16 - BETTER?

Rory: "Are you sure she has not passed by the gate?"

Rory was looking at his captain of the southeastern gate with a bit of concern. Eve had seemingly disappeared from the city and none of the guards of either gate had seen her go. If this had been anyone else... he would of paid it little attention. but ever since that day...

Guard Captian: "No Sir! we have not seen her since the day she came back to town after the hydra incident..."

Rory: "Very well cap..."

Joel: "Hey! Manec! let me borrow a few coins for drinks later!"

Manec: "How could you of used up all that money already Joel?"

These voices echoed through the wall near where the guard Capitan and Rory were meeting.

Joel: "But I was winning! how was I supposed to know that they had drawn a better hand?"

Rory: "Captian... how big is that guard's salary to be gambling it away?"

Guard Captian: "That is..."

Joel: "Well it doesn't matter anyway! not like that demi-mutt would have spent the money better then I did!"

Rory: "Captian, bring that soldier here for a moment..."

Guard Captian: "Right away Sir!"

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Rory: "So soldier... I heard what you said through the wall... care to explain where you got the money and from which "demi-mutt?" you meant?"

Joel: "..."

Rory: "Not going to answer? ... Fine... Captian, give this soldier 30 lashes then inform him that he is no longer part of the guard."

Joel: "But sir! why do you side with those mutts anyway?! Despite the times you asked that mutt Garm he never joined the guard. what did he do to deserve that kind of treatment!"

Rory: "Soldier... your a human. Do you think because of being a human you are able to push others that are not like you around? Your suppose to be..."

(Rory: "better? better than what? demi-humans?") Rory sighs

Rory: "Just take him away captain..."

Better... It was a common trend in human cities not just his own. The belief that humans are better than demi-humans. After all humans live in cities and demi-humans live in nomad tribes. Even with Ingrian city being only 30 years old having been founded by his father there are too few demi-humans living in the city. The idea that "Humans were better" existed even here. Rory traveled a lot of the northern country of Bismuth seeing many of the Demi-human tribes... Rory saw how they survived in areas that would be clear green fields of grass in one area to snow-covered evergreens and mountain caps in the next field over. The Demi-humans did not have cities because they needed to follow their food sources instead of growing crops as most human lands in the south allow for.

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(Rory: "Better than them?)

Rory remembered Eve's figure as she drove off the hydra... how she stopped his soldiers from getting themselves killed following his orders... Or the time she sat simply enjoying the music of the camp as she hummed along with a tune. From her feelings of wanting to protect the soldiers to the enjoyment of music... She acted just like any human would.

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Eve laid down on a hill overlooking the limestone caverns. She had already reported to Tyrian what she found in the cave. It seemed some of the imps had memories of the mint mushrooms she found earlier. Most of their contact involved vomiting blood and bleeding from the ears as they collapsed to the ground. It seemed the imp's physiology did not take well to cold poisons of the mushrooms.

After Eve had handed the Mushroom to Tyrian, his scouts turned it into a fine powder and placed it in small clay jars. The Jars were then tossed at a group of patroling imps as the soldiers easily handled them. After a few tests Eve went and gathered more for in case they run into more imps and the scouts left to return to Ingrian while she decided to stay and keep watch.

Eve thought about the demon's memories, They had come from the south sea... theirs were not the only ship sent... Several even landed on the same peninsula as these demons but got wiped out by the monsters in the deeper parts of the jungles before they had finally set up in the limestone caves. Their tribe the Gath had conquered many other demon tribes... They seemed to believe that their women should only be used for breeding to make more warriors and had even captured women from other tribes... The Gath had all but conquered their continent, a land of Volcanic ash, and swamplands to the south. With little else to conquer they made ships to look for new lands to set up footholds to foreign lands. Fortunately, they had not sent back word yet of their little fort they were making in the limestone caves... They also did not know about Ingarian or they would have conquered it first...

But now...

Without a Queen to control them the Imps began to turn on their handlers and in no time all the demons were ripped apart by the swarming imps. The Imps had lost all their guidance and were now slowly drifting away from the caves a few at a time. Hopefully with the Cold poison the guards would be able to take care of any more threats the imps may pose. Seeing that there was no danger of an organized assault on Ingrian Eve decided to return as well.

Sitting in Lotus Position Eve focused her sphere to carry her back to Ingrian... her location of choice to return to?... Her favorite fishing spot!

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Rory sat in his garden... his thoughts turned to Eve... and the soldier from before.

(Rory: "Better huh...?" *laugh* "Maybe that's why Garm never took me seriously... wonder if he could see my thoughts better than I could?")

When Eve arrived she noticed Rory deep in thought...

(Eve: "He is a bit handsome and cute when he is not paying attention.")

Eve grinned to herself, thinking of their last meeting. Eve then snuck up close to Rory from behind him until she was practically touching him. Eve faked clearing her throat with *Ahem!* causing Rory to turn around on his stool. She did not give Rory a chance to respond she placed both her arms over his shoulders and pressed her chest against his and sat on his lap before moving in and stealing his lips with a kiss. Eve had never been a shy person, once she knew she liked someone she would act.

Eve: "You looked worried about something and I could not resist! Feeling better?"

Rory utterly stunned with what happened lost himself in Eve's eyes before muttering.

Rory: "Better."