-----Lastly he heads up to the tower top to relieve Garrison and keep watch for the remainder of the day. The watch seems long and uneventful except for one point in the mid afternoon when Sol at first thinks he sights movement from around the distant eastern castle. Perhaps it proves to be only a trick of the eyes because although he sees hints of men on the walls, nothing seems to exit forth from the structure.
-----Finally, as his watch comes to an end and anticipation seems to settle over the Gorian, Sol heads from the tower to the temple where his friends await.
-----As the sun sets, everyone in the adventurers' party converges and meets at the Sun Temple. Lovan, Garrison, Harland and Sarah are already in the main temple. Romney stands guard just inside the door. As Beleya greets everyone, Raven and Rinda enter with their wolf. Finally, Sol enters looking energetic in anticipation for what is to come.
-----Garrison rises and nods to the last three to arrive. "It is time, my friends?" he asks as he looks to everyone. Lovan also rises and flexes his arms grumbling lowly.
-----"It's time, friends." Sol says as he dumps the rope he bought on the ground. He quickly explains, "When ye get t'th' top, Raven, an' th' area is secure, ye may as well tie a couple o' ropes. Th' quicker we're up there th' better."
-----"Without a moon, we can afford t'take th' horses in just over half way, then we'll picket them, an' collect them when we've finished. I'll go get them ready fer th' ride." Sol moves towards the door, intending to head towards the stables, before he turns and looks over his shoulder, "Sarah, could ye lend a hand?"
-----"Um, sure." Sarah says in an uncharacteristically timid way.
-----Raven nods at Sol as he inspects the ropes. Finding them in good order Raven figures out which is the best way to carry them as he climbs to the top of the keep. As Raven leaves the temple, he pauses to kiss Rinda.
-----Raven leans close to her and whispers something to her. Raven turns to the group and flashes them a snarl-like smile, "Let the hunt begin." Raven walks into the darkness of the night waiting the group to head out.
-----Sarah follows Sol out toward the stables. When she is almost there, she releases Chessie. "Fly away, baby." She says. "Not too far, but Mama is to fight evil. Too dangerous for you baby." With that Sarah leaves some beef jerky near the stable, which Chessie swoops down and devours greedily before flying off to hunt. Sarah leaves some more food and then follows Sol into the stables.
-----Sol watches the owl feed on the strips of jerky for a moment and then begins to work on Thunder's saddle, putting it on and ensuring all the straps are fastened properly. After that's finished, he turns and faces Sarah. Finally Sol's lips begin to actually work as he says, "First off, I love you. In case that needed clearing up, so there we have it."
-----The young warrior flounders for a moment, but he continues soon enough, "Let me finish here, otherwise it might never make it. So while I'm not completely sure why this morning I seemed t'be always of opposite opinion t'ye, I do know that I'm trying t'find a balance here. Some workable mix o' keeping you safe from th' danger I know will come fer ye 'cause I hate t'see ye hurt, an' on th' other hand not denying ye th' chance t'enter th' fray an' fight by our side 'cause ye deserve t'be there as much as any o' us."
-----Sol stares at the mage glumly though a tinge of a smile shows, "Really th' only conclusion I came to was that it wasn't my choice either way." He pauses and begins again, "Beyond my own rambling thoughts, how are ye? Is there anything I can do fer ye?"
-----Sarah smiles slightly under her hood. "Sol, I don't really care about all that, I mean the keep fight, it's...just another fight for us. It'll be over in a couple days and we'll move on...it's just..." Despite having had all day to think about it, Sarah still seems as tongue-tied as Sol.
-----"I'm afraid to even say this, because I think you'll think I'm a whiny spoiled brat but..." Sarah sighs. "You never act like you care about me anymore. I mean it seems like years since you kissed me. And I know you say you love me, but" Sarah waves her arms in Sol's direction. "Look at you, you're a tall, strong, handsome farmer boy who looks great in a uniform, there's probably a thousand women out there who you could have, and I'm just an orphan who has to wear a hood during the day because the light hurts my eyes too much otherwise, I mean..." Sarah waves her arms vaguely. "I just get so insecure sometimes. I...I don't know what to think and I hate that." Sarah crosses her arms across her ribs again, standing a few feet away from Sol, wondering what he'll do.
-----Sol blinks back at Sarah as the words sink in. His reply comes back at almost firm levels, "First things first, Sarah. Yer no whiny spoiled brat. An' I'm not going t'even address that thousand women part...I'll play my one against that one thousand any time, an' more. An' fair enough, I understand insecurity but in yer case ye should take th' opportunity t'kick it away. Yer growing in power daily, yer far more intelligent than th' rest o' us put together, I constantly admire yer bravery an' strength o' heart and you're the most beautiful person I know. Inside an' out."