[center][h1]Gaia / Town Pearl[/h1][/center]
[hr]
"You certainly have a pride for Onyx. But it is clear you haven't been to these parts in a while..." Raquel kept walking. 
"It isn't that you're old. Just that things have changed a bit over the years.." She raised her head to the sky, the wind was always strong within Gaia. Her hair being gently removed from her face from being blown by the sudden gust. She breathed it in as is her custom. The oxygen keeping her muscles and blood pumping. She turned to him. Though she walked at a brisk pace he kept by her side, even as his armor sunk into the soft grass. She could only smile at how naturally he wore his armor. An obvious sign of being near nobility in some capacity. Very few knights hailed from Onyx or Pearl. 

"But now the competition is held for both towns and then we combine our winners and compete. I must admit Onyx has been the victor for the last years competition. But this year.. well." She stopped over a dozen feet away from the crowd who stood watching the competition. She looked down briefly as she gathered her thoughts. Then raised her head to see a large boulder being thrown. A red flag was being kept at the longest distance ever recorded. The stone currently thrown was only half that distance... "This competition.. It's just for show.. The strongest have been too injured to participate. Only those willing to keep the spirit of it alive are competing." She looked over the mix of Oro blooded folk in the crowd to better see who was within.

"But to answer you directly..." She sighed. "I have no interest in this." She felt her eyes welling with water and placed her hands to her eyes to catch them before they fell. She sounded sick as she sniffled. "I just.. After seeing Allard. I was reminded of how we lost so many.." Her left eye couldn't hold her tears back. One falling down her cheek. "Why.. Why did I have to lose him..." She spoke softly, almost as a whisper when she said those last words. Her face clear she lowered her hands and gave Garrett a half smile, to show that she was gathered. "I think it is time to head back.. Will you be buying a room for the night?" She began to walk and talk, as she did before. But this time she took the knight's arm to lead. Others noticed her with the knight and simple people had an interesting conversation now about who Raquel was seen with.

A few children followed the two as they headed back to the inn. However Raquel made them stop before the marketplace. "Maybe you could buy us a potion. A few sips is all you might need. I need something to take the edge off... Way off." She asked with a smirk but frowned with a pout. A bit exaggerated but she felt like being cute for him. The inside of the market was only a few steps away from the inn. Once inside they were met by rows and rows of potions, weapons and attire. There were stairs that went up a floor and another that went down a floor. She brought them to a row of potions. She pointed to one and pulled it out. "This is a uhm.. [i]feel good[/i] potion. Not like alcohol. More like... Dreaming." She held the orange potion with red matter swirling inside of it up for Garrett to observe. At the counter was a merchant who sat nearly asleep with his farmers hat nearly covering his face.

"Have you ever tried such a thing?"
[@Verticus]