Trials and Travels (Semi-lit)

[SkySong278]

Aisling

 

As Ash was heading towards the cities' exit, she wondered if it would be faster just to get a horse so that she was no longer walking on foot and taking forever to get to her destination. She turned around and headed towards some stables that she had seen when she had arrived at Whisper earlier and then looked at all of the horses that were in the stalls. She decided upon a white mare that wasn't too tall for her to get onto her back and then sought out the owner of the horses.

 

Once she found him, she pointed to the horse that she had chosen, paid for her, along with a saddle that was complete with the reins and food, and then thanked him afterward before putting the saddle on her new horse. Once she had Aerth saddled, she got onto her back, and then rode her out of the stables and back towards the cities' exit.

 

When she was beyond the cities' gate, she had Aerth gallop towards Natura. She had brought along a small map that her adoptive mom had given to her before she left and she looked at it from time to time to make sure that she was going in the right direction and taking the right paths. She also had a horse when she was younger so that's how she knew how to saddle one and ride one as well as make it go different speeds.

[lachrymation]

Naomi carried the tray of water to the room down the hall where her new 'patient' was resting. The door was left ajar, perhaps from her father, who ran check ups frequently. Peering through the crack between the door and the frame, she could tell that she was asleep. She opened it slowly and walked in soundlessly.

 

Celeste was resting, thanks to the herbal drink that she had prepared for her the other day. She was still needing rest, even after a year. Naomi had grown a distant fondness for her, as she had never really had the chance to talk to her face to face. Celeste was always sleeping when she got into the room, which was a kind of a relief, but still left Naomi a little disappointed.

 

It had been a year since her encounter with Jahan and the Shadow Alliance. She couldn't stop thinking about them, and about how she was about to get involved yet again. Just the thought of that made her shiver, which was something surprised her. Maybe I'm actually starting to get a bit more open, she thought, as she set down the tray onto the bedside table. Looking at Celeste, she couldn't help but realize that it was probably true. She suddenly and unexpectedly felt really excited to work with them.

 

Now it was a matter of whether she was able to communicate with them. It was impossible for her to say a proper, normal word to Jahan, much the others. However, Naomi felt a new surge of confidence. I'll show them that I can talk to them. I can be of a help! She grinned to herself and turned to leave the room.

 

-----

 

Gear, resting in a tree, leaned over and glanced down at the road. A horse was coming. He could see the dust rise from the pounding of the horse's hooves in the distance.

 

Well. Here comes my ride. At last.

 

Waiting until the horse came a bit closer, he and sat up, gripping the branches of the tree, waiting for just the right moment.

 

The horse was approaching.

 

It's show time.

 

Suddenly clutching his stomach, he dropped out of the tree, which wasn't a big deal for him as he was used to the fall. Falling down next to the road, he even added a couple of spasms to make his little act a little more believable. It was just as the horse came on by.

 

Perfect timing, if I would say so myself.

 

Between the clenching of his teeth and the miming of a traveller in pain, he glanced through clear eyes for a split of a moment to view his audience. He caught a flash of black-green hair, and a feminine figure.

 

Ah, a girl. This'll be easier than I thought.

Edited March 20, 2013 by lachrymation

[gistofeverything]

Celeste~

 

Celeste sighed, disappointed with herself. Maybe it was time to give up the act and go home. He might not be so furious with her if she came directly out to him about her loss... She climbed back into the bed and stared at the ceiling. She had been here for most of a year now, and she was rapidly growing tired of it. Hearing footsteps coming down the hallway, she closed her eyes until there was a miniscule amount open that she was seeing through. Breathing deep, she looked like she could have been in a deep sleep. Watching through the small crack she left open, she saw Naomi come into the room and set down a small mug on the table next to her. She watched Celeste for a moment, first with longing, then with pity, and she thought she had detected a nod of finality. She turned to leave the room. Celeste had a decision she needed to make: could she tell Naomi that she lost her powers? What could she do? She had been feigning sleep all this time because she wanted to avoid that conflict, but that small nod she thought she saw could change everything... Celeste sighed inwardly. If I say nothing, Naomi could leave forever. If I do say something, Naomi could also leave forever. Naomi stepped closer to the door... She braced herself. "Naomi. Before you leave, could I ask you something?"

[lachrymation]

"Naomi. Before you leave, could I ask you something?"

 

Naomi startled, and turned around. Celeste's eyes were open, and wearily set on her. She opened her mouth to speak, but no sound came out. Wait.. what? Celeste wanted to ask her something? She was talking to... her? With a sudden flurry of panic, she realized she didn't know how to respond.

 

Closing her eyes for a split second to clear her mind of all the panic, she then walked back towards Celeste, pulling out the chair from the side of the bed. She sat down, gazing at the floor, unsure.

 

"Yes? What is it?" Her voice came out, to her suprise, clear and quite loud. It wasn't as cracked as usual, and she didn't speak in a whisper. She looked up at Celeste, not knowing what to expect as a reply. It was quite hard for her to tell what exactly would come.

 

"Um.. if it's about the prince and the invitation to join, yes, I am coming." Her voice softened. "Are.. you?"

 

-----

 

Aoi and Promise had made it to the front gates of the palace of Whisper. It was grand, indeed. Very, very grand. Aoi had never travelled to Whisper before, and had only heard stories about the great city. After walking around it a bit, he started to see the reason why there were so many of them. The city was beautiful, and very intricate. But this palace? By far the first he'd ever seen that big.

 

There was another group of people checking out the doors at the front too. They kind of stuck out, almost as if they were tourists, gawking and gaping at the palace. Two guys and a girl. What a strange group.

 

I'm glad I don't look like that.

[SkySong278]

Aisling

 

Ash kept galloping towards Natura until she saw someone in the middle of the path. It looked like he was having spasms but she couldn't tell from the distance that she was currently at so she approached the person a bit wearily and slowly. Once she was in front of him, she stopped Aerth, and then got off of her back.

 

"Are you okay?" she asked with a bit of concern in her voice as well as a cautious one as she knelt down a safe distance in front of him. She didn't know what side he was on, though she didn't know much about who was on what side. She had been in Cumulus most of her life and thought that she should stay at a safe distance all the same.

 

She also discreetly took out one of her daggers from one of her many sheaths hidden on her body as well before hiding it behind her back in case she needed it if he attacked her suddenly. She didn't know if that was going to happen or not, but she still wanted to be safe just in case he did. She also didn't know if he had any weapons of his own or if he had any powers so she would try to play it safe.

[LadyNatasha]

~Mythyr~

Mythyr grinned at Julian. "Ah, it's just a legend. Who knows if it's true? One thing is for sure, though; Whisper sure has a lot of myths and legends surrounding its history! One myth says that the entire forest that holds Sola and Whisper was once a warring zone for sunlight and shadows. Both belonged in the forest, and both were necessary for the plant life. So, after they warred for hundreds of years, finally the shadows and sunlight came to an agreement; sunlight could have the northern part of the forest, and shadows could have the southern part. Now that's silly, since of course we know that there's sunlight and shadows everywhere, but supposedly that myth influenced where Sola and Whisper were built. Whisper's location is still a secret to many from Sola."

 

As Julian turned to ask V a question, Mythyr allowed his gaze to wander. It happened to rest upon the sight of a young man, probably slightly older than Mythyr, with long orange hair. He was staring at Mythyr's group. Next to him was very short woman who looked like she could be an Ice Elementian. What a funny looking pair. They really stand out, Mythyr thought with a smile. And right here in front of the palace. Could these be members of the new team? Distracted from V and Julian, Mythyr approached them. Hey, maybe these are Marcus and Skylar, the famous Fire and Ice couple! Wow, I thought Skylar would be taller... and Marcus, I thought his hair was blue? Maybe it's not them...

 

"Hello M'Lord and Lady. I am Mythyr Gwron Baine, performer and warrior for Her Highness of Shadows." He blinked, suddenly re-thinking his wording. "Well, I'm not a performer for her, per-say, just a warrior. I'm just a common performer, a traveling one at that. I imagine the Queen surrounds herself with all sorts of amazingly talented performers, maybe even the kind who play instruments made completely of shadows! Can you believe it? Shadow instruments? It's just a rumor, but still."

 

He coughed and scratched his head. "Anyway. May I ask what brings you through Whisper on this fine day?" They both looked like the traveling sort--Mythyr could easily tell, as he had traveled for most of his life. However, they each carried a distinctly different air about them. The young woman seemed to have more of a reserved, icy look to her (pun intended, Mythyr tried not to smile at his own unspoken joke), while the man seemed more casual and comfortable. Both looked like they knew a thing or two about combat.

[Silver_Voices]

Isis

 

Isis nodded graciously in response to the thanks he received, sliding into the seat next to Yuaki, across from Lucius. Resting his hands on the tabletop, he gently tapped his fingertips over the wooden surface. Surely, he'd have enough time to talk for a while before needing to return to the kitchen. He really wanted to get to know thi stranger, how he ended up in Sola and how he and Yuaki had become acquainted. Letting ouy a small sigh, he silently chastized himself. So many questions, so little time. But it was hardly any of his buisiness, and he didn't want to intrude in on his personal life.

