An Old Man's Quest: Part 3

An Old Man's Quest: Part 3

Marcus Biscay

08-23-2010, 04:51 PM

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This needs to be post dated to July 31st. It shall be the last of these pre-dated threads (finally!). I need to know (roughly) how this will end, as it will impact my next thread with Ghita. So... Marcus wants to move his ship up into Rabbit Lake, and anchor on the coastline. Shall he succeed :-)? Also, for this next post, I don't know if you want anybody else to be around in the Manor, but it might make sense. Your choice.

An odd tide was coming in. It was unusually rougher than normal. Of course, normal was a ridiculous term to use, seeing as how Marcus had only arrived on the shores of Crimson Dreams three days prior. Perhaps this sort of tide was normal in these parts. It only woke Marcus because he had grown somehow accustomed to the playful waves he had experienced the days before. A stem of memory was struck. In the Summer of 2006, Marcus was sent on assignment to Egypt, to reclaim Alexandria, and recover an artifact from the library. By the time The Musketeer and his platoon had arrived, most of the mercenaries defending the city had deserted their employer, and so the siege was fairly simple. What was not simple was the journey home. An unusual wind picked up just as the Congregatio ships passed by Crete. The winds soon turned to storm, and the storm soon turned to disaster. Out of the three ships Marcus had with him, only one survived, and out of the 50 men in his platoon, only three survived. After the storm, Marcus took a two week leave from duty. He had seen what he had thought was the end of the world. White lightning, vivid and strong, crashing down, throwing masts violently from their homes. Rain the size of golf balls slamming onto the ship decks, almost piercing the hull, and giving sailors massive head trauma. But worst of all was the water spouts. Marcus had never seen them before. He did not have a name to describe them, and so he coined them 'Drinking Gyros'. He called them so because of their terrible tendency to gyrate wildly into anything in their path, and drink them clear out of the water. They were some of the most terrifying things he had seen in his entire life, and he would never forget what they had done to his men.

The loud sound of crashing waves woke Marcus at an early time. He wished to stay sleeping, but figured that the sooner he got moving, the sooner he would reach Haven Manor. As per his routine, he rose from his bunk, wound his watch, and made his way to the galley. The walking he had been doing had payed off. His ankles remained pleasantly neutral as he walked about his ship. Perhaps they were pleased that their story had been shared, or perhaps they simply needed a good lap of exercise. Marcus started a fire in his stove, and collected the ingredients he had scavenged the day before. More eggs, and a collection of small fish. He took his time cooking, and ate a pleasant breakfast while reflecting on his encounters with both Ghita and Ehno. If Savina shared any of the traits similar to both siblings, Marcus would have no trouble enjoying a pleasant conversation with her. The old man's jowls formed a smile, and he chuckled to himself. Many things were to be 'pleasant' today, weren't they?

Marcus dressed himself in his quarters, taking particular care in handling his detailed burgundy vest. He had been through quite a lot with that vest. Perhaps should it be said that the vest had been through quite a lot with Marcus. He could still recall the day his mother gave it to him. She was so filled with pride, the smile on her face could have cured a dying man. Unfortunately, to her bad luck, she was a dying woman. At her cremation, Marcus had thought of giving her the vest which had made her so happy. Glad was he now, that he had not. He had nothing else to keep as a token of her love. He thought of the people he had left behind. He had nothing to show for them but a few trinkets and toys. But Marcus would not dwell on the past any longer. He checked his right watch... Eight o' clock. Time to set out.

Grabbing his cane and equipment, Marcus walked out from his ship and down the boarding plank. He took a deep, cleansing breath, and began to walk North, towards the Mersey river. As he approached the river, he looked to the sky. It was cloudy, and looked as if it might rain. This didn't bother Marcus. A cool rain would be nice to combat the hot weather. After a long walk up the river, Marcus came to the lake once again, and took out his spyglass. Before he could use it, however, he noticed that the fog settling on the lake was too thick to see through. This sort of weather reminded his of England. It felt like home. The old man trudged through the fog, and passed by the landmarks he had known before. The great windmill at which he had met Ehno, and the goat filled cottage where he and Ghita had shared the stories of their accidents. A smile was brought to Marcus' face as he remembered his encounters with the two Marinos. An excitement flared up in his stomach. He was getting close. He took out his compass from his satchel, and gave it a quick look. Once he found North, he scanned his surroundings, and headed out in the direction which he felt would hold Haven Manor.

