XOXOXO Journey To The Center Of The Mirth
Time traveled much differently while peering out of a singular, frame window that shifts and tussles with the sod beneath it. Meris was well versed in this since he spent a good portion of his childhood traveling with his mother and this journey back to his new found home started to create a rise in his feelings. He longed for his mother but knew in his heart that he needed to rid his mind of her presence.

"Meris, are you feeling okay." Amberlee asked.

"Of course he is feeling okay, he's Meris Sensbane, the greatest mage in the North." Punkin defended.

"Punkin, I knew how it is to lose a family…"

"And I don't. I watched as my parents scream out for me to kill them with my own hands" Punkin is grew intense, "Did you mother or father ask you to slice their throats."

Amberlee swallowed slowly and he her head quivered slowly left to right.

"I'm fine-I'm fine," Meris lied looking at the furrow browed girl sitting across from him. Then he turned to Amberlee and said, "Thanks for defusing that whole-situation back there."

"No prob. So do you think someone killed your mother?" Amberlee asked.

"I know it. In my heart of hearts I know that she was intentionally killed."

"Wanna find out how done it?" Punkin voice had that edge on it.

"Of course I do but what good would it do if I did. I'm just a mage apprentice, remember."

"Don't tell me that you've turned yellow…" Punkin looked at him as he remained expressionless.

"If you are trying to imply that I'm afraid of something than you are mistaken."

"So, let's good find out…" Punkin bucked her head.

Amberlee interjected, "We haven't a clue of even what or whom is behind…"

Punkin face grew red and her top lip began to quiver, "This is between Meris and me-his girlfriend…"

"Well, I'm his friends and yours as well, I assumed, but…"

"You are my friend and friends are suppose to agree with one another, right."

"I think you are a tad bit confused," Amberlee head slanted slightly.

"Fine! STOP THE COACH!" Punkin screamed and wobbled out of her seat and reached for the lone exit.

"Punkin," Meris' eyes softened Punkin's anger, "We'll find out what's going on, alright."

Punkin raised her chin exposing the rosiness in the cup that form between her collar bones, "I'm sticky. I'm going to go take a bath."

"How?" asked Amberlee as Punkin spun out of the carriage and set her feet on the ground.

"I take water and rag and I scrub the dirt and sweat off of my skin." Punkin quipped as she walked away from the pair.

Amberlee looked at Meris with a half a brow bent upwards, "I already knew that's what you do in a bath. I wanted to know if she knew where she was going."

"Maybe you should have asked that question," Meris said as he grabbed a book in his pack and began to read.

XOXOXO Bathtime Monologue

Punkin stumbled through the brush and looked around for any visual signs of water. She could smell it in front of her but still could not find it as she processed the last scene.

"What am I so angry about? Meris has always sided with the indecisive Amberlee." She said aloud as she used her rapier as a machete to pave a new path.

"Why couldn't he just follow his feelings? What made him so cold to the fact that his mother was murdered?" Punkin remembered when her parents were killed she went out and found the indignant refuse and made them pay for it.

"When will he open up to me? And now that he lost his mother- he'd be even harder to read. How could a girl get a guy like him to finally become-conjugal with her?" She whacked through a thicket of green vines . Then it appear before her. Freckled with what must have the fairy's lights and illuminated by the vermilion moon that turned the water's film from crystal blue to a livid lavender. She glanced at the surface of the lake, seeing her reflection gaze back at her with the same hypnotic eyes. Tears were filling in the corners of the green gems.

"Stop your blubbering," she commanded her reflection and sweep a hand across her face. It was quiet and tranquil... Punkin almost felt at peace but still needed to fight back her tears as she disrobed and stepped into the wintry waters and vanished.

XOXOXO Four Horseman

"Do you think she was angry with me, Meris?" Amberlee asked after a long round of silence.

"I would guess so," Meris said as he looked up from his book then returned.

"But I have done nothing wrong."

Meris searched Amberlee's eyes and he saw her confusion, "You really don't understand Punkin, do you?"

"Obviously not as much as you do."

"She wants to do the right thing…but she doesn't no what the right thing is…yet." Amberlee's expression remained and Meris stood up and worked out of the coach, "She loves us…she wants to protect me like my mother did. She thinks I won't do the right thing or know what the right thing is but…I think I do."