 

Listening as Yuaki summarized her present situation, he glanced over Lucius. He seemed rather normal, but of course, there was nothing wrong with that at all. The folk without elements were the backbone of their entire civilization; without them, there would only be a handful of people scattered over the entire island. Yes, people like Yuaki and Lucius keep the world going round. He wished he could be like them sometimes, but... He had to do what he could with what he had and take life one day at a time.

 

His gaze wandered away, but was drawn back upon hearing a question directed towards him.

 

"If you are a guardian, Isis, do you know her too?”

 

"Oh, no," he resonded, shaking his head with a soft laugh. "No, I'm not fortunate enough to be as close to her Highness as our Yuaki here. I've spoken to her once or twice, as I was kind of a late addition to the group. I believe we have yet to hold a steady conversation." Waving a hand, he leant back. "But, of course, she is very busy, and has her own duties to attend to." With a quiet cough, he raised his eyebrows questioningly. "Though, I'm curious. How do you two know each other? How did you meet?"

Edited March 21, 2013 by Silver_Voices

[Skarx]

Lucius

 

Respectful of people in high position? That was all? Ok no so there was simple things to do like bowing and such. He guessed he'd have to act humble and avoid asking questions, which was exactly what he had planned to do. Talk as less he could and try to be pleasant. Still... he was not aware they had torture session with their councilors. Unless she meant they had a terrible reunion. That was probably more like it. So the king and his daughter were not on good terms. That was interesting to know.

 

“Then I think should be fine in not worsening her mood.”

 

When Isis asked them about how they meet he smiled.

 

“It has been a long time and I might not be the best storyteller. I suppose I can tell the major part of it while Yuaki is busy stuffing bread into her mouth.” He said with a small laugh. “Lemme think now. If I remember well it was a couple of years ago, at night when I encountered her. I had walked all day and was tired so once I reached a small village by the lake I went to the inn directly to buy some warm food and rent a room.” He looked at Yuaki. “Since the place was a bit crowded already I ended up sitting next to you. I remember it was a bit awkward until we started talking a bit to remove the tension. I forgot most of the conversation, but I remember speaking about my travels and yours.” He took a pause to take a bite of bread. Then went on looking at Isis again. “The next morning I saw her again and greeted her. We spoke some more and me being a simple traveller with no destination, I ended up tagging along her journey for a while until I recieved a message and had to go back home.” Lucius then stopped talking and looked in a random direction though he was not really looking at anything specific. More like he was lost in his thoughts. He slowly ate his bread before adding a final comment. “That's pretty much all there is to it. I'm glad I got to meet her again in my travels. I was planning on staying here for a while too. I guess it's my lucky day!”

 

He smiled happily and resumed the eating of the bread. He hoped his story would hold up. To him it was a perfectly plausible one and he had been travelling for quite a long time anyway. If the blue haired girl would confirm his story it would be perfect and to him there was nothing better than a good lie to make his day. Well... there was, but ruining someone's day in this city might not be good for his health.

Edited March 23, 2013 by Skarx

[LoveLost]

Noe

Noe was definitely enjoying her time with Kai when he had to interrupt it for such a silly thing as oxygen. Like they really needed that? Besides, couldn’t he breathe through the dirt or something? Well, she couldn’t breathe through the weather though. Ugh! When he began to talk about the stone, she just stared at him waiting for him to realize that talking about where the granite and the fixtures on their house came from was not what she wanted to do at the moment. He paused for a second and mumbled something underneath his breath making Noe smile.

After stopping himself from speaking about their home, he met her the same way that she had met him earlier, it was just that this time, he picked her up of the couch and as they further expressed their love for one another, Kai skated across the floor to where the foyer to their bedroom was. Noe could feel her smile consistently growing larger as Kai spoke about them trying out everything in the house. The garden where they would be able to grow their own food. Tthe larger kitchen where she would easily be able to fix meals for her husband, or where they could work on meals together. The living room and dining room where they could entertain guests. Oh how she wanted to have their friends over! Just not right now.

When he mentioned the bedroom, Noe couldn’t help but giggle mischeviously. When he mentioned Aketsu knowing where they were, and the others knowing that they were busy, she couldn’t help but hope that Kai had given them a good reason instead of “My wife and I need a bit of a break so don’t bother us.” If he had said that to Isa, she was never going to hear the end of it.

When he shut the doors behind them, Noe looked at Kai with tender love in her eyes. He knew everything that she had wanted and within a year of knowing her. What kind of person would care that much about her? Well, her husband of course. They had had their few spats that usually ended quickly because neither of them really enjoyed confrontation, but they had grown from every situation that they had been placed in. Now, she had the most wonderful man holding her in their home that he had created from his own abilities. Oh how she loved him!

Aamina and Queen Zillah

Aamina looked at Jahan as he stared at her, wondering if he would let her go to get Celeste. If he chose to go, she would have to wheedle him out of that because she couldn’t imagine him travelling with that girl for a few days even if they hd the fastest steeds in the entire kingdom! No. She would have to go. There was just no way around it. Just because she didn’t like the girl, didn’t mean that she disobeyed an order from her Lord and that was how she was going to have to view it. This was no longer a request, but an order.

The prince looked confused for a moment, which was highly understandable. Aamina NEVER, EVER said no to her prince. Never. Ever, ever, ever. Ever. Not going to happen, but she did it. She said “No” to him before she could even stop herself. There was no way that she was going to be able to deal with Celeste, but neither was she going to give over to her. Never!

And then the lights turned on which suddenly gave Aamina a sinking feeling.

“Aamina! I didn't realize the meetings were so important to you!"

They aren’t that important…

“I'm really glad to have your help with them and you're right; you shouldn't go,”

What?

“there's no way I could run a meeting like this without you!”

It’s my job.

“ So, since I know you can do anything I tell you to,”

Yes you can.

“ let's do it this way; you stay and run the meeting for me. You know how I like things run, and you're really good at that.”

Wait, what?

“ I'll go find Celeste and greet her in person! That's how it's going to be, no need to say another word.”

No.

Again, that dreaded word was fighting it’s way back up and it didn’t help that the queen was watching her every move as Aamina’s face stayed just as the element she controlled. Stony. No emotions since she was controlling them all within herself.

It was at that split moment that the queen was trying not to laugh, or smile, or snort, that Aamina had an idea. With a slight twitch towards the Queen, she allowed the woman to enter her mind.

 

Yes my child? Zillah’s inner voice was definitely laughing as hard as it could.

What if you run the meeting? Some of them have never met you and then some have. Aamina was definitely grasping at straws here. Anything to keep Jahanshah from being with Celeste.

Aamina, you know how busy I am. As if I could run the meeting? The queen was still laughing, but her tone became serious.

I understand that my queen, but you placed me as guardian over Jahanshah as well as advisor. You know him. Even though he has grown exponentially in his studies and human interaction, he still needs aide. Would you trust his aide to Celeste?

I would trust those that have sworn their fealty to him. However, your point is duly noted. One moment.

The queen looked at Jahan thoughtfully after he had asked his question. “Jahan, I think that there is something that you are still missing in your equation. Would you trust your protection to a normal guard? I cannot spare any of my Shades and even then, they do not know your habits, nor do they understand how you work as a prince. You will be alone for two, possibly four days if you travel on your own. Travel would be faster with an earth elementian and I have on other that could travel with you. But the guards are the only thing that I would worry about.”

Aamina desperately hoped that this would change Jahan’s opinion in the situation. It didn’t necessarily scare her to be away from Jahan, but she had been away from him before. If they weren’t in the same city, it felt as though she were no longer complete.

 

Viara – V

Your own impressions haha! Viara couldn’t say that aloud, she knew Mythyr was like that. Sometimes, that was the reason that he got into trouble though. He didn’t let people try and help him out regarding people. Most of the other stuff he said, she just kinda ignored because it was all the same stuff about how people were hurt and more often than not it made them who they were. She knew that. No one really understood what had happened to her, and Mythyr was one who would probably never know. No one in her team would ever know and she was fine with that.

She listened as he told of the legend and what he didn’t know when he responded to Julian’s question. When Mythyr went to speak with Aoi and Promise, she was responsible for their files, she couldn’t help but roll her eyes. “First, the legend is true. There are old ways that the Shadow Elementians lost that allowed one to bind their shadow to an object. You will often find people going in and out of the doors while touching some part of it. Somehow, energy passes to them at times, usually when the kingdom is in good standing as it is now.”

V took a deep breath and thought about Julain’s question. “As far as I know, there will be a plant elementian and a water/ice elementian that will be here. A young girl by the name of Naomi and an older girl by the name of Celeste. Why?” of course, V sounded abrupt, but she was truly curious as to why he would want to know that.

