The World of Rhune

Zay was content. He wasnt happy, wasnt in that much pain, and wasnt upset. All in all, it was pretty good compared to his last couple of days. But his last couple of days sucked...so that meant today was..? "I wont cut my hair. We didnt see any wanted signs or anything. Sunste, Mom, and Dad couldnt have gotten to here by now." Kari argued again. They'd been sitting for about half an hour, just resting and eating a bit, and every two minutes she announced she wasnt going to cut her hair. "Yes you are, because Mom and Dad had three more Cavalli Voltani. They could trace us in a heart beat, and you left your Serpa behind. He'll want to somehow get to you, and they'll follow him. You need to look like a native here." Kari glared at her brother and started thinking of another approach. Zay just closed his eyes, thinking what kind of hair cut he would give himself, or atleast Kari. His hair was long and an inch past his chin, and perfectly straight. Maybe he could have Kari cut it somehwat similar to Trei's cut. Short, above the ears, collar, and above the brow. If he could add the brown dye to his hair, he wouldnt be too recognizable. Kari could cut her waist long hair also to her shoulder blades, layer it, and give herself bangs. A few highlights of yellow and she'd...."What am I thinking?" Zay said to himself and shook his head. Must be the last weird drink Kari had given him, or maybe all of them. He'd had to have downed about thirteen already, not to mention all the layers of salve they'd managed to get. He looked to Kari really trying to think. That was one of her problems. She made thinking hard, while Zay acted as if it was a lax thing. That's why he was the smarter one, and she was always the one to command. Not that she actually commanded him, but it was better for her to think so. "I'll cut and dye mine if you cut and dye yours!" Kari blurted, and then covered her mouth. Big mistake, no huge mistake, that Zayde was totally going to take advantage of. "Fine. Deal, I'll take a short hair cut brown. You can go shoulder blades with brown and yellow. You're welcome," Zay breathed in again deeply and tried to clear his head. That was awkward, and Kari knew it. She was staring at him like he'd been run over. "I blame you," Kari smiled and shook her head at her brother as he picked up the scissors. "Snip, Snip," he said.

"I can believe my hair is this ugly!" Kari screamed as she looked in a bowl of water. He didnt blame her, but she was recovering a lot quicker than normal girls. Hair was prized in Caryi, and the girls there didnt take it lightly. "Atleast you still have hair. I feel like I'm bald." Zay hadnt looked at his hair cut, but he'd seen a lock of the now deep brown hair that covered his head. Not to mention it was so short, his father wouldnt recognize him. "Here, it looks fine enough. Just because you have blond highlights over shorter brown hair it's the end of the world," Zay rolled his eyes and tossed Kari the brush, purposely hitting her on the head. "Wake-up time," he called, walking around in his new boots. They fit perfectly, somehow, like the rest of his new outfit. Though Kari had forgotten tunics, which would have helped him.."Let's go, its near afternoon and I dont want to stay here tonight. Too much of a bad feeling." Zayde ran his fingers through his short hair, forgetting it wasnt long and sleek like he'd had it all his life. "I know, but you get to clean up. I'm fixing my hair," Kari took the scissors and snipped her bangs straight and somehwhat layered the sides of hair around her face. The only straight part of her hair was the back, which Zay had barely mustered. She poured more water into the bowl while Zay packed the clothes and blankets. He looked around the small camp. He'd cleaned most stuff up, but there were long locks of hair scattered all over. "Kari, your hair seriously sucks somtimes." Zay started grabbing locks and flicking them into the fire carelessly. "Those are all yours," Kari wasnt really paying attention. "Of course,  I want to get there as soon as possible," Zay urged, looking at the bags. They had only a cooking knife, and Karillian's bow and arrows as weapons. He wasnt an idiot, and neither were the guards that stood at the gates they'd have to pass through. "Why are we even going back to that lame prince anyways? We're perfectly fine here. Its not like we're short of money or anything. Plus, it'd just be so much less heart ache." Kari complained, "How many times are you going to complain. I swear, infront of someone else, you could convince them your some vicious warrior guy who will kill them in a second. In my presence, I have to deal with a spoiled teenage brat who's hobby is to complain and make my life miserable." Zay tightened a strap and started stomping out the fire. "You got that all right," Kari said, still not really paying attention, but Zay knew she wasnt completely teasing. They both knew he'd got the first accusation spot on. "Let's go, You're hair's fine if you braid it. And your bangs came out fine. They look kind of like multi colored carmel..." Karillian glared at her twin. She hated carmel while he loved it. It was too sticky and looked like mud...not to mention it was way too sweet. "Okay, so maybe like a peanut butter chocolate bar or somthing, but what ever. We need to go; now, " Kari had smiled at the chocolate bar part, but then looked at her brother peevishly. "Really?" "Yeah," Zay took the chance and swiped the bowl of clear water from Kari, putting out the fire with it and sticking it in a saddle bag. "Fine, better get out of my way," Kari pulled her new boots on and her cloak, getting up and shoving her way past Zayde. "Whatever, as long as your moving, I'm mutually happy," Zay tightened the last bag and slipped his cloak on. Nearly the only thing he'd brought with him from Caryi. His sister raised an eyebrow, "Mutually?" "Yeah, cause no one could be completely happy with you, in either of your forms." Zay slipped onto his Cavalli Voltani and his sister copied. "Good, that's the way I like it,"

