Four Marks of the Traveller, One Mark of Roots, one Shadow, two Lions, one Dove, and two Blind. A good spread. Lacking from the Pillar of Time, maybe, but those who manifested from that Pillar were rare. So, Ren wasn't particularly displeased. Not really. Any functional combat group often spread across as many Pillars and First Marks as possible. He wasn't surprised about the Travelers; merchant caravans were known to contain many. The more children they had on the road, the more commonly their caravans held them. What he was surprised about was the Root and Dove. Ideally, if Ren were to compose a group, if he had to have someone from the Pillar of Mercy, tactically the Flame was far more ideal.
Alas, the Sparrows weren't his militia, and the Garden not his home. Even if they were, Ren suspected they didn't have much choice for composition. But they were a good bunch, it seemed. The day itself played out rather quickly after, with Evelyn dragging him up and down the moving trail of wagons and carriages meeting members of the Garden, artisans, merchants, and children alike.
But as the morning bled into the afternoon, the sun sinking into the western horizon that they so endlessly chased, Silas' carriage had pulled off the road and veered alongside a stream that flowed in the direction they'd been moving. Away from the Grand City. Away from the mountains that surrounded it. There, against the middling river, the carriages formed a semi-circle against the river. Tents were pulled from some of the larger wagons, set up by men as women wrangled children.
Finally, campfires dotted the small outset they'd created as evening winds began to cut into the valley they travelled through. Leonidas took a large grey horse – He'd called it Stormwall – and drove off with a small cart to gather firewood for the pits that some of the Sparrows were already building with stones from the edge of the stream.
Ren had been thrown haphazardly into helping construct the pits. A task he was unfamiliar with. All his life, he'd worked, trained for swordplay and mastered marksmanship, but little had he been a part of such mundane tasks, much less done something so simple as build a fire pit. It wasn't unwelcome to him, the physical labor was a respite of its own, distracting from the frustrations that threatened to settle in.
But it was when the fires were started that Ren was pulled away from the Sparrows by Evelyn's hand, dragged to a small family that had gathered. A young man not much older than Ren in years, a young woman, and their child.
Evelyn beamed, looking between the two of them. In the mother's arms, the little girl, probably no older than five years, squirmed her way to her feet, running up to Evelyn with a bright grin. "Auntie Evie!"
"Vivia! How's my favorite rascal?" Evelyn laughed, kneeling down to pull the girl into a hug.
"Good," She said, pushing away and pointing at Ren with a tiny finger. "Who is he? His mask is scary."
Evelyn ruffled the girl's hair. "He's our new Sparrow."
The little girl studied Ren for a few moments, then turned to her parents, "Mama, papa, is he good?"
Her parents glanced at each other, then over at Ren. "I… Don't know, little rose," the father said, looking at Ren, "But if Auntie Evelyn says he's safe, then I suppose he is."
Vivia nodded, then turned back to Ren. "Scary Sparrow," she announced, "Papa says you're safe." Ren blinked, staring at the girl as she walked up. "You stand funny."
"Do I?" He asked quietly, unsure whether to kneel or bend down.
"Yes." Vivia announced, "Like the horsies."
'Like the horses?' Ren stared down at the small being in front of him, so full of energy, just about ready to run circles around his legs, find frogs along the riverbank and name them, and insult Ren with absolutely no idea that she was insulting him.
Evelyn giggled behind her hand as Vivia's parents scrambled to pick the girl up, "Vivia!" Her mother chided, glancing at Ren with an apologetic expression. "Forgive our little girl, she's… Spirited."
Tilting his head, Ren studied the family, and a small smile cracked at the corners of his lips. "It's… No problem, really."
"I'm Sara, by the way," the young woman said, then glanced at her husband, "He's Jaron," Sara held up the girl in her arms, who struggled against her mother's grip with laughter, "And this little rose is Vivia."
"Strong names." Ren responded, his voice still quiet, unsure.
"I'm the favorite!" Vivia cried, finally squeezing her way out of her mother's arms again as she darted for Ren's leg, wrapped her arms around it, and sat on his foot. "Carry me!"
"Go on, arbiter attendant," Evelyn coaxed, "Carry the little brat."
"Not a brat, auntie! The favorite!"
Evelyn laughed, "Isn't that what I just said?"
"No," Vivia pouted, sticking her tongue out at Evelyn before turning to look up at Ren once again, "Scary Sparrow! Go!"
Completely lost, Ren shifted his weight, and the girl squealed in delight as Ren carefully lifted his leg, dragging the little girl easily off the ground before replacing it a single step away. Vivia laughed, urging him on, and her parents, upon seeing Ren's gentle confusion, seemed to deflate in relief, as if tension had been wrought on their shoulders merely for Ren's existence near them. He moved his foot again and Vivia screamed, her absolute delight in Ren's movement somehow infectious.
Evelyn giggled into her hand again, then turned away. "Let me go get someone. I have one more person I want you to meet before we make camp for tonight."
Ren simply looked back at her, glad that the mask he wore hid the utter confusion in his expression. But Evelyn waved a dismissive hand, and Ren looked back down at the weight sitting on his foot, giggling to herself. "Papa! The scary Sparrow is moving!"
"I know, little rose, I can see." Jaron responded quietly before looking over at Ren. "Ah, sir… What's your name?"
"...Venture," Ren muttered, "...Just Venture."
Jaron nodded. "Well, Venture, what brings you here?"
Shaking his head, Ren sighed, "I'd rather not…"
Sara pried Vivia from Ren's leg again, pulling the girl onto her leg before waddling back to sit next to Jaron, "That's okay. Everyone has a history here."
