The Steep Path Ahead [Familiar of Zero AU]
- Thread starter shadenight123
- Start date
- Location
- The Old Dominion
Yes though it has its roots in old early modern/late medieval tales of large, hairy, tusked, mannish beasts who could speak and lurked in dark forests and depending that would capture and eat people but sometimes indifferent or even benevolent depending on the tale.
The word orc has its orgins in Orcus, the demonic roman god of death, demons and the punisher of broken oaths not to be confused with the roman god Pluto, the god of the underworld.
The word orc has its orgins in Orcus, the demonic roman god of death, demons and the punisher of broken oaths not to be confused with the roman god Pluto, the god of the underworld.
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SolipsistSerpent
Endlessly Devouring
There's a line somewhere about them having "pig-like" features that gets extremely exaggerated in some works, especially over in Japan.
Normally when you say someone has pig-like features, you just mean they're jowly and have an upturned nose, not an actual snout.
Arafell
Verified Cephalon
- Location
- Oregon
I believe it also has to do with protecting Louise. If he's protecting Louise, his master, he gains even more power.
Mizu
Software Developer
- Location
- Victoria, Australia
didn't do much to
you won't beat yourself
Saito and Louise are getting pretty strong, it seems.
...what about glittering?
- Pronouns
- she/her
Possibly a sign of his depression reducing the rune boost. Its pretty unlike him to go for a ranged option as well.
I think that's probably just a very weak glow. The runes don't actually care what kind of emotions he's feeling. Sadness, anger, whatever.
In canon, he mostly fuels it based on his love for Louise, so it comes off as if it's fueled by protecting her and/or her love, but the runes don't distinguish between emotions and the cause of them, as far as I know.
No. They come from mythology. Orcs tend to be pig-faced, ape-faced or a mix. The original D&D orcs were pigs. It's probably because of Warcraft that Orcs nowadays tend to look a certain way
- Location
- Somewhere
I think you've misspelled "Warhammer Fantasy Battle" there, pal.
What? Warcraft Orcs don't look like Warhammer Orcs.
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SolipsistSerpent
Endlessly Devouring
Actually they very much did back in Warcraft 1 and they humanized a bit after they became playable characters in WoW, but still resemble them a bit.
Wow. That's so blatant. I know the history behind GW and Warcraft but wow. Anyway, I think Orcs in popular culture tend to resemble the more human-looking ones of WoW and LOTR to a lesser extent.
Chapter Forty-Four
- Location
- https://discord.gg/z9tBvbh
Chapter Forty-Four
Saito had to nearly be dragged through the gate into the academy, and as he sheepishly stared at the dirt, he took a deep breath. "I'll-I'll tell her," he said earnestly. Louise nodded at that firm declaration, and as the classes ended, they saw Siesta easily descend from the tower and make her way towards the Eastern courtyard, where Lady Charlotte apparently stepped out of the window with a simple Levitate spell.
Saito held his tongue about the 'door-hating' thing. It seemed to be a quirk of her, and who was he to ask about it? It was a pointless thing. "Lady Charlotte," Saito said as he bowed, "I-" he hesitated, looking at Siesta. "I need to speak with Siesta for a moment."
"Of course," Charlotte said, "Louis will keep me company then," she added thoughtfully, and as Sylphid made a 'kyuu' sound behind her back, the blue dragon flapped its wings and flew off towards the forest, probably having been 'discharged' for the time being.
As Louise fell neatly in line with Charlotte and left Saito alone with Siesta, the maid looked eagerly on at the boy.
"So? You saw the Dragon's Raiment didn't you? Oh-perhaps I shouldn't be this familiar now that you have become a knight, Lord Hir-"
"Saito is fine," Saito said quickly, clenching his right hand. "Look, Siesta...There is no easy way to tell you," he grabbed a hold of the maid's left hand and held its palm open, "The elder of the village wanted you to have this," and as he spoke, he dropped an iron key in her hand. "He said they'll rebuild the hangar and clean the Dragon's Raiment-you don't have to worry about anything."
"S-Saito," Siesta whispered. "What...What happened?"
It was hard to say it, but Saito said it anyways.
The hardest part was staying there as Siesta's face went through a series of emotions ranging from disbelief, to befuddlement, to shock, anger, sadness, grief all in the span of a few seconds that felt like an eternity. It was the second time a girl ended up against his chest hiccuping and crying, and just like he hadn't liked it the first time, he didn't like it the second.
