Taalia Giovanni


Taalia didn't mind walking along to the 4 o'clock of the only horse in their little troupe, though it did remind the shepardess that she really had to buy a horse of her own one day. All it took was a visual sweep of the verdant, rolling green fields around them, the cool late winter days, to see that this was a fine land for steeds. Spring would be upon them soon, that much was clear by the gradually coalescing vibrancy of the colors within the fields, the trees and the numerous sheep she could spot that were growing heavy with offspring. To think they were north of beautiful Tilea, with its dryer but lush landscape, where the winter still afforded warm days, was a momentous idea indeed. At one point Taalia even paused to scoop up a handful of frail snow within one palm, crunching the material about in her gloved fist as the easily dissipated away and returned to its granular state.

Exhaling, smiling, the shepardess took an odd comfort in this alteration of the weather. She knew she came from a land further north, but not so far that it was touching the Norsca coastline. No, her homeland resided within this Empire, or an adjacent civilization, one where apples were grown and trade with the elves was possible and...yes, she could remember that far back. The snow touched the land of her birth too.

Looking over at Bella, Taalia smiled as she held up another fistful of crumbling snow and crunched it into a powder with her fist, letting it disappear. That her friend had never witnessed frozen water such as this, and in such quantities as it fell during the night, was still fascinating to the shepardess, as was the Tilean's adorable reaction to the cool substance.

When the group had settled in to camp for the night, Taalia had volunteered for the first watch. Her firearm in hand, shield on her back, the armored girl had sat by the fire while the others chatted among themselves. Listening to the flow of the new, musical language whose words she could often pick out, as if she were viewing something from a distance, she just smiled to herself and enjoyed the company beneath the sheet of beautiful stars above. That was, until "Margot" wanted to hear them sing.

Taalia hesitated.

No, was her instinctual reaction. Certainly not. Do not do the spectre's bidding.

Pursing her lips, Taalia looked around their surroundings, her keen eyes able to pierce the veil of night better than the others. She turned to look back at the coterie around the fire and offered a friendly smile and shook her head.

"Never know what it will attract. Best to remain quiet while near the forests."