[img]http://i.imgur.com/MMhK4f8.png[/img] [img]http://i.imgur.com/KdKNvud.png[/img]

"You caused a... scene? When you, er... when you left, Angora." Iridiel's voice rose above the quiet crackling of the nascent fire in their new campsite - despite her inadequate grasp of Rodorian, she was quietly pleased with her ability to hold a conversation with the natives of this land. At least, Angora didn't seem to mind her halting speech - perhaps unsurprising, really, given how Angora hadn't really been able to communicate since her possession, and was likely relieved to have someone to talk to. Angora, for her part, gave a small chuckle and shrugged, the thick cloak around her body masking all but the most obvious movements - though it sure was warm. Angora sat with her knees set firmly against her chest with only her arms, shoulders and head exposed to the elements, the cloak wrapped about her almost as a cocoon, a shield against the winds, and she chewed hungrily on the salted ham that Iridiel had cut for her. [i]Give the woman some credit, she does know how to cook... and make a fire.[/i] Angora thought to herself as she watched the fire begin to catch. 
	"I don't know if it was just fear or simply me not wanting to stand there in such a state, to be honest." Angora began, not moving her gaze away from the fire, which had by now started to radiate some small amount of heat. "The younger one with black eyes just unnerved me... almost like looking into the eyes of a demon, you know? I know he's probably not a demon, but still, it's not right to look at someone and they look back at you with no colour in their eyes."
	"Unnerved?" Iridiel inquired, unsure what the word meant.
	"Oh, erm... it makes you feel a bit strange to be around them. Didn't really fill me with confidence. I think they're called... what is it, a nightwalker? The older one, though, he seemed like a nice chap. He made me feel more at ease." Iridiel nodded in agreement, chuckling to herself as she continued cutting meat. "And the little woman with the white hair and white eyes-" 
	"The one on your back trying to strangle you?" Iridiel gave a wry smile.
	"Yes, her!" Angora giggled and shook her head. "She was a tenacious one, let me tell you... She was like a little dog with a slipper, she was that difficult to shift. She was a daywalker, I think." There was a pause, punctuated only by the crackling of the fire and Angora trying to remember if she was right. "Or they're the other way around, I don't really remember. It's been a long time since I've even heard of either of them, let alone seen one."
	"I thought she was a changeling when I first saw her." Iridiel finished cutting off another piece of ham and handed it to Angora, who took it gratefully and chowed down, still famished from her probably-accidental 4-day starve. "Changelings are small things that have multiple, uh... bodies? You know, change from one to the other? Uh... what do you call them in your language... uh, shapeshifters?" Angora nodded emphatically as she ate, smiling broadly. "Yes, I must say, both the black-eyes and the white-eyes made me feel... I don't know how to describe it, you know?" Iridiel yawned, blinking several times to try and refocus on her surroundings. "Mmmh... I've done too much today. First the group, then you... A healer's work is never done."
	"Rather you than me. I just know how to make work for you."
	"Yes. That you do. [i]Amadán.[/i]" Iridiel smiled slyly and sideswiped a glance at the human, whilst Angora giggled and shifted slightly, returning her gaze to the fire. There was another long pause, which was only broken by the dim murmur of conversation (in Rodorian, naturally, so Iridiel had [i]no[/i] clue what was being said - it was hard enough for her to understand Angora half the time) over in the group, and the fire. Finally, Angora spoke up, which brought Iridiel out of her daydream that she had slipped into.
	"Where do you come from, Iridiel? You're not like anyone else here."

The question to end all questions. How would Iridiel even begin to explain her past? She didn't know how to articulate half of it in Eireann, let alone Rodorian. Well, Angora did ask, so Iridiel figured she would try her best to tell her. At least, it would tide them both over until the others got back from whatever it was they were talking about. Iridiel cleared her throat and took a sip of water. "Long story."
	"We've got time, I'm sure."
