Ymiden 70 717, Midday
Location: Gates of Uthaldria
Today in Uthaldria seemed to be a day almost like any other so far, warm and humid as the giants wandered the streets. Apparently a good majority of the hunters in the city were busy doing their trials or something, though Kayleigh hardly seemed to grasp such events completely. Uthaldria was, to her knowledge, a place of danger and excitement nowadays; she could always wake up expecting something unusual to occur throughout her day to say the least. She'd spent the good majority of her time here searching for her little brother Higan, who had yet to appear at all no matter wherein the city she searched. She didn't give up on her endeavor however, not when she knew just how danger the city itself could pretend to be now.
The Lotharro were brutish animals when one seemed to look at them, yet that had only been first impression upon Kayleigh's glance. After spending time here she came to understand there existed more to them, a way of living and understanding far different from her own quite actually. To not only learn but explore a bit of their culture had proved an eye opener on her behalf, and it had been thanks to a few Lotharro in particular that changed her mind. Even so she still had much to learn of this place, much to consider if she intended to find a temporary place among their kind. She didn't belong here though. That much Kayleigh understood, as her own particular values differed well from the rest. She arrived at the gates of Uthaldria where she first arrived and thought back to that day, where she had met a Lotharro in particular that proved much to her.
With a better sense of clarity now she thought back to that day, and contemplated to herself the events that unfolded upon their meeting. She had to consider that maybe Fridgar did more than just impress her, in a way he helped her change and grow uniquely in such a short time. She learned how to take up a sword and try to defend herself, and not only that but to fight and overcome the fear of battle. Yet there existed a greater fear in part, a weakness of her's that darkened the truth. She actually enjoyed the act of fighting, of overcoming her obstacles and succeeding; but only proved weak by her fear of blood. A fear she had grown to live with all her life, and would have to conquer when faced with danger. How else would she protect herself... or those that mattered to her in times of need?
"I'll pull through somehow..." Kayleigh mentally encouraged herself as she rested her travel pack on the floor, although admittedly the statement within her mind didn't ring with much confidence either. As she grappled the end of her blouse she looked around, a sheepish grin on her face as she rolled it up to tuck it within a knot. She only did this to reveal the surface of her belly, so that her skin could breathe while she resided in the shade of a building. Kayleigh had came out to the gates today to mainly try and play her harp, and hopefully earn a bit of coin in the process as was her profession. She liked to play her instrument if not sometimes sing out amongst the crowds of people, but of course she more often played rather than sang in the presence of many. A bit bashful about it she leaned down to her bag, her hands pinched at the ends of her skirt to avoid risk of anything revealing.
Not that anybody really seemed intent to peer, the place didn't seem to hectic or even busy for that matter. With the many Lotharro busy, those that were out and about seemed to be too occupied to even notice a little woman. That had to be at least one perk about being here, even if it had a major drawback in it's own particular way of course. Uthaldria was a land of giants to Kayleigh because of her height, and yet that made it easier for her to remain unnoticed most times. Which she tended to prefer unless times called for otherwise, much like now when she brought out her harp. Upon brandishing it into her shoulder she closed her eyes and ran two fingers across the strings, the sound of melodic ascension in the notes hummed within her ears. In this particular environment though it didn't seem very loud, nevertheless she'd only brought it out to test it's sound as her other hand delicately held the wooden instrument.
She rested her back against the cool dry rock of the wall behind her, as she closed her eyes and began to pluck at the strings accordingly. There came about a few soft tunes that didn't seem to carry out much, and then in some instances just a few plucked cords out of random. Kayleigh seemed to lack proper inspiration for her instrument today, otherwise she would've found it less bothersome to play out in the open. Truth be told she felt pressured to try and earn some money in doing this, even within her mind she expected there to be at least some chance of earning coin. Yet after a bit of time spent busking at her spot there didn't seem to be any, at all, who were interested in tipping her for playing such a soft instrument. Maybe it had been due to the fact she seemed rather distracted, curious about those she had met not long after her arrival here. Or maybe... the Lotharro around here didn't seem particularly fond of the music of her harp?
So what was Kayleigh to do? Nobody seemed to take interest in her presence there, and her muse seemed a little off if not focused elsewhere. What of Fridgar? She could probably try and sing a tune about him, of the things he showed her when they hunted the Feron. It seemed like a good idea at the moment, yet she didn't seem sure she knew enough of the Lotharro yet. He was actually quite a different person to figure out entirely, not so simple minded like she anticipated him to be shortly after they had met. No. Kayleigh wanted to compose something meaningful about him first, and then see to it that she put the words to ballad afterwards. Therefore she needed time to think on the verses, the inspiration itself even, and maybe eventually she'd come to develop a song worth singing. So what should she do then?
She could certainly try and sing at least, that would carry out far better than her harp. Though what she had in mind for a ballad seemed absent, and thus she sighed with a drop of her shoulders as she looked to the sky. The gates rose so high up, she felt even punier now than before comparing herself to the Lotharro here. Beyond the gates though within the horizon she could see a mountain, at least just it's peak which touched the very heavens far above. Kayleigh thought back to the other night when some of the Lotharro were actually singing, back at Nidhoffnir where she had been staying for the time being. They were mostly drunk of course and were somewhat drowned out by the sound of brawling, but Kayleigh understood the fact that they were chanting common words when they sang. She didn't think much on the song at first, but now that she remembered hearing it the timing of then and the hunt going on now... It had to have held much significance in meaning with the group, maybe they were hunters like the rest that were about to go on their journey.
Kayleigh closed her eyes as she then allowed herself to mellow the world out, and then tune into the nature of her inspiration as sounds came to her. Kayleigh listened to the way the wind carried through with its breeze, a gentle hum felt in its presence as she honed in on the crowd. Too many noises. She wasn't able to filter anything out with that, so she relied further on that one hum. That would be enough, it had to be to find her own tune. After standing there quietly, likely appearing a loon to some, Kayleigh took in a deep breath and began the first verse of the chant.
"Land of bear and land of eagle, land that gave us birth and blessing. Land that called us ever homewards, we will go home across the mountains." She paused only briefly as she found her tune, a smile crossed her lips as she continued to sing aloud to all that passed her by. "We will go home, we will go home; we will go home across the mountains! We will go home, we will go home; we will go home across the mountains!"