After a short walk, the fog began to lift, and Marcus could make out the figure of a structure in the near horizon. It was large, and rectangular, with a steeped roof. As he drew closer, he recognized the building, and sighed deep with relieved happiness. He had finally reached his destination. Inside, who knows what he would find. Perhaps he would meet a few new pack members, with whom he could converse? Perhaps. Perhaps he would gaze upon a few familiar faces? Anu, Ehno, Ghita; all would be a welcome sight. But his goal remained the same: he would meet Savina Marino today.

The old man walked up to the front of the mammoth building, and faced the front door. He was reminded of the Colosseum, and it's sheer immensity. Even in it's war-torn and weathered state, it was still a wonder to behold. The arches in particular gave Marcus chills. An old arm raised a cane up to the centre of the door in front of it, and rapped the wood a total of five times. Just enough to get attention without being obnoxious. Marcus stepped back from the door, placed his cane between his legs, and used it for support as he waited for somebody to open before him, the portal to which he could only hope would be an agreeable encounter. His old eyes wandered around to his satchel, and grew silent upon the small lump of faded parchment, resting in the middle of his equipment. His mind soon returned to the present, and commanded his eyes forward. The future would soon be at hand.

wc = 1,197

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Savina Marino

09-10-2010, 02:57 PM

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Hmmm, well, I dunno! How big is Marcus' ship? And do you know how they would transport it? As far as others being around, I don't want to risk PPing anyone, so we can just have them go to the library or kitchen or something :3 Sorry my post isn't as long! 500+

Savina had woken to an overcast sky that bespoke the strong possibility of rain. Not having any desire for an unexpected bath today, she had decided to do some work tidying up around the manor. First she went down into the cellar of the kitchen to check on their food stores. While she hoped there was still a good amount of time before winter hit them in earnest, it was best to start checking on these necessary things now. The cache was in fairly good shape, but she would make a point of reminding the hunting members to keep an eye out for extra food and to not overeat what they did catch. They had many pups to feed who would not be able to stand the cold weather as well as the adults. Perhaps she could organize a hunt soon so they could take some some larger prey. Making a mental note of it, she moved back up to the kitchen proper and made sure everything was in its proper place. The Italian woman barely used anything in here, unfamiliar with the human utensils, but it was better to have everything in order regardless.

It didn't take long for the kitchen to be put to rights, and from there she moved into the main area of the large mansion. It didn't get a whole lot of use in the warmer months, but as soon as the first frosts hit it would be getting much more traffic thanks to the large fireplace that was its centerpiece. The Marino matron went around fluffing and dusting off the cushions of the various chairs and couches, sneezing every so often when some of the dust found its way into her nostrils. Then she shook out the rugs and straitened them back up. With all the little paws running around it was easy for them to get messed up. The slender raven woman then grabbed and broom and dustpan to pick up the stray dirt and dust that littered the floor. Then she quickly swept out the hearth of its remaining ashes and leftover splinters of wood. She walked to the back door of the kitchen and emptied the waste outside.

Putting the broom and dustpan in their proper places she dusted off her hands, smiling with the satisfaction of getting some needed freshening up done. Everyone would be thankful of it when they all huddled around the fire to keep warm in a few months. Not to mention it was just good to keep herself busy nowadays. With her littlest pups growing quickly and exploring off on their own, the mother often felt a bit out of sorts when they weren't around. The best remedy to keep her mind from worrying too much over them was to keep herself busy doing other things. Her silent reverie was interrupted by five quick knocks on the front door of the manor. The woman's brows knit together curiously, what had that been? The only thing she could imagine was one of the pups had gotten stuck outside, but the rapping had sounded a bit louder than she thought any of them could manage. Still, any of the adult members would have just come in. Somewhat cautiously the Commander walked over to the door, her hand reaching for the knob.