	"Well... As I said before, Domhnall and I are from the Contaetha, a land probably further away than even your maps describe, way far to the west of here. As for Domhnall, I don't actually know where he's from - I picked him up on my way here - but I myself am from the town of Loch Garman. Loch means lake in our language - the town was named after the water, right?" Iridiel took another sip of water and handed the waterslip to Angora, who drank from it deeply as Iridiel continued. "It was a normal life... though you Rodorians might say it's... primitive? We don't have high stone walls, or lots of big stone buildings like you do - my home was a simple wood and straw, er... we call it a [i]teach[/i], a... longhouse, you might call it? We Eireannach have large families - at least we from the Garbhchríocha do. There was me, my parents... I had seven sisters and brothers, and my parents' parents." Angora widened her eyes in surprise. "Yes, all in one [i]teach[/i]. And that was small for us, you know? Some friends had even larger families. But anyway, we have a tradition in the Counties... all magicians must work in special jobs that the King tells them to do, aye? You know what my talent is already, but nobody else in my family knew when I was a child." Angora shook her head and scowled, muttering "Sounds like slavery..." darkly. Iridiel nodded, an equally-irritated look on her face. "That was what I thought too. It's not fair, you know? You can't tell me that I have to do this one thing and this thing only for the rest of my life! What if I don't want to do it? And... so, when I was 18, I finally told my parents that I could heal people. And they went straight to the town leader and the clergy when I was out in the fields."
	"They betrayed you to the authorities. Like some kind of criminal." Angora breathed, scarcely able to believe it. This woman had been betrayed by her own parents for her abilities, and was basically going to be indentured as a slave for everyone else's benefit? Angora shook her head and kept quiet as Iridiel continued, whilst the others began to make their way over towards them, sitting at the fire.
	"The priests came when I came back the same day. They wanted me to come with them to the capital... I said no. I didn't want to go... they said I had no choice, the Kings decreed it. They tried to force me. And then..." Iridiel faltered and stared down at the ground. Even now, 14 long, hard years later, it still stung to talk about it, or even to remember it. "I killed them. With two big blasts. I killed them both, where they stood. They fell to the grass... it burned. They burned." Iridiel fell silent. Angora shuffled over slightly and put her arm around the Eireannach's shoulder. "They burned... and the guards came. I couldn't - didn't - resist. I was sure they'd burn me. I'd attacked the priests, the whole town wanted me dead. [i]Bhí mé den sórt sin a leibide...[/i] Such a fool..."
	[i]Maybe this is why she was so quick to come to my aid...[/i] Angora thought as she listened to Iridiel tell her story. She couldn't help but feel both pity and admiration for the woman, who, by refusing to submit to the will of the state, had even gone so far as to kill. She wanted her freedom to do as she wanted, not what some crusty old fogie sitting on a throne told her what to do. Angora wasn't sure if she'd kill for it, but she sympathised with Iridiel. Who were the aristocracy to tell people what to do, purely by their birthright? What right did this barbarian king have to dictate the lives of his subjects? Magic was something to be treasured, not limited, controlled and snuffed out in this way... and then to be threatened with burning.
	"They exiled me. "[i]Agus caoga bliain![/i]" he said... For fifty years. I was thrown out of the town. [i]Eiriceach[/i], they called me! They chanted it as they beat me, threw me into the mud outside the gates. All I had were the clothes I had... and my faith. My faith in the Mother to help me. So I walked... and walked east." Iridiel looked Angora squarely in the eye, almost challenging her with a steely gaze. "[i]Ná bíodh luí síos agus ghlacann bás.[/i] It's a phrase in my language. You would say... Don't lie down and die. I wasn't about to, Angora. And Sulis kept me strong." Iridiel's lids grew heavy, as she sighed and looked back at the fire. "I walked. They exiled me at 18. Now I'm 32."
	Domhnall came over to them and sat down next to Iridiel, who smiled at the Forestfolk. "[i]Fáilte romhat.[/i]" Iridiel murmured as she leaned her head on his shoulder... Iridiel drifted off to sleep, as Angora sat there and munched on what was left of the ham that Iridiel had cut for her. Her clothes were not yet dry... which meant she still needed the cloak. However, she felt much cleaner than before - almost completely refreshed, as though the metaphoric filth of the possession had been washed away. She just wished she had a new change of clothes to match... That would have to be later. For now, the cloak would do to protect her body from the bite of the wind.