Camilla gave a caviler shrug and tossed her hair in what might have once been a defiant gesture. The small rain of twigs that came free from her tangled hair rather spoiled the gesture.

[b]"It is a service like any other,"[/b] she said with a dismissal in her voice.

[b]"Much better than making a living on the street as a thief or a blade."[/b] Some of the men were scooped up into the inveterate mercenary bands, but the mortality rates were high and women weren't welcomed in any case. Girl children who weren't pretty enough had few options, none of them pleasant.

[b]"A Sell Sword,"[/b] she said, putting the emphasis on each individual syllable, trying it on for size. There hadn't really been much time to consider her next move in the last few days, the whole of her attention had been focused on escaping the Count's misguided vengeance.

[b]"I can no go back to Tilea,"[/b] she said, more turning the notion over in her head for her own benefit.

[b]"Too many assassins, and a girl who just returned from the Empire would be obvious to a fool."[/b] Otto would have no trouble hiring toughs to knife her in some dark alley if she went back to Tilea. Estallia maybe, but the alure of that hard scarbble kingdom didn't fill her with much more enthusiasm.

[b]"Maybe I will remain in the Empire,"[/b] she mused, [b]"Although I will have to keep moving, too obvious for me if I stay in one place."[/b] For a long moment she just stared into the fire contemplating the coming days and months. Cydric of course could blend in a little easier, he spoke the language and his presence wouldn't be remarked upon in all but the remotest village.

[b]"I don't know what I will do, perhaps I can sell my sword too, or sing for money a ... how do you say ... mistral?"[/b] She frowned, the pronunciation tasting wrong. She couldn't be a courtesan again, not yet, it would make her far to obvious a target and few rich men would go far to protect their mistresses when the Imperial law might be involved.

[@POOHEAD189]