Emma made Sloane put her down when they got to the tailor's place, holding the sheet and jacket closer with a slow sigh. Limping along the rest of the way, she was careful about her ankle. "...When we're back at the inn, I'll pay you back Arturo." She stated after a moment--she felt bad for the water mage to pay for it all.

(Sloane? The cat? *blinkblink* xD Did you mean Dominic? ;D)


Arturo looked at her incredulously. "Oh, hon," he said with a chuckle. "There's no need." He wouldn't mention it was because she was a girl and that he felt bad for her for what she had gone through. Emma was a friend too.

Looking through some premade outfits that could be altered, he found a blue dress he thought would look rather well on her frame. Taking it, he held it up against her. "What do you think?"

(XD PFFT yeah. >__> Whatever xD A BROTHER! that's all I know *snorts*)

"But--Arturo.." Emma paused when the dress was held up to her, looking down a moment at it and the edges of her mouth curved in the faintest traces of a smile. "I like it..." SHe replied after a moment, glancing up as Dominic gave an approving nod as well.

Carefully, she pushed her blonde hair back over her shoulders, the familiar blue eyes glancing back up at Arturo again afterwards.Blinking, Emma furrowed her brow as she felt something strange and her fingers reached beneath the dirty, blood stained sheet to touch her inner thigh, those freckled cheeks flushing over a bright pink as she drew back to find blood. She knew her gut had been aching, but so did the rest of her body! "O-Oh dear..."

Arturo admitted he watched the vulgar move as she reached down to feel her thigh. He turned red when he realized that perhaps the blood was from a wound that he couldn't help treat. Looking away, he gave her the privacy he deemed would be necessary. Not quite sure what to do, he immediately went to find the tailor to purchase the dress.

Emma was blushing quite furiously as she moved out of the way for a bit when Arturo went to get the dress so she could. Had she felt like it, she might have complained at the boys about numerous different things--she was sore, tired, hungry and in dire need of a bath. God would a bath be wonderful.

Tearing up the edge of the already bloody and dirty sheet around her frame, she made a pair of makeshift panties to catch the blood and keep it from slipping down her leg again, cleaning her hands off on the sheet again before crossing them gently across her stomach to keep from touching anything in the shop.

With the dress purchased, he gestured the siblings on to the inn. This time, he would only rent one room. With both Dominic and himself guarding over little Emma, he was sure there would be no more kidnappings.

And if anyone tried, he would use a few spells he wasn't allowed to in regular conditions.

At the inn, he instructed for a bath to be prepared for the girl. He himself would look into washing later. For now, he would leave Dominic to guard his sister while he went out to gather some food for them.

Emma took her bath silently, allowing her brothe to sit in the room with her for the purpose of guarding over her. She took her time in the bath, it felt good, getting out and drying off with a gentle sigh, treating some of her wounds before dressing in the clothes she'd been given.

She was looking far better now, smiling faintly as they waited for Arturo to return with the food.

Arturo returned about thirty minutes later. Most of the vendors at the market had sold out of their goods for the day. With nothing fresh to feed the brother and sister, he went and purchased what he could. A few day old items was better than coming back to the inn empty handed.

Rapping at the door with his knuckles, he awaited a "come in" before entering. He passed out the food and had a seat on the bed to eat his own share.

"We need to rest some before we move." His eyes glanced around, figuring the worst for their missing companion.

"Come in." Emma called at the rapping, smiling at Arturo. She had sensed him coming and had almost opened the door for him, but her tired body was slower at the moment so she didn't quite get up in time.

When the food was passed out, she smled faintly more, though it was still sad--the smallest twinge of emotion she allowed herslef to feel. "Agreed." She replied after a pause. She knew she wouldn't be ready to fight the tribe if they found them if she wasn't well rested. She was quite exhausted as it was, eating her food slowly.

Arturo brushed his hands together to shake off the crumbs from his portion of the dry loaf. The bread and fruits were enough to satisfy his hunger for now. He moved onto one of the two beds and laid down, folding his hands behind his head. Sighing, he felt the need to question what had happened. But with Emma in the condition she was and Dominic shaken, he let them be. For now, tomorrow would come and planning would happen then. He closed his eyes to sleep.

