Anja sighed and stared at her hip flask of liquor. She wasn’t sure what exactly it was, she was drunk when she bought it, but she didn’t take a drink. Finding Alina would be a lot harder drunk.

She stood at the doorstep of the great castle, the evening wind drifting through her short dark blue hair and leather jacket. Despite her hard background, she felt like she always looked to feminine for a hunter, even when she wasn’t dressed like one. At her hip was her sword and she had her spear strapped behind her back. After the events in the slums she was feeling paranoid.

Anja sighed again and pushed her worries aside, and banged the knocker 3 times.
September 24, 2018
Artemi☆, Unmoving Great Library09/24/2018
Beth returned to the castle, having taken a walk outside, and stopping in the city to pick up some things. A bag in her hands, she made her way up towards the front gate, hoping they hadn't barred the doors yet, but knowing she could slip in a servant's entry if she had to.

Entering the grounds proper, she was relived to see activities still in the yard, and someone at the door. She at first mistook her for a guard due to the lengthening evening shadows, and called out ahead, shouldering her bag to better free her other hand.

"Ah, excuse me, could you open the door for me?"
Cyber, Empyrial Flufftician09/24/2018
Anja turned to the odd girl and shrugged. Not someone she expected to be in the castle but who was she to judge. She shrugged and pulled on the handle with her good arm.

“You guys just keep it unlocked?”

Regardless she held the door open for the girl.
Artemi☆, Unmoving Great Library09/24/2018
Beth nodded to the other girl, stepping inside. "Well, there are plenty of guards on the outer walls to keep an eye out, so during the day it is kept open, yes. Why...?"

Seeing the other girl better in the light inside, she looked her up and down. "You... are not one of the guards, who... are you? A petitioner to the king, perhaps? Here to beg his mercy on some issue? It is getting a little late, usually he is... carousing by now, I am afraid you will simply have to come back tomorrow."
Cyber, Empyrial Flufftician09/24/2018
Anja scratched her head and stepped in behind her.

“Oh, I don’t have any business with the king at the moment. I’m here to look for someone.”

The girl seemed pretty familiar with the place so maybe she’d know.

“Have you seen a little girl, about this tall and wearing a fur lined jacket thats way to big for her? Black hair, might be carrying a stuffed toy?”
Artemi☆, Unmoving Great Library09/24/2018
"Oh! The... little wolf girl? Big ears?" Beth raised her free arm, flopping her hand like the cloak's wolf ear hood.

"She said her... sister? Mother? Was looking for her, but could not give much information on how we might find her.  I take it you are her, then?"
Cyber, Empyrial Flufftician09/24/2018
“Actually that’s just the cloak her ears are normal.”

Anja sighed, relieved she hadn’t revealed her actual ears yet.

“I’m her guardian. She’s been gone for a couple days but the door was locked when I came here yesterday.”
Artemi☆, Unmoving Great Library09/24/2018
"Mmm... she said she left a note..." Giving the other woman a frown, Beth flagged down a passing servant and handed her the bag of goods, instructing in a lowered, firm voice that they should be sent to her and Bella's room.

She turned and straightened her coat. "Very well, let us go try to find her. If she recognizes you, all is well. Last I saw her, she was camped out in the library."
Cyber, Empyrial Flufftician09/24/2018
Anja nodded, and followed the girl. It made sense that Alina would like the library. Relieved that the prospect of finding her may finally be within reach she sighed.

“Oh I didn’t catch your name, I’m Anja.”
Artemi☆, Unmoving Great Library09/24/2018
Beth led the way, clearly well familiar with the direction to the library herself. "I am Beth, of the Kingsguard."

She opened the door to the library, looking around for the wolf headed hood of the girl in question.
Cyber, Empyrial Flufftician09/24/2018
Anja raised her eyebrow but didn’t comment. Beth did not look like a kingsguard but she supposed she wasn’t one to judge. Then again she had just met 2 demigods a couple days ago so she supposed a kingsguard wasn’t that radical by comparison.

Unfortunately for Anja, Alina wasn’t anywhere in the library. Although she frowned, Anja didn’t panic yet.