"Venture!" Evelyn called, forcing Ren's attention back to her. "Venture, I want you to meet Felicity."
Viva sprang off her mother's leg and ran toward the woman standing beside Evelyn. "Auntie Fellie! Auntie Fellie, the scary Sparrow is nice!"
The woman that the girl was speaking to, Felicity, shied slightly behind Evelyn's shoulder, studying Ren with something between fear and interest. "This is that Venture boy you and Silas brought back this morning?" She said, clutching to Evelyn's sleeve gently, "The arbiter one?"
"It's okay, Liss," Evelyn responded quietly, "You see how Vivia likes him."
"Vivia likes everyone," Felicity whispered back, "She's…"
"No braver than you are, Liss," Evelyn encouraged, "He's not going to hurt you."
Finally, Felicity stepped out from behind Evelyn, studying Ren with wide eyes. Ren had to pause himself. Felicity was likely one of the most beautiful women he'd ever seen; gentle curves and symmetrical features, eyes bright and sparkling even in her fear. "Hello…"
Ren paused, then looked back down at the little girl who wandered over to her, "Auntie Fellie, the scary Sparrow is nice!" She toddled her way over to the young woman, pulling on the hem of her skirt. "He played with me. Papa said he's safe."
After a pause, Ren looked up at Felicity once again.She had lighter hair than was common, a deep brown offset only by striking white eyes. Felicity looked down at the girl again, then scooped her up into her arms. "Did he now?"
"Yes! He played that game with me! Where I sit on your foot." Vivia chirped, playing with frills of Felicity's shawl.
Ren gave an apologetic smile. "She attacked me, really…"
Felicity looked down at Vivia again, and smiled so gently that Ren wasn't sure she even had. "Is that so?" She looked back up at Ren, then stepped forward carefully. "Is it true that you were an Arbiter?"
"... Yes," Ren muttered, "I was."
Felicity nodded slowly as Vivia's expression grew confused. "Arr… Bitter?" The girl asked, "Why is he bitter?"
"Shh, child," Felicity whispered, "Your mama and papa can tell you."
Vivia nodded somberly. "Yes, Auntie." She wriggled her way out of Felicity's arms, dropped to the ground, and ran back to her parents already pestering them with questions.
But Felicity just turned to Ren. "Arbiters…" She whispered, barely audible over everything else, "Arbiters aren't bad people…"
Biting his tongue, Ren's eyes narrowed. Was she trying to convince herself? Of course not all of them were bad. Ren wasn't bad… Was he? It wasn't a thought he was comfortable with, and one he was growing less sure of by the second.
She approached him carefully. "I'm… Felicity…"
For some reason, the name felt familiar, and it frustrated Ren to be so unsure as to why. He extended his hand, "Venture."
Felicity looked back at Evelyn, who nodded, and Felicity shook Ren's hand. "Why… Do you wear a mask?"
Internally, Ren groaned. 'Again?'
Outwardly, he put on the best coy smile he could and said, "Because I'm ugly."
Felicity's eyes widened. Her expression cracked. And, suddenly, she was laughing behind her hand. "Ugly?"
Sighing dramatically, Ren put a hand to his face. "Terribly. I'm afraid the last time I took it off for the public, someone died merely at the sight of me." He'd have to confront Silas later… This was humiliating. Even if he did like to hear laughter about him rather than deference.
After letting herself laugh, quietly, far too quietly, Felicity shook her head, hair tumbling along her shoulders. "Well, mister Venture. It will have to come off eventually. I'm sure you are a handsome man."
The back of Ren's neck crawled at the suggestion. On one hand, he desperately wanted to. On the other, he didn't want to have to explain why he had the violet eyes of Winter. "Not tonight."
The fire beside them cracked, and Felicity jumped, yelping quietly. When she settled, her chest was heaving, eyes staring fitfully at the flames. Evelyn stepped up and rested a hand on her arm. "Careful, Liss."
"Evie," Felicity said, her voice growing bolder, "Can I go back to sit beside Silas again?" She shifted, turning away. "And beside your mother and father?"
"Can Venture come with us?" Evelyn asked, gently pulling back from Felicity.
Felicity looked over to Ren once again, then nodded carefully. "... Yes."
Vivia, who had nestled herself into her parents' arms, looked over and shouted. "I want to sit with them!"
"Not tonight," Evelyn said, walking around the fire to hold the girl's hand. "Your aunties need some time to talk with the scary Sparrow."
"But I'm big! And scary Sparrow is nice!" She insisted, but being comfortably settled in her mother's arms, did little more than wiggle further into comfort.
Evelyn smiled at the young girl as she stood. "If you're a good girl for your mama and papa, I'll let you ride with uncle Silas tomorrow… And maybe I'll make mister scary Sparrow play with you again."
"Promise?"
"Promise."
Vivia's eyes clouded over, thinking as deeply as her young mind would allow. "Fine. But I get to hold the rope for the horsies."
"Deal." Evelyn ruffled her hair again, then turned to Felicity and Ren hands on hips, eyes bright. "Well, shall we converse with my brother, my dear Felicity?"
Felicity's eyes flicked to Ren, then back to the fire. Though the sun was still up over the horizon, many people had already taken to the firesides, laughing and playing. She looked between them, her breath careful and controlled. "...Yes."
Evelyn smiled brightly. "Perfect. Because we've all got problems to settle." She clasped her hands behind her back, sauntering toward the riverbank. But as she passed Ren, her smile grew predatory. "How do you feel about dancing?"