Slowly the manor door was opened and she saw an older canine, a dog from his appearance, dressed very nicely and standing patiently in front of the door. He had a fashioned stick in his hands which she now attributed to the loud knocking. While she had never seen him before, the scent of the pack was beginning to cling to his fur, so she assumed it was a new member that Anu had welcomed. A soft smile came to her features, welcoming. "Hello, you are new here, I assume? Please come in, there's no need to knock." The whole notion of knocking seemed a little ridiculous to her, but she still recognized it merely as a symbol of respect.

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Marcus Biscay

09-10-2010, 10:40 PM

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Marcus' ship looks roughly like the ship on this table. It's about 30-40 feet long, with sails about the same footage tall. Being a complete nerd like I am, I took the time to look up the area's natural geography, and noticed a medium sized river called the Mersey which flows NW up into Lake Rossignol (Rabbit Lake). With the right wind, it would be completely possible to sail up that river into the lake. The river in question is just to the East of Crimson Dreams territory. So size and transport accounted for, the only question is accommodation, which would include nothing more than a small flat area on which a boarding plank may be rested. Oh, and length means nothing as long as the substance is quality. Which, obviously, it is :-D!

The door before Marcus creaked open, emitting a faint squeak that surely only the old man's heightened sense of hearing could receive. By then, it had become normal for him to pick up small murmurs, and light whispers. Ever since the accident in Spain, and his loss of smell, his other perceptive mediums had seemed modified. Occasionally, he would spot a shadow from a few miles away, or feel the tremor of a cavalry call just in time to take cover. This had proved quite useful in his unique line of work.

Marcus regarded the figure before him with extreme curiosity. His eyes darted from place to place as he deduced his way into what he believed was a sound state of mind. Female, mother. Body suggests the past bearing of a child, child-- ren. Estimated: five. Eyes-- Marcus took a moment to soak in the piercing emerald gaze before him. Exceptional. His glance shifted downwards. Ornament. Jewellery. No-- no jewel... Necklace, sea shell necklace. Possible trophy? No. Prize? No. Token? Yes, token. No signs of battle, scars, wounds, bruises, lumps, nothing. Only conclusion: gift. Lovely colour. Colour-- Black. Black hair... Unoriginal-- though I suppose no choice was given. Marcus found himself funny. Humorous. perhaps I will share-- perhaps not... But here now, voice: pleasant, femanine-- Italian!.. Savina? No... No, highly unlikely. Colouration indicates separate family altogether-- wait... Ghita had said Savina was-- how did she put it? The oddball, colour wise. Yes, that was it. Yes-- The connection completed in the old man's head, and his eyes widened. "Savina Marino."

Realizing his informality, and also taking note of his formality's apparent futility, Marcus thrusted his mind back into the realm of conversation, and began introductions. "Ah, yes, I-- well--" Marcus sighed curiously, looking towards the threshold. He had no explanation for his attempts at being polite. "You'll forgive an old man, stuck in his ways?" Although posed facetiously, the question held a slightly serious tone. Marcus knew nothing yet of how Savina would take him, or even if she would take him. With such an idea in mind, he watched his steps carefully. "I am new here, yes." He paused between words, attempting to choose them wisely. "I just arrived on these shores three days ago. I thought it might be appropriate to pay you a visit." Glancing into the manor, Marcus wondered if the woman who he had deemed Savina had been taken from a chore to greet him. "I do hope I'm not interrupting anything?" With that, a hand was lifted in a questioning manner. It tilted to the side, and stood silent in the air. Suddenly, it became heavy, and retracted to Marcus' vest, where it grabbed a lapel for support. Why does clothing work so well as shelving?

