets were filled with gossip, even more than in midday. Now they could speak freely without their oppressive God staring them down.

The cold air wouldn't wash across them for several marks, and the city always stayed warmer than the open desert. Hot food and drink were available everywhere. Any market stall that had sold gold and silver to foreigners before now sold boiled tea leaves and roasted meat to the citizens of the island.

As opposed to tradetide, the streets were not full of people of every type. Now many were of human decent, and merchants at that. However, many slaves meandered through easily enough, with no negative reprocussions because of their status. Smells of spices and the heat of flames were everywhere. Grabbing a few small lanterns the guardsman handed on to Jadmai. "Not sure if you'll need this, but it's good to have in any event."

Women bustled about, un chastized by their children, as they had already been pushed into their beds, or atleast, into the solace of their rooms. Here, in the Foreigner's Court, it seemed all were welcome. "And here you have it, Jadmai, our city. Would you care to go anywhere special?"

[Jadmai]

Jadmai looked down at his clothes, or rather armor, and noticed for the first time in his life that not every common person went out on the streets for a night on the town wearing a what he wore.

"Maybe I should--" He thought he should change, but he realized no matter how much clothing he put on he would still feel naked unless something protective was over him.

"It's habit." He said. "I think our bazaars' might be a little different from yours." He finished with a shrug.

He started to follow the guard, and smirked, "Besides, I'm the size of small human woman, I need all the tough looking stuff I can get."

Over the time Jadmai had under the harsh sun the people worked here he almost had gotten used to it...almost. So as he followed the guard the chill in the air made him twitch his neck a little, but it felt good.

The setting of the sun was not the time of day Jadmai was used to, and it confused him a little. He worried if the Moonlady was out yet, so he took a glance skyward, but the sky-sickness his kind suffered suddenly smacked him, and he staggered for a second until he caught his balance and took the latern.

"Yeah, yes, I will need this." He said as he took the latern. "Myths about pure breed of our kind aren't true. We can't see in the dark, we do need light. And we don't eat any babies or any of that rubbish...or I guess...I would if I was extremely hungry or something, and it was an extreme situation...you get my point."

Jadmai wandered over to one of the stands and wandered how he would be reacted to.

"Tea." He said in common, though it was more like he accidently spat it out. "And that." He said pointing to some meat. He placed the coins needed on the table and smiled as in Gulanadur one would never do that if they wanted what they were buying.

Jadmai waited for his drink, and swing his latern slightly back and forth, "I don't know, ya got inns here? Taverns? That sort of thing? Not many of us make it to the surface, I'm wondering what will happen when an elf that looks like he has been left out in the soon for a few hundred years comes waltzing in with a big and mighty guard."

[Ashari]

The guard laughed outright at Jadmai's comment of his size. He had always been a rather large muscled youth, how different to be that size. "Well, in your defense, I never fought harder with anyone than I did with my little sister. Your size makes you a dangerous foe, worked for her anyway." A bright smile lit the guard's face as he recalled tussling with the young girl before she reached an age where that was considered inappropriate.

Making their way through the city Jadmai's bodyguard paused as he ordered tea and roasted meat. As the temperature dropped around them steam could easily be seen rising off of the savory meat which was handed over to the dark adhiel as well as the glass of tea, both brought a serene warmth through the body. Spices littered the flesh of the camel meat and the tea was a acrid leaf sweetened with honey to leave a softer aftertaste.

"Not able to see in the dark, hmm? I'd heard something about it but never gave the rumor much credit. I mean, you've got those purple rivers in your homeland, right?" For a dim guardsman he knew quite a bit. "Eating babies?!" He looked at Jadmai with a somewhat shocked edge. "No, I would assume you eat babies. I mean, orcs, yeah, sure.. but not dark adhiels."

A smile edged on his lips as Jad spoke of it being only something that could happen in an extreme situation. "Right, of course. All kinds of things occur in bad situations, I guess if I were desperate..." He stopped himself realizing he was about to say 'I would eat a baby, too. "Yeah, I get the point." He nodded.

"Oh yeah, plenty of taverns." The guard was glad to change the subject. "All depends on what you're looking for. I mean, on the seedier side there's the Bad Omen, but aside from that there's Yabal's.. The Golden Ram. Quite the place, dancing girls and usually a great time to be had."