There was so little he could do, in all honesty. Louise was probably better trained than him on how to console grieving people. The most he could do was hug the maid and tell her it would all be fine, but the words tasted like ash even as they left his tongue.
Siesta was a strong girl however, and a few minutes later, the tears had already dried up. "I-At least it was quick-I hope-mom wasn't-was she? I-I don't know," she took a deep breath, clutching on to the hem of Saito's cloak. "I crumpled the cloak-" she mumbled, half-dazed.
"It's not an issue, Siesta," Saito replied.
"I'm all alone now," Siesta whispered, her eyes glazed over, her fingers still clutching on to the cloak as if letting go would mean the wind could pick her up and carry her away.
Saito grabbed Siesta's shoulders, and shook his head. "No, no you aren't. I promise you, you aren't. I'll-" return home eventually. "Make sure you aren't." He stammered, but Siesta didn't seem to be listening on to it.
"T-Thank you," Siesta whispered. "I know you have no reason to," she added. "If...If only you weren't-no, I'm just being silly now," she shook her head softly. "I am glad to have you as a friend, Saito."
"I am glad too," Saito replied with a smile.
Meanwhile, a fair distance away, Louise was quietly tapping her right foot on the ground while crossing her arms in front of her chest. Charlotte watched on with an eyebrow raised and a hand to her mouth, to cover the small smile on her lips.
"Jealous, Louis?"
"Not really, Lady D'Orleans," Louise replied gruffly with a huff, "I am sure Saito will not take advantage. He is a good man, and he knows what will happen if he dares to try," the girl threatened darkly, a hand raised and clenched in a fist so tightly the knuckles became white within seconds.
Charlotte kept the smile on her face, even as she dropped her hand by her side. "I understand you will be heading to the Valliére lands next," Charlotte said, "am I to assume you have business with the Duchess?"
"It's-It's nothing like that," Louise replied awkwardly. "I am merely rewarding Saito for having done a good job," she added gruffly. "He has a few friends in Valier," she lied smoothly. "So we are taking a detour there."
"Oh? A detour? Are you returning to Germania then?" Charlotte asked.
Louise shook her head. "No, Lady D'Orleans, we are headed South, potentially past the desert to Rub'Al Khali, but-well, the elves won't make it easy."
"I suppose they won't," Charlotte added. "You are quite brave to attempt such a dangerous travel," she added with a nod. "When you return from the Valliére lands, do come by, if you are headed South, you can deliver a few letters for me to my acquaintances in Gallia and Romalia."
"Of course, Lady D'Orleans," Louise said.
"And I will write you a letter of introduction for the Duchess. From what I heard...she is very strict with foreign agents in her lands," Charlotte continued in a soft voice. "You have read about her?"
"The Heavy Wind is notorious in Germania," Louise murmured. "Very notorious."
"Then be careful," Charlotte said, "Because she earned her reputation, and even the wildest of tall tales on her are true."
Louise couldn't help but snort, "I apologize, Lady D'Orleans, but-but surely she hasn't torn a mountain to shreds with only Wind Magic."
"She did," Charlotte said. "The mountain was in the way, so she simply cut it at the base and uprooted it with hurricanes, before slamming it down against another."
Louise suddenly felt very cold and afraid.
"Do not anger her," Charlotte added. "She is not a foe you can defeat, barring a miracle, of course."
Louise nervously laughed. Perhaps it was best if they didn't meet the Duchess at all. Now, if only she could convince Saito-two visits to the brothel? Three? No, perhaps five authorized visits to a brothel would suffice.
Unfortunately, she knew just by looking at Saito consoling the maid in front of her that the boy would rather swear never to set foot in a whorehouse than to bring her in front of the Duchess.
Unless she had a very compelling argument.
Certainly, in the time it took to reach the Duchess, she could come up with something?
Oh Founder Brimir-help a poor girl out, could you?!
Saito had to nearly be dragged through the gate into the academy, and as he sheepishly stared at the dirt, he took a deep breath. "I'll-I'll tell her," he said earnestly. Louise nodded at that firm declaration, and as the classes ended, they saw Siesta easily descend from the tower and make her way towards the Eastern courtyard, where Lady Charlotte apparently stepped out of the window with a simple Levitate spell.