500+

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Savina Marino

09-15-2010, 06:27 PM

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Well, that should be fine! I don't see any reasons why that shouldn't work out okay Big Grin Yay quality! 300+

Savina wasn't sure if she had ever heard someone knock on the manor door, unless it was a pup that had gone out and couldn't get back in. With all the little paws they had running around that was an entirely likely scenario, but it seemed today wasn't just like any other day. Given the man appearance, and the fact that he had knocked, Savina guessed that he wasn't from these parts at all. The life here was usually much more rustic than it was in other parts of the world, like Italy for example. Her own birth pack had been an anomaly to most of the European population. Admittedly she didn't know how things were on the rest of this continent, but she felt chances were strong that this man hailed from across the Atlantic, just as she and her family did.

Just as she was inspecting him, he was clearly sizing her up as well. She saw his gaze light particularly upon her necklace for a moment or two and instinctual a hand moved up to touch the light pink shell. Savina didn't hold many possessions, but of those few, the necklace was the most precious. Kansas had made it and given it to her and she was never seen without it. With it around her neck, her love was never far from her, even if he wasn't right by her side. The old man's eyes grew wider and he spoke her name. She had long since gotten used to people she didn't know knowing her name and who she was. Undoubtedly Anu had mentioned her, and so it didn't phase her in the least, her smile only widened slightly. "I am indeed," she answered evenly.

Where he had seemed so intense just a moment ago, he then stumbled upon his words, and she worried if she had accidentally flustered him in some way. With his question posed though, she only shook her head good naturedly. "Of course. We all have our habits." It wasn't that she had been put off by his knocking, it was just unusual around here. It was very polite, just an unnecessary nicety when it came to packmembers, at least when it came to Haven Manor as a whole. Her suspicions as to him being new were confirmed, as well as the fact that he was not native to these lands. "I see. You're from across the ocean then? I thought you might be," she said, smile brightening. She couldn't help but take a shine to foreigners, being one herself. "I'm flattered you made the effort to come see me, truly." It wasn't something many newcomers did. "Oh no, not at all. I was just doing a little cleaning is all. Please, do come in." The Commander opened the door wider, gesturing for him to enter so they could speak more comfortably.

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Marcus Biscay

09-21-2010, 05:55 PM

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Sorry this took so long. I've been writing a script for a musical a local theatre is performing, and so all of my time and muse has gone towards that. Even this is a tad shabby. Short, too. These will improve, just give me a little time :-( *EDIT* I'm back now! Hopefully I'll have more time on my hands :-)

It was a wondrous occasion. Savina had been built up in Marcus' mind for so long now that he could barely contain himself. Barely, here being the operative word. He kept calm, and answered her questions promptly. "Yes I am. As are you, I hear." He looked at the Alphess before him. It was clear how she could be a strong leader. She reminded Marcus of his mother; her hair clad in obsidian quality, and eyes an emerald flare. Even her aura seemed to comfort Marcus. His nerves soon settled.

"Thank you." he said, stepping into the Manor and stopping short of getting to any point in particular. It didn't seem proper to make himself at home quite yet. Not without first getting Savina a firm grip on his intentions. "No doubt you've guessed that I've come here with purpose," he started. "And that is absolutely correct. You see, I was greeted by Anu as I arrived here, and she told me I was welcome." He turned to look at Savina. His venture seemed somewhat silly by this point. She was not distrustful at all. She had let him straight into her home without question. What a lovely woman. "You see, I can never feel quite satisfied until I have the approval of the one in charge. In this case, that happens to be you." The final syllables of his sentence took a very bright turn. He respected this Marino immensely, and made sure his tone remained happy. "I won't take too much time out of your day; I just have a few things I would like to--" He felt the parcel in his bag once more. "--run past you." The old man's nerves started to climb again. The moment which would make of break him was fast approaching. Soon, he would see what Savina would really think of him in time to come.