 

Isa

Isa listened to her beloved talking about his family. He always sounded so proud of them, it was just his oldest brother held the most weight even though Aketsu had been the one to rescue them and Aketsu had been the one to go on to war and deliver the messages to the queen, not Kurago. To know that New Aero would go with whatever her father decided, made things harder for her to get through to everyone else. Would they have to start something akin to a rebellion to be able to get her father’s attention that what he was doing was no longer in the right, but rather, in the wrong?

She was able to release a breath that she had been holding for some time. Thank goodness Aero wasn’t raising troops and to be honest, she was glad that they were providing refuge for those who were being hunted. She didn’t like the feeling of being hunted and she knew that others didn’t either.

Maybe Aero could be a sort of safe haven, or an untouchable if war truly broke out. Terra and Cumulus were starting to become restless and tired of not being included. They were going to crack soon.

At least they had each other. Aketsu was right, she didn’t need to worry about anything other than having her wonderful Aketsu there in the end of things. It would be nice tough if they could all escape to the Three Sisters Islands to just rest there with all of the Elementians and create some sort of alliance that could tame both Zillah and her father and get them to see reason.

The small breeze that blew in from the window held a tantalizing scent on it. Her favorite bread! When Aketsu stood with his back to her for her to hop on so that they could ride down, she did so with glee, not really having anything other to say except for a smile and a gentle kiss.

“Things are going to be rough Aketsu, but we can do this.” She said to confirm her thoughts to herself as well as encourage him.

 

Marcus

Marcus handed Sky the reins to Arty and gratefully took Aodh’s reins. The horses were starting to act calmly with one another, as well as act calmly with the people that were fiancées to one another. It was definitely MUCH appreciated. When he hopped up on Aodh, he grabbed a few pieces of jerky out of his saddle bag and handed a piece to Celeste while he took a bite of his own. “You ready to go?” he had a twinkle in his eyes and with the way that the horses were pawing the ground, they were all wanting to race.

[SkySong278]

Skylar

 

Sky nodded gratefully at Marcus as he handed her Arty's reins before getting onto her back. She then nodded in thanks to him when he gave her a piece of jerky and took a bite of it before hearing what he asked her. She saw the twinkle in his eyes as he asked what he did which made her own eyes sparkle a bit.

 

"Of course but are you ready to lose?" she asked mischievously in reply to his question before taking off out of the stable. She was determined to beat him but there was still a possibility that he would beat her.

 

She didn't mind either way if she lost and he won since she had good sportsmanship. As she rode on the quickly galloping Artemis' back, she wondered where they were racing to on their property and then just figured that she'd find that out soon as soon as Marc caught up to her and he told her. She also wanted to bring up her idea about a vacation for just the two of them and figured that she'd bring it up when they arrive at the destination that they were racing to.

Edited March 21, 2013 by Dragonpelt

[gistofeverything]

Naomi and Celeste

 

Celeste thought for a moment. She had lost her ability to manipulate water. This had come as a shocking blow to her the first morning she had awakened after the attack. Would her Lord wish for her to return as a useless maid? She was not sure. “What I tell you must stay between the two of us. Can I trust you to keep this confidence?” Her heart leapt into her throat as she waited for Naomi’s response.

 

Naomi felt her heart skip a beat. What Celeste wanted to tell her must have been really important for her not to be able to tell anyone else. What should she say? It was difficult to hold things for others, especially things that mattered, in utter silence. What on earth was it that she needed to say? Gulping, she cleared her throat and whispered, shakily, “W-what is it, Celeste?” She waited just a bit more before adding quickly, “You can trust me.”

 

It must be bothering her so, she thought, as she is willing to tell anyone, even someone like me, who she doesn’t know well. I’m the only one here, which is probably why. But- what could be so bad?

 

Celeste thought long and hard about it. If she told Naomi, would she indeed be trustworthy and keep it a secret? Or could she possibly be creating a cunning plan to steal her Lord from under her nose? She reverted back to her inner dialogue:

 

All I know is that this is shameful, sinful, even to be able to succumb to something as trivial as this...

 

Trivial? Your Lord will be most displeased...

 

Understandable. He must know that I have done nothing wrong, however... I -

 

Silence. You say that selling yourself in the dead of night is not sinful?

 

I, I never...

 

Yes. Realize your mistakes. Realize what you have done to yourself, and what you have done to him. Realize, and repent.

 

Celeste let a tear fall from her eye. She knew that what she had done was incorrect, was horrible, and most vile. She had performed this act, however, to try and get her allies through the coming months... Even so, she had inwardly known that the act would have had no use for her Lord. Sighing, she braced herself, and turned back no longer. “I have lost my powers. I can no longer call myself an aquamancer. They had disappeared the morning of the aftermath. I am not sure whether my Lord will be pleased to see me in this state.”

 

What? Losing your powers? Was that even- was that even possible? Naomi couldn’t believe it. “I-I’m not sure I understand, Celeste...” she stammered. “How could this have happened? Are you completely sure?” It didn’t make any sense. None at all. Perhaps, it would be helpful if she gave her a quick physical check to see if anything happened to her. It had been a year; however, the results of what had happened could still be there. “Do you mind if I gave you a quick check up? Where did he hit you?” She asked her, her big, green eyes full of concern.

 

Celeste looked at the girl with a mix of confusion and relief. She was confused at the notion of Naomi not running from her as fast as she could, and also relieved that she was concerned. Not many people felt concerned towards people of her profession.

 

“How could this have happened?”

 

“I have no clue. All I know was that he hit me. I escaped with a few scratches, lucky that I am..”

 

Naomi swept her large eyes over Celeste.

 

“Do you mind if I gave you a quick check-up? Where did he hit you?”

 

Celeste considered Naomi for a moment. Where did he hit me? Is that even important? After waiting for a moment, she replied in a soft voice. “My head.” She lifted her plait to reveal a slightly discolored patch on the base of her neck. It was finally yellowing after the dark bruising had finally healed. “Why? Is there a reason?”

 

Naomi sat down on the edge of the bed and pressed slightly on the bruise. It certainly was something of a scar; staying there for about a year. It had turned a yellowish colour, which meant that it was healing, at least. “I should have treated this sooner.” Naomi whispered to herself. It wouldn’t have gotten this bad, then. But what would this have had to do with Celeste’s lost power? Naomi wasn’t able to piece the two together. It certainly looked bad.

 

“It looks pretty bad,” Naomi commented. “Did you pass out from it? I don’t know if this would make any sense, but perhaps you can’t use your powers because of trauma?”

 

Celeste thought for a moment. She had reached up to cup his face, then something happened. She said no, and then everything went black. “There’s just a big blank after I told him no. I’m assuming I passed out from it.” Celeste again tried to remember exactly what happened, but nothing came to her mind. She heard the word trauma come out of Naomi’s mouth. These powers were mental, she assumed. What was “trauma”? “Naomi? What is trauma? Is it something to eat?”

 

“Uh..” How does one respond to that? Naomi was at a loss for words. “I think maybe you should sleep a bit more...” She replied, then pulled the blanket back over Celeste.

 

So it seemed as if that was indeed the reason how this could have happened...

Edited March 22, 2013 by gistofeverything

[Silver_Voices]

Promise

 

Promise’s small smile had stuck to her face from the beginning of the day and refused to drop. It was both hers and Aoi’s first time in Whisper, and it was exactly the way she had envisioned it, only better. The simple elegance of the city captured her entirely; even though they had come to report to Lord Jahanashah, she convinced Aoi to take the scenic route to be able to truly soak in the beauty.

 

Looping her arm through Aoi's, she rested her hand on the hilt of her sword. They had grown rather close since the time they met in Cumulus, being each other's constant companions. Once she started to open herself up, they realized they had more in common than they had initially thought. Messing around and poking fun at one another with a sprinkle of light flirting thrown in was their pastime, and she laughed at his smooth operating, even when his words brought colour to her cheeks. She was comfortable enough around him... Comfortable enough to be herself. The flamboyant hat was packed away for the day, along with the jacket. Her white collared shirt was enough to shield her body from the wind, as the cold was not a problem for her. A long black scarf, matching her skirt and thick leggings, was wrapped about her neck, drooping low enough to drag along the ground behind her.

 

Glancing up at him, she noticed his gaze was fixed on something else, not far away. Following his line of sight, she looked towards a small, huddled group also admiring the gate. One of the members had split off and was headed towards them. She cast a questioning expression to Aoi. She didn't know the young man, but did he?

 

The Mr. Baine introduced himself as soon as he arrived, bumbling over his words they left his mouth. Blinking a few times, Promise had to take a moment to try to sort out his sudden need to make himself known to them and why he was sharing idle rumors with them. Why was he talking about instruments made of shadows? Before she could collect the pieces and attempt to put them together, a question had been directed towards the both of them, or at least, that's what she had gathered. With a single eyebrow raised in slight confusion, she kept her peace, allowing Aoi to speak for the both of them.