When they finished eating, Dominic and Emma both got into the other bed. Dom had refused to let her sleep alone in fear of someone managing to get her away without them noticing in their sleep. Once they were settled, he kept his arms around her and she gave a soft sigh, she could feel him trembling softly from the shock he'd had of being captured. With a few relaxing breaths and faintly murmured words, they both lulled into a light sleep.

Arturo woke up early to get the siblings some food. He would pack enough dry goods to carry on their journey. Looking at Emma, he wondered just how they would accomplish their goal of switching her gender back to her original one. It was unfortunate how the feminine form didn't protect her from harm or provided enough of a disguise. He was more disgusted that the Tribe had treated her the way they did. They were animals in his book.

He left the room silently.

Emma had woken to Arturo leaving, though she knew he was being quiet. It was so easy to stir her now, no matter how tired she felt, she wouldn't put herself into danger again. He didn't get up, if only for the fact that Dom had a pretty good hold on her in his sleep, and she could only hope he would release her soon, less she wet herself. Shifting a bit, she huffed and pried herself free of her sibling, crawling over his sleeping form and slipping out of the room, hoping she mgiht run into Arturo on the way, he'd probably freak out if he got back and she wasn't there, then again, he'd probably scold her for wandering out on her own, but she knew how hard it was to wake Dominic! He slept like the dead all the time, she never could understand how he'd managed that.

The shuffling of footsteps at the boundary of the inn's entrance and the outside caught the water mage's attention. He was already in the distance, about to turn the corner, but still within view of the building's front. A brow arched and he changed his direction of travel to return down the path he had just come from.

"What is it, Emma? You can't be out here on your own..."

Emma had heard Arturo and her cheeks flushed a bit more as she glanced at him, waiting for the water mage to approach closer before saying anything. She knew she wasn't supposed to be out, but this was still embarrassing for her!

"I.. er.. Arturo. I have to pee." She managed out gently, bunching her fingers in the end of her top impatiently and shifting on her feet a bit. She really couldn't stand around much longer waiting.

Arturo blinked a few times. "Ah...well...w-was there no chamberpot?" he stammered, unsure of what she wanted. He was willing to escort her to the bushes and provide cover, but his rosy cheeks reflected the chagrin inundating him.

Emma couldn't possibly get much more embarrassed but she nodded and swallowed, stepping and turning back from where she came. "Sorry" was her automatic response, she felt so silly, trotting back quickly pushing the door open before slipping in after making sure everything seemed normal in there, not even checking to see if her brother was awake now or not to notcie she'd been gone before moving to go and use the chamber pot and take care of her feminine problems.

Arturo stood there, unsure if he had missed some sort of secret message. Perhaps he had misunderstood her request. Maybe it wasn't meant to be taken literally. He rubbed his confused head, perplexed on what his next move should be. Unlike war, which was so cut and dry, women were such a mystery!

Following after her, but staying outside of the room, he called out. "Did you want to accompany me, Emma?"

Emma blinked a few times when she heard Arturo, raising a brow but she did. She didn't say anything right away, cleaning herself up and getting out of there, nodding at Arturo. "Yeah, I'd like to." She said with a still slightly embarrassed smile at the water mage. Getting out of the room for a walk would be nice.

He nodded in response, assuming he had deciphered her message. With a smile, he led the way out of the inn and down the path he was traveling to the markets to purchase their food for the day. A few flirtatious winks with the baker's daughter got him loaves of bread for less. If he had more time in the area, perhaps he would've gotten to know her more than their vague dalliances.

Once at the fruit stands, he looked at his traveling partner. "What interests you?"

Emma ventured along with Arturo to the market, letting him get a hold of their food while she stood nearby alongside him. She'd noticed the mage flirt with the woman they were buying from, looking up at him momentarily but she didn't say anything, nor did she elbow him like she really wanted to, just waiting for them to move on.

At the fruit stands, she blinked a few times and glanced up at Arturo before looking at the fruit again. "Hhmm.." Thinking about it a moment, Emma pointed at a nice, soft peach with a bit of a smile. "Peaches?"