"What is that?"

"I must leave the past in the past. Digging up my history would void all the things my mother sacrificed for me to be here. We all must move on."

"That is not very specific."

"I know that if my mother's death involves me that it'll find me…not the other way around…"

At that moment a blasting sound of horse hooves galloping forward perfumed that air. Amberlee looked out of the window, "Takashi, those are Luskan riders. Assassins."

Traversing atop four black steeds, that quartet of black plate-mailed, katana wielding warriors marched in perfect diamond unison with hesitant swiftness.

Meris peered out of the doorway, "This isn't even Luskan land. They are obviously out of any kind of their jurisdiction."

"I hope that they see things your way." Amberlee said as the foursome closed in on the stagecoach. Though it was night the bright cardinal moon divulge the black horned helms that bear witness to the mounted executioners ties to the dreaded Luskan forces.

Their chief approached the coach with reserved steps watching both door and window making sure that neither figure made a sudden movement and spoke in a soft, raspy voice, "We are the Four Horseman…"

"How original…" quipped Meris under his breath.

"You have trespassed into Luskan territory…"

Amberlee eyes widened with mystification, "Last time I checked these mountains belonged to the newly canonned Neverwinter Empire…"

"Then I guess you haven't checked in a few weeks. Luskan has taking over all of this land and Neverwinter lay in ruins…" their leader continued.

The rider in the rear spoke even softer but had a definite youth to his voice, "I thought that the walls of Neverwinter hadn't been breached as of yet…"

"Quiet fool…" the leader's horse bucked the black knight rear of him s hard he feel off his mount, "Neverwinter doesn't stand a chance against the army of Luskan. We are greater in numbers, trained more intensively and moreover we have great magic backing us."

Amberlee eyes filled with tears, "Liars, Neverwinter would never fall…"

"Believe what you will but the reality of your current situation is that you are outnumbered two to one and your only hope of survival is to kill four master assassins…"

"If you are 'master assassins' than why didn't you sneak up on us better. And those katanas, they don't have any hallmarks of great killers. I don't think any of your hilts are even worn. I seriously doubt that you've ever killed anyone in your life," Meris said as he stepped out of the coach and the wind kicked his red wizard's robe about.

The leader took a step forward, "You seriously misjudge the complexity of your situation. there is much that you don't know…"

"I know that I can defeat you four degenerates," Meris said as he started to chant a spell. Amberlee leaped across the cart and appeared behind him and made a quick prayer to Tyr casting a protective aura around the pair.

"CHARGE!" Barked the leader as the horses tucked the heads and raced forward, manes flickering in the midnight's breeze. As they sprinted forward, Meris unleashed a host of magically discs that targeted the rear rider, who was still lying half unconscious on the ground. Amberlee revealed her glowing Holy Avenger and brandished it with her slim fingers and swung with all her might as the leader closed in on her and knocked him off his stead. Meris sidestepped out of harms way and continued chanting spells tranquilly. The two exterior riders circled Amberlee and approached her at both sides. She mantra loudly for strength as they closed in and javelined her with the blades. She withstood the combo assault as a great wave of energy knocked over the remaining mounts. Amberlee looked over at Meris who was smiling ineptly as he said, "Let's see how fast you three are without your horses. Bring it."

The leader was bowed over, one knee kissing the turf along with a sore hand and his eyes peeking into the face of the purple wizard, "You are of demonic blood aren't you, mage."

"Perhaps," Meris said as he began to speak into existence an incredible orb of fire that hurdled toward the leader. The assassin leaped into the air and liberated his katana. This blade has unlike his companion's weapons. It's curve was intense, glittered with keenness and its ivory carved hilt encased the deadly fighter's fist perfectly.

Amberlee quickly stabbed the pair of half dazed combatants and rejoined Meris, "Why are you here?"

"I'm only doing my master's bidding. He seeks you, Meris Senbane," the assassin said with a cool smile.

"How do you know my moniker?" Meris said taking a step backwards.

"What my master knows, I also know. He is in need of you…"

Amberlee stepped forward, "We will not go willingly."

"Nor did I intend for you to, either," he said a unveiled a bottle filled with a bright pink liquid and tossed it into the ground filling the area with a soothing, pleasant aroma causing Meris and Amberlee to fall into a deep, deep sleep.