Saito held his tongue about the 'door-hating' thing. It seemed to be a quirk of her, and who was he to ask about it? It was a pointless thing. "Lady Charlotte," Saito said as he bowed, "I-" he hesitated, looking at Siesta. "I need to speak with Siesta for a moment."
"Of course," Charlotte said, "Louis will keep me company then," she added thoughtfully, and as Sylphid made a 'kyuu' sound behind her back, the blue dragon flapped its wings and flew off towards the forest, probably having been 'discharged' for the time being.
As Louise fell neatly in line with Charlotte and left Saito alone with Siesta, the maid looked eagerly on at the boy.
"So? You saw the Dragon's Raiment didn't you? Oh-perhaps I shouldn't be this familiar now that you have become a knight, Lord Hir-"
"Saito is fine," Saito said quickly, clenching his right hand. "Look, Siesta...There is no easy way to tell you," he grabbed a hold of the maid's left hand and held its palm open, "The elder of the village wanted you to have this," and as he spoke, he dropped an iron key in her hand. "He said they'll rebuild the hangar and clean the Dragon's Raiment-you don't have to worry about anything."
"S-Saito," Siesta whispered. "What...What happened?"
It was hard to say it, but Saito said it anyways.
The hardest part was staying there as Siesta's face went through a series of emotions ranging from disbelief, to befuddlement, to shock, anger, sadness, grief all in the span of a few seconds that felt like an eternity. It was the second time a girl ended up against his chest hiccuping and crying, and just like he hadn't liked it the first time, he didn't like it the second.
There was so little he could do, in all honesty. Louise was probably better trained than him on how to console grieving people. The most he could do was hug the maid and tell her it would all be fine, but the words tasted like ash even as they left his tongue.
Siesta was a strong girl however, and a few minutes later, the tears had already dried up. "I-At least it was quick-I hope-mom wasn't-was she? I-I don't know," she took a deep breath, clutching on to the hem of Saito's cloak. "I crumpled the cloak-" she mumbled, half-dazed.
"It's not an issue, Siesta," Saito replied.
"I'm all alone now," Siesta whispered, her eyes glazed over, her fingers still clutching on to the cloak as if letting go would mean the wind could pick her up and carry her away.
Saito grabbed Siesta's shoulders, and shook his head. "No, no you aren't. I promise you, you aren't. I'll-" return home eventually. "Make sure you aren't." He stammered, but Siesta didn't seem to be listening on to it.
"T-Thank you," Siesta whispered. "I know you have no reason to," she added. "If...If only you weren't-no, I'm just being silly now," she shook her head softly. "I am glad to have you as a friend, Saito."
"I am glad too," Saito replied with a smile.
Meanwhile, a fair distance away, Louise was quietly tapping her right foot on the ground while crossing her arms in front of her chest. Charlotte watched on with an eyebrow raised and a hand to her mouth, to cover the small smile on her lips.
"Jealous, Louis?"
"Not really, Lady D'Orleans," Louise replied gruffly with a huff, "I am sure Saito will not take advantage. He is a good man, and he knows what will happen if he dares to try," the girl threatened darkly, a hand raised and clenched in a fist so tightly the knuckles became white within seconds.
Charlotte kept the smile on her face, even as she dropped her hand by her side. "I understand you will be heading to the Valliére lands next," Charlotte said, "am I to assume you have business with the Duchess?"
"It's-It's nothing like that," Louise replied awkwardly. "I am merely rewarding Saito for having done a good job," she added gruffly. "He has a few friends in Valier," she lied smoothly. "So we are taking a detour there."
"Oh? A detour? Are you returning to Germania then?" Charlotte asked.
Louise shook her head. "No, Lady D'Orleans, we are headed South, potentially past the desert to Rub'Al Khali, but-well, the elves won't make it easy."
"I suppose they won't," Charlotte added. "You are quite brave to attempt such a dangerous travel," she added with a nod. "When you return from the Valliére lands, do come by, if you are headed South, you can deliver a few letters for me to my acquaintances in Gallia and Romalia."
"Of course, Lady D'Orleans," Louise said.
"And I will write you a letter of introduction for the Duchess. From what I heard...she is very strict with foreign agents in her lands," Charlotte continued in a soft voice. "You have read about her?"
