[center][h2][color=firebrick]Kailea Arydunseyr[/color][/h2][/center]

Had it not been for the fact her little performance had prompted several others to start streaming out of their employer's estates, Kailea might have skipped her way back into town. Her parents had taken the greatest of pains to ingrain how important first impressions were to so many people. And it really was dead easy to change people's opinions with a scowl and a little bit of a show. A bit of smoke wafting around her head, flickering embers from her fingers and tips of her hair, and a mildly heated argument were all the perfect props to make sure their entire party thought she was an ill-tempered hot-head. 

It wasn't a perfect solution to her larger problem, but she hoped it would encourage some of the others to give her a wider berth. It was certainly the more preferable scenario to them learning how flimsy her control over her magics actually were. They'd worth with her, but hopefully wouldn't get so close that she might inadvertantly hurt one of them. Accidents were easier to hide if they thought she was simply angry, rather than a walking tinder bundle waiting to ignite. Kailea kept up the smoking charade a while longer, before she stopped for a moment to focus long enough to stem her smoldering flow of magic.

That was her biggest problem. Casting was the easiest thing in the world for her. Her magic wanted to burn. Shaping it took some effort, and the larger workings certainly demanded her full attention, but neither of those things tired her out like shutting off the flow. Setting fires was easy, almost natural; putting them out was hard. She'd learned that the hard way, she thought ruefully glancing at a red puckered scar on the back of one hand. She winced as she felt something roll within her, balking against the replaced restraints and threatened to bubble over like a boiling pot. She was too full, as Master Alwin would have put it. She'd been traveling, roaming the cities and staying far too busy to find the time, or a place, to burn off her magics. Part of her had hoped to have found a master that could have taught her better control... No, the Arena would suit her well enough for now.

For a moment, she entertained the idea of wandering out of town to find someplace secluded enough to cast off some of the extra magic, but she decided against it. Tomorrow, they'd be tried in the Arena, and no matter what that oaf of a Tyren thought would be their fate, she was determined to make sure to leave a lasting impression. That much of their conversation hadn't been fake, at least.

[color=firebrick]"Who does that though?"[/color] She said aloud to no one as she resumed walking back into town. Her conversation with Aleksander drifted back into her mind. [color=firebrick]"What kind of pessimist drags their entire team down before they've even made the attempt?"[/color]

She blew an errant lock of hair out of her face, wincing as she felt the air passing her lips scorch the tip of her nose. Kailea rubbed at the tender skin with a bit of a rueful smile. Maybe he did have a point, but then again, the Tyren talked as if he were some greying old warrior, instead of a man who couldn't have been terribly older than herself. She wouldn't lie to herself and say that part of her didn't hope to see some of that stuffy "old soldier" get knocked on his ass once or twice in front of a crowd, but she quickly cleared the thought away before any of the gods could hear it. It wouldn't do well to wish ill upon one of her own comrades, no matter how sullen. Her father had always been fond of saying "Pray for your rival's mount to break a leg in the dark, and your own will be lame come morning".

Kailea glanced at the sky wishing it wasn't quite so late in the day already. She'd been hoping there might be enough time for a drink, and perhaps to catch the eye of someone willing to make sure her last guaranteed night alive would at least be a memorable one. She might not agree with the Tyren, but that was no reason to not enjoy herself a little.

[color=firebrick]"I'll head for the Arena now. And once this is taken care of, I'll find myself some fun to pass the night."[/color] She promised herself, trotting into town with a renewed bounce in her step.