300+

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Savina Marino

10-03-2010, 02:32 PM

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No worries, as is clear by the wait, I've been busy myself! My sister had a baby and my boss too, so I've been juggling school, auntie, and work duties X3 I'm hoping that things have calmed down enough and I'll have more time to post now though! 300+

There weren't many in these lands that she had met that came from across the sea as she did, but all those she had met she had immensely enjoyed the company of. The Russian sailor Rurik came to her mind. That was a fond memory. Marcus clearly was not from Russia though, or Italy for that matter. He had an accent, but it was much different from her own or from the other man's. "I am indeed, from Italy. Where is it that you originate from?" Even being from Europe, her knowledge of the other parts of the continent were sadly lacking. Her pack had been insulated, and there was even much of her own country that she did not know. Having experience so much since leaving her birth pack though, she was hungry for knowledge of the old world.

The elder canine stepped into the manor with thanks, but stopped for going in any definite direction. He truly was a gentleman, wasn't he? The Commander couldn't help but admire such manners. They held the air of everything in her homeland that she had been sequestered from in the Monti Sabini pack. It made the longing to return to Italy rise up in her chest, but she wrestled it back down. Savina would never abandon her pack, or her family. Someday she would return, but the day was far away. She listened politely to Marcus as he explained his purposes in seeking her out. Once again the only word that she could put to his words and intentions were gentlemanly, and she could never dream of turning him down or denying him her time when he was be so cavalier about it.

"By all means," she said, continuing to smile brightly. "Here, shall we go take a seat? I'm sure that will be more comfortable for both of us." The Commander lead the way over to the plush chairs and couches, settling herself down upon one and folding her hands in her lap.

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Marcus Biscay

10-12-2010, 05:32 PM

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I'm so sorry this took so long. I received your message, and will also reply to it. I wish that school would go away and I could get marked for Souls! Dream world, I know :-\

"England. Little island to the Northwest of Italy. Quite a fun place, when the times are right." said Marcus. He reflected on the time he spent in Chiswick during his childhood. Those were good times, indeed. Times when things were clear, when things went off seamlessly, and when Marcus was in training. Having been taught from a young age the ways of the world, a young Marcus could see what others couldn't: the truth. Where some saw a glorious alpha male, leading the way in the English war against the northern invasions, Marcus could see the self-righteous coward of a man that he really was. Marcus saw the man who had never set foot on a battlefield, and yet boasted as if he had won single-handedly. He had kept this talent throughout his entire life. But now, in these lands -- the lands of dreams -- the old man's talent would sit on a shelf. The people here were so open and honest. Of course they had their secrets (who did not?), but none of them were phony in any way. Marcus found this especially remarkable in Ghita, when he met her. She knew what she could and could not do, and though she hid it well, Marcus knew, and he understood. The same quality was present in Savina. She seemed to not pass judgment too quickly. She seemed to... No. It was too early to draw assumptions. "A seat would suit me fine. My legs tire from walking."

The old man's legs may have been aged, but they were not broken. He didn't want to show his strength too soon. Perhaps in Savina knew fully what Marcus was capable of, she may misunderstand. He walked with Savina to the sitting space, and paused, waiting for a seating plan. "Here?" he asked, pleasantly. His old mind hated being so slow with his invasion, but it was necessary. Remembering the old times as the Musketeer, Marcus chuckled to himself. On one occasion, he was tasked to find a criminal in London. With no leads, no secondary objectives, and nothing to help him, he would have to start from the floor up, and find the man he was looking for. His first goal was to ask around near parliament, but as his search began later at night, he could not find anybody in the block's streets. Instead, he rang the doorbell on a home, waited for an answer, rushed past the woman who opened the door, flung down his things, and sat in a chair. This was the Musketeer's favourite method of interrogation: surprise. He questioned the woman, who brought down a man, who sat in the living room, answered some questions, and got shot. As it turned out, the first house Marcus had come to had housed his fugitive. Blind bloody luck. Marcus shook his head slightly, and regarded Savina once more.

500+

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Savina Marino

10-20-2010, 04:21 PM

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You and me both! 300+

England, yes she had heard of that place before. The man who had taught her English, Lorenzo, had spoken of that country. His family had been a prominent one at one of the trading ports of Italy and he had had a gift for language. Why he had retired to Monti Sabini was beyond her and part of her hoped that he had left. It might have been nice for him for a while, but she couldn't imagine the scholarly wolf being content there forever. "I have heard of England before, though not much. My English teacher told me some of it, but he had never been there himself." Even if Marcus was her first and only acquaintance from that corner of the world, it seemed to be a place of gentlemen and ladies. There was a King there, wasn't there? She thought she remembered that, but she couldn't say for sure. "Did you walk far?" she asked as she lead them to the chairs and couches. Clearly he hadn't been in the Manor before, so he had come some distance. From where exactly though she couldn't guess.

