Iorveth knew that he should have shot the woman as soon as he saw her in the forest earlier today, yet his curiosity prevented him from acting. His men had alerted him to her presence immediately, and he himself went to see the sight. After all it wasn't everyday day that the women of Flotsam ventured into the traitorous woods alone. It was bravery or just plain audacious, and at first he thought it was the second option. After taking a look at her though, he quickly changed his mind. She looked nothing like the meek and defenseless women the town had to offer. She appeared to have no weapons on her body, but Iorveth doubted that was the case, not with the confident way she was striding through these woods. She was short in stature and strength, but her vibrant green eyes shone from underneath the bronze locks framing her face. her clothes were also indication of her character, consisting of short leather trousers and a blouse revealing her stomach, instead of the long, plain dresses that most women owned. The more he analysed her, the more he became interested as to who she was.

He followed her closely through the shrubbery and watch with interest how she somehow managed to avoid every single danger that may have stood on her path. Had he not know of her presence earlier, even he might have missed her among the wild plant life surrounding her. What was even more astounding was that she didn't even seem to realise what she was doing. There was no sharpness or carefulness about the way she walked, almost as if she considered this place her second home, or had at least gotten to know the land well. Both these options were absurd though, knowing full well that she had never before stepped onto this land. It was these questions that caused him to follow her throughout the trip until her return to the dirty town.

Those same questions caused him to follow her once again upon her return to the thicket, surprising him even more at her audaciousness. What could she possibly want here?

Her path took her much the same way as her previous visit, with the exception of speed. She walked much faster now that she knew the way, and ended up once again at the waterfall about midday. He saw her hesitating at the edge of the water for a few seconds before watching her turn to the rocky path on her left. Though he admired her intelligence, he could not help but regret slightly that she did not take the opportunity to test out the water. He may have despised all Dh'oine, but he was still a man and he couldn't help but appreciate her figure.

Shaking the thoughts out of his mind, he watched her climb up the rocks blocking her path, up to the hidden garden concealed at the top. He had no concept of what she might want to find there, but his elfish pride bristled at the thought of a simple human disturbing the heritage of his people. Momentarily his attention was distracted from the woman herself, to the pouch she was carrying, noting the small white head protruding from it. There was no doubt that it was the young wolf she found this morning, though he questioned her reasons for keeping it. Wolfes were dangerous animals for someone like her, especially since the white coat could fetch quite a price in the market. He would have thought that the cub was already dead and yet here she was caring for it as if it were he own child. She truly was no ordinary human.

She clearly knew she was going, which soon posed another question. Who might have told her about the garden? There weren't many people with knowledge of it, much less the willingness to share it. Now that her direction was clear there was only one reason why she would go there. The rose of remembrance was rare and not to be disturbed. It cultivance took several years and a lot of effort which would all be put to nothing if she harmed it. That was something that he could not allow to happen.

It took her a couple of minutes to reach the top, though he had to admire her clothing choice. A female Dh'oine like her was expected to wears dresses and skirts, yet here she was wearing trousers, a man's garb. She definitely had more sense than most. After all, one can run much faster when the skirts of a dress aren't tripping you up.

He half expected her to rush towards the rose's resting place, however she took her time, admiring the stone arches and the delicate carvings embedded into the walls. there was much damage to the once beautiful building, but even the ruins could still impress. It was the craftsmanship of his predecessors, during a time when much of their heritage was still remembered. Years of living among others and the repression had it's tolls though. Determined to eradicate them, the Dh'oine burned down their art and destroyed their knowledge. Much of it was now forever lost, due to their hatred. The woman truly kept surprising him with her attitude. She eventually grew tired of observing and walked forwards, stopping only to kneel in front of her goal. Her emerald orbs were drawn to the singular bud, startled by the clarity of it's colour.

Her small hand reached out to gently brush the pale petals, losing track of everything around her. It was to be her downfall, as Iorveth could not allow her to continue. He dropped lightly from the tree he was hiding in, his hand reaching for the sharp swords he had strapped to his waist. He had not anticipated that the cub would growl in warning, but even that was not enough to save her.

The butt of his sword smashed into the side of her head with a small thump, making her crumble to the ground. His lookouts had warned him that she possessed the art of magic, and a sneak attack was the only way to face a sorceress. The cub attempted to retaliate, however the sides of the bag were heavy around his body, and the strap tightened around his frail body, making him immobile for the time being. Iorveth didn't spare him a second glance as he knelt over the woman, a glint capturing his eye. His hand reached down, fingering the small necklace hanging around her neck. It was very familiar to him.