He looked at his dark adhiel charge and his brows knotted. "You know, Amun Rah sort of has the appearance of being rather... discriminatory..." he paused, usure if that was the word he was really looking for. "But really, there are plenty of all different races here all the time. Popular vacation spot, especially for nobles. I must admit the only dark adhiels I've seen have been slaves though." He shrugged. "In my defence, the only halfling I've seen was a slave as well. Not that is really a good defense, now that I think about it."

[Jadmai]

Jadmai tore at his food and nodded towards the guard, "Yes, an orc, I mean--I've never met one--but, I have never really heard anyone speak of an orc friend they have. Nope...never heard any speak well of them."

Jadmai sipped his tea and pondered for a moment about the slavery comment, "Well, I guess that would put us on the other end of spectrums--" The dark hued fellow said staring into his tea, "about slavery. A few days ago I had only seen beings that look like me, and when I left Gulanadur the only humans I saw were slaves."

He smiled slightly, "It's a sight that will take time to adjust to, but give me twenty to fourty yahren, I should be able to handle it, and maybe the sun as well." Jadmai shook his head, "Lets not get ahead of ourselves, we will go with the social part first."

"The Golden Ram, huh? Like to say that sounds exotic, but it sounds like a bad statue. But I will trust on this one...since I am doing so with my life as well, I don't see the harm in trusting you on a tavern choice. So, yes, The Golden Ram, sounds grand."

[Ashari]

"Nah, me neither. Though.. I heard something about this orc body guard once, I'm sure it was merely a tall tale, however." The guard shrugged and kept walking through the market.

Jadmai's bodyguard was visibly shocked at his statement about slavery. "You only keep human slaves?" He 'hmmed' and thought a moment. "I guess that makes Amun Rah an equal oppertunity slave recruitment spot." The young man grinned. "I've seen most any race working the fields or doing heavy lifting for their owner. The owners aren't all necessarily human either. We've got plenty of adhiels in high positions throughout court."

"Yeah, the Golden Ram is the spot to be, but we passed the road it's on. Come on back this way toward the palace. It's a bit closer to the center of the city." He turned on his heel and lead Jadmai onward. It didn't take long before they reached the offshooting road that lead to the brightly lit tavern, dubbed 'Anurith's Golden Ram' "The tavern has changed hands several times since Anurith owned it, and now resides in the ownership of the quickly risen to fame merchant, Yabal. Most know him from his days as a fighter in the arena.. he's no one to mess around with. It's been a few yahren since then, but he's not gotten soft in that time." Candles and torches lit the entire outside of the impressive tavern. Inside the windows thousands of candles glittered and waved.

"Here we go." He opened the door into the large common room where almost every table was filled with men of every race, mostly all of well to do background, high merchants, second son's of nobility. No matter their station, no matter their race, they were all watching the stage with the same wide eyes and appreciation. Men were men, and all of them watched the dancing girls, scandily clad in layers of sheer fabrics of bright reds and purples, with equal interest. The women's bodies were ideally shaped, long legged and curvy. Golden sequins the size of small coins hung around their waists and along the hem of their bust, catching the candle light and playing golden reflections across the crowd and over the ceiling. It was warm in here, a contrast to the outdoors where the desert night was deadly. The scent of hot stew being passed out by waiters in their crimson vests hung in the air along with the burning of the fire on the other side of the room. "Welcome to the Golden Ram..." The guard said, his eyes fixated on the stage as one of the girls moved to the beat of a drum laced with a lute being played.

[Jadmai]

Jadmai shrugged slightly, "Eh, don't worry, I don't see humans as just slaves...and that would be mostly because I would work as hard as they did, but I got paid...or at least that's what they called it. I think slavery though has been abolished since I have left."

As the door opened Jadmai instintively took a step back, any abrupt change in light, sent daggers into his eyes. But, he slowly the pulled his blindfold over his eyes, and let himself adjust.

As he heard the guard speak, he looked over, "Thank you." He muttered in common, and then noticed the guards eyes were occupied elsewhere. He grinned slightly and gave a quick wave of his hand in the guards peripheral vision and shook his head.

"Well, at least we know those dancers are safe." He said to his guard.

He shuffled inside and leaned against the wall, "I don't suppose you can drink on duty?" He said as he looked around for a barmaid.

