[center][h1][color=Purple][b][u]J A U N A[/u][/b][/color][/h1]
[sub][color=Silver][b]On the Road Still[/b][/color][/sub] [/center]

Jauna's ears perked up and she led her mare back in line behind Eli's now flatulent beast, Chester, keeping a very respectable distance.  Unfortunately, due to this distance, she had to strain to hear every word Maize was saying as the blunt, yet handsome, oaf decided to talk to the party with his back to them all and eyes on the road.  At the mention of a quaint village called Bolsan, she groaned audibly. [color=00a651][b] "Quaint village?  Bolsan still has latrines instead of proper plumbing! I'll be, it's probably cleaner sleeping out in the woods rather than among the common country folk!"[/b][/color]  She sniffed haughtily in that way noble ladies were oft taught and do, red curls cascading over one shoulder. 

As if the universe decided a lesson in humility was in order, suddenly Jessie tripped over a small rock protruding in the narrow road!  Jauna, still sitting side-saddle as befitting a lady, slid off the saddle with a death-grip on the reins. She landed straight up, but Jessie was then spooked by a passing flying insect and reared.  The young red-haired lass twisted to her left to keep the reins from getting tangled in Jessie's front hooves, but in so doing she felt her left foot sink deep in something hot and muddy.  Looking down she discovered that one of the horses in front of Eli's had also taken the opportunity to make a deposit and she had just stepped in something very greenish and nasty.  Suddenly her day had gone from fantastic and exciting to horrendous.  Letting loose a shrill shriek, [color=00a651][b]"Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeh!"[/b][/color] she managed to further spook her horse, causing Jessie to skitter to the right when she leaned back against him.  This caused her to fall flat on her butt and get the back of her kimono and left hand in the dung as well.  "Ew! Ew! EWW!"  At that point, poor Jauna simply sat there whimpering waiting for the next bad thing to happen.  "Why me?" she moaned between hitching breaths.  Her sword's scabbard lay still strapped to her left side, the bottom - thankfully covered - portion lay stuck in the main pile of goop from when she had fallen.  

Jessie had taken the opportunity to reposition herself and was now glumly chewing grass by the side of the road, occasionally looking up to stare at her rider with what Jauna swore was amusement.  Her cheeks flamed at all the commotion.  Thankfully this wasn't the first embarrassing moment either Eli or she had had in front of the other. There had been that one time when Jauna had accidentally lit her hair on fire blowing out candles at her name day party.  Still, she couldn't help but be mortified at it all.  At least she hadn't gone screaming "help! Help!" and looking even more pathetic than just accepting the fall with whatever dignity she had left on this trip.