[BlueApollo]

Luna

Luna had a feeling that Blaise’s first comment was meant as an insult. Well, I have to try to sense him. She didn’t even bother to try blocking the thought from Blaise. If he was listening, he definitely would have heard her rather weak retort. On the outside, though, she remained still and calm as she assumed that Blaise would be heading off without her soon enough. He seemed annoyed and restless, something that Luna didn’t enjoy associating with too much. That, and it was just plain strange that someone like Blaise would be like that. Luna had always believed that he was the epitome of calm and calculating, quiet and never showing any signs of disturbance. This version of Blaise seemed impatient.

 

He’s probably just eager to meet Tractus Luna presumed. Blaise spoke again to confirm her belief, but he also saddled her with the responsibility of introducing them to each other. Suddenly Luna grew tense. ”A-are you sure that's such a good idea?...” Her voice trailed off at the end of her question as Blaise was already headed off in the direction of Tractus’ presence. Of course, the dear put her completely off her guard. What’s that supposed to mean? She gave Blaise a confused look as he walked away, but she knew he wasn’t going to just let her try to sneak away from this unsavory situation, though.

 

”O-okay. Right behind you,” Luna said as she hastened to catch up to Blaise, her cane lightly tapping the rhythm of her pace on the ground.

Edited March 24, 2013 by BlueApollo

[Silver_Voices]

Julian

 

Nodding slowly, Julian allowed a slight wrinkle in his brow. “Mmm... All right. Thanks.” He sighed, silently, an inward excitement perfectly complementing the nervousness that had somehow risen to the surface. He had avoided most Elements from the Light Alliance ever since he was a child. What was going to happen when he came in contact with them again?

 

V’s simple, single worded question took him by surprise. Stuttering for a moment, he collected himself then let out a small cough. “Ah... I don’t know, it’s just... I haven’t had the best experiences with a few specific elements. But.. It’s really encouraging, you know? That you guys choose this over a perfectly safe life that you could have in your own cities. That you’d want to help us, the oppressed.” Pursing his lips, he shrugged as a wider smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. “That you’d have a heart to help, I suppose.”

 

After a pause, he pursued a train of thought. “Though... I don’t know you, or what your life was like before..” He gestured to the surrounding. “Before all this.” Tilting his head, his eyebrows drew together. “Why did you join, Viara?”

Edited March 23, 2013 by Silver_Voices

[lachrymation]

"Anyway. May I ask what brings you through Whisper on this fine day?"

 

Aoi startled. "S-sorry. What?" He was lost. He was already lost after Mythyr, as he introduced, told them his profession. Aoi could see that he liked to talk, as he jumped from topic to topic like a frog jumped from lilypad to lilypad. Reverting his mind for a bit, he repeated Mythyr's question slowly in his mind. "-what brings you through Whisper on this fine day."

 

"Oh. Well... we're just travelling through." Aoi was keen not to give away any information. As scatterbrained as this man seemed, there was no way to tell if anyone was on their side.

 

"Sorry. Is it rude not to introduce ourselves?" Such as Mythyr did.. for what reason, Aoi wasn't sure. "I'm Aoi Palin, and this is Promise. As I said, just travelling through."

 

Gear

 

"Are you okay?"

 

Of course I am.

 

However, he could hear caution in her voice as she spoke to him. He should be careful around her. One slip could give him away. He decided that the easiest way for him to be most convincing was if he was unconscious. He fell down, easing his breathing so that it appeared that he was asleep. He had trained himself so that it could even seem that he was dead. It was most useful.

 

He could see her take a dagger out and hide if behind her back. Extra caution! Wow, this girl was so suspicious of him, wasn't she? What does she think I am, a serial killer?

 

Okay, well..

Edited March 26, 2013 by lachrymation

[LoveLost]

Viara

 

V couldn't help but smirk at Julian's uncomfortable stumbling and pauses in his words. She tended to have that effect on people because she was so direct. Only when she was fighting with them, or when Viara came out, would she really ever show anything other than abruptness and determination in what she said and did.

 

The one thing that threw her off, and would have thrown some people into a rage, was when he bunched her in with everyone else from the Light Alliance. She did have to admit though, that her ability WAS an ability from the Light Alliance. There was just no way around that.

 

As if the Shadow Alliance needed help any longer. As if there was a need for her to have a heart. It was strange though how it seemed as those that were further away from Whisper had more issues. She should have remembered that...

 

"To be honest, the only people to know my history are my fellow Shades and the Queen and that is how it should be. As to the reason that I joined, we each have our own, do we not?"

 

She looked at him trying to ignore the headache beginning behind her right eye, making it known that Viara was going to jump out if she didn't avoid the subject.

 

"To place the reason succinctly, the Light Alliance doesn't take too kindly when you aide people from the Shadow Alliance in escaping their escapades." She looked at him in a manner that signified that she was finished speaking about her side of the story. Her story was the reason that she and Aamina were able to get along so well: they were very similar in their histories and desires even though Viara and Aamina didn't quite get along. As long as V was in control, Aamina was a confidant.

 

"Do tell why you decided to come to Whisper? I understand that Metallum is indeed a well defended city. Oh, and make sure to call me V." She looked at him with a slight grin.

 

Marcus

 

Marcus looked at SKy's challenge and couldn't help but grin at her sudden ferocity. she always loved a race in the morning as well as the challenge. It was fun for him as well especially since it allowed Aodh a chance to get a good, long, gallop in before the day began.

 

He spurred Aosh on and just as he caught up to her, Artemis quickly sped up again. He smiled again as Aodh challenged Artemis, making sure that Marcus was able to speak with his fiance.

 

"How about we go to the old gazebo?" he asked her as they raced on.

Edited March 24, 2013 by LoveLost

[SkySong278]

Skylar

 

"Okay sure," Sky said in reply with a smile as she looked over at Marcus after he had caught up with her and Arty. She then blew him a kiss before having Arty race away from the former again. She loved to race, whether it be against her fiancé around their mountain property or one of their Shadow Alliance friends in the woods around Whisper.

 

As she raced, she could see the gazebo coming into view and figured that she would beat Marc if he couldn't catch up to her in time as well as go ahead of her and Arty. They had had a few close calls where she would almost beat him or vice versa as well as one where he had beat her and she had been really far behind him.

 

It looked like it wouldn't turn out to be that way this time. When she was about ten feet away from the gazebo, she turned her head briefly to see where Marc was and it looked like he was getting closer to her but there was still a lot of distance between them so she knew that she would win the race this time. As soon as she arrived at the gazebo, she slowed Arty to a trot, completely stopped her before getting off of her back, then walking into it afterward, and sitting down on one of the benches there to wait for Marcus.

[Rakashua]

Kai opened his eyes, almost surprised to see the skylight above his head and the cloudy sky beyond, then he remembered where he was and a broad smile split his face. From the light in the sky he could tell it was probably mid-day, they'd slept in... oh how long it had been since he had managed to get Noe to sleep in, much less get enough sleep. Life had certainly been busy lately, unfortunately that probably wasn't going to change anytime soon. The trees that made up the bed cast dancing shadows over the couple. Noe was still asleep, still in his arms where she had been when they finally decided to use the bed for the purpose of sleeping.

 

Kai turned his head and kissed Noe's forehead lightly, not wanting to wake her if she was still willing to sleep. She loved to curl up next to him and lie on his arm, which for a normal person might be a problem, considering that the weight of her head would have cut off his circulation. But Kai wasn't normal, and his arm didn't have circulation since it was made of sand, or at least it usually was. But sand was rough and hard, he switched out his sand arm for one made of soft clay for sleeping and spending time so close to Noe. That had been one of her pet peves, and their first minor argument, no sand in the bed, no sand scattered throughout the house, no sand in the dishes, no sand in the bath... Sand could and should, be piled neatly in the corner when it wasn't being used.

 

Kai didn't mind, Noe didn't dislike his sand, she just preferred him without it, and preferred to have a neat house... And so his sand lay in the corner in a nice, neat pile against the soft stone wall. Kai left his arm under Noe's resting head and slowly got out from under the sheets, setting his feet on the cold stone floor. The stone was cool and smooth, it would be cool in the summer and it would hold its heat in the winter, keeping the house at an even temperature year round, just like a natural cave. He stretched and rubbed at his shoulder in annoyance, the phantom pain still hadn't gone away, the doctors said it may never go away. Still, for the most part he had learned to ignore it.

 

Kai walked over to the pile of sand and held out a hand, letting it run up his arm and leg, slowly covering his whole body and reforming over his skin. There was no need to get dressed further, no one else would be around. And if unexpected visitors did drop by, he could always change the sand to look like he was at least wearing a tunic and shorts. Still, that had been another rule of Noe's, one he found rather comical and teased her about on numerous occasions.

 

Sand doesn't count as clothing in public. The most practical reason for this of course was rain... which had happened once... Kai had to spend the rest of the day walking around with the lower half of his body submerged in wet/stony ground until they got home. Apparently that was never allowed to happen again. He understood the sentiment, he certainly wouldn't let her go around only wearing sand, the compulsion to kill anyone who gave her a second glance would be too strong. Jealousy may be a negative attitude, but when it came to the love of his life, to be jealous of her affections and everything else about her. She was his, he was hers, totally and completely, life was good. Of course... that was close to the only good thing in their lives at the moment, aside from their friends. War was still war, politics still didn't make sense, and the prejudice of the past lived on in the present and the more they tried to kill it the larger it seemed to loom.