As he continued to look about he changed the subject to one of more seriousness, "The Rafao, rather powerful fellow I noticed. Ruling a country usually merits one that status. But I was wondering--you think he could muster up away for to get dark adhiel back into Gulanadur." He paused for moment thinking to himself, "Because let me tell you, it is rather hard to get out of that place--I have scars to prove it--but I think getting back inside, would be quite the challenge."

[Ashari]

The waving quickly caught the guards attention. "Sorry, I don't get many evenings off." He stepped off to the side to follow his mark to the wall. "Yes, I will use all of my capabilties if necessary to make sure each and every one of those girls stays out of harms way. Though, probably not necessary. Yabal quite easily defends the ladies when needed.

"Drink? No, I'm afraid I'll be sticking to waters tonight." He sighed. This was supposed to be his night off, and yet here he was being tantalized by the tavern atmosphere. Oh sweet irony...

"The Rafao can do anything. He is the chosen one." A blind follower. "If it was so difficult to leave, and you have scars from the task, then why go back?" He asked. It didn't really make sense.

One of the vested waiters noticed their entrance and walked over to the pair. He was a very young man, wiry and slim. "There are still a few seats left at the bar, guys. You can go ahead and take a seat if you want, or stand if you'd like. Yabal will take care of you over there, or I'll be back in a flicker." He grinned and continued on with the tray of meads he was carrying.

[Jadmai]

"We'll go up to the bar, thank you." He said, and then began walking across the bar, and sat down. "Ah, some wine please--the darker the better...no...pun...intended."

Jadmai waited for his drink and shrugged at the guards question, "No, I didn't mean any disrespect to the Choosen One." He then paused for a moment thinking about the question the guard just posed, "Can't really give a sensible answer as to why I would want to go back. There some things I need to. And I was...ripped from the place quite suddenly. Many from Gulanadur try to leave, sometimes it's just the fact that you can't that makes you want...or at least that is what is was in my case. I couldn't do something so I wanted to. But it still is home."

Jadmai then turned to the bartender, and told him to get whatever his guard would like.

[Ashari]

The guard followed and ordered a water as well as a some bread from Yabal. Nodding he thought he understood what Jadmai was getting to. "Yes, I think I know what you mean. The urge was more because you couldn't do it. The way slaves want to leave Amun Rah, but then once they are freed they live the rest of their days here. Similar, I think."

Yabal handed Jad his drink and the water to the bodyguard. "Here ya go, a strong ale for ye." He offered a quick grin and then turned to another customer wanting mead.

"So then..." The guard started again. "You miss your homeland? Or do you miss someone in particular?" He asked with growing interest in the dark adhiel. He knew very little of Gulanadur in general aside from what he had read of it.

[Jadmai]

Jadmai took a large gulp of the ale, and swallowed enjoying a good drink, in a nice place, as if he was taking in the whole experience with the ale. He took a glance a the dancing figures, which weren't much from behind a blindfold, but at least he could see the outlines.

After a moment of thought, a sardonical smile, half smile really just raisng one corner of his mouth. "That's about it." He said about being a slave. "I spent a good part of life wondering what I could find up here, now that I am here..." Jadmai just shrugged.

He took another swallow and went on, "Well, of course, as dark adhiel, my first choice would not have been to surface in Amun Rah. Though this island is nice, that is not what I am trying to say--what I mean is the hardest part about the whole surfacing thing is the sun and the open sky. And Amun Rah has defintely got plenty of that. I've heard you are supposed to coax yourself into getting used to it, from another one who surfaced and lives in Taq, I hear. This is far from that." He said with a light-hearted laugh.

"I don't know why I feel the urge to go back." He tilted his mug up drained it. "Besides the physical aspect of things, sunlight and such, all of the bad things that are supposed to happen don't. It sounds like once you leave Gulanadur, the first person who sees you will stone you to death. And, actually, one of the first humans I met, gave me a suite in a palace and lovely servant girl."

Jadmai placed his mug on the table, and nodded towards Yabal for another, "No complaints about that though."