“Guess not. What’s it like as a kingsguard anyways?”

She heads out, not really picking a direction in particular.
September 25, 2018
Artemi☆, Unmoving Great Library09/25/2018
Beth scanned the room, frowning when she didn't see the precariously stacked tower of books she had learned signified Alina's presence. She didn't know her anymore then anyone else in the palace, but since she had been the one to bring the girl here, the librarians had assumed she was responsible for her somehow... Despite Beth being the younger of the two.

"Well, I suppose she is elsewhere. Perhaps bothering the cooks?"

Turning to go, she led the way, eying Anja out of the corner of her eye. She was clearly a fighter, the way she moved showed the weapons she had on her were not for show.

"Oh, not so bad. Guard the king, in both official and battlefield functions. Bit of, ah, a firebrand, that one."
Cyber, Empyrial Flufftician09/25/2018
“Did you guys ever run into someone...”

Her mind shifted as she remembered the conversation between Cheshire and Titus.

“Actually, never mind.”

At this point Anja began to worry. The fact that Beth knew that she was here was good, but it appeared that she hadn’t seen her in a while.

“Has... er, how was Alina?”
September 26, 2018
Artemi☆, Unmoving Great Library09/26/2018
Beth chuckled. "We have run into a lot of someone's. I would guess some are more weird then the ones you have met."

Turning off the main hall, Beth flipped a nondescript tapestry aside and slipped into the servant's hall hiding behind it, cutting sideways across the building towards presumably the kitchens. Every so often they had to lean to the side as a servant came by, with a nod or a  'sorry Miss Beth!' as they slipped past on whatever errand was on.

"Oh, she seems a handful, but a good kid. Excitably as anything, though. She reminds me of my sister, somehow..."
Cyber, Empyrial Flufftician09/26/2018
“Sorry you had to take care of her, she is indeed quite the handful.”

Anja chuckled with Beth and patted her on the shoulder.

“How old is your sister?”
Artemi☆, Unmoving Great Library09/26/2018
"Seems tis my lot in life. She is about... 10 minutes younger then me, perhaps? Long enough to be difficult, but not enough to get in trouble over it."

She grumbled something under her breath about that being her lot in life.

"If you are not related, how did you come to be, ah, responsible for the girl?"
Cyber, Empyrial Flufftician09/26/2018
“She just follows me everywhere so I might as well make sure she doesn’t starve.”

Anja replied in a joking voice, clearly not conveying the full story.

“So twins huh? If you don’t mind me asking how old are you?”
Artemi☆, Unmoving Great Library09/26/2018
"I suppose that is a noble thing you have taken upon yourself." Beth nodded, clearly no sarcasm in her voice.

"I... think... our birthday is just after the summer solstice, sometime, so... we just turned 16, I suppose."(edited)
Cyber, Empyrial Flufftician09/26/2018
“Oh...”

Anja was taken aback at Beth’s maturity for her age, especially when compared to Alina, who continently turned the corner with a jar of something in her arms and a cookie in her mouth. Noticing Beth, but not Anja she excited finished her cookie without any hands and shuffled forward to greet her.

“Beth! Beth! I met this guy named Felix, and he’s kinda nice but he has this weird big giant wyvern dragon puppet! And- and I think he does weird stuff to it!”(edited)
Artemi☆, Unmoving Great Library09/26/2018
"...and let me tell you, she is just insufferable around birthday parties- Oh, there she is." Beth slowed to a stop, nodding to Alina.

"Ah, bothering the cooks, I see? And... hm. I... am not sure I would recommended getting, ah... too close to that Felix fellow, Alina."

She turned and looked behind her towards Anja. "Is this who you were looking for the other day?"
Cyber, Empyrial Flufftician09/26/2018
Alina froze when she noticed Anja, and quickly hid the jar of cookies behind her back.

"Hi Anja. How is your arm?"

She squeaked, clearly not expecting her caretaker to come visit. Anja, on the other hand, smiled, almost predatorially, and carefully grabbed ahold of Alina before she could run.

"And just what do you think you're doing having fun without me Al~i~na?"