The Commander took her seat and Marcus paused again for a moment, asking where he could sit. "Wherever you would like," she said pleasantly. Savina was not a strict leader and preferred to keep a friendly relationship with her members. Crimson Dreams was more of a family than anything else and she had no desire to lord herself over anyone. That was not her way and it never would be. She lead when it was necessary, but she did not keep the pack afloat on her own. Everyone contributed. This was a team effort, not a monarchy. Of course the Marino woman was thankful and appreciative of Marcus' manners, but she wanted him to see who she was and how things were here. Very few things proceeded here with any measure of pomp and circumstance.

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Marcus Biscay

10-24-2010, 01:32 PM

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I'm getting on when I can! :-D

Her English teacher? thought Marcus. She couldn't mean Pavische, could she? This was the second time Marcus had been reminded of 'The Linguist' in his travels. But no, it couldn't have been him. He was based primarily out of Genoa, and rarely made trips into the peninsula. Plus, his business as of late had been almost exclusively Congregatio based. Marcus' ears peaked up, and he opened his mouth to take in an audible breath. "Far? No, no farther than I am used to. I am anchored out by the beach on the other side of Lake Rossignol. It was a simple walk around."

"Thank you." said Marcus as he sat in a chair, placing his cane onto the arm, and resting his arms on his stomach. Savina seemed amazed at his manners. Just from her face he could tell she was not used to such things, and so, Marcus eased back on the formalities. He continued his on his previous topic. "However, it did take my a few days to get here." he said, a smile crossing his face. An old arm extended, and pointed at Savina. "Your siblings... They sure do know how to keep me talking." A reflection crossed the old man's mind as he looked around the room. This place reminded him very much of the villa he had stayed in while on duty near Istanbul. Funny that he remembered it as Istanbul, since the King there had reinstated the name 'Constantinople', and claimed his own name 'Constantine'. This had all been done with help from 'The Musketeer', of course. Before Constantine, Istanbul was exclusively feral. In fact, the entire area was infected with some odd disease. Constantine would eventually invade the area, and cut off all outside influence for a few years. At the time, Marcus found this delightfully humorous, and dubbed the entire fiasco 'Constantine's Quarantine'. The old man had been staring. He stopped.

300+

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Savina Marino

#10

11-03-2010, 04:07 PM

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Yay! 300+

Savina listened as Marcus explained where it was that he had walked from. The older canine dismissed it as inconsequential, but she could imagine it had to be a bit of a chore to walk so far with his age and the fact that he required the help of a cane to move around. This wasn't to say that she underestimated the old dog at all, she was simply an empathetic person and seeing as her own sister had issues with her leg and walking around, she could only imagine what it must be like for Marcus. There was nothing about him that even hinted at complaint though, and for this she admired him. "Anchored? So you have your own ship?" She couldn't imagine that any merchant vessel would have anchored themselves here. Nova Scotia may have been populated, but she knew enough to know that it was not on any European trade routes.

The refined English gentleman took his set and set his cane aside, relaxing into the chair. It must have felt awfully good to sit down after such a trek to make it here. As he spoke again, a somewhat sly smile crossed his face and she wondered what for. The answer came right after her mind asked the question though, and she couldn't help but smile more broadly herself. "Ah, so you've met the other infamous Marino siblings," she said, her tone clearly jesting. There wasn't really anything infamous about them. "I'm sure Ehno was talking your ear off, he was always the adventurer among us." He had been the first of them to leave their birth pack back in Italy, and she had been the last. At one time she might have been surprised by the fact that someone had met members of her family before they met her. With how prolific the Marino line had become here, though, she barely batted a lash at it.

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