"Like I said though," Jadmai went on with a shrug, "I don't know why. There is no one there for me, I've got family, but we don't speak. I had a friend, but I rather sure she died. And...there is this merchant house, Elamshin, shortly before I...left...Gulanadur, I went there asking for a job. I can't say the interview went well, as the guards beat me into submission, then hung me up by my feet over some coals. Thankfully I don't remember the rest." Jadmai then fixed his eyes blankly on the bar in front of him, most would think he was spacing out, but in fact he was deep in thought. "I think I would like to pay them a visit."

"Sorry, I am babbling. Well, suffice to say that if one lived on Pan's Isle itself, one can hardly just stroll into the Gulanadur. But that is putting the cart three days ahead of the horse. If I want to go home, I first have to cross a desert, which I can't do now and will only last a few hours after my water supply does. And I have no idea what direction Pan's Isle is in, for all I know I would end up heading towards the far east. Then of course there is the matter of getting on a boat, which by the way, shifting sand alone makes my stomach churn. Then I have to get to Pan's Isle, not get spotted by any damn Gulanadurian Trail Hunters, or scare any group of Panlings enough to for them to do something about me. Oh! Yes, and I almost forgot, the entrance is guarded by centaurs."

Jadmai took his refilled mug, and lifted in front of him, "Those centaurs...I tell ya." He then took a swig.

"So, as you can see, I'm gonna need some help." He said with a smug smile with his understatement.

[Ashari]

The guard laughed. "No, I suppose Amun Rah isn't the most likely of places for you to end up." He shook his head and took a deep gulp of the water before him. "But, Yes, I've heard of Taquar. The city in the trees. I imagine it must be much cooler, and less sunny, under a canopy of such large branches. I could see that being easier to adjust to."

Truthfully, the guard couldn't imagine living in an underground lair with no sunlight. The sound of it was appaling, he enjoyed the light of Uphuron, and thought it to be invigorating. Even a land of trees was slightly unnerving.

"Trail hunters, Panlings and Centaurs. Sounds like quite a few obstacles indeed." He nodded. "But, you sound rather resolved to getting back, so, I guess you'll overcome it. Men with a passion often break through impenetrable walls."

Another sip of his drink followed as he looked at Jad. "Well, I've no doubt that the Rafao would help you in a way he saw fit. The fact that He has already given you a room and a servant, and a bodyguard speaks much of how He views you. So, I would hold faith in that." He nodded. "Perhaps you should think of what you actually request of Him."

"As far as the things in the Isle are concerned.. I didn't even really believe Centaurs existed. Are they as huge and fearsome as has been told in stories?" He tilted his head to the side slightly, and inquisitive edge to his tone.

[Jadmai]

"Yes." Jadmai said emphaticly to the question about Centaurs. His mind filled with the distorted images of his first attempt to escape Gulanadur, and encountering the beasts. The idea that this would be his second attempt to 'escape' back into Gulanadur did not set in, until he leaned against the bar and felt the scar tissue on his back. "I think if we take myself, you, Yabal over there, and a couple of other big fellows, we could wrestle one down. I would much rather avoid them." Jadmai said with exaggerated nod.

"Yes, I would need the Rafao's help on getting back, but he has already been far too generous. I believe he will want something in return, and if not, I believe, though I have little to offer that to a man with his own county, I would feel in his debt." Jadmai pursed his lips and thought for a moment. "I also would not want him to think me ungrateful, of course."

"Perhaps, when we have time, we can make arrangements." Jadmai said nodding.

"Talk for another time. Right now, this blindfold is really hindering of what I see of dancing female figures. The outlines are nice, but details are quite skewed."

[Ashari]

"They are that big?" He said with astonishment tainting his tone. The guard had seen the half-giants, but even they could be taken down with just two good sized men. "They sound like quite the warriors."

"I'm sure the Rafao will be just when hearing your request. He will probably want to have an audience with you soon anyway, if you are staying in the palace."

Jad's bodyguard looked over at the dancing women. "Too bad, you're missing quite the show." He quickly took a sip of his water. "Sometimes I wish Yabal weren't so noble about them, I don't doubt they would do most anything for another banner, but he says 'I'm not running a brothel, if you are looking for that then gimmie a lance and I'll get you a sheep for the night'. Atleast I haven't seen anyone take him up on the offer, that's a relief." He laughed heartily at this and rested against the bar.

"Do you want to see more of Abu`Sahir?" It was strange to act as bodyguard and tourguide at one time.