"The Heavy Wind is notorious in Germania," Louise murmured. "Very notorious."
"Then be careful," Charlotte said, "Because she earned her reputation, and even the wildest of tall tales on her are true."
Louise couldn't help but snort, "I apologize, Lady D'Orleans, but-but surely she hasn't torn a mountain to shreds with only Wind Magic."
"She did," Charlotte said. "The mountain was in the way, so she simply cut it at the base and uprooted it with hurricanes, before slamming it down against another."
Louise suddenly felt very cold and afraid.
"Do not anger her," Charlotte added. "She is not a foe you can defeat, barring a miracle, of course."
Louise nervously laughed. Perhaps it was best if they didn't meet the Duchess at all. Now, if only she could convince Saito-two visits to the brothel? Three? No, perhaps five authorized visits to a brothel would suffice.
Unfortunately, she knew just by looking at Saito consoling the maid in front of her that the boy would rather swear never to set foot in a whorehouse than to bring her in front of the Duchess.
Unless she had a very compelling argument.
Certainly, in the time it took to reach the Duchess, she could come up with something?
Oh Founder Brimir-help a poor girl out, could you?!
I'm pretty excited about Louise finally meeting her mother.
Unless I'm misreading, I think this should have a negative - 'than to not bring her in'.
Mizu
Software Developer
- Location
- Victoria, Australia
to be a quirk of hers
Poor Siesta. Never really a good way to pass such news on to surviving family, I guess.
Really Louise its simple you openly go asking to prove the negative.
That you really aren't Karin's daughter and you want to squash any rumors to the contrary,
That you really aren't Karin's daughter and you want to squash any rumors to the contrary,
Silver W. King
King of Adventures
- Location
- The Nasuverse
It ought to be Sir.
Chapter Forty-Five
- Location
- https://discord.gg/z9tBvbh
Chapter Forty-Five
Saito awkwardly glanced at Louise as they walked on the road. "Nervous?"
"No, not really," Louise replied mechanically. "We are just going to meet with the Duchess and hope she doesn't grow angry at seeing me. If she does turn angry, she'll probably chop us to bits. You know it's true that she uprooted a mountain? It was in the way, so she moved it aside. A mountain-a whole mountain."
"Well, I'm sure it won't come to that. We have Lady Charlotte's letter of introduction," Saito said politely. Louise hesitated, and looked away sheepishly.
"Oh, come on," Saito muttered. "I'm sure everything will turn out just fine," he added with a small smile. "You'll meet, she'll look at you, recognize you, and then you'll embrace and she'll be all teary-eyed and-"
"Saito," Louise whispered, "Please-I understand you just want to lift my spirit, but what if the opposite happens? What if the Cardinal didn't lie in the letter but-no, no," she shook her head and took a deep breath. "What will happen will happen. Let's just hope we can leave with our lives."
The small whispered prayers that Louise began to recite the day before their arrival in Valier was enough of a telltale sign that Saito had no choice but to sigh, shake his head, and renounce the proffered brothel visit in order to stay close to Louise.
There could be other times for the brothel, but this-well, this was more important.
They were huddled together against a tree, between its root and with Saito's back thankfully against a warm and soft surface. Louise was between his arms, covered by the cloak just like he was. It was a way to sleep without lighting a fire, and it was quite needed considering there might be bandits on the road.
Yet Louise was trembling, but not from the cold. "I-" she muttered suddenly, breaking the silence of the night. "I don't know now."
Saito remained quiet. "What if-I mean-I-should I be happy, or sad? Nervous? Maybe not? We're just checking-we still-she might not even be in the city! She might be in the countryside-or-or at her home, mansion, palace, whatever she has-I mean-I-Maybe this is all just one big mistake, Saito."
Saito remained silent, even as he could feel Louise shift between his arms to snuggle closer, gripping onto both of his arms with her shaking hands. "And-And maybe she's not really kind. What if she's a witch? Or-Or she's evil-or she hurts people for fun-I-Maybe my older sister is wicked-or my father is abusive-I-Maybe I'm better off without a family, like always-I mean, I was without a family until now so having one might be too much for me. Who knows, maybe I like being an orphan, maybe this is better, maybe-"
"Louise," Saito said softly. "Everyone should have a home to return to."
