A determined climb

*She was walking towards the moutain it was early the sun hadn't even started to rise.She liked high places but that wasn't why she was headed that way because she wanted to see what was at the top she was so curious of this new land,her silvery hair was in it's usual braided high pony tail but she wasn't wearing her normal priestess dress but tigh blue jeans and an emerald green long sleeve skin tight shirt that looked almost one size to small showing skin up to her belly button with brown hiking boots she also had a jade green messenger bag straped over her shoulder.She had been alone for so long she was used to it and didn't mind the solitude it always gave her time to think about what she once had the life she her old friends,the brothers and sister she might never see again her beautiful mother and coragous father and her best friend,Arron.She had reached the base of the moutain and looked up the moutain side she smiled and opened the bag pulling out a pair of brown gloves she put them on and began her climb up the side of the moutain finding foot and hand holds she knew she couldn't fall or she would have to give up and try again in two weeks that was her personal rule,she kept climbing determained to see what was at the top no matter how long it took she wouldn't back down from a chalnge no matter how hard,she had reached a ledge about a quater way up and pulled her self onto it breathing hard she layed back on it the sun had risen consideribly and beat down on her she looked to the wall of the moutain and saw a small opening and forced her body to move and crawl on her hands and knees towards it and inside the opening it wasn't very big but it was enough to hide her body in the shade she opened her bag taking off her glove putting them back in and pulling out a butterfly knife and a half red half green apple she sat it on the ground and started to cut it into pieces when she was done she folded the butterfly knife back up and returned it to the bag and picked up the pieces of the apple looking out the entrance she took a bite out of one of the piece's apple and sat watching out the entrance*

The cold air surrounding the mountain invigorated Ace. He was looking for a specific place, sent here any a higher order to complete a secret task set for him as a Mercenary. Ace was a just person, but sometimes the way he tries to get justice in the world he knows is somewhat controversial to the main goal. In his search for the palace he came across the mountains. He didn't much care for the ice and snow, but it was comforting at times to be in the cold. He was riding up the less steep parts of the mountain when he finally hit the part of the path that split off towards the mountain peak. He patted his horse gently on the side and dismounted with a soft clank of his armor. "Good horse...if you wait here I will give you another carrot. If not then I hope you know your way back." He hitched the horse to a nearby rock and looked to the top of the mountain. He sighed and started his climb. Among the many skills Ace had, climbing wasn't one of them. He just needed a high point at which he could see more of the landscape to find the Palace. He climbed and climbed but couldn't get a good look in the thick clouds surrounding the mountain. If he could get over those patches of clouds and look across the land then...maybe he could see something. He took another step...and the next minute he was falling head over heels down the mountain slope. The step he took was a nasty one as the loose rock rolled out from under his foot and sent him on his way down the slope. He clanked loudly while he rolled and, as fate may have it, hit a small outcropping from a small little cave and hit flat solid ground. He moaned lightly, still in shock from the fall.

*she had been sitting in the cave getting ready to start up again when she heard a clanking and jumped slightly hearing a thud outside her little cave she looked out seeing someone clad in armor laying there she was shocked by this sight she had never seen a suit of armor in her land and crawled out of her cave looking at him unsure of what to do she did her best to carfully pull him into the cave once she got him in the now very cramped cave she pulled a bottle full of water from her bag and twisting off the cap and poured just a little of the water on his face and sat back waiting for some kind of reaction*

"Are you alright?..."

*she wasn't sure if he could hear her but she tryed all the same*

Still in shock from the fall Ace looked around, taking in his surroundings very slowly. His eyes then came upon Tatara. He blinked, wondering if he was seeing an illusion but then reached his hand up as if trying to swipe through a ghost and his hands gently pushed her cheek. "Real..." He sat up the best he could and shook it off, looking around more cautiously. "I'm sorry for interrupting your vigil, but I must ask you an important question..." He watched her carefully, not sure of her origin or whether she was in a hurry didn't matter much until he found his goal and met it. "I am in search for a castle...one recently housed by a new queen. Do you know of the location for this castle? It is urgent business and is pertinently important to the queen." He waited for an answer, hoping this person knew of the place.

*she sat watching him quietly waiting for some sign that he was alright.She felt and saw him touch her cheek and smiled nodding slightly hearing him speak,she pushed herself against the wall best she could so he could sit up*

"Your not interrupting.Yes I know where the palace is,and I know the new queen.If you wish I will show you there"

*she was releaved he was ok but still unsure if he should be moving so soon but she was willing to help*

He heard her words and his ears perked up once he heard she knew of the castle and was willing to show him the way. He shot up as fast as he could, and his head got dizzy and he fell back down to the ground. "Ugh...maybe I should wait a while before heading out...Your offer is greatly appreciated my lady, but I think I should give it a few minutes before I can move right." He gave her a reassuring smile, getting into a comfortable sitting position. "Sorry to make you worry about some crazy stranger...I will be fine." He looked around a bit, seeing the surrounding area of the small cave they were in. "May I ask..my lady...what your doing up at a mountain top such as this?"

*she gasped slightly as he sat up and fell back and she moved a hand under the center of his back catching him with a hand and letting him sit up,she bowed her head slightly offering him the bottle of water*

"The only thing crazy about you is being up here in armor but it probably saved your life"

*she sat back a little the cave expanding just a little for her*

"Please sir my name is Tatara and I'm up here because it is always nice to be high up,you never know what or who you could meet and the...."

*she stoped biting her tongue,she had almost told her secret as far as she knew this man was only human and this cave was to small if he wanted to try to hurt her,she moved slightly so she was a bit closer to the exit of the cave but she was still against the wall so she could still see out into the open air*