Alina's eyes pleaded Beth for help silently.

"So what do you have in that jar hmm?"
Artemi☆, Unmoving Great Library09/26/2018
Beth smiled at the girl... And then leaned forward and neatly slipped the jar from her clenched grip. Almost as if she had had practice at this exact maneuver.

"What is this you have? Do the cooks know you have an..." She lifted the lid, and the smell of fresh cookies instantly flooded the narrow hall, "... Entire jar of cookies with you?"
September 27, 2018
Cyber, Empyrial Flufftician09/27/2018
"No, uh, it's just..."

Frankly Alina couldn't care less about the cookies. She was worried about what was coming next. Realizing Beth wasn't going to bail her out she turned back to Anja.

"You love me right?"

She gave Anja her signature puppy dog eyes and tried her best to weasel out of the situation. Anja's smile softened a little, but she maintained her tone.

"Well if you knew I loved you so much why didn't you stay at home with me?"

Alina realized talking was futile and squirmed a bit to try and get out.
Artemi☆, Unmoving Great Library09/27/2018
Gently placing the jar of cookies under her arm, lid secured, Beth slid back, seeing that Anja appeared to have the situation under control. She may have also snuck a cookie herself, when her back was turned. Nothing anyone could prove, though, of course.

"Well, I suppose you found her, what next? Do you need escorted back out of the castle so you can continue on your way?" She turned and looked back at the other two.
Cyber, Empyrial Flufftician09/27/2018
Alina pouted by puffing her cheeks, and stopped her struggling. Anja shifted her grip so that it would be more comfortable and gave Alina a soft pat on the head.

“Sorry we we had to bother you, thank you for helping me find Alina.”

Alina grumbled and took out Cookie, who she hugged to her chest.

“Home is no fun though...”
Artemi☆, Unmoving Great Library09/27/2018
Nodding, Beth turned, leading them back down the hall the way they came.

"This one mentioned that you are a pretty good fighter. You also seem to have a rather level head on your shoulders, if you do not mind my saying. If these are true... I might be able to put in a good word, if you are looking for a job."
Cyber, Empyrial Flufftician09/27/2018
Anja paused, suddenly interested in Beth’s offer. Alina thought that she could take advantage of it, and quickly ducked her head down and ran. Unfortunately for her Anja’s arm shot out and grabbed hold of Alina’s, reeling her back.

“I’m interested.”
Artemi☆, Unmoving Great Library09/27/2018
Watching the quick motion to collar the girl, Beth raised an eyebrow. Good reflexes

"Sure, I can put in a word with Glenn, maybe get you work as a guard, or higher if you are good at it. We are missing some slots in the Kingsguard, too, to be honest, so who knows."

She shrugged and opened the tapestry hiding the servants hall, glancing out both ways before stepping out and waving them through. She turned and headed towards the throne room, assuming she'd find Glenn... somewhere around there this time of the day.
Cyber, Empyrial Flufftician09/27/2018
"Huh..."

Anja scratched her head, a little confused as to what she agreed to. Alina on the other hand, realized that she had lost her prized possession and shouted.

"HEY! SHE TOOK THE COOKIES!"

Anja sighed and shook her head.

"You already got one. It's time to go home now."

Reluctantly, Alina let Anja drag her back to the hotel.
Artemi☆, Unmoving Great Library09/27/2018
Beth slowed to a stop, turning to look at them. "Would you like to meet with Glenn? He is the chief tactician here, he can figure out if you would be a good fit or not..."

She closed her long jacket shut, being careful to fully cover the jar of cookie at her side.
Cyber, Empyrial Flufftician09/27/2018
"Maybe some other time, it's Alina's bedtime and I need to make sure she doesn't stay up late too often."

In response Alina folded her arms and said in a mocking tone,

"I'm a big girl I can do what I want!"
Artemi☆, Unmoving Great Library09/27/2018
Beth nodded. "Alright! Just come on by the castle sometime if you want to find out more. I... am probably around, most the time. Unless we are out with the King somewhere."

She lead them back to the front doors, opening the door and waving as they slipped out.