WIth Loredo and his troops using dirty ways to try and capture him and the Scoia'tael, they had to come up with ways of recognising the spies among them and keeping together. What better way than to wear a small charm? It was a simple trinket to those they opposed, but to the elves among his men it meant so much more. It meant that the person wearing it was their friend and companion in arms, one they could trust. The woman seemed oblivious to the meaning, but the fact that she possessed it, told Iorveth everything he needed to know. It is not every day after all that a person you perceived as deceased walks into your camp. Ever Iorveth had been startled to find Ariel still alive, after being told personally that she had been hanged in the main square for a petty crime. She had recounted her story to him, and explained how she remained alive. Thinking back on it now, Iorveth was disappointed in himself for not connecting the mysterious hero and the woman together beforehand. That aside however, the fact of what to do with her still remained. She was a friend of the Scoia'tael and therefore he could not harm her. However he could not allow her to infringe on his territory freely either.

Still struggling with his thoughts, Iorveth picked her up and placed her against the smooth marble walls, watching as she twitched in her sleep. He sat back before her, patiently waiting for her to wake from her slumber. As the time passed, the loud growls from the cub quieted down and turned to quiet whimpering, though the yellow eyes didn't leave his form even for a second. Iorveth could clearly see that the cub was battling with it's own desire to sleep, determined to protect its new master. He wandered silently what the woman did to earn the wolf's trust so quickly, a feat that even the most experienced elves struggled with sometimes.

He sat there for a while, watching the setting sun, his eyes wandering only when the Dh'oine in front of him moved slightly. Her awakening only happened at dusk, a fact he had been thankful for. It was dangerous to walk around the forest when the moon rose, and he couldn't well leave her behind. A small moan drew his attention to her, her eyelids fluttering slightly. A hand reached up towards her bronze curls, gently massaging the place where she received the hit. It would still be sore for a couple of hours at least. Her eyes wandered the clearing wordlessly attempting to work out what happened, before landing on him. They widened slightly but to her credit she didn't flinch or scream, simply observe his relaxed posture before her. The slight fear was ever present in her eyes, however it was overshadowed by blind curiosity, a characteristic of hers that he had already witnessed himself. It was certainly strong enough to push her to speak first.

"Why didn't you kill me?"

"We needed to discuss some things first, before it gets to that."

She tensed for a moment ready for a strike, but nodded. She was cautious and despite her overwhelming curiosity, she didn't act blindly. It was clear to him that she was ready should he turn on her.

"What things did you wish to talk about?"

"Where did you get that necklace?"

The question was blunt and straight to the point, Iorveth didn't have the time to play around. He watched her hesitate, considering whether it would be best to tell the truth or lie. Seeing his serious expression though, she understood the meaning behind his stare. He would know if she lied, and she was sure that she would not like the end result. So she answered with a truth, though being careful not to reveal anything that might incriminate her or worsen her situation. It was an admirable trait, not breaking under pressure, and yet not being completely stubborn either.

"I made a friend."

"Ariel."

"What?"

"The elf you saved yesterday in the town square was called Ariel. One of the more trusted of my kind that resides in Flotsam. One of my men witnessed her apparent execution. It took hours to convince him she wasn't a spirit back for revenge."

"What does the necklace have to do with this?"

"Keep it. It will protect you while in these forests, a useful aspect."

"How?"

He didn't answer her question, watching as frustration built up in her posture. He had no doubt that while Ariel presented her with the necklace, she did not explain it's meaning. It was a secret for a reason, and he had no reason to trust the woman before him just yet. He stood up much to her annoyance, and started walking away without so much as a word. He perceived this conversation to be finished, yet the woman seemed to have different ideas. She struggled to her feet, swaying slightly, before grabbing her bag with the cub, and rushing after him. She struggled to keep up with his long steps, yet determination to find answers pushed her forwards.

"Were you the one that followed me this morning in the woods?"

"Yes."

"Why?"
"That is none of your concern."

He stopped and looked back at her frustrated face, barely holding back the tiniest hint of a smile. The bag was haphazardly hanging over her shoulder, the cub now fully awake and trying to comprehend what happened. Her copper locks were wild and tangled, a big difference to the neat ponytail she donned this morning. Iorveth assumed that it was likely his fault, but didn't regret it in the slightest. The look suited her, made her look more dangerous. Had she had been an elf he might have even admitted an attraction to her, but her human blood disgusted him.

"You should not return to this forest again."

"But you said that the necklace will keep me safe."

"That pendant is the reason you are still alive. A life for a life, simply returning the favour and nothing more. Next time you might not find yourself so lucky Dh'oine."

With that last thought he turned around and disappeared into the dark shrubbery before him. There was no sound of footsteps following him. Vensa simply stood and started at the place he vanished, trapped within the turmoil of her own mind. The elf she had just met had a greater effect on her than she could have anticipated. There was an aura of mystery that surrounded him, and his attempts to push her away only seemed to draw her closer. One thing was certain. There was no way that she was staying away from this forest now.