             Zay looked at his quiet sister as they trotted up the trail, five minutes from the outer wall. She hadnt complained for twenty minutes out of the thirty minute journey. He thought it was a personal record of hers. Kari shivered and pulled her cloak closer to herself, her now lighter brown hair streaked with blonde and short flipped around her head in the slight wind from the motion of the horses. His own hair, well, he couldnt feel. How could someone want such hair? It felt horrible. "There's doom, chance, and annoyance all rolled into one. Add in some aggression and you got yourself a mixed pot of soup. Maybe gumbo, that stuff is really good, ya know?" Kari said, efficient but providing a way to relieve the stress that felt like a boulder hanging over them by a string. That was one of Kari's best quialities, and one he was thankful for right now. They urged they're mounts a little faster, nervous just to get into the castle. Luckily, the first two gates were a breeze. The guards just had watched their every move with cool eyes, but let them pass into the next. After about two minutes of riding after the second gate, they slowed down. The twins walked up to the wall where a wagon was stopped and was being checked. Kari breathed in, and Zay looked over. Typical Kari to swearing under her breath, that was one of her bad qualities. He watched as a guard approached them without an expression. Probably bored out of his mind Zay thought realisticlly. "Please step off your Cavalli Voltani, and I will check your bags." He said in a monotone voice, and Kari snickered silently behind his back, but reluctanly stepped off her mount and stood next to Zay. "How's the leg?" she whispered, and fained interest in her boots. "Fine enough, I've been riding so no weight on it. Plus, after all that vile stuff you shoved down my throat it had better feel better." Zay mumbled and watched as the guard checked through their bags, scrambling up all the stuff they'd packed without a second glance. He looked through Zay's last saddle bag and took out the knife, looking at him. "This will have to stay with us, and that bow in your bag will also. Not to mention the Cavalli Voltani..." The guard seemed to have a little life in him now, he got to confiscate somthing. Cause that was just so interesting. Zay felt his twin stiffen and heard her teeth grit. "We will get it back? You see, we dont live on this side of Andato, and have come on the prince's request for the Cavalli Voltani, good sir. And those are our only weapons, they see us through everything." You got that right Kari thought bugged by the guard. Just let us go Kari felt like yawning, and wondered if it would bug the guard. Atleast he didnt seem to have any idea who they were. "You'll have to find that out when you leave, next!" He motioned for the two to get a move on and another person took their rides. "You wish for your stuff?" he asked, and Zay looked to his sister. "Yeah, what the hay," Kari said, glad her brother had switched to the native language before, reminding her. The short person nodded, holding the reins of the creatures, while Kari and Zay grabbed the good stuff. Food, money, water, Zay the herbs and an extra pair of clothes. Kari, her dress and another pair of clothes. All the rest wasnt nessecary. They turned away when they were done, not saying anything to the guard and walking away with an air of importance and intimidation. "Wait, if you are here for Prince Trei del Sol, they were must wait here while we recieve permission. It is only natural," The guard walked away but shot glances at the annoyed Kari whose face looked like it's pure hate glare was as common as her smile. It was probably more common with her. Zay leaned against the wall, closing his eyes and shoving his hands into the pockets of his new breeches. His leg hurt bad, again, but its not like that was new. And on the bright side, he would be stronger and better from this. With an ugly scar, if your leg is usable at all. Not to mention it will haunt you all the time. Zay thought of the bad side. "Ya know, this place really sucks. Not to mention its cold and wet and dreary; did I mention it sucks?" Kari elbowed her brother with the smallest smile that sort of made his day. "Now just to get to the prince, and who knows? The world may be a little brighter," "Or a lot darker. Sunste and Aei could be anywhere, and this could be a huge trap." Kari dampened her twin's mood. "Then we'll just have to escape, again.

Sunste looked over the water, onto the dock, and at the land of Andato. His fiance' was hiding somwhere here, even though she didnt consider herself his fiance that's what she was. What a kick she would get out of Xirra, where women werent much more than dirt, but back on track. She could only have been here a day and a half, and she wouldnt be missing for long. If he got the Andato monarchs on his side, he would find her in no time. "Captian, sir, we're docking in five minutes, captian," Sunste looked on his first mate with dislike. "Have everything ready, I want no time wasted between here and the monarchs. Karillian will be coming home soon," "Aye, Aye, captian," the first mate started bellowing orders, making Sunste hate him more. He was so annoying and didnt do hardly what he, Sunste, wanted. He did it his way, the annoying way. Sunste sighed. He was a horrible first mate.

Sunste walked off the gang plank on his personal stallion, whom he called Slate. The rider and horse walked off with respect and dignity, and started trotting towards the palace without another word. Aei was on the ship, confined to her chambers, and most of his orders were being taken care of. Whipping would be good enough to punish those who didnt take care of the orders.