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Herloch strides out along the path with Yuri close behind. Peter hampered by the donkey's pace and Kerim hampered by the mules' drop even further behind. Right at the back trails Madelyn, sitting atop her horse - dropping even further behind at every pace. Before too long there is nearly a quarter of a mile separating Herloch from Madelyn ... |
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Yuri pats Herloch on the back and tells him to "continue on", before stopping and waiting for Madelyn, saying a few words to the others as they pass him. As she approaches Yuri realises they've never been properly introduced and has to search his memory to recall her name. "Madelyn", he says when she is within earshot, fortunately remembering the correct name, "for many reasons I would expect you to be out in front, forging the way, but yet for some reason you are here. What is wrong?", Yuri asks, looking her and her horse over. |
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Madelyn looks off into the distance as if ignoring the young man before replying. "I don't know who he thinks he is! He hasn't even been with us very long and he thinks he can just up and take control like that." Lowering her sorrow filled eyes to look at the colourfully clad gentleman, she adds, "I'm sorry, Yuri, no disrespect is meant to your kind self - but I lost some very good friends last eve, and am worried as to the condition we will find them, if at all we do." |
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Yuri is taken aback by Madelyn's words of losing her friends, and wonders if the woman is aware she is talking to the person who just lost his entire family. But he recovers and quickly replies. "I believe he is headstrong and foolhardy. He would bang his head against a ten foot wide brick wall that was in his path in the middle of the desert until it fell down, while everyone else walked around it. "I have nothing against the man, tho his eagerness for killing does disturb me somewhat, but I would have rather you led the way. Unfortunately I think the lack of sleep has gotten to us all, and you seem to have missed your opportunity to lead." Yuri smiles slyly before he continues. "Tho if you rode ahead of him he would have no option but to follow you." Yuri's sly smile then changes to one of compassion. "As for your friends, I do not think we have lost them, merely... misplaced them for a while. We will find them." |
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Herloch stops and takes note of those yet to catch up. He sees Yuri and Madelyn. Good looking or not, that Madelyn is really starting to wear down the priest's patience. He cups his hands and yells, "Hey back there! What in the hell are you waiting for? A hand-written, delivered invitation?!?" He turns back around, continuing his hike down the path. "By Thor... women!" he utters under his breath. |
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Yuri grins as Herloch tries to shout at him, his voice lost in the wind over the quarter mile between them. |
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"Yuri, I am sorry, I am being most inconsiderate you have lost much more than I" she says consolingly. "As for the fool up front ....", straining to hear what he is shouting, "I think maybe you have a good point there, will you join me?" She rides forward at a walk so should Yuri decide to joing her, he can keep up. As she passes Peter and Kerim she says, "I think it is time this small group was led by someone other than a killing machine", and winks at them. She rides straight past Herloch not making eye contact but says sarcastically, "I'm sorry, I didn't quite catch what you said", and continues down the path, along which they are headed, keeping an open eye on their surroundings. |
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Yuri gives a smile and a wave to Herloch as Madelyn and himself pass him by. |
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"Well, now nice of you guys to join us," Herloch says with a grin, ignoring their comments. After they pass by, Herloch admires Madelyn's perfectly proportioned feminine body. Mmmm, quite a view, he thinks to himself. |
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Peter, still riding Elsbeth's horse and dragging the donkey along, looks vaguely surprised at Yuri's too ing and froing, and when Madelyn passes them a s well he calls - "Hey, if we are travelling together shouldn't we go at the speed of the slowest - or are you lot just leaving me and Kerim, and the trade goods, for the Crocs?" |
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"Surely going ahead and going faster are two entirely different things? We should be chiding ourselves for leaving Madelyn behind, not scolding her for taking the lead", Yuri replies to Peter, trying on a pacifying smile. |
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Madelyn glances back at Herloch, after she has taken up position in the lead. "I wish that man would place his eyes elsewhere", she says to Yuri making conversation. She is aware that they are unable to travel any faster, and takes up the pace of the Mules behind, still keeping an eye on the surroundings, for marks of passage. |
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Looking at Yuri like he is a bit slow Peter responds "But mounted on Keldon Madelyn can choose her own pace - where she takes rear guard is her affair. We however are stuck at this pace - well if we want to retain these mules and donkey we are, and even then Kerim is afoot - so now you truely do seperate the party." |
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Beforehand... "It is as easy to ride back as it is to ride ahead. Twenty paces ahead or in front, I don't see how it makes a difference", replies Yuri, still trying to be the diplomat. "Besides", he adds with a charismatic smile, "you can hardly expect a paladin to skulk at the rear!" Afterwards... "The man is obviously prone to acting on a whim, saying what he wants to say and oggling what he wants to oggle. Besides his lack of tact I cannot fault him on his actions this time", Yuri replies honestly to Madelyn with a smirk on his face. |
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