Louise remained quiet for a few seconds, the hooting of the nocturnal birds the only sound in the air. "But...But maybe I don't deserve a home," Louise said. "With what I've done-maybe I don't deserve to be happy."
"It's all right," Saito said. "I forgive you. And if you wronged someone else, I'm sure they'd forgive you too."
"You can't be sure," Louise whispered. "You can't be sure."
"Hey," Saito muttered, "I'm still here, right?"
Louise grew quiet once more. "Yeah," she said in the end. "You are."
'For the moment' went unspoken.
Then again, their arrival in Valier the next day was so uneventful to barely warrant description. For all of Louise's nervousness, the Duchess wasn't an entity that could be summoned at will, and while it was true the city was in her lands, it was also true that her mansion wasn't in the city itself, but in the countryside.
Plus, when they said she was patrolling the borders, they were being serious. The Duchess personally marched back and forth across her borders, dealing with troubles with extreme prejudice.
"She usually starts by going west and then goes all the way back east," a helpful guard said, pointing at a map hanging by the wall in an inn near the gates. "That's why she moved a mountain-it was in the way of her patrolling, so-well, she always passes through there with her manticore, so she's hard to miss."
He scrunched his face up in thought. "If you hurry up, you can reach it just shy of her passing by. There's a small outpost that was built there just to deliver messages to her from the Duke," the guard sighed. "Poor man, after his eldest married, he's been left alone in his mansion." He propped a hand beneath his chin. "Though once a week he holds a party for the common folk. I think it's his way to feel less lonely. He's a good guy, our Duke. Isn't he?!"
"Aye! A toast to the Duke!" another man by the counter said with his mug raised, which was soon echoed around the inn.
"Maybe we could start by talking with him," Saito said, "What do you think, Louis?"
"Might be for the best," Louise said gruffly.
"Just so you know, I don't think he's going to answer yes," the guard said, making both Saito and Louise blink. "You're knights from Gallia aren't you? There's always a messenger from there with a message from your king to him or his wife. They always pass by, and they always leave downcast in the end. But, hey, your king's quite insistent I reckon."
"Well, this time I'm sure this time will be different," Saito said with a nod.
"Well, it's the first time there are two messengers, maybe you'll be double as effective," the guard chuckled. "Good luck anyway!"
"Thank you," Saito replied, turning to Louise, who in turn had already begun to walk out.
"We could wait the end of the week and-" as Louise began to speak, Saito simply stared at her with a raised eyebrow. The girl shrunk slightly on herself, and then took a deep breath. "And we'll go right now."
Saito nodded, a fist raised. "This Duke feels like a good guy anyway," he said cheerfully. "He'll probably be happy to have some company."
Louise wasn't that sure about Saito's optimism, but since the boy's smile was contagious, she couldn't help but smile in turn.
One step at the time, she was sure she could keep walking on the path ahead.
The steep path ahead.
Saito awkwardly glanced at Louise as they walked on the road. "Nervous?"
"No, not really," Louise replied mechanically. "We are just going to meet with the Duchess and hope she doesn't grow angry at seeing me. If she does turn angry, she'll probably chop us to bits. You know it's true that she uprooted a mountain? It was in the way, so she moved it aside. A mountain-a whole mountain."
"Well, I'm sure it won't come to that. We have Lady Charlotte's letter of introduction," Saito said politely. Louise hesitated, and looked away sheepishly.
"Oh, come on," Saito muttered. "I'm sure everything will turn out just fine," he added with a small smile. "You'll meet, she'll look at you, recognize you, and then you'll embrace and she'll be all teary-eyed and-"
"Saito," Louise whispered, "Please-I understand you just want to lift my spirit, but what if the opposite happens? What if the Cardinal didn't lie in the letter but-no, no," she shook her head and took a deep breath. "What will happen will happen. Let's just hope we can leave with our lives."
The small whispered prayers that Louise began to recite the day before their arrival in Valier was enough of a telltale sign that Saito had no choice but to sigh, shake his head, and renounce the proffered brothel visit in order to stay close to Louise.
There could be other times for the brothel, but this-well, this was more important.
They were huddled together against a tree, between its root and with Saito's back thankfully against a warm and soft surface. Louise was between his arms, covered by the cloak just like he was. It was a way to sleep without lighting a fire, and it was quite needed considering there might be bandits on the road.