 

Kai shook his head, returning from the drama of the past to the beauty of the present, namely his lovely wife. He glanced over at her, she hadn't moved, or had she? Was she awake? Kai smiled. She was probably waiting for him to come wake her with a kiss. He wasn't sure, the bed was made of wood, he couldn't feel the vibration of her heart to tell whether or not she was really still asleep, and he liked it like that. Yesterday they had a lot of fun, both inside the house and out. Noe had seen the garden, loved it, and Kai now had a shopping list of plants to find for her that she'd like to plant. She'd loved the kitchen, the stone stove had been her favorite. With a few good logs it could heat and cook food on a heated flat stone for hours and even boil water in minutes.

 

They had started in the bedroom and ended there, and almost a whole day had passed, it had been wonderful. They had both needed the refreshment and the rest but most of all, they had needed the time together. Life had been so busy they hadn't been able to spend the time together they both yearned for.

 

Kai made his way back over to the bed and bent over Noe's still form. He slowly bent down and kissed her lips gently. "Time to get up my love," He whispered, lips barely above hers. "I love you..." He kissed her again gently. "I can have breakfast ready in a few minutes if you'd like to enjoy lying in the sunlight a bit longer." His voice was soft and gentle, the only other sound against the background of birds singing in the trees and robins bobbing for worms above the stone roof. "Unless you have other ideas..." He winked.

 

His smile doubled as he stared down at her, still lying on his soft, clay arm. The first time he'd left her in the bed with his arm... not attached to his body... had not gone over well, she had been a bit disturbed when she woke up that morning. Now he found other ways to tease her, such as giving her a neck rub with his detached arm, which he now began to do, able to control it from this range as easilly as if it were still attached to his body, as easily as if it was actually his real arm. She still found it a bit creepy, and he still found it hilarious.

[LadyNatasha]

In Sola...

Yuaki grabbed one final chunk of bread as Lucius explained how he and she had met. She watched him; he seemed almost happy telling the tale, and she wished she had been so lucky as to meet a friend on her travels. But in truth, her trip to Sola had been harsh in many ways and she had almost turned back when halfway there.

“I'm glad I got to meet her again in my travels. I was planning on staying here for a while too. I guess it's my lucky day!”

Yuaki smirked. "Lucky for me too. If I remember correctly, you promised me you'd have many more interesting stories to tell than you had last time." She laughed lightly, but her laugh was cut off when suddenly the front doors burst open...

 

~

 

Aketsu grinned as Isa prepared herself. His golden eyes flashed with intensity, as though daring the wind itself to work against him.

 

“Things are going to be rough Aketsu, but we can do this.”

 

Yes, we can. And we will. "Hold on tight," he said and a moment later he thrust with all his might off the windowsill. There was that terrifyingly wonderful moment where he and Isa were going up, then were going nowhere, then down down down...

 

the ground looked much closer than it had from the sill, and immediately Aketsu summoned the wind in a powerful flurry around them. He specified directions that stopped them from going down and instead sent them to the right, where he grabbed a decorative silk streamer with his free hand (his other one making sure Isa was still able to hold on) and swung smoothly along the building. He did this several more times, each time using the wind between the swings so that they slowly went down but didn't fall. It worked perfectly, and he found himself laughing halfway through. When they were but ten feet from the ground, he suddenly pushed off the building with all his might and used the wind like jets. They sent him and Isa thirty yards from the palace, right out of the palace yard and onto the main road. Aketsu used the last of his wind energy to land them softly on the ground and he gently lowered Isa to her feet. He was breathing hard, but recovered quickly with a grin. Using wind in large bursts was not his specialty, but aiming wind specifically was. It would take him a few hours to recover, but it was completely worth it. Still, it was at times like this where he wished he could simply fly on the wind as he had seen Loren do before.

 

He turned to Isa and smiled, ignoring the startled looks of people passing by. "Well. Shall we?" He offered her a hand.

 

~[Two minutes later, assuming nothing important happens]~

 

Aketsu blew the door open with a little more pizazz than he meant to use, and as it opened he immediately took on a more refined stance. He wasn't surprised to see Isis there, but was a bit surprised to see Yuaki sitting at a table with a stranger.

 

"Isa!" Yuaki jumped to her feet, hesitated a moment, then picked up the rest of the uncut loaf and waved it in the air. "You're just in time! Look what Isis made, you HAVE to try it!"

