Tyler
Thrown for a loop at the sudden change in her vernacular, the girl came off as fairly. . . eccentric, but her straight forward demeanor was admirable. Mac followed her gaze to the screen playing the current battle, but he didn't recognize most of the names. Probably have to call my organizer. . . He thought to himself, thinking that the Steven fellow looked familiar - or at the very least, the logo of his sponsor did. The girl he wasn't too sure about, yet the matched looking interesting enough, and Mac opted to hold off on conversation until after the battle so he could watch it.

Tyler

At motion of the staff member, a brown haired man walks through the entrance. A smile is stretched about his face as he looks over the room, meeting the eyes of anyone who looks at him. "Please, just call me Mac. That's what most people do. A shame Miss Grayson had to leave, but I'll do what I can to make a suitable replacement." Waltzing over to the staff member, Mac bends over to mutter into their ear. "You wouldn't happen to have a spare sheet with the match listings, would you?"

Jacob face look dumbfounded, to think she actually believe a story like that, he'd probably call her a gullible and naive if it weren’t for the fact it was true, but then again she did assume he was a herbalist. He was taken aback by her sudden proposal to take done the king that was his queue to walk away, or at least he would have if not for the guards.

"Ok, listen." He gave a gesture with his hands for her to slow down as he caught his train of thought. "Now the only reason I'm here is because I’m supposed to investigate who killed the old king. If you've already confirmed it was the new one then by all means capture and imprison or hell execute him. But my job's done so if you’ll be so kind as to inform your guards so that i may be merrily on my way."

His curiosity was raised at the appearance of yet again another mysterious woman who carried insight in the current situation. As she introduced herself Jacob waited and then did as she had done introducing himself. “I am Jacob, Marethari, what do you know of herbs to make such a bold claim. New species of plant do not simply appear out of thin air." He tried to put some authority in his voice, he had to at least sound like he knew what he was talking about pretending to be a master herbalist and all. He shifted the bag draped around his shoulder farther to his backside when she pointed it out.' It shouldn't be too hard to figure an herbalist would carry books on herbs but...' Jacob thought as he opened the flap to his bag seeing if any of its contents had been tampered with. "Should I assume you also know why i am here?"

As Jacob progressed further to his destination the forest had only seemed to get thicker. The map showed a forest surrounding the elven capital, but he didn’t imagine this. There was hardly a step you could make that didn’t lead into a tree root. 'Gee, without this map I'd probably be lost by now.' Jacob could tell he was making some excellent timing, he made the final push through the thicket of trees reaching the outskirts of the capital and the sun was only grazing the horizon.

Exiting the forest Jacob came upon a clearing full of fields. ‘Must be nice having your home so close to the capital of your kingdom.' he thought to himself. Nothing was there was very extravagant, the farms houses didn’t look much different form his back home. As he walked along the trail Jacob could see the elven farmers prepare for a days end, putting away their wares and going into their homes. But what caught his eye more was the giant stone walls surrounding the capital; even from here he could tell that the walls were enormous. He was so distracted by what lied before him he wasn't even aware of the crossroads ahead. He very well would have bumped into a farmer pushing around a wagon full of grain.

He sounded ready to give Jacob an ear full but when took a closer look at Jacob he paused. "Pardon me sir but are you headed to see the king?" Jacob was taken aback by this sudden question. This farmer was rather peculiar looking, he was dressed like any other farmer but his skin was dark, not tanned like Jacob's but it seemed almost grayish and his eyes, they were a piercing yellow. Jacob gave a light chuckle while pulling a strained smile. "Ha, I'd be lucky to find an inn. I've never been to the capital before." The farmer looked Jacob up and down a final time. "Is that so, then please carry on and watch were your walking." Then mysterious elf walked away pushing his wagon leaving Jacob to continue marching towards the city walls.

The wall was staggering up close, the giant steel gate left Jacob in awe. Standing outside of it were two guards halted at attention. Jacob assumed it would be easy enough to waltz past them into the city, but there was no such luck as he was stopped before he could even make his way past them. “Stay yourself young one. What purpose do you have in the capital?" The guard’s voice was stern as he held his lance in front of Jacob. "Uh I’m just here to conduct some business with a patron within the city." It was a pathetic excuse and Jacob's nervous smile didn't make him seem any more convincing. The other guard stared intently at Jacob it was a bit off putting, suddenly his eyes widened and he pulled the first guard aside. They began talking in hushed whispers talking looking back and forth at Jacob, and then one guard rushed inside the city as the other went back to attention. "You may pass into the capital, sir. I apologize for holding you up." Jacob stood there befuddled for a few seconds, lost at the guards change in manners. "Am I going to find out what you two were discussing?" The guards remained silent staring forward, Jacob decided to shrug it off and head further into the city.

 Passing through the gates the city looked far different then the town he knew. He hadn't realized it but dusk had already fallen, the stone streets were illuminated by several lanterns. All the open space that wasn’t taken up by the road or building was laid out with trees and fields of grass and flowers. Jacob trying to take all this in was only becoming more and more difficult. As he wandered the streets he saw the castle in the distance and wondered how he would possibly be able to enter and conduct his search. The idea of him entering seemed so far off. "You there with the staff." A voice rang out to Jacob, he almost forgot about the staff he had given strapped to his back. It was by a man dressed similarly as the guards outside the gate, he wore golden painted armor made out of some metal Jacob couldn't be sure the type. The difference was probably the trimming; it was red and contained a seal on both his shoulder plates.

