"We?" Haxenth asks. "The we I mentioned earlier?"

"Nothing else... much. I suppose you could do some pickpocketing, but we don't want you to get bad habits." Focus said. She was about to say more, when you hear the sound of horse hooves and voices coming towards you from behind. You turn around to hear the horses skid to a stop, and you see a group of heavily armoured guards on huge white horses. A person riding on a black horse cantered into the clearing, also slowing to a stop. This person immediately drew your attention to him as he dismounted and started walking towards you. "Hello, young lady." Focus had vanished, probably an invisibility spell.

"We?" Haxenth asks. "The we I mentioned earlier?"

"Huh?"

Iist turned around to see the extravagant squadron of horses. The person that walked towards her seemed to intimidate her, like a shining prince that didn't match the dark, dismal forest around them.

'Prince...' She gulped. In the back of her mind, she feared the worst, but on the front, she tried to keep a more normal demeanor.

"Oh, hello." She let her arms rest at her sides, reminding herself she was only a normal human girl and that she wasn't too interesting. "Was I disturbing you?"

"Um, nevermind." He leads you to the pool and sits down, his neck arching over the calm water. He closes his eyes, and steadies his breathing.

He stops a couple of meters away, watching your every move. You could feel his calculating eyes scanning you and your companion, Uje. If he knew about Focus, he showed no sign of it. "Prince...?" He prompted. "I'm aware that I am quite famous, but who are you, my lady? And why is a lady like you in this dark forest? Surely you know that a dark beast haunts the trees, correct?" He threw question and question at you, ignoring your question about disturbing him.

The people you assume were his guards dismounted and also came towards you. "We're here to hunt the beast," one of them says in a gruff voice. "That thing's been giving us trouble for centuries. Have you seen it?"

The prince waves a hand. "Don't be so rude to the lady. So, milady, have you seen a monster in this forest? It sometimes takes the form of a human, just so you know. Don't be tricked by it. My men are searching for it this moment, so you'll be safe here with me, as long as you tell me whether you've seen it or not."

Link: https://www.sylestia.com/forums/?thread=50963&page=202#2016 Author: Aphelion Time Posted: 12/17/2017 at 2:09 AM He stops a couple of meters away, watching your every move. You could feel his calculating eyes scanning you and your companion, Uje. If he knew about Focus, he showed no sign of it. "Prince...?" He prompted. "I'm aware that I am quite famous, but who are you, my lady? And why is a lady like you in this dark forest? Surely you know that a dark beast haunts the trees, correct?" He threw question and question at you, ignoring your question about disturbing him. The people you assume were his guards dismounted and also came towards you. "We're here to hunt the beast," one of them says in a gruff voice. "That thing's been giving us trouble for centuries. Have you seen it?" The prince waves a hand. "Don't be so rude to the lady. So, milady, have you seen a monster in this forest? It sometimes takes the form of a human, just so you know. Don't be tricked by it. My men are searching for it this moment, so you'll be safe here with me, as long as you tell me whether you've seen it or not."

((Oh, the single quotation part where it says 'Prince' was supposed to be an inner thought. xD; I separate inner thoughts with '___' and actual spoken words with "___".))

Iist went to tend to Uje, putting the sword and shield at her side and keeping her hands busy by petting her companion. "I'm here to help my village with a quest, it's nothing really." She wondered why these people were always avoiding her own questions, and maybe thought to avoid some of theirs. "Hmm...I haven't seen anything interesting other than a mirror awhile back." She frowned, adding to her frustration to be convincing. "The mirror was super unhelpful."

(Sorry, I read things quite fast so I sometimes miss the difference between single and double quotation marks)

"Hmm, is that so? The mirror has been there for a long time. What quest is it of yours to bring you here? Has the mirror not told you that this place is dangerous?" He clicked his fingers as a flame sprang to life in his palm. "Just a small precaution, if you lie, this will turn black." His voice turned cold. "Have you seen a boy around here? Blue eyes, white hair?"

Link: https://www.sylestia.com/forums/?thread=50963&page=202#2018 Author: Aphelion Time Posted: 12/17/2017 at 2:20 AM (Sorry, I read things quite fast so I sometimes miss the difference between single and double quotation marks) "Hmm, is that so? The mirror has been there for a long time. What quest is it of yours to bring you here? Has the mirror not told you that this place is dangerous?" He clicked his fingers as a flame sprang to life in his palm. "Just a small precaution, if you lie, this will turn black." His voice turned cold. "Have you seen a boy around here? Blue eyes, white hair?"

"Has it? Well, this is my first time in the forest." She looked hurt when the prince held the truth-detecting flame. "Yeah, I did. But I don't know where he is now. He seemed scary so I tried to avoid him." Which was true, in her opinion.

To your relief, the flame didn't turn black (yet, lol). "Ah, you tried to avoid him." His red eyes flashed. "And so? You tried to avoid him, and then you failed, yes? You talked to him. Did he say anything?"