 

~~~~~~

 

~Whisper~

[Just moving things along a bit]

Mythyr watched curiously as the stranger interpreted his words. All the time an innocent smile remained on his face, a smile everyone was so used to seeing. The stranger said they were just traveling through. Few people just traveled through Whisper, but it wasn't unheard of. Mythyr tried to force his smile not to grow--the couple before him reminded him so much of a couple spoken of in a song called TigerDragon. It was a silly little folk-song about a very short, spitfire nobility girl who hired a soft-hearted servant man. Eventually, after a long series of events, the two fell in love. The song was based on a performance, which was based on an old story, which could possibly have been based on a true story. However, only the girl's height reminded him of the song--nothing else.

 

"Sorry. Is it rude not to introduce ourselves?" Mythyr was about to say that no, it really wasn't, but the man continued anyway. "I'm Aoi Palin, and this is Promise. As I said, just traveling through." Immediately Mythyr's smile was replaced with confusion. Palin... why does that name seem so familiar? He blinked once and shrugged to himself, his smile returning. "Well. You've probably been here before, but welcome to Whisper anyway!" He adjusted the chain that was coiled at his waist, then glanced back at V and Julian in time to hear her mention Metallum. He looked again at his new friends. Palin... so very familiar. Have I met a Palin? Perhaps a relative of this man? Maybe. Oh well! Too many people, too many faces and too many names.

 

"If you two have any questions about the history of Whisper or need directions, I can probably get you what you need. Have a good day!" He bowed lightly, then spun around and rejoined V and Julian.

 

~

 

There was another short pause, and Jahanshah had to wonder what Queen Zillah was thinking. He glanced at Aamina again, then cleared his throat.

 

“Jahan, I think that there is something that you are still missing in your equation. Would you trust your protection to a normal guard?" Jahanshah frowned. Awww, not my safety again. Why is everyone always so concerned about that? I'm fifteen now. He at least understood Zillah's concern; he knew he was important to her. But everyone with any authority over him (granted that wasn't very many people anymore) always seemed concerned about him going anywhere outside the city by himself. Aamina usually accompanied him now, and it suddenly occurred to him that it had been quite a while since he had been anywhere without her nearby.

 

"Travel would be faster with an earth elementian and I have one other that could travel with you. But the guards are the only thing that I would worry about.”

 

He sighed and thought for a moment. Then he smiled, a slightly devious solution reflected in his eyes. "Alright, as you wish; I'll bring everyone who has assembled for the Whisper Task Force. Surely many of them have arrived. That way, there won't have to be a meeting; any late-comers will just hav to wait. Sorry Aamina, but Queen Zillah is right; it works better this way. Anyway, Daedureth sensed Aoi's arrival just some minutes ago." Jahanshah smiled with unabashed pride at the sword; after a year of holding it, it was finally telling him more than just 'good' or 'bad' (indicated by hissing and shadow movements); Daedureth now told him when people he held in high regard were nearby. There were few people he regarded that way, but Aoi was one of them; Aoi had been his only real childhood friend, the only one who was friends with him with no regards to his popularity or strength with metal.

 

"We'll all go and retrieve Celeste, and maybe Naomi as well. Then we'll report back here one last time, or perhaps you could send a Shade to inform us of your will then. That might be faster, especially if these 'Guardians' from Sola set out." He glanced at Aamina. Would she be upset they weren't having the meeting? She didn't look too upset. Then again, she hardly ever looked anything. Today had been a rather exceptional day for her, and he felt it was sort of his fault. No matter; she'd get over it, if there was any leftover unhappiness. Goodbyes were given appropriately and conversation closed, and Jahanshah went back to the palace gates, certainly with Aamina.

 

~

 

The guards motioned towards the door, indicating that there were people right outside. Jahanshah nodded and signaled for them to open the great doors; he was ready, and could guess who was there. He gave them a look as well that told them NOT to do the whole 'announcing-prince-Jahanshah' thing. The doors swung open, and Jahanshah blinked at the sun's evening glare. Sunlight didn't actually touch the floor inside the doors, but it still remained in the air. Funny how those doors worked. Sometimes Jahanshah swore he could hear Daedureth speaking to them.

 

Jahanshah's emotionless expression changed to a polite smile when the doors opened. The smile was indicated towards V, whom he recognized from watching the Shades train. He had never really spoken to her, but she was a sight to behold in the dark-haired city of Whisper. Watching her had helped him determine how to fight Light Elementians, and he had actually trained with her on two occasions to perfect his reflective metal. Jahanshah's red eyes next noticed the two strangers at her sides. Immediately he sensed that one carried mercury on him. Curious. Is he from Metallum? Jahanshah didn't recognize the man at all, but he looked capable enough. The third one he recognized as the Tri-elementian Mythyr. Jahanshah had [somewhat jealously] watched the young man train with all three of his elements at once. It was quite the sight, but Jahanshah's jealousy had faded to humor and pity when he learned that someone with so much potential and power was too scared of water to even put his hand in a puddle. It was pathetic really, and with a slightly sadistic delight Jahanshah couldn't wait to introduce him to Celeste.

 

He was about to greet them when he noticed another couple; Aoi and Promise. Immediately his polite smile brightened and he all but ignored the other three. "Aoi! You made it," he greeted as he strode towards his friend. His smile widened as he neared them. "You haven't changed at all," he said with a grin. Then he turned to look at Promise. Finally, he was taller than her.

 

"Lady Promise, so good to see you again. You'll be joining us, yes?"

[LoveLost]

 

Isa

 

Isa couldn’t believe what she was doing. To be quite honest, the only place she felt at home when traveling swiftly was on the backs of light beams. Other than that, she was terrified to fly. Even with Aketsu it was quite difficult but a slight shout of delight escaped her when he pulled up and landed over on the road that led into the heart of the town. Before she took his hand, she took a deeeep sniff of the air around her, wondering what it was that their young plant elementian friend, Isis, had cooked up this time.

 

“Yes, we shall!” she said taking his hand. They walked like the royalty they were and they were truly the most recognizable besides Kai and Noe. She, the Rainbow Child and he the only known Wind Elementian to have golden eyes. Of course they were well known also because they were considered to be two royals form their respective cities. Many hoped that Aketsu would marry Isa that way they could not only keep in the traditions of their people in having a patriarch, but it would also unite the city that they now held close to their hearts; New Aero.

 

When they arrived at the bakery, Isa couldn’t help but squeeze Aketsu’s hand with girlish glee. She had always loved the bakery and really only he and Yuaki knew why; it was the one place that she always remembered going to with her mother when she was very young. For some reason, she was able to recall those times and replay them in holograms. So, when he blew open the door, she had to restrain herself much as he did as they walked in to the building.

 

“That was a bit loud.” She giggled as she whispered to him. Oh did she love flashy openings at times.

 

Isa brushed a lock of her rainbow colored hair behind her ear and made sure that her circlet was in it’s proper place before stepping fully inside. Once there, she noticed that Yuaki was there, or more so, Yuaki was sitting with someone that Isa didn’t know. Of course, Yuaki knew more people outside of the castle so it wasn’t strange, but this man … hmmm.

 

She was quickly distracted by a half a loaf of bread that was being waved in front of her. The smell was absolutely decadent and she wanted to eat it. Now. She smiled, her entire countenance lighting up in happiness at her friends. She took a small corner of the loaf and split it in two, handing a piece to Aketsu. When she took a bite she couldn’t help but make her appreciation known by looking at Isis and proudly proclaiming. “Wow! Isis I think you have outdone yourself this time!” She said and chewed the piece she had until it was all but chewed out.

 

V-Viara ~ Aamina ~ Queen Zillah

 

Aamina stared long and hard at Jahanshah and found that she was able to finally breathe completely as he accepted what the queen had said. With a sigh she watched as Jahanshah walked out of the room and she quickly walked over to the queen and bowed to her in gratefulness.

 

“thank you my queen. I do not understand why, but he is mine and mine alone to protect.” She said then felt her chin being tilted up to meet the queen’s eyes.

“My dear, you follow him as a dog does to his master, but you also protect him like a fierce wolf does her pup. And then, above all else, I think you are finally learning to love him as your Lord and as your friend.” Zillah gently kissed Aamina on her brow, then touched the gem that was around Aamina’s neck.

 

“You didn’t tell me that you were running low on power Aamina.” She said concernedly. A large portion of Aamina’s greater abilities came from the gem around her neck. The queen had been using dark shadow magics to be able to embue the gem with enough power for Aamina to accomplish great feats.

 

“I didn’t notice it ma’am.” Aamina replied apologetically before being told by the queen that she was perfectly fine. Then, without being prepared, the queen hugged Aamina and whispered something that was for her ears only. Protect my son in more ways than one. This is my charge. Aamina was lost as to what it meant, but the queen quickly ushered her out of the room and shut the door behind her.

 

Queen Zillah turned from where she had shut the door and closed her eyes. There was going to be much drama around her lovely son but at least there were such people as V, Mythyr, Aoi, and the lovebirds going with him to see Celeste and Naomi. She had felt that something was wrong with Celeste which worried her, but V had assured her that it was nothing but trauma that would eventually wear off over time. Or so they both hoped.

 

“Please, take care of the only thing that I have cared about other than you brother.” She whispered when she looked out of the peep hole into the hallway where Jahan and Aamina were now walking away. With a pleased grin, she noted that Daedureth responded with a slight whisper that only she heard.

 

I will sister.

 

Aamina followed Jahanshah the entire way after she caught up. She was quite grateful to the queen, but her message had held another tone than what she was used to. And learning to love Jahanshah? Pfft! Love was for those that had a heart to love. Aamina knew that she herself was not one to show emotion or love for anyone else. The reason was because all those that she had loved were either killed or were loved by someone else. So why love? Why show emotion if there was no other benefit? The only time that she had shown any emotion, was when she was able to kill or train. Then, a dark smile always crossed her lips. Some would say that her grief had driven her insane whenever it came to killing, and maybe that was true….

 

When they opened the doors, she blinked at the brightness. However, the doors, imbued with the spirits of two lovers (again, love? Ick!), didn’t allow the sunlight to touch the ground, it only stayed in the air, reflecting off of the tiny particles in the air. With a slight shift of her foot, she counted how many people were outside. Two females, and three males to be exact judging by the weight that was exerted on to the earth.

 

Luckily for her, that one person that she knew would understand her the most was there as well; V. When V was V, she was able to talk to her as if she were herself. Something that she hadn’t had very much due to V’s intense training. However, in the dead of night, they would often be found sitting on the roof tops.

 