“I am Andorr, captain of the guards. I'm here to welcome you to the capital, Marethari."  Jacob again was at a lost for word unable to follow the situation. But this Andorr continued as he walked closer to Jacob." We were worried no one would come after your keeper refused to offer help. He said it was too dangerous to send anyone but you seem to be in good shape. Although you look rather young." When Andorr finally reached Jacob he was surprised. The captain stood at least half a foot over Jacob, and there were scars across his face showing he must have had some experience in battle. "Uh, I'm sorry sir i believe you have me confused with someone else. I'm no Mare-Marethari." Andorr let out a light-hearted laugh before he grabbed hold of Jacob’s shoulders. "There's no reason to feign ignorance, Your clearly one of the master herbalist, from the Marethari order, besides I don't know who you could fool while wearing the orders uniform. Look your sword even has the insignia on the hilt." Jacob looked down to his exposed sword, and sure enough the engraving of a leaf was carved into the iron hilt. He let out an embarrassed chuckle rubbing the back of his neck. This must have been the plan of that two-bit goddess dressing me up like this. “Ah ha, you got me I suppose it should be fine admitting it now that I'm within the city. I assume you know why I am here?" Andorr's expression turned more serious as he cleared his throat. "It would be best we discuss our reasons for summoning you later, it is rather late and the king will wish to speak with you in the morning. I shall escort you to your quarters for the night within the castle." Jacob followed behind Andorr to the castle with an unpleasant silence going on between the two.

He was guided by Andorr and presumably a servant to the king to his quarters. It was a pretty much what you'd expect from a room owned by royalty. A small room illuminated by candles, a large bed covered in expensive looking sheets, and a window overlooking the city. Jacob would have loved to just stare outside, but the current matters were more pressing. He was impersonating an herbalist, from what sounded like a pretty important group; he didn’t know a single thing about herbalism. He rifled through his satchel hoping for had something for him that could assist him.  All there was, besides the rations, were books that varied on to many different subjects. The closest one about herbs was a book on seasoning combinations. “A book of spices! Of all the useless things that fraud of a goddess could have given me, she decided to throw in a cookbook!” Jacob angrily threw the book to the side of the room, flopping down onto the fancy bed. He was too tired to get agitated right now, he blew out the candles in the room and retired for the night hoping some fortune befall him in the next day.

"I agree with, Daylin was it? If this quest is so important then we should not waste any time. You said so yourself we can reach our respective destinations by the end of the day. We can all concern ourselves with rest then. “ Jacob stood firm on this choice. He was prepared to leave regardless of how the others felt. Not so much because he cared about the grand quest, but because the first step to escaping these lunatics was by reaching some place populated. Besides, who knew what these people may try to do to or when they may take him again in his sleep.

*READ CLOSELY******
'What kind of a farce is this? Are you trying to tell me you took me by force, as if I’d be ever so joyous to assist in your phantasmal adventure of wonder and whimsy? That it’s apparently all okay because this is nothing more than a simple dream, because if we perish we are not dead? As if I’d buy into something as idiotic as that.‘ Flailing his arms about as he screaming till his lungs were fit to burst, he angrily paced toward the so called "goddess”. ‘Frankly the only thing that would make me half believe you are these pathetic excuses for creatures.' He spun pointing, arm extended in the direction of the deer-morph. ‘What is with that thing? It can barely stand with that stick, and I don’t even know what it is, but it’s clearly not human when you compare it to that lummox over there. I have no time to entertain such idiotic notions such as these, I suggest you find another sap.'

Jacob wanted to say all this and more, but instead he stood there, silently watching everything take place in front of him. He couldn't be positive at first but reaching this grove, Jacob confirmed his fear, and he wasn't near the farm or even the forest he knew as his own personal backyard. There was no telling where he was, and he couldn't take the chance of dying out in the grounds because he let his temper get the best of him. He'd have to play their game, at least until they reached some civilization, when that happened he could break free and plot his way home.

Have not any of you wished for a second chance, another opportunity, to forge your life as you want it?

Something about that line made Jacob snap. It felt like a vein had popped in his head, and his eyes bulged as he shouted at the godess. “No, I haven’t! I have never once thought of another life, I love my life! Working the fields my father fought so hard to obtain, caring for the animals every day, assisting my mother with the house work, and after a hard day’s work spending time with my sisters! I have never once considered it a burden, so much so that I would drop it all and abandon them. And for you to have the audacity to suggest that as if you can read me like some open book..." He stopped all of a sudden, his face flushed red from his frustration. He didn't even realize it, but he had stepped farther into the grove. It was embarrassing to have lost his temper from a few mere words, but he must regain his composure. "But," The anger could be felt in his voice, but his words were hollow. “If my family is in danger as you say, and I am in a position to help them... Then I suppose I have little choice but to assist you."