"Good choice," the stand owner stated with a grin as he looked at Emma. He offered it to her with no request for compensation. Arturo gave her head a ruffle before heading back to the inn.

Holding the door open for her, he stopped, making no move to enter. The breakfast he had gathered was handed off save for a loaf of bread. "Do you think you'll feel safe with your brother here? I think I'm going to talk to some of the townsfolk for some information."

Emma's cheeks flushed a little at the offered peach and Arturo's ruffling of her hair, smiling at the owner as she took it with a 'thank you' before going after the water mage to keep up with him, figners feeling over the fuzzy skin of her peach.

At the room, she looked a bit baffled that Arturo wasn't coming in, but she took the other food he handed her, giving a nod. "Yeah. I think we'll be fine." She stated, glancing over when Dominic began to slowly stir some, glad he was finally waking up, the lazy bugger.

After Arturo had left and the door was closed, Emma moved to sit on the edge of the bed, giving Dominic his breakfast, leaning against his side a little once he was sitting up with her while they ate.

In the west of the seemingly quiet town laid the area known as The Undergrounds. More sinister trading practices occurred alongside taverns full of alcohol and rowdy gambling. The atmosphere was almost thrilling, the rush of danger everywhere. Arturo was prepared to defend himself with sword or water magic whenever prompted. He was hoping not to. For all he knew, those who might have information he needed could lurk away, taking their secrets with them.

His breakfast was consumed quickly, giving him energy to engage in high speed conversations with those who lived the lifestyle characteristic of The Underground. They were shady, concerned with self interest, and were prone to seduction. The water mage kept a cocky attitude as he conversed with them, playing their game as he attempted to weed out anything, anything at all that could aid him.

Emma pondered silently while she ate breakfast. She wasn't supposed to leave by herself, but surely if she took Dominic with her, Arturo wouldn't be angry with her. Of course, Dominic wasn't exactly built to protect her, and she was sure that if she wasn't careful, she'd lose him in a crowd to a pretty girl. He was hopeless.

"You miss him, don't you?" Dominic asked after a moment, quietly wrapping an arm around Emma's shoulder. It'd only been a night since what happened, he was surprised he'd found the voice to ask her anything. He'd seen how she was with Denzell, the fact he did not leave the tribe's city must have been horrible for her. He'd experienced how viscious they were, he'd seen what they did to Emma, he could only imagine what they'd done to Denzell.

"...I... Don't want to talk about it, Dom." Emma swallowed and stood after a moment. Her gut ached, she wished it wouldn't. It was like pouring salt on an open wound. She didn't want to believe that Denzell was dead, perhaps she wouldn't believe that--He could still be alive, right? She doubted... she would ever see him again, but perhaps he was still alive. She looked at the ring on her right ring finger and she wished she hadn't lost the hairpin, yet again.

"Why don't we go out in a little bit? I don't know how long Arturo will be, but I'm sure there's more festivities to attend, and I don't want to hole myself up in here all day. We'll be find in a crowd." The Tribe would never hunt in a large group of people during the day. There would be too many witnesses to the act. They'd probably be safer on the streets than in a room if they thought of it that way. Dom wasn't gifted with any powers like she was. If they figured out what room she was in, they'd only need kill him and she'd be gone again. She didnt' want his life at risk too. Too many had died because of her over the past few years.

Standing, Emma pushed her blond curls back, digging out a ribbon to tie her hair back. She could have used the pin Tavri had given her, but she recalled how jealous and insecure Denzell had seemed when she'd been wearing it instead of the one he gave her. It meant so much to her, she didn't want to replace it.

They waited a while for Arturo, but when she could hear the people outside again, she dragged Dom out for some fun. She didn't want him to dwell over the horrors of that city any longer, trying to take his mind off of it with some fun at the festivities they were continuing to hold for the festival. "C'mon." She smiled meekly at him as she walked him down out of the inn so they could finish looking through the stands, as she was sure he hadn't lingered long enough the day before to get the full effects of the celebration.