V looked at Julian waiting for a response when the doors swung wide open. Of course, there, standing in the shadows were Jahanshah and Aamina. She had forgotten that the legends about Daedureth were true. The sword literally spoke to the young lord which freaked many people, but fascinated her. At times, she wondered if there was anything that could happen like that with the Light Element, but forbade the thought. Light was a quiet element that hardly told one anything, only did as it was told.

 

Seeing the two standing there gave her an impression of King and Queen getting ready to greet their subjects. A slight twitch of her lips was the only thing that signified the humor that she found in the subject. How could they not look like that? Jahan in his regal stature, was now almost to the full size of a man if not there already. With his hair grown out, and his face matured, he looked much like a man well on his way to his twenties if the light hit him just right.

Then Aamina, although slight like herself, was far more developed than she had been a year ago. Once the young girl had hit maturity, she had blossomed into a fine young woman that would continue to become like the figure that she often became when she used the dark magic held within her gem. At the moment though, her short hair framed her face in a way that made her seem as though she were yet older than her scant 15 years of age. Her body had grown to the point to where she was right at Jahanshah’s shoulder. Not to mention that in her womanhood, certain areas had grown proportionally larger from the flat surface that had once been there.

 

All in all? Aamina was becoming, well, beautiful.

 

When the prince stepped into the light, she noted that Aamina was wearing more of the royal wear that the queen was making her wear. Instead of her favorite light armor, she was now wearing a dress that showed her earthen mark on her shoulder. The black dress hugged her body down to her thighs where it then split with two slits on either side of her thighs to provide her mobility. There were gold and silver trimmings on the dress and the hilt around her waist was of black leather with the same orange gems that Aamina wore around her neck.

 

V couldn’t help but giggle at Aamina’s reaction to the clothes that she was now wearing. Obviously, the queen had pulled one of her switch-er-roos that Aamina had yet to catch. When her face nearly broke into a snarl, V bowed to the prince and walked up to her, her own face much like Aamina’s.

 

“I would be cautious. The Queen only means well for your best features to be accented.” V did her best to hide the snicker that was waiting to pop out.

 

Aamina glared at V before responding. “If she means well, then she would let me operate in my own clothes. I am not royalty.” Her acidic tone only made V grin further before turning around and walking into the light with the girl.

 

When she stood there, V, well, more so Viara, couldn’t help but notice how gorgeous Aamina was in the sunlight and how the sun played in her hair and how she….NO! Not now, not yet! V’s scowl deepened as she fought off her other half.

 

Noe

“Kai! For heaven’s sake will you catch Naru? He’s flying away again!” Noe rushed after their youngest daughter, the third born out of their first litter. It was hard trying to figure out what to call their children since they weren’t exactly human, buuuut they weren’t exactly griffin either. Halfsies? Oh it didn’t matter! Kiara was getting away again and she had to keep her children occupado before they flew away to go and play with the other little children. At the moment, one child was stuck as a human with Kai keeping him out of trouble. Another was fully griffin, Kiara, and then the third was with his wings and learning how to use them to get away after getting in trouble.

 

Flash

 

Now, here they were, an extra bedroom built on to the house that they now lived in. Their three wonderful children were all tucked into bed with one another, sleeping soundly. Noe was underneath Kai’s arm ready to about pass out form exhaustion. They had done it though. Their world was peaceful for once and they had their children that were protected from all harm within Solan forests. They would grow up strong and powerful and this was everything that she could have ever hoped for.

 

 

 

Now woke up from her dream with a few tears running down her cheeks which she dashed away before rolling over, cuddling into Kai’s arm. Arm…oh great. Well at least her dream had ended to where their world was finally peaceful. That was the world that she wanted to raise their children in. The world she so desperately hoped they could be raised in once they had children.

She rolled back to the sunlight that was bearing down in her and waking her bones, warming them. It was perfect except for the fact that Kai wasn’t right beside her. Maybe, just maybe he would do what he did whenever they had had their honeymoon after their wedding; wake her up with a kiss. He hadn’t been able to do that in some time with her always having to leave early in the morning for her political duties.

 

When she heard his footsteps, she kept her face straight, that was, until he kissed her softly. When he did so, her lips broke into a bright smile just as her eyelids opened to reveal stormy grey eyes that twinkled in the sun that hit her face just right. She did of course contemplate the idea of breakfast, but other ideas were so much more fun than eating. They hadn’t eaten quite as much as she sure they were supposed to do, especially her with her growing griffin form.

“When do I not have other ideas?” she said as she kissed him back then laid her head against his arm. It was still awkward not having the rest of him there, but she would have to get used to it, or be freaked out every morning that he woke up before she did.

 

Before she was able to explain the other ideas that she had, her stomach released a massive growl that brought a sheepish grin to her smiling face. “But maybe we SHOULD eat.” She said with a giggle before stretching and yawning. She sat up looking around her at their wonderful home. It truly was a sight to behold and one that would never, ever grow old. The trees above her made shadows dance on the bed sheets, but there was a perfect circle in the center that she ran her hands through, feeling the warmth of the sun touch them each time.

With a content sigh, Noe kissed her husband once more before jumping out of the bed and stretching again. She itched her right shoulder blade to find that it came back with a small feather meaning that her wings were molting again which was rather early for her. She shrugged slightly before she gave a flirty wink to Kai and stepped into their bathroom where she quickly snapped a rain cloud in to life. The rain was nice and warm just like the sunlight and she showered swiftly before noting that her shoulders really were itchy. “Growth spurt” she growled and decided that she should probably take her shower outside again as a griffin.

“hey love? While you make breakfast, I’m going to step outside and take care of this.” She said as she poked her head outside the bathroom with a small feather in her hand.

 

At her first molting, it had totally freaked them out, but when they had learned in griffin lore that unlike most birds, griffin wings molted and regrew in a span of a few minutes every few months during a growth period, it had no longer frightened them.

 

The only down side was the incredible itching and the sudden pain as the feathers grew back, but it was all done in moments and her wings had been looking quite dingy lately.

 

Noe rushed outside as the itching grew stronger and she didn’t get out there a moment too soon. Her wings burst from her back, extending high above her. She brought one round to her front where she itched and itched until the other wing started to itch. She then itched and itched again until the itching grew to where she sat down in the grass and let the rain water run over her entire body including her wings.

 

A couple seconds later, her body transformed to her beautiful, panther-raven griffin form. For a moment, she looked completely dejected as her feathers seemed to puff off of her wings. A small prick of pain at every follicle happened and then bright, deep blue-black feathers sprouted all over her wings in a larger pattern, not to mention her wings, as well as her body, had grown again.

Great, just great! Noe cawed to herself. This is getting annoying. Now I have to clean this all up. She mumbled as she used her wings to propel the feathers to one general area. She never did like doing that, but well, Kai liked to use her feathers for decoration.

 

Noe continued her bath until she was sparkling clean in both forms then she dried herself off with a localized windstorm and walked back inside, her wings shrinking, then finally disappearing behind her.

Edited March 26, 2013 by LoveLost

[SkySong278]

Aisling

 

Ash put the dagger that she had taken out of one of the many sheaths on her body to be put against her back where the back of her pants could hold it there in place for her so that she didn't have to hold it anymore but so that it was still easy to get to if she needed it once she saw the boy in the road have an appearance of being asleep. She looked on with a curious slight tilt of her head as well as a curious expression on her face. A few minutes earlier, it had looked like he was having spasms and now it looked like he was asleep.

 

She had no idea what she could do in a situation like this. Neither her birth parents nor her adoptive mom had taught her what she should do should she encounter something like this so she was a bit taken aback.

 

She stepped a bit closer to the boy, still very cautious since she didn't know what she should expect and then stopped a few inches behind him so that she was a bit closer to his shoulder but not too close that she would be hit by an unexpected attack. She didn't mean to be so cautious but with her not having stepped foot out of Cumulus before and it being her first time, she had no idea what to expect on her journey so yeah. This boy seeming like he was asleep in the road was definitley something that was unexpected as well as him having spasms just moments earlier.

[Rakashua]

Kai couldn't help but chuckle as Noe's stomach interrupted her mid-thought. At first it had been the obvious assumption that he was the one that would take the most feeding, but over time as Noe grew, so did her appetite. She now consumed nearly twice the food he did, not to mention anything she chose to hunt while in griffin form. He noted the feather and gave her a slightly concerned but mostly compassionate smile and a brief hug before heading into the kitchen. She was molting again, it happened so frequently now that it had become a fact of life, if one that neither of them much looked forward to. Well, he did more than she did. After all, she always looked so beautiful after a molting, and he could use the extra feathers to stuff new pillows or to sew into intricate patterns for curtains and the like.

 

Kai walked into the kitchen and stopped suddenly, there was a small child standing next to the stove, staring up at him with stormy grey eyes and feathery eyebrows. How had a child managed to get in here without him noticing? Why hadn't he picked up on the vibrations of his little feet? Who was he? Before Kai could recover from his shock, the little boy giggled and ran away, opening a door in the kitchen wall that Kai did not remember being there before, and vanishing inside. Kai suddenly found himself back in the bedroom. Noe was suddenly rushing outside, probably to molt, the scene from the kitchen was gone. He shook his head, rubbing a few grains of sand out of his eyes. Maybe he was more hungry than he thought...

 

Kai slowly made his way to the kitchen, no vibrations. He peaked through the doorway but everything seemed to be in order. There was no small boy, no mysterious door, everything was as it should be. As it should be? Kai suddenly felt that something was missing, that the room was empty, devoid of some life it had held a moment ago. He couldn't place the feeling so he shrugged and turned to the stove. He dropped two logs into the burn-pit below it and gave them a strong discharge of electricity to set them on fire. In no time the stove top was hot enough to cook on.

 

Kai pulled out a dozen eggs, some salted pork, a wedge of cheese, and two peppers and went to work. He left one hand chopping peppers while another mixed the eggs and a third ground the pork into tiny bits. All this going on while he went down the stairs into the basement floor of the house to get some fresh milk and a few apples. The milk was in the cooler, a large, stone box built into the ground. One couldn't tell from inside the house, but Kai had discovered an underground stream that ran below the house. He'd rearranged some caverns beneath the house to bring the spring into contact with the bottom of the cooler. The cold water cooled the stone continually, making the inside of the cooler quite cold, if not freezing, perfect for storing perishables. He took out a pitcher of milk and two chilled glasses and headed back upstairs where his hands had finished mixing ingredients and everything was cooking now on the stove.

 

Kai heard Noe caw from outside, she would be in soon he was sure. He tossed a few spices into the mix and chopped the apples in half, leaving three for Noe and one for himself, she was always partial to fruit whenever she went through a molting. Finally he set the round table with two plates and glasses, silverware, and two braided napkins. He had just finished setting out the food and extinguishing the stove when Noe walked back in, more beautiful than ever, although Kai swore that was true every-time he saw her.

 

He pulled out her chair for her and sat in the other. After saying a quick prayer of thanks to the maker for the food and one another, they began to eat. As they ate, Kai related the story of his strange... whatever it had been, when he'd first thought he had entered the kitchen.

 

"And the boy just giggled and turned to run into a door and a room I didn't put into the house..." Kai shrugged, "actually... he reminded me of you, stormy eyes and I swear there were feathers in his hair." Kai half smiled, "so aside from my losing my mind... what do you think? Strange huh? I must have still been half asleep."

[LoveLost]

Noe loved the feel of the grass underneath her feet as she walked to her home. The steps were chilly, but it was pleasant. Their home wasn’t too cold as the sun was starting to warm up the home to the perfect temperature. A loving sigh escaped her as she walked into the kitchen. On the rare days that she was up later than Kai, he always lavished such attentions on her. At their flat, more often than not, she was up before him and making breakfast to be on the table when he woke up due to her busy day. But now he was able to return that favor for her and boy did it smell good!

 

She couldn’t believe how hungry she was becoming! And how annoying that was. When she noticed the meal that was set before her, she almost teared up. Kai was such a loving husband and she was far too well, too not perfect to be married to such a perfect man. How did she get him? It was all so strange to have him as her husband. They had only met a little over a year ago and here they were married and making it off easily without any issues. They had spent their time travelling, learning about one another, and figuring out just what love was.

 

Noe smiled up at him as he pulled out a chair for her which she sat in gracefully. She pulled her hair back from her face and tied it in to a slightly frizzy knot. Her jet black hair was still unruly, leaving a few strands hanging over her shoulders.

When Kai bent his head down in prayer to the maker, she grabbed his hand and squeezed it gently adding in a special thank you for an understanding and loving husband. It was more than she could have asked for. Noe waited, as was tradition, for the man to take the first bite of his food. As soon as he had, Noe had a difficult time composing herself as she hate. Her stomach seemed to grow hungrier as she took more bites which was, of course, impossible.

 

Kai began speaking, at first she didn’t pay attention, but when he said something about a little boy appearing in front of him, her incessant shoveling started to slow down. A boy with stormy gray eyes and feathers in his hair. Kai had seen the same young boy that she had seen in her dream this morning. He had seen Naru. He…had seen Naru! Noe listened as he explained about the door, the selfsame room that had appeared in her dream just off to the side of the kitchen. The bedroom that housed their three children in her dream.

 

Noe cleared her throat then took several bites of the apple that Kai had cut in half for her and before long, the apple was gone. She grabbed another half and began eating that before she replied. Her mind was reeling with the thoughts of them both having the same themed dream/day vision. It was strange! How could he have seen Naru like that? Naru, Kiara, and….and the last one didn’t have a name in her dream. Then it hit her. O’ehmar. Noe did as she oft did when nervous, surprised, and rather disturbed. She started to twirl her hair around her fingers. The length had become somewhat of a nuisance, but she still loved it…especially when she was stressed out.

 

“Kai, I have something to tell you.” She said with a nervous laugh. “I had a dream where…” she then related everything that had gone on in her dreams. She told him about the young griffin, Kiara, that she was trying to keep from flying away. The little boy that Kai had described was Naru in her dream, and the boy with the wings was O’ehmar who was learning how to fly. She spoke about how there was a room off to the side of the kitchen where all three children in whatever form they chose slept all together with Kiara in the middle.

 

When she spoke about them, she found herself going in to further detail. Kai had already spoken about Naru, but she went into further detail with Kiara and O’ehmar. Kiara was a gorgeous little, sandy colored griffin. Her eyes were a light gray, almost white color. The mane around her head was also a white color with her body and wings being more sandy. Her claws were so cute! And her little beak…

 

O’ehmar was the quietest. He flew around getting into trouble, but not really meaning to. His eyes were much like Kai’s, a brighter golden color but his hair was like Noe’s. He smiled so brightly and always looked as though he understood everything that was going on around him. A real odd child but one that she could already feel herself favor.

 

Noe made herself stop the descriptions. She had always been one to want a family, but not in this world, not in this environment. The children were perfect. Noe noticed the few tears that had slipped down her cheeks. Before Kai could panic she explained.

 

“To have a dream of your heart’s desire that matched with a vision from your husband is very touching. It reminds me that we will have a family someday…hopefully when things are better.” She said with a smile as she took another bite of the wonderful meal that her husband had made.

 

Marcus couldn't help but smile. Maybe Aodh was starting to get old, or maybe the old gelding was just wanting to enjoy the ride, as well as the view around him. When Sky finally won, Marcus slowed Aodh to a slow trot and the horse wanted to go over and graze with Artemis.

 

With a low chuckle, Marcus hopped off of Aodh and walked over to the gazebo and stood in the walkway for a moment before leaning on one of the beams. He smiled at Skylar and noticed that it seemed as though she wanted to speak with him about something.

 

"Somethin on your mind love?" he asked her with a grin.

Edited March 27, 2013 by LoveLost

[Rakashua]

Kai listened with surprise and fascination as Noe described her dream in great detail. But another look was boding behind his eyes, a look of worry, and perhaps of guilt, yes, there was definitely guilt. If he was right, and he was pretty sure he was, then he was at fault here in more than one way, even though he knew Noe wouldn't view it like that and would chide him if she knew he was. Kai didn't reply but chose instead to finish his food and allow Noe to do the same. The food seemed to have lost its flavor though and his mind was lost in thought as to how he was going to explain himself.

 

Finally they were both finished and he cleared his throat, rising from his seat he took Noe in his arms with a smile, though it was a bit more strained than genuine. He carried her back to the bedroom and set her gently down on the bed, but didn't join her. Instead he remained standing and bit his lip as he always did when nervous. He probably looked like he had on their wedding night, nervous and not sure of what to do next. Fortunately Noe had known exactly what she wanted and it had been one of the best nights of both their lives. This time, however, it was his job to lead the course of events, what had to be said had to be said. Now more than ever, he was only glad that he had a partial plan to solve the situation for them, and perhaps for everyone.

 

"Noe," Kai began, biting his lip again. She was so beautiful sitting there, staring expectantly up at him. The sight of her still took his breath away even after a year of getting to know every part of her intimately. He smiled for real this time and shook his head. "How did I ever get you?" He wondered allowed, then stopped himself and shook his head again. No, there was something important to discuss here. Kai paused and took a deep breath...

 

"You're pregnant."

 

Kai had never been good with breaking things to people gently, and in this case he wasn't any better. He swallowed and quickly continued. "I should have told you sooner I'm sorry, I just didn't want you to worry, about... the future, and everything. I wanted to wait until I had a plan for you, for us." Kai swallowed again and rubbed absently at his sand arm that had suddenly decided it had feeling again and that feeling was pain. The phantom pain seemed to come on more strongly when he was tense. "I've know for a few weeks.... At first I wasn't sure, but now I can clearly feel it in your heartbeats... you have three smaller hearts beating inside you besides your own."

 

Kai quickly realized he'd left Noe alone in a sense and sat down next to her, supporting her back with one hand and taking her hand in his real hand. "But everything is going to be alright, I promise. Noe... I love you so much, I won't let anything happen to you, to us, or... our children. I have a plan." Kai's voice was soft and tender now, not tense as it had been before but calm and collected. He needed to be in control now, stable, for her, for them.

 

"We go to Cumulus, convince Isa and Aketsu and the others to go with us. We go before the city leaders and propose that Cumulus break from both Shadow and Light alliances and form a neutral state dedicated to peace between the two lands." Kai explained his thinking slowly, "The lands won't end their fighting because the leaders on both sides are too steeped in the old ways to break from them. There has to be a new alliance, made up of all those who desire peace and an end to the conflict. Our generation has to rise up and replace that of our parents, for Isa... literally. It will be dangerous at first, and hard, but I know that the opinions of the council and the king are not the opinions of the people. Most people want an end to the conflict, and no one openly seeks another war. If we provided them with an alternative to both... people would flock to us, and both sides would lose their foundation after long enough and collapse. People are people, shadow or light, I believe there is just as much support for this from their side as there is from ours. The cycle has to be broken, and it will take something as drastic as this to do it."

 

Kai turned to face her now and looked her right in the eye, "I will not see you fight another needless battle with our children's lives on the line, and I would rather die than raise them in a world that I was too weak to change for the better, for their future as much as our own." Kai paused, "I won't allow you to go to war for Sola, nor will I go myself. My loyalty has always been to you, to my family, to honoring the memory of our fallen friends, not to a king or an alliance. Kings and alliances come and go, ideals, morals, love, friendship, courage, these things last forever, and I would stand for them, for you, before any other." Kai's eyes were pained, he knew that he was presenting her with an ultimatum, and it was clear that it tore him up inside to do so, but he couldn't live with the alternative. He wouldn't endanger her for anything he didn't think was worth her life, his life, and the lives of their unborn children and there were precious... precious few things he valued that highly...

Edited March 27, 2013 by Rakashua

[SkySong278]

Sklyar

 

Sky turned towards Marcus when she heard his voice close to where she was and said in reply to his question, "Yes. I was thinking that maybe we should go on a vacation. Just the two of us."

 

She then turned her attention to be on the grazing horses while she waited for his reply and reaction to what she had just said. She hoped that they'd be able to go on one and just relax from all of the drama going on right now.

 

Besides they still needed to talk about their wedding and the details surrounding it. Like who was going to attend that they were going to invite, where it was going to be held, who was going to marry them, and so forth. She figured that they needed to have some alone time to come up with that stuff and sure they could have easily talked about all that while at home at their mountain home or here at the gazebo but it had been awhile that they had taken a vacation and she thought it would be nice to do that as well as talk about the wedding details.