Yet Louise was trembling, but not from the cold. "I-" she muttered suddenly, breaking the silence of the night. "I don't know now."
Saito remained quiet. "What if-I mean-I-should I be happy, or sad? Nervous? Maybe not? We're just checking-we still-she might not even be in the city! She might be in the countryside-or-or at her home, mansion, palace, whatever she has-I mean-I-Maybe this is all just one big mistake, Saito."
Saito remained silent, even as he could feel Louise shift between his arms to snuggle closer, gripping onto both of his arms with her shaking hands. "And-And maybe she's not really kind. What if she's a witch? Or-Or she's evil-or she hurts people for fun-I-Maybe my older sister is wicked-or my father is abusive-I-Maybe I'm better off without a family, like always-I mean, I was without a family until now so having one might be too much for me. Who knows, maybe I like being an orphan, maybe this is better, maybe-"
"Louise," Saito said softly. "Everyone should have a home to return to."
Louise remained quiet for a few seconds, the hooting of the nocturnal birds the only sound in the air. "But...But maybe I don't deserve a home," Louise said. "With what I've done-maybe I don't deserve to be happy."
"It's all right," Saito said. "I forgive you. And if you wronged someone else, I'm sure they'd forgive you too."
"You can't be sure," Louise whispered. "You can't be sure."
"Hey," Saito muttered, "I'm still here, right?"
Louise grew quiet once more. "Yeah," she said in the end. "You are."
'For the moment' went unspoken.
Then again, their arrival in Valier the next day was so uneventful to barely warrant description. For all of Louise's nervousness, the Duchess wasn't an entity that could be summoned at will, and while it was true the city was in her lands, it was also true that her mansion wasn't in the city itself, but in the countryside.
Plus, when they said she was patrolling the borders, they were being serious. The Duchess personally marched back and forth across her borders, dealing with troubles with extreme prejudice.
"She usually starts by going west and then goes all the way back east," a helpful guard said, pointing at a map hanging by the wall in an inn near the gates. "That's why she moved a mountain-it was in the way of her patrolling, so-well, she always passes through there with her manticore, so she's hard to miss."
He scrunched his face up in thought. "If you hurry up, you can reach it just shy of her passing by. There's a small outpost that was built there just to deliver messages to her from the Duke," the guard sighed. "Poor man, after his eldest married, he's been left alone in his mansion." He propped a hand beneath his chin. "Though once a week he holds a party for the common folk. I think it's his way to feel less lonely. He's a good guy, our Duke. Isn't he?!"
"Aye! A toast to the Duke!" another man by the counter said with his mug raised, which was soon echoed around the inn.
"Maybe we could start by talking with him," Saito said, "What do you think, Louis?"
"Might be for the best," Louise said gruffly.
"Just so you know, I don't think he's going to answer yes," the guard said, making both Saito and Louise blink. "You're knights from Gallia aren't you? There's always a messenger from there with a message from your king to him or his wife. They always pass by, and they always leave downcast in the end. But, hey, your king's quite insistent I reckon."
"Well, this time I'm sure this time will be different," Saito said with a nod.
"Well, it's the first time there are two messengers, maybe you'll be double as effective," the guard chuckled. "Good luck anyway!"
"Thank you," Saito replied, turning to Louise, who in turn had already begun to walk out.
"We could wait the end of the week and-" as Louise began to speak, Saito simply stared at her with a raised eyebrow. The girl shrunk slightly on herself, and then took a deep breath. "And we'll go right now."
Saito nodded, a fist raised. "This Duke feels like a good guy anyway," he said cheerfully. "He'll probably be happy to have some company."
Louise wasn't that sure about Saito's optimism, but since the boy's smile was contagious, she couldn't help but smile in turn.
One step at the time, she was sure she could keep walking on the path ahead.
The steep path ahead.
- Location
- Over the hill and far away
AIGH.
One more post sir! Another!
Someone post that Thor gif right NOW! (I'm at work and can't go looking for it)
One more post sir! Another!
Someone post that Thor gif right NOW! (I'm at work and can't go looking for it)
Silver W. King
King of Adventures
- Location
- The Nasuverse
- Location
- Over the hill and far